Fight (Dha’aerda)

Kapp could think of a few moments in his life where he would look back and reflect on the circumstances that had brought him to where he was. When he first cleared Earth’s gravity in his second year of training, when he graduated the Naval Academy and stepped forward for the first time as an officer, when he had first boarded the Alpha, and now. Standing on the raised platform clad in one of the armored kilts of the Aqualin, looking across at a foe he was expected to fight.

Once the echoed chants of the surrounding crowd had faded, Kapp was shuttled away by several armed Aqualin and brought to a smaller cave illuminated with yellow seaweed. There he was instructed to remove all of his clothing and to dress in the kilt or ankara as they had called it. All of his other clothing was taken from him. Kapp wished badly that his boots at least had been left, but he guessed he did not have much use for them underwater. The ankara had layers of armored pleats that settled heavily on his legs. He was grateful that it was heavy enough to not float and kept him covered.

Now he stood, on the raised platform surrounded by thousands of the Aqualin, all cheering and making sport of the event. Caltuth glared at him from across the platform and Qualia stood between them.

“The contest of Dha’aerda will soon commence!” She shouted, arms raised to the crowd, spear held aloft.

A roar of cheers erupted from them, echoing off of the cave walls and inside of Kapp’s brain. “Dha’aerda” was the first time Kapp had heard a word he did not know. Seems this telepathic way of understanding could only go so far with translation.

“Prove you are not a lesser life form. You prove you can fight!” she said, gesturing to Kapp.

“FIGHT! FIGHT! FIGHT!” The crowd cheered raucously.

“Are you ready Xanderkapp?” she asked, pointing her spear at him.

“You can refer to me as just Kapp please. How do I win this?”

“You must maim your opponent before you are unable to continue.”

Well that was somehow worse, and not as bad as Kapp had thought.

“Caltuth,” she said with barely hidden contempt, “signal when ready.”

Caltuth sized Kapp up, probably able to sense how uncomfortable and exposed he felt in just an ankara, surrounded by so many.

“BEGIN!” Caltuth shouted, and swam at him like a lightning bolt.

Before Kapp could think to move out of the way he felt Caltuth collide with his midsection like a cannonball, taking all of the breath from his body. His bare back slid across the platform, and he felt his skin tear from the jagged rocks. Struggling to catch his breath, and simultaneously gasping from the pain, he looked up at the now grinning Caltuth who glowered down at him.

“You are weak, and unworthy of a voice!” He shouted at him.

He threw his arms in the air, and used his tail to propel himself downward towards Kapp, with the heels of his webbed feet on a collision course to crush Kapp’s skull.

Kapp quickly rolled to the side, narrowly dodging the vicious attack. He was able to swim back up to a standing position on the platform, before his enemy could attack again. Kapp swam towards Caltuth’s legs, attempting to perform a take down. On his approach Caltuth spun, and slammed his muscular tail into Kapp’s chest, again sending him tumbling across the platform.

Kapp was angry now. Angry and hurting from the lacerations on his back, and the large bruise growing on his chest. He extended his arms and legs from himself in a guard position and watched with intense concentration as Caltuth approached.

Caltuth approached him slower this time, savoring the site of what he thought to be a defenseless foe. He reached down to grab Kapp by the throat.

Kapp saw his chance. He grabbed Caltuth’s wrist with one hand, and reaching up, pulled his elbow across him with the other. He threw his leg up onto Caltuth’s shoulder, locking his arm into place. Pivoting his body and throwing his leg across Caltuth’s face he flipped him over and put him in an arm bar.

“I guess they don’t teach Jiu-Jitsu underwater,” he gasped in effort, while Caltuth writhed in agony from the hold.

Kapp realized Caltuth was not going to tap out. This was not back home, and he would not understand normal hand to hand sparring rules. Kapp remembered Caltuth’s heels coming down to crush his skull. With that he applied more pressure and broke the Aqualin’s arm.

“Yield Caltuth, you are maimed!” Kapp shouted, releasing his hold and floating above him.

Kapp looked around at the shocked faces of the crowd, they could not believe that this small human outsider could have injured one of their own kind. He looked back at Caltuth who glared up at him angrily.

“I do not yield,” He announced each word menacingly and slowly, gritting his teeth through the pain.

He swept his tail along the platform and spun, sending loose sand flying into Kapp’s unprotected eyes.

As Kapp rubbed his eyes trying to work the sand out of them, he felt Caltuth grab his ankle and swim upward, hoisting him upside down from the platform. He slammed Kapp into the ground with his uninjured arm, his head connecting solidly with the platform. The last thing Kapp remembered was the roars of the crowd as everything faded to black.

—---------

Aboard the Nokken warship Nephrops, the leader known as Nykkjen the Inviolable paced back and forth angrily. There was little light aboard Nephrops, besides what starlight filtered through the large forward facing windows. Nykkjen had watched angrily as the pod containing the survivor had been intercepted by the Aqualin ship. His rage threatened to billow over, but he contained it before his fury would cause him to damage the helm of the ship. Anktan stood to his side, now wearing an eye patch to cover where the pitiful creature aboard the big outsider's ship had stabbed her.

