Schism: Part One of Triad by Catherine Asaro Page B

relinquished its claim, giving Lyshriol to me Skolians, but Brad had stayed on at Eldrinson’s request. In the years since, he had become a close friend of the family.
    Tanna appeared in the entrance of the hall, escorting Brad. Tall and well built, the administrator had dark skin, a wide nose, and tightly curled black hair sprinkled with gray. He came toward Eldrinson, his gait as strong and steady now as it had been thirty years ago. Except for a few lines on his face, he had hardly aged. It astounded Eldrinson what these offworlders could do. They had even slowed his own aging.
    He and Roca met Brad halfway down the hall. As soon as Eldrinson saw Brad’s face, he knew they had more trouble. “What happened?”
    Brad spoke grimly. “Someone stole a shroud from the port.”
    “Shroud?” Roca asked. “You mean the jammer?”
    Brad nodded. “The one for individual travelers. Its range is limited, but it gives powerful camouflage, more than enough to hide one person.”
    Eldrinson silently swore. “Do you think Shannon took it?”
     
    “It had to be someone who knew it was in a locker at the port,” Brad said.
    “Shannon does. I taught him the combination to die locker when he worked at me port last year.”
    Eldrinson felt as if a weight had setded on him. “Does tfus mean you can’t find him?” Say it isn’t true. The problem with these advanced systems was that offworlders had equally advanced gadgets to counter them.
    “With a jammer like that,” Roca said, “Shannon could make himself virtually invisible.”
    “We can still search with the flyer,” Brad said. “But you might have more luck on the ground. The jammer hides him from our sensors but it can’t make him invisible to your sight.”
    “Chaniece and I will help,” Del said.
    Denric came over, witii Aniece at his side. “I can ride with you as well.”
    Aniece looked from her parents to Brad. “Shannon wants to be an Archer.”
    Eldrinson knew she was right. “We’ll ride toward the Blue Dales.” He turned to Denric. “You and I can take an octet over the pass through die Backbone Mountains to the Rillian Vales.” He glanced at Del and Chaniece, grateful his children could help. “You two take a party norm in the Backbone, toward Castie Windward and the Blue Dale Mountains.”
    Roca spoke to Brad. “Is the flyer ready?”
    “Ready and waiting. The Ascendant is sending a shutde, too.”
    Eldrinson peered at him. “It’s what?” He had thought the Ascendant was a vessel high above Lyshriol.
    “The battie cruiser in the orbital defense system,” Roca said. “Its shutdes can do planetary work.”
    “The flyer is better adapted to working in die atmosphere,” Brad said, “but any help is good.” He hesitated. “I don’t know if diis matters, but I noticed something odd yesterday.”
    “Odd?” Roca asked. “What do you mean?”
    “A blip in the energy output of the electro-optic systems at die port. It happened about die time Altiior’s Jag took off.”
     
    :••’ Eldrinson tensed at the mention of the ship that had taken his children. “Was it the fighter?”
    “The ship took off fine.” Brad shrugged. “It might be nothing. Energy fluctuations often occur.” - a, “What made you notice this one?” Roca asked.
    “It seemed unusually sharp. But it vanished immediately.” .* Roca pushed her hand through her hair, disarraying it around her shoulders and arms. “A Jag has some high-powered systems. Many are classified, which means they might affect your systems in ways you can’t prepare for.”
    “Will it affect our search?” Eldrinson asked.
    “It shouldn’t,” Brad said.
    Eldrinson spoke quietly. “I apologize if my son sabotaged your port.” <•>; “I doubt Shannon would know how,” Denric said.
    “I hope not,” Roca said. ri Aniece was watching her father’s face. “You’ll find him.”
    Eldrinson managed a smile. “Yes. We will.” Despite his words, his heart felt heavy. Of all his sons,