by Andrew Gates
Ikharus turned to face Evirak now, who stood in the center of the cabin with his helmet in his left claw. He appeared abnormally uneasy by the way his mandibles twitched ever so subtly. It was strange to see him this way.
“It is hard to fathom many things as of late,” Ikharus agreed, nodding. “The world is not what we once knew.”
“No, it is not,” Evirak agreed, slowly nodding. “It is far more vulnerable than ever before.”
“We created this mess, this calamity,” Ezenkharam said, staring straight forward. Like Evirak, she held her helmet by her side as she stood in the center of the cabin.
“What do you mean?” Evirak asked.
Ezenkharam turned to face him.
“We, us, the Kholvari and Sorrevahni. We created this tumultuous, divisive world. If our people were united, the Hive would not have been able to destroy us so easily. Think about our battle in space, each side out for itself, rather than together. It is our division that made us an easy target.” She sighed, looked away, then turned to address the entire ship. “We are not destined to fight. The Kholvari and Sorrevahni are not born with scorn in our hearts. Our failure to see eye-to-eye, our failure to understand one another, is what brought upon such division and therefore our own slaughter.”
“She is right,” Kozakh agreed, nodding. He sat against the opposite wall to Ikharus, his helmet on his lap. “As much we care to blame the Hive or the Sorrevahni, the state of this world lies on all of us.”
“I disagree,” said Jakhu. All eyes turned to her, curiously. She was the only one who still wore her helmet on her head. She stood in the center of the cabin so that all could see her. “I have fought countless enemies in countless battles. I have seen the worst of the world and through all my missions, I have learned one thing.”
“And what is that, Kal Jakhu?” Ikharus wondered.
She turned to face him.
“That it is our nature to fight amongst ourselves. We cannot control it. It is just who we are. We are, in essence, mere animals,” she answered. She turned to face the others now. “Our very nature has caused the world to become so vulnerable, nothing more.”
“I cannot accept that,” Kozakh debated. “We are good at heart. Kal Ezenkharam and I can speak from experience. If you recall, we fought against many of you in this ship, even killed some of your allies. Not a day goes by when I am not haunted by that fact. Kal Ezenkharam and I were corrupted and used by Kho Veznek, a force of evil, but it was not in our nature to do wrong. A higher power turned us into enemies, while our hearts desired to do good.”
“I fail to see your point, Kho Kozakh. Just because you were corrupted does not mean we are all born without hate and scorn. Was Kho Veznek good at heart? How about Kho Prekhon? Kal Sanja?” Jakhu retorted.
“You name a select few. Those do not represent our populace,” Kozakh said.
“They do, more than you know. The difference between them and the rest of the world is that they were each given an opportunity to use their power. Most are not given the chance.”
“I have power,” Ikharus replied, leaning forward. “Does that make me corrupt?”
“You are not corrupt, no,” Jakhu responded. She shook her head as she turned to face Ikharus again. “You are a rarity. You are one of the good ones. And that is why I am honored to serve you.”
“So not all power leads to corruption. You have said it yourself,” Ikharus explained.
“I suppose you are right, not all power leads to corruption. But most,” she said.
Evirak, Kozakh and Ezenkharam all shook their heads.
“I would hate to see the world through your eyes, with so little faith in society,” Kozakh responded. “I hold our kind to greater measure.”
“You may think what you want,” Jakhu said, “but look at the situation our world is in now. Not a select few, like you suggest, are responsible for this. I believe the world’s vulnerability speaks for itself.”
Then there was silence.
The debate did not continue after that. The cabin grew quiet. No one was willing to put up another argument. There were greater things to focus on now. The why and how of the world was not the priority on everyone’s mind; stopping the Hive was.
“Are there any snacks on this ship?” Jallah asked, suddenly interrupting the awkward silence of it all.
Ikharus smiled. A mundane question like that was exactly what they needed right now. They needed to de-stress, not to argue.
“There are,” Vylan responded, motioning to a crate in the corner. “I shall show you.”
