“You must prepare, Champion,” Krishnae said without facing Kitean.
Kitean turned and left.
Krishnae stared into the sand. He saw a strange creature, bipedal with an oversized head, immobile neck and horns growing from the front of its skull. It swung a heavy and oddly shaped ehcidrab and struck Opeo in the leg. Opeo turned and the two grappled. Neither could win. Krishnae could not let this happen. He could not face this new enemy and the old one. They had to survive. They had no choice. He pressed the comm button.
“Send me Litee.”
The large cavern had been cut from the mountain by the Pyrinni. This was the test cave. In it they probed for minerals. It was also the original place landed on by the first Pyrinni miners. And, it was where the Katsurani decided to have their arena. They carved it larger, building one seat, as per the codes. They hung torches from the walls and covered the floor with sand. In the seat sat the Elder, Krishnae in the white robe of his position. Standing around the perimeter of the Arena were the Kashina, wearing the golden armor that the Codes called for.
Laitru entered, wearing a purple cloak, a white toga and the sash of his position.
“You will strip,” Krishnae spoke from the shadows, the walls echoing his words ominously.
Laitru looked about him, his neck retracted. He puffed his air slits and stood.
“Elder,” Laitru said, “I do not -”
“Strip him.” Krishnae's voice was barely audible, but powerful.
A stun stick was swung, striking Laitru in the back of the head. He fell to his knees and reached under his cloak. Another Kashina struck him in the face with the stun stick and spun it, striking him in the back of the head with the heavy lead ball on the opposite end. Three of the Kashina cut Laitru's clothes away with their golden ehcidrabs and then stepped away, leaving the katsurani with small cuts covering his body.
“Elder,” Laitru extended his neck, “my blood is yours.”
“Good, Laitru,” Krishnae moved so that his head was partially out of the shadows, creating more of an eerie effect than before, “because I shall have it.”
One of the stone doors slid away and Kitean entered, wearing the silvered armor described in the Codes of the Triconitae, a galea born upon his head, his neck fully pulled within his protective shoulder plates, a manicae covered his right arm with a strap wrapped around his hand, the strap between his thumb and fingers and finally a silver galerus covered his right shoulder. In either hand he carried the ceremonial weapons of the Duel, the ungti and the pung-ti. These same two weapons flew from the darkness and landed on the dirt at Laitru's feet. He picked them up and tested their weight. It had been a long time since he held these weapons. They were ineffective in normal combat, but they had him earned many honors in his youth.
Laitru stood. He knew that he had been betrayed. He knew the Codes as well as Krishnae. If he were to be successful in the Duel all honor would be bestowed upon him, with his position raised one level. The only thing above him now was Elder. In the Old Codes there was only to be one Elder. He narrowed his eye-slits into a smile as Kitean stepped forward. He was older and more experienced than this young one who had found Krishnae's graces.
“Oh, Elder,” Laitru thought, “your fancies shall see the end of this one and your lead. I shall be Elder.” He grinned and stepped in to attack.
Kitean hopped to the side of Laitru's feint, slashing at his arm with the ungti. Laitru stopped short and pulled back his extended arm as he spun on his front leg, swinging the end of his tail across the visor of Kitean's galea and then striking him in the lower torso with the broad pads of his left foot.
Kitean fell back onto his tail, his balance lost as well as his breath. He extended his neck to get more air. Laitru stepped in close, swinging with the pung-ti for Kitean's air slits. Kitean struck upward with his pung-ti. Laitru's blow glanced of the cheek plate of the galea while his eyes slits opened very wide. The long spikes pushed themselves in while Kitean regained his balance and extended his neck, slamming his helmet into Laitru's face, slashing the ungti across Laitru's right air slits as Laitru's neck was forced out from behind the collar plates.
