The Insect Civilization-Cycle Two

From: Cheryl Baumgartner(C Baumgartner, Posted Date: Sep 17th, 2011

He now called himself Echias.  In the eons since he had created this physical form much had happened.   And it all had happened on a small insignificant world far from where he existed. 

He had thought that eradicating the human infestation from the universe would be easy.  Humans were weak they had no exterior armor to protect them, they were fragile.  But they were like the other, the one that called itself Rakais.  They were unpredictable, and they continued to multiply unchecked.

Echias ordered his thoughts.  His children were trapped on this world, enslaved by the humans.  The only course of action was to exterminate the humans on this world and free his children.  Echias needed children that could survive in the void as he could.  He began creating them.  They were larger and stronger than his previous creations. 

He reached out to his enslaved children touching their thoughts learning what they knew.  He learned of the Kai-human that had once existed.  The Kai-human was dead but he had taught the humans lessons which they still remembered.  The humans still used the knowledge of this Kai-human to kill.

Echias realized that this Kai-human had been intelligent.  His children had been conquered because the Kai-human could think logically.  The Kai human had been able to rationalize the outcome of what he did.  Echias tried to think like the Kai-human had thought.  He realized that he could use the tactics of the humans against them.

 

 

It had taken centuries to reach this point.  The changes made to his children had to be implemented and then he had to create the vessel.  It was finished.  The Humans on the insignificant planet that the Kai-human had lived on would soon be exterminated and his first children released.

Echias had been spending much time watching the humans.  Human vermin on several worlds had learned to cross the void, traveling from world to world.  So it was on the world that they called Brunnis, where the Kai-human had lived.

Echias had made sure that the humans would see only a natural object when they encountered his vessel.  They would ignore it and it would serve its purpose.  Echias plan was simple, it was the tactic of the Kai-human.  A handful of his children had been charged with approaching Brunnis from the far side of the frontier.  If humans had methods of killing these children they would be busy far away from Brunnis using those methods, the vessel would continue on unnoticed and unmolested to the planet itself.  The only objective of those in the vessel was to exterminate all human life on Brunnis and claim it for Echias.  It would be a safe haven for his children.

 

 

“Are you sure?” Dagon asked the healer.  “You told us that she would never conceive and now you tell us that she is with child.  She is 90 years old.”

“Some women only conceive twilight babies, so it has proven to be with Nira.  You will soon welcome a son or daughter.” The healer said with a smile.  “I wish her to remain here and rest for a day or two.  Go visit with her, celebrate the good news.”

Dagon entered the cheerful room to find his mate propped up in the bed glowing with happiness.  They had tried to conceive for years then when Nira reached the age of 75 they had accepted the fact that they would remain childless.  15 years later and they were about to become first time parents.

“Dagon, we have been blessed.  You will make a wonderful father!”

“You glow my mate, a child of our own!  What do you wish for, a boy or a girl?” Dagon asked taking her hand.

“I only ask that it be healthy.” She replied.  “I have been thinking Dagon.  We have prayed for a child for so long and our prayers have finally been answered.  I do not know if I want continue as Director of the Guild School after the birth.”

“But you love what you do.” Dagon responded.

“I know, but I felt that if I could not have a child of my own, at least I could make sure that the boys who enrolled were well cared for.  I have done that for the past 50 years.  I think maybe I want to give all my attention to our child now.”

“If it is what you want, I will support you Nira.  But it is not a decision you need to make today.  We have plenty of time, our little one will not make an appearance for 10 months.  You have time to finish out the school year and decide over the summer break.”

 

Echias’ vessel had passed the test.  Slowly drifting through the void it had passed one of the human’s vessels.  No attention was given to the seemingly celestial object as the two vessels continued on their way.  On the human vessel the captain made an entry in his log noting the comet and it’s trajectory.

On Brunnis, the families of Nira and Dagon were celebrating the arrival of the couple’s newborn baby boy, Kai.   Many Brunnen G saw this as blasphemy, the name Kai was sacred to them.  It was the Warlord’s name.  The objections were overcome.  After all the boy’s mother was descended from the Warlord through his eldest son, Bann, and his father was descended from Torq.  The pedigree spoke for itself and the parents were given permission to use the name Kai.

 

 

Echias had planned the extermination of the humans on Brunnis carefully.  The first group of insects would attack the human population, keeping them busy until the comet could enter the atmosphere and deliver its deadly cargo, thousands of insects.  The humans would be too busy battling the first group to know or suspect the danger that the comet posed.  The human population would be destroyed using their own methods.  Echias turned his attention to the creation of more children.

 

Maku had become a warrior almost 50 years ago.  He remembered the day when the warriors came to his village bearing the carcass of the escaped rogue insect.  That day he had made up his mind that he wished to be a warrior.  He had thought he would heroically hunt down rogues as they had done.  Instead he was stuck here, guarding the preserve.

