by Kelly A Nix
“That was before you became queen and mother to the future king.”
“Oh, yes. You wouldn’t want to disrespect your queen, now would you? Instead, you let her die of boredom.” Sula lies over the arm of her throne, like she’s wasting away as they speak. Solum bites back the amused smile threatening his lips.
“I’m sure there are other ways to entertain yourself, my queen,” he says.
Perhaps this break will do me some good.
“Like listening to rumors of a rogue ship landing on my planet, just outside my city walls?” Sula’s cold tone and placid expression slaps Solum like a splash of icy water.
Damn it.
“Rumors,” he says. “Unsubstantiated.”
“Are you certain?” Sula asks. She sits straight against the back of her marble throne, staring at her advisor with a stern gaze.
“I’ve combed through all the recent security reports, and I’ve found no evidence of a breach.”
“And what of the rumors?”
“There were several complaints of an unidentifiable ship entering the atmosphere near Capital City, but our scans of the planetary surface were negative.”
“So, you think my people are lying?” Sula asks with a dangerous tilt of her head.
“No,” Solum says. “I think they saw something. I just don’t know what. A ship would have been detected long before it entered orbit. Even if it somehow avoided our defenses, scans of the area would pick out the ship's location within moments. Whatever they saw, it wasn’t a ship. It’s impossible.”
Queen Sula frowns at her packmate’s frustration. Solum isn’t easily perplexed, and failing to find the rumored ship seems to be infuriating the royal advisor. A wave of familiarity slams into Sula as she remembers the last time a space vessel landed on her planet undetected.
“Not impossible,” Sula mutters. She averts her gaze from Solum while she considers the implications. Solum recognizes the sudden shift in his packmate’s demeanor and studies her face. He’s rewarded with a small glimpse as her royal mask slips to reveal an instant of concern and a hint of anxiety.
“What do you mean? What do you know, Sula?” Solum asks and steps closer.
Hearing her name, the queen shoves her mask back into place and snaps around to face him. Solum jerks back and straightens his posture. At this moment, they are not packmates or friends.
“There is an unidentified ship on my planet. Find it.”
“Yes, my queen.”
Solum salutes and hurries away, but he halts after a few steps when his packmate’s voice reaches out to him.
“Solum.”
He pivots to find Queen Sula glancing at several of the guards stationed throughout the room. She watches them for a moment and contemplates her next words.
“I trust you to protect her.”
“Sula-”
“I trust you…to protect us all.”
They both pause; Solum stares wide-eyed at his queen, and she stares back at him from a cold, royal mask.
“Yes, my queen,” he says, then exits.
Inside the throne room, Sula closes her eyes and tries to push back the wave of shame engulfing her. On the other side of the large decorative doors, Solum stops and takes a deep breath. He has several long days ahead of him, but he must find the rogue ship. The sensation of a molten rock settles in his stomach when he realizes that the Queen of the Kaji Empire is frightened.
Chapter 8
Once again, Atae bounds through the streets of Capital City. She weaves between merchants and bustling commuters, running as fast as she can toward Sula Academy. Panting, she stumbles while dodging an irate merchant’s cart. Atae catches herself in time to avoid a fall but growls at her mistake.
Between last night’s pitiful training session and oversleeping this morning, I wouldn't be surprised if Solum disowns me.
Last night, Solum arrived just as Atae finished her warm-up, and he coached her through conditioning activities, like Search and Destroy, Cliff Hopping, and Uphill Rockslide, all of which are fun and motivating but require strict attention. No one wants to slip during a round of Uphill Rockslide and end up covered in a few dozen tons of mud and rock, yet Atae wound up in that exact position. Uphill Rockslide usually consists of Solum throwing boulder after boulder down the rock face and Atae moving fast enough to use the sliding rocks as steps, from the bottom to the top.
This time, Atae fumbled over her feet during each attempt to reach the top of the mountain. Time after time, she slammed headfirst into the rock slab and tumbled back down to the bottom. The other conditioning exercises were similar disasters. After several failed attempts, Solum expressed disgust in her fatigued state and told her that she would have to do much better to survive the Gridiron. Atae went to bed exhausted and ashamed of her disappointing performance.
