Divided

  “Our unity?” Truth asked. “What do you mean? And what is a triumvirate? I don’t understand.”

  “Nor will you until the three of you come to see me in person. Well, I say in person but nothing is really in person on Orthanx anymore.” Vashtar sighed sadly. “But we do our best, you know. It’s all we can do.”

  “Where is Orthanx and why should we come to see you there?” Truth asked flatly.

  “Why because, Truth my boy, only I can help you. I know a way, you see. A way to cure those infected by the darkness. But I cannot tell you here.” He looked around, as though scanning for a threat and lowered his voice. “He might hear me.”

  Becca leaned forward. “’He’ meaning U—”

  Vashtar held up a hand to stop her. “Do not speak his name! To mention such beings by name is to give them power and call them to you. You know of whom I speak and why I cannot tell you how to drive him and his minions out—not here, anyway.” He nodded wisely. “No, the three of you must come to me in person—only then can I help you.”

  “But…we’ve never heard of you before. And we don’t even know where Orthanx is. Or what it is, for that matter,” Becca protested.

  “It’s a planet,” Far said softly, his previous studies coming back to him. “A rogue planet on the fringes of the Silverbeam System.” He looked at the little male. “Isn’t it?”

  “Indeed, indeed.” The male sounded inordinately pleased that Far knew of his planet. “I am so glad to hear that we are not entirely forgotten.”

  “Silverbeam is my home system. Is this planet—Orthanx—near Pax?” Truth asked, frowning. “Why have I never heard of it, then?”

  “We were forgotten long ago by all but those who study the stars and planets of times past.” The small man sounded sad again. He looked at Far. “But I am gratified that you are one such scholar. Perhaps that is why the eye brought you to my attention in the first place. Or perhaps it is just that your own society mirrors my own—what little is left of it.”

  Far shook his head. “Forgive me, but I only know the bare facts—that your planet was part of a binary star system and was flung out of orbit by the force of the secondary star’s erratic path. It came to rest on the far fringes of the Silverbeam System, held in a tenuous orbit by the same star which gives light to Pax and its sister planets.”

  “Oh!” Truth snapped his fingers. “Void. You’re talking about Void.”

  “Is that what the people of your world renamed our planet when we came to rest in your system?” Vashtar looked so sad at this that Far almost thought he might start crying. And indeed, a single tear did slip from the corner of the ruby red eye in the center of his forehead, although the other two remained dry.

  Truth shrugged uneasily. “Apologies—no disrespect is intended by the name. It’s simply that the planet is without life or atmosphere.”

  “The surface, perhaps, is lifeless. But there are a few of us who still survive below,” Vashtar said. “And that is where you will find me. Seek me at the coordinates which I am presently transmitting to your personal devices. That way you’ll know that I am real and not just a figment or a shared hallucination,” he explained.

  “And if we do you’ll help us defeat…our current threat,” Far asked, mindful of what Vashtar had said about not calling the demons by name.

  The small male nodded. “Indeed, I have knowledge to impart. Do not think you are the only race that had to repel the denizens of the Black Planet. We of Orthanx also struggled against them—and won.”

  “Then we will come. Or I will, anyway,” Truth said.

  “I’m coming with you,” Far said, frowning at his twin.

  Truth gave him a speculative look and nodded.

  “Agreed. But Rebecca must not be subjected to the dangers of a rogue planet with no atmosphere. She must stay here.”

  Becca lifted her chin. “If you two are in danger, I’m coming too.”

  “It could be some kind of a trap, Rebecca,” Truth protested. “You should let Far and I go while you stay safely aboard the Mother Ship.”

  “It is no trap, I promise you,” Vashtar cut in, interrupting their argument. “And I’m afraid your lady must come—all three of you must—if you are to find me and the answers I have for you.”

  “Why?” Truth seemed immediately suspicious. “Why do you need all three of us? Now I know it’s a trap.”

  “More like a puzzle.” Vashtar held out his hand. “Touch me and know the truth of my words.”

