[FFML] [fanfic] [Naruto/Known Space] Off of Stage Left

[wakoid2 at aol.com]

Pre-Disclaimer Disclaimer and notes: I'm not getting rich (or even reasonably well 

off) from Naruto?or the Known Space series.? Neither am I actually the author of 

this fic.? My father has recently begun his own foray into writing, and as a favor I'm

posting it to the mailing list for him.



I've already checked with the mods that this is an acceptable arrangement.



Any C&C to the story can either be sent directly to the author at LRHuss at aol.com,

or alternately I will forward any publicly made responses to him.? Same thing with his

replies to such, as I will send them back to the list.



-Nathan Huss / Wakoid2 at aol.com



= = = = =



Disclaimer:? I do not own or receive any benefits or money from either 
Naruto or the works of Larry Niven.


Off of Stage Left
By Larry Huss

?

1-


The monks of the Shudoin Genkohan never claimed to be Fishers of 
Men.? They sometimes caught them, and things being what they were these 
poor souls couldn't be thrown back into the vast Sea of Being, to return 
from whence they came.? Instead the Monks were Fishers of Things, the 
things that seemed out of place, the things that went out into the world 
of the Elemental Countries and somehow didn't fit.? The railroads in Snow 
country.? The headset radios, local television and movie theaters powered 
by controlled lightning jutsus, when oxen pulling plows was the backbone 
of the economy.

?

These things existed not because they were natural growths of the 
science and scholarship of the Elemental Lands.? They (rare and expensive 
showpieces and oddities) were the fruits of the fishing Monks of Shudoin 
Genkohan, the Redhanded Monastery, the thieves of time and space.? They 
cast their Chakra lines out into the Sea of Possibilities, and sometimes 
pulled something back in.? Most things were broken, or inexplicable (what 
do you use a cummerbund for?).? Some just needed a way to be built cheaper 
to become all the rage.? That is why the local Lord had granted the 
Monastery the lands and revenues that supported the monks, not for their 
prayers to Heaven, not for the training they might give to his Guards, but 
for what they stole from... where ever they got all that neat stuff.? 
Sometimes useful, sometimes suggestive, always entertaining.

?

Things had improved from the old days, five generations back, when 
the Monastery was founded mused the Abbot.? Now a bit of bait could be put 
onto the end of the line, and it sometimes increased the chance that a 
particular type of thing could be caught, the once in a while times the 
stars where right for a Cast, and all the Monks were rested and full of 
Chakra to throw the line, and haul it back from where ever it went.? The 
Abbot would have liked to try again for radios, the few dozen that had 
been recovered some years ago were short ranged and too few to really be 
very useful, but there was certainly potential there.? But the Fire Lord 
loved his wife, and she loved cats, so he wanted to give her a present on 
her fiftieth birthday. He wanted the most perfect and greatest cat for her.? 
In fact he wanted a proper breeding population of them, so she could raise 
them in the future.? And that was the way the Shudoin Genkohan made its 
living, working by contract.

?

So, the monthly Cast Into Possibility wouldn't be aimed for one of 
the Underwater Boats the Abbot had read reports of, or those wonderful 
magic wands he had read of in a book, but for what would no doubt be a 
fluffier mouse catcher.? Well, it would probably be good publicity.

?

The twenty three Monks standing around inside the sealed Chamber 
of Receiving (past experiences had proven thick metal doors for the 
receiving chamber were a definite necessity) each swallowed a Monk Pill to 
supercharge their Chakra, cut their palms, made the fourteen hand seal 
combination and cried out the Word of Command, sending the Cat Hunting 
Line out to (they hoped) where the greatest of cats waited to be grabbed.

?

Some times Luck is good, sometimes Luck is bad.? This time their 
Luck was so good it was horrible.

?

2-


Chril Sergeant looked back at the young troopers forming the 
escort unit.? Two Files worth of recent graduates, neat looking and highly 
disciplined, each in light armor carrying their strakkaker carbine, 
grenades, variable blades and enough recharges for a fair sized battle.? 
All for a stupid ceremonial exchange of Kzinretti between two noble houses 
so far out from Kzinhome that he could swear the bloody females were 
almost acting like they were sapient!? Well, the Hero's Way was not to 
question why, just to kill and obey.? Good thing none of the females were 
going into heat or the scent would have made the little exchange ceremony 
coming up a bit more like a brawl in a brothel.? The one good thing 
meeting the Monkeys had brought to the Race.

?

When a soul sucking colorless cable suddenly appeared out of 
midair, touched one of the guards and a Kzinret and started to lift them 
up into the air and make them fade Chril Sergeant made what was perhaps 
the first serious mistake in what was an otherwise somewhat distinguished 
career.? "Grab them!? That rope! Everything!"? He yowled, and proceeded to 
lead by example.? The clear command was like an electric spark to the 
tailbase of each uncaught guard.? What was worse it seemed the Kzinretti 
were actually almost intelligent, because they leaped and grabbed onto the 
Kzinret that had been caught!? None of it did any good, the whole group, 
nine Hero's, six Kzinretti (each with their female gear carefully loaded 
in a pack tied by their relatives onto their back) and a quantity of air 
faded (as much as air can fade) from view? and left Known Space and other 
local parts and dimensions for places unknown.

?

Oddly enough there were no accusations or blood feuds started by 
this little fiasco.? Everyone just agreed it had never happened and did it 
all over (absent the fading bit) two weeks later.? It was just easier that 
way.

?

3-


Chantleader Pearl Wisdom of Enlightenment (Pearly to his friends) 
felt throughout his being that this time there was something on the end of 
the Chakra cable. He called out "Reverse, pull in, put your coils into it 
boys!"? And started the eighteen hand seals required to retract the line 
and lure.? Chakra fishing was not for those with poor memories or poor 
coordination.? Each of the crew started to do the same, except Sound of A 
Silent Bell who was lying on the ground bleeding from ears, his mouth and 
nose.? With great effort the assembled Monks withdrew the essence of their 
life-force from the far and strange places it had been sent.? Another 
dropped to the floor, but as the cord shortened it became easier to handle.? 
Pearl Wisdom of Enlightenment knew that this time they had gotten 
something, maybe even what they had cast for!


Then, like a stuck knot resisting coming through a hole things 
seemed to be caught, suddenly the resistance went up making? the effort 
seemed too much to continue.? The Chantleader dashed around the room 
throwing more Monk Pills into the gasping mouths of the remaining Chanters, 
and with their Chakra revived (though at a great cost in the future) a 
last pull-in brought the burden back to the Elemental World.? With a crash 
four tons of burly cat-things with oddly shaped things strapped to them, 
and delicate (in comparison), more slender cat-things fell to the hardwood 
floor of the chamber and began to puke the contents of their stomachs out.

?

As the effects of Chakra depletion started to make him gray-out 
the Chantmaster's last thoughts were, "Well, I guess they're cats, sort 
of."? Then, except for the sounds of retching and monkish bodies hitting 
the ground, either from exhaustion or terror, all was silent.

?

4-?


Chril Sergeant was the first to recover, as befitted a veteran of 
(and one of the few survivors) the Fourth Invasion Wave of Monkeyhome, and 
who had received his half-name for valor at the Battle of the Serpent's 
Swarm.? His first coherent thoughts were an accurate assessment of the 
military situation, "We are so screwed!" There were Monkeys all over the 
place. They must have invented or found some Hero-grabber space-time 
thingy.? Well, dying is part of the Hero business, and he prepared to take 
them down with him.? Then, he realized all of them were down on the floor 
too, they must be grabbed also.? An Outsider or something else mysterious 
must be behind this!? 

?

Years of iron self-discipline settled back into place, and he 
snarled out, "Drop that, Trooper!"? to the Left Flank Closer who was 
preparing to bite open the skull of a bald headed Monkey and find out if 
their brains were really tasty.? "That meat has not been washed.? It has 
not been issued or approved as field rations, and we will not be risking 
even your worthless gut getting dysentery until the situation clarifies 
itself!" The monk's head hit the floor, still attached to the rest of him, 
with a thunk.

