by Dean Sault
“I won’t have any trouble finding the ship again. You don’t drive a stripper plow without learning to memorize every path in a quarry.”
He liked her confidence. She would have made a good scout.
“As soon as you’re ready,” he instructed, “take some assistants and set up the torch trail. When you get to the ship, ask Simon how much longer it will be to begin loading. Our people tire of waiting.”
Kelly found it natural to take charge.
“Ammul, I’m going straight down to get the answer for Shilgar. Will you set up the torches?”
After Ammul agreed, she headed down the tunnel. Travel passed quickly as she was excited to see her birthmate again. She wondered if Elders had told him about Adam’s decision.
A group of soon-to-be space travelers approached Shilgar at the cave entrance.
“Tai. Kayli,” he greeted them. “It’s wonderful to see you. I’m so glad you are joining us.”
Tai clutched Shilgar’s forearm but did not sustain the grip for the usual scout duration. Instead, he tugged down the neck of his tunic with both hands, proudly revealing a single shiny black stone on a thin rawhide strap. Kayli broke into a shy grin and slipped her arm around him.
“Congratulations!” Shilgar smiled. “I’m happy for you both of you. Have you set the date?”
“Well, we were kinda hoping you’d do the ceremony for us.” Tai anxiously watched his mentor, hoping for the right answer. “How about it? Maybe during the trip?”
“I’m afraid you and Kayli will be in stasis during the trip. Didn’t they tell you?”
“Yeah, but we were thinking maybe you’d do it on the ship, before they put us out. Please, it’d really mean a lot to us.”
“I’m sorry, but there won’t be any time on the ship.” Shilgar thought a second. “What about right now? We have a time before the first group leaves for the ship. Are you prepared?”
The couple looked at each other. The immediacy of his suggestion gave them momentary pause.
“What do ya think, Kayli? You ready to be stuck with me for life?” Tai joked.
Kayli hesitated and turned to look him straight in the eye. Her facial expression betrayed possible doubt.
“You know I love you, Tai, but I’d rather wait until we get to our destination, just in case there’s a better catch for me there.”
Both men took her witty reply seriously and winced, but Kayli couldn’t keep a straight face. She broke into a wide grin, even before the men realized she was joking.
“Of course, silly! I love you. I’m ready.” She threw her arms around him.
Relieved, Shilgar shook his head at her mischief and called out to the nearby crowd for an official record clerk. A young man carrying a heavy, leather-bound book stepped forward. The human leader then asked the closest people for witnesses to sign off on the marriage.
Several women, hearing talk of a wedding, converged on Kayli. They drew her into their midst and began fawning over her. Some wove dried flowers into her hair while others rifled through their own possessions, looking for a suitable dress for the ceremony. They formed a screening wall around her as she changed into clothes they provided.
The promise of a new marriage always brought vitality to the free human community, but under these special circumstances, a new coupling provided strong symbolism.
A crowd grew quickly. Men formed the traditional circle of protection around Kayli. She stood alone in the open space, looking more beautiful than Tai could ever have imagined.
With linked arms, the circle of men walked slowly around her, forming a barrier between Tai, on the outside, and Kayli inside. As was customary, the groom must find an opening through the barrier, and they would resist his efforts. Tradition held that he must force his way into the marriage circle.
Tai moved quickly from one man to another, testing for weakness in their linked arms. None yielded. Finally, he dropped low and dove headlong beneath one of the arm barriers, rolling to a stop at Kayli’s feet. She turned her back to him and walked to the far side of the circle.
A hush came over the raucous throng. One man stepped into the circle carrying a short length of rope. Tai stood and voluntarily allowed his wrists to be tied together. Then, he walked over to Kayli and circled her three times before stopping in front of her.
Bound wrists were held out for Kayli to see. She returned to the center of the circle, and he followed. When she stopped, he approached her from behind, gently lifting his arms over her head and softly dropping them down until they rested around her waist. She leaned back against him, locked in his bound embrace, symbolically surrendering her freedom. They waited.
