-Conrad-

"So, you are saying that for all the time Humanity has existed, for all its mythologies and crazy stories of alien visitors, you never actually met an alien species until you crossed the Expanse and stumbled into Klendigal space?"

"Well, nothing intelligent that would reveal themselves to us at least, and no places where any such species had obviously once lived. In the centuries since we had left Earth many people had given hope and just believed that we were it. They wanted us to slow down our expansion to focus on developing new technologies for improving and utilizing what we had. Others stayed true to our explorer natures and wound up developing the engines and ships that got us to your community."

Naarviix looked at him askance as she read between the lines of what he said, "Do your differences in direction and desire always wind-up becoming tech races?"

Conrad smiled and gave a non-committal shrug, "Ehh, usually. If we aren't actively looking for a new Horizon, we are looking to move it. We found out a long time ago that the puzzle we were completing with the sciences was little more than the corner piece to a much larger puzzle. Once we figured that out our drive to discover more just got wilder with the possibilities. We take any excuse we can to further our understanding of things and breach new concepts and ideas."

"A race that does it all. If someone had said such a thing before humans showed up they would have been laughed out of the room." She chuckled at Conrad's confused expression, "Allow me to re-word that. All races that make it to spacefaring have the capacity to adapt and handle things for themselves. But due to how their histories made them develop, most find themselves specialized towards certain aspects more than others. Your people seem to be an extreme exception to this rule, adapting with wild abandon to anything and everything that comes your way.

Hmm, come to think of it, something you said when we first met certainly fits here. 'Learned to live with your environment rather than thrive in spite of it?' Is that how humanity evolved? Fighting fang and claw for every inch of ground?"

"Heh, pretty much. In our earliest days it was a fight against the elements and hostile megafauna. After we eradicated the sources of our night terrors and other natural predators and banded together to prevent free attacks from the more manageable predators that we shared space with, our only real enemies were the planet and one another. Severe storms, environmental disasters, wars, plagues and disease, famine, drought. Every season there was a new challenge to overcome. So, we learned how to beat them, and we learned fast. Fighting each other as much as we fought the planet. Like you were saying, our adaptability came from our history and planet. We just... took it personally when our planet tried to kill us and made it a point of contention and pride to survive with the best results we could. To put it into some sort of perspective; that other colony you all have in this system that you only ask for volunteers to live on, Verrdinaat? We would consider it to be a tourist destination and would seek to live there simply for some exotic variety and to revel in the beauty of the storms. Honestly, it isn't far off from Venus in all respects, the second planet of our Home System that we also seeded and terraformed. Just more pretty lightning and less oppressive heat."

Naarviix shook her head slowly in amazement, "And to think that you were left all alone in your little corner of the galaxy. I hope the Council can be made to see reason and potential. When I first heard that my uncle had once again put our Clan into the Political Traazol nest I was... angry, among other things. What I heard after tempered my anger somewhat. But now, after our conversations the last few days... now I am excited and hopeful."

"Well, given your job and station, I suppose that is only natural. You are a child of a ruling Clan, and they come first. But then, among your people at least, you would be the type that sees things in a similar manner to us. New possibilities and all that. Either way, I have my work cut out for me and it is something that will take time. I still need to prove beyond existing preconceptions that my people are more than what we were presented as. Changing minds set with that idea is going to take a long time, if they ever get changed at all."

"You won't be alone in that endeavor; others will take up the cause from behind the scenes. But remember, this is now about politics. If someone makes it seem as though there is a tangible benefit for those who are skeptical, then even the deepest roots will pull."

Conrad smiled widely at her, "And here I thought you didn't play politics."

Naarviix sniffed in derision, "I don't, but that doesn't mean that I can't learn how to do it well."

Conrad's laughter got her chuckling as well, "Better to have it and not need it, right?"

She smiled at this, "The prepared hunter is the wise hunter. So similar, so close." She paused a moment in contemplation before continuing, "Yes, I think once all is considered, the benefits will far outweigh the concerns."

She picked up one of the small fruits that had been presented with Conrad's first lunch as her guest, "You have already shown skill in identifying enterprises. These Chaba fruits, you are certain that they will be a prime export?"

"As certain as I can be without being an expert in that field. They already taste like wine, so I have zero doubt that once fermented they will make a potently flavorful alcohol. I've been doing some small tests with drying the seeds also, and they might well be useful for some sort of spice or flavoring in themselves."

"Alcohol and spices... Your species desires these compounds?"

Conrad smiled at her, "If there is one thing we could possibly like more than finding new things, it's our recreation. No colony is considered complete until they have their own brand of beer or wine, and nearly everyone loves enhanced food or cooking. Put those in the right hands and your business will practically take care of itself."

She smiled back as she mulled the possibilities, then took a bite out of the fruit, "I think I might hold onto this bit of information, keep it as a Watcher in the Shadows until the time truly arrives. Thank you, for your introspection and foresight."

