“And you don’t deserve to give up an exciting job because of me.”
Males, Kimikizu thought. Of course, she wouldn’t give anything up because of him. “Where did you get that idea from? We’ll be ambassadors together. Do you think one Iks is enough to represent our species to the Mendraki nation?”
“Um, no,” said Norok. “Of course. I’m sorry I didn’t come up with that myself.”
“Apology accepted. I suggest you inform the Supreme Leaders of our joint decision.”
Norok laughed, and she sensed his relief. She had to swallow. Yes, she wanted to spend her future with him. But she’d just made an irreversible decision. The one perk was that she’d never have to give Niribinu another flying lesson. It occurred to her that those flight exercises had been a mere 14 days ago.
Crazy, she thought. It seemed to her the universe had turned completely around on itself within this brief time period, with the Iks standing at the center.
Homeland
Kasfok was flooded with multiple feelings as he stepped out of the Proud Dance in the Sunlight’s airlock and set foot on the ground of his species’ new home. He was proud, relieved, happy… and angry. Proud because his name would go down in the history of Mendraki as the Netmaster who had found a new home planet. Relieved because they no longer had to lead a miserable life in the increasingly unreliable ships. Happy because the sensation of finally feeling solid ground beneath his feet was uplifting.
And he was angry! Very angry because Tolkut was still alive, and the strange human had made it clear to him that this had better remain the case if he, Kasfok, did not want to come to an inglorious end himself.
The humans inexplicably protected Tolkut. Kasfok could not explain why this guy, who had introduced himself as ‘Mart the human,’ had taken such a liking to the traitor. But it was dangerous to oppose these humans. The level of their technology was so far beyond what the Mendraki had —or the Iks, for that matter—that it may just as well have been magic. Huge spaceships made of pure energy. The ability to manipulate time itself, as Mart had shown them, and travel through space at many times the speed of light, and much more that Kasfok would have relegated to the realm of fiction if Mart had not been able to furnish clear proof.
Kasfok was unable to explain how a species that had only four extremities could do all of this. As already experienced with the Iks, this contradicted everything the Mendraki scientists had always said in the old days.
Over the previous few days, Mart had not only offered them this planet, which he called Mars, as a new home, but had also been able to adapt it to the needs of the Mendraki in an incredibly short time—with just a snap of his fingers. Mart had talked about string manipulation and quantum effects, about material transformation and graviton manipulation, but even Kasfok’s best Techweaver hadn’t understood a word of it.
Mart had explained to them that this was the home system of his race, which had ruled over the entire galaxy for millions of years, another notion that Kasfok could hardly come to grips with. Yet what he understood least of all was that this race of humans had grown tired of all this power and had died out, all except for a few individuals who now existed in an incomprehensible, quantum-energetic state.
How could they grow tired of power? Though they could produce veritable wonders with their technology, these people must have had very weak characters. Kasfok could not imagine ever getting tired of power, which brought him back to Tolkut, whom he still saw as a threat to that power.
But now it was time to take possession of this planet for the Mendraki. Of course, it would need a new name. Mars was not a name suited to the Mendraki race. What about the name Kasfokia? They would see in time.
Almost all of their ships had landed by then and were being unloaded, cannibalized, or otherwise utilized for establishing the first settlement. Some were to serve as a provisional power supply until the fusion reactors were dismounted from other vessels and placed in caves that remained to be excavated. Still others would be disassembled almost entirely to make one ship as good as new out of three or four that needed repair. A few ships were required to extract the helium-3 from the atmospheres of the three planets Mart had granted them. Kasfok couldn’t suppress the little feeling of triumph he got from the fact that the Iks had only received one planet for the helium-3 harvest. So, this Mart was not completely crazy, and could reasonably assess the importance of a species.
Tolkut! Again the name of his adversary crept into Kasfok’s mind. He had to get rid of him without incurring the wrath of the humans. Then he was struck by an idea so obvious that Kasfok wondered why it had taken him so long.
Tolkut had an inexplicable fondness for the Iks, and Kasfok realized he could use this to his own advantage. The Iks had already asked if they could station an ambassador on the Mendraki planet to “establish good neighborly relations and avoid future misunderstandings,” as they’d put it. In return, he would suggest also sending a Mendrak to the Iks in support of these goals. Tolkut would snatch up this post like a husst-bird after a worm. It was the ideal solution! Tolkut would be out of the way without Kasfok being accused of acting against the human’s instructions.
He danced a few steps of exhilaration and self-satisfaction, until he saw something that urgently required his attention.
Hey, that’s no good! he drummed on the thread that ran from the Proud Dance in the Sunlight to the construction site for his temporary residence as Planetary Netmaster. The roof over the entrance to the government cave has got to be higher! After all, everyone must be able to see where the Netmaster’s residence is!
51st of Nahn, 299
There was a knock at the inner door of the airlock.
“Norok, is that you?” Kimikizu shouted. There was another knock, and Kimi recognized the call of the tassel jay. It could only be Norok. “I’m coming.”
She took the flight suit off the hanger. Norok had promised to get supplies for the nest, which had turned out to be a real problem on this desolate planet. The Mendrak had set them up a little cave to dwell in that had everything they needed. But traditionally, nobody else apart from them could build the common nest.
