SHAMBALLAH MISSION: 7th Report ART relays the tale, events of December-February ART here. It's hard to get any cinematic-style coherent story-telling out of squatches, so at this point I am going to have to become editor and connect various threads of narration about the Shamballah Mission, first received well after the events occurred, then collate them into a chronological order that corresponds to the rest of our documentation. I have assumed that the narrations offered me are basically true, although they do seem to translate into a heroic saga or an action-packed war thriller stuffed with detailed bigger-than-life-battle scenes. Was someone exaggerating? Boasting? Maybe, but this is what I got. Figured I may as well have some fun transcribing it.
Our last update from Old Wallace left him waiting in the Shamballah Palace, since there was no way he could pass as a big hairy squatch (or Yeti, in this case) like Daklakht and Dagrolyt, who had gone into the underground tunnels to locate Da-starda-hat and his slave camps. Those slaves would most certainly be enemies of the Starda Faction and therefore be allies in their project to restructure the ranks of the Ultimate Nine Elders of Shamballah. Daklakht was especially interested in finding a Yeti named Da Jaakt, with whom he had worked before as Alutna (cops). DA VING The group of females living around Ma Silla (she who was mate to Da Jaakt) introduced Dagrolyt and Daklakht to Da Ving, a young male maybe 9-10 years old. Da Ving was the son of one of her friends, a tough little guy (guesstimate about 6' tall and 300 pounds) who from the age of 5 had personally learned to hate Da-starda-hat and his evil faction. They had crippled, and then later killed his mother. He had been their prisoner in the slave pits, but had escaped just before Da-starda-hat had managed to get around to personally infecting him with the standard slave-syssk he uses on all his victims to ensure absolute obedience. Daklakht asked the boy "You do know that we will be going into extreme danger?" "Ra, the same old danger I've been living in for the last two season cycles. I'm tired of hiding, I want to hit back." "You are not afraid?" "Oh, ra, I'm scared poopless, but I can't let that stop me, we gotta get rid of Da-starda-hat and his Faction." "Because you want revenge?" Dagrolyt asked, interested to hear what the boy's mind-set was. "Sure, but not so much that as... someone's got to stop the Starda Faction from doing all this wicked crap and getting away with it. They ruin everything. So if you guys are really here to stop them, I want to help, any way I can." "Okay, good," Daklakht told him, impressed by the boy's resolve. "If you can guide us to the slave pits and help me find Da Jaakt, that would be a great help indeed." "I can do that, I know the way. But there are lots of guards everywhere, all armed with hit-sticks. They're trained to be cruel and most of them have become really brutal bastards. Especially the ones infected by Da-starda-hat's super-obedience syssk, they amuse themselves by torturing and crippling random folks. They're not actually supposed to kill anyone, but it happens pretty often." "I'm familiar with Da-starda-hat's wicked usage of syssk, " Daklakht assured the boy, "in fact I was trained by him when young and have myself suffered under his psychic domination for too long a while." Young Da Ving looked worried for a moment, so that Daklakht had to hurry and say, "Oh, I'm completely free of his control now. And in fact, I've learned how to neutralize his syssks, so I can release others from his spells." Da Ving still seemed anxious, but Dagrolyt bobbed his head in confirmation and said, "Ra, it's true, our guy Daklakht here is definitely the leading expert on Da-starda-hat's dirty syssk-tricks." "But Da-starda-hat's spells are so overpowering..." "So are mine," Daklakht said, "you'll see." Da Ving bobs his head and grins. "Okay, then let's go."
Da Ving led them down under Shamballah, to where that ancient "sub-Himalayan freeway" branches out in various directions, then westward past another cluster of underground temples where they had to avoid Starda Faction sentries stationed in the tunnels. Da Ving knew alternative tunnels to avoid some of them, but main intersections could not be circumnavigated. The four Elders imprisoned back in Shamballah's Palace helped with their psychic powers, as they had with the palace guards, confusing and misdirecting tunnel sentries, but even their ability to influence guards was lessened according to proximity and our heroes were soon out of range. Fortunately, the tunnels they were seeking were not far away and they arrived after a half-day's walk. "Just around the bend," Da Ving announced, "and we're there." Daklakht and Dagrolyt could hear and smell that they were near the slave tunnels: moans. cries, a stink of many unclean bodies. They carefully peeked around the bend of the tunnel. Three Alutna stood guarding the tunnel way and there was no avoiding them if they were to go on. "Hmm, I know one of them," Daklakht told his companions, "his name is Da Zannr, but he was never a friend of mine, nor ever a good cop. Which should make this easier. Wait