Read Merkiaari Wars: 03 - Operation Oracle for Free Online Page A

the Shan elders through them. This liaison business was further proof that the Shan were taking steps, getting their ducks in a row so to speak. Burgton approved. He hoped it would make his life easier when trying to predict events. He was already starting to think the only way to guess what Shan would do in a given situation was ask one. Unfortunately, unlike Kuzov he didn’t have any Shan of his own.
    “What do you think?” Burgton said as they waited for the elevator. They had let the others go first for privacy.
    “About the liaison idea? I’m surprised they waited so long. Tei’Varyk and Wilder went down world months ago.”
    Burgton frowned. “True, true... I was thinking of your opinion of them as individuals rather than their official designation.”
    “How so? I can hardly boast of my extensive knowledge of them as people, and I only met these two today at the presentation. One thing I did notice.”
    “Oh?”
    “They’re not warrior caste,” Meyers said. “But they are Tei. No Shan would claim the title if they were not; I’ve learned that much about their culture.”
    So, she saw it the same as he, maybe. “I agree, but why do you think so?”
    “Nothing too complicated,” Meyers said as the elevator doors opened. They entered the car alone and selected the boat bay as their destination. “It’s silly really, but did you notice their harnesses?”
    Burgton hadn’t and he said so.
    “They weren’t new, yet both of them kept fiddling with the things as if unused to them. They were uncomfortable all through the presentation as if used to wearing the civilian kind.”
    Burgton chuckled. “So simple I didn’t pick up on it. I’m impressed, Admiral.”
    She shrugged. “Call me Alli, General. We’ve known each other long enough to be passed the rank thing.”
    “Then call me George,” Burgton replied. “I felt they weren’t what they seemed, but I didn’t notice the harness thing. Mind if I lay out a theory?”
    “Sure.”
    “I think you’re right about them. They are Tei but healer caste not warrior. I think the elders want eyes on us, but they went a step further. You know of their mind healers?”
    Meyers nodded but speculation was in her eyes. “You’re guessing of course, but it would be a smooth move on their part. I would have to applaud it if true.”
    Burgton grinned. “We really shouldn’t. It’s tantamount to spying.”
    Meyers chuckled. “If they did it to me I would call them on it, but they’re doing it to Kuzov. The Shan are allies, George. They won’t learn anything they won’t soon have a right to know anyway. If this gives them a leg up on understanding us, more power to them.”
    “You admire them very much.”
    “Hard not to, there’s a lot that’s admirable. If it was me and not Kuzov, I would invite them to come out into the open about what they’re doing. It wouldn’t offend me to host a mind healer as liaison, might be interesting, but doing it behind Kuzov’s back risks his anger. I’m not sure how he would react to learn of this.”
    “Hmmm. I won’t out them to Kuzov, but I agree. I think we should suggest they explain this to the elders. They should find a warrior caste replacement for Kuzov before he does figure it out. He’s no fool.”
    “Let’s catch up to them,” Meyers said and they increased their pace.
    They caught up with the two Shan in the boat bay waiting for a shuttle to come free. Burgton had seen busy boat bays before, but to the Shan, the taxiing spacecraft and bustle of crewmen waving their batons to shepherd them into parking areas was still a novelty. Burgton took a moment, trying to see things through alien eyes.
    The snub-nosed shuttles were white above and black below the point where their swing-wings attached to the fuselage, a result of the nanocoat used to protect them against the fires of re-entry. Nanocoat did darken with heat, but that wasn’t why the shuttles were painted two-tone. It was to differentiate