The Book of Ominiue: Starborn Page 8

  ‘And i-it’s, it’s probable,’ Elinor interrupted stuttering in her uncertainty, but a slight smile breached over her face as she spoke, the anxious tone quickly fading away, replaced with the enthusiasm and confidence of her thoughts, ‘that with a more informal test to d-detect and isolate potential real memories.’ Shayne struggled to picture this woman as a captain, she lacked any of the attributes that the Planetsiders expected in their officers, undoubtedly she was a different person when commanding her ship.

  ‘What would this prove?’ Shayne asked, his eyes moving from each of them in turn.

  ‘W-we don’t understand the Planetsiders logic,’ Elinor continued. ‘There are no known correlations to the Starborn Causality, and they don’t care t-to know the signs. On top of that they don’t allow Astronauts to study the Starborn phenomena until they’re awake.’ Shayne’s face sharpened; half in question, half in scepticism.

  ‘A Planetsiders business is their own,’ Arnahell came back into the conversation. ‘They want Starborn redundancies and that’s their prerogative, and their own agenda. We’re only interested in how they influence the process.’

  ‘Influence?’ Shayne scanned their faces, still sceptical.

  ‘We’ve reason to believe that’s the case, which also leads to the question of why you? Such a high profile member of the planet-side colony, the only conclusion is to ward off suspicion, but the statistics are still against them. Scientific process states that there has to be a correlation, but we can’t find anything; genetically or externally. We think maybe it has to do with how the brain was initially wired before suspended animation, and if that theory fails then it must be influenced.’

  ‘But it’s just a hypothesis,’ Elinor interjected. ‘First we must determine the process of the brain, with you being half infected it might be possible to make a partial map. It won’t solve the question, but it’ll provide valuable information for the future.’

  ‘So none have received this experiment?’

  ‘It didn’t occur to us in the past, and such opportunities rarely present themselves.’

  ‘You’re the most able Starborn in current history,’ Arnahell added.

  ‘If Astronauts are impartial to the Planetsiders actions, why the interest?’

  ‘You can’t say we’re entirely impartial,’ Arnahell’s face slightly hardened, ‘but in this matter it’s purely a question of science. The Planetsiders want Starborns that is their business; we don’t dictate to the Planetsiders what they do with their time or their resources. We merely want to understand.’

  Shayne looked at each of the captains, he could feel a deep penetrating gaze upon him from Dirac but the minute he looked at him, the male captain’s eyes would shift past him, like everyone else. Only Arnahell seemed able to hold his gaze. She was watching him keenly at this moment, curious of what his next response would be.

  ‘I am told I must obey the command of my superior officers.’

  ‘We’re merely bringing you what we suspect, you as a sentient human deserve that, and we’re requesting that you consider any probable information or action, not demanding,’ Arnahell said. She searched his face, and he in turn studied hers. ‘You’ll find Forrester, that you’ll be treated as a Starborn from the Planetsiders no matter how intelligent or useful you may be. Your wit may be worthy but their fear is greater. We don’t think like them. We base rank, when given, upon intelligence and capability; trained from the young with all potential and interest provided. We assess outsiders in the same manner.’

  ‘You’re a true Star Born Child,’ Elinor reminded. ‘You’ve returned to the world brand new, and with the ability to comprehend and judge from a neutral position. It is a rare opportunity.’

  Shayne studied the captains, thinking about their proposition. ‘I am interested,’ he finally added. ‘If only to reveal any possible truth, and to acquire potential understanding of the phenomenon; I care nothing for cause or cure, which I know is unattainable, just for what is.’

  ‘Que Sera, Sera,’ Elinor finished.

  With that Desmond was called back in and Shayne was taken away from the Captains. As he passed through the doors he took one last look back; all three were now talking intently to each other, their voices too soft to be overheard.