Naarviix checked her wristlink. She looked up at him as though she were to say something but was interrupted by the doors of the Hall opening. Ruufarrl entered the room and waved as he approached.

"Uncle, your timing is impeccable. We were just finishing our conversation."

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"Good, then it is time to leave. The funeral will be starting shortly."

Conrad stood to follow, as did Naarviix, and he nervously checked himself again.

"You are sure I don't have to change? I am used to funerals being much more formal."

Ruufarrl chuffed and smiled before answering, "There is no need to present yourself as anything other than what you are. It is a ritual, yes, but we are not a part of it, we are merely observers. We wear what we normally would."

"Not that I am complaining, I hate getting dressed up anyway. Just seems odd to me. But that is my own culture speaking. 'Put on your best face to show respect and consideration for the dead and those around you.' vs. 'Just be yourself, the dead know who you are. This is their send-off, not ours.' Honestly, I think I prefer the second method. It has its own way of showing respect to the dead, recognizing that they and their spirits were intelligent, made their own choices, and were more than just what was left in the box. Then again, Ruulothi don’t wear much to being with."

Conrad had the layout of the places he was allowed down by this point. Over the last few days his hosts had given him a tour of the Town, Manor and Grounds, and had allowed him to move about unescorted in the manor provided he respected their privacy. So today he followed Ruufarrl out to the skycar not out of need, but merely because he happened to be in front of him.

He also had a rough idea of where they were going, but the controls of the car and the Ruulothi language still confounded him. Trying to learn to read the glyphs was like trying to learn biochemistry. It was just straight memorization, and utterly tedious. Single glyphs for concepts, actions and nouns weren't too bad, things like "Open" or "Door". It was when things started getting strung together that they got wonky for him. It didn't help that they weren't phonetically paired with the actual spoken word either, the sounds of which were their own unique ball of wax. Though the glyphs were more akin to patterned and geometric claw marks, trying to learn them was almost like trying to learn to read the visualizations of molecules as words.

He didn't see himself becoming conversant or literate in their language any time soon.

Their path had taken them to the vehicle bay, where their car and the rest of Naarviix's family waited. Kiiroth's family were considered to be something akin to trusted vassals of the Nightmane ruling family, so they would all be going to pay their respects.

Their trip through the evening sky of the Hold showed just how quiet things were. There was hardly anyone on the streets, the only lights he saw were those of residential buildings. In some places he saw small gatherings of citizens around these residences or on the rooftop rec areas.

“Even humans are more active on their days of remembrance. Is this something unique to the Ruulothi, or is it a Community wide thing? I feel like it is more a Ruulothi thing, with their cultural focus on Honor and Respect, but now isn’t the time to ask.”

The car took them to the fringes of the main hold and arrowed in on what looked to be a type of ranch on the outskirts. From their elevated position he could see some people working on and around a tall, wooden pillar set out in an open field. On top of the pillar was a bundle wrapped in a fabric colored with the Red/Black/Gold of Ruuloth.

Those on the grounds looked up briefly as the car flew by towards the designated vehicle area, but they paid it no more mind to them than one would any other vehicle flying by.

There was a small group of people who moved to greet them as the car came to a landing. Among them he could see Kiiroth’s father, whom he had seen briefly at the Shuttle Port.

As the doors opened, Conrad waited to exit last, giving his hosts their due deference. The welcoming committee greeted their visitors warmly, and Conrad saw that Kiiyoor wasn’t as rigid as he had been before. He was privately glad for it, as he knew that it meant the man had managed to come to terms with his grief in some form already and was prepared for what came next.

“Nightmanes! Welcome, and thank you for coming. You Honor our son and us with your presence.”

His voice was of a gentle timber. It would likely get drowned out in a noisier environment, but Conrad had no doubt that it also had the steel to it to be heard over such things if it were needed.

“Master Ruufarrl. Please forgive my rudeness at the Port. You have my deepest gratitude for bringing my son home. It went beyond your duties as his mentor, and I am sure the act did not come without expense. Please come see me after and I will reimburse you for your efforts.”

“It may have been beyond the normally described duties of a mentor, but I do not see it that way. I seek no reimbursement. Also, I have spoken with Ruushan. This is for you.” He pulled a folded cloth out of a pouch on his harness and handed it to Kiiyoor. He unfolded it briefly, then refolded it and held it to his chest.

Kiiyoor closed his eyes and dipped his head in a shallow bow as he gripped his son’s post-humous Mantle. “Your integrity and personal Honor are as true as ever… Clan Head. Thank you.”

Finally, he looked at Conrad, “And there is only one person whom you can be. Human Conrad, thank you for avenging my son. Thank you for creating the circumstances that allowed him to be brought home… And thank you for being here for the Vuuln-Maraal Ritual.”