?

"Circular defense formation, Kzinretti in the center, all prone, 
assess threat potential" he snarled.? Easy enough to say, just what a 
danger would be here and now was the hard part.? Huge chamber, easily 40 
meters around, domed. A small door to the left, larger one (but still not 
tall enough for a Hero to go through upright) to the right.? Metal bound 
at the least, perhaps fully metal.?? No spy holes visible, but that would 
be easy to conceal.? First order of business, get out.?? 

?

"Right Flank Closer, see what those doors are made off, if they 
are open."

?

"Yes Chril Sergeant!"



The young Hero sprang forward, scooped up a long wooden (?) pole 
and ran at the small door with it like a spear, two hands holding it 
steady.? It hit with a crash, dissolved into a host of long splinters and 
revealed itself to have been hollow with internal dividers.? The door gave 
a thunk, and looked as unimpressed as a door can.? Right Flank Closer 
picked himself up and relayed the essential information.? "Door is closed 
Chril Sergeant, solid too."

?

5-


The Chanting Monk Clouds Leave saw one of his comrades picked up a 
two and a half meter tall tiger who put his head into the fanged maw.? 
Clouds Leave turned his head away in revulsion to what was going to happen 
next.?? There was a swirl of deep snarling voices, and then the thunk of a 
no doubt decapitated body hitting the ground.? No doubt now, they had 
caught cat demons.? Another bit of snarling and a loud sound of snapping 
bamboo.? Quick witted Clouds Leave sprang to his feet and dashed to the 
main entrance.? Pounding on the great iron doors he revealed his plan, 
"Let me out!? Let me out! For all the God's sake open the damned door!"

?

A hands-breadth to his right a vision slot was opened, and an eye 
looked out, surveyed the situation.? All the monks except one prone of the 
floor.? Twelve or more three meter tall tabbies in the room.? One of them 
stood up and walked on his hind legs, oddly.? It seemed to have a lot of 
ribbons or other decorations on it.? Definitely it was time to report to 
the Abbot.? The panel in the iron door was clanged shut, the sound of a 
man in mortal terror, weeping was cut off on the other side.

?

Pearl Wisdom finally caught his breath.? "This won't do" he said 
to himself.? Out loud he called "All those who can, bring our brethren to 
the Main Exit."? Then he began to slowly walk toward it himself, trying to 
keep the greatest distance possible away from the most successful Cast in 
his memory.

?

All seemed to be going well enough, until? just as the last few 
either staggered or where dragged to the assigned spot one of cats in the 
center of? their formation leaped up and grabbed? Brother Peaks of 
Humility (Peaky) and with a standing jump of at least three meters (with 
someone in its... paws?)? was back in the middle of the group.? To Pearl 
Wisdom it seemed to be shorter, more slender and graceful than the ones in 
the outer perimeter.?? Another observation, it definitely had a pack 
secured to its back, a belt at its waist, and some pieces of jewelry 
around its limbs.? The ears looked funny too.? A large and scarred 
specimen turned and snarled something to the grabber, who replied in what 
Pearl Wisdom could have sworn, was a cutesy voice (even if in the baritone 
range).? 

?

"No doubt that was, 'Daddy it followed me home, can I keep him?'? 
Or else,' I missed lunch already!'"? Pearl Wisdom then coughed up a little 
blood and turned his mind on how to get the rest of the monks out alive.

?

6-


Chril Sergeant saw the Monkeys start to congregate over by the 
large door; one of them was evidently in charge and was setting up his 
formation.? Finish them off now, and simplify things, or see if they had 
hostage value?? Before he could decide one of the Kzinret got to her feet, 
pounced on one of the last of the Monkeys going to their pack, and jumped 
back into the center of the unit.? He shouted "Down, stay down.? No moving 
unless told."? A message even a Kzinret should be able to understand.? 

?

Then the idiot female talked back to him, in the Female's Tongue, 
"Pretty toy!? Make play.? Make talky!"? And for an instant there seemed to 
be in her eyes the one thing that wasn't ever supposed to be there, 
intelligence.

?

For ten seconds Chril Sergeant thought, his mind going to places 
sergeants, officers or even Sires were not supposed to go.? Then there was 
the sound of a lock being turned at the large door. No time now to wonder, 
only leap and scream!? 

?

"Trooper Two, small door, breaching grenade, five seconds. 
Execute!"? The Hero sprang to his feet, pulling out the charge and setting 
it as he ran to the small iron door.? Slapping against the surface (good, 
no repulsion field on it) he dashed away yelling, "Charge set! Five, Four, 
Three, Two, One."? If he said zero no one heard as Boom announced itself 
clearly.

?

Orders rushed out, right File take point, keep moving, Right File 
Closer start the Kzinretti moving.? Left File covers retreat, by the 
numbers, now!? The troops flashed into movement, even the Kzinretti lined 
up and acted...intelligent?? Even the one with the Monkey tucked under her 
arm.? Figure it out later, now the big door was opening and it was... 
Monkeys in armor with hand weapons.? Spears and such, thank the Patriarch, 
no problem.? 

?

Until Trooper One, Right File decided it was un-Heroic to 
slaughter Monkeys so easily and slung his strakkaker onto his back and 
drew his variable sword, switching it on to two meters as he leapt forward.? 
When he got into range he swung the rigid blade, all edge and no width, 
the glowing tip being the only indication of where it ended.? One swipe 
and a half dozen pikes where cut in two, along with a few fingers leaving 
their owners.? The second cut and slices of flesh left the bodies of the 
now crowding back Monkeys.? Trooper One roared in triumph.? Personally 
Chril Sergeant thought his form sloppy, a new recruit getting too excited.

?

Then, five small ragged wheels of metal suddenly appeared in the 
chest of the Trooper, making him grunt.? They couldn't penetrate even his 
parade uniform deeply enough to do real damage, but they stung.? A Monkey, 
then another and a third went through the clog at the entrance as if it 
wasn't there.? All covered in greens and black, undoubtedly a uniform.? 
They moved differently from the others, who had seemed lucky to be able to 
get into line.? These had head fur, moved in a fluid, balanced way. 
"Rangers or Commandos" Chril thought.? Before anything more could be 
observed First Trooper leaped again, swinging his variable sword in a 
vertical arc.

?

The Monkey under attack brought up a knife to block the attack, 
not that that could stop the variable sword.? And it didn't, being cut in 
half like a leaf.? But the Monkey actually dodged well enough not to be 
bisected, and with a dive and a roll got close enough to sweep in with a 
roundhouse kick into the lower ribs of the Trooper.? It hit with thud, 
knocked a little air out of the Trooper and the Monkey rolled away again 
almost as if it hadn't slowed itself down with the attack.? It shouted out 
something.? One of the other Monkeys replied and started doing some finger 
exercises.? 

?

As Chril pondered stopping the retreat (even if just to enjoy the 
novelty of Monkeys going head to head with Heroes) First Trooper screamed, 
leaped, and cut at the nearest Monkey, the one doing things with its hands.? 
As the line of cutting came in a glowing yellow ball of... glowing 
appeared in the Monkey's hand.? In a desperate defense the Monkey used it 
to intercept the dim one-dimensional blade.? The sphere and the sword met, 
and everything went loud, and white.

?

As his eyes came back into use Chril Sergeant saw:? First Trooper 
was holding one badly burned (still smoking) hand with the other, the 
variable sword control handle lying on the ground, ruptured.? The Monkey 
was falling back, waving his hand as if it stung (what kind of a world was 
it where a Monkey closer to an explosion took less damage than a Hero?).? 
One of the others had a green glow around its hand, and grabbed and began 
to rub the injury.? The last, the first one to attack, was back on its 
feet and threw another of those little knives.? It stuck into the wall 
near the small exit.? Left File Closer noticed there was a piece of paper 
attached to it, one that was smoking.? Figuring that it couldn't be a good 
thing he pulled it out of the crack between the stones the blade had 
lodged in and tossed it away.? It had barely gone a meter when it exploded, 
throwing him back into the wall with a hard whack!? 

