MSNPC Awane'jit Qalipu'fari: Iga'lul, Nigmaq. (I release you, my family)

[Lael Rosek-Skyfire]

Both @Lephi and @Toryn Raga have done such a beautiful job at developing this culture from an idea on paper into a living, breathing complexity of life. Yet another fine example of the deepening of who these people are by @Lephi. Keep up the amazing work!

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((ooc: Warning, this sim deals with some difficult subjects of oppression and colonialism. Read at your own preference.))

 

((Mosh’ka Alet Camp, Eladar IV (Fari), Deep underground)) 

 

Qalipu’fari had walked the visiting aliens out of the main cavern. The caves all around him filled with screams of despair, most of which came from his own people. He offered little in the way of goodbyes to the released prisoners beyond a simple ruffling of his feathers. The man had tried to speak, but found his voice choked in a sob and only a light gasp escaped.

 

He turned and headed back to the main cavern, beginning what felt like a slow march to his death. Tears welled in his eyes as he contemplated the life that had brought him here. He had never known freedom, not really. From a young age he was expected to answer to the Feladoni, or face the consequences. It hadn’t always been easy, and his political success within the Awane settlement had an unintended impact on her family who faced increased isolation from the Mekra’fari who judged his borderline fe’jit behaviour. 

 

Stepped on from one side, shunned and cast out from the other for his increasing volatility, Qalipu had no real choice in the matter when word had come from deep within the caves with talks of rebellion. The sounds of weapons firing jarred him back to the present moment, and the ever growing threat of danger. As he neared the gathered avians again, he heard Katnar’fari making an impassioned plea.

 

 

Katnar’fari: Steady. These fe’jit (honorless) mean to take from Fari’s heart. Slain those born of her womb. We are Mekra’fari (Children of Mother), and we will not let them harm this sacred place. This is our day. Or honored death. 

 

 

As Qalipu made his way through the gathered Mekra’fari, he made eye contact for a brief moment with Katnar’fari. He picked up his rifle and thought back to the pledge he had made to her when he had first come to the caves.

 

Fari is strong. We are strong.

Fari is resilient. We are resilient.

Together the children save the Mother.

Ketlamite'teket

(She Has Faith)

 

The words reverberated in his head, the only sound he could hear. Everyone was watching the tunnel, waiting for whatever evil was headed their way. He positioned himself behind a stalagmite and aimed the barrel of his own weapon at the opening as well. Having seen the damage that the intruder’s weapons could do, he wasn’t sure the rock he stood behind would do much to save him. Sudden beams of light cut through the darkness of the cave and his throat tensed up. First one figure appeared and his finger hovered over the trigger. This was it. All these years of planning, plotting, and dreaming, and the fight to save Fari wasn’t even against the people who deserved it the most. He shook off the creeping self doubt and steadied his aim. Through the scope she could see two men standing in the entry and had just a brief moment to process it before the cavern filled with the sound of weapons fire once more. 

 

A horrible stench filled the air, unlike anything Qalipu had ever smelled before and the colour drained from his face as he realised he was smelling his friends and colleagues being struck by the invader’s disrupter beams. His stomach turned and he doubled over, sliding into a sitting position against the stalagmite. Sounds of war filled his ears. He could hear his people bravely laying their lives on the line, and he was stuck here frozen from fear. All the planning in the world could not have prepared him for the harsh realities of the real thing. His cheeks glistened and he poked his shaking head out from behind the rock to survey the battlefield. 

 

He was in a state of pure shock seeing all of the bodies strewn over the cave floor, and the air was thick with a smoke he had no desire to find the origin of. It had all happened so fast. 

A loud bang echoed through the cave and before he had a chance to think about it, he found himself thrown up against the cave wall. A rocky outcrop pierced his wiing and he cried out, looking around to assess the damage.

 

Qalipu’fari: Katnar! Are you okay? 

