The Nature of Predators

Memory transcription subject: Slanek, Venlil Space Corps

Date [standardized human time]: December 4, 2136

The memories trickled through my brain, as a deep chill rattled my body. I was disoriented and immobile, uncertain of my surroundings. The current time and location were indeterminable; haziness obscured my conscious thoughts. My mind reached out for context, in an attempt to ground myself.

We had been caged in the Tilfish nursery; I was shot during the fray. Marcel had propped me up, ignoring the strain on his own body. Orange blood flowed onto his chest pelt, and perspiration beads coated his skin. Dino tagged along, whimpering as my eyes began to turn glassy. Virnt was back in Birla’s arms, asking why the Venlil was leaking.

We were a ragtag band, stranded on Sillis. I remembered now.

The grays had been hot on our heels, and we hobbled toward the emergency exit. My vision was fixed on the floor tiles, which were mired with my dripping blood. General Birla urged Virnt to cover his ears, as she dispensed my firearm at the Arxur. I think the carnivores refrained from gunning us down, because they wanted to capture us alive.

There was more. We had to get to the emergency exit, didn’t we? Why is it all slipping out of reach?

“Shoot me,” I had coughed at Marcel. “Save yourselves…please, brother.”

The predator refused to let go, bending his arm tighter around my torso. Tiredness threatened to consume me, as the vegetarian popped errant shots over his shoulder. Images flitted through my brain, from various moments of time; that forced snarl was his classic empathy rendition. That same expression had consoled me when Sovlin held him at gunpoint.

Not too long ago, I’d been feeding the half-dead Terran by hand. Amid the chaos, I recalled hoping that Marcel knew how much I cared about his welfare. There were terrible screams, both near and afar, which sent my heart pounding. Despite all of the nightmares we had endured, I wouldn’t change a thing about our partnership. Even if Marcel was losing patience with me, I hoped he still felt our bond.

Think Slanek. The screams. There was something there.

Those had been Tilfish screams, as the incubator workers came running in droves. Our hasty escape hadn’t given me time to don blinders; I’d seen it all. The civilians distracted our Arxur pursuers, stampeding past them at full speed. As much as the grays wanted a Venlil delicacy, this easy meal toppled into their laps.

Our ragtag band stumbled out into fresh air, and I was wholly leaning on Marcel for support. There were more Arxur in the street. I think that was the memory in its entirety; I’d glued the pieces back together. We needed to find somewhere to take cover…to take…

Birla clicked her mandibles in the backdrop. “Slanek? Slanek, you have to keep your eyes open.”

I drew a gasping breath, and my pupils snapped to my arm. Judging by the dark hue and the profuse leakage, the bullet hit a vein. There was a wet sensation on my hindlegs; at first, I worried it was blood from my wound. However, the realization that the brick tunnel we were in was a rotting mess ensued. A few inches of murky liquid amassed across the floor. Perhaps this was a sewer system underground?

My addled brain shook off the stupor, and I searched for Marcel’s comforting presence. I scanned every shadow for the lurking human. This wasn’t the first time the predator had been around my blood, so I knew that he could handle the alluring scent. On Sovlin’s ship, I’d been immobile with a head wound, and locked in an enclosed cell without food. Even then, the human had cared about my welfare.

There was no reason a vegetarian who loved rescuing animals should need to get away from blood. Humans weren’t drawn to it like the Arxur; I’d never seen them react positively to a whiff of it. That ruled out that explanation for why my friend was missing. What if Marcel had gotten hurt? I couldn’t remember how we made it down here at all.

“Why are we not going to space with humma?” Virnt wailed.

Birla patted him soothingly. “Shh, darling. Go back to bed.”

Dino is missing as well. What if the dog ate Marcel? Or…I guess more likely, the grays got them both.

“Where…is M-marc?” I pressed one paw against the wall, and tried to sit upright. “How did we get here?”

