Koban

by Stephen W Bennett

  “Yes Sir, he is” was Jake’s reply.

  Making an affirmative head bob so the others knew the answer, he added, “Good, let me know if he or any blue suited Krall moves near us.”

  He looked grimly around the table. “I’m afraid I have things to tell you as well, and it’s more terrible news than I believe any of you might have expected.” They were about to ask, but he held up a restraining hand.

  “Please hear me out, no interruption, because I know we are not being monitored, but that can end at any moment. This is bad not just for us as captives, but also for humanity. Our species has nearly recovered from the disaster of the Gene War. We may not survive what the Krall plan to do.

  “Oddly, the information was given freely by Telour. Some of it is backed by what we heard from Parkoda. Their racial objectives are achieved best if we actually know that they plan to slowly wipe us out, because in that case we will fight them as long and as hard as we can. To understand the basis for their racial goal, I’ll find a way let you hear a recording of Telour’s rambling for you.

  “The Krall have been disappointed at how poorly the Koban captives are at fighting, when forced to fight individually, as Krall warriors prefer to fight. Telour, when he learned to speak Standard from those captives, heard about our past wars. He wants us to organize to fight their warriors more effectively on the ground. Something we’ve largely forgotten how to do. Damned if I know how a Spacer like me can help us do that, but that’s one of the things we jointly have to figure out. I will tell you that if we don’t find group tactics to fight them better, we’ll all die as individuals in combat testing anyway.

  “This has far more importance than our own personal survival. We captives, here and on Koban, need to prove we can learn to fight well enough to beat their youngest warriors, at least often enough to make a protracted war possible. That’s a counter intuitive concept you have to grasp, that the conquest cannot be too easy for their warriors, nor proceed too fast. They have followed what they call the Great Path for improving themselves as warriors through selective breeding, and they have done that for perhaps twenty five thousand of our years.

  “There are two alternatives if we can’t prove we can fight them effectively, and both would be worse in my opinion. If we captives can’t demonstrate an ability to fight them well enough, their clan leaders are close to a decision where a small part of our race might be retained as slaves, to build things for them. They would kill off the excess population. Or, and this really shows how low they regard us to be, we could become cattle for them; fortunately we are bad tasting meat animals, as Telour complained.”

  That produced a mixture of stunned and sickened looks.

  “Of far less importance, Telour has a personal agenda to undermine Parkoda’s success deriving from our capture. He proposed an agreement with me to organize the captives on this ship so they will learn how to fight in larger groups. Perhaps to operate like army squads or companies were trained to do. We would also be expected to promote this tactic with the other Koban captives.

  “If Telour achieved this goal, using someone aboard this ship, it would steal status from Parkoda because he would have overlooked the opportunity. Telour’s plan depends on Parkoda quickly departing on a new raid without learning about this project.

  “Entirely on his own, I assure you, Telour has decided that I am the human he believes can lead the rest of you to do what he wants. He makes no distinction between a Spacer and a soldier. I don’t know how to fight battles on the ground, outside of what I’ve seen in Tri-Vid documentaries or read in old books. However, I am convinced that if we fail to fight the Krall better than we do as individuals, the alternatives for our species will be truly horrific.

  “We need to learn everything we can about them, and we have perhaps just a few more days to do that here on the ship. An advantage we have aboard ship is that Telour told the other translators to talk to us about Krall history and fighting methods, and they do love to talk about themselves and their exploits.

  “But be very careful. If word reaches Parkoda of Telour’s plan, I’m not going to see what happens after that, nor probably will anyone that allowed that information to leak. But considering what the Krall have in mind for every one of us, we all may have to fight or die one way or another.”

  He placed his hands palm down on the table, and waited for their reaction.

  Fisher shook her head in dismay, “I had a suspicion, Captain, based on what Dillon told us Parkoda had said, but it sounded much like a blowhard’s exaggerated claims of superiority. To be honest, they strike me somewhat like barbarians, at times not overly bright, despite the technology they control. If our species had twenty five thousand years of space travel and exposure to so many alien civilizations, I’d expect us to have left our war like ways long behind.”

  “Captain, is it possible they have stolen or copied all of their technology?” Dillon asked.

  “Dillon, I didn’t hear either Parkoda or Telour brag about what the Krall built or invented, just about the smarter species they wiped out. They took a lot of technology from a race they called Olt’kitapi, a highly advanced spacefaring species that appear to have actually found the Krall in their early history. Surely, they took more from other races they say they destroyed. I don’t know if they invented anything that we’ve seen them use.”

  Dillon had another point, “Based on how you were able to convince Parkoda to relax movement restrictions on us so soon, and the JK’s unsuspected help,” he preferred not saying Jake’s name aloud, “they seem rather naïve in dealing with a race they openly plan to exterminate. Aside from being willing to kill any one of us for little or no cause, they have shown more latitude and less suspicion than any human captors would. Does that seem smart and experienced to any of you?”

  Noreen had an observation. “Perhaps they are that confident because we’re clearly inferior physically, and they actually want us to fight back more effectively. Why worry about what we might try to do against them? If we kill off some of their weakest or slowest, it’s what they want anyway. I wonder about the dumbest warriors they have. Were those already weeded out and we just aren’t seeing the brightest on this raid?”

