The event that the Raspani said initiated the revolt was the next generation of star ships the Olt’kitapi invented. It permitted the upload of an Olt’kitapi mind pattern into a quantum matrix that gave the ships a degree of self-awareness. It accessed a level of Tachyon Space that even the Raspani didn’t know how to reach, and the ships could travel thousands of light-years in hours. What was wrong from the Krall’s perspective was that the soft Krall would have access to these ships. The standard Krall were told that their minds required modification before they could instruct the intelligent ships on what to do. They needed to accept the same chip as the reviled soft Krall had inserted. This they knew would alter their fierce warrior spirit. They had bred for many generations to develop that spirit.
The first of these new style ships were designed to be used for immense mining projects, to build what Mirikami deduced was to be a series of something like a Dyson sphere, or a ring around an entire star. An immense amount of material was needed, and a rapid means of transporting it to the construction site was part of the design.
The start of the first mining project was witnessed by a number of clan leaders, as an inducement to join the soft Krall in asking their warriors to accept the chips so they too could reap the benefits of the coming great galactic civilization, that the soft Krall would help build. The long developing plot for revolt was coordinated to start everywhere on the same day, before the new ships made it impossible.
“What did the ships look like?”
Blue pointed at his rear half. “Shaped something like my lower body, but without legs and a tail.”
“Let me show you something.” He took Blue’s hand. He flashed the visual he’d taken from Parkoda’s thoughts to the roughly one million minds still in Blue’s storage device.
“We thought they had been lost in the fighting. However, it is good you have found them first,” Blue said. “We believed they were destroyed, as the Olt’kitapi had promised to do when they were on the verge of annihilation. The great ones were reluctant to use these as weapons. However, we Raspani fled from Olt’kitapi settled space and the fury of the Krall’s insane rage.
“Those of us caught on our colony planet by the Krall never knew what had happened. Obviously, at least one mining ship was used to destroy the Krall birth world, and that ship, with an Olt’kitapi mind pattern would have gone insane, and of course would have the Olt’kitapi crew aboard who ordered it to do that. The minds of neither were made to endure mass murder. It is why they lost the fight, refusing to destroy whole worlds of living creatures.”
Blue made a deep skin wrinkle between his eyes that looked exactly like a human frown. Mirikami had recently learned that was the Raspani version of a big smile.
“If you found and have control of the mining ships in that image, then they are still safe from the Krall. We are relieved.”
Mirikami said, “What if the Krall had those ships?”
“Why then all of your worlds will die.”
He looked at Mirikami. “We are happy to see a big smile on your face.”
*******************************************************************
DRAMATIS PERSONAE
HUMANS
Crew from Flight of Fancy
Tetsuo Mirikami
Captain of Flight of Fancy. From Old Colony of New Honshu, in the Hub area. Became Commander of Prime City after Krall left Koban
Noreen Renaldo
First Officer of Flight of Fancy. From Old Colony of Ponce, in the Hub area. Married Dillon Martin. Mother of TGs Carson, Katelyn, and Cory.
Jake (sounds human)
Advanced JK series AI computer, installed on Flight of Fancy. Able to operate many of the ship systems autonomously. Repository of vast human library of documents, books, films, Tri-Vid shows, etc. A common capability on long Jump passenger liners.
(Chief) Mike Haveram
Chief of the Drive Room on the Flight of Fancy. In charge of the “Drive Rats” and conventional thruster engines.
Macy Gundarfem
Motorfem. One of the “Drive Rats.”
John Yin-Lee
Motorman. One of the “Drive Rats.”
Andrew Johnson
Motorman. One of the “Drive Rats.”
Nory Walters
Chief Steward, of the ten such staff on the Fancy.
Mel Rigson
Steward and primary Medical technician.
Cal Branson
Steward and Medical technician.
Javier Vazquez
Alfon Hanson
Jason Sieko
Stewards.
Bob Campbell
Machinist Mate.
Neri Bar
Machinist Mate.
Chack Nauguza
Cargo Specialist, handy man.
Ricco Balduchi
Cargo Specialist.
Passengers from the Fancy, various other ships, and early captives
On the fancy
Dillon Martin
Professor of biological sciences, sent to Midwife to study developing primitive life. Hidden specialty is forbidden genetics research. From Rhama, a New Colony, close to the Hub worlds. Married Noreen Renaldo. Father of TGs Carson, Katelyn, and Cory.
Maggi Fisher
Professor of biological sciences, Chairfem of Board of Director’s on Midwife project. From Rhama. Organizing unofficial teams to recover lost genetic knowledge. Later, first Mayor of Prime City.
Aldry Anderfem
Professor of biological sciences, granddaughter of Claronce Anderson, a former President of Alders world. Supports secret Genetics research. Administered first human Clone mods in three hundred years, to make Second Generation Kobani.
Vincent Naguma
Professor of microbiology, from Greater Angola, an African Colony World at the edge of the Hub, settled just before the collapse. Studied Raspani in Hub City enclosure.
