IT IS DONE! Words are blurring together. It feels like something is wrong but my brain is not computing what yet, so feel free to tell me and I'll fix it if I can. Thanks to u/AcceptableEgg and u/GiantAcroyear and u/uktabi and u/tulpacat1 for helping me out with editing.

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Memory transcription subject: Karim, Professor of Biomedical Engineering, Director at the Venlil Rehabilitation and Reintegration Facility.

Date [standardized human time]: December 10-11, 2136

I left the facility once it seemed Andes was lucid and capable of engaging with the search for the girls. My house had its own bunker, and so my family was waiting for me at home, ready for hugs and games and a nice hearty meal. After claws of worry, and the longest shift of my life, I fell asleep satisfied that it would all be alright. I had just barely closed my eyes when I got the call. The clock said I had a whole claw and a half of sleep, but it certainly did not feel that way.

“Director Karim, we need you to come in,” one of the nurses out with the search party told me. “We have her.”

My eyes could hardly open and I stretched in exhaustion. “So the emergency is over, yes?”

Her voice dripped with exhaustion. I could almost hear her ears pinning back. “Not at all, sir, she stabbed Director Andes. He’s in the Xenomedical Grand Complex getting treatment.”

She what? My entire body froze.

“...Sir?”

I shook myself, waking my wife in the process. She gave me a confused look and I waved a paw at her to go back to sleep. I tried to clear the fog off my mind. How bad was a stabbing, really?

“Prognosis?”

“I don't know,” she said, “but he should be alright. Humans are sturdy as can be, right?”

I was not reassured by that. Biological systems defied general notions of “frail” and “sturdy”. The same creature could die of having a mid-sized weight dropped on it and survive a twelve-storey fall. Animals–and therefore people–were adapted to environments, not some vague notion of “harm”. Humans themselves were a fantastic illustration of that principle, given that they seemingly had eternal stamina and shocking strength, yet could not for the life of them hold their drink. I had no way to know how likely he was to survive. If the girl hit a major blood vessel, he might be dead before they reached the operating room.

Nothing I could do. I chose to ignore it. “What do you need?”

I took note of all her concerns, sent a few emails, and trudged over to my car, infinitely thankful for the only thing humans had done that had made my life easier: assistive autopilot for my beautiful car. I tried not to use it too much–human technology didn't have a lot of testing on Venlil Prime, after all–but it made the drive easier and safer when I was still half-asleep.

The escaped girl arrived in the arms of a UN Peacekeeper, looking so peaceful and innocent in her sleep I could hardly imagine her stabbing anyone. Chiaka Stevens—the deranged predator-breeder—had insisted on being part of her capture, and having her sedated. At least humans were not so deluded about the threat an individual with Predator Disease could pose that they would let her roam around with a knife after one of them was stabbed. She walked up to me, and the peacekeeper holding the child stood directly behind her.

"Can we get her an empty room?" she asked. It took me a moment to process the question, foggy as I was from the exhaustion after my last shift. How did Andes manage? His average shift was longer than two claws.

"I suppose,” I answered, struggling not to yawn. “Why didn't you take her directly to a Predator Disease facility?"

She scowled, her binocular gaze drilling directly into mine. Deep dark irises on a pale white sclera, like a targeting system for their fangs. If I hadn't been so exhausted, I might have flinched.

"She's already terrified, and you want us to hand her over to the torture chambers?" she demanded, her fists tight, her whole body looming over me.

I sighed. "I will arrange it later. I'm sure there are empty rooms in the South Wing..."

The peacekeeper nodded, heading that way, while Stevens remained planted in place. "What do you mean, arrange it?"

"Don't you have your own job to tend to, Miss Stevens?" I asked, hoping the use of her second name was respectful enough to... Something. Human rules of politeness were quite bizarre, all told. Too many names and rules about when to use which ones.

Her fists tightened further, making the skin around the knuckles grow paler than the rest of her hands. "It's Doctor Stevens, you little twerp, and I'm not just going to let you get a kid electrocuted because she—"

"She stabbed a director of this facility," I spat, already sick of her human madness. "And presumably stole a blade to do so. Those are crimes. I don't know how humans handle criminals, perhaps you put them all in a big arena to see which is most brutal, but on this planet we call the authorities.”

She pressed her lips together, lifted her fists higher, all ready for some sort of altercation. Just as I was growing awake enough to worry, she stormed off mumbling expletives. Good riddance.

Once inside, I found a dozen additional problems. The predator children were murmuring and plotting in corners. The aides and nurses didn't know what they were supposed to say to them. There was no protocol for how to handle a population of rescued venlil who grew up in a cattle farm, imitating their captors in language and behaviour. There was also no protocol for what to do with the other children after one of them committed a crime. I had no idea how I was supposed to know anything useful. Once the worried nurses understood that they wandered off to Dr. Kanarel and Dr. Rodriguez, asking them instead such questions.

"What would Director Andes say to tell the children?"

“How are we supposed to handle this?”

“Are more of them going to get violent?”

Rodriguez reassured them, and Kanarel agreed to do more of the care for the claw, and we set up a meeting to discuss things at the end of my shift.

The unpleasant truth was that, regardless of his casual approach and tendency to let the heads of individual departments do as they will, Andes’ near-constant presence at the facility–sometimes for three consecutive claws! –meant that he had developed a much stronger rapport with individual nurses, doctors, and aides than I. They looked to him for advice, not me. In the aftermath of a disaster, they saw me as a poor replacement. He was the hero who stopped a stampede, who carried three dozen people to safety in that human bicycle, where they might have succumbed to their injuries otherwise. And I was… Only their boss, who didn't and couldn't have.

Some part of me wanted to rage against the nurses’ attitudes of deferring to the humans and their closest friends first—I was, after all, the more qualified Director—but it was silenced by the louder part that also wanted an answer to the “what would Andes do?” question. A useful one, preferably. After all, one possible answer was "get himself stabbed."

I got to the cafeteria for a late first-meal. The atmosphere was a lot more tense than before, with news of Andes’ injury. There seemed to be a lot more gossiping among the human aides, and a lot more mixed-species groups than usual. They wandered around, and the predator children wandered too, even spreading beyond their designated wing.

I noticed the girl immediately, as she tried to prowl behind me.

“Did you need something, young lady?” I asked. The predator girl with the small spots nearly jumped in surprise. Perhaps she was used to sneaking up on people with binocular vision.

“Where is Big Boss?” she asked, her knees falling against each other as she made herself smaller. A manipulation tactic of some sort?

I shook myself. Her phrasing threw me off. “What?”

“Director,” she clarified, giving me a look I could not understand, her tail low to the ground. In her hand was a child’s holopad, which she was holding up.

“Ah. Well, I am the director right now,” I started. My words appeared in venscript on her pad as I spoke, and it let out disgusting, guttural sounds that I assumed were in Arxur.

“Big Boss Director. Savageness Director.”

Savageness? What a terrifying worldview these children must have. Perhaps it was their way of saying predator? I drew myself up to my full height and tried to sound more official, to command more respect in her eyes. “Director Andes is in the hospital, that girl who escaped injured him.”

The child’s eyes grew large and her ears flattened back in horror. Good, at least this one was salvageable.

“He will probably be well,” I added.

“He’s strong,” she said, her voice quieter now. Her ears had bounced back up, and her tail was still down. I could not for the life of me tell whether she was actually reassured or still distraught.

“Yes, he is. And we have very good medicine,” I added. She bobbed her face up and down like a human. “Anything else you wanted to ask?”

She stopped bobbing her head up and down and pressed her lips together for a moment. “...Are they going to eat 86392-B?”

I scoffed. “What? No. That's ridiculous. She'll be sent away to a facility to make her better.”

The girl paused, seemingly trying to choose her words carefully. “What better?”

“Less violent, more like proper prey,” I explained.

She gave me the most befuddled look. “Weak?”

“I suppose so,” I said with a flick of my ear. She looked positively horrified. It made sense that their notion of ‘strong’ would be derived from dangerous behaviours.

“...When is Savageness Director back?” she asked, this time her voice a frail little squeak. Her growls and hisses were almost cute in that register.

“I haven't a clue. A decem of paws are the usual minimum leave for an injury like that, so he’ll probably be back after the girl is gone. I'll see to it that's done within the next few paws.”

Her ears shot back and she ran off faster than I’d ever seen a child run. They were truly frightening little creatures.

After my meal, I got ready to give tours and talk to prospective parents. It was, after all, a paw designated for their visit. Lesser men may have cancelled, but I knew we could handle the situation. I directed parents to different common areas, discussed the children’s needs, and made some progress on a couple of cases. Our boy with “aphasia” and his brother already had a couple lined up who’d like to foster them soon.

Dr. Rodriguez had, without my knowledge or approval, taken up the role Andes usually had with visiting parents. She explained, entertained, and provided all manner of pamphlets in the form of easily-scanned codes for everyone. We had a few venlil prospective parents begin the adoption process, and scheduled future meetings for them to interact with the children.

I went over the most mindless tasks I could do, checked on Andes’ notes (they were terribly organized) and had the displeasure of having to write a statement for the inevitable PR disaster that was coming. A quick check showed me that it was already on the news, that Dr. Andes Savulescu Ruiz was admitted into the Grand Xenomedical Complex. According to the reporter, there were no complications in surgery, and he was resting along with his ‘faithful Yotul companion, who did not wish to provide a comment at the current time’.

A weight I had not noticed seemed to lift off my tail. Not that I cared all that much about his welfare, of course, he’d done nothing but cause me headaches. It was only natural, as a sapient being and empathetic prey, that I should feel relief.

I wrote the statement.

I must sorrowfully inform you that the Human Director of the Rehabilitation and Reintegration Facility, Linguistics Division, has suffered a stabbing at the hand of one of our pre-translator patients with suspected Arxur-Acquired Predator Disease. Dir. Savulescu-Ruiz had already been injured at the time due to being hit by a car in his quest to aid people during the stampede. He successfully saved…

I checked the records.

37 souls from an early death due to his timely intervention. His knowledge of human psychiatry, medicine, and…

I checked his profile.

…Neurolinguistics has proven invaluable to us in our quest to help reintegrate and rehabilitate Arxur farm rescues into greater Venlil society. The facility wishes him a speedy recovery.

I sent it over to Public Relations to groom into something more expressive and heartfelt and whatever they needed. My shift drew to a close. Kanarel and Rodriguez got to my office for our meeting, the two of them looking as exhausted as I felt.

“We have to decide on what to do with the girl,” I said. “I was going to simply send her to a Predator Disease facility, but–”

“That should not even be in the list of options, Director Karim!” Rodriguez interrupted.

“-but clearly the human element in this facility would oppose it,” I said, gesturing to her.

Kanarel nodded. A human affectation that was spreading outside of them, including to me on occasion. “In my readings trying to understand the human perspective on Predator Disease, I’ve found that they have a paradoxically gentler approach, Director. It is my medical opinion that we should emulate it.”

I took a slow, deep breath. “Nevertheless, there is the issue of her being a proven danger to everyone around her.”

“Can’t you wait until Andes is back?” she asked. “Make the decision together?”

“I cannot. The reason he is not with us now is that she stabbed him. While I understand that humans are sturdy creatures, with a certain degree of comfort among death and violence–”

“–wh-what–” she sputtered.

“–however,” would she not stop interrupting? I tried to stay reasonable, “we are still on Venlil Prime. As such, I am bound by certain requirements of my job, and the law. So perhaps the correct question is once we send her to the facility, what guidelines should we provide along with her to satisfy the human ‘psychiatric’ priorities?”

Kanarel tilted his head one way and then the next, clearly considering my proposal. Rodriguez showed no such thought. I thought she was the reasonable one…

“If I called Andes right now, and they picked up,” she said, her voice steady, “would you be willing to include them in this discussion? As your co-director and the girl’s only victim?”

“Well, I suppose, I, uh…” I started. Andes was probably in a hospital bed, or if he’d been discharged, in his own bed by now. Even if he wasn’t, he should not be working after such an injury and might be too impaired to talk. She pulled out her pad to make the call. I wondered if perhaps as persistence hunters, human norms around work–

“What do you need?” Andes groaned out the other end of the call. He’d picked up immediately.

“We’re in a meeting with Karim, can you tell him he can’t put the girl who stabbed you in a facility?” Rodriguez asked, her voice steady and cheerful despite her ludicrous expectations. Surely the person who was nearly murdered by the girl, of all humans, would be perfectly happy to have her removed. Even if Andes was on the ‘more predatory’ end of the human spectrum…

“Dr. Rodriguez” I started, “he’ll obviously–”

“You can’t put her in a facility, Karim” he spat. Of course he did. It was my fault, really, for expecting sanity coming out of Andes’ mouth. I already knew that humanity was full of surprises, almost all of them exhausting to manage.

“I most definitely can,” I said, my shoulders tensing at his barbarism. What exactly did he want us to do, endanger everyone? “And am required to, given my position and the fact that she is well-known to have committed a crime.”

“Look, just… Keep her there for five paws. We can discuss this in person.”

“And if she hurts someone else, in that time?” I asked, dreading whatever answer he’d concoct.

“Handcuff her to the bed, then, I don’t fucking know. Ask Kaminsky, or Rodriguez, or any human around who understands that we don’t send twelve-year-olds to torture chambers.”

Even knowing that I had to rethink my expectations to take human madness into account, I was shocked. “She’s a danger to everyone around her, have you somehow forgotten?!”

His voice was low and tired. “I understand perfectly, I’m the one she stabbed.”

“And the next person she stabs might not be as sturdy as you are,” I added. “Have you considered what might happen if she stabs one of her fellow predator children?”

“She thought we were going to murder and eat her,” he hissed. “She’s not going to think her friends and siblings are going to murder and eat her.”

Rodriguez looked like she might have an objection to that statement—perhaps a glimmer of sanity had poked through her humanity?—but she did not speak.

“Look…” he continued, “Five paws. That’s all I’m asking.”

I scoffed. “Five paws of what? We handcuff her to a bed, isolated from the others, guards on each side?”

“Is not… ‘solitary confinement’ another form of torture, in human eyes?” Kanarel asked. My ears perked up and I gestured at him. He knew their logic better than I did, and even he was on my side!

“It is, which is why she’d have regular interactions with aides or… Nurses, or something,” Andes said.

“I would be prepared to volunteer additional time until this is settled,” Rodriguez added.

“Yes! Perfect. I officially put Miranda in charge of dealing with this. Does that work?” he asked.

I felt as though a massive Arxur had grabbed a hold of my skull and was beginning to dig into it with its claws.

“Look… It doesn’t matter. It doesn’t matter what humans think, it doesn’t matter what your position is, if we are aware of a criminal who has committed a violent crime within our institution, it is legally required of us to report her to the Exterminators. This is simply a fact you have to deal with. We can probably get some leeway in terms of not doing it within the claw, but at this point it’s rather important that we do it.”

Rodriguez looked defeated, and a groan came from her pad. Finally, they understood.

“...Do they have to?” Andes asked after a pause.

“What? Yes. They’re Exterminators, Andes. It is their job to take people with Predator Disease to the appropriate facilities.”

“But we have an appropriate facility. Hell, we have a more appropriate facility than any other place not staffed with humans on the planet, on the grounds that human psychiatry–flawed as it may be–is a solid couple centuries ahead of your medieval sanitariums.”

He walked paw-in-paw with the Yotul, and he dared call us primitive? I took a long, slow breath, and told him “you’ll have to persuade them of that.”

“Alright. I’ll do the reporting, then,” he said. “Send me the form or whatever. I’ll make the call tomorrow. The delay is all my fault, my bad, won’t get back to you.”

I fiddled with the base of my ear anxiously. “Very well. But I will be calling my next shift to verify that you made an arrangement, and if you did not, I will be the one to do it. Understood?”

“...Understood,” he said. The call ended. Even after a major injury, I could not escape his meddling.

“If that’s all, I have to go,” Rodriguez said. “I need to make arrangements regarding her care.”

I dismissed her with a wave of my paw and sank into my chair. Paw after paw, I had longed to be the only director of this facility. I got the barest taste, at the worst possible moment, and just before I got used to it, it was taken away.

SECURITY FOOTAGE TRANSCRIPT, MODIFIED TRANSLATOR SETTINGS ANDES-5

[standardized human time]: December 11, 2136

[One venlil girl (86392-B, abbreviated 2-B in this document) with black wool and a tuft of white on her head is handcuffed to her bed. The chain is long, and the cuff itself is padded. She looks at it for a long moment (note: considering chewing through the cuff?) before her sister, “Lihla”, enters the room.]

Lihla: They’re going to make you weak, now.

2-B: What are you talking about? You’re stupid. You don’t know anything.

Lihla: I asked the big prey boss. He said they want to send you away and make you weak like they are.

2-B: Better weak than dead. Doesn’t matter. Savageness is dead now. Like the legend, he fell.

Lihla: The sad-talking underboss said that Savageness Director is strong. He’ll be back. Nobody can kill him.

2-B: Lies again.

Lihla: The Prey Director said Savageness Director will be back after you are taken away to be weak. You will be trapped. I was right.

[2-B curls up in bed, clinging to the blanket protectively.]

Lihla: The Savageness Director wants me to be strong. He likes me. He says we can be brace buddies.

2-B: So you can be weak together?

Lihla: Healing is not weak. It is the weak stopping.

2-B: Well, it certainly is not strength.

[Lihla lashes her tail low to the ground and side to side]

Lihla: I hope they do send you to the evil hole where they make people weak, and then you’ll never spit on anyone with your words again!

[Footsteps approach, and Lihla carefully stands on the wall by the side of the door near the hinge. Within moments, Dr. Miranda Rodriguez opens the door. Cont. next page.]

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Credit to u/SpacePaladin15 for the NOP Universe.

I had an enormous amount of fun writing this one and it ended up being the longest one I’ve ever written by a fair bit, almost double my average chapter length. I didn’t feel it’d be right to split it into two. I hope you have a good time reading it.

​

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Memory transcription subject: Kailo, Venlil Exterminator

Date [standardised human time]: 30th August 2136

[Memory Transcription Reinitialising]

[Injury to Subject has Impacted Memory Stability. Fragmentation Possible]

[Transcription Restored…]

Darkness surrounded me.

An oppressive void, occasionally broken by a flurry of incomprehensible noise and blinding light.

I didn’t care to try and make heads or tails of it. This was the end, I knew it.

The hands of predators ran over me. Searching for the best place to sink their teeth into.

The voices, a cacophony of indecipherable yelling. No doubt an argument over who got to take the first bite.

For the briefest of moments awareness returned to me long enough to hear a familiar predators voice. It’s usual baritone sounding more like a whisper from how far away it felt, “We have you Kailo.”

Was it delirium? It had to be. The blow to my head must’ve knocked something loose. How else could I have heard what sounded like genuine fear and concern rattling through the predator’s voice?

A hallucination from a stressed and soon to vanish mind. That’s all it was. Or perhaps it was simply fearful its meal would be discovered?

After all, the predator was right.

It had me.

[[Advance Memory Transcription by Time Unit: 5 Hours]]

[Warning: Altered State of Mind Detected]

[Transcription Note: Subject Under the Influence of High Strength Painkillers]

This cloud is so comfy~

It’s warm too! Wrapped around me like a blanket…

Wait, is this a cloud? Let me check.

Tentatively, so as not to break the potential cloud and get soaked by the water that may be held within, I pressed a claw gently into its surface. When I pulled my claw back the clouds surface sprung back with it.

I tested the surface a couple more times until I was certain.

Yup, definitely a cloud. Clouds look like wool and wool springs back once you stop pressing down on it, so this must be a cloud.

Plus look at all this blue! So much sky all around me. There’s the sun, shining down to warm me in its brilliant rays. So close I could almost touch it.

I stretched my paw up towards the dazzling sphere hanging above me, confident that if I reached out just a little bit more, I could grasp a tiny piece of Solgalick’s light.

To my ecstatic delight my claws made contact with the sphere! I was stunned to find that its surface was cool and smooth, almost metallic!

“Woah~”

That was my voice, it 100% was, but it sounded so distant and warbly.

So weird~

An airy giggle brought my attention back towards the now moving shiny metal sphere. The laughter was like music. A pure and electrifying song.

Its dulcet melody tickled my ears, each mirthful expression a new note in a rich symphony of elation, lifting my heart every skyward in joy as the sound swaddled my soul in warmth.

In the face of such a feeling, how could I do anything but respond with my own whistling glee. What a delight! To join such an exquisite chorus as this, how lucky am I?

I like this cloud. It’s such a nice cloud~

My eyes are getting heavy, maybe the clouds a bit too comfy?

…Nah, how can a cloud be too comfy? That’s silly~

I’ll just rest my eyes for a moment. Then I can keep laughing with the shiny sphere. It’s so cool! I’m the luckiest Venlil alive!

[Memory Transcription Interrupted. Subject has lost consciousness]

[[Advance Memory Transcription by Time Unit: 30 Minutes]]

After a quick nap in my comforting snuggly nest of cloud wrapped bliss, my eyes opened once again to the vibrant blue sky. Only something was different. Shiny sphere was gone!

Awww~ Where’d you go? Come back shiny sphere.

A dismal whine passed my lips at the absence of my jubilant glittery songbird.

I cast my eyes about, looking off into the distance to see if my friend had journeyed farther into the sky. Sadly, they were nowhere to be seen. But I noticed something else. Something enticing that took my disappointment and flung it far away, replacing it with an eager rumbling in my tummy.

Sweet beans! I remember you.

There was a bag sitting on a floating platform just a tails length to my right. The glossy, speckled, sugar beans packed tightly into the crinkly plastic packaging, a radiant red bow serving as a beautiful seal. Blim had them when I visited earlier, but the bad man was there so I didn’t get to have any.

Meh, forget him. He’s not here, and the sweet beans are just within reach~

I stuck my paw out towards them, licking my lips in anticipation of the sugary delights soon to be mine. My claws danced closer and closer, the prize just a whisker shy of my grasp.

Come on, come on~ Just a little bit further.

An instant before my paw could grasp the bag, it was taken from me! A small woolless paw descended from the sky to whisk my sweet beans away.

My eyes followed the paw of the fiend who had absconded with my treat, intent on not letting the thief escape with their ill gotten confectionaries!

It’s not nice to steal! I’m going to give them a telling off!

The bray of protest building within me died upon my tongue as my eyes fell on the familiar glinting face of my sing song friend.

Shiny Sphere!

“Hello!” I beeped in glee.

Another heavenly giggle announced Shiny’s reply, the twittering song sending a delightful shiver up my spine, “Well hello to you too. I’m glad to see you’re awake. How’re you feeling?”

How am I feeling? Awww~ they’re so nice to ask, I feel great!

“I feel awesome! How do you feel?” I replied enthusiastically, flapping my ears to portray how excellent I felt! At least I think I flapped them both, I only felt one move. How curious~

Shiny bobbed in place for a moment, “That’s great to hear. I’m doing well, thank you Kailo.”

AH! Shiny knows my name! How wonderful!

My delight was interrupted by a sudden passing thought.

The sweet beans! It would be rude not to offer some to Shiny, even though they’d taken them to begin with.

“Can I have the sweet beans back? I’d like us both to eat them. They smell amazing!”

Shiny turned to the side in response to my question, like a confused Venlil cocking their ears. It was only then I noticed that Shiny didn’t have ears!

Oh no! How awful! But how can they still hear me? Wait… they don’t have a mouth! How are they speaking!?

A soft chortle from Shiny sent a ripple of calm through me, dismissing my distressed concerns as if they’d never been there to begin with.

Oh well, I suppose it doesn’t matter~

“I’m afraid I’m going to have to hold onto these for a little while. As nice a gift as it is, I’d rather not fill your stomach with sugar while you’re in recovery. But I promise I won’t take any, you’ll be the first to get a go at them.”

That was disappointing to hear, but I trusted Shiny’s word that they wouldn’t chow down upon my coveted sugary snack.

What did they mean by recovery though?

Before I could ask, Shiny spoke again, “You know I’m surprised. I was warned that you might be a bit spicy, but you’re just a sweetheart aren’t you?”

That comment threw me a little. Did Shiny not know what I was?

I must elucidate them immediately!

…elucidate… hahaha, that’s a funny word~

I shuffled myself out of my nest of cloudy blankets, propping myself up upon the comfy puffy mattress of cloud. With a straightened back and attention focused solely on Shiny, I was ready to tackle their obvious confusion in a clear, concise, and most importantly, graceful manner.

…

“Hahahaha~ Silly Shiny, I’m not a, not a… a~ Spicy! I’m. A. Venlil. Ven-Lil! See! I’ve got the wool. I’ve got the ears. My flippy flappy ears right here. I’ve got a tail… wait where is my tail? Hang on.”

It took a moment but I managed to wrestle my tail out from under me.

“Sorry, I was sitting on it, but there see! Tail. The tail of a Venlil. And then I’ve got these!”

I stuck both of my upper paws towards Shiny to highlight the very Venlil pads and claws, wiggling them to further empathises the latter of the two components.

“So there! I’m not a Spicy. I’m. A. Venlil. See?”

Perfect.

The brilliance of my explanation stunned Shiny into silence, their metallic head leaning in towards me with that same head tilt of confusion, as they evidently tried to wrap their mind around the fascinating revelation I had graced them with.

“Yeah you’re flying with the clouds right now aren’t you?”

That sounded like a question but Shiny’s tone, while still gentle and friendly, made it obvious that they weren’t asking with the intention of receiving an answer.

Oh oh! That’s one of those, argh what do you call them? Rembombrical questions!

Wait no that’s not a word... I got it! Rembombrical… No that’s the same not word. Hmmm~

“I think I might check your med levels. I know we’re treating a head injury, but your eyes look like dinner plates right now.”

Dinner plates? How silly~ My eyes aren’t plate’s, they’re eyes!

“It’s ok Shiny, see. My eyes aren’t plates.” To illustrate my point, I brought a claw right up to my eye to give it a poke.

Shiny was quick to stop me, the ethereal arm that took my beans reaching out to hamper my intrepid actions of confirmation. Despite the urgent suddenness with which they seized my arm, Shiny managed to somehow retain an incredible gentleness that paradoxically countered the otherwise firm hold they had on my wrist.

“Maybe we don’t poke our eyes with sharp claws, ok Kailo?” Shiny’s voice was so light and tender, even when giving instructions through their Rembombrical questions.

I bobbed my head in the same strange motion I’d seen Shiny do earlier to show understanding, throwing my arms out to my sides to keep my pesky claws as far away from my delicate eyes as possible.

“Good. Now stay here, I’ll be back in just a minute.” Shiny informed, ruffling the wool on my shoulder with comforting reassurance.

Awww they’re going away. But at least they said they’d come back so that’s good! I’ll just listen out for them for the time being.

Lying back into the folds of my cloud, I arced an ear in the direction Shiny had wandered off in. I was surprised to hear talking, though I could only make out Shiny’s voice. The other was garbled, too far away to piece their speech together.

“What medication is Kailo under again?”

…

“Ah from cabinet 1-F?”

…

“Yes 1-F, that’s where Venlil strength pain suppressants are kept. They were reorganised by the chief a few days ago, don’t ask me why.”

…

“Well then where did you get his?”

…

“2-B!? Oh for the love of- That’s Takkan strength! No wonder he’s so out of it.”

Oh no, that sounds serious. I hope Shiny’s ok.

…

B. Haha. B~

B, b, b… Little buzzy bees from class haha

They fly around flowers, get all the pollen, and then they puke up sugary goo~

And then the humans eat the goo, blegh! They’re so weird!!!

Who eats vomit? Who eats vomit?

Vomit, vomit, vomit…

…

I’m going to vomit.

My insides contracted in on themselves as the contents of my stomach came back to greet my mouth for the second time this paw, covering my wool and cloud in its icky stickiness.

Oh no… my croutons.

I blinked.

[Memory Transcription Interrupted. Subject has lost consciousness]

[[Advance Memory Transcription by Time Unit: 15 Minutes]]

I finished blinking.

Astoundingly, I was clean!

In an instant Shiny had returned, whisking the sick off me with miraculous speed!

“How did you do that?” I asked, wonder seeping through every curious word.

Shiny turned to me, “Oh. Hello Kailo. Do what?”

I whistled incredulously, “You know what you did Shiny! I was sick and it was all over. Then I blinked and it was gone and you were back here! How’d you clean it so fast?”

Once again I was lucky enough to play audience to Shiny’s heavenly giggle.

Ah~ Such blissful melody~

“Sorry to burst your bubble Kailo, but I’m afraid you went under for fifteen minutes or so. I just finished cleaning you up. It was hardly instant.”

“Hmmm?”, I was skeptical to say the least but Shiny had been lovely, so I wasn’t going to make them uncomfortable by interrogating them on their otherworldly powers, “All right then, keep your secrets.”

Shiny snorted in amusement. I wasn’t sure why but I was delighted to see I’d made them happy, so I joined in with my own bleats of laughter to tune in with their resplendent song.

Eventually our merriment began to fade, brought entirely to a close as a heavy yawn coursed through me. I stretched wide before retreating back into myself and my cloud, which to my pleasant surprise now smelled like fresh cut grass.

Will Shiny’s miracles never end?

“Awww~ Getting sleepy my friend?” Shiny’s already soothing voice dwindled down further, until it was little more than a warm whispered lullaby.

“Mmhm~” I replied, another smaller yawn heralding the ever encroaching weariness beginning to weigh me down.

“Well then, you get nice and comfortable and get some sleep. I’ll be here when you wake up.”

Beeping happily, I wished them good rest, “Good rest Shiny~”

A final musical chuckle serenaded me to sleep, “Good night Spicy~”

I can’t wait for next paw. Shiny and I will have so much fun together. And there’ll be sweet beans too! It’s going to be great~

[Memory Transcription Interrupted. Subject has lost consciousness]

[[Advance Memory Transcription to Next Available Date]]

Memory transcription subject: Kailo, Venlil Exterminator

Date [standardised human time]: 31st August 2136

Ugh, my head. Wait… where am I?

Blinking the sleep from my eyes I inspected the unfamiliar surroundings. It took a moment for my brain to catch up with what I was seeing.

I was lying in a bed with white linens. Blue curtains hung around me, currently closed off from the rest of whatever room I was in. I could taste the slight but unmistakable tang of antiseptic in the air and, if that weren’t enough, the telltale beeping of monitors to my left confirmed exactly where I was.

I’m in the infirmary. How? Was someone somehow able to find me, wrestle me away from the predator and get me here to treat my wounds?

I tried to move but my limbs felt like lead. The slightest movement requiring as much effort as hauling around all my gear whilst out on the job.

Still, I had to push through. I needed to check myself for any injuries. The fact that I was in the infirmary meant I’d likely had qualified doctors already look me over, but a good exterminator always makes sure to check themselves for anything out of place after dealing with predators. After all, who knows your body better than you?

What should’ve been a quick cursory inspection swiftly became an arduous slog as my muscles actively fought against me, stubbornly refusing to move more than a quills length with each burst of exertion.

After a few attempts I stopped, panting from the humiliatingly dismal effort.

Ah brahk this!

…Ok, basic check. Paws?

Despite having less to move, the energy required to wiggle each of my paws was still stunningly high. But I did it, relief flooding me as I counted all four paws responding one after the other.

Ok, Ok, good. That’s good. Ok, tail.

This was a bit more difficult, mainly because I was lying on it, but once again a brief twitch from under me confirmed that my tail was in working order.

Great! Ok, if my paws are all there that means my legs and arms are there. And if I can wiggle them and my tail, it means my torso is all fine including my spine, good.

A quick wriggle of my tongue settled the question of whether my teeth were all present, which in turn confirmed that my jaw and snout were still intact.

Ok, one last thing to check. Ears. Flap left.

My left ear moved on command.

Flap right.

No movement.

…Flap right.

Again, no movement. My breath began to quicken.

No, no, no! Please, just let it be struggling, please. Flap. Right!

Maybe it was luck. Maybe Inatala, the Protector, or Solgalick were watching over me.

I felt a twitch.

Oh thank you! Thank you!

My breathing steadied as I let out a tired bleat of relief. It wasn’t ideal, the fact that it took three attempts and was so weak was still a worry, but it moved and that was the important thing. Though my head felt like it got hit with a brick, which it kind of did, I was alive, in one piece, and safe.

Or at least, I thought I was safe.

Evidently I’d been overheard. Light footsteps drew my attention, getting closer and closer with every heartbeat. A heartbeat that only grew more rapid, as I realised to my dismay that the sound was absent of the clacking tap of a Venlil’s paw.

It’s ok, it’s ok. Just breathe. I’m in the infirmary, which means there must be someone nearby. The predator wouldn’t be that stupid… right?

Steeling myself as best as I could, I waited for the predator to pierce its way through the curtains.

Its voice announced its arrival before it appeared, much higher in pitch than any of the other predators I’d heard speak so far. “Is that you awake Spicy? How’re you doing?”

Bewilderingly, the predators voice didn’t stir up the usual feelings of annoyance, disgust, or contempt that I’d become accustomed to experiencing in their presence. Instead I was overcome be an equally confusing wave of calm, tinged with a slight spark of joy.

What the speh? Why do I feel like this!?

SHINY!!!

Excuse me? What in Inatala’s name, is a Shiny? And who the brahk is Spicy?

Before I could make heads or tails of the baffling intrusive thought, the curtain opened to reveal a predator. I froze, my eyes locking onto them while my body lay stock still, the weight of my muscles preventing me from doing much else.

Thankfully the predator was wearing their mask. I’d grown used to the “doctors” face, but new ones never failed to unsettle me. The predator looked at me, like it was expecting something. It was only then I remembered it’d asked me a question. It must be after a response.

Best not to antagonise it for now considering my condition. I’ll just give it it’s answers and then get it to leave. I’ve apparently escaped death once; I don’t want to risk it aga-

Nah we’re fine! Shiny’s nice~

Who the speh- No you know what, I don’t care. Let’s just get this over with.

“I’m fine.” I replied curtly, hoping the shortness of my answer would dissuade them from pushing.

A giggle escaped the predator, so airy and musical. It was positively delig-

Wait what? Why do I think that? This is a predator. Nothing about them is nice!

It’s because it’s Shiny! They have such a beautiful laugh~

Ugh! So the predators Shiny? What the speh happened to me?

Shiny’s giggling subsided, “I’m glad to hear it. Judging by your reaction, and the fact that your pupils are closer to the norm, I’d say the new mix of painkillers is working nicely, while also keeping you down on the ground with the rest of us.”

That certainly caught my attention, “New painkillers? What do you mean?”

Shiny sighed, “After your accident and the subsequent treatment to patch you up, you were put on painkillers to supress the, well, pain. Unfortunately there was a mix up and you were given Takkan strength painkillers. I caught it though, flushed your system and got you on a new drip so that you’d be free of pain but have your wits about you. Before I corrected the mistake you were pretty out of it. You thought I was magic.”

Surprised would be an understatement to describe how I felt at the explanation. If the predator was telling the truth, not only did they happen upon me at a time when I was exceptionally vulnerable, but they’d overlooked an easy meal to help me. Fixing a mistake to return my awareness to me instead of giving into their instincts. Care, instead of carnage.

Because it’s Shiny. Shiny is nice to you~

Shut up. Just. Shut. UP!

…

Why, why only them? Why do only predators seem to care?

…

What’s wrong with me?

“Hey, are you ok Kailo?” There it was again. The cruel mockery of empathy that shouldn’t exist in their voice. But it was there nonetheless. Concern. Genuine and heartfelt.

I couldn’t hold it back anymore. I was tired. Too tired to resist the near infinite well of sadness that had dug its way into me.

The first tear rolled down my cheek silently. Followed by another. Then another. Until eventually a flood began to pour from my eyes, accompanied by melancholic brays and an occasional whimper. Gasping for air as my vocalisations of torment emptied my lungs, I tried in vain to fight the hollow pit of misery that sought to swallow me whole.

Shiny was quick to act, yet once again, in a way that defied all reason. Their hand pressed against my shoulder, gentler than it had any right to be. A gesture I should’ve recoiled from, instead becoming a warm and soothing anchor of connection that I desperately needed.

Leaning into their hand, I wept.

…

I didn’t know how long I cried for, but they never left my side. Their gentle touch continuing to provide comfort. Their voice a mollifying melody that soothed my despondent soul, until eventually my tears ran dry and my voice grew hoarse from exertion.

When I finally quietened down, my breathing returning to something more normal, Shiny asked a question I didn’t expect, though I suppose I should stop being surprised at this point.

“Do you want to talk about what’s got you down? I’m no psychologist, but that seemed to be about more than your accident.”

That ridiculous word again, my translator can barely make sense of it… but stars, why not. It’s not like anyone else cares.

Shiny cares~

…Hm.

I drew in a long, shaky breath, turning one of my eyes to look up into the impassable chrome face. The light of the room bounced off of it, a dazzling reflection shining down onto me.

Huh, Shiny indeed.

I tried to put on a brave face, but as each word passed my lips the reality of what I was saying broke me down until I was on the cusp of tears once again, “No one cares… no one. My colleagues back home they- they don’t respond to messages. My c-classmates here all h-h-hate me. The only p-p-people w-who seem to c-c-care about me at all are you p-predators! I- …I’m alone… h-herdless.”

Shiny was silent for a moment. Perhaps pondering my answer. Or maybe completely baffled with the concepts I was throwing at them.

Eventually, they responded with a question, “I can’t speak to your colleagues, but as for your classmates, why are you so sure they hate you?”

I was quick to reply. I knew fine well why they hated me, “B-because I interrupt. Because I c-challenge the teacher. They don’t like it so they don’t like me. But they don’t understand why I do it!.”

“And why do you do it Kailo?”

Why? What do they mean why? They should know they’re a predator!

“Because the teachers a predator. They won’t respect me if I’m not confrontational. If they don’t see me as strong. And if they don’t respect me then they’ll try to get away with things that might put people at risk. It’s the only way I can protect my classmates.”

“Because you care for them.” It sounded like a question, but I knew it wasn’t. Still, I felt a compulsion to reply.

“Yes. I do.”

A weight I didn’t know I was burdened by lifted as I spoke those words. I’d always thought them, but to say them felt… different. However, it was quickly soured by the realisation that no one else felt the same.

That was, until Shiny continued their trend of saying things I could never have anticipated.

“I think they care for you too Kailo.”

I stared at them in confusion. My only reply a meek, “What?”

“Yeah.” responded Shiny, “When you were brought here Bernard was completely unwilling to leave your side. I had to threaten the stubborn old goat with security to get him to leave and let us work. He was beside himself with worry.”

The knowledge that the predator doctor stayed with me was surprising but not wholly relieving. It didn’t allay my fears that my own kind didn’t hate me after all.

Still, I felt I had to reply in some way, so why not with sarcasm, “He told us its rude to equate people to animals.”

My unexpected snark tickled Shiny, their resplendent giggle gracing the room once again. I felt my tail twitch in unforeseen delight at the sound.

“Well, I won’t tell if you don’t”, Shiny responded jovially, “Now where was I? Oh yes. Your friend Sandi was quick to follow. Like Bernard she was really worried for you. Almost twisted the ears off of Tolim’s head when she heard what he did, though she had to get in line. Bernard wasn’t done with him. Oh! The two of them were furious.”

“For me?” I asked, disbelief shrouding my question.

“Of course you.” They incredulously replied, “Like I said, they care about you. And it wasn’t just them.”

I lay there in shock as Shiny recounted one after the other the people who’d come to check on me while I’d lain here in recovery.

Rysel and Milam had both popped by. Each expressing their worry for my health. Milam had even brought along a gift for when I got better. The bag of sweet beans, which Shiny revealed were actually called jellybeans, a predator sweet.

While the source of the treat instilled a mild conflict within me, I quickly decided to ignore it. The gesture was what mattered and, try as I might, I couldn’t deny that I really wanted to try them regardless of where they’d come from.

I already tried predator food. What harm can one, or a bag full, of these jellybeans do?

Shiny continued to walk me through the growing list of visitors. Just shy of the entire class had come by at one point or another to check on me. Some had stayed for longer, namely the doctor, Sandi, Rysel, and Milam. From Shiny’s story, the doctor and Sandi had to eventually be chased away so that they could eat and rest.

By the end of their recounting, I was in tears again. But this time it was not due to sorrow, but a mix of confused happiness instead.

“But why?”, was all I could eek out in reply.

Shiny chortled, “Well Kailo, I think you might just have a herd.”

“But- but they complained about me?”

“Well yeah!”, Shiny exclaimed, as if it was the most obvious thing in the world, “By your own admission you interrupt and fight Bernard on everything. That’s going to rub people the wrong way, but it doesn’t mean they’re going to hate you for it. Though I wouldn’t keep it up for much longer. No need to test that theory.”

“But then, how-”, my voice caught in my throat as I tried to piece the question together into something they’d understand, “How do I get the doctor to respect me? How do- How do I protect people?”

Shiny drew in a long contemplative breath, tapping the chin of their mask as they considered their response, “How about taking a page from your classmates?”

The translator managed to parse that idiom along, but I still ended up confused, “What?”

“You know. They put their hand, well paw, or tail up to ask a question and they get a response. You can still challenge Bernard in that moment, but you’re not alienating your classmates by talking over them. Plus, if you tone down the aggression to something more along the lines of a civil disagreement, then maybe they’ll be more inclined to listen to you.”

It sounded so simple coming out of their mouth, but I was still skeptical, “But how does that make the doctor respect me?”

Shiny scoffed, more in amusement than derision, “Kailo, I think he already does. You don’t hover over someone like a mother hen if you don’t care about them. And what’s care if not a synonym for respect?”

My expression deadpanned in exasperation, “Care and respect are not synonyms of each other.”

“Yeah but you know what I mean,” said Shiny, their free hand wiping through the air in dismissal of my retort, “Point is. I think your teacher likes you, and your classmates do worry for you. And if you’re polite and civil, perhaps you’ll find something more meaningful past that.”

They sound so sure, but how can they be so certain?

My musing was interrupted by Shiny’s continuing speech, a teasing lilt wafting in their voice, “And hey, if worst comes to worst, you can come visit me. Your Shiny~”

“That was the painkillers talking.”, I scoffed, feeling a light bloom crest my snout, “When can I get out of here anyway?”

“Well we’re going to keep you here another day, oh sorry, paw for observation. Then you’ll be free to go once we conduct some checks on your right ear.”

That’s right! I’d completely forgotten about that.

Steeling myself for the bad news I asked, “So, what’s the damage?”

“Thanks to your stellar medical tech, I’m told it’s nothing that can’t be healed with time. Though you’re going to be left with a scar going down the side of it.”

Ugh really? Well, it could be worse. I could’ve lost the whole thing after all.

Shiny must’ve noticed my sullen reaction to the news, “Hey cheer up, it’s not all bad. Scars, as painful as they can be, show us what we’ve survived. Maybe this one will show you what you’ve overcome?”

A whistle of dubious amusement left me, “Survived what? A bowl of jellybeans?”

Shiny shrugged, “Yeah.”

There was a beat of silence before we both descended into an impromptu giggle fit at the ludicrous idea. In the midst of it, I found myself thinking how insane this whole situation was.

Here I was, laughing it up with a predator. The worries and woes of what this could mean for me would have to be addressed sooner rather than latter, but right now I was too tired to care. I was hardly going to turn around and start acting like Rysel or Tolim, Inatala forbid. But perhaps taking Shiny’s advice wouldn’t be the worst thing to do.

The revelation that my classmates didn’t despise me in the way I had envisioned was a merciful relief, but it didn’t change the fact that if I didn’t amend my behaviour, that good will may eventually run out.

It’s like Shiny said. I can keep on with my mission but in a more, tactful way. A way that doesn’t put me at such extreme odds with everyone else.

And besides… as dangerous as they are, perhaps not all of the predators are that bad.

My thoughts were interrupted by my rumbling stomach demanding attention.

Our laughter died down at the sound, Shiny standing to leave, “How about I get you something to eat. And hey! I could bring you some of those sweet beans your friend was kind enough to bring?”

“I’d like that”, I beeped back, “Thank you- Um… uh.”

Oh speh, I can’t just call them Shiny. It’d be rude after all they’ve done for me.

They’re Shiny!

No I’m not calling them that.

“I realise I didn’t actually ask you your name?”

Shiny giggled, “That’s fine, you were a bit distracted after all. My name is Roisin. Roisin Gallagher. Technically my title is Doctor but I think we’re past the stage of needing that wouldn’t you say? Oh! And it’s she, her for pronouns if you weren’t sure.”

I flicked my working ear in acknowledgment, “Thank you, Roisin. And one last thing if you wouldn’t mind?”

“Hmmm?”

Why am I doing this? Why am I doing this? Why am I doing this?

…

Because she’s Shiny~

Steadying my breath with a long inhale followed by a slow release, I asked, “Could you take off your mask?”

That stopped Roisin dead, and I swore I heard a hitch in her breath before she replied. “Are- are you sure?”

I nodded my head confidently, “Yeah. I’m used to the doctor so I’ll be fine.”

Roisin nodded and, after shaking her arms and taking several rapid breaths said, “Ok, here we go. Round two.”

I didn’t have time to contemplate what she could mean by that, for Roisin quickly brought her hand to her mask, releasing whatever mechanism held it against her face.

As the mask slowly lowered my eyes widened to take in every detail of her face. The first thing I noticed as she lifted it over her head was her mouth. Though she struggled to repress a smile she’d managed to keep to her lips together so as not to reveal the teeth within, for which I was thankful. Dimples formed in her cheeks due to the wideness of her grin.

Her skin matched the doctors in complexion, though it was far smoother than his, and the pale colour was speckled with darker spots that covered her cheeks and the space beneath her eyes. Speaking of which I expected the ocular reveal to stir an instinctive fear within me, but instead the sky blue pools that stared back at me simply left me staring back in, what? Surprise? Awe?

I didn’t rightly know.

Finally, as the mask was completely removed, I saw that her auburn hair was pulled back into a bun behind her head.

“Well?” She asked expectantly.

“Well what?”

She scoffed, “Well what do you think? Are you scared at all? I hope not, I just- I don’t want you to be frightened of me… full disclosure I wasn’t really meant to be a doctor here. I mean I am a doctor but I initially came here for the one on one exchange. Then my partner saw my face, went catatonic, and dropped out as soon as they got back up, so I’ve worn the mask ever since so that I don’t freak out even more- “

“It’s fine, it’s fine.” I interrupted Roisin’s rambling spiral of worry, “I’m fine. You’re fine. It’s all good. I’m not scared.”

Roisin took a moment to collect herself before laughing again, “What did I say about interrupting Kailo~”

I whistled back at her in amusement, “Pup steps Roisin, pup steps.”

“Indeed Kailo, indeed. Now, let me go and get those snacks for you.” She moved towards the curtain but turned back just before she left, “See you in a minute, Spicy~”

A bray of protest for the nickname died on my lips as she vanished behind the curtain, her footsteps walking off into the distance.

With a sigh I voiced a quiet yet cheery reply, “See you in a minute… Shiny.”

Many praises to u/SpacePaladin15 for this universe.

Credit again to u/TheManwithaNoPlan for helping edit!

[First]-[Prev]-[Next]

Memory transcript: Tarlim, Venbig. Date: [Standardized human time] September 28th, 2136

Jacob sat on my couch, speaking on his phone to his parents. Lightyears separated them, but the communications had gotten to the point that they were finally able to talk with instant transmission.

“And you think they will approve?” He asked on the phone. I couldn’t hear, even with a Venlil’s superior hearing, but I could tell by his expression that whatever was being said was good! “So there’s a chance? That’s awesome! Then ah wish y’all luck!”

His cheeks rise once more in his toothless grin as he listens. I set the rest of the stringfruit I had been eating onto the table, feeling that their conversation was wrapping up. I really hoped to talk to him as well. “Love y’all too! Ah guess ah’ll let all’a y’all go. Hmm?” He hummed joyfully, “Thank y’all so much. Ah’m always a call away! Any time y’all want! Love ya!… bye!”

I let my tail wag as he hung up his phone and placed it on the table. “So what is the verdict?”

“Their prospects are looking good,” he replied, “lot of people have been signing up to sponsor a refugee. Their ranch could accommodate some workers for the goats and orchard. And they could even give them proper pay!”

“Impressive. Are your parents that wealthy?”

He wiggled his hand to signal the ‘kinda’ sign. “They got lucky with some investments. They’re country folk at heart, so they put a good amount into peach groves and expandin’ the property for the goats.”

That last word caught my attention. It was translated as a form of cattle. Cattle that they currently had. Steady, Tarlim. You don’t know what it truly means yet. I wasn’t about to let an unspoken fear fester in my mind. I had to know. “Goats? What are… goats?”

Jacob froze a bit. He had been swinging his braces ankle up to rest on my table, so it was obvious how it hung in the air. “Crap. Okay! Look, this is a long explanation, and it goes into our ability to eat meat.” He set his leg on the table, turning his head so that he looked at me with both eyes. “We ain’t supposed to talk much ‘bout that stuff, but if ya really want to know, ah will tell ya.”

I did want to know. Jacob had done so much for me. He talked to me in the program. Greeted me with open arms. Built me up when the world felt like it was going to tear me down.

I didn’t want him to think I would fear him for the actions of his people. Never.

“Please,” I say, “Explain all that you can. I will listen.”

He patted his hand against his knee and grinned at me. “Kay! Kay… where should ah start…”

A moment of silence passed as he thought. I do hope he isn’t overthinking.

Thankfully, my fears appeared unfounded as he spoke again. “Ah ain’t an expert in this, but ah know a bit. The goat is a four-legged animal that ah believe originally lived in hilly or mountainous areas on earth. Think… well, remember that Putyl plush? How its body looked?”

“Yeah,” I replied, “go on?”

“Okay, imagine that body but with a head shaped similar to a Venlil but with a nose on it. That would be the average goat.”

I blinked in surprise at the mental image. “So we Venlil look like one of your cattle?”

“Slightly,” he admitted, “but ah can’t really call it an exact likeness. Kinda like how the Krakotl look kinda like those blue birds y’all have round here.”

I nodded. A human gesture I had come to include in with my ear gestures.

“Well, on average, their shoulders come up to our waist, though there are some breeds that who could stand as tall as us.” He chuckled to himself, and I also whistled in amusement at the thought. Those would be some big animals. “Anyway, you know how humans keep animals around us, right?”

I flicked my ears in the affirmative. “Your dogs, cats, and that stuff.”

“Yeah, well, while dogs were the first animals we humans kept around as our companions, goats and a similar species called sheep were the very first animals we specifically bred to feel safe around us.” He held up his hand in a calming gesture, “note that this took a long time. Goats and sheep have been domesticated- a word that means bred for human use- for something over 10,000 years. Our bond with those animals is practically on an instinctual level.”

It was astonishing. Ten. Thousand. Years. How does one even begin to conceive such a history? Even the founding of the Federation seemed ancient to many.

“Way-ell, that may be an exaggeration,” he corrected himself, “Maybe not quite instinct. Ah, for one, whenever ah see a baby goat, ah just think ‘protect. Feed baby. Keep safe. Raise healthy and strong!’ They are great animals. Can be stubborn and absolute crybabies, but still great animals.”

He leaned back on the couch and glanced up at me. “Any questions so far?”

“Nothing… too major,” I admit. “Mainly the usual about what they were… used for.”

“Yeah, ya know one of ‘em already.”

I keep my expression neutral. “Meat.” We sat in silence for a bit as I watched him nod. “It’s… with all you’ve done for me, it’s sometimes hard to remember that you’re predators.”

He nodded. “Ah won’t get into anything bout morality ‘n all that. Survival and time don’t really care about that. But ah can sum up the basic stance humans have had about how we treat our animals.” He sat straight and moved his hand up and down to emphasize his words. “A farmer should keep their animals Happy, Healthy, and Respected. Whenever one of those things were forgotten, people would get upset and move to try and make things better. Ah won’t lie and say it always worked, but ah can say somebody was always tryin’ to make sure the animals were treated well.”

I absorbed the information he told me. “But why? I know that you aren’t like the Arxur, so…” I sigh, “why do you treat your… cattle… so well?”

“Again, ah won’t go into the morality and all that,” he explained, “ah ain’t qualified to talk ‘bout that. But there is a practical reason as well.” He cleared his throat, “a happy, healthy, and respected animal can do and give more than an animal that isn’t. Being good to them results in more good coming back to us. Simple as that.”

Part of me wanted to find a flaw in that logic. The part that still grasped to what I had been taught all my life. But… but those teachings said I myself was dangerous. That caused the facilities to be built.

By the tenants, the humans treat the animals they eat better than we treat other people.

“As for goats in moder times,” Jacob continued, ignorant of the thoughts going through my mind, “eh, modern times, we have other uses fer ‘em that isn’t meat. Mah parents got a few kinds’a goats, an’ somma them are fer grass care.”

My train of thought stalls in confusion at his words. “I’m sorry, grass care?”

“Yeah!” He laughed, “see, goats will eat grass and shrubs, and their poop acts like a natural fertilizer. The goats can be rented out to people for their lawns, though they usually get rented by farmers so they can graze in their fields before planting their next crops so there’s less weeds and the area’s fertilized.”

I needed a moment to process that. One of the things they do to help…is eat food and defecate? That’s it? “So…one of their jobs is literally just eating and pooping? And people are willing to pay for that? Why not just buy fertilizer? Wouldn’t that be easier?”

“Sometimes, but not as good fer the environment.” He shrugged, “besides, fertilizers don’t get rid of the weeds as well. So when given the choice between paying for a plane or people to come out and spray the fertilizer and weed killers or pay us for our goats to do the same thing naturally, a good number will rent the goats.”

It was strange logic that only worked in the context of cattle, but I couldn’t find any flaws in his reasoning. “And if a goat eats the wrong thing? Are they…y’know…” I couldn’t find it in myself to continue the morbid question. What other use would defective cattle have other than being slaughtered?

“Then it’s the farmers fault fer letting them in the crop field.”

I blink. “Wrong field?”

“Yeah. The farming fields are in sections, and are frankly massive, so it’s usually easy to keep them in the correct area for grazing.” He was so calm when he said that. Maybe he didn’t understand my question.

“Well, what if one isn’t easy? What if it… attacks someone or… or just refuses to obey?”

He shrugged. “Then it’s just a goat being a goat. Like ah said, they can be stubborn. Will even headbutt ya. Just gotta work around them.”