* * *
The view outside grew darker as the flight went on. Ikharus caught himself nodding asleep a few times but would awaken whenever the ship rocked in the turbulence or when Flokh leaned her head upon his shoulder.
Vylan was right. The journey was long, far longer than any atmospheric journey Ikharus had yet to take. When they finally arrived, they would be very far from home.
Ikharus adjusted in his seat and leaned forward, gently encouraging Flokh to lift her head from his shoulder. He turned to the closest window and stared out. Though it was dark, Ikharus could tell the ship was descending. The clouds grew closer and closer until the ship was inside a cloud and the world was shrouded in grey.
“Are we landing soon?” Ikharus wondered. He sat up straight.
“Kal Ukhrani, what is our landing status?” Vylan asked over the comm, relaying Ikharus’s question to the cockpit.
“We have not yet been granted access to land. I cannot get a signal to the Empire. I am lowering the ship in hope of reaching someone on the ground,” the pilot’s voice responded through the speakers.
Ikharus stood up from his seat and walked to the door leading to the cockpit. He held his wrist against the sensor along the wall and the door slid open.
“Kal Ukhrani,” Ikharus said as he entered the cockpit.
Ukhrani spun around to face him, then turned back to face the forward window again.
“Your Majesty,” she greeted, facing the window. “Your presence comes as a surprise.”
Ikharus stepped inside the cockpit and closed the door behind him. He pointed to the open copilot’s seat with his scepter.
“Do you mind?”
“Please, sit,” she said.
Ikharus sat in the open seat.
“We are in Sorreveous now?”
“We are, yes, but as I said on the comm, I am struggling to contact anyone.”
“Keep trying,” he said.
Ukhrani nodded and leaned forward toward the microphone embedded in the dashboard of the ship.
Ukhrani spoke Sorrevahni into the microphone. Ikharus could understand the words, but only because of the translator chips installed in both of their heads. She said, “Hello, does anybody read? Hello? Is anyone there?”
Static.
“Does anybody read?” Ukhrani continued in foreign words. “Hello?”
More static.
Ukhrani sighed and leaned back in frustration. It seemed she was about to give up when suddenly a muffled voice responded over the speaker.
“We r- mmm -ou,” a male voice said.
Ukhrani’s face lit up and she quickly leaned toward the microphone again.
“Hello? I read you. Do you read me?”
The voice responded in clearer words this time, though Ikharus did not know what they meant.
“I pick up your signal,” Ukhrani replied.
The voice said a full sentence or two in Sorrevahni.
Ukhrani shot Ikharus a quick glance, as if waiting for approval. Ikharus assumed the questioner was asking who they were and what they were doing here. Granting his approval, he nodded back.
“This is Kal Ukhrani of the Kholvari,” she replied.
There was a pause on the other end.
“Kholvari?” the speaker eventually responded in a tone of surprise. That was one word Ikharus did not need translated for him.
“You have heard correctly, sir.”
&
nbsp; Ikharus leaned toward the microphone now.
“Sorrevahni, this is Kho Ikharus of Kholvaria, Supreme Chieftain and ruler of the Kholvari Chiefdom. I am onboard this craft, along with a crew of my most trusted company. I have come to meet with the Empire.”
Ukhrani translated his words for him.
The absolute silence on the other end of the line proved how stunned this lowly air control worker must have been. Nearly 20 seconds passed until there was any audible response. After he spoke, Ukhrani translated the words.
“By the Creator, this must be some ruse,” she translated.
“What I say is true. I request a meeting to discuss terms of an alliance,” Ikharus replied.
Ukhrani translated again.
More silence, followed by a stuttered response.
“Yes, sir. I understand,” Ukhrani translated. Ikharus could hear the air control worker shuffling around wherever he was before returning to his microphone. He provided some sort of directions to Ukhrani.
“He says we must maintain present course, altitude and velocity and await further instruction,” Ukhrani explained.
“Do it.”
