Mickey Reichert - Flight of the Renshai

"We'll be careful," Marisole promised. "In every way."

Matrinka's gaze drifted back to the ocean, and her concerns for Tae resurfaced. She did not wish to discuss the matter further. "The Council, and your father, have enough to worry about right now. If we win the war, we'll talk more about this."

Marisole fairly danced. "Thank you, Mother."

"Don't thank me yet." Matrinka turned her attention back to the sea. "Your behavior over the next weeks or months will determine whether or not I continue to assist you. And, if you get caught, you're on your own."

"We'll be discreet," Marisole promised. "Secret and careful."

Matrinka bowed her head. The whole conversation seemed trivial when the fate of the entire world hung in the balance. Yet, for Marisole, she knew, it meant everything. If the prince and princess of Bearn were going to die young, they should at least do so in loving arms.

Crouched on his bit of ship wood in the shadows of the largest warship, Tae Kahn watched rowboats arrive from the other, clustered ships, each containing two or three men. One by one, their rowers called mentally for the lines. A team of sailors dropped hook-ended ropes that the newcomers fastened to giant iron eyelets on either end of their boats. The sailors hauled the occupants up the hull and over the gunwales, where they disappeared from Tae's sight. Moments later, the rowboats fluttered back down, minus an occupant. The man or men remaining freed their crafts and headed back toward their own ships.

When it became clear that the only mind-calls would come from rowboaters needing a lift, Imorelda dropped her coverage and spoke directly to Tae,*You're going to do something stupid, aren't you?* She stood beside him, lashing her tail.

Tae continued to watch, digging out the mahogany-colored wig from his supplies and placing it carefully on his head.*Don't I always?* He counted five generals and no more approaching boats. He guessed each man might command ten thousand men. Assuming the Kjempemagiska, the one they called Firuz, did not directly control a unit of his own, the alsona army might consist of as many as fifty thousand men. Fifty thousand. Tae shook his head. The continental armies might wind up with nearly as many by the time they all gathered, but under many divergent commanders and banners. The alsona, he felt sure, would act with an easy coordination the diverse-background allies could never match.

The cat's tail thrashed harder.*Well, don't expect me to risk my furry neck with you.You can be stupid all by yourself.*

Tae frowned, still calculating. When he put all his knowledge together, combined with logic, he guessed the ships would carry a half measure of sailors, led by the ship's captain, and a half measure of soldiers, led by a commander of some named rank.*All right, Imorelda. Don't come.*

The cat's head jerked toward him, and the tail grew even faster and more jagged in its movement.*You're not even going to try to talk me into it?* *Why would I? You're an intelligent creature; you can make your own decisions.* Tae held out his arms.*Matrinka's been wanting a replacement for Mior, and I imagine one castle's the same as another for a cat.*

Imorelda paced a half circle to face Tae, then sat. Only the tip of her tail kept twitching.*What do you mean?* *Mean?* Tae shrugged.*Isn't it obvious? If I attempt to interact with them but can't send or receive mind messages, they'll know I'm not one of them despite my brilliant disguise.* He adjusted the wig.

Imorelda stared. *Before they kill me, I'll try to send as much information to you as I can, assuming I can reach you.You take the information back to Matrinka and live the rest of your life with her.* Tae tried to look all innocence.*And all her cats, of course. Oh, and your own darling kittens.*

The hair stood up on Imorelda's back, and she hissed.*You don't have to curse me. I'm coming.* *If you insist.* Tae looked at the sky. A crescent moon hung, veiled behind a cottony network of clouds. At the horizon, a pink sky peeked through gossamer strands of blue.*For now, you can sit on my shoulders. Eventually, though, you'll have to stay hidden on their ship.* Tae tried to think of a safe place to put her, but he drew a blank. She made too big a bulge beneath his clothing, whether at the abdomen or back; and she would surely move and give herself away.*Can you do that?*

Imorelda licked a paw and used it to straighten her whiskers.*Can I do that?* Disgust radiated clearly through the words. If she had a speaking voice, she would certainly have mocked him.*A human asking a cat if she can hide. It's like me asking you if you can manage walking on your hind legs.* She turned her back on Tae again.*Cats have been the mistresses of stealth since long before humans existed. Cats twenty times my size would stalk and kill humans before they knew they were being hunted.* She snorted.*Can I hide?*

Tae had no idea where that information came from. He doubted cats had existed longer than humans, and he could not imagine one twenty times her size. Big as a pony. But Imorelda still had a worthwhile point.*Sorry, Mistress of Stealth. Just make sure you don't hide so well that I can't find you.* *You'll find me if I want you to find me.* Imorelda clambered delicately up Tae's chest and arms to spread herself across his shoulders.*I'm not going to get wet, am I?*

Sensing genuine concern in the question, Tae did not joke.*I'll do my best to keep you dry. Just, please, don't panic if you take a splash or two.*

Tae felt her shudder. Imorelda did not like water in general, but she had taken a particular dislike to the salty variety. Or, perhaps, it had more to do with the vastness of the ocean. He imagined tumbling off a merchant ship into the dark and icy depths, watching the ship glide away, oblivious to her loss. Surrounded by water; nothing to drink. A world of fish; nothing to eat. A man would die of exposure or thirst or drowning long before he could swim to shore or find another ship. To a cat, it had to seem the worst death of all.

Looking out for boats, Tae paddled toward the stern. The first edge of sun was just touching the horizon. The meeting had likely not started yet, but he hoped the generals had settled into closed quarters rather than standing on the deck gabbing in the cold morning breeze.*Imorelda, please. I need you to focus again.*

Tae received no reply. Apparently, Imorelda was already scanning, but the alsona were mentally silent. An idea came to him, based on his previous thoughts. He prodded the cat with a finger.

She looked at him.

Uncertain whether Imorelda was set on his mind level, or theirs, he spoke aloud. "Can you bring my mind speech to a place where only one man can 'hear' me?"

Imorelda gave no reply.

Just as Tae assumed she had not heard him, and prepared to repeat the question, she finally answered.*Maybe I could. If he was the nearest of them and away from the others.*

Tae would have liked a more definitive answer, but doubted one was possible. Aside from the elves, Imorelda, Matrinka, and himself, no one on the continent had any experience with mental communication. He supposed he could have gone to Tem'aree'ay for advice, but he doubted Griff 's elfin wife could have helped him much, if at all. Tae had already noticed significant differences between the alsona's mind conversation and the elves' khohlar.*Good enough, Imorelda. It won't ruin everything if more than one sailor hears me. It'll just make things a bit more difficult.* *You mean 'make the incredibly stupid a bit more impossible?'*

Tae smiled.*Exactly.* Then he became serious. His plan would require him to kill an innocent man, albeit an enemy, in cold blood. And, while fully justified by war, it still bothered him. Tae tried to shake the last modicum of guilt with the teachings of his father: "Thought is a man's greatest gift and also his most dangerous enemy. For, though it can save you from any situation, any situation, it can also paralyze you with fear or horror or guilt. Hesitation has killed many a killer and stolen many a thief."