The Enemy Papers

by Barry B. Longyear

  "Conseh, we must enter these mountains, cross them, and strike the Irrvedah with more force than they can understand. They are not hunters, but they think of themselves as fighters protected by Aakva. There we will obtain food and make a place for our children for when we strike at the Diruvedah."

  "The Diruvedah are skilled hunters," cautioned Conseh.

  "Yes, but hunters are not warriors. So we must meet them with both form and intention that they cannot comprehend until it is too late for an effective response. We must meet them as warriors."

  Uhe moved to another portion of the tent wall where was drawn blocks made of tiny circles. Uhe pointed at the drawing. "You will search among the hunters and bring for my approval five more. The six of you will become my masters of war. Each warmaster will then find six hunters who will be undermasters. They must choose only those that they know to be strong, obedient, and dependable. In each warmaster's group, the undermasters will in turn search among the hunters and find six more hunters that they know to be trustworthy."

  Uhe swept its hand down the length of the drawing. "And so the whole of the Mavedah will be organized."

  Conseh studied the drawing. "Three of the best hunters I know are not from our clan," said Uhe's first warmaster. "The hunters they most admire come from clans other than their own." Conseh looked at Uhe. "This will mix the clans of the Mavedah. It will take away the power of the masters. The Mavedah will be one people."

  "Yes. It is necessary. And if it is also necessary, I will deal with the masters."

  "Uhe, what of the children, and who will gather the food?"

  Uhe pointed at the drawing. "The first two of each six will be the swiftest of the hunters. They will lead the fight. The first will attack, and then rest upon its victory while the second runs forward to continue the attack. While the second rests upon its victory, the first rushes forward and attacks, repeating as before.

  "The next two will be less swift, but they must be strong and durable. It is they who will first hold the land taken by the first two. They will protect the backs of the attackers. And they will be there to move up to support the first two groups should the enemy resistance be unusually strong.

  "The fifth and sixth will follow, and they will be composed of our poorest hunters, the tent-makers, the ones who craft our weapons, the gatherers and transporters of food, the healers, the wounded, our old, our servants of Aakva, and all of our children."

  Conseh studied the drawing until it was fixed in its head. Then the hunter turned to the opening of Uhe's tent to leave. Conseh paused, however, and turned back and looked at the drawing.

  "Uhe, you have set out to conquer vast lands and mighty tribes. This fight will take years."

  "Yes, Conseh."

  "And the fighters will be gone from their children for long periods—those who survive. How will the child know its parent?"

  "The servants of Aakva will tell the child of its parent, and of the parent's parent. And the servants will have the child memorize and recite these things as Aakva's new rite of adulthood. The child will know its parent's and its ancestor's deeds before it may pick up its weapon and strive to add to those deeds."

  Conseh looked at its ruler as though Uhe was more than a Sindie. "You have thought long upon this. Does Aakva truly speak to you?"

  Uhe looked to the ground and clasped its hands behind its back. "It is what you will say to those who ask."

  Conseh again turned to the opening of the tent. "Uhe, when will this burden be lifted from us?"

  Uhe's gaze rose and its eyes studied the drawing of the southern Akkujah. "Only when the Mavedah can move at will across Sindie, following the game to where the game chooses to go; then our burden will end."

  "We are to be the tribe that lives in the land of war," said Conseh. "We will be Denvedah. Uhe, you are saying that our task is done only when there is no more world to conquer."

  "Yes, Conseh. Then we may rest. Go now and choose my warmasters. We attack in thirty days."

  As the days passed, and the death drums continued, the hunters of the Madah took on the war order designed by Uhe. Since their place was no longer the Madah, the hunters called their place "of war," and they became the Denvedah.

  In that time, Conseh made masters of war: Kessu, Birula, Yaga, and Daes. Kessu and Birula were both chiefs of their clan's hunts, Yaga was both hunter and mountain guide from the northern Madah. Daes was both master of its clan, a servant of Aakva, and learned in healing.

