Part 36 (1/2)

'Why did you leave so suddenly? Trin said that youd deserted us but I didnt want to think that.

'Trinder bends the truth, Djes, said Mira bluntly. 'He told me to leave. When I refused, his carabinere forced me.

'Forced you? I dont understand? But perhaps his decision was for the best? Youve come back for us now.

'His decision was selfish. Djes, I have birthed a 'bino while I have been searching for help, a babe, born early, sired by Trin Pellegrini the night he sent me away. I was the last crown aristo alive. He feared that his bloodline would die out, so he raped me and forced me to leave. To protect his progeny.

'No! Djes pulled away from her. 'Thats not true!

Mira wished there was more time to explain gently, but she must leave again within a few hours. It was important that Djes knew the truth. 'My baby is aboard Insignia, my biozoon. Her name is Nova.

Djes stopped and took several steps away from Mira. Then she turned and ran down the beach.

Josef dropped back to speak with Mira. 'Bad news?

Mira sighed. 'The truth. Ive hurt her, but she must know what he is.

'Rast Randall told me some of it. I worked the rest out for myself. Hes Novas father.

'Her sire, not her father, Mira corrected.

Josef stopped her. 'I will try speaking to Djes. I promised Bethany I would.

Mira hesitated then nodded. She moved forward to catch up with the rest of the group.

As they reached the crest of the beach, the survivors halted and divided. In front of the stunted trees stood Rast Randall, her man Catchut and Trin Pellegrini.

The gratification Mira felt on seeing Randall alive diminished at the sight of the Principe. From his tense, wary expression, she knew hed seen Djeserit leave.

Suddenly Mira wished that Josef had stayed with her. Wished she could reach for the comfort of his hand. But he was not. And this she had to face alone.

She stepped forward.

JO-JO RASTEROVICH.

He caught up with her as she was about to dive into the sea.

'Jess. Wait! Deliberately he used Bethanys p.r.o.nunciation of her name.

It stopped her short. 'What do you want? Shed been crying, he thought.

Jo-Jo sank onto the wet sand above the waterline. 'To talk. To tell you things. Please.

She didnt come any closer to him, nor did she move.

He took that as consent, so he told her what he knew of her mother-how shed tried to follow her daughter to Araldis but had been put in detention on Dowl station.

He told her about their escape from Dowl and how brave and smart and resourceful Bethany was, and how shed saved him.

When Djes didnt respond, he talked more, about Lasper Farr and how Bethany had feared him; the power that Farr wielded and Bethanys desire to distance herself from her brothers fanaticism. And finally how her mother had helped Mira.

Only when the sun came close to cresting the horizon did he stop.

'Come back, he said. 'Some things need to be faced. Mira tells the truth.

He got up and walked up the beach to the closest tree cover and waited. She stood facing the ocean as the light grew more intense, and he began to fear that shed choose neither the sea nor returning, but simply perish right there in the sunlight.

Then, in an oddly final gesture, she scooped water in her hands and splashed it over her face.

TRIN.

Mira had changed little, save for new age lines which he didnt see until she came closer and her calm expression. With each step she took towards him Trin felt the pain of his past decisions and the weight of his future. What had she said to Djes? What would she say to his people?

He waited, more fearful of her than the Saqr. And the 'bino... there was no sign of pregnancy? What had gone wrong?

'Fedor. The mercenary next to him strode forward and lifted the Baronessa from her feet to embrace her. Just as quickly, she set Mira down and stepped aside. 'Never figured to see you alive again, she drawled. 'Never figured to be so pleased to see you alive again. Looks like Ill be owin you again.

Mira seemed fl.u.s.tered, her composure deserting her for a moment. 'I would say the same thing to you, Rast Randall. We are both fortunate, it seems.

Trin saw his opportunity; the mercenarys unexpected greeting had rattled her. 'Mira Fedor, he said loudly, 'your biozoons are a welcome sight.

His rebuke, couched in an innocent greeting, didnt slip past her though, and as quickly as shed become ruffled, her face regained its mask. 'As are your people.

The moment hung between them, filled with tension and anger. Shed gained confidence, he thought.

Despite her fragile appearance, her will projected fiercely upon him.

'I have little time before I must leave again and there is much to tell. She looked around the group. 'Please sit, all of you, and I will begin.

Many of them glanced to the Principe, who nodded.

Once they had settled Mira told them of the Post-Species invasion across OLOSS.

'The satellites in the skies? asked Ca.s.s.

'Geni-carriers, which are gradually being dispersed all over Orion. Millions have been murdered. Systems reduced to dust.

'How many are there? asked Juno Genarro. 'The lights have diminished over recent nights.

'Thousands, said Mira. 'Perhaps more.

The survivors moaned with one voice.

'There is something I can do to arrest the destruction of our species but it is complicated to tell and not a certainty. I will be going at dusk, but will leave you the hybrid biozoon. It is s.p.a.ce-worthy, though it needs some days bathing in sea minerals to replenish its amino acids. It has been treated cruelly.

'But where would we go? this came from Jilda.

'Principessa, Mira acknowledged Trins mother with a tiny bow of her head. 'The Post-Species are preparing to leave here. Theyve transformed their s.h.i.+p into an organic lifeform, a gigantic Saqr which continues to grow as we sit here. Its genesis is inexplicable. I cannot tell you how it happened, other than it grew from within the old s.h.i.+p. And it smelled of ligs.