Tag: Hkkli

Liret (Caveman Chronicles)

~ I. Graham Smith ~ Leave a comment

The Index -|-

The Hsstak quivered slightly, and as the door to her cabin slid closed, there was a faint high-pitched laugh followed by a quickly fading wail.

Zara woke abruptly and sat straight up in her sling causing it to sway gently. The room was dark, with only the glow of a slowly-pulsing icon on the side of her red-tiered device that acted as a beacon.

“Lights.”

The ambient light increased in a linear fashion until it reached a soothing luminosity. Zara reached out and tapped her device a few times causing cascading data points to slide through the air in front of her. The report was momentary and it revealed nothing unexpected.

[Bad dream… again.]

She sighed and reached out for Qon. The silky, golden thread instantly coating her fingers like an old friend. As if it read her mind, the thread slipped into the red device and activated her sensor net. An explosion of light expanded as the data cloud grew larger and encompassed more and more space in Zara’s room.

She took it all in. There were miniscule threads of Qon in every piece of aji, and her palms glowed with a sheen that would be invisible to anyone else. The colors wriggled as it curved around her palm. Zara turned her hand and directed a thread at the silvery triangle on the floor. She had found a way to activate the Xih device using only Qon. The thread wended its way forward and touched the shiny surface as it had done many times before. The silver flickered as it always did in an erratic way. It was as if it fought Qon’s caress.

The Xih silvery triangle began to glow but did not activate. The golden thread blunted and Zara responded by applying more force. The thread quivered, resisting her pressure and seemingly malforming itself to avoid penetrating the Xih triangle.

Zara growled slightly under her breath. “What is the problem here?” With an extra, momentary exertion, the silvery triangle activated and the column of shimmering light appeared. The center dot representing the Hsstak was slowly approaching a pale blue dot indicating the Xi controlled orb named Liret.

[Just another few hours until we arrive. Perhaps I should go check on the crew.]

She clambered to her feet and tousled her hair with her hands to shake it into place. In a few more moments she stepped into the Hsstak’s command center.

“How is everything going?”

Kanta’s helmet water sloshed as she answered. “The builder’s fleet is almost to Liret. Estimated time, 2 hours and thirty-five minutes until orbit. The Builder wishes to have a conference with you before arrival.” Her fins tapped the console, and a standard view of the Hsstak’s place in the void appeared. All ten of Kpleeb’s ships appeared on the view. Each was tagged with its name.

Zara nodded. “I will speak to Da. Please let me know when we approach Liret.”

###

Later, Zara looked down on Liret as the Hsstak descended. The orb’s oceans carried a ruddy tinge that made the orb glow in a way she had never seen. She spoke her curiosity. “Viinox, what makes Liret so orange?”

Viinox’s response came back after a short moment. “The warm waters of Liret in combination with the natural algae make the oceans appear in shades of red and orange. The land masses on Liret consist primarily of island chains covering only 15 percent of Liret’s surface. The village we are approaching is named Cizriwn and it contains roughly one-point-seven-two million Xi.”

“Thank you, Viinox. I love learning this new information.”

Her Da’s plan was simple, and though Zara did not know exactly why, she knew that he was testing new ways of conquering. [He needs time and experience to fully become the Builder. He will make mistakes, but he is a good and noble caveman that wishes the best for everyone. I just need to protect him while he learns.]

The seven XF configuration ships in the fleet would land in the center of the largest village. It was here that Viinox and Oiitr had identified the Iteek’s office in a large Xi structure. The ships would disgorge the warriors and conquer the local authorities. Any Xi that resisted would naturally be captured or killed. Then the hubs facilitating communication between Liret and the rest of the Xi empire would be destroyed. Kpleeb’s monitoring devices would be scattered throughout the villages on the orb so as to provide a warning in the event the Xi reestablished communications or decided to rise up against his rule.

“Prepare to land,” came Kpleeb’s voice over the comms.

