The Banished Hen

~ I. Graham Smith ~ Leave a comment

I’ve always had a soft spot for chickens. They taste fantastic, and their eggs are pure gold. But every once in a while, one of them gets a terrible idea: “Hey, those eggs I just laid? Those are snacks.”

Then, like a bad TikTok dance, the habit spreads. Soon my pampered, well-fed hens are throwing an all-you-can-eat egg buffet in the coop, and my daily production drops from respectable to “one sad egg if I’m lucky.”

As the guy who pays the mortgage and buys the feed, I raised my hands to the heavens and loudly declared this behavior unacceptable.

Cue the Great Egg Investigation of 2025. I installed a chicken cam inside the coop like I was filming a feathered episode of Law & Order. After a month of grainy footage and growing suspicion, I finally identified the culprits: two innocent-looking white hens my friend had “generously” gifted us.

I yanked them into poultry solitary confinement for two days.

Miracle of miracles (Fiddler on the Roof, eh?), the egg production jumped to about a dozen a day. Still not peak performance, but suddenly we weren’t living in the Great Egg Famine anymore.

So I did the logical thing: I released one suspect back into the general population and kept the repeat offender (the one with the suspicious black speckle) locked up like the egg-eating felon she is.

Eggs have been flowing like wine ever since. Hallelujah!

The verdict is in: she is officially banished for life. Now she wanders the outer edges of the run like a tragic Shakespearean chicken, staring wistfully at the warm coop, the protective wings of Jimothy the rooster, and the sisterhood she betrayed for a second breakfast.

Doomed to shiver alone through the bleak midwinter, forever separated from the warm, clucking sisterhood she betrayed for a midday snack.

Justice has been served. Extra crispy, if necessary.

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A Jump (Caveman Chronicles)

~ I. Graham Smith ~ 1 Comment

The Index -|-

Kpleeb woke two days later, and Zara’s face appeared above him almost immediately, her brown analyzing his own. The lights shone through her curly brown hair and he likened her to an angel that had come to bring him good tidings of great joy.

“Da, how do you feel?” she said with evident concern. Her hands flickered as if to rest on his chest but then rebounded unexpectedly, her fingers twitching with indecision.

Kpleeb took inventory of himself. His mind was vaguely groggy, but underneath he felt mentally sharp and ready to leap to his feet. There were various aches as he scanned downward: dull pain in his right side, arm, and upper leg, and a semi-sharp pain in his left knee. He turned his head and saw Viinox standing with another Xi dressed in red. With his eyes back on Zara’s face, he answered. “It seems I have aches and pains, but I’m alive. The last I remember,we were going to the First Terminal command center. What happened to me?”

Zara gingerly touched his face with the tips of her fingers. “We were attacked. The Xi commander set an ambush, but the issue has been resolved.”

Kpleeb looked around again and saw the Ganix guarding the doorway. “We made it through, obviously. Your shield saved us, right?”

“How did you know, Da?”

Kpleeb grinned knowingly. “The Xi would plan for us and try to overcompensate for our power. They probably could not fail except for the unknown, and your shield was the unknown.” He grasped Zara’s hand, and began to sit up.

Zara pulled and helped him, her slight frame providing only a fraction of the force needed to actually elevate his position. “My shield took the brunt, and because of it, I was injured too. Don’t worry though, I’m fine!” she said quickly.

Kpleeb did notice a few superficial scrapes on her face and arms. With a deep gratitude, he reached out and wrapped his hairy arms around her. “You are my life. I could not stand to lose you. Now tell me how this issue was resolved.” He swung his legs over the side of the table he rested on and faced Viinox and the strange Xi.

Zara turned toward the other Xi. “This medical officer, Olpre-wa, has healed you.”

Kpleeb noticed that Olpre-wa appeared to be calm. He nodded at Olpre-wa. “Thank you.”

Olpre-wa tilted its chin upward slightly. “My training allows for success, but I fear that by healing you I may have doomed many of my own species by allowing one such as yourself to continue his path of destruction. I hope you will consider my efforts an act of peace.”

“I have become more selective in who I destroy. My daughter is to thank for that.” Kpleeb looked back toward Zara. “What of the First Terminal commander?”

