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)
“We go!” Dao-hi snarled, then
tipped her slender head back and howled. A moment later, she raced ahead, what
remained of her Herd fast behind, at times dodging between her flashing legs. A
short distance, and she found the abandoned branch of the tunnel and raced up
the ramp screened by a holographic image of a collapsed tunnel wall. Ten
minutes later, they emerged into a partially collapsed Human garage and after
that, though an easily collapsed door and into belly deep snow surrounding a
Human forestry station.
With a flash of hooves, she broke
through untouched snow to lead her Herd into the dense pine woods. The smallest
stopped, shouting after them, “We will be lost! Go on without…”
Dao-hi snarled again, swung around
and charged at them. The immatures wailed. She unsheathed her tentacles, leaned
to one side, and plucked them up, tossing them on her back. “Hang to me like
infants!” She winced as she felt the mostly dulled birthclaws of the immature
Lan-mai-ti dig into her hide. Its strength was small when newborn because it
was barely larger than a Human foot. At this size, she wondered if it would
draw blood should it ride much longer. The potential male, Por-go-el had to
content itself with wrapping tentacles around whatever parts were convenient,
typically her flowing hair. The thought flashed that she should shake them off
and leave them behind. She could think of no use for them in the potential
search for the Primeval Retired had whispered to her.
She’d refrained from rearing in
outraged laughter because Retired was whom he was, but she had little faith
that she would find such a creature, especially here on Earth. The Herd had
explored far and wide for a world both suitable and capable of supporting
young. Most alien planets might allow conception, delivery, or even rapid
growth, but all but Earth had proven to be repeatedly unsuitable to produce
both strong young and warriors.
That the Kiiote found Earth
equally perfect made her tentacles swell with rage and her eyesight narrow to
forward focus. That Humans had already occupied such a perfect world…
She stopped abruptly, legs
straight and digging into the snow. The immature and the potential tumbled from
her back, one leaving a pair of gouges that would sure become impressive scars,
if she could direct the healing fevers correctly; the other simply left her
back with great clumps of fur.
“Herd Mother!” both shrieked in
unison. She extended her tentacles to their maximum length, snatching both from
the banks of frozen water ‘Car and Xio called “snow”, curling them tightly to
her sides. Her forward and rear hearts uncharacteristically pounded in unison,
creating a hyperaware state Dao-hi had only experienced during mating and the
most tasteful debates with the Mothers who held her respect.
“Silence!” she cried, her voice
silent to most of Earth’s creatures, though a startled yip from a pack of
coyote made her snort in disgust. Those creatures had always been a source of
great humor among the Herd! They were such ridiculous caricatures of her Kiiote
Triad-mates, that when she did get the chance to see them, she invariably made
jokes about how much their Human friends looked like the recordings they’d seen
of Japanese Snow Monkeys…
“Herd Mother?” said Por-go-el.
“Yes. Our mission, which I did not
believe has now been confirmed in a most startling way.”
“What mission?” said Lan-mai-ti.
“We seek the Primeval.” Por-go-el
shuddered and the immature dug its claws into her side. “The Primeval chose
this world for all of the Herd. It chose it because it was perfect. At the same
time, Kiiote discovered that it was perfect for them. And Humans have bred here
for tens of thousands of year.” She paused, “It does not strike you as
strange?”
Por-go-el said, “This world is
more than it appears, Herd Mother. It must have been both chosen and ideal for
a reason deeper than we can see.”
The Herd Mother curled her neck to
look at the potential male. If it continued to grow in such keep thought, she
would have to make sure she bore at least one litter with it. She said,
“Indeed, Por-gel. Indeed. The Primeval is on this world; and we go to meet
her!”
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