The Book of Ominiue: Starborn Page 4

  The patient shows many phantom signs including: time tracking, language and motor skills. Testing also indicates areas of the brain became active when participating in a memory test. Main areas of heightened activity occur when viewing basic quantum mechanical equations and cosmological equations, and also in areas of culture; including viewing images of many famous Earth landscapes and hearing classical music, most notably Beethoven and Bach. When queried about the subject matter the patient is unaware of any knowledge but admits to having a vague recollection, as the following interview demonstrates:

  “... I don’t recall anything, but I do have a sense of familiarity. It’s as if my mind sees an image but when I try to focus on it, it’s gone and I cannot retrieve it. It’s like, for a brief moment I remembered something and then it is no more with nothing left except for the memory that I knew something ...”

  Brain damage during cryogenic status occurred to the patient mainly in areas of memory and memory recall. The patient is able to hold new information with increasing accuracy, with his ability to withhold knowledge on an eidetic level still intact. Previous memories are so far absent. Probability of full memory recovery is 0%, probability of partial cognitive memory recovery 7%, probability of individual memory “moments” recovery 43%.

  Personality shows usual Starborn behaviour, with damage to the Deep Limbic System incurring limited activity. He has approximately 30% more activity than the typical Starborn. Some small regions were reported to light up with the memory test; suggesting that at least one ghosting memory connected with emotion, with 11% probability of regaining some level of emotional behaviour.

  Problem solving tests show an advanced aptitude to spatial, logical and mathematical problems. Reintegration into the academic community is possible. With current rate of learning and current intelligence it is highly probable to reteach the patient his former qualifications.

  Conclusion: still in speculation stage of whether to classify 823 as a full Starborn. Recommend review of status with continual observation of actions in the colony environment. He does not fit the criteria of complete Starborn degeneration. Patient has a high probability of functioning successfully either in the military as an officer, or as a scientist in research. Report requires further investigation.

  Further Suggestions: allow a degree of freedom to watch and observe his actions and decisions. We suggest not to be made into a Star Born Soldier, but be given opportunities in the areas that he excels within, such as intelligence and areas that require great detail. Highly recommend reintegrated into his old profession.

  ***

  The village was no more than a couple of kilometres away. Kíe led them through the Oxen-like-beasts where a female lionman shepherd watched them approach. At first she bowed to them as they passed, but the strangeness of the scene was too much for her and she left the herd. She followed droid marvelling at the way it gleamed in the sunlight, how it moved and the faint sounds it made. She wondered greatly what it was but she never spoke a word. She shifted her attention to the Earthmen and examined their strange uniforms: the fullerene-armour, nanofabric clothing and the cultural designs were so foreign to her. As she moved from each individual, examining them without any shame she came upon Shayne who glared coldly at her which caused her to falter. She backed away and continued to feed her curiosity away from his dreadful gaze. When they reached one of the village gates she reluctantly returned to her herd.

  The village was a farming community that housed up to forty families, but the sight of the spaceships turned the small remote region into a staging area. Bohanese soldiers crowded into the town and tents were erected to house them all. There were also visitors from neighbouring villagers who heard rumours of the expedition and made their own way to Dunarie to awaited the return of the search party. The smell that accompanied the township was not pleasant either, with the soldiers only adding to the typical odours of a small primitive township.

  Upon their arrival the local lionmen children came running out to greet them. They jumped around while laughing and waving. ‘Where are the dragons?’ they called, when realising that it was not the legendary Dragonriders that emerged with the exploration party, but strange Ta’Orians who had skin and hair colours they had never seen in a human before. The children’s disappointment quickly faded and was replaced with a new excitement. They welcomed Kíe with outbursts of joy for it had been over a month now since their party originally set out. One of the cubs ran straight for the scholar, he bent down and picked her up raising her high in the air, laughing at their joy. The other children gathered under him, pulling at his robes and talking over each other, but when the cubs saw Shayne and looked him in the eyes many of them became afraid and fell silent.

  The company made their way to the adult contingent at the village gate, a dog-like creature bounded forward and sniffed at Red Rocket, with her tail wagging madly while Red Rocket gave an uncertain snarl, warning the canine off. Other creatures were intermingled amongst the lionmen, but they mostly stayed out of the way, sneaking glances at the strangers, or paying no interest in them at all.

  It was here that Shayne confirmed without a doubt Kíe’s youth, the town held people of all ages and now he saw the journeyman was at the beginning of mature age; he looked incredibly young with his short mane and almost no extra fur growth on his jaw, something that the Starborn now understood was a great source of pride for the males of the species.

