Surefoot 64: Thousand Scars

Melem-Adu watched his fellow Pridemaster help himself uninvited, yet another example of his impertinence. Other Ferasans knew to show deference to him, for his achievements in organising and leading their people in annihilating the Caitian defences and taking control of this wretched planet.

But Udul-Lit? He strolled up to the Capitol uninvited, promising to help solve Melem-Adu's Caitian problems. Only this ugly bastard's reputation afforded him an audience with Melem-Adu. "And you believe you can track down these terrorists?"

Udul-Lit's muzzle was half-filled with food, but now he spat out what was in there onto the floor and chuckled. "Oh yes, Master Governor. It is a matter of honour. Not just for the remnants of the Black Talon Pride, but for our people as a whole... and for our Dominion allies. They, too, have suffered losses."

Melem-Adu looked once more at Weyos, who corrected mildly, "We are not as yet allies, of course. But certainly we would look upon the disposition of these malcontents favourably upon your administration, Master Governor."

"There you are!" Udul-Lit declared happily. "We're all in agreement!"

The Master Governor glared at him -- I'll decide when we're in agreement, you snaggletoothed peasant -- but was determined not to lose any more proverbial ground in his own territory. "I keep hearing this word 'Kaetini'. What does it mean?"

"I have no idea, Master Governor," Udul-Lit responded.

"I wasn't asking you." He turned to his First Son. "I charged you with this task earlier."

Hap-Tek drew up to him and stood formally, his scent and expression more open regarding his disdain for the Thousand Scars Pridemaster. "According to the Caitian expert I have interrogated, the Kaetini are allegedly a revered order of lone warriors in this society, formed in the years following their arrival on this planet, before they had developed a global infrastructure and central government. They hold more ceremonial than actual authority." Then he pointed up at the image of Sasha with her sword. "Of more interest to us is the blade. I have been told that Kaetini blades are forged from... Arakanium."

That made Melem-Adu start. "Arakanium? You are certain of this?"

"Undoubtedly. I had experts study the blade used by the human in the images. The properties it displays match the historical records."

"Pardon my interruption," Weyos spoke up again. "But what is this 'Arakanium'?"

The Master Governor turned to him. "An ancient metallic alloy of our ancestors, said to be light but nearly indestructible once forged. The hulls of the ships the Caitians used to flee Ferasa Prime. Only a few pieces remain on the Fatherworld; the secrets of its mixture were lost centuries ago."

He looked back at the image. If they could rediscover the secrets of Arakanium, they could revolutionise weapons and ship construction... more treasure to take from this pathetic world. Now he faced Hap-Tek once more. "Assemble a task force, locate the source of these Kaetinis. They are obviously complicit in actions against us. Punish them... but bring me the secrets of Arakanium, whatever the cost."

His son nodded formally. "With pleasure, Father."

Now Melam-Adu faced his fellow Pridemaster. "And how do you intend to find the Starfleet terrorists? Pridemaster Ishme-Dagan has searched their ancestral Clanlands. They have not been seen there."

Now Udul-Lit reached for a gold cup filled with black-purple wine. "Pridemaster Ishme-Dagan has been deceived, or is simply too weak-hearted to do what is necessary. Give me authority to act as I see fit, and I'll have the Starfleet terrorists in custody or dead before this time tomorrow." He drank sloppily from the cup, wiping his muzzle on his sleeve. "All I ask is the opportunity to serve you, Master Governor."

Yes, Melem-Adu agreed to himself sourly. And then afterwards, you'll claim what you can from your victory. Still, he conceded, was it really any different from Melem-Adu gaining his current exalted position, from a fortunate interception of some classified data on Cait's defences? "Fine, Pridemaster, I will give you that opportunity. Bring me one of the Hrelles... alive. We need to know how far they've gotten with any Resistance activities. Do that, and the Thousand Scars Pride will ascend among the Ferasan Patriarchy."

Udul-Lit chuckled, raising the cup in his paw to salute the Pridemaster. "With pleasure, Sir."

* * * * *

Shall Clanlands, Mnara Province:

Kami studied the image of her husband on the study screen, seeing the growing tension in his expression, hearing it in his voice. "They're breeding with us? Why? What's the point?"

Hrelle scratched the fur under his chin. "I don't know, and I don't have anyone here qualified to even confirm my suspicions. Maybe among the families of the Militia we've rescued, there may be some medical professionals. Or I could just ask the Ferasans themselves, they seem very friendly and accommodating."

