EliteCommander

The Eye of the Needle (where Fantasy and Sci-fi collide)

Kareet of Arcaeda

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It was certainly accurate to say that Kareet could not understand most of what Vigdis was explaining to her. Even if she understood her, literally speaking, Kareet did not have background knowledge to be able to appreciate its ramifications. Vigdis said that the speed of light was as fast as anything could go, which was easy enough to understand, but Kareet did not yet know the impact of having that knowledge. Yet, everything that Vigdis described, Kareet dutifully scribed down into her notes to preserve that knowledge for later use.

“Ox-y-gen.” Kareet repeated the word. It did not translate, so she sounded out the word as best as she could. “I think some of you have mentioned it before, but I don’t know what it is. I think, if I remember right, it is why the book Itxaro gave me is apparently prone to catching on fire. You say it is something our air has a lot of, yes? And…you would have been able to tell that our air has so much of it all the way from Earth?” She said, both astounded and confused by the suggestion. She was on the planet and did not know what oxygen even was, but Vigdis claimed they could see it all the way on other worlds. “What is it, and why does it mean a world has life?”

Call of the Hunt [EliteCommander and Muttonhawk]

Ahnasha was silent for a short while. It was hard to imagine that just a few words would get through to Ahnasha once she had made up her mind, though she was at least not arguing with him about it. She glanced away for a moment in thought. “Her study? Well, I suppose we are going to need to go through her things. With you taking over as Champion, I there might be some things in there relevant to you. I wonder if she still has any of those books in there she took from Apocrypha?” Her voice trailed off somewhat as the thought came to her mind.

Eventually, Ahnasha laid back on the bed next to Fendros. “Can it wait until morning, though? I’d like to at least try to get a good night’s sleep.”

The Eye of the Needle (where Fantasy and Sci-fi collide)

General Kvarr

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General Kvarr hummed to himself for a moment before answering. “With respect, Castigator, it sounds quite like you do agree with me. I do not want to diminish the effort you have placed into finding these conclusions, but rest assured you are not the first to think of them.” Kvarr gestured to the map, particularly to the Ascendancy’s northern border. “I am sure one in your position is aware of the territory disputes we have been having in the north. The discussions there have centered around the Sovereignty, though the true threat is Narkant. It is fortunate for us that S’toric nations are often mostly concerned with fighting each other, as they would have already turned their attention southward without that distraction. Yet, I know them; I know them quite well. If they were to see blood in the water, to identify a weakness, they would pounce without a second thought. You have correctly recognized that Mythadia faces a S’toric threat from the north themselves, but unfortunately, we also have that same weakness.”

The S’tor general shifted his focus to their present location on the map, right at the border of the Ascendancy and Mythadia. “We could put forward a military defense. Demand that our foes leave and defend this ground with force. Make no mistake, with everything I have heard of these Human visitors, it would be worth the risk. Yet, there is another way we can play this game. You have been trained extensively in the ways of war, Castigator, so I do not begrudge you approach the threat with war at the center of your mind. A few lifetimes ago, war was all that occupied my thoughts. Then I met a wonderful woman who opened my mind to other ways of thinking. Mythadia is a land where tradition reigns supreme. If we give them no justification to fight, it is much more difficult for them to muster support among their factions for a war. So, we present the Humans as a neutral entity; representatives of a foreign nation. Give them that status, and it is no longer the Ascendancy that Mythadia would be declaring war on. If we cede this little stretch of land to the Humans, for their use, then by Mythadian law, they would have to declare war on their nation to march upon it.”

Kvarr leaned back from the table. “From what you have said, we should have the advantage in negotiations with our visitors, yes?”

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Kareet of Arcaeda

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Kareet quietly looked up at the Jotunheim as Vigdis drew her attention to it. Most of what she described seemed to confirm the comparison between Humans and the S’tor. They preferred to use former soldiers as explorers, and had even been driven to Kanth-Aremek as a result of warfare, albeit unintentionally. At least, as long as Vigdis was being honest. This interview, and any others she could have with the Humans, would be useful, but she would need to be careful about relying purely on their testimony when she was writing the encyclopedia.

“Written records would certainly be of immense help.” Kareet responded. “I mean no offense by this, but, every answer you give seems to ask more questions than I can even think to write. Your world, your people, are so entirely alien to anything I have considered before. I do not know what it means to move faster than light, or why you question if it is possible. I do not even know how fast it is that light moves. Or why you would go through that much effort for just a spice trade. I feel like other goals would be more valuable. I could ask a dozen questions on every sentence.”