Laitru fell back, rolling away from Kitean. He stood, blood pouring out from his neck and down his thick, hollow black hairs. Kitean regained his breath and retracted his neck as he stepped closer. Laitru's blood soaked into the sand, making it as mud, as the Codes demanded. He scooped up a handful of the sand and threw it into Kitean's face, lunging at the same time. Out of reflex Kitean slashed upward with the ungti, sticking Laitru through the lower jaw, pinning it closed against the upper jaw. With his right hand he repeatedly slammed the pung-ti into Laitru's torso, until both of them were covered in blood and Laitru stopped supporting his own weight.
Kitean dropped the limp body to the sandy floor. Laitru's chest heaved as he struggled for air. He knew he would bleed to death, being the first to give his blood to the Arena.
Kitean turned to face Krishnae, dropped to his knees and extended his neck.
“Kitean,” Krishnae stood, “proceed directly to Corbis. You are now my second.”
“Kunte!” Kitean raised the bloody ungti as Krishnae left the Arena.
Rigaar stood facing the huge bay window. So many stars danced before his eyes, even with the lights on he could see them clearly. He had been born on planet fall, but was in zero G with his father before he could stand. His life was space. His wife died while he was in space. The end of their civilization came from space. The pocket door opened and closed. Rigaar did not turn to see who it was who entered his meditation.
Kaliif stepped next to him, staring at the same stars.
“It is near over, Kaliif.”
“Not yet,” Kaliif sighed through his nostrils. “The Saurians are strange. They do not keep the military units in prison. They kill the commanders and let the rest go.”
“Not on Korentis. They killed every male above the age of ten.”
“They learn,” Kaliif muttered, staring out the window.
“They know war. They know not to war with people. Those on Korentis were fighting a guerilla war. I supplied them. I armed them. I commanded them.”
“You are the Reegarf. This is your way,” Kaliif turned to look at Rigaar.
“I am a spacer, used to commanding two.”
“As am I.” Kaliif scratched a streak of grey fur covering a very old scar. “They do not kill everyone.”
“I know. Sometimes I wish they would.”
“They make good masters.” Kaliif raised his lip.
Rigaar turned and faced the old reggf. He had hated this one for so long, hunted him, killed any of those he suspected of working with him. This reggf who killed his wife. Now he needed him. Kaliif was the only one who understood him. Rigaar walked to the table and sat down, facing the wall. Kaliif stayed and stared out the window.
“They've bypassed us,” Rigaar said without looking at Kaliif. “To the Luxei?”
“I suppose so. They're nearest.”
“They'll fall in less than a month. They may just purge their planet. It’s all methane anyway.”
“The Saurians don't seem that ignorant.”
“They may not recognize them as a sentient race. We didn't until the Pyrinni told us to leave them alone.”
“We left them alone because it wasn't profitable not to.”
“I've used their asteroid systems before. Very effective hiding.” Kaliif turned. “Perhaps we could set up a strike force there. Their new sensors most likely wouldn't work in an asteroid filled area.”
“It does.”
Kaliif turned and faced the window again.
“Styllia has told me of hairless pithicines.” Rigaar turned his seat around.
“Where?” Kaliif faced Rigaar.
“She calls them Sapiens. She said that the Pyrinni are boosting them to fight the Saurians.”
“So we were to buy time for these Sapiens?” Kaliif's voice grew raspy and his lip raised.
> “She said we could work with them.”
“Can they fly?”
“She said they are only fifty thousand years old by our counter.” Rigaar's voice fell to a monotone.
“How can such a young race be of help?” Kaliif's voice dropped.
“She also said that we originated on their world.”
Kaliif stopped. He stared at Rigaar in disbelief. “We came from Tai Pan.”
“No,” Rigaar looked to the deck. “We were what she calls chaser stock that some ancient race genetically manipulated into sentience. They did this on Tai Pan.”
“I do not believe it.” Kaliif walked to the door, stopped, spun and faced Rigaar again. “She has proof?”
“No. But you believe it, as I do.” Rigaar stood. “Too many scientists have shown us that we lack genetic similarity with Tai-Pan.”
“How does this change anything?”
“She said our distant ancestors have been domesticated by the Sapiens.”
“Cha,” Kaliif yelled and left the room.
