[On The Concept Of Demons - Revised] - Chapter 15

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Kathmin sprinted down the alley, weaving around a collapsed wall. He paused, trying to catch his breath as the automatic weapons fire chattered off the surrounding buildings. It didn’t sound as far away as he’d have liked. The ominous whine of artillery passing over his head came again, and a building he’d only just vacated a minute before was reduced to rubble. He ducked as a wall of dust and ash washed down the alley from the south.

He flinched as supporting assault ships came screaming in from the west, hugging low to the rooftops and releasing a volley of missiles and automatic cannon fire on a position to his east and north. A trail of smoke appeared from somewhere ahead of him and arced toward the assault craft. Flares were ejected in all directions as the ships desperately maneuvered to avoid the incoming fire. As one rocket passed between them, a second found the attacker’s wingman, spiraling the craft into the street ahead of Kathmin and destroying most of what was once an upscale clothing store. The heat from the explosion washed down the alley, causing him to duck again as burnt ash overwhelmed his sense of smell. His grip tightened on his weapon as he looked up to continue his advance.

He heard a soft “tsk-tsk” behind him as Sam appeared, leaping over the collapsed wall he’d had to crawl over in a single bound. She only paused long enough to pull him to his feet before sprinting off toward the intersecting street and burning storefront. Kathmin dashed off after her, desperately trying to keep up. Sam paused at the corner, waiting for Kathmin. Sam used a device to peek around the corner. Kathmin’s footfalls were loud as he scuttled up beside her. His breathing was louder. She wasn’t sure why, but the thought came to her mind that she could probably shoot him in the dark, if she had to. She checked the corner again, stepped back, and swung her weapon up and around. The sharp report assaulted Kathmin’s ears as he crouched next to her, causing him to jump. Sam grabbed his vest and pulled him after her as she sprinted across the street and into the building next to the now-collapsing clothing store. Kathmin glanced down the road to his right as he followed her in, noticing the two bodies contorted on the broken pavement, the spent rocket tubes lying on the ground next to them. They huddled for a moment in the entryway.

“Easy, Kathmin,” Sam whispered to him. “Control your breathing.” He seemed overwhelmed, but she had to admit he was probably doing fine, for an academic and civilian, fighting beside a being that existed only as a nightmare on his world. She found that she had to force herself to slow down and remember she was not leading her usual fire team. The value in this exercise was in the instruction, not flawless execution.

She cast a glance at Kathmin, whose eyes met hers. They were clear, alert, and resolute, but his ears were flat against his head. She could tell they needed to slow it down.

Sam moved them through each room cautiously and methodically, sweeping her gun from side to side, working with Kathmin to clear doors. Kathmin mimicked her actions on the opposite side of the hall as they moved through the building, periodically glancing back as he stayed close to the human.

They reached a stairwell, and Sam paused, looking back at Kathmin. His breathing had slowed, but his eyes were still large, and his ears pinned back on his head. “Easy, Kathmin,” she whispered again. “You’re going to choke your gun if you squeeze it any harder.”

Kathmin looked at his hands and realized his fingers were hurting from the tension. He relaxed slightly, opening and closing his fingers consciously. He flinched at the mortar impact a few buildings down.

He was about to respond when Sam’s hand covered his mouth. Kathmin froze, listening. He could only barely hear it, but there were definitely voices inside the building with them. Sam stood silently, looking up, raising her gun to her shoulder, and motioning Kathmin towards the stairs.

Kathmin took the lead as they began moving up the stairwell, guns sweeping the corners and upper levels as they moved up the first flight of stairs.

At the 2nd-floor landing, Kathmin moved to check the door. He reached into a pouch and pulled out his optical device. Moving carefully, he placed it on the door. A section of the door seemed to disappear, allowing them to see through it into the hall. It was empty. Kathmin crossed to the other door and checked it as well. It was also empty. Sam moved to the stairs and continued up. Kathmin followed, his gun at the ready, sweeping the corners and upper flights.

As Sam moved onto the third-floor landing, Kathmin’s hand on her arm stopped her. She froze, looking back at him. He pointed to her feet. A tiny filament line was spread across the landing entrance from the stairs. Sam looked to her left. It appeared to be attached to an antipersonnel mine hidden under a stair. Sam smiled and nodded. She gave him a thumbs up, stepping over the filament. Kathmin moved up to the door and again used his device to check the hall. He motioned “clear” with his hands. The voices were louder now and coming from somewhere down that hall.

Kathmin produced a tiny drone from his pocket and pushed it under the door. He’d been amazed at the object the first time he tried it. It was a small flying robot, smaller than one of his fingers, yet autonomous and intelligent. Sam called it Benji. It rose and examined the door from the other side. “Door is clear,” Benji vocalized in their ears, “moving to room checks.”

