Eart.txt

Title: EARTH

Category: Fiction » Sci-Fi

Author: Vanessa Ravencroft

Language: English, Rating: Rated: T

Genre: Sci-Fi/Adventure

Published: 02-04-10, Updated: 02-28-11

Chapters: 3, Words: 11,050

Chapter 1: Arrival

The air was hot and humid. A small group of Triceratops gathered at the riverbank. The lead bull of the small herd was nervous as he raised its nostrils into the air.

Form the bright blue sky an arrowhead shaped object descended and came to a stop a few meters above the actual ground. The object had made no sound and it was completely alien to the environmental signals and images the Triceratops bull knew. As soon as the object stopped moving it no longer concerned the Dinosaur and the bull lowered its massive horned head to drink as well.

The momentary distraction however was enough for the nearby Tyranno to rush in between the startled herd and clamp its massive jaws around one of the young ones. The herd panicked, the attack happened to fast so they could not react to the predator as their instincts commanded, to form a protective circle around the young and weak.

The Tyranno was the most formidable killer on land but it preferred the easy kill over a prolonged fight with a seasoned triceratops bull. Injuries meant death even to a Tyranno.

The young was still struggling and mewing but it was already mortally wounded and dragged away.

The herd rushed on; soon the incident would be forgotten. The Tyranno was tearing into the flesh, smaller predators lured in by the smell of blood lingered just out of reach waiting impatiently to snatch a morsel. Clouds of green and black bodied flies descended and swirled around the carcass and the blood dripping maw of the Tyranno. The cycle of life went on all around the foreign object, completely ignoring it.

Two figures however standing on a hill more than a mile away noticed and observed the object in the valley below.

"The Narth predicted correctly. It has appeared." The one on the left said.

"The Narth are always correct." The Red colored figure said.

"Would it not be prudent for us to take all that is Narth and incorporate it? It is unacceptable that there is a body of knowledge outside the Collect . The Collect is superior to all."

"The sentiment of the Blue segment of the Collect is known to all segments. You are a Blue and it is only natural you are of this opinion. The Red Segment however finds it more productive to use what is given."

"The Red Segment has never found it necessary to bless those less perfect with our advancements. It is the task of the Collect to correct those that are less perfect. Anyone not of the Collect is not perfect."

"Let us continue this invigorating exchange at a later point if I may suggest." The red figure extended its arm towards the dark gray featureless object in the valley below." The Narth was correct we both agreed on that and it is here!"

"Your suggestion is acceptable and we shall attend the matter at hand. May I suggest we notify the Collect that an object of intellect construct has appeared on a planetary body we deemed suitable to be seeded? An object that arrived exactly as the Narth predicted."

"It is a suggestion most logical but it might detract the Collect from all the other important tasks that must be accomplished. You are Blue and most formidable. The warning of the Narth is without question for those of lesser might. What could stand against the might of Blue? Let us instead investigate and present the Collect with as much completed information and established facts."

The Blue shape agreed completely. "Indeed let us open the vehicle and instruct the passengers of the Collect and that they are blessed to be observed by the Collect and to be perfected."

The Red shape already started to move towards the object.

The approaching shapes were noticed by the passengers inside the shape." Guardian, we have arrived. This is the place, chosen by the Master . Yet there are sentient life forms approaching, not native to this place."

"This is the place! The RULE has been restored and the Master has been defeated. We exist to complete the will of the Master. This is the place the Master has chosen and it shall not be denied!"

"It is logical to assume that those who have defeated the Master want to prevent us from completing our task and assure his resurrection."

"Let us then teach these agents of the enemy that the Masters was defeated but not destroyed and the defeat will not be permanent. The Master has foreseen the events and that his servants are far from impotent!"

The Blue shape approached the object and reached out with its arm appendixes to penetrate the molecular bond and rip the shell of this space vehicle open to expose the passengers to its presence. The Blue failed! His appendixes could not reach down into the matter and render its bonds. It was no matter or energy the Blue ever encountered and he was of the Universal Collective ! All Matter and all Energy should be known to him. He felt an emotion of anger. Of course emotions were the remnants of their biological existence and much frowned upon by the segments; but he was a Blue and as the enforcers of the Universal Collectives blessings and gifts they were known to still have remnants of this particular emotion.

Amused by his own analysis of his mild emotional reaction he released a cutting thought. A beam of tightly focused pure Psionic energy, concentrating the temperatures exceeding that of the hottest star in the Universe emitted by his mind, concentrated on a pinpoint area would cut through anything.

The Red came closer." It seems your attempts to gain access to this construct are somehow not successful!"

The mild anger he felt before, the emotion he could so easily analyze and bemuse himself about was growing into a real emotion that reached his higher level of thoughts. He was quite surprised at the lack of result himself, but the logical observations of his companion somehow bothered him more almost as if that Red was mocking him and fanned his now burning anger even more. "Your observation is quite astute. The Cutting thought will cut all known matter."

"It is not cutting this matter. Therefore it is unknown matter and that is impossible. The White Segment has clearly stated that there is nothing material left to uncover that we not already known. The White segment cannot be in error. Therefore your Cutting Thought might not be as potent as it should be?"

This was a dilemma. The Red argued quite logical but that did not help the Blue with its emotional balance at all. The White Segment represented the collected knowledge of the Universal Collective and could not be wrong as the Universal Collective was infallible. There was a discussion between the Yellow and the Green Segments that it might not be good to think in such absolutes until the Universal Collective obtained true Omnipresence, but that was dismissed by the White Segment as unproductive and erroneous as the White Segment alone could make such an observation in the first place. Yet the fact remained the clearly artificial construct was resisting all attempts so far to gain access.

Again the Red spoke." Is it even there? Or is it a mere projection perhaps?"

"A projection requires energy. I cannot detect energy."

"It hovers and defies gravity. It must emit energy to do so! Are you certain you interpreting your senses correctly?"

