To move the village would not be a simple operation. The distance was over 2,000 kilometers, across the Great River and through the surrounding rainforest. Moving the village by land would not only be time consuming, but with the young and the elderly, plus the belongings of the entire village, would be impractical. And during that time they would have to be ever on the guard for Kraa attacks.
However, Governor Maesaka had agreed to Kevin's request for two of the VLVs and another squad of troopers to support the move. The first stage was to begin tomorrow when Amanda, Jeff, Tommy, and the ten Torgai returned to New Athens, and as soon as the VLVs returned the evacuation would begin. By the end of next week the move should be complete.
While the timing of the move meant abandonment of the local fields the abundant game near the new village and gathering of natural food supplies would allow them to survive, and the colonists could provide some grain from this summer's crop.
At the margin of the northern forest . . . .
Kraa-Ki maintained a steady trot as she moved at the head of her personal pack along the well-worn trail. The thick trees blotted out the sun, inhibiting the growth of underbrush and making travel easy, both on the trail and through the adjoining woods as well. Ahead and to the sides scout packs maintained a pace that matched hers, not daring to drift from their assigned positions, remembering how the enraged Kraa-Ki had torn apart the last Kraa pack leader who had failed to exactly follow orders. Behind dozens of other packs followed, spread out in a loose formation that reached far into the distance. Spread out, since Kraa-Ki learned early in the conflict that concentrating packs close together served to draw 'flat-face' attention.
Now that they were in the forest again the scattered packs that had been spread over the savanna had been gathered together to finish their journey.
Kraa-Ki had miscalculated. These flat-faced Torgai weren't at all like regular Torgai. Her attack of early July had raised a hornet's nest, angering the flat-faces, and causing them to hunt the Kraa down with weapons Kraa-Ki hadn't dreamed existed. In the attack on the flat-faces they had almost killed Kraa-Ki herself, and in subsequent engagements many of her best packs were destroyed. The flying and wheeled vehicles were something they could not cope with; somehow they knew where the Kraa were hiding and the vehicles filled with flat-faces with their terrible weapons had driven them like a herd of grazers into the waiting weapons of other flat-faces. Even more frightening was the lightning from the sky that had destroyed full packs.
This defeat had both angered and frightened Kraa-Ki; a feeling she had never felt before. At first she took out her anger on other Kraa, killing several in her rage. But the rage had passed and been replaced with a silent anger; anger and a determination to destroy all the flat-faces on the planet, but she was also filled with uncertainty as to what she faced, which made her rethink her future actions.
How could she destroy the intruders and also protect the Kraa? The flat-faces were far more dangerous than the Torgai had ever been. No longer would she plan a direct attack on their village; Kraa-Ki knew when she was outmatched. She knew that the situation had changed from simply how best to destroy the intruders to how to survive.
When the Torgai had been strong the Kraa had gained refuge in the northern forests, finding food from the migrating herds of the arctic ox. Only in the last 20 years had they moved to the savanna where Kraa-Ki had allowed increased breeding, resulting in a ten fold increase in Kraa population. While to survive she knew they must again retreat to the northern forests, she also knew the herds of arctic ox were incapable of supporting the expanded population, so other sanctuaries were also needed. One such sanctuary was the series of valleys that riddled the northern mountains. These areas, which had once belonged to the Torgai, were now free of Torgai, and the Kraa could move there in relative safety. The valleys teemed with the Targan left behind by the Torgai, with their populations expanded without the annual culling by the Torgai. The 'flat-faces' had never been seen that far north, and even if they tried to hunt the Kraa there the Kraa could retreat to the mountains and eke out an existence.
But even that wasn't her final option. The scout packs that she had sent east of the mountains years before had returned with news of a vast area of swamps and forest, and while the teeming game present on the western savannas was lacking, those present in the forests was adequate. There the flat-faces were unlikely to go, and the forests were so vast they could live in safety. Kraa-Ki would send many of her packs across the mountains until she had need of them; and, perhaps, if she could not contain the flat-faces, she herself would follow. For now she would stay west of the mountains with the best of her packs so she could revenge herself on the 'flat-faces'.
