The Enemy Papers Page 30

  The most successful tactic was to understand all of the rules up until your turn, and then invent a rule or criterion of winning that negated the regulatory advantages invented by the previous players.

  By the time the play came around to Lita there was an impossible tangle of rules, stated, implied, most of them invisible. And then Lita would win the game by stating:

  "I win."

  A student would always protest. "Jetah, you cannot win. The structure of rules that has been built does not allow it."

  "It most certainly does allow it. The rule I have invented is that when the play comes to my turn, I win."

  "But, Jetah, the first player could have done the same. Any of us could have done it."

  "Yes, but I did-it first."

  The green lights in her head died and became a warm, soft blackness. And there was a voice. It was Baadek's. "Joanne Nicole, it is time for the night repast."

  She sat in wonder for a moment at the things she had seen. She stood up, made her way to the meditation room door and opened it. "Baadek?"

  "I am here." The voice was very close. "When you use the meditation room in the future, should you not want to be disturbed, close the outside entrance to your apartment."

  "Thank you. What is in the meditation room that allowed me to see the things that I saw?"

  "Only your own mind. The design of the room is an ancient one, conducive to looking at oneself."

  "The lights, the green lights were so real."

  "Usually the lights are blue—for Dracs."

  Nicole began feeling her way toward the corridor, but Baadek's hand stopped her. "What is the matter, Baadek?"

  "Understand, Joanne Nicole, that I have no love for humans."

  "Who asked you to?"

  There was a brief silence. "As an individual, I feel an obligation toward you. Be very careful at the night repast. Tora Soam's guests tonight include five Talman masters and a human. I cannot even guess at their roles, nor yours."

  "Baadek, why this warning, from one who has no love for humans?"

  For just a moment, the Drac seemed to laugh. "I am no student of convoluted rules and gaming, Joanne Nicole. I am a simple creature of loyalty. Because of my loyalty to the Tora estate, I look upon myself as the protector of Tora Kia. Tora Kia has my loyalty. Because of your cooperation in this protection, my loyalty is extended to you as well—to a degree."

  She paused. "Baadek, I appreciate your warning, but I do not understand. What are you warning me about?"

  "It is hard for me to see. But I would not want you to betray yourself—the things that you value. I think that tonight you will be in an excellent position to do just that."

  After walking the many twists and turns of the corridors, Baadek and Nicole entered a series of connected chambers that were sufficiently large that their footsteps and words caused echoes. It was in one of those chambers that she heard voices and smelled rich cooking. It was there that Tora Soam met them.

  "Does the night find you well, Joanne Nicole?"

  "Yes, it does."

  "Excellent." Tora Soam paused and Nicole heard its robes move. "And, as I promised you, here is your surprise."

  More footsteps. "Hi, Major."

  "Benbo?" Nicole reached out her hands. "Benbo?"

  "Right here, Major." A pair of hands touched her shoulders.

  Some great knotted thing inside of her dissolved, making her legs limp. Benbo quickly grabbed her arms to keep her from falling to the stone floor.

  Tora Soam's voice came very close, an edge of concern in it.

  "Joanne Nicole, are you ill?" Its voice changed direction. "She is just released from the Chirn Kovah."

  Benbo spoke. "I think she is well, Ovjetah. It is just that we have gone through much together, and that it has been a long time since we met last."

  "How are you? Damn it, Benbo, how in the hell are you?"

  "Fine, Major. Just fine."

  The direction of his voice changed. "Ovjetah. she will recover in a moment. May we be alone?"

  "Certainly, Amos Benbo. Please use those couches over there."

  Benbo led her across the chamber and lowered her into a deep, soft couch.

  She felt him sit on the couch beside her. Again Tora Soam spoke: "Joanne Nicole, the next part of your surprise waits with my other guests. He is Leonid Mitzak."

  "Mitzak. It sounds like old home week."

  "I ... am not certain I understand; but would you like me to send him out here?"

  "No, Tora Soam. I would like to be alone with Benbo for a while. Can you have Baadek call us when the repast is ready?"

  "Of course. Until then. Come, Baadek."

  Their footsteps left the chamber. She turned toward Benbo. "Amos, why are you here?"

  Benbo laughed. "It sure beats the hell out of me. When I was snagged on Ditaar, I was busy making like a firebug. Right now, I am the special guest of Ovjetah Tora Soam, the grand poobah hisself—itself." His voice became very quiet. "Major ... your eyes..."

  Nicole shook her head. "I'm temporarily blind. It's all right. What happened to you after the attack?"

  "I put you in a safe place—or thought I did—then I ran back to the V'Butaan field to check up on the troops. Do you know about them?"

  She nodded. "Mitzak told me."

  "Major, what in hell is going on here?"

  "I don't know. I've been the ward of Tora Soam since V'Butaan, from all I can tell. What that means, or why it's so, I don't know. What about you?"

  "I was picked up, brought here, and dropped by a couple of characters that it didn't look too smart to argue with. Beyond that, I don't know."