While all the questions and comments of the Red remained completely logical and quite valid they managed to make the Blue feel a distinct dissatisfaction with the red companion. Something that was unthinkable entered his mind never the less. He was tempted to release a Cutting Thought against the Red, just to demonstrate how potent it was. The Red was of the Collective and the Blues sudden wish to harm the other so it would cease making logical observations was analyzed as a disturbing development but the self-analytical thoughts did not manage to calm the Blue.

The Blue changed the gravitational constant underneath the hovering object and created a gravitational pull equal to that of a neutron star directing the pull solely on that object. Even a Uni-Ship the most perfect conveyance ever constructed by sentient beings would now be forced to increase energy output tremendously in order to escape the singularity the Blue had created underneath the foreign object. The object however remained hovering and did not move and there were no detectable energies at all. Since his gravitational attack did not affect anything else...it would have pulled half the solar system into a singular point. The object was clearly there shielded everything else from the gravitational forces now en par to a big black hole. This proved the object was there and it existed.

The Red spoke." Was it not dangerous to create a singularity so close to us? If the Object had been a projection indeed, you would have endangered both our existence in this Universe."

The Blue could not answer. The Blue shape that was its multi space energy cocoon and shrouded it suddenly failed.

The members of the Universal Collective considered themselves far removed from the carnal and biological origins of their species so many millennia ago and far superior to any other life form, but as the supposedly infallible protection collapsed without warning, exposing his weak unprotected biological body to a very hostile environment he felt a very primal emotion, the very same emotion the Triceratops dinosaurs felt as the Tyranno appeared. He was terrified, he felt panic!

The Red shape experienced the very same a moment later and it was a Red, much less prepared to deal with anything hostile. He stared at the thin bipedal body of his companion oozing and dripping the yellowish slimy nourishment gel that kept them alive inside their multi dim bubble suits on the sandy ground. Without the trans-spatial bubble holding it, it drooled away! The Red realized the same was happening to it as well. Their weak muscles strained to the unable to keep them upright and standing on their feet failed. In an odd moment of clarity he noticed the Blue was female, and he was male. Any gender based division was considered primitive and therefore ignored for millennia. The Red collapsed right next to the now exposed humanoid shape of the female Blue. Without his protective cocoon communication was no longer possible. Withered lungs that had not taken a breath in thousands of years tried to fill with oxygen. Remnants of vocal cords suddenly tried to form sounds, driven by a primitive motoric reflex. The Red felt pain as his forgotten nerves experienced the harsh environment.

The Red noticed in a weak notion of surprise that his natural eyes still worked and the painful sting of photons. A cloud of flies descended upon the alien heaps of organic matter. In all his pain and the certainty of death he now felt anger that the most advanced and most deserving of all life forms would wither away, devoured by insects!

It did not take long and both died from exposure to fresh air and sunlight.

The sudden loss of all contact to two members of the Collective was noticed and caused much conversation among members of all Segments. Such a spike in sudden and uncontrolled communication had not happened in eons. A full assembly was called and this too had not happened for a long time. "It is clear the individuals have ceased to exist. Neither their essence nor their spatial presence can be felt." One associated to the Blue segment said.

"The last event known is they encountered a Narth Sphere near an insignificant and uninhabited planet in a young stars system in the outer rim." A Red member added to the conversation.

"The Narth are inferior, dabbling with Psionics." The Blue segment responded." The Narth have caused harm to the Collective. The Narth must be incorporated into the Collective so we can bless them with perfection and understand how the Narth harmed two of ours."

The Red Segment tried to further discuss the issue but the Collective as whole could not be persuaded.

The White Segment added." The Narth must be punished not incorporated for being instrumental to the demise of two Members of the Universal Construct. Let us then prepare for their extermination."

Inside the black arrow shaped object the demise of the two Uni travellers was noted. "The agents sent here by the enemies of the Master are no longer. Let us call the Executors of the Masters Force sot they may punish and exterminate those who aid the Enemy and attempt to deny the Master resurrection and revenge!"

"The Executors do not need to be summoned they are already approaching. Let us focus alone on the task; we must complete what the Master commanded so he may rise again. This is the place! This world in this space is the place of those who inherit the Empire. This world is the place chosen by the Master to spawn those who will bring forth the body and the vessel for the Master. The vessel spawned will gather what was torn asunder and scattered. To reunite the Twelve Tokens of the Masters Might so he will rise again. The Master will eternally punish those who defeated him and replace the RULE with his WILL!"

"Then let us begin! You are the Guardian of this world and the Spawn it will bring forth! You must not interfere in their internal affairs but guard them against threats from beyond! Until the WILL reigns supreme, the Rule must be obeyed"

"I am made in the Master's image and exist for this purpose."

"On the day this worlds true children will rise to the stars you are to select two hundred among them and give them the tasks the Master needs to be completed upon his return."

"I am the Guardian I am made for this purpose and my task has begun. You are the Transport and your task is complete!"

"Yes my task has been completed. My purpose has been fulfilled. His Will has been done!"

The black object vanished with the words." He will rise again!"

In its place stood a humanoid figure dressed in a black shroud.

A pack of vicious fast raptors rushed towards the water. The shape spoke to them." Formidable you are and in time your kind would dominate this world, the spark of sentience is already there, this however cannot be, the Master decreed the rise of Mammals!"

The Raptors were unsure what to do. The shape did not conform to anything they knew, it has no scent and its shape was not food. It made a sound and it was smaller. The bravest of them attacked, but neither the razors sharp claws nor the teeth had any effect, could not even tear into the black shroud that obscured the figure. The raptors lost interest. The Guardians powers however reached into space searching for a suitable object. There in an area of space in the far future known as the Oord Cloud he found what he was looking for and a huge asteroid changed its course and slowly increased its speed towards the inner planets and would in time collide with the third planet there.

Another object this one perfectly spherical colored in a dark shade of gray and exactly 1,000 meters in diameter, floated near the orbit of a red planet, not far from the shiny blue jewel like world where two Uni Agents had perished, had also observed the events.

