Book 4
Siha: Rise of Rakhana
Part II
"Once more, hold on!" Braith lifts and swings Jenner and Jaspin through the air, the two infants landing on their feet a few steps in front of her and Karin Chakwas as they travel by foot through the majestic pyrotube mined by prothean laser…She lets them run ahead, laughing and shrieking to hear their small voices echo off the empty walls.
The older doctor chuckles matronly to herself as she watches Braith's children scamper and race each other, two little miracles the Council wants to keep an eye on…These are not asari children, they are human, drell, and apparently something else that should give one's heart a flutter at the thought they will possibly be able to breed with other species when they are old enough to take mates themselves…Such is too far ahead, but that is why the Council considers such important futures that will cross barriers and affect policies throughout the galaxy…This is not in vitro fertilization and incubation in tubes or pods or surrogates, this is direct species to species contact, look at Braith and Casnar…Though Karin can't figure why Ylyssus does not have a child of his own with Braith yet, what with being the co-husband…Oddly, she wonders if Casnar slips the other drell something to keep him from fertilizing Braith, but then why would Braith not have more children by Casnar? The sex life is rife with couplings, Braith tells her, a small and mischievous smirk on her lips…Karin sighs and shakes her head, long white bangs down to her cheeks passing over her spectacles, "…Braith," she looks from the frolicking children to the mother, "…you amaze me even now…What else will that body of yours prove possible," she slides her hands into her vest's lower pockets.
"It is an interesting body," she says in a vague way, her eyes to the prothean carvings along the side walls of the pyrotube, aglow with blue-green algae hunting the crannies and eye sockets of the prothean heads and faces. She looks to her children trying to crawl over the foot of one of the ancient sleek sculptures, Jenner behind Jaspin as always.
"Can you feel them?"
Braith nods, understanding Karin's words to her sons, "…Not so strongly, and their visuals are like butterflies, they think and see things so quickly," she says softly, Karin recording on her omni-tool, "…They will mature as they grow in age, and their sight, what they see will be more clear to me," Braith sheds a tear, …Only me, my love, my kylah dead and carried off by that monster, "…I will be able to see their victories, their defeats, their first loves," she wipes the tear from her cheek with a kerchief the doctor has offered and hands it back to Karin, who looks into the face of her old commander's eyes, a face still young despite age and death and reconstruction, "…Imagine that, Karin," Braith smiles, the teeth healthy and white and youthful the face revealing these, "…Seeing through my sons' eyes the first person they fall in love with…I'll be able to feel it."
"I hope it won't be traumatic for you as their doting mother," Karin smiles, "…if and when they experience their first broken hearts." Her brilliant smile lessens, Braith's countenance looking forward…Jaspin and Jenner climbed so high they were able to gouge out the blue-green algae from the prothean's lower eyes, climbed back down and were now racing across the breadth of the pyrotube to smear their goodies onto another prothean's sandal.
More tears fall from her eyes, but she does not accept the handkerchief again, "…They will know of what I have seen, and the others," Braith's eyes follow the twins towards the deeper darkness, their hands glowing now with the algae still smeared in their little palms and fingers, "…They will pass that knowledge onto their children."
"It goes both ways?"
"It shall and will," she nods. "I have lost a husband," Braith has taken hold of Karin's omni-tool and turned the recording off before saying this, "…Something is inside Bangal'roux, desecrating his remains and all my kindred," her eyes water, and Karin can see she is struggling with the loss contained in her confiding this to her, the gray eyes grieving now but not in the medical clinic…Karin takes hold of her hand.
"You have Ylyssus and Casnar here—"
"My third husband was my kylah, my knight in other words, a knight who became my king and who also lifted me from the mines in Rakka, brought me to be remade by Musaphat's hand," Karin blinks, not knowing much about Musaphat or what religion Braith speaks, "…I am Cemal's Supriya, his mistress-queen, and I watched him kill himself to prevent the blasphemy from finding me, Karin…To watch someone you love kill himself so he can set you free and untouchable…To protect Jenner and Jaspin…They are his children as much as Casnar's and Ylyssus's."
"Jenner and Jaspin?" Karin echoes, "…They aren't…"
"My husband Cemal placed two petals in me, and when Casnar and Ylyssus laid with me, one was meant for each of them," she releases her hand. "My husbands, Casnar and Ylyssus, shall never know this…That is why I have no more children." Braith looks from Karin's astonished face to her children, "…Jenner is Casnar's son, and Jaspin is Ylyssus's." Holding her arms over her breasts, Braith smiles again, "…I hope that resolves your puzzle." Braith calls aloud to her children, "…Jenner…Jaspin." They reunite and lead their mother ahead of Karin.
