{"id":3706,"date":"2022-08-16T18:09:33","date_gmt":"2022-08-16T18:09:33","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/novels.zerosilver.com\/wordpress\/?page_id=3706"},"modified":"2024-02-28T15:50:34","modified_gmt":"2024-02-28T15:50:34","slug":"twin-witness-to-betrayal-sample","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/novels.zerosilver.com\/wordpress\/twin-witness-to-betrayal-sample\/","title":{"rendered":"Twin Witness to Betrayal Sample"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

By Katherine Padilla<\/a> \u00a9 2005<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n\n\n\n

Chapter 1: Foreigners<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Chapter 2: Dignitary Island<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Chapter 3: The Interrogation<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n\n\n\n

Chapter 1: Foreigners<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

An instant later, or so it seemed, Deia was looking in amazement through the shuttle\u2019s canopy at the planet of Myke\u2019s thoughts\u2014Novaun. Suddenly she could feel her body again, but she couldn\u2019t move it. She was so numb and drained of energy that she could no longer maintain a telepathic connection with her companions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Myke reached for the controls, turned on the engines, and began piloting the craft manually. He reached up to turn on the mouth speaker of his helmet and said, \u201cYou three were wonderful! Turn on your helmets and we can talk.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Deia did so, but it took extreme effort, almost more effort than she cared to exert.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWe just arrived in Novaunian space territory,\u201d Myke continued. \u201cIn about two seconds, we\u2019ll be surrounded by Novaunian fighters.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

An awful thought occurred to Deia. \u201cThey won\u2019t shoot at us will they?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Myke laughed, a happy, carefree laugh. \u201cNo, Deia, they won\u2019t. But they will be perplexed. We\u2019re in the heart of Novaunian space, to them an impossibility. They will wonder how we avoided detection.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Moments later, as Myke had predicted, Deia saw several white, bird-shaped fighters bearing Novaunian Fleet markings. She felt foreign thoughts invade her mind, and although they had no substance of words, she could feel images and understand.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Earth vessel A-BV472\u2014state your purpose for entering Novaunian space.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Myke looked as if he wanted to shout with joy, and Deia wondered if the pilot was someone he knew. This is Fleet agent, codename Myke Zarek, returning to base. Please allow me to contact my superior at the Novaunian Interplanetary Intelligence Agency, Shalaun, and he\u2019ll clear me through your commanding officer.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Switch to audio, A-BV472. Your thought transmissions are almost too weak to discern.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Acknowledged. Myke pushed a button on the control panel and began speaking in the Novaunian language.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The image of a white-helmeted pilot with bewildered blue eyes appeared on Myke and Deia\u2019s viewing screen. Myke spoke, and the Novaunian pilot spoke, and then the screen went blank.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cDoesn\u2019t anyone speak English around here?\u201d Dr. Luciani complained good-naturedly.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cOnly us,\u201d Paul said uneasily. \u201cI already feel like a foreigner!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cDon\u2019t worry,\u201d Myke assured, \u201cyou won\u2019t feel that way for long. You\u2019ll feel right at home in no time.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThen why do I feel so nervous?\u201d Deia said. \u201cI know we\u2019re supposed to have a family here, but I still get the most awful feeling that they won\u2019t believe we are who we say we are, or that they will disown us or something.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Myke was amused. \u201cYou say that only because you don\u2019t understand Novaun\u2019s patriarchal structure. Believe me, no one gets lost or disowned. It\u2019s more likely that your grandfather will be so thrilled to have you two back that he\u2019ll whisk you off to the Doshyr estate in Menaura and surround the place with soldiers!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Myke finally made contact with his headquarters in Shalaun. He communicated with a dignified man, also dressed in white, with wavy hair the color of honey and jade green eyes. Myke conversed with this man for at least five minutes before the screen went blank again.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cFor a commanding officer and his peon, you two are awfully chummy,\u201d Dr. Luciani declared.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cPerhaps, but Minon Sharad Quautar was my second father long before he was my C.O. He and my father were stationed together during the Latanzan War and were the best of friends, and two of his children, Kevan and Miaundea, are my closest friends. Kevan, in fact, married my sister Alysia shortly before I went to Earth.\u201d \u201cOh . . . they\u2019re the ones you talk about sometimes,\u201d Deia said. \u201cOnly you changed the names.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Myke nodded. \u201cMyke Zarek never really lived, so he didn\u2019t have a collection of real life experiences to draw on like Teren Zaurvau. I guess you could say that Myke Zarek\u2019s life story was always Teren Zaurvau\u2019s, Earth style!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWell, Teren Zaurvau,\u201d Paul said lightly, \u201ctell us what this strange Novaunian word \u2018minon\u2019 means.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI suppose the closest translation would be \u2018brother in humanity.\u2019 It isn\u2019t as intimate as \u2018brother\u2019; it\u2019s used kind of like the term \u2018mister,\u2019 but it\u2019s more respectful without being as detached and formal. The word for \u2018sister in humanity\u2019 is \u2018mineste.\u2019\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Deia squeezed Myke\u2019s arm. \u201cSo it\u2019s all right if we call you Teren now.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Teren nodded. \u201cPlease!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Dr. Luciani chuckled. \u201cAnd now that we\u2019re no longer in Star Force, you can call me \u2018Ton.\u2019\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cYes, sir!\u201d Teren, Deia, and Paul chorused, laughing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n\n\n\n

The sun had just risen on the continent\u2019s eastern coast, as the armed shuttle descended on the planet, escorted by a squadron of Novaunian fighters. As the shuttle approached Shalaun, Deia saw that it was a huge, graceful city located on a cape. She was immediately struck by its elegance and aura of serenity.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The city appeared to be laid out in an organized manner, the buildings perfect in form and symmetry, architectural styles that Deia could only describe as classical. All of the sidewalks were constructed of marble, and many of the buildings and houses were delicately ornamented with colorful minerals. Between the buildings were courtyards containing colorful statues and fountains, citrus groves, luxuriant tropical gardens, and many swimming pools of various sizes and shapes. Rising into the sky were gold towers that were discharging and receiving aircars from all directions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cIt\u2019s the most beautiful city I\u2019ve ever seen,\u201d Deia whispered. \u201cIt really is a paradise.\u201d Paul was also overcome with wonder at Shalaun\u2019s sublime beauty. \u201cIs every city on Novaun as beautiful as Shalaun?\u201d he asked Teren.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cAll of Novaun is beautiful, but common opinion is that Talavaura in Amaria is Novaun\u2019s most beautiful city. I imagine we\u2019ll see it soon since it\u2019s your mother\u2019s ancestral home. Her memorial service will probably be held there.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cDid you hear that, Paul?\u201d Deia said softly. \u201cShe\u2019ll have a funeral after all.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The squadron commander began giving Teren landing instructions. The armed shuttle tilted, did a one hundred-eighty degree turn, and descended rapidly toward a huge military base. In minutes, it landed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Deia, Teren, Paul, and Ton quickly removed their helmets as the canopy lifted and the side of the cabin slid open. Immediately feeling the Shalaun humidity and summer heat, Paul and Ton rapidly removed their silver flight suits and walked quickly down the stairs to the ground, anxious to walk and stretch their stiff muscles.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Deia wasn\u2019t in such a hurry, and neither was Teren. This first moment together on Novaun seemed like a dream. \u201cI can\u2019t believe it.\u201d Teren\u2019s fingers trembled as they brushed her hair away from her face.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Deia shook her head. \u201cNeither can I.\u201d Teren touched his lips to hers, drawing her closer. Deia responded happily.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cHey, come on, you two!\u201d Paul yelled up at them. \u201cThere\u2019ll be plenty of time for that later. It\u2019s too hot to stand out here all day!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Teren and Deia put their foreheads together, their arms still entwined. Teren\u2019s hair was disheveled and his cheeks were ruddier then normal, making him all the more handsome. \u201cI guess there is plenty of time, isn\u2019t there?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI suppose, but it sure doesn\u2019t seem like it yet, and there\u2019s just something wonderful about being able to do this in public.\u201d They kissed again.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Teren and Deia released each other a few moments later and slipped out of their flight suits.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cJust friends, huh?\u201d Ton teased once Teren and Deia were on the ground. He gazed seductively at Deia. \u201cSpeaking from friend to friend, I want to know when you\u2019re going to kiss me like that.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cShe\u2019d better not.\u201d Teren\u2019s voice was angry, but his smile was confident.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Deia laughed, hugging Ton and kissing him on the cheek. Then she reached for Paul, kissing his cheek and embracing him vigorously.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A group of men dressed in white Novaunian Fleet uniforms with short sleeves and standing collars gathered by the shuttle. Each man was wearing an arelada crystal, held in place on his forehead by a white band and carved in the shape of the mukaul bird. Most of the men had tiny arelada triangles embedded in their right temples just below the white bands.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Deia released Paul and slipped her hand under Teren\u2019s arm. Teren suddenly, as if he had received some sort of subliminal message, turned to face the blond-haired pilot who was watching him in amusement. \u201cRayel!\u201d he cried.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Teren and the pilot clasped each other and kissed each other\u2019s cheeks, then held each other\u2019s shoulders and gazed at each other in excitement, their expressions indicating that they were communicating telepathically.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Teren released the pilot and turned back toward Deia, whose arm was still around Paul. He smiled and motioned to her. Deia could feel the images of his thoughts. This is Deia Sheldon. He nodded at Paul and Ton. And this is her twin brother Paul and Dr. Ton Luciani.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Teren said to his friends vocally, \u201cAnd this is Captain Rayel Sekura, my brother-in-law.\u201d Deia, Paul, and Ton all nodded once and acknowledged the introduction in English.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Rayel turned his head and motioned to one of the other officers. The second officer and his men quickly surrounded Teren, Ton, Deia, and Paul and, after taking their four laser scalpels, led them to a nearby building where visitors and prisoners were checked in.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Once in the building, Teren was asked to remove his arelada, and he did, requesting that his arelada eye contacts be placed in a special container of solution and sent immediately to Colonel Quautar. Then all four of them stood one by one behind a sensor screen to be checked for hidden weapons and arelada. When nothing was found, they were led to separate rooms and left for a few moments to remove their Star Force uniforms for further inspection and to dress in the fatigues that had been provided. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Once in her dressing room, Deia plopped wearily down on the white divan and unzipped her boots with slow, heavy fingers. After pulling her boots off, she leaned her head against the wall for a moment, contemplating her arrival on Novaun and her and Paul\u2019s impending meeting with members of their extended family. Everything was happening so fast, and she had never felt more overwhelmed or excited or frightened . . . or happier.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n\n\n\n