?

Well, this had gone from being seriously weird to being seriously 
dangerously weird.? Playing Catch the Grenade while in the same room was a 
fool's game, time to decamp.?? Oh yes, grab the idiot and then decamp.? 
"Cover me as I make pickup.? Take your File Closer with you, I'll do 
rearguard."? 

?

As First Trooper had collapsed with a small knife in his eye Chril 
knew he'd need two hands for the extraction.?? So sling weapons, jump 
forward as troopers Two and Three opened up with their strakkakers (the 
damn Monkeys were moving so fast now, and were at bad angles to hit) and 
grab One, sling him over his back (getting too damn old for this!) and run 
back to the exit as Two and Three grabbed their still dazed File Closer 
and hustled into the passage on the other side of the blown door.? As he 
stepped through the opening Chril felt as if a great, loud hand had picked 
him up and threw him forward.? He blacked out.

?

7-


When the alarm went off the action team checked the Board, trouble 
at the Chamber of Receiving!? They pushed off with maximum speed; they had 
been around long enough to have heard the stories of what might be coming 
at them.? They knew that their two back up teams would be being alerted, 
or woken up or sobered up and head there as soon as possible.? Till then 
the action team had to hold things under control.

?Borchai was the first in motion.? She was the first (by no more 
than two seconds) to get to the main door.? A bunch of monks, dressed up 
in armor and carrying pikes (inside a building!) were pretending to be 
defenders.? They might have been of some use on top of a wall (a very tall 
one) throwing down rocks.? Here they were just getting in each other's way.? 
Also they were in the way of the professionals.

?

The door was open ("What is the use of having a 60 centimeter 
thick iron door if you don't keep it closed?" she thought) when an ungodly 
screaming came through it, stopping the advancing monks in their tracks.? 
She saw a glowing ball, about two meters away from a clawlike hand thing 
making a swinging motion.? The ball moved like it was at the tip of a 
sword, and in the path behind it (where a blade would be, but none was 
seen) pike shafts fell as if sliced and monk arms and fingers fell off and 
the stumps began to spout blood. Then the monks started to stumble 
backwards, the ones in front backing into the still advancing ones at the 
rear, who evidently hadn't gotten the bad news, whatever it was.? Borchai 
treated the bodies in front of her as thick undergrowth and wove her way 
through them and into the Chamber.? Seeing a big shape in the forward 
target zone, she threw a handful of shiruken. And stopped, impressed.? It 
was a cat, a real big cat, meters tall, with some sort of almost invisibly 
thin blade in its hand, and a row of shiruken embedded in its chest that 
it didn't even seem to notice.? "Have to get something a little heavier 
into the picture." She thought as she drew a kunai.

?

It jumped at her from three meters away. Bringing the blade (she 
estimated from the? glowing tip? its location) down in an overhand cut it 
was obvious that it would smash her defense out of the way with all that 
mass propelling it, so she started her dodge, the knife only supposed to 
deflect the strange weapon.? But it didn't. Not only did the kunai not 
deflect the blow at all; she hadn't even felt a jerk as it was smoothly 
sliced apart.

?

As she had already started her closing move ("when they fight long, 
get in close") she rolled to her feet and into the most powerful 
roundhouse kick she had into its torso. She would have gone for its head, 
but she couldn't reach that high.? She could have sworn she had kicked 
trees that noticed it more.? Dodging out of the range she knew that this 
job would require some finesse, and reached into her pouch for her 
explosive tags.

?

Juchi saw his girlfriend (she didn't know it yet, but he could see 
she was starting to fall for him) jump in first, as usual.? With her speed 
it was a decent exploratory strategy, but this time her hits certainly 
didn't seem to make much difference.? There were a bunch of other Vertical 
Tigers (they walked on their hind legs, right?) at the other end of the 
Chamber, but they seemed to be just standing there.? She yelled out that 
it was a tough bastard, don't hold back. He started making signs and 
powering up his family jutsu, Holding Spark.? Some damn Uchia had stolen 
it, and developed it further, but it was his family's and he was proud of 
it.? The damn VT was faster than he looked; he'd closed the range and was 
swinging something.? Juchi didn't have time to throw the Spark, or even 
backpedal, he just shoved the glowing ball into the path of something he 
couldn't see very well and hoped for the best.

?

Things blew up rather nicely, though he now had first degree burns 
on his left hand.? The VT, well it seemed the hand holding the whatever 
was now medium well done; the jutsu must have caused some sort of feedback.? 
He sidled over to Arghun who did a quick Healing onto his hand and who 
then went back to preparing some to throw a major earth jutsu.? One of the 
other VTs started toward the injured one, one of Borchai's explosive tags 
almost sealed off the other exit, but one of cats pulled it out and dumped 
it before it went off.

?

The injured VT was distracted, and Juchi managed to get a kunai 
into its face, bringing it to the ground.? It seemed from the puffs of 
crushed stone appearing behind them that someone was throwing a lot of 
senbon needles, so it was evasive pattern time.? All the cats (funny, they 
looked so impressive, but they had long hairless tails, like rats) were 
now pelting through the other exit, one carrying the limp body of the one 
that had come off second best to HIS family jutsu on its back.? As it 
reached its destination a brace of loaded kunai from Borchai stuck into 
the injured creature and a step or so inside went off all at once.? Major 
fireworks ensued, and part of the wall above the exit fell down.? Except 
for little bits of shattered stone and mortar falling things got quiet.

?

Timur's team showed up.? The place was certainly a bit busted up, 
but there were no enemy bodies lying around, which was pretty embarrassing 
actually.? Timur informed them that four of the monks had died; the 
infirmary was filled with those injured. He and Arghun began bickering 
over who would do the direct pursuit down the passage, and who would 
coordinate with Rukh on the ambush when a fist sized metal sphere flew 
into the room and started to bounce in their direction.? A shrill voice 
rang out "Leave here quick!"? They all pelted to the exit; with no monks 
in the way it was able to handle them all easily.? Borchai had been the 
one to yell out, of course, and was the also first out the door, of course, 
and was trying to push the great iron slab into a position to be locked 
after the last ninja ran out, when the explosion came.? The door valve 
slammed open, throwing her into the wall and knocking her out.? The 
Chamber was filled with dust for a minute, then as it cleared it could be 
seen that the roof had disappeared and there was over a layer a meter deep 
of large pieces of debris completely covering the floor.? The upper part 
of the other entrance was still visible, but the idea of following the 
summoned creatures was very unappealing now.

?

Arghun went over and checked up on Borchai, said that she would be 
out for a few hours, but would have no lasting injury.? Juchi went over 
and picked her up, and informed his team leader he would leave her at the 
Infirmary.? He was told to head to the East Gate after he dropped her off.

?

When no one was looking he shifted her around so he carried her 
cradled in his arms.? If she hadn't been so quick, they'd all have been 
buried under tons of rubble.? Yes, his honey was smart too.

?

8-


Chril Sergeant came to a second after he hit the ground.? He 
rolled to his stomach, and looked over the body of Trooper One.? Pretty 
shredded, the strakkaker destroyed and most of his carry load ruined.? 
Still there was some value on the corpse.? Chril looked down the corridor; 
saw a turn and a trooper's face looking around it.? Chril told him to 
clear the way, pulled a grenade off of One's harness, set it to maximum 
omnidirectional blast and tossed it back into the room he had just left.? 
Thanking the Fanged Lord that as an Assault Trooper he was expected to 
wear real combat armor at all formal occasions he dragged the very light 
remnants of the idiot down the corridor and around the turn just as the 
grenade went off.? "That should slow pursuit." he thought as he moved fast 
to catch up with the rest of the group.? As he did so he stripped One of 
his usable ammunition, grenades, med pack, rations.? Everything else, such 
as comm gear and surveillance equipment was ruined.? But he pulled the 
power cells out of them anyway.? The body was falling to pieces by now, so 
he let it drop.? They passed a number of doors, two branching corridors 
and ascended a staircase.

