Chapter 126
Part 19
“We should really start thinking about making preparations with the Triax as well.” Alilia volunteered.
“We n to go to war at their side, but we’re not training with them at all, except for some of the gods.”
“I’d almost forgotten about our n to talk to the Triax about void warfare, we’ve been so busy.”
Kragorram said as he scratched his beard. “But we’re almost ready for the meeting. Six and I spent
some time on it three nights ago; we’ve reviewed the first team’s experience, we’ve grasped the
mathematics, and the spells that convert from one numerical system to another are simple and reliable.
We made some progress on trantion from theirnguage to ours, but it’s still very basic. We’ll
probably need some divine help with that.
“But when we meet with them, we should discussrge-scale training with them. And it should be
tonight or tomorrow morning, before the meeting of The Assembly, so that our leaders and the Triax
leaders can co-ordinate.”
“Ah. One moment.” Quewanak nodded. He contemted the surroundings for a few breaths, then
nodded again. “Within an hour I’ll have a list of qualified military strategists, both mortal and divine, who
are willing and avable to help with conducting training exercises.
“The Triax will meet with you at five hours to midnight tonight, Standard Time, at The Royal Beach on
Hilia.”
“Most Excellent.” Six smiled. “Thanks.”
“You are most wee.” Quewanak nodded. “I’ll go now, to familiarize those who will conduct
exercises with what Ria and I have done in that regard here.”
With that he was gone before any farewells could be said.
“We have almost four hours to finish preparing to meet with the Triax.” Kragorram pointed out. “Let’s
get started.”
“We don’t have that much to do!” Six pointed out with augh. “I’m gonna finish my lunch first!”
“Fine, I’ll get started!” Kragorramughed as he Retrieved his notes on the subject, and the rest
chuckled as he set to reviewing them with exaggerated studiousness.
As it turned out, all of them wanted to attend the meeting with The Triax, even if only as observers.
By the time the meeting began, hundreds had asked to observe it in person, most of them military
personnel and researchers from all over Keran. Six politely refused them all except Quewanak,
Falgaroth, Visinniria, Amirgath, Somonik, Tithian, and Emperor Osbald of Thon, citing the need to avoid
excess distraction. Those seven arrived a few minutes early, exchanged greetings, and took their
ces. The rest who had asked were allowed to join an Observing Link that Six and Kragorram set up.
Only Six and Kragorram and their close family would directly participate in interacting with The Triax;
including Mark, Talia, Alilia, Fire, Val, Karz, and Povon. All of them were deeply Linked and waiting
patiently at the appointed time.
A secondter The Triax arrived, represented by First Mauve, another god of The Triax who was about
three meters long and purple in color, and neen mortal Triax who swam about in a slightly-cloudy
grayish liquid inside a huge transparent sphere almost thirty meters high, which floated over the water
just off the beach. All of the Triax in it immediately swam over to the side of the sphere facing the beach
and considered the Kerani with their strangely-blinking three-eyed gazes. They seemed to be of
every color in the rainbow, and ranged in size from one to eight meters in length.
“Greetings Prince Mark, to you and to your finepany.” First Mauve began. “This meeting shall have
two purposes; to exin to you and to your people our methods of warfare in the void more effectively
than has been done so far, and to begin the co-ordination of our forces for theing conflict.
“Allow me to introduce First Purple, Triax Goddess of Flight, Fifth Eldest among us.”
That worthy being faced Mark and tipped forward a bit in mid-air from her position floating more than a
meter above the sand. Mark took her motion for a bow, and bowed to her in return.
“Those in the Habitat Sphere are our finest mortalmanders, strategists, navigators, and weapons
specialists.” First Mauve continued.
“Your gods and ours have finally perfected effective trantion procedures to allow mortal Triax and
Kerani tomunicate with one another directly; without needing an immortal to trante for them. It
is a great triumph, and the previous meeting between your mortals and ours was a vital part of the
process.
“However, that meeting was less than perfectly sessful in its primary purpose; the exchange of
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understanding of mortal methods of warfare between your people and mine.
“Since both parties have subsequently enjoyed ample opportunity to consider the results of that
previous meeting and to n for more effective procedures ofmunication, we are confident that
today’s gathering will be more productive.”
“I agree.” Mark nodded. “And it seems sensible that we must understand each other’s methods of
warfare before we can effectively n to co-ordinate our forces.
“We wee you to Hilia, we are both d and grateful to have you here.
“My son Six here will speak for us in the matter of methods of warfare, though any of us might choose
to contribute if it seems appropriate.”
“Thank you Father.” Six nodded as he stepped forward and faced First Mauve.
“The first meeting held between our peoples to share methods of warfare exchanged more knowledge
than understanding.” he stated with a smile. “This is because both sides were trying to exin what
they do right now, though we bothcked the historical context needed to make that knowledge
understandable.
“Therefore, we have prepared a presentation; a very basic history of our societies and races and their
development, focusing on the history of methods of warfare on Keran. Its level of detail is such that a
well-educated Kerani could view it and understand it in about three hours. The truth is that the design
and use of the first weapons on Keran has affected all that came after, so we’ve included everything
from the use of ws and fire in the first dragon war, right up to the methods we used in the recent War
of The Founding of The Just Alliance, and some of what we’ve developed to fight the demons since
then. We’ve tried to show how each development led to the ones that followed. We’ve included the use
of weaponry, tactics, and strategy.
“We ask that you prepare a simr presentation of your own history of warfare and society, starting with
your earliest recorded conflicts.
“Once we’ve viewed each other’s presentations, we can outline our present ns for the uing war
with the demons; then we’ll work on altering those ns to include each other’s forces.
“That is well thought.” First Mauve stated. “Begin the showing of your presentation. I willpose our
presentation, and begin disying it shortly.”
“Agreed.” Six nodded, and cast arge Revealing of a new design that included numerous subtle
psionic effects.
It showed a gray dragon facing off against a brown, snarling and circling, then they darted together and
set to with teeth and ws and fire in a sudden explosion of snarling violence.
As this happened, the sound of the battle was joined by a calm, human-seeming male voice; “Of the
living intelligent races on Keran, the Draconians were the first of us some three hundred and fifty
million years ago, and they have always fought each other for dominance, resources, and mates. Their
wars wereposed of many fights, one dragon against another in singlebat. During great
battles, thousands of these fights would take ce simultaneously, usually on one great field of battle
and in the air above it. Yet it was not true warfare, for no dragon was ever out-numbered inbat, no
dragon ever had to fight against two or more other dragons at the same time. Fighters who had no
immediately avable enemy would wait until the nearest challenge waspleted, then challenge the
winner to another round of singlebat if their enemy was victorious. After two hundred and forty
million years, the first magic attack spells were developed and used inbat.
“Then, about fifty-five million years ago, The People of Morning emerged on Keran. The dragons had
just endured one of their worst wars when they realized that the unicorns were sentient. Despite their
depleted poption and weakened state, they dered war on The People of Morning, and the first
true warfare on Keran began…”