Colemenoport
Wayfarer
“We have personal decisions before us, which intersect with decisions of trade.” Shan gazed at his daughter and lifemate, seated on the sofa. Both looked well fed and alert, which was something of a relief. He sipped his wine and put the glass on the table.
“Firstly, Trader Isfelm, who is, as I believe Trader yos’Galan noted only yesterday, sharp enough to cut, has today proposed a partnership.”
Padi blinked.
“Is this why yos’Phelium does not trade?” she asked.
Shan grinned at her.
“You find the trader precipitate?”
“I would,” Padi said, “if I had not seen you at work, Master Trader.” She raised her glass. “I had thought Trader Isfelm bent on going Out, as she has it, by any route that presents itself.”
“That also seems to be a goal, and is not necessarily incompatible with pursuing a partnership with Tree-and-Dragon,” Shan said. “There are other traders involved in the Iverson Loop, including Trader Isfelm’s brother, so the family interest is protected, even should the senior trader temporarily remove herself in order to explore opportunity.”
“Will she come with us on the Passage?” Priscilla asked.
Shan smiled at her. “We discussed it. She proposes to swap places with Trader yos’Galan.”
Padi sat up straight.
“Your pardon?”
“Well,” Shan said apologetically, “you must admit that Trader Isfelm’s bid for partnership has merit, and could prove beneficial to Tree-and-Dragon, the Iverson Loop, and the Redlands. Which means that—”
“I’m to do a route audit,” Padi breathed, between terror and amaze, as Shan read it. “I—will need assistance,” she said. “Experienced assistance.”
“Indeed you will,” Shan said, with strong approval. “I will this evening undertake to gain experienced assistance for you. There is also, of course, reading—”
“Yes . . . ”
“And a certification course. I will send the module to you. The course is self-paced, and I am empowered to administer the required tests.”
If Padi found anything dismaying in the sudden acquisition of a dense course of study in addition to her duties as part of the trade team, she gave no indication of it.
“How soon?” she asked.
“You have time to take the course. Very possibly, the port inventory will be complete before you are called upon to leave us,” Shan said. “If your experienced assistance leaves Surebleak upon receipt of my request, he will have some travel before him, Colemeno not being—”
“Conveniently placed,” Padi said with a smile. “But we may, in time, make it more so.”
“Exactly what I was thinking!” Shan told her.
“Once we have the audit in hand, we will know whether a partnership with the Iverson Loop will in fact be as advantageous as it appears at first glance,” he continued. “We may, indeed, wish to offer a temporary partnership, and seal it with an exchange of traders—as Trader Isfelm has suggested. That may be the most graceful route, assuming that Colemeno itself is found to be strong enough to act as an anchor for a Long Loop from our side.
“In any wise, we will assume that, by one route or another, Trader yos’Galan will be departing Colemeno on the Iverson Loop. The Passage will certainly depart when the master trader has completed his work. The question arises—do some of us wish to depart sooner? There is no reason that the Passage need tarry ’round Colemeno, if it comes to that—”
Beside him, Priscilla sighed, and looked to Padi.
“I’ve been expecting this,” she said, and turned to Shan. “Will I flee to Surebleak so that our child is born in-clan?”
Shan raised a hand.
“Another question—do we wish our child to be born in an invigorating environment?”
“The Goddess did say our daughter would encompass marvels,” Priscilla pointed out. “Why not begin at once?”
“Priscilla, you terrify me,” Shan said with feeling.
“Yes, love, I know,” she answered soothingly. “Are we certain that the ambient conditions haven’t already had an effect?”
Shan pressed his lips together.
Priscilla nodded. “No. We do not know that. We do not know that our child will be born into a Talent.”
“In fact,” Shan said, “the only thing we do know is that she will be born a child of Korval—which is quite frightening enough.”
“There are children born on Colemeno every day,” Priscilla said placidly. “I expect they do well enough.”
She sipped her tea and turned to look directly into his eyes.
“When the time comes, the captain will take Dutiful Passage to the master trader’s next destination,” she said forcefully. “I will not be coddled. I will not be sent away to safety, as if there were any such thing. And I will not be a reason for the master trader to stint his work.”
