User Guide

Now Ralgha felt that same paralyzing fear, watching his fate being decided before him, and knowing
that there was nothing he could do about it at all.
Again, the purring whisper. “I am waiting for your answer, Jahkai.”
Commander Jahkai turned and spoke to the shadowed figure seated in the corner of the room. “My
lord, I cannot say. In five hours, we have neither seen nor heard a single hint of treason from Lord
Ralgha. But....”
Ralgha stood silently, muscles locked in the rigidity of submissive fear, and wished with all his heart
that he was back in the battle for the Vega Sector, commanding the crew of the Ras Nik’hra against the
Terran fleet. At least then, he had an obvious opponent to fight. Not this shadow-war of loyalties and
treason, where a single gesture could result in his immediate death. They would not even grant him the
honor of death in combat…he could die in this room, shot like a coward or a prisoner of war, and no
one would ever know....
“Enough.” The tall Kilrathi rose from his chair in the corner of the room, striding forward to face
Ralgha. Prince Thrakhath, Heir to the Throne of Kilrah, stared into his eyes, thoughtful and calculat-
ing. Gold rings glistened in Thrakhath’s ears, bright against his red-brown fur and his red cloak. The
spicy musk of one who dallied often with females wafted to Ralgha’s nostrils, but Ralgha refused to be
distracted by it. “Tell me, Ralgha…whom do you serve?”
“The glory of the Emperor and the Empire of Kilrah,” Ralgha said, stiffly. “I am yours to command,
my Prince.”
“Yes.” The prince spoke quietly, his voice low and resonant in the small room. “I believe you do,
Ralgha. You will do well.” The prince turned to the intelligence officer. “Enough of this farce, Jahkai. I
had suspected a personal animosity when you brought me your suspicions; now I am certain of it. We
are finished here. I will return to K’Tithrak Mang tonight. You will give up this grudge of yours. And to
ensure that there will be no repetition of this — scene — I require that you bring me concrete proof of
deceit before you make any further accusations.”
Jahkai flattened his ears and lowered his muzzle submissively; his tail dragged on the ground, com-
pletely limp. Though his eyes were still full of hate when he looked at Ralgha, the captain was certain
that he would not dare disobey the prince’s orders. He held his rank on sufferance alone, and many
hated him. They would be glad to see him fall.
The prince glared down at Jahkai. “The Lord Ralgha may return to his usual duties.” The prince
glanced at Ralgha. “What are your standing orders, Captain?”
Ralgha brought his head up, at full attention. “My ship leaves for the N’Tanya System tonight, my
lord,” Ralgha said. “We are to join the strike force departing for the Terran frontier.”
The Prince nodded. “You will bring honor to your hrai, I am certain of it. Fight well, Ralgha.”
“My lord.” Ralgha bowed his head, his tail curled down in a gesture of respect and submission; care-
ful not to spoil his show of appropriate behavior by displaying the shock the prince’s last statement had
given him. He cannot know, Ralgha thought. All of my hrai, down to my littlest sibling…dead now,
these last five years. I have no family now, no way to share the honors I have won in combat. No one,
nothing worth living for....
My only joy has been fighting the humans. Killing as many of them as I can, for the glory of the
Empire. Taunting them in battle, ignoring them as they call us “kitten” or “cat”...I wonder what a cat
is?...and then rejoicing in my victory, hearing their death-screams. Winning honor for my hrai, for my
family name.
Now that is meaningless. Without my hrai....
Prince Thrakhath nodded once to Jahkai, and left the room. Ralgha began to follow him, but was
stopped by a guard’s clawed paw on his shoulder.
“You may not leave yet, Ralgha,” Jahkai hissed in a low voice.
Had the lowborn learned nothing? If Ralgha had been younger, more given to impulse, Jahkai
would have been dead at that moment. The chemicals of anger and fear still sang in his blood, and
made his ears ring. “I am not one of your hirelings, Jahkai, or a human slave. Do not presume to give
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