When a curious new species arrived on the swamp world the engineers rose again to witness their activities. These new creatures possessed light, soft skin and projections from their bony skulls that resembled their own sensory organs. They called themselves humans. The engineers observed the new species carefully, participating in some research and steering them away from others.
The humans were a delightful change to the Ch’Tauk. While both shared primitive origins, the humans evolved without interference from outside races. They were young and arrogant and full of curiosity for the galaxy that rivaled the beings. Most of all, the creatures, from a planet variously called Earth or Terra, seemed at ease with their own primitive natures. When the engineers discovered the plan to attack the Ch’Tauk priest world, they were saddened. They harbored hope that the humans were more advanced than the Ch’Tauk they had left behind.
In the end, the humans fell to the Ch’Tauk who launched a preemptive strike and took away Terra from the humans. The engineers went into hiding again, leaving only a small group to travel with the humans. It had been a generation since the engineers left the Ch’Tauk and they were astonished the black-armored creatures had forgotten what they looked like. They were able to move freely among their own creations and not be recognized. As prisoners of the Ch’Tauk, the scout group learned about the taking of Earth and its colonies by the Ch’Tauk. They also learned about the humans and the inherent honor even among the lowest of their castes.
In the end, it would be the sacrifice and injury of one human in the defense of the caretakers and the engineers that would summon the beings back to Convocation. They decided again to interfere into the galaxy and put an end to their own creations. Now called Elves by the humans after a mythological race of toy-makers, the beings used their restored knowledge to advance the technology of the surviving humans. The use of aggression was a last resort to end the spread of the Ch’Tauk, but the Convocation agreed that it was the only way to repair their mistakes.
Now, convocation had been called to discuss the upcoming war and its effect on their process. The beings never before had needed a word for the concept until the Ch’Tauk taught it to them. Now the humans experienced at fighting and surviving, were teaching the eternal creatures about battle and strategy. An agreement was made that they would end the fighting and then interferes no more. They remembered how to travel without the need for ships but felt a responsibility to return the humans to their world before leaving forever.
In the tone, a single voice created a dissonance. It was a question. In the entirety of history, no being ever asked a question at Convocation. It was a further corruption of the purity of thought. The question disrupted the flow of data around the plane of existence. No answer could be given because no being had ever thought like this before.
“But what will become of the humans?” The questioner asked. “What if we lose them as well?”
About the Author
James Prosser is the author of two previous books. He lives in Central Florida with his wife and several felinoid children whose amusing names give him endless hours of amusement.
Resolute Uprising (The War for Terra) Page 24
