Magda hesitated. Then, knowing this was the moment of choice, she nodded.
“Yes, I will.”
The next morning, the Lady Rohana sat beside Lorill Hastur in the small Council chamber, awaiting the arrival of the Terran coordinator. Peter Haldane sat across from them, looking both apprehensive and angry. Rohana could not read his thoughts, but she did not have to. This morning, Magda and Jaelle had vanished, and she was certain they had taken refuge in Thendara Guild-house. But they had left a message saying they would appear before Hastur at the Council, and it was not Rohana’s duty to explain further when they had not.
Hastur leaned over and asked her in an undertone, “This was the man taken by Sain Scarp? Is he truly identical to Kyril? The resemblance is extraordinary; are we dealing here with Cherillys’ Law?”
Rohana laughed. “I have not remembered Cherillys’ Law since I was a psi monitor in Dalereuth Tower with you and Melora and Leonie,” she said, “But no, it is not that; the Terran has only five fingers on either hand.”
“Still, a remarkable likeness, and it goes to bear out what you said about a single race; although it seems fantastic to believe that our people could have come from another star, or that we would ever have permitted ourselves to forget such an heritage. And you told me that the woman has laran. May I ask how you found that out? I gave orders that no Terran was to witness a matrix operation.”
“Jaelle was dying,” Rohana said, “and her sworn sister had a right to remain with her. I can only imagine-” She frowned, trying to think it out. “Alida has the Ardais Gift; she is a catalyst telepath, and contact with her may have awakened latent laran in this woman. But if it had not been there, Alida could not have roused it. The man-Haldane-was there, too, and he showed no sign of being aware of what was going on. But whatever the reason, this woman has laran, and it means we must revise some of our preconceived notions about Terrans.” She said “our” preconceived notions, but she really meant “your”; Hastur knew it and scowled.
He said, “Here is the Terran official, and his interpreter.”
Rohana had met Montray before, and had not been impressed; she wondered if she had picked up some shred of Magda’s contempt for the man. This time he was accompanied by a young man who spoke casta as well as either Peter or Magda, which was as well as any native-born Darkovan. He introduced himself as Wade Montray, the coordinator’s son, and politely made himself known to each of them, while his father went toward Peter, glowering.
“So there you are, Haldane! Do you have any idea how much trouble you’ve caused? And where is Miss Lome? She should be here! In fact, both of you should have reported back to the HQ last night for orders!”
Peter said rather stiffly, “I have not been informed that any charges have been filed against us. It did not seem proper to give offense to the Lady Rohana when she invited us to remain as her guests. I am certain that Magda will be here at the proper time.” He turned toward the door, with an audible sigh of relief. “In fact, she is here. And the young woman with her was instrumental in saving my life, Montray, so you be polite to her, damn it!”
“Nice-looking girl,” Montray commented, and Peter stiffened up again. “Montray, you’ve been on Darkover how long-ten years? If you haven’t learned yet that it’s not proper to make comments about a woman’s looks, I suggest you put in for transfer as fast as you can, or never stick your head out of the Terran Zone!”
Magda had come into the room with Jaelle and three strange women, and was quietly seating herself with them on the fourth side of the room. Hastur said sternly, “Jaelle, what is this? I gave you no authority to invite any outsiders to this conference!”
“I did not ask for it, my Lord.” Jaelle spoke respectfully, but with none of the fear most outsiders displayed before a Comyn lord. “Lord Hastur, it seemed to me that our Guild is very deeply concerned in these matters that are under discussion this morning, and I therefore asked these representatives to come and state our position before you, and before the Terrans.”