Allies (Warriors of Karal Book 5) (14 page)

“Come on, Petra. This is something you are not going to want to miss. This might give you some idea of what your mother has been fighting for. For the freedom of her people, of your people.”

She followed him out of the control deck, and out to the ramp. He pressed the button and they waited until the ramp touched the ground, before they walked down it. She saw Niko look up at her, and she wondered how she looked, because his face showed his concern.

“I’m all right, Niko,” she said. “I’m just tired. And I’m ready to go home.”

“I don’t think we will be going home just yet,” he said.

“Are you telling me they’re asking us to go somewhere else? I thought our mission would be over now.”

He smiled. “I think you’ll like this mission. We are to spend a night here, and then we are to travel to Lilith. Okil and the Hier Ruler want to visit there before they return to Karal. And I thought you might like to see it too.”

“Yes, I would.” She felt lighter and breathed in the fresh air. Yes, she would like to go and see where humans were going to make their new home.

And then, before her, a stream of Tikirians appeared. There were shouts of joy, screams of happiness, and people throwing their arms around each other, as some of the captives were reunited with their loved ones.

“This must be quite a day for the Karal.”

“What do you mean?” Niko asked.

“The first time your species has done a good thing. They have brought people together instead of tearing them apart.”

“I blame humans.” He grinned at her. “Your humanity seems to rub up off on us.”

She put her arms around him and rested her head on his chest. “At least you don’t sound disapproving.”

“Oh no,” he said. “You can rub your humanity off on me any time.”

She laughed, breathing in the air and looking up at the clear sky. Life was good.

He held Petra in his arms as they spun around and around. Niko had never danced before; it was not something the Karal did. Probably because they didn’t have any females to dance with. It would seem a little bit odd if a room full of Karalian warriors spun each other around. It would take more than a couple of cups of
fetu
for them to do that, and still be able to look each other in the eye the next day.

But here on Tikira, inhibitions seemed to have faded. Even Lytril was tapping his foot to the beat of the drums that pumped through Niko’s veins to beat in time with his heart. The tempo grew faster, the sound louder, and like the old tribes on Earth, they danced in celebration of what had been given them today.

The Tikira had brought food and wine, and they feasted and celebrated for the rest of the day. Even Petra was happy now, she laughed as they twirled around and around until they were dizzy. Around them bodies were shaking and shimmying, while feet stamped in some heathen celebration to the Gods of this world.

“I think my head will be spinning for days,” Petra said to him happily. As the drums rolled, slowing to a leisurely, steady beat, he took her hand and led her out of the ring, past where the elders of the tribe sat watching, with smiles on their faces.

“I think it might be time to get some fresh air, away from the others.” They weaved in and out of the people gathered around, there were representatives here from all of the allies who had fought today: the Wambanos, the Tikirians, the Karalians, and other species he had no name for, some of them weird and wonderful, some of them looked almost like the Karal.

And he wondered if they were all spawned from some distant ancestor from long ago, who had travelled the star systems in their infancy. If that was why humans and Karalians were compatible, and why Karalians had been compatible with many other species over the generations. It was what had enabled their species to survive for so long with no females of their own.

But tonight was not a night for asking these deep questions. It was a night of joy and happiness. A night that he would never forget and probably never repeat.

“Have you never danced under the stars?” she asked him.

“No it is not something that the Karal do. Even as children we do not dance.”

They were at the edge of the forest, the drumbeat distant, the night air cool on their faces after the heat of the dance. “I’d like to show you a different dance. One that is much slower. Although we will have to make our own music.” She began to hum the tune; a melody he did not know. She wrapped her arms around him and placed her head on his chest and then began to sway. He moved with her, slowly, hesitantly at first, but then he relaxed and enjoyed the feel of her in his arms.

“I like this dance better. I hope that when we have children, when we have boys and girls on Karal, that they will dance and they will sing, just as the people of Tikira do.”

“We have lots of different music on earth,” Petra said. “Some of it is like the Tikira’s music, some of it is slow and some of it is so fast you can’t keep up with it. Then there are wonderful pieces that used to be played by orchestras. Maybe one day we will hear that music again.”

“There is much that the Karal have missed out on while it has only been males on our planet. I’m excited to see what the next generation will grow up like. I’m excited to see how your culture will change ours.”

“Do you actually think that that will happen?” Petra asked. “Do you think that your people will be open to what human females bring to your planet.”

“I never thought so. Not until I saw the change in our Hier Ruler. I would never have imagined him here like this, celebrating with other aliens.” Niko shook his head. “He’s always seemed so hard, so stern.”

“Not like Okil.” He felt Petra laugh against his chest.

“No, Okil has completely immersed himself in the celebrations.” Niko smiled, wishing in some ways he was as open as Okil was to everything each species had to offer. He loved the humans, he liked the Wambanos, and they liked him and respected him because he took the time to learn their ways.

“He will make a good leader of the new colony.”

“Indeed he will.” Niko slowed until they were almost still, and his hand cupped her cheek and he tilted her face up to his. “But I think that is enough talk of Okil for now.”

And he lowered his face to hers and kissed her.

“At least when we build the colony on Lilith, we won’t be surrounded by strangers anymore,” Petra said.

She stood side-by-side with Niko and some of the other Karalians as the Hier Ruler was honoured by the elders of the Tikira. They were giving him what looked like tools, and she longed to take a closer look at them but the Hier Ruler scared her. Then she had to remind herself that if it wasn’t for the Hier Ruler, none of this would have happened; the Tikira would still be enslaved and humans would not have a chance to start again.

Once the ceremony was over, they were heading to Lilith. Petra was about to become one of the first humans to stand on what would hopefully be their new home. “Do you think we will live on Lilith?” Petra asked Niko.

