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Kalon

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Chapter Six: Kada

Galactic Quadrant: Darna Quadrant

Ruling Government: Talum Merchant Federation

Solar System: D-447

Planet: Ora

Location: Beneath the planet's surface, Naro City, Yul Clan Assembly Hall

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Thoughts of what the gaunt man might have said linger as we undress into our fighting attire. Though my people do not shy away from nudity, we wear just enough cloth so we are not naked. The Sage once told me that our way would seem strange to those who rule above us all. The ones that make even the City Chief bend the knee. Before I can think further about it, my eyes see the shorter red-haired brother that I fought yesterday. I do not see the taller one. Arrum wears a grin as he comes next to me.

“Looks like his brother did not recover,” Arrum says, giving eyes to the shorter brother who looks at him with spite.

This is not something he should be happy about, despite them being our opponents, it does not mean they must be our enemies. If the taller brother is injured, being Ulima, he may be discarded or sold by Keno. Such a fate I would not wish on anyone.

“Be careful of him,” I say, looking toward the shorter red-haired brother. Arrum sees my frown and his grin slides away, a faint remorse for his callousness plays on his eyes.

Before we can speak further, the Clan Chief Barnak draws the attention of the room. We move through the crowd towards the rest of our tribe, waiting for him to announce the matches for the day.

“Each tribe will start with twenty spots, you are eliminated for the day if you lose them all.” Barnak begins, then after the murmuring stops he says “The quota to keep your spots is fifty, those who make less than that forfeit them to me.”

Arrum gives me a look, he is confused like I am. Usually, it is only ten spots and to keep them is fifteen. Our clan has five hundred spots given by the City Chief each year. We have fifteen tribes, which means that today will be the last day, usually it is three days. This is a strange move from Barnak, there is a growing displeasure from the crowd, it is palpable. This means that only a few clans will receive more spots today and that the majority will likely go to Barnak. My head turns to Nekam, his expression is calm, breath even. He does not complain as the others do, in fact, I almost see the makings of a grin on the corner of his lip. Did he expect something like this?

Barnak’s face wears a growing scowl as he listens to the protests growing louder.

“Those who do not agree are free to leave with no spots,” Barnak says sternly.

A wave of silence falls over the crowd. We all need these spots, working the mines in the summer months is not something any of us want to do. For good reason, it is dangerous and gives little profit. Fifty spots can earn many months of rations if a tribe does well on the surface.

“Lay your challenges,” Barnak says, stepping back, crossing his arms, and petting his beard.

Nekam and the other tribe chiefs step forward to the center of the room. Now come the challenges, the weaker tribes will wait until half the day is over to issue a challenge. In the hopes that they can fight worn-out opponents.

“Keno tribe,” Nekam says first before any can speak. His eyes narrow on Keno whose face has been healed from yesterday’s beating. There is a smug expression on Nekam’s face as he finishes with “When you have more spots come and see me.”

There is laughter in the crowd as Nekam taunts him. Barnak does not look pleased but says nothing. As I look around the room, I see many of his personal guards around the edges. More than three times yesterday’s amount. Each of them carries an energy rifle. His own weapon stores have increased since yesterday. He is taking no chances today. One can only wonder at what price did he purchase them.

“Why wait Nekam?” Keno says with a sneer, he folds his arms like his father, looking down his nose at Nekam. Though he does not seem keen on the challenge, I can feel it in his stance. Behind the fake smile lurks a coward.

“Because,” One of the other tribe chiefs says “I challenge the Nekam tribe.”

My eyes blink twice as I see who it is. Arrum pulls at my shoulder, also not believing it.

“We accept your challenge, Dekarn,” Nekam says.

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Barnak shifts as though uncomfortable at this development, but again he says nothing. Arrum pulls me in closer.

“The note,” Arrum says quietly, covering his mouth with his hand.

It is strange that Dekarn and his tribe would challenge ours, they have been our tribe’s allies for many years. There is more at play than meets the eye. Perhaps Arrum is right, and this is part of the plan. Perhaps the note spoke of it. As I think about it, my mind begins to distract me with countless theories. Closing my eyes, I breathe deeply, and as I exhale slowly, everything falls away. Arrum comes to my shoulder again about to whisper, but I put a hand up.

“Focus, we must be ready for our matches,” I say to him.

His face is strained for a moment, but he pulls it back and nods to me reluctantly. Stray thoughts dull a warrior's senses. Today is important for us, if we prove ourselves then someday we will not be Ulima. Arrum’s eyes narrow as he stretches and sizes up the members of Dekarn’s tribe.

“I am focused, Kada.” He says finally.

“Good, Kada,” I reply.

In the old tongue, Kada means brother by bond. We are bonded he and I. He is the only one I have ever known worthy of the phrase. I would fight for my tribe, but Arrum, above all is my family. He is the only one that lives which I would throw my life away for without question. Without him, I would be lost. It is only he and Nevari that breach the confines of my hardened heart.