Casnar and Ylyssus see their wife and children ahead of the slim dark outfit of the doctor, emerging by the cleft of the wall that cuts into their adjoining pyrotube chamber. Her dress stops to hang above her lower-thigh as she waits for her husbands to come bring her children back, away from the councilors in a group farther in. Karin stops a step behind her.
"Pleased to see you again, Doctor Chakwas," Casnar shakes her hand and offers a brief embrace, a kiss on the cheek, and Ylyssus doing the same.
"Likewise, Casnar, Ylyssus," Karin sees the children running between their legs and pulling on their coats, "…You two look well and handsome."
"Thank you," Casnar glances at Braith, "…She is healthy, we heard, but what did you really save to tell us before you go over to them," he nods at the councilors waiting, "…and have to suffer the fifty questions being decided by that witch dalatrass," Braith listens as Casnar places his arm protectively round her shoulders.
Karin's smile is conservative as she relinquishes a glance to the Council, "…She's as perfect as a rose every time you bring her here and I see her," she raises her eyebrows, "…No internal hemorrhaging," Casnar nods with ease now at this news, "…I'm not certain if what you say was blood coming from her was really—"
"It was blood."
Braith turns to Ylyssus, ( …You are still frightened. )
( I am. ) He nods. Slipping out from Casnar's arm, Braith takes Ylyssus by his hand and leads him away a few steps.
"He is not taking things as easily," Casnar says to Karin, their focuses going with Braith and Ylyssus…The twins as well as they follow their mother, light little leaps off each of their feet as they run over to the pair talking and holding hands. Braith and Ylyssus look down as the children each try to pull up on their wrists. "And how are Jenner and Jaspin. How are they really."
"Strong, vibrant, inseparable from their mother it would seem…They have very strong emotional attachments to her, and they are very limber and dextrous…Amazing to see it in other species, but I have never seen it so developed in children only a year old…They are practically born to run and jump and climb."
"Sounds natural for drell children, for morthwyl especially," Casnar says.
"I wish I could have had the chance to meet the morthwyl who helped create them."
"Braith has told you of Cemal," Casnar gives her a studious look.
"She has today…Before she would not speak of him, and I did not know his name until now…He died, she tells me," Karin looks back at him, "…She's grieving, but she wouldn't express any emotion in front of any of the other medical professionals who were evaluating her and the twins with me." Casnar glances at Braith, now holding Jenner, and Ylyssus who holds Jaspin on his arm. Karin had used the term 'create' when she referred to the morthwyl Cemal. I wonder if the children really are my chemistry alone with Braith's. I've always been wary of it, but maybe I was right to be.
Casnar turns to Karin, "…Remember when you offered me that blood test for paternity, Karin, the first visit here for Braith and the twins…You wanted to be sure it was Ylyssus or I who were the father, and Braith would not let me."
Karin nods, "…I have blood samples from the twins…Would you like to see if you are the father before you leave? You can stop by the clinic we've set up for this meeting today."
Surprisingly he shakes his smooth golden head, the tebris shimmering in the algae light from above, "…No, Karin, I only wonder if the opportunity is still open…Maybe next time." Karin could tell him what Braith had confided to her earlier, but she chooses not to…That would be a breach of confidentiality and trust between doctor, patient, and friend. Braith turns from a brief lock of lips with Ylyssus, her hands squeezing his arms as his hands hold her waist over the dress…The tebris lifts with the display of intimacy. Jenner and Jaspin are on the ground again, running and spinning in dizzying circles.
"Shall we meet with the friendliest Council now," Braith's gray eyes join Casnar's as she walks from Ylyssus to him. He chuckles hungrily at the little rolls of her hips, flicking the hem of her dress so lightly and fluidly now it has had a chance to dry from the rain…He curses himself for buying it.
Taking hold of her hand, he speaks in a warm manner to her in front of Karin, but Ylyssus understands, and so do the children but to a lesser degree, ( …Lead the way, please…Karin and I were speaking about leaving my blood for a paternity test for Jenner and Jaspin…But I've a feeling you'll share with me more information before it has to go that far. )
Braith glances at Karin, but rigidly sets her eyes on Casnar's, ( …They are your children. )
His hand tightens on hers, and he speaks to her with that same warm affectionate tone, ( …Are they one hundred percent mine, or is this some trick you and your morthwyl husband have played on me, Braith. )
( They are your children…Our children. )
( Don't lie to me…I'll get the test. ) He's known her long enough to know how she lies, especially when held at point-blank with his eyes.
Braith turns to Ylyssus, ( …Jaspin is your son, and his chromosomes are mixed with Cemal's… )
Ylyssus's eyes widen, ( …Truly?…No wonder he gets along with me, ) he smiles and kisses her smile back.
