Luck E- 1 ( The Right of Mechta)

Katia awoke from sleep in a cold sweat as she tried to get those eyes out of her head. Steele gray eyes of her husband that sent her reeling with emotions that she had not felt in years. For a moment her soul stone hummed with a soft vibration, barely noticeable, but enough to make her tilt her head softly to the left as she sat up, flicking her tail up and out of the way. With a hard stretch, she stood and began to dress, thinking to herself." I do not ever intend to mate. As my husband is still alive."

This of course posed a problem for her younger sister Tatia who did want to mate. The oldest female by Riooan law must mate by her thirty-second year, to ensure that the younger siblings could mate properly. The peoples of Rioo all wore soul stones embedded within their skin, usually bicep, forearm, forehead, or top of the hand. As a rite of passage, they were embedded within them by the high priestess of Rioo and brought to life by ritual. The moonstone was roughly two inches long and varied in shape. Oval, teardrop, diamond, or square.

This signified their active participation within the clan. Two warriors would hold the recipient motionless while the Priestess inserted the stone deep within the skin and bring it to life. The ritual spoke of soul mates, and how they would flare to life when one was near their soul mate. It never lied and could never be disputed. But, even if one had not met their soul mate before their thirty-second year they had to mate in a loveless mating and produce at least one offspring before disbanding the union. Or the female could choose the right of Mechta and become a warrior for the clans of Rioo. As the daughter of the Riooan Ambassador and granddaughter of Rahnyah the High Priestess of Rioo, this would be a wise choice for her to make. That is if she could withstand the rigors of training down upon the jungle floors and depths of the barbaric, vicious ocean. All warriors were prized by off worlders as assassins because of their ability to camouflage themselves using chromatophores within their DNA structure they could virtually be invisible to the untrained eye.

Pulling angrily at the laces of her boots, she laced them up to her thighs over the leather pants she wore and donned a shirt that was silky and black. Looking into the mirror before her she ran her clawed fingers through her hair and picked up her brush made of rocknar teeth and began to brush the tangles out of her long, dark green hair. Walking to the window she gazed out over the jungle canopy and lifted her head to catch the scent of the ocean water in her nostrils. The ocean was so very dangerous and she shuddered to think what she would endure there. Growling softly she buckled her leather sheath to her waist and attached it to her thigh. Reaching up she grabbed her blade, roughly twelve inches long and it curved upwards to a fine point of the glistening black obsidian stone. It was hilted with a gripped handle and balanced for maximum effect and covered with the hide of rocknar beasts. Rocknar beasts roamed the jungle floor ranging in size from a large chicken to larger than a terranasaur. It was rumored somewhere in ancient texts that the beasts could be controlled by the soul stone but no one had ever tried. Their homes were high in the canopy above the jungle floor in huge trees the size of earth's phicus that towered two hundred feet into the air. Bridgework systems and homes had been built in and around the trees in a perfect symbiosis. The beasts had grown in number way beyond their control and many of their young had been lost to the vicious jaws of the rocknar. The old ones believed in living in union with their planet and would only hunt for food or clothing. The younger generations pushed for a culling of the beasts to sell the meat and products universally. The issue had met with much debate over the last ten years.

Taking a deep breath she turned and walked to her door and down the hall around the curve of the tree. As she walked down the hall, those gray eyes flashed again in her mind, this time her soul stone warmed and hummed. Just as she reached the door of the gathering spot the gray eyes flashed in her mind again, thinking to herself" Something must be wrong with this thing, no one is near me." As she walked into the room her mother and father were going over data pads of information and her sister hissed at her loudly." Tatia, be kind to your sister!" Their mother, Meesha said softly. I can not mate until she does, and Rahgamel will not speak to me now we have wanted to mate since we were kits and we can't because she won't!" Katia took a deep breath and spoke," I have something to announce before I lose my nerve." Tatia squealed," Oh Katia! You're gonna mate with Cheroth!" The older sister growled low and spoke through grit teeth, I would not mate that moronic warrior for anything he is a stupid as a rocknar chick, No I am going to choose the Right of Mechta ."

