by Andrew Gates
“Thank you,” was all he said.
“You are not one for compliments, are you?” she asked.
“I never have been.”
The Supreme Chieftess laughed. It was strange hearing her do so.
“If only my generals were the same way,” she replied with a smile. “You are humble, but your humility will not make you more impressive in my eyes, if that is your intent.”
“I intend nothing but to please you.”
“Very well,” she said. It seemed she had had enough of these formalities. “In addition to wanting to meet you in person, I summoned you because I imagine you have many questions about your mission.”
“It is not my job to ask questions,” Ikharus replied. He rarely found out what happened after his missions. He knew just as much as he needed to in order to get the job done. That was all.
“I know you are used to being kept in the dark, but you are in charge of a Kreed now. With your new role comes added knowledge,” Khtallia explained. “You shall not be kept in the dark any longer.”
Ikharus did not know this was a stipulation of the job, but he supposed it was not surprising.
“Understood,” was all he could say.
“You should know the Sorrevahni prisoner you captured is a general for the Empire.”
“A general?” Ikharus did not expect this prisoner to be of such high rank.
“Indeed. He was stationed on the moon when the colonists declared their independence. The rebels took him captive.”
“And we took him from the rebels,” Ikharus elaborated. “So now he is our prisoner.”
“Indeed. Our intelligence suggests that the Sorrevahni do not realize we have him. Neither do the rebels. Each faction believes he is either dead or being held by the other.”
“Good. That gives us a strategic advantage. Soh Saratti knows about the Sorrevahni military. He knows their weaknesses, their strengths and their tactics.”
The Supreme Chieftess nodded her head and took a step to the side. Ikharus followed her with his eyes as she started circling around him.
“He knows more than military secrets. Soh Saratti has information about the unknown species, the one which has raised a number of questions for us here in the Chiefdom.”
Ikharus had heard of this strange species. If the news was to be believed, a colony of these creatures had been discovered under the ocean near the shores of Kholvaria. They were promptly exterminated by a massive strike force. Kreeds Rouge, Echelon and Vanguard were said to be among those who led the attack.
The news also went onto suggest that the brother of Under Chieftain Kho Veznek, Kho Mohkzani, was killed by these creatures. The Under Chieftain was said to have been interrogating prisoners taken from the underwater colony ever since the attack.
This story seemed farfetched, of course. There were no witnesses willing to testify as to how Mohkzani was killed and Ikharus was not one to ask questions.
“The unknown species?” was all Ikharus replied.
The Supreme Cheiftess was behind him now, but he could hear the crown shifting on her head as if she were nodding.
“Indeed. I’m sure you have heard of them. A great number of Kholvari have already seen these creatures up close,” she explained.
“Yes, I have heard the news,” Ikharus admitted. “You call these creatures evolved-ones.”
“So you do know of them.”
“Is this news true?” Ikharus asked.
“Indeed,” Khtallia said as she finished her loop around him. “The evolved-ones are most certainly real.” There was seriousness in her tone.
“What do we know about these creatures?” he wondered.
“Not much. We know they lived in an artificial city in the ocean, not unlike Vigilant Behemoth.”
So that much is true.
“I have personally met with one of the evolved-ones, a male by the name of Kho Damien Saljov, who is being held in this very ship. Before his captivity, Kho Damien Saljov piloted a submarine craft near one our submerged steam generators and triggered its automatic defense system. His actions were what first alerted us to the evolved-ones’ presence.”
Ikharus was surprised to hear that the Supreme Chieftess herself had already met with one of the prisoners. Indeed there was a lot he did not know.
“When we spoke,” Khtallia continued, “the prisoner seemed kind but afraid. He did not seem to hold any aggression to our race.”
The Supreme Chieftess stopped speaking for a moment and met eyes with the soldier. He took a deep breath before replying.
“If you have been communicating with an evolved-one, then surely this particular subject can provide us with the answers to our questions, can he not?”
“He can, but only to a degree. That is where Soh Saratti comes in. We have interrogated him as well. According to what he has to say, the Sorrevahni encountered the evolved-ones long before we did,” Khtallia answered.
“On the other side of the planet?”
“Indeed. Soh Saratti tells us that evolved-ones were found in their lands many planet-cycles ago. By the time they were first discovered, the creatures had already constructed a colony on the surface. Soh Saratti goes onto say that the evolved-ones must have been there many planet-cycles before the Sorrevahni even noticed,” she explained.
“How is that possible? Surely the Sorrevahni would have noticed a colony.”
“The evolved-ones settled upon a remote island. It was uninhabited by the Empire.”
“And we learned this all from Soh Saratti?” Ikharus clarified.
“Indeed. He has been studying them, which is why we wanted him captured. His knowledge of the evolved-ones can help us understand more about them and why they are here. That, Kho Ikharus, is why your mission was so important.”
Ikharus bowed out of respect.
“Thank you, Supreme Chieftess. Thank you for enlightening me on the purpose of my mission.”
“I am genuinely impressed with your humility, Kho Ikharus,” she remarked.