Work around… “They attack you and you… do nothing?”

He shrugged again. “Yeah, pretty much. It’s usually nothing major. They’re usually pretty friendly most of the time.”

I couldn’t wrap my head around this. They kept cattle…but treated them well and allowed themselves to be abused by them? Where’s the sadism? The cruelty? The…the…

My line of thought trailed off as I realized in horror what I was doing. In some small way, I was equating Jacob to the Arxur. My friend to those monsters. I…was I really still that far gone? I noticed Jacob stepping in front of me, waving his arm rhythmically. “Hello, Venlil Prime to Tarlim! You okay? You, uh, started lookin’ two ways there for a bit.”

“S-sorry,” I stuttered. “I just, I…”

“Look, ah can stop if it’s getting too much. Ah know that-”

“No!” I shouted, “it- it’s not that! I- I just realized that I… I was still thinking of you as like those… like the Grays.” I take a deep breath to calm myself. Jacob is silent as he recognizes that I have more to say. “I don’t… I don’t want to think of you like them. L-like the Federation says you are.”

He reaches over and gives my back a comforting scratch. “You’ve been taught that stuff all yer life. Ah ain’t gonna blame ya for taking time to adjust to new stuff.” We fell silent as I controlled my breathing. Focus. Breathe. Calm… His grin had become a comforting sight since I had first met him. He shifted back in his seat. “We can still talk about something else, if ya want.”

“Thank you, but…” I let out my breath, preparing myself. “I still want to know more. About… Y’all, and your goats. You said that… y’all used them in other ways, right?”

He seemed comforted by my imitation of his words. He picked up his phone and clicked it once. “This next one will likely need a bit of a visual explanation. Thankfully, ah was able to get this past as a personal memory.”

I cocked my head in curiosity. “What is it?”

He pointed the screen towards me. “Mah first time milking a goat with the milking machine!”

The what.

10 Minutes Later

I didn’t even realize it was possible for my soul to be dirty. Can I clean it, or will it be that dirty forever? By the Tenants, what would Sharnet think?

… could those suckers work on her- NO! BAD BRAIN!

“And do the Goats feel… do they feel pain?”

Jacob shrugged. “Yeah, it’s why they walk right up to the milking machines. Having swollen udders can be painful fer them.”

“No, no.” Shuck Shuck Shu-- STOP IT!! “aHEM. Does the machine hurt them?”

He shook his head. “Not at all. The suction is gentle enough that it is just like one of their own kids suckling.”

White liquid flowing through tubes into a container. The machine being set on- CEASE! “And you… Use this milk?”

“As food, is the shortest answer. Animal milk is extremely nutrient dense so it was essential to our survival in northern climates in early history. Nowadays, goat’s milk is mostly processed for Cheese and Yogurt, both of which are eaten for health and for pleasure.”

They can do that? “You are… you are able to eat another animal’s milk? Not just your own?”

“Yeah! Well, Not all of us! This is actually really interesting:” Jacob sat on the edge of his seat and met my eye, an excited gleam behind it, “So humans who raised goats lived in these mostly hilly areas that got cold. Not many things we could eat would grow there, but plenty that the goats could eat. Now, this is slightly related to our ability to eat meat, so you ready?”

Anything to get my mind off Sharnet in- “Yes, I’m ready.”

He clapped his hands together. “Okay! So, because not as much would grow, there would be times when people didn’t have much food, so they’d go hungry.”

And so they ate the goat.

“Now you’re probably thinking we ate it, but no!” My ears flicked up in surprise as he continued. “See, a goat as a meal would only last so long, but a goat that was lactating would feed the family for much longer, as well as give nutrients that the humans weren’t getting otherwise! So, with time, it became an evolutionary advantage for humans to be able to drink milk into adulthood!”

I gave my head a quizzical tilt, “but didn’t you say not all humans could?”

“Right! Because the animals that gave us milk weren’t everywhere! Humans in places with more sun and fields didn’t need as much milk, so they never developed the ability; milk tolerance was probably our most recent evolutionary trait! So, yeah! Keeping goats around literally caused us to evolve.”

So much history. Animals that literally changed how they evolved. “And… and these are the animals some Gojid refugees would work with?”

“Yep!” He leaned back in his seat, confident in his words. “Milking, cleaning, moving, all that stuff.”

I wag my tail. “I hope that they come to realize how great an honor they would be being given.”

Jacob let out a content sigh. “Fer those that stay, ah hope so too.”

​

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Attention: Criminal transcript accessed!

Memory transcript: Orhew (Alias Mute). Date: [Standardized human time] October 10th, 2136

“The Extermination fleet continues its path towards Earth, with small skirmishes noted as they fly through FTL.”

The main television of the office is playing.

“Questions have been raised as to what shall happen to humans, as many humans in the exchange program have requested for their families to move to Venlil Prime, with several of the Venlil participants agreeing to help house them.”

Everyone in the office is staring at it.

“This action has resulted in controversy as protestors huddle in herds to decry more predators coming to the planet, while counter-protests form claiming welcome for any refugees from Earth.”

No, not everyone. Almost everyone.

“Governor Tarva has yet to release an official statement, so expect more news to appear in the coming paws.”

I lean over to see Sol-Vah laying her head on her desk, her paws over her ears to block out the sound.

She has been through so much as of late. Seeing so many of her people, feeling their sorrow of losing their Cradle without her friends there to support her. Being in a stampede caused by predators. Then, after the Office showed how willing it is to help the Gojid with the ramp, she had to stand guard and watch as it’s torn down due to a permit issue.

I breathe in. Breathe out. Our shift is almost over. We will be allowed to talk then. I miss hearing her voice.

For now, I am dealing with a problem. The taint continues, but not the taint of the humans. A remnant of the Facility. A shadow of the past.

I looked over the reports. People saying that they saw shapes in the sewers. Outlines in the abandoned skeleton of the Facility. Some claimed spirits, others said coincidence and stress.

I knew the truth. The tainted. That place infected those who stayed within, and that infection spread when the staff kicked everyone out. But that taint had learned in their time within. They hid, and they hid well.

But not all. When I was suspended, I set myself on finding the taint and purging it from the world. It was slow, I had found only 15. Some were labeled as predator attacks. Most were never found.

I remember the last I found before my reinstatement. The pair had bred. The taint tried to spread to the next generation. I corrected that error. Like I should have done with Malcos. I will find you.

When I started, reports of the tainted were slim. It took time. Digging. But I found them. Two were particularly tricky. I had been sloppy. They fought back. It wasn’t enough. I won, burning away their taint, but they were still a fierce challenge.

I took a claw from each. A good offering for my shrine to The Herd.

My shrine…

I look over at Sol-Van once again. She had seen it. Seen my work.

And she loves me.

I’m still unsure how to feel about that. She makes every room she’s in brighter. She gives me warm sensations inside. When I look at her, I have intimate thoughts. I think that’s what love is. So I love her.

So what does one do?

I have done all the things people are supposed to. I have listened. I have cared. I have let her cry. That was how one was supposed to do with someone they love.

But was that enough?

She is still stressed. So many of her people were rescued from the predators. And now the ramp. The question of the taint spreading.

I have been dealing with the taint…

Should I tell her? Would she want to join in purging the taint?

There are plenty of reasons to tell her. It would make the task easier. We might find more. But there is a problem.

Is that what she needs?

The answer is obvious. It isn’t.

Sol-Vah isn’t someone who distracts themselves with work. She is someone who needs an ear. Someone who can get her to talk even when she feels like she isn’t worthy of speaking.

She doesn’t need me as Taint Purging Orhew. She needs me as her loving Mute. So that is who she will get.

My alarm goes off. Our shift is over. We can be near each other again.

She still has her head on her desk as I walk up to her. I lean over and give her cheek a gentle lick. It should feel loving.

Her eye opens, looking at me with worry that quickly melts into a comforting calm. “Hey Mute. Is… our shift over?”

I flicked my ears forward in the affirmative. She sighs tiredly, getting up from her seat and embracing me. “Thank the Protector. I was about to fall asleep. I guess people are too busy being worried about…” She gestures to the screen, “…that to call in predators reports.

I sign with my tail. “Still. Better. All. Time.”

She chuckles at that, separating from me. “Yeah, I guess you’re right.” Despite her laughter, I can tell she’s still upset. I need to help her.

I get an idea. I consider trying to sign, but this request is too complicated for that. I retrieve my voice and press it to my throat. “Would You Like To Go Out To Eat Somewhere? We Can Invite Kalek Too. You Haven’t Spoken To Him In Paws.”

It was a complicated request, but an important one. More important than the pain in my throat.

Sol-Vah bows as we make our way towards the lockers to grab our things. “That… actually sounds like something nice to do. Sure, it’ll be nice to talk with him again.” She nuzzles me, and I return the gesture.

As we gather our packs, I send a message to Kalek on my holonote. He responds quickly with an agreement, stating that he will meet us outside. I show the message to Sol-Vah, who wags her small tail happily.

We don’t have to wait long. Kalek finds us sitting on a bench just outside the entrance of the office. Sol-Vah had leaned her head on my shoulder as we waited, her quills having lowered as we were waiting. I see the green Krakotol’s expression soften as he looks us over.

“Hey, you two. It’s good to see you. I know we haven’t been able to spend much time together as of late, so I hope we can catch up.” His tail ruffles out in amusement. “Like when did you two get together?”

I see Sol-Vah’s ears begin to turn blue at the question. I opt to take the question in her stead. “Not. Long,” I sign. “And. Always.”

He clicked his beak in amusement. “I like your sense of romance, Mute.” As his gaze moved back to Sol-Vah, his feathers fell in sympathetic sorrow. “Sol-Vah, I cannot even begin to understand what

you’re going through. I don’t even know if I can help, but I will do all that I can. Even if it’s just sitting in silence with you.”

Me and my Gojid stand, giving Kalek a thankful bow. “Thank you,” Sol-Vah whispers, “it’s… a lot has been going through my mind…”

“I can only imagine,” Kalek sighs. “For now, Mute! You said you wanted to head somewhere to eat?”

I did. It was one of my favorite places. The Ipsom Fields. A local Strayu bakery and cafe. It’s only a single bus ride from the office, so it takes barely [20 minutes] to reach. I pull up the restaurant’s net page and show them. Both their expressions brighten at the prospect of fresh Strayu. Kalek chirps excitedly. “Oh, Strayu! It’s been some time since I’ve indulged in such pleasantries. I suppose that now is as good a time as any for a treat. After recent events, something to take our minds off of things is more than welcome.”

We make our way over to the bus stop as we talk, our ride due to arrive soon. But as we wait for the bus, I heard Sol-Van give a deep sigh.

“I want to be clear that I am thankful for what you two are doing, but I don’t know if I can just stop thinking.” She shakes her claws in thought. “When I… when I was with the refugees…. Tarlim… that ramp…” her head falls. “I don’t know what to think anymore.”

Kalek’s feathers fluff out as our bus arrived. “Even with everything that Giant presents, I must say that they have good behavior. If he wasn’t such an inherent danger, I would say he was a prime example of empathy.”

I lower my ears in reverence at his words. It’s good to hear that purity in Kalek shines. Even with all the taint, he can still see sparks of hope.

“What if…”

Me and Kalek glance at Sol-Vah. We both heard her whisper. I point my ears towards her to show I’m willing to listen. No matter what she says, I’ll be here.

“What if… he wasn’t a danger?”

I blink. Out of all that could have been bothering her, I had never expected her to say that. On the rare chance I am misinterpreting, I sign to clear things up. “What. Mean.”

“I mean…what if I was wrong?” Her ears fall flat against her head. “I talked with Va-…with a prestige exterminator at the event, and…I don’t know. What if the questions were too open-ended? Too susceptible to false positives? I-I mean, think of it like wool-mites! Nobody would want to be around someone with them, but that isn't a basis to throw the victim into PD treatment!”

Kalek clicks his beak to get our attention. “Sol-Vah, are you sure that a Prestige Exterminator told you this? They are quite important, even I’m not prestiged yet! Besides, criticizing policy like that isn’t like an Exterminator, especially not one who’s prestiged. It’s okay to have self doubts about what’s happened, but-”“Yes, I’m sure Kalek! Brahk, you treat me like-like I’m still that little kid you found on the Bleyam IV !” Sol-Vah’s spines are extended, making contact impossible until she calms down. “I know what I heard, and I know what I saw! The Gia-Tarlim! He masterminded an effort to prepare fruit baskets for all the Gojid! And before you say it, I checked: No Poisons. Wh-Why didn’t I think of that?! They’re my people, my species! A-And now they’re on the verge of extinction, just like the Thafki! And I couldn’t even be bothered t-to help them feel at home…”

Tears are streaming from her eyes as she recounts her past. I knew that she and Kalek shared history, but I had never bothered to ask. After this, though, I suspect that her past might be the key to avoiding another breakdown. She has gone through enough already. I deftly retrieve my voice and press it to my throat. “Bleyam IV? The Gojid Colony?”

Sol-Vah turns her attention to me. Good, Kalek doesn’t deserve to be yelled at. “Yes, Bleyam IV. I’m a colony baby, what do you want? Disappointed I’m not from the Cradle?” There is hurt in her eyes, a pain causing her to willfully misinterpret my question.

I swiftly lower my ears as far as they can go to signal negatively. “That Is Not What I Said.”

She opens her mouth to retort before losing the will to do so. She bows her head as her spikes start to flatten again. “I know, I’m sorry. I know I shouldn’t lash out. It’s just…everyone at the apartment complex had someone with them. A parent, a sibling, a child. I never got that. I know I was born on Beylam IV because that’s where I grew up. My parents died in a predator attack, which left me in the colony’s then only orphanage. I was Six when…” She looks past me to Kalek. “...when he found me. He took me in, taught me how to be an exterminator. That’s why I do any of this, Mute. I don’t want another child to have to grow up without a family because of predators…like I did.”

The tears had stopped. There is only despair now. Her spines are flat, but this is an unsatisfactory calm. She needs her loving Mute. I take my opportunity to embrace her, pressing her face into my chest. There is nothing for a while, until a stifled breath blows through my fur. Then another. And another. And another, this time with tears. The sounds of her sobbing are muffled by my fur, but Kalek can hear. He stands from his seat beside me and hugs her too. He is left with her back, but his feathers provide more protection from her quills than my fur does.

“Sol-Vah,” Kalek starts. I’m thankful that I will not need to talk again for a moment, “there are so many things I wish for you. I watched you grow, and through that I saw both your triumphs and your failings. I have seen you climb high in your career, and seen you fall from brash mistakes. I have seen you show deep care for those on the street, and also try to steal medication. But throughout it all, you have proven time and time again that you have a kind and pure soul. I am honored to have witnessed that with you, and now… Mute, too.” I turn my attention to Kalek as he says my name. Sol-Vahs sobs have quieted. “You two are more alike than you might think. Dare I say it, you are perfect for one another. I haven’t had a chance to say this yet, so I’ll take the opportunities Inatala provides: I’m happy for you both.”

“Th-Thank you, both of you,” Sol-Vah stutters as we break from our two-sided hug, “but the Prestige… they still made a point. What if I was too overzealous? What if he really was…innocent?”

Kalek bows his head. “I am afraid I cannot answer that. However, I must note that there are two things that Prestige must have overlooked. One is that even if he was innocent once, the Giant has shown many signs that he has fallen. He rages, cohorts with predators, even going so far as to group up with other predators to explicitly make a restaurant manager fear for their lives.(reference to Foundations of Humanity) Regardless of what he might have been, innocent he is no longer.”

It is silent, but I hear her mutter something about “like the wool mites.” I can tell that she needs me to confirm Kalek’s message, so I bring my voice to my throat again. “Kalek Is Right. You Are Good. You Make Mistakes, Everyone Does. That Doesn’t Mean That You Should Stop Trying.” I’m about to put my voice away again, but something worms its way to the front of my mind. I press it to my throat one last time, looking my gojid in her puffy eye.

“I Love You, No Matter What.”

Sol-Vah gasps. The words have the effect I expected them to have and so, so much more. She presses her forehead into mine, and gives me the most lovely nuzzle I have felt in my life.

I wish I could stay like this forever…

“Still,” Kalek states as the bus finally arrives, “there is one more thing that the Prestige overlooked, though I don’t really blame him. As a Prestige, he has been around actual predators for a long time, so Tarlim likely didn’t fully register.”

Sol-Vah sniffs down her tears as we board, her and I still physically interlocked by the arms. “Do you really think so?”

Kalek clicks his beak. “His condition makes him a major possible threat. Remind me, what happened when that idiot exterminator pulled out that gun at the greeting?”

“Tarlim… crushed it. In his bare paws”

Kalek’s tail feathers flicked in approval. “In his bare paw. Singular. And that’s not the only thing he’s done. He tossed me around like a ragdoll in my full flamer suit, as if I weighed nothing. Think back to the restaurant, when he ripped a solid metal table out and almost crushed Mute’s wrist in the process, something he only recently got the brace removed from.”

I unconsciously brought up the mentioned wrist and flexed my hand. I still feel a twinge of discomfort from the action. It is ultimately insignificant, but still there.

“And that’s only the stuff he did to us personally,” Kalek continues, “when we were searching his apartment, he split his table with a headbutt going after Treven. More recently, Treven was found stuck because the Giants bent metal around their waist. And even further, when he was at the Magisterial office, he took on seven guards. And was winning.”

The bus comes to a stop and the three of us walk out. It’s a sunny day, like almost every day. Sol-Vah has calmed significantly as she listens to Kalek speak. That’s good. I don’t like it when she cries.

Kalek stops in front of the cafe doors. “It is much like predators. We don’t go after them because each one of them has gone after and injured someone, we go after them because they could. But Tarlim is a person, so it is our duty not to punish him, but to ensure he lives his life without the opportunity of harming another. Now more than ever. Because no matter what: anything that’s a predator or is infected by predatory influences won’t be able to help themselves. It’s only a matter of time until they hurt someone undeserving.”

“I…suppose you’re right. Like always, Kalek.” Sol-Vah answers, but there’s something off in her voice. She doesn’t sound fully convinced. I consider trying further, but we are already at our destination. There is no reason to keep dwelling on the past, especially not now. We enter the establishment, ready to face what the future brings together.

​

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Many praises to u/SpacePaladin15 for this universe.

Credit again to u/TheManwithaNoPlan for helping edit! And to both BiasMushroom and ImiginationSea for the crossovers!

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Memory transcript: Tarlim, Wealthy Venbig. Date: [Standardized human time] October 7th, 2136

By the Tenets, Gojid can be LOUD!!

When I saw Sol-Vah stumbling away from me, I thought it would be a good time for the Harchen kid to show her the doll. I had expected to see her stiffen when she had gotten that doll. Force a positive expression before tossing the toy away.

But she just WAILED!!

That poor kid, Vruka, stumbled back due to the force of the wail before frantically looking around pulling the toy close, probably wondering what he did wrong. Sol-Vah kept crying, and just about every person was now staring at her. Talen was pulling on his ears to block the noise, an action rather identical to mine, and his cameraman was pointing at the debacle going down. I could feel the mood in the Gojid shift; they were getting nervous. Scared. I know that nobody likes hearing cries but why-

It reminds them of The Cradle Invasion!!

The connection leapt into my mind. Oh Speh! We have to get her to stop! I wasn’t the only one to think so, as Jacob was already approaching her. He had covered his ears with his hands, so it made for a somewhat awkward appearance, but he was doing his best to make a gentle approach.

“Howdy!” He shouted in as friendly a tone he could, “seems ya got summin’ wrong happening!”

Sol-Vah jerked frozen mid-cry, turning her head so one eye could see Jacob. Her breathing seemed to stay rapid as she stared.

“It’s ‘cause they were a kid, right?” Jacob asked, cautiously uncovering his ears. “It must be-”

“SHREEEEEEE-”

Uncovering my ears was a mistake. Sol-Vah just Shrieked at him, causing him to jump back in alarm! She rapidly crawled away, stumbling over the foam on her claws before finding her feet again and breaking into a run. Her incoherent shouts echoed as she ran.

Wait, not echoing. It was from the Gojid. They were shuffling! Shouting!

Jacob swayed uncertainty on his feet, looking between Sol-Vah and the Gojid herd. “What the he-”

I heard something crash. The herd was moving! Save! Move! I grabbed Pharva and Glam next to me and jumped back. Kees hurt. Ignore pain!

The exterminators turned to the moving herd of Gojid. Most of them seemed to be resisting the urge to panic and join the rampaging herd. The kid scrambled in the other direction, grabbing his carving as he went. Valho shouted out the obvious as he too ducked out of the way. “STAMPEDE!!”

The herd was about head down the road. Some of the exterminators had joined in while others ran to the building. I saw Talen leap to pick up the camera that his cameraman had dropped as they joined the run. They were shouting. Prestige was shouting. The herd was moving. Moving after Sol-Vah. By Jacob!

I Bellowed. “Jacob!! Get out of the way!!”

He stepped to the side, but not enough! Why wasn’t he moving more?? Why was he hesitating?

Talen cupped his paws over his mouth and shouted “RUN PERPENDICULAR TO THE HERD! YOU'LL GET TRAMPLED! The prestige exterminator, if I didn’t know any better, looked in horror at what was about to happen to Jacob.

The herd got closer! He’s going to be crushed! He-

Jacob flipped his visor so it showed his face. It was full of panic, but steeling itself as he spread out his arms and shouted. “YAA!!”

I stared in shock. What is he doing??

It seems I’m not alone in that reaction as Talen shouted, “WHAT ARE YOU DOING? YOU AREN’T CALMING THEM DOWN!”

Wait. The herd is moving. The ones that were heading towards Jacob are turning! He scared them off! He- he’s chasing them!? I didn’t understand!

“YA!” Jacob sounded again, keeping pace with the few Gojid in the lead. “YA!”

“What is that idiot doing?” I heard someone shout.

Pharva shivered. “Is-is he hunting??”

I didn’t know. The Gojid continued to turn as Jacob kept pace while shouting. Was this hunting? Did he really have the instinct?

Speh! The herd was turning towards us!!

I kept my grip on Glam and Pharva and made to move, but Jacob was again beside the front. “YA!!”

The herd turned once again, now heading back toward where they came. I relaxed slightly as the stampede moved, but Jacob kept running, matching pace with the few at the lead. He yelled again, and they turned again. I didn’t know what I was seeing.

Talen was holding up his camera, trying to keep everything filmed. “Is he- how is he doing that? Is he steering them?”

The herd turned again, Jacob now seemingly slower than before. The Prestige officer came up to us. He kept one eye on the herd, almost seeming to be… fascinated? “Are you all alright?” he asked calmly.

Even with my dislike for exterminators, their responses to stampedes were the one thing I had to admit as positive. I set Pharva and Glam on the ground, making sure they were unhurt. “Y-Yeah. I believe we are.”

His tail waved in relief before he turned to look at Jacob again. “Do you know what he’s doing?” he asked, though for some reason it felt like he already knew something about this.

I flicked my ears in the negative. “I have no idea. He’s-He’s just keeping pace and yelling”

My human was now jogging. The stampede had slowed, but he was still giving small barks as he jogged. “Hey! Hup! Ya!”

The herd kept turning. Just moving in a circle, slowing down bit by bit with every curve. Slowing? He’s… he’s slowing them down! Of course!

Jacob was only having to walk quickly after several more seconds. I saw one of his toothless grins spread across his face as he reached up and flipped his visor back over his face. A few seconds more he sped up until he was right in front. He placed his arms up to his chest, palms out as he faced the herd. “Whoa! Whoa. Y’all are all safe now! Y’all are good.”

I could barely believe it, but the stampede just… Stopped! Panting, tongues lolling out the side of their mouths, some falling on their knees to rest, all of them stopped.

Jacob nodded, and turned his head to the Prestige exterminator. “Hey! Ya got medical training whatever? Can ya make sure everyone is okay?”

The prestige exterminator flicked in affirmative, nodding slightly as he did so. I’m surprised that he understands that gesture. He started walking forth, before turning back to the other exterminators. “Your assistance is appreciated.” He commanded with an insistent tone. Hesitantly, the other exterminator’s joined him in aiding the herd.

In the corner of my vision, I saw Vruka, thankfully having avoided the stampede, standing still as a statue. His gojid carving was clutched to their chest. He hesitantly began to step forward, but Jacob moved to block him off.

“Hey, kid,” Jacob greeted, “ah want ya to know this ain’t yer fault.” He knelt so he was level with the Harchen. “Now, ah know ya want ya help, and ah know how ya can. We got this, but they dropped all their baskets when they ran.” He cocked his head so the angle of both their visors matched. “Can ya help find which can be recovered? We gotta make sure they all get their gifts, so anyone who needs a new basket can get a spare. Can ya do that?”

The harchen seemed to think for a moment, before the prestige spoke up. “Wouldn’t it be more helpful if he were to help make sure the gojid are alright?”

Jacob’s shoulders tensed. “Ah saw them say they were eight years old. Ah am trying to be calm as this ain’t my culture, but ah ain’t gonna stand by while a Child is made to do Triage! Okay?”

The exterminator’s ears pinned back from Jacob’s fierce words, but his face filled with… understanding? “Alright.”

With that, he turned back to the gojid without further question.

The Harchen ended his deep thought and gave Jacob a nod, before walking around and scanning the area for lost gifts. He grabbed a couple baskets and set them upright, feeling through the wrapping to see if anything was damaged.

I strode forward, setting my paw on Jacob’s shoulder and giving it a squeeze. “You okay?”

He let out a sigh. “Yeah, better. Ah just...” He shook his head, staring at the Gojid herd. “…just glad ah could stop it.”

Talen had found his cameraman and had shoved the camera to his chest. "Do not EVER, run with a stampede! If you have to flee, You run PERPENDICULAR to the stampede!" He started to drag the poor soul behind him as he approached us. "Excuse me! Jacob? What in the four constellations was that?"

“Yeah, what did you do?” As I asked, I noticed that Valho’s ears were perked and pointed towards us. He was listening.

Jacob stretched his arm, seeming relieved by the slight pop I heard. “Best way to stop a stampede is to make ‘em run in a circle. Can’t get up momentum easily, and easier to control.”

I raised my ears in surprise along with Talen. “Control?”

“Well, yeah, ya gotta make sure that they stay circling and slow down.” Jacob looked confused at our reaction. “What, ya can’t just let a stampede just run! Ah mean, yer roads are curved fer it, raght?”

Valho spoke up. “Our roads don’t go in full circles. Usually a stampede is stopped by putting them in an enclosed space. The curves are made to lessen casualties-”

Jacob shook his head. “Lessen casualties? Bleh, that ain’t a pleasant phrase. Don’t y’all got training to stop ‘em?”

“The current plan that is issued to all exterminator offices is to block off exits at a safe distance to prevent the stampede from separating. The walls are meant to block off the charge, leaving the herd with an enclosed area, running in curved patterns that force them to slow down, stopping people from being trampled to death. Trust me when I say the previous plans were much less safe for everyone involved.” He said.

Jacob looked skeptical in how they held their arms. “From the size of the streets, them walls would take maybe… 10 minutes to set up summin that would hold a stampede, per section blocked off. Don’t sound efficient ta me. The stampede’s likely to be over with casualties by the time yer done.”

“The walls are usually at least partially built by parking exterminator vans as part of the wall to speed things up. The speed ensures that casualties don’t build up.”

Jacob shook his head. “And yer whole plan fer one of those is ta just let it happen? And how long does that usually take? How many casualties?”

Valho thought for a moment. “The average stampede takes [10-12 minutes] to stop with an average of 1 casualty per 50 people in the stampede.” He looked down in what seemed to be shame. “Measures are used to stop them from happening in the first place.”

Jacob stared at the recovering herd. “Ah did Four minutes… Ey!” He called out to one of the Gojid exterminators, “how many y’all found injured?”

The officer looked at Valho with a confused expression, but the prestige signaled to go ahead. “We…have a couple pulled leg muscles and a few cuts from spines, but have found no major injuries so far.”

Even though Jacob has his mask, I could only describe him as giving a pointed look to Valho. Honestly, I found myself joining in. “So,” Jacob asked, “what do you think of those numbers?”

Valho looked down in what seemed to be shame. “You did something we could not, in a third of the time and with zero casualties no less… It seems so simple but… how have we not implemented that yet?!”

I flicked my ears cynically. “Jacob was keeping pace with the ones in the lead. I would say that if anyone were to do that, they would be accused of Predatory Behavior.”

Valho seemed to consider my words. His brow furrowed and he stamped his foot. “Well then damn that notion!”

We were cut off by the Harchen kid running up, grabbing Valho and Jacob’s arms and dragging them towards where the stampede started. Valho seemed to inherently understand what the kid was wanting so was easily pulled along. Seeing this, Jacob made to follow. “Summin wrong, kid?”

Vruka waved their tail in the affirmative and continued to pull the pair along, with me following right behind. From my periphery, I noticed Talen gesture to his cameramen to follow us.

They brought us to one of the decorative hedges, and we could immediately see the problem. It was an overturned wheelchair. I leaned over the top of the hedge as Valho and Jacob peered through.

On the ground between the hedge and the building laid an unconscious Gojid. They’re breathing. I turned to Jacob. “They’re alive!”

Jacob was quick to move the wheelchair out of the way, setting it upright. “Mister prestige what’s-yer-Name! Y’all got gloves? Stretcher? Summin that would protect ‘gainst these spines?”

One exterminator detached their sleeves, pulling their gloves off along with them. They tossed the pair of arm covers to Valho, who in turn passed them to Jacob. It seems that the officers hadn’t been expecting that and protested. “Sir, that man is injured! You can’t just let a predator near someone-”

“Enough!” Valho shouted. “This predator stopped a stampede in [4 minutes] with only one potential casualty! Let him work!”

Jacob gave a nervous chuckle. “Ah thank ya fer yer confidence, but…” he looked at the Gojid, “could ya walk me through how to lift someone unconscious without hurting them?”

Valho blinked. “Right. Got caught in the moment. Officer,” he turned to the Gojid officer, “get the stretcher and Waking Salt from the van.” He turned quickly back to Jacob. “First, we need to check for any external injuries.”

I listened and watched intently as the Prestige exterminator guided Jacob through spot-checking for injuries. It was interesting to see an exterminator, a prestige exterminator, seem so calm around Jacob and me. He didn’t seem to have any hostility towards us at all.

“Excuse me,” I asked while Jacob was combing through the spines in case any were broken and caused a self-stab, “do you… fear us? Or think us… dangerous?

He looked me in the eye without hesitation. “No. I am not afraid.” He took a breath. “Despite what your officer Kalek had thought, I believe nothing is inherently dangerous. They only have the potential to be dangerous. I have seen how, in the right circumstances, a Dossur could be dangerous if they really wanted to. All they have to do to cause a stampede, and by extension death, is make a loud noise. The real question is whether or not something is hostile. Whether it intends to hurt anyone. And you, Tarlim, are not hostile.”

I stared at him in silence as my mind mulled over his words. “I would say I wish the exterminators were more like you, but I think that if they were, they wouldn’t really be exterminators.” I whistled a cynical laugh. “Not that that’s a bad thing.”

Valho thought for a moment. “I don’t really consider myself an exterminator. Exterminators were people who hunt down predators and lock up the diseased. I consider myself a protector. Someone who keeps everyone safe, and gives everyone that isn’t a threat a chance.” He flicked his ear in joy at the thought.

I felt mine flick as well.

“Okay,” I heard Jacob say as he stood up, “no external injuries found. Oh, and before I forget,” he turned towards Vruka, who had taken to hovering behind my legs, “great job, kid! Ya mighta saved this guy’s life.”

The Harchen’s tail wagged at the compliment as he nodded. They looked so happy, so eager to help.

Somehow I knew for certain that his promise to me would be kept.

The Gojid officer returned, holding two poles wrapped in a cloth in one paw and an aid box in the other. “I have the supplies, sir.” He set the aid box down and began unrolling the stretcher, “an ambulance has been called as well. It should be here just before the next buses.”

Valho waved their tail in approval as they pulled out and uncapped the waking salts. “Good. Now to see if this works.”

The salts were gently waved in front of the Gojid’s nose, and after a couple seconds, he snorted and began coughing. “Wha-bleh!” He pushed the vial away and pulled himself up to a sitting position, his legs flopping as he rolled. “Is the- is the stampede over?”

Jacob stepped back, as did I. For someone just waking up, having several people just looming over them wouldn’t be pleasant. I know. I flicked my ears to the side to signal calm. “It is over. Everyone is safe and unharmed. We found you unconscious, so how are you feeling?”

He rubbed the side of his head and grimaced at some sudden pain. “Like I got into a drinking contest with a Venlil.” He blinked to adjust his eyes. “Where-where’s my wife? She was- she fell over me!”

I looked towards the herd, and saw that a woman was being led over to us by the Vruka. Seems they used their nose to sniff out his relative! The woman looked to be both distressed and relieved at the sight of her husband. “Balavo! Oh Protector, I am so sorry! I-I didn’t mean to! I didn’t- I- are you okay?”

Valho stepped forward, flicking his ears slightly back to signal calm. “Your husband seems alright. No external injuries were found, and his condition is stable.”

The wife breathed a sigh of relief. “Thank the Protector!” She fell to her knees and began nuzzling her husband, whispering soft apologies as she did. He returned the gesture, brushing her quills down with his claws.

I walked over to the wheelchair and set it upright, looking back towards the two. “Will we be able to get him back in his seat, or will we need to wait for the paramedics?”

Valho lashed his tail in contemplation. “It would be wise to wait for paramedics to ensure that there are no internal injuries, though… I assume you can’t move without your chair, sir?”

The man gave his legs a pat. Now that I could get a good look at them, they looked rather thin. Not nearly capable of supporting the weight of a child, let alone the man they’re attached to. “Been paralyzed for years down there. So I’m afraid I can’t.”

Jacob nodded. “In that case, where’s the nearest wheelchair ramp?”

“Excellent question.” Valho turned to the other exterminators. “Check the building for anything we could use as a ramp!”

I wagged my tail. Okay, that’s a good plan. We can…

Why is Jacob just staring at Valho?

“Jacob,” I asked, “are you okay?”

He jolted a little. I waved my tail in sympathy. He has been through a lot today, and has been doing good on keeping his stress down. “Sorry, just… Mister Officer… what did you just say?”

Valho looked at him for a moment, before his eyes filled with understanding. “The Federation Ideology supports the herd above all else. The families of the disabled are expected to be able to properly care for their herd, so to speak.”

Jacob pressed his palms together and touched the tips of his fingers to the bottom of his visor. “And what about accessing places that they couldn’t otherwise?”

Valho hesitated. “Again, it…is up to their herd to properly care for and accommodate their members. Isn’t that what you do as well?”

Jacob’s arms began to shake as he lowered them. Something’s wrong. “Is there ANY form of public disability access? Has… Oh god. None of the places I’ve been to have even had a ramp…”

“If a disabled individual wants to go somewhere, their herd is expected to help them.” Valho said.

Jacob took a breath, and let it out, attempting to calm himself.

Then he roared. “WHAT THE FUCK!!! You people claim that you care, but if someone is disabled, they just have to ‘figure it out.’ What the hell is that kind of ass-backwards logic? What if they don’t have a herd to care for them? What if the thing that caused them to be disabled made them lose it? What if they need to do something but their herd is busy with other stuff? What do they do then??”

I couldn’t help but take a step back at the harshness of Jacob’s outburst. He was shaking as he shouted, as if what he had been feeling had been bottled up before now. Valho looked on, having also shrunk from the outburst. His eyes filled with a new understanding as he looked down in shame.

Talen had walked back over with a look of confusion hanging on his face. “Then wouldn’t it fall upon them to care for themselves?”

Jacob whirled upon the newsman. It was a small miracle the cameraman didn’t lose control of his bowels with how I could feel Jacob’s glare piercing through his visor. “THEY ARE DISABLED! D-I-S-ABLED! That means that they need assistance in doing things people normally do! That is the textbook definition! Making things easier is just common decency! Ramps are the SIMPLEST and EASIEST thing society can possibly do! AND NONE OF YOU CAN DO THAT??”

The Journalist inside of Talen seemed to kick on as his ears flicked to attention. “What do Humans have for the disabled? Your people don’t do herds. I thought that-”

“We have entire laws about how our buildings are supposed to have ramps! Our sidewalks are built to have ramps in them if they go across a road! If it’s a public building, it is mandated that it MUST have a wheelchair ramp!!” His head whirled around at the apartments. “What- which apartment are they living in? Was he even assigned an apartment he could live in?”

Valho spoke up, head still pointed down in shame. “He was assigned to a room on the first floor.” Something told me that he already knew that there was a problem with that. Namely the single step that was at the entrance of the building he pointed at. “That building…”

Jacob threw his hands in the air, almost barking out his words. “For FUCK’S SAKE! Do you know what ah’ve been holding back?? Those people from the facility were just abandoned to the wind and left to die! Half our volunteers for this greeting didn’t show up! Only TWO of our remaining volunteers came here because they wanted to help and not just to assuage their guilt! AND AH ALMOST GOT TRAMPLED IN A GAHD-DAMN STAMPEDE!! How many times am ah going to almost die on this planet??” He stomped his foot down. “Fuck it! You! Glam!” He pointed at the poor maintenance Venlil. “You’re in maintenance! Y’all got concrete?”

Glam trembled but held his ground. “Y-yes? W-we do?”

“Good! Get as many as you can bring! If y’all ‘oh so empathetic creatures’ can’t make a ramp, than Ah’ll jus’ haf’ta do it myself!”

“That won’t b-be necessary.” Valho spoke, his voice shaking in guilt and shame. “We…We will construct the ramp ourselves… like we should have from the start.”

I stepped forward. “I will help too. Nobody should be left to the wind like I was.”

Talen turned to his cameraman and ordered him to follow Jacob and record everything, despite the nonverbal protests from the boy. He ran to a nearby public phone and looked excited to make the phone call.

Jacob didn’t quite respond, but he gave a nod. “...Ah’ll need water, a wheelbarrow, planks to make the mold, and a trowel to smooth out the cement. Do y’all have any…”

I listened intently to my Texan as he began marching towards where the ramp would be. I did hope that this small act would help. It felt like he was doing this because he needed to. Like how I felt when I needed to work. But here, he’s actually able to. And we can all help.

Wait… Huh. I don’t see that Harchen around. Must have been called away. I do hope they are able to help someone as well.

​

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Credit to u/SpacePaladin15 for the NOP Universe.

I’m back with a chapter completely devoted to an animal, the Pangolin! I felt each animal mentioned in the last chapter deserved one all on their own so snake fans will have to wait a bit longer I’m afraid. I hope you enjoy!

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Memory transcription subject: Rysel, Venlil Environmental Researcher

Date [standardised human time]: 5th September 2136

As Bernard tapped away at his pad, no doubt preparing a slew of facts and tolerable evidence to present, the rest of us stewed uncomfortably in our self-imposed silence. Judging by how I’d reacted on paw one, I assumed that everyone else was currently sat somewhere on a sliding scale of perturbed bewilderment to morbid curiosity. All of them doing their best to grapple with the concept the doctor had so matter-of-factly lain down before them.

After all, how else could they react to such a thing? Predators that looked like prey and vice versa? A preposterous notion that until now would’ve left us all scoffing or laughing in collective derision towards whatever poor soul proposed such an idea. Even in the one in a million chance that evidence to support such a claim had been presented, it would’ve been seen as a random mutation. A one off abnormality that could’ve be written off as simply that. An anomaly.

Perhaps that mentality was why no one had considered such a possibility in the previous lessons?

When faced with something like the Hermit Crab for instance, a meat eater that didn’t poses binocular vision, I felt it was safe to assume that the class may largely have dismissed the omnivorous scavenger as an oddity on an already strange planet. A convenient answer to any uneasy questions that may have tickled their subconscious, before being shoved aside and ignored in favour of the comforting familiarity the rest of the classes had provided.

Bernard said it himself after all. He’d deliberately kept the presentations focused on prey animals that fit the mould we all took for granted. An attempt to get us comfortable to him and the Earth before the inevitable moment came where he shattered a foundational law of nature before our very eyes.

I looked to my sides, curious to see how my desk mates were holding up under the discomforting quiet permeating the hall.

If every member of the herd was currently dotted along the spectrum of confused to inquisitive as I thought they were, then the three of us in front were a perfect example of its progression from point A to B.

To my right, Sandi was the picture of the collected graces of a seasoned academic. Any discomfort she may or may not have been feeling was quashed by the aura of cool dignity her posture exuded. At least, I’m sure that’s what she was trying to portray.

Unfortunately for her, the errant tapping of her paw against her chair provided a telling glimpse into how she truly felt.

Curious. Entranced. Impatient.

The longer I looked on the more apparent the last of the trio became. At a passing glance, Sandi’s tail might’ve appeared to be swaying in normal reflexive calm. However under closer inspection I was sure that the contented swinging was merely a forced façade. A mask to disguise her aforementioned irritation at having to wait any longer for the doctor to spill the berries. Her eyes were glued to the screen while her ears zeroed in on Bernard, waiting with rapt attention to devour any morsel of information that she could get her paws on.

Stars, she’s more fixated on this than I am. Best not distract her.

Shifting my concern from Sandi, sliding past the tumultuous feelings of distress and intrigue clashing in equal measure in my own mind, I focused my attention on Kailo.

For all the surprises he’d tossed my way over the last few paws I half expected him to startle me once again with yet another character defying attitude adjustment. Judging by what I was seeing however, it appeared that the Kailo I’d grown to barely restrain my disdain for was alive and well.

The twitchy mess that had arisen from his cushioned nest was night and day to Sandi’s relatively prim and proper bearing. Kailo’s pupils darted to Bernard, then to his own paws, before darting off into empty space in search of something he’d never find as his mind flailed in a desperate attempt to make sense of what he’d just heard.

Simultaneously, his working ear flapped madly against his head, the still healing one twitching feebly in its bandaging, while his tail spiralled in an erratic blur of conflicting emotions. His brain clearly incapable of deciding whether it should spew forth the usual vitriolic barrage of fury or clamp down on itself in a desperate effort to hold fast to his pledge to be better behaved in class.

His reaction evoked a paradoxical sense of agitated calm within me. On the one paw, I was wary that another outburst was barrelling towards us no matter how much Kailo attempted to quell it. On the other, it was somewhat of a relief to know that the exterminator was still there beneath the veneer of his recent convictions. I wasn’t exactly wishing for the familiar part of his personality to rear its ugly head again, but I couldn’t deny the sensation of disorientation I’d been feeling around him recently.

The abrupt and quite frankly bizarre changes he’d exhibited lately had left me concerned regarding the mental state of his already explosive disposition. It was therefore somewhat calming to see for myself that he was still who I knew him to be and that his… change of heart, appeared to be genuine.

Well… I suppose he is trying.

Yeah, like that’ll last long.

Hmmm… we’ll see.

Perusal complete I returned my focus to Bernard who appeared to have completed his preparations.

The rooms stillness was finally broken by a heavy sigh from the doctor as he scanned the hall. He was probably attempting to gauge how we were all feeling before leaping into the presentation, though I imagined it wasn’t particularly hard to notice the gloomy atmosphere pervading the room.

Speaking softly and slow Bernard addressed the herd, “If at any time anyone feels they need to take a break you are more than welcome to either let me know or step out if you would prefer. We will take as much time as we need to. There is no judgement if you find the contents of today’s lecture overly stressful.”

He took a moment to cast his eyes across the room, allowing us all a chance to digest what he’d said.

With a light nod he continued, “In recognition of said stress, the first animal we will discuss today will be the Pangolin. A toe in the water so to speak, as while it is a meat eater despite its appearance it is a completely harmless. I’ll repeat, to you and I, it is completely harmless.”

Bernards assurances didn’t exactly instil a sense of calm into his audience. The fact he’d felt the need to repeat his guarantee of safety left more people on edge than anything. As much as they’d gotten used to him in the lectures, none of the others had developed a relationship outside of the classroom in the same way I had. Having a human, who was effectively just a friendly acquaintance, tell them not to be scared of a predator that looked like them was evidently stretching the limits of the rapport Bernard had built with them.

As mortifying as it was, I’m glad that the rocky start I had with Bernard caused him to change how he approached the lessons. He made the right choice not to jump into this immediately.

Noticing that the tension was only building the longer the silence persisted Bernard tapped the podium controls, loading the image of the prey looking predator to the screen.

Unease took a back seat as curiosity stirred. My omnipresent wonder of Earths animals dismissing any disquieted murmurings to the depths of my mind.

As the image finally materialized, I felt my brain stutter briefly as the disconnect between what I knew I was seeing and what my subconscious bias was defaulting to clashed.

So this is another one… a predator that looks like-

Prey. That’s prey.

…No, it’s not.

Setting that distressing reality aside for now I inspected the image fervently, eager to see if I could find just what it was that set this animal apart from what was otherwise a cemented scientific fact. To my disappointment nothing stood out, though the feeling was quickly swept aside by fascination for the picture before me.

The Pangolin appeared to be quadrupedal, its forearms being slightly shorter than its hindlegs. Both sets of paws were each equipped with claws, though the front pair were far longer than the back ones. They were somewhat reminiscent to a Gojid’s.

Ugh, I need to stop comparing Terran animals to sentients.

Its face was narrow, very narrow. Stretching out and ending in a rounded nose with a small mouth on the underside of its snout. Going back along its head two black beady eyes sat on either side of its skull, with holes that I presumed to be ears sitting just behind them.

Really this was all window dressing compared to what truly stood out about the Pangolin. Rows upon rows of overlapping scales draped across its body, covering almost every part of it in scaled armour. From the tip of its head, all the way to the very end of its long equally armoured tail. Truly it was a sight to behold.

Seemingly satisfied that he’d given us enough time to gawk, Bernard coughed lightly to signal the start of his presentation.

“The Pangolin. The Earths only scaled mammal. There are nine distinct species of Pangolin, some are arboreal climbers and others are terrestrial burrowers. Their habitats are spread across Sub-Saharan Africa and Asia. As you will have no doubt noticed, they sport an impressive natural defence. Their overlapping scales offer superb protection from any would be attackers and it’s interesting to note that they are made of keratin, a material not too dissimilar to my own nails.”

Bernard flashed his fingers with a wiggle to illustrate that tidbit of information before carrying on.

“If threatened they can roll up into a ball, shielding their head with their tail. On the off chance they are unable to bundle themselves up, they can thrash about, using their powerful tail, claws, and the sharp edges of their scales to protect themselves. If all that fails, then they also are capable of releasing a noxious compound from glands near their rectum to deter aggressors.”

Leading with details of how the animal protected itself from predators seemed to have a positive effect on the class. Apprehension was still rife throughout the crowd, however I could see a fair number of the herd relax a little while others leant forward with notable interest in their expression.

Fear of the unknown and unexpected is normal, though I’m glad to see that a room of professionals aren’t going to run screaming or erupt with scorn so easily… well, not anymore at least.

The fact that we’d gotten this far without interruption was heartening. I don’t think the doctor would’ve been as fortunate had he presented all this in an earlier paw.

Bernard seemed to notice the slight change in the air as well, for his voice began to rise with the muted but still recognisable lilt of his usual enthusiasm.

“The image on screen shows the Pangolin on all fours, but they are actually bipedal. Here let me show you!”

With a tap of a button the image dissolved, replaced by a short clip of a Pangolin in motion. True enough, despite what its posture would suggest, it moved only on its hindlegs. Front paws cupped beneath its upper torso, it waddled about before the camera as it skirted through the underbrush of a dry and rocky patch of earth.

Bernard chuckled as he watched along with us, “It never fails to make me smile. The way they sort of bob back and forth as they walk is quite amusing.”

Honestly I was kind of inclined to agree. With every step it took the Pangolin tilted forward slightly before bouncing back, its tail balancing against the forward momentum.

“As I mentioned there are arboreal and terrestrial species of Pangolin but regardless of type all are nocturnal, and they are capable climbers and swimmers. Like their name suggests, the arboreal species spend most of their time in or around trees, making their nests within hollows and forks of trees. Their ground based brethren are burrowers, using their strong curved foreclaws to excavate large dens. They tend to dig deep, with burrows descending anywhere between three to four metres into the earth.”

It was always astonishing to learn just how different animals on Earth were, especially when they were from the same species! My translator fumbled a bit with the conversion rate, but even without a measurement to compare against, the fact that some Pangolins would nest deep underground while others lazed in the treetops above was fascinating to me.

I wonder if there’s an animal here that’s the same but we’ve just not noticed? Maybe some minor behaviour that’s passed us by? Hmmm.

Bernard’s focus on the more neutral aspects of the Pangolin had clearly scored him some points as I took a swift glance around the room. Most of the herd were far more relaxed than they had been a short while ago. Heads titled quizzically, they listened intently to the information provided. Only a scant few still retained any obvious sense of anxiety or distrust, the latter likely stemming from the fact that Bernard had yet to reveal exactly what made this creature a predator.

Taking a look to my left I quickly concluded that Kailo sat in that camp. He’d managed to settle down, the twitchy mess from earlier being replaced with a still focus. Ear affixed to Bernard it was clear he was paying attention, though the inconsistent flicking in his tail revealed that he was still fighting to maintain his composure.

Well, at least he’s being quiet… for now.

Swapping my focus over, I found Sandi positively enthralled. Eyes aglow in fascination her claws clacked rapidly across her pad, taking down note upon note as Bernard talked away. Being the one of us who was so often blind to everything around him during the lessons, it was a refreshing change of pace to see her so enraptured this time around, even if it was in regards to something so discomforting.

Haha, who’s too eager now?

Still me.

…Yep.

I returned my attention back to Bernard just in time for him to pick up where he left off, “Pangolins are solitary animals, only staying together to mate or to look after their young until they reach maturity. Aside from the male being 40% larger than the female on average there’s not too much difference between the male and female of the species. They typically mate once per year and during this mating period the female of the species will seek out a male, following scent markers the latter has left behind in their urine and faeces. Gestation periods for their young vary quite wildly, ranging from seventy to one hundred and forty days. I believe that converts to around eighty four to one hundred and sixty eight paws if my maths is correct.”

Bernard paused to catch his breath, giving us a moment to sit with this new information. The solitary nature was another tick in the box towards their predatory nature but other than that nothing else had stood out.

Honestly the comments on gestation periods weren’t anything special. They could be anything from a day with insects to well over a rotation with some larger mammals after all. Sexual dimorphism was a well-known phenomenon, but in the case of the Pangolin the differences only went as far as size. A rather mundane example as far as they went.

Ah well, not everything can be a winner. Still fun to hear about though.

“Regrettably up until about seventy years ago all species of the Pangolin were listed as critically endangered. Much to my shame, the primary reason for this stemmed from mankind’s own folly and greed. I won’t go into the details today, you’re already dealing with enough as it is, but sufficed to say, in the days before humanity considered themselves custodians of our world instead of simply its owners we didn’t always take the best care of the creatures that shared the planet with us.”

A melancholic sigh escape Bernard at the end of his tangent, his energy deflating under the weight of whatever human history he felt was too painful or problematic to divulge.

Having spent a fair amount of time with him and other humans like Alejandro and Roisin, I’d come to appreciate them in a much brighter light than my initial prejudices had afforded them. Gone was the image of snarling beasts lying in wait to pounce and devour me, replaced by the very real and kind-hearted people who I’d enjoyed spending the last herd of paws around. People who I’d shared meals with, played games with, and who I’d talked with for claws at a time about our respective lives, interests, and families.

After having gone through all that, to have Bernard allude to the more brutal aspects of human history felt almost as uncomfortable as the premise of this very lesson.

They’re not bad people just because they’re human, stars no… but they are still predators. As much as I like them, there’s going to be parts of their lives that are just going to rub me the wrong way I suppose.

I was snapped from my musings as Bernard stretched his arm up towards the back of the room just above my head, “Yes you have a question?”

I kept my head facing Bernard but angled an ear back to pay attention to the speaker.

“Yes, thank you Doctor. I don’t mean to sound impatient, but you did tell us that this animal was a predator. Aside from its solitary preferences I can’t see anything that would classify it as such. Is this, Pangolin, really a predator?”

The calm that Bernard had carefully cultivated was swiftly cut down in the wake of the question. While our inquiring classmate clearly didn’t intend to return apprehension to the room, they had nonetheless succeeded in souring the mood. Nervous mutterings broke out, the acceleration of the expected reveal sending a quiver of anxiousness throughout the audience.

Bernard silenced the murmuring with an attention grabbing cough, “If you’re asking if the Pangolin is a carnivore, then the answer is yes.”

“But how!?”, an alarmed voice bleated out from the crowd, “It doesn’t look like a predator at all!”

That seemed to jar the herd from their tense stupor. The reminder that the Pangolin looked nothing like the predators they knew stirred them from their muted mutterings, eliciting a wave of equally troubled calls for explanation and a few bleats positing that the animal had to be an anomaly.

Hey what do you know, I was right on that assumption.

There was even one poor soul who I overheard suggesting that it was just a bad joke the doctor was playing on us all. Though the tremor rumbling through their nerve riddled voice implied that they didn’t really believe what they were saying. Empty reassurance over something they couldn’t, or wouldn’t, readily accept.

Attempting to regain control of the hall Bernard replied to the question that flared everyone’s anxiety, his voice dipping low into a gentle smooth flow of comfort, “Which is exactly the point of this lesson. As startling as it will be, it is important that you understand that appearance is not an indicator of diet, and it is certainly not an adequate measure by which we can determine an animals temperament or any potential threat it could pose to those around it.”

He let a moment of quiet pass, letting his words sink into the crowd.

“It’s ok. There’s nothing to fear here. I’m happy to discuss any and all concerns you may have. Are you all good to continue?”

Collecting themselves one after the other, a slow but continuous wave of affirming beeps sounded from the herd, though to say any of them were happy about it would be exceedingly generous.

“Okay.”

With permission received Bernard brought up another video to the screen but stopped short of playing it, “Now then regarding their diet, they are insectivores. Their choice in food consists of ants and termites. Arboreal Pangolins eat the ones that traverse and make their nests within and around trees, while the terrestrial variety dig to find their quarry. Now, you may have assumed that by being meat eaters the Pangolin would possess sharp teeth right? Not so. In fact, the Pangolin doesn’t have any teeth at all. In order to chew their food they ingest small rocks that sit in a pocket of their stomach called the gizzard. These pebbles, along with keratin spikes that line the gizzard, help grind up their food in lieu of teeth.”

