Chapter 23: Settlement

TERMS

tinton - 2 1/2 seconds
specton - 2 1/2 minutes
Toton - 2 1/2 hours
minton - 2 1/2 days
daycon - 2 1/2 weeks
Malant - 2 1/2 months
quant - 2 1/2 years
galant - 2 1/2 centuries
Metson - 2 1/2 inches
maclon - 2 1/2 feet
heckson - 2 1/2 miles
tetson - 2 1/2 acres
unit - 2 1/2 ccs

Mayan Terms

nohchil - Chief
Ahau - King

Characters

Bill Axor (AKA Ambrose) - Lion clan, Cit-Chac-Coh
King Tomco Traxor - Bill’s dead father, Lion clan
King Tobias Traxor - Bill’s dead brother, Lion clan
Queen Trianna Axor - Bill’s dead mother, Lion clan of Mandria
Queen Niaco Traxor - Tiger clan, Tobias mate, now Bill’s
Twitty Glax - Grey Tabby clan, bill’s body guard and mate
Glenna Nox - Bengal clan, Bill’s body guard and mate
Mikos Glac - Chartreux clan
Skylos - Commander of star cruiser - Wire hair clan
Henna Glac - Chartreux clan, Mikos mate, Xendran Doctor
Theta Panadon - Cheetah clan
Cornelius Glax - one of Bill’s Uncles, Grey Tabby clan
Conrad Nox - Bill’s other Uncle Bengal clan
Assassin group - Jaguar clan
second assassin group - Ocicat clan
Typree Maxor - Sub King of Mandria, Lion clan
Adina Maxor - Paladin Princess of Xendra, Sub-princess of Mandria, Lion clan
Timora - The great mother of the feline people, mate of first tribal leader
Hippacamp - Timora’s father, father of modern Xendran doctors

Knights

General Roth - Leopard clan
Gregor - Cougar clan
Gwayne - Panther clan
Thomas - Lynx clan

Paladins - Female Knights

Wrena - Leopard clan, Roth’s mate
Cetana - Cougar clan, Gregor’s mate
Dawney - Panther clan, Gwayne’s mate
Mileen - Lynx clan, Thomas’s mate

The chief swallowed hard as all the cat gods huddled together. ‘Oh gods,’ the chief thought, ‘please allow your brethren to help us in the coming trials and battle.’ Still afraid to rise, the chief patiently awaited the decision of Cit-Chac-Coh and his assistants. They must be as he was commanding all of them.

Ambrose turned back to the chief to ask a few more questions. He sighed when he noticed that the man was still on his knees. “Stand, great chief of the people,” Ambrose commanded. “We have much to discuss about this enemy.”

The chief nodded as he got off his knees. Ambrose looked at his knights and mates as he shifted back to his human form. All of them again wore horrified looks but quickly nodded as they also shifted. The chief’s mouth dropped open as he could only stare at them. Then he nodded; yes, they were indeed the gods of old.

A moment later, the chief’s guards came back in, bowing low to the chief. Ambrose’s eyes narrowed as he thought a moment. “You aren’t the nohchil, are you? The way you are dressed, I had thought you were. You are in fact the ahau, aren’t you?”

The man’s eyes went wide as he bowed to Ambrose, nodding his head. “I am honored that you recognize me, my lord.” The man quickly turned to the guards, whispering to them. Each in turn turned to stare at Ambrose, his knights, and his mates, their mouths gaping open.

“This is not to leave this room! They are to help us to a new land. Do not displease him!” The man said.

Both Twitty and Gleena were staring at Ambrose. They both had patiently waited for him to finish. “You used two ancient words that we don’t recognize,” Twitty stated.

“Yes, please, what do they mean? I know that you had much training in the history of our people. I have also, though obviously not as much as you,” Glenna told Ambrose.

Ambrose turned to the both of them, a little surprised when no one knew of the two words that he’d spoken. Pulling all of them aside, Ambrose explained. “I was thinking that he was the chief of this city. I had forgotten that the chiefs were never afforded the respect that this man has. I had been calling him a nohchil, or chief in the ancient language. It means chief.”

Roth nodded, “a very old word indeed. I haven’t heard many words of the ancient language in many quants. What is the other word, sire?”

“Ahau, a word just as old,” here Ambrose looked over at the man talking to his guards. “It means king; I had forgotten that all city-states had a king.” Thinking a moment, Ambrose nodded, “I believe that the king here is Wak Chan K’awiil; he was king when most of the city disappeared. We also seem to be further back than we at first thought. I believe we are one hundred and thirty-five more quants back than we at first thought.”