Shan blinked.
“Surely you know me better than that,” he murmured.
“Surely I do,” she answered with a smile.
Shan drew a breath, but whatever he might have been about to say was interrupted by the chime of an incoming call.
Padi rose and went to the comm.
“yos’Galan,” she said. “Service?”
“Trader yos’Galan, this is Healer ven’Deelin.” Dyoli’s voice was sharp, and a bit breathless.
“Master pai’Fortana and I are at the Colemenoport Guard House. We are being held on suspicion of being . . . Reavers. They are insisting upon an official examination. We have previously been examined by Evaluation Expert ringZun, who pronounced us well enough, but that buys nothing from either our accuser or the arresting officer.”
Padi drew a breath.
“The master trader will speak with the officer,” she said, turning—but Father was already at her side.
“Timin nimOlad, Port Security Officer,” said a rather timid voice. Padi winced. Dyoli’s tongue was as sharp as any dagger. Apparently, she had drawn blood here.
“I am Shan yos’Galan, master trader leading the Tree-and-Dragon trade mission,” Father said, sternly. “Healer ven’Deelin and Master pai’Fortana are members of the mission. By Guild Law they may have a ranking member of their team with them at any trial or examination.”
“Yes, sir.” Officer nimOlad sounded almost grateful. “Please do come. Chief bennaFalm has apprised the Warden of the situation. I’m certain he will be pleased to have you here, as well.”
* * *
“I’ll go,” Padi said, after Shan had concluded the call. He turned to look at her, eyebrows up.
“You have a reason for making this generous offer, I assume? A desire to tour the port security office? An eagerness to renew your acquaintance with the Warden? A—”
“Tekelia thought you were a Reaver,” Padi interrupted. “You are marked by the Healings you shared with Tarona Rusk.” She paused to Look—and found the two black threads that marked the association with the woman she understood to have been the genius behind sending captive Talents to Colemeno in order to secure even more Talents for her net of bound power. Civilization and the Haosa had known those agents as “Reavers.” Father had cut their bonds, and all the Reavers on Colemeno, and many others, elsewhere, had died, from what Priscilla called “separation trauma.”
After, Father had Healed Tarona Rusk of the wounds inflicted on her by the Department of the Interior, and Tarona Rusk had Healed Father of the wounds she had inflicted on him. Those actions had left in his pattern, perfectly visible to anyone with Wizard’s Eyes—which was most of the population of Colemeno—two threads that matched the signature that had been apparent in the pattern of every Reaver.
Dyoli and Mar Tyn had been bound to Tarona Rusk, though they had managed to survive the trauma of separation. Their signatures, Padi realized abruptly, would include that same black thread.
“Tekelia,” Father said, “was able to be persuaded otherwise. And if I am found to be anathema because of my past actions, then the trade team has its answer, and need waste no more resources on Colemeno.”
Padi drew a deep breath, but before she could speak, Priscilla did.
“All Healers know that there must be a certain sympathy between Healer and client. If that sympathy is not present, Healing cannot take place. If it is present, then Healer and Healed become entangled.”
She glanced at Father. “I would be surprised to find that lesson had been forgotten here. Also, the signature is quite apparent, for any who can See. Best it’s sorted out now.”
“Precisely.” Father sighed, and turned away. “Well. I to rouse the master trader. We will finish our private discussions at some future point.”
“May I at least come with you?” Padi asked quietly.
Father turned back.
“The offer does you honor,” he said, with a certain overdone earnestness that Padi knew all too well.
“But I am of more use held in reserve, in case someone might need to pay your bail,” she said, moving a hand to show that she understood his position.
Father tipped his head.
“You are despondent. But how if you should be needed to perform a thrilling jailbreak, bringing three of us from captivity to freedom at the speed of thought? Would not that be worth doing, Trader Padi?”
It did give one a thrill, Padi admitted, even as she frowned at him.
“I trust you will manage the thing with more subtlety than that, Master Trader,” she said sternly, and he bowed his head meekly.
“Your faith in my abilities warms me,” he murmured.