All sentient life is connected. The appendages may be different, we may eat different things, and live in different solar systems, but at the end of the day, we’re all one big family.
It’s time to explore the branches of the universal family tree, and today, we present:
The Women of Rhasdwiis
– Issue 6 – Question Leadership
Riswin Hojar knows that Pen Nuren, former First Captain of the Mhadswiis, and leader of the Interstellar Panel Security Forces as Representative to the IP from Wiis, is a very good military strategist. She has protected their homeworld of Wiis for a long time and her presence alone inspires confidence and security.
But Riswin does not like Representative Nuren’s temper. She hasn’t ever really seen the Representative as mad as she has been lately, since her prisoners were broken out of their secure rooms. The Representative was cruel to the guards who were in charge of the prisoners. She called them to her office where Riswin stood behind her chair, observing the ways of effective leaders, and the Representative yelled at them, and threw things from her seat. And then she crawled over the desk, still yelling, and when she was in their faces, she hit them repeatedly.
Riswin wanted to intervene, but she didn’t. She was frozen in shock and fear, and when it was done, after the guards limped out of the room, bruised and beaten, she convinced herself that they deserved worse than what had happened to them for allowing the prisoners to escape. But when her time with the Representative was done for the day, she sat in her room very conflicted.
Things have been tense at the headquarters since then, and the preparations for war have only added to the stress. There are millions of volunteers on the ship from Vwrawl, Hafjeran and Wiis adding to the chaos of the headquarters.
As the daylight cycle starts at the IP, Riswin wakes early. She is grateful for her detail that means she will have time away from the Representative who yells a lot for no reason. She is meeting a ship arriving from Earth, and she is the first one in the docking station. She activates all of the security terminals and she sits at one in anticipation of the ship.
When it arrives, the shape is strange to her, and she is surprised that it had made the journey as fast as it did. When a large door on the ship opens, a smaller ship emerges, and it floats down to the surface of the station. A quartet of Earthlings depart the ship and approach Riswin.
“I am Kevin,” the Earthling in front says. “We are here to meet Osmium.”
Representative Nuren is up early as well and she sits with Representatives Osmium of Earth, Privruhl of Vwrawl, and Gltomy Rhaldeg of Wiis.
“The ship has docked,” Osmium says with a wry smile. “Earth’s contribution is ready for orders.”
“Finally,” Nuren says. “I will prep my ship to lead forces by the end of daylight. I will lead the Earthlings volunteers, and Rhaldeg will follow with the combined forces. Will you be joining me?”
Osmium says, “I think it wise that I be there. The Earthling forces are living weapons, and I have a power over them that will make it easier for you to control them.”
“Very well,” Nuren says. “You should have Riswin help you prepare, she can keep you updated on my progress until we launch. We will arrive three cycles before they expect us, so it will be dangerous until Rhaldeg and the reinforcements arrive, but it will give us a considerable advantage.”
“The Dominant Queen is excited to watch you work,” Privruhl says.
“I am excited to see the Krognians work for the greater good of the universe,” Pen says with a rare smile. “We could not mount this effort without the vast wealth of Vwrawl and the contributions will not be wasted, you can assure your Queen.”
Representative Nuren was eager for the gathering to end, and be on her way to the Fhetat where she would make each of the sixteen Kings beg for mercy.
Riswin finds the Earthling men attractive, and they seem to be much younger than their Representative, Osmium. She wonders if the skin tone of all Earthlings changes from dark to light as they age because the young Earthlings have much darker skin than Osmium. They act strangely, as though nothing about the IP headquarters is new to them, and she wonders if maybe they have been here before. As she leads the four men to the room where Representative Nuren had instructed, Osmium meets them in a hallway.
Riswin is nervous and tries to hide it.
“Good to see you again,” he says and grabs her hand in both of his. “I’m glad we get a chance to speak again. The last time we were together, I had to leave in a hurry.”
Riswin is embarrassed to have this conversation in front of the new arrivals and she clears her throat and indicates her unease with her eyes.
“Don’t worry about them,” Osmium says. “They’re practically robots. All they do is follow orders.”
Riswin continues to the designated room that has rows of chairs and a podium in front and the Earthlings follow her inside. They all sit except for Osmium who stands next to Riswin at the podium.
“Representative Nuren is almost done with her preparations. She will brief everyone in this room and then we will be headed for the Fhetat.”
“So you’re just going to ignore our past? Fine, but does that mean we can’t do it again.”
Riswin stares at him with death in her eyes and Osmium looks away, afraid that he had crossed a line.
“I hope you and your generals are ready,” Riswin says as she leaves the room.
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