So the word had been passed. The Kraa packs would leave the savanna and move north, and those packs south of the river barrier would be recalled. In the northern forests, the northern mountains, and across the mountains the Kraa would disperse and bide their time.
But this time they wouldn't just cower and hide. While Kraa-Ki had learned that she couldn't withstand a large battle with the flat-faces, she had also learned that small groups or single packs could stay hidden even near the 'flat-face' village, and were unlikely to be discovered. Just as they had learned new tactics to destroy the Torgai, they would learn new tactics to destroy these flat-faces also. She would send packs south to stay hidden to hunt strays from the 'flat-face' village, or kill their cattle, even at the cost of Kraa lives.
The death of one flat-face was worth the destruction of a full pack to Kraa-Ki. Meanwhile, east of the mountain ranges where they were safe breeding restrictions would be removed to allow their numbers to grow. For now they would limit their activities to a war of attrition.
While she didn't realize it what Kraa-Ki planned was a 'guerilla' war such as her ancestors had fought against the Torgai, and such as had been common in many of the Earth conflicts. Establish a safe haven, then harass the enemy from hiding, destroy his goods and crops, gain strength while you bleed the strength of your enemy; and with time the opponent will be so weakened that he can be destroyed. But, above all, protect yourself and conserve your strength. Never again would they hide in fear; under Kraa-Ki they had learned too much and come too far.
CHAPTER 6: Kraa Evolution
(November 10, Year 20): Eric and Hath walked slowly toward Barco's den, speculating on why Barco would have requested their presence at this unusual hour. It was only slightly after sunrise, and Barco usually slept until nearly noon. Stooping to enter the den, Eric followed Hath into the interior where the pungent smell of the burning herbs, which Barco would have used to enhance a dream state of the night before, still hung in the air. Against the far side of the den Barco sat leaning against the wall, his assistant shaman Taru at his side, the coals from the fire still glowing.
The two moved to the opposite side of the coals and crouched facing Barco, who continued to lean against the wall with his eyes closed, waiting for him to speak. The silence lasted several minutes before Barco moved and opened his eyes, glancing back and forth between the two of them.
"As you know,” Barco began, “except for Taru and myself the dream-net has been empty for many years. If any Torgai shamen still live they have not joined us in the net, only the two of us have kept it alive."
Barco looked down, and lapsed into silence.
Eric shifted restlessly, glancing over at Hath.
Then Barco raised his head, and continued, "but last night I detected a mind searching for the net. Very weak, very far away, but still another mind."
Hath leaned forward, "another Torgai shaman?"
Barco responded, "not a true shaman, no, a trained shaman would have more strength. It may be one who was a young apprentice before the destruction. Even an experienced apprentice would be stronger. In any case, it is the first contact in over three years. Somewhere there may be other Torgai."
Eric asked, "is there anything we can do? Any way to find them?"
Barco l
ooked at them, "if I detect the mind again I may be able to seize it and tie it into the net. I don't know; it depends on how strong it is. Last night it was too weak and drifted away. If that can be done, then we can pass the information of where they may be in the dream-state. But what we can then do is more up to the humans than to us. We lack the strength to search. If the humans help us we can tell them where to look. Then, when we all know more, we can see what happens next."
November 12, Year 20
The den was cold and dark. Ta sat with his mate, Bula, on the sleeping mats at one side, while Sula leaned against the wall on the far side, seemingly asleep. Seemingly, but not asleep, since occasionally he would open his eyes slightly or make some other movement.
