Ted R. Blasingame's Fictional Life   "Never lose your sense of wonder and imagination."

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TREASURE HUNT 2

THE DAUGHTERS OF HERDANTES

©1992 by Ted R. Blasingame

Chapter 3

Kehtan Otani had explored and charted many worlds over the years and had gratefully accepted retirement from the Planetary Alliance Space Service. After the formalities of the change of command on board the SS Zephyr and the processes of retiring after many years of service, Kehtan had made his home in the small fishing community of Halan San, populated by forty of the nicest folk he’d ever met.

In the years since moving there, Kehtan had integrated himself into the community as a respected member of their society. He had grown wealthy from a joint collaboration with Santrojur Industries several years earlier, but the simple life he chose was peaceful and full of enjoyment.

The only thing that marred his happiness was the memory of the large Ronan wolf that had been his longtime companion, Red. She had grown old by lupine standards and had died of natural causes. In all the time he had known her, she had only had one litter of pups six years ago. There had been four; two male and two female. Unfortunately, both females died within weeks of their birth and one of the males had been given to a young man the captain had known.

The remaining male, which he had named Jesse, still lived with him, though he’d had ample opportunity to go off and join a pack somewhere. Rona had a high population of wolves and even the community of Halan San had its nightly choruses.

Kehtan broke from his musing at Jesse’s woof. He smiled and corrected his course with the turn of a paddle. His small rowboat veered back toward the point of land where his home and dock awaited.

The morning air was warm and lazy clouds floated above. As he glanced toward the sky, he saw the silver shape of a transport glide silently through the air, no doubt on its way to deliver another set of passengers to the space station in orbit high above. For a brief instant he felt out of time. In an age of high technology, he had chosen a simple life in a rural community with the barest of modern conveniences.

Jesse stood at the fore end of the boat behind him and woofed again at something he could see. Turning, Kehtan looked toward shore and saw a vehicle parked beside his house. He frowned and resumed rowing.

As he neared the dock, he smiled and waved toward the man approaching him carrying a large black bag. At first he’d thought Rojur had come to visit, but upon second look decided this was not his friend of years past. The prow of his tiny craft bumped the wooden walkway and Jesse padded cautiously up the path to greet the visitor.

“Hello!” Kehtan said in a friendly tone.

“Good morning,” said the man. Jesse curiously sniffed the turquoise-haired man, but showed no alarm. Kehtan stowed the oars and picked up his fishing pole and a stinger of fish. He stood up and hopped out of the boat.

“What can I do for you?” he asked.

“I am looking for Captain Otani,” the man said. “My name is Merlin Sinclair.”

“I am the retired Captain Otani. Now it's just Kehtan Otani.”

They moved along the dock toward land and then stopped at a small table with a hand pump. Kehtan set his fish on the table and set his pole aside. He produced a knife from a belt sheath and proceeded to clean his catch.

Merlin wrinkled his nose and looked out to sea. “Sir,” he began, “I am searching for a relative of mine who once served with you.”

Kehtan paused for a moment in his cutting. He had only served with two Rosweins in all his years. Delon Santrojur on the Two Star and Trin Rosch on the Zephyr. Since the mutiny of the Zephyr had been widely publicized by the media, and also the courts-martial of the bulk of the crew, it was common knowledge that Ensign Rosch had been sent to a rehabilitation center on Tyra, far from civilized populations of the Alliance. Knowing this, Kehtan had little trouble knowing for whom this man searched.

“And who might that be?” he asked, concentrating on his fish.

“Delon Santrojur,” Merlin confirmed. “He's my cousin, whom I’ve not seen in years.”

Kehtan completed his task and tossed the discarded fish parts to Jesse. The rest he gathered up in his hands. “Will you carry my pole?” he asked. “We can resume our conversation inside where it’s cooler.”

“Of course.”

Inside the rustic farm house, Kehtan went to the kitchen and prepared the fillets for the freezer. Merlin leaned on the counter and watched him quietly, awaiting the retired captain’s reply. Kehtan was silent for long moments as he worked, but he finally spoke.

“How long have you been away from Roswei, Mister Sinclair?” he asked, looking sideways at his guest.

“Only about a year,” Merlin answered, puzzled. “My search began there.”

“Then it should be common knowledge to you,” the captain said slowly, “that Delon Santrojur is an Es-par and is wanted by Roswein authorities.”

“Yes, the whole world knows,” Merlin said, “but it's not by the Roswein authority, but several anti-esper groups who have laid down the reward. I’m not seeking that reward.”

Kehtan looked at him skeptically as he finished his task. He moved to the dining table and sat down, and motioned Merlin to do the same.

“Mister Sinclair,” he began. Before he could continue, Merlin set his black bag upon the table and opened it so the captain could see the contents. Kehtan’s eyes widened and he quickly scowled. “Take your money elsewhere, Sinclair,” he snorted. “I don’t know where Delon is, nor do I take bribes.”