?

Left File Closer was staggering along pretty well, the troopers 
and the Kzinretti gave him room to get to the head of the column where he 
was briefed by Right File Closer.? "As you can smell, Chril Sergeant, we 
are outside a food preparation area, burning vegetables mainly.? It seems 
to be occupied."? Chril let his mind gnaw on this.? Burning food?? They 
would have at least vents, probably some windows.? Even if they were 
Monkeys they would still be eating some meat, so rations for the next few 
days could be grabbed.? It was obvious, "I enter first, Right File Closer, 
immobilize the Monkeys inside.? Left File Closer, your men seal the exits.? 
Oh, Kzinretti, come in after Heroes, understand?"? They bobbed their heads, 
ears unfurled like beautiful sails.

?

He went to the front, made sure the door was unlocked, checked 
that everyone was ready behind him, and threw it open, entering with a 
Heroic leap.? The three bald Monkeys around the cooking units reacted well.? 
One fainted, one began to leak quietly, and one carefully lifted his hands 
to show that they were empty of weapons.?? Chril went quickly to the far 
wall where there was both a window showing a rock face some meters off, 
and a door.? His troops secured their objectives, and the Kzinretti 
dutifully filed in after them, the last one, still carrying the bald 
Monkey she had grabbed earlier.

?

Chril opened the door in the wall, and stepped out onto a small 
balcony.? He looked around and saw that he was on the West face of 
building (as long as you assume that the sun, by definition, sets in the 
West) and on the closet part of it to the cliffs fifty meters away.? The 
cliffs were about ten meters higher than the room they were in, with a bit 
of a slope leading up to a lip beyond which he couldn't see.? There was a 
thin pipe coming out of the cliff face near the top, leading into the 
kitchen, no doubt from a water source on the other side.? All convenient, 
slops and garbage goes into the ravine, a flowing water source for food 
preparation, and plenty of ventilation for when things get on fire.? The 
only problems with getting out of here were that no Kzin could leap fifty 
meters out and ten up, the distance was too far for a reliable setting of 
a rappelling line gun, and there was no way a Hero could cross on that 
little pipe.? The sense of balance was no problem, but two hundred or more 
kilos, three hundred with gear, there was no way that thin thing could 
hold the weight.? There was no way that could be done.? He heard the 
balcony creak, felt it settle a little, turned and saw one of the 
Kzinretti had come out onto it.? Cooped up all their lives in secure 
Nesting Areas this whole experience should be terribly confusing, 
especially high bred ones like these.

?

She looked all around, craning her neck to see it all.? Chril 
examined her.? Since she wasn't in heat it was a purely aesthetic exercise.? 
Young, perfectly sleek and healthy, endlessly smooth fur, marked with 
little dark circles around her eyes, trailing off to behind her ears.? As 
a mere half-name Chril had never had much time around females since he was 
weaned.? Aside from some brief Comfort Times he had little experience with 
them as hardly any talking went on then. If he had had a strong and 
generous Patron he might have had a scrub when he retired from the Service.? 
Since he didn't have such a Patron he had just kept on re-enlisting.? And 
now he was somewhere else and running out of options for saving his 
command.

?

He accepted that there was no way he knew how to get back to 
civilization.? The stuff he had seen was obviously not from any planet 
known by the Heroes.? They were on their own, no resupply or reinforcements 
possible.? And they were fifty meters from a way out.? It looked like 
fighting their way through a fortress full of Monkeys with weird powers 
was what they had left.? It might not be too bad, only the ones with fur 
had seemed dangerous.? He wondered if the ones with long hair fur were 
sapient females, he had heard that that was the way the Monkeys did things 
most places.? Anyway, grab some supplies and start seeing if they could 
fight their way out.? He felt a cheek rest against his shoulder, startling 
him.

?

"You walk to tall place?" She said in a little voice looking 
across the gap.

?

Talking to a female, even one as evidently intelligent as this one 
was, of course, a waste of time.? But he didn't think wasting time now 
would really matter, and bothered to answer her, using small words and as 
much kitten speak as he could remember, "High place too far, no jump, no 
climb."

?

"Walk on stick?" she asked.

?

"Hero too big, stick break, fall down." he replied.

?

Just as he was about to turn and go inside she put her head once 
again against his shoulder, and shivered just a little.? It made him think 
of how she needed protection, how small she was, how slender, how... light.? 
But were any of them smart enough to understand what had to be done?? It 
was the best solution, it had to be tried.

?

9-


The Abbot gave an inquiring look at the leader of the ninja 
detachment stationed at the monastery.? Jonin Timur said the search for 
the lost specimens (it seemed the safest thing to call them) was 
proceeding methodically.? Since there were at least twelve floors 
(counting cellars and sub cellars) and over four hundred rooms, this sort 
of thing took time.? Not to mention certain secret passages that the ninja 
had not been properly briefed on.

?

"There are more than a few that we have lost track of too" added 
the Abbot, trying to hold up his end of the conversation.? "Over a few 
hundred years, collecting and hiding treasures and embarrassments, these 
sorts of things add up.? As they seem like giant cats, they may have super 
catty senses to locate ways.? I remember our old cat at home was always 
turning up in the oddest place."

?

"We have to put guards on the infirmary, and that cuts into my 
search teams." said Timur.? "With the blasting power they showed I don't 
want any of my teams meeting them while alone.? What should we call them 
anyway?? It's awkward to not have a name for them.? They look like cats, 
have that ugly naked tail...how about Rat-cats?? It gives an idea how they 
look, but isn't so scary that your monks will panic when they think of 
them."

?

"I suppose that will do, when we don't present a breeding pair to 
the Daimyo having a slightly ugly name may make the disappointment easier 
to bear for his wife.??? We don't have much we can do now, until the 
search turns something up."

?

"Well, I'm feeling a little hungry, if you escort me to the 
kitchens I'm sure we'll get there safely, and get the food while it's 
still hot." The Abbot headed toward the door, Timur followed and as they 
left the office he nodded toward his Chunin team to follow them.

?

Going up a set of staircases they passed Arghun's shorthanded 
team, and came to the kitchen door.? It seemed to be stuck, and no amount 
of shouting seemed to get the cooks to come and open it.? A civilian door, 
even a stuck on was not much of a barrier to a Ninja, and within two 
minutes it swung open.? To present the sight of three cooks hanging from 
the roof beams among the dried sausages and game animals the ninjas had 
hunted on their time off.? The door to the disposal area was open a crack, 
and drew Timur and the Abbot like iron filings to a magnet.

?

Cautiously the ninja opened the door.? On the other side, on the 
upper slope, was a horde of huge figures, putting some sort of gear on, 
and then heading up over the visible summit.? One very large one led them.? 
Quickly all but one of the Rat-cats went over the crest.? The last one was 
smaller, perhaps only two meters tall and less massively built.? It turned 
and gave a graceful wave to them.? Timur thought it reminded him of one he 
had gotten when leaving a very high class establishment in the Willow 
Quarter of the capital of Thunder, from a lady who he had been very 
compatible with.? And then it turned, and walked on, and was lost to view.

?

The cooks were cut down, and proved not even tasted; though in no 
shape to do any cooking until their huge headaches from the blood pooling 
in their heads was dealt with.? What had been on the stoves was totally 
burnt, another score to place against the rat-cats.? The Abbot, perhaps 
just to have something to do with his hands, put some water up for tea, 
put the scorched pans into a sink to soak, and turned on a tap.? It flowed 
for a few seconds, and then stopped.? He turned to talk to the Ninja 
leader, who had just sent one of his crew to fetch the rest of the group.? 
"I think they've done something clever," the Abbot said as he gestured 
toward Timur and walked out onto the balcony handing over the thousand 
meter drop.

