The Index -|-

“Da, I’ve made sure that Oiitr knows where to land the Greki. We must not land in the clearings!” Zara’s voice was thin and somehow reflected the semi-transparency and shape of her ethereal head and upper torso that was projected in front of Kpleeb.

“I know. I’m sure we’ll be fine. You know I’m much more concerned by the possibility of being found by the Xih,” grumbled Kpleeb.

“We cannot risk offending the Hkkli.”

Kpleeb shrugged. “These rodent people. They’ll be fine.”

Zara smiled thinly. “We need allies, Da. Promise me you’ll follow my directions.”

“Uh, sure,” he said in what he hoped was a meek tone. “I will, for you.”

“Thank you, Da.”

Jorqu was an arboreal planet covered with vast oceans of trees. The occasional plain and meadow dotted the terrain, but those were relatively small and separated by predictable distances. As the Greki arrived, Kpleeb was fascinated by the view from above. The surface was a mottled green that was dotted with an oddly regular pattern of yellow pin-pricks.

The terrain cruised by below him as the Greki lost altitude and approached the surface. After long moments, a larger clearing appeared, and Kpleeb could see that it was freshly cut. A ring of long, trunks lined the sides of the open space where they had been pushed away from the center. In a few more moments, the Greki landed near the center of the clearing.

Kpleeb stepped to the hatch and watched as the forest was exposed to his eyesight. There, a few dozen paces away rested the Hsstak, and Zara walked toward him with a smile.

“Thank you, Da.” She turned and waved at the expansive clearing. “The Hkkli won’t be offended by this. I’ve kept it as far from their villages as possible.”

Kpleeb stepped onto the sandy soil, and it felt good on the soles of his feet. “It’s weird that the Hkkli live in these little meadows. They’re so perfectly spaced out.”

“I understand that the trees surrounding their villages naturally die off because the Hkkli eat the roots below ground. The villages are spaced out due to constant territorial spats between the clans. The Hkkli conduct a surprising amount of war.”

Kpleeb looked around. “We’re preparing old-style huts?” There were a number of Ganix assembling rough-hewn logs into round shapes. Another group were wielding stone implements to shave and carve fallen trees into a more uniform shape.

Zara nodded and looked around. After a moment, she answered in a hushed tone. “I needed to get a few huts up and keep the Ganix busy.” She pointed. “We could use the kerflk, and then have the Ganix make only the roofs.”

Kpleeb shrugged. “We could use the kerflk for all of it. I could also make a device that will prepare the trees for building.” To his eye, slicing the logs into common lengths and sections would be an easy build. “But we need to talk about next steps before I spend time on that.”

Zara nodded in agreement. “Let’s talk in the Hsstak.” She took his hand and began to walk toward the other ship.

As they approached the ship, a warrior ran toward them. “Hkkli watch us.” His finger pointed toward the forest.

Zara and Kpleeb both stopped and looked toward the woods.

“Not surprising,” said Zara. I have no way of contacting the Hkkli other than in person, but this clearing is close to where I freed the two that were captured by the Xi. I am hoping that this will grant us some goodwill.”

“Hmm. If those two are still alive,” said Kpleeb. “Keep a close watch. We don’t want to be caught off-guard, but we will certainly not start a fight.”

The warrior nodded and trotted off to speak to the other Ganix.

“Have you had any alerts from Phaedro?” Kpleeb looked up at the bulk of Hsstak’s hull as the hatch slid open.

“So far, nothing. In a way I hope there are no reports of the Xi.” Zara led him into her chamber within the top level, and sat down in a sling.

In the corner of the room, Kpleeb saw a detailed triangle pattern on the floor. The colors, red, gray, and yellow, were bright and surrounded by shiny silver and gold. “Did you make that?” he asked, pointing.

Zara grinned. “No. I don’t have time for art. It was here before I arrived. These were the chambers of Iqw Okrat, the previous overseer.

Kpleeb grunted.

