(formerly under the title The Baby-killer)
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"Older men declare war, but it is the youth that must
fight and die."
-Unknown, obscure leader from Human
history.
___________________________________2__________________________________
The image flickered, froze, and flickered again.
A time gap revealed a new pose. Noise, garbeled and cracked, was compressed
into the
correct bandwidth and became sound. Her voice came first,
feminine and angry, followed by a holo-image.
She stood arms akimbo.
Suk urgently manipulated the console controls. A
hard task to do for a man with only two fingers on his right hand. His
shoulders
ached with the weight of his Ul'ek robe, and every fiber
in him urgently wanted to cough; to reject the growing mucus in his throat.
But he would not allow it -No!. Not until his audience
with herwas done.
High Chief Mija UL'0aziir's image solidified. Her
colores intensified and blurred, before becoming focused on the holo-platform.
She moved and her eyes found Suk's
"Why have I been kept waiting!?"
"My apologies High Chief. A flashstorm has caused much interference. I am receiving you now."
The hologram moved closer to Suk, crossed her arms and raised her chin.
"Report."
"The Omnet reporter has finished
his interview with the Archaen child. The footage is most promising.
I expect the Archaens to sign the
Non-agression Treaty within the week."
"I do not care what you expect Suk,
I only care about results. Had you succeeded on the Negoitator,
and captured their Dreamer, as we
planned, we could have used his knowledge to increase
production on our field projectors
ten fold. As for now, this treaty will have to do. What else is there?"
"My eldest son persuade the reporter
into recording footage of our work camp, and a benevolent interview
with a prison worker declaring his
fair treatment by us."
"Hmm ...at least there is that; transmit it, We will use it in our propoganda campagian against the D'kai."
Suk hesitated. His eyes avoided contact.
"Speak! ...say you thoughts."
"High Chief, it is our Warriors.
With our depleated ranks we have had to speed up our children's rites of
passage to Junior Warriors, and I
am afraid, rely on them considerably for guarding the alien workers.
We need re..."
"You fool!"
Suk physically flinched back.
"Has the cancer deluded your wit as much as your body?"
"I ...I do not understand?"
"I wish this to be so." leveled
the High Chief. "Our young warriors give us the moral advantage
over the AiD Pact forces. Do you think
they will willingly open fire on our children? And if so, think
of how we can use the footage of the
massacre in our campagain against them. No, keep the young
warriors in place and increase their
ranks if possible."
"But, High Chief, many lack true fighting experience."
"Can they not bend Ul'ek to their will?"
"Yes, but ..."
"Then they are more than a match for any alien worker. For now that is all you need."
"Yes ...yes High Chief." Inside,
Suk's mind reeled with shock. Never had he considered the possiblity that
the tribe's children
would be use as canon fodder, or that he would
one day foresee the end of his own bloodline.
"Report to me when you have the Archaen treaty. I do not wish to see you till then. Prophet's Word."
"Prophet's Word, High Chief." Her form dissolved, and was gone.
Captain Whang stepped out of the shadows.
"Sounds like trouble," said the ex-'Sin-Guardian
Suk whirled. He had forgotted the assassin was there.
"Nothing to concern you, Captain."
Whang nodded.
"Have you seen my son?" asked the Ghoiite.
"I believe he's on guard duty in the comm-tower. Like me to get him?"
"No, thank you. Leave me now, ...please."
Whang nodded again, pivoted and left. When Suk could
no longer hear the assassin's footsteps be bent over and reteched.
His body physically heaved with every cough. It was several
minutes before he was free of the bitter aftertaste in his mouth.
______________________________________________________________________
"Did Whang do this to you?" I indicated the bruise on Lady Onia's cheek. She shook her head.
"No, I had a debate on religion with their cleric. I won."
I raised a brow.
"Not one to lose, is she?"
I walked past her and surveyed our quarters. Wall
to wall stone, a small bed roll, two glow lights, a bowl of water, and
a
small chamber in the back. The commode I was willing
to bet. Brick size rocks were scattered among the floor, fall out from
our
small quake earlier. I turned back to her.