  Truth reached for him but his hand passed through the other male’s as though it was passing through smoke. Still, he nodded.

  “I feel it. You mean us no harm and you truly believe you can help us.”

  “In more ways than one,” Vashtar said mysteriously. “But only if you come soon.” His image seemed to be fading—his ridiculous clothing and round belly were becoming slightly see-through. “And as to the reason all three of you must come, didn’t I tell you that our society on Orthanx mirrors your own? Three are needed to solve and three alone.” He held up three fingers which were nearly transparent. “Do not bring anyone else—only three functional tanks remain empty. We cannot accommodate more.”

  “Three tanks did you say?” Becca frowned. “What does that mean? What kind of tanks?”

  Vashtar only shook his head. “Come soon…” His voice had a ghostly quality now to match his fading form. “The eye has woken me but only for the nonce. If I drift below the waves of slumber again before you come it will be difficult if not impossible for you to find me.”

  Then he faded altogether except for the strange, ruby red eye which remained suspended in the gray, swirling mist for a long moment before suddenly winking out of existence.

  Chapter Seventeen

  Becca gave a little gasp and put a hand to her heart when the weird eye and the silver mist surrounding them finally disappeared.

  “Just like the Cheshire Cat!” she murmured, looking around the suite’s living area. But the ruby eye did not reappear.

  “The what?” Truth growled.

  “From an Earth fable, I believe,” Far said. “About a female child who falls down a hole made by a large rodent with a time piece. She then finds herself in a place where nothing makes sense in the conventional way.”

  “What does that have to do with a Leshirecat?” Truth asked, looking irritated.

  “A Cheshire Cat,” Far corrected him. “In the tale there is a furred mammal called a cat which appears and disappears at will, leaving only its smile behind. It claims to be mad which is not very significant since everyone in the book appears to be mentally disturbed in one way or another.”

  Becca nearly laughed at his earnest synopsis of one of her favorite books.

  “That’s an interesting take on Alice in Wonderland, all right,” she said. “But I didn’t know you were a student of English literature, Far.”

  “And I did not know you knew so much about my home solar system,” Truth remarked, turning to him. “I had no idea that Void was once named Orthanx. How is it you know so much about both subjects, Brother?”

  Far looked down as though he was trying to think how to answer.

  “When I have a problem,” he began carefully. “I…study it until I find the answer. I find the more information I have, the better equipped I am to deal with it, whatever it is.”

  “And Rebecca and I are problems? Is that it?” Truth sounded like he might be getting upset. “What else do you know about us? About me?”

  “Pax is a closed planet so I haven’t been able to find out much,” Far said quietly. Although with Commander Sylvan’s blessing, I did recently speak briefly to your second mother.”

  “What?” Truth exploded. “You spoke to my mother? How dare you? What did you say?”

  “I was just trying to find a way to understand you,” Far said stiffly. “Don’t worry, I said nothing to shame you. I didn’t tell her I wished to bond with you and Becca.”

  “You…you…” Truth shook h
is head. “I can’t believe you. How dare you do such a dishonest, dishonorable thing?”

  “I simply wanted to know the parents who raised you and since our father is dead, she was the only one to talk to.” Far sighed. “I didn’t even ask her about you—I posed as a researcher for the Council studying the customs of the Kindred who live on Pax. That’s all.”

  “That’s fucking enough!” Truth roared. He jumped up and began pacing. Becca couldn’t ever remember seeing him so angry.

  “Truth, take it easy,” she said, standing as well to put a hand on his arm. “I don’t understand why you’re so upset—Far said he didn’t say anything that would cause you trouble.”

  “No, I will not ‘take it easy’ as you say,” Truth growled, shaking her off. “And if Far learned anything about the Pax customs he claimed to be studying, it would be that we regard prying into the personal business of another as the lowest and most loathsome of activities.”

