Kari

By C. D. Moulton

An engineered race. The tyranical engineers are to return. They will enslave the people - and they are engineered to be docile.

Can a mutant save these people?

• Language: English
• Publisher: C. D. Moulton
• Release date: Jul 26, 2022
• ISBN: 9798201039561

Book preview

Chapter One

*

Kari

Kari dangled his feet in the cool lake water and watched the ripples spread out slowly into the surrounding pond. The sun was warm on his back and myriad birds were singing in the nearby forests. An emerald eel came to the sparkling surface, stared at him for a moment, then withdrew its head and was gone.

He wondered if he looked very strange to the eel. He knew that when he looked at things in the water, even when he was under the water, things appeared distorted and strange.

Yes, he looked strange to the eel. It was only logical.

Kari ran his three fingers through the fur on his upper chest, enjoying the sensations.

Why did the Kloven have furry chests and outer thighs, but had smooth skin over most of the rest of their bodies? The Ackens had thick fur all the way from the hairline (All the races had long silky hair over the tops of their heads) to their ankles – but only on their backs. Their fronts were smooth skin for the most part.

Why did the hybrids, the Klovacks, have fur on the tops of their bodies and on their upper legs? Why did they have three fingers and thumbs on both hands while both the Klovens and the Ackens had thumbs and three fingers on the right hand and only four fingers on the left hand? Why couldn't the Klovacks have any young?

It wasn't too rare for a Kloven and an Acken to love and want to share their lives together. The resulting people, the Klovacks, were strange and wonderful people and were known to be exceptionally intelligent. More importantly, they were wise.

They were such good people it didn't seem fair they couldn't have young to raise with their own race or with either parent race.

Kari was a Kloven, but he was afraid he was going to fall in love with Nuuno, a Klovack girl.

He really did want children.

Life seemed so unfair at times. He must ask the Keeper about such things.

Kari could well understand why the Keeper was always a Klovack. They were, after all, the wisest of all the peoples and Keeno, Keeper for the males, was the best possible choice. She was the wisest person ever to live! Well, that was Kari's opinion.

Loni, Keeper for the females, was almost as wise.

Why was the Keeper of the males always a female while the Keeper of the females was always a male? The two sexes really couldn't understand one another in many ways.

Certainly! All you have to do is think! Most problems arose because of misunderstandings so the opposite sex was the logical one to ask what was wrong!

Then why not choose a person who was one sex, but thought and acted like the other? There were enough of them.

Maybe there would be too many conflicts for some reason Kari could not comprehend. Things were very good the way they were now, so why change?

Kari looked back toward the village, watching the three types of people moving about their business and felt good again. Life was pleasant and there was plenty of food. The crops were doing very well and the fishes were plentiful.

Why did people have to kill fishes and animals to survive? Why couldn't they be like the grazers and live off of plants?

Kari knew the animal growers and the fishermen had to do their jobs, but he was glad he was going to be a studier. He had seen the sadness in the eyes of the growers when they had to kill the animals. None of the people liked to have to kill for any reason. Even when the old became sick – or the young, for that matter – so must take the rites and drink the elixir to end their pain, he knew how much it hurt everyone else, even though the taker was being released from agonies.

Kari knew he would find release in the elixir some day. Most everyone did and he wouldn't hesitate. Life for the individual had to end sometime. A single stab of pain in those he loved at that time was far better than prolonged pain for all when life was of no more use to him or to others. He would never choose to hold to life like Seri had. Just losing both legs was bad enough, though he could still function well with that loss. Losing his right arm was something that could be overcome, but to have made a will where he was to be kept alive when the mind was gone was wasteful and painful to all.

Kari's will said he was to be given the elixir at any time his mind was gone, but he alone was to choose the elixir or not for anything else.

It was a good will.

There were Kappo, an Acken girl, and Lupi, a Klovack boy. They were coming down the street to the dock, each with one arm around the other. They were both Kari's closest friends. The three had grown up close and were always together until recently. Kappo was to study new farming methods while Lupi was going to be a traveler. Kappo would run the family farm and Lupi would go all around the continent and maybe to others.

It was Lupi's sister, Nuuno, that Kari thought he was learning to love.

Kappo was already in love with Somi, another Acken. They were a good pair and could make life contented for one another. Somi's reddish-brown fur combined with Kappo's golden-brown would make spectacular young. Somi tended to be strongly muscled as a family trait and Kappo's people were, too, though more slender in the waist. The children would be good farmers and the females would all be beautiful.

