United States or Germany ? Vote for the TOP Country of the Week !


Tarlac described his schooling and wilderness experience with no particular emphasis, and then had the screen show Kranath's Vision, as he and Godhome remembered it, translating the Language. He waited, ready to give the Emperor the same emotional support he'd given Ch'kara if it were needed. It wasn't, quite, though Davis was shaken enough to stop recording again when it ended. "Good God, Steve!

But for now I am the only one of Ch'kara, here, and I must hold my ruhar's death-watch." He remembered the wording Steve had said was correct for requests. "By your leave, sir?" "All right, Lieutenant, go to him." Hovan knelt beside the inert form, his only emotion curiosity.

Transformation was a clan matter; they could observe, but not participate. Instead, Ka'ruchaya Yarra and Speaker Daria were there. Hovan bowed his head to them, then looked up and spoke the ritual words. "I bring Esteban Tarlac of Clan Ch'kara to the Circle of Lords. He has given honor to the clan." "We sorrow at his loss," Yarra said, "yet we glory in that honor." She turned to the Speaker.

"And I'm as scared okay, as terrified as I can be without throwing a screaming fit. It doesn't matter. I'm not about to quit now." He hesitated, then yielded to impulse. Rising and going to her, he put his arms around her and rested his head on her shoulder. "Ka'ruchaya, I won't be the one to dishonor Ch'kara. I can't! I . . . I love you all, too much to do that."

It had to be a fortunate coincidence, not important but a demonstration of the Terran's willingness to take his part in Traiti life. Hovan thought about the adoption, and quickly decided that he shouldn't offer it so soon. Two things, significant as they might be, weren't enough to prove this human worthy of a clan as old and honored as Ch'kara.

Tarlac seized that chance to find out how an ordinary Imperial citizen would react to the Traiti sexual imbalance. "I guess you've never seen a Traiti clan instead of their military, have you? Until now?" "Sir?" Jason looked puzzled, then shook his head. "No, sir, I haven't. Why?" "How many women would you say Ch'kara has? It's typical." "I didn't see many, sir, maybe a quarter of the ones here.

Hovan dismissed that unseemly question. She was Ka'ruchaya of Ch'kara, not he; such things were the concern of Clan Mothers and Speakers, not of fighters. He obeyed in this as they would obey him in his field though he prayed the need would never arise for them to defend Ch'kara as fighters. But he could still feel wonderment at being empowered to perform the adoption.

Steve Lord Esteban, to give him his proper title was speaking for himself. "I am willing. Steve, ruhar, you do me great honor." "No greater than you and Ch'kara did me," Tarlac said, realizing how solemn they all were. He'd prefer a lighter mood. "But hey, this is starting to sound like a mutual admiration society. Would anyone else like some chovas?"

Hovan had zeroed in on Tarlac's thought, though the Ranger didn't believe what he described would ever have a chance to happen. "I'll have to retake the psych tests, then it depends. Maybe I'll be disqualified from anything that involves Ch'kara or the Traiti, maybe I'll have to resign. The decision will be up to His Majesty." "He would you demote?"

I will tell the rest at morning service." "Tell us what?" Hovan asked, but his face told Steve that he'd guessed the news. "Daria and I share a daughter." Hovan looked at the two of them, then at Yarra. "It seems our newest one serves Ch'kara well. And himself I have never heard of anyone passing the first part of the Ordeal so quickly." "The Ordeal!"