Sixteen
The shuttle landed at the space port dock as instructed. The team disembarked onto the dock, and made their way to the port office for formalities. There was quite a bit of 'paperwork' to be completed, which Jamie wrestled with, not so successfully, so Anna stepped in to help. Being on paper was the main problem, since their PC's had to translate the words for them. Paperwork completed, they made their way to the arrivals hall.
The hall was full. Large goat-deer creatures, dressed in multi-coloured cloaks, some sporting elaborate antlers or horns, pressed forward as the team emerged into the hall. An important-looking goat-deer, with a long flowing white beard, and an impressive set of antlers, stepped quickly forward, and some goat-deer in uniform held the others back.
"Snark of the Cat World, we greet and salute you! Welcome to our world! I am the Pratarch of the Homeworld."
Snark stepped forward, although the creatures towered over him.
"Greetings Pratarch!"
He indicated Anna and Jamie, and more introductions followed. The Pratarch introduced several of the more important-looking beings, and no one could remember anyone’s names.
A long, drawn out speech followed, and just when everyone was wondering when it would finish, it ended, there was an enormous cheer, mostly because the speech had ended Snark suspected, and the Pratarch waved them forward into the crush. The uniformed beings held back the crowd, and they made their way through the arrivals hall to a large vehicle. They all piled in. The vehicle accelerated forward through the crowds, and found some space to speed on.
"I do apologise for the number of people at the welcoming ceremony," the Pratarch said humbly. "It’s just when word got around Snark was visiting us, the crowds appeared as if from nowhere."
The Pratarch dabbed at his temples just below his antlers with a cloth, where beads of sweat could be seen.
"That’s quite alright," said Anna. "Snark is used to the acclaim." She held out her hand to the Pratarch. "I’m Anna Romanova. I’m Snark’s press secretary." She smiled into the Pratarch’s eyes, who took her hand in his, and they shook. She waved vaguely in Jamie’s direction. "And this is Jamie Anderson, Snark’s, err, manservant." She smiled at Jamie, who was seething.
"I’m very pleased to meet you all." The Pratarch took out a tablet, and gave it to Anna. "The itinerary is all here. If you have anything you need, don’t hesitate to ask."
Anna took a brief look at the tablet, noting it was very basic, and finding it did have an itinerary on it.
It didn’t take long to arrive. A huge wooden structure loomed above them as they exited the vehicle. It was in the style of a woodland hut, but magnified several times into a wooden palace, even though the architectural features screamed early forest dwelling.
"This is our Central Palace," explained the Pratarch. He ushered them out of the vehicle, which sped off. They climbed several steps to a vast entrance. They entered.
The human’s eyes slowly adjusted to the gloom which was lit by thousands of candles. Snark’s cat eyes adjusted more quickly. He could see a large assembly of goat-deer creatures, in fabulous embroidered coats which would make his Grandmother jealous, and at the far end, a throne on a dais. Sitting in the throne, built for the four legs and hooves of the goat-deer, was a magical creature. All white, her smaller antlers were crowned with an elaborate headdress with glowing tiny white lights entwined. She wore a gold thread embroidered white cloak. A horn protruded from her forehead.
She slowly stood.
Snark, Anna, and Jamie processed through the assembled nobles, as they assumed, to the bottom of the dais. Jamie and Snark bowed, and Anna curtsied.
"I am so glad to meet you all," spoke the vision in white. "I am Elothera, the Queen of this world."
Snark found his voice.
"I am Snark. And these are my companions, Anna, and Jamie."
"Snark, welcome."
She turned to the others. She started, but quickly controlled her features.
"Welcome Anna and Jamie."
They stood, awed by the display and the bearing of the being before them. Could it be a unicorn? Anna was entranced.
Elothera gestured to the assembled beings.
"I am very touched the great Snark should venture to our Homeworld."
She moved forward and came down the steps. She looked at Jamie, and more pointedly at Anna, and there was a slight gasp, as she made out her features. She recovered quickly.
"Thank you, your majesty." Anna curtsied again. "Snark is very pleased to be here, and would very much like to get to know you all. He is on a trade mission, so we would be interested in talks. Also, if you have ship-building and repair facilities, we would like to seek them out, as we sustained some minor damage in coming here."
Elothera looked closely at Anna, and smiled stiffly.
"Of course, we will do all we can. Trade is always welcome. However, we are not equipped for ship repairs and maintenance, unfortunately. But we can let you know where you can obtain such services."
Elothera indicated the tablet Anna held.
"I believe you have your itinerary. We will be holding a welcome banquet in Snark’s honour. First though, you will want to rest and freshen up."
Some flunkies appeared. Elothera waved at them. They followed the flunkies down a corridor off the main hall which took them to what Anna thought of as a Swedish spa, complete with wooden clad rooms, magnificent fire places, lit with roaring fires, and possibly spa and sauna facilities, or maybe she was just being hopeful.
They each had their own rooms. However, they congregated in a common living room.
"A unicorn!" Jamie started.
"Yes, she looks like one, except with antlers," commented Anna thoughtfully.