 Miaundea Quautar spread auyvalnut butter sloppily over a thick slice of chilled homemade bread, accidentally dropping some on her thin silk dressing gown. Ignoring the spill, she quickly lifted the bread to her lips. In seconds, the oven beeped. She stuffed the remaining bread into her mouth, quickly opened the oven, and carefully lifted the mug to her lips. She gulped the tea, burning her tongue and throat, then set the mug in the sink and leaned for a moment against the white counter, breathing slowly to calm herself. Funny, even Kavella\u2019s zaulyem tea couldn\u2019t relax her that morning.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Only minutes before, her father had given her all of the details of her new assignment, one that promised to be especially fascinating. Teren\u2019s story was fascinating enough, what she knew of it, but the stories of his companions had to be equally incredible, and she would be one of the first to learn them since she would be their cultural tutor. Along with her duties as cultural tutor, she would deliver a telepathy vision presentation to the presumed Doshyr twins under the direction of their grandfather Patan.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Patan wanted this necessary presentation to be given to the twins by someone unrelated to the family and so had asked her father to appoint one of the Agency\u2019s librarians. Since as an anthropologist Miaundea was also a librarian and since she had already been assigned as the cultural tutor to the twins and the Earthon doctor, she had been the natural choice for the task.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The polished white marble floor felt cool under her feet as she walked quickly through the living room to her bedroom and its adjoining dressing lounge. She welcomed the coolness, for even at this early hour of the day, the summer heat was pouring into her apartment through the opened windows.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

From what Miaundea knew about Earth, most of its citizens were zealously loyal to their Divine Emperor, for they were proud of their culture and their religion was extremely nationalistic. With that loyalty and the Divine Emperor\u2019s practice of using telepathy to subliminally bind the minds of his subjects to his, Miaundea marveled that Teren had been able to persuade three people to help him escape the Star Force base ship.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Perhaps it wasn\u2019t strange that he had enlisted the help of the Doshyr twins. They had been raised by their mother, so undoubtedly she had instilled much of the Novaunian ideology in them. Not only that, but Teren had strong feelings for the girl twin. Certainly love had been part of her incentive. The Earthon doctor, however, was an entirely different matter.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Miaundea slipped out of her gown and into a cream silk dress with jade green pinstripes. The dress\u2019s hem fell just below her knees, its colors were conservative, and it lacked the contoured lines of the styles from Gudynea she liked so well\u2014nice and respectable. Her father would be pleased. Surprised, but pleased. She fastened a green cummerbund around her waist and seated herself at her vanity. She smeared lotion on her face and touched her cheekbones with rouge, then reached for the dark brown mascara from Telchon. She smiled mischievously. She couldn\u2019t be too respectable.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

As she brushed her hair, she thought again about Teren. Although she was deeply saddened by the loss of his father, she couldn\u2019t wait to see him. He was one of the most interesting people she knew, and he and his sister Alysia were her closest friends outside her family. He and she had been playmates as children and each other\u2019s only escorts during their youth, which had always led both families to believe they would be a couple permanently. After all, that was the way it had happened with Kevan and Alysia. Miaundea twisted her hair in the back and placed a long, pearl-studded comb in it to hold it in place, leaving out a few blond strands to hang in wisps around her face and neck. She abhorred braids.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

She and Teren had known from the beginning that their relationship would be permanent only in the way of friendship. They had used each other as escorts for convenience. The other young men of Auyval Beach had never liked her at all. As for Teren, he had always been too busy to be interested in girls, although he had been quite popular with the girls and had never known it. Teren was a good friend and he was fun, but he was far too comfortable\u2014too much like a brother\u2014and he was really rather ordinary-looking. (Although she had to admit, he did have a nice shape.)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

As Miaundea slipped into her green slippers and laced them over her bare calves to her knees, she tried to picture in her mind the girl Teren loved. Miaundea didn\u2019t doubt she was incredibly beautiful and probably exceptionally talented in some way. Miaundea knew Teren well enough to know that any other girl simply wouldn\u2019t have merited his attention. And being the daughter of an Amarian princess, she was probably elegant and very graceful. Yes, a girl like that would definitely appeal to Teren.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

After dressing, Miaundea rapidly closed the windows and reset the temperature control\u2014no use coming home to a sultry apartment. In minutes, she was anxiously riding to work in a taxi.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Miaundea didn\u2019t think she would get to see Teren and meet his companions that day, which was unfortunate, but she would be spending the day assimilating as much as she could of the information the Agency possessed about Earth, and she would get to communicate with Minon Doshyr after he arrived from Menaura. What an extraordinary opportunity!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

She was most eager, however, to meet the Earthon doctor. He had to have exceptionally strong mind power to have detected the Divine Emperor attempting to take control of his mind that first time, to have resisted him all of those years, and to have used a telepathic formula as complicated as the spirit dimension formula surely was. That meant he was likely to be intellectually superior also.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Miaundea contemplated the reasons he may have had for leaving his people and his life to come to Novaun. Was it because of a hatred of tyranny? She doubted it. More likely, he had come for the money. She suddenly had an irresistible desire to know how much Teren had promised him. Five thousand gold coins? Ten thousand? She wondered what kind of man became a traitor. Definitely not a virtuous one, and perhaps one who was a little dangerous. She shivered with excitement.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n\n\n\n

Something terrible has happened! Jenan\u2019s twins just arrived in Shalaun.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

How can that be?<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

They arrived in an armed shuttle with a young Fleet agent and an Earthon. What is Jovem trying to do to us? The girl was never supposed to see Novaun, and I wasn\u2019t supposed to bring the boy here for at least a half a year!<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

He must have changed his plans. Yes, he changed his plans. There can be no other explanation.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Something went wrong, I tell you. Jovem was so certain Lana was completely submissive and swore he would never allow any harm come to her, but the twins claim she committed suicide!<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Lana lied to him about her essence; that has to be it. <\/em>The thoughts were wrapped in shock, admiration, and shame. She used his own device against him, kept a piece of herself back, and fought him with the only weapon she had\u2014herself.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

That\u2019s impossible. He would never have taught her to lie about her essence.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

He didn\u2019t have to. She knew firsthand he could do it and developed her own method.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Awe and understanding surged through them both. That explains why he was so obsessed with her. It wasn\u2019t just her beauty and position he wanted; it was her mind. She\u2019s as brilliant as he is!<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

We surrendered at the first difficulty, and all these years she remained at war.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Fleet will suspect he\u2019s still alive in a few days, and once they learn his body is gone, they\u2019ll know he had help. They\u2019ll know about all of the false sales in a matter of months.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

What are we to do? What are we to do!<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

