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Planet Gikaet
Northern Base, Aluna
“My king.” Remi bowed as Xeus strode down the lowered ramp. The Base Commander glowed with health and peace, as if the encroaching void didn’t bother him. Xeus almost snorted. Even the void feared Remi, and the small smile that twitched Xeus’s lips proved this visit was just what he needed.
He looked forward to testing his skill on the battlefields. An energy hummed through his veins, despite his chest aching as if he’d lost something or missed someone.
“My king, he says,” Xeus teased him. “As if rank means anything on Gikaet.”
“It does not, this you know. However, until you have completed the diplomatic portion of your visit, you will continue as my liege.”
“Alodon’s hell,” Xeus grunted as the hum’s intensity decreased.
“Lord Tjakik heard of your arrival. He awaits you outside the neutralization zone.”
Xeus squared his shoulders and with his long legs, he strode toward the zone, greeting warriors as he passed them in the passages. He didn’t suit up, ignoring Remi who held out a suit of armor for him. He had no greatsword on him, just his blaster strapped to his thigh.
“Xeus, I will not have you die on my watch.” Anger twisted Remi’s features.
Xeus ignored him. “Then you suit up.” He marched through the zone and out onto the monochromatic sands of Gikaet.
The gray desert planet with its matching skies didn’t give him pause, despite the need he had to visit here. What almost faltered his approach was the thousands of Gika warriors in perfect military formation. They spanned out on three sides with Tjakik waiting in the center. This display of military bravado was impressive, but Xeus saw not the purpose of it. Is this to intimidate me? Is Tjakik nervous to meet with me alone? Does Tjakik not trust me? Regardless, sensing no fear or intimidation, he strolled toward the Gika Lord with two of his most trusted males behind him, Cales and Remi.
Gika had variegated gray exoskeletons and eight legs, of which two were red oversized mandibles with razor-sharp pincers. At the tip of each leg supporting its great bulk, sharp claws could tear asunder or form a skewering spike. Venom dripped from its mandibles, lethal and acidic. A face of some sort peered at Xeus. Two large eyes sat near the ‘forehead,’ a long-drawn flat surface fell to a straight-lined mouth with serrated tusks, and on the sides of the ‘face’ were another set of elongated eyes.
“Lord Tjakik,” Xeus clicked in the Gika language still activated on his O.D.I.
“Welcome to Gika, King Xeus,” Tjakik chirped. “I wished to meet the king who saved my people.”
Xeus almost flinched. Gratitude didn’t sit well with him. His decisions were his duty and didn’t require a response, good or bad. “I live to serve,” he said by rote, wincing at his stoic words. That is the sum of my life, I serve, unceasingly.
“My people didn’t approve of my decision to return, not trusting the Etterians to keep their vows. Yet I know you are an honorable people. You have proven my belief. I, therefore, wish to align my people to yours in the upcoming war.”
Xeus’s breath stilled. He wasn’t surprised that Tjakik had heard of the impending war. But he was stunned at his offer of alliance. Gika soldiers were fearless and fearsome. To have them fight on Etteria’s side could save lives and perhaps end the war before it began.
“Of course, we will not conquer other planets. Gika is our homeworld, and it is sufficient for our needs, more so after your assistance.”
“Do you require anything further?” Xeus grasped onto this topic, preferring it to professions of gratitude.
“Medical technology would be appreciated. We are losing too many of our kamiq, our offspring.”
“No, that is unacceptable. Remi, send out our medics.” Xeus glanced at Remi before facing Tjakik. “Your kamiq are precious as our damu are. If our medics cannot assist, we shall search the galaxies.”
“Your words and continued assistance prove my belief further, King Xeus.”
“Since we are both rulers, Xeus will do.” He flashed a smile, one he almost felt.
Tjakik inclined his great head as if to agree. A flicker of iridescent color behind the ruler had Remi tensing. A few Gika females scurried around Tjakik to lower stone boxes at Xeus’s feet. He didn’t blink. The exoskeleton of the females fascinated him—darkly shimmering from black, gray, purple, and cyan, the play of color bewitching.
“Your females are beautiful, Tjakik. It is honorable that you keep them hidden and protected.” Xeus settled his gaze on Tjakik, lest his staring offended.
Tjakik inclined his head again, and with a flick of a pincer, the females returned behind him and faded into the Gika.
“Thank you, Xeus. We discovered these during harvest. We have no use for them. Perhaps they are of value to you?”
Cales crouched in front of a box, flipped a lid, and leaned back on his haunches at the light that burst outward. He scanned it with his O.D.I and shook his head. “Unknown mineral.”
Yet the stones glowed brightly, their power source a mystery. Xeus palmed one before placing it back in the box. “I will have our lima kuu research these. The sale of these might bring opportunities to better your lives.”
“It is a gift, Xeus,” Tjakik clicked, bobbing his great head.
“You have given me a gift, Tjakik. These,” Xeus gestured to the boxes, “are a joint venture.” A dozen Etterian males jogged up to stand at attention behind Remi. They were the medics he’d summoned.
“It was an honor to meet you, Xeus.” Tjakik bowed his head and skittered away. The medics followed the departing ruler. Then in perfect military style, the legions disbanded.
“That was...impressive.” Remi rumbled his approval.
“Agreed,” Xeus said, watching the dust clouds settle.
“And now we have Gika soldiers for the war. I almost pity the Yithians.” Cales chuckled as they turned back to the zone, grabbing a box in the process. Remi and Xeus did the same, handing the boxes over as soon as they strode through the neutralization zone.