Sula was young as Torgai go, only a little over 24 years old. But he was old in knowledge. Until the shaman of the village had been killed four years before by an angered Kraa guard he had been the local shaman's junior apprentice. The senior apprentice had been killed years before when the Kraa had come, leaving only Sula. Now he was the only one with any training in the ways of the shamen, and that training was woefully inadequate. Yet, he still tried. After they returned to the dens from their daily work he would attempt to enter a dream state and contact the dream-net. But it was hard, complicated by the lack of the herbs necessary to burn for enhancing the dream state, and he was unskilled. But while he tried, he was never successful. Sometimes he sensed something just beyond his reach, but then it would fade away. Just two nights before he was sure he had felt something but it had disappeared. If only he had access to the drugs the shamen used to strengthen their dream states, then, maybe, he could succeed; if there were any remaining shamen out there.
Ta watched Sula casually from across the den, the dull glow of the coals casting a dim light, dim but adequate for the sharp night vision of the Torgai. Ta was impressed with how Sula never gave up his attempts. He, himself, would have given up years ago. Continuing to watch, Ta noticed Sula stiffen and force himself back rigidly against the den wall, his mouth opening, a dribble of saliva hanging from his open mouth. Ta leaned forward and watched intently. Sula started to breath in gasps, then emitted a deep groan before slipping to the ground and sprawling on his back, mouth hanging open, his staring eyes on the ceiling.
Ta's mate Bula started to go to Sula's assistance, but Ta grabbed her arm and pulled her back.
"No," he said. "I have seen this before with the old shaman. Sometimes, in a very strong dream state, he would act like that. Leave him alone."
For a long time Sula lay on the den floor, usually rigidly staring at the ceiling, but occasionally seemingly gripped by spasms which caused his muscles to contract, or periodic fits of heavy breathing, then again becoming quiescent. Then, as rapidly as it had started, it ended, and Sula lapsed into a deep sleep. Ta motioned for Bula to help, and together they dragged Sula to his sleeping robe, allowing him to continue sleeping. Ta crouched at his side, watching.
Sula had slept for hours, unmoving, when Bula left the den in the early dawn light to begin preparation of the morning meal. But shortly after Bula left his eyes opened, and he got slowly to a sitting position.
Ta, who had continued to watch through the night, asked, "what happened, Sula? Are you all right?"
Sula looked at him, unspeaking. Then, "my mind was seized by the minder of the mind-net. The net is still there, and controlled by a powerful shaman. Barco, of the Clan of Kraka. There are still free Torgai. Not many, but some. Now, Barco has tied my mind into the mind-net and we can communicate with other Torgai again."
Ta gently pushed Sula back onto his robe. "Rest," he said, "rest the whole day. The Kraa will not notice your absence, and you need the rest."
Then, rising to a low crouch to avoid hitting the roof of the den, Ta made his way through the entrance to the outside. Once outside, Ta stood by the cave entrance looking around the village packed into the box canyon. From the rough caves where the Torgai lived out their existence, a poor substitute for their former spacious dens, other Torgai were emerging to begin the day. In the increasing light Ta could make out the Kraa guards sitting or laying at the mouth of the canyon less than 100 meters away. Soon Ta would be summoned for his daily meeting with the Kraa in charge of the Torgai. As leader of the Torgai, Ta would be given instructions for the day, and was expected to communicate to the other Torgai and supervise the work.
Over the years communication between the Torgai and the Kraa had become simpler. Even at the beginning they had been able to communicate with a form of sign language, made easier since the languages of both were heavily based on gestures. Also over the years the Kraa had expanded their vocabulary. The general similarity in vocal organs made this a fairly simple process for the highly intelligent Kraa.
During the first years of the Kraa attacks the Kraa had killed all Torgai without mercy. Then, about 10 years before, when only a few of the Torgai remained alive, the Kraa began to collect some of the survivors and keep them under guard in this box canyon far up in the northern mountains. At first the Torgai didn't know what purpose the Kraa had in mind, but later it became evident. The Kraa leaders recognized the Torgai were able to do things they themselves were incapable of, and now this group of a little over 300 Torgai were kept to do their bidding; to do things they themselves were unable to do. Slave labor.
