Saurians Read online

  “Yes,” Kaltnau said. “That is not of concern. The question please.”

  “Where they are is fact enough to entitle them to worthy combat,” Krishnae said.

  “They have no military, Krishnae,” Kaltnau said. “I have proposed to the Council that we make a full effort to colonize this world. The colony ships can carry everyone in cold-sleep and serve as habitats for the work crews until production units come on-line. Supplies can be shuttled back home to our production units and we can begin warship production. I believe,” Kaltnau extended his neck and leaned forward, “that it would be more efficient to purge the planet and set up our own facilities than it would be combat these pseudo-natives.”

  “I disbelieve that,” Krishnae said quietly. He felt the shame of his past. Before that night long ago, in his youth so far away. He had not had a moral dilemma over the Codes since that night. Since then he had become a teacher of the Codes, memorizing all twelve volumes, each of the one million stanzas. It was truth. He would never violate the Triconitae again.

  “Kaltnau has his point, Krishnae,” Trarnif said. “These creatures are not like the spartzitz that we have encountered on those systems around ours. They would not be able to be domesticated. They are fully sentient.”

  “Look,” Kaltnau said pressing a button. Figures appeared on the face of the table before each of the Elders. “The cost to build a domed atmosphere, the mining facilities and then the production facilities would range from 166.82 million units to 179.83 million units. However, the cost of the fleet and troops that would be required for immediate action would cost 782.33 million units.

  “Of course, once the absorption has been completed there must be production of warships, but with an influx of new materials I estimate a per ship cost of only 33.33 million adjusted units. This even including the extended time-shift.” Kaltnau sat back, narrowing his eye slits in satisfaction.

  “I do not think that a savings of half a billion units is worth the total destruction of worthy beings. By having star travel capabilities they have proven themselves to be treated as equals by the rules of the Triconitae. Trarnif,” he turned to look at the elder, “you have just said that they are not spartzitz. They deserve the honor of conventional open combat.”

  “No,” Kaltnau pointed his finger at Krishnae, “economic efficiency is the prime concern here.”

  “What you are proposing,” Krishnae narrowed his eye slits and swished his tail in growing anger, “violates the Code.”

  “That should not be difficult to stomach, especially for you.” Kaltnau narrowed his eye slits in a knowing smile.

  “Enough,” Trarnif said, the command pushing from his air slits carrying the force of automatic submissions to all the Elders. He stood and looked directly at Krishnae. He opened his eye slits wider, reducing the harshness of his glare. “Krishnae, I appreciate your loyalty to the old Codes. But you must observe all the facts. We have already pushed all of our systems to their limits and used them up. Our entire Tnassiup is about to grow into decay and chaos of a degree before unimagined. The only thing we seem to have an abundance of is sunlight and hydrogen. Maintaining facilities on those that are inhabitable are very expensive, not to mention the inordinate cost to run facilities on those with hostile environments. This new system gives an easy escape for us. We can continue to grow and find planets richer than this one ever was.” He leaned onto the table with both hands and stretched his neck out to Krishnae. “It is for the survival of our race, Krishnae.”

  “That is stupid.” Krishnae looked directly at Trarnif. “We expand, and we must to survive, we expand fully and within the tenets of the Triconitae.”

  “The Code does not apply here,” Rontintae said. “It was needed once, and is still good for the people. But it hinders ruling the populace and gets in the way of political decisions. We have to come to the conclusion that the Codes were created before the Council came to be, so it does not apply to the Council.”

  “You are wrong.” Krishnae could not help narrowing his eye slits in a smile, able to speak directly to Elder in such a way. “The Triconitae is everything that we are. It is our people, our culture.”

  “The Triconitae were a group of warlords that died over a ten thousand years ago, Krishnae,” Kaltnau said. “They created the Codes for them and their brethren to live by. It is a warrior's code and is illogical.”

