The Enemy Papers

by Barry B. Longyear

"Are you insane. human?"

  Joanne Nicole stopped. and pulled her companions to a halt. "If you two are planning on continuing this cryptic conversation, either let me in on it or leave me alone."

  Baadek answered. "We cannot leave you here. You could not find your way back." A pause. "We can talk of other things."

  "Very well." Nicole stepped off again. "How is Tora Kia."

  "Emmmm. This reminds me, I must leave you with Mitzak." Baadek's footsteps moved quickly down the path ahead of them.

  "Mitzak, what is going on?"

  "It is complicated."

  "I'm a quick study. Explain."

  Mitzak sighed and walked in silence. After several minutes he began speaking. "Your meeting with Kia last night; It caused a certain amount of embarrassment."

  "What do you mean? The happy paste?"

  "No." A pause. "Nicole, what ever did you have in mind to get sexual with Tora Kia?"

  She felt the red rushing to her face as she abruptly came to a halt. "I did not! Damn, Mitzak! Kia's a hermaphrodite!"

  "Nevertheless."

  She pulled her arm from Mitzak's grasp. "Damn you!"

  "When you asked me, Nicole, did you want an answer or did you want an opportunity to put on a demonstration?"

  "Mitzak, why don't you go and do whatever it is that you do?"

  "Do you want me to help you back to your apartments?"

  "I can find my own way." Mitzak hesitated for a moment, then his rapid footsteps receded into the silence beyond. Joanne Nicole stood alone, thinking, the sunlight and gentle wind touching her skin. Sexual.

  "Absurd. Besides being hermaphrodites, the parts are in the wrong places."

  She turned her face away from the sunlight and felt with her feet for the edge of the path. How could a human, male or female, be sexual with a Drac? In training, the brief survey of Drac reproduction was enough to evaporate any pervert's fantasies regarding human-Drac fun and games. Male and female organs were contained in the lower abdomen behind the lips of a belly-slit.'

  In the ancient True Laws of Aakva, Rhada had said that it is law that at least one child out of three be made by joining one's fluids with the fluids of another. The lips could extend joining a pair and allowing fertilization to occur by another: But it was not something a human could participate in without considerable surgery.

  Still, she thought. Last night ... she cried out. An arm went around her shoulders ... and she buried her face in Mallik's chest as his hand stroked her face. Strange hand; strange face.

  "Joanne. You are safe, now, Joanne ...."

  As she edged her way back to her apartments, she could not shake the memory.

  THIRTEEN

  There will come to you at times a blinding vision that fills your eyes and mind, announcing itself as Truth. Step back and strike down this vision and beat it as though it were a brain-sucking monster.

  Then, with it lying there limp, bent, and tarnished, if it still claims to be Truth, accept it with great caution, remembering that the most dangerous lies arrive in the most highly polished armor.

  —Aydan and The War of Ages, Koda Itheda, The Talman

  After the night repast, she sat on a cushion in the music room, the tidna balanced on her lap. With untrained fingers she roughly plucked from the glass strings a version of Kia's Amadeen tune. There were familiar footsteps, and she continued playing as she spoke. "Where have you been today. Kia?"

  The footsteps paused, then there was the sound of the Drac lowering itself into the softness of the couch facing her. "Your playing is pitiful, human."

  She stopped playing and placed the tidna on the floor. "Kia, last night—"

  "I do not wish to discuss it."

  She smiled. "Then why are you here?"

  "The playing ... I came to protect my instrument." There was a long silence, then came a chuckle from the Drac. "Joanne Nicole, what did last night mean to you?"

  She let her hands fall to her lap. "I'm not sure. For a moment I imagined you as my husband—former husband; he's dead. I reached out for ... I don't know. Comfort. Security. Peace."

  "And you found these things?"

  She slowly nodded her head. "Yes. Yes, I did. What was last night to you?"

  The sharp smell of Kia's drug filled the room. "Would you care for some?"

  "No. What was last night to you?"

  "Perhaps it was the same for me."

  "I don't believe that, Kia. Everyone on the Tora estate seems very upset about it. I don't understand why. Did you tell them about last night?"