"What’s a unicorn?" asked Snark.
Anna looked at him.
"It’s a legend amongst human races. A white horse with a horn coming from its forehead, it’s a magical beast which is tamed by a virgin princess."
"It’s a fairy tale," said Jamie. "I never thought to actually see one, or one like what we imagine."
"Bloody mop heads," scoffed Snark. "You’re such romantics."
"Maybe." Jamie was unperturbed. "But I’d rather be romantic than sceptical any day."
"Humph!"
Anna changed the subject.
"Another banquet."
"Yes, better get our glad rags on," said Jamie. They shifted their belts to be variously clad in a slinky black evening gown, the Anderson kilt, and a new suit Snark was trying out. An all-black number. Of course, all wearing belts, they were also protected from attack.
Flunkies soon came, and escorted them to the main hall. Now it was filled with tables, and bedecked with forest greenery, with candles strewn amongst the decorations. Anna thought it was like a fairyland dream.
They were escorted to the high table which overlooked the room. Snark was in pride of place next to Elothera, with Jamie on her other side, and Anna next to him.
They sat down ceremoniously, and the banquet began.
Jamie, Anna, and Snark had never seen such a spectacle before. Dish after dish followed each other, all vegetarian, but elaborately presented in formations representing the daily life of the locals. It was not so much eating a dish, but revelling in the way the dish was presented. Huge scaffolded concoctions told the story of kids, of growing up, of life in the forest, and life in the city. Cultural representations of idyllic scenes, and even words in culinary form, graced the tables. The dishes first came to the high table, where Elothera tasted a morsel, before being sent to the other tables to be consumed. As each dish was brought in, a gasp went up amongst the diners, and applause rang out.
It was not a banquet. It was a living art form, which was appreciated, and then consumed. Culinary art.
There were no alcoholic beverages, which had Jamie disappointed, as his main claim to fame was drinking the locals under the table.
The candles burned down, until they were pools of wax with wi
cks seeming to float in the pools.
Elothera stood, and everyone also stood. Anna, Jamie, and Snark followed. Elothera swept from the room, and flunkies ushered the team towards an exit. They followed the flunkies to a room in a separate complex.
Elothera was waiting. She was seated on a throne-like chair, and several others of her kind were conversing in the background. Elothera gestured them forward.
"We can talk more easily here," she said, and indicated some couches for them to sit on, obviously designed for larger beings.
"Snark is well renowned in our small area of space," she began. "You defeated Bhatet, and we were dreading his expansion into our neighbourhood." She smiled. "You also defeated the Brotherhood forces." She frowned. "The Brotherhood hasn’t expanded into our space, but we expect it at any time. Any action which slows this process is welcomed by us."
Her gaze fell on Anna.
"But you." Elothera paused dramatically. "You are a representation of our exploitation!" she cried. "Who are you, and what do you want here?"
Anna was surprised.
"What do you mean?"
"What do I mean? Your face is so recognisable! How dare you come here and besmirch the good name of our people with your presence."
Anna collected her wits.
"I don’t know who you refer to. I'm a colleague of Snark’s, and I’ve never been to this moon before."
Elothera paused. Her breathing had quickened, and she tried to recover her composure.
"Come," she said simply.
They followed the Queen out through the door of the room into a gallery, hung with pictures. Elothera crossed the space quickly, came to a particular painting, and stopped. The others joined her.
Elothera held a candelabra aloft, which illuminated a painting on the wall.
It showed a hunt. Human figures were running down goat-deer beings, and killing them in a great slaughter. Elothera moved to the next picture, and the light showed a new scene. A human female sat next to a male figure, who was taller and heavily built. The woman’s face was illuminated amongst flickering shadows.
It was Anna.
Anna gasped. Jamie put an arm protectively around her, and started to scan the gallery. Snark was stunned.
Elothera held her candelabra high to illuminate the picture even more.
"It’s you," she said simply to Anna.
"No," said Anna. "Not me. This is someone from a long time ago who looks like me. That’s all."
"But how could it be so?"
Elothera lowered the candelabra.
"How auld are these paintings?" asked Jamie, wondering why it hadn’t been volunteered.
"Some time ago. But they represent a time which is anathema to us. A time when humans hunted us. Not even for sustenance. Just for sport. Like we were nothing. Not an intelligent species in its own right with civilization and history, but as base creatures." She stopped and swallowed. "Even now, it’s hard to talk about. But we keep this here as a reminder. A reminder of what we must fight against."
"Ye’ll have a written history of this time?" asked Jamie. "If we knew when this happened, we could pinpoint when the humans came." He turned to Anna and added, "We would have more specific information about when your ancestor came here. It might help us."
Elothera held up the candelabra again to another picture. It showed an aristocratic looking man, holding a weapon, and standing over the body of a goat-deer creature. He looked triumphant. A woman stood next to him. Anna. The creature lay at their feet, all power, life and animation fled. The eyes stared glassily. The painter had brought out the horror of the scene in the juxtaposition of the humans and the dead creature.
Elothera spoke.