  “I still disagree, Kaltnau. They were created to slow the slaughter of our people. Without the Codes nestlings and females would continue to have been butchered. Whole clans were annihilated and family lines died out. The Codes were created so that our species could survive.”

  “Krishnae,” Trarnif sat down, “you violated those codes long ago. You did what was needed then. You always have. Do you now change that so that you can uphold this code that could itself be responsible for our people dying out?”

  “No.”

  “Pos-ti,” Trarnif continued, “You are the only one with the necessary knowledge, experience, and capabilities to Council this venture. Do you accept?”

  “I accept if I am allowed to do it my way and on my schedule.”

  “Agreed,” Trarnif said and turned to the others.

  Kaltnau nodded his head. “On the condition,” he cut in, “that Krishnae guarantees success.”

  All eyes turned to Krishnae.

  “I can offer that I will not fail unless my death is the result,” Krishnae said, meeting their gaze.

  “Agreed,” Kalgenatu said.

  Rontintae and Karupupu nodded their agreement.

  “The news of your promotion will be broadcasted,” Trarnif said.

  Krishnae left the Arena by the way he had entered instead of the privileged entrance of the Elders. His driver was out front waiting for him. He walked to the ground car and dismissed the servant. He would walk home this night.

  His stroll carried him through the park. Its dark trees spoke to him of their passive observations, sentinels through time. They were there, unchanging, watching life. He stopped and stared at a tree. It was one of the oldest in the park. It reached for the stars, it had been there for over a thousand years and would remain for another thousand.

  “Only if the Katsurani survive,” Krishnae thought aloud. No, even then it would still stand. The race would fall into an overpopulated mass of barbaric violence. When resources for production began to falter things would stop being made, food production would begin to fail. And with hunger civilization would fall. The Codes would be abandoned and the ancient barbarity of clan versus clan would return. Krishnae had always known that the race must look to the stars for survival.

  “But we are not a race of Triconitae,” He said aloud, continuing to stare at the ancient tree while Trarnif's words returned to him. He looked into its bark as if he could divine an answer from its intricate swirls and patterns. He had tried to live up to the Codes but was unable to. The Codes had always gotten in the way. But that was why they were created. Everyone took the easy way, which was the path of self-destruction.

  He recalled that night, long ago, the night he became Clansmaster. Then, as he was expected to now, he threw away the Codes and adopted the way of an animal. Must he do that again? The economic savings were inconsequential. The cost savings in the long term would be much greater. Krishnae had plans, plans that his fellow Elders would disagree with, especially Kaltnau, plans that would make a great savings in both units and lives.

  Krishnae narrowed his eye slits in satisfaction. Both the desires would be satisfied. The ultimate desire of the Elders and the desire of the Triconitae. He saw his way the most logical. He looked to the top of the black tree and yelled, “The Elders by damned!”

  Announcement of the addition of a new Elder was made the following morning. Krishnae stood before a mass of Katsurani while the honors were bestowed upon him.

  The tall platform held only Elders and the young Katsurani that had no determined sex yet. Crowds gathered while the video cameras filmed the entire thing for
the rest of the Tnassiup and posterity. Krishnae had crossed into the realm of immortality. Each child in school would view this recording among with those of the other Elders. The creation of an Elder assured for him his place in history.

  But Krishnae knew that he would be remembered for more than just that. The Katsurani of the entire system would remember him as a butcher that had saved their race.

  He realized the previous night that when the race was young the Codes were needed to preserve it. Now, again, the Codes were needed. They must be followed as literally as possible. The Codes were not totally analogous stories, nor were they totally abstract philosophy. They gave a framework for all to follow. It was harsh, and limiting and left little room for modification and even interpretation. It was time to refurbish the law, to regress to an age of ultimate loyalty. Transition was never easy and he would accept the brunt of total responsibility.

  Krishnae was announced by Trarnif and he stepped onto the platform where the crowds could see him. He stood wearing nothing. Three young ones walked to stand behind Trarnif. They carried items of ancient value in their arms.

