The Book of Ominiue: Starborn (27 page)

‘But what are they exactly? Warriors?’

‘Amongst other things. You could describe them as we scholars describe ourselves, except they also train as fighters and are usually hired out as such. They study all known forms of martial arts, with and without weapons. They hold public displays occasionally showing off their talents. They are terrifyingly deadly. Each monk though is said to be specialized. Some might be hired out as war strategists, some seek historical truths, and some serve as highway bodyguards for important people. They do hold a moral code so their services are only available to those they deem fit. It’s all very secret and I would not be surprised if they were employed for darker purposes.’

‘I don’t think I like it,’ Omar added. ‘They sound very secret service-y and that monk with the mask, he gives me the creeps.’

‘The UeVarda trusts him and that is all that is needed.’

‘Nothing wrong with trusting either,’ Hanniver agreed, ‘without trust all that’s left is a miserable existence.’

Kíe clasped the Brigadier fondly by the shoulder and laughed, ‘The Sky Ta’Orian speaks our philosophy.’ The statement caused the Starborn’s face to hardened, he turned his back on them at once and continued to monitor the king.

They waited for the transporter longer than Shayne estimated. Its speed was an easy factor in his calculations, the readiness of the doctor was not. The effectiveness of the robots back at Thorns Basin made the preparations easier. Once the order was made for a code-level medical emergency the droids would have prepared everything, fitting out a short range transport with suitable equipment. The small vehicle was ready for deployment long before the doctor had even left the hospital.

The arrival of the craft in the palace grounds brought a crowd of guards and palace servants; mesmerised and somewhat frightened by the machine that came over their city. The roar of the engines was unknown to these people. They looked up at the expected flying craft of the Earthmen from all over the city, shading their eyes from the sun to see the strange thing. Despite the early warning that went out, reports of panic within the lower commons soon reached the palace and the city shytardas were given the task to calm the crowds. Those that braved the strange event and came to investigate the craft smoothly hanging in the skies above them cried out,
shinharah faláde
, and their cry soon rippled through the streets and it was later revealed that the Kadalian words translated to ‘metal dragon.’

The doctor and four medical droids pushed containers into the throne room, they were followed closely by shytarda guards who held their hands on the hilts of their swords ready for treachery. More guards also came in, watching the proceedings very carefully. As the equipment was set up Shayne turned his attention to the golden text behind the throne. He knew they were the characters of the Kadalian tongue, but just like the language he held no knowledge of the runes.

‘What does it say?’ he asked.

Kíe glanced up at the writing on the wall. ‘It is Ta’Hylan’s mystery. No one knows what it says for it is written in Ta’Hylan’s native tongue,’ as he said this the doctor brought the lionman king to the portable table and had him lie on it. The lionman was too large for the human sized bench with his legs sticking out over the edge. A guard brought a side table over and handed it to a robot who used it to prop the UeVarda’s legs up.

‘Who is this Ta’Hylan?’ Shayne’s soft accent sounded though the room as an unsettled silence fell upon those present.

‘He was the first of the powerful Ta’Orians, the very first wizard. Not much is known about him. The texts say he was found on the edge of the Magor-Massabain. He was close to death and raved like a madman. All who go into the Massabain return mad, but he overcame the horrors that all others had tried and failed too and through the terror he obtained great powers.’

‘What is the Magor-Maserbane?’

‘It is a forsaken battlefield on the edges of the holy land of Endaran. It roughly translates as
the Fields of Sorrow
. After the wars of old passed the land became cursed. Tales and legends say the only time the curse lifts is when soldiers march again; the spirits of the grassland allow people to pass so that they can trap more souls and torment them for eternity.’

The doctor and a droid examined the UeVarda with the curved arch machine that scanned over his body; the droid moved it with a mental command, running it along the patient’s length. The device was designed for clinics in small communities. It was primitive compared to the holographic internal projection scanners, but was portable and cheap. The doctor’s main focus was on the lionman’s chest and head region. As the machine moved it made a periodic clicking noise. All the time the UeVarda lay there calmly with his eyes shut.

‘What is that thing?’ Kíe asked as he watched the machine rotate.

‘It is a scanning device. It looks inside the body for things that do not belong.’

‘How does it look inside without opening up the skin?’

‘It uses light.’

Kíe nodded. ‘I believe I understand, light is made up of colours and each individual colour is a certain light distance long, each different to the other, and very small light distances can pass through different objects, like sunlight passing through a pane of glass.’

Shayne scrutinised Kíe, his eyebrow slightly raised in amusement. ‘Your culture never ceases to amaze me. That is essentially right, except the light we use is so small you cannot see it. How do you know these things when you have no means to test it?’

‘The wizards taught us, there was no need to question them. You said light, but I cannot see light so I concluded it was beyond sight.’

‘How is it that you are so proficient in physics yet your culture is so primitive? I do not understand. Surely with such knowledge your society would be more advanced?’

‘And I do not understand why it confuses you so much.’ With that they fell silent and watched as the machine eventually came to a rest. The doctor’s droid then read out from the findings while the doctor consulted a highly advanced computer holographic
wristcom
.

‘Diagnostic report, findings of 100 percent chance of tumour growth. Original area of infection within the lungs. Metastatic infection has moved into the heart and surrounding tissue 52 percent, liver 17 percent.’

‘Any injections or drugs been subscribed?’ the doctor asked Hanniver and 73B.

‘Standard lung cancer pressurised aerosol inhaler,’ the droid stepped forward and listed, ‘Remus-Centauri morphine injection, M4 base protection cancer fluid injection and all standard doses.’ The doctor nodded. He then turned to the UeVarda and through one of the medical droids he gave the lionman king instructions along with another injection, treating him as any other patient, as if giant cat like humans were the norm in society.

