Free strongholdrising by Lisanne Norman Page B

them. Then you became the jegget in his barn when it became obvious that every time they took Carrie out of stasis, you collapsed in agony."

"Initially Chy'qui may have lied," agreed Kaid. "But we know Kusac's had at least two seizures. Unless Doctor Zayshul...?"

Rezac shook his head. "She only saw those two. As to the abductions of the rest of us, that was done on Chy'qui's orders. Jo and I were obviously taken because we were injured and needed treatment. Kate and Taynar because they provided a healthy specimen of each of our species so Doctor Zayshul could study them before operating on Carrie."

"And Jeran and Giyesh because they were the only U'Churian and Sholan pair."

Rezac nodded. "And you know why you were taken. Our drugs couldn't control the pain you were suffering because they weren't strong enough. The Primes needed to give you more powerful analgesics, and Chy'qui wanted to find out how you were able to sense Carrie's pain despite the fact you were obviously not her Leska. You'd drawn so much attention to yourself and Carrie, he was able to keep his experiments with Kusac secret. Even so, if it hadn't been for Prince Zsurtul haunting Doctor Zayshul's medical labs with the natural curiosity of youth, Chy'qui would likely have succeeded in keeping you and Carrie apart."

"Youth has its advantages, as you know," Kaid said dryly, raising a sardonic eye ridge at his father.

Rezac's mind spun briefly as he remembered that the male sitting opposite him, though some thirty years his senior, was in fact his son, both of them exiles in this time, fifteen hundred years in their future.

Kaid broke the silence. "Does Doctor Zayshul have any new theories as to what caused Kusac's convulsions?"

"No, but she says the TeLaxaudin Kzizysus is convinced it was his system rejecting the implant. If it had been left in, he'd have suffered more frequent and violent seizures until either he died, or Chy'qui put an end to him. Implant rejection isn't common, but it does happen, and there's no cure. M'ezozakk, Captain of the M'ijikk, died that way. Kusac is the first person to have survived the removal of a control unit. That's why Zayshul wanted to examine him today."

"Better a swift end than a lingering one," Kaid murmured, realizing that they'd cheated death more than once with the Primes. "He's out of danger now, that's what matters. If it hadn't been for our Triad, all three of us would be dead. At least now we understand why events happened the way they did."

"Kaid, nothing was said to Kusac about neural damage. I know what those collars do. How could they miss it when they knew he was tortured to the extent he was?"

"They know, but I'm having it kept from both Carrie and Kusac for the time being, at least until we know the extent of it," he said.

"I suppose they don't need the extra worry right now. What about the treaty? How're the negotiations going?"

Kaid sighed, resting his elbows on the table. "We're in the last stages now. We've taken a break so copies of the final agreement on the trade and training issues could be sent to our home worlds. I'm told the TeLaxaudins have been in touch with President Nesul, asking for a duplicate of the Primes' treaty for themselves, with the exception of the clauses concerning the young Prime warriors."

"So we're actually going to train some of their precious young warrior caste?"

"Only a token number— twenty to be exact, and only up to Forces skill level, not beyond. They'll come to Shola with the Prime Ambassador in about a month's time."

"Hardly a token number, that's half of them! Are they really that trusting of us?"

"Yes, as far as I and any of the other telepaths can tell, but we're only able to get their surface thoughts, nothing more, without drawing attention to ourselves. They do have more warriors, but they're a full five years younger than this group. Apparently they waited five years to see how the original forty turned out before breeding any more half M'zullian