The Progenitors Read online

  Seyo glanced back at me. I gave a nod and she stalked off after Sifu.

  Sosshonos watched her until she was out of sight before turning to gaze at me.

  "This matter is closed to you," I said. "Have you revealed all of your concerns?"

  I knew he had not and it was the one I had sat for.

  "No, governor," it said. "There is a case come to my attention of a missing human child, a male child. There was an aircar accident and the boy was thought to have died. I have been informed that he is in your care. The family of the boy desires his return, I have…"

  The Warder broke off as Sifu and Seyo returned. The cat returned to her place as did Sifu. I glanced at him and the shift of his eyes was all I needed to know.

  "Governor, did you nullify the power in that…?"

  My hand stopped him.

  "The matter is closed to you," I said. "To end that path I tell you the region was shut down for a very brief time. There were no injuries, merely confusion. When I visit them I will explain, since it is their concern."

  "You will…?" it stopped and the sensory tendrils about its crown flattened for an instant.

  I gazed at it. It studied me. I was, as ever, more patient.

  "You can't take your vengeance on innocent members of…"

  One hand stopped it. The Warder knew I could do as I chose.

  "This matter is closed to you," I said. "You were asking of the human boy?"

  It took several respirations before its sensory tendrils resumed normal movement.

  "Yes, governor," it said. "The family requests the return of the boy. There is no reason for you to refuse them."

  "There is reason," I said. "Yet the boy will decide."

  "Why would he stay…?"

  "You will speak the human language while he is here," I said in that tongue.

  My interruption caused his tendrils to flinch. I had not seen Sosshonos flustered to this extent no matter which of us he was dealing with. Teron in particular took pleasure in confounding the creature. We had yet to decide if Sosshonos was arrogant, ignorant or merely innocent. Alà entered with Scott. He was wearing his own clothing, cleaned and repaired now. The boy's blue eyes barely touched on the Warder; instead he was looking at the Shymyra, from one to the other as he approached. I saw the regret when he saw I was not among them.

  It was good that my smile was concealed. Alà gave me a disapproving nod before going to stand by Sifu. Scott looked at me.

  "Akena?" he said, wondering.

  "Yes, Scott Aradette," I said. "This Warder has been sent here to collect you at a request by your family."

  I indicated a cushion to my side and he came near, though half of his attention was now on the Warder. As he settled, he faced me but also kept the Warder in view.

  "Why send a Warder to you?" Scott said. "For me?"

  "Perhaps," I said. "You should ask the Warder."

  "Why would a Warder even be involved?" he said to me.

  I didn't respond and he turned.

  "Why are you here?" Scott said to the Warder. "Why would… why are you involved?"

  "It is a simple matter," Sosshonos said. "I frequently contact the governor on behalf of those visiting. This world is not a member by charter of the union of planets making up our vast civilization. It is a duty of the Warders to be certain no harmful influences are introduced to the union by this population or from the union to it."

  "That's not the point," Scott said. "Why didn't my father come, himself?"

  "I do not know" the Warder said. "I was told he could not travel here."

  Scott pointed upwards.

  "He's in the ship why couldn't he just come?"

  "I do not know," Sosshonos said. "Are you refusing to come with me?"

  Scott looked to me.

  "You know something is going on," he said to me. "I'd feel safer knowing what it was before I got thrown into it."

  I nodded at that.

  "May I stay here… I mean…?"

  "Have we not met your needs from the first?" I said.

  Glancing at Seyo, he slowly looked back to me.

  "Yes," he said. "You have. Can I…?"

  I bowed my head when he stopped, then turned to the Warder.

  "As you see, the boy requests to continue with us, this matter is closed to you," I said. "What other matters do you reveal?"

  Again it took the Warder a moment to regain equilibrium. I think it was shocked at Scott's request, or, perhaps, shocked that I acceded to it.

  "Yes, Governor," it said. "An expedition from the Caer Lau, has requested an opportunity to visit one of the lost cities, in fifteen days."

