"Return to the Mountain, monsters! Our Army comes soon to destroy you!" Singing Moon shouted at the Stone-Coats. Most of them ignored her, but one of the big ones swiveled its head to regard her with red glowing eyes.
"No they don't!" shouted Running Bear, as he trudged through the snow towards Singing Moon. "I just spoke with Sheffield! The Army and the NSA are not coming."
"Stupid Mohican!" Singing Moon turned and screamed in rage, as next to her Big Otter cocked his arm to throw the pack of explosives at the gathered Stone-Coats.
There was a whooshing sound as hundreds of pounds of ice-laced water shot from the mouth of the big watching Stone-Coat and struck Big Otter and Singing Moon, knocking them both off of the snowmobile. The pack of explosives fell into the snow beside them.
The watching humans realized that it would likely explode in seconds. "Mother!" Talking Owl screamed, as Ed and Red Hawk grabbed her by the arms and pulled her away towards the lab despite her protests.
Running Bear dashed in the opposite direction towards the snowmobile, dove and grabbed the fallen pack of explosives, and threw it as hard as he could off the rim of the amphitheater and away from it, away from everyone human and Stone-Coat alike. The explosion moments later was as massive as the first one, but this time most of the force of the blast was directed by the rim of the amphitheater away from the Lodge, lab, humans and Stone-Coats. When the smoke began to clear, onlookers human and Stone-Coat alike watched as Running Bear walked to the snowmobile, hoisted the box of remaining explosives onto his shoulder, and carefully carried it to the rim of the new smoking crater. There he made a big show of throwing the ten remaining explosive packets one-by one into the crater. He then threw and kicked snow and rocks into the crater.
"Let's help him make a big show of getting rid of the nasty bombs," said Red Hawk. He and a half dozen other warriors soon joined Running Bear in throwing rocks and snow into the new crater. Their symbolic efforts did little to actually fill the crater and cover the bombs, but they were soon joined by several gigantic Stone-Coats that quickly tossed tons of massive boulders into the hole. That they managed to do so without squashing any Tribe members was greatly appreciated.
Running Bear then again surprised both Tribe members and Stone-Coats by walking to the first crater and throwing rocks into it also. He was quickly joined by Red Hawk and his troop of Tribesmen. "If you find pieces of the blown-up Stone-Coat, make a big show of putting them reverently onto the pile that they already started," said Running Bear. Indeed the area around the first crater was littered with small crystal chunks that had to have been part of the Stone-Coat. The gathered Stone-Coats watched with interest as the humans added hundreds of pounds of crystals to the pile of broken Stone-Coat chunks. The chunks, the wrecked pickup truck, and the trees were beginning to melt together, the humans noticed. Vague arms, legs, head and torso were soon visible. Though blown to pieces, the Stone-Coat hadn't been killed, and was now reassembling itself!
The Stone-Coats focused on filling the crater that blocked their pathway up the Mountain. In minutes tons of boulders filled most of it, and the pathway up the Mountain was fully restored. The Stone-Coat/human truce was also fully restored, Running Bear hoped. He was encouraged when the Stone-Coats resumed their normal activity: the Earth shook as dozens of them again marched up and down the Mountain.
The crisis was over!
Meanwhile Talking Owl, Ed, and additional braves tended to Singing Moon and Big Otter. Both were shaken up and chilled by ice cold drenching they got from the Stone-Coat but not seriously hurt, and were soon warming up in the lab while under close guard by Red Hawk and his men. Talking Owl wouldn't leave her cold dazed mother, and insisted on holding her tightly.
Doc joined the lab gathering. "The Stone-Coats were apparently very confused by our actions but are now back to being content and cooperative," he told the everyone. "We were lucky."
"Luck didn't have much to do with it," Ed countered. "The efforts of a lot of brave people did it, especially Running Bear."
There were grunted affirmations from around the room.
"Not a big deal for a Mohican," Running Bear said. "We do this hero sort of stuff all the time, especially when beautiful princesses are involved." He was staring at Talking Owl, and she was staring back.
"What the hells is going on here?" Chief Mike Talking Bear asked, when he abruptly burst into lab with Mary, Jack, and White Cloud in tow. "We heard two huge explosions. What got blown up?"
