The Gardens of Deathworlders: A Blooming Love (Part 120)
Part 120 The Uark'thilik people (Part 1) (Part 119)
“I can't believe people would willingly live this far underground.” As Tens walked through a dark and battle scarred industrial area enclosed by a four hundred meter high ceiling, an ancient crypt three kilometers below ground level, he tried to imagine what it must have looked like hundreds of millions of years ago. “Even with an artificial sky I just can't see how this would be a good place to raise kids.”
“Oh, the Ingthops didn't live in this area of their ecumemopolis.” Singularity Entity 139-621 answered with a surprisingly calm demeanor. Despite controlling far more independent drones that they had in millennia, the sensation was more invigorating than taxing. “Their primary habitation area was in what the Uark’thiliks call the Tall Spires Village. This is just an automated production area. Like your people's many industrial zones, just on a far grander scale. Every single thing their civilian society needed, food, medicine, and everything else, was made here by countless machines designed to run with only the barest of supervision and input. At one point, this four hundred square kilometer area provided for nearly ten billion people with only two hundred workers. And it was all powered by a geothermal generator that reached all the way down into this world's mantle. I suspect the Hekuiv'trula fabricator unit has situated itself in or adjacent to that facility.”
“Huh…” The Nishnabe warrior paused for a moment until a realization dawned on him. “Wait! Did you say U-ark thil-iks? Did you finally figure out what Grompcha’s people call their species?”
“Ha… Yes. But it is very much a temporary name. Similar to how your species has been dubbed the ‘Nishnabe’, but that will likely be changed once the rest of your kind Ascend to the galactic stage.” There was a soft, nearly perfectly human chuckle that entered Tens's ear. “When I confirmed the suspicions of the elders of each village I have visited that there was, in fact, another species who lived on this planet before them, they all used the same word and color patterns to describe themselves. It essentially means the ‘second people’ in the context of awakening from a dream. Their word for themselves may change in the future, just like your people's autonym, but their official temporary designation is Uark'thiliks.”
“U-ark thil-iks. Good to know.” The young human man didn't bother pondering the potential of his species name being changed. He had much more pressing matters to attend to. Despite the combined sensor sweeps from his mech and over a dozen Singularity drones, neither he nor 139 had detected any movement in this massive complex of warehouses, machinery, and industrial equipment. As much as the Nishnabe warrior wanted to take that as a sign that the control node had over extended its forces and had nothing left to defend itself, he wasn't naive. “But anyways… I take it that the energy signal we're detecting is the generator? It doesn't look powerful enough to provide for this entire area.”
“This was one of the first targets Hekuiv'trula hit when he invaded this planet. The Ingthops, in an act of desperation, rigged a trap for him. A massive EMP meant to disrupt the control frequency, but it came at the cost of the generator. Sadly, all of the warforms are shielded against such attacks and have protocols to ensure rough cohesion as a unit even if their link to Hekuiv'trula's master control system is severed. This entire planet fell within a week. Then that non-sentient waste of a quantum computer simply moved on to the next. Though they survived for another fifty thousand years, the last of the Ingthops eventually died when their refugee flotilla was destroyed while searching for a safe harbor. When we finally retook this world from a small garrison force in the habitation area nearly twenty million years later, everything was mostly in the same state you see in this industrial zone, including the destroyed geothermal generator.”
“I'm kind of surprised Hekuiv'trula didn't tear everything in here down and convert it to more warforms.”
“Hekuiv'trula primarily utilized asteroid mining to produce all of their warforms then just deployed them on an as needed basis to planets like this one.” Though 139 didn't exactly think the question was stupid, their tone held just a hint of disapproval at it. “He wouldn't waste the energy, resources, or time building reinforcements that would need to be lifted from a gravity well. He just left whatever control nodes, repair and fabrication units, and warforms behind in a defensive posture then moved on.”
“So whoever cleaned up this planet over three hundred million years ago missed something?” There was something angry in Tens's voice. “Is that why the Uark'thiliks have been suffering? Laziness?”
“It is possible they didn't sufficiently destroy one of the remaining repair and fabrication units.” As the 139's drones and Tens's mech moved closer and closer to the source of the energy signal they had been tracking, the eerie calm of this long forgotten industrial area kept both of them on edge. Despite the absence of movement, heat signatures, or any other indication of hostile activity, they knew an attack could be hiding any corner. “Or a severely damaged unit from the initial invasion force could have still been operational enough to regain functionality sometime after the planet was cleared. Either way, we'll likely never find out. I can almost certainly guarantee we won't find any relevant data on the fabricator or control node after we destroy them.”
“Speaking of, I think we're getting close.” Tens slowly brought his mech to a stop when his sensors began detecting individual signatures through the disruptive cloud of full spectrum EM interference being generated by the pair's target. “Can these warforms see through a cloak?”
“Not until we start attacking.” As soon as 139 gave that confirmation, all of their drones and Tens's mech engaged their stealth field generators.
“Then let's get ready.”
