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)
“All right, everyone back down the tunnel. Team Two, get ready
to head for the surface. Xurf, take one of the others with you and let them
hear your destination directions. Only two of you.” Retired gave me a look.
Irritated? Offended? Nah, I suddenly realized, respect. I ignored it. “Just
don’t both of you get killed.” Xurf fell back into her four-footed form and
trotted after Retired. The Yown’Hoo Zei-go followed. Already I could see growth
in the Yown’Hoo. Those who earned responsibility grew larger, tapping the
subcutaneous fat stores. It already looked leaner, faster.
When they got back to what was left of the group, I nodded
to Xurf and she led them up the tunnel then to the surface. The sounds of their
feet scrabbling on the concrete faded. Another second and there was a metallic
shriek followed by a tremendous crash.
Lieutenant Commander Bakhsh (ret) looked over at me but
didn’t say a word. My Great Uncle Rion did the same. I opened my mouth, looked
at the door to the surface, and closed it.
“Oscar?” said Retired.
“Uh, yeah?”
“What’s next?”
“Uh…” the Triad that remained, them, Da0-hi, Lan-ma-ti,
Por-go-el, Xio, Seg-go, Ali-go, Nah-hi-el, and me…still had to keep moving. We
could still be caught by…whoever was following us. I started off and what
remained of the Triad followed. I slowed until I was walking beside Retired.
The others passed me and when she did, I said to Xio, “Your team is up to the
surface next. Lead the group. Great Uncle Rion, would you walk with her and
help her with strategy? Retired and I will catch up with you.”
She gave me a weird look. For a second, I didn’t know what
she was going to say. Nothing, it turns out. She nodded and moved ahead with
her typical long-legged stride. For a moment, I forgot she was my sister –
practically speaking – and noticed she looked more than strong. More than
smart. More than…
“Down, boy,” said Retired next to me.
“What?” I started, walking to catch up with him.
“There’s no time for that. You’re running for your lives…”
he shook his head and said, “Adolescents,” like it was a curse.
I sighed. He’d seen my reaction when I was standing in front
of him being scanned for electronic or bioelectronic bugs. I knew what I felt
about Fax. “Yeah,” I said. “Hell.” He gave me a look then a smirk. “The map. I
want to see if I remember it. We were sort of in a hurry when you tossed it up
on the windshield.”
“You have an eidetic memory.”
“True. But I don’t think I just want to trust to memory when
everyone is counting on me to lead them.” He suddenly slapped me on the
shoulder. “What was that for?” I blurted.
Nodding, he said, “Proud of you, kid. Now. Tell me what you
remember.”
I rolled my shoulder like he’d hurt me, but the truth of it
was that it had felt good. Like he trusted me. Weird, I know. But there you go.
“Before I do though, tell me what you think of my guess.” Thinking about the
map ever since we got underground, there were three odd markings on it. “At the
exit of each of the tunnels they’re taking, I saw three little marks.
Characters.” We kept walking for a while. If what I guessed was wrong, Retired
would laugh at me and I’d lose whatever good feelings he had for me. But if I
was right, then this whole “running away” thing wasn’t what it appeared to be.
“Well?”
“One was the Kii Basic character for Old Pack. That’s Group
One’s mission; that’s why you sent Qap, Qilf, and Towt. They’re going to meet
up with a Pack ally living on Earth.” He didn’t say anything. “OK, I’ll take
that as a yes. Group Two…there wasn’t any symbol there, so I’m going to suggest
that they’re going to get some form of transportation that can take all of us
to Grendl. And be able to defend us. Probably made by the Kiiote.” He still
didn’t speak, walking alongside me. “Xio’s leading the third group and there
was a Chinese character for Master next to their exit. Group four is led by
Dao-hi, and as near I could figure there was a word in Y’eh 2349, I’m pretty
sure meant ‘Primeval’. These are the Organizers.” Retired hummed but carefully
did not nod or give any other sign of either approval. “And I leave at the end.
Alone.” A grunt. “To do something…”
Retired said abruptly, “You’ll find out when it’s time.”
Then he lengthened his stride and I had to run to catch up.
It was a long and boring hike and somewhere in the middle of
it, when we stopped to sleep, Retired disappeared. Just like that, he was gone.
I should have known he would do this. All that approval stuff was just a set up
to get me to lead the Triad – what was left of us. Once we got to the surface
exit, me and Xio – and the younger Herd members had hashed out their pecking
order. GURion refused to help me lead, it wasn’t like Retired. It had its own
agenda. So the departure of Group Three was sort of dark thing for me. I’d be
the last Human in the group with a robot, the Herd Mother Dao-hi, and two of
the youngest Herd members.
The only startling part was that Xio kissed me before she
left. Absolutely NOT like a sister. After we pulled apart, she also punched me
in the chest and said, “Don’t take this the wrong way, ‘Car, but I’m pretty
sure you’re not my type.” She paused, “I might be interested in older me.” She
gave me a dirty leer, adding, “Much older men.”
Then she led her team up the tunnel to the surface.
****
Xio found the ladder leading up and shook her head. “How the
hell are you supposed to climb this?”
Seg-go and Ali-go, males who held equivalent rank in the
Herd, often spoke at the same time, which resulted in them hip-checking each
other until one of them managed to knock the other over. Xio snapped, “Enough!
Seg-go, you speak for both of you! We don’t have time to decide rank right now.
After our first night stop, I’ll let you two battle it out, but now I’m making
an executive call.”
Ali-go pulled it’s tentacles free, ready to fight, but Xio
landed a kick on the side of his head before he could even raise them up to do
battle with Seg-go. “I said wait. Then, if you want me to kick you some more,
I’d be happy to figure out which one of us is stronger.”
The Yown’Hoo backed down, sheathing its tentacles and
crouching some in front of his brother. Nah-hi-el was still small and fast –
but had nothing approaching their rank in the Herd. It was lucky that it was
still alive and it knew it.
Seg-go said, “I can see a side tunnel here. Send the least
into it to see where it leads.”
Xio nodded, and said, “Go.”
The small Yown’Hoo dug its claws into the earth and ran.
They could hear it scrambling for some time. Shortly it returned. “It is a much
disused ramp and my stronger brothers will of need go on first joint to move
freely, but it exits in a large, Human built room.”
Xio said, “We go. Now. We have no time to waste. I will
lead.” She ducked into the tunnel, glad she wasn’t any taller than she was. All
she needed to do was crouch. ‘Car would have had to crawl. Retired…she cut off
that line of thought. He was an old man. Probably would have had to slither, getting
all muddy. And wet. She swallowed hard and led her team upward and into an abandoned
storage room to find a door with no handle.
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