Rigaar rubbed his forehead. It felt normal to him.
Cool blueness floating above a sea of red. The destroyer Echidrab skimmed the surface in low orbit while her two sister ships waited in high orbit. The planet was huge, with a gravity attraction of five times that of homeworld. Their sensors probed the surface.
Out of the blueness floated a giant translucent dome. It rose to the level of orbit equal to the Echidrab and stopped less than a thousand meters away. It sang, bathing the strange black shape with beautiful waves of magnetic resonance.
Thick red beams of energy poured from the long black shape. The translucent dome erupted and died.
Soltyn entered the Elder's chamber. Sitting at the table were four others besides Krishnae. Fear filled her heart. They all turned and faced her.
“Soultinn,” Krishnae narrowed his eye slits into a smile. “Come, tell us about these creatures that float in space.” He motioned to her chair.
“Elder,” she bowed her head, exposing her neck, “all I know is that they are creatures that do not understand violence.”
“Sit,” Krishnae said.
Soltyn climbed into her chair.
“How do they propel themselves?” Litee asked.
“I do not know.” Soltyn was uneasy. She had only talked with Krishnae. She didn't have experience with other katsurani.
“So you can tell us nothing?” a Leader said. She had never seen this one before, but he wore the sash of Special Leader.
“Nothing, other than they are the Luxei and they will not molest you. You may do what you want in their system.” She noticed that Krishnae had brought the storm shutters down over the windows, blocking the sand. She smiled. He wanted these katsurani productive, not dreamy. She knew he was serious.
“Their planet is pure methane,” Litee said. “With layers of other gases, mostly hydrogen at the stratosphere. We could dissect them and deduce how they travel. Maybe we can adapt it to our systems.”
“Please,” Soltyn's voice wavered, “do not harm them. They do not understand what you do. They have no idea what violence or war is. They will let you do whatever you want. There is no need to kill them.” Her voice was pleading, something she remembered they wouldn't recognize.
“Are they sentient?” Krishnae asked.
“Yes.”
“Discover a way to communicate with them,” Krishnae looked to Litee. “This is the only delay, nothing else matters. Proceed.”
“Yes, Elder,” they said one by one and left the room, leaving Soltyn alone with Krishnae.
“Perhaps you should inform me on the other species we will meet before we meet them.” Krishnae pressed the button that raised the shutters and leaned back onto his tail.
“The closest system after the Luxei has two separate races. They are bipedal mammals. The in orbit planet is hot with many deserts, the only habitable zone is at the poles. The outer planet is very cold with almost no axial tilt. Their inhabitable zone is along the equator. We know of this because it was one of the Teckton's published experiments. These two races originated on the nearest planet, each evolving at a similar pace but at the opposite poles of the planet. Technology increased for both of them to learn of each other. They were warring with each other to the point of extinction. The Tecktons transplanted one of the races and moved it to the outer planet. They've been monitoring their growth ever since.”
Krishnae puffed his air slits in a chuckle. “Do they have spaceflight?”
“Only in system. They discovered each other's radio broadcasts long before they developed spaceflight. Somehow a war started, I'm not sure how. It's been going on for almost a hundred years, fought almost entirely in space.”
“What are their capabilities?”
“They use nuclear rockets for propulsion and have pneumatic guns firing solid projectiles.”
“Should we have the care with them that you pleaded for with the Luxei?” Krishnae narrowed his eye slits into a smile.
She looked at him. She felt that he was testing her knowledge of the Codes. She looked to the floor. She knew what she must say. It was as if Krishnae knew as well, but wanted her to say it, making her take the stance of a katsurani. This was her initiation.
“They are spartzitz,” she said, her voice almost a whisper. “They are not worthy of the Codes.”
“And the third?” Krishnae asked.
“I know nothing of that system. It was red zoned by the Tecktons. It could have been another experiment, or it could be an underdeveloped race.”
Krishnae turned and stared out the window.
“How long until you press into the Compendium?” Soltyn asked.