There\u2019s nothing we can do. They will have us and he will have us. He\u2019ll never allow himself to be apprehended until he has dragged us through the mud of shame and buried us with him.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

No! Never! He would gain nothing by implicating us!<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Nothing but a little satisfaction to that mutated lust for power. Don\u2019t you see? We can tell our story and agree to be witnesses, and we may never have to go to prison. We will be left with a lifetime to rebuild our reputations. He won\u2019t stand for that. He told us he would have one of us killed, and he will, I tell you, all to prove his superiority. No . . . oh no . . . What are we going to do?<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Return to the top<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n\n\n\n

Chapter 2: Dignitary Island<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ton gazed through one of the rear windows of the military aircar as it flew over Shalaun, feeling satisfied. Everything was proceeding exactly as planned.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Novaun. Secluded . . . private . . . well defended. It was easily the most powerful planet in the galaxy, not so much for its excessive military strength (although Novaunian Fleet was highly respected and feared), but for its wealth and control of the arelada trade. Because of its exclusiveness, however, the galaxy knew little about its people and their culture.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

From the beginning of his job as a plant, Ton had been curious to learn how King could know the Novaunian culture so intimately that he could, with such startling accuracy, predict far in advance every action of the twins and a young agent he had never met. Ton had always suspected King was a Novaunian himself, and now that Ton had met the man, he was even more certain. The man was a traitor and a murderer\u2014he just had that feel about him. He did, however, possess an incredible mind, and Ton couldn\u2019t help but admire him.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ton stretched his arms a bit and glanced to his right. Teren and Deia were nestled together, gazing at each other and occasionally touching each other\u2019s faces. After a moment, Deia\u2019s closed her eyes and laid her head against Teren\u2019s neck, smiling in contentment. He gently smoothed her hair back and kissed her temple. Even as she slept in his arms, he continued gazing at her. He stroked her face and hair with touches so soft, Ton wondered if she could even feel them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ton marveled at the methods they used to show affection. There was an intensity of emotion between them that he had never seen in any of his shipmates\u2019 short-lived romances and had never experienced in all of his own casual liaisons with women. He had known from the beginning that there was strong attraction between Teren and Deia, but he had always assumed that they were both driven by lust and that they merely believed they loved each other. He had, after all, known many others who had been duped by that sham.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

But surely it hadn\u2019t been lust that had made Teren so cautious in his association with Deia, knowing that his love for her would put her in danger. Since a purely physical relationship probably wouldn\u2019t have affected his mission, wouldn\u2019t lust have instead driven him to pursue immediate gratification from her, especially when he was so close to death?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

And surely it hadn\u2019t been lust that had motivated Deia to give up her ambitions so that she and Teren could be together. Ton had never been motivated to such acts of sacrifice by anything, least of all lust. Now, after finally seeing the two in their affection, he realized that in rare exceptions, love could exist between a man and a woman, because Teren and Deia certainly loved each other.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Fifteen minutes later, Ton, Teren, Deia, and Paul\u2019s aircar and its five escort transports lowered as they approached a tiny island. They flew over acres of lawns, gardens, and various recreational facilities that had originated on different planets, then skirted the marble mansion and glided to a stop on a third floor landing platform.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The security men in the escort quickly exited their transports, then surrounded the mansion and took their posts in the guard towers on the beach. The commanding officer of the small security group that had been stationed on the island earlier briefly conferred with the driver of Ton\u2019s vehicle, then motioned for Ton and his companions to get out of the car.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The security officer led the group into a sparsely furnished lobby with a low ceiling and polished white marble floor. Off the lobby were two wings of suites. The officer quickly showed Deia her room in the right wing and Ton, Teren, and Paul their separate rooms in the left, then directed them into the dining room, where a large oval table constructed of crystal was already set with eating utensils and napkins and exotic fruits, breads, cheeses, and fish.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The four seated themselves and ate eagerly. Using the spirit dimension formula in flight had consumed all of their strength. By the time the food on the table was almost gone and the four were full, the security officer entered the dining room again, only this time, a young woman was with him.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The woman\u2019s golden blond hair was braided around her head, studded with sapphires, and she was wearing a loose-fitting, pale blue satin gown and carrying an infant seat. A tiny arelada crystal the shape of a triangle was embedded in her left temple, and a small round arelada prism sparkled on a gold chain on her forehead. The prism on her forehead reminded Ton so much of the crystals worn by the Eslavu that he gasped. Judging by Paul and Deia\u2019s speechless expressions, the woman had affected them the same way.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

As soon as Teren saw the woman, he jumped up and shrieked with delight, \u201cLauria!\u201d The woman, as overjoyed to see Teren as he was to see her, set the infant seat on the floor and met him in an embrace. Teren squeezed her tightly and kissed her several times on her cheeks and forehead, and she returned all of his affection warmly. After a few moments, they backed away from each other slightly.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Lauria was smiling, barely, but her eyes were sad and glistening. \u201cAh, Teren,\u201d she said in English, an unnatural sound coming from a Novaunian woman, \u201cit is so good to see you, but it is true, is it not . . . he is dead.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Teren nodded quickly, his face tense and his eyes glassy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Tears sprang from Lauria\u2019s pale blue eyes as they closed, and her lips trembled. Teren drew her close again and laid his face on her shoulder, weeping silently with her.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

At length, they withdrew and gently wiped each other\u2019s tears away. Teren\u2019s voice quavered, \u201cI thought I was over it, that I could bear it from now on, but I guess I was just pretending.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Lauria forced herself to smile. \u201cEnough grief. Perhaps it is better this way. When Mother passed, he nearly died of a broken heart, but now he is with her and much happier, I am sure.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Teren nodded solemnly.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Lauria held Teren and arm\u2019s length and surveyed him. After a moment, her eyes brightened a little, and she smiled. \u201cMy baby brother has turned into a man, and a very handsome one at that.\u201d She playfully pinched his arm. \u201cBut you are looking pale!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Teren smiled weakly. \u201cGive me a week on the beach, and we\u2019ll see who\u2019s pale. What are you doing here? I didn\u2019t think I\u2019d get to see you for at least another week. And why in the galaxy are you speaking English?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cMinon Sharad thought it would be easier to communicate with your friends if I spoke their language. Rayel and I have been cleared to be your chaperons.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cChaperons!\u201d Ton exclaimed. He laughed, then looked over at Paul and grinned wickedly. \u201cI wouldn\u2019t trust them either.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Paul shook his head and grinned. \u201cI wouldn\u2019t either. That Teren, he\u2019s an animal.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cPaul!\u201d Deia exclaimed in exasperation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWell, what can you expect?\u201d Ton said mischievously. \u201cDeia\u2019s a seductress!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Lauria listened, amused. \u201cRayel certainly would not disagree with you. I have communicated with him since you arrived, and he referred to Deia as\u2014now let me see if I can find the appropriate words . . . \u2018the Earthon enchantress.\u2019\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

