Thunder Struck Read online

  “Good on my side, Avatar. How is yours?”

  Halwis smiled. “Excellent. The machine is good. Do you have enough component cartridges?”

  “I have laid in enough for nine people for one year. If I need to order more, I will.”

  Halwis continued to snack, and they got into the nuts and bolts of bringing the Citadel online.

  Iskan asked, “How is the link to the relay coming?”

  “The station is coming on line in three weeks. We will be able to have secure, direct routing for our communications within the month.” She grinned.

  “Very nice. It hasn’t been too difficult using the near relay, but this should speed up communications significantly. Excellent.”

  Ked laughed. Iskan had the ability to speak directly to any world with a conscious mind. He could pass along messages via the Avatar if there was one available. Communication was not a problem if you were the mind of a planet as long as you could find someone to listen. For planets without Avatars, things got a little frustrating.

  Life was spreading rapidly through the explored systems, and the network being formed by the Sector Guard and Citadel was second to none. The Citadel even extended its instruction to certain areas of the Nyal Imperium. It was an amazing time to be in the middle of everything.

  Ked brought out her selection list and explained her reasoning for all the candidates she had chosen. A supply of neutral suits was coming in, as well as the nulling under-harness that would allow the candidates to sleep without worrying about their power running amok.

  “That is well thought out. What is the dampening source?”

  “It uses biometric emissions. Their own heartbeat drives the nulling. If there is any arrest, the power comes back on line for stabilisation.”

  “Does it work?”

  Ked opened her bodysuit and showed the strap of the harness on her shoulder. “It does. I have been wearing it during off time for a few weeks. They work very well to control my casual and nighttime output. No storms over the city this week.” She grinned.

  With the ease of practice, she sealed the suit.

  “How well does it cope with surprises?” Halwis was curious.

  “Well, I have jumped off the roof of the watchtower and my talent surged through the harness to elevate me at the last minute. I got a nosebleed from the air pressure and I killed the harness, but it worked.”

  “Why didn’t you tell me so I could be at your side?” Halwis-Iskan frowned at her.

  “Because if you were there, I wouldn’t have panicked and it was the panic that broke the harness.” She smirked. “I am a trained talent. My body knew how to push through the restriction. A novice will not know it, plus, there is a manual release that you can get to through a suit.”

  “Very well thought out.”

  “I thought so. Citadel Morganti and Fixer worked it out, but I was the first catastrophic-style test. Fixer is delighted with the performance and it is being considered as standard equipment for the Sector Guard ships. Restraining the new talents for the flight is probably a good idea.”

  Halwis-Iskan looked at her through the blended colour of their eyes. “I am very proud of what you have accomplished.”

  “I am very happy to have earned that pride.” Kedna raised her cup of tea in salute. “Now, how many times do you think I can say no to Haedock before he takes it personally?”

  Halwis narrowed her eyes. “How many times has he asked?”

  “Seven times. He has already checked into biological compatibility and that seems to work out.” She was a little embarrassed but stayed honest.

  “Matchmaking was never my intent. He was simply a good healer for you.”

  Ked reached over and patted Halwis’s hand. “He and I found our own way on our last meeting. The attraction is mutual and his touch on my mind is comforting. It feels completely right, if that makes sense.”

  Halwis smiled a slow and wistful smile. “It makes sense. That is what I felt when I met Daenyk. I knew from the moment my mind met his that it was right. When we had had our sixth child, I was sure of it.”

  Six children was a record for Iskanoi. Normally, two children or less would make the family whole. It wasn’t that the Iskanoi didn’t try, they just didn’t have more children.

  “You must be the ancestor of most of the surviving members of the species.”

  Halwis nodded. “It is why Iskan and I hoped that launching them amongst other species would cause them to blend, but they have dwindled instead.”

  “Yes, Haedock told me that they are very species proud.”

  “And they will be erased from the universe in three generations, possibly five. One child per family is not enough. You have already seen the change in the physiology caused by their inward collapse.”

  She could see how much the decline of her species hurt Halwis. There was nothing else to be said.

  Ked left the silence for a few minutes before she asked, “Do you really think we should go on with the research corps?

  “I think it is a sound idea. Your family isn’t designed for battle or for instruction; they are researchers through and through. My plan is to throw as many high-profile setups on the surface and see which ones thrive. Your mother has already mentioned that they will take care to keep clear of the test zones. All research areas will be flagged and set with beacons.”

  Ked sighed. “There are still going to be issues.”

  “Everyone coming down knows the situation. The Iskan project is going to be an exercise in tolerance if nothing else.”

  She went out on a limb. “I hope so. I eventually would like to invite the Iskanoi back, but only those who are single and willing to have a mate of another species.”

  Halwis paused. “You would want them here?”

  “This place is their root. It was where they evolved and where they changed. That is important. I don’t want them to lose it.”

  Halwis got up from the table, came around and hauled Kedna into her arms. “Thank you. Iskan chose me as Avatar, but he did not choose my people to remain here. He protected me long after my husband faded into dust beneath our feet and his surface changed shape. I miss them. Even changed by time as they are. I miss them.”