The crowd parted for Shilgar and an opening broke in the ring of men. He approached the couple and stopped slightly to one side of Kayli. With a lightning fast flick of his hand, he snatched the black jewel from Tai’s throat.
The young man did not wince, despite a red rash left on his neck where the rawhide chafed as it ripped free. Shilgar removed the thong and held the black stone on his open palm before Kayli. When she nodded, he dropped the stone to the ground at her feet. The old scout stepped back one full pace. It was now up to Tai to initiate the commitment ritual.
“Kayli, I have come to you with my heart in bondage. Will you release me?”
“Yes, Tai. I grant you release from the promise of the black stone.”
She produced a small knife from its hiding place in her waistband. It cut Tai’s wrist bindings, giving him the most precious of all human gifts, freedom.
“You are free to walk in the sun,” she said.
Tai’s arms dropped to his sides as three short pieces of rope fell to the ground.
Shilgar spoke to the couple in a loud voice for the benefit of all in the crowd.
“Kayli, you have granted Tai his eternal freedom. Tai, your promise of the black stone is ended. Do you wish to turn away?”
“No. I offer my freedom to Kayli, if she will have me.”
She exhaled in relief, having been worried Tai might succumb to his habitual sarcasm.
“Kayli,” Shilgar continued, “will you accept Tai’s freedom, as your mate for life. Will you return his vow, bear his children, and share his trials?”
“Yes,” she said with quivering voice. “I swear by the Promises of Johan Frumm.”
“Tai, will you share Kayli’s oath? Do you cherish her freedom above all else? Will you walk in the sun with Kayli, and no other, until your last days?”
“I will.”
Shilgar bent over to retrieve the black stone at Kayli’s feet. He placed the jewel on his open palm and turned one full circle for all to see. Then, he positioned the Stone of Commitment onto Kayli’s waiting palm. She kissed the gleaming gem and slipped it into a tiny breast pocket, directly over her heart. Shilgar pulled two lace ends tight at the top of the pocket and tied them together, sealing the pouch. The fabric puckered at the top, and the stone produced an obvious lump below, a lump meant for all to see.
The Elder circled the young couple slowly as he spoke to the people who stood in witness.
“I offer the newest union of free humans, Kaylian Wing and Tai Nastoff. Will anyone stand for this young couple?”
Numerous calls of approval rose from the crowd.
“Be there naysays, speak now or forever remain in darkness.”
Absolute silence held for the full minute as required by law. Shilgar completed his stroll around the couple, arriving back in front of Kayli just as the obligatory waiting time ended.
“Kaylian Wing and Tai Nastoff, you agreed before free humans to keep the vows of the Second Book. All who stand in witness to your promise will sign the Book of Time that records our unions. Please choose your married surname. Do you choose Nastoff, or Wing?”
“Shilgar,” Kayli spoke, “we ask you to grant us your family name, Abrahym.”
The unusual request caught him off guard. Accepted practice was to assume the surname of either marriage partner’s family,
but he could not think of anything in the Guiding Principles that might prohibit an alternate choice.
Shilgar’s chest expanded in both humility and pride.
“I would be honored for the two of you to share my family name. Please surrender, of your own free will, to the binding. Tai, you are first.”
The young scout placed his arms around Kayli’s waist and a young woman from the crowd stepped forward to tie his wrists together with a bright red scarf.
“Kayli, please surrender of your own free will to the binding.”
She turned in Tai’s arms to face him. She looked up into his eyes and extended her arms around to his back, presenting her wrists for binding. A man stepped out of the crowd and tied her wrists with a bright blue scarf.
The young couple stared into each other’s eyes while Shilgar recited the seven expectations of marriage from the Second Book of Free Humans. When he was done, he asked each of them for their promise to honor the conditions of marriage. They agreed.
