by Andrew Gates
“My people did not cast me out. I casted myself out from them. Then I destroyed them. That’s power. I know power and how to claim it. Trust me, your Majesty, if you want to be a strong ruler, I can help you. I can teach you everything I know about seizing power.”
“Your power did not come from ruling. Your power came from betrayal. That is the opposite of what I seek to do.”
“I did what had to be done.”
“You speak as if your actions were justified. But how can anyone justify destroying their own kind?” Ikharus asked. He felt an anger grow inside him just by saying the words.
“Kho Veznek trusted me,” Sanja retorted.
“Because he was blinded by his hatred for the evolved-ones and saw a use in you. It is no wonder he took you in. You both betrayed your people. You are, in many ways, the same.”
A small smile formed across Sanja’s face as she quietly leaned back in her seat.
“After everything I just said to you, why do you smile?” Ikharus wondered.
“Because,” she said through a grin, “it looks like you’ve managed to find your spine after all. I’m glad I was able to help you find it.”
By the Chiefdom, Ikharus thought as he stared at this mysterious woman, she is truly more insane than I could have imagined.
Nobody said a word, but by the wide mandibles and shocked expressions covering those around him, Ikharus could tell his colleagues were tense. After a few moments of quietness, Ikharus cleared his throat and turned to General Kal Ri’Khor.
“I apologize for that jest. I did not intend to start an argument before you all. General, I hope you do not mind if we move this meeting along,” Ikharus said, motioning to Ri’Khor as if nothing had happened. He was eager to put the past argument behind him. “Kho Kudulah informed me earlier today that you had some important news regarding Infinitum’s journey to Mars.”
“Yes, your Majesty, I do,” she replied, nodding with a stern expression. Like him, she acted as if nothing had transpired. “Infinitum is its way to Mars and has been for several weeks now. The crew’s mission is to investigate a blackout occurring within our colonies.”
“This news I know, General Kal Ri’Khor. I attended all of Kho Veznek’s meetings as his guard, if you recall.”
“Yes, I suppose you would have heard those details already,” she said.
“Still, continue. What has happened to Infinitum’s mission?”
Ri’Khor paused, lowered her head for a moment, then met Ikharus’s gaze. She gulped.
“The ship has gone missing, your Majesty.” Her words were blunt.
“You mean to say we have lost contact?”
“No, Kho Ikharus. I mean to say we cannot find it. The ship no longer exists. It is as if it has been destroyed or lost.”
Ikharus paused for a moment as he came to grips with that news. How could a massive warship go missing? It did not seem possible.
“When did this happen?” Ikharus asked.
“I am afraid it occurred during your attack on Fruitful Spring. Kal Kh’Datto had fulltime staff devoted to tracking Infinitum along its journey, but as you can imagine, many Kholvari left their stations during the battle between you and Kho Veznek’s guards. We had eyes on Infinitum before the attack, but not after. It seems something transpired with the ship during the confusion here on Fruitful Spring. Whatever it was, it could not have come at a worse time. The one time we turned our eyes away, we lost them entirely.”
“I do not blame Kal Kh’Datto or her staff for this disaster. They were right to get to safety during the battle,” Ikharus said with an exhale. “Do you have any theories as to what may have transpired?”
Ri’Khor shook her head.
“At this point, it is safe to assume whatever caused the blackout on the Martian surface is also to blame for Infinitum’s sudden disappearance. What that is remains a mystery,” she said.
“Your predecessor would have us believe the Empire, the Confederacy or even the evolved-ones are to blame,” Kudulah said
“It’s definitely not us. I can tell you that,” Sanja replied. “We don’t have the resources.”
“Neither does the Lunar Confederacy,” added Ikharus. “I have seen their so-called ‘military’ up close. Their war vessels consist of nothing more than repurposed cargo ships sloppily reinforced with ablative plating.”
“Then the answer is clear. It must be Sorreveous. They have the resources,” said Quokka.
