Chapter 1; prologue; The war to come
In a sand ridden plain surrounded by small rocky mountains just outside Dhaigren, the Dreamlands, the Gaalsien gathered. The place they gathered was barren land of sand, rock and heat like so much of their world was, a place that usually was devoid of human presence, save for the occasional communications antennae, the windmills that supplied the Gaalsien with power and vapor traps that collected what moisture there was for drinking water. This was a place that was death to those that came unprepared for its wrath, a place where none would venture without cause and none but the dead would linger once their cause no longer troubled them. And still the Gaalsien came, for their Kiith – Sa had proclaimed that he would speak to his people of a matter of great importance in this place. For four days they had been arriving, more of them arriving ever hour, until the people were stretching as far as the eye could see, a vast sea in a world that knew no true oceans except those of sand,. A hundred thousand men and women of the kiith Gaalsien, the ghosts of the desert. A hundred thousand of the faithful, the defenders of the ways of the Great Maker Sajuuk, the ways of humility, faith and repentance that the other kiithid of Kharak had so foolishly turned away from. All of the Gaalsien that could reasonably make the journey were there. Recordings would be made of the event to come for those who could attend in person, and many more would likely take personal recordings so that they could have a memento of this day of significance. A great gathering indeed. No doubt the heretical satellites the northerners had arrogantly lifted to the skies to look and spy upon them had alerted the heretics of this gathering of force. How fitting then, that their sin, the reason for their undoing, brought word of their impending doom.
The front rows were reserved for their soldiers, for this was their day, and the message that was to be given was theirs to hear first and foremost. They were present in great numbers, dressed in their green uniforms, many of them carrying rifles and other weapons of war even here. Their red and black machines of war littered the plain, carrying even more of the warriors of kiith Gaalsien on top of them. Together they numbered over thirty thousand, one in five of all Gaalsien, a great army even in the histories of war – torn Kharak, and thousands more lingered in outpost across their territories, keeping a watchful eye on their enemies. Thirty thousand swords had gathered, as went the old way of stating the number of warriors an army held.
This was the army that would bring the arrogant, profane North to its knees.
Each Gaalsien here knew why they had been summoned. It was obvious, because the cause had existed for a long time, and the response to that cause was inevitable. They were there because duty to Kiith and Kiith – Sa demanded they arrive when summoned, because they wanted to hear the words with their own ears, so they could believe and so they could say that they were there when the day came at last.
The day when the Gaalsien went to war.
On a rocky mountain were gathered the heads of the families of kiith Gaalsien. On the highest point of that mountain sat a lone figure, sitting on a red carpet suspended twenty or thirty centimeters above ground. Large pieces of red cloth had been arranged above and around the carpet as protection against the sun. The figure was dressed in an outfit that combined the traditional outfit of a Sa and the practical technology required to survive the deep desert: A white robe, black gloves and a black breathing mask that covered the features of the figures face. This was K'had Sajuuk, the prophet and voice of the god whose hand shapes what is and the Gaalsien – Sa. He spoke to his people, his voice echoing and repeating through loudspeakers installed across the plain:
"Noble and kind people of the desert, the North is suffering. Even now, as their cities thirst for water and their citizens choke on the encroaching desert sands, we seek only peace. Their ascent into space was a violation of the will of Sajuuk. Unchecked, they will bring his wrath down upon us all. War has been forced upon us. The North will know us now, no longer as brothers, but by counting the number of their dead. May there be peace on Kharak, once again."
With that the plain became alive with the cheering of a hundred thousand throats. One word was heard above all others, a name chanted by the people as they were filled with zeal and excitement: K'had, K'had, K'had! Again and again the name was sounded, the Gaalsien celebrating the glory of their mighty leader.
Some distance to the side stood a woman in a dark military uniform, a helmet with an inbuilt visor and a breather unit in the crook of one arm, surrounded by a number of other high ranking officers. Her hair was long and blonde, currently flying freely in the morning wind. Her skin was of a pale tone, a feature that would have been unusual anywhere else on Kharak, but not among the Gaalsien. It was the result of generations of living indoors, away from the sun and the murderous heat of the great banded desert. Her name was Khagaan; her rank was that of lady – protector. Lady – and Lord –protectors were among the highest ranking Gaalsien officers, those who were in charge of Gaalsien combat formations of several carriers. The northerner equivalent rank would have been that of an admiral. She closed her cold, hard eyes, leaned her head back and listened to her people cheering in unison, a smile on her lips. There was such power in this moment, of people uniting in action. It was worth going to war to witness such a moment.
Turning her head, she could see that K'had had stood up and was coming her way. "Walk with me" he said to her as he passed, and she turned to follow, matching his pace. The other high ranking officers followed a respectful distance away. Their turn to speak with their Kiith – Sa would come, but this moment was reserved for these two alone.
"Were my words to your liking?" he asked her as they walked.
"Very much so" replied Khagaan, "though I must admit some surprise".
"Oh?"
