Children of Terra 16

Chapter 16: Assassins

Ammothep did not want to be the last queen of the House of Kethmmar, and dynasty politics were an important part of Saran society for as long as anyone could remember. She was raised in this environment and believed to be the Queen of Saran first and it was her duty to protect the kingdom. In her mind the petty politics of the old houses were detrimental and distracting. She was convinced that it was also a reason why Saran remained split in a civil war. It was time for the other dynasties to fade away forever.

In her opinion she liked the protection of the Seth Shadows, but she was not pleased by the fact that she did not have absolute control over them and finally there was this mystery of Psionics.

She would have lied if she understood the explanations even a small percentage of it when she listened to the scientists and experts, but she knew that with all the advancements, Saran science did not yet understand it either and was just starting to unravel this seemingly magical gift that some individuals had.

She was aware that there were civilizations more advanced and climbing just one Tech level could take many thousand years. But Psionics were real and a danger to her and her kingdom.

Ammothep was still at the ocean palace of Kethmmar. Her guests had departed and left the planet.

She sat in her study and was brooding over a summary of intelligence reports that included the activities of the other houses.

She looked up and snarled into the seemingly empty room. “Show yourself shadow. I have to talk to you.”

Nothing happened at first, so she took a small blaster out of a drawer in her desk and started shooting at the busts of previous queens. That her grandmother Tumothep was the first victim to her seemingly random fit of destructive violence was not exactly mere chance. It also had the effect she wanted, two palace guards stormed in, men she could have also simply summoned with a call. However a Seth Shadow also appeared and this is what she wanted. “Guards leave! Shadow stay!”

“I have to talk to the shadow named Alycia!”

The guards gave the burnt and melted bust a bewildered look but knew better as to question her motivations and left dutiful and fast.

The shadow came closer to her desk.” I am Alycia.”

“And I am the queen! I no longer accept you Shadows to be independent as you say you are. Either you follow my commands and mine only or you are no longer welcome in my presence and I will declare the Shadows an outlaw organization to be disbanded.”

The queen’s voice had a sharp edge. “I know you have means and powers that are beyond Saran, but heed my warning Shadow. I am a Saran queen and my anger is not to be trifled with.”

The Shadow took of her mask. “Yes my Queen, you are indeed of Saran stock and you are of the true royal line. Maybe it is time to change and make you a Shadow as well. Queens before you have also been shadows.”

“I no longer accept these explanations. I demand to know it all. I must do so, I cannot accept an entity of beings able to influence and interfere with Saran affairs especially on a level like this.”

She sat down. “Tell me why am I of the right line? What makes my dynasty the one?”

“The Shadows originated on this planet and this very island, almost 100,000 years ago.

An ocean going ship sunk and the survivors were stranded on that island, they found something and became the Seth Shadows. They are still with the Saran society. The name of the island is Kethmmar.”

“You mean this island?” “Yes this island where your house maintains this leisure palace.”

“That makes us an old family and by official logic, the true line argument could be found within, but I want to know more.”

“And you shall, my queen.”

--””--

The Shiss pointed at the projection behind him. “This is our galaxy, this is an actual presentation. The image was taken over a million years ago, we believe by the Pree. A species that was able to travel far enough to capture this image.”

The reptile had gathered them this morning after breakfast and begun teaching them.

“This is a spiral arm galaxy and measures a good one hundred thousand light years from one end to the other, and is about a 1000 light years thick at the core and tapers out.”

They all were there, still somber and a little angry, they all were very quiet.

Just as their reptilian teacher had explained to them what they were looking at, the door parted and a very pale Rosa entered the room followed by the Xunx.

The mood instantly changed and Maria was the first running and hugging the girl she had decided not to like. “Rosa! You are up and about.”

The Xunx seemed pleased. “The machine was wrong. Your companion recovered. She still needs rest but insisted in joining you. Not many survive an Ugifi sting.”

Sigurd clenched his fist. “No worries, Rosa we will get the coward who did this.” Sergei agreed with a nod. “No von kills one of us and gets away!”

Rosa smiled weakly. “They didn’t succeed. I am still here.”

Zugy clapped with all four of his hands and got the attention he wanted. “It is good to see you alive, Rosa Perrero, but I must accomplish many things today. Please sit down and follow my lectures.”

The Xunx chirped. “You need to learn more than others so heed his lessons.”

While the Insectoid had left, the Lizard being returned to the galaxy projection and a yellow cross appeared, effectively creating four segments of the spiral arm galaxy.

These is what many species call quadrants. The Upper left one is the Upward Sector. Below left the Coreward Sector. O the upper right is the Spinward Sector and below right the Downward Sector.”

All but the upper right quadrant went dark and he said. “We know virtually nothing about the other quadrants other than there are sentient species too.

The Thirteen Exalted and all known space faring societies originate from this quadrant.”

Aaron said. “Seeing this puts a new perspective to all of this. It means Earth is not as far behind as you make us believe, because it means all of you know only a little more than us.”