“We shall stop at the closest system, building up there. I want a chain of production facilities, each producing ships along with battle stations before I move in.”
“They have nothing to stop you. You can push through with one fleet of ships and take the home systems.”
“Reach too far and lose your hand.”
“You're right.” Soltyn stared into the sand, trying to see what he saw.
“When our race was very young we were prey to a larger and more powerful foe. It hunted us mercilessly, killing us for sport and food. We were growing into intelligence, as was it. It had already learned to forge basic metals while we still used chiseled rocks. We defeated them through guile and skill, not strength. We made them extinct. They were the Katsurani.”
Soltyn looked at the side of his face, confused. “But you are the katsurani.”
“You do not understand,” Krishnae spun his chair around to face Soltyn. “They were the dominant life on our homeworld, we replaced them. We became them. We faced the same challenge from below. Another species growing to sentience threatened us. We warred again. We made them extinct. They were the nameless ones, they had no place. They became us. Do you understand?”
“No.”
“That is why you serve.”
A dense mass of brown and dark green tangle trees covered the entire valley floor. It provided a narrow canopy that little light could pass through while the trunks of the tangle trees made it an almost impossible terrain to traverse. Hanging in half the sky was the giant form of Tai Pan, adding its yellow tinged light to their shadows.
Relf-pi-Loki sat at the mouth of the small den entrance. He watched the trees and the small animals while he worked his prosthetic arm. He wore long sleeves to hide its metallic gleam. Time had not allowed for a life like replacement, he had to settle for functionality instead of aesthetics. He looked to the canopy of dark green and listened to the engines of the Saurian's lighter than air craft that hovered slowly over the trees and burned the forest in order to flush them out. He raised his lips in a silent morbid chuckle. They were too big to come in, so they sprayed their liquid fire from the air.
He had seen the people burned as they fled, cities transformed, children taken away from their parents and sent to group schools, indoctrinated into the Saurian society
, military leaders killed in warped honor duels while their soldiers were forced to watch and then released after their commander's death. He had already heard of reggf working with them, helping to build the Saurian Empire. He felt lost.
“Sir,” a head poked out of the den entrance, “we've got Rigaar on the tachyon communicator.”
Relf turned and climbed into the narrow entrance. A door closed after him and the hole vanished into the terrain. He climbed over the wounded to get to the small box.
“Go ahead,” Relf spoke into the small microphone.
“We cannot get your people off.” The voice was abnormally clear, he could even hear the sadness and frustration in its edges. “Destroy all equipment, melt it down to make it unrecognizable, destroy all uniforms and,” the voice paused, “surrender.”
Relf stared at the box, his face drained of all emotions except exhaustion. His men stared at him. He looked to their faces. They were ready to die.
“Reggcha, Rigaar,” Relf turned the box off. “Take this outside and melt it.” He stood up, picked up a RPG and slammed a magazine into its stock. He reached up to his collar, tore the starburst off and headed for the den exit. “You do what you want, I'm not in charge anymore.”
Each soldier stood, both wounded and not, picked up their weapons and followed Relf out of the small den.
Silver spheres filled with hydrogen floated just above the trees. These were the Lighter than Air vehicles chosen to keep on station and flush the small canids out of hiding. Each LTA had below it a cabin that carried one Katsurani. He had at his controls a heavy plasma projector on a turret mounted to the bottom of the canopy. On the same mount was a rapid fire gun, able to fire one thousand twenty millimeter shells per second. Each shell exploded, sending a concussion wave that spread out to a distance of one hundred meters. The pilots found movement, or heat on their screen and sent down a rain of plasma, burning the trees and the ground. Some followed the initial plasma blasts with a burst from their gun.
They skimmed the treetops, firing on anything. From the ground came a rain of rocket propelled grenades and surface to air missiles. Grenades bounced of the resistant skin of the LTA, exploding harmlessly in the air. The few missiles hit the bags and sent some of the small airships burning to the ground. The surviving LTAs returned fire until nothing was below them except scorched dirt.
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