The Index -|-

Kpleeb stood on a ridge halfway up the side of mount Toptop. In the valley below he could see the taller trees that lined the river and stretched from within the mouth of the canyon into the distance where the river meandered. Near the mouth a plume of dense, grey smoke emitted from the forest, and Kpleeb bared his teeth in a grim smile.

“Our weapons absolutely slaughtered that Xi vessel. We just need more units to extend our protection range.”

Watching from his squat position nearby, Xir grunted his agreement.

“Have the Ganix stay on high alert, Xir. That other Xi ship got away, but they could be back any moment. Though, with the way the other ship burned, they may be more cautious. We put the fear of the Pale One in them for sure.” He turned and headed toward the mouth of his hideout. As soon as he reached the entry, he turned to look behind him. Xir followed and he could see various Ganix warriors posted at the perimeter, their light cloaks almost completely hiding their form.

It had taken Kpleeb some time to convince his personal guard to wear the cloaks,. In fact, only after wearing a cloak himself while infiltrating their camp had they been willing to consider its effectiveness. Kpleeb was not a stealthy caveman, and he had never been known for his warrior prowess. Running with the Gannix had honed his body and skill a bit, but these warriors had been born to fight. The cloak’s ability to mask his movement had convinced them. That and the fact that he had demanded that they adopt it.

Kpleeb turned for a mere moment before entering the cave. “Prepare to run. I will be ready in five minutes.”

With an indistinct groan, the door slid away before him, and he entered. He threw his own cloak on the low couch near the door and stepped up to the datawall. Each point of light representing his sensors glowed white. Quickly, he tapped a few protrusions on the red-tiered device in front of him.

“Clear skies for now,” he muttered.

With a swift turn, Kpleeb moved into the next room where he kept a small workbench. There, scattered across the main surface were pieces of his latest creation. He picked up two angular plates of yellow stone and touched them together. The edges fused instantly with an audible click. With a tug, he pulled them apart and their previous shapes were restored. [It’ll be ready for everyone soon.]

He picked up a small tool bag and slung the strap over his head and shoulder. Then he grabbed his lightning spear and moved outside. A half-dozen Ganix warriors stood near the treeline.

Without a word, Kpleeb started jogging toward the downhill slope. Needing to warm up, he started slow. The nearest slope was not too steep and the coniferous trees were dense. He ducked and swiped with his hands, but the boughs still slapped his chest and face. He was used to it. These and his head start were the only reason his warrior friends were still behind him.

After a few more seconds, his breath came faster, and he slowed just before the view broke in front of him. There the slope steepened considerably, and Kpleeb had no time to enjoy the valley below him. He did not stumble, barely. He had learned that the only way to keep up with the Ganix was to fully commit, and so he leapt over log and stone and bush with all of his momentum. It did not matter., the Ganix were like gazelles leaping higher, fearlessly throwing themselves from every high perch into the slope below like circus acrobats.

Soon, the group of warriors approached the smoke. Near the river, a gash tore the soil in a deep and rocky rut. Smaller trees had been demolished, and larger trees had been shoved violently to the side. In the distance, a hulking angular structure rested awkwardly on a tilt. As Kpleeb approached, he slowed down and wielded his spear.

The side of the ship had a jagged hole in it from which billowed smoke. The sides of the splintered trees that faced the ship burned, and a black residue fanned out from the gaping hole and covered everything from the hole to trees ten or fifteen paces away.

Xir gestured toward the other side of the wreckage, and two warriors split from the group and stalked that direction.

The ground was rocky and rough, and shattered trees and branches were strewn everywhere. After almost tripping on a downed branch, Kpleeb began to step carefully, winding his way forward and toward the big gash in the vertical side of the Xi ship. When he was closer, maybe ten paces from the dark hole, a bolt of blue light exploded from the ship and struck him in the chest. It was so immediate, that Kpleeb did not know what had happened until he was on his back.

There were several wicked crackles of energy – music from Ganix lightning spears. Kpleeb laid there for a moment gasping for breath before moving his neck to slowly lift his head. The a tangy burn wafted onto his senses. From his vantage point he could see Xir and another Ganix warrior standing between him and the Xi ship.

A hand grasped Kpleeb’s shoulder, and looking upward, he saw the face of a warrior looking down at him. There was no concern in the expression, only analysis.

“Good.” The man said before straightening and continuing toward the ship. It was a statement of fact, not a question.