“It may be Sorreveous, yes. That is a possibility, but not the only possibility,” Kozakh replied, jestering to the room. He slowly stood up and leaned on his crutch. The room watched in silence as he rose. “None of you were there to witness the conversation between the late Kal Khtallia and Kho Veznek when news of the Martian blackout first graced their ears. But I was there and, though I have stood idle during a great many meetings and do not recall the details of most, this was one meeting that I can remember in great detail.”
“Why is that, Kho Kozakh?” Ikharus asked, leaning forward.
“Because, your Majesty, during that meeting, Kal Khtallia proposed a theory, one which I never thought I would hear come from the mandibles of anyone in this Chiefdom.”
“And what, Kho Kozakh, was that?”
“That the attacks on Mars, if they even are attacks, were not committed by anyone from this world. That they came from the Sorrevahni’s fabled ancient enemy.”
“You cannot speak of-”
“I do, your Majesty,” Kozakh continued. He stared into Ikharus’s eyes. “I speak of the Hive.”
Ezenkharam, Kudulah and Quokka chuckled at the very mention of the word ‘Hive’. Meanwhile Sanja looked around the room in confusion. Ri’Khor remained her typical emotionless self, as if the word had no meaning to her. But Ikharus stared straight back at Kozakh with unwavering eyes.
“The Hive, you say? I have serious doubts that Kal Khtallia believed a fantastical enemy like the Hive to be behind this,” Kudulah responded.
“Her Majesty did not believe it, so much as suggest it as a possibility,” Kozakh clarified. “The same can be said for me.”
“Hold on, hold on,” Sanja said, raising her right hand as if that gave her the authority to interject. “Let’s slow down here. Who is the Hive?”
“The Hive… as we know it, does not exist,” Ikharus answered with an exhale. He closed his eyes and bowed his head. “The Hive is part of the Sorrevahni religion. The Sorrevahni claim that their people did not always come from this planet, that they fled across the stars and settled here.” He opened his eyes again and looked up to meet Sanja’s gaze. “The Sorrevahni claim that the Hive is what chased them away from the planet they once called home.”
“So the Hive is an alien race?” Sanja asked.
“As the Sorrevahni see it,” Kudulah answered.
“But the Kholvari don’t believe in the Hive?” Sanja continued.
“We know the truth. We have enough evidence to prove that our species has always been here, that we have always come from Earth,” Kudulah explained. “We use science to put an end to fairytales.”
Sanja smiled and nodded her head.
“I like that,” she said.
“Be that as it may, science or not, I would not be so quick to disregard Kozakh’s point. When no apparent possibilities exist, we must be ready to consider the impossible,” Ikharus said.
A few seated around the table shifted in their seats.
“What do you propose, hierarch?” Ri’Khor asked.
“Until we have sufficient evidence to prove who or what is behind these disappearances, we must prepare for any possibility, as outrageous as they may seem,” he replied. “Right now, Sorreveous remains the most probable cause for these disturbances, but it is not the only possibility.”
“Kho Veznek proposed sending in soldiers. He was… uhm… killed before he had to chance to make the order,” Kudulah explained.
“I am aware that this was Kho Veznek’s solution, Kho Kudulah, bu
t I would not propose such a course of action. If the colonies and Infinitum both met such a dire fate, no doubt our soldiers would meet a similar end. I would not throw more Kholvari lives at this problem and expect it to be resolved any differently this time around.”
“Then what do you propose, Supreme Chieftain?” Ri’Khor asked again.
“Send in probes if we can, machines, but no lives.”
“That will be a costly endeavor,” Quokka said.
“And as Head of Finance, I trust that you more than anyone can find the needed funds,” Ikharus retorted.
“Yes, your Majesty,” the old Kholvari replied. Ikharus could not help but notice a tone of reluctance in his voice.
As Ikharus turned away from Quokka, he suddenly felt the nerves pinch across his back. It felt like his spine was on fire. He paused for a moment to collect himself, then reached to massage his back with his left claw before remembering that his left arm stopped at a stub not far from shoulder.
In that moment, he was acutely reminded of his injuries.