Merlin smiled. “You misunderstand me before I have a chance to explain. For one, the amount in this bag exceeds the reward that has been offered. Two, I was about to explain that this is my life savings pooled together to finance my search. I wasn’t going to offer all of it to you, although you would be paid for any information you could provide to help me.”

Kehtan stood up and moved to an airtight cylinder on the counter. From it he poured a green liquid into a large cup. He did not offer one to his guest. He returned to his seat and studied Merlin a few moments as he sipped his coffee.

“Why are you looking for him?” he asked directly. “Why would he want to see you?”

Merlin removed a photo from an inner pocket of the bag. He handed it to Kehtan.

“Sir, this is of our last time together, nearly fifteen years ago.” In the picture was a young Delon in his early twenties. He was playfully giving a ‘noogie’ to a kid five years younger. The kid bore a striking resemblance to Sinclair.

“Delon had returned to Roswei for a family reunion from his engineering studies on Rona when this was taken. I was in a serious accident a year later and spent the next decade in physical rehabilitation.”

“I’m sorry,” Kehtan replied as he returned the photo. “That still doesn’t explain why you want him.”

Merlin sighed. “A year after my rehabilitation ended I'd heard about my uncle’s accusations and the original reward for Delon’s life. Some months later, Rayce Santrojur simply rescinded his reward, but even then I knew I had to find Delon — before some fortune hunter got him first for the bounty put up soon after by the private groups.”

“Why?” Kehtan asked. “Why do you need to find him, if you’re not after the bounty yourself?”

Merlin put his hands on the table and then looked at Kehtan.

“Because, Captain, I have something deeply in common with my cousin. I am also an esper, a creature reviled by my homeworld as a freak of nature to be eliminated.”

Kehtan took a sip of his green coffee and remained silent. Merlin fell quiet, too, awaiting a response.

“It's possible you may be an esper,” Kehtan finally replied. “It is also possible that in spite of this you could want to use his status of being an outlaw to get revenge for a past act against you — possibly your accident.”

“That is plausible,” Merlin admitted, “but that is not the case here.”

“Do you have any way to prove this?”

Merlin nodded. “Absolutely.” He stood up and leaned against a kitchen counter. “From the reports I’ve seen and heard, Delon’s psionic abilities could be hidden from anyone not knowing anything about him. A psi detector would not discover that he was an esper if he simply refrained from using his talents. In my case, my abilities are essential so that I might seem normal to normal people. If I were to dampen them or abstain from using them, I would be discovered right away.”

He picked up the coffee cylinder and examined it absently. “I have to use them constantly, even while I sleep, Captain. As I’m using them even now.”

Kehtan scowled and stood up. He moved behind his chair and rested his hands on the seat back. “What kind of talents?”

“Of illusion and telekinesis. The accident I mentioned damaged me in ways not repairable. I use my psionic abilities to give the illusion I’m a normal man leading a normal life.” He glanced up as Jesse padded through the kitchen, obviously full and ready to find a corner to sleep in. The wolf disappeared into another room. Merlin continued.

“If I were to find Delon and turn him in as an Es-par, I would have to pass a psi exam myself to claim the reward. I would fail.”

Kehtan swallowed. “Show me,” he requested.

Merlin nodded, knowing that if he wanted to gain the captain’s trust, he had to trust the captain in return. Kehtan could easily report him to the anti-esper groups on Roswei for the same type of reward. It was all a matter of trust.

Merlin had used his abilities so much with such ease that he had almost as much difficulty not using them as some espers had using theirs. He concentrated and in a heartbeat all his psi talents were revealed in his non-use of them.

Kehtan glanced at an indicator set in the wall beside the door, one of the few electronic devices he afforded in his rural home, and gulped his surprise. He moved back to his seat and motioned Merlin to do the same.

“Okay, I’m convinced,” he said with an effort.

Merlin smiled, though sadly. He had won the confidence he needed, but to secure it he had to endanger it with a question. “Captain, before you make up your mind, how can you be sure I’m not just using my abilities in reverse, to make you think I’m disabled this way?”

Kehtan smiled and pointed to the wall indicator that had escaped Merlin’s notice. “That detects psi activity,” he said. “It registered your constant use of psionic abilities as soon as you came into the room, and dropped off only when you stopped using them.”

It was Merlin’s turn to be surprised. “You knew I was an esper all along?” he asked as a sudden chill travelled up and down his spine. He resumed using his talents and saw the indicator light up. “Why would you have such a device in your home?”

Kehtan retrieved the coffee container which Merlin still held and poured himself another cup. This time he offered one to his guest, who took it gladly.

“In case an esper, Roswein or not, came looking to collect information from me in order to find Delon, just as I suspected you of doing,” Kehtan answered. “It has already been tried on me twice in the past year.”

Merlin set his cup on the table and looked at the captain’s small, piercing eyes. “Can you tell me how to find Delon Santrojur?” he asked.

“I can put you in contact with the only person in the galaxy who knows the exact whereabouts of your cousin. His name is Rojur Delondin.”