Chapter 12
A/N: Sorry this took so long! Hey, notice something? I seem to be apologizing a lot in the author's note nowadays… anyway I'm going away next week, but I'll try to update again before then. Who tipped the kelbrids? You might be able to guest it in this chappie… if you can't, all will be revealed in the next chappie. Story's waiting to be read, what are you waiting for?
Disclaimer: I'm getting tired of typing it in every chappie I post! KA's characters are hers.
Claimer: My characters are mine. Kelbrids are half mine.
What could be worse than torturing? What, what, what?!
(Istram,) I said, my patience wore thin (I beg you to tell me what kirish means. Now.)
(Kirish...It means...) Istram tailed off. Then suddenly, he seemed to become more determined, and he said, (kirish means only one thing. Death.)
Death.
Death!
(Death is worse than torture?) I asked, as the crowd still chanted, "Kirish!"
(You will understand later,) he said as the female kelbrid stood up and the audience fell silent once more.
"It is decided. They will die," she said.
The crowd roared in agreement, and we could see the rest of us were much paler than before. That is, excluding Jake.
(What's up with him?) I wondered as Jake opened his mouth to say something.
"I would like-" he began.
"Silence! You, speak not when in presence of great kelbrid Calee, creature!" One of the male kelbrids on the platform spat.
(Calee! No wonder she looks so familiar! She's legendary!) Istram told me.
Calee, the female kelbrid, frowned slightly and had a whispered conversation with the two other male kelbrids. Then, turning to a slightly pale Jake, she nodded and said, "You have great privilege to talk when I am here, creature. Speak; defend yourself and the other creatures. "Calee gestured to our group.
Jake looked relieved, as if things had taken a turn for the better.
"Calee! You're – "
"Speak not her name, creature!" the male kelbrid said again. Calee gestured for silence, then she said, "I want to hear what he has to say"
"Calee… I… I…,"Jake stammered, unsure of what to say next which the male kelbrid would not disapprove of.
"Make haste, creature. Calee is busy kelbrid and not have time like you," the male kelbrids sneered, interrupting again.
"Trale…" Calee said and glared at the kelbrid who had just spoken. "Continue," she told Jake.
"Calee. Can…can I speak to you alone? Privately?" Jake asked. There was a shocked silence.
(I don't believe this. He should be happy that such a great kelbrid is here, but no, he's not satisfied, he must have a private chat with her!) Istram muttered.
Trale, the male kelbrid, stood up and thundered. "Impossible, how dare-".
"It is for me to decide. He wants to talk to me, not you, "Calee stated quietly.
Trale glanced at Calee with angry eyes, and then sat down, shrugging off the hand of the other male kelbrid who was trying to calm him.
"Come with me," Calee said, getting of the raised platform, walking to a small side door and becoming to Jake.
As the two of them disappeared into a room, the crowd started getting noisy. I took this opportunity to pester Istram for answers to my questions.
(What so great about Calee? Why are we here? What's up with Jake?) I asked, impatient and curious for answers.
(Curiosity killed the cat. An Earth saying, isn't it? Can't you try to be more patient?)
(The cat has nine lives. Another Earth saying,) I countered.
Istram sighed heavily. (I might as well give you the answers that I know…)
(Tell me about Calee.)
(Well you see, it started like this…)
At one period, the kelbrid Homeworlds were overcrowded. Many kelbrids tried to find another planet to inhabit, suitable for their needs. So far, out of twenty or so kelbrids, only six have returned. Though kelbrid technology was already quite advanced at that time, there were a few exceptions. One of them was space travel.
Istram said that since the kelbrids generally preferred to keep to themselves instead of mingling with the other sentient species of the universe, there was little need for space travel. However, as their two planets got really crowded, a new planet was desperately needed. Of the six kelbrid who returned, two kept blabbering something nobody understood, and one of them claimed to have found a plant, but could not find it again. Another two had no luck; the planets they found were uninhabitable.
That left one kelbrid, who, much to the relief of her fellow kelbrids, found the perfect planet. That kelbrid was none other than Calee. When Calee took up the task of finding another planet, she was very young, her age about a few years after childhood. Now she was in her prime, so when the kelbrids found out the yeerks were trying to infest them, Calee devoted her time to saving her people.
(A touching story,) Istram concluded, letting me digest what he had just told me.
(So… is that why they do not allow Andalites into their space? Because they prefer to keep to themselves?)
(Huh. Andalites.) Istram sneered.
(I see you harbour the same hatred for Andalites, as most of your species do.)
(It's not that I hate them, it's just that they can be very unreasonable and arrogant sometimes. And no, that's not why Andalites aren't allowed here, this dates back to very long ago. If I'm not mistaken, in the beginning. Andalites came from the same planet as kelbrids.)
There was a shocked silence while I took it in, after which Istram continued.
(Some sort of war occurred between them, and the Andalites left to find another planet which they could call their homeworld. They found a planet, now known as the Andalite homeworld. I tell you, no andalite knows about this, through the generations it was kept a secret, so as not to disgrace themselves.)
(How do you know that?) I asked.
(I have my sources,) came his prompt reply.
(Okay…so what are we doing here?) I asked.
(Enough said. I will explain the rest later. Here comes Calee.)
Calee strode up to the raised platform. "All of you, dismissed. Return tomorrow."
There were mummers and grumbles here and there, as if the kelbrids could not wait to find out our sentence, as they dispersed.
"Calee…," Trale started.
"Trale, don't make things difficult, "Calee said warningly. "Both you and Baine can go now. I need to find out more about those creatures."
Baine, the other male kelbrid grabbed Trale's arm and said to him, "Alza."
(Alza means go,) Istram said before I could ask.
(You're getting to know me better,) I grinned mentally.
(I can read your thoughts.)
My mental grin faded.
As Trale and Baine left with the other kelbrids, Calee walked toward us. She focused on us, and soon, all of us were getting fidgety.
The kelbrids were soon gone. As the last one left, Calee dropped her intense gaze and walked toward the side door, which she and Jake went out of, saying, "All of you, follow me."
A/N: Just in case you're wondering, though I doubt any of you are, here's how to pronounce the names. Calee: Cah-lee. Trale: Trail. Baine: Bane. That's it for this chappie. Remember to review if you want the next chappie!
