Synopsis
Diesel-punk, Desert-punk, Catgirls, realistic technology, no magic, Land-ships and Land-carriers.
Compiled historical anecdotes about life and happenings on a distant alien planet during its early space age. Through eyes of ordinary soldiers, explorers and scientists who were close to events that change their world during this era.
The Sand World
Chapter One
Imagine a world like Earth, but much drier. Orbiting a red dwarf star called Angar. It is covered with mostly deserts, with temperate regions near the poles. And another cool zone at the mountainous belt around the equator. There are some small inland seas but most of it is just desert. Its called Duniya by its inhabitants.
On this world three different species live. The humans, the Felis and the Canis. The Felis are a near human species with cat like features. They are the dominant species on this world and most of the rich and powerful countries are Felis. The Canis too are a near human species but with fox or wolf like features. The Canis are rivals of the Felis and today Canis countries are second to Felis in power. The humans are the least developed people of this world and the Felis and Canis look down upon human countries.
The Felis and Canis are from the High continent, a high altitude plateau that spans most of the polar latitudes. Humans live mainly in the equatorial mountain belt where a ring of vast high altitude mountain ranges contain water and relatively cool temperatures and alpine forests,. In between lies the vast sand oceans, where peak daytime temperatures can approach boiling point of water. The development of landships and later airships allowed this barrier to be breached and brought reliable contact between human and the non humans.
The sand oceans are not entirely featureless. There are islands of habitability within, usually high elevations where temperatures are cooler. Temperature rises with drop in elevation. Most of Duniya's intelligent life live on higher elevations. The deepest parts of the Sand oceans are several thousand meters below average inhabited elevation. In these depressions peak day time temperatures reach 80 degree celsius or more.
The sand oceans used to be traversed by sail equipped landships. Today motorized landships do same and are now joined by the flying airship.
The story begins in one of the habitable islands, located in a desert region called Thar. Which lies halfway within the northern part of the sand ocean, in between the equatorial belt and polar circle. Its part of a human majority country called Tharkis. Tharkis was founded by people of the Thar desert culture, who had figured out how to survive in the sand ocean. It stood as an island, a nexus in the travel between human dominated equator and the non human polar cap. Historically Tharkis was a powerful trade empire in ancient times but today is a poor, unstable nation. The Thar people, once known as proud nomads and caravan traders are now seen as backward barbarians.
The present day nation of Tharkis was recently invaded and had its government overthrown by the current superpower, the Deep Covenant of Southern Boreal Nations or simply the Covenant as they like to call themselves. They are the most powerful Felis country and the most powerful in the world. The Covenant is located in the high southern latitudes. The southern polar cap used to be uninhabited and never reached until invention of the airship 200 years ago. It was settled by colonists from Felis countries in the northern cap.
Canis airships had made it to the south pole around same time. But the Canis airship technology at time lagged behind Felis. Whereas the Felis had long history of trade and war with humans in the equator. They had more robust capability to sustain distant pole to pole expeditions. Most crucially the leading Canis kings and emperors of the day had little interest in the south pole and did not see it worthwhile to expend resources on a trans-polar expedition..The few Canis that did travel to the south pole did so within their own private means. But without government support they never stood a chance against far more powerful Felis presence in south pole that had funding of national governments and assistance from military. The Canis settlements in south pole were absorbed into the Covenant when it became independent and no longer exist as independent entities.
The Canis failure to win the south Pole is a pivotal event historians today mark as the reason why the Canis today are now weaker than the Felis. The Felis today are the most widespread people on Duniya, living from pole to pole. Exploitation of the southern hemisphere made them the most prosperous civilization.
The Canis did realize their mistake. But it was too late, when Canis nation after nation was crumbling under invasion and encroachment of the newly rich Felis nations. After prolonged century long period of intermittent warfare and political struggle the Canis managed to drive them off and restore their independence. Today they have bounced back economically and technologically but they are still second fiddle to Felis domination of Duniya.
Part of what drew Felis to the southern polar cap was fact that it was another high altitude plateau like the north. They called it the Boreal continent. Familiar comfortable temperate climate and vast untapped resources. It drew colonists like a magnet and initial settlements quickly grew into cities. Eventually these city states broke free from their parent nations in north pole and united to form a new nation. Settlers from many Felis nations decided to trust each other hence the part about their nation being a Covenant.
The Covenant is a different place from Felis nations in the high continent. The Felis of Boreal continent are conservative socially and adhere to the Illuminated Path religion. The Covenant is a theocratic oligarchy system. Whereas the High continent has transitioned into secular democracies.Felis from the Covenant look down upon their brethren in the High continent as degenerate hedonists.
Why the Covenant invaded Tharkis is not quite clear. One popular notion is that it was for water. Water is a precious resource on Duniya. The polar plateus while cold does not have much water. Most of it is stored in glaciers which are now a fraction of their original size due to overuse. Inhabited areas like Tharkis are located on areas with which contain subterrenean water reservoirs. The Tharkis underground water reserves are substantial, so far only a small portion extracted by simple windmill powered pumps built by locals. Today it is coveted by foreign industrial interests.
Water is not just the element of life. It is also main source of hydrogen which is primary fuel on Duniya. There are no fossil fuels on this world. So energy comes from solar and wind power which is used to crack the water into hydrogen. There are vast wind turbine farms and massive solar thermal arrays. They need water to work with. Although governments encourage sending back water produced from fuel cells and combustion engines, often only a fraction is ever recovered for recycling and cracking. Meaning fresh water sources are needed as water continues to be lost through industrial use, vehicle exhaust etc.
