Chapter 10

Cal let out a long whistle. "Oh, yes, Thiede certainly was har, even if he is a god now."

"But that's just the point, Cal," Pell said, having had the time to take in Moon's words. "Thiede is the Aghama and... Moon, you conceived the Aghama's child!"

"All things considered, no mean trick," Vaysh remarked drily.

Pell raised an eyebrow and nodded. "That's quite true." Suddenly his expression shifted to one of burning curiosity. "How did you ever manage it, Moon? Were you given any sort of preparation? How did you go from being his friend to--"

"Perhaps it would be best if you let Moon begin at the beginning," interrupted Apollo. His commanding voice sent shivers down Vaysh's spine; he sounded so much like his father. "He's brought with him a manuscript that explains most of his story -- for the palace archives," Apollo continued. "However, if you'd do him the favor of opening your minds just a little bit, so he can speak with his mindvoice, he will lay out the story himself in words and pictures."

"Let him into our minds, you say? Just like that?" Cal cracked.

"I let him into my mind," Vaysh offered.

"And he came out alive?" Cal teased. "Must be talented!"

Pell gave Cal a poisonous look. "Cal..."

"Alright, alright, I'm sorry, that must prove Moon is 'sensitive' -- so if he must, he must," Cal conceded.

"You all agree then?" Apollo asked.

They did. Apollo explained how his hostling's usual technique for such group communications, which he'd used to meet with tribal leaders, instruct shamen, and even to conduct caste training among young harlings or the incepted. Seats were adjusted to form a close circle and together they linked hands. Through a simple series of instructions, in character very much like a caste training exercise, Moon used Apollo's spoken voice to gradually tune each har into his mindvoice, so that first one heard, then another, another, and another. It was then that Apollo fell silent and Moon began to tell his story.

As it had with Vaysh, the telling took some time and in fact took even more time, as Moon was adding in details for the benefit of the group, in particular details of Thiede's take on the leadership of Wraeththu. When he reached the time of Apollo's conception, the Tigrons clasped their hands together especially tightly, Vaysh managed to notice. There was so much Moon had to say and so many questions each of them wanted answers for. It wasn't only Moon speaking, but Pell and Rue and Cal, and not only did they ask Moon, they asked one another and asked the Aghama's son.

Moon had created a network of mindvoices, a powerful thing. By the time they were through with it formally, they had all grown closer in their knowledge of one another.

At Moon's signal, they finally dropped their hands and separated into self-contained beings. Pell put his hand to his chin and closed his eyes, thoughtful. No one spoke. After half a minute, Cal gently stroked on his arm. Rue copied the gesture.

Pell's eyes opened and he smiled. "I screamed when I first saw you, Apollo," he said, speaking aloud but obviously still speaking to Moon through a mindlink. "I'm sorry. I was just so shocked. Then I was really afraid -- suspicious of course. Now that I've heard your story, I feel so much better."

"Yes," Rue agreed, "You don't seem to want anything -- not for anything here to change. I thought maybe Apollo was here to-- well, I told you already what I thought."

Cal adjusted his position, shifting slightly away from his companions. "But they do want something -- I sense it."

"What?" Vaysh asked, only realizing the answer when the word came out of his mouth. They had already told him.

"I don't know," Cal said. "What do you want?"

Moon's response was unequivocal: "I would like to speak to Thiede."

The thought jolted the Triad in their seats. "Speak to Thiede?" Pell burst out.

"It's not like we can simply arrange and appointment for you," Rue put in. "He has to be summoned."

"Well, summon him then!" Apollo urged. "That's what we were thinking. We only want you to communicate with Thiede that we've come here as he asked us to. If there's a way he can speak to us, he'll tell us."

"It won't work," Cal remarked. "He comes down for us, he is with us, but I don't know that he'll do it for you."

"How can you say that?" Moon wondered, obviously hurt.

"Because Thiede, no matter how enlightened and ethereal he is now, still strikes me as too self-involved to care about you."

"Cal!" Pell gasped aloud. "Have some sensitivity -- and quit your grudge."

"No, I won't. Thiede's too self-involved. Moon here has had his heart set on him for years, it's quite obvious, and now he's stuck on a spirit. He's the ultimate Aghamist."

"What about me?" Apollo broke in suddenly. "I'm his son. He cared enough for me before he'd reach out across the miles and talk with me. The Sanctum is so close. At least try? I never really got to say goodbye. Neither did Moon."

"Neither did I," thought Vaysh to himself alone.