25

[maderr]

Chapter Twenty-five


Planet 00000000 (Zero), Palace of Eternity


Cyan watched in silence, his hand clasped in Einn's, as first Gory and then his brother were escorted onto a transport ship.

Gory had not held up well, and by the end of the day looked as if he'd aged ten years or more. Jade, carefully kept away from his parents' murderer and under close watch, seemed better than he had before. A strange sort of eerie calm had settled over him, a stillness that made him look like some lovely, sad painting come to life.

Cyan waited until Gory had vanished into the ship, and squeezing Einn's hand reassuringly, stepped toward his brother. The guards and officials supervising let him, stepping back to give the brothers some privacy, though they kept an eye on the former Lower Chancellor. "Why, Jade?"

Jade shrugged, "I made my choices, you made yours. Don't think too much about it, Blue - complex thoughts were never your style."

"We could've been--"

"Happy? A family? Keep thinking that Blue - whatever makes you happy." Jade turned away, escorting himself aboard ship. "Goodbye, Cyan."

Cyan blinked. "Goodbye…Jade." He remained where he was until the ship had taken off, then turned back toward Einn, and allowed the Fornarian to lead him through the halls and to the office of the Grand Chancellor.

Everyone fell silent a moment as they entered.

"So - everything from the past several years was just about one man's revenge?" Karmikel said at last. He glared back as the others stared at him in fierce disapproval, "What? It's my damn race he allowing to be abused. I have a right to know."

"Yes," Cyan said quietly, sitting down heavily. He looked at Einn, a trace of his usual humor appearing briefly in his eyes. "When I said there was nothing sane or reasonable about him, I meant it."

"I guess you did."

Cyan sighed, scrubbing his face with his hands in an attempt to banish his weariness. "The night…the night my parents were killed, I was at home. I only heard about exactly what happened later, so it was never as bad for me as it could have been. It was a…more distant horror. But for Jade it was very very close. He was right beside my parents as they were shot - he and my mother watched my father die, and then my mother literally died in his arms. I think it did something to him - I know it would have done something to me. I guess…" he laughed bitterly. "I guess it didn't help that later, seeking the person responsible, to discover that the murderer was our family's closest friend. Gory - he helped us a lot those first days and weeks and months. And he was the one who held Jade and kept him sane - or so we thought. He brought my brother home and didn't leave the house at all that night. He…he really was our lifeline."

"We fell out of touch later, when Gory became High Chancellor and Jade began his schooling to join the Infinitum. He also became obsessed with revenge. I do mean obsessed. It was Jade's primary goal in life, and nothing and no one could have dissuaded him from it, if they had known what he was about. He never forgave me for not wanting to help. All our other disagreements could be patched up, forgiven and forgotten. But not that one. He tried everything to keep me there, to gain my cooperation - he even once chained me to my bed. Finally, though, it was obvious we'd never reconcile. So I left."

Einn shifted where he sat on the arm of Cyan's chair. "One thing surprised me - Jade left Lark and I completely out of his account. He could have taken us down with him easily, recounting his use of us to acquire information and supplies he needed."

"Who knows?" Arkadii said with a shrug. "I'm thinking it's best not to look too deeply into the poor man's motives for anything."

"So what happens now?" Faller asked.

Arkadii grimaced, "I get to go through mountains of paperwork and tomorrow begins a long, long line of tedious trials and meetings." He slid his eyes to Pyotr, "The first order of business will be to instate you as the temporary High Chancellor and the councilmen as Lower Chancellors, to serve until the end of Term. Though you might all do well enough that perhaps I won't have to work too hard at finding replacements."

"Oh, no," Pyotr protested adamantly. "There's no way I'm going to serve - even temporarily - as High Chancellor."

"You think not?" Arkadii asked in a dangerous voice. "You're no longer an agent, and I'm certainly not setting you amongst the Authorities to start your heroics anew. No, I think High Chancellor is perfect for you - especially as I'm going to begin lobbying to have the duties of leading the IA handed over to the HC. If that doesn't keep you out of trouble and get me out the problem of having to get you out of trouble, nothing will."

Pyotr sighed in defeat, "I really wish you'd retire."

"So do I. But first I have to solve this delightful disaster you've put in my lap." He looked at Cyan, "Which reminds me your friends should be arriving shortly - under guard but mostly as a formality."

"Sean and Mendel?" Cyan asked, startled.

"Yes," Arkadii sat back in his seat and steepled his fingers. "Your friends here," he motioned to Karmikel and Faller, "Contacted them and arranged several things while you were assisting the raid on Rehab. Due to the all the clamoring and shouting that has sprung up regarding the Draconis and their mates - and given that Mendel is apparently something of an expert on his race - he will not be returning to Rehab any time soon. It has not been arranged formally yet, but most likely he will be put under house arrest on…" he looked at his papers. "Mars. I spoke with the Lady Jundel earlier about this, apparently Sean's mother is not doing so well?"

"She's sick," Cyan said. "And not likely to recover."

"I am sorry to hear that," Arkadii said with honest sympathy. "So the two will, barring some strange occurance, be placed under house arrest there until such time as their presence is no longer required on Mars. They will then be transported either here, or to Conis. The matter is not yet decided."

Cyan managed a smile, "Thank you, Arkadii."

"Unnecessary. I'm more interested in the rest of this lot." He looked at Einn, Karmikel, and Faller.

Einn shrugged, "I guess we're out of the pirate business - Karmikel's too prissy for such a job. According to what was said at the inquiry today, we work for Pyotr."

"Yes," Pyotr said. "The problem of the Draconis has only just begun. I could use agents of your caliber."

"Oh, we're agents now." Faller rolled his eyes. "I hope I don't have to wear a uniform. I still say life was easier before we decided to take someone hostage."

