Read Online The Best of All Possible Worlds by Karen Lord - Free Book Online
Authors: Karen Lord
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cozy little self-contained unit.
My
Sadiri, as I had labeled Dllenahkh and Joral in my head, understood the simple courtesy
of explaining themselves from time to time.
“They are making themselves angry,” Dllenahkh muttered, profoundly disturbed, as he
stared at the growing crowd. “They have lowered mental shields to each other and are
projecting and augmenting a desire to fight and kill.”
Suddenly, his head snapped to Joral, who stood stiffly, breathing heavily, his fists
clenching spasmodically at his sides. “Joral! Remember your disciplines!”
“It is … difficult, Councillor Dllenahkh,” Joral admitted.
“Stand with Commander Nasiha and Lieutenant Tarik,” Dllenahkh ordered.
Before I could ask him why he didn’t follow his own advice, he started off in the
direction of the crowd, saying, “I must stop this.”
“No!” shouted Dr. Daniyel.
To my shock, Dllenahkh ignored her and walked on. I wavered, eyeing her, hoping for
permission, however subtly conveyed, to go after him. Instead she did the sensible
thing and actually followed our mission protocols. “Lian, Fergus, get everything essential
into the punts. We must get ready to leave as soon as possible. Delarua, find Darithiven
for me. I have a few things to say to him.”
I noticed that she did not issue orders to Tarik and Nasiha, but she did give them
one of her sharp looks. It seemed to break them out of their cocoon because they started
to help Lian and Fergus while keeping an eye on Joral. He followed them meekly, still
looking shaky.
I dashed off along a path, already knowing where to go.Darithiven was not far away. He stood on the balcony of his residence and surveyed
the scene below with an unsettling expression. It was not peace exactly, but … satisfaction?
A sense of seeing something come to pass that had been planned for a long time? As
I halted halfway up the steps, he looked down his nose at me as if I were something
small and unimportant come to bother him. I glared back. I would not allow him to
forget that whatever rank he held in his own little patch of marsh, Dr. Daniyel and
I represented the government that allowed him to exercise that rank.
“The Commissioner wishes to speak to you,” I growled. “Now.”
Dr. Daniyel was waiting on the central platform. She stood meditatively with arms
folded and head slightly bowed. She looked calm and resolute. I knew she was tired.
“Thank you, First Officer Delarua. Please inform Councillor Dllenahkh that we are
ready to leave. Lian, go with Delarua.”
As we rushed off, I heard her begin to speak to Darithiven in the slow, disappointed
tones of a scolding parent. “As it seems you can no longer guarantee the safety of
my team …”
“Where
is
Dllenahkh?” Lian said, glancing about nervously.
I stared. I couldn’t see him either, and I didn’t relish going into the middle of
that loud, surging mass.
“There!” I pointed to the edge of the crowd.
He had stepped up onto a low balcony and was speaking with two of the older men. Their
faces were masks of bitter fury, his a study in intense determination, as if he expected
to persuade them through sheer force of will. I shouted to him, my voice thin and
distant in all the noise, and he did hear me, but he looked at me with a brief, dismissing
glance and went back to his argument.
“Damn,” I said.
“Let me,” Lian said grimly.
Long soldier strides took Lian to Dllenahkh’s side in seconds. I followed close behind.
“Come with us, Councillor Dllenahkh. The Commissioner’s orders,” Lian said simply
and quietly.
“Not yet, Lian, I must—”
“Not a request, Councillor Dllenahkh,” Lian replied.
It was only when I saw Dllenahkh flinch ever so slightly that I realized Lian had
nudged the pistol into his ribs. His lips pressed together, the one angry sign in
a face that refused even now to lose control. “I see,” was all he
My
Sadiri, as I had labeled Dllenahkh and Joral in my head, understood the simple courtesy
of explaining themselves from time to time.
“They are making themselves angry,” Dllenahkh muttered, profoundly disturbed, as he
stared at the growing crowd. “They have lowered mental shields to each other and are
projecting and augmenting a desire to fight and kill.”
Suddenly, his head snapped to Joral, who stood stiffly, breathing heavily, his fists
clenching spasmodically at his sides. “Joral! Remember your disciplines!”
“It is … difficult, Councillor Dllenahkh,” Joral admitted.
“Stand with Commander Nasiha and Lieutenant Tarik,” Dllenahkh ordered.
Before I could ask him why he didn’t follow his own advice, he started off in the
direction of the crowd, saying, “I must stop this.”
“No!” shouted Dr. Daniyel.
To my shock, Dllenahkh ignored her and walked on. I wavered, eyeing her, hoping for
permission, however subtly conveyed, to go after him. Instead she did the sensible
thing and actually followed our mission protocols. “Lian, Fergus, get everything essential
into the punts. We must get ready to leave as soon as possible. Delarua, find Darithiven
for me. I have a few things to say to him.”
I noticed that she did not issue orders to Tarik and Nasiha, but she did give them
one of her sharp looks. It seemed to break them out of their cocoon because they started
to help Lian and Fergus while keeping an eye on Joral. He followed them meekly, still
looking shaky.
I dashed off along a path, already knowing where to go.Darithiven was not far away. He stood on the balcony of his residence and surveyed
the scene below with an unsettling expression. It was not peace exactly, but … satisfaction?
A sense of seeing something come to pass that had been planned for a long time? As
I halted halfway up the steps, he looked down his nose at me as if I were something
small and unimportant come to bother him. I glared back. I would not allow him to
forget that whatever rank he held in his own little patch of marsh, Dr. Daniyel and
I represented the government that allowed him to exercise that rank.
“The Commissioner wishes to speak to you,” I growled. “Now.”
Dr. Daniyel was waiting on the central platform. She stood meditatively with arms
folded and head slightly bowed. She looked calm and resolute. I knew she was tired.
“Thank you, First Officer Delarua. Please inform Councillor Dllenahkh that we are
ready to leave. Lian, go with Delarua.”
As we rushed off, I heard her begin to speak to Darithiven in the slow, disappointed
tones of a scolding parent. “As it seems you can no longer guarantee the safety of
my team …”
“Where
is
Dllenahkh?” Lian said, glancing about nervously.
I stared. I couldn’t see him either, and I didn’t relish going into the middle of
that loud, surging mass.
“There!” I pointed to the edge of the crowd.
He had stepped up onto a low balcony and was speaking with two of the older men. Their
faces were masks of bitter fury, his a study in intense determination, as if he expected
to persuade them through sheer force of will. I shouted to him, my voice thin and
distant in all the noise, and he did hear me, but he looked at me with a brief, dismissing
glance and went back to his argument.
“Damn,” I said.
“Let me,” Lian said grimly.
Long soldier strides took Lian to Dllenahkh’s side in seconds. I followed close behind.
“Come with us, Councillor Dllenahkh. The Commissioner’s orders,” Lian said simply
and quietly.
“Not yet, Lian, I must—”
“Not a request, Councillor Dllenahkh,” Lian replied.
It was only when I saw Dllenahkh flinch ever so slightly that I realized Lian had
nudged the pistol into his ribs. His lips pressed together, the one angry sign in
a face that refused even now to lose control. “I see,” was all he
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