The Shrub Wars Part I

By Sir Poul Asimov (Decd)

The Top Nation on the planet Idli was Ainosu. Now, Aybud Shrub was chosen Diktor by the Conglomerate of Larenim, of which the Seven Virgins were the chiefs. It came to pass that the Seven Virgins wanted to take Thel fluid from Natsiribat to Natlum (in Dhnih) by way of Inzagh. The rulers of Inzagh were the dreaded Baliset, who were allied to Nidho the One-eyed. So Aybud Shrub, allied with his sycophantic thrall Rial Bynot, and the Diktor of the realm of Zo, Drawoh the Slimy, invaded Inzagh and put to flight the Baliset. Nidho escaped. And the Dresserater of the Nushnut was appointed Diktor over the N’Inzagh. And the Seven Virgins were happy.

Now the biggest source of Thel lies in the Kingdom of the Ibbahaw, which is hard by Kuru - which is second biggest, similarly peopled with Lewot-aets. Aybud’s father, Roines Shrub had waged war on the Diktor of Kuru, Itirkat the Wily. He had beaten him, but failed to remove him. This rankled with Roines and with his son.

Now the Seven Virgins wished Aybud to remove Itirkat. With this in mind, Aybud called upon the other Diktors of the major powers of Idli to join in a Holy War. Only Rial Bynot heeded his call. The Diktors of Nuh and of Gorf said they opposed such a Holy War, for the god Almighty Rallod of the Conglomerate was not theirs, their god being Uce`.

But Aybud gathered his legions and his fliers and his floaters. And he girded his loins and awaited his moment. And his dreaded Thlaets fliers and his Nasu floaters circled the seas off Kuru, his legions sat by the borders of the Ibbahaw realm. However, it seemed that the Ibbahaw were vexed by Nidho the One-eyed. Many of Aybud’s legions would be needed to help the Ibbahaw against their Lewot-aet subjects. So Aybud Shrub sat on his white throne and pondered…