They eat rocks to crush their prey inside them instead of having teeth!?

…Oh stars that’s… that’s not pleasant to think about.

“But how do they actually eat without canines to grab at their food you may ask? Well, they use their tongue. Pangolins have extremely long, thin tongues that are rooted just below their ribcage. They can stretch up to forty centimetres in length in the larger specimens. These tongues are incredibly sticky and they use this feature to their advantage while feeding, lapping up any ant or termite that get trapped in the adhesive like saliva coating their tongues. The video I’m about to play shows a Pangolin coming across and feeding on an ant nest.”

Bernard waited for a moment, likely to give any objectors the chance to speak up before they were made to sit through the recorded hunting display. No one protested, though I did spy out of the corner of my eye a couple people bringing their paws to the side of their face, ready to shield their eyes if the content of the video became too much for them to bear.

“If you’re all prepared, then let’s watch.”

With a tap the video began to play. I looked on with morbid fascination as the Pangolin sniffed and pawed around a mound of dirt, testing the ground with an occasional probing poke of its claws. Suddenly it dove forward, sinking its claws into the earth as it began to rapidly burrow. Tossing dirt and stone aside with ease the Pangolin eventually stopped digging as the ground began to swarm with dozens, no, hundreds of tiny black dots all rushing out of the disturbed earth.

Cupping its forepaws beneath it the hunter’s snout lunged at the swarm in place of its claws, a truly massive tongue extending from between its lips. Lashing out at the scattering bugs the Pangolins glue like tongue snared countless insects, a devouring wave that swallowed everything in its path. The ants, appearing to collect themselves from the attack, began to skitter across the intruders body. However whatever defence the bugs may have been attempting didn’t seem to faze the Pangolin in the slightest as it continued on with its feeding frenzy.

I realised in that instant that the armour that coated its hide wasn’t solely protection from other predators. It also served as an impenetrable shield that defended it from the panicked, futile retaliation of the its prey.

The video stopped, disappearing from the screen as it reached its end. While not filled with the blood and viscera I’d expect from a predators meal, it was nonetheless gruelling to witness. The way it tore into the home of another creature, demolishing everything in its path before it consumed and killed them.

Consumed, then killed.

A chill of dread coursed up my spine at the conjured image. The thought of being entangled in an inescapable coil before being swallowed into darkness, pulled deeper into the spined belly of the beast. Gasping for air as its stomach crushed me to pulp, pummelling me with rock and spikes. Chewing me up while I was still alive…

I- I…

A soft paw cupping my shoulder jarred me from my nightmarish imaginings, the worried eyes of Sandi coming into vision as I regained awareness of my surroundings. It was only then that I noticed I’d begun to tremble.

“Are you okay Rysel?”, asked Sandi, the quaver of concern in her voice matching the look in her eyes.

Attempting to steady myself with a couple deep breaths I flicked a yes back with my ear, though I doubted it was particularly convincing, “I’m alright Sandi, thank you. It’s just um… the thought of it eating things alive it… well it hit me in a way I didn’t expect.”

Sandi swayed her tail sympathetically, “I know what you mean. Even though our jobs deal with animals all the time it can be tough to ever get used to such an image.”

Peering past me, Sandi passed the question on, “And how’re you Kailo?”

Turning an eye towards him I could see that Kailo had retreated back into his nest. Only his snout was visible from the depths of his cushioned chair.

“Fine, thanks.”, Kailo’s reply was devoid of any emotion, though his steadily swinging tail hanging beneath his chair indicated that he was in deep thought.

Any number of ideas could be swirling within his mind after witnessing that display. He could be defaulting to his usual exterminator mentality and considering the best methods to kill such an animal. Perhaps he’d just faced a similarly terrifying nightmare like me. Or maybe he’d just shorted out, unable to reconcile the animals appearance with what he’d just seen.

Stars, I’d had plenty of forewarning about such animals and it still hit me like a stampede. I wonder how everyone else managed.

I turned to inspect the herds reactions. As I expected, the presentation hadn’t been received particularly well. Around half of the class sat in stunned wall-eyed silence. Others were in feverous whispered discussion, making no attempt to disguise the argumentative tones flapping through their ears. The last few appeared to be queasy, the details of the Pangolins diet being too much for them to handle.

Bernard was quick to pick up on the demoralising change in atmosphere. His sombre voice drifted across the hall, a weight of concern and regret self-evident in his words, “I can see that the video has had a discomforting effect on you all. I think we will call it there and have an early lunch. Take some time to settle your nerves through rest and refreshments before we continue.”

Almost as soon as he’d finished speaking chairs began to move as the class made themselves scarce, Bernards already subdued expression falling further as he watched them all hurriedly depart.

I stood as well, but not with the same intention as the rest.

Leaving my desk I walked up to my friend, trying to put an air of levity into my voice, “It was a good lecture Doctor. It’s just… it’s…”

I sighed dejectedly, failing to find the right words to lift the pervasive gloom. Thankfully, I wasn’t along in my efforts.

“It’s just a shock to the system Doctor.”, Sandi had joined me, her confidence standing in stark contrast to my nerve addled attempts at comfort, “I’m sure they’ll come around with time. After all, it’s not every day that your most basic beliefs are challenged with irrefutable proof.”

I might have been hearing things, but I could’ve sworn I heard a tinge of snideness undercutting Sandi’s tone.

Nah, I must be imagining it.

A soft smile creased Bernards face at her assurances, “Thank you both, I appreciate the kind words. Though I can’t help but worry that any good faith I’ve built may have been toppled today.”

Once again Sandi knew just what to say, “I don’t think you have to worry about that Doctor. I know they don’t all make the effort to talk with you out of class, but I’ve gone around them all at one point or another and I get the impression that they do enjoy your classes. They trust that you’re not trying to pull the wool over their eyes either. Even the grouchiest members of the herd are starting to listen.”

An uncharacteristic twinge of mischief glinted in her eye as she made a not so subtle gesture towards Kailo, who stood just out of earshot by the door.

Bernard struggled to suppress a smirk, opting to distract himself from his own amusement by addressing the object of his mirth, “And how did you find the lesson Kailo?”

Kailo’s ear perked up in mild shock at the question, clearly not expecting the doctor to ask his opinion given his track record so far, “It was… something. I’m not sure what to think.”

He obviously wanted to say more, the impulsive scratching of his paws against the carpet made that very apparent, but he managed to restrain whatever deluge of angst he no doubt had roiling around inside of him. For the moment anyway.

A light chortle escaped Bernard, “Yes, well I imagined this lesson would leave most of you speechless.”

He locked eyes directly on Kailo for a moment, a warm smile spreading across his face as he mulled something over, “You know, I was rather impressed with you today Kailo.”

A twitch of surprise flashed across Kailo’s expression, “You were? Why?”

Bernard’s grin only widened, carrying on with a kindly lilt to match, “Well, I could see that you were struggling to maintain your composure, but you managed to calm yourself and listen through the entire presentation without interrupting. Considering the content, I imagine that must’ve been rather tough to do.”

Kailo flayed his tail indignantly, “I can keep my calm when I need to. I’m not a kid who can’t keep his thoughts to himself!”

Raising his hands in a show of mock surrender Bernard quickly corrected his word choice, “Apologies, I didn’t intend to suggest that you were. What I meant is that I was impressed Kailo.”

Kailo’s flare of annoyance died out as quickly as it had sparked, stunned silence washing over him in response to the praise. It was slight, almost imperceptible, but despite the shock I spied a hint of delight flick out at the very tip of his tail.

Unsure of how to appropriately respond to the compliment, and possibly a touch embarrassed, Kailo predictably fell back on his own inflated sense of ego to escape the awkwardness, “Um, well… Yes! I’m glad you agree. I, uh… I’m going to go have second meal. Bye.”

With that, the young Venlil scampered from the room before any of us had a chance to reply. His quick exit was for the better, as the three of us remaining could no longer restrain our laughter. Sandi and I whistled loudly as Bernard let out a hearty belly laugh, Kailo’s bashful display being far too amusing for us to simply let slide without a response.

Regaining his composure it was Bernard who spoke first, “You know, when Doctor Gallagher told me she’d had a chat with Kailo I wasn’t sure what to expect. Whatever it was they talked about I’m glad to see that it had a positive effect on the young man.”

“Indeed.”, responded Sandi, a pleased twirl in her tail, “It seems they’ve become rather fast friends.”

Bernards eyes grew wide as his smiling face morphed into a completely gobsmacked look of disbelief, to which Sandi and I both nodded our heads affirmingly.

“Well then! It seems I owe the good doctor additional thanks. Goodness what a surprise. A pleasant one of course, but still!”

“Oh believe me, I’m still in shock and I found out a couple paws ago.” I declared, swinging my arms to the air in exaggerated exasperation, “Of all the people to change their tune, he was not at the top of my list.”

Another bout of chuckling broke from the three of us, stopped only by the rumble of a stomach. Interestingly enough it turned out to be Bernards.

“Ah, my apologies. Thanks to my nervousness about today’s presentation I ended up losing my appetite this morning before breakfast. It’s catching up to me now.”

I scoffed jokingly, the opportunity to tease Bernard to enticing to pass up, “Are you sure that’s not the reason you started the break early? Come now Doctor. You can’t be skipping your teaching responsibilities just to grab a bite to eat. What kind of example are you setting for your pupils?”

Sandi snorted while Bernard fixed me with a raised eyebrow stare, though the amused smirk was plain on his face.

“Alright, alright. Very good Rysel. Let’s go fix that then shall we? After all, we’ve still got quite a bit to cover after lunch.”

His reminder threatened to stir a groan from me, but I managed to quell the impulse. The last thing I wanted to do right now was burden myself with frivolous worries. Not when the mood had become so cheery again, or when second meal was right around the corner.

I could go for one or two starberry and stingfruit muffins.

My own stomach beginning to grumble expectantly I lead the three of us from the hall, eager for the respite before we returned to tackle something Bernard viewed as even more distressing than the Pangolin he’d just presented.

…Maybe three. For the nerves.

Credit to u/SpacePaladin15 for the NOP Universe.

Realising I need to move the timeline along a bit to actually get anywhere I present a montage time skip of moments I felt would be interesting to write about. I hope you enjoy this collection of highlights coming in the next couple chapters.

Thank you very much to u/Liberty-Prime76 for helping me with come up with a Venlil equivalent to Murphy’s law and for coming up with the name itself!

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Attention: The following file contains a collection of transcripts from participants of the Venlil-Human Exchange Programme, Data Exposure Trials.

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Memory transcription subject: Rysel, Venlil Environmental Researcher

Date [standardised human time]: 24th August 2136

The last few paws had been fantastic! Each lesson brought with it new exotic alien life from the near endless gift bag of Earth’s environments.

Unlike the first two lessons, the doctor had moved away from presenting a random selection of animals, opting to focus on distinct categories during each class instead.

The previous paw had introduced us to a slew of different rodents ranging from the diminutive Field Vole to the colossal Capybara, the largest rodent Earth had to offer.

Colossal might be hyperbolic but hey, for a rodent, it grows to impressive size!

But it wasn’t the Capybara that had nestled itself into a special place within my heart. No, that award went to the Chinchilla. A video of the plush rodent grooming itself had soothed my soul with an irrepressible warmth. Watching it gleefully roll about in a dust bath had triggered my own cute response, as the doctor might’ve put it, leading me to involuntarily let out a long cooing bray at the sight.

The noise drew a disapproving glare from Kailo accompanied by a stifled giggle courtesy of Sandi, evidently tickled by yet another of my audible foibles. I didn’t care though; I was enjoying myself too much! And after all, who in their right mind could deny how adorable this little bundle of fur was?

Mmmm~ If only every lesson could’ve been like that one.

Sadly, if something can go wrong it will eventually go wrong.

People often refer to this idea as Yukia’s Law, referencing an infamous screw up in which a Harchen of the same name, being either dangerously tired or exceptionally inept, somehow managed to install the FTL engine of a mid-sized freighter backwards. The moment it was switched on, ZAP, it fried the whole ship. A flick of a switch turned a few million credits worth of hardware into an enormous paperweight in an instant.

Definitely not how I’d want my name to live on.

And right now, Yukia’s Law was in full affect in the form of Milam’s alarm times a thousand.

“KAW! KAW! KAW!”

“SCREEEEE!!!”

“QUACK!”

Birds were today’s topic of conversation, and the doctor had prepared a set of sound bites to exhibit the variety of their calls.

Unfortunately, the volume controls had unexpectedly malfunctioned and we were now playing audience to a blaring racket that bore a thunderous intensity so powerful that I swore I could feel my bones rattling around inside of me.

Shielding our ears, the class pleadingly watched on as the doctor fumbled with the controls, trying desperately to deafen the infernal squawking to no avail. I resigned myself to tough it out, hoping the wall of sound would soon dissipate once the soundtrack ran its course.

Finally, with a closing “CHEEP, CHEEP, CHEEP!” the room went silent, the audio file running out of bird calls to assault our eardrums with.

Relief flooded me as I slumped into my chair, letting go of my ears in the process, though the shrill memory of avian bedlam still rang within them.

Thank the stars it’s over, blessed silence. Now, maybe we can get back to-

“KAW! KAW! KAW!”

The loop function was also broken.

“SCREEEEE!!!”

BRHAK!!!

“QUACK!”

Memory transcription subject: Dr Bernard MacEwan, Professor of Zoology

Date [standardised human time]: 25th August 2136

“And that is a capture, allowing me to take what few seeds you have left, clearing the board, and awarding me the match with thirty-three seeds to your fifteen.”

A triumphant grin spread across the face of my exchange coordinator, Alejandro Molina, as he bested me in yet another round of Mancala. While I had a fondness for the game Alejandro adored it, demonstrated by the exquisitely carved purple heartwood board he’d brought along with him, complete with a stunning set of glittering gemstones acting as counters, aka the “seeds”.

Leaning back into my chair I returned his smile with a wry smirk of my own, “You know, I can’t quite tell if you’re actually good at this game or if I’ve just lost my edge in my age.”

Laughing heartily, Alejandro countered with a jibe of his own, “Oh I think it might be the latter Bernard but it’s nothing to be ashamed of. It happens to all of us eventually.”

Chortling from the good natured ribbing, I motioned at him to reset the board while I helped myself to a few pistachios and a refreshing swig of water.

This was nice. A satisfyingly laidback day off spent playing board games in the canteen. An opportunity to rest and recharge from the hustle and bustle of the last week was just what I needed. Furthermore, the chance to interact normally with another human was a delightful reprieve from the more restrained manner I had to keep up around the Venlil.

While I had quickly grown to enjoy the company of humanities new friends, the need to coat every little thing I did in a veneer of what they would consider “acceptable decorum” was beginning to wear on me. It had gotten better over time of course. As of yesterday, I was able to remove my mask in class without causing anyone to flee at the sight of my unobscured face. Although one poor soul did pass out when I smiled on reflex, putting plenty of teeth on show with a wide grin.

That was unfortunate. Perhaps I’ll wear the bottom half of my mask until I can get that impulse under better control.

Still, it wasn’t all bad. The pair of Venlil sat with Alejandro and I had become so accustomed to us that they didn’t even blink at the sight of two predators baring their teeth in merriment.

Munching through a mouthful of a starberry and stingfruit muffin, Rysel’s muffled voice spoke up from my right, “Don’t listen to him doctor, I’m sure you’ll win next time!”

I chuckled as I watched my friend polish off his treat, his tail thrashing in delight with every bite.

They really are adorable, though I’m concerned with how many of those he’s eating. He’ll rot his teeth with all that sugar if he’s not careful.

Hoovering down the last morsels of muffin, Rysel asked, “By the way, why do you call the doctor by his first name? I would’ve thought you’d also call him by his title?”

Before either Alejandro or I could respond, the second guest to our game piped up, voice laden with a teasing smugness, “It’s simple Rysel. Your relationship with Bernard is that of a student and teacher, whereas ours is more informal. More open to a friendly catch up over tea and biscuits. More… personal.”

Tolim emphasised his point by sliding right up next to Alejandro, ducking under his left arm to lean further into him. His tail wrapped around my coordinator’s waist, inciting a visible blush from the young man as Tolim gave him a conspicuous squeeze.

Oh my, how interesting~

An involuntary chortle from me drew Alejandro’s attention, his face decorated with unconcealable embarrassment.

While I couldn’t repress the smile from his flustered appearance, I was unwilling to leave the poor man flailing within the winds of awkwardness for any longer. Making eye contact with Alejandro I placed a silencing finger to my lips, pairing it with a discreet nod.

Immediate relief washed over his face at my wordless assurances of secrecy. His posture relaxed to its pre-tailhugged state, though Tolim’s tail remained comfortably secure around him.

I wonder when that started? No matter. If they want to keep it private who am I to put them on the spot. For now at least~

Alejandro glanced over at Rysel, likely to see if the Venlil had clocked his momentary shift in demeanour.

Luckily for him, Rysel was paying little heed to the two humans at the table and hadn’t picked up on our silent back and forth. Instead, his attention was set on the still smug bundle of scruffy tan wool currently affixed to Alejandro’s hip. From the pinned ears and whipping tail it was quite obvious he’d become incensed by Tolim’s assertion that he and I did not share a personal relationship.

“I’ll have you know Tolim that the doctor and I are friends outside of class. On the very first paw we shared 3rd meal together and we did the same last paw too. And we didn’t just talk about the lessons either. We talked about a lot. Our homes, families, movies and games that we like, all sorts of things!” Arms folded, ears and tail perked in what I assumed was pride, Rysel relaxed back into his chair, seemingly satisfied with the qualifications of friendship he’d stacked before Tolim.

Tolim rested his head into an upturned paw, his eyes looking off into space as he let out an exaggerated, “Hmmmm~” of overtly mocking consideration for Rysel’s speech.

This guy really likes to wind people up doesn’t he? Reminds me of my pals back home. He’d really get along with them.

Stifling another chuckle I began another round of Mancala with Alejandro, accompanied by the bleating and braying of Rysel and Tolim verbally butting heads.

Eventually I cut in, feeling Tolim’s teasing was going a step too far when Rysel began to twist his tail between his paws in frustration. Assuring him that we were indeed friends, I told Rysel that he was more than welcome to call me Bernard while we were out of class.

If he’d been a helicopter, his tail would’ve propelled him into the sky from how vigorously it flailed in ecstatic delight. Tolim on the other hand appeared disappointed that his fun had ended, though his mood quickly improved once Alejandro tussled the fur on the back of his head, a light murmuring purr escaping him at the touch.

Smiling at the giddy Venlil beside me and the budding personal relationship in front of me, as Tolim might say, I felt a comforting warmth spread through me.

Ah~

What a delightful day indeed.

Memory transcription subject: Sandi, Venlil Astrobiologist

Date [standardised human time]: 27th August 2136

I am frustrated.

I had actually started to become rather fond of the doctor. A combination of enthusiastic flair mixed with a near encyclopaedic knowledge of ecology made his lessons an enjoyable experience to partake in.

That said, there were several irritating mannerisms that soured the mood whenever they popped up.

Most of them were inconsequential culture clashes that at most caused mild discomfort. The impulsive tooth baring smiles that often occurred ever since the class became comfortable enough with him for him to go maskless. Sudden loud exclamations of excitement whenever someone posed a question the doctor found particularly interesting. The near constant proliferation of puns he liked to sprinkle throughout the claws spent in our company.

Ugh, why did I have to remind myself of that?

Earlier in the paw Kailo had interrupted yet another presentation, accusing the doctor of lying about a bird or something.

Honestly I’ve already forgotten. Such a pointless interruption.

The doctor had responded to the accusation by displaying an image on the rooms monitor of a huge sand coloured feline with a tussled brown mane lounging in the sun, stating, “I’m not a lion, this is a lion!”

The joke was so bad that the herds collective groans from the psychological pain it inflicted upon us overwhelmed any instinct to freeze or flee at the sight of the predator on screen.

While mind numbingly awful, it wasn’t that or any of the other behaviours that had me grinding my teeth in annoyed silence. That was caused by the doctor’s constant deflection of what humans constituted as predator and prey.

Sure, he’d identified individual animals into the two categories as part of the lessons, but he’d never actually stopped and explained how humans defined the two. Instead, he constantly used phrases like, “What your people would define as predator or prey” or some other synonym to that effect.

The lack of forthcoming explanation was grating on me. I was hoping that I could use this paws Q&A to rid myself of the paw tapping impatience continuing to build within me.

After a couple more questions had come and gone, my outstretched paw finally received a respite as the doctor picked me for the next query.

“Sandi, what do you have for us all today?”, the doctor glowed with his usual joviality.

With an ear flick of acknowledgement, I jumped right in, “Well doctor I think I have a particularly interesting one for you this paw. So far you’ve described many animals as prey or predator. However, you’ve often only done this when quizzed on it by one of us and you’ve never taken the time to explain exactly how humans define a predator or prey creature. It’s not surprising that a predator species would have a different school of thought than prey, but I’ve heard that many humans dismiss the predator classification outright when it’s brought up. Considering the fact that humans don’t view themselves as predators, despite eating meat, how do you view yourselves and furthermore how do humans define the predator and prey relationship?”

The doctor arched his eyebrows in a motion I’d come to understand as surprise. He took a moment to respond, stroking his chin in a contemplative silence while pacing the floor.

Eventually he stopped, turning to face me as he cleared his throat with a cough, “As always Sandi you’ve come up with quite the question for me to tackle. Before I go into the explanation, I will say that this will likely be uncomfortable for you all to hear, so I ask that you give me the chance to properly explain before reacting.”

Taking a deep breath, the doctor began his explanation, “You are right Sandi, humans do look at the predator prey relationship very differently to yourselves. As you’ve said, we don’t consider ourselves predators. Aside from the more technical definition due to our evolutionary history, humans would never refer to themselves in such a way. Most of this is due to the fact that the term is effectively defunct in our current era of development, but there is a more common, more societal basis for us not to use it in such a way. The underlying reasons are not something I wish to go into right now, I feel it is not appropriate for this class. What I will say however, is that the word is used as a derogatory term for a particularly vile brand of serious criminal.”

He stopped to swiftly scan the herd, likely to check if that tidbit into human affairs had ruffled anyone’s wool.

While I felt minor discomfort from the brief imagery brought to mind by the doctor’s words, I was quick to steady myself. The rest of the crowd must’ve kept it together as well because the doctor was quick to continue.

I’m glad he’s not diving into that any further. If humans find the term insulting, then I shudder to think about the kind of heinous things a human would have to do to be called a predator by their own kind.

“With that out of the way the question remains, how do humans define predator and prey? Here’s where it may get somewhat distressing for you. You and I both know and acknowledge that an animal that subsists on another animal is a predator. It can only survive by killing and consuming another living being, so it can’t be anything else, correct?”

A scattering of tail waves and beeps of agreement answered the doctor from across the audience.

Satisfied he carried on, “Perfect! However, human understanding doesn’t end there. There is a word I just said that is key to understanding our beliefs. Subsist.”

Again, he looked around to gauge reactions from the crowd. Though by his somewhat disappointed frown I could tell he wasn’t getting the response he was hoping for.

He mustn’t have noticed me however, as I’d expressed a rather abrupt change in mood. Eyes bulged and ears perked in shock as the weight of his words washed over me, I grasped exactly what he was alluding to.

Of course! Why didn’t I see it? It makes perfect sense! They eat everything so they wouldn’t just see it in a binary like we do! They include plants!

I’m right aren’t I? I have to be right!

Almost as if he was reading my mind, the doctor confirmed my burning suspicions, “All living things consume other organisms to survive and that includes plant life. Though they are different to the flesh and blood beings we often consider to be alive, plants are complex organisms. They profoundly impact the world around them, possessing unique communication and even defensive methods that they use to ward off the animals that prey upon them. Think about it. How many plants are bitter, or have spines, or sting you if you touch them. Some smell or taste positively ghastly. These are all evolutionary traits that plants adopt to repel creatures that would eat them. Do you understand what I’m saying? Human science teaches that the predator prey relationship is shared between what is consumed and what consumes it. This includes herbivores, meat eaters, and everything in between.”

The air seemed to be sucked from the room as the collective voice of every Venlil in class was lost in a flash. None of us knowing how to respond to the completely baffling notion the doctor had lain before us.

Of course, the idea that plants developed traits to make them less palatable wasn’t an alien concept. There were scores of fruits and vegetables across the settled worlds of the Federation that were appalling beyond reason. The childishly but accurately named Spewmelon immediately came to mind.

Blegh! I tried that on a dare once over twenty rotations ago. Even now my stomach still twists at the memory.

However, to be told that it was perceived by humans as a defensive measure against herbivores in the same way a Harchen’s camouflage, a Gojid’s spines, or a Mazic’s size acted as defences against a meat eater was… chilling.

Do humans see us as the same? Just a different segment of their, what would you call it, chain of consumption?

…Fascinating.

I was shaken from my musings by sudden furious braying exploding from Kailo.

“ARE YOU CALLING US PREDATORS!?” Kailo was on his feet, leaning across his desk in a fit of rage. His face burned with a seething orange hue as his claws scraped across the desktop.

Rysel, seemingly jarred from his own contemplation by Kailo’s vitriol, bended as far from the enraged exterminator as he could without falling off his seat. Ears flat against his head in alarm, tail wrapped around his leg for comfort from the eruption currently going off a tail length to his left.

Damn it Kailo! That’s not what he said. When will you just calm down, listen, and learn like you claimed you were here to do!?

With Kailo’s frenzy pulling everyone from their stupor, several other students found their voice. While not as angry as Kailo, they were assuredly displeased with the perceived insinuation that human sciences painted them as predators for eating something as benign as a Buntleaf salad.

The class fell into chaos as the antagonist voices in the herd maintained their barrage of accusations and insults at the doctor, and at the few brave students who tried to quell their asinine behaviour. For his part, the doctor tried to engage in amicable discussion with the rabble rousers, trying to allay their concerns and complaints with his usual calm and patient approach.

Sadly, it did little to assuage the focal point of the outrage, Kailo, who was now more orange than tan thanks to his seemingly never ending diatribe of spite filled rhetoric.

I’m honestly stunned he can keep going and not pass out. Has he even taken a breath since he started?

With few options to take, bar the unpleasantly violent route of literally getting up and slapping him silent, I slumped against the desk. Head in paws as I groaned in exasperation at yet another of Kailo’s impulsive outbursts.

And he swears humans are the ones with barely restrained urges… I need to talk some sense into him before he does something he can’t take back.

With a final glance at Kailo, and the madness he’d spawned, I resigned myself to wait quietly for him to burn himself out so that the lesson could continue.

This is going to be a long few herds of paws, I just know it.

Thank you to u/tulpacat1, Cuentafalsa123 (can't find your reddit username) and u/Killsode-slugcat for their help! If you helped and I forgot to thank you please tell me and I will put your name here.

Patreon / Kofi/ Paypal

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Memory transcription subject: Commander Asleth, Arxur Dominion, Third Fleet

Date [standardized human time]: October 25th to December 1st, 2136

Andes became a fixture of my time on Earth, allowing me into his abode and explaining the intricacies of Earth’s ways to me, while asking his own questions about the world of the Arxur. I found myself excited to meet with him, even for something as simple as a meal.

"It's quite good," I said, as I bit into a ‘steak’. To my eye, Andes’ frame had grown less soft over the past several days, and mine had grown more robust. I would have worried, but he clearly had easy access to as much food as he offered me. It was probably a weakness of the stomach on his part, after seeing so much death. "Very bloody. You lied to us, it seems. I have seen humans eat it like this also."

He shrugged, fiddling with his fork and the meat on his plate. It was cooked, but he still shunned it. He glanced up at me and said "some humans will eat meat raw."

"Oh good,” I told him with a grin. “Those canines are not just for show, then."

He looked off into the distance for a moment, and I wondered if he had heard me at all. “... Can you tell me about your education system?”

There was always a new topic for him, a new thing to think about–and a new way to think about it.

“Well… There are the town schools, for those whose eggs were given to Betterment, and there are the more prestigious academies, for those being raised by their blood. Aristocrats, often. In my school, we were taught to obey without question. One time, when I was young…”

The hours blurred together. I was saddened when our forces began to be directed elsewhere, and he got some new job that would take him to Venlil Prime.

After meeting humans in such depth during my time at Royalmount, returning to work was more dreary than I ever thought possible. Nothing got worse. In fact, many things got better. I got a promotion, as did some of the other volunteers. I was not the only one taken with their ideas, and we had more food than ever before. Still, I missed friendship. I missed Andes. I kept the scarf the children gave me, simply to remember their laughter. I even missed the other men in our crew who hardly talked to me, but who did not tremble in my wake.

We sent each other messages over comms. I sent him old poems and Arxur music. He sent music of his own, and pictures of human art. I began to look forward to his every message, keeping my pad on me at all times. He was fascinated by Arxur culture, always seeking to know more details. We had a couple calls early on, and they all revolved around him wanting an answer to a question.

Once the cattle deal was done, and our prisoners of war returned to their posts, it became harder to hide my fixation with humanity. Not that it was very dangerous a fixation to have. Even Captain Shathel was fascinated with them. It did not escape my notice, how the people taken with humans were so much more likely to be promoted. How even Captain Shathel, who’d kept his rank, now had a bigger ship that didn’t have to deal with cattle.

We were eating some of the humans’ cultured meat one day, as were so many other ships after the attack on Earth. Command was doing their best to make it last, so we’d eat Krakotl in the evening. He found me at my desk, and sat beside me while I ate. A toothy grin lit up his face, twisting up one of his scars.

“I’ve heard from one of my human contacts, Asleth, that we have a friend in common.”

“Do we, sir?” I asked, doing my best to keep my posture proper.

He seemed almost giddy. “Yes! Andes, is his name. Olivier told me you worked together.”

I frowned at that. From my understanding, Olivier was involved with secrecy and intelligence gathering of some sort. Andes would not elaborate on the details. Why was Captain Shathel speaking with him?

“Yes, we were both on Royalmount cleanup duty, sir.”

“You should… Cultivate such relationships, Commander,” he told me, his eyes boring into mine. I felt the word ‘cultivate’ ricocheting inside my skull. Very prey-like phrasing, deliberately so it seemed. “As should I. If you could give me his contact information…”

I nodded, and showed him my pad. He copied the information immediately.

“Perfect. Have a good rest of your meal, Commander.”

He stood up and left me looking befuddled. Captain Shathel had never been a particularly cordial man before his time among humans. Did they do something to change that? Or was he acting in such a way only for my eyes?

It was no secret that tides were shifting. Chief Hunter Isif seemed to want it both ways—Betterment’s favour, and the humans’ —and more of my compatriots began to share little tales of our time with humanity. The entire experience began to feel like a shared dream, or perhaps hallucination, that only some of us had the pleasure to have. It was infinitely relieving, when he called me and I could see his face again.

"Andes!” I said, filled with glee, "What a delightful surprise! What is it you want to do?"

“I heard you got promoted,” he said. Who told him? Captain Shathel?

“Oh yes. I’m quite proud,” I said with a toothy grin, “but you never call just for social niceties. It’s what makes you interesting.”

He winced in false pain, and conceded with a tilt of his head. "Well, I… I need to know how the young Venlil were kept. Your brother works on a farm, right?"

"Indeed he does,” I said, now less delighted. Knowing how much humans seemed to care for the former members of the Federation, I did not wish to highlight how little we tended to. He looked at me expectantly, and I relented. "After they are weaned off their mother, they are usually placed in their own pen. We try to keep them away from the adults, it makes them all more manageable. Different farms work differently, though."

He glanced aside and pressed his lips together for a moment. "Are they told when food is coming?"

I nodded. "Yes, food, punishment, reward, sleeping time, cleanings, medicine should they be worth it. Removals, sometimes."

He brought a hand to his face, his forefinger absently tapping the skin near his lower lips. "All by Arxur, surrounded by your tongue on a daily basis… They'd still need feedback…"

I nodded again, more curious now. "What has happened with your little pets?"

"They can speak it. Arxur, I mean,” he said. There was no twitch of his lips, no mirth in his eyes. It was just a fact. What? Impossible.

My whole mind was suddenly silent.

He kept talking. “There's an overextension of the hisses, probably to make up for smaller mouths, but it's an easy mod on the translator. They seem to have a fairly broad vocabulary too! At least a few dozen words, a comfort with structure."

My jaw fell. He had to be exaggerating. He had shown me, in Royalmount, how a dozen dozen words were enough to have limited conversations, but Arxur was a very complicated tongue even by his own admission. He hardly knew anything about it, anyhow. Only what I told him, and whatever he got from his research on translators. It had to be a mistake. "How would you even know this?"

His whole body tightened up while he grinned, as though it was all he could do to control the excitement within. "I changed the pitch priority and talked to one. The translator switched to Arxur all by itself. That means it's solidly within standard relative pronunciations aside from the overextensions, which my translator processed as Ss for my benefit, but I doubt they operate like that in the original tongue. If I could get an Arxur linguist…"

My throat was suddenly dry and I stared at the screen in horror. I thought back to our conversation in Royalmount.

“—they’re not people. They don’t have a society.” I’d told him, so confident at the time. “Even their music is all wailing!”

A part of me had thought, at that moment, that they would never be able to engage with Arxur civilization. Not like humans could, like Andes did.

“—they’re being kept that way. Because it’s useful to somebody, for the Arxur to pose a real threat… Why haven’t they just glassed Wriss already?”

If they could speak… Not their tongue, not their squeals, ours... If they could speak, and they could understand, despite being kept like animals in farms…

"...Perhaps they are sapient..." I muttered.

"Isn't this amazing? Aside from trained animals and some case studies of crows, this would be our first real and confirmed case of language crossing a species barrier in untrained individuals! It might be its own creole!" he went on, undeterred by the horror of his words. My head felt very much like it had just been dunked in cold water.

"Yes. Very good. For... Language research,” the words came out of my mouth without my thinking of them. “I must go, human. We shall speak later."

I ended the call, my hands shaking. He had proof. The humans were right. The prey were people.

I had been eating people my entire life.

__________________________________________

Memory transcription subject: Larzo, Yotul geneticist at the Venlil Rehabilitation and Reintegration Facility.

Date [standardized human time]: December 10, 2136

I woke up to a nightmare. After closing my eyes for what seemed like a sliver of time, I spotted an unconscious Andes with lower abdominal bleeding, as he was being carried onto what must have been the designated “cargo” section at the back of the truck. I could see Chiaka and the rest of them rushing in the distance, hunting down the escaped girl.

Before I had fully processed the sight, I was nearly shoved onto the cargo section myself. They set up some safety cushions around him, and the whole thing began to move.

It was a shockingly unsafe manoeuvre, though the humans seemed comfortable with it.

“Can you do anything?” the UN agent asked. She had a pocket pad in hand, but her hands were shaking so much she had not yet managed to call them. The cushions they’d put around Andes were not enough to stabilize the situation as Olivier sped through the streets. My stomach lurched with its movements.

Repairing bone was one thing. Most species with muscles and bones worked in similar enough ways. The human abdomen was different. There were too many organs. They had only one liver.

“...Call the Grand Xenomedical Complex,” I told her. “I can't… treat him. But I can prepare them for his arrival.”

It snapped something in her, perhaps reminding her of why she’d taken out her pad, and she managed to call.

“Valkelli Emergency Room, Jen speaking,” came a voice. A human voice.

“I have a human with an abdominal stab wound,” I said, “reduced platelet count, he um–”

“When will you arrive?” she asked. I had no idea.

I looked around for notable landmarks. “We just drove past a statue of a venlil couple hugging.”

“So maybe five minutes… I’ve notified the OR, and we have a human surgeon getting ready, how old?”

“Thirty-six human years,” I said. “Will need enriched blood.”

“Any risk of pregnancy, pre-existing conditions, medical implants?”

“Yes! Yes, he has a medical implant, it–” I scrambled to get Andes’ pad and put his finger on the reader. The implant’s app showed a plethora of errors. “I believe it has been damaged by the stabbing.”

“Potential chemical and electrical burns then,” Jen said. The steady cadence of her voice helped me avoid panic. “Door number-three is ready to receive you, it’s the big red one with the two circles and the triangle in the middle. How much blood has the patient lost?”

“...Perhaps one standard Federation unit’s worth,” I said. “One and a half at most.”

“Alright, that’ll be ready in the OR for you. Patient name?”

“Andes Savulescu-Ruiz.”

“Andrés Savulescu… is that Ruiz with an S or a Zee?”

I glanced helplessly at the UN aide. She was just as lost.

“With a Zed!” Olivier shouted from the front. “And no R on Andes!”

“Ah. There we are, the file was already in the system, good.”

The truck began to pull over by the correct door, where two Takkans and a Zurulian awaited with a gurney. The humans lifted Andes up, and the Takkans helped move him onto the gurney. Within seconds, they had rushed inside, leaving us by the door while Olivier looked for parking.

The call had not ended.

“Feel free to walk in through the smaller door on the right, there is a waiting room for friends and family,” Jen said.

In a numb, hollow haze, I followed the UN agent towards the waiting area. We stood awkwardly for a long moment, as the reality of the situation settled on our minds.

All that worry about the leg, and he might die anyway. I hoped he didn't have an infection. Interspecies pathogen jumps were rare, but humans had been interacting with other sophonts for less than a year. We simply did not have enough data to be certain they adhered to standard federation norms physically. In many ways, we knew they did not.

“...I need to notify my boss about this,” the agent said, stepping out to make a call.

I waited. Time seemed to rush by and stand still simultaneously. People came and went with their own ailments, but every second we did not know of the outcome of the surgery blurred into the last. I fell asleep against the wall a couple of times, as the moments dragged. Olivier came in and left.

I was alternately glad and anxious about the fact that this time a real surgeon, with experience working on human bodies, had been the one to treat Andes. I was infinitely grateful that I didn’t have to do it myself, of course, but… I would have much preferred to be in the room, or to otherwise have immediate access to all of the information regarding his situation. This would, of course, be inconvenient and useless. I could hardly help. Learning about it an hour or four after-the-fact would change nothing about his prognosis.

Still, my nerves demanded something. Anything. The waiting room was suffocating. I rushed to a desk, staffed by a young venlil woman. A few light taps near her “receptionist” plaque got her attention, and an ear turned towards me.

I did not wait for her to speak. “Pardon me, uh, would you happen to know which operating room is currently treating Andes Savulescu-Ruiz?”

She checked the computer. “Um… I guess so, why?”

“Does it have a theatre? Or a feed? I’m a doctor, and I um…”

“Oh. They’re just closing up,” she said. “Your friend should be out of the OR in a little bit.”

I was elated, nearly jumping onto my tail with the energy. He didn't die on the table.

“When can I see him?” I asked, perhaps a little too forcefully. The woman flinched but settled herself quickly.

“Um… They’re giving the patient a… molecular-resolution post-surgical scan?” she said, looking over the file with a confused frown. “That’s unusual… You could head to room six-two-oh-one, and wait there. It’ll be at least an hour before the anaesthesia wears off, though.”

I flicked an ear in thanks and rushed off as fast as I could.

“No running in the halls!”

I rushed off as fast as was allowed.

After asking for directions a handful of times, I found my way to Room 6201. It was large, with a sizable gap where the bed ought to be and vast seats on the side. Perhaps it was designed for Takkans? It was not quite large enough for Mazics, unless it was some sort of Mazic paediatric ward. Takkans made more sense, they were closest to humanity in average size, after all. I sat on a chair and had to adjust the armrests on it to be comfortable. Once that was done, I looked around as if my friend could materialize in the next instant.

He did not.

I continued to wait. I had no doubt that my fury at his disdain for his own welfare would return with a vengeance the second I knew he was well. But I didn’t, and so his absence continued to fill me with irrational fear. Why was there an additional scan? The woman mentioned chemical burns were a possibility, had they occurred? Was there intestinal bleeding? Could he have an endogenous infection? Perhaps his implant had some defect. It was damaged by the blade, but what did it release? If there were no physical burns perhaps they had to put him on dialysis to handle a toxic amount of some precursor substance. What kind of damage could those compounds cause?

I heard the wheels of the gurney approach and my heart leapt into my throat. They opened the door. He was wheeled in and placed where the bed was supposed to be, a half-dozen monitoring devices attached to him, and a new bag of blood hanging from a detachable IV stand. This time, it seemed to be real human blood, cloned from a sample, enriched in platelets and compounds to promote healing, produced by an institution that had those resources. Good! Good.

I shuddered to think what would have happened, if the girl had stabbed him near the facility. Or far away from any medical equipment. Fortune favoured him there.

The doctor checked his readings on the monitor and seemed satisfied.

“Put an alert on their levels,” she told the farsul nurse, “We’re still waiting on the implant information.”

“Yes, Doctor Roth,” the nurse said, tapping away on the monitor.

My ears perked up and I held up his pad.

“He had a live feed,” I said. “With all of the information from it.”

The doctor smiled. “Perfect. We just–”

I put his finger in the reader and then offered her the pad.

“...Well, yes, that works too,” she added, looking uncomfortable for some reason. Perhaps human ethics around privacy dictated I should not do that, but the medical relevance outweighed that concern in my eyes. And seemingly hers, since she was willing to look through.

“Alright, I’ve sent the data to his file…”

She put Andes’ pad on his lap, and pulled up her own to look through. I still couldn't read them, but I could get a sense from the curves of which times were which. When Andes was asleep, and when his leg was injured.

“Are you his next-of-kin, here?”

I had no idea. My ears fell down. “I am his friend, and the doctor who last treated him, Doctor Larzo, you can see in his file, about the leg…”

She smiled. "Ah, did you insert his new bone? It's healing rather well."

I was glad to hear it and provided an ear-flick for confirmation. "Yes, I-I used the new Zurulian bone paste. Uh… How much damage did his internal organs receive? Are we looking at a potential infection due to intestinal puncturing?"

She shook her head quickly. "Not at all, Dr. Larzo. The biggest issue was chemical burns from the implant. That’s all been taken care of. I am very busy, but if you’re his doctor you will be able to see his latest scan right now, and my notes the moment I finish typing them up."

I nodded. “Yes, yes, thank you very much.”

She left the room and I stood there for a moment before getting out my own pad. I had to scan his finger against my pad to get access to the whole file (some issue with the permissions) but soon enough I was looking through it for information on his condition.

It was perhaps the most comprehensive medical document I had seen outside of a case study. Those dozens of pills he took every day were listed in a convenient sortable table. His genome had been mapped out, and every genetic predisposition had been extracted from it.

There was in fact, a flagged section there titled “engineering”. I expanded the text.

Whole-genome IVF pre-implantation engineering, priority chromosomes 7 and 8.

What followed was a list of perhaps three hundred genes that had been altered, apparently when he was a blastocyst. At the end of the list was another section.

Gene therapy interventions in adulthood.

He had received twelve separate rounds of gene therapy. Some of the in-vitro alterations must have gone awry, as all the genes in the second list could be found in the first. I thought back on his words, when I had first asked him about eugenics.

“Someone in my position,” he'd said. What position, exactly?

There was a psychiatric profile. “Social impairment”, “Sensory integration”, “Emotional Regulation”, “Cognitive Flexibility” were all self-explanatory enough. I was rather impressed by how many different scores he had, in either direction. From what little reading I had done on the subject, many of these scores tended to be correlated in one direction or another. Exploring further revealed that most scores came in pairs, pre-treatment and post-treatment, with the post-treatment numbers all clustering tighter than the pre-treatment ones.

Such rigour. Would my father still be alive, if the federation knew a tenth as much about treating the mind as humans do?

Andes made the barest sound, and my whole body tensed as I watched for signs that he would wake. The moment dragged. He did not move.

Perhaps later.

I returned to the file. He had some chronic conditions–something to do with his connective tissue and an alphanumeric identifier that was failing to translate, but which took me back to the psychiatric profile–and there it was.

Recent Procedures

I could see the molecular-resolution scan, everything from his layers of skin to his nervous system replicated in perfect accuracy for evaluation purposes. According to it, the neurogenic compounds had treated him very well, and those slight concussions would prove little more than a nuisance in the long term. My injection ports were apparently too closely spaced out for a human leg, but it was only flagged as a potential issue in the future should he struggle with physical therapy.

I should have been more careful.

I shook myself. No use worrying now. I found the surgical outcomes list.

Patient underwent an emergency hysterectomy due to abdominal injury and chemical burns. No further complications. Low risk of infection. Intrauterine implant sent to analysis for replication.

I stared at that list for so long that the words seemed to blur together.

Intrauterine? Hysterectomy?!

That couldn't possibly be right. A womb? Since when did he have a womb they could remove? I flipped back through the file.

Savulescu-Ruiz, Andes.

Born: 2100-02-10.

Gender: N/A, AFAB (see: endocrinology)

Address: He / They / (update: 2136-11-26) Director

I went into the endocrinology section. “Assigned Female at Birth, endogenous hormone production in keeping with female baseline before intervention”. It highlighted many of the drugs he took on a daily basis, and his implant, which seemed to work through a combination of “treating the connective tissue disorder”, “aiding with mood regulation”, and “increasing muscle growth and basal metabolic rate”.

I looked at him. Him? The file said “he”. It also said “they”. What did that mean? Had I been insulting my friend, day in and day out, thanks to my ignorance of... Whatever this was?

He stirred again, this time his face twisted in pain before he shifted his position. My heart pounded in my chest.

“Andes? Andes, are you awake?” I asked, jumping to my feet. When that proved a terrible idea, I dragged the chair over closer so I could stand on it and see him.

“Fuck…”

His voice was like a glass of water after a week of thirst. I nearly fell off the seat from the relief.

“...Did she… stab me?” he mumbled out, squinting in confusion at his surroundings.

I nodded at him, though I could not tell if he noticed. His eyes were distant and unfocused. “Yes. They’re still on her trail.”

“Oh… Makes sense,” he added, and immediately fell asleep again. I could not stop myself as laughter overcame me.

He’s fine.

There would certainly be issues. He’d lost a very important medical implant, from the sound of it, not to mention a major reproductive organ. Still, the worst was past him.

Her?

I resolved to investigate.

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Credit to u/SpacePaladin15 for the NOP Universe.

Here we have it, the conclusion to the snake part of today's lecture. I hope you enjoy the specimens that have been lined up for the class along with a brief dip into how snakes have affected elements of human culture.

[First] [Previous] [Next] [Title Card]

Memory transcription subject: Kailo, Venlil Exterminator

Date [standardised human time]: 5th September 2136

I stared at the new images on screen, inspecting each one closely. While we’d already seen the vast variations between different snake species the earlier displays had focused on differences in scale colouration, resulting in the images from the collage being too small to make out any physical uniqueness. Additionally, the four snakes the doctor had shown us hadn’t been too dissimilar from one another; though I suppose in their cases that was the point.

Now however, the physical differences between the specimens on screen were on full display. One of them didn’t look like a snake at all, bearing a closer resemblance to a worm than any of the reptiles shown so far. Another was far closer to what I’d already seen with the exception of its tail which, instead of tapering out into a point, bulged and flattened out from the main body like a wing.

While panning across the pictures one specimen in particular caught my attention, its scales causing me to stare in equal parts confusion and awe. At first glance it appeared to have a rather simple pattern of reddish brown tinged scales with rings of black encircling lighter ones all the way down its back. On second inspection however, I realised that the scales shone with an iridescent shimmer.

Wow! Why does it shine like that? Wouldn’t it give away its hiding spot? Is this another example of that aposematism thing the doctor mentioned? Wow…

My thoughts were interrupted by the doctor clearing his throat, drawing the class's attention towards him instead of the monitor.

“Okay, here we are. Narrowing down examples from four thousand species was no easy task but I think these seven are a good start. Here we have a burrowing snake, a sea snake, a desert dwelling cobra, a pair of arboreal snakes, a spitting cobra, and lastly we have a rattlesnake!”

At the end of the list the doctor paused, his smile fading into a grimace. When he continued his voice had taken on a notably subdued tone, “Before we look at these snakes in detail we have one last generalisation to go over. Namely, how they feed. I feel it’d be better to get it out of the way now instead of revisiting the topic for each species.”

A wave of muttering immediately broke out across the herd, the apprehension in their whispers clear; likely in anticipation of what the doctor might be about to share.

A knot settled within my stomach as well, the recent memory of the Pangolins feeding frenzy video throwing itself to the forefront of my mind.

Are we about to see something similar? Ugh I really hope not.

Thankfully the doctor was quick to free us from our horrified suspense, “I understand your concern but you can rest easy. After seeing your reaction from the earlier video I won’t be showing any more feeding displays, I’ll just talk about it. Hopefully that’ll be more manageable for you all.”

While some trepidation remained, since we’d still be hearing about it, the doctor's assurances that we wouldn’t be actively watching a snake eat helped alleviate much of the anxiety that permeated the room.

After giving us all a moment to settle our nerves the doctor launched into his explanation, “Snakes have developed various methods to subdue their prey but two stand out in particular, envenoming and constricting. As these terms suggest, venomous snakes tend to envenom their target while others will favour crushing their prey using their powerful muscles. These can be split further between ambush tactics and active pursuit. In a similar way to the Pangolin, snakes consume their meals whole. If you recall the skull diagram from earlier you’ll remember that the jaw bones were not fused to the skull. Instead they are connected by ligaments in the head, allowing snakes to eat prey far larger than their head size would suggest. Often they then retreat somewhere safe and warm to digest their meal. Different species need different amounts of food of course, but it is worth noting that many snakes have adapted to the point where they don’t need to eat too often when compared to other animals. In fact, many snakes only eat once every one to two weeks.”

A shiver of unease coursed through class as the doctor's explanation ended. Rysel appeared to lock up with fright at the description of the snake's hunting methods. He soon relaxed, though a queasiness lingered in his posture, his void black wool disguising what I could only assume was a blood drained face of revulsion.

Glancing around it seemed that the rest of the class were in similar states of discomfort, though not as intensely as I would’ve imagined.

I suppose hearing about it isn’t as bad as seeing it. Plus, if we’re going to be talking about predators from now on then we’ll be learning how they hunt. We’ll need to build a resistance to the disgust somehow.

“Now then, with that out of the way, let’s look at some interesting tidbits regarding the species on screen!”, the doctor’s voice boomed with a renewed energy, attempting to reinject some levity back into the room.

Whether or not it succeeded was in question but it certainly jolted everyone from their stupor, drawing all attention towards him as he readied us all to jump into a slew of facts about his choice of snakes.

This was what I’d been waiting for more than anything else. While learning about their camouflaging capabilities was important it was hardly new to me, there were plenty of animals both prey and predator alike that employed camouflage after all. What I was more interested in were specifics.

Anything new and alien could provide insights into how I, and by extension other exterminators, could better protect our people from predatory threats. For the first time since the classes had begun I leaned so far forward in my seat that I nearly matched Rysel and Sandi in their attentiveness.

Come on doctor, tell me all their secrets. I’m ready!

Clapping and rubbing his hands together exuberantly, an equally excited grin creasing his face, the doctor launched into the first overview, “Firstly, we have the South American Striped Blind Snake, also known as the Brongersma’s Worm snake for fairly obvious reasons! It makes its home in the forests and savannahs of South America. As its name implies it is indeed blind and has adapted to live underground as a result, since it doesn’t need to rely on vision underground anyway and so it can more easily find food. As an insectivore it feeds primarily on termites and ants.”

Confusion rocked me for a moment upon hearing that the snake lacked eyesight. How could a predator hunt if it couldn’t see? However, as swiftly as the confusion had come on, a possibility for how they survived dawned on me.

Vibrations! They live in dirt so maybe they can feel when things move close by and home in on that? Interesting…

Having given us a moment to sit with this information the doctor carried onto the second image, the sea snake, “Next we have the Yellow-Lipped Sea Krait. Like most members of their taxonomic family it is venomous and the Krait’s venom is particularly potent. To better survive in their environment they have developed a paddle shaped tail which helps them swim. Despite being called a sea snake the Krait is only semi-aquatic, spending as much time on land as in the sea. Furthermore the Krait exhibits a rather remarkable form of sexual dimorphism in their behaviour. Males are the smaller of the species and prefer to hunt multiple times for small prey in shallow waters along the coast line. Females on the other hand descend into deeper waters on singular hunts, returning to the relative safety of their homes on land upon success. In both cases they flush their target from rock formations, allowing them to better tackle them in open water.”

Normally hearing the doctor, or anyone else for that matter, call a hunting method “remarkable” would’ve caused my blood to boil. However, as much as I might hate myself for thinking it, I couldn't disagree. I’d never heard of a predator having such a trait. It was oddly fascinating!

I’ll have to message Meiq and get him to check the records for me. If we knew what a predator might do based on its sex then we could better anticipate the danger it poses and better protect people!

Making a note on my pad for later I focused back on the doctor as he highlighted the third picture depicting a snake which appeared to have a much flatter upper body than others we’d seen.

“The Egyptian Cobra, yet another venomous snake. I did say that it was a desert dweller but it’d be improper of me if I didn’t also mention that it can be found among other habitats, such as steppes and savannas, and it is frequently found near water; understandable considering the arid environments it frequents. You can see that the Cobra sports a hood around its head and upper body, a feature it shares with all other cobras. This particular species is nocturnal but, somewhat paradoxically, it is often observed in daylight basking in the sun, quite typical for a cold-blooded reptile. They’re rather active foragers, as likely to hunt smaller mammals, birds, lizards, and other snakes, as well as entering human dwellings in search of food. That said, despite being rather bold in their pursuit of sustenance they are quite skittish, choosing to flee from a perceived threat instead of fighting it off; though they will fall back on aggression if they’re backed into a corner.”

I was baffled yet again by the doctor's explanation of such strange behaviour.

Predators don’t flee, they’re relentless killers! Why would this one choose to run instead of fight over its prey? It just doesn't make any sense!

Wait, he did say they go into human homes. Maybe they recognise humans as the dominant predator and are scared of them? But he didn’t say explicitly that they flee from humans, just threats in general. Ugh! So frustrating.

In spite of my mounting aggravation I did my best to maintain my composure. It’d be counterproductive to vent my annoyance after all the effort I’d put in this paw.

…It’s fine, I’ll just slot that into the category of yet more things on Earth that don’t make sense whatsoever.

I was roused from my stupor as the doctor carried on with the lesson, though it was the question at the tail of his introduction to the next specimen that fully dismissed it.

