Resurrection: Book II: Settlement Chronicals

by W. J. Rydrych

  With their special position among the Kraa a Kraa-Torgai, even if separated from its pack, ranked higher in the rank-conscious Kraa society than a common pack. And, as a sign that he understood his rank, Kraa-Kuk-T would act as if the other packs weren’t even there; were below his notice.

  It was evident the Kraa packs didn't quite know what to think of him. They recognized him as Kraa, but, except for some outcast males, all Kraa were part of a pack. As an individual they seemed to view him as a 'pack of one', which said he had his own space since Kraa packs didn't intermingle. Only when, or if, he were reunited with Kraa-Kuk's pack could he actually enter into a pack's space. If he were to do that with these packs, even with his high rank he knew he would be killed as an intruder. It didn't help that he still carried a flat-face smell which the Kraa could certainly detect. It would be months before that was gone.

  While he had grown used to being by himself during his months with the Torgai, now, in Kraa country, his old feelings were coming back; the loneliness of being an outsider. And yet, after his months among the Torgai, in his subconscious he sensed more than he ever had before that he was different from the Kraa. Before his physical appearance had only seemed a ‘variant’, like some Kraa were larger or smaller, or lighter or darker than other Kraa; he had merely been a variant who walked on two legs. Now, while he felt a strong kinship, that difference seemed accentuated. Wrapping his sleeping robe around him, Kraa-Kuk-T shifted his position until he was comfortable, and was soon fast asleep.

  Next morning . . .

  The morning dew still glistened on the leaves, leaving Kraa-Kuk-T damp as he trotted down the path, still accompanied by the leading and trailing packs. The tree cover had thinned somewhat, with an increasing number of open areas and a gentler slope to the trail. Now they were also seeing an increasing number of packs near or on the trail, many of which followed their own group for a time, curious about the sight of a Kraa-Torgai traveling alone without its pack, before heading off in another direction. In fact, many of these low-ranking packs may never have actually seen a Kraa-Torgai before except from a distance.

  Kraa-Kuk-T had finally also established the destination where his escort packs were guiding him. Before they had started this morning he had approached the pack-mother of the leading pack, and, after the appropriate ceremonies, had informed the pack-mother that he was on his way to see the overall leader, Kraa-Ki, and had inquired whether they would guide him there. Conversation had been difficult, since the pack-mother knew very little of the new 'Kraa-Torgai' language, but still he was finally able to make himself understood.

  Thinking about the pack-mother's response he realized he should have known what the answer would be before he asked the question. As a low ranking pack approaching Kraa-Ki herself was unthinkable. Also, even taking him to the local commander would be a breach of protocol. Since he had identified himself as a member of Kraa-Kuk's pack, they would return him to his own pack since they viewed him as lost. A Kraa traveling on its own, unless lost or an outcast male, was simply too incomprehensible. Any question of his seeing Kraa-Ki was up to his own pack-mother. It wasn't until late the next day that they arrived at where Kraa-Kuk was located, and, as the 'escorting' packs approached that of Kraa-Kuk they stopped and let Kraa-Kuk-T proceed.

  Kraa-Kuk-T approached Kraa-Kuk, and when a short distance away, crouched in a position of submission and requested permission to enter the pack. Kraa-Kuk approached and sniffed Kraa-Kuk-T carefully, wrinkling her nose at the 'alien' human scent mingled with his own unique odor, and granted permission. Kraa-Kuk-T rose and walked into the pack, where he joined his pack-sisters. Only later that evening was Kraa-Kuk-T able to broach the purpose of his mission. Kraa-Kuk said nothing, but the next morning started the pack on their journey to see Kraa-Ki.

  August 3, Year 22 . . .

  Kevin, Hath-Boc, and Jeff Armstrong sat on the outcropping of rocks several hundred meters below the crest of the pass, watching the Kraa pack in the distance. All were armed with laser rifles. The previous morning the scoutplane routinely surveying the vicinity of the pass had observed a Kraa pack in the open area above the timberline making for the pass. The pack was accompanied by a Torgai. Today the three had landed a VLV on the flat area on the western side of the pass and hiked to their present location.