Kpleeb grinned and sat up with an audible groan. His body ached all over, but especially his chest. He was surprisingly still holding onto his lightning spear and used it to hoist himself to his feet. Looking at the hole in the Xi ship, he rubbed his chest with his left hand. “Any other problems, Xir?”

Xir waved his hand, beckoning forward. “Not know.”

Kpleeb, Xir, and two other warriors carefully approached the hole. The inside was pitch black, but in the Kpleeb could see a pile of silica dust near the entrance. He looked up and saw the ship towering over him. “It was huge up close.”This ship is huge. It could contain any number of Xi. We must be careful.”

“Bring torch,” said Xir with a wave of his hand.

A nearby warrior grabbed a stick that was already burning and passed it to Xir before grabbing another. The two warriors that had gone around the outside jogged up to the group preparing to enter. “No hole. No Xi,” one of them said.

[This little task might be time consuming, and very dangerous. But the Xi must pay, and what else do I live for? They have inflicted far too much suffering on me and my family to let it pass.]

Kpleeb sighed. “Let’s go.”

The Index -|-

Viinox, Zara, Oiitr and Tiirw stood in the long corridor outside of the Hsstak’s command center. The last time she had been here, it had been bright and entirely laced with a multitude of aji strands. Now, it was devoid of all except a series of somewhat dim lights that produces enough illumination to prevent one from stumbling into the walls.

Viinox looked at Oiitr, and Zara could see that they communicated telepathically.

“Fill me in, Viinox. Where do we start the tour?”

“I must explain the purpose of the Hsstak and its layout,” said Viinox. “As I said before, the Hsstak is a Xih research vessel, and its purpose is to find and research indigenous life. There are six pens for research, and each of them are on the lowest level.”

Viinox pointed down the length of the corridor. “Along this hallway are research and control labs where the Xih would monitor and experiment on our test subjects.” It moved a few paces forward and then placed its narrow palm against a square indention. “While Hsstak recovers from the purge, the only way to access these rooms is through manual intervention.” It pressed on the indention and then rotated the panel. A thick crack appeared in the wall directly beside the indention.

Viinox pried the door open with its fingers and stepped inside.

Zara followed and looked around. It was dimly lit, and every wall was lined with oddly shaped devices with the upward light flow emitters that she had noticed before, but there was only one that was red. In the center, attached to the ceiling was a single, mesh sling.

“The other lab rooms are much the same as this,” said Viinox. “Unfortunately, without our core reset completed, we cannot use any of the equipment.” It paused and looked at Zara. “Should we continue to another space?”

“What are the labs used for?”

Oiitr spoke. “Monitoring and interacting with the subjects, collecting data, and making research notes.”

“Okay,” said Zara. “Let’s go visit one of the subjects.”

Oiitr tilted its chin downward slightly. “This is not recommended.”

Zara stepped out into the corridor and then turned to look at Oiitr. “Why not?”

Oiitr followed her and then replied. “Without our systems intact, we have very limited control over the subjects. All we have is the containment. Also, some of them exist in atmospheres that we cannot enter without injuring ourselves. We rely entirely on our research devices to monitor and bridge these divides between our species.”

Zara was intrigued by the thought that there might be subjects like her Mama and Da on the Hsstak, or even perhaps even some version of herself. [Despite the injustice of capturing people, taking them away from their homes, and whatnot… If I open a door and a supremely intelligent and strong caveman breaks out. They will believe that I am their captor… and they might attack me.]

The more she considered her options, the more she knew that she wanted all possible information before opening one of those doors. “I understand, and I agree that opening these holding spaces right now is probably not a good idea. How much time do we have until we can fully use the research systems?”

“A day or more.” Oiitr gestured toward the far side of the hall. “Shall we continue?”

Zara lost track of time as the tour continued. Oiitr and Viinox showed her almost every portion of the Hsstak, one chamber at a time. The hall outside of the command center only contained observation rooms for their captives, and she confirmed that they all appeared the same. The chambers that directly housed the captives were in the belly of the vessel, two levels below the command center. Between the two was a level that housed the Xi and Xih. The rooms were tiny, barely six paces wide and half that deep. Zara saw no personal effects, and she wondered if the whole race was outwardly bland.

The chambers in the level above the command center were different. They housed many of the ship’s systems, or at least that was what Tiirw said. Zara saw new device shapes, but none of them were infused with aji except one that had was warm to the touch. This one exuded a faint yellow aji and a matching dull sickly light.

“What is this?” she asked.

