Read Online The Gate to Futures Past by Julie E. Czerneda - Free Book Online Page B

I’m right, chit.”

    The distinct appearance of Om’ray Clans was, we now believed, no accident of nature. The original population would have beenselected for the greatest variation. Since, each Clan had been subjected to different environmental stresses, with individual maturation speeded by additives to their diet to create new generations in a quarter the M’hiray norm. Clans were, in a real sense, pools of breeders, isolated other than the passage allowed unChosen who were themselves selected, we suspected, at least in part by ruthless shepherds. For the Tikitik had the knowledge to guide the evolution of living things, and the Oud—
    Were partners in that endeavor, subjects themselves of the experiment, or somehow both. Those on
Sona
trying to piece together the whys and hows of Cersi remained undecided on that and other key points. I won’t say it kept me from sleeping, but if
Sona
was taking us back to where all this started, those gaps could become serious problems. As Morgan would say, the cost of ignorance only went up.
    The experiment conducted by the Hoveny had produced more than the M’hiray, with our ability to reattach the M’hir to waiting tech. Faces, voices, shapes, and sizes. Genealogy had been my passion, once, and walking through the Om’ray section of the Core was to experience the wild and wonderful diversity once inherent in the Clan. A diversity that would fold back together and blend, as it had in the M’hiray of the Trade Pact.
    Giving us a fresh start. For most of my life, I’d known the Clan were doomed to extinction and sought a solution. The Om’ray, with their lesser Power and successful Joinings, offered one I’d never thought to find.
    Survive first, I reminded myself. Repopulate later.
    The Core remained empty of all but a handful, I hoped due to the natural Clan caution around faltering minds and not because of a worrisome number of food packets to tidy.
    The Tuana watched over Eloe and her heart-kin; Ruis di Nemat tended the di Kessa’ats and she stood at our approach, relief written on her face. If I could judge a Clan by common features, like Ruis the few Rayna who’d survived were shorter than other Om’ray, with brown curly hair streaked with white from a young age. Their noses were blunter than those of Amna or Sona, cheekbones higher, and all had oblong eyes of pale yellow.
    â€œMy fellow Healer-of-minds. Keeper.” Ruis made the gesture of respect we echoed. “I’m glad you’ve come. I’d like to try waking them simultaneously.” A wave to her patients. “For that, I’ll need your help, Morgan.”
    Nyso and Luek lay together on the same bed, their bodies wrapped as one would a newborn, arms snugged to their sides. While their expressions were those of any sleeper, slack and peaceful, their eyelids twitched without pause. Dreaming, I thought.
    Nightmares, more likely.
    â€œOf course.” Morgan gazed down at Nyso and Luek, eyes filled with compassion, then up at Ruis. “My experience with Eloe may be relevant.”
    â€œShow me.” Without hesitation, Ruis held out her hand, palm up.
    I warmed to her at once.
    Just as quickly, my hair took offense. Touch my Chosen? Locks writhed out, intent on slapping her palm away. I caught them just in time, gesturing apology with full hands as the stuff squirmed. The Om’ray Healer looked intrigued. “How—exuberant,” she said tactfully. “A family trait, I assume?”
    â€œSo I’m told,” I replied. An annoying one. “I’ll get out of the way.” Should I stand at the end of one bed or the others or—
    Morgan raised an expressive eyebrow.
    Meaning I—and my hair—belonged elsewhere. I resisted the impulse to stick out my tongue.
Be careful.
    Always.
With
warmth.
    â€œI’ll leave you to your work, then,” I said aloud. Catching a flicker of
concern
from Ruis, I added