“I have no urge to leave Karal. I know that Lilith might be a beautiful planet and it offers everything that we need, but my heart will always be on Karal.” He turned to look at her. “But if it is that important to you, I could try to live there, try to make a home there.”

“No,” she said. “I would rather live on Karal. It’s closer to Earth and closer to my mother. When I left, I knew I would never see her again. But at least we are only a wormhole away.”

“I thought you said you would never go through one of those again once we are back on Karal?” Niko asked as they began to make their way onto the cruiser. The farewells had been said and now it was time for them to journey on.

The Wambano had agreed to take all remaining species that did not possess space travel back to their home planets. While the Karalian warriors were splitting into two groups, some going straight back to Karal and some journeying on to Lilith. They had supplies on the cruisers, which they were going to drop on the planet. And some of the warriors were going to set up a permanent camp. They would start building a base from which the colony would branch out from.

“I would journey through a wormhole back to Earth. Just to visit,” she reassured him. “But I know that will never happen.”

“It might, things are changing with the Karal. Do not lose hope.” They were on the control deck now, and Niko quickly powered up the engines and swiftly took them out through the atmosphere and back into space. She immediately missed feeling the ground beneath her feet, and couldn’t wait for them to get to Lilith. It was a day’s journey, not long at all, and as she sat next to Niko and yawned, he turned to her and said, “Why don’t you go and sleep? You look exhausted, and it would be good for you to be rested by the time we get to Lilith.”

She didn’t argue with him, only kissed him on the cheek before she made her way to bed. She didn’t even take her clothes off; she just lay down and slept.

***

“Petra,” Niko said, softly stroking her cheek, and she stirred, but her dreams wanted to hold onto her, and she sank back down into a different world. “Petra, come on, wake up. We will be reaching Lilith very soon and I thought you would like to see it from space for the first time.” He shook her again; this time she opened her eyes sleepily.

“How long have I been asleep?” she asked. Sitting up, she felt like hell. Not exactly the right mood to be in, when they were about to visit this blessed planet.

“Most of the day. We made good time getting here. I’ve made you some tole and something to eat.” He got up from the bed, heading for the door. When he reached it, he turned around and said, “Come to the control deck as soon as you are ready. We will be there within the hour.”

Petra sipped the tole. Even though it was too hot, the red liquid seeped into her system as if it was reviving her. The buzz in her head was welcome, and by the time she had finished it, she felt more herself. But rather than eating her food in bed, she went to the small bathroom and had one of the showers that was more like the decon’ process. She longed to wash in running water again.

By the time she was clean and dry, she felt more awake, and she dressed in clean clothes before grabbing the food Niko had brought her and heading to the control deck. She could eat it there while watching the approach to Lilith.

She kissed Niko on the cheek before taking the seat next to him. If she ever sat in one of these chairs again, it would be too soon. But, they still had the journey home and so she would have to put up with it a little bit longer.

She was musing over the journey home, when he suddenly tapped her on the shoulder and pointed into the distance. She stared to where a bright planet was growing bigger as they approached. “Is that it?” she asked.

“Yes it is. One of the other cruisers has already landed. There are five more and we are third in the sequence to land.”

Excitement bubbled up inside her, especially as they drew closer, and she could see how beautiful it was. It looked like an Earth from long ago. She could hardly eat with excitement, but still she forced herself to chew the food, knowing that she would need the energy later. Because she wanted to explore the planet, to walk on the ground that would support human life for generations to come. She only wished that her mother could be here with her, or at least that she would be able to personally tell her mother all about it when she got back. It saddened her that that would never happen.

They began their descent, going down through the atmosphere, through clouds that were soft and fluffy, floating on the breeze. Then, before them, was the beautiful planet in all its vibrant colours.

Niko eased the throttle back and took them into land, next to the other Karalian cruisers. Already some of the others had disembarked, one of whom she recognised as Okil. “So this will be his new home?” she asked.

“Yes, it will be. I will miss him. He has been dealing with the human arrivals on Karal since the beginning. But this is where he will be needed now.”

“Maybe I could take over his job?” she asked. And turned to look at him, frowning as she added, “Do you think that’s possible? Do you think your Hier Ruler and the council would allow me, a human, to take over that job?”

“We will ask Okil to put in a good word with the Hier Ruler.” He smiled encouragingly at her. “I think that it is a good idea and Okil will agree. I’m not quite sure how much sway he has with our Ruler. I can never quite make out how their relationship works. Okil is been sent here as a punishment, and yet he seems to be involved with everything that goes on. As if he was an advisor to the Ruler and the council.”

“Politics can be a funny thing. I should know.”

They were heading down the ramp now, and as she stepped onto the ground, she wanted to jump for joy. To shout out to this new world that her species had a future. Instead, she settled for spinning around on the spot, very slowly, taking in everything from the mountains, to the forests, to the birds in the sky.

It was wonderful, the most amazing sight she had ever seen. Opening her mouth and breathing in, she let the fresh, clean air fill her lungs. For several minutes, she stood there, just breathing, as if this all new to her. And in a way it was, she was breathing in the new air of their new home. She shook her head. No, it wasn’t her home, it wasn’t Niko’s home, she was needed on Karal and she knew Niko really didn’t want to leave. So she stopped herself, telling herself that maybe they would travel here again someday. They would come and visit when the colony was set up.

They had reached the others, and Okil turned to speak to her. “It is a wonderful place for new beginnings, Petra.”

“It is, thank you,” Petra felt the words choke in her throat. Niko took her hand and let his colours flow across her skin, soothing, comforting.

Okil turned to the Heir Ruler. “It is our Hier Ruler that you should be thanking.”

Lytril turned to look at them. Then he approached them and asked Petra, “You are the daughter of the new President?”