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For the Uark'thiliks, meeting aliens at such a nascent stage of their cultural and technological development might have been disastrous. They wouldn't have been the first to suffer an untimely end from careless exposure to advanced technology and otherworldly beings. In fact, only one other primitive sapient species had survived all the way to Ascension after an encounter such as this. The biggest difference between these feathered theropods and the dozens of others who had experienced similar circumstances is two-fold. Evolving alongside the ever present threat of foreign machines bent on eradication of all sapient life while atop the ruins of a once interstellar civilization made for a very unique state of affairs. Though Uark'thilik development will likely be greatly accelerated in comparison to others, the immutable presence of galactic standard technologies surrounding them guaranteeing that, it could be considered entirely natural for them.
Witnessing advanced technologies isn't the only way these raptor-esque beings will be affected by contact with other sapient species. Meeting a human, Qui’ztars, or even a Singularity Entity disguised as one of their own wouldn't necessarily be perspective changing for them. Tens, the Order of Falling Angels, and Ansiki were equal parts familiar and alien enough to simply accept in their world views as guests from afar. Their introduction to the Kroke couple, on the other hand, sparked some rather deep questions about their nature as theropods. Though Binko and Tarki’s beaked faces are clearly distinct from the Uark’thiliks’ feathered snouts, the obvious similarities in morphology are otherwise striking. From their feathers to their talon-like claws, general body shape and similar overall size, even sounds they used to communicate, it was all close enough to demand a deeper explanation.
“So you can really fly?” Grompcha asked, her tone and color flashes both brimming with excitement. She was trying with all her might to keep herself distracted from dealing with the loss of her family members in the Metal Dish Village. She could mourn properly, with her brother at her side, when she returned home. “And not just glide or fall gracefully but actually fly?”
“My husband can fly much better than I can, but yes.” Tarki extended one of her major wing-arms and lovingly placed a three-fingered claw on Binko's shoulder. “But we would both need a running start or a jump from a high place. The land where our ancestors were born is… How do I say this…?”
“The Nishnabe, Tens's people, would say the ground is heavy or light.” When Binko chimed in with that strange explanation, all of the Uark'thiliks seated in his shuttle's cargo gave him a rather confused look. “It would be easier to show, not tell.” Without waiting for approval from his diplomat wife, the Xi Xi Kroke stretched one of his major wing-arms over to type a few commands into a panel on the wall near him. “You will feel lighter in a moment. If this land had ground this light, my wife and I could just jump up and fly away.”
“Like this?” Grompcha stood up from the fold out seat she had made herself comfortable in and quickly jumped to test the change in gravity. Though it was only about a ten percent reduction, the effect was undeniable. After nearly hitting her head on the seven meter high ceiling, several other Uark'thiliks followed suit with similar results and a chorus of confused but delighted exclamations. “Wow! I see what you mean! Maybe if we had longer arms and feathers like yours, we could fly as well!”
“There are people much like you living in the stars who can fly like my husband and I.” Tarki announced to enthusiastic murmurs which were quickly silenced as she continued. “They do have longer arms and feathers. But they are also small. Smaller than you, Grompcha. And both their arms and legs act as wings. My husband and I can only fly at our size because we have four arm-wings.”
“We do lose the ability to glide as we get older.” Kilchuk mused while giving the young scout from the Tall Spires Village, the smallest person present, an almost jealous look. “One of my favorite memories as a child is of climbing a tall spire, leaping from it, and slowly gliding to the ground. I almost broke both of my legs on the landing. Gave my mother quite the fright. But it was oh so worth it. Perhaps one day our people will change to be more like yours so we may retain our ability to fall gratefully as adults.”
“That-” Just as Binko was about to deny such rapid and specific evolution would be possible, he felt a sharp pinch from Tarki.
“In future generations your people will learn there are many ways to fly.” Tarki motioned around the cargo bay as if to imply something that only a few of the feathered theropods immediately understood. “This metal bird-beast has no wings but it still flies. I know your people will learn how to make machines like this in the future. You are smart. It will just take a very long time.”
“Why do you tell us how?” Sinaen chimed with a color pattern flash that denoted the question wasn't entirely serious. “And if you don't know the right words to explain in our language, use yours.”
“My metal bird-beast uses very hot lightning fire to make fast-strong winds.” Binko attempted to say shuttle, ion thrusters, and propulsion but his words were translated by the device mounted to his chest armor in a rather confusing manner. Upon seeing the Chief Scout from the Tall Spires Village laugh, he continued his horribly contextualized explanation until the whole crowd of Uark'thiliks were laughing. “My machine eats air, turns it to different liquids, then ignites out the back. Hot air makes my metal bird-beast move very fast.”
“When I have hot air coming out my backside, I move fast as well!” Delomni blurted out his joke and immediately received both chortle and chastisement from the others around him. “Straight to the waste hole!”
“Your farts make all of us move as quickly as we can to get away from you!” Omtuscha smacked her husband. “Once again, I apologize for this child masquerading as an adult. But I must ask you, Tarki. When you say it will take us a very long time… How long did it take your people to go from where we are to where you are now?”