Casnar sees her turn back to him and look in his eyes, ( …Jenner is yours and Cemal's chromosomes…Morthwyl like Cemal have a different way of leaving the future in their dimorphs such as I and only I, Casnar…Jenner is your son. )
Casnar stares at her, ( …Why didn't you just tell me…How do you know, ) he looks down at Jaspin, sees the green eyes look back at him, and Jenner with the golden skin but dark velvet gray deeps…His eyes move from them about Karin's legs, obviously comfortable with the elderly woman, ( …They're still twins? )
She nods, ( …Fraternal twins, Casnar, same chromosomes as myself and Cemal, but yours happens to be in one egg, while the other holds Ylyssus's, and if you really want to be boggled, the morthwyls technically are all one system of shared genes and experiences, so technically I am not the twins' only mother, you're not the only father and neither are Ylyssus and Cemal, my love. ) She kisses his slack jaw. ( Happy now? You may still get that paternity test you're threatening. )
Wrapping an arm around her shoulders and squeezing her neck between his bicep and forearm, Casnar turns her with him to lead her towards the Council members…His lower hand grasps the little hand that has latched onto his fingers as these swing by his lower thigh, ( …You lied to me. )
Braith looks at his patak and up at his eyes, and sees not hurt but something more…Something like heat, passionate heat…He has looked into her eyes with that same gaze before while they were making their efforts to produce him an heir, ( …I wanted you to love both of them equally…I had no concern for Ylyssus…He loved Little Behe with me, and she was no relation to him or I…We did not have any issues with loving the child we both witnessed come from Mia'tonia's womb together, and held and raised as our own…You…I wasn't sure about how you would react…You might not love either of them— ) She sees Casnar raise the dangling child, Jaspin, who holds fiercely to his surrogate father's fist and squeals with the sensation of being lifted by the powerful arm and suspension in air.
( I've loved them since the day they were born. ) He kisses Braith, little Jaspin managing to turn himself upside down and stand with his feet against Casnar's sturdy wrist, pushing into the muscle and leather wetsuit sleeve material with all his might to try and free his hands from Casnar's fingers and thumb. The child wraps one leg and then the other around the arm.
Braith looks up at Casnar, parted from the kiss, ( …Promise you will keep loving them as yours, and equally. )
His smile is firm and genuine, ( …You don't need to ask, ) he kisses her cheek, ( …So…Same old song and dance with this group, ) he changes the topic and tilts his temple towards the waiting Council, ( …Or are you going to share with them what happened today. )
Her voice tickles his teness, rousing his tebral spines to lift some with the soft imploring whisper following her declaration, ( …A little of column A, some column B, my lover…Whenever we get out of here, let's go into the capitol's holosphere and find a place for dinner…Dance especially…I want to dance with you, Casnar, let Ylyssus take the children for a bit. )
( I'd love to take you out to dine and dance with you, Braith, ) he frowns, ( …but there would be security on us, plus the rules would be hard to follow, and if we are to stay in Elutha with the twins, all of us together, we need to adhere to the rules they've set for us…I can't, I'm sorry, Braith, I can't take you into the drell holosphere of the capitol. )
She gives him a pout, Casnar wanting to nip it and bed her soon, ( …Maybe I'll negotiate something with the Council members, maybe some more leniency in terms of day or evening trips to anywhere other than the outer yard in Elutha, and you and Ylyssus some more freedom other than to and from work and our home when necessary. )
He grins and whispers, leaning his head back to put his mouth to her ear and brush his lips against her hair and ear lobe, his nose pushing back the strands of black thick hair he can smell rain, shampoo, and medical aromas in, ( …Best of luck…Bevekt's got a real spit up her ass, she's been kicking and lively today. )
She smiles at the warmth he creates in her spine and loins, his hand rubbing his fingers up and down her shoulder…Jaspin has managed to free himself and rejoin Ylyssus, Jenner and Karin walking behind them, and Ylyssus has picked him up, a cheer brought to his eyes by the news Jaspin is his son, and lets the child pull on his tebris with greedy, picky little fingers as strong as pincers.
( I wonder why. ) Braith turns her head from Casnar's own focus, which dropped to her mouth and then moved up again to the Council members.
She greets Urdnot Wrex first, having been freed by Casnar's arm. As she approaches the moving krogan leader and former ally, "kinsman", and battle friend, she slows as if to greet him, but their hands do not raise…In an anticipated display that only make the head of the salarian Council member shake with disapproval, she and Urdnot Wrex both touch their foreheads together…Then draw their heads back and smack skin-skull hardness against the krogan brow plate.
"Barbaric," Bevekt laments.