The Tilfish general blinked with concern. “You don’t remember? The human carried you into an access hatch, and checked that it was clear. He put you down, told me to patch you up…but I don’t have anything for first aid!”

“Okay. Where is he now?”

“Said something about hearing Arxur in the tunnels. Took that feral quadruped—”

“Dino, mama!” Virnt cheered. “Dino the dog!”

“Yes, that thing. Anyways, Marcel went looking for enemies. Mentioned clearing the tunnels, and keeping us safe.”

“And you let him go alone?”

“The human said to stay with you. He was blinking a lot…I’m not sure if your blood bothered him.”

“It would never. M-marc was upset that I’m hurt, if anything.”

“Are you sure, Slanek?”

“Of course I’m sure! He was fine around a Gojid stampede. They all…the humans all were. He saved…a trampled child.”

There was a long pause, as skepticism swam in the Tilfish general’s eyes. I knew the insectoid wouldn’t ditch Marcel, when the primate was our best asset against the Arxur. But I suppose few individuals beside myself would tempt a predator’s bloodlust. It took personal exposure to humanity’s nurturing side to accept that their empathy dominated.

Marcel said himself that he doesn’t like killing. Humans can balance empathy and violence; it’s what I told him at the supply tent.

A gunshot exchange sounded down the tunnel, and fear clenched at my heart. The adrenaline boosted me back to alertness, but I couldn’t stand up. Bootsteps smacked the floor, alongside the sound of munitions chipping bricks. A human yowl reverberated through the structure, followed by Dino’s throaty barks. Tears swelled in my eyes, realizing Marcel would die alone.

I reached out to Birla, and pulled myself up with the last of my strength. Hunched over at the waist, I staggered in the direction of my friend’s cry. The Tilfish general tried to grab my shoulder, flinching away as blood coated her leg. With a frustrated grunt, I hobbled down the tunnel. It wasn’t long before I was leaning against the wall for support.

“FUCK OFF!” That was Marcel’s thunderous voice. It was possible to discern the words in this roar, which was more formidable than any I’d heard before. “This is my turf! You’re not coming in here, assholes!”

My legs buckled, and I crumpled back onto the floor. Why hadn’t I reclaimed my firearm? The coldness was becoming palpable, making me wish for a human pelt to cocoon myself in. At least Marcel was still fighting, but I was in no state to rescue him. My pupils fluttered in his direction, as I sucked in some wheezing breaths.

The human was hugging a wall corner, and I could see his teeth flash from here. His hands popped off a few shots, while enemy rounds buffeted his refuge. Brick debris sprinkled overhead, as Marcel clutched his gun tighter. Dino was growling at his side, though the mutt appeared to be waiting for something.

“Surrender yourself, human! We have room for an honorable prisoner,” a bone-chilling voice called out.

A maniacal laugh emanated from Marcel. “What is it with aliens, drawing my name in the ‘kidnapping and torture’ lottery? I’ll pass.”

I crawled along the floor, moving a few inches at a time. Since I was wounded anyways, my best usage was to serve as a distraction. The Arxur might wish to collect me as cattle, and that could give Marcel the clear shot he needed. The chances of us surviving Sillis were slim overall, but the Terran would fare better without my dead weight.

Scuttling noises echoed behind me, and Birla came racing down the hallway. The Tilfish general righted my seized firearm, angling it toward the Arxur. Despite her distrust, she was willing to come to the human's aid. In my opinion, she should’ve gone with him to begin with…better late than never, I suppose.

Three Arxur ducked around the corner, just as Birla halved the distance. The insectoid had a trusty shot, clocking one gray in the brain. Marcel released Dino upon the hostiles, and depressed his trigger. Enemy bullets answered, taking out a brick right above his head. I could feel his adrenaline vicariously; his binocular eyes were crazed.

I have to help somehow. The Slanek acting weak distraction seemed to work the last time…should I try it again?