Kimikizu put on the flight suit. The planet's atmosphere was still too thin to be entered without a suit, and nothing would change that fact because the rock planet was too light to support a denser atmosphere. Sometimes she envied her sisters. But she had chosen to exile herself, and she got along so well with Norok that she would never want to trade places with them.
She knocked on the airlock door. The lamp was still red, and Norok had to leave the airlock so she could go out. Finally the light turned green, and she opened the door and stepped into the narrow, dark room, which was dusty and smelled of electrical fields. The inner door closed. She took several deep breaths to prepare her lungs for the different mixture of gases. The atmosphere contained enough oxygen, but it was harder for her body to extract it. She could have used a mask but she didn’t like it. Kimikizu wanted to absorb the alien world with all her senses.
She opened the outer door, and at first she saw only a cloud of dust. Then she recognized Norok’s imposing form sitting on the floor. In front of her was a path leading up to the surface. It was surprisingly warm.
“It’s so warm today,” she said. Since the thin air conducted sound so poorly, she had to speak loudly so that Norok could understand her.
“Yes, almost like summer,” he replied.
She ran up the pathway until she could see the horizon. The sun had already risen by two wingspans. It was a yellow spot in a reddish sky. The planet on which they lived seemed to consist primarily of reddish dust, but the Mendraki had been pleased at the high iron content.
“Let’s get the materials,” said Norok.
“Is it far?”
“Ten thousand wingspans.”
They’d manage that before the sun reached its highest point. Kimikizu got a running start and took off. She wouldn’t have accomplished this with her wings alone,
but the suit’s propulsion unit contributed buoyancy.
“Whee, whee, whee,” she shouted.
It was lots of fun, soaring in the air. This was her lifeblood. It was too bad they couldn’t build their nest on a branch in a huge tree of life. When their first children hatched, they wouldn’t be able to gaze far into the distance. It was a shame, but it was still better than having to grow up on a spaceship. Their children would only know of wind tunnels from the tales they were told.
As the surface of the planet rolled past beneath them, they kept seeing Mendraki scuttling around on their eight legs. More interested in depths than in heights, they were drilling holes and digging passages everywhere, meaning he and Kimi had the sky all to themselves. It almost always felt amazing, although every so often she missed the sight of powerful Iks wings coming toward her, or of a whole flock covering enormous distances in synchronized flight.
They were approaching a settlement. Kimi immediately recognized the pedestal that had been erected in her honor. It rose on several pillars to about the height of five wings. Kasfok had invited them to set up their nest there, and was almost offended when they refused, but neither she nor Norok was eager to be under constant surveillance. They had explained to the Mendraki that the Iks were very protective of their privacy, something incomprehensible to the Mendraki, but they accepted it. Their leader, Netmaster Kasfok, had even proven to be astonishingly accessible. Apparently, he had succeeded in gradually stabilizing his standing.
Norok was the first to land on the platform. As Kimi also touched down with her feet, a Mendrak crawled up the stairs. She recognized Jokar, one of Kasfok’s closest followers. It had taken her a long time to learn to tell the Mendraki apart, but now she knew all the little features, the scars, or crooked limbs that appeared to be sources of pride for them. She didn’t want to imagine how they’d come about.
Jokar greeted them over a portable speaker that was hanging under his strong jaw. “Welcome, Norokamilo and Kimikizu.” With that, he danced steps of greeting.
Norok and Kimi returned the greeting. It was challenging to imitate the dance steps two-legged, but the Mendraki appreciated the gesture. Perhaps they were laughing to themselves, but at least no one said anything, and when the topic came up in conversation, the spiders always expressed appreciation. She would probably find it impressive if a Mendrak suddenly tried to fly in her honor.
“We thank you for the invitation, and ask you to dance the steps of deference on our behalf before Netmaster Kasfok,” said Norok. The Mendraki’s machine translated his words.
“It would be my honor,” said Jokar. “I left the material you asked for on the platform, there in the corner.” He pointed in that direction with one of his eight legs and his head.
Kimi saw a loose pile. The nest feathers, or what was intended to be used in their place, looked black in the reddish light of the sky.
“Thank you so much,” replied Norok.
Kimi understood as the Mendrak danced the steps of farewell.
“Unfortunately, I must say goodbye now,” came the sound from his speaker.
They turned to the dark pile. An Iks nest typically consisted of a mixture of feathers, twigs, and dry grass, but none of these were in sufficient supply here. Norok had explained the problem to Kasfok, and here the result lay before them. Kimi tested the materials with her fingers. They were soft, pliable, and about as long as twigs, although for the most part far thicker. They had almost no moisture, which was necessary for the eggs.
“I think we can make a nice nest out of these,” she said. “The color just takes some getting used to.”
“Our children won’t know the difference,” replied Norok.
She noticed his loving gaze. It was a crucial moment. There were no more obstacles in the way of them building their nest. She should have been delighted now, but she wasn’t. She was still afraid, afraid she wouldn’t be able to do it. Having children was such a great responsibility! There were just the two of them amidst a group of totally alien beings.
