Alien Manifesto

by T. W. Embry

  “Rowl is a warrior and I am to be his mate. From now on where he goes, I go,” said Kareen as she adjusted her new body armor, unsheathing her twin swords to several different opening moves, all perfectly executed. “I am a fight master after all,” she growled. “You are a pleasure bio mech are you not,” demanded Kareen, satisfied by her armor and swords.

  “Yes, I belong to Kyle. I advise against using his real name, he prefers to be called the Irishman.”

  ~

  As Kareen headed toward the main hall and the dance, having skipped dinner in favor of preparing, her stomach fluttering like it was full of butterflies. She thought to herself so Kyle prefers pleasure bio mechs to real partners. I will see about that! I know just the perfect mate for him. He does not stand a chance; he will not even have to work at it. I only have to introduce them, that should be enough. She was smiling at the thought of being able to pay back the Irishman’s kindness and loyalty to her and her soon to be mate, her stomach calmed by the distraction.

  Kareen strode into the main ballroom, her muscles rippling as she strutted, her tail held high in full battle dress. Her heart shaped mane and long tail flowed behind her as she moved through the crowd of guests, towering over most. All conversation around her stopped. Seeing her swords, the guests milled nervously about, locating the exits. Hearing the disturbance, Rowl made a beeline for the cause. Suddenly his knees went weak at the most delicious smell he could ever remember. She was here!

  It was Kareen and she was dressed as a fight master. That is what the commotion was about, her swords. As he stood behind her, people looked away, turning their backs, giving the two canines privacy in the middle of a crowd. Throwing his head back, chest extended: “Kareen!” howled Rowl at the top of his lungs, beginning the mating ritual, trembling with excitement.

  Spinning around to face her mate, responding to the mating call, Kareen howled, not as loud, yet just as passionately: “Rowl!” Kareen had such a beautifully sensuous howl; people turned and stared, again.

  Then Kareen bolted toward the main entrance at a dead run, Rowl was only a split second behind her. Into the jungle surrounding Snarth’s estate she ran. She would continue running until she reached the grassland section of the estate. All the way to the love nest that waited for them there.

  Rowl followed her, never quite catching up, nipping her flank occasionally, and letting her run until she was exhausted. When she stopped, the mating would begin. It would go on for hours, perhaps even days, as the two became one.

  PART THIRTY

  The Young Queen

  When at last the Queen’s egg glowed golden bright, pulsing with energy, it was nearly too late for the young nymph. Abandoned by his nest mates, out of food and too weak to forage, he lay at the base of the pedestal that held the golden egg. Only the new Queen could save him now. She will be here soon, I only have to wait a little longer, thought the young nymph. Just a little longer, he thought as he slipped once more into blackness, leaving the birth of a new Queen unobserved by anyone.

  With a bright flash of energy, the new queen coalesced into her new corporal form. Seeing the nearly dead aide at her feet, the new Queen’s first act was one of compassion for one of her own people. She bent toward the unconscious, very nearly dead aide. Closer she came until their mouths were scant inches apart. She gently let some of the life giving energy of the sun flow into the young nymph, saving him from certain death.

  It was several minutes before the young nymph regained consciousness, to find the Queen patiently waiting for him to wake.

  “My Queen,” he spluttered almost in disbelief as he flipped back over on to his feet. Immediately he began scraping his chest plate against the chamber floor in submission.

  “It is I who should bow to you young one. Too much has been asked of one so young, yet you have not faltered in your duty to me,” said the Queen in a faint musical voice. “I am forever in your debt,” she said as she bowed to the young nymph, an act never before done in all the thousands of generations of Queens. “Bring me the elders of your clan,” she commanded.

  “If I may, my queen, please,” squirmed the young nymph, his fear scents filling the chamber. “My Queen, all of my nest mates have abandoned me,” he said in a whisper.

  “Fear not, young one,” whispered the Queen. “They will come to my call. Soon, my dear, you will not have to be chief aide any longer.”