The Hsstak settled to the ground with a sigh and a gentle bump. The exit door ahead of Zara jolted open revealing a brightly-lit hard surface. Her eight Ganix warriors led by Tiv sprinted out and created a semi-circle around the entrance with their lightning spears at the ready. Zara activated her personal shield and stepped outside.

The area where they had landed was huge. Impossibly tall structures with a lak-like sheen struck into the sky above her, and she felt terribly small. It was dusk. The light from Liret’s star was tinged with blue and shone through the horizon at an angle. Dozens, perhaps hundreds of Xi stood in small groups all over the open area and more approached from all directions. There was a stampede of Hkkli footfall from across the open space and many of the Xi turned to stare at the many strangers.

Zara turned as a small group of figures from the nearest structure began to walk toward them. Her Da and a group of Hkkli also approached from her left. Zara stepped to her Da’s side as the group of Xi stopped a dozen paces from them.

Viinox’s voice spoke quietly from her side. “The Iteek is there, and they have not yet activated a distress signal.”

[Viinox must be nervous, but its job is to create uncertainty long enough for us to take control.]

“The Iteek is named Oliit. It asks about our purpose here.”

Her Da raised his hand and then spoke loudly. “I am Kpleeb, also known as the Builder. I wish to speak to the Iteek, I believe its name is Oliit.” He smiled fiercely. “Identify yourself.”

One Xi dressed in long, blue robes stepped out from the group. “I am Oliit,” it called.

Kpleeb and Nairo stepped forward confidently until they were face to face with Oliit.

“Oliit wishes to know why I do not respond,” said Viinox.

“Tell it that the Builder speaks for this group.” Zara smiled slightly. “I trust you, Viinox. We do not wish to kill these Xi.”

Oliit’s head tilted sideways slightly as if considering. “What does the Builder desire from our poor outpost on Liret?”

Kpleeb smiled calmly. “I wish to visit your office, high- uh, eminence. Will you invite us in and speak with me about an alliance?”

Oliit’s neck slits fluttered momentarily as it appeared to consider the request. Finally, it lifted its chin in a regal manner and turned toward the nearby structure. “Come.” Without waiting, the Iteek and its large group of consorts moved gently forward.

Zara watched the whole exchange with interest. [What must it be thinking? Doesn’t it feel suspicious? Perhaps they are confident in their power, though surely this is the first non-Xi that has approached them in this manner.]

Her Da motioned for her to follow, and within another ten minutes they had entered into a large triangle room within the large structure. There was a small dais at one end of the room and next to the dais was suspended a single, ornate sling. Oliit sat silently in the sling and then gestured to Kpleeb. “Please describe this alliance you seek.”

Kpleeb smiled grandly and raised his arms. “The Xi have harmed me and my family greatly. I am here to become the ruler of Liret.” He looked at Oliit seriously now. “If you submit to my leadership, you and your people will live and flourish.”

Zara felt Viinox tense at her side, and she grasped Qon quickly.

Two of the Xi attendants next to Oliit dropped to their knees and pulled flat, oval objects out of their pale robes. A pair of the closest Hkkli fell immediately as if struck by an invisible hand.

As Zara reacted, her Da stepped forward and back handed one of the Xi. Its head whipped back and the recoil threw its body into Oliit who was just beginning to cower away from the attacks. The other Xi began to respond but was struck in the chest with a lightning bolt. By the time the second attacker hit the floor, the first Xi began to dissolve into dust.

Zara clenched her fists and pulled the aji out of the walls with thick tendrils of Qon. In her ears there was a ripping sound as the room plunged into darkness. Pulses of lightning flashed, and then she felt her shield flex with a strong hit. Her breath was forced from her chest momentarily and she released her grip. The lights in the space flickered on and Zara saw Oliit lifting a crystal glove toward her.

Qon leapt ahead of her in anticipation. “Da!” she cried and lifted her hand toward Oliit. An invisible golden spear shot out and impaled its body. “No! I need to question it!” Zara shouted. Qon lashed out again, and Zara tightened her grip and pulled. It was too late.