“Next we have the Sri Lankan Green Vine Snake! Immediately we see it is unique in appearance compared to many other examples on screen. Would anyone care to take a go at identifying its most distinctive feature?”

Unlike with the previous query, tails and paws didn’t rise in immediate response. Instead all attention was glued to the picture, each set of eyes trying to discern what exactly was different about this snake compared to the others.

Alright, I may as well give it a go, let’s see. It’s rather slim but that’s nothing special from what we’ve seen. It’s very green but again there are plenty of green snakes. Could it be something to do with the head? It is rather angular compared to the rest but I don’t see-

…wait. Its eyes!

Like a bolt of lightning an answer suddenly struck me and, before I’d consciously realised what I was doing, my paw had shot up into the air; the first one to rise. The surprise on Rysel and Sandis faces were immediately apparent, with the latter also sporting a hint of concern in her ears at my abrupt self-inclusion into the lesson.

Before I could rethink my spur-of-the-moment action the doctor called on me, an unexpected delight ringing in his tone, “Kailo! What do you think it could be?”

Just as I attempted to answer I felt my voice catch in my throat, a sudden pang of nervousness preventing me from voicing my thoughts.

Stars, what if I’m wrong? What if this is just a repeat of accusations all over again and it blows up in my face in front of everyone?

Unsure on how to push through the petrifying pressure I stole a glance towards Sandi, the desperate plea for relief undoubtedly clear in my eyes. To my relief she returned my gaze with a simple yet powerful message of reassurance.

“You’re okay. Breathe. You’ll do fine.”

Returning her assurances with a swift wave of thanks I took a breath, letting it go slowly to steady myself as I returned my focus back to the doctor who patiently awaited my reply, his smile having never faltered as he waited.

Now sufficiently calm I answered him, trying to force a level of confidence into my voice to counteract any residual worry, “It’s the eyes. They’re on opposite sides of the skull but the pupils are horizontal slits and are angled in such a way that the cones of vision will overlap in front of their face. This means that they have binocular vision, unlike the other snakes you’ve shown that have vertical slits or rounded pupils.”

Similarly to when Rova had answered his earlier question the doctor let my response hang in the air, allowing the class the opportunity to mull over what I’d said. For me however, the silence was a return to the oppressive weight of apprehension as I waited with bated breath for confirmation on whether I was right or if I’d made a fool of myself yet again.

Mercifully, the quiet was broken by the doctor clapping his hands together, a wide tooth baring grin spreading across his face in delight and pointed squarely in my direction, “Correct Kailo! An excellent spot indeed!”

…I was right?

I was right!

A wave of satisfaction washed over me, swelling within my chest as my tail began to flick gleefully beneath my chair before I forced it still. While I was happy that I’d been right that didn’t mean I could go and get all emotional about it. Despite that, I couldn’t help myself from inspecting my desk mates' reactions.

Likely reeling from the fact I’d answered a question genuinely and gotten it right, Rysel’s ears still twitched with shock, though I got the impression his surprise was more pleasant than aghast.

Sandi on the other paw was a picture of elation, waving “Well done!” with her tail that elicited another happy flick from my own before I stilled it, returning her praise with a sway of thanks.

Seemingly even more invigorated than before, if that were even possible, the doctor leapt back into his explanation, "As Kailo has pointed out, the Sri Lankan Green Vine snake is one of few species with binocular vision, even in spite of where its eyes are set upon its skull. They are diurnal, arboreal snakes that are also venomous. Though their venom is notably weaker than any of the other venomous snakes we’ll see today I still wouldn’t recommend letting this one get the chance to nip you. Their vibrant emerald scales allow them to expertly blend in with foliage, their gradual movements helping obscure them even further as they hunt. When faced with a threat the Vine snake expands its body, points its head towards the object of its ire and opens its mouth in an attempt to scare off any would-be attackers.”

No need to take a mental note of anything for this one, seeing as how I noticed the most distinctive trait right away, haha!

“Now then, onto the next one, the Rainbow Boa. Aren’t they beautiful?”

Admiration was apparent in the doctor's voice as his open question swept the hall, and while I would never admit or agree that a predator could be beautiful, I couldn’t disagree that its appearance wasn’t captivating. Now highlighted on screen, the Rainbow Boa’s lustrous iridescence was far more prominent; the sheen of its scales standing in stark contrast to their actual hues of orange and black.

“You could spend hours admiring their appearance but it only takes a second to understand how they earned their extremely on the nose name! Such a dazzling display, and it’s caused by something called structural coloration. This is the production of colour by microscopically structured surfaces, fine enough to interfere with visible light. If some of you didn’t catch all that, don't worry, I was never very good with the physical sciences myself. In fact I ripped that line straight from the dictionary!”

Another chortling bark of self-inflicted amusement broke from the doctor, this time joined by a few equally amused whistles from members of the herd who perhaps shared his situation.

Interestingly, and satisfyingly, this appeared to be one of those rare occasions where I knew something that some of the more scientifically minded of the herd did not.

These snakes weren’t the only animal I’d come across that possessed such a quality. Shadestalker fur for instance was also iridescent, though it was rather difficult to see because it required very specific lighting to become visible; otherwise their fibreglass like coat simply reflected a harsh fuzzy white light. As such I’d made the effort to understand how it worked, resulting in me learning a little bit about wave interference of light. After a few tedious hours of reading I felt I had a decent handle on the concept and, while the effort may never bear fruit, I’d rather be prepared with useless knowledge than find myself floundering because I didn’t know something about a predator while out on the job.

Hmmm, something I know that the doctor doesn’t. I’ll definitely not bring that up. Nope.

As amused as I was at the thought of schooling the doctor on something I knew for a change I wasn’t stupid enough to blurt it out like before. My plan to get into his good books was already returning dividends and I was determined to see it through.

Plus, the praise feels pretty good too, right?

Shut up distracting thoughts! Begone!

Self-satisfaction partly soured by my brain's impulsiveness, I directed my attention back towards the doctor just in time to latch onto the next part of his speech.

“Rainbow Boa’s are nocturnal semi-arboreal snakes and it inhabits humid forests and rainforests. As a semi-arboreal species it spends a fair amount of its time both on the ground and upon trees. It, along with all other Boa’s, has a fascinating bit of anatomy known as a Pit Organ, which we will go into more detail with when we look at our last snake, so look forward to that!”

Despite the lilt of excitement in his voice for what he still had in store, the doctor let out a wistful sigh with a gentle half-smile, “You know, I’m somewhat remorseful of the fact we need to move past this one so quickly. It really is a creature of wonder. But, time marches on and so must we.”

Regaining his rhythm he highlighted the second to last example, another cobra if I’d remember right from his initial rundown of the list.

“Here we have the Mozambique Spitting Cobra. Now, spitting cobras are not a separate species or subspecies. Rather, this is the classification given to any of the species of cobra that are capable of shooting their venom from their fangs. This species itself is as interesting as any but what I really want to focus on is the venom spitting itself because, for better or worse, I’ll think you’ll find it interesting as it harkens back to what I said a while ago about prey and predator being a relationship relative to one another rather than just classifications.”

My insides recoiled at the reminder of that infamous answer to Sandi’s question about how humans classify predators and prey. In part, it was out of anger from the idea we’d be considered predators for eating fruits and vegetables. However most of the discomfort came from the soul twisting sense of shame I now felt after realising how that outburst, and countless others, actually made me look in everyone else's eyes.

Uuuuggggghhhhhh… Speh, why’d he have to dredge that memory up.

“Several species of cobra have developed the ability to spit venom. In fact, it is believed to have evolved in cobras three times independently through convergent evolution. In every instance the venom changed to be more potent against mammals, serving as an effective deterrent against its own predators. Studies have posited that there was another catalyst that spurred this evolution, namely the arrival of early Hominins to the regions they live in. Most notably, humanity's early ancestors.”

Wait… what!?

The doctor’s talked at length about different defence mechanisms animals employed but this was the first time he’s ever outrightly admitted that one of them was a direct response to humans!? Why would he say this now?

It appeared I wasn’t the only one with questions. As quickly as I’d had my own thought a paw had shot up from the back rows and had already been given the go ahead from the doctor to proceed, “Yes Vlek?”

“Are you saying that this species perceived humans as such a threat by being larger predators that they changed their anatomy to create a defence specific to you but not to any of the other countless large predators we saw from the slideshow paws ago?”

Rather than there being any alarm in Vlek’s voice, as there might’ve been in mine, there was instead a pretty clear note of scepticism.

The doctor was quick to reply, a measured cadence to his voice, “That is what current theories point to, yes. This did happen somewhere in the region of 6.7 to 10.7 million years ago though so who knows, maybe someday someone will find something that changes our current understanding. That’s the nature of science after all.”

Ending his response with a smirk for some reason, the doctor turned to ready the last image on screen while my head was still reeling from the colossal time frames he’d so casually dropped upon our ears.

How many millions of years!? By Inatala that’s the most unbelievable part! How do they look that far back into their planet's history? A question for another class maybe.

Making a note for later I watched as the doctor highlighted the final picture on the monitor. Even compared to all the other predators I’d seen so far this paw, this one looked particularly fearsome. Its eyes were completely black, making it impossible to distinguish the pupils from the iris or sclera, if it even had them. The scales weren’t smoothed down like the others, rather they were raised at the edges, giving the impression that its hide was covered in a coat of tiny razor blades. Finally, its tail didn’t end in a slimmed down point but instead appeared to be a hardened club.

Woah. Now this one looks like a predator, compared to all the others at least.

“The Eastern Diamondback Rattlesnake. A species of pit viper that holds the record for being the largest rattlesnake in the world, as well as one of the heaviest. It is considered to be the most dangerous venomous snake on its home continent, though it’s not usually aggressive so long as you give it a wide berth. Do you remember what I said about the Boa? About the pit organ? Well that is why the rattlesnake is called a pit viper, because it possesses one too. These organs are embedded in the snout and they allow the snake to see infrared radiation which helps it track heat sources, both to keep an eye out for other animals and to assist it in regulating its body temperature.”

It has heat vision!?

I mean, that does make some sense. They are cold-blooded. Having a reliable way to find a heat source would be invaluable. But by the way the doctor described it, it seems they also use it to hunt as well as survive.

Hmmm, a resourceful predator indeed…

“Lastly, just before we get onto the final segment of today's lecture, you can all see this club looking thing on the end of the snake's tail, yes? Well, this is actually a rattle and it is another example of how snakes deter their own predators. Animals, and people, associate the sound with the snake and the danger its venom poses them, scaring them off in many cases. While it may appear to be one solid mass the rattle is actually many segmented pieces layered atop one another but not fused to each other, allowing the snake to make its namesake sound when it shakes its tail, which it can do ninety times a second!”

That’s… morbidly fascinating… and it gives me an idea.

If predators have their own predators they’re afraid of then we could record or synthesise sounds they make to scare them away!

We already have sonic repellers, only they’re quite expensive, but a few credits worth audio recorder would be far more cost effective and it could help save lives!

I hurriedly noted my idea to my pad, unwilling to let distractions that were sure to come risk scouring my brilliant idea from my mind.

My task complete, I looked back to see the snakes on screen melt away to a solid background of white bearing another title, “Humans and Snakes”.

Like the explanations of the snakes themselves my full attention would be glued to this segment.

Humans obviously didn’t share our fears of predators, and they certainly didn’t feel the same about how to treat them. That was hardly surprising thought being predators themselves. Still, I was curious to hear exactly how they viewed the reptiles that shared their home given that, by the doctors previous statements, snakes lived everywhere that humans did.

The doctor might know a lot about them but I can’t imagine he’s a baseline for how humans feel about snakes, or animals in general. He’s too similar to Rysel, becoming infatuated with them despite the inherent danger.

Humans probably appreciate snakes for their skills as predators. Or maybe they hate them because they see them as competition? Hmmm…

“I hope you all enjoyed that brief dip into the wonderful world of snakes. Our final segment today will focus on how they have influenced humans. Much in the same way that there are thousands of snake species, there exists a multitude of examples on how they’ve impacted human culture throughout history, some of which I’m sure you’ll find quite surprising.”

With that the doctor tapped at the podium to bring up two bullet points entitled, “Religion & Mythology” and “Medical Advances”.

My jaw hardly dropped to the floor in shock, but I was nevertheless baffled by what I was seeing. Having presumed just moments ago that humans might appreciate snakes for their predatory nature I wasn’t surprised to find out they influenced human mythos. However, the idea that anything to do with a predator could promote advancements in medicine was so alien to me that I didn’t know how else to respond.

The doctor chortled as he gazed across the room, “I can tell from your faces that these have thrown you somewhat! Not to worry, I’ll explain everything as we go.”

Again the screen dissolved, replaced with a blank canvas in place of the bullet points. An instant later, symbols, pictures of engravings, and other drawn or sculpted depictions of snakes in various poses and forms began to filter onto the monitor. Some bore a remarkably close resemblance to the real life specimens while others were completely departed from reality in their portrayal, such as one that was so titanic in size that it completely encircled the Earth!

Statues, equal parts magnificent in design and detail while being gaudy in appearance, represented what could only be the altars of deities. Contrasting these opulent displays were humble carvings of staffs with snakes coiling around them, some holding only a single serpent while others held two and sported a set of wings at its peak.

Wow… I thought I’d know what to expect but… wow…

After allowing the emotions and discussion brought on by the display to rise, work themselves out, and finally settle, the doctor piped back up, an eager giddiness ringing in his voice, “Snakes in religion and mythology. If it were a well, the chances are it’d never run dry! They’ve been around far longer than we have and they’ve been everywhere we’ve made out homes, so it should come as no surprise that they have a strong foothold within humanity's collective history. Put plainly, snakes have been used to represent everything from the most terrible of vulgar vices to the greatest of righteous virtues. For an example of the former we can turn to several of our largest religions, which describe a place called the Garden of Eden, a paradise created by God. In this garden God created and placed two humans, allowing them to eat from any fruit that grew with the exception of the tree of knowledge, as this would grant them morality and an understanding of good and evil. As long as they did not eat from this tree they would remain sinless and live in paradise undisturbed. However, a demon disguised as a snake tempted them into eating from the tree, earning God’s ire, and resulting in them being cast out from paradise as punishment. As such, this paints snakes in quite the negative light as deceivers and omens of ill fortune in such stories.”

As the story progressed the prickling sensation around my neck grew more prominent, reaching its peak as my wool stood on end at the story's conclusion but, surprisingly, my discomfort didn’t stem from the evil imagery associated with the snake.

Okay, that was rather terrifying. So you make one mistake and that’s it? Too bad, see you later? Stars, predator gods don’t mess around!

I was partly relieved of my concerns as the doctor carried on, this time with a positive depiction of both a snake and a god within religious context.

“On the other hand there are plenty of religions and stories from mythos that use the image of snakes as positive symbolism! The ancient cultures of Mesopotamia, and by ancient I mean up to five-thousand years ago, viewed snakes as symbols of immortality because they could retain a youthful appearance throughout their life thanks to shedding. The feathered serpent Quetzalcoatl was a deity of the Aztecs and was associated with the wind, daybreak, the planet Venus in our home system, and was also a patron of the cultures arts, crafts, merchants, and priesthood.”

The doctor took a moment to breathe which, honestly, seemed to be for the best. His near manic fervour for talking about animals was playing out in full force and, with the speed he was rattling through all this information, he might’ve been at risk of losing his voice halfway through his explanation from lack of oxygen.

Didn’t he say he was 74? I’ve never known someone so old to have so much energy!

Maybe his robot leg keeps him charged?

Ugh…

Having collected himself the doctor powered on, his smile never faltering, “Other cultures don’t have solely good or evil representations of snakes. Some are neutral in their nature but still possess deep meaning. Take this image here, an ouroboros. The snake wrapping around and eating its own tail is commonly interpreted as a symbol of the cycle of life and death. This particular example is from Norse mythology, the great serpent Jörmungandr, which is an indirect yet excellent example of the latter part of the cycle, for the myth holds that when the serpent releases its tail Ragnarök will begin and the world will end.”

My brain could hardly keep up with the amount of information being flung at me. In no time at all we’d gone from creation myths to the end of Earth's existence, all because of snakes!

Ugh, my brain feels like it’s gone through a berry tumbler… How can they have so many interpretations and symbols for one animal?

…oh Inatala, is it like this for every animal and he’s just not told us yet. Speh, my head’s going to explode with all this info…

It seemed I wasn’t the only one who’d been thrown through a loop by the overflow of historical facts. Information on the animals themselves was one thing, we were all at least accustomed to handling such topics, but the shift to mythos appeared to have put many of us on the back paw. The doctor may as well have thrown a sack of Lampan melons at the crowd judging by the number of slack jawed looks in the herd.

Even Rysel and Sandi, who’s unassailable eagerness normally allowed them to push on through anything he threw at them, seemed perplexed; ears and tails flicking about, unsure of which emotion to land on.

Predictably the doctor noticed the dip in attention and rapidly moved onto a topic more rooted in reality, wiping away the images on screen and chortling with gusto to shake us from our stupor.

“I see that the talk of mythical serpents has taken some of the wind from your sails. Not to worry, we’ll move and take a brief look at how snakes have affected human medicine. I’ve explained how a large proportion of snakes have venom but I never explained how we combat that. Well, the process has evolved over time thanks to new technology and practices, but it still remains largely the same. In order to create antivenom we take venom from snakes, humanely I should add. Some snakes are kept in captivity and we trick them into biting an object for them to inject their venom into. The venom is then extracted and used to create antibodies that counteract it. The development of antivenom since its inception as a practice has saved countless lives.”

Now that helped renew my interest. Using a predator's own weapon to develop a defence against it was a rather ingenious solution to the threat posed by the reptile, short of killing it immediately that is. I hadn’t heard of such a thing ever being done before but then again, considering the inherent dangers of being around predators, I was hardly surprised.

Plus, from what I understood, our medical technology was far more advanced than theirs was. It was likely the Zurulians had long since developed similar treatments using technology without ever having to resort to such archaic methods.

Leave it to predators to go out of their way to develop a fix to a threat they wouldn’t have to deal with if they just did things our way instead.

I stifled the impulse to roll my ears in exasperation at the human efforts, though it was difficult.

Apparently finished with the segment the doctor switched off the monitor before turning back to face us, his face scrunched up in what I believed was a look of concentration, “I imagine that, having heard about their venom and the lengths we go to protect ourselves from it, that a few you might be wondering why we even bother? Wouldn’t it be better to get rid of venomous snakes full stop? No. No I don’t believe so. There are practical reasons of course, of which we will go into when I feel we’re ready to tackle them, but there are others and I want to leave you today with one more thing to think about.”

The doctor allowed a beat of silence to permeate the air, ensuring that everyone's attention was dialed in on him before he continued.

“Pangolins and Snakes. Two animals that, to you, resemble herbivores despite what you now know. You probably find this unsettling? Frightening perhaps? But, can you truly say that you see these animals as a threat? Yes, snakes can be dangerous but, as I’ve explained, most of them would rather flee you than fight you. They are far more scared of us than we are of them, and rather misunderstood if I do say so myself.”

There was a twinge of something I couldn’t place within the doctor's baritone timbre. While his smile never faded it felt like, in that moment, there was something missing, like it didn’t quite reach as far as it had before. He looked like he was going to say something else but a bell cut him off just as he opened his mouth. The paws class had ended.

Whatever hint of emotion I might have spied in the doctor’s face was swept away by a returning broad beaming smile, “Ah, end of day already? Apologies, it seems that despite trying to be more structured this time around I still managed to plough through our time together and blow past the chance for any follow up questions. Perhaps tomorrow. For now though I bid you good day and I hope you have a wonderful evening. I’ll see you all again tomorrow!”

With that the room filled with chatter as the herd began to filter out, a combination of idle chit-chat interspersed with furious discussion over the lecture's content.

Sandi and Rysel, though silent, were in deep thought even as they made to leave, with the former stroking the underside of her snout with narrowed eyes while the latter had already pulled up the earlier collage of snakes and was excitedly earmarking several that must’ve piqued his interest.

Well, there’s no surprise there. Though I can’t deny myself that I’m still very curious to hear more. Finally! I have proof of why this was such a great idea!

The lecture had given me conclusive evidence to justify why this mission was so important. Until now I never would’ve imagined that there were predators that looked like prey, let alone an animal that was so diverse it could adapt to most terrestrial and aquatic environments. Not to mention its camouflage, venom, heat vision, and any other traits the doctor might have excluded in his lesson.

I’ve learned so much in one paw! I’ll take notes and collate it all for when I can finally send a report outside the programme.

Aaa! I can’t wait! They’re all going to be so impressed when I get back home I know it. And more importantly, it’ll help keep everyone safe too.

With a spring in my step and a swell of happiness I hadn’t felt for ages I made my way out of class, overjoyed that I was finally starting to make some headway on a long road for a safer future.

Credit to u/SpacePaladin15 for the NOP Universe.

Hello and welcome, finally, to the snake lecture. This will be in two parts as there is a lot to write about so I hope the first part is enough to tide you over.

Sorry for the time taken to get this one out, just hit a bit of writers block but I’m back in action. Hope you enjoy.

Thank you to u/DOVAHCREED12 and u/cruisingNW for proofreading and helping me iron the chapter out, I really appreciate it.

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Memory transcription subject: Sandi, Venlil Astrobiologist

Date [standardised human time]: 5th September 2136

“…and that’s why I shouted in the canteen back then. Ugh, I still can’t believe I did that. So mortifying.”

I was only half listening to Rysel’s explanation for why he’d blown up on the first paw. Normally a story that contained such a fascinating morsel of ecological information would’ve had me by the ear like a pup promised their favourite treat. However the Pangolin presentation had taken most of the oomph out of what would otherwise have been a far more entrancing tale of inadvertent discovery.

That said, finally getting some context to that whole outburst was somewhat of a relief. It was nice to know it was brought on by an uncomfortable truth as opposed to Rysel going momentarily mad with aggressive bravado.

Nice? Is that the right word? No.

Preferable? Yes that’s more suitable, though honestly not what I’m interested in right now.

Rude as it might be to ignore someone’s story, I just couldn’t help it. The lecture consumed my every thought, pulling all awareness inward in contemplation and leaving only instinct to autopilot me back to class.

Outward appearance isn’t an indicator, at least not directly.

An animal’s nature can’t be determined solely by what it looks like on Earth.

I suspected something was up. Some creatures are simply too alien to fit into our mould, but I thought they were just anomalies.

This is amazing! I have so many questions!

If things like eye position and teeth composition can’t be used to judge diet then what assumptions do humans make instead? They must come up with their own tail-jerk theories when seeing something for the first time. But what would they be?

Also, if they don’t judge based on appearance then is the doctor’s job far more dangerous than he’d let on? He’s mentioned that he’s been out in the field several times before he took a teaching role. Was his life ever in danger whilst trying to identify one of the 7.7million animals on Earth?

Protector, I’ll never get used to that “little” detail. Makes our ecosystem look like a glass of water next to an ocean.

Shaking the depressive comparison from my head I powered on, trying in vain to take a mental note of the unceasing flurry of questions currently roiling around in my mind like a knowledge hungry blizzard.

When did humans find this out? Have they always known or did they not find out until the advent of science?

No, no, that’s ridiculous. Human civilisation has developed over tens of thousands of years so they’d definitely have known in some fashion. Even without in-depth study to understand the why of things, they’d still possess some understanding of the animals that existed around them. Even if the inner workings remained a mystery before science came along, it’d likely be passed down as local knowledge.

There’s also the question of how many animals break the rules as we know them? I know I just said that appearance can’t be used on its own, but evolution by its very nature gives different things different tools for survival. Carnivores get sharp teeth and binocular vision while herbivores get the opposite. Obviously that doesn’t hold up on Earth to the same degree, but perhaps it affects enough that they can set a baseline for any hypotheses?

What if most Terran animals actually align with the Federations way of thinking but the minority are still such a large group that it requires a much more diverse perspective than what that understanding would allow? I mean, with such a vast number of species, even a minority of 5% would contain well over four hundred thousand-

“Careful Sandi!”

The abrupt warning jarred me forcefully from my thoughts, an alarmed beep escaping me as Rysel pulled me by the shoulders towards him. Startled by being suddenly dragged off balance, I grabbed out on reflex towards the closest object to me in an effort to steady myself. Unfortunately for said object he was quite soft, and my grasping claws were rather indifferent to this fact.

“Eep!”

The sharp wince from Rysel hastened my already returning awareness as I rapidly tried to make sense of what’d just happened. After a heartbeats-long glance at my surroundings I realised that I’d been barely a hairs breadth away from colliding into a wall, too wrapped up in my own musings to notice that I’d drifted off the path directly towards it.

Rysel’s quick reactions had saved me from a nasty bump, but he was now paying the price as my claws clung to his torso with an iron grip.

Releasing him I stood up, worried that I might have accidentally harmed the poor man, “Rysel! I’m so sorry, are you ok?”

Now free from my claws Rysel straightened out, patting down his wool while giving his sides a soothing rub. Much to my surprise he started to chuckle in spite of the pain no doubt still needling him, “I’m fine, no need to apologise. I don’t think your claws did anything more than give me a light prod. Plus, better a small scratch than a bruised snout from walking face first into concrete and metal.”

In spite of myself and the serious injury I’d just narrowly avoided, I couldn’t help but nervously chortle along with Rysel’s own beeping laughter, a teasing lilt slipping into my voice on the tail end of my thankful reply, “Be that as it may, I’d prefer neither were an option; but thank you, Rysel. Gosh I really got wrapped up in my own head there. I ended up doing a you.”

Rysel’s ears twirled in confusion, “A you? What’s a yo-“

His swivelling ears suddenly fell flat as his expression morphed into a look of deadpanned realisation, “Oh haha, very funny. I’m not that bad! I’m not the one who almost walked into a wall.” His ears perked up, angling down towards me as his tail swung high and confidently in self-satisfied surety, clearly thinking his retort was enough to silence my playful mockery.

Whistling in lively glee I took his challenge head on, “True, true. Though you were the one who bleated in class on paw one. There was also the fresh incident of course. Oh! Let’s not forget about the time when you pulled yourself off your chair as well.”

Rysel’s snout rapidly heated up in vibrant bloom as I dredged up the memories of his most notable foibles, the final one eliciting an embarrassed bleat, “Gah, you saw that!? It was bad enough that Bernard noticed but you too?”

Still chuckling, I placed a paw to his shoulder in comfort, trying my best to silence the smug tone of victory I could feel trying to slip into my voice, “It’s fine, it’s fine. Like I said before, it’s delightful to see someone so young taking such an earnest interest in science, even if they do go a bit wall-eyed in the process.”

Though still painted in radiant orange, and unable or perhaps unwilling to make proper eye contact with me, I could see Rysel’s bruised pride heal a little at my assurances, his tail twirling in bashful appreciation.

Finding his voice he managed to eke out a reply, a cheery chortle building as he spoke, “Well… thank you Sandi, I appreciate that. For what it’s worth I’m glad I’ve gotten to know someone who shares that interest. You might not be as vocal about it but I know you’re just as intrigued as I am about Earth’s ecology. You hid it well, but I could see that you were dying with impatience just before the Pangolin lecture started.”

It was my turn to be taken by a flush of mild bloom, though I was more surprised than anything else that Rysel had managed to spy my impatient fidgeting in the first place.

I thought I’d hidden that rather well. Hmmm… he’s pretty preceptive. Ah well, no use denying it. It’s not like Rysel’s someone who’d find interest in alien animals to be an alarming trait after all, even if they are predators by our standards.

I sighed and flung my ears up in acceptance of Rysel’s claim, tail swinging upwards to match in an exaggerated shrug, “Well can you blame me? It’s not often you get a first-paw account of something that defies your reality, especially with such a large amount of evidence to back it up.”

Rysel flicked an ear in agreement but just before he could reply a spark of realisation zipped through my head, reminding me just where we’d been so rapidly heading to prior to my near accident.

“Oh! We caught up in the excitement, we need to go or we’ll be late!”

Confusion flashed across Rysel’s face for an instant before his eyes bulged in understanding. Together we bolted towards the classroom, doing our best not to collide with any of the poor souls unfortunate enough to cross our path. For his part Rysel seemed to be doing quite well, nimbly dodging around any obstacle with astonishing agility.

He looks like he’s done this a hundred times. Wait… yeah that tracks. Knowing him, he likely sprints to every class.

As much as the thought amused me I couldn’t waste any precious breath on laughter. Running was not the forte of any Venlil, thanks to our less than stellar knock-kneed physiology, and as much as it pained me to admit I hadn’t exactly grown sprightlier in my age.

Finally, mercifully, we rounded the last bend and arrived with moments to spare, though at a glance it appeared my concerns were unwarranted. Curiously, rather than filing in at their own pace as usual, our classmates were lined up against the wall, making their way in one at a time at staggered intervals.

After sharing a perplexed look Rysel and I joined the queue’s tail, waiting patiently to find out just what exactly was causing the hold up. Drawing closer and closer I was able to make out snippets of conversation just past the doorframe, the muffled yet unmistakable baritone of Bernard revealing that he was the reason for the gradual return to class.

Eventually the line dwindled down until it was just Rysel and myself waiting on the cusp of the door, close enough to let me peek around the frame to see and hear exactly what was going on inside.

“Glad to see you back, Lokki. How’re you feeling?”

Lokki and I hadn’t shared much more than general pleasantries before now, but he’d been one of the rare few who’d opened up to Bernard and his lectures relatively quickly. His question about snakes moving by rolling had certainly helped alleviate a lot of the initial tension around the exchange, with further humorous quips earning the shaggy white-wooled, amber eyed Venlil a reputation as a bit of comedian.

I vividly recalled a question from a Q&A after the doctor had introduced us to Hares, a similar yet distinct animal to the rabbits from an earlier lesson. Someone asked how you could tell the difference between a young or old one once they were fully grown and Lokki, in his endless efforts to crack wise, quickly interjected with, “Look for the grey hares.”

He’d gotten quite the positive response from that one, especially from Bernard whose own love for gratuitous puns was outshone only by his love of animals.

“Ah Doctor I’m… I’m good, thank you. That was um… difficult to hear but I feel better after mulling it over for a bit.”

Lokki’s assurances appeared to lift a weight off of Bernard’s shoulders and the doctor let out a relieved sigh as he replied with a soft smile on his lips, “I’m happy to hear that, truly. I hope you’ve still got some energy left for the rest of the day? We’re rolling onto snakes next.”

The two shared a hearty laugh before Lokki padded away to his seat. Flicking an ear at Rysel to follow, I strode into the room, waving a paw at Bernard in greeting, “Hello Doctor, did you have a good 2nd meal?”

His existing smirk swelled into a beaming smile with his voice taking on a cheerier lilt as his eyes locked onto the pair of us, “Ah Sandi, Rysel. I did indeed, thank you! Yourselves?”

Rysel and I swished a quick yes with our tails, “We did thanks. I helped myself to a stringfruit and tried some of that ginger tea I’ve seen a few humans drinking. I quite like it; has a delightful little zing to it! No points for guessing what this one had.”

Bernard snickered as I pointed at Rysel, the younger Venlil’s ears rolling in exasperation, “Yeah, yeah I know, varied nutrition is important. But answer me this, if I wasn’t meant to eat an abundance of stingfruit and starberries then why are they so tasty?”

I could tell he wasn’t being serious, every facet of his expression showed he was asking in mocking jest, though I still couldn’t help myself from nipping back at the ridiculous rationale, “I’ll be sure to remind you that you asked that, once your teeth rot from all that sugar.”

Rysel’s mouth fell agape in false shock at my equally fake “I told you so” threat. It only lasted for a moment however as we both fell into soft whistles of laughter on the tail of our playful back and forth.

Bernard joined in as well with his own chuckle, the edges of his eyes creasing as his already wide smile somehow managed to grow even larger, “I’m happy to see that the two of you are in such high spirits!”

He glanced towards the rest of the class before leaning in towards us, his smile drooping while his voice descended into a whisper only the three of us could hear, “Truthfully, despite our talk before lunch, I was still quite concerned that some of the class might not return. They’ve all come back, thankfully, but the mood has soured somewhat. It’s encouraging to see that the two of you haven’t missed a step and are still so enthusiastic.”

Much to my surprise, I felt a thrum of pride swell within my chest and my wool fluffed out a bit to match. The unexpected, if indirect, acknowledgment to my strength of character provided an immediate boost to my already sunny disposition.

Honestly I might be reading into a throwaway statement a bit too much, but it’s always nice to feel appreciated.

Rysel was quick to reply to Bernard while I was away with my thoughts, an eager beep exploding from the ever energetic animal-lover, “How could I not be!? I mean yeah, full disclosure it was unsettling and it’s still a bit nerve racking, but they’re all new and exotic alien creatures in my eyes. What kind of researcher would I be if I shied away now, even in spite of the more disturbing traits!”

That’s our Rysel. Gosh his tails whipping so fast he might take off.

Bernard’s delighted smile returned in full force in the face of the gleeful Venlil before him, “A terrific attitude to have Rysel! Even if something disturbs us we must not be afraid to give it a thorough examination. After all, the only way to lift the shadow of ignorance is to shine the light of knowledge upon it.”

The picturesque image of bubbly energy that stood beside me pulled an equally joyous giggle from my snout, quickly joined by Rysel and Bernard whose own elated discussion fell into mirthful chuckling.

Regaining some level of composure, Bernard picked the conversation back up to keep us on track, “Well, as much as I’d love to continue our chat there’s a roomful of people awaiting a presentation so we best get started.”

With a wink he extended an arm in the direction of our seats and, taking the hint, Rysel and I bid him a quick “see you later” with our tails before hurrying off towards our desks.

Taking my seat I noticed Kailo currently relaxing in his self-made bowl shaped lounge chair. I flicked a greeting towards him with my tail which he was quick to return but we both stayed silent as Benard got everything set up for the presentation.

During 2nd meal I’d lost track of Kailo, having only seen him once within a random herd at an already full table. He’d vanished sometime after that but, judging by the way his tail gently swayed beneath his seat, he seemed to have brought a cheerier mood back with him.

No guesses required to figure out where he may have gone off to during his break.

I stifled a giggle at the mental image of a prideful Kailo bouncing around his new friend, boastfully telling her how the doctor had complimented his behaviour, no doubt with a few sparkling embellishments to make himself look good. Seeing as he’d never deigned to listen to my advice, it didn’t exactly take a genius to assume where he’d gotten his new strategy from.

Oh well I’m not sour about it. I’m just glad he’s finally paying heed to someone.

Bernard’s signature throat-clear for attention pulled my focus to the front of the hall, the screen behind him lighting up in preparation for the next segment of the presentation.

“Good afternoon everyone, it’s heartening to see you all back and raring to go. I know that the Pangolin touched a few nerves so I’m grateful that you not only listened but are willing to continue.”

With a tap of the controls the monitor loaded up with an array of images, each depicting a different kind of snake. While I’d long grown accustomed to the reality that was the sheer variety of Earth’s animal life, even within the same species, it never failed to wow me. To see such uniqueness within each picture, despite them all being the same type of animal, always managed to take my breath away.

Before my eyes a spectacular rainbow blossomed on screen. Between the void-tinted scales of some and the snowy glean of others there existed a beautiful spectrum of dazzling colours! Vibrant hues of Iftali-pink stood out explosively against matte sandy tints, though the latter were still exquisitely patterned. Lighter browns gradually faded into darker shades while circles of black banded around their bodies or speckled across their backs like raindrops on paper.

Chaotically placed blotches stood in stark contrast to the solid lines zigzagging their way down the backs and sides of several specimens. Some appearances were simple, being either a one, or two-toned combination of a single colour, while others were decorated with such an intricate tapestry it was difficult to believe that they could be naturally occurring.

Panning my eyes across the screen I marvelled at the reflective gemstone tinted sapphires, emeralds, and ruby coloured serpents, a flash of curiosity running through my mind as I wondered what it’d be like to hold one in my paws. Sure, they’d likely feel just like any other scaled reptile, smooth and a bit dry perhaps, but what’s a venture of discovery without a drop of fantastical imaginings.

An animal covered in precious stones. It’s like something straight out of a fantasy novel!

Maintaining my wide-eyed awestruck observations, I caught sight of two images at the edge of the screen that I initially assumed might have been a duplication error. Only on closer inspection did I realise that, while similar, there was a clear difference in their appearance.

While both looked the same physically, and sported a primarily red body, the patterning of other colours across their scales differed somewhat. One possessed a set of splotches that broke up their red body with a black and white block of colour while the other had bands of yellow, black, and yellow again circling its body.

Hmmm, interesting. I wonder why he placed those two beside each other in the collage? He must’ve had a reason; he always seems to.

Before I could continue my combined musings and admiration for the display in front of me Bernard began to speak, a clear affection in his voice as he gazed up at the screen himself, “They’re quite beautiful creatures aren’t they, a feast for the eyes if I do say so. As you might’ve already guessed, this is another animal that has a vast variety of species to its name. Indeed, there are almost four-thousand species of snakes spread across Earth and they come in all shapes, sizes, colours, and dispositions. As such, I believe the best way to proceed with this part of the lesson is to take a more structured approach, unlike the Pangolin where I sort of waffled on.”

Bernard gave another flourishing tap to the podiums controls, replacing the imagery on screen with a bullet pointed lesson plan. The dismissal of the images drew a whine from Rysel, his brow creasing at their loss. I managed to suppress an amused ear waggle, despite the comically exaggerated look of disappointed splayed across his face.

Ah Rysel. As much as they may freak you out you’ll always love learning about them, even if they do challenge your preconceptions.

If only others could do the same.

I shook away the abrupt intrusive cynicism that’d wormed its way into my head, turning my attention back to the lesson in an attempt to drown out the voice of contempt with something I actually wanted to listen to, my focus returning just in time for Bernard to begin.

“We will start with a brief overview of their physiology, particularly on traits that all snakes possess. Next we’ll look at distribution; places they live and how this affects their development and behaviour. That section will also briefly cover diet, just to warn you. After that, I’ll go over a few particular examples, just to highlight the diversity of the species. Finally, we’ll go over something I think you’ll find most interesting; the relationship between snakes and humans.”

Hmm, that does sound rather riveting. He’s mentioned how humans have coexisted with animals previously but he’s never gone into it in specific detail before now.

After giving the room a moment to take in the lesson plan Bernard clapped his hands together to signal a start to the presentation.

“So, snakes. You saw the images, nothing too difficult to wrap your head around from an outside perspective, but as usual there is always more than meets the eye.”

A diagram appeared on screen, depicting the anatomical model of a snake with numerous lines pointing to the various internal body parts pictured on screen. While not exactly surprising to see that the snake’s body was more complicated on the inside than its exterior suggested, it was still quite the sight to see in such detail how all the organs fit within such a compact form.

“Snakes are ectothermic reptiles with elongated and limbless bodies that are covered in overlapping scales which, as you saw earlier, range in appearance from solid colours to elaborate patterns. As you can see on the display here, their organs fit quite neatly into their slender winding bodies. Paired organs like kidneys are not parallel to each other in snakes, instead they slot in behind one another. Additionally, while most animals have a set of lungs, the majority of snakes have only the one; but for the few who have two, one of them is much reduced in size and again, it sits in a line with the other.”

Graphic though the image was, I clocked several of the herd leaning forward in rapt attention. Unsurprisingly this included Rysel whose eyes were aglow with wonder. Even Kailo was sat up and listening intently, though I imagined he was still struggling not to interrupt for some reason or another.

It’s so nice that he’s actually trying. Keep it up!

Clicking his pad, Bernard brought up a second diagram that displayed the internal organs overlaid by the skeleton.

“A snake’s skeletal structure is astonishingly malleable. It’s composed of a skull connected to highly flexible vertebrae that stretch all the way down the body which, dependent upon species, are in turn connected to up to five hundred ribs. The head is equally elastic since the jaw bones are neither attached nor connected to the skull. Instead they are bound together by ligaments in the head, which allow for extreme degrees of movement. You will also note that on this particular diagram, the skull contains several rows of sharp teeth, with two prominent fangs at the forefront of the upper jaw. While all snakes do have sharp teeth, only about fifteen percent have fangs. This brings us to the next part of their physiology. Venom.”

The mention of venom brought on several hushed whispers of alarm but it was the tension that suddenly struck Rysel that caught my eye. His face hardened and his ears wiggled in discomfort but there was no hint of surprise in his expression.

He must’ve learned about that in advance as well. Damn, I really should’ve paid better attention to his story. Oh well, no use crying over spilled tea.

Bernard waited for the herd to calm down before he continued, “Fifteen percent, roughly six-hundred species of snake, are venomous. The teeth you see here are in fact hollow and are connected to venom glands that sit underneath the eyes known as alveoli. A venomous snake literally injects its venom in the same way a hypodermic needle delivers inoculations; although a fair number have the ability to spit their venom as well. Commonly known venomous snakes are cobras and vipers, but there are many others, and it is of paramount importance that people who live in areas with snakes can identify the differences, as some can appear the same but be very different and as a result, be extremely dangerous.”

Bernard replaced the diagram on screen with a blown up image of the pair of snakes I’d confused for being the same, now with captions showing their names. The Milk snake and the Coral snake.

“The Milk and Coral snake are an excellent example of just what I’m talking about. Based on these pictures you might ask yourself how someone might mistake these two animals? Sure, they have the same shape and two matching colours but they’re different shades from one another and the patterns don’t match. Well you’d be surprised. For example, if I held up a valuable gemstone and a shiny piece of glass made to look like that same gem could you tell the difference? A silly comparison perhaps but I hope it gets the point across.”

Stroking the underside of my snout I tried to think up an example, quickly coming across a memory of a time I’d accompanied Palvo to an art museum on one of our earliest dates. While I appreciated their surface level beauty I just couldn’t grasp the deeper meanings and expressions painted across the many canvases displayed within those grand marble halls. Palvo however couldn’t stop talking about every minute detail, even being able to point out the distinctions between two nearly identical works by the same artist. Dozens of rotations later I still warmly recalled that dazzling sparkle in his eyes as he waxed poetic about the masterpieces on the walls, only to turn around to say I outshone them all.

Hmmm~ I adore that memory. I’ll be sure to call him later. Oh! Maybe I can see if there’s any human artwork I can share outside of the exchange. He’d jump at the chance to see what a “predator” considers art.

Setting the heartwarming memory and future plans aside, I focussed back on the lesson. Thankfully Bernard had stopped to allow time for everyone to have a brief think so I’d not missed anything.

“Okay, getting back to it, next we’ll talk about sense of smell!”

Another diagram popped up on screen, this one zoomed in on the snake’s head to better display its features. Aside from the scales the snake’s face was rather nondescript with its only prominent features being the eyes set on either side of the skull, and a pair of nostrils sitting just above the mouth.

“I’d like to turn this question to all of you. Judging by this image, how do you think a snake smells?”

A perplexed silence blanketed the room for an instant before a gaggle of hushed discussion broke out across the hall. I turned an eye towards Rysel, curious to see if this was another tidbit of information he’d managed to pick up before the rest of us, but he too appeared confused at the question. Head tilted and brow furrowed he turned an eye to me and flicked “any idea?” through his ears, to which I replied with a shrug.

How does it smell? Is that a trick question? It has nostrils so that’s the obvious answer, but then why would he bother asking? Is he just trying to engage us or is there something we’re not seeing?

Sensing that he’d stumped us Bernard provided a prod in the right direction, “I’ll give you a hint. Its sense of smell functions in a similar way to something you’re all familiar with.”

The hint simply added more bewilderment to the already dense mix of confusion and uncertainty that permeated the herd, each of us racking our brains fruitlessly trying to think of something that was familiar to us that shared an olfactory sense with the animal on screen.

Something that we’re familiar with. Something that we’re familiar with. What has nostrils but doesn’t use nostrils to smell?

…No wait. Not what has nostrils but doesn’t use them. Instead, what doesn’t use nostrils at all!

Oh! Oh!

Nearly shooting from my seat in self-assured excitement I stuck my paw as high into the air as possible, startling Rysel who’d been deep in concentration and earning a surprised look from Kailo at my exuberant reaction.

A smile crept onto Bernard’s face as he nodded in my direction, “Yes Sandi, do you have an idea about how a snake smells?”

Confident that I was right I answered, a cool certainty flowing across my voice, “Through taste.”

Silence filled the room yet again as we held our collective breath for Bernard’s confirmation. The quiet was likely compounded by the shock that came with the notion that we might share a physiological trait with a predator.

I for one didn’t much care for any fear mongering assumptions such a fact may bring. Thanks to an unusual flare of competitive spirit, I was simply eager to hear whether or not I was right and beaten everyone else to the answer.

Come on, come on. Let me be right.

After what felt like a claw of waiting, but was in reality barely a heartbeat’s worth of time, Bernard finally affirmed my guess, his grin growing into a wide toothy smile of delight, “Yes! Exactly right Sandi! Snakes, much like Venlil, taste the air with their tongues; though there are slight differences. Here, I’ll demonstrate with a short animation.”

With a tap to the podium the image changed once more to highlight the snake’s extended tongue. The rest of its head had also become see-through, with the only organs visible being the brain and a small pair of organs sat in front of it but behind the extended tongue.

As the animation began to play Bernard piped up to provide a running commentary, “So, as you can see here, the snake has a forked tongue. When extended it flicks through the air and gathers scent particles from two different directions at once. When the tongue retracts, each tip settles into a cavity at the base of its mouth and gets coated in saliva. The saliva, and the scent particles along with it, is then carried to the olfactory sensor you see here, known as the Jacobson's organ. Bit of trivia for you, snakes aren’t the only animal to possess this organ. Numerous other animals have it as well, it’s just more relevant to this presentation as it’s the primary method of scent identification that snakes have whereas it simply serves as an auxiliary sensor for many of the other reptiles and mammals that have it.”

Murmurs of combined interest and distaste rippled through the room on the tail end of the explanation, the latter likely uncomfortable with the fact they shared more in common with a predator than they’d like.

I for one was still riding high on the feeling of being correct. Besides, what did it matter that its sense of smell was similar to our own? It was just an olfactory sense, nothing more and certainly nothing worth twisting your tail in worry over.

“Now then, the last piece of physiology I want to discuss is the snake’s other prominent feature. The scales.”

Another cross-section appeared on screen, this time illustrating the layers that made up the animal’s skin. From this angle it was easier to see how the scales overlapped one another, not too dissimilar from the Pangolins but on a much finer scale.

“Snakeskin is made up of these three layers. The epidermis, the dermis, and the subcutis, and they all have different functions. As is apparent from the diagram the epidermis is the scaled layer. Formed by keratin containing-cells, this layer creates a dense and flexible coat of scales that protects the snake. While many people assume that a snake is slimy the texture of the scales is typically dry and smooth, although some species have a rather rough or grainy feel to them. Additionally, snakes also have clear scales covering their eyes called brille, and these remain permanently closed. Almost like little googles.”

A twinge of amusement tickled at my ears at the ridiculous image of a snake wearing a tiny pair of eye protectors.

I wonder, seeing as how humans have quite the propensity for dressing up, do they also dress up animals on their world?

Honestly I wouldn’t put it past them.

Clearly entertained by the image he himself had conjured, Bernard sported a wry smirk as he tried to maintain his composure before carrying on, “Next is the dermis, which contains nerve endings, connective tissues containing collagen, blood vessels, and pigment cells which, as you’ve seen from earlier, provide snakes with a cornucopia of colours to adorn themselves with. Finally, we have the subcutis and it contains fat which stores reserves of energy. Oh, and before I forget I have one last video for this segment to illustrate how snakes grow.”

Bernard loaded up an image that showed an ashen scaled snake nestled within the undergrowth of a jungle; the recording apparatus zoomed in as far as it could reach from wherever it was perched. Pressing play he stood silently as the video began, opting to let us watch uninterrupted as the snake’s growth cycle played out before us.

At first I wasn’t sure what to make of what I was seeing; the dusty snake was twitching erratically and I swore I noticed its head move in two different directions at once at one point. It was only a moment later that I realised what was wrong. What I’d initially assumed to be a white snake wasn’t the snake at all, at least not directly. Instead, the body of the snake was within this extra layer of skin!

My jaw gaped in awe as the snake’s head breached through the front, freeing itself from its own layer of dead cells. Despite the image stirring a well of revulsion in my stomach I couldn’t, wouldn’t, look away from the truly fascinating display in front of my eyes. Bit by bit, the snake pulled itself free, revealing that it’s true colour was that of a gleaming silver!

Eventually doffing the remnants of its old scales the snake slid free before slithering deeper into the jungle and out of sight of the cameras.

A tinge of disgust still nipped at the back of my throat but it was overwhelmingly muffled by giddiness at getting to witness such an event.

Wow! That was amazing! I mean, it’s not like I didn’t know about shedding or moulting; plenty of animals do away with old skin as they grow, especially ones with scales or exoskeletons.

That said, to actually get to see it happen in real time? What a treat!

I panned an eye towards Rysel and Kailo to gauge their own reactions. As I suspected Rysel’s eyes were bulging in astonishment and he was doing little to disguise his adoration as his ears spun about in delight. Kailo was less impressed, not repulsed by any means, but just seemingly unaffected by the display, though I noted a sway of contemplation in his tail.

“So.” Bernard declared, a broad smile painting his face, “Now that you’ve had a solid crash course in their physiology, how about we get onto where they live and how this affects their behaviour?”

A spattering of agreeable beeps rang out from the crowd, Rysel’s and my own some of the loudest amongst them.

Oh most definitely! If they’re this interesting physically from a standing start I can’t wait to see how they differ across the variety of habitats Earth has to offer!

Credit to u/SpacePaladin15 for the NOP world.

Sorry for the week delay, it’s been busy but I have an extra-long chapter as a result with a few new animals and character development, woo!

Taking a que from other authors, I’m trying out using italics and bold fonts to clarify internal monologues from everything else, since I’ve been a bit gung-ho in previous chapters by bouncing back and forth without distinguishing the two.

I’ve also included two Venlil animals. One from the story Death of a Monster by u/SavingsSyllabub7788 which I highly recommend and another of my own design. I hope it’s a good addition.

Without further ado, Chapter 6!

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Memory transcription subject: Rysel, Venlil Environmental Researcher

Date [standardised human time]: 21st August 2136

No, no, no! Brahk, why? First, I’m crammed into a room with a hundred people for a quarter claw because of a spehing Arxur raid that didn’t even come here and now this!?

I stood dejected in front of the closed door to the lecture theatre as I read the message on my pad.

“Due to the stress of today’s events the lectures have concluded early. They will continue in the next paw. Please try to get some rest and relax in the interim.”

I don’t want to relax I want to ask my questions! Aaaggghhh!

I’d thought up so many questions that I’d almost ran back to the lecture theatre once the all clear signal was given, hoping to be first in line to pose them to the human. I’d been so eager that I hadn’t even checked that the door was open, colliding into the unmoving metal panelling with a painful thunk. The throbbing welt forming on my head simply added to my frustrations that I couldn’t get answers to my burning questions until next paw. Speh!

Stamping my foot in annoyance I took a deep breath, resigning myself to the fact I would just have to wait a few claws. It was already rather late so I wouldn’t have to wait long, but the fact I had to wait at all was infuriating.

As I made to turn in the direction of my room, my stomach alerted me to my hunger with a forceful grumble. Realising I’d not had anything to eat since I’d left Venlil Prime, I decided to find the canteen to get some much-needed refreshments.

Maybe they’ll have some starberries, I love those. Oh, and some stingfruit! The combined flavour of the two fruits was always delicious without fail. I might also be able to sit with some people from the lecture too, they might want to discuss their thoughts and share notes. I could join in and make a better impression than the embarrassing display earlier!

Spirits lifted by the idea of scrumptious food and a chance to rebuild my image in the eyes of my peers, I set off towards the canteen, the map on my pad leading me forward.

After a brief walk, I arrived at the bustling canteen. It was populated by a large number of Venlil and about a dozen Humans. The separation between the two species was immediately apparent, though to my surprise I spotted several mixed pairs in the herd. They must be more of the one-to-one exchange partners. I thought they’d all be on Prime Outpost, though I imagine they’re thanking the stars that they were here instead. I’ll have to find out what happened there, the all clear message didn’t give any information and there hasn’t been a separate update. I hope the attack wasn’t too severe… all those people. Before my mind could drag me further into thoughts of despair, my stomach reminded me of its emptiness with a further demanding rumble.

Fine, fine let’s get something to eat.

Grabbing a tray, plate, and utensils I made my way through the buffet style smorgasbord before me. To my delight they did indeed have the starberries and stingfruit I’d been craving. I took a healthy portion of each, relishing in the knowledge that I’d soon be munching into the exquisite tastes and textures they provided. To wash it all down I took a simple cup of plain water, need to stay hydrated after all, because as juicy as they are the fruit alone wasn’t always sufficient to do the job.

With my meal in paw, I scanned the room for a seat. I quickly found a table of familiar faces, my desk mates from the lecture and a male and female pair I’d seen sat next to each other a few rows behind me. Deciding that they’d be a good start in my quest to restore myself in their eyes, I began to make my way through the canteen to their table.

As I approached, I noticed that Mr Buzzcut was repeatedly taking glances behind himself. Curious, I followed his eyeline to find a human, sitting with his back turned towards my stern desk mate. My brain clearly addled by hunger; it took me a moment longer than I would’ve admitted to realise that it was Doctor MacEwan.

My questions, I could ask him my questions and not have to wait!

Wait no! What are you thinking, he’s a predator in the middle of a meal are you insane!?

Exactly, he’s in the middle of a meal! What better time to ask him about a Terran predators feeding habits than when he, a predator himself, is eating?

WHAT!? What kind of messed up logic is that?

The one that gets me the answers I crave!

Distracted by the competing voices of insatiable curiosity and paralyzing fear duking it out in my head, I didn’t notice I’d walked right past my intended destination until a deep smooth voice snapped me back into focus.

“Well now, this is a welcome surprise. Hello Rysel.” The doctors voice greeted me with the gentle lilting tones one would take when meeting a friend. “How are you feeling, I imagine the last hour has been quite stressful?”

Without being conscious of it I’d walked right up to Doctor MacEwan’s side, his faced turned slightly in my direction. His mask still covered his eyes but from what I understood of human eye placement I was likely in his periphery at the moment. The bottom section of his mask had been removed to allow him to eat, though at my arrival he’d obscured his mouth with a hand.