Kareet laughed briefly. “Well, I suppose I will never learn anything if I do not start asking. You didn’t come here on purpose, but if your ship can move as fast as you say, then how far away do you think we are from Earth?”

Kareet did hear the Shirik shouting about the invitation to eat, though regardless of how hungry she may or may not have been, she would not be the one to end their interview.

The Eye of the Needle (where Fantasy and Sci-fi collide)

Kareet of Arcaeda

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“Most people live longer now, yes.” Kareet answered. “Life magic can also stall aging, with regular treatments. It is how people like the Archmagister have lived for the hundreds of years since the technique was discovered. I started treatments two years ago, myself. As long as I keep them up, I will not age, no matter how much time passes.”

Kareet picked up her notebook once more and pulled her pen to her. “Anyways, I think your recent history would be a good place to start. The history of the Jotunheim, and its crew. Who are these people who have come to our world?”

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General Kvarr

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Despite everything that Nellara described, it was with a simple calm that General Kvarr continued to regard her. He let her speak without interruption, taking in her perspective and opinions fully before giving his own answer. “Lord Silbermine, in his show of force, has attempted to make a mockery of the Ascendancy. To attack our national pride. It is a powerful thing, our convictions. Our pride in our purpose. It drives the morale of citizen and soldier alike, and can motivate our people to do what is necessary. But when it comes time to step into the war room…we leave the pride at the door.”

Kvarr let out a soft sigh and leaned forward onto the table. His posture dropped any of the formality he had been carrying. His voice did not carry anger, or even frustration, but rather had the same kind of weight as a caring father instructing his child. “You are right that I know what Mythadians are like. They are a passionate and determined people. When they find a cause that is worthy and just in their eyes, they will fight for it with the sort of conviction that we should all strive to match. Between Mythadia and Acanata, they represent the most powerful united military force on Kanth-Armek; one that we cannot defeat, if we were to try to face them outside the mountains. That is the reality, beyond the pride and propaganda, and we must give that reality the respect it demands. That is who stands behind Silbermine, but how we handle this situation will decide if they stand with him.”

The Eye of the Needle (where Fantasy and Sci-fi collide)

Kareet of Arcaeda

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“I am merely thinking in terms of efficiency. I do not know how much time I will have to speak to you all, given the political situation, so I want to use my time effectively. As a Life mage, Kerchack could give me detailed information, or shapeshift to give me a living example to sketch.” Kareet explained. It would be of benefit to both her and them for them to be willing to accept Kolvar’s offer, so it would be to her benefit to convince them to accept Kerchack’s offer. Or at least some Life mage’s.

At the moment, Kareet felt like it would be prudent for her to try to allay their fears over Life magic. Fortunately, she would not even have to lie to do it. There was a reason that Life mages were among the most well-respected across Kanth-Aremek. “I understand your fear of something new and unknown, but Life magic has been a great boon to us. We live longer, healthier, and crippling injuries are no longer permanent. There was a time, not all that long ago, when an infection from a simple cut could be a death sentence, but now Life magic can help a victim survive. Now, shapeshifting spies are something we’ve had to deal with for the last few centuries, but it is more difficult for them than you might think. Shapeshifting does not give you knowledge. Kerchack could easily transform you into a Tekeri if you asked, but could you imagine trying to pretend to be one of us? Even if I sat here and explained to you every detail of our society that I could think of, there would still be countless little social norms you would break, or customs you would not understand. Not to mention, we still do not speak one another’s language. We still rely on that thing to speak for us. If a Human walked around your ship relying on one of those, I think it would stand out.” She said, pointing to Vigis’ translator.

The Eye of the Needle (where Fantasy and Sci-fi collide)

General Kvarr

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For the entire time that Nellara was laying out the description of events, her opinions, and recommendations, Kvarr did not speak a word. He had taken his seat and was clearly listening intently as he rested after a long trek through the mountains. Despite all that had transpired, he did not show any signs of becoming upset, or even especially worried. Regardless, he did not hide a respectable amount of concern for the severity of the situation. “If Silbermine has requested help, reinforcements…” He leaned forward slightly in his chair. It was hard to tell, but it felt like there was the slightest hint of a grin in his expression. “…then the Warden is coming.”

