Trigeminus

I had spent the previous month in a near catatonic state. It was a minor case of death sorrow sickness. Pat and Mike gave me all the love they could give and it pulled me back to reality. I had been given a vision of my own death. This was how it was going to be when I lost my mates. But, I was feeling better.

"I want to make a child," I told Swift.

"If you can take care of six, I think it's fine."

"No, I just want one. A diploid child"

"Diploid? What kind of perversion is going through your mind."

"I want to make one that is just mine and Ray's. Do you think it is selfish of me to want that?"

"To see a loved one in the face of a child. I don't think so. If you want it diploid, it would have to be triune, since the t gene is dominant."

"I think Ray would have liked that."

"I'll talk to my spouses. I am sure we can work it out."

"Thank you for offering because I don't think Pat and Mike are up to it. They took Ray's death as hard as I did."

"I think that keeping a part of him alive would be healing for all of us. I hope it has his sense of humor."

"Me too."

* * *

Our communities were a patchwork of religious, racial and ethnic types. We had mated helter skelter after disembarkation, and it showed. Specific racial types had disappeared with the first generation. Seriously, when a kid has three parents non dominant genes are thoroughly mixed. Even a triune can't make a child to exact blueprint specifications.

Religions were the same in that we had a little of everything. And we were tolerant of them until we had the first fight over a religious principle. This was the only time we became dictatorial. We, who were raised in an alien environment, were the closest thing to completely objective observers of earth history. And we did not like what we saw. Every religion on Earth talked about bringing peace and unity to the world. But it was always on that religion's terms. With few exceptions religions brought pain, torture, death and discord. This history could not be allowed to repeat itself. Still, we recognized the human need for spirituality. So we encouraged all of our spouses to adopt Triskelion philosophy/discipline. If it sounds to you like we were saying, "You have to take it our terms," you would be totally correct. We are tolerant but we made up our minds that there would never again be another religious war. Never! It's like the song Revolution.

Our communities were modeled along the lines of our parents' world. Our parents evidently did not want us to take their technology to earth, because they only taught us basic biotech skills of reproduction and basic life form manipulation. A few bright kids gathered what they could of Triskelion life form technology just before disembarkation. I thank them for their presence of mind every day for all that we have now comes from them. If our parent world ship still existed we could have it all. If only we could figure out how to grow a spaceship.

Our houses were grown from seeds. Each one was a self contained plant and/or animal entity. The rooms were natural cavities within the house. With a little coaxing we could turn portions of its bark transparent to let in light. Water was obtained through its vascular system. Some other examples of technology are our lights which are a bioluminescent fungus. And our streets that are self repaving/healing two dimensional life forms. Just keep in mind that there are few things in our communities that are not in some sense alive.

There were things we could not duplicate like the organic minds, or computers, of the Triskelion. We had to be content with conventional computers. In short our technology was also a crazy quilt of earth and Triskelion science.

To us triunes the triad cities were almost like being back home. We expected our mates to have trouble adjusting to this radical new environment. However, they took to the new cities as if they had been born to it. Or perhaps made for it.

I was beginning to see threads of circumstances that connected us, the Triskelion and Homo Sapiens, into an understandable, but gruesome pattern. I needed more information before I could fully make up my mind. But I had to ask myself a question. Did the children of Nazi War criminals love their parents?

That long hot summer had another nasty surprise to spring on us. We thought that the Saps had been reduced to a minor threat. This was nearly a fatal mistake.

I was sitting on the front yard watching the kids play and analyzing the genetic structure of a tomato. I was trying to figure out how to make a tomato that would survive and produce during our fierce summers. I was toying with the idea of splicing it with genes from the okra or cotton plant. Both of these plants thrived in hot weather so they were good candidates. The trouble was I would not know how they tasted until I grew them. A genetic model of a tomato can tell you many things, but how it will taste with Italian dressing, is not one of them. Pat suggested I use the jalapeño plant because it thrived in hot weather. If I used that would I make a spicy tomato? Then Ten Speed made a suggestion and Swift made a suggestion and then I tabled the idea. A tomato formed by committee could only poison us all.

I awoke from my reverie to find a stream of people coming through the front gate of our city. I walked over to find Swift talking to one of them.

"What is going on here?" I asked.

"They are evacuees from New Outlook," Swift responded.

"I am not familiar with that city," I said.

"No reason why you should be since we are a very small community," replied the stranger that Swift was talking to. "I am Shining Path former first citizen of New Outlook Township."

"What happening to you?" I asked.

"Nothing happened to us but the town next to us was burnt to the ground by raiders."

"What do you mean raiders?"

"A large heavily armed group of Saps, raided the settlement for food and supplies. They left no survivors. A small community like us would be unable to put up any kind of resistance so we thought it prudent to leave."

"Are we in danger?"

"Our intelligence figures your community would be the next likely target."

"Then why would you want to come here?"

"Because you have a large community and we have weapons. The Saps have to be stopped and we figure this is as good a place as any to make a stand."

"And they do have some interesting things," said Swift jumping into the conversation.

"What are they?"

"I have already briefed your civil defense Marshall. He can tell you everything you need to know. Excuse me but I must tend to my people."

This is a heck of a way to start the week I thought. "Civil Defense Marshall. Who the heck is our Civil Defense Marshall?"

"Mike is, silly."

"Mike?"

"You should know. You are the one who made him head of Civil Defense."

I remembered now. I only did that because I thought it would be a good way to keep him out of my hair during the day. I never thought that we would actually need civil defense. What have I done? There was nothing I could do but go talk to him. Swift told me he was inspecting the south barricade so I went over there to talk to him.

I found him standing next to-A LIVING HORROR! I mean I nearly fainted when I saw that slobbering monstrosity. And Mike was, he was, he was, oh Trinity, he was playing fetch with it! " Get the stick. Go fetch. That's a good boy. That's a very good boy." The hideous thing trotted back to him holding a stick in its maw, wagging its tail, and jumping around. Then Mike did a truly disgusting thing. He scratched its head. "Mike leave that filthy thing alone!" He looked at me with surprise then turned back to speak to it. "Sit. Stay. I'll be right back." And the odious thing obediently sat down and looked at him with adoration.

"What the hell is that, that, thing?"

"That's strong language coming from you."

"Mike!"

"That is one of the things the triunes at New Outlook were working on. They have developed a variety of defensive weapons just for an emergency like this."

"Mike, I'm asking you again what is that thing?"

"It's a bandersnatch. They are made for perimeter patrols. Primarily they're designed to scare people…"

"I can believe that," I said interrupting him.

"I agree, they are not much to look at but I like them. If I may continue they are trained to capture and hold any intruder they encounter."

"I hope it never bites me. I think I would die from shock."

"Don't worry about that. It isn't aggressive towards real people. The bandersnatch will only attack Saps. However, as a last resort they can be commanded to kill. I hope it doesn't come to that."

Me too, I thought with a shudder.

"Here is another thing they have developed at New Outlook." He pulled a pink, palm sized, octagon from his pants pocket and threw it into the air. It rapidly flew away on a puff of air, made a wide arc through the air, and returned to his hand.