That comment sent Ton and Paul into hysterics. Deia bowed her head, her cheeks red with embarrassment, and Teren turned away from Lauria and threw up his arms in resignation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Noticing Deia\u2019s discomfort, Lauria walked over to her and knelt down beside her chair. \u201cI am sorry I embarrassed you. We love to tease Teren, but we forget that there is another now who is not accustomed to it. If you are as beautiful on the inside as you are on the outside\u2014and I am sure you are\u2014then I can certainly understand why Teren is so enchanted by you.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Deia smiled. \u201cYou\u2019re sweet.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Teren knelt down beside the infant seat Lauria had brought with her. He gently lifted a tiny silk bundle out of the cradle and held it snugly against his chest as he stood up. He removed the thin white blanket from a fair little face and stroked the sleeping baby\u2019s fuzzy blond head. \u201cIs it a boy or girl?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Lauria stood up and faced Teren again. \u201cA little boy, Braunen. He is eight weeks old.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Deia peered around Lauria at the baby. \u201cHe\u2019s beautiful! But where are the rest of your children? Teren said that you and Rayel have three others.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Lauria laughed merrily. \u201cDo you think I would bring my children along when I have a chance to be with my husband for a while in such a beautiful place as this? As soon as Minon Sharad asked me to do this, I gave them to my sisters!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Deia appeared puzzled. \u201cWhy didn\u2019t you leave the baby too?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cBecause I am the only one who can feed him.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Deia flushed. \u201cOh.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Teren shifted the conversation away from Lauria\u2019s baby. \u201cIn all of the excitement, I forgot to make introductions!\u201d He turned toward Paul and Ton. \u201cI guess you\u2019ve figured out by now that this is my oldest sister, Lauria Sekura.\u201d They nodded.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Teren turned to face his sister again. \u201cIt seems Minon Sharad has given you a little information about my companions. How much have you learned?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cHe informed me that Paul and Deia are the grandchildren of Patan Doshyr, if that is what you mean. He deemed it unnecessary for them to play-act as Paul and Deia Sheldon while they stay here, and he felt it would be a difficult thing to do under such casual circumstances. All of the guards have been informed, and by the time Rayel arrives tomorrow, he will know too.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Deia hesitated. \u201cI don\u2019t mean any offense, Lauria, but I don\u2019t understand why Teren and I need to be chaperoned. If we were going to do something, we would have done it by now. And besides, I don\u2019t see that it\u2019s anyone\u2019s business except ours.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThe one thing a Novaunian unmarried man and woman do not want to do is be alone for an extended period of time without a chaperon, especially if there are feelings between them, for everyone they know will think the worst. It is not because people are so distrustful, but because they remember that time in their lives so well and how vulnerable they were.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Teren\u2019s mouth curved into an astute little smile. \u201cTell me, Lauria, did Grandfather recommend you to Minon Sharad, or did Minon Sharad recommend you to him?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cActually, they both thought of Rayel and me first. And yours was not the only grandfather who requested a chaperon.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Deia rolled her eyes good-naturedly. \u201cI guess we don\u2019t have much choice, do we Teren?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Teren shook his head. \u201cNo.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Lauria squeezed Deia\u2019s shoulder. \u201cDo not worry about it too much, Deia. I am not going to watch you every minute. That would spoil things for you and Teren, and it would also spoil my vacation. It is, however, good to have an authority figure near in a situation like this, if only because it helps you live the standards you have already set for yourselves. And if it makes you feel any better, a chaperon probably would have been brought in even if you were not here.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ton leaned back in his chair, laughing a little. \u201cWhich means you\u2019re here to chaperon Paul and me as much as you are to chaperon our little lovers. Well, I guess there\u2019s a first time for everything.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Paul shook his head in amazement. \u201cIt\u2019s been less than two hours since we entered Novaunian space, and it seems as though everyone on the planet knew we were arriving days ago. Things sure do happen fast around here.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThat\u2019s one of the advantages of a telepathic world,\u201d Teren said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Lauria nodded. \u201cIt was not more than a few minutes after you broke orbit that all three of my sisters agreed to take my children, and by the time Minon Sharad communicated with me, he had already communicated with both grandfathers, the overseer of this island, and had arranged for a security team to meet you on the landing field. Then I was able to assimilate your language from another librarian on my way here.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cYou learned the entire English language in fifteen minutes?\u201d Paul exclaimed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Teren nodded. He touched the arelada crystal on his sister\u2019s forehead. \u201cThe faceted forehead crystal is the emblem of a Guild librarian. Lauria has spent many years beyond regular education requirements developing her mind so that she can assimilate information rapidly and recall it just as rapidly. She stores a specific type of information and releases it into another\u2019s mind by request, and by way of the planetary relay system InterMind, she can release it as easily into the mind of a person on the other side of the planet as she can to someone who lives in Shalaun.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ton regarded Lauria in admiration. \u201cSo you\u2019re a human computer.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Lauria smiled modestly. \u201cI suppose that is a fairly good description of a librarian. But actually, the human mind working in conjunction with arelada has a much greater storage capacity than a computer and it can relay that information much more rapidly, which is why computers for storing information have been obsolete on Novaun for over a thousand years.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The security officer entered the dining room again, accompanied by Teren\u2019s commanding officer and a man carrying a small medical kit. Teren immediately set Braunen back into his cradle and approached the newcomers. He embraced his commanding officer, then communicated silently with the doctor. The doctor held a small square device to Teren\u2019s right shoulder, and a glowing image of the inside of his shoulder appeared next to his head.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

As the commanding officer introduced himself to Paul and Deia and shook their hands, Ton moved closer to Teren and examined the glowing image, astounded by what he saw. The sensoring devices Ton normally used were precise and accurate, but this image was like nothing he had seen in all his years of medical training. Ton could not only see every nerve in Teren\u2019s shoulder, and every cell, but he could see inside and around the nerves and the cells. Teren\u2019s wound was as nasty as the image was miraculous. He wondered how long ago Teren had been shot, thinking it criminal that both the D.I.I. and Star Force had allowed the wound to go untreated.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The image of the inside of Teren\u2019s shoulder faded and the physician returned his examining device to his kit. He gave him two bottles of pills. Ton assumed that one contained an anti-inflammatory drug and that the other contained medication for the pain.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThat was an amazing image, wasn\u2019t it?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ton turned to face Teren\u2019s commanding officer. \u201cYes, it was. What kind of device was he using?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cAn Awareness monitor.\u201d The officer extended his hand. \u201cYou must be Dr. Ton Luciani. I\u2019m Colonel Sharad Quautar, director of the Special Cases division of the Novaunian Intelligence Agency. Welcome to Novaun.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThank you, sir.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The physician left, and Lauria asked Teren, \u201cWhat was that all about?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI was shot nine weeks ago as I tried to leave Earth\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cYou were shot!\u201d Deia exclaimed in horror.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Teren nodded slowly. \u201cYes, but don\u2019t be alarmed. I have nerve damage\u2014I figured as much when the burning in my shoulder lingered\u2014but it can be repaired by surgery.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Deia still appeared unsure and very concerned. She stood up and went to him, embracing him tenderly with one arm.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ton shook his head, feeling angry. \u201cHad they treated you the day you were shot, you may not have needed surgery at all!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Teren shrugged. \u201cI survived. That wound was the least of my problems.\u201d He yawned in Colonel Quautar\u2019s direction. \u201cWell, let\u2019s get this done before I pass out.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Colonel Quautar smiled and motioned to the men\u2019s wing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n\n\n\n

To Teren\u2019s relief, Minon Sharad only required him to telepathically regurgitate the past two months. He wanted everything Teren knew about his father\u2019s death and Paul and Deia\u2019s situation on Earth. The rest would wait until after Teren had slept.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Once Teren was done, he felt so light-headed that he had to lie down. Fortunately, he was already sitting on his bed. He was too weak to communicate telepathically. \u201cHow did Paul and Deia and their mother get lost, minon? Why had I never heard of missing \u2018royal twins\u2019?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cIt\u2019s no surprise that you aren\u2019t familiar with the tragic circumstances surrounding the death of Jenan Doshyr and the disappearance of his wife, the Princess Lanuvael of Amaria, and their twin children. Perhaps it\u2019s because of the extreme tragedy of the story that those of my generation don\u2019t discuss it.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWhat happened?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cMinon Doshyr was killed in a fire on Latanza. His wife was believed to have been so traumatized that she went into hiding to save her children from being killed.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cSo everyone thought she\u2019d gone insane.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThe evidence was overwhelming.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cHe must\u2019ve planned the whole thing . . . the fire and everything.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cSanel King?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Teren nodded. \u201cHe\u2019s a Novaunian; he has to be. Was there ever a traitor among the Doshyrs or Vumauls?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Minon Sharad nodded slowly, frowning. \u201cYes . . . that story is even more tragic than the death of Minon Doshyr and the disappearance of his family, and it\u2019s connected in many ways.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWhat happened?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cSeveral months before Minon Doshyr and his family took holiday on Latanza, his younger brother Jovem was incarcerated for high treason and murder.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cMurder? On Novaun? Who did he kill? And what in the galaxy was his treason?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Minon Sharad\u2019s face was grave. \u201cHe murdered his brother\u2019s firstborn, a beautiful little two-year-old girl, and it was brutal\u2014a mind rape.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Teren felt as though he would be sick. Paul and Deia had had a sister. All he could see in his mind at the moment was the picture of them with their mother and Sanel\u2014and the sadness in her eyes. A feeling of foreboding suddenly overcame him. How would Paul and Deia react when they were forced to confront this particular piece of family history?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cAs for the treason,\u201d Colonel Quautar continued, \u201che conspired to sell part of the Doshyr mining territory to some Vaenan investors, but his effort was thwarted by his brother.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cSo what do the Doshyrs believe happened to Jovem? After what you\u2019ve told me, I feel very strongly that Jovem Doshyr and Sanel King are the same person.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cNot possible. Before Jovem went to Shalaun to stand trial, he committed suicide.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Teren rubbed his temples. \u201cAnd supposedly Princess Lanuvael went crazy and took the twins to Earth by her own choice. After what I showed you, minon, you can still believe that?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI won\u2019t know what to believe until I\u2019ve interviewed Paul and Deia.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cIt\u2019s the same man.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cYou have no evidence, and Awareness monitors don\u2019t lie.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cSanel King is far too young-looking, and he knew Paul and Deia\u2019s father.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cKing could be a Kavellan. Or a Manourean. And it would be unusual for a man not<\/em> to know something about his wife\u2019s first husband.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI know there\u2019s no solid evidence yet, but the possibility makes too much sense. You have to admit that it does.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cIt would explain a great deal,\u201d Minon Sharad conceded.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cCertainly it couldn\u2019t hurt anything to send someone to Menaura to take a look at the grave.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Minon Sharad thoughtfully tapped his lips. \u201cPerhaps not . . . if we can keep it unofficial.\u201d The corner of his mouth lifted in a conspiratorial smile. \u201cPatriarch Doshyr himself might be willing to take a telepathic peek into his son\u2019s grave before he leaves Menaura.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n\n\n\n