  “I know that now,” Far said softly. He still sat on the couch, looking up at his twin. “For which I am truly sorry. I debated about telling you at all, but you asked how much I knew about you and how I knew it. I didn’t want to lie.”

  “You see?” Becca said, still trying to make peace. “Far is just trying to learn about us to get closer. And okay, it may be a little stalker-ish, but it’s also sweet. Like a guy who already knows how to get to your house for that first date because he followed you home one night to be sure you got there safe.”

  “What?” Truth rounded on her. “Do you hear yourself, Rebecca? You make it sound like he plans to seduce us—both of us.”

  "You know that is not the case, Brother," Far said quietly. "I simply want a relationship—a bond with you and Becca such as all Twin Kindred have with each other and their chosen female."

  “And what does that 'bond' entail, Brother?” Truth’s heated anger was gone now, replaced by an icy rage. “I have already told you I have no wish to engage in perverted sex acts with you.”

  “You make it sound like I wish to perform these ‘acts’ on you personally,” Far said coldly. “When in fact, I simply wish to share in them with you. To share Becca, as we did earlier.” He stood, reaching out a hand to Truth and his voice softened. “I’m not just talking about wanting to share the good things, Brother. I want your pain as well as your pleasure. I want to help you bear your sorrows as well as share your joys. Is that so much to ask?”

  For a moment, Truth looked like he was actually considering his twin’s words. Then he shook his head, ignoring the extended hand.

  “I need no such help,” he said stiffly.

  Far let his hand drop and raised an eyebrow. “You’re quick to reject help for a male who’s about to go to a rogue planet. Or did you not hear Vashtar’s words? You’ll need both Becca and myself to make it on Orthanx—the three of us will be dependent on each other.”

  Truth frowned. “Who says we’ll actually go there? It’s probable that Commander Sylvan and the Council have already found a way to eradicate our…problem as we speak.”

  Far frowned. “Perhaps. But you’re fooling yourself if you think you can make it alone indefinitely, Truth. You may have been raised Rai’ku but your DNA is pure Twin Kindred. You need a female and another male to share her with—it’s in your blood.”

  “So you keep telling me,” Truth growled. “But my father managed just fine without another male to share his second mate.”

  “Your father? The one who changed his name to ‘Feels Pain?’” Far demanded. “And how happy was he in that situation? How much pleasure did he get from his second union with no brother to help bear his burdens or share his joys?”

  “Are those the kinds of questions you asked my mother?” Truth demanded. “When you pried into my life as no honorable male would do?”

  “Do you think I was only interested in you?” Far demanded. “Feels Pain was my father too, though I never got to know him. At least you had one parent who was of your blood. I wanted to learn about him, even second hand.”

  “You did not miss much.” Truth’s usually tan face was white. “Believe me.” There was pain in his eyes now—almost an anguish at the mention of their father.

  Becca wanted to warn the light twin that he was going too far—that he was getting into dangerous territory with Truth. She put a hand on his arm but Far shook her off impatiently.

  “Did he speak of his home world often—did he tell you about Twin Moons?” he continued, staring at Truth. “What did he say of it? That it was terrible? An incestuous bed of perverted lust contaminated by sick ideas and practices?”

  “No.” Truth’s lips were thinned down to a white line. “He never said as much.”

  Far threw up his hands. “Because he never spoke of it at all, I bet. He simply let himself be swallowed whole by the Rai’ku culture—and let you be swallowed as well—because he couldn’t bear to think or talk about all he had lost.”

  Truth’s pale eyes flashed. “My father—”

  “No, Truth—our father,” Far corrected.

  “Fine—our father,” Truth shouted. “Do you really want to know what happened with our father, Far? He used to talk about Twin Moons all right—but not until he was good and drunk. The first few bottles of gar-berry ale loosened his tongue… the next few loosened his fists.”

  “Oh, Truth, honey…no,” Becca whispered but the dark twin wasn’t done yet.

  He pointed a finger at Far.

