“ Nasith,” Rakhi voiced. He used this means, although other communication was swifter and carried sensory images as well; but this let him keep the essence of himself in reserve. “ Nasith,Chimele is with me. She asks your state of health.”
“I am quite well, nasith-toj.”
“She advises you that Ashakh is presently attempting to recover the kameth Aiela. He has not communicated with you?”
“ Nasith,I certainly would not have thought of violating Chimele’s direct order in this regard. No, nor would I accept it if he contacted me.”
But you areiq -sra through both lines,he thought, and Ashakh does as Ashakh pleases when he likes his orders as little as he likes the one that separated you. We shall have him to deal with sooner or later.“Contact bnesychGerlach and re-establish communications with the amaut authorities. Under no circumstance admit humans within your security. They do not know us, and they have a great m’melakhia,tempered with very little judgment of reality, as witness their actions against Khasif and Mejakh. They also have a certain tendency toward arrhei-akita,which makes vaikkaupon the few no guarantee that the example will deter others. Many of their actions arise from logical processes based on biological facts we do not yet understand, or else from their ignorance of us. Remember Khasif and use appropriate discretion.”
“I will bear this in mind.”
“ Ashanomehas suffered vaikkaat the hands of someone in Weissmouth in the matter of Khasif. Chimele puts the entire business into your capable hands, nasith-tak.Whatever the fate of Priamos as a whole, this vaikkamust be paid. Look to it, for we have been disadvantaged under the witness of both Mijanotheand Tashavodh.”
“Does Chimele not suggest a means?” inquired Chaikhe, proud and anxious at once, for the arastietheof Ashanomewas a great burden to bear alone.
Chimele’s harachiacame over Rakhi’s senses, a rather uncertain contact at the distance he preserved: her takkhenoiswas full of disturbance, so that Chaikhe shivered. “Tell Chaikhe that Weissmouth is hers, and what she does with those beings is hers to determine, but I forbid her to risk her loss to us without consulting me.”
“Tell Chimele I will handle the matter on those terms,” she said, uncomforted. Chimele’s disturbance lingered, upsetting her composure and making her stomach tight.
Chaikhe.Rakhi let Chimele’s image fade. “Dawn is beginning in Weissmouth. I urge you make all possible haste.”
“I shall. Leave me now. I shall begin at once.”
He broke contact, but he was back before she had crossed the deck to the command console. Chaikhe, understand: I must—
His trouble set her teeth on edge and backlashed to such an extent that he hastily withdrew the feeler. She took firm grip on her rational faculty and invited his return.
Chaikhe, I—must stay. I do not lackchanokhia, I protest I am not sensitive to your distress. I dislike this proximity. It grates, it hurts—“I must remain in contact. Chimele’s order, nasith.She judges it necessary.” But Chimele does not suffer, she does not feel this.
Chaikhe shuddered as he did. The consciousness of the child within her sent a quick pulse of fury over her, an impulse to kill: and that impulse directed at Rakhi distressed her greatly. Something powerful stirred in her blood. Chemistry beyond her control was already beginning subtle changes in her; her temper almost ruled her. Her takkhenoiswas devastating. Her own power frightened her. Is it this, to bekatasathe?
“Chaikhe,” Rakhi’s thought reached her, faint and timid, “Chaikhe, honor to you, nasith-tak,but I must do as I am told. Chimele—”
“I perceive, I perceive, I perceive.” For a moment the faculty of reasonable response left her, and she was a prey to the anger; but then there was the cold clarity of Rakhi’s thought in her mind. Au, Chaikhe, Chaikhe, what is happening?
And Chaikhe looked down at the green robes that were the honor of a katasatheand felt a moment of panic, a wish to shed these and the child at once and to be Chaikhe again. The violence growing in her mind went against everything she had always honored; and it was the child’s doing.
Yet the thought of yielding up the child before the time shocked her. She could not. The process would complete itself inexorably and the madness, the honorable madness, would fasten itself upon her, a possession over which logic had no power.
Dhisais!
Long moments later Rakhi felt again toward her mind, fear at first, and then that characteristic humor that was Rakhi. “O nasith-tak,being katasatheis a situation of ultimate frustration to a male. If I should also become dhisais,I know not what I shall do with myself. Will they let me in the dhis,do you think?” Or shall I die,nasith-tak? I should rather that, than to lose my mind.
In another male his language would have been unbearably offensive to her condition—for to be katasathewas to hold a m’melakhiaso private and so possessive that proximity to others as equals was unbearable. Had she been aboard Ashanome, she would have resigned her other activities and settled into a period of waiting, accepting gifts of the nasul,protection of Ashakh, increasingly occupied with her own thoughts. But in a strange way Rakhi did share with her, and could not really share or threaten; and she felt his disadvantage as her own. Their arastiethehad become almost one, and Rakhi had a right to such frankness.
We have begun to merge,he thought suddenly. Au, Chaikhe, Chaikhe-nasith, what will become of me?
Go away. Chimele’s orders notwithstanding, go, now! Give me my privacy for a moment. Something is happening to me. I fear—I fear—
She is ill,she perceived Rakhi telling Chimele in great alarm, sweating, for he felt it too.
“‘No,’” came Chimele’s answer, and in her mind she could see Chimele’s brooding face sketched by the tone of the answer. “‘No, no illness. What was put into Chaikhe’s veins while she slept was no more than nature would have sent soon enough. My profound regret, Chaikhe.’ ”
You are driving me to this state!she realized suddenly, with a flood of anger that hurt Rakhi no less; she felt the tremor that ran through him and his shame at having unwittingly participated. Then bitter laughter rose in her. Honor to Chimelesra -Chaxal.Vaikka, vaikka, o Chimele, shadow-worker. From all others I knew how to defend myself; but those that come between Chimele and necessity must suffer for it. Honor to you indeed,nasith.
“I knew nothing of it,” Rakhi protested. “I did not, Chaikhe.”
We are both disadvantaged,nasith-toj. But when did one ever deal with Chimele and profit from it? Go. Go away.
He fled in great discomfort, and Chaikhe sank down at the control console, her indigo fingers clenched together until the knuckles turned pale. Then with an abrupt act of will she forced her mind to business and fired an impulse to Tesyel, nas kame in charge of the base ship. Tesyel,she sent him, have Neya escort thebnesych Gerlach to me immediately, giving him no opportunity for delay. If he be sleeping or naked as the day he was born, still give him no time to turn aside. If there are others with him, bring them. If they resist, destroy them. Use whatever of theokkitani-as you need in this.
A light flashed on the board, Tesyel’s signaled acknowledgment. Chaikhe noted it as a matter expected and put the wide scan from the base ship on her own screens.
Something flashed there, coming hard, at the far limit of the screen. She exerted herself to fire, almost a negligent gesture, for she meant to seal Weissmouth against all aircraft until Ashakh was heard from, and had it been Ashakh, she was sure she would have been advised.