The Akuna travel the oceans on great ships built mostly from the hardwood supplied to them by the Outlanders, these huge multi-hulled vessels are used in the hunting of massive sea creatures called Leviathans, the Akuna hunt them not for food for they look upon them as Aranus-Trigor, Gods of the Deep.
From the writings of Oshismarie Inastro Sistashion.
“What do you mean you don’t remember?” Andra’s words were filled not only with anger but with fear for she had witnessed the death of the Frail-legs with her own eyes.
Arn tilted his head to one side and his hard eyes told his mate that her question was not a valid one, “I do not know these people you call frail legs for our Elders are treated with kindness and we would never allow such harm to come to them”. The King had little time for nonsense for Sunbirth had come and the hunt was on his mind.
Andra had spent the better part of the night wondering if she should bring up the events of the previous day and the strange deaths of the older men and women as they walked into the sea and vanished from site, she wanted to find her learned old friend Osh and ask him what to do but she dared not leave the side of the man she loved least he suddenly wished to end his life as did those poor elders. But with the twin suns morning light filtering into their tent she could not hold back her frustration any longer, “Are you telling me that you have no memory of them?”
This brought a smile to Arn’s lips as he began dressing himself in heavy armor, “I am King and must have knowledge of many things, the time to travel and the time to rest, where danger lives and when an enemy might attack, I know the faces of my people and their needs and sometimes I must stand in judgment of their actions, all this and more I must know but the answer to your question does not live in my mind”.
“And what about the lightning and thunder and the winds, did that never happen?”
Again, the King smiled, “I am a Monarch of the Outlands, I rule my people and see that they follow the laws of our tribe, I do not have power over the sky or the winds that is the responsibility of Gods under Isarie.”
He has forgotten everything she thought, or maybe he never saw it? Andra moved close to her mate and put her warm arms around his hard body and looked deeply into his dark eyes, she knew that they shared a bond that no other possessed, a weaving of their minds that let the other know ones’ feelings and that power made them Moric-Kan the Twin Dragons and invincible in battle, but now she hope that ability would lift the veil from her lovers mind and let him see the truth.
They stood there for an interval neither one speaking or moving, time seemed to stand still and their thoughts became one and in that mind-mist the Selcarie girl heard the voice of her lover singing in her heart. She did not need to think only feel and what she felt was love. Then from the distant corner of thought she heard another voice, one that was not her lovers for it carried no affection.
“She is your enemy” it said.
And in an instant Andra let go of her mind-link and drew back from her mate as she would a Hord-wolf on her Homeworld. Something has entered his mind, what that thing was she did not know, she only knew that she loved him with all her heart and would fight for him, but she also remembered the words of her old drill instructor Sargent Reynolds.
“Strike when the time is right”.
And now was not the time so even though her heart felt for the loss of the Frail-legs Andra
said nothing and quickly changed the subject, “perhaps I was mistaken, or maybe I drank too much Po, now tell me about this hunt we are going on, will we be tracking Sagar Cats like we did with the Norgonie?” that expedition was something that Moonbud did not want to remember for it ended with her badly injured and set in motion events that almost cost the life of her mate.
The King had to laugh as he drew on his gold inlaid leg braces and adjusted them, “there are no Sagar Cats in the land of the Akuna, we will be on the water and searching for Aranus-Trigor the Gods of the Deep”. Andra began dressing in her heavy armor and realized that she had never hunted a God before but she knew there was a time and place for everything.
Osh had also questioned the strange manifestations with his traveling companion and received the same response, so he began taking samples of the ground around their wagon and cataloging anything he found unusual or out of the ordinary, bits of vegetation or rock, insects great and small, ground worms, Dot-flies, Whisper-wings, all things that Alune considered useless and far worse just more clutter to be added to the contents of their Karack and carrier. Still she said nothing for it brought contentment to the old man and went about her morning rituals as she did every Sunbirth, cooking the early meal and adding a bit of Grana to stave off sickness and show respect to the Goddess for her gift.
“Togasttra emo entralac, give us your strength” she said softly as she dropped two small bits of green salt into the bubbling concoction warming atop their Washa, then looking over she saw her companion returning with an armful of castoff items in his thin arms.
The old man’s face showed a broad smile and his voice was filled with excitement, “Wait till you see what I have found” he said as he began laying out his treasures on a small table that had clay bowls of food stuffs laid out upon it, “I found the most interesting sample of a leaf spider with very unusual markings and a magnificent example of a day bloomer much like the night variety of the poisonous moonbud”.
