The Invasion

[TheRaisin]

Well, been a while. First fic: mild success. Second one: horrible failure. Way I look at it, from a mathematical standpoint, this one should be almost maybe half-decent. It could happen. But in case it starts to nosedive, I'd like a few suggestions. These will be taken into consideration, and if I think they're good, I'll put them into effect. Kay? Kay.


Tak was hunting. He risked a peek over the top of the rotting log that was hiding him, and saw his quarry: a kiradani beast had wandered out of the deep jungle in search of a food less taxing to reach than the fruits of the high canopy: grass. More fortunate for Tak was the fact that the kiradani, a tree-climber by nature, was ill-fit for grazing, and was blind when bending down to eat.
Fool, Tak thought. He grinned to himself and slid past the tree. He now began slithering like a snake, arms and legs tucked back, through the tall grass of the small clearing where the creature was idly grazing. Finally, when he was within twenty feet of the lumbering giant, he drew his legs up under his body, tensed, and pounced.
Before the creature knew what was happening, Tak had landed on it's head and wrapped his long, serpentine tail around it's torso, between the top and middle sets of arms. But before he could plunge his dagger into the urcine face, the kiradani swung one of it's great, sloth-like hands and knocked him through the air. He landed fifteen feet away in a nettle patch, with two tufts of green-brown fur in his clawed hands, and six-inch-long nettles sticking out of his reptilian skin. He shook the poisonous spines off like so many stiff hairs, for they had not come close to piercing his tough hide, and dashed at the eight-limbed giant.
The kiradani let out a mighty roar and charged in a clumsy yet incredibly fast and powerful run, like a giant keg of gunpowder rolling down a mountain with the fuse lit. Just as the monster came close enough to use his powerful, claw-adorned arms, Tak jumped clear over it's head and delivered a bone-shattering mule kick to it's back.
Being branch-swingers, kiradani are exceptionally light for their size, about the same weight as Tak, who was about half the size. However, the sheer muscle-power is enough to compensate for this: a single kiradani moving at top speed can smash through three consecutive brick walls. With the added boost of Tak's kick, well, you get the idea.
Tak found the beast unconscious at the end of a long line of wreckage in which he counted at least ten trees and countless bushes and shrubs snapped, flattened, or otherwise obliterated. He killed it with a hunting knife, then tied a rope around it's feet and began dragging it back the way he had come.


Well, I thought that one was pretty good. Now no suggestions yet, I'm just getting into it, introducing Tak and whatnot, but I'll gladly take the praise, money, et cetera. And don't judge the story yet, it's not about Tak hunting! There will be a very cool and complex plot involving aliens, war, and... well, just look at the title!

[TheRaisin]

Today, rather than the next chapter, I'm taking a moment to clue you in on some of the finer details of the world in which this story takes place. I'll be doing a few of these, whenever I feel an explanation is in order. Don't worry, the next post will continue the story.


As you may have gathered, if you were paying any attention at all, Tak is not human. He comes from a race called the D'naathi. The average D'naathi is seven feet tall, and stands erect. The body structure is similar to that of a sort of humanoid velociraptor: backwards-facing knees, clawed feet and hands, a long tail, reptilian skin, et cetera. However, there are many differences. For one thing, the upper body is like that of a man, and the head rests at the top of the neck rather than in a forward position. Also, the tail, rather than being stiff for balance, is serpentine, flexible, and prehensile, serving as an extra limb for climbing trees, and is capped with a foot-long protrusion made of a cartilage-like substance that serves as a blade. What makes this material unique is the fact that it's owner can cause it to stiffen or become flexible at will: for instance, a D'naathi would allow it to become flexible for grabbing a branch, but would stiffen it if fighting to use as a weapon. D'naathi skin is reptilian and dark green, and extremely tough. It is extremely thick and as hard as armor, but extremely smooth and flexible, like a mail suit. The eyes are slightly more forward-oriented than raptor eyes for manipulating objects and can move independently of each other, and therefore allow the D'naathi to see in all directions except directly behind them. D'naathi evolved from hunters, and have raptor-like snouts. Though they retain their carnivorous canine teeth, they have also developed molars and rounded, platelike teeth, and combined with their powerful digestive systems and occasional gastroliths, they can eat pretty much anything that isn't directly poisonous or to hard to chew/swallow.
D'naathi senses are extremely sharp, and they can see a large spectrum of light. They also have special senses left over from their carnivore days:
Electro-sensors-- can detect electical currents from animals and electrical devices
Magnetic sensors-- give the D'naathi an uncanny sense of direction based on their planet's north and south poles, but it may be put to other uses yet.... >hint hint<
Chemo-receptors-- can detect minute chemical changes in atmosphere, sort of like a super-sensitive nose/tongue combo
Oh, and did I fail to mention they're amphibious? Gills remain closed when on land, but open up automatically underwater. They can engage at will bony spines between their toes and at the end of their tail, extending fan-like flaps of skin that serve as paddles. In this state, they look like a frog halfway through development and are excellent swimmers.


Well, I hope you found this educational. Or you may have thought it was exceptionally geeky. But I promise not to do too many, and I thought it was important for you to know what this Tak dude looks like, what he can do, and why he's such a damned good hunter. Okay, bye now.

[TheRaisin]

Here ya go, hot off the presses, Chapter Dos! And BTW, the "Suggestion Box" is now officially open.


