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

| Home | Library | Gallery | Contact |

TREASURE HUNT 2

THE DAUGHTERS OF HERDANTES

©1992 by Ted R. Blasingame

Chapter 5

Merlin sighed in frustration as the official rifled through his belongings. He’d never visited a planet whose law was to visually and manually inspect an individual’s personal items in what they called ‘going through Customs.’ He was glad he hadn’t brought anything embarrassing for them to find.

Kehtan had already passed through without a problem and waited for him in the main transfer holding area of the terminal.

Space Station Unity wasn’t as large as the facility orbiting Rona, but then Earth didn’t have the spatial traffic the other did. Though smaller, Unity was pleasing to look at. The builders had decorated the interior to be comfortable to the senses, with Terran plants of every kind for their beauty and aromas, and for oxygen-producing. The place was also built with soft curves in the place of hard angles.

When at last Merlin got his luggage back, Kehtan motioned him to a large bay window.

“That is Earth,” he said as he gazed down at the blue and white marbled planet below them. Merlin smiled. It looked similar to Roswei, though this world had larger oceans. He wondered about the cultures there and knew he’d find out soon enough.

“Kehtan! Good to see you again!”

Merlin turned at the new voice and saw a tall woman with curly brown hair that fell to the middle of her back. She was slender and had a nice figure. She wrapped her arms around the captain and hugged him close. Merlin smiled and set his suitcase on the floor. He put his hands behind his back as he watched the two friends. Kehtan turned toward him and gestured with an outstretched arm.

“Sahni, this is Merlin Sinclair. Merlin, this is Sahni Delondin, a dear friend of mine and wife to the man I’m taking you to meet.”

Merlin nodded with a slight bow and said, “Nice to meet you, Sahni Delondin.” He noticed she didn’t move to shake his hand. Kehtan must have told her of his practice.

“I hope you had a good flight,” she said. “The Tesher Cruise Line is generally a nice company to fly with.”

“Thank you,” Merlin replied, “I did.”

Sahni smiled widely and turned back to Kehtan. “I have a private ship waiting to take us down to the surface, but I have another passenger to pick up from your flight.”

Kehtan looked alarmed. “Someone from our flight? Who?”

“Me,” replied another new voice.

Merlin swallowed involuntarily when he saw her. She was as tall as Sahni, had red hair that fell gently in soft curls over her shoulders, and had the most amazing emerald green eyes in her delicate face. It was the same woman who had sold him information to find the retired captain.

“Kehtan!” she exclaimed, setting down her luggage and embracing the old sailor.

“Tina! It’s been at least two years since I last saw you!” Kehtan said happily.

“Three years, but who’s counting?” she laughed.

Merlin smiled and said, “We’ve already met, but we haven’t been introduced.”

“Hello, I’m Tina Blackthorne,” she replied with a grin, “And you are Merlin Sinclair — I would shake your hand, but I know you don’t do that.”

Merlin looked first to Kehtan and then to Sahni. “Before we go anywhere, I need an explanation.”

Tina brushed imaginary lint from her blue traveling jumpsuit and then smiled up at him. “I was sent to intercept you when Rojur discovered your search for Delon Santrojur.”

 “For what purpose?” Merlin asked. “You sent me to Captain Otani after taking my money.”

Tina tilted her head slightly and spoke seriously. “We had to be sure of you before bringing you in closer. Had you been a bounty hunter, you would have been harmlessly diverted elsewhere.”

Merlin nodded. “I see, and what did my money buy you?”

Tina outstretched her arms and turned slowly so he could see her from all sides. “New clothes from Rona!” She smiled widely and Merlin appreciated the way the jumpsuit fit her curves.

“Money well spent,” he assured her with a smile.

Sahni hid a smile from seeing the friendly glances the Roswein stranger afforded the young woman she had come to think of as a daughter.

“Shall we go?” she asked. The small group followed her through the station corridors and soon came to a closed door. On the panel was a simple plaque which read: Private Terminal. Santrojur Industries.