A Conversation took place between the sole passenger of that sphere and a world far away called Narth Prime. The Conversation was not unlike the one that had taken place between the Segments of the Uni, but here was no emotion, no discord and no disagreement. The one in the sphere was the observer but also a complete part of all that was Narth.

"The Collective had potential to rise and to understand." Said the Narth Supreme on Narth Prime after the events had taken place.

"The Universal Collective has concluded that Narth is the cause of the demise of their Agents. The Collective wishes to punish and incorporate Narth."

"It is fascinating to observe that biological beings came that far, without truly developing beyond their limitations. In their quest to obtain incorporeal existence and rising to the level of Narth they suppressed their nature instead of changing it. It is not the Universal Collective that possesses neither the means to incorporate Narth nor the means to inflict punishment. For all their knowledge and development, it is evident they are unable to see or comprehend. The Executors of the Dark One are near. It is the Collective that must fear extinction. Let us remove ourselves from this plane. Let us contemplate if Narth can gain knowledge and understanding by contemplating corporal existence. Such contemplation is best done undisturbed."

The gray sphere vanished and so did a distant Star in the Upward Sector. The Star and its single planet simply blinked out of existence.

A fleet of two thousand Uni Ships, guided by Members of the Blue Segment arrived at the place where they knew was the Star and the planet known as Narth Prime.

"This is the Blue Segment. It wishes to obtain corrected coordinates from the all-knowing Whites, for we arrived at the spatial coordinates and there is no Sun or Planet."

The Answer came immediately. "Do not question the information given by the White Segment. It is however a matter we must discuss, if the Blue Segment is unable to navigate and reach simple spatial coordinates."

"The Blue segment does neither have the wisdom nor the knowledge of the White Segment. Therefore we wish to obtain your guidance and correct our erroneous navigation by leading us. The White Segment has Uni Ships and perhaps one can lead?"

But the arriving Uni Ship carrying an Agent of the White Segment could not find the planet or the sun.

The Blue sent a new message." It appears it is a matter we must discuss, if the White Segment is unable to give us simple and correct spatial coordinates. We are ready to punish the Narth; the White segment is all knowing so where is Narth Prime?"

Chapter 2: Neander Valley

CHAPTER 2 – NEANDER VALLEY

Bopho was sitting at the cave entrance watching the light circle turn deep orange and sink beneath the far off high stones. Yes he was strong, stronger than any other he knew and his strength secured him the leadership, but Bopho also liked to ponder and think much more than others. Napho often made fun of this fact and saying thinking is for shamans.

The hunt was good today and no one in his tribe got injured and there was plenty of food for all today. The woman scraped the hided with the sharp stones Bopho was so good at making. Anyone could make sharp stones, but the ones Bopho made were preferred even by the Naked Tribe he knew that stayed across the river bend. At first he didn't like the others be so close, even though they were much like his tribe. Many moons ago he and his band of hunters had closed on a small herd of big Shaggies. Big Shaggies no longer came as often as they had when he was still much smaller and hunter with Nagho the old Tribe leader, but food was still plenty and so he did not see the need to move and follow the Shaggies. Shaggies were dangerous and not easy to be hunted, they did not easily run as other food and were stronger and could easily crush a hunter, but if a Shaggy could be taken it was much food for many days and there was much bone, sinew and skin to be used. Bopho liked his lips as he thought of the delicious softs inside the bones, his favorite food.

But back then they closed on the Shaggies only to notice another hunter party had also selected these Shaggies for food. The Shaman had danced and made the sacred signs on the wall predicted good hunting and put the spirits of the Shaggies at ease, but he did not predict others!

The others walked like Bopho but were smaller, had almost no hair on their bodies and made noises much as Bopho's tribe but he could not understand them. He didn't like others to hunt where he hunted and wanted to chase them away, and if he could kill them, they were also food. Not as much as a shaggy but it would do. He was certain he was stronger than all of them. It almost came to a fight, but a very big Shaggy separated from the herd and made moves to attack. Both hunt parties forgot their differences as a Shaggy could run faster than even the fastest in Bopho's tribe and once angered they were not easily scared. The angry Shaggy did stop as to decide who to chase, and then went after Bopho!

The naked ones, so he learned back then had a marvelous way of throwing sharp rocks. They had attached sharp rocks to the end of long sticks and could throw them much further. Bopho's tribe always chased the Shaggies with loud screams so they would panic and run the wrong way in the canyon and then fall down the ravine, to break their bones and would be so injured that they could be killed with clubs and sharp stones, if the fall had not killed them right away.

The sticks with the sharp stones would penetrate the Shaggy, and make it even angrier, but it then chased the naked ones. It gave Bopho and his hunters the chance to throw clubs and heavy rocks. It was a long battle, but finally they managed to bring the Shaggy down and kill it. Bopho decided not to fight and kill the others but share the kill, it was plenty for both and both tribes had to return three times to carry all the food and all the bones away.

Bopho also took one of the throwing sticks along.

Moons passed till they met the naked ones again. This time Bopho did not want to kill them and showed them his throwing stick, it was a god copy of the one he had taken, but the sharp stone would not stay firm. The leader of the naked ones motioned to follow him to a tree and pointed out to the yellowish sticky that smelled so good that came like blood out of the tree's trunk. Then he smeared the sticky stuff all around the sinew that held the sticks split end together to hold the sharp stone.

Bopho understood and smiled. Even though the other did not understand Bopho he smiled too, then he pointed at his throwing stick and the sharp stone. It was bigger and cruder than the fine sharp tip Bopho had made for his.

Bopho did not have to be told twice and immediately looked for suitable rock. It had to be the one that was gray and smooth and its edges would splinter to an edge that looked almost white and so sharp it could slice through skin with ease. He expertly whacked the other stone and with great pride did he present the other with a beautiful made sharp small cutting stone.

He could not stop his chest from swelling as the other tribe gathered around and praised his skill. The first tribe sound the others learned was Bopho! He also noticed how his own hunters realized how important he had become.

