Page 12 of Salvation
Magister’s expression softened. “Everything necessary for your stay at the sanctuary will be provided, Sakura.”
Thank goodness.
“Take only what you would need if you were staying at the Collegium,” Corvus advised. “Your transport will depart from the New Damon Beach tarmac tomorrow at the beginning of last hour.” The Matiran expression for the final hour of the day before the sun was fully below the horizon.
Sakura shifted her gaze to the vis-screen. “Please, K’rona, what are the symptoms of this disease?”
“It does not appear to be a contagion,” the Anferthian woman replied. “The pattern is too random and many of the infected have had no contact with other victims. The on set is very sudden. One moment, all is well, the next the victim collapses. Close to a quarter of those affected have suffered from tremors that escalated into full seizures. Not all have had fevers, only a few. When they are conscious, they express severe pain, but the location is not consistent from patient to patient. Sometimes it is in various organs, and other times deep in the bones. On occasion, some patients’ pain has radiated from their brains. Mercifully, they are the ones who have died the quickest. The moment of death occurs when the affected organ or bones…explode.”
Sakura balled her hands into fists, her nails digging into her palms. What a horrific way to die.
“Fuck.” Nick breathed the word then shook his head. “Are there any medics among the dissenters?”
“There are some with medical knowledge scattered throughout our villages, but none formally trained. Our only fully-trained medic was among the first causalities.”
These poor people were desperate. Sakura tipped her head to one side. “How many villages?”
“Five, each with a population of approximately six hundred,” K’rona replied. “The outlying villages are within four kilots of our central village.”
A little more than two and half miles. Fairly close together. Close enough for all the flora to be the same. “Could the cause be something organic, like a spore?”
Dante shook his head. “I fear not. The dissenters lived there for over six full cycles—years—before the first symptoms appeared. Also, Anferthians have visited or lived on Matir at various times for centuries, and none have ever been afflicted with such symptoms. That said, this is your mission. Do whatever you feel is necessary to save these people, it will be approved, even as an after-action item if necessary.” His gaze swept over the other committee members’ faces with an expression daring any of them to object. No one did.
Good. The authorization not to have to wait for the committee’s approval to take action gave them more freedom. Sakura forced herself to sit back. Deep breath in, hold, expel breath, repeat. Much more of this and her shoulders would be touching her ears.
“We understand there are people to whom you will want to say farewell,” Ambassador K’nil said. “You may tell them that you are going to the Collegium, but you may not reveal your true purpose or destination. Understood?”
“Yes, your honor,” Sakura replied, and Nick nodded.
“There is nothing more important than accomplishing your mission,” Corvus added, her gaze shifting between them. “It is your sole purpose to the exclusion ofall else. Is this clear?”
Sakura blinked at the woman. Was she suggesting that they—her and Nick—might get romantically involved?
Nick barked a laugh. “No problem, Administer. Right, Saku?”
Heat burned her cheeks, and she gave her head a harsh shake. This was the second time he had shortened her name like that. The first time he had sounded uncomfortably intimate, as if their relationship was more personal, but he had cut her off before she could correct him. This time his words carried a sarcastic undercurrent. It was disrespectful, especially in front of the committee. Her Gift may be unusually strong, but she still had worked hard to progress through her studies as quickly as she had.
All the words she wanted to reprimand him with jammed in her throat and she swallowed hard. If she said anything now she would appear just as childish as him, and she was not a child, had not been for a long time. As long as she kept her gaze on the wall just over Administer Corvus’s hologrammed shoulder, she would not be tempted to put the deserter in his place.
“You should be more worried that your healers might kill each other first.” Nick’s voice held a note of wry humor. Did he know how close she was to doing just that?
A crease of vexation formed between the ambassador’s brows, but K’rona stepped in before he could reply. “I will make sure neither of them meets an untimely end, your honor.”
“You have my gratitude, K’rona,” Ambassador K’nil took control of the conversation again. He settled his hands firmly on his knees and swept the circle with his gaze. “Is there anything more? No? Then we are adjourned.” The older Anferthian leaned forward in his chair and reached for and enveloped one of Sakura’s hands in one of his before she could evade him. He then repeated the action with Nick. “My most humble thanks to you both for caring for my people. My heart tells me our future lies with the dissenters, and to lose them now would be disastrous to all of our worlds.”
“We will do all we can to save them, your honor,” Nick replied.
Sakura met the ambassador’s wise, black-eyed gaze and her anger drained away. It did not matter why he believed in the dissenters—or even in her and Nick—only that he did. And he had pinned the future he saw on them.
One thing was clearer than anything. Failure was not an option.
