“Turn it up one more notch.” Nekam says to his brothers who hold the larger cutter.

This cutter was designed for mining, its beam much stronger than the small ones we carry. They are careful how they hold it, one wrong move and it will cut through the floors. They also worry they will damage whatever is inside. The black box sits upon the floor, unchanging. It surprises me, I have never seen a composite this strong.

“More.” Nekam says scratching his beard now.

Still nothing. He repeats the command and again nothing. This repeats for a time until finally I begin to see a faint glow illuminating from the box. Nekam tells them to halt with a hand and we lean in closer, there are words within the glow beginning to show. Fragments of sentences.

“Again. A little higher.” He says folding his arms and stepping back.

We all wear our black goggles to protect our eyes. The light and heat are filling the room. The words begin to take shape, it is a prayer of some kind, I do not recognize it. It is written in the old tongue.

“More.”

“Brother, it is already at maximum.” One of them says.

“Sekat. This box is stronger than a ships hull.” Nekam says bidding them to stop.

Leaning closer I inspect the lines of words before they fade, one line catching my eye in particular. When translated it means ‘Here sleeps destiny, shackled by fate.’ I read more and see ‘Thousands must die, so that one may rise.’

The last one I can fully read - is a phrase I recognize, Hada Ul Kinar, translated it means - Power through blood.

As the inscriptions begin to fade, the largest one in the center still holds its glow - Hail Thy Gods. I don’t understand the meaning it’s trying to convey. I hear Nekam and his brothers speaking but my mind is far away.

“Little demon, what are your thoughts.” One of them asks me.

It takes me a moment to process before I say “Whatever it is, it seems important.”

“It also seems we will not have answers today.” Nekam sighs.

He picks up the box and tosses it to me, I am surprised by how cool the metal is already. Whatever is inside seems to have absorbed the heat.

“Keep it safe little demon. Market should be soon. Perhaps we can learn more there.”

Putting the box in my cloak I descend the stairs, giving Nekam a bow as I go. It has been a strange few days. Moving now to Arrum I see he is fast asleep. Nevari is the only one tending him now.

“Your fool’s errand bore fruit. I am sure my father is pleased.” She says, there is a mix of emotions in her voice.

“How is he?” I ask her, looking under the bandages. The bruising much less than before.

“He is past the worst of it I think. We gave him another dose, it seems to have helped.”

“Thank you, Nevari.” I say looking to her.

She moves her eyes upwards until they reach mine, a faint glow in them as she says “It is rare that you say my name, Kale.”

Not wanting to fall into her father’s bad graces I avert my gaze focusing on Arrum.

“Neeba.” Nekam says loudly from above now.

“Yes father.” Neeba replies.

“Come.” He says, then looks to me and nods.

Neeba turns to me as well then to his father, his face going pale. He bites his nails as he slowly walks up the steps to the top. After a few minutes I hear shouting above.

“He lies - Ulima always lie - Father believe me!” Neeba yells.

There is a loud bang as someone thuds to the floor. Nevari looks to me now.

“What have you done.” She asks me, her tone angry.

It is not my place to say, so I do not. She throws a wet cloth at me and moves towards the stairs. One of her uncles blocks the way. She moves to speak with the older women but they shake their heads. Giving me a glare she sits with them.

Whack - Whack - Whack from above, the sound of Neeba pleading to his father echoing in the chamber.

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Arrum stirs from the noise and looks to me, questions in his eyes.

“I will explain later. Rest, market soon approaches, you will need your strength.”

He closes his eyes slowly, I think I spy a grin forming when he hears Neeba’s screams for mercy. I feel my face grinning as well, his cries a symphony for my blade’s appetite.

***

Night has fallen now, Neeba was beaten by his father for many hours. It does not forgive his attempt to kill me, but it is a salve to the frustration of what my blade seeks. For the first time in a long time I feel good. It is fleeting though, as I remember the struggles that will come, we do not know when the lockdown will cease. Not knowing when the next ship will be, a worry on all of our minds. Pulling the black metallic box from my coat I move it around my hands. As they follow the edges I feel a small prick again and a droplet of blood forms on the tip of my finger. The drop falls onto the box, disappearing in the creases. Looking closer I cannot find the drop, there is no trail either. Strange. Squeezing my finger another drop falls and the same thing happens. When I repeat it, it happens again.

There is something different this time, a small fleck of light illuminates from the box on one of the letters in the center. The glow is dull, but I can see it. Then I recall one of the lines, Hada Ul Kinar - Power through blood. There are two ways to translate this; one refers to power you obtain by spilling the blood of your enemies, while the other means the power of the bond you share with those of your blood. Perhaps this box is implying a third meaning. Pulling my smaller blade from my boot I raise it to my other hand.