Ikharus felt tired. His muscles were stiff. The crown atop his head felt heavy. He let out a deep sigh.
“We have discussed much today, and a very many important subjects. I thank you all for attending this meeting, but I find that the pain of my injuries has returned to me. Please allow me to retire early for today. I could use some rest and recovery,” he said as he slowly stood up from his seat. Once again, he tried his best to ignore the pain in his front two legs.
Those around him stood and bowed.
“You may rise,” he said as he gripped his staff and used it as a crutch to lean upon. He slowly made his way to the exit, taking one step at a time.
“Until next time, your Majesty,” Sanja said.
It’s not enough for her to be the first to speak. She must also be the last, Ikharus thought as the door closed behind him. He did not trust this treacherous evolved-one, but with so much going on, he had bigger things to worry about than a single individual in his cabinet.
The Chiefdom came above all else and with rebellions brewing, blackouts on Mars, an entire warship disappearing and four comrades dead, it was clear that the Chiefdom was in dire need of saving.
* * *
Days passed.
Fruitful Spring felt eerily quiet as Ikharus passed through the ship’s dark halls lined with honor guards and black-armored troops. In many ways, the calmness of it all reminded him of his time as a soldier. He supposed this was how it was meant to feel when not hurrying from elaborate ceremony to elaborate ceremony. The thought made him grin. He savored this serenity while he had it.
Kho Kudulah walked to Ikharus’s right and Kho Vylan to his left. Vylan was a bridge officer with extensive combat training who had been recently transferred to temporarily fill in for Kozakh’s role as Ikharus’s primary guard while he rested and recovered from his injuries. So far Vylan had been soft spoken, barely saying a word unless directly addressed.
Just as a guard should.
“- and General Kho Plakhatakha seems to think we cannot protect T’Dakho from these rebels,” Kudulah said, commenting on the meeting they had just left.
The meeting with the Chiefdom’s highest ranking military officers had run longer than Ikharus would have liked, though much had been discussed. There, he met many Generals and Officers for the first time, including Plakhatakha.
“I must disagree with the General in that regard. T’Dakho is a highly fortified city and its people are strong,” Ikharus replied.
“The people of T’Dakho are strong, your Majesty, but they have endured much. With the rubble of Vigilant Behemoth raining upon them and the assassination of their ruler in their very city, the people’s resolve can only last for so long,” Kudulah said.
“Still, I think Kho Plakhatakha has unrealistically low faith in our capabilities. He has not held the rank of General for more than a month. In my mind, his words do not bear the same weight as someone who has held the rank for planet-cycles. He is still too new.”
“As are you, Kho Ikharus,” Kudulah replied.
Ikharus ignored that remark and continued along. Is that how people view me? The same way I view Plakhatakha? He let out a deep breath, then decided to change the subject.
“What is next on my agenda, Kho Kudulah? We seem to be rushing off. I confess, I have lost track of our plans today,” Ikharus asked as he followed his advisor and guard through the halls.
The day had been a busy one, full of meeting after meeting. Most of Ikharus’s attention for the last several hours had been directed toward the increasing number of rebel factions forming across the continent. It was not an easy task to undertake for such a newly-minted ruler and the stress was beginning to take a toll on his ability to remember the schedule.
“We are late to see an audience in your throne room, your Majesty. The guests have already arrived,” Kudulah answered.
“Remind me, Kho Kudulah, who am I to meet?”
“Surely you can recall this meeting, Kho Ikharus, for it is with Kho Kozakh, Kal Ezenkharam, Kal Jakhu, Kho Evirak and Kal Ukhrani.”
Ikharus smiled upon hearing their names. The latter three he had not seen in days. He knew that the five of them had scheduled an audience with him, but he did not realize it was so soon. Suddenly he felt reinvigorated with a sense of excitement.
As important as quelling rebels was, Ikharus welcomed a much-needed break from such work.
“By the Chiefdom, how could I forget? I have longed to see my comrades for days now.”
“Your mind is busy, Supreme Chieftain. It is easy to get lost in the chaos of it all. The same would often happen to the late Kal Khtallia and Kho Veznek.”