Zara hung her head, and after a long moment her damp eyes rose to meet his. “The Xi leadership here has been eliminated and their riiat given back to the Xi. Those in charge were without honor, blaming and hiding behind their underlings. In the last two days, the Ganix have crushed all resistance on the First Terminal. Many Xi warriors were killed. She looked at Viinox. “And- we have almost completed the system alterations that we came here for.”

“Incredible,” said Kpleeb looking at Zara with new eyes. He knew just how sensitive she was and how she wished to save all life, and yet she had acted to destroy enemies that had risen against them. “I’m proud of you,” he said putting his hand on her shoulder, “and I know how hard that must have been.”

Zara shrugged. “I’m not proud of me, but I did what I had to do to protect us. Like you say, Da, we come in peace and only destroy those who resist.”

“Peace at the end of a weapon.” interjected Olpre-wa.

Kpleeb turned toward it with a scowl. “A complaint from the Xi rulers?! We give what the entirely galaxy has already received at the hand of the Xi, yet we also offer real friendship. It seems the Xi only understand displays of strength. Perhaps you wish to resist as well?”

“I do not wish to resist, only to speak openly. Your daughter has also promised to spare me if you lived. For this I am grateful.”

“Maybe you can become an ambassador for the Xi.” Kpleeb turned away dismissively. “Zara, tell me about the progress with the terminal system.”

Zara nodded at Olpre-wa. “You may go.”

The doctor lifted its chin stiffly and exited between the two Ganix warriors.

Zara watched it leave and then answered her Da. “The Xi technicians here claim that the terminal system cannot be altered, but we have a workaround. Instead of accepting only vessels with hu-class systems, which emit a very specific identification code tailored for the individual ship, we have added a special code into the First Terminal database. This code can be transmitted at any time. Actually, any ship with the ability to transmit could use the special code if they were aware of it.”

“That seems easy,” said Kpleeb.”I mean, for someone as smart as you of course.”

Zara smiled. “So very simple. The harder part is that the normal identification code allows the terminal system to adjust its power for the requesting vessel because it is already known. The terminal system needs to know the mass that is being transmitted, and without the mass, the end result could be catastrophic for the vessel. We decided to calculate and transmit the required mass embedded within our special identification code. Now the system will conduct an extra step, parsing the mass, and using that mass to adjust the power.”

“Like I said: smart!” He slipped off the table and stood carefully on unsteady feet. He looked down and noticed that his toes were covered in blood. “I must have been really hurt. I don’t remember any of this. It’s probably time for you and Viinox to go conduct your search for Nidix. Right?”

Zara glanced at Viinox. “What do you think? Can Tiirw finish the terminal adjustments?”

Viinox lifted its chin. “Certainly. The work is almost complete. We have also discovered the mechanism to disable tracking on the Xih ships. The Hsstak and Greki can now successfully hide from the Xi tracking systems.”

“That gives us options we didn’t have before. Thank you, Viinox.” Zara gently tapped Kpleeb’s arm. “You should get cleaned up, make sure the security here is acceptable, and get some rest.”

“How long will you be gone?”

Zara shrugged noncommittally. “Biortl is closest to the region we need to search, but it may be well-guarded. The quickest path is through Biortl. We hope that the Xi are not amassed at the terminal, but we have decided to send through two probes without kerflk shields. They will exit only moments after the Hsstak and then continue toward Biortl to provide information and act as a screen for the Hsstak if the terminal is closely watched. Then we have at around forty days of travel to the region. Then another day or two of scouting.” She paused. “We’ll be gone for around 85 days if we return through the terminal at Biortl, longer if we are attacked or find something interesting.”

###

A few hours later, Zara, Viinox, Kanta, and a handful of Ganix warriors boarded the Hsstak and began the short task of preparing for jump.

Zara reached for the third point of the triangle as the ship approached the terminal followed by the two probes. The air above the silvery triangle began to glow as soon as her hand touched the final point [Despite the danger, this really must be done. If I can finally pinpoint the location of Nidix, a thousand years of Xi lies will begin to unravel. We will finally be within sight of fulfilling Da’s quest for vengeance. Maybe there will be answers about the Xih there as well. I hope so.]

Kanta’s voice from the command center broke through Zara’s mental focus. “We are ready to jump.”