  First, Trarnif took the golden robe of Elder and handed it to Krishnae. “With the robe your fellows will know you for what you are.”

  Krishnae accepted the robe and put it on.

  Trarnif then took a black sash from the second young one and handed it to Krishnae. “With the sash your fellows will know you for what you have done.”

  Krishnae accepted the sash and put it on.

  Lastly, Trarnif turned and took the golden sword of the Elder. He turned and, kneeling, handed it to the standing Krishnae. “With the sword your fellows will know you for what you will do. Elder, my blood is yours!”

  Krishnae accepted the sword. He stood hesitant as Trarnif knelt and extended his neck. In the distant past, almost too far to remember, new Elders beheaded the Elder that bestowed the items to them. But that was replaced by a bloodying of the kneeling Elder's extended neck. That was the reason the traditional three Elders had grown to its current number. Krishnae knew what must be done. The drastic endeavor he was to undertake required that he be known as an Elder of the Ancients. Only then could he lead in battle. Katsurani warriors had no respect for a Leader that would not kill with them. Krishnae whispered just enough for Trarnif to hear him, “Swift journey.” He raised his arm and cleanly severed Trarnif's head from his neck.

  The silent crowed appeared to Krishnae to grow even quieter. He stepped to the microphone and gazed across the crowd.

  “The time,” he began, “has come to return to the ways of the past. The excesses of this modern age are destroying our race. The answer to this dilemma is written in the Triconitae. The old Codes of the warrior are to be adopted once again.”

  Krishnae paused to allow his words to take effect. He saw necks extending throughout the crowd. “The solution lies in space!” He saw eye slits widen in confusion. “An alien race has been discovered.” He heard the other Elders swish their tails restlessly. They had not known that he would make this revelation to the entire Tnassiup.

  “This race,” he leaned forward, as if he were speaking to each individual in the crowd personally, “has the ability to save our race. The Old Ones carved our civilization out of blood!” He raised the sword above his head, Trarnif's blood dripping down his arm and staining his robe. “It is with blood that we will save it!” He stood over the body of his friend, looked down and remembered that night long ago. He did what had to be done. He looked up. The entire crowd had fallen to their knees with their necks extended. The Katsurani would survive.

  Days passed rapidly. Elder Krishnae moved quickly to work. He wasted no second. He called together all the best designers and engineers from the Tnassiup. One thousand warships were to be designed and built. The remainder of the armada was to be made up of five hundred troop transports, one thousand colony ships and five scientific research vessels.

  Within a quarter year Production started and proceeded at a rapid pace. The sense of urgency could be felt and caused the crews to work harder and faster. Elder Krishnae had a way of getting more out of the workers than they thought they could give. He proved to be one of the best Elders modern history had known.

  The colony ships were modified from existing designs and built new. The thousand built could carry a million each in cold sleep. With the problem of population there was no difficulty in finding a billion individuals to volunteer. Many looking for space to expand their clan, and the nameless ones looking to perform actions worthy to gain themselves a clan.

  The assault ships were completed next and put through rigorous tests. Again, there were more than enough volunteers. Krishnae was able to pick the very best. The fleet became the elite.

  Finally, a scant three years after he had begun the work, Krishnae saw the science vessels completed. He then culled the best from University and gave them postings on the ships. None said no, all were eager to go.

  The other Elder’s refused to support this part of Krishnae's plan. They could not allow him to drain them of their best and brightest. A meeting was called. They felt Krishnae had overstepped his bounds, exceeded the mission requirements. For the first time in history the Elders were going to question one of their own.

  The room was no different than the last time he had been there, nothing had changed in that space. The one that was different was Krishnae. He had grown in the past three years. He had moved to mold himself into the role as the Elder of the Codes. He was Krishnae. When Krishnae entered the room the four other Elders were already seated.

  “Come and sit, Krishnae.” Kaltnau narrowed his eye slits, his tail lashing with open hostility.

