Koban: When Empires Collide Read online

  The dying parent path-vine had fruited long enough ago that a child vine had already started its march up between the same pair of trees, and was directly below him. If it had anchored strongly enough to the receiver tree, it might hold him. He coolly shifted his long knife to his left hand as he let go of the falling vine, and reached for the daughter vine with his right, as he dropped several body lengths straight down. Just as his right hand gripped the daughter, his left used the blade to severe it in what was considered almost sacrilege against these valued aerial routes. This relieved the full shock of his weight on the younger green shoots, and he swung a far shorter arc to the receiving tree, absorbing the impact with his legs as he wrapped his long arms halfway around the skinny upper trunk.

  He had to use the rough bark as grips to clamber lower to the next closest young path-vine link to the next tree. As he did that, he wondered what the humans were doing. The background in the images of them proved they had left the compound.

  ****

  Sarge sat in the red barked fork of a tree at the edge of the grove of nine trees, looking down into the gaping, saliva dripping jaws of the furry brown, astonishingly fast, twenty-five-foot tall predator that had chased him up the tree.

  He was annoyed, and thinking of how he might hide his predicament from the team. Crap! Thad will add this to the damned raptor story.

  On a straight-away, he could have outdistanced the swift but lumbering creature. But the game trails twisted, following the underlying rocky outcrops that barely protruded from the soil. The underbrush was too thick for a man to break through easily, and maintain a survivable pace when a multi ton beast could cut the corners, following your scent and the sounds of your feet. It wasn’t exactly a close-call when he reached the grove of trees and scrambled up the first one, but he wasn’t positive the beast couldn’t simply knock it over, although it hadn’t tried yet.

  It seemed plausible it could push them over with enough effort, if it decided to try. The trees topped out at about fifty feet, with wide spread limbs, and feathery tan shaded leaves on long fronds extending from the limbs. The trunks were rough, providing a good grip, and the lowest limbs were over twenty feet above the ground. Not that he could use those to sit, because that would put him at eye level with the hungry, stinky breathed bastard.

  “Can’t climb with those puny damn little arms, can ya, Brownie?” He named the beast he’d been taunting. Before he started doing that, he’d verified there were overlapping limbs of adjacent trees where he could move if the H-Rex figured out how to push over this tree. It snarled, at him, and made grunting noises, but had not made any loud roaring sounds, as would have a K-Rex, on Koban.

  There were numerous vines strung between all the trees, but they seemed somehow thinner versions of those he’d seen at High City, or glimpsed through clearings of the rain forest. Here, they didn’t have to fight for scraps of light beneath that much denser canopy, and didn’t put as many resources into extending so far, and climbing so high. In a pinch, he was confident he could use them to cross between trees, or cut them and swing to the ground, where he could run to the next tree. He’d tested a browner mature looking vine with his hands, and it was extremely tough.

  As he’d suspected, there were fruit covered seed pods on half the trees, and many, stripped of their outer flesh by feeding animals, laid on the ground. Apparently, he was in a “male” tree of the species, and there were no pods he could examine. Not that he was hungry. But if he couldn’t outwait this “distraction” he’d offered to create, he’d still be sitting here when the fight was over.

  He moved over to examine the vine he’d tested earlier, with an idea in mind. He’d seen how limited the movement and utility was of the ridiculous small arms that always evolved on predators like this, who walked on their two back legs, and attacked only with massive jaws filled with serrated dagger-like flesh tearing teeth.

  It had shoulders of a sort, at the arms, forming a slight bulge behind and below the back of the heavy skull that the neck supported. It was obvious this poor creature couldn’t scratch its own nose, or pick its teeth with the three short claws on its underdeveloped “hands.” The arms were so short, all it could do was scratch its chest if that itched.

  That gave him an idea. If it worked, he’d not have to sit here and miss-out on proving a Kobani was someone the Ragnar should respect.

  ****

  Thad, Macy, and Mel, made it through the lower brush, and past two groves of red trees without serious incident. A herd of forty or so of the large horned cattle-like browsers were under the second of the tree groves, feeding on dropped fruit. When the Kobani suddenly appeared from a game trail, they startled at the unfamiliar forms and alien smell, forming a rough circle, with several calves and a pregnant cow in the center for protection.

  The three humans stayed at the edge of the trampled down and heavily browsed ground around the grove of red trees. On the far side, by agreement, the three spilt up, and after a knowing glance at a camera mounted on a pole, each one entered different game trials that led towards the edge of the rain forest, and they vanished into the brush. An orbital Scout had a clear enough view of the island to pass along some information to Thad’s team.

  “Thad, Will Chernot here. The rocky spine of the island isn’t as long in the southern direction. You’ll reach the edge of the rain forest a mile sooner than will Jindal’s group.”

  He labeled the other four Kobani as Jindal’s group, because predictably, Gonzo had deferred to the oldest and most experienced Kobani of the four in the northern group, not that any of them required a leader to do what had to be done. Nevertheless, with his example, the younger Sam, and Kintar went along with letting Jindal make decisions for them as a group.