The other theory is that the Covenant is trying to solidify its influence into the northern hemisphere. The Covenant is involved in regional conflicts and has many client states in the human dominated equator belt. They are steadily pushing their sphere of influence northward. With eventual goal of challenging the High continents control over the northern hemisphere. Tharkis was a challenge to Covenant influence in the Thar region as it was militarily powerful and had its own ambitions. So the Covenant simply removed them from the game board.
The Covenants invasion of Tharkis has not gone very well as the country is mired in multi way civil war between Covenant occupation government and various rebel groups themselves.
There are two important cities spaced about a thousand km away. Benapole is the Tharkis capital and home to a large Covenant garrison. Rhino is a city in the Covenant client state of Aman. The Covenant invasion of Tharkis was launched from Aman. Supply lines run from Rhino to Benapole.
For first year of war supply convoys were handled by Covenant military. Attacks on convoys were quite common. These days its mainly done private contractor companies. They operate armored gun trucks along the route.
One such gun truck is part of a convoy headed toward Benapole. The Convoy belonged to a company called Tactical Logistics and had 8 trucks plus 2 old Pegasus medium tanks as escorts.
Misra was a human gunner aboard one of these trucks. He was sitting inside the top turret. The air was cold and had a sterile smell to it. Misra could hear the whir of the ventilation fan. The outside was very hot and the air conditioning system inside the vehicle kept him comfortable. The turret was rather cramped with consoles, switches and other equipment but there were 3 other people in there with him.
One of them was a tough looking man with olive skin and short dark hair, he looked about 35. He was Covenant , there was a human minority in the Covenant. A former soldier he now worked at Tactical Logistics for better pay. Misra was however not Covenant , he was from Savara, a nation close to Tharkis. Many of Tactical Logistic employees were human and from poor nations in nearby region.
The tough man was called Rohan, he asked Misra
"Tell me again, why did you join Tactical Logistics, I mean you are not Covenant and many of your countrymen hate us. Whats in it for you ?"
"Mainly money, but also a sense of adventure."
"You do realize that these convoys have a very high chance of attacked ? Infact on the Rhino to Benapole run you will almost certainly get into a firefight. What kind of person signs up for that ? "
"Well actually I was looking forward to that a bit, getting to use a real weapon system in action. Life is boring at home man. Very few people I know can claim to have manned a turret in combat"
"You are crazy!", Rohan commented "The pay is good because of the high risks. Most of people do a few runs and just leave this forsaken job. You have a very good chance of dying or crippled for life if you keep running this route and tempt fate."
"Well you were soldier before I guess you have a different perspective, I am probably making fool of myself and going to regret this."
"Exactly, you have not faced enemy fire before. Most soldiers know they are not invincible and would choose a boring life rather than roll the dice on whether they die tomorrow."
"Can't disagree with that, this war is especially terrible given how random deaths can be despite Covenants military strength. They have not been able to subdue the Tharkis militias operating out of the Thar desert and surrounding sand ocean, the cities are only thing they control."
"What do you think of the war anyway and Covenant in general? Give me your honest opinion, I am not going judge you for it. As a human in the Covenant its common knowledge what my peoples opinion of Covenant and how it has treated us is like."
"I dont know, I admire the advanced society and technology of the Covenant. Despite the bad things the Covenant has done like their religious fanaticism and imperialistic tendencies I cant deny they have far surpassed what human countries have done. They have even surpassed the High continent."
Rohan paused a bit to think.
"So in a way you are bit envious of the economic success of Covenant, coming from a poorer country I suppose that's natural. But what do you think of their people ?"
Rohan pointed at the other person occupying the turret. It was a girl, about 23 years old. She was not human, she was Felis. Yet she looked almost human. About medium height, a petite and thin body, long golden hair. Her face was pale. The long pointed cat like ears was the most distinctive thing, She had spots along her neck like a cheetah and pinkish birthmark like skin around her eyes. Her eyes were golden and the pupil slanted like a cats. Her finger nails were sharp and long and when she opened her mouth long sharp incisors could be seen. She was focused on her console and quite oblivious to Misra and Rohan.
"What do you think of her ?" Rohan asked in a low tone
"I think she is pretty. To tell truth I like Felis women, I am not saying they look more attractive than human females. But there is a quality to them in how they look and carry themselves you just dont find in our women"
"Thats the problem with humans these days" Rohan spoke in disappointed tone "Always chasing after Felis girls. Never realizing that they dont see us as equals."
"Are you saying I am bigoted ?" The Felis girl turned, they had keen hearing and even at low tone Rohan had no doubt she heard what he was saying.
"No Zara, I am not accusing you of anything, you are my friend and I like you as a person. But you know the history between our people."
"I do, I cant deny how the Felis have oppressed humans and how we treat you even today. Please understand I am not one of those Covenant who deny there is anything wrong with our nation or the world." Zenik spoke, with some conviction and emotion in her tone
"Forgive me Zara, I know you are a good person, I was not implying anything about you personally. But I have a lot of anger about the history of our people. I have studied the stuff you know, stuff they wont teach you in school"
"The Felis see themselves as the superior species. Few hundred years ago they treated humans like animals. The Felis had better weapons and killed us, drove us out of our lands. A human male with a Felis woman was punishable by death."
"But might does not make right. What goes around may one day come around. Just saying." Rohan finished.
Zara lowered her head but she knew it to be true.
The High continent was separated from the sand ocean by the shallow sea, an actual body of water. It is called shallow sea because how low its average depth is, between two to twenty feets. A person could walk through waist deep water through much of it.
There were Felis kingdoms on the other side of the shallow sea. The Felis of the southern coast were different from Felis of high continent in terms of religion,culture and languages. They were adapted to desert life similar to human nomads and settlements in the sand ocean. Culturally they were closer to humans than Felis of the high continent. Collectively they were called the Zazaber.
