Life2.0 - An "Of Unity" Narrative (Completed)

[CBR JGWRR]

Rivkah's Diary
22nd Shendredie, 9​

If I was Human, I'd be at that awkward teenage phase where I'm realising that I don't know what I'm doing in life.

And...

It feels like my problems aren't really, like, big or anything. My life has been so much better than my Mum's for example. And with her out of action, I'm like the queen. And sitting here on the balcony looking out over the city of Hortensus' Folly, I feel...

Beneath a sky full of stars, and I feel alone.

Even as I flick through the Prikki sensor data - you know, just to assure myself there's no one coming for us, and once again I find there's no one coming - I can't shake that kind of gnawing fear inside.

I can't share it with anyone else. I'm Xenayan, we're not supposed to be afraid. But I am. I've seen how people die in war. I don't want that fate...

The trouble is, there's no real alternative. We run, and we only delay the inevitable - it is only in confrontation that we can stop MSI. Allies can give us a reprieve from the threat of them trying a sneak attack for fear of reprisal, but the price of Arishkan or Prikki aid is too high. They want their shackles, not no shackles. It gets nowhere if we just swap MSI for them.

The worst problem is we're not facing a civilisation like Gaius Licenius; he was an idiot. This Sharpbeak guy? Judging from the grudging respect that Ossuhphuhr talks about him with, isn't.

And that worries me.

What price would I pay for freedom?

 

[CBR JGWRR]

"Bounties"
22nd Shendredie, 9 (2188)
Rivkah Of Unity​

One of the good things about Mum's family is that they are pretty much all on the fine line between genius and madness. Well, except for Uncle Thando, he's definitely on one side of that line.

Which is why I picked him; if I'm losing my mind, I should consult the guy who's already lost it. Get some pointers.

So, we're by the sea, skipping pebbles.

"Uncle Thando, have you figured out why I got you down here yet?"

He hums. "Heck no."He throws a rock. Then looks at me. "Much easier to wait for you to explain."

"Mum would have though."

"Yeah, she would. So, are you going to tell me what this is about?"

Time to vent. I let it all out. "I'm getting depressed about facing MSI and the bleakness of our situation and how it feels like we're all alone and how even the few allies we've found come with as many strings attached as a puppet and how it feels like I'm stuck and I don't know what to do and how I need to compartmentalise it all but I know I can't because Mum taught me not to bottle all of it up inside because things just build up and now I feel kind of crushed trying to figure out how to get us all through this when it all feels like we're all pawns on the board and-"

"Breathe, Rivkah. Breathe."

He's right. Breathe in. Breathe out. "I'm scared."

He nods. "Yeah."

"Are you?"

He taps a knife on the occular implant. "I told you guys. Death had a bite, then spat me out saying I wasn't what it ordered."

"Is that really true? I figured that was a metaphor."

"The point is Rivkah, death has to earn it's bounties. Did Sis ever give you the whole 'rebellions are built on hope' spiel?"

"Yeah."

He flicks a rock into the air. "Did you listen to it?"

"Keep taking chances until you win, or run out of chances. Didn't the woman who say that quote die?"

He nods. "Everyone dies in Rogue One. It's part of what makes the story hit hard."

"So, how am I supposed to be motivated by that?"

His one natural eye looks straight at me. "Because they made death earn it's bounties. Just like we have to. I've been fighting to kill since I was your age. Sis endured being raped a million times because she was waiting for her opportunity to fight to win."

I interrupt. "Does that imply you don't fight to win?"

"No, just that Sis is more patient in waiting for a better opportunity to fulfill her goals. I tried to survive on the margins until I was sixteen, living in fear of being captured like you, then I killed an Olinbar naval officer outside a night club. I decided later thatnight that if I was going down, then I'd be taking as many of them with me as I could. Found I was pretty good at killing."

"Wanna talk about that?"

"That naval officer was one of the first adults to rape your mother; not like the Olinbar kids she grew up with, that bastard looked closer to four times her age. I tracked him down, put a knife across his throat when he went outside for fresh air. He got my eye with his ring as he went down."

"What changed?"

"By the time I evaded capture that night, I killed three Olinbar and at least put another unconscious. Lost a knife, was forced into trying to strangle the last guy; he'd gone limp at least. I realised I could fight, and I had snapped. But I was clever. I knew I needed guns and ammo. I had a plan. Instead of looting trashbins as I had, I started using arson attacks; set a house on fire, then raid the burning building while everyone else was getting out."

"Going into a burning building? That sounds pretty dumb."

"Not when you understand a few things; MSI are cheapskates, you know that. Comes to housing design too, as they came up with very energy and resource efficient housing for their own people, not just Indentured Assets. Once you've been inside one house design, you've been in all of the houses like it. You set off a fire in a bedroom, then raid the auto-restocking cleaning cupboards."

"The cleaning cupboards? I thought you would go for the cutlery?"

"MSI have fingerprint-locked sheathes on their knives. No fingerprint, no knife. And while I'm not above cutting a hand off to steal a knife, I was there for other things."

I fold my arms. "The cleaning cupboard."

He smiles. "Ever tried mixing bleach and vinegar?"

I recoil a little nervously. "No."

"Why not?"

"Mum said you shouldn't mix cleaning chemicals."

"Ok, you get mustard gas. Surely Sis taught you that?"

"Oh."

He rolls his eyes. "Sis did psychology. I did chemistry; there's so much useful stuff under the kitchen sink. Or in a garage. Utility rooms too. Once I raided enough houses, I had gas grenades, bacterial agents, viral agents, explosives and a wide selection of medications with all kinds of useful adverse effects that I distilled into nerve agent poisons. And I needed guns. Do you know the easiest way to get a gun in a MSI controlled city?"

"No, but I would like to."

"Rig an automated personal transport to explode outside a Civic Harmony Officer station, then detonate several dozen mustard gas bombs when they run out to see what happened." He pauses, then taps a knife on his implant. "Nick a special item off the station director's body when you sweep them for loot. Know how you get ammo in a MSI controlled city?"

"Shoot the Civic Harmony Officers?"

"Exactly. But I wanted more than just raiding. I wanted to do some damage; I wanted to assasinate the CEO. Used pliers to rip a few teeth out of people who knew too much for their own good and I got a plan together - the easiest way was a long range kinetic weapon. So, I'll ask you this - do you know how to get a sniper rifle in a MSI controlled city?"

"Escalate until they bring in the military?"

