The Gardens of Deathworlders: A Blooming Love (Part 122)
Part 122 Quite the Sight (Part 1) (Part 121)
Tens was greeted by quite the sight when he emerged from the ancient Ingthop necropolis. The sun had fallen just enough for the light from distant stars and nebulae to twinkle high above him in the moonless sky. Small shimmers of bioluminescent insects danced between the tall grasses covering the plains surrounding him. Even the sporadic sinkholes scattered in the distance didn't ruin the scene. Those ominous pits of darkness leading down into the long buried ruins of the industrial area below had a sort of strange beauty all of their own. As the armor and interior paneling of his mech began to unfold and he exited the virtual control environment, the warm equatorial night air brushed across his face like gentle caress. What a wonderful way to enjoy his birthday. It was moments like these, glimpses at the undeniable beauty of creation on worlds no member of his species had ever seen before, that partially motivated to join the First Independent Fleet of the Third Qui’ztar Matriarchy.
The other reason why Tens signed up for the First of the Third and got to experience the majesty of this long forgotten planet was, of course, Binko and Tarki Shlin. His avian brother had been there for every single birthday, special events, and the far less happy times for nearly sixteen years. The deep purple, four winged bird was the best friend he could have ever asked for. Though Tarki had only appeared in the Tens's life less than two years ago, she quickly became the sister Tens never knew he wanted. Now she had become just as important in his life as anyone else he considered family. Calling his parents and grandmother to have the obligatory birthday check in wouldn't be the same if those two Krokes weren't part of the conversation. So instead of immediately making that call, much to Ansiki's protest, Tens decided it would be best to run his mech back to the Binko's shuttle and the Many Holes Village.
He simply assumed most of the Uark'thiliks would have gone to bed by the time he returned, and that his call home would be uninterrupted. Sinaen had told him how all Uark'thiliks would ensure that their villages were utterly silent at night as to not draw the attention from the Hekuiv'trula warforms. What he found instead was a roaring bonfire, several hundred adult Uark'thiliks dancing, and his pair of Kroke friends waiting for him next to simple pottery filled with fermented fruit juice. Whether he wanted it or not, the feathered theropods were throwing him a birthday party he would never forget. Though it momentarily disrupted his plan to call his family back home, mostly due to concerns over unnecessary cultural contamination, Tarki quickly confirmed that this unique situation allowed for special considerations. About an hour after returning to the village, Tens had fulfilled his obligation to call home with select Uark'thiliks in attendance to hear the sage advice his grandmother imparted.
“Your grandmother and parents remind me of my own.” As the group stepped out of the cargo bay of Binko's shuttle, Sinaen handed Tens a ceramic cup of fermented fruit juice. “Strong in body, mind, and soul. The kind of people to raise a good man willing to put his own safety on the line for others. And they seemed quite proud of you.”
“They taught me to be the best man I can be.” Tens graciously accepted the drink, took a swig, and let a rather delighted expression fill his tan face. “And this drink is really good! Reminds me of the mingawesh back home.”
“This stuff might even be stronger.” A small drip of the bluish-purple liquid ran down the side of Binko's beak as he began sipping from his own cup of the delicious brew. “It's really smooth, though. None of that sour taste that mingawesh has.”
“My aunt that lived in Metal Dish Village used to make something like this.” Grompcha may have still been a bit too young to be drinking but Sinaen allowed her to have a small cup for this special occasion. “I only got to take a sip when she brought some to the Tall Spire Village for my mother the summer before last, but I would recognize this taste anywhere.”
“It's our specialty!” Delomni briefly stumbled into the conversation with his wife at his side and a mug so large it required both of his claw-hands to carry. Though there was a hint of melancholy in both his tone and coloration, the middle-aged Uark'thilik was clearly enjoying the party that was raging in the village center. “The recipe's actually written in a hidden spot at the top of the central dish in the Metal Dish Village. Legend says it's as old as the village itself. And whoever inhabits the village inherits the recipe. Right now, I may be the only person left who knows it. But I won't be the last! Thanks to you, savior!”
“I'm just a helper, not a savior.” Tens wasn't just saying that out of an attempt to seem humble. He genuinely believed it was true with all his heart. “All of you are survivors. Your people have been struggling since you evolved alongside something you should've never had to deal with. I just helped to make survival a bit easier for you.”