  ***

  Keemaíth was an ancient city, one of the first cities on the eastern divide though it was not known if lionmen or Afradians first founded it. Bohaníde was the second nation settled by the lionmen, whereas Kérith-Árim and Kíbaroth were once part of a united Afradian kingdom called Haran. The empire eventually broke down to become the Wayel-Éaa; the division of Haran occurred when Markeeian Lords granted lands to great human warlords during the dark years, and over time the human lands eventually became lionmen dominated. Bohaníde had always been lionmen country and they were very proud of that, historically Afradians that lived in Bohaníde existed under lionmen rule and not the other way around.

  Lionmen were not as restless as men, they did not desire the same things. Their migration outside of Nakáda, their country of origin, was a very slow process caused by pressures of ancient wars. Most still resided in their original lands and during peacetime their outward movement essentially halts. Outside the four nations of Bohaníde, Kérith-Arim, Kíbaroth and Nakáda their numbers compared to humans dramatically tapered. The further out you travelled the less common they became until they were but rumours on the wind: giant and fierce lion warriors who could break a man with his hands.

  Their nature was driven by their loved ones. They were strong and fierce beings; threaten a lionman and it would be the last thing you ever did, but they were fair and tolerant and cared for family and loyalty above all. No lionman would suffer hunger if another lionman could help it. Their lords and rulers took their duty as “servant to the people” very seriously. Many of them dispensed with the first born hierarchical monarchy long ago, seeing the dangers of corrupt rulers and adopted a worthy monarchy system instead, with some even incorporating a basic democratic process to elect from the royal families.

  Lionmen on average, were more honest than humans. There were villains of sorts amongst them but they tended to be less frequent and were rarely subtle. Crime was lower in these nations due to the prosperity and fairness of the governments. Often brave, crooked humans would attempt to take advantage of lionmen nature, and undoubtedly some found their fortunes that way, but it was a risky business. There were many things a two-and-a-half metre angry lionman could do to a human: none of which are considered pleasant.

  Overall humans of lower ancestry preferred being ruled by lionmen and were often used as servants, not through superiority, it was just a convenient means of employment. Humans had vast numbers that populated the entire region of Dífrun, on top of that the lionmen were renowned for their fairness and this often attracted the less fortunate who were seeking a better life.

  Lionmen were less likely to go to war and had stable relations with their neighbours. Through their entire history they only ever invaded one nation, which was now part of Nakáda territory. Technically the region was already part of Nakáda but housed a divided people. They are natural defenders and not aggressors. They would march to war if they felt the matter threatened their peace and laws, but that always stood as the last option to deal with what was often complex issues.

  You would think that the lionmens’ character was counterproductive and would buckle to the relentless push of human nature, but they somehow managed to survive the prehistoric violence all humans are guilty of and were now established as a dominant race within the central region of Dífrun. Their presence in the land was so pivotal to the stability that many human nations accepted their political dominance, while the others that were more reluctant were forced to follow purely as a result of the cooperating nations economic stability unhinging their own independence and influence.

  The true peace was established not by lionmen but by a forward thinking human who saw the benefit of lionman rule. The Drago
nLord Anótole before his ride established the new foundation, he designed a path so the lionmen could reign and slowly the design came into fruition. The opposition after his departure was at times fierce but acceptance came when these nations saw what the treaty brought and those that did try to break it were obstructed by many unified countries, both human and lionmen; they would be forced into a harmless position where they could self-manage their own affairs but could not act against others, they remained that way until they returned to the union treaty, where they were given their freedoms again. The balance of the treaty rested on neutrality and an uncompromising attitude towards the law; humans often struggled with this, as they tended to let the lesser rules slide, which often lead to a country pushing the boundaries of what they could get away with until it was too late. But to a lionman the law is ingrained in their very nature. They judged and acted without bias, therefore peace was maintained for well over a thousand years.

