Authors: Ronan Frost
Progress back into the swamp had not been eventless.
It seemed that the Federation were securing the area and were
firing upon anything that did not have identification. Shaun had
made an attempt at approaching his fellow soldiers but was fired
upon for his efforts. Not caring to be caught up in the hassles of
being handed up the hierarchy from footsoldier to lieutenant to
sub-commander to commander Shaun decided to make directly for his
Minnow. He followed a meandering trail of beaten down reeds, the
twisting of the path reflecting the abstract thoughts that ran
through his head.
Weary beyond caring Shaun had covered nearly seven
hundred kilometres in the past weeks, sustained only by the
recycling kit he carried in his pack. Sometimes aircraft would
blaze across the sky, fighter planes hugging the ground in search
of an enemy battalion onto which to drop their payload, other
reconnaissance craft mere dots in air. Knowing his helicasuit would
protect presence from all but the most determined of lookers Shaun
was confident that he would be left alone.
Thus the sharp blade that jabbed at the back of his
neck came as an unexpected jolt.
Shaun stopped as his thoughts caught up with the
situation. He froze, then slowly lifting his arms up to show he had
no thoughts of fighting back. Wild imagination ran riot as he
imagined a burly Hartrias warrior holding its blast gun at point
blank range. Shaun swallowed and let his pistol drop from his hand.
First he needed to surmise his situation, then get the hell out of
it. He forced words from his mouth. "Easy now, I'm just passing
through."
No response came. Eyes closed Shaun calculated his
chances of survival if he broke and ran now; an ice-cube's chance
in hell. Breathing deeply into his diaphragm Shaun began turning
around slowly, determined not to die from a shot in the back. If he
could only see how many of them there were -
Shaun's heart missed a beat then re-doubled its
pounding rhythm. A momentary grin split his lips as he pulled the
gas mask off over the top of his head. The spear prodded sharply
into his chest, bruising his flesh but not cutting the tough fabric
of the helicasuit.
"I come to you in peace," Shaun began haltingly in
the rapid fluting tones of the native eloprin language. His year
aboard the Federation ships were not wasted; he had spent much of
that time studying the microchip files on his translator bug, and
now spoke a few words of the difficult language.
The eloprin holding the spear looked more scared than
Shaun had been. The blade shook dangerously at the human's throat
as the suspicious eloprin's brows furrowed. "You can talk?"
Shaun nodded slowly as to not bring the spearhead
into his throat. "I am your..." Pausing, Shaun racked his brain for
the word. What the hell was 'friend' in eloprin? The small native
did not have the patience and fear was getting the better of
him.
Then Shaun remembered, and almost shouted the word.
"Co'rowix, co'rowix," he repeated, knowing that his human tongue
could not possibly hope to properly reproduce the proper clicking
sounds.
The eloprin moved the spear a hairs-breadth away but
his voice was still taut. "What are you doing?"
Shaun had to close his eyes and mentally replay the
sentence back in his mind before he pieced together the meaning.
"I...come in search of a friend. Ashian, Myshia..."
The eloprin shook his head.
"...Capac," finished Shaun.
"Capac?" The native raised a brow. "You know
Capac?"
"Yes, Capac," laughed Shaun, suddenly feeling light
headed. What were the chances! he thought elatedly. "Do you know
where he is?"
The spearhead returned to Shaun's throat, as
threatening as ever. "I will take you to him."
They had grown used to the poor lighting and it was
with this ease did Capac weave his way through the makeshift
underground encampment. The tribe had utilised those structures
still standing, and blocked off crumbling holes with rocks,
creating almost civilised living rooms. But still the damp and
stale air remained and no sunlight ever shone onto their skin.
Capac moved aside to allow the passing of two small
children as they ran past with typical youthful adaptation to the
change. Most of the village stayed below, stitching and weaving
baskets and mats to make their living area more bearable.
