The Nature of Predators

Memory transcription subject: Slanek, Venlil Space Corps

Date [standardized human time]: October 8, 2136

The humans instructed me to place a wraparound headset over my ears. I was impressed with how they had modified their technology with Venlil in mind, though I hoped I wasn’t the only one who would get to use it. The earpiece fed simulated audio of alarms and hits; it also allowed Sara to speak to me directly.

“Slanek, I’m going to talk to you throughout this exercise. In time, I hope you will learn to do these things yourself,” she explained, in a melodic voice. “Thoughts guide our actions. By changing your thoughts, you can unlearn negative behaviors.”

I tilted my head. “But that’s the problem. You can’t control your thoughts.”

“Well, not with that attitude. You didn’t develop your thinking patterns overnight,” Sara responded. “It takes time, effort, and understanding to make a self-adjustment. Mind if I ask you a few questions, before we begin the simulation?”

“Go for it.”

“When was the first time you encountered a predator?”

I failed to see the relevance of the question, but I decided to humor the human. If she thought delving into the origins of predator phobia would further her understanding, it wouldn’t hurt to play along. The more background info she had on me, the better subject I would be.

You saw the Arxur on TV, but that doesn’t really count. Mother tried to shield us from those atrocities, I recalled.

Encounters with predators were uncommon on Venlil Prime, though occasionally, one slipped through the cracks. Teams of investigators in armored vehicles would travel out to the site, scorching any area with evidence of a hunter’s presence. There was no way we would leave them alive to reproduce and terrorize our settlements. Extermination officer was an occupation that paid well, but all the money in the world wouldn’t be enticing enough for me.

“My parents took me for a walk in the local pasture, and there was a dead rodent on the sidewalk. Lots of blood. There were larvae all over it; news cameras turned up within minutes.” A shudder rippled down my spine at the memory. “The anchors said a predator might be on the loose. The entire neighborhood was placed on a curfew by local police. Schools were closed indefinitely.”

Tyler couldn’t hear the other end of the conversation, but he shot me a baffled look. The human’s eyebrow arched up his forehead, as though he couldn’t believe what he was hearing. I think the words he mouthed were, What the fuck?

“Tell me more about that. Did they find out what happened to the dead animal?” Sara inquired.

I gritted my teeth. “It died of natural causes, according to the autopsy. Everyone was relieved that there was no imminent threat. But that was the week I learned about food chains…and our place on it.”

“How did that make you feel?”

“Scared. Powerless. I just couldn’t believe there were animals that based their existence on k-killing.”

“I can tell this is difficult for you, Slanek. If I may, what conclusions did your childhood self reach about predators?”

“Predators had to be cruel and unfeeling, to be able to stomach such violence. To eat that rotting corpse I saw.”

“The Arxur must have cemented those beliefs. I take it that was your initial feeling toward humans?”

A horrified gasp came from my chest, as I realized what I just said about predators. It had slipped my mind that I was talking to one, while I was focusing on the emotional residue of that experience. There was the thoughtlessness Marcel teased me over.

“I’m sorry, that was too honest. I didn’t mean to say you’re—” I squeaked.

“Relax. I’m not offended.” Sara’s voice was reserved and soothing, like the rustle of leaves in the wind. “I want you to be transparent with me; especially about how humans make you feel.”

“I don’t like to think about humans being predators. It’s jarring to equate you with, uh…”

“The animal in the field. With eating ‘rotting corpses.’”

“Yes.”

The scientist was silent on the other end of the headset, and I caught some light scraping sounds. She must be taking notes from what I was telling her. I hoped I hadn’t said too much; the humans wouldn’t admit they were offended, even if they were.

“You did great, Slanek. Thank you for sharing that with me. What I am going to ask of you now, is to try to put yourself in the predator’s shoes,” she said. “Come up with as many reasons why an animal might choose to hunt as you can: beyond being cruel, violent, and unfeeling. We’ll talk about it at tomorrow’s session.”

I focused my eyes on the floor, ignoring Tyler’s inquisitive stare. Did flesh taste so good that it was addictive? It was tough to think of a single other allure to predation, other than biological impulse.