Red Hawk and Ed recounted events as they knew them as the Chief hugged his wife and daughter.
"Moon, why would you do such a thing?" he asked his wife.
"I want an end to the Stone-Coat burden on the Tribe and my family. I want us to live like other people."
"But we are not like other people!" Talking Bear insisted.
"I am!" she countered.
Talking Bear looked at her like he didn't know what she was talking about. "Oh!" he suddenly realized. "No telepathy? Is that what you mean? That never bothered me; you're smart and strong, and gave me a wonderful daughter. And you fight for what you think is right for the Tribe as fiercely as anyone! But you don't have to worry about the Tribe anymore. After selling only a tenth of the Stone-Coat diamonds in Albany, Schenectady, and Troy, we have plenty of cash for food and any white-man things we need. The future of the Tribe here is secured for many generations to come! In the spring when the Stone-Coats again sleep why don't we go on a world-wide vacation together? There are more important things than telepathy."
"I didn't have telepathy until a jant bit me," noted Ed. "Maybe they could bite you too. Then you might be able to exchange thoughts with jants, anyway."
"I would not be opposed to such a thing," said Mouse, who Mouse-like had suddenly appeared among them.
"NOR WOULD WE," agreed the jants, with thoughts echoing from a dozen Reservation colonies. "SHE COULD ACT AS OUR INTERFACE WITH THE TRIBE."
Nor was Singing Moon opposed, when it was further explained to her that her position as Tribe ambassador to the jants would be an important one. She didn't even object when several jants emerged from behind a cabinet and one of them walked to her waiting hand and bit her on the offered fingertip.
A few minutes later she smiled as she began to exchange thoughts with the jants.
"So this is what telepathy is like! Their thoughts are not simple ones, like those you have described of your birds and other creatures," she exclaimed to Talking Owl. "The jants are highly intelligent!"
"That is why talking with them is so important, Daughter," said Mouse. "Ask them what they want of the Tribe."
"The jants want us to feed and keep some of them warm in the winters, and to maintain an interface with the Stone-Coats while keeping jants and the Stone-Coats hidden from other humans," Singing Moon soon explained.
"Sounds like a plan," said Ed.
"But right now we have to still focus on the Stone-Coats," said Chief Mike.
"I for one wonder what is happening up on the Mountain," said Running Bear. "I'd like to see for myself. Anyone here want to do a little winter Mountain climbing?"
"I'm already far higher on this Mountain than I want to be," said Ed.
"I will go with you," said White Cloud. "I know the easiest routes up and can help you with your cameras. Besides, I have some things to discuss with you anyway."
"Yes, and Tribe leadership has several things to discuss with you both when you return," said Mouse. "And with others," she added, as she shot a sharp glance towards Talking Owl.
The two men set off together carrying cameras and climbing gear. Mouse, Singing Moon, Talking Bear, and Talking Owl set off together for the Great Lodge. The Tribe token whites and Frank remained at the lab, where they reaffirmed agreements with the Stone-Coats.
Six hours later after sunset the two climbers returned with hundreds of photos and everyone reconvened in the lab. "There are many thousands of the Stone-Coats emerging from the Mountain and absorbing everything that is brou
ght to them," began White Cloud.
Photos and video clips were displayed for everyone to see. The entire peak of the mountain was a great swarming mass of countless Stone-Coats, ranging from human size to ten-times as massive as Hairless Bear. Most were nearly formless, like worms or blobs. They absorbed granite, trees, and scrap as fast as it was made available to them.
"We should probably mention that they are significantly radioactive," said Running Bear. "Our Geiger counter readings indicate that Tribe members aren't in much danger from the scattered individuals that are foraging for resources off the Mountain, but the concentrated hordes on the Mountain itself are another matter. The surrounding Mountain protects your Village, but anyone making repeated visits to the Mountain should wear protective gear and limit their visit times."
"That is in keeping with our oldest legends of dangerous evil on the Mountain and our efforts to limit Mountain access," noted Mouse.
"The tribe was right to not make the Mountain a ski resort," noted Ed. "What exactly is the source of the radiation?"
