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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