Kari was so very happy for them! Their love was better than could be planned if such things were planned for people like they were for the animals.

Kappo wouldn't be an animal farmer. Their farm was grain and root crops on rotation. They had machines to help till the soil and harvest the grains. Very modern and scientific.

Kari wondered if Lupi would ever take a mate. Sometimes he talked about it and said he wouldn't.

It was good that Kappo had Lupi there to teach her about the physical things she would enjoy only with her mate once she had been enjoined by the Keepers. Kari had Nuuno now and didn't feel he would ever want any other. He learned from her and they shared so much. Lupi was popular with several girls and even with Cami, who was a male in body and a female in mind.

Kari had asked Lupi about it, but Lupi said Kari would never seek any such relationship, so had no need to know.

That was very true. Kari couldn't picture himself in any such situation. The closeness he had with Lupi and a couple of other male friends was as close as he cared to come to another male. He sometimes slept together with Lupi and they were close then, but sex? – No. He couldn't even picture it. It was enough to love and care about a friend. No more was needed. Others felt differently, but that wasn't of concern to him.

That was part of the wisdom of the Klovacks. They knew these things.

Maybe after he traveled for many years Lupi would return to become Keeper for the females here.

Kari stood to embrace his friends, then they all sat to dangle their feet in the cool water and commune in spirit, but not in words for awhile. Kappo was to his left. Lupi was to his right. They were sitting so they were touching. Kari toyed with the thick fur on Kappo's shoulder with one hand and that of Lupi with the other, noting subconsciously that Kappo had very fine silky fur while Lupi's was more coarse and springy. There were many minor differences in his two closest friends and in himself!

So much was the same.

A strong feeling of caring for these two swept through him. He was close to all his peoples and to other peoples in other villages. They were all a part of the life force here and that force was a good one.

Lupi tightened the arm around his shoulder as Kappo laid her head against his cheek. They sat a moment like that until Lupi finally said, We must talk of things that must be.

Kari felt this was to be a moment of parting and was deeply saddened. They would never be truly apart, as their spirits were unbreakably tied, but it would be a lonely time when Lupi was gone. Kari knew it was time for Lupi to begin his travels, that the time was more than overdue. Lupi had wanted to stay a bit longer with those he loved and who loved him.

Perfection can't last. It was to be a time of parting. Lives would have to change and adjust.

The three friends stood and walked slowly into the cool path through the forests. A parting must be out of the sight and sound of those not so deeply affected. The three friends would cry and cling together, but this was a thing that must happen.

Kari was still not prepared for what was asked of him.

Lupi didn't want to cause such as this terrible conflict within him, but Lupi was very wise and knew exactly what he was doing. No one ever planned these things.

*

Kappo

This was a truly magnificent day! The sun was bright and the air was that just-before-cool that felt so pleasant to her. It was more a beautiful day yet because she had come to another very important decision at the dawning. Her life was now, before this day was over, to become a time of memory.

Somi had again asked that she become his mate. She had again agreed, as she had since first she realized they were fated. It had come suddenly, as it seemed to do with some people, and she knew it would never change.

She was ready. This night she would become totally a part of the togetherlife with Somi! She would finish her schooling and become a fine director for the farm, as Somi would for the farm of his parents. Somi had no siblings so would inherit that farm one day. She would make him a fine mate and they would have fine children.

She wanted three. That was a good number for her and she knew Somi felt the same.

This was a perfect day!

She lifted her head from Lupi's chest to blow into his ear. That always woke him quickly. He rolled to pull her to him, but she told him it would no longer be proper as she was to take a mate this day.

He was totally happy for her! He had always known she and Somi were fated, but now that it was finally decided he was excited and thrilled for her.

She laid close against him again, placing her lips lightly against the side of his neck. She was happy and glad she was so fortunate to have him as her closest friend and her teacher. She did love him deeply, as she always would – as she was certain all of his students of physical matters did. She was sure only Somi could possibly have such a perfectly matched body for her as that of Lupi.

Kari was as good a friend, of course, but he couldn't be her teacher and sharer because that would result in young being born to them and a child of parents who were not enjoined by fate in togetherlife and in spirit always had such a hard life, not being able to trust love itself.