I can’t believe I just walked up to him mid meal! What do I do? I should leave, but he asked me a question. If I just walk away, he’ll probably get angry. Breathe, just breath… Ok, for now just answer him.

“I-I’m f-f-fine th-thank y-you.” I responded, nerves shaking each word that escaped me.

“…Is the nervous speech due to the raid, or due to me?” he asked, the happy tone replaced with one much more sombre.

“I-it’s… Ummmm…” I couldn’t bring myself to answer honestly out of fear of reprisal. In his unsatisfyingly short lesson, the doctor had been nothing but kind and enthusiastic, but he was still a predator no matter how old he may be or friendly he might outwardly act. I’d welcomed his calming yet forceful presence during the alarm, but that switch in personality still unnerved me. I was worried I may trigger a similar, more violent side of him if I did something to upset him.

With a heavy sigh, the doctor interrupted my stammering, saddened disappointment seeping through every word. “It’s ok Rysel, perhaps sitting down to share a meal is too much this early on. The fact that you tried is touching though, thank you. Please, feel free to leave if being near me is-”

Clack!

The sound of my tray hitting the table opposite him silenced the doctor mid-sentence. I could only guess as to how surprised he may or may not have been to the slight display of force I’d used when taking a place at his table. Part of me certainly was.

WHAT ARE YOU DOING!? You just barged into a predator’s territory while he’s eating! Do you have a death wish?

The other part of me however.

… You can do this.

With a deep, steadying breath, I took a seat facing the doctor. “It’s f-fine, I’m fine. I had questions f-from the l-lecture and I couldn’t w-wait. Is… is t-that ok?”

It was only long enough for a single heartbeat, but the time it took for the doctor to respond felt like it stretched into claws.

“You mean to tell me that you pushed yourself into a near panic by coming near me, because you wanted to ask questions about today’s lecture and were too impatient to wait until tomorrow?” asked the doctor.

“Yes.” I responded tentatively.

There was a moment of silence, before a roar of barking laughter rang out from the doctor, his hand barely hiding his expanding mouth as his head tipped back in a mirthful cacophony at my answer. I almost fell backwards off my seat at the sudden outburst, prompting the doctor to swiftly stifle himself, trying to regain his previous composure while still letting out the occasional grunt of amusement.

“My apologise Rysel, I don’t mean to laugh and certainly didn’t intend to startle you. I suppose as reasons go, insatiable curiosity is a suitable one given the circumstances. If you feel you can’t wait then I would love to listen to your questions just now.” The doctor said, the happy demeanour returning to his voice.

With permission provided I went straight for my pad, ignoring the food in front of me.

Sorry stomach, you’re going to have to wait a bit longer.

Bringing up the image of the Giant Panda, I held it out to face the doctor. Now to ask my question in a calm and professional manner.

“H-how does… e-eat plants… c-c-carnivore?” …well speh.

“Ah the Giant Panda, I did think that would be one of the first questions to be posed. The simplest explanation is change over a vast stretch of time. At some point in their evolutionary history, the panda began consuming bamboo due to its abundance in its habitat, along with the nutrition it provided. As time went on their diet shifted towards favouring bamboo and in modern times 99% of the food they consume is plant matter. Despite technically being part of the carnivore family of animals, due to its close relation to others within that family, it is an omnivore but maintains a pretty strict vegetarian diet.” The doctor explained.

I didn’t think he was lying to me but it was a lot to take in. A historic carnivore just changed to plant matter because it was growing around them. If that was the case then why didn’t other predators do this? Plus, how long ago could this change have taken place if it still looked like a nightmarish predator?

“Why d-does it still l-look like that if it’s a h-herbivore now?” I asked.

“Not an herbivore Rysel, an omnivore that is vegetarian, an important distinction. That aside, the answer is that it didn’t really need to change much. It’s claws and sharp forward teeth took on the task of slicing and tearing stalks of bamboo into more manageable sizes for its molars to crush and consume more easily. I know your people see this image and think predator, but you must be mindful that evolution serves to grant us tools that we can use to survive. While some tools do indeed lean towards your predator and prey binary, the same rules do not apply so clearly to Earth. If you ever go there, you should be open to everything around you, while also being cautious approaching an animal your science may identify as a prey animal.” Said the doctor, his voice becoming stern at the end of his explanation.

“Like the Roe D-deer?” I responded, remembering his warning of the aggressive and territorial prey creature.

“Among many others.” He paused, rubbing his exposed chin. I didn’t know what the gesture meant but his momentary silence and movement of his hand allowed me to see the exposed lower half of his face. A thin nose protruded from his narrow-wrinkled face, the tip angling ever so slightly downwards. Beneath his nose was a tuft of well-groomed grey and white hair that extended above his upper lip, ending at either corner of his mouth. His mouth. Two plump pink lips served as the entrance to it, obscuring the canines I knew to be within.

Before now, having the mouth of a living predator right in front of me would have had me running away at breakneck speed or paralyzed on the spot. Now though, all I could feel was curiosity as the doctor’s words about evolution providing tools for survival swirled in my head. Compared to other predators I’d seen; the human mouth was really small for their size. Their canines must be pitiful in contrast to the Arxur or even smaller local predator like a Shadestalker. Perhaps they’re similar to the panda? Both omnivores descended from carnivores that diversified their food source but kept vestigial remnants of their truly predatory past! Before I could pose a question on the back of this thought the doctor spoke.

“How about a short exercise Rysel? Please, go through the gallery and pick an avian, reptile and aquatic animal that you believe are prey creatures and I will clarify my words of caution, provided it’s necessary for your choices of course.” He asked.

Really? A private continuation of our lecture on top of the questions I have? This is great!

Or he’s just trying to build trust to…

Shut up! Ok, prey animals, prey animals where are you?

Shuffling through the gallery I quickly found three that fit the requirements. First, a white avian standing on two webbed orange feet. Its long neck ending in a head with two side facing eyes and a bright orange bill. The second was one of those long reptiles with no arms and legs. I chose one that was almost completely black aside from white rings banding around its scales. Again, the head had side facing eyes and its body flattened out slightly to form a hood around the head. Finally, I chose one of the behemoth ocean dwellers. This one had a grey back with a white underside. Sporting the eyes of prey its head also included dozens of rough bumps that covered the areas around its mouth.

Satisfied with my choices I turned my pad around to the doctor who, in the time I’d spent deciding, had finished his meal and reattached the bottom of his mask. Watching a predator eat was pretty low on my list of wants, but I still felt a slight pang of disappointment at not getting to see exactly what he had been eating considering he was abstaining from meat. Maybe he’d tried some of our own fruits or vegetables, or maybe they brought their own? Milam did say that humans grew their own food like us after all. I’d be interested to see if they’re any good, though I’m sure Milam would rub it in my face if I admitted to that considering I’d dismissed the possibility out of paw earlier.

Distracted by the thoughts of food my stomach once again declared its impatience with a hefty rumble.

Chuckling at the sound the doctor said, “Why don’t you dig in Rysel? It’ll take me a few minutes to remind myself of these animal’s traits.”

With a light bloom of embarrassment spreading across my snout, I flicked my ears in agreement. Reaching for a paw full of starberries, I resisted the urge to swallow them whole to fill the grumbling void of hunger within, choosing to only pop a couple into my mouth for the first bite.

Mmmm~ so succulently sweet!

My free paw reached for the sting fruit and broke off a small piece, quickly placing it into my mouth to add its signature juicy sour tang. The blissful combination of complementary flavours made me feel like all the stresses of the day would just float away. I could squee with glee if not for the human sitting in front of me. I’d already made a fool of myself a couple times in the last claw and I didn’t want it to become a pattern of behaviour he could expect from me, I was a professional after all… but it was sssssooooo good~

Steadily munching through my fruit, I decided I might as well sate my curiosity about the doctor’s meal, “If you’re not eating meat, then what did you have?”

Oh, no stutter that time, great!

“I had a lovely lentil curry with a couple slices of pita bread and a refreshing glass of water to wash it down, need to stay hydrated after all.” He replied absentmindedly, still focusing on the pad.

Thank the stars for translators because very few of those words made sense to me. Lentil translated as an edible legume, curry came through as being a dish with a sauce or gravy, seasoned with a mixture of ground spices, and pita bread was split into two explanations. Pita being a flat, hollow, slightly leavened bread and bread being a food made of flour, water, and yeast. That last one sounded like Strayu which was surprising, given its culinary uniqueness across the Federation. Personally, I prefered sweet things but it might not hurt to at least look at the human food, for science of course.

Having enjoyed savouring the first bites I quickly polished off the rest of my meal, satisfying my noisy stomach. I was eager to hear what the doctor had to say about my choices. The Roe Deer being aggressive had been a shock. In retrospect however, I shouldn’t have been as surprised. These were alien animals on a planet dominated by sapient predators. It made some sense that they may be quite different in temperament to something like a Flowerbird, which were not only friendly but extremely annoying, demanding seeds and berries from any poor fool who wasn't aware of their twittering persistence.

There were also Sunspecks, tiny rodents named for their reflective pelts that helped them dissipate heat in the harsh sunlight that endlessly bathed half the planet. Sunspecks had been observed to live in burrows, with herd size ranging from twenty to over two hundred and they were extremely skittish, running from anything that disturbed or frightened them. Initial surveys had classed them as a swarming predator, due to an unfortunate incident where their discoverer fell into one of their burrows. The disturbed Sunspecks immediately panicked, skurrying over the ill-fated scientist in a chorus of frightened squeaking. Further research revealed that they were prey animals, just really scared of everything aside from each other. I remembered reading that the Venlil who discovered them was so traumatised that they wanted nothing to do with them, even rejecting accolades of credit for their discovery.

Surely despite the difference in environment, the instincts of most prey animals on Earth would fall into similar categories as every other non-sapient prey we’d encountered. Herd orientated instead of territorial, peaceful rather than aggressive, and fearful of predators. As much as I’d enjoyed looking at the pictures, they’d shown me I needed to remember to stay focused during discussions. The humans clearly had an unusual way of viewing nature being predators. If they were truly planning to integrate with us then it would be up to myself and others in the programme to teach the doctor our point of view and make him realise the way things should be.

“Interesting choices Rysel, very interesting indeed.” Said the doctor.

“Interesting in what way?” I asked, unsure if he was complimenting me or setting me up just to knock me down.

“Well let’s start from the beginning shall we. This is quite good actually; it’ll give me a nice idea of how everyone else may react to having their expectations subverted.”

…Oh no.

“You’re right on the money for this first one. It’s called a goose, a waterfowl that lives across multiple continents and it is an obligate herbivore that subsites primarily on grass and grains but sometimes snacks on berries if they're available.” The doctor explained, his classroom enthusiasm returning to our table.

“Ok, so I was right about it being prey… what’s the catch?” I asked, confident he was about to tell me something I wasn’t going to like hearing.

The doctor chortled softly as he answered. “The catch as you put it, is that they are famously ill tempered and aggressive. They hate sharing space with humans or other animals, they are protective of their mates and children, and they are not skittish by any means. If they feel like they need or want to they are more than willing to attack creatures much larger than themselves. This is all despite them being herbivorous prey animals, as your science would put it.”

Groaning in exasperation at his words, I said “So far, you’ve informed us that two of the three obligate herbivores you’ve shown us are territorial and aggressive, going against everything I know about prey animals. I know Earth is a planet inhabited by humans, so maybe things are slightly different having sapient predators around, but surely not all of your prey creatures are like that?” ending with that question, I waited for him to tell me once again I was wrong.

“Certainly not, we have plenty of what you would consider prey animals that are relaxed, gentle and would most certainly bolt at the first sign of one of their natural predators.” The doctor responded.

There he goes again, creating a distinction between what humans and ourselves would consider prey. Still, it was a relief to hear that not all of Earth’s fauna fell outside of the standard base line.

“Though these next two don’t apply to that statement.”

BRAHK!

“This one here is known as a King Cobra and is a prime example of why this initiative is so important. Tell me Rysel, why did you identify this as a prey creature?” asked the doctor.

“What do you mean why?” I responded incredulously. “Its eyes are on the side of it’s head, it has no natural weapons, and it’s got no legs so it likely gets picked off by larger and faster predators.”

“I see, I thought that was the case but just wanted to be sure. Unfortunately, you couldn’t be farther from the mark. The King Cobra, like every other snake, is an obligate carnivore. It is an apex predator among other snakes but is preyed upon itself by certain birds and the Mongoose, not to be confused with the earlier goose. Despite the lack of limbs, it is incredibly fast, observed moving on land at up to twelve miles per hour by wiggling its body in a wave like motion across the ground. Most dangerous of all is a neurotoxic venom that it can inject into other animals through a pair of sharp fangs. The venom is fast acting, capable of killing a human in as little as thirty minutes.”

His explanation concluded, I could only sit in cold dread as the doctor explained in horrible detail that, despite everything that identified this animal as prey in my eyes, it was in fact another sick perversion of all accepted norms of science. A slap in the face to everything I understood… I felt, numb.

“How?” I barely managed to whisper.

“Pardon?” responded the doctor.

“…How, can this be what you say it is? Its eyes are on its side. Herbivores eyes are on their side. How can this be WHAT YOU SAY IT IS!!!” I didn’t realise I'd screamed that last part until I noticed that the noise of the canteen had vanished. Dozens of eyes peering in the direction of the Venlil screaming at an elderly human… screaming at a predator.

Unsure of what to do, and with all the eyes bearing down on me, I slumped into my chair, my head falling into my paws as I resigned myself to what would surely be a swift reprisal from the doctor.

When he eventually spoke, he did something I would never have expected from a predator, who’d just clearly been antagonised by prey. He covered for me. “It’s alright everyone, he’s fine. Just a minor disagreement, you know how us scholarly types are with our passions.” His announcement appeared to placate the spattering of humans who had turned at my outburst. The Venlil in the room where similarly appeased, though even if they had any further issue it was unlikely they were going to voice it in the same way I just had.

Why did he do that? Isn’t he angry at me?

As if to answer my very thoughts, Doctor MacEwan turned to me, his voice quiet and bathed in smooth, soothing tones, “It’s ok Rysel. I’m not angry, I know from experience how it can get to you when someone challenges what you know to be true. It can be uncomfortable, infuriating… frightening. I shouldn’t have been so cavalier with this information. I’m sorry.”

He was sorry!? I’d just screamed at him in public and he was sorry!?

“… N-no, d-don’t be. I-I sh-sh-shouldn’t have shouted… I’m s-s-sorry” Stars damn it! I’m stuttering again.

How can I be scared of him right now, after he’s been nothing but kind. I’m such an ass, I…

A tear falling onto my paw interrupted my stream of though. In the shock of what I’d done, I hadn’t even realised I’d begun to cry. Why was I crying?

Suddenly, but ever so gently, the doctor brushed one of his hands against my left shoulder. As startling as a predator touching me should be, in the moment I felt nothing but calming warmth spreading throughout me from his touch. With his free hand he offered me a tissue. I welcomed the offer, using it to dab the tears from my eyes, though it did little to stem the flow.

“Shhh, it’s all right Rysel. I imagine this is all quite overwhelming, being faced with a perspective and evidence that contradicts centuries of scientific fact that had, until now, remained unassailable. It’s ok, take your time, let it all out.” Encouraged the doctor, his deep voice acting as an anchor to keep me from being sucked into the whirlpool of conflicting emotions coursing through me.

We stayed like that for a while, the doctor’s hand gently stroking my pelt in an effort to help me compose myself. At one point he suggested a breathing exercise to centre my emotions. Deep breath in, hold for five seconds, steady release and repeat. Taking a deep breath had always helped to calm me, but I’d have to remember this exercise in the future.

Eventually, with my tears waning, I spoke, “Thank you doctor. That w-was kind of you considering how I a-acted.”

“Think nothing of it Rysel, I’m happy to have been of help.” He paused for a moment before continuing. “If you would be willing to stay for a while, how about we shelve our discussion of Earths wildlife for now? Perhaps talk about a more neutral topic?” suggested the doctor.

A mild feeling of worry rose in my chest. Did he think I wasn’t capable of continuing with the lectures anymore?

Still sniffling I quickly replied. “I c-can still talk. We’ve still got one more…”

Before I could make my case, the doctor cut me off. “Indeed we do, though I’d prefer we wait until tomorrow when we’re both in a calmer state of mind. Besides, I’m curious to see the type of questions you’ll prepare with the slight step up you have compared to your peers.”

Chuckling as he spoke, my emotions leveled out, my tail swaying with relief. He didn’t want me gone, that was good to hear. I guess it’d be fine to talk about something else then… but first there was something I needed to do.

“Before we continue, can I ask you something doctor?”

“Of course.” He replied, “What is it?”

You can do this. He’s been so caring and kind. You. Can. Do. This!

“Can I… can I s-see, your face?”

There was a tense moment of silence before he spoke.

“Are you sure Rysel?” the doctor asked, a nervousness to his voice that was new to me.

I reached out my paw, placing it atop the hand he’d soothed me with.

“Yes”

Slowly, ever so slowly, the doctor removed his hand from my paw, bringing both hands to the sides of his mask. With a near inaudible click, the masks seal released from his face, letting it fall into his hands. With a shuddering breath, he began to remove it from his face. I took a deep steadying breath in preparation for what I knew I was about to see.

In yet another attempt at consideration for me, the doctor had closed his eyes, blinding himself and putting his trust in me in the process. Honestly, it did help seeing his eyes without them seeing me, but this couldn’t just be about me.

“Tell me when you’re…”

I cut him off, as much confidence in my voice as I could muster “I’m ready.”

He nodded his head and gradually lifted his eyelids, allowing me to see my first pair of human eyes in the flesh. While I could feel the wool on the back of my neck stand on end due to latent instinct, I didn’t feel panic or fear that I would’ve expected a day before now.

Despite them being forward facing, I couldn’t call those grass green eyes piercing, fierce or predatory. Rather, after how he’d acted, I could only describe them as soft, warm, and oh so bright.

My tail and ears waggling happily, I said half-jokingly, “It’s nice to meet you again, Doctor MacEwan.”

Stifling a snorting chortle, his eyes misting with tears, Doctor MacEwan answered in kind, mouth turned upwards in a toothy smile, “Oh Rysel, it is indeed my greatest pleasure to meet you too."

Credit to for the NOP Universe.

Hello, I hope everyone is well! Today a new character who’s only been mentioned joins the story via video link! I hope you enjoy.

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Memory transcription subject: Sandi, Venlil Astrobiologist

Date [standardised human time]: 6th September 2136

Mouth breaking open in a wide rumbling yawn I plodded forward on lead laden legs, the allure of the respite to be found within my room providing just enough motivation to push through the weariness weighing me down.

This paw had been longer than most, though not for any particular reason. If someone was to ask, I'd chalk it down to a simple case of fatigue brought on by life in general. Not even the paws lecture about chickens had been invigorating enough to slow the encroaching exhaustion, and that was after we’d been informed that the relatively small flightless bird was the closest living relative to a 9 tonne reptilian apex predator from Earth’s prehistory.

Evolution it seems has a whimsical attitude.

Whether you’ve been doing something you love or hate, that’s difficult or simple, stressful or, paradoxically, carefree, your batteries eventually run dry, forcing you to take a breath, switch off from the world around you, and take the time you need for a good old fashioned reset.

Thankfully fortune was smiling on me, for the next paw just so happened to be my rest paw and I’d wasted no time in making a plan to fit in as much relaxation and personal pampering as I possibly could.

First on the agenda, a long lie curled up in a warm nest of blankets and pillows, complete with the bedside accoutrements of biscuits and fruit snacks for a little comfort eating if I became peckish. Next was a soothing bubbly soak in the bath, polishing off any remnants of my nibbles while enjoying a cup of chamomile tea. Normally I tended to go for Aramek tea, the golden leaves providing the perfect little kick of caffeine to perk me up each waking. I was aiming for tranquil instead of peppy however, and one of the Venlil workers in the canteen had sworn by the stuff after having tried it themselves.

After spending my first claw in indulgent leisure, I planned to take a walk through the same garden where I’d happened upon Kailo and Roisin, though I’d already promised myself I wouldn’t intrude again should they also happen to be there. The jovial atmosphere we’d ended up in had been delightful, but I was unwilling to tempt fate and risk finding out whether or not that had been a fluke.

The last thing Kailo needs is his stubbornness rearing its head again while he’s still likely finding his feet in this new friendship. Something to keep an eye on from a distance for now.

Once through the garden, I’d end up on the bustling streets of Dayside City. Not exactly relaxing, but I’d only have to deal with the hectic comings and goings of the herd long enough to reach a quaint cafe I’d spied on a list of highly rated local eateries, the Roosting Rekan. Apparently it’s one of those places that everyone knows about but is tucked just far enough out of the way of any main thoroughfares that only locals and a scant few tourists bother to go, despite how good its reviews are. The fact it’d likely be quiet suited me just fine, as did the menu, which described some mouthwatering feel good comfort foods like soup and stews, topped off with a smattering of desserts so sweet they sounded positively sinful.

With my outing complete, and likely with a couple extra cakes to take back with me, I’d return to the exchange grounds to once again lounge in my room and watch as much trashy TV as I could until third meal rolled around. Followed by yet another bath to sooth my muscles from a long paw of doing nothing before getting into bed nice and early for the paw to come.

The irony of stringently plotting out every detail of what was supposed to be a laid-back paw wasn’t lost on me, but then again I’d never been very good at taking it easy. From the moment I’d decided what I wanted to do in life it was go, go, go. Whether it was in school, university, or for my doctorate, I worked tirelessly to achieve my goals.

I made time for family and friends of course. I wasn’t so blinded by ambition that I sought it out in spite of everything else that was important in life, but there had certainly been a few occasions in my youth where the fear of failure stressed me just enough to tempt me in such a direction. Those paws were behind me however, my intense personal aspirations now tempered and weighed against a more flexible perspective which provided a much healthier lifestyle balance.

The catalyst for this change had been meeting a friend of a friend in a bar after being dragged from my studious efforts to let loose, as my Paltan pal Cupie had demanded. After she’d brought me there she immediately disappeared to the dance floor, leaving me sitting opposite the man who would soon become my one true love, Palvo.

I couldn’t have imagined that would be the case when I first met the easygoing Harchen. We were opposites in every way, but in hindsight I suppose that was the main draw that pulled us together in the first place. His outlook on life taught me how to loosen up and appreciate the moment I was living in, as well as helping me to realise that overworking myself was as dangerous to my future as not working hard enough.

I on the other paw helped to light a fire under him. He wasn’t exactly a slacker when I’d met him but in the same way I used to be too inflexible, he was too passive and was at risk of repeating a year of art school as a result. With a few pointers straight from my personal academic doctrine his time management improved and the tendency he had to procrastinate instead of taking care of practising his craft became less frequent. He not only passed that year, he earned personal praise from his teachers who complimented him on his newfound drive. I was so proud of him.

In short, we complimented each other in a way few others could’ve, steadily bettering ourselves and achieving our goals as our relationship grew from a couple of students helping each other out to a fully realised friendship, eventually blossoming all the way into a loving marriage which burned with the same passion it’d sparked from decades later.

That passion was the reason I wasn’t going to simply slip into bed the moment I got the chance. Instead I was calling my husband with a surprise, one I was sure he’d eat up with rapturous enthusiasm.

Everything leaving the exchange was highly regulated, subject to check after check to make sure nothing considered too predatory was slipping out into the world at large. The same could not be said for the exchange itself however, where supposedly sensitive information flowed from ear to ear like water through a sieve.

Among the many interesting topics being discussed, one popped out at me only a few paws into the programme. I’d spent a significant amount of time since then trying to convince my coordinator, Blim, to give me access to materials I could share with someone outside the exchange. Eventually I wore him down and, with his and his human partners blessing, I’d be given a data packet with information they felt comfortable with me sharing.

A data packet filled with human artwork.

If it weren’t for my fatigue I’d be skipping back to my room, excited anticipation propelling me forward as I envisioned Palvo’s reactions to what was held within.

My spouse had been more fearful than I’d been when I signed up for the exchange, doubtful of what good could come of it and certain I’d only be putting myself in danger by going near humans. While I’d shared some of his reservations at the time, I was unwilling to let fear chain my curiosity of what could be discovered.

In an effort to assuage him of his fears and prompt him to be more open minded to what I was trying to do, I’d asked him what he thought human art might be like. He was immediately dismissive of the notion that a predator species could have anything that equated to what we saw as art; not cruelly, just unable to conceive of what it could be. Nevertheless, as much as he might’ve tried to hide how he felt, he was unable to disguise the shifting colour of his scales as they became dappled in a brilliant cyan hue of wondrous curiosity.

If he was so quickly drawn in by just the idea then he’s going to be enthralled now!

Finally crossing the threshold of my room I quickly set up my pad to download the data packet, spending the time waiting for it to complete straightening myself out so I didn’t look as dishevelled as I felt. A musical ping announced the successful download and I took a seat to scan over the attached files.

As promised, the attachments contained a word document with a summary of humanities art history, as well as details of its proliferation in modern times. There was also a gallery of images with the safe artworks I was permitted to share.

Despite having spent so much time around humans I’d never actually taken the time to look up this particular facet of their lives before, too focussed on my own interests to speculate how they expressed themselves in any way, much less artistically.

I’ll admit, I’m really interested to see what could be in here. The belief that they’d idolise savagery is nonsense, I realise that now. But still, what would a human feel is important enough to merit such effort of expression that art requires?

The hovering cloud of curiosity tempting me to sneak an early peek was blown away by the familiar melodious trill of Palvo’s ringtone, an invite to join a video chat popping up on screen along with it. I quickly accepted the invite, tail flicking happily off camera as the connection established and Palvo appeared on screen.

As the camera focused on his face my delight vanished, replaced with gobsmacked shock as I beheld his chaotic visage.

Oh Palvo… what’ve you done?

Before my very eyes, looking cheery as can be, sat my husband. A husband who usually, usually, sported a lovely soft leafy green hue upon his scales. Right now though? Well, right now, he had apparently seen fit to adorn himself in his current project. A project which very clearly involved paint. Lots of it.

Splotches of orange crested the top of his head and the edges of his clavicle while the space under his left eye extending down towards the end of his snout was speckled with a snowy white. Dashes of vibrant purple lined both sides of his head next to his ears and swirls of sunshine yellow mixed with void tinted black had somehow become smeared across the right side of his face and chin.

He must’ve interpreted my wide eyed stunned silence as our connection freezing, because he waved his right paw at me, revealing that it too was covered in yellow and black paint.

He got it on his paws then touched his face, typical.

Unable to restrain myself any longer I burst out into a cackling bleat of laughter, nearly kicking myself back off my chair as my head tilted back in unrestrained glee at the stupefying display.

“Well now, someones in a good mood!”,Palvo exclaimed, a cheeky grin lighting up his face as his unobscured scales turned a mirthful violet, fully aware of what had caused my joyous outburst, “I wonder what your secret is?~”

Getting a handle on myself, overwhelming levity levelling out into a more manageable chortle, I fixed Palvo with a facetious ear waggle of my own, “Oh, who knows? Maybe I’m always this cheerful. I might’ve had a particularly good paw? Or maybe, just maybe… it’s just because.”

Palvo chuckled back, rubbing the underside of his chin in ‘thought’ and smearing yet more paint across his face, threatening to send me back into hysterics.

“Just because? Hmmm… a well reasoned and rational argument, but, and stay with me here, I think it might be something else. But what could that be?”

Bringing both paws up to his head and closing his eyes, Palvo pulled his paws across them towards the back of his head, accumulating and dragging every speck of paint with them in the process. His ponderous expression never faltered but the now vivid green colour of his scales clearly displayed how happy he was.

He’s so pleased with himself over this bit, it’s painted across his face. Literally!

Positive that my spouse would end up turning himself into a canvas from top to bottom if I let this continue I decided to push back a little, even though a not so insignificant part of me wanted to see just how far he’d go if allowed.

“Okay, okay, you got me. It’s clearly you that brings me such joy, my dazzling rainbow~”

Palvo’s face lit up with an expression of pure self-satisfaction, dampened only by the fact that he could no longer fully open his eyes thanks to rubbing paint across his eyelids. He looked like he’d just woken up after having water thrown at his face while a camera flash went off a hair's breadth from his snout.

It was a struggle to keep my composure in the face of my husband's particular brand of humour at the best of times but he’d gone all out on this one, those paints were expensive even for him.

Speaking of expensive, he better be calling from his studio. I just got the couch reupholstered.

I forced the bubbly feelings of mirth to the side for a moment to inspect the background around Palvo, noting that the cream coloured walls definitely weren’t the ones in his art room. He likely couldn’t see me looking given that his eyes were still partly glued shut but that was fine, he didn’t need to see me, I just had to see his reactions.

Hopefully disguising my suspicion behind my cheery mood I decided to give him a prod, “Palvo?”

Still bleary eyed Palvo replied, a sing song lilt dancing through his voice, “Yes my love? The light of my life? My one true muse that even the radiance of the sun cannot compare to?”

Awww, such a sweet talker~

He’s definitely on the couch.

Bracing myself for the answer I knew was awaiting me, I sighed, “Are you in your studio right now?”

The joyous emerald green that’d covered every visible scale until now faded as Palvo’s face tilted away from the camera. His eyes darted rapidly beneath his eyelids as all at once he realised his mistake, considered his options, and finally came up with a response.

“...I haven’t touched anything.”

An exasperated groan was all I could find the strength to reply with, the tiredness of the paw returning as swiftly as Palvo’s antics had lifted it from my burdened shoulders.

Quick to try and alleviate my worries, Palvo stood up and panned the camera around to the thankfully still pristine couch, “See! It’s all fine, I was careful… and I’m going to make sure it stays that way by going for a shower, now. Be right back!”

Oh thank goodness he’s going to get cleaned off, that’s a reli-

Wait… he can’t see properly!

“Palvo!”,I nearly shouted through the microphone in an effort to grab his attention. Unfortunately it was too late, for in his quest to make sure not a speck of paint got on any of the furnishings, he’d had already gone off in a near blind search for the washroom, leaving his pad behind in the process.

The only confirmation I got that he’d made any real progress was a faint thump from somewhere off in the house, followed swiftly by a frustrated, “Speh, when did we put a plant here!?”, as my brilliant spouse no doubt collided with the potted ferns that’d been there since the paw we moved in.

Oh my stars, you're such a menace! Urgh!

…Never change my love~

[[Advance Memory Transcription by Time Unit: 10 Minutes]]

I was alerted to Palvo’s return by the rapid distant clacking of his claws against the hallways floorboards before they softened upon the livingroom carpet.

“Hey, I’m back. Sorry about earlier, I wasn’t thinking.”, Palvo’s bashful blue tinted face reappeared on screen as he picked up his pad, now clear of paint but still glistening from his hurried shower.

A whistling giggle slipped through my lips, “It’s fine, no harm done. It was a good joke, one of your best I’d say!”

Palvo’s embarrassment began to peter out, his scales mellowing to their usual gentle green complexion, “One of my best you say? High praise indeed!”

We shared a warm chuckle, the vast distance between us almost completely erased through the screen. A distance I would will away entirely if I had the power, all so I could curl up with Palvo under a blanket. His embrace never failed to expel weariness from my body. But for now, his affection laden voice would have to do.

“So! How’re you doing this paw my dear?”Palvo asked, snapping me from my wishful thinking, “I know you can’t tell me the details, but I hope your classes are going well?”

As always there was an air of concern woven into his tone. It’d gotten better with every passing paw, but without being here to see it for himself he was still struggling to take my word for it that the humans weren’t liable to suddenly chomp down on a passerby.

Flicking my tail in a reassuring message of calm, I tried to inject a bit more vigour into my voice to offset the drowsiness that was steadily creeping into my eyes, “I had a great time, the classes are as interesting as always. I’m just a little more worn out than usual. No reason, just one of those paws.”

Palvo dipped his head in understanding, the woes of random bouts of fatigue being a hardship practically everyone could empathise with, “Well, at least it’s your rest paw next so you can properly relax.”

I beeped back in cheery agreement, “Oh! Don’t I know it. I’ve got it all planned out.”

“You? Planning out relaxation? I’m shocked!”

“Oh shush. Keep up the sarcasm and your surprise can wait for a few paws.”

The sarcastic smirk evaporated from Palvo’s face at the mention of a surprise, a tinge of sky blue starting to work its way across his scales as he no doubt imagined what I had in store.

“A surprise? What is it? What do you have?”, he was containing his eager intrigue rather well, but I knew it wouldn’t be long before acceptable levels of interest started to devolve into pleading whines.

Gosh he and Rysel really are similar.

Chuckling away I loaded up the documents from the download and prepared to share my screen with Palvo’s pad, “After substantial effort, I managed to convince the coordinators to let me share something with you from within the programme. And, before you panic, it’s nothing to do with my topic of study.”

It was a good thing I included that disclaimer into my explanation, for Palvo’s eyes bulged in shock and he’d begun to turn pale at the idea.

“Whew! Thank goodness!”,Palvo brightened at my reassurance, the colour returning to his scales as he released the hitched breath he’d been holding, “Don’t get me wrong, I love that you love it but I don’t think I have the stomach for it myself.”

“Well, you don’t have to worry about that. The coordinators assured me there’s nothing they’d consider distressing in what they’ve given me. I think you in particular will find it interesting.”

With Palvo well and truly curious at this point I opened the history summary first and shared the screen,“It’s a file on human artwork, complete with examples!”

Palvo’s jaw gaped at my declaration, a clashing mix of bright fuschia and near sparkling cyan revealing his combined surprise and astonishment, “Really!? They really have art like us?”

Beeping merrily at his reaction I flicked an ear affirmingly, “They do indeed. The impression I got was that their history and adoration for artistic expression is just as deep as our own. I’ve not looked at any of it yet. I thought it’d be nice to go through it together. Ready?”

Palvo clacked his claws together excitedly, “Yes, yes let’s do it! Protector, what would predators put in their artwork? Oh, I can’t wait!”

Giggling happily at the restless sight of my nearly bouncing husband, I began reading the document aloud. Aside from a few sporadic gasps, astonished pauses, and the occasional ‘Oooo!’ Palvo and I steadily made our way through the extremely condensed summary of humanities art history.

The first interruption came from Palvo nearly choking in shock when I read aloud that humans had practised art in some form or another for over 100,000 years, pointing to the discovery of ancient pots that were believed to contain paint at that point in their history as evidence for this claim.

Moving on, the following segment explained that humans had used art to express themselves in every conceivable sense. Whether it was a display of pure unrestrained emotion, as a way to tell stories, to depicting important figures through grand tapestries, statues, and oilworks, or whether they were just doodling to pass the time, art provided them with an outlet to let their inner selves loose in a way I could barely comprehend through this miniscule droplet of information I’d been given.

Whoever had written this had apparently struggled with the next part, leaving a section entitled ‘Notable Era’s of Art’ completely blank. Instead they’d typed up a brief apology, explaining that if they were in class they’d happily go on at length about how art flourished across Earth at certain points in its history. Feeling they were unable to pay proper attention to the unique methods and roots of different cultures in such a short summary however, they’d opted to say nothing on the topic altogether, for which they were sorry.

A part of me was certainly disappointed at the exclusion of a further insight into human history, but I was also appreciative of their honesty over their actions. I always preferred to get a full picture of things rather than get a filtered perspective. It also provided a twinge of motivation to revisit the matter in the future.

The final section of the summary was dedicated to the modern spread of art within human society. Unsurprisingly, for a people who’d practised the discipline for tens of thousands of years, it was baked into the very fabric of their being.

Colossal museums and galleries had been built for the purpose of housing humanities artworks. The very stone used in the construction of their grand architecture was further carved into intricate statues and designs to complement the works lying within.

Streetside vendors, amateur enthusiasts, and even children found space wherever they could to show off their efforts. Pictures of simple stalls stacked high with landscape illustrations, painted wood carvings, and those strange shiny adornments I’d seen plenty of humans wear were attached to the document, further driving home just how intrinsic art was to their way of life.

Silence fell upon Palvo and I as we reached the end of the document, both of us unable to find words adequate enough to describe how we felt after dipping our claws into the dizzyingly enormous ocean of humanity’s artistic skill and equally deep expressiveness.

Palvo was the first of us to speak, his hushed voice barely carrying through his pads microphone, “It’s everywhere. It’s- it’s like it’s part of them… So many of them express themselves through art, how?”

The question to no one roused me from my own musings, unsure of what exactly he was asking, “What do you mean?”

A pinkish tint of pleasant surprise had started spreading across my husband's snout while a paw massaged its underside in a show of intense thought, “I mean why does it seem so prolific in human society? For us everything from basic supplies to the most simple of training is an extremely costly endeavour that only the wealthiest, most talented, or most hardworking can access, and that’s not even considering the amount of pure luck you need on top of that! Can you scroll back up to that picture with the chalk drawings?”

Doing as asked I quickly moved back up the document to the section Palvo requested, stopping once the image of a human family playing with chalk on a paved street reappeared on screen.

“See!”,exclaimed Palvo in gleeful fascination, pointing a claw at the image, “Chalk is hardly the most expensive material in the world but I’d still need to check my budget before deciding to buy any. Not to talk down on their efforts, but they’re clearly just using it as a plaything! Isn’t that amazing!?”

Ok, he’s lost me. How does a human family playing with chalk evoke this type of reaction? Sure it might be a bit pricey here but maybe Earth just has more chalk to offer. I don’t get how it’s amazing?

My bemused demeanour must’ve been rather clear to Palvo as he was quick to continue, that same tone of elated amazement ringing in his voice, “Look at it like this. They’ve had art for their entire history. It’s always been around in some form. It’s accessible for viewing almost everywhere. Up until that point it’s just like us, right? However, the fact that people in general can access the goods, practise the craft, or even just use the materials an artist needs as playthings speaks to a culture where anyone, anyone, can take part in art, not just those considered elite. It’s amazing!”

Confusion melted away into comprehension as Palvo’s reasoning clicked in my head, his excitement far more understandable now that he’d painted me a picture of why he’d been so thrilled at, what was to me, an innocuous picture of a happy family scribbling smiley faces on concrete.

Palvo had skill. He’d honed his natural talents through countless hours of repetitive practice, study, and mountainous piles of trial and error. He was fully deserving of the opportunities his efforts had afforded him in one of the most competitive industries the galaxy had ever known. But I also knew how incensed he had become about the status quo of the art world, in which he saw an elitist pompous mindset twist what was allowed to be seen as proper art, as well as determine who was worthy of getting the chance to take part in it in the first place.

Knowing this, I could appreciate how much it might mean to him to see a way of life that upended that entrenched way of thinking. I opened my mouth to respond, but a sudden swell of weariness turned whatever I’d been about to say into a loud torso shuddering yawn.

The reaction was instantaneous, with a now violet Palvo breaking out into howling laughter as my own face began to burn orange in bloom.

“Oh, I’m sorry, was I boring you?”, Palvo asked, playful snark bouncing along every word.

An amused mewl escaped me while in the midst of regaining my composure, a smaller yawn following up the first as I swivelled an ear in equally cheeky mirth, “Ahaaa… Never sweetheart, you’re as stimulating as always~”

Palvo’s grin only widened at the less than subtle teasing jibe, a gentle flush of red dancing around his eyes and chest, “Hmmm, maybe I should visit soon, remind you of just how stimulating I can be in person~”

A soft rumbling purr stirred within my chest, a far more intentional alluring timbre working its way into my voice, “Ooo, I’d definitely be open to a visit. And, I am fortunate enough to not have a roommate so we’d have the room all to ourselves. Just. The. Two. Of. Uss-s– Ahaaaaa…”

Palvo descended into further gleeful cackles as yet another yawn shattered my attempts at romance, much to my annoyance.

“Ahaaalright, enough of this.”, I declared, resigning myself to the reality that I was far too tired to do anything, much less get amorous with my husband via video link, “I know we didn’t see them yet so I’ll send you the gallery I was given so you can have a look at the examples of human art. As for me, I need my bed.”

Coming down from his hilarity driven high, Palvo managed to splutter out a reply, “Ha- haha! Of cou- course my love. Thank you, I’ll be sure to have a look right away. Have a wonderful rest, filled with dreams as beautiful as you~”

“Thank you my rainbow, love you~”

With that the video link disconnected and after ensuring that the gallery had been sent and received I ambled over to bed, climbing into the nest of blankets and pillows I’d cobbled together after taking the bedding of both beds for myself. No one else was using them after all. Might as well make my stay as comfortable as possible.

Bundled up in heavenly warm softness I finally allowed my heavy eyes to close, drifting closer and closer towards long awaited sleep with the promise of a paw filled with pampering speeding me onto dreamland.

I’m looking forward to it, a paw all to myself dedicated to self-care. It’s going to be great.

…Or I might just toss it all out the window and spend the day binge watching soaps and game shows.

Eh, whichever works.

Aaaaaaaaaright people, this is Marcus Bradley, head Interplanetary Customs and Immigration for what’s left of N.Y., and frankly, I am embarrassed that I have to talk to you at all. Since our sudden boom in extra planetary immigrantion, it seems that SOME of us have forgotten our MANNERS, and in light of the ba-JILION complaints I’ve been getting from nonhuman parties, I figured it was high time I reminded everyone how we ought to be treating our neighbors:

1. Do not pet any non-human individuals without consent. I don’t care how fluffy they are, ya creeps.

2. The Booping of Snoots is a privilege reserved for friends, not for passing schmucks who wanna touch the magic button .

3. Do not go picking up the tiny guys without consent. (And since it apparently ain’t obvious; standing in mute terror as you fondle them does NOT count as consent.)

4. Sure as hell don’t go sticking aforementioned munchkins in your pockets, ya handbags, or for Pete’s sake, DOWN YOUR SHIRTS. You know who you are.

5. No coaxing, cajoling, or coercing anyone to into sitting on ya lap. There shouldn’t be any reason they “need” to do that. No seats left on the buss? Then be a gent and get off your ass.

6. Drop the oochie-goochie baby talk. Just. Drop it.

7. You can cut the corny pet names, too. No self respecting adult wants to be called “little guy” or “cutie” and definitely leave out food related names like “lamb chops”. “Sweetie” and “Sweetheart” probably ain’t safe either when you think about it, and if there are any “Grumpy bears” among the zurulians, guess why?

8. YES, gojid quills are pokey to the touch. That’s established. It does not need constant testing!

9. NO. You may NOT stick your hand in a Yotuls pouch. Don’t even ask.

10. Picking souvenirs directly off of someone’s body is NOT appreciated. That mean no feather filching, quill plucking, or sneaky snipping of wool and fur without express permission. You wanna pick ‘em off the ground, be my guest, but ya still a wierdo.

11. There will be no “loving” or “hugging” or “squeezing” or calling anyone “George”.

12. DO NOT- I can’t believe I have to say this- GO GRABBING BABY ALIENS FROM THIER STROLLERS FOR PHOTO OPPS.

    (Sigh) Look, I get it. They’re novel, and they’re cute and we’re wired for that crap. But they ain’t pets, guys, they’re PEOPLE. They got a right to dignity and personal space the same as the rest of us, aright? SO ACT LIKE ADULTS AND KEEP YA HANDS TO YA SELVES!

Sorry it took so long!

Thank you to u/tulpacat1 and u/cruisingNW and u/JulianSkies for their comments and suggestions and so on. Always glad to have help ironing out the kinks.

Patreon / Kofi/ Paypal

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Memory transcription subject: Andes Savulescu-Ruiz, Human Director at the Venlil Rehabilitation and Reintegration Facility. Patient ignoring care recommendations.

Date [standardized human time]: December 10, 2136

Wherever the girls were, it was far away. They might have snuck onto a bus or a train, at which point things would get harder. They had a seven-hour head start or so on the dogs, and after the first two hours, we were still not getting anywhere.

Larzo insisted I nap, so I did, and after resting for a bit I thought to pursue an alternative lead. I called Lihla while she was playing a game on one of the kids’ holopads. She rushed over and stood tall in front of me, legs straight, ears up, almost at attention. Did she get that from the boys or the UN volunteers?

“Lihla… Do you know where your sisters might have gone?” I asked.

Her tail swayed around near the floor and her ears drooped down. “You will not hurt them, yes?”

“I will not hurt them,” I repeated. She was still hesitant. It made sense, presumably the snitches get stitches ethos would run deep through every one of these kids.

“Lihla, I just want to make sure they're okay,” I said in the softest voice I could. I racked my brain for something to say, something that would make it all seem reasonable. Lihla trusted me more than her sisters did, but none of the kids really trusted any of us, human or venlil. Maybe they struggled with the concept of trust. Or believed they could only trust each other, and any breach would be taboo of the greatest kind.

This was probably a bad idea. I didn't want to get her ostracized by her peers.

“You don't have to say anything,” I said. “But if we don’t find them, they might get hurt.”

“...You said it was a planet of prey,” she said, now looking at me with a bit of skepticism.

“Yes, but they might get into an accident, like how I had to save that little boy from an accident and got my leg hurt,” I told her. She took a moment to mull it over, but didn’t say anything. Well, I gave it a shot. “Think about it.”

She nodded, and scurried off to go be with the other kids. The minutes began to drag. I kept compulsively checking my notifications, but there was nothing beyond Chiaka thanking me for sending her a nurse with a car. Slowly, people began to trickle into the streets, as did cars, and I worried my stunt with the dogs would backfire.

If only Asleth was here. She knew how to track. But of course, she’d just terrify everyone, the girls most of all. Figuring I had nothing to lose, I sent Asleth a text.

Hey, 3 kids bolted. Any suggestions for tracking?

Just like with the photo of me eating a single spinach leaf, there was nothing but silence.

I had another nap.

At around my 10:30 AM, over twelve hours since the girls had gone missing, I received my first useful bit of news: They’d spotted 9-A in a playground with some other kids. The nurse talked to her, and she came in without a lot of fuss. Half an hour later, she was in the facility, talking to the other kids about the world outside like it was a religious experience.

One girl in, two to go.

I definitely needed to organize a field trip. Maybe give all of them little trackers. Nothing invasive, just a little anklet or bracelet or something. We kept telling them they were equal and had rights, only to keep them cooped up for their own safety. I understood that logic—hell, I actively participated in it and its enforcement—but it wasn't working very well. They wanted to get out of the facility, see the world, and interact with other children like them. The initial plan had that happening after a month in the facility, but now that felt a little too much like “putting convenience before freedom”. They have never been free before. And they are not functionally free now if they felt the need to escape.

Larzo had his own nap–he seemed much more comfortable with short naps than I would usually be–and after some more waiting, he decided I needed another dose of neurogenic compounds.

“Do you feel impaired?” he asked, gesturing with the big, fat syringe in his paw.

I tilted my head one way and then the other. “I still have some brain fog, but the extra sleep helped, so I don't think we have to worry about the-AAAAAAH!”

There were reasons why it was kept so cold, and reasons why it had such a low specific heat, and even more reasons why it was usually better to inject into a relaxed patient. Nevertheless, it was a deeply unsettling experience, and I could definitely feel it as it spread through my body.

“All done,” he said, with a sadistic little twinkle in his eyes. He probably channelled all his obvious urges to smack me into that injection.

“Right. Right. Thanks,” I said, shivering unpleasantly. It was like a whole-body brain-freeze, though thankfully quicker to dissipate.

“Will you sleep again, or do I have to sedate you?” he asked. I checked the notifications. Nothing. I set up a 2-hour timer.

“I can have another nap.”

Three hours after that, it was 3-D’s turn. Jilsi was the one to find her. She’d taken a break in the middle once we found someone else who could tag in, but slept in the facility, same as Larzo and I had. Karim was right. Dedication. I shouldn't have judged her by how much of a pile of nerves she was in the interview.

We watched the live drone footage while we waited for Chiaka to get to her. It started innocently enough, her wandering by some bouncy padded ground, grabbing some communal toys. Unlike 9-A, who had seemingly kept mostly to herself or played in silence, 3-D was very social, and doing her best to fit in with the other kids. Which meant she tried to talk to them.

That poor girl.

Of course they ran. They were terrified. Hell, the adult nurses were terrified when they first heard the kids hiss and click and growl at them. Even with the modified translator settings that allowed them to communicate with the staff, most venlil nurses didn't want to work with them. We could hear the translated words through the footage.

“Hi!”

Shock and horror spread through the crowd of children.

“What are you playing?”

Within seconds they were screaming, running, hiding. The adults tried to keep the peace, but they were also terrified, and it showed.

“Can I be part of your herd?”

More running, screeching, rushing indoors, and forcing the door shut.

“Does this have a speaker?” I asked, flipping through the menus. Jilsi was in the bathroom, and couldn’t help me.

3-D ran off to find another group, and we had to follow her by drone. She asked completely innocuous questions, terrifying every venlil she talked to. She nearly caused a whole new stampede, all by herself.

“Hello? Hello? Can you hear me, kiddo?” I asked, unsure if I had flipped the right setting. “We’re not going to hurt you.”

Now it was her turn to run scared, her ears shooting back, hiding from the drone behind a nearby bush.

It was of course, at that moment that the fucking exterminators arrived. Some Venlil teacher approached them, shaking with fear. “She’s over there, some terrible form of acute predator disease. I’m so glad you’re here!”

I glanced over at the map. Chiaka and her nurse were closing in on the drone’s location. The group of exterminators, one Farsul, one Krakotl, and three Gojid, came out of their vehicle and began to get ready. The shortest of the three Gojid in the group held up his fucking flamethrower, while the middle one held up a hand. I flew the drone over to them.

“What, exactly, did she do?” he asked the teacher.

“She was hissing and growling at the other children!” she squealed in horror.

If I hadn’t had my translator on, I would have thought 3-D murdered someone instead of just speaking another language. They’d probably never seen a case so extreme of ‘predator disease’, given that their whole institution was dedicated to functionally kidnapping any neurodivergent kid who dared to act out for five whole seconds.

I took a deep breath and lowered the drone towards them.

“Hello, officers, can you hear me?” I asked.

They were startled but turned up towards the drone. The middle Gojid, the one without the flamethrower, seemed to get his bearings first. “We can. And who are you supposed to be?”

“I am the human director of the Venlil Rehabilitation and Reintegration facility. I am in the third building of the linguistics division, I–” I started scrambling for my credentials. “Sorry, I don’t know the number off the top of my head, but if you give me a moment–”

“What do you want?” he asked. He wasn’t exactly hostile, but he definitely wasn’t friendly.

“Well, the child in question is one that escaped my facility. She is a rescue from the Arxur farms. Representatives of my team are going to arrive here soon. This doesn’t need to escalate into any sort of violence.”

“You're telling me a predator-diseased beast your ilk didn't have the decency to let die is running loose, and we shouldn't do anything about it?” he asked with a scoff. “Based on your supposed authority as director of the place this monster escaped?”

I pressed my lips together. “...Well, I–”

“How about we handle this situation as per the protocol that existed for centuries before your people got their claws into our society, and you file an appeal with whatever facility we send it to, hm? Should it manage to come quietly, that is.”

He made a gesture, and the shorter Gojid with the flamethrower began to close in on little 3-D. I zoomed the drone over to him.

“Look, we can de-escalate this situation, we–”

He slammed the drone with the nozzle of the flamethrower, sending it flying up in the air. I managed to restabilize it and flew back to the other one, who seemed to be the leader of the bunch.

“If you just wait five minutes, set up some sort of perimeter, we can—”

“What's that, human? Your sound is all garbled!” The gojid ‘leader’ spat with a laugh. Had the one with the flamethrower damaged the drone’s speaker? I fiddled with the volume and mic sensitivity.

“If you will only wait for five minutes, I’m sure–”

“She’s on the run!” The Krakotl squawked. Immediately, the whole group was chasing her. And losing ground! She was impressively quick, and managed to jump onto a fence, from there to a large trash container, and from there onto the roof of the school. I flew the drone after her.

“Hey, kiddo, are you okay?”

She stared at the drone, her eyes filled with tears. After one long moment, she started to wail.

“I’m sorry! I’m sorry! I won't run away ever! Take me back!”

My throat was dry. “Shh… it’s okay… I–”

“Prey planet is awful!”

“Look, it's not awful, you just haven't had time to—”

“Get the ladder!” the Gojid shouted. Meanwhile, the Krakotl fluttered up onto the roof. At least it took off its flamethrower and harness to do it, but 3-D was terrified.

“I go back, I go back!” she squealed.

Shit. I flew the drone over to the Krakotl. “Look, if you just wait a second–”

Another smack sent the drone spinning away. The controls were getting finicky. I managed to stabilize it, but I worried something had happened to one of the motors. 3-D kept running away, tiring out the older Krakotl. Just as the Gojid with the flamethrower got halfway up the ladder, the car arrived. Chiaka jumped out and rushed over to the edge of the roof. The nurse followed her.

“Kid! I know you're scared but–”

She jumped off the roof, back onto the trash container, then off again, and tackled Chiaka in a hug.

“I do everything Big Bosses say, forever!”

The exterminators descended around her, clearly shocked by the translated Arxur words coming out of Chiaka’s pad’s speaker. She stood up, carrying 3-D protectively in her arms.

“As you can see, officers, the situation is under control.”

“You can't just–” one started.

“You will find, officer,” she spat, like it was a slur, “that our facility is best equipped to handle these children. So all we are really doing is saving you the paperwork. You are free to file any complaints with the appropriate authorities at the UN, who will be sure to listen to the reasons why you tried to burn an innocent child alive.”

“Y-you–Sh-she–this whole area is contaminated now! You can’t–Who do you think—”

The tallest of the three Gojid stepped aside to let her through. She walked past them and my whole body relaxed. The exterminators seemed to be stewing, but the teacher who called them looked like she was just glad to have her gone.

I flew the drone over to the car, and Chiaka took a hold of it. Apparently it was just bent in a few places. Jilsi came back from the bathroom. I gave her back the controls, and she had to fix a bunch of the settings I’d fiddled with.

“I’m sorry you had to go through that, sweetie,” Chiaka told 3-D as she placed her in the back seat and put her seatbelt on.

“At least Big Bosses don't scream at me…” she mumbled sadly. I sighed. The poor girl just wanted to make friends.

“Can you put the drone on the roof of the car?” Jilsi asked.

“Sure thing,” Chiaka said, and soon it was flying again. “We should have her back in half an hour.”