“Understood,” Ukhrani replied to the Sorrevahni.
She turned to face Ikharus and flashed him a look of curiosity.
“This will be most interesting,” Ikharus said.
“I do believe we have scared the poor Sorrevahni,” Ukhrani said.
Ikharus chuckled.
“Yes, we most likely have.”
Nearly two minutes passed until they heard a response. Ikharus waited as Ukhrani once again translated the words.
“Good news. He says his superiors are inclined to believe you. The Empire has agreed to allow us entry to a remote landing site in the mountains. Two fighters shall escort us in.”
Something pinged on the screen before Ukhrani.
“I am seeing two targets in the air,” she reported.
“That must be them,” Ikharus replied.
“Already aligning course with the escorts,” Ukhrani said as she moved the levers before her, altering the ship’s course in the air.
“Did he say how long until we reach the landing site?” Ikharus wondered.
Ukhrani shook her head.
“Negative. He made no such remark. It could be a few minutes, it could be hours.”
Ikharus watched as the vessel fell in line behind the two escorts. Their engines glowed bright in the dark fog. Once in formation, the two fighters began to descend.
“We are already dropping altitude,” Ikharus observed.
“We must be close then,” Ukhrani replied. “Behold!” She pointed forward as a whitecapped peak pierced the clouds before them.
“Mountains,” Ikharus muttered. “We must be close indeed. Follow the escorts in. I shall prepare the others.” He stood up from his seat, careful not to accidently lean against any controls as he moved. He opened the door back to the cabin and walked inside.
Those present silently looked up toward him in anticipation, expecting him to say the first words. He closed the cockpit door behind him, then motioned to the windows.
“As you may have already deducted, we have been flying through Sorrevahni airspace for several minutes now. We are passing through a mountain range as I speak,” he explained. More mountain peaks were visible through the windows now, each covered in thick white snow. “The Sorrevahni have agreed to meet with us here in the mountains. We are traveling to a landing site now.”
As he glanced out the window, Ikharus noticed that they were continuing to drop altitude quickly. They must have been very close to the destination.
As the ship descended, the mountains became clearer. Thin clusters of trees dotted the lower portions of the mountains, but only on the lower third of each. The upper portions were barren and blanketed in a thick coating of pure white that glistened across the light of the rising sun.
Funny, Ikharus thought. The sun had risen when they departed on their journey from Korgo, but now another sunrise graced their eyes halfway across the world.
“Where are we?” Jallah asked, leaning up to the nearest window he could find.
“The Sorrevahni Empire,” Evirak answered.
“Yeah, but like where in human words?” he asked.
Daniel shuffled across his seat and looked out too.
“We flew west, ahead of the sunrise, not east. So, this must be Asia, not Europe. The peaks look high and rocky. I’m guessing we’re in former Nepal,” Daniel surmised.
“Nepal. That’s where Iris said the biggest mountain in the world used to be!” Margery responded in excitement as she peered out the window.
Ikharus did not know who Iris was, but when its name was muttered, Daniel gulped and looked away from the view. Clearly, Iris was important to Daniel, whatever it was.
“The young one is right,” Ezenkharam confirmed. “This mountain range is indeed home to the planet’s chief peak. The Sorrevahni call it Mount Sorvatzu.”
“Our people once called it Everest,” Greyson explained.
“Are we going to land on Everest?” Ophelia asked.
“Negative,” Ikharus answered. “That is not our destination.”
“How do you know?” Vylan asked.
“Because, Kho Vylan, we are passing it now.” Ikharus pointed to the opposite side of the ship as he said the words.
The passengers quickly moved from one side of windows to the other as they gazed out the left side now, taking in the monolithic view of Mount Sorvatzu. Ikharus could not help but feel caught up in the awe of it all. He found that he could not look away. He never knew there was a peak in the world that could ascend so high.
“Amazing,” Margery said.
“Incredible,” added Jakhu.
“Wow! Look at it!” said Jallah, pointing.