?

As Timur went to join him the Abbot looked up. Yes, the water pipe 
to the spring that burst out of the opposite cliff face had been knocked 
down starting a meter and a half from the Monastery's walls.? As he 
pointed this out to Timur he saw a frown appear on the Jonin's face, 
followed by a look of satisfaction.

?

"You've seen where someone thought they were being clever. We have 
to give the Rat-cats some credit, they were obviously truly sapient.? But 
Arghun, despite his soft headedness is a dab hand at earth jutsus, and can 
pull enough of a bridge from both sides that we'll be able to jump the gap, 
and catch up to them in no time." Timur said confidently.

?

Gently the Abbot replied," For security purposes both the opposite 
cliff face, and all the walls of the Monastery are heavily sealed against 
any sort of Chakra use.? They can't be altered, broken, melted or climbed 
until the seals are removed.? And..." he continued, "that would take at 
least three or four days, what with our best Chanters in such a state of 
Chakra depletion.? I expect that your men and your beautiful Kunoichi 
would be quite exhausted if you were to supply the needed Chakra 
yourselves. If your talented ninja can't cross by civilian means you might 
as well just leave by the front gate and take the eight day trip down our 
mountain and over to the hidden scalable trail for its brother across the 
way.? As it is we'll take at least ten days to get a replacement pipe in 
place, moving at our slower pace down our peak and up the other carrying 
the needed equipment.? As it is our novices will have to carry up all of 
the water needed here from the storage cistern on the third lower level 
until the repairs are made.? 

?

"What?"? he said, looking at the Ninja.? "You think we wouldn't 
have made preparations for an accident, or being put under siege?? The 
trouble here is that we've made such a tough shell to get into, that it's 
just as tough to get out of."

?

The rest of the ninja detachment came in.? Timur gestured to Rukh 
"the Clever" to come over and start his ingenious mind on the problem.? He 
was only a Chunin, but he loved to think of new ways to use old jutsus, 
and was in fact quite popular with children of all sorts back home for 
designing toys with moveable parts and hidden features.? Timur had once 
suggested he search out scrolls on the obscure art of Puppetry, just for 
the surprise it would give their opponents on some future mission.? Rukh 
had decided not to go there, it would have turned his hobby into just 
another tool of the trade, and drained it of all the fun.

?

After being briefed Rukh took a moment, standing with his eyes 
unfocused and staring at nothing, then went out the door to the balcony 
and looked out across the way.? Dusk was falling up above, and all the 
deep cleft was completely in shadow.? There was a Quarter Moon, roughly, 
but it couldn't shine into the narrow (but still too wide) separation.? 
Not even Ninja eyes could make out anything of the cliff on the opposite 
side.? He snapped out orders: "I want a big brazier, three mirrors, a lot 
of fuel, some people who can keep their hands steady, and two hundred 
meters of rope, a grappling hook and some pork fried rice, now!"

?

Everything was brought, though the fried rice actually was 
finished last.? Rukh had the brazier set up on the balcony, fuel set up 
so that it would produce the brightest possible flame.? There were two men 
holding each mirror behind the brazier, and Rukh assigned each a number 
and explained what he wanted.? Then he lit the fire, had the lights 
extinguished in the kitchen and leaned half way out of the window over the 
sink on the exterior wall.? He cursed, pulled himself back in and grabbed 
a pole arm from one of the monk guards that had come in hoping for a free 
(if pretty late) dinner.? He bound a table cloth to it, hanging down and 
grabbed the burliest monk he could find and got him to stand in the sink, 
holding the cloth part outside the window, as a shade from the brazier's 
light. Satisfied he went back to hanging half out the window again and 
began to give orders to the monks holding the mirrors (only bronze, for 
checking up on proper ceremonial dress on the rare occasions a high 
official visited.? Fancy silver or mercury backed glass ones would have 
been vanity). Under his directions the mirrors roughly tripled the light 
going out to the opposite side, and like an awkward and poorly focused 
searchlight scanned left, right, down and up to the limits of the 
available space to get the people and heavy mirrors into.

?

After perhaps three quarters of an hour Rukh grunted in 
disappointment, hopped back into the room, helped the tiring monk out of 
the sink and back onto the floor.? "It's not going to work, at least? not 
from here.? Bring all this stuff up to the Monastery roof, some more poles 
and blankets , six more mirrors of at least this size, another brazier, 
more fuel, three ladders, twenty more monks, 80 orders of pot stickers 
(meat filled), 200 orders? rice (this stuff was fine!) and at least 30 
liters of hot tea, strong!? Oh, yes, and keep that tea coming!? It's going 
to be a long night, and we'll all need it."

?

With that he ran out the door and up the corridor to the trapdoor 
that was the nearest way to the roof of that ant's nest of a building.? On 
first being assigned to this job all the cell leaders had immediately 
started to work on memorizing the layout, including all the windows, gates, 
service entrances and other access points.? When they had arrived they had 
walked the other team members through the building, pointing out points of 
interest (of course for a ninja points of interest included entry ways 
they might have to use if they were to get an assassination contract 
against someone inside at another time).? It took another hour before the 
men and material was up there with him (they had only found two more large 
mirrors, it wasn't a vain place, remember?).? But the food was good, and 
Rukh had decided to just enjoy the lovely Quarter Moon and brisk night air. 
That was making some of the monks shiver a bit.

?

It took almost an hour to get the show on the road, it reminded 
Rukh too much of the time back in school when he had gotten stuck as the 
student director of the Graduating Class play.? He had wanted to play the 
Dragon, but no, he had to try to organize and direct thirty kids with 
about as much discipline (at the time) and dramatic talent as the average 
henhouse inhabitant. The experience evidently had done him good, at last 
he his mirror teams in place and coordinated, his light barrier teams up 
on their ladders (one holding the pole, the other steadying the ladder in 
the stiff breeze), and the sharpest eyed of the ninjas there to aid him in 
checking out the other side.? That meant, among other things, the 
recovered Borchai was on the ledge to the right (with Juchi, of course 
three steps behind her, admiring the fact that she wore tight pants, and 
wore them well).? The flames were lit, and monks with reserve oil to 
refresh them stood ready.? Others with bellows forced air into the fires, 
keeping them high and bright.? The systematic search began, sweeping the 
slope above the cliff face for a proper anchoring point.

?

After two hours of searching, including building a small pyramid 
of ladders and him getting up to the top of it (while trying to get the 
mirror holders to balance on some piles of wood to get their light beams 
up higher), Rukh consulted with Borchai, Timur and Arghun.? Some definite 
conclusions were reached: 1- The damn place should have been built at 
least two stories higher,? just as tall as the opposite hill wasn't good 
enough.? 2- They wouldn't tell that to the monks unless they were asked, 
or given a contract that required architectural advice of a defensive 
nature. 3- It could be done.

?

Within an hour a ballista (this wasn't, after all, a pacifist 
order) had been dragged up to the roof edge, looking out.? A two meter 
bolt was having a series of grappling hooks attached to it, while a half 
kilometer of Chakra reinforced rope was being threaded through a specially 
forged hitch at the rear.? At Rukh's command a second set up was being 
prepared as a backup.? If the Moon hadn't already set the decision to go 
immediately would have been easy.? But the Rat-cats were pretty much 
trapped on the mesa across the way.? It was big enough that a real search 
would be needed, and trying to track a cat, even one that big, in the dark 
was probably a bad idea.? As if to endorse the thought there was a rumble 
like distant thunder.

?

Come the dawn everything would be clarified, they would cross over 
and track, and capture or kill.? Most probably more kill than capture, the 
big ones certainly looked hard to bring down.? For now, get some rest, 
inventory the number of explosive tags left (Borchai swore by them as Cat 
catchers, or at least shredders), and try to figure what the debriefing 
back Home was going to look like.

