#1 part

Having known her teacher all of her life, K’sere was suddenly far less sure of herself. She forged ahead, now certain that some sort of unexpected thing lurked in what seemed so obvious to her. Where Lezon was involved, the unforeseen was the norm.

“Right here, it says that the M’cratt signed a peace treaty after the War of T.C. 0947 and then made the opening attack of the next war in T.C. 0986.”

Lezon nodded briskly in agreement. The other two kits of Clan D’ancer were watching with interest. History might often be dull but having it taught by one of the true living legends of the last War tended to make things more than a bit interesting at times. It was only recently, since the battle with the Hand of Claws, that they had learned who Lezon really was. She had been a unique War Leader even among the Warriors of the M’cratt. Besides, T’cill and T’lass weren’t the ones having to watch out for their snack points.

Lezon seriously asked, “So, in what particular was the treaty broken? What did the Treaty Commission do about it? If the treaty were broken by the M’cratt, they would have intervened on the side of the Clan. Did they?”

K’sere could see her snack points retreating in disarray, even if she could not yet see the cause of the stampede. “The Treaty Commission didn’t do anything! There was a War!”

“And?” Lezon interposed, “Why did the Treaty Commission do nothing?”

Almost contemptuously, K’sere spouted the common excuse, “Because the T.C. doesn’t interfere in wars. They just protect habitable planets from illegal attacks!”

Lezon frowned, laying her ears so flat to her skull that they were almost hidden in her mane. “K’sere! I know that you have studied the Treaty Commission Charter! They are required to stop treaty violations! Who was it that they stopped?” Lezon purred, “Clan or M’cratt?”

K’sere paged through her information, using all the search keys that she could think of. Perplexed, she looked up and saw her teacher’s tail twitching in amusement. “It doesn’t say.”

Sardonically amused, whiskered lip pulled slightly up from her right fang, Lezon said, “I know. This is a Clan written history prepared for the young by Clan historians. I do need the permission of T’cass and K’ress both to go beyond it. They are the remaining two of your mothers and your Clan’s leaders.”

She keyed the console and spoke briefly to the surviving parents of her charges. In only moments, the little room got smaller. K’ress came in and sat with the kits. “I would like to hear your answer to K’sere’s question too, Lezon. Back before we got married, both you and T’cass did drill it into us that the M’cratt didn’t break the Treaty. I will help with part of the answer.” Thinking of M’rel’s death brought another tear. Would she ever stop mourning her triad wife?

K’ress turned in her seat to face her kits, wiping away the tear, and pointed her ears frankly forward as she said, “The T.C. interfered only three times during the last War. Each time, it was to save a M’cratt world from space-borne bombardment by biosphere destructive weapons.

“The last time, it was M’cratt itself, saved from complete destruction as a planet.” She hung her head in shame. “Our leaders were ready to bombard the Imperial Planet into an asteroid field. That is why there is a Treaty Commission. They stopped us from doing a great evil.

“I know that the M’cratt did not break the treaty. If they had broken the treaty, it would have violated the Warrior’s Way. That is something that they will not do. The Empress Triad ordered the executions of three M’cratt commanders WHO WON engagements because they violated the Warrior’s Way to do it.”

Little T’lass diplomatically put her claws into the discussion and batted it onto a new path. “Maybe we are asking the question the wrong way about. What did the M’cratt sign if it wasn’t a peace treaty?”

Lezon beamed. “Excellent logic, T’lass. Snack points! What did the Imperial Triad sign? Everybody get the treaty on screen in both Clan and M’cratt.” There was a small flurry of activity as screens flickered and keys clicked.

“Got it, Lezon,” a ragged chorus said.

“There it is!” said K’sere, pointing in triumph. “The title is, Treaty of Peace!”

Almost sadly, Lezon pointed out, “In Clan, it does say that. What does the M’cratt translation of the treaty say? Remember, that translation is the only version that was signed by the Imperial Triad.”

K’ress had already pulled up a M’cratt lexicon and was puzzling out the unfamiliar and therefore difficult characters. “It says, Treaty for a Time of No Conflict. Doesn’t that mean peace?”

