The Nature of Predators

Memory transcription subject: Chief Hunter Isif, Arxur Dominion Sector Fleet

Date [standardized human time]: December 7, 2136

Prophet-Descendant Giznel, it turned out, had taken the liberty of mobilizing my fleet to a nearby location. With a strike force already assembled, it was a short voyage to Sillis’ system. FTL disruptors were active solely within the bounds of the planet’s gravity well; the Terrans didn’t expect us to bring reinforcements. It was known to the United Nations that our warlords acted independently to each other.

I suppose they knew it was an exercise in futility, even if FTL-disruptors had smacked us out of transit. The battle would be lost for the humans as soon as new ships arrived, since the Arxur’s solitary nature didn’t prevent us from joining in. To be candid, I couldn’t comprehend how Earth’s measly showing had resisted Shaza’s bruisers this long. The Terrans had a lot of mettle in them.

The Arxur Dominion will respect their tenacity and gumption, if a bit grudgingly. I question whether the humans will fight to the last man though.

As my fleet entered real space, we ensured that our forces were positioned out of firing range. I didn’t want to get dragged into the fight before I could open a channel. The Terrans were shooting Arxur vessels on sight, and they would assume we were bailing out Shaza. I had to assure them my intentions ran against this sector’s Chief Hunter.

The UN vessels swiveled to face us, rather than panicking like prey crews. During our arrival, they hadn’t been engaged with Shaza’s forces; the humans were content keeping the enemy at bay. The stubborn primates must realize they were backed into a corner now, which would force them to the negotiating table.

“Attention, all Arxur vessels in the system,” I growled into my comms, ensuring that my channel was unencrypted. “This is Chief Hunter Isif; by order of Betterment, I am assuming control of your fleet. You are to immediately stand down and await further instruction. I say again: cease all hostile actions.”

The Dominion vessels marauding Sillis halted the meticulous bombing, and I was surprised by their lack of hesitation. Shouldn’t there have been a power struggle, as Shaza issued a counter-order? Gauging by her personality, that Chief Hunter would never respect my decree to stand down. I studied the viewport in shock, before extending a hail to the human fleet.

A female Terran, with reddish hair that halted just shy of her shoulders, accepted my call. Hostility was written on her countenance, though sleep deprivation was visible in her puffy eyes. The UN officer bared her teeth all the same, and stared down the camera. I was unimpressed by humans attempting intimidation on me.

“I recognize you. The famed Captain Monahan…savior of Khoa,” I said in a sugary voice. “After that success, I’m not surprised you’re first in line for combat negotiations.”

Monahan’s scowl deepened. “What is it you’re seeking?”

“A ceasefire. I wish to negotiate an immediate end to hostilities, and regain control of our assets. Is that an amenable proposition to the United Nations?”

“There will be no end of hostilities; not while you’re taking humans as cattle. We’d rather take a lot of you with us, than let you make off with our men and women.”

“What?! We don’t take you as cattle. Are there prisoners or…ahem. Excuse me one moment.”

The human captain’s eyes fluttered with surprise, and she inspected my mannerisms for several seconds. As I scrambled through a log of internal communications, a video message was forwarded from the UNS Rocinante. Monahan had relayed the information for me; I hastily listened to Shaza’s transmission. Shock must’ve been visible on my agape maw, but I couldn’t force it shut.

Had that maniacal Chief Hunter actually threatened to corral humans like Venlil? No wonder the United Nations was digging in their heels with such spite. That also explained why this sector’s Dominion forces complied with my takeover; Shaza alienated her own troops by trying to eat fellow predators. After the Terrans fended off such an overzealous attack, there was no way of classing them as prey.

The average soldier knew this action wouldn’t be condoned by Betterment. It flies against our entire ideology of superiority. It’s next to cannibalistic!

I drew a shuddering breath. “The captives’ release will be facilitated by me, personally. On behalf of the Arxur Dominion, I can assure you we do not support this act in any way. I apologize for Shaza subjecting humans to degrading conditions, which are becoming only of prey.”

“Only becoming of prey?” My qualifier served to make Monahan recoil in disgust. “So if there’s an herbivore who served with us, captured, you won’t release them? That’s not good enough.”

“I should think the release of all humans is a good start.”

“Everyone under the UN emblem is equal to us. I am not trading lives with you.”

“Some is more than none, yes?”

I knew leaving their newfound allies, such as the Venlil, to die was a non-starter from the United Nations. However, Giznel would have my hide if he discovered I’d released the prey with no pushback. It also would suit my motives to gain food in return, given the sector’s depleted cattle farms. Betterment might be happy with starvation, but I wished to resolve that issue for any troops under my control.

A full belly was one way to buy loyalty for a future rebellion. General Jones would understand why I drove a hard bargain with the UN, and why I had to accumulate as many assets as possible. However, it was unclear if the average Terran officer was amenable to hardball. The female human on screen had tensed up again; she was digging her fingernails into her seat.

