Signis gaped at him, echoing Rorix’s surprise.“You want sex?With one ofthem?”
“You aren’t curious?Not even a little?I mean, none of us has ever had a human woman.”
“I haven’t had a ronka either, and I have no intention of trying one out.”Signis’ lip curled.
“Well, duh.Ronkas are animals.”Negal shook his head.“You hate Earthers, but you haven’t gotten to know any.”
“I don’t have to.Encountering them when we’ve stopped at places like Dantovon, Adraf, and Tratsod has me well informed.They’re judgmental, rude, violent, bigger thieves than the worst of us—”
“It doesn’t stop you from listening to the music of Matthew Larsen or Casual Innuendo, the band Irene of Clan Sherv belongs to.You’d better believe if I meet a woman who looks like Matara Irene during this expedition, I’ll chase her all over our huge flotilla,” Negal vowed.
“Mother of All,” Signis muttered, shaking his head.“You’d better disinfect yourself after any encounters, or you can sleep in different quarters.”
Rorix stifled a sigh.No Earthers had shown up to join them yet, and they were already causing problems in his clan.
* * * *
Jedver, Galactic Councilheadquarters
Mereta’s Dark-occupied body sat at his desk, reviewing reports.They came from various worlds subverted by the All’s offshoots and news agencies, most of which were also under the All’s proverbial thumb.Due to the Darks being spread across a vast area throughout the GC member galaxies, the com system had become the preferred method of mass communication.The All had never been so divided, and the immense number of individual telepathic messages being sent to it had become a problem.It couldn’t track so many.
Mereta considered the communiques, his attention masked and unobserved by his occupant.He listened in as his Dark and the All traded telepathic messages.
Sources say the Kalquorians have all but overcome the sickness set loose among its population.Earthers have likewise found an answer to their virus.
It is not good.The Bi’sil’s pathogens were to cripple their worlds, if not exterminate the Separates.
Numerous deaths occurred, particularly among the humans.Not as many as hoped.
Mereta quelled immense satisfaction to sense the All’s disquiet.He kept his emotions in check, thanks to years of long practice.Not for fear of being discovered, but because extremes weren’t to be indulged.
Additional diseases were developed on Bi’is.Will you try again?
Had he been in control of his body, Mereta’s brow would have arched.The Dark had used the pronoun “you” to refer to the All...as if it were a distinct entity from its source.Despite their being in such close proximity.Interesting.It was something to muse about later.
The great voice in his head seemed to miss the error.It could be worthwhile.Even if the Separates continue to find solutions to the illnesses,, the work done elsewhere will give them multiple problems at once to deal with.
Indeed.Trag reports the majority of its chieftains have been assimilated.The others are being eradicated.Soon, mass incursions will begin in opposition to Kalquor and its allies.The worlds controlled by the All are readying to openly fight as well.
It was the All’s turn to experience satisfaction, which it relished.It is good.If Kalquor manages to defeat my attacks, it will do the work of destroying those Separates set against it for the All.
Kalquor and its allies will be diminished themselves, easy for the taking as the All brings itself together in a great single force once more.
Experience had taught Mereta the All and its offshoot would spend a few minutes gloating about their anticipated future supremacy.Disinterested, he withdrew his attention from the tiresome conversation...and discovered a disturbance in the air.
It was slight, easy to dismiss as an effect of the computers and devices in the environment.Perhaps a simple eddy of air in movement.However, Mereta was attuned to the quiet beyond the natural world.Against the familiar a backdrop, the most subtle physical manifestations were readily noted.He knew every tremor of normal activity in his office.
The tiny vibration wasn’t a typical occurrence.What was the miniscule hum in the air?He aimed every mote of his vast consciousness at it.There...hovering over the desk, moving down to rest on its surface.
And another, close to his ear.A third, farther off.All whirring so very quietly, they might not have been making noise at all.Except they were, like tiny insects that had found their way in and restlessly prowled the air.
Then the sounds were gone.
Mereta gently prodded his occupant to shift his eyes so he could gaze where he was certain he’d felt the first disturbance.The rich Joshadan wood of the desk’s surface next to the computer appeared as blameless as ever.He saw nothing.Nonetheless, Mereta stared at the spot for several seconds, wondering.
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Jedver, Elcoger’s shop