"How cute," I said dryly, "a jet propelled boomerang."

"It's a snark," he replied ignoring my sarcasm. "If it had encountered a warm body it would have attached itself to it and injected it with an organic anesthetic. The target would find itself asleep for quite some time. And here is another neat thing," he said taking a sphere from his pocket. This is a mome. These evil tennis balls explode on contact and entangles the perpetrator in a sticky web. It has not been perfected, but they are effective, when they work. You know, sometimes the momes rath outgrabe.

Amazingly, he said that without a hint of a smile. Trinity, I had appointed a deadpan joker who played with mutated puppy dogs to protect our city. What was I thinking of? I was about to suggest a demotion when another one of the mad males of defense showed up.

"Mike, the night watch needs to know what schedule they are on"

"Mike," I started to say.

"Just a moment sweety. I want all designated lookouts to rotate four hours on and four off. The same goes for the guards at the north and south gates."

"Mike," I asked weakly.

"Please, darling. The other gates are to be locked down. I want armed patrols to sweep the perimeter once every hour. I want a bandersnatch on permanent watch for each section of the barricades. And I want one stationed at the food storage center and at the city water supply in case we are infiltrated by saboteurs. Has everyone been issued momes and snarks?"

"Yes, we have more than enough for everyone."

"Mike," I squeaked.

"In a minute hon. Have they been drilled on how to use them?"

"Not everyone."

"That's not good enough. Do you think the Saps are going to wait for us to get prepared? I want everyone drilled on weapons usage by nightfall. And I want continuous practice sessions. If we're lucky, we might have four days before the raiders get here. But we are going to plan like they will be here tonight. Now what is the status on fire brigades?"

"They are all in place except for north gate?"

"Why aren't they ready?"

"I don't know."

"You don't know? Do I have to do everything myself? I'm going to north gate and I better hear some damn good reasons why they aren't ready or I am going to kick some butt! Sorry, honey I have to run."

I just stood there looking stupid. It appeared that I had made the best decision in appointing Mike head of defense in spite of my worst intentions. "Come on Spike. Let's go boy," he shouted to the bandersnatch. And that loathsome saber toothed thing from hell bounced joyfully around him.

Maybe I didn't make the right decision after all. "Mike leave that filthy thing alone!"

Spike?

* * *

The short two days that followed were a frenzy of preparations. I had to see that the infirmary was set up, gather up the community's children and stash them in a safe place, and plan for possible food rationing.

Mike only made one request of me and that was to see that all the homes surrounding the commons were vacated. I asked him why and he cryptically replied, "Just in case."

The raiders came that night and causally made camp a few hundred yards from the north gate. Mike sent out some spies. When they returned he briefed me on the situation.

"We are lucky," he told me. "they're mostly infantry armed with automatic weapons. However they do have an APC, that is an armored personnel carrier. That could be trouble."

"When do you think they will attack?" I asked.

"Probably at first light. They are taking their time with preparations, because they think they will encounter no resistance. Good."

Just as Mike predicted they charged the wall at first light. Our soldiers responded with, bows and arrows?

"Mike!" I screamed from the bottom of the barricade. "What the hell are you doing!"

"You're getting salty in your old age."

"You, you boob. What are doing with the antique weapons?"

I want them to think we are poorly armed. I'm hoping it makes them aggressive enough to do something stupid."

I don't know if it was stupid but they brought up the APC. It rammed through the gate and their infantry came howling in.

"Pull back!," shouted Mike. We retreated pell mell back through the commons while I mentally prepared myself for death.

When the APC reached the center of the commons the road flowed up and around the tires immobilizing it. Gosh, I had no idea it could do that but Mike obviously knew. Mike waved his and shouted, "Now!"

From every window of every home around the commons males appeared and began to throw momes and snarks. The Saps started to fall in droves either unconscious or entangled. They began to fire their weapons indiscriminately. From what I could see they were only killing their own people. Most of them milled around in confusion which made them easy prey for the snarks. A few broke formation and tried to make a run for it. That is when Mike made another hand signal. Immediately dozens of bandersnatchs appeared and took the screaming men down. As Mike said they wrapped their enormous jaws around them and held them. A couple of the unlucky sods died from shear terror.

"Gee, they were dumb, and all too predictable," said Mike.

"You amaze me," I told Mike. "Don't take this the wrong way but I always thought you were sort of slow." I was surprised when he agreed with me.

"That's true. I wasn't very bright back then. Most of you triunes never noticed that after we changed our IQs just about doubled."

"And you never told me."

He winked at me and said, "A male doesn't have to tell his triune everything."

I should have been angry with him. But as it was his skills had bought us our lives. 'What are we going to do with the prisoners."

"Turn them loose," he said laconically.

I just stared at him with my mouth hanging open.

"After we give them their shots of course." He motioned to one of his lieutenants and said, "Go ahead and give them the dope. New Outlook invented a remarkable serum. After a Sap is injected with it they cannot commit a violent act, or even think a violent thought, without becoming violently ill. Their raiding days are over. They will have to become honest farmers or starve. Not that I give a damn." Mike always did have a mean streak in him.

And with that, it was all over. The battle of Second Chance had lasted all of twenty minutes.

It was blissfully tranquil after we turned the ex-raiders loose. I managed to grow one heck of a delicious summer tomato. And Mike continued to play with Spike. I wish he would leave that filthy thing alone.

Most people think the turning points in their lives are marked by omens and portents. Really it is the simple desires of everyday life that sometime affects us with the most profound results.

I wanted to bake my kids a blackberry pie. And there was a patch of blackberries just outside the main gate of our city. As there had been no trouble recently, I thought it was safe to go out. I remember thinking, as I gathered the blackberries, how much the kids would like it. I would have to keep Mike and Pat from eating it up, but they were easy to handle. I would just look at them and say, "Would you rather have pie or Pepper tonight". No problem there, I thought laughing to myself. I am such a bad triune.

About that time a mosquito stung me on the butt. Pesky insects. I reached back to scratch myself and found something strange. I looked at what I had withdrawn from my bottom. It was a little pointy thing with feathers. What the heck was this? If I had known what I was looking at I could have looked inside myself, and neutralized the drug that was even now mugging my brain. But I didn't know what a tranquilizer dart was. The last thing I remember was dropping my bucket of blackberries.

* * *

Bare walls, iron door, a light bulb hanging on a wire, a mattress on the floor, me on the mattress, and all of it spinning around. Looking inward, I perceived the noxious chemical and removed it from my system.

Scanning, bruise on left buttock, multiple scrapes, and eight healing puncture wounds at the right brachial vein. How long had I been unconscious? A rough guess from the half life of the drug, about twelve days, maybe more.

Inventory; sink, water glass, toilet. They understood that I did excrete. People thought triunes did not eliminate because we had no genitalia. Ours was internal, along the line of birds. In avian biology urine, feces, as well as eggs and sperm, went into a common chamber called a cloacha. Except for the reproductive aspect, mine was the same.

I could sense the bioelectric aura of Homo Saps close by, as well as smell/taste/feel of animals and also crops farther away. And then I felt the faint presence, of triunes!