Even with humans, I assumed they had those aspects within them due to their brutal hunting methods. The difference was that I believed they had another side, and that there were enough positive attributes to outweigh the repugnant ones. Besides, they found a way to sate their cravings without harming other creatures.

Maybe that’s something I should ask Marcel. He might know the answers Sara is looking for.

I breathed a weary sigh. “I don’t know if I can do that, but I’ll try.”

“Good. Now, we’re going to start your mission. The goal of this exercise is to stop any hostile ships from reaching orbital range of Earth. I’ll be here for guidance as needed.”

The screens glowed to life, and Tyler clenched his fist around the firing trigger. The image of Earth in the background was hyperrealistic, down to the orange glow dotting the continents. Swirling clouds idled across the oceans, and the inky backdrop framed the planet in serene radiance. It was a breathtaking sight, even in a simulation.

I searched for enemy contacts on sensor data. Craning my neck, I tried to get a visual on a fast-approaching vessel from our left. The blinders were inhibiting my sight line, so it was difficult to ground myself. At least it rendered me impervious to the virtual explosions and conflict taking place in the distance.

My breath hitched in my throat, as a plasma beam sailed meters from our hull. This felt too real and dangerous. The stress of decision-making was enough to make panic seep in. I was frozen as usual; what was I supposed to do? I couldn’t even remember how to engage the targeting systems.

Nonetheless, inaction was unacceptable. My trembling paw slammed the steering column and veered the ship toward the hostile. My diminished vision blurred; my heart was pounding so hard that it felt like an earthquake in my chest. Every instinct declared that facing an aggressive foe was too perilous.

I feel like I’m going to die. Like I’m flying into my doom…and it’s not even real.

Meanwhile, Tyler was impossibly collected, as he aligned kinetic munitions with the target. How could humans push through the chemical fog with such ease? It was as though their instincts compelled them to run headlong toward danger, rather than gallop to safety.

“Slanek, deep breaths. Count to five as you inhale, then count to five as you exhale,” Sara’s voice growled.

I took a few wheezing breaths, attempting to comply with her orders. Through the lightheadedness, I could see the opposing craft enlarging in the viewport. A horrified gasp escaped before I could contain it; this was all happening so quickly. There was no time to think.

Everything on screen froze, including the hostile that was just magnified. I slumped my shoulders in shame; the humans were going to can the experiment on day one. I was a hopeless cause. Helping them was never going to be within my capability, no matter how much I wanted it to be.

“Talk to me!” The scientist’s voice sounded urgent over the headset, which jolted me out of my daze. “Rate your fear on a scale of 1 to 10, with 10 being the worst you’ve ever felt.”

I blinked in confusion. “Um…7?”

“We can work with that. Everything is going to be fine. This feeling will pass,” Sara said. “What thoughts went through your mind, as you started to feel afraid?”

“I just… I know I can’t do this. I’m not a fighter, and I never will be. My instincts can’t handle stress or danger.”

“What I’m hearing is that you don’t feel that you can control your emotions. You’ve decided it’s not possible already.”

“Humans are special. I have to face what I am.”

“What you are is a good pilot. Remember, the enemy is just as vulnerable as you.”

“It d-doesn’t feel that way. Never does.”

“Focus on your target and get the shot off. Everything else doesn’t matter; you can complete that one thing. One step at a time.”

Squeezing my eyes shut, I allowed my breathing to fall back into a calm rhythm. It was within my power to press a few buttons, wasn’t it? There had to be a way to override my instincts, the way the humans kept their aggression in check. Marcel had squared off against nine Arxur vessels in an inferior ship, and we survived. This was nothing.

“Hey, we can do this, Slanek. You’re not alone here. Remember that!” Tyler growled.

I flicked my ears in appreciation. The sandy-haired human didn’t have much heart after learning Earth’s insurmountable odds, but he was still trying to be supportive. Bravery felt a little less difficult, knowing that fearless predators had my back. Humans were survivors, and that meant I was in good company.

You’re not doing this by yourself. You’re on the predators’ side; not the Krakotl. They’re the ones who should be afraid.

