Stewart looked surprised and pleased that his idea had a wider application than he’d considered. “I suppose we were constrained to think of how large orbital transfer stations have always been used to move people on and off planets, using smaller ships at those orbital waypoints. That, and the longer travel times involved made moving entire occupied habitats impractical, and no one needed to move so many people at one time.”
Maggi, having passed her Comtap message, added, “I’m thinking we just figured out how to move large numbers of prospective colonists to newly opened Krall worlds. Buy an orbital habitat, stock it up and tow it quickly to their new home, then live and work from there until it’s possible to move down to new settlements on the planet.”
Nawella, the current Prada representative to the council darted her head forward in agreement. “We have relearned the coordinates of our former home world, and several of our colonies. A migration ship would have taken a long time to make the journey, but a day of towing would place it there quickly. Some of our newest Prada arrivals have prepared a starter factory for transport in a migration ship, and a population of my people that, although grateful for the hospitality on Haven, yearn for a slightly lighter gravity and cooler climate that exists on some of our old worlds.”
Mirikami nodded. “I knew of that preparation Nawella, but I assumed the opportunity would be many years away. I believe the boundaries of our fledgling galactic society will expand faster than we expect. It’s time to consider what we will become, now that it’s no longer put off to a distant future.”
Nawella moved her head from side to side, indicating a bit of indecision. “Our former worlds, even if suitable for habitation, are remote. It has been demonstrated that there are threats in the stars that we, the Raspani and Torki, and an unfortunate number of other species were unable to meet. I do not want my people to face the galaxy alone, ever again. We strongly wish to continue with our previous plans, to form a united representative governing body, comprised of multiple species. Not only for trade and commerce, but for mutual protection of all.” She looked to Mirikami, an unasked question hanging in the air, concerning that protection.
Returning Nawella’s gaze, Mirikami looked around the table at Blue Flower Eater for the Raspani, and Coldar for the Torki, and then at the greatest surprise of all at the meeting, whom he addressed next, speaking low Krall.
“Toldot Fetra, you only have your five companions to consult with you here, but do you believe the remainder of the Krall’tapi will be willing to join the federation of races we four species have proposed forming? Your reply is not binding for you or for them at this time, or even later if you change your minds. The races represented here have already discussed what I’m telling you now, and we do not hold the Krall’tapi responsible for the actions of the Krall over the thousands of years of your own captivity. You are invited to join this council, although we do not compel you to do so." He spread his arms to include everyone at the table.
“I can tell you that Kobani have landed on the world where your people were held captive. They defeated the Krall there and captured their ships, without any harm coming to your people or to your dome. Your families and friends are safe from their threats. The translator disk you wear has kept you informed of our discussion so far, but I am speaking low Krall for your benefit now, so please excuse my standard Krall accent, since I know you speak with variations from that language. Your five companions are in another room with other interested parties, where they can see and hear what is said here, and you will be free to consult with them when you wish. I’d like to hear your thoughts on what is offered.”
The gray female, smaller than a Krall’tapi male, but less than half the weight of a standard Krall female, looked uncomfortable with so many alien eyes on her, and started hesitantly.
“My husband…, Pildon Fetra…, was taken by the Krall as pilot for a living ship mission. He did not return, but my family and I were released unharmed, which means he completed his task for the Krall. I heard you speak of the rescue of those that have survived the destruction of two planets. My husband passed the orders from the Krall to the ship that did this. Why would you let me, or my people live, let alone free us from the Krall and invite us to join you? We do not understand. We are afraid to trust what you say.”
Before Mirikami could reply, Nawella spoke. “I’m a Prada elder named Nawella. I think you know of my people, although we were defeated and forced into serving the Krall long after your people were first held captive. We have made the weapons the Krall used to kill and enslave other races. We did this willingly, considering ourselves to be part of their empire, of an elder race in the galaxy that we should obey. This was a lie, of course, and we deceived ourselves as well. We helped the Krall make war by building their weapons. If we had not, we would have all been killed. Here we are now, at this table, inviting another species that was used by the Krall, to join us. The other races represented here have accepted us, and will accept you.”
Coldar chimed in. “I am Coldar, a Torki, and we too have traded continued existence for helping the Krall in weapons production, and helped them adapt new technologies for making different type weapons after they met and fought new species. We are at this table with other Krall victims, and we will accept you.”
Following the unspoken cue, Blue spoke next. “I am Blue Flower Eater, a Raspani. My people have a truly powerful reason to hate the Krall. They did more than defeat us, than destroy our civilization and steal our technology to defeat other species. They turned us back into primitive grass eaters and used us as meat animals. I know that you Krall’tapi have been eating descendants of my race for thousands of years. That is what you were provided by the Krall for food, other than what you could grow. Here, we are part of a society joined by the common factor that we were victims of the Krall and we wanted to fight back. None of us committed intended crimes against one another, but we stayed alive within the cruel limits set by our common enemy. We sit at this table, and will accept you.”
