Asaro, Catherine Skolian Empire 9 Skyfall

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learn the truth. The proof in Eldri s DNA would give her more to negotiate with. Until then, she had to
make sure Kurj didn t kill him.
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Make me a bargain, she said raggedly. If I swear I will never return to him, swear you will never harm
him.
He clenched the gurney. You love him that much?
Yes.
And you would never see him again?
Yes. She wanted to choke on the word.
He averted his eyes. Very well. I agree.
Look at me.
He raised his gaze.
Now promise, she said.
He said nothing.
Kurj.
It was a long moment before he answered. Finally he forced out the words. You have my word.
You must not betray my trust.
Never again. He spoke bitterly. I did once. This happened.
You should keep your promises because it is right. Not because you want no more brothers.
His voice suddenly cracked. Gods, I thought you died. I thought I had killed you.
His emotion startled her. He so rarely let her see how he felt, and he had walled his mind off from her.
She spoke more gently. Can we not find a way to trust each other?
He started to answer, then shook his head, as if he couldn t bear to reveal any more emotions or even
let himself feel them. Instead he touched the baby s head. What will you call him?
Eldrin, she murmured. Eldrin Jarac Valdoria. For his father and mine.
He wouldn t meet her gaze.
Kurj.
He slowly raised his gaze to hers. Would that I could make the universe perfect for you. But I cannot. I
can only do my flawed, bitter best.
She swallowed. I fear your vision of perfection.
No answer.
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She spoke softly. Are we going to war with the Traders?
The invasion plans are under way.
So you won.
By two votes. He sounded weary rather than triumphant.
Two votes. She wanted to grieve for the deaths those two votes would inflict on humanity. I hope you
are proud of it.
Proud? This time he didn t try to hide his pain. I have no pride in destruction or death. But I will do
whatever is necessary to protect my people and those I love.
I know. A tear ran down her face.
She felt too worn-out to say more. These people believed they were taking her to safety, comfort, the
life she was destined to live. But regardless of what they wanted to think, they were ripping her away
from the home she loved.
Part Three:
Father of Webs
19
Homecoming
The docking bay alone was larger than a battle cruiser. Roca stood on the platform at the end of a high
catwalk, cradling Eldrin as she watched the ships, cranes, and machines below. The frigate that had
brought her to the Orbiter sat clamped in its docking pad. Kurj had just finished registering with the port
authority; now he was striding toward a lift that would bring him up to this platform.
Eldrin stirred in his sleep, and pressed his hinged, four-digit hand against her arm. She smiled at him, her
sadness easing. He had slept through the takeoff from Lyshriol, ensconced in a bubble that protected him
from acceleration. He seemed similarly unimpressed now with this space station. In her more objective
moments, she realized that although he was a hearty, healthy child, he wasn tthatdifferent from any other
child born throughout the history of the human race. But most of the time she marveled that she had
somehow, incredibly, given birth to this child who was so much more extraordinary than any other baby
ever born.
She wished his father could be with them.
Kurj boarded the lift, which wasn t much more than a metal square with a rail. As it rose from the
ground, he waved to Roca, but he let no emotion show on his face. It didn t fool her. Behind that
impassive demeanor, he hid a heart capable of far more feeling and forgiveness than he let himself
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acknowledge. She just wished he could forgive himself. It wasn t his fault she had made flawed decisions
in her life, that Darr had hurt her, or that the Traders wanted to do the same to the entire Imperialate.
Kurj took the responsibilities of an empire onto his shoulders until she thought he would break under the
weight.
The lift stopped at the platform and Kurj pushed aside the rail. All set?
Yes. Roca had little else to say. She had hardly spoken to him in the three days it had taken to reach
the Orbiter. He didn t push. He knew he had gone too far when he threatened her husband. For all her
thoughts about forgiveness, she knew that if he had hurt Eldri, she could never have forgiven him.
Roca glanced at the tiny child in her arms. Would he too turn hard someday? Over the decades, she had
seen the joy in Kurj turn to stone. Given time and a gentler life, he might have healed after Darr. Instead
he had become a Jagernaut. Nothing could take away the hells he had lived since then.
We all have our personal hells, he said softly.
She looked up with a start and found him watching her, his eyes unshielded. His height disconcerted her
after she had lived for so long among the Lyshrioli. She didn t even reach his shoulder.
We should go. She heard the chill in her voice.
All right. He mentally withdrew and his inner eyelids lowered.
They crossed a catwalk to the arrivals gate. The rotation of the Orbiter produced a lower apparent
gravity than what Roca had become used to on Lyshriol, and it felt strange now. However, her internal
systems had a memory of dealing with the Orbiter environment and her body was adapting quickly.
Had she and Kurj come on a commercial flight, they would have disembarked in a lounge with all the
amenities travelers took for granted. This gate was spare, dedicated to military personnel rather than
civilians. Roca had never been in this area of the Orbiter. Soldiers did double takes as she and Kurj
passed. She felt their astonishment at his large size and her appearance. Many recognized Kurj, though [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]

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