With a flurry of kicks, Nairo and two other Hkkli finished off the remaining Xi. Zara’s Da knelt next to Oliit’s body as its neck slits ceased to move. He shook his head and looked up at her. “I was hoping it would help us run this orb.”

“I’m sorry, Da,” said Zara looking down at her feet. “Things got out of hand.” At that moment, she remembered the communication hub.

“Viinox, take Kanta and go disable the hub quickly.” Viinox began to move toward the door.

“Nairo, take one of your warriors and make sure Viinox is protected.” Her Da stood and looked again at Zara. “It seems like no matter how much I try, the Xi insist on testing my patience. Let’s go outside.”

Zara and her Da soon stepped out and stopped where the group of Hkkli and Ganix warriors cautiously watched the still growing number of Xi that stood outside.

Her Da touched his necklace and raised his right hand. His voice echoed with power. “People of Liret, I am your new supreme ruler. I come to rule peacefully. If you resist me, I will throw your riaat into the red ocean.”

There was a ripple in the crowd at his offensive words.

“I gave Oliit a chance, and it chose poorly. I have disabled Liret’s connection to the core. There will be no Xi vessels visiting your world for a long time. Now, I give you the same choice. Choose a new Iteek. Live in peace, flourish, and treat the other intelligent races around you with respect. If you do this, I will leave you in peace.”

Zara looked around at the crowd. There were more individual beings in the open space than she had ever seen in one spot, and she remembered that this was a small world on the outskirts of Xi space. Liret was a speck in the Predominant’s empire, easily discarded and soon forgotten.

Viinox and Kanta appeared from the doorway, and her Da’s hand rested on her shoulder. “We must leave. There other communications hubs have been destroyed.”

Zara nodded silently and took another look at the many Xi.

[There are so many- too many to count. Endless Xi. Is there any safe place?]

Dead Juma (Caveman Chronicles)

~ I. Graham Smith ~ Leave a comment

The Index -|-

Kpleeb stepped out onto the silent surface an hour after the barrage. Dust swirled viciously around his ankles, with gusts reaching his waist. A faint, chemical scent tickled his nose and he sneezed violently. As the remaining Hkkli warriors trotted out to make a wide circle, He looked around him.

The Greki had landed in a clear space that was around ten times larger than the ship. Fine dust and other, fist sized chunks of debris covered the flat ground and crunched under his feet. The debris had a metallic shine in the star’s hazy and indirect light, and the occasional spiral of white dust accented the silvery grey.

In the near distance several structures had once stood. Now, broken shards at least three times taller than Kpleeb pierced the haze like razer-tipped fingers clawing from under the dirt. Kpleeb adjusted his goggles carefully as dust sifted down onto his cheek.

“Follow me,” he said waving at the Hkkli warriors.

They approached the nearest structure. It was three-sided and silvery while being adorned with torn and charred edges. He stepped through a gap in the wall, careful to not potentially cause a collapse. Inside he looked up. The roof had been disintegrated or perhaps shredded and blown away.

[These huts aren’t very strong. Perhaps the Xi are never attacked.]

Through another gap he went. This space was smaller and the roof had caved in partially. Several outcroppings were built into the walls, their top surfaces very smooth and shiny under the settled dust. A white spot caught his eye and he bent to look under the outcropping in the corner and saw a pile of riaat.

[Silica dust, a Xi died here.]

Kpleeb poked at the pile with the butt of his lightning spear before turning to leave.

Outside, the Hkkli stood in a semi-circle around the gap that Kpleeb had entered. He looked further away from the Greki and saw much larger structure.

“We are going that way,” he said pointing with his knuckle. “Stay alert. It is possible that Xi warriors will attack us.”

His protective circle moved slowly forward passing many structures that appeared to be similar to the one he had already examined. The larger structure slowly increased in size as they got closer, and after quite a long walk it towered over the group. Kpleeb looked to the right and then to the left and marveled at the sheer bulk of this object.

[Is this a Xi hut? I’ve never seen anything so huge! It seems like the white spirals are more common here as well.]

