Before The Day Is Up

Zel'Vok brought them to a stand that had steam and a pleasant scent wafting from it. A Urotyx man was attending the location, handing out kebobs of food and holding a device up for the patrons to press a different device to. As the cam closer, Sam could see that the kebobs had mostly meet on them, with what looked like vegetables here and there on each one.

"We wish for two each." Zel'Vok instructed.

"Indeed, as you wish." The attendant bowed slightly and retrieved four kebobs. He didn't extend the device for Zel'Vok.

"My thanks." He took them, then handed two to Sam. "These are made from our local bovine livestock, as well as our freshest produce."

Sam eyed the meet and vegetables on the skewer. They looked beautifully prepared and cooked.

"That would appear to be cow and a type of potato and corn." Heinrich surmised.

"It does." He licked a chunk of meat. "It tastes like beef too."

Zel'Vok looked at him confused. Or, it appeared that way. His lack of eyebrows made it harder for Sam to distinguish. "With whom do you speak?"

A cold sweat broke out across his brow. "Oh I think out loud sometimes. I'm sorry." Zel'Vok squinted his eyes in suspicion for a moment before turning his attention to his own food. "Anyway, this tastes just like an animal from my own world. These vegetables look reminiscent of a couple I know as well, though they only taste similar."

"Intriguing. I am not a scientist myself, but I would be delighted to hear about your world."

He didn't see the harm in it so he told his companion about Earth. He described the different lives that existed there to the best of his ability, telling him about his own, and the events that led up to his transversal here. "So now I don't know what I'm going to do."

"This Dr. Bazyli Heinrich would appear to have been a great personage to you. Perhaps you were destined to be here. It does not sound as if he designed his experiments with such flaws as you have described of his final one."

Heinrich hummed to itself. "That does make sense. I doubt I would have made such a mistake as to not place safeties preventing it's self activation. Unless..." It paused. "I was feeling unwell. If after creating my disc shaped self, my bodily self sensed that death was near and wanted to make sure the experiment wasn't wasted. I may have set up a sensor so that when your presence was detected it started up. I was testing the greater properties of quantum space. Possibly paired with whatever those other scientists were experimenting with, it may have created a temporary tunnel from our reality to this one."

With a wave from his companion, they proceeded to walk along the street, Zel'Vok educating him on the country of Bek. At first glance, it really did sound like a democracy, but then Sam remembered that it was comprised of many tribes, each being a nation itself, so he settled on something akin to NATO. Zel'Vok's own tribe the Kul resided in this city, So'Mas. To the east was another city, No'Mas, and to the south was considered a neutral city populated and ran by all tribes, Bek'Mas. Their people were feudal, but in this society, all were considered valuable. The warrior caste was seen as the sword and shield of the people, their worker caste comprised of various professions were seen as the life blood, and their noble caste were the leaders meant to guide the tribe. Zel'Vok emphasized that the Urotyx functioned off of honor. There were times a Moz, a word for traitor or scale less one, would attempt to rise to power, but each time they are discovered, all three castes have equal rights to rise up and purge them. Through this united desire for true honor their way of life has withstood a sum of over a thousand years.

"The Imperium to the northeast was once a collection of tribes fighting amongst themselves about four hundred years ago. We watched them change rapidly after the discovery of anti-gravity technology. Their tribes were swallowed up by one of the tribes bordering another nation that stretches from the northwestern shores of this continent to a stretch of land on another continent to the west. It was they who discovered this technology, and those ket stole it from them and used it to create what is the Imperium today."

"Is this other country made up of Urotyx as well?" Sam asked, polishing off the last bit of his kebob.

"They are not. They are called the Viar. They belong to a republic, and have been recorded as the most peaceful country in the world."

They shared more idle chatter, including an invitation for Zel'Vok to show him more of the warrior lifestyle. They passed by what appeared to be a school. Tiny Urotyx children toddled around in a playground while a few adults watched on.

"This seems just like from my reality."

"Reality?" Zel'Vok tilted his head.

"Oh I mean world. For everyone to be so advanced, why doesn't anyone use guns? Or even bows?"

"What is a gun and bow?"

"Uh, projectile weapons."

Zel'Vok gave off a chuckle. He pulled out a dagger. "Throw this at me." Sam shook his head nervously. "I assure, I will not be harmed." Taking the dagger with hesitation, Sam walked a few steps away, turned and pulled his arm back. After a couple more moments he threw it. Just as it was about to impact with his chest, a shimmering wall appeared. The dagger immediately stopped and dropped to the ground. The wall seemed like a shell around him. "As you can see, anything not being driven by a continued force is halted. It is a technology that was also discovered by the Viar. Over the past seven hundred years, combat has regressed to a state of sword and shield, axe, spear and more amongst ground forces, and cannon fire amongst ships. This shielding does have limits after all. If a cannon fired upon me now, I would perish."