The Touchtender was about to complain that her last container of fish-sauce was almost spilled when her companion reached into his summer robe and pulled out a pink sea shell larger than his hand.
“Just look at this specimen” he said with great excitement, “Have you ever seen such a beautiful creation of nature?”
Alune’s face lost all its color as she gazed on the artifact; “Put it on the ground” her voice was etched with fear.
Osh could see the look in her eyes but why she should be so terrified of such a harmless thing eluded him, “What is there to fear? It is merely one section of a two-sided sea-mollusk and cannot harm you” and he held it out to her.
Alune pulled back as if he was offering fire to her, “Put it back where you found it and pray that no one has seen you take it”.
The Callaxion suddenly stopped smiling and put the shell on the table, “Have I done something wrong?”.
The Touchtender moved to the Washa and motioned for the old man to come near, when he had done so she spoke in a voice that only they could hear, “This is the land of the Akuna, all things belong to them, it is the same with the Outlands for there we are masters and have been granted that place as ours by the Goddess, it is the law that no Outlander may take anything from here without permission or have it given to them as a gift”.
“But there are millions of shells in the sea surely it would make no difference if one were missing?”
“Countless or rare the law is the same, if you take that shell and it became known by our tribe you would be made Outcast and all would shun you and if your theft were known to the Akuna you would die”.
Osh thought he knew all there was to know of the ways of the Nomads for he considered himself far more intelligent than the inhabitants of Gorn, after all he was created as a programmer of Tollacian computers and his mind could remember all that he had seen or heard or smelled, he had traveled the stars and sat beside many rulers on numerous worlds who trusted his judgment on information vital to their survival but now things were different, he was an outcast of the stars and he must rely on others for wisdom. “I will return it to where I found it” Osh said without complaint and in that moment, he remembered the words of his companion. Writers of wisdom should know what they set down in words. “You are a very wise woman” the old man said.
“And you are a wise man for knowing that” smiled the old woman.
Osh gathered up his specimens and began to place them into their wagon, there was a step and cut in the side of the Karack so that the old man could enter the ornate wooden vehicle easily, inside there were racks filled with all ma
nner of items gathered in his long journey across the lands of Gorn. The collection would have been prized by any museum of the Outer-Rim and would have made the Callaxion the center of attention in any of the great thinking halls, adding to his treasures was a great joy to Osh and that along with his priceless scrolls recording his findings and observations of the Nomads filled his heart with pride.
I have done well for an old Cypher he thought, and when he had finished his work he moved to the back of the wagon to make sure that the daughter of his old friend was safe and sleeping away the day as she always did, but when he drew back the curtain that separated the front from the small section in the back he saw only a layer of earth and a bowl filled with Grana, the only nourishment the strange young girl needed.
Gone, but where? Osh knew that she could not tolerate the sunlight and no other Nomad would have given her shelter for they feared her, there are always the caves nearby but it did not seem logical that she would have taken refuse there and not the home that she always returned too.
Osh turned, moved to the opening and climbed down to the ground and stood there rubbing his large head.
“Is there something wrong?” Alune asked seeing the look of concern on her companions’ face.
“Perhaps” the old man said, “Perhaps”.
The hunting ships of the Akuna were marvels of construction, named Procal-torus or dry space, their massive twin hulls were the length of many men and were connected by a flat decking that extended from the bow to the stern, at each corner a tall mast rose up baring a square cut sail that could be turned to the wind using ropes made from very tuff fibers gathered from the bark of Balbar trees. Two half-moon shaped rudders were fixed to the back of the curving hulls and joined together by a series of pulleys that allowed the huge vessel to be guided over the water. The hulls were thickly made so they could withstand the pounding waves of a storm and painted in bright colors of blue and green to camouflage them against raiders who prowled the Western Sea looking for anything to sustain their lives for they existed on the water and had no land to call their own. Over the side of each outside hull hung a dozen smaller crafts that could hold several men and women and be lowered into the sea and raised up once the expedition was done, these boats were known as Boomers or Lightening boats because they could move very fast and catch up to the prey and return the spoils to the slower mother ship.