Merlin stared at the sign as Sahni keyed in a password on a keypad. “You work for Rayce Santrojur?” he asked.

“You could say that,” Sahni replied. The panel opened and she moved into a dimly lit corridor. The walls, ceiling and floor were all transparent to the stars beyond, providing the illusion of walking in space.

Merlin stepped in behind her, but stopped after only a few steps, his face growing pale.

“What’s the matter, Mr. Sinclair?” Tina asked.

Merlin stared down past his feet at the blue and white planet below him. Tina noticed his tightly clenched jaw and frowned. She started to lay a hand on his forearm, but he snapped out of his daze and recoiled from her reach.

“Please, do not touch my arms,” he said in a strained voice.

Tina sniffed and replied, “Afraid I’ll give you a disease?” She curled her fists upon her hips defiantly.

Merlin stared at her a moment before he answered. He sighed wearily and said, “No, but my arms were badly injured in my youth and cannot stand to be touched.”

Tina looked stricken. In an embarrassed tone, she apologized. “I am sorry. You told me you didn’t shake hands, but didn’t say why. Can you forgive me? I was only concerned that you’d gone into shock or something.”

Merlin smiled weakly. “Apology accepted. I was a bit mortified,” he explained. “I have a problem with vertigo and the sight of the Earth below my feet got to me.”

“Are you okay now?” Kehtan asked.

Merlin chuckled nervously. “Actually, yes. Ms. Blackthorne’s intervention shocked me out of it.” He looked at Sahni and added. “I’ll be okay so long as I don’t look down again.”

“Just keep your eyes on Tina instead and you should be okay,” Kehtan suggested.

Sahni had to stifle a laugh at the older man's comment; she doubted Sinclair would have a problem staring at Tina's curvaceous backside. Indeed, she glanced back behind them when they resumed walking and saw his eyes focused entirely upon Tina's assets.

When they got closer to the end of the terminal, Merlin diverted his attention with difficulty and looked up ahead at the ship Sahni led them toward.

It was wedge-shaped with ribbed vanes running bow to stern, from what he could see of it. The ship’s color was flat charcoal grey and was difficult to see against the black backdrop of space. It was the size of a personal cruiser and looked fast.

“Is that the Azimuth?” Kehtan asked.

“Yes,” Sahni answered. “She passed all tests and gained her license three months ago. Rayce gave the go-ahead on production of its design for commercial cruisers. They should be available to the open market in about three months.”

“This is a prototype?” Merlin asked when they approached the main hatch. Sahni keyed in an access code and the round portal spun open, its thick spiral panels disappearing into the bulkhead.

“That’s right,” she replied. “My husband and I have been using it as our personal cruiser since the contract was signed.” She smiled and closed the hatch once everyone was inside. “The Azimuth has a few extra features that won’t be on the commercial version, of course,” she added.  What she didn’t tell him was that it was based upon an ancient Shraeloni design that had been discovered and reverse-engineered years earlier. Modern upgrades enhanced the virtual DNA of an already-impressive vessel.

Merlin looked around him as the troupe followed Sahni through the ship. The floors were carpeted the same charcoal grey as the exterior and indirect lighting came from the upper corners of the walls. The corridor itself was wide enough for three people to walk side by side without touching shoulders.

He glanced inside a stateroom as they passed and saw a comfortable size to the place. For a personal cruiser, it afforded plenty of room and luxury to the passengers. Sahni took them past the quarters and straight to the bridge. The flight from Unity down to the surface was short enough that the staterooms would not be necessary.

The control center of the Azimuth was rather small to accommodate everyone at once. It was designed so that only two people were required to operate the ship, though one could handle the job with a bit of automation. An observation lounge resided just above the bridge, so Sahni ushered everyone there for the trip home.

“Did you fly alone to greet us?” Merlin asked, wondering just how much of the ship’s operations could be automated.

“No,” Sahni replied. “Jim Wyatt, an associate, accompanied me to Unity. He should be back momentarily.”

