Hex Cycle III — Quaternary Scenes

Tome of The Sixth Sun: Lunacy Trilogy Book III

Author’s Note: This segment is part of an ongoing experimental novel wherein each chapter is meant to be read as if it were the first.

Marz Supremacy: Ekumenykh Annum 88

Yryom Thagnoz was in his sixties when his father, Omnoz, was taken by an enemy of unfathomable power and unknown origin. Yryom’s mother, Zaghah, had witnessed her husband’s abduction but this whole incident remained a closely guarded family secret. Their royal house could not afford to appear weak, surrounded as they were by rival houses. Instead, they claimed that Omnoz had died due to natural causes and Yryom Thagnoz was nominated as successor to the imperial throne. It wasn’t difficult for him to assert his authority, since he’d spent more than half his life taming the harsh Martian outback.

Furthermore, Yryom possessed private access to his father’s laboratory housed deep inside Olympyuh Monz. Upon this figurative ‘hill’ sat Kornuh-Kopyuh — ruling Capitol for all twelve of the so-called Dodeca-Districts. Being the tallest mountain in the entire Sol system, it looked down on the district of Olympyuh miles below. Shaped like a nautilus shell, Kornuh-Kopyuh’s great halls resounded with the voice of Imperator Yryom Thagnoz, whom addressed an octad of ministers cleaving close to his coattails:

“I know there are many who think me mad, and perhaps even plot against my house. Nonetheless, I wish to press the issue of expansion. And besides, the settlements lay on their laurels too early these days, my Lords, Ladies, et alia. Verily I tell thee, I shan’t rest until we terraform at least fifty percent of Marz’ surfaces to suit our purposes. This was the will of my father — Omnoz — and we mustn’t veer from the path that he laid out for us with his far reaching vision.”

There was no protestation, but the Minister of Military Intelligence felt it fitting to mention:

“Milord Yryom Thagnoz, only son of Omnoz, the clan of Yzh T’abbanz is in open revolt. Those worthies from Easterly Elyzyuh are calling into question the legitimacy of your ascension. Their convoy is already sweeping across the midlands of Xanthyuh & Zydonyuh. They are said to be heavily armed and they shall arrive at Olympyuh with just three days grace.”

“Drat!” Yryom indicted, quite irked. “Why can’t these thugs see that there are challenges to our common survival which annul such useless blood feuds? Yet if they tax me overly much then I cannot be faulted for trampling upon their basic human rights. I might be forced to make a frightful example of them. Deploy the condor drones at once!”

“Belay that order,” said Centurion Tzuurh, arriving late. His-her armor morphed from recon mode to regal status. “Father, allow me to defend the honor of Omnoz’ heirdom. I shall ride forth with our Prætoryunh Gardz and pacify these brigands.”

“Stand down Centurion,” Yryom interceded. “Thou art next in the line of succession and I cannot place thy life in peril. Besides, I shouldst fight mine own battle since it is me whom they challenge. Remain here instead and practice thy statecraft.”

“Very well sire,” conceded the Centurion. “Yet do not hesitate to call on me should ye require mine armed assistance.”

Following an exchange of formal nods, their informal assembly disbanded.

Meanwhile in the district of Xanthyuh, Yzh T’abbanh the elder stood in the square behind the Neon Crossing in front of an encircling crowd. Addressing them openly, Yzh T’abbanh yawped:

“Citizens of Xanthyh, we Yzh T’abbanz hail from Elyzyuh but we’ve been joined in our crusade by warriors from Alboryuh, Hekatyuh, and Zydonyuh. Our contention is that the bloodline of Omnoz holds no divine right to rule and ought to be deposed so that a proper democracy can be disseminated planetwide across Marz.”

There came heckles from a small fringe minority, which the elder disregarded as he accused:

“Yryom Thagnoz and his ilk are in possession of a genetic bio-bank containing the entire sequenced genome of Homo Sapiens. Rumor has it that they’re tampering with it in order to engineer themselves into beings superior to any of us. We must maintain the purity of our respective genes and put an end to their ungodly experiments!”

Now there was a prolonged roar of assent from the rabble. As word spread, hundreds of recruits came around to sign on. Seditionists from as far South as Labyrynthyuh came to join their arms to Yzh Tabbanh the elder’s cause. Hence, several hours were spent in preparation for the coming confrontation. Arms manufacturing was something of a cottage industry on Marz. There were no laws against arming oneself and an understanding that the strongest should lead was implicit among these self-described Hybryd-Üz.

Therefore, weapons abounded aplenty and they were loaded or mounted onto a variety of vehicles that could give Mad Max a run for his Fury Road. Thus, their Martian caravan departed, heading onward to Olympyuh.

The Battle of Lunyuh Planum

Yzh T’abbanh and his allies would not get anywhere near the district of Olympyuh. Yryom Thagnoz’ condor drones had spotted them from miles away and he’d gathered his own loyal retainers from the Western towns of Arzyuh, Azkryuh, Pavonyuh, Tharzyuh, and Uranyuh. So the Easterners were met halfway as they traversed the lower expanse of Lunyuh Planum.

Yryom’s mobile artillery units held the high ground and rained shell and shrapnel upon the encroachers. Taken by surprise, they suffered heavy casualties and began to scatter straightaway. The drones then descended and dropped additional ordnance onto those disoriented insurrectionists. Yzh T’abbanh the elder perished during this incursion, but his son, Yzh T’abbanh the younger survived by making a quick getaway along with his entourage. All in all, the whole showdown lasted less than an hour.

His supremacy affirmed, Yryom Thagnoz victoriously departed the field of combat accompanied by a score of Prætoryunh Gardz. They were passing through the green fields of Tharzyuh when inexplicably, their hover-bike engines gave out. After dismounting to inspect said conveyances, they encountered the same entity responsible for abducting Imperator Omnoz; a creature with the head of a rooster that brandished a shield and a lance. Yryom’s bodyguards raised their radium rifles, prompting the enemy to speak in a foreboding tone:

“A B R A H A D A B R A — Thou shalt find that thy weapons prove to be most ineffective here in the interzone. Lower them and allow me to take Omnoz’ scion to Purgatorio, or else ye wilt die!”

Dutiful to the bitter end, those Gardz pulled their triggers but the guns were as dead as the bikes. Yet they resorted to blades and bludgeons, only to be summarily executed by that extraordinary attacker!

Yryom Thagnoz himself couldn’t resist being dragged off, wailing and whining to no avail…

Back atop Olympyuh Monz, Centurion Tzuurh received the report of Yryom’s victory over the Yzh T’abbanz. However, when Yryom Thagnoz failed to respond or return within a reasonable span of time, a search party was sent out to ascertain his whereabouts. Not long afterwards, the hover-bikes were found alongside twenty slain Prætoryunz.

Consequently, Tzuurh was promoted from Centurion and given the title of Imperatrix. He-she couldn’t help but to blame the clan of Yzh T’abbanh for his-her father’s demise. Notwithstanding, the particulars of Tzuurh’s reign are a tale for another time.

To Be Continued

Further Readings