Welcome readers and compassionate feed-backers. You are verily appreciated.
Janetfl – Okay I don't know why I laughed but I found this funny. I think it's because it's just how insulting I would imagine Khivar being.
At this point, Khivar has very limited knowledge of Earth and little reason to pursue additional information. He’s tasked his General to carry out his orders and he expects optimal results, as is his way. I’m glad you like my descriptions. I can be quite quirky!
ken_r - restructuring after any change of a revolutionary nature is difficult.
Poor Khivar has had to endure many hardships. And good help is hard to find when you’ve killed off all of the former leaders.
Moving resources from place to place because of damage of war may have realities in the coming years.
I’m more afraid of moving our resources due to another factor that will be popping up a little later.
This is getting kind of long, so let’s recap. Shall we?
So far, Khivar patted his favorite toy, watched the news, had a snack and now he’s on his way to visit his sister.
Whew! I never thought we’d get this far! We’re on a roll now!
12 'Twas Bhrillig
When he first learned of the missing prize, he sent one of his most cunning and ambitious Generals to retrieve the powerful relic. Not all of the inhabitants of Antar could shape-shift at will like Khivar and most of his generals. A lesser-evolved species known as “
Bhrillig” were sent on the expedition because they could more easily survive the agonizing discomfort of the long trip through unforgiving space.
Though forcibly inducted to his cause, the
Bhrillig were swift and fierce warriors who could endure the extreme conditions during the grueling journey through the stars. They do have a modicum of intelligence but they are not the brightest bulbs in the array.
The wymyn of their species abhor violence and all seem to gravitate towards a religious life of meditation and volunteer service. The
Bhrillig worship the false Goddess,
Zofya (Zo-fee’-aa) who advocates the ridiculous concepts of “steadfast love, infinite compassion and unconditional forgiveness” when instead, they SHOULD be worshipping . . . well . . . HIM.
Many gullible Antarians are taken in by this antiquated religion that claims their revered Goddess created the Granolith and bestowed the honor of its care and safekeeping upon the very first Antarian King and Queen to walk the planet. From that day forward, Antar has been the nexus of power in the galaxy, for whosoever controls the Granolith, controls the fates.
Even his then-adolescent sister, Serena, had toyed with joining their religious order after spending many summers as a novice studying with the Priestesses at the Womban Monastery, while he, himself, attended to more important concerns. Thank goodness the deluded womyn came to her senses and gravitated to something real instead!
Khivar has a pervasive distaste for the self-sacrificing Goddess Worshippers, but he allows them their religious fantasies.
Bhrillig wymyn have lost so many husbands and sons to the war. They need something to occupy their thoughts and keep them out of trouble. Especially after “clipping coupons” fell to the wayside as
paper became so scarce and expensive that he allowed Serena to institute the new concept of electromagnetic monetary exchange. Discounts are now applied automatically to each purchase and the poor little wymyn have nothing left to do. Their modest religious hobby keeps them busy and seems harmless enough, so he gives them a wide berth. It wouldn’t be prudent to kill off military wives. He doesn’t want a mutiny on his hands!
General Nicholas, a
Bhrillig himself, left Antar with a large contingent of these disposable battalions at his command, but the mission was hampered at the word “go”, by the fact that the
Bhrillig had to don environmental suits called husks, to protect their slim feeble (though agile) bodies from the harsh elements found in Earth’s atmosphere. The husks were thought to have an average life span of 50 Terran solar cycles and then they would have to be replaced or he would lose his drones. The equipment to grow new husks was included in the ship’s manifest. Their task was Priority One!
Now that they have confirmed that there are Antarian clones on Terran, General Nicholas promised to ferret them out and then to exterminate them upon receiving Khivar’s final authorization. When this started, Khivar anticipated no impediment.
Unfortunately, the sly General Nicholas always had one excuse or another as to why no progress was achieved. The journey to Terran had been long and arduous. Malfunctions of equipment and subversive rebel-collaborating traitors impeded the intrepid crew, decimating and discouraging the ranks of those left to carry out the mission.
Now that Nicholas had finally gotten a clue, Khivar is salivating for any kernel of success.