  The landing spot had brought back memories Kevin would rather not expose. Where they had landed had been near the spot where they had attempted to block the pass the year before, and the blasted landscape would take years to recover. Dozens had died, and thousands of Kraa as well.

  When he first landed he had examined the western approaches to the pass with his binoculars attempting to pick out the rock they had hidden beneath during the storm, but there were so many similar boulders that he couldn’t be certain. Kevin knew the memory would haunt him forever, mixed with the feeling of guilt at his involvement and his failure that had led to the death of so many. Even now he occasionally woke at night in a cold sweat, the nightmare of the experience always with him. Those feelings were, when he analyzed them, the root cause of his decision to leave the military.

  When they reached the meeting place the Kraa pack, which had been resting about a kilometer away, got to its feet and began to climb the remaining distance. Through his binoculars Kevin could see that the pack was led by a large female Kraa followed by a Kraa-Torgai. Kevin couldn’t help but feel a shutter.

  "Is that Kraa-Kuk-T?" Kevin asked.

  "Yes," Hath-Boc responded.

  Jeff Armstrong stood to get a better view.

  Hath-Boc added, "but that's not Kraa-Ki."

  Kevin looked at him in surprise, "how do you know?" he asked.

  "Kraa-Kuk-T is too close to the pack-mother," Hath Boc responded. "That must be his own pack with his pack-mother Kraa-Kuk. No other pack-mother would tolerate a member of another pack that close."

  Kevin nodded, understanding, "I hadn't thought of that. You're probably right. But what’s their purpose?"

  "Well," Hath-Boc responded, "according to Kraa-Kuk-T, Kraa-Kuk is a senior daughter of Kraa-Ki. Perhaps she is here to negotiate for Kraa-Ki, or maybe not. But it doesn't seem likely that Kraa-Ki would ever delegate anything that important. Most likely they're merely bringing Kraa-Ki's response; also possibly to size us up in advance. We can't be sure there aren't other packs around." Motioning to the jagged slopes of the pass on each side, "even up there."

  "True," Kevin responded, "in any case we could handle one pack, but," glancing at the side slopes, "that would give us a problem. I hope it doesn't come to that; not only would it ruin any chance at negotiations, I don't much care to be a Kraa main dish. That could completely ruin my day.'"

  As the pack neared Kevin and the others arose and took the ceremonial pose taught to them by Kraa-Kuk-T. Kraa-Kuk-T had stressed that, if agreement were to be reached, it was essential that it be broached as if a ‘favor’ were being asked of the Kraa; they would only react violently if there were the appearance of a demand.

  When the Kraa pack had reached a distance of about 10 meters it stopped and took a respectful pose. It was clear they viewed the mixed-group of humans and Torgai as they would any other pack, and, with Kevin standing ahead of the others, even though clearly a male he must be the pack leader. And as representing the humans and Torgai he must have high rank, calling for a respectful greeting.

  While Kevin couldn't help the uneasy feeling he felt, he knew he must show no concern; appearance was everything in this type of meeting. Never had he been face to face with a Kraa pack, and realized that at that distance, even with their weapons, they would not go undamaged in any fight. For several minutes the two 'packs' faced each other, before Kraa-Kuk-T came to stand near but slightly behind Kraa-Kuk. Crouching, Kraa-Kuk-T lowered his head, as was expected when addressing the leader of another pack, and said simply, "she will come."

  "When?" Kevin asked.

  "When she will," Kraa-Kuk-T responded, then, rising to his feet, backed up until he was aga
in among his pack. Kraa-Kuk, and all the members of her pack except two then proceeded to lower themselves to the ground in a position of rest. The two remaining Kraa took the crouching on guard position.

  Hath-Boc nudged Kevin, "do the same, their appearance of a lack of concern is to show lack of fear, and showing fear by one pack to another is asking for trouble," motioning Jeff to remain on his feet on guard. Kevin and Hath-Boc lowered themselves to the ground and assumed a resting position to wait for Kraa-Ki.

  The afternoon wore on and evening approached with no sign of Kraa-Ki. Occasionally Hath-Boc would trade off with Jeff in acting as a guard, but Hath-Boc made it clear that Kevin should not join in the guard duty; after all, he was the pack leader, and that was below him.