I believed in humanity’s strength, even if I was uncertain of my own. Newfound determination swelled in my veins as the simulation resumed. The blinders were there for the purpose of directing my attention to a single task. It was a matter of just acting, and not thinking at all.

The opposing ship barreled toward us, racing closer to Earth. My aviation knowledge kicked in, and I verified the target on sensors. All I contemplated was the intake of my breathing, while my claw jammed down on the missile switch. Projectiles homed in on the sleek bomber, tracking its evasion attempts.

My human partner sent a flurry of kinetics close behind. It was prudent to take advantage of any disruption to shields. The missiles rocked the imaginary opponent, and Tyler’s well-timed rounds tore through its armor. The seamless teamwork was invigorating, for a moment. The predator bared his teeth at the thrill, and I almost mimicked him.

Instead of allowing the follow-up options to overwhelm me, I asked myself what humans would do. They would go for the kill, and not give the enemy any recovery time. Persistence hunting taught them how to be relentless; maybe I could learn from that cruelty as well.

“Leave my friends alone!” I hissed to the screen. It was easy to channel my outrage at the unprovoked assault on Earth. “Nobody hurts my herd, ever again.”

I navigated the ship nearer to our nemesis. My anger at injustice was warring with the voice that told me to turn back. The resolute snarl on Tyler’s face was enough to keep my paw on the accelerator. Just this once, I wanted to be the predator; to pounce on a weakened enemy.

My heart was racing, while I unloaded a devastating salvo into their flanks. Orange tendrils burst from its metallic shell, and damned the fictitious crew to the vacuum. The simulation faded back to white, with a ‘mission success’ declaration.

“You did it!!” Tyler cheered, forcing a grin. “That was all you, Slanek.”

I leapt up from the pilot’s seat, wagging my tail. As the Federation often reminded us, Venlil weren’t supposed to have a fighting bone in our bodies. How had I managed to kill an enemy…and emulate Terran intensity? Had the humans changed me?

An answer to Sara’s earlier question popped into my mind. An animal might choose to be a predator, because it refined their species into something stronger. Hunting mandated discipline, and lessened the brunt of fearful instincts. Maybe it was empowering to be the one dealing the damage.

Sara cleared her throat. “I told you that you were a good pilot. That exercise should give you hope for what we can accomplish.”

“But it was only one ship, guys,” I pointed out. “That’s nothing compared to the Krakotl invasion.”

“We’re going to increase the duration and number of enemies every day. You’ll be taking on an army in no time.”

The exhilaration of success fizzled out, as I processed that daunting prospect. The scientist sounded hellbent on pushing me well past my instincts’ limit, when all was said and done. Every day was going to be more of a struggle than the next. If nothing else though, her questioning had forced me to consider my fears in a new light.

“Oh buddy, I’m so proud of you.” Marcel must have snagged the microphone. His rumbling voice fluttered into my ears. “You’re going to turn those birds to space feathers. They’ll never see it coming.”

“Thanks, uh, but…I don’t know about that.”

He chuckled. “You’re stronger than you think you are. The attacking skills are there, as we all saw. You nailed that fucker, even with Tyler button mashing and getting in your way.”

This time, the tall copilot leaned close enough to hear the headset chatter. He threw up his hands in exasperation, then turned his glare at me for giggling. There was hilarity in the expression that once would’ve had me on the floor, begging not to be eaten. I knew humans well enough to recognize the difference between jest and malice.

Tyler waved a fist at the camera. “Slanek and I are gonna win this war, while you’re still on your ass eating Doritos.”

“Nah, are you kidding, bro? I’ll be up there, stopping you from snacking on too many crayons mid-battle.”

“What can I say? That’s a true predator’s diet.”

I appreciated that my friends were able to make light of a dark situation; that was their method of coping with the unpleasant. There wasn’t a more resilient species in the galaxy. With their example to model, maybe it was possible to mold me into something a little more vicious.

The survival of these alien predators was what was important, I reminded myself. My progression was a secondary objective that would complement Terran aims. If Earth was to be lost, the spiteful defenders would take as many enemies with them as possible. No battle waged against humans was ever as easy as it looked on paper.

Regardless, I had faith the Venlil Republic wouldn’t hang our allies out to dry.