“Thank you for allowing me to come. In truth, I must apologize to you. I… did not act quickly enough to save your son.”

Kiiyoor smiled softly snorted in amusement, “You would never have been able to. His reflexes were the fastest I have ever seen. That is not your burden to bear.”

He turned to readdress the group, “Please, we will be starting shortly, as soon as the night winds pick up. This way.”

They followed him and the others to the pillar, where a gathering now stood milling about, quietly chatting and awaiting the commencement. Conrad got a brief glimpse of Kiiyoor handing the mantle to someone who then climbed the tower to place it with the wrapped remains.

Looking around Conrad noticed that there were more Bloodclaws in attendance than there weren’t. It gave him the impression that it was going to be a Military Funeral with Full Honors. Considering what he had just seen with Kiiyoor, he figured that it may well be the case.

He floated around the crowd with Ruufarrl, going through various introductions and small talk while they waited. As the sun went down and the temperature cooled into dusk, he felt the winds pick up again, bringing with them that strange, soft incense scent he had detected before, which he now recognized as a natural scent from the foliage.

As the winds picked up, he felt a change in those gathered and saw that their attention was now focused inward, toward the pillar. At some unseen signal the milling group created an even ring around the pillar, facing it.

Torches were lit by the family at the base of the structure to provide light in the gathering darkness, their flames whipping about in the rising winds, casting flickering shadows across the onlookers.

The Ritual was conducted in Ruulothi by Kiiyoor, who stood in the center next to the pillar with his wife. As the Head of the House, it was his responsibility to see after his own. Conrad did not understand what was being said, but Ruufarrl was able to quietly translate the general message.

“Friends, family, and associates. Thank you for gathering to see off one of our own, of the Ironmoon House, who fell Honorably in combat and demonstrated the best of the Ruulothi Codes. Tonight, he is sent to the Great Hunt not only as a Ruulothi Warrior, but as a Bloodclaw!”

This last statement drew growls of approval from the crowd, and Kiiyoor paused a moment to allow for it.

“It is with Grief that I now commit my son to the Hunt, but it is with Pride that I light the pyre that will bring him there.”

He lifted one of the torches and walked over to the pillar, lighting what appeared to be a rope, that had apparently been treated with accelerant.

The flames practically flew up the rope to the basin at the top of the pyre. The orange flames licked up to a hole in the bottom of the basin, and with a fwumph the pyre itself ignited into a fiercely burning blue flame.

“May the Hunt Winds carry your ashes from the mortal worlds, past the Fields Between and to the Forests of the Great Hunt. May they forever carry your knowledge and experience, so that you may continue to guide and light the path for the generations to come that will follow the paths and the Hunt Winds.

Goodbye, my son.”

With his final statement, the gathered Ruulothi let out a great roar in unison. The sudden outburst startled Conrad, but he collected himself. Instead of trying to emulate them, and likely embarrassing himself, he instead took the standard human route of closing his eyes, dipping his head and placing his right fist over his heart.

He looked up again as the roar ended. The ring continued to stand silently as the pyre burned. None moved again until the blue flames had entirely died out and the rope igniter was burned to ash. Whatever the accelerant was, it did not work like lighting oil, burning in place of the wick. It instead facilitated and enhanced the burning of whatever it was placed on.

As the last of the fires died out, Kiiyoor turned to address the attendees.

“Once again, thank all of you for sending Kiiroth to the Great Hunt with us. Your Support, Honor and Respect has been greatly appreciated. Kaaraal!”

“Kaaraal!” The unified voices of the ring boomed out. With that, they began to disperse. Many returned to their vehicles and left, returning to whatever business they had been taking care of before. A small few stayed, to meet with the family. Conrad and the others from the Nightmane House were among them.

The group that stayed eventually wandered into the family manor, where they reconvened in their Hall. As they walked in, Conrad had to do a double take.

Sitting in the prime spot in the center of the opposing wall from the entrance, was none other than a Clantor Matron’s head.

Not just any Matron either, Conrad realized as he looked closer and saw the heat scoring and shattered carapace on its neck. It was THE Clantor Matron.

Ruufarrl chuckled lightly from behind him, “That did not take you very long to figure out.”

“A fitting place for it.” Said another voice that Conrad recognized as Kiiyoor. “I do dearly wish to hear the story that led to that monster winding up on my wall.”

“And that you will, Kiiyoor. But not tonight, for I have a better idea. The Blooding Ceremony for this one is to take place tomorrow evening. There the recording of the entire incident will be played as a part of the required evidence and references. I would like to formally invite you as an observer.”

Kiiyoor clenched his hands, torn between needing to know and both wanting and not wanting to see the incident as it unfolded. Finally, he nodded, “Thank you. I will take you up on the offer.”

“Good, I will send you the details.”

Conrad looked back and forth between the two of them, before his brain finally settled on a piece of what he had heard.

“Wait… you have the video?”