The Apogian War

Chapter 77

"No!" I almost shouted. "I'll have nothing to do with it!" I rose and looked around the circle, saying desperately, "Can't you see how this has corrupted us? Was it for war, for murder, for violence, blackmail, ruin, that we forged our link in such love and harmony? Was this your dream, Beltran, when we spoke together of a better world?" He said savagely, "If we must fight, it will be the fault of the Terrans for denying us our rights! I would rather do it peacefully, but if they force us to fight them-" Kadarin, coming and laying his hands on my shoulders with real affection said, "Lew, you're foolishly squeamish. Once they know what we can do, there will certainly be no need to do it. But it places us in a position of equal power with the Terrans for once. Can't you see? Even if we never use it, we must have the power, simply in order to control the situation and not be forced to submit!" I knew what he was trying to say, but I could see the fatal flaw. I said, "Bob, we cannot bluff with Sharra. It wants ruin and destruction ... can't you feel that?" "It is like the sword in the fairy tale," Rafe said. "Remember what it said on the scabbard? Draw me never unless I may drink blood." We swung to look at the child and he smiled nervously under all our eyes. "Rafe's right," I said harshly. "We can't loose Sharra unless we really mean to use it, and no sane human beings would do that." Kadarin said, "Marjorie. You're the Keeper. Do you believe this su perstitious drivel?" Her voice was not steady, but she stretched her hand to me. "I be lieve Lew knows more about matrices than any of us, or all of us to gether. You pledged, Bob, you swore to Desideria to be guided by Lew's indement I won't work against it." Betonit You'w foth part Tenand Are you te on their side ped at the old as I wolld never have believed it of Beltran Mare Band "It was you, potself, who pointed out oot a moment apo that we are all Terrant There is no side, only a common good for allt Does the left hand chop of the right?" I fell Marine struggle for control, felt Kadarin, too, fighting to over come ha ning anger. I had confidence still in his integrity, when he took the time to control that vicious rage which was the one c***k in the strong antoor of his will Kadarin spoke gently at last "Lew, I know there is some truth in what you say. I trust you, bredu." The word moved me more than I could express. "Bot what alternative have we, my friend? Are you trying to say that we should simply give up our plans, our hopes, our dream? It was your dream, too. Must we forget what we all believed in?" "The Gods forbid," I said, shaken. "It is not the dream I would see put aside, only Shama's part in it." Then I appealed directly to Beltran. He was the one I must convince. "Let Shama go back to the forge folk's keeping. They have held it harmless all these years. No, kinsman, hear me out," I pleaded. "Do this, and I will go to Anilinn; I will speak with telepaths at Hali, at Neskaya and Corandolis and Dalereuth. I will explain to all of them what you are doing for Darkover, plead for you, if need be, before the Comyn Council itself. Do you honestly believe that you are the only man on Darkover who chafes under Terran rule and control? I am as certain as that I stand here, that they will come to your support and work with you freely and wholeheartedly, far better than I alone can do. And they have access to every known, monitored matrix on Dark over, and to the records of what was done with them in old times. We can find one safe for our purpose. Then I will work with you myself, and as long as you like, for your real aims. Not bluff with a terrible weapon, but a total, concerted effort by all of us, every one of us to gether, to recover the real strengths of Darkover, something positive to give the Terrans and the Empire, in return for what they can give us." I met Regis' eyes, and suddenly time was out of focus again. I him in a great hall, crowded with men and women, hundreds and hun dreds of them, every telepath on Darkover! It slid away and the eight of us were alone in the little fireside room again. I said to Regis and Danilo, "You would cooperate in such an endeavor, wouldn't you?" Regis, his eyes gleaming with excitement, said, "With all my heart,

Lord Beltran, I am certain that even Comyn Council would put all the telepaths and tower of Darkover at your service!" This was a greater dream than the one which had drawn us together! It must be! I had seen it! Beltran must catch fire from it tool Beltran stared at us all, and before he spoke my heart sank. There was icy contempt in his voice and words. "You damnable forsworn traitor" he flung at me. "Get me under the heel of Comyn, would you? That I should get on my knees before the Halimyn and take from them as a gift the power which is my right? Better even to do as my doddering old father did, and grovel to the Ter rans! But I am lord of Aldaran now, and I will plunge all Darkover into red chaos first! Never! Never, damn yout Never!" His voice rose to a hoarse shriek of rage. "Beltran, I beg of you-" "Beg! Beg, you stinking half-caste! As you would make me beg, grovel I clenched my fists, aching with the need to fall on him, beat that sneer off his face. . . no. That was not his true self, either, but Sharra. "I am sorry, kinsman. You leave me no choice." Whatever happened after, the closeness of this circle was broken; nothing could ever be the same. "Kadarin, you placed Sharra in my hands and pledged to abide my judgment. Before it is too late, the circle must be broken, the link destroyed, the matrix insulated before it controls us all." "No!" Thym cried. "If you dare not handle it, I dol" "Breda-" "No," Marjorie said, her voice shaking, "no, Thyra. It is the only way. Lew's right, it can destroy us all. Bob." She faced Kadarin, her golden eyes swimming in tears. "You made me Keeper. By that author ity, I have to say it." Her voice broke in a sob. "The link must be broken." "No!" Kadarin said harshly, repulsing her outstretched hands. "I did not want you to be Keeper, I feared just this-that you would be swayed by Lew! Sharra's circle must be preserved! You know you can not break it without my consent!" He stared fiercely at her, and I thought of a hawk I had once seen, hovering over its prey. Beltran stood in front of Danilo, facing him down. "I ask you for the last time. Will you do what I ask?" Danilo was trembling. I recalled that he had been the youngest and most timid of the cadets. His voice shook as he said, "N-no, my lord Al daran. I will not." Beltran turned his eyes on Regis. His voice was level and grim.