So they all felt this overburdened. At least that much is reassuring.
Now fueled by anticipation, the remainder of the walk seemed to pass by at a crawling pace. Seconds felt like minutes, but at long last, he arrived at his destination.
Ikharus entered the elaborate chamber from the side and casually walked to the vacant throne. It was customary for the Supreme Chieftain to enter the throne room from a smaller entrance off to the side so that he would be seated upon his throne by the time guests arrived through the main entrance. He lifted his long red cape over the seat as he sat down. The glow of space at his back filled the room, already lined with honor guards.
Kudulah took his place to the right of Ikharus’s throne and Vylan took his place to the left.
Once settled, Ikharus turned to Vylan and nodded.
“Send them in,” he requested.
Vylan bowed, then walked to the end of the long room. The door slowly opened and Ikharus felt his eager heart flutter as the sight of four bandaged warriors, and one in healthy condition, entered the room.
Ikharus stood from his throne and bowed before the five, then rose. It was not customary for the Supreme Chieftain to bow to anyone, but these visitors had earned Ikharus’s unwavering respect.
“Your Majesty,” they all replied in unison, bowing back.
“Please, you may rise, all of you,” Ikharus replied as he sat back down.
The five visitors walked deeper into the room until they were mere kotans away from the throne. They stopped before him. Ikharus could see them all so clearly from where he sat. He smiled to Kal Jakhu, Kho Evirak and Kal Ukhrani, the three he had not seen since the fight. They appeared weary and damaged in more ways that just the body, but Ikharus sensed an unrelenting passion in their eyes that would not allow them to surrender.
Among those brave three, Ukhrani was the only one uninjured. She had piloted their craft during the assault and later retreated to Earth. Her ship may have endured enemy fire, but her body had been safe from harm.
“My friends,” he began with a sigh, “it is difficult to convey how eager my heart has grown to see you all. I apologize for today’s delay. I understand I am late.”
“No apology is needed, Squad Le… I mean, Supreme Chieftain,” said Jakhu. “I am sure you have much busines
s to take care of.”
“Indeed, I do. I confess there is more to ruling Kholvaria than I could have known. Still, my other endeavors do not allow excuses for tardiness.” Ikharus paused and felt his grin grow wide as he stared at the faces before him. “By the Chiefdom, it brings me immense joy to see you all.”
“I can assure you the feeling is mutual,” Jakhu replied.
“How fare your injuries?”
“We are still recovering, Kho Ikharus. I endured a high degree of blunt force trauma, which has led to numerous fractures and internal bleeding. Even the power suit could not save me from it all. Thankfully my brain and vital organs are unaffected. It is by good fortune that I did not meet a worse fate,” Jakhu explained.
“Glad to hear it.” Ikharus nodded and turned to Evirak. “And you?”
“My injuries are largely burns. If you recall, my armor fused to my shell during the battle. Removing it was difficult. I am still recovering. It brings me pain just to move, but each day I feel myself grow stronger. These are not the first burns I have endured, and shall likely not be the last,” Evirak said.
“Yes,” Ikharus replied, nodding to Evirak. “I recall your tale of the burns you endured defending your friend as a nymph. It is a shame your honorable deeds so often result in punishment by fire.”
“A shame indeed, but one I can move past.”
“Good. And you, Kal Ukhrani?” Ikharus asked.
“I am thankfully uninjured, though the dropship we procured sustained considerable damage. Two fighters followed me from the battlespace. I avoided their blasts as best I could, but alas, I was forced to eject shortly after entering the atmosphere. The ship was lost. I recovered and landed in the ocean, taking refuge on an agro-platform for a full day until an oceanic monitoring vessel later found me and the crew informed me of what had happened.”
“Then you met good fortune indeed. I am glad to hear that you all fared well in the end, despite your injuries. This brings warmth to my heart,” Ikharus responded with a smile.
“Your Majesty, I am glad that the presence of your allies has put you in good spirits,” Kozakh said, stepping forward. He lowered his gaze to the floor.