“Yummy Venlil! Over here!” I cried out, with a faltering voice.

The Arxur had already scented my blood, I assumed. The trail must’ve drawn them down here, unless they followed us from the surface. It was possible they waited for us to lower our guard. While I’d technically been conscious in our travels, it was tough to retrieve the memories. There was a chance I wouldn’t remember any of this now.

The two surviving grays weren’t as distracted as the egg raiders had been, but I saw their pupils twitch. The lack of impulse control was in stark contrast to humans; I suppose I was lucky that Isif and his bunch didn’t wolf me down in New York. A little blood or a wounded animal’s cry worked their kind into a frenzy, even amidst combat.

Marcel cursed, realizing I’d abandoned my refuge. The human popped up from his crouch, and the grays rushed to shoot him. One bullet whizzed dangerously close to his earlobe, while additional shots lurked in the chamber. The lead Arxur’s sights aligned with his temples; I felt my blood pressure plummet. Was that from my wounds, or just grief?

“NO!” I screamed.

There was nothing I could do to stop the bullet from piercing his brain. The Terran had become reckless out of concern for me, and he was paying the ultimate price. Marcel managed to take down one gray, in a final act of defiance. The next thing I heard was a deafening boom, as the monster shot my best friend.

The predator’s head snapped back with unnatural speed, and he crashed onto his back. I screamed as the human lie splayed out on the floor. Dragging myself on all fours, my toes bled from the frantic pace. My frayed vocal cords screeched his name, while warm tears ran down my face. The grief I felt was a chasm in my chest, an all-consuming sadness.

Birla dispatched the final Arxur, and scuttled over to Marcel’s side. I managed to reach the predator’s body, which was still warm to my touch. It was tough to see through blurry vision, but his hair didn’t look like a deeper red than usual. The blood was imperceptible to my eyes…perhaps I didn’t want to see it. My brain must be imagining the rise and fall of his chest; that, or he was slipping away right now.

“I’m sorry,” I whispered. “You w-were the best friend I ever had. I failed you. I always f-failed you, and I…MARCEL! D-don’t leave me!”

Why did my human have to die? Why?!

My emotions devolved into an incoherent whirlwind, and I released a visceral wail. I slammed my good arm into his gut, furious at the universe. A high-pitched yelp came from beneath me, and Marcel’s corpse shifted. My vision refocused on him, watching as he moved an arm to his head. The human’s eyelids fluttered, and a grimace crossed his face.

My best friend pinched his nose. “Oh God…that rung my bell.”

The grief that was fueling me dissipated. I clung to his warm chest with sobs of relief, and Dino came over to lick his face. Marcel pushed the dog away, an instinctive snarl on his lips. He unclipped his helmet, inspecting it with amazement. I gasped at the nick in the cloth lining; the bullet had grazed my human on the dome.

The red-haired soldier hoisted himself up, clutching me to his chest. I felt his wonderful fingers fiddling with my ears, and mewled my adoration. Alarm coursed through my veins, as Marcel stumbled. His skull absorbed much of the impact; the Terran might well be concussed. But he was blissfully alive, and that was music to my ears.

“I love you, Marc, the same as I did my flesh-and-blood brother. I care about you so much,” I whispered in a faint voice. “I know I disappointed you. But you…you never disappointed me.”

His hazel eyes moistened. “What did I tell you? I got the best Venlil. I’m only disappointed in how you view the world.”

It took Marcel an agonizing minute to retrace his steps, and arrive at our impromptu base. The predator sank against a wall, and leaned his head back. He allowed me to burrow into his stomach, snarling through his exhaustion. Virnt was giddy at the “humma’s return”, though his mother kept him at a distance.

Marcel peeked at my arm, and his mental fog vanished. He snapped at Birla, livid that she hadn’t tended to my wounds. The Tilfish general cowered at his ferocity, but I could tell he was just rattled. My human knew how close he came to dying; it didn’t help his mindset to reckon with my critical condition.

