Koban (97 page)

Thad had kept his own counsel so far, knowing Tet was also trying
to educate, as well as looking for confirmation. It was time to offer his opinion.

“They weren’t after food, it was a ripper scouting mission,”
he stated with assurance.

Mirikami nodded, having decided the same thing, but only after
several replays and a longer time to think. Thad was military trained and
thought in terms of tactics and strategy, and he had seen it right away. His own
suspicion was affirmed.

 Thad elaborated, “The rippers were testing our defenses and
how to breach them. They weren’t really hunting at all. They chose a cow with a
calf, something the mother and usually other cows will risk a lot to protect and
not abandon. The older cow that died on the fence I think was probably in front
because experienced rhinolos usually lead the herd, and her size and speed would
take her well through the wire. Five rippers, working in the dark, could have isolated
that calf but they didn’t try to do that. I believe they wanted them all running
headlong, exactly where they aimed them.”

“That’s giving a lot of credit and smarts to animals,” suggested
Carlos.

“Some aspects could be coincidence,” Thad acknowledged. “Like
the older cow being in front. Like last night being a dark night with no moon and
a lot of clouds to make this work better.

“But the ripper that calmly walked through the fence gap alone
and stood and watched the other two very alive rhinolo running into the compound
learned what they need to know. With its night vision it already knew the first
charging cow was dead and had cleared away the wire. The other four rippers also
could see that. They had plenty of time, two miles out and in the dark, to have
safely fed before someone would take a shot at them at daylight. Instead they simply
strolled away.”

“Thank you Thad. I spent a lot longer reaching the same conclusion.
We need to be more alert for stunts like this, and recognize that these predators
are considerably smarter than we thought.

“And Carlos,” he added in an afterthought. “The Krall constantly
underestimate us ‘animals’ so let’s not be too quick to downplay how clever a ripper
is.”

No one was deluded any longer into thinking the fence could keep
out a smart determined ripper pride. The desert panther had made it up a thirty-foot
smooth wall to kill a woman, and rippers were more powerful. They might be able
to clear the top of a twenty-foot electric fence, even if they didn’t simply drive
a rhinolo through the fence to make it easy.

Nights belonged entirely to the animals, but floodlights were
being readied for placement around the dome, and would activate if the fence were
breached. However, humans would still be huddled inside the dome, looking out at
the narrow circle of light for green eyes in the dark.

****

Telror walked beside Haktor, having gained his interest again
over Rasha’s best efforts to win his attention. Telror had cemented his fascination
for her tonight with the successful demonstration that the not-live gray killer
vines could be broken if they wanted, by making the giant horned prey break them
for them.

She had boldly walked through the place where the broken vines
had been. The young horned prey and its mother were alive and still running, which
was her proof that it was safe to pass through. It was still a thrill to actually
walk past the ‘trees’ the killer vines grew from, as the others of her pride watched,
particularly Haktor.

Rasha, her cousin, friend, and competitor had to watch as Telror
employed a trick shown to her by Rasha the very first time they had tested if some
gray not-life vines were truly dead. Turning back, Telror clearly saw the older
giant horned prey was not touching any of the gray vines. She nuzzled it as she
passed, her frill brushing the dead animal. There was a soft echo of a recently
deceased life, but none of the wonderful thrill of the actual dying or of any fear
that made kills so enthralling.

This giant horned prey was still warm and would taste good on
the tongue, but she had fed earlier that day. This wasn’t a food kill, and it was
definitely not a wanton and forbidden pleasure kill, because there had been no pleasure.
This was done to show the pride how they could bypass the frustrating and annoying
obstacles placed between them and an easy prey to kill.

This prey tasted sweet and different from any prey they had ever
eaten, she recalled. Not the best-flavored meat, but its novelty had made it more
appealing. It was also somewhat dangerous if it had the stinging sticks, as her
now healed scar proved.

The red ones had all gone, the fresh scent of them was no longer
here at all, but the new smaller prey had increased greatly. However they had the
best sentinels the pride had ever encountered, and their new sting sticks could
reach farther, as seen when they hunted the same animals the pride claimed as theirs.

They never had a chance to drive them away from one of their
fresh kills, because they never hunted near any of the pride. This prey was always
warned and hiding in their den or flying things anytime the pride stalked them.

After Telror had shared her startling mind memory of the new
prey she had killed, the interest in them had grown. They had never experienced
a prey species with the ability to sense them in return. There was doubt that they
were just prey, because they hunted and kept the meat, even though they also ate
plants. They could also be predators, just as the red ones believed they were.

The pride elders had decided that if they could get close to
the den before the prey awakened in the mornings, they might take one as it first
came outside, to sense it as it sensed them in return before it died.

Now they knew how to get closer to them, though Telror wasn’t
as sure as the other pride members that she wanted to experience the kill from both
perspectives at once again. It had unsettled her. Perhaps sharing some other pride
member’s mind image of a mutual sensing at the time of the kill would be easier.
No one seemed to experience the discomfort from her images that she had felt first
hand from her kill.

****

Everything the new settlers tried to plant outside grew poorly
or was eaten; by small insects, grubs, worms, or animals. The enclosed and covered
corral remained the only place Earth plants and animals could survive outside of
the dome.

The original hydroponics section was doing very well, and with
the Krall gone, the top level with its greater natural roof lighting was being turned
into a second hydroponics garden. A number of Koban plants were also being cultivated,
but a favorite, the Death Lime, was too risky to plant where people might be
exposed to the thorns.

One of the new labs not involved with human genetics had managed
to extract the paralyzing agent from the wax on the thorns of the Death Limes, and
was on the verge of being able to replicate the chemical structure. The next goal
was a counter agent or antidote. There were plants that had a less toxic version
of the wax. People needed some way to protect themselves while perhaps using the
substance defensively.

