CHAPTER EIGHTEEN: JUMP
Nokai hadn't said so, but he feared for his life, and that fear hadn't gone away, despite her assurances.
I won't let anything happen to you, Nokai, she'd said lovingly, but at the time his room was shaking again and it was hard for him to believe her.
Can you reverse what you've done to Lan-Sui? he'd asked.
I suppose, but then all my work would be for nothing. Are the ships engaged yet?
Yes. They've been pushing on us for hours, but not once have I felt anything from it. It's going to be a terribly slow process, Yesui.
I'm watching, love, and I can move the city much faster than those ships. Trust me.
I want to, he'd said, but fear overcame belief for the moment.
She couldn't dare to tell him what she'd seen in real space, before the ships had arrived. The city was now nearly engulfed by a swirling plume that looked like a swollen thumb, its top flattened, and white with the formation of ammonia ice, growing by the hour. The entire vortex beneath the city now bristled everywhere with such plumes, and the pattern of concentric rings was fading before her sight, as if the center of the great storm was being pushed upwards with terrible force.
In her heart, she knew that the compressional heat she'd long awaited was about to surface, a great blast of evaporation that would extend far beyond the city, much further than the ships could move it in time. In her heart, she knew that what she had done to Mengjai's ship she would have to do here.
Yesui felt fuzzy, and knew the sign. Her body hadn't eaten for a day, perhaps more. She'd forgotten real time again. She returned to the gong-shi-jie and then to herself, opening her eyes in a darkened room. It was hot and stuffy, with unpleasant odors coming from bed clothes and her own body. Ugh, she thought, and put her feet on the floor. When she stood, her legs shook and she sat down again, waited, tried again, wobbled a few paces and turned on the lights, leaning against a wall for support.
The room was even more terrible than she remembered: bed a rumpled tangle of sheets and covers, piles of clothes everywhere, two trays of congealed food long turned cold on a desk. The sight of herself in a mirror was even more ghastly: hair tumbling over a face white as snow, dark, puffy tissue beneath her eyes, the robe hanging on her like a sack. It frightened her. How long? she thought, and there was an immediate reply.
You're finally back! Ready for a visitor?
It was Mengjai.
I don't feel so good, she said. I'm shaking all over.
That figures. Tanchun says you haven't eaten for two days. I'll have her get you something hot. Can I come in?
I suppose. She didn't really care, wobbled over to her bed and sat on the edge of it. A few moments later there was a rap on the door, it opened, and Mengjai was there, immediately frowning at her and wrinkling his nose at the odors in the room.
She hadn't seen him in over a year, and he seemed much older, his face narrower, cheekbones now defined. He still wore his ship's uniform: blue, tight fitting, the column of gold buttons, and black boots on his feet. He balanced a tray of food on one hand. "Your servant has arrived to feed you, Madam," he said, then grinned at her.
Yesui smiled weakly. "Food at last. I feel awful."
"No comment," said Mengjai. He put down the tray, came over and sat beside her, putting an arm around her and squeezing her shoulder.
"I feel bone—no meat," he said. "If I hug you, I might snap something."
Yesui leaned her head on his hard shoulder. "I forgot the time again. It's getting harder and harder to remember it. So much is happening at once, lately."
"You're more than a mind, sister. It won't exist without the body, and yours is turning into a skeleton. If Nokai saw you like this, he'd run away screaming. Now eat!"
"I can't move," she murmured.
"Your servant will help you," he whispered, and squeezed her gently.
Mengjai helped her to the desk, sat her down, even guided the first few bites of noodles into her mouth. "Now you do it," he ordered, and she did, but slowly. Her stomach seemed cramped, hesistant to accept the food.
"You've really let yourself go, this time," said Mengjai. "Tanchun has been frantic, and Mother said she's going to come after you in the future. When you're gone, you're gone. They can't awaken you, but Mother can find you in a hurry."
"I'm glad she didn't come with you," said Yesui, taking another bite and feeling some warmth inside her.
Mengjai smiled. "Well, we only got back yesterday, and Shanji's business will be on hold for at least another day. Tanchun delivers meals to their room, and always comes out giggling to herself. Unlike you, our parents do not lack energy for physical pleasures, Yesui."
It made her smile, and she made a show of eating faster to tease him.
"That's the idea," he said. "Now, tell me what's new on Lan-Sui."
Yesui told him everything, including her intention to use the space-time wave to move the city.