“Let’s go,” said Zara. “Waiting won’t change anything.” The points on the shimmering three-dimensional map in front of her displayed almost two dozen glowing dots that represented Kpleeb’s fleet and the First Terminal.

“Transferring now,” Kanta said in a garbled voice. The effect was silent and invisible, but after a few seconds, the void around the Hsstak warped slightly and then changed.

When the Hsstak coalesced at the Biortl terminal, it immediately began to move away in the direction Zara believed Nidix lay. All of the points of light within Zara’s display blinked out and were replaced by a cluster of new points that were between the terminal and Biortl, close enough to notice incoming vessels, but not close enough to be in immediate danger.

[Our fleet would have been wiped out if we had come here.] “Viinox, I am counting forty-three possible vessels between here and Biortl. Take the Hsstak to her fastest speed.”

“Yes, Zara,” said Viinox. Its fingers tapped rapidly on the console.

The probes arrived just a minute after the Hsstak, appearing on Zara’s display as two small dots that began to move toward Biortl. To expand the distance between itself and the probes, Hsstak accelerated it’s mass in the opposite direction. “The Xi have begun to move toward our position,” Zara said, tapping to direct the Hsstak’s detectors toward the distant orb. After a moment in thought, she shrugged to herself. [We are as fast as they are, so we will at least stay ahead of them… until we have to stop and search for Nidix.]

“Kanta, let me know when the Xi fleet nears the probes. It will be interesting to see how they react.

“I agree, Zara,” came the watery reply. Kanta’s airo-walker helmet sloshed silently and she turned her large eyes on Zara. “I suspect they will analyze the probes and then destroy them.”

“As long as it slows them down, it will make me happy.”

###

40 days later, Zara woke to a blinking indicator on her messaging device. She stretched under her thin blanket and let out an expansive yawn.

Kanta’s voice began to speak as soon as Zara summoned the message. “I didn’t want to wake you, but we have arrived and there is something interesting to observe. We’ll show you in the command center when you are ready.

Terminal Reception (Caveman Chronicles)

~ I. Graham Smith ~ Leave a comment

The Index -|-

Kpleeb raised his hand emphatically. “Biortl is out of the question. You think they haven’t fortified it with every vessel and defense array they could muster? It’s their most ancient stronghold beyond the twin orbs of Jiwlat and Qaplas.”

“There are not many orbs left to conquer, sir,” said Oiitr. “It will be more dangerous whichever way we decide to go.”

Kpleeb shook his head. “I know that we are running out of options. I know this, but Biortl is directly across the core and has the most natural resources while Qaplas and Jiwlat are in the direction away from the core. I believe they will expect us to take Biortl, and yes, I could be wrong. We are in a game of lynx and hare.”

Oiitr paused. “Lynx and hare? I am not familiar with this comparison.”

Kpleeb nodded absentmindedly. “An old saying from Fab Elder Shoofit… about the lynx and the hare. I never understood it until the Xih altered my brain, but the main point is… His eyes suddenly widened. “What about sending a spy probe through the terminal to Biortl?”

“Uhm-” Oiitr looked down at its red tiered device momentarily while adjusting to Kpleeb’s thought shift. “A spy probe. Unfortunately, we do not have a terminal registration for any probe. We could send a vessel, but it would not seem wise to waste a vessel and crew just to see if it comes back alive.”

Kpleeb grunted. “How many days to send a probe to Biortl without the terminal?”

“595 days.”

Kpleeb grunted again. “We are effectively stuck. What will it take to register more vessels for the terminal?”

Oiitr responded quickly. “The vessel has to have at least a hu-class control system, and then the vessel’s identifier must be added to the terminal database. This can only be done at the First Terminal.”

“That’s near Jiwlat, correct?”

“Yes, sir.”

Kpleeb raked his hair back with his fingers and paced across the command center twice. “It seems the noose will only tighten around our necks as we carry on. We have to go the First Terminal and change the balance of the future in our favor.”

“If you mean to register more vessels, we cannot unless we have vessels that are ready. We could travel to the great lutu manufacturing facility at Diport and take all of the smaller vessels for registration.”

“No,” said Kpleeb.”We will make the terminals allow any ship that can transmit a request code. I bet Zara can set this up with your help, and perhaps Tiirw can help as well.” He cracked his knuckles. “Someone will get it done, one way or another. I’ll talk to Zara about it.”

