Reality: The Struggle for Sternessence Read online

  An early morning glare was rising over the misty hills. Dawn was about to break. Except for an ache in his right knee and a piercing buzzing inside his head (probably due to the difference of pressures between the local atmosphere and the capsule’s), Duncan was in fairly good shape. The same could not be said of the compass he carried on his right wrist, which was producing nonsensical readings. Still, from the pre-combat briefing of the previous night, Duncan knew that the Veridiawan village should be somewhere towards the south, not very far from his position.

  Looking down from the North Pole (north, according to Realdom conventions), Althea 8 rotated clockwise around its axis—the opposite of the Earth’s direction. Unaware of that key factor, Duncan followed the orientation rules he had learned on Earth.26 Using the looming light from the local sun as a reference, he started heading towards what he thought to be south, thus actually marching north, straight into hostile Creption territory.

  12.

  “Freeze! We got ya’ surrounded, stranger. Put your hands behind your neck.”

  Duncan was stopped by an arrow hitting the ground right in front of him. In the early morning dimness, he looked around nervously, but he failed to see anybody.

  “Don’t make any funny movement or my warriors will pierce you, stranger,” said the same voice coming out of the foliage.

  Duncan was struck with fear thinking he had bumped into hostile natives, who, according to what he had heard, could be very dangerous.

  A soldier came out of the vegetation, walking on four slender legs. He was wearing a metallic helmet and wooden armor on his back, carved all over with symbols. He had a resemblance to what on Earth would be recognized as a horse, although he had interesting differences. His legs, for instance, ended in paws he could use to handle objects.

  The soldier strolled around Duncan, finally standing in front of him. “Don’t you have anything to say, stranger? Have the Creptions cut your tongue?”

  The comment gave Duncan some relief. “Are you a . . . Veridiawan?” At this point, another soldier emerged from behind a bush, hopping on two long feet and holding a tense bow with an arrow ready to be released. “It looks like a Creption to me. Do we hitch him?”

  The horse-like soldier remained quiet, studying the strange specimen. “The Creption people are just people. This is but a human,” he pointed out.

  “Yeah, but he might be a spy, too.” The Veridiawan with the kangaroo-like feet narrowed his eyes. “Spying on us, ain’t ya. Ain’t ya?” he growled, waving his bow at Duncan’s head while balancing on his broad feet.

  The horse-like soldier resumed strolling around Duncan. “Maybe you are.” He then looked straight into Duncan’s eyes. “So, what do you have to say about yourself, stranger? How do you know we’re from Veridiawa?”

  “I’m a friend of Major Shoshuar, Lieutenant Saigtin and . . . and Captain Clara?”

  The soldier looked at him skeptically. “So you are. And how did you get here?”

  “In a landing capsule,” Duncan blurted carelessly.

  “Listen, stranger.” The soldier with the carved armor hardened his already aggressive stance. “You just keep talking funny and you’re gonna get it.”

  “I . . . I came down with the shower of lights in the sky; surely you saw it . . .” Duncan winced, realizing the answer had not been any wiser or safer.

  However, it made some sense to the Veridiawan. “Hum! Well, the girl-Captain did tell us about friend-people coming from the sky, someday.”

  “Yeah, I’m one of them, one of these friend-people.” Duncan smiled nervously.

  The other soldier hopped forward, and stood up on his two feet in front of Duncan, always aiming his bow at him. “If you really are a friend of our friends, stranger, tell us something: Major Shoshuar, what breed-of-a-person is he?”

  “Breed-of-a-person?”

  “Yeah, keiro-breed? Human-breed? What sort-of-a-breed, stranger?”

  Duncan looked at him with puzzled eyes.

  “So, what-sort-of-a-breed, stranger?”

  “I . . . I am a friend of theirs; they know me—they do know about me—though, we haven’t met yet . . .”

  “You don’t even know what breed-of-a-person they are.” The kangaroo-looking soldier shook his head. “How could you be a friend of someone you’ve never seen before, stranger? I say you are a spy, a spy spying on us.”

  “But I’m not!”

