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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Ankh-Morpork Guard" data-source="post: 2078901" data-attributes="member: 10079">Chapter 166: History LessonBefore they even went back to their ship, Shadow had started to explain about the Alraxian people. It only took a few minutes before it was obviously not Shadow talking at all, but Marix. That was obvious in the way that her tone shifted from the more...formal and stilted way that Shadow talked to a much more fluid and actually normal sounding voice that Akan had learned was Marix. That didn’t completely make sense to Akan, as Marix was just as repressed as Shadow had been...all he could figure was that whatever the Imperials had done to the clones had created another major wall.    She explained that there were Humans didn’t exist in enough number to be worth speaking of. According to the ancient Alraxian lore, they were the direct descendants of Humans. How that worked out, Akan wasn’t sure of. Without a time scale, there wasn’t really any point of reference to work from. Humans evolved into a race of feline shape shifters? Either that was complete myth or there was a key point in that which wasn’t being said.    But Akan managed to keep his mouth shut, letting Shadow...Marix...whoever, go on. She next spoke about the Mrrakesh. Like the Alraxians, the Mrrakesh supposedly grew out of the Humans that had once lived in that part of the Unknown Regions. The best comparison that Marix could find was that they looked like much larger Defel. Lupine humanoids, and this really made Akan bite his tongue. Of course there would be a wolf species to fight the cat species of the Alraxians.    On average, Mrrakesh males stood two and a half meters tall, with the females just under that. While this was about the same height as many Alraxian adults, the Mrrakesh were broad shouldered and overall...muscular. While they had the ability to change shape, it was essentially useless when compared with the Alraxians’. Mrrakesh could only morph between two forms: they’re natural form, and a wolflike form that was comparable to an Alarix...but, of course, bigger. There were stories of a Mrrakesh that had found a way to merge with an Alraxian to gain their essentially unlimited ability to morph., but Marix assured Akan that they were just stories. Bed time stories told to scare small children into being good.    But in the end, the truth was that the Mrrakesh were to Alraxians what Alraxians were to Humans. Faster, stronger, and all around a superior race. The only thing that kept Alraxians from being dominated by the Mrrakesh was the society differences. While Alraxians were more like a giant hive-mind, Mrrakesh were best compared with Hutts. Individualists, opportunists, and not above betraying one another to get ahead in the game. In fact, the whole society was based on this type of competition. The leader of the Mrrakesh Combine was the Mrrakesh who weaseled(or wolfed, in this case) his way to the top.    About four thousand years ago, a small group of true Sith found the Hidden Worlds. They created the Darkwings, and in the ensuing Darkwing Wars, the Mrrakesh sided with the Sith. The war lasted nearly two thousand years, ravaging all the worlds in both the Alraxian Empire and the Mrrakesh Combine. When it was finally ended and the Darkwings destroyed forever(supposedly, at least), a stalemate took its place. The stalemate has lasted since then, with the Mrrakesh pushing the borders of the Empire every so often just to see what they could get away with. Trade was established, however, and it seemed to some that the two races would finally stop fighting. Of course, those few that fell into that category were wishful thinkers. Every Enai knew that the Mrrakesh wouldn’t just sit around forever.    By now, Akan had brought the ship out of the ring and positioned them a good distance from the gigantic ring at Marix’s direction. Tobias had once again worn himself out and was asleep in Akan’s quarters. Akan and Marix sat in the cockpit, both trying to ignore how small the chairs currently felt as Marix found another subject to explain to him.    A smile actually appeared on her face, “We do have a strong ally, though. The Jendari lived in the Hidden Worlds long before the Humans arrived. They were with us as we grew, and helped us anytime we asked. They are the oldest and wisest species I have ever known, and we can always turn to them.”    Pausing to allow herself a sigh, Marix looked to Akan, “There are a few other species spread throughout the Empire, but talking about all of that could take years. Mind if we get past this to some boring stuff?”    Akan yawned, trying not to grin too, “Boring? Oh, no, go on.”    “Bah,” she reached over and cuffed him across the back of the head. It also got a grin on her face, as it took very little effort to reach him with such longer limbs. But after leaning back into her small chair, Marix idly watched the stars through the viewport, “When you greet someone, always make sure to keep your tail lower than you waist. Even if you don’t like someone, try to keep your tail straight and not show it through sticking it up or anything.”    “Bad idea to do that?” Akan raised an eyebrow, deciding that sarcasm his only refuge at this point.    She just gave him a glare, “Yes, it is. Now listen, although I only have eighteen brothers and sisters–“    ”Only eighteen?!” he yelped, truly surprised, “How is eighteen an only?!”    “Shut up and listen,” Marix continued her glare and then went on, “There are at least fifty other children within the palace. As part of her duty, the Enai takes in the lost or wayward children of the Empire. She is the protector of the clan, and while the children become a part of her clan, they take up the name ‘ka before the clan name to signify their position,” at seeing Akan’s confused look, she waved a hand vaguely in the air, “Like...Ami Ka’BlueIce. Its more a formality these days, though.”    And then she went silent. The silence held in the cockpit for a long five minutes before Akan found himself...staring again. He peeled his eyes away and looked at the giant ring out there. So was that it? Had she told him all she was going to tell? Apparently, but Akan wasn’t dumb enough to think that was everything. At least she’d explained some basics to him. No matter what, this was going to be...interesting. If they even got in, of course.    Marix had gone silent because there really wasn’t anything left to say. Or at least, nothing left that she wanted to think about right now. So a colony on the Mrrakesh border had been attacked. It was a challenge, of course. But not to her. No, it was for the Enai...her mother. But could she really deal with this? The Empress was not a warrior. She was Red Star, a healer. She was a wonderful Empress, but there hadn’t been a war in the Hidden Worlds since the Darkwing Wars had ended. Her mother couldn’t refuse a direct challenge...it would no doubt come, soon. But the Enai couldn’t face Nine or Ket in single combat.    Sighing and closing her eyes, Marix retreated to think. There had to be a way out of it...</blockquote>

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