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a woman caught in the midst of carnage and horror. Think about what Fedara has
been through. Think about how much she has suffered, and what she has had to
see, and to do. Think about how we found her in the
Fortune Favors
.
We saved her from a horrible, lingering death. We stood beside her. Why would
she turn on us?"
"Why would a mother destroy her family and frame her daughter for her actions?
Why would people choose to become blood-drinking monsters or seek torture and
murder innocents?" Badger took my hands in his and said, "All the good will in
the world will not change the fact that power is a drug that demands greater
and greater doses, and cares less and less for the cost of each dose. Gifted
with immortality, tempted by the almost god-like power that Legend II could
give her, how will Fedara destroy herself? At first, she'll tell herself that
she doesn't need to kill in order to live." Badger sighed.
"She'll tell herself a lot of things, I imagine, and convince herself that
what she does she does for good reason. She'll turn herself into a hero in her
own mind; she'll see herself as someone who suffered unfairly, who deserves to
be repaid for her pain."
I could see Fedara through his eyes, and I could see the things he described
happening. I didn't want to see them, and I didn't want to believe that they
were possible. If I did, then I had to think that perhaps we should have shot
her with the serum when we shot Danniz and his cronies.
I thought hard, looking for the hole in his argument, desperately needing to
find one. After a moment, I
thought I had it. "You're saying that because of what she is, she'll be pulled
away from who she is.
You're saving that because she has become a vampire, she will not be able to
hold onto her hatred of
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Lisle, Holly - Hunting the Corrigan's Blood killing. That she will become a
monster whether she chooses that path or not. But I cannot believe that's
true. Some people choose evil while others choose good. Some never choose at
all, but are blown one way or the other as circumstances dictate. But she has
chosen a path away from evil. Why shouldn't she be able to follow that path?"
Badger said, "These are ancient words, but their age doesn't make them any
less true. Power corrupts.
Absolute power corrupts absolutely. I'm not saying that she will consciously
choose to become evil
that she will suddenly turn into one of those murdering monsters we left in
the
Fortune Favors
. But she is no longer human, and the realities of being human will slip
further from her memory every day. Her choices, even if they are choices made
with the best of intentions, will begin to reflect that fact. She will
realize, either sooner or later, that she no longer shares a common bond with
the creatures she must consider her prey if she is to survive. And sooner or
later, she will realize that what is good for her and what is good for her
prey are worlds apart. And because she has enormous power, she will use that
power to help her survive."
I could not deny his logic. "And sooner or later she will come to see us as a
threat to her survival, and whether or not we saved her life will be
incidental when weighed against the fact that we know how to destroy her."
Badger nodded, saying nothing.
"When do we start to watch our back then? How long until she decides we have
to die in order for her to live?"
"We start watching our back now," Badger said. "And we never stop. Not ever."
"Well reasoned," a rich contralto said. "Poorly timed, my dear, but very well
reasoned."
Badger and I jerked around to face down the corridor toward the bridge.
My mother stood there, smiling, a laser rifle in her hands.
My mind threw a thousand questions at me, and I don't doubt that most of them
flashed across my face, for my mother started to laugh.
"I know you didn't expect to see me again, Tanasha." she said. "Dear daughter,
you cannot imagine how it hurts me to see in your eyes such a plain wish that
I was dead. I would think you'd rejoice to see me alive; after all, I'm the
only family you have left." Her laughter grew richer and merrier.
I carried my kit bag over my right shoulder, which was still turned slightly
away from her. In my kit bag lay the dart gun, and with it a handful of
anti-virus darts already loaded into one of my makeshift speed-
loaders. Right on top. In easy reach. I'd have to load the first dart with
just the one hand, and without
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Lisle, Holly - Hunting the Corrigan's Blood letting her know what I was doing.
I said, "I have to admit I'm surprised to see you. I thought for sure
Danniz Oe had killed you."
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