  Baadek's voice called from a distance. "The night repast is prepared and ready. Will you join the company?"

  Nicole pushed herself up from the couch. "Thank you, Baadek. We will be there in a moment."

  Benbo was standing, and Nicole pulled him close and whispered, "You wanted to know what's going on here. I don't know, but I've been warned about this dinner party. You keep your trap shut unless you are asked a direct question, and then be very careful how you answer. Tora Soam's Drac guests are all Talman Masters—" The hint of a thought crossed Nicole's mind. Flowers. The slight odor of flowers.

  "What is it, Major?"

  Nicole shook her head. "Nothing. Just remember that every word you speak gives information to them."

  Nicole was seated on one part of a long circular couch; Benbo to her right. On Benbo's other side sat Leonid Mitzak. Far to her right sat Tora Soam, and directly across from her were the five Talman Masters. In the center of the couch arrangement were the dishes of food. Tora Soam began the ritual: "This is the bitter weed we eat to remember the Madah. Never shall we return."

  Nicole heard the Talman Masters take up grain from the center table, and then replace it. Tora Soam continued: "For the second repast, we eat fruit and say: 'This is the fruit of the Irrveden, for which the Mavedah fought.'"

  Everyone picked up the strange bulbs and tubers that the Dracs called fruit. Benbo handed Nicole hers, and her jaws ached as her eyes watered at the acid taste of the raw plant. "For the third repast, we eat nothing, for this is the legacy of Mijii who burned its people rather than submit to the rule of the Mavedah."

  She touched nothing to her tongue, but the smell of charcoal was heavy in the air. "The fourth repast—the night repast—celebrates Uhe's victory and the unification of the Sindie. This is the night repast; let us celebrate."

  And then the food flowed. Strange meats, salads, ices, and cheeses passed her lips until her stomach sent up its all-full warning. Shortly after, the sounds of eating quieted, and she could hear the table being cleared. Benbo placed a hot mug into her right hand. "Here, Major. It tastes sort of like hot rubber soaked in dirty underwear."

  She sipped at the brew as Baadek performed the peculiarities of introducing the guests to the host. Of course, Tora Soam knew all of those at the table. The introductions were more for the benefit of the guests. Baadek would m
ove behind the person being described.

  "Ovjetah, this guest at the table is Jetah Zigh Caida, First Deputy of the Dracon Chamber." Baadek moved behind the next guest: "Ovjetah, this guest ..."

  The Drac side of the table was rank-heavy. Besides the first deputy of the Chamber, Draco's governing body, there were: Raga Gia, Drac Fleet liaison officer to the Chamber; Xalta Lov, Nujetah, second master, of the Talman Kovah; Suinat Piva, Ovjetah of the Fangen Kovah, the school of social goal formulation; and Vikava Minose, liaison officer to the Chamber of the Denve Irkmaan—department of humans.

  Baadek stood behind Mitzak. "Ovjetah, this guest at the table is Leonid Mitzak, student of the Talman Kovah." Footsteps. "Ovjetah, this guest at the table is Amos Benbo, vemadah." Baadek stood behind her. "Ovjetah, this guest at the table is Joanne Nicole, vemadah."

  Tora Soam opened the talk: "Fellow masters, I see your puzzled expressions at having humans at the repast. I shall explain. As Ovjetah of the Fangen Kovah, Suinat Piva has known for some time that the facilities of the Talman Kovah have projected an armed truce with the forces of the United States of Earth."

  There was excited chatter among the Dracs. A deep, old-sounding voice interrupted the chatter. "Soam, how far has the projection been substantiated?"

  "It has been substantiated to the full capabilities of the kovah, Deputy Zigh."

  Zigh Caida hissed. "This is of crucial importance. Why has not the Dracon Chamber been informed of this development?"

  It Just has—wait." The grumbling from the Drac brass quieted down and Tora Soam continued. "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. This is a tactical matter, and the configurations will soon be made available to the Chamber and to the Dracon Fleet."

  A voice spoke: "What has this to do with these humans Soam?"

  "Vikava Minose, you direct the Denve Irkmann."

  "And?"

  "And have you ever talked with a human?"

  A pause. "No. But what of it?"

  Tora Soam paused. "The truce is a thing that can last only a moment and then lead to continued fighting; or it can lead to peace. Following the truce, Dracs and humans will gather to sort out and resolve the issues of the conflict. They will talk. The Talman Kovah has projected that you five, or your replacements, will probably be those who will represent the Dracon Chamber at the talks, provided that the battle mentioned takes place within the next eighty days."

  The voice of Vikova Minose spoke: "Ovjetah, an enemy is an enemy. You were to speak to why these ... humans are at your table."

  Tora Soam answered, its voice slow and thoughtful. "When you face the humans. you will have in your hands the ability to bring this war to an end. You will also have the ability to throw three hundred worlds—Drac and human—back into war."

  Deputy Zigh Caida spoke: "Soam, what does this have to do with your ... other guests?"

