Keeper (First Ordinance #2)(79)
"How long do you think it would take for the new body to sicken?"
"No idea—it may depend on whether the mind is already affected. If not, then we could be looking at another full lifetime of Vardil Cayetes' criminal behavior."
"I'll see if I can pull more agents off other projects," Kooper rumbled, raking long fingers through his hair in frustration. "Who the hell would do this kind of shit?"
"Ask Reah—she dealt with the last known incidents," I said.
"I'll do that," Kooper said and turned to leave. "Any word on the Siriaan vote?" He swung back for a moment.
"They haven't even started the debates. You know how politics go—nobody's in a hurry until it's too late, and then it's all finger-pointing and blame."
"You'd know better than I would," Kooper agreed. "Keep me posted. Something about all this bothers me, but I can't say what it is."
"Me, too," I muttered. "Me, too."
*
Kondar
High President's Palace
Quin
Queen Lissa knew precisely the right person to send. Willow, with the aid of a special comp-vid, had three-dimensional images presented to the vid-journalists, who recorded everything shown and said by Morningsun's representative.
Berel and I were seeing Morningsun for the first time—the shape of its continents, which ones were reserved for Kondar and Yokaru, and Willow provided information on the already-inhabited continent of Cloudsong II.
Willow provided a short, concise lesson in geography, politics, zoology and botany. Soil quality was discussed, as well as climatology and geology. The continents were much larger than those currently occupied by Kondar and Yokaru, with samples of how to split the Kondari area into Five Sectors.
Willow had done so much with very little time. I worried that Berel and I hadn't done a tenth that well. Our interview was scheduled next, and my hands betrayed how unsteady I felt.
*
Vogeffa I
"Lord Cayetes, I have good news," his assistant beamed.
"What good news? I feel like excrement," Vardil complained.
"We've started a list of surgeons and wizards, we only have to choose one and convince him," the assistant announced first. "Second, three of the Belancour wizards are dead and third—the weapon is ready to fire."
"Why didn't you tell me the last item first?" Vardil growled. "Has it been loaded onto the ship? Are we ready to go?"
"The moment you give the word," the assistant smiled.
"The word is given."
*
Kondar
The High President's Palace
Quin
"The people of Fyris watched their children die—if they weren't stillborn," I said. "Crops withered or were stunted at first. At the last, nothing grew that could be consumed." Berel tapped his tab-vid, matching appropriate images with what I said.
"You already know the fish pulled from the seas are contaminated. It will only grow worse. Your scientists have already warned you that there is no cure for this poison—it will only continue to spread."
"What about the gods?" One journalist interrupted my speech.
"What if this is their way of providing help?" I answered. "To take all of you to a safe place? Is there a set of rules that your gods must abide by—a single, specific way spelled out to save the people?"
"Well, no, I suppose not," the journalist—a young man—replied.
"This is the best solution to the problem so far. If there is a cure found someday, I'm sure you'll be welcome to return to Siriaa—nobody else wants to come near it."
"What would you do—if you could?" another journalist—the only woman—asked.
"I wanted to heal Siriaa, but that is not my ability," I said. "Therefore, I want to save its people by any means possible. Now. Before the poison worsens and more people die."
"Do you feel confident that we'll be safe on this other world—Morningsun?" the third journalist asked. He was older and carefully considered his questions before he spoke.
"Yes. Willow has lived there for more than one hundred sun-turns. You see he is healthy enough. The people on the third large continent—Cloudsong II—are still recovering from the effects of the poisoning of their world two generations back, as Willow explained," I said. "They understand what it is to be displaced and will be most sympathetic, I believe, to the plights of Kondar and Yokaru."
"Where are the people of Fyris, now?" the woman asked.
"They are on another world called Harifa Edus," I said. "Their health and well-being improved immediately, now that they have enough food and access to medical care." I didn't want to explain about the attempted coup—that would dismay many. Kaldill's last word on the subject was that Amlis was now firmly in control—with a bit of help from Torevik Rath and a few others.
"What would you say to the Council if you could?" the young man asked.
"That there is little time. Differences must be set aside in order to protect the people of Kondar."
"All Sectors of it? Remember that someone from Sector Two nearly killed you," the woman said.
"All Sectors. I have no blame to levy and no grudge is held," I shrugged.