Koban: Rise of the Kobani (100 page)

The group minds in Blue’s skull proved an interesting source of information about the early Krall. Mind Taps had been a dismal failure, with more than a stadium’s volume of thoughts to try to sift through, even when they made a concerted effort to stay quiet.

The reverse process worked well, however. The Kobani mind pictures sent from a single individual was like a night at the movies, for minds locked too long together with little new external input.

Their initial fear of the rippers was finally overcome, at least as far as not running from them any longer. Something the Koban raised Raspani never were able to do, even after the rippers abstained from deliberately scaring them so they could frill them.

The newly aware versions were intensely curious about the ripper’s natural mental ability and the Koban nervous systems in general. They had no collective records of any life with similar abilities or nervous systems. The cats refused to receive from them as a group, for the same reasons the TG2s did. The Raspani, as a former prey category, didn’t care for most ripper “conversations.”

Mirikami was probing for more about the soft Krall, and the minds that had anything to say knew only that they once had a “chip” at the base of their neck that linked to the nerves there. They had been Krall that the typical warrior, with fighting on their mind, would have challenged as weak. They had been removed from the crowded Krall home planet as hatchlings, and some, with early training, were smarter than the pure, warrior-bred Krall, and had less of the adrenaline in their systems to drive them towards violence.

They stayed isolated from the standard population, but their example and privileges of off planet travel convinced the clan leaders that there was some advantage to finding room to expand. There was less fighting when the same clan had ample room to take what they wanted on habitable worlds of their own. The reduced fighting convinced the Olt’kitapi they were slowly “taming” the entire race. The conflict was only being postponed.

It was the mind-altering effects of the “chips” that helped organize the soft Krall into a new small subset of Krall society. Their aggression was being curtailed, to make them suitable galactic neighbors.  The access to knowledge and technology made the other Krall resentful. The advancing Krall were able to do things with the mechanical “gifts” of the Olt’kitapi that a warrior Krall could not do. Even to use what gifts, such as clanships and weapons they were permitted, a standard Krall had to change their normal tattoo of status for one the Olt’kitapi provided. With that, they could operate the ships they were given, and use the weapons made available. There were other hostile races in the galaxy, and the gentle Olt’kitapi wanted capable bodyguards. If they could make them smarter, and with less of a hair trigger, they could become ideal.

No one knew how long the joint clan council had existed, but it was the body that coordinated the cooperation of the major clans, and kept them in line as they insinuated themselves into Olt’kitapi trust at every level.

The event that the Raspani said initiated the revolt was the next generation of star ships the Olt’kitapi invented. It permitted the upload of an Olt’kitapi mind pattern into a quantum matrix that gave the ships a degree of self-awareness. It accessed a level of Tachyon Space that even the Raspani didn’t know how to reach, and the ships could travel thousands of light-years in hours. What was wrong from the Krall’s perspective was that the soft Krall would have access to these ships. The standard Krall were told that their minds required modification before they could instruct the intelligent ships on what to do. They needed to accept the same chip as the reviled soft Krall had inserted. This they knew would alter their fierce warrior spirit. They had bred for many generations to develop that spirit.

The first of these new style ships were designed to be used for immense mining projects, to build what Mirikami deduced was to be a series of something like a Dyson sphere, or a ring around an entire star. An immense amount of material was needed, and a rapid means of transporting it to the construction site was part of the design.

The start of the first mining project was witnessed by a number of clan leaders, as an inducement to join the soft Krall in asking their warriors to accept the chips so they too could reap the benefits of the coming great galactic civilization, that the soft Krall would help build. The long developing plot for revolt was coordinated to start everywhere on the same day, before the new ships made it impossible.

“What did the ships look like?”

Blue pointed at his rear half. “Shaped something like my lower body, but without legs and a tail.”

“Let me show you something.” He took Blue’s hand. He flashed the visual he’d taken from Parkoda’s thoughts to the roughly one million minds still in Blue’s storage device.

“We thought they had been lost in the fighting. However, it is good you have found them first,” Blue said. “We believed they were destroyed, as the Olt’kitapi had promised to do when they were on the verge of annihilation. The great ones were reluctant to use these as weapons. However, we Raspani fled from Olt’kitapi settled space and the fury of the Krall’s insane rage.

“Those of us caught on our colony planet by the Krall never knew what had happened. Obviously, at least one mining ship was used to destroy the Krall birth world, and that ship, with an Olt’kitapi mind pattern would have gone insane, and of course would have the Olt’kitapi crew aboard who ordered it to do that. The minds of neither were made to endure mass murder. It is why they lost the fight, refusing to destroy whole worlds of living creatures.”

Blue made a deep skin wrinkle between his eyes that looked exactly like a human frown. Mirikami had recently learned that was the Raspani version of a big smile.

“If you found and have control of the mining ships in that image, then they are still safe from the Krall. We are relieved.”

Mirikami said, “What if the Krall had those ships?”

“Why then all of your worlds will die.”

He looked at Mirikami. “We are happy to see a big smile on your face.”

