Chapter Two: Investigations
Lyonas sat for a very long time after Quarta had freed itself of the planet's gravity well. His thoughts were heavy and troubled with the news that the human had brought him before her departure. Closing his eyes he again mulled over the news of the Noa.
What if it was true? What if the Soua had been living one huge lie all of these millennia? Hundreds of years of Soua lore surfaced in his head, and each he combed through very carefully for seeds that would to give weight to the words Raha had spoke to him. None of it even resembled mention of returning from the stars from slavery…none. All of the tales taught from one generation to the next all told of the Soua's greatness, of their supremacy not only on their planet…their planet…but throughout the universe as well.
A sour taste welled up in his mouth at the thought that the Soua were bastardized versions of the Noa. Taken and stripped down to genetic codes and put back together again in such a way as to be unrecognizable as the race that had spawned them. The images whirred through his head, trying to imagine what that must be like, before a slow pounding ache began in him. It couldn't be true, if anything the Noa were regressed Soua. But the thought, and Raha's words stuck with him, and no matter how he tried to move his thoughts forward to other matters, the thought returned. If it were true, his ancestors were slaves for another race and escapees from that life after many centuries. Though he truly did not believe the story, he swelled with pride. It was a boon to him that there was that pride and tenacity even back then.
But he still did not wish to believe the truth of it. He would, when given the opportunity, investigate this news.
A scratching at the flap to his tent pulled him from his whirling thoughts, "Enter," He uttered, looking up as a harried scout pushed through the pliable flap.
"Eesa, the Noa are on the move, and coming this direction. We are moving."
"Very well," Eesa Lyonas said.
The scout ducked back out and nodded to someone he could not see and three Saru poured through the flap, adroitly gathering the Eesa's things and packing them with practiced ease. Lyonas did not stay, stepping out into the heat of the sun penetrating the thinner cover overhead. The clearing was bustling with activity as Soua packed their meager tents and loaded the many Yimhi and hovercars concentrated in the middle of the circle, for ease of protection. Without them the Soua would be quickly overrun, and knowing their enemies numbers would be great, it would be a battle lost before it was started.
He saw several others of the Eesa already mounted on agitated Yimhi, pacing steadily back and forth through the barely controlled chaos, and shouting orders to those around them. One Sougra was helping a gravid female into the front seat of a hovercar, the Souata's pain obvious, and it was certain that she was very close to birthing. He prayed to Yanah that she would make it until they could get to Doana, they would not be able to stop to give her the proper time to have the child. Even if the birthing were successful, losing neither mother nor child, circumstances of their retreat would see that the child would not survive to see that ancient forest city.
It was unfortunate, but true. It still galled him that they had to retreat at all, and to an inferior society. This felt dishonorable, like they were betraying the code. Yet he continued to remind himself that the code did not stand for useless deaths either. Throwing oneself on the sword just to gather glory was not any more honorable than taking foolhardy chances with the lives of those entrusted to a leader. The Noa had proven that they were ready to fight to the death for their belief that this planet was theirs and not the Soua's. Mandible's clacking together, he mounted his Yimhi, realizing that they had severely underestimated the Noa, and in more ways than one. Something was going to have to be done…yet he could not think of any plan that even hinted at success.
He focused on the goings on around him again, seeing that in the few minutes he had been mussing the camp had been stricken and the small band was ready to move again. Loudly he ordered the party forward, turning to the front and signaling his mount to move. As the column accelerated, scouts ranging ahead for any signs of trouble, Lyonas looked above him to the bright sky trying to discern the signature of the fiery engines of that living starship Quarta. Silently he wished his grandson luck, and a quick return from his errand.
His attention returned to the front of the column, moving between the trees at a quick clip, streaking quickly past those on Yimhi and on foot, the hovercars made a desperate dash for safety. They would arrive at Donona first, having strict orders to stay close together and make all haste to the city. The wounded, the gravid and the very young were the members of that party. Most of the Sougara had fought over the honor of protecting future generations from Noa aggressors. It was the capable wounded who had been charged with piloting them back to the capitol city. Each had a Sougara or Sougra riding as passenger to ensure that the vehicles were protected through the long stretch of wilderness between the two cities.
There own party would be nearly four days behind that group, and would have to be very cautious in order to make the capitol city at all. Surely the Noa would be targeting them as they moved more slowly through the hotspots and danger zones that had been reported ahead of their party. With any luck, and perhaps divine intervention they would arrive unmolested. That hope was a wisp of a shadow, and it did not linger in his mind or his heart. He would expect only the worst until they were safely in the treetops of Donona.
Kaiketa turned his sightless eyes up the trunk of the large tree that fronted him, echolocating the height above him to the Brethren city. He stretched three clawed fingers on each hand, tensing his aging muscles. Stepping back, he crouched low and sprang, latching onto the tree nearly fifteen feet from the forest floor. Quickly, and belying his age, Kaiketa scrambled up the bole, reaching his destination in less than half an hour. He pulled his lithe form onto the now sagging platform that the Brethren had erected between the branches, and cast about sensing what still stood.
"Kaiketa," a voice came reverently from behind him, "there was a lift you could have come up…you must conserve yourself."
The elder spun quickly cuffing the youth for his patronizing tone. Hooking two predatory claws into the meat on the youth's shoulder he whistled, "Do not presume to tell me what I am and am not capable of whelp. I am descended of the very Brethren that lived here and were taken back into the fold! I am more agile and capable than you will ever be at scaling the towering boles that make up this forest."
"Forgive me," he uttered in pain.
Kaiketa retracted his claws from the scout's shoulder and turned again away from him. He cast about again, realizing that much of the growth that had existed here had been destroyed or vandalized by his party. He stood straighter, his nails sinking into the heat softened material under him, balancing on the balls of his overlong feet.
"We have been victorious," the scout sighed, "The Brethren have fled before us!"
"It is too early to make that boast," he replied, stepping further into the smoldering hulk of what he remembered as a once proud Brethren city. The three attacks had reduced it to a nearly non-existent hulk, and the space before him was forlorn. Even the wind mourned for the loss of the city, "The Brethren will not be easily defeated young one, they are hunters and warriors, just as we are. We must respect that they are such, and also that they possess the master technology. Their numbers need not be as great as our own for them to defeat us. We must be cautious, and must act strategically if this victory is to stand."
"Yes, Kaiketa," the youth answered dutifully.
Kaiketa crouched low between his deeply bent knees, feeling the ground before him with one hand, "This was a fine city. How it must have pained them to relinquish possession of it."
Another scout pelted toward him, leaping last minute over a large hole in the platform where a growth had been destroyed. He skidded to a stop before Kaiketa already bowed very low between his own knobby knees. He trilled quietly for permission to report.
"Report."
The scout straightened, reverently staying below the elders own height as he turned his sightless face up, "The remaining Brethren from this city have been spotted just a quarter's day travel ahead of us."
"Can the gap be closed?"
"We are trying, Kaiketa, but they are using the mechanicals as well as the birds to accelerate their retreat."
"Do what you can," Kaiketa answered, "If we can destroy the party before they reach sanctuary of another city it will be another heavy, and decisive blow against our enemy."
"Yes, of course," the scout agreed, "Your will be done!"
With that he was off again, lost almost instantly to Kaiketa's perception.
"Yes," He muttered almost to himself, "This is going to be a long war."
