Chapter One

THE INCIDENT

JILL UREGLIMI

I had been personally invited by siManti; the Dubai. Her 'dominion' was tiny compared to cities on ZerShaz planets, and considering I was the 'Ki-Zeduini' she did not 'outrank' me. But I wanted to attend the verodyne to see if our 'plan' .. well that of the Ki-Zershaz and the Sakari....would work.

It is so preculair to be fully human, having been a member of the Terran Space Fleet yet be more comfortable in a ZerShaz environment than I had been among my 'species'.  Of course, human and ZerShaz were not different 'species' but that was what the wars were about. And the humans lost. Every inhabitable planet is these Sectors is controlled by the ZerShaz.

They live underground on Earth now, having 'protected' that world by ionising the atmosphere. Seponi, a minor world had no human population. Ultra-Modern Xenos had moved all humans to a small section. Shalimar, the planet of my birth, was segregated. Beta Mar continued as it had save being under ZerShaz control humans were confined to the planet.

Zechia, a ZerShaz world which was decimated decades ago was being repopulated. It was a planet of thousands of islands and the only world where there was a form of integration.

Tonight the ZeSha who had been rescued from slavery on Argale who had been discharged from my hospital would attend the verodyne and encounter ini, ZerShaz females, who had been sent here to be trained as 'medical technicians.'

These ini were rather substandard, it is true, but they had resided on the ZerShaz homeworld so were, in general, of 'higher' status than those born on Kintwin or KeyTash, and of course, VeRash, which had an unsavoury history.

Many of the Retrieved were from VeRash. Considering the length of time they had been separated from their world, considering the 'ageless' water which r maintained them at the age they appeared when the ivKitri crashed on Argale, being on a new and different world would be beneficial to their reintegration in society.

Ki-ZerShaz had made statements which should impell the ini to mate with the Retrieved.  Now we will see.

I had left my home, dressed in my best outfit, came down the path to the islet. I imagined myself sliding on a stone, skittering straight down into the river, screaming myself hoarse as I was tossed out to sea.  It didn't happen, but in my life, that was more likely than my safe arrival at the verodyne.

I reached the bank, walked across the little bridge, through the winding path, carrying a small hand light to guide me. As I came from the last embrace of the bushes, the verodyne stood proclaiming it's center to the lives of these people.

It was magnificent.

The orange light that came through the slits was a technological light show. Perhaps because this demanded that the builder precise in measurements, it was far greater than a computer generated exhibition where the swish of a finger could correct any error.

The crowd outside was as much as within, (I think a verodyne holds five hundred). Due to my status, the crowds parted as I approached.

A seat had been reserved for me at the Dubai's table, and I greeted her and her husband who had been one of the Observers on the Applewhyte.

I perched on a stool, surveyed the scene. The ini were almost silly in their behaviour. The Retrieved ZeSha must be confused as inis raced about with pitchers of symenthe insuring no vase unfilled.  I pressed my lips together to hide my laughs. Glanced at siManti, who nodded, then back to the Retrieved, who were dazzled by the attention, their eyes flitting from ini to ini, so many offers, it was if these pathetic relics had morphed into the beautiful iKhyarm.

I'd guess the 'better' inis had taken a glance, backed away, thinking they'd find better. Others, holding the words of Ki-ZerShaz 'as their eyelashes' would not risk being an old maid.

Risk was not the correct term. They had lived on ZerShaz, in tiny villages, far from urban hubs where erssavis landed. Their opportunity to meet ZeSha was next to nil.  They had jumped at the chance to come to Zechia and be trained as zeduini, not because they wanted to be trained, but because they would have jumped at anything which promised to free them from their stagnant lives. Any opportunity to meet ZeSha, to marry, to have a family. That's why they left ZerShaz. Having 'heard' Ki-ZerShaz's decree, they decided to 'marry VeRash', rather than 'marry not', (one of their offensive anti-VeRash sayings).

Simply, if these ini were going to resign themselves to never finding a mate, they could of stayed on their homeworld.

Although the Retrived were thin and unattractive at the moment, food and exercise and a reason to live would morph them into average members of their race.

A boxing match was going on, I didn't recognise the oRains. No one gave it much note. This was a night of marrying. I watched couples leaving the verodyne, certain each iemn who found a wife would not take his life.

The bout ended, I doubt many aware of the result, another began. This one caught my gaze for no less than my oeTembi was about to commence with a familiar ZeSha. 

They were stripped to the waist, bootless. As the match commenced, I recognised Temi's opponent, oeBagthi; the ZeSha who years agao, had fought Daktoy before he was Ki-ZerShaz.

I was afraid for Temi, wanted to run screaming to the stage to stop the match, but had been taught not to interfere in such proofs of 'honour'.  That realisation sent a knife through my heart, and I trembled as I watched.

The first punches thrown, I bit my finger to keep from screaming. oeBagthi was too good, someone should stop the fight...I saw the punch, had seen it before, seen it when it impacted with Daktoy; now it slams into Temi; for a second I saw the surprise, the anguish, then the collapse.

oeBagthi held a moment, unsure, then appreciating the damage he caused, then kneeled, his eyes searching

Impressum

Verlag: BookRix GmbH & Co. KG

Tag der Veröffentlichung: 23.04.2022
ISBN: 978-3-7554-1243-4

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