Kensho Part Two
Liam had been nervousabout dealing with humans without Ondry, but he had promised himself that he would not allow his past to turn him into a frightened rabbit hiding behind Ondry his whole life. So he had insisted on coming alone. Liam was glad he had.
As he followed Colonel Ito to the car, he saw how people watched him. They were shocked. Awed. A little scared. They twitched and backed away.
Liam liked being seven-feet-tall.
That wasn’t the healthiest reaction. However, it did give him confidence he had lacked the last time he had negotiated with humans. Of course that time he had been dealing with an entire room full of high-powered generals and politicians. Now he only had Colonel Ito.
Unlike those generals who had spent days arguing the finer points of a deal with the Grandmothers, Ito had a quieter presence. His silences were thoughtful—not predatory. Perhaps he hid his greed better. If Ito lacked ambition, he never would have made it to colonel, after all.
“After you.” Ito gestured to a ground car. A year ago, Liam would have described it as opulent and unnecessarily large, but now he had to hunch down and slide into the seat while Ito walked around to sit behind the driver. Most transport used computer guidance systems, so if Command had sent a chauffeured car, they were concerned, either about ensuring Liam’s safety or about some threat to the Rownt trade relationship. No doubt Command valued the latter far more.
“Sir,” the driver greeted Colonel Ito as he settled in.
“Tsang Gallery, 181st and Jollety Drive.”
“Yes, sir.”
Out of the window, Liam watched the military personnel walking briskly from one building to another. When Liam had first joined Command, he had always felt like everyone had a task and a purpose except him. He wondered how many others had felt the same.
“You signed up at the station near here, didn’t you?” Colonel Ito asked.
“I did,” Liam said, even though the boy who had signed the enlistment paperwork with a shaking hand had been someone else. “So, who is Aizen...?” Liam hesitated to pronounce the second half of the name. It was not an English name, and he didn’t want to offend Ito if this person was someone of historical or religious significance.
“Aizen Myo-o,” Ito said. “He is one of the Wisdom Kings remembered by the Buddhists. His name translates as the Love-stained Wisdom King.”
Liam raised his eyebrows. “Stain is an interesting word.” And one that made Liam wonder if Ito was trying to insult him. Zach had commented that several people in the linguistic program had wondered if Liam and Ondry had a sexual relationship and associating love with stain would suggest corruption of love in some way. If Ito hoped to exchange insults, Liam would happily insult him back. He just needed to be sure first.
“Spoken like a linguist,” Ito said with a laugh. “I am not a master who understands secrets of Buddhism; however, I know that Aizen is the patron of erotic love.”
Rather than continue to dance around the issue, Liam asked directly, “Are you referencing the rumors about my relationship with Ondry?”
Ito did a double take and his eyes widened.
“I can promise you human and Rownt sexuality is highly incompatible,” Liam said. That was technically correct, and Ito could draw his own incorrect conclusions. “I could point you at some disturbing pornography starring Rownt. They tend to have sex in public because it has no function other than reproduction. The vids used to get passed around on the human base on Prarownt.”
Ito cleared his throat. “It is passed around on many bases. However, Aizen is also the being who can help people avoid the pain that comes with unhealthy love. He transforms physical desire into spirituality and pure love as well as helping to ensure a peaceful home and good business fortunes.”