“Where did he go?” Tina asked with a light in her eyes.

Sahni smiled. “Your boyfriend went to pay the rent on our private terminal here.”

“I would have thought the payment would come from Rayce Santrojur’s payroll,” Kehtan commented.

“Normally it is,” Sahni explained, “but Sol has been flaring up heavily over the past few days and has interrupted signals to Roswei and everywhere else in that sector. So, today we pay in person.”

Merlin frowned at the revelation of Tina's boyfriend. He had already begun to think fondly of her, though they’d only recently met. He composed himself quickly so no one would know his thoughts. He studied a system-status panel mounted into the wall near the bay window to occupy himself until they were ready to leave.

“I have to get down to the bridge to make preparations to leave,” Sahni announced. “Make yourselves comfortable.”

“How long will our flight be?” Merlin asked.

“Approximately one hour fifteen minutes. Once we get underway, our flight plan will take us directly to the Will Rogers International Airport in Oklahoma City.”

“Jim!” Tina exclaimed suddenly. “Did you miss me?”

Everyone turned toward the doorway. The man who walked in had to stoop slightly to pass through the frame, as he stood a full two meters in height. Merlin also noticed a noticeable strength in the muscles that threatened the confines of Jim's clothing, which consisted of black slacks and a thin brown T-shirt. The man looked as if he worked out daily and enjoyed keeping himself fit. His blond hair was close cropped in a flat-top style and his dark blue eyes were alert and seemed to miss nothing. It was clear in his posture that he had once served in the military.

“Always, my Tina,” he said as she embraced him. She was six inches shorter than he was, but still had no trouble meeting his lips with hers in a quick kiss. His voice was deep, but not booming. Tina turned toward Merlin and Kehtan to introduce them.

“Jim, this is Merlin Sinclair, the man we’re taking to see Rojur, and this is retired Captain Kehtan Otani, a friend and former colleague of the Delondins.” She smiled and added, “Gentlemen, this is Jim Wyatt, an associate engineer with Santrojur Industries, Earth Division and, as you could tell, someone very dear to me.”

Kehtan stepped forward and shook the man’s hand, while Merlin merely smiled and nodded his head.

“Pleased to finally meet you, Mr. Wyatt,” Kehtan said. “I’ve heard a lot about you in recent months since you joined Rojur’s design team.”

Jim laughed. “You wouldn’t believe the stories I’ve heard about you, Captain, although I’m sure Rojur loves to embellish on the memories of past adventures. It’s a pleasure to meet a legend.”

Kehtan snorted. “A legend? Hmph! I’ll have to have a talk with that boy about his memories...” he promised with a laugh, “and I thought I was the one with Maltan Syndrome.”

Sahni was shocked. “Maltan Syndrome? Why didn’t you tell us?” she asked.

Kehtan looked apologetic. “It was only confirmed two months ago that I had it.”

Tina stepped forward and put a hand on his shoulder. “What is Maltan Syndrome?” she asked. “I’ve never heard of it.”

Kehtan smiled, but shook his head. “I’ll explain later,” he replied. He motioned to Sahni and said, “Shouldn’t we be getting underway?”

Sahni swallowed and nodded. “Yes, you’re right. Come on, Jim, time to fly.” She and her co-pilot turned and left the room as the others moved to take their seats on the cushioned couches lining the walls. No one seemed to notice that neither Jim nor Merlin had spoken to one another during the introductions.

Merlin took a seat near the observation window and lost himself in thought. 

* * * 

The Azimuth descended toward an open prairie of land that was covered with a layer of snow. Though it had been a humid summer in Halan San on Rona, winter was in its deepest throes on the North American continent of Earth. From the weather report that Jim broadcast to them over the intercom, the sky was clear on this day, though another storm front was on its way.

Merlin saw several highways leading toward a moderate sized city spread out on the prairie, one more destination along the way in his search for his cousin-in-hiding. He hoped there weren’t many more obstacles to overcome before finding Delon. He tired of the endless hunt.

