The Nature of Predators

Memory transcription subject: Captain Sovlin, Federation Fleet Command

Date [standardized human time]: October 20, 2136

Bombs continued to crater the industrial city, as we wandered through back alleyways. I tried to place myself in the humans’ mindset. It was brave, remarkably so, to wander this Harchen colony sporting a predatory appearance. Any frazzled prey soldiers would be happy to take a potshot at an invading flesh-eater, not differentiating the primates from the Arxur.

The truth was, I knew so little about Samantha and Carlos as people. What compelled them to land amidst an orbital bombardment, on a world that bore nothing but hostile intent? Whether they assumed I was a fugitive or not, the Terran guards had no idea what awaited them here. They had no backup, and were outnumbered.

The Harchen government thinks humans are a blight to be mopped up. If extermination officers here got their toes on them…well, it might make my treatment of Marcel look like summer camp.

Footsteps scurried ahead of us, with no way of telling if the source was Arxur or Harchen. Yet the primates showed no signs of distress, plodding along their intended path in silence. I was stunned that Samantha hadn’t berated the journalists for their species’ actions; she had been all too quick to lose her temper with me.

“Don’t do anything to draw attention to yourselves.” Carlos wiggled ahead on his stomach, the stealthy movements of a hunter inching up on prey. “A Harchen patrol of seven or so with, uh, flamethrowers? In metallic suits? Shit, looks like they have thermal cameras.”

My eyes narrowed. “Extermination officers.”

“Great. And they’re gonna see us as soon as they look this way,” the male guard huffed.

The Harchen journalists’ expression seemed torn between excitement and trepidation. No doubt they were second-guessing the decision to escape with the humans; they just figured it was their only chance. I don’t think they’d shed any tears over seeing my guards burned to a crisp, even if the predators saved their lives.

“What’s with the flamethrowers?” Samantha growled.

I chewed at my claws. “You don’t want to know.”

The humans signaled a course to flank the exterminators with their hands, and crept ahead. We peeked out behind the wall, just in time to see an Arxur death squad charging the Harchen. The prey reptiles crept back from the rabid beasts, and lured them forward. Gasoline spurted from the lampposts at their cue, the built-in predator deterrent for our settlements.

The oncoming Arxur were doused head-to-toe, and paused with alarm. The Harchen exterminators flung a match in the gas, spared from the effect by the flameproof garments. The screams were on another level; happiness fluttered in my heart, finally seeing the grays taste a bit of suffering. That was the agonized death these cattle collectors deserved! That was what I wished I could dole out to them for years.

Carlos and Samantha looked horrified, however, watching the burning Arxur flail about. I guess I couldn’t blame them, since that was what the officers would do to their kind too. The Harchen exterminators chased the grays with flamethrowers, and steered them away from any source of water. My heart twisted, as I thought about them putting the humans down like normal predators.

“Well, now I see what the flamethrowers are for,” the female guard sighed. “Must you burn predators at the stake? It’s the worst way to die.”

I tossed my head in a noncommittal gesture. “It cleanses the affected area. Not just of any offspring or other dens, but also any traces of their filth. I don’t want to step in fecal matter that used to be an animal…no offense.”

Cilany nodded in agreement. “What if your traces and fluids get in the water supply? Or half-eaten carcasses you leave behind attract more predators? Gross.”

“‘You’, as in humans?!” Samantha hissed. “God forbid you might inhale some predator molecules on the wind. Carlos and I should be put down at once!”

The male human pursed his lips, leaning back against a wall. Sadness glowed in his eyes as he listened to the conversation, and I don’t think he had the words to express it. For the first time in my life, I thought about whether animals deserved agonizing deaths. Why couldn’t we put a bullet in the ones we saw, and then torch them?

Terran presence was a contaminating factor, by technicality; I could only imagine the reactions of Venlil extermination officers. Nothing ill-fated had come from me breathing the same air as predators, or eating plants grown in infested Earth soil. Our species had survived in eras where hunters left their excretions in the landscape, inhabiting every corner of our planets.

The humans have shown us a different side of nature, even if some of it is disgusting. Suffering for what they were born as is wrong.

“I’m sorry, Carlos. Your life has no value to them, and they’ll have no qualms about killing you,” I said. “That said, I didn’t mean that you were filth. I mean, you need to shower, but…”

He snorted. “You’re an asshole.”

“And you’re a sweaty, bloody mess of a predator. If they could burn off just those grimy pelts and that outer-skin part, that might be okay.”

The human flashed his teeth, and I hoped that was the friendly version of their snarl. Perhaps this wasn’t the safest choice for cheering him up, but from what I’d seen, teasing was good for their mental state. If I had misread those cues, the guard might be socking me in the jaw in a second; my spines bristled with unease. Terran behavior sure was an illusive concept to gauge.