Two of those great vessels stood waiting as both Nomad and Akuna loaded provisions onto their decks and placed them in braced structures at their centers, the greater of the ships was called the Cronos, and it would lead the hunters to their prey and was twice the size of the other craft that bore the name Brillia the first born daughter of Dietas. Together they could carry a hundred or more of the strongest warriors of the Akuna and Outlander for only they were capable of the arduous task ahead, and now those very same men and women brought food, drink and weapons aboard for the Western Sea was a dangerous place and only the strong would survive, and watching carefully was the King of the Almadra and his mate both dressed in their heavy armor and horned helmets.
Andra stood beside Arn bubbling with excitement mixed with fear, “I’ve never been on an ocean vessel before, are you sure it’s safe?”
Arn had been on Leviathan hunts before and he knew that danger rode in every ship but together they had faced greater peril so he saw no need to hide the truth, “Procal-torus are well built but Dietas has many moods and some cannot be withstood”.
Andra pondered his words for a few moments, “So what you’re saying is there is a good chance we might be killed?”
The King faced the woman beside him and put his hand on her arm, “Each day can end a life and the Angel of Death can travel on the water as well as the land”, he raised his hand and held up the heavy ax that marked him as a warrior of the Outlands, “If death wishes to fight, I am ready”.
Andra lifted her Tooth and smiled, “No, WE are ready!”
Is there a braver woman in all the Outlands? The King searched his mind for an answer but could not find one to counter what he knew already, “Each day with you brings more contentment and lying with you at night brings me…”
His words were cut short by another voice, “I bring a strong gift for the King!”
Arn knew without looking who had called out to him for he had sat and listened to that man on many long nights as they warmed themselves around a campfire drinking and telling outrageous tales of their past adventures, “Kuno my old friend” the King said as he faced the stalwart Captain of the Spikebacks, “What have you brought me?”
Andra’s feelings were hurt by the sudden interest in something other than herself but she knew that men are easily distracted, but never the less her feelings for her mate switched from deep affection to pointed anger, he will pay later, and she conjured up images of what she would do when the time came for them to sleep together and he wanted the comfort that only a woman could provide, then she reminded herself that she was no longer a jealous school girl but it did little to cool her mind.
As Kuno drew closer the King could see that he had two large silver mugs in his rough hands and from the broad smile on his bearded face it could only mean that he was bringing a goodly measure of well-aged Po to share, and from the unsteady way he was walking it was a certainty that he had been sampling many barrels of the strong brew to find just the right potency for his friend.
“Hail to our King” the big man said as he stopped before Arn and Andra, “And hail to the mate of our King” bowing his hairy head at the Selcarie female.
Arn took the tankard from his friends’ hand and took a deep gulp of the sour wine then wiped his mouth with the back of his hand, “Your gift is a good one” the King said with a smile, “The day is warm and I am thirsty”. “I have more if you wish it?” Kuno replied, “I know your stomach is not content with the sea so you will need strong drink to appease it”, the Captain knew that his friend was not comfortable on the water for they had hunted Leviathans in their youth.
“My thirst it great”, the King replied, “are you sure you have enough to share?”
Kuno shrugged his wide shoulders, “if not we will find more”.
The King gave a glance to the woman at his side and Andra replied before he had time to ask the question, “Go on without me, I’m not thirsty” that was a lie of course because the day was warm and the heavy armor she wore made her even warmer.
Nodding his helmeted head Arn walked away with the Captain leaving the girl standing by herself, “Of all the dull-headed, scramble-brained, drum-dumb…” Andra tried to find just the right wordings to describe her feelings for all men at that moment but her search was suddenly cut short.
“Are you seeking comfort?” Cian said in a calm voice.
Turning to see the Kandrac of the Akuna standing near her caused Andra’s heart to jump, he was wearing only a woven cloth about his slim waist held up by a wide belt with a strong knife hanging from a scabbard stitched with small colorful sea shells, around his long neck was a chain of shells set with gold and on his upper arms were matching armbands.
“Comfort? What makes you think I need comforting?” she asked involuntarily adjusting a hair from her face.
“I could not help but notice the actions of your mate and the decision to leave your side and go off with his friend”, the Akuna male said as he drew nearer, “I can also tell from the color of your face-cheeks and the stress-level in your voice that he has hurt your feelings”, her mind and body are in battle, she is not content.
Andra looked in the deep blue pigment of Cian’s eyes and the breath of his wide shoulders and for a moment her mind was filled with an image that she was not proud of, she was laying on the sand naked and Cian was standing over her as the warm sea air caressed her body, but the image vanished as quickly as it had come and an instant later she returned to the present, “You seem to know a lot about me, what else do you know?” it was a silly question and as soon as it left her mouth
she regretted saying it. What’s the matter with you she asked her mind, pull yourself together, remember you are or were Lieutenant Andra Oseira first infantry division, Omega 5.