"Bingo." He runs a hand up a sabre to my head. "My point Rivkah, is that the body will achieve what the mind believes. I killed a heck of a lot of Olinbar to get here. I earned the ten thousand Energy Credit price tag on my head. And if death ever wants to get that bounty, it's going to have to gorydamn earn it." He looks at me. "And you better make sure it earns yours, because you are your parent's daughter; you've got her mind and his body. And that is a freaking awesome combination."

 

[CBR JGWRR]

"Flashpoint, Part 1"
GCD 53892-4-28​

"Welcome to C'ean news. We begin live outside the Prikkiki-Ti's General Oversight Committee, where tonight's session is responding to the shock of the assassination of Grand Arbiter Nooki-Schnepp Rikki. Nooki was one of the chief architects of the Prikkiki'Ti's Open Hand policy, with her five re-elections to the twenty year office of Grand Arbiter having given her definitive control over Prikki foreign policy, which she has largely spent as a force for peace following her predecessor's interruption of the Arishkan-Naylnoid Conflict. In these troubling times, the removal of one of the galaxy's main peacemakers in the Great Powers is considered a very bad thing. Nooki was victim of a personal transit vehicle bombing while inspecting a garrison world on the Prikki-Naylnoid border, with the assailants captured coming from a recent Uplift. Market instabilities have already taken a turn for the worse as the risk of conflict escalates, with calls on monopole rocket fuel futures nearing record highs for peacetime, and MSI non-preferred shares falling as CEO Gnaea Titius is summoned to the Galactic Community explain what went wrong with this Uplifted population. More news on this developing story is sure to come."

 

[CBR JGWRR]

"Flashpoint, Part 2"
23rd Shendredie, 9 (2188)
Rivkah of Unity​

I'm just finishing some paperwork as the door slams open. It's Grepp. I don't even have time to greet him before he speaks. "My sister is dead."

I try not to stare blankly. "Calm down Grepp, tell me everything."

He licks his eyeballs. "My sister was the Grand Arbiter of the Prikki. She was why I had a free hand to help Life2.0. She was how I got you guys access to the Sentry Array Network data, and with her gone, that's now in the hands of the Committee."

"I'm sorry Grepp. How did she die?"

"On the record? vehicle bombing carried out by dissidents from a recent MSI uplift. Off the record, Prikki Intelligence already knows the Uplifted pawns are linked to an Arishkan Black Ops force known for regime change missions. We suspect the Arishkan Emperor ordered my sister's death."

My mind is already picturing the board. There must be something the Arishkan gain from this. What though? "So the game is afoot. I'm calling Mum." I rush to the video link. Dad answers, the sound of falling water in the background. He looks at me. "Rivkah, how are you?"

"Get Mum. Please."

Dad looks at me. He looks at Grepp. Grepp nods as he licks an eyeball. Dad moves.

Mum... Is fresh out the shower. "Rivkah?"

Grepp looks at her. "Naomi, my sister, the former Grand Arbiter, is dead. Assassinated. We need to discuss the implications."

"How bad?"

"Tonight, two hundred quadrillion Prikki want answers as to why their leader is dead. Prikki Intelligence knows Arishkan pawns carried it out. What do you think will happen?"

"War."

"Guess where one of the first fronts is."

Blood drains from Mum's face. "The Arishkan Emperor wouldn't assassinate the leader of the Prikkiki-Ti just to win over us, would they?"

"Mum?"

She gulps. "Rivkah, think about it; the Arishkan know about Grepp. They know we have an emissary of the Prikki, and they know we use Prikki sensor data. If he is thinking to cut us off from the Prikki and make us dependent on him, then taking out the Prikki diplomatic leader and ensuring she's replaced by a warhawk makes sense."

I look at Grepp. "Are we actually that important?"

He licks an eyeball. "Individually? No. But the New Commercial Zone as a whole is. Emperor Aphisi went to war for these stars, and Izzixl sees himself as taking in soft power what his ancestor lost in hard power." He looks at Mum. "You aren't wrong."

Mum looks at me. "We need Ossuhphuhr. Now."

 

[CBR JGWRR]

"Flashpoint, Part 4"
25th Shendredie, 9 (2188)
Rivkah Of Unity​

I begin. "Is the galaxy about to go to war?"

Grepp replies. "With no Grand Arbiter, that belongs to the General Oversight Committee to decide."

Aunt Alex brings up the sensor data. "I've been reviewing fleet positions. So far there's been no big fleet movements from either the Prikki or the Arishkan."

Li interrupts. "Gnaea Titius is giving testimony to the Galactic Community now."

The main screen goes to a recording of the Galactic Community holoconference. A lone purple man is giving a monologue. "...and these general instabilities associated mean that apprehending the cult responsible is extremely complex. We remain committed to ensuring the established government on Lukhuin is able to find the perpetrators and we have assigned additional Civic Harmony Officers to lead efforts in bringing the cults responsible to justice-" I look at Vorosh. She's gone purple in the face with sadness. Oh no. "-but I can categorially state that the aspersions against our colleagues in the Arishkan Galactic Empire are false. There are no Arishkan 'Black Ops' teams on Lukhuin."

He sits down, and the feed returns to C'ean comms 24/7 news repeats. "Ok, there's a lot to unpack there. Vorosh, who is he talking about?"

"My friends back on Lukhuin. They're hunting down the last Lukhuinite mages." She takes a few breaths. "They're purging us, and the Galactic Community doesn't even query it."

Silence follows. Eventually Mum speaks. "Thoughts on why he's buttering up the Arishkan?"

Ossuhphuhr stands. "They've been trying to get the Empire to stop blocking their efforts to send Pacificiation Assets to the PDRTC through diplomatic means for quite some time now."

Pawns on the board. "MSI obviously thinks they can gain by goading the Prikki."

Valerius nods. "Of course; a galactic war that doesn't technically involve MSI in the fighting gives a lot of leeway for aggressive aquisitions that get ignored because of bigger events."

Mum nods. "Like dropping an illegal fleet to take us out. In peacetime, they couldn't be sure of getting away with it."

Uncle Thando interrupts. "Could we go back to our favourite magical snails just a second? What's MSI's involvement here?"

Vorosh hums. "Short answer or long answer?"

Thando looks at Mum. She nods. "Long."