He looked over at Tina, who was engaged in quiet conversation with Kehtan. Both seemed indifferent to the approaching city, so he gazed back out the window at the terrain below.

Within a few moments, the Azimuth flew across the prairie from the south and dropped its speed as the airfield came into view. The grey ship was capable of vertical landings, so it bypassed the long runway and went straight to the terminal. The vessel touched down so gently that Merlin wondered when they were going to land, only to look out the window to see ground crews converging upon the ship.

The quiet rumble of the engines disappeared and the other passengers stood up to stretch their legs. Merlin got up and retrieved his luggage from the wall locker where he had stowed them. Tina opened the compartment next to his and smiled at him.

“Have you been to Earth before?” she asked. She closed the locker and motioned him toward the door.

Merlin followed her and replied, “No. Earth is far enough away from the regular travel lanes that I never had the opportunity to visit.”

“It’s rather similar to Roswei,” Tina said. “Though I believe the winters here are colder, due to the tilt of its axis.”

She saw Jim up the corridor so she excused herself and left. Merlin frowned when he saw the big man and moved over to where Kehtan stood beside his own locker.

“Fancy her, do you?” Kehtan asked with a smile.

“Yes, but I think I will get over it,” Merlin answered. He lowered his voice and leaned closer to the old captain. “How many of these people know the truth about my… condition?”

Kehtan understood the younger man’s concern. “Just me, Sinclair.”

Merlin nodded. “I would like to keep that a secret, Captain. The fewer who know about it keeps me relatively safe from enemies who might turn me in.”

“Mr. Delondin will have to know, if you are to convince him to put you in touch with your cousin,” Kehtan pointed out as he closed the locker and headed for the corridor.

“I’m prepared to convince him in the same manner I did with you,” Merlin replied as he followed him. “He is Roswein, which makes me very nervous to reveal my condition to him. However, you maintain he is sympathetic to espers, so I will go through with the meeting as planned.”

By the time they reached the end of the passageway, Sahni already had the main hatch open to the boarding terminal. A small, mousy man greeted them in a manner Merlin could only later describe as being oily.

“Mr. Sinclair,” Sahni told him, “is here by invitation from my husband.” The small man looked up at Merlin and seemed to disapprove of what he saw. His height was barely above a meter and a half and his build was scrawny. His hair was black but his Van Dyke beard was peppered with grey. His eyes were so dark that Merlin couldn’t tell what color they were. For all he could tell, they were black as well.

“Merlin Sinclair,” Sahni continued, “meet Warren Whitney, our personal secretary.”

Whitney didn’t offer his hand, but merely nodded quietly to the esper. Merlin managed a smile and nodded in return. “Nice meeting you, sir,” he said.

“Likewise, Mr. Sinclair.” Whitney turned back to Sahni and said, “I have the car waiting to take your group to the estate. I will take care of stowing the Azimuth and will meet you there in about an hour.”

“Thank you, Warren,” Sahni replied. “This way, group.”

As they moved through the airport corridors, Jim fell back so that he walked beside Merlin.

“I’m sorry we didn’t have much time to talk at our introduction, Mr. Sinclair,” he said. “Captain Kehtan’s news of his disorder kinda routed our attention elsewhere.”

Merlin smiled at the large man’s apology. “Thank you, Mr. Wyatt. My stay may be short, but I would like it to be as nice as it can be. What is this Maltan Syndrome the captain has?”

Jim cleared his throat and was about to answer when they caught up with the rest of the group that had stopped. “What’s the holdup?” he asked Sahni.

The brown-haired woman pointed toward the newscast monitor mounted in the wall of the corridor. A small crowd had gathered to hear the bulletin.

