StarDoc 09 - Crystal Healer, page 14
“I am glad to know that your name is not Jylyj,” I mentioned as I monitored the level of crystal in his blood. “I never liked it much. It doesn’t suit you at all.”
“It was that or Hurkuut.”
I grimaced. “That sounds like someone regurgitating.”
“So I thought, but the Skartesh language is not known for its lyrical qualities.” He watched the scanner with me. “You did see me coming out of the water that morning on Joren. I couldn’t risk exposing myself by telling you the truth.”
“I knew it.” I frowned. “But how did you learn to swim? As a Skartesh, you should have gone into shock from being immersed.”
“I did not acquire the Skartesh’s biological aversion to water.” His voice changed. “Ever since my brother drowned, I’d hated it, and feared it. Then I met Jadaira on K-2, and she was an aquatic. To be with her, I had to learn to swim.”
I had no great love of water, and silently gave thanks that Reever had not turned out to be an aquatic. “How did that go?”
“Awkward at first. Dair coaxed me into a little pond, and I thought I’d choke to death on my fear. But she was patient with me, and gradually I learned to tolerate it, and then to relax in it, and finally to love it, as I loved her.”
The thought of an oKiaf falling in love with an aquatic should have seemed bizarre, but I found it both charming and sad. “You said you lost her. Did she die in the war?”
“No, I lost her to another male.” He grimaced. “She gave her heart to one of her own kind. They are far more happy together than she and I would have been.”
“That doesn’t make it any easier to accept.” I thought of all the jealousy I had felt toward Cherijo for being Reever’s first wife. “If you are in love with this aquatic, why have you shown such interest in me?”
“I don’t know,” he admitted. “It was your scent at first—you may not be beautiful by oKiaf standards, but you smell like the loveliest of females. And then you touched me, and I swear to you, I felt it in my soul. It was as if I recognized you, here.” He tapped his chest. “I didw did twanted to test it.”
“Duncan and I . . .” How did I explain the complexity of our relationship? “We belong to each other. There will never be another for me, or for him.”
“I never wished to admit it, but I felt the same for Jadaira. It was never meant to be, however.” He looked over at the dialysis unit. “This will stabilize the infection rate, but that is all it will do. We have never found any method of removing the crystal once it has infiltrated a living body.”
I was slightly relieved by the change of subject. “It mutates like a virus, spreads like cancer, eats like bacteria. I have never seen any pathogen like it. Yet its composition is mineral—almost identical to that of common quartz.”
“Perhaps it is a silica-based life-form.” He seemed amused. “If it is, will you name it after me?”
“Shon’s planet-eating rock?” I suggested.
“Valtas crystal,” he corrected. “It sounds more dignified.”
Someone chimed the door panel, and I handed the scanner to Shon before I went to see who it was. Reever and the commander stood waiting in the corridor, and neither looked happy.
“I’ll return in a moment,” I told him, and stepped outside. To Reever, I said, “I’ve started Sh—Jylyj back on dialysis. His readings are stabilizing, but the infection has advanced. Were you able to signal Xonea?”
My husband shook his head. “We have been unable to reach the ship at all. The station has been overtaken by mercenaries. They are holding the Elphian hostage and have demanded an exchange. The Valtas have agreed to their terms.”
I turned to the commander. “You can’t trade my husband and me like we are only commodities. There must be another way to rescue your people.”
“The mercenaries did not ask for either of you,” the commander said. “They want the Skartesh.”
Sixteen
“It is a good trade,” the commander insisted. He couldn’t quite look me in the eye. “The Skartesh is near death, and nothing can save him.”
“Forgive me,” I said, “but when did you become a physician? Before or after your military training?”
The oKiaf gave me a sour look. “What I mean to say is, he will not live long enough to be used by them or suffer at their hands.”
My astonishment over the fact that the mercenaries had not come for me and Reever became lost in the disgust I felt for this man. “As opposed to be used and made to suffer by you.” I nodded. “I thought you were a stupid man. Now I am sure of it.”