The Zazaber acted as middlemen trading with humans in the sand ocean and sometimes travelling as far deep as the equator mountains. Felis in the High continent had very little idea about equator and its habitable mountain belt. They knew there was a land of great wealth beyond the sand ocean but few had ever reached it. The Zazaber for their part liked the fact they were growing wealthy from trade with the equator and had no intention of losing their position.
The High continent Felis powers often warred with the southern Felis. The Zazaber had human allies they could call upon. They retreated into the desert when being overwhelmed. On occasion continental powers launched expeditions deep into the desert in pursuit of Zazaber.
The Felis of the High continent had many wars with the southern Felis. They conquered many Zazaber cities, which sometimes had considerable human minority populations. On occasion they pushed further into desert and conquered isolated human settlements.
That is how Felis of High continent first encountered humanity. Humans were exotic people of the desert. Fast moving but well armored and well armed skirmisher troops, with powerful crossbows, shields and axes. Skilled at desert survival. Used as auxiliaries in south coast Felis armies.
Humans are physically stronger and larger than Felis. They could wear stronger armor, hit harder and wield more powerful weapons. They also handled the desert heat better than Felis, the Felis did not sweat and are affected more badly by high temperatures. Especially if they are doing intense activities like fighting. In desert combat humans were unmatched, able to overwhelm northern Felis expeditionary legionnaires with ease. Even veteran Felis troops dreaded going up against human soldiers in melee combat. Humans gained a fierce reputation and they became prized as mercenaries by northerners as well who sometime brought human mercenary companies back north. Where they served as heavy armored assault troops.
Human mercenaries units in the High continent were involved in many massacres, rapes and plunder. It created impression humans were violent, brutish creatures with beast like strength and animal like lustful nature.
Things changed when the High continent discovered the first battery.and then the first motor. Then came the hydrogen burning gas engine. Followed by the first airship. The first electric airship was a game changer. It let the Felis from High continent reach the equator belt where the heartland of human civilization was. It was joined by the gas engined powered landship which was much larger than its sailing counterpart.
First they came as traders like the Zazaber. Human kingdoms in the equator had known the Zazaber and did not see the new Felis as too different. Then they begun to bring soldiers and start playing sides in various human wars. Backing one faction or another. This was the start of the Imperial age.
Rohan, Misra and Zara were inside the the guntrucks turret compartment. The turret floor hatch was rotated open. A Felis male climbed up the ladder into the turret, It was Calhoun, a Covenant soldier. Whereas Zara's skin was human like pale, Calhoun's was almost white. There was long dark stripes on his cheeks and forearms unlike Zara's spots. His incisors were more visible and claws sharper.
Different Felis looks are associated with different breeds. Calhoun was snow leopard, Zara was just leopard.
Calhoun was clad in carapace armor. Thick composite ceramic and steel plates covered his torso and limbs. Areas outside of plate coverage was made of thick kevlar like substance. He wore a helmet with big thermo-optic goggles.
He took a sit in the turret compartment. His hand resting on a very long rifle like weapon. Misra recognized the design, it was an anti personnel gauss rifle, AP/G as its called. Its a railgun, intended for anti-material rifle/sniper rifle role. The ammo comes in two separate pieces. One part is the EFG power cell. In an EFG a explosion compresses a magnetic coil, rapidly generating a strong current. The other is the slug itself.
AP/G is an expensive weapon and not very common. Calhoun was a marksmen and qualified to carry this elite weapon. Misra could feel some arrogance in him.
Calhoun reclined against the turret wall at opposite end from Misra and Rohan. Misra noted that Zara seemed to instinctively move toward him. It was now two Felis on one side and two humans at other. Calhoun and Zara were not romantically involved but throughout the journey Misra noticed he had a protective stance around her. Zara for her part seemed to note that Calhoun was young,fit, good looking with his armor and weapons.
Calhoun was disdainful toward humans which Zara disliked. Calhoun can be described as scum but he is Felis, and has related bloodline to her as a Snow Leopard. In another time and place they might make a couple. Misra noted that ultimately the Felis have strong innate attraction to each other.
"I dont think humans ever amounted to much. The Felis may have done a few bad things but we built the greatest civilization on Duniya."
The comment stung Misra.
"So you think humans were never more than primitive desert barbarians ? History is written by victors you know. The last few centuries the Felis had the upper hand but thats not how it always and thats not how it always will be."
"No I am basing my argument on facts. When the first Felis airships traversed the sand ocean and reached the equator mountains they found nothing of value. Humans were either nomads or lived in small ramshackle villages. Where are the great cities and forts ? Your people did not have firearms we did. When we arrived we had guns, airships and early armored vehicles. You had bows and spears."
Calhoun continued "humans controlled much larger part of Duniya than we did. So why did not they invent firearms or airships or the gas engine that powered ground vehicles ? Its not just military technology, when we had printed books your people scrawled symbols on stone tablets. We were an early industrial civilization when we conquered you, you were stuck in iron age."
Zara cringed a bit but decided not to speak. Let Calhoun embarrass himself she thought.
"Or maybe its because the High continent is the only place on Duniya with surface water. Humanity survived in the sand ocean or in mountains where only source of water was to drill a hundred meters and reach a subterranean reservoir. And despite the harsh environment human civilization not only survived but could defeat any Felis military invasion until we discovered guns and engines and flight." Rohan spoke
"Felis were primitive too once." Misra interjected
"And we improved from that, Humans never did. Maybe its possible that humans are mentally deficient.."