  The villagers were dressed simply, their tails were free like Kíe’s and not wrapped tightly around their bodies. The lionmen did not require as much clothing due to their coat of fine fur and the mild seasons caused by Iraquis’ small axial tilt. Even the warriors waiting their return were dressed differently. The search party soldiers were heavily armoured and had thick furs and heavy boots with long spears. The ones that stayed behind in the village wore thinner fabrics and sandals, like the ancient Romans. Looking back at their entourage Shayne saw that the expedition lionmen looked uncomfortable in their winter gear. They only carried essential provisions into the forest and did not change as they descended the high lands of the forest. Kíe on the other hand was able to shed his warmer clothing, he now wore lighter garments with the academic’s half-cloak on top of a dark shirt bearing only his arms and head to the sunlight.

  The children guided the company to the gates, dancing and running around as they went. The party stopped before the crowd that waited for them. A decorated female soldier stood before them, her helmet in her hands and a red cloak that reached the ground.

  Madan’rah came forward. He knelt down to his superior, the Nida Kushnalor[6] Pan’arden and spoke briefly, ‘We have returned from the sacred forest and present to you the Hama Ta’Orians and the warrior of prophecy, the Afrada ala Hama.’ The waiting crowd gasped with shock at this revelation and a murmur rose from amongst them. The High Captain herself looked up in surprise at the small group of humans.

  ‘And which is the one?’ asked Pan’arden. Kíe and Kushnalor Madan’rah turned, directing their gaze at Shayne, who stared back at the officer in his emotionless way, his dark eyes pierced hers. She shifted uneasily as all do when his gaze falls upon them, a subtle action that was not lost on the other soldiers and all looked upon him with fear and awe. After the moment’s hesitation Pan’arden knelt down upon one knee and lowered her head, all the soldiers and villagers followed her lead, bowing lower with their faces to the ground. Shayne remained standing, staring silently at the lowered forms before him, unsure of what to do.

  Kíe then stepped forward breaking the moment, ‘The Star Ta’Orians wish to seek council, they wish to travel to Taríth to parlay with the Varda.’

  Pan’arden was the first to stand. Regaining her composure. She was quick to respond to Kíe, ‘Of course Journeyman, we shall see to it.’ With that the others stood but their faces remained downcast in his presence. Afterwards as the Earthmen moved amongst the villagers most gave him a wide birth except for the odd brave soul who would reach ou
t and touch his clothing before slinking off again.

  ‘It seems the power you hold over the natives is stronger than anyone could’ve possibly imagined, Starborn.’ The Brigadier-General Christov Hanniver approached Shayne after the three leading lionmen disappeared into a nearby home. ‘At first I was so damn angry that they’d only talk through you, but this proves better relations than any other scenario could ever bring.’ The Brigadier smiled at Shayne, the first time any Earthman other than an Astronaut to do so. ‘Don’t get me wrong Colonial, I still don’t trust you.’

  ‘Perfectly understandable,’ Shayne replied.

  ‘Just remember Starborn, that you’re still in review, ok?’

  Shayne did not reply. He did not need to, for the Brigadier knew he would only speak when he needed to. Hanniver then gathered his men and they went into the village centre to rest while they waited. The Brigadier’s pet Tasmanian tiger followed closely, her mouth in her usual wide grin as she panted happily behind him, leaving Shayne to wait for Kíe.

  The Starborn stood there for a while before he noticed a small lionman cub watching him. He shifted his attention down at it not knowing if it was male or female, they all looked alike to him.

  ‘What do you want?’ he asked in the common tongue. The child let out a little gasp of fright and ran away.

  ‘You really should not do that,’ came a voice. Shayne’s eyes snapped across to Kíe, his eyes dancing with amusement.

  ‘Do what?’ The comment confused him, though his face did not show it.

  ‘Scare her.’

  ‘I did nothing; how could I have scared her?’

  ‘There is something about you Afra’hama, it sends one into a frozen terror. I have known you for a while now and you still scare me.’

  ‘I do not see it,’ replied Shayne, his companion’s scrutinising easy smile.

  Kíe’s green eyes studied him. He tilted his head, his usual smile merging into a thoughtful half one, ‘No, I guess you do not.’ With that he moved in the direction of the house. ‘Come on,’ he called back as he walked towards the building. The expedition lionmen tended to lower themselves a bit when talking to him, this village was no different. He did not know if this was a form of respect or a natural stance when conversing with the much shorter humans. He knew that this planet also had a native human species. Most planets they discovered did and they all shared similar genetic codes revealing a common ancestry, it was one of the great mysteries of space travel. The lionmen presences was the first example of true alien species, but even they suspected they might not be true aliens, so far all life shared the same DNA blueprint. As far as these native Iraqian humans go, Shayne knew the lionmen lived and communicated amongst them and that many of their countries were bipartisan, but he did not know to what extent their relationship existed, or on what level that relationship changed as a country moved in favour to one race.