“By the power of the Council of Elders, I, Shilgar Abrahym, present to all free humans, the binding of Kaylian and Tai Abrahym. Scribe, enter this union in our permanent records. May you both walk in the sun.”
Loud applause broke out as Shilgar uttered the last word. Kayli and Tai enjoyed a long kiss while single maidens rushed out of the throngs to fight for possession of the binding scarves. Lore promised that each maiden who succeeded in winning one of the two scarves, would be next to find true love.
Shilgar slipped away from the happy celebration. He welcomed the optimism it brought his people, but despite the nearby exuberance, he felt a growing weight of his responsibilities. He looked forward to the excitement of this journey, but, at the same time, he wondered if his leadership would be sufficient for the challenges ahead.
The master scout leaned against the cave wall, wrestling with doubts, when a fur-covered snout nudged his hand. He looked down to see Kerl-Ga at his side. She thrust her head up under his arm, her old way of demanding affection, and it brought him some measure of comfort.
“Hello, old girl. What do you think of all this? You and I have overcome a lot in our lives. Is that what you’re trying to tell me? Thank you. I needed the reminder. I guess we can achieve anything, if we never stop believing.”
Man and hicay stood in silent friendship.
Chapter 31
Thick clouds of steam billowed from piles of heated rocks along each side of a large, windowless room. Hot fog suspended above green-scaled heads of three Heptari royals. They lounged on ornately carved, hardwood thrones with countless gems of every color embedded in edges of the arms and headrests.
The sovereigns basked in loose robes, enjoying moist heat that helped them maintain perfect body temperature.
A small mammal escaped from one of their snack bowls. It scampered across the wooden arm, dodging a knifepoint to vanish into moss, growing thick on either side of the throne.
Directly across from the royals, a floor-to-ceiling, red curtain extended all the way from one side of the chamber to the other. Full-sized depictions of warriors, in different stages of battle, were embroidered on its ancient fabric. Some combatants wielded bladed weapons while others threw spears or aimed arrows at unseen victims.
At the midpoint of the curtain-wall, a single guard stood in rigid pose. He wore a floor length black kilt held up by a shiny, blood-red sash, tied tightly around his middle. Heavily muscled arms folded ceremonially across his naked chest, while his eyes stared straight ahead as if locked on some distant vision. A single weapon hung from his waist sash, its gleaming double-edged blade almost touching the floor. Black and red dragon tattoos decorated his scaled chest.
The hollow sound from a ceremonial chime resonated from behind the curtain. The middle-seated royal nodded.
Removing his sword with a single hand, the guard swung his heavy blade to a vertical position centered on his torso. He pulled back the curtain, revealing a Heptari military officer in formal dress uniform.
The officer dutifully followed the royal guard across the large room, stopping three paces from the base of the elevated thrones. Kneeling, the soldier’s eyes locked on the feet of the centermost royal, while he hissed the required formal prose.
“Lords Skah of the Clan Heptari, Supreme Codae of the Heptari Empire, will you hear the story of the Tanarac battle?”
The middle royal lifted his left foot and placed it on a small footstool in front of him. The officer inched forward, never taking his eyes off the foot before him. His long neck stretched its full length, until the tip of his mouth stopped a few centimeters from the three-toed monarch foot. The officer’s bright red tongue flicked from his mouth to touch a jewel hanging at the side of the royal ankle, then, he backed slowly to his original position, eyes still glued to the foot he had just honored.
The royal in the center leaned forward in his seat.
“Rise. Tell of victory . . . or deliver a head.”
The officer stood, keeping his face deeply bowed, and read from an electronic memo pinched between his claws.
“My Lords, the battle engaged, as you commanded. The initial test of Tanarac resolved just as you foretold. It revealed inferior planetary shields and proved the superiority of our new particle cannons. Their planet almost fell to a single deep space cruiser.”
The Royals nodded to each other in satisfaction, while the officer paused, as required. The oldest royal nodded for him to continue.