She grunted. "Why not release the information you do have onto the Cynet? Let the rest of the world see it for themselves, and let them work it out?"

"I've thought of it... but so far, people who have publicly questioned the Ferasans' claims of a Metremia Threat have vanished. Won't I just be triggering more of the same?"

She leaned forward in her chair. "Maybe... but that might be the price we have to pay. We've already sown the seeds of doubt with what happened in Shanos Minor. How's Sasha dealing with what she did?"

She saw the change in his expression. "Oh, she says she's fully over that, no problems whatsoever. All part of War, you understand, the only good Ferasan is a dead one. You can guess the rest."

She nodded sagely. "In other words, she's not dealing with it at all. I'll speak with her when we get there."

"I wish you were all here now."

"So do I. Jnill is coming here for a visit."

"Jnill?"

"Yes; I sent a surreptitious message to her, inviting her, Mirow, Ptera and Hrulish to join us in hiding."

Hrelle bared his teeth. "Hrulish? The cowardly kussik who left Sasha to almost be killed by the Vlathi on the Surefoot? You invited him? Seven Hells, Kam-"

She raised a paw to cut him off. "Don't start; I've had this argument with Papa Mi'Tree already. We're all in this together, I'm not excluding anyone who asks for help, I didn't say where we were going... and anyway, how likely is it that Hrulish will take us up on the offer, once he learns Sasha will be there, after what he did?"

Hrelle's image glared at her, looking ready to argue further, before declaring, "I'm sending Sasha over to collect all of you tonight, once she's done checking out a possible lead with Agent Nenjo on the Deep Keep at the Southern Circle. The sooner you're all safe here now, the better." He paused, and then asked, "What about S'Graow?"

"She'll be coming along with us now. It'll be safer for her, in case the Ferasans arrive and interrogate her for our location."

"Do you trust her now?"

"She could have turned us in when the last patrol showed up, but she played her part confidently enough. Does that make you feel better?"

"What, that she's very good at deceiving others? Not really, no." An alert on Kami's end made him start. "What's that?"

She checked the security system. "Several autocars approaching... civilian, not official." At his expression she smirked. "The Enemy just beams in without warning, Esek. It'll be Jnill." She reached out and touched the viewscreen. "We'll be sleeping together again tonight."

Hrelle touched the screen at his end. "Good, I can't do all the snoring and farting on my own. Check in at the prescheduled time... and be careful. "

"You, too."

She emerged quickly from the study, calling out, "We have company coming!"

Seconds later, she heard the familiar footfalls, as Misha came running out of his room and up to her. "Who? The Fearies? I protect you!"

She smiled inwardly as he hugged her; since the announcement of their imminent trip to an island of dinosaurs, his mood had picked up immensely. "Thank you, Sweetheart, but I think they're friendly visitors. Where's your Grumpy and Great Aunt?"

"Grumpy's in the kitchen with Baby Sreen, Great Aunt S'Graow's having a nap."

She looked up at the second-floor landing at the top of the stairs. "Ahh. Go tell Grumpy we have visitors."

He nodded and rushed off, as Kami made her way up. Quietly, as she heard S'Graow's voice from her room, talking with someone... despite her story about hiding out here from her creditors.

Then the voice stopped, and seconds later S'Graow emerged, the older female stopping, startled by Kami's presence. "Did I hear you call out about visitors?"

"Yes. Did I hear you speaking with someone despite my warnings to you?"

Her Great Aunt bristled... and then nodded with embarrassment. "I know, I know, it was... it was my snuff dealer. I called, trying to get him to send me a little extra on account, as I figured wherever we're going, I'm not likely to get deliveries." She breathed out. "He refused. It seems since the Occupation, the price of everything, not just... recreational goods... has skyrocketed. And as you've locked out the Clan's accounts from me despite my being named Matriarch on the Registry, and my personal credit is as frozen as the R'Trerah Archipelago at Frostmoot, well..."

Kami read her voice, scent, stance. Saw guilt, chagrin. "So you tried to access the Clan accounts?"

S'Graow's tail dropped. "Yes. I'm sorry, Kami. Old habits."

The younger female crossed her arms. No, you're not entirely trustworthy. Not yet. "Don't try that again. And don't make any more calls. Now come along."

They descended the stairs in time to see Misha and Mi'Tree, the latter carrying Sreen in her chair. The older male gave S'Graow a dirty look, but then hid it. "Is it that old kussik Jnill?"

