Chapter 167: Karashel Lights the Candle

Chapter 167: Karashel Lights the Candle

Veeka scurried urgently through the halls of Parliament.

What was she going to do?

How was she going to give voice to the icy dread that was growing by the second? How could she express what she knew was at hand so that it would be believed?

Caw!!!

Yes! Caw Itseesh! If anyone knew what that Baleel was capable of, it would be him!

Wasting no time, she sprinted towards the Xxian offices.

“Can I help you?” a smartly dressed Xxian female asked with her crest flicking in a “raised eyebrow”.

“Caw!” she gasped, her portly frame unused to the exertion. “I (gasp) need...(gasp)... Caw!”

“Oh, I’m so sorry,” the Xx smirked, “You just missed him.”

“(gasp) Where...(gasp)... is he going...” Veeka gasped, bending over, her second arms gripping her knees for support.

“He has returned to Xvarnkia,” the Xx replied, “He wishes to welcome the Baleean delegation personally and see that they are properly attended to.”

The Baleean delegation?!?

Oh, this was bad...

“I (gasp) have to... (gasp)... speak with him... It’s about the (gasp) the Baleel!” Veeka wheezed, trying not to throw up. “It’s a matter of utmost...(gasp)... utmost urgency.”

“Utmost urgency concerning the Baleel?” the Xx snickered. “Are you certain?”

“Yes!” Veeka shouted, charging her desk and then nearly collapsing across it, “K (gasp)... Kara (gasp)...”

“Karashel?” the Xx asked helpfully.

“Yes! She’s...”

“His pet?” the Xx smirked, “Does she need her litter box changed or something?”

“No!” Veeka wheezed, “She’s dangerous. She’s...”

“She’s what?” the Xx asked with visible amusement.

“She’s... She’s... agriculture!... food... (gasp)... food supply...”

“What about the food supply?”

“I... I don’t... (gasp)... know exactly... (gasp)... trade (gasp)... unable to pay...”

Veeka pulled out her sigil, the encoded crystal representing her ability to speak for her race.

“I demand (gasp)... Caw...”

“I see,” the Xx smiled, “He will undoubtedly stop by his chambers at the embassy to pack before his departure. If you hurry, you might be able to reach him before he leaves. Would you like for me to summon one of our vehicles for you? It will be much faster.”

“(gasp) Yes! Yes, please.”

“Very good,” the Xx smiled as a set of doors opened, “Just wait inside, and I will send someone with some refreshments while I have the embassy send a limo.”

Veeka looked at the doors anxiously as the Xx stepped from behind the desk and gently started to guide her inside. The Xx’s offices were shielded. Nothing could penetrate their cloaks, including sound.

But she didn’t have any choice, did she? If anyone could stop Karashel, it was Caw, right?

She allowed herself to be led inside, guided to a couch, and the doors to close behind the attendant.

***

The Xxian attendant huffed with annoyance as she walked to her desk.

As she reached it, Caw walked out from another doorway.

“Well,” Caw said, “I’m off.”

“I’ve just received word that your bags have arrived on board our vessel. Enjoy your trip home, sir,” the attendant smiled.

“Anything I should be aware of before I board,” Caw asked, “you know how communications are these days.”

“Nothing of any import,” the attendant replied. “Enjoy your ‘vacation’,” she smirked.

“Baleel herding isn’t a vacation,” Caw laughed, “One of them is bad enough, a few dozen?”

Caw mock shuddered.

“Anything you would like from home?” Caw asked pulling out one of their crystalline tablets.

“Oh, some keeljax!” the attendant exclaimed.

“Oh, good choice!” Caw grinned, making a note. “And you aren’t the only one! I’ll bring back a pallet!”

“Thank you, Councilor!” the Xx enthused.

“Keep an eye on the store while I’m gone,” Caw laughed as he departed, waving over his shoulder.

“Goodbye!” the attendant smiled.

As the doors closed, her smile faded.

She pulled out a communicator.

“Hello?” a bright voice answered,

“Chairman Karashel,” she said, “This is PeeYouuu... We have a problem.”

***

“No, you did fine,” Karashel replied into her communicator as she sat among the “committee” out in Aspiration Park. “She was sniffing around here just a moment ago. I was anticipating her trying something like this. No... There is no need for that. Besides, she is one of the decent ones. There is nothing she, or Caw for that matter, can do now anyway. Our prey is on the slope. Nothing can stop it now... Yes, I was hoping to make things bigger as well, but we mustn’t get greedy. Just make sure that the limo arrives after Caw has already boarded... Thanks again, PeeYouuu. It warms my hearts that at least some of the Xx care... I plan on lighting the candle tonight. Inform the others... Bye!”

“Problem?” Rillrillrillrill buzzed, her frill hood twitching sending hypnotic patterns dancing across its surface.