* * *

Food slid under the door. My jailer limped slowly and painfully as it came and went. It smelled/tasted old, male and unhealthy. I could tell it had an excessive amount of uric acid in its blood. That was why it limped. It had gout. "Why won't you talk to me!"

Soup de jour, vegetable. It wasn't too bad but not as good as Mike's. Oh, pain, trembling, dizziness. I was having symptoms of separation sickness. It didn't last long but it was going to get worse. Much worse.

* * *

The light is on all the time. Is it day or night outside? Cold in here. I could increase my metabolism but I am not getting enough food to do that. I am not getting much food at all. I stay hungry all the time. I dream of my spouses serving me breakfast in bed and touching me while I eat. I hunger for so much. Walk, run in place, stretch.

I had a convulsion today and it scared the hell out of me. This solitary confinement isn't at all like my exile in little Siberia. This is the worst thing you can do to a triune. And these people know that!

* * *

I talked to mama today, or was it yesterday? We had a wonderful visit. I know mama is dead but she still looked pretty good.

* * *

Sitting, looking at a blank wall. Just sitting. Thoughts drift by now and Zen.

"Hello, love."

"John! How good of you to visit."

"I saw a friend in need so here I am."

"Friend?"

"Of course. I read all the letters you wrote me. I am still on tour so I never had the time to answer any of them. But I have found them to be a great comfort."

"Still on tour?"

"Yes, and it's a great gig. Would you like to hear a song?"

"Oh please."

"I think about you when I sing this one."

"That was so wonderful. You know I named my first triune child after you. I named it Lifecodesinger Lennon O'Connor.

"I am only a simple singer and hardly rate that kind of honor."

"No. You meant so much to me growing up. I learned so much about earth human people from you. To me you were the heart of the humanity that I had never seen. I loved you as a single. (Giggle.) That was so improper. Then when you married Yoko, I had such dreams about the three of us. But you didn't need us then. You didn't need us then! The elders told us that when they discovered the plague devastated earth they took pity on the human race. They said they created us as a compassionate gift to ensure humanity's survival. We never questioned the elders about that. We never questioned them about anything. But it took decades for them to make us. Long before the sterility plague. Why were we born before you needed us?"

"Sins of the parents, love."

"It is so horrible John! We are evil."

"No, love. The sins of the parents are not visited on the children. Tell me what they did."

"You will hate me."

"I could never do that."

"The sterility virus. We triunes tried to find it and couldn't, which is an impossibility. The other plagues that followed had agents of infection that were also invisible to us. Only our parents, the Triskelion, could make disease entities that would be invisible to us. They created the sterility plague. They killed billions with it. And they unleased the later plagues and made it impossible for us to deal with them."

"Why would they do that?"

"It's Triskelion nature, John. They had lost their males during their journey. They never told us how but it was killing them. And since they could not survive they choose the next best thing. They could live by proxy through us. They made the human race sterile so they would have to accept a third sex for their survival.

"I started to understand this when I saw that all of us human triunes had the same compulsion programmed into us. We made our human mates into analog Triskelion males and females. Our parents remade the human race in their own image.

"The plagues that followed confirmed my theory. It was logical to expect that human triads, a small minority, would be vulnerable to the much larger majority of sterile Homo Sapiens. To even the odds in favor of our survival they made the pandemics that followed the sterility plague. Biological time bombs set to go off after the old ones were dead. After the pandemics, we triads were in the majority and Homo Sapiens the minority. The thought of it tears me apart. My parents were mass murderers."

"Did you love your parents?"

"Yes, oh, yes."

"Did they love you?"

"I know they did."

"Then love them, but don't love their crimes."

"As simple as that?"

"As simple, and as complicated, as that."

"I love you, John."

"I love you too, kid. Got to go now."

"Don't leave me John!"

"Don't worry love. I'll always be just a stones throw away."

The lock in the door made a loud click. "John? John!"

The door creaked open and two naked people were quickly pushed inside.

They were a scabby looking pair, young and undernourished. The sandy haired young male had one blue eye and one brown one. That was an interesting bit of genetics. The female was a rail thin Asian with an anemic look about her. They both knelt on the floor in silence. Oh, their smell. A mindless physiological riptide went through me. It was impossible that I could be feeling this again. It was the mating urge!

"This wasn't our idea. We didn't want to do this. Our parents…"

Holding myself in check I said, "Your parents figured out a way to force a triune to mate a second time."

"They are a lot of things but stupid isn't one of them. They studied triunes very carefully. Read about them, followed them, and observed their behaviors under every possible condition."

I remembered the gate crashers at my wedding. Had they been watchers? It was becoming difficult to concentrate. Their smell was kicking my pheromones into overdrive. "This room?"

"Social isolation," he said shyly. "They found that if a triune is kept isolated until it was about to go crazy, and then introduce a couple, it would trigger a second mating compulsion."

"Are you afraid of me?"

"Yes. No. Believe me we don't want to do this. It isn't moral to kidnap people and force them to do things."

We kept inching towards each other. The more pheromones I gave off, the more aroused they became, which made me give off even more pheromones. It was the classic viscous circle. My conscious mind screamed, don't do this, don't betray your spouses, but I was rapidly losing self control. Keep on talking. "What is this place?"

This is an outlawed Unity of the Lamb sect. The main church kicked us out years ago because of our prophet. He had a vision before you came. He said God would send us a gift from the heavens to preserve his chosen people. Then your people landed in California. The prophet said that God had sent you to us so we could have babies again. But the devil had diverted your ship to the Gentiles. They don't see this as kidnapping but as only reclaiming what is rightfully theirs."

"What's your name?"

"Stephen Neil. This is Tomiko. She understands English but doesn't speak it well. She's from Japan. We have a large congregation over there. They sent many young women to us when they heard about our prophet's revelation. That was just before things fell apart. I guess they wanted some of their blood to live on."

"How many of my sex are here?"

"About thirty I think. It's hard to be sure because security is very tight."

"Are there babies?"

"Yes. That is another thing I hate about them. After you, do it, they threaten to hurt your new, ah, mates if you don't make children right away."

"No triune would allow its mates to be hurt."

"They understand that. They don't have to hurt them because the threats are enough."

I was about to ask them another question but found I could not speak. Everything in my field of vision turned bright red and I pounced on them like an animal.

* * *

There is something about slowly waking up after a good night's sleep that is immensely pleasurable. My mates lay on either side of me, their breathing lightly stirring the cilia on my chest. I stroked them both softly, gently, and lovingly. Looking down at them I said, "Who the bloody hell are you?" They woke up startled at my outburst.

"Good morning, Pepper dear," said the young man.

"Pepper-san," said the oriental girl.

Pepper dear? Pepper-san? Whoa! Time out. Brain lock alert. "Do I know you?" I asked densely. That was a silly question on the face of it. I obviously knew them quite well since they were naked.

"I'm Stephen and this is Tomiko. Remember?"

"It's coming back to me now." Wow, I thought, what a long strange trip this has been.

He blushed and said, "I guess we're together now."

"Forever darlings. Though how I am going to juggle two sets of spouses is beyond me."

"You talk like we are going to escape from Fort Restoration."

"Fort Restoration?"

