"I don't care if he's in a meeting, I don't care if I don't have clearance, and I really don't care if I step on your strange-shaped protoss toes. You're going to take me to him right now or else I'll—"
"Rosemary!" Jake cried, delight filling him and chasing away for the moment even the lingering throbbing ache in his temples. He pushed through the little throng, straining to see past the tall bodies of the protoss acolytes blocking his view. Down there, a group of alysaar clustered around several newcomers, including a tall, strangely-clad dark templar and a female templar in glittering gold and blue armor. And in the center, as they milled about, he caught just a glimpse of a sleek black head.
She, too, pushed her way through and they hurried toward each other. He slowed and stopped, and so did she. They stared at each other for a moment. Jake wanted to hug her, and he thought maybe she wanted that too, but just as he stepped forward she shoved her hands in her back pockets and grinned up at him.
"About time you got here," Jake said softly. He drank her in—the short, glossy black hair, the large blue eyes, the Cupid's bow mouth, the petite but, God help him, gorgeous figure that was snugly wrapped in formfitting leather.
"Yeah," she said. "When this is all over, remind me to never, ever get caught up in protoss red tape again."
Jake's smile broadened. He realized with a hitch in his chest that he hadn't honestly thought he'd ever see her again. He couldn't help it. He closed the short but enormous gap between them, and swept Rosemary Dahl, assassin, traitor, drug addict, trusted ally, and holder of his heart, into his arms and embraced her tightly.
And to his astonishment and delight, she didn't resist.
CHAPTER 18
AFTER NOT NEARLY LONG ENOUGH, ROSEMARY drew back. Jake released her at once, feeling his face grow hot, and distracted himself by regarding the newcomers.
"Jacob Jefferson Ramsey," the dark templar said in a voice that was as dry as the strips of fabrics with which he had chosen to wrap himself. "Your journey has brought you here to the Alys'aril, the holiest of holies among my people. I am sure you and Zamara are properly grateful. I am Mohandar, and I, Selendis, Razturul, and Vartanil have accompanied Rosemary Dahl on her journey to locate you and the preserver who has chosen you for her host. I thought to arrive before you, but clearly, Zeratul is a step ahead of me."
Zeratul smiled slightly and inclined his head. "It is not I, but Zamara who is a step ahead of all of us, my old friend. She sought me out. She and Jacob have roused me from my lethargy. We only arrived ourselves a short time ago."
"Indeed?" Something flickered in the depths of Mohandar's eyes. He turned to Jake. "I have been informed that you possess knowledge vital to the safety of our people, preserver. It is because of that information that I have revealed this site to Selendis and the other Aiur protoss. I hope I did not give that secret away too lightly."
Jake's legs trembled. They started to buckle as the headache hit. He hissed at the sharp pain, reaching out and grasping Zeratul's arm for support. Selendis's eyes narrowed; she hadn't missed the gesture.
"You spoke truly," Selendis said. Her mental voice was strong and yet soothing, definitely female but one used to command. It reminded him of Rosemary's. She read the thought and he sensed she didn't like the comparison, but she continued on. "The host is unwell. Have you determined whether or not you can successfully transfer Zamara's essence before it is too late?"
"The host has a name," Rosemary growled.
"Indeed he does," said Zamara, and her possessiveness and care for Jake couldn't be mistaken. "He is Jacob Jefferson Ramsey, and regardless of the outcome today, his name should be remembered by all protoss—not just preservers. He has sacrificed much in the bearing of me. We must hurry. I have no wish to see him suffer a moment more than is necessary."
"I agree. And I will take my leave of you now, so that you may attend to this."
Jake stared up at Zeratul. "You're leaving?"
Zeratul nodded. His eyes were kind. "I must. My lingering here will help nothing—I cannot be part of this transference. If it fails, I cannot help; if it succeeds, I cannot better that outcome."
Mohandar was nodding. "You will best serve on Shakuras, Zeratul. We need your wisdom in the Hierarchy—you are respected by all."
Zeratul shook his head. "I will not be returning to Shakuras, either. Soon, I give you my word—but not yet. There are some things, too long pushed aside, that I must investigate in order to help strengthen Zamara's statements. I can add verification of some of her assumptions, I believe. And the more we know, the better armed we are."
Mohandar was disappointed but nodded. "You know what I do not.. .yet. If this is what you must do, then go. Adun toridas."
Zamara agreed with Zeratul's statement, but Jake was sad to see Zeratul go. The dark templar hesitated, then spoke for Jake's mind only.
"I owe you a debt, human," he said quietly. "Who knows how long I would have sat alone, staring at the waterfall and pink skies, wrapped in my misery as in a blanket. That is not who I am, and you helped remind me of that. Your kind is a young race yet, but already, a handful of individuals have proven to me and to others that you are a force to be reckoned with—and one that has inherent wisdom and potential. I was proud to call James Raynor a friend. I would be proud to call you that also."
His legs all but useless, his head pounding, Jake gazed up at the prelate. "I., .would be proud as well," he said.
"Zeratul," said Zamara, "in case the transference is not successful, let me share with you one last thing. I think it may be of great importance. Jake—I am sorry, this will hurt."
"Go for it," Jake said, bracing himself.
The image filled his mind and Zeratul's. It was a distant, dusty world, like a hundred other worlds but for the strange rock formations that seemed too lovely to be coincidental. But nature did that; it was why humans could see rabbits in clouds and the faces ofholy figures in frost patterns. Jake, the scientist, knew that. He knew it as he beheld the landscape, his gaze traveling across the swirls and whorls and formations, one of which dominated the landscape and looked to his scholarly eyes like a beast out of legend—a white, winged horse—
"Hey!" he exclaimed in his mind to Zamara and Zeratul. "I know this place—this is Pegasus! I led a dig there...."
He watched as the guided vision bore his gaze away from the natural Pegasus statue and gasped slightly. There, gleaming and bright and green and vibrant, and God help him, alive, was a xel'naga temple.
It had most definitely not been there when Jake was leading the expedition. It had to have recently been unearthed—by an earthquake, perhaps, or storms, or perhaps it just simply decided it was tired of lying undiscovered and unappreciated and shoved its way through the earth under its own energies. With all that Jake had learned in the last several weeks, nothing would surprise him.
He pressed a hand to his temple, breathing through his nose to try to will away the pain of sharing the vision. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Rosemary watching him worriedly. He wished she didn't have to see this.
"I am sorry you were not able to investigate the site, Jacob, but at least you can tell us exactly where to find it. That this has come to light so recently seems to be of great importance," Zamara said.
Jake easily shared the information with Zeratul, absurdly pleased as, for the first time, he had something real and concrete from his own field of expertise to contribute. Zeratul bowed deeply to him.