 Miaundea slipped into a taxi after work that afternoon, invigorated by her communication with Patan Doshyr and his daughter Amburna, but disappointed she had been unable to see Teren and meet his friends. She was, however, excited about the opportunity she would have to meet with Deia alone the next morning to give her the clothing and personal items she would need.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Miaundea took the taxi to her parents\u2019 home in Auyval Beach as she did every Fourth Day evening for dinner and family council-scripture discussion. The taxi stopped on the landing platform where the neighborhood walks came together. She emerged from the taxi, exhausted from a long day of mind work, but happy. Since the weather was pleasant, she took the walk instead of the transport pod that connected the landing platform with her parents\u2019 home.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

After she had been walking five minutes and was almost to her parents\u2019 home, her happiness evaporated, replaced by excitement and, at the same time, dread. There he was on his way to the beach for surfing with two of his friends, tall and muscular in his swim shorts and tank top, fair and dark-haired, with contemptuous, heart-stopping blue eyes, beautiful, brilliant\u2014an arrogant prude. There he was, resplendent, a supernova in a galaxy of weak little stars, her childhood love, her greatest enemy\u2014Maurek Avenaunta.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

She struggled to repress her excitement, but the more she struggled, the more the excitement intensified, and that made her angry, angry at herself for still being so excited by him, but more angry at him. How dare he walk by her parents\u2019 home! How dare he ruin her evening!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The three young men approached her before she could hurry across the walk to her parents\u2019 house. When Maurek saw her, something all-too-familiar happened to his face, something Miaundea could only assume was displeasure at seeing her. It flushed, then paled, then some of the blood returned, leaving it mottled. His eyes weren\u2019t contemptuous this time, but staring at the ground to avoid looking at her. After a moment, they rose again, as if compelled, and looked at her uneasily.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The friends, Fanal Huneer and Trenaun Vodel, looked at nothing but her dress as they approached. Trenaun gazed at her in amusement, and Fanal was wearing a taunting little smirk.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Trenaun rested the bottom of his surfboard on the marble walk and leaned on it. Hello, Miaundea<\/em>, he communicated with an air of friendliness. It\u2019s been a long time.<\/em> His eyes were still studying her dress.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Miaundea resented Trenaun\u2019s attention to her clothing. Hello, Trenaun,<\/em> she communicated icily.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Fanal did not appreciate the coldness of Miaundea\u2019s reply to his friend. It\u2019s a miracle, Trenaun,<\/em> he communicated sarcastically. The queen of Auyval Beach deigns to give you a hello.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Miaundea felt bitterness rise within her. And I\u2019m so delighted to see you too, Fanal.<\/em> Miaundea looked away from them and resumed her walk to her parents\u2019 home.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Feeling one of them seize her arm, she turned. Seeing the culprit was Maurek, she looked at him uneasily, yanking her arm out of his hand and stepping away from him.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Maurek stepped away from her, his eyes charged with agitation and his face quivering. He hesitated, then communicated quickly, That\u2019s a pretty dress, Miaundea. You look very pretty today.<\/em> Trenaun looked at Maurek in surprise; Fanal was suspicious. The corner of Maurek\u2019s mouth lifted into the slightest of smiles, and Miaundea thought he was ready to laugh at her.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Miaundea\u2019s body tightened in outrage. Of all the gall! How dare he taunt her with a compliment on her dress, her bland, conservative dress! He wasn\u2019t going to get away with such sarcasm. It\u2019s a miracle!<\/em> she communicated in mock shock. Maurek Avenaunta deigns to give my dress his approval. It\u2019s too bad there isn\u2019t a dance tonight. Perhaps I would even go with you.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

 Maurek stared at Miaundea as she turned and walked determinedly back toward the neighborhood landing platform, quaking with rage.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

 Miaundea slid into the waiting taxi and took it to her apartment downtown. Her fury was dying, but she couldn\u2019t face anyone at the moment, not even her family. Three and a half years had passed since that horrible night, the night that had started it all. Three years had taken them into the Fleet and her away from Novaun for fieldwork. She had seen Maurek rarely in the three months she had been home and until that evening, had never communicated with him. Fanal and Trenaun she hadn\u2019t seen at all. Why hadn\u2019t they changed? Why did they still have to provoke her? She loathed them, but, at the same time, she longed for their approval and respect. Auyval Beach passed by her in a blur.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

 When she arrived at her apartment, she trudged into her dressing lounge and sat down on her chaise longue, enveloped in despair as she remembered. She had loved Maurek once. He had always been extraordinary. Extraordinarily handsome. Extraordinarily brilliant. Extraordinarily talented. She became interested in diving because he was interested in diving. She went to the pool every day and watched him passionately, although always passively.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Maurek always watched her too, and as time went on, he became less subtle about it. Although they were attentive to each other, they never communicated, except with smiles and an occasional touch in passing. When he asked her to the Salyumala Ball, Auyval Beach\u2019s most extravagant annual event, she was thrilled. She immediately began designing and sewing a dress as magnificent as the ball she would be attending. She put all of her love for Maurek into that dress. She wanted to be beautiful for him.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

When the dress was finished, it looked even more exquisite on her than she had imagined it would. It made her look sophisticated, not so much like a little girl, and as lovely as she was capable of looking. The dress was crimson satin, overlaid with a delicate lace, dotted with tiny crystal beads, the hem falling just a little above her knees, with moderate slits in the sides. It flowed elegantly over and around her curves, showing them off to their greatest advantage, the front and back V-shaped necklines coming together at points at her shoulders.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Her parents warned her about the dress. They believed some people would be uncomfortable with it and think it was too revealing. Her father admitted to being disturbed by the dress himself and nearly forbade her to wear it. She, of course, defended her dress, telling him that there was nothing immodest about it and that she would wear it whether he approved or not. Her mother resolved the conflict by pointing out that it was disturbing, but only because the style was so different, not because it was immodest. Her father eventually gave up and told her that he didn\u2019t mind her wearing the dress, as long as she didn\u2019t complain later about the negative comments she would undoubtedly receive. Miaundea expected a few negative remarks about the dress, but she never anticipated the disapproval and rejection she would receive from Maurek.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Her older sisters were baking a cake for the guests that they would entertain after the ball, and the whole house was filled with its aroma as she ran to answer the door. She was overwhelmed by excitement to see Maurek and hoped he would be as excited to see her. She tingled with anticipation when she saw him standing on her front porch, dressed so neatly in his new white suit.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

At first, he was excited to see her. He was smiling, and his blue eyes were radiant and alive. Then, almost immediately, his face flushed, then was pale, then mottled. He communicated, completely flustered, That dress . . . that dress is, well, it\u2019s . . . totally improper. Please go change.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

She couldn\u2019t believe it. Of all the nerve! Insisting she change her dress! I will not! This dress covers me and is completely appropriate.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Her defensiveness seemed to give him courage and resolve. If you don\u2019t change your dress, then I\u2019m afraid I can\u2019t take you to the ball.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

His manner was pleasant, but his eyes were so presumptuous at that moment, too presumptuous. He had no doubt that she would respect his wishes and change her dress. Then it appears you will be going to the ball alone!<\/em> She slammed the door, but not before she saw his expression of astonishment and humiliation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Seeing him so humiliated that night hurt her as much as his rejection. She feigned illness and didn\u2019t come out of her room for a week, except to go to the bathroom. Even then, her parents never suspected her feelings for Maurek. She had never even told Alysia. Those closest to her assumed she had exiled herself to her room because her pride was hurt. She emerged from her room after a week, haggard and hardened, left to thrash in the wake of Maurek\u2019s mortification. How could he have told all of his friends that he didn\u2019t take her to the dance because she had come to the door \u201cdressed shamelessly, like a hussy\u201d?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