Sam marveled at the shielding tech. "The Viar seem to be really advance compared to everyone else if they have invented a lot of this world's technology."

"They are ind-" A loud siren erupted from around them, and an announcement roared to life.

"Contact West. Contact West. Contact West."

"Come!" Zel'Vok instantly jumped into action, running to the west. As they ran, many other warriors fell in along with them.

"Multiple Foreign Objects In Flight Detected." The announcement continued to blare. "Numbering - seven hundred fifty-two." They approached what appeared to be the edge of the city. In the distance a shimmering cloud could be seen approaching. "Objects Identified. A Flock Of Viar Approaches. Universal Signal Of Peace Detected."

Immediately, the warriors relaxed from a hostile stance to a cautious one. Zel'Vok himself crossed his arms.

"What's going on?" Sam whispered.

"I do not know. It is unprecedented that the Viar would arrive like this."

As they waited, the flock descended to the ground and grew closer. When they were a few miles out, a few of them simply dropped to the ground, unmoving. The warriors around him gasped in shock.

"Casualties Detected. Medical Team Response Recommended." The speakers announced. Some of the Urotyx warriors around him flew into action, mounting up on transports and rushing out to meet the flock as more dropped. Some were too high up that Sam understood their fate when they met the ground. Within half an hour, around six hundred of the flock made it to the city and landed. Of the one hundred fifty that dropped out, a third were dead. It seemed they flew over the ocean to get to the city of So'Mas, which was the closest to their point of takeoff. Their group leader was one of those who collapsed and was lying in a medical room. A female Viar named Jian stood to represent them. Carrying her spear with dignity, she walked the streets to the government building escorted by Zel'Vok, Sam, and four other warriors. As they passed through multiple doors, he noticed curiosity from most of the workers on their way.

"Most Urotyx have not seen a Viar before." He mused over his shoulder to Sam. "It is quite humorous to see their expressions."

"Well we hope this wasn't a wasted trip. Likely we are the last free people of the Viar Republic." The woman announced. She resembled a harpy to Sam. He noted that she had thick bird legs from the feet up to about the knee, followed by a human body up to her arms and head. Her arms had large wings on them, and her head had a collection of feathers instead of hair and a small beak. Despite how large her wings were, he wondered how she could possibly fly. They entered a set of double doors and came into a large office. On either side were bleacher-like stands. One side seemed to be comprised of warriors while the other had more unassuming Urotyx, likely the working class. At the end was a long table that had more refined looking individuals behind it. Sam noticed Kip'Son'Lek sitting in the middle of the right half. He followed Zel'Vok to a seat amongst the warriors.

An old man in the middle wobbled to his feet, and in a raspy yet commanding voice spoke. "I am Pir'Sho'Tom, head of the Kul tribe. With the oversight of the warrior and worker caste, the leading caste will hear from the Viar. Why have you arrived in such a manner."

Jian stepped forward and placed her spear on the ground while kneeling. "Thank you for this opportunity. May we have pleasant proceedings." She stood straight once more. "The Lupes Imperium has not only attacked, but they have successfully invaded our country. Before we could even put up a decent resistance, they made it into the center of our mainland. We're from a coastal town, and my commander made the decision to evacuate as many citizens as we could and escort them to your lands. Knowing your relations with the Lutra, we presumed that you wouldn't turn us away." She bowed looked around at all the Urotyx in the room. "We beg that you harbor our citizens, even if you would require that our military forces left."

Pir'Sho'Tom looked around at the warriors, then the workers, gauging their reactions. There were a few whispers here and there, but nothing of note. He then looked at his fellow leaders. Again, there were no notable reactions. He turned to Jian once more. "We have no issue with any of your people taking refuge in our city. However, everyone of able body contributes in our city. Only the elderly are exempt. Your soldiers will integrate, your children will attend school, and the rest of your able bodied will join our worker caste. Like ours, your elderly will live comfortably, and your injured will be nursed to good health."

Jian stood straight as before, but Sam could see a tear rolling down her cheek. "We are grateful. My people will not be a burden once we overcome the adjustment to our new life."

Pir'Sho'Tom bowed slowly. "We will of course require any intelligence you may have on the Imperium. Kip'Son'Lek here will be meeting with you in the coming days. He is the head of our intelligence branch." Kip'Son'Lek stood for a moment and nodded. "Until then, rest yourselves. This meeting will now conclude." A pair of young warriors came up to the leader and assisted him out of the room.

"How old is Pir'Sho'Tom?" Sam asked Zel'Vok.

"I believe he is now three hundred two." He tilted his head at Sam's confused expression. "Is that odd to you?"

"Well humans rarely make it passed a hundred."

"Ah, you are similar to the Lutra then. They too live to about eighty. We call them the short-lived races. Those that live half as long or less than us. The Viar live even longer. I believe their longest recorded lifespan was six hundred seventy-four." He stood up. "Come, you may share my home while we discover what you may offer my people and in turn what we can do for you."