“Now will you suit up?” Remi asked.
“To appear fully armored is a sign of distrust...” Xeus accepted the suit Remi held out to him. He removed his current standard armor to tug on the Gika-proof suit.
“Or a sign of prudence?” Cales said.
Xeus shot him a glare. “Do you two intend to talk me to death or will you join me?” He unstrapped his blaster from his discarded armor to re-strap it to his thigh. He hid a lip-twitch as Remi and Cales donned their armor with more efficiency. He grabbed a greatsword off the rack to sheath down his back before pulling the helmet on.
With the visor still up, he stepped through the zone and paused to survey the gray sands with more appreciation this time. He drew in a deep breath, nostalgic as he recalled his first Gika kill. Since then, he attempted to duplicate the initial rush of emotion he’d experienced, the sense of achievement. He flipped his visor down and strode north, away from the zone.
The outline of Gika soldiers undulated as they skittered toward him, a solitary Etterian warrior. Two charged at once, the burn of the challenge lanced through him, setting his blood aflame, and filling him with a flood of unbridled energy. Yet, as he sunk his greatsword through the thorax of one soldier, distaste made his mouth bitter. This was wrong.
“Stop,” he clicked at an approaching soldier.
It drew to a halt, wavering, confused. Etterians weren’t known to speak to Gika soldiers on the field.
Xeus stood there stunned for a moment, disbelieving what he was thinking of doing, what he believed to be the right thing to do. “Summon Tjakik,” he said to the soldier.
It hesitated before scurrying off. As it did so, it gave a shrill cry, the ululating was like nothing Xeus had heard before. All Gika soldiers withdrew from their individual battles. Astonished by the unexpected withdrawal, his warriors lowered their swords. It was dishonorable to attack a retreating enemy. They gathered at the zone where Remi gaped in silence.
The sight of Xeus striding toward him must have broken through his daze. “What...what have you done?” He barreled past Xeus to assess the empty landscape.
“They are our allies, Remi. How would you address this?” Xeus flipped his visor to glance at his battle-bond. “We need every soldier. We need to train them. For all we know, traveling in a box in space might not be good for them. There are too many unknowns. This I do not need.” He drove his bloodied greatsword into the soil. “It was wrong killing that soldier.”
“To kill an ally is dishonorable. It is betrayal,” Cales said, standing beside Xeus as they watched Tjakik scurry toward him—traveling at an incredible speed. It wasn’t something Xeus had considered before. They ought to, with eight legs. This could be an advantage.
“Tjakik, thank you for speaking to me.” Xeus bowed his head, then, on second thought, ripped off his helmet and tossed it to the floor. “I cannot condone the killing of soldiers. We need them for the war.”
“But...,” Tjakik clicked, his mandibles opened and closed with no sound.
“I propose we change these pointless killings to something of more use. Your soldiers are fierce, as are mine. If we combine our strengths, address our weaknesses, together we can build a formidable armada.”
“In what way will I punish my males?” Tjakik’s clicks transformed into the snapping of his jaws—a Gika displaying anger. “This is how it has been done for centuries.”
“We are rulers on the cusp of a profound change, we either flow with it or break under it. Set your convicted to build homes, hospitals, or to redeem themselves in our armada. It is better to improve your people than to lose what knowledge they may have.”
Tjakik stared at him for a few moments. “Very well, Xeus. How do you wish to proceed?”
“Our males will spar with your soldiers, good or bad, using soft greatswords. They will remain fully armored should your saliva inadvertently touch them. There will be accidents, and hopefully, not to the death. Any injuries will assist in training our medics, yours and mine, to heal on the battlefield for both species.” Xeus paced as he warmed to the subject. “We would need to build classrooms to cater for all, Remi. See to it. We must learn everything about each other and Yithians, perhaps even include Maloidians in this. I do not trust them.”
“As you command, my king.” Remi relaxing his shoulders had peace coursing through Xeus. It meant his battle-bond supported him.
“Inform our males why I have made these decisions. Should they have issues, they must bring them to you or me. I wish to address any negative influence. Disobedience is punishable starting at three feet of honor. Some will view this as heresy. I do not want them accidentally killing a Gika due to their short-sightedness.”
“You have those too?” Tjakik clicked repetitively, sounding like laughter.
Xeus released a drawn-out sigh. “Tjakik, send up your general. He will work with Remi.”
“Mkaok is my general, but be warned, Base Commander, he does not bear your warriors great love.”
“We value strength of conviction, Lord Tjakik.” Remi bowed with respect.
Tjakik threw back his head and ululated. A tremor rumbled under their boots, and a legion burst through their cavern entrance, not too far in the distance. Within minutes and in a cloud of dust, Gika soldiers drew to a halt behind their ruler.
“This is Mkaok and his legion, Akluke, the finest we have.”
“My lord.” Mkaok skittered forward and bowed to Tjakik, his front pincers brushing the ground. This Gika general was more battle-hardened than any soldier Xeus had come across. He had a jagged scar running over his eye, making it whiter than usual. He doubted the general could see out of it. One of his legs was missing, and the scratches that crisscrossed his thorax were impressive. He also seemed old, as in ancient. How long was the natural lifespan of a Gika? Xeus was ashamed he didn’t know this.
“For now, our facilities do not cater to your height, General Mkaok. Perhaps we could utilize your war room to strategize?” Remi gestured to the cavern.
The general inclined his head, and as Remi turned, he ripped off his helmet and tossed it to Cales before following the ancient Gika general.
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