here." He stepped out of hiding, walking toward the Alutna. The Alutna saw him but waited for him to approach, not expecting any trouble. Daklakht was still wearing his disguise so was not recognized at first, until he was very close. Two of the three Alutna advanced to intercept Daklakht, brandishing their clubs aggressively as a show of authority, but stopped when the one called Da Zannr recognized something familiar about who they were confronting. Perhaps his gait. But Daklakht kept advancing until he stood close before them. "Do I know you?" Da Zannr asked with a confused frown, still not alarmed, but cautious. "Do any of us ever really know anyone. Da Zannr?" "Khask! is that Daklakht?" "Kha, Da Zannr, it's been awhile." "And we have not missed you for a moment of that while. What are you doing back in Shamballah?" "Visiting old friends." "You have no friends here." "Oh, I do, you are just not among them. In fact, you've been enslaving my friends." "As I recall you have become out of favor with Our Ultimate Master!" Da Zannr bobbed his head to the other Alutna and both raised their cudgels into striking position. "Out of favor? O let's be honest: I am his ENEMY. And therefore yours, unless you lower your hit-stick." Da Zannr remained brandishing his trusty cudgel but looked nervous, perhaps remembering the last time he had squared off with his once-teacher. "I have learned much since the last time you humiliated me..." he blustered, but did move back a half-step. (ART here: speaking of bluster, I am retelling these events from what Daklakht and Dagrolyt have told me, aware that there is a certain amount of bluster and bragging going on, although I'm not really willing to call them liars. But from everything Adam has told me Daklakht really IS a master of ancient Nokhon martial arts, squatch versions of kung-fu and karate. All Nokhons know how to wrestle, but Daklakht knows how to HIT. And then, of course, he's the kind of superhero who never misses or fumbles. In the movie he would be played by a six-hundred pound Bruce Lee.) The way I heard it, Daklakht steps into striking distance. The three guards say nothing but spread out around him so that he is caught between them, following standard Alutna enforcement technique. Which Daklakht had taught his own Alutna agents back when he had been Alutna-jii here, about 20 years before. He already knows all their best moves. So those three big Abominable Snowmen armed with clubs don't have a chance. They strike in synch, as trained to, but Daklakht simply moves with more precision, more expertise, more cool. Calm, relaxed, spinning like a dancer confident in his routine, he avoids the one swinging cudgel and intercepts the other, also effortlessly snatching Da Zannr's weapon out of his grip. Now Daklakht has a hit-stick and Da Zannr does not. Meanwhile, Daklakht's left elbow has come around in a smooth circle to connect solidly with the second Alutna's head. A continuation of that same spin allows him to sweep the feet out from under the third cop, simultaneously executing a precise solar plexus jab with the butt of his newly acquired weapon. That opponent goes down and stays there. (Hey, this is how they told me it went down. Faultless strategy, perfect choreography, like a movie scene. I mean, would they embellish?) "Khask!, you were always lucky at fighting," Da Zannr admits, stepping back to avoid being included in getting hit. "O, it's hardly luck," Daklakht says, "more a skill. I remember you being one of my poorer students when I taught combat techniques way back then, you had no talent for it. Nor does it seem that you have improved at all since then." The second Alutna guard comes up again, his club already in motion. Daklakht deflects that club with his own so that it bounces back into the attacker's face and he goes down again, for the moment at least. Da Zannr turns to run away before his companion even hits the ground, but stumbles over tangled feet when Daklakht deftly tosses the club between his legs. Once again, the second guard tries to stand up and rejoin the fight, but Dagrolyt comes out of hiding to throw himself upon the guy and lock him in a wrestling hold. Little Da Ving also joins the fray, by standing on the third Alutna's back. Da Zannr was drawing a deep breath, obviously intending to shout the alarm. Daklakht expertly tapped him on the throat so that the Yeti could only cough, incapable of executing the loud and shrill Nokhon howl that could bring reinforcements running. Now they were standing in the middle of the tunnel with three enemy prisoners. Young Da Ving asked, "What can we do with them?" They had no rope nor any other skesk with which to bind them and simply killing helpless prisoners is not an option for civilized Nokhons. "We'll have to undo their syssks so they are no longer dominated by the Starda Faction," Daklakht said. "It may take some time, but we might be able to make allies of them instead of enemies." To do so required that they hold their subjects down while Daklakht looked into their eyes and performed a short ritual. This would not be so easy with three unwilling subjects struggling to be free, except that Daklakht was also expert at