Atae cringes as she leaps over a long box of goods carried between two merchants. Her ribs are still tender, but she attributes it to her recent tumbles down Mount Tuki. Again she stumbles, favoring her injured side, and slows to a halt at the steps of Sula Academy where Jeqi and her mother, Deh, are waiting. As sweat drips from her bruised face, Atae bends over to catch her breath.
“Rough night?” Jeqi asks. Her eyebrows knit together in concern as she watches her packmate recover.
Unable to speak just yet, Atae nods and smiles at Jeqi’s mother, Deh. The Setunn’s pale skin and delicate features gleam in Solis’ and Cerule’s light. Deh’s long, blonde hair flows past her hips and surrounds the small creature in an almost heavenly glow. Her deep blue eyes sparkle with concern as her silky, blonde tail curls behind her.
“I fear Solum will push you too hard one day,” Deh says. “Why are you here by yourself?”
Atae blinks. “Uh, because I always meet Jeqi here before lessons.”
“No, I mean, why didn’t Solum bring you? He isn’t concerned about you running around unsupervised?”
“No,” Atae shrugs. “Why would he?”
Deh huffs, and Atae glances at Jeqi in confusion. The Setunn hybrid sighs and shakes her head, and Atae smiles at her packmate’s annoyance. Deh’s tail thrashes about in outrage as she throws her hand up into the air.
“Never mind. If Solum chooses to do nothing to protect his offspring, that is his choice. I will not make the same mistake,” she says.
Atae steps back and gapes at Deh. It’s no secret that the Setunn cares for her offspring and takes, what Kaji consider, unnecessary precautions to protect Jeqi. This is the first time Atae has heard Deh criticize another parent, especially Solum. Before Atae can prod for more information about why Solum should be more concerned for Atae’s safety, Jeqi announces her big news with a smile.
“Atae finally beat Advisor Solum in training.”
“Oh? Congratulations, Atae,” Deh says. Jeqi’s silver tail pats the floor as she frowns at her mother.
“Mother? Do you realize what this means?”
“Yes. It means you and Atae will be able to compete in the Gridiron when you feel you are ready.”
Jeqi, her tail paralyzed in shock, gawks at her mother. Deh, like most Setunn, never hides her repugnance for the violence that’s an everyday affair in Kajian culture. Jeqi sometimes struggles to understand her mother’s attraction to her father, a well-known Kaji warrior. She can only conclude that his sense of duty and honor counterbalances his violent nature. At least, in her mother’s eyes.
“And you’re fine with this?” Jeqi asks.
On more than one occasion, she’s forbidden Jeqi from participating in activities considered normal in Kajian culture but unthinkable among the Setunn.
“I told you long ago when this bargain began, as long as you stay top of your class at Sula, you can participate. You’ve not failed to hold up your end of the bargain. Why would I fail to uphold mine?” Deh tilts her head, peering at her daughter with a patient gaze, but Jeqi frowns at her.
“You’re not afraid that I will give into my ‘heathen’ side and decide I would rather
be a warrior than a specialist?” Jeqi asks.
Over the past few seasons, she’s grown distrustful of her mother’s intentions because Deh uses every opportunity to dissuade Jeqi from warrior training, encouraging her to specialize instead. Jeqi and Atae learned of the Gridiron four seasons ago, which prompted the deal between Atae and her father. Deh used the opportunity to encourage Jeqi to concentrate more on lessons than training, and Advisor Solum used the bargain to inspire Atae to develop her combat skills.
Most younglings do not begin combat training until their fifth or sixth season, focusing more on physical and mental conditioning in early seasons of development. Around their fifteenth season, purebred younglings start their shifting phase, a period in which their bodies learn to shift from their first form into their second and back. Kaji families usually remove their offspring from the public to teach them in private how to control their newly acquired shifting ability. This can take a few days, weeks, or months, depending on the youngling. Even after they return to their regular routines, some may struggle to maintain control.