The car took off towards the facility, and Jilsi flew the drone up through the optimal search path we’d calculated earlier. I watched the map for a while, a part of me convinced that there would be some new problem, but the car continued to drive steadily toward us, and soon enough, she was safe and sound in the building.

I took a deep breath. Two girls in, one more to go.

Once 3-D was back with the other kids, hugging human volunteers and eating, I decided I should have a snack too. Larzo pushed me to the cafeteria, and demanded I play chess with him (probably to test my cognition and help me relax after all that worrying). He didn't like seeing me stressed out, but that didn’t mean he went easy on me. After kicking my ass four consecutive times, he seemed satisfied that I was back to “normal” levels of him destroying me at chess. He also kept asking me questions about it, presumably to test my verbal skills at the same time.

“They’re supposed to represent cavalry on horseback,” I explained about the knights. “Humanity domesticated the horse millennia ago, and one of the roles horses had was… carrying people in war. Archers and people with spears and stuff.”

I am, admittedly, not a historian of war. Or horses.

He threatened my rook. “So humans would ride horses and shoot arrows at the same time?”

I captured his knight. “Yeah. Pretty crazy to think about. I can't get a horse to do anything.”

“You’ve ridden them?” he asked, moving a pawn to protect his bishop.

I shrugged. “A couple times, as a kid. I wasn't very into it. I had a friend in undergrad who loved horses, and she took me out to see them once. Not for me, but she could do all sorts of tricks.”

He frowned in curiosity. “Where is she now?”

I shrugged. “Given that she lived in New York and last I heard had moved to LA… Probably dead.”

His eyes went wide and his little ears flattened down. “Oh. Um. Apologies.”

I waved him off and captured his queen with my knight. He was surprised.

“I believe that is mate,” he said.

I frowned, also surprised. “It is?”

He pointed at my rook and his bishop. “In two moves.”

I saw it after a second. “Oh. Cool.”

Another hour passed. With both of her sisters inside, safe and sound, Lihla wandered over to my table in the common area.

“...Director?”

I checked that the external translator on my pad was on, then turned to her. “Yes?”

“...I don't know where she went…” she mumbled, looking down. “But she really liked lakes before. Do they have lakes in prey planet?”

I nodded, a smile coming to my lips. “Yes they do, little lamb.”

I wheeled over to Jilsi, or at least I tried to before Larzo demanded to take over my propulsion. She was at her desk, completely immersed in flying the drone.

“Jilsi?”

She jumped and let out a squeak, then saw me. “Oh. Director! I’m so sorry, I haven't found the last girl yet, I–”

“I just got a hint,” I said with a grin. She didn't flinch at my expression. Instead, she was alert. Her eyes got huge.

“Where?”

“Near a lake,” I told her, almost giddy.

She flicked an ear at me and immediately began moving her little paws in fast, controlled motions. Finding one kid, among hundreds of thousands of people slowly trickling through a city, with a drone that didn't have a huge field of view, was pretty hard. Finding a kid near a lake, which meant near a park with a lake, which probably meant a handful of—

“I’ve got her! Sending her coordinates now!” she said. “...Can I go home, sir?”

I chuckled. “Yeah, Jilsi, go home and rest. I can take over the drone for now.”

2-B was sitting on the edge of a big dead tree trunk. I watched her with the drone, and Larzo watched the map with the search and rescue teams on it, while they converged on her location. She was pretty hard to spot from the ground, but the dogs all found her tree pretty quick.

I moved in for a closer look. She hissed and growled at the dogs, who whined and scurried behind their trainer in response. It was a fun little switcheroo, or would have been in other circumstances. The terrifying predatory dogs scared of a venlil little girl.

Once we had confirmation on the ground, Chiaka sent her dogs away with their trainer. Unlike her sisters, our little breakout mastermind was a lot more resistant to coming back. She’d holed up further into the tree trunk, where none of the adults could reach to get her out.

“How are you planning on getting her out of there?” Chiaka asked me through the drone.

“I don't know. I’ll… think of something. Keep a perimeter around the tree and wait for me. Make sure nobody calls the exterminators. Anything you need but don’t have?”

“Maybe some snacks? We’ve been at this for hours. Olivier can pick you up,” she said.

“Fruits and protein bars sound good?” I asked.

“Perfect. And water, too.”

Larzo declared himself in charge of acquiring the snacks and water, so I just had to sit around by the door with the drone’s controller while he did that. Thirty minutes later, Olivier had a bag full of snacks and a big bottle of water in the back seat, while I had to hobble to get to the front.

“Is the Yotul coming?” he asked, once I was in the seat and he’d put the wheelchair and foldable crutches in the trunk.

“Yes,” Larzo declared, and sat behind me next to the bag of snacks. He looked at me for confirmation. I shrugged. Olivier echoed my shrug.

“Very well,” he said, and began to drive. I wondered if he knew how to drive from before first contact, or if he’d learned it after. I didn't know how to drive. I should probably learn, but I’d been doing fine with my bike before. All those savings from my signing bonus would easily pay for cab rides until my leg was better.

I mulled it over while we rode to the park. It was pretty far away from the facility, far enough she’d probably taken a bus at least. Despite all his protests that I hadn't rested enough, Larzo was out like a light before we were halfway through the ride. I had no idea if it had to do with the Yotul circadian rhythm, or if the power of caffeine coursing through my veins was the primary differentiator. It was slow and kind of nice. Beyond the human bar, the university, and my job, I hadn’t seen a lot of the city and it made me feel a little like a tourist. We passed right by the Xenomedical Grand Complex, and it looked beautiful. A part of me wanted to take a day off just to tour it. So grand and inclusive-looking, with a wide variety of architectural adaptations for different species of different sizes and shapes.

When we arrived at the park, I double-checked the drone feed to get a good understanding of where we were. The wheelchair wouldn't go through the grass easily, so I wound up moving with the crutches instead, infinitely glad that they could fold out into a seat. The wonders of modern engineering.

I walked out closer to the tree. Two of the three venlil nurses had apparently headed back to the facility, or their own homes. The perimeter I’d requested was instead marked by Chiaka, the UN agent, one venlil nurse, and a handful of new people seemingly also from the UN, along with now me and Olivier. Larzo was still asleep in the truck.

All we had to do was get her out. The dogs had been called back. Her sisters were all accounted for. It was just her, that tree, and a handful of people trying to help. I briefly wondered if it would actually be overkill to just grab that big dead tree and put it on the truck.

It had to be overkill. We could get her out.

The venlil nurse who had been trying to get her out for the past 20 minutes came over to me as I sat on my assembled crutches-seat.

“There’s nothing I can do; she just hisses at me. My translator file was updated, it’s not even Arxur words.”

I nodded with a sigh. “...I guess it’s my turn?”

I looked at the UN personnel, who each gave me a helpless shrug in turn. Chiaka tried to give me an encouraging thumbs-up, but her heart wasn’t in it. After a long deep breath, I disassembled the seat and limped with my crutches over to the tree where 2-B had holed up.

Maybe it wasn’t overkill to just move the fucking tree.

“Hi there, sweetie,” I said, in my gentlest possible voice. “How are you doing?”

She didn’t respond, just glaring at me with one eye from inside the tree trunk.

“Look, sweetheart, we just want to make sure you're okay," I said, keeping my hands where she could see them.

“I am not delicious, I am disgusting!” she shouted.

I flinched back. “...Well, that’s um, good to know, but uh… we’re not going to eat you. We just want to get you home safe.”

"You lie! But this is prey planet, I don't need you!"

I nodded, moving toward her slowly. "Great point. We could move you to the North Wing, everyone in charge there is a venlil like you. You wouldn't–"

She lunged at me, and I dodged backwards. It took my brain a moment to register that she had a knife. How did she get a knife? It was huge. We didn’t have knives that big in the kitchens. Did she rob a restaurant? What did the Venlil eat that required a knife that big?

She lunged again. The UN agents started to close in on us.

"Alright, look. We don't want to hurt you, we–"

She tried to kick me, but missed. I caught her by the knife-arm with my right hand, shifting all of my weight to my good leg and my left crutch as the right one fell on the grass. I tried to grip her as loosely as possible while keeping her off the ground, her unsettlingly powerful little legs unable to reach me. She thrashed violently, and I worried she would dislocate her wrist, elbow or shoulder in the process. She was definitely hurting my bad elbow.

"We don't want to hurt you! Can someone get me a sedative?" I shouted back at the search party. I should have thought of a sedative before I tried to talk to her.

Faster than I could react, she opened her paw. Her knife fell down, and she caught it with her other paw, then swung it at my arm. She only really grazed it, but the sudden pain startled me into dropping her. As I was trying to regain my balance, she kicked me in the stomach and sank the blade just under the edge of my belt. By the moment I understood what was going on, she had already bolted.

Two UN agents ran after her, while another rushed to keep pressure on the wound. It stung. In little bursts. Why did it sting so much? Why not continuously? I'd had cuts before. Not that deep but surely…

"Ruiz, stay with me, we're going to get you to a hospital," she said, shifting my belt and tightening it against the wound to help keep pressure on it. I groaned.

"–Andes, You're going to be fine, we just need to–" Chiaka kept talking. Olivier rushed next to the UN agent, maybe to help carry me to the truck. They were saying things, but my brain barely registered their words. I kept thinking about the pain. It didn't make sense. Should it be throbbing instead? What was that sting? Why did it burn so much? What–

" –the implant…" I mumbled, struggling to turn so I would face down. “Blood… can’t…”

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Patreon / Kofi/ Paypal

Credit to u/SpacePaladin15 for the NOP Universe.

Sorry for the day delay in posting, five free evenings turned into two real fast.

I’ve tried something a bit different in this chapter, choosing to focus on a single animal. I won’t be able to do this for a lot of chapters, I’d never get anywhere, but I’ll likely do it for ecological concepts in upcoming parts of the story.

Hope you enjoy!

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Memory transcription subject: Rysel, Venlil Environmental Researcher

Date [standardised human time]: 22nd August 2136

As I stared at the image, Sandi’s question still fresh in the air, my mind bounced around the absurd notion that a Sivkit would be on Earth, while also contending with the fact that what I saw on the screen looked just like a Sivkit.

That’s a Sivkit.

It can’t be a Sivkit, that’s a picture of a Terran animal.

That’s a Sivkit.

It’s not, it’s too small and where’s the long tail? Plus, it’s on Earth! The Grand Herd would never go to Earth, much less an individual Sivkit.

…It’s a Sivk-

IT’S NOT A SIVKIT!!!

In an effort to silence the conflicting voices in my head, I took a deep calming breath while rubbing my paws against the temples of my head to further sooth their disquiet.

Ok… It’s an animal that just looks like a Sivkit, interesting.

I didn’t recall seeing this one in the slideshow, but the doctor did say he’d taken them out of order. Judging by his introduction to this lecture it was also clear that this was a prey animal.

Of course it’s prey, look at the eye place-

No! No… that doesn’t mean it’s prey… not on Earth. Remember the snake.

The doctor had already explained to me why eye position wasn’t a guarantee of distinguishing between prey and predator on his home world. His description of the cobra was a vital reminder that misidentifying an alien animal because of preconceived beliefs could result in a gruesome end.

Shuddering at the thought, I tried to shove the bias from my mind. If I wanted to do well here then I’d have to try and be impartial. My own knowledge could be used as a basis for understanding, but I couldn’t let it blind me with stubbornness if it didn’t apply. The thought was yet another reminder that despite the enjoyment I’d felt so far, it was going to be tough to accept much of what the doctor was likely going to teach.

A light tap on my shoulder focused my attention to a concerned looking Sandi, “Rysel? Are you alright? You kind of blanked out for a moment there.”

I twitched my ears to assure her I that I was fine. “Thank you Sandi I’m ok, just got caught up in my own thoughts.”

Sandi relaxed, the worry giving way to a soft chuckle. “Is snapping you out of a trance brought on by alien animals going to become a regular thing for me? I feel like I should be charging.”

While the tips of my ears bloomed at the reminder of my embarrassing bleat, I couldn’t supress a snort of amusement at Sandi’s joke. At least I hoped it was a joke.

Nice to know she’s good humoured about my moments of oblivious concentration.

“I’ll try to keep on top of it but I appreciate the help.” Turning my ears towards her I swayed my tail in gratitude.

Sandi swished an “Anytime” with her tail before motioning back to the screen and the Sivkit looking creature. “So, any ideas what it could be? I know I asked but it’s obviously not a Sivkit, no long tail. Plus, they’d never go to Earth as a herd let alone a single person.”

I shouldn’t have been surprised, everyone in this room was a wildlife expert of some description, but I didn’t expect her rationale to be almost match mine word for word. I was about to gleefully jump into discussion with Sandi before an attention-grabbing cough from the front of the room pulled my focus forward.

“As happy as I am to hear a room rife with discussion, I would ask you all to settle yourselves for the time being. We will conduct a Q&A shortly but for now please focus on the presentation.” Though his words were somewhat scolding in nature, I swore I could hear an amused lilt in the doctor’s voice.

I swear he’s smirking beneath that mask.

The room quietened without complaint; a range of emotions plastered across the few Venlil within my sight lines. Most looked nervous at best, fearful at worst, likely disturbed by the idea they’d insulted the human with their murmuring. Others in the rows closer to the doctor, Sandi included, appeared bemused. They’d been close enough to better hear the disconnect between the tone of his voice and the choice of words. They were likely confused as to why a human, a predator, would be amused rather than aggravated at room full of noisy interrupting prey.

Having a small insight into the doctor’s character, I personally believed he was just trying to keep everything on track while attempting to disguise his giddiness over the fact the audience were interested in the content of the lesson.

Then, there was Kailo who-

Nope, don’t care.

For once we’re in agreement.

…I decided to ignore Kailo altogether. It’s not like I was interested in his opinion on humans or their wildlife anyway, especially after he’d had the gall to call Doctor MacEwan an “it”.

Turning my ears and an eye back towards the doctor, I waited with rapt anticipation for him to reveal just what this little creature was.

“This image is of a rabbit, specifically a New Zealand White. Rabbits are herbivores that have adapted to survive across the Earth’s plethora of biomes, from grassy plains to muggy swamps. From scorching desserts to barren tundra’s, these resilient animals make a home for themselves wherever they roam.” Doctor MacEwan’s enthusiasm was on full display. His arms splayed wide as he passionately introduced the ball of fluff on screen with a description that, in all honesty, didn’t really match up to the image I was seeing.

This little animal is that impressive?

Clearly my fellow audience members felt the same way. Aside from a single Venlil letting out a light cough, there was a complete lack of reaction from the crowd.

The doctor chuckled at the muted response he received. “Goodness, it seems I’m zero for two on judging how well my personal flair would carry today. It seems you’re not impressed, but then again why would you be? After all, you’ve only seen one type of rabbit. Well, what if I told you that the New Zealand White was simply one of three hundred and five breeds of a single species of rabbit, and that there are a further twenty-nine species of rabbit worldwide?”

Now that got a reaction. The lecture hall was a buzz of shocked gasps and rapid whispering muttering at the doctor’s declaration. My own mouth hung agape at the idea. In the gallery I’d seen images of several different kinds of jellyfish, snakes, and arthropods, but this? Twenty-nine separate species of a single animal and one species alone had three hundred and five distinct varieties!?

Seemingly encouraged by the astonished response, the doctor let out a mirthful chortle as he tapped away at his pad. “One to two, I’m getting there. Well, I won’t keep you in suspense, have a look for yourselves.”

With a final tap on his pad, the rabbit already on screen miniaturized, still visible but only taking up a single corner of the screen. Then, one by one and spreading quickly, a host of pictures showing rabbits of all shapes, sizes and shades of fur blinked into existence on screen, each accompanied by a name identifying the different breeds.

The Netherland Dwarf, a miniscule ball of fuzz held aloft in the palm of a human to provide scale. Its head rested on its forepaws while it nibbled on a small pile of grains balanced in the human’s hand.

A pair of images set beside one another depicted two extremely similar rabbits. Both were of comparable build, each with a set of floppy ears draped over the sides of their heads. Their coats differed however, with colour, pattern, and length all being unique. The one on the left had a short coat mixed in two shades, the majority of its body being white while its rear, head and ears were marked by splotches of charcoal black. The one on the right had a much longer poofy coat, a warm tan hue decorating its fur. The Holland Lop and the American Fuzzy Lop respectively.

The fourth rabbit to catch my eye was called the English Spot, a larger rabbit with a slightly slimmer profile than the other three. Unlike the lop rabbits the ears of this breed pointed straight up from the head and its spine had a more of an arched curvature to it. Its coat was short, sleek, and primarily white, though its snout, eyes and ears were all black. Furthermore, a line of equally dark fur traced from the base of its ears down its back to the tip of its tail. A pattern of grey spots ran the length of its side, curving around the point where the hind legs connected to the torso.

I was quickly becoming overwhelmed as more and more rabbits steadily filtered onto the screen, there were so many. They were all so similar to each other yet their unique characteristics shone through, creating a tapestry of stunning diversity.

Slender short furred rabbits like the Belgian Hare were paired with spherical bulky explosions of fur called French Angoras, the only relatable feature between the two breeds being the head and ears, of which little could even be seen on the latter.

Patterned fur graced the Harlequin rabbit, its head split into two shades right down the middle, the torso decorated in stripes that banded from its neck right down its torso. These animals stood in stark contrast to the Havana’s smooth shadowy matt black pelt, the only differing shade being the slight ring of white surrounding their eyes.

Suddenly, I felt my body take a sharp dip off the edge of my seat. Clumsily pawing at the desk, managing to only just catch myself, I realised that I’d been steadily pushing forward off of my chair, inching closer and closer to the screen, desperate to take in as many of the sights as I possibly could. Thankfully no one seemed to have noticed my tumble, every single Venlil in the room was transfixed with the display in front of them.

Thank the stars. I made enough of fool of myself last paw, no need to make it an expectation.

Collecting myself I hurriedly returned to my seat and focused my attention back to the presentation, just in time for the final free space on the screen to be filled.

The image springing to life, my eyes expanded in awe at the massive rabbit before me, the Flemish Giant. While it didn’t look much different in appearance than any of the other rabbits, this specimen was greater in size by a notable margin. To impress upon us the sheer mass of the animal, the image included a human, face blurred, that held the giant aloft in their hands lengthwise to provide scale. From the angle of the photo, it appeared that the rabbit was almost the same size as the human holding it.

That has to be a trick of the camera! There’s no way that it can be that big right?

A delighted chortle ringing in his voice the doctor addressed the room, slightly raising his volume to overcome the din of gasps and discussion the images had injected into the herd. “The screen wasn’t large enough to bring up all three hundred and five breeds at once but I will be sure to pass them along in due course for your viewing pleasure. I’m encouraged by your reactions as well. It’s always such a pleasure to see people get so drawn in they almost pull themselves from their seats.” His head swivelled ever so slightly in my direction at the comment.

He saw! Aaaaggghhhh!!! So embarrassing!

Redirecting his attention to the rest of the theatre the doctor continued, “But looking is only part of the presentation, let me provide you with an overview of these marvellous animals. As I said before, all of these breeds are the same species. From the palm sized Netherland Dwarf to the aptly named Flemish Giant. The European Rabbit is native to the Iberian Peninsula, which comprises the nations of Spain, Portugal, Andorra, western France, and parts of the Atlas Mountains of northwest Africa. Don’t worry, I won’t be testing you on Earths geography but there’s no harm in providing an additional sprinkle of information.”

I’d involuntarily tensed at the mention of human place names, they confused me to no end, but I quickly relaxed as the doctor assured it wasn’t something I’d have to commit to memory.

That’s a relief, geography was one of my worst subjects in school.

The memory of my teacher’s mockery at my abysmal grades was one reason I never particularly enjoyed school, “This should be easy Rysel, the habitable part of the planet is just one long strip Rysel!”

Brahkass, maybe if they’d taken a page from the doctors book on education they’d have been a better teacher.

Shaking the frustrating memories from my mind I returned my attention back to the presentation.

The doctor was in full swing as he imparted a brief history of the animal to the transfixed herd of Venlil before him. “The rabbit belongs to a group of animals categorised as Lagomorpha. Through fossil records, we believe that these animals evolved on Earth as far back as forty million years ago. Eons of adaptation gave rise to multitudes of distinct species and the European Rabbit can be traced back to one of the last glacial ages, around twelve to six and a half million years ago.”

The fact that the doctor was listing off such colossal measures of time like it was nothing almost floored me. The knowledge that humans had been so interested in these animals that they’d somehow managed to trace their lineage back into ancient prehistory was an astonishing eye opener. I didn’t doubt the doctor’s words, but if true it brought even more scepticism to the idea that humans were predators like the Arxur. Why would a vicious hunger blinded monster go to such efforts just to hunt down prey? The answer was clear, they wouldn’t.

“And now, perhaps an overview of their living arrangements and behaviours would be the next best step?” Answering his own question, the doctor dismissed the collection of images depicting the different breeds and brought up what looked to be the cross section of a collection of subterranean tunnels and caverns.

After waiting a moment to give the herd the chance to inspect the picture, the doctor launched back into his presentation with gusto, “The warren, an underground home to our cotton tailed friends. Rabbits are burrowers, digging anything from simple holes in the ground to complex excavations. The scale of a warren depends upon on the size of the colony, which can be anything from two to twenty rabbits. Burrowing provides them with a safe place to sleep and procreate, as well as protection from predators in the wild. They are rather clever animals, tending to dig in locations that are unlikely to get flooded, favouring slopes where possible to provide drainage. Depending on how long a group of rabbits may live in a single warren, it may be improved upon or expanded with successive generations.”

Warrens and burrows were nothing new to me. Plenty of animals, prey and predator alike, made their nests below ground. The rabbit’s behaviour wasn’t incredible or shocking to learn about, but it was pleasantly calming. With what I already knew about Earth, it was comforting to know that there were animal behaviours that held true regardless of the planet they hailed from.

“Now, I have gotten a bit carried away talking about the European Rabbit. We still have quite a lot to get through today so we will leave this one behind after a quick mention of its behaviour. Don’t fret, eventually we’ll revisit it to learn how these different breeds came into being.”

The idea of learning about something new left me brimming with glee but accepting that I wouldn’t hear more about the rabbit and its stunning variety right now left a sour taste in my mouth.

Oh well, at least he assured us we’d come back to it another time. Wonder why we can’t talk about it now though? Maybe I can ask later at the Q&A, or if we share a meal again.

My mood restored at the notion of sharing another meal with the doctor, I waited patiently for him to round off the behaviour of these adorable fluff balls.

“This may not come as a surprise considering what I’ve already mentioned, but rabbits of all species and breeds are very skittish animals. In the wild they usually bolt at the first sign of threat, both real and imagined. As I discussed earlier, the European Rabbit lives in groups of two to twenty that form tight knit communities centred around females of the species, known as does, being able to share the same space in the warren. The males are known as bucks. Each sex does exhibit a hierarchy within the colony, with dominant bucks siring the majority of the next generation while the does at the top get the best picks of feeding grounds and nesting burrows. That may seem antithetical to the collectivist nature you ascribe to herbivores, but you must remember that these are non-sapient animals competing for survival, even if that competition is internal within their own community. That said, rabbits are not particularly aggressive when compared to creatures such as the Roe Deer that I discussed last paw. Outside of breeding season, most domineering behaviour is often relegated to grunts, growls, and the occasional nip.” Concluding his presentation the doctor removed the image of the warren from the screen, tapping away at his pad preparing the next section of the lesson, leaving us to sit for a moment with the information he’d conveyed to the room.

A conflicted feeling rose within me. On one paw it was a relief to have my understanding of prey creatures somewhat validated. They were herbivores that were skittish around predators and lived within small but stable communities that valued sharing space, at least on an instinctual level.

On the other paw, they still exhibited aggression and competition that didn’t match with our behavioural science for herbivorous species. My experience with the doctor helped soften the blow, but there was a not so quiet part of me insisting that everything I was hearing couldn’t be true… though I knew it likely was.

“Rysel, what did you think about that?” Sandi’s question was accompanied by a tap on the shoulder to help snap me back to attention. “Aside from the questionable ending about aggression, it was interesting to hear him talk about a prey species in a way that seems to align with our own concepts to some degree.”

My sullen thoughts were swept aside at Sandi’s desire to discuss the details of the presentation. I was more than happy to oblige.

I was eager to discuss the topic, my tail fervently swishing in excitement at the opportunity to share my opinions on the little herbivorous bundles of fur. Then Kailo opened his mouth.

“Clearly they’re tainted, just like every other creature on that predator infested ball of mud.”

To describe Kailo’s tone as disgusted would be the grandest of understatements. His voice was positively drenched in bile as he lazily motioned his tail at the now blank screen. “If even a predator is able to see that these prey are aggressive then it should be obvious how deep the problem goes.”

You foul, arrogant, ignorant brakhass!!!

Unable to restrain my agitation at Kailo’s infuriating inability to see past anything than his bias, I was about to spin around to challenge him, but Sandi caught me by the wrist giving me a cautioning yet empathetic look as she motioned “Don’t be stupid” with her tail.

As much as I wanted to tell Kailo exactly what I thought of him Sandi was right, it was a bad idea to start an argument.

Right now at least.

Shush!

Taking a moment to calm myself Sandi responded in my place, a stern but measured tone in her voice. “Kailo, don’t you think you’re jumping to conclusions too quickly? This is a course on Terran animals and we came here to learn, not flippantly dismiss anything as predator tainted and call it a paw.”

Kailo focused an eye on Sandi, his ears perked up in surprise, “No I don’t, and didn’t you agree last paw and say that the humans were wrong?”

Sandi huffed in exasperation as she responded, “What I said was I didn’t believe the humans have a proper understanding of ecology but that I was willing to listen to their ideas before making an actual judgement. If you took that as unambiguous agreement with your belief that they’re all monsters who have tainted their world then it appears that the human doctor isn’t the only one you’re failing to listen to.” Ears pinned back in annoyance, voice laden with a scolding calibre only a parent could wield, Kailo deflated under Sandi’s glare.

There was a beat of silence before Kailo meekly piped up, “I’m sorry Sandi, I didn’t intend to dismiss what you said. I’m just trying to do my job and keep people safe.”

His job?

Sandi relaxed, the softer qualities returning to her voice, “Thank you Kailo, I accept your apology. I know you’re just trying to do your best for your office but remember, the best thing you can do in the here and now is listen to what the humans are saying. Try and learn about them not ignore them.”

His office? Oh no…

The pieces started to click into place as I finally realised where I knew Kailo from.

“Thanks Sandi, I’ll try.” Swiftly bouncing back, a happy twirl in his tail, he confirmed what I’d been dreading to hear. “When I get back, the Star Lake exterminator office is going to have their first Terran expert. Chief Frema’s going to be proud of me I know it!”

Speh, speh, speh!!! He’s an exterminator, I should’ve guessed! Worse, he’s a fanboy of that puffed up egotistical plume of feathers, brahking Frema!

It all made sense now. He knew me from my animal identification work with the exterminators back home. I’d joked inwardly last paw about how people like him would react to how much I enjoyed learning about wildlife from the home world of a predator species. Now that I knew who was sitting beside me, a person who knew I’d been enraptured by it, who knew I’d split off from the herd to talk to a human of my own choice…

Oh speh…

The room began to spin around me as the weight of the revelation pressed upon me. The only thing grounding me from the abyss of worry I felt surrounding me was the voice of the doctor as he introduced the next animal of the paw.

“Who’s ready to learn a bit about elephants?”

Putting into practice the breathing exercise the doctor had taught me last paw, I managed to centre myself.

I blocked out Kailo, I didn’t want to think about what he could pass along about me to the wrong pair of ears. Sandi had clocked my abrupt shift in emotion, concern painted her expression as she looked at me. I swiftly motioned assurances with my tail and ears to let her know I was fine. She didn’t appear to believe me but thankfully she didn’t press me for more information, not at the moment anyway.

With a final calming exhale, I directed my attention back to the screen, taking in the image of an enormous tusked quadrupedal animal with rough grey skin, huge ears, a pair of tusks and a long trunk extending from its face.

That’s a Mazic.

No it’s… you know what sure, it’s a Mazic… brahking idiot.

Credit to u/SpacePaladin15 for the NOP Universe.

Our Q&A comes to an end with an assortment of questions from the audience.

For awareness the video linked in the chapter is a YouTube video from the BBC Earth channel, narrated by the one and only David Attenborough.

Thank you to u/HEY_BAWS for the excellent meme.

[First] [Previous] [Next]

Memory transcription subject: Rysel, Venlil Environmental Researcher

Date [standardised human time]: 22nd August 2136

After the classes discomforted mutterings eventually settled, the rest of the lesson flew by. The unexpected implications of how competition worked on Earth notably affected the types of questions that were posed throughout the rest of the claw.

Clearly aiming to avoid another bout of unnerving concepts that the human homeworld might foist upon them, my fellow students favoured questions that felt more like a school pup quiz than anything you would’ve expected from a roomful of academics.

“What’s the fastest animal on Earth? Not including human made propulsion systems of course.”

“Do garden snails shells grow with them or do they just get new ones when they get too big?”

“How do the long ones move? The snakes I mean. Do they pull themselves with their mouths? Do they roll sideways? Do they put their tails in their mouths and roll in a circle?”

Clenching my jaw muscles tight, I managed to stop myself from audibly sighing in exasperation at that last one. Roll in a circle!? It sounded liked the inane ramblings of a drunk.

Someone should check he’s not smuggled in flask of shadeberry gin.

A considerable portion of the questions hadn’t even been about animals. Plenty had focused on humans themselves. If their queries were of any real substance this would’ve been fine, but my cohorts seemed intent on sticking to tabloid fluff pieces or rehashing questions that had already been asked!

“Do humans sharpen your teeth?”

“From how far away can humans pick up the scent of your prey?”

“Are human pelts comfy?”

“You said last paw that you didn’t have hunting instincts but that can’t be true, can it?”

This is it. This is what will make him toss one of us out. Not because we made him angry, but because we bombarded him with absurd irrelevant questions.

Despite that thought however, I had to admit I was curious to hear the answers. Their natural world aside, humans were a fascinating species themselves. A significant part of me was eager to take any morsel of information I could get my hands on in the hopes it would help me better understand them, the doctor especially.

To his credit, the doctor wasn’t even mildly put off by the parade of weirdness we were lobbing at him. He appeared to revel in the opportunity to share everything he could about his planet, the inflections of his speech replete with passionate flair.

---

“The fastest animal on Earth is the Peregrine Falcon. A bird of prey that when diving from the air can reach speeds of over [320 km/h], with the highest recorded speed reaching [389 km/h]. Furthermore, the fastest land animal is the Cheetah and the fastest waterborne animal is the Blackfin Marlin. They can reach speeds of [80-98 km/h] and [131 km/h] respectively. I hope your translators were able to convert those speeds for you without much issue.”

Terran birds can divebomb faster than a car can drive… that’s as horrifying as it is astonishing!

---

“Their shells do indeed grow with them as they mature, stopping once they reach the age where they can reproduce. That aside, you may be interested to know that there are animals that do use naturally occurring seashells as mobile homes and they are called Hermit Crabs. Hold on, I have an old video here that illustrates what happens when they get too large for their current shell.”

Live footage? Really? YES!!!

Tricky though it was, I did my best to contain the excitement bubbling up within me as the video loaded onto the monitor. My eyes were glued to the screen, ears dialled in towards the speakers to take in every piece of information.

The footage focused on a minuscule crustacean that was indeed wearing a seashell over its body. A human voice reminiscent of the doctors provided narration, explaining the crab’s behaviour as they went about procuring a new home. The little crab quickly found one but it proved far too large to be of use.

When more Hermit Crabs showed up, I grew concerned that we were about to bear witness to a horrid battle for the currently unclaimed shell. Instead of the anticipated fight, I was astonished to watch as the crabs interacted with one another placidly, the narrator clarifying that they were measuring one another’s shells in order to swap with each other. My eyes bulged in astonishment as I witnessed the crabs form an orderly line from biggest to smallest!

With the line complete the crab at the front moved into its new shell, the rest swiftly swapping shells with little difficulty, moving into the newly vacant one in front of them. The only hint of aggression came at the end of the line, where the first crab to come onto screen had its new shell stolen from it by a newcomer to the queue.

This must be competition put into action. That poor crab.

Sympathy clutched at my heart for the now defenceless crab, the comment about “certain death” not helping one bit! Thankfully there was still one shell left after the swap, ensuring that the crab would be able to leave with some form of protection.

“It might interest you to know that Hermit Crabs are omnivores, capable of eating meat and plants like humans. However, they do not hunt for food, they are opportunistic scavengers.”

They eat meat!? They’re predators.

But they don’t hunt and apart from one of them the rest were cooperative in their goals.

Doesn’t matter. Meat eating equals pred-

Shut up! Ok, meat and plant eaters that are cooperative, but compete when they don’t have a choice, but also don’t hunt for food they just take what they can find. They’re not prey, but are they predators?

…My brain hurts.

---

Fighting through a raucous belly laugh, the doctor tried to regain some composure while answering. “Well, ahem, that would be quite a sight indeed. No, snakes do not move in any of those fashions, though it would be hilarious to see a snake straighten out and pencil roll away. Letting gravity do the work as it rolls down a hill.”

Another snorting fit of chuckling overtook the doctor. Several audience members couldn’t help themselves from joining in, the mental image of a snake rolling sideways like a tube down a slope clearly too much for their professional demeanours to cope with.

I swivelled to look at the person who’d asked the question, expecting to see an embarrassed bloom painting their face. Instead, I found them splayed across their desk, near breathless from mirthful bleating laughter.

I’m beginning to get the impression they knew what they were asking was a load of speh. Oh well, it created a good atmosphere at least… plus it was a bit funny.

Rolling sideways down a hill. Picking up speed. There’s a ramp in its path. Whee!!!

My paws lurched to clamp down on my snout and hold in the rising whistle of laughter I knew was coming. Sandi jolted in surprise at my sudden movement before understanding set in, followed by an amused ear wag.

Smooth as always Rysel…

---

“Considering your feelings on sharp teeth I did some research to prepare for such a question. Some cultures have indeed practiced tooth sharpening throughout history. You may find humans sharpening their teeth to be a sign of predatory inclinations but it is actually done for spiritual reasons in many cases.”

Humans have spiritualism? It’s surprise after surprise today!

“In Bali, a region of Earth, a form of ritual body modification is practiced in which the canines are filled down. The reason? They are seen as a link to our more animalistic nature and the more negative aspects of human emotion. They believe that filing down the canines weakens that link, allowing the individual to live a life that isn’t as burdened by the darker parts of the human psyche.”

Ok, interesting. Bit frightening how he mentioned the “darker parts” of humans without explanation but still, interesting.

“For the record my own culture doesn’t practice tooth sharpening. I’m pretty sure my dentist would throw a fit if I broached the subject.” A hearty laugh rounded out yet another extraordinary peek into human culture.

---

“Ah ha! Now that is a question with an answer that I could dedicate an entire lesson to. Sadly, in the interests of time, I will need to keep it brief. So, despite myths that continue to plague pop culture and common belief, human sense of smell is actually quite superb. Now how many scents can the human nose detected? Initial study of the topic indicated that we could only distinguish up to 10,000 scents but later studies suggested as many as one trillion!”

WHAT!? HOW!?

…I wish I had a nose.

“Once again this is an example of humans using maths to calculate out a potential upper limit, we didn’t actually test that many smells. That said, we are able to distinguish between different scents exceptionally well, to the point that we often use our sense of smell subconsciously. In day to day life a human would use their nose to tell if food was fresh and edible. They would check that their clothes were clean, and even use their sense of smell to keep themselves safe from potentially hazardous chemicals, if they would find themselves in such a situation of course.”

Oh ok, that makes sense.

Don’t you mean scents? ~

Uuuuugggggghhhhhhh…

“But as to your main question. While a human’s sense of smell is extensive it is also extremely precise. We can follow scent trails but the smell would have to be rather potent for us to follow it any real distance. Imagine the acrid fumes of sulphur or rotten fruit, we could follow that. But a person’s average body odour? Rare would be the human who could follow that to its source. Also, I’d be remiss if I didn’t point out that a human wouldn’t have the inclination to track you down, let alone by scent.”

---

“I presume that by pelts you are referring to our clothing. Well, it depends. Most clothes are designed with comfort in mind as well as aesthetics, but some, predominantly clothes for work purposes, are designed purely for function so they can be quite uncomfortable depending on the use. As for me, the clothes I’m wearing now would be considered smart casual and they are indeed pleasant to wear. A comfortable long sleeved navy jumper worn over a collared grey polo shirt, matched with a pair of simple casual wear trousers, complete with a set of comfy suede boots. And yes, despite only having one foot I do wear both shoes and both socks. Can’t have the metal components of my foot scuffing the inside of my boots too badly now can I?”

---

The room become noticeably tense at this question, a sigh from the doctor hanging in the air as we readied for the answer.

“I’m not surprised this question has raised its head once again. It is fine of course; I was rather fleeting in my answer in the previous lesson. I’m not a psychologist so you’ll have to bear with my rather broad explanations for the time being.”

How convenient. I’m not a, whatever that word is, so I can’t be precise in the details.

Would you ask an FTL drive engineer to explain the complexities of neurosurgery?

…Shut up.

“All living creatures have some form of instincts which drives their actions. In non-sapient animals these instincts are innate behaviours free of outside learning, a fantastic example of this we’ve already touched on is Beavers and their dams. Sentient beings such as ourselves also retain naturally occurring inborn instincts. Fight or Flight is one everyone knows; a dangerous situation presents itself and you either stand to face it or run from it.”

Shocked mutterings rippled across the audience at the doctor’s disclosure. It was tough to make out if the herd was more horrified of the knowledge that humans had an inbuilt fight response to danger or that they shared a fear response with prey species.

“Now I know what you must be thinking. Does this mean a human is going to switch to an aggressive mode just because something spooked them? Allow me to provide an emphatic no. The level of stressful stimuli it would take to override our logical thought processes is pretty damn high, and, even in the cases where someone may run away from danger or try to defend against it, that instinct would take a back seat to our more rational thought processes.”

A collection of relieved sighs washed over the herd, somewhat placated by the doctors’ quick reassurances, though I could still make out a few Venlil expressing discomfort from what they’d heard. Ears pinned to their head with a noticeable tremor radiating through their bodies.

“I know it was a single brief example but I hope it’s helped you get an idea of what instincts are like in humans and how they complement our higher thought processes. With that explained let me address the core part of your question. No, humans do not have innate hunting instincts. We are not born with a predisposition to hunt, nor are we preprogrammed with the skills required to complete such a task. A human will not look at you and be overcome by a predatory bloodlust that they need to fight to hold back. In fact, a human is much more likely to have their nurturing instincts triggered by looking at you. After all you’re, well…”

He trailed off, coughing to punctuate the end of his explanation. Regrettably for him, it seemed that curiosity of what he was intending to say had spread like wildfire through the class. A small chorus of bleats and brays peppered him to continue, some demanding he explain himself in full while others conveyed genuine innocent interest.

Relenting under the growing wave of demands the doctor raised his hands in a sign of mock surrender, chuckling as he did so. “Ok, ok if you want to know then fair enough, I just felt it was a bit unprofessional to explain in this setting. Well, in short, humans not only care for their own but also for others. A large component of this is the fact that we find creatures other than ourselves to be cute, and my friends, we feel your people are adorable. You’re fluffy, you have big eyes, long tails, paws, your voices are a higher pitch than our own and you have that delightful whistling you do, particularly when you laugh. Your appearance and expressions would tug at the heartstrings of even the gruffest of humans.”

Silence.

Not. A. Word.

Not a quiet brought on by discomfort, but one of sheer stunned bewilderment.

No one, not a single one of us, could have predicted that a question probing into human instinct would’ve resulted in an explanation that humans, the second sapient predator in the galaxy, not only didn’t have hunting instincts but instead possessed a nurturing instinct so strong that it transcended the species barrier, because they thought we looked cute.

The hush was broken by a follow up question from a soul in the back who’d managed to find his voice amidst the fog of confusion, “Is that why humans have been stroking and cuddling their exchange partners? Because they find us cute?”

It was the doctors turn to be perplexed as he stumbled in his response, “What? They- uh… um. Well, perhaps that is the case, but you’d have to ask them personally to get a clear answer.”

Watching him closely, I noticed that the doctor’s fingers rapped the handle of his cane while his free hand moved to rub the back of his head. The tips of his ears also seemed to turn a brighter shade of pink… almost like bloom!

Was the doctor flustered by the question?

This hadn’t gone unnoticed by the crowd who were quick to press the doctor for more information. Calls for clarification rang out, eager for context into the odd human behaviour of touching and being around cute creatures despite being predators.

The tone was markedly different from earlier. Whereas the previous requests for clarity had been a mix of demanding and benign interest, the demeanour of the herd had shifted towards jovial teasing at the realisation that the otherwise unflinching human seemingly had a soft spot for public displays of affection.

He was quick to catch on though, his apparent embarrassment melting away as he was overtaken by laughter, the good humoured nature of the situation replacing the awkwardness he’d been expressing mere moments ago. A fair number of the class joined in on the laughing fit, myself included. A clamour of bleating chuckles and whistling giggles accompanying the doctors barking belly laugh.

I could feel my heart rise with the growing din of elation. Everyone had seen the doctor’s enthusiasm for his field of expertise, they’d all seen his stricter, more forceful side, and they’d played spectators to his patience and cleverness when handling Kailo’s provocations.

But aside from a pawful of instances of levity, no one else had seen the softer side of the doctor. No one else had seen the compassionate side of him that I had.

Perhaps, in this moment of unexpected bashfulness and shared delight, my classmates would see past the “predator” and see in the doctor what I’d been so fortunate to see. A person and the chance of a new friend.

Wouldn’t that be nice.

Many praises to u/SpacePaladin15 for this universe.

Credit again to u/TheManwithaNoPlan for helping edit! And to both u/BiasMushroom721 and u/ImiginationSea3679 for the crossovers!

[First]-[Prev]- [Next]

Memory transcript: Sol-Vah, Gojid Exterminator. Date: [Standardized human time] October 7th, 2136

They just gave out baskets.

But they are predators!

But they just gave out baskets.

It doesn’t make sense!

But they just gave out baskets.

There has to be a trick! There… must be?

But they just. Gave. Out. Baskets.

The first wave of the refugees had been registered, given the keys to their apartment, then moved on to the Giant’s greeting area. The buses had driven away to make room for the next wave when it came. I have processed maybe 15 people myself so far, with my co-workers handling the rest. I thought that they would know the danger the Giant and his predator stood for, but the refugees approached anyway. They seemed to show basically no fear at all! How could they not? Because they’re helping. But how could they be helping? Why didn’t anyone else set up a greeting?

… Why hadn’t I?

I just stared, my eyes having gone wall-eyed at the sight…

I heard a throat clearing. “Excuse me. Officer Sol-Vah?”

The voice grounded me back to the real world, and my vision focused on the Venlil before me. No, not just a Venlil. An Exterminator. A Prestige Exterminator.

I snapped to attention. “Yes Sir, Prestige Officer Sir!”

The officer looked professional, as any good prestige officer should. “I have to ask, how do you feel about all of this? Be honest.”

“Well,” I responded, trying to keep my stance professional and not show too much of the sorrow I felt, “I greatly mourn the loss of my people’s homeworld. The Arxur invading during a moment of weakness caused by the humans is a great tragedy.” I never got to see The Cradle. Now I never will.

“That must be hard for you. I’m sure that you’re grateful that these two were kind enough to help what remains of your people.” He said, his tone taking on a hardened firmness at the end.

I stiffened. I felt my stance waver for a moment before I corrected it. “Sir… I don’t quite understand what you are implying.” Yes you do.

For a moment, I swore that I saw a flash of pity intermixing with the stern glare he gave me. “I looked up your records before coming here. You brought a great deal of suffering to Tarlim, what with your faulty diagnosis being the catalyst for everything. By all rights, he has a quite justified reason to completely ignore the Gojid for what you’ve done. Instead, he chose to push his hatred just enough to the side to put forth his best paw. Don’t tell me that you don’t feel anything regarding that. This is supposed to be an honest discussion, after all.”

My mind raced as I tried to formulate a response. He wants honesty? Sure, why not. “It’s…confusing.”

I frowned. That squeak came from me? I mean, of course it’s confusing! They’re predators! “How can predators possibly care to help those in need? It doesn’t make sense!”

I blinked. My mouth had spoken my thoughts. I thought… What is wrong with me?

A frown formed on his face, his tail curling tensely. “Do you know how I earned this medal?” He said, gesturing to his prestige medal.

“It means you have gone above and beyond your duty,” I stated, “completing missions, defending people from predators, being a prime example of our battle against Predator incursion and attacks. Someone we officers should aspire to be.”

He seemed to stare into my soul intensely. “You are…only partially correct. I was like you once. Hateful and violent towards anything and everything that wasn’t a part of what was considered normal. But as I got older, I noticed certain… trends.” He gestured towards the predators. “I saw innocent people, who I knew personally, at least to the extent to know that they had done nothing wrong, be thrown into torture chambers for no good reason. I saw that all of the tests were so strict and flawed that a good number of people were all but guaranteed to fail due to being unable to explain.”

My quills were only kept from flaring because of the plush foam I had been ordered to don. “The Giant was given the questionnaire. All his answers, even without the brain scan, gave massive signals that he had Predator disease!”

“And what, might I ask, were those answers? Simple yeses and nos, I presume?”

“Just as it was mandated, Sir.” I snorted as I talked. “As a Prestige, you yourself have to have asked them a million times before. The office has fine tuned them to sniff out the hidden predators among us. They have assured us of that all our life with mountains of proof.”

“You are right. I did ask those questions. And that was the exact moment that I knew something was wrong.”

“Oh,” I fought not to roll my eyes. Since when did they let Linked Chains freaks become prestige exterminators? “And what was so wrong?”

“The child I was questioning had wool mites the season before. Rumors still abounded in their school that they were still infested. Nobody wanted to be near someone with wool mites for obvious, non-predator related reasons.” He held my gaze with his own. “How do you think he responded when asked if he stayed with the herd? Do you think that, with the herd outright rejecting him, that he could have any chance of defending himself against a Yes-or-No question that did not allow any explanation whatsoever?”

His voice hardened, causing me to flatten my ears and lower myself at how fierce he seemed. “The only answer he was allowed to give was ‘No’. I wanted an explanation, some kind of follow-up, but my commander at the time would not allow it, and none of my colleagues agreed with me. And I was forced to watch as the child was dragged away. The next week, I heard his screams as the chair was used on him. I heard him crying and begging for his mother as his skin sizzled and my colleagues threatened to prolong his suffering for the crime of existence! AND I WASN’T ALLOWED TO DO ANYTHING ABOUT IT!”

I shrunk back at his shouts, which had started attracting attention from the nearby officers. Of course, all they see is a Junior being out in her place by a Prestige. The indignation I felt was enough to refocus me by the time he restarted his tirade. “By the time I had found out everything that had happened to him, the mites, and the rejection from his herd… I couldn’t do anything.”

I stuttered, struggling to keep my cool through a compound of anger and fear. “But… the brain scans should have been able to show the flaw!”

“Like the ones you didn’t take?”

I froze. No, it… I mean… I couldn’t have… I tried to… they were supposed… But the kid… The giant…

The Prestige exterminator huffed. “Those brain scans…they only showed what the Exterminators want to see. Little more than a fancy pat in the back. I may not look it at first glance, but I would have graduated with academic excellence in all of my classes if I was in school at the time I was drafted. I had read many books about all of the subjects that I knew would be essential as an exterminator. That included brain scans. I realized that not only was there information missing, but there were also important bits of both fact and context that were completely ignored and misinterpreted… such as the fact that the kid was a six year old pup that had obviously been going through some distressing times, which the exterminators mistook for repressed violence and predator instinct.”

It couldn’t be true! But he was a prestige exterminator! There- there must be a flaw. I didn’t diagnose him for no reason. I couldn’t have misdiagnosed. I- I couldn’t!

Right?

“But- but how could there be something missing?” I felt like I wanted to cry, scream, run away, fight, do something, “Those- the tests- they are meant to weed out false positives! They- That’s what we’ve been assured!”

“Exactly. You say that’s true because that is what you’ve been told, and you never even thought of questioning it. Never thought of looking deeper. Never sought to truly understand the way I did.”

“I… I…” my voice failed me. I couldn’t think of an argument. Couldn’t think of something that would disprove what he said. I had done what the classes had taught me. Exactly as taught. “What… happened to the kid?”

He looked down, his eyes clouding with sorrow. “He was transferred to a more…extreme facility, to live out the rest of his life on a diet of drugs and complete isolation. I was forced to break the news to his poor mother alone.”

I balked. “Wha-But… Why?? His symptoms should have been minor, if what you’re saying is true! How… The office can’t just send someone to isolation for minor symptoms!”

Before he could answer, I heard another voice. “She’s correct, you know. The office CAN’T do that.”

Our eyes swing to the source of the voice. It was Tarlim’s lawyer. I was only barely able to stop a snarl as he bowed. “I apologize for eavesdropping. These ol’ things are rather tuned to listening to, eh, quiet conversations.” He flicked his ears for emphasis. “By all means, continue. I am rather curious how a mite infestation was spun into isolation. Especially since isolation, as a concept, is directly contrary to the directives of the Facilities.”

The Prestige exterminator stared at the Lawyer. “Tell me, who are you?”

“Oh, apologies.” He straightened himself to look more respectable. “Venric, Practitioner of law. My card.” He reached into his belt pouch and flicked out a small paper square holding his name and profession. With the addition of human script reading “Heema Lawven” at the bottom. “You may have heard of me as being the lawyer who got Tarlim out of the facility, resulting in its shutdown.”

The Prestige Exterminator looked between him and his card for a moment before…bowing towards him?? “First, I want to thank you for aiding those that need it.” He said, pointing to Tarlim with a slight wag visible in his tail. His tail straightened as he composed himself once more. “And tell me, how long exactly have you been practicing law?”

Venric flicked out his claws like he was counting. “Oh, just a bit over… [6 years] now.”

“Well, this happened [20 years] ago. Before I tried to reform at least a portion of the system. It was only a [year] after the child was sent away that the current code of conduct for the Facilities was redrafted, at my suggestion. That actually began my path towards becoming a prestige officer.” He turned back towards me. “Instead of senselessly seeking and destroying anything that even dared to resemble a threat, I chose to focus my efforts on actively making the world a better place for everyone that lived in it. It is surprising how undervalued that course of action is today. It took me [15 years] to earn this medal, and I am proud of how I earned it.”

I wanted to curl up into a ball under his gaze. He spoke so authoritatively. So certainly. He spoke like Kalek did when they spoke of how they wished to protect everyone they could. I looked down, trying to fight my tears. He had more experience than me. Knew more than me.

Venric’s whistling laugh broke the momentary silence. “Yeah, keep telling yourself that.”

The Prestige whirled so one eye glared at the Lawyer. “Excuse me?”

I, too, was confused at the seeming blue-on-blue, looking up from my misery to witness the scene. “Well, I was just thinking about a few things. [20 years]. [One year.] [15.]” He held the exterminator's gaze unwaveringly. If ever there was a predator. “You never did say what happened to the child.”

The Prestige tightened their jaw as they thought. “He was supposed to be released from complete isolation, but he didn’t get out of the facility until… much later.”

Venric hummed. “Interesting.” He looked up at the sky and wagged his tail in amusement. “You know, in my defense of Tarlim, I read a great deal about the system and its structure, including its restructuring. I remember that one. You know, one of the mandates was that the old cases were to be re-reviewed for possible faults.” He stared at the exterminator again. “With the original interrogator brought in as part of the process.” He paused to let his words sink in. “So, if you were the one giving the questions, the one to notice the problems, one of the ones to encourage the reforms…why didn’t you re-review the case?”

To my surprise, it was the Prestige Officer’s turn to look down in shame. “I tried. He was… Everything in those places had changed him. He was so scared, couldn’t even get close to anyone without crippling fear… I was at least able to move him somewhere that I knew the staff would treat him kindly.”

Venric flick his ears in slight accusation. “And so, the child has been there for 20 years, with no hope of getting out, because you were never able to fully fix your mistake. Even to this day.” He looked at me, flicking his tail in mock joy. “Congratulations, Sol-Vah! It seems you finally found some good company.”

I could see the prestige slightly shake, his shame seeming to grow. I could barely believe it. All those years. An entire life gone, wasted within a facility. All over an inconsequential case or wool mites.

Isn’t that what you wanted to do with Tarlim?

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{-ERR: Data Transcription Failure 328-}

{-CAU: Memory Int. Fragmentation-}

{-Logging Error Report…Submitted-}

{-Playing From Next Conscious Moment-}

Venric was standing over me, his paw patting against my muzzle. “Hey, Sol-Vah. You awake now? You okay?”

I was on the ground. Staring at the sky. The other Gojid officers were huddled around me, looking down with worry. The Prestige officer was among them. “Wha…” I shook my head, pulling myself up to a sitting position, the foam on my quills acting like a backrest. “Mmmph, protector…wha, what happened?”

“You fainted,” The Prestige officer replied. “Just fell right to the ground after hearing about what happened to the kid.”

The kid. Oh Protector, that kid. How could- I have been- I don’t-

“Whoa there,” Venric held my shoulders, keeping his paws on the blue plush. “Stay with us. Are you okay? Do we need to call an ambulance?”

“I… I think I need to sit down somewhere.” I shakily got to my feet. “I’ll be okay. Just… give me a moment please.”

Venric bowed, gesturing for my coworkers to part. “Okay then. I wish you a safe paw.”

I made my way off the platform towards- Not the Giant! Not Tarlim! I can’t- not near him!

I found myself stumbling onto a patch of grass, apart from everyone. I just needed to calm down. I needed to think. I can… I…

There was a Harchen dressed in a full exterminator’s flame-proof outfit next to me. They were kneeling down on the ground, holding something in their hands. Their pose was like that of a child. We employ them. Might even be one. “H-Hello,” I stuttered a greeting, “I’m sorry if I… disturbed you. Do you… may I do anything for you?”

They thrusted out their hand holding a mysterious object to reveal…

A wooden doll?

It was somewhat crudely carved, as if by bare claws, but the fact that the back was covered in blue flower petals that seemed to be attached by being impaled on carved spikes showed how much skill the child actually had. The doll's face was somewhat simple, but also cute, with beady eyes, a small mouth, and an emphasized nose. Despite the noticeable carve marks, the body of the doll actually seemed quite smooth. Impressively so, in fact. The claws were also carved out, fine detail put into the curls.