  “Then, as soon as the Citadel and Sector Guard bases are up and running, I shall invite them here to work with the researchers.” She beamed up at her mentor and grunted as the hug got tighter.

  “You can reject Haedock ten more times, but after that, he might think twice.”

  The return to the original subject made her giggle and she released herself to resume her snack. She spit out one of the sandwiches. “Oh gods. I got one of yours.”

  Halwis cackled and hissed in amusement. They both knew that she was eating beetle paste and the bitter, acidic tang was more than Kedna was prepared for.

  She washed her mouth out with tea and shuddered while the Avatar of Iskan laughed her ass off. It was a good moment and a stress-free point in a very busy year.

  The novices were arriving and Kedna was nervous. Halwis-Iskan and Kedna had agreed that they would create a Hospitality Master position to intercede with Kedna and the novices. They would call her if anything went peculiar.

  Ked watched the shuttle land, and she stepped forward when the hatch opened. When the three novices came out, she folded her hands in front of her until they were only a few feet away. “Welcome to Iskan, I am Kedna—or Thunder Struck if you prefer—and I will be introducing you to your new home.”

  She gestured to the huge and nearly empty structure behind her. “If you would come with me, we can get you settled and give you a tour.”

  The smallest of the three, a young woman, stepped forward. “Excuse me, miss. Are you the Avatar?”

  “No. You will meet the Avatar in good time, Leyan Arfur.”

  “You know who I am?” she went from hot pink to deep purple in an instant.

  “Each of you was chosen because of the int
ense nature of your talents. Here on Iskan, you can use them freely and without danger of injury to those around you. Frankly, there is no one around you to be hurt by your efforts to get a grip. Sohosh, Recadd and you are free to move as many rocks as you can and pull the heavens down if you wish. I am a weather talent as well, so I can undo anything that goes awry.”

  She turned and her robes fluttered around her. It was fairly impressive and had gone well. Ked hoped that the rest of the day went as well.

  By the time they had completed the tour and they were in the care of Master Healer Yini and Hospitality Master Quen, Ked was exhausted. Leyan’s rioting telekinesis had caused objects to jump every time they stopped. Sohosh had worked at trying to catch the objects, but his gross telekinesis had caused widespread disaster as it shoved at tables and walls. Recadd had stayed back while the two other talents ran amok.

  Ked couldn’t introduce them to the harnesses soon enough.

  There would be more novices arriving in the morning and she was going to need her sleep.

  Halwis-Iskan was waiting when she returned home. “Well, how did it go?”

  “Telekinetics may have been an error in judgement.”

  “I am sure that it will be fine. I made you some hot cider. Go on up.” Halwis was smiling secretively.

  Haedock was sitting in her living room with two cups of cider. “You look like you have had a hard day.”

  She sighed and sat next to him on the couch. “I have. First day of the Citadel. It was not smooth, but I think it was all right.”

  “Good. Will you allow me to court you?”

  She sighed and put her head on his shoulder. “Yes. I don’t see my life getting any less wild, so if you are willing to step into it, I am willing to let you.”

  He put his arm around her shoulders. “I had better get started then.”

  Chapter Eight

  Haedock stayed in her spare room for the night. He came with her in the morning to meet the new arrivals.

  The three from the previous day were still in the facility. Haedock assured her that they were having breakfast with Quen. He could feel nothing but peace and relief from the Citadel.

  “Are you sure?”

  “I am sure. They seem a little dull for talents, though.”

  Kedna laughed. “They are wearing the null harnesses. This is the first power-free day or night that they have had since their talent emerged.”

  “Do they hurt?” He seemed concerned.

  “No. They are easy to wear under a bodysuit. Simple and comfortable, they adapt to any body shape, even someone without arms or legs. The bands simply wrap around whatever is there and stifle the reaction of the part of the brain that activates talent.”

  “Can you break through it?”

  She grinned. “Oh, sure. You just need sufficient motivation.”

  The shuttle was landing and she was chuckling at the memory. She felt his touch on her thoughts and felt his shock.

  “You jumped off the roof?”

  “The watchtower. Yes. I would have jumped off the Citadel but I didn’t want to freak out the workers.”

  She could feel him vibrating with tension beside her. He really wanted to yell at her but the door was opening. Kedna inwardly smirked. She wondered how many times she could goad him to the shouting threshold and then make him hold it.

  The storage healer came out of the ship with her hands hidden together in her wide sleeves. Pahla had huge, dark eyes that had seen much and felt every moment of her active talent.

  “Welcome to Iskan, Pahla. I am Kedna, this is Tend. Consider this your home for as long as you wish.”

  Pahla bowed and her pale grey face was nervous. “Are you from Lekinor?”

  “Yes, Pahla of Jul. I am. I have been to your world, is the weather better?” As she spoke, she pulled storm clouds around her. “The last time I was there, the sky burned. I didn’t stick around to see how it turned out, but I have heard things are fine.”

  Tend sighed. “What she is saying is that your people know her as Thunder Struck. She is no danger to you or any of your kind.”