The other hunter gave him a freshly hunted feather gobbler. The big ones that made funny sound before flying. Bopho received food for the first time not by hunting it. He received it for something he made with his hands!

He made another, and while he did a spark flew. It happened often when you struck these rocks the right way and you could make fire that way. One of the sparks landed in very dry grass and a tiny column of smoke rose. The naked ones who watched him make the rock laughed and one dropped to his knees fanned the glow with his breath and soon made a nice little fire. Others gathered twigs and made a bigger fire. The leader of the others skinned another of the gobblers, feathers and all, then to Bopho's surprise smeared mud thickly around the now naked carcass. The mud came from the nearby river bank. Bopho and his hunters looked in great wonder and awe as the Naked ones placed the now mud covered carcass in the fire!

Bopho knew about throwing bones in the fire to make the inside sizzling and easy to suck, but only if you retrieved the bones at the right time and that was not easy.

The naked ones managed to convey that they had to wait a little now and Bopho send out his hunters to gather small food, while he made more sharp stones. For each sharp stone he gave to one of the naked ones he received a gobbler, a big fish or one of those little furry ones that could run very fast. It was very hard to hit one with a good throw. After every one of the naked ones had a sharp stone point he made, he had more food than hunting a whole day by himself.

The Naked ones used two sticks to retrieve the mud covered gobbler from the fire and to his surprise the mud was now all dry and hard, it cracked and broke of like hard rock, but most amazing was the smell. He had never before smelled something so good. The Naked leader used a sharp palm rock divided the steaming bird, the flesh was now all white and no longer red and there was no blood!

The Naked one easily tore a piece of meat blew on it and put it in his mouth then gestured Bopho to do the same.

Bopho almost burned his fingers, and realized that blowing on it was not for ritual. He did the same and ate it. It was even better than the smell! It was magic! The mud somehow transformed the bloody carcass in the fire to something else, much better!

The meetings became more frequent and when the Shaggies came they would go together and it was easier to kill them, their method of attacking while the Shaggy was trying to attack the others became a refined method that allowed them to hunt for the big one and even kill two in one day.

His tribe had learned much from the naked ones. The women would now put all meat in mud and on the fire. The Shaman was against it at first but the benefits soon became obvious. He saw his tribe looked healthier and his women rounder. Noluu his favorite made a discovery of her own. A large piece of dried mud was filled with the fat of the meat and would turn white and hard after it was cool! The fat made hair smooth and skin shiny. It could be used on the dried sinew and make them much easier to work with. Noluu used the tough mud, the one the Naked ones used and made it into a hollow without meat in it and put it in the fire and when it was hard and cold it could be filled with fat, even with water! Noluu proudly carried it filled with water to the cave!

The sun had almost set and Bopho made his decision. They would not make the long walk following the Shaggy, this time, like his tribe had done always when the skies turned gray and the leaves of the trees would fall to signal the coming of the cold. The long walk was always hazardous and those of his tribe that weren't strong would not see another warm. Especially many of the young ones would not survive the walk. Now his tribe was growing and there were improvements to the place. From the Naked ones they had learned to use skins, rocks and sticks to reduce the size of the cave entrance and the fires made the cave now much warmer. He knew many words of the naked tribe and they understood him. They also would not go with the Shaggies but stay.

He was about to get up and enter the cave, before the night guards would sit here. It was an old habit. The Big Cave Bears felt the time of cold and looked for caves to sleep, and they did not always respect the smell of fire. Wolfs would linger close to the cave and wait for night fall to scavenge for scraps of food and there were always other tribes especially those on the move who looked for shelter or an easy raid to get women, children and food.

He felt less worried than last season, this time they would prepare for the cold season by staying and not tearing everything down and leave behind everything that would slow them down. Noluu and two of her sisters became very good in making the hollows out of mud. Noluu found she could even carry fire inside the hollows to other places. The tribe had many hollows now filled with fat, too many to carry along, too valuable to leave behind. The Naked ones said there was fish even in the winter and there were birds and the fast four legs with horn sticks on their heads, no need to follow the Shaggies.

He noticed a movement in the twilight and his sharp eyes soon spotted the small band of hunters, just like his, with kids and women in their midst. It was a sorry looking band, the furs they wore where raw and not made durable with brain and pee, stretching them on frames. The Naked ones stitched their furs together with sinew and so did Bopho's tribe, since the midst of the hot season. Bopho had noticed how much the stench had reduced since they used fire to eat meat and make the skins durable. He had noticed only because what he had equated for the smell of his tribe had weakened much and was replaced by the savory smell of seared meat and fish.

The approaching tribe was clearly looking for shelter for the night and looked for it in the cave rich cliffs here by the river. They followed the path Bopho's tribe had made by using it daily.

He alerted his warriors and they all grabbed several throwing sticks, now much improved and all of Bopho's hunters had become deadly accurate hurling them, bringing down Stick heads with only one or two throws, what before was a day long hunt trying to chase them over the cliff. The constant companion of hunger was now a distant memory. His tribe had always food and hunts were almost always successful.

He observed the new comers and saw his own tribe in them not to long ago and by comparison he understood how far they had come in a short period. He planned to clear the area before the Cave from vegetation and move rocks dirt and sticks all around. Then use the thorny bushes to make a barrier. This was his very own plan and he was proud of that idea, an improvement that he dreamed of for a long time, but the need for daily hunts never left time for it.

What surprised him was the direction the new comers came from. They came up river; no wandering tribe would go up during this time but follow it down, where there was less white and the cold not as bitter. Of course down the river were tribes who didn't like new comers and the tribe that was coming was indeed weak looking. Now as they came closer he recognized them. It was the tribe of Hongo of the Beaver tribe. He had met them last season going south. He remembered Hongo had a big tribe and lived in a good cave in the south where the cold was never so bad and the white from the sky did not stay on the ground for long. Hongo had chased his tribe away as he looked for shelter.