Kpleeb stirred the grey and white swirled dust with his moccasin and then chose a direction. He turned left and looked for any gap or entrance in the hut’s wall. After another five minutes, a large gap appeared. He noticed that the prevalence of white dust increased significantly around the gap.

It was dark inside, and Kpleeb enabled the light on his spear before stepping in. A wide corridor that stretched forward, and the further inward he moved, the less dusty the air became. The walls became more colored, fading from dusty silvery to pastel hues that reminded him of the blues and greens of the river water back home. Riaat was there, dozens or hundreds of small dust piles flattened and mixed together by the stirring air.

Finally, he approached a cavernous space where his light seemed to fade into nothingness. The ceiling above was vastly distant and pocked with faint sections of open sky. Numerous piles of riaat were scattered nearby, and when the quiet tiptoeing of the Hkkli came to a stop, the silence was overwhelming.

When Kpleeb reached down and adjusted his spear’s light to the maximum setting, he gasped in shock.

Stretching as far as he could see, small humps of riaat peppered every surface. There were thousands, perhaps millions, of piles. His mind reeled with the vast number and the fact that there was no visual indication that the interior of this structure ended.

[They must have congregated here for safety. How many Xi died here?]

Kpleeb turned to address the nearest Hkkli warrior. “How many riaat piles do you think there are?”

The warrior’s ears flattened slightly and he squeaked a hasty response which was translated by Zara’s device.

“May all the Xi rot. However many dead, I care not enough to count. The builder brings vengeance.”

Kpleeb grunted vaguely and squeezed his eyes shut. [Not the answer I expected… There are so many dead! What have we done. What have I done?]

“I build,” he muttered quietly.

“You build mighty weapons,” came the reply.

He glanced at the warrior and then, with a sigh, he turned to leave the thought behind.

[This will hurt Zara if I tell her.]

###

Kpleeb and his team spent the entire day surveying the damage and searching for survivors. Ultimately, he was unable to find any surviving Xi. The destruction of Juma’s city was total. In the final scan, on the shores of the large body of water he found countless remnants of Xi water craft and the carcasses of many thousands of fish and other native animals.

A layer of dust mixed with riaat covered all surfaces and dead things. Some of the technology he found was new, and he instructed the Hkkli warriors to load several interesting devices into the ship.

When the Greki lifted off from the orb’s surface to rejoin his fleet, Kpleeb silently retreated to the solitude of his room with those words echoing in his memory.

[‘The builder brings vengeance.’ Am I merely a destroyer? Yes, I build weapons, but also machines and villages. Should I just lay down as the Xi perpetrate genocide, kidnappings, and experiments on the innocent people of the universe?]

He wrestled a tumultuous burden.

[What is a just fight? Have the Xi not killed and ruined everything I knew and loved?]

He remembered Thoka and many other Ganix who had died. He remembered his Mam and the tribe in the river canyon. Then he remembered the Xi riaat. their endless dead that seemingly numbered far above his own loss.

The remote speaking device called him. “Da,” said Zara’s voice. “What did you find?”

After a long pause, Kpleeb replied.

“The Xi on Juma are conquered. They will threaten us no more.”

The Attack on Juma (Caveman Chronicles)

~ I. Graham Smith ~ Leave a comment

The Index -|-

Kpleeb opened his eyes when the squeaking reached an abnormal volume.

[The incessant chattering; I can’t think like this!]

He turned his head and saw Hiro standing with two other Hkkli. Kpleeb was no expert on the strange, rodent-like Hkkli, but it seemed like Hiro was being verbally assailed by the other two.

“Listen- Hey!!” Three Hkkli heads swiveled to surveil Kpleeb’s shaggy hair and annoyed face. “Would you just leave him alone and just shut up?!” Kpleeb stood gruffly and stalked away toward the Greki. When he reached the doorway, he climbed into the dark opening.