  This shook the young nymph to his core. Not be the chief aide! Not be chief aide! That is all I want, thought the young nymph.

  “My queen, have I failed you?” asked the young nymph, trembling.

  “No young one, I am only trying to lift a great burden from you,” answered the new Queen as she realized just how deeply the young nymph’s loyalty went.

  “My only wish is to serve you, my Queen,” said the young nymph, scraping his chest plate on the chamber floor in a frenzied reverence.

  “Very well then, as my chief aide I order you to deliver this royal decree to your clan’s elders at once,” whispered the new Queen in her musical voice as she handed the young nymph an official scroll.

  “Thank you my Queen, I will not fail you, as you command so shall it be,” answered the young nymph as he scurried away to deliver the royal scroll.

  PART THIRTY-ONE

  An Understanding Reached

  “Snarth,” hissed the feline assassin master, “I could use the assistance of your team to prevent my king’s death.”

  “I cannot ssspeak for my team; you will have to asssk them yourself. I will be there to explain the risksss,” hissed Snarth.

  “You don’t trust me,” laughed the assassin master. Then he growled with a wicked smile, “I don’t blame you, I wouldn’t either.”

  “I have life debtsss to each one of my team mates and they to me,” hissed Snarth. “I have alwaysss been honessst with each one and I will be now. If you have any double crossss planned I want no part of it and I will sssee to it that my team matesss do not either.”

  “On my honor sir, I plan no deception,” growled the assassin master frostily and very formally, standing ramrod straight.

  Just as formally Snarth hissed, “On my honor sssir if you double crossss any of usss I will hunt you down myssself. I have lived a very long time,” Snarth hissed angrily. “I fought in the One war and countlessss sssmaller onesss. I worked for the galactic sssecurity ssservicesss for longer than you have lived. I am not afraid of you or your clan. I have ssseen a hundred generationsss of feline kingsss come and go, many by assssassssination. I will help you becaussse I sssaid I would. I alssso owe it to my friend, the only one to ever beat you, becaussse I owed him a life debt too,” Snarth hissed.

  “Then we understand each other,” growled the feline assassin master coldly.

  PART THIRTY-TWO

  Two Become One

  As Rowl awoke first after the frantic mating of the night before, he turned his head to gaze at Kareen’s face, the object of so many of his nighttime dreams. Now she was finally his. Lovingly he noticed the dried sweat in her matted fur.

  The smell of her musk was driving him nearly insane with new lust. Stirring, Kareen whined submissively.

  “You have to feed me before we join again. I don’t know about you but I am famished,” she said as she stretched lazily on the sleeping furs, teasing Rowl, painfully. With a quick nuzzle and a lick Rowl headed for the food dispenser by way of the fresher. “Not that way,” Kareen growled, now fully awake and standing. “I want the traditional first feeding of Nhu buck,” she yowled.

  Rowl froze midstride, where am I going to get fresh Nhu buck? he thought, panicking.

  As if reading his mind Kareen yowled, “You will have to hunt for it.”

  “There are no Nhu bucks on this estate,” Rowl growled back.

  “There are now,” howled Kareen, unable to contain herself any longer. “Bring me a fresh kill, husband, and I will be yours forever,” she howled.

  Rowl howled his acceptance of Kareen’s vow,
“And I will be yours forever, wife.” Then he vanished out the door to begin his hunt.

  Rowl hardly got out the door when he picked up the scent of Nhu buck. He reached instinctively for his swords. He remembered they were in his quarters back at Snarth’s estate house. He would have to do this the traditional way, with stealth and fang, no weapons.

  Slipping silently among the tall grass, it was not long before Rowl could smell the nearby swamp. Instinctively he knew the Nhu buck would head for the nearest water source. As Rowl circled toward the swamp, he caught a whiff of fresh Nhu buck scent. It was heading his way. Moving in, closing he crouched, hiding in the tall grass, waiting; the buck was close. Closer the buck came, ten units, five units, heading for the water. Even though the buck was in easy range Rowl waited until his kill was absolutely certain. Now was not the time to look foolish.