Sarah Bradley
Biologist that specialized in simple viral and bacterial life forms from Newborn. Became interested in the study of Raspani at Hub City, after the old Krall compound was occupied.
Rafe Campbell
Studied human genetic mutations from cosmic rays on Brussels, a New Colony. Wife Isadora killed on ship by a Krall, “exercising.” Dove into Koban genetic studies when given a chance to make humans physically superior to the Krall. Administered mods to teens born as SGs, which made them first Third Generation Kobani (TGs).
Ray McPherson
Husband of scientist. Member of the Fireball Brigade of flame throwers.
Jim (Jimbo) Skaleski
Hydroponics expert for the Midwife station. Fireball Brigade.
Early Captives (at Koban Prime, later renamed Prime City)
Mavray Doushan
Was Poldark's Deputy Ambassador to Bollovstic's Republican Independency. Both are Rim worlds.
Thaddeus Greeves
Former Colonel of a Diplomatic Security detail for Poldark Ambassador. Married Marlyn Rodriguez. Father of TGs Ethan, Bradley, and Danner.
Marlyn Rodriguez
First Officer of Rimmer’s Dream, arrived in mass capture of human ships. Married Thad Greeves. Mother of TGs Ethan, Bradley, and Danner.
Deanna Turner
Organizer of the first Primes to volunteer to work with the Flight of Fancy personnel. On Mirikami’s combat team.
Frank Constansi
Clarice Femfreid
Juan Wittgenstein
Early Prime volunteers to work with Mirikami. On Mirikami’s combat team.
Third Generation Kobani
Carson Martin
Parents Noreen and Dillon, born an SG, received Koban gene mods to become Third Generation Kobani.
Ethan Greeves
Parents Marlyn and Thad, born an SG, received Koban gene mods to become Third Generation Kobani.
Alyson Formby
Born in Hub City as an SG. At eighteen, left home to request Koban mods, against her parent’s wishes. Became first TG from
Hub City, then first to be a TG1 from there.
Jorl Breaker
Fred Saber
Yilini Jastrov
Richard Yang
Their parents were early Koban captives. At sixteen, they become TGs.
HUMAN SPACE
Garland (Sarge) Reynolds
Sergeant in the PU Army on Poldark. Captured by the Krall, and in a fluke of circumstance is taken to Koban, and is there rescued by the Kobani, twenty years into the war with the Krall.
Henry Nabarone
Major General of the Planetary Union Army, in charge of Poldark’s defense. Formerly in a local militia unit, and second in command after Colonel Thaddeus Greeves of that same unit.
Frances (Frank) Trakenburg
Colonel in a Special Operations division, based on Poldark. Dedicated to improving the capability of his troopers, via any means possible. Somewhat of a stuffed shirt, suspicious and secretive. Not under the authority of General Nabarone.
Joseph Longstreet
Captain of a platoon of spec ops troops, expanded to absorb remnants of units suffering losses from missions behind Krall lines on Poldark.
KRALL
Parkoda
Titled Harzax Kopandi for Krall, or “Measures the Enemy” and a Translator. From Tanga Clan of planet Merkrall. Leader of the Newborn raid that captured the Flight of Fancy.
Telour
Originally a Krall translator, of Graka Clan. Second in command of Newborn Raid. Placed in charge of captives at Koban Prime. Eventually was second in command to Tor Gatrol Kanpardi, with the title/rank of Til Gatrol.
Dorkda
Krall translator, of small Maldo clan, a recent offshoot of Dorbo clan.
Gatrol Kanpardi
General/Admiral of Graka Clan, Gatrol was his early rank and title. Later, Tor Gatrol, as High General in command of the war with humans. Based on Telda Ka, or “Base 1,” the former human Rim colony of Greater West Africa, which humans now call K1. All eighteen million people were slaughtered on his order, just to have a “clean” base.
Gatlek Pendor
Mordo clan. He is the Invasion commander on Poldark, Gatlek is his rank, equivalent to the lowest rank of General for the Krall.
EXTERMINATED ALIEN RACES
Olt’kitapi
Highly advanced and ancient people, determined pacifists, who first discovered the Krall. Mentored the violent race, hoping to make them more peaceful, but were betrayed and destroyed by the Krall, about 22,000 years ago. Never physically described by the Krall. They taught the Krall how to use the more simple parts of their technology, and designed ships and equipment specifically for them, to suit their personality and level of intelligence.
They were the first conquest described by Krall: “Our old bodies, even so long ago, could easily defeat their smaller and softer bodies. They were fruit and plant eaters that believed their artificially enhanced brains made them more powerful than we were. When we rose up to attack everywhere at once, we lost our first home world to them, and many Krall died before our final victory. After that, we owned their many worlds. We ate them all like the cattle they were.”
Botolians
Aggressive omnivores, evolved from social pack animals that resembled Earth Primates. Good fighters, but controlled a relatively small six hundred light year radius of settled space, bypassing colder and higher gravity planets. Slow breeders. Was first Worthy Enemy. Larger than humans, the size of lowland gorillas, and nearly as strong as a Krall. Smarter than Krall, but slower reflexes and predictable pack hunting tactics made them easier for the Krall to surround and attack. Not tricky or subtle, and preferred direct confrontation over ambushes, and were out matched in such fights. Always refused to surrender, and were all destroyed.
Piltcons
Wiped out by the Krall a mere thousand years after the enjoyable war with the Botolians. The young species had relatively low technology, inhabiting only two worlds in their home star system. They did not have Jump technology, and fought poorly. That was hardly surprising because they resembled a chubby but fast running long legged flightless bird with long feathery arms and three fingered hands. Their small heads did not house their sizable brains, which were located in the torso where the slender neck attached, placed one foot below the beaked mouth, large eyes, and hearing membranes. The Krall found it entertaining to decapitate the creatures and watch them run around blind and choking on their blood, until the lack of oxygen or loss of blood caused their brains to lapse into unconsciousness. They would “steer” the hapless animals by plucking feathers as they ran, causing them to turn away from the threat, which they felt but could not see or hear. Their lean dark meat was edible and tasty when raw, but the creatures were so fragile that clan leaders decided they were a poor choice as meat animals to be raised with the hazards found on various worlds. The truth of the matter was that warriors could not resist the fun of slashing off their heads for the entertainment value.
Malverans
A reptilian race the Krall met and exterminated several thousand years before encountering humans. They were an insect eating race that lived only on warm dry worlds, with 0.7 to .8 Earth g’s. Their slow metabolism made them easy prey for the Krall. The volume they’d colonized was about four hundred light-years in radius, adjacent to an area humanity would have been exploring in less than fifty years.
Discovery of Koban
It was a world in Malveran space, which had been far too hostile for the slow reacting Malverans to settle. They had a few dozen colonies, and those fell quickly to attacks by a single clan, the Dorbo.
Eventually the Maldo, a small finger clan of Dorbo, were awarded a choice of former Malvern worlds to settle. They selected an unused heavy gravity world, later called the Testing Ground, or Koban. They built an open compound on Koban. Native life nearly killed off the Maldo clan. They learned they could survive there only by building walls and electric fences and carrying weapons. This situation drew the attention of all the major clans, who tried and failed to settle on Koban without walled compounds.
ENSLAVED AILEN RACES
Raspani
A spacefaring, once highly intelligent and peaceful race, with only about a dozen colonized worlds in a small empire. They were another client race of the Olt’kitapi, advancing under their guidance. After their defeat by the Krall they became semi-intelligent because the Krall bred and used them as meat animals. They were raised in herds on many of Krall worlds. The grey creatures, paler on the stomach than on the back, looked somewhat like a pigmy hippopotamus from Earth. They are nearly three feet high at mid back, and five feet long in the lower torso. The upper part of their torso is vaguely centaur-like, which when held upright places their heads five feet above ground.
They have a pudgy pair of human-like jointed arms and dexterous looking hands. When grazing, they pluck tender grass shoots and fern leaves with their hands. They also eat fruits and berries if they can find them. They have the masticating side teeth of most herbivores, but sport two residual tusks, jutting up from the lower front jaw. These protruded three or four inches above fleshy lips, and facial features arranged much like on a human. They have a central flat nose above their lips, with two large nostrils, and large, forward-facing brown eyes under light brown furred brows. The head was smooth, rounded, and hairless, but there was some sparse brown hair growing along their upper and lower backs.
Blue Flower Eater
A Raspani spokesperson’s mind, encoded on a modified quantum storage device along with millions of other Raspani minds, who sought protection from Krall atrocities on their species.
Prada
Bipedal, forest and jungle living, eats fruit, nuts, insects, and small game. The creatures are black or brown, with white markings. Resemble a lemur or monkey-like mammal, with a useful prehensile tail. About the size of an Earth Chimpanzee, they can use their five fingered hands (with longer middle finger for digging out grubs) and long toes almost equally well. They retain some arboreal ability. The P
rada have large yellow eyes, and they were originally nocturnal animals. They are the Krall’s main assemblers and builders.
Their society took roughly seventeen thousand Earth years to colonize a volume some three thousand light years in radius. They selected moderate gravity worlds of 0.7 to 0.8 g’s, and preferred dimmer redder stars than Sol. They befriended other races, unless such contact was rejected. Engaged in cooperation and trade with Olt’kitapi.
They are a long-lived species who place their eldest members in charge. This deferment to the elders is why they originally cooperated with the Olt’kitapi, the oldest intelligent species they knew. After they were all killed, the next oldest species they knew were the Krall.
Now they are loyal and submissive to the Krall, and they have lost their original language, so speak only “low” Krall. They are the largest group of slaves and can build most things the Krall want for war, or have copied from other races.
Wister
A male Prada elder, roughly one thousand three hundred years old, found in a tree village on the planet next to Koban, left there by the Krall when they departed the system.
Nawella
A female Prada elder, and sister of Wister. She is a bit older than her brother is and he seeks her advice. Together they manage a small village of their people, who preserve an underground factory complex where anything required by the Krall can be built.
Koban: Rise of the Kobani Page 82