Scattered Suns - Kevin J. Anderson [103]
Alert and listening to every word, Eldred Cain leaned in. “Think of all the good press the Hansa will receive. 'Rescued from the jaws of the enemy hydrogues.'”
Basil snorted. “After the media spotlight fades, they’ll just be refugees.”
Lotze said, “I intend to speak as their advocate. These people gave up everything to settle on Crenna and make a new start for themselves. They don’t particularly want to stay on Earth. Find another Klikiss world. They’re already adept at setting up colony facilities—the failure of Crenna was no fault of their own. You’ll have nothing to worry about.”
Basil gave a bitter laugh. “I always have things to worry about, Davlin. Now more than ever before.”
In the afternoon following the reception ceremony, Peter and Estarra needed more time alone together, to draw strength from the comfort of each other’s presence. As they swam in the warm water of the Palace’s dolphin pool, the King knew they were being observed by Hansa spies. But he and Estarra had learned to block off those thoughts, while remaining wary.
The dolphins enjoyed swimming with the royal visitors. Sleek gray shapes sped by. Sometimes the King and Queen played with them; other times, the two were just intent on each other. Like now.
Peter looked into Estarra’s brown eyes. He stroked and then cupped her delicately pointed chin, turning her face up so he could just stare at her. Her thick black hair, done up in tight braids and twists, seemed impervious to the water, slick and shiny with clear droplets. He moved closer to kiss her, and the concern melted from her face. “I love you very much,” he said.
“You took the words right out of my mouth,” she said.
Peter wished he could pour his thoughts directly into her mind, as they had seen Mage-Imperator Jora’h do with his subjects via the thism. The Mage-Imperator must have such a beautiful and satisfying link with his people, without the need for secrets, veiled diplomacy, misdirection, or cryptic messages...
There was much Peter wanted to tell her in open conversation, if he could, things both crucial and meaningless. But they needed to be so careful together. He understood Estarra, and could express complex concerns and ideas with a glance, an expression, a lifting of his eyebrows, a touch of his fingertip. Always under scrutiny, the King and Queen had developed their own private language. But it wasn’t enough.
Under the water, he moved his hand and traced his fingertips across the smooth skin of her belly. The meaning was very clear, and she drew him closer as the dolphins swam around, splashing and impatient for more-vigorous play.
He used the hand signals they had developed. “It will be all right.”
She responded with a dance of her fingers. “Only if we’re careful. Very careful.”
He lowered his voice to the barest breath of a whisper, speaking aloud. “Then we will be.”
Chapter 48—GENERAL KURT LANYAN
Only a day after Davlin Lotze delivered the first Crenna refugees to Earth, Rlinda Kett careened into the solar system transmitting a demand for an emergency meeting even before she hit the orbit of Saturn. She blurted her news to the first EDF picket scouts that intercepted her; before the pilots could express their disbelief, Rlinda sent a fast feed of direct images showing the destruction of Relleker.
General Lanyan headed out in a fast EDF recon ship and personally intercepted the Voracious Curiosity on its way in. He spoke to Rlinda over a private comm channel while he spun his vessel around and paced alongside her inbound ship. After he had scanned her report, only the heat of his anger kept ice from forming in his heart.
“General, there’s no question the drogues are starting a new phase against the Hansa,” Rlinda said to him. “They annihilated Relleker on purpose, squashed our colony out of pure spite. The people there were damned prigs, but I liked them