Captain Monahan pursed her lips. “We have nothing to talk about, since you won’t budge from that stance.”

“If you don’t like my offer, you could make a counter,” I said. “I am just supposed to guess at what you want? Make it worth my while, and I’ll consider returning your…prey creatures.”

“I don’t know what you want! I presume to bomb Sillis unimpeded?”

“The Tilfish attacked your cradle world. You asked us to retaliate against your aggressors. There’s no, tssk, takebacks as you say. I find your attempts to distance yourselves from this fiasco immature.”

“The United Nations will never condone genocide! We’re not on their level. That was a regrettable gamble, in which we had no choice.”

“You were quite happy to accept my ships, human, when I saved your Earth. Don’t let your short memories fail you now. There would be no fleet to fight Shaza and her Sivkit-brained ensemble without me.”

The Terran captain’s glower faltered. “…that was you?”

“Yes. I rescued your species from functional extinction. I had you at my mercy, and I let you be. I think you will find that my policies align with your interests. So I’ll state my demands forthright, but you are going to listen.”

“For Earth, I will humor you. Our devastating losses could’ve been worse. Much worse.”

The medals pinned to Monahan’s uniform had tipped me off to her participation in humanity’s last stand. It was a relief that the reminder of my aid went over better than it had with Secretary-General Zhao. Perhaps some lab-grown meat and a territorial concession would be palatable to the Terran higher-ups. All Giznel demanded was ending the battle and getting the sector back under our control.

As long as I achieve his stated ends, I’ll appear more competent than Shaza. Not that that’s saying much.

I narrowed my eyes to slits. “You’ve taken much from us. The return of this sector, alongside a non-aggression pact with Arxur outposts under my domain, is non-negotiable.”

“We know what you’ll do to those sapients you had. Returning them to your custody is unethical, and would be a ghastly reflection on the UN.”

“Forget the cattle. I expect compensation. I want some of the farm animals in your possession on Earth…the ones you certainly don’t have just for specialty meats.”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

“Learn quickly. Otherwise, I might accidentally leak a dossier on ‘factory farming’ and ‘safari hunting’ to Zurulian communication satellites. I’m sure you wouldn’t want that.”

The color drained from Monahan’s cheeks. “That is quite unnecessary.”

“It will be, when you comply with my reasonable requests. All Terran ships will stand down at once. In return, I will retrieve any UN captives, including non-humans, for you. We will leave Sillis, but I expect future negotiations on that concession.”

“So we’re just supposed to stand down, and trust that you’ll hand over our side of the deal later?”

“Precisely, because I keep my word. There is precedent: I returned the Venlil cattle per a similar arrangement. If I say I’ll return your people, consider it done.”

“What about the Tilfish civilians? They were under our protection.”

“…you people make no sense. Fine, you can have your human-killing bugs. But there better be more heads of cattle that we get back than we gave away.”

“I’ll take that into consideration, Isif. Is that all?”

“For now. Go call the higher-ups with those FTL comms you definitely don’t have access to. I’ll be waiting.”

I terminated the call, satisfied at the threats I’d chosen to lobby at Captain Monahan. Sharing their predatory traits with their allies wasn’t something the UN did in laborious detail. However, humans being kept as cattle was unacceptable to me, even if a deal wasn’t solidified. Gesturing to an underling, I summoned a shuttle bound for Shaza’s fleet.

A security detail accompanied my transport, equipped to handle any resistance. It took a few seconds to fire off an encrypted transmission, requesting the locations of Shaza and her human captives. Dominion vessels did not fire upon my transport; acknowledgments flooded in, kowtowing to my status. Arrogant as ever, the female Chief Hunter had Terran prisoners routed to her personal command ship.

That placed both of my objectives in the same location. Genuine anticipation of the kill thrummed in my chest. It would be delightful not to feign pleasure during an execution; eliminating Shaza was a step forward for my species. What kind of Arxur got bested by feisty predators, and reacted with vulgar threats? Betterment would never support her actions, which were unbecoming even of their office.

My pupils scanned the command ship, which was a bulky giant with gratuitous armor. Ornaments resembling prey heads decorated the hull, and multiple decks allowed for a hearty amount of cattle onboard. My shuttle was dwarfed by the colossal ship; its size was impractical in combat action. The rogue Chief Hunter cared too much for projecting strength, enough to sacrifice all mobility.

As I closed in on Shaza’s command post, the human fleet reopened a hail. My patience had been dwindling with their government; this wasn’t the time for deliberation. It shouldn’t be difficult for Captain Monahan to relay a straight answer. The social predators shouldn’t be chattering amongst themselves during a crisis.

General Jones claimed humans don’t want war with the entire Dominion. The UN has to work with me for that reason.