 Miaundea never discussed the events of that night with anyone, communicating only, I will not tolerate having a domineering prude insist I change my dress.<\/em> She had promised her father she wouldn\u2019t complain about any negative comments she might receive about her dress, and except for that simple explanation, she never did.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Miaundea pulled herself off of her chaise longue, dragged herself to her closet, and removed the wardrobe bag that stored the dress she had worn that night. She had placed it in the bag then and hadn\u2019t been able to bring herself to look at it since. Holding her breath, she ever so carefully removed the dress. It was as lovely as it had been the night of the dance. Her eyes filled with tears, leaving her dress a glistening veil in her hands. She fought hard to keep the tears from falling. She never cried, not even for Maurek. Especially not for Maurek. Her tears dissipated, and she was again staring at her sparkling party dress. It should never have happened. She would do the same thing again given the same provocation, but still, she wished it had never happened.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

She laid her dress on her bed and went to her crystal vanity. She carefully removed what little make-up she was wearing and brushed her hair, parting it more traditionally in the middle, braiding many tiny strands, and looping the strands of braids and pinning them to her head with tiny jeweled barrettes. She arose from her chair and went to her full-length holoreflector.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

She gazed painfully at her reflection. She was so petite that she looked like a little girl, especially in that prudish Novaunian-style dress that had no form. Her facial features were tiny and bland, except for her eyes, which she had always felt were disproportionately large. Why couldn\u2019t she have been born taller, more curvaceous, and with lush dark lashes? Why couldn\u2019t she have been born beautiful? She made a face.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Is this what you want, Novaunian men? Miaundea the ugly little girl? No one but that prude of the century ever noticed her, and I never liked her!<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

With fierce rejuvenation, she took off her cream-colored dress with its pinstripes, wadded it up, and threw it in the trash, then slipped, trembling, into her magnificent party dress. She reseated herself at her vanity and shook out the dowdy braids, brushing and teasing her hair, parting it again on the side. She applied her make-up generously, brushing her eyelids with silvery gray eye shadow, blackening her lashes with heavy mascara, and touching her cheekbones with rouge. Then for an even more emphatic impression, she painted her lips with crimson lipstick.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

She went to her holoreflector again and smiled at herself in satisfaction. Who needs you, Maurek Avenaunta!<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Return to the top<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n\n\n\n

Chapter 3: The Interrogation<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

The moment Teren saw Minon Sharad the next morning, he knew that his hunch was correct. The grave\u2019s empty, isn\u2019t it?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Minon Sharad nodded. It\u2019s official\u2014our government now presumes Sanel King is Jovem Doshyr.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n\n\n\n