stunning his subjects with deft jabs to precise nerve clusters. Then he was able to access their psychic infections and give them new instructions, rather like undoing a hypnotic spell. They found that Da Zannr was not under the spell of a syssk at all: he was naturally eager to obey the cruelest of orders simply because of his natural proclivity: being a terrible person. The Starda Faction was probably quite satisfied with his native enthusiasm. So Daklakht gave him a brand new syssk, a hypnotic command to sleep. It would keep him from being a problem until the next day. The other two Alutna were infected with syssks, but those were not generated by Da-starda-hat, so were not especially complex and easy enough to erase. Those two guys were finally free to disobey their orders, but one of them felt such utter shame for the things he had done for the Starda Faction that he was too dismayed to be of any assistance to our heroes and it was best to knock him out as well. The third Alutna, named Da Gittor, was thankful for having been released from his syssk. He too could remember things he had done in servitude to the Starda Faction and was outraged that he'd been forced to obey orders that conflicted with his own morality. So he readily agreed to help them find Da Jaakt. They hid the two sleeping Alutna in a minor side-tunnel so that it was unlikely anyone would stumble over them. Da Ving could not show himself in the slave chamber without being recognized as an escapee, so he remained with the two sleeping Alutna. "I'll wait here until tomorrow morning, if you're not back by then I'll have to assume you've been captured and decide what to do," the youth said. "If we don't make it back soon you should just go home before you get captured too," Daklakht said, but did not command the boy to do so, trusting him to make his own decisions. Then Daklakht, Dagrolyt and Da Gittor went around the bend to the large chamber where the slaves were being held, their new guide leading the way with the authority of an Alutna. But there were many other authorities in the chamber, about 15-20 Alutna, all with cudgels in hand and who eyed the newcomers suspiciously. A big burly guard asked Da Gittor who the strangers were, so he lied: "Special guests of Our Ultimate Master Himself." He took the chance after having been informed that Da-starda-hat himself was nowhere near the area at present. "I've been assigned to show them around." No one challenged that, since as far as they knew Da Gittor was still a loyal guard, but also because the very name of Da-starda-hat was feared too much to take any chance of displeasing him. I should mention that squatches are generally not good liars. We all know how Adam simply cannot lie because he is an Orator, but most squatches are uncomfortable with telling any untruth. They'll do it if it's necessary, just as we will, but they don't like to and tend to do it badly, mumbling or misspeaking. But Da Gittor managed to pull it off because of his anger against the Starda Faction. So the three of them passed into the slave area. The chamber was large and relatively well-lit for being so deep underground. A thick crystal illumination rod jabbed down through the ceiling and glowed brightly. The shaft continued on down through the floor, perhaps to light up other chambers or tunnels yet deeper. It was evidently about noon up above the Himalayas, the light was almost like direct sunshine. What it illuminated was a prison, obviously built long ago by the same unknown race that had created Aket, utilizing the same prison design, but on a larger scale: an array of 30-40 deep pits (whereas Aket only has 9). (Anytime I use numbers in retelling the stories my Nokhon friends tell I have to "guesstimate" because squatches aren't good at counting things. There's no Nokhon vocabulary for mathematics, anything more than 2 is simply "lots & lots". To get "30-40" I had to draw a map of the room with circles for the pits, adding more until they agreed that it looked about right.) There were no doors, no bars, no chains, just pits: holes deep and wide with sides too sleek to climb. The only skesk involved was the woven vines used to haul prisoners in or out of the pits. Maybe I should also mention that each pit has a supply of water flowing through and a toilet hole in the floor, but these were part of the original design from thousands of years ago and not amenities that the Starda Faction had concerned themselves with or maintained. Those pits were overpopulated now so the smell coming up out of them was worse than the traditional squatch stink, shit and piss and uncleanness. Looking over the edge into the pits they could see the slaves down below, perhaps 10-20 of them in each pit, most lying down on the cold stone floors, half-floating in wet shit, looking far too defeated and weary to cause any kind of trouble for their captors. The chamber itself was well- lit but it was dark down in the pits, making it hard to see faces. Daklakht called down into the pit, "Is Da Jakk down there?" No one responded, but a young Alutna came over to them, wearing a stern face and readying his cudgel. "Why are you calling to the slaves? In fact, what are you