Night Song (The Guild Wars Book 9) by Mark Wandrey (best management books of all time .txt) 📗

“As I said,” Uufek said, dropping her jaw in a smile, “we thought you might be orphaned pups from the war. As such, the K’lak would take responsibility for bringing you home and connecting you with a close enough clan.”

 “You are from the K’lak as well, Teef?” Ripley asked, leaning forward with every evidence of casual inquiry. Sonya knew her sister better than that, but these new Zuul wouldn’t.

“Not…exactly.” Teef’s ears flicked toward Uufek, which he attempted to play off by scratching his cheek.

“Then who are you?” Ripley prompted when the male said nothing else.

“I represent clan Insho’Ze,” he replied, as though that should provide instant insight.

“You aren’t our clan, because you don’t know who our clan is.” Rex sounded bored, but Sonya could tell from his stance he was anything but. “One of you is guild, the other is not. What is it your clan or guild would like here, Uufek and Teef?”

Sonya narrowed her eyes, studying the two older Zuul. They’d expected young pups, but that didn’t explain why they were acting as though everything was such a mystery. Was it because Alan and Dana were in the room? At the thought, she glanced at her parents, and noticed Dana had stiffened to white-knuckled tension. That told her exactly what the female Zuul was opening her mouth to say.

“We came to bring you home, young ones.”

Drake barked a small noise of disbelief, crossing his arms. Ripley drew in her breath sharply, and Rex turned to look at their parents. Next to her, Shadow didn’t react at all.

Bitter bile tainted the back of Sonya’s throat, longing and rejection twining through her thoughts before she took a deep breath through her nose. Was it her rejection or her parents’ she smelled? Her longing, or Shadow’s?

“We have a home,” Shadow said, resting his arms on his legs and leaning forward, thoughtful and perhaps eager.

“This is our clan, our family, and we’ve been very happy here,” Ripley interrupted, and Sonya didn’t know if she meant it or was keeping Shadow from committing them to something.

What if some of her siblings wanted to go? Did she want to go? Earth and Humans were a constant flood of frustration and disappointment. But…her parents, and—and—

“You have a home, but it is not your home. We are thankful the Humans have provided a family for you, but clan—”

“And we are very interested to learn of our people,” Shadow continued, as though completing his thought.

“But you don’t know who our clan is.” A growl wrapped around Drake’s words, and that usual tone of his was all that kept Sonya from whirling on him in surprise that he’d spoken at all. “So how would going with you change anything for us?”

“There…is much to be learned in Zuul territories. Perhaps if you returned with us, we could determine your clan.”

“I assume you don’t expect us to decide this the moment you ask.” Sonya started speaking without knowing what words she’d say, without quite knowing even how she felt. She took pains not to look at her parents. If she saw tears in her mother’s eyes, she’d worry so much about Dana, she’d never be able to decipher her own emotions.

“Of course you should speak with each other.” Teef inclined his head to them, precisely angled so as not to include the Humans.

Sonya meant to stand to exchange farewells and be polite, but found her legs unresponsive. Instead she stared into her lap, mind churning with so much, she couldn’t begin to detangle what she was feeling or thinking, and by the time she managed to wrench her attention outward again, the new Zuul were gone.

* * * * *

Chapter 6

Brisbane Australia, Earth, Cresht Region, Tolo Arm

“You should order them to come with us,” Uufek said as soon as they were out of the pup’s quarters.

“It doesn’t work that way here,” Alan explained. He was inwardly surprised it had gone as well as it had. The five young Zuul were bundles of energy and nervousness. He couldn’t remember when he’d seen them so wound up.

“You are their guardian, it is your responsibility,” Teef agreed.

“They’re adults by Australian law,” Dana chimed in. Both Zuul cocked their heads when translators didn’t render ‘Australian’ into an understandable word. “Our local government. We’ve raised them as our children, yet they’re still their own people. We can’t order them. We won’t.”

Uufek’s ears went back in a sign he’d seen many times from the pups, anger or annoyance. “This is unreasonable.”

“They’re citizens of the Terran Federation,” Alan said, a simple statement.

Uufek gave a little snarl and began to speak, but Teef put a hand on her sloped shoulder, stopping the other Zuul immediately.

“We must respect Colonel Porter’s decision,” Teef said. “The young Zuul seem healthy, and despite a lack of cultural familiarity, happy.”

Backhanded compliment. “Thanks,” he mumbled.

“May we talk more in private?” Teef asked. It was Alan’s turn to cock his head. “One commander to another?”

“Now hold on…” Dana began.

“A reasonable request,” Alan said. Dana shot him a furious look, but he stared her down, and she slowly relented. He gestured to the offices and began walking. Teef fell in behind, while Uufek walked back toward their waiting shuttle. It was being refueled, its flight crew standing around observing the Human ground crew working. Alan glanced over his shoulder as he reached his office. Dana stood in the same spot he’d left her, watching him go.

“The chairs aren’t as comfortable,” Alan said and gestured to a seat in front of his desk.

“We are used to sitting in furniture that doesn’t take a tail into account,” Teef said. He examined the seat before lowering into it, ending up perching on the edge somewhat, while his tail curled up