  Thad had a question. “The second group of Ragnar that went south for their drop-off, is their distance to the compound also shorter?”

  “Yes. By at least a mile and a half less travel for them. They won’t take as long to reach you. I tried to pick them up directly with infrared, but they move too fast to register under that thick tree cover, and clouds get in the way. I see groups of slowly moving animals that may be more of the water buffalo looking cattle you just passed, and I’ve seen three of the big predators like the one close to the compound. That one has Sarge stuck up in a tree, I might add.”

  “Again?” He smiled at how he’d exploit that amusing bit of news later.

  “Will, how about cameras under the tree canopy in the south? Has anyone seen our opponents with those? What they’re doing, how they’re traveling? Are they on the ground or in the trees?”

  Athena was monitoring the group link. “Thad, we’ve seen both groups in flashes, and they nearly all stay high in the trees, running along those aerial vines, which link almost all the trees together. They sometimes climb or descend to get to the next vine. Unfortunately, even though the cameras have some sort of identifying script in their signal, we don’t know how they were laid out. I can’t figure out which ones are on the north side from the south camera units, and they point in haphazard directions as they shift to follow motion, so the angle of the sun that leaks through the trees is no help.

  “I can tell you this, though. One group has split into four individuals traveling alone, and the other has formed loose pairs, that seem to stay closer together, because we’ve seen them near each other in the images a few times. If the AI can decide which way the cameras were pointed, north, south, east, or west, we’ll know which group is which.”

  Glancing ahead over the brush at the next trail bend, he said, “I can see the tops of the canopy of trees. I’ll be there in five minutes. I’ve seen a camera on a tall pole at every tree grove, and at places where main trails cross, so they know where we are. I intend to avoid cameras from now on, if I can. I hope they had a good huff when Sarge got treed by that H-Rex.”

  ****

  Hitok, now aboard Grudfad’s Ravager, was alternating between scratching his chin and his rump, looking at the came
ra that showed the busy human, up in the second Sweet tree, seemingly trying to draw the Drathor into a position directly below him. He’d moved to the other tree, after slashing the path-vine free of its nearby anchor tree. Then he half jumped half swung on the vine, lucky his lighter weight had not torn the tendrils free from high up in the receiver tree.

  The new bright green tendrils at the receiver tree were obviously in the process of elevating the vine at that end, climbing at plant slowness to a higher point. It would be easy to tear it free, with his weight added to that of the sagging vine’s own weight. It wouldn’t be secure until it’s new higher position was firm at the receiver tree, and it drew up its own slack to make it tight again on the receiver, and slightly higher than at the anchor tree. Then the anchor side would grow tendrils to elevate the anchor side, repeating the process until the path-vine reached an optimum height, and fruited where animals couldn’t reach its immature seed pods.

  Instead of breaking a leg when he landed, or even falling in a tumble, the human named Sarge stuck the ground at a full run, and raced swiftly to the receiver tree, pulling the end of the killed path-vine with him. His speed, even hauling the heavy vine along, easily outpaced the Drathor, who had to dodge around the first tree after it lowered its head below the lowest branches.

  In moves that any young tree climbing Ragnar would have envied, the Kobani used his hands and feet on each side of the Sweet tree’s trunk, to climb it in a blur of movement that no Ragnar athlete could have matched, with the anchor end of the heavy path-vine draped around his neck and shoulders.

  Grudfad voiced what Hitok’s confused reaction revealed had been on his mind when he’d made that crossing a short time ago.

  “Why didn’t he simply walk across the path-vine to the other tree? We saw he had excellent balance as he walked along the tree branches without even a wobble. The vine would have held if he were careful, and he was well above the reach of the Drathor. They can’t jump higher than half the human’s body length.”

  Hitok had a different set of questions. “He can’t know that, and only experience teaches you when a vine’s receiver tree attachment has matured. He would have to guess about that, but since he didn’t even try to walk across, he always had something different in mind. I don’t know why he wanted to move to another tree at all. He’s still trapped. Then he pulled in the piece of the path-vine he wastefully killed, and gathered it in the tree and cut it into other pieces, and tied the pieces together. Now he’s sitting on lower branches, kicking his legs to attract the Drathor for some reason. It may not be able to jump very high, but the human’s feet and lower legs are at risk where he is.”

  The irritated predator, frustrated it had missed its prey again while it was on the ground, was drawn to the chance to pull it down and rip it into bite sized gobbets.

  The creature remained sitting just higher than the hungry monster could lift its snout. It stood under its tormentor, looking up, and gradually bunched its massive legs as it pointed its closed maw upward, ready to open and snap it shut. Its instincts said this morsel was just at the limits it could reach.

  With a confused shake of one shoulder, Grudfad said, “It’s ready to jump. The human has pulled his legs up but his behind is within reach of a short leap. He’s moved the clump of vines onto his lap, which will slow him if he tries to pull back or jump away. He’s fast, but his feet are not under him, ready to leap higher. In his ignorance, he will miss his true opponent, and die there. Which will prove this experienced Kobani was less capable than an immature Ragnar at surviving on our home world.”