“I suspect that this is some kind of communication device between the Xih, but I haven’t had time to prove it.” She sighed. “It does not run on the aji, but I can feel something when I touch it. She knelt next to the pattern and gestured to Kpleeb. “Come see if you can feel anything.”

“Is it safe?” asked Kpleeb approaching. He knelt next to the shape.

“I touched it a few times, like this,” Zara put her palm on one of the gold corners, and the silver sections seemed to shimmer like the surface of a crystal pond on a spring day. “No harm has come that I know of.” She lifted her palm again.

“You need to be careful with these new things,” grumbled Kpleeb eyeing the pattern. He placed his hand on the adjacent gold corner. There was nothing, but the cool touch of metal and no silver shimmering. He looked at Zara and shrugged. In another moment, the heat from his hand drove away the coolness, and there was a tingle in his palm.

“Interesting that the silver does not glisten when you touch it. Does it feel strange?” asked Zara.

“It tingles a bit, as if a crowd of tiny ants are throwing a party between my hand and the metal.”

Zara put her palm down on the adjacent corner, and the tingling in Kpleeb’s palm changed from its randomness into a slowly pulsating waveform.

“The silver changed. Did you feel that difference?” Kpleeb lifted his hand and stared at the creased and worn skin of his palm.

Zara nodded. “Put your hand down again.”

Kpleeb complied and felt the pulse of the pattern flow through his hand and halfway up his arm. “Whoa. This is stronger than before.”

Zara looked at the pattern, tilted her head, and after a moment she reached over and placed her other hand on the remaining, golden triangle.

Instantly, all the way to the ceiling in a vertical, triangular column, the air above the pattern lit up. Kpleeb fell backward in surprise and his hand came off the floor. The air blinked and returned to normal.

He looked at Zara and then back at the shimmering silver. “This is dangerous.”

“Everything is dangerous, Da. Everything is also useful. How do you expect to defeat such a large group of advanced enemies without more tools and knowledge?”

Kpleeb shook his head. [She has a point… but I can’t let her be harmed by my anger toward the Xi.]

With a sigh, Kpleeb put his palm back onto the golden corner. “We must be careful to save ourselves for each other and for the long fight. I do want my revenge, but it cannot come by losing you.”

Zara nodded and put her palms on the other two corners.

The glow appeared, and after a few moments, the glow reduced and finally winked out. What was left were pinpricks of light within the column. At the center, a green dot pulsed slowly. Some of the other lights moved slowly within three-dimensional space, while others remained static.

“What is this?” asked Kpleeb. “A light show of random fireflies? Could it be that this Iqw Okrat used this for entertainment?”

“I don’t know,” said Zara. She reached her hand into the center and poked at the green dot, but her hand passed right through everything. “It could be celestial bodies.”

“Like stars?” Kpleeb waved his hand through the nearest pinprick of light. “Stars don’t move like this.”

“I was thinking others, like orbs that circle a star, but I would have to observe this long enough to map the orbit.”

“These lights are all grouped together,” said Kpleeb pointing at an area that was a hand’s distance from the green dot. “Orbs don’t come in groups… not unless there are moons.”

Just then, three of the indicators on a red-tiered device against the wall began to blink, and the device itself emitted an odd blorping sound.

“That’s my sensor on Phaedro,” said Zara as she looked at the device. “The Xi must be there.”

In front of Kpleeb’s eyes, four of the grouped dots disappeared, and the one that remained began to move. He blinked, but they did not come back. He pointed “Some of these lights are gone.”

Zara looked at the cluster and shrugged. “Strange. Maybe they merged?”

Kpleeb shrugged as well and pulled his hand away from the floor. “I want to go help set up our village and take a look at these Hkkli.” He rose and watched Zara for a moment. She was deep in thought.

“It has only been five days since we left Phaedro. We have been lucky.” Kpleeb smiled at Zara. “I hope they enjoyed my little gift, but I want to return and see what is there.”

Zara nodded at him absentmindedly. “We should wait a few days before we leave. The village needs to be settled and the Hkkli contacted.”