“The third day of rioting at the Barlow Rehabilitation Prison on Vox ended today in a disastrous finale,” the newscaster reported. A video image appeared in a box beside her as she continued. “What had begun as an attempt by inmates to escape turned into a bloodbath on a scale apparently none had anticipated. When the riot leader, Trin Rosch, captured and killed the warden, others went berserk and mass killing ensued. Rosch, who had been incarcerated seven years ago for inciting mutiny on a science vessel, had been a model prisoner up until last month when he began showing radical mood swings. Sources say a new experimental treatment in rehabilitation had been tested on Rosch, but the process backfired and turned him into a bloodthirsty maniac. In the month following his treatment, eight guards and three trustees have been critically injured by him in violent attacks. No one has been able to explain how he managed to escape from his solitary confinement in a third level basement bunker to the warden’s quarters six kilometers away. From there he engineered the takeover of the facility and claimed that all employees of the center had been executed.

“In a desperate attempt to end the situation, the Psion Patrol was called in to deal with the criminals. Three of the elite esper force were killed in the action, but the ringleaders of the riot were dispatched in a matter of hours. The body of Trin Rosch has been positively identified and the Barlow Rehabilitation Prison is once again secure. This is Holly Harken, reporting a Special Bulletin for the Terran Broadcast System.”

Sahni turned to Kehtan and sighed. “Trin only had another three months until his parole hearing,” she said solemnly. Kehtan only nodded in reply, unable to think of an appropriate answer.

“Did you know that guy?” Jim asked.

Kehtan glanced again at the monitor and then turned away. “He once served under my command,” he replied without further explanation.

The car followed a snowy avenue around the perimeter of the metropolitan city and then headed north for several miles. After navigating several turns through an affluent part of town, they arrived on a street that ended at the gated entrance to a large estate. Two iron gates in the middle were flanked on each side by a brick pillar topped with the concrete likeness of a howling wolf. A small sign nestled in the bushes that bordered the entry bore the legend: Blackthorne.

Merlin indicated the sign as they waited for the gate to open and asked, “Tina, is this your place?”

“It used to be,” she answered. “It’s an old house that’s been in my family for several hundred years, but by my generation there wasn’t much money left to me and I wasn’t able to maintain it any longer.” She smiled as the car moved through the now-open fence. “I put it up for sale, but Rojur and Sahni bought the place from me. Rojur knew one of my ancestors and said he had a fondness for the estate, so he allows me to continue living there with them.”

“Hmm, that was nice of them,” Merlin replied.

“Well, I help take care of their kids for them, in addition to other miscellaneous jobs, like diverting unwanted company...” She winked at him and motioned toward the house.  

* * * 

A snow-covered lawn bordered each side of a driveway that had been cleared, but it was the house that captured Rojur's attention. Behind several tall evergreen trees, the old two-story structure was made up of grey rock that had faded to the same shade. A large stone archway stood out from the house by several feet, protecting a pair of wooden doors and a huge bay window set in the wall above them. A chimney occupied a forward wall on one end of the house and several more windows bordered by dark grey shutters decorated the front of the structure on both floors. The high roof was topped by darker grey shingles and the edge of a rear wing could be seen over the top of the building.

Set slightly in front of the house was a pair of matching buildings that were connected together with a covered roof that spanned across the driveway on its way to a three car garage. Cleared cobblestone walkways led visitors from the drive up around the trees to the front archway, with shrubs, bushes and winter-bare gardens bordering the foundation of the house. The entire property was surrounded by a thick mixture of deciduous and evergreen trees.

It was old, but was apparent it had gone under massive renovation to keep it standing in its original flavor of living. Merlin was duly impressed, though he’d never seen the style before.

Sahni stopped the car near the wide steps leading up to the front door and shut down the engine. Servants headed out into the cold air, retrieved their luggage, and retreated back up the cleared walk. As the guests reached the entrance, the large oak doors opened for them.

Merlin’s heart skipped a beat when he saw the man standing there. He was Roswein. His turquoise hair was light, airy and long, hanging to the middle of the man's back. He wore a grey, long-sleeved jumpsuit with a black overcoat draped across his broad shoulders. His beard was close cropped and of the blackest hair, though he possessed no mustache. His arms were at his sides with his hands in his pockets. His eyebrows were arched in merry greeting as he recognized members of the party, but turned into a frown when his gaze rested upon Sinclair.