When her communicator beeped, Zara answered and spoke first. “Yes, Da?”

“We will need the terminals to work for us. Oiitr and I were talking about going to the First Terminal and changing the system to allow any ship to pass through as long as they can identify themselves using a simple code transmission. Can you work with Oiitr and Tiirw to make that happen?”

Zara paused to think. “Well- It’s a good idea. It will give us options we did not have before. Also, perhaps we can find a way to mine the First Terminal records for Xih ship patterns and locations of Nidix. That reminds me as well. Viinox and I went to the Yowiil Observatory and have not spotted anything where I believe Nidix is hiding. Our plan is to take the Hsstak to the region and obtain closer scans. We will first alter the Hsstak and Greki to make them appear invisible to the regular Xi vessel tracking systems.”

Kpleeb shook his head. “Seems like a waste. If the observatory can’t see Nidix, how will you see it by going there? Seems like a lot of risk.”

“If Nidix is there and cloaked, it would have been tuned to appear invisible to all known observatories. There is nothing more real than being there in person with our own eyes and sensors.” Zara smiled at her Da. “I would prefer to take the Hsstak to Nidix alone in secret, but first we can go to the First Terminal. Perhaps I will find more information about the Xih and Nidix.”

“Okay,” said Kpleeb gruffly, “We’ll start making plans.”

If seems like there are never ending tasks. Never ending barriers between the Predominant and my vengeance. … but I suppose that’s why they set all this up, to protect themselves.

###

Kpleeb felt an uncommon tension as the Hsstak and Greki coalesced into the void at the terminal nearest to Jiwlat. Tiirw had expressed uncertainty about whether the alteration to the Xih ships would function as expected.

According to Tiirw, “Only the Xih vessels have this extra hardware, the combination of certain hu-flugens and other exotic materials I have not seen before. I see the interface and the effects on the vessel, but I don’t fully understand the source.”

Now, the void around the terminal was empty, and the two ships approached the First Terminal. It glittered in the distance, and to Kpleeb, it looked like a needle. On one end, the gleaming tip was as sharp as anything. On the other end, a teardrop bulb spun lazily. As they approached, the structure grew in size until it dwarfed the two ships “So, very huge,” said Kpleeb quietly.

The ships both landed in a large slot that was set in the side of the First Terminal, and passed through a faintly glowing field that appeared to protect them from the void. Twenty-eight Xi in silvery armor stepped forward from the edges and surrounded the ships where they rested.

Kpleeb grinned to himself. “They want to show power?” He tapped a nearby console and spoke. “Dear Xi. If you attack us, I will destroy you. We wish to talk with your Iteek.”

Oiitr spoke softly. “Sir. If they attack, it will be directed at you and Zara. They will not harm the vessels while we are docked at the First Terminal as it would also harm the structure.”

Kpleeb nodded. “Zara, exit together prepared to defend.”

The doors to both the Hsstak and the Greki opened in unison, and there was a long pause before seven Ganix warriors trotted out from each ship and stopped in front of the Xi guard. Zara and Kpleeb exited at the same time as well, followed by Viinox and Oiitr.

Kpleeb looked at the Xi warriors as if he was a commander surveying his troops. He had become confident in Zara’s ability to shield him from harm, and after a moment, he walked out to the Xi, passing in front of their lines slowly. He eyeballed each of the warriors slowly as he passed them. They were identical in every way. Their eyes a cold blue and petite mouth closed. Their burnished silvery armor extended to the crown of their head, completely covering the breathing slits, yet still leaving a bare circle of skin exposed on the very top.

“Well,” said Kpleeb, stopping in front of what appeared to be a large doorway, “take us to your leader.” He gestured at the door. “I don’t want to stand here here all day.”

After a few moments of silence, Zara approached. “Da, Viinox says there are no messages and no movements. I am sensing nothing odd about the aji in this place.”

“Does it know where the command center is located?”

Zara nodded. “Viinox says it is not far from here.”

Kpleeb looked at one of the nearby Xi. “We will visit your command center now.” Looking at Viinox he said. “You lead the way.”

Fourteen Xi warriors pivoted and walked through the door followed by Viinox and seven Ganix bringing up the rear, disciplined and wary. Zara walked with Kpleeb. “Da, I have a bad feeling about this. It’s all just too strange, the warriors, and lack of a receptive leader.”

