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  Much has been written already concerning the oral traditions and stories of our neighbours, the Lind. Few of them have been examined more than the one the Lind call ‘The First Tale’.

  It is the one that concerns the Lai; the wonderful, great, huge, flying, fabled beasts of Lind mythology.

  The earliest written account of ‘The First Tale’ is by Tara Sullivan-Crawford in her book ‘Tales of Rybak’. She does not try to explain the myth and claims that the words are an accurate translation of the rendition as told by the famous Lind storyteller Janzei of pack Malkei. There is no reason to doubt her words.

  Of course, it is well known than before man arrived the Lind had no way of writing down their history and stories and ‘The First Tale’ is therefore, by its very nature derived from the oral genre.

  This, the oldest tradition about the origins of the Lind is set so far back in pre-history that its facts cannot be verified. Oral recollection is by its very nature apt to change from generation to generation and therefore the story so faithfully translated by Tara Sullivan-Crawford must be in some parts embellished and other parts forgotten.

  The old game of ‘Chinese Whispers’ comes to mind although it is odd that while other stories differ from pack to pack, this one remains remarkably similar whether told by a pack to the far west or told by one who live nearer to us here in Argyll. It also has to be said that when I spoke to some Lind of my acquaintance that their rendition of the story were remarkably similar to Tara Sullivan-Crawford’s translation.

  I believe that this latter is because of the fact that the tale is now written down and not due to the memory abilities of the Lind. Now that the story has been written in pen and ink this had stopped any changes to the story that might otherwise have developed if the Lind had had to continue to rely on the oral genre.

  Professor David Wallace, some two hundred years ago wrote an essay and came to a number of interesting though far-fetched conclusions. For example, he believed that the power of the Lind to remember is almost paranormal. Today’s oral recollections of the Battle of the Alliance and of the Battle of Trumpet Keep parallel almost exactly the written reports from that time.

  I argue that these events occurred not so very long ago and that there has been no time for the oral story to change and that the existence of the written records has stopped any embellishments and changes that would otherwise have occurred.

  There is no way that we can substantiate the stories the Lind have from the times before we humans arrived on this our planet.

  There are grains of truth in them but no more. The continents were one large supercontinent once. The geologists have proved it.

  It is also obvious that the early ancestors of the Lind could neither talk nor reason. Hark back to early mankind. There is no reason to suppose that the fabled Lai actually taught them to speak. The idea is ludicrous. Evolution and evolution alone determines speech.

  In man’s infancy he believed in fantastic and supernatural beings who spun their planet out of nothingness and created man but we know now that life evolves, that no supernatural beings created the planets. The Lind talk about their ‘Blue Pastures’, where they go when they die but is this not the same as what some men and women call ’Heaven’?

  ‘Lai’ is the same as ‘God Almighty’. The Lai are a tale created to explain the meaning of life before science and learning came to the fore.

  When we say ‘Thank the Lai’, it is a saying like ‘thank the gods’ or ‘thank the stars’. It is a term of speech, a slang phrase, nothing else.

  The Lai are a belief, a fable, no more, no rational and sane person could believe any different.

  * * * * *

  The Planet Wolf Year

  First Month of Summer – Dunrhed : Second Month of Summer - Vadrhed : Third Month of Summer - Lokrhed : Fourth Month of Summer - Sanrhed : Fifth Month of Summer - Rakrhed : First Month of Winter – Dunthed : Second Month of Winter - Vadthed : Third Month of Winter - Lokthed : Fourth Month of Winter - Santhed : Fifth Month of Winter - Rakthed

  * * * * *

  CHARACTERS

  (Wolves – Planet Wolf- Volume 1) - (Courage – Planet Wolf – Volume 2) - (Honour - Planet Wolf – Volume 3]) - (Destiny – Planet Wolf – Volume 4) - (Victory – Planet Wolf – Volume 5)

  The Lai – Their Prequels

  Adua : Lai (Episode 3/4/5 – Dagan) : Mate of Dakaru

  Aei : Lind : (Episode 3/4/5 – Dagan)

  Afanasei : Lind (Newcomers on Two Legs) : Susa of the Lindar of Zanatei, leader of the patrol that found the colonists when the arrived on the planet (Wolves, Courage)

  Andei : Lind : (Episode 3/4/5 – Dagan)

  Anua : Brai (Episode 2 – Earth)

  Aya : Lind : (Episode 3/4/5 – Dagan)

