Tribes Gather - Chapter Six

By the time Jnufin reached the secret hideout, the drizzling had stopped and the sky was lit orange by the rising star, and the largest satellite lent a faint blue haze to the sky. The journey, although drawn out, had been a smooth one. He had to circle back every now and then and cover his tracks to ensure that he wasn’t being followed. This wasn’t particularly difficult in the many tunnels and turnings of Itharca. When he reached, he saw that others had made their way there like him.

Pguna Vyoo was the first to speak, “phase one has been a success friends. We managed to get the uramine coatings onto those hydroldiers, as communicated to us by Jnufin.” He nodded towards him. “By now most of the hydroldiers that can be salvaged would have reached their outpost and we can be quite certain that the contamination is going to spread.”

“Yes,” added Kluvik Refuge, “but the journey is only beginning. It’s going to be a long wait till the contamination reaches their galaxy. Only then can we hope to trigger the atoms into implosion. And we haven’t even worked out yet how exactly we’re going to do that.”

“I agree Kluvik, but at least it is a start.” Replied Pguna. “Haven’t we all decided that we are weary of the wary circling we indulge in? By the time the contamination reaches the Polna galaxy we would have found a concrete way to trigger the implosions.”

“How can you be sure of that Pguna?” Challenged Kluvik.

Jnufin was losing interest. This happened almost always. Pguna and Kluvik would get into a game of one-upmanship and nothing of substance would really be discussed. It is fortunate that there are people who agree with me on how to deal with the Ruulins, he thought absently. But it is unfortunate that most of these people are fucking thick-headed and useless.

He continued in the vein for a while, till Kluvik directed a question at him and broke into his thoughts: “And what report do you have from your commander Tr. Tyubna?”

Jnufin ignored the stab at his low ranking. “Nothing new Kluvik. His orders are still the same- no direct engagement. We are to keep a loss of both Yitaku and Ruulin lives minimum, and let our machines die for us. But he does grow restless. Had he been any different I would have feared that he would disobey the Elders’ direct orders, but Commander Hgul would not disobey an Elder at any cost.”

“I am yet to decide if his unassertiveness is consoling or not. It wouldn’t be a bad idea to have him and his fleet on our side Jnufin.” Suggested Kluvik.

“And it wouldn’t be a bad idea to have our leaders support us either Kluvik,” mocked Pguna, “but we obviously have limited allies, so we’re going to have to do with what we have.” He concluded with a look that indicated to all present that it was Kluvik that was unsettling him the most.

Here they go again. Thought Jnufin resignedly.

On another side of the planet, Commander Hgul was in bed with an attractive woyitaku he had picked up from Orgtown, the planet’s red light district. Light was breaking into the room through the unshielded observation shaft and falling on her smooth waist. She had fallen asleep after making love for the fourth time, and that gave him the time and privacy to open up his personal palm computer. An unidentified face showed on the screen, talking to him through an earpiece that was permanently implanted within his earlobe.

“I have it from a trusted source that Elder Ikyutha is getting restless; even he tires from the constant attack and dodge we’re playing,” said an unidentified face. Grim lines stretched along his face running down from below his eyes to the chin. The eyes themselves were a lesson in intimidation, and his taut jaw indicated that he was not a Yitaku to be messed with.

“The crew here shares that sentiment yitak. Every fucking member wants a more direct action. Hell, I’d love to see that happening myself!”

“Keep them, and yourself, in line though Uykin. It’s one thing to know that Ikyutha might be coming around to our line of thinking, it’s another thing altogether to fall out of his current orders,” warned the voice. Hgul did not miss the fact that he avoided the use of the mandatory ‘Elder’ title this time.

“And why are you so fucking eager to see us toe the line you fawg?”

“Commander Uykin! Do not forget you who talk to!”

“Oh I know it well Semi-Elder Yukath, but why do you forget that we both know your true ambitions? It is no secret that you want Elder Ikyutha’s place you slimy gaskow.”

The face shook his head in a barefaced expression of disappointment. “This threatens to bring us to the end of ways Hgul. Long have I suffered your insolence and catered to your whims. I can do without men like you, who are better off dumped on an uninhabited planet fending themselves against the elements.”

Hgul laughed mockingly, “Do not kid yourself Yukath. You need me and I need you, so you’re gonna have to ‘suffer my insolence’ as long as required. If you can summon that from within your bloated ego then I have some news of importance to you.”

Semi-Elder Yukath was silent for a while, then he nodded. And then followed a most curious of grins from Hgul.