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)
As of Chapter 76, the Triad split into four groups with
a rendezvous point north to the former Sand Dune State Forest, near a city
called Zimmerman. Group One was led by Kiiote Qap with Quilf, Towt and
Commander Baksh attached to them. Group Two was the Kiiote Xurf leading Fax, Doj
along with the Yown’Hoo Zei-go charged with Hil-hi-el, Jus-hi-el, and Eel-go-el.
Group Three was led by the Human Xio who will coordinate the group along with
Yown’Hoo leaders Seg-go and Ali-go, with Nah-hi-el. Herd Mother Dao-hi would
lead the last Group Four with Oscar, Lan-mai-ti and Por-go-el.
“Commander Baksh will run alone. Xio and me will stay
together,” I said, pointing.
“’Car?” Retired said.
I couldn’t exactly ignore him without starting a stampede –
with me as the target to be crushed, so I said, “Commander Baksh?”
He cleared his throat like he was embarrassed, but I knew it
was probably an act to make me feel better about myself. I knew I was going to
kick him somewhere important. “I’d just like to add a couple of points,” I
damped my irritation. At least he wasn’t taking over outright. “I dug up eight
more trackers. Some have a hook-system designed to be picked up by fur or
clothing. I can safely destroy two of them to make for believability – whoever
has it set up to spy on us will relax and assume we only found two of their
devices.”
He opened his mouth to keep going, but stopped and looked at
me. “Distribute them, Commander.” I kept talking as he passed out the trackers.
“Change of plan. There are two exits to the surface near here. Group One will
be Qap, Quilf, and Towt. We will travel as a group until we reach the next
tunnel. Group One will exit at the next tunnel after going deeper an planting
one of the trackers. Find a deep hole, an abandoned well, a pit, or something
else that you can throw your trackers into and do it.” I scanned the group. “Theirs
is the smallest group because they will have the farthest to travel exposed on
the surface. The rest of us will continue on for five more kilometers in the
tunnel. Group Two is Xurf, Fax, Doj and leader Zei-go with Hil-hi-el,
Jus-hi-el, and Eel-go-el. They’ll plant their trackers underground, exit, then
go to the surface through an old fueling station, coming out through a false
floor in an historic repair bay. Group Three will be led by Xio who will
coordinate the group working with leader Seg-go and Ali-go, Nah-hi-el, and
Por-go-el. I’ll be there, but won’t have command of it. We’ll go as far down
the tunnel as we can to the next exit after that. We’ll keep our trackers on us.”
I paused. No one objected. “Once we leave through an ancient underground
parking ramp of an old shopping mall, the Herd Mother Dao-hi will pick up
Lan-mai-ti, then you can take Por-go-el and the potential and will split off on
their own as Group Four and make your way as far as you can underground until
you are forced to the surface. There is intelligence that you may be able to
make it all the way to the old State Forest ranger garage. Wait for Group One,
Two, and Three there.”
I stopped talking, waiting for objections. No one spoke.
They all knew that the plan was Retired’s and that I was just playing leader.
Even I knew that. But what I was starting to understand was that Retired would
leave us – whether by simply disappearing to go on his next mission or he’d
die. Then who would we be left with? I added my final idea – all my own. “Group
Four will give me all of the trackers and I’ll continue on until I can either
exit the tunnel or go deeper. I’ll continue to carry them until I get to the
surface to follow the most round-about trail I can figure out that will still get
me to Sand Dune.”
There were objections, but none loud. Everyone looked to
Commander Baksh expectantly. They figured he’d laugh and take over. What he did
was even more chilling. He said, “Risking your life for the rest of us is the most
mature thing I’ve ever seen you do, Oscar.” He nodded, “Well done.”
There was silence. All of us would have to be fit leaders eventually.
We were learning what it took to direct our own destiny. We would have to act
for the Triad – not for our individual peoples. Not even for ourselves personally.
Our individual civilizations had failed us. We were all we had. We were the
future. I just might not see that future. So said, “Let’s go.”
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