"Not quite to the queens taste, is it?" I said
"Mr. Ohio?"
"Yes?"
"Thank you. You saved my life back there."
I smiled at that. "Call me Somer."
She raised her brows in a Dreamer's smile, then
sat down on the bed roll and wrapped her arms around her legs. Until now,
I hadn't realize how small and fragile she truly was.
"Hey, you okay, your Highness? "
"Yes. Just a little cold."
"Here." I sat next to her and vigorously rubbed her arms. She leaned against me.
"Thank you, that's better." Then she said, "Mr. Oh ...Somer, what can you tell me about the surface?"
"Huh? ...oh, well, let's see."
I gave her the basic layout of the Ghoiite work camp, flora and fauna included.
When it came time to
include the visit by the alien workers I left out the
scene of Calum being hunted by Ghoiite children. I don't know why, it just
seemed
the decent thing to do.
"Where do you think they are
keeping the other prisoners? I haven't seen any sign of other hostages
around, and more
so ...why are they here?"
"I thought about that myself.
Of the ones I saw, none of them seem like dignitaries. Definitely below
the deck types.
On the drive over I spotted some exhaust
plumes in the distance. We where heading towards them."
"Manufacturing?" She asked. I
nodded. "Unfortunately my guide blindfolded me before we got closer. By
the time
he took it off we were already underground."
"Thank you." She closed her eyes.
For a second I thought she nodded off, or something. Then I felt her body. It was cold.
"Hey! ...Your Highness!" Her eyes snapped open at that.
"It's okay Somer. I was simply MINDRACING. My heart rate and body temperature drop when I do."
I blew a sigh of relief. "Sorry....I forgot what it's like. Come up with anything? "
"I think so. Ul'ek, force field
and hologram field projectors are some of the major weapon products of
the
Rhuk-D'kai Empire. Of those, field
projector manufacturing gives off the largest heat signature."
"I follow. Those exhaust plumes might have been water cooling towers." She nodded in agreement, then added:
"Even more, I suspect that these caverns hold their manufacturing facilities, perhaps not too far from where we are now."
That made sense. Any scans from orbit might not
pick up their plant underground, just happy Ghoiite work farms. And with
the extreme climate temperature the exhaust plumes could
easily be masked. I whistled.
"Sounds like a tight operation."
The Princess yawned. "I wonder," she said. "Such and undertaking would take thousands of men, if so ...where are they?"
She was right. Everything I had seen so far looked like it was being run by a skeleton crew. I shrugged.
"They could be here somewhere."
"Perhaps," she whispered.
She closed her eyes and for a while I thought she
was MINDRACING again. I was wrong, the poor kid was fast asleep.
______________________________________________________________________
Rain flooded the valleys of Scians II.
Two meter deep lakes appeared within
minutes where dry land and bush had existed before. Rivers overflowed their
banks and flooded
forest lands. Hillsides, saturated with water, slide
their topsoil in avalanches of mud, and trees. The debris choked newly
formed streams
and rivers, and forced them to overflow their banks and
spill off, connecting with other waterways. Within a quarter of an hour
a thirty
kilometer lake existed five meters deep and growing.
Giant Cormorants flew from a massive cave at the
base of a cliff. The rising waters would eventually submerge those ancient
caverns
also within minutes. Inside, hastily made nest were being
swept away by on rushing waters to the lightless recesses of the cave.
Some piled
up against Ul'ek walls. others - conglomerates of feathers,
twigs, and fish bones, where sucked into Ghoiite intake pumps. At first
they
where ground up and pumped out, but the inflow soon proved
to be too much.
Ten out of twelve Ghoiite pumps began to fail. Forty tons of water pressing against Ul'ek doors doubled their weight at the end of three minutes.
Ul'ek began to crack.
______________________________________________________________________
I passed the time quietly by talking to myself.
"...Don't know chalk form cheese
...don't know..." I rolled the phrase over and over again in low tones.
Lady Onia was still napping;
for the past fifteen minutes she had been using my chest
for a pillow. Suddenly, she stired.