The air inside was cooler, and the doorway into an interior hall slid open. Kpleeb could hear the two Hkkli ramp up Hiro’s verbal lashing again just as the door closed. The lights in the hall increased in luminosity indicating that he was the first entrant in the last few moments.

[The Hkkli are so excitable. No wonder they are always at war. Poor Hiro.]

Kpleeb settled down on a sling in the command center and prodded the red tiered device in front of him. The data cloud that appeared above the device said it all. His fleet of Xi ships were near Jorqu. Three of the larger XC ships moved slowly outward from the planet’s orbit followed by five of XF configurations. The Greki and Hsstak were the only ships left on the surface.

He pressed a protrusion. “Zara, are you ready?”

After a long moment, Zara’s voice replied. “I think we’re ready, Da. I’ve just closed the outer bay door.”

“Great,” said Kpleeb, tapping his console a few more times.

“This is the Builder. The Greki is taking off in two minutes. closing the outer door now.”

The door to the command center slid open and Oiitr entered followed by Nairo. Oiitr settled immediately in front of its own console and began checking the Greki’s systems. “Everything is in order,” it said with a slight lift of its chin.

“Nairo, are your troops ready?”

The rotund Hkkli chittered something squeaky and Zara translator device replied. “We have ten of the best Hkkli warriors on board, sir.”

Kpleeb nodded and turned to watch the external view as the ship lifted away from the clearing in Jorqu’s endless sea of foliage. The sky darkened in another minute and then became pitch black as the view rotated forward and zoomed in on his fleet.

The ships were tiny, gleaming dots that slowly increased in size as the Greki accelerated toward them.

“Here we go,” Kpleeb muttered nervously. He stood and walked toward the door. “Oiitr, I’m going to work.”

The Xi did not respond.

###

Kpleeb stirred from his sleep when the chime sounded. “Yeah, yeah,” he muttered irritably, reaching out to press a protrusion next to his sleeping pad. “What do you want?”

Oiitr’s voice spoke concisely. “We are approaching the terminal now. Estimated arrival is ten minutes.”

Kpleeb scrubbed his eyes with his palms and rolled to his knees and then to his feet.

[Finally!]

Kpleeb stepped into the command center within a few minutes. “Are there any Xi ships nearby?”

“No sir,” said Oiitr with a downward tilt of its chin. “The terminal seems clear of any traffic.”

“Where is it?”

The external view that showed on dark space peppered with distant stars began to zoom at Oiitr’s instruction. Quickly, there appeared a silvery pyramid shape that floated idly in space some distance away. “This is the terminal.”

“It seems… underwhelming somehow,” said Kpleeb. “How does a ship use the terminal?”

“The ship issues a command to the terminal and identifies itself and its desired destination. The terminal opens a gateway and the ship approaches and is coalesced into the gateway. When the transfer is complete, the ship exits the same gateway at the destination.”

“Hmm.” Kpleeb tried to picture the process and the resulting gateway, but his mind only produced images of sticks woven with reed-cords into rough shapes in the way Ullipt use contain his muskrats back home in the river canyon. Finally, he just smiled and looked Oiitr. “Fine. Destroy it.”

Oiitr lifted its chin and tapped its console. The external view pulled back as the Greki spat four bolts of twisted, blue fire toward the pyramid. In a few long moments, the bolts impacted and the pyramid disappeared in a flash of debris that was quickly consumed by a vortex that folded in on itself and disappeared.

“That’s it?” Kpleeb shrugged.

“The power integrated into the terminal is tremendous,” said Oiitr. “but terminals are linked in such a way that any energy release is spread across the network and used to generate gateways.”

“And no other ships can come through this terminal?”

“This terminal is completely destroyed. It cannot be repaired, only replaced.

“Well, okay. Let’s visit Juma then.”

###

Kpleeb worked and slept and waited for a few more days, and finally Oiitr called him to the command center. When he arrived, Oiitr and Nairo were there observing the view that was projected into the air on one side of the room. It was mostly filled with Juma, which was a golden orb that had a certain sheen to it. Large, blue-green bodies of water dotted the surface.