  Belu : Lai (Episode 3/4/5/6 – Dagan) : Son of Saru and Sanua

  Brnu : Sbnai (Episode 1 – Daiglon) : Susa of the Silokko

  Dabu : Lai (Episode 1 – Daiglon)

  Dakaru : Lai (Episode 3/4/5 – Dagan) : Friend of Saru

  Danua : Lai (Episode 1 – Daiglon) : Mate of Maru

  Daru : Lai (Newcomers on Two Legs) : Leader of the Lai when mankind arrived on the planet and father of Haru

  Dru : Brai (Episode 2 – Earth)

  Haru : Lai (Newcomers on Two Legs) : Son of Daru and an important character of the seventh Century (Destiny, Victory)

  Jalatou : Lai (Episode 2 – Earth)

  Jansu : Lai (Episode 3/4/5 – Dagan)

  Jaru : Lai (Episode 2 – Earth)

  Jim Cranston* – (Newcomers on Two Legs) : Petty officer on the WCCS Argyll. On the planet he mind-bonded with a Lind, and was the first human Susyc to lead the armies of the northern continent against the convicts and the Larg (Lind: Larya) (Wolves, Courage)

  Laru : Lai (Episode 2 – Earth) – Susa of the Limokko

  Larya* : Lind (Newcomers on two Legs) : who bonded with Jim Cranston (Wolves, Courage)

  Mariya : Lind (Newcomers on two Legs) : Gtrathlin of the Lind

  Maru : Lai (Episode 1 – Daiglon)

  Maru : Lai (Episode 3/4/5/6 – Dagan) – Son of Saru and Sanua

  Niaill* : Vada, Ryzcka of the First Ryzck, later 2IC Vada (Lind: Taraya) (Destiny, Victory)

  Qian : Dglai (Episode 2 – Earth)

  Quend : Dglai (Episode 2 – Earth) – Susa of the Ammokko

  Quort : Dglai (Episode 2 – Earth)

  Rezu : Lai (Episode 1 – Daiglon) – Maru’s little brother

  Sanua : Lai (Episode 3/4/5 – Dagan) – Mate of Saru

  Saru : Lai (Episode 3/4/5 – Dagan)

  Suchdei : Lind : (Newcomers on Two Legs) :Susalai of the Avuzdel

  Taraya* : Female Lind, Vada, First Ryzck (Human: Niaill) (Destiny, Victory)

  Taya : Lind : (Episode 3/4/5 – Dagan)

  Velua : Lai (Episode 3/4/5/6 – Dagan) – Daughter of Saru and Sanua

  Wharua : Lai (Episode 1 – Daiglon)

  Zahra : Lai (Episode 3/4/5 – Dagan)

  Zanatei : Lind (Newcomers on two Legs) : Elda (Leader) of rtath Zanatei

  Zanfanu : Lai (Episode 2 – Earth)

  Zanua : Lai (Episode 1 – Daiglon) – Susa of the Limokko

  The Lind – Their Prequel

  Andiranya : A pack from the far west of the northern continent

  Alanasei : Elda of the rtath (pack) wherein Kolyei grew up

  Kalya : Female Lind – Mother of Kolyei

  Matvei* : Male Lind – Susa (Commander) of one of the ryz (ranks) of rtath Alanasei’s Lindar and later one of the first twelve Lind to mind-bond with a human (Human: Kath) (Wolves, Courage)

  Ralei : Male Lind – Leader of the Lindar’s scouts

  Sanvei : Male Lind – Father of Kolyei

  Tarmsei : Male Lind – Friend of Kolyei (Wolves, Courage)

  Tlsei : Male Lind – Tarmsei’s older brother

  Wlsei : A pack from the far west of the northern continent

  The Humans – Their Prequels

  Alastair McCallum : Husband of Elspeth and fat
her of Duguld (Courage)

  Angus : Crewmember on board the WCPS Electra (Wolves)

  Anne Howard : Wife of Peter Howard. She later was forced into marriage first with Elliot Murdoch then with Sam Baker, she is the ultimate grandmother of the Kings of Murdoch (Wolves, Courage)

  Black : Crewmember of the WCCS Melbourne

  Brown : Crewmember of the WCCS Melbourne

  Camilla Todd : Second in Command of the WCPS Electra (Wolves)

  Cherry Howard* : Daughter of Anne and Peter who later marries the eldest son of Winston Randall (Lind: Baltvei) (Wolves, Courage)

  Cracov : Convict prisoner (Wolves)

  Denis MacBrayne : 2IC of the WCCS Melbourne

  Denis Switherburn : Engineer on the WCCS Melbourne

  Duguld McCallum : Father of Elspeth and grandfather of Duguld McCallum (below)

