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. The Braiders accidentally created a
resonance wave that will destroy the Milky Way and the only way to stop it is
for the Yown’Hoo-Kiiote-Human Triads to build a physical wall. The merger of
Human-Kiiote-Yown’Hoo into a van der Walls Society may produce the Membrane to
stop the wave.
The young experimental Triads are made up of the smallest
primate tribe of Humans – Oscar and Kashayla; 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)
“I don’t care!” I shouted. My voice even hurt my ears. There
was silence as the truck hummed along in the dark.
I drove a long time before Retired said, “I can’t give any
other answer, kid. That’s the only one there is. The Triads are the only hope
we have of forging a viable civilization of Kiiote, Yown’Hoo, and Human that
will not be dependent on war and dominance.”
From the depth of the truck’s cargo area, a tiny voice –
probably one of the immature Herd, Ked-sah-ti, I think – said, “Without
civilization, every last one of us…and the populations of all three…will die
out until there is nothing left but semi-sentient ameba on Y’eh, Kii, and Earth.”
I don’t think anyone else felt like saying anything after
that. Not even me.
We drove for a long time, Retired only speaking when he gave
me a direction. As we moved farther and farther out of the developed parts of
the state, things got worse and better.
The asphalt had started to break up and I had to slow down
and concentrate harder. I’m pretty sure Retired could have put us on some kind
of autopilot – I’m sure the delivery truck had lots of hidden enhancements.
Instead he let me drive. He suddenly said, “We’re almost there. If you turn
right here, we’ll be not only off the road, but off the grid.”
“‘The grid’?”
“It’s an
old-fashioned phrase. ‘The grid’ used to refer to how power was transmitted
through electrical cable. Your uncle’s farm has been ‘off the grid’ since there
was a grid. The Kiiote he worked for outfitted his farm with a micro-fusion
reactor. Nothing’s changed since the Kiiote made First Contact here.”
“My uncle was the
First Contact for the Kiiote?” I couldn’t believe it. “You’re sure?”
Retired snorted. “Seventy-two
years ago. Twenty-eighteen.”
“When did he die?”
The truck hit a hole in the gravel road and we sloughed to the side. Screams,
snarls, and whistles erupted from the back of the truck – and one Human female
cussing like she was a soldier. “Sorry,” I managed, as I fought the steering
wheel.
Retired didn’t move, but I felt the truck
leave my control. It steadied, slowed down and stopped a few moments later.
Abruptly, the interior lights went dark. Retired cursed as well.
“What’s wrong?” I
said.
“That wasn’t me.”
“What wasn’t you?”
Xurf snapped.
“The power cut
off. I took control of the truck so we wouldn’t crash...”
“You didn’t even
move!” I said.
“I know.”
There was another
long silence and I said, “What are you – and how well did you know my uncle?”
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