"The Stone-Coats may have used their abilities to manipulate materials to detect and concentrate the radioactive isotopes of several types of atoms," said Doc. "Uranium? Thorium? Potassium? We don't know yet. There are dozens of naturally radioactive substances that they could be using which are commonly found in nature. Some life forms concentrate the materials involved. Bananas for example concentrate potassium, and the potassium-40 isotope slowly decays and could be used as a long-term power source."
"The Stone-Coat giants might be powered by radioactive bananas?" Ed had to ask. It was an irresistibly intriguing notion.
"Unlikely," said White Cloud. "The feldspars found in granite are a far more likely potassium source for them. Perhaps they mine radioactive materials by extending root-like nanotubes deep into the Earth's crust."
"Will they invade our lands?" asked Mouse.
"We don't think so," said Running Bear. "The entire center of the Mountain seems to consist of Stone-Coats, but most of them wake, eat their fill, and then immediately rejoin the Mountain. I believe they are feeding to prepare for another long period of hibernation." They watched video-clips of several Stone-Coats waking, feeding, and then returning to sleep as part of Giants' Rest Mountain.
"YES," said the computer screen. "WE WILL REST AND GROW UNTIL IT IS COLD ENOUGH ACROSS THE EARTH FOR US TO MOVE AGAIN. YOUR SCIENCE SAYS THAT WILL HAPPEN IN ONLY TEN OR TWENTY THOUSAND YEARS. FOR US THAT IS A SHORT TIME."
"Humans will never rest," noted Mouse. "Humans will seek to thrive even through the cold periods."
"IF HUMANS STILL SURVIVE WHEN WE AGAIN AWAKEN WE WILL NEED TO AGAIN DECIDE WHAT TO DO. UNTIL THEN IT IS TO OUR BENEFIT THAT WE MAINTAIN OUR LINK WITH HUMANS THROUGH YOUR TRIBE, BUT REMAIN HIDDEN FROM OTHER HUMANS."
"You want us to maintain our computer link with you for ten or twenty thousand years?" Doc asked.
"YES. OUR BODY UNITS LACK MOTION IN WARM TIMES, BUT WE DO NOT FULLY SLEEP; OUR THINKING PARTS GROW AND LEARN AT ALL TIMES. WE LEARN MUCH FROM YOUR INTERNET, INCLUDING YOUR SCIENCE. BUT MUCH WE DO NOT UNDERSTAND AND WE WANT TO LEARN MUCH MORE."
"There is much we do not understand about you," said Running Bear. "We will help you if you help us. If we know each other better we will be less likely to make mistakes."
"SUCH AS THE BOMBING. WE ACT AS ONE. HUMANS OFTEN ACT AS INDIVIDUALS AND MAY HAVE CONFLICTING INTENTIONS. IT IS A DIFFICULT THING FOR US TO UNDERSTAND."
"Yes," said Running Bear. "We want to avoid such mistakes as the bombing."
"THIS IS A SOUND BASIS FOR CONTINUING PEACE AND COOPERATION. WE AGREE TO THIS."
"Yes," said Mouse, and there were affirmative nods from the other Tribe Leaders. "The Tribe agrees also."
There were happy smiles and exclamations among the humans.
"Hurrah!" exclaimed Ed. "Now maybe we can get some sleep. A nice straw Lodge bed would be wonderful. Ten thousand years of rest isn't required; eight or ten hours will be perfect. On second thought make it eleven or twelve hours, since it will be with Mary. Then if I still have any energy left I'd like to work on a history class curriculum."
"Sounds like a plan, teacher," said Jack. "White Cloud has some ideas for Tribe infrastructure improvements using some diamond money that he wants me to help him with. Doc and Frank will continue to man the lab here until a new generation of Tribe scientists emerges; I don't think we could get them out of the lab if we tried."
Jack, Ed, and Mary left the lab and started their hike for the Lodge, followed closely by Singing Moon and Talking Owl. Running Bear started to follow them. He stepped into the little porch where coats and winter footwear were kept and quickly slipped his on, but when he stepped towards the outer door Mouse suddenly came in from outside and blocked his way.
"Your mission here is complete, Mohican," she said.
"So it seems, Old Mother," he replied, as two others also stepped from outside into the tiny room.
"You can leave our little lost Tribe and go back to your NSA and your National Congress of American Indians," said Talking Bear.
"But you have certain other ambitions also," said White Cloud. "We talked about them when we hiked up the Mountain together."