  Duguld McCallum* : Son of Elspeth and Alastair and a friend of Tara Sullivan (Lind: Ganya) (Courage)

  Elliot Murdoch : Convict prisoner (Wolves)

  Elspeth McCallum : Colonist aboard the WCCS Argyll (Courage)

  Emma : Crewmember of the WCCS Melbourne

  Francis McAllister* : Rating on the WCCS Argyll. He later became, with his Lind, the First Susa of the Vada (Lind: Asya) (Wolves, Courage)

  Gerry Russell : Animal Handler aboard the WCPS Electra who later married Jessica Howard (Wolves, Courage)

  Haslett : Leftenant of the WCCS Melbourne

  James Rybak* : Star navigator on the WCCS Argyll who located the planet and after who the planet is named. He later mind-bonded with a Lind and later still married Kath Andrews (Lind: Rozya) (Wolves, Courage)

  Jessica Howard : Daughter of Anne and Peter : she later married Gerry Russell (Wolves, Courage)

  Jim Cranston* : Petty officer on the WCCS Argyll. On the planet he mind-bonded with a Lind, and was the first human Susyc to lead the armies of the northern continent against the convicts and the Larg (Lind: Larya) (Wolves, Courage)

  Johannes Pederson : Chief Engineer of the WCPS Electra (Wolves)

  Joseph Howard* : Son of Anne and Peter – (Lind: Kanya) (Wolves, Courage)

  Kath Andrews-Rybak : A member of the crew of the WCCS Argyll who became one of the first to mind-bond with a Lind. She married James Rybak, the star-navigator who found the planet (Lind: Matvei) (Wolves, Courage)

  Kendrick : Crewmember of the WCCS Melbourne

  Kolyei* : Male Lind (Human: Tara Sullivan) (Wolves, Courage, Destiny, Victory)

  Lane MacBrayne : Wife of Denis MacBrayne

  Laura Merriman* : Rating on board the WCCS Argyll. She later mind-bonded with a Lind and later still married Francis McAllister (Lind: Faddei) (Wolves, Courage)

  Mahler : Convict prisoner (Wolves)

  Mark Sullivan : Brother of Tara

  Marion Mackie : Old lady on board the WCCS Argyll (Wolves)

  Peter Howard : Captain of the WCPS Electra (Wolves)

  Robert Lutterell : Chief Petty Officer on the WCCS Argyll (Wolves, Courage)

  Sam Baker : Convict prisoner (Wolves, Courage)

  Shelley Lambert : Environmental Officer on the WCPS Electra and daughter of Captain Wanda Lambert of the WCCS Melbourne (Wolves)

  Smith : Convict prisoner (Wolves, Courage)

  Stuart MacIntosh : 2IC of the WCCS Argyll who took command after thee captain’s death. Led the colonists to the planet . Was killed during the Battle of the Alliance. The city or Argyll, Stewarton, is named after him. (Wolves, Courage)

  Tara Sullivan* : Colonial youngster, aged 12 on landing , first human ever to pair with a Lind, in later life she became an author of note, married Peter Crawford and had five children. She was responsible for hiding the records deemed too dangerous for general perusal except for in time of great need and organised the hiding of the technical print outs in the guild house. She and Kolyei spent their last years amongst the Lai. (Lind: Kolyei) (Wolves, Courage, Destiny)

  Tom : Crewmember on board the WCPS Electra (Wolves)

  Wanda Lambert : Captain of the WCCS Melbourne

  Watt : Crewmember of the WCCS Melbourne

  Winston Randall : Ship’s vet on board the WCCS Argyll (Wolves, Courage)

  Wright : Crewmember of the WCCS Melbourne

  Children of the Wolves

  Tara and Kolyei : Kath and Matvei : Bill and Malya (Killed - Battle of the Alliance) : Geoff and Sindya (Killed - Battle of the Alliance) : Peter and Radya : Brenda and Inei : Yvonne and Tavei : Emily and Ilyei : Alan and Kiltya : Moira and Andei (Killed - Battle of the Alliance) : Thomas and Stasya (Killed - Battle of the Alliance) : Mark and Aya

  GLOSSARY

  All words are either derived from Lindish or Standard unless indicated otherwise

  AL : Anno Landing, the years are counted from the first day in the summer of the first year of landing

  Allst : Tall, large leafed tree of the north

  Ammokko : Spaceship of the Dglai

  Angtrathlin : Lai – Deputy Leader of a landmass

  Avuzdel: Lind Central Spying Unit, a quasi-secret order within the Lind nation. It was eventually (after mankind arrived on the planet) split into two, the Daki and the Raki. The Daki had three sections, one in Largdom, one in Vadath and one on the other northern continent. The Raki was different. The members of this had an extra duty and one most secret. Apart from the Susas, the rest of the Daki knew nothing of them. The Raki reported to the Susalai, but directly, they neither had nor needed a separate Susa. There were not that many of them. The Raki, for hundreds and hundreds of years looked for the Boton of the Dglai, hoping against hope they never would find it.