The door was locked, so Sam began working on picking the lock with another device. Kathmin had seen her open numerous doors with that over the last couple of missions. Periodically, Benji would intone, “All clear,” as he swept from door to door, sliding under each and checking each room.

Sam worked the door open, and she and Kathmin began following Benji’s trail of cleared doors.

Benji floated back to Kathmin. “Hostiles,” he intoned. “I have three Reds and what looks like a listening post or observation position. They have some light anti-armor capabilities but mostly electronic warfare equipment. A type B sensor was scanning the hallway, but I scrambled it. They will recognize that soon, though, so don’t dawdle. I’m a liability with the rest of the equipment in that room. I’m going to sleep till you need me again.”

Kathmin placed Benji back in his pouch and looked at Sam. Sam had her palm up, looking at a holo of the room provided by the drone. She held up her hands and began a series of motions. With a series of gestures, Sam indicated breaching procedure two and which targets she’d take and which Kathmin would take. Kathmin nodded, again amazed at the efficiency with which humans communicated, even without their voices when necessary. They were so expressive. They moved to the door, and Sam ran a small roll of tape around the door locks and hinges. They stepped back, and Sam held up three fingers, then two, then one. Kathmin swung his gun to the ready, and the door imploded into the room.

They moved through the broken door together, Sam high, Kathmin low, looking for their assigned targets. Sam’s gun barked twice to his right, and Kathmin found his target reaching for his battle rifle. Kathmin’s gun jumped in his hands as he fired three times, hitting his target once. Something buzzed by his head, and he turned to see the third hostile taken down by Sam just as he was about to take another shot at Kathmin.

“Clear,” Sam said.

Kathmin was shaking. “Clear?” Sam asked.

Kathmin recovered slightly, “Clear,” he said, looking around. “No more hostiles present.”

Sam moved forward to begin looking at the captured equipment. The hostiles had been caught totally by surprise, and a device on the desk still showed the location of several hostile troop positions in their area. She blinked a couple of times as her tactical glasses took images of the screen. After a few blinks, Sam softly vocalized, “Ok, let’s move out. We need to get this intel to Robert.”

They quietly worked their way back downstairs and toward the back of the building near an exit to an alley. In a nearby windowless room, Sam lifted her hand palm up in front of her and whispered. A holographic image of the city appeared, zooming into their location. He could see other members of the blue team to their east advancing. The group was smaller. He hoped they’d split up, but given the defensive fire they’d faced, Kathmin was not confident in that assumption. Sam whispered into her comm, and Kathmin heard it clearly in his BabelBuds.

“Blue 1, if you can read me, I show you on task, though I wonder if you remembered to pack everything,” she said. “You look a little light,” she added, echoing Kathmin’s thoughts.

“We’re 5x5, Blue 5,” Robert responded. “I decided to spread the load a bit after last time.”

“Roger that, Blue 1,” Sam acknowledged quietly. “Glad to hear it. We’re moving to Echo 2 and expecting a party. I hope it’s still a surprise. Regardless, we don’t anticipate staying long for drinks.” Sam paused, studying the map floating above her hand. She rotated it a few times and keyed something into the virtual input board floating beside the map.

“Blue 1, we found something interesting. I’m sending it now,” Sam said.

“I see it. Good job, Blue 5,” Robert complimented. “Thoughts?”

Sam rotated the floating map of the city. She highlighted another point on the map and responded, “What do you think of this?” She asked, highlighting a sewer entrance a short distance to Robert’s east. “Suggest your most desperate rat look into it.”

“I’ve got a wing working the high road,” Robert responded. “They might appreciate a change of scenery. We’ll look into it. Good call, Blue 5. See you at Echo 3.”

“Roger that, Blue 1, waiting on Blue 2’s invitation and then heading to the party, Blue 5 out,” Sam whispered.

Sam motioned for Kathmin to lead them out of the back of the building. Kathmin moved to check the door, and everything seemed to stop around him. Sam was frozen in her crouch. Eve’s voice intoned from everywhere at once, “Simulation interrupted by Command. The Vigilant is ready for inspections, and final checks are underway. Senior officers and our guests from the GU and Dursk republics, please report to Captain Rigel’s Ready Room on the Vigilant at 1800. Vigilant crew, please transfer your effects prior to the meeting. Tethers are available in docking bay twelve and twenty-seven.”

Sam stood and disappeared. Kathmin looked around the hall, the door, and the building as they faded away, replaced by the holo room. He exited the room and saw a dozen players leaving similar rooms around him. Li saw Robert and shouted, “You guys got lucky, XO. We nearly had you. Red was going to OWN you!”