doing here?" Da Gittor stepped in and lied again, getting better at it, "These are agents of Our Ultimate Master and they are here to interrogate a radical prisoner named Da Jaakt. He should be here somewhere, can you point him out?" The Alutna squinted at Da Gittor, but nodded his head respectfully to Dagrolyt and Daklakht, just in case they really did have a connection to Our Ultimate Master. Politely but correctly he did his duty and asked, "Has our Chief Officer been informed of this visit? You know the rules." Daklakht took over the conversation, but with the demeanor of an Alutna-jii rather than some polite civilian. "Our Ultimate Master insists that our mission here is to be discreet," he snapped at the young Alutna, "so we are to interact with as few others as possible. Tell us where Da Jaakt is!" The young Alutna was so intimidated by the innate authority Daklakht radiated that he snapped to attention (or the squatch version of attention, bending slightly backwards) and responded with great respect. "Sir, Da Jaakt is in a special punishment pit for misbehaving, sir." "That sounds about right," Daklakht said with a little smile, "so then, where are the special pits?" "I know where they are," Da Gittor said, "but we will need permission to go there." "That is correct, sirs," the guard said, "you can make arrangements with Da Shabbu, Chief Officer of this post, just over there." The young Alutna pointed to an older Yeti at a little distance, who was giving orders to other guards. Daklakht recognized that chief officer, with whom he had been on friendly terms during his first assignment to Shamballah over 70 years before. But not so friendly last time 20 years ago, when it had been Daklakht who had been servant and slave to Da-starda-hat's evil syssk. Now things might be reversed, but the problem was that the man might recognize him and how he would react was uncertain. It was obvious that they could not ignore the directive to speak with the Chief Officer unless they were ready to fist-fight their way to the special pits against at least 15 club-carrying guards, 5 to 1 odds. Perhaps Daklakht could do that for his share, but it was unlikely that his companions could. Or maybe so, but they didn't want to. Daklakht would rather take the time to neutralize obedience-syssks and win some of the guards to be allies, as he had with Da Gittor. Actually, they could not simply walk away now that they had made contact, so they were committed to action. It was agreed that Dagrolyt approach the chief officer instead of Daklakht; they were taking a chance either way, but at least he would not be recognized. However, that was a problem in itself. When Dagrolyt approached the Chief Officer he tried to continue the lie that they were carrying out orders for The Ultimate Master. But Da Shabbu was obviously a wise fellow not to be fooled, and the first thing he said was, "I've never seen you before, where are you from?" Basically, everyone living among the few thousand inhabitants of Shamballah already knows everyone else, or had at least seen their face once or twice over the last century. It's a very closed society, those Abominable Snowmen of the Himalayas. Dagrolyt, uncomfortable with lying, did not have a new falsehood ready, so he told the truth: "My name is Dagrolyt, I come from Aket, on the other side of the world." Da Shabbu was immediately interested: "Ah, where they have just had a revolution? Where they have rejected the authority of the Starda Faction?" "Ra," said Dagrolyt, thinking fast, "from where those still loyal to Our Ultimate Master have been exiled, so we came here to do our duty." You may notice that he was careful not to tell another lie although he had inferred that they were loyalists. "We need to interrogate the prisoner Da Jaakt, if we may." "Da Jaakt has been moved to the special pits and is no longer here." "The guard told us. And that we would need your permission to go there." Da Shabbu looked over to Daklakht and Da Gittor standing off to the side. He called, "Da Gittor, why are you here and not at your assigned guard post?" "Sir, these agents of Our Grand Master requested that I..." "Never mind, I will speak with your shy companion there." Daklakht had been standing with his back to the Chief Officer, intending to avoid being recognized, but now he had to turn and face Da Shabbu. "Yes, you. Come here, please." Daklakht did so, hoping his disguise would fool the Chief Officer but knowing it wouldn't once he spoke. Standing close they looked each other in the eye, saying nothing. Da Shabbu finally spoke; "You know, except for the disguise, you look somewhat familiar." "Perhaps we have met before, long ago." "So you are here from far-away Aket to do your duty?" "I am." "And just what is the duty you are here to do?" Daklakht paused a moment before speaking, aware that everything could fall apart if Da Shabbu called for his Alutna to arrest them. But he could see in Da Shabbu's eyes that there was no syssk controlling him, so he took the chance: "I am here to depose the Starda Faction, that's why I'm looking for Da Jaakt." Da Shabbu stared at him, neither surprised nor amazed but aware that things could go either way