The Book of Ominiue: Starborn (14 page)

He clicked a button on his
wristcom
, a dim image came up on a small secondary screen on the surface. It simply showed the date and time. It was able to perform other tasks but they were better left for the main computer holographic and screen system interface that operated when the
wristcom
was opened.

The little computer showed that it was about quarter-past-five by Iraquis time. Shayne scratched his beard briefly, contemplating whether to return to sleep. He did not enjoy the prospect of dreaming about the black fox and strange man again, so he got up. His legs protested at the movement, he bent over and rubbed them in an attempt to relieve the stiffness but was rewarded with little success. Resigned to the aches he looked down at the clothes that he slept in and frowned at his lack of discipline. He took his shoes and socks off and carried them with him out the room; the stone floor was pleasantly cool on his feet as he made his way to the main hall. The guest rooms were on the upper level, running alongside the central building. It was a straightforward walk from his room to the hall, but the other hallways and rooms became increasingly hard to navigate for the castle was a natural maze; a product from less than peaceful times.

Shayne made his way down the stairs. The oil lamps were lit and half a dozen Bohaníde soldiers and four servants were there. He saw Pan’arden talking to a human servant, with her tiger seemingly inseparable at her side.

Shayne sat down at one of the human tables; the machines were all in the hall. The mule was lying on the ground inactive with the two robots next to it. At Shayne’s arrival the two robots powered up, surprising a servant walking by. 14D-SCMSR then came to stand near him. Shayne laid his socks on a chair next to him. Pan’arden watched him as he sat himself down; she spoke a little while longer to the native human then dismissed him and walked over with her tiger following close behind.

‘You are up very early,’ she commented as she leant on the edge of the table and peered down at the socks he had on the chair. The tiger sat in close proximity, between her and Shayne. Thyman also looked at the socks, leaning in to sniff them. Shayne could not help but swallow at the closeness of the creature; it then looked oddly at him, twisting her large head in an expression that could only be interpreted as curiosity.

‘Why are the Star Ta’Orian’s afraid of Thyman?’ she asked.

‘Well,’ Shayne said not wanting to move, but knowing the creature was safe. ‘Call it a conflict of wills.’

‘She is not a wild animal, Afra’hama,’ Pan’arden commented with a slight chuckle. ‘She is a
Maltat
and would only attack someone if they attacked me.’ Shayne wanted to reach out and touch her, but something inside warned him against it.

‘We could have got someone to wash your clothes for you,’ Pan’arden motioned to the socks. She noticed that the Earthmen did not change their clothes and did not seem to have any spare changes, though Shayne did have one of his utility uniforms in his pack.

‘There is no need; our clothes do not ever need washing, but they should be aired out on the odd occasion, especially after a dusty horse ride.’ Pan’arden accepted this as she came to accept all of their strangeness.

‘There are baths available as well, unless Star Ta’Orians do not need to be washed either,’ she half laughed at her little joke before her face returned to a formal expression. ‘I thought I should tell you in case you have not been informed.’ Shayne was aware of this, though he had not had one at Keemaíth; he was never given enough free time to bathe. He could not smell anything over the stench of leather and horse, and doubted if the lionman High Captain could either; unless their snout-like noses were more sensitive than humans. Pan’arden was then called by Madan’rah, so she said farewell to Shayne and headed to the other lionman.

Shayne sat quietly as he watched the room slowly fill, from servants to military personnel running errands. Food was brought out for him by servants, as he took it they would bow and back away; their faces filled we fear and awe. Shayne ate his meal in relative peace. Not long after having his fill Hanniver and Kíe came into the hall side-by-side with the Tasmanian tiger trotting behind. The Brigadier briefly excused himself to allow Red Rocket outside. Kíe greeted a few people before he came joined Shayne, smiling as always. The lionman scholar looked over at Shayne’s plate hoping that there were leftovers. The empty plate left him to look around to see if anything had been prepared. Rolls of bread and fruit were placed in the central table. Kíe took Shayne’s plate and went over to help himself. He returned with a mountain of food, where he sat down and began to bite into a roll, an expression of uttermost contentment upon his face.

‘I assume they do not teach manners at these teaching halls of yours,’ Hanniver said as he returned and sat next to Kíe with his own plate filled with a generous helping, the scamscar parroting his comment in the Common Tongue. Kíe glanced across at the Brigadier.

‘How come he has meat?’ he protested in mock outrage when he saw the Earthman’s plate.

‘Because he is the honoured guest of the Dídrand of Palerman, not an over educated
parasite
!’ Shayne automatically replied. Kíe took a small knife from his belt and took a slice of Ox-Beef from the plate. Hanniver looked at his food for a moment, stunned; when he recovered he glared across at Kíe who had a cheeky grin as he stuffed the meat into his mouth. Hanniver then reached over and stole one of Kíe’s cheese rolls. Kíe tried to make a serious face but failed terribly. Hanniver shook his head and laughed.

‘You’re such a teenager,’ the Brigadier broke open the roll and took a bite. The robot went to translate but Hanniver signalled with his hand and it stopped.

‘I think he’s still a teenager,’ Shayne added, ‘by Dífrun reckoning.’

‘That would explain it,’ Hanniver laughed. He then gave Red Rocket the remaining slices of his meat and Kíe’s face fell as he watched the creature happily scoffed down the scraps. The expression made the Brigadier laugh all the more.