The commander glanced at my husband. “I cannot sacrifice hundreds to spare one who will not live. We are launching in thirty minutes.” He inclined his head toward me before he walked away.
“They’re not taking him.” I turned around and unlocked the door panel. “I won’t permit it.”
“We may have no choice in the matter.” Reever followed me into the isolation room and watched me secure the panel. “Jarn, you can’t barricade yourself in here with Jylyj. The Valtas will simply blast their way in.”
“You don’t understand,” I said very patiently.
“We don’t have time to smuggle the Skartesh out of the building, much les"5">“I know what you mean. I feel it, too. Once we’re back on Joren and surrounded by the HouseClan fleet, I’m sure everyone’s spirits will improve.”
I took the nearest lift to medical bay and mentally went over what I would need to continue the filtering treatments to keep Shon alive while I searched for a cure. As I walked into the bay, I expected to see most of the berths filled and the staff busy attending to them. The echo of my footsteps rang against my ears as I surveyed the emptiness.
Every berth had been made up perfectly. Equipment trays stood neatly arranged and waiting to be used. The floor itself glowed, as spotless as if it were brand-new. I knew in my absence Herea would have taken her responsibilities very seriously, but in the wake of the battle, there should have been some disorder.
“Herea? Charge Nurse?” I called out, walking around the unoccupied bay. I found everything in its place, but no one on duty. Frowning, I went to a com panel and signaled Command. “Xonea? No one is here in medical. Did Herea set up a temporary triage in one of the cargo bays?”
The panel must have been malfunctioning, or the captain was ignoring me, for no one responded.
“Fine, ClanBrother. I will go and find it myself.” I walked out and down the corridor to the survey lab. The panel was no longer secured, and I opened it to find another empty room—this one stripped of all the special equipment Nalek Kalea had installed. The black crystal was also gone.
“Reever?” I started to cross the threshold, and then stepped back. The door panel closed in my face.
A terrible bleakness washed over me as I hurried to another com panel in the corridor and attempted to signal command. When I received no response, I tried a second panel, and then a third, and sent signals to command, communications, engineering, and the galley. No one on the ship responded to my signals.
That was when I became aware of the emptiness around me. The ship was about to transition; the corridors should have been bustling with crew members preparing for the interdimensional jump. The passages were instead completely deserted. In fact, since leaving command, I had not seen a single member of the crew. It was as if I were the only one left on board.
I ran to our quarters and found them empty. With shaking hands I filled a server with water and drank it to ease my tight throat. Sweat had dampened the native garments I still wore, and I decided to change before I went back to command and demanded some answers from my ClanBrother.
As I went to retrieve fresh garments from the storage units in our bed chamber, I saw Jenner and Juliet sleeping on the end of our berth. I went to scratch Jenner’s head as he looked at me with his big blue eyes, and then froze as I remembered.
We had left the cats back on Joren.
“No.” I reached down to seize the cat by the throat, and my hand passed through the image of it, causing a brief static disruption of the holographic image.
I ran to the com panel and initiated a ship-wide signal. “Reever, if you can hear me, respond.” I waited a few seconds and tried again. “Duncan, this is an emergency, please respond now.”
Reever didn’t reply to my signal. Neither did anyone else. When I attempted to leave our quarters, the door panel refused to open.
I went to the storage units where I kept my and trs. The only thing the prep unit would produce was water. I searched frantically, but found nothing I could use to defend myself.
Through the viewport I saw the dwindling image of oKia, and rested my brow against the plas.
“Duncan,” I whispered. “What have we done?”
“The door panel opened behind me. “Your husband is here, Dr. Grey Veil.”
I whirled around to see a short-statured, dark-haired Terran and two mercenaries holding Duncan and Shon, who were bound and gagged. The Terran held a device in his hand, and when he pressed a switch on it the image of our quarters on the Sunlace vanished, replaced by another, unfamiliar chamber.