Robert laughed, “Unlikely, Li. Sam had just found the loose thread in your grand tapestry of defense. If Eve hadn’t pulled us out, I think we’d have handed you your first defeat in weeks. You were saved by the bell!”

“Pshh,” Li blustered. “Talk, talk, talk. All the coulda, woulda, shouldas never made a single did, Robert! I know you don’t think that sewer access would have been unguarded.”

Robert laughed as Sam threw a towel at Li, who deftly snatched it out of the air.

Kathmin was again amazed by the humans. The technology of their simulation rooms was beyond anything he’d ever experienced, but aside from the tech, how they used it was equally astounding. Over the last couple of weeks, he’d spent a lot of time with Sam and Rhubul exploring Earth, Mars, and their civilization’s wonders. Their pyramids were fascinating, as was their commonality across the ancient disconnected regions of the planet. He was momentarily alarmed that they had been transported to another world during the first visit. The heat of the sun, the feel of the wind in his fur, and the ability to walk anywhere he wanted, interacting with the environment, was unbelievable. The water felt wet, and he could swim. It was incredible. So, while peaceful settings and educational programs were commonly available, Kathmin was not surprised to find that the humans’ favorite pastime in the rooms was entertainment. And many of those had violent overtones.

He thought about that. This was the sixth game they’d played over the last several weeks. He had not survived long during the first couple, and both he and Rhubul had required some ‘mulligans,’ as the humans called them. Misero had taken to it almost immediately, expressing amazement that even his heightened olfactory senses functioned in the simulated environment.

Kathmin found it equally interesting and alarming that even children had access to these simulated environments. They were common in most human homes. Humans were training their children in battle tactics from very early ages without any apparent concern. When he expressed concern about that notion to Sam, she chuckled, indicating that human children had built forts and used non-lethal lasers before the holo-rooms. Before that, they’d used balls of paint shot at each other at high velocities to attack and defend positions, which, while non-lethal, still carried a risk of injury, requiring special safety equipment. Before that, they’d used sticks to simulate guns and swords, simply hitting each other in grand battles in their local parks. It was at least getting safer as they progressed, she had offered.

Kathmin had asked, “Sam, don’t you think such a focus on violence from a young age can be dangerous? Aren’t you afraid they will try to solve their disagreements with violence if they have that as a tool?”

Sam had replied with a thought that Kathmin still found himself ruminating upon from time to time, “You’re correct, Kathmin; it is foolish to think that everything can be solved with violence. But, Kathmin, believing that everything can be solved without violence is even more foolish.”

Kathmin shuddered. For all their hosts’ camaraderie and jovial nature, the level of danger and potential aggression stirring just beneath the surface was staggering. For example, the game they’d just finished was a favorite back in Sol, where Li claimed over fifty billion people viewed the annual Earth vs. Mars tournament. Kathmin shuddered again, moving with the crowd towards the exit. Sam waved as she walked down the hall. “See you on the Vigilant, you two!” she shouted.

Kathmin looked up at Rhubul as they headed back to their assigned quarters to change. “So, how’d you do this time?” he asked.

Rhubul looked calm, but his frills were bright yellow. “Better,” he said. “But I still can’t believe they do that for fun, regularly. How were your stats?”

Kathmin chuckled, “Still much worse than their children, Li tells me. My accuracy ratings are under 20%, but I’m a quick learner with their tech. Li says I’d be a decent support player, but I’m not assault material. I can’t decide whether to be offended by that or relieved.”

Rhubul grunted in agreement. “Same,” he replied. “Watching them play their games, I have no trouble believing all the stories you’ve accumulated about them. Have you seen how they transform in that environment? They are still themselves, but it’s almost like you see them in their natural element, as though they were purpose-built for conflict. They seem to be at their best only when faced with an adversary or an impossible situation.”

“I’m noticing that as well,” Kathmin granted. “Robert’s abilities are particularly disquieting. I asked him what the most dangerous weapon was that we could conjure in the simulation. Do you know what he said?”

“No,” Rhubul said as he took a drink from a water flask. “What does the XO think is the most dangerous weapon in the human arsenal?”

Kathmin replied, “Robert said the most dangerous thing the humans could deploy on a battlefield was any one of his Lions and their battle rifle.”

“You think they have even the slightest idea how scary they are when they say things like that?” Rhubul asked with a shudder. “I mean, Eve has guns that could crack a planet, and the humans think the most dangerous thing is their infantry?”