The ship continued onward and Sorvatzu soon faded out of sight, eventually lost among the sea of other peaks that surrounded it. Together the range looked like a series of spikes poking up from the Earth to pierce the clouds, darkened on the west side in the shadow of Sorvatzu itself.
With the massive peak now behind them, it occurred to Ikharus just how low the craft was. They were practically on the ground now.
“Attention,” Ukhrani’s voice suddenly announced through the speakers. “The escorts are pulling into a hangar ahead. Prepare for landing. To your seats!”
The room burst into action. Everyone took their seats immediately as the ship rapidly descended while dropping speed. Ikharus sat next to Flokh, both taking their original seats.
“Touchdown is imminent,” Ukhrani continued through the speakers.
Flokh grabbed hold of Ikharus and held him tightly.
The world suddenly went dark as the ship passed into a hidden hangar. Ikharus blinked his eyes, adjusting to the sudden change in light.
“We’re here,” Jallah muttered.
Ikharus watched as the boy nervously fiddled with his pocket. He knew that is must have been the vial, the key to the Hive’s destruction. Such a valuable weapon used as a toy to keep a young one calm.
Seconds later, the ship touched down on solid ground. There was a stillness to the world. Seconds after that, the hum of the engines died away and those aboard slowly stood up from their seats.
Ikharus instantly felt nervous. His heart beat quickly as the reality hit him of where he was.
Sorreveous.
The entire cabin seemed to take one deep simultaneous breath. Then Vylan stepped toward the rear. He tossed his spear across the metal floor, sending a loud clang across the room.
“I will be the first to escort you out, your Majesty,” he declared.
Ikharus shook his head and waved his scepter dismissively.
“There is no need, Kho Vylan. If the Empire is planning a trap, then I am already dead. There is no use. As the first envoy to visit these lands in generations, it only makes sense that I, the leader of the Chiefdom, be first to greet our hosts.”
Vylan bowed.
“Of course,” he said, rising.
Ikharus moved his way to the rear of the ship and stood still, waiting for the moment to come.
“Kal Ukhrani,” he said confidently, “lower the door.”
There was a brief pause, then the sound of hydraulics humming. The door slowly opened. A crack of light filled the cabin, the ship’s exit widening. Cold air and the whirr of wind blew against his body.
When he could finally see the inside of the hangar, the first thing Ikharus noticed was the crowd of nervous light-shelled onlookers that surrounded him. Nearly a dozen Sorrevahni stood in a half-circle, staring at the ship, garbed in thick wool jackets of slain bear, wolf or yak.
Ikharus gulped, then slowly took a step down the ramp. He shivered with each step.
The hangar itself was huge, though the structure seemed to be a natural formation, not artificial. Stalagmites had been shaved down such that their tops were flat like tables around the cave. Stalactites hung from the ceiling, frozen like spears ready to drop. Rudimentary lighting rigs had been positioned throughout the cave with wires running from them down farther into the caverns.
Ikharus stepped off the ramp and onto solid ground. The cave floor felt like ice against his feet. In fact, much of it literally was ice.
A Sorrevahni walked up to greet him, garbed in dark black wolfskin. To Ikharus’s utter shock, an evolved-one garbed in similar attire walked by his side, holding a tall wooden stick in her grasp. He felt stunned. I thought evolved-ones only existed in Kholvaria.
“Greetings,” the envoy said, stopping a few kotans before Ikharus. The envoy subtly bowed, then rose. “You must be Kho Ikharus. My name is Soh Sullo. It is a pleasure to make your acquaintance. We have not had a visit from your kind in planet-cycles.”
“Greetings to you, Soh Sullo,” Ikharus replied, bowing back. “It is a pleasure. Thank you for meeting me.”
“Tell your friends they may join you. They have nothing to fear,” Sullo said, motioning to the ship behind him.
Ikharus turned to find that the others were all crowded around the exit. He nodded to Vylan and Jakhu, both standing on top of the ramp, and they began to descend. Ikharus spun back around to face Sullo.
