Chapter 6
A War Decided Before the First Clash
Khar
“Arthropodal Dak’ri are tall among IMPERIUM species but average only half the usual body mass. They reproduce rapidly and are widespread in every corner of known space; because of their short lifespans, they typically fill roles requiring little experience or specialization.”
IMPERIUM Guide to Peaceful Coexistence with Registered Spacefaring Species
Khar had finally learned what it meant to be a lesser Divani.
Living in fear of challenges.
Dreading those stronger than you.
Keeping to the shadows.
Listening for footsteps.
Holding your tongue.
Preparing for a fight you would almost certainly lose.
Losing was shameful.
Running was impossible.
That was not the Divani way.
And maybe Khar was no longer the strongest being in his world,
but he was still Divani.
Even if it killed him.
So he prepared.
He trained.
Even his sleep belonged to the fight.
As soon as his work on Vitro ended, he went straight to the sparring floor. At first he used the station gym too, but after running into Lily there a second time he decided that was too dangerous.
Lily was everywhere. On Vitro. In the gym. In his dreams.
His sleeping mind conjured them fighting in the dust. She hooked his ankle, launched herself at his throat, and with those tiny, laughable claws that would have made a Divani child snort, she ripped open his neck and laughed with that thin voice that froze his blood.
Khar knew Lily’s claws could hurt. He had seen her, when no laser cutter was available, strip insulation from wiring with those “stubby” human hands so she could repair damage some pest had chewed into the system. Efficient, precise, relentless.
Another night they were on the ship’s upper deck in the dream.
He had her pinned, fingers tightening around that small, fragile-looking neck, when she grabbed a nearby fluid canister and doused them both.
The cleanser burned his skin at once. On her pale, immaculate skin it simply beaded and ran in clear streams while she laughed.
At least he knew where that nightmare had come from. Earlier that chrono-cycle Lily had used the biocide without protective gloves. It always stung Khar’s hide like liquid fire. He had kept quiet on purpose, wanting to see the Usurper suffer.
Her skin flushed a little, then returned to its usual shade in minutes.
To make matters worse, he woke from both dreams stiff and throbbing, as if the humiliation pleased him.
Khar knew himself and his appetites. Among Divani, this kind of degeneracy did not fit anything he believed about who he was.
As if that were not enough, this cunning, enticing, lethally dangerous creature kept baiting him with her scent. Like the deadliest predator pretending to be easy prey, drawing the unsuspecting closer.
The thought of being snared by the human female sent Khar’s twin hearts racing.
He had to avoid that fate at all costs.
Something was wrong. He lacked information. There had to be some detail his focus had slipped past.
So he watched.
He waited in silence for any sign of weakness.
Chrono-cycles passed.
Nothing.
What cursed hell could have forged a species like human?
When an unexpected message arrived from Vegrun, it felt like a perfect chance to reclaim solid ground. Vegrun had forwarded an invitation to the grand opening of a new racetrack on the station, transferable for two guests. It granted unlimited track access within a certain time window.
Khar could barely hide his grin as a plan took shape.
Maybe the Usurper had surpassed him in almost everything.
But not here.
Khar had survived the hardest pilot trainings. He was an excellent driver. He would show her. With luck, that would bury the damned challenge once and for all.
Everything would be fine.
He forced his features into a neutral, even friendly mask as he presented Lily with the invite, pretending his nerves were not stretched to breaking while he waited for her answer.
“Look. Want to try a racetrack after shift? It is rare. Usually it is very expensive and booked out chrono-cycles in advance.”
The roots of his horns throbbed from stress. Too much depended on her answer. She hesitated, then, as if remembering something, nodded.
“Okay. I just don’t know what kind of vehicles we’ll be driving. I don’t have experience with… well, those.”
“Do not worry. You said you drove vehicles on Earth. However primitive they were, there will be plenty to choose from. You will find something you like.”
Khar was right.
The new track combined cutting-edge tech with the renaissance of mechanical vehicles sweeping the IMPERIUM.
In a civilization optimized for assisted operation, only artificial difficulty could satisfy adrenaline-hungry daredevils.
Khar loved how the ring coiled around the station, each sector simulating different weather and terrain to test the drivers’ skills.