Tak was halfway home when it happened: first, a small, intensely bright flash in the sky caught his attention, followed soon after by an enormous BOOOMMMMMMM!!!!!!! The tiny red-orange dot began expanding, and the deep reverberating rumble, having tapered off, now began building to an intense roar. Tak watched in awestruck wonder as the blazing fireball became larger and more distinct. He now noticed that, while the bulk of the fireball was swept back in the opposite direction of it's movement, a smaller portion of it was pointed at the ground. It began slowing down more and more until, still red-hot and moving super-fast, it slammed into the planet. Far off in the depths of the jungle, a great cloud of dust and plantlife burst up as if thrown by a shovel. Millions of birds across miles of jungle canopy took flight, and even from this distance Tak could hear the terrified squeaks and yelps and roars of forest creatures fleeing from this unknown disturbance.
Finally, the dust and plants and birds and flying creatures settled once again. Tak stood for a split second on the path leading back to his village. Then, his mind made up, he dropped the kiradani carcass and ran towards the spot where a piece of the heavens had dropped to earth.

Hours later, Tak peeked over the final hillock of upchurned earth and nearly fainted. The great hunk of metal was easily a kilometer long, but the sheer scale made it seem too big to be described in words. The entire surface was like a mirror. It was sleek and streamlined, with a slight outward curve about halfway down it's length, which then tapered back in. At the end furthest from where Tak hid was a great series of bulges, around which the soil had been turned to glass from sheer heat. A series of gargantuan metal beams extended at 45 degree angles from the bottom, each with a domed, hoof-like pod at the end. All manner of machinery and bizarre metallic equipment and boxes were grouped around the huge object, and Tak felt an overpowering magnetic and electrical field emanating from the area-- it was what had guided him so precisely to the spot. But perhaps the strangest part of this menagerie of alien metal were the creatures operating equipment, standing at the glowing boxes, and generally milling about in a very dutiful manner. They were charcoal-black, with red lines running across their bodies like lava-channels against a fresh carpet of basalt. Their heads were bird-like, with long, slightly downward-curving beaks for mouths. They had amber slits for eyes, and at the crown and back of their heads grew long tendrils that curved stiffly down to just above their waists, undulating slightly. Their knees bent in the opposite direction of Tak's own, and were capped with spiky protrusions, as were their triangular shoulders, jutting elbows, horny knuckles and talon-like heels. Everything about them was angular. They had three long, bird-like toes and four-fingered, spiky hands. Tak watched one turn and walk away from one of the glowing boxes and begin speaking with another. He jumped when he realized they were speaking his language, though it was more thought and felt than spoken and heard.
"They're doing fairly well for themselves. They have a recognizable culture and have become omnivorous, even beginning agriculture. They have named themselves the D'naathi."
The other sneered.
"They're primitive. Barely above animals. They still rely on hunting for almost all of their food, and no doubt they'll regress when they find agriculture too hard for them. I estimate they'll be mindless hunters again within twenty cycles*."
"But look at what they've done! They have cities, actual cities! They've achieved flight using little more than raw materials dug out of the ground. I'm sure if we give it another few cycles...."
The larger of the two creatures turned on the other.
"My orders are to determine how to proceed based on the extremely limited information I'm given by workers like you. Your orders are to follow my orders, and if you fail to do so I will personally see to it that you are tortured by the cruelest in the guild until you either die or learn to respect the chain of command. So, for your sake, you'd better cooperate until we can back home and you get to transfer to another mission."
The smaller creature mentally gulped.
"What do you propose we do, then?"
"Well, it's obvious they are stupid and dangerous and should therefore not be allowed to live. I suggest an planet-wide lifesweep. That's the only way to be sure they're all dead."
Several dozen yards away from where Tak listened in shock, a kiradani wandered into the clearing. The commanding creature unclipped a small black device from his belt and turned a dial on it. He calmly aimed it at the unfortunate beast and squeezed his hand. In a flash of light, the right half of the kiradani's torso disintigrated. The hapless beast stared dumbly for a moment at the space where his chest had been a second before, then his entire upper body simply collapsed, and his legs slowly toppled over.
The black-skinned creature strapped the weapon back to his belt and said,
"That's what I'm going to do to the first of these 'D'naathi' I see."
Tak turned and fled, continually looking over his shoulder, terrified he would be chased down by the rock-like aliens.


*cycles=generations; in this case, those of the D'naathi

[TheRaisin]

Tak ran throughout the night, passing the spot where he had killed the kiradani, passing the carcass itself, and finally reaching his village just as dawn began to break. He ignored the worried stares of his neighbors and ran straight to the hut of the town elder, Oak. The sign on the door said "Do Not Disturb", but Tak kicked it open anyway, not even pausing to knock.
Oak looked up from his cushion where he had been meditating. He sighed.
"I suppose you saw it too."
It wasn't so much a question as an affirmation, but Tak nodded breathlessly anyway. Oak sighed again and stood up, stepping carefully over the incense and smoldering herb braziers.
"Well, congratulations. Now everyone in the village has reported it to me, and I was just in meditation in order to figure out what we should do. So if you'll excuse me, I have work to do."
Tak started to speak, but was quickly cut off.
"Yes, I'm sure your case is special, but I'm very busy."
"But I saw it!...." Tak started.
"So did everyone else. Bye now!"
Oak firmly pushed Tak out the door, then latched it as best he could, though it looked as if Tak hadn't been the first to kick it open in the last two days.
"You don't understand! I SAW it!" Tak yelled, pounding on the door.
There was the sound of a lock being unhooked, and the door swung open again.
"You saw it? Up close?" Oak now looked genuinely concerned.
Tak stepped back inside and began relaying the story to Oak.