“No,” said a mellow voice from the doorway. “You can’t say peace in M’cratt. The language doesn’t even have the concept. To say ‘no conflict’ is a contradiction in terms like ‘I can’t stand sitting.’ It negates itself.”

“Mommy T’cass!” the kits called out in excitement. “You’re up!”

“Only for an hour, children. The MediBed is most insistent that I return.” T’cass ruffled their ears and scratched juvenile manes. “Now get back to your desks and I will answer K’sere’s question.”

She seated herself at Lezon’s teaching desk and asked the room, “Does anybody in this room know where I was born?”

At the blank looks from the rest, Lezon replied, “Your mothers were ambassadors to M’cratt for Clan interests. I don’t know where you were born. Is it important?”

T’cass cocked her head at Lezon and said, “You must all decide that for yourselves. I was born on M’cratt, in the Imperial City. My mothers put me into K’lass’s School of All Conflict.”

Lezon interrupted to ask, “How is my old teacher? I have been unable to check, myself, due to remaining in concealment.”

T’cass smiled, showing many teeth, “She not only survived the war, the last that I checked, her school remains the most respected one in the Empire. I was just a kit but I did well and learned the Warrior’s Way along with all the others. By the time that I was half grown, I was translating for my Mothers. My story begins with that.

“Nobody was willing to listen to what I tried to tell them about the treaty that we had with the Empire. When I tried to tell other Embassy staff about the flaws in the treaty, I learned a hard lesson. Some of them had written and translated that treaty. They were not receptive to a juvenile saying that the highest point of their careers was a mistake. They got my mothers recalled and replaced by others less competent.

“The next few years were the most awful time in my life. It was spent as a young adult in Clan Space. I spoke Clan perfectly but had trouble understanding some parts of it. I had been raised as a Warrior and I was now in a place that hated war and failed entirely to understand the nature of conflict. Only Lezon can understand what that means.”

Lezon nodded understanding, saying, “Now I know why you were so patient with me at first. I wasn’t a very good slave back then.”

T’cass smiled softly and pointed her ears directly as she replied, “No, you weren’t. You still aren’t, for that matter, but this Clan would be far worse for not having you in it. You were, and still are, a Warrior. A Battle Friend. I needed someone around who actually understood me.

“The War changed everything. My training allowed me to predict the nature and location of the M’cratt attacks. I spoke perfect M’cratt and could interrogate prisoners. I was the best fighter pilot and tactician in all of Clan Space. I was promoted to the Tactical and Strategic Board.

“I remained unpopular. I was constantly telling off anybody who tried to say that the M’cratt had broken the treaty. It is not the fault of the M’cratt that the Clan’s translation failed to convey what they meant.

“K’ress, the lexicon that you just used to translate the treaty title is the same one the Clan translators used to make the treaty. It is worse than merely wrong, it is almost right. The correct reading of the title would be something like Treaty Governing the Time of Preparation for New Conflict.”

There was a soft hiss of indrawn breath all about the room as the kits and K’ress realized the implications of the mistake.

T’cass went on, “The M’cratt language is built around three fundamental states of conflict, each related to one of the Goddess’ Triad.

“There is preparation for Conflict, represented by Lezon, keeper of the Cave of Life. She prepares the souls of the dead to return to the Conflict of Life. She represents the memory of Conflict won or lost, as lessons to be learned. She is also the bridge from the past to the future.

“There is Conflict itself, in all of its forms. It is represented by Treh, Huntress of the Stars, whose battles bring Light to the world. She also represents Life itself. Life and Conflict are the same word. Conflict is inherent in the present as it is in all tenses.

The last state is death, usually but not precisely translated as the future tense. It is not freedom from Conflict. K’lass is the guide whose wisdom, if followed, leads the souls of the dead through difficult battles. They have to relive every conflict that they ever experienced and learn the best response to each one. Then K’lass leads the souls to Lezon in the Cave of Life. K’lass represents Wisdom in the Management of Conflict which is the source of all perfection.”

T’cill raised a hand. “I thought that Lezon lit candles to light the way of the dead to the Cave of Life,” she said earnestly.