  “I thought you were the oldest Kalgenatu.” Krishnae sat, narrowing his eye slits into a smile. He knew the old laws better than Kaltnau. He knew he could take Kaltnau in the Arena.

  “Kaltnau has a grievance with your performance,” Karupupu said. His voice carried the importance of the histories.

  Krishnae puffed his air slits into a laugh. “He fertilizes in the wind.”

  Kaltnau jumped to his feet, extending his neck to Krishnae. “Do not insult me, spartzitz!”

  “Do you wish to challenge, Kaltnau?” Krishnae stood, his tail held still.

  Kaltnau withdrew his neck, shocked, “What do you mean?”

  Karupupu puffed his air slits in a chuckle. “Do you not know your own heritage, Kaltnau?”

  “It is the right of the accused to defend himself against his accuser,” Rontintae said.

  “There has not been an Elder Contest for centuries.” Kalgenatu stood. “If this is to transpire it must be done in accordance with the old writings.”

  “Do you have the Book?” Rontintae narrowed his eye slits in a smile.

  “It is in my possession.” Karupupu stood and left the room.

  Krishnae and Kaltnau stood staring at each other across the table. Krishnae was steady, he knew his abilities. Kaltnau twitched his tail nervously. Krishnae had always been subservient to him, he hadn't anticipated Krishnae's ability to completely mold himself to the role of Elder Pos-ti.

  Karupupu returned with the Book. It was massive, with black binding of stone and pages made from metal. The writings of the Triconitae were the foundation of the Triconitae. This was one massive volume out of a set of twelve.

  “The accuser must meet the accused in the place of honor to accuse. If the accused refuses the accusation ehcidrabs shall meet honor with dignity.”

  “I don't want to fight you, Krishnae.” Kaltnau sat down hoping to avoid combat. He had never performed well in trials and wished to not face Krishnae for real.

  “But you made the accusation, Elder.” Krishnae looked at each of his fellow Elders. “You did not dispute him.”

  “It is not written that we may defend the accused.” Karupupu narrowed his eye slits in a smile.

  “Use the Book against my statements?” Krishnae returned the smile.

  “You are too popular with the pe
ople,” Kalgenatu said. “My agents have informed me about the fervor that you have inspired them with. They have made you a deity.”

  “That is why I worried.” Kaltnau avoided Krishnae's gaze.

  “They know each of their clans will be represented in the colony ships, and the nameless ones a chance to begin their own.” Krishnae sat down. “For that they thank me with their loyalty.”

  “It is more than that,” Rontintae said. “Such a charismatic leader has not been known since Warrior Reltinae.”

  “The legend tells of his downfall,” Krishnae said. “I shall not make the same mistakes. I read my history.” He looked to Kaltnau.

  “You already use the Arena to choose your Battle Leaders,” Rontintae said. “That is not wise.”

  “The people want it.” Krishnae leaned forward. “It is a return to the old ways that were designed to ensure our race's survival. They demand it.”

  “It may bring back the old tribal ties.”

  “The Battle for Unity is finally done,” Krishnae narrowed his eye-slits into a knowing smile. “Now, the Katsurani are one race. Finally.”

  “It took another race of enemies to break the old bonds.” Karupupu looked to the ceiling. “Let us hope it has been for the better.”

  “We already know there is no other way, Karupupu,” Kaltnau said.

  “I will not purge the planet,” Krishnae said.

  “I have always known, Krishnae.” Kalgenatu narrowed his eye slits in a smile. “And I now agree.”

  “The fleet is ready.” Krishnae's voice grew quiet.

  “Then I will see you in Ugbtuean.” Kalgenatu extended his neck in respect.

  Chapter 2

  Captain Laitru eyed his command crew and twitched his tail nervously. Time was almost near. It had been an excruciatingly long time-shift, even with crew rotation and cold sleep. The crews were ready, eager, and fervent. One could feel the electricity in the air. The screen hanging from the ceiling before his face showed the black mark and the red line rapidly approaching it. The attack was imminent.