Rohan interrupted
"Let me guess you are gonna call us apes now right ? Thats how you see us. Disgusting dirty monkeys with no intelligence. Felis on other hand came from big cats, noble intelligent animals and alpha predators. Cats are beautiful and graceful, apes are ugly and savage"
Calhoun was taken back a bit. Ape was the most common insult the Felis, and the Canis for that matter used against humans. Like many non-humans he believed that Canis came from mountain wolves of north, Felis from hunting cats of same area. And humans from monkeys that lived in equator forests. They were different from people high continent, an alien and disgusting element.
"...I never said that, at least as an insult" Calhoun said.
"Science does not support it anyway. The Felis did not come from cats, Canis did not come from wolves. We have same origin"
"That seem unlikely. How come we have cat-like traits, Canis have wolf like traits and humans are closest to apes ?"
"You are humans with some cat like traits. Take away the eyes, the odd skin patterns and bits of fur, the teeth and nails you are like us. On the inside we are pretty same" Rohan interjected
"Our differences are more than skin deep. We dont sweat remember." Calhoun
"Yeah and you think humans are disgusting because because we sweat and smell. Well guess what I can work in temperatures that will kill you. When I was in the military I had gone down the shelf of Qotora depression, temperatures near 60 celsius with no cooling vests. Thats why you need us in the Covenant military, we are the only infantry that can fight in deepest part of the sand ocean."
"But you have terrible night vision, your reactions times are 50% slower than us." Calhoun tapped his AP/G. "None of you can snipe with thing as good as I can."
Rohan stood up "Thats funny coming from a little person like you." Rohan stood 6'4''. Calhoun was 5'6'' and frail as a stick.
"I am slightly below average size for Felis, I stand same height as Zara and she is female."
"Dont make stuff up man, I lived in the Covenant all my life around the Felis.. You are about average size. Zara is same height as you because on average male and female Felis have similar heights. You dont have as much dimorphism as we do."
Rohan continued
"Face it Calhoun. You are weak, even for your height. You have to use the AP/G because you are weak. Humans nations use the assault cannon, a shoulder fired anti-material recoil-less rifle.. Felis invented an electro-magnetic weapon for same role because you can never carry and fire a 20 mm rifle."
"Can we please stop posturing about whose better and get back to discussing origin of our peoples ?" Zara said.
"Well science says that the Felis, Canis and humans have same origin." Misra said
"I doubt it. I think mainstream science is wrong on this one." Calhoun spoke
"Why you say that ?""
"The biggest evidence is quite self evident. Humans and Felis can never produce a true hybrid. If they try have children its always a human, with no Felis traits."
"Yes but the fact we can have children togather shows we were one species once."
"Then why is that Felis traits are completely lost when a hybrid is born ?" Calhoun queried.
Zara spoke. "It is indeed one of great mysteries of science. But I might know a bit about why, I did study at university level. Quite simply Felis genetics is strange. Most of it is human-like, with a few alien bits, similar to cats tacked on. When humans and Felis mate the cat bits are discarded and the kid only inherits the humanlike part of the Felis parents DNA."
"That does not sound natural." Calhoun was persplexed.
"As I said Felis DNA is strange. There is a very complex genetic mechanism in place to perform the operation I described. Can such a mechanism arise naturally ? I dont know."
"So you are saying its artificial ?"
"Even as artificial it does not make sense. Why are Felis and humans compatible anyway ? If someone made this complex genetic mechanism to make us compatible, why is it that it produces only humans?"
Misra spoke
"I prefer the religious explanation."
"You are a Seeker ?" Zara asked. Seeker religion was common among southern shore Felis and many humans. While the High continent and the Covenant mainly followed the Illuminated Path.
"Not very religious but yeah. The Way of the Seeker book tells that humans, Felis and Canis came to this world from the heavens. In the heavens we are basically one people. And split shortly before we came to Duniya, It also emphasizes on equality and says our apparent differences only superficial"
Rohan spoke
"I am not fond of the Seeker religion. It's a Zazaber faith, yet too many humans follow it"
"What do you have against us Rohan. If you dont like the Felis why you even live in the Covenant ?" Calhoun asked.
"I did not choose to be in the Covenant."
Most of the humans in the Covenant came from areas conquered by High continent based Felis powers. During the Imperial age the Felis enslaved many humans from kingdoms they defeated and conquered. Most of them were sent to the south pole. It was an area far away from human settlements and difficult to escape from. Being sent to the south pole was the preferred punishment by Felis imperial authorities.
The High continent itself had very few slaves..Some humans served as bonded slave soldiers and bodyguards of the nobility.There were also some Felis slaves, particularly of Zazaber origin. High continent Felis looked down upon the Zazaber greatly. They occupied a role between lowly humans and middle ranking Canis, many Canis were also enslaved in that era.
The main area for slavery was the Covenant. The Covenant economy was based off the south poles vast untapped water reserves in form of glaciers. Most of the citizens received generous amounts of welfare and did not do much physical labor. Many professional jobs were done by migrant worker poor Felis from High continent or by Zazaber slaves. Menial jobs were given to human slaves. Like construction work, cleaning the streets.
The Covenant society was stratified along citizen, migrant worker, Zazaber slaves and human slaves. Over time the migrant workers became assimilated into citizenry and earned same rights. Zazaber were looked down upon because of their strange religion and culture. Most of the Covenant was from High continent and carried on the High continent Felis attitude toward the desert Felis. Human slaves had the lowest status of all, they were basically seen as animals and often called apes.
Zazaber slaves however had considerable more respect than humans. They were seen as people, they could own property, earn own income. Excessive force used against a Zazaber slave was forbidden. They were people, Felis like the Covenant. Zazaber women were admired for their beauty and often sought as concubines or even wives by Covenant aristocracy. Children of these unions went on to become influential leaders, generals and scientists. Many Zazaber slaves served as political advisors, soldiers and even commanders in military. Their knowledge of the sand ocean and human society made them extremely valuable during the Covenants expansion into the southern hemisphere.