Kvarr rose to his feet, towering head and shoulders above Nellara. He could hardly stand without rubbing his head against the tent. He walked towards the table at the center of the tent bearing a map of the region, though as he passed her by, he gave her a pat on the shoulder with a short, approving look. “You have done well in maintaining the interests of the Ascendancy here, Castigator. You took initiative and acted to contend with a potential threat. You did not leave these…Humans uncontested to outside influence; you stood your ground admirably.”

The S’tor walked around the table and leaned forward onto it, looking with a neutral gaze down towards the Castigator. “You specify that Silbermine invaded our territory and is gathering an army. Could you elaborate on this, from your perspective?”

The Eye of the Needle (where Fantasy and Sci-fi collide)

Kareet of Arcaeda

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“I never said you were right or wrong. I also never said the S’tor were right or wrong.” Kareet said, glancing up for just a moment from the notes she was jotting down. “What I am saying, is that you seem to be living proof of the Archmagister’s philosophy. You are everything she wants us to become. Perhaps a bit more…enthused about warfare than she is, but the fact that you have found such strength through challenge is encouraging.”

Even Kareet picked up on the fact that Vigdis wanted to move on from the topic, which in itself was interesting to note. The way she described her own people, they were a warrior race much like the S’tor. Yet, she was strangely defensive about that description. If there was one difference she could note between the two, it was that the S’tor took much more pride in their ways.

“Of course, of course. I just have one piece of advice. Be careful who you tell those sorts of things to. Not everyone on Kanth-Aremek is as accepting of certain realities as we are. If the Mythadians were to get the impression that a more advanced version of the S’tor had appeared on their border, they may react poorly. If they were to start seeing you as a threat, rather than an opportunity, then you could be left with no choice but to take sides.” Kareet suggested, speaking softly. Strictly speaking, it could benefit her if the Humans were to give the wrong sort of impression to Silbermine, as it would leave them with no choice but to ally with the Ascendancy. However, a war could also end up damaging or destroying the Jotunheim, which would be an unacceptable loss of potential knowledge to her.

Once she got through the notes, Kareet briefly put down her pen. “Since you are the one in front of me at the moment, it would probably be wise to ask about that which you are most knowledgeable. Anatomy will probably be the second chapter, but I think I can ask Kerchack about that, if he is allowed to study you. If I may, I would suggest that you try to convince your Captain to allow it. I do not know the capabilities of your medicine, but Life magic can heal nearly any injury, short of the death of the brain. Any broken or lost limbs, any injuries no matter how severe, from the crash or before. Any member of your crew, as long as they are still alive, can be made whole again.”

The Eye of the Needle (where Fantasy and Sci-fi collide)

Kareet of Arcaeda

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Vigdis may have expected Kareet to understand the reasons for warfare that she gave, but Kareet showed genuine confusion for a moment. She blinked, staring straight ahead at her before jotting down a few notes. “You…say these things as if they are inherent and obvious truths. That killing over these things is normal, but that is not the case for us. I can think of times in history that tribes or other groups have conflicted over such things, but very rarely to the death. There are always exceptions, but in history in general, Tekeri do not war with Tekeri. Glen not with Glen. And Iriad certainly do not kill one another. Even now, as nations have become more connected with members of different species giving allegiance to one another, it is a well-known problem among armies that we have difficulty striking a killing blow against our own kind. It takes considerable training and…teaching to be rid of such limits. Only S’tor are known to have such ease in killing one another. I think I am right; you are quite like them.”

Kareet had a hard time wrapping her head around the scale of the examples Vigdis used. Seventy million deaths in a war was a nigh incomprehensible figure of her. She was not even certain that there were that many people on this entire continent. If that many deaths was not enough to destroy their whole civilization, then what did that say about the sheer scale of their society? For a brief moment, there was a pang of fear in her heart. What kind of power was it, exactly, that lurked on the other side of that hole in the sky the Jotunheim had fell through?

Nevertheless, there was nothing that broke Kareet’s impersonal calm. “And you say it was conflict that brought you such strength? Your challenges against one another inspired you to invent and improve to where you are now?” She sat up straight and gave a slight laugh. “The Archmagister will like you…as will the S’tor.”