When he had finished, the elder had a look of near panic on his face.
"Come with me."
The old shaman led Tak down to his cellar. At the point where a normal D'naathi's basement would stop going down and spread out, Oak swept away a thick covering of rock dust. Set into the floor was a small ring, which he pulled. A trapdoor sprung open, with a staircase leading even deeper into the earth. At the bottom was a room that looked as ancient as the forest itself. It was large and circular, with an enormous shrine at the end opposite from the staircase. The wise old creature knelt on his haunches before it, and Tak followed suit. Oak closed his eyes for a moment, then they opened again, this time with an odd glazed sheen. He began to speak, and it sounded as if someone else were speaking through the eccentric old priest, which happened to be the case.
"Many thousands of years ago, when the entire world was covered in jungle and great, powerful beasts ruled the land, a mighty and ancient race known as the Ket came from the sky."
Tak's eyes widened when he heard the Forbidden Name spoken.
"The Creators," he whispered reverently.
Oak, or whatever entity was possessing him, nodded.
"Yes, that is what your race know them as. And what an apt name it is. For they are bringers of thought and life. They travel the stars, breathing life into the most barren of worlds, bringing conciousness to the most mindless of beasts. When they came to this world, they saw only chaos, disorder, stupidity. It seemed the creatures of this planet would never be anything more than bloodthirsty savages, devoid of ambition, devoid of feeling. But there was one exception: a race of hunters who, with the most rudimentary of languages, worked together to survive. They organized themselves with screeches and barks and clicks, and brought down beasts many times their own size. They held sticks in their mouths and collected insects from holes. The Ket saw the potential for intelligence, for organization, for civlization. So, as they had with countless other races, as they would for as long as they remained the Ket, they provided the catalyst for change. They altered countless tiny environmental factors. They even changed the DNA of the race, the most basic form of living matter. Simply put, they took the hunters and turned them into something else: the D'naathi."
Tak was now thoroughly confused.
"If they created us, why do they want to destroy us?"
The entity sighed.
"There were countless other experiments before you. Many succeeded, but there were those that regressed. The ones who failed soon became even worse than they had been before, and soon killed each other off. But the Ket were not disheartened: when new problems arose, they tried to once again change the environment, change the DNA, to perfect the creatures. The results were... sacreligous. Once a species had been altered, it could not be altered again. When they tried, the creatures became hideous mutations. Their DNA structure couldn't handle further change, so it broke down. The creatures eventually couldn't survive in this state, and they devolved more and more until they were little more than organic blobs, then they died. The Ket couldn't stand to see living creatures become perverted and die because of their interference, so they issued a new protocol: if a race regressed, it would be eliminated before it could corrupt or do any harm."
Tak stood up and began speaking vehemently.
"But they're wrong! We are united and strong! We are intelligent! If given the chance, we can excel!"
The benevolent entity nodded sagely and sadly.
"Yes, you are correct. They are mistaken. But they will not realize their folly. They have become hardened and distant, too quick to judge. They are caught up in their spree of destruction. They are unstoppable. They are no longer The Creators: they are The Destroyers!"
The power in the strange voice had increased with the volume. It revealed anger and frustration at it's inability to act against the crazed Ket.
Tak's brow hardened.
"I will stop them."
"How?" the creature asked, looking up at him.
Tak thought for a moment, then replied, "Whatever way I can."
There was determination in his voice.
The creature smiled a weary smile.
"Then I leave your fate in your own hands, for they are the most capable I have seen in eons. I have watched the Ket since before their birth. I have delighted in their construction, but for too long have I watched them destroy, unable to do anything myself. I am a mind without a body. That is why I have long waited for the day that a race would make them see their error. You will be the one to lead your people against these mad destroyers. You will remind them of their mission. You will undoubtedly have to resort to force, but in the end you will set things right."
He rose slowly, swaying a little in his temporary body.
"Now I can rest. I have been in this plane for much too long. It is time to move on."
Tak nodded. He understood what the entity meant. He was choosing to cease existing in this world. He was choosing to die.
"I will return your friend to you now. Farewell."
Oak's eyes slowly lost their ethereal sheen, and the milky color faded.
"What did I miss?" he asked.

[TheRaisin]

I apologize for the absence. Homework the last week has been BRUTAL, getting ready for mid-terms. Of course, no one seems to be reading, so I guess it doesn't matter. Still waiting for that lucky first replier who gets a chapter dedicated to them! Ok, fine, don't respond! I'll continue anyway.


With Oak's help, Tak soon gathered everyone in the village. When he explained what was happening, most of the villagers' eyes widened in fright or awe. One skeptic, a young male named Plik, scoffed in disbelief.
"Please. A giant metal thing the size of a field, creatures with backwards knees and skin like stone who want to destroy our race, and a device that can burn a hole in a kiradani. You sound like someone who ate too much rotten fruit."
Tak's eyes narrowed.
"Fine, Plik. You don't believe me? Then you can stay here. Alone."
Plik's smug smile faded.
"Well, I, I didn't mean, you don't really...." he stammered.
Tak and the rest of the group turned away. He and one of the stronger males from the village hitched up the village supply cart to two shuffling ploks; low, wide beasts of burden. As many villagers as could fit piled into the cart, while others hitched up family carts or individual vehicles. Tak cracked the whip, and the ploks began moving, grunting as they did so. The odd hodge-podge convoy began filing after the large village cart, and still Plik stood in the square at the center of the largest grouping of houses, torn between abandoning his home because of some half-baked idea about destructive aliens, or facing his greatest fear: being alone. As Tak's cart passed the last building in the village and turned onto the main road, he made his decision.
"WWWAAAAAAAAIIIIIIT!!!"
Tak reigned in the ploks, who snorted in protest, and tossed a sly and knowing grin over his shoulder: he had known what Plik's reaction would be.
Plik came running up, vaulted into the cart, and sat down panting.
"On the other hand," he said, "better safe than sorry. I, um..."
Tak cut him off.
"No need to say anything, Plik. Glad to have you with us."
And just like that, it was forgotten.