Monahan breathed a flustered sigh. “I’ll get to the point. Secretary-General Zhao signed off on the deal, if you throw in one sweetener. Transfer Shaza to our custody.”

“Oh, that is your kicker? I could not care what happens to her,” I chuckled. “We are much like independent warlords on your world. I was going to execute her, but I suppose that also fits my orders to ‘dispose of her.’”

“Excellent. While I have your attention, Zhao asked me to tell you something else. He says he is…sorry for his conduct. Whatever that means.”

“Well, I think your species cherishes empty words more than mine does. I’ll arrange the transfer, human. Don’t do anything stupid.”

I cut the transmission once more, and reminded myself that it was irrational to hold a grudge. Still, I had zero interest in reassessing Zhao’s affronts on a call. General Jones had misled him, but that didn’t erase the fact that he treated me like an animal. If the UN leader saw all Arxur as savages, that wasn’t something I intended to forgive lightly.

Then again, if I considered it with sincerity, Felra would say the same things about me…and worse. My friendship with the Dossur was a grave error of judgment. The fact that she assumed any cordial predator was a human spoke volumes about our repute versus theirs. Everyone thought we were monsters who deserved what happened to us. Considered that our plight was somewhat self-inflicted, they might be right.

A jolt rippled through the shuttle, as we latched onto Shaza’s command ship. I gestured for my security detail to raise their weapons; my paw hovered over my sidearm as well. But no gunfire greeted us upon entry, nor was there any sign of hostile intent. Instead, a wall of guards had the disgraced Chief Hunter on her knees. Her right eye was bloodied and swollen shut, which presented some obvious questions.

Shaza looked indignant, despite the pistol planted against her skull. “Isif. Those insolent apes just wouldn’t let it go! They’re chest-beating monkeys with nothing but cheap tricks.”

“Any normal Arxur would respect a worthy opponent in combat. Tell me, why do you think your people are so eager to restrain you?”

“The humans need to be humbled! My minions here don’t see that I had to impart that lesson…in a way they’d remember.”

“Oh, they’ll remember alright. We do not eat fellow sapients. There is one other predator in the galaxy, and you cannot treat them with respect?!”

“They’re stupid and emotional. It’s their weakness. When they see their kind herded up, it will break them.”

“I suspect your ploy merely pisses the humans off, Shaza. Nice shiner you’ve got there, is it not?”

“Quit your mockery! The one I took as my personal meal…it jabbed its thumb in my eye and started twisting. Awful wretch! I carved it up very slowly for that. Those ‘predators’ scream just the same as Venlil, though the taste leaves something to be desired.”

A wave of cold disgust washed over me. “You actually ate a human?!”

“Yes, very chewy. Listen, those captives might keep fighting today, but they will give up and cower in time. Let the cattle experiment go on. Surely Betterment—”

I lunged at the Chief Hunter, throwing my maw into the side of her temple. Shaza crumpled into a heap, and my hide quivered with revulsion. It would be ironic to torture her into “screaming like a Venlil” now; that would invalidate her prior argument. Pain wasn’t exclusionary to prey, after all. It was a shame the humans requested her alive, so I couldn’t have any fun breaking her will.

My gaze swept around the room, inspecting her forces. “The battle of Sillis is over! Betterment would rather point our guns at prey than predators. We’d rather eat prey than predators. If any of you have a problem with that, there are several airlocks with your name on it. I suggest you use them.”

The assembled Dominion soldiers nodded, and hauled the unconscious Shaza to her feet. My security detail helped them cart her onto a transport; bindings were applied to her lithe form, ensuring that she couldn’t stir up mayhem. I debated how to return the human cattle, without having them gouge out our eyes. It needed to be crystal clear that we were not aligned with the former Chief Hunter.

“Ready that transport, and prep several more. Load all UN captives on there, unharmed and of their own volition,” I growled. “Before you release any penned humans, please reiterate that we’re there to free and return them. State that we have an explicit agreement with their government. Also, allow them to fly the shuttles back to their fleet on their own.”

One of my security guards bared his teeth. “What happens when they see Shaza on the first ship?”

“Tell them that the human cattle was her idea, and she’s a rogue warlord. Also tell them…they can do whatever they want with her. She was left on that shuttle as a gift!”

The Arxur underling chuckled to himself, picturing the furious humans brutalizing her. I found Shaza’s circumstances quite amusing as well. This was likely not what Secretary-General Zhao had in mind, by asking me to hand her over to UN custody. But on a technical level, my decision was in full compliance with his request. I’d fulfilled my end of the bargain, while having some malicious fun at her expense.

Once this situation was resolved, the humans could return their attention to the Federation. That was where their focus belonged; it would also save me from the awkward position of mediating this dispute. My next priority was heading to a dead drop location, so that General Jones could learn what Giznel had revealed. Perhaps the Terrans could devise a way to utilize the information for insurgency.