The two species, Kahnu and Klomag, lived in total symbiosis. The Klomags provided Kahnus with shelter and support for their complex, multi-leveled cities, and in return, Kahnus gave the giants something they could no longer provide for themselves; Fioo. An algae-like life form, found in the deep coastal regions of Mohgvar, the great Kahnu ocean. Over the millenniums, the Klomags roots had gradually lost their ability to reach for their food, after the Kahnus had started mining it for themselves. The aliens, harvesting huge quantities of the purple plant, had eventually rendered the giants completely dependent on their own supply.
The alien colonies were an intricate maze of passages, hallways, and tunnels bored right through Klomags. Like termites in a wood post, Kahnus drilled passages, chambers, tunnels, ramps, hallways, and bridges in every direction. They carved shelters and habitats, caves and towers, chimneys and pools. On Earth, as perforated and drilled as the Klomags were, trees would have never been able to survive such a treatment, but the peculiar nature of the symbiotic living arrangement between the aliens and the Klomags had long be part of both species’ evolution, thus resulting in their perfectly harmonious, and beneficial, joint venture. Overtime, the air passages in their trunks had allowed the gigantic structures to grow even taller and healthier. And as generations of both species learned to live together in a peaceful and harmonious cohabitation, they also eventually learned to communicate with each other, when the Klomags had begun developing a simple form of telepathic ability of their own. Of course, the council of Elders was partially responsible for that, having spent countless years and ceremonies trying to manifest the giants’ aptitude. And so, when diving deep in the great Mohgvar ocean to collect needed supplies and minerals, the Kahnus would also harvest Fioo algae for their gigantic friends.
For Jorh and the small group of castaways, the unfamiliar surroundings of the immense Martian cave were making the survivors feel sadly homesick.
Back in the cave dwelling, Jorh, who couldn’t really fall asleep after the difficult past few weeks, was starting to wonder where Serm had gone. He was just about to search for him telepathically when he spotted his colleague talking with Donjeh near the back of the ship. Serm, sensing eyes on him, immediately walked away from his uncle. The older Kahnu lingered a few seconds before heading back to the towering dwelling.
Jorh pondered a moment, founding it odd, but not enough to dwell on it. He was too busy to linger on the thought, anyway. Getting off his hovering bed, he called, “Gahneo?”
“Yes, Jorh. I see you’ve chosen a space. How are your quarters?”
“Not bad. Definitely more spacious than the ones on the Aruk. What about you?”
“Good. I’ve checked all the systems in our rooms. Everything seems to be in perfect working condition. Mahhzee is checking on everyone else right now. By the way, I think you’ll like the hover beds. They are really comfortable. Such a nice change from those crappy ones we had to sleep on those past ten days.”
“I Come on, they were not that bad. But I must admit, the ones in here look definitely inviting. Almost as comfortable as mine back home…” The thought gave Jorh a knot in his stomach. His home was no more. His entire world was forever gone. Once again, he made a conscientious effort to focus on the present task.
“I know, but you must admit, the ship was everything but comfortable. Anyway, we’re only waiting on you guys now. How are the atmospheric generators coming along?”
“Almost online. I’m waiting on the fusion Zarfhas to finish charging. Serm should be back any moment to give me a hand with the alignment of the matrix.”
“Actually, where is he?” Jorh thought to himself again. He and Donjeh had disappeared, again…
This time, he didn’t hesitate to telepathically call him.
“Serm? SERM? Where are you? I need you to finish the matrix alignment.”
But no response came. Jorh couldn’t sense Serm anywhere in the cave. That, in itself, was very strange. The recent conversation he had just witnessed between him and his uncle seemed odd, the more he thought about it. What were the two up to? It was true, Donjeh was a strange character after all, and Serm had his moments as well. Maybe the two were planning a surprise for Ldohar’s birthday. Gahneo’s dad would be 321 next month. A middle-aged Kahnu, and a well-loved researcher himself, he had been one of the first to work on the new Time-Frost technology. It was he and Donjeh who, almost twenty-eight years earlier, had theorized that the containment chamber of hibernating capsules could be subdivided into multi-level Zarfha zones, and cumulatively inter-connect, using the Mahkiar mapping system. By coating the walls of the containers with Coval salt and Gohhan extract, the Zarfha could increase the plasma’s efficiency, multiplying their hibernating time capacity to unknown limits. Unfortunately, it was also thanks to the improved Time-Frost properties of the new hibernating pods that the Ehoran was now on its way to another star. Because of it, Jorh’s group had come to Kesra to collect more Gohhan, the “Dark Light”. Once Silargh and his crew had found the “White Light” on Kahjuna, the two vessels would regroup, and attempt to race after the Elder’s ship to reclaim Kahalla, the Pool of Life.
Lost in thoughts, Jorh had left his room, heading down to the atmospheric Zarfhas. He walked past one of the towers filled with Gohhan. The impenetrable blackness had been collected decades ago, in the depth of Kesra’s polar ice cap. The substance’s origin was a mystery, even to the Kahnus. They had found it while exploring the red world, and quickly discovered its potent energy, almost by pure luck. Its extreme mass and unbearably cold temperature made it very impractical to carry or move, except in very small quantity, but its capacity to increase the power of a Zarfha engine was worth the years it took to collect. Able to quarry no more than a few kilos at the time, the Kahnus had collected it gradually and stocked great quantities in the towers of the Martian cave. From time to time, small quantities were brought to Kahnu, but the extreme characteristics of the dangerous energy it contained, had made the Kahnus very selective in their need for it. Jorh stared a few seconds at the absolute darkness beyond the tower’s entrance. As soon as the cave’s atmospheric conditioning was complete, they would transfer the needed amount of Gohhan, no more than a few kilograms, to the ship. That thought reminded him the Zarfhas were probably charged by now.
He was almost back at the atmospheric machine, when a voice jolted him out of his reveries.
“Jorh, the Zarfhas are at full charge, and I have engaged the orbs on the launching ramp. Ready to align the matrix when you are.”
Serm was only a few meters behind him. Surprised by his sudden presence, Jorh turned around to face him. He had not felt him approach, and he could sense a general discomfort and nervousness when he looked at Serm’s elusive eyes. He wanted to ask him what he was up to but refrained. After a short awkward moment, Jorh turned without a word to the Zarfha behind him and started creating intricate patterns with his hands. Serm moved next to him and began to do the same thing. Within a few seconds, all eleven Zarfhas were hovering a few meters off the ground, arcs of colored light occasionally flashing between them. Above the two aliens, a pipe about two meters in diameter slowly emerged out of the cave’s wall, progressively extending horizontally until it had reached a good fifty meters out toward the center of the cavern, hanging far above the ground. A small white orb of churning plasma slowly appeared out from the large pipe and hovered its way down to the two Kahnus. Without paying much attention to it, they kept waving directives at the larger spheres below.