Maggi spoke next, for the human side. “Humanity became the most recent Krall target for conquest. We tasted too poor to eat, we had lower technology than they could use for developing new super weapons, and they didn’t need us as slave labor. We were only good for fighting and killing, until we were gone. As we adapted to fight them more effectively, they used a stolen technology from the Olt’kitapi, which as you know was the first species they destroyed. They forced your husband to relay their instructions to a living ship, and it unknowingly caused the deaths of billions of our people on two worlds. The living ship that did that work learned of the deception, and tried to help us save victims after that. Its sister ships brought you here, along with us. We all are victims of the Krall, and we sit here united, to form a society that will cooperate for mutual benefit, and mutual protection. We accept you.”
Toldot was a bit overwhelmed, not having known about the histories of these species with the Krall, and had never even heard of humans. It wasn’t as if her people’s captors had provided history lessons, at least beyond their incessant bragging of their personal victories.
“Thank you. I can speak for myself, and I have been granted the right to speak for my five companions. For them and myself, I say yes, that we will join whatever this council is. You say it is forming a society for the future. Is that to be a government? We have to return home to speak with the others in our dome for a final answer. There are very few of us and we have little to share with you, but I believe they will share what we have to be part of that.”
Mirikami nodded. “That’s an adequate reply for now, Toldot. You six will be returned to your people soon, although I can’t say how soon the fastest transportation will be available. You arrived here in a single day, but without one of those Olt’kitapi ships to return you home, the journey will be five or more hands of days. We hope to copy their mode of quick travel soon, but I don't know when that can happen.”
She shivered a shoulder in acceptance
of his statements. A Krall-like gesture that possibly predated the genetic divergence of their two species. “We know little of star travel, but I accept what you say of the time we need to journey to our home. None of our people has traveled beyond our dome’s enclosure, except when the Krall took any of us away to act as what they called pilots. The pilots never knew how far they had traveled when they returned, or where they were when ordered to tell the living ships to do things.”
“We understand, and you will be provided more information about us, you can ask questions, and you will have time to discuss this with all of your people. You do not have to join our federation, but you may find you will benefit more if you do. If you join this council, you can participate in creating the Federation, and decide later if you will join that.”
“I hear the translated word of federation, yet I don’t know what it is that you are inviting us to create. Is this a kind of clan?”
Maggi, after a quick Comtap link with her husband and others at the table, offered a broad description. “Toldot, we on this council, and past council members as well, have each considered what we need for our own people, and what we need as a united group. The term federation applies to a political system of partially self-governing planets, under a central federal government. In the Federation that we propose, the rights of the self-governed planets, and the division of power between them and the central federal government, will be defined in a constitution, which cannot be altered by any of the member planets or member species on their own, after they accept the constitution and become part of the Federation.”
“What does this constitution say?” The question proved Toldot was following what was being said.
“It has not been written yet, but there are historical examples from the records of several species we can use as guides. One of the future tasks of this council of multiple species is to write the proposed constitution, and include rules that we all can agree will apply to all of our member species and to the self-governing planets where they will live. If you join us on this council, you will participate in the discussion, and have the right of voting on the words to be placed in the constitution.
“It is probable that we will not write the best possible constitution, and discover that later it needs to be changed. There will be a process for this change to happen, as described in the constitution. However, constitutional changes will have to be approved by a yet undefined percentage of the majority of member species and or member planets. One species or one planet cannot change it alone.”
Toldot understood the weak position of her people. “We Krall’tapi are too few to fill even a single world. We would have little say in what other species or a more powerful world will do to us, or make us do.” From their experience of Krall domination, that made her concern understandable.
Maggi explained. “The constitution and a list of rights for members of the federation will be created, which will prevent minority species or a single planet, from being abused, or forced to alter their internal self-government by either another species or planet, or even the federal government, provided they are obeying the written constitution they agreed to follow. We will have an independent court system with judges from all species, to help settle disputes.
“The Kobani, the branch of humanity of which my husband and I are a part, have a population probably as low as do you Krall’tapi. Yet we are a full member of this council. We expect to grow in numbers, as will your people. A vast number of other humans are not Kobani, they already have their own government that is not part of the proposed Federation, and they will not initially be part of the government we propose. Some of those humans may ask to settle on planets we have taken from the Krall. They must join the federation we are forming to do so, but will be welcomed. Worlds currently part of Human Space may ask to join us someday, but they would have to accept our form of government, our future constitution, and accept that some of the leaders of the Federation are not human.