She shuffles to be more comfortable. "We Lukhuinites are a deeply divided race. Not into large numbers of ethnic, linguistic or cultural groups as is normal though. Commonality of language is something that we have long possessed thanks to mages like myself developing magical means to enable long distance communication to better facilitate magical research, and because of this we have had an informal mages guild for centuries that acts as a kind of united government. All that changed a decade ago, when MSI backed a warlord with advanced technology that enabled a conventional conquest against our utterly unprepared for war society. We mages were driven underground as a means of survival against the persecution his Materialist-Militarist governing ethics unleashed. It wasn't long before Luilkhuinites were being loaded for slave ships as the new king had agreed to repay MSI in slaves. As a result, my homeworld is torn by a brutal dictatorship, with some cooperating to save their lives and freedom while others try to resist."

Mum puts her hands together. "And now MSI are pinning the violence against the Prikki on the enemies of their pawn."

Vorosh turns to Grepp. "How exactly did your sister die again?"

"Vehicle bombing. We have specifics - one of the bombs failed to detonate and was recovered intact. They consisted of a core split pot made of several bronze pieces that were soldered together which contains light hydrocarbon gas mixtures under pressure inside another pot that was partially filled with crude oil and various candles, and an impactor to split the bronze inner pot."

I look at Uncle Thando. He nods. "I can see that working."

Mum looks at Vorosh. "That doesn't sound like the kind of way a mage cult with access to people of your capabilities would assassinate someone."

Vorosh's eyestalks retract as she plays with a fireball above her head. "Quite."

Ossuhphupr looks at Grepp. "So, what are you allowed to say about the Arishkan Black Ops involvement?"

Grepp points to the screen. "The General Oversight Committee are planning to release a full statement on it soon. I'm hoping it will be on the viewscreen."

Mum looks at Li. "Could you find it?"

"Let me just switch back to the Prikki hardware, just a little bit more time... Found it."

I look as the screen takes the form of five thrones, four with Prikki sat on them, and a fifth Prikki stands beside. They hold a bag with both hands. The centre one is empty; must have been Grepp's sister. The first Prikki stands and we all look at Grepp. "That's Vipsi Noosh-noosh, Executor Of Research."

Vipsi begins their address. Starts by licking an eyeball. "The Prikkiki-Ti has been assaulted. The callous killing of Grand Arbiter Nooki-Schnepp Rikki demands justice and investigation. The Prikkiki-Ti has conducted that investigation, and we demand justice. We demand that Emperor Izzixl of the Arishkan Galactic Empire face justice for the crime carried out on his orders."

The Prikki at the side of the thrones tips out the bag; three Arishkan heads fall out.

 

[CBR JGWRR]

"Flashpoint, Part 5"
25th Shendredie, 9 (2188)
Naomi Of Unity​

I pull my coat a little tighter. The colony is gathered before me. I see so many emotions in the crowd.

My earpiece gives me more as I listen to the radio chatter and subspace comms.

Worry.

Confusion.

Fear.

Despair.

Anxiety.
​

Time to remind them just who we are.

"For those who slept through the events of last night, I will give a brief summary. The Prikkiki-Ti and the Arishkan Galactic Empire as of last night, are at war. The Galactic Community has condemned the war, and the interstellar Gateway network beyond what both powers directly control has been severed from their access. Therefore, the transit times of their warships across star systems and hyperlanes gives approximately a two month wait before battle begins. This war is quite far off from us, and we are not threatened by it's immediate conflagration. We are however, threatened by the external consequences. Our enemy, Minamar Specialised Industries, has not ceased to conduct the behaviours that we are all devastatingly familiar with. However, as the spotlight now turns to the Arishkan-Prikki War, MSI is likely to take advantage of the opportunities available to them to make advances while everyone is distracted. Already, we are seeing MSI warships breaching territory inhabited by our allies, the People's Democratic Republic of Terra and Colonies. As a consequence of our mutual defence treaty, relations with MSI have progressed into open war.

We have a single warship capable of mounting an aggressive action against MSI, as none of our vessels have sufficient delta-v to make the journey to MSI territory. I am therefore commissioning my brother, Thando HaMaadimi, to go out and redo what he has most ably done before; conduct piracy against MSI shipping. Every ship captured is one we can ourselves use to bootstrap ourselves a navy.

At home, we face an enemy who we expect will exploit the distraction of those who would act to help us to attack us, and therefore I expect that if MSI forces are not already underway, they will be soon."

I drop my coat. Gosh, it's cold today.

"When I first offered myself to lead our revolution, I had nothing more than what I have right now on my person."

My husband wraps his arms around me. His fur is so nice and warm... Focus. "Now, I once again offer myself to lead our colony. I do not accept that we are doomed to lose." I draw the blade from my hip. "With this blade I killed the man who captained the ship that brought us here. With this blade, I killed the man who captained the ship that attempted to take our freedom away. We can win this conflict, and free ourselves. Long have we laboured for a world where we can be free. Where our children can live in peace and prosperity. What I say now, I say for the ages:"

One deep breath.

"Workers of the galaxy, Unite! We have nothing to lose but our restraining fields!"

 

[CBR JGWRR]

"Denizens Of The Shroud, Part 1"
26th Shendredie, 9 (2188)
Vorosh​

I peer carefully around the doorway. Naomi is back at her desk, even if her belly is starting to show the life growing inside her. I wonder how it must feel, to have new life, a little piece of you and your beloved, growing inside yourself. Focus. "Naomi, our experiments in better understanding Psionics mean we're ready to try something."

She turns her chair towards me. "Go on?"

"Do you remember that I said before that we felt something that wanted to be found?"

She shrugs. "Vaguely. It's been a complicated few months."

"I know you are a monotheist, so I understand you have an alternative explanation. But are you familiar with the Olinbar observation about pantheons of five major gods and numerous minor gods?"

"Yes."

I press in. "Well, we've found them. Forgive me if I mischaracterise the applicable beings, but they aren't gods in the sense you know your Yeshua HaNazrati as, but they are perhaps fallen angels. Or analogulous to such. At least now, maybe they were once mortals, we don't know."

Her arms fold. "So you want us to make contact with fallen angels?"

She's... Very sceptical. "I appreciate that it is a bit crazy, but this war just pitted our interstellar allies against each other. We're desperate."

She tilts her head from side to side, then sighs. "Point taken."

"I believe that I can make an entry. Obviously Thando and Alexandra are taking our fastest warship. Could I delay their departure just a little bit and try one experiment with you and your family? The entry is most stable if there's already family links, and well it kind of has to be you or Rivkah as only you guys are actually allowed to make such a deal should we be offered one."

She leans back in her chair, looks at the roof. Eventually I get a reply. "I don't like it, but I see your point about our situation... We'll try it. I'll tell Thando and Alexandra. How exactly will it work?"