“Yeah,” Kathmin said thoughtfully, “But don’t call Robert part of the infantry. I made that mistake. His Lima Lions are a source of pride or maybe even part of his identity. They are a special forces designation of an ancient human military construct that has survived through various governments, regimes, and revolutions for thousands of years. Apparently, they are considerably more capable than average human infantry.”

“Yikes,” was all Rhubul could offer.

“No doubt,” Kathmin continued. “I asked him if his Lions could be the source material for any of the stories from my research.”

“Oh yeah?” Rhubul questioned. “What’d he say?”

“Robert said he doubted it, that it sounded like normal rank & file human soldiers,” Kathmin responded. “Apparently, if it had been his Lions, nobody would have been left to write the stories.”

“Yikes,” Rhubul said again, a little more quietly.

“Mm-hmm,” Kathmin concurred thoughtfully.

They walked for a bit in silence. Kathmin decided to change the subject.

“So, are you ready for the next phase of this adventure?” Kathmin asked.

Rhubul smirked, asking, “Riding in a super-modified Dursk vessel through the Galactic Union with the ultimate goal of transitioning to the great dark on the other side of the disc? Oh yeah, I’m ready for that.”

Kathmin laughed, “Point taken.”

Rhubul continued, “Your lectures have been very enlightening. It’s wild. I’ve known you most of my life, and while I know you’re learned, I’ve gotten so used to no one ever being interested in your studies that I’m just extremely proud to see them finally taking an interest. You’ve spent a lot of time becoming an expert on a subject that is now the topic capturing the galaxy’s attention. As your friend, seeing you get the recognition you deserve is nice.”

“Thanks, Rhubul,” Kathmin said, truly touched. “Kind of you to say.”

They reached their quarters and separated to pack. Rhubul indicated, “Give me ten minutes, and I’ll be ready. We can walk to the Vigilant together.”

“Sounds good, Rhubul,” Kathmin replied, glancing at the time on his slate as he did. “Maybe we could grab a drink at The Watering Hole on the way?”

“I’d like that, Kathmin,” Rhubul agreed. “See you in ten.”

◆◆◆

The Watering Hole was always busy, but today was exceptionally so. The rank and file of the new crew were getting to know each other, and Dursk, GU, and Humans filled the place as Kathmin and Rhubul threaded their way through the crowd to the bar. Zarig greeted Kathmin with the fang-filled Dursk version of a smile he’d come to recognize as friendly. Kathmin held up two of his stubby digits and clambered up a stool. Rhubul flopped onto his as Zarig placed two glasses on the bar and started to pour doubles of Hemris into each.

Rhubul glanced at the glasses, then Kathmin. “Come here often?” He asked.

Kathmin picked up his glass and saluted Zarig with it. “As often as I can and half as often as I’d like,” he replied. Zarig smiled, waved to return the salute, and moved off to help the myriad customers milling around the bar.

Rhubul laughed and glanced around the bar. He’d been here a few times, but Kathmin seemed to be a fixture. Dursk were approaching him, chatting as though they’d known each other their entire lives. He smiled at his friend as he watched him work his magic. In any crowd, Kathmin was right at home, and any stranger he met ended up becoming a friend. Rhubul had to work at it. Kathmin’s charm was natural. He looked around again. He could see why Kathmin liked the place. It was busy, but it was the exact sort of chaos his friend seemed to either gravitate toward or create. He’d finished about half his drink when Kathmin got a break from his new friends and turned back to him.

Kathmin sighed as he took a drink, “So many interesting people and stories, Rhubul. I love this place.”

“I can see that. I was just thinking that it suited you,” Rhubul agreed as they both turned their attention back to the crowd.

“Rhubul, look at this crowd. What do you see?” Kathmin asked.

Rhubul looked around, but he had to admit he didn’t notice anything out of place. He said as much.

Kathmin laughed, “You spend too much time with microscopes. You miss the big picture. Look at this crowd!” Kathmin exclaimed. “I can’t believe I missed this! What stands out to you?”

Determined not to let his friend's observational powers overwhelm his own, Rhubul concentrated and pushed through the Hemris fog as he studied the crowd. After a moment, he thought he might have it. He asked, “Do some of the Dursk look uncomfortable?”

“Exactly!” Kathmin exclaimed as he looked excitedly at his friend. “Think of the discourse this creates around diversity vs. xenophobic exclusionary policies back home. The GU’s general approach is to intermingle its representative species. That probably predisposes its members to absorb the Dursk into their ranks better. The Dursk, on the other hand, are far more insulated and therefore suspicious.” Kathmin chuckled as some of the large Dursk in the audience appeared genuinely unnerved by the more exotic members of the GU near them.  