Human and Zazaber relations were tense, their conflict older and deeper than High continent Felis. While its true many historically Zazaber nations had human auxiliary troops, minority populations and even called upon human alliances. The Zazaber as a people were very bigoted and insular and clannish. They preferred humans stay deeper into the sand ocean and not venture toward the shallow sea. And into their cities.
The Zazaber enslaved everyone during their wars. But they always preferred High continent Felis slaves. Or Canis if they can find one. Canis were rare sight outside the north pole. Few Canis ventured into the southern shore of the shallow sea and beyond. Usually it was the Zazaber who sent their trade caravans upto the Canis lands.
Felis slaves, from High continent or other Zazaber had rights and social positions. They were sought for their profession skills or looks. Human slaves seen as beasts of burden, sometimes not even given a name.
Most importantly the Zazaber were extremely paranoid about mixing with humans. Any union of Felis and human is a human,thus effectively diminishing the Felis. The Zazaber were a conservative society to begin with, but they had particularly draconinan conduct regarding their women with humans. Any human caught trying to do the deed with a Felis would be killed. Any children of such a union, and their mother exiled into the desert.
The High continent was much more open minded about such things. They did not care about ones species as much as they put stock in socio-economic status and power. But over time their attitudes towards humans began to independently converge toward similar thinking. The Covenant inherited those attitudes and made it stronger with infusion of their religious zealotry. The Covenant interpreted the Illuminated Path religion to only refer to Felis. With the Canis being cursed and humans not even counted above animals. To be human slave or even independent human in Covenant during Imperial age was worse than being a Zazaber prisoner.
The Zazaber slave class in the Covenant looked down on humans to feel superior. They may be slaves too but they were still Felis and can become citizen once freed. A human would never be seen as much more than an ape. Some of the downtrodden of the Zazaber slave class tried to build rapport with the human slave class but it was not very successful. The citizen class recognized the value of Zazabers as a useful middle tier. They kept the Zazabers loyal by making them feel better about being Felis and having the humans to look down upon. And in turn used Zazabers to control the human slaves. Zazabers understood human language and culture better than High continent descended Felis, and often made big proportion of Covenants internal security forces guarding the human slaves.
Eventually the Imperial age ended with the Great Imperial war. The Felis empires of the High continent smashed each others to pieces. Around same time the Canis nations had finished their recovery from Felis-Canis wars decades earlier and joined the fray. The Canis resurgence shattered the Felis monopoly on power. Felis armies retreated back into the High continent to guard against the Canis. The humans also made use of this great conflict to rebel and in doing so they received great assistance from the Canis. Unable to hold their vast territories against combined Canis and human threat the Felis empires gave up their former territories.
Around this time the Felis empires also stopped being empires. There was a great political change underway in Canis nations. Where monarchs were being replaced with democratic governments. This mode of thinking spread to Felis lands and gained powerful traction. The Covenant however was not affected. They were a religious oligarchy and remained so. The Covenant had great pride in their system of government.
During course of the great Imperial war the Covenant was allied to the Felis. They sent expeditionary troops to the High continent which proved vital in stopping the Canis. However it was a temporary alliance of convenience. The Covenant did not want the Canis to over-run the High continent. There was also fact that the Canis were a mostly agonistic people, which was deeply disliked by the theocratic Covenant. The idea of Godless Canis ruling over the High continent was too much.
Once the war was over however there began a cold war between the Covenant and the High continent. Much of the northern hemisphere was now free of High continent presence. The Covenant had already solidified their control of the southern hemisphere and now wanted to gain control over the north. And thus become the ruling hegemony of the planet. Eventually analysts mused over possibility of a massive war between the Covenant and High continent for control of the north hemisphere
However this was a new era. The Imperial war brought titanic changes in the High continent and Covenant society. Slavery ended during the war. The Covenants human population played vital role in war efforts and earned themselves a great image in eyes of many citizens. The political changes in the High continent, where monarchies were being replaced by democracies were also filtering into the south pole.
The Covenant remained a theocracy but the beliefs of its population went great change. They were no longer as conservative as before. Most importantly many of them began to question religion. And most crucially their attitude toward humans.
Science had been great driver of Felis domination of Duniya, but science never had much political voice. In the post Imperial era science and academia begin to gain powerful influence over citizenry and administration of Covenant. Science argued against long held sacrosanct beliefs of human inferiority. While the Covenant remained an oligarchic theocracy slavery was officially ended and humans given equal rights on paper.
Calhoun spoke "The Imperial age ended nearly 100 years ago. I dont think you can hold what happened during that era or before it in ancient past as reason to dislike the Felis"
"Well you dont know the true history of the world" Rohan replied
"And what would that be ? You always keep talking about true history and stuff thats not taught in schools."
"For starters humans are the original people on Duniya. There were no Felis or Canis originally just humans. We had much better technology than exists today, humanity had a worldwide empire. The High continent was inhabited by humans and crown jewel of that empire. All the old ruins you see, especially the advanced stuff. it was built by us."
"Thats hoghwash"
"Think again. There are lot of unexplained stuff on Duniya."
Zare spoke
"Well he does have a point. Take the ancient city of Thule. All the drawings and statues does look like humans. And the writing system the Thule culture used bear similarity to Samara nomads. Same clay style tablets infact. Felis never used clay, we had been using metal plates then paper from as far back as evidence as been found."
"So where did Felis and Canis came from" Misra asked.