  "It is simple, Deputy Zigh: 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 this. If all of you have at least some experience with human thinking, the chances of the negotiations being conducted and settled on an intelligent basis are improved—"

  "Wait!" The voice was Tora Kia's.

  "My guests, this is Tora Kia, my firstborn. Why do you interrupt. Kia?"

  Footsteps entered the room. "Ah, my parent, in your game 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 to have the Front at the talks." Its voice changed direction. "Does this comply with your game, Soam?" Raga's voice turned again in Kia's direction. "The United States of Earth will represent the interests of the Front, and the Dracon Chamber 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 no 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."

  The direction of Tora Kia's voice changed. "Human, how are you called?"

  "Amos Benbo."

  "Have you done your time upon Amadeen, Amos Benbo?"

  "Yes. And you?"

  "Yes."

  Zigh Caida spoke: "Kia and this human speak the truth, Soam. There will be four sides at the negotiations. I propose that we enlist Tora Kia to represent the Mavedah, and Amos Benbo to represent the Amadeen Front."

  Nicole heard Mitzak stand. His voice sounded deeply troubled. "Ovjetah, I do not wish to participate in this game. I am a student at the Talman Kovah. Therefore, my loyalties, as well as my method of thinking, would corrupt my performance as a human."

  "You are a human, Mitzak." Tora Soam's voice was deadly. "Whatever your views or methods of thinking, the first thing the Drac negotiators must overcome is the sight of your face." She heard Mitzak sit down. "Very well, Deputy Zigh, we now have four parties to this session. Who shall begin?"

  "Ah, games such as this would best be left inside the walls of the Kovah," 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 disciplines among humans."

  Exasperated wheezing seemed to come from First Deputy Zigh's direction. The wheezing paused. "Goals must be stated in some manner!"

  Mitzak laughed. "Yes, they will be stated with force, bombast, and fine-sounding subjective phrases that cannot be taken literally. Their true goals must be deduced from the fog of words they will spread in front of you, and from their actions which will probably contradict what little true meaning their words might contain."

  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."

  "My thanks, Piva. May we continue?"

  "Of course. Let us say that since Amadeen is the root of this war, we should hear first from the Front and the Mavedah."

  Nicole felt Benbo stand up. "I think I can save some time here. The positions of the Mavedah and the Front are similar. The Front won't be satisfied until every last Drac on Amadeen is either dead or removed from the planet." He sat down.

  Tora Kia spoke. "And the Mavedah will settle for nothing less than the human population on Amadeen being either dead or removed. How much room, Tora Soam, does that leave you for problem solving?"

  "Apparently none, Kia. However, I think you already can see the error in depending upon the apparent for your answers. Joanne Nicole, would you state the position of the United States of Earth?"

  She rubbed her temples and let the stories of The Talman race through her mind. So much of talma involved goal choices; fitting the desired within the possible. She could not separate the formulas in her mind. "I would hear, first, the position of the Dracon Chamber."

  A murmur of approval came from the Dracs. Then Zigh Caida spoke. "In gross phrases, then, we would see an end to the fighting—at least a confinement of the fighting to the immediate area of Amadeen. The Drac fleet would stand armed, as would the USE forces. But there would be no fighting."

  "A cease-fire?"

  "Yes."

  Nicole thought upon Zigh Caida's words. "If war could continue u
pon Amadeen without our two sides fighting, why is there fighting now? The truce must include a truce upon Amadeen. A separation of the combatants by a policed, demilitarized zone."

  Zigh Caida asked, "And, Joanne Nicole, who shall have the responsibility for policing this zone?"

  "A third party we could both agree upon; or a joint Drac-human force."

  "Emmmm. This is ... agreeable; but it does not solve the problem upon Amadeen. Amos Benbo?"

  "Yes?"

  "If we could establish a truce with a demilitarized zone in the manner described by Joanne Nicole, what would the Front's position be?"

  "No change. The Front won't put down its weapons until every last Drac on Amadeen is dead."

  "What of the demilitarized zone?"

  "What of it?"

  Nicole shook Benbo's arm. "Amos, quit fooling around."

  She could feel the rock-hardness of Benbo's muscles. "I am not joking. Tora Kia knows that I am not joking."

  Zigh Caida's voice changed direction. "Tora Kia?"

  "The human speaks the truth. The Mavedah has many old scores to settle. The Mavedah can settle for nothing less than Amadeen free of human life."

  Tora Soam spoke. "Amos Benbo, your position does not allow the machinations of talma to work. There must be at least some degree of flexibility on your part; otherwise there can be no resolution."

  "Let the Mavedah be flexible."

  Tora Kia laughed. "My parent, you are more blind than Joanne Nicole. Can you not see that the Front and the Mavedah are way beyond rules? Beyond talma? They are beyond ultimate objectives. They are even beyond what will ultimately serve their own best interests. The Mavedah wants the Front dead; the Front wants the Mavedah dead."

  "That serves nothing, Kia."

  "My parent, until you have put in your time upon Amadeen, you have no idea what such position serves. But I will tell you what such a position serves. It serves death. On Amadeen, death must be served."