All the Earthmen had awoken and had their share of breakfast before they were told that they were ready to leave. The sun had risen above the walls and the horses were ready and waiting for them; lined up beside the enormous lionmen warhorses were the much smaller human breed horses, one for each of the Earthmen. A beautiful chestnut was brought forth with a highly decorated saddle by a male lionman soldier in impressive gilded armour Shayne had not seen before. He towered over those who were around him: both human and lionmen, and he had a great white tiger by his side. Pan’arden was with him; both tigers were standing side-by-side, between their masters. His armour was highly adorned by their standards; with bronze plating and more intricate silver decorative patterns on the chest plate and shoulder guards. He had a red robe that went down to the ground and his helmet which he held in one hand had a large red plume.

Shayne stopped at the top of the stairs; Kíe on one side and Madan’rah on the other. He looked down on the group of soldiers and their horses at the bottom of the steps. The native general bowed his head slightly to Shayne.

‘I am Vash Dominlor
[9]
Tay’mearan. The Varda of Bohaníde sends
orden
blessings to the Afra’hama, and a gift.’ Kíe encouraged Shayne forward with a slight nudge. He walked down, stopping just before the bottom few steps so that he was not completely dwarfed by the great figure of the Bohaníde General. Shayne’s black Starborn parade uniform was a stark contrast to the brightly dressed soldier. He stood proud in the shadow of the native general whose fierce yellow eyes were as formidable as his dark calculating gaze. The Vash Dominlor’s expression did not change but he marvelled at the human’s courage. He broke the stance and bowed again to the Earthman, this time deeper. All the other lionmen warriors present also bowed with their heads lowered.

‘Our Varda deeply regrets that she shall not meet with you in person. As a token of her friendship to you, the Afra’hama she presents her best Ta’Orian horse, Ulossa which she has charged me to deliver to you.’ The lionman then raised his hand out to hand over the reins.

‘Thank you,’ Shayne simply said as he stepped forward and took them. The lionman general bowed his head again and took a few steps back. Shayne saw everyone watching him, they had an expectation of him to make the first move, so he put his foot on the stirrup and with one powerful leap he lifted himself onto the horse. The horse moved a bit by itself in anticipation when he mounted. Shayne lightly pulled back on the reins to stop and turned him around to face Tay’mearan. This horse’s responses were much more willing than the warhorse he had ridden the day before. It was also much more comfortable despite the fact that his legs were now stiff and sore from yesterday’s ride.

The Vash Dominlor looked approvingly upon Shayne but he never smiled. Other lionmen went to their horses and the Earthmen were directed to their appointed beasts. The Dídrand stood upon his balcony; he raised his hand in farewell as he watched them depart. The general returned the gesture. The duke’s bird flew up in the air; circling the city as they made their way beyond the old gates. Shayne once again was placed at the front, with the lionman general and his white tiger on one side, Pan’arden and her orange tiger on the other. Kíe and Hanniver rode behind them, with Red Rocket trying to hide between both of their horses with her tail between her legs; once again looking rather miserable.

It did not take long for the crowds of the city to congregate and watch Shayne leave. This time instead of the quiet and fearful presence there was a low murmur, with many calling the name Afra’hama, their initial fear replaced with curiosity. Other lionmen soldiers joined them from the nearby barracks and the party slowly made their way to the gates.

The party stopped at the river’s bridge just outside the city. Madan’rah came forward and stopped his horse by the lionman general’s. Pan’arden looked more serious than ever sitting upon her warhorse by Shayne’s side.

‘Well Afra’hama,’ the lionman general said watching him from his steed. ‘I am sorry to say that I will not be accompanying you to Kérith-Árim. I would have liked to have had more time with you; stories of Ta’Orians are seldom interesting, but I am afraid I have duties to the Varda and must return home.’ Shayne looked at the great lionman, his yellow eyes bore into him, and Shayne’s dark brown eyes in turn considered him. ‘No road may be feared as long as my daughter rides with you. She is a fine soldier, let her guide you. May the Kéaran watch over you.’

With that the native general turned his horse and ordered his men to follow him. Most of the Bohanese soldiers broke from the company and began following him north, towards Taríth.

Madan’rah gave one of his rare smiles. ‘Afra’hama, I am afraid that I, too will be heading my separate ways. I must follow Vash Dominlor Tay’mearan and provide a report of our journeys before I return to my post here.’ He then turned his horse and began to ride away, but on the spur of the moment he spun on his saddle and called out.

‘I feel compelled to say, Afra’hama that you would have made a fine Fa’Orian. You have more in common with us than you do with them,’ he then raised his arm in the salute of respect.

Shayne passively watched the retreating Kushnalor as he thought.
You are not the first to say that
, as he remembered his time with the Astronauts.

***

At first Shayne did not like being in the captain’s quarters, it was far from his usual residence, which consisted of the most basic living arrangements along with some exercise equipment. Though he had access to the Planetsider mess hall and other recreational areas they also proved to be lacking. Normal Planetsiders only spend a few months awake on a colonyship and most of that time was spent getting their fitness back up after cryogenic muscle atrophy. As a consequence, colonist quarters were not made for long term comfort; SB’s were not given much more. They did not require entertainment. Their degeneration meant that most of their time was spent re-teaching them everything; including most of the basics, such as speech and motor control. As a result, they were awakened at the edge of the solar system when the ship’s velocity was dramatically reduced for safe passage. They typically spent five years flying from the Oort-Kuiper edge to their final destination, which proved an ideal time-frame to re-teach the affected colonists, preparing and assessing them for other activities when planet-side.