Ivan Kal - Out of the Ashes

“It is confirmed Dakar, we have received a message for you from the Law of Ooruvan.”

Vit’r’an walked up to one of the terminals and engaged the privacy screen around it. Then he accessed the message, “Greetings Vit’r’an, from your sire Tig’r’an.” The dark gray Ra’a’zani said. As soon as Tig’r’an acknowledged the connection between them Vit’r’an relaxed. That meant that the visit wasn’t because he did something to displease Tig’r’an. Calming himself, he focused on the rest of the message, “I am afraid that there had been a development on the other side of Ra’a’zani space. But we shall speak about that in a greater detail once I arrive to the planet two days from now. For now I need you to prepare the manifest of all the materials you have stored, and are available on hand, including anything that is a part of the orders for the other clans. As well as the exact number of slaves you have in the breeding camps.”

Stunned Vit’r’an watched as Tig’r’an signed off and the message ended. He stood there frozen for a few moments, staring at the blank screen. Then he turned and walked back towards his position in the center of the room. The others watched him, but none dared ask him what the message was about.

A few seconds later, Vit’r’an turned towards one of his subordinates, “Get me the manifests on all the materials we currently have in storage including those on mining spots. And an exact number of humans in the breeding camps.”

Olympus Explorer Ship Star Gazer

“Mathias.” A voice made Mathias snap his eyes open from his nap on the bridge of the Olympus ship.

“What is it Asumy?” Mathias asked the Olympus Ai.

“Eighteen Ra’a’zani ships have entered the system.” Asumy answered.

Mathias frowned. “There isn’t a convoy scheduled for at least another two years.” Asumy remained silent. Sighing Mathias switched to the sensor station, he was the only one on the bridge as it was the middle of the night.

“Can you identify them?” Mathias asked as he looked over the data on the screens.

“Fifteen ships have been identified as cargo ships. The other three are unknown.” Asumy said.

“Their convoys usually travel with at least two warships, perhaps those three are the escorts?”

“There is a great possibility that is true.” Asumy responded.

Mathias looked over the data still coming in from Asumy’s long range passive sensors, when something caught his eye.

“Wait, this can’t be right. Asumy is this correct?” Mathias asked.

“What are you referring to?”

“Their size.”

“Yes, I calculated the size using their cargo ships as reference.” Asumy said.

“My God. If those are warships, they are the biggest ones we have seen to date.” Mathias said. The largest Ra’a’zani warships recorded were the ones currently in the system, the patrol ships and the Overlords flagship, they were 450 meters long and 220 meters wide. The other warships they have seen were mostly escorts for the convoys which were either of the same class or smaller. The three ships that have just entered the system on the other hand were bigger, much bigger. Two of the three were identical, and according to Asumy’s calculations were between 1600 and 1800 meters long, and between 700 and 900 wide. But the third ship was even bigger, its length being anywhere between 2400 and 2600 meters, and width between 1000 and 1300. At least two and a half kilometers long. Mathias looked at the data in disbelief. The ship wasn’t the biggest Ra’a’zani ship they knew about, their cargo ships were anywhere between 2 and 3 kilometers long. But those were cargo ships, not warships.

“I got to let Jacob know about this.” Mathias said. “Asumy prepare the message.”

Earth orbit

Two days later a shuttle took Vit’r’an from his base to the Elder’s ship. As soon as Vit’r’an exited the shuttle with his two guards following close behind, he was met with the three Ra’a’zani wearing brown armor. They were the elite guards of the Elders. The one in the lead bowed his head in greeting, Vit’r’an returned the greeting with a bow of his own. The three then guided them through the massive ship. The brown walls of the ship were just a few shades darker than those of the three guards. The hallway was curved to the left, with visible slots on the ceilings from which huge doors could drop cutting the passage off in case of boarders. Although it had been a long time since the clans warred amongst themselves. Every now and then they would reach an intersection in the hallway, with other Ra’a’zani moving on their way. It took them some time until they finally reached an elevator. The ride itself took a fraction of the time it took them to reach the elevator itself. After they stepped off the elevator they walked for a few steps only until they reached a door. The guards motioned for Vit’r’an to enter and for his guards to stay. Vit’r’an then entered.

The room was spacious, and empty save for the big pool in its middle. The water had a small layer of steam gathered on its surface moving upwards, indicating that it was the perfect temperature. Inside the pool was Elder Tig’r’an. Vit’r’an walked to the pool’s edge, then lowered his legs and body as far as they would go bowing his head deeply.

“Greetings, sire.” Vit’r’an said. It was a bit presumptuous for Vit’r’an to open talks with the acknowledging of their connection. But as he didn’t know the reason for the visit, he wanted to keep the connection between the two fresh in Tig’r’an’s mind. Not that he believed it would in any way influence Tig’r’an. He was far too old and powerful for that.

Tig’r’an let out a series of growls that were Ra’a’zani laughter. “You have grown much in your new position offspring. Pretension suits you well. Come submerge yourself in the waters of Ra’zar with me, and then we shall talk.”

Vit’r’an’s head rose and he looked at his sire. “The water is from the home world?”

“Of course, you don’t expect me to bath in the impure waters of other worlds?”

“Of course not sire.” Vit’r’an said as he removed the belt from his hips and entered the pool. Vit’r’an never had the chance to bathe in the waters of the home world. In fact it was against the agreement between the clans to take the holy water from their home world off it. His sire must hold much more power amongst the other clans and the guardians of the home world if he managed to take enough water off world for a pool.

As soon as Vit’r’an entered the pool he felt the soft bites of Rasari, the fish that Ra’a’zani used for cleaning, eating the filth of his body. Looking down in the water he saw that these were yellow in color and not the muddy brown of the altered fish that they transferred from their home world to the other worlds.

“How does it feel?” Tig’r’an asked.

“It feels… Right.” Vit’r’an answered.

Tig’r’an showed his teeth in a Ra’a’zani smile. “Yes.” He said then closed his eyes.

For some time they remained silent, enjoying the feel of the water and the soft bites of the fish. And then Tig’r’an moved and drew closer to Vit’r’an.

“There has been a development.” He started, “Clan Ravinan has encountered another high intelligence race.” Tig’r’an said.

Vit’r’an moved and looked at Tig’r’an. “Another slave race?” Already he was thinking what the repercussions of such a discovery would be. The clan Ravinan was a minor clan before, but now with the influx of slaves and most likely materials that would change, the discovery alone might make them one of the core. “That will have a great effect on the core. Another slave race wi—”