“Sir,” said Oiitr pointing at the display. “There is a large village below. The Jiti has come back from circling the orb and reports that there are no other sizable villages on the surface.”

The external view zoomed to show the village that Oiitr indicated which was located near a body of water. Due to the top-down view, the scale of the village was not readily apparent, but it appeared to be a thousand times more massive than the largest village Kpleeb had ever seen. The buildings were mostly triangle and varied in footprint and height. Their surfaces gleamed in the light of the local star.

“Oiitr, are the villages made of lak? I was once held captive in the lak house on Phaedro and remember how shiny it is.”

Oiitr tilted its chin downward slightly. “Lak is primarily used in manufacturing higher technology such as the terminal, but the buildings that make up a Xi village are coated with the by-products of lak refinement to protect them from the weather. This is what gives these structures the shiny texture.”

“Da,” came Zara’s voice over the radio. “We are ready to attack at your command.”

Kpleeb paused and considered the plan. Oiitr, Viinox, and Tiiwr had all confirmed that every Xi inhabited orb was guarded by a sensor system that detected vessels in their orb’s vicinity. There were no active defenses because the Xi had no real challengers, but a warning would be issued to the office of the Iteek – the orb’s designated outpost leader. The Iteek’s office would respond by passing a warning along to the First Terminal, which would eventually result in the arrival of Xi vessels.

Kpleeb and Zara had determined that the attack would be most effective as a surprise. They knew that the surprise would be useful one time or maybe two depending on how quick the Xi were to respond. The Xi empire was not stupid, it was merely complacent and had never been challenged, so Kpleeb could not afford to take lightly what they were about to do.

Kpleeb grimaced and thought about Thoka. He remembered his life back in the river canyon, and his time imprisoned aboard the Xih ship. He thought about the prisoners on the Hsstak: Kanta, Rog, and the Hkkli. His anger rose as it often did when he pondered what he had lost and how the Xih treated the inhabitants of so many orbs.

[What I know of the Xi is probably just a fraction of the suffering caused and that still continues. The Xi will pay. I’ve always said it, and I mean it. It is time.]

“All ships fire simultaneously as planned. Begin countdown.”

Nairo tapped the weapons console with his chunky-clawed fingers, and the external view flashed a timer showing fifty vertical bars that began to disappear in a regular cadence.

Kpleeb tried to judge Oiitr’s mental state, but the Xi was emotionless as usual.

Soon, the last bar blinked out and a flood of projectiles were released from all of the ships in Kpleeb’s fleet. There were hundreds of blue bolts, and more appeared every second. It was as if time slowed to imprint the full destruction into Kpleeb’s mind. The Xi village erupted in a cloud of flame and debris, and a shockwave rippled over the nearby body of water creating a steam cloud.

The command center was quiet. Kpleeb clenched his fists, smiled grimly, and witnessed the destruction.

[A little bit of pay back. Time to see what a Xi village looks like.]

Peace-pipe (Caveman Chronicles)

~ I. Graham Smith ~ Leave a comment

The Index -|-

Kpleeb lay on his back. In his peripheral vision, reeds stood joyfully lifting beautiful green fronds above him on thin arms. These fronds waved in a light breeze, and happy sunlight flickered through into his consciousness.

[This would be beautiful… except–]

A loud and piercing cry echoed from somewhere to his left. Kpleeb was startled, and with the reactivation of his senses, the pain set in again. His side hurt along with his arms and head. He felt with his hands and jerked a few small darts away from the skin on his right side. The barbs tugged as they released. He gritted his teeth and raised his head slowly. There was no smoke, only cries of pain and grunts of strenuous effort mixed with heavy breathing scuffling of feet.

He saw pockets of Ganix warriors alone or in small groups. The warriors were at least a head taller than the Hkkli that surrounded them. With a grunt, Kpleeb sat up. In front of him a single Ganix warrior battled a wall of Hkkli. Like all Ganix, the warrior was blindingly fast. His spears jabbed and spun with incredible speed and mostly maintained a large empty space around his body. There was no room for use of the lightning spears because they were longer, heavier, and needed to be held with both hands.

