Ashes and Rain: Sequel to Khe (The Ahsenthe Cycle Book 2) by Razevich Alexes

Author:Razevich, Alexes [Razevich, Alexes]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Razor Street Publishing
Published: 2015-04-18T18:30:00+00:00

“The lumani had Justice House built,” Larta told us at morning meal the next day.

Nez and Azlii, so long on partial rations, kept spooning in the vero and barely looked up. Larta had my full attention, at least.

“All of Chimbalay was built to their specifications,” she said, “but Justice House, Energy Center, Research Centers One and Three, and a few other places, they designed and had built specifically for themselves, not for doumanas. I guess that’s why the rooms are so large. And why there’s a little energy center built into the top floors. I don’t know what they did here, but it’s nice for us.” The faint orange of embarrassment showed on her neck. She drained the last of her drink, got to her feet and went to refill her tumbler.

“Larta doesn’t need to be embarrassed that she’s in this fine building,” Nez said.

Azlii tilted her head a bit to the side. “What makes you think she’s embarrassed?”

“Color came up on her spots. Faint, but certainly there.”

“Not that I saw,” Azlii said. “I don’t think she’s embarrassed at all. I think she thinks the grand surroundings suit her.”

Corentans were supposed to be more sensitive to the subtle colors that showed hidden or suppressed emotions. That was why kler and commune doumanas wore collars when they went to the corenta to trade, so even the subtlest hues wouldn’t be seen.

Larta returned and settled herself in a chair.

“How did you wind up here?” I arced my arm to indicate the room and, by extension, Justice House.

Larta ran her hand over the top of her head. “After the explosions, when the energy center was nothing but ashes, clearstone shards, and twisted metal, the doumanas here were fearful. Could it happen again, in some other part of Chimbalay? How did they know the lumani were really gone? What if they weren’t, and wanted revenge?

“Doumanas were afraid to leave their dwellings, in fear that something even worse might happen. Nothing was getting done. As First of the guardians I organized patrols to walk the streets all day and all night. I wanted doumanas to be able to look out their windows and have a pretty good chance of seeing a guardian patrol passing by. I sent in ‘kind persuaders’ to bring doumanas who wanted to hide in their dwellings out and to their assigned work. If Chimbalay didn’t function properly, things would get bad in a hurry. I even got in touch with the next corenta due here and convinced them to come early. I wanted a pleasant distraction for the doumanas, to take their minds off what had happened and to show them that life was still as it always had been.”

Except that it wasn’t, I thought. Life in Chimbalay would never again be as it was.

“No one trusted the doumanas who’d been associated with the Powers,” Larta said, “especially orindles, technicians, and those who’d spoken on the lumani’s behalf, so doumanas started coming to me with little problems. It began to make sense for me to be at Justice House full time.

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