Chapter Fifteen: …Into the Fire
Kaiketa slowly hobbled toward the Shelter, sending intermittent calls to the guards to warn them of his approach. As yet he got no return to his challenge, and his jaw was set grimly a suspicion growing more insistent in his mind. From the outside of the Shelter nothing was amiss, but it was too quiet, there was no chatter coming from the guards left behind to ensure their captive remained still and silent or the musings of the captive in her native tongue. It had to be her native tongue, for it certainly was not that of the Brethren, and he had heard similar come from Skiateta when he mused to himself. He paused as he heard another whining lance of sky fire rip across the battlefield.
A growing disappointment filled him, a realization that he may have made a mistake, as he thought about the battle that was now in its final stages of being lost by the Clan. A cold chill settled into his old chest at the thought that choice had been the wrong one. But how? How could such a thing have happened? He had been so sure that the Human had been their Skiateta, all the signs had been there, all the precursors had been met. Yet his grand plan, this purge that was supposed to return the planet to their possession had not come to pass.
He turned the corner into the Shelter stopping abruptly as he felt the bodies on the floor, as he smelled the death that had occurred here, in the very heart of his city. There were ten of his warriors in the room all slain in gruesome ways. Slowly he stepped further in, turning his sightless face around the room and feeling out the extent of the massacre. The four were the prisoner guards, there were six others, and he recognized their signature as Skiateta's personal guard.
Movement in the room caught his attention and he took another deliberate step toward the source. He stiffened as he again recognized the signature.
"Skiateta?" He muttered in surprise. And feeling the state in which their "Savior" found himself, on his face his hands bound behind him, disappointment grew stronger within Kaiketa, reinforcing his regret for thinking that this man was here to save the Clan. Or perhaps he had served his purpose. The fortelling had never been clear on just what part Skiateta would take in the Purge, only that one would be found that would be responsible for it coming about. He stood a bit straighter as that revelation came to him. He directed his sightless face with disdain toward the cowering dog now at his feet.
"Kaiketa!" The man said sounding relieved to see him, adding in a tone of one with assumed authority, "Release my bonds."
Kaiketa straightened still more until he was balancing on the balls of his overlong feet, "Why did I save you?" He uttered softly, "I should have let that oaf eat you when you were found!"
"No!" The human denied, "I am Skiateta, I will lead you to victory."
"No," Kaiketa answered just as evenly, as a thought occurred to him. Perhaps he was asking for too much too early in this campaign, "We will find our own victory. I see now that you were never needed to win the war, that you were only the catalyst. You have served your purpose," The old Clan nodded to himself, his face now turned away from the man at his feet, "You have been a greater menace to us than help and I see now that you are expendable."
The elder Noa turned, clicking quickly to those with him. One began a high keening sound drawn out for long moments, then the dwelling fell silent. An answering keen came from the forest, just the other side of the long house. It was not long before more Noa had filled the long house. That crowd parted as another creature was led into the dwelling. It was low slung and possessed powerful front quarters. Each of its feet was cloven with sharp looking hooves. It had large compound eyes and a medium length prehensile snout from which six fangs protruded. A Crailack!
"No!" Thomas cried in fear. He was in for no painless death, not for the teeth and numbing saliva of the Noa themselves, was this human. Skiateta would go out screaming as the Crailack killed him little by little. Crailacks were known for their savagery, for their sheer maliciousness in killing. They were well documented for torturing their prey, harrying them until blood loss and pain kept them from moving any further. When the prey could no longer run the Crailack would eat it, still living, still aware of the pain. It was the most horrible punishment the Clan knew.
Kaiketa turned away as the Crailack bore down on Skiateta. He called one of his escorts to his side speaking quickly, "Send runners to Tamboua, Hiskaria, Boula, and Weasnea. Tell them that the Purge has begun, they are to gather their forces and hit the Brethren cities nearest their own. They are to send runners from their cities to the more outlying settlements."
"What of our own battle?" His escort asked reverently.
Kaiketa paused as Skiateta's screams pierced the air. He turned his sightless face toward the field of battle, "Have them fall back, we have made our point here today. We must conserve our forces…this will be a long war," he said with the gravity of prediction.
The escort bowed low, then turned and disappeared into the forest. Moments later he hear the whispered orders pass through the city, punctuated now and again by the screams and moans of the dying human, who was to be their savior. Kaiketa nodded to himself, yes the human had served a purpose, he had brought them to the foot of the realization of their dream, it was unfortunate that he would be unable to join them for the final ascension.
Quona and Gui'Yata look at the scout with incredulity, "You are sure about this?"
The sentry nodded once quickly, "I saw the army with my own eyes, Quona. The Noa march in force this direction."
Quona had only just returned from the battle in Lmarienta swamp. They had felt good about the victory there, the Noa had retreated back into the swampy scrub surrounding their stilted town. They had suffered heavy losses and Quona could still remember the carpet of Noa bodies that littered the field as their remaining fighters turned tail and fled. That they had amassed a great army to again assault Taysa was very disturbing to him. He looked up and noticed that Gui'Yata shared the same foreboding look on his own face.
The two Eesan's looked at each other, ignoring the scout a moment as they began signing to each other, "We cannot hold against another full assault," Gui'Yata told his Grandfather immediately, "We are too few now, they will surely overrun us in a matter of hours."
"I agree," Quona said gravely. He looked away a moment, then back at his fellow Eesa, "Contact Donona…inform them of our situation and then prepare to evacuate the city."
Quona turned to face the scout and dismiss him from his service to the Eesa.
"But that is Cowardice!" Gui'Yata stammered, "We should be fighting to the death for our city!"