  Daes would master the Sixth Denve, for the Sixth would have the children, aged, and wounded.

  The Fifth's main task was to supply the other five Denve, and Yaga was made master of the Fifth.

  Kessu and Birula were wise, sturdy, and respected. And Conseh made Kessu master of the Fourth, and made Birula master of the Third.

  Conseh itself would master the First Denve.

  The First and Second Denve made up the Tsien Denvedah; the front fighters. The Tsien would always be the first to meet the enemy, and the first to take the enemy's wrath.

  Conseh knew itself to be a good hunter, and able to take action when such was needed. But the warmaster knew that the Tsien Denvedah needed something more in spirit than Conseh itself could provide.

  It was during its search for the master of the Second Denve that Conseh happened upon some hunters. The hunters were practicing the accuracy of their spear throwing. The hunters aimed their spears at each other to see and feel the meaning of having Sindie at the ends of spearpoints.

  The old food preparer Nuvvea also watched the hunters practice with their spears. Nuvvea had once been chief of the hunt, and as it watched the practice, Nuvvea shook its wrinkled head. Conseh saw this.

  "What displeases you, Nuvvea?"

  "Warmaster Conseh, I have studied the young hunters with their spears. Although they think otherwise, they still act as though they are on the hunt for darghat. On the hunt, if you throw and miss, the darghat will bolt and run.

  A hunter of the Diruvedah still has a spear to throw back. And in close the spear is no use, so the hunter attacks the darghat with its stone knife. The darghat can only bellow and try to strike you with its tail. A hunter of the Diruvedah also has a knife."

  Conseh looked at the hunters at their practice. "Your eyes see much, Nuvvea. They are still hunters rather than warriors. What should they do?"

  Nuvvea looked down and thought for a long time. "The hunter must keep its spear until it can be certain of both a kill and retrieving the spear. To ward off the enemy weapons until such certainty presents itself, the hunter must be shielded."

  "Nuvvea, what is your answer to the problem you have made?"

  The old food preparer held out its hands, then dropped them to its sides. "There is an answer. I do not know it yet." Nuvvea faced Conseh. "But there is an answer to the in-fighting when the spear is useless." Nuvvea pulled the food preparer's ax from its waist and handed it to Conseh.

  "A butcher ax?" Conseh studied the hammered, black-metal blade. "Are we to go after the Diruvedah as butchers?"

  Nuvvea took back its butcher ax and faced Conseh. "Pull your knife, warmaster."

  Conseh studied the old food preparer for a moment, then the warmaster crouched and extended its knife at arm's length, its point aimed at Nuvvea's middle. Before the warmaster could react, Nuvvea whipped down its ax upon the knife blade, knocking the knife from Conseh's hand. When Conseh looked at the ground, it saw the knife, its stone blade shattered.

  Nuvvea laughed at the warmaster. "Your face tells me that my suggestion is a good one. Conseh, we are no longer hunters. We are to become warriors, and a warrior is one who hunts its own kind for the purpose of killing it." Nuvvea held up its ax. "We will be butchers, Conseh, if we are to defeat our enemies."

  "Nuvvea, how many of your blades can you make in the next twenty days?"

  "Of all the clans, there must be many. In a land without meat, there is little need for a butcher's ax. In the lands that we shall see, the meat will fight b
ack. The metal workers can make more, perhaps twenty a day if we can supply them with food. Their work is hard."

  Conseh thanked the food preparer and returned to watching the hunters at their throwing.

  The first warmaster thought upon the things that it had seen and heard, and Conseh made Nuvvea master of the Second Denve.

  On the thirty-ninth day of Uhe's rule of the Mavedah, the six Denve were prepared to cross the mountains and strike into the Irrvedah, a third of the Tsien Denvedah armed with the black metal axes. Uhe was forward counseling its warmasters in the morning shadow of the Akkujah Mountains when Iyjiia approached, followed by the old masters of the Mavedah.