"Where are we going, anyway?" Plik asked after a few hours on the road.
Tak handed him a crystal looking glass and pointed to a pass in the formidable Blade Mountains, where the foothills of two mountains parted. In the distance beyond the gap was a blurry patch of brightness, miles in width, extending from the base of the mountains all the way to the sea, glittering in the high noon sun. Plik lowered the telescope.
"The City? We're going to the City? As in The City?!"
Tak nodded, grinning at the younger D'naathi's delight.
Plik stood up and turned around in the driver's seat, grabbing the wooden cargo-guard to steady himself, and shouted back to the rest of the convoy:
"Tak's taking us to THE CITY!"
A cheer went up from the rest of the group.
There had been no need to explain further: every D'naathi, from the youngest child to the oldest elder, had heard of The Crystal City. It was legendary, almost mythical, to all but those privileged enough to live there. Crystal City was the largest city on the planet of Trinitia, and generally accepted as the capital of the world. Every D'naathi tribe and nation on the face of the planet went there to discuss matters of politics and trade and religion, from the painted Tenandi warrior tribe to the bureacratic Jakar Nation officials, dressed in fine and colorful clothes; the bitterest of enemies would temporarily cease fire to parley within the walls of the ancient city. Many said it was the beauty of the city itself that inspired peace for the many nations of Trinitia. The city was aptly named, for it was almost entirely made of crystal. It was unknown whether the D'naathi had created it in ancient times and lost the knowledge of it and the skill to replicate it, or if it had been left by some earlier race, or perhaps even the creators themselves in an attempt to spark the intellect of the D'naathi. Whatever it's origin, it was where they were headed. For a while, the wrathful Ket were forgotten, and visions of shimmering buildings and rainbow lights tantalized the thoughts of the villagers.

In the early afternoon, Tak called a halt.
"This is taking too long," he told the villagers when they gathered on the side of the road.
"We need to inform the people of the danger they're in. But we also need to inform the capitol as soon as possible. So here's what we'll do: Plik and Cedar and I will take the tri-helimotors and go straight to the city. The rest of you continue towards the city, but spread the word: the Ket have landed, they want to destroy us, and we should all head to the capitol. Tell all the towns and traders along the way. When you come to the road junction, send runners to the other outlying towns and villages. Send everyone to the city, and we'll meet back up there. And be careful: I don't know how fast those creatures will move, but they're dangerous. Good luck."
Oak spoke up.
"Tak, what if--"
"No 'what ifs'!" Tak interrupted. "Things will work out fine. They will."
No one else said anything. Tak had always been terse and abrupt, and gave off an aura of forced optimism. No one ever questioned him about his mood, or feelings, or past. They got the feeling that the terseness and optimism was a mask for some long-buried anguish, but respected the fact that he didn't want to bring it up.
Tak gave an affirming nod.
"Okay. Let's go."



tri-helimotor: a D'naathi vehicle consisting of two hind wheels and one far-forward positioned fore wheel. The D'naathi piloting it controls steering with two joysticks, while the degree of acceleration and braking are controlled with foot pedals. The pilot sits in a triangular cockpit protected by a crystal canopy with small holes for air, and puts his or her tail through a hole at the back of the seat. Tri-helimotors are powered by powerstones, a natural resource of Trinitia. Powerstones are gems charged with a power similar to electricity, thought to originate from the magnetic field of the planet. They are found only near the north and south poles, and occasionally in isolated pockets of concentrated metal ore. If maintained properly, a powerstone of the right size and power can power a D'naathi device for decades, but the charge will actually last for thousands of years if not used. It is assumed that new powerstones are constantly being formed.

[nads]

HAHAHAHAHAHA! YOU SAID ERECT!

[Silversnow]

It's a good story, very descriptive. And stuff. Keep it up.

[Reptile]

Originally posted by nads
HAHAHAHAHAHA! YOU SAID ERECT!

You really do have a sick sense of humor don't you? Erect just doesn't mean getting hard, it also means something long and straight, just like TheRaisin said about the D'naathi. You'd probably laugh if you saw two dogs going at it wouldn't you? You like those sort of things, you sick twisted thing you

[TheRaisin]

Geez, yer nitpicky, aren't ya? Erect just mains straight. The D'naathi stand up straight. That's it! I think you read a little too much into that! Well anyway, my first dedication is to Silversnow, the first REAL replier. Nads, you sick person.


There was a whining sound as the tri-helimotors were engaged. A purplish glow began eminating from under the chassis as the power stones were tapped into. Tak gave a brisk wave to the villagers and stepped into the cockpit, lowering the canopy. He seated himself, then gave a thumbs-up to Plik and Cedar. The wheels spun, then they took off as one in a cloud of dust. Oak, who had been put in charge of the other villagers, brought his hand up, then swept it forward, and the rest of the convoy began moving as well.
Tak relished in the speed of the vehicle. Tri-helimotors were built for well-kept roads, and with a good surface they were among the fastest-moving D'naathi vehicles, giving them the nickname "road runners". The journey would take the others at least a week. With luck, Tak would make it to the City within a few days. He just hoped it wouldn't be too late.

Jarha stood watching over the operation. Since their landing yesterday morning, the Ket had set up an industrious surface base. Kint, who had argued with him the day before, now obediently gave him a report.
"All energy reserves will be back at one-hundred percent within a matter of days."
"Make it two-hundred percent," Jarha commanded. "We'll need the extra power for the planet-sweep. And I wish to personally fire the first volley."
Kint rolled his eyes, but obeyed.
"Double it!" he shouted, running back to his post. "New order! We need energy reserves at two-hundred percent!"
Jarha allowed himself a satisfied smile. He would personally see to the destruction of this race of monsters. He would destroy the genetic mutants his predecessors had thought so perfect. He would destroy the abominations to their very last man.

