The Big Meow

“Because I’ve been set up for it,” Rhiow said. “The last time we got caught in this kind of situation, I wound up playing that role for the Queen Herself, remember? Apparently this has rendered me unusually suitable to contain the Lone One this time.”

“Wait just a minute,” Arhu said. “Last time I did the Lone One! I have previous experience –“

“Not enough for this,” Rhiow said. “It’s settled, Arhu. And so’s the script for this little drama.” She cocked an eye at Urruah. “We root the gate in your chosen site and power it up. When the incursion starts, I take sa’Rraah into me, manifest Her here, and synch Her with the gate to let the arriving guest know that Its welcoming committee is on site. Then the Outside One comes through the gate to accept the gift She’s delivering It. And when It does, and It gets physical enough to affect, you shove the claudication into our gate and mesh it to the incursion – “ From Hwaith, who was looking suddenly stricken, Rhiow looked back to Urruah. “’Blooey.’”

Everyone sat quiet for a moment. Then Urruah said with great enthusiasm, “I’m excited about this plan! I’m proud to be a part of this plan!”

Aufwi threw him a wry look, probably secondary to some tom joke. “…And then what?” said Siffha’h, who’d wandered out with Aufwi to see what was going on.

The question cheered Rhiow strangely, though at this point the cheer was irrational. “Then we clean up the mess,” Rhiow said. “What else? Probably the whole area will need major temporospatial patching. But for a team who once helped tidy up all of Central Park after an incursion by crazed dinosaurs – “ and she glanced at Ith with amusement – “none of us should even have sweaty pads afterwards.” She flirted her tail.

Her team and Helen looked at one another. “Water bowl full inside?” Rhiow said. “I could use a drink. Then we have a lot to do…”

She strolled back to the house, in the French doors, headed past the Silent Man’s empty chair into the kitchen, put her head down in the water bowl and drank and drank, for her mouth was very dry.

“Rhiow – “

She finished drinking before she looked up at Hwaith.

“I wish you wouldn’t do this,” he said.

“I truly don’t see that I have much of a choice.”

“Let me rephrase that,” Hwaith said after a moment. “I really, really wish you didn’t have to do this.”

So do I! she wanted to shout.

“Of course,” Hwaith said very quietly, “that’s not anything you’re going to say, especially in front of your team. But regardless, you should know that someone hears.”

“The way you did inside the Silent Man’s mind,” Rhiow said. And just now. “Hwaith… I don’t forget what you did there – “

Hwaith’s ears went back: then he shrugged his tail and turned away. “Please,” he said, “don’t thank me again. I’m just sorry – “ He stopped, started again. “It should have occurred to me that this would never work, that there was no way you could – “

He moved away. “I really am sorry,” he said, not looking back. “We’ve got work to do. I am a wizard, and you can count on me to do my part, regardless of other matters. Just so you know. But it’s a pity that things aren’t otherwise…”

“Hwaith,” Rhiow said after a moment.

He stopped, his tail twitching, but didn’t turn.

“There’s no point in this,” Rhiow said. “We may win tonight. But even if we do win, it’s likely enough that I won’t survive. I’ve come away from containing a god once. But twice? And when the Power involved is sa’Rraah, and very likely to shatter the vessel out of spite once its job’s done?” She was trying to sound calm, and trying to be kind; but now, now that the time was getting so close, she couldn’t entirely keep the fear out of her voice. “Surely you understand that I can’t see the point in planning very far ahead.”

He did turn, then. His eyes, too, were filled with fear. But there was something else there: stubbornness. He simply was not going to give up. “Maybe you can’t, right now,” Hwaith said. “I can understand that. But there’s no harm in having a plan, Rhiow. The worst it can do is fail.”

She stared at him.

Hwaith gazed back for a moment, and then turned again to go out.

Rhiow watched him, and a curious feeling began to rise in her – a desire, in the face of the overshadowing darkness, to do something utterly nonsensical just this once. So much of being a team leader involved being careful, being sensible, not being distracted by your own wishful thinking, covering all the possibilities. Yet isn’t this a possibility? she thought. An insane one. And Iau only knows how it could ever come to fruition. But still. Still –

And especially when there was someone else who had such faith in her, regardless of everything that was happening — to deny that, to deny hope, to deny him, suddenly it just felt wrong –

“Hwaith,” Rhiow said.

He stopped, looked back one last time.

She put her whiskers forward. “Go on. Make that plan.”

Evening drew near.