?

10-


Right File was on point, guiding the rest across the fairly smooth 
surface of the mountain top.? Luckily there was enough light from the 
fragment of the Moon (and it looked different from any that Chril Sergeant 
had ever seen before) showing? cat eyes everything needed.? There weren't 
any good dips or fields of large boulders to use as ambush sites. It was 
bad country to defend, bad country for light infantry, which was exactly 
what they were now.? 

?

They were able to keep moving at a fairly good walking pace, slow 
enough that the Kzinretti were walking together in a little clump, and 
gabbling together in a low tone.? He didn't begrudge them? their cheerful 
little chatter, they had earned a moment of joy.? The fact that the whole 
band wasn't playing Tunnel Tag with grenades was due to their Heroic 
efforts to stretch their minds enough to actual complete a dangerous 
mission.?? Binoculars (after the way her cute face markings made her eyes 
look) had actually understood what he had figured out they should do, been 
able to communicate it to the others in Female Tongue, and they had been 
able to even figure out which of them was lightest and had the best sense 
of balance.? Tangerine (Chril had silently named her this, after a Monkey 
fruit he had once seen that had just the same color as her base coat) 
hadn't protested when they made her give up her pack of female things, had 
a line tied around her waist and given hurried instructions in how to use 
the rappelling gun to set pins, and how to use these to secure a line.

?

She had crouched on the window ledge nearest the pipe, and leaped 
out over the bottomless gorge and snagged the pipe neatly as someone who 
had gone through an Assault course.? Instead of standing up and walking 
her way across she had crept across on her belly, legs locking onto the 
pipe and tail going left and right to balance her.? It was an interesting 
view of the noble born female that ordinary Kzintosh rarely got to see.? 
Once on the other side she looked up at the remaining ten meters of cliff 
face and placed her hand against its surface, extending her claws a bit 
and trying to get a grip.? She had spat out some sound of frustration that 
he could hear (but not understand) on the other side, and then untied a 
ribbon from around her neck, threaded it through the trigger guard of the 
rappelling gun and tied the other end around her wrist.? Lifting the gun 
as high as she could reach with both hands she closed her eyes, and 
squeezed the trigger.

?

The recoil knocked her back, flat onto her tail.? Her body started 
to pivot around her legs, locked around the pipe, while the rappelling gun 
flew out of her hand, started to fall and came to a jerking stop when it 
reached the end of the ribbon.? Her arms grabbed onto the pipe as her body 
slowly rotated until she was hanging underneath it.? Her screech of rage 
and fear clinched things for Chril, if they survived this the trail to the 
future was clear.? Meanwhile even her tail curled around the pipe as she 
gingerly got herself upright again.? She tested the newly set pin, and 
holding onto the rockface slowly got to her feet, balancing against the 
increasing wind, dug left hand's claws into the rock as hard as she could, 
and fired off the next pin single handed.? It had rocked her back, but she 
somehow kept her balance (and the gun) and began to secure a safety line 
through the eyelets of the two set pins.? Then she climbed up on the lower 
one, grabbed onto the higher one, and set the next, just this time having 
to balance on one foot.? After surviving that, the rest was just 
repetition of a dangerous act over a thousand meter drop.? Kitten's play, 
really.? 

?

When she had gotten two meters below the slope at the top she had 
jumped up, set the last few pins ten meters back, and tied off the line.? 
Then lifted her leg and marked the mountain, she had beaten it, and felt 
like putting her signature scent on it.

?

After that it was just careful planning, sending over alternate 
loads of? troopers with more belaying equipment, gear, Kzinretti, their 
gear and the rear guard (Chril Sergeant last).? At the last minute, and 
trying to interpret Dapple's (he was getting into the hang of how to name 
females) motions he grabbed the bald Monkey and carried the tied body 
over.? Then using the proper releases the ropes on the building side were 
freed and coiled, and everyone got their gear back on again.? To complete 
the transfer Chril had himself lowered on ropes and broke off the end of 
the pipe on their side.? The weight was enough to make it first bend, then 
snap off at the other end when it really got moving.

?

As they were heading out the Monkeys finally figured out where they 
had been, and showed up on the balcony to see the Kzinti band march off 
into the gathering gloom with Heroic disdain.? Except for Tangerine who 
went back for a moment and made a "let's play again, later" sort of motion 
before joining the main party.

?

Now they were crossing the mesa, putting distance and time between 
them and any pursuit, unless the hairy Monkey types could fly, also. Right 
File Leader (a little irritated that the Sergeant had forbidden comm unit 
use and lighting units) sprinted up and informed his leader that they had 
discovered a sort of trail, with very faint Monkey smell.? Chril Sergeant 
called a break and reassembled everyone, changed rearguard and point 
forces, and directed them to follow the Monkey trail.

?

After another two hours the trail led to the western edge of the 
mountain, to a path leading down.? In the dark it would have impossible to 
descend for Monkey civilians, dangerous for Monkey scouts, and a slightly 
cautious stroll in the night for Kzinti (and one carried Monkey).? In two 
hours they were at the bottom.? There were signs it had been concealed at 
this end, but that didn't matter now.? Trooper Seven was sent back up the 
trail with instructions to set some delayed charges to make it a bit more 
dangerous to descend .? When he was back they set out again, along what 
seemed a trampled band, like what a herd of large cattle might make as it 
roamed, until the dawn.?? The only event of note was when a half hour 
after they started the charges went off with a flash, a roar, and then the 
rumble of a million tons of barely traversable trail becoming a lot less 
so for several hundred meters.
?????? 
11-


At dawn they started to shoot the grapple equipped bolts across.? 
It wasn't until the fourth try that one, landing somewhere a few hundred 
meters in from the edge, caught on something when they pulled it back.? 
Ogedai went across hand over hand with another rope, spikes and a hammer.? 
He quickly set up belaying points and secured both ropes securely, as well 
as the next that was sent over.? With three ropes set up it was safe as a 
bridge for the shinobi that crossed, and a valuable exercise in 
maintaining calmness and composure to the monkish crews that went over to 
begin repairing the water pipe.? 

?

With the entire ninja team across, and fairly rested Timur got them 
into a fan shaped search pattern, starting from where the Rat-cats had 
crossed the ravine.? The escapees weren't going anywhere. The Abbot had 
assured them that the trail up the mountain was too well camouflaged to be 
found, particularly in the dark.? Completely true, perhaps, but the need 
to hide things at the top of the trail had never seemed nearly so 
important.

?

It was Arghun's cell that found the monks' trail, and decided on 
its own that maybe cats could follow even something as hard to see as this, 
even in the dark.? It took them two hours, watching out for ambushes, to 
come to the cliff's edge and look down.? The descent was now in roughly 
three sections.? A nasty section down, at the bottom another nasty section 
down, and in between a largish section with no trail at all.

?

Juchi got out his bow and shot up a flare to call the rest of the 
team there, while Arghun and Borchai debated doing a walk down and close 
pursuit.? Borchai looked out over the grassy plains below, and took out 
her monocular and began to scan.? From this height she saw a maze of 
grazed flat ribbons where the wild herds roamed, but nowhere in view was 
there a visible bunch tiger sized "specimens".? They decided starting a 
tracking run with just two against (the count was a bit confused) twelve 
to twenty hostiles with unknown capabilities was perhaps something they 
should put off.? After all, they had been told to track the Rat-cats and 
report, not run them to ground.

?

Within thirty minutes everyone was assembled, Timur had been 
briefed, other evidence that the Rat-cats had come this way been found, 
and everyone was checking to make sure that they were fully stocked with 
what they'd need for a stern chase (long) and a battle (probably hot).? 
Timur was doing calculations in his head:? "Can't see them from here, have 
to go down and see if they left traces.? For big things they walk light. 
Cats are fast and these seem to have? endurance.? Arghun said they had 
some long range weapons, in an ambush we won't know to start dodging until 
the first scouts drop.? Their explosive tags are brutal, look at all the 
rock it moved on this trail, we have to avoid that kind of fight.