  “The girl-Captain said that her friends would go right to Veridiawa, right after they had come from the sky,” the equine soldier added, with a calm cadence and an intimidating expression. “But you were heading straight into Creption country.”

  Confused, Duncan did not know what to answer. “You must believe me! I am a friend, a friend of yours, and the girl-Captain’s, and the others. Just give me a chance to prove it.”

  With a jerk of his head, the armored equine soldier tipped off his helmet, which now hung down from his neck. “You’d better prove it right now, stranger.”

  “I know the countersign, Captain’s Clara countersign.”

  The Veridiawan lifted one eyebrow. Keeping the same tone, he grunted, “We are listening, stranger.”

  Very tense, yet trying to sound solemn, Duncan cleared his throat. “Reality only is.”

  The soldier in armor shook his head in disappointment and looked at his companion. “Put down your bow; he’s just a friend.”

  “Human,” he added, turning to Duncan. “Why didn’t you say the countersign in the first place?”

  “I . . . don’t know.”

  “Hey, he’s just a human,” the other soldier said, hopping forward. “Nice to meet ya, human. My name is Taiteenidee.”

  “My name is Duncan, but people call me Dahncion.”

  “Greetings, Dahncion. My name is Raylayhiagus,” the armored soldier said tersely. “I’m in charge of the northern platoon. This morning, we are only Taiteenidee and I.”

  “Nice to meet you.”

  Raylayhiagus nodded curtly but respectfully. “Our village is in Veridiawa. Where is yours?”

  “Uh . . . Earth, the Earth village . . .”

  “Earth?” inquired Taiteenidee, with squinted eyes. “That’s a dirt’s name.”

  “Please come with us,” Raylayhiagus added. “We’ll lead you to our village.”

  “Thank you.”

  “Why are you limping?” asked Taiteenidee.

  “I bruised my knee when . . . when I entered Veridiawan country. Say, this is already Veridiawan country, isn’t it?”

  “All your eyes can see is Veridiawa,” answered Raylayhiagus. “But there is a long way to the village. Come, get on my armor. I’ll take you there.”

  Duncan glanced at the Veridiawan. Riding an intelligent horse, as he mostly perceived him, seemed strange. “I’d rather walk.”

  With puzzled eyes, Raylayhiagus hardened his stance again. “Is it anything wrong with my armor?”

  “Oh, no, it’s just that I don’t want to, to burden you.”

  “You say words as if I were an old useless whymeenidy.”

  “Hey, my friend is the fastest whymeenidy of the whole Veridiawa, and a great warrior too,” Taiteenidee remarked.

  Duncan got the message and bowed respectfully. “I apologize. It will be an honor to ride with you.”

  “Humans sure talk funny,” Taiteenidee added.

  Raylayhiagus stared at him disapprovingly.

  “I didn’t mean nothing.” Taiteenidee lifted his shoulders and extended his short forearms.

  Duncan shrugged. “We do act a little funny, sometimes.”

  “You see, you see?” Taiteenidee said, pointing at Duncan. “By the way, where is this Earth-village you are from?”

  13.

  The people had gathered inside the Ivory Chamber, a semicircular stone building that was the traditional center of all major events in the village. Patriarch Coelious III was already there, holding his scepter, a clear sign that he was to exercise his patriarchal prerogatives
. Behind him, the Council of the Forty Venerables was standing with customary solemnity.

  When everything was ready, a scribe, holding a papyrus scroll, stepped inside, followed by three Veritians. Taking the papyrus, Coelious turned towards the Council. The Eldest Most stood up, and the Patriarch started to unroll the scroll. He rested his eyes on the Veritian soldiers—Captain Clara, Major Shoshuar, and Lieutenant Saigtin. They were standing on one side of the chamber, with an unassuming appearance.

  “Since the first day they arrived to Veridiawa, the warriors from the sky-lights have given us strong tokens of valor, and strength, and wisdom. While still fledgling newones, they went to fight with us like the ancient heroes of yore. And like them, word hath come to us of the strong signs and the mighty deeds witnessed amongst Veridiawa.”