  “I don’t believe so. The greatest achievements they claim through those thousands of years are their own physical abilities. They score breeding points to allow the best fighters to produce the most offspring. I don’t think they select for the smartest warriors, just the most deadly, and Telour’s history of his species described only contempt for the higher intelligence of the Olt’kitapi and other defeated races.

  “An example, I think, is the fact that Parkoda made us catch a maximum energy tachyon, at least the most powerful that we are capable of trapping. At the time he didn’t know we couldn’t Jump in the same manner they do, into a faster higher dimension in Tachyon Space. I think they are now oblivious to the fact that we were never ordered to dump that energy, and we actually have two such tacs, one in each Trap. If we were suicidal, we could pull their ship with us into a Jump Hole, open our Traps and we’d both disintegrate in Tachyon Space.”

  “You’ve spent more time listening and talking with them Captain. Do you think we can extrapolate from this group to most of the Krall?” asked Fisher.

  Mirikami shrugged. “We’ve had too little contact with them to generalize, but the racial history I was told is consistent with how they act. We need to speak with Kapdol and Dorkda, the other two translators we have access to, while we can do that in isolation on the ship, then compare notes. However, the four of us can’t cover everything ourselves here and now, so let’s move to a different subject while we can. You said you also have things to tell me Doctor?”

  Maggi nodded yes. “It will sound ridiculously anti climatic after what we’ve just learned, but the people that have to make decisions and devise a strategy are important at least for our near future. Last night we nominated and elected two new members to the Board of Directors. This not only rest
ores the Board to nine, but rather helps shift the political center in a more liberal and open minded direction.”

  Turning to her left, she smiled and placed her hand on Dillon’s shoulder. “Allow me to present our first ever male member.”

  A blushing but grinning Dillon bobbed his head in acknowledgement.

  “Congratulations, Gentle Sir,” beamed Noreen. She reached over and warmly took his hands in hers. A simple gesture, but it brought back the same tingle to his nether regions; proving that end of the species scenarios couldn’t subdue primeval urges.

  “My congratulations as well Dillon,” added Mirikami, standing to shake his hand.

  Then asking, as he sat down, “Who might the other new member be Madam Chairfem?”

  Postponing her reply she said, “Captain, I doubt we’ll be allowed to stay aboard your wonderful ship once we arrive at Koban, yet I fully expect we will become a lot more conspiratorial in coming days. Won’t you please call me Maggi, as a friend?”

  “Certainly I will Maggi, and I’d like in private conversations, such as this, if you would call me Tet. I think publicly you and I should remain Madam Chairfem and Captain, to enforce our positions of authority with one another’s respective groups, particularly after we reach Koban.”

  She agreed. “I think we’ll each need as much authority as we can muster, Tet. However, to answer your question, our other new member is a remarkable Gracious Lady from Alders world, who I’ve known and collaborated with in my research for decades.

  “Her name is Aldry Anderfem, a granddaughter of Claronce Anderson, the former President of Alders world, holding office when the Gene War came and ended his term and his life. Her wealthy family is descended from the founding fathers for the colony, and her first name is derived from the planet’s name.

  “You might recall you’ve met her, she sat at the Captain’s table a time or two for dinner, once by my side.”

  “Yes, I do recall the Lady, and of speaking with her several times. I told her I used to fly a route with Interworld to her home years ago, when I was a First Officer. I didn’t make the connection to her grandfather’s name, Anderson, when she said she was from Alders.”

  Fisher chuckled, and raised a skeptical eyebrow. “Her grandmother joined the movement on Anders to remove the ‘son’ from old family names, just as women on other Hub worlds were doing then. Using ‘fem’ in place of ‘son,’ and adding it to other words. As if doing that would fix everything that had gone wrong, blaming men for everything.” She shook her head in wonder.

  “Aldry’s family members are very well connected Old Colony world Politico’s, a factor that should hold sway with a lot of Hub members of our consortium. Not that anyone’s past influence should really matter now, not where we’re going. She and I agree on many things, both scientific and political.

  “I think the Vicechairfem” she emphasized the suffix, “will find her clique’s voting bloc down to a single vote, her own. Her remaining toady, Lady Waldon, is a bandwagon type and I’m driving that wagon now. The good Professor Waldon will normally agree with what the most noted and influential person says; and that will be Aldry. Alternatively, Waldon will vote with the majority, and we have her anyway. Sycophants are tiresome, but it’s my turn to use this one.” She added cynically.

  “Whatever we decide is the right course of action, I think we have enough objective, clear thinking people on the Board now. They will mostly vote their own minds; however, there are more open minds on the Board than previously. I’ll be accused of stacking the deck of course, but I think of it as having replaced some of the marked cards.”

  “Maggi, did you consider any proposals of how to forcefully handle a situation where individuals or groups plan any actions that could get a lot of people killed?”

  “Honestly Tet, we aren’t very good at that sort of thinking and planning, and Dillon reminded us that we probably have only a short time left on the Flight of Fancy. We expected to spend weeks traveling to this Koban place, and now it may be only another three days. We decided to leave it up to you, for the time left on the ship. I imagine we will find some organization in place among the captives already there.”