  With a short leap, Rowl locked his jaws on the buck’s throat, wrestling it to the ground, sealing its fate. As soon as the buck had stopped thrashing, Rowl raised his head, took a huge breath, threw out his chest and howled at the top of his lungs his success to his mate Kareen. Now together they would complete the wedding ritual with the traditional feast of freshly killed Nhu buck. They would soon be one, mind, body and soul.

  ~

  Kareen soon joined Rowl. He had waited, saving the best parts for her, the soft underbelly. Centuries of civilization slipped away as the two savaged the Nhu buck carcass, just as their primordial ancestors had centuries ago. Much later, completely sated, the pair slumbered in each other’s arms, unabashed and completely covered in the blood of their joining kill.

  Once again waking first, Rowl was uncomfortably aware of his need to use the fresher. Or in its place, the nearest growth of tall grass. Yet he was reluctant to wake his blissfully sleeping mate.

  The problem solved itself as Kareen suddenly woke, looking deep into Rowl’s green eyes. “My love, you need the fresher,” she said as delicately as possible, wrinkling her nose.

  “Or a swim in the swamp,” yowled Rowl. “Loser has to bathe the winner.”

  “You’re on,” yipped Kareen as she leapt toward the swamp with Rowl close behind.

  Later after a thorough cleaning from Rowl, Kareen asked, “Shouldn’t we get back to the party, my love? Our families are waiting,” she said.

  “Your family is here?” growled Rowl in disbelief.

  “Yes my love, all of them, your parents and your sisters as well,” whined Kareen softly.

  “How did you get my father out of his distillery anyway?” growled a still shocked Rowl.

  “Don’t thank me,” growled Kareen. “Talk to the Irishman and Snarth, they invited us all,” she whined submissively.

  “You insatiable wench, I wish we could but we have to get back,” growled Rowl with sudden urgency. “We shouldn’t keep the family waiting.”

  “Then get in that fresher and do not come out till you smell civilized again,” growled Kareen. Rowl meekly obliged with air in his step and a huge grin on his face.

  PART THIRTY-THREE

  The Old Ones

  It was several light cycles before the young nymph returned to the Queen’s chamber, well fed and followed by all of his clan. They were once again at the Queen’s behest.

  “Welcome, my children,” greeted the young Queen, head bowed. “Now that you are here we must begin moving the nest. The enemy knows of our home world. We must strike swiftly to disable the enemy fleet,” she said. “Then we must disappear into a space unknown to our enemies. The days of conquest are behind us, my children. Once we exact revenge on the enemy fleet we will find a new home and live in peace,” proclaimed the Queen.

  “As you wish so shall it be done,” echoed through the birthing chamber, as each of the clan of scribes pledged its allegiance to their new Queen.

  “No, my children it is not as it once was,” exclaimed the new Queen. “You all now have an equal say in the affairs of our people. From this day forth let no order from the Queen go unchallenged unless it is by unanimous decision of the council. From now on the Queen has only the deciding vote. You may speak freely as I have no desire to foolishly waste one of the few resources we have left,” she said, waiting for a reaction.

  None moved except the young nymph and the senior elder. “If we are to have equal say, then I must ask, why attack the enemy fleet? Why not just flee?” asked the senior elder.

  “Flee in what?” asked the young Queen.

  “We have stores of ships in the great hall,” answered the senior elder.

  “We have nothing large enough to transport the Promise of Life,” answered the Queen. “Even if we did, can you pilot a star ship, senior elder? If we are to leave I must waken my army and its pilots. If I waken the army, we do not have enough ships in the great hall to carry all of us. No-one will be left behind.

  “Then there is the issue of the Promise of Life that has been scattered around the enemies’ populated planets. How without my Army am I going to gather all my children?” asked the young Queen patiently.