“This device manages Hsstak’s hoard of reserve power. It maintains all base-support and aji power systems.”

“Where does this power come from?

Tiirw paused as if to consider its response in light of the previous confusing discussion about froji basin and hu-triads. “Without delving into the highly technical-“

Oiitr interrupted. “Like any modern Xi vessel, the Hsstak’s hull is lined with Jirtal, which stores energy within itself and can be infinitely released and recharged. You may be familiar with Jirtal under another name: lak.”

Zara nodded thoughtfully. “An alternative energy source, and I see yellow aji there as well.”

“Tiirw spoke again quickly, as if to regain its position of expertise from Oiitr. “While, I cannot see the aji without a device, and though there are no colors associated with aji from the Xi point of view, I know of what you speak. This aji spectrum, as measured by our tools, has the weakest connection to the aji realm and most often acts as a bridge between aji-based systems and others.”

Zara yawned and asked again. “Is there a countdown to the restoration of aji? Something I can see?”

Tiirw tilted its chin downward slightly. “It is not predictable. We only estimate the recovery time from past experience. Their have been outliers, times when the core reset has completed in excessively short, or longer periods of time.”

Zara reached out tentatively toward the yellow aji before pausing.

[I remember the lak storage house that Da was kept in before Mama rescued him from Uuiit. This energy is not from the aji, but somehow, it interacts with it. It could kill me if I’m not careful.]

Gently, the probed the aji with the slightest touch. It was weak, and to her senses it felt as if it were coated with a sharp flavored tang. [Perhaps the tang is the mixing of the other energy source?]

She drew some of the yellow aji away and the device’s glow waned slightly before she returned the speck to the remaining clump.

Tiirw’s neck slits fluttered nervously. “I must caution you. If we lose this energy source, the Hsstak will never restore its aji, and we will surely die.”

She felt the yellow aji’s contours and texture and noted to herself that it seemed contained within a field of some sort that she could not measure or see with her senses.

Zara smiled. “I am cautious, and there will be times when I take risks. You will learn to trust me.”

[I wonder what other energy sources are available to the Xi?] She wracked her brain for examples that she could ask about before remembering one of her Da’s most common tools.

“My Mama and Da used a yellow substance that appeared as stone and obeyed their commands. I examined it, but there was no aji within it. What is this substance?”

Tiirw looked at Oiitr before responding. “Perhaps you speak of kerflk. This substance is primarily used on Hsstak to coat the inside of the containment pens. It provides the ability to quickly define the shape, structure, and boundaries of our pens.”

“How does it work?”

There was a long pause before Viinox spoke up. “The Xih created this substance in secret, and information about it is very limited. What we know is that it responds to any request to create a shape, it is loaded with sensors, fire kills it, and we believe that it is powered by energy from its environment.”

Tiirw lifted its chin. “Kerflk is unlike any substance I have seen, and it resists all analysis.”

Zara nodded thoughtfully. “Kerflk may be useful in the future. Two things I need while we wait for the core to recharge. I need my own chamber and I need a piece of kerflk.”

“Yes,” said Oiitr. “Perhaps the cleaners are finished with the lab, and you may inhabit that space.”

Zara blinked in surprise before shaking her head. “No. I was a prisoner there. I was tortured there. No.” She glared at Oiitr, but then realized that Xi emotions had to be highly suppressed, at the very least. “Maybe the Xi do not experience trauma the way my people do. Staying in the lab would be difficult for me at this time. I assume that Mangas had a chamber of its own. I will take its place.”

Oiitr tilted its chin downward instantly, and Zara’s face flushed. “Is there any Xih of higher position on Hsstak?”

Oiitr tipped its chin down again, and opened its mouth, but Zara cut off any statement. “I am in charge, and I will take any place on Hsstak that I choose. Do you understand?”

The three Xi looked at Zara, and she knew that they feared her. Just hours ago she had killed the rest of their crew, and their lives were in her hands. She had the upper hand and made a point not to threaten.

“Take me to my chamber.”

The Xi complied without question and soon Zara was in a large hexagonal pod that was located on the level above the command center and appeared to be the only living chamber on that level. One side of the room was lined with a plethora of odd-shaped devices, storage containers, and a wide, multi-colored sling. The other side of the room was empty, but the floor was decorated with a large triangle pattern.

The main triangle was a shimmery silver spanning at least two paces. On each of the corners, a much smaller gold wedge met the large point with its own. In the center, three triangles met in the center, each overlapping the other in red, gray, and yellow. It was almost intricate in a way that Zara had never noticed with the Xi.