  “Alright, I doubt anything will come up anyway. Nevertheless, I realize I haven’t given enough thought to how leaving the Flight of Fancy would affect us. If the Krall destroy her or power her down fully, or simply keep us too far from her, we can’t use Jake for information and communications as the crew can now. Noreen, you had some training on Jake’s hardware, any ideas on keeping in contact with him?”

  “Yes Sir, but not good ones” she conceded. “Our transducer implants have about a three to seven mile transmission range outside the ship, based on if we are inside or outside. However, we can hear Jake a lot farther away than that, up to thirty miles line of sight. Except, outside the hull involves radio signals, which the Krall could detect and not allow. It’s possible but unlikely we could run a hard line from the Fancy to that dome, assuming they keep her in one piece. We need her essentially whole and close by, once we are on the ground.”

  “I’ll make an ‘efficiency’ type suggestion to Parkoda when I can,” Mirikami proposed. “We may convince them the Flight of Fancy is useful for them, such as an efficient way to support their captives, providing shelter, or food preparation. They could land her at their camp, disable the Jump engines, thrusters, and radios for example, but leave the fusion reactor active to power her. This is Parkoda’s ‘prize,’ so keeping it for show might appeal to his ego.”

  The meeting proceeded to discuss which scientists should approach the two other translators, and what they should ask them.

  Mirikami suggested someone be tasked to inquire about Koban as soon as possible, because the Krall themselves apparently found it dangerous, and were unworried about a human escape attempt. He told them Telour said they intended to make Koban into their home world in the future, once they could survive there without weapons.

  Just as they started talking about whom among the ship’s crew or passenger complement might have any military background, Mirikami and Noreen suddenly and simultaneously waved the discussion quiet. Jake’s ever calm voice sounded in their ears.

  “Sir, a translator Krall in blue uniform has arrived on this deck from deck 7, by the central stairwell. He spoke with the warrior in black, and both Krall are coming towards you.”

  “We have company, don’t look around.” Mirikami cautioned.

  The two Krall silently glided into sight at the alcove’s opening, where the warrior halted, and the blue uniform approached them. Mirikami couldn’t tell if this was Telour or one of the other two translators. The typical “they all look alike” syndrome.

  The Krall apparently had a similar problem. “Is a human clan leader one of you?”

  Mirikami stood, and looked into the Krall’s chest. “I am Captain Mirikami, the clan leader of the humans on the ship.”

  It tapped its shoulder com, and its lips rippled briefly in silence, one extended ear cupped towards the button. He pivoted and was about to leave when Mirikami called to him.

  “Sir, am I to follow you, or to return to the Bridge?”

  It turned back. “Telour asked where the human clan leader is, but did not order you follow me. What is the Bridge?”

  “The Bridge is the human name for where the ship is commanded, and where Telour was located when I left there to find food.”

  “I will know what the Bridge is now.” He seemed about to leave again, when Mirikami decided to test Telour’s instructions.

  “Sir, may we humans know your name and your clan’s great name? We wish to learn about your history, your battles, and victories. Telour said we could ask you.”

  There was a slight straightening of his legs, if in pride or offense, the humans couldn’t say. He answered readily enough, but sounded defensive. “I am Dorkda, of the Maldo clan. My clan is young, only but a finger taken from the Great Dorbo clan, our ally. The Dorbo found Koban. My clan history i
s less, but it grows and we made the first camp on Koban. We will return and claim our land when the Path allows.”

  A new clan, though Mirikami. He was apparently sensitive about their short history. Perhaps a bit of fawning can keep him talking.

  “We are honored to learn of your clan, and of what you can tell us. If we learn enough of the Krall and your Great Path, we humans may understand how you came to be so powerful, how you spread through the galaxy.” Was that butter enough he wondered?

  Repeating the slight stiffening of his squat bowed legs, he boasted, “When Maldo clan completes the next leap on the Great Path, if it is hundred or thousand birth cycles, we are promised honor of first clan to return to Koban. We will meet it again and win, using only talons, teeth, and our new speed.” He was certainly staying true to the Krall stereotype seen so far.

  Dillon, keying on the prideful remarks about Koban, sought to get him to say more. “We have learned that Koban will be the home of your race someday. What is wrong that you will leave it for so long?”

  That produced an unexpected and nearly fatal reaction. For a moment Dillon thought he was about to die. Dorkda flashed black rimmed red eyes at him hatefully, arms reaching out with talons fully extended. Even the warrior behind him stooped into a lower crouch, talons extended.

  However, his eyes locked on the tattoo below Dillon’s throat. He slowly lowered his arms and retracted the talons, but still glared with laser intensity. The words that followed proved his anger hadn’t really been aimed at the human.

  “You are less than a novice and know nothing. I will see Koban kill you as it killed my cubs, my mates, and many in our finger clan. We leave because we are not ready for the world we want. If we take that world with weapons, and make it softer, this is not a victory. We will follow the Path longer. Then we will meet the animals there as they are. We will be faster when we return.”