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  * * * * *

  “What’s up?” Daru asked in a genial voice as he landed in the dry-mud space in front of the daga entrance. “You look very serious.” He shivered as he looked at the worried face of his visitor, one Suchdei, a Lind and the Susalai of the Avuzdel. O bright light, surely the Boton hasn’t come after all this long time?

  The dread-dream of a Boton of the Dglai landing was still a constant nagging worry amongst the Lai, even after all the generations that had passed since the Lai and the Dglai had parted company.

  Suchdei guessed his thoughts, “not the Boton,” he made haste to reassure, “not the Dglai, but, others.

  Daru almost collapsed on the spot! Others?

  “I have received a report from Xanei, remember he of my Avuzdel who has been with the Gtrathlin these six seasons past? He says that Gtrathlin Mariya has had word from Zanatei of his named rtath. Their Lindar found them, at water’s edge beside the round circles where the Larg come to attack us. A large metal thing is there which was not there last time they patrolled the marsh-lands and creatures have come out from it. Daru, is it, are they dangerous?” His whiskers were flickering with agitation.

  “What does the large metal thing look like?” asked Daru in a cautious voice.

  “I do not have that information to paw Daru but Xanei has ‘sent’ that it sinks into the wetlands that are there as his Lindar watched. The patrol, Susa Afanasei leads it, are, were, more concerned with the creatures that arrived with it, not it itself. Afanasei has sent us detailed information about them.”

  “What sort of creatures are they? Do they fly? Are they like us at all.”

  Suchdei shook his hairy head, not in negation but with bemusement, quite as if he couldn’t quite believe it.

  “They are smaller than us Lind,” he said and Daru breathed a long breath deep-full of heartfelt relief. The interlopers were not the Dglai but another species entirely. We must be thankful for the smallest mercy. We will not need to fight a bloody war with our estranged cousins, at least not at this time.

  He had to find out if the creatures were dangerous. He knew they must be advanced technologically, had to be to have built the spaceship to bring them here and he hoped that they would turn out to be as peace-loving as were the Lind and the Lai. “The Lind that found them,” he asked, “do they sense that they are dangerous to us and what we have worked to prevent?”

  “They do not. The sense no evil, only a determination to live and to succeed. They walk on two-legs,” Suchdei informed him, “upright and their forelegs they have do things, like how you do.”

  Daru examined at the digits on his left fore-talon. His blue eyes were clouded with worry. For thousands of xanus Lai and Lind and yes, even the Larg, had co-existed on the planet in relative, very much relative considering the disposition of the warlike Larg, harmony. What impact would these newcomers have on the fragile status-quo?

  “They are building dagas,” continued Suchdei.

  “How many are there?” asked Daru, referring not to the dagas but the numbers of the strangers.

  “Many, some are small, Xanei reports, Afanasei has deduced that the small ones are ltsctas.”

  “What is Gtrathlin Mariya doing about it?”

  “The Lindar of Zanatei are to watch and wait. The Elda are of the opinion that if these creatures are not a danger they should be left alone. She will not order volat.”

  Daru digested this news. Volat was the term for the needless slaying of any creature. The Larg of the southern continent committed the crime of volat every chance they could, the peace-loving Lind of the northern continent did not.

  “Do they have a Susa?”

  “We are not sure.”

  “They must have one who is in command.”

  “That one, if he or she exists has not been located.”

  “I will tell my brothers and sisters of Lai,” said Daru after a considerable time in thought while Suchdei stood waiting for his judgement, shuffling from one paw to another, his chelas tracting and retracting. “Report to me every piece of intelligence, however trivial it may seem that Afanasei’s Lindar tells the Gtrathlin.”

  “You believe Mariya is right not to destroy these creatures,” mused Suchdei, “you believe they are not a danger to the rtathlians.”

  “I do not know that for certain,” answered Daru with a quirky grin and a blue eyed wink, “but Mariya is right to be cautious and not to order a rash action. We need to learn more of them before a decision is made but my gut feeling tells me that they have not come here to make war on us.”

  “But why have they come?” asked the perplexed Suchdei.

  “Perhaps they had nowhere else to go.”

  “And at least they have not landed amongst our brothers the Larg,” added Suchdei, “a bloodbath we would have seen then I think if that had happened. The rtath of the two-legs would not have been a match for the kohorts. Why, they cannot even run fast!”

  “That is because they only have two of their legs and no wings,” answered Daru.

  “Four legs are better than two,” agreed the Susalai of the Avuzdel.

  * * * * *

  Each sunrise and sunset Suchdei reported on the days happenings about the newcomers. A thankful and pleased Daru learned that indeed the ‘two-legs’ did not appear to be of a warlike disposition. They looked after their young. The animals they killed they killed not with joy but to eat. He also learned that some of the watching Lind of the rtath Zanatei Lindar were being drawn emotionally to some of the ‘two-legs’.

  Now the Lai, unlike the Lind, had no telepathic abilities. If they had been creatures of the pack once that had been lost a long time before, in the misty xanus of pre-history on the planet they had originated on. The Lind and to a lesser extent the Lard did communicate telepathically.

