Papuru Star: Coalition Carnage

Chapter 25 : Soul Man

Day 37

Kane Urasa tries to hide his annoyance so as to not offend the Pains around him. The outdoor auditorium had seating for a hundred or so, mostly Pians, with a majority of them being big and burly. The stage that was at the center of the seating held the attentions of all present.

Kane (voiceover)
I'm pissed. Last night, when we landed on Urland, Pia's moon, I got sucked into a high stakes game of cardvark with a group of traders passing the time as they were waiting for their shipment of exotic foods to be loaded. I've played the card game a thousand times before, but these guys were on another level. Guys and one lady. In trying to impress her, I kept playing and losing. Turns out, she was ship's captain and pro cardvark player. Six hours after meeting them and several pints of booze they kept on hand for suckers like me, my bank account is less then half what it was the day before. The traders had took off with pockets full of my c-chips and holds full of the inebriating fruit applehols, one of which I got to try. I'm a light weight when it comes to drinking and don't partake often, which my new gambling buddies took prime advantage of. Then, I had to come planetside this morning to attend this 'Welcome to Pia' play still slightly buzzed. The Sustenance ability granted by Soul Style provides me with forty eight hours of not getting hungry, thirsty, tired, or needing to breath, but does nothing to prevent me from the effects of intoxication.

On the stage, actors played knights with fake fog-glass swords and painted armor to resemble that of the organic kind worn by real knights of the four kingdoms. Littered around them were the prone forms of green robed actors playing dead. The armed actors were brandishing their weapons and declaring up at the facsimile of their moon suspended above the stage by thin strings. Another actor sat upon it, wearing a yellow mask and holding a tablet of stone with foreign writing that Kane didn't recognize. The knights were coaxing the masked one to descend; in response, he began reading from the tablet.

The actors were shouting their lines now, when the seat beneath him began to shake. The actors stumbled around as if off balance, while others entered the stage from the right brandishing torches of fire that they waved about in organized chaos. Their handling of the props was impressive; flipping about, never singeing themselves or the stage. To his right, his best friend Claude of Style wore a look of amusement, his blue skin and nondescript clothing standing out among the dozens of Pians. On his left, was a man of about sixty, smartly dressed, who exhibited fascination at the actors' skills.

Kane (voiceover)
I don't know President Lake well, only what the holoview have said about him. His sky-country has a low crime rate and sits a safe distance above the thunder clouds. It has beautiful scenery and those who live there say Utopia has the best cost of living of all seven sky-countries. The fact he's sitting here amongst aliens known for their love of battle is a testimony of his bravery. Especially after what happened to Julius and Jesse.

The ground continued to rumble thanks to the stomping of helidons under the seats and stage. Kane squirmed uncomfortably.

Kane (voiceover)
The two things Pians are most famous for is their planet's look and their animal training methods; both of which is unique to all other peoples. Wildlife is not domesticated here, any and all tasks are done so by the animals willingly; according to Avia that is. But still, I felt incredibly vulnerable with a two ton beast under my seat, trained to stomp on que. If the wild animals of Earth's past are any indication, even well trained animals can go amok.

The fire dancers were off stage, along with the other actors. A prop of their planet was lowered with the same strings the moon prop had been, only closer to the stage. Kane noticed in sudden shock, those strings were held in the grip of a humongous purple marsupial whose hands and crown of head could be seen briefly above the stage backdrop. The blue-white world was whole as it was before. A portion breaks off at the first of a Pian inside to fall to the stage like paper mache. The prop now resembled the planet Kane saw on the flight in, a sphere with a piece of it scooped out as if from a galactic spoon. An unseen narrator speaks on the tragedy that was the Holy War as more actors appeared to play out the aftermath. Kane scoffs, which did not go unnoticed.