“We will be very cautious. You do have an aji shield ready?”

“Yes,” said Zara. “I am covering me and you, Viinox and Oiitr mostly, but a little on the Ganix as well. I am trying to grow stronger with the coverage, but…”

“Just do your best.” He winked. “We’ll be fine.”

The squadron exited the landing bay, their footsteps echoing down the corridor. They’d barely reached the first set of doors flanking the passage when twin explosions ripped through the metal. Shards of lak tore into the front line of Ganix warriors.

The impact slammed against Zara’s shield, her cry lost in the deafening blast. Her vision stuttered, and suddenly the hallway tilted—the floor now a vertical stripe to her right. Through swirling dust, she glimpsed the broken forms of her friends. Qon grew slippery in her palm; she clutched it tighter.

Silver-booted feet pivoted in slow motion. Lightning spears discharged behind her with their distinctive whine-crack. Her ears rang, muffling everything else. Xi warriors fell, their armor catching the light in one final gleam before darkness swallowed her consciousness and Qon slipped away.

Consciousness returned to Zara in an instant. Above her, shadows gathered on the ceiling, while harsh light flooded in from the sides of her vision. When she shifted her gaze toward the light, she found her Da stretched out on a lak table nearby. A Xi loomed over his body, its lanky form draped in a soft red cloak, while crimson droplets dripped steadily onto the floor below.

Instantly and without thinking, Zara reached for Qon’s familiar power and let out a hoarse scream as a blunt jackhammer of Qon erupted from her outstretched hand. The Xi’s red cloak ballooned violently outward as its torso erupted. Viscous gray goo sprayed in all directions as the Xi crumpled into a formless heap of cloth and ooze.

Viiinox immediately appeared before her with its neck-slits fluttering rapidly. “Zara, you’ve killed Jiartl-wa, the primary medical officer here at the First Terminal.”

“I don’t understand,” said Zara with a shake of her head.

“The Builder is injured, and Jiartl-wa was repairing his body.”

It took Zara a long moment to realize what she had done. “Da!” she cried. She lurched upward only to collapse as needles of pain shot through her. Viinox firmly pressed down on her shoulder with gentle insistence. Beyond them, she could see a teardrop-shaped device methodically vacuuming the gelatinous remains of what had once been Jiartl-wa.

“Zara, we have already called another medical officer. This one will arrive soon and continue its work.” Viinox blinked as if the loss of the primary doctor was no issue.

Tears welled in Zara’s eyes at the sight of her Da on the table. His exposed chest rose and fell with shallow, uncertain breaths while crimson droplets marked time against the floor below.

Moments later, a red-cloaked Xi hurried into the chamber. Two Xi warriors followed in its wake, only to find their path blocked by a cluster of Ganix standing guard at the entrance.

The doctor brushed past Zara without acknowledgment, focusing instead on Kpleeb’s prone form. After a brief examination, it turned, addressing Zara first before shifting attention to Viinox. “Your Builder, as you refer to this primitive specimen, suffers critical injuries. Death approaches. Treatment must commence immediately.” The doctor’s gaze returned to Zara, voice dropping. “Please do not kill me.”

Zara nodded. “You must heal him.”

The red-cloaked Xi worked rapidly over Kpleeb, as Zara watched anxiously. Each labored breath from her Da felt like a countdown. Viinox grasped her hand. “You are injured as well. Sleep.”

Zara focused inward, still holding Qon. Each of her own pains registered again through an incoming haze. Viinox patted her hand. Then, nothing.

Night Skies (Caveman Chronicles)

~ I. Graham Smith ~ Leave a comment

The Index -|-

Zara woke in her sling on the Hsstak. The low light and gentle whir soothed her senses, and slowly, she stretched and yawned. Pushing the thin blanket off, she stepped to the floor. “Light,” she said quietly. A glow incrementally brightened until she could properly see.

With another expansive yawn, she commanded the food cubby to make her hot tea. It took no time at all, only a long moment, but it had taken her much longer to ensure that the flavor matched the tea leaves Jial had used back home on Phaedro. After waking fully, she went to see Kanta who was just donning her airo-walking helmet when Zara arrived.