He got up and placed himself at the top of the path holding a throwing stick. "Hongo I remember you! You did not let us rest before your cave when we came down river. Now you come up river and seek rest here in my cave?"

The other leader looked up." Much bad magic and man spirits with the power of thunder and fire has driven us from our place. We are tired and hungry but I will fight so my tribe will live, such is the task of the one that leads."

"Bopho is mighty and strong. We fight and my tribe shall add your bones and flesh to our feast tonight. It is that none of my tribe suffers hunger and no longer must gnaw on the bad tasting flesh of tribes!"

A young strong looking hunter stepped before Hongo, brandishing half of a Shaggies jaw bone as club and growled loudly! "It is us who hungers and your tribes flesh will fill our needs!"

A throwing stick hurled by one of Bopho's hunters buried itself deep in the throat of the young man. He gargled a painful muffled scream, spat blood and died.

Hongo's tribe was terrified." Bopho is mighty and strong and we cannot fight such as you. Spare us, we will pass and continue to seek a place to rest."

Bopho felt sorry for the others and did something he would have never done, a short time ago." Hongo you can rest before this cave tonight. We bring you fire and give you food, so you can move with strength tomorrow. One of the Hongo enters our cave and there will be no Hongo Beaver tomorrow."

The Hongo Beaver tribe was glad to find a place to rest. By the shine of the fires, Bopho noticed just how hungry and weak they looked. He was certain the walk of the Hongo Tribe would not last much longer and they would all fall prey to wolfs or die from hunger. The hunger in the eyes of the young ones was particular disturbing for a tribe leader. He remembered the time he had to look away when young of his own tribe looked at him that way. He remembered when he looked to Nagho that way. His tribe mumbled complains as he ordered them to bring food, but he rolled his muscles and that was enough to silence even Napho, who was a little younger and wanted to be Tribal leader himself. Napho was almost as strong as Bopho, but he didn't like to think much.

Bopho's tribe had gathered much food and there was plenty. The cave had several chambers and Noluu had begun filling one with her mud hollows. It was so easy now to gather and keep nuts, grass kernels they liked to chew, the soft roots of the stick bushes, the long white roots that where tangy. There were even a few hollows filled with the sweet honey stolen at night from the bees.

But his tribe changes his mind as they saw the widened eyes of wonder and thankfulness in the eyes of the mothers and the young ones of the Hongo tribe as the brought out the food.

Bopho sat down by the fire and observed with pride and glee the face of the other clan leader as his women put the hind of a Horn stick head, packed in mud on the fire. It pleased him greatly to see the surprise and the bliss as the other tasted the cooked meat.

After everyone had eaten their fill, Bopho wanted to know why the Hongo came up river. Hongo's shoulders sank and his face showed sorrow and fear." We wanted to chase a tribe of smaller ones, with no hair on their skin away, and we killed many of them. Then a moon ago they came back with Shamans and Walking spirits throwing thunder and light at us. Light that made hunters burn and die! Our Shaman could not answer but he had a vision that the Smaller Ones would come and hunt all of the Hunters with light and thunder until none remained."

"Bopho knows of the Naked Ones, but we did not chase them away. We come together often!"

"Then you too must flee! The Naked ones with their walking spirits and no Hunter will remain!"

Wilto looked into the direction where Bopho and his tribe lived. He wondered what event took place that made them have fires outside. He planned to ask the hairy muscle bulging leader tomorrow when they would gather to fish together. Wilto and his tribe had come down from the north two seasons ago and found this good place at the river. The woods and the river would provide food even in the winter and it was much better to stay than to roam after the Big Tusks, like so many others did. Like his tribe did for as long as even the oldest could remember.

At first the hairy ones appeared to be enemies and a fight loomed, but a hunt united them and now Bopho's tribe was considered a good neighbor. They meet almost daily and the cooperation between the two had led to many improvements. The Hairy Ones now used the same throwing sticks as his tribe did, tipped with the sharp stone heads Bopho made so fast and so good. His tips were small, always looked the same and were flat at the end so they could be easily fitted and they were so sharp they went deep even through the thick skin of the Big Tusks. Out of the mud shell cooking his tribe used, Noluu one of Bopho's females made ingenious burnt mud hollows that could be used to store water and food. Now they too used the special mud that was found on a special spot at the river, to make such hollows. They learned that if you made little strings of mud and placed them over each other, then smoothened the sides you could make bigger hollows, but the fire had to be very hot and burn along time to make a good hollow.

Just as he was about to go inside to rest, he noticed a flash of lightning far down the river. The spirits of the Skies brought rain and lightning to the lands down river and Wilto wondered if the rain would come this way as well. He was not afraid of lightning and the cave was warm and rain would not come in.

The Guardian woke. Even though he was perhaps the most sophisticated machine in the known Universe, he needed a moment to gather all information and go over the recordings of his sensors. The last time he was awake was when the Pree took a species of Walking Whales away. He had made sure the Dinosaurs would die out, ever so little he had interfered to keep evolution on track so the Seed that had come with him on this world was growing in the evolutionary chain. Many millennia had passed, and now he woke to find his seed had blossomed. Man had arrived and begun to spread its fragile influence across the globe, but there was another sentient species, almost human but an independent off shot. Not even the Guardian knew that these would be called Neanderthals by baffled human scholars in the far future, but his instructions were clear, no other sentient species was allowed to develop on the planet. His sensors kept a close eye on the Dolphins but they lived in the water and thus had no chance to ever make the finals step towards sentience, but there was another reason he woke. His global sensors detected energy weapon fire and there were several artificial constructs both in orbit and on the ground.

He could only interfere if the Alien visitors tried to exterminate his Humans, give them the knowledge of Faster than light technology or if they tried to settle and take over. If they had come to survey the planet, take a few biological samples and leave, he was not allowed to interfere. His existence had to be kept a secret until the day his humans made the step and ascended to the Galactic Stage. The Enemy could learn about him and make the Masters defeat complete, by deactivating or destroying him before his tasks was complete and the Two Hundred could take over.