now. But he did not sound an alarm or make any sudden movements. Finally he said, "Last we met you were Da-starda-hat's First Agent." "Ra, I was his slave back then, but I'm free now... unless you sound the alarm." "That should be my duty." He glanced over at the guards standing by. "Ra, but only if you are loyal to that bastard. But I'm gambling that you are not." "I could end up in a special pit myself if Our Ultimate Master discovers that I am not." "True, but if we depose him it won't matter what he discovers." Da Shabbu considers that for a moment, then says: "I too was his slave at one time. It was Da Jaakt who released me. But I haven't dared to go up against the Faction, they control everything." "Well, I dare." "I remember when we went up against the Chinese NokhSos (70 years ago), you were very capable. That went well. Can you do it again?" "Ra, if you allow me to find Da Jaakt." "I might allow you to pass, but I have no authority over the special pits. It's a 12-man guard post, featuring especially syssk-obedient guards, who will require a password, which I do not know. You will have to get past them. But you must not harm them, they are enslaved." "I am sympathetic to the enslaved, having once been so myself. I will kill no one. Except maybe..." "Don't say it, I need NOT to know if I'm going to survive this." Da Shabbu turned and walked away, leaving Daklakht to go wherever he wished. Da Shabbu was about Daklakht's age, about a hundred, which for Nokhons is generally middle-aged rather than old. So they could both recall events from 70 years back TO THE PITS The special pits were in another chamber. They picked up Da Ving along the way. They met several guards who challenged them but Da Gittor's credentials were good enough to vouch for them, until they came to the special pits. There things changed. There stood six Alutna on guard, cudgels across their chests, the procedure quite formal, one question: "Password?" "Our Ultimate Master has sent these guys to interrogate a slave," Da Gittor announced. "Then he must have told you the Password," was the reply. "Uhhh...oh, well, he did, but I just can't remember what it was..." "All three of you have forgotten the Password?" Already the guards were becoming suspicious, now raising their cudgels to be ready, just in case. "I... I was the only one he told it to," Da Gittor said, trying to act embarrassed, but sounding like he was lying, which he was. Meanwhile the guards were moving into position to surround them. Also meanwhile, Daklakht had already moved into position. He could only come near two guards, the rest were in a row behind, as they had been trained to be. But Daklakht was trained better than them, quick and smooth he punched three of them in the solar plexus, biff bam boom, before they even registered that he was moving. Paralyzed, they fell down. Dagrolyt grabbed one of the three remaining guards, Da Gittor another, but neither of them had Daklakht's devastating technique and they ended up wrestling with their opponents, rolling around the chamber floor, almost ineffectually. That left only one guard for Daklakht to fight, but who realized that he was up against an expert and tried to retreat. Daklakht followed, the Alutna tried to defend himself with his cudgel, but it was snatched out of his hands and came down on his head. The Nokh fell to the floor, hands up to protect his skull, giving Daklakht the chance to easily deliver another paralyzing solar plexus jab instead of dashing his brains out. He did not wish to harm his opponents, but to convert them. He had also once been controlled by the Starda Faction and knew it was not their fault. It took only a moment for him to incapacitate the last two guards, while they were restrained in wrestling holds. Then he looked into their eyes to determine what kind of syssk was motivating them. One of them was not under the influence of any spell, so he was put to sleep with a brand new spell, since he had to be a bad guy by default. Four of the other five reacted to having their syssks nullified, but the remaining guard had been personally accursed by The Ultimate Master Himself, whose obedience-syssks were not so easy to tamper with. Here the pits were smaller in circumference, ostensibly one-man cells, perhaps ten of them. But looking down they could see that each one held three or four prisoners, leaving no space to lie down, prisoners would have to sleep standing shoulder to shoulder. They were also standing in piss and shit up to their knees, it stank horribly. "We don't know exactly where your friend Da Jaakt is," the ex-guard admitted. "So we let them all out. He'll show up." "But these men are all sick and wounded, they won't be of much help to your revolution." "Doesn't matter, we get them out of there right now." There were about 10 (plus or minus) prisoners down in the pits, some pits empty. They called down to the prisoners, saying they were here to release them, but it was difficult to get a reaction from them because they were so out of touch, many unconscious. They could lower the rope but that did no good if the prisoners would not grab them. There was also the problem that Nokhons who live all their lives