December 6, 2018

LOVE IN A TIME OF ALIEN INVASION: CHAPTER 97 The Trials of Team One – 5


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)

The Kiiote Pack leader, Kang snarled. The Humans, Kobey Kamphasavanh and Cynthia Legatto crouched low to the ground, raising their crude spears. Kang said, “We would rather die than submit to the Yown’Hoo!”

Qap and Qilf bowed then, Towt already on its back. Qap said, “Then we will leave you to your suicide and wish you a better life with your next Pack.” She dropped to all fours as her Lead mate and the neuter followed suit. She crouched to spring and begin their long journey North to the rendezvous place. Her muscles bunched and she felt the adrenaline rush…

Kang howled, then barked, “What do you mean?”

Qap turned to the female Pack leader and said, “You truly wish to hear or do you plot to tear my Pack apart and add it to your own?”

Kang’s lips drew back into the beginning of a snarl. She fought the facial response, smoothing her muzzle out. “You are wise, Pack Leader. Of course my plan was to add your followers to mine, but you are elder, you are strong…” She added a fart to her words.

“What you say is, of course, true. But, why do you say it here and now with the scent of trust?”

“Because, Pack Leader, you come from underground. Pack memory says that we came from underground at one time, too. It also says that at the end of the tunnel is a device that will restore our inheritance and form the moral foundation of our victory over the Yown’Hoo.” She snapped the name of the aliens as she would snap the neck of a rabbit or other grass eater.

Qap considered, and spoke English to her mate Qilf and her potential Towt. Humans from the days before the arrival of the Pack and the Herd wouldn’t have recognized it as English, but Triad Humans Oscar and Xiomara spoke the same language. This tiny Pack of primitives would have no idea that she said, “Commander Bakhsh sent us to find allies. She says that she knows of some sort of advantage…”

Qilf said, “Yes, but it would kill Herd as well…”

“So she says. But she is not…” Qap glanced at the young female, squeezed a fart of confidence, and said, “Well-versed in the ways of the civilized world.”

“As we are no longer versed in the ways of civilized Kiiote off of Earth.”

Qap growled, but her mate did not back down. She added, “We were trained by Pan and Zir, the Human equivalents of Hawking and Gandhi. This child was likely fortunate to learn to read and spell correctly and I doubt that higher level maths were part of her education.”

Qilf shook hard in convinced agreement. Qap turned to the primitive and said, “We would ask to follow you to this device. You are certain the legends,” she used an ancient word, echoing a deep respect that was nearly a Pack howl to the Moons of the Homeworld, Kii. “The legends are still clear? You are certain that we must return underground…”

“No, Pack Leader – the end of the journey is underground. But if you can escape this underground, you can without doubt open the underground place where the device is hidden from the prying eyes of Yown’Hoo.” She paused, then bowed down at the feet of Qap and Qilf, saying, “The journey will be full of danger, and none of this small Pack know how to open the cave the device is in. We do not know if it functions any longer. We only know where it is. You are Pack Leader, and ours is the last Pack to recall the place where the device rests. I turn the information over to you. My Pack will be yours. We will serve you and sell your safety with our lives if need be.” She farted danger, adding in words, “We must go as the Herd rides and I catch the scent of their hunting lust.” She lifted a paw to point her muzzle west, away from the tunnel. “We go, Pack Leader.” She took a step.

Qap and Qilf were on her in an instant and Qap had pinned her to the ground. She leaned forward, this time opening her mouth and p lacing it over the slender throat of the young female. She pressed until Kang abruptly whimpered and thin rivulets of blood trickled down her neck. Qap urinated on her then growled in SnarlSnap, “The next time you will pay me with your flesh.” She stepped back as Kang came to her feet, shivering, her nose touching the snow.

“I will lead Thee to the cave, Pack Leader.”

“You will, upon your life,” responded Qap and Qilf.

As if she was a puppy freed from a trap, she leaped to blaze trail for her new Pack.

“We will watcher her,” said Qilf.

“And tear her throat out at the first scent of treachery,” said Qap.

“My mate,” they said in unison, sealing their pact as the one of the Humans mounted Kang, and Qilf offered his back to the second, smaller Human male.

Then like a living shadow, the Pack set off as night fell.


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