The Kandrac smiled and put out his hand, “I’m sure you have many questions about our ways and the voyage to come, let me try and answer them for you”.
Andra could see little harm in going with the Akuna leader after all she was a strong grown woman and knew how to care for herself if things got out of hand, why would I think that something could happen between us? It was another silly question but one that remained in a dim section of her mind as she walked off with the man from the sea.
As they strolled along the ancient dock Moonbud looked down to see many young Akuna frolicking in the water, they laughed and splashed and dove under the water again and again bringing up bits of vegetation or a small fish that they would fling into the air and race after it. With them were the second cycle men and woman of the Nomads who did their best to keep pace with the much faster Akuna swimmers, their hard-young bodies were naked and the sunlight glistened off of them like Flutter-fish scales.
How free they are Andra thought, no cares, no responsibilities, no command orders to follow, why she should be thinking of battle orders at such at time seemed odd to the Selcarie girl but the question vanished quickly when she heard Cian speak.
“I have asked many in your tribe and they say you are a Half-Soul and fell from the sky”.
Half-Soul was a name that Andra had not heard in a long time, it was used by the Nomads to describe a person who is not of the Chosen and was meant more as an insult than anything else, “I didn’t fall”, she said tightening her grip on her ax, “I crashed in a Dropship and was rescued by the Almadra, and I’ll have you know our Gods are just as powerful as yours!” Andra had never been a great believer in the Deities of her world but she felt a need to defend herself.
“I meant no harm and if my words pained you I am sorry”, Cian could see that he had indeed wounded the Off-worlder and tried to make amends, “You were given the name Moonbud, the flower that kills, it seems a hard name for such a beautiful woman”.
Andra loosened the grip on her Tooth, “No harm done”, he thinks I am beautiful, a warm feeling ran up her spine.
They continued to the ocean sand and walked along the beach listening to the waves break and the sound of Emor as they waded about in the swirling water munching on floating surge-plants, Andra wished she had removed her heavy riding boots so that she could feel the warm sand between her toes and the weight of her armor bore down on her like the heat of the morning suns. Now and then they would come across a man and woman embracing on the sand or in a coven of rocks unaware or uncaring if anyone was watching them and even though Andra was far from an innocent field maiden of her Homeworld a blush of emotion swept over her at seeing their wanton nakedness.
“Do you have a mate?” Andra suddenly blurted out and hearing her own words she regretted saying them, what were you thinking? Next time think before you speak.
Cian seemed unaffected by her question, “If you are asking do we mate for life the answer is no, we believe that Trilling is meant for all and withholding that from another is an insult to them”.
“Trilling, what is that?” Andra asked.
“Trilling is the act of giving another pleasure of the body and mind”, the Kandrac replied, she is in need and I must help her.
For a few moments Moonbud did not understand what the tall Akuna was saying then the meaning suddenly appeared in her mind causing her heart to jump and this time she thought before she spoke, he must know a great deal about pleasing a woman, I wonder if he…? She cut off her thinking for it was taking her into a place she did not want to go and concentrated on the sand and sea.
“Your land is very beautiful” she said with a smile for she had successfully changed the subject and she would not have to think about entwining bodies and pleasures of the flesh, or so she thought.
“It is a gift from Dietas, she cares for us and we care for the land”.
They continued walking until they came to a cluster of rocks that were carved with images of men and woman in the act of making love, the details had been marred by the rising and falling of the tides and several of the great stones were covered in sea vegetation but there was still enough left to show that the artist had a vast knowledge of sexual positions both common and uncommon. The Akuna and the Outlander sat down on one of the smaller outcroppings close enough to the water to hear its crashing waves but under an overhang so that they were out of the twin suns heat, Andra leaned her sharp ax against a crusted bolder and removed her horned helmet freeing her long dark hair.
Cian watched her every move and sat close to her but not near enough to cause her discomfort, “the air is cool here” he said softly, “We can rest and you can tell me of your life”.
A small laugh escaped Andra’s lips, “That would take a very long time and I’m sure you have more important things to do”.
The Akuna leader shook his head, “We cannot sail until supplies are loaded and the tide has turned, and I wish to know your past”.