Tak pulled onto the side of the road, massaging his neck. They had been riding for hours, and it was getting dark: time to take a break. He popped open the canopy of the tri-helimotor and stepped out. Plik and Cedar followed, glad to be able to stretch their legs.
By the time night fell, they had a roaring fire and a hot meal. After an hour, Plik and Cedar were starting to doze off. Only Tak remained alert, an insomniac if ever there was one. His inability to sleep saved their lives.
An indistinct sound came from near Cedar's trihelimotor. Another followed from the direction away from the road. Tak sensed there were others present. He moved to wake up Cedar. She opened one eye and winked without him touching her. It was obvious she had been awake the whole time. Tak feigned an itch, and rubbed his neck, inconspicuously pointing into the night. Cedar winked again, and motioned downward with her eye. Tak saw that she had already begun to slide a knife out of her belt.
Tak was impressed: she had obviously heard the sounds before him, and had already begun to react. Tak lowered his head at Plik, asking wordlessly if they sould wake him up. Cedar shook her head slightly. They waited.
After a minute, it seemed the sounds were getting closer. When they were within striking range, Cedar held up three fingers. She dropped one, then another, then the last, and they both leapt up noiselessly. Cedar tossed Tak two of the three daggers she had had concealed on her belt. He caught them deftly and brandished them to whatever unseen foe was there. Then Cedar grabbed a branch partially in the fire with her tail, transfered it to her hand, and brandished all three of her weapons: the burning branch, the remaining knife, and her own tail. There was a yelp somewhere in the darkness, and they both ran in that direction. A pounding of feet told them their former hunter was now on the run from them. Cedar leaped into the darkness, guided by her hearing and her electrical field sensor, and gave a triumphant "HA!" as she landed on another D'naathi and laid him flat with the end of her makeshift torch that wasn't on fire.
"Get the rest! Four of them!" she shouted.
Tak ran back to the fire. He picked Plik up and stuffed him in the nearest tri-helimotor, telling him to stay put. Then he began hunting. He realized that all four D'naathi were running in the same direction, making them an easy target. He ran a curving intercept course and cut them off. He lifted one up with his tail, and hurled him at another two. They fell in a heap and stayed there.
The last D'naathi was more bold. He pulled a large curved scimitar from a scabbard on his belt and slashed at Tak. Tak crossed Cedar's daggers in front of his face and blocked the blow. Still keeping the sword back with the daggers, he kicked hard at the chest of the D'naathi, who groaned and dropped the sword. Finally Tak knocked him out with the flat of one of the daggers.
Five minutes later, all five D'naathi were tied together, their backs to the fire. From their weapons and attire, Tak determined they were nothing more than highway bandits. Plik, who had missed out on the fight, gave them a few sharp kicks for good measure.

In the morning, the three messengers prepared to set out once more, with the bandits' weapons stowed along with the rest of their gear.
"Y'know, we really shouldn't have tied them to that big cactus," Cedar commented cheerily.
"We left a knife for them to cut themselves free when they wake up," Plik replied.
"Although they might have to uproot the cactus to get to it," Tak said. "We DID leave it twenty feet away, after all."
"Don't cacti have strong roots?" Plik asked.
Cedar nodded. "Very," she said affirmingly.
They set off laughing, on their way once again to The City.

[Reptile]

Yay! Write more or I'm going to crap myself.

[TheRaisin]

Awright, next dedication is to Reptile, my second real replier (I'm excluding the guy who made the comment about the word "erect").


Tak didn't know it as he and the two others cruised down the road, but he was rapidly running out of time. Jarha grinned to himself as he scanned the computer readout: approximately six days left to go until the ship had recharged sufficiently for a lifesweep volley. The gleaming silver metal, designed for camouflage in the blackness of space, hummed and crackled as the batteries were refilled with power picked up and stored from the planet's magnetic field and from the two stars of the Alpha Centauri system. It was all too easy. The natives who had seen the object fall from the sky were too timid to investigate for themselves, as they had never encountered such an object. Their elders sat in meditation still, trying to figure out what to do. Their indecisiveness had saved individual lives so far, as they would have been killed instantly if encountered by the Ket. But if they didn't do something soon, the entire race would be destroyed by the very beings who had made them what they were.

As if sensing the Ket's thoughts, Tak suddenly felt chill and uneasy. He involuntary sped up a little. Though the day was bright and warm, there was a sinister feel about it. Shaking off the feeling, he focused on the road ahead.