"Sure. This is our holy place for the restoration of the human race."

"Anywhere they keep people as slaves is not very holy to me. And I intend to escape as soon as possible."

"Don't leave us, Pepper. We will die without you."

"No, no, no, sweethearts don't be afraid. I couldn't leave you even if I wanted to. But we, and the others, are checking out of the Hotel California one way or another."

"This is Fort Restoration," Stephen said with a puzzled look.

Gee, these kids didn't know the songs of the Eagles. I was now the proud owner of child brides just like those of Ten. I was going to have to raise them together with my own kids. Come to think of it, any kids I made after this could have five possible parents. That presented some unique genetic permutations. What unique offspring we could have. Good, look at this as an opportunity instead as a liability.

"Pepper-san, have baby now?"

"No, we had recreational sex last night, not reproductive sex. We won't be able to have children until after you change."

"Change?" asked Tomiko.

"You know, like the other triads here."

"What are you talking about?" asked Stephen.

"I'll explain later," I said. This was interesting. They did not know that we had genetically altered our spouses. That could mean their parents had not done all that much field work. Ignorance could be exploited. And what these clowns didn't know could hurt them.

Later that day two men entered our cell and gave my new spouses their clothes back.

"You, triune," said one of the two thugs, "come with us. The prophet wants a word with you."

"Daddy wants to give you the official welcome," Stephen said with a gloomy expression.

"Daddy?"

"My father is the prophet and leader of this community. Don't let him intimidate you."

I was thinking I am about to have my first really bad experience with an in-law.

"And don't feel bad if the interview doesn't go well. We have all had to take our fair share of crap from him."

I had expected to see something military when I walked out onto the grounds of Fort Restoration and I was not disappointed. Surrounding us were barracks, beyond them trip wires and guard towers. I am not overly bright about many things but even I could tell that this place was built to keep people in, not out. Welcome to Stalag 13.

I was prepared to meet an ogre but in that I was disappointed. The prophet, Stephen Neil Senior, was more like a smooth talking Kentucky Colonel.

"Good morning Pepper," he said taking my hand and kissing it. I got a thrill when he did that. This charismatic old fraud was too much like Ray for me to feel comfortable with. Maybe he had Ray's manner but I doubted he had his heart. He looked at me oddly and gently caressed my face.

"Set me as a seal upon thine heart, as a seal upon thine arm. For love is as strong as death; jealousy is as cruel as the grave; the coals there of are coals of fire, which hath a most vehement flame.

"You will be moved into more comfortable quarters today."

I remained silent as I pondered his strange soliloquy.

"Do you have nothing to say?"

"What difference would it make? I could say that I despise you for tearing me away from my family. But I don't think you would care."

"Of course I care. I deeply regret having to kidnap triunes. If Satan had not worked his evil will and sent you among the gentiles this would not have been necessary. You were our gift of salvation, not theirs! But we are family now. Your triune sisters have done their work well. All of their partners are expecting. I expect you to do your duty as well."

My duty is to escape, I thought. I am not going to be anyone's love slave for long. "I hope you don't mind your grandchildren being black." Let's see how he returns that lob. He stood for a moment in silence.

"In another time and place I would, but the needs of survival have a way of sweeping aside old prejudices."

I really believe that, you old fart, I thought with anger. You make slaves of triunes and even your own son all to maintain your personal power. You have a pleasing facade but I can see your true face, Mein Fuhrer. "Would it be possible to visit my triune companions? Their support would make me feel better."

"Excellent idea. We have one incomplete trigon. I'll have you moved in with them first thing today. Is there anything else you require?"

"No, I'm satisfied for now." Fool, you think you know so much about us I thought. But you just gave me the resources I need to escape. From now on just call me Big X.

My new home only served to reinforce my Stalag blues. There were dozens of stark gray barracks set in a stark gray yard. I was in the town of the Blue Meanies.

However there was an odd atmosphere in this prison. The triunes here were a study in conflicting emotions. They shared the happiness of their new mates while they deeply mourned the loss of their former spouses. It was hard to know which were tears of joy and or tears of sorrow.

My assigned trigon shared living accommodations with another trigon family. Two of the triunes I knew because they were from my cohort. They were Artful Dodger and Jumpin' Jack Flash. Flash was as keen on the Rolling Stones as I was with the Beatles.

"Pepper!" shouted Flash and Dodger when they saw me. More sorrow and more joy at finding each other in this place.

"This is not the reunion we expected," I said to them.

"Hardly," said Dodger. "These criminals. It's inhuman what they have done to us."

Flash said, "I've got to get out of here, but I am a prisoner of my own biology. I can't leave my new mates behind. I just can't do it," it said with a sob."

"We are going to leave companions. All of us together," I said.

Dodger shook its head and said, "That's brave talk but there are many people here. How can we all escape?"

"Don't worry companions Big X is on the job."

"Who?" asked Dodger.

"That's my code name. I am heading up the escape committee which you two have just volunteered to join. Now, I have found that our captors don't completely understand our abilities to manipulate molecular structures. Have you thought of using that to escape?" That got a no and a blank look. "What have you been thinking about?"

"About making babies mostly," replied Flash

That made sense to me. When a triune is into the task of procreation it doesn't think about much of anything else. "Dodger, I recall you were one of the most skilled of us in manipulating inorganic compounds."

"I still am!"

"Take an imprint from me. To a casual observer it would look like I was giving Dodger a passionate soul kiss. What I was doing was giving it a three dimensional chemical model of the compound I wanted it to make. It tasted the model and thought about it.

"Let's see; C6H4.NH.C5H2N (CH3) (CH:CH:CH.3-COOH). This substance should have some interesting effects upon the nervous system. What is it?"

"Do you recall Dr. Leary?"

"Oh, yes!"

"Exactly. It needs to be more potent as well as airborne. We also need to inoculate ourselves from its effects. Can you do it?"

"Don't be insulting Pepper, it is a very simple chemical. I could make it up as a suspension within a gelatin capsule. Break it and puff. The antidote will be a little tricky to make but that's no problem either. Hmm, the more I study this stuff the more possibilities I see in it. I think I can make some interesting improvements. But how are we going to use it?"

"We wait until an occasion when everyone is in the compound, then we let it go."

"Our beloved leader's birthday is this month. I've heard they are going to have a big party for him," said Flash.

"Perfect," I said, "that is when we will do it."

"How do we communicate with the other triunes, Pepper?" asked Flash with a frown. They don't let us socialize as a group."

"I know. Let me show you something I have been working on." I opened my tummy pocket and a fly flew out of it. It wasn't really a fly, but a little winged black cylinder with two cosmetic buggy eyes.

"Cute," said Dodger with a grin. "You want to pull a rabbit out of there next."

"Now don't you be insulting Dodger." This was going to be fun. "Now open your mouth like a good little triune."

"OK but… Gag."

Right on cue the bug flew into Dodger's mouth. "Stand around with your mouth hanging open and you'll swallow a fly."

"That was dumb joke, Pepper, why… Where did it go? It's not in my mouth anymore."

"It has dissolved. Read the imprint."

"I want to be underneath the sea, in an octopuses' garden with you?"

