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)
Seg-go, who was a potential mate for whichever new Herd
Mother arose from the current Herd, had the strongest personality Xio had ever
seen in the Triad’s Yown’Hoo, replied before the neuters, “Before Kiiote
arrived, before Humans knew of our existence, this tunnel was here; therefore,
it was NOT before the Kiiote arrived.”
Xio opened her mouth to argue, then closed it and thought. Oscar’s
greatest challenge was that he couldn’t filter what he said. He was abrupt,
rude, and totally…a boy. She wished she could talk to Retired. She wished he
would hold her…she gulped, shuddered, and whispered, “Not that,” then said out
loud, “So, were the Yown’Hoo here also?”
“Long before the Conflict broke out on Earth, the Kiiote
were here…” Seg-go said, then stopped.
“We have to get moving,” Xio said and started along the
tunnel again. There were no other Humans here. She spoke for the whole Species
right now – and she had no idea what to say. Here was clear evidence that the
invasion of Earth had started before the formal invasion had begun. The
corridor was preserved, so whoever had done it, had thought other Kiiote would
return to claim the planet. Or something. Were the Kiiote ghosts – the conjures – here then as well? Xurf had
said that they’d both unintentionally created the quantum creatures and
unwittingly brought them to Earth.
Shortly, she was too busy to ponder as the ramp rose to the
surface. Another pile of soil partially blocked their way, but the Yown’Hoo
were good diggers and with Xio and the immature Nah-hi-el, they moved aside
enough dirt to reveal another door.
There was a handle this time. It was obviously Human-shaped.
Xio looked at her small Herd, then said to Seg-go, “This is evidence that
Humans had a hand in this as well.”
“I do not understand,” it said.
Xio jiggled the handle, “Neither Yown’Hoo nor Kiiote would
have placed this door. Only a Human could have.” She paused, then muttered,
“What is going on here?”
Ali-go asked suddenly, “What must be going on?”
No on responded, so as she opened the door, pushing against
it because something was piled against it or had fallen against it. Xio said,
“Humans provided this door, and the corridor is protected with a Kiiote
preservative and this ramp was built before records showed that the Kiiote were
on Earth. How is that possible except that Humans and Kiiote were in collusion
even before your war drifted into the Solar System?”
The door cleared a path in the debris and they stepped out
into a huge space, the ceiling disappearing into the dim light filtering
through other windows placed below the ceiling. “This should have collapsed
long ago – if nothing else, Kiiote, Yown’Hoo, or Human militaries should have
leveled it.”
Seg-go said, “Unless it has strategic importance.”
“Indeed,” Xio said. The Human and Herd all climbed out of
the tunnel and moved into the open space and after a moment of surveying it,
lined up against the wall. Xio crouched down as did the rest of the Herd,
Seg-go and Ali-go pressed against her and the neuter Nah-hi-el against them.
“We need to stay here until the sun goes down. I feel exposed,” she whispered.
She looked down at the smallest Herd member and said. “I also need for you to
be brave beyond your size.”
The small Yown’Hoo nodded – a gesture adopted by all of
them, though it had once been Human. “What do I seek?”
“We seek a Master.”
It’s arms extended in stunned surprise. “A Master is here?”
“Yes. Retired has directed us to contact a Master, though he
didn’t say which intelligence the Master belonged to.”
Seg-go said, “Does it matter?”
She shrugged, “I don’t know. But our Team did not include Kiiote,
so it’s probably not Pan and Zir.”
Seg-go and the rest of the tiny Herd fell to the floor,
trembling. Nah-hi-el whispered, “Ji-Hi, Mother of All?”
Xio snorted, “Well is sure as hell won’t be St. Admiral, she
is Martyr to the cause of the Triad.”
There was a loud squeal of metal on metal and the team
members all froze in terror. A hooded shape strode slowly across the vast space,
passing through a beam of sunlight slanting across the room. Clearly it
deliberately chose a path to show itself to them. It stopped and said, “I am Mother
Kan Yuen, Triad Query Marker Guru and Specialist. Who are you, children?”
Xio blurted before thinking, “We aren’t children!” She covered
her mouth with a filthy hand, cursing Oscar for infecting her with his
impulsiveness. She’d been perfectly rational most of her life – until she got
to know him better!
Mother Kan Yuen pushed back the hood covering her face and
said, “Show yourself young lady!”
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