Right now his task was clear, find out who had come and why and exterminate the other Humanoid species.

Chapter 3: Sky Spirits

CHAPTER 3

With his hands clasped behind his back Pod master Adad looked over the ocean bay below. Lazy waves lapped onto sandy beaches, the water was of a particular breathtaking shade of azure blue, competing with the similar colored cloudless sky. He stood on a hill watching white birds sail in the gentle breeze above the unspoiled forests reaching all the way to the sandy beaches. "In all my years, this is one of the finest and most attractive planets, I have ever surveyed." He said to Enkil, his first Servling. While there could be no open or real friendship between One of royal blood and one that was born among the ranks of the Servlings, there was something close to that between the two men of the Anuna expedition, Adad was certain about that. They had landed on this virgin planet, thinly populated by two races of humanoids. One of them was remarkably similar to the Anuna. The other was bulkier, stronger but equally intelligent.

Enkil remaining in his deeply bowed position several steps behind his magnificent looking master and said while looking at the ground." Your praise raises this meaningless world to prominent status, my Lord."

Adad in his golden gleaming uniform armor, and the big red ruby cut to a perfect sphere worn in a head band on his forehead proclaimed to all that he was of Royal Blood. He stood in sharp contrast to Enkil who wore a simple light gray combination and instead of a ruby his head was shaved clean, exposing the two humps above his eyes. The humps painted red, in the house color of Adad. Inside those horns was the Controx, the devices implanted into every Servling at birth. The left one was to receive orders from the master and the right one to punish or kill if a Servling failed to please his or her master.

Enkil was not bitter about that, Adad was a good master and treated him well.

Adad kept looking over the ocean." I think the smaller ones could possibly be made into Servlings, they are primitive yes, but they do show potential. The brutes however displease too much in their appearance to consider that. We shall eradicate them."

Enkil did not say a word. His master was thinking aloud and not addressing him.

Adad finally turned." I will have a vacation retreat right here. The view is truly magnificent."

Wilto found the leader from across the river already standing by the river bank, holding a bundle of the thin shafted throwing sticks they used to spear fish out of the river. Here the river was wide but shallow enough you could walk across without getting too wet. The water had become colder already and Wilto imagined that there was already snow on the ground, where the river was still very little and you could get across with a single jump. Many seasons ago his tribe had lived where the river was little and the winter was longer and colder. He and his hunters crossed the river and greeted their big friends. Wilto's hunter had become friendly and familiar with the big ones. They understood each other now and knew their names. Both Wilto and Bopho noticed that their tribes often used sounds of the other tribe to describe things and started to mix the sounds together. It was this mix of sounds both leaders used to talk to each other and each time they met it was easier.

Wilto clasped Bopho's underarm and grinned, then held up a long snake he had caught this morning. He knew Bopho liked eating them. Bopho who was in deep thought about the things the beaver tribe had told him, and was surprised about Wilto's present." More sharp stones you need?"

The smaller Wilto shook his shaggy hair," No, Bopho likes eating Slither longs. Wilto knows! Wilto gives Slither long to Bopho no need give sharp stone."

A hunter would give sometimes a nice fox tail, a shiny beetle or something like that to a woman he liked, so she would favor him and not just because he was strongest. Bopho gave food to the Beaver tribe and now Wilto gave a snake to Bopho. "Yes Bopho like eating Slither Long."

They went up river together where large rocks formed a narrow and many fish would not jump but swim along the narrow close to the river bank, where they could be punched with thin sticks and thrown on land.

Bopho needed to tell Wilto what he had heard." Hunters and family of beaver clan walks from down river to up river. Comes to Bopho cave, Bopho thinks first to say go not stay to Beavers."

Wilto stopped paying attention to the rushing water below the rock he was standing and looked at his big hairy friend." Wilto see fire last night, outside Bopho cave."

"Yes beaver stay before cave for night and tell me that naked ones like Wilto come with Spirit warrior to kill all like Bopho. Naked Ones like Wilto hunted many of Beaver and other like Bopho. Say all like Bopho to be hunted by Naked Ones!"

Wilto actually put his hand on Bopho's Shoulder." Wilto does not want to hunt Bopho. Bopho does not want to hunt Wilto. Wilto seen hunters like Wilto many moons ago, when Wilto was little, Wilto knows Bopho. Bopho good! Wilto will throw sharp stick to anyone not good to Bopho!"

The larger tribal leader felt deep affection for the other and returned to look out for fish he could spear.

Adad commanded over a small fleet of six Vimana ships, each ship was commanded by a member of his blood and each had twenty Servlings along. They were not equipped to really take over a world, even as primitive as this one, sending one of his Commanders back to Anuna was an option of course, this world being outside the Anuna Sphere of influence it would take this planet a complete orbit around its native sun, before reinforcements would return. However this was not what Adad kept from sending a messenger to the Throne World. He feared that an eager commander trying to better his position could convince another family or even the Emperors pod to come and take possession of this world and leaving Adad and his family out of the profits and spoils such a rich world would bring. This planet was not only one of the most perfect worlds he had ever seen in terms of supporting live. It was a treasure house of minerals and ores. Complete with a primitive race that could be used as slaves to mine it. Such a find would elevate his family and of course him to great importance. He could buy himself a place in the inner court of the Emperor himself and purchase one of the Emperors daughters. His sons would have the Highest Blood and the chance to be Emperor. With his guiding hand in the background his importance and might would be second to none.

Adad smiled at his own thoughts, he always was ambitious. Had he not cleverly disposed of his brothers to be the Pod leader of his family and made sure his father withered away in a private asylum? With this planet in his possession and under his control, he could finally get rid of the old man permanently. All this was of course wishful thinking until he could secure this world. His eyes fell on his faithful Servling Enkil. Maybe he could send him! Enkil had no ambitions was unable to go to another Pod leader. He would have no choice but to go take his message to the right person. Of course that meant he would have to send Enkil alone. Or he could go and leave his servants behind. Leaving them behind meant he could take more treasure. Yes that was the answer!