  "There was no need to. Joanne Nicole, we are both trapped in the limits of a carefully engineered talma. What happened last night was not expected. It fell outside the limits and was therefore, quite obvious to those familiar with the talma."

  "Will you tell me?"

  "I ... I cannot." Kia stood and left the room.

  She leaned back on her elbows and sat in the quiet loneliness for an hour or more, when a slight difference in the air caused her to stand and listen.

  The air seemed to move slightly, there was a vibration she could feel through her feet, and she could hear the gentle rattle of glass. Shock waves coming from a great distance. Nicole felt her way around the furniture until she came to an outside wall. She placed her hands against the stones and moved along the wall until she came to a window.

  The vibrations became more pronounced; then there came the familiar crump of sonic warheads.

  "Damn! Oh, damn!"

  The USEF was attacking Draco.

  She staggered away from the window and ran for the corridor, smacking into sharp edges, stumbling to the floor. After making it into the corridor, she turned left and let the fingers of her right hand glide along the wall as she ran toward her apartment. Once in the doorway, she immediately closed the door to the corridor, went through the central access into the sleeping room, and closed that door too.

  As the sounds of the attack grew louder, she buried her face in the cushions and covers, much like a child trying to hide from the dark. But her dark was something that couldn't be hidden from. Then, as abruptly as they had begun, the sounds ceased. She sat up, facing the door, clutching one of the cushions, waiting for them to come for her.

  There was—not a dream—a kaleidoscope of impressions; shards of some indefinable whole....

  ...They were discussing the game much as, in the past, she had seen humans chewing over a bridge or poker hand ....

  ...In the Chirn Kovah I had been placed in what amounted to a sensory deprivation environment ....

  No sight; no touch; reduced sound ... and then The Talman handed to her for entertainment.

  ...The strangeness—the alien unknown—of everything was made almost familiar because the images from her eyes were prevented from overpowering her other senses....

  ...a strange thought is in my mind: I was curious; but, if I could have seen, I would have been terrified ....

  "...To Tora Soam, the war is ... an immense puzzle to be solved; a fascinating problem. I think my parent basks in the size and complexity of the puzzle. You and I are nothing more than two factors among the trillions that comprise this puzzle ...."

  ...They had been dipped in fire and had survived to see the Drac Infantry pulling back. Morio Taiseido collapsed beside her, his voice hoarse.

  "Major, I could die content at this moment. We whipped them! Holy son of a bitch, we whipped them!"

  ...is this joy the appeal to battle; to war? If It was the truth, it would be an impossible motivation to treat rationally.

  The rules were out; the ultimate consequences were out; nothing was in our minds except the fact that the Dracs were falling back. In that minuscule particle of time, we were victorious ....

  "...you have overlooked the two most important parties to the negotiations. Where is the Mavedah? Where is the Amadeen Front?"

  Raga Gia snorted out a scornful laugh.

  "I refuse, Tora Kia, to have the Front at the talks."

  Its voi
ce changed direction. "Does this comply with your game, Soam?"

  Game?

  Raga's voice turned again in Kia's direction. "The humans will represent the interests of the Front, and the Dracs will represent the interests of the Mavedah."

  Tora Kia laughed. "No, no, my parent's most respected guest. The interests of the Dracon Chamber are not identical to those of the Mavedah."

  Sergeant Benbo spoke for the first time. "Raga Gia, if the Front is not part of the negotiations, there can be no peace. If negotiations ever happen, the Amadeen Front will want its own representative. The Front only wants an end to the war under certain terms. It is the same with the Mavedah."

  ...Zigh grumped. "Very well, each side should formulate its goals—what it hopes to achieve from the negotiations. Once we have all seen the diagrams—"

  Nicole spoke: "There will be no diagrams, First Deputy. Human negotiators are not familiar with talma."

  "Surely there must be a human equivalent?"

  "Situation assessment, goal formulation, and path construction and evaluation are not systemized comprehensive disciplines among human negotiators."