Meanwhile, the village convoy was rolling at top speed in the same direction, though they were still many times slower than the roadrunners. A few trading carts now followed as well, their owners having been informed of Tak's experience by the villagers. At midday they came to the first town, a tiny but prosperous community that served as a trading post and rest stop in this wilderness, a tiny oasis miles away from any other civilization. The lead cart pulled to the side of the road, the others reigning in behind it. Oak leaped down from the supply cart, still nimble in his later years, and organized the other D'naathi.
"Right, let's do this quick. You..." he pointed at one section of the group, "will stay here and guard the convoy and help the newcomers. The rest of us will fan out and get as many people as we can to follow us. When you find a person or a group who wants to come along, bring them here, then keep searching. We need to get everyone to the city, every last person. Better get cracking."
They spread out and began mingling with the crowd, trying to inform them of the danger they were in. A few youths were willing to come along, but most seemed indifferent to the far-fetched claims.
"This isn't working," said a youth named Dunth when he bumped into Oak after fifteen minutes of trying to convince people of the impending danger.
"I noticed," Oak replied. "They just aren't going to believe a bunch of strangers. They probably think we're just a traveling band of lunatics or vagrants. One of them tried to offer me some bread crusts." He scowled. Then, slowly, one of those "I-have-an-idea" smiles spread across his face. "I have an idea. Stay here and watch."
He inconspicuously sidled up to a member of the crowd.
"So, did you hear those strangers talking about the aliens?" he asked conversationally, pretending to be eyeing produce.
"Yeah, and how they created us and now want to destroy the planet." The stranger paused. "Do I know you?"
Oak smiled innocently.
"Of course! It's me, Flint! I live down the street... next to the weaver's house... what, don't you recognize me?" he asked, pretending to be hurt.
"Oh, yeah, sure. Sorry there Flint. So, what a bunch of crackpots those guys are, eh?" he said, trying to hide his embarrassment.
Oak feigned surprisement. "Crackpots? Hell no! I saw the things with my own two eyes! So did the weaver, and his young daughter."
"Oh," the stranger said. "So I assume they're both going with these people? The weaver and his daughter?"
"Well, I expect so. Most of the village is. So am I."
The stranger changed his tune.
"Y'know, maybe there is something to that idea. I think I'll check her--er-- check it out." He began walking in the direction of the convoy.
Oak walked back to where Dunth was standing, both of them wearing devious grins.
"That was incredible. How'd you do that? And how did you know about the weaver and his daughter?"
Oak smiled even more.
"Well, most people hate being the minority. I just play on the old 'I live down the street' scheme, act like I'm an old friend, most people assume they've just forgotten my face, I tell them I've seen it myself and that everyone else is going along too, they buy it, and they go with the flow. As for the weaver and his daughter, I was just snowing him, I had no idea. Every one of these villages has a weaver, and practically all of them have a beautiful young daughter that all the men and boys in the village would follow to the ends of the earth. Now go. Use that technique and pass it along. We have some people to help, whether they know it or not."
Dunth scrambled to obey.


I would also like to dedicate this chapter to authors Douglas Adams and Terry Pratchett, whose bizarre humor and gullible book characters helped inspire the whole "I live down the street" thing. As I was writing it, I thought to myself,
"Hey. This sounds like something from The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy or Discworld, except those are much better written." So... yeah. Kay. Bye.

[Reptile]

*smacks cane against hand* Write more...

This is great, Im getting very interested now. Please write more.

[TheRaisin]

Sorry about the delay, been a bit tired as of late. But now I be back, and here is Chapter VII.

Tak, Plik and Cedar arrived in the capitol early the next day. Upon seeing the streets crowded with people, they decided to park the tri-helimotors in a nearby parking area. When they saw the exorbitant parking fee, however, their hopes fell.
"We can't afford that!" Tak cried. "We just barely have enough for a room at an inn and a few meals!"
Plik coughed and cleared his throat in an embarassed way, and Cedar turned on him.
"Out with it, Plik."
Plik acted bashful.
"Well, when we tied those robbers up, one of them dropped... this."
He produced a bulky sack from a pouch on his belt. It clinked slightly as Tak took it, and it was amazingly heavy. When Tak looked inside, he gasped. The bag was full of gold coins.
"There must be.... geez...." Tak struggled for words.
"Two-hundred and sixty-two pieces. I counted them last night." Plik said, a small bit of satisfaction showing in his voice.
After paying for the parking spaces, the trio set out. They quickly found that walking was no easier in the crowded city than driving. After an hour of walking, they had only gotten a matter of blocks.
"This is tough. The people are nice enough to move aside, but you still have to fight for each step," Tak observed.
Cedar stepped into a small alcove, set back slightly from the main crowd, and Tak and Plik followed.
"We can't waste any more time. The Ket have had days now to prepare, and I think they're getting ready to make their move. Got any ideas on how to get out of this traffic jam?"
Plik shrugged, Tak looked around dully for anything that might help them or give him an idea, and Cedar scanned their surroundings with a penetrating and critical stare. Suddenly a shadow passed over them. They looked up quickly and saw a huge ornithopter passing in front of the sun (Ornithopters are large flying devices. Their chassis are sleek and boat-like, and they have large fan-like wings made from a stiff, thin fabric stretched across a spine of super-light wood. They are extremely light, modeled after birds, and powered by powerstones). Suddenly Cedar's face lit up.
"You're not thinking of riding an ornithopter, are you? The nearest station must be a few miles from here, and they're almost always booked solid," Tak said.
"Not the ornithopter," Cedar replied. "We're just taking a slightly different route."
She leapt onto a drainage pipe attached to a nearby building, and shimmied quickly and sinuously up to the roof of the building. Tak and Plik followed suit, and a collective "wow" went up as all three of them looked across the crystal rooftops. They stretched for miles like a sea reflecting the midday sun, and outshined the ocean itself as they stretched toward the coast.
"Now we can move a little more quickly," Cedar said.

