Cloud Rebel (R-D #3)(57)

"I understand," Erland held up a hand. "I fear for innocent lives if he isn't coerced. I imagine he is damaged in some way and no longer holds perfect reasoning. He only knows pain, if my calculations are correct. An animal in pain is a dangerous one. Would you not agree?"

"How does an obsession work with someone who is brain damaged?" Corinne turned to Nefrigar.

"Lord Morphis is correct in one respect," Nefrigar sighed. "If the damage created is not repaired, the farther this individual could sink toward his basic, instinctual level. Obsessions cannot be placed upon animals. They fail to take hold."

"So we may be working against the clock—to find this one before he goes completely mad," I muttered.

"Finding him would be best," Erland agreed. "His death should be swift—and as merciful as you can make it."

"Do we have information on his whereabouts?" Corinne asked. "And is there any other option?"

"None," Nefrigar replied.

*

Corinne

Somewhere, hidden by the ass-hats who used to be in charge of the American government, was a brain-damaged Ilya who could and probably would perform any misdeeds directed by his less than ethical masters.

I understood that the one acting as former President Phillips was a powerful Sirenali directing his warlock puppet. Anything could come from that unholy alliance, whether the Ilya clone intended it or not.

I understood why they were so anxious to get Sergei and Katya, too; capture them and either force them to reveal Ilya's location, or threaten their lives to bring him into the open. They wanted to make more Ilya clones. They had no idea that capturing Ilya would gain them nothing; Valegar had neutralized Ilya's blood already. There would be no more clones. To me, that spelled further obsession to do their bidding if they managed to capture him.

I'd taken a seat in the sunroom I'd created at the ugly building in Arlington, just so I could stare out the windows at the city and its suburbs beyond.

He doesn't like feeling helpless, does he? Gerrett joined me, choosing a nearby chair and flopping down on it.

"If you're talking about Ilya, then that's putting it in mild terms. I believe he is currently furious, and that's perfectly understandable."

They tried to get information from Sergei. I understand that, he jerked his head in a nod.

"They almost killed Sergei, and then intended to come after Katya," I agreed. "He's pissed about that, too."

In their hands, he would be quite dangerous, Gerrett said.

"We'll do our best to keep him out of their hands," I responded. "Katya, Sergei and their friends, too."

I understand this. However, I also know that removing him from the planet will ensure that they do not find him.

Right. I doubt any of them would agree to that.

Stubbornness. I see it far too often, he gave a mental sigh.

Yes, that made me laugh.

"I was going to offer to take you wherever you wished to go after this is over," I said.

But, he began, I cannot think of a safer place for one such as myself than beside a Larentii.

"Are you certain of that?" I asked. "Wherever I go, trouble seems to crop up."

Yes, but one of my kind will never control you, he responded. Or any Larentii. I know that much, at least. My mother was quite bitter over that.

Do you know the history of the Larentii and the Sirenali? I asked.

No. She would beat me if I asked.

The Larentii don't like to talk about it, either, I shrugged. It goes like this, though, so make sure of your answer as to where you'd like to go after you hear this story.

I'm listening, he nodded.

Long ago, I began, Sirena, your home world, was ruled by one who came to the throne by assassination. He wished to take whatever he could—worlds, people, treasures. Whatever he desired.

He understood, though, that he didn't possess anything other than obsession to gain what he wanted.

The Larentii, however, possessed everything.

Of all the races, only one was made who could slip past the shields around the Larentii homeworld. That race was Sirenali.

The king gathered his finest warriors, to attack that world and bend Larentii to their will by placing obsessions.

By the hundreds, they transported themselves. Once there, they discovered that not only could they not place an obsession upon even the youngest Larentii, they were also guilty of trespass. In the beginning, the Sirenali had signed a pact with the Larentii that they would never approach the Larentii upon their homeworld—either to destroy it or harm its inhabitants. The pact decreed that the Sirenali would be subject to Larentii judgment if that pact were ever broken.

When the first Sirenali set foot on the Larentii homeworld, the pact was broken. Once the invaders discovered they couldn't place obsession on a Larentii, they attempted to take young ones—to enslave them.

The Larentii were enraged. Their children are the most precious thing to them, and each one is loved and treasured.

So, not only were those Sirenali killed who'd attacked the Larentii, but because Larentii children were made targets, Sirena itself was destroyed. It is the only time the Larentii have ever gone to war, and it was to save their children.

The few Sirenali who remain were either offworld during the destruction, or pulled away by the powerful before it happened. The Larentii do not speak of their act of destruction—it shames them that they destroyed an entire world because a small percentage of the population attacked them.