"You're still a Beatle maniac Pepper," laughed Flash. "Rock on."

"That is elegant, Pepper," said Dodger admiringly. "A molecular encoded message placed in a mock fly. With a smart guidance system no less!"

"I can't put a lot into it but basic escape information, like time, dates and such, but it will do. When we are ready I'll make more of then and set them loose. They are programmed to enter any triunes mouth. Triunes only."

"You have a devious mind Pepper," said dodger with a look of hope on its face. "I think this could work. There is a problem, however. No matter how potent I make your chemical, there is no way it will affect the guards in the towers and at the entrance."

"That has occurred to me also," I said, "but I don't know what to do about it."

"All of this brain storming has put our mates to sleep," said Flash. "They are all so lovely. How are we going to deal with this? I have a reoccurring nightmare about presenting these two beautiful young people to my original mates and they attack them on sight. It is just a dream but still…"

"We all worry about this, Flash," said Dodger. I have three new infants here and three toddlers back home. We are imprisoned in an unnatural situation and it is making me sick. I lay awake nights worrying how I can possibly mange to integrate two separate families. I have to do it because the only alternatives are madness or death. I am exhausted, companions." It lay down between its partners and promptly went to sleep.

"They are the only thing keeping Dodger alive," said Flash mournfully. "Sometimes I fell like I am suffocating but my two breathe life back into me. We triunes have so much power and yet, at the same time we are so weak."

At that moment I felt as if I was close to the mystery of our existence. "It is not a question of power or weakness Flash. We are part of a circle called the triad, that is part of a larger circle the trigon, which is part of a greater circle that has no name. It only exists in the mind as a beautiful equation. In that circle male, female, triune gives to the others what they lacks and creates a greater being. I think that is what mother was always trying to get across to me. I miss her."

"I miss mine also. That is something else I worry about. When my kids ask me what their grandmother looked like, what will I tell them? That she looked like a head of broccoli."

"Tell them a compassionate and loving head of broccoli," I said with a smile. "Or just tell them to look at eyes in a mirror and they will see grandmother there."

"That is beautiful Pepper. I love you," it said hugging me. "Shall we exchange the gift of our lives?"

I kissed Flash softly. "We have been fated to have two triads so I see no problem with having two trigons." We exchanged the precious gifts of our families' genes. Mine became Flash's and it's became mine. Dodger was fast asleep and snoring. Its pledge could come later. I went to Flash's partners and it went to mine. It was a purely symbolic because they were asleep and we were tired. We all slept peacefully that night.

* * *

I had been abducted from my home during blackberry time and found myself again in the arms of father frost. Winter is a long time going in the high country but eventually summer sneaks in for its brief visit. Tomiko was in her preprgnancy and was so proud. I knew that if we stayed here she and Stephen would be forced into bearing children for the rest of their lives.

I don't know if can adequately describe to you the horror of having your reproductive freedom taken away from you. But you have to be reduced to the status of slaves for them to do it. Both are acts of violence against the soul.

* * *

High summer came to the mountains. It was just another day until I tasted something on the wind. I consulted with my fellow triunes and learned that they had tasted the same thing. Even some of our mates sensed it with their new sensory tendrils. We weren't sure of what we had tasted but I felt it was freedom.

Our restrictions were lifted for the midsummer birthday festival of our lord and master. Our synthetic trigons were allowed to mix and mingle freely, with most of the camp's goon squad looking on. I chose to dress chastely for tonight's formal gathering and not on a whim, I might add. Two days before I was on my knees working in my small vegetable garden when I felt someone feeling my bottom. That sort of thing tends to startle you. But when you turn around to see that it is your slave master father-in-law who has been feeling you up, well, you get down right spooked. If I did not get out of this place tonight I think I was about to know the great man a heck of a lot better than I wanted to. And me mated to his own son. The swine.

The evening started with a dance and I was not surprised when the prophet lead me onto the dance floor. The bastard made continuous suggestive comments to me during the entire dance. The birthday boy was definitely planning to cap his celebration with a little sodomy. For the first time in my life, I contemplated committing homicide. I assure you, I would kill before I would allow myself to be raped.

We settled down to eat, and what little food we had, was good. My companions made a half hearted attempt to enjoy themselves. Trinity knows they needed it. The prophet made his speech and invited me to add a few words as their newest convert.

"Ahem, ladies, gentlemen, and triunes. I know that some of you have had difficulties in adjusting to your new life. I would like to offer a few words that will put this place into the proper perspective." Time to give the signal. "Tune in, turn on, and drop out!" On cue all the triunes present reached into their pockets, pulled out their capsules, and crushed them in their hands.

"What the hell is that supposed to mean," said the perplexed prophet.

"Those are a few words of wisdom from an American philosopher named Dr. Timothy Leary."

"Ahhhh!" screamed the prophet. "I got a monkey on my back!"

"Whoa, bad trip man," I said sarcastically. "Don't tease the monkey or it will bite. Ha, ha, ha, ha." Everyone present, except for the triunes and their families, were really getting into their own heads. Some of the goons found the decorative paper lanterns to be immensely interesting. "Get this monkey off my back," said the prophet freaking out while the others started to wander off into their own little worlds.

"Dr. Pepper has the prescription for what ails you," I crowed. "LSD!" And then I started to sing.

One of the prophet henchmen staggered up to me.

"What is happening?"

"It's a revelation!"

"Explain it to me."

"I am he as you are he as you are me and we are all together. I am the egg man, they are the egg men, I am the walrus GOO GOO G'JOOB!"

"Hallelujah!" Another satisfied customer.

"Artful Dodger."

"Yes companion," it said with a curtsy. Smart Aleck.

"How long will the brethren be tripping?"

"Tripping? Oh yes. My acid will keep them flying for about twenty-four hours."

"Great. Let's load up all our people on the prophet's buses. The Magical Mystery Tour is leaving-now!"

"We ran, if you'll pardon the expression, helter skelter to the bus barn, and barely managed to cram all of our kindred into the cranky old buses. "Wagons Ho," I shouted. With that we rolled towards the main gate. As I feared the guards at the gate were not affected by the acid gas. One of them arrogantly stepped up to the bus.

"Where do you think you are going?"

"Strawberry Fields," I replied.

"You're that nutty nigger neuter."

"I bet you can't say that three times in a row."

He never got the chance to respond because a snark slapped him upside the head injecting him with dream juice. I looked around and saw that the other guards were napping also. I was confused because only a few of my companions had the specialized skills to make a snark. None of them were here. "Who threw that snark?"

"I did you nutty nigger neuter." I knew the sound of that voice. "You better watch your mouth, Mike O' Connor."

"You're in a rotten mood," said Pat somewhere in the dark.

"I've had a rotten month." The gates opened up and all of our mates came riding in on horse back. "Since when do city people know how to ride horses?"

"We don't," said Mike joyfully. It these wonderful tendrils you gave us. We just connect with the horses' central nervous system and tell them what we what we want them to do."

"Did you throw the snark?"

"No, I did." I knew the sound of that voice also. It was Jo Jo!

"You came for me," I said hugging it close and crying on its shoulder.