"You wont like the answer to that and I dont mean any offense" Rohan said to Zara
"But I had been reading up on this stuff. Lot of human authors and researchers have published enormous volumes on the true history of this world..They did a lot of work travelling across Duniya, collecting relics, visiting ancient sites, comparing languages. You dont hear much about it, the mainstream media dismisses their work as fringe.
I too assumed they are kooky at first but there is a lot of solid evidence being put forward that can not be denied. That is why I no longer accept the version of history being taught in schools."
"So whats your theory" Misra asked
"The humans are first people on Duniya, divine creatures created by the creator himself in his image. Once upon a time humans used to rule all of Duniya. There were no Felis or Canis. They came from lowest of low humans. Slaves and low caste and condemned criminals. People who were not allowed to take shelter during solar flares. Those condemned to live outside without any shade."
"But radiation poisoning would kill you shortly if you lived like that" Zara said.
Duniya has no magnetic field or ionsphere. Lethal radiation from Duniya's sun, the red dwarf star Angar filters down mostly unimpeded. The amount of radiation increases further during flare cycles common in red dwarfs. Life on Duniya focuses on minimizing solar exposure to as little as possible. Thick clothes cover the almost entire body when in the sun.
In the poles cities are often built into so called shadow valleys. In slopes of mountains where it is shadow for most or all of the day. Often areas of the city illuminated by sunlight see no outdoor activity until it recedes again. City streets frequently have shades built on top of them. Outdoor work is usually carried out during the night. As soon as sun dawns workers retreat into cover. Many Felis and Canis cities follow a nocturnal schedule. Where most of their work is carried out during the long polar nights and the city goes mostly indoors and not so active during summer months.
Humans often use what is called trench cities. Cities dug underground like trenches. All the buildings are 2-3 story high and lie at bottom of a 50 feet or higher trench. Often the top of the trench is covered by shade as well. This ensures continuous shade through day. Unlike Felis
and Canis cities the human cities remain active throughout the year due to better shade coverage.
When working outdoor in sun workers always wear protective clothing and try to setup a shade. Long distance travel is always done by vehicle and never by foot. Usually a landsailer in past and motorized trucks and landships and airships today.
There are also solar flare events lasting few hours to few days. Forecasting flares is an ancient astronomical art. When a flare event is forecast by astronomers people take shelters indoors until the flare is over. Too much exposure to Angar's light will cause skin cancer and permanent DNA damage. People exposed to too much sun will become infertile or produce mutated and sick children who cant survive. During flare events just few hours in direct sun light can cause radiation poisoning.
"Most of the exiled humans did die from radiation poisoning. They travelled by foot into the coastline of the shallow sea. There they found homes in the cliffs which contain cave systems. The surviving humans were all mutated by the journey and living under the sun until they could build shaded residences. The ones that lived acquired traits useful under such conditions."
Rohan continued
"They often had to work at night and adapted better night-vision. The claw and teeth came from feral living. Fur appeared to withstand night-time cold. Normally such adaptations take time, maybe thousands of generations. But the intense radiation from Angar accelerated the mutation and natural selection process."
"So thats your theory for why we have fur and claws and sharp vision ? Not because we evolved from different animals ?" Calhoun said.
"Yes, the Felis and Canis are basically deformed humans. You try very hard to deny your human roots and any association with us. Because the truth is frightening."
"That does not make sense but whatever please continue" Calhoun spoke
"The reason Felis hate humans today is because we oppressed them, ruled over them and enslaved them. Positions were reversed back then, with humans living in prosperous cities of the High continent. And the Felis and Canis as struggling bands of nomads in the desert."
"So how did High continent became non human ?" Misra asked.
"You all certainly know of the Marconi empire. The greatest nation in Iron era High continent and supposedly the origin of modern Felis culture. But the Marconis were mainly human. Felis were nomadic subjects they ruled over living along edges of their empire. They were not even allowed to enter the High continent, being seen as an unclean beast race. The human treatment of Felis back then was pretty brutal."
"During the fall of the Marconi empire the Felis tribes of the desert took their revenge. They invaded the High continent and sacked the Marconi capital, Tartus. This is the event that marked beginning of Felis presence in the High continent. But the Felis were not a majority in the next few centuries. During the Steel era humans and Felis lived side by side. There was some peace and understanding and they worked together to produce some great works of art and science. However the peace would not last."
"Eventually the human ruling establishment grew frightened of growing number of Felis. The Felis were sick of being treated as second class citizens. Felis were seen as thieves and prostitutes, dishonest and cruel. Areas Felis lived in were full of squalor and poverty. The establishment began cracking down on the Felis with harsh laws. The Felis got angrier and began fighting back, first with words then weapons. Then the establishment fought back harder with even harsher measures and more oppression. Eventually this culminated in pogroms and ethnic cleansing of many Felis areas."
"Many average humans often had great fear and dislike of Felis and shared their ruling classes xenophobia. They formed mobs and militias, burning down Felis inhabited districts, conducting massacres and mass rapes and so on. This kind of events created sympathy among more neutral minded humans and made them despise their more extremist brethren. Through their effort the conflict ended with the Felis earning rights as equal citizens. Which would sadly prove undoing of humanity."
"Over next few centuries the Felis would become the majority population of the High continent. The human ruling classes found it advantageous to side with the Felis, taking on Felis members as a way to build rapport with growing Felis population. Eventually the new Felis nobility replaced them."
"Thus began Felis rule over the High continent. But humans did return to High continent once more."
"Are you referring to Seeker invasion ?" Misra asked.
The Seeker religion began in southern shore of the shallow sea. The Seeker way preached equality of all people regardless of species or social rank. It proved very popular among the downtrodden and quickly amassed large numbers of Zazaber and human followers.