Recently Kiroth had agreed that some hunters should
be sent above to the surface, firstly to collect much needed
supplies and secondly to establish their position. Many optimistic
villagers believed the threat passed, but Capac knew that the
Federation would not have moved away so quickly. Digging their way
out, the five hunters had initially ventured out at night to bring
back a speared pyron, which the tribe had feasted on soon after.
Their ventures had become more and more adventurous until one day
the hunting party simply did not return.
Savagely reminded of their position Kiroth declared
that their outside excursions remain close to the tunnel and only
at night. It was the first of this next team, the last of the
hunters left alive, that had journeyed out earlier in the evening.
And now they had returned early, drawing with them much commotion.
Capac feared that something had gone wrong again.
Hobbling along with the aid of a newly carved cane
Capac saw the light of several torches flare up as the hunters
brought in their bounty; a human.
Weakened to his bones Capac caught himself, blinking
several times then looking back, squinting. Already the
tribespeople had gathered around cautiously but with an edge of
hostility.
"Get back!" Capac cried, making sweeping gestures
with his hand. "He is a friend - don't harm him."
There could be no mistaking now that it was Shaun.
Capac limped forward as the human was cast roughly to the ground,
several spears held dangerously close to his heart.
Shaun looked lost, the sea of twenty eloprin faceless
in the shadows. The light of the torch burned his eyes, dazzling
him as he was driven backwards. Then a figure bent with age stepped
between him and the torch, falling a shadow over Shaun's eyes.
"Shaun - it is you!"
Propping himself to his elbows Shaun narrowed his
eyes. "Capac?" he tried, amazed that the eloprin had aged so
rapidly.
"You can talk!" exclaimed Capac in surprise.
Shaun knew that the native was used to hearing him
speak through his translator bug, leaving his speech sounding
mechanical and toneless. He immediately brightened. "I took the
time to learn your language. Tell me, where are Ashian and
Myshia?"
Capac did not answer. "Shaun," he said in sudden
levelness, "why did you come back?"
"W..What do you mean?"
Capac's voice held an element of vice. "After what
you have done to us. Your betrayal."
"No, that was why I came back." Determined not to go
on carrying the conversation whilst laying on his back with spears
at his chest, Shaun moved to his feet. "I came to stop it."
In the darkness Capac's eyes glinted. "It was
Federation soldiers who forced us from our home."
"What do you mean?"
"They shot at us. Killed more than half of our
number."
Shaun could not speak - how could he? It was as if
all his beliefs and firmaments were undermined by this clash of his
culture and the eloprins'. "I'm sorry..."
"You said that calling upon the Federation would free
us of the Sunlords," pressed Capac. "Now, it seems as if calling
the Federation has worsened things."
"Yeah, I know, but things have changed..." He
thought of telling Capac that the Federation must secure
an area to be sure it was free of enemy troops.
Then, when the war had been won, peace treaties with
natives inhabitants could be signed. But in his
heart Shaun knew it would not happen. "That's why I've
returned."
It seemed Capac had read Shaun's mind. "We cannot go
on fighting against armies."
Exhaling heavily, Shaun rubbed his hand across his
brow. "Where is Ashian, I must speak with him."
Capac shook his head. "He is in the Forest Mother's
embrace."
"I'm sorry?" Shaun shook his head in confusion. "Then
where is Myshia?"
The edges of Capac's mouth hardened. "She died while
in stages of mxroiaht."
"Mxroiath?" Not understanding the word, Shaun knew
that it had never appeared on the logdisk of the translator bug.
Myshia had died? Shaun looked around the ink-black cavern as if he
could spot Myshia, proving the eloprin wrong. "What do you
mean?"
Capac released pent up breath, raising his bowed head
and affixing his sharp eyes upon Shaun's. "Come, let's get you
comfortable. I'm sorry for your rough entrance, but let me
introduce you to the Great Water Clan..." Capac named the tribal
members as each in turn nodded their head in still-suspicious
greetings.
Shaun noticed that Capac had ignored his question,
but decided to let the matter pass until a later opportunity. It
seemed he had a lot of questions to sort through.
