The Index -|-

Kpleeb’s shoulders shuddered as he sobbed, his head and eyes cast down. Beneath him, his bare feet were sunk into a thick mud all the way to his ankles. The mud generated by his endless tears. He didn’t care. Heart straining with substantial pain that wracked his shoulders as he wept, and snot streamed between his knees.

A hand touched his shoulder gentle yet firm. He saw feet, smooth and hairless.

“What’s wrong, Kpleeb?” A hand smoothed back his shaggy mane.

He looked up at Thoka’s beautiful face, full of youth and vitality, eyes bright and intelligent. Her pearly white hair was perfectly kept as always. Kpleeb sobbed again and closed his eyes tightly.

“I’ve failed you.”

“How so?”

“They’re all still alive!” he wailed, tears adding to the mess surrounding his feet.

“The Predominant are dead, Kpleeb. You did it.” A gentle hand stroked his hair. “You made them pay for their actions.”

“I came to avenge you. At Zara’s request I held my wrath for the leaders, and… they weren’t even in charge!” Kpleeb slammed his fist into the dirt at his side. “The Xih pull those strings, they travel to orbs and collect innocent beings and take them and experiment on them and kill them. These Xih do all the evil things, or do they? Could it be another puppeteer? Another shadowy group of evil Xi? How many more do I have to destroy?”

Thoka was silent.

“I would kill every last Xi for you, my love.”

“I know you would, but… would it satisfy you?”

He ignored the question. “I need you Thoka. They’ve ruined our lives. They stole you from us!”

“What is past must remain in the past. Do not carry this evil forward with you. Do not let it infect your future, Kpleeb. You must let go.”

A memory appeared before him, filling his senses. Thoka laying on her back in the cave on Phaedro, what skin was visible was mottled purple and blue. Her heart was stopped. Her mouth a gaping terror, frozen in pain and dripping blood.

“Thoka!” he screamed hoarsely, his lungs burning.

Her head turned, blue eyes gentle and pleading. “It is only you that suffer now. Let me go, my love.”

“I can’t!” Kpleeb bent lower to wrap his arms around her, but she was gone.

###

With a start he opened his eyes and saw a dimly lit room and a red-tiered console. Sitting up abruptly, he wiped tears from his eyes with the back of his hand. He was on the Greki.

Kpleeb reclined back onto his sleeping pad silently. The ceiling above him displayed a vibrant and crisp image of Nidix that floated like a jewel in the complete darkness of the void. The vision before him was so perfect that his stomach twisted at the apparent height. He looked left at the doorway to let his mind in on the nature of reality and breathed carefully for a moment. A sharp pain shot through his neck as he looked back. Nidix grew smaller as the increasing thrust from Greki’s engines continued to accelerate the vessel toward the great barrier. He sighed and pondered all that they had learned.

I can’t bring Thoka back. There is no return to what we had before, and yet- I still have Zara. She wants me to think about the future with her. If we live through this, will I sit around? What does an old caveman do?

Kpleeb remembered the canyon river tribe. The Fab Elder Shoofit was the oldest caveman he had ever known.

What did Shoofit do? He always talked about his children and their children. Even above his position in the tribe, his source of pride was being the Elder to his bloodlings. Maybe Zara will have children one day.

He saw it clearly: Zara surrounded by children, a whole brood of them, each one sharper than the last. The image made him smile.

That wouldn’t be so bad. I could teach them to build. We could go somewhere quiet and live peaceful lives.

His console blinked at him, indicating Zara’s request to speak. Kpleeb sighed and tapped one of the protrusions.

“Hi, Da. I just wanted to make sure you are alright.” Zara paused, emotion crossing her young face. “I just woke up and realized what we went through was intense in so many ways.”

Kpleeb grunted and waved his hand. “Oh, I’m fine, Zara. I’m glad the Predominant are dead, happy to be alive.”

“Don’t wave it off, Da. We’ve been driving hard to find the Predominant. I know you have needed revenge for what the Xi did to Mama and me. You have done everything since your capture to arrive at this moment, and now that it’s done, you have to find another purpose.”

“The fight isn’t over, Zara!”

“My fight is not over, but yours is. You can’t bring mama back.”

“I won’t let you confront the Xih without my help. This isn’t negotiable.” Kpleeb shook his head emphatically.

“I welcome the help, Da. I need your help, along with that of Viinox, Kanta, and whoever else. But you helping me against the Xih doesn’t make this your fight. You said you’d take revenge on the Predominant, and you have. Please let your future battles be without Mama in mind.”

“Are you really going to tell me that I can’t take more revenge if I want to?” Kpleeb huffed and threw up his hands.

“How many Xi can replace Mama? Is it a hundred? A million? A hundred-billion?” Zara’s face was twisted in a pained look that bothered Kpleeb. “I’m not saying what we’ve done so far wasn’t worth it, but we both need a life after this. I cannot lose you as well.”

Kpleeb sighed and nodded. “I know-I know. It’s just… difficult. Nothing can replace your Mama.”

“Then the payment is settled. Untold millions of Xi killed on our journey here, plus the Predominant. Agreed?”

“And the Xih.”

“No, Da. Your revenge has to be closed off right now or I’m afraid it will consume you.”

Kpleeb shoot his head slowly. “Maybe. That’s all I can give you right now.”

Zara smiled gently. “Maybe is fine for now. When this is over, the Xi will be leaderless and we will be in the position to ensure that this does not happen again. We can be the influence, Da.”

“It sounds like you have big plans.”

“I have dreams mainly, but some plans too. I just don’t want to have gone through this pain and suffering-the loss of Mama along with the kidnapping and everythig else-and not enjoy the fruits of our effort. We deserve a life! You were stolen from your life, and mine never really belonged to me.” Zara brushed a curly, brown lock out of her eyesight. “If we aren’t planning to live past this battle, we might as well quit now. Which reminds me. I was thinking that the kerflk was created by the Xih-“

“-and they might be immune to it?”

“Maybe. Or they might be able to manipulate it in ways we don’t understand. I do know that the Mangas and his crew could not wield aji. I am hoping that it is the same for rest of them.”

Kpleeb nodded slowly. “I certainly hope so. We will need to be careful with the Xih if we can find them.” He sighed dramatically. “I know that I can live after this, Zara. I want to live, but I need to think about where and how and… what I can do. I haven’t thought about anything but revenge in a long time.”

“Da, you build amazing things, and I know you can build even more that are not weapons. Your name can be more than the Builder that takes down the Predominant, you can be the start of a new era for the Xi, the Hkkli, and everyone else.”

Kpleeb shrugged uncomfortably and yawned. “Maybe. I’ll think about it.” He waved. “I’m going to eat now.”

“I love you, da. Thanks for considering this. Bye”

Kpleeb clambered to his feet and then scratched his side with his hairy knuckle. [Zara is so kind hearted. I wonder if she is going to be able to eliminate the Xih? Does she really have it in her?]

“Roasted muskrat leg,” he muttered at the food dispenser. Putting his palm on the wall, he stretched while his meal formed. What would the Xi empire be like without the Xih and the Predominant?