Vakka was a Kilrathi Baron.
Character[]
Although being one of the 8 nobles present in the Imperial Council of Eight, he often opposed contemporary politics and questioned many decisions. He felt contempt for the Imperial line and the Crown Prince Gilkarg nar Kiranka; he considered his son,prince Ratha an "ignorant whelp".[1][2]
Among other things, Vakka questioned whether slaves should be intimidated or punished for doing their work more efficiently, but believed that they should be given some hope, or it would be impossible for them to work well. A part of his character also pitied the races conquered by the Empire, acknowledging their bravery, and some were more intelligent than the Kilrathi. Furthermore, he questioned whether the present state of the Empire of Kilrah would be sustainable; expanding recklessly through the galaxy, exterminating and subjugating races and replacing them with Kilrathi rulers, instead of allying with them, would only create scarce forces and thin borders.[2][1]
Despite his blood oath to the Emperor, deep inside him he was not above flirting with the distasteful thought of overthrowing his dynasty, if given the chance.[2]
Biography[]
Vakka was a representative of the Council of Eight. He is the father of Jukaga nar Vakka
His oldest friend was Harga, an old veteran who lost appeal to wars.[2]
Contact with humans[]
Sometime around 2629 his clan expanded outwards until his ship discovered a new jump point which led them to a planet; on that planet they found the colony of a species they were unaware of. Immediately he realised a new War would soon follow but his curiosity sensed something special about them and forbid his retainers to exterminate them.[2][3]
He was surprised that the humans didn't destroy their ship immediately, allowing it to fall into the hands of the "enemy"; he found naive their practice to keep all kinds of databanks and informations loaded freely in their computers, such as navigation charts, ships, cities, bases, orbital stations, as well as cultural information.[2]
Instead of slaughtering the conquered aliens, Vakka and Harga intervened to save them; for more than a year he studied them, their ship was looted for information. He learned of the powerful entity known as the Terran Confederation.[1][2][3]
He was responsible for making the existence of that species known to the Empire and a recent war game they performed. He continued to study the humans (partially an assignment by the Empire to evaluate in preparation of some war against them) for over a year and was the main source of information about them, their culture and vulnerabilities.[2]
Getting to know them (by talking instead of interrogating or torturing), he learned much from them, both feared and admired their unique tenacity of spirit and realized that their Confederation had a certain vibrancy and depth, deep web of alliances and colonies, assets that the Kilrathi Empire lacked.[1][2] When he left the planet, he put Harga in charge.[2]
Kilrathi Crisis[]
He was present in the Imperial Palace when the matter of war was discussed and The Emperor announced his decision of war against the Terrans, and was the only one among the 8 clan leaders who did not growl in approvement, although 2 other clan barons were also leery for the decision. To evade a blood challenge, he indicated ceremoniously his submission placing down his nagga tooth dagger and explained his considerations as it would be not the ideal moment for a new campaign, mentioning the threat from the center of the galaxy. The destruction of the Confederation and its potential would not benefit the Empire.[1]
He encountered opposition from Crown Prince Gilkarg nar Kiranka (who was eager to win his own campaign and gain honor), and was accused as a coward by Gilkarg's eldest son, Prince Ratha nar Kiranka. Thrakhath nar Kiranka even suggested executing Vakka. Ratha and Gilkarg countered his concerns by saying that conquering the Terrans would make them stronger to encounter the approaching power.[1]
Vakka met with no support, not even from the barons whose sectors were close to the Nephilim, and even his son looked at him embarassed. Decided that he shouldn't provoke a civil war among the clans, he entered the circle and joined his dagger with the other's and let the ceremonial cry.[1] Vakka realised that although he would profit most during a war, he was the only one who didn't wish for it; he also realised that despite being the "expert" on the humans, ironically, his opinion was not counted.[2]
He spent the following days by having slaves working on a prototype shield-penetrating torpedo capable of damaging the ships themselves. The idea was taken from information on some Terran war games, taken from the human prisoners. It was tested repeatedly against shield generators before against a full-size ship. Still 1/3 malfunctioned.
On 2634.155, 80 days before the scheduled assault, he was present in a meeting above Kilrah along with the other clan leaders and commanders of the Fleets to schedule the impending attack. The Prince ensured Nargth that the new weapon would devastate the Terran forces, although Vakka attempted to warn the Prince that it hadn't even completed its tests. The Prince responded that the workers have 80 days to finish it, as their heads are at stake; Vakka sarcastically remarked the paradox of executing the only workers capable of producing the weapon, for not producing it on time.
At the Prince's command, Vakka demonstrated in the holo field his men, piloting an Asjaka bomber. He anxiously watched the test, where a shielded Butha-class was successfully destroyed with the use of a single torpedo, and Vakka won growls and nods of approval from the nobles. He felt it was not the time to mention that 1/3 of the cases malfunctioned still, and that he needed more time for development and testing; oblivious, the Prince ordered him to push his slaves on perfecting this technology in 80 days, ready to be used against the Terran Base McAuliffe on the Confederation Day. As Nargth worried about opposition, the Prince had Vakka to explain the cultural significance of that Day to the Terrans, and that they would be unprepared; but Vakka expressed his worry that this would enrage them more, comparing it to the Kirlathi being attacked on Tuhaga day.[2]
After the briefing Jukaga expressed to him his excitement for being asked to fly in the first strike; Vakka knew that the Prince intended that many noble youths perished in the assault so that his clan would be even stronger. He was approached by the veteran admiral Nargth who had openly expressed his scepticism to the Prince. They discussed the unorthodoxy of his plans, although Vakka apparently explained the Prince's decisions, about the change in battle doctrine to use carriers as the first strike force, the inability to take the journey to attack Earth and the inner worlds, and using the First Fleet of the Claw in battle (although the prospect of Kilrah being left unguarded seemed appealing to him).
To spare his son, he asked Nargth to remove him from the fighters and have him in his staff. He explained that he had arranged for him to visit Fawcett's World and meet with Abram, study human culture and understand their foes better, when he would take his place in the clan, and therefore he would be useful to him as his aide during the battle. At the end of the meeting, he allowed himself to forget for a moment his concerns, and savor the lust of battle, over a hot drink of xark, and the sound of battle chants with his peers.[2]