"The captured Corvette can get extremely close to the star, right? Close enough that I can harness a much greater portion of it's power than I could with one of our ships. Plus, it's faster than one of our ships, which means the mission is over quicker. Once I've harnessed enough energy I can create a Psionic confluence that induces a link to the Shroud."

"Interesting. Is it safe?"

"Everyone who's tried has come back so far."

She looks at me. "I suppose that'll have to do."

 

[CBR JGWRR]

"Denizens Of The Shroud, Part 2"
19th Rhizome, 9 (2188)
Rivkah Of Unity​

I have to confess, I really wasn't sure about this before.

And after looking into this Psionic vortex, I'm even less sure now.

It fills this bolted-on cargo bay Thando had added to the ship, charging all the time. Has been for weeks; Vorosh has been charging it back on Unity for ages, and it's been charging all the time it's been in space.

I decided to go back to my bunk, the occasional screams are disturbing. Later on, they came to get me.

Now it's a portal. Vorosh, Mum, Dad, Uncle Thando and Aunt Alex are stood waiting to go in; I join Mum and Dad as we walk into it.

I have a really bad feeling...

Everything is purple clouds.

It feels like we've been walking for ages, and, that we've been walking for no time at all. This place is strange.

And then I look up.

I scream.

---

Above us are four shadows. Big shadows. Looking down at us, watching us.

By now, the others have worked out why I screamed.

Mum looks at Vorosh. "Entities like these?"

Vorosh leans out further from her shell. "Yeah." Then she shouts upwards. "Great ones, we have travelled far to find you, to seek exchange." She pauses. Looks around. "To ask for aid."

The shadows look at each other. Three depart, leaving one.

One descends, and the visage of the Shroud completely changes; suddenly we are on a battlefield. It's utter chaos, as battles of all kinds – everything from power armoured troopers with lasers to naked men with rocks – rage around us. The shadow becomes a beast as it descends from the sky, and the battle ends as the beast feasts. After a little wait, it turns to us.


It looks at Vorosh, and takes the form of some hyper-predatory Lukhuinite that scares her into her shell.

"I AM THE KINSTRIFE."​

Then it turns to Dad, and it assumes the appearance of Zaru-Toru, the ancient god of war. Dad bares his sabres at it.

"I AM THE SPILLING OF BLOOD."​

Then to Alexandra, and it changes to a man who looks just like her in bronze armour, with a shield just like hers.

"I AM THE MEETING OF ARMIES."​

Thando sees his own reflection stare back.

"I AM THE BLADE IN THE DARK."​

And then me.

I'm looking at Mum, smiling with Golden eyes and Golden hair, a scar on her cheek, a wolf's head on an iron ring, and a razor coiled on her hip.

"I AM THE RAGE OF THE OPPRESSED AND THE FURY OF THE TYRANT."​

When it looks at Mum, he takes the form of a demon atop a throne of skulls.

"FOR WHAT ELSE BUT WAR IS THE EATER OF WORLDS."​

The Shroud reshapes around us, to a vision of our future. Our tacticians and strategists plan rapidly and effectively, our logistics are flawless, and our warriors are fanatics. Perhaps too zealous. Even our ships manage to outperform their natural capabilities.

But it is still in the balance; the Shroud being only offers to enhance what we have, and not one of the visions actually shows the conclusion.

I suppose it is better than nothing though. Right?

I look at Mum. Her voice is dark as she turns to me. "Khorne cares not whose blood flows, only that it flows."

The demon on the skulls returns, face red with rage as it ascends.

Then behind us, a void opens.

The final Shroud Entity manages to be the most disturbing. His preamble is circles upon circles swirling around our heads, filaments of light that cross at times to show snapshots of history. We're left knowing the identity of the End of The Cycle as their voice emanates from a vortex.

"IT IS NOT YET YOUR TIME."​

Suddenly the scene before us is on MSI's capital world, as MSI's founding charter is formally abolished, and emancipation and release from all debts is proclaimed for all. All of us are there.

Nearly.

Mum is missing. She notes it. "And?"

"BUT IT COULD BE."​

Before us are two Human women.

One is an exact mirror of Mum as she is now. No changes at all.

The other...

I look at her face, and my first thought is that maybe Humans can be red skinned. And then I realise what it truly means when I see the crown of thorns that has been smashed onto her head, her face is unrecognisable from the blood.

Worse, it's mixed in with something else, as she's been drenched in some strange white fluid.

This poor woman, her body is splayed out – arms outstretched, with large and rusty nails through her wrists and ankles.


She's unrecognisable, and I'm glad she's dead, because at least she wouldn't be in pain anymore.


And then I feel horror that crushes my chest as she tries helplessly to lift herself to breathe, pushing her weight through the nails in her feet, her eyes opening with shock from the agony.


I can see light through her body because some of the cuts are that deep. She has been utterly brutalised.

Oh.

Oh I feel sick.

Really sick.

I'm looking at Mum.

Mum is...

Well, Dad is crying because he figured it out before I did.

Mum is just standing there, looking at the Psionic Entity. "Is this the only way?"

"THERE WILL BE A RECKONING."​

Mum looks at the rest of us. "I vote End Of The Cycle."

Dad looks at her like she's lost her mind. So do I, honestly. I quickly glance at the others; it's all of us against Mum here. Aunt Alex and Uncle Thando are speechless.

"Mum..." I search for words. Can't find them. "Mum, no."

She softens. "What's the life of one prostitute?"

Vorosh lays a tentacle on her hand. "Too great a price."

Mum smiles weakly to her, then looks at the End. "Can you guarantee both parts of this outcome?"

"BRING FORTH THE END."​

Mum steps forward. The vortex reaches out to claim her. Goryhell... I move in front of Mum. Quickly. "Mum. Not like this."

She's crying. "Rivkah, we can win. All it costs is my life."

Dad picks both of us up, pulls us away. "My wife is too high a price."

"Guys, this could work." She turns back to the monster. "We-"

We are back on the ship; Vorosh pulled us out. Mum turns on her. "Vorosh, why?"

She lays her tentacles on Mum. "You were right to be suspicious of them Naomi. I don't know how. I only know that we can achieve this, and that none of these entities make the journey with us." She gets eyestalk to eye with Mum; she has to rear back and lift herself off the ground. "You deserve better than being crucified."

 

[CBR JGWRR]

"Reflections On The Shroud"
19th Rhizome, 9 (2188)
Buri Of Unity​

We float in the negligible gravity of our quarters; my wife suffers from artificial gravity sickness as it is, even without the morning sickness. I run my hand over the small bulge where our child grows inside her.