"Hmmm. Tricky," he said. "You'll be working deep in a gravitational field where the threads are strongly curved."
"I have Nokai to target," she said, eating faster now, and the quivering of her muscles had subsided.
"Still tricky. When you make the jump, the city's instantaneous velocity will be critical, especially the radial component. Do you mind if I tag along when you're ready to do it?"
The food was gone, and Yesui was still hungry. "If you can get me more of this, and some honeycakes," she said.
"Done," said Mengjai, and he hurried out of the room.
While he was gone, Yesui tried to do something with her hair, but it fought back and she left it tousled. Her robe stank, and she changed into another one, the brief look at her naked self a shock, like looking at the body of an adolescent girl, not a woman. So when Mengjai arrived with another tray of food she ate greedily, polishing the meal off with five honeycakes and rewarding her brother with a little burp that made him smile.
"So when do we go?" he asked brightly. "Better make it soon, while you-know-who are still occupied. Mother was serious. When you leave again, she's coming right after you."
"It has to be soon, anyway," she said, wiping traces of honey from her lips. "Better to move the city now, before the whole surface comes to a boil. What time is it, anyway?"
"Middle of the day. By dinnertime, Mother and Father might finally emerge from their den of lust. Are you feeling stronger, now?"
"Yes. All I needed was food. How about you?"
"Eager to go. I've missed going with you, Yesui. It's been a long time." Mengjai reached out, and held her hand.
Yesui squeezed his hand. "My baby brother," she said.
"And very talented in his own way," said Mengjai.
"What will they do when they see us flopped together here?" asked Yesui.
Mengjai laughed. "Mother will be after us in a nanosecond."
Yesui still held his hand, and lay down on her back. "So why are we waiting, brother?"
He lay down beside her, and grinned. "On board for Lan-Sui!" he said, then closed his eyes and rushed with her to the gong-shi-jie with its swirling, purple clouds of the light of creation, as seen by her mind.
Yesui moved with incredible speed, and everything was a blur to him. Remember when I snuck along for a ride? he asked. You didn't move so fast, then.
Yes, and it was nicer when I knew you were with me. Real space, now. Here we go!
A flash, and real space was there, a huge, boiling ball of gas filling their view. Ohhh, said Yesui. I think we're getting here just in time, Mengjai. It's even worse than it was only hours ago!
Mengjai was thrilled, a feeling he shared automatically with Yesui, enhancing her pleasure with the thing she'd done. LOOK at that! I've seen computer models, but this is the real thing. Those big cells should spread out, distributing heat more uniformly, and then the color T should jump. It should be rising already!
Mengjai, I can't see the storm below the city. It's GONE!
Are you sure we're on the right side to see it?
No, I'm not. I don't recognize anything. All the old surface features have disappeared! Nokai! Where are you? I'm looking for you!
No answer. Mengjai felt a surge of panic in his sister, and then there was the dizzying sensation of two transitions in rapid succession, and they were hovering only kilometers above roiling pillars of ammonia and hydrosulfide ices carried aloft with hydrogen, and helium not yet condensed into rain. NOKAI!
He felt the presence suddenly with her, an anxiety mixed with fear, and an image of his sister's face in a fan of green. At first, the presence was transient, there, then gone, a pause, then back again. Yesui shrieked, I'M COMING, LOVE! I'M HERE!
Yesui! Please. It's . . . tearing us . . . apart. I . . . can't move!
Mengjai actually felt Yesui lock onto her love, for one instant seeing inside him, feeling what he felt, lying on a hard surface beneath something heavy, everything shaking, rolling, a horrible roaring sound everywhere, holding in his mind the image of the woman he loved so dearly, a woman he yearned to see, to touch, but would not, for now he was going to die.
Nokai was gone, then back again, with two bright flashes of purple, and they were inside a boiling cloud of mist and shining flakes of ice, and the city was there, a round ball shuttered protectively by overlapping baffles of metal. The city was shaking and bouncing like a leaf in high wind, and for an instant Mengjai saw the glare of exhaust from ships under full thrust, tumbling with it.
They should shut down! shouted Mengjai. We need velocity data, Yesui. We need the radial velocity!
How? she asked. I need to do this NOW!
You can't make a jump without an estimate of radial velocity. The city could end up in interstellar space!
I don't have TIME! she screamed at him.
