“I do very much. I'll take three bolts.” She removed twelve three-pointed tirhra, credits chips from her purse and handed them over to the artisan. “Have them sent to Narshin Thryak, please.”
Meanwhile a strange creature in a enclosure had ensnared Frederika’s impertinent curiosity. She was drawn by the smell of food to discover a booth that sold milk drinks and various fried cheese products. Out in the back of the kiosk, she came to notice some type of goat creature, seemingly intended to produce on the spot fresh dairy products for the food merchant.
The blonde leaned in close to the paddock’s lattice and watched the creature feed from a tall sunburst flower. Its horns twisted straight up in points toward the sky. Shaggy, yellow-white fur covered its body. The goat had a long neck like a giraffe, but was only as tall as a pony. Most unusual about the creature were the placement of its eyes. Herbivore's eyes were located on the side of their skulls. This goat however had eyes that looked forward, like a human, like a predator.
Chills danced up Frederika's spine as she stood captivated by the strange animal.
“We call it an aag,” Sitara explained and smiled to herself. She remembered how her father had told her about how he and Kvaltar Vron had named the beasts. “It’s a play on that unsettling appearance and one's general shock when you look into its bizarre eyes!” Thoughts of Kvaltar caused Sitara's own heart to flutter. Ever since she was young, Sitara had a small crush on him. She’d heard he had returned to Vanguard. The Shotar would dine privately this evening with his family and friends and Sitara would be able to speak with the mysterious scientist and adventurer.
“It’s umm... very... different,” Frederika blurted out.
“They're fantastic milk producers and they don’t even need to be pregnant to do so. Plus, the meat is rather tasty. It’s said a Falcanian can remain hale and whole on vitamin rich aag milk alone. It is our superfood, packed with all the nutrients we could ever need.”
It dawned on Frederika that at last night’s meal, no beef had been served. She wondered if it had been because of old Hindu beliefs which had entered into Falcanian society. “What about bovine?”
“None,” the Princess told her. “Space is at a premium here. There’s no place to graze cows and a certain residual Hindu revulsion at the idea of consuming cow flesh does still exist. Not that most Falcanians are anything near being vegetarian. Such a dietary choice wouldn’t sustain us.”
“Tell me about this festival?” Frederika asked.
They walked in the direction of the Tahru’s temple, past jugglers, storytellers, and vendors.
“You’re interested in the Way of Tarik?”
Frederika nodded enthusiastically, perhaps too enthusiastic? “Exotic cultures always interest me.” she stopped herself, lest she give away her true reasons for being here.
“The festival commemorates the Telchar Shanral hero Arntiraas, how he won the Kraris blade from Irkrath's daughter Falcania. It's a holiday devoted to the idea of self-evolution.”
“A holiday about evolution. How extraordinary,” Frederika said.
Now she understood why those Budjah on Mars had attempted to convert the Falcanians. A religion that held such teachings could be a threat to the scarlet robed monk's own agenda to spread their strange sort of monotheism.
“Self-evolution,” emphasized the Princess. “Evolution that is willed as opposed to random occurrences of nature. Evolution is always such a misleading, often abused term. More like deliberate, directed jumps, or better stated to be a directed will-to-power of a state of being.” finally she put it. “The Tarik seek to become Charis.”
“Charis?”
“The idealized, ascended-Falcanian,” Sitara explained. “It is our belief that each of us is a potential god and that like the People Of The Lamp we to shall manifest our inner-light.”
“Okay.” Frederika bit her lip. “Can you explain then, why the trappings of religion?”
“What could be more religious, more spiritual than to evolve both as a person and as a species Frederika?” Sitara's eyes burned with passion. “The original meaning of the word religion is to re-link. It need not be trapped in metaphysics and ritual, though certainly The Way of Tarik is not without its own rites.”
“Und metaphysics?”
Sitara flinched in surprise. This girl with all her incredible beauty, also happened to be undeniably shrewd. “I suppose in a manner of speaking we have our own metaphysics, but no gods exactly.”
“Meaning what?”