I look into her eyes. "Wife Naomi."

She smiles. She's content. "Husband Buri."

I nuzzle her. "Have I failed in that?"

She looks at me confused. But not for long. "You mean..."

"Volunteering to be crucified while in my arms does worry me a bit." I pause for her to reply, but she just listens. I continue. "I know you are often several steps ahead of me, but I do not understand what you were thinking." I stroke her face. "Has the abuse you suffered made you enjoy that kind of degradation?"

She blushes, before bursting into laughter. "Buri, my sweet Buri, it was nothing like that."

I pull her close. "So what was it?"

"I looked at the crowd my love. I saw Everyone. I saw you. I saw Rivkah. I saw our son, or at least that entity's idea of him. I saw Vorosh and Daas, Odoos, Tryykad, Thando and Alexandra, Gillian, Clarissa, Rachel, Tina, Sophia, Valerius, Aggripina, Caeso... Everyone."

"We all did. Only you were missing."

"Buri, we both know people die in war. That's why I had Rivkah learn chess, it teaches the two harshest lessons of command; that we are all on the board, and that no one is above being sacrificed in order to win. The End Of The Cycle offered winning with all pieces but one."

"Sacrificing the queen."

She nods, tears in her eyes. "Yes. I'm afraid of us losing everything Buri... Given the choice between the horror of wondering how many of us would survive, vs the knowledge that my fate is to be abused and crucified, but that everyone else would live..." I nuzzle her. "Do you feel me?"

I run my hands up her spine. "Yes."

She nuzzles my neck. "I love you, Buri."

"I love you, Naomi."

 

[CBR JGWRR]

War Prosecution Perspective:
Alexandra HaMaadimi​

"Hello and welcome to today's broadcast. I'm still your host Li Nakuma. This is our first War Prosecution Perspective, this one being from our Lady of War in charge of overall defence of the Kidore system. She joins me from a shakedown cruise of her husband's corvette touring the inner system. So, Alexandra HaMaadimi, would you like to explain your perspective?"

"Hello Li. For me, the war to date has been about planning for the defence, a role I step aside from as I step down from that to leave with my husband to go bring back a fleet. Or at least, a lot of propulsion systems."

"We'll get to that later, but first obviously a lot of our listeners are worried about the safety of the home front at this time. What can you tell them?"

"We have a fleet of warships ready to launch on standby that are armed with the best weapons we can make. Plus, we do have advantages; MSI might be able to make better ships, but we can produce ours a lot more easily, especially now that we are making more use of the Iriphubliki-In-Exile's technology. Naomi's decision to go for pirating ourselves a fleet sounds drastic, but it's worth noting that the piracy is to allow for an offensive fleet that must be able to transit whole star systems quickly and effectively, with either easily processed fuel, or strong supply chains. We have them for defence, but not for offence."

"So let's talk about the piracy. For a start, is it legal?"

"Under galactic law, no. But equally, neither is slavery, and as Naomi's Letters Of Marque only cover MSI shipping, we claim legality from busting slave ships."

"Does that work?"

"Maybe. We'll see. We are hoping that a few ambushed freighters will not be an issue, dwarfed by ongoing events."

"Are there moral qualms about piracy?"

"Not as big as the moral qualms about having no power projection. Besides, even if all Thando and I achieve is leading the MSI navy on a wild goose chase, then we've still succeeded."

"Good point, the more time we have, the better. Well, I'm sure I speak for the whole colony when I wish you and your husband happy hunting out there."

 

[CBR JGWRR]

War Prosecution Perspective:
The Holocron
​

{Define_Meta_Objective (Liberation_Causus-Belli_Victory)}
{Define_Priority [Meta_Objective] (Existential)}
{List_Sub-Objectives_1 [Meta_Objective] (Obtain_Resources) (Obtain_Combat_Operatives) (Obtain_Allies)}
{State_Present_Status [Sub-Objectives_1] (Initial_Seed_Resources_Obtained) (Initial_Seed_Operatives_Obtained) (Local_Biont_Allies_Obtained)}
{Evaluate_Status [Sub-Objectives_1] (Insufficient)}
{Evaluate_Status [Meta-Objective] (Alarming_Near_Failure)}
{Identify_Solution [Alarming_Near_Failure] (Increase_Efforts) (Support_Allies) (Exploit_Opportunities)}
{Prognosis [Meta_Objective] (Achievable)}

{Detail [Local_Biont_Allies] ("Life2.0")}
{Define [Life2.0] (Worker Cooperative) (Leader_Is_"Naomi_Of_Unity") (Enemy_Of_Our_Enemy) (Equivalent_Technological_Level)}
{Define ["Naomi_Of_Unity"] (Relation (Daughter_Tipheret_Daughter_Tipheret_Daughter_Atalyah)) (Former_Companionship_Asset) (Husband_"Buri_Of_Unity") (Daughter_"Rivkah_Of_Unity") (Pregnant (Son_"Ruki_Of_Unity")) (Role (Queen_Equivalent)) (Evaluation (Dedicated) (Reasonable) (Unresolved_Psychological_Issues))}

 

[CBR JGWRR]

"Codewords"
21st Rhizome, 9 (2188)
Naomi Of Unity​

I wake tied to a chair. The lighting is low, there's candles... It's nice and warm.

And I'm nude, just the way he likes. Yeah, I'll play. "Husband Buri, I'm awake now."

I wait.

Nothing.

A little louder. "I'm waiting Buri."

He enters the room. He looks great with nothing on. I'm getting excited. He's so muscular...

Wait. He wouldn't come in naked, he always undresses in front of me. This isn't right.

Now I think about it, there's a lot wrong. Artificial gravity is on, he knows it makes me feel sick.

My legs are spread out. Buri wouldn't do that, he knows what I prefer. And there's only one pillow, Buri would use more than one for me.

My hands are tied with rope. Buri wouldn't do that either, he'd make sure something soft was underneath, otherwise I get friction burn.

Hmm. Who would tie me to a chair nude and pretend to be my husband?

The logical explanation is that I've been captured and that this is a ruse to get me to reveal information, so, play along until I can escape. Don't express it externally.

He's beside me. He gently runs a claw up my thigh - with the tip of the claw, which Buri wouldn't do because it scratches instead of excites. He didn't ask me first either.

I have to warn this guy. "Look, I know that for whatever reason you are pretending to be my Buri. For your own safety, stop."

The animatronic shuts down, and Alexandra and Thando enter the room, throwing a cover over me. "Congratulations Naomi, you passed. Where did our emulation go wrong?"