They raced at top speed over the rooftops, bounding over the gaps between buildings and hurdling over chimneys and drains. From the ground, a few D'naathi caught a brief glimpse of them as they sped toward the Royal Palace. Ornithopters flapped and swooped about, sparse towards the edges of the city, but like stars in a star cluster towards the center. Suddenly a small and sleek ornithopter swooped directly over their heads, pivoted it's wings and back-stroked to slow down, and began hovering above a rooftop a few yards away. Two figures dropped out of a hatch in the bottom, crouched on the guard-rail of the roof, and jumped fifteen feet, landing in front of Tak, Plik, and Cedar.
The two D'naathi were tall, lean, and muscular. They wore triangular aromored vests with horizontal spikes protruding from the shoulders, with the bottom point coming down to their navels. Their heads were protected by fierce-looking helmets, with forward-swept pointed face-guards on either side of the head and a similar protrusion along the tops of their snouts. In their clawed hands were long gold-plated pikes with golden thorns just below the six-inch pointed blade. They also had curved short-swords attached to their belts, along with crude powerstone beam weapons. Their insignia declared them members of the police force of the Crystal City, specifically of the elite King's Guard. They were quite possibly the best-armed, most ferocious-looking soldiers any of them had ever seen. One of them spoke.
"It is against the law of the King and the City to travel by rooftop. Do you have an official decree authorizing you to be up here?"
"Um, no," Tak said.
The soldier grunted. "Then you will be taken to a police holding area until we can schedule a court hearing."
"Sorry, but see, we're on an important mission and we don't have any time to spare," Cedar replied curtly.
The soldier was not to be dissuaded. "If you are on a mission officially recognized by the King or one of his representative agencies, then this can be cleared up at the station with a background check. If not, then you have broken the law and will be tried in court."
Tak's eyes narrowed menacingly. "I don't think so."
Unable to use their pikes effectively at such short range, the soldiers reached in a very meaningful manner for their swords. Seeing the movement, Tak spun and whipped his tail in an attempt to disarm them. One soldier was caught off guard, but the other was prepared. He grabbed Tak's tail and spun him around by it, then let go. Tak crashed into and shattered a chimney twenty feet away and lay there. Plik swept his tail low to try to knock the soldier whose hand had been hit by Tak off his feet, but he was warier this time and avoided it by jumping. Cedar boosted herself off Plik's shoulders and tackled the soldier in mid-jump, cracking the roof slightly as she landed on top of him. The other soldier prepared to run her through with his sword, but by now Tak had recovered: he hurled a chunk of crystal from the broken chimney at the soldier. It hit the back of his helmet, and he fell to his knees groaning as the metal helmet rung in his ears. Plik delivered a solid whack to his head with the pike the other soldier had dropped, and he collapsed unconscious. Cedar pinned her opponent and firmly pinched the pressure point between his shoulder and his neck, putting him out as well.
By now the ornithopter pilot had seen what was happening, and the wings of the machine began beating furiously as he tried to gain lift.
"Stop him!" Tak cried out.
Cedar used one of the discarded pikes to pole vault herself twenty feet to the roof the machine was hovering over, then used her legs and tail like one giant spring to propel herself upward. She grabbed the open hatch by the tips of her claws, and pulled herslef up into the flying machine. There came the sound of a few hard punches from the cockpit, then it was silent. Slowly, the ornithopter turned and came toward the roof where Tak and Plik stood. Cedar dropped through the hatch, the ornithopter pilot draped unconscious over her shoulder.
"Now we travel in style," she said.

[TheRaisin]

Cedar and Tak gathered up the weapons and stowed them on the ornithopter while Plik tied up the three police and suspended them from the roof into a nearby alley with some rope they had found on the ornithopter. He seemed to like things like that. He went about his task with good cheer and satisfaction, occasionally laughing evilly or rubbing his hands together while smiling deviously. He seemed to like that also. They moved fast, aware that someone on the ground might have seen them. Within five minutes they were ready to fly.
"Passengers, please fasten your seatbelts, as your captain has no idea what he is doing," Tak said cheerfully.
Plik chuckled, but Cedar did what he said.
"He's probably being serious, you know," she mentioned.
There was a sickening lurch as the entire craft suddenly dropped five feet.
"Sorry, moved the lever the wrong way!" Tak shouted back from the cockpit.
This time he presumably moved it the right way, as the wings began beating more quickly. When they had gained some height, Tak moved another likely-looking lever and the wings pivoted so that the front ends pointed slightly downward, and they began moving forward. Soon they were racing above the roofs of the city which blazed like signal beacons. As they rose to just below the misty ocean clouds that drifted in vain towards the mountains as if in hope of pissing off a few inlanders with a light drizzle, Tak found the wing-lock control, and they wafted and glided for a while as if they themselves were a cloud. If the Crystal City had been made entirely of crystal as the name suggested, this would have been impossible, as the crystal absorbs practically no heat because it is so reflective, which would have eliminated almost any updrafts of warm air. Fortunately for them, many parts of the city had been replaced or added on to with D'naathi metal, which became very hot under the sun.
They cruised along in silence for a few hours. Cedar stared expressionlessly out the window, watching the city far below and imagining it and all of it's inhabitants simply vanishing under a Ket assault. Plik counted his twice-stolen coins without any real interest, simply trying to occupy himself. Tak just stared out the cockpit window. Finally he stood up and entered the main cabin.
"We're getting close. You might want to--" he stopped without saying "prepare". They were already prepared. Their weapons were polished and strapped to belts, straps, sashes, and holsters. Their faces were grim but determined.
"Okay. If... if one of us gets captured, the others have to go on. We have to tell the king, and we don't have time to wait for a scheduled audience."
They both nodded.
"Let's do it."

[TheRaisin]

I haven't been feeling too inspired as of late. I want to keep this thread fresh, but I'm just not in the mood right now. So here's your choice, you viewers: either wait a while, possibly a few days, for inspiration to strike and I'll give you a very good chapter, or send me a reply egging me on and I'll try and crank one out. It might be slightly lower-quality, but I'd get it out fast. The choice is yours. Personally, I'd prefer the former, but it's up to you.

[Fez]

Originally posted by nads
HAHAHAHAHAHA! YOU SAID ERECT!

Nads, you do know that your name is also another word for bolloks?