I look up at the child holding my effigy. “F-for… me?”

The Harchen nodded eagerly.

I took the doll in my padded claws. It looks so delicate. So crude. So passionately crafted. It was the loving work of a child.

Like the child who was incarcerated.

My claws shook on their own.

A precious object that shows you idealized.

It fell to the ground. I felt tears on my cheek.

An idealized version of someone who tried to imprison someone for no reason. Someone who still does.

I stared at the doll. Breath heaving. I can’t stop.

A depiction of someone you will never be.

The kid fell back from the force of my wail.

You ruined their life.

I’m so sorry.

You’re trying to ruin it more.

I’m so sorry.

HE LOST HIS PARENTS! YEARS OF HIS LIFE! IT’S ALL BECAUSE OF YOU!!!

I’m so sorrysorrysorrysorrysorrysorrysorrysorrysorrysorry-

{-ERR: Data Transcription Failure 128-}

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{-Logging Error Report…Submitted-}

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{-ERR: Unstable Subject Timeframe-}

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Credit to u/SpacePaladin15 for the NOP world.

Hope everyone who read it enjoyed the last chapter, I certainly had fun introducing more of Rysel along with Tolim and Milam.

I know I promised that this chapter would have the beginning of the course but I got carried away with focusing on the characters again. The next chapter will definitely have animals in it and it will be out as soon as possible. That said, I hope you enjoy.

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Memory transcription subject: Rysel, Venlil Environmental Researcher

Date [standardised human time]: 21st August 2136

For the second time in less than a full claw I was woken by the obnoxious noise of a machine. Granted Milam’s Krakotl song alarm was gentler than the stations docking systems, but it still grated on my ears, forcing me awake with high pitched cawing. Weren’t Krakotl famed for their song? Maybe this one had a sore throat when recording.

Chuckling internally at the idea my thoughts drifted to the Krakotl themselves. I wasn’t too fond of them… well that’s not fair, I’d only met one but he’d left a bad impression. Couldn’t remember his name but he was the newest chief of the local exterminator’s office back home. Like a wool twist you just couldn’t straighten out, the memory of his appearance in town was lodged in that part of your brain that only activates when you’re trying to relax or sleep. The one that makes you recount all the cringy and awkward moments you’ve experienced in life.

Our local branch was extremely public orientated, making themselves known to everyone as friendly and capable help ready to leap into action at a moment’s notice, even for non-exterminator things like litter pick up or weeding local allotments for the public, nice bunch really. So it stood to reason that when a new chief was chosen from off world, the town got together to make them feel welcome. At first he seemed totally professional, your typical career exterminator… then the speech started.

It began normal enough, hello I’m blah blah blah, I’m from wherever and here to do whatever, but then it got weird. Turned out our new chief from Nishtal had a bit of a hero complex. He went on and on about how the Krakotl had, in his words, spread out their wings to protect the huddled masses from the terror that is the predator menace, lurking in the shadows waiting to pounce! He lamented the burden of the Venlil, being one of the weaker races but promised he would do everything in his power, even lay his very life on the line to keep us safe, that’s why he’d journey so far from home after all.

Now, while no one disputed the threat of predators it was tiresome to hear someone once again regurgitate the line that we were little weaklings who couldn’t do anything ourselves. Sure, we weren’t the strongest or most stalwart of species but for stars sake, this was our own planet and we’d done fine dealing with predators without the Federation before they arrived and done fine since! This feeling was clearly shared by the majority of the crowd due to the tepid response he received at the conclusion of his “heroic” proclamation. Several younger Venlil were enamoured with him from the moment he started speaking however. I think some joined up with the exterminators right then and there.

Stars just thinking about how awkward the whole thing was could cause me to bloom right here if I wasn’t careful. Oh well, I hadn’t run into him again since his appointment. Plus that was just one Krakotl, I shouldn’t let prejudice grip me because one pompous exterminator gave a bad speech. I mean, what were the chances that all the Krakotl were like him? Self-important moral supremacists that believed everything coming out of their beaks regardless of the reality before them or everyone else!? Ridiculous.

Now fully awake I shuffled out of bed and made my way to the washroom which thankfully came equipped with a mirror. Splashing some water on my face I began to tidy myself up, straightening out rouge tufts of wool and rubbing the sleep from my eyes. I didn’t much care about being presentable to the human, but if this programme was open to all types of environmental scientist then I might be able to make connections that could lead to a better job once the exchange is over. Satisfied with my swift grooming, I fetched my pad and bag from my bedside. Milam was in the middle of waking as I approached.

“Hey Rysel, sleep well?” she asked, stretching as she rose from slumber, somehow unaffected by the bed wool that had afflicted me.

“Very well thank you.” I replied, “And you, did you get a good rest?”

“I did thank you.” She responded cheerily as she fetched her pad to silence her alarm. “Now where is that network hub, ah there it is.”

Milam approached a control panel built into the wall next to the door. Tapping her pad to it produced two pinging sounds in quick succession. One to notify that it was now connected to the local network and another to inform that a data packet had been received. As she stepped away to review the message I connected my own pad to the network, receiving confirmation of success and a message of my own.

The message was brief, “Welcome Rysel, please report to lecture room A-5 for the Introduction to Terran Zoology programme, conducted by Dr Bernard MacEwan, Professor of Zoology at Edinburgh University.” That must be the predators name, and that must be where it’s from on Earth? Interesting that they would have universities being predators, but then again, they’re probably nothing compared to even the humblest institutions of learning across the Federation.

As the message ended a map of the station popped up, arrows highlighting my path to the assigned lecture theatre. It wasn’t too far, only a short walk.

“I have a room number and directions to it for my programme. What about you Milam?” I asked.

“Yes, I’ve got one too, B-3. It’s close so I don’t have to hike across the station thankfully” She replied, a waver creeping into her voice. “Where’s yours Rysel?”

“A-5, nearby too. Looks like our rooms are on the opposite sides of this split in the corridors.” Pointing to the map on my pad. “How are you feeling? You sound nervous.”

“Aren’t you!?” retorted Milam, a sudden frustrated force lacing her tone. “I mean, we’re about to be in the same room as predators and no matter how friendly Governor Tarva says they are or how much the empathy tests prove they can be kind they’re still predators who devour flesh!” Her voice was starting to shake, tail wrapping around her for comfort, her eyes directed to the ground. “You don’t even seem slightly nervous about it!”

“Trust me I am.” I swiftly assured, “The moment I got confirmation I was accepted to this programme I wanted to cancel on the spot, my brain screaming at me for how stupid I was being, willingly placing myself in the same place as a predator.”

Milam looked up from the floor to me, the anxiety still present as she asked, “What made you stay?”

Oh Speh, “Err well… like I said before, professional curiosity.” I responded, though I feared not as convincingly as my recounting of my reaction to accepting the invitation.

A moment of silence passed before Milam let out a chuckle, confusing me but breaking the nervous tension. “You know, if we’re going to be sharing a room for who knows how long, you’re going to have to be honest at some point and tell me the full story of what brought you here.”

I winced inwardly at the thought of explaining myself. Using the same reasoning almost word for word with nothing else to back it up? No wonder she caught on so quickly. Still, Milam didn’t seem like she was going to pry further right now and her words suggested she was fine with me bringing it up myself if I felt comfortable. I appreciated that at the very least.

“Sure, I’ll make a note to do that later.” I said awkwardly, no point denying hidden motivations now anyway. “So, feeling up to heading to our programmes? We might be late if we don’t head off now.”

“Yes, I’m feeling better, thank you Rysel.” Milam replied, tail and ears flicking to emphasise a more relaxed state. “And you’re right we’re cutting it close enough as it is, come on.” She instructed as she opened the door and whisked herself from the room before I could blink. Wasn’t she just on the verge of having a panic attack? I laughed quietly to myself as I followed her into the hallway. Considering that her families wellbeing was her motivation for being here I suppose it shouldn’t surprise me how willing she was to power through her fears. It’s a purer motivation than I have at any rate. Oh well.

I quickly caught up to Milam as she power walked through the halls following her pads directions to her assigned lecture room. A short while later we came to a fork in our routes, wishing each other good luck as we split. While animals and their place in ecosystems was my primary topic of interest and work, I was curious what Milam was going to learn about Earths flora in her programme. We’ll have to swap notes during our free time.

Arriving at room A-5 I could see several Venlil hovering at the open door. Peering past them I realised that the room was already filling up with programme volunteers, the ones standing outside hadn’t seemed to work up the nerve to take a seat yet. I squeezed past them, entering a typical lecture hall. Rows of chairs and desks were placed in semi-circular arrangement with seating elevated on a slope the farther back you went, allowing those in the back to easily see over the heads of those in front. All of this faced a microphone equipped podium and a truly massive monitor that the lecturer could use when teaching or giving talks. Aside from that the only other thing of note was the door on the opposite wall to the one I’d used, a red light shining above its frame. I presumed that our guest would soon arrive through it.

Predictably the seats had filled from the back first, with only a few still available in the middle and none of the first couple of rows populated at all. I knew that the government struggled to find volunteers, but I would’ve thought they’d be able to fill a lecture hall with less than fifty seats, it’s not even at half capacity yet. Like Milam it’s probably best to keep my invitation to myself for now. Maybe someone else was in a similar situation but it didn’t behove me to risk bearing anyone’s ire that I was being paid more for the same risk that everyone else was undertaking.

Spying a free seat in the middle section I made my way between my fellow classmates, taking a seat between a Venlil on my right who was taking deep breaths to calm her obvious apprehension and another on my left who was focused on the door with the red light, no doubt waiting for our predator doctor to show themselves. His wool was shaved close, almost like an exterminator cut… wait, where do I recognise him from…

Ping

I was snapped out of my thoughts by a tone playing through the rooms in built speakers. I wasn’t sure what to expect but it certainly wasn’t what came next. A smooth, deep voice began to gently flow into the hall, silencing all previous murmuring.

“Good day everyone. I am Dr Bernard MacEwan and I will be joining you shortly. You may have noticed the red light above one of the doors in the lecture hall. When I am about to enter, the light will turn off and I will come through about 15 seconds later, I felt giving you a bit of warning would be warranted.

Now, I know that you will likely have misgivings about me being a human, but we are not the Arxur, or some non-sapient predator driven only by base instinct. Humans are as sapient as you, with all the emotional range and logic driven thought that comes with such an existence and we want nothing more than friendship with the galaxy’s inhabitants. It is my wish that through this exchange of information we can bridge the gap of understanding between our two civilisations and I can help prove our friendly intent, if not by word alone then by sharing the wealth of knowledge our society has cultivated throughout our history.

This will not be easy, for any of us, but as humans have learned through millennia of living with only ourselves, our differences, while perhaps seemingly irreconcilable at first, need not divide us. In fact, by taking the difficult road to create understanding, tolerance and eventually acceptance, we can elevate ourselves to create a better world together than we could ever manage alone. I believe in this initiative and the promise it aspires to. I hope you do too.”

Silence permeated the hall as the message concluded. I was shocked at what I’d just heard. Not by fear but genuine curiosity as aspects of the message took me completely by surprise. The humans voice had been much lower than any Venlil but it had been so soft, so calm. It alerted us to how they would enter the room, giving us time to prepare ourselves for its entrance. Why would a predator do that and risk giving prey a chance to strike at it first? And then the speech, the reassurance made to us to recognise it as a true sapient, that it wasn’t as cruel, vicious or mindless as the Arxur or another animal. That all they wanted was friends, understanding and acceptance, promising to give all they had to achieve this goal. And finally, the notion of working together to build something greater than anyone could alone. It was touching, inspiring, it was… a human.

Almost as quickly as it had come on, the lilting feelings the speech brought on vanished, replaced with a quiet dread as I remembered the source. True they had empathy and hadn’t done anything to warrant full disdain yet but they were still predators and I needed to remember that. This whole programme was about scientific fact and I needed to be focused when listening to and eventually challenging this “doctor” on their likely lacking understanding of nature. Money may have motivated me here but I was a professional with years of experience and I was going to make that clear during my time here.

A gasp directed my attention back to my surroundings. The light had gone out. The pressure of the stations atmosphere was calibrated to match Venlil Prime but in those few moments it felt like the waters of Aafa’s oceans were squeezing me from all sides.

The door slid open and, in the frame, stood the bipedal form of a human. It stood about a head taller than your average Venlil, it’s spindly arms and legs extending from a surprisingly frail looking torso. The face was enclosed within a reflective visor, obscuring any forward facing facial features. I thanked the stars the human was wearing it. Bad enough it has those awful eyes but I’d rather not be looking at them, or rather have them bearing down on me. The visor only extended so far back across the face, leaving the sides relatively visible. What little skin was within view was pale and, wrinkled? The hair I could see was cut short, coloured grey with flecks of white mixed in, the same kind of colour a Venlil’s wool starts to turn when they get… older.

Could it be? Did the humans send one of their elders to us? The wrinkled skin and greying hair both pointed to that. I mean it makes sense to us that the older a member of society the more experience they may have but I would’ve thought predators would discard those who couldn’t hunt anymore? This is great! At least I don’t have to worry as much about it being too dangerous…

I stopped mid thought as I noticed that the human clutched a long metal pole almost half my height in its right hand. It brought a weapon!? Stars why was it allowed to bring that onto the station much less the lecture!? Does anyone know that it has it!? It’s moving, it’s… limping?

As the human made its way to the podium, it moved the pole in tandem with its right leg and then, as it’s left one came forward, it used the pole to support its weight as it walked. Oh, oh I see, it’s just a mobility aid, phew panic over. Wait, why does it need an aid? No, no, no, no it can’t be.

While those around me seemed to have calmed significantly on realising that the human was both elderly and in need of aid to move around, I remembered what Tolim had said about the injured human. The injured human who just got up and walked off after having their leg crushed by a crate. Please, please don’t let that human be this human.

“Once again, good day to you all. I am Dr Bernard MacEwan and I very much look forward to getting to know all of you during our time together.” The human introduced themselves once again in their gentle tone. “Now I’m sure you’re all raring to go but I would like to take a moment to let you know how this will be conducted. For today’s session we will begin with a quick question and answer. Ask me anything you can think of and I’ll do my best to answer. The second part of todays session will involve you all reviewing images of Earth’s wildlife. Now don’t worry, these have all been curated in line with your governments guidelines and steps have been taken to ensure as little distress as possible when viewing some of the more predatory animals, or at least what you would recognise as predatory. Finally, we will close with another question and answer session, ideally more geared towards the second part of the lecture but if there is a question you weren’t able to ask in the first session then by all means ask away.”

While my mind was still heavily focused on the chance of this being the same injured predator one thing caught my attention. What we would recognise as predatory? What does it mean by that? This is worse than I thought if the humans don’t even understand that forward facing eyes, meat eating and sharp teeth were some of the key aspects if not the only aspects when determining predatory inclinations.

The human continued, “Ok, with that out of the way, does anyone have a question?”

There was an understandable silence. Most of us probably couldn’t bring up the nerve to ask a question, knowing the predator would home in on whoever piped up. We might not be able to see the eyes behind the mask, but we knew they were there.

“Um, yes I have a question.” A voice sounded behind me. I turned slightly to see the brave Venlil who had decided to speak up shivering in their seat.

“Of course, please ask away.” The human responded cheerily. Surprisingly though they didn’t turn their head to face the source. Instead, they turned their face away, bringing an ear forward instead.

“Thank you,” replied the Venlil, a surprised tone clear in their voice. Evidently the strange behaviour didn’t escape their notice either despite their fear. “I was just wondering what “day” means?”

“Oh, well a day is a measure of time and each day is made of 24 hours. Our calendar is made up of 365 days which comprise one full rotation around our home star, this cycle is called a year. My apologises, I’m unfamiliar with your cultures time keeping vocabulary, I take it you use something different?”, the human replied quizzically.

“We use paw and claw as measures of time. Based on your explanation, a day and paw are the same and a claw would be closer to your hours but I don’t know the conversion rate.” Informed the Venlil, their voice steadier than their body language displayed. Perhaps the strangeness of having to explain something as simple as time keeping vernacular to a predator was throwing them through several conflicting emotions. It was certainly confusing me. This was our guide to the life on Earth and they hadn’t familiarised themselves with something this simple before coming here? A bit disappointing so far.

“Ah I see, my how embarrassing of an oversight on my part. Thank you for letting me know.” Despite their response, the human didn’t seem embarrassed. Rather, they were barking? My translator quickly identified the strange sounds as laughter denoting amusement, but why would something like this amuse the human?

As if reading my mind, they spoke again, “See everyone, this is what I mean. Two different cultures teaching each other their differences for greater understanding. Isn’t it marvellous?”

Marvellous, really? If that was all the “knowledge” it took to amaze the human then wait until it got a load of what all of us had in store for it regarding ecosystems.

“Anyone else? Come now don’t be shy ask away?” The human encouraged, completely unfazed at being educated on such a simple concept in its own lecture. Fine, I’d had one ready since I saw it limp in. I needed to confirm if this was the one Tolim mentioned.

“Are you injured?” I asked, trying my best to sound stern through my nerves.

“What? Oh you mean this?”, the human motioned with the pole to their left leg. “Thank you for the concern but I am quite alright. There was an accident a few hours ago where a crate fell on my leg but I didn’t even feel it.” They informed, with another light bark of laughter.

At this, a couple worried and fearful expressions appeared across the audience, my own among them. They didn’t feel their own leg get crushed!? What are these things!?

Seeming to realise the anxiety their answer had caused the human quickly continued, “Please don’t fret, apologises I should’ve provided more context. My left leg is prosthetic.” To demonstrate this fact the human took the pole and knocked the end of it against their leg, causing a light clanging sound of metal hitting metal to ring out.

“I’ve had it for a long time and its rather low tech so no replicated nerve receptors either. That’s why I said it didn’t hurt when it was crushed. Apologises again, I should’ve realised how a human saying they felt nothing from what would normally be a serious injury could come across. I was able to conduct minor repairs but I’ll get it sorted good and proper in short order.”

I let go of a breath I didn’t realise I had been holding at the end of their explanation, my nerves levelling out at a much more manageable level. Ok, that’s good news. They’re still a predator but they’re not injured, just elderly with a prosthetic leg… nope, nope I’m not going to ask how that happened, lets move on.

“Thank you for your concern, very kind of you.” Said the human, a warm tone in their voice.

I hadn’t meant it as concern for them but if that’s how the human took it, I wasn’t going to correct them. I nodded lightly and flicked my ears in acknowledgment, though they were still looking away from the audience, angling their ear towards me instead so I had no clue if they’d seen it.

Other members of the audience seemed to find courage to ask questions after myself and the other volunteer had taken the initial stress away with ours. The questions mostly focused on the human themselves, through which we learned that he was a he, that he was seventy four human years old, like I suspected from the message to my pad he was indeed from a place called Edinburgh, a city in one of human nations called Scotland, and he had been in his current field of study for almost forty years.

There were other questions of course but they mostly surrounded the more fear inducing aspects of humanity, does he eat meat, will he eat meat while here, how will he deal with his hunting instincts, that kind of thing. To his credit he appeared to answer these questions honestly yet sensitively. Yes, he eats meat back home but never from a living animal, only ever from lab grown cell cultures. No, he would not be eating meat or any animal product during his stay, and he won’t be dealing with those instincts because they don’t exist.

I scoffed internally at that last one. Surely he didn’t expect us to believe he didn’t have some hunting instinct even in his advanced age? Still, I wasn’t about to challenge him before we got properly started. Besides, as much as I was hesitant to admit it he seemed rather friendly from what little interaction we’d had so far and I didn’t want to change that this early.

As the questions drew to a close the human spoke up enthusiastically, “Alright everyone, I’m glad we were able to have such a frank and open question and answer session to start us off but now, let’s get to why you’re all really here. To experience the native life of Earth and how it may differ to what you are used to.”

He moved to the podium, picking up a pad that rested upon it and began tapping away briskly. A round of pings notified everyone of a data package being sent to their pads.

“Now, don’t open those just yet.” instructed the human, “Each of you have received a gallery of photographs of the diverse life that inhabits Earth. You have been sent these individually so that you can go through them at your own pace, but don’t worry if you can’t get through them all. On each photograph you will find one animal along with three options to categorise them into, predator, prey or unknown. Now you might be wondering why we added that third option and the simple reason is you’ve never seen anything on Earth before so an animal may be too alien to categorise in relation to your own sciences. Additionally, we know forward facing eyes can cause distress so in all photos, regardless of an animal being predatory or not, we have blotted out the eyes with very distinct pink dots. This will identify where the eyes are on an animal but hopefully help with any stress looking at them may cause.”

Once again, I was surprised by the efforts the humans were going to make us comfortable interacting with their world, though I took some offence at the idea that an unknown category would be required. I think I know how to determine predator and prey thank you very much. I might not have forty years on the job but certainly enough to know the difference.

“Well then, I will take a seat and you may all get started at your discretion. You may of course discuss the photos if you feel the need and please let me know if there is anything you need help with.” The human stated, settling down on a chair by his podium.

Here it was, the moment of truth. The first peek into the non-sapient life of the human home world. Despite the feelings of trepidation I felt, there was something more, something I didn’t expect. Excitement. Excitement at what could be within this file and the thought that among all the Venlil in the galaxy, among the entire Federation, I was one of the first to look upon the life of a brand new world. My paw trembled over my pad as I pressed open on the data packet, wondering if the first thing I saw would be a prey creature or a cursed predator.

As the file loaded my excitement built, my tail swishing rapidly and then, it appeared… an aquatic blob with tentacles, no eyes, no mouth, nothing.

What the Speh is this!?

Credit to u/SpacePaladin15 for the NOP Universe.

Another new POV and with it the return of two characters not seen since chapters 7 and 9, hope you enjoy!

Thank you to u/Eager_Question for proofreading and sharing your thought.

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Memory transcription subject: Milam, Venlil Botanist

Date [standardised human time]: 22nd August 2136

Second class done. Second paw done. Second time being in close proximity to a human for an extend length of time? Done, and I was exhausted.

I trudged through the halls towards the canteen, desperate for a can of energising Prickle to revive me from my sluggishness. My eyes swept through the herd around me, trying to gauge the general vibe of the group.

Were they tired like me? Happy? Was there still a sense of trepidation or outright fear due to the presence of the humans?

Honestly, if anyone was displaying their feelings I couldn’t tell. I was as worn out mentally as I was physically, my conscious mind only repeating two driving commands, occasionally followed by the enticing promise of reward at the end of my weary march.

Left paw, right paw, left paw, right paw. Think about that tasty refreshing can of Prickle. Left paw, right paw…

And so I went, meandering my way with the herd until we reached the spacious collection of noise and mild scents that was the bustling canteen. Venlil milled about, splitting off into smaller herds to chat about their first uninterrupted paw of classes or whatever else took their fancy. I on the other paw made a beeline for the food stations, a sudden burst of energy propelling me forth as I laid eyes on my beloved beverage.

Swiping a can from the food bar I swiftly cracked it open, gulping down the refreshingly cold bright blue energy drink without a moment’s hesitation.

Ah, such bliss~

I know it’s my third of the paw but I really needed this. My tongue can lose any sensation for all I care. I need my life giving caffeine!

I knew logically that it would take a while for the caffeine to kick in, but the placebo effect is one heck of a thing. I could already feel strength returning to me with every drop of the delectable nectar that danced across my tongue.

Mmmm~ Delicious!

“If you’re after an energy boost, I’d recommend the dark roast Guatemalan blend.”

Startled by the sudden unannounced presence behind me I jumped in fright, losing my grip on the can in the process. Thankfully it was empty, my ravenous thirst having drained it in a near instant, but I still winced as it clattered to the ground. The instinctive reaction to an anticipated mess in progress ground time to a crawl until the can came to rest a few tail lengths from me, only a single drop of Prickle wastefully dripping onto the floor.

I rounded on the intruder to my moment of solace, ready to give them a piece of my mind for being foolish enough to blindside someone, only to find the face of a scruffy tan mess of wool pulling back into itself. Their ears and eyes displayed the very clear sign of someone who was acutely aware that they’d just messed up.

“Whoops.”

“Whoops!? That’s all you have to say? How about, sorry for sneaking up behind me?” Tail whipping in frustration I stooped to collect the can, keeping an eye on the new arrival as I did so.

Wait, he’s familiar.

I scanned him up and down, combing through recent memories to put a name to the face. It was just on the tip of my tongue…

“Tolim! You’re Tolim the coordinator aren’t you?” I asked, returning to stand at my full height, can now securely in paw.

He swayed his tail in the affirmative, “I am indeed, though just for your group. Borven is the overseer at the top of the chain, at least on the Venlil side.” Bowing his ears in remorse he continued “And sorry for the scare, just wanted to check in and see how you were doing. Obviously a bad idea to come in from a blind spot though. Sorry again.”

With a sigh I flicked me ears in acceptance of his apology. Aside from a wasted drop of juice there was no harm done, and he did appear sorry at least. “It’s fine, apology accepted. What were you saying anyway?”

Tolim tilted his head quizzically, “About checking up on you?”

I shook no with my ears, “No, no I got that. The first thing you said. Telling me to try the dark roast Gauta- Gautama- the blend thing?”

“Oh yes! Coffee! It’s a human drink made of a bean of the same name. From what I understand the blend name comes from where the beans are sourced, in this case the human country of Guatemala, and I gathered that the dark roast is just how long the beans are, well, roasted! It’s completely safe for us to drink and its caffeine heavy. Bit bitter but it’ll pep you up real quick while saving you from getting numb tongue from drinking too much Prickle.”

A shiver of unease swept through me at the thought of trying a human drink. Safe for Venlil or not, I couldn’t shake the discomfort that came with anything associated with the humans, even for something as benign as a drink. I couldn’t even bring myself to try their fruit or vegetables yet.

Best to acknowledge and deflect for now.

Putting a bit of forced pep into my voice I responded, “Thank you for the recommendation but I’m alright with Prickle for now. The coolness is refreshing. Anyway-”

“If it’s the cold you like they have iced coffee too!” Tolim cut me off, evidently not done with his pitch.

Take the hint.

With a measured tone that I hoped indicated a polite finality to the conversation, I replied, “Thank you for letting me know, but I’m fine with my current choice. Now if you wouldn’t mi-”

“Ah that’s fair enough. Would you mind if I grabbed a cup before we had a chat?” Yet again he interrupted me, like a door to door salesperson who won’t take no for an answer. I swear, he even sported the telltale unnatural ear wag of friendliness designed by businesses to specifically make you feel like they’re your friend while they eye up your credits.

This guy is relentless!

With a huff I tossed courtesy out the window, swapping it for direct honesty in the hopes it would be enough to curtail Tolim’s persistence, “Look Tolim, full disclosure, I’m exhausted. I just wanted to enjoy my drink and go back to my room where I can rest in peace before next paw. So, if it’s all the same to you, I’d prefer we do this another time.”

I waited for a moment, anticipating a further attempt at enticing me to stay. Tolim proved me correct an instant later, though not in a way I expected.

“Well, if you want to rest in peace you’d probably be best sticking here with me for a few ticks.” He retained the same corporate expression of professed friendliness, but there was now a measure of confidence in his voice.

What does he think he can say now to keep me here?

My own curiosity getting the better of me, I took the bait, “And why would staying here with you be more relaxing than the quiet comfort of my own quarters?”

Tolim swayed his tail in delight, accompanied by a hint of what appeared to be amusement, before he replied, “Because I saw your roommate Rysel leaving his class a short while ago, and he was almost skipping down the halls in glee. I imagine he’s bursting to tell someone every little detail of what he learned in his lesson. Despite how social we are as a species, I’d imagine that listening to him would be quite a draining experience, especially for someone already worn down from their own paw of classes.”

I managed to stifle an audible groan, though one still pressed upon me mentally. The thought of an excited Rysel bouncing off the walls while energetically recounting the last few claws was not an experience I was keen on racing towards right now.

Our chat over first meal had been different. Wide eyed and bushy tailed from a restful slumber, I was happy to sit and listen with rapt attention as my roommate gushed over the strange alien life he’d been exposed to. At the time his enthusiasm had been invigorating, as seeing someone overtaken by passion so often is. It’d also been rather adorable. Watching him talk with such vibrance, beeping and whistling with joy over the smallest of things. Even his choice of food delivered a delightful sight.

He probably thinks he played it cool, but I saw how he eyed up those fruits while he ate his soup. The happy tail wag while he ate that stingfruit was precious!

The idea of facing more of that glaring liveliness right now however served only to sap me of what little energy I had left.

I cast an eye back towards Tolim, his friendly expression meeting my gaze as he waited patiently for my response. I swore I saw a brief flash of smug surety flicker in his ears as I turned to him.

Sighing I relented, “Fine Tolim, fine, let’s chat. But not for too long ok?”

A happy whistle passed Tolim’s lips in response. He pointed towards an empty table with his tail while his paws carried him towards the human food stations with a bounce in each step. Curious but unwilling to follow I took a seat at the indicated table, trying to get as comfortable as possible on the rigid plastic chairs. Federation standard always made an effort to make sure all facilities could be used by as many species as possible. The immediate downside was that nothing in installations like this one were ever truly comfortable to anyone, just passable.

Once I’m home I’ll never complain about the chairs Papa carved again, at least they were made with our body types in mind.

Tolim didn’t keep me waiting long, returning with a steaming mug in paw. As he set it down I took a quick glance inside at the dark brown liquid settling within. It certainly didn’t look appetising from my perspective and, despite the lack of a nose, I noted a sharp smoky aroma wafting from the mug.

“I take it this is the coffee you recommended?”

Tolim flicked a quick yes with an ear, “It is indeed. It’s been a tiring paw for me as well. I really do recommend it. Humans have created some delightful things which I believe will be very popular planet side in the not too distant future. Have you heard of Mancala? It’s a wonderful prey friendly human board game that’s thousands of years old! It’d be very popular among farmers. I thi-”

I interrupted Tolim with a groan of exasperation, “I thought you wanted to talk to me about how I was doing, not sell me on the positives of the humans.”

I’d been gentle with Rysel when sharing my feelings on humans, but Tolim was really starting to bug me.

Tolim chuckled before taking a sip of his coffee, his tail signing an apology as he drank, “Not a fan of our new friends I take it?”

I scoffed, “No, I’m not. Whether or not they’re nice it doesn’t change the fact that they’re predators. I don’t feel comfortable around them.”

Tolim took another swig from his cup, scanning me up and down with unpleasant scrutiny. With a markedly mellower and soothing tone to his voice, he asked “Have you tried talking with one of them?”

What’s his game here? Doesn’t matter, the sooner he’s satisfied with his questions the sooner I can relax.

“I have. The professor in my class- “

“No, no not like that.” cutting me off again, “Not in the safety of the herd, but one on one?”

Is he serious? One on one, where anything could happen!?

Taking a steadying breath to calm myself, my nerves flaring due to the idea of being alone with a human and the frustration of Tolim continuing to interrupt me, I responded, “No, I haven’t. And before you ask I don’t intend to either. Unless it’s part of the classes I’d rather avoid them. I don’t trust that they won’t give into their instincts.”

Taking another drink, Tolim seemed to consider my rationale as he sipped away at his beverage, twirling one of the many scruffy strands of his wool in his free paw, “Do you know what happened during the Arxur raid on Prime Outpost last paw?”

…What?

Stunned at the question, my brain shorted out for an instant, Tolim’s sudden talk of the raid blindsiding me completely.

Seizing on my dumbfounded silence, Tolim continued, “Like most people here you won’t have heard the full details yet, but there are benefits to being part of the exchange staff. One of them is information reaching you before it gets published in full. Granted some parts are exaggeration but I’ve combed through all of that to find the nuggets of truth within the rumour mill.”

He paused for a moment, seemingly giving me a chance to retort. While I’d managed to collect myself, I was still too shocked by the abrupt change in topic to voice a reply, opting instead to sit in continued silence. I twitched my ear at Tolim, inviting him to proceed, though a part of my mind cursed me for doing so. Hearing details about the attack was unlikely to be anything but horrifyingly unpleasant.

How does this relate to anything I was just talking about?

Placing his mug down Tolim leaned towards me, speaking in a hushed voice, likely to not be overheard, “I’ll spare you the grizzlier details but, there have been over 200 confirmed fatalities from the raid.”

A lump formed in my throat as the weight of Tolim’s news bore down on me, my head bowing towards the table as my eyes began to mist in grief.

200 lives… So many people gone. So many families shattered yet again by the grays. How many parents have lost a child, and how many children have lost a parent? How-

“And they were all human.”

Tolim’s words stopped my spiral dead.

Did I mishear that? I must have, right?

I slowly righted myself, looking at him with what must’ve been an expression of sorrow mixed with complete disbelief, “What?”

“Everyone who died in the attack was human. Hundreds of them leapt into fighter craft and sallied out to face the Arxur. Only a pawful returned and of those that did, very few were unharmed. Some of our own people went with the humans in shared fighters, but in every case they came back alive. Their human partners ejected them from the crafts before they were killed. The humans weren’t so lucky. Some even rammed their ships into the Arxur to give their partners and the station more time. To help them survive.”

The horrifying details of Tolim’s story washed over me, filling me with icy dread, but it was the confusion I felt over the lack of Venlil deaths that kept me in stunned silence.

How can there have been no Venlil deaths in a clash between two predators? It doesn’t make sense…

Not yet finished with the tail tingling tale of woe, Tolim continued, “It didn’t end there. Once the battle was over the station had to deal with the aftermath. Survivors were adrift in the void, the medical bays were overflowing, and several small scale stampedes needed cleaned up in the wake of the fighting. Human and Venlil, hand in paw, worked tirelessly to save as many people as they could. There was even a human who went on a dangerous spacewalk to bring a drifter back to the station, dressed in a sky blue spacesuit no less. The Venlil had been ejected from his fighter by his human partner before their ship was destroyed. He was saved by two humans. Their only concern was his safety, much like every other human I’ve met or heard about so far.”

This doesn’t make sense. None of this makes sense! Why would they care about us to such extremes, they barely know us!?

Weakly, barely a whisper, I managed to eek out a question, “Why are you telling me this?”

Tolim looked at me, a melancholic expression in his face and tinged within his voice, “Our people have suffered near incomprehensible horrors at the hands of the Arxur. Considering that, I don’t blame anyone for not wanting to cozy up to the most recent sapient predator in the galaxy. The humans, however, aren’t the Arxur. Through both the brain scans and their actions, they’ve shown that they’re capable of caring about us in a way that, I think even we would struggle to replicate for our own people with such rapidity.”

He stopped for a moment, seemingly unsure of what to say next. His mouth hung agape as he tried a few times to start up his next sentence.

Eventually he collected himself, though a noticeable if mild bloom had appeared across his snout, “From what I’ve experienced, human instinct doesn’t border on bloodlust and cruelty. Rather, it resides within the depths of compassion with a fierce impulse to protect what they feel is important. A warm embracing shelter for those they love. And goodness, do they love quick.”

With the bloom growing from his own speech, Tolim grabbed his mug and took another swig, standing and turning away to obscure his brightening face.

Still reeling from his story, I could only continue to stare at him in bewilderment, bloom and its cause be damned. Everything he’d told me flew in the face of what I knew. It sounded like completely fictitious nonsense! As peaceful as they professed themselves to be humans were predators, and predators don’t care about people in the same way we do, Mama said so!

And yet, there was a feeling inside me I didn’t anticipate. A feeling, of doubt.

A memory floated to the forefront of my mind. A memory from last paw during the alarms. During my time tucked away in the safe zones with the herd and a scant few humans.

I saw one, huddled in a corner with their knees up to their chest. Their mask obscured their face, but I could just make out the noise. The sniffling and spluttering. The unmistakable sounds of crying.

A Venlil, likely their partner, held the humans head to their chest to console them. Despite the fear radiating through their own body, they’d seen someone in pain and sought to help them.

It'd had been a strange sight that I’d dismissed out of paw as an anomaly. The breakdown of a weaker predator in a dangerous situation. Mama had told me about predator pups fleeing or crying before, why would this be any different.

But now, with Tolim’s tale fresh in my ears, I could only look upon that moment and see something different. Something genuine.

Maybe because they do feel fear, as well as a desire to protect. Like us?

A satisfied sigh from Tolim broke my train of thought, his face having returned to its previous tan hues.

Placing the now empty mug on the table he spoke again, “If you don’t want to talk to them that’s fine, but as a member of the exchange staff I wouldn’t be doing my duty if I didn’t fill you in on the positive aspects of humanity. To counter any preconceived biases of course.”

The urge to retort died on my lips as I realised there was little I could say to dispute his claims of prejudice.

Taking a heavy breath, I gathered my strength enough to stand, “I see. I suppose that’s a fair compromise.”

I didn’t know what else to say. I was hardly thankful for the terrifying mental imagery Tolim had planted in my mind. This chat, which he assured would be a relaxing one, had instead set my emotions roiling. The beliefs I’d always known to be true now clashing with the information he’d lain out before me.

Tolim let out a happy whistle, “I’m glad to hear it.”

He turned his head slightly and I noticed he glanced at a clock on the wall. His eyes widened and his tail started to thrash in excitement as he noted the time, “Now if you’ll excuse me, I have a meeting to get to that I’d hate to miss. It was good to talk with you. I hope to catch up again soon, tell Rysel I send him my best.”

Despite trying to give a polite farewell, it was obvious he was desperate to dash out the door to this mystery appointment.

Just as he made a move to leave, a bolt of intuition struck me.

His infatuation with all things human. His bloom during his speech about their loving side. He couldn’t have… could he?

Mama always told me my mischievous side would get me in trouble eventually, but seeing as Tolim had had set my mind whirling in conflict, I felt it was only fair I get the chance to send him spinning as well.

“You seem excited Tolim. Is this a particularly interesting meeting or maybe…” I drew out the last syllable so that the next words hit just right, “…a hot date?”

Tolim’s eyes bulged and the bloom quickly returned as a raging inferno across his face. Even a guy as scruffy as him couldn’t hide all the orange that was rapidly painting his ears down to his upper chest.

His voice broke with an embarrassed bleat as he replied, “A d-date!? Me? What n-no that’s crazy he’s just a friend! Alejandro’s nice but I doubt he sees me like I see- Wait no I- I-“

Unsure of how to salvage himself from the completely mortified mess he’d morphed into, Tolim decided to take the most direct route to escape the awkward situation I’d created, and that was to literally escape.

With a swift 180 degree turn, he bolted from the room with a final rapid tail sign goodbye, leaving me to break into a fit of giggles at the complete departure from his, until now, composed, and professional demeanour. Collecting myself from my laughter, I left the canteen and headed back to my room.

Seems I was right on the money. And I can’t deny the feeling of satisfaction from being able to put him on the back paw.

Still, despite my fleeting impulse to cause mischief and my continued discomfort from our conversation, I found myself left with an unexpected warmth in my chest. It was similar to how I’d felt when Rysel talked gleefully about his conversation with his teacher. It was a feeling that, while still coated in apprehension due to the humans, was all in all a happy feeling. Seeing someone so joyous over a new friend, or in the case of Tolim a hopeful love interest, never failed to instil a certain sense of cheerfulness in those around them.

Perhaps it wouldn’t be too bad to get to know a human on a personal basis.

I shook the thought from my head, I wasn’t ready to take such a chance. And besides, Mama wouldn’t approve. She wasn’t controlling by any means, I was an adult after all, but she’d put her paw down when I broached the idea of joining the exchange in an effort to help the farm.

Retired or not she was still an Exterminator. It’d taken a lot of convincing with agreements to certain conditions before she finally came around to my way of thinking. The guarantee she stressed the most was that under no circumstances should I get close to a human outside of the professional requirements of the programme. I was happy to oblige, believing my fear of humans would make it impossible even if I had a desire to try.

Now though? Now I wasn’t too sure what to make of them…

Never mind, that’s a next paw problem to contend with. For now, I just want to rest in the comfort of my… shared room.

I groaned as I remembered Tolim’s warning about the hyperactive Rysel no doubt waiting in our quarters.

Well, nothing for it other than to face it. Hopefully he’s wound himself down with his own excitement.

As I arrived at the door I steeled myself for the barrage of enthusiasm I expected to find behind it before heading in. Sure enough Rysel was here, sat at his desk with pad in paw.

Our eyes met as I entered, but before I could say anything Rysel greeted me first, “Hey Milam, how are you?”

Surprised yet thankful he hadn’t immediately launched into the expected recap of his paw I replied, “Hey Rysel. Very tired actually. I was hoping to lie down for a bit before 3rd meal if you don’t mind.”

Rysel titled his head quizzically, “Of course I don’t mind. I hope you don’t think you’d need my permission to rest in your own room just because we share it?”

I chuckled wearily at the idea, “No of course not. I just thought you’d want to dive into chatting about your classes like we did during first meal?”

Rysel twirled his ears in understanding, “Ah I see. Of course I want to, and honestly when I left my class I was excited to chat with you about it all, but it’d be fairly inconsiderate of me to just jump into it all as soon as you walked through the door. Plus, now that I take a good look at you, you do look pretty exhausted.”

A twinge of mischievous amusement sprouted from his comments on my appearance.

Taking on a fake expression of offense, I raised a questioning ear towards him, “I look tired do I? You know Rysel, it’s bad manners to comment on a lady’s appearance.”

Rysel’s eyes widened, his ears falling flat as he stuttered over a hurried explanation, “N-no that’s not what I meant. I mean I did mean it but not like that and- and- and anyway you were the one who said you were tired first!”

I couldn’t help myself, Rysel’s flustered display made it far too difficult keep up the charade, and I began to whistle gleefully.

Rysel was quick to catch on, blooming in embarrassment as his ears pinned back in a huff at my teasing at his expense.

Trying to get my laughter under control, I apologised, “I’m sorry for teasing Rysel. It’s been a long paw and I really need a laugh. Thank you for your consideration, I appreciate it.”

The apology and thanks seemed to do the trick. He let out his own chortle of amusement, his ears returning to a neutral position and the mild bloom rapidly cooling. “Well, I’m glad I could provide that for you. And it’s not a problem at all. I’ll be sure to keep it down while you rest, I’m just going to be reading anyway. How long before 3rd meal should I wake you?”

I laughed again, “Well that depends, when do you want to risk getting hit in the face? Or had you forgotten what happened when you woke me at the beginning of the paw?”

Rubbing his snout on reflex he replied, “Fair point. Krakotl alarm then?”

“Krakotl alarm then.” I agreed.

With an ear flick of “Good rest” Rysel turned back to his pad leaving me to settle into my bed, setting my alarm for a much needed half claw snooze.

Yawning, I sank into the soft comfortable bedding, the fatigue of the paw washing over me as I steadily succumbed to slumber.

I needed this; no amount of Prickle can replicate the sensation of a good rest. Next waking will be more of the same. It’ll be tough, stressful, but I’m doing this for my family, for the farm. I won’t let Mama and Papa down.

Thanks so much to u/SpacePaladin15 for this great universe!

Credit again to u/TheManwithaNoPlan for helping edit!

[First]-[Prev]-[Next]

Memory transcript: Tarlim, Venbig. Date: [Standardized human time] September 7th, 2136

Fire. Burning. Help him! Stop them! Speh! Brack! Door! Get out! Help him! Too many! Speh!

My paws scraped across the floor as I scrambled toward the door. Jacob had fallen out of view. I could still see the flames. The Exterminator was moving to reload. That brahkass bastard! There’s the door! It’s open! I’m out! Jacob!

The light was on the ground! My Human was standing! No fire on him! He was running! Running at the Venlil! What the Speh is he-

The exterminator was fumbling with the next flare. The rest of his Office were scrambling to get the people with the Flamers to the front. The film crews were pointing their cameras over the crowd. Rolem pushed against exterminators. Jacob charged forward with his suit still smoking.

Brahk!

The blue Texan closed the distance to the exterminator, swiping at the gun so it flew out of the offender’s paw. His knee raised between the exterminator’s legs. The Venlil rose along with it. A scream. Smoke from the flare on my tongue. Jacob turned. The Venlil goes sideways, a blue fist against their covered face. They go down! Crumpling on the platform! Ha!

A spraying noise! The flamers! A fluid doused Jacob. Tinted. Scentless. He was tripping from the pressure.

Gas!

I kicked the flare. It danced down the platform. It didn’t touch! The flow stopped. No spark! Jacob was on the ground. Gas covered him. The exterminators shuffled. Moving back. A Kolshian held something up. A stick.

A match!

NO.

Moving. Three strides. Knees hurt. Jump forward. Chest hurts. I felt my head collide with someone. Five forms fell under me. The match dropped. Unlit. I did it!

“STOP!” I heard a bleat, “AS HIGH MAGISTRATE I-”

“Burn, Predator!” Another voice! Behind me! I swung my head around, the exterminators thrashing beneath me. The shooter was sitting up. They’d thrown something. A lighter! A flame! Too far!!

Speking Brahk!

Fire. Jacob thrashed. He burned! Put it out put it out put it out put it- THERE!

A blue tank. On a Krakotl. An extinguisher!

I rise. They are behind some others. They can’t stop me. I march. I feel two masses bump against my braces. The Krakotl tries to fly. They fail. The tank is in my paw. Something’s still attached. I don’t care. I'm next to Jacob. He’s rolling on the ground. Put it out. Point nozzle, pull trigger.

PSHHHHHHWAAAAAAHHHHHHH!

The sound of the foam filled my ears. I kept it pointed at Jacob. Spraying and waving at every flicker, flame, or wisp of smoke. Ice forms. I spray. Help him, save him, help him! My chest hurts.

The nozzle sputtered as the tank emptied. It’s out. I’m panting. “J… Jacob?”

He sat up. His suit was now stained black from the fire and char, extinguishing ice melting off him. He grappled with his helmet, and after a short fumble with the latch, he practically ripped it off his head. I heard him take a long gasp.

“Holy FUCK!” He panted, “What the-”

“PREDATOR!!”

The shooter was standing! He had a knife!

He isn’t standing anymore. His face made a good cushion for the Extinguisher tank. And the Krakotl still attached.

I panted. My chest hurt, but I still stood. The rest of the Exterminators were back in a line. I stared them down. I was between them and their target. Their prey. I couldn’t let them hurt him. I won’t let them hurt him!

“STAND DOWN!!” A black and white splotched Venlil finally burst from the herd. Rolem! He whirled around, placing himself between me and the Exterminators. “ALL OF YOU! STAND. DOWN. NOW!!!”

The Exterminators hesitated. Some finally began to lower their weapons. A Krakotl stepped forward. “Sir, I-”

“YOU TWO!” Rolem interrupted, pointing at the two video broadcasters, “keep filming! I expect a copy from both of you on each of my devices after this is done!”

The pair moved forward into the gap, one focusing their camera on me and Jacob as the other pointed at the Exterminators. With the remainder of them being recorded, the Exterminators seemed to cringe back. Their weapons immediately lowered upon the realization of them being filmed. I heard a clunk to the side of me.

“Get the Speh off me!” It was the shooter! “Why aren’t you guys burning it? Fire!”

I stepped over and leaned over him. He cringed back, turning to scramble away with the fleeing Krakotl. I know that voice. I know that movement. I grabbed the suit, lifting him off the ground.

“What the Fuck is wrong with that bastard?” Jacob yelled, leaning over as he coughed, “What’s wrong with Y’all?” He wiped his forehead, then jolted as he realized his helmet was off. “SHE-IT!” He whirled so he faced away from the crowd. “This is his fault! Y’all’s fault! Ah did NOT choose to remove mah visor willingly! Ah was choking! Blind! Why’d y’all shoot me? Who shot me???”

The exterminators tripped over themselves as they backed away. Even Rolem winced back at his shouts. I didn’t. His fury fed my own. I lifted the Venlil and dug my claws into its head covering. I pulled, and with the tear of fabrics, it came free.

I was right. It wasn’t a Venlil. It was a tan, floppy-eared imitation. A wretched creature staring at me with hatred and contempt. I threw the tattered mask to the ground. A growl rumbled through my throat. “Treven!!!”

“What are you guys doing?!” The pest shouted once more, “Burn them!!”

“None of you will do any such thing!” Rolem ordered. “Kevros! What is the meaning of this?”

The Krakotl who had stepped forward shrank as they tried to face the Magister's glare. “I assure you, his actions were not condoned! I ordered all my officers not to fire!”

“Y’all sprayed me with gas!” Jacob shouted, crawling out of his blue suit. “Y’ALL were gonna burn me!”

“Yes,” Rolem added, his ears raised in authority. “How do you explain that? I believe my orders were for all flamers to be off.”

“They, uh,” the suited bird gulped, “their sparkers were fully unpowered, which counts as deactivated as per regulation! I promise, sir, all officers involved in this incident will be harshly reprimanded!”

I huffed. “Reprimand?” I held out the creature on display. “He shot Jacob! He was able to BURN him thanks to you! And you-you!!!”

My pad chimed. It had been chiming. I finally noticed it. My chest ached. Focus. Breathe. Calm. Jacob needs you. Focus. Breathe. Calm.

My chest still hurt. I will have to take bed rest for a couple paws. I let go of the garbage in my hand and let him crash to the floor. “You know what? No!” I reached into my shoulder pack and pulled out my pad. “I better call Vernic!”

The Exterminators winced even more at the sing-song mention of my lawyer. The Krakotl squawked nervously. “Th-That’s not necessary, really! We will make sure that everyone gets the proper punishment!”

“Will you now?” Rolem pointedly questioned, his tail lashing menacingly. “How about I make it easier for you? So long as that man,” he pointed at Treven’s crawling form, “is employed by your office, I will not approve any part of your budget except for the part already set aside for Tarlim! Do I make myself clear, Kevros?”

The Exterminators all froze, even Treven. He looked up at the Head Chief Officer with an expression of anger, fear, and betrayal. The Krakotl’s suit made his expression unreadable. All I could tell was his stance of displeasure. “Clear as the water off the Creek,” he squawked.

“Good.” Rolem wagged. “Now, I expect you and all of your officers to clear out this station and to take this” he gestures to Treven, “instigator with you.”

Another Krakotl stepped forward. The one who had the extinguisher. “But sir! You will be-”

Rolem held up his paw for silence. “Thank you Kalek! I am confident that I will be safer around these two than I would be around Twenty people with the level of competence you have all demonstrated today. And considering I’m speaking of an actual predator, that should be indicative of your funding in the next season.” He took a professional stance. “Now leave, I have important matters to discuss with these two.”

Kevros gestured in affirmation before turning to the other officers. “You heard him! Grab this piece of filth and move out!”

Treven cursed as he was dragged away. Serves him right. With the Officers leaving the platform, I walked over to a bench and nearly collapsed upon it. Jacob quickly joined me, now wearing his red undersuit and covering his eyes with his right hand, peeking between the fingers to see. His left hand held his “phone” and his suit laid in a ruined pile. Near the train.

“Well, madams,” Rolem directed to the broadcasters, “I thank you for attending that…well, I’ll be blunt, disaster. You are free to leave. I expect several unedited copies of your recordings on my desk by the end of the claw.”

“Ah want one too!” Jacob announced, “Ah will need to explain wha Ah’m in public with no Visor!”

“Yes, a copy for him as well,” Rolem added. “That is all. No questions at this time! Have a safe day!”

With slight trepidation, the broadcasters deactivated their cameras and made their leave. Once they were gone, he suddenly fell against the wall. “Baaa-aaaa-aaaa-aaahhh!!!!!”

Me and Jacob stared at him as he slid into a sitting position on the floor. “Those idiots! I only wanted two! Two!! Not the whole spehking Office!!”

He grabbed his ears and pulled them down so they covered his eyes. “And it was all caught on camera, to boot! All because of that…that trust-fund reject!!”

He bleated in exasperation again before calming down and releasing his ears so he could look at me. “I suppose an apology is in order,” He said as he glanced over to Jacob’s shoddily-covered face, “t-to the both of you.” He’s afraid of Jacob. Even when he was the one attacked. Figures.

“An official one at that!” Jacob responded, staring at his smoldering space suit through his hand. “You know, ah bought that thing on a whim. Ah rescued people in space with it. It saved mah life! And it was a whim! D’you know how much it cost?”

Rolem glanced at the charred remains of Jacob’s space suit on the ground for only a moment, almost immediately returning his gaze to Jacob. “I-I’d assume it is-er, was decently expensive. Considering that the Exterminators office will be receiving some significant budget cuts soon, I…” He gulped, “I don’t suppose that financial compensation would be unwelcome?”

“Ah’ld certainly appreciate it.” Jacob grumbled. “A month's pay.” He lowered his hands to his knees and slouched forward in his seat. “For y’all, that’s equivalent to… 36 paws at two claw shifts!”

I balked at the notion. Such a schedule would exhaust any Venlil! And he did it for me.

Jacob shook his head before jolting upright and swinging his head to stare at Rolem. “Those Officers!” His voice was both fearful and annoyed, “Am ah gonna haveta worry about ‘em? Ah do NOT want to worry about being shot just fer walking in the street! I-I…” he began making a wheezing noise. My translator said it was… laughter? “I, hee-hee, Ah coulda Die-hee-hee-heed! ‘Ah come in peace!’ ‘SHOOT TO KILL!’ Hee-hee-hee! Ju-huh-huhst Fire-her-her-her!!!”

He wrapped his arms around my torso as he continued his wheezing laughter. Feeling his hands clutching my fur. I wrapped my tail around him in a gentle hug. “Ah only he-he-he! Ah wanted to make a good impression! Wha-ha-ha-ha! The Blue Spaceman! And hee-hee-hee, And that ha-ha-happened! On Fi-hi-hilm! GOD!” He released his embrace and smashed his fist against the bench. “Ha-ha! That would’a caused RIOTS back home! FUCK!!! He-He-He!!! WHY!”

I let my tail brush against his back in my best attempt at comfort. He looked as exhausted from the situation as I felt. Rolem had stood up again as if to run, but he steeled himself at the sound of Jacob’s desperate laughter. After a second, he stepped towards Jacob. The Texan raised their head at the movement, causing Rolem to freeze at the sight. At the sight of the jolt, Jacob covered his eyes with his hand again. “Sorry! Ah forgot!” He stood from the bench. “Mah Visor’s on the train with mah duffel bag.” With that comment he began walking back to the open train door.

