A Horus in Strange Lands (Horizon Zero Dawn SI) Chapter 35

Karan S’jet walked through the streets of Nabaal, the city she grew up in, and smiled happily as she watched the changed lives of her people thanks to their new family.

She still remembered the time when the people had to always watch the food and water they consumed, making sure not to consume more than necessary, so that those who were working on developing Kharak’s space technologies, the pilots, military, and other important groups of their people would have enough to sustain themselves.

A necessity forced on her people thanks to the harsh conditions of their world ever since anyone could remember.

This was their way of life. It had always been that way since the beginning of their history.

Now, Karan could not help but grin happily as she saw several stores in the process of being opened that specialized in selling food and drinks that used obscene amounts of resources compared to what they could ever dream of before.

Decadent foods such as what their new family, the Kiith Artivon, called chocolate and cakes, to drinks that they had never heard of thanks to the plants and protein required for their production being absent on Kharak until recently.

These days, no matter where she looked, Karan could see the influence of Kiith Artivon on her people.

The Focus devices that were launched more than a few months ago but had already become a basic necessity for the people due to their sheer utility and efficiently.

The abundance of consumables produced thanks to her close friend, Seth’s relentless micromanagement of the Project: Zero Dawn prototype that was being operated in the Great Bandit Dessert and already producing miracles that the Kharaki could have never dreamed of.

The shielding provided by MINERVA over the entire planet also blocked most of the UV light and other harmful radiation much more efficiently than Kharak’s own atmosphere, allowing the Kharaki people to feel much better than before.

The various technologies and knowledge that they provided that made life significantly easier and safer for the common people.

And all of this was only surface-level changes that were visible to the naked eye. Under the surface, in political, economic, military, scientific, logistic, and every other field imaginable, they could all feel the hand of Kiith Artivon in one way or another.

Truly, the arrival of Amun-Ra, Seth, and Vast Silver, was the greatest boon that the universe ever gave to the Kushan people and changed their lives forever.

Although, Karan did wish Vast Silver could tone down his curiosity to a manageable level.

While most of the Kiithid that were the victims of his break-ins and snooping were not really offended nor did they press any charges, they were still annoyed since they would have to deal with the aftermath of whatever rampage the uploaded being would go through in order to sate his curiosity.

Thankfully, Amun-Ra was more than willing to help these Kiithid with the clean-up and to provide compensation for his companion’s actions. It was one of the reasons why Vast Silver was not straight-up banned from all the industrial and scientific centers of the planet.

[You are even more distracted than normal, Karan.]

Karan did not even skip a step when her friend’s voice rang out from the Focus as her smile stretched just a little more.

“I was just admiring the many changes that you three brought to my people.”

[I am glad that you people are able to appreciate our efforts. Although, Father still thinks that we are far from done.]

Karan’s mood dimmed a little at that reminder before she shoved those feelings down and smiled again.

“If you are talking about the Taiidan, then tell your father to not worry too much. Thanks to you three, we are more than ready to reclaim what is rightfully ours. This is our fight and we would not want to involve you three in it when you have no stake in it.”

When Amun-Ra finally revealed some of the secrets he had kept from the Kharaki people more than a month ago, Karan and many of the ruling Kiithid of Kharak felt fear and rage but also a slight feeling of betrayal.

Fear and Rage for the Taiidan for what they did to their ancestors and what they would do should they learn that the Kharaki were capable of using Hyperspace drives again.

Betrayal at Amun-Ra for keeping such important information about their people for such a long time.

However, their feeling of betrayal did not last for long as they were quick to understand the reason for his actions.

Amun-Ra did not hold back this information out of any malicious intent. He was simply afraid of how the Kushan would react to this information. He did not wish for us to come to harm due to our own rashness and he did not wish for the Kushan to do something that would doom their people.

As soon as the Daiamid understood these points, their feelings of betrayal quickly changed to that of relief and acceptance. Now knowing for sure that Amun-Ra and his companions only had their people’s future in their minds when they held back that information.

After that meeting, the Daiamid placed a gag order on any information pertaining to the Taiidan until their mothership was ready in a few months' time. The only ones who currently knew about this information were the staff that would be placed on the Mothership and the Daiamid themselves.

There was no denying that after this incident, Amun-Ra and his companions had gained the full loyalty and respect of the Kharaki people for their actions, especially after the Daiamid learned of the massive defensive array that Amun-Ra built around their star system to keep them safe until they were ready to reclaim their true home.

[The moment Father decided to join the Kushan in full by creating a Kiith of our own, we had already become a part of your people. Your fights are our fights. Thus, we do have a stake in the coming conflict and we will not stand back as all of you fight for your home.]

Once again, Karan felt happiness swell within her as she hummed in affirmation and continued walking to her destination, the spaceport where her shuttle was waiting for her.

[Are you ready for what is to come? I have already triple-checked all the systems and the nanites required for the procedure, but I still can’t help but feel nervous.]

“Seth. I trust you more than anyone alive right now. If you say that you have checked the process and have found nothing wrong with it, then there is nothing wrong with it. Besides, this is something that I can’t postpone. For the sake of my people, I will do this to the best of my ability.”

[Very well. Good luck. The next time I hear from you, you will have become an Unbound.]

Karan grinned confidently as she continued on her way.

“Of course! And when I become an Unbound, I will be able to see you face-to-face for the first time. To see the real you in that virtual space of yours.”

[…I will be waiting for you.]

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I continued watching the datastream that flowed between Seth and Karan S’jet, feeling a complex emotion that I could not identify.

For the sake of privacy, I did not look into what exactly they were talking about, but given the frequency of the calls that they made, it was clear that they had become much closer than anyone could have anticipated.

A part of me felt glad that Seth was getting some actual contact with another sapient being aside from Vast Silver and me. However, I also felt afraid.

Afraid that she would one day end up being Seth’s downfall just like the humans on Earth had destroyed my emotions.

However, after the years we spent here, I can say with a level of certainty that the chances of something like that happening are very low.

Still, I could not help but worry.

[Are you still looking at Seth and that girl, Karan’s conversation? I never took you to be a pervert, Amun-Ra]

{And I never took you to be a thug that breaks into other’s properties, Silver, but here we are.}

[Hey!-]

{Besides, I was not listening to their conversation. I do know common decency. I am just worried.}

[…I guess that’s understandable. But don’t worry, I’ve got a good feeling about her.]

{I hope you are right. Anyways, why are you here and not working on the project?}

[Oh! Right! I came to inform you that the prototype is ready for testing]

I felt my interest and excitement soar at those words.

Ever since we managed to access the Balcora Gate, assimilate the dreadnought Sajuuk, and find the Hyperspace Gate it was linked to, we had been hard at work replicating the function of this gate network with our own Dimensional Drives.

So far, most of our attempts have been failures. However, after we stumbled upon the Bentusi trade ship again and exchanged a few things for their help in understanding what we were dealing with, we found some success in the process thanks to their knowledge, no matter how limited it was.

{Let’s go}

Vast Silver and I headed straight towards the prototype Gate we set up.

Hopefully, this time, we will be successful.

If we succeed in completing this version of the Dimensional Gate, we will have an unparalleled advantage over everything else in this galaxy and secure the position of ourselves and the Kharaki as a whole.

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Author Notes:

Happy New Year everyone! I hope all of you will have a great year filled with happiness.