Giselle Marks

Cover Image by Sarah J Waldock above

The Zeninan Saga- Book One

Written by Giselle Marks

Princess of Zenina Chapter One - Planet Qu

 

She ran silently over the scrub, her bare feet skimming the ground. Marina was racing hard in pursuit of her quarry. The giant horned bear had been galloping for almost an hour and showed no signs of tiring. It was not behaving as she had expected, having guarded her thoughts and stayed upwind of the huge beast, so she was sure it had not anticipated her attack. Yet as she positioned herself to engage the qumursk, it had raced off in an easterly direction. Irritated by the prospect of losing her prey, she had pursued.

 

Marina assumed the qumursk was male although she was not certain. Acquiring samples from live qumursk for scientific purposes was considered suicidal. But as they usually hunted in small family groups it was a logical guess this one was male as only young males ranged alone.

 

Marina enjoying the hunt reasoned his meat would be in prime condition. She was looking forward to supper of qumursk steak roasted in wild honey with considerable anticipation.

 

She thought it strange, the beast rushing off as if he had scented some tasty morsel. A large herd of klimboks had been grazing close by. If the beast was hungry, he could have ambled over and taken one or two. A qumursk had only one preferred food to fresh venison and that was human flesh. Why or how they acquired the taste had been lost in history’s haze. Omnivores by design, they had evolved to become almost totally carnivorous. The qumurski’ love of human flesh was the second of two reasons why Planet Qu stayed uninhabited.

 

Qu was the hunting preserve of the Royal house of Zenina, lying as the furthest outpost of the Empire just within the boundaries of Zeninan space. Serious invaders were deterred by regular army patrols which passed close by checking the planet for intruders. The qumurski dealt with more accidental visitors. Few lived to feast on its delicious meat, as the heavy pelt that covered it deflected most of the impact of conventional weapons. If the beast’s stampeding onslaught had not left them paralysed with fear; allowing firing.

 

Marina reluctantly concluded the beast was drawn by the smell of human flesh. But she should be the only one for leagues around. They had given the planet a thorough sweep before landing yesterday night. Dismissing the possibility someone had been missed; Marina deduced there were recent arrivals.

 

Pirates risked sneaking in between patrols. Dumping their sick and injured in the hope a Gold or Silver reached them, before the qumurski or death. Those seeking medical assistance without fear of retribution did so directly by visiting the Zeninan Embassy on their own planet or by turning up in person at the nearest Zeninan Empire planet.Marina continued to reflect. “We switched off all except communications instrumentation on landing, to foster the illusion of primitive living for the duration of our hunting trip so it was possible some have sneaked in.”

 

She mind-searched ahead for human thought patterns, swiftly picking them up about six kilometres ahead, seven or more in number, two very weak. Damnation, she almost cursed aloud.

 

“I must hurry or he will finish them off and be licking his jowls before I get there.” She sprinted forward to overtake the hurtling animal, to put herself between it and the stranded humans.At the same time, alerting her comrades who were some distance away, of the problem.

 

Marina mused, “No Zeninan would willingly eat meat fed on all the chemical muck most spacers put inside themselves.”

 

Then decided that was unjust. She berated herself for dismissing their putative demise as merely unpleasant food additives, resolving to treat them kindly if they survived.

 

Marina sighted the humans as she passed the qumursk, her breathing coming faster as she ate up ground over the rocky soil. Now less than a kilometre away; they were spilling out from a cave-mouth, watching the advance of the huge quadruped with terror. Placing her back firmly some forty metres in front of the cave, she curtly ordered the trespassers inside using the dominant language of the motley group.

 

“Your weapons are ineffective against the qumursk. Please lower them,” she calmly informed them.

 

Marina pulled a javelin from its case which she had worn strapped to her back and stood waiting poised for the beast’s attack. Hoping they would obey without question, as she was in their line of fire. Even if they missed her, they would enrage the massive beast now rushing towards her.Ignoring screams and noises behind her, she focussed on her oncoming adversary.

 

The qumursk had slowed instinctively feeling an enemy stood between him and his snack. Marina took the guard off her thoughts, letting the beast realise her intention to kill him. Mentally telling him how she admired his strength and stamina. She allowed him to see she felt no fear or panic. At last the beast understood her confidence in her absolute superiority over him. The qumursk realised this shiny figure was predator not victim. As far as his limited brain was capable he doubted his survival, yet refused to flee. He halted momentarily lowering his head lining up his horns then charged straight at her.

 

Marina stood her ground at the earth shook with the impact of his galloping feet. He was five lengths from her and still she waited; four lengths from her as she loosed her javelin, three lengths from her as it drove deep between his eyes into his brain. Only one length from her as the huge beast collapsed shuddering with a final ululating cry and died.