without skesk, not even so simple as a length of rope, lack all knowledge of knots or how to tie a loop. So they had to send someone down and bind them to the rope so that they could be pulled up. But it was almost impossible to fit one more fully grown male into a narrow pit with four prisoners. Only smaller Da Ving could do it, once Dagrolyt taught the boy how to put a loop around the prisoners and tie it with a granny knot. It took a while to haul all prisoners up, always watching for a fresh batch of Alutna to come upon them and spoil the rescue. None of the prisoners was in any condition to help in a fight, almost starved to death. The newly released Alutna knew where food supplies were, mostly nettles and mushrooms, and they brought some. But they had to do something about all the shit in their beards and on their hands before they could eat. It was not so easy to bring water, because containers are forbidden skesk but there was a rivulet in one corner of the chamber. But to wash up, the prisoners had to stagger to the rivulet, and not all could stand up. DA JAAKT They were all so dirty and disgusting, their hairy bodies and beards so thick with shit, that it was impossible to recognize any of them, so he had to ask: "Is Da Jaakt here?" Finally one of them spoke, weakly, lying on his back, seemingly unable to stand up. "Who is asking?" The Nokh who spoke was in poor shape, badly emaciated, but it was difficult to assess how badly damaged he was while covered with a thick gooey coating of feces. Daklakht went to him and scraped the shit away from his face to study it. The Nokh looked up at him with uncomprehending eyes. "Da Jaakt, I am Daklakht from Aket, can you remember me?" Da Jaakt's eyes wandered, unfocused, "No. Should I?" "You and I fought against the China-NokhSos as friends and allies long ago. And we met again, as enemies while I was enslaved by the Starda Faction, which I am definitely NOT this time. Now I'm here to fight against Da-starda-hat and I need your help." "I don't remember you and I can be of no help against the Starda Faction, I am too beaten. They have won, nothing can be done." Da Jaakt was understandably confused, the events Daklakht spoke of were 70 and 20 years back. But then he shook his head, "...o wait..." remembering "...khask, but that was so long ago." "Ra, long ago, but I'm here now and I need you." "Why me?" "It's time for a revolution, you were always a leader to these people, a voice they will follow, I am just a foreigner." "I cannot lead now... Da-starda-hat has personally cursed me. I'm too weak." "Ma Silla told me that you've been infected with a syssk, but what kind?" "I believe it is what blocks me from calling up my haka. And they have been starving me so I can only grow weaker every day." "I have some special food for you. But first let's clean you up so you don't get shit poisoning." Daklakht and Dagrolyt lifted Da Jaakt and helped him stagger to the flowing stream to wash him clean. It was first after the layer of filth was gone that they could see how emaciated the previously big strong Nokh was now, how patches of body hair were gone, burned away, bruises quite visible. They learned that prisoners were forced to run through tunnels littered with burning branches, primarily to cause pain and suffering, which was of value to the oppressors; they were somehow feeding off the pain. They took Da Jaakt off to one side because in his shoulder pouch Dagrolyt had a day's supply of the breakfast muesli Elaine had mixed for them (oatmeal, nuts, raisins, prunes), but not enough to share with everyone. For a Nokhon this was a very high-energy food, much more so than nettles and mushrooms. Da Jaakt ate with greedy desperation, almost choking on the dry mix, struggling to chew and breathe at the same time. They had to ration it to him. He also needed a mouthful of water every now and then so that he could swallow. When he could finally stop chewing long enough to say something: "Never have I tasted anything so delicious! What is this?" "You might not like knowing, but it is NokhSo food. High energy." "Ra, I can feel the energy, it's fantastic. But how is it you traffic with NokhSos?" "My... er ...son is The Negotiator. It's a complex story, tell you later." "Can I have more?" "Don't get sick from eating too much at once." "Are you kidding? I haven't felt this good in many season-cycles!" "Well, we don't have much more here with us anyway, so just eat it all," Dagrolyt said. "But then I can never taste this again?" "We've got some more stored back at the Palace, but you'll have to get up on your feet." He gobbled up the rest of the mix. Then tried to stand, but couldn't yet. Now that Da Jaakt had some life-energy they concentrated on cancelling his syssk. Knowing it to be one of Da-starda-hat's own infections was advantageous, especially to Daklakht, who had learned the discipline of casting syssks from none other than Da-starda-hat Himself, his own teacher at Aket many years back. So he knew the techniques involved. There are not many individuals who can undo any of Da-starda-hat's curses, he was a master at psychic brutalization, his mental imprint always extremely potent and difficult to erase