Song: "Rogue One" from Rogue One OST

Bent led Qymaen and their group deeper into the city. Bombs exploding in the distance told Qymaen that the kolkpravis had engaged the outside forces.

He sighed as they came upon the old Kaleela hall. The first time Khaneme Kummar had stepped foot here during his time as khagan, she had fought tooth-and-nail against a hoard of Yam'rii to get to him. She had hugged him while sweaty, dirty, and wearing a torn shirt.

How he wished for her to be the one back at home, pregnant and watching over the soldiers, looking forward to their first child.

He stamped out the thought. I've replaced her.

But unlike Shia, Ronderu was not content to simply stay at home if she was pregnant. She was wild, impossible to cage. A discussion about being gentle in her condition would have had to be held between them. He could almost hear her laughter now. I'm always careful. You, on the other hand....

The Yam'rii officer at the gate stopped them, and the general addressed them. "Would you mind escorting these prisoners to the main floor of the palace?"

"Why the main floor?" he hissed.

"The new ruler of Kalee wishes to speak to them," Bent replied coolly. "These are the remaining soldiers of the Kharankhui." Leaning in closely, he added, "we took them when Khagan Sheelal passed away. They are the ruling party's to dictate."

The Yam clicked his pincers. "Why did you not just execute them?"

Bent let out a great laugh. "These soldiers are part of the most fearsome kolkpravis on Kalee. Khagan Sheelal was a harsh master and trained his soldiers to be able to survive anything. They are valuable."

"I see," the Yam said. "If Minister Holona were to make slaves out of them, they would be strong and good at their work."

"We are of the same mind," Bent said with a grin. "Now, please allow me passage."

"I shall escort them myself," the Yam said. "You will receive your own credit." As Qymaen and Bent parted ways, his friend nodded.

✺✺✺

His officer laughed shrilly, studying Qymaen's thin body. "Senator Kitik was right about how much they influenced the warrior spirit of the Kharankhui." His mouth stretched into a wicked grin.

Qymaen kicked, aiming for the head. Lifting his foot, he sliced his heel-claw across the officer's thin neck, imprinting a large black gash. The life left his opponent's eyes instantly.

The blaster from the fallen Yam was retrieved, and Qymaen handed it to another soldier, who freed them.

"Shoot anyone who engages you, but do not shoot any of our own." Qymaen cocked his new weapon and pointed down another corridor. "This way. We must find one who is willing to assist us in getting to the throne room."

✺✺✺

Qymaen located a Kaleesh slave quicker than he'd thought he would. It was a young boy, still in his pre-teen years. He held a serving platter filled with daelfruit, but at the sight of the kolkpravis he dropped it.

Qymaen laid his blaster on the floor. "Child, pay heed. We are here to rescue you."

"Why have you come? The Huk will wipe you out too."

"We come to liberate Kaleela. We must know where to find the throne room."

"It is on the third floor," the boy said. "See, there is an elevator straight ahead. What shall I tell the governor?"

"He'll be dead before you relay the message," Qymaen promised. "We're retaking Kaleela, but we can't do it alone. I need you and the servants to take these blasters and go to the hangar, where the ships are. That way you all can cut off the Huk air assault." He handed a blaster from the fallen soldier to the boy. "Lose this weapon, and you lose your life."

He took off his cloak and gathered the blasters, wrapping them in the soft mumuu hide and giving them to the boy. "Alert us in the capitol building once you've reached the hangar."

✺✺✺

Once in the elevator with the closest soldiers to him, a voice spoke in crackled beats, clicking and whirring in Yam'rii'n.

He sighed, raising his pitch as high as he could. "Speak Basic, please. I have difficulty understanding your dialect." He wanted to curse as it dawned on him that his notable accent would have easily given him away. Special entrance, I suppose, he thought ruefully as he waited for a response.

"This is Governor Holona of the Kalee province. Who am I speaking to?"

You did not just say that. "This is the Kaleesh kolkpravis. Your tyranny is at an end." He shot an energy bolt at the speaker, and it sparked, spewing smoke into the small chamber.

The elevator dropped them off at the third floor, and the izvoshra stepped foot into the throne room. Holona spoke. "You were brave to come here."

He leveled a Lig sword, his face twisting into a scowl. Soulless, wicked creature. "Surrender, or your end will be much less merciful at my hands."

"Bold words for one so young," Holona said as he walked casually out from behind the khagan's desk. "I suspected that it was you who had driven all the forces from Kaleela into the jungle. A smart move, but very foolish. We will have your forces taken in due time."

