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 Xiaomara; 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
at great profit to Humanity. Then the war spilled over on to the Human homeworld
and all three are threatened with extinction…
Choral Reading
STAGE DIRECTION: (Spotlight falls on each as they speak
then shuts off, illuminating the next; then all three spotlights fall on them as
they chorus together.)
Yown’Hoo: “The literal decay of the fiber of Yown’Hoo morality
accelerated when we refused peace with Kiiote.”
Kiiote: “Interbreeding, internecine war, and ritual
cannibalism devoured us in resisting harmony with Yown’Hoo.”
Human: “Material gain from both Yown’Hoo and Kiiote fed
our greed, so concord held no profit.”
All: “We might do something none of us alone can do, we
might braid an unbreakable cord of unity.” (4/6/2019)
The Pack sent by Commander Patrick
Bakhsh (ret), leader of the Triad refugees from the Twin Cities had Kiiote, Xurf
and a temporary Herd Mother, Zei-go. With them were the maturing Herd members, Hil-hi-el,
Jus-hi-el, Pack members Fax, and Doj, and the mere potential intelligence, Herd
member Eel-go-el. They listened with Kiiote ears pricked up and Yown’Hoo
earholes cupped with pilo-ridges. A Human adolescent dressed in well-tanned
hide trimmed with fur was saying, “The dude was a mechanic; much older than me.
I would ask questions, but be would only shake his head…”
“What is ‘dude’?” Zei-go interrupted.
“A young male,” Kendi said,
scowling.
“You just said he was older than
you,” said Eel-go-el.
The Herd Mother aimed a kick at
the potential intelligence. In this Triad, there was none lower that it. It
dodged. “I am confused!” it cried.
“You will be confused more often as
you grow into intelligence. Until then, remain silent, watch, and learn.”
“You, what is your name?” The son
of Khadijah and Morrison; grandson of Song and Rey and Abbas and Julianna;
great grandson of St. Admiral, Marvel Louise Williams-Frederick, had been their
contact in the deep wilderness of Minnesota State. But he had not been
expecting them, and they’d no idea who they were to contact on the mission The
Commander had set for them. The potential, addressed by a Human they needed to
complete their mission, answered. Zei-go aimed another kick, deliberately
missing, emphasizing the potential’s place in the Triad.
Xurf spoke instead, seeing the
point the smallest Yown’Hoo was asking about, “Why would that make any
difference?”
“He’s a…a…honorary ‘dude’. He doesn’t
act like the oldsters I’m known before.”
Zei-go said, “How many Humans are
in your Tribe?”
“My Tribe?”
“Yes, Humans live in Tribes of two
or more. This is what we’ve always been taught,” said Xurf.
Kendi snorted, “I don’t know where
you got your information from. Most of us out here live alone. Too many of us
get together, and the Forces come to take us out.”
“Who are the Forces?” said Zei-go.
Kendi shook his head, “I thought
you Triad people were supposed to be geniuses. That’s what the Commander said.”
Xurf and Zei-go looked at each
other. Finally Xurf said, “We like to think so, but we have never been out of
the Twin Cities. We know of nothing but what we were brought up in.”
Kendi sighed, then said, “The
mechanic said that all boys know how to work with machines like this ‘tank’. I
can’t be a boy because I can’t make it work…” he hung his head, shaking it. The
Pack Leader and the Herd Mother knew the motion well. Both Xio and ‘Car used it
when they were about to give up.
Xurf softened his voice, lowering
himself a bit closer to the ground as he said, “We may not know your world
outside of the Twin Cities, but the gift of the Triad is that we each have
strengths that will play to the others. Show us this ‘tank’. Together, perhaps
we can make it work again.”
Kendi lifted his head, nodded and
said, “It’s not close.”
Xurf looked to Zei-go and said, “I
have no doubt your Herd can make the trip no matter how grueling, but if the
Pack falters, would you be willing to help us?”
She freed the tip of a tentacle to
snap an emphatic agreement. “Commander Baksh sent us together. I cannot believe
that he would do so without expecting our skills would mesh and we would
experience success. Of course we will.”
Xurf snapped his jaws in surprise.
He’d not seen this side of the Yown’Hoo. He sneezed, of course he hadn’t seen
anything like it – she was junior to the Herd Mother, Dao-hi. This was her
first command. He looked to the wild Human and said, “We agree together that we
will follow you.”
Kendi bowed and said, “Follow me.”
The Triad fell into single file,
beneath trees laden with snow. “There wasn’t this much snow in the Twin Cities,”
said Fax.
Xurf growled at the pup then said,
“You are ‘Car’s friend. We understand, but you need to act less Human.”
“That’s not why I made the
statement,” Fax said, farting in irritation.
“Why then?” asked Herd Mother.
“Beings – Humans, Yown’Hoo, even
Kiiote leave tracks in the snow. The more snow, the more obvious the tracks.”
Kendi stopped in front of them and
came back. Squatting, he faced Fax, “You see something I don’t?”
Fax flattened to the ground then
rose a bit. This Human smelled nearly the same as Oscar, young, exciting,
anxious, and daring all at once. Fax said, “Not what I see – you Humans have
better vision than Yown’Hoo and Kiiote. But in scent, we are unassailable.”
“What do you smell?” said Kendi
immediately.
“I smell burning plastic.”
The Human stood, spun in the direction
they had been going and said, “That’s not plastic, it’s oil.” He looked down at
Fax, “We need to hurry. Something may be wrong.” He headed into the woods an
after a moment of hesitation, the Triad followed.
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