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HUMANS

Crew from Flight of Fancy

Tetsuo Mirikami

Captain of Flight of Fancy. From Old Colony of New Honshu, in the Hub area. Became Commander of Prime City after Krall left Koban

Noreen Renaldo

First Officer of Flight of Fancy. From Old Colony of Ponce, in the Hub area. Married Dillon Martin. Mother of TGs Carson, Katelyn, and Cory.

Jake
(sounds human)

Advanced JK series AI computer, installed on Flight of Fancy. Able to operate many of the ship systems autonomously. Repository of vast human library of documents, books, films, Tri-Vid shows, etc. A common capability on long Jump passenger liners.

(Chief) Mike Haveram

Chief of the Drive Room on the Flight of Fancy. In charge of the “Drive Rats” and conventional thruster engines.

Macy Gundarfem

Motorfem. One of the “Drive Rats.”

John Yin-Lee

Motorman. One of the “Drive Rats.”

Andrew Johnson

Motorman. One of the “Drive Rats.”

Nory Walters

Chief Steward, of the ten such staff on the Fancy.

Mel Rigson

Steward and primary Medical technician.

Cal Branson

Steward and Medical technician.

Javier Vazquez

Alfon Hanson

Jason Sieko

Stewards.

Bob Campbell

Machinist Mate.

Neri Bar

Machinist Mate.

Chack Nauguza

Cargo Specialist, handy man.

Ricco Balduchi

Cargo Specialist.

Passengers from the Fancy, various other ships, and early captives

On the fancy

Dillon Martin

Professor of biological sciences, sent to Midwife to study developing primitive life. Hidden specialty is forbidden genetics research. From Rhama, a New Colony, close to the Hub worlds. Married Noreen Renaldo. Father of TGs Carson, Katelyn, and Cory.

Maggi Fisher

Professor of biological sciences, Chairfem of Board of Director’s on Midwife project. From Rhama. Organizing unofficial teams to recover lost genetic knowledge. Later, first Mayor of Prime City.

Aldry Anderfem

Professor of biological sciences, granddaughter of Claronce Anderson, a former President of Alders world. Supports secret Genetics research. Administered first human Clone mods in three hundred years, to make Second Generation Kobani.

Vincent Naguma

Professor of microbiology, from Greater Angola, an African Colony World at the edge of the Hub, settled just before the collapse. Studied Raspani in Hub City enclosure.

Sarah Bradley

Biologist that specialized in simple viral and bacterial life forms from Newborn. Became interested in the study of Raspani at Hub City, after the old Krall compound was occupied.

Rafe Campbell

Studied human genetic mutations from cosmic rays on Brussels, a New Colony. Wife Isadora killed on ship by a Krall, “exercising.” Dove into Koban genetic studies when given a chance to make humans physically superior to the Krall. Administered mods to teens born as SGs, which made them first Third Generation Kobani (TGs).

Ray McPherson

Husband of scientist. Member of the Fireball Brigade of flame throwers.

Jim (Jimbo) Skaleski

Hydroponics expert for the Midwife station. Fireball Brigade.

Early Captives (at Koban Prime, later renamed Prime City)

Mavray Doushan

Was Poldark's Deputy Ambassador to Bollovstic's Republican Independency. Both are Rim worlds.

Thaddeus Greeves

Former Colonel of a Diplomatic Security detail for Poldark Ambassador. Married Marlyn Rodriguez.  Father of TGs Ethan, Bradley, and Danner.

Marlyn Rodriguez

First Officer of Rimmer’s Dream, arrived in mass capture of human ships. Married Thad Greeves. Mother of TGs Ethan, Bradley, and Danner.

Deanna Turner

Organizer of the first Primes to volunteer to work with the Flight of Fancy personnel. On Mirikami’s combat team.

Frank Constansi

Clarice Femfreid

Juan Wittgenstein

Early Prime volunteers to work with Mirikami. On Mirikami’s combat team.

Third Generation Kobani

Carson Martin

Parents Noreen and Dillon, born an SG, received Koban gene mods to become Third Generation Kobani.

Ethan Greeves

Parents Marlyn and Thad, born an SG, received Koban gene mods to become Third Generation Kobani.

Alyson Formby

Born in Hub City as an SG. At eighteen, left home to request Koban mods, against her parent’s wishes. Became first TG from Hub City, then first to be a TG1 from there.

Jorl Breaker

Fred Saber

Yilini Jastrov

Richard Yang

Their parents were early Koban captives. At sixteen, they become TGs.

HUMAN SPACE

Garland (Sarge) Reynolds

Sergeant in the PU Army on Poldark. Captured by the Krall, and in a fluke of circumstance is taken to Koban, and is there rescued by the Kobani, twenty years into the war with the Krall.

Henry Nabarone

Major General of the Planetary Union Army, in charge of Poldark’s defense. Formerly in a local militia unit, and second in command after Colonel
Thaddeus Greeves of that same unit.

Frances (Frank) Trakenburg

Colonel in a Special Operations division, based on Poldark. Dedicated to improving the capability of his troopers, via any means possible. Somewhat of a stuffed shirt, suspicious and secretive. Not under the authority of General Nabarone.