  Kevin had jokingly commented, “ah, the privileges of rank,” when told not to share the duty, but neither Hath-Boc nor Jeff understood joking comments. He always had to be careful since they took everything he said literally. The Kraa remained unmoving except the movement of their heads atop their long necks as they watched for anything that might approach.

  "What do we do," Kevin asked, "if she doesn't show?"

  "She will," Hath-Boc responded, "we have to show patience, as if we have all the time in the world. It's getting late enough that she probably won't arrive tonight anyway. This is all a waiting game. I wouldn't be surprised if she's there watching."

  "Wait all night?" Kevin asked.

  "Yes, wait all night if necessary; and tomorrow night as well. Time means little to the Kraa. It's OK if we eat or sleep, however, in fact it's a good idea; it gives the impression the Kraa pack is below our notice, showing our high rank. But we should skip the fire.”

  Kevin nodded and reached for his pack to take out one of the containers of prepared food he had brought with him, Jeff and Hath-Boc following suit.

  Hath-Boc was right. In the shadow of a rock near the timberline, Kraa-Ki watched the figures reclining in the distance. In fact, she had been there all day, arriving with Kraa-Kuk’s pack. She wanted to see how the ‘flat-faces’ acted before approaching. So far they seemed peaceful and had used proper decorum. Later she would decide when to approach, but only after the scout packs she had sent to the other side of the pass reported back. If there were any sign of numbers of flat-faces or Torgai laying in ambush, or waiting nearby, she would destroy the waiting group and leave. So far the only report had been of the vehicle that brought them still sitting on the slope on the other side.

  Early the next morning . . . .

  Kevin was aroused from his sleep by Hath Boc's hand pushed into his ribs. The sun had risen and was moving up above the horizon.

  "She's coming," Hath-Boc said quietly, “don’t move rapidly, and act unconcerned to show you aren’t afraid.”

  “Even if I am?” Kevin asked wryly, again ignoring the fact that Hath Boc, as well as all Torgai, lacked humor.

  “Even if you are,” Hath-Boc responded, “it’ll be several minutes before they arrive so just act normal, as if this is an everyday occurrence. We shouldn’t take notice until they are within a few hundred meters.”

  Kevin rose to a sitting position and glanced down the trail, where in the distance a Kraa pack padded rapidly up the trail. Even from this distance Kevin could see that this wasn't an ordinary pack. He was tempted to use his binoculars but didn’t, bearing in mind Hath-Boc’s warning.

  As they drew nearer, even without the binoculars, Kevin could see there were fifteen members of the pack in addition to the leader, making it considerably larger than the normal pack; and all of the members appeared almost as large as Kraa-Kuk, who was the largest Kraa he had ever seen. Even with their size, however, the leader stood out. While she wasn't that much larger than the others she trotted at the head of the pack without the typical side to side head motion of most Kraa as they looked for danger. She stared straight ahead at Kevin's group as if she owned the world.

  When they neared, Hath-Boc motioned the others to stand and assume a position of respect, although Kraa-Kuk and her pack had done so as soon as they saw Kraa-Ki. At first Kevin had started to get up when Kraa-Kuk’s pack had, but Hath-Boc motioned for him to stay down until they were closer.

  “Your rank is higher,” Hath-Boc had commented, “as far as Kraa-Ki is concerned you are the human leader, so stay down until they're almost here; but don't show any signs of submission, only of respect."

  Kevin nodded, understanding.

  When she reached the normal 'talking' distance, Kraa-Ki stopped, and looked coldly at Kevin, keeping eye contact. Kevin raised his eyes to hers, not lowering his eyes as a Kraa would do. After several minutes Kraa-Ki sat, continuing to stare at Kevin, and motioned for Kraa-Kuk's pack to approach to where Kraa-Kuk-T could translate.

  "Tell her what you propose," Kraa-Kuk-T said to Hath-Boc, who translated for Kevin. Kevin slowly outlined the proposal, which Jeff discussed with Hath-Boc before Hath-Boc translated for Kraa-Kuk-T to make sure the translation was ‘exact’. After a few questions, and discussion among the three, Kraa-Kuk-T translated to the Kraa-Torgai dialect for Kraa-Ki. The humans proposed they would stay on the western side of the mountains and not molest the Kraa, if the Kraa would stay of the eastern side and not molest the humans or Torgai. There would be no more firing at the Kraa from the sky. They would not enter each others territory, and there would be peace between them.