Casnar and Ylyssus share a soft, quiet chuckle with Karin and the human councilor, Declyn Kobahn, as Fedir, and several other councilors to be named shortly look on…The twins at first are silent, staring at the krogan who has just knocked skulls with their mother…Then in a pair of squeals they run over and start trying to climb up the krogan's Council garb to reach his head and do the same as their mother. Braith watched as the old krogan picks up both in his claws and sets them on a shoulder each. The twins lean forward and pull and push at his stiff, thick lips, venturing small fingers to scratch and inspect the 'Old Dog's' chipped but formidable fangs, "…Shepard," Urdnot Wrex grumbles, "…Your skull is still thick."
"Has to be pretty hard to deal with these four," she waves her fingers at Casnar and Ylyssus, Jenner and Jaspin collectively…The twins have now shifted their attention from the krogan jaws to the high scarred headplate, bonking their soft little brow scale medallions against the aged shield grown from his skull, "…And them," she applies a subtle tilt of her head to the councilors.
Urdnot Wrex nods, "…Be careful with Bevekt and Gereel today…They're teaming up again…Fedir and Kobahn are neutral, though humans usually stick together with you around," his voice is a low, discreet growl, "…As for Dejen'alu and Basa, Ovezna, Tugru, and It'vass, you will have to play it by ear…They're usually on the fence about you and the twins…Everything good with you though," his red eyes check her for any frailty or weakness that might stand out, and other than the medical smells, the perfumes, the other males including the children's scents all over her and Kahje's rain aroma, she seems fine to his olfactory systems…And her strength is not lacking from their head bump.
She nods, looking at Urdnot Wrex only, "…And what about Diogenes."
"He's a geth…You think I can read a machine?"
Casnar chuckles, overhearing since he and Ylyssus are only a step away, "…You can't reach consensus with the machine's behaviorisms and shared algorithmic replies?"
Urdnot Wrex's corners of his saurian lips curve in a snarl, but it is truly a polite krogan smile, "…You're the engineering expert, I hear, you observe that thing that acts like a bipedal organic male and tell me for yourself."
Braith chances a glance at the second hominid standing taller than his human counterpart…It is the geth's latest variant in technology to help them be better assimilated with organic cultures and not so readily feared…A geth platform containing trillions of units, and a synthetic overlay of pristine human features…The only thing lacking is hair and natural color…Pigmentation and synthetic hair should seem easier to replicate than actual skin, but by what process the geth have created a dermal layer, eyes, and fingernails (likely toenails though the councilor from the geth has yet to go barefoot at the meetings) is unknown…The geth has admitted that hair is considered "too difficult to attend or do anything with", and the standards of hair vary between species, and species have one too many skin types and colors for any one type to be agreeable—other than a matte blue tone which helps to identify Diogenes, but his masculine shell sets him apart from the asari, and a lack of cartilaginous crests to boot…He has blue eyes that match his skin, but that reveal wiring and struts of fine nanotech when examined closely…His voice is pleasant and subtly accented with a British quality. The face is handsomely built, and under his skin, there is adamantium, titanium, synthetic organs, and other secrets the geth have not disclosed entirely to the Council for security reasons, though they profess to answer as much as they may share without putting such a system as Diogenes at risk, or themselves as the geth are one legion collectively…Diogenes is the interface for every geth known to exist in the Milky Way. His directives reach all simultaneously. Diogenes offers a polite bow of his head to Braith's glance, and she must profess, she enjoys him more than some of the organic councilors. All eleven councilors, representing all eleven peaceful species assisting in the governing of the united galaxy and capable of making sound decisions, as well as having their own naval armies that are spaceworthy, are present. Turian Hierarchy, Systems Alliance, Vol Protectorate, Krudanz (the Batarian Hegemony), Geth Consensus, Quarian Conclave, Asari Republics, CoD (Courts of Dekuuna), Salarian Union, Krogan Empire, and Illuminated Primacy are all represented. Every meeting they have had, all eleven Councilors have been present…It has impressed Braith. She looks at Casnar, Ylyssus and Karin. Humans accounted for, but no drell yet. Drell have had the chance to join, but they refuse to join the Council, which is why the Council has been overturing Casnar Soterios-Sousan, who has a direct link to the reigning empire down there that has grown under Cartira Soterios's rule…The drell elder brother has managed to unite the Kerhasi, Craig, and will likely have the Suighan in one alliance by now…Plus, with the morthwyl eradicated by the great threat Braith has seen through the eyes of her deceased kindred, who else will he be making alliances with?…And now no one is there to watch the space-capable navy hidden in Bangal'roux. Braith trembles inwardly at the memory of the fiery face that exterminated her brothers and sisters, and caused Cemal to sacrifice himself. Her eyelashes flutter.
( Everything okay, Braith, ) Casnar asks, her pause causing some wonder.
( For now, yes, ) she replies with a nod.
She moves with Urdnot Wrex and Casnar, Ylyssus, the twins and Karin towards the other Councilors, and one by one, she greets them in the acceptable manner of each race. Bevekt is first.