Joseph Longstreet

Captain of a platoon of spec ops troops, expanded to absorb remnants of units suffering losses from missions behind Krall lines on Poldark.

KRALL

Parkoda

Titled Harzax Kopandi for Krall, or “Measures the Enemy” and a Translator. From Tanga Clan of planet Merkrall. Leader of the Newborn raid that captured the Flight of Fancy.

Telour

Originally a Krall translator, of Graka Clan. Second in command of Newborn Raid. Placed in charge of captives at Koban Prime. Eventually was second in command to Tor Gatrol Kanpardi, with the title/rank of Til Gatrol.

Dorkda

Krall translator, of small Maldo clan, a recent offshoot of Dorbo clan.

Gatrol Kanpardi

General/Admiral of Graka Clan, Gatrol was his early rank and title. Later, Tor Gatrol, as High General in command of the war with humans. Based on Telda Ka, or “Base 1,” the former human Rim colony of Greater West Africa, which humans now call K1. All eighteen million people were slaughtered on his order, just to have a “clean” base. 

Gatlek Pendor

Mordo clan. He is the Invasion commander on Poldark, Gatlek is his rank, equivalent to the lowest rank of General for the Krall.

EXTERMINATED ALIEN RACES

Olt’kitapi

Highly advanced and ancient people, determined pacifists, who first discovered the Krall. Mentored the violent race, hoping to make them more peaceful, but were betrayed and destroyed by the Krall, about 22,000 years ago. Never physically described by the Krall. They taught the Krall how to use the more simple parts of their technology, and designed ships and equipment specifically for them, to suit their personality and level of intelligence.

They were the first conquest described by Krall: “Our old bodies, even so long ago, could easily defeat their smaller and softer bodies. They were fruit and plant eaters that believed their artificially enhanced brains made them more powerful than we were. When we rose up to attack everywhere at once, we lost our first home world to them, and many Krall died before our final victory. After that, we owned their many worlds. We ate them all like the cattle they were.”

Botolians

Aggressive omnivores, evolved from social pack animals that resembled Earth Primates. Good fighters, but controlled a relatively small six hundred light year radius of settled space, bypassing colder and higher gravity planets. Slow breeders. Was first Worthy Enemy. Larger than humans, the size of lowland gorillas, and nearly as strong as a Krall. Smarter than Krall, but slower reflexes and predictable pack hunting tactics made them easier for the Krall to surround and attack. Not tricky or subtle, and preferred direct confrontation over ambushes, and were out matched in such fights. Always refused to surrender, and were all destroyed.

Piltcons

Wiped out by the Krall a mere thousand years after the enjoyable war with the Botolians. The young species had relatively low technology, inhabiting only two worlds in their home star system. They did not have Jump technology, and fought poorly. That was hardly surprising because they resembled a chubby but fast running long legged flightless bird with long feathery arms and three fingered hands. Their small heads did not house their sizable brains, which were located in the torso where the slender neck attached, placed one foot below the beaked mouth, large eyes, and hearing membranes. The Krall found it entertaining to decapitate the creatures and watch them run around blind and choking on their blood, until the lack of oxygen or loss of blood caused their brains to lapse into unconsciousness. They would “steer” the hapless animals by plucking feathers as they ran, causing them to turn away from the threat, which they felt but could not see or hear. Their lean dark meat was edible and tasty when raw, but the creatures were so fragile that clan leaders decided they were a poor choice as meat animals to be raised with the hazards found on various worlds. The truth of the matter was that warriors could not resist the fun of slashing off their heads for the entertainment value.

Malverans

A reptilian race the Krall met and exterminated several thousand years before encountering humans. They were an insect eating race that lived only on warm dry worlds, with 0.7 to .8 Earth g’s. Their slow metabolism made them easy prey for the Krall. The volume they’d colonized was about four hundred light-years in radius, adjacent to an area humanity would have been exploring in less than fifty years.

Discovery of Koban

It was a world in Malveran space, which had been far too hostile for the slow reacting Malverans to settle. They had a few dozen colonies, and those fell quickly to attacks by a single clan, the Dorbo.

Eventually the Maldo, a small finger clan of Dorbo, were awarded a choice of former Malvern worlds to settle. They selected an unused heavy gravity world, later called the Testing Ground, or Koban. They built an open compound on Koban. Native life nearly killed off the Maldo clan. They learned they could survive there only by building walls and electric fences and carrying weapons. This situation drew the attention of all the major clans, who tried and failed to settle on Koban without walled compounds.

ENSLAVED AILEN RACES

Raspani

A spacefaring, once highly intelligent and peaceful race, with only about a dozen colonized worlds in a small empire. They were another client race of the Olt’kitapi, advancing under their guidance. After their defeat by the Krall they became semi-intelligent because the Krall bred and used them as meat animals. They were raised in herds on many of Krall worlds. The grey creatures, paler on the stomach than on the back, looked somewhat like a pigmy hippopotamus from Earth. They are nearly three feet high at mid back, and five feet long in the lower torso. The upper part of their torso is vaguely centaur-like, which when held upright places their heads five feet above ground.