"Yes. Our history is very detailed. I can get my private historian to talk with you."
She lowered the light, and started back along the corridor. They followed.
Elothera spoke to them as they walked.
"This is difficult for me. Most of my people won’t recognise you. But I do." She turned to face them. "So why are you really here?"
Snark looked at the others. They nodded.
"We’re on a quest. To find something of potentially great power. We need to find it to stop it from falling into the hands of the Brotherhood, or other unscrupulous characters, who would use its power for evil purposes." He paused. "I know it sounds fanciful, but it exists. A stone. The Destiny Stone."
Elothera looked into Snark’s eyes. Finally, she nodded.
"You speak the truth," she said simply.
Anna and Jamie looked questioningly at each other.
"We will do everything to help defeat the Brotherhood. We have seen others exploited and enslaved by them. Their so-called religion takes over a being’s good sense until they are no longer able to think for themselves, and they become fodder for the Brotherhood’s criminal purposes. We will do anything to stop it happening to us." She paused. "We will help you. But you need to be totally open and honest with us."
Jamie spoke up.
"We came here mainly to see if ye could help us with damage to our ship. But then, Snark was welcomed as a hero. We’re sorry if Anna’s looks remind ye of a dark time."
They had reached the reception room again. Elothera sat in a circle of chairs, and they joined her. The other beings had left and they were alone.
Elothera spoke quietly into a tablet in her own language.
"I’ve asked my personal historian to come and join us. He’ll be able to give you more information about the time of the picture."
After a short while, a door opened, and a male goat-deer hurried in. His beard was long and slivery, though he was a fawn colour with grey on his muzzle, coat, and ears. A medium sized set of antlers graced his head. His cloak was a dark colour, plain, with no embroidery.
"Your majesty," he bowed to Elothera, and acknowledged the others. "Our esteemed guests."
He paused as he looked at Anna, and recoiled slightly. He recovered quickly though.
"Philemon, thank you for responding so quickly."
"I was just finishing off a chapter of my book on the Wars of the Contradictions when I got your message. I hope I haven’t kept you waiting."
"Not at all." Elothera introduced their guests. "Philemon has been in my service since I became Queen. He was in service to my mother before me."
"It has been a life of service well spent."
Elothera nodded and smiled.
"Our guests are interested in finding out more about the Hunting Times."
Philemon’s face fell. He looked at Anna again, and swallowed nervously.
"It’s alright, Philemon. They’ve seen the paintings."
Philemon turned to Anna.
"You are just like the human in the paintings. It’s uncanny the resemblance."
"I think it may have been my ancestor who came here. Can you tell us about that time?"
"It was three centuries ago. Our society was still based in the forests, although quite civilised, but we didn’t have a lot of technology. A human ship arrived, and instead of treating us as intelligent beings, they took our form as somehow reminiscent of a time in their past, where they hunted for sport. We had no way of combatting them, as they had weapons which were far in advance of ours. At the time, most of us disappeared in the deeper parts of the forests, and they stayed for a while but then left."
"Who painted the pictures?" asked Snark.
"We’re not sure, but they were painted at the time. They depict the horror to us of our treatment. And given the resemblance of the woman to Anna here, they must have been by an eyewitness."
Snark looked at the others.
"It fits. If your ancestor came through here with the stone, perhaps they stopped off, and took advantage of the, err, situation here. The timeframe fits what we know so far of the Russians, and their journey."
"Are there any other accounts from that time?" asked Jamie.
"Oh yes! It’s all quite well documented. We have extensive archives of
our people’s accounts, as well as more formal histories." He preened a bit. "I’ve written a definitive history myself."
"Would we be able to see it?" asked Anna.
Elothera nodded her head.
"Yes. Philemon, make a copy of your book available to them."
"Of course, your majesty."
Philemon stood, bowed to the Queen, and left.
"Thank you, your majesty," said Snark.
The others nodded.
"Tell me about the Brotherhood. Are they likely to come here?"
The Queen was worried, but hid it sufficiently for the others not to notice. Jamie looked at the others.
"They’ll be following us, for sure. But we'll do all we can to make sure ye’re not involved."
The Queen stood, and the others quickly followed.
"I need to advise Defence and Security." She turned again to them, and said, "Please enjoy our hospitality, and I hope you have a good night’s sleep."
She exited, and a flunky appeared to escort them back to their suites.
Seventeen
Anna couldn’t sleep. Her mind was full of what they’d learned, and imagining the Hunting Time. How could her ancestors have done it? What were they thinking? An intelligent species, hunted. It made her sick to her stomach at how the goat-deer beings had been treated.
Their tablets had been sent Philemon’s book, so she started to read. Philemon’s writing was objective and factual, but there was also a sense of real events, and what the beings must have felt at the time. She started to be engrossed in the story. The way her ancestors were described was quite biased, but she understood they were the enemy. She started to see her ancestors in a new light. And they had come to life. Before, they were just part of her own story, not three-dimensional at all. Now they were real people, with selfish motives, and flaws.
Destiny Stone (A.I. Destiny Book 4) Page 9