Trickster. Part 32

"Angry?" Keith said. "Why would I be angry? G.o.d, you got me out of that place. And you're a Child of Irfan? You have a lot of explaining to do."

"You believed in Roon," Martina said. "I thought I'd lost you to him."

Keith ran a hand over his face and Kendi noticed he had few silver hairs. "I figured I'd have a better chance of escaping if they thought I was a believer. It was starting to work--they promoted me to Beta."

"Why didn't you say say something?" Martina demanded. "I was worried sick." something?" Martina demanded. "I was worried sick."

"I thought you you had bought into it. All those things you said at Confessional and the way you always worked so hard?" had bought into it. All those things you said at Confessional and the way you always worked so hard?"

"That was just a trick so I I could escape." could escape."

Kendi laughed and gave them both another hug. "That's us," he said. "A family of tricksters."

Ben watched Kendi's reunion, feeling happy and, oddly, jealous. It suddenly occurred to him that he would have to share Kendi now. Then he shook his head.

After a moment, Kendi broke away and brought Ben forward for another introduction. This brought about another handshake and another Silent jolt. Then an uncomfortable silence fell. There was so much to say, but no one knew where to start. Harenn came to the rescue.

"There is still food up in the galley," she said. "Why don't you go up there and talk where it is more comfortable?"

The Weavers agreed to this and headed for the door. Ben started to follow, but Harenn caught his sleeve. "Ben," she said, "Lucia and I wish to talk to you up in the medical bay."

"What about?"

"We'll explain up there," Lucia told him.

Mystified, Ben followed the two women. The soft blue corridors, with their rounded corners and soft machinery hum, felt calm and homelike after the frenzy of the last several days.

"Don't you have to pilot the ship, Lucia?" Ben asked as they went.

"Gretchen is still overseeing the transfer of the SA employees back into the escape pods," Lucia replied. "She's also launching a signal beacon to make sure SA can find them. It shouldn't take more than two or three hours for them to be rescued. But for now I'm not needed on the bridge."

They reached the medical bay, the place where Isaac Todd had singsonged his way through several interrogations. It seemed as cold and sterile as ever. Ben's little star-shaped cryo-unit sat on one of the counters, lights winking quietly.

"Where did you get that?" Ben demanded.

"Kendi asked me to run some tests," Harenn explained. "He also told me that the two of you want to raise them as your children."

Ben flushed. "He told you that?"

"Why shouldn't he?" Lucia said. "I think you've made a wonderful decision, Ben. That's why we brought you down here."

"I don't understand."

"You will need host mothers," Harenn said. "I would like to volunteer."

Ben stared.

"You and Kendi have reunited me with my child," Harenn said simply. "In the process, Kendi lost his own family and had to risk his freedom to get them back. I can never fully make that up to him--and you--but this thing would be a start."

"I'm volunteering, too," Lucia said. "It would be an honor. Both of you have been touched by Irfan, and I don't mean because you're Silent. Besides, these children need parents, and I want to help."

Ben cast about for something to say and came up empty. At last he only said, "Thank you. Thank you both."

"There is more," Harenn said. "Lucia doesn't know this, but if she bears one of these children, she needs to be informed."

Alarm thrilled through Ben. "Is something wrong with them?"

"Not at all," Harenn said. "Something is merely . . . interesting."

"What do you mean, Harenn?" Lucia said. "Don't be cruel by keeping him--us--in suspense."

Harenn nodded. "Ben, Kendi said you don't know where the embryos come from, that your mother found them on a derelict ship. Do you know how old the embryos are?"

"Only vaguely," Ben said. "The cryo-unit was something over thirty years old when Mom found it, so that would mean the unit is close to sixty years old now, but that doesn't say anything about the embryos. They could be a lot newer."

"Or older." Harenn took a deep breath. "Ben, did you or your mother ever have a comparison done with the monastery's genetic database?"

"No. What would be the point?"

"Curiosity," Harenn said. "I ran such a check with the database carried on this ship. You should sit down, Ben. You too, Lucia."

Nervously, Ben took up a rolling stool. Lucia did as well, a mystified look on her face. Harenn leaned against the counter next to the cryo-unit.

"What's this all about, Harenn?" Ben asked. "What did you find?"

"I ran the check three times," she said. "Every test came back with the same irrefutable result. Those embryos--and you--are the direct issue of Daniel Vik and Irfan Qasad."

Lucia gasped and realization stole over Ben like a cold hand. "What are you saying, Harenn?" he whispered.

"I am saying, Ben, that Daniel Vik was your biological father and Irfan Qasad was your biological mother. In every sense of the word, you are a true child of Irfan."