“Gather close,” Nekam says to those of our tribe.

We all do as he bids and form a circle around him, awaiting his instructions.

“Save your strength for the matches with Keno’s tribe.” Nekam says, looking towards Arrum and I “You two will not be fighting yet.”

Not fighting yet? How will we win spots? How will we prove ourselves? My jaw tightens to stop the defiance from finding my tongue. There must be reason for it. I must be calm.

“Understood, my chief,” I reply, Arrum simply nods, his face tells his truth though. He is angry.

Nekam tells the other fighters what order they will fight in. Clan Chief Barnak moves closer to the mats, inspecting both tribe’s fighters and blades. When he is satisfied, he dips the dulled weapons in the black ink.

“Begin,” Barnak says, stepping back.

A fighter from our tribe and Dekarn’s move swiftly to each other, meeting with an exchange of blows. My eyes move towards Barnak, I am surprised to see his eyes are not on the fight, instead, he watches Nekam as he moves slowly through the crowd. Their eyes are locked on one another, as though they are having some kind of conversation without speaking. Before I can ponder on it further another surprise finds me. The match is over.

“Dekarn tribe, winner.” Barnak says.

Arrum looks to me, then back to the fighters. Our warrior has black ink on his throat. Careless. Nekam does not seem angry as he moves to our next fighter and whispers to them.

“Begin,” Barnak says to the next group.

The fight barely begins and our fighter is coated in the black ink. My jaw flexes. How could two in a row be so careless? The Dekarn tribe has never been better than us at fighting, we are one of the strongest tribes. How can this be?

“Begin,” Barnak says.

Another loss.

“Begin.”

Again failure.

The next fighter is Nevari, surely she will win. She rarely loses to anyone save Arrum and me. As she makes her way onto the mats, her father whispers into her ear like the others. Her face looks at him squarely for a second, a tensing of her jaw follows, but she nods to him. Her eye glances towards me for a moment, she looks away quickly, as though ashamed. Strange.

“Begin,” Barnak says, his arms are folded, and his hand pets his beard pensively.

Nevari lunges forward, closing the gap on her opponent, spinning to meet their first strike with a parry. My eyes blink fast as she does not take advantage as they nearly stumble. We have fought many times, and in an instant, I know what is happening. She means to lose. Is Nekam telling them to lose on purpose? To what end? How will we get one hundred spots at this rate?

When our challenge with Dekarn’s tribe is finished, we have lost ten spots. Putting them at thirty and us at only ten. This will not do. Now we must battle uphill to get to fifty. Our fighters unlike most of the other tribes are rested, their matches over before they began.

Keno roars with laughter as he comes towards Nekam after his own tribe secures all twenty of another tribe's spots. They are only ten from fifty. Ten from keeping those spots. Yet, Keno does not challenge Nekam. Is he afraid of what Nekam can do with ten spots?

“Nekam tribe, we challenge you.” Another tribe says.

Again it is a close ally of Nekam’s that challenges. This must be part of the plan somehow. Does he mean to lower our spots so that Keno will challenge? Only the challenged can relinquish the fight. Is that what he is after?

“We accept your challenge, Yuri,” Nekam says.

The results are nearly the same as we face them. Each match we lose, our fighters covered in the ink, their fighters bare. Still, Barnak says nothing, he is not unwise, and surely he sees what is happening. His own blood tribes do the same thing to ensure the required spots. Though they pretend they do not, we know it to be true. Only when they have more than enough do they fight in earnest with other tribes.

We only have one spot now. A solitary spot left, a single loss now will make us forfeit. Keno’s tribe has sixty-three now. He is confident when he walks towards Nekam, with his chest puffed out. He wants Nekam to challenge him, this much is clear when he preens around him in a circle.

“I have more spots, where is my challenge Nekam?” Keno says loudly so the entire Clan can hear.

All fall quiet as they see it. Barnak mulls his beard in hand still, silently watching.

“Lay your challenge,” Nekam says.

“He with less spots should challenge their betters,” Keno says with a deepening grin.

“He who is a coward fears a man with less,” Nekam replies.

Barnak clenches his jaw shaking his head at Nekam, but my tribe’s chief does not rephrase, he lets the words hang in the air. There is a brazenness in his gaze as he looks at our Clan Chief Barnak.

Keno looks to his father, unsure of how to answer. If he challenges us, only Nekam can relinquish it, which means we could win all of his sixty-three spots. Yet there is risk for us. If we lose our one spot then we will all have to work the mines, more so than we did in years past. We have never earned less than fifty spots since I have been a member of the tribe.

“Still a boy, pretending to be a man.” Nekam says to Keno, he folds his arms in front of him now and says “Do you still need your father’s permission or…”

“Nekam tribe I challenge you!” Keno yells, spewing spit as his temper rises to meet Nekam’s provocations.

A grin wraps itself around Nekam’s mouth.

“We accept your challenge, Keno.”