"And you explained to me that although reluctant you would not oppose them, but the Tribe would."
"I shared your delicate problem with Old Mother telepathically and she has come up with a possible solution, if you are interested," White Cloud continued.
"Specifically, a job for you has opened up in the Tribe," said Chief Talking Bear, "if you are interested."
"Here in this cold little porch remote from the Claw we will not be overheard by the Stone-Coats or the jants, so we can speak of it freely," explained Mouse.
"What sort of job?" Running Bear asked.
"Chief Peace Maker," said Talking Bear. "Hiawatha held the position centuries ago but since then there have been no satisfactory heroes available to properly fill the job. Tell me this, Mohican, what do you think of our agreements with the Stone-Coats and the jants?"
"They are good, but maybe too good to be true. They are probably the best agreements that could be made at the time but they are also naively optimistic. I nearly broke into singing Kumbaya. Both the Stone-Coats and the jants need to be watched closely. We don't understand the thoughts or motives of either of them. Trust but verify is the approach that needs to continue. There will be a need for continuing negotiations with them."
"That is the job we wish you to fill," said Mouse.
"I think I can make it a Government Civil Service position like your NSA job," said Talking Bear. "Your years of service should transfer so that you won't even lose any time put in towards pension benefits. But there is a string attached; a difficult requirement that must be fulfilled as a condition of employment. You must first marry a Princess."
"And become an honorary Tribe member and through marriage a member of the new Tribe clan that the Princess will lead: the Owl Clan," added Mouse, once Running Bear started breathing again. "You must also help her carry out her duties as Religious Chief."
"And both she and her cranky mother must agree to all of this," said Talking Bear. "The father already does."
"But we think that they will both agree if you catch them at the right moment," added Mouse.
"Such as right away," added White Cloud, as he shoved Running Bear out the door.
"Run, Mohican!" added Mouse, laughing.
A dazed John Running Bear caught up with the Mohawk Princess at the center of the amphitheater. She was alone, and she was smiling and ran to meet him with open arms and soft lips. "Yes!" she shouted before soundly hugging and kissing him.
"Yes to exactly what?" he asked, a very short time later.
"To everything, silly. I overheard the conspiracy unfold at the lab. Perhaps the Stone-Coats and jants couldn't, but I have certain talents that they lack."
"And Mother?" Singing Moon was out of sight and in the Great Lodge.
"I already expl
ained to her that I love you and she accepts that. I think she sort of likes you. You did save her life, you know."
"I'll have to work closely with her on jant issues."
"That's the breaks, John; no job is perfect. But I can promise you there will be fringe benefits."
"True enough! According to your father, there might be a good pension involved."
They laughed and kissed again.
****
CHAPTER XVI
What Could Possibly Go Wrong?
From the rim of the amphitheater, two Stone-Coats with infra-red vision watched the humans embrace. They didn't have telepathy or a sense of hearing, but their eyes were greatly enlarged and their infrared vision was excellent. What the embrace signified, they didn't know, but they passed their observations on to the rest of the local Stone-Coat Enclave within Giants' Rest Mountain. A thousand Stone-Coat parallel-processing entities of the Enclave considered the observations and decided that to a high degree of probability the observed human behavior was related to a characteristic of warm-life creatures called sex, which was related to something called genetics, which was basic to the survival and evolution of most water/carbon-based warm-life.
Through the interface recently established with the jants, confirmation was sought. The interface was awkward and inefficient, but a slow data rate was reliably supported. They translated their questions into digitized human words which were displayed on a computer display to waiting jants that could recognize the human-designed symbols. These observations were combined by the jant hive minds into complete human words and finally into understandable jant thoughts.
The question was considered by the jants. Resulting jant thoughts were entered symbol by symbol via an old Lodge keyboard driven by jants, into digitized human words that the Stone-Coats could read. "Yes," the jants confirmed, "sex intended to accomplish gene exchange and species reproduction is the likely explanation for the observed human-to-human interaction. It also relates to the strange fact that unlike jants and Stone-Coats, humans act as individuals and pairs, and only much less effectively in larger groups. This can be used against them." It took several minutes but the Stone-Coat understanding of humans increased incrementally.
Ice Giants Wake! Page 18