Call Yesugen. She must know something: total thrust, burn times, anything will help me make an estimate. Mengjai was already making wild estimates with imaginary scenarios and burn times of hours, and coming up with ridiculous radial velocities little better than a fast walk.
Yesui did try to call Yesugen, three times, while they watched the city tumble and Mengjai strained to see what ships, and how many, were pushing it. There was no answer.
And suddenly, there was a new presence with them.
Hello again! I think you need some help here. Just calm down, and we'll get this done quickly. Calm, calm, that's it. Just bring the light from the threads, and I'll give you a marker, a flash of purple. When you see the marker, release the light. That's all you have to do, Yesui, but do it NOW!
Yesui? said Mengjai. It was as if she'd suddenly assumed a new persona, or was talking to another part of herself, for her panic was gone and she seemed cut off from him.
Go to the threads.
They were there, a swarm of green tendrils curving left and right beneath them in blackness, the roiling cloud, the city, now gone, and now a new sight for Mengjai. The threads drew near, not solid, but closely-spaced spots of light. Nearer, and the spots were fuzzy.
Go to Nokai. Think of only him. Go to the place that calls you.
This is crazy, shouted Mengjai. You're making a blind jump. You'll never find the city!
Quiet, please. We're working.
Mengjai felt numb, as if a force had clamped coldly on his mind, Yesui totally shut off from him, suddenly controlled by something foreign, alien.
Not fuzzy, but many spots of light, like a ball of individual stars, veering left as they homed in on one of them. It was brightening, even as they approached.
Don't wait. Bring the light forth, and watch for my marker.
Green light blazed forth in a horrible flash; he barely saw the single strobe of purple at the instant the light began to subside, and then there was only the pinpoints of green, as before.
There, it's done, and your timing was quite close. The rest you can do by yourself.
Thank you, Mind. It was Yesui, suddenly back with him, the old feeling of her presence familiar, yet Mengjai was still numbed into silence.
You're welcome. Sorry about your brother, but he was distracting us. He might be able to help you, now. Goodbye, Yesui, and good hunting. Find your man. That's very important to us.
Goodbye, Mind, said Yesui, and instantly Mengjai was released from his paralysis.
What did you do to me? shrieked Mengjai. You cut yourself off from me! I couldn't even THINK!
If you keep shouting, I'll do it again!
Flash. They were back in real space, the roiling cloud all around them.
The city, and the ships that had been pushing on it, were gone.
It worked! said Yesui.
Worked? For all I know, the city is at the center of the PLANET! Can we please contact Yesugen, and get some velocity data now? Mengjai tried hard to be calm, for fear that his sister might numb him again.
Of course. Mind said you might help me, now.
How nice of her, said Menjai. How nice of YOU!
Something nagged at him when he said that, but then there was still another flash, and Lan-Sui was a ball again, like a dinner plate held at arm's length.
With all these transitions, I'm glad my body isn't here. I'd be throwing up all over the place, complained Mengjai.
Yesui ignored him. Yesugen! I need some information.
Mengjai saw the great flagship of Meng-shi-jie hovering near them. We need velocities! he shouted.
Yesui, is that you? You sound different. Are you doing something near the city? We lost contact with our ships over two hours ago.
Oh, great! mumbled Mengjai.
Yesui?
Yes, it's me, Yesugen. The storms had engulfed the city and your ships, and I just finished moving them to a safer place, I hope.
You WHAT?
I moved them, and I'll explain how I did it later, but now I have to find them again. Can you tell me how fast the city was moving away from Lan-Sui when you lost contact?
No, we didn't get that, but it was slower than we hoped for. One cruiser ran out of fuel.
Total thrust, burn times, ANYTHING! shouted Mengjai. And if her ships call in, she can locate them, and pinpoint the city for us.
Yesui, is someone with you? asked Yesugen.
Just my brother.
MENGJAI?
I'll have to explain that later, too, but you heard what he wants. Do you have it?
I'll have to see—
Still hovering in real space, they waited as phantom presences long, agonizing moments until Yesugen got back to them.
Here it is: thrusts, and approximate burn times. The initial radial acceleration was one hundredth of a meter per square second. Burn times are seven hours, maybe more.
That's enough. I can figure it out, now, said Mengjai confidently, but Yesugen gave them the rest of the numbers anyway.