“If I may ask, why did you feel the necessity to deliver this message to me in person? Surely Kal Ezenkharam could have explained this to me instead,” he wondered.
“Indeed, you are correct. She was the architect of your mission. But as I already mentioned, I was curious to meet you. Your mission was not an easy one, but you accomplished it without fault. You had a new team and a new role on a new planet. Most Kholvari would not have been able to achieve what you and your Kreed achieved, even with a veteran team.”
“Understood,” Ikharus replied.
The chamber was silent for a moment. Ikharus could feel the guards’ eyes on him. He waited for the Supreme Chieftess to say something else, but she did not.
“Are you waiting for me to dismiss you now, Kho Ikharus?” she eventually asked.
“Is there something you wanted me to say?” he wondered.
The Supreme Chieftess took another step closer to him and studied his face.
“I can tell there are still questions in your mind,” she said.
“There are, but it is not my place to inquire.”
Khtallia laughed again.
“You certainly are an interesting character, Squad Leader. Please, if you have something on your mind, ask now. You may not get the chance to speak with the Supreme Chieftess again,” she said.
“Very well. I was wondering if the news about the Under Chieftain’s brother is true. Was he really killed by the evolved-ones?” Ikharus asked, finally coming out with it.
Khtallia sighed and took a step behind her. She turned her back to Ikharus for a moment but then spun back around. Her crimson cape rose in the air as she twirled.
“The news is true. Kho Mohkzani was killed by the evolved-ones in their underwater city.”
“And how has the Under Chieftain dealt with this loss?”
“Not well. Unlike me, he believes these creatures to be hostile. He seems to be after something, as if they are hiding a secret from him. I do
n’t know what it is he thinks they know, but he has been interrogating many of the captured evolved-ones. His methods range from simple questioning to torture.”
“And has he spoken to this evolved-one of yours?”
“Kho Veznek was one of the first to witness Kho Damien Saljov awake. He played a crucial role in his initial questioning. I spoke with Kho Damien Saljov only a few days later. After my conversation with him, I ordered the Under Chieftain not to torture this one.”
“You like this prisoner then?” Ikharus asked.
“I am fascinated by Kho Damien Saljov and want to preserve him, though Kho Veznek does not share my appreciation for this prisoner. He seems to hold nothing but disdain towards their entire race.”
“So you do not agree with his methods of torture, I take it?” Ikharus wondered.
“You would be correct in this assumption. I do not approve of my Under Chieftain’s methods, though I allow them for now,” she explained.
“Why is that?”
“Because it is not my place. Kho Veznek wants to control the prisoner interrogation, so I shall let him. I may disagree with his methods, but I understand the importance of keeping these prisoners. They can teach us much about themselves and why they are here.”
Ikharus stood still.
“I understand,” he said.
“I don’t think you do. There are greater ramifications here, to which the Under Chieftain is sensitive. If the evolved-ones truly have been on this planet for as long as we now suspect, how come we have not seen them until recently? Their lack of surface presence would suggest that the creatures remained underwater long before our history keeping. If this is true, then they may pose a risk to our fundamental understanding of the world.”
Ikharus had not considered this point. In fact, he did not fully understand what she meant.
“Go on,” he said, wanting to learn more.
The Supreme Chieftess seemed intrigued by his request. She opened and closed her mandibles and squinted her eyes, curiously.
“Surely you know what I mean,” she eventually replied.
“I do not. Forgive my incompetence.” He hoped he was not coming off as unknowledgeable.
Khtallia took a few steps back and stared at him.
“Tell me, Kho Ikharus, what makes the Kholvari so different from the Sorrevahni?” she asked.
Ikharus was not expecting this question. This was simple knowledge. Everyone knew the difference between the two. Yet he answered nonetheless.
“The Sorrevahni are lighter in color and reside on the continent to the east. The Kholvari are darker and reside in the west.”
“Yes, the Kholvari and Sorrevahni look different and live on different continents, but there was once a time when we all lived together in harmony. As I’m sure you know, those Kholvari in the east were forced to flee Sorreveous or risk death. Likewise, those Sorrevahni in the west were forced to leave the Chiefdom. Why did this happen?”
Ikharus did not know why she was testing his knowledge of history, but he continued to play along. He did not desire to disappoint the Supreme Chieftess.
“The Sorrevahni took to wild theories and strange claims. They preached that our species was not of this planet. They preached that we originated from another world. But as Kholvari, we know the truth. Science proves that our species evolved to live here from the start. Our bodies are built to live on this world. We breathe the air, see in the light and withstand the pressure. The debate over our origins split our people in two. War broke out. The two sides have been separate ever since, though no longer fighting.”
“Indeed,” the Supreme Chieftess said. “And if the evolved-ones do predate our race, this could add legitimacy to the Sorrevahni claim.”
“So you view these creatures as proof that the Empire is right and we are wrong?” Ikharus could hardly believe what he was hearing.
“No, but some could see it that way. Our species may have still originated on this world, regardless of when the evolved-ones came into it, but it brings some of these things into question.”
“Such as?”