While all purebred Kaji eventually learn to shift, most hybrids do not have a second form. Therefore, Solum began training Atae in combat at an earlier age. He knew she would be at a disadvantage her entire life, and expert fighting skills could help level the playing field. Deh, on the other hand, used all her resources to ensure Jeqi has the best education and as much opportunity to specialize as possible. Deh smiles at her daughter and caresses her with a softly spoken voice.
“Jeqietta, daughter of mine, I have no doubt that when you see a true battle between Kaji warriors, you will have no desire to join them.”
Jeqi’s eyes burn, and her puffed-up tail sputters behind her as she glares at her mother. A familiar thought whispers through the dark crevices of Jeqi’s mind. It’s a thought that always floats to the surface, no matter how hard she tries to drown it.
Am I good enough? Will I ever be a true Kaji warrior? Am I strong enough? Jeqi clenches her teeth, wrestling the dreadful plague of whispers down, deep into the depths of her mind and out of sight.
“Do you think I’m a coward?”
Deh’s patient, blue eyes peer into Jeqi’s passionate azure, and Deh slips her smooth hands over both sides of her daughter’s face. Her words are gentle, and her tone is loving.
“I think you have too much of your mother’s blood to be a true Kaji warrior.”
Jeqi’s eyes fill with tears, but she endeavors to keep them at bay as she struggles against the rekindled whispers that drown her with insecurity. Her lips tremble, and her voice cracks as she speaks.
“How can you say that? I am Kaji. I will serve the empire honorably.”
“Of this, I have no doubt, my love. You will bring great honor to our family, as your father has, but not in the same way.” Deh wipes her daughter’s tears with the tip of her tail, letting the soft fur caress Jeqi’s hot cheeks. The whispers slacken their grip on her mind, and Jeqi breathes a little easier. Standing, Deh kisses her offspring on the head with a note of finality.
“One day, you will understand, my dear.” She walks away from the two younglings, perhaps, to give her daughter much needed privacy. Jeqi clings to her mother’s assurances like a life preserver and gathers her strength to beat back the mental waves of anguish her mind has released upon itself.
After watching the entire conversation and display of affection, Atae stands in awkward silence, oblivious to Jeqi’s inner struggle. She spends every day with Jeqi at Sula Academy and visits her home several times a week. Jeqi always displays a strong will and eagerness to earn citizenship, thus honor, as a true Kajian youngling should. And every night, her mother comforts her and encourages her to perform better. Atae is fascinated by the Setunn’s unabashed affection for her loved ones and finds herself envying Jeqi once again.
Solum is a fine father for Atae. He is supportive and patient. What he lacks in warmth, Solum makes up for with quality time. Solum is a hardened warrior, and Atae has learned to appreciate the small displays of affection he supplies. A nod of approval, a smile of pride, and, on rare occasions, a verbal compliment. Sometimes, after leaving Jeqi’s affectionate home for another challenging training session with Solum, Atae wonders if her mother would have held her and kissed her as Deh does for Jeqi.
Atae watches her friend as Jeqi, lost in her inner turmoil, grasps her soft tail in both hands. It flickers against her face, mimicking her mother’s comforting touch. Unnerved by her comrade’s display of insecurity, Atae interrupts Jeqi with a soft punch to the shoulder.
“You worry too much,” Atae says. Jeqi jerks her head up and drops her tail, a small blush creeping across her face.
“And you don’t worry at all,” Jeqi snaps. Atae raises an eyebrow at her friend’s harsh tone but says nothing. She surveys the Academy building and notices all the arriving students are piling into their respective classes. Not wanting to be late again, Atae signals for Jeqi to follow her inside.
The two hybrids reach their stations as Elder Warrior Feku strides into the classroom. He takes his place at the lecture station in the center of the room and activates his giant hologram, which initiates the student stations. Atae notices that Jent’s station is empty and wonders about his whereabouts until Feku directs everyone’s attention to the metal object sitting at each station.
Most of the younglings are curious, and some pick up the object to search for identifying marks. Jeqi, on the other hand, squeals in excitement as she holds it with a firm grip.
“What is it?” Atae asks.
