Between Darkness and Light Read Free

General. He keeps him with him at all times. Shartoh will show you round once we’ve got you settled. The cabins are standard Prime ones with the low formfitting sleeping mats. It’s only for three days, though. Once we reach Kij’ik, you’ll find the beds there are the regular kind.”
    â€œI take it you don’t like the low mats,” Kusac said, glancing back at him. He knew all about the communal sleeping arrangements and mats on the Kz’adul and began to wonder if this young officer was indeed a Prime despite his lighter coloring.
    â€œThey don’t suit everyone,” M’zynal said as the elevator stopped.
    They followed him down the corridor till he came to an open door. “This is yours and the two next door are your crew’s cabins. You all have your own showers and toilet facilities, and the Officers’ lounge is at the end of the corridor on your right.”
    He looked in, coming face-to-face with another Prime officer. With an exclamation of surprise, he stepped backward into M’zynal.
    â€œThis is Noolgoi,” continued the Lieutenant, a trace of pain in his voice as he put a steadying hand under Kusac’s elbow.
    â€œI can manage!” Kusac snapped, pulling away from him and turning back to the room. The other male had exited and backed off down the corridor by a few feet, looking as rattled as he felt. He could smell the faint scent of apprehension from him and realized Noolgoi had got as much of a shock as he had.
    More cautiously this time, he looked inside. It was a standard single occupancy cabin with a desk and chair, a couple of easy chairs and a table. Beyond it he could see the open doors to the bedroom and the bathing room. It seemed spacious enough.
    â€œWill the doors be locked?” demanded Dzaou before Banner could prevent him.
    â€œAh, thank you for reminding me.” M’zynal dug deep in his uniform jacket pocket and pulled out a small packet. “Your keys, Captain,” he said, holding them out to Kusac. “There’s one for each of you. The General assumed you’ll want to lock your quarters when you’re not in them.”
    Gesturing to Banner to take the key cards, he stepped inside.
    â€œNoolgoi will show you the Officers’ mess and recreation lounge on this deck once you’ve settled into your cabins. If you’ll allow us to do the search now, Shartoh can take you on a tour of the ship before our evening meal,” said M’zynal. “You can join us in the Officers mess or eat in your rooms if you prefer, just call Noolgoi on the desk unit and let him know your choice.”

TeLaxaudin home world, Ghioass, same day
    â€œHe wakes,” he heard Naacha say quietly.
    â€œAbout time,” a deeper voice replied. Sokarr’s.
    Annuur stirred, feeling a deep ache in every bone and joint. At the edges of his mind, he sensed the presence of his three sept companions, felt their concern for him. Naacha, the mystic, his mind calm as always, his concern masked with his customary gruffness even there; Lweeu, mate and life-giver to them all, her youthfulness betrayed by the constant sea of half-formed fears and worries that she tried to keep to herself; and finally, Sokarr, their nurturer . . .
    His eyes flew open and he lifted his head sharply to look at Sokarr, trying not to groan out loud at the pain it caused. His last coherent memory before being thrown from his navigation couch against the far bulkhead had been of watching one of the ceiling struts falling toward Sokarr and Lweeu and being unable to warn them.
    â€œI thought you were dead,” he said lamely, realizing even as he spoke that the Camarilla must have retrieved them. Only on their home world or here—though his surroundings looked like the med level on Anchorage, he knew it wasn’t—was Unity possible without the neural nets.
    â€œI was,” said Sokarr, leaning forward to touch noses briefly. The