“If we did not know anything about these creatures, then how much do we really know about ourselves?”
Ikharus did not know how to respond to that. This was a lot of information to take in at once. Part of him wondered if the Supreme Chieftess was beginning to side with the Sorrevahni.
He took a deep breath, closed his eyes and reopened them. The room seemed quiet. He could not even hear the guards breathing.
Khtallia looked back at him with curious eyes. It seemed she truly was fascinated by Ikharus. She eventually turned and walked behind him again, giving the soldier a clear view of the planet behind the window. He stared at Kholvaria below and wondered if there were evolved-ones on the continent now.
“Ah, I see you are studying the planet,” Khtallia noted.
“You are very astute, your Majesty.”
“What are you thinking as you look down upon our home world?”
“I am wondering about the evolved-ones. Have there been any sightings of them on the surface apart from the colony in the Sorrevahni Empire?”
Khtallia walked back in front of Ikharus again.
“No sightings of them in person, but some scouts have discovered escape pods along the eastern shore.”
“Escape pods? Containing what?”
“The scouts discovered three pods,” Khtallia explained. “The first contained a single weapon, a basic ballistic firearm. Rudimentary technology. The second was completely empty. The third contained many more weapons. A corpse was buried not too far from it.”
“Evolved-one?”
“Indeed.”
Weapons. If two of the three escape pods contained weapons, then that does not bode well.
“You say you do not think these creatures to be hostile, but if that is true, what purpose do these weapons hold?” Ikharus wondered.
“To defend themselves from us, not to aggress. Try to imagine this from their perspective, Kho Ikharus. We attacked their city. To them, we are monsters.”
He could not argue with that point.
“I understand,” he said.
Khtallia smiled at the soldier.
“You are asking all the right questions, Squad Leader. I knew I would be impressed with you.”
Once again, Ikharus did not know what she meant by that. He simply nodded his head.
“When is your next mission?” she asked, abruptly changing the subject.
“I have not been assigned one yet. Mission control wishes me more time for my arm to recover before putting me back in battle,” he explained.
Khtallia’s eyes widened as if she were surprised.
“Forgive me; I had not realized you were suffering from an injury.”
“It can hardly be considered suffering. It is a minor inconvenience.”
“Regardless, I wish you a speedy recovery.”
Ikharus bowed again. When he raised his head, Khtallia pointed to the door with her scepter.
“You are dismissed now, Squad Leader. It was a pleasure to meet you in person.”
“Likewise, your Majesty.”
With those words, she sat back down upon her throne. Kozakh approached Ikharus and stood by his side.
“Follow me,” he ordered.
Kozakh escorted Ikharus out of the chamber and back into the white hall. He followed him all the way through until he returned to the black door. When it opened, revealing the public halls once more, Kozakh did not follow.
“The Supreme Chieftess does not show such respect for most. You made quite an impression today,” the bodyguard explained.
“I simply did as I was asked. That is all I ever seek to do,” Ikharus replied.
“Well, she looks favorably upon you now.”
Kozakh turned and walked back towards the chamber. Ikharus walked the other way, back into the wide halls of the ship, where Kholvari citizens walked this way and that throughout the city.
The door closed behind him.
So the evolved-ones are real, he thought. It was hard for him to concentrate on anything else right now. Perhaps one day I shall meet one for myself.
IT HAD BEEN ALMOST TWELVE hours since the crossing, but Iris’s boots and jumpsuit were still damp. Her feet squished with each step, her body chafed with each motion and her clothes felt twice as heavy.
Iris walked back to the group of sleepers while ignoring the wet feeling all over. She had just emptied her bladder for the third time in what must have been 20 minutes. The poor bush now smelled more like urine than any toilet she had ever encountered. She had been peeing practically non-stop lately.
It was nighttime now, but after her long nap in the middle of the day, Iris found it difficult to fall asleep. She picked a spot next to Dan and sat down. He was still awake on watch. They did not say a word to each other, but simply sat there, taking in the night.
Clouds no longer covered the sea above. Iris made out the vast array of stars and nebulas over her head. The sight was beautiful. No matter how many nights she spent out here, she always found herself transfixed by the view.
Gazing at the stars made her feel small, but yet, part of a larger world. There had to have been life out there somewhere. Maybe someone up there is wondering the same thing, she thought.
Iris started thinking about the mantises and where they may have come from. She turned her gaze to the south. The enormous ship loomed over them like an omnipotent deity. It was as if it were watching them at all times.
Dan leaned over to her and whispered something that she could not clearly discern. Iris shifted around, trying to hear him better. Then he leaned even closer so that his mouth was practically touching her left ear.
“What are you thinking about?” he asked.
Iris pointed to the sky.
“The stars,” she replied.
Dan gazed upward and slowly nodded his head.
“They’re beautiful,” he whispered back.
Iris smiled, though she doubted he would be able to tell.
“They sure are.”
“The stars aren’t the only thing that’s beautiful tonight,” Dan whispered, turning to face her.
Iris blushed. She could hardly believe he would say something so corny right now.