“They are weapons. More specifically, your weapons,” Feku says. In unison, the entire room bursts into exhilarated chatter, and the elder warrior waits for the group to exhaust their excitement. Soon, the students realize the chunk of metal looks more like the lever on a hovercraft than a weapon, and all eyes find their way back to Feku.
“Jeqi, care to explain?”
Everyone shifts their attention to the blonde youngling, and Jeqi jumps up with a giant grin on her face, holding her weapon out in front of her with both hands. Without a word, a beam of energy erupts from the top of the metal lever, expelling a distinct, high-pitch zing. The energy beam forms a massive two-handed sword with the metal lever as the hilt. Classmates all around Jeqi gasp in surprise, then, without warning, the blade melts into a small dagger and echoes the same distinct zing. As Jeqi waves the shorter knife in one hand, the light from the energy beam creates a frightening shadow across her face. After a few moments, Jeqi deactivates the weapon, and the energy beam recedes into the hilt like it never existed.
“It’s an energy blade,” she says.
“That’s right,” Feku says. Almost no one notices the five points added to Jeqi’s class ranking as it flashes across all their stations. Every youngling in the room hangs on the elder warrior’s next words and hopes to learn how to wield the fantastic weapon.
“Does anyone know what powers it?” Feku asks. He searches the class for anyone who might have an answer. With no stations alight, he asks a slightly different question. “Does it create energy out of thin air?”
“No,” Atae whispers. But the quiet room amplifies her musing, and Feku glances at her.
“What was that, Atae?”
“Uh…no. It can’t create energy. Nothing can. Energy can only be converted.”
“So, what powers it?” Feku asks again. When, still, no one responds, Feku decides to rephrase the question. “How is it charged?”
“I got it. Our uniforms.” Marqee jumps up and sends the class into a cascade of smiles and giggles.
“Very good, Marqee. But control yourself long enough to use your station indicator next time you have an epiphany, and you might get more points.” The elder warrior smirks as the class giggles again. Marqee’s dark eyes dart away to hide his embarrassment, but he smiles at his point addition.
“Like most modern uniforms, your Sula Academy outfit has several capabilities, including weapon holstering. There are many
places for you to attach your hilt. Most warriors prefer the hip or along the outer thigh, but feel free to pick whichever site is more comfortable,” Feku says. He demonstrates by firmly pressing a hilt against his uniform then releasing it. The silver metal hugs his hip even as he maneuvers around the room. The class explodes into action as each youngling follows Feku’s example.
Atae sheathes her sword against her hip then walks around her station a few times to see how it feels. After a few quickdraws, the blue hybrid sheathes the hilt in other positions before settling on the outer thigh of her right leg. Enjoying the alien sensation of the small, heavy object against her leg, Atae smiles at Jeqi. The blonde smiles back with the same excitement, sporting a hilt on her left upper arm, below her shoulder. Feku addresses the class after most of them choose their ideal holster positions.
“What other advantages does your uniform offer?” He motions for Debil to answer, and she offers a tired shrug.
“It’s pretty tough.”
“Tough, but it’s certainly not any kind of armor. There’s something more to it. What is it, Sloan?”
“It stays with us during our shift.”
“Good, but how?” Feku prods for more, and Sloan wrinkles his dark forehead as he considers the implications before responding.
“It kind of disappears, like my body absorbs it when I shift. Then, when I return, so does it.”
“It’s biocompatible,” Jeqi says. “Your body can’t tell the difference between your tissue and the uniform, so it treats them the same.”
“Very good, Jeqi.” Feku nods. “During a shift, your body will break down unnecessary cells and create the new, necessary ones. When you return to your first form, your body reverses the process.”
“So, the uniform becomes a part of me when I shift?” Marqee asks. “That’s kind of weird.”
“It’s either that, or we walk around naked after every shift,” Sloan says. He winks at Debil, and she flashes a playful smile at his attention.
“It seems we should all be grateful for Sloan’s uniform,” Feku says sarcastically. After the elder warrior awards Jeqi and Sloan their earned points, Atae indicates that she has a question.