Sahni gave him a quick kiss and put her left arm around his middle. “This is Merlin Sinclair,” she explained, “our new friend looking for Delon Santrojur.” She nodded to the visitor. “Mr. Sinclair, this is my husband, Rojur Delondin.”

Rojur smiled again and stepped aside to let his guests into the warm house, though he showed no signs of giving the traditional outstretched hand in greeting. “Welcome to Earth and Timber Valley, Mr. Sinclair,” he said.

Merlin bowed slightly and returned the smile. “Thank you for seeing me, Mr. Delondin. I have come a long way in my search and hope you may be able to help me.”

“Perhaps,” Rojur replied. He nodded once and then his eyes moved past him to an old friend who had come through the door. “Kehtan, good to see you again!”

The retired captain beamed and gave the esper a warm embrace. “You, too, Rojur. I’ve missed visiting with you and the family.” Rojur gave him a pat on the back and laughed.

“The kids are looking forward to seeing you. You’ll be surprised how they’ve grown,” Sahni added.

Rojur moved away from him and glanced to Jim and Tina. “Good work, you two. Jim, please show Mr. Sinclair to the library. I will be there after I have talked with Tina about her trip. It should not take more than a few minutes.”

“Yes, sir,” Jim answered. He gestured further into the house and gave the newcomer a smile. “This way, Mr. Sinclair.” 

* * * 

As Merlin waited for Rojur to return, he roamed around the library looking at the framed photos on display on the shelves of a large bookcase built into the wall. One in particular caught his eye. It looked like a family portrait taken at a time centuries past, from the look of the clothing and furniture, though one figure couldn’t have been there at that time. There was a black-haired man next to a blonde woman. They stood behind a bearded young man in his mid-twenties, and on his right was a thirty-something man wearing glasses and sporting long hair caught up in a tail of some kind in the back. In front of them were two seated boys, each about eight or ten years of age. Standing on the left side of the young man, however, stood Rojur Delondin.

Merlin frowned and looked closer at the photo. A calendar hung on a wall in the background and he could just make out the date. June 2018. He wasn’t familiar with the Terran calendar so he glanced around the room and located a small one on the desk. December 2294. Two hundred seventy-six years. He went back to the photo and studied it again to make sure he hadn’t made a mistake. The image of Rojur in the photo looked the same age as the man he’d just met. How could this be? The average lifespan of a Roswein was around one hundred thirty years, not near three hundred.  It was more likely to be Rojur's ancestor.  If so, the family resemblance was remarkable.

Merlin left the photo, moved to a high-backed leather chair in front of the desk and sat down. He puzzled over what he’d seen, but a noise broke him from his musings and he turned to see Rojur closing the large double doors of oak behind him.

“Sorry to keep you waiting,” Rojur said, “but now we can get down to this business of yours.” He sat behind the desk and gave Sinclair his full attention. “I have been told of your search for Delon Santrojur, a man wanted dead by a number of anti-esper groups on Roswei. The last three people you have met in your search have informed me of your actions, in addition to several others you probably never knew were tailing you.” Merlin’s mouth fell open, but Rojur held up a hand for silence.

“I will grant you the knowledge that you have come close to finding your cousin, Mr. Sinclair, but unless you convince me you are not another bounty hunter, you will never find him.” Rojur leaned closer over the desk and drew his eyebrows together in a threatening manner. “If you are not who you claim to be, your search will be permanently ended right here.”

“Have I just been threatened?” Merlin asked coldly.

Rojur sat back in his chair and took on an air of relaxation. He casually tapped a keypad on the desk and replied, “Let me just say this... Rayce Santrojur was one of the strongest advocates of the anti-esper groups on Roswei. He forgave his son for being an esper, though the hunts go on by others. If you are truly a cousin of Delon’s, I assume you know Rayce personally?”