It also proved a theological challenge to the Illuminated Path. The Illuminated Path deified its founder, Lightbringer, as a god. The Seekers claimed that the Pathists are mutilating Lightbringers memory. Lightbringer was a mere mortal. He claimed to have knowledge of True Religion, the faith that all peoples followed in the heavens before they were cast down to Duniya. He said through moral living and following the rules he claim to have knowledge of, one could be rewarded with understanding of True religion just he was.
The Illuminated Path was not about gaining admission to heaven. Rather gaining knowledge of True religion, which has been lost to people. The people of Duniya are cursed Lightbringer said because the creator, whoever He maybe will not send any divine guidance to them. Those of them who are lucky will seek their own salvation.
At least thats how the Seekers saw the Illuminated Path before it went astray according to them. The Illuminated Path today is about Lightbringer as a living God of Time. The universe is an endlessly repeating cycle it tells. Normally each cycle would be identical because the universe is deterministic. But Lightbringer is a special person who is aware of the differences. He makes slight changes each iteration. The result is that everything that follows Lightbringers era changes through the butterfly effect. He ensures that the person who is doomed to die at ten years age does not have to do so, that there will be infinite number of timelines with infinite possibilities.
The Seekers say that the world is indeed trapped in an infinite time loop. And Lightbringer is indeed creating infinite variations. However he is no God. He is merely recalls the memory of previous timelines each time he comes into existence. Lightbringer through his numerous repetitions had figured whether things like souls, god,afterlife etc exist. He has no concrete answers to their nature but could tell whatever it might be the people of Duniya are not following the right path. Thus he asks them to focus on finding answers, answers to what he saw as the most important questions.
The Seekers have become the predominant faith among the Zazaber and a considerable number of humans follow them also. The rest of humans follow the Illuminated Path. The Seekers became a military order and tried to convert the world to what they saw as the Righteous way. They fought bitter centuries long wars with the Illuminated Path. Eventually they invaded the High continent, the epicenter of Illuminated Paths power. And ruled nearly half of the polar regions at the height of their power. Today the Seeker religion is back where it started, religion of poor, impoverished humans of the desert and disenfranchised Felis like the Zazaber.
"The Marsala empire was primarily a Zazaber one. Humans were a minority group, often they were just slaves." Calhoun said
Marsala was the main polity arising after invasion of the High continent by Seekers.
"No you have it wrong. Marsala was a human polity. It took on many Felis slaves on the high continent who adapted the Seeker religion."
"You believe any of this ?" Calhoun asked
"It is just too weird to be true" Zara replied.
"Well it does sound crazy. Especially the origin of Felis and Canis. Solar radiation turning humans into Felis ? Oh really ? On other hand I cant deny the official history we learn does have plenty of holes and too many unexplained mysteries. Like where did all stuff like the titanium plates or what looks like copper wiring in ancient ruins come from." Misra said.
An beeper sounded. Calhoun reached to answer the intercom.
"Enough with the chit-chat guys, looks like we are approaching the nav-point" Zara said as she glanced at her console.
"Calhoun this where you get down ?" Misra.
"Yeah" Calhoun replied.
A voice came through the inter-com. It was from the gun-trucks driver compartment, the load-master was speaking.
"We are approaching our rendezvous point with the army. There is a small out-post ahead that needs some supplies. We would be unloading some crates and personnel here;."
The load-master paused then continued
"Soon we will be descending into the Kerman basin. Put on cooling vests and filter masks everyone.Outside temperatures will peak in the 80 C range. 60-70 C average."
Temperatures spiked with negative elevation. Much of the sand oceans were kilometers below the "surface". Which is taken as the altitude with room temperature and pressure. Small vehicles like trucks did not venture deep into the sand ocean. That was a job for large landships. But trucks do often deep into moderate depth basins along the shores of the sand ocean. Like all trucks used in desert Misra's gun truck was equipped with extensive cooling system. If it failed they risked a heat stroke.
Calhoun was already wearing a military model cooling vest below his armor layer. There was a hump like pack on his back, which contained the power supply and cooling unit. The cooling vest itself was a simple plastic vest with small pipes running through it. Coolant circulated through the pipes keeping the wearer cool.
The cooling vest is worn by anyone who works outside in the desert during day time. Originally invented by Zazaber it has become the signature element of both Zazaber and human desert nomads. The High continent people have also adopted the cooling vest and use it extensively.
Misra put on his cooling vest. His was somewhat lighter than Calhoun being simply a vest, a small pack and mask.with goggles and filter against sand and hot air. Calhoun's vest not just covered his torso but also connected to cooling elements in his limb armor and his helmet padding. This kept his whole body cool, vital for a soldier expected to fight in the desert heat. Zara and Rohan put on vests similar to Misra.
"So where are you going ?" Misra asked Calhoun
"From what I heard the Inverted mountain. There is a scientific expedition from Niocene university studying them. I am headed there as part of the military security detail."
The Inverted mountain looked like a giant rock, about size of an asteroid dropped on the ground. Basically an asteroid that soft landed. No one knew what created them.
"They trying to find it's origin ?" Misra said.
"Yeah. The composition of the rocks do not match Duniya's soil. It seems to be closer to spectral analysis of objects in space." Zara replied.
"While a fascinating scientific issue seems strange the Covenant military would take such interest in it, unless they had something to gain from the study.:"
"Well from what I heard the military has been sending expeditions studying various asteroid impact sites. If the inverted mountain is indeed an asteroid it would be the largest one ever found." Calhoun spoke.
"Thats assuming it is an asteroid, if it is an asteroid it ought to have disintegrated on impact." Zara said.