  “It is good that you and they have this in common,” he pronounced to Suchdei one winter evening when news came that some of the Lind of rtath Zanatei were intending to ‘persuade’ some young two-legs to run away with them. This will be the means how you shall learn to work and live with these newcomers and together you will defeat the Larg when they attack once more.”

  * * * * *

  “News,” announced Suchdei with the twin airs of one who knows and is about to drop a very large bombshell. “Susa Ruldavdr of Larg has confirmed what we thought. The Largan has made friendship with the angry two-legs who have arrived in the southern continent.”

  “Friendship?”

  “Wrong word,” Suchdei admitted with a wag of his tail and a quirky look, “they will attack when Vadrhed arrives in the hot season.”

  “Does Mariya know of this?”

  “She does now,” Suchdei answered in a dry voice. “It is not good. The rtaths she has warned and the two-legs who share land-space will be warned soon. A group from rtath Zanatei is on its way there now.”

  “Will the two-legs fight?”

  “Mariya says they will. She has heard from Zanatei himself. The Susyc of those who will meet the Larg in battle is to be two who are mind-bonded, they are Jim and a Lind of Zanatei, Larya by name. This Jim, Zanatei says is the best choice. The battle that will be faced will be as never before. The arrival of the two-legs, they call themselves humans I believe has complicated the balance on this our world. It appears that this Jim has plans about how to deal with both the Larg and what he calls convicts, bad men all. The bad men have already killed some of those who they came with.”

  * * * * *

  Those readers who have read ‘Wolves and War’, the first book in the Planet Wolf Series will be aware of the fact that led by Jim and Larya the ‘Lind and Human Army of the North’ met the kohorts of the southern Larg and the convicts in battle and trounced them with a great cost in lives. The battle became known as ‘The Battle of the Alliance’.

  * * * * *

  “So do you reveal yourselves now to my brothers and sisters on the other two continents?” asked a panting Suchdei. “Has the time come at last?”
/>   Daru shook his golden head. His hide glistened in the sun.

  Suchdei had reported on the result of the battle to Daru as soon as the news had been telepathed to him, running as fast as he could to be the first to tell the story. The golden Lai had been resting by the lakeside with his son Haru, discussing what would have to be done if the battle was lost by the north. If that happened they had decided, the Lai would have to come out of hiding to resolve the situation. They most definitely did not want hundreds of bloodthirsty Larg and male convicts rampaging through the large northern continent which was adjacent to their own.

  “No, the time is not right, it may never be right,” he answered Suchdei. “We shall watch and wait as we have done for xanus beyond counting. One day though, the time will be the time although I do not think I will myself live to see it. Haru here though, well, who knows? Perhaps his generation will be the one when all creatures of our world can learn to live together in light and peace.”

  Haru nodded his own golden head.

  * * * * *

  For the next six-hundred years the Lai continued to remain hidden to all but a few on the smaller, western, northern continent. Only when the planet was in dire danger did they emerge.

  * * * * *

  POEM 2- CHILDREN OF THE WOLVES (AL 2)

  During the early pages of the first book of the Planet Wolf Series, twelve Lind, using their telepathic talents, ‘persuaded’ twelve youngsters to run away with them. Numerous adventures followed, culminating in the Battle of the Alliance when some of them were killed. Tara Sullivan wrote this poem shortly after the battle, to help her come to terms with their deaths. She recounted it to her surviving friends a few days later but only the first and last verses were included in the book. It was mentioned in the fifth book but yet again only a couple of verses. Here it is in its entirety…

  Twelve children set out for the west that day,

  Confused, bemused, yet happy and gay.

  There was Kath, older than the others,

  And Bill and Geoff, twin brothers.

  Clever Thomas, who stood so tall,

  And Peter, vulnerable and small.

  Bereaved Alan, quiet and sad,

  And Mark, happy and glad.

  Studious Emily, steeped in history,

  And Moira, her thoughts a mystery.

  Pretty Yvonne, who we often did heed,

  And Brenda, thin as a wood-willow weed.

  The twelfth Child of the Wolf, who was she?

  Her name was Tara, myself, me.

  The twelve Lind with them knew the way,

  To the wooded, beautiful domta Zanatei.

  Well-muscled Matvei and bushy-tailed Malya.

  Pale-backed Sindya and many-whiskered Stasya.

  Long-legged Radya and wide-striped Kiltya.

  Sharp-eyed Ilyei and dark-faced Aya.

  Wet-nosed Andei and large-eared Tavei.

  Deep-chested Inei and fleet-footed, my Kolyei.

  Once at the domta we watched as ltsctas did fight-play,

  Under the direction of the Susa, one Afanasei.

  The hints were there for us all to see,

  They were learning how to live, how to stay free.

  The winter winds began to blow,

  And the daga’s trees were covered in snow.

  How were we to know,

  As we sat beside our cook-fire’s glow.

  That we would be at war within the year?

  We believed there was nothing to fear.

  We were the first ‘Children of the Wolves’ you see.

  One big and happy family.