  Exasperated wheezing seemed to come from First Deputy Zigh's direction. The wheezing paused.

  "Goals must be stated in some manner!"

  Mitzak laughed ....

  "...the facilities at the Talman Kovah have projected an armed truce with the forces of the United States of Earth."

  "There are several things upon which the occurrence and successful exploitation of this projected truce depend. The truce will follow immediately after a battle of certain configurations....

  "...if there is to be peace, or if there is to be more war, sense dictates that talma is best followed if the result is a matter of studied choice rather than a matter of ignorance. anger, or accident. One does not need to take to diagrams to see the truth in that ....

  ...And then, as though it were being played before her upon a stage, she remembered The Story of Lita in the Koda Ovsinda. Lita had invented a game for the students to play.

  ...There was disturbed silence from the Drac side of the table until Ovjetah Suinat Piva of the Fangen Kovah burst out in laughter.

  "I see your game, Tora Soam, Very clever. and you have my compliments."

  Compliments?

  A game?

  A goddamned game ....

  Her breath coming in rapid gasps, she awakened on her side, still clutching the cushion. There was quiet around her. The sounds of attack had ended.

  She released the cushion and pushed herself to a sitting position. The pieces of her dream blurred and faded. Her stomach told her that it was past time for the morning repast.

  Why hasn't Baadek come?

  She stood up, felt her way to the door, and opened it along with the door to the greeting room. Her ears told her that the door to the corridor was closed, which answered the question to why Baadek hadn't called. The closed outside door was the Drac equivalent of a do not disturb sign.

  She opened the door, but could hear no one in the corridor. Closing the central door to the greeting room, she spent a few moments cleaning up and putting on a fresh robe. When she was finished, she left her apartment and began feeling her way down the corridor to her right. As she approached the entrance to the series of large living and entertainment chambers, she heard voices.

  One of the voices belonged to Tora Kia. Nicole did not enter the chamber, but stood out of sight in the corridor, listening.

  "When will you take command of your new denve, Kia? The voice was unfamiliar to her.

  "It depends. I am on a special mission for our parent at the present. How long the mission will take is conjecture. What of you? How long is it before you have to report to the Denve Itheda?"

  Only a few days. The wound is nothing."

  A third officer. You must be the youngest one in the Denvedah. I am proud of you. Our parent is proud too Vidak"

  Vidak.

  Sin Vidak.

  The child I supposedly saved from the fire.

  A third officer?

  But this one's voice was different—too different—too old.

  "There were a great many promotions after the battle of Fyrine IV, Kia." Nicole heard one of them stand and begin walking about the chamber. There was a silence, more walking, then a pause. "What is this? Kia, by my narrow ass it is a human!"

  Nicole heard Kia stand, walk into the corridor, and approach her. Why, Vidak, don't you remember? This is the woman who saved you from the fire at Ditaar."

  There was an overly long pause. Then the one called Vidak spoke: "Of course ... and how does the morning find you ..."

  "Joanne Nicole," Kia completed.

  "Yes, how does the morning find you, Joanne Nicole?"

  Nicole leaned heavily against the wall as the edges of truth and he swept across her darkness. There was an instant when tears and anger fought with a million blasphemies; but she remembered the student from the Aakva Kovah.

  And Shizumaat told Namndas that both the truth and the lie must be tested.

  "Test the truth by forcing it to lie; test the lie by forcing it to be true."

  She reached out a hand. "You are Sin Vidak?"

  "Yes." There was a moment of tenseness then she felt the warm fingers of the Drac's hands enclose hers. "It is good to see you again, Joanne Nicole."

  Nicole moistened her dry lips. "Perhaps you can tell me something I've always wanted to know?"

  "If I can."

  "What happened to your three classmates that I dragged from the fire along with yourself?"

  "Ehhhh ..." The Drac's fingers tensed. "They are all well."

  Nicole nodded. "All three of them?"

  "Yes."

  She released the Drac's hand. "There were only two others."

  Tora Kia interrupted. "Vidak was very young and afraid at the time, Joanne Nicole. Who can remember such things under such circumstances?"