“We have Telchar,” Sitara admitted. “The Lords Of Char.”
Telchar, Frederika played the word over in her mind. “Do you consider these Telchar to be real, Sitara? Do you pray to them?”She had a hard time keeping a grip on her enthusiasm for the topic. Again, a risk to be too interested.
“For us they exist.” Sitara said no more about Telchar, forbidden as it was to speak with an outsider about Char and The Phoenix Heart, or its AI’s. “When young, I sometimes prayed to Ganesha. My mother’s a devout Hindu. I’ve been known to go to the great Telhri in the Tahru temple so that I might offer a prayer now and then. On occasion, even the Telchar answer.” She paused for a moment. “I mean I guess they do. Everything depends on what you think is real, I suppose.”
Frederika gave Sitara a confounded look, now even more determined to get her hands on a copy of this Telchar Shanral that the Princess had referenced. “Sounds a lot like the Ramayana meets Nietzsche.”
“That’d be about right. It's a good take on D’Har Tarik.”
“Such a beautiful island you live on. All so clean und ordered,” Frederika said while the two women continued to walk the large market.
“It is,” agreed the Princess. “I know what you think. I can see it in those emerald eyes.”
Frederika raised an eyebrow. “Oh? What is that?”
“You think this to be a utopia.” Her companion's expression of awe so often indicative of many who had stood on the shores of her homeland. They often thought they'd found a Shangri-La here on Vorkrür.
“It does seem idyllic. Everyone appears to be at peace.”
“My father often says: 'Do not seek paradise or trust one who offers you a kingdom of gold. You may find yourself tasting of ash’,” Sitara quoted.
“Very cynical,” Frederika said. She spread her arms in front of her. “Considering all your people have built here. A golden kingdom, where all are youthful und healthy. Truly a shining city on a hilltop made manifest.”
“Frederika,” Sitara spoke in a deliberate, though not exactly threatening manner. “That is a dangerous road to go down.” She did not blame the girl in her attempt to ask such questions, veiled though they were. Who wouldn't after being here even for a little while? It was all a matter of biology, artificial intelligence, and drugs. All most forbidden subjects to be divulged to a human. “Come on.” Sitara moved to change the topic. “Let’s go, get some food.”
For her part Frederika was pleased with herself. She had clearly touched on a topic worthy of further exploration; directness though would not serve her. Perhaps in her seduction of the Shotar she could get more forthright answers? Damned inconvenient that her pheromones did not work on females.
Behind the Queen, her special unit of Valküri warrior-priestesses followed which she herself had trained. A hand gesture from Nadia caused the female guards to step back out of the oval doors and leave her alone with the other woman.
Kalpana Aranskrai sat behind a large desk. Rigged into a special interface unit was the data crystal her son had brought back from space. Interference skewed the hologram of the flat-nosed, golden skinned Kri-Skar alien. It spoke in a broken bellowing language and its metallic eyes were hard to read. The image faded in and out.
Kalpana stood. “My Queen.”
“I come not as the Queen this day, Kalpana. I come as one mother to another.” Nadia smiled even as she towered over the shorter woman. She lifted her chin slightly to peer at the hologram. She had heard th
at Aranskrai had brought back conclusive evidence that life indeed exist beyond Earth. “So that’s what Kulcarin found out in deep space.”
“It's hard to translate,” Kalpana said. “So far I think he, assuming their species even have gender, talks about some conflict, a 'fire from the stars.' All very garbled.”
“You got that much in the span of a few hours?” Nadia asked, surprised. She had no doubt in Kalpana's expertise, but to unlock even that much of an alien language so soon would be a profound achievement by any standard.
The hologram flickered. Nadia walked over to the image of the Kri-Skar to better study it. The being appeared bulky and tough, she wondered what sort of world it originated on? Was it a hard, cold place? But that would have to wait. Nadia had something more important to discuss with the woman. “Kalpana, I have come to speak about the joining of our tharrins through the mating of Sitara and Kulcarin.”
“That would please me grandly my Queen. Its been too long overdue. We Aranskrai serve the Shotar,” Kalpana said. “My son would be well disposed to this mating, as would Vultan.”
