“I’lltell you…” Two’s narrow face took on a crafty expression. “I’ll show all that B’Rugh Saw—as long as youpromise to kill me and put me out of this never ending misery.”
“I’llthink about it,” Thracesaid shortly. “Now tell me what the fuck you’re talking about.”
“B’RughSaw that you, my dear Havoc, will be the father of a great nation—or your sonwill. Or would have, had I not tornyou and the Lady Trin apart by pushing you together.” Two pulled a mournfulface. “Who knew tender lovemaking could be the death knell of such a promisingrelationship?”
“Keepyour fucking mouth shut about things you don’t understand,” Thrace growled.
“Oh,but I do understand, my dear Havoc! Iunderstand you’ve been duped into taking me here—duped into leaving the ship.And let me ask you, do you think TheAlacrity is still going to be there when you turn around to go back?”
Thrace felt acold finger of dread caress his spine but he pushed his doubt aside.
“Ofcourse it’s going to be there. Trin’s just waiting for me to report that Idropped you off to your friend.”
“Notfriend—scion,” Two corrected. “X is mefor all intents and purposes. He has my thoughts, my memories, and best of all,my intentions. I made sure of thatwhen I grew him in the tanks back on my home world.”
“What—youcloned yourself?” Thrace frowned. He had heard ofsuch things—in fact, some planets in the universe were notorious for illegalcloning. But he couldn’t imagine anyone wanting a clone of the hideous Two.
“Notcloned exactly. My appearance whileperfectly normal for my own world is somewhat…outside the norm of otherinhabited planets.” Two smiled widely, his teeth gleaming. “Accordingly I chosea different model to inject my thoughts and memories into. X is everything I amnot on the outside—and everything I am onthe inside. He will carry on my work when I am gone.” He turned suddenlyserious. “But he cannot kill me. I told you, I cannot end myself—and he is me. Which presents a dilemma.”
“Notfor me.” Looking up, Thracesaw the broad figure of Lord X coming over the grass of the landing field,followed closely by the slave attendant who was scampering to keep up with hislong strides. “Looks like your clone or scion or whatever you want to call itis here.”
“Sohe is.” Two nodded at the approaching X. “Help me, my scion!”
Withouta word, X bent down and grasped the heavy manacles that were clamped aroundTwo’s skinny wrists.
“Goodluck with that,” Thracesaid. “Those fucking things are made to hold a Gox. I should know, I wore themfor days before I finally—” But the words died in his throat as X snapped themanacles as neatly as if they’d been made of stale bread.
“Youwere saying, slave?” he murmured, giving Thrace a disdainful look.
“Whatthe hell?” Thracefrowned. “Those fucking things are indestructible.”
“Notfor X.” Two grinned. “Did I mention that I endowed him with super strength aswell as a host of other qualities? I find it comes in handy—as it did justnow.”
“You—”Thracebegan but suddenly Two was up off the ground and reaching for him.
Thrace thoughthe was reaching for the blaster in his belt but before he could jump away, Twohad grabbed him. Not the blaster though—he grabbed Thraceby the arm, his skinny fingertips digging painfully deep as he stared into Thrace’seyes.
“Itold you I would show you,” he hissed, his hot breath a rancid gust against Thrace’scheek. “See now…See for yourself…”
Suddenlythe landing field and all of Yonnie Six was swept away. Thrace blinked and saw that he wassomeplace new—a small blue and green planet with swirls of white in itsatmosphere. He rushed downward and found himself staring at a low, sprawlingone story structure which seemed to be made of many interconnecting halls. Therewas lettering at the end of one hallway but he couldn’t quite make it out—itwas in a foreign tongue he didn’t know.
Walkingdown one of the echoing halls, which were painted a flat, industrial green, wasa young woman with dull blondish-brown hair and pale, washed-out looking blueeyes. She had plain, non-descript features that would be easily forgotten and afull, plump figure that was covered in loose, baggy clothing.
Shewas completely nondescript and yet, when she turned her head Thrace thought hesaw something—a flash of some other color in her eyes—a burning light that madehim draw a harsh breath. Her hair changed too—seeming to flicker from its plaindishwater blonde to a glossy blue-black. Then she turned away and the changeswere gone so quickly Thracewas sure he must have imagined them.
Theplain young woman was surrounded by children—young ones that looked to be nomore than six or seven cycles old to Thrace. Not much older than the agehe had been when his Sire had come to claim him. Was she a teacher or a caregiver of some kind? They were clamoring around her but when she raised herhands for silence, they obeyed at once.
“Allright now, class.” In contrast to her plain outer appearance, she had a lovely,rich alto voice so melodious it sent chills down Thrace’s spine. “Let’s all get inline—you know your places.”
“Yes,Ms. Brooks,” the younglings chorused and formed at once into an orderly line asThracewatched. Then he became aware that he was not alone.
“Behold,”he heard Two breathe in his ear. “She of two faces—the Mother of the newrace—the race where Havoc and Kindred blood will meet and merge once more. Therace that will never be!”
“Whatin the Seven Hells are you talking about?” Thrace demanded. Then he sawsomething else. At the far end of the hallway was a male with long, black hair wearingsome kind of dark ocular devices which hid his eyes. When he turned, though, Thracecaught a glimpse behind them of pure, molten gold. Verrak, he thought and a shiver went through him.
“He’swatching her—watching and soon he will do more than watch. Soon she will bedead. And with her will die all their hopes and dreams—with her will die theirfuture!” Two cackled madly in his ear, breaking the weird spell.
SuddenlyThracefound himself rushing outward, leaving the small blue and green planet. Heblinked and found he was back on Yonnie Six with Two’s skeletal hand grippinghis forearm. With a disgusted grunt, he shook the other male off and took astep back, his hand going to his blaster.
“Getback,” he ordered when Two started to come after him. “I don’t know how in theSeven Hells you did that and I don’t care. I’ve done as Trin asked and deliveredyou to X. Now I’m going back and I hope to all the Gods never to see your disgustingface again.”
“No!”Two howled, thin fists curling at his sides. “No, you cannot leave me likethis! You’re supposed to kill me! Youare supposed to be my doom! And you promised—you promised! I showed youeverything as I said I would—youpromised!”
Thracehesitated, his foot on the steps of the life pod.
“Isaid I’d think about it and I have. Ichoose not to kill you.”
“Butyou have to,” Two wailed. He wascrawling on his hands and knees now, groveling and writhing on the grass likean animal in distress. Lord X followed after him with a helpless look on hisface as though he didn’t know what to do.
“No,I don’t. You said I was supposed to be your doom, not your killer,” Thracepointed out. “What could be a worse doom than to be stuck here with only yourclone for company while you die a slow, agonizing death? The same death youwanted for Trin.”
“Iknew you wouldn’t let her die!” Two protested. “Have mercy, Thrace—I’m in agony.” He curled in on himself andclutched his thin sides. “I could bear it if it was just the brain rot but youknow how the passion berry wine works—the pain is intense and the only cure ispenetration and insemination.”
“Thatshould be no problem.” Thracelaughed harshly. “You’ve got your scion with you, don’t you?”