The younger soua stepped back and averted his eyes at the withering look given him by his grandfather, "This is not a hunt, boy!" Quona barked, "This is war, and though you are too young to remember a war… The fact remains that the rules change.
"The Noa outnumber our own population, and though they have neither the technology nor the weaponry we possess they are no less a threat for it. Or does that numb arm not still remind you how capable the Noa are when it comes to combat. Does the carnage at Hosmara, Donona, and even here not make you think of just how formidable our adversary is?"
Gui'Yata made no attempt to look at the older Eesa as he replied, "You are right, I spoke without thinking."
"We must salvage what we can and make for Donona as quickly as possible," Quona repeated, he then motioned over Gui'Yata's shoulder and was joined by another young Soua Warrior, "Mlanka…gather your three fastest scouts. Ensure the path to Donona is free of obstruction and return," He returned his attention to Gui'Yata, as the scout moved away from them.
"We will not be able to take everyone remaining in Quarta, she is tired from fighting in the atmosphere and so close to the influence of gravity. We will have to send a party of all that are able-bodied on the ground, Yimhi and on foot toward Donona. We will take the remaining wounded and fly to Donona field."
"What happens if they decide to hit Donona as well?" Gui'Yata voiced, "The Taya would be just as easily destroyed there, as well as our mecca."
"We will discuss putting all ships in orbit around the planet to keep them out of harm with the Ot Eesan when we get there."
"You know what they will do with the city?" Gui'Yata asked, "They will destroy Taysa, destroy all that we have built here."
"Yes," Quona sighed, "But we have no other option unless you want to throw yourself on a spear needlessly. Such an effort will only be in vain, one way or another, Taysa is lost to us."
Gui'Yata averted his eyes again to hide the anger he felt at leaving HIS city to the ravening packs of Noa, "There is something more to this," Gui'Yata mused to himself.
"Again I agree, Sai," Quona said slowly, "But I want to think on it with a few more warriors around me."
Courtney looked back trying vainly to keep the tears out of her eyes as the outline of Taysa disappeared into the surrounding mist, and obscured by the trees. This was as emotional for her as it was for Gui'Yata. They had nearly lost their lives getting that city established, and now it was as good as gone. Her temper rose again at the thought of what the soldier Thomas had wrought with his meddling. That was followed quickly by a malicious smile. Scouts had come back with interesting news after they had left. He had relayed that the human had been killed and by no humane means either. He had been literally ripped apart piece by piece while still living. The scout had said that the screams resounded for hours. That still did not change the events he had set into motion.
She had not had a chance yet to divulge the secret that she had been told about Gui'Yata's people. When had she been possessed of any time? She wondered again what the reaction would be if she was to inform them of that tidbit?
She could imagine, and it would not be the laying down of arms and warm welcome to the Noa. She knew that for fact, there was too much hatred between the races for that to occur. But then again, how long could they last against the hoards of the Noa? Months? Years? She could see no other result of the war but the serious depletion or extinction of the Soua, or worse forfeiture of the lands that they called home and exile to space. She had to tell them, she had to convince them to find some sort of common ground and work through the underlying hostilities. But how?
Courtney knew that now was not the time. When they arrived at Donona, told their story, then perhaps they would be more approachable to the news.
For now she was reduced to saying goodbye to her home for the past eleven rotation with the knowledge that if she was able to ever see it again it would probably be a lifeless and leafless series of crisped branches on a burnt out tree.
A tear escaped her eyes and she quickly wiped it away before the unfamiliar Soua at her sides noticed her weakness. One day…they would return and rebuild it.
She looked forward again noticing the dark hair bobbing between larger bodies as Gerard rode his Yimhi. She looked down at her hands again feeling that sensation well up in her again. That was another thing that she knew was inappropriate at this time. And every time she looked at him she had to remind herself that sooner or later he would be going back to Earth. And again that pricked at her about what she would do when he did leave.
She was pulled out of her thoughts by Gui'Yata riding back to join her.
"Quona has ordered you off planet," Gui'Yata said before she could form a greeting, and her face fell in shock.
"What?" She said in a voice louder than she had intended. She felt the eyes of Soua warriors on her, "I want to be here to defend our people," she said more quietly in English.
Gui'Yata shook his head slowly, "I know," he said seeming to agree with her, "But word has reached Donona of the Human Thomas' aid to the Noa. Quona has heard rumors that you will be incarcerated the minute you step into Donona," He looked away again, "The more likely prospect is that you will be killed on sight."
"But I had nothing to do with what went down!" Courtney protested her voice rising in anger again, "You know that…they should know that!"
Gui'Yata nodded again, "This is a campaign that is being driven from very high up in the Ot Eesan."
"Don't tell me, Oana," Courtney said in a tone that sounded like she wanted to spit.
Gui'Yata grunted, "There will be no convincing the Ot Eesan other than you will betray them as well."
"So what is Quona going to do?"
"You and Gerard will be sent away on Quarta," He started.
"What about you?" Her voice was slightly frantic.
He straightened in his saddle, "I will be Quona for the trip back to Earth."
A part of Courtney swelled with pride. The other part recoiled at the thought of what he had just hit her with, "Earth?"
"Yes," He said then more quietly, "I am to escort you and Gerard home."
The End
Yes I know not exactly a happy ending, but it leaves it wide open for the sequel…whenever I get around to that one that is! Thank you all for your support while I have been writing this, even with all the delays. You guys have been great for me. In the works (How soon I can't say) are a way back prequel when the Predator's were still the pointmen for the Master's army…. And a sequel tentatively called Family Ties Which will involve, Courtney, Gui'Yata, Gerard, Matt (Courtney's Ex), and perhaps Teresa (Courtney's daughter)…Give me some time as I have soooooo many ideas colliding in my head I think that it is going to explode! Thanks again for everything!
Darwin