  "There will be no new expeditions allowed until I have dealt with the Melrowzarre Lettercone Expedition. Is there any other matter?"

  "No, governor," it said. "But the members of the Melrowzarre…"

  My hand stopped it.

  "That matter is closed to you," I said.

  Sifu moved from his place and approached the Warder. Without its customary bow, the Warder turned from me and followed Sifu out. Alà came to my other side and knelt, pressing against Seyo.

  "What would you have, Akena," she asked, speaking with Scott's language.

  "It is my path to deal with the murderers," I said. "Are any of the people waiting?"

  "Yes, many are concerned of what happened in the night. The dome remains, although the main gates are all opened," she said. "Some are likely here for reassurance. Can that be given?"

  "You know we can protect the people," I said, switching to our tongue. "The trouble is that we must do it on a sly path. Are there any reports?"

  "No, whatever they are playing at remains secret," Alà said. "Why don't you go deal with that one matter? I'll take the seat for now, Akena. There is too much on your path for you to sit here through the day."

  "Thank you, sister. I shall take eight of us for this. That should be sufficient."

  "You believe others are involved?" Alà said, switching to the human language.

  "I do not know," I said. "If there are I shall make a statement."

  "One not to be buried in the sand," she said softly.

  I stood up.

  "Alà, who can stay with Scott Aradette today?" I said.

  "There's Lyda, she won't go…"

  "No," Scott said. "I'll stay with Akena… if you don't mind."

  "Scott Aradette, the path I take will be bloodied in all likelihood," I said. "It would be best if you remain here."

  "No," he protested. "My… my path… lies with yours."

  This was an adolescent human he could not know what he was saying. When I gathered breath I looked to Alà.

  "Even our young fail to keep to the wise path, Akena," she said in our tongue. The look of her eyes was not amused.

  I felt as though something of the world was changing and I had no clues, my path was shifting sand and strong wind. I bowed my head to him, closing my eyes briefly.

  "As you desire, then, Scott Aradette," I said. "Your path is mine for a time. I must prepare."

  When I had chosen to deal with Scott's problem as part of my path I'd had some foreboding, now that Scott had chosen my path himself, the feeling I had was more ominous.

  *

  "This is incredible," Scott said, looking at the instruments of the flight controller.

  I took that seat and with Malta's nod to allow it, had Scott sit in the watch position. No touch of his could activate the tech. My garment was for work beyond the capitol. I wore veils, still, so that only my eyes showed. The encom held the edges of the veil in place as usual but now it was part of the face hugging mask and helm beneath the loose veils. The mask could close over my eyes and mouth in an instant at need. A bodysuit protected me, as tight as my skin or fur. Over the bodysuit was a loosely draped shirt with long sleeves. The pants hugged my hips but were loose legged, concealing my boots. I still wore gloves but these were of a more protective nature.

  Each of us wore the same uniform but for tho
se in fur.

  "I've never seen images of these cockpits before," he said, looking at everything.

  "No images are allowed," I replied as I set my hand to the control. "Very few even see the interior of our craft."

  "So why am I allowed?" he wondered.

  The ground fell away from beneath as we headed from the city.

  "Wow, its smooth," he said. "How fast does it go?"

  I glanced at him, and then back to Malda.

  My brother shifted near and began talking to Scott about comparative speeds, inertia dampeners, gravitic drives and magnetic propulsion. Males of any species have such mechanical interests that sometimes it seems the cosmic designer makes jokes at all females. Rarely is it funny.

  Besides Malda, Sifu, Sawro and Ticta, dressed as I was, I had Seyo, Simm, Amera and Mista in cat form. Much of what I did would rely on the cats.

  *

  Sifu would stay in the aircar to monitor electronics and guide any mech I might need. Mista would stay with him. Mista was a Master and while I hoped he would have little to do I would not take chances.