Wasn't it strange that nature had produced the Klovacks? They couldn't have young of their own so were perfect teachers of both other races who could have young together with each other or with their own race. The great intelligence the Klovacks were born with and the wisdom most of them slowly acquired as they grew made them the absolutely perfect people to guide and teach the Klovens and the Ackens.

She still clung tightly to Lupi, who's normal stimulation subsided quickly when she told him of her decision.

She loved him so! She loved Kari and the village and the continent and the world around her!

Mostly, she loved Somi! Oh, how she loved Somi!

Kappo bounced out of bed, pulling at Lupi to get up, then they went downstairs to eat breakfast. She informed her parents of her decision and they were overjoyed. They began making plans for the ceremony of enjoinment and her father called Somi's father to discuss staying there for the ten days of consummation. It was tradition that the members of the bride's family stayed with the groom's family for the first ten days after the enjoinment so the new spirit bond could be formed without outside interference.

This was the first that Somi's parents had heard of the agreement and Kappo giggled and asked to speak with Somi. She quoted the traditional, I have accepted your plea for enjoinment and will this very night begin our spirit-bonding in the home of my parents if you still wish for that union.

She didn't need the telephone to hear Somi's whoop of joy.

I am so very happy! Somi told her. "I await eagerly this night's ceremonies. I am greatly and deeply honored that you have chosen me over all the many others who seek your bonding.

Kappo, it is well that Keeno stayed the night past with Kari, for I enter the bonding with the rise of the sun today. I need ask not that you have done the same.

The telephone's microphone was a handheld one, but the small speaker was on the base on the wall. Lupi took the mouthpiece from Kappo and said, I did sleep the night past with Kappo. She informed me upon awakening that she was finished with my lessons and would begin the bonding. She had been awake, had reached her decision and I feel great joy for the two of you and for the world that has this love in it.

That was form too, but it also must be true.

Kappo's father again took the mouthpiece to continue with the making of plans while Lupi and Kappo finished their breakfast, then went in search of Kari to tell him the good news. He would be at the lake on such a fine morning.

Lupi told Kappo of his own plans on the way to the lake and it saddened her some because they were so close, but she knew it was time to move on and to make changes. She knew, too, that it wouldn't be proper to take the time from her duties and from her mate to continue in such a light and carefree manner.

She did feel some worry about Lupi's plans concerning Kari, but she knew that Lupi, being a Klovack, was far the wiser in these things.

They saw Kari sitting on the dock and went to sit close to either side of him in strong silent communication. He was so warm and it felt so good to be touching this way that she laid her head against his cheek.

Lupi said they must talk and Kappo knew that Kari felt it was time Lupi began his travels. She knew he would be so happy she had made the decision to take her mate. She brushed his ear with her lips as they stood, then they went to the forest path for the alone time.

This was a time of both great joy and great sadness for all of them and they would cling together tightly and cry for the loss of a part of their lives and laugh in joy for the good things that were to happen.

Kari, and not Lupi, would receive the last kiss! Lupi would understand and would agree that he should have the honor. Lupi could stand with them as part of the ceremony, too. It must be that they all shared her enjoinment ceremony. Their lives were unbreakably bound.

They arrived at a small clearing, where they turned to hold to each other.

* *

Lupi

Lupi awakened suddenly with Kappo blowing in his ear. He was immediately stimulated and grabbed at her, but she said she would take the rites.

He was honestly happy for her. Somi was the closest to perfect genetic match for her he could imagine and they did love each other. He had steered her toward this in a careful subtle manner for quite some time.

Of all the girls he was teacher to she was the most important to him, though he couldn't show that. She had the potential to produce excellent offspring – especially with someone like Somi, who was of such great genetic strength.

Yes, and it was true she was his closest friend.

He was sorry for himself for a moment because he couldn't take her himself, but the Klovack had a duty that came before personal desires. She was the kind who must carefully be steered to produce young with her own race and not the Kloven. Her superior genes must not be lost in a sterile offspring and must not die out because she became emotionally entangled with a sterile triploid, such as himself.

He envied both the Kloven and the Ackens at times because they could allow their emotions truly free reign and could love whoever they chose or whoever their emotions ran away with. He couldn't – not in such a case as this.

If he had become involved with most other Ackens emotionally he could have taken the enjoinment rites and lived quite happily. He was to be a traveler by his own choice so he wouldn't be able to take a mate until he returned some years from now.

Perhaps he would really enjoy the travel.

The better genes of Kappo must become part of the permanent structure of the Acken race. That was his first duty. The genes of