?

"Our mission is to protect the Monastery, not chase down their 
lost property.? Two days spent searching , safe speed, and then we're 
coming back. We haven't lost anyone, no pride gone if we don't bring the 
Rat-cats in.? They're intelligent, so it would be tacky to have a rug..."

?

As this side of the mountain didn't have the Chakra resisting 
seals the walk down was a bit tiring and slow, but not all that difficult 
in the daylight.? Once at the bottom the three cells split up, trying to 
search while staying within ten minutes run of each other.? It took two 
hours, but Rukh's team finally got a lead, or perhaps a scent would be a 
better way of putting it.? Fourteen tigers all using the same latrine 
during their rest stop, even when doing a light burying of the remains, 
will leave a pungent odor.

?

Sending up a flare, and starting a contained smoky fire as a 
marker they followed the swath of trampled grass heading north-west, to a 
line of rocky foothills rimmed with scrub forest.? It was Subatai who read 
the signs on the ground and saw where a ton of wild cow was taken down and 
roughly butchered, and he caught where the single file cut out from the 
herd's path toward a forest fringed ridge that jutted out from the main 
line of hills.? But trouble, like rewards comes to the leaders. It was 
Rukh in the center lead position who first felt as if his leg was ripped 
off and saw a small hole, like a senbon's appear in the front of his 
thigh.? As he hit the ground he heard a sharp crack, like wood snapping as 
it burnt in a campfire, and then saw Subatai spin around like a drunk, 
with his left arm flailing in the air as he fell down, followed by another 
crack.? Only Jamuga was still unhit, and he was a taijutsu expert.? 
Getting close enough for it to matter would be fun, Rukh still didn't have 
a clue where they were being attacked from, except somewhere to their 
front.?? He started to put a bandage on his leg, no reason to continue to 
bleed, and leave a blood trail to lead the Rat-cats to him.? The hole in 
his leg evidently continued all the way through, and had an exit wound 
bigger than the entry one. Very bad news, they were probably all going to 
die now.

?

There was a burst of snarling, coughing from up ahead, then Jamuga 
yelling some taunts, and the sound of a human sized and something larger 
moving fast through the dry grass to the right.? Rukh tried to stand up, 
perhaps the battle had come into range of his air based attacks and he 
could help out.? As he disturbed the grass around them three lines 
appeared in the stems around him, followed by the damn sound of whatever 
jutsus they were using to push senbons that fast.? He hit the dirt, they 
were too close for him to get anything aimed before he was hit.? He began 
to prepare a kunai-explosive tag team for when the 'cats got close enough 
to try to rip his throat out.? Then, like a beautiful bird he saw Timur's 
Fire Dragon flash by overhead.? An Earth Wall shot up in front of him in 
a semicircle.? Something that sounded like the world's biggest cat fight 
seemed to break out.? He felt tired, and stayed down and peacefully passed 
out.???????????????????? 

?

Timur's third Fire Dragon roared and flew toward the enemy, 
probably toward the enemy.? The damn Rat-cats were almost invisible in the 
grass, or in the shadows of the treeline.? If you didn't catch them moving 
the only thing you had going for you was trying to zero in on the sound of 
them doing something to get their senbons out.? They didn't seem to have 
many jutsus, but they could throw those needles as far as anything he 
could get outgoing.? They seemed to be armor piercing too, and did too 
damn much damage for something that small.? Currently he had three shinobi 
down, and maybe had taken two of the 'cats out of the fight.? To complete 
his joy the dry grass had caught fire in several places, the patches of 
flame were coming together, and the wind direction was away from the hills, 
toward his position.? Oh, and his best guy for wind jutsus was in urgent 
need of a medic.?? Timur had never been much of a fan of the "it's a good 
day to die!" philosophy, and didn't want to adopt it on the spur of the 
moment either.

?

"Pull back.? Retrieve the wounded .? Rally 500 meters back, to the 
left of the fire line" If they had to break contact, at least the fire 
would be throwing up enough smoke to give them concealment Timur decided.? 
They'd figure out if it was worthwhile to renew the fight when they saw 
how bad their injuries were.

?

When the rest of the team had re-assembled the real status was 
established.? Three down hard, two of them needing more medical jutsu than 
any of them knew.? They could be stabilized for a rapid transport back to 
the Monastery, where the monks had the equivalent of a first class 
hospital ward available.? Jamuga had a bad cut on his shoulder, but he 
swore that he'd broken one of the 'cats up bad, bones broken and 
everything.? Knowing Jamuga's self esteem Timur wasn't all that convinced 
about that.? One of their needles had done a glancing hit on Juchi's 
headband, and ripped it off, giving him a bad, bleeding gouge on his 
forehead.? So, it was three down totally, two walking wounded, leaving 
four effectives.? Only one Jonin was left, and that one getting a bit 
tired.? 

?

They had accomplished their mission, the Rat-cats were driven from 
the Monastery and wouldn't be coming back anytime soon.? From what Timur 
had gathered they hadn't wanted to be there in the first place.? Currently 
it had been a good, clean fight with honors either even, or leaning toward 
the shinobi.? No need to declare a blood feud, at least if they got moving 
and reached the Infirmary within the next two days.? It was a push 
certainly, but nothing that a few Soldier Pills couldn't ensure.? Besides, 
if this fight was pushed to a conclusion they'd be too weak to fulfill 
their primary contract of protecting the monks.? It was time to break off.

?

12-


The Kzinti band was deep in the broken hills.? Their fire was low 
and shielded from sight outside the stone circled dip they were in.? Some 
of the Heroes were cleaning their equipment, two were up a local tree 
(that could barely stand their weight) keeping watch.? Trooper Eight was 
having some burn salve spread on the forty percent of his body that hadn't 
avoided the Flame Snake the boss Monkey had been spitting out.? Trooper 
Three had long since treated the small cut he'd gotten in hand-to-hand 
with the aggressive Monkey, he thought he might have a slightly cracked 
lower rib too, but none of the wounds promised to leave a really good 
scar.? All in all it was a wasted tussle, except for the exercise.? Most 
of the Kzinretti were quietly talking and grooming each other. 

?

The female Chril Sergeant was thinking of as Dapple was seemingly 
well on the way to taming the Monkey.? It was untied and wasn't even 
shivering much anymore.? She was talking with it, listening to it, and 
exchanging little diagrams drawn in the dirt.? Chril didn't expect too 
much to come of this in the near future.? Even if they had been Word 
Masters the constant movement and... distractions of the last few days 
would have prevented them from doing much exchanging of words.? What was 
important was that it was happening at all.? 

?

Chril knew what had been happening in the back of beyond planet he 
had been pulling training duty on, and what the long from Kzinhome nobles 
who owned that planet had been doing.? It was a? mixture of heresy, 
treason and insanely dangerous experiments.? If for no other reason that 
if Priests of the Fanged God, or the agents of the Patriarch ever heard of 
it, their noble families would be exterminated to the last kit.? They had 
been breeding sapient females.? Against every doctrine and ordinance of 
family structure those quiet rebels? had been undermining the basic social 
structure of the Empire.? Because if females were intelligent they could 
have honor, could be dangerous, couldn't be property for their own good, 
could live outside of the Secured Den of a powerful Sire.? 

?