“We?” said Kpleeb. One of us needs to stay here in case things get complex.”

“What if there are more Xi ships at Phaedro? The Hsstak with my crew will be the strongest in battle.”

“I agree,” said Kpleeb with a grin, “but someone has to stay.”

“We cannot always be here for the Ganix. They are very capable. In fact, you should appoint a Ganix leader that can lead them when we are gone.”

Kpleeb pondered the statement, and it was not long before he saw the logic in it. Eventually, everyone alive would die. The Ganix could not be treated like the Xinti were treated. They were more than deadly slaves. They were now friends and family.

“Mm, you are right, my dear girl. Who do you recommend? Xir?”

“I need to think about it. Until we find the one, I will go to Phaedro, okay, Da?” Her eyes pleaded.

“Uh, sure. Fine.” he said after a moment. “I guess I can stay here this time.”

“Good. I’ll make sure to be careful, and I will bring back pictures.” Zara stood. “First, let’s go talk to the Hkkli.”

Kpleeb grunted his assent. In a few moments they had exited the Hsstak and approached the edge of the woods where Xir stood.

“There,” Xir said simply. He pointed with his knuckle the way he had learned from Kpleeb. The trees ahead were thick, and the light from Jorqu’s star had difficulty illuminating the ground.

“I see nothing but shadows,” said Kpleeb.

“Use Mama’s ring, Da.”

Kpleeb nodded. “I forgot about it,” he said, fishing in his front pocket. With the ring on his finger, he extended his hand toward the forest. A fuzzy circle of air bloomed before him and the center coalesced into a lens. There, among the trees, close to the ground were humps of fur.

“I see them,” said Kpleeb as one of the humps blinked its eyes. He scanned right and then left and saw that the surface of the ground was covered with hundreds of the Hkkli. He turned and looked at Xir. “Quite the eyeballs you have, my friend.”

Xir grunted wordlessly.

“We should go talk to them,” said Zara looking up at Kpleeb.

“Will they attack us?” Kpleeb grinned as he imagined large rodents with fat butts sporting kung-fu stances.

Zara lifted a small Xi device. “I have a translator that will help them understand us and we will be able to understand them. I think if we don’t bring a lot of warriors and you talk nicely.” She paused. “We should be okay. I can put up a shield as well.”

Kpleeb grunted and then shrugged. “Alright. Xir, you’re with us. I’ll do the talking.”

Slowly, the Kpleeb walked into the trees. He tried to act nonchalant as he passed the first trunk and the forest dusk settled over him.

[Most of Jorqu must be dark due to the tree cover. I wonder if the Hkkli eyes are suited for it?]

Within a few long minutes, Kpleeb slowed and stopped. The Hkkli had not moved, but now he could see them a bit better. They were brown or tan. Some of them had mottled snouts. All of them had pink lips and smallish ears. He raised his hand in a non-threatening way.

“Hello Hkkli. I am Kpleeb and this is my daughter, Zara.” Kpleeb turned and gestured toward the clearing. “We are peaceful and wish to talk with your leaders.”

The translator that Zara held relayed his words in breathy, and somewhat awkward noises. After a moment the speaking stopped. There was no apparent change in the Hkkli. “Can you appeal to the Hkkli that you freed from the Hsstak?” Kpleeb said to Zara.

“Uh, hello.” said Zara raising her hand. “I freed two of your people not long ago. We want to establish a friendly relationship and trade with you.”

There was a rumbling from the Hkkli to their left, at least fifty paces away. A multitude of eyes shifted and hairy balls of brown fur arose from the groupings like fervent bubbles. The breathy noises grew, and a background hubbub echoed through the forest. Finally, a shrill and piercing squeak whistled above the din, and silence fell.

“Urh, what is going on, Zara?” asked Kpleeb as concern whispered in the back of his mind.

Xir crouched silently.

From the dark depths of the trees, a silent frenzy of ruddy shapes bounded toward them with blistering speed.

Zara’s shield flared as dozens of minuscule projectiles impacted it at once.

Kpleeb flinched.