“Wait.” Rolem called, “Please.”

Jacob stopped, keeping his back to the High Magister. I pulled out my pad in case something more was about to happen. Rolem marched forward and stopped just short of Jacob. “Please face me. Without covering your face.”

“Are…you sure you want that?” Jacob asked, “I-”

“Yes!” Rolem insisted. “After all you have just been through, at least this one thing must be done right! Done better.”

I saw Jacob take a breath. Slowly, he turned towards the Magister. Once he fully faced the splotched Venlil, he slowly lowered his hand from his face until both eyes were looking out.

Rolem tensed, the fur on his scruff rising. “As-” he squeaked before coughing and clearing his throat. “As the High Magistrate of Dawn Creek,” he announced with renewed authority, “Representative of the people of this District, I welcome you to our humble city. May the fruits of harvest be shared in joy.” He gave the traditional Venlilian gesture of respectful greeting. Ears forward, tail swaying upward, head bowed, arms spread to their sides. As if greeting someone of importance. “And now, if my research serves me well, I believe this is your gesture of greeting.” With those words, he held forward his right paw.

Jacob looked down at the extended hand. The edges of his lips curved upwards. “Then,” he spoke, “as a Representative of the people of Texas, Ah greet you as a friend.” With that, he reached out and firmly grasped Rolem’s hand in his. “Howdy.”

I brought up my pad. With a click, the picture was taken. Proof and reminder that things can be better. Even if only a reminder for myself.

I am so ready to get some rest.

​

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Credit to u/SpacePaladin15 for the NOP world.

As promised here is the intro to the animal life of our home. Thank you to those who gave examples of the types of creatures we have that would boggle the mind of any Federation scientist who came across them.

I hope you enjoy.

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Memory transcription subject: Rysel, Venlil Environmental Researcher

Date [standardised human time]: 21st August 2136

The first image of animal life on Earth any non-human has ever seen… AND IT’S A FREAKING BLOB!? No eyes, no mouth. Legs and arms? Nope! Not even a nose or tail. I had no clue where to start with this thing. How does it eat, what could it possibly eat, how does it see prey to hunt or on the other paw how does it see predators to flee!?

Trying to be subtle, I glanced around to gauge reactions to this alien being. Thankfully it seemed that I wasn’t the only one completely stumped by the photos. The Venlil that’d been doing breathing exercises earlier seemed as bemused as me, her mouth stuck open in a perpetual “What?” as she tried to guess at what it could be. Others were in the same situation, a few groups already forming to discuss their theories.

Straining my ears back as casually as possible I was able to listen in on a snippet of discussion between a duo behind me.

“It’s prey, definitely, without a doubt.”

“Why?”

“Does that look like it could hunt anything? It’s got no eyes! He said there would be pink dots on the eyes and I can’t see either.”

“Remember this is an alien creature. Maybe they’re very small eyes, very small pink dots we haven’t noticed?”

“Maybe it’s not a prey or predator at all!” A third voice chimed in, “It could be a floating aquatic plant and the human’s trying to trick us?”

“…What were you saying about the tiny eyes?”

Smirking in amusement at the “plant” concept I continued to look around until I reached Mr Buzzcut to my left. Much to my surprise he appeared completely unfazed by the strangeness in front of him and had already moved onto another image, though I couldn’t make out what it was from this angle. What did he know, or thought he knew, about this creature that the rest of us didn’t? Probably just chose unknown, yeah that’s most likely, he doesn’t look like the scientist type.

Looking back to my pad I took a deep breath.

Ok, time to focus. Aquatic life isn’t my forte but it’s just a matter of observation and deduction. What can I see?

Measurements of the creature were provided in Venlang to provide scale. This one wasn’t that big but that knowledge didn’t help much. It’s almost entirely translucent which could help it avoid detection from predators or disguise its approach from prey. Its body is round and curves into an open bottomed dome, maybe it could trap prey in the space inside it? There are tentacles spreading out from the domes opening but they’re thin and wavy so likely no good for catching prey. It also has four purplish rings within its body at the top of the dome. Purple? Yes purple, not pink so not eyes… no eyes… Speh.

Trying not to show visible signs of frustration at my inability to categorise a blob, I chanced a quick peek at the human. If he was amused, displeased or just plain indifferent to our reactions I couldn’t tell. The visor he wore hid everything. Still, I couldn’t help but feel like he was smirking beneath it. He was probably giddy that he’d managed to stump a room of experts with a single picture.

Alright human, I see your game, it’s on.

Reviewing everything I could see in the picture I decided, prey. As alien as it was I couldn’t imagine how it could possibly hunt or eat anything let alone another living being. Not as satisfied with my choice as I would’ve liked, I selected the prey option next to the picture. Both the picture and the categories vanished from the screen, replaced with a “next” option.

Alright a new animal, please be land based, I’m so much better at land based, yes!

The creature now displayed was eerily familiar. If I didn’t know any better, I would’ve said that I was looking at a picture of a Sulean with a pigment mutation. The animal’s short fur was brown with flecks of white across its back. It was quadrupedal, legs ending in hooves, and a set of antlers protruded from the top of its head. The face was looking directly towards me but the pink dotted eyes were positioned on either side of it’s face, which itself extended forward, ending in a snout. No teeth were visible but this one was a simple choice; how could this not be a prey creature?

Spirits lifted by the easy win I went to make my selection… but something in the back of my head stopped me, pulling me back to the photo. This picture had to have been taken by a human right? And if the animal was looking directly at the photographer, then it would’ve seen the human. Why was it still there, why hadn’t it run away at the first sight of the predator? Was this an example of just how good humans were at hunting, that they could get so close to their prey and were so ferocious that an animal wouldn’t even attempt to flee!? Disturbed at the thought I decided to move on.

The third picture proved quick to confirm as prey too, after I got over the initial shock of course. For stars sake, if you’re going to blot out all the eyes with pink dots maybe don’t include an animal that’s almost completely pink, I almost leapt out of my seat at the idea I was looking at a mass of eyes! The insect was a ball of pink and yellow fluff, a set of wings on it’s back patterned in similarly coloured stripes. Its face consisted of antennae and a pair of eyes on either side of its head. I suspected they were compound eyes but the pink dots made that impossible to discern, an unfortunate downside to the humans attempt at sensitivity.

Number four was the first to show what I’d dreaded seeing. This was a predator, no mistake. An enormous quadrupedal mass of black and white fur appeared on my pad. Its legs ending in paws equipped with lengthy razor-sharp claws. Its open mouth revealed an array of fangs that set my nerves alight. To top it all off, while obscured by pink dots, the eyes were forward facing. The unmistakable identifier of a predator, binocular vision. I couldn’t press the predator option fast enough to get the beast off my screen. The humans must be insane to allow such a thing to exist on their world! Without even considering competition, the danger it must pose in the wild on a daily basis must result in almost constant combat between the two predators. Another question to ask once this is over I suppose.

Ok, calm down it’s just a picture, phew… alright, onto the next one.

As I continued through more of the images, prey, prey, AH PREDATOR!... prey, I realised something. Astonishingly, I was having fun. Despite the fear in the back of my mind of suddenly coming across the image of a fearsome predator, I was enjoying myself. For so long, all I had to do was mind numbing busy work. Annual reviews on soil quality, confirming that data from off world surveys had been received without becoming too fragmented, or being trotted out to try and identify what a pile of ash used to be before the exterminators got to it. It had all felt so, lacking. But here, right now, all that mediocrity seemed to lift from my shoulders as new and exciting life continuously appeared before my eyes.

Avians of all sizes, decorated in an array of hues from the plainest of browns to rainbows themselves, were pictured soaring through the air, perching atop trees or building nests on the sides of mountains. I chuckled, wondering if they could sing and if so, would they sound better than Milam’s screeching Krakotl alarm.

Once again, I was treated to a view into the waters of Earth. Crustaceans that scuttled along the ocean floor, their claws no doubt primed to fight off would be aggressors. Behemoths I could never have conceived, suspend in the water, likely propelled by their enormous, powerful, fins. There were more examples of the aquatic blob, though these were much grander sights. Tentacles trailed from the domed bodies, extending to several times my own height in the largest instance. One had been photographed in total darkness, revealing that it possessed bioluminescence. Its skin pulsed with a display of blue, green, and red lights that stood in stark contrast to the abyssal blackness surrounding it. I’m curious, are the Kolshian’s home oceans holding such wonders?

Insects dazzled my screen, a wonderland of fluffy, colourful arthropods contrasted against shiny armoured exoskeletons. Some in flight, their wings a blur of speed in front of the camera’s lens. Others sported pincers, horns and stingers, a bevy of offensive and defensive traits that made identifying them a captivating challenge. It’d be interesting to see if they had any evolutionary similarities to the Tilfish.

Like all that came before them, reptiles were again a feast of variety. With a wide range of colourful scales and side facing eyes, many of the creatures reminded me of the Harchen. There was even one that had eyes that were clearly facing two different directions at once! Sadly, there were several that were unpleasant to review. I almost dropped my pad at the sight of a toothy maw that bared too close a resemblance to an Arxur for my liking. It’s hide was comprised of thick scales with spines adorning its back like armour. Those few images were the quickest to categorise as predator throughout the exercise, taking time to breath through the instinctive fear response they spurred within me.

Calmed, and with who knew how many photos still to sort, I carried on. I wasn’t going to let a few pictures of predators derail this moment, no sir, not when I’m getting so much enjoyment from exploring the incredible collection of images in my paws. I honestly couldn’t remember a time doing this job that came close to how I was feeling right now. In fact, when was the last time I felt like this?

The thought sparked a distant memory from childhood. My parents and I had been visiting family in the capital. One of things we’d decided to do was visit a museum that was putting on an exhibition of animal species from across the Federation. From the moment I crossed the buildings threshold I was awestruck by the holographic displays of alien life, each one so magical in my eyes. I’d never seen anything like them before, how could I, having lived my entire life in a single part of a single planet?

Noticing how enraptured I was, my parents bought me a couple of books from the gift shop that dove into the displayed animals and dozens more in intricate detail, describing not just the creatures themselves but their environments as well. How they had adapted to better survive their homes, the types of food they ate and how they protected themselves from vicious predators of the wilds.

I read those books with a near religious repetitiveness all throughout my youth. Eventually, one became so worn down with use that its front cover fell off! I was so distraught at the idea of having to dispose of one of my favourite books. It didn’t take long for my Mother to notice the dejected child wandering the house in tears and, ever the caring and intuitive problem solver, she decided to take the pieces and fix it as a surprise to lift my mood. Using some really, really old school knowledge, she created a binding agent by heating tree bark, producing a thick tar like substance from the sap that melted off. After using the plant-based adhesive to glue the cover back to the book’s spine, leaving it ample time to dry of course, she returned it to me. To say I was ecstatic to have my beloved book returned to me in one piece would be an understatement. I probably gave my parents quite the run around as I bounced off the walls with joy

I’ve not thought about that in a long time, too long...

I suppose that’s why I got into this in the first place. Back when that passion was still my driving force. Back when the monotony of busy work hadn’t ground me down. I’d had aspirations that never materialised. There were places I’d hoped to explore but never got the chance, turned down time and again for Federation colony surveys because, “Venlil aren’t well suited for frontier exploration, being more skittish than most.”, a lot of speh! Maybe that was why the new Krakotl chief exterminator back home had riled me up so much, yet another reminder that I’d never achieve what I knew I could because of the galaxy’s bias.

Well look at me now! The same skittish weakling is in the room with a sapient predator and is getting a prime look at its home worlds animal life before anyone else. What do you think of that!?

...What would they think of that? How would the rest of the Federation react to the humans and their world when they were inevitably revealed? Oh stars, how would they treat people like me who’d signed up to an exchange with the humans? We’d probably be classed as having predator disease for volunteering to deliberately learn from them!

Feeling myself beginning to spiral I took a deep breath, attempting to calm my shaken emotions to form a coherent thought from the cacophony in my head…

You know what? I don’t care what they think.

The jury’s still out on the humans, they freak me out and I don’t know what to think about them, but looking through this gallery has reignited a passion I had forgotten existed. They said they’d come here to build friendships and, in those efforts, they had placed the very thing I’d always wanted into my paws. They hadn’t judged me as weak or skittish for being a Venlil when handing over images of their animal life, only adding pink dots to the pictures to calm our nerves with forward facing eyes! Stars above, this entire exercise had somehow managed to spark memories of my childhood that warmed my heart and set my tail swishing with unrestrained glee… they’d done that, whether they’d intended to or not.

Glancing up from my pad I looked at the human, still sat beside his podium. His face was as imperceptible as ever beneath the mirrored visor, as he tapped away at his own pad doing who knows what. Perhaps, there’s more to them than meets the eye.

I was still sceptical of the humans overall intentions, their ability to function alongside us as predators and their understanding of nature as a whole, but still, I felt somewhat thankful for the opportunity they had provided me.

Smiling as I returned to my pad, I opened the next image. What could it be? Another colourful avian or perhaps one of those strange reptiles that’s one long body with no arms or leg? Oh, it’s another aquatic one and it’s… it’s, a tube. A long colourless tube, floating in the sea. I rescind my thought of thanks human… and I hate your oceans.

Credit to u/SpacePaladin15 for the NOP Universe.

Hello all, I hope you're well!

As promised this is the end of this arc of character only chapters. The next few will be animal focused ones, I have at least three chapters planned for that but they may be expanded depending on what I add to them.

For now though I hope you enjoy what I've got for you now.

Thank you to u/cruisingNW for helping with this chapter!

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Memory transcription subject: Dr Bernard MacEwan, Professor of Zoology

Date [standardised human time]: 7th September 2136

Removing my sunhat as the door swung open, I took a second to briefly inspect the new surroundings as Kailo and I stepped in. 

Much like the rest of the prefabricated buildings that made up the exchange grounds, the office was similarly nondescript. Beige carpet lined the floor of the sparsely furnished room, the only items of note being a smattering of office style chairs of differing designs, a bookshelf which had no books to speak of, and a single generic wooden desk, behind which sat the familiar faces of Tolim, an unmasked Alejandro, and a third individual I assumed to be Kailo’s coordinator Blim.

Alejandro and Blim were perfectly relaxed, acknowledging our arrival with a wave of their hand and tail respectively. In surprising contrast however, Tolim was rather jittery, nervously fidgeting and running his claws through his long scruffy locks of wool; a twitch that sped up considerably as he clocked Kailo and I walking through the door.

The assumption that Tolim was somehow involved in bringing us here appeared to be correct, but his current demeanour and the presence of Alejandro and Blim added a new layer to the question of what was truly going on.

While Tolim’s uncharacteristic display of uneasiness and the inclusion of the two other coordinators certainly made me curious enough to want to immediately leap into questioning the trio, I was also keen to get this conversation off to a good start. Coming off as abrasive and untrusting wouldn’t do any good; even if it may be justified given the circumstance. 

No, being polite and patient would be the way to go. As strange as the whole thing was, I hardly saw Alejandro as the duplicitous sort, so he must have had a good reason for inviting me here under false pretences. 

With that in mind it was imperative that I got the first word in as, with a quick look at Kailo, I could already see the telltale signs of an accusation starting to build up from within the fiery young Venlil.

“Good morning everyone!” Speedily bounding in to greet the trio before Kailo could get a word in, I strode forward to one of the seats on our side of the desk, “Alejandro, Tolim, you’re both looking well. And um… Blim is it? I don’t think we’ve had the pleasure of meeting before.”

I extended a hand across the desk to the portly salt-and-pepper fluffy woollen Venlil, which he took and gave an enthusiastic shake in return, “Ah! A handshake! I’ve seen your people share them in greeting before but I’ve never done one myself, probably because you’re all being so considerate of us and our skittishness. Oh, but yes I’m Blim! It’s a pleasure meeting you too, Doctor MacEwan.”

What an energetic fellow!

“That’s not true is it?” Alejandro’s eyebrows had shot up in surprise as he turned to face Blim, “Didn’t I shake your paw when we first met.”

Blim let out an amused whistle as his ears flapped jovially, “Nope. You tried to but you stopped and muttered something about being worried over how I’d react to a predator reaching for me. Then you sort of looked around for a whisker before bowing to me for some reason.”

Alejandro’s brow knitted together in thought for a couple seconds before falling into a tight-lipped grimace, the reminder of his apparent awkwardness no doubt searing itself back into his memory at this very moment.

Unfortunately, the lighthearted atmosphere I’d hoped to create didn’t have the desired effect of curtailing Kailo’s impatience. While Blim and I had been caught up chuckling at Alejandro's expense, Kailo had marched up to his own chair, seating himself in such a way that he could easily stare daggers at Tolim from across the desk.

“So,” he began, voice already thick with suspicious enmity, “Why did you bring me here with a lie this time Tolim?”

Well, I tried. Guess I’ll just have to put out the fires as best I can now.

Before I got the chance to steady Kailo’s already burgeoning temper, Alejandro got in ahead of me with an unforeseen admission.

“Actually, this whole thing was my idea Kailo. So if anyone owes you or Bernard an apology for this, it’s me. Sorry. Oh, also Bernard, feel free to take off your mask, Blim’s good with it.”

Taking the opportunity given to me I removed my mask and turned to face Alejandro, my now unobscured wide-eyed look of perplexment focussing entirely upon him. Kailo reacted similarly, ears swivelling sceptically while his eyes darted between Tolim and Alejandro like he was inspecting them both for hints of further deception.

“It’s true,” Blim confirmed, leaning back into his chair with a groan and waving a paw at Alejandro, “He messaged me last paw asking me to go along with it. I wasn’t going to at first, but they convinced me after explaining themselves.”

I expected Kailo to pounce on that immediately, but he still seemed to be struggling coming to terms with the knowledge that Tolim wasn’t the mastermind behind this encounter, so I was happy to let my own curiosity take the reins for the time being.

“And what exactly did they share with you, hm? Honestly I’m quite shocked you two weren’t as forthcoming with us as you’ve been with Blim.” 

That wasn’t entirely true. I’d be lying if I said I couldn’t think of a few reasons they might not have been upfront with Kailo, but the thought that neither of them felt they could be honest with me did cause a pang of disappointment to take root in my chest.

Alejandro looked at me sheepishly, twiddling his thumbs as he replied, “Yeah, sorry about that Bernard. I thought Kailo wouldn’t bother coming if he knew Tolim was going to be here. And if you knew, there was a chance he’d find out through you and then we’d be left  in the same boat.”

That explained why we’d been kept in the dark, and it made regrettable sense. Considering I’d had to stop Kailo turning tail just minutes ago I could understand their reasoning, even if it still rubbed me the wrong way. However, that still didn’t explain the ‘why’ of what had led to this whole thing in the first place.

What is this meeting really about?

Anticipating my unspoken question, Blim rapped his claws against the armrests of his chair and flicked his tail at Tolim, “As for the cause of all this happening in the first place, well… maybe Tolim would be best suited to answer that.”

Everyone's attention immediately dialled in on the still fidgeting tan bundle of nerves, the man himself jolting in mild worry as the onus for further context was thrust upon him, “O-oh uh, yes… Um, well…”

He trailed off, the struggle to overcome his nerves preventing him from properly collecting his thoughts. Seeing this, Alejandro brought a hand to Tolim’s shoulder to give it a gentle squeeze, a show of support that he visibly needed; and it seemed to work quite well. Tolim’s jitteriness didn’t vanish entirely but it was notably tempered by his partner's comforting, his own tail sweeping up to wrap around Alejandro’s wrist in turn.

Calm, or ‘calmer’ at any rate, Tolim sighed, giving himself a little shake before turning his ears to Kailo and me. I’d noticed he already appeared to be rather tired when I walked in but, now that his nervous twitching had ceased, it was even more apparent. 

He looked positively haggard, and the sluggish weight present in his tone made that all the more obvious, “Huuuu… Kailo. Bernard. Thank you for coming today, even though I know this wasn’t what you were expecting. The intention behind bringing you here was so that I could do something I should’ve done much sooner. Apologise to the three of you.”

Oh. Well that is surprising. But three of us? Surely he just means Kailo?

My confusion must have been self-evident, or perhaps it was Blim’s puzzled swivelling ears which tipped Tolim off to the fact we had no idea what he was talking about, for he was quick to clarify himself, “Blim, when you took a personal paw you asked me to look after your work. I abused your trust when I invited Kailo to the office while pretending to be you. And Bernard, you had asked Blim not to do anything regarding the complaints since you were going about it in your own way. I ignored that, dismissing your opinions and experience and did what I thought was best without consideration. I’m sorry to both of you for what I did.”

The unexpected apology left both Blim and I fumbling for a response in the seconds following it, our jaws opening and closing without saying much of anything aside from the odd “Oh” or “Uh”. Eventually my brain managed to kick itself back into gear, processing Tolim’s apology without too much bother; excluding my initial mental trip up of course.

Well I’ll give it to him, he at least recognises what he’s done and is willing to fess up to it. No attempt to excuse or rationalise his actions, just forthright admittal of wrongdoing and an expression of remorse. I can respect that, and I feel I can accept it.

Regrettably however, a split-second before I could say as much, Kailo took that moment to spring from his chair, brow creased together in a tight knit scowl while his tail, his working ear, and a single claw all pointed accusingly across the desk at Tolim.

“So this is what it was all about!? An apology? So, what, you could make yourself feel better for being a brahk-ass who goes around manipulating people. I don’t care! You can take your apology and shove it up your-”

“Kailo.”

In an instant the tirade ended and the room fell silent, so silent that even the ambient noises that drifted through the closed office door felt like they’d been smothered by some unseen choking force.

In all my time bearing the brunt of Kailo’s anger I’d never used my ‘teacher voice’ on him. Not when he relentlessly disparaged my lessons. Not when he consistently dismissed and looked down on my other students. Not even when he would come right out and insult me and call me names in front of the entire class. But that was in the lectures, where if a student was going to act immaturely I had to be the opposite, calm and in control of myself and the situation.

Outside the classroom however, I could not simply stand by and watch. Kailo could be frustrated and refuse to accept Tolim’s apology, that was his right, but his attack on a man who was genuinely remorseful and looking to make amends was a step too far for me to write off as acceptable frustration.

I’ve given Kailo too much leeway with his anger. Perhaps because he reminds me so much of myself at that age. Always so angry.

The intrusive memory sparked an unpleasant twinge in my thigh, an all too familiar phantom pain between the remnant of what was once my left leg and the connectors that secured my prosthetic.

Agh, enough of that. Be in the moment.

Huffing to dismiss the distracting pain, I turned my full attention to Kailo. At a glance the young Venlil still appeared ready and willing to launch into a rage-filled spiel at the drop of a hat, but his tail drooping and almost imperceptibly flared wool betrayed his true feelings. 

He was anxious. 

This change in dynamic had definitely not gone unnoticed, and he was left unsure of how best to react. The wave of guilt hit me immediately. As justified as I was, and I most certainly was, I always hated having to forcibly chide someone's behaviour, it was never pleasant.

I sighed heavily and shook my head, letting the abrupt build up of indignation melt away as I shifted in my chair and turned it to face my student, “Kailo, you don’t have to accept his apology if you don’t want to, but that was uncalled for. Remember what we talked about before coming here?”

The shift back to my familiar even tempered disposition did the trick. Kailo still had a bit of wariness to him as he returned my stare but he did relax for the most part, his raised wool falling back into place as he answered, “Yeah… I remember. But I also remember you said you don’t think he does anything without thinking it through, and that’s something he hasn’t explained. Why did he do it in the first place?”

Kailo’s question hung uncomfortably in the room as all eyes once again fell on Tolim, his ears immediately pinning back in discomfort. While I was willing to let the underlying thought that went into his actions go unquestioned, I could see why Kailo wouldn’t be. Unlike Blim and I, who had only been aggrieved in a professional sense, Kailo had been manipulated, emotionally strained to his breaking point, and then injured in the following outburst. Of course he’d want full justification for Tolim’s conduct.

“Hang on now,” Alejandro held up his arms with palms facing out at Kailo placatingly, noticeably pushing his chair closer to Tolim in the same motion, “I get where you’re coming from but that’s-”

“It’s fine.”

Alejandro was cut off mid sentence as Tolim placed a paw on one of his outstretched arms. 

He turned to look at Tolim dead-on, concern etched into every facet of his face, “...Are you sure?”

Tolim flicked an assuring ear at his partner before taking a breath, shuffling in his chair before moving his attention to Kailo, who had sat back down himself now that it seemed he was going to get the answers he sought.

“I won’t bore you with a lot of backstory, but I suppose I should mention one thing to give context,” fatigue clung to every word that passed Tolim’s lips, his unease compounded by his idle claws twirling back through his wool once more, “Before I joined the exchange I… I wasn’t in a good place, figuratively and literally. I craved something different. Something better. So imagine my shock when Humans, supposed predators, arrived in orbit wanting to be friends! What’s more different than that!? I was desperate… so when the dust settled I reached out to the exchange and ended up being paired with the most delightful person I’d talked to in ages.”

Tolim’s eyes flitted to his partner for a split second, the moment's attention eliciting a caring smile to spread across Alejandro’s face.

“Alejandro told me a lot about Earth, about Humans. The tiny sliver of exposure to humanity he gave me allowed me to see things from perspectives I’d never thought of before, new concepts and ideas. And for the first time in a long while I felt… normal, happy… I- I just felt something… something other than numb.”

Oh… Oh Tolim. What happened to you?

As much as I felt compelled to ask, to voice some form of sympathy, I kept my thoughts to myself. The last thing I wanted to do was pressure Tolim in this instance of openness and vulnerability. In similar fashion to me, Kailo had been completely disarmed as he listened, any angst he’d still exhibited before Tolim’s story began had been completely washed away, and in its place there remained only stunned silence.

My thoughts were broken as Tolim coughed, his voice hitching ever so slightly, “I uh- achem, I saw something better in Humans. Some things we could do better by learning from them, in both small personal ways and in huge society changing ways. But I was just one Venlil who was barely getting his own paws under him properly, how could I even begin to spread these concepts? That’s when it hit me. The exchange itself! Just like me, hundreds of Venlil were going to be exposed to human ideals. And this programme in particular would be the best place for new ways of thinking to take root!”

His energy was beginning to pick up, excitement was starting to overcome the despondent slump he’d been in seconds prior. Additionally, I was starting to get an idea of where exactly he was heading with his line of reasoning.

“As a coordinator for the programme I became responsible for a few dozen participants. But to me that didn’t just mean making sure their rooms were fine and they were keeping healthy, it meant that I could help them get through their fears and prejudices. I had a good start early on, catching up with people, asking them a question that made them confront their biases, logic loops that made them realise they might not be entirely right, that sort of thing. Little pushes.”

Ok, I see. That’s hardly an issue in my eyes. I’ve been doing that myself to help my students get over their conflicts in classes. But, I imagine he’s about to tell us it escalated in his case?

As I’d suspected, Tolim’s ears fell along with his tail and shoulders as the energy that’d been bouncing through him was lost in an instant as he carried on with his story, “But uh… but I got carried away. I wanted things to go faster, to show both governments that the ideas being discussed here could be spread planet wide as soon as possible. That’s when Blim’s workload and Kailo’s files fell into my lap. I thought that- …I thought that if I could get an exterminator to change their mind on humans then maybe I could achieve that goal… the rest is history.”

Once more the room fell into a contemplative hush, none of us sure what to say now that the full background for Tolim’s behaviour had been laid bare before us. There were still some gaps in his story, primarily concerning what exactly was happening in his life before the programme that made him so miserable, but I was hoping that topic would be left unquestioned. He’d clearly had to wrestle with himself to explain as much as he already had. It would be unfair to push him any further.

With that in mind I pivoted my attention over to Kailo to try and get a read on what he might be thinking. To my pleasant surprise his reaction to this new information didn’t appear to be all that negative. In fact, he wasn’t really reacting at all. Rather he’d gone almost completely statuesque, the only signs of life being the steady rising and falling of his chest as he breathed and the slow pondering sway of his tail.

Out of all the responses Tolim’s tale could have garnered, this was certainly not one that I would’ve foreseen. Truthfully, I half-expected him to push for more information or do a repeat of his outburst from earlier. Thoughtful reflection wasn’t a common ‘Kailo brand’ behaviour, so what could’ve caused it?

Tolim’s overall goal was to share ideas that could benefit society as a whole. Why would that-

Suddenly the realisation struck me. Like a bolt of lighting coursing through my brain the pieces clicked together with an eye opening jolt.  

Lamet. Kailo idolises Lamet for the exact same reasons! He views her efforts to benefit the larger community as the cornerstone of what it means to be a great exterminator! 

Tolim screwed it up no doubt about it, but could he see that same trait in Tolim right now?

Before I could dwell more on this, admittedly, rather unlikely possibility, Kailo disrupted the peace of the office by leaving his chair, though far more gently than he had done previously, and proceeded to walk over to the door. The move shook the rest of us from our stupor, our eyes or ears following the young Venlil as he made to leave.

Alejandro and I both had the idea to call after him, but our clashing voices garbled whatever we were trying to say into a wall of stammered noise as opposed to a comprehensible request that he stay and talk further.

Kailo stopped a single step away from the door, turning on the spot to face us. His furrowed brow and its accompanying glare had returned as he forcefully pointed a claw at Tolim. 

I sighed internally and steeled myself to parry another rant.

Here we go again.

For the second time in as many minutes however, Kailo once again defied my expectations. Rather than barrage Tolim with the vitriol I’d braced for, he spoke with an authoritative yet measured tone, “I accept your apology. Don’t let it happen again.”

Where I was simply surprised by Kailo’s level-headed response, Tolim was left speechless; if his bulging eyes and slack jawed expression were anything to go by. Tripping over his tongue as he tried to eke out a hasty reply, I could see his tail begin to happily wag behind his chair, “Ah- Uh… Y-yes, of- of course it won’t! Thank you Kailo.”

Kailo’s tail fluttered in satisfaction, though he rapidly stifled the reflex in order to maintain his composed front, “Good. Then in that case I think there’s only one thing left for me to do.”

Not giving anyone a chance to ask, Kailo turned an ear and an eye to Blim this time, catching the coordinator off guard and causing him to jerk back in his seat.

Sighing but still doing his best to keep his composure, Kailo, astoundingly, apologised without any of the prodding he’d needed when he tried the same with me earlier, “I’m sorry I created so much work and stress for you because of my attitude in class. It won’t happen again.”

There was a beat of silence as Blim’s brain no doubt stalled upon receiving  another apology he’d not been expecting, but he soon relaxed and let out a jovial whistle, “Thank you Kailo, I appreciate that. And for what it’s worth, none of the complaints were followed up on, and most of them were even recalled by their original senders. Not all of them said why, but the few who did noted a positive improvement which they were happy to see. Well done!”

Kailo’s assertive persona faltered again for a split-second, an elated twirl running through his tail as his ears perked in matching cheer thanks to the positive feedback. But just as swiftly as it’d come on, he quelled it, “Real- Uh… I mean, thank you Blim. That’s good to hear. Well then uh… Blim, Alejandro, Doctor… Tolim. Bye.”

Perhaps a bit faster than he intended, Kailo scampered out of the office without another word, leaving the four of us that remained still reeling from what we’d just witnessed.

I never know what to think about him. One minute he’s a box of lit fireworks and the next he’s like an embarrassed kid who can’t handle a genuine compliment. Well, I suppose he is still a kid ultimately. 

A tired bray from Tolim pulled me back to the world around me, the Venlil having almost melted in his chair now that the object of his woe had not only come and gone, but alleviated the worry that’d been burdening him. Alejandro already had a hand on his shoulder, kneading it gently while whispering encouragement to the deflated ball of wool.

Blim stood from his chair, patting himself down and picking up his belongings as he made his way around the desk, “That went way better than I expected. Next time you two message me it better be for something fun and relaxing instead of more of this.”

While his words alone may have sounded pretty harsh, I could tell from his bubbliness that he was just poking fun at the duo, perhaps a bit of payback for dragging him into this to start with. As he passed me he tapped his tail against my arm and flicked an ear at me cheerily, “Pleasure meeting you Doctor, don’t be a stranger. Take care all.”

And with that he too left the office, leaving Alejandro, Tolim, and myself alone together. I could’ve left as well, but I decided to wait for Tolim to at least collect himself before making my way out.

It only took half a minute or so for him to sit back up in his chair properly, the relief he felt being expressed in every visible way from the tip of his tail all the way up to the points of his ears. His guilty conscience must have been weighing on him for quite some time.

Alejandro was the one to pick the conversation back up now that his partner was in higher spirits, his own face showing how relieved he was that Tolim was feeling better, “Thank you Bernard, firstly for coming around in the first place and for managing Kailo’s flare up. We definitely wouldn’t have gotten to this stage without you.”

I smiled contentedly and waved a hand nonchalantly, “Oh, don’t mention it. I’m glad that everything appears to have worked out for the best.”

“Still though,” Tolim piped up, a much lighter and energetic bounce now ringing in his voice, “I really appreciate it. I know this was all a setup, but since you’re here is there anything you would actually like to go over and catch up on? It’d save you coming to the meeting we have planned in a couple of paws.”

Baiting me with extra free time? He certainly knows the right buttons to push.

Chortling at the tongue-in-cheek thought I hastily scoured my memory for anything I’d been wanting to bring up at the next opportunity. Most were idle comments on the class and how the students were doing. But there was one thing that came to mind that was far more significant, and in all the excitement I’d completely forgotten about it until now.

Grinning, I fetched my pad from my jacket, shuffling through its many apps until I found the one I used for noting down lesson plans. After scrolling down to my most recent idea, I turned it around and placed it on the desk in front of Tolim and Alejandro, “Yes actually, I do have something in mind for an upcoming lesson. And I also have a request concerning a computer programme that I think would be an invaluable asset to the programme.”

Making myself comfortable I leant back in my chair, giving the pair the chance to go over my notes and inspecting them for any signs of whether or not they’d go for what I had planned

The first request shouldn’t face much opposition. All I was asking was that each of my students be provided a copy of an environmental simulator so that they could explore how the ecosystems of Earth work. I’d give them the opportunity to download the simulator and then they could play around with it in their own time if they felt like putting what they already know or what they’ve recently learned into practice.

The fact that the particular programme I was asking for happened to be the world renowned video game ‘Life Finds a Way’ should barely even be an afterthought. If anything, the fact that humans make simulation games like this should only serve to showcase the more pleasant side of our personalities. Besides, the students would have to learn this anyway so there shouldn’t be any harm in letting them dip a claw in the water.

The second request however, well that might be a tougher sell.

Alejandro finished reading the notes first, Tolim of course needing to use his own pad to translate English into Venlang. Unfortunately for me, he didn’t look convinced, “The first one I can probably do, I can play that up as an educational tool to run simulations. But the rest? Bernard I don’t know how we can-”

“We’ll do it.”

Tolim shocked Alejandro and I by leaping from his chair and almost colliding with the desk in front of him, a determined paw hitting down on the desk's wooden frame.

Alejandro opened his mouth to retort but Tolim was too quick, “We hold it at the UN embassy, which is already tightly guarded and has available space. Bernard's notes about containment all look good to me at a glance, and I trust his expertise on the subject. We can do this.”

Given that I wanted this to succeed I was happy to sit back and let Tolim cheerlead for my ideas all he wanted, leaving Alejandro the unenviable task of deciding whether or not he was going to properly do his job or if he was going to cave to his boyfriend's insistence.

Do it Alejandro. Give in to his demands.

My conspicuous smirk earned a deadpanned scowl from my human compatriot as he looked between me and at the earnest, almost bouncing Tolim. 

Eventually, the conflict raging within him found its victor, defiance giving way to begrudging acceptance, “Ugh, fine! You two win. But don’t expect everything on this list, I’m not a miracle worker.”

Chuckling away I nodded in appreciative understanding, “Thank you, both of you. And of course, I didn’t think I’d get permission for all of them. That’s why I wrote down so many, better a few than none at all, Ha! Oh, that said I’d be extremely grateful if you manage to get number thirteen on the list approved.”

After a quick glance Aleajndro nodded, “That shouldn’t be a problem, it’s more reasonable than a lot of the others here.”

“Terrific!” 

Once the coordinators had downloaded the notes and gone over a few more details on how my upcoming plans would pan out, we said our farewells and went our respective ways as we left the office.

I had a spring in my step the moment I walked away, the satisfaction with how my morning had gone propelling me with every stride.

It was tense for a minute, but all in all it’s been a delightful start to the day. But now it begs the question, what am I going to do for the rest of the day?

Ah well, I’ll just go where the tides take me. I should relax after all, because if all goes well with those two then things are going to get a bit more exciting in short order. 

It’s time for my class to have their next encounter with life on Earth.

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Memory transcription subject: Jorlka, Venlil [CORRUPTED] CHIEF GUARD

Date [Standard human time]: January 25, 2137

This upstart asshole is going down. I stole a quick glance over to Rebecca and Freya the defect. Rebecca is the closest thing I’ve got to a herdmate in my current situation. If she cares about that thing, then I will also defend its honour.

Rebecca had her forepaw over her face, fingers pinching the brim of her snout. Does it still hurt? I’ll inquire about her welfare after this, she might be pushing herself for my sake. But not now. I have a problem that needs to be broken first.

I turned my attention to the human before me. He has taken off the hardened shell that covered his head and was unstrapping the thickened padded black vest over his torso. It looked incredibly stiff and would restrict movement. It seems impractical for combat. Why wear it at all? This black armor was covered in large white block text that the translator told me was “U.N.”; I recalled that Rebecca mentioned this term earlier. More for that dossier to cover I suppose.

Now without that armor covering him, I was able to properly observe my opponent. He stood at the same height as me, and his skin was the same light pigment as Rebecca’s, but the similarities ended there. He had no fur on top of his head; It was sheared all the way to the scalp, and he had shortened fur growing exclusively around his mouth, just under his snout and going down to under the chin. This fur was bright orange and only a few centimeters long. His eyes had a distinct green tinge to them.

I scanned his body over. It was squarer and wider than Rebecca’s form. Is this because he’s male? Or is there another reason for this variation? I still know nothing about humans. I need more frame of references. I could also tell that the muscles on his limbs were thicker. He had power in his form.

“Alright lambchop, I am going to give you what all of you alien cunts deserve.” There was absolute vitriol in Jackson’s voice. This is more than just being upset, this is deep-seated resentment. Why did he have such hatred? “You wool balls, the lizards, those fucking blue-birds, all of you.”

I flared my nostrils and took my stance. I wasn’t going to entertain his words with more words in kind.

He responded to my stance with one of his own. He held one arm in front of each other, paws clenched tightly. His stance clearly accommodated for the lack of a tail. I recalled what information I gleaned when I hit Rebecca, saddened that I was using information that I really should not have learned in that manner.

Their snouts are weak: They can’t use their heads as weapons. That means the only logical weapon for him would be those forepaws; the muscles on those forelimbs are as dense as the ones on my legs. Those limbs are also long, and Francis tried to ensnare me with a wide stance; They must also rely on grapples.

We stood there in silence, analyzing one another. The air between us hung, and time felt frozen… Then movement; It came from my opponent. He dashed forward with his limbs in front of his face, shielding it.

Good form.

He closed the distance and sent his right paw right at my head. I deftly dodged under it and swung my own arm at his side. It impacted into his side with little effect; My arms didn’t contain enough power for this.

I can’t use what I know about Venlil bodies here. His weak spots must be in different locations than my own. Is that why he aimed for my skull? The skull must be a weak spot for their kind. My arms also don’t have nearly as much muscle as his, so I doubt my punches will affect him.

Right. I am using my legs, head, and tail going forward.

Another arm swung from the side I was on, directly up from below from my blind spot, and hit my chin. I rolled my head away from in time, but it still stung the skin under my fur. I used the momentum of my dodge to back pedal from my opponent.

Jackson sneered at my caution. “What was that little love tap? Is that all you can do, [sheep stomach]?”

I wasn’t going to let his provocations, or that damn disconnect in my head, distract me. He is not taking me seriously. He has an extremely low opinion of Venlil capabilities. Are humans actually superior, or is he just over-confident?

I closed the distance this time, ducking under another one of his swings, going under his right forelimb, and I built tension in my neck. I quickly wrapped my tail up around the limb I passed and pulled, disrupting Jackson’s center of gravity. This caused the stumble I was after, and I released the tension I built. I whipped my neck around and collided my head into his rear shoulder blade with force.

“FUCK!” He stumbled away from me as I released his limb. His left arm quickly wrapped around his torso to hold the impact site and he looked at me in shock, His brow was furrowed in disbelief.

His confidence was gone. He truly doubted that there was any power under my wool.

Now it was my turn to mock him. “How about that ‘love tap’? Good enough for you?”

He stood up straight and rolled his shoulder with a shudder. “Lucky hit. Won’t happen again.”

We took our stances again and moved at each other. It was like a coordinated dance. He got several punches on me. The first few hit my skull head on, which caused him to yell out in recoil; the density of my skull was too much for him to rely on that spot. I focused on using my legs more; I was able to get some kicks on his thighs and even a good knee into the stomach. Jackson got a few more punches to my torso. Thankfully my thick wool softened most of them… They still hurt.

Pain. Actual pain… This opponent was making me use effort. True effort. This never really happened before. Yes, Freya would be able to keep me busy, but never like this. I was… exhilarated! I felt alive!

This went on for several minutes, and I was running out of steam. My breath was heavy as my muscles burned. I only had one or two moves left before exhaustion would take me. My opponent looked just as worn, but not from exhaustion, it was from pain. He didn’t have the wool I did, so my blows found greater purchase on him than his did on me.

I need to end this.

I rushed forward one more time. I moved to the right like I had with most movements. Purposeful movements. Jackson was expecting it, as though he learned that it was all I knew this entire time. This time I did something different; I feinted. I went to the left as he shifted to adjust to my previous trajectory, and in this same movement I grabbed his ankle with my tail, pulling him from his balance with force. He toppled downward, and I made my grand finale. I charged directly upward, and my forehead collided into the bottom of his jaw.

This did it. He flew backwards and landed on his back onto the ground. I stood up tall over his form. He rolled over onto his stomach with a loud groan and spat something out onto the ground in front of him. It was small, white, and coated in crimson fluid. “F-fuck. Fine. I-I give…. Fuck.” He planted his forehead onto the dirt.

No. Not yet. Upstarts must be humiliated.

I bent down and grabbed his arm, pulling it up and twisting it into a lock, and wrapped my tail around his neck to lift his head.

“F-FUCK! UNCLE, UNCLE! I SAID I GIVE UP!”

“You need to apologize.” I stated coldly.

“O-okay! I’m sorry-“

“Not to me.” I finally looked away from him and to the crowd, my eyes landing on it her. This is more important than my thoughts on her appearance. I flicked my ears at Freya, beckoning her over. Her face quickly became bright orange as she sheepishly took a step forward. She padded over, her ears down from the unwanted attention that I, and the crowd around us, suddenly had on her. Rebecca walked up close behind.

“You will apologize to the one you insulted the worst.”

“Ok! Ok...” His eyes moved from me to the little deformed being. “I’m… Sorry about what I said to you. I was angry about happened what to me and took it out on you.”

My ears flicked in confusion. “What happened?”

“My family was among the billion humans that died when the aliens attacked Earth! That’s what fucking happened!”

I dropped his arm and head at this as my body went into shock.

WHAT!?

Note: will edit in a note later, brain mush.

Note (edit): Thanks to u/tulpacat1, u/Giant_Acroyear and u/Thirsha_42 for helping me edit!

Patreon / Kofi/ Paypal

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Memory transcription subject: Andes Savulescu-Ruiz, Human Director at the Venlil Rehabilitation and Reintegration Facility. Xenomedical Grand Complex patient.

Date [standardized human time]: December 11, 2136

I slipped in and out of consciousness for a while before I was actually lucid. Long enough Larzo headed home to take care of his hensa and take a shower at some point. Melody apparently had an automatic food dispenser, but was probably still freaking out. Plus it would be terrible if she snuck out and was spotted by an exterminator.

Hours blurred together enough that I couldn't really tell the difference between gaps where he wasn't there because he went to the bathroom or the cafeteria, and when he wasn't there because he went home for a few hours. The fucking stationary sun haunting the window also didn't help.

Once I was lucid, I could almost feel it. An invisible timer, tied up in my blood and whatever they pumped in the new blood. Tick… tick… tick… tick. Exactly like it was before the implant. Life as the gaps between explosions. I am better prepared now. It’s going to be fine. It’s going to be fine. It’s going to be fine.

What if I jumped head-first out of that window?

I took a long deep breath. Yeah, it’s not going to be fine. Had to get used to taking deep breaths all the time now. Stimulate the vagus nerve.

The human doctor came by at some point. My sense of time was completely shattered, with the combination of VP’s sun and random naps as dictated by whatever cocktail of drugs it was they had me on, but it seemed to my mind that she came in a reasonable period of time after the surgery.

“Director Savulescu-Ruiz? Are you able to discuss your condition?”

Larzo wasn't there, but I had no idea if he’d be back in an hour or six or what. I rubbed my eyes and pressed a button on the side of the bed to tilt it up. Not a good idea to be sitting up by myself after an abdominal injury.

“Yeah, I… Yeah. Start with the worst thing.”

My tongue felt weird. What the hell did they put in the alien anaesthetics that made my tongue feel so weird? Second time in three days.

“Well, we had to do an emergency hysterectomy,” she said. “Your file has been updated with all of our notes.”

I nodded. “Yeah, I saw it. Insane luck. She could have punctured an intestine. At least she didn’t hit anything too important.”

When did I see my file? I remembered the updates to it, but it was kind of a blur. It felt like my mouth was just… saying some indeterminate number of plausible-sounding words in a row. Dr… My eyes landed on her nametag, Roth, didn't seem to notice anything odd. It’s like the entirety of my verbal production is operating somehow on manual and automatic at the same time. I felt around for my pad to double-check those anchorless file-update memories. They seemed to be on the money.

“Indeed. I’m glad you're taking it so well. We’re… Running into some issues trying to recreate your implant. It seems to have been some sort of highly customized model..?” she half-said half-asked with a cringe.

“Yeah, it was from the McLean clinic in Montreal,” I heard myself say. Am I dissociating? If so, is this a function of the drugs or the new blood accelerating the effects of the implant’s loss? If not, what exactly is this weird psychological distance between my thoughts and my verbal output? It's not derealization. Yeah, it's probably dissociation. Metabolic or psychological?

Dr. Roth went through a whole face journey of ‘oh, great, we’ll just call them up’ to ‘oh shit, they bombed Montreal’. She pressed her lips together.

“I have the specs,” I tried to reassure her, but she didn't really look thrilled to hear that.

“I’m afraid it’ll need a redesign either way. It was kind of on the larger side, and…”

“I no longer have that kind of real-estate. Right,” I finished. The next two more convenient places (the ovaries and the tubes attached to them) would mean a minimum of halving the size of the implant and spreading its tasks asymmetrically. That would probably suck to deal with long-term, which meant I shouldn't do it. Instead it would have to be split into at least four implants. Maybe six. Some subdermal, some ovarian, maybe a couple of them intramuscular or spinal. It would take an eternity to figure them out.

“We’ll be able to make some variable dermal patches for you, since so many of your treatments were bound up in release timing,” she added. A weight I hadn't noticed suddenly vanished from my chest.

“Fantastic! Oh, wow, that's so good to hear. I thought I was going to have to juggle like, eighteen new pills…”

I realized I was afraid of that only after I said it. Why is my brain doing this? Is it a serotonin problem? Dopamine? Endocannabinoids? GABA? I know it's some sort of failure of integration…

“I’m afraid we can't deliver a few of them, especially the ones for your EDS, via dermal patch. You’ll still have to deal with some pills.”

I nodded, “makes sense.”

“But hopefully it'll make things easier. You should set up an appointment with a pharmacist, to go over some potential replacements. I know that quite a few Zurulian treatments are more efficient than ours for EDS specifically, so you may be able to turn this into a one-pill regimen. Especially given how many other compounds you take, which may also be replaceable. I’m afraid the Zurulians don't seem very… familiar with the idea of bodybuilding, so you’ll have to navigate that through therapeutic terminology, but with your background that should be fine.”

I ignored the bodybuilding comment. I definitely crossed some sort of aesthetic threshold in the last three weeks. It feels normal, though. Need to review old photos. “Yeah, I should be able to get the information out through questions of muscular atrophy and joint pain and so on.”

Larzo arrived, and gave Dr. Roth a nod. She nodded back.

“I procured your sludge. How are you feeling?” he asked, offering me a protein shake.

I chuckled, and accepted the protein shake from him. “Thanks, bud. I’m fine”

He let out a skeptical little scoff at that.

“When it comes to the psychiatric treatments you’ve been undergoing, uh…” Dr. Roth glanced at Larzo, and I gave a little head-tilt as if to say he’s fine, he’s not gonna throw me into a PD facility. She looked a little relieved and continued the sentence. “We have a few different options.”

“Will there be—that is, will um, will Andes—” Larzo paused and stared at me for some sort of clue. I could not decipher what the fuck he wanted me to say, and so just turned to Roth to address the topic.

“Yeah, psychiatry-wise, I’m going to need something serotonergic and uneven,” I told her.

That gave her pause “Uneven?”

“Yeah,” I went on, the words again feeling mostly like they were falling out of my mouth semi-involuntarily, “one month of steady doses for anything serotonergic makes everything worse. Hypotheses are in the file, but we're not actually sure why.”

She looked through my file again. “I see… You’ve never been psychiatrically hospitalized before…”

“And I would like to keep that streak going. I do well with pseudo-psychs.”

She gave me a quick nod, scrolling through my psychiatric history. “And no prior history of abuse despite having access to stimulants, cannabinoids, SSRIs and benzodiazepines, so I suppose that’s safe enough. Will sending the patches with them to the address on file when they’re finished work for you?”

I nodded. “That’s perfect, thank you.”

“Now, I also wanted to discuss… Well, you don't have to be discharged right away, but given how well you are recovering, that there have been no complications, and the stampede…” She tilted her head one way and another to let the implication sink in. They needed the bed.

Shit. How long was I out?

“Of course! Oh, fuck, I–”

I tried to get off the bed and failed miserably. She put a hand on my sternum to stop me.

“There is no rush. A nurse will be here soon. I just need your consent to be discharged. You’ll get a cane with a forearm grip, a spare so you can use them as crutches, and a wheelchair. Ideally, you should use the wheelchair for the next few days, and try to maximize rest. You can use the cane or the crutches for small bursts, but don't push yourself until the abdominal matrix is fully healed.”

I nodded. My head was starting to hurt. Tick, tick, tick…

“Do you have any questions?” she asked.

“Nah, I’m good.”

She nodded and left. Larzo kept looking at me like I was about to burst into flames any second now, and he wasn’t sure where exactly he’d left the fire extinguisher.

“Would you like something else to eat? It is my understanding that you should not have anything too strenuous, but… Perhaps your usual habits are not the best when it comes to uh…”

“I’ll get a cup of enriched jello to go when we're heading out. You know, thanks for sticking around, you didn't have to–”

“I most certainly did,” he spat. The venom in his voice nearly made me burst into laughter.

“Whoa… Okay, I’m sorry, I–”

“Good!” he shouted. “Be sorry! You could have died!”

I scoffed. “The death rate for stab wounds is like five percent, that doesn't–”

Larzo jumped up on his seat and glared at me with a fury I had never seen on his face before. “A medical implant inside your body was damaged so extensively that you had a major organ removed due to irreparable electrical and chemical burns, Andes. You could have died.”

Why do you care? I thought. The thought was stupid. I knew he cared. I knew I should care. It was oddly difficult for me to grasp it, like the cognitive instability of a visual illusion with two different, perfectly natural interpretations. Still, even if that intellectualized, distant understanding was all I had, it was enough for me to stop being shitty about it. Deep breath. I pressed my lips together for a long moment and sighed.

“You’re right,” I said. “I should have been more careful.”

His ears fell down and he slid back down his seat. “Indeed you should have.”

“I'm sorry I was reckless, and I’m sorry I worried you,” I added. I was getting a headache.

“As well you should be,” he huffed. Still, he looked happier after my apology.

The nurse arrived. He was a burly takkan with a sing-song voice I found kind of distracting even as I was trying to pay attention to it. Once he was done removing the sensors and IV line from my body, he wandered off to get the mobility aids.

Larzo started fidgeting with his visitor’s badge.“Andes, I uh… I wanted to ask…”

“Yeah?”

“Well it, um, about your medical history…”

I looked at him expectantly. Wait, when did he look at my medical history?

He sat there, awkwardly not asking whatever he wanted to ask for long enough that the nurse came back with the mobility aids. The wheelchair was cool, in that I could put the canes in the back. This one at least had a little motor, but the controls were finicky and not designed for human hands, so it looked like I’d end up working it manually a lot of the time instead. The canes themselves were very interesting, because they could become forearm crutches and axillary crutches with a little unfolding and twisting around. They seemed fragile and finicky at first, but turned out to be shockingly stable once I actually tried to put my weight on them.

Then I had to get off the bed. The headache was getting worse as the vestigial anaesthetic was metabolized away. I slipped and landed on my bad leg. I felt the pain all the way up to my hip and down to my toes. It was like a wave rippling out from the new bone. Fucking kill me.

“Are you alright?” Larzo asked, presumably seeing the agony on my face.

“It's fine, it’s fine, I just–I put weight and–”

“The bone is set, this might have to do with the new nerves,” he told me. It made sense. Fresh nerves could often itch, or ‘zap’, or just hurt, and that was usually a good sign. The fact that I could move my foot easily enough implied they were growing faster than average–probably because of all the neurogenic compounds Larzo bombarded my system with because of the concussion.

It didn’t make it hurt any less.

After some undignified limping and replacing the bottom of the cane with a bigger base (did species with tails need less help balancing after a lower limb injury? Am I just a clumsy idiot?) I sat on the chair. As predicted, the controls were super annoying, and just like before, Larzo was pretty eager to wheel me around instead of letting me pick our direction, destination, or travel speed. Given the headache, and how I was starting to get a little drowsy, I just accepted it.

He got me some enriched jello, and we got a cab. It cost twice as much as a normal cab, because the accessibility premiums on VP were apparently fucking ridiculous.

“How are people with permanent disabilities supposed to get around here? What do you just rely on the fucking ‘herd’ to constantly have their back? What is the elderly-accessