RUCK, WILLINKREE
YEAR 3042 DAY 36
[Sil] took the water from the class C, Piral and holding her breath to avoid the smell of the bag the acrid tasting liquid was in took a few quick gulps choking them down as quickly as she could. She had yet to have any of the food from the planet yet, and was predicting that it would be similarly barbaric.
[Sil] handed the water inside the leather back to the brute, he slowly took it and slipped the thing back onto his belt. [Sil] sniffed and drew the primitive and roughly hewn leather jacket around herself, the day was clear and the alien sun was shining brightly, it was cold.
The two aliens had only exchanged brief words after dragging her from the animal pen. As far as [Sil] could interpret, they were not friends. If the body language was anything to go by the two were ready to kill one another at a moment’s notice.
“How long will it take to get to the ship?” asked [Sil]. The ancient crashed patrol ship was her only hope if the emergency beacon did not work. At the very least she hoped to be able to take the thing up into orbit and get away from the class C.
The red painted and younger looking class C glanced back at her, “King meet first. Prove Senior Guides wrong.”
[Sil] suppressed her grown.
“How long to the King then?” repeated [Sil].
“A walk day,” said the Guide.
It was the same answer that he had been giving since they had begun the trek just before dawn.
[Sil] scrunched up her nose in annoyance at the vagueness, but then they were more than likely primitive even when it came to time scales. She had seen nothing to indicate they had even started mechanical engineering.
Slowing her pace and dropping in behind the red painted alien as he led the way through the winding wooded path, [Sil] one more glanced back at the first alien. Piral had a hand up near his face, and was making odd clicking noises.
A small creature pocked a head out from between the class C’s hands and let out a near identical clicking. Small and furry the small creature’s eyes locked with [Sil]. The two small ears on the head perked up and the creature went silent regarding her.
Piral noticed as well and raised his own eyebrows at the small thing.
“Heralki,” said Piral, and he opened his palm.
The creature leapt from Piral’s hand and drifted through the air for a moment extending two flaps of skin from its sides. The flaps were supported by small boney protrusions that appeared to curl into its back when it was not in the air.
[Sil] only managed a single step backwards as the creature glided through the air towards her. Landing on her head [Sil] and the creature both let out yelps of surprise as it landed on her head.
[Sil]’s dignified, and the creature’s animalistic fear as it scrabbled on her alien head for grip, not familiar with anything being bald.
[Sil]’s hand’s shot up and quickly closed over the creature which quickly let out a pitiful squeal of distress.
“Manka!” shouted Piral, his own hands coming up towards the creature.
“Cease!” translated the Guide whipping around at the sound of distress.
The small thing scrabbled at [Sil]’s hands for a moment, slowly her own eyes locked on the giant of a class C [Sil] lowered her hands containing it. Piral’s eyes remained locked on her hands, watching as she brought the creature down in front of her.
[Sil] noted that the creature wasn’t biting at her hand’s even as it’s claws scrabbled against the inside of her hands. Hands in front of her [Sil] locked eyes with the small thing as it let out a pitiful chirp and stared back at her from its improvised cage. It was always amazing to see what could arise from the Seed. Creatures were catalogued and samples were usually stored before they were eliminated if determined to be too far from the norm.
Unlike with the class C, the variety of the less sentient creatures was tolerated to a degree. The less complex creatures were never more of a threat than any other animal, and their oddities had led to varying scientific discoveries and medical advances within the Empire.
Piral quickly but gently snapped his hand over [Sil]’s, startled she didn’t resist as the class C pulled her hands apart and retrieved the small thing. Chattering the creature shot up Piral’s arm and disappeared into the folds of his clothing.
Piral muttered several things under his breath and backed away from [Sil] his hand over the small lump as if to protect the creature should [Sil] lunge at him.
Huffing in annoyance [Sil] turned to the bemused looking Guide. “Tell me about the other Dorvakian’s. The other Star People.”
The Guide blinked and nodded, “Good story. Have told lots of times. You not know it?”
“It was a long time ago, wasn’t it? The Star People have had to fight many times. I do not know all of the stories.” [Sil] decided that using the same language as the class C’s would clear up some of the translation difficulties.
“C1764, is still a threat?” asked the Guide.
“Yes, they are a threat,” prompted [Sil]. The C1764 were only another class C race, but letting the alien tell the history from their twisted perspective would be the fastest way to get the information she needed.
“Still fighting?” questioned the Guide looking sad.
“Winning,” insisted [Sil].
The Guide’s expression brightened at that.
“400 years ago, Star People fell the to ground. The people were afraid, they had after all fallen to the Earth from stars. Nothing had ever fallen from the sky except in old myths about useless and vengeful gods who did nothing but sate their own amusement with mortal lives.”
He forced a chuckle, and [Sil] got the distinct feeling that the red painted class C had told this story many times before. It had a rehearsed feel despite the poor grammar.
“We were foolish back then, not knowing the truth. The Star People traveling home, from another star another point of light in the sky. They were scouting, ensuring that the stars were safe for their Empire. A rule that had not a thousand, not a hundred thousand, but a hundred thousand, thousand, thousand people! So many that they could not remain on one sphere or dirt in the heavens! They braved the dangers of the stars, an ocean so deadly that it can kill in an instant, a place where even light can kill! To find new patches of dirt and Earth where they settle. On one star, they found a horror. Evil creatures, that were twisted versions of the Star People themselves.”
[Sil] winced at that and opened her mouth to correct the class C. He continued before she could interrupt and [Sil] shut her mouth. The Guide’s speech was improving confirming to [Sil] that the tale he was repeating was one he knew by heart and from someone who spoke the language far better.
“These creatures though, were far more twisted than the Star People, further from the path than we are. C1764 is the name the Star People gave them, the name they gave themselves.”
The Guide paused and glanced around as if looking for eavesdroppers in the middle of the roughly hewn wooded path.
“Human. They look like us and the Star People, but they are sick in the head. They have unnatural skin colors that change from generation to generation, ranging from pure dangerous black to vicious unnatural white. Their hairs are different color as well, from a normal white to blood red and everything in between. The star people described them as a race that had made no decisions, and were violent for it.”
[Sil]’s eyes widened at the description. Trying to sort through the badly translated words and phrasing and recall as much as she knew about the Class C species in general as she could. Most of them were aberrant in only one fashion, odd genetics that twisted their minds or appearance. Class C of the same species homogeneous in relation to one another. For a species to have large differences on its own planet pointed to a very large genetic drift from the Seed.
“The Humans broke the Star Peoples ship, blown by the wind of the stars the Star People landed on our ground like you would land a ship. The Humans broke free of the ship and attacked, there were only ten of them. Those ten Humans destroyed two entire kingdoms, wielding weapons they stole from the Star People themselves. The first Guide was one of the few people to survive the Human’s tirade across the world. Desperate and suicidal the first Guide investigated the Star People’s ship and found a survivor.”
The Guide paused for emphasis.
“Dauntalsala. He was the lowest in rank of the Star People, a vassal of the Captain.”
Dauntalsala was wounded, and slowly dying. Desperate to see that the Human’s did not lay claim to another sphere in the heavens Dauntalsala taught the first Guide. He taught his language, the ways of the people of the stars, the great threat of the Class C creatures like the Humans.”
“Dauntalsala died, twenty rotations later. He only survived a total of sixty on the ground away from the stars. Unsure who to pledge his loyalty to and with no Kingdom to return to the first Guide gave a star thrower to each of the Kings who were left, and promised to serve and teach the one who killed the most Humans about the Star people, and what they had that was far more powerful than a star thrower.”
The Guide smiled and pulled out his own ancient gun, “With these to use the King’s sent out their greatest Hunters and Warriors. Within another sixty rotations King Olita had killed seven Humans. The first guide showed him the power of the star people’s ship and every other King quickly abdicated, accepting King Olita’s bargain to become his Duke’s and rule their kingdoms under him.”
“Than the King we are meeting is one of his decedents? He has all of the Star People’s gifts?”
“Except for small things, like these.” The Guide held up his weapon.
[Sil] glanced at the ancient weapon, it was still lethal but not something she needed, “Good.”
Slowing down she fell back into line behind the Guide. All she needed was the patrol vessel, hopefully not even that. The emergency beacon was still broadcasting.
The saboteurs whoever they were could not knock out communication to even the cursory nodes of the Beacon network for very long. The infrastructure and the investments in it was far too expensive to allow any of it.
Piral stepped past her and [Sil] jerked away briefly before settling.
“Guide, what were you talking about?” asked Piral in his native tongue. The young man glanced back, “She wished to know the story of the first Star People here.”
“She did not already know it?”
The Guide chuckled, “The sky is vast Tamer. The Star People’s Empire cover’s almost all of them. We cannot believe ourselves to be so important that ever single Star Person knows of us.” Piral frowned, not liking the condescension in the boy’s tone.
“I understand the number Guide, but this Star Women looks at us oddly,” he paused sorting out the words.
“She looks at us as if we are vermin. She fears us at moments, as if we are violent animals that might suddenly decide to attack. This is not how allies would look at one another.” Now the young Guide was scowling.
“Tamer, you are presuming we are important. We are not powerful enough for the Star People to care about us. They are fighting amongst the stars against C1764 and other threats. We can hardly move across our planet with any speed. Your talents to tame beasts of the land can hardly give us the power to wonder the stars like they do.”
Piral grunted in affirmation but said nothing else. Arguing with someone who had dedicated their life to being a Guide was never productive.
The trio was silent for several long hours, the two-alien’s pausing every so often to allow the Star Woman to rest. The path to the Capital was not particularly hard but it was uphill for most the trek, going between two mountain passes.
[Sil] was cursing when the two men paused at the crest of a hill. She glanced at the two and then looking down the hill saw the torchlights in a valley below the mountain she had just climbed. Evident within that large cluster of firelight was one large artificial light. It was shining up into the sky, a solid shaft of white light.
“Is that the ship?” asked [Sil].
“It is,” said the Guide.
[Sil] nodded, and began down the path for once not pausing to rest. The two alien’s followed watching her as she stomped down the path.
“We should cover her, before we enter the city,” said Piral as the Capital one again disappeared beneath the trees only the large light visible.
“Lest some quick footed messenger inform the King before we can?”
Piral glanced at the young man, the vibe he was giving off was that of a dangerous but caged animal. Something that would attack if it could get away with it.
“More so she does not get mobbed. I doubt the King would appreciate blemishes on her skin.”
“She would be mobbed wouldn’t she.” Moving quickly the Guide pulled off his ornate robes and held them out to [Sil] leaving him in only his simple tunic.
[Sil] almost gratefully took the cloth as he handed it to her, the night on the planet was cold and it would be another hour or two of walking before they reached the Capital.
Shivering the Empress vowed to destroy the planet the first chance she got. It was far too cold to be of any use.
Entering the Capital [Sil] frowned.
The class C were slightly more advanced than she had initially given them credit for. The city was not a cesspool, buildings were arranged in a fashion so that the centermost buildings were tallest making them easy to defend. Their were cart’s and other primitive amenities. The road was straight and in good condition, made of compacted bricks.
It was reminiscent of the oldest parts of the Empire’s capital which had been excavated and preserved. Every civilization went through the developmental stage. Given another few hundred years the class C might produce some useful technology. Not that [Sil] was planning on leaving the planet intact once she was rescued.
“Hurry.” Whispered the Guide glancing back at her as several more aliens’ moved through the street.
[Sil] planted her feet on the ground, “Why?” the two had not been in a hurry as much as she had been for the entire journey. Despite her inability to keep up with the two, they had never looked as frazzled as they did now.
Piral grabbed at the back of [Sil]’s robes and lifting her up continued forwards half dragging her along through the city.
[Sil] scrambled back to her feet and started to walk again as the two continued to rush her through the city.
“Not enough protection, fool might look for name a you with.”
“look for a name?”
Her question was cut off as the Guide stepped up onto a small stone footbridge. [Sil] looked up to see a crude stone wall as well as several hundred small flames, torches mounted to the wall of what looked like a palace.
Stone had only gone through a short amount of usage on the home world before it had been replaced with more civilized construction methods of plaster and carved marble. The stone castle was barely visible in the darkness, [Sil] had no doubts that the thing dwarfed anything made of stone the Empire ancients had constructed. Although she loathed to admit it, the construction was also far more ornate. Arches and domes made of stone evidence of the exacting construction.
An artificial light flared on, and [Sil] winced recognizing the concentrated beam of light as the search light that would be on a standard patrol vessel.
“Guide?” asked a voice up near the light.
“Open the gate!” demanded the Guide as he strode forwards through the bright light unfazed.
“The King is not in court! It’s nearly midwatch!”
“Wake him then Fraank!”
The man laughed and the white light shook slightly.
“What do you have to say that is so important?”
Piral cleared his throat and [Sil] jerked as he pulled the hood down.
For a moment, there was silence.
A scream came up from somewhere behind and [Sil] glanced back to see another woman, the first of the blue skinned woman she had ever seen staring at her in shock, a small bundle she had been carrying on the ground.
“I’m opening it!” shouted the man.
Piral pushed [Sil] forwards and The Empress nearly stumbled again at the force of the blow.
Hurried into the primitive castle The Empress saw few other class C until she and her two erstwhile companions were ushered into a small chamber guarded by two men even larger than Piral.
The guard’s eyes widened slightly as they took [Sil] in and she was similarly shocked looking at the two men.
“Sit!” the Guide pointed at a small cushioned seat, he similarly took the one next to it and began to say things in his language to the guard [Sil] hesitantly followed the order unsure what else to do. At the moment the Guide was the only one with any ability to understand her and until some other means of communication was a available he was indispensable.
The door to the small room opened and [Sil] whipped around to check the newcomer.
It was a woman, who was undoubtedly a servant or handmaiden. [Sil] knew enough of them, the demure behavior, the ornate but well worn clothing, the general mood that a servant gave off. Like the men the class C woman was hairy. Her long hair was intricately braded on her head keeping it out of the way, the hair on the rest of her body was not nearly as thick as the men’s but was well trimmed and combed where exposed.
The servant barely flinched as she similary took in [Sil]. Trembling slightly the woman bowed her head slightly and shuffled into the room a small tray in her hands.
[Sil]’s stomach growled as the smell of the food quickly filled the room. Most of what was on the plate, was identifiable in a general way. Bread, fruits, some sort of cured meat. A pitcher of brown liquid in the corner.
Alcoholic in some fashion, not that [Sil] was worried about diseases. She was immune to anything that had developed on the planet. It was a staple of how far off from the genetically correct path the species was in a twisted fashion. Biologicla agents needing to know exactly how to breach a given species defences to be effective.
The Guide walked over to the servant and took the tray from her with hardly a second glance. The servant stumbled and quickly still bowing left the room.
“Food.”
The Guide set the platter down on the small arm of the chair keeping it balanced.
[Sil]’s stomach growled again.
Steeling herself, the Empress picked up the bread and hesitating for only a moment bit into the substance. The thing was rough, the grains barely broken up, salty to the extreme as well.
Swallowing mouth dry [Sil] picked up the pitcher and once more steadying her resolve drank. She nearly spat the liquid back up, whatever fermentation it had gone through was primitive in the extreme.
Still, she needed to eat. Starving herself would do nothing to help her.
Leaving the meat untouched [Sil] quickly ate.
Piral looked on with some concern and asked something of the Guide. The man gave a clipped response and did not translate.
One of the guards spoke and [Sil] stopped eating as he opened the door.
“Meet King!” said the Guide.
[Sil] stood. The two class C who had been with her the entire day were momentarily stunned as she began to exude confidence in command and a regal attitude.
Sweeping past the two she stepped into the hallway. Piral and the Guide glanced at one another and quickly followed the Star Woman not sure what had caused the change in her demeanor.
Sweeping into the throne room [Sil] did not pause even as every instinct screamed that she was in danger. The room was packed with class C, all of whom looked exceedingly unhappy to be roused from sleep. Only the man sitting in the center of the room looked unfazed.
[Sil] nearly tripped over her feet as she took in the man, he was built like the class C, and he had hair to match. His skin though, was a blotchy red-blue pattern. He was not painted like the Guide, his skin was naturally red in places.
“I am Empress Silnersalkara.”
“Manana keril hanig nofkl!” shouted a man who pushed himself forwards in the crowd. He was dressed in robes like the one’s that the Guide had been wearing.
[Sil] frowned at the interrupting man, “Translation?” she asked not turning back to look at the Guide.
Smoothly stepping up beside her the young man translated, a look of predatory glee on his face.
“Why were the elders not told?”
The Guide turned back and contused to speak in the Imperial language.
“I am fulfilling my role as a Guide to the people and those of the Star people.”
“For that grateful,” said the King.
The man bowed his head. Every other person in the room quickly emulated his gesture.
“King Olita, greeting Empress Silnersalkara. Welcome!”
“Thank you.”
The King turned to the Guide, [Sil] blanched at the dismissal.
“Young Guide, I was informed of your departure. I was however told that your monitoring of the artifacts was in error. Your quest even more so. I am overjoyed that it was not.”
“As am I your Majesty.”
King Olita straightened his robes and looked at the other Guide, “I think this is perhaps an occasion where a Guide may be given a name no?”
The elder Guide grimaced, “Yes, it is. Assuming that this is really a person from the Stars.”
The young Guide smiled and reaching into his robes pulled out the ancient tablet, as well as the very new star thrower.
“The largest artifact she brought to the ground with her will need to be moved by at the very least a contingent of Men. I took a seeming of the object, you may see that on the informer.”
The young Guide held the tablet out. The older Guide bustled forwards sweeping past [Sil] to grab at it. For several moments he stared at the picture.
“Project,” ordered [Sil] unable to see the image.
The ancient display crackled and the image popped up into the air as a hologram.
Shouts went up in the room and the older Guide fumbled with the tablet nearly dropping it in surprise.
King Olita and everyone else in the room stared at the image of the crashed escape pod.
“I am convinced of her authenticity.”
“Then I may have a name?” asked the young Guide.
“You may.”
“I have waited for the people of the stars, and my faith has not wavered. I will take the name of one they defeated. Goorge!”
The King smiled, “You have earned the name and more Goorge, you are the elder now.”
The older Guide blinked, “King!”
The King raised his hand, “You have been enjoying far too much power I think. You did not even have the will to take action when a new Star Person appeared on our world. You were complaining to me about you acolyte running off, weren’t you?”
The Older Guide gasped for several seconds not sure what to say, King Olita glanced at Goorge.
Goorge leveled the new Star Thrower.
Piral only caught a glimpse of the star as it arced through the air, slamming into the old Guide, and burning clean through his chest.
The man let out a dry cough and collapsed his eyes wide and words dead on his lips.
[Sil] let out yelp, but she was ignored.
King Olita smiled as he took the weapon, “An amazing demonstration.”
“I live to serve.”
“These are lighter than the others.” Noted the King.
“I believe that like our own weapons, the star people continue to improve their foraging methods. How they capture the stars I do not know.”
“We’ve improved our weapons quite a bit, this is a small one. The largest can destroy entire cities in an instant.” said [Sil] struggling to regain her footing in the conversation unsure what was happening and why the two were almost ignoring her. Goorge was translating, but not speaking to her.
King Olita frowned, “How does a warrior hold such a weapon?”
“It’s on a ship.”
King Olita slowly nodded, “Wrong words I think.”
“I will consult list. I apologize, older Guides might know more words,” said Goorge.
“Perhaps, be sure to consult,” said the King as he slowly turned the new weapon on Piral.
“You were warned about returning Tamer.”
Piral ignored the weapon, “I am a loyal subject My Lord.”
The King stepped forwards, “That is all you have to say?”
“My lord, Piral sent a Flyer informing the Guides that Duke Frin had found something from the stars. Along with what I saw in the artifacts, he is equal in credit for the discovery of the Star Woman. He was even taking care of her as best he could, without being able to speak the divine language.”
“That is enough to ensure he dies with honor, and that I will go as far as to kill him myself. These actions do not absolve him of his failures.”
[Sil] watched as Piral knelt and a twang of panic filtered through her. The class C was a brute, the blue skin ugly and mottled in places from half healed lacerations and his hair tied back in a rough knot. Still the alien was the only one so far who seemed trustworthy.
[Sil] had no idea what the politics were, but she could easily see the players. Goorge was taking advantage of her appearance to gain power more quickly than he would have otherwise. He was deferential to the King only because he was smart enough to not jump to quickly. [Sil] would have doubted even a Class A with his attitude would be content to retain his position.
[Sil] glanced down at the dead class C.
She was sure he would work to obtain more power. The fact that he had murdered someone who had apparently helped him without a second thought was evidence of that.
The large brute, had been gentle with the small creature. He had let her grieve, he was direct but had not yet been cruel. He was class C, he was violent and she would kill him and the rest as soon as she was safely aboard the shuttle.
She needed an ally. It was also an opportunity to test how much power the class C were placing in her. The scouts had convinced the brutes that they were gods of some sort. She could leverage that.
Striding forwards exuding the small confidence she portrayed when staring down the Senate [Sil] put herself in front of the King.
Goorge let out a yelp and the King quickly lowered the gun.
“Why?” asked the King as Goorge quickly translated.
[Sil] frowned and glanced back at Piral, “What has he done?”
The Guide translated this, and the King drew himself up to match the regality of [Sil]. Facing off neither monarch gave ground. The King spoke slowly, enunciating his words in a slow cadence as if expecting [Sil] to understand them.
Goorge slowly translated matching the King’s gravitas.
“The responsible Tamer death of the Prince with Mount. Agreed to leave, promise broken.”
[Sil] glanced back down at Piral and decided to force the issue.
“No killing.”
The King raised an eyebrow, and slowly nodded his head.
“You want him as disciple?”
[Sil] wasn’t completely sure of the translation, but there wasn’t time to ask for anything better.
“Yes.”
The King muttered something to Goorge who chuckled. Olita holstered the gun in the ancient Imperial holster.
“A marriage gift then,” translated Goorge.