Before I can make a cut the red warning lights for the city come on. Sirens begin blaring. Everyone begins stirring from their bunks, I quickly put the black box in my coat. The sirens stop as suddenly as they began.

“Attention - Attention - Attention.” A voice says over the comms.

Everyone is wiping the dust from their eyes now, it is a rare occurrence that this happens. Even rarer that it means something good.

“All tribe leaders are to report to general assembly - At once.” It says then repeats the message.

Nekam barks orders to his brothers and they move to leave. My mind is racing, is it about the box? Is it about the woman? Do we have a new ship? So many questions pour into my mind unsatisfied without answers.

“It must be a new ship.” One man says.

Others speak of their opinions but we will not know until Nekam returns. He is at the door about to leave when there is another announcement.

“Attention - Stay in your homes - Await further instructions.” The voice says.

The red lights turn to their normal white glow once more. A loud grinding noise from above, metal against metal. Crashes of metal falling to the main level. Vibrations shaking the entire city. Arrum stirs from his slumber looking to me seeking answers I cannot give. Moving towards the walls I climb up the side and peer through a small hole. My brain does not believe my eyes.

“What do you see?” I hear Nekam ask me.

“My chief - the dome, they are opening it.” I say.

Nekam climbs up to me, peering through another small hole. His eyes grow wide. Looking through again I look upon the dome of our city opening like a desert flower in bloom. Above there are dropships, hundreds of soldiers in metal suits attached to the sides. The ships descend slowly until they are right above the roofs of metal homes. Light billows from the bottom of the craft as it cuts holes in the dwellings.

“Move to the walls!” Nekam roars.

Moments later a laser rips through the roof melting beds in its way to slag. A man screams his leg severed. Jumping down I rush across the room to Arrum, pulling him from the bed just as a laser cuts it in half.

Thud – Bang!

A blinding light and deafening noise drops me to my knees. My eyes adjust to the light, I am dazed. My ears ring loudly. I can barely make out what is happening. As my ears adjust, I hear screaming and the crying of children. There are metal clad soldiers jumping through the hole in the ceiling. They push us against the walls and tell us to drop to our knees.

“Who among you is the leader?” one of the soldiers asks, his armor is different, there is an insignia on his shoulder. They are Republic soldiers; I have only ever seen them in holos.

Nekam raises his hand, the man motions for him to be brought over, they slam him to his knees and point their guns at him.

“Have you or anyone from your tribe had contact, or heard of anyone having contact from individuals belonging to the Gallec Empire?”

Nekam shoots a look over to me, then looks back to the man, my heart begins to beat quicker.

“No, lord.” He says.

“Have you had any dealings with the rebel faction?”

“I know nothing of a rebel faction, lord.” Nekam says.

“Search it.” The soldier in charge says motioning his hand in a circle.

The soldiers begin knocking over beds and tearing up the metal floor. One by one they take us, a Bipki - demon eye drone scans the room and another scans us. They strip us down to our underwear and search our clothes. My heart is raging in my chest as one of the soldiers finds the black box among the folds. He looks at me and then to the small box.

“What is this?” he asks, looking it over in his gauntlet.

“A trinket, lord.” I lie. I see Nekam looking to me, his eyes have worry in them.

He tries to open it forcefully, but it does not budge. There is a loud bang from an explosion a couple hundred meters from us, the tremor shakes the floors. The box falls from his grasp landing in the pile of my clothes. He and the other soldiers file out of our home quickly heading towards the noise. As they leave the leader says one thing to us.

“Stay.”

Boom - Boom – Boom!

Another series of explosions rock the floor, these ones farther away. Everyone begins dressing themselves again and huddling against the walls. Nekam moves to me now.

“The box?” he asks me.

I pull it from my cloak showing it to him.

“Get rid of it.” He says pointing to the door.

“My chief…” I begin, but he grabs me by the shirt his face close to mine. He is afraid, it is the first time I have seen him this way. His Kuwathi eyes are aglow.

“It is too great a risk - Go now.” He demands “Take it far from here.”

Sekat, he is not wrong. Rushing through the doorway, I look around. There is smoke billowing from many areas of the city. The moons hanging high in the sky, overlooking the bloomed dome. Moving away from the explosions I rush through the side streets keeping my head low and my face covered. There are screams in the streets, I hear the pops of plasma weapons discharging in the distance.

Turning the corner I see a squad of soldiers jogging in my direction. Sekat.

“Halt!” I hear them yell.

Boom - Boom – Boom!

The explosions throw me to the ground like a ragdoll. My ears are ringing again, metal and sparks flying everywhere. I feel my head, my fingers slick with my blood. Stand up, you must run I tell myself. Sekat.