Dhisais!
Long moments later Rakhi felt again toward her mind, fear at first, and then that characteristic humor that was Rakhi. “O nasith-tak, being katasathe is a situation of ultimate frustration to a male. If I should also become dhisais, I know not what I shall do with myself. Will they let me in the dhis, do you think?” Or shall I die, nasith-tak? I should rather that, than to lose my mind.
In another male his language would have been unbearably offensive to her condition—for to be katasathe was to hold a m’melakhia so private and so possessive that proximity to others as equals was unbearable. Had she been aboard Ashanome, she would have resigned her other activities and settled into a period of waiting, accepting gifts of the nasul, protection of Ashakh, increasingly occupied with her own thoughts. But in a strange way Rakhi did share with her, and could not really share or threaten; and she felt his disadvantage as her own. Their arastiethe had become almost one, and Rakhi had a right to such frankness.
We have begun to merge, he thought suddenly. Au, Chaikhe, Chaikhe-nasith, what will become of me?
Go away. Chimele’s orders notwithstanding, go, now! Give me my privacy for a moment. Something is happening to me. I fear—I fear—
She is ill, she perceived Rakhi telling Chimele in great alarm, sweating, for he felt it too.
“‘No,'” came Chimele’s answer, and in her mind she could see Chimele’s brooding face sketched by the tone of the answer. “No, no illness. What was put into Chaikhe’s veins while she slept was no more than nature would have sent soon enough. My profound regret, Chaikhe.'”
You are driving me to this state! she realized suddenly, with a flood of anger that hurt Rakhi no less; she felt the tremor that ran through him and his shame at having unwittingly participated. Then bitter laughter rose in her. Honor to Chimele sra-Chaxal. Vaikka, vaikka, o Chimele, shadow-worker. From all others I knew how to defend myself; but those that come between Chimele and necessity must suffer for it. Honor to you indeed, nasith.
“I knew nothing of it,” Rakhi protested. “I did not, Chaikhe.”
We are both disadvantaged, nasith-toj. But when did one ever deal with Chimele and profit from it? Go. Go away.
He fled in great discomfort, and Chaikhe sank down at the control console, her indigo fingers clenched together until the knuckles turned pale. Then with an abrupt act of will she forced her mind to business and fired an impulse to Tesyel, nas kame in charge of the base ship. Tesyel, she sent him, have Neya escort the bnesych Gerlach to me immediately, giving him no opportunity for delay. If he be sleeping or naked as the day he was born, still give him no time to turn aside. If there are others with him, bring them. If they resist, destroy them. Use whatever of the okkitani-as you need in this.
A light flashed on the board, Tesyel’s signaled acknowledgment. Chaikhe noted it as a matter expected and put the wide scan from the base ship on her own screens.
Something flashed there, coming hard, at the far limit of the screen. She exerted herself to fire, almost a negligent gesture, for she meant to seal Weissmouth against all aircraft until Ashakh was heard from, and had it been Ashakh, she was sure she would have been advised.
The incoming ship brushed off the fire and varied nothing from its course, far outstripping amaut capabilities in its speed and defenses. It was huge, just inside the limits for intra-atmosphere operation.
The recognition occupied less than a second in Chaikhe’s mind, as long as it took to flash a warning to Tesyel aboard the base command ship.
Tejef! her mind cried at Rakhi, shamefully hysterical, and rage and the wish to kill washed over her to the depths of her belly. Her ship blasted out a futile barrage at the incoming vessel, which showed every evidence of intending a landing: stalemate. Greater expense of energy could wipe out Weissmouth and the surrounding valley and still not penetrate the other’s defenses.
Calm! Rakhi insisted. Calm! Think as Chaikhe, not as a dhisais. O nasith-tak, if ever you needed your wits it is now. Conserve power, conserve, waste nothing and do not let him harm our people in the city. You are the. citadel of our power on Priamos. If you fall, it is over. Do not add yourself to Tejef for search.