 

Katnar’fari: I’ll be fine. We cannot stop...there are more. ::She winced, feeling her fur a bit singed:: 

 

He did his best to free his wing from the wall and braced his legs as he fell the last foot or so to the floor. He was alert now, the pain had enraged him, allowing him to overcome his fear. He wasted little time, and after tucking his damaged wing in behind him, began fighting the nearest Caraadian. 

 

 

Katnar’fari: The Song Shards!! ::She yelled to alert her kin to the danger and rushed to the sacred cave:: 

 

The elder Mekra’fari’s words made his heart sink. The song shards were one of the things the Mekra’fari considered most sacred. It was bad enough that she had shown the peaceful outsiders, and now this invading scum was going to defile the sacred cave. As he rushed to the cave, he was outraged to see several of them attempting to rip sound shards from the walls. He fired several shots into the crowd to get their attention and noticed two of the beings drop to the floor, stunned. He had only hit one of them, and turned to find the source of the second shot just in time to see Katnar’fari struck and isolated. 

Before he could make his way over to his troubled friend, two more Caraadians flanked him with their guns pointed right at him. He threw himself at the invader to his right first, swinging the butt of the barrel of the gun in an upwards motion causing him to stumble backwards. In the lull while the man regained his footing, Qalipu quickly pointed his rifle at the other man and pulled the trigger. He didn’t have a chance to refocus on the other man before an intense noise pierced the air. The armed invaders dropped to their knees and blood began leaking from their ears. Strange, he thought to himself, the song was quite beautiful today.

 

He closed his eyes, and let the sound wash over him. In that moment, there was peace. Images of Kinikwejit’fari and others that had fallen not just today but everyday under the oppressive Feladoni regime floated in front of her eyes. The bodies of the last remaining Caraadians hit the dirt around her and the thump that each one made brought a name of the fallen to his lips.

 

Qalipu’fari: ::Thud:: Kinikwejit’fari. ::Thud:: Aplekemu'fari ::Thud:: Sasqatu'fari. 

 

There was a brief pause before he continued. He opened his eyes and looked to the ceiling, bringing his elbows together and extending his hand upwards in a V as he spoke.

 

Qalipu’fari: Iga'lul, nigmaq. (I release you, my family)

 

 

((Small timeskip))

 

He opened his eyes and wiped his tear-stained face. Looking around he noticed Katnar slumped over on the ground and ran over to help. As he got closer, he noticed that the more peaceful aliens had returned at some point. He had been too distracted to notice before, but found himself thankful they had decided to come back.

 

Qalipu’fari: ::Resigned:: Please. I know I’ve no right to ask it, but she needs your help!

 

 

Snow/Levinson/Rosek/Any: response

 

 

He stood and watched as the visitors tended to his friend,, quietly praying as they worked. He breathed a big sigh of relief when she came too again.

 

Katnar’fari: Fari…::She gasped:: What happened? 

 

 

Qalipu’fari: I could ask you the same thing. Those Car-aad-eens have been dispatched for now. I have a feeling more will come now though.

 

Katnar’fari: Response

 

Snow/Levinson/Rosek/Any: response

 

Qalipu’fari: I know you have a non-interference rule, but you never did answer our question. What if somebody from the world ::emphasizes word:: asks for your assistance.

 

Snow/Levinson/Rosek/Katnar’fari/Any: response

 

Qalipu’fari: I fear for Fari now. Our lives will never be the same, and now we have more hostiles to worry about.

 

Snow/Levinson/Rosek/Katnar’fari/Any: response

 

Qalipu’fari: Again, on behalf of my people. Wela'lin, na ta'n teliula'lin. (Thank you, I do well by you)

 

Snow/Levinson/Rosek/Katnar’fari/Any: response

 

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Awane'jit Qalipu'fari

Awane'jit Tribal Leader

Mekra’fari Equality Movement

As simmed by,

 

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Lieutenant JG Lephi

Assistant Chief Engineering Officer

Community History Team Member

Chat Team Member

Wiki Team Member

USS Chin'toka NCC-97187

A239706L10 

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