  We thought we would be together,

  For these days and forever.

  But our new planet was not as idyllic as we had thought,

  And we learned to our horror how the Lind fought.

  They fought to protect all they held dear,

  Their remembered images were so dreadfully clear.

  Kill or be killed we were repeatedly told,

  So to the war would go eleven vadeln-pairs bold.

  These ‘Children of the Wolves’ travelled back east,

  To join with the Lindars and make war on the beast.

  Fortune favours the brave ancient ballads do say,

  But it did not save four of the children who entered the fray.

  The battle raged for hours,

  As the Larg tried to kill us and ours.

  Moira and Andei were the first to die,

  Under the blue, battlefield sky.

  We sensed their deaths,

  Knew as they took their final breaths.

  Then the Vada charged with swords held aloft,

  And with them went the twins Bill and Geoff.

  Born together, died together, both seventeen,

  Their ferocious leave-taking was by us, unseen.

  There also did Thomas fall,

  Emily’s Thomas, handsome and tall.

  His Lind, his Stasya followed him through,

  To the death-pastures, into the blue.

  We won the war, the cost?

  Innocence lost.

  Eight returned home to the west.

  Four we left.

  But we ‘Children of the Wolves’ will live on and shout,

  With resounding voice, all eight will chant out.

  We’ll fight to live with thee and thine,

  Free in the land which now is mine!

  Be still, my rtathen.

  * * * * *

  DEATH IN SPACE (PART 2)

  (AL 12)

  Captain Wanda Lambert was enjoying a spot of well earned rest and recreation when it happened.

  Every alarm klaxon that the WCCS Melbourne possessed went off, a dichotomy of noise that sent everyone on board’s hands to their ears from the youngest to the very oldest.

  Not since the cosmic storm had the alarms rang out.

  The noise sent the crew running hot-foot to their duty stations. Wanda herself made a dive for the nearest comms-link and punched in the emergency code for the bridge.

  She was aware as she did of everyone disappearing out of the relaxation space, crews to their emergency stations and colonists to the emergency areas where their families would be gathering.

  Her mind was racing although she looked outwardly calm as the passengers noticed as they left. It couldn’t be anything very serious if their Captain was looking like that.

  “Captain,” said Denis MacBrayne, her 2IC, through the link, “sensors are reporting that another ship is approaching to our stern. It’s coming in fast.”

  “Visuals?”

  “Not yet but it is very big and,” he added, pre-empting her next question, “it’s definitely not one of ours.”

  Wanda gasped. Another ship! An alien ship! For all the many years Spacefleet had been exploring space, never had they come across an alien ship, nor had they come across any evidence that there were other space-travellers out here. There were protocols for use in case it happened, every Captain knew that it might, the galaxy was gigantic and why should there not be other worlds whose people had attained the advanced technological levels required for space-flighting?

  “You positive it’s not another survivor of the convoy?” she asked. Over the years she had always hoped that they might come across the WCCS Argyll or even the WCPS Electra sometime, a faint hope and she had not been the only one.

  “Definitely not Wanda,” Denis replied, “both size and shape are all wrong and the speed! It’s coming in at forty-two hundred per second.”

  Forty-two hundred! Stars. That’s over three times my Melbourne’s top speed.

  “Wanda,” Denis’s voice sounded urgent, “there’s no way we can outrun them. Your orders?”

  “How long have we got?”

  “There was a pause, “if they maintain their present speed and course, three hours.”

  Three hours, not much time to prepare for contact with what must be an alien species. What kind of aliens are they? Friends or foes?

 
; “Hope for the best and prepare for the worst,” Wanda said under her breath, “there’s no reason so far to believe that they must be unfriendly.” No reason to believe that they will not be. This was Wanda’s inner voice of caution. “If they are warlike, what can we do anyway?” She’s a colony ship, not a warship. I don’t have any weaponry, no outer gunnery and internally, some forty laser rifles.

  “Start the welcome hailing protocols,” she ordered, “and begin ‘Emergency Protocol Six’. Authorisation Code Zero-Alpha-Sugar-Hotel-Echo-Lima-Lima-Echo-Yankee-Seven-Niner.”

  “Airlocks?” he queried. Emergency Protocol Six, unlike number seven meant that the airlocks remained under the control of the bridge and did not automatically seal each section off.

  “Not yet,” she replied, “let’s wait and see. I’m on my way to the bridge now.” She broke the connection.

  As she made her way out of the relaxation area and into the deserted corridor her brain was racing as she considered her options.

  The klaxon ceased as she stopped by her cabin to put on her armour as the emergency protocol dictated. As she snapped the shoulder sections into place she reflected that it had been a long time since she had last worn it. Emergency drills were a frequent occurrence but were usually concerned with hull breaches, decompression and the like. She took a last look round her cabin as she left. As she passed the armoury on her way to the bridge, where the forty laser rifles were stored, she saw Leftenant Haslett’s team removing them from their recharge slots in grim silence. These forty men and women might not yet know why the protocol had been ordered but they knew trouble was afoot. Their sombre and determined faces told Wanda that they also knew this was no drill.