Read Online Varken Rise by Tracy Cooper-Posey - Free Book Online Page B

returned to the dark ages,” Brant growled.
    “He’s smart. There are very few people who were not raised by the College who have no childhood prejudices to throw off. He’s tapping into those old fears, for political coinage,” Catherine said.
    “That doesn’t mean he’s right,” Lilly said. “After all, both Brant and I have those same childhood prejudices, yet we got rid of them. Why can’t everyone else?”
    “You still have the prejudices,” Catherine told her. “It’s just that when you’re making conscious choices, you choose not to listen to them. Fear bypasses conscious choice.”
    Lilly’s mouth turned down. “There’s nothing to be afraid of.”
    “They don’t know that,” Catherine said, nodding toward the display.
    Lilly started eating again, looking troubled.
    “I don’t think anyone knows what to think,” Brant said. “Even you, Catherine.”
    The concierge monitor dinged, saving her from having to answer. “What is it?” she called out.
    “Entry requested. Kemp Rodagh.”
    “Glave’s gonads,” Brant muttered. “That was fast.”
    “He had a mule farm here in the Sunita system,” Lilly said. “Actually, he had a mule farm in lots of places. I just picked the closest one.”
    “What a cautious lad he is,” Brant said dryly.
    “I left a message for him, for when he woke up,” Catherine said.
    “Asking him to come here?” Brant clarified.
    “Telling him he had been murdered and that he should come here and help us figure out who did it.” Catherine got to her feet and moved over to the drop shaft. “I knew that would get him here faster than anything else I might say.”
    The Kemp Rodagh who stepped out the shaft was at least ten years younger than the last one they had seen. He was pale and thin. He walked as if it was painful and if he had rushed straight here from his regeneration bed, then it probably was.
    “I would’ve got here faster,” he told Catherine and hugged her, surprising her. “Except that for the last ten hours I’ve been sitting in some asshole’s office, explaining myself.”
    “Let me guess,” Brant said. “A man by the name of Rison?”
    Kemp nodded. “His people snagged me as I got off the shuttle from the gate station. I got marched straight into his office. They only let me go just before sunset. I’ve been trying to figure out how to navigate my way here with one of those public cabs and not get tripped up, because everyone seems to know who I am.”
    “You are as notorious as we are at the moment,” Catherine said. “I’m sorry about that.” She studied him. “I imagine hot food would be welcome?”
    “Like a two hundred-year-old port,” Kemp said with a sigh. “I ache all over. Of course, they warned me about that, when I refused basic rehab. I really didn’t want to wait, or keep you waiting either.”
    “I appreciate your haste,” Catherine told him.
    They settled back at the table again, with Kemp in front of a loaded plate. He dug in, eating with gusto. Catherine still had no appetite and neither Brant nor Lilly continued with their meal. They watched Kemp eat, suppressing their questions.
    After a dozen large mouthfuls, he swallowed and looked at them. “I know what you’re thinking. I’ll put you out of your misery. I don’t know anything. I don’t even know why I came here the first time.”
    “When did you last backup?” Catherine asked.
    He grimaced. “Over a standard month ago. The last thing I remember is beginning a contract on Ey’Liv.”
    “You know what happened on Soward, now?” Lilly asked.
    He nodded as he ate. “I’ve caught up on all the essentials. Is that why I came here?”
    “You said you couldn’t go home,” Catherine said carefully. “I don’t know if that is the reason why you really came here.”
    He frowned. “Ey’Liv is in the middle of nowhere. It’s not even close. I can understand that the news from Soward would make me want to break my contract, but why would I come