“Only a minor annoyance,” Karashel replied. “Veeka is trying to warn Caw.”

“The Xx?!?” Longpaw squeak-snarled, “And that isn’t a problem?”

“It’s too late,” Karashel replied as she popped a grain coated pickle into her mouth, “we already have the signed documents stating that they are unable to pay. He can complicate matters, but he can’t stop it. Besides, I have just ensured that Veeka will be delayed. She will miss Caw, and my people in the Xxian embassy will ensure that no word reaches him before they jump.”

“I still can’t believe you turned some of the Xx,” Longpaw said with an awestruck voice.

“Disembark from the vehicle with your appendages clearly visible!” Sergeant L~gg barked through a loudspeaker.

The door to the truck opened, and a Kalent bot clambered out.

“He’s clean!” K=pal chirped as he looked at a scanner.

“Get over here!” Sergeant L~gg shouted. “You’re in plain sight, moron!”

“You just called a Kalent a moron!” K=pal whispered urgently.

“Just calling like I see them,” Sergeant L~gg replied. “Maybe it will get me fired,” he added hopefully.

The Kalent, clearly terrified, scrambled over to the two officers.

“You lost, buddy?” the Sergeant asked. “You do know where this is, right?”

The Kalent bobbed up and down.

“I... I have compassionate relief supplies...” he said as a little string of poop came out.

“Compassionate relief?” Sergeant L~gg replied. “You gotta be kidding me!”

“Th... The Kalent people feel the human’s suffering and wish to provide basic sustenance and medical supplies out... out of the goodness... eep...Out of the goodness of...”

A bright yellow little “guppy” nuzzled him.

” OUR HEARTS” the Kalent squealed. “Out of the goodness of our hearts! We have gathered donations of food, clothes, and medical supplies for the survivors of the unprovoked bombardment of their homes!!!”

“Well, that’s awfully nice of you guys,” Sergeant L~gg smirked. “And you are just going to drive in there?”

” Yes!” the Kalent exclaimed as another little bright yellow fish kissed his cheek. “I have a point of contact that is still alive who will meet me and receive the delivery!”

“Manifest,” Sergeant L~gg said suspiciously.

The Kalent nervously handed the Sergeant a tablet.

“Hmm... Food... Medicine... Clothing... Portable Structures...” The Sergeant said as he read. “...Authorized by Federation Emergency Council on behalf of the Kalent people... Now I’ve seen everything.”

He grabbed a scanner and aimed it at the trucks from his shelter.

“Please lower your shields,” the Sergeant said with a bit of annoyance.

Suddenly the arms of the Kalent’s bot shot out like serpents.

Sergeant L~gg and Officer K=pal fell to the ground, their brains strewn across the shelter.

The Kalent screamed in horror.

The little yellow fish turned into little yellow blurs...

The bot, with a globe filled with chunky bright pink broth where a Kalent used to be reached over and pressed a button, and the barricade lifted, as munching sounds could be heard coming from inside of the bot.

It then climbed into the lead truck and drove into Porkie Town.

***

As night fell, Karashel entered her apartment at the Baleelan embassy.

As she made herself a nice cup of tea, she reviewed her emails.

It would have to do. They could delay no longer.

After she finished her tea, she went to her closet and selected her nicest clothes. After she had donned them, she headed back into the kitchen and opened a cabinet.

Inside was a simple glass mug filled with wax with a bit of waxed string in the middle.

She chuckled. Not that long ago, she didn’t even know what one of these was.

She pulled out a simple butane lighter, a gift from an Aat, and lit it.

Smiling, she took the lit candle onto her balcony and set it on the railing, an innocuous act.

She then threw her head back, raising all of her pseudo tentacles skyward.

It had begun.

***

Jessica Morgan smiled as she read the latest email from Gordon.

He was such a goof...

Such a lovable goof... Every now and then, the universe cuts even the wicked a break, and Gordon was hers. He could always make her laugh, no matter what was happening.

The door opened. It was Terrence.

“Excuse me, ma’am,” he said, “Karashel just lit the candle.”

“I see,” Jessica replied, “Has Brenda arrived?”

“I just received word from Porkie Town,” Terrence replied. “Both Brenda and the shipment arrived this afternoon.”

“Perfect timing,” Jessica replied.

She stood and stretched.

“Terrence,” she smiled, “get me in touch with the plague fleet. It’s time.”

“Yes, ma’am.”

***

The candle has been lit.

Jalabel, the Baleelan Foreign Minister, smiled as she read her email.

She quickly forwarded it to a few hundred individuals across the planet.

Once that was done, she sighed happily, inserted her neural jack, and selected one of her favorite tracks.

“Let’s Go,” she whispered as her anterior end started to bounce.

As her eyes closed with delight, she fantasized once again about having fangs...

That would be so cool!