Their guide, a tall, slim Dak’ri female in the track’s blue and white colors, tapped along ahead of them on the tips of her jointed arms. She led them from the stands to the skydeck, then into the garage, where imported classics from every quadrant waited, tailored to local species’ tastes.
“As you can see, we offer a wide selection so species of all sizes can find their perfect racer. Gravitational fields protect the track’s edge to minimize collision risks.
The vehicles are mechanically driven, but we can customize every characteristic, including controls and output, so that only reflexes and piloting skill decide the winner. May the best pilot prevail, yes?”
She smiled with her yellow teeth, an expression not typical of her species, but a good host tried to match Divani preferences even if she knew nothing about Lily.
Khar ran his hand along the iridescent skin of a red machine with serpentine externals, admiring the rainbow sheen.
Lily drifted uncertainly, studying the skids, air-cushion models, and designs with soft pads and sucker arrays.
Then she spotted a four-wheeled car with a single steering device.
Her eyes lit up and she ran to it.
Of course Khar noticed. He always watched her from the corner of his eye. He could not take the greatest challenge of his life lightly.
“How does this one work, Karora?” Lily asked the Dak’ri guide.
The name surprised Khar. He did not remember anyone mentioning it.
“Ah, an interesting choice. Simple but brilliant, as they say. An internal motor drives four wheels. You can set it to four-wheel or two-wheel drive. Steering wheel for direction, throttle and brake pedals to command the motor. Would you like to try a simulation before your actual lap?”
Lily nodded and pulled the sim-cowl over her head, tuning the controls to herself.
Khar decided he would drive the same model. A race only meant something if the variables matched and he still won, as he should have from the beginning.
While Lily inspected every virtual bolt, Khar reviewed the map with Karora and loaded it into his system.
Unlike Lily, he recognized the vehicle on sight. He had not driven this exact model before, but he was certain it would be fine. He left the auto-settings as they were. Engineers had optimized them after tens of thousands of test laps.
Lily peeled off the sim-hood grinning, and for a moment Khar swayed at the impact of that smile.
Damn Usurper.
Not for long. Now everything between them would finally be decided.
“Khar, you’re taking the same one? Great, I’ll watch how you do it and try to copy.”
He grunted, then turned to Karora.
“Top speed?”
This time her smile seemed genuine, as if speed tempted her too.
“Our track has special permission from the IMPERIUM to exceed local surface speed limits by twenty-five percent.”
Lily took her place on the skydeck. Khar settled into his element and rolled to the line.
Divani were famous across the IMPERIUM for fast reflexes, very useful for a species at home in combat, though their arrogance did not earn them many friends. When spectators and staff saw a Divani up next, almost everyone paused. Whether they cheered or glared did not concern him.
He cracked his neck and clipped into the safety webbing. It pinched across his broad chest, but he ignored it. The helmet fit perfectly. He was used to the pressure from Legion service, and the rigid shell left room for his horns.
At the signal, Khar slammed the throttle.
Gravel sprayed from the bright white stones lining the start. The sunny slopes of Lurok gave way to the rains of the Geror Crags, then to the pangaros swamps of Vegrun’s homeworld, and finally to a snow-squall finish.
He carved corners like a sculptor working stone, accelerated flawlessly on the straights, and when he blasted for the line he was himself again.
The undefeated emperor of life.
He cut through the finishing laser and the track erupted in cheers. The announcer’s voice tore through the roar.
“Honored guests, a new record on our brand-new track. Will anyone be able to match a lap like that? Astonishing. Absolutely astonishing.”
Khar parked in the garage and climbed to the skydeck with measured, confident steps, hoping Lily had witnessed every heartbeat of his triumph. Every holo either showed him unfolding from the seat or replayed the most dazzling moments of his run.
He could hardly wait to see her expression. Admiring, or sulking. He was not sure which he wanted more.
At the top, the Dak’ri female almost flung herself at him, but one look froze her mid-pounce. He might accept rapture from Lily. From no one else.
“Khar, that was genuinely cool,” Lily said, smiling when she saw him.
He tasted the word, then inclined his head. Yes. Appropriate.
She had not driven yet, but he had no doubt. He might have lost some battles, yet the war had ended in his victory.
Their host led Lily down to the start. Khar sank into one of the plush seats on the platform, a chair so oversized it felt like a throne. A servitor offered a tray of refreshments. From afar, visitors watched him with shining eyes.