The humans of this ship would be coming for him at any moment—the first non-Kinsmen he had seen in over twenty years.
They will not want me. I can never be one of them.
He made a blank slate of his mind and drew the Octagon upon it, contemplating each point as he whispered the ancient chant: ba’ne, vali, vekki, kivi, riama, linei, anki, neva. The human tongue only approximated the words’ definitions: void, will, blood, reason, spirit, heart, body, nothingness.
Such was the Eightfold Way. Such were the elements of shaauri being, and of all sapient life, even humans. Upon the Eightfold Way, and only there, was he whole unto himself.
The bay’s interior doors slid open. Three humans entered, wariness in the set of their stiff, unreadable bodies. The two males were clad in one-piece, belted shipsuits and carried heavy guns. After a moment of uncertainty, Ronan assumed that the shorter figure behind them must be female. Her wide body was as much metal as flesh, both her arms studded with interface jacks and instrumentation. Her dark, tilted eyes regarded Ronan with detached curiosity.
“I am Doctor Zheng, chief medic of the Alliance ship Pegasus.”
Chief medic. She was the ship’s healer, and thus of the li’laik’i, but her cool demeanor was much more that of Reason. The fact that she had been sent to greet Ronan must mean that she had some status among the crew, yet she was not the one who had spoken to him before.
“I am Ronan,” he said, bowing in neutral courtesy.
“Captain D’Accorso extends her welcome, Ser VelKalevi,” she said. “She has asked me to evaluate your condition and escort you to the bridge. Are you injured in any way?”
“I am well, Li—I have suffered no injuries, Healer Zheng.”
Zheng nodded in the human manner and touched a lighted panel embedded in the flesh of her forearm. Ronan’s ears detected a faint hum, and as Zheng extended her hand, he jumped out of her reach.
Two weapons swung toward him. The taller of the guards moved with skillful grace, and Ronan quickly assessed the potential threat. The man was clearly of the Blood Path, ve’laik’in, a true warrior. His skin was weathered with much time spent in the sun, and he held the gun with easy confidence. Adult in age, but young enough to be reckless.
Formidable, perhaps, but not invulnerable. Humans seldom trained fighters as shaauri ve’laik’i did their own. The other guard Ronan dismissed as an’laik’in, Body, and so of little consequence. He allowed himself to relax.
“It’s all right, Kord,” Zheng said, waving at the males to lower their weapons. “Ser VelKalevi, I am attempting to scan for any injuries of which you may not be aware. I assure you that my instruments cannot harm you.” Her dark eyes took Ronan apart piece by piece. “You have never seen a cyborg. Is there no enhancement among the shaauri?”
Irrational anger tightened his jaw. “The people of Aur do not mutilate their bodies with artificial components.”
“Ah. In that case, they are little different from many human societies.” She touched her arm again, and the interface hummed for several seconds. Zheng frowned. “You appear to be in excellent health. If, however, you feel the need to recover more fully, your meeting with the captain can be delayed.”
“I am recovered,” Ronan said. “I will meet with your First.”
“First.” Zheng tapped her fingers rapidly on her arm panel. “I believe that is a Voishaaur term for a leader of primary rank, is it not?”
“He should be confined to the brig until we know who and what he is, Mother Zheng,” the warrior said, staring at Ronan from beneath his dark brows.
“I hardly think that he can do any damage under your watchful eye, O’Deira.” Zheng entered a few notations and made a sound of satisfaction. “I will be most interested in discussing shaauri language and dialect with you at your convenience, Ser VelKalevi. But now Captain D’Accorso is waiting.”
The young warrior shook his head, but he and the other guard stepped apart and positioned themselves on either side of Ronan. Zheng turned and the doors opened before her. She led the way through a hold stocked with containers of every size and shape.