Everyone in the room gasped and she quickly added," it's the only foreseeable option, my soul mate has not presented himself to me and Tatia wishes to mate. Three moons hence I will be in my thirty-second year. So at tonight's Hero festival, I will make my announcement before Tatia makes her mating announcement." Just then Khulani came into the room leading the old blind one on her arm." What's this I hear child? Are you sure? For once you do proclaim in front of all the clans you can not go back child, even if you should find your soul mate. You must uphold the honor of the clans' child." Katia looked into the old blind ones eyes to see if there was any hint of something she could see." Why would you ask that Grand Minx?" Rahnyah looked at her as if she knew exactly where she stood within the room." You had a dream that marks the coming of change.” She said in a matter-of-fact tone, as Khulani slid the chair out for her to sit. reaching up as she sat she patted the young one's arm," You are such a good kit Khulani." With a twitch of her whiskers and a flick of her head, she motioned for Katia to sit. The young one came closer to Rahnyah and lowered herself gracefully onto the cushions that adorned the floor. With a flick of her tail, she draped it over her shoulder gently. Not realizing it she began to rub the tip with nervous energy." Quit fidgeting with your tail Katia!" the blind one said," It does not befit someone of your status." Katia quickly dropped her tail and nervously folded her hands in her lap." Grand Minx? How do you know of my dream? I told no one." Rahnyah smiled and spoke softly, " Did you take your crazy dream into account before you chose the right of Mechta?" With a look of fear on her face, she tried to find a spark or glimmer of hope in her grandmother's milky white eyes. Then, stammering a bit she replied, " Y, yes, I did. I will never meet such a person, it could not have been real, I knew that I had to make a decision, before tonight's festival. Reaching over, she patted her shoulder, " Indeed young one, in theory, but I too dreamed of the Humanee, hairless and gray-eyed. He will mark the beginning of the Prophecy come to fruition outlined in the ancient texts some four thousand years ago. It speaks of one such as the Humanee in the dream. Katia shook it off. Those were Rik's eyes. There is no possible way he could ever be close enough to trigger her soul stone.

Rajnaki, overhearing the conversation, growled in frustration," Not only are you taking the right of Mectah, but you will also mate and off worlder?" Rubbing his shoulders, Meesha spoke calmly," Ease yourself Raj, You are Rioo's Ambassador, does it seem so far-fetched one of our children would mate an offworlder? Think of the possibilities. Rioo would and can gain a stronger foothold in the universe, especially with the only plasma field for galaxies." Nodding his head with the understanding of all the implications involved, he relaxed and took a deep breath.

Reaching forward Rahnyah grasped Katia's hand and spoke," Help me down to the floor so I can read my bones." The young one rose to help the old one to her feet and steadied her as she crossed her legs and lowered herself gracefully to the floor. All Katia had to do was hold her elbow to guide her. It always amazed her how elegant and regal the old cat still was. Gently she flipped her tail up and snapped the tip as she laid it out over a cushion that bedecked the floor. Rahnyah snapped her claws and spoke,' Khulani! my stones child." The young one smiled at everyone in the room and spoke," Here they are Grand Minx, I have them for you already, I knew you would ask for them." she said as she handed the old one her box. The wood was ornately carved in ancient hieroglyphs and symbols." You are so in tune with me child, come now, sit next to me while I read for the clan." she said as everyone moved forward to the cushions to sit.

Gently lifting the lid of the box, Rahnyah sniffed the air three times to the left and then to the right. " Change comes this night, Meesha put on another roast dear," she said with a knowing smile. Katia's mother rose to do as she was bid, never needing an explanation Rahnyah was always right.

The old one reached her fingers into the box and grasped her stones and rocknar bones and held them into the air shaking them gently." Great Mother Bast, come now to me and show me what it is I must see. "Then she began to croon to the stones softly, " tell me, tell, shall all be well?"She lowered her hands and cast the stones and bones and then she scattered onto the floor in the shape of a comet with its tail burning brightly behind it. was the point of the v pointing to the left with the open ends towards the right. Reaching forth she felt the energy with her hands just above the surface of the stones to see what her blind eyes could not. Suddenly! her back went rigid and she stiffened a bit her tail growing taut. Taking in a deep breath, she let it out slowly," The humanee will save your life child as sure as I sit here and breathe. He has a great sorrow in his heart that Goddess intends for you to heal. Change has come and the Prophecy has come to pass. Mark my words. That is all I can say for now." Then tilting her head to the side," You think your soul stone is broken don't you?" " What makes you think that Grand Minx?" Katia asked amazed." It is I who placed that stone in your forearm do you not think I can not feel its energy spark to life? You have been taking Bunti tea for years now. I am sure there is a story there, but you refuse to say what it may be" Gasps from those in the room were audibly heard. Katia's stone had never even hummed before that they had ever known of. The old one turned her gaze to look her milky white eyes into Katia's ." The stone does not lie and it is not broken."