"Sorry, ...didn't mean to wake you," I said.
The Archaen Princess yawned and stretched. "Your heart rate changed."
"Guess I was doing a bit of ...'MINDRACING' out loud." She turned and looked at me. She had her father's eyes.
"About what?"
"It's nothing, really."
"Please, tell."
I felt silly, but what the heck. I took a deep breath.
"All right, as you know I have
a fondness for curious phrases, and idioms. One of the prisoners I interview,
Calum, said something I
never heard before. I thought
I knew them all."
"What did he say?"
"...The Ghoiite's don't chalk from cheese." I shrugged. "I have no idea what it means."
She closed her eyes. I wasn't alarmed by the routine now.
"...It's an ancient Archaic saying
...its orgins date back before the foundations of the Empire. Essentially,
in this context, it means
to -not know the real from the
fake- ..."
"Anyone you know still sport that kind of slang?" I asked. She shook her head. I noticed she still had her eyes closed.
"Kind of an odd thing to say, don't you think?" I added.
"Yes, but I think it could mean more."
"You mean a message!" My heart raced at that.
"I believe so, but ...Somer, is there anything else you're not telling me?"
"All right ...yes." I told her
about hunting season with Calum and the insectoid. She was quiet at that
for several moments.
Finally, she open her eyes, stood up, and looked at me.
"We must get ready," she said.
"Why? What for?"
"Because there's going to be a rescue attempt."
That was twice today I was speechless.
______________________________________________________________________
Captain Whang, ex-'Sin-Guardian, 'Assassin-for-Hire'
finished his latest entry into his journal. He laid on his bunk, with his
feet stretched out before him. His Torpedo Blaster sat
on his lap, and to his side, Somerset's camera and audio gear
occupied his nightstand.
A faint knock came to his door, one of the few non-Ul'ek types in the complex.
"Who is it?" he asked. The door slid open and a Ghoiite warrior began to enter.
"Captain Whang we've..." He froze in place.
Whang sat on the edge of the bed pointing the business end of his blaster at the warrior's heart.
"I suggest you identify yourself before entering my room again, Charlie." The warrior, speechless, vigorously nodded his head.
"All right, quit guaking, out with it."
"We've lost communications with the projector plant."
"Is it the storm?" The Ghoiite shook his head.
"No, sir. Chieftain Suk has summoned you."
"Ishtar be damned!" Whang holstered
his weapon, gathered up Jan's Warsaw and followed the Ghoiite out the room.
______________________________________________________________________
"Guard! Hurry ...She dying!!"
I screamed at the Ul'ek wall, hoping it was a good
conductor of sound. A few seconds later the wall irised opened
and my guide appeared.
"What, Omnet?"
"It's the Princess, she's trying
to kill herself!" I gestured behind me. Lady Onia laid on the floor convulsing.
Her eyes rolled
in her head, and spittle flew from her mouth.
"What is ...this?" he questioned cautiously.
"It's a stroke ..she's trying to kill herself. DO SOMETHING!!"
The Ghoiite froze with indecision.
"HURRY!" I screamed. Finally he stepped through the portal and knelt by the Princess.
"How do you treat?" His face looked genuinely concerned.
"Just hold her."
With hesitant hands he grasped her shoulders. Finally,
his back was to me. Standing behind him I picked up a brick size
rock and in one fluid motion smashed it down on his head
as hard as I could. He dropped on the Princess, and I pulled him off.
"You all right?" The convulsions stopped and she looked up with calm eyes.
"Fine," she said
"Right. What's next?"
"Pull him over to the door as close as you can."
I grabed him by the ankles and dragged him over
to the portal. It had closed as soon as my guide had lost consciousness.
Lady O knelt next to him and placed her fingers on his
forehead.
"Hold on to me and prepare to jump through the door when I give the signal."
"What are you going to do?"
"Try and enter his dream."
She inhaled deeply and closed her eyes. Once again
I felt her body temperature drop. Her brows furrowed into tight knots
and a sheen of perspiration dappled the nape of her neck.