  ***

  Shayne and the company walked through the streets of the city and passed a second set of walls to come at last to a grand castle. Repair work over the years added a rough charm. The inner bailey was a marvel in itself, with carefully planned gardens of exotic plants and statues of people and mythological creatures including the winged lions of Bohaníde.

  The province ruler stood upon a balcony, flanked by two guards. The lionman lord watched them as they left the crowds behind, the gates closing behind them. His title was known as Dídrand, which was their equivalent of a Duke. He wore practical clothing but it was of a greater quality material and rarer dyes than the common natives. The two guards beside him looked magnificent; they had long spears in their hands and their bronze plated helmets gleamed brightly in the sun, they bore long oval shields painted with a red flying lion in the style of that province.

  Their horses were guided to the front entrance. Two female guards stood at the great wooden doors; they were not as highly dressed as the personal guard of the Dídrand; they wore light cottons with steel chest-plates and helmets. They bore in their hands a shield with a dukedom lion pattern on it that faced the doorway, in the other hand they held a long spear.

  The company stopped at the bottom of the steps where they were greeted by field servants. Kíe was the first to jump from his horse in one fluid motion; he smiled as he landed lightly on the ground and his tail flicked in pleasure. Other lionmen also dismounted their horses with ease. Shayne tried to lift himself up. Stiffness and pain welled up in him and he resumed his previous position. The other Earthmen were in the same predicament, though Rahul the private managed to descend without too much trouble.

  A lionmen strode to Rae’s side and offered her his hand; he lifted her from the horse and placed her gently on the ground. Once upon the solid earth she bent over, trying to relieve the aches. Shayne attempted to dismount again, this time he tried to lift his right leg over the horse. He found that his legs did not want to move at all and to dismount he had to lean on the left stirrup and drag his leg over the hide of the horse. Once he got his right leg passed the height of the animal he was able to get down. He landed heavily on his feet with his legs still in a bowed position, where they did not want to straighten out again. As he forced himself to stand a pain raged through his legs, but it was a pain that momentarily gave him relief. After a few moments the worst of it passed, but the rest of the day the Earthmen found that their legs and hips twinged as they walked.

  One of the native humans came forward and took the reins of the Starborn’s horse and guided it to the Dídrand’s stables around the back. The native humans were shorter than the Earthmen. Shayne was just below average height by federation standards, but he was still taller than the male servants present. The natives had olive-brown skin, their hair colour was typically dark and their eyes were brown. It was said there were green and grey eyed humans around. Grey eyed humans were thought to be decedents from the first wizard, Ta’hylan, they believe them to be lucky and were often employed when discovered, but there were very few of them in those parts, most resided in Kérith-Árim and in the western deserts.

  The lionman duke watched them dismount before he disappeared into the building with his two personal guards to greet them. Only a handful of the party had gone through the second gates to the castle; all of the Earthmen, the original party of lionmen and some other soldiers. Pan’arden who was stationed in the city and worked under the Dídrand led the way up the steps, her tiger walking by her side. The guards moved to the side allowing them access to the hall, a ring could be heard within the building and the doors opened, allowing them in.

  The hall seemed immense, with a wooden arched roof that was bound by a balcony. Carvings made their way along the beams and walls. Pillars stretched along the length of the building holding up the upper level. At the base of the columns were winged lions looking into the central area. On the back wall behind the Dídrand’s table were three great banners. The largest hanging in the middle showed the national Bohaníde Fire-Lion, which draped to the ground. Flanked on either side were the province banners with their unique design of the fire-lion mirror imaged so they faced the central flag.

  The Dídrand made his way into the hall from a side door and sat in his seat, both his guards standing just behind. A native bird that looked similar to a parrot was perched on his shoulder. It was a flamboyant creature just like its master, with bright colouring upon its chest and wings and a small crest that fanned out when happy. It had four sets of wings and no tail; the back pair of wings swept back in flight guiding its movements. This bird was an example of unique Iraquis wildlife, where there was divergent evolution with creatures with four limbs and those with six. Four limbed creatures were the dominant mammalian species; lizards and birds were almost equal in range and number along with the hexapedal species. The parrot had its second set of wings folded up along its back, it did not appear out of place while grounded, with the exception that it held no obvious tail and the long feathers of its tail wings protruded out well passed its length, occasionally unfolding them to stretch or to regain balance on its perch.