  Uhe was speaking to the warmasters of the need to obtain the heights of the first mountain crest before Aakva's light blinded them, and then waiting until Aakva was at their backs before striking into the valley.

  Iyjiia interrupted. "Uhe, the masters of the Mavedah would talk with you."

  Uhe turned and studied Iyjiia. "I see that you approach me after working up some great resolve, Iyjiia. What is it that you want?"

  "The masters of the Mavedah have come to challenge your vision."

  Before Uhe could answer, Daes, the warmaster of the Sixth Denve, walked forward and shoved Iyjiia to the ground. "I am a master, Iyjiia, and I do not challenge the Law of War!"

  Iyjiia stood and backed away from Daes. "Daes, you are either fool or blasphemer. Uhe has colored your eyes."

  Uhe restrained Daes and indicated that Daes should resume its place with the other warmasters. Then Uhe faced Iyjiia and the old masters. "It is important that the attack is begun at the proper time, Iyjiia. State your business quickly."

  Iyjiia brushed the dust from its skins, looked at its followers, and then faced Uhe. "While we kept starvation from us by eating the bodies of our loved ones, you kept us at the foot of the Akkujah for thirty-nine days. You could have spared us this by attacking thirty-nine days ago. It cost us many lives."

  "Iyjiia, it was necessary to take the time to turn hunters into warriors. Had we attacked without the proper preparation, it would have cost us many more lives."

  Iyjiia paused, and then continued. "By forming this new council of masters to rule your Denve, you have destroyed the identity of each clan within the Mavedah."

  "It was necessary to do this to turn a collection of clans into an army." Uhe folded its arms and held back its head. "Is that all?"

  "I have more." Iyjiia gestured with its hand toward Conseh and the warmasters. "This new council of masters you have made. Each has selected those who would follow it, while Aakva's Law says that each clan must choose its own master by vote, ordeal, and challenge. By taking away the powers of the masters, you betray the Mavedah and the laws of Aakva."

  Uhe's eyes closed. "Now I see the lay of this hunt." Uhe opened its eyes and glared at the chief of Aakva's servants. "Do you think the salvation of the Mavedah less important than your possession of power?" Uhe turned back to face its masters of war. "You have said enough, Iyjiia."

  "No!" Iyjiia moved forward until it stood only a breath from the ruler of the Mavedah. "I challenge your vision of the Law of War. I say it is false! And even if a murderer's spear takes me now, I say it is your law, Uhe, and not from the God of the Day Light."

  Uhe turned, brows raised, and faced Iyjiia. "You surprise me. The removal of your power has found you your courage at last, Iyjiia. And I would stand the stones with you, except that there is an attack to supervise."

  Iyjiia pointed at Uhe and screamed. "I have challenged your vision! Before all else, you must suffer ordeal, unless you have changed that law as well!"

  Uhe looked around and saw that the warriors within hearing had gathered in a circle to observe the confrontation. The ruler of the Mavedah looked back at Iyjiia. "That law has not changed." Some say that Uhe shed tears as it said, "Iyjiia, I say that your challenge is against the new law of Aakva, and that we shall let the stones decide who is right."

  Uhe looked among the warriors. "Eighteen of you; each place aside your weapons and choose three killing-stones." Uhe pointed to the ground at its feet. "We will stand the ordeal here."

  Nuvvea, master of the Second Denve, walked away from the other warmasters and stopped in front of Iyjiia and Uhe. Nuvvea stabbed its scarred fingers against its broad chest and said to all: "l, Nuvvea, say that Uhe's vision of the Law of War is true. And I, Nuvvea, shall stand the ordeal in Uhe's place."

  Uhe began to protest, but Conseh walked forward, saying in a loud voice: "Iyjiia is weak with age, while Uhe is younger and stronger. Having them both suffer the same stones would not be fair." Conseh faced Uhe. "Let old Nuvvea stand in your place."