"Very Rude Word, Grumpy!" Misha scolded. "Women aren't private parts!"

"Quite right, Son of Mine," Kami looked to her father. "And you're supposed to be setting an example to the cubs, not the other way around. Come."

They stepped out in time to see not one, but three autocars draw up to the gates -- with several dark-suited males hopping out of the first and third vehicles, glancing around... and carrying weapons.

Kami stiffened, seeing similar actions from Security personnel, professionals, watching unspoken signals moving among them, before they gestured to the middle vehicle, a long autocar with tinted windows.

Now the doors slid open, and more familiar figures emerged... "Mirow! Ptera! Jnill!"

She watched the Matriarch approach, closely followed by Kami's firstborn, helping his pregnant wife along, while others carried luggage. Kami embraced each in turn, and then Misha stepped up to Jnill -- and bowed, addressing her in a formal manner. "Welcome, Madame. You honour us with this visit. Would you care for tea?"

The other Matriarch looked startled by the offer from the young cub... and utterly beguiled. Yes, you've definitely got your father's charms, Kami thought, as Jnill replied, "Thank you for the offer, young cub, but I must decline. But perhaps you can extend the offer to your brother and sister here, while I speak alone with your mother?"

"Okeedoke!" Misha drew up to Mirow and Ptera, taking their paws. "Come, come! I make good tea!" They disappeared inside.

"Papa," Kami said softly, turning to Mi'Tree. "Make sure he doesn't make the tea again."

"Not to worry, I locked away the garlic." He looked to S'Graow. "Come along, 'Bond-Sister'. The True Matriarchs need some privacy."

Kami nodded to S'Graow, and watched the rest of them enter the Clanhouse. Then she glanced at the guards by the vehicles. "Your idea, I presume?"

Jnill sighed, looking around the gardens. "A necessity, these days; security has become precarious, as you yourself will confirm. Come, show me around."

The two females sauntered with apparent insouciance around the vibrant foliage. Jnill slowed down a little at a floral explosion of red and umber petals. "I never liked Mnaran firewheels. The blossoms always reminded of a fire I saw when I was young and visited the family shipyards."

Kami sensed the change in the other female's tone, lacking any of the expected snobbery. "Thank you for taking up the offer to come with us-"

"I will not be coming. In fact, I'm not here. My official itinerary confirms I'm on my own, visiting our company's annex here in Mnara Province, and I'm due back in two hours. You'll take the cubs, but I must return."

Kami stopped and faced her. "Why? What if they come for you, looking for us?"

"Oh, I'm far too valuable to the Enemy for them to harm me, my dear." She moved into a circular clearing, with stone benches set up around the circumference like the numbers on a chroniker face. "Which is what I need to talk to you about."

She sat down, adjusting her tail behind her and silently invited Kami to sit down beside her. "I will assume that you and your husband and other members of Starfleet are engaged in activities to respond to the Occupation -- no need to say anything, I'd sooner maintain a plausible level of ignorance -- so you will probably need this information: my company has been compelled to produce a small fleet of passenger transports for the Ferasans."

"What? Why?"

"We have been told they are local medical transport ships, but the specifications given us confirm they're really designed for interstellar travel." She looked directly at Kami. "They're planning on taking our people away. In great numbers."

Kami swallowed, frowning at the thought of it. Esek had told her about the specific medical facilities the Ferasans were setting up in their camps. The thought of what they were doing... then her brow furrowed in disbelief. "And you're helping them?"

"They think I am. Were I to refuse outright, or disappear with you and our cubs, the Enemy would take over the business, or move to someone else. But there will be delays, accidents, incidents... and ultimately, none of the ships will fly. You have my word as a Caitian, and a fellow Matriarch." Jnill looked ahead again, to the Shall Clanhouse, as if she could see through the walls. "And I will be able to operate more effectively, knowing Ptera, Mirow and my imminent Grandcub will be safe from reprisals."

Kami felt her heart quicken at what she was hearing. "Are you... Are you sure you want to do this, Jnill?"

The older female reached out and took Kami's paw in her own. "All things being equal, I would sooner be spending my twilight years retired on our villa at Lake Meru. But I'm Caitian, and if the Motherworld needs me where I am in order to defend Her, then so be it." She looked around. "I'm sorry I haven't visited sooner. The last time I was here, it was for our cubs' wedding. It was a beautiful day..." She looked back at Kami with a wry smile. "Apart from when you knocked me across Ma'Sala's study for insulting your new husband."