“Again, as you foretold, the Tanarac government recalled most of their deep space fleet to their central space port at Wallow Minor. Your surprise attack caught them unprepared. Many of their capital ships were destroyed. Those that remain are incapable of fleeing, trapped in purely defensive positions. It is just a matter of time until we destroy them all. Great Ones, your will has been served.”
The Heptari noble sitting to the officer’s right seemed impatient. He came to his feet, and his frock slipped down around his waist, revealing heavy scars on his upper torso.
“What of our Tanarac fleet? Tell of success.”
The officer shifted slightly to address him directly, again careful to keep his head bowed.
“Sire, the enemy managed to recall one full Battle Group to defend their home system. As you directed, our fleet of five Battle Groups remained hidden in deep space waiting for the battle at Wallow Minor to engage. Two Tanarac reconnaissance scouts discovered our fleet before we were ready to attack. Scout warnings were jammed, and one vessel destroyed by ramming, again as you instructed, but the second scout escaped, and our enemy were alerted to our presence.”
“Did we hold the schedule?” The old Heptari leader in the center throne understood the ramifications for changes in timing.
“No, my Lord. The scout report compromised our surprise so Prime Skah Rotaga decided to attack before the enemy could reinforce defenses.”
“Tell of his success.”
“Sires, Tanaracs fought death with great courage.”
All three royal Heptaris frowned at the proclamation. This age-old expression, about the courage of an enemy, meant that a powerful foe achieved some measure of success in combat. It often preceded bad news about a military confrontation.
The officer was quick to report the good news first.
“My Lords, our forces prevailed, and the Tanarac Battle Group has been neutralized with most of their heavy warships destroyed. Only three star-class heavies remain. They escaped and are being hunted as we speak. Tanaracs hide, like cowards, inside asteroid belts, but Prime Skah Rotaga will crush them in the final battle at their home planet.”
“Our costs?” The third royal demanded the whole picture.
“We entered Phase Three with five full Battle Groups, as you directed. Our final assault on Tanarac provides us with a massive numerical advantage as we send almost three full Battle Groups against a mere three enemy heavies.”
Two of the royals stood up, enraged.
“How did we lose two full battle grou
ps to a single inferior Tanarac fleet?” This was not a question. It was a demand for accounting.
The officer described the new antimatter minefield, and displayed a holographic recording of the Tanarac trap. Royals watched the glowing, sector-wide tubes collapse onto two of their battle groups, consuming every ship.
Attempting to soften the news, the officer pointed out that the fleet immediately adjusted sensors to detect such fields, and that they went on the destroy most of the Tanarac fleet. He also conveyed the fleet commander’s personal apology, offering the mandatory overture from one who had failed in his duties.
“Prime Skah Rotaga offers his head for the loss of so many of your ships.”
The royals returned to their seats and talked in hushed tones while the officer returned to his kneeling position. The oldest royal stood and addressed the officer.
“You may rise before me.” He waited a moment for the officer to get to his feet.
“Tell Rotaga, the Codae commands that he is yet to serve. It was not his judgment costing us two Battle Groups. It was the duty of the First Skah of each Battle Group to detect, and avoid, those minefields. They are guilty of dereliction. Did they survive?”
“No, sire. Both died in the minefields.”
“By Heptari Law, their fate then falls to their families. Scribe!”
A small reptilian servant in multiple full-length robes scrambled past the guard, coming to a sitting position on the floor beside the chair of the senior royal. He held up an electronic device with a long stem extending out of the recorder. The royal spoke into the microphone-camera with deliberate emphasis.
“Be it decreed, the First Skah of Battle Groups I-M and C-M are to forfeit their properties to the treasury of the Empire. The male offspring of their first clutch shall lose their heads. All male offspring from lesser clutches shall serve five years indenture to the Empire. Female offspring and the personal harems of each First Skah are to be sold at auction. Proceeds are assigned equally among the Codae treasuries. That is the final word of the Codae.”
The royal brushed the recording instrument aside as he sealed the order.