Katia closed her eyes and centered herself as she thought silently.

"There is no way Adrik could even be close enough to make her stone spring to life. It had been 18 years and he had not found her as of yet."

Old Rahnyah reached up and touched Kataia's arm and caressed the stone softly while saying," Even if the Humanee comes, after you take the right of Mechta there is no going back. You must complete your training and fight as a warrior for Rioo. Make sure this is what you wish to do." Then she turned her sightless eyes to Meesha and said," Prepare extra for the feast. We will have company tonight."

Meanwhile,

At the outer edge of the Moltair system, Adrik Connely was preparing the dropship they would be taking down on the planet. Smokey and Smitty were working feverishly to prepare the vessel before launch. Denise slid up behind Smokey and whispered," Boo. Let's get this new phaser cannon I made, into the cargo hold." Smokey let out a slow breath and said," Girl, why must you scare me like that? Haven't you heard it isn't polite to be all camouflaged with your team?" Denise materialized and flicked her tail at Smokey's cheek. She was half Riooan, a quarter Kraxion as well as a quarter human. She was a lethal machine with silver-enhanced black blood. She was Adrik's pride and joy. Smitty Rhines was the chief engineer. He saw promise in Denise when she was just a kitten. Adrik made sure that Smitty trained his daughter with laser precision. 

Adrik smiled as Smokey jumped and grabbed the phaser cannon and hauled it inside the ship. He struggled slightly to move it into place and bolted it down. Denise was dancing a jig as he worked feverishly. She rushed forward and connected the wiring.

Back on Rioo

The young women prepared for the ritual ahead and began to dress in their finest rocknar skins. Katia's tunic was a halter that bared her shoulders and her back. The front clasped tightly formed around her breasts with small buttons of vertebrae holding it shut. The skirt tied loosely around her hips and bared her thighs with a jagged hemline that came to a point in the front and back. the back slung low just beneath her tail. Tatia's was much the same design but hers was made of jagged pieces of the razorfish, in deep rich blue shimmering skin. 

Old Rahnyah stepped through the door led by Khulani who was dressed in pale tan rocknar skins that reflected the torchlight in the hallway. " Kits, it's time come now let's begin the festivities everyone has gathered and they are waiting for us." Meesha called from the outer room," Katia! hurry, we can't start without you." 

Khulani moved to guide the blind one to the center of the platform. Risshie blossoms hung in tendrils and garlands that draped along the path. Rahnyah's old staff thudded lightly with each step as she walked towards her spot. She turned her head to look out over the crowd and could see them clearly in her mind. Silence hushed as she drew to her full height and released the clasp of her cloak as all fires but one was extinguished. Taking an audible breath she dropped the cloak to the platform and stepped forth and spoke loudly. " Welcome To the feats of Bast! We have some formal announcements to make before we begin our feasting. Then turned to the warriors and smiled.. And the dance of the heroes." Nodding with respect as if she saw them all and knew exactly where they were.

Raising her hand she beckoned to Rahnti," Do any other clans have announcements to make before the lead clan? The warrior smiled and spoke in the negative and silently slipped to the edge of the platform where she slunk around the perimeter keeping watch. Silently touching each warrior she wished to patrol for that moment, in part to rotate them within the festivities and to guard their own.

Turning her blind eyes to Katia, Rahnyah spoke clearly and with authority." Katia Melwreth, daughter of Meesha and Rajnaki Melwreth, Son of Rahnyah, High Priestess of Rioo Come forth and make your claim!"

The young woman stepped forth to the center of the circle and took a deep breath before she spoke clearly and loudly for all who were present to hear.

" I, Katia Melwreth do not intend to ever mate!" Audible gasps could be heard from every direction. With her pizzaz, she looked around at them and spoke.." You all know that I seek no mate.”Thinking to herself,” Because, I already have one. One that I have to take Bunti tea every day for.”. Every warrior has tried to mate with me and what answer have all of you received? So you know, I do not make this claim, or make this claim lightly." She stepped forward a bit and walked to the edge of the platform where the warriors stood. Raised herself to her full height and looked as many as she could in the eyes before she spoke.

"I, Katia Melwreth Claim the Right Of Mechta!" She raised her hand in the air and clenched her claws tightly." I choose to stand by my brothers and sisters in battle and honor." she said as she paced slowly before them as a speaker would that was speaking to a crowd. Then she said, " It is done." The warriors cheered and brought her to their junior warriors and welcomed her with Bravo.