Wolfgang added. “And in quantitative relationship to what is still unknown there is very little difference indeed.”

The Shiss hissed. “And you are quite correct. I know little about your Earth, but from what I have been told, the likely hood you destroy yourself has a greater probability than you Earthers ever reaching TL 3.”

James agreed with a sad nod, but Sergei said. “We will survive and develop and then kick some behind.”

Zugy seemed amused as he said. “That is also a possibility. That Earthers might do just that is the strong concern of some.”

“Tell us about the Xunx.” Aaron asked. “I heard them mentioned again and again and even the Queen seemed concerned.”

“The Saran queens concerns are those of many indeed. The Xunx are an old species, no one not even the Xunx know for sure how they became a space faring species. Some suggest they were genetically altered to be a warrior species.”

The Shiss sighed and said. “Red loves to talk about his species and now he is not here. Let me call him.”

Wolfgang pointed to the ceiling after Zugy had made his call. “This ship the Harok is of organic nature, correct?”

“Quite so. She is a very old creature and has been modified with some additional equipment to make her a space ship. She is not the only Harok, there are more.

It is not known from where they originate, but there are so called Har Pastures thru ought the galaxy. Gathering places for a space born migrating semi sentient species. Why they gather at these places is also not know, but one such pasture is very close to the World of Old.”

“How is faster than light flight accomplished?” Wolfgang added to his initial question.

“We believe Haroks use a form of Psionic gift, no other species has shown to have, they are able to enter the Psion condition and travel in or with it. But that is also questioned by Saresii scientists as they say no psionic activity could be detected. The exact method is unexplained to this day”

Wolfgang snorted. “Earth scientists would not rest until they had an answer.”

The Xunx arrived and it was obvious he was excited. “Zugy said you wanted to know more about the Xunx. I wanted to postpone this lesson until you had gained more general understanding, because it might frighten you.”

Zugy mumbled in whispering hissing words. “Little chance for that.”

The insect however had already started on his lecture. “The Xunx are an insectoid species as you know. Like many communal insects we have a queen that lays the eggs and is also the source of all our motivations.” He moved to the front of the auditorium. “There are several other insectoid species known to exist. Chief among them are the Klack, who share some cultural traits with us.

I think my colleague might have told you a little already about us. Our known history reaches back for a million years, but we think it goes back much further.

Our society experiences cycles. A new cycle begins with the birth of a new queen. Her outer color determines the new society, if her body is green then the Green Xunx rise. The new society fights the old one. If the new society is losing the fight, it leaves the planet to find a new one to colonize. If the old one loses, the new purges all aspects of the old and spreads out to other planets to feed.

These cycles occur more or less every thousand years and it is the general believe that the next cycle of Xunx feeding and expansion is going to happen in about 150 years from now. It is also believed they will expand into the direction of Earth...

A powerful tremor lifted the teacher of his feet and tossed most of the class to the floor.

Lights flickered the Xunx and the lizard ran out of the room before anyone could say anything.

A second tremor hit the ship. Aaron voiced what was most likely the cause. “We are under attack!”

--””--

The gigantic red ship that hung in space between the fourth and the third planetary orbit was surrounded by a numerous fleet of smaller ships. More of this odd shaped ships were in orbit around the third planet.

A large number of very small, very fast and highly maneuverable ships had attacked the Harok like a swarm if angry hornets the second the old ship dropped out of quasi space to approach Turnthka planet to collect three students form the Thka society.

The Red Xunx chirped and chattered in his own language, without the translator computer of the ship able to follow, but one word was clear. “Dai Than!”

Zugy and two others of the Harok crew had melted themselves into command giving nodes. Zugy diverted shield energies to maintain integrity, while another of the collectors tried to target the tiny ships and destroy them with powerful blasts of the Harok’s battle beam emitters. He had managed to destroy four, but the aggressive swarm counted almost fifty.

The Red Xunx found words and yelled into the Myon transponder. “This is the Harok, we are collectors of the Exalted. Cease your attack! We are not hostile and will not interfere.”

It did not take long for the answer to be received. “We know who you are, messengers and collectors of the Exalted. You face the mighty Qo clan of the Dai Than, I am Tar Kur-Qo. You are not hostile that may be so, but we are Dai the very definition of what hostile means.

We would spare you, if the Thirteen Exalted had been truly exalted and removed from the politics and antics of all others, but the Harok never came to collect Dai to be educated and risen to aloft status and honor. The Honored has never summoned Dai.”

“I am Xunx, Dai! This should proof to you beyond all else that the Exalted accept all. The Harok never came because the Dai do not have a home system. Not even the Exalted know where to find a tribe when new hopefuls are collected. The Exalted called for Dai to be brought to the World of Old many times.”

The Dai laughed. “Run with that old ship of yours. Let us see what prevails, old legends about the might of the Harock, or Dai reputation.”

Chapter 17 »