  That was the beginning of what was going to be a particularly long speech. In the end, the three Veritian soldiers would be pronounced Veridiawan Warriors.

  For the previous two weeks, Clara and her two companions had been out in the country scouting the area where Doctor Oyhtter was held prisoner. They had not been in the village when O’sihn’s squad arrived on the planet with the mission of rescuing the scientist, who had been captured by Creptions during a classified research expedition. However, Captain Clara had often referred to “the ones to come in the mighty flying stars.” By then, the fifty-six Realitian visitors were already acknowledged as newones, for “Any old friend of a newone, although an old one, is but a new one,” as the old Veridiawan proverb went. Therefore, they were already accepted as part of the tribe, with the privileges and expectations this conveyed, like defending the village.

  Like all the members of O’sihn’s team, Duncan was in the Ivory Chamber. As the speech went on and Duncan’s hopes for a short ceremony dissipated, his mind began to drift far above the events, wandering lazily from one topic to another without resting on any in particular. Now and then, his attention would fall on Clara, the “girl-Captain” he had been hearing about so much ever since he had gotten to the planet. She was the first human being he met since he had left his Earth. Clara was wearing metallic Veridiawan armor, and a purple tulle cape covered her back. Over it, her blond hair fell down to her hips.

  Duncan perceived her as a particularly gifted person. She was young and had a singular mixture of valor and intelligence in her eyes. All that had captured his dispersed attention. To be sure, she was beautiful and yet, “That unrealistic touch . . .”

  Duncan perceived her traits as straight, too well defined; maybe somewhat unreal, in a way, childish. There was something about her outline, as he sensed it, something too definite or delineated, perhaps simplistic, laconic, somehow stylized.

  To Duncan, though beautiful, Clara looked, strangely, like a drawing.

  14.

  Both cultures use similar weapons, consistent with their rudimentary technology and aboriginal species. Bows and arrows, tomahawks and spears, are the standard weaponry for hominideans. Equus sub-varieties often carry two pikes, one at each side of their wooden armors. Massive species are generally equipped with metallic boots with nails on their soles. Proboscideans also carry arcteras, cutting weapons consisting of a large pole with two circular blades, perpendicular to each other. Canidis are usually equipped with metallic fangs. Felinnines utilize similar weapons combined with silver claws. Metallic fangs are widely used by avis combatants, many of them often equipped with spears under their wings. Some aviarian species specialize in storming targets by dropping different types of projectiles. Many techniques and well-developed flying tactics have been observed for this purpose. [ . . . ]

  However, some interesting differences can be spotted between the two armies: so-called killing-suits, each one made of a long elastic fabric covered by protruding poisoned spikes, are very effective weapons only used by constrictor sub-species of Creption soldiers.

  Excerpt from Captain O’sihn’s personal log.

  Swamp Valley was a muddy dale between two knolls, where two facing armies had been waiting all morning. On one side, long standards with intricate symbols around a horse-like skull hung wet from tall poles. On the other, white-and-blue flags were deployed despite the rain and the absence of wind. They carried an emblem standing for an old Veridiawan maxim: “To conquer and win: though many, one will,” which was symbolized by a yellow dot surrounded by a yellow wheel. In the Veridiawan tongue, the words for will and wheel sounded alike.

  The hills, covered by dark thick foliage, were quickened by occasional lightning. A forest of green blazed with every flash.

  A command rang out, and the armies started charging downhill towards each other. Duncan was among the Veridiawans. The high expectations he felt the Realdom had for him had triggered discomfort and anxiety. He sensed the need to bolster his own self-esteem—to prove himself, somehow. Thus, despite expressed instructions from O’sihn to remain in the village, Duncan had managed to get personally involved in the confrontation. However, he had yet to come face to face with the unforeseen trauma of close combat and the crude reality of war.

