"Well, that's not true. We're all individuals."
"Your past does not exactly lend itself to our believing that."
Rosemary sighed. "I know. But there's nothing I can do about it. I can't and won't deny it or pretend it didn't happen."
Selendis eyed her, and yet again Rosemary felt her measure was being taken. The protoss continued.
"As I said, your thoughts will all be read. That is one thing you must be prepared for. The other thing is, they will do their best to unsettle you, to keep you off balance. Do not permit yourself to be intimidated, and if you do, in Tassadar's name do not become adversarial. Yet also, do not be overly meek. If you win their respect, they will be more likely to give credence to your request."
"Great. Diplomacy. I'm not good at it."
"They will know that too. There are those who will be ready to take your side and those who will be ready to oppose you. We are... not quite yet the united people Adun and Tassadar had hoped we would become." The executor's thoughts were laced with just the barest hint of pain and regret, quickly covered. "But even the dark templar respect preservers. You have an advantage in that the truth of what you say can be verified. Engage them, do not alienate them, and I am hopeful of the outcome."
Engage, but don't alienate. Rosemary made a wry face. Much, much easier said—or in this case thought—than done. She settled back in the overlarge chair, still facing the window but no longer seeing the images that passed below her.
She'd been before the Heir Apparent to the Terran Dominion and stood her ground. She'd killed—or at least thought she'd killed—a man she'd loved in cold blood. She'd lobbed grenades at zerg, piloted a ship under attack, and done any number of other things that required nerves of paristeel.
Why, then, did anticipating this audience make her stomach knot?
She realized it was because before, the only thing that had been at stake was herself. Her life, her fortunes, her feelings. But this time, more—much more—than that rested on how she'd impress this High Muckety-Muck Hierarchy. This time, maybe the whole universe rested on her shoulders.
And even more than that.. Jake's life rested on that.
"Fighting zerg was easier," she muttered.
CHAPTER 13
ROSEMARY PACED IN THE ANTECHAMBER OF what Selendis had told her was the dark templar's citadel. It had been fascinating to watch the ship maneuver in for a landing—the entire citadel was erected atop a gigantic hovering disk. She'd been shunted off to this room, and had been told to wait. And wait.
Vartanil watched her in sympathetic silence. "Protoss protocol moves at a glacial pace," she muttered.
"I must agree with you, Rosemary," Vartanil said. "I have spent the last four years on Aiur, where sometimes a fraction of a second meant life or death. There was no option for hesitancy or slow deliberation. Not even among the Tal'darim, where we were somewhat safer than our brethren on the surface." He added, "Safer, of course, being a relative term. We did not need to fear the zerg, only our own Xava'tor."
She nodded absently, wondering if she'd made the right decision in coming in her worn, stained leather outfit rather than the graceful protoss clothing. She shook her head at herself, her silky, gleaming black hair flying with the gesture. It wasn't like her to second-guess her decisions. This whole situation had put her off her stride. It was time to pull herself together. Too much was at stake for her to walk into that hall rattled and fretting about clothing choices.
"Rosemary Dahl, they will see you now." The mental voice belonged to one of Selendis's templar who had accompanied her in the ship. Rosemary turned and nodded. She took a deep breath and forced composure on herself as she had so many times in the past.
"Let's do this thing."
The templar turned to the Furinax. "Vartanil, you also are requested to appear."
"I?" Vartanil's hands fluttered in agitation. "But...I am no one important! Why do they want to see me?"
"Because you know firsthand what Ulrezaj did to those who followed him. And because you have chosen to support Rosemary. Your experience is important in their decision."
Vartanil turned lambent eyes to Rosemary. For her mind alone, he sent, "It is my greatest hope that nothing I bring to this meeting jeopardizes your chances of recovering Professor Ramsey."
"I know," Rosemary said. She couldn't hide her own worry, and unfortunately that did nothing but add to Vartanil's agitation. "But hey, you could be a great help too. Let's just go find out, okay?"
Vartanil nodded. The templar beckoned, and Rosemary and the former Tal'darim followed him.
They strode down a long corridor that was wide and yet somehow confining. Little decor was on the walls here; this was a purely functional route, merely an entrance to the chambers. Wide but oddly cramped feeling, the design of the corridor was a security measure, she realized. Petitioners or perhaps even honored guests would be monitored every step of the way.
When they emerged, Rosemary blinked at the sight that met her eyes.
She had seen displays of wealth and power before, and she was not one to be easily intimidated by such things. Ethan's compound had dripped wealth on lavish display, and Valerian's private study, while more tasteful and understated, was filled with items that were actually even more valuable than anything Ethan possessed.
But this...
The door, deceptively modest and undecorated on this side, opened onto something straight out of a dream. The dark templar obviously fostered craftsmen every bit as talented as the khalai. She couldn't take a guess at how old this building was, nor how long it had taken to erect, but it was magnificent. Where the corridor had felt narrow, this room was cavernous. Soft black carpeting rendered her footfalls silent as she moved forward, not breaking stride despite the shock of the place's grandeur.
The enormous room, large enough to be a building on its own, was circular. Above arched a dome made of faceted crystals. Unlike most of the crystals Rosemary had seen so far, these were not opaque and radiant but translucent, to let in as much natural light as possible. More illumination was provided by the more familiar crystals, scattered throughout the hall on intricately crafted metal stands. Alcoves ran the entirety of the circular hall, and in each one sat a protoss on a huge chair, surrounded by several attendants. Rosemary's eyes darted around, finally coming to rest on a figure at the far end on a dais. Standing beside him was Selendis, who turned to Rosemary. Though she appeared tiny because the place was so damn big, Rosemary recognized her immediately; her armor was distinctive, and she was the only female present in any position of authority.
Selendis's thoughts brushed hers. "They will not read your thoughts until you are formally introduced. Do not be afraid, Rosemary Dahl. All here are aware of the situation, and many are already sympathetic toward your goal."
"And some aren't."
"Yes. But you knew that. The truth is your ally in this case. Present it calmly, and I have high hopes they will listen to you."
Present it calmly. That was the trick, wasn't it?
Selendis stepped lithely down from her position and strode to the center of the chamber. Her thoughts rang out as loudly and clearly as if she had shouted them.
"Templar, judicators, khalai, dark templar—thank you for assembling here today to acknowledge the petitioner. She has traveled far and endured much, and stands before you to respectfully ask you to pay heed to her requests. She is terran, and female, but beside her stands a protoss who has willingly chosen to stay with her, based entirely upon what he has endured. What they know, you will soon know. I believe their request to be a true and honorable one."