[TheRaisin]

I promise I'll get the next chapter up soon! No, really! Really I will! In the mean time, check out my new fic "Familiar Strangers" >plugplugplugplug<

Translation for L33T
1 pr0l\/l1s3 1'll g37 t3l-l l\l3x7 cl-l4pt3r l_lp s00n! l\l0, r34lly! R34lly 1 vv1ll! 1l\l t3l-l m34n 71m3, cl-l3cl< 0u7 m4l-l n3vv f1c, "F4m1l14r S7r4ng3rs" >pll_gpll_gpll_gpll_g<

[TheRaisin]

I know, it's been many days since my last post. Please don't give up on me now, though! It's gonna go places real soon! Just need some inspiration. It comes less naturally to me for this fic than for my new one. But I'll get a new chapter up! I shall finish what I started! Oh yeah, and happy Halloween. A few minutes left of it.

[Al the Vykker]

Originally posted by nads
HAHAHAHAHAHA! YOU SAID ERECT!

And you say Master Chief acts like a child.

This had nothing to do with this story, nor did it contain. any comments or constructive critism.

Im a fair person most of the time, but please dont act so childish, and please dont spam in someones Fiction. I'll let your slide this time, and wont be giving you an official warning, yet. But if this happens again somewhere in Fan Corner, you will receive and official warning.

Anyways, Raisin, I like your story a lot. Please do add more soon.

[TheRaisin]

Three words, baby: I am back!

In one of the taller and more secluded towers of the Royal Palace, the king of Tak's nation sat signing documents. Suddenly something blocked out the light. The king looked up. Outside the stained-glass window, a golden blob was quickly growing in size, its edges sharpening. The image began resolving itself. Suddenly the king's eyes widened in realization. Before he had a chance to react, the police ornithopter smashed through the window with a tremendous crash. The individual panes of glass shattered and flew apart, falling to the floor and shattering further, leaving little more than glass dust.
Two guards rushed in, pausing when they saw the ornithopter. It was tilted to one side, with about a fourth of it's length still hanging out the window, suspended hundreds of feet above the ground. One wing was bent back and wedged into the windowframe, the other snapped off completely and spiraling down towards the castle. There were spears and bolts sticking out all over like quills, jutting out at crazy angles. The hull was splintered and bent from the impact.
As the three stood gawking at the sight, the hatch at the top of the craft flipped open. Plik hopped out, armed to the teeth with all manner of weapons. He overbalanced because of the tilt of the deck, tripped, rolled down the side, and caught himself of a protruding spear. Righting himself, he suddenly noticed the king and the guards.
"Oh, er, hello," he said.
Cedar sprung out after him, rolled swiftly down the side of the ornithopter, and landed gracefully on the glass-covered floor with a light crunch. Tak followed, sliding down the hull on his tail. Finally one of the guards recovered from the shock.
"Uh, er, you're under arrest!" he said.
"Hold on," Tak said. "We have an important message for the king."
The king took a step towards them. "So important you didn't have time to land, and instead smashed through my window?!" he demanded angrily.
"'S not our fault," Cedar said cheekily.
As soon as she finished her sentence, Imperial Guards started streaming in the window from around the crashed ornithopter. Cedar, Tak, and Plik took up defensive positions at the window. Cedar pushed a guard back out the window with the blunt end of her pike, where he hung on a line descending from a police ornithopter hovering just outside. A knife was thrust at Tak, who moved to the side. He grabbed the hand of the guard holding the knife, squeezing it until the guard was forced to let go of it. A powerstone beam sizzled past Plik's head and hit the wall, blazing a hole through a tapestry depicting an ancient D'naathi standing atop a pile of dead enemies.
"Stop!" shouted the king. They did. "You guards, stand over there," he said, waving at a corner of the room. "You guys, over there." He waved at the corner opposite. The Imperial Guards stood where they had been directed, shooting dirty looks at the messengers.
"First of all," the king began, "why did you crash through my window?!"
"Well," Cedar said, "if someone hadn't destroyed our wings..."
One of the guards growled. "You tied up three guards and hijacked their ornithopter. When we saw that this craft had the same number as that which had been stolen earlier, we couldn't help but be suspicious. When we tried to contact them, they took off, and we had no choice but to use force. And as for the wings, they would have lasted until you could land. You didn't have to crash into the tower."
"Maybe not, if a crossbow bolt hadn't shredded through the mechanism designed to allow us to pivot the wings," Plik remarked.
"Plik, Cedar. Shut up," Tak said. "This isn't helping."
The king sighed. "Look, forget it. What's this all-important message you three have for me?"
Tak began to relate the story.

When he finished, the king looked weary.
"You saw aliens grouped around a giant silver object, and one of them vaporized a kiradani. Then a benevolent disembodied entity possessed your village elder and told you that these aliens are, in fact, the Creators, and that they've come to destroy us. Is that all?"
"Um, yes."
"I see," the king said. He turned to the guards. "Throw them in a dungeon. They're obviously insane."
The mob of guards pounced as one on the hapless trio, and within seconds had them restrained. They dragged them out the door. A few seconds later, a secretary burst in.
"My liege, I-- wow! What happened here?"
"What is it?" the king demanded.
"Oh, there have been reports of strange creatures in the woods surrounding a giant metal object. A patrol noticed the meteor impact several days ago, and went to investigate. The survivors say that most of the squad was killed by small devices the creatures had that were similar to our beam weapons. I... sir, where are you going?"
The king was already out the door, in swift pursuit of the three messengers.

[TheRaisin]

Soon! The next chapter will be fini soon! Please don't lose interest and stop replying! I just cannah take tha rrrejection, d'ya ken?! Lissen 'ere to mah crazy angry Scot accent! D'yoo see wha yer no replyin' does to meh?!!! AGGGHHHHHBLBLBLBLBLBLABGLBALGHHHHH!

[Strike Witch]

Don't blow a vein. Everyone here is lazy in one way or another. Great fic, I'm on the edge of my seat...........now I'm on the floor and have hit my head on the computer table.............owwwwwww........................