  Scott and my brothers and sisters accompanied me as I entered the temporary camp of the Melrowzarre Lettercone Expedition. While it was temporary, many of the buildings looked permanent. There were many work areas that were simple sunscreens over tables. Some of the tables were quite large. The expedition was made up of several species interested in the past of my planet, specifically the lost cities.

  When the last of the Progenitors had gone into space, hundreds of the cities were allowed to fall into ruin. We were charged with our own cities and providing for the people left behind.

  It was acceptable for visitors to play as they chose in the lost cities. There was nothing of value, nor was there anything to identify the truth of the Progenitors or us.

  Workers of every kind began to notice us. Some took up our path. I went to the headquarters building and stopped in front of it. The workers gathered in a crowd around us, keeping a respectful and safe distance back.

  A middle aged woman I did not know came out hurriedly and stopped near me.

  "You're the governor, yes?" she said. "I'm Maya Peal, the director's head assistant. May I help you or would you like to come inside to see the director?"

  Why would the director send someone else out to me? I did not answer and did not move. The only one of our group to move was Scott but only once. The murmuring and chatter that had surrounded us fell to silence.

  "I'm sorry," she said, rubbing her hands together. "The director is ill. She has painful…"

  Her voice faltered as the door behind her swung open with a bang. Zenda Kal-Suto came out, awkwardly using a pair of crutches. Another, younger, woman was trying to assist her.

  "Sorry, governor," she said. "These girls don't know your protocol, we see you so rarely."

  She had aged significantly since I had last seen her. Pain had etched recent lines in her features. Her hands trembled as she stood balancing on her legs and crutches.

  I gestured at the ground, offering that we sit together.

  Fear of pain flinched across her mouth at the thought.

  "No," Maya Peal objected. "Don't even try, Zenda, please, governor, she..."

  My hand stopped her although she was unfamiliar with our ways.

  "Then we shall stand," I said. "It is to be hoped that this matter is quickly dealt with."

  "What matter brings you here, governor?" Zenda wondered, her voice weak.

  "First, let it be known that the interruption in your electronic and mechanical equipment that occurred earlier was my doing. I am hunting the path of killers and I will use whatever means is necessary."

  Voices murmured louder.

  "Killers?" Zenda said, frowning and drawing strength to herself. "I don't know about this. I don't allow hunting or killing of any native wildlife. You allow us the fish in the rivers and sea, that's all we ever… it's all we'd ever have need of. We get regular supplies from home or trading at the oasis… as you allow."

  I gazed at her as the trembling was locked by her anger.

  "I did not say it was wildlife, though that would be a crime as well," I said. "Four of our young Shymyra were killed and their skins kept, their flesh eaten and stored."

  The ripple of voices was louder and sharper, mostly of protest and shock at any killing of the Holy cats as they called them. Many languages held the same refrain.

  "How?" she whispered. "Who?"

  I felt my brothers and sisters open their ears wide, extending all senses.

  Then I gave her the three names. They'd been on identity tags with each of the men I'd killed.

  "Their aircar was disabled out in the dunes," I said. "They were killed and the matter reported. I am here to finish the matter."

  I heard a commotion behind us and turned in time to see a young woman on her knees, emptying her stomach. Those near her backed away.

  She was pale and crying as she vomited.

  I started toward her with Scott and Seyo. The people moved from my path. The others had moved away into the camp following scents.

  "You have eaten the flesh of the Shymyra," I said, looking down at her.

  She was trembling and using a rag to wipe her mouth.

  "I didn't know," she said in an odd trader's dialect.

  "How could you not know?" I said in her language.

  Turning startled green eyes up to me, she shook her head.

  "I didn't know," she said. "I swear it by the stars themselves. One of the men you mentioned… he enjoyed my company… but I was not so… I only tolerated… I had to work with him but… and he offered some meat to me. I am carnivorous, Your Holiness, and I don't get enough… it's no excuse… I know, but he said it came from his homeworld and it had been frozen. I'd seen that for real. I didn't, oh, by the stars, I would never harm one of the Holy cats, the Shymyra are unlike any…"

  She moved from her stomach contents, folded her hands together and looked up at me. The green of her eyes was like some of our Shymyra assulla.