The Hkkli moved in waves. Their bodies were round and furry, and they moved like pear-shaped ninjas. Each one wore a kind of red band on their wrists. Kpleeb saw them as they surrounded the Ganix, seeming to wait for a gap. When a gap was discovered, one Hkkli would swivel on front legs and issue a comical flurry of kicks with their rear legs.

It was comical only in how the attack looked. The mayhem that lay spread throughout the clearing was not so entertaining. As he watched, another pairing of Ganix fell, bloodied by the razor-sharp scissor kicks.

The whine-crack of a lightning spear echoed, and Kpleeb turned his head to see where it had come from. A trio of Ganix warriors protected a half-circle of space next to the Hsstak. Zara stood with her back up against the ship’s hull, and they were surrounded by dozens of Hkkli.

Zara fired the lightning spear again. Another Hkkli fell, but its space was taken instantly by another. She swiped her hand past the Ganix, and several Hkkli were shoved violently into a heap by her use of the aji forces, but there was no material change in her situation.

[She is probably unwilling to use a more powerful attack with the Ganix in such close proximity, but she needs to be willing to hurt a few friends in order to destroy the enemy– if that’s what it takes.]

After a quick check of his immediate vicinity, he found his lightning spear in the grass and grasped it tightly. [Time to save Zara again, if I can.] Kpleeb gritted his teeth and readied himself to stand. He felt the ground shake faintly, and he heard a low rumble. He stood quickly with his spear ready to fire. With a savage grin, he began to unleash lightning repeatedly into the backs of the Hkkli that surrounded Zara. The wooden shaft kicked in his grip, the recoil shaking his arms and shoulders.

The Hkkli attack fell apart, and Zara waved toward him. An undulating mass of Hkkli turned their vengeful gaze on Kpleeb. He shifted and began firing his spear again as quickly as possible, but the Hkkli were incredibly fast. Their darts flew like raindrops driven before a fierce northern storm.

Shrill war cries rose in chorus, and the sound of pounding feet increased.

Kpleeb was pelted with incoming projectiles and agony blossomed anew. He fell to his knees and then slumped to his stomach where the grass tickled his nose. The dull roar increased and with a gust of wind, a stampede of plump Hkkli bodies impacted above him. He blacked out.

Kpleeb awoke sometime later. He lay on his back on a cot made of reeds, and the smooth, grey hull of the Hsstak stretched like a rampart far above him. When he moved his head, he saw Zara standing nearby speaking to a small group of Hkkli. Concern welled up inside him, and he reached out with his hand.

“Da,” Zara said, turning toward him. “You’re awake!” She took his hand and pulled.” Come talk to Hiro and Saeli!”

Kpleeb slowly clambered off the cot and stepped forward to where the small group of Hkkli waited. Beyond them was a great crowd of Hkkli. As far as he could tell, the Hkkli forces had doubled, but the new Hkkli wore green scarves and stood guard over the smaller red-wristed groups. Ganix warriors wielding lightning spears stood between the Hkkli and the Hsstak.

“Is everything okay?” It appeared to Kpleeb that there were many dead and wounded strewn about the clearing, mostly Hkkli with red-wrists.

Zara gestured toward the small group in front of them. “I told you about the Hkkli that were captured on the Hsstak. These are Hiro and Saeli from the Koratu tribe. They came to help us fight the Kiotin.” She pointed toward the Hkkli wearing the red-wrist bands.

Kpleeb bent his head and slapped the side of his head twice, but there was no change to his confusion. “Hkkli fought other Hkkli to save us?”

“Yes, Da. They are our allies because I freed them.” She sighed. “Doing the right thing does pay off sometimes.”

Kpleeb nodded and looked at Hiro and Saeli. “Is this true?”