"Of course I came for you. I'm your sib. And I love you." Hearing those words nearly made the whole unhappy experience in Fort Restoration worth while. I felt whole again.

"I would like to stay and chat but I am the forward scout. I have to make sure that there is a road for us to use. I'll see you later." That was Jo Jo, always ahead of the pack, going its own way. For the first time in my life, I could see and appreciate my sib as an individual.

"Get those buses rolling," I said jumping onto the step of the bus. "We're out of here."

Our spouses rode escort beside the slowly moving machines. They waved to their companions joyfully. But I could tell they were wondering who were the other people inside the bus. There was a bad moon rising.

I turned to Pat and Mike, who were riding along side my bus, and asked, "How did you find us?"

"We followed your scent just like bloodhounds," said Pat. We arrived here a couple of days ago and have been scouting out the prison. I knew then it was their faint smell that we had tasted on the wind days before. "How did you anticipate our escape?"

"One of your flies found us silly."

That floored me. I had never thought about one of my messengers finding a triune outside of the camp. Talk about luck.

"We would have found you much sooner but the snow held us back," returned Mike.

"Believe me you got here just in time. I thank you and my bottom thanks you."

"What was that?" Mike said with a puzzled look.

"I'll explain later." I sat down beside my new spouses. They were looking anxious. "What is wrong sweethearts, we're free."

"That's them, your original mates," said Stephen.

"Listen to me, there is nothing to be afraid of. We can work this out." We must I thought.

Traveling the mountain roads in the dark was dangerous if not suicidal. Having infrared vision was no advantage on a cold mountain switchback at night. People we could see like beacons in the dark but the road was nearly invisible. We were afraid to go on but were even more afraid to stop.

When we let the switchback for the regular road I gave the order to pull over. We had to get some rest and face the inevitable. I left the bus with Stephen and Tomiko in tow. Pat and Mike dismounted and ran towards me.

"We are complete again," cried Pat embracing me.

"The only thing that kept us alive was searching for you," said Mike trembling.

I could not put this off any longer. "I want you to meet…over here."

"This is Mike and Pat O'Connor my mates. This is Stephen and Tomiko who are also my mates. While I was a captive I was manipulated into a second mating again. I'm sorry to be so blunt but there is no easy way to put this." All around us the same scene was replayed with shock, confusion, bewilderment, and silence. There was a holding of breath and fear unexpressed.

Tomiko broke into tears. "We did not want this, please."

"Don't hate us," said Stephen.

I tried to comfort them. They were my mates. "Pat, Mike, help me. Help us all." We were hesitant, unsure, striving for words that were absent. So we left words behind us, like our Sapien past. First spouses entwined their tendrils with those of the second and their triune entwined with both. We were broken and had to glue ourselves back together into a new uncertain configuration.

It is said that love conquers all. Unhappily this is not true. But, if you meet it halfway and work with it, love can still do one hell of a job.

We were still in a state of grace. Those back at Fort Restoration would still be tripping the light fantastic for another eight to ten hours. We knew, without it being said, that they were going to pursue us with a vengeance. We would be seen, from their point of view, as the kidnappers of 'their' children. If we allowed ourselves to be recaptured we would experience the literal chains of slavery this time. It didn't require much imagination to foresee what an angry, aroused, big daddy would want to do to me. I wish now that I had never read De Sade.

Our boojums reported no pursuit. Boojums were new to me. They were designed by companion triunes of Nova City. It looked like a blackbird with this huge single eye. You let it fly away and it recorded what it saw. When it returned you could repay it like a video tape player. That humongous eyeball was like a television monitor. It was hysterical to see someone look into that eyeball and say, "I don't see anything." Well, maybe you had to be there. And they had brought momes and more bandersnatches with them. Bandersnatches still scared the wholly living hell out of me. Perhaps they were useful but I hoped we didn't have to make any more of them. I don't believe it, Mike is playing fetch with one again. Even worse he had Stephen playing with it too! "Mike, Stephen, leave that filthy thing alone!"

* * *

The next day on the road was warmer and hazy. Our motley collection of horses and antique vehicles crept along the almost nonexistent road. We were not making good time but any progress was better than none at all. The boojums recorded that our enemies were now in pursuit. We had a good day and a half advance on them but I knew that our lead would not last long. Every time we stopped for a rest I ordered our stronger males to chop down a tree or two to block the road. That wasn't much, but anything that would slow down the enemy was to our advantage.

I was riding with Mike on horseback. It was fun experiencing bioelectric gestalt of horse. Stephen was riding with Pat up ahead. Poor Tomiko couldn't ride without getting sick so she stayed on the bus. Mike caressed me as we rode. I enjoyed the physical contact of my mate but he needed it. The stimulation of physical contact was absolutely necessary for a triads' heath. The Sapien couple was simple compared to the complex interdependency of the triad. While it made us weaker in some respects, it also made us stronger.

My first triad needed love because they were showing signs of coming unraveled. I needed to lie with them tonight to get them back into homeostasis. My second triad was doing well so I did not have to worry about them. Wait, I am thinking of them as two separate triads which was no longer applicable. We were a group of five now. What did that make us, a pentagon? If my parents weren't already dead this would kill them. A triune with four mates would be a horrible perversion to them. Come to think of it, the O'Connors and the Fords weren't going to be too thrilled about this either. The logistics of how I was going to love four people made me dizzy. The thought of loving them separately was slightly repugnant to my triune nature. I needed the advice of either a sex therapist or a good choreographer.

"How are you feeling," I asked.

"Not good but better," he replied. "You have been quiet today."

"I have been wondering if I have done all I could to integrate our two families."

"I think you have. It is just going to take time. I just hope I can get over being so angry."

"At Stephen and Tomiko?"

"No, they are sweet kids. I feel as compelled to love them as you do. It's those creeps that kidnapped you. I would like to hurt them."

"I think we already have considering that we have taken what they consider their prosperity."

"Well if nothing else meeting them was a learning experience."

"How so?"

"It is hard to describe exactly. I was thinking about the patrol we jumped in the woods a few hours before we hit the guard towers. We snarked them and then questioned them about the camp's layout. They were the first Sapien people, other than the ones in our city, that I had seen in long time. To me, they were not only deaf and blind, but also primitive. I could see clearly how different we have become. I think the greatest difference I saw is what a small capacity for compassion they have. See, I have fallen into the habit of saying us and them. Have we truly changed so much?"

"You are not exactly wrong in your assessment. We are rapidly evolving, but we have tried to minimize it to ourselves by saying we were becoming a different species. The truth is that we are becoming a different race."

"Are you saying that we are no longer human?"

"Not at all. In fact, I think that we are becoming more human. In other words I believe that we are fulfilling the true potential of what it means to be human."

"That is too deep for me to think about. I have trouble deciding what I want for breakfast. Will we continue to change?

"On a biological level I think your nervous system will undergo further modification before the process stops. Biological changes will seem trivial compared to the cultural changes we will experience."

"That is one thing I do know. I understand that human culture is being transformed to approximate Triskelion culture. By now I believe that most of us have come to the same conclusion. We just don't know what that means."

"I don't either, in the long run. I know what it means to be Triskelion and I know what it means to be human. But what form this analog human/Triskelion culture will take is anyone's guess."

