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)
Xurf snapped his jaws, “Then we shall do it. I place the
safety of my body on your back, Zei-go.”
The Yown’Hoo whistled orders to his tiny Herd and as the
Kiiote changed shape and mounted, he felt a strange strength flow through him.
Zei-go said, “I will trust your sense of smell to direct me
wisely,” he paused, adding the Human words, “My friend.”
Xurf placed a hand on the side of Zei-go’s neck, leaned
forward, and said, “I will hold your trust as I would hold a puppy. My friend.”
Zei-go surged forward and Herd and Pack, merged as if they
were some strange coyote-and-llama centaur, thundered into the light of the setting
sun.
Two hours later, it was pitch dark
out. The Herd leader said, “I cannot run any longer on my own sight. Everything
has become so dim to me that in these woods, I’m afraid I’ll run into a tree or
rush under a branch that impales you.”
“I agree. We should stop.”
The Herd slowed and Xurf gave the
signal to return to the lower form. Shortly, the mixed Herd and Pack – seven of
them, one third of the North American Triad – was huddled beneath the heavy,
thick branches of a massive white pine. “Do we wait the night?” said Fax.
“No,” said Xurf. “We have not been
charged to stay hidden and safe. We must keep going.”
“How do we know where to find our
goal?” said Eel-go-el, the youngest of the Herd.
“Scent,” said Xurf. “We seek a
Human with a transport.” He paused, “A transport from our own people.”
Even Zei-go snapped his tentacles
in surprise. “An unusual arrangement, indeed. How can we travel unseen if we
use such obvious transport?”
Xurf snorted and farted emphatically,
“Retired has assured me that the vehicle is ancient, possibly even from the
earliest reconnaissance of this world as a nursery. It would be essentially undetectable
to current Kiiote and Yown’Hoo technology.”
“Though Humans might note it.”
Xurf shook himself. “Human
technology has descended to the level of ‘stone knives and bear skins’.”
“What does that mean?” said Doj, a
faint whine of worry in his voice.
“Nothing,” said Zei-go. “Human
technology was as nothing compared to our civilizations when we arrived. It has
broken down even further since then.”
Hil-hi-el, Second of the tiny Herd
said, “We may have mighty fleets in space, but the moral fiber of our people
has decayed so far that we are fortunate to still be able to fly them. The day
is coming that we will have fallen so far that we will have no knowledge of how
the ships fly.”
The entire group turned to look at
the small Yown’Hoo. He slipped his pack from his back and pulled forth a tube
which he bent. It started to glow blue. He said, “This will be difficult to
detect during the night and will provide an adequate amount of heat for us to
survive until morning.”
Xurf looked to Zei-go. Certain
basic emotions were easy enough to read among the three species – not because they
shared them but because they had grown so familiar. Other times, responses had
been adopted across species lines – acknowledgement had once been a head nod by
Humans, tip of a tentacle flick from Yown’Hoo, and a tightly-squeezed fart from
the Kiiote. Now all three nodded. Irritation had once been a Human scowl, a
Yown’Hoo shiver, and a Kiiote jaw snap – all three snapped their jaws now. Other
body language had been adapted or adopted over the years until the nineteen
members of the Triad spoke its own language in some ways.
One thing remained the same,
however: fear of the future. All three shivered; as the six-member Herd-Pack
and Pack-Herd did just then and huddled closer to the heating stick. “Xurf and
I will take first watch. Doj and Ell-go-el, middle watch; Fax and Jus-hi-el
Last watch of the night. At first light, we will set off and not rest until we
find the Human that Retired has set us to recruit.”
“What if it has no wish to be
recruited?” asked Jus-hi-el.
Zei-go turned to Xurf who said, “Then
we kill it and take what we need under Lieutenant Commander Patrick Bakhsh’s
order.” This time Xurf did not stumble over the Human name. He didn’t stumble
because it was the moment of commitment. This small Pack-Herd would do what it
had to do or die trying.
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