Lezon smiled, “I tried to keep my explanation simple before. The candle is a beacon for K’lass. It assists her in finding the souls of the fallen. Once she finds them, she is their guide. Only she knows where the Cave of Life is.”

T’cass looked directly at Lezon and added, “You risked your life to give me a Warrior’s Return to Clan territory at the battle of K’stall when I ran out of firepower while we were dog-fighting. Someone with that sort of honor could never allow the treaty to be broken in the war she planned and was carrying out … the war that the Clans nearly lost.

“K’sere’s question must be stated as T’lass did it. How could the treaty be kept and still allow a war? Now, you know. It was our own translation error. The Combined Clans only thought that it was a peace treaty.”

Lezon smiled and the world was full of friendly teeth. “When I planned that war, the terms of the treaty were kept carefully. The honor of the Empire and the Imperial Triad were at stake. The war was only possible because it was not a peace treaty. Neither is the current one, by the way. The Clan translators have made the same errors all over again.

“The Treaty Commission does know the correct reading of the treaty and that is why they did not intervene. Their job is strictly limited by their Charter. They can not assist in the making of treaties. They only enforce the treaties that others have made and protect habitable planets from illegal, biosphere destructive attacks.”

“T’cass, when I fought you at K’stall, I met and tested a Warrior. The Warrior’s Way required that I give you the Return. That placed you under an Obligation of Conflict. You balanced the Obligation when you saved my life after M’onafar.”

All of the D’ancer’s Clan listened intently. This was about the foundation of their family, not just history. T’lass asked, “Can you tell us why nobody knew who you were? I know that they searched for some proof besides your wrecked Talon that you died at M’onafar. We’ve all read about that.”

It was T’cass who answered. “Nobody else knew who she was because I knew who she was. This was before I met M’rel and you, K’ress. I had never found anybody who understood me and was willing to accept me. I didn’t know that it was possible for anyone from the Clans to love me.

“Besides the Obligations of the Warrior’s Way, I had my own reason. She was a Battle Friend and wounded seriously. She needed to be shielded from her enemies. They were not only in the Clans. In fact, Lezon was safer with me, among the Clans, than among her own.”

T’cass paused and clicked up a picture that was now famous. It was Lezon’s battle damaged Talon fighter. She rotated the image to show the damaged driver array. “What I am telling you now has been a secret kept between me and Lezon. I shot up the drivers and the life system myself, after I took Lezon out of the wreck.”

Using a pointer, T’cass indicated a section. “Look closely at this area,” she directed.

K’sere wrinkled her brow as she looked at the picture under high magnification. She stated, “That looks like a M’cratt disruptor hit.”

Lezon said quietly, “It is. My Talon was hit from behind by a low powered attack when my vector would carry me away from the M’cratt battle formation. It destroyed the superconducting cables to my drive, wounded me slightly and caused some other damage. Even injured and losing air, I almost got my Talon back home.

“I was only about three inches of superconducting cable short of getting power up. I tried to bridge the gap with copper. It almost worked. The saturation blast from the failure of the superconducting drive circuit is what nearly killed me.”

Puzzled, T’cill, oldest of the kits, asked, “Why did they try to assassinate you? You were winning the war for them.”

Dryly, Lezon answered, “Precisely. And the only reason that the admirals and other leaders took directions from a mere combat pilot was that the Empress Triad ordered them to. The youngest wife of the Empress Triad, S'tand, just happened to go to K’lass’ School of All Conflict at the same time that I did. The Imperial Triad knew that every conflict that I planned or participated in at the School of All Conflict came out the way that I wanted it to.”

T’cill’s snout wrinkled skeptically along one side. “Why were you a fighter pilot then? Why weren’t you one of those admirals?”

T’cass picked that one up. “They couldn’t keep her from fighting. It’s a guiding principle of the Warrior’s Way. A Warrior must be allowed to fight. Those high officers took it poorly when the Empress Triad’s chosen War Leader refused their company and the safety of their positions aboard fortress ships. I think that they felt that it reflected on their courage.”