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General Kvarr

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For the moment, General Kvarr did not bring a large force too close to the crash site. After making contact with Nellara’s soldiers, there was a brief exchange of a few messages to confirm the situation. From there, Kvarr himself was joined by an escort into Nellara’s camp. He insisted upon meeting with their commander right away, and so was taken straight to the Castigator’s tent. He left his escort to stand guard outside and entered the command tent alone.

As he had flown in from Arcaeda with the assistance of Life mages, Kvarr was not wearing his usual armor that would have bore the insignia of his station. Rather, he was simply wearing the plate armor of a normal officer. It did not seem to fit him perfectly, but it was serviceable enough. Regardless, he was unmistakable the moment he removed his helmet. He had been a major figure in the Ascendancy for centuries, and his visage was one that could be found on a few statues in Arcaeda, and beyond. Even still, he held out an aluminum medallion with the Archmagister’s seal for her to inspect: a formality to help confirm his identity. Aside from that, he had little desire to stand on ceremony. “Before anything else, Castigator Nellara, are there any imminent dangers that require my attention, or do we have time to discuss the situation in detail?”

The Eye of the Needle (where Fantasy and Sci-fi collide)

Kareeth of Arcaeda

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“The Kolodon Empire.” Kareet answered, still not raising her gaze up from her notes. Their writing had not yet been translated, so Vigdis would not be able to make sense of what she saw. Aesthetically, the language she was writing in appeared to be made up mostly of short, straight lines of varying lengths in different arrangements. They were almost like claw marks, in appearance.

Kareet elaborated without delay. “The Driisu Houses were quite stubborn. None of them capitulated to Kolodon, and they all fought until they were destroyed. All but one. House Nabarask was also stubborn, but in a different way. Rather than live under Kolodon, they fled to a land harsh enough to shield them. The northeastern edge of the Tekairr mountain range was inhospitable, or so we thought. There were no Tekeri tribes who called it home, not when there was much more favorable land just to the south. But they managed to survive there through the Kolodon Empire’s reign. I believe there were some substantial cave systems that allowed them to establish villages that could at least survive. And after magic was discovered, it gave them the power to expand. They fared well, all things considered. There were others who did not prove so resilient. The Kriliterans, for instance, were wiped out entirely. They came from the northern part of Kanth-Aremek, same as the S’tor, so they were among the first to face Kolodon’s conquest.”

Eventually, Kareet finished her basic sketch of the Human form. “Hmm, going to need more detail when I get to the anatomy chapter.” She muttered, though quickly shifted her attention back to Vigdis. “I believe I am starting to get a picture of what you are. The only intelligent species on your world…at first I thought that would make your world especially peaceful, but you are clearly no strangers to warfare. A few of you have mentioned it frequently in our conversations, and your Captain Zey certainly made sure to make a strong statement. Out of Kanth-Aremek’s people, my first impression is that you have the most cultural similarities to the S’tor. I would be interested to compare the cultural values of the two.” Despite her words, Kareet did not have anything approaching an accusatory tone. Indeed, her description of the Kolodon Empire’s conquests had been quite impersonal as well. “What role does warfare play on your world? Do you venerate your warriors in any particular ways?”

The Eye of the Needle (where Fantasy and Sci-fi collide)

Kareet of Arcaeda

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“Only Tekeri prefer the night, that I know of. The Driisu live underground, but I do not think that is by choice.” Kareet answered. She had, of course, been jotting down her notes on every word that Vigdis spoke, regardless of whether or not she understood their meaning in the moment. Some of the words she spoke either had not been translated, or did not have a readily comparable meaning to them, but she felt she understood most of what she intended.

As soon as Vigdis placed it down, Kareet leaned over and took a look at the tablet. The image it showed was good enough for a basic sketch for the first page. She could always get more detail for later chapters, if needed. From watching her so far, it was apparent that Kareet had a quick, steady hand, that could both write and draw with haste. It did not seem like she even needed to fully focus while making her sketch. “So it is true that you are naturally mostly hairless, then? Fascinating. No fur, no feathers, no scales; does that not make you more vulnerable? Is your skin tougher than it looks?” She considered the description thusfar. ‘Mammal’. That was not a word that translated, but the way she described it felt familiar. It fit roughly in to the way some of their own scholars organized creatures. “You are like Glen, then? You have…some hair, and they birth their calves live, and nurse them just the same.”

The last point that Kareet’s mind settled on was the one that seemed the strangest to her. “Though, the Glen don’t eat meat. You said your people exhausted your prey to death? How is that even possible? How long can your species run?”