“This is a secured cell,” the Terran said to me. “You will be kept here during our sojourn. Follow instructions, and you will be treated fairly.”
I knew him now, and the sight of him horrified me.
Reever suddenly broke free of his bonds and shoved one mercenary into the other. As he bent down to grab the rifle the mercenary had dropped, the Terran produced a pulse pistol, turned, and shot my husband in the right arm and both legs. I screamed as Reever went down and blood spurted from the massive wounds in his limbs.
I ran, uncaring of the pistol the Terran pointed at me, and knelt in a pool of Reever’s blood.
“Duncan.” I tried to staunch the flow with my hands, and then Shon was there, cut free of his bonds. He gently moved my hands aside and rested his paws over my husband’s leg wounds.
Light poured out of the edges of Shon’s tunic as he closed his eyes and his expression turned to one of great concentration. When he lifted one paw to place it over Reever’s arm wound, I saw the terrible gaping hole in my husband’s thigh had disappeared.
I looked up at the Terran, who was smiling.
“We had to be sure we had the touch healer,” he told me as he tucked the pistol in his belt and walked out.
Shon opened his eyes and sagged back against the wall of the cell. “He will be all right.”
“Where are we?” I asked. “Whose ship is this?”
“I don’t know.” He was breathing heavily now. “But this is not a League ship.”
More mercenaries came into the room and dragged me to my feet. When I fought them, one hit me over the back of the head with his weapon, and I lost consciousness.
I came to in a different place, my body sprawled on a deck. Beyond me, a long row of observation panels showed a vast expanse of stars and blackness. The Terran who had shot Duncan stood looking out, but when I propped myself up, he turned around.
“You are awake. Good. It’s time we talked.”
Joseph Grey Veil began walking toward me.
Seventeen
I knew that he was Joseph Grey Veil. I recognized him from a few pictures that I had found among Cherijo’s possessions. His features also told me who he was. Looking upon him was like gazing into a distorted mirror.
I also knew that Joseph Grey was dead, murdered on Terra by Cherijo’s brother.
It can’t be him.
“It’s been such a long time, my dear.” The Terran came to stand over me, and offered a hand to help me up.
Don’t let him touch me.
I crawled backward away from it and stood, reaching for the blade I had tucked beneath my belt.
“The guards took the knife,” Joseph said. “You should not have fought them. They wouldn’t have hurt you if you had obeyed my orders.”
Who is he? “Who are you?”
“They said you had experienced memory loss due to a head injury.” He studied my face. “I am Joseph Grey Veil.” He waited for me to say something, and took a step toward me. “I am your father, Cherijo.”
I have no father. I was made, not born.
I backed away. “Joseph Grey Veil died on Terra years ago.” My shoulders hit the wall behind me. “Who are you?”
“You still believe that your brother Jericho killed me. Small wonder, then, that you look so frightened.” He smiled at me. “That man who died was a clone, like you. He was, in fact, the oldest of your cloned brothers. In dangerous situations I often used him as a double. I was quite put out when Jericho murdered him.”
He’s lying. Look into his eyes. I can see it.
My head throbbed and I felt as if I might puke. “I don’t believe you.”
“Of course you don’t. You are in shock,” he advised me. “In time, you will come to accept that I am alive, and we will be together from now on.”
No. No. NO.
Fear crawled all over me, inside and out, and all I could think was that I had to get as far away from this man as I could. “Why did you abduct us? What do you want?”
“You are my daughter, Cherijo. In fact, legally you are still my property. I am simply recovering what belongs to me.” He went to a prep unit and dialed up a server of tea. “You haven’t stopped drinking chamomile, I hope.”
Run.
I ran to the door panel and tried to open it. He had secured it. “I want to go back to my husband.”
“Duncan Reever is not your husband. You are not classified as a sentient being, so you cannot marry.” He filled a clear server with a light amber liquid. “You will need it to be sweet for the shock. Do you prefer sugar or honey?”