"Will we be a better people?"

"In some ways I think we will but that doesn't mean I think we will have some sort of Utopia. We may discard many of the problems faced by Homo Sapiens but I think we will have plenty of our own. The only thing I can say for sure is that we will have a healthier society. Any more than that is up to us. Life's a bitch, isn't it."

"No I would say that life is a triune."

"Would you like to explain that?"

"Life is like you triunes. Just when you think you know the rules, it changes the game."

"Is that criticism or a complement."

"No comment."

"You better hope I don't figure out what that means or you'll be sleeping by yourself tonight."

"I know you want what I got."

"I can feel what you got Mr. O'Connor. I'll thank you to treat your triune with more respect. Otherwise you might wake up some fine morning to that you are Mrs. Mike O'Connor."

"You can't do that. Can you?"

He thought I was kidding but I also saw the shadow of a doubt flicker across his face. Was I kidding? I'm not telling because I dearly love having the last word. I am such a bad triune."

This not a test of the emergency boojum broadcasting service. This is a real emergency. The rear guard boojums eyeball accounts showed that the posse from hell would catch up with us by nightfall. The forward boojums were showing an installation ahead."

"What does that look like to you, Mike?" I asked.

"I am not sure but it looks deserted. I don't see any vehicles."

"I think we should take refuge there and see what happens."

"They will just lay siege to us. I think we should scatter."

"This is their territory," replied Pat. "They would just hunt us down and pick us off one at a time."

"What about food and water at that site?"

"We triunes can eat anything and make food out of our bodies for everyone else. I am sure there are organic materials there. Water, who knows?"

"One things for sure," said Pat, "is that we don't want to be caught out in the open. Not that they would hurt us."

"You are wrong," I said. "They won't kill triunes or their people. But they will kill you and all of the first spouses. You aren't one of the family. You are gentiles what ever that is supposed to mean."

"Masada…"

"What did you say, Mike?" asked Pat.

"I was thinking of the Jewish patriots of Palestine. When they revolted against Roman oppression a group of them holed up in the fortress of Masada. The Romans laid siege to Masada for over two years before it fell. The Jews committed mass suicide rather than be reenslaved by the Romans."

That ticked Pat off. "What a cheery thought. What's next, humorous stories about the Wounded Knee massacre?"

"I am only saying the Jews couldn't fight the Romans but they could resist. So can we."

"To hell with it," I said. "Let's move out, people. Next stop, Masada."

We took shelter in what had been a federal satellite tracking facility. There was a little food left in the commissary and plenty of water once we got the generators going.

There was also plenty of trees, hedges, and grass on the site. I wasn't fooling when I said a triune could eat anything organic. We could lunch on the lawn and make solid foodstuffs in our tummy pockets for our families. But really grass is so gross. I said I could eat anything but I never said that I would like it.

Things were hairy the first night. An intruder was caught by a patrol and snarked before he made it over the fence. Another intruder on the north side of the site got chewed up by the bandersnatch guarding that section. We found his shoes and scattered bits of clothing by the fence the next day. They said that the bandersnatch only scared him away, but I think that slimy son of a bitch ate him. There would be no more of those things made if I had anything to say about it.

After that there were no more nightly infiltration attempts. There were random acts of sniping. During the day a few bullets would fly through the windows. I think that was mostly to intimidate us because they always shot high. After that we liked the breeze so much we broke out all the windows. The building we were in was really an air conditioned box. You couldn't raise or lower the windows which made it stifling inside. What a stupid way to design a building. That made things easier for some of our males who had marsupiums full of babies. Two were close to disimplantation and I was not looking forward to that.

* * *

It was a moonless night and I was sitting on the roof of the building with Jo Jo. It was hot inside and I could not stand to hear those poor males screaming. It was cool out here and you could see millions of stars in the night sky.

"I wonder where our parents came from?"

"I'm don't know but that tiny, reddish light just there is our father ship. It is at the L4 point so it doesn't move."

"Are you sure?"

"You bet. Astronomy is my passion."

"You know the exact coordinates?"

"Right ascension and declination are right here," it said pointing to its head.

"Jo Jo you just gave me one heck of an idea. Let's go talk to Pat and Mike." We rushed downstairs to find my worthy spouses sound asleep. They didn't much care for me jumping up and down on them."

"Not now, Pepper," Mike mumbled.

"We're tired, maybe later," sighed Pat.

"Wake up, computer geniuses!" I said bouncing up and down on them.

"Please, go play with Stephen and Tomiko," said Mike.

"Would you believe it, Jo Jo, they don't want to play," I said.

"It happens to me too. Rarely," it said dryly.

"Hey, you under there. Can you operate the computers here?"

"Yes!" they said pushing back the covers.

"Do the computers direct the antennas?"

"Is this going somewhere," said Pat rubbing her eyes.

"You bet. Jo Jo knows the coordinates for our father ship."

"And," said Mike.

"I know the Triskelion mayday code," I said triumphantly.

"OK, you want to send a distress signal to your mother ship," said Mike. "And then what?"

"Yeah, Pepper," replied Jo Jo "What good would that do? All the old ones must be dead by now."

"Perhaps," I said. "but the ship's mind must still be operational."

"I repeat," said Mike, "and then what?"

"I haven't the slightest idea. But wouldn't it be fun to find out," I said.

"I'm game," said Mike. We all went down to the operations center. There were flashing lights and obscure symbols all over the place. Pat and Mike pushed buttons and pulled switches. It seemed like magic what they were doing. Mysterious and wonderful. They probably thought when I changed a seed to make an oak tree grow apples and oranges that was magical. To me that seemed so ordinary as to be boring. Magic or technology? It depends on your point of view.

"It's done," said Pat. "We are transmitting the mayday code to the Triskelion father ship."

Father ship. Pat and Mike thought it was odd that we called it that. They wanted to call it a mother ship. We had always called it that because it was primarily the male who gave birth in Triskelion society. I had always liked to think of it as a triune, preserving and protecting us. I guess that is another thing that depends on your point of view.

I must have eaten a whole tree, leaves, branches, roots and all. From that I made edible food for my family. They said that they liked Pepper food but I don't think they cared for it. The truth is I thought it was tasteless too. People think it's neat the way we triunes can eat anything. All things considered I would rather have a slice of pizza.

* * *

Things have turned grim. Our triunes have gone through the grounds like a plague of locusts. There is nothing left outside but dirt and concrete. Our adversaries outside the fence understand our situation and use it for psychological warfare. All through the day and night they yell things like; "Come on out, soups on, "Wouldn't a steak taste good right now"; and the cruelest was, "We have milk for the babies." We were already going hungry to feed the children. As for me I would rather eat dirt than submit.