Yesui's anxiety was building again, and that meant action sometimes nearing blind flight when she was badly disturbed. Mengjai made no effort to calm her, the calculations totally occupying his mind. Yesui had abruptly left Yesugen, and was popping in and out of real space in a sort of random search pattern, each time calling, Nokai! and getting no response.
Two hundred meters per second max, he said, and the horizontal component should be twenty-four kilometers per second from the old orbit. Hmmm. Ratio of ninety-five. Now tell me how long the jump was.
What? Another flash. Nokai!
I need to know the approximate range of your space-time wave. It goes as the brightness of the light you draw from the threads, remember?
Yes—I mean, no, I don't know. It happened so fast.
Don't give me that. I saw your purple marker. You had it timed exactly.
Mind did that, I didn't. I don't KNOW! yelled Yesui, her anxiety nearing panic. Another series of two flashes, close together. NOKAI!
Mind? I think you've been alone too much in the gong-shi-jie, Yesui. You're scaring me, or teasing me, and I'm not in a mood for it. You had some kind of insight before you made that jump, and you know the range of that wave. Now tell me! How does it compare with the jump you made for my ship? Maybe that'll help.
Flash, and they were surrounded by shimmering purple. Yesui paused there, and said, Shorter, but not by much.
How much, then? Thirty light minutes? Twenty?
Maybe ten, she said, but he could see she was only guessing.
Okay, let's work with that. Ten light minute range, ratio of ninety-five—that's about a million kilometers radial.
A MILLION?
Yeah, about nine times Lan-Sui's radius. Pretty far out, well beyond the moons.
Oh, Mengjai! Flash again. This time, Yesui homed in on the vortex of Tengri-Nayon, the tiny dimple there that was Lan-Sui, using the number he'd just given her.
Empty space was there, a black void. NOKAI! she called, and inside she was aching with dispair. All that space, and somewhere was a ball only kilometers in diameter, undoubtedly damaged. Perhaps there was no power in the city, no heat, the atmosphere growing stagnant, people injured or dying from the buffeting of the storm. Nokai had been there the moment of the jump, but now . . .
How can I find him in all of this? she asked mournfully. Mengjai felt the ache in her, felt her wavering, her emotions so distraught that any second now she might return to herself from loss of concentration.
Keep trying, he said. If Yesugen's ships are still alive, they'll call in. Try a little more, and we'll check back with her. Don't despair, Yesui. You got them out of the storm, and that was the first thing you had to do. You're tired. I can feel it. Your body is rebelling against your mind.
I know. I can't think straight. If I lose Nokai, I've lost everything. Oh, Mengjai, I've killed him!
Stop it! Keep trying, one quadrant at a time, just once around Lan-Sui at this distance, and then we'll check in with Yesugen. Get busy, Yesui!
She did it, but slowly, transition after transition, a call in real space, a short pause in the gong-shi-jie, then back again, over and over. Mengjai wondered how long a pause in the place of creation was in real time. A minute? An hour? There were many pauses, and then they had completed a search at only one distance from Lan-Sui without results. How many more would be necessary? And how much time did the people in the city have? If the ships called in, there was hope, for they had been more exposed, more vulnerable to the storm. All power was likely out in the city. Fires? That would be bad, with an atmosphere already dying—
Mengjai, I hear everything you think. Please don't do that, said Yesui.
Sorry. Let's go back to Yesugen, now.
Okay, she said forlornly. It was worse than despair, now. She'd given up, lost hope. In her mind were words said to her by Nokai, private words, and the things she'd felt when he'd touched his face and body for her. Mengjai felt he was somehow violating his sister by hearing such private things.
Still a chance, Yesui. Let's go.
Flash, but they entered real space too far out, and she had to do it again. Her concentration was nearly gone, both from exhaustion and a growing sense of loss.
So when Mengjai saw the flagship gleaming in Tengri-Nayon's reflected light, he made the call to Yesugen himself.
Yesugen, it's Mengjai. We've searched a lot of space, and found nothing. Have you heard anything?
Where did you go off to? said Yesugen angrily. You left me right in the middle of a sentence! And yes, we've heard from our ships, only a few minutes after you left.
WHAT? shouted Yesui.
Their signal faded out after a few minutes, but we did get a fix as they passed behind Lan-Sui's edge. They're about twenty-eight thousand kilometers above the atmospheric edge, and they should be coming around again in a few hours.
Twenty-eight THOUSAND? said Mengjai, and immediately he was calculating again.