He’ll use it to cover up the taste of the drugs. Don’t drink it.
Sweat stung my eyes as it streamed down my face. If I could have crawled up the wall to get away from him, I would have. “Take me back to Duncan.”
“I think honey is more soothing.” He stirred something into the server and brought it to me. “Here. Drink. It will calm your nerves.”
Throw it in his face. Blind him.
I couldn’t bring myself to do that, so I slapped the server out of his hand. “Get away from me.”
“Why are you so afraid?” Something gleamed in his eyes. “I created you. I raised you. You have known me most of your life. I never harmed you, did I?”
He is not my father.
I turned and pounded on the door panel, shouting for someone to help me. When I felt a cold hand seneck, dread made me freeze.
Oh God oh God no please don’t—
The voice inside my head abruptly went silent.
“That’s better.” Still holding my neck, he turned me around to face him. “I am sorry I did not come for you before now. By killing my double, your brother caused a great deal of trouble for me, and then I was blamed for the war between the League and the Hsktskt. Fortunately, I had some colleagues in the research field who knew better and helped me go into hiding. In all the years that we have been kept apart, I never stopped thinking about you, Daughter. I came to find you as soon as I could.”
Uorwlan had warned us about the one sending the mercenaries after us . . . a wealthy Terran with friends among the League.
“You are the one who put the bounty on me and Duncan.” I wanted to shout it, but the only thing that would come from my throat was a thin whisper. Sweat now soaked my garments, and I trembled all over.
“I could not personally search the entire galaxy for you,” he explained as he steered me over to the observation viewer. “Offering the bounty was the quickest and surest method of finding you.”
My father would never trust mercenaries with me. He despised offworlders.
Some of the inexplicable fear drained out of me. “Are you taking me back to Terra?”
He laughed. “No, I’m afraid we wouldn’t be very welcome on the homeworld.” He released his grip on me. “I can’t discuss my plans with you just yet. Later, when you are thinking more rationally, perhaps I will.”
I still felt enough terror squeezing my insides to make my voice shake. “Then take me back to my—to Duncan.”
“In a little while,” he said. “First, I would like you to tell me where Marel is.”
God, he knows.
“Marel?” Surely this was the worst of my nightmares. “I don’t know that name.”
“You should. You and her father picked it out together.” He chuckled, as if it were all a jest. “Cherijo, did you really think you could hide her from me? I have been waiting for years for you to make me a grandfather.”
I would kill myself before I acknowledged my child’s existence. “If you are referring to the one pregnancy I had before you abducted me the last time, I miscarried the fetus. You confirmed that yourself when you examined me on Terra.”
“I know your immune system wouldn’t allow you to carry a child full-term, as I designed it that way,” he agreed. “But recently, the Omorr have made great strides toward the creation of an artificial womb to sustain premature infants delivered in the first trimester. The bulk of the research and design of the chamber was done by an Omorr surgeon. The same one, as it happens, who attended you during your miscarriage.”
I said nothing.
“Tell me where she is, Cherijo, and I will see to it that you’re reunited with her as soon as she can be retrieved. She belongs with us.” He tried to touch my face, but I jerked out of reach. “If you don’t tell me, you’ll never see her again.”
“There is no child,” I insisted. “I lost my baby. The Jorenians will give you the medical records to prove it.”
“Of course.” He sounded thoughtful. “The Jorenians would do anything to protect you, wouldn’t they? Part of the problem in finding you was always getting past them. I want to show you something.”
When I made no move to follow him, he took me by the arm and hauled me across the deck to a vid panel set into the wall.
“I took great interest in the Hsktskt who was alterformed into a Jorenian,” he said as he switched on the screen. “Jorenians, like the Hsktskt, refuse to live as slaves, and to attempt to abduct one is to sign one’s own death warrant. Acquiring samples of their DNA, however, only involves briefly interrupting one of their funerary probes on its flight into their star. I believe that is how the Hsktskt acquired what they used to create PyrsVar.”