* * *

We had an obstetrical emergency today. Andre, Dodger's mate had a near fatal delivery with his triune child. The first two disimplanted with no trouble but the triune infant's umbilical tendril had not atrophied enough to disconnect. As disimplantation time nears, the umbilical tendril withers away allowing the infant to pull free and begin to breathe on its own. If the tendril withers but doesn't weaken, the infant's oxygen supply is cut off and it will asphyxiate. When this happens, there is nothing one can do, but cut the child loose. This results in incredible agony for the male parent. Andre went into convulsions as his child was cut free. Dodger tried to block the pain as best as it could but it couldn't come close to blocking it all. Mike was a great help in comforting Andre afterwards. Males can be a great help to each other when they share childbirth experiences. Stephen got a bad case of cold feet after that but all first time parents feel that way. Once his babies were in the pouch he would fell like a new male.

* * *

We lost our water supply today. The enemy found the water mains that lead into the facility. Fortunately some of our more far sighted companions had filled every available container with water against such an occurrence. We might last another week if we rationed the water severely. The possibility that we might not get out of here has become very real to me now.

We triunes are being squeezed into a terrible double bind. If we surrender, our new spouses will be safe, but our original ones will be killed. If we don't surrender they will both die. Though every instinct we have screams against it we are considering the possibility of mass suicide. We could make a poison that will kill our families quickly, painlessly, even pleasantly. But the hell of Fort Restoration would be a paradise compared to the agony we would put ourselves through. It is too horrible a prospect to contemplate but the alternatives are even worse. Someone help us please.

* * *

A triune died today. One of the bullets from the forest struck it in the head. There was nothing we could do to help it. It's four spouses grieved themselves to death in a single day. One bullet killed five people and left six orphan children. I hover around my family like a demented mother hen. I think I am losing my mind.

* * *

One day of water left. Masada.

* * *

We were preparing to kill our families when the shadow fell across the compound.

"What is that?" asked a dazed triune.

"It is a Triskelion shuttle," I sad trembling.

"A shuttle had come!" screamed Dodger.

"Quick, round up everyone and get them on board," I said to no one in particular. "Those yokels outside aren't going to stay put for long." I was thinking they would rather kill us then see us escape. "Come on, move out. This isn't Masada anymore. It's Exodus!" Man we were making a cosmic split for freedom.

Our forest friends broke cover and charged the gate. They shot at us, the shuttle, and everything. Several of our people were shot, in the arms and legs, and one in the abdomen. Pat saw the tip of one her tendrils fly away. "Don't stand there looking at it, get in!" Tomiko staggered up to me. "I think it baby time now." "No, no, no, not now!," I shouted pushing her up the ramp into the shuttle. Those kids were going to have to wait or something. I was directing people into the shuttle like a deranged traffic cop. The enemy looked like ants as they swarmed over the main gate to the facility. "Raise the ramp! Close the doors! Do it now!" As the ramp rolled up and in I could see the enemy charging us. It was unbelievable. One of the old duffers did a flying leap onto the ramp, slid down it, just as the doors closed. He stood up and pointed a gun at my head. It was the lord high poobah himself.

The shuttle, having a mind of its own, lifted off with a jolt.

The Prophet pointed his gun at me and said, "Turn this thing around or I will shoot this bitch."

Dodger approached him calmly and said, "This shuttle is on autopilot and none us knows how to fly it. Holding Pepper hostage is not going to help you. Even if we knew how to fly it we would not obey your orders. We will never be slaves again. And I don't think you have enough bullets to kill us all. What will it be, life or death?"

I looked him in the eyes and said," If we are talking about life Mr. Neil, you should know that your grandchildren are about to be preborn."

"Preborn? What the hell are you talking about?"

"None of your kind were present when we gave birth in captivity, so you don't know how we reproduce."

"What kind of nonsense is this?"

"Come with me and find out." I lead him over to Tomiko who was already pushing out a fetal baby.

"Oh god, that baby is premature. It is going to die."

"No it isn't. Just watch." She handed the fetus to Stephen who placed it into his pouch. His father's face went white with shock.

"We have evolved into a type of marsupial mammal, Mr. Neil. Our females give birth prematurely because we have no placenta. Your son is shall we say a male mother. The infants will attach themselves to his bloodstream and develop in his pouch. Mike, slowly, show Mr. Neil your arm." He held up his arm and wiggled his tendrils at him with a wicked grin.

"What are you?" he whispered.

"Human beings. Those are sensory organs you are looking at. Compared to Mike, you are deaf and blind. Compared to me you are a sponge. We can mold and shape life to suit our needs. This shuttle is not a thing of metal but a living organism like our father ship home. For reasons that are too complicated to explain we are evolving along a different path than you. Look, your son is carrying your grandchildren. How does that fit into your theocracy? The truth is that it can not fit. The old way of life that you wanted to recreate is obsolete, as you are." The gun slid nervelessly from his hand. He sat down and stared silently at the floor. It would be a long time before he would speak again. Meanwhile, as my father-in-law, James, would say, I had other fish to fry.

* * *

It was no big surprise to me when the father ship of the Triskelion came into view. Gosh, I had forgotten how incredibly huge it was. They say you can't go home again. I guess that is true because it no longer felt like home to me. I was sure there would not be any of our parents left alive, which thought held mixed feelings for me. I wanted, and did not want, to talk to the old ones again. I found it difficult to separate my feelings of love and anger towards them. Those two emotions struggled neither giving ground to the other. I wanted to make peace with my past but I think that will be a long time coming.

Not much has happened since our return from the father ship. Time slips by and soon you find that your little ones have grown. Lifecodesinger has started to date and that makes me feel old. Which is silly because I am not quite 200.

All the Sapien people have passed on. The wild ones I don't miss but I deeply regret losing my in-laws. I even regret Mr. Neil's passing. While we never became friends we did mange to make peace between us. He dearly loved his son and was always a great comfort to him. We managed to double their life spans but there was only so much we could do with Sapien physiology. When they had all passed we held a memorial service for them.

I remember when I took the podium and looked out over the great assembly. At the very back towards the top of bleachers I saw a man. A human man with long hair, dressed in white, wearing granny glasses. He waved to me and I waved back. I made what few comments I had to offer and when I looked back up again, he was gone. I never told anyone about it, though I knew who had come to comfort me. It was John. Trinity bless you, my love. You will always be just a stone's throw away from my heart.

We feel that the arts and science of our past are a legacy that we should pass on. We cannot deny where we came from. That is, and always shall be, a part of us. I keep myself busy with preserving and cataloging the music of our world. Some of our kids are busy living and working on the father ship as they try to reconstruct Triskelion technology. I have no problem with that because that too is our heritage. One good thing has come of it in that we have found records pertaining to our human parentage. I found that my human genes came from a biracial couple. My mother was a small white woman, and my father was a large, good looking, black man. The records are vague so I am not sure what her name was. His name appears to have been Bernard, or maybe Barney. Hello, father. I am glad to know you. This also answered our questions about how the old ones obtained human genetic material. Over the years they systematically kidnapped thousands of humans and took it from them by force. So, in a sense, all of us are the children of rape. And we must deal with that as best we can.

I originally planned to end my memoirs here because, being the home body I am, I figured I would never have any more adventures. However, those on our father ship say they have detected an object entering our solar system. They think that it could be a comet or perhaps it might another father ship. If it is another ship from Triskelion we may have to confront our past. And who can tell what joys or sorrows that may bring. So it may be that this is only part one of my memoirs. But, for now, I shall put it to rest. And what better way than with a song.