  Pahla’s tension faded. She bowed again. “If any of my people knew your identity, they would have aimed the canisters at you.”

  Kedna grinned. “I know. Now, come inside. The other novices arrived yesterday. More will be coming in a week. There will be twenty of you by the end of the month.”

  Pahla blinked. “Only twenty?”

  Kedna laughed and placed her hand on Pahla’s shoulder. “With the power we are packing in here, we don’t want to overload anyone. As you master your talent, you can choose to move to the city or join the Sector Guard. It is a unique opportunity to help others. This is the first step in a greater direction if you want to walk that path, but you will be able to learn in safety and security. We know what you are and what you can do. No surprises, no fear.”

  Tears began in Pahla’s eyes. She wiped them away with her sleeve, never exposing her hands. “Thank you.”

  The other three greeted Pahla happily. Each introduced themselves and explained how they had come to be on the Citadel roster, waiting for one to have the specialization needed to handle their particular talent.

  Kedna and Haedock sat and socialized with them; Ked explained the use of the null harness.

  Pahla asked, “Why can’t we just wear them all the time and go home?”

  The others murmured agreement.

  Kedna got to her feet and addressed them. “If you have a wild animal around you, do you cage it? No. It will claw at its cage and try to get out. The null harnesses are so you can get a good night’s sleep and feel normal occasionally. You can and will tear through its protection if your body has time to get used to it.”

  They looked like they doubted her. “Pahla, did I summon weather outside?”

  She frowned and nodded.

  With complete calm, Kedna opened her suit and released the harness, pulling it out from under the fabric. “I was able to use my talent around the null harness without any problem because my body has solved it. It keeps the mood surges down, but I can consciously get past the mechanism now without any problem.”

  Her novices looked at her with wide eyes.

  Recadd asked, “What use are they then?”

  Kedna sat down at the table again. “When I was little, my sister was a pusher. I don’t mean she knocked me over, I mean she goaded me into using my talent over and over for her entertainment. Her mind pushed at mine and my mind had no natural defenses. I had to be fitted with a bio-monitor because using my talent nearly killed me. My father is a healer, and time and again, he brought me back from the edge of death. If I had had this harness, or my sister would have had one, I might have been able to live my life with my family instead of going into fostering.”

  The rest of them looked at each other, no doubt remembering similar incidences.

  “I am not saying that the null harness would have ended my problems, but it might have bought me more time with my loved ones and some nights after I was separated from them, that was all I wanted.”

  “What happened to your sister?” Pahla asked her.

  “You picked up on that, did you? She was sent to Thoola Education Centre for girls. It is a Citadel outpost. I spent the first four years on Iskan learning how to sort my talent out, and then one day, I was on a Sector Guard mission with a jackass and putting my energy into a strange sky, restarting a weather system.”

  Haedock laughed into his hand. “The jackass would be me.”

  The table at large laughed but Sohosh was disapproving. “You have been with him since you were a child?”

  Kedna shook her head. “No. The courtship has only begun. Last night in fact. We have never been in any illicit relationship. His ancestor would have killed him if he had tried anything untoward.”

  Haedock muttered, “That is the truth.”

  The novices were staring at him and Leyan asked, “Ances
tor?”

  Ked looked at Haedock, “Do you want to tell them?”

  “You do it. You know her better.”

  Kedna smiled, “Iskan is a sentient world. Inside it lurks a consciousness that controls its fabric and elements. It has probably had hundreds of Avatars in its time, but I am familiar with the most recent incarnation. Halwis is a lovely woman of the Iskanoi who became the Avatar after her husband died and all her children were grown. She is the living voice of the world beneath your feet, and she and Iskan have agreed to all the changes that are currently underway.”

  Leyan leaned forward. “What is she like? The planet I mean.”

  “Iskan is a male mind. He and Halwis have a relationship like a well-worn marriage. They speak for each other and switch conversations within one sentence. When her eyes are golden, she is Halwis. When the darkness swirls inside, you address her as Halwis-Iskan. When the eyes are dark, you are speaking with Iskan. The planets address each other before the Avatar, which I believe is just rude but that is my opinion.”

  The group laughed. She rose to her feet. “Racadd, pull off that harness and let’s head outside. It is time to see what you can do. Leyan and Sohosh can practice in the fun room.”

  Leyan was blinking. “You weren’t kidding?”

  “No. Those foam blocks are really for you to play with. Go and pelt each other without your harnesses.”

  Quen nodded and inclined his head. He beckoned to them and they followed him.

  “Pahla, this is Master Healer Yini. She will help you to analyze your own talent, and if Sohosh throws the foam blocks like a girl, I am sure that one of them will have a minor injury that needs tending to. Tend, you are with the pretty ladies, I am heading out with Racadd so I want you all indoors.”

  Racadd laughed. “It sounds like you don’t have faith in my abilities.”

  “I don’t know what they are, so let’s give you a shakedown and find out what you can do.”

  She headed outside with him trailing behind her.

  He sighed. “I know that weather is destructive, but is there anything interesting that I can do with it?”