  They came to one of the outer buildings. The door frame towered over Shayne’s head. If the Earthman was not in the presence of two-and-a-half-metre tall creatures, he would be forgiven for mistaking it for a hall entrance rather than a simple homestead. Upon entering the dwelling the two senior soldiers stood to attention, they were slightly hunched over in a room that was small by lionmen standards. Pan’arden offered a chair to Shayne but he rejected it; preferring to stand when in the presences of others; a Starborn habit perhaps. It was dark inside, an attempt to keep the little home cool, the only light came from the open door behind them and a small window that had light coloured cloth draped over it. Shayne saw a large dog-like creature lying in a darkened corner, half concealed by a cavity in the wall. All that he could make out of it was the faintest hint of a shaggy coat and its eyes reflecting yellow eyeshine as it turned its large head to look up at him. It never moved from its shadowy bed but its gaze remained fixed upon him.

  ‘We would like you to know that we will remain here for the night, to give you and Madan’rah’s party a rest.’ They waited for Shayne to reply, but he maintained his usual silence when understanding something and not given a direct question in return. Pan’arden waited politely before continuing. ‘I am afraid that we only have Fa’Orian breed horses present in this village, and that they are not very well suited to Ta’Orian’s, even if your companions are taller than the Ta’Orian’s of our world.’

  ‘If they are rideable then we will manage.’

  ‘They are rideable, you will easily maintain a horse’s walking pace upon them, but they are far from comfortable and we will be riding faster than that. We will exchange before we reach Kérith-Árim,’

  Shayne instantly picked up on the statement. ‘Is not Taríth our destination?’ His eyes narrowed and though his question was spoken softly a dark malice befell him. Both Pan’arden and Kíe shifted awkwardly.

  ‘I am sorry to say, no. The Journeyman and Madan’rah told me of your purpose. To obtain what you want, you need the permission from the UeVarda at the capital, Karmoníth.’

  ‘I do not understand. Are we not in Bohaníde?’

  ‘That we are, but these matters concern not only Bohaníde, but all of Dífrun. For that you must seek an audience with the UeVarda, the ruler of Kérith-Árim.’

  ‘The ruler of Kérith-Árim is the high Varda and any concern that may affect other nations must be brought to him. He is the one that you must seek,’ Kíe explained.

  ‘Also,’ added Madan’rah, ‘you have settled in Wayel-Éaa, it is forbidden to enter the forest. Only the Afradian may go beyond the borders.’ Shayne had overheard the Bohaníde warriors talk about this much while they were escorting them to their nation; he knew it posed a problem that must be addressed and would likely incur re-settlement. This scenario was accounted for when they first learnt of the importance of the region.

  ‘Madan’rah is right,’ replied Pan’arden, her brow creased in thought. ‘It is the law of the Markeeian and must be obeyed. You will have to resettle. Only the UeVarda has the authority to allow that, from there you can bargain with the lords of the nations you wish to deal with.’

  ‘But we require resources and materials, which the forest has in abundance. It is the one spot which holds all that we need,’ Shayne coldly reasoned.

  ‘You will have to find it somewhere else,’ Pan’arden firmly said.

  ‘Surely it can be found elsewhere?’ Kíe inquired.

  ‘It can,’ Shayne admitted, ‘but nowhere else are all the materials found in the same location, or in required quantities. If this is your final judgement then we might require more than one space of land, to fulfil our needs.’

  ‘That is a situation that you must first discuss with the UeVarda. Only he can answer your questions. First you must go through him to obtain permission. This is the law and must always be adhered to.’

  ‘I understand.’

  ‘Good,’ replied Pan’arden smiling. She then called for a subordinate to organise the food.

  Shayne walked out of the building leaving the lionmen to discuss the adventure without him. He did not like listening to people repeat themselves, so he made his way to the town centre. The village was not a particularly attractive place. Being a farming community it only had basic and essential structures, but everything was well built with the added care of simple masonry artistry. What the town lacked in beauty, it made up for with the panorama of the Wayel-Éaa Mountains.

  A large carved stone monument stood proud in the village centre, commemorating an ancient war. The central square also served as a resting place with seating arrangements that faced outwards. The Earthmen would learn that this was a common arrangement in the remote villages, with the larger towns and cities exhibiting more unique places of remembrance. looking out from the old stone benches one could see battered wooden gates of the palisade only a hundred or so metres out. The defences were not very practical, but walls of some kind were required by an ancient law. Their long peace meant these walls long ceased being about keeping invaders at bay, instead they were only suitable for dete
rring wild animals.

  As Shayne ventured into the central part of the town he noted the Earthmen scattered around, resting their weary bodies anywhere they could sit and relax, some already seemingly asleep with their hats draped over their faces to shade their eyes from the sun’s harsh glare. A few native guards also stood amongst them, making sure the few curious civilians did not cause trouble, as well as keeping an eye on the foreign humans.

  Corporal Bianchi had setup the communications equipment so that the Brigadier could talk with General Thorn Hendingson, relaying from the Oxford colonyship to the settlement. The image was only two dimensional but the picture was perfect. The general’s New American accent rang through hard and clear.

  Shayne waited patiently for the conference to end. The General would need to know about the development, but the Hendingson’s temper was legendary, so to temporarily save the Brigadier from his wrath and possibly allow him time to prepare for the inevitable he decided to wait.