Part 2: Destruction
Chapter 10, part 1
Da'Mani'k
The Vasari
8 years ago, galactic position 260, 209, planet code named DOMINATION
Lava shot into the sky, burning up the air around it as it heated the atmosphere to more than 18,000,000,000,000,000,000 degrees Orkanheit. It fell back to the ground, burning up the rock where it landed, leaving the planet's surface constantly hissing and bubbling. The parts that weren't already covered in mountains of flowing lava. Fokxnim, as always, grinned in the traditional Vasari manner whenever he looked out upon his planet, by contracting the rough holes and taunt strings of skin where his lower face would have been if he was a terran, and making them tingle from the tension. That was equivalent to a boastful laugh. There was Flankx, far out across the deep reaches of space, struggling to command an entire species yet forced to be only secretary of the one that did, and here he was, easily controlling the most powerful force of that species. The Mani'k. Fokxnim's vocal strings, as the taunt stretches of skin were called, quivered violently. Yes, that was a great joke. A noise behind him made Fokxnim whirl around, flinging out his postmorteyim, the special Mani'k spear that could bring back those lost to the Dark Thought, and plunged it into the Vasari soldier who had crept up behind him. The Vasari didn't make a noise as it fell. Fokxnim hissed through his vocal strings. The Mani'k shouldn't have snuck up on him, he was taught to always announce his presence. A little taste of death would be just the thing for this one.
A long stretch of time passed during which the spear, embedded in the Vasari's chest, glowed faintly with the light of nanobiotic power and sparked occasionally. Fokxnim frowned at that. He would have to get it replaced, it was getting old. Eventually the spear let out a long hiss, as if it was releasing its breath, and Fokxnim jerked the spear out of the Vasari's torso. The Mani'k soldier jerked up and looked around wildly. Seeing Fokxnim standing over him, he blushed, in the manner of Vasari, which was to gouge a hole in his arm. Not too deep, but one that drew blood.
"Forgive me, Da'Mani'k," he began, but Fokxnim cut him off.
"You were ssstupid, child...." He hissed, the accent of the ancient Vasari of old unusually pronounced. If Fokxnim was hissing more than usual, it was only for the other Vasari's good. Let him remember who he was talking to.
"Of...of course I was, Da'Mani'k, I was bringing an urgent message.." At the look on Fokxnim's face, the Mani'k soldier unobtrusively reached down and bit a deeper hole into his arm.
"What is your message," Fokxnim replied, when he had judged the blood fallen to be sufficient.
"The Fleet Admiral Commander, he has arrived," the Mani'k said in a rush, as if to finish his business as quick as possible so he could retreat.
"Vorg?" Fokxnim asked in disbelief. Vorg was in his pocket, he was truly terrified of Fokxnim, as he should be. Fokxnim had made that very clear. He wouldn't dare approach Fokxnim's planet without asking permission first.
"N-no, Da'Mani'k," the Mani'k stuttered. Fokxnim sneered at the Vasari. He would die soon. Tonight, if Fokxnim could manage it. The Mani'k were always in control of themselves, and he would not allow any less. This sniveling wretch didn't deserve the honor his blood tree allowed him. Just as he was picturing exactly how this Mani'k would die, what he was saying caught his attention.
"Flankx is the new Fleet Admiral?"
"Y-yes, Da'Mani'k, he is the new Admiral Commander," the Vasari soldier stuttered. Fokxnim wouldn't even think of him as Mani'k anymore.
With a hiss of annoyance, Fokxnim retrieved his spear from where it was laying on the floor next to the Vasari soldier and speared him in the chest, this time taking the spear out with a pleasant crunch of bone. The Vasari soldier looked up at him, stricken, then fell back to the floor, the expression permanently frozen across his face. Striding outside, Fokxnim hissed, "Clean up my office," to his door guards, as if he needed any, who saluted him by touching forefinger to forehead and dipping their heads slightly, as was tradition, and marched inside. Fokxnim let his vocal strings hang loose, the equivalent of a Vasari frown. What was Flankx doing here? And when was he made Fleet Admiral Commander? That was the important question, how long had Flankx been building up his nerve to come see him. That would give Fokxnim an idea of how sinister and domineering he should act. But he didn't know, so he would just act as he always did around his troops.
"What in the Darkness's bloodied, dank, troubled history gave you the right, the audacity, to come here!" He shouted at Flankx as soon as he saw him.
Flankx rose stiffly. "Please be seated, Sightblinder."
Fokxnim growled low in his throat, a declaration of war. He would not have this insignificant Vasari, not even a Mani'k!, order him around. He stayed standing. Flankx did nothing, just let the time stretch. Well that was fine with Fokxnim, he had all day. Weeks, if need be. If he got bored, he could just kill Flankx's thirty guards that he had brought with him. Fokxnim had to work hard to keep his vocal strings from quivering. Thirty! Fokxnim killed more than that before breakfast, just to warm himself up. The fact that he brought them out of the Dark Thought afterwards made no difference. There would be no second chances for these guards.
"I believe I told you to sit, Sightblinder," Flankx eventually said again, more steadily.
Fokxnim looked at him as if he was below even his recognition. And said nothing.
"Sit." Flankx was holding a gun. How did he draw it so fast?
The thirty guards made to do the same, but before they could even lay their hands on their holsters, Fokxnim had his spear up against the nearest guard's throat, which was still across the large room.
"Don't be foolish," he said in a low whisper to the other guards. To their credit, they hesitated a second before removing their hands from their guns.
Flankx laughed. "Oh come now, Sightblinder, is this really the impression you want to implant within these Vasari? Sit down." He pointed the gun at Fokxnim's chest. "Now."
Fokxnim slowly lowered himself into one of the seats that lined the vast situation room of his offices. The Palace, as the other Mani'k referred to it as. Well, so be it.
"What are you doing here, Flankxssss?" Fokxnim repeated, using more civilized speech if not manner. He drew out the hiss in his words, reminding Flankx of his ancestry. If Flankx took any notice, however, he didn't show it.
"I have come, Sightblinder, to remind the Mani'k that they too are part of the Empire, and can be called on to do the Empire's will." Flankx paused for emphasis. "At the Empire's will."
Fokxnim let his vocal strings quiver in rage. Let the Admiral Commander know what he thought of that.
"And the Empire does have something for you," Flankx said, standing up, "Oh no no no, don't trouble yourself, Sightblinder. Remain seated." He continued to point his gun at Fokxnim. Fokxnim lowered himself back into his chair, his rage building. Oh, how the Vasari were known for their rage.
"This," Flankx continued, bringing a picture up on one of the screens that lined the walls of the situation room, "is a human. I want you to capture this human. Bring him back alive. He was last seen in this region." Flankx brought up a picture of the fringe of stars bordering the human installments, and centered on a section of planets. "This is the system where the human was last seen, the Elutar system. I want you to take squads and fan out through the Vasari fleets there, and capture every terran capital ship you find until you capture this human. Then bring him here, to await my pleasure..."
Fokxnim said nothing. Flankx obviously wanted this human very badly, but was willing to let Fokxnim consume him into Vasari Mani'k, if he wanted him brought here. That told him that Flankx wanted very much for this human to be under Vasari control, but cared very little for what actually happened once he was no longer a threat. That was interesting. He would have to study this human carefully, once he found him. Standing, disregarding Flankx's gun, he studied the human's picture carefully.
"What's the human's name?"
Flankx motioned for his guards, and they withdrew from the room. Over his shoulder, Flankx responded to Fokxnim's question.
"His name is Alexander Kol."