  "Conseh, Nuvvea is needed in the attack," protested Uhe.

  The warmaster of the First Denve nodded. "You are needed, as well. But if either of you falls, Uhe, the vision of the Law of War is false. If such is the case, there will be no attack."

  Conseh looked around at the warriors, now armed with killing-stones, and then looked back at Uhe. "Neither of you will fall, for the vision is Aakva's true word. As they go into battle, our fighters must have no doubts. We must settle this now the way it should have been settled before Bantumeh's fire."

  Before Uhe could answer, Nuvvea placed its arm around Iyjiia's shoulders and began walking away from the warriors to give them throwing room. "Come, Iyjiia. Let us go play with the pebbles."

  Uhe was left alone with Conseh as everyone moved to either participate in the ordeal or witness it. Once all was set, the warriors began throwing their stones. At the first throw, Iyjiia was down, covering its head, while Nuvvea stood laughing at the warriors, Those stones that Nuvvea had not danced away from it had swatted aside with its leathery hands.

  Conseh nodded toward Nuvvea and spoke quietly to Uhe. "Nuvvea has been studying the problem of the warrior who, having thrown its spear, has enemy spears to face. My second warmaster looks to the sky to see the approaching objects that seem not to move. Those are the ones that will strike unless Nuvvea steps aside or diverts their path with a slap of its hand. Nuvvea has practiced this many times, and has taught the method to the Tsien Denvedah."

  Uhe watched the second throw. After the stones had landed, Iyjiia was still while Nuvvea remained standing and hooting insults at the warriors.

  Uhe looked at the warriors preparing for their third throw and spoke to Conseh. "Nuvvea is served well by the method it has invented. The same method will serve the Denvedah in the times to come." Uhe pointed at the warriors as anger touched its voice. "But the success of the method would not have anything to do with the fact that all of those warriors are Tsien Denvedah, would it, Conseh?"

  Conseh stared with eyes of death at the spectacle before them. "It is Aakva's own law that all cannot be left to the God of the Day Light's attention. Aakva favors those who prepare well." Conseh placed a hand upon Uhe's arm and spoke in a whisper. "Ease your mind. These warriors know how to throw, and Iyjiia will not be killed. However Iyjiia will learn a lesson."

  The stones of the third throw were loosed, and when their journeys were done Nuvvea stood shouting foul obscenities at the warriors, while Iyjiia remained on the ground, still and quiet. Despite its first warmaster's comments, Uhe had to acknowledge that most of the stones had been thrown at Nuvvea, and many of the warriors who threw them were aiming for strikes.

  Uhe spoke to Conseh: "Have one of Daes's healers come and see to Iyjiia."

  Uhe stepped forward and shouted at the assembly. "The law of Aakva has been satisfied. The Law of War is the law of the Mavedah. Report to your Denve. We attack immediately!"

  As many feet threw up the dust in haste, Uhe walked to Iyjiia's still form. Uhe squatted and turned over the old master's body. Iyjiia moaned.

  "Iyjiia? Iyjiia, can you hear me?"

  Iyjiia's mouth worked at meaningless croaks that became words as the old master's eyes opened. "It is true! The vision of Uhe is true!"

  "Iyjiia?"

  The old master turned its head
and forced its eyes to focus upon Uhe's face. "Can you find it in you to forgive me, Uhe?"

  Uhe closed its eyes. "There is nothing to forgive, Iyjiia You did what you had to do. I will have one of Daes's healers attend you."

  "I doubted Aakva's new law, Uhe. Why am I not dead? I should be dead."

  Uhe turned its head and watched as the Denve began marching up the darghat trails into the Akkujah. "Aakva knows that the Law of War is not forever. Someday there will be a new Law of Peace. You will be needed to serve that new law when the time comes, Iyjiia"

  The old master looked away, then let its pained gaze fall upon the red clouds above the mountains. "l am the chief of Aakva's servants. Why did not the God of the Day Light choose me to receive its new Law of War?"