Are your people all right? asked Yesui. Is the city with them? Hope surged again within her.
Yes, the city's there, and the ships are communicating with it. There's considerable damage, but it's structurally intact. The captain I talked to seemed terribly confused by what happened, Yesui. He couldn't even describe it. What did you do?
I moved the space they occupied, and they went with it. I'll explain later, Yesugen. I have to see Nokai!
Nokai? Wizera's son? said Yesugen. NOW WAIT A MINUTE!
Flash.
Flash.
The surface of Lan-Sui roiled beneath them, but there were no vortices or bands of clouds to see, and the plumes had all come together, the surface now a mess of floccules pressed tightly together. It was like looking at a star close up, seeing the tiny, convective cells bringing energy to the surface, cooling, submerging again.
Mengjai had finished his calculations. Twenty-eight thousand kilometers radial means a jump of nineteen light seconds! It can't be, but it must be! Tangential—ratio ninety-five—they would have gone around Lan-Sui two point nine times. Oh my, they were nearly directly above us when they came back.
We're staying right here, said Yesui. We're not moving, this time. NOKAI!
Real time crawled by, Yesui repeating her call over and over, while Mengjai went over his calculations, a part of him refusing to believe the answers. Nineteen light seconds? No, no. There's something I'm not understanding here. How could she—
All thought was blown away by the rush of Yesui's euphoria when a sudden feeling brushed over them like a cool breeze, gentle and soothing, the signature of a presence even Mengjai remembered from a previous time with his sister.
NOKAI! DARLING, I'M HERE!
Yesui? Very faint, then YESUI!
You're ALIVE! she screamed.
Yes, I guess I am.
Two blinding transitions, a flash of purple as they zipped in and out of the gong-shi-jie. Yesui had targeted Nokai, and would not wait a single moment for the city to reach their position.
It floated serenely before them, a kilometer distant, a giant, metallic ball of baffled shutters still closed tightly without apparent damage. Two military cruisers and several smaller ships had engaged a thick ring around the city's circumference and their thrusters burned like coals as they pushed to deaccelerate it, bringing it to a lower, stable velocity in a new, higher orbit.
Oh, Nokai, darling, I thought I'd lost you. I've been searching and searching—
What happened? One second, everything was falling down around me, and then it was absolutely still. I think I blacked out for an instant. What did you do?
I moved you to a higher orbit, well above the storms. You should be safe here.
The whole city? How—
Not now, my love. Oh, how I want to be in your arms, but you can hold me in your mind, feel what's inside me. Mmmm. Mmmm.
What Mengjai felt was frankly erotic. He wanted to run away, but could not, and Yesui was so caught up in her passion she'd forgotten he was with her, her mask a shambles.
Oh, Yesui. Ohhh! said Nokai. I love you. I LOVE YOU! I thought I'd never see you again. I thought I was dead.
It went on, and on. Nokai was touching himself, his face, lips, arms, and places that shocked Mengjai, for he felt all of it, and Yesui was somehow doing the same thing to herself. It was all too much for him, too private, and he could stand it no longer.
Ahem, he said. I really shouldn't be here, but I don't have any choice. Can you two please save what you're doing for another time?
MENGJAI! said Nokai.
Sorry, mumbled Mengjai. This is all very sweet, but we really need to get both of you together physically at the same place. I shouldn't be peeking at you like this, and I'd be a liar if I said I haven't enjoyed it.
They were embarassed, both of them. Mengjai waited for an explosion of anger from Yesui, but it didn't come. Her mask went up, cutting off some wonderful feelings and sensations from him, but she seemed amused. I forgot about you, she said.
It has been a long time, Mengjai, said Nokai, trying to hide his own embarassment and failing, but at least now he wasn't touching himself.
How are things in the city? said Mengjai quickly.
Anything breakable is broken. My window is gone, and the streets are filled with rubble. My door is stuck closed; some men are coming soon to cut it out of the wall. My room is a shambles, and right now it's eerily quiet here.
No fires? No buildings down? Did you lose gravity?
No. Well—I see some fires—flashes. Parts of the city are dark. There must be casualties, Yesui. I don't see anyone in the streets. We shook like crazy for over an hour, and then it just stopped, like I said.
The storms had just reached you when we arrived, said Yesui, so I moved you right away.
With incredible precision, I might add, said Mengjai. Unbelievable precision.
