God's Dogs Book 2

Drumming and dancing we surrender to the rhythms of life and reconnect with the Mother as we let the [coyotes] run free.

Shikoba

The cephalopods on the diplomatic team were on the planet. It took a bit of persuading, but Quinn convinced the commander and the mediator that the Coyotes, to be effective, needed to be on the planet as well. Tzai came with them.

The shuttle placed them on the shore of the main sub-continent. The spaceport fronted a small town that was a hub for business with the space station, and the seat of government for the planet. The locals included free-walking octopods, cart-carried cuttlefish and nautilus analogues, and some upright salamander-looking bipeds.

They strolled among dome structures in the town and along walkways to shallow fjords. Once the humanoids appeared, though, most scurried either into the dome dwellings or into the ocean. Except for three cart-driven cuttlefish analogues, who approached. The three sported different colors. One was a simple brown. One was a flamboyant red and purple. The other was mottled black and dark blue.

“Greetings,” the brown one said. “You are the Coyote team. Am I correct?”

Quinn answered, “Yes. You are from the mediator team.”

“We are. How may we assist?”

“I have some questions.”

“Beyond what we have already answered?” the red and purple said with a hint of challenge coming through the translator.

“Yes,” Quinn told him. ’We would know more about the deity the Ooli believe set them on the course they are on.”

The three gurgled among themselves before the mottled one said, “The deity of the sea told them they would have dominion over others and to care for them.”

“That’s what we thought,” Pax replied. “They have a limited mandate that they have expanded to justify their war of acquisition.”

“We know this,” the brown one said, “but there is nothing we can do about it. Religious interpretations are the purview of the priest caste. It is they who are adamant about the war.”

River stepped forward. “We are shaman-trained. We can ask the deity of the sea to clarify his mandate.”

The gurgling and then some buzzing commenced among the three and went on for some time.

Moss interrupted it, “What have we got to lose? It’s a stalemate now. The Ooli are determined. The Congress is not backing down. It’s time to try something new.”

After a short silence, the brown one said, “What is your plan?”

Quinn answered, “We will set up a sacred space on the shore. We’ll need wood for a fire to make that happen. Once the sacred space is created, we call in this deity. He is a high enough spirit-being so he can manifest in semi-physical form. Once he does so, we ask him to clarify the mandate he gave the Ooli.”

The mottled one asked, “Who should attend this ceremony?”

“Anyone that wants to,” Moss replied. “It’s their god, after all. They might want to see him and hear what he has to say.”

“The priests won’t approve,” the red and purple one predicted. “They probably won’t come and may forbid others to attend.”

“Of course they won’t approve,” Moss laughed. “They get their power by claiming to speak for god. It terrifies them when god speaks for himself.”

Quinn put in, “The leaders will come, and many of the people will come as well. That will force the priests to attend.”

“And we’ll need a drum, too,” Moss added.

Tzai stood by the shuttle ramp observing this exchange, then he relayed the conversation to Mediator Tor via comm-link. When it was over, Tzai remarked, “That didn’t take long.”

“No,” Tor replied, “it didn’t. From our reports, it’s possible they can do what they claim.”

“But what will the priests do when their god repudiates their war?”

“Lash out at the humans, would be my guess.”

“And their loyal followers with them,” Tzai sighed. “It could spark a civil war.”

“But it would end the inter-stellar war,” Tar responded. “And that is all we can care about.”

Tzai grimaced at that but said, “I’ll find them a drum and some wood.”

It took a day to organize, and the cuttlefish mediators did the organizing beneath the waves. The team spent the night in the shuttle, and the next day the mood in the town changed.

“I’d suggest you wear your light armor,” Tzai told them before they exited the shuttle.

“The natives are getting restless,” Moss said as he observed the town’s occupants from the top of the shuttle’s ramp.

They donned their armor and strapped on their handguns but left the rifles in the portable armory.

As they left the shuttle, Tzai told them, “I’ll leave and gather some wood and a drum. We should be back by noon.”

“Good,” Quinn said. “And thanks. You’ve been helpful, Tzai. We appreciate it.”

Tzai grimaced at that and said, “You know the priests will fight back.”

“Of course,” Quinn said and began searching for a place to build a sacred circle.

They found a bulge in the land, like a squashed peninsula, with the correct orientation to the cardinal points. They decided on that location and cleared rocks and gravel to mark three compass points. The north was associated with the earth, and they built a mound of dirt there. The east was associated with the air, and they found birds’ feathers to place there. The south was associated with fire, and they dug out a fire-pit. The west was associated with water, and the ocean was there.