Rhubul encouraged his friend, “I can see the next paper forming in your head. I swear, you have the least working, work I’ve ever seen. Only you can go to a bar, watch a crowd, and call it actual research.  So, what are you thinking, Kathmin? What do you see?” He asked as he watched Kathmin study a group of large Dursk, including their friend Rahls.

 “It’s interesting that some of the Dursk are so unnerved by our brethren,” Kathmin smiled in response. “I mean, look at Rahls there. We’ll have to ask him later what it’s like to be concerned about an apex predator. Sure, we know Zeldek is no more of a threat to anyone here than Rahls is, but Rahls looks like he's about to bolt!”

“No doubt,” chuckled Rhubul quietly, realizing Kathmin was right, as he watched Rahls step away from Zeldek each time Zeldek moved closer to talk. “Why do you think that is?”

“I think it demonstrates the difference in education and environment, Rhubul,” Kathmin responded. “In the GU, we look to understand those different from us and how they can best contribute. Our large felidae friends here took a different approach, favoring xeno-exclusionary policies until only recently.”

Rhubul was getting into Kathmin’s little crowd-watching game and thought he might have an observation of his own. “Have you noticed the humans?” Rhubul asked. “Concern isn’t even on their screens. I’m still learning their external cues, but I would say they look completely relaxed!”

“Of course they are,” Kathmin offered slyly, “how do you scare a demon?”

Rhubul nodded and was about to comment further when Zarig interrupted his thought.

“You see it too, don’t you?” Zarig asked.

“Ha! I should have known the bartender would be a fellow student of people,” Kathmin smiled and excitedly replied. “Tell me, my wise friend, what do you see?” Kathmin asked as he waved his arm around the room.

Zarig was quiet for a moment and offered, “The new crew from the GU seems more comfortable in this eclectic crowd. Certainly, stories of the Dursk and Demons must be ingrained in all of your legends, but now that they are here and the work begins, almost all of them are calm and seem ready to do their part. Rahls and Riske, on the other hand, well, I don’t think I’ve ever seen either of them that unsettled.”

Kathmin chuckled, “Exactly, Zarig! You see it, too, then. I was just telling Rhubul that. From a very young age, all of us are taught that appearances, genetics, and instinct are never to be used to separate. We judge those we meet by their actions and their abilities. As a result, very little discrimination is tolerated in the Galactic Union.”

Kathmin’s eyes continued to watch Rahls in his slow but ineffectual dance away from his new Kreleck acquaintance. He noted, “Since you brought him up, take our friend Rahls, for example. He’s standing next to Zeldek, and, as you noted, I’m fairly certain if Rahls could be on the other side of the room right now, he’d prefer that. None of the GU members around them shares Rahls or his friends’ apparent concern about Zeldek. We’ve known the Kreleck for thousands and thousands of years. Two of Zeldek’s kin lived in our dormitory, a few doors down from Rhubul and me, during our undergraduate studies and would absolutely wreck us in whatever drinking games we created. Objectively speaking, I suppose their appearance could be described as one of the most fearsome sentients in the known galaxy. But I never felt any sort of fear of them. Rhubul, what about you?”

“Nope,” Rhubul responded as he continued to enjoy his Hemris. “Relsch was the best. Without his notes, I’d have never passed that stupid ancient literature class in third year.”

“Stupid?” Kathmin questioned. “Interesting. That was one of my favorite classes.”

“Says the guy who spends his life reading ancient literature and crawling through dusty tombs, archives and bedrooms looking for more of it,” Zarig opined as Rhubul giggled into his drink.

“Ha!” Kathmin laughed, “Fair. But I think we’ve hit on something important here, Rhubul. The way I felt when meeting Zhiela, I never felt that way meeting with Relsch or Boscht.”

“But see? We of the GU can have the same issue,” he continued excitedly. “The idea of meeting Zhiela in a dark room without aid except Rhubul, who would be absolutely no help, was terrifying.” Rhubul smacked Kathmin on the shoulder and smirked as Zarig chuckled. “But once I sat down with her, I instantly recognized the same thing I recognized in all the various people I’ve met in my extensive travels. We’re all the same where it counts. All societies function under the same relative basic rule set; otherwise, there is no society. Even Rahls, there with his apparent concern, must rationally know that Zeldek won’t attack him now.”

Rhubul snickered into his drink and added, “At least not till evening.” Zarig looked up at him quickly, and Rhubul responded, “Come on, everyone knows Krelecks don’t eat when it’s light.”

Zarig rolled his eyes and moved off to wipe down a section of the bar. Kathmin continued watching his large friend, talking to himself, “See, Rahls. How’s it feel to meet someone with bigger teeth than you?”

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