“Excellent!” Nadia said highly pleased with herself.
Sitara leisurely strolled the streets of her homeland with Frederika who enthusiastically enjoyed the sights. The women bought themselves fried telaach dumplings, bowls of tulath, along with sweet chocolate-tea, rich and creamy. All of which turned out to be surprisingly refreshing under the warm sun as they walked the Golden Road that spanned the curve of the island.
Frederika glanced toward an open space where Falcanian workers hoisted large yurt-like structures. “What are they doing over there?”
“They raise thrajs for the festivities this evening,” Sitara told her. “We'll be dining there tonight after my father displays The Phoenix Heart.”
In mid-stride beside the Princess who headed for the latticed A-Frame temple a dozen frightful shrieks startled the blonde. Her emerald eyes went wide at the sight of the fierce steeds upon which rode blood-red armored Drakorian Guards. Drak were a sacred creature to the Falcanian. A product of genetic manipulation. Crested with a sturdy comb. Each animal had tri-claw talons able to rip apart a human. Like a hunting bird, Draks had sharp beaks able to rend flesh with little effort. Their flightless bodies were covered in feather-like armored scales which came in an abundance of shades, including deep blood red and black. The Draks made hissing sounds, and their predatory heads thrust forward to probe about always alert as they carried their winged riders. They were creatures as if out of the Jurassic Era.
“T'Saar, your Highness!” The Drakorian commander saluted.
Imperial-Colonel Atar Kran who reached five foot seven when he stood and whose great chrome wings extended to three times that length when in flight, hulked above the two women. Unlike most Falcanian tierkel his skull was tonsured, save for a small braid of white hair that contrasted with his dark features. A simple goatee, like his Shotar's framed his striking hard lined face. Atar's golden eyes shone with bright Falcanian fire.
“Colonel Kran,” Sitara regally addressed her progenitor's elite Guard Commander.
“Who is this?” Asked Kran halting his Drak with a pull on the finally tooled reins noticing Frederika beside the Princess.
“A nodorii who has taken my father's affections.” replied Sitara and deliberately switched over into Skora.
“I can see why,” the Drakorian Commander looked at the human girl who studied the Draks from a respectful distance. His golden eyes fell to the blonde's cleavage. “Very… shapely. A fine kieka.”
Sitara made a disinterested shrug at the Drakorian's gratuitous remark.
“Miss,”Atar Kran said. “You may touch the beast if you like.”
Frederika stepped closer and recalled the Shotar's warnings that: A Drak was a fearsome beast. She stroked its feather like scales, and felt the strong musculature beneath the purple and black pelt. The Drak turned its long neck to peer at the blonde who could see there an understanding and intelligence behind the reflective green eyes.
“Do not worry,” Atar said. “These creatures are bred to serve.”
Frederika nodded. “Are they sapient?”
“After a fashion. They are one of the few beasts we are forbidden to slaughter. That should tell you much.”
Shuriken Kra stood in Sharr's office. At least his hologram did.
In a half arc Kvaltar Vron, Chancellor of the Senate Shreik Trakan and a number of other advisers listened to the Viceroy and Imperial Strato-General complete his report to the Shotar. Sabina had just finished distributing cups of hot tea to the gathered advisers when the hologram of the odd Falcanian materialized before the Shotar. Odd, because the Viceroy wore a pair of black goggles which concealed much of his face and what she could see of his ears, though pointed were slightly mauled as if he had been hit in the head too many times. The overall impression was that Shuriken Kra must be a peculiar man.
Sharr bid Sabina to wait for him in the room adjoined to his office. She gave a slight curtsy and went. The Shotar followed her luscious backside with his eyes.
Vron noticed his friend eye the busty brunette. A long time ago he had noticed that Sharr truly became Sharr when he was beside a beautiful female. Generally, women liked the Shotar. They picked up on his inherent sweetness and he ever craved their attention. It had been Nadia who made an effort to ensure that if she were occupied with other matters her mate would always have a female close at hand to attend for his needs. Of course the first had been his Kajra Re, for whom the title had been invented.