Sentry duty was boring, the insects had long since been trained to stay clear of the boundaries.  Agou, his partner for this shift rotation in the upper tower spoke.  “They are restless this night.  It’s as if they sense something that we do not.”

“There is more activity, but they still stay clear of the fence.  It will soon be mating season, perhaps that is why.” Maku replied.

“Perhaps, but their behavior is still unusual.  Maybe they sense our excitement.  The Dragons fly for the first time tomorrow.  It is a special day, adding a new subgroup to our ranks.” Agou said.  “The rumor was confirmed yesterday.  The High Delegate did indeed appoint a child to lead them.”

“I would not call a 25 year old a child Agou, inexperienced but not a child.  I understand he has been leading them since his days at the guild school. 

Perhaps the High Delegate felt a change of leadership would not be well received.  After all, the Successor spoke highly of Kai and the rest of the Dragon Fighters when he passed through a few years ago.  Successor Varaq does not give praise easily.” Maku noted.

“I still do not understand why we have trained warriors to be freight pilots.  The insects are here there is no need for them there.” Agou stated.

“There are other races out there Agou, people who do not value human life as we do, like the Dagosians.  They call us weak.  Perhaps the creation of this group is not to destroy insects but other threats we do not yet know of.” Maku said.  “I understand that the universe is an unknown.  We trade with a few worlds near us, but no one knows what is beyond those worlds.  The Council simply plans ahead.  They prepare for the threats we could face in the future now.”

 

 

Echias reached out to his children.  Suddenly he felt a shiver go through him.  He changed the course of the comet as he analyzed the feeling.  It was a feeling he had not felt in centuries and only once before, from the Alpha on this little world.  It was the feeling the Alpha had when faced with the Kai-human.  But the Kai-human had died centuries ago.  The Kai-human was not a threat.  Echias corrected the vessel’s course.

The curious little objects contained humans, but Echias did not see them as a threat.  The comet had passed many of these objects.  He realized that there were many more humans infesting the void.  He would go from world to world and exterminate them, starting with this one that had produced the Kai-human.  Echias created an opening in the comet and ordered his children to begin the extermination.

Echias connected with the smaller group and felt and concern.  These humans seemed to carry a hint of the Kai-human.  There was something about these humans that was different than other humans, it was specific to the humans that originated from this world.  It was as if the alien one had left a scent marking on them.  This was why he felt unease it was not because of the Kai-human but because of the other.

 

 

Kai no longer had control of the fighter, it was on auto pilot.  All he had were his thoughts.  He would soon face the old carrion bird, when he reached the Dream Zone.  He thought of Aranna she would be alone now and pregnant, but she would live.  His child would live and he would take as many insects with him as he could.  He could hear the chatter over the comm  link.   The Dragon Fighters were standing up to the attack.  The ground chatter indicated that the warriors on the ground were getting the population to shelter, and the Aerial Assault Force was also mobilizing to engage the enemy.  He had done all he could do to protect his mate, his family his home.

 

 

Echias hissed as he realized his mistake as the small insignificant human vessel exploded.  Echias had felt him, the Kai-human had been inside the vessel.  Echias felt the pain of thousands dying inside the comet.  The Kai-human had once again slaughtered his children.  The alien one radiated satisfaction at the slaughter.  Thousands were already dead and these humans in their little vessels were killing all that remained. 

Echias defeat occurred in an instant but the humans were not satisfied.  All of those Echias had sent to liberate his children were dead but it was not enough.  The humans turned to the enslaved ones below.

 

 

“Maku, we must stop them.” Agou said aghast as the mob tore another insect to pieces.

“Why? I swore an oath to protect the people of Brunnis from the insects.  The insects attacked us from the sky, how many of our brothers in arms are dead Agou?”

“But the Warlord decreed that some had to remain for the good of Brunnis.” Agou countered.

“67 of the Dragon Fighters are dead.  We can not even properly mourn for them.  Their bodies destroyed, denied proper send off to the Dream Zone.  All we can do wis sing and hope that our songs are loud enough to lead them safely to the afterlife.

Young men Agou, 37 of them had not even seen 40 years, they were babies! Babies fighting and dying against the enemy that these insects called down on us, let the people butcher these insects so that we need never fear them again.”

Maku walked up to a young child who was busy stomping the remains of a male youngling.  Maku handed the young boy a spiked club used for killing hatchlings.  “You can do more damage with this son.”

 

Echias retreated from the carnage on Brunnis.  The old Alpha had been right, the Kai-human could not die.  Although the humans had said he was dead, they had lied.  The Kai-human still lived and had killed thousands with his vessel.  And the humans of this planet were infected with the other.  For now, Echias would withdraw.  He would reevaluate his methods.  The taint these humans carried could not be allowed to spread to other humans.  Killing these humans would be difficult.  He would have to kill the other humans first so that there would be nowhere for this evil to spread.