How she had done it came back to haunt him: talking to herself as if another being called "Mind" were suddenly with them, the purple marker, a jump far shorter than anything she'd attempted, then the force that had paralyzed him. For one instant, he'd sensed a hostility in the presence Yesui called "Mind," had felt threatened by it. The presence worked only with Yesui, guiding her, yet he'd felt totally cut off from his sister. It disturbed him deeply, for now he felt the new presence had not been a part of Yesui, but something else.
Thank you, Mengjai, said Yesui. By the way, I am glad you were with me, even though you had me chasing around in deep space for awhile.
I did the best I could with the data I had. Look, you two really need to be alone, and I'm stuck here. A quick flash back, Yesui, and you can leave me on Shanji.
Oh, I don't want to leave! she said.
I can wait, my love, said Nokai. I've become accustomed to waiting for you, and it's always worth it. But I want to be with you. I want to be with you always.
Oh, Nokai, my sweet, said Yesui.
Let's not get started again, said Mengjai. She'll be right back, Nokai, and I really do want to see you two in person together. I mean it.
We're going to talk about that, Yesui murmured.
Thank you, Mengjai, said Nokai, and the feelings coming from him really were wonderful, Mengjai decided. It was no wonder Yesui was so crazy about him.
Hurry back, darling, said Nokai. I love you.
Me too. Bye!
Flash. Yesui was giddy with love and excitement, while Mengjai only wanted to be back on Shanji.
They came out into the gong-shi-jie above the vortex of Tengri-Nayon to find a brilliant apparition in green waiting impatiently for them, arms folded across her chest, face stern.
We really must have a talk, dear, said the apparition.
MOTHER! cried Yesui. Oh, Mother, not NOW!
Not so quick. I'm not here to scold you. I just talked to Yesugen, and she told me everything that has happened. What you've done is truly wonderful, but really, my dears, that woman is flat on her back with terrible wounds, and you two have been darting in and out of her life without considering her condition.
We had to, Mother. There was no other choice, said Mengjai, and it's over, now. I think Yesui has finished her work with Lan-Sui.
You read me well, son. Mother's manifestation drifted away, and beckoned them to follow her. Now, let's go home, and talk face to face about the things that are bothering me.
But I have to go right back to Lan-Sui! Yesui protested.
What? The eyes of Mother's manifestation were now slits.
Mengjai jumped to Yesui's defense, if only because she'd left Nokai at his request. It's Nokai, Mother. We barely had time to see he's alive and safe. Yesui promised to get right back to him after she's rid of her brother. Come on, Mother, your daughter's in love! We didn't bother you and Father when you were—
All right, all right! Enough! But make it quick! Mengjai, I want to see you in my rooms as soon as you can walk to them. Yesugen has made a request we need to discuss with your father, and Yesui should also be there for it. For the first time in nearly two years, I want us to have a meal together!
Mother hurried ahead, and they followed closely like pets, Yesui silent, a little angry, even as they made the transition to themselves.
Mengjai opened his eyes, felt Yesui briefly there, then gone, yet he was still holding her hand tightly. He released her hand, and sat up blinking in the light. Yesui stirred, her hand moving across her stomach and up over a breast to her neck and face, caressing herself. Already, she was back with Nokai. Her lips parted, and she sighed.
MENGJAI!
It was Mother, and so Mengjai fled from the room.
Nokai remained at the table with his father for a second cup of tea, after Mother had left the room. He smiled, and said, "At last there is peace in your heart, Father."
"Indeed there is, but it has taken years to achieve it, and there will certainly be new problems."
"The people have confidence in you," said Nokai. "They now see the wisdom of the difficult decisions you had to make."
"We would have been lost without Yesugen and Yesui," said Father. "I owe everything to them. What they've done for us shows me we can no longer afford to be isolated from other worlds."
Nokai was already inside the man, cautiously pushing at the network of his mind.
"I hear that Meng-shi-jie will establish an embassy on Shanji. Shouldn't we be joining them? We are, after all, part of the Tengri-Nayon system." Nokai's voice was soft and soothing, and his father's eyes glazed over for only an instant.
"I don't think Yesugen would have any objections to that, and it makes political sense to have formal ties with both worlds," murmured Father. "The only problem is that we have no trained diplomats."
Forgive me for this, Father, thought Nokai, but my heart is Yesui's, and I cannot wait any longer to be with her in person.
"Let's talk about that," said Nokai.