  The Queen knew the senior elder must come to the same solution she had, on his own. The senior elder paused then said, “What must we do to begin the quickening of the Promise of Life my Queen?” with a deep bow, scraping his chest plate on the chamber floor. Not as stupid as he appears, thought the Queen to herself.

  “First we must prepare the throne room for the transference,” said the young Queen. “Then we must give She who gave her life a proper honoring. We must move quickly, the season of the sun is almost upon us. Only then will I have enough power to awaken the Promises of Life from far away. The enemy has scattered my children across the galaxy and I may not reach them all. And for that they will pay in blood,” said the young Queen, her agitation scents causing the scribes to furiously scrape their chest plates on the floor in submission. Perhaps they are truly meant to be ruled after all, thought the young Queen. That thought settled the young Queen’s mind, bringing her a newfound inner peace.

  The more she thought about her revenge, the more powerful she felt. Without realizing it the young Queen slipped into the world of the Old Ones for the first time. She was suddenly face to face with her predecessor, the evil former Queen.

  So you think they should all have a say in state decisions, thought the evil Queen, her words burning into the young Queen’s mind. You will soon realize as I did, they can only be led. Left to their own choices they are weak. Unable to defend themselves or properly bring glory to the giver of life, the Sun.

  Reeling at the onslaught, the young Queen fought back. It is only through them that I exist. I refuse to enslave them in another failed attempt to conquer the unbelievers. The space is too vast and our enemies too powerful. If the unbelievers are truly destined to bring glory to the giver of life they will seek its knowledge through us. We cannot force them, they must want to believe, thought back the young Queen defiantly.

  With a sneer the evil Queen thought, You cannot escape your destiny. Only the giver of life can change the destiny of a Queen of the Ones.

  With a jolt, the young Queen snapped back into her reality, severing the link between her and the evil Queen, now Old One, shaking violently. The intensity of the encounter surprised her, serving as a warning about the old Queen’s power. However, it also gave her an idea. If I can commune with an Old One that easily, thought the young Queen, then why not try and convince the other Queens? Or even all the Old Ones at once? We will let the majority decide the destiny of the Ones, resolved the young Queen, quite firm in her beliefs, as the young are prone to be.

  PART THIRTY-FOUR

  Must it be War?

  Many light cycles passed before the young Queen could make her entrance to the main throne room. The old Queen’s carcass had been properly disposed of and all of the Queen’s crystals were in their proper place on the domed ceiling and walls. The season of the Sun had begun this very light cycle. Everything was ready.

  Soon the Sun would be at its height and the young Queen
could wake her army. Her heart was heavy; argue as she might, the Old Ones had decided on war rather than retreat. If only they would listen, a suitable planet had already been found in the archives.

  It was a large life planet, one with plenty of live prey to sustain her children. It had the right type of star to recharge her crystals, and those of her children. Dare she risk discovery of her plan? If even one scout ship were detected, the enemy fleet would descend on the home world and finish destroying what they missed last time.

  Slowly, formally, the young Queen was carried to the throne. She could feel the energy pulsing even before she sat in the bejeweled throne for the first time. It was intoxicating her senses; she could barely climb down from the royal barge carried by four of her strongest scribes.

  With her true reality on the home world swirling among that of the Old Ones she soon lost herself, almost not making it to her throne. As she sat, slowly her mind cleared. She felt the presence of all of the Old Ones, some vague, others intensely. Now was the time for her final argument against war, she told herself. She had to try, for the sake of her children she must not fail.

  PART THIRTY-FIVE

  A Trap Set, Patience Tested

  “It hasss been three daysss sssince the king’sss arrival,” hissed Snarth to the scowling assassin master. “I am sssure of my intelligence and ssSSlice agreesss with me.”

  “There will be an attempt on the king’s life,” yowled the assassin master angrily, frustrated. “We must practice patience, remember these are members of a feline assassin clan and their patience is legendary even on my world,” he growled.