Chapter One
The falling rain was the only sound in the darkening alley.
Deran waited in the drizzle, snuffling and hoping that his patience would pay off. The rain fell constantly, obscuring his view when it intensified. A woman rushed past, her bare feet silent on the drenched soil. He feared to miss the object of his interest if he left his hideout, but did not dare getting closer out of fear of being detected. He knew the rain would stop sooner or later as it always did, but by then it might be too late. He changed position from one foot to the other, exhaling.
A shadow emerged from the entrance of the building across the path and Deran stood up straight, forgetting that his lanky figure might show. The arriving man had broad shoulders, was tall as a tree and as nimble as a fresh sprig, as Deran knew from his former observation. His black hair was already covered with pearls of raindrops as he pulled up the hood of his cloak, obscuring his clean-shaven face. Only his prominent nose was still visible. He looked left and right, dark brown eyes reflecting the meager light of a covered lantern close to the wooden gate. Apparently satisfied he was alone, the young man walked at a brisk step to the right, past small huts that got smaller the farther he moved away, leaving the village behind.
Grinning, Deran followed him on light feet, now grateful for the curtain of rain.
Three times a day rain fell on Rahenia. It was never a downpour that would swell rivers and flood huts and homes, but a constant drizzle that the soil welcomed like a girl welcomed her lover’s kiss.
Deran had learned at school that his home planet had been hit by a meteor centuries ago. It was pushed into another orbit with a deep crack in the middle, and the climate had changed. Sunshine and rain came in constant intervals, warming the planet without heating it up. The rain nourished vegetables, fruits and corn to a degree that four to five harvests around the Rahenian year were nothing out of the ordinary. No man or animal had to starve, and the people were peaceful besides the usual quarrels about wine, wives and who had the best breeders, men and animals alike. They shared the harvests and the animals they herded and lived a simple and content life.
Until the Mawanies arrived.
Watchers of the clan’s people had reported unusual sightings in the sky and then, all of a sudden, objects of huge diameter had landed amid a field of corn, scaring away brave farmers and souring milk, as observers had reported.
Deran went faster, hands in the pockets of his tunic. Whenever the man in front of him looked back over his shoulder, he vanished behind a trunk and waited to follow him again. He did not even know his name, but the sport of being the pursuer of someone interesting had kept him occupied over the last several days. Since the village’s only teacher had vanished without a trace, he had had nothing else to do.
Deran’s teacher had told the pupils that at first the Mawanies had offered gifts for fruits, vegetable and meat. The peasants, in their friendliness and being unafraid of the new guests, had begun a lively and curious exchange of goods to collect small, shiny items without use but beautiful to look at. With the next ship arriving from somewhere beyond the stars, Mawany traders had come and erected huts and houses. They told the Rahenians they needed coin to buy things, and the farmers had traded grain for coins to buy items from the traders, happy like kids presented with new toys. After a season even more Mawany ships had arrived and the peaceful exchange had turned ugly.
Only much later had the Rahenian people learned that the planet of the invaders had been a desert for a long time and that they desperately needed clean water and food. Most of the inhabitants of the ruined planet had fled and were scattered throughout the solar system in search of new colonies. Leaders, warriors and women looked desperately for new grounds to start a
The falling rain was the only sound in the darkening alley.
Deran waited in the drizzle, snuffling and hoping that his patience would pay off. The rain fell constantly, obscuring his view when it intensified. A woman rushed past, her bare feet silent on the drenched soil. He feared to miss the object of his interest if he left his hideout, but did not dare getting closer out of fear of being detected. He knew the rain would stop sooner or later as it always did, but by then it might be too late. He changed position from one foot to the other, exhaling.
A shadow emerged from the entrance of the building across the path and Deran stood up straight, forgetting that his lanky figure might show. The arriving man had broad shoulders, was tall as a tree and as nimble as a fresh sprig, as Deran knew from his former observation. His black hair was already covered with pearls of raindrops as he pulled up the hood of his cloak, obscuring his clean-shaven face. Only his prominent nose was still visible. He looked left and right, dark brown eyes reflecting the meager light of a covered lantern close to the wooden gate. Apparently satisfied he was alone, the young man walked at a brisk step to the right, past small huts that got smaller the farther he moved away, leaving the village behind.
Grinning, Deran followed him on light feet, now grateful for the curtain of rain.
Three times a day rain fell on Rahenia. It was never a downpour that would swell rivers and flood huts and homes, but a constant drizzle that the soil welcomed like a girl welcomed her lover’s kiss.
Deran had learned at school that his home planet had been hit by a meteor centuries ago. It was pushed into another orbit with a deep crack in the middle, and the climate had changed. Sunshine and rain came in constant intervals, warming the planet without heating it up. The rain nourished vegetables, fruits and corn to a degree that four to five harvests around the Rahenian year were nothing out of the ordinary. No man or animal had to starve, and the people were peaceful besides the usual quarrels about wine, wives and who had the best breeders, men and animals alike. They shared the harvests and the animals they herded and lived a simple and content life.
Until the Mawanies arrived.
Watchers of the clan’s people had reported unusual sightings in the sky and then, all of a sudden, objects of huge diameter had landed amid a field of corn, scaring away brave farmers and souring milk, as observers had reported.
Deran went faster, hands in the pockets of his tunic. Whenever the man in front of him looked back over his shoulder, he vanished behind a trunk and waited to follow him again. He did not even know his name, but the sport of being the pursuer of someone interesting had kept him occupied over the last several days. Since the village’s only teacher had vanished without a trace, he had had nothing else to do.
Deran’s teacher had told the pupils that at first the Mawanies had offered gifts for fruits, vegetable and meat. The peasants, in their friendliness and being unafraid of the new guests, had begun a lively and curious exchange of goods to collect small, shiny items without use but beautiful to look at. With the next ship arriving from somewhere beyond the stars, Mawany traders had come and erected huts and houses. They told the Rahenians they needed coin to buy things, and the farmers had traded grain for coins to buy items from the traders, happy like kids presented with new toys. After a season even more Mawany ships had arrived and the peaceful exchange had turned ugly.
Only much later had the Rahenian people learned that the planet of the invaders had been a desert for a long time and that they desperately needed clean water and food. Most of the inhabitants of the ruined planet had fled and were scattered throughout the solar system in search of new colonies. Leaders, warriors and women looked desperately for new grounds to start a
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