2199 Extinction

Problems

          After putting on some easier to manage clothes, we followed Amancia around, checking out various points of attack. Each point of attack also has an escape plan in case something goes wrong. If I die or get arrested, it will all be in vain. But honestly, it's all going to come down to what he does while he is here. All of that was three days ago. Malum's ship is due here, any moment, now.

          I knock on the door to Amancia's apartment. I can hear shouting inside, and a few moments later Amancia is opening the door just wide enough to stick her head out.

         "We have a problem." she whispers. "Malum is here, talking with my father. He must have arrived earlier than we planned."

         "What does he want?" I whisper back, taking my cue from her.

          "Apparently, someone betrayed him, and he is here to get permission from daddy to kill that man." she explains quickly.

          "Why does he need permission?" Amlican asks.

          "Because nothing is done here, especially to a Copaie, without daddy's permission. If one were to do what one wanted, and not ask, they would risk an all-out open war with the Copaie."

           "Amancia! Let your guests in and go to your room. We are having a private conversation." a male Copaie voice demands.

            "Yes, sir! Sorry sir!" she says opening the door wide. To us she whispers, "Hurry up. We can spy on them from the hallway."

            We step inside and the first thing I notice is the floor is covered in lush, yellow, grass, making it nice and soft. Orange vines, thicker than my arm, grow up the walls and partially obscure the doorframes. Flowers of assorted sizes and hues grow, everywhere. In one corner, near a small waterfall and pond, is a couch and two recliners. Wow! It looks like a jungle in here. Even smells like one.

            Malum sits on the couch, one leg across the other, arms folded across his chest. In a recliner, across from him, sits a male Copaie, discernable by the lack of hair on his head. This must be Amancia's father, Soltig, the Copaie general. He is relaxed looking in comparison. He is in charge, and he knows it. My first instinct is to attack Malum, here and now, but I decide against it. I don't know what Amancia's father would do.

            We walk towards the pond and as we pass by, I check it out. Small white flowers and large green leaves cover parts of the pond. I can see movement below the surface of the water, but the plants are too thick to make out what it is. Probably some sort of fish fills the pond.

           Suddenly, there is a loud shrieking noise and I look up to see a small, flying, creature, circling above us. Its body is no bigger than my hand and covered in purple skin. It doesn't have any feathers, anywhere. Not even on the wings, they are just stretched skin covering from its body to its wingtip. At the end of the wings, I see three small fingers like appendages, that I'm guessing are used for climbing. The mouth is long, and full of sharp, pointy, teeth. Two, very sharp talons are heading straight for Amancia. Amancia stops and turns her head. Amlican and I stop as well. I am curious to see what will happen. But the only thing that does happen is that the strange creature lands on her shoulder and nuzzles her face. She gently pats its head and shews it, causing it to take flight and head back toward the rocky waterfall. She starts walking, again, and we follow behind, stopping on the other side of the wall. We listen quietly, trying to figure out what is going on and where Malum plans to go, next.

          "Mangone needs to be taken care of. An example needs to be made from him." Malum says.

           "Who is this friend of yours? She must be someone special if you are willing to risk a war between our people." Amancia's father, Soltig, says.