“There is not much to say really, I was born on a green world that no longer exists” Moonbud said shrugging her shoulders, hearing her own words brought shame to her heart, have you forgotten your mother and brother so easily. “I became a soldier and fought the enemy but we lost the war and I was sent to this world”.
“Your life was a hard one” Cian said, “You are here now and I wish to soften your days with us”.
As Moonbud looked into the deep eyes of her companion a strange feeling began to come over her, the warm ocean air mixed with a sweet fragrance seemed to fill her mind removing all thoughts of past hardships and suffering, all memories of lost loves and family leaving only the here and now. What is happening to me? As her nostril inhaled the beckoning aroma her mind floated in a sea of pleasure and all thoughts of guilt or betrayal vanished like the morning mist on the water.
As Arn stood on the pitching bow-deck of the Cronos he regretted having gone with his old friend for they had found far too much Po and lifted more than their share of tankards and now that potent wine was playing havoc with his stomach, that added to the fact that he never felt comfortable on the water made him wish that he was back in the Outlands and far from the rolling waves of the Western Sea.
Ahead of him was a vast openness of a forever changing landscape, always moving, swirling, churning, endless blue valleys that rose and fell with the winds and tides, reflections of sky, clouds and day moons, a place that showed no markings or trails or anything that an Outlander could recall to find his way home again. It was true that the power of knowing where you were at all times was a gift that all Nomads had but it was always mixed with knowledge of rock and sand, mountains and remains of ancient warships sent to Gorn for disposal by other worlds. Here there was nothing, no markers, no well-traveled passes, no memories of battlefields or victories, no home, only endless water, the only thing that broke the monotony of the waves was the hull of the Brila that rose and fell with the waves.
The King drew in a deep lungful of crisp ocean air hoping to clear his muddled mind, there is work to be done and you are King he thought, and indeed he was King, leader of the Almadra the most powerful tribe in all the Outlands, eldest son of Karn who’s victories in battle could not be counted, he had been trained to rule and defend his tribe but unlike his father he sometimes longed for a day when he was just a warrior, one of the many that fought and died for their Monarch without the burden of leadership.
But you are King, it is the will of the Gods, he knew this because the Gods had granted him victory over the Talsonar and they would not have done that if he were not meant to be Ruler, he also had the favor of the Holy Mother, but many would say that she could do nothing less for he was her son. Yes, I am her son but I have never used her love for me to intervene with the Gods.
Arn began to think of all the other Kings before him and whet
her the Gods favored them also? And what about all the other worlds he had heard about, what do the Kings of those worlds ask of their Gods? Is Isarie stronger than them? The Kings head began to ache and he wished that he had an enemy before him that he could fight rather than endless questions and a rolling sea.
An enemy, yes an enemy to vanquish and a soul to send to the Afterlife, enemies are everywhere, waiting to strike, watching for weakness, ready to kill, it is the way of our world. Arn looked down over the bow-sprint and watched the Akuna racing with waves set up by the wooden keel, their strong slim bodies cut through the cresting water like a sharp knife, they hurdled, leaped and frolicked like wave-jumpers for they were creatures of the sea and as much at home in the water as a Nomads in the Outlands.
Arn’s skull reeled so he did not feel the present of his mate as she drew near, “I have brought you something for your head” Andra said holding up a silver cup.
The King turned his aching mind to see his bed companion and the gift she was bringing him, “If that is more Po cast it into the water”.
“This is not sour wine” Moonbud said laughing, “This is a remedy for your pain; a cupful will settle any arguments in your head and body”.
Arn took the cup and looked deep into its contents, it smelled and looked like day old urine from a Whiptail, but anything would be better than the throbbing in his temples so he stiffened himself and emptied the beaker in one long draft, much to his relief the effects were felt in moments for his belly stopped turning over and his head began to loosen. “I did not know you had the skill of a Touchtender” he said smiling. “I don’t” replied Andra, “Cian mixed its contents and said it would heal you”.
The Kings head was still sore but as his vision cleared he looked at his mate and saw the large sea shell hanging from her neck, “did the Kandrac give you that” pointing to the pink ornament.
“Yes” Moonbud said holding up the gift in her hand, “isn’t it beautiful”.
Arn knew that such a great treasure would not have been given lightly for it would bring a great price in the Outlands, what did she do to be so rewarded? It was a question that the King did not want an answer too and although his head was feeling much better a thought entered there that once again brought great pain, perhaps she is your enemy?
Nomads The Risen God Page 28