Cilany gaped in alarm, at the sight of the predator’s fangs on display. She seemed concerned for my safety, especially after I riled up the primate. The Harchen shriveled away in disgust, as he wiped the sweat off his neck with a towel. The male human wrapped the grimy rag around my neck, chuckling at my mortified expression. He looked pleased with himself.

“Sometimes, I almost like you, Sovlin,” Carlos growled. “Okay, we have to get across the square. Let’s take these fuckers out, and don’t walk under any street-lamps.”

My reporter friend shared a glance with her colleagues. “You’re killing them?”

“I’m sorry, are we supposed to let them fry us alive? Move out, and keep to cover.”

The human soldiers lined up their rifles, and marched out as a pair. The Harchen exterminators hadn’t heard our chatter over the Arxur screams; they were leaving no chances of a gray living to fight another day. One officer was waddling toward us, pursuing a blackened cattle soldier that had collapsed on the street. Her head snapped up as she spotted our heat signatures, and she pointed at us.

“MORE PREDATORS! Humans, with hostages,” she spat. “Light them up!”

Carlos cleared his throat. “Shit, there’s no cover. Uh, maybe we can use you all as bargaining chips? Just pretend, of course. They won’t shoot us with you leading, surely…”

“Oh, they’ll nail us too if they can’t free us. Better dead than to be your cattle,” I sighed. “Though I imagine our deaths will be…quicker.”

Samantha rolled her eyes. “Yes, real sapients don’t deserve to burn alive. But predators don’t feel anything, right? We were destined to be firewood; it’s just perfect.”

“Well, I for one like you guys not exterminated, so hurry up and find a hiding spot. Try the buildings.”

Carlos attempted to kick down an apartment door, but couldn’t get the metal base to budge. He took a running start at the frame, and fell back with frustration. Samantha fired several bursts at the Harchen exterminators, covering for her partner. The enemy responded with their sidearms, while lighting the street ablaze in all directions.

The Terran male glanced for another entry, before gesturing to retreat to the alleyway. The two humans ducked back into cover, their heavy breathing unpleasant to the ear. The Harchen journalists ran away from the confrontation; I chased after them with frustration. Thinking quickly, I wrestled the gun out of a burned Arxur’s paws.

“Get the fuck back here!” I fired several shots at a balcony just above their heads, and watched as those four dropped to the floor in unison. “We need to get off this world, before the cattle squads finish up shop, or we’re all fucking dead!”

Cilany raised her limbs. “Exactly. Sovlin, that area is on fire and the predators are shooting their guns at Harchen. I was trying to trust you, because you’ve never steered me wrong before. But we need a new plan.”

“There is no other plan!”

“Yes…there is. The humans are distracted by the exterminators; let’s go take their ship. We know it’s close by, and there’s not much time.”

“We’re not leaving them! Those two you see back there saved hundreds of Gojid lives from the Arxur, and now, they’re trying to save you. I care about them…don’t you get it?”

The female journalist’s skin morphed into a bright-orange, mirroring the tone of the flames. Her pupils surveyed mine for several moments, and I realized my eyes were watering at the thought of my guards on fire. Slumping her shoulders in defeat, she scampered back toward the hiding humans. Her colleagues followed her lead; it was clear the close-knit team didn’t want to separate.

Seven exterminators charged through the alleyway, buffeting flames at the dumpster the humans crouched behind. Samantha unloaded a clip as suppressive fire, but she was cornered. Carlos cursed as his lower pelt sparked, and orange light danced across his kneecap. On instinct, he leapt up and shook his leg.

An exterminator lined up their sidearm, ignoring the human’s pleading shout of ‘Wait!’ I needed to get a few paces closer to make the shot; there was no time. Fear glistened in Carlos eyes, as he tripped onto the street in a sprawled-out position. The fire had spread to his boots, and was making quick work of his pelt. I didn’t want to see the predator die, but how…

Cilany emitted a high-pitched scream, and distracted the exterminators for a split second. I sprinted with the last of my energy, pulling the trigger at the gun-wielder. My first shot nailed the Harchen in the shoulder; the second one was a perfect rocket to the brain. Two officers whirled around, spewing fire at me. I grabbed my reporter friend, and we tumbled back behind a building wall.

“If we don’t all die now, that is the second time I’ve saved Carlos’ life,” I muttered. “I knew you wouldn’t leave them.”

Cilany shook her head. “I came back for you, Sovlin, not them. Every second we spend here is time we’re still on the Arxur’s radar. I hope hideous predators, with a monstrous history, are worth that to you.”

“Those hideous predators are people, like us. Just watch them, how they act under pressure…you’ll see.”

Carlos tried to ignore the flames, shooting his sidearm despite the blinding panic. The male human only connected with a single Harchen, by way of ricochet. Most of his wild rounds ended up in a wall, missing his target by a wide margin. The primal terror of being set ablaze must be overwhelming his brain. That unbearable heat on his lower extremities, and watching it spread…I couldn’t imagine.