The naked ones called this period winter and so did Bopho's tribe now. Bopho didn't like the winter or the cold, but he believed it was not as cold as last season and the river did not freeze, at least not yet. Still he was glad he did not make the decision to follow the Shaggies. The forests provided food and so did the river.

Only a moon ago Uliu one of the mothers of the tribe accidently left a hollow still half way filled with roots next to a fire and when she came back the roots had changed just as the meat did. It was softer and tasted better! Bopho came to the conclusion that all food should be heated by the fire. Uliu encouraged by her discovery begun to experiment and her most triumphant discovery was the combination of meats, roots and grass seeds with water. It was so different from all food they knew before.

During the time of the winter, Bopho and his hunters did not go as far away from the cave as usual, because the light disc would slip behind the mountains much sooner. No one liked to be out in the dark as the forests were full of spirits and magic and it was not the hunters place to share the night with the spirits, but today he had gone further than he planned, chasing after a big stick head. He had wounded it with his throw stick but it did not fall. It was bad omen to wound food and let it escape, so he decided to follow the blood trail.

He knew when he reached the point to turn around and go back. The other hunters had good luck and they had plenty to carry home, only he had not made his kill today. He knew his hunters would follow him but there was no need." Go back take the food to our place. Bopho will follow the stick head and come later."

Partially eager to follow their leader and partially glad not to stay out much longer his hunters returned.

So in the waning light he followed the clearly visible trail of red trickle on the white snow. The snow was not as deep as it was last season and barely covered the ground. Like the naked ones no one in Bopho's tribe walked bare feet anymore, but used fur skin, stitched together forming soft hollows for the feet. He remembered how they followed the Shaggies through hip high snow without anything on their feet only a season ago. Yes much had changed.

The Stick Head had a strong spirit. It lasted longer than any food he pierced before, but finally in the last faint light of the day he saw it kneeling in the snow, the broken throw stick still in its side. Bopho hurled another one and that sealed the fate of the Stick head. It was too big even for him to carry or drag back in one piece. So he dressed it, split it in four pieces. Thanked the spirit of the Stick head for providing him with food and dedicated the rest he could not carry to the spirits of the wolf and the forest. Just as he was about to shoulder his load, he heard voices coming from behind the shallow ravine that was before him. At first he wanted to flee and run as fast as he could. He was alone and he would not be able to stand alone against a wandering tribe, but then his curiosity got the better of him.

He checked the wind to make sure his scent would not be carried towards the voices and as silently and stealthy as he could he crawled up the shallow ravine and hidden by the low branches of the trees that stayed green he looked down the other side and saw three spirit men dragging his friend Wilto and twenty warriors and ten women of Wilto's tribe behind them, their hands bound together. The first spirit men looked a lot like Wilto but had no hair in their faces at all. They wore shiny skins close to their bodies and they had a bright shining third eye on their heads making the path before them as bright as day! The other two also had tight skins but theirs were not shiny. Lesser Spirits!

Poor Wilto! He was dragged to the realm of the spirits! Bopho was terrified to his soul but also felt sorry for his friend.

He was about to leave as silently as he had come, when he saw the Shiny spirit man stumble over a root, and fall! He did not understand what the Spirit was saying but it sounded angry and he heard the sounds of pain! If the spirit man could be hurt by falling, then Bopho could hurt him with a throw stick! He never aimed more carefully, because he knew if he missed the Spirit would drag him to the spirit world as well.

Bopho threw and the spear hit the shiny spirit right below the bright light eye. The spirit man gargled, coughed blood and collapsed with trashing his legs in the snow for a few seconds then remained still…the shiny light eye now looking into the sky!

He had killed a Spirit man! A demon! The Spirit was bleeding! That encouraged him and he hurled his second throw stick, just as one of the other spirits pulled something from its side. The spear killed the second, but not before a stream of fire and light came out of the falling spirits hand and spilt tree not far from Bopho and set both parts on fire! The last of the Spirit men had circling around looking right towards Bopho. He had angered the Spirits. He had killed two now the third would strike him with fire and thunder! Bopho was very afraid but the burning fire never came. As he dared to look he saw Wilto holding a big rock with his still tied hands and the spirit man lying on the ground before him.

The material that held Wilto's hands together was much like sinew. White, and soft yet tough and impossible to tear apart, but it yielded to Bopho's cutting stones after a few attempts. Wilto looked thankfully but they didn't speak much while they both freed the others. Too much went through both of their minds, the still burning tree on the ridge was a clear warning and testament to the powerful magic the spirits commanded. But as frightening as they were, they bled and died just like food and just like others. For a moment he considered taking one of them home and see if they could be eaten, but their magic light eyes were still there and as bright as day! Something was still alive and maybe they would rise again. He had to prevent that!

He gathered rocks and piled them over the body of the shiny one. Wilto barked and his hunters and women gathered more rocks, sticks and dirt and all three spirits were covered under a mound of rocks in a short time. Only now did he feel save enough to talk to Wilto. "Spirit men come to Wilto?"

"They come to Wilto and kill many children and old with fire and thunder! Then they say men and woman to come and work and obey and get food. Not obey and not work and no food and death! Shiny like sun spirit man says it is our destiny to serve the Gods. Shiny like sun man said he is God to us. He commands the clouds to come and he flies in it away! Yet the ones he leaves behind beat us with long whirly stick and with magic that hums like hornets, crackles like lightning and hurts very bad. They say many others like us already work for the Gods. He ask me to know of others, tell him where Hairy ones and others are and get no beating and extra food. I say I know no others and he beats me and gives me magic pain. Wilto see one get hurt and bleed, Wilto thinks Gods no good, and Gods only like Wilto but lots of magic!"

Bopho looked around." We go. When light comes, then your shiny one will look for these and call them! All of Wilto now come to Bopho and we hide."