The human cleared his throat. “This might hurt, okay? Everything is going to be alright, Slanek. I’m not going anywhere.”

“Please forgive me. There’s nothing I w-wouldn’t do for you.” I wrapped my tail around Marcel’s wrist, and tensed up as he stitched my wound. “I…I don’t want to leave any…bad blood between us.”

“You hurt my feelings, that’s all. Virnt should be institutionalized for liking me? I’m that terrible to my best friend?”

“It’s…n-not like—OW! I l-like you. But t-things about you…should trigger fear at first.”

“Why? You know the Federation lied to you. They lied about us, omnivores like the Tilfish, and basic biology. I’m telling you it was all lies: predator disease and ‘feral’ predators are their ideas too. Stop regurgitating them.”

“T-there are people with predator disease. They…hurt people.”

“But predator disease isn’t just assigned to violent sociopaths. It’s used on anyone who’s wired differently. Do you realize by the Federation’s definition, you have predator disease?”

“No. That’s c-crazy, Marc.”

“I know. I fucking know! Mental health is a complicated thing, with thousands of conditions with unique attributes. Not all of them are violent. Not all of them need to be erased.”

Marcel finished patching me up, and retrieved a radio from his supplies. I mulled over his words, though my brainpower was running on empty. If predator disease was another vessel for Federation lies, that meant we were locking away harmless people. No wonder my human was upset with my suggestion for Virnt. It was the same as how Doctor Zarn wanted to “treat” me for defending Marcel.

So there are different types of predator disease, with different causes and manifestations. And they…we use fear to ostracize every patient.

“I’m sorry,” I croaked.

Marcel squeezed my paw. “I’m sorry too. I should’ve talked to you about these things sooner. It’s my responsibility to educate you, but I’ve just tried to shield you.”

“I know I’m not easy to talk to. I…I know it hurts you when I freak out…or misinterpret you. You know, I wanted to kill Dino earlier…and I almost did.”

“None of that matters now. You’ve been my rock, Slanek. You brought me back from the edge, and you made me believe there was good in the galaxy.”

“T-that’s all I could ever want. Hey, if anything happens to me, tell my parents what w—”

“Tell them yourself. We’re getting out of here. I’m going to call for help, and try to make contact with the UN. Sounds good, huh?”

I didn’t have the heart to tell him the United Nations was long gone. Just as they hadn’t come back for the soldiers on the cradle, nobody was swooping down to the sewers to rescue us. General Birla seemed unconvinced as well; the evacuation announcement stated the deadline in no uncertain terms. At least I could share my last hours with Marcel, rather than dying alone.

My human switched on his radio. “UN fleet, do you copy? This is Captain Marcel Fraser; we have a Venlil VIP in need of medevac. Transmitting our coordinates, over.”

There was no response once Marcel finished his message. The static didn’t seem to deter his efforts, since he repeated his transmission several times. I nuzzled against his wrist, and felt my eyelids becoming heavy. The predator’s warmth helped with my dropping temperature.

“Don’t worry. I’ll keep calling them,” Marcel growled. “When they beat back the Arxur, they’ll come.”

I closed my eyes. “Yeah. Humans will win.”

“We sure will. Sleep well, Slanek.”

Dino sidled up to me as I dozed off, and my instincts rekindled. He placed his coarse snout on my leg, and my mind circled back to Federation lies. The dog hadn’t shown any signs of being evil; he seemed loyal to the humans through thick and thin. Maybe Marcel was right about giving him a chance too.

Predators couldn’t be inherently monstrous when the Terrans existed. This was a simple choice about whether the Federation defined the Venlil. I pressed one paw atop the dog’s back, trusting my human to protect me. Marcel wouldn’t put me in danger, and he said Dino was a friend.

The safest place in this Arxur raid was sandwiched between two watchful predators. Knowing this slumber might be my last, I drifted off at peace with my fate.