Beyond the guarded entrance of the box canyon was a small valley which contained soil fertile enough to allow cultivation. There the Torgai were set to work planting and growing grain for their own consumption, but more importantly for the Kraa, growing the rancid tasting, heavy fleshed melons the Kraa relished. These melons were the only 'non-meat' food items the Kraa were interested in, and were considered by them a delicacy. A delicacy which, to Ta, smelled like spoiled meat.
Only female Torgai were allowed in this lower valley to prepare and tend the fields, and only under heavy guard. The few male Torgai still alive worked largely as artisans, some put to work making the decorative pendants of rank the Kraa pack leaders wore around their necks, others cords for hanging the pendants as well as larger and longer ropes and other items. One of these items was the backpack woven from the pounded fibers that a male Kraa could use to transport first the melons, then other objects as well.
While using the Torgai for specialized labor had been the original purpose for keeping the Torgai alive, over the years other uses for them had been found as well. Kraa-Ki, recognizing the limitations placed on the Kraa by their limited language, soon began to use the Torgai as language teachers to expand its range. In groups of about a dozen, pack leaders were sent to the canyon to be schooled in the Torgai language, which was more advanced than that of the Kraa. Now many of the Kraa could speak and understand a basic level of Torgai, making communication easier.
At first the Kraa had kept the Torgai in a squalid, semi-starved condition, the guards feeling free to kill or maim any Torgai that displeased them. But this had also changed. Now they guarded and protected their prize, and woe to any guard who killed a Torgai without a good reason. This had led to considerably improved living conditions, including permission to dig the small dens they now lived in. Even the food supply had been improved by the Kraa, who began bringing game to be divided among them.
But this was a village of adults, and with no new Torgai being brought in, would some day wither away. About eight years before the Kraa had begun to remove all children from the village, never to be seen again. In the first year all children between one year and six years of age had been removed. In subsequent years children had been removed when they reached three years of age. What the Kraa did with the young was unknown; it was as if they had vanished from the face of the earth..
In the dawn light Ta looked around their prison. The sheer, high cliff walls that enclosed all except the guarded entrance were an insurmountable barrier, and, even if a Torgai had succeeded in climbing the cliffs, the ever-present Kraa patrols at the top would soon find them. In the years he had been a captive Ta had n
ever been out of the box canyon, and expected to live out his life here.
Ta rubbed his hand over the scars on his cheek and ran his fingers gently down his shoulder and across his chest where the four parallel scars continued their path. Ta well remembered the day he had gotten the wounds that had caused the scars, and the events that led up to that day.
Ten years ago Ta was part of the first group of Torgai the Kraa had decided to keep alive, a group of less than 50. Early in the first year the Torgai adult males were gathered together for examination by a Kraa they had never before seen, a huge creature considerably larger than the normal Kraa, with her pack of fifteen females who were almost as large. Only later did they learn that this was Kraa-Ki, the leader of all the Kraa, and the pack was composed of her younger daughters who had not yet formed their own packs. Kraa-Ki had come to examine the captives.
First she walked back and forth, carefully examining each of the Torgai, occasionally stopping to sniff one or another. Then, she stepped back and signed for the leader of the Torgai to step forward. But there was no leader, only hunters; all the leaders being dead. When this was signed to Kraa-Ki, and she finally understood, she looked coldly at the assembled Torgai, before signing back, "all packs must have a single leader."
Walking slowly up to the Torgai, Kraa-Ki had stopped in front of Ta and reached out her paw, claws extended, and slashed him from cheek to chest. The sign Kraa-Ki then made was clear to all, Torgai and Kraa, "this is now the Torgai leader. All will know him by my mark." Since that day Ta had been headman of the slave village. Over the years other Torgai had been added by the Kraa but, even if from other clans, the 'sign of Kraa-Ki' was never disputed.
Resurrection: Book II: Settlement Chronicals Page 7