“Good day to you, Zara,” said Kanta with a smile. The water level in her helmet was just above her large, round eyes, and she reached to connect a tube to the intake port.

Zara’s eyes lit up. “Once I finally dozed off, I slept like a rock. But I kept thinking about that mural from yesterday—I can’t shake the feeling we’ve stumbled onto something really important.”

Kanta’s eyes gleamed through the water in her helmet. “Let’s go see this mysterious mural of yours!” She secured the last seal with a click and hefted her lightning spear from its stand beside the doorway. “Ready when you are. I bet Viinox is pacing the library already.”

Zara and Kanta found two Ganix warriors waiting for her and walked to the Yefrtil administrative center to meet Viinox.

Viinox’s neck slits fluttered at their approach. “Miss Zara. Your rest was adequate?”

Zara smiled and did not try to contain her excitement. “I did! You’ll never guess what I found yesterday. You have got to see this!” With a few taps, she brought up the image she had captured of the mural.

Viinox gazed silently for a long moment at the image before speaking. “This is very old. Where did you find it?”

“It’s just down the hall. There is a crossway there with two shorter halls that branch off. This is at the end of one of them. Which reminds me, I need to look at the other short hallway. There could be so many more past these!”

Kanta issued a command to the library system, and her water helmet sloshed as she turned to speak. “The night sky in this image may not be in the library, so I’ll search the star maps for the origin.”

Viinox lifted its chin slightly. “Good idea. I have never seen this image. The style is much different than today’s Xi design. It has so much more color, and this character…” By the way its neck slits fluttered, Zara could see that Viinox was experiencing some unusual emotion.

“It must be a past leader,” she said. “It’s so majestic!”

Viinox queried the library for an estimate of the mural’s age or the identity of the Xi in the image. After a few long moments, the library database stated with certainty that the painting did not reflect any known Xi, past or present.

“I don’t believe that” said Zara quietly. “This is too different, too unique and special. It must have been someone important. I wonder if this place has been closed to the public for long. Otherwise, wouldn’t there be other images of this?”

Viinox queried again. “The Yefrtil Administrative Center has been sequestered as a historical structure for over four-hundred and fifty ko. This is longer than any Xi has been alive. It is possible that you are the first to see this mural in over seven hundred of Phaedro’s years.”

Zara exhaled slowly. “Incredible. We will look for more artifacts. Will you come with us?” Just then, Kanta’s star map query returned its result.

“The map says the stars as were drawn from Yefrtil pointing in the direction of Ifdawn.”

Viinox appeared uncertain. “Are you saying Ifdawn is Nidix? That does not seem right. I have been there. It is very old and uninteresting.”

“But you also said that the Predominant only appear indoors. Couldn’t they be anywhere?”

Kanta spoke up in her bubbly voice. “It’s possible, and based on that theory, the Predominant could be here on Yefrtil or even have been destroyed with Juma.”

Viinox lifted its head. “However, our history has never wavered from Nidix being the seat of power.”

“You’re right. I suppose the best course of action is to look at the mural and look for more clues.” Zara stood. “Let’s go see it. You are going to be amazed!”

When they arrived at the mural, Viinox stood silently for many long moments before finally looking at Zara. “This painting is quite old,” it said matter-of-factly. It walked up to the wall and sniffed the surface while running its thin fingers gently over the dark blue background. Stepping back, Viinox turned around and looked the other direction. “We should go scout other areas.”

Zara was surprised at the lack of enthusiasm that Viinox showed, even for a Xi. They started to explore and found that the hallway across from the mural was unadorned, though equally short. They turned right at the main hallway instead of left toward the entrance. After five minutes of walking, another set of cross hallways appeared.

“Doesn’t it seem like these hallways come out of nowhere, at least visually?” said Kanta.

Viinox lifted its chin. “This is a well-known classic Xi architectural feature which is intended to make the main hallway appear infinite and unbroken.”

Zara turned left, and at the end of the short hallway was another enormous mural that depicted a majestic Xi standing on a hill with a background of night sky. It was dressed in a faintly bronze-colored armor, and in its hand was a flail. The handle was studded with grippy crosshatching and a short chain connected it to a spiky ball. “Amazing,” she said. “This is so similar to the other painting, but this Xi is different.” She stepped back to look for a name or a label. “Any idea what its name is?”

