brink of bankruptcy the past twenty-five turns. These groves she planted for the benefit of the Crown. As you can see, these are gishi fruit trees."
"But I heard Reah was an operative for the ASD," Hild Marolla remarked.
"She was, before her first set of twins were born. Now, three sets of twins later, all girls I might add, she works special projects for the ASD. All of those things she said to the doctor are quite true. Reah doesn't lie. I find that nurse's actions reprehensible, and I would be glad to extradite her to Kifirin, where she will be charged with crimes against a citizen," Jayd said. "Reah will never be able to work undercover for the ASD again, since that program revealed her identity. I find that unusual in the extreme. Have they explained why that happened? I'd prefer to bring charges against that network as well, if I could."
The image changed again, to Norian's office at Lissa's palace. Norian sat behind his desk, dressed in his ASD uniform.
"Director, thank you for taking the time to speak with me," Hild Marolla said.
"I feel it is the least I can do. Reah deserves much better than she's received, don't you think? Dantel Schuul, his daughter and the others who were determined to enslave both Alliances, brought down by my best operative, who is then ridiculed in exchange because she requires a bit of therapy? What would you do, sir, if you were violated and made ill, and then were forced to fight off hundreds in order to keep seventy women and both Alliances safe? If she hadn't acted as she did, where do you think we'd be right now?"
"Is she truly married to Teeg San Gerxon? I ask you that because you are in a position to know."
"Of course Reah is Teeg's wife. Has been for more than twenty-five turns. Both Alliances recognize multiple mates. Reah's daughters are all High Demon, but as you heard in the vids released by that awful program, she is pregnant again. This child belongs to Teeg San Gerxon, and he is justifiably angry that his wife was treated in this manner. As are we. As King Jayd aptly stated, Reah's cover is now gone. Our best operative will no longer be able to work undercover for us. Both Alliances will suffer because of this, but you haven't seen everything yet, Mr. Marolla. I have vid images here that will greatly interest you. Reah, in that state you witnessed as she guarded women and protected the Alliances, can also do wondrous things. To our knowledge, she is the only creature besides the Larentii who can bring dying worlds back to life. This one I especially want to show to you. Watch." Norian flipped on the vid-screen behind his desk. I whimpered as I recognized where I'd been in that vid. Xordthe.
"Here are the records, and these are available through the Science Institute on Xordthe, of the dying core twenty-six turns ago. The ASD knew that Zellar had tapped into it, but that information wasn't shared since Xordthe wasn't a member of the Campiaan Alliance at the time. This predates the Campiaan Alliance by several moon-turns, actually. Now, watch this. You see Teeg San Gerxon there—he is tracking one of Zellar's trainees. Zellar taught several how to tap cores of planets in order to enhance their power. The other men are two of San Gerxon's bodyguards. And this," the camera moved, capturing me, sitting on the ground and glowing in full Thifilatha, "is Reah, who is repairing the core with her own power. I have readings, before and after, for every world where Reah has repaired the core. These include Tulgalan, Karathia, Bardelus, Mazareal, Campiaa, Cloudsong, Thiskil, Xordthe, Shillverr and Roorthi. All the information is provided on this comp-vid and is available on each of those worlds except Cloudsong and Thiskil, because Reah repaired those after the populations had ceased to exist. Those worlds lie as a warning to the others of what might have happened to them if Reah hadn't intervened. And just so everyone knows, Reah did those repairs on her own time. She was never compensated for any of it."
"Is it possible to speak with her?" Hild Marolla sounded breathless as he flipped through record after record on the comp-vid Norian had given him.
"I don't think she is willing at this point. We sold her out, did we not? I know where she is, but her mates are protecting her, as you