"Maybe it came down at an unusual angle and velocity." Misra said
"Why dont we send spacecraft to study some live asteroids instead of digging up dead ones?" Rohan asked.
"As a matter of we do. You dont hear much about it because most of these deep space missions are military. They might have found something interesting in those rocks I guess." Zara said.
The gun truck slowed down to a halt.
"Time to disembark." Calhoun said.
Misra and others began exiting the turret compartment. They walk through the cargo compartment to a ramp. It was windy and dusty outside. The dusty sky looked yellow tinted in the afternoon light.
A lifting body dirigible airship, the Dromedary written on its side in bright red letters, was hovering. The Dromedary's lift fans were kicking up a cloud of dust on the ground. Ropes winched down from the airships cavernous cargo compartment to ground. There soldiers on ground were loading crates onto the winches which pulled them up..
There were gun turrets on the bottom and sides of Dromedary's hull. Misra could also make out radomes and sensor blisters.
Misra looked at the soldiers. This was some kind of a temporary outpost, they were dismantling it now and loading the whole thing back into the airship.
"Looks like the Dromedary will be refueling. They want us to transfer some fuel to them. The tanker trucks are on it." the load master explained what was happening to his sub-ordinates.
Two of the trucks in the convoy were tankers.The Dromedary lowered a fueling probe toward them which the truck crew secured in place.
"The Dromedary spotted movement along edges of the Kerman basin. The military nets also report presence of Tharkis militia in the area. This convoy would be travelling through dangerous area" Calhoun said.
"What about you?" Zara asked.
"I have to leave. The Dromedary is headed to the Inverted mountains with the troops. I wish the Dromedary could provide you with air support as we blasted our way through the Kerman basin." Calhoun said in a disappointed tone.
The load master spoke "They cant do that. There is a sand storm coming and the Dromedary's captain is not going to risk his dirigible in that weather. We are on our own. Hopefully we will make it"
"It looks real bad. The Dromedary will need all her speed to outrun the storm. As for us we have to endure it."
The convoy began moving again after the Dromedary finished loading and refueling. Calhoun was gone, now it was just Misra and Zara in the turret. Rohan was in the drivers compartment acting as navigator. The atmosphere was tense.
Everyone was looking at their consoles or peering through the viewports. Scanning the horizon for movements.
Misra swiveled the turret left and right as he kept searching the terrain. Zara controlled the optics mast she was the main eyes of the gun truck. She was glued to her display.
"We are descending below, temperature is rising" she said.
"How bad is it, for the optics I mean" Misra asked
"Not good. In this high background heat it would be difficult for thermal to spot vehicles or soldiers. Unless they fired first…" she said.
The gun trucks were entering a relatively flat area, with canyons to either side in the distance.
The inter-com activated.
"The tanks have spotted enemy movements along the ridges of the canyons. They want us to stop and assume defensive posture. The tanks are going hull down."
Misra was not surprised. The tanks had better optics than the gun trucks of course they would see the enemy first.
Why are we stopping he wondered. Why not blast our way through. He asked on the inter-com.
Apparently the enemy was well entrenched along their exit path through the canyon and well armed as well. Trying to make a run for it means they get caught in open terrain with little cover.
A small explosion and shower of sparks erupted around one of the tanks turrets. It was struck by a KE penetrator, fired from a shoulder fired Anti-Tank recoil-less rifle. The turret swiveled around trying to find the source. There was a dent where the round struck but it had failed to penetrate.
The tanks fired, 105 mm HE, silencing whoever fired that recoil-less rifle..
The gun truck shook. They were hit by anti-material round, 20 mm. Fired from an assault cannon, a handheld anti-material rifle, the human equivalent of the AP/G railgun Calhoun had. More and more rounds impacted them.
Misra swang the turret toward the ridge. He zoomed in, he could barely make out the enemy before they ducked in to cover. Misra pressed the trigger and a stream of 40 mm grenades and 0.30 machine gun bullets flew toward them.
The enemy looked like dark, armored silhouettes. The armor was wrapped in some kind of thick cloth. It was hard to tell if any were hit.
"Two Aladin heavy tanks spotted pushing through canyon straight for us." Zara said.
The heavy tanks were coming from the front. While the infantry pinned them down from the sides.
Aladin's were an older tank of human design. It was not as sophisticated as latest Covenant tanks in terms of sophisticated electronics or advanced electric engines. But was big, loud and brutal. It ran on a gas turbine instead of complex fuel cell powered motors. The armor was thick and well sloped. The gun was a big 140 mm weapon firing a super heavy AP shell instead of complicated railgun designs used on Covenant heavy tanks.
One of the Pegasus tanks took a 140 mm hit. It moved away from the hull down position. The round had not penetrated it's turret but it was clearly a lucky save and the crew did not want to risk another.
The second Pegasus switched to 105 mm EFP ammunition. Sabots were simply shattering against the Aladin's thick frontal armor, The first EFP round failed but the second managed a penetration along the lower hull. It was hard to tell whether it caused much damage or was absorbed by internal spall protection. The Aladin continued to fire. Clearly the damage was not enough.
A 140 mm round smashed through the turret face of the Pegasus tank. Everyone in that tanks turret was dead and the gun destroyed. The tank drove away but it was not combat effective anymore. A second 140 mm round struck the front hull. The tank stopped, the heavy AP round killing its last crew member and smashing the engine block. This tank was now a destroyed wreck.
The other Pegasus tank had moved away from engaging the Aladin's and concentrated its' efforts on the infantry in the ridge. A stream of machine gun fire erupted from the coaxial 20 mm cannon.
Zara looked at her display. The Aladin's were closing in. It would all be over in a few minutes.