  "Please, Holy governor, do as your law requires… only please forgive my trespass, my crime before you do."

  Seyo looked up to me from her other side. I wasn't certain what I saw in Seyo's expression but it was not the killing look.

  "Tell me your name," I said, still using her language.

  "Artina Kass, your holiness," she said, tears were leaking from her beautiful green eyes.

  "Artina Kass," I said. "I forgive your trespass, your crime, also. It is for the Shymyra to execute judgment. Lift your head, Artina Kass, and close your eyes."

  There was absolute silence around us as the young woman obeyed.

  Seyo's tail flicked and then her paw lashed out.

  Artina Kass cried out as three slashes of blood were opened across her cheek.

  The blood flowed to drip onto her shirt.

  "Artina Kass," I said. "The Shymyra allows you to live, when in fact you should be dead now."

  She hadn't raised her hand to the painful wounds though her eyes had risen to see mine.

  "You will wear the scars until your path ends," I said.

  Tears mingled with the blood and she didn't move.

  Seyo moved quickly again but Artina barely flinched as my sister licked the blood from her face, once, and then twice. The blood stopped flowing. The voices had turned to all types of conversation though each that I heard related to me, this path.

  Seyo paced around the girl to butt her head against my knee. I looked at her.

  "Artina Kass," I said in a less common form of her language, causing her head to turn sharply. "If you would learn of the Shymyra more closely, make your way to the capitol and the governor's hall of waiting."

  The wide green eyes blinked and she bowed her head.

  "Thank you, holiness," she murmured in that tongue.

  I stepped back as Seyo looked around. Zenda Kal-Suto had followed me, her aides at either side of her.

  "Thank you for sparing
her life," the director said.

  "I did not," I returned. "It was the judgment of the Shymyra."

  There was a lot of pain in Zenda Kal-Suto, more than should be.

  A change in the tone of the crowd alerted me and I faced the advance of my brothers and sisters. The crowd was parting faster and wider. With them, watched by the cats, were three men. Two of the men were limping and bleeding from leg tears. One held a bleeding arm.

  Ticta came and bowed her head to me but then only stared, eye to eye.

  I saw that she tried to speak but had yet to grip herself. The red of the killing need filled her. Silence surrounded us as we waited for her to speak.

  "Akena," she said, and then had to calm herself yet again. "We found three more Shymyra, their fur, Akena, I knew those three… I…

  "That one and that had fur, the other fur was in a parcel to be shipped off world. All three have repeatedly tasted the blood of Shymyra. In a stasis hold were bundles of the flesh of Shymyra."

  Ticta looked at me the entire time, becoming steady at the end.

  "We gave the… Shymyra to Mista. He is very angry. All are."

  I nodded. I moved closer to the three humans. One of them groveled and begged for mercy.

  Ticta stood beside me. Malda and Sawro stood beyond the three. Both met my eyes in turn. I brought my hands out and then folded my arms across my breasts.

  Simm, Seyo and Amera moved with a swift strike, drawing their first strike down the nearest arm of the criminal they chose. They ripped through fabric and flesh. The men shrieked and howled. Screams leapt from the surrounding crowd.

  I heard a familiar gasp and spun around. Scott Aradette was staring at the bloody scene from beside me.

  "I warned you," I said.

  I took a step nearer to block his view. The brilliant blue of his eyes shone with the shock he felt. All eyes otherwise were watching Shymyra retribution.

  Somehow the move I'd made meant something to Scott and he closed the distance between us. His arms wrapped me and he pressed his head tight to me in the space beneath my breasts.

  For an instant I forgot to breathe.

  No one should be so close, so clinging.

  I felt him trembling as the sound of ripping continued. Holding my arms to either side was pointless and I slowly lowered them as the slashing continued. My arms settled onto his shoulders. I looked down at the top of his head. The fine pale hair was growing long.