The K'ryth'ralli Conflict Part Three

Posted on Sun Aug 9th, 2026 @ 3:08pm by Ensign Charalyne Blackwood

Mission: The Library
Location: Planet K'ryth'rall
Timeline: Year 2242

Contains profanity, descriptions of combat violence, and bloodshed.




The Loss And The Journey



We were standing by the edge of a newly formed crater. No heat, no chemical smell other than the atmosphere. We took a head count and came up with eleven. Ensign Dura was gone. Well, mostly gone. It seems he was just far enough out of range for the singularity explosion to snatch him from mid chest down. He went quickly but the look of terror on his face was a lot to see. Unfortunately, this was information that UCSF command desperately needed, as their only contact with the device was the Tsoram Event. We got images and sent them back. It's like he was sliced cleanly, no cauterization, no jagged surfaces. We were well beyond shit having hit the fan. By this time we were uncertain if the K'ryth'ralli knew we were here past our ships being shot out of the sky. We had to proceed as if they did. We had nothing to proceed with, however, any evidence of the devices in the vehicle were gone, as well as the vehicle. Lucky for us the dead K'ryth'ralli were also gone. If another patrol showed up, they'd see a crater. My com vibrated.



Mission time 2:46. UCSF command had sent a message. Six survivors of Echo Hotel had made contact with a facility that may be producing the singularity devices. Their best estimate was that this was one of nine locations producing or preparing materials. They had successfully neutralized it but word had gotten out. Well holy shit, that's a lot for maybe 17 people to take on. We were to rendezvous with Hotel team and verify the remaining 8 locations, and where the completed devices were. 25 kilometers at bearing 272.44. Next time we encounter a patrol we're taking their vehicle.




The Rendezvous



Mission time 6:33. We met Hotel team and shared intel. They hadn't been hit with the device and were quite horrified at what they do to humans. The facility they had encountered was pretty gutted. There was one area they had marked as hazardous, the place where the components of the device were assembled into the finished product. The materials were likely unstable and nothing you'd want to be close to. We were exhausted. We found a deep dark corner in the facility and made camp. Two on one hour patrols while the other 12 slept. Given the lengthy hike we had completed they let us take first sleep shifts. Sleep was hard to come by but attainable. The 32 hour day made life rough.




The Awakening



Mission time 10:13. A K'ryth'ralli patrol showed up. Again, 7 of them. We were awakened by the patrols and on high alert. The leader looked around at the destroyed building. "Homani, throk paah ch'kloff!" he said, apparently angry. "Hohan krell ch'!" Confirmation. This building was a production facility and it was fresh out of commission. But we had lost our element of surprise as they were notifying the other locations. We had hoped the reek of dead K'ryth'ralli would mask our presence, as it was very present outside. That all went to hell when 2 of them stepped inside. They looked right at the wall we were hiding behind and motioned the others to follow. Goddammit I was sleeping before they arrived. The first shots rang out from their rifles. We waited for the inevitable pause of reloading but it didn't really come. They were clever that way, when the first shooters were empty, two more would start shooting while the first two either reloaded or retreated, repeat. Foche's turn with the drone. She loaded a few kinetic grenades and let it fly. It was programmed well, and flew around the building and came up behind the K'ryth'ralli. The grenades were dropped and went off to marvelous effect. Pieces of bodies went flying and the patrol was neutralized. We knew better then to inspect the vehicle by hand and sent the drone it. Cab; empty. Cargo area; empty. Safe? Potentially. Well, as safe as maybe. We were fully uncovered and word had gotten out about the little band of angry "homani" that was there to shut them down. Yup, all seventeen of us.




The Message And The Unexpected Support



Mission time 13:10. The vehicle was rather large and all of us fit nicely. It was surprisingly intuitive to operate and we headed toward what appeared to be a wooded area. What we knew about wooded areas here was reasonable. Trees, like on Argella. That's about it. Not much information on wildlife. We came to a clearing and left the vehicle and walked about 3 kilometers to a large rocky hill. Maybe a good place to stop for a while. People needed more sleep and food was necessary. The patrols were established on one hour shifts while the rest of us recouped. We set up stealth tents with micro displays. Basically the surface of the tent would show what was visible on the opposite side, making it arguably invisible. Some of us slept; some of us ate; some of us cleaned up from the day's dirt. It was good to stop for a minute. The woods here were actually pretty relaxing like the forests of Argella. Coms started vibrating and rest was over. Patrol spotted a pair of K'ryth'ralli nearby; a male and a female. They approached our troops with their hands up. Short and medium range scans showed no others were nearby. They spoke reasonable English.



"Pleases, we are not...bring war to...homani" I figured I'd try my hand at speaking their language,



"K'thycha, vom nachh, nochh mchan?", asking if they were surrendering to us. The male lit up, almost smiling,



"Yom nochh ik mchan k'thycha, kuhh k'nut nachh!" he proclaimed their surrender, almost happily. They were dressed in some kind of robes and carried a container with what appeared to be food. It looked quite a bit like bread. They had no weapons. They were eager to let us do what we needed to do to keep ourselves safe. His companion, presumably his wife, was quiet and never raised her eyes. K'ryth'ralli females weren't bred into captivity like human women used to be, so her quiet demeanor was a little puzzling. The male spoke up, "Pleases, we wish permission...speaking your language will we..?" I nodded in agreement. He bowed his head "Gratitude...to you!". He was pleasant in attitude. I wondered if he and his companion were from some local religious group. I asked why they surrendered to us, and if they were looking for us to do so. His smile disappeared.



"Apolo...gies..," he started, "homani went for planet...us not have...want for it...we science people...watch homani...interesting." I nodded, fascinated by his story, "We leaders agree...not want planet...homani have it...bad leader want angry...want kill...all homani..." He drew a deep breath and paused. I asked how he found us.



"Trees our home...this the land ours...we has...deity of whom...science is teaching from...much learn we from homani..." Ensign Shyklo spoke,



"Is he saying their faith is science based?". The male looked at me in confusion.



"Shklochh nochh, ihb...kshukah, nochh uthkah?" I asked. My linguistics professor would be proud of me. They both nodded and smiled.



"Apolo...gies...name me Ch'rell...name...wife she...K'shtah..." I nodded and pointed to myself



"Blackwood, " then pointed at Shyklo "Shyklo...good meet you!"

They raised their hands over their mouths, then lowered them and spoke in unison,



"Orgch ch'tokku, komu worlg nachh yom nochh!" They only say kind words to us. I guess that's a local customary greeting. Shyklo and I repeated the gesture and I repeated the phrase. Shyklo just nodded.



"Apologies, " I said, "he doesn't know your language" Ch'rell and K'shtah laughed.



"Pleases...hold anger we do not". For the first time in this encounter I started believing that this couple were truly peaceful. I asked them why they wanted to surrender to us. "Apologies...of you here...told were us...we under...stand why here...you are..." he began. K'shtah's eyes widened. "Ending conflict...know that...wanting seren...ity again...bad leader...speaks anger and hate...know homani we do...only want learning and peace...ful...". K'shtah was nodding in support. She finally spoke.



"Pleases...Blaa-kuud...not let...bad leader...hurt homani...pleases...Chii-kloh...help stop...bad leader..." I had never seen a K'ryth'rall in tears, but there she was. Ch'rell held her close and tried to comfort her. I don't know much about this leader they speak of, but clearly he's done some pretty awful things here, let alone to the people of Argella. My com vibrated. Patrol detected three more K'ryth'rall approaching. Two males and a female. In robes with their hands up, no weapons. I instructed that they be brought here to the center of camp.