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 voice 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. “P
erhaps 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 Gedji 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 Talman
The Story of Lita. Koda Ovsinda
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.
Tora Soam answered, its words dripping acid. “Kia. your mouth follows unproductive paths.”
“My many, many apologies, my parent. And, now, to Joanne Nicole’s request?”
“Why did no one tell me Vidak was coming home?”
“Vidak wanted to surprise us.” Again Kia laughed.
“Your amusement is out of place, Kia.”
Nicole leaned forward on the couch, her elbows resting upon her knees. “I want some answers. Your family squabbles can wait. Tora Soam? Was there an attack last night; or was that a Special effects demonstration put on for my benefit?”
“That attack was… real. Too real.”
“Talk to her, my parent. Talk to her.”
“Yes… it is a time for answers. You are correct. Zigh Caida, it is an accident. Whether the paths its events describe are valid has yet to be proven, however.”
Nicole heard one of the Dracs stand. Then Zigh Caida spoke. “Kia, I think Soam would rather perform this task alone with the human.”
“But, First Deputy, I really do want to watch.”
Tora Sam spoke: “I agree with the First Deputy, Kia. Joanne Nicole’s need tor answers outweighs your desire to see your parent squirm. In answer to your question, Kia; this puzzle never was amusing, as I am certain someone important to you will eventually point out.”
There was a brief silence, and then she heard Kia stand. Both Kia and the First Deputy walked from the chamber. Nicole leaned back in the couch. “Well?”
“It is long in the telling, Joanne Nicole.”
“Time is all I have.”
“It is difficult to know where to begin. Do you have any specific questions?”
“I can think of one: how many of you motherless kizlodes participated in this charade?”
“Emmmm. I do not have an exact number. Hundreds. You are not the only human involved. Chance just happened to favor you.”
“Chance?”
“Your blindness.”
“My-is my blindness part of this charade? Am I blind?”
“… Yes. You have no reason to believe me; but it is the truth. “
“Have I been… did you people blind me?”
“No. No.” There were sounds of movement; then footsteps crossing the floor to her right. “Joanne Nicole, explain to me the basic purpose and structure of talma.”
“Kiss my sitting-end, Drac! I am not one of your students. I-”
“Joanne Nicole, you will do as I say! Otherwise, I cannot meet your request. The work of years is at stake. Now tell me the basic purpose and structure of talma.”
Nicole spent a few seconds nibbling on the skin of her lower lip. “Very well. The purpose is the achievement of goals. The general structure is to know the present, to know the alterations of the present needed to make the achievement of the goal a future reality, and to discover, assess, and choose the paths that lead from the present to the desired future.”
“Adequate.”
; “I had nothing else with which to occupy my time in the Chirn Kovah. It is no great accomplishment.”
Tora Soam snorted out a laugh. “There have been students who have learned less with eyes and more time.”
“So what is the point?”
“That is the point.”
The footsteps moved from her right to her left. “Joanne Nicole, let me tell you something about the war that you do not know. Although it is comprised of a vast multiplicity of presents and goals, the war is still an event that should fit within the basic structure of talma. We are in a present; there is a more desirable future; all that is left is to discover and execute the paths from the first to the second.”
“And?”
More footsteps, then a pause. “We appear to be out of paths. Do you recall and understand the object lesson of the night repast? The discussion between Tora Kia and Amos Benbo?”
“The object lesson was simple enough, Tora Soam. All parties involved cannot have everything that they want. The goals of the Mavedah and those of the Front are mutually exclusive.”
“Emmmm. Tell me the difference between an apparent and a real goal.”
“The apparent goal is the one perceived and stated; the real goal is the one that will satisfy the difference between the present and the desired future.”
Nicole felt Tora Soam lower itself beside her upon the couch. “What are the apparent and the real goals of the Mavedah and the Front?”
The apparent goats were clear: each side demanded nothing less than the extermination of the other side. The real goals? The settling of old scores? Happiness? Put the entire planet’s population under therapy until each side can live with the existence of the other? “I am not certain.”
“Emmmm. I will tell you this: as things now stand, both the Dracon Chamber and the United States of Earth would be inclined to hand back conquered territories and end the fighting-except for Amadeen.”
“Have there already been negotiations?”
Tora Soam hissed. “Of a sort. A creature more of information and communication. rather than accomplishment.” The silence in the chamber became desperate.
The Drac seemed to be waiting for Nicole to respond. She rubbed her temples and thought for a moment. “Zigh Caida and the other Dracs at the repast; they are the Drac representatives to the negotiations?”
Enemy Papers Page 32