Steven Harper - Trickster

Martina extended a hand and Ben shook it. Both of them gasped.

"Sorry," Kendi said. "I forgot-you're both Silent."

"It's a day for surprises," Martina laughed. "Yesterday I was the prisoner of a weird cult. Today I learn my older brother is a Child of Irfan, he's still Silent even after the Despair, and he's partnered with a Silent… man."

"When Kendi is involved," Ben said, "you learn to expect surprises."

"Kendi?" Martina asked, puzzled.

Kendi put one arm around Martina and the other around Ben, then held on tight in case he floated straight up to the ceiling. "There are a lot of long stories to tell, sis. Got a few hours?"

"I have a lifetime," Martina said. "And it's finally my lifetime."

Vidya and Prasad went off to change clothes. The three Weavers trooped down to the galley, where Harenn was laying out a hastily-assembled meal of chicken salad and fruit. Bedj-ka was at the table, sipping a glass of juice.

"So you made it back from the Emporium ship," Kendi said as they sat down. "Where are Gretchen and Lucia?"

"On the bridge," Harenn said. "We have entered slip, and the Emporium is behind us. We will arrive at Bellerophon in two days, exactly in time to return the Poltergeist to the Council. Valeta expects that you will aid her in arranging several performances there to help pay for the time she has lost."

"Gladly," Kendi said, and introduced Martina to her and Bedj-ka. "Once we're a safe distance from SA Station, though, I'll want to stop for a bit so we can transfer Utang over here."

Martina's expression clouded. "I have to warn you-it might not be pleasant. Keith-he prefers that to Utang these days-was buying into Roon's whole Dream cult thing."

"Dream cult?" Kendi asked.

Martina gave a short description of "Dreamer Roon" and his methods of indoctrination. Kendi's mouth fell open and his blood boiled. Ben and Harenn seemed to feel the same way. The food lay on the table, untouched.

"What's a cult?" Bedj-ka wanted to know.

"I will explain later," Harenn said in a flat voice.

"At any rate," Martina finished, "you've shattered the cult for Keith-and a lot of the others. They may not take it kindly."

Kendi's face fell and Ben took his hand under the table. "We'll get into the Dream," Ben said, "and tell the Council we'll need therapists who can deal with this kind of thing. We'll get Keith through it, Kendi, don't worry. You don't have to do everything yourself, you know."

But Kendi couldn't help worrying.

"That's the second time he's called you that," Martina said. "Is that your name now? Kendi? The trickster lizard?"

"I chose it after I became a Child," Kendi told her. "Like I said, it's long story and I'll tell you and Ut-Keith at the same time." Assuming he'll talk to me.

"I have to ask you something else," Martina said. "About that man Isaac Todd."

"Bedj-ka," Harenn said, "go up to our quarters. You may play on the sims."

Bedj-ka gave his mother a look, then slid out of his chair and left without arguing.

"Ask away," Kendi said.

"You told Roon he always fathers Silent children," Martina said. "And you arranged for Roon to take Todd prisoner. I don't know what he did-"

"He sold children into slavery," Harenn interjected.

"— but the babies he fathers will be enslaved by Silent Acquisitions. They're innocent, but they'll suffer for what their father did. Is that what you intended?"

Kendi smiled. "Harenn?"

"Isaac Todd will father no more children," Harenn said. "He thought I was injecting him with gelpox to make him a test subject for the plan, but he received another injection entirely."

"What did you give him?" Martina asked.

"A form of the mumps virus genegineered for slave owners who want to castrate their slaves." Harenn gave a rare smile. "It is not contagious, but by tomorrow morning, Isaac's testicles will have swollen to the size of oranges. There is no cure. The disease causes erectile dysfunction and permanent sterility."

"Poetic justice, I'd say," Kendi put in. "Roon's going to be furious."

"And fired," Ben said. "That was mean, raising his hopes like that and then destroying them."

"Yeah," Kendi said happily. "And I'm sure Silent Acquisitions will be pretty mean to Isaac, too. He's failed them twice now, and he blabbed about the Collection."

Kendi tensed again. "We'll meet him in the entry bay."

Kendi felt Ben squeeze his hand and he tried to squeeze back, but he had no strength. Martina stood next to them. She had removed the ridiculous wimple and gloves, but still wore the green robe. It was all the clothing she had. Harenn and Lucia waited a short distance away. Kendi had almost asked the two of them to leave, but then he had realized he drew comfort from their presence, from Harenn's strength of will and from Lucia's calm serenity. So he said nothing.

The entry bay airlock cycled with a rushing sound and slowly slid open. Keith looked exactly like the holo Kendi had seen back on Drim, though he was wearing a yellow robe and was a centimeter or two shorter than Kendi. The latter surprised him. He always remembered Keith as the taller one.

"Evan?" he said. "My god, I'd know you anywhere." Keith ran forward and clasped Kendi in his third hard hug of the day. The Silent jolt snapped through him. Martina joined her brothers. Keith gasped as she touched him-another jolt.

"You aren't angry?" Kendi said after they parted.

"Angry?" Keith said. "Why would I be angry? God, you got me out of that place. And you're a Child of Irfan? You have a lot of explaining to do."

"You believed in Roon," Martina said. "I thought I'd lost you to him."

Keith ran a hand over his face and Kendi noticed he had few silver hairs. "I figured I'd have a better chance of escaping if they thought I was a believer. It was starting to work-they promoted me to Beta."

"Why didn't you say something?" Martina demanded. "I was worried sick."

"I thought you had bought into it. All those things you said at Confessional and the way you always worked so hard?"

"That was just a trick so I could escape."

Kendi laughed and gave them both another hug. "That's us," he said. "A family of tricksters."

Ben watched Kendi's reunion, feeling happy and, oddly, jealous. It suddenly occurred to him that he would have to share Kendi now. Then he shook his head.

After a moment, Kendi broke away and brought Ben forward for another introduction. This brought about another handshake and another Silent jolt. Then an uncomfortable silence fell. There was so much to say, but no one knew where to start. Harenn came to the rescue.

"There is still food up in the galley," she said. "Why don't you go up there and talk where it is more comfortable?"

The Weavers agreed to this and headed for the door. Ben started to follow, but Harenn caught his sleeve. "Ben," she said, "Lucia and I wish to talk to you up in the medical bay."

"What about?"

"We'll explain up there," Lucia told him.

Mystified, Ben followed the two women. The soft blue corridors, with their rounded corners and soft machinery hum, felt calm and homelike after the frenzy of the last several days.

"Don't you have to pilot the ship, Lucia?" Ben asked as they went.

"Gretchen is still overseeing the transfer of the SA employees back into the escape pods," Lucia replied. "She's also launching a signal beacon to make sure SA can find them. It shouldn't take more than two or three hours for them to be rescued. But for now I'm not needed on the bridge."

They reached the medical bay, the place where Isaac Todd had singsonged his way through several interrogations. It seemed as cold and sterile as ever. Ben's little star-shaped cryo-unit sat on one of the counters, lights winking quietly.

"Where did you get that?" Ben demanded.