Ton entered Colonel Sharad Quautar\u2019s office suite on the second floor of the mansion the next afternoon as Paul was leaving. The colonel met him at the door and extended his hand to him, smiling. \u201cIt\u2019s a pleasure to see you again, Ton.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cYou speak English easily,\u201d Ton observed. \u201cLauria speaks it correctly, but not so freely.\u201d Even as Ton spoke, realization trickled through him. \u201cHow long has it been since you were assigned there?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cTwenty-six years.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cBut that would have been at the beginning of the Dark Years. Were you there during the initial invasion?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Colonel Quautar nodded. \u201cWe were in Washington, D.C. to pick up an agent. I was in the craft that shot down Tohmazz Zarr.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ton tilted his head toward the colonel, eager for more information. \u201cWhat happened? I was taught that Zarr was killed by the Dirons in the invasion.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThat\u2019s a story that will have to wait for another time.\u201d Colonel Quautar waved Ton into an armchair upholstered with pale blue silk.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ton sat down. \u201cYou don\u2019t look old enough to have been there. How long do you Novaunians live, anyway?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The colonel reached under his diamond-trimmed half vest. \u201cAbout two-hundred years.\u201d Ton could do nothing but gape.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The colonel brought forth a device that looked like a stylus. \u201cWith this instrument, I\u2019ll insert a tiny arelada crystal into your temple. This will give you complete Awareness, but you won\u2019t be able to transmit thoughts beyond a distance of five meters. When you and your friends are allowed to leave Dignitary Island, you will each be given the amount of arelada necessary to use InterMind.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The colonel held the device to Ton\u2019s temple. \u201cYou\u2019ll feel a slight prick . . . There. Now I want you to pull the spirit dimension formula out of your Awareness and put it to the front of your mind. I\u2019ll overlap spirits with you partway and block the memory.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ton did as the colonel asked. In moments, he was unable to recall the spirit dimension formula.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Colonel Quautar replaced the cylinder device in the pocket under his half-vest. \u201cThe Earthons possess this knowledge and know that we do too, so you shouldn\u2019t worry about their kidnapping you for the spirit dimension formula. By the same token, the memory block will enable us to allow you to move about freely on Novaun or anywhere you would like without worrying about your selling the formula to another government.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ton nodded that he understood. Colonel Quautar seated himself in the chair opposite him. \u201cIt\u2019s necessary for me at this time to ask you a few questions.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The colonel was so close that his knees were no more than half a meter away. \u201cYou mean you want to interrogate me.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cCall it what you want, but I prefer not to refer to this interview as interrogation. I want our communication to be natural, and I have no desire to intimidate you in any way. I also want you to understand that none of what we discuss will be made public. Indeed, most of it will not go beyond this office.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ton shrugged in surrender and pushed his lower back against the chair in an effort to move as far away from the colonel as he could. \u201cThen let\u2019s get it over with.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI\u2019m most interested, Ton, to know what motivated you to come to Novaun with Teren.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cIt seemed like a good thing to do at the time.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWhy?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The colonel\u2019s question caught Ton off guard. He had expected a reprimand, a request for a more specific answer\u2014anything but a \u201cwhy.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWell, as Deia said when she approached me about Teren\u2019s problem, I had nothing to lose and everything to gain. In fact, coming to Novaun was probably the best career move I\u2019ve ever made. The military\u2019s much too restrictive.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cYour attitude suggests that you believe your career was the only aspect of your life that was affected by your decision. Won\u2019t you miss your friends? Your family?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI don\u2019t have any friends, and no, I won\u2019t miss my family.\u201d Ton realized he was drumming his fingers on his thigh and immediately stopped, not wanting the colonel to observe how nervous he was.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWill anyone in your family miss you?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThey\u2019ll be glad I\u2019m gone.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The colonel leaned back in his chair and folded his arms over his waist. \u201cI understand, Ton, that you were born on Earth date August 6, 2 Before Liberation, in Baltimore, North American State, to Marco and Lisa Luciani, and that you have two sisters, Angela Passari and Jacquae.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ton grunted. \u201cTeren certainly was thorough. I didn\u2019t tell him those things.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Colonel Quautar smiled good-naturedly. \u201cTeren may be young and relatively inexperienced, but he knows his business. I understand your mother is an inspector in a synthesizing machine factory, but according to the Sovereign<\/em>\u2019s file on you, your father has no occupation.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThat\u2019s strange. Even if I don\u2019t know what my father does, the government should.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cHow long has it been since you\u2019ve seen your father?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Unable to meet the colonel\u2019s penetrating gaze any longer, Ton turned his head and studied the gem-studded tapestry on the wall. \u201cHe left right before the Divine Emperor\u2019s army marched on Baltimore and burned out Antonio Vaccaro and his rebels. I was eight months old.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThen he isn\u2019t Jacquae\u2019s father.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cNo.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cDid your mother ever talk about your father and what he did?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cOh, she talked about him, had quite a few colorful names for him, but I don\u2019t ever remember her mentioning his occupation.\u201d Realizing that he was drumming his thigh yet again, Ton moved his hands to the armrests of his chair. \u201cWhat does this mean? Certainly the government knows where my father is . . . doesn\u2019t it?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cTo tell you the truth, I\u2019m not sure, and we can\u2019t know unless we see his personal file. If the government doesn\u2019t have any up-to-date information on him, then perhaps he left the planet or secretly changed his name. The other alternative is that he died and his body was never identified.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ton couldn\u2019t think of a thing to say.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cDo you ever wonder about him? What he was like?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The tapestry suddenly went hazy. Ton diverted his attention from it to his lap. \u201cSometimes. My mother always said that he was as much a son of Abomination as Antonio Vaccaro, but she always spoke with bitterness, so I was never sure what to believe.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cDoes she believe he really was one of Vaccaro\u2019s rebels?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cNo. If anything, she believes the opposite, that he was a Zarrist spy in Vaccaro\u2019s organization and that he bolted when he learned Baltimore was going to be torched. I don\u2019t think she\u2019ll ever forgive him for leaving her there to live through what happened after that.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWould you like to know where he is now and what he\u2019s doing?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI\u2019m not sure.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cDid your mother ever try to get a divorce?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI don\u2019t know, but I was always under the impression that she used the known difficulty of obtaining a divorce on Earth as an excuse not to try.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cSo she never remarried.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cNo.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cAccording to your school records, your grades during levels one through seven were mediocre, then practically overnight, during level eight, your grades jumped from mediocre to excellent, and you were able to complete the next five levels in only four years, allowing you to graduate from intermediate school as a science major at the young age of sixteen, still receiving perfect grades. I\u2019m curious to know, Ton, what it was that brought about such a dramatic change.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ton shrugged.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI find it difficult to believe that a twelve-year-old boy would take that kind of initiative entirely on his own, especially a boy in your particular situation.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ton stared at his lap for a long minute. Finally he said, resignedly, \u201cIt was Adrian. Adrian Passari, my eighth level teacher. He spent hours and hours tutoring me in his home, and he encouraged me and believed in me when no one ever had. He saved my life.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cHow long did this go on?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cFour years.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cYou two must have become quite close during those four years.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ton finally met the colonel\u2019s gaze. \u201cYes . . . we did.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWhat happened to change things? Did it have something to do with your sister? She married him, I presume.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ton\u2019s body tensed. \u201cYes, he did marry Angela, and then five months later, he found her with another man, the whore. And then she had the gall to lie and tell everyone that she<\/em> was leaving him<\/em> because he beat her.\u201d Ton leaned forward and rested his elbows on his knees and his face into his hands. \u201cAdrian is honest and decent, and he didn\u2019t deserve to be betrayed. And he really loved her too, or at least he thought he did. A lot that got him\u2014shot in the back. Things between Adrian and me never were quite the same after that.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cDid you communicate with him while you were in Star Force?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ton rubbed his temples. \u201cAll of this happened shortly before I joined Star Force. I wrote to him occasionally during my three years on the Prince Jahnzel<\/em>, but he never answered. Then before I went to the Sovereign<\/em>, I saw him while I was in Baltimore on leave. We corresponded regularly after that and spent my last leave together in Europe.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Colonel Quautar laid a hand on Ton\u2019s shoulder, startling him. \u201cA few minutes ago you told me you didn\u2019t have any friends to miss, but it seems to me that you and Adrian are very good friends.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cYes, I guess we are,\u201d Ton admitted, sitting up. \u201cBut my friendship with Adrian is something very personal, which is why I didn\u2019t want to tell you about it. I wasn\u2019t lying before. I don\u2019t have any other friends on Earth or anywhere else I\u2019ve been stationed, and Adrian is more than just a friend. He\u2019s like an older brother. I will miss him.\u201d Ton relaxed into his chair, feeling drained.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWas it Adrian who told you to resist communication from the Divine Emperor on your Day of Awakening?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ton shook his head, finally able to meet the colonel\u2019s gaze again. \u201cI did that on my own. I\u2019m not sure Adrian\u2019s even a resister. One doesn\u2019t speak of those things on Earth, for obvious reasons.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cDid the knowledge that the Divine Emperor wanted control of your mind change your feelings about him and Earth\u2019s religion, or did it simply confirm what you already knew or suspected?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cBefore that time, I\u2019d never given religion or politics much thought. My family supported the Divine Emperor and his government and attended Worship regularly, because those are the things good Earth citizens do. And since I was young and had nothing else to believe in, I never questioned it. But when the Divine Emperor attempted to take control of a cell in my brain, I understood everything about the government\u2019s corrupt intentions and Tohmazz Zarr\u2019s sham, and it made me furious, so I immediately threw him out.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cDid you ever allude to what happened to anyone?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI never came out and said it, because no one would\u2019ve believed me, no one but the Executioners. I don\u2019t think I understood at the time, though, how great a danger the Executioners really were to me. By the time I realized it, I also realized that my brain was my best ticket to a nice long life. As for the other, I did stop attending Worship, which caused an uproar in my family.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cDid your experience with Zarrism disillusion you to such an extent that you turned atheist?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cYes, I suppose it did.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWhy did you choose the medical profession?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cMedicine has always interested me, even when I was very young, although I\u2019d never given it serious thought until after I met Adrian.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cAnd it was Adrian, I presume, who suggested Star Force.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ton nodded. \u201cI was somewhat familiar with Star Force at the time, of course, but I\u2019d never even heard of the cadet program. I had no money for medical school, and no money to support myself while I was in school, so Star Force seemed to be the best route. As it turned out, it was the best thing I ever did. I needed to get out of Baltimore and the situation there with my family, and I also needed to make my own life.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cSo once you joined Star Force, did you find that you enjoyed medicine as much as you thought you would?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cIt was wonderful. Star Force has an excellent program, and everywhere I was stationed I was able to train with physicians who are experts in their specialties in the best of facilities. There was always so much to learn and experience, and I never could get enough of it.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cBoth Paul and Teren indicated that you helped Deia study and spent time with her in ways that weren\u2019t required by the job, which led the other cadets to believe that you wanted her as a lover. Was there any truth at all to that speculation?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ton shook his head. \u201cI\u2019ve never been attracted to her in that way.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWhy? She is, after all, an extremely beautiful girl.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cYes, she is very beautiful. Like a statue. And she\u2019s also about as exciting as one.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The colonel understood completely, and oddly, Ton felt pleasure in that. \u201cHow do you explain Deia\u2019s acceptance of you when you were so disliked by most of the others?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI can\u2019t explain it other than to point out that she\u2019s tolerated Paul for eighteen years. If she can tolerate him, she can tolerate anyone, even me.