Rinsing their hands in the ocean, they studied their handiwork.

“Looks good,” Moss proclaimed and then asked, “Who calls in and chats with this world’s Poseidon?”

Quinn thought for a moment and said, “Pax, are you up for it?”

Pax nodded and smiled.

“River,” Quinn went on, “will you talk to the Mother goddess and get permission to do this?”

“Sure. I’ll get right on it.”

“Moss and I will get the fire going when Tzai gets back. Moss, you’ll do the drumming. River and I will watch out for trouble.”

“Sounds like a plan,” Moss said, and he and Quinn headed back to the landing pad to wait for Tzai.

Pax and River found flat rocks and sat to meditate. Pax’s meditation was a passive connection to the ocean. River’s was much more active.

She dropped into her sacred area in the spirit realm. Once situated there, she shifted to another location in the spirit realm – the place where physically manifesting spirits congregated. Once there, she found her guide, a quiet dark warrior woman in black body armor.

“Please take me to the Mother goddess of the world I’m on,” River requested. “We need her blessing for a ceremony that we hope will stop a war.”

River knew the gods responded favorably to requests made on behalf of others. Compassion sparked them into action. Requests made on behalf of oneself were usually ignored. They refused to feed the ego of those currently incarnated. It was one of the reasons why learning to heal in spirit was an easy task.

The dark guide nodded once, took River’s hand, and reality blurred for a dizzying moment. River became aware that she was now drifting in clouds. Before her was a squid-like being of gossamer and translucent in form.

“Mother,” she called out. “Mother, I need your help.”

The goddess shuddered and slowly became aware of her surroundings. “Who calls me from the flow of life?”

“A warrior from a distant planet,” River answered. “I apologize for disturbing you. I am here to stop a war between your children and people from a nearby world. I ask your blessing in our endeavor to bring peace.”

“That is thoughtful of you,” the goddess said. “You are a strange-looking creature, but life has many expressions. What do you plan to do?”

“A sacred ceremony to bring the god of the ocean forward to talk to his worshippers. The priests claim they were acting on his behalf when they started the war. We would have the ocean god set them straight.”

“A ceremony, you say.”

“Yes, Mother. You would notice it in the flows. We didn’t want to alarm you, and I am here to ask your permission to conduct the ceremony.”

“You are a well-mannered child. Your Mother must be proud.”

“Thank you. Our race did need to learn reverence the hard way, but now reverence for Nature is a cornerstone of our civilization.”

“Very well,” the goddess said. “I will monitor the flows and help you if it is needful. It seems my children may also be learning a lesson the hard way.”

“Thank you, Mother.”

River breathed deep and shifted back to her body. She oriented there and then expanded her awareness to merge with the ocean to see what Pax was monitoring.

Eventually, Moss and Quinn returned and set about preparing a sacred fire. Tzai was good to his word, and he supplied them with a round, twenty-four inch in diameter, skin-covered drum. It was four inches deep, and Moss liked its sound.

The cuttlefish mediators returned from the ocean, bringing with them a host of the curious denizens of the deep.

By noon, a substantial crowd had gathered, both on land and floating on the waves. Tzai ambled over to Quinn and told him.

“It’s noon, Quinn. The mediators told the priests you would open a dialogue with the sea god at noon.”

“Where will you be?” Quinn asked.

“In the shuttle, watching through the sensor feed.”

“Good. You’re safer there.”

Tzai walked back to the shuttle, entered, and raised the ramp.

Quinn watched in approval. Then he approached Pax.

“Ready, Pax?”

“The sea god’s name is totally unpronounceable,” Pax said. “I will use the name Poseidon and Max will translate through the speakers of my suit.” Max was Pax’s implant A.I. and would handle all the translations as well as making sure the frequencies projected from the speakers were audible for the different races in attendance.

“That should work,” Quinn said. Then he checked with Moss, “Ready, Moss?”

Moss nodded. “I’ll do air. River does earth. You get fire, and Pax is ready with the water.”

They assumed their positions, and River began the ceremony, “Spirits of the North, hear me!”

Her speakers were on, and the sibilant language of Oolong reached them all, and they settled down to see what would happen.

River went on, “Earth is the element of the North. I call on this earth’s Mother to bless and guide us.”