Lezon said dryly, “As a matter of fact, that was pointed out to them by the Empress Triad in person. It may have had something to do with the assassination attempt.”

A gentle bonging began to sound. T’cass wrinkled her snout at her kits affectionately and said, “Now you know how the M’cratt see those issues that the Clans think of as treaty violations. In fact, the only ones who have violated the treaties are the Clans. They are also the ones who bungled the translations.

“Now, the MediBed is calling and I do have to go. Be as good as you can be and still be the D’ancer’s kits.” She reached over and ruffled juvenile manes, then raised her claws in farewell and left the room. In moments, the bonging ceased.

Lezon turned to the kits and asked, “Does everybody understand the situation that K’sere brought up?”

They all made noises of agreement.

“Enough to take a test on the subject?” Lezon asked looking aslant at them. The agreement was complete but nowhere near as enthusiastic.

Suddenly, Lezon’s tail twitched and her ears shot up jauntily, “Good, because we’re not going to put that test on the computer for the Educational Combine to find! T’lass, for your suggestion, Snack Points! K’sere, for bringing up the topic, Snack Points, after all!

“Let’s go to the galley and get lunch!” Lezon said cheerfully. “Will you kits kill T’cass’ lunch and take it to her? The MediBed will allow her real food now but she still can’t pounce her own.”

A delighted tumble of kits charged out of the compartment. Lezon shook her head in wonderment. Smiling she said, “Kits! Such simple things can make them so happy.”

K’ress smiled fondly after her Clan’s progeny and agreed, “I wish that life was that simple for us.”

Suddenly serious, she said, “I fear that it may get complicated for us all over again, Lezon. I tried to discuss this matter once before. We … were interrupted. It is about manumission. T’cass and I both want to free you. The kits do too. In fact, what we need to ask was first proposed by them.

“Our problem is simply this. We want to ask something of you and by Clan law, the question can only be asked of a free person.”

Lezon was actually afraid. For one who followed the Way of the Warrior there was only one way to deal with fear. It had to be faced. Voice shaking, she replied, “Then let me have you all there and do as you feel you must.” Bleakly, she added, “I did tell you, there is no place for me, if I am freed. Where will I go?”

Sympathetically, K’ress laid her hand on Lezon’s arm said gently, “Come up to T’cass’ bedside and take your freedom from her claws. You know that she wishes you no ill. I hope that you will trust the rest of us, too.”

Bracing herself, Lezon nodded, saying, “I will have to.”

They came in just in time to hear the kits say with pride, “We checked the MediBed computer and chose one exactly the right size for you!” K’sere reached into the serving cage and neatly caught and killed the snack, giving the still quivering creature to her birth Mother.

Smiling in delight, T’cass accepted it and bit into her lunch. Chewing and swallowing, she said, “Thank you, children. I love you all. It was loving you that kept me going while I was stranded.”

Looking past the kits to the door, she said, “I see that it is time for something else. Is everything ready?”

“It sure is!” T’cill exclaimed, practically hopping in excitement. “We finished it just in time, too! Can I go get it?”

“Please,” requested T’cass. “I think that we will have a good use for the things that you made. I also need you to stop by my cabin and get me the item from the locked cabinet as well.”

T’cill fairly flew out of the compartment. Shortly the kit returned with a long bulky bundle and an object carefully wrapped in oiled silk. She carefully laid everything on the MediBed beside T’cass.

T’cass looked sympathetically at Lezon and said, “Lezon Treh K’lass, within this Clan you have never been a slave, no matter what the law might have said. I took your submission and refused the notion of surrender. The time has come to take care of the matter of Clan law. Please come here to my side.”

Lezon stepped up to the bedside of the only M’cratt Warrior that had ever been born of Clan parents and said, “Battle Friend, if you free me, where shall I go? The Clans will try me for the last War. The M’cratt have no place for me either. The new Treaty forbids me from my home if I am ever found. There is no place for me.”

T’cass smiled and replied, “Lezon, trust me in this. It is to discuss your place that it is necessary to free you. Take this from my hands. I saved it from your Talon to give it back to you some day. This is that day.”

She unwrapped the oiled silk and held out to Lezon a pattern welded steel knife. The unique pattern of this knife was perhaps the most famous in either Clan or M’cratt spaces. Against a fall of the finest maidenhair pattern, worked into the form of the Great M’cratt nebula, small star and eye shapes revealed the faces of the Triple Goddess. It was the Warrior’s knife made by Lezon Treh K’lass. T’cass held it out handle first, free of the plain M’cratt fast draw sheath.

T’cass intoned formally, “Lezon Treh K’lass, your service to the Clan D’ancer has been honorably acquitted. By returning your Knife, I arm you as a free Warrior. I hope that you will continue to fight by my side and that of my Clan. I can no longer compel you by either Clan law or M’cratt submission. Take back your Soul Knife and free choices.”

Lezon took the big blade and carefully strapped the sheath to her leg. Placing the knife flat on her palm she offered it to T’cass’ touch.

T’cass responded, “I cannot, in Warrior’s Honor, accept the gift of a favor yet. There is more to do and speak of first. The kits made these. I hope that you find them worthy for the rest of us to bear.” She held to Lezon the long package.

Unwrapped, it proved to be six ceremonial spears. Their blades were of elegantly worked pattern welded steel mounted on hafts of tough composite plastic inlaid with the signs of the Triple Goddess of the M’cratt. Lezon examined them each carefully, with the critical eye of a true expert. The kits held their breath until Lezon smiled.

“These are as well done as any spears that I have ever handled,” she pronounced. Knowing what was needed now, Lezon handed the first spear to T’cass, saying, “Battle Friend, accept this gift of arms and fight by my side.”

Solemnly T’cass nodded and took the weapon. In turn, K’ress, T’cill, K’sere, and T’lass took theirs. Lezon took the last spear and choked slightly as she stated, “As you will stand at my side, so shall I be at yours.” She turned to T’cass and added, “So this is my place? Here with you all? What of the Clans?”

K’ress smiled almost wickedly as she spoke. “They don’t need to know any more about you than they already do. Of course, if they even think about getting uppity, there’s a few practical details that they will need to consider.

“This vessel will fight for your safety and life. They will know that it has just destroyed a powerful M’cratt Talon Carrier single handed. As the cream on that snack, there’s the pesky detail that we also inadvertently destroyed a triple sun system while discharging the weapon that finished the Hand of Claws. Three stars splatted so hard that there is only one is left. Oops!”

“What of my knife?”

T’cass nodded, acknowledging a potential difficulty, and said, “I am known to possess that war souvenir. I have given it to you as a freely given gift after your help in saving our lives.”

Lezon accepted that and asked, “The Clans will believe that, even if no M’cratt would. Now, what was so important that you had to free me to ask it?”

Suddenly very serious, T’cass replied, “First, know that your place with us is secure no matter what your answer to our question. What we need to ask does go against the Warrior’s Way but you have done so already, in a way that gives us hope that you will accept our offer.”

K’ress moved over to where she could hold T’cass’s hand and each of them held out her free hand to Lezon. “Will you marry us, Lezon? Will you make our Clan triad whole and become a true mother to our kits? Please?”

Lezon looked carefully about her, at all of these people that she had known and served for so long. She could see the fear that she would reject them written plainly on the faces of the kits. She loved them. She already knew that. How to show it though? The Warrior’s Way had given her a lifetime of training in repressing such expressions.

Lezon smiled, swept her arms about the kits, gathering them together, and enclosed them in the grip that she gave to T’cass and K’ress. Holding all of them at once, Lezon said, “I would be honored. Knowing you has showed me that there is a truth that goes beyond the Warrior’s Way. It has also showed me that the truth of the Clans is not complete either. I think that we are about to create something new.”

Slightly dryly, T’cass snorted, “Life should be interesting around here from now on. I am glad that you accepted us, Lezon. We do love you. All of us. The D’ancer Clan is going to be a unique one, with two who were raised as M’cratt Warriors in it.”

“It will be strange indeed,” responded Lezon. “After all, how many Warrior Clans are there? Just this one, I think.”

–THE END–

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