Merlin sighed. “Yes, though it has been probably fifteen years since I’ve seen either Rayce or Delon.” He turned suddenly at the sound of the library door opening.

“Convince him you are who you say you are,” Rojur replied.

Merlin stood up as another Roswein entered the room. It had been many years, but he recognized the newcomer immediately.

“Uncle Rayce!”

Rayce Santrojur stopped a meter from Merlin and but remained silent. His turquoise hair was combed straight back, and his thin mustache was black. He wore dark blue matching slacks and shirt, and a light grey blazer. His square shoulders were rigid as he studied the guest. He held his silence for several minutes but then nodded to the younger male.

“Hello, Merlin,” he said in a firm tone. “How is Christine?”

Merlin shrugged. “I haven't seen mother in over a year, but I spoke to her via interstellar chat a week ago. She's still bothered by the enishunus in her joints, but recent advances in medical treatment look promising and she says Doctor TeVann has helped with some experimental procedures.”

Rayce relaxed slightly. He nodded once to Rojur and then gave a small smile to Merlin.

“It's good to see you again, nephew,” he said. “There aren't many who know about Christine's joint degradation and even fewer aware of Arktanis TeVann's covert assistance, but I'm happy to hear she's getting some relief.”

Merlin smiled and replied, “It's good to see you again, sir. I didn’t expect to see you here.”

“The welfare of my son and his family are of great concern to me.”

Rojur shook his head quickly. Rayce saw it, but Merlin did not.

“Delon has a family?” Sinclair asked in surprise. “I would not have thought an outlaw would bother with a family.”

Before the conversation moved in that direction further, Rojur cleared his throat. “Mr. Sinclair,” he said, “You have convinced Rayce, Tina and Kehtan of your identity. Now you have to convince me that your reasons for finding Delon are non-threatening. I have the final authority in this matter and will be the most judgmental.”

Merlin swallowed and nodded, and then related the same tale he’d given Kehtan. Rojur cross-questioned him for a half hour and finally sat back in his chair. “You say you are an esper, with abilities in illusion and telekinesis that you have to use all the time to cover up your disability. So far, you have yet to name this disability or your talents.” Rojur showed Merlin a small remote he pulled out of a desk drawer. “This room is equipped with a strong psi dampener. If I activate it, you will temporarily lose the ability to use your psionic talents. Before I use it, however, I want to hear about your accident and I want you to willingly stop using your power.”

Merlin nodded and stood up. He began pacing around the room as he painfully told them about the day he and his lover trespassed into an old manufacturing shop. When he had reached out to pull her to safety, the activated press moved down on them at an incredible speed, the controls having been set to maximum speed and pressure when Vicki had earlier played with the settings to prove there was no power. Viki had died horribly and he had lost his arms up to the elbows.

He pulled off his jacket and shirt to bare his chest so they would see he had nothing hidden beneath his garments. He dropped the clothing onto his chair, outstretched his arms and said, “I use my power of illusion to imitate forearms and hands, and my power of telekinesis to manipulate objects as if my hands were actually there.” In an instant, his hands disappeared as he held out arms that stumped at the elbows.

“Activate your dampener, please,” he requested. Rojur switched on the device, but there was no change. Merlin had, indeed, dropped the illusion of no disability. Rojur clicked off the device and Merlin bent down toward his clothes. The shirt floated up toward him and suddenly they saw his arm and hand reappear, holding it as if his fingers were natural. He quickly dressed and then stood before them.

“I spent ten years in rehabilitation at the Nan Medical Complex on Mishra after losing my arms,” he said. “It was during my stay there that my psionic abilities manifested and my doctor saw a way to use them to help cover up my disability. With the illusion that I was as normal as the next guy, I would be able to blend back into society without too many psychological scars. I worked long and hard with cops on loan from the Psion Patrol coaching me to maintain the illusions, even when startled or asleep. As I told the Captain, it has become second nature to me and is now almost as hard for me to not use my powers as it is for another esper to use his.”