Saeli spoke in a high-pitched and squeaky voice, and Zara’s device translated. “We are not allies. Zara the Protector returned us to Ulaen, or Jorqu as you call it. The least we can do is repay this debt. An alliance may be obtained, but we will meet you first.”

“We, urh… we appreciate your help,” said Kpleeb gruffly, his head still feeling fairly woolly. “What do we do with the urh… Kiotin?” He glanced at the crowd of warriors. There were so many, and battle could easily spring anew from their midst.

Hiro spoke a halting combination of purring grunts and low squeaks. “Kiotin owe Koratu a large debt. Half will be sacrificed, and the others will join Kiotin as guards for Zara the Protector.” His small and furry claw stretched out. “The debt must be paid.”

Zara looked up at Kpleeb and nodded. “I think the Koratu will become larger and take over the Kiotin tribe-lands. The Kiotin people will be the larger of the two groups and will dominate.”

“Quite the way of winning,” Kpleeb muttered. “We should negotiate to have guards that don’t hate us. It could be a trap.”

Zara nodded and spoke loudly. “Relationships are built on time and trust. Please, come stay and eat with us.” She turned slowly to sit, and Hiro and Saeli stepped backward as if in horror.

“We cannot share grain with you without an alliance,” Saeli squeaked. “We will talk first.” With a small, clawed hand, she beckoned at her side and another Hkkli stepped forward. She carried a woven bag, and from it was produced a short and fat stick covered with intricate carvings. Saeli waddled forward and sat under the awning next Hsstak’s hull. Hiro followed and sat behind her and to her left.

Kpleeb looked at Zara and shrugged. “Seems like we must talk.” He sat across from the Hkkli, and Zara followed suit.

Saeli and Hiro both reclined on their right sides and kicked out their left leg.

Zara grabbed a sack containing tubers and brought it near so that she could lean on it.

Kpleeb sat awkwardly. [Should I recline too? Seems so informal for a new meeting. No. I will not.]

Saeli closed her eyes for several long moments. Then she spoke quietly.

“You must be willing to be ruthless in your attacks.”

Zara and Kpleeb looked at each other, then after a moment, Zara spoke. “What do you mean?”

“Your ikti spears need room to pause and fire. You should have a company of spears in the rear that can snipe at the enemy. Without this, your ikti spears are less effective. You seem to have some power that you hold back as if waiting for a better time.” Saeli swiped her paw in a mimic of Zara’s sweeping attack. “This is why you needed our help.”

Zara blinked. “I cannot harm the Ganix. As my Da told me long ago, they are our family, and we must protect them.”

Kpleeb nodded thoughtfully. “Saeli is right. Of course we try to protect the Ganix, but if you hold back, it may be that every Ganix will die. If you release your full power, perhaps none will die and many will be saved.”

Zara’s expression seemed uncertain as she pondered the statement. “Maybe… I don’t know.”

Saeli spoke again. “You are very strong, but you need Saeli to help with battle.” She huffed her cheeks in a manner that made them wiggle. “You stay here with Koratu for moons, and we will give you tactics and knowledge.” With that, Saeli selected a small device from her neck pouch and touched it to the tip of her carved stick.

The stick began to emit a pale green smoke that reminded Kpleeb of how Fab Elder Shoofit’s feet smelled after a long wetening. He knew what would happen next, and he was right. Whenever a pipe is introduced to a group of people during their first meeting, the meeting would inevitably last quite a long time.

Kpleeb glanced at the large clearing. The Hkkli in green scarves were passing out food and drink to the Hkkli wearing red wristbands.

[This place is nuts.]

After a few moments pondering the scene before him, he took the smoking pipe that was passed from Zara to him. It smelled awful, but he smiled pleasantly and nodded at Hiro and Saeli.

[Perhaps watching large rodents smoke peace pipes is just as nuts as listening to a caveman wax eloquent about his old life next to the canyon river.]

He took a deep draw from the pipe and began to cough. Not wanting to embarrass himself, he held it in and wheezed, eyes watering, until green smoke escaped from his nose.

[Hkkli lettuce. Yuck…]