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI assume you don\u2019t have a high opinion of Paul.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cHe\u2019s a spoiled aristocrat and more vain than anyone I\u2019ve ever met. All we heard from him this morning was how badly his new clothes are tailored and how none of the colors bring out his features properly. As if any of us even care!\u201d Ton rolled his eyes. \u201cHe is impossible to live with.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cAnd if you didn\u2019t have to live with him?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ton considered the colonel\u2019s question. Finally he replied, \u201cMaybe then I wouldn\u2019t think he\u2019s such a bad sort.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cDo you think your relationship with Teren will change now that his mission is over?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI\u2019m not sure. Whether there was ever more to the friendship than his need for a third helper has yet to be seen.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cDo you feel that your experience using the spirit dimension formula with Teren, Deia, and Paul has changed your relationships with them in any way?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ton contemplated the colonel\u2019s inquiry for several moments. \u201cI\u2019m not sure if it\u2019s changed things. It\u2019s really too soon to tell.\u201d He ran his finger over the piping on the arm of his chair. \u201cBut we were in a very emotional state, and I don\u2019t know about the others, but I could feel their essences, and well . . . I feel like I understand them all a little better now, especially Paul and Teren. I didn\u2019t notice it so much with Deia, and I think that\u2019s because I\u2019d already felt the same thing with her, only in a smaller degree, while doing the mind power experiments.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Colonel Quautar seemed satisfied with Ton\u2019s answer. \u201cWhat were your career plans before Deia approached you about coming to Novaun with Teren? Were you planning to retire with Star Force, or were you hoping for an eventual discharge?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI would\u2019ve stayed with Star Force. Discharges are difficult to get unless you\u2019re well connected, and I could\u2019ve waited years beyond the fourteen I was committed. Besides that, I\u2019m well-suited for space travel and I enjoy it, and I\u2019ve never had a home on Earth to go back to.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWhat would you like to do now? Do you wish to remain on Novaun, or would you prefer to have us set you up on another planet?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ton laughed. \u201cThe minute I leave this planet, I\u2019ll be shot for treason. I have no desire to leave.\u201d He picked at the piping on his chair. \u201cHow safe is it here, really? I don\u2019t see that Teren and Deia and Paul are in any danger since this is the planet of their birth. That makes their actions justifiable even to the Earthons and their warped sense of values.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cNovaun is extremely safe,\u201d Colonel Quautar said carefully. \u201cNo one enters our space illegally who is not immediately grounded on one of our border planets, and no one is allowed to mingle in Novaunian society on any of our planets without being cleared, because our telepathic society cannot work uninhibitedly and successfully if there are impurities.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI would not be being honest with you, however, if I were to tell you that foreign agents are nonexistent on Novaun. Occasionally one gets in, but as soon as he or she is discovered\u2014and our society being what it is, that usually isn\u2019t very long\u2014he is immediately put in prison until he is no longer a threat to us. If a foreign agent breaks a law, he is subject to punishment under our law, and the penalty for premeditated murder is execution after trial. During the forty years I\u2019ve been in this business, we\u2019ve captured around one hundred foreign agents. Only three of those attempted assassination, and all three were thwarted in their efforts.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The colonel sighed. \u201cOnly one person in recent Novaunian history has murdered and avoided the punishment, a native Novaunian, a traitor of the worse kind\u2014Jovem Doshyr.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWould this Jovem Doshyr be related to Paul and Deia?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cYes. He\u2019s their father\u2019s brother, and until yesterday, was believed dead.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ton nodded slowly. \u201cSanel King.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cYes. But you will learn that story soon enough, so I\u2019ll tell you no more about it. I was merely illustrating that you are safe here. Accomplishing an assassination on Novaun is extremely difficult, and when it is accomplished, the assassin is dealt with immediately and effectively. Planets who deal with us know this, which is why their spies don\u2019t attempt it unless, in their opinion, it\u2019s critically necessary.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cNow as far as the Earthons go, assassination is common procedure. They are not, however, bloodthirsty barbarians. When they deem assassination necessary, it is always because it will benefit them in some way, and it is seldom done for vengeance, particularly when the killing must be accomplished under difficult circumstances, as on Novaun. Your death wouldn\u2019t serve the Earthons any useful purpose, because they\u2019ve probably already declared you dead to the public anyway. The situation being what it is, it would be unlike them to risk the life of one of their best agents for you.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The colonel studied Ton\u2019s face. \u201cIf you are so worried about your life, why did you come with Teren in the first place? And don\u2019t give me, \u2018It just seemed like a good thing to do at the time and I had nothing to lose.\u2019 A person does not place himself in a potentially dangerous situation, whether real or imagined, because \u2018It seemed like a good thing to do at the time.\u2019\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cYou really want to know why I came? Two hundred thousand dollars is a lot of money.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Colonel Quautar scrutinized Ton\u2019s expression. \u201cI see.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The colonel still didn\u2019t believe him completely\u2014Ton was sure of it. He wasn\u2019t, however, going to pursue his doubts in the interview, but he would put him under surveillance once he released him into Novaunian society. Ton felt some comfort in that, and yet he knew he would have to be careful.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cSo did I pass?\u201d Ton suddenly asked. \u201cAm I a spy?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The colonel raised his eyebrows and smiled temptingly. \u201cI\u2019ll reserve judgment until I\u2019ve received all the necessary information from my various sources.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cOne of whom is King himself, no doubt.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Colonel Quautar\u2019s smile lingered. \u201cPerhaps you can introduce me to him.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Too jarred to think of a comeback, Ton forced himself to chuckle.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Colonel Quautar\u2019s smile faded. \u201cSince you wish to stay on Novaun, I must at this time impose a few rules on you.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cRules?\u201d Ton said skeptically.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The colonel nodded slowly. \u201cYes, rules. I\u2019m being completely honest when I tell you that I don\u2019t want to do this. I don\u2019t, however, have any choice, since many aspects of your lifestyle can\u2019t be tolerated in this society.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ton\u2019s skepticism changed to scorn. \u201cThe reason you don\u2019t want to do this is not because you would have me live my life the way I choose. You just wish my habits corresponded more to those of Novaunians so that you wouldn\u2019t have to set any rules.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cYou\u2019re right. I abhor many of your personal practices, and I wouldn\u2019t want to see you live the way you do here or anywhere else. I hate to see anyone engage in such destructive behavior. I doubt there\u2019s anyone you\u2019ll meet here who won\u2019t feel the same way, but that\u2019s beside the point.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cIt\u2019s unlikely anyone will be prejudiced against you because of your past, as long as you don\u2019t make an issue of it and as long as you abide by the rules. The only way I can see your past being a true problem is if, by chance, you decide you want to marry, but that\u2019s something you\u2019ll have to work out for yourself, when and if that time ever comes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cAs far as rules go, there will only be two. First, and this is extremely important, you can\u2019t drive or use InterMind within six hours of having a drink, a taffuao, or any other drug. This is necessary, because it doesn\u2019t take much alcohol or osalaem to impair a telepathic network like InterMind. If you do use the network under the influence of either one of the drugs, I\u2019ll find out about it immediately, so don\u2019t even try. Along with this, you won\u2019t be allowed to drink or smoke publicly, but you may do it in your own living quarters. I\u2019ll communicate with your landlord personally to make sure you are extended this courtesy. While you are here at the mansion, you may smoke outside too, as long as your companions don\u2019t mind.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cSecondly, I don\u2019t want to learn that you\u2019ve made improper advances toward any young females, and I don\u2019t think I need to explain what I mean by \u2018improper.\u2019 If you do, ninety-nine point nine percent will be outraged, and rightly so. Then they and their families will become suspicious of you, and if you lose that kind of trust among Novaunians, I will have to take away your privileges to InterMind. If, by chance, you do find a girl who is willing and are physically intimate with her, then you will be responsible for your portion of the fine, which means you could end up paying the government anywhere from one thousand to twenty thousand gold coins, and I can guarantee you that in your case, a judge would not be lenient. If a child comes from the union, then you would be responsible for that child too, which in your case, would probably mean you would have to pay a settlement of several hundred gold coins to the girl\u2019s family since you wouldn\u2019t be here long enough to do anything else. Do you understand?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ton nodded.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cIf you break either one of the rules, you\u2019ll be responsible for all of the fines, and I\u2019ll immediately deport you, because no one\u2019s going to want you here if you can\u2019t show proper consideration and respect for the established customs and laws of this society, and more importantly, it\u2019s impossible to live in this society without using InterMind. I know this is going to be difficult for you, so if in a few months you decide you can\u2019t abide by the restrictions, I\u2019ll set you up secretly on another planet. The Earthons will never find you, unless you want them to. Do you still want to stay here?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI really don\u2019t have any choice.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The colonel nodded once, considering the matter closed. \u201cNow for the matter of your payment. The twenty-four thousand gold coins Teren promised you will be deposited into a bank in Shalaun. In the next day or two, I\u2019ll send over a representative from the medical community in Shalaun to discuss your options with you. Then once you determine the direction you wish to pursue your medical training, I\u2019ll have my daughter research the available positions and help you make application.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ton shook his head. \u201cNo. I want a representative here today<\/em>.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The colonel\u2019s eyebrows shot up in surprise and amusement.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI\u2019ve been working my entire career to specialize as a neurosurgeon, and I intend to complete my training in that specialty. The available positions may be limited, and I have no intention of idling away my time on this island when I can prepare myself to obtain license to practice medicine on this planet, and I do intend to practice as soon as possible. I need language training, information on the diseases encountered here and their treatments, information on medical equipment and technology, and especially, the names of the medicines Novaunian physicians use and their chemical compositions.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI understand. I\u2019ll get someone over here this afternoon.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ton nodded, satisfied with the colonel\u2019s answer.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The colonel stood up and proceeded to the door. Ton arose and followed him. Before Ton could leave, the colonel placed a hand warmly on his shoulder. \u201cThere\u2019s no need for cynicism on Novaun. The people here are very loving and hospitable and sincere, even to young Earthons who are reluctant to trust them. I wish you well.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ton frowned, surprised by such perception and show of kindness from the colonel. After a moment, he nodded once. \u201cThanks.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cGo ahead and send Deia in.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cSure.\u201d Ton immediately stepped through the door to face a wide-eyed Deia.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cHow did it go?\u201d she whispered.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ton brushed the back of his hand over his forehead and let out a heavy, \u201cWhew . . .\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWhat did he ask you?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ton shook his head. \u201cYou\u2019re getting nothing from me\u2014I like to forget bad experiences. You\u2019re on your own, kid.\u201d It was only after Ton had proceeded down the corridor a little way and had heard the office door slide shut behind Deia that he could allow himself a deep sigh and a shiver of relief.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Return to the top<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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\""Get<\/a><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n
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\"Blue<\/a><\/figure><\/div>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

By Katherine Padilla \u00a9 2005 Chapter 1: Foreigners Chapter 2: Dignitary Island Chapter 3: The Interrogation Chapter 1: Foreigners An instant later, or so it seemed, Deia was looking in amazement through the shuttle\u2019s canopy at the planet of Myke\u2019s thoughts\u2014Novaun. Suddenly she could feel her body again, but she couldn\u2019t move it. She was […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":3711,"parent":0,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"template-fullwidth.php","meta":{"footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-3706","page","type-page","status-publish","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","post-preview"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/novels.zerosilver.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/3706","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/novels.zerosilver.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/novels.zerosilver.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/novels.zerosilver.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/novels.zerosilver.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=3706"}],"version-history":[{"count":9,"href":"https:\/\/novels.zerosilver.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/3706\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":5337,"href":"https:\/\/novels.zerosilver.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/3706\/revisions\/5337"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/novels.zerosilver.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/3711"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/novels.zerosilver.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=3706"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}