Viinox was still looking closely at the mural, but it murmured quietly. “This Xi is unknown to me.”

Aside from the mural, the hallway only contained its normal fixtures: ornate patterns on ceiling and walls and a lavish baseboard and a row of small statuettes perched on the angle between ceiling and walls. After a close examination of the area, they moved on and found that the pattern was repeated many times in the Grand Yeftil Administrative Center. Finally, back at their workroom, they processed the images they had captured, ate a meal together, and talked about what it all meant.

“The murals all contain stars in the background, and the search results show that each one was painted from a different location.” Zara pointed to one of the images. “Yefrtil, Ifdawn, Qalas, Bipsum, and Biortl.”

“These are the oldest known Xi orbs,” said Viinox.

“Right. They all center in on one location.” Zara displayed a large star map and pointed to the empty space in its center. “Nidix.”

Viinox tilted its chin down slightly. “There is nothing there.”

“How can we prove that? Is there a way to see with our own eyes?”

Viinox conducted a query in the library and then responded. “Yefrtil has an observatory on the other side of Yowiil. We can go there, but it will require the Hsstak and most of the day. Other than that, the only other method of viewing this area in space will be to be there.” With a few commands, the library displayed a land map of Yefrtil. Yowiil appeared to be almost halfway around the orb.

Zara nodded. “We will try this observatory, and if we have no results, perhaps we will take the Hsstak to Nidix.” She tapped her own communication device. “Da, Viinox and I plan to take the Hsstak to the continent of Yowiil. I’ll take the Ganix with me.”

Kleeb’s voice replied. “I will make arrangements with the Iteek so that there are no surprises.”

“Thank you, Da.”

###

For most of the long trip, Zara and Kanta huddled together in the command center and discussed Nidix’s possible locations. Finally, Viinox made an announcement.

“We will soon arrive at the Yowiil observatory.”

Zara stood and stretched while Kanta displayed a large view of the landscape ahead of them. It was dark outside, and even with the sensors amplifying the light, there was little to see. The outline of a huge pyramid was ahead of them, and soon the Hsstak approached and was enveloped in darkness somewhere on the side of the sloping structure.

Six Ganix warriors stood at the door as it opened. They fanned out into the space beyond, disappearing for a few moments. Finally, Tiv trotted back through the door. “Landing area secured,” he said with a terse nod.

Viinox led the way with Tiv, and Zara and Kanta followed. The landing area was smaller than Zara had imagined. She estimated there was around thirty paces on every side of the vessel. The ceiling overhead was pitch black, giving the illusion that it extended farther upward. At one end, an expansive doorway almost entirely filled the wall. The door stood open, and a bright light spilled illuminated a portion of the landing area in a highly contrasted semicircle. On the perimeters, the lanky figures of her warriors stood at the ready, and in the center, a Xi waited for them.

“We are here to use your long-distance telescope.”

Viinox tilted its head to the side and then looked at Zara. “This one, Ceetil, is the Yowiil Observatory administrator. It refuses to speak in audible words.”

Zara looked at the Xi, and it’s eyes stared back at her. She could see that it was old, and recognized that even in the vacuum that might be created between the outside world and the observatory, this Xi was used to getting its way. “My dear administrator,” she said, “we have come to look for ancient artifacts in the area around Yefrtil. We welcome your participation in this exercise.”

After a long pause, Kanta murmured quietly. “Participation denied?”

Viinox spoke again. “The administrator has no interest in helping Kpleeb and his conquerors.”

“That’s okay as well,” said Zara. “We will conduct our search without your help.” She gestured to Tiv. “Please make sure he stays with us. Viinox, lead the way.”

Soon they arrived at a small control room. One of the walls contained the door, but the others were entirely covered with stars. Tiv and Ceetil stayed outside, and Zara closed the door before speaking quietly. “For the sake of not alerting the Predominant that we look for Nidix, we should search toward Ifdawn, but be careful to make the appearance of scanning a broad area.”

“We will make a cursory grid search in that region but pass over our target many times using different wavelengths. Perhaps this tactic will conceal our true intent and still provide the information we need.” It sat at the console as Zara opened the door.

“Do you wish to observe our search?”

Viinox answered without turning around. “Ceetil declines. I am beginning the search process.”

Zara shook her head and closed the door again. “Not my problem!”