“That one will not be bringing help. Azule and his followers will make sure of that,” she said.

Nykkjen turned and grabbed Anktan by the throat with his claw. Her helmet attempted to extend but was halted by the pressure he put upon her. Nykkjen was far more powerful than all other Nokken, and commanded them through strength. He brought his face within an inch of Anktan’s.

“I can see that. I’m surprised that you can see anything One-Eye,” his deep voice quivered with rage as he squoze his claw tighter around her throat, drawing blood.

The blood floated between them in the dark murky water that filled the Nephrops.

“Our water supply dwindles. I leave you to survive as your insides will only further contaminate this ship. Know this, if you speak Azule’s name again I will jettison you on an attack ship into the nearest star.”

The forward facing helms chamber in which they stood was filled with all members of the raid party. They watched in fear as their leader showed his quick temper. Nykkjen dropped Anktan, who now sported a thin cut on her throat as well as her eye patch.

“We will watch the outsiders ship. They will eventually send another to investigate. When they do we will take their water and leave another survivor. This time there will be no mistakes. They will bring war and supplies to us. We will take their projectile weaponry and blow a whole in the Aqualin ship. All of their water will be ours.”

The room shook with the powerful cheers of the raiding party. Nykkjen the Inviolable would continue to provide for them, and for all of their eggs waiting for them on their home planet.

—---------

Kapp woke up with a pounding headache, his back and chest hurt with every breath, but at least he was alive. He was on his back in a cave staring at the ceiling, the white roof of the cave had small holes in it from which the yellow glowing seaweed hung. It was always shocking to remember he was under water. He wasn’t quite laying on the cave floor, but really floating just over it.

Kapp went to move his legs so he could sit up and examine his surroundings, when he realized he couldn’t. His legs were not moving. Here he was on this alien ship, in a culture where he had to fight just to prove he could speak, and now he was paralyzed. An intense feeling of anxiety washed over him. His chest was heavy and he began to hyperventilate, much to his bruised ribs dismay, as he tried again and again to move his legs.

“Peace Xanderkapp, eat this,” Qualia’s voice came to him, as she entered his field of vision. She held out a small red cake.

Kapp went to reach for it and realized his arms also refused to obey. A tear floated up from his face as he continued to dismay over the situation. Qualia shoved the cake in his mouth and he began to chew. A horrible taste reminiscent of rotting grass filled his mouth. He attempted to spit out the cake but Qualia held his mouth closed and pinched his nose until he swallowed.

Slowly Kapp felt control come back to his limbs. The shock from the ordeal began to fade. Kapp could not believe it. He had been completely paralyzed. Qualia came in and shoved this nasty tasting cake down his throat and now he was fine.

“What was that?” he questioned Qualia. “I couldn’t move! I hurt everywhere, I was… paralyzed,” his voice cracked as he worked to regain control of his emotions.

“The red kelp which we grow has surprising healing properties. So long as someone's heart is still beating, it can fully restore them.”

“Soo… that means that Caltuth is swimming with both arms again correct?”

“Yes I supposed he is,” she could not hide the grimace on her face at the thought. “Xanderka–”

“Stop. Please, just Kapp.”

“Very well, Kapp,” she emphasized the word, “You have won your right to a voice, congratulations.”

“I have?” Kapp pictured the speed that Caltuth moved, he couldn’t imagine ever beating an Aqualin in combat underwater.

“Beating any of the Aqualin would not be a fair measure of ability for an outsider. Your task was to maim him before you lost. You completed this task, and therefore proved your worthiness.” Qualia seemed to read his mind. “The kelp does not replace sleep, even though you currently feel invigorated. Rest Kapp. In the morning you will need to utilize that newly won voice.”

“Wait, what’s the deal with Caltuth?”

“What do you mean?”

“Well, it’s clear you and your father don’t care for him. Why is he in a position of power?”

“Caltuth is my older brother. He should be heir to Lord Azule.”

“So why isn’t he?”

“My father does not believe Caltuth to be capable of leading our people. He is a skilled navigator, and so father instead bestowed him the title of Star-Reader.”

“How does Caltuth feel about this?”

“Well, he seemed extremely angry at first, though over the years he has settled into his role,” Qualia spoke the words, seemingly more to reassure herself than to explain.

“So as Azule’s daughter that makes you the heir?”

“Yes. Someday I will lead my people. It is a mantle I am happy to wait patiently for. Rest now Kapp.”

With that she quickly turned and swam from the cave, leaving Kapp to wonder at the harsh, but intriguing place he now found himself in.

====================================================

This is the fourth chapter in the book I am writing please consider reading the other chapters!

Chapter 1 "Massacre on Alpha"

Chapter 2 "Splunk"

Chapter 3 "Home Ship

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