Vektal

Vektal ("Vehk-tall") is a main character in Ice Planet Barbarians and a point of view character in Aftershocks. He is a male Sa-khui hunter as well as the chief of the Sa-khui (the Croatoan Tribe) and the Icehome Tribe.

He is Georgie's mate and the father of Talie, Vekka and Jorvek.

## Description

Vektal is described as having bluish-gray skin with a black mane of hair that reminded Georgie of a lion’s mane. He has big arching horns that emerge from the edges of his hairline and curl around his head like a seven-foot tall ram. His face is rugged like it’s carved from stone. He's muscled all over, has a tail, and bumpy ridges on his arms and across his brow. His eyes are a glowing shade of blue like Caribbean waters but completely without pupils of any kind.

## Personality

Vektal is proud and fair-minded. He is a natural leader and always trying to think of the best thing for all his tribe, even at the cost of individual happiness. He likes to keep the tribe running well and doesn't take likely to things that endanger it. Despite that, he is also a family man and is utterly devoted to his mate and children.

He dislikes sharing his concerns and burdens with others, but will at Georgie's insistence.

He is close friends with brothers, Raahosh and Rukh.

## History

Vektal's father was Hektar. He was pleasure-mate with Maylak before she resonated to Kashrem.

### Ice Planet Barbarians

Vektal was out hunting when he discovers a strange creature, Georgie, in his snare. When he immediately began resonated to her, he cut her down and took her back to a hunter cave.

Over the next day or so, Vektal tried to communicate to Georgie and was confused by her insistence on going back up the mountain. Due to their lack of understanding of each other's languages, it took her promising sex before he decided to take her. She was still impatient though and eventually ran off up the mountain. She accidentally fell into a Metlak den, but Vektal was able to save her.

The next morning, after finding Dominique's frozen body, Vektal realized what was causing Georgie's urgency and together they raced up the mountain. They were able to leave some supplies for the girls before explaining their plan to return to the tribal caves to get help from the other Sa-khui.

While on their way back down the mountains, they stopped a night at the Elders Cave. While there Georgie realized it was a spaceship and used the computer to "download" the ancient Sakh language, the one the Sa-khui spoke, into her mind. This enabled Vektal to explain resonance and the process of getting a khui. Georgie wasn't sure if she was planning on staying, upsetting Vektal. She wanted to speak with the other girls first.

Once they returned to the caves, Vektal was able to gather a group of hunters. While there Georgie realized she might be pregnant. The following day the group headed back up the mountain. They stopped at the Elders Cave and a number of the hunters downloaded English.

When they reached the crashed cargo hold, Georgie conferred with the other girls and they decided to stay. She returned to tell Vektal the news and about the other six girls in stasis pods. Vektal was overjoyed. After the girls were all awoken and bundled up, the implants in their arms, placed there by the slavers, began to go off.

Once the implants were removed the hunters began a Sa-kohtsk hunt. Though Georgie was scared, she was the first one to take the symbiont. After waking up from the khui induced backout, Georgie's khui quickly resonated to Vektal. They were together when the slave ship left after its initial unsuccessful attempt to find the girls.

#### In-between

During the events of Barbarian Alien, Vektal exiled Raahosh for kidnapping Liz. Later Liz convinced him to lighten his punishment, making it a temporary exile of both Liz and Raahosh. They were allowed to return every eighth day.

In Barbarian Mine, he welcomed Rukh into the tribe, but not before warning him that Harlow was part of the tribe. Though initially disliking each other he and Rukh become quick friends.

In Ice Planet Holiday, Georgie expands the concept of holidays to Vektal. His misunderstanding of mistletoe results in the name No-Poison Day. In this novella, Talie is born.

In Barbarian's Taming, Vektal temporarily exiled Hassen for kidnapping Lila. At the end of the novel, he agrees to allow Hassen back into the tribe, after Maddie negotiates with the location of Croatoan.

### Aftershocks

Around a month before the earthquake, Georgie and Vektal resonated again. In the aftermath of the earthquake, Vektal dealt with the tribe and recovery.

At the beginning of Barbarian's Heart, Vektal sent out scouts to check and see if Croatoan would work as a new location.

### Later history

During her third year on Not-Hoth Georgie gave birth to Vekka.

In the eighth year, Georgie and Vektal resonated for the third time. Her pregnancy is first featured in Barbarian's Redemption. During this book, Vektal elected to shun Bek as punishment for buying slaves.

In Barbarian's Tease, Vektal headed to The Tranquil Lady, near the elder's cave to decide what to do about the twenty new pods.

In Lauren's Barbarian, Vektal welcomes the Islanders and accepts K'thar's offer to be the chief of the new Icehome Tribe. Hannah decided to become his unasked for assistant.

Vektal returned to Croatoan in The Barbarian Before Christmas.

In the ninth year, Georgie gives birth to Jorvek, this is around the time of Steph's Outcast.

## Gallery

### Family Tree

*\*Numbers by the names indicate birth order (if known).*