“We know there will be planets with multiple species living on them, as will be Haven, where we are now, and other planets with predominately a single species. In spite of that, no planet in the federation will be permitted to have laws that forbid other species to live and work there, as normal citizens of the federation and of that world. The constitution will take time to create, and if you join this council, you will have a chance to contribute to what it will say, and propose things to be included, removed, or changed. Your opinions will be heard, but not always used. That is true for any of the species here. If some people think the constitution needs to be changed later, there will be a process in the original constitution to permit changes to be considered and incorporated or rejected. All citizens of the federation will have an input and a vote.”
Maggi paused a moment to think on what she’d covered, and decided it was enough for now. “The best way to learn what we want to achieve, is join with us before we frame the constitution of the Federation, and observe the process. Your people will eventually decide to become members or not. If you decline participation, you will be granted the right to live where you are now, and to expand on that one world. But, you should know this. Our federation laws will apply to how you behave towards us, and our members will have to obey our laws when they deal with you. There are things, such as slavery and war that we will not permit on any world within our boundaries.” Maggi sat down.
“Thank you. My fellow Krall’tapi and I will speak of this in private after this meeting, if that is permitted.”
“Of course that’s permitted. We encourage you to do that.”
Mirikami picked up where he’d left off, after Nawella discussed the Prada hopes for returning to their home world. “There are going to be opportunities for colonies on worlds the Krall abandoned, and for whatever reason did not go feral or only went feral on an isolated continent. Obviously, worlds that were originally colonized by Prada, Raspani or Torki will have high priority for scouting missions, and if found to be immediately habitable, we Kobani will take the lead in removing any Krall threats found on them.
“It would be convenient if they would surrender, and accept being relocated to some common planet we set aside for them. The closer to feral they become the less they can even comprehend such an offer. In fact, I doubt if we can convince any Krall clans, on any world, to submit or yield to our superior force, even before they go feral.”
He sighed. “I fear the backlash from generations of the future, or from new species we will meet, who may, with some level of justification, accuse us of genocide if we wipe out the Krall. It will be difficult to preserve members of a species that only wants to kill all members of any other intelligent species they encounter. Any proposals?”
The Raspani, as sophisticated and intelligent as they were when their minds were placed in one of their mindless brethren, were unforgiving. They were constantly aware how the bodies they now inhabited had become mindless animals, a food staple that was force-fed a spice that made them better tasting to the Krall. Eradicating every Krall, down to the last egg gave them no qualms at all.
Per Nawella, the Prada now held a similar position, which Maggi and Tet at first found surprising, considering the long history of dedicated service and loyalty they had given the Krall. Then the elder worship instinct all Prada carried within them provided the answer. Even when told they should follow their own self-serving instincts by the Raspani, a restored true elder species, their instincts still led them to respect and share the elder species point of view. The galaxy didn’t need a single living Krall.
The Torki, enslaved, but never subservient, and not a food item to the warm red meat loving palettes of the Krall, were inclined to be more tolerant. Their view was similar to that of Tet and Maggi, and of many of the Kobani. Find a way to keep the species alive, if possible, but isolated and controlled.
It was not a surprise, at least to Tet and Maggi, when Toldot gave the symbolic thumbs down for her Krall cousin’s survival. Just freed from twenty-tw
o thousand years of hatred, imprisonment, and brutality, the soft Krall motives were very personal. Toldot, whose husband was the most recent to die because of Krall cruel indifference to them, believed that any of her people would be willing to help eradicate them. That was also not a surprise, coming from the prototype of the original Krall thought processes. Except she knew her people were not strong enough to face their foe, even if the warriors were unarmed. It had been previously explained how Telour, whom she had seen strapped with metal bands into a rolling chair, had been incapacitated and paralyzed.
She asked, “If you Kobani could drug them all, it would make it easier for us to kill them.”
“That may be our answer.” Mirikami pulled at his lip.
Maggi gave him a raised skeptical eyebrow. “What the hell was the question? How do we easily murder helpless captives?”
“No. How do we capture warriors alive and transfer their butts to some world where we can safely turn them loose.”
Coldar said, “Won’t they lay eggs, and the hatchling go feral and eat them anyway?”
“They don’t do that on Krall nest worlds now, not with organized adults to keep their numbers in check and train and educate those they want to keep alive.”
Blue was concerned. “They will select the best of them for training as warriors. As they do now.”
“Sure,” Mirikami acknowledged. “With spears and clubs at first. We won’t give them any technology beyond basic and durable plastic housing against the elements, and clothing if they want, since they will use any technology to make weapons. They might relearn metallurgy to make swords and knives, how to build stone buildings for forts and conduct interclan wars. It isn’t as if they don’t know higher technology exists, but they’ll have to learn to build the tools to build it from scratch. They maintained their elaborate histories as an oral tradition for thousands of years, so they can use that same ability to preserve knowledge of how to survive in a primitive state until they produce writing materials. To recreate an advanced technological civilization will require hundreds of generations, and we’ll be watching.
Koban 5: A Federation Forged in Fire Page 23