  Ayrshire : An area on the western coast of Scotland, United Kingdom, Earth

  Battle of the Alliance : Battle between the Larg and the convicts of the south and the settlers and the Lind of the north at the beginning of the second summer of mankind on Rybak (Wolves)

  Boton : Lai - Probe of the Diaglon, sent to find out if the planet is suitable for raiding

  Brai : Lai - Black skinned lost rtath of the Diaglon

  Brbsta : Lai - Snake

  Caffee : A synthetic drink that tastes very like coffee

  Chela : Lind claw, they have five on each paw. They resemble the claws of an earth cat in that they can tract and retract

  CPO : Chief Petty Officer

  Daga : Lind den

  Dagan : Lai - Home

  Daiglon : Lai - Planet where the Lai and the other four Lai rtaths come from

  Dalina : Blue flowers resembling snowdrops

  Dedta : Welcome (formal)

  Dglai : Lai and Dglai - Green skinned rtath of the Daiglon

  Domta : Permanent pack home

  Dugo : Small prickly, dense and fast growing bush, prevalent in the north

  Durapaper : A synthetic substance used in place of wood and pulp paper

  Elda(s) : Leader(s) of packs and Lind nation

  Eln : Lai and Lind - Mate

  Fort : Defensive site where the crew and families of the WCPS Electra fled to before being overrun by the convicts some months after landing on Rybak (Wolves) - it became the ruling centre and capital of the Kingdom of Murdoch (Courage) – the principal royal palace is situated here.

  Fountains Head : Waterfall in south western Lind and the location of the most westerly Holad station in the Lands of the Lind (see Battle of the Gorge)

  Frdste : Lai - Spanner

  Great Eastern Sea : Vast ocean east of Argyll containing hundreds of islands

  Gtran: Large vicious cat-like predators that inhabit the snowy mountain ranges of the northern continent

  Gtrathlin : Leader of the Gtratha, the High Council of the Lind

  Gtrathlin : Lai – Ruler of the landmass

  Greenfruit : A northern fruit which is available during winter and summer

  Holad :Medical section of pack

  Island Chain : The traditional route the Larg take to attack the north and situated just south of Settlement, home of the Garda

  Jamokko : Spaceship of the Brai

  Jeza
: Eat

  Jezdic : Zebra like intractable animal

  Kala : Caffeine drink made from the nuts of the allst tree

  Kell : Lai – Measurement of around a metre

  Kohort : Larg – Kohort of Larg warriors, usually numbering at least 800

  Kohortangan : Larg - Army commander

  Kura : Docile, woolly, short-legged goat-like animal

  Lai : Legendary beings of Lind mythology

  Lai : Lai - Golden skinned rtath of the Daiglon

  Larg : Larg - Warlike wolf-like denizens of southern continent

  Largan : Larg - Leader of all the Larg

  Larya : Merchant ship

  Lian : Woods or forests

  Limokko : Spaceship of the Lai

  Lin : Litter of Lind pups

  Lind : Peace loving wolf-like denizens of northern continent

  Lindar : Warrior section of pack. All Lind, male and female over thirteen summers fight in one of the three ryz of the Lindar of their pack

  Lisya : Other litter of Lind pups from the same parents

  Ltscta : Lind youngling

  Middle Sea : Sea between the northern and southern continents

  Nad : Nothingness

  Nad : Lai – Outer Space

  Nahoko : Lai and Dglai – Detailed fact finding probe of the Diaglon, five of them landed in the middle of AL 607

  Nizokko : Spaceship of the Rai

  Patchwork Plain : A large area on the western side of Argyll and south of Stewarton

  Pilli : Small, edible darting red fish found in the rivers of the northern continent

  Quorko : Lai and Dglai - Scout ship

  Rai : Lai - Blue skinned lost rtath of the Diaglon

  Raki : Section of the Avuzdel

  Ricca : A rice-like crop grown in the south

  Riga : the Colony world where the WCCS Argyll, the WCCS Melbourne and the others were heading for before the cosmic storm struck