without causing damage. But Daklakht had himself been enslaved by one of those curses for many years, unable to break free until his daughter Masnia recently overwhelmed the spell with her own psychic talents, and so now he had learned the trick of it. Dagrolyt is also quite adept at casting and curing syssk infections, although not quite at Daklakht's level, so the two of them performed the exorism ceremony over Da Jaak. It was rather intense and the weakened Nokh passed out. They went on to exorcise other syssk-contaminated ex-prisoners. Most of them were quite easy, simple syssks cast by inexpert Sha-hakas, almost amateurs. Once several of the infected were cured, some of them had enough psychic training to release others in turn. Several of the ex-guards had been cursed with obedience spells, and once released were also upon the side of the escapees. But they were aware that other Starda Faction Alutna would be rotating the guard and that they would soon be outnumbered, so it was time to make their escape into the tunnels. Now with the freed prisoners and the converted guards they were a crowd of almost 20, but none of the rescued prisoners were in any shape to be fighting off a unit of fresh Alutna armed with clubs. They could expect at least 6 new guards to be arriving at the sundown shift. So they gathered up as much food as they could carry and the entire group followed Da Ving through a series of narrow tunnels and out to where he knew there was a little open valley with growing food and flowing water. They could hide for a while to build up their strength. Da Ving also had some friends, other young rogue Yetis like himself, perhaps a dozen or so, who remained free by avoiding the Starda Faction. But they were hardly a militant resistance movement, mostly just refugees eking out a meager survival. Although most of them did bear cudgels, even though they were forbidden skesk and thus a violation of Atli, just in case they met some faction Alutna out to capture them. Some of those kids had become quite experienced at self-defense and whenever they met friends they would practice hit-stick techniques together. Daklakht was interested in meeting them, planning to organize a fighting force. In the meantime he and Dagrolyt made a foray back to the first slave pits they had encountered, where Da Shabbu was Chief Officer. Rather than sneaking around they went directly to Da Shabbu to negotiate. They were recognized by the guards and immediately surrounded by 20 armed Alutna. "The incoming change of guards for the special pits have sounded the alarm,” Da Shabbu warned,”it is known that you have helped all of the special prisoners to escape. "Does the Starda Faction know who I am?" "Ra, Daklakht, one of my guards has recognized you from the last time you were here. He announced it to everyone." "Right, good old Da Zannr, the turd." "Not my best Alutna agent, I admit. But even though I might sympathize with your quest, I cannot cover for you without myself being considered a traitor." "Well, that's the next step anyway," Daklakht told him, "Dagrolyt and I are here to break out all the rest of the prisoners and to release all the guards from their syssk enchantments. We are starting an uproar and I'm hoping you'll join us, Da Shabbu." "Uproar has been attempted before, but Da-starda-hat has always overpowered his opponents with his psychic power, so that they become his agents. So unless you have some secret weapon..." "Ah, but we do," Dagrolyt announced, "As Alutna-jii of Aket many season-cycles ago young Daklakht studied the art of psychic domination under the tutelage of Dastarda Himself, as he was then called. Eventually Daklakht became his magical equal and mortal adversary. Now he is one of the few dwayaratli who know how to undo syssks generated by his former teacher. We can release the Starda Faction's agents from his command. Then they can become our allies if they so choose." "Kha-ra, that must be why Da Gittor went to your side. That could mean you... we ...have a chance!" Da Shabbu looked rather encouraged, until he realized something: "But I must warn you, that once Da-starda-hat has installed one of his wicked spells in someone's mind, even if they do manage to be released somehow, he seems to be capable of regenerating it simply by coming in just close enough to look them in the eyes. That could include you, Daklakht, it could be dangerous for you to come face-to-face with him." "Ra, we'll be taking some chances. So are you with us, Da Shabbu?" "Even if I am, Daklakht, I know that the guards will rebel if I do not command them to arrest you. Most of them are enchanted by the Starda Faction and therefore hysterically loyal to them." "Are there any of them you can trust to be loyal to you?" "Ra, a handful. All hoping that the Starda Faction will collapse someday soon, as do I." "Then arrest us and have your men escort us to the pits. I will convince them that the revolution has arrived and recruit them. Just keep those Starda loyalists here until we return with enough manpower to overwhelm them." "Khask! You are putting me on the spot here. Da-starda-hat will destroy me if you are not victorious." "He will destroy you