Qymaen loaded his slugthrower rifle. "Bring him forward."

Holding rifles to his head, the soldiers nearest to him did as he ordered. Where should he strike first? A decapitation would be merciful, but expected. Through the heart would kill him slowly, but that wasn't painful enough.

"Blind him," he snapped, turning away.

As his soldiers stalked toward the Yam, he clicked nervously. "I surrender myself!"

"The crimes against Kalee are too egregious," Qymaen growled. "Request denied."

"Khaneme Kummar would have desired that you show mercy!" He cried out.

"Ronderu is dead!" The soldiers rushed forward, exacting vengeance against the governor just as was deserved.

✺✺✺

Qymaen shakily got to his feet, tucking the sword in his belt. "Throw the body out the window. Let it be an example to whoever dares infringe on Kaleela again."

One of the pages stepped forward. "But sir, we shouldn't draw attention to ourselves. Besides, how long can the other tribes keep the forces at bay? They're bound to realize that we created a diversion sometime soon."

"It doesn't matter. We'll get to the hangar soon, and this will all be over."

"But—"

Qymaen leveled the sword. "Throw him out, or you will share in his fate!"

The page swallowed. "You heard him." Three others lifted the Yam and heaved him out the window. Soon after, his body made a sickening clunk on the ground.

It's almost over.

He pressed a white button, guessing it was the com link. "This is the Kaleesh kolkpravis," he said, his voice weary. "Sk'ar, if you are here, secure the hangars and take every ship you can find to the outside. Shoot the Yam'rii down."

✺✺✺

Three weeks passed. The yearly conclave arrived, and the Khaganate fought in favor of the action Qymaen proposed: to take action against the Huk system's colony worlds for what they had done to Kalee.

Against his better judgment, they had also legalized polygyny, mainly due to the argument that the non-traditionalist tribes had pointed out: there was a gender imbalance. If they didn't legalize polygyny, the men might not be able to reproduce quickly enough, and the Kaleesh race could truly die out.

Qymaen addressed the planetary kolkpravis at Kaleela. "Our conquest on the Huk system may be lengthy, but we will eventually take the capital of Huk for ourselves. The Yam'rii will never oppress another system again. May the kolkpravis be the shudarga, the vindicators for the good of Kalee and the whole galaxy.

"For ages, the Yam'rii brutally oppressed the Kaleesh people, and their honor was damaged. But now we have a chance to prove ourselves righteous in the eyes of the gods, and restore our position of dignity once more.

"The Kharankhui khaneme Ronderu lij Kummar would have been proud of the fighting prowess you have displayed so far. But now it is time to complete our original task. For our sons and daughters, the name Yam'rii will be blotted out from the face of the galaxy!"

Cheering erupted in the ranks of the kolkpravis—soldiers at Qymaen's command, his tools of vengeance against the Yam'rii for what they did to his Ru. His mouth twisted into a grin.

The din died down, and he spoke again. "We will invade the planets three at a time. The voshrati, who will lead with me on this mission, are Bentilais san Sk'ar and Ikha guu Saikhan."

The two he had selected were khans he knew he could trust—they had proven themselves in the Battle of Kaleela. Saikhan and Bent stood, walking to the foyer where Qymaen was speaking.

He continued. "I have assigned a set of generals to each one of you. The lists will be handed out shortly. I will send scouts out to the first three planets we will retake: Abbaji Minor, Elke and Tovarskl. Once we conquer the main planet of the latter, we will be able to subdue its many moons. Dismissed."

✺✺✺

The jungles of Kalee might be luxurious on the surface, but the sad truth was that his homeworld was a barren place. Yet when he saw Abbaji Major, the only word he could find was paradise.

Great trees towered high above the atmosphere. Their everlasting color splayed across Qymaen's vision in dazzling bursts of natural shades. The sun of Iminec played gently on the planet, so much gentler than Kaleesh weather.

"On my mark," he murmured. "Three...."

The cries of wildlife echoed from below.

"Two...."

He strapped his slugthrower around his waist, along with a case of ammunition.

"One. Jump!"

He hurled himself out of the aircraft, holding his breath as he fell. The trees cradled his body, as well as the bodies of his elite, his izvoshra.

◈◈◈

Did you know....

● To get revenge on her killers, Qymaen drove them beyond his own planet and started attacking their system, which earned him his reputation as a dangerous warrior in the Republic.

Tell me what you think....

● Is Qymaen justified in going after the Yam'rii planets? Why or why not?

● What about the governor?