On Earth, there are three Triads intending to integrate
not only the three peoples and stop the war that threatens to break loose and
slaughter Humans and devastate their world; but to stop the war that consumes
Kiiote economy and Yown’Hoo moral fiber. All three intelligences hover on the
edge of extinction. The merger of Human-Kiiote-Yown’Hoo into a van der Walls
Society might not only save all three – but become something not even they
could predict. Something entirely new...
The young experimental Triads are made up of the smallest
primate tribe of Humans – Oscar and Xiomara; the smallest canine pack of Kiiote
– six, pack leaders Qap and Xurf; and the smallest camelid herd of Yown’Hoo – a
prime eleven, Dao-hi the Herd mother. On nursery farms and ranches away from
the TC cities, Humans have tended young Yown’Hoo and Kiiote in secret for
decades, allowing the two, warring people to reproduce and grow far from their
home worlds.
“We had nearly fallen into stagnation when we
encountered the Kiiote.”
“And we into internecine war when we encountered the
Yown’Hoo.”
“Yown’Hoo and
Kiiote have been defending themselves for a thousand revolutions of our Sun.”
“Together, we
might do something none of us alone might have done…a destiny that included
Yown’Hoo, Kiiote, and Human.” (2/19/2015)
Lieutenant Commander Patrick
Bakhsh (ret) held up his bloody hand. “We can talk about how I removed it while
we run. But we have to get moving. Whoever planted it on me has just discovered
that it’s not tracking anymore.”
“What? Why don’t you just leave it
here?” said GURion.
Retired shook his head. “If I left
it transmitting, it would stop moving. They’d figure we went underground. They
would have had no trouble following it. Finding us would have been just a
matter of guesswork. They already know we’re headed north, so they’d have
wasted no time south. They’d have sent drones down the tunnel and quickly
discovered we weren’t there. Whoever is following us would send whatever air
cover they have – anything from the helicopters that already tried to kill us –
to microdrones. They’d catch us in sixty minutes or less. This way, they’ll
puzzle over the loss of signal for at least sixty minutes. It could be a glitch
or a technical problem – and they wouldn’t want to tip off any of their
competitors that something was going on because that would risk them finding us
first. This way, we gain an hour. If we stop talking and get moving.” He didn’t
bark an order. He looked at me.
I might have fainted dead away if
I hadn’t been expecting it. I surprised him and everyone else by saying, “Herd
Mother, designate one of the younger males to gather up the scouts and then
join the rest of us. We’re moving to the surface. Now.” I looked at Retired,
“Lead the way, Lieutenant Commander Bakhsh.”
Without a hint of irony or condescension, he said, “Yes,
Sir.” We moved.
Dao-hi said, “Wait.” We stopped. I realized after a second
that I was irritated. Why? I was still no more the leader of the group than
Lan-mai-ti was. She continued, “I will send the youngest of mine with the
tracker glued to it.”
“What?” I exclaimed.
“Youngest are born to serve the Herd. This will serve not
only the Herd but the Triad as well.”
“But he’s…” I began.
“The young one has no gender and is purely potential. It has
ever been the way of the Herd. Until the young distinguish themselves in some
way, they are potentials.”
I stared at her, suddenly realize that she was truly and
actually not Human. Of course I knew it before, but this time it was like a
sucker punch – unfair and a total surprise. “You don’t…”
Retired said suddenly, “Set it up.”
“What?” said Xio.
“What?” barked Xurf and Qap.
“We have to go. We don’t know who is following us. We
already know that they’re ready to kill us when they find us. The Herd Mother
is offering up the use of one of her young…” Retired glared at me, “As is her
right.”
“You can’t…”
He cut me off, “I am not making any kind of decision. The
Herd Mother is.”
Dao-hi looked at me and snapped a tentacle. It was a clear
signal of dominance. I couldn’t really object anymore and maintain the
integrity of the Triad. But I didn’t have to like it. “Fine. I yield.”
The young one came back just then. Dao-hi spoke in Y’eh
2349, one of the oldest and least comprehensible language of the Yown’Hoo. It
scurried after Retired and a moment later, dashed down the tunnel the way we
had come. He stepped up to me at what I could only think of as “parade rest”.
We had to go, no matter what I thought of Yown’Hoo ethics or Retired going
along with them…and realizing that I was reacting like a child. “We need to go
down the tunnel. According to the map we’d looked at, we still had about three
klicks to go until we could exit. The young...I looked at Retired and said out
loud, “Lan-mai-ti, its name was Lan-mai-ti. I am also entitled to my opinion.”
I pushed past Retired and started running. A few minutes later, I could hear
hoof, paws, and feet behind me.
They stayed behind me for a long time.
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