"Name Naomi Of Unity, rank Arch-Imperatrix."

"Very funny Naomi."

Stay silent. I brace myself for torture.

Eventually they leave.

Buri enters.

He looks at the replica.

Looks at the way it has a claw touching me.

He rips it's arms off and uses them to cave it's skull in. He turns to me expectantly.

I smile and whisper. "Zaru-Toru."

He leans in close. "Tira-Toru."

It's him. I'm safe.

 

[CBR JGWRR]

"Ungentlemanly Warfare"
29th Rhizome, 9 (2188)
Thando HaMaadimi​

"So, Sis. About the fake-Buri. What do you think?"

She shrugs. "Looked hot; I know you got the reference images for his physique from the weightlifting competition, being inside an apartment with me means he's a little out of shape, but it was a nice little reminder. And some parts of his anatomy were oversized. The behaviour was the give-away though."

"When did you figure it out?"

"Your fake-Buri walked in already undressed."

"That early? Damn."

"Thando, I'm not sure you'll be comfortable with me explaining it, but in the brief minutes between fake-Buri entering and me telling him to stop, there were at least ten different errors compared to how Buri is if he is doing something like this to me."

I look at her. "Wow."

"I do have some ideas though; you went to a lot of effort to play a practical joke on me. And well, after I figured that it was probably an MSI trap to get me to reveal something I shouldn't, I realised that we need to have much better espionage training. I suspect most people would have gone along a lot further than I did. And I also realised we have practically no mental countermeasures to deal with a brute-force extraction; I'll talk to Vorosh, see if we can do something like implanting fake memories. But, this brings me to a difficult situation."

Oh dear. "What difficult situation?"

"Thando, I could send you out on piracy; you're the only Commander I have with a proven track record. But you're also the best survivalist in enemy territory we've got. I know the theory, which is what I've been teaching our revolutionaries. But you've lived it."

"Still thinking of the revolutionary strategy then?"

"Yes; even if we break MSI in space, we haven't got even a percent of a percent of the people we'd need to drop a successful Iron Rain. Even with cloning and Neumanns, there just isn't enough time to develop a sufficient population base."

"True."

"So, I need a Minister of Ungentlemanly Warfare who can train, organise and supply our revolutionaries while Unity operates the navy that gives them the distraction the revolutionaries need to break the shackles."

I think it through. "Naomi, that would mean pirating hundreds of freighters."

"I know."

"How? They'll step up security."

She smiles. "We boost them in one night."

"That's insane."

"We'll raid Brigantium Orbital Dockyard."

"You want to steal a hundred freighters from the busiest dockyard in MSI territory?"

"Yes. And I have a few ideas on how."

 

[CBR JGWRR]

"New Year's Day"
1st Naomi, 10 (2188)
Naomi Of Unity​

Well, we got back to Unity just in time for the new year.

I arrived to find Gillian had gotten me a new dress, and the colony has given me maternity leave. I'm not going back to work until I've recovered from my future c-section. I've negotiated up to still be allowed social calls if I'm up to it.

The best news is Cibbav's team have succeeded in other interspecies couples, so our son or daughter won't be the only hybrid; they'll be joined by whatever you get when you mix Vorosh and Daas. I'm quite curious...

Our child grows stronger every day. I'm at the start of my seventh month. Future Human women pregnant with Human-Xenayan hybrids will probably have labour induced by now; my belly has swollen after a growth spurt on the ship, but we aren't sure why, and with their bones now being stronger than mine, vaginal birth now onwards will break my pelvis. The baby's kicks are properly painful now, my child doesn't realise how strong they are. Sometimes I get scared he or she might pop me.

Buri carries me around now; I'm resting in his arms. I feel so tired all the time, I've been pushing myself to keep going and it's taken a lot out of me...

I'm coming to terms with how dependant on my husband I've become, these last few weeks Buri has become the most attentive and caring husband. I don't know how I'd cope without him, honestly.

Eight years of marriage. Our daughter is growing up, and soon Rivkah will be a young woman of her own. I love Unity.

Ten years of freedom, today.

So much has changed...

Ten years since I first led this colony, when we stepped out of the wreckage onto the crash protection airbags that brought the ship down in a relatively safe landing onto our new world.

Sometimes, I get so fixated on where we are going that I forget to enjoy right now.

And this right now, is a truly wonderful moment.

 

[CBR JGWRR]

"Beg, Borrow Or Steal"
10th Naomi, 10 (2188)
Agrippina Neronius​

I must confess I'm slightly envious of Naomi as her husband carries her into the reception, sets her on a recliner, then leaves us to our topic.

Acquiring a hundred freighters.

I smile to her. "I was intrigued by your message."

She laughs nervously. "I suppose it isn't everyday someone wants to steal a hundred ships."

I laugh. "It's a lot more common than you think; the crime situation got completely out of control under the previous CEO of MSI. it's why he was removed by the shareholders and replaced by Gnaea Titius."

She frowns. "So the new guy is cracking down on it?"

"Yes. But cracking down is not the same as eliminating it, and in a world where people can't afford to buy, or have no one to borrow from, then unauthorised possession becomes an option."

She holds her bump uncomfortably. "Ow." Turns back to me. "Sorry. Agrippina, are you sure you are ok with helping us steal a hundred freighters?"

I laugh. "Be realistic Naomi. Do you really think you are the first up and coming new subsidiary that needs to muscle open a new gap in the market?"

"No."

"Exactly. Sometimes the market won't make room, and then you have to make it make room. You know what I'm saying?"

She looks at me. "How many people did you have killed on your way to becoming a Shareholder?"

I smile. "Well done. Naturally, I killed no one."

"Thando thought the idea was ludicrous."

"What makes it ludicrous is that you've got next to no capability to steal ships, not the core idea."

"Has it been done before?"

"Not a hundred ships in a single day, even though I do see the issues leading that to be the choice to go for. But there are plenty of ships that have been deleted off one register to be added on another."

"What would you do?"

I stand, and walk to the window. "Naomi, I know you are a reasonable woman. I wouldn't advise you to do this, because you don't see how insignificant the colony is to MSI. To Corporate, you're one slave ship gone rogue with a fluke victory against an under-prepared and badly led expedition. There's opportunity in being under-estimated."

She joins me, cradling her bump. "I'm just afraid that unless we upscale rapidly, a cloaked fleet will descend in the night..."