“Thousands of generations.” The golden avian's short and matter of fact response caused a few of the Uark'thiliks to look disappointed. Even if they all knew they may not be alive to see the day their people went to visit the stars, it was still sad for them to realize just how long it would take. Luckily, that was something that Tarki was able to pick up on. “Don't worry. The people who lived here before you must have left much of their knowledge and wisdom behind. You may not see the stars in your life. And neither will your children or their children. But if you learn from the people who came before, your people will create many things much faster than my people ever could. And once Tens kills the evil metal beasts, you will be free to learn and grow and change in ways you could never imagine.”
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Tensebwse of the Nishnabe wasn't surprised to see several dozen warforms surrounding a large, glowing construct wired into an even larger machine. However, he was a bit disappointed that these would serve as his last battle on this planet. The first two Hekuiv'trula warforms he destroyed at the beginning of this fight were crushed under his mech’s bulky feet. While they may have been the smallest type, a vaguely humanoid shape similar to Nula's old shell but made for combat instead of servitude, they could have still been capable of killing countless Uark'thiliks. The next four were torn to shreds by a burst from the mech's arm-mounted mag-cannon when they attempted to block the shots aimed towards one of the medium sized warforms.
In the first two seconds, before the effects of the stealth fields had fully dissipated, another six more of the small war machines were ripped apart by the jaws of Ansiki’s drones which were still in their Uark'thilik forms. It took a few more seconds for the two largest of the warforms, a pair of spider-like metal monstrosity bristling with weapons, to begin firing. The Singularity Entity knew they shouldn't be shocked by Tens's ability to duck, weave, and dodge between the flurry of lasers and rockets. However, the speed and maneuverability of a BD-series mech, even in these tight quarters, was simply awe inspiring. Fractions of a second were all it took for Tens to shift between attacks and land devastating blows to the relatively small squad of warforms.
There was a massive ball-headed club sparkling with electricity in his mech's right, a giant tomahawk with a glowing blade in the left, and enough thrust to create deadly gusts of wind. Nearly fifty tons of metal, weapons crafted by a species forged from conflict against unimaginably mighty foes, and the rage of a man who had sworn his life to protect the innocent. This control node resurrected by a heavily damaged fabrication and repair unit could have been in command of thousands of warforms and still not have had the resources to overwhelm just Tens and his BD-6 mechanized combat walker. And with the assistance of over a dozen Singularity Entity drones fighting their way towards the control node, this wasn't even really a battle but a slaughter.
Within just five minutes of fighting, Tens had cleaved the last of the medium sized, wolf-shaped warforms in two. There were machine parts scattered as far as the eye could see, assuming there was a way to illuminate this deep cavern. Thanks to the infallible sensor systems covering every direction around his mech, Tens didn't actually need to see anything. His quasi-sentient control-AI ensured the virtualized control environment was lit up like a summer afternoon. While the Hekuiv'trula warforms were obviously equipped, it did little to level the playing field. His mech was simply too fast, too nimble, and too well utilized for the pair of large warforms to get a clean target lock. Try as they might, even resorting to swinging their legs like weapons when Tens rushed them, the dastardly automatons simply couldn't win.
“I'm hacking into the control node now!” Ansiki broke the comms silence to announce their plan. “Nula sent me a data daemon that should send a shutdown signal to any and all warforms in range. Guard me for sixty seconds while I get this done.”
“It won't take me that long.” Tens's voice was nearly as mechanical as the six-legged spider machine who had just had its power regulators torn out by a thermal tomahawk. “Just one more hostile.”
“Then kill it quickly and destroy that fabricator.”
“My pleasure.”
As Tens leaped from mechanical spider to the next, the combined hundred tons of thrust produced by his mech's legs and movement thrusters produced enough force to entirely shatter the armor and weapons of the already disabled enemy machine. He didn't bother using counter thrust to slow his approach to the final enemy. Instead, he pushed harder while redirecting the energy, spinning his mech to build even more momentum for his club, and triggered the stylizing weapon to instantly reshape its head into a mono-molecular, electrified spike. When that coup de grace impacted, it did so with so much force that it completely removed the front half of the enemy machine in a shower of seeking shard and vaporized metal.
However, Tens didn't stop. The fabricator looked like it was almost ready to spit out another enemy. He wasn't going to let it finish. His mech moved through the nearly ten metal tall spider machine, tossing the remaining portion aside like it was lightweight scrap, and thundered towards the fabricator. For the first time in this battle, he let out a volley of micro-missiles, all of which were targeted at the oldest and weakest segments of the fabricators armor. By the machine meant to make machines was nothing more than a smoldering pile of slag, the shutdown signal still hadn't been sent. But it didn't really matter anymore. The threat was over and Tens knew that Grompcha and her Uark'thilik people would have the chance to develop in relative peace.
Posted May 24, 2025, 7:27 PM UTC