  As Kraa-Kuk-T translated the message Kraa-Ki sat unmoving, continuing to stare at Kevin as if she hadn't heard. Nothing was said for several minutes, until Kraa-Ki turned her head to Kraa-Kuk-T and made a short statement, then rose and led her pack back down the trail, as Kraa-Kuk-T and Kraa-Kuk's pack lowered themselves to the ground in a position of submission.

  Kevin glanced over at Hath-Boc, "did you catch what she said?"

  "Only something about moving water," he responded.

  When she was gone Kraa-Kuk's pack resumed a normal standing position, and Kraa-Kuk-T approached Kevin and said, "Kraa-Ki said, where the water flows."

  Kevin looked confused, and after some discussion with Kraa-Kuk-T, Hath-Boc clarified.

  "Where the water flows; that is the boundary. The Kraa will stay on the side of the mountains where the water flows to the east, we stay on the side where the water flows to the western sea. She has agreed."

  "Thank God," Kevin breathed.

  Kraa-Kuk looked for a few moments at Kevin, then turned and led her pack at a rapid trot down the trail. Kraa-Kuk-T stepped back and looked uncertainly, first at Hath-Boc, and then at his pack receding down the trail. Then, turning, he trotted after his pack.

  CHAPTER 13: The Ruins

  The agreement with the Kraa brought a decade of peace and prosperity to Alpha 2, a golden age for both the Kraa and the colonists, with the treaty meticulously honored by both sides. East of the mountains the vast expanse of forest extending to the eastern ocean, while not having the large herds present on the western side, was still filled with sufficient game to allow the Kraa population to expand. The Kraa were the unquestioned mistresses of their vast realm.

  With the assimilation of the Torgai into Kraa society opportunities increased. The broadened language enhanced Kraa unity and allowed increased coordination over the extended range. While only about two dozen Kraa-Torgai had been successfully brought east by the Kraa, population increase was rapid now that many had reached child-bearing age. Reproduction was required by the Kraa, with mature females bred yearly to selected Torgai males, with multiple births common. Within a few years, when the new females reached the reproductive age of 12-13, the Kraa-Torgai population would explode, bringing the cultural blending that Kraa-Ki strove for.

  The land ceded to the Kraa dwarfed the western coastal plain retained by the colonists and their Torgai allies both in richness and size. But the colonists and Torgai were few, and the population expansion of the colonists and Torgai was slow. What they needed was time, time to expand their population and solidify their claim. With their control of the coastal plain south of the Great
River, and of the atolls and large volcanic islands of the Protean Archipelago, it would be many decades, if not centuries, before the Kraa lands would be required.

  During these years everything seemed to go right for the colonists. The city of New Orleans grew rapidly, soon exceeding New Athens in population. The plans for a city in the interior were abandoned once the richness of the southern hemisphere became apparent, and were replaced with establishment of the small coastal city of San Diego Rivera, about 1,500 kilometers south of New Orleans. A small village was even established to the west on one of the islands in the distant Protean Archipelago.

  The three oceangoing vessels of the colonists established a regular route binding New Athens, New Orleans, San Diego Rivera, and the island base of Atlantia. Within a decade normal population growth and in-migration had increased the population to nearly 15,000 souls, nearly half under the age of 10. Within another decade or two governmental support would fade away, and support and resupply of the fledgling colony would shift exclusively to the Alpha Foundation, which even now funded many of those missions.

  But behind the bright picture lurked the knowledge tranquility was unstable, and that forces were building that could shatter the colony. The peace with the Kraa held together for several reasons. First, Kraa-Ki exerted control over the full Kraa population, and for her own purposes wished the treaty to continue; but she would not live forever. The colonists also understood that peace continued for now only because neither the Kraa nor the humans had need for the land of the other. But all this was bound to change.

  Sophisticated computer models had predicted the future. By the end of the century the rapidly expanding Kraa population was expected to level off at over 10 million before being limited by available resources. By that time the human population would have grown to perhaps 250,000 souls, with a similar number of Torgai. Kraa population pressure alone would place the peace in jeopardy.