They sat upon low seats constructed of plastic-like
construction inside the chieftain's shelter, a small flickering
fire burning in the fireplace formed of stacked rubble. From the
moment he had seen the Ansarii's ancient buildings Shaun had been
enraptured, fascinated with the technology that had constructed it.
It was old beyond the age of mankind, Shaun knew, but reflected the
same structures only now showing themselves in human culture.
He had been shown to food and had eaten, unable to
remove his eyes from Capac's bent form. In those moments of silence
he had time to realise why the eloprin was so old - there could be
only one explanation. It seemed that the eloprin had a metabolism
much faster than a human's, accounting for their quick movements
and mind. It was also in keeping with the theory Shaun fostered
that they had evolved from insects, for insects did not live a long
time. Upon asking several questions Shaun discovered that the
maximum age an eloprin would expect to live for was eleven years.
Belatedly Shaun admitted to himself that he had attributed too many
human characteristics to the natives. It was obvious that for these
people a child was considered fully grown at the age of five!
Gathering in the chieftain's room Capac promised he
would reveal all. Kiroth, the tribe's chieftain, sat close by as
Capac settled himself. Shaun drew in a deep breath, hardly able to
contain his questions much longer.
"You must tell me now. What happened to Ashian and
Myshia?"
Stirring the ashes of the dying fire with the end of
his cane Capac paused to collect his thoughts. "When a female of
our people nears her eighth year mxroiath begins. Only the Forest
Mother determines when it begins, but when it does, that is the
time takes her mate." Brows furrowing with resurfaced memories,
Capac continued. "Myshia was ill, and despite all attempts she died
in the final stage of mxroaith. All but one of her five eggs did
not hatch."
Eggs, of course. Shaun chided himself for not
noticing that the eloprin were not mammals. "There was one egg that
did live?"
"Yes. Riel was brought amongst us. He is the lad you
saw earlier."
Shaun nodded. He had seen only a glimpse of wide,
depthless brown eyes as the child had immediately turned from
Shaun's presence.
"And Ashian, did he live?"
Capac looked confused, surprised that Shaun did not
understand. "She was Myshia's mate."
His visage remaining questioning Shaun waited for
Capac to clarify. Looking uncertain, Capac shook his head slowly.
"Is it not the same with your race? When a female takes a mate she
performs actions that will bring life to her eggs. She eats and
digests the life-power of the male so that her children may grown
as strong as he."
"The male dies?"
"The female removes the gland in the male's chest -
of course he dies. Are you saying that this is not the same with
your race?"
His head suddenly spinning Shaun fought back bile.
Myshia had eaten Ashian?! In his mind he could not picture Ashian
meeting his death in such a manner. "I don't understand..." It
seemed incredible that the wily currach would no longer appear at
Shaun's side with a question or comment, his once brown eyes no
longer glinting with curiosity. Capac was speaking, and Shaun
forced himself back to reality.
"Normally all five of the eggs live," Capac said,
"but for Myshia, it seemed that this one single egg had used up all
the nourishment for itself." Shaun saw Capac stiffen as if a wash
of cold rippled across the eloprin's back. "When Riel hatched we
all knew he had inherited Myshia's powers - perhaps more."
"Powers? What do -"
Kiroth interrupted, obviously not wishing to delve
into thoughts of such matters. He was not one to privy with the
Forest Mother's arcane matters and preferred to leave the matter
alone; such talk could only bring misfortune upon the tribe. "This
is not important. Instead, tell us what you propose to do about
winning back our land from the Sunlords."
Shaun realised that the Federation also came
under the umbrella term 'Sunlord', for they too had come to earth
on the heels of fire and light. And now Shaun could see the
eloprin's plight was worsened two-fold.
* * *
Riel knew it was time.
His sleep had been racked by nightmares and pain the
past few days, leaving his mind aching and senses blurred. It
seemed reality was losing focus for the small boy and the other
presence in his brain was growing stronger. It seemed that a third
eye was forcing itself painfully open inside his head, wrenching
with it the flesh of his brain. The other presence was stronger
than ever, and on this night, triggered by seeing the human, that
presence had taken complete control.