The development in relations between the Iks and the Mendraki had been favorable, but what if war broke out again? In addition, their sons and daughters would only have each other. They’d grow up outside of the clan structures. For their entire lives, they would presumably remain strangers to the Iks.
And then there was the problem with the nanos. Would the tiny machines pass on to their babies? If so, it would make their children outcasts like Norok. Kimikizu sighed. The fear was greater than the joy at the moment.
“It’s difficult,” said Norok.
It sounded as if he had just been thinking the same thing she was. “That’s true,” she replied.
Norok understood her. It was a good feeling. They didn’t have to rush.
Suddenly Kimi wished they were needed for some kind of mission. “What do you think this is?” she asked.
Norok looked at her searchingly. “Do you want to know?”
“I’m not easily shocked, as you well know.”
“Well, Kasfok hinted that they’re the Mendraki’s shedded skins. Their skin isn’t elastic enough to grow with them, so they need to shed their skins regularly. They like to use them as insulation material. It’s dry and soft, perfect for a nest.”
“I see,” Kimikizu said. “I don’t think the first thing we tell our children should be that they were born in a nest of spider skins.”
“I don’t think that’s going to be a problem,” Norok said. “They’ll know the Mendraki better than other Iks.”
“You’re right,” said Kimi.
The Ambassador
The cave dwelling he’d been provided with on the generational ship was quite comfortably furnished, and not for a single micropulse did Tolkut regret accepting the job of ambassador. The asteroid was now closely orbiting the planet that the humans had called ‘Jupiter,’ and that the Iks were using as a base for building large installations in the planet’s atmosphere. Tolkut hoped that it wouldn’t be too long before they would also be able to help the Mendraki to use this amazing technology to exploit the helium-3 reserves on the three gas planets that had been allocated to them. He had to admit that the Mendraki’s method was relatively primitive in comparison, and he had already entered into negotiations with the Supreme Mother in this regard.
The Iks were easy to get along with, and what he found particularly pleasing was that their potential for aggression was significantly less pronounced than among the Mendraki. Over the past year, he’d occasionally wondered if he was a true Mendrak, because sometimes he felt more comfortable among his new friends than he ever had aboard the Solstice Bud.
If Tolkut missed anything to be found on the Mendraki’s new home planet, it was Kimi and Norok. The Iks, who had denied Norok access to their generation ship as long he was carrying the nanos—which Tolkut found ridiculous—decided to make him ambassador to the Mendraki. Since Kimi was not ready to leave her companion, she was now also living among her former enemies. It was an irony of fate that it was precisely those who’d made the first contact between the species and had befriended one another now hardly saw each other while each was living amid an alien species. This always made Tolkut look forward all the more to his reporting missions to Mars. The Mendraki had kept the name that the humans had given it long ago—fortunately, Kasfok had not prevailed with his egocentric suggestion to name the planet Kasfokia.
After all that had happened, his old adversary could consider himself lucky for being able to serve as Planetary Netmaster. But the old schemer had figured out how to get the majority of the Shipmasters on his side and, surprisingly, also enjoyed support from Mart, who had been making himself scarcer lately. There was still an unmistakable tension between himself and Kasfok, but they were now dealing with each other professionally. Maybe Kasfok had just gotten older and more mature, although Tolkut wouldn’t have bet on it.
Tolkut slid out of his lounger net when the door light came on. He wasn’t expecting any visitors, and was cu
rious to see who would disturb him during his meditation period.
He opened the door, and before him stood an Iks whom he didn’t know. As the visitor was struggling to dance the steps of greeting, Tolkut was both impressed and amused. The Iks was trying to be as polite to him as possible, but with his two legs, the Iks’ attempt seemed pretty clumsy. Nonetheless, Tolkut appreciated the effort.
Pardon the interruption, Ambassador, vibrated the translation thread in the small box that Tolkut always wore around his neck when he was with the Iks. The level to which the Iks Techweaver had been able to miniaturize the vibration transducer was nothing short of astonishing. I bring urgent news of Kimikizu!
For a moment Tolkut was alarmed, but then he told himself that they wouldn’t have sent a young Iks he didn’t know if there had been an incident. This delicate task would have been entrusted to an older and more experienced Iks.
How is my friend doing? Tolkut asked. I hope everything is going well for her and Norok!
For Kimi... My apologies!... For the honorable Navigator Kimikizu, everything is going well, Ambassador. Very well, in fact! In a few days... uh... macropulses, they’re expecting her to lay her first egg. This is usually celebrated with a festival in which the closest friends take part. Kimikizu and Norok would be delighted to welcome you to their nest on this occasion.
It would be my honor to be present on that happy day, Tolkut replied, emphasizing his words with the steps of joyous excitement. While it was difficult for the Iks to imitate the Mendraki dance steps, many of them had acquired an astonishing mastery in being able to interpret them.
I would also like to inform you that one of our new flying machines will be made available to you so you can make it on time for the festival, said the Iks, who, in all the excitement, had forgotten to introduce himself. Tolkut forgave him for this oversight.
Helium 3: Fight for the Future Page 28