  A million talman paths raced across her mind, intersecting, finding blocks. reaching conclusions. "Vidak. I overheard Kia say that you are a third officer."

  There was a moment of uncomfortable movement, then Sin Vidak spoke. "Eh ... perhaps we should talk more at a later time, Joanne Nicole. You do not look well."

  "When I was in the Chirn Kovah. I was told that you had entered the Tsien Denvedah."

  "I am Tsien Denvedah."

  "How much time did your initial training take?"

  "Ehh ... this is not—"

  "Vidak," Kia interrupted. "perhaps you should inform our parent that Joanne Nicole—"

  "How much time. Vidak?" Both of them became very quiet. Nicole reached out her right hand and wrapped her fingers around Vidak's wrist. "I'll tell you how long, Sin Vidak; it used to be my job to know. Tsien Denvedah initial training lasts a quarter of a year. Your advanced infantry training took half a year. And you are a third officer. The Tsien Denvedah doesn't jump ranks in promotions, and in no case is there allowed less than half a year between grades. How long is that, Drac?"

  " ... Please—"

  "How long?" She released Vidak's arm. "Does six years sound about right? Six years, minimum?"

  Tora Kia made a clucking sound, and Nicole heard Sin Vidak walk down the corridor. "Joanne Nicole, you were badly injured—"

  "Six years, Kia? Six years! Are you going to try and make me believe that it has been six. years since I regained consciousness? Time flies when you're having fun?"

  "I do not understand—"

  "I want some answers. And I want them now."

  Tora Kia shouted. "Gedji! Gedji!"

  Nicole heard footsteps running in the distance. The sound stopped. "Yes, Tora Kia?"

  "Ask my parent to come to the green chamber."

  "Tora Soam is meeting with First Deputy Zigh."

  Kia chuckled. "Tell my parent that Joanne Nicole and Sin Vidak have met, and that Vidak is a little older than the human remembers."

  "Ai! ... at once, Tora Kia." The footsteps of the one called Gedj
i hit top speed and moved from the corridor.

  Kia took Nicole's arm and led her into the chamber. "Do not blame Vidak for any of this. It was not part of the game." She was led to a couch and she sat down. Nicole heard Kia take its place upon another couch. "You are angry, Joanne Nicole; but it will pass."

  "I spent my tears on a child called Sin Vidak."

  "I know."

  Again her mind sought paths as another piece of puzzle presented itself. Nicole leaned back in the couch. "Kia, it is unfortunate that Dracs are hermaphrodites."

  "Why?"

  "There are some names that I would like to call you that you cannot properly appreciate with your current arrangement of organs."

  "Emmmm."

  There were hushed voices and rapid footsteps in the corridor outside the chamber. Then Tora Soam and Zigh Caida shouting in relays at Sin Vidak. Kia issued a sad chuckle. "Poor Vidak. This is a sorry homecoming for a hero of the Tsien Denvedah."

  FOURTEEN

  The unintentional chain of events we call an accident describes paths as real as any path planned, diagrammed, and executed in principle with talma. And if the accident alters the present to the more desirable future. this special kind of path has the advantage of having already been proven valid.

  —The Story of Lita, Koda Ovsinda, The Talman

  The green chamber was silent for a long time. It was so quiet Nicole could almost hear Tora Soam's eyeballs click as they moved from Tora Kia, to her, to Zigh Caida, and then back to Kia. Tora Soam eventually broke the silence. "Joanne Nicole, what do you know?"

  "As someone once told me, that is a question that would take many hours to answer. It would be more efficient if you told me what I should know."

  There was a silence, then a sigh. "This is a disaster." Tora Soam's voice changed direction. "Zigh Caida. I am at a loss as to what to tell you."

  "Soam, do I detect panic in your manner? This is not disaster, but accident." Zigh actually sounded unconcerned.

  Kia laughed. "My parent, is this how the Ovjetah of the Talman Kovah approaches its problems? Was last night's attack instructive? Has the war suddenly become more to you than an amuzing puzzle?" Such disrespect, such sarcasm even from Kia, was abnormal.