Several seconds passed and I noticed she still wasn't breathing.
Suddenly, she gasped back and fell fully into my arms.
"I'm ...I'm sorry," she managed to say.
"What happened?"
She shook her head several times. "He's ...he's too conscious. He must be in a coma-like state for me to enter. I'm sorry Somer."
"Close your eyes."She did so without questioning.
I picked up my rock, gauged its weight, and my strength,
and took aim. I closed my eyes and hit the Ghoiite again.
There was a sickening thud. When I opened my eyes it
was several moments before I saw his chest rise and fall.
"Okay, try again," I said.
With eyes still closed, she dropped her heart rate
within moments. Her fingers dug into the Ghoiites skull.
Brows tight, growing tighter. She gasped and her body
froze. I didn't know what to make of that, but I was
prepared for anything. Suddenly, her mouth shot opened
and, ..Goddess help me, the Ghoiite screamed 'through' her.
"SOM-ER-SET ...NOW!!"
I crushed my arms around her and lunged at the portal.
We tore through Ul'ek like it was a sheet of water and
collapsed on the other side. Instantly it solidified.
Part of the Onia's robe was caught in the door, but I quickly
tore it away.
She lay on the ground unmoving. I gathered her up in my arms.
"Are you okay, your Highness?"
She opened her eyes. "I never want to go through that again!" she said
"Neither do I!" I hugged her.
______________________________________________________________________
Ten thousand feet above the surface of Scians II
the last raindrops fell to the surface. Flash-clouds lost their saturation
as
hard daylight fell through and dissolved them away into
long, pink stratus rolls, kilometers in lengths. A gentle breeze pushed
through the sky, stirring the feathers of Giant Cormorants,
taking refuge upon the high cliffs, nestled under folded wings.
Male-bulls, shaking their heads free of water, called
out threatening roars to reestablish territories. Females stretched their
necks
and magnificent wings in fort foot spans. Like giant
kites they leapt from the high bluffs in tight aerial formations. Soon,
six thousand filled the sky, criss-crossing and diving,
drying their feathers in the cool mid-day air and warming sun.
Some dove to the surface seeking their nesting caves,
only to find them still submerged below twenty feet of muddy flood waters.
In the clearing skies, bulls took up challenges and fought
to expand new territories over the surface of the now changed world.
Change and transformation was a pattern their species
had known for the past million years.
Miles above, too far for even them to see, a craft passed through the planets stratosphere, followed by more.
In the back of a Cormorant cave, below the surface
of the flood waters, Ul'ek continued to crack ...and crack...
______________________________________________________________________
We raced through the underground tunnels leaving Onia's prison cell behind. Presently I had other things on my mind.
Calum was a spy, and had tried to tell me using
one of the few obscure catch phrases that I happened 'not' to know.
The world could be a cruel and ironic place. For example,
here I was running hand in hand with a young Archaen Princess
who might be considering suicide if we're caught. We
ducked down behind a rock. Someone up ahead was coming.
Together we held our breaths as the seven foot strides
of Ul-Um'ba strolled by. Even after he passed, we laid still for several
moments.
"Your Highness?" I whispered
"Yes?"
"Your stroke act back there. Would you really do it if ...if it came down to ...?"
She shook her head. "No. I made a bet."
"A ...bet?"
"Yes, My sister Syona said that I would screw up the negotiations. I bet my jazz collection that I ...Somer?"
I bit into my arm as hard as I could. Tears of laughter
streamed down my eyes as my stomach tied up in knots.
Who would guess? The fate of Empires decided by sibling
rivalry. Maybe the world wasn't so crazy after all.
When I caught my breath I said,
"Your Highness."
"Yes?"
"You're all right." Then I caught the look on her face
"Somer ...my robe!"
Janus, I forgot. Part of her robe was still caught in the portal. Once Ul-Um'ba sees it he'll discover our escaped. I stood up.
"Stay here," I said
"What are you going to do?" she asked
"I have no idea."
I ran down the tunnel after Ul-Um'ba. I decide I
was wrong again. The world's a crazy place after all.
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