“How goes it in Kuras?” The Shotar asked while he sipped from his bergamot flavored tea.
“Lehaja's having the palace cleansed. She’s concerned about those new plants Kvaltar sent over and thinks they might contain a parasite.” The Viceroy alluded to his mate's rabid mysophobia. “That and Nadia's mother got on her nerves. Remind me again why I live with your in-laws?”
Sharr chuckled. “Because you're the best one for the job. Remember I chose you as Viceroy because I didn't want the locals to think the British Raj had returned. There are few who are as disarming as you, Shuriken Kra.”
The hologram glanced at the assembled group through his goggles. Certainly Kvaltar could by far be more “disarming” Or perhaps more skilled at the arts of diplomacy then Shuriken could ever hope to be. Vron could have served as Viceroy of Kuras, though he was more concerned with making new technological solutions and wandering about the Earth in exploration then administration. Which was why he turned over the control of the Guilthari caste to the Vorskrai once the Khanate had become fully sovereign, and also for the most part completely dissociated himself from the government structure, yet remained Sharr’s trusted vizier.
“Troop force has increased by ten percent,” the Viceroy added. “Our plans are well underway.”
“Good,” the Shotar said.
The gathered advisers exchanged agreeable nods and words.
“House Aranskrai has become a rising star,” the Shotar informed. “Young Kulcarin Aranskrai has brought us back something very special.” Sharr touched a button on his desk. An emerald green planet in the form of a hologram hovered above Sharr and his council.
“What is that?” Chancellor Trakan asked.
“A world whose civilization it seems has long since gone to dust.” Sharr's blue-gray eyes studied the world in orbit of a red sun. A small almost metallic-blue planetoid revolved around the larger world like a moon, yet seemed to be a would be twin planet locked in orbit. “Though he was unable to prevent the DSV Excalibur from completing her mission, Kulcarin stumbled across a great find. This world is free to be had.”
Vron frowned. “Do we know that for sure?”
“All we know for certain is that a Great War once was waged on this planet between two races: The Kri-Skar and their foes the Gwareen. It brought the end of the Kri-Skar civilization.” Sharr's data was based on what Kalpana Aranskrai had translated from the crystal her son had brought back from his mission. “
We're working out the exact location. The alien's star-charts are not like our own as it seems their stardrive works along different properties. There is also a matter of translation and it seems the Kri-Skar encoded them. They had no wish for others to easily find their home planet.” He added. “Once we do understand them, I fully intend to launch a RECON mission to seek out this star system.”
“Fascinating!” Shriek exclaimed. “Kulcarin did well.”
“This is indeed true. We never expected to find this sort of thing. But there's more. Kalpana also stumbled on an interesting word during her translation.” Sharr paused as the advisers listened raptly. He focused his gaze on his Chancellor, knowing Shreik Trakan would be familiar with what the Shotar was about to say. “Nibiru.”
“The Annunaki?” Shreik bolted upward. “It can't be!”
Trakan had not been stunned when they had first sent Aranskrai out into deep space to prevent an alien contact, the concept of other species out among the stars did not bother him at all. This one ancient Sumerian word however managed to confound him. The implication, worrisome. “Do we know anything else?” Shreik demanded.
“Only that the Kri-Skar had been their allies and perhaps even the Annunaki's own creators, who abandoned them to their fate. At least that’s how we understand the translation.”
“My Shotar,” an urgent voice came from a speaker. “A signal comes, sent, addressed personally to you from the Imperium. It originates from a Budjah source. Shall I put it through?"
Sharr sighed. “Go ahead.”
“It has been a long time… My old friend.”
Sharr narrowed his eyes at that grating metallic voice. He walked around the scarlet clad holo image of Bishop Styx, and sized the metal man up. “We have not spoken in a long time, Erik. What brings you to my island? Do you care to re-ignite our old email debates? The Catholic versus the Heathen. Better still, why did you allow your monks to enter our base?”
“To bring the truth.”
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