  The lionman duke was eager to meet Shayne and signalled for him and Pan’arden to come forward. The others were motioned to sit at the nearest table and to eat what they wished. Shayne and Pan’arden sat down on either side of the Dídrand. After introductions Pan’arden and Hanniver excused themselves to visit the treasurer where the Earthman negotiated an exchange of gold for local currency. The Bohanese coin was good tender in all the middle kingdoms and what they traded would be suitable for their travels between major cities.

  The lionman ruler tried to converse with Shayne but it proved awkward with Shayne providing only simply single sentence replies that did not satisfy the Dídrand. His frustration was relieved once Pan’arden returned to the tables where she provided a detailed account about their trip and what Madan’rah had reported. Shayne instantly lost interested in Pan’arden’s already second-hand monologue. He allowed his mind to drift as they droned on.

  ***

  ‘Come on Forrester, do you have to do this again?’ Desmond complained, his face overcome with weariness. Shayne glared at the Astronaut, causing the poor man to falter in his anxious way. Desmond had taught many Astronauts over the years, but this was the first time he had been assigned to teach a Starborn, or a Planetsider, just the thought horrified him. After a few weeks he found the Starborn to be a pleasant student and quicker than any pupil he had encountered, but sometimes he found him terrifying, an overwhelming sensation that was enforced by an uncertainty in Shayne’s reactions.

  Shayne resented the way the Astronaut treated him. The laws and concepts he was forced to learn were simple and intuitive, and he did not understand why they were spending so much time teaching it.

  ‘Stop repeating yourself!’ Shayne demanded. He hated it when Desmond did that, he became so furious that he wanted to grab the Astronaut and throw him up against the wall. Desmond cowered back; he was not used to the rage that was bef
ore him. Young Astronauts were notorious for their fits of anger, especially when they could not grasp a concept, but they did not possess the same malice that Shayne exhibited, their rage was fuelled by frustration: Shayne’s seemed to be fuelled by pure hatred. Desmond looked as if he was going to withdraw, he countered his fear by breathing deeply. Shayne sneered apathetically at his teacher who now rested one hand on the table while the other rubbed at the sides of his eyes, just then the Oxford colonyship’s captain came in. She looked from Desmond, who was having a partial panic attack, then to Shayne.

  ‘What have you done this time, Starborn?’ she asked him in her monotone way. Shayne’s eyes moved to hers, his fury locked onto her and she immediately looked away, but unlike Desmond she did not show any fear.

  ‘I’m tired,’ Shayne’s voice was soft but it carried a deep ferocity. ‘I won’t do this anymore!’

  ‘What is the problem?’ Arnahell responded, not understanding the point Shayne was making.

  ‘This is the problem,’ Shayne said and pushed the electronic holographic tablet that displayed a box moving along a flat surface off the table. It slid easily from the smooth table before crashing to the floor. The image projected faltered for a second then clicked over to the following scene of the box moving uphill. Arnahell looked at the picture for a moment trying to gain the significance.

  ‘You have a problem with Newton’s laws of motion?’ she asked.

  ‘Yes,’ Shayne replied with a faint snarl. ‘I won’t do it anymore. I understand the process and that is what I keep telling him!’ Shayne directed a finger at Desmond.

  ‘But it’s the program,’ Desmond protested, defending his position. ‘All students must comply to receive the degree and he has rejected all different forms of contact!’ Shayne’s irritation rose again; he had listened to the Astronaut use that same argument several times. Desmond shrank again when he realised what he just did, as if expecting the Starborn to strike him.