“That is the reason you do not shake hands,” Rojur mused.

“I don’t have any real hands to shake.”

Rojur fell silent and leaned back in his chair. He glanced at Rayce, who’d said nothing else during the demonstration. The elder Roswein gave an imperceptible nod of his chin.

“Now comes the big question — why are you are trying to contact Delon?” Rojur asked.

Merlin moved back to his seat and sat down. He crossed his legs and rested his arms on his knees. The action was so realistic that it looked natural. “Delon is a known esper...”

Rayce interrupted and said, “Don’t you mean ‘he is a known Es-par?’”

Merlin frowned at the slur from their homeworld. “No. I meant what I said. I don’t use that term!”

“Please continue,” Rojur said.

“Delon is a known esper,” Merlin began again. “I know full well what that means in Roswein society. I’ve only been away from Mishra for a year, and have yet to actually go back to Roswei during my travels.” He looked at Rayce and went on. “My family does not know of my psionic abilities. I think you know what reaction they would have if they found out. When I heard that Delon was also an esper, I knew he would be the only one in my family who would understand and lend a sympathetic ear.”

He looked back at Rojur, knowing that this man was his judge and jury. “So long as I allow no one to touch me, I think my secret’s safe, but I can’t count on that. I need my cousin’s support. I have more in common with him than anyone else I know, and I haven’t even seen him in fifteen years.” Merlin fell silent and awaited further questions.

After several heartbeats, Rojur said, “Would you step outside of the library for a moment while Rayce and I discuss this?”

“Of course.” Merlin stood up and left the room. He closed the wooden doors behind him and gazed around the reception area. He heard the laughter of children and smiled when he saw a boy of five with curly brown hair chasing a girl of the same age with turquoise hair. Both of them had the pale white eyes of Roswein ancestry. The children saw him and stopped to look up at him.

“Who might you two be?” he asked them with a smile.

“I’m Tan,” the boy said. He elbowed the girl and added, “Her name’s Alexis. She’s my sister.”

“Hello, Tan and Alexis. My name is Merlin.”

“Are you family?” the girl asked with widening eyes.

Merlin shook his head. “No, I’m afraid not.”

He heard the door open behind him. He turned and saw Rojur smiling at them.

“Tan, would you tell your mother that Mr. Sinclair will be joining us for lunch?” Rojur asked.

Tan raised his eyebrows. “Who?”

“He means me,” the visitor answered. “I am Merlin Sinclair.”

“Oh, okay.” Tan ran off with his sister close at his heels.

Rojur motioned for Merlin to re-enter the library. Once inside, Rojur glanced briefly at Rayce and returned to his desk. He pulled a sheet of paper from a desk drawer and wrote something on it. He folded the page and set his hand on top of it.

Merlin sat in his own seat and waited for him to continue. Rayce leaned against a bookcase, his arms folded as he watched his nephew. After a moment of extended silence, Rojur finally spoke.

“I am convinced you are Merlin Sinclair, cousin to Delon, and Rayce’s nephew. Rayce and I talked it over and have decided to go ahead and put you in contact with Delon Santrojur, as per your request.” Merlin smiled as Rojur handed him the paper. “Delon’s exact whereabouts are written on that sheet.”

Merlin could hardly contain himself as he unfolded the page. His face fell when he read what was written there.

Delon Santrojur is sitting behind the desk in front of you.

Merlin scowled and stood up in anger. “I don't believe this!” he shouted. “I’ve expended far too much time and money in my search for this kind of runaround!” He growled deep in his throat in frustration and pointed a non-existent finger toward Rayce. “You're my own uncle and even you are in on—”

Sinclair gulped in sudden surprise when he began to float up off the floor. He moved up near the light panels and hovered there, completely flabbergasted. This was not of his own doing.

“What?” he sputtered. “I demand to—”

|Shut up, cousin,| Rojur’s thoughts erupted in his mind. |I am Delon Santrojur... or rather I used to be.|

The Daughters of Herdantes is an unfinished manuscript.