A slight earthquake followed, a rolling rather than a sharp earthquake, and River smiled and whispered, “Thank you, Mother, for your blessing.” Her A.I., Becky, made sure that comment also reached the crowd.

Moss struck the drum with rapid beats, a recall rhythm, and then settled to a heartbeat rhythm. He spoke, facing out to the east, “Spirits of the East, hear me! Your element is the air. Carry the truth of our words to all those who can hear.”

He continued the slow beat of the drum as Quinn stood facing out from behind the fire and spoke, “Spirits of the South, hear me! Your element is fire. Purge us of all falsehoods so the truth may be known to all you can see.”

The fire flared in response and settled into an intense yellow flame. Moss moved to the center of the circle and sat to continue drumming. Quinn moved to stand beside him. River stepped to stand behind Pax, who then spoke.

“Spirits of the West, hear me! Your element is water. I call to the god of the ocean. Poseidon, I call you to counsel with your people. Poseidon! I call you to counsel. Poseidon!”

A shimmering giant squid broke the surface of the ocean and bellowed back, “Who disturbs my repose in the flows of life? Who calls me? Speak or know my wrath!”

’It is I, Pax, a warrior from a distant world, brought here to stop a war your children wage on your behalf. I would know if that is your intent. Do you countenance a war on people from a different world?”

The giant squid splashed about on the surface of the ocean before saying, “I know nothing of a war.”

Pax pressed on, “You gave the Ooli dominion over the creatures of the sea. They took that to mean dominion over others on nearby worlds.”

The giant squid thrashed some more. “Dominion means to care for those others who share the waters, to protect the balance, to cultivate the conditions so that all life may flourish. It does not mean war or subjugation!”

One of the Ooli, a large octopod, splashed to the water’s edge. “Poseidon, we only seek to do your will, to bring knowledge of your power to other oceans. All must know of your glory!”

“Why, foolish priest? I cannot travel to distant worlds. I am a guardian of this world. Cease your useless slaughter of others and protect life here as you are supposed to!”

The giant squid slapped at the water, and Pax could sense that he was ready to depart.

Pax called out, “Thank you, Poseidon, for your counsel. You have our gratitude, this world’s gratitude, and the gratitude of a distant people. I release you, Poseidon, in gratitude.”

The giant squid dove for the abyssal depths. Moss concluded the drumming with a series of three rapid flurries with a pause between each. Then there was the profound silence that comes at the end of all sacred ceremonies.

The silence stretched for a long moment until the priest began screeching. He charged Pax, his many arms flailing.

River shot him with a stun bolt from her pistol. Then she grabbed Pax and they stumbled to the center of the circle.

Quinn stepped in front of his team. “You heard the words of Poseidon. Do you submit to the law of your god, or do we kill all of you? Choose now, Ooli!”

The ground rumbled again as another earthquake rolled through and subsided. The Coyotes faced the crowd of cephalopods, some hundreds of them of mixed races. Some were armed. Most were not. Children clung to mothers. The other priests staggered in confusion. Finally, a scarred and apparently aged Ooli stepped forward cautiously.

“I am the first elder of the Ooli. I lead the council of elders. There will be no more killing. It is clear what Poseidon wants from us. It is sad off-world shamans were the ones to call Poseidon forth so he could remind us of our purpose.”

Then he turned to the crowd. “Consider Poseidon’s words. We will meet in council in two days. Now, disperse to your business and let these off-worlders proceed with theirs.”

He continued to stand between the crowd and the Coyotes until the people relaxed and wandered off. Many took to the sea, but some retreated to the lagoons or the dome structures.

The Coyotes edged closer to the elder, and Quinn said, “Thank you, elder.”

“Yes. You know the power of gratitude, do you not? I think our priests have forgotten it. However, you have sparked a crisis for our people. On the other hand, you ended an ill-conceived war. I don’t know whether to thank you or kill you.”

“I’d prefer a thank-you,” Moss offered.

The elder ignored the comment and looked over his shoulder to the milling and confused people. “None of you will be safe until we conclude the council meeting. It may take a while.”

“Then we will leave immediately,” Quinn said and started for the shuttle.

The elder accompanied them, and as they boarded he said, “You are powerful shamans. I don’t think any of our priests could have called Poseidon in like that.”

“The planet’s Mother helped us,” River explained.

“The earthquakes?”

“That, too.”

They boarded the shuttle and headed back to the space station.