‘Now, the best thing for you is rest. The morphine injection should last several hours; I’ll leave MD-729m to administer more injections. When you feel the pain return you can request an injection from him, but he’ll only give it to you if he sees fit. You should feel the effects of the
inhaler
by tomorrow and it should’ve cleared the lungs within a couple of weeks, but keep using the pump for its duration, twice a day.

‘The other problems will take longer. We will need a sample of your cell structure and DNA to be able to grow and graft new lung tissue. The inhaler will repair some tissue, depending on the level of damage but total recovery at this stage of advancement will require some surgery.

‘Unless 729 calls me in case of emergency I’ll return to look at you in a week to see how you’re progressing. You’ll need to come to our hospital to have a proper inspection; we’ll definitely have to have a closer look to see if you need specialised treatment.’ The doctor paused for a moment and then continued. ‘We might have to make you a little bit sick to make you better, I do not know if that makes sense to you, but some things are unavoidable,’ he then continued to give directions to the UeVarda who listened patiently as the robot translated.

‘How is it, Afra’hama, that the healer’s machine can talk our language?’ Kíe moved his attention from the portable clinic to Shayne. ‘I thought only the ones that travelled with us learnt to speak it.’

‘All our
droids
that have been given the
programme
can speak it, by now all of them would have been given the upgrade.’

‘How is that possible, to teach so many at once?’

‘
Robots
are different from Orians. If you have all the information written down, then they can learn it in moments.’

‘They are so different from us; I can’t comprehend something learnt instantly. Robots’ Kíe repeated and gave a little laugh in amazement. ‘I want to learn all about your world Afra’hama.’

After the consultation the UeVarda was ordered to bed. The doctor returned to the other Earthmen, pulling the Brigadier aside, ‘We couldn’t have arrived any later. The king is extremely lucky, but we’re right on the edge. It could still turn bad. I suggest that you let the king rest for at least a week before you start any of your business with them, if successful he’ll be exhausted but healthy enough to perform mental duties.’ He then gave a few brief commands to the droid who needed no instruction but accepted it without question, afterwards he returned to the transport plane, where they waited for any of the original Earthmen party that would return with them.

‘What do we do now?’ Omar asked as they were left in the hall.

‘Your presence is no longer required,’ Hanniver addressed him. ‘You and the rests of the section-party can return to the settlement. Retrieve all our stuff from the horses, and bring our backpacks, you can take the mule but tell Dominic to leave some equipment for me. You can also take all but two Starborns. I’m pretty sure we’re right here.

‘Also, make sure everyone follows through standard check-up, and I want everyone in the expedition group to undergo a week’s quarantine.’

‘But sir,’ Omar interjected, ‘who will —’  

‘— The SB soldiers and Colonial Forrester are sufficient from here on in,’ the Brigadier interjected.

‘Yes sir,’ he saluted, trying to hide his disappointment then ordered the general infantry to the transport.

‘And what do we do in the meantime?’ Shayne questioned his superior.

The Brigadier’s forehead creased as he thought about it, ‘Who are the advisors, or whatever they’re called?’

‘At least one Chancellor has to be in the throne room with the UeVarda at all times.’ Shayne signalled to Kíe and Pan’arden and asked, ‘Who holds state affairs when the UeVarda is not available?’

‘We do,’ said a senior looking lionman male. He wore a shroud that reached to his feet; the same colour as Kíe’s but a deeper shade with golden decorations embroidered into the material. A large black cat-like creature sat amongst the folds of his robe, peering up at them with wide green eyes.

‘They cannot grant you a proclamation Afra’hama,’ Pan’arden stated.

‘We desire counsel, is all,’ Shayne answered, ‘the time for the UeVarda’s recovery can be spent researching and discussing the regions of interest, and to also communicate with the nations involved.’ Pan’arden slightly bowed her head.

‘Remarkable,’ the older lionman commented with a sly and intelligent grin on his ancient face as he examined Shayne. The black cat stepped from the shawl and also looked up at him in a blunt inquiring manner.

‘This is UeShádarn Dun’karter,’ Kíe introduced the academic to Shayne, ‘and his Maltat Kreadark,’

‘How long have they been with us? And the Afra’hama speaks fluently, and without an accent.’

‘He has the Kérith-Árim accent,’ Pan’arden corrected.

Dun’karter dismissed the statement with a wave of his arm and said, ‘Trivial. How long did it take to become so proficient?’ he asked Shayne. An eager expression lay behind his green eyes, which appeared decades younger than the rest of his body. Shayne looked up at his slightly bent form but remained silent.

‘About twenty days,’ Kíe answered for him, ‘and he does not care for social talk. He himself is a Master,’ Kíe used the common word for master instead of the Kadalian word shádarn.

‘Is that so?’ The old lionmen asked as he raised an eyebrow. ‘Yes, yes, of course he is.’

‘We have business to discuss,’ Shayne interrupted Dun Karter’s examination, glaring coldly at him, but the lionman’s half vacant stare showed his mind was someplace else.

‘Of course, of course.’ He nodded happily and turned to walk away, he spun on his heels when he realised he was walking off without them. ‘There is a special room this way for advisor board meetings.’ His soft aloof grin widened.

‘Come, Advisors,’ he called to the others, most of which were already following. ‘Where is the master armoursmith?’

‘He is at Píaníth, UeShádarn Dun’karter,’ the Commander of the Imperial Guard and another steward replied. She walked ahead of the others and opened a side door for them, leaving the dome throne room behind them.

They passed a few passages until they came to a door no different from any other. The room had a raised seat for the king in the far corner there was also a large dark wood table in line with the king’s chair.  The table held several chairs behind it, including a grand seat for the head steward in the middle. Lastly there rested a much smaller table, exposed in the centre of the room with four chairs that faced the main table.