Kami felt herself blush beneath her fur from the memory. "Yes, I, ah, recall. I'm sorry again for that."

Jnill smiled, squeezing the other female's paw. "Don't be. It was something I fully deserved... and I daresay your mother would have delivered a harsher lesson to me if you had not reacted first." She looked around again. "If I'm asked about Ptera and Mirow, I will say they fled, and I have no idea where, which will be truth enough. I trust you will not tarry here for much longer, before you go where you need to go."

"We will all be gone by dusk, Great Mother Willing. Come inside, have some tea."

Jnill stared ahead, and then returned to her feet "Thank you my dear, but no. I loathe emotional goodbyes... and were I to linger, I would break." As Kami joined her on her feet, Jnill faced her, looking more vulnerable than any other time Kami had seen her. "You are a worthy successor to Ma'Sala as Matriarch; our cubs are in safe paws with you and your husband. Good luck."

Kami pulled her into a deep, emotional hug. "Good luck to us all."

* * * * *

Kaetini Temple, Mrelle Province:

Hap-Tek looked out through the cockpit of the Ferasan battle cruiser at the seemingly-endless jungle tops stretching out to the horizon, glad to have chosen to fly here with his males rather than just transport down to the intended location. He spotted the top of the temple just ahead, and made a pleasing sound. "Good work, Pet. You were telling the truth."

He tugged at the rope in his left paw, the rope leading to the noose around the neck of the Caitian female on her knees beside him. "Didn't you hear, Pet? You pleased me. You and your family will live."

She tried to ignore him... until she pulled the rope up enough to begin choking her.

He grunted as he regarded her again. She was a typical Caitian female in her early thirties, shapely enough, with a mane of honey-blonde fur and an appealing scent. Her muzzle was tainted with bruises and claw marks, and her business suit was torn in places ... but Hap-Tek reminded himself that it was her own fault. When his people had contacted First City University for an expert on the Kaetini, she practically volunteered! And she was pleasing to his eyes and nose...

"Hap-Tek," reported one of the pilot sitting ahead of him, his furless tail swishing behind him. "There are the remnants of a large, ancient vessel, hidden beneath the jungle foliage... and sensors are detecting Arakanium!"

He chuckled at that. "Excellent." They would have to defoliate this entire Province to properly collect the Arakanium, once they had deciphered the means of processing the alloy. Nothign would ever grow here again as a result, but who cared about that? He looked down at the female. "Hey- ah, what was your name again?"

He watched her wipe the blood from the side of her muzzle, gathering herself. "C'Moran. Professor Lia C'Moran- I'm the Head of the History Department of-"

The rest of her response was cut off as Hap-Tek tugged roughly at her leash again. "I'll just keep calling you 'Pet'." He pointed at the top of the pyramid sticking up over the jungle. "Is that it?"

C'Moran nodded. "It's... It's the historical site of training for the martial art of K'Gressir, which all Kaetini are supposed to learn. It's... It's the crash site for one of the original Arks..."

"We're detecting Caitians within the temple," another Ferasan reported. "Energy sources, communication devices, energy weapons..."

Hap-Tek laughed. "Oh, you beautiful Galaxy! My cousins, we've not just discovered the secrets of Arakanium, we might have also found the hiding place of the Starfleet terrorists!" He felt a familiar stirring, and barked, "Burn us a clearing near the temple and then land us!" Roughly he dragged C'Moran back to her feet and towards the rear of the battle cruiser. "I'll be back presently!"

Fifteen minutes later, the cruiser had landed on a smouldering, irregular circle of scorched ground, the air still thick with the smoke of burning foliage from the cruiser's disruptors, as armed Ferasans emerged, setting up a security perimeter as Hap-Tek now appeared, with C'Moran still dragged along on the rope, as he looked up at the temple, a massive trapezoid of many stone layers, steep steps and narrow windows here and there.

"Impressive," the Ferasan noted. "It was foolish to hide it in all this wretched jungle growth."

"The jungle was here before the temple," she said blankly. "Before any of us. And the temple is not here to be an object of admiration, but protection. Protection of the secrets of our past."

She flinched as he reached out and cupped her muzzle in his paw. "Well, Pet, we'll protect the secrets of your past now." Louder now, he called out, "Search Pattern Blackclaw! Find an entrance, kill no one if you can help it, and DESTROY NOTHING!"