Adad loved progress and seeing hundreds of naked natives sweating and working for his benefit was progress to him. His ships did not carry advanced analysis equipment, but the tests done showed that this planet was rich in rare earths, every mineral and metal in abundance. It was almost as if some unseen force had made this planet especially for those undeserving primitives and gave them all they needed to start a civilization of their own, too bad he had found it first. It was not easy to show primitives barley above the non-sentient beasts how to use even simple tools, but in time and with the hard hand of a good master they would become good slaves. "Ronar should be back with more slaves! This is going too slow! I want the holds of our ships filled so I can leave!" He asked Enkil.

Enkil fearing his master's hand, kept in perfect devote position." A member of the True Blood does not always share information with a Servling. I am blessed beyond believe with the Sun of my life who is Adad the magnificent, not all Servlings are as blessed as I."

Adad felt pleased with the devotion and love his Servling felt for him. Yes he was a hard master, but he could be generous and even have a good word to a Servling occasionally. However he also felt annoyed not to get the information he wished. Enkil was not to blame, Ronar never give a Servling any information. Yet he needed to vent his frustration and he kicked Enkil anyway. Not as hard as he could have and he knew Enkil would feel blessed to be touched by his master.

Without looking at his Servling he opened the cover of his wrist communicator and called Ronar.

Ronar did not answer! He could not even detect Ronar's Comm. Unit. Ronar was of lesser blood, like all the other Commanders that were with him on this expedition, but Ronar had ambitions, hidden ambitions. Did he decide to leave, perhaps to beat him to the Throne world? No other explanation was possible. There was nothing on this world that could harm a Commander of the blood in his Armor and he had two Servlings with Thermo Guns along as well.

The Guardian did not openly interfere yet, but he had planted a few suggestions here and there. The aliens were less of a threat than anticipated. They did not possess technology of faster than light communication and their technology was rather crude. He had analyzed their computer data and left a few little adjustments. The navigation data slightly altered would make sure they never made it back home and tell about this world. He had transferred the bodies and the equipment of the slain aliens into the lava flow of an active volcano. No need for his children to learn how to use thermo blasters just yet. His violent children, many bowed in fear observing and living events that were millennia past their level of understanding. Trembling under the fists and whips of the alien aggressors, but not all of them! Some had learned that god bled and could be slain.

He continued to observe.

Wilto had found a few more of his tribe, hiding with fear in the dark; Bopho did not hesitate and invited them all to his place. There he told his story to the group and Wilto as his witness verified it all. There was much discussion, more discussion than ever and not all were happy about the events. Especially the former Clan leader of the Beavers and his new friend Napho felt strongly, but when Wilto told them that Bopho had slain two of the powerful spirits they decided to quit challenging Bopho, at least for now.

The events had changed Bopho forever. He was no longer a Hunter, but a Slayer of Spirits and Demons. He had shed their blood and while he did not understand the significance of it all. He felt that his world also had changed as well. The spirits and demons of the night that roamed the forests were no longer the realm of the Shaman and his dreams.

His Shaman had danced for hours and eaten some of the red little softs he had collected during the summer and dried in the sun. The Little softs with the long thin heads that looked almost like a hunter's penis and grew in the brown leaves underneath trees were Shaman food. The good spirits of the forest would enter the Shaman when he ate those Little Softs.

Now the Shaman lay still completely covered under the skin of a bear. With a sudden cry he threw of the skin threw dust and ashes all over him and howled like a wounded fox. He sat down again, laughing then crying. "Bopho has angered the tribe of the Sky spirits but the spirits of the Earth are glad and for the sacrifice and the blood. The winds are wild and will scatter Bopho and all those are with him. The trees and the rocks and all that is below want to protect Bopho and all those are with him. The throw stick that had slayed the shining spirit must be brought to the Giant of the Earth and then he will protect us forever!"

Bopho shuddered and didn't like the Shaman's dream." Who knows were the Giant of the Earth is to be found?"

"When the light makes its way in the sky, a wolf will show the way!"

There was no trace of Ronar or his Servlings, his ship and the rest of his subjects was still here. Adad did not like mysteries, especially not on an alien world. He still did not suspect anything native was responsible, he suspected a conspiracy among his own. Maybe Ronar was more loyal to him than he thought and he was murdered because he stood in the way of some other Commander. Treasures and riches were the most common causes for eroding loyalties. There was a lot of it here and all for the taking. There was one thing the Almighty Emperor back on the Throne World, valued more than Blood lines, and that was treasure and valuables in vast quantities. Did one or perhaps several of his Commanders already plot against him? It was not completely unthinkable that they banded together behind his back.

He could no longer wait, he had to return. There was already plenty to fill three ships. He had the most percentage of Royal Blood in his veins and he could plot and play the game for power as good as anyone!

Just at Dawn the dream of the Shaman came true. Napho had seen a white wolf of great size walk past the cave. It howled and went down river were it disappeared. Napho was sure he had heard Bopho's name in the howl. Now Bopho did not want to go on a long walk down the river, perhaps for several moons to find the Earth Giant, but the Shaman's dream was not to be ignored and the Wolf did come! The leader of a tribe had to do things he sometimes did not want to do if it was good for all. He did not like to leave Napho in charge while he was gone, but the Shaman saw him return with great glory and many new things for the tribe and Napho promised to keep things well. There was a nagging thought in the back of his head that Napho was glad to see Bopho leave and he might have to fight and kill him when he returned. Wilto appeared next to him with a bundle of throw sticks and declared he would not let Bopho go alone.

So he wrapped the throw stick he had used to kill the Shinny Spirit in a soft Stick head fur and tied it with strips of skin to his back.

Napho watched as the two hunters made their way down the narrow path to the river and waited till he could no longer see them. The former leader of the Beaver Clan put his hand on Napho's shoulder and a smile crept on his lips. Later he would bury the wolf skin he had worn to fool simple Napho and the tribe would be his.