He was leaning forward, staring into a readout screen, when Lilitsia said, "Kindly move your hand."
"What -? Oh. Oh." He lifted his left hand from where it was resting.
"Thank you," said Lilitsia in cool tones.
"I just -" He put his right hand to his forehead. "I - I was not thinking. I apologize."
"Accepted."
"But -" He raised his head, and there was a haunted, puzzled look on his grey face. "I - seem to remember.... There are images in my mind, they tell me that women - like to be touched, in that way...."
"Perhaps in appropriate circumstances," said Lilitsia. Then her expression, too, became troubled. "Memories?"
"They - must be, I suppose," said Geterian.
Lilitsia's eyes narrowed. "Have you been intimate with any Kobali females, since your birth?"
"I - no, no. Nothing like that. I am -" He shook his head. "This is all new to me. And yet -"
"Geterian." Her voice was hard, now, and emphatic. "These are not your own memories. These are relics of your former life - neural patterns which have not yet been expunged as your brain develops and reorganizes itself. You must let go of such memories, Geterian. You are no longer that person - whoever he might have been. You are Kobali. You must remember that."
"I will try." He rubbed his brow. "I - it is when the General's ally visits - that is when - I remember things that I should not remember. I think."
"The General's ally," said Lilitsia. "Yes."
Geterian shot a curious glance at her. "Did he talk to you, too?"
"There were... sessions," Lilitsia replied. She shifted uneasily in her chair. "I do not remember much of them. I think my brain adjusted, became fully Kobali, and he lost interest in me then. The details elude me, now." She turned concerned eyes on Geterian. "They should elude me. Elude us both. I think... the General's ally is interested in who we were."
Geterian was silent for a moment. "And he should not be," he said.
"I think... probably not."
"Then why does the General permit it? He cares for us, does he not? He said I was to think of him as my father."
"I think the General's ally is - very useful to him. Useful enough for the General to permit this. The General has spoken to me... he tells me this ally has promised all of us a thousand offspring." She raised her hand and pointed to the screens. "And he has started to make good on this promise. You can see it, here, on this world."
Geterian shook his head. "One small colony, on one obscure world. It is not much."
"It is a beginning. Greater things may come from it. Our neighbour planet in this system, perhaps... they might make their - resources - available to us."
"They have a great many dead," said Geterian. "Inefficient, with a society emphasizing martial values but without any serious combat experience... play-acting at being warriors... that was the conclusion of Syndicate Intelligence -"
"Geterian."
He stopped. "I am - sorry. I do not know where that thought came from."
"Another relic. Put it from your mind. You are Geterian. You are Kobali."
"I will remember. I will try."
"Good. And move your hand."
---
"Three thousand," said Jhey'quar. He stood in front of the command chair and gazed at the main viewscreen, at the image of the moon.
"Three thousand one hundred and four," said his aide. "Out of four thousand and thirty-three - the remaining resources were in one way or another unsuitable - immature, or physically damaged to excess in the, ahh, the process."
"A beginning," said Jhey'quar. "Not, perhaps, a full scale foothold in this quadrant... but, a beginning. We will, no doubt, be able to bring more recruits here, in due time."
"From Kobali Prime?" the aide asked. "Would that not involve, well, negotiations, to use the gateways?"
"From anywhere," said Jhey'quar. "There will be opportunities - and I do not choose to rely on Kalevar Thrang to provide them, either. Speaking of Thrang, where is he?"
"He departed shortly after his last interview with Geterian."
Jhey'quar grunted. "I do not much care for that. Thrang's methods confuse our newborns. But it is his price, and we must pay it. Did he state a destination?"
"In-system. The fifth planet."
"The Grand Imperium." Jhey'quar shook his head. "I wish I knew what he wanted with those comic-opera barbarians."
"I have his ship on positive track." The aide stepped over to a nearby console.
"Good. I would prefer to keep a close eye on Thrang."
"I assumed as much, General." The aide ventured a brief smile. Then he frowned. "Long range sensors show... other units in Thrang's vicinity. Closing fast - and there are energy discharges."
Jhey'quar turned. "Thrang is under attack?"
"It seems so. I am not sure about some of these readings -"
"Red alert. Prepare to break orbit and go to Thrang's assistance." Jhey'quar seated himself in the command chair as the alarms sounded. Before him, the tactical displays came alive; his gaze swept across them, assimilating the information - trajectories, locations, presumed hostiles - "Transmit on the encrypted subspace channel. See if you can get a message through to Thrang."
"Yes, sir," the hanchon on communications responded. Her fingers flew over her console interface. "Transmitting - I have a response. Audio and visual."
"On screen."
The face of Kalevar Thrang appeared on the main viewer. Jhey'quar raised one eyebrow. There was no sign of damage, or even of disturbance, on the renegade's bridge... and Thrang himself appeared calm, unruffled... he was even smiling....
"General. Kind of you to call, though I'm a little busy. Still, I can always find time for a chat with a valued associate."
"You appear," said Jhey'quar, "to be under attack. Ostigon is ready to come to your assistance -"
Thrang laughed. "Oh, dear," he said. "Thanks for your concern, General, but there's no need, really. This is just a little snap tactical exercise launched by my fellow nobles of the Grand Imperium. You should be able to see that our weapons are in low-power simulation mode."
Jhey'quar shot an inquiring glance at his aide. "Confirm low power on weapons... no shield deterioration, no debris or other signs of damage," the aide reported.
"Quite," said Thrang. "So, well, good of you to offer to help, General, but, really, we're not in any danger. Not even in danger of losing this little war game, in fact. Oh, we're outnumbered, of course, but the Grand Imperium's warships are a little out of date, compared to us. So, all things considered, I think it's for the best if you keep the Ostigon in the low orbitals, under the sensor jammers. We don't want the Imperium spotting your ship and pestering you, do we?"
Jhey'quar considered for a moment. "Stand down from red alert," he ordered. "Resume close lunar orbit."
"Thanks, General. Much appreciated."
Jhey'quar fixed Thrang with a glare. "Do not imagine that I am concerned for your health, Thrang. We have an agreement, that is all, and you must survive to make good on it."
Thrang laughed again. "I plan to survive, General, don't worry. And you'll find I deliver. I always deliver." And the screen went blank.
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