With a nod, Khagaan, continued:" We go to war with the Kiithid of the North, as we have cause to. They after all blaspheme against Sajuuk and would doom us all with their arrogant ways. However you claimed that we only sought peace, even though it was we who declared war upon them. You expressed a desire for peace to return even as you ordered a war to begin. Pardon my lack of understanding, but saying one thing and doing another seems contradictory. So why phrase yourself as you did? Do we not seek the destruction of the North for their sinning? "
Sighing to collect his thoughts, K'had responded: "No, we seek not the destruction of the North, but their salvation. The Kiith clans of the North are still our people. They have been misled, and they have misled themselves. To save this world, they have to be returned to a proper course. Slaughter might be necessary to force their eyes open, but we do so that Sajuuks anger might be avoided, and those that survive might go on living, this time as our creator willed it to be. The Gaalsien banner might lead the remaining faithful of this world, but it was never meant to stand as the lonely banner in the desert. Rather we must lead the banners of other Kiith back to his light, so that they might all reflect his gentle luminescence, cleansed and free of sin. Annihilation is not what we seek. You have ever been a warrior, Khagaan. Long have you defended our lands against the ambitions of the North. Because of this you see their kind as an enemy that you must crush. Your warrior heart shines through, as always, and it shall carve a path through the darkness to victory. Yet now you must be more than a warrior. You must understand that our true enemy is, and has ever been, the arrogance of the northerners. It is this enemy that we must promptly crush, before fire falls from the heavens. It is a sad truth that arrogance is a sickness that dwells in the hearts and minds of men and women, and cannot be driven out with words alone. To drive out arrogance from its throne in the North, many must be silenced forever, but we shall grieve for each that falls, for we are teachers that seek to shock our disciples awake from their slumber of lies, so that the truth might be made known to them. And this is how I can wish for peace while declaring a war. As I said, war is an action we are forced to take for the good of all. But peace is what I truly desire: a lasting peace, guided by Sajuuk's commandments."
"I see", Khagaan said, her expression thoughtful, "it's difficult to think of them this way, though I have heard of similar statements from others of our Kiith. And what shall be my task in this war to save them from themselves?"
"You shall lead your strike force against the bases the northerners have established beyond the frontier wall, in our territory. Attend to the destruction of those bases and vanquish all enemy forces you find within." "My decision disappoints you?" K'had asked after noting her expression.
"I…had hoped to lead my forces to breach the frontier wall itself, or strike beyond it, against Tiir or one of the other great cities of the north" Khagaan admitted. "The destruction of these bases is of value, this is true, but it is not where the decisive battles of this war will take place."
"Your wishes are understandable, but this matter may prove to be far more important. Indeed, it may be that the invasion of the North is but a sideshow of this conflict. We have learned of an expedition deep into our territories being planned, similar to the one that was attempted earlier. This is what prompted us to go to war. Five new carriers are at the heart of this expedition force, currently housed within the bases you are to destroy. Those carriers must never reach their destination. You must also discover the expeditions intended target, what it is and most importantly where? Only after this is done are you to join the offensive against the North"
"And what of the prisoner we took from the prior expedition, Jacob S'jet I believe he was called?" asked Khagaan. "He likely does know where the expedition is going; assuming of course the target of the two expeditions is the same one."
"He likely possesses that information, yes" agreed K'had, "However my interrogators assure me that for the time being he has told us all that he is going to. To push him further might kill him. His secrets benefit no one in the grave. Besides, in this matter I cannot rely on the word of a man that has every reason to lie to us. Word has reached my ears from families still loyal to us. They tell me that the goal of the enemy expedition might be none other than the site of Khar – Toba itself."
"The first city of Kharak, the sacred place where Sajuuk brought us after our downfall of pride? Could it be true? Could they have found it?" Khagaan asked, amazed.
"That is what you must discover" replied K'had. "If it is true, then we must act on this discovery".
Khagaan stopped, turning to face the Gaalsien – Sa, taking his arm as she did, her expression one of awe. "So not only am I to stop the expedition that started all this and prevent the violation of the holiest place we know, but I am also to bring you its location, the place where it has been said you can ascend to rule over all of Kharak?" K'had simply nodded in response. She went to one knee. "Truly I am honored! I am honored beyond words! I apologize for my earlier misgivings. I am hardly worthy of being given such a great mission to undertake".
Laughing, K'had spoke again: "Rise. Rest assured that you are worthy of this. All the responsibilities you have claimed for yourself, you have earned through your actions. You are the mightiest of my warriors and the most devout of my followers. I know with certainty that you will make me proud in this war, as you have always done, ever since the day you were born. Truly Sajuuk has blessed me to grant me such a fine and loyal daughter."
Smiling, Khagaan lifted up the hood of her uniform, pushing her long hair under the hood with the other arm, and then she donned her helmet. Her next words came through distorted by the helmet's inbuilt speakers, giving her voice a strange electronic tone, like listening a machine speak: "I shall bring you glory father. You and our Kiith"