Zara yawned and made a mental note to analyze the pattern and the yellow stone substance closer.

[But first… sleep.]

The Index -|-

It was dark as it often is at night, and a brisk, springtime breeze gently rustled the treetops in the valley. A half-moon rose slowly above the distant mountain range, its light softly illuminating the rugged land below and causing night birds to sing in delight.

Kpleeb sat on a high outcropping with his head in his hands. Beneath him, the stone’s weight on his rump felt like an anchor. He could feel the breeze ruffle and whip his long, shaggy mane. It was chilly, bordering on freezing, and he ignored the goosebumps raising on his uncovered arms.

[What I am doing here? I go through these motions day after day. We build defenses and weapons. For what? Not once have the Xi come back. The Ganix help me, but only because of my Thoka, the Pale One. How long will they follow now that she is gone?]

He sighed and started silently at his hairy feet.

[What is the point? My girl is gone. She may be dead like her ma, and I can’t even follow the killers. I am stuck here with my feet embedded in the stone while the Xi control the air and everything above. I am as useless as nipples on a pinecone.]

The wind whistled and picked up its pace, gusting in random, potent bursts until Kpleeb could no longer ignore the chill. He raised his head and watched the treetops moving below him. Past the trees in the distance, stood the Ganix village, a mere speck in the moonlight. Its stone wall had been rebuilt after the last Xi attack. That was when he had lost Zara. His heart heavy, he stood slowly and took the long, winding trail back toward the village.

At the village gate, he nodded at the watchman, and the Ganix warrior nodded back. Kpleeb turned to look back at the distant hillside from where he had come and saw a dark form emerge from the nearby shadows.

“You don’t need to follow me everywhere,” Kpleeb said.

Xir nodded in greeting. “I protect the builder.”

“Don’t call me that. There is nothing to protect me from. There is nothing dangerous here.”

“The Xi-” began Xir.

“The Xi have not returned!” interrupted Kpleeb, his voice rising. “Will they ever return? If they do, will they bring Zara back with them and just give her back?! Will I ever even see her again?” He threw up his hands. “No! Even if they come, and even if we kill them, this does not bring Zara back. We have no means of finding her. We are completely at a standstill here.”

Xir just looked at him.

Kpleeb turned and stalked back toward his hut. Within a few minutes, he washed his face in a shallow basin on a stand near the door and stretched out on his mat. With his hands clasped behind his head, he lay and stared at the underside of the roof.

The same breezes blew through the village, and the reeds on the roof above him rattled slightly in response. In the distance, a pack of coyotes yipped and howled together. Nature spoke in its own language that touched all ears the same, and to Kpleeb, it seemed like everything and everyone had a family except him.

He sighed deeply and broke down. Hot tears of bitterness welled up and then slid down toward the back of his head. He sobbed quietly as he remembered Zara’s face smiling up at him. His girl, the child he never expected to have. The wonderful child whom he loved. Thoka’s patient and reserved brilliance had turned into the same kind of motherhood.

[My dearest Thoka. What an epic mother!]

He did not even bother swiping the tears away as they continued to flow. He remembered his Mam, Pfftul, Ullipt, Wup, and even Kenthid the ever bossy. Everyone he knew and everyone he had loved was now gone.

[It is all so hopeless. These beings have taken me from my home. They’ve changed me and dropped me in some new place. They’ve killed my woman and stolen my daughter. I promised I would pay them back, kill them all… but they have so much power that I don’t have. I am utterly helpless.]

There, on Phaedro, in the valley nearest the canyon he lay surrounded by warriors, walls, and weaponry that would make any civilization reconsider an attack. He was without a doubt the most powerful caveman to ever have lived. Yet, Kpleeb did not even know if this place was where he had come from. He did not know if his daughter was alive or dead. He did not know if he had built an army only for it to sit wasting on the ground while the merciless and evil Xi rode the heavens unchallenged, able to strike when and where they chose without concern for their own safety.

If it was even possible, his heart sank lower until it stood at the black gate of death itself.

###

Xir, waiting silently in his own doorway, just across the path from Kpleeb’s hut, remembered as he always did. The path had long been laid bare before him. Even as a young Xinti cavechild he had been taught the prophesy. They had all been taught. The fact that it was coming to pass before his own eyes filled him with a mixture of joy and dread.

[The builder may question, but the Ganix will never lose faith in him.]