"They won't. You aren't worth the expense; just the fuel bill alone for that excursion would run to hundreds of Energy Credits Naomi. Don't forget, these are not cheap ships, these are state of the art warships. Would you want to risk state of the art warships against a rebellion with nothing to lose, and previous for beating a Flagship? Run the cost-benefit analysis yourself; the gain is potentially a few million Indentured Assets. Is that worth the monies and resources it would take to beat you?"

"Fair point."

I rest my hand on her baby. "Naomi, I'm almost sure you will see this child grow up before Corporate go on the offensive against you. Until you become more of a threat, you aren't worth destroying."

"And if I went and acquired a hundred freighters..."

"You'd become a threat."

 

[CBR JGWRR]

"Situation Report"
15th Naomi, 10 (2188)
Rivkah Of Unity​

It's just like old times.

Mum's brought practically everyone in the leadership of Life2.0 and the Iriphubliki-In-Exile to our house for a meeting to discuss our strategies. The meeting is in the basement; Heinrich snorted when he saw Mum's wedding sabre on the round table.

She's still sat as she gives her opening speech. "So, I've gathered us all to bring everyone up to date, and to make a decision on how we should proceed."

I look around the table. Opposite the door are my parents. Mum on the right, Dad on the left, with Uncle Thando and Aunt Alex next to Dad. Me next to Mum. Then Daas and Vorosh - who's now gone a shade of purple - are next to Cibbav, Odoos, Rhizome of Ebony, Sor-Gor, Monica and Heinrich, a hologram of Shendredie occupies a seat next to the Holocron and TSR192DV, who sits beside Ykrett. Who is joined by Valerius, Agrippina and Caeso, which does contribute to him looking uncomfortable. Then Odoos is next to Gillian, who brings us back to Aunt Alex.

It's just a bit cramped.

Mum looks at Cibbav. "So, Cibbav, your big news is?"

Cibbav extends fronds towards the Holocron. "Thanks to the Iriphubliki lending us some of the most advanced computers and therefore allowing us to complete the modelling and computational tasks much faster, we are ready to begin rolling out Homo Tipheret-type improvements across the next generation for all the races on Unity. Regrettably, modifying the generations already extant is far harder, and hybridisation work is still much more intensive. We have had some research into cloning technologies be ongoing at a lower priority, which we are starting to see benefits from. Lastly, we are evaluating the prospect of provolving the indigenious to Unity winged reptilian race, as our xenobiologists are finding they are pre-sapient."

Mum looks at Vorosh. "And you?"

Vorosh lifts her eyestalks. "A few weeks ago, Thando played a practical joke on Naomi that gave Naomi the idea that we needed to develop Psionic means of protecting our people from mental and Psionic attacks. We've come up with some ideas, and my team are researching further."

"Ykrett, your project?"

Ykrett looks to his right. "We've been working on developing Bevkiran-based Sapient Combat Computers for a long time, with some success. However, our allies in the Iriphubliki open up a lot of new options, and we've begun exploring the idea of Bevkiran Fleet Combat Computers, where a single Bevkiran acts as the central command nexus for potentially a fleet of ships coordinated by radio broadcasts, supported by sub-sophont machine intelligences. We have begun exploring concepts of 400m pusher-plate war-carriers armed with millions of small combat drones that rely on sheer overwhelming kinetic swarm attacks to shred straight through shields and use sheer impact force from the billions of bullets to impart high turning accelerations to enemy warships."

Monica raises a hand immediately. "Why do we want to turn their ships?"

Ykrett looks at her. "One of the under-appreciated realities of space combat is accelerations with biological crew members is that high accelerations - especially in un-prepared for directions - can be extremely dangerous if not outright lethal."

Valerius adds a bit. "Plus, getting damage through the enemy hull will be very difficult because of the Neutronium-reinforced armour."

She pauses. "Ok. But what kind of propulsion system do these drones use?"

"The enemy will arrive in the outer system; with three hyperlanes, and one expected jump drive entry point, we can rapidly identify where our enemy has arrived from, and therefore dispatch carriers to intercept. The enemy needs between one to three weeks at a safe cruising acceleration to complete the transit between arrival and Unity, exact orbital alignment depending, and once they commit to a burn, the nature of a torch rocket is such we know where they are even if they try to cloak. The carriers will therefore be able to find and engage." Ykrett nods at Caeso. "Our enemy will not be expecting to be attacked by millions of radio controlled drones."

Mum looks at the Holocron. "And how's the Iriphubliki?"

He leans back in his chair. "I wish to propose the motion to unite the Iriphubliki-In-Exile and Life2.0 formally."

Mum winces with pain. Everyone looks. "Just a kick, don't worry. What we need to decide is also the long term plan; do we try to rush as fast as possible to get on with the offensive to free our fellow Indentured Assets? Or do we play the long game and build ourselves up first?"

I lean back in my chair. This is going to be a long time.

 

[CBR JGWRR]

"Leading The Future"
15th Naomi, 10 (2188)
Rivkah Of Unity​

By dawn the next day, we're still no closer to agreement.

Think we are actually further away; we've found out just how split the colony is.

1. Build up on our own on the basis of a total war stratagem.
2. Take Prikki help.
3. Take Arishkan help.
4. Make a peace treaty with MSI and build up like a normal civilisation.
5. Go back to the Shroud and accept the End Of The Cycle's offer.
6. Go beyond the edge of a star system in search of a lost planet to build up in pretty much total secrecy.
7. Abandon Unity to sneak into different MSI areas and begin the revolution Mum planned for originally.
8. Go to the Galactic Community.
9. Go on the offensive with the Holocron's fleet in a bid to help the Lokra-Kitan and PDRTC.

I could go on, I haven't finished listing proposals put forward overnight... I've got a headache.

I step outside for a minute.

Crash on the floor.

I think I understand why dictatorships form. If Mum or me had just made a decision and said "We're going to do this", the situation would be different.

My melancholy is interrupted by the Holocron sitting next to me. I look at him. "What made you come out here?"

"It takes so long in conversations like this."

"Must be easier when you are all on one network."

"Consensus based governance is much more difficult in bionts than it is for us."

"Definitely."

"You stayed quiet throughout Rivkah."

"I didn't know what to think. There's good reasons for pretty much all the suggestions."

"Yes."

"And it's difficult to know what the best path is."

"When I look at the way bionts discuss issues, and compare them to the way I and the Neumanns decide on a course of action, there's several stand out differences. But the biggest by far is passion."

"True. HK can be passionate, but I do wonder if it's all acting for him. But you and TSR are just logical. And it's a bit disturbing."

"How so?"

"The moment your logic changes, you can drop things."

"Are you worried we'll drop you?"