  “I’m not so sure…” Hitok began, when the Drathor unleashed his short multi ton leap, and thrust its neck upwards, ready to open and snap powerful jaws shut on this well-earned snack.

  Incredibly, the human not only didn’t try to pull back, he committed apparent suicide, by dropping off the limb towards the unavoidable fate rising to take him, spreading his arms wide in acceptance, holding the vines out as a symbolic wreath, to commemorate his needless and gruesome death.

  A moment later, millions of Ragnar around the planet gasped, as that encounter unfolded.

  ****

  Candar, and his female mission partner, Felspan, slowed their rush to the compound when the brightening ahead proved they were reaching the edge of the deep forest. Both were aware that the humans had left the compound, and memory enhancer communications from associates, monitoring camera images while they focused on travel safety, were providing reports on where the humans were.

  They didn’t give a thought to the advantage the cameras and friendly reports gave them. Even though this was supposed to be a basic test of Ragnar warrior skills against interlopers from outside the Empire.

  The irony, that electronic surveillance and remote observers providing reports of enemy movements, had never been tools available to their ancient ancestors did not, to them, mean they had an unfair advantage when it came to the actual fighting. Of course, they fully intended to pair up against a single human if they could find one in isolation, and spring a surprise ambush to produce a kill as quickly as possible. Then they would hunt for another isolated target. If they could account for three or even four kills of this arrogant species, they’d enjoy greater glory than the other pair that had been dropped on the same end of the island.

  Because of that other pair’s unfortunate encounter with a swarm of minaks, Candar and Felspan had acquired a significant lead. Because of the small venomous and hive-like mammals, those ferocious and berserk acting creatures had forced Hankal and Jendep to backtrack, to divert around the colony’s group of nesting trees. Knives and short swords would decimate the suicidal hand sized little flying horrors, but some of them would find exposed areas to bite. After that, the resulting swelling and stiffness, if joints or hands were bitten, would seriously reduce flexibility, agility, and weapons handling.

  The pair knew three humans had moved south from the compound, and had split up before they reached the high trees. Cameras had caught them at a Sweet tree grove, where they had wisely avoided a herd of Brandar cattle. Based on the trail one of them had taken, Candar and Felspan angled to their left, to where their memory enhancer maps told them, based on their previous training on this island, exactly the point where the trail entered the forest. They had chosen their first isolated target, but they needed to increase their speed, to be close when the human first entered the forest, down on the ground and certain to pass below them. A perfect place for them to stage their ambush, two on one.

  There were cameras placed at each of six main trails that led into the forest, although there were many narrow paths in between, made by small animals. Fortunately, the humans had thus far always taken the wider trails, which gave them a better view of what might be waiting along the sides or down the middle of these curving trails. Beneath the towering Skytouch trees, a new third dimension was added, and a ground based newcomer to Tantor might glance up, but would be unlikely to perceive the open heights above them as holding threats.

  The two slipped their bare feet into the flexible vine walker shoes they’d carried. Unlike boots, this footwear had individual long toe sleeves for gripping, although bare feet made them more surefooted when speed was needed. A heavy boot might deliver a harder blow in hand to hand to foot combat, but it did slow your kicks. Candar and Felspan were the smallest team members, and they used their lighter mass to execute faster moves. They were experts in knife fighting, and used their lightly clad feet as part of their lightning fast moves to prevent an opponent from effectively blocking a knife thrust.

  In addition to their daggers, they each carried two finely balanced throwing knives. It was these they intended to employ for initiating their ambush, then move in on their wounded opponent, if still alive, to finish them off with rapid, savage dagger thrusts.

  One Skytouch tree length from the edge of the forest, they positioned themselves on young, thus low path-vines, on the back side of two trees, with Candar five body lengths ab
ove the trail as it entered the darker woods. Felspan was on the other side, only two body lengths higher than the undergrowth. The cool moist breeze was flowing out of the forest, so they couldn’t smell their adversary, but the reports they received, from observers of the last camera sighting, said the female human had been running down this trail towards the woods.

  They each had one throwing knife in their right hand, with the second one ready in a right side rear shoulder sheath, for a quick over-the-shoulder pull and a rapid second throw. They didn’t need to be exposed to watch for their adversary, they used a camera image from a unit mounted on a pole at the entry to the forest. The scene was projected onto the inside of their left eye, to show them when the human came around the last turn in the trail, and entered the cooler gloom.

  When the wait grew into a few minutes, they shared concerns via memory enhancers. Candar said, “She must have stopped along the trail. Her pace at last sighting was faster than a walk. I was worried we would miss her entry before being in position.”

  “This human is a female,” Felspan replied, trying to analyze an alien species she’d never met. “Females of many species are less aggressive than us. She may be afraid to enter alone. We may have to seek her on the game trail, outside of the forest.”

  Like a spider with a leg on a web strand, Candar had the two largest toes of his left foot griping the path-vine that helped support him. His right foot was on the tree for an immediate and more forceful push off, after their throwing knives struck home. The plan was to allow the human to walk between them, coordinate their throws, then leap down and stab the wounded victim to death.