“What!!?” Twitty almost shouted. “I was having a hard enough time thinking we were four hundred forty-six and a half quants back in time. Now you’re saying we are even further?!!”

Ambrose tried to not smile as he could see that both Twitty and Glenna were starting to get frustrated. “Right now, I think it’s far more important that we save this city. If I’m right, this is the city of Tikal. They are about to be attacked by the neighboring city-state of Calakmul or Caracol. Though it may have been both of them. Tikal being as weak as it is, both might have attacked.”

Roth, Gwayne, and Gregor were nodding agreement to the assessment of the situation. “Sire, we could actually turn the tide of the battle,” Roth started then stopped, seeing the look of concentration on Ambrose’s face. “I am sorry if I overstepped, sire,” Roth quickly said.

Ambrose shook his head as he looked up at Roth. “It’s not that you overstepped, Roth. I’m just trying to remember the history of this place. I am also crossing it with the history of our own worlds.” With a sigh, Ambrose finally reached a conclusion. “I’m afraid we can’t do that, Roth. If this is Tikal, as I think it is, it will fall in the next two to three mintons. As history goes, this HAS to happen.”

Gregor and Gwayne’s mouths were hanging open as they were about to protest. Roth stepped up, taking both of them to the side. There, he explained that Ambrose had no choice; this had to happen for them to establish the beginning of their own worlds. Both hung their heads, realizing that Roth was right; even so, neither of them was happy about it in the least.

Ambrose sighed. They needed to start taking everyone out of here as fast as possible. Pulling a small comp from his belt, Ambrose quietly contacted Skylos. “Skylos! We need to find a way to transport more.”

“Yes, Sire, I’ve been trying to remove what I could to make more room. At present, I think we can take one hundred seventy-five. I am taking a few of the walls down that I am hoping will afford enough room for twenty-five more. Beyond that, Sire, I don’t think we can do any more,” Skylos advised Ambrose.

“Excellent, Commander! How long before we can start to move them? I’m afraid we only have possibly two mintons, three if we’re lucky,” Ambrose told the Commander.

“If I can get the rest of them out, perhaps a toton. I need help if you want it faster; Thomas can’t do much as he’s still in the knitter,” Skylos replied.

“Alright, we’ll all be back soon,” Ambrose clicked off. Going to his knights and mates, Ambrose told all of them, then went to the king. “We have to go prepare that which we will take the people to the other place with. We will bring it near the edge of the city. Please have as many ready to go as you can.”

The king looked at Ambrose with wide eyes. “I will do as you command, O great Cit-Chac-Coh. All will be ready when you return. We are also preparing to keep our enemies away while you take the rest away to safety.” Here the king and his guards bowed low to Ambrose and his knights. “Your will be done.”

Ambrose could only roll his eyes after the king said this, especially after they all bowed to him. Shaking his head, Ambrose set out with the rest of his group following. Finally out of sight of the city, Ambrose and the others shifted form, racing for the ship. Half a toton later, they were ready.

“Alright, Skylos, I want the ship on the edge of the city. I just hope the king has them ready,” Ambrose said.

“Yes, Sire,” Skylos said as he started bringing the bridge alive. “Queen Twitty, if you could take attitude control, we should be there in a specton.”

“Everything looking good, now leveling off. We are free of all obstructions, ready to proceed, Commander,” Twitty replied.

“Good, moving to target time, half a specton,” Skylos said. A moment later, they were setting down. Looking out, Ambrose saw that more than a few hundred were waiting. Stepping out, Ambrose was met by the king. “You have done well, King Wak Chan K’awiil.” The king’s mouth dropped open, then he nodded.

“We will remain with them until we have to delay our enemies’ advance,” the king told Ambrose.

“We will take as many as we can. Die well in the battle, die with honor, King Wak Chan K’awiil. Your name will always be remembered,” Ambrose told the king.

The king and his men all smiled, bowing. “You give us the greatest honor, Lord Cit-Chac-Coh. We will send as many of our enemies to the underworld slave pits as we can. There they can work all eternity to fulfill your glory!” All the men were quiet as Ambrose nodded, shifting to his feline form. Then there was a tremendous cheer as Ambrose began to move people into the ship.

Stopping everyone for a moment, Ambrose searched the sea of people. “I need the healer Hippacamp and his daughter Timora with this first group!” The throng of people separated as both the people that Ambrose had called walked to the ship. “I need both of you to be there first, watching over all as they arrive.”

Both Hippacamp and Timora nodded as they moved into the rapidly filling ship. Stopping, Timora asked, “Lord? Will it take long to reach our new home?”