anyway, as he does all good Nokhs." "You're right and I know that. Very well,.." Da Shabbu spoke louder so all could hear, "You are under arrest! Guards, take these men to the special pits immediately!" The guards came running, grabbing Daklakht and Dagrolyt, ready to begin clubbing them with their hit-sticks, but Da Shabbu commanded, "Without violence, they are not resisting." That confused some of the guards who had become accustomed to brutality. But they obeyed. Da Shabbu continued shouting commands: "Da Burr, you and Da Shallka take the prisoners. Da Zannr, take your men out to the tunnels to reinforce the guard post, in case others are coming to back them up." Da Zannr looked disappointed: maybe he'd been looking forward to having the authority to push his ex-boss around, but then remembered how dangerous that could be and decided to gladly follow the orders he had been given.
Da Burr and Da Shallka were young Alutna, the other three guards were slightly older. They walked on each side of Daklakht and Dagrolyt, escorting him to the pits but not locking his arms with their hit-sticks, as they should have. In fact, they apologized for arresting them. "So you are Daklakht, the twice Alutna-jii?" Da Burr asked with obvious respect. "You've heard of me?" "The Elders tell stories about you at night on the Town Square. About how you defeated the rebel Dazzee-tat and his Yellow NokhSo army." "Really? Just the heroic stuff, not so much about what a bastard I was last time I was here?" "It is understood that Da-starda-hat had you in his thrall." "Is it understood why I am here this time?" "Not really, but there is hope that you are..." "Ske'dha, Da Burr, someone might hear you saying that." "Don't worry, we won't tell," Dagrolyt assured all of them. "And your chief officer expects you to cooperate with us," Daklakht informed them. "We will be releasing all the prisoners." "But the Starda Faction..." "Right, we'll be going into war against them." "At last," one of the older guards says. Another says, "I didn't like keeping these prisoners for so long anyway." A third guard objects, "This regime is going against the Ultimate Nine." But the fourth says, "The Ultimate Nine is defunct right now, they're not even convening anymore!" By the time they arrive at the pits the guards are ready to go into action, willfully hauling prisoners up from the deep pits with ropes. Explanations are being offered to the confused prisoners, many of whom have been down there for a long time. Some of them are frightened, uncertain whether freedom is a good or bad thing. Daklakht is speaking to orientate them, announcing that they are being offered a chance to overthrow the Starda Faction and restart the Ultimate Nine Elders without them. Some are too afraid of the concept to join in, they are allowed to remain in the chamber until some guards come for them, others are ready to fight against their oppressors. They all hate the Starda Faction. About thirty Yeti follow Daklakht back to the chamber where Da Shabbu is waiting with ten Starda loyalist guards. There was a struggle, two of them ran off into the tunnels, Da Zannr being one of them, but eight of them were held down while Daklakht and Dagrolyt cancelled out their obedience programming. They ended up with seven usable recruits to their little army, including Da Shabbu. From there they march half a day to the valley where Da Ving’s friends await them. Chance encounters with guards roaming the tunnels add to the army that was being assembled-- it being easy enough finding those who would rather fight against the Starda Faction than insist upon being loyal. Of course, a certain percentage of those who profess to be against the Starda Faction were lying, intending to become spies and curry favor with Da-starda-hat, but they took everyone along who offered to go with them and sort out the troublemakers somewhere else than in the middle of the tunnels. Daklakht's intention was to get the escaped prisoners somewhere safe where they could eat and take time to recuperate, calling up their haka and thus restoring their prodigious Yeti strength. Almost all Nokhons have learned to use their haka to some degree, but not all of the ex-prisoners were disciplined and trained Sha-haka, so Daklakht and Dagrolyt offered their expertise and intensive training techniques to speed up the process of regeneration and healing. The goal was to be combat ready when the Starda Faction came after them. It's hard to guess just how many loyal troops the Starda Faction had under their command, they were not popular with the people they mistreated. But at the moment the revolution had less than 50 soldiers, many of them still sick and weak, an early battle would probably not end up to their advantage. The valley was distant enough from the tunnel complex not to be easily found and had been a relatively safe refuge for the young anti-Starda dissidents. Now it became a training camp for the up-and-coming Revolution. Over the next month Daklakht and Dagrolyt recruited ever more dissidents, disciplining and preparing them for what could be the final confrontation against the Starda Faction.
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