Samantha was a one-woman harbinger of death, rolling out from behind the dumpster with fury. Her green eyes glowed with hunger; I could see the predator energy buzzing through her veins. She grabbed the flamethrower from the downed exterminator, and decided to give the officers a taste of their own medicine.

The Harchen formation wavered; they weren’t used to predators wielding their devices. The extermination officers had flameproof gear to avoid this eventuality, but two sported tears in their suits from today’s engagements. Samantha switched to her sidearm, as the panicked professionals bumbled into each other. She dished out two head shots, before diving back behind the dumpster.

That left three extermination officers on the prowl. While watching the human duo take out the majority of their comrades, they forgot all about the rogue Gojid prisoner. I popped back out from behind the wall, and sprayed gunfire with my claw locked on the trigger. Two Harchen figures toppled to the ground; Samantha didn’t hesitate to terminate the final one.

“Carlos? You good?” I questioned.

Several grunts came from the alley. “Fuck! Help me.”

The human’s pant leg had almost completely burned away, little more than tatters. He kicked off his scorching boot, and his face contorted in a mask of pain. Those silly artificial pelts saved him from serious nerve damage, in all likelihood, but we needed to put him out quick. I tugged that sweaty towel off my neck, slapping it on his ankle.

The flames began to dissipate as I smothered them, and the human rolled around to put out the embers. Samantha hustled over with a water bottle, breathing a sigh of relief at the sight of her partner unharmed. He rubbed the reddened skin on his leg, and struggled to his feet. His limbs trembled as he tried to stand; the female guard supported him with a gentle touch.

Carlos closed his eyes. “Thanks, Sovlin…and company. Let’s get out of here. I think I’ve had enough for one day.”

Samantha studied me in silence, with a little less venom than usual. The glint of surprise hung in her eyes. I figured she had expected me to abandon them when push came to shove. The curt predator didn’t resist my aid, when I propped myself under Carlos’ other arm. She flashed pearly fangs, and gave me a small nod.

“I see what you meant about their behavior. These humans help each other, even when one is weakened,” Cilany noted. “And you don’t seem alarmed by their snarls at all. That makes them capable of earning trust, attachment…loyalty.”

My nostrils flared with indignation. “And it makes you wonder why so many species tried to kill them, without giving them a chance. Assuming they have malevolent intentions, purely based on looks, is a recipe for disaster. It’s not right.”

“Before you jump to conclusions…I need a deeper dive into human history, and everything the Federation has on pre-space flight predators. I’d like to interview the pale, angry one there. That ape isn’t hiding their emotions; they would make a good contrast with Noah’s polished speech.”

“The angry human has a name,” Samantha snapped. “Unless you just want to refer to me as ‘it.’”

“Fascinating. Why is this one like this?”

Carlos limped ahead, clinging to my neck. “Sam’s family was in Melbourne. Everyone she cares about, her relatives, her husband, presumed dead. No chance to say good-bye. Her home, off the map. Write that: us predators grieve our families too.”

I suspected the worst case when she visited me on Venlil Prime, exuding hostility. Samantha never shared much about her life, but she had imparted to Talpin that her brother was deaf. Her fondness had been unmistakable, with how thorough her offense was to the suggestion of him being killed. It was the first inkling I ever got of how tight Terran family units were.

But the husband tidbit took me by surprise. Carlos hadn’t mentioned any progeny, though perhaps she planned on starting a family in the future. I had no idea that humans mated for life; I always thought that predators bred for breeding’s sake. It sounded like they coupled for purposes beyond producing viable offspring. Of course, humans were capable of love, but their familial obsession always seemed to be the kids.

For predators, shouldn’t procreation be a competitive selection process, driven by impulse? Parenting roles are a way of protecting offspring from rival mates…or so I thought. Poor Sam.

The female human lowered her eyes. “That wasn’t your fucking place to share, Carlos. If you want to smear me for wanting revenge, Harchen, I couldn't care less. Just keep your racist thoughts to yourself.”

“Now listen, if there is something more to your kind, I’m trying to unearth it. But I must start with your problematic Arxur ties,” Cilany explained. “I also wonder how far humans will go, after the attack. It’s strange that you freed us, Sam, since it’s counterintuitive to your revenge.”

“Revenge isn’t about blind genocide. Now how about less chatter, more walking?”

Our posse trudged across the square, vigilant for any other activity. If any of my old crew saw me now, with a predator clinging to my body, they would have a conniption. Those arms built from the digestion of flesh felt warm and heavy, yet I wasn’t disgusted by their touch. The emotional connection we established was hardly different than any other soldiers I’d served with. I wanted the humans to like me…to forgive me.

We staggered onto the Terrans’ ship with exhaustion, and the Harchen journalists skittered aboard close behind. Cilany was surveying the humans with interest; I could see the makings of a story brewing in her mind. Our little band was going to leave no stone unturned investigating the Federation. With a team of inquisitive individuals at my side, it was time to get the answers the predators desired.