Part 9 (2/2)
”Sure,” Lenaris said. ”Yes.” His heart dipped as he said it. He continued to work to put his own feelings for Taryl aside, all too aware that they were wasted. Although it wasn't what he truly wanted, he'd resigned himself to being her friend a long time before.
He looked out to the west, where the old road had once been. He thought he had seen a moving object in the sideline of his vision. In fact, there was was something moving. It was a person, that much was clear, but whether it was male or female, Bajoran or Carda.s.sian, it was much harder to tell in the fading light. something moving. It was a person, that much was clear, but whether it was male or female, Bajoran or Carda.s.sian, it was much harder to tell in the fading light.
Lenaris walked a little closer to have a better look, Seefa following. After a moment, Lenaris could be fairly certain that the person was a Bajoran, probably a woman, and...she wore the raiment of a monk.
”It's Winn Adami,” Seefa said.
”Who?”
”She's well known around here. She has long been advocating for a full-scale effort to repair the irrigation systems. Her order does not approve of the departure from the D'jarra D'jarras-she's in favor of fighting the Carda.s.sians, but she thinks the fighting should be left to others. She believes our responsibility is to feed Bajor, not to fight for it.”
”Does she come to preach the castes, then?”
Seefa shrugged. ”I imagine she has more reason than that. She disagrees with us, but she's still very well respected. Several years ago, she bribed a Carda.s.sian official who was sending a large group of Bajorans from a nearby village to be executed. Because of her intervention, the shuttle was diverted to a work camp. She saved their lives.”
”Really?” Lenaris squinted.
”Yes, really.” Seefa sounded annoyed. He tended to take offense at any perceived slight. ”I had more than one relative on that shuttle. She must be coming to see someone here.”
Lenaris decided the business about Terok Nor could wait until later. ”Let's go out and meet her, then. Bring her some water. She must have come a long way.”
Seefa appeared to agree without actually speaking, and together the two men fetched a gourd full of clean water before they began to walk along the dusty road to meet with the approaching traveler.
”Ranjen Winn!” Seefa called as they drew near her. ”What brings you all the way out here?”
The monk appeared to be slightly younger than Lenaris himself. She was fair of complexion, probably originally from the north, with ruddy spots flaming high upon her cheeks-the day had been hot. Her pale hair was twisted into complicated designs at the back of her head, her eyes gla.s.sy in their colorlessness.
”Aro Seefa. h.e.l.lo.” She accepted the gourd that he offered her, and after taking a small sip she reached out and took his ear to read his pagh. pagh. She closed her eyes, and then opened them again as she released his ear. ”You are troubled,” she said. She closed her eyes, and then opened them again as she released his ear. ”You are troubled,” she said.
”Not any more than usual, Ranjen.”
She smiled tightly. ”I have come to speak to someone in your village.”
”Oh? May I ask who?”
”Ornathia Taryl. Can you take me to her?”
”Taryl? Of course.” Seefa offered her the gourd again, and she took another sip, eyeing Lenaris with what seemed to be mild suspicion.
The three started to walk toward the village together, Winn continuing to look Lenaris up and down as if she did not trust him. ”You are not one of the Ornathias,” she observed.
”My name is Lenaris Holem. I'm from Relliketh.”
”I've never seen you here before.”
”I've been here about two years now.”
”Two years.” Winn turned to Seefa. ”Can it really have been that long?”
”It was almost four years ago that you were here last, Ranjen,” Seefa said.
”Four years,” she said, her expression unreadable. ”And I am still but a lowly ranjen.”
Lenaris was not sure how to respond to her. The revelation was spoken without emotion, yet it seemed to upset the woman. They reached the village without further conversation, and the two men escorted her to Taryl's hut, though she already seemed to know where to go.
”Ornathia Taryl,” Winn said formally as she entered Taryl's hut. Lenaris and Seefa stepped inside behind her.
Taryl was, as usual, working on something. She stood up from her bench and bowed before the monk.
”Now, my child, there's no need for that. I am hardly the kai-or even a vedek.”
”You honor us with your presence, Ranjen.”
Winn looked pleased at being addressed with such respect. ”I have come with news of your brother Lac.”
”Lac?” Taryl's hand floated to her chest, and Lenaris saw, for a beat, the emotion that she was denying herself. It was gone just as quickly, that veil of restraint back in place.
”One of the prylars in my order just returned from the Pullock system,” Winn said. ”It seems the Carda.s.sians have a prison camp there, on Pullock V. As you may know, the Carda.s.sians permit some religious officials to give counsel to their prisoners, if it is requested. One of the prisoners on Pullock V specifically requested that an official from my order be sent. That prisoner was Lac.”
”Lac!” Taryl exclaimed. ”He is is alive!” alive!”
”He's not at Terok Nor!” This was Seefa. ”I knew it, Taryl. I told you it would have been foolish to go there!”
”To Terok Nor!” Winn looked appalled at the very suggestion. ”What kind of foolishness is this?”
”Nothing, Ranjen,” Taryl said, shooting her fiance a look of urgent fury. ”Please, tell us what you know of my brother.”
The ranjen was clearly unsettled, but she continued. ”Lac wanted to be sure to send back word to you that he is alive.... He doesn't believe the Carda.s.sians took possession of his s.h.i.+p-”
”He's letting us know that we're still safe!” Lenaris exclaimed. Winn glared at him, and he apologized quickly. ”Forgive me, Ranjen.” He turned to Taryl. ”I've seen star charts of the Pullock system-it's not far from our own.”
Taryl turned to Lenaris. ”Are you saying what I think you're saying?”
”What is the meaning of this?” Winn demanded.
Lenaris continued to talk as if Winn weren't there. ”Tiven Cohr,” he said.
”No,” Seefa argued. ”Enough with the warp s.h.i.+p, already. Even if your friend could could fix it, you're guaranteed a death sentence if you leave the atmosphere in that s.h.i.+p.” fix it, you're guaranteed a death sentence if you leave the atmosphere in that s.h.i.+p.”
”You're underestimating what kind of a pilot Halpas Palin is,” Lenaris informed him. ”He fought the Carda.s.sians in the early stages of the occupation. If anyone can do it, Halpas can. If I leave now, I can get to where he and Tiven live by tomorrow morning.”
He smiled at Taryl, ever so slightly. ”I'll even apologize, if that's what it takes.”
Ranjen Winn was visibly agitated by this talk, looking back and forth between Taryl and Lenaris. ”Any foolhardy attempts to travel offworld will only result in lives lost, more Bajoran prisoners in Carda.s.sian camps!” she admonished.
Taryl turned to the holy woman. ”He's my brother,” she said simply, and went right back speaking to Lenaris. ”You would do it, then? You would contact Tiven Cohr-even after what he said?”
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