  Running alongside Duncan was Antares, a Veridiawan soldier with a strong canine appearance. Yet, as a leemow, he had many feline features, especially in his legs and clawed hands. The Veridiawan overseers had assigned him to fight along the human, a fact that had considerably elevated Duncan’s confidence. Antares was wearing a spiky collar around his neck and metallic claws, plus metallic fangs on his forelegs. However, he was not wearing metallic teeth like other native canidis warriors would. He considered them “too fancy and clumsy,” as he would often say. Indeed, it was very easy to agree, judging from his well-developed set of natural teeth.

  As the battle cry “Veridiaweens Coelireques!”27 rang loudly from one side, it clashed with the roar of “Death to Veridiawa!” from the other. Both armies collided in the middle of the dale, exploding with howls of pain and the clanging of metal.

  Cute impressions Duncan’s Earth-bound mentality had concocted about the people of Althea 8 were rapidly dissolving with what he was witnessing in the muddy field.

  A snake hiss froze Duncan in his tracks. Turning back, he saw a nine-foot reptilian, with a bear-trap-like device attached to its abdomen. The mechanism clasped, and the creature was hurled forward, displaying its metallic teeth. But while it was still in the air, another set of teeth intercepted its neck, bringing the aggressor down immediately.

  Antares and the Creption fell in a tangle over Duncan, and the three collapsed to the ground. Mud splattered in his eyes, Duncan was rendered half blind. After a rough wrestle, Antares managed to bite the neck of his opponent, only to be ripped off by the whip of his tail. Despite the paralyzing pain, the Veridiawan found the strength to dash forward and clamp his teeth into the Creption’s tail.

  Crawling out of the mud, Duncan stood up clumsily, stumbling a couple of times, abruptly running into a massive Veritian figure that was gazing at him.

  “Are you all right?” Major Shoshuar said, extending one arm.

  “We must help Antares,” Duncan stammered, trying to get the stinging mud out of his eyes.

  Shoshuar spotted the Creption struggling to rid himself of Antares’s jaws. He noticed something else further ahead, but was suddenly knocked down to the ground. An enemy air squad had cast a heavy net, effectively immobilizing the Veridiawan.

  “Not me, the captain!” Major Shoshuar barked, pointing at Clara when Duncan attempted to help him out. “Protect the captain.”

  Turning right, Duncan saw a Veritian woman, unarmed, with one of her legs stuck in a trap. A wolf-like creature was crouched in front of her on a large rock, ready to strike. Duncan was taken aback by the fearsome sight of the devilish-looking alien. But on seeing Clara completely powerless, he rushed quickly to her side. Stumbling on his knees, between the rock and the trapped female, he instinctively adopted a protective posture. Facing the Creption, Duncan put a trembling hand to his belt only to find an empty scabbard. He had inadvertently left his sword with Shos
huar during his attempt to release him.

  Without warning, the Creption sprang forward. Duncan jumped towards Clara’s sword, which was lying in the mud, and fell on its grip. The weapon sprung up like a catapult, ripping the rain in a fine spray of splitting droplets. Helplessly, the Creption spun on the propped blade and splashed down into the mud.

  Duncan recoiled nervously from the inert body lying in front of him.

  Without warning, the Creption sprang forward.

  Still trapped by the metallic device, Clara raised her head and saw Shoshuar running towards her. He had just freed himself of the Creption net. Without saying anything, he clasped the trap and applied pressure against the sides. The mechanism snapped open, and Clara was released.

  “How bad is it?” Shoshuar pointed at Clara’s bleeding ankle.

  “Not too bad.”

  “Can you walk?”

  “Yes.”

  “I must go help Antares,” Duncan said, rushing back to the battlefield.

  “Hey!”

  Duncan turned.

  “Your sword.” Shoshuar winked, tossing the weapon back to him.

  Antares was about to strike a final blow on the reptilian’s head, when the bulk of a heavy bear-like soldier knocked him to the ground.

  “What do you think you’re doing—bloody leemow? You’ll never put your dirty paws on my friend again.” The attacker smacked Antares on the face with one of his heavy arms, leaving him flattened on the ground. Brandishing his sword, the Creption thrust it towards Antares’ neck. But the blade broke as it hit a rock buried in the mud two inches away from its intended target. Just in time, Duncan’s sword had effectively averted the deadly strike.