  “You spoke of wanting to share my pain? I could have used you, Brother, on the nights our father was feeling homesick. I wore his memories of his home world on my face and body often enough to make me wish I had a twin to help bear the beatings.”

  Far looked taken aback. “I didn’t know. Your mother never said…anything like that.”

  “Of course she didn’t because we are a private people. The Rai’ku keep to themselves. We do not touch each other except during breeding time, do not speak of wants or needs or feelings. And we do not bond with other males.”

  “I’m sorry,” Far said quietly. “More sorry than I can say, Truth. If I could, I would go back and help you. I would take the blows gladly if it would lessen your pain.”

  Truth made an angry motion with one hand.

  “Easy enough for you to say now. Where were you on the nights he came in stinking and slurring his words? Where were you—” He stopped abruptly and shook his head.

  “I was on the other side of the galaxy, wishing for you.” Far’s voice was quiet and sad. “Missing the brother I never knew. For you are my brother, Truth, whether you want to acknowledge it or not. We should be together.”

  Truth’s gray eyes were so filled with pain and anger that for a moment Becca was afraid he might lash out and strike his twin. But though his eyes were hot with emotion, his hands stayed clenched at his sides.

  “Well, we’re not together,” he said coldly. “And no matter what happened here earlier tonight, we’re not going to be. Not the way you want, Brother.”

  “So that’s it. You’re going to shut me out again—shut me out forever and cling to the values and ways of a people who aren’t even really yours?” Far demanded.

  “It looks that way, doesn’t it?” Truth said tightly. “And as for the Rai’ku—you may think they are terrible for never touching each other or hugging their children. But let me tell you something—they never beat them either. Why should I be so eager to embrace the Kindred ways when the Kindred male who was closest to me…” He stopped and shook his head.

  Becca wanted to cry for his pain—and for the hurt and longing she saw on Far’s face as he watched his twin. They needed to be together—she could see that now—but it seemed that Truth never would.

  “Truth,” Far said softly. “If we could only—”

  “No!” It was a roar of pure pain and rage. The dark twin rounded on his brother, his face a mask of angry agony. “No, Far, what else can I say to make this clear? I don’t care if we are brothers, I don’t want you. Don’t
want to be near you, to talk to you, to share any kind of emotions either painful or pleasurable. I just want you gone. Out of my life. Now.”

  “Fine.” Far stood and pulled Becca up beside him. “I think the dust has dissipated enough that we shouldn’t have to come back and save you again. Still, if you have a problem, don’t hesitate to call.”

  “Just go.” Truth was standing with his back to them now, his broad, bare shoulders tense and angry.

  “We’re leaving.” Far started to pull her toward the doorway but Becca resisted.

  “Truth,” she said coaxingly. “Whatever happened to sharing? What happened to the two of you having some kind of relationship?”

  “Which is kinder?” Truth asked, still looking away. “Leading someone alone with half truths and promises? Or cutting them loose and letting them go their own way at once? I choose the second way.” He glanced over his shoulder at Far. “Sorry, Brother. I guess your attempt at a 'relationship' failed.”

  “I guess it has.” Far sounded bitter and hurt. “But don’t worry, Brother—I don’t blame you. I’m the one who was stupid enough to think you might actually come around.”

  “You thought wrong.” Truth’s eyes flashed. “Now leave.”

  “We’re going.” Far pulled Becca to the door and she went with him willingly. Not because she wanted to get away from Truth but because she could tell he was desperate to be alone—to lick his wounds. To try and bury this old pain he’d been forced to dig up.

  “We’ll talk later, Truth,” she said as the door whooshed open and the chilly air of the corridor—mercifully dust free—filled the living area. “All three of us.”

  Truth frowned and turned away again. “There is nothing more to say. Good night. And Good bye.”

  “Good bye, Brother.” Far sounded every bit as unhappy and upset as his twin. He strode down the corridor after the door shut behind them in strides so long Becca could barely keep up.

  “Far,” she cried, hurrying after him. “Wait! Truth is just hurt, that’s all. He needs time to cool down.”