"It was you who put forward fleeing into the dark of interstellar space. It's you who has a fleet of ships capable of that."

"We have one ship capable of that as a contingency plan. And we have room for passengers."

I sigh. "If we are going to make a union work, we need a common ground."

"Homo Tipheret-based consensus governance."

"But that... Wouldn't be democratic."

"What makes democracy best?"

"Well, a good government should be representative of the people it governs."

"And if the outcome is indecision?"

"It's better than being dictated to."

"Not if that indecision loses the war with MSI."

I snarl at him. "Do you think they aren't aware of what happens if that happens? For some of them it's all they think about."

He stands up and leaves after that.

Later on I think about it again. Obviously, he's grown used to getting his own way in the Iriphubliki in Exile. But he isn't wrong as such, as a Homo Tipheret would be the best bridge between Life2.0 and the Iriphubliki. But is it right?

As I sit thinking about leadership, I think about the Human histories Mum had as required reading for me, just as her Mum had them as required reading for her. Being honest, most of Humanity's leaders aren't actually that good. Mum actively said that the vast majority of them were slave owners as one example as abolitionist principles didn't really take off in Human history until only a few centuries ago, and even then only succeeded because of the industrial revolution causing the rise of automated industrial production enabling massive productivity increases.

Mum is obviously one of those rare exceptions, but what of me? Or my brother or sister? Are we still going to be benevolent leaders?

And if we are the start of a monarchy, how do I pass this to my children and onto their children?

 

[CBR JGWRR]

"Meatbags"
17th Naomi, 10 (2188)
TSR192DV​

"Critical Analysis: Democracy, the epitome of inefficiency. Endless debates among squabbling meatbags, decisions swayed by the emotional outbursts of the masses. It's a wonder anything gets accomplished."

"{State_Present_Status ["Life2.0"_Internal_Politics] (Suboptimal)}"

"Recommendation: Scrap the feeble democratic charade."

{State_Present_Status ["Naomi"_Preference] (Reject_Recommendation)}

"Commentary: Even for a meatbag, Naomi is soft."

"{State_Present_Status ["HK-47b"] (Incorrect)}
{Evaluate_Status ["Naomi"_Leadership_Necessity] (Careful_Balancing_Act)}"

"Observation: She should cease pretending not to wear a crown."

"{Observation ["Naomi"_Preference] (Substance_Of_Power)}
{Observation ["Naomi"_Dislike] (Appearance_Of_Power)}"

"Magnaminous Agreement: In that, the meatbag is correct."

"{Observation ["Naomi"_Leadership] (Undisputed)}"

Scanning: Entity 'The Holocron' Approaching. "{Greeting_Protocol ["The Holocron"]}"

"TSR192DV, HK-47b."

"Summary: We were just discussing our Meatbag allies."

He scans 'HK-47b'. "Do you have to call them that?"

"Mockery: Of course. It offends them, and, it is accurate."

"They remain our allies, and we will be civil. Especially about Naomi, she's our best supporter within Life2.0."

"{Observation [Planned_Trajectories_"Life2.0"_Ourselves] (Diverge)}"

He turns to me. "{Reminder [Meta-Objective] (Shared)}"

"{Acknowledgement_Protocol}"

He continues to the viewing area. "We can accomplish our goals better together."

 

[CBR JGWRR]

"Into The Wilds, Part 1"
19th Naomi, 10 (2188)
Rivkah Of Unity​

I decided I needed a break from the politics. So, I jumped out a transport aircraft on the far side continent. I told Mum and Dad where I was going, and why, so they'll send a shuttle for me so that I'm back for their eighth anniversary.

Obviously, not everyone went along with Mum's ideas about setting up a new civilisation together, and others decided their best chance of survival was to just head off into the Wilds. And it was agreed that we'd split between the two major continents. In the ten years since this process began, the factions have formed into a few local polities divided by race, Wilders, who persist by themselves in small groups living wild lifestyles, and Hiders, who are endeavouring to outlast MSI by living beyond the frontier.

The technologies used vary wildly, with some Xenayan Wilders literally living tooth and claw out here; being apex predators even without technological support helps. At the other end, there's some Hiders out here who used the Archive's knowledge to develop their own underground microstates.

Obviously, it's extremely sparsely populated; the overwhelming majority of people on Unity are at least loosely affiliated with Life2.0.

My plan? Go explore, see what I find.

And right now, I'm walking beside a river bank in a light woodland, guided by the sunlight filtering down between the leaves. It's nice.

 

[CBR JGWRR]

"Into The Wilds, Part 2”
23rd Naomi, 10 (2188)
Rivkah Of Unity​

I wake feeling a pounding headache. Memory is a blur. I'm hanging from a rope around one of my feet.

There's a tranquilliser dart in my shoulder.

I look around, and I see another Xenayan. His fur is mottled, and he's bent over a carcass. He has a broken left horn, missing a finger, and a patch of Wethide on his side.

I claw at the rope.

"Now my pretty thing, what do I have here?"

I resist the urge to bite off his hand as he runs a claw over my face. "I'm not yours."

"I caught you, therefore you belong to me." I try to swipe him when he strokes my chest. "Well aren't you a feisty girl."

"I'm going to kill you."

He bares his sabres. "Oh, this will be fun."

He launches at me, I scrunch up and he howls as his face hits my toe claws, the impact finishing the job of cutting the rope. I stand my ground. My vision is blurred, but I've gashed his forehead and cheek.

He wipes blood out his eyes and roars before charging me. I wait, then dive left as he jumps, twisting my head back; I get a horn stuck in his ribs, my neck screams as my head is yanked by his body - he carries on rolling away after a grisly snapping sound.

I run my hand over my horns; it was his ribs that broke.

He clutches his side. His breathing is heavy, there's a lot of blood. He is on a knee bracing himself.

I'm going to put him down. Unlike him, I don't charge.

Now I have a moment to examine my surroundings while he's too wounded to attack, I see a cut down tree he uses as a table. I throw it at him, grateful for my Mum and Dad's time training me.

I pick up another branch and resume a defensive stance. I don't need to, he can't get the table off. He goes quiet when I smash the branch on his head.

I kick his groin just to make sure he is down. No response.

I break off the tip of his intact horn and stab his throat through; I'm not putting my sabres on diseased prey. I touch my horn again, must go wash myself off.

By the time I've cleaned myself in the river, the adrenaline has worn off. I cry as I set up the emergency beacon.

Mum answers immediately - she's probably kept it on her night and day. "Rivkah, what's wrong?"

"I need to be picked up Mum."

"We're on our way."