Another change was coming for the first time for the
majority of the people here. The weather was definitely cooler. Autumn was coming
fast, and only the long-term captives had experienced the cold season. In the deepest
winter the snows came, and at times bitter cold. The life here either fled to warmer
climes, or had adapted to unlikely temperature extremes for most human settled planets.
A tropical jungle here managed to survive freezing conditions, and rebound quickly
when the rapid change back to warmth happened.

Thad was talking with Mirikami at breakfast. He had given up
his overly spacious quarters in the dome, and had a smaller cabin on the Fancy.
“Tet, you have mentioned the weather change, but I don’t think you newcomers realize
how quickly fall turns into winter here. Most of the herds will move south towards
the coast, but some new migrating animals will replace them.”

“Like what?” Mirikami asked around a mouthful of gazelle meat.
His appetite had become an embarrassment to him since the last mods. He needed a
lot of energy to feed his new muscles and metabolism. It was unfortunate they hadn’t
worked on a “tall gene” for him. He was still short, but had become a bit stocky
looking now.

Thad hardly noticed Tet eat because he was feeding his own new
appetite as the latest mods worked their magic. He felt ten years younger.

“In about a month, possibly less, the savanna herds will have
migrated south, and a sort of light blue hairy yak will arrive, and turn pure white
as the first snows come right behind them. It will dig up snow to get to the frozen
grass, and eat the leaves and bark on low trees and bushes. It has an impressive
set of horns, and a thick bone cap between them. There’s a large deer or moose kind
of animal that stays in the woods, but I don’t know of anyone that ever saw them
close.”

He shook his head and shrugged, “There is some sort of really
big predator that comes south from the mountains following them, and we’ve heard
them roar and seen some really impressive tracks in snow outside the gates. But
we have never seen them because we didn’t go outside the compound walls.”

“No Krall hunts?” Tet asked.

“The Krall didn’t seem to like to hunt yaks, probably because
they aren’t as aggressive or dangerous as rhinolo, and no ripper threat. The yaks
are a bit smaller than the rhinolo but still big and powerful, and look almost as
fast as a rhinolo on open dry ground. I’ve watched them from a truck through the
gates. I’d think they would be no challenge to hunt in snow when they can’t run
fast, so that’s a possible fresh meat source if we use a shuttle. None of us know
what they taste like.”

Just then, they were joined by company arriving to share the
rest of their breakfast time with them. Aldry, Maggi, Noreen and Dillon, plus Rafe
Campbell, walked into the semiprivate nook. The recently hermit-like Rafe being
the only surprise visitor. He seemed to sport the proverbial “cat that ate the
canary” grin.

“Good morning all.” Tet remained standing until the ladies were
seated. This was another example of role reversal, one he had subtly reintroduced.
“Rafe, it’s good to see you outside the lab for a change. After Maggi recruited
you to head the second human gene lab you dropped out of sight, even sleeping and
taking meals there. All work and no play, you know the old saying.” He smiled at
the widower, clapping him on the shoulder.

“Tet,” Rafe grinned, “I just thought of another old saying. The
one about the pot calling the kettle black?”

“He’s got you there Sir,” agreed Noreen. “You never take a day
off either.”

Rafe’s wife had been killed on the ship while they were
being towed to Koban. “Terminated” by a Krall warrior probably just bored. The
man had withdrawn from social contact after her death.

After being interviewed by Maggi and Aldry, whatever they offered
him to run the lab had brought him to life again, and he leaped into the new work.
His social life was still negligible, however.

The five quickly placed their food orders with the table AI,
then Maggi, as was often the case, cut to the chase. “If you don’t mind we need
to talk business and policy while we eat, before some fresh emergency pulls any
of you away.”

Except for Rafe, all of them were on the unofficial Koban Committee,
though with the Krall gone, the group’s original function had technically ended.
They no longer needed to convince the Krall that Humanity was worth fighting, as
opposed to being exterminated or enslaved. Nevertheless, they still directed their
efforts towards surviving on Koban for the long term.

“Fire away Maggi.” He chuckled. “I sense a broadside coming whether
I agree or not.”

“Good. I’d hate to show you that those new muscles won’t protect
you from determined little old ladies.” She smiled sweetly, which experience had
proven could be more threatening than a Krall glare.

“To start, I’m pleased to announce that we now have several thousand
applicants for the initial gene mods, and three hundred forty four already started.
We can have all three thousand started before this month ends. The other ship’s
pharmacies are helping us turn out supplements at a rate faster than we are using
them. The fruit and vegetable requirements are barely being met by the first hydroponics
level, but the new top level is quickly coming on-line. Hunting in particular has
provided the high quality protein we need to give them.”

Dillon had a question. “That’s a big turnaround in first mod
applicants. Nobody has to survive a match up with a Krall hunter-killer team
now, so what do you think’s motivating them?”

“The planet and wildlife have a lot to do with it,” she told
them, “and the gradual realization that they actually can have a long life ahead
of them here if they are adapted. In addition, you, Tet, and now Thad have been
visible examples of what is possible for them. You
boys
run around with more
energy than anyone here does. The three of you bring in nearly a quarter of the
fresh meat we eat.”

“But we don’t do that on foot or even from trucks,” Dillon pointed
out. “Without a shuttle and the new .50 caliber rifles we couldn’t go very far outside
the fence to hunt game. That’s the same way all of the hunting parties work.” Hunting
remained the most dangerous activity they did, and without the aerial advantage,
they would lose too many hunters to rippers, panthers, and sometimes the dangerous
prey itself.

“Sure, but you three stay out longer, go farther, and bring more
meat back than any other teams. You have the endurance. Macho pride has returned
to the human pack. The men in particular hate to be upstaged, and they account for
three quarters of the applications.”