It was undoubtedly heresy and treason.? Certainly it was the duty 
of a respectable underofficer (with a half-name, even) to purge such 
criminals from the body politic.? Therefore Chril thought Fortune kind 
that it taken him, and Kzinretti, as far as possible from that body 
politic before he had ever observed anything uncomfortable.? It was a lot 
less paperwork that way too.? They hadn't even really been sloppy in 
stopping their act of stupidity, they had known that he knew their secret 
anyway, and also knew that there wasn't the time to pretend everything was 
normal and safe in the hands of the great, big Heroes.
?????? 
Chril hadn't gotten his half name because of influence or because 
his Sire had been great.? He'd been lucky enough to survive some horrible 
disasters, and triumph in some difficult battles.? The luck he had had was 
just luck, there was nothing he had done to deserve it.? The triumphs were 
because in a force whose motto was "leap and scream", his motto had been 
more like, "Look, think, leap and scream".? Now he was thinking.? Now he 
came to his decision.

?

He walked over to Tangerine, gestured her to follow him, motioned 
her to sit where he, as leader, was entitled.? He called the sentries in 
to join the rest, there wasn't much chance the Monkeys would be back today, 
considering how chewed up their group (only nine of the dangerous ones had 
actually been there) had been.? He started things off as a post mission 
briefing.

?

"In the last two days we have beaten off a force of hundreds of 
an unknown foe and managed to break contact with their most dangerous 
elements.? We have done an exploratory march and discovered food resources 
and a viable basing area.? We have over ninety per cent of our ammunition 
and about two thirds of our explosive charges.? All of our electronic gear 
is functional, and our power units are at full charge.

?

"The reason I have had you keeping even the most elementary 
equipment turned off is that what we have in ammunition, power, equipment 
is, as best as can be determined, all that we will ever have.? If anyone 
here has an idea of how we can get back to the Empire, or get resupplied, 
inform me now."??????? 

?

The troops talked quietly among themselves, then as a spokesman 
Left Flank Leader gave their consensus:? "Dominant One, none of us have 
any idea of how to resolve the situation we are in, how to get back home, 
or produce new equipment.? We await your guidance."

?

It would work!? They were already going beyond his rank and 
calling him Dominant!? Chril got up (he was one of those who thought 
better on his feet) and continued: "We must deal with this situation as 
one of a permanent settlement.? We will have to cooperate, but also 
innovate.? Some of our innovations will be revisions to social structures 
long abandoned on Kzinhome.? As the noble Kzinretti are all young and 
potentially fertile they must be allowed to breed, despite their 
registered? Nest Holders not being present.? Accordingly they will have 
personal Mates, I have selected the Kzinret by my seat as mine, any 
challenges?" He smiled, so they could see both that all his fangs were 
still sharp, and that he was perfectly ready to gut any of them who 
objected.? His messages were very easily?? understood by all, none of them 
thought they had a chance of challenging and taking the ears of a combat 
veteran of his experience.? He erased his threat-smile and turned to make 
sure Tangerine understood what had just happened.? He was a bit disturbed 
when he saw that it was Binocular instead sitting there with a cheerful 
look on her face and her tail waving contentedly.? How had they known?? 
How had they made the switch so neatly?? But now was the time to finish 
this all, not to admit he wasn't in complete control.

?

"As there are more Kzintosh than Kzinretti accommodations will 
have to be made.? It was not unknown for brothers in the early days to 
share mates.? It will be so here as needed.? Kzinret will have to agree to 
the matings though."? 

?

There was some muttering then.? One less contented from the 
Kzintosh, one a good deal more pleased from the Kzinretti.? As no one 
leaped up to try to rip out his throat it seemed his return to the customs 
of the fabled past was at least tolerable for now.? The Kzinretti had 
started to look at the young Kzintosh crouched around the fire with a 
frankly evaluating look in their eyes.? Some of the more confident 
Kzintosh preened a bit, and spread their ears.? Dapple was stroking her 
pet Monkey to keep him from panicking at the conversations going on.? To 
him it must have seemed like a prelude to a slaughter (his), rather than 
an orderly exchange of views (with potentials for murder).

?

Chril (no longer in his own mind Sergeant) walked back and took 
his seat.? Binocular placed her cheek against his shoulder, purred a 
little.? Now to finish things: "There will be changes in our organization, 
though proper ranking and hierarchy will be maintained.? Respect for skill 
and accomplishment will be a paramount concern.? Now we must take the 
first great step.? Now we will choose names."

?

Author's Notes:


In the Narutoverse the technology presented makes no sense.? Ultra 
sophisticated tactical radios, residential television, but long distance 
communications are done by carrier animals.? People travel basically by 
foot, even nobles, but in canon there are steamboats, and even a singular 
railroad.? Electrical power exists in the hidden villages, but there are 
vanishingly few uses for it, and even internally there are no telephones 
or other basic equipment.? In military affairs there are explosive tags, 
and hand thrown missiles (one movie has very ineffective rockets), not 
even any bows or slings much less guns.?? 

?

The easiest explanation is that all the inexplicable technology 
isn't native to the world at all.? It is stolen (hence the Redhanded 
Monastery and its monks) and is more often high prestige items of 
conspicuous consumption than really something that is being made locally.? 
Some things came through as a working scale model (the steam engines, 
etc.) and some things were taken (probably randomly) from some warehouse 
or off of store shelves.? If the taking was more controlled even in a 
Chakra based system there would be significant effects.? Remember the old 
saying: God made all men, Col. Colt made them equal.???????? 

?

Larry Niven's Kzinti are Japanese Samurai by way of a pride of 
lions.? Very impressive kitty cats, and in the continuation series The 
Man-Kzin Wars a lot of fun stuff about them (and often from their 
viewpoint) comes out.? Not all of it makes too much sense, but there are 
a few basic points.

?

The Kzin stole their technology. They were primitive mercenaries 
who managed enslaving their previous employers the process.? The group 
that came out on top was fairly odd, by Kzin standards, and had a thing 
about females being subservient to the pride leaders, being placed in 
harems.? Over time this became common among most Kzinti groups, and a 
mechanism for culling out intelligent females (who might upset the 
applecart) became widespread.? Not all Kzinti clans liked this, but they 
had to keep their opposition secret.? The hold a smallish interstellar 
empire, using Slower Than Light drives and a feudal political structure.? 
The Patriarch on Kzinhome is the strongest of nobles, but must be cautious 
with far off clans of great power.

?

Kzinti males (Kzintosh) start out in life (except if born into an 
extremely powerful and prestigious family) being kicked out of the house 
in early adolescence and having to gain fame (which gets wealth), 
reputation (which gets advancement) and acknowledgement as a superior or 
dominant individual (which gets mates from those holding the existing 
females in their harems).? One sign of their advancement is rising in the 
military (promotions giving higher titles) and getting an individual name 
instead of just a job description.? By such baubles are Kzinti lead.

?

Kzinretti only become sexual receptive when in heat (like most 
mammal or mammaloid creatures) but can have affectionate regard for males 
even when not in the mood for love.? Intelligence only increases the 
possibility of such behavior.? Under certain situations non-sapient 
females may be given artificial hormones to "get them in the mood" as a 
special reward to lower level Kzintosh who would otherwise never get a 
chance to contact an aroused female.???????????? 

?

The Kzinti have recently (within the last few centuries) 
attempting to conquer another of the races they have come into contact 
with (they hold in subjugation four or five).? The Monkeys themselves are 
only slightly technologically inferior to the Kzinti, and for omnivores 
surprisingly fierce in combat.? They have lost some of their colonies, 
but have beaten off four increasingly serious Kzinti invasion fleets.

?

A variable sword is a monomolecular line held rigid by a low 
powered forcefield.? It can be adjusted to a number of lengths, and can 
effectively cut most anything.? It is so thin that the only way its user 
knows where it ends is that its tip glows due to the forcefield holding 
it stiff.? A Strakkaker is a light (for Kzinti) weapon that shoots small 
needles at huge speeds.? The high speed (several times the speed of sound) 
causes great damage for the light mass of the round, and the small size 
means that a gun holds hundreds of rounds.? It easily outranges hand 
thrown weapons.? It weighs approximately 6 kilos.
-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: http://www.chez-vrolet.net/pipermail/ffml/attachments/20091003/45e46be6/attachment.htm