"Easier but a lot less interesting," Einn grinned.

Faller snorted, "You're biased, so shut the hell up."

"Does this mean my ship is being commandeered for government use?" Karmikel groused. "I don't want anyone but me touching it. And those three, if I have to let them."

Einn tsked softly, "As an official member of the Infinitum Government, Agent Karmikel, you are really going to have to work on your people skills."

"I'll show you my people skills, rock-climber. Beating some sense into you would be a public service grand enough I should be appointed Emperor."

"I'd like to see you try it."

"That's enough.” Arkadii said, though he was almost smiling. "Pyotr, you may want to rethink recruiting this lot. I don't think it's the best way to begin your new career." He paused, looking thoughtful. "Then again, getting them out of trouble would doubly ensure you don't have time to get into it."

"I'm not that bad, Uncle."

"Yes, you are."

A frantic knocking at the door interrupted the bantering. Arkadii glared daggers at it, then mashed a button to open the door. "What?" he barked at the jittery guard in the hallway.

"Sir! The ship! Explosion!"

"Speak in a way I can understand you, moron."

"Sir!" the authority snapped a salute. "The prisoner ship escorting Alexander and Cohen to Rehab exploded shortly after exiting light jump. It crashed just outside settlement six on Mars."

"Status?"

"No word yet, sir."

"Then get lost and don't let me find you again until you have something useful to tell me."

"Yes, sir." The authority dashed off.

Cyan's laughter made them all jump.

"You're not surprised, are you?"

"No. How many times must I say it? Jade is beyond anyone's control. From the moment we locked him in that room, he was making new plans."

Arkadii was stern as he spoke, "Then why didn't you say anything?"

"Because he's my brother."

"How do you even know he's alive?" Faller asked, not unkindly. "It's possible that explosion was meant to kill them all."

"No," Cyan shook his head. "I guarantee you that Jade will not be found. And Gory is alive, I would swear my life on it."

Arkadii frowned. "What makes you so certain?"

Cyan smiled crookedly, "Because for Jade, a life in Rehab isn't good enough. His plan all along wasn't simply to have Gory imprisoned - you should know that. He could have had Gory locked away years ago. No - his plan is to make Gory suffer, to make his every living moment a living hell." He looked up at Arkadii, "So if I were you, I'd make sure that his family is well-protected. Anyone that might have been close to him, that it would hurt Gory to lose or see suffer. My brother had no compunctions against killing me to get what he wanted, so don't think he won't go to any length."

"You could have said something and prevented this."

"I've warned you what Jade will most likely attempt. That will have to do."

Arkadii shook his head, "I thought you were better than that, Cyan."

"I thought a lot of people were better than they were." Cyan stood up, "I'm done here."

Pyotr stood, "If you would like, you are more than welcome to make use of my place. Though of course your own family home is available to you."

"No…I won't be going back there for a long time. If ever. If you're certain, I will gladly take you up on your offer."

"Of course," Pyotr nodded. "You are all most welcome. Please, go and relax. Your friends should be arriving shortly, and you can all remain there until matters are settled and you're free to go."

Arkadii looked almost amused as he too rose to his feet, "You'll make as splendid High Chancellor, Pyotr. I don't know why you were worried about it. Now, I am off to see to this latest crisis, then hopefully to my own home. Farewell to all of you. Let us hope that in the future, our meetings are dreadfully boring." He departed, Pyotr following close behind him.

Einn dropped an arm around Cyan's shoulder, and led him out of the room, just behind Karmikel and Faller, who were bickering about the ship and their as of yet unnamed new duties.

"Are you going to be okay?" he asked Cyan quietly.

"I'm alive."

"That wasn't what I asked."

Cyan sighed, and attempted a smile. "I'll be fine. But the next time I get the bright idea to get myself kidnapped, smack me."

"No one is going to be kidnapping you except me, and that's only if you try to do something stupid like leave." They slowed to a halt in the transport room, not moving to follow the other two, who had already vanished. "When are you going back to work?"

"I don't know," Cyan shrugged. "I'll stay on Mars with Sean for a while, maybe take a month of real vacation. I'll decide then." He sighed, "And at some point I'll have to decide what to do with the house and property, since they've apparently fallen into my keeping with Jade's arrest."

Einn frowned, "So you don't want to live here on Zero?"

"No," Cyan shook his head. "It's just too depressing."

"Pain in my ass," Einn sighed. "It'd be a hell of a lot easier to see you regularly if you were here rather than on Mars. Since I get the feeling Zero is going to become my base of operations. I don't think I like this lawful lifestyle. If I turned pirate again at some point, would you still want me?"

"Einn…" the corner of Cyan's mouth tilted in a half smile. "Do you remember our fight? On your ship?"

"You think I could forget? I think my face still hurts from the blow you struck. Why?"

"Before that happened, I'd been about to ask if you wanted to keeping seeing me. Whenever you were in my area…"

Einn drew a sharp breath. "But that would've gotten you into a world of trouble."

"I told you I don't do flings - I'd been hoping you'd changed your mind about doing permanent."

"Isn't it rather obvious by this point?" Einn asked softly, reaching out to pull Cyan close and stroke his hair. "I was free to do whatever the hell I wanted after my crew mutinied - after you left. I didn't think I'd get you back, even if we did succeed in rescuing you. But I do have you back - and didn't I just say that if you try to do something stupid like leave, I'd just kidnap you?"

Cyan's voice was mostly teasing, "I don't think my leaving was ever the concern."

Frowning, Einn leaned down and brushed Cyan's lips softly with his own, barely moving away to respond in a low tone. "Well, my leaving isn't either. I may as well make myself a complete failure as a Fornarian and get attached to one person."

"I'll try to make being a failure worthwhile."

"That sounds promising."