“This weenuk, I swear!” Binko's cup was already empty, much to Tarki's annoyance. “Always acting so modest until it's time to get serious. Then he can't stop bragging!”
“Unlike you, my love.” Tarki realized her pinches weren't a particularly effective means of correcting her husband's behavior but still found it cathartic nonetheless. “You're always bragging!”
As the small group’s laughter and conversation moved toward the village center, they found the celebration of life and freedom to be in full swing. Though only about half the local population was presently partying, that still meant there were hundreds of the color-changing dromaeosaurids dancing, singing, and truly enjoying the night for the first time in their lives. With Ansiki spreading the message of victory to every single Uark'thilik village across this world, and participating in the reveries to a limited degree, thousands shared in this newly created festival. However, as diurnal theropods evolved on a planet with three moons so small they appeared as nothing more than especially bright stars, their energy quickly teetered off. Even Binko and Tarki had gone off to bed relatively early. The only people still at the slowly dwindling bonfire come midnight were Tens, Ansiki, and Chief Scouts Sinaen and Kilchuk.
“I can't lie, it feels very strange to be seated in front of a fire in the middle of the night.” Kilchuck mused while finishing off the last of his berry wine. “Six days ago, at around this time of night, a pair of the two-legged evil metal beast walked past this exact spot. And you two are absolutely sure we will never see them again?”
“Oh, yes.” Considering Ansiki had no real need to sleep and couldn't physically get drunk, their voice was far more understandable than anyone else present. “The evil metal beast leader is connected to all of the other metal beasts. Before Tens destroyed it, I was able to witness those connections. There were none left alive.”
“Do you two want some of the trophies I took?” Tens motioned towards the pile of warform parts he had dragged back from the depth of the ancient Ingthop industrial necropolis. “Maybe hang one of the heads from a wall and use it for bedtime stories for kids. Tell them that if they fuss too much the metal beasts will get them.”
“Ah-haha!” Both of the Chief Scout's began cracking with Sinaen regaining his wits first. “We might have to wait a generation or two for that to work. I can guarantee that everyone alive now will hear the story of how you and Ansiki vanquished the evil metal beasts.”
“You can't forget about the other warriors on my team!” Tens countered before downing the last of his surprisingly potent drink. “I may have destroyed the beast-builder, but my friends kept all the other villages safe. Without them… Well… I don't want to think about that.”
“The only thing I'm thinking about is another cup of Delomni's berry-wine!” Kilchuk swung his cup about, tried to stand up, then stumbled a bit before getting his footing. “Anyone else want some?”
“I think I'll have- The communicator mounted to the Nishnabe warrior's armored forearm began to flash and buzz before he could pass his cup to the clearly drunk dromaeosaurid. And when he brought the device up to see who was calling, his face dropped into a look of abject horror. “Oh shit… It's Atxika…”
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When Nula'trula had sent one of her mech's drones to investigate the secret room hidden in the Tall Spires Village, she had assumed it wouldn't be particularly special. After all, Ansiki had no records of anything historically important at that location. While the Ingthops had certainly been able to produce long lasting structural materials, she highly doubted they had developed equally durable digital systems. Despite deep scans revealing potentially interesting objects, there were no detectable power signatures or obvious signs of significant artifacts. Just a fairly large space with a table at the center, possibly a few data storage racks, and maybe some decayed bits of technological remnants. She didn't realize just what this room was until she really got to documenting it so the Turt-Chopian students would haven't to.
Once the light from Nula's drones began to illuminate the continuous mural adorning the walls, she understood just how important this place truly was to the Ingthops. The soot may have been thick. Grime certainly had built up over the eons. However, the images and writings were still legible. Thanks to Ansiki updating her translation software, the dead language of those long lost reptilians once again came to life. Laid out before her drone was the complete history of the Ingthop species. Their greatest accomplishments, worst mistakes, and deepest desires had been preserved in hopes of helping whoever came next. There was also something else the sapient canine AI had never expected. Though data storage racks and their user interface had degraded over time and would require serious effort to fully restore, the most recently created archive appeared perfectly intact.
Nula wasted no time in preparing this secret space for a proper excavation. She deployed additional drones, recruited a few of Ansiki’s, and set about her self-assigned task. Air flow hoses were put in place, the path through the labyrinth of ducts was illuminated, and a small generator was brought into the room. By the time the Turt-Chopian students were boarding their shuttle to come down and begin their investigation of this world, Nula and Ansiki had patched together and powered up enough of the ancient computer systems to bring up a hologram. Upon receiving that final message from the last Ingthop president, they both came to the same conclusion. While the archeology students would be given access to the room and its data, the Uark'thiliks must witness it as well. After all, this last will.and testament was meant for them.
It was fortunate then that Tarki had made the executive decision to go around and collect a few representatives from each village. In her mind it was important for all that no group of Uark'thiliks be left out of this civilization changing events taking place. The demons from the past that had haunted them from their birth as a species are now gone. With the remnants of a galactic standard species below their homes, it would have been unethical to not provide at least some guidance and advice. And though she assumed she would be the one to give it, it seemed a man from the distant past had already beaten her to the punch. Sixty-eight Uark'thiliks representing all twenty-two of their main villages crawled through an ancient air duct, emerged into a large room where Ansiki and Nula were waiting, and were given a bit of context before being shown the message. When they all finally returned to Tall Spires Village center where a massive group had gathered, they all seemed surprisingly cheerful.
“Do you think they'll let us go in there too, Grompcha?” Totta clinged on tight to his sister's leg. Though she had been gone for less than forty-eight hours, it was clear he still deeply missed her.
“Hush, Totta.” Grompcha gently stroked her baby brother's feathers, causing them to flash in soothing patterns. “I'm sure they'll let us know. It looks like they're ready to speak. Stay silent and listen to what they have to say.”
“First of all, I would like to welcome all of our guests from other villages who are with us today.” Elder Kilpcha first motioned towards the other elders and representatives standing beside her and seated around her then out towards the crowd of over a thousand other Uark'thiliks. “This is a very special occasion. For the first time in anyone's memory, leaders from every single village have gathered together. Fear of the metal beasts drove most of us, except the most brave traders, to stay close to our own villages. As I'm sure you've all heard but may struggle to believe, all of the metal beasts are now dead. Killed by our friends from the stars. And that isn't even the greatest gift they have given us. In this spire behind me, about halfway up, there is a once secret cave that the elders of this village had whispered about for countless generations. The reason we kept it secret for so long is that many have died trying to uncover its mysteries. Many of us believed it to be some sort of message left by those who came before us and built the world that we know today. Thanks to our friends from the stars, that cave is now safe to explore and its mysteries have been revealed. It is everything we could have dreamed of and more, including a message directed at all of us.”
The growing murmurs had started as whispers and gestures but had grown to the point where they were overwhelming. Excitement that had been building for the past few days finally boiled over. Good metal beasts falling from the sky and laying the evil metal beasts low. A liquid metal version of themselves entering their villages while speaking in a strange manner and professing an end to the horror they faced. Then came the battle between the good and evil beasts that shook the world for an evening. And now this well known and respected elder was speaking of a message left by the ancient builders of this world that some viewed in a deific manner. It was experiences of multiple lifetimes condensed down into a week. They had every right to an outburst. However, Chief Scout Sinaen, one of the few standing beside Kilpcha, knew the answers to many questions would be satiated if they could just calm themselves for a few more moments.
“You will all be given a chance to witness the cave for yourselves!” Sinaen shouted as loud as he could, immediately prompting a hush across the crowd. “But you must be patient. It isn't large enough to hold all of us at once. In the words of the builders… The Ingthops…” The Chief Scout slowly but still loudly pronounced the word and left a slight pause to give people a chance to memorize it. “We should try to be good and fair to each other. Knowledge and wisdom should and will be shared with everyone. They have left for us everything they have ever learned and ask only that we remember their name. Our friends from the stars have not only revealed this mystery to us, they have also helped us understand its meaning, and given us small machines so we may bring it to every village.”
“We will also be receiving more friends from the stars later today.” Kilchuk interjected while shooting a quick glance towards the mech standing guard off in the distance. “They will be coming to many of our villages to learn about the Ingthops and the fight against the same metal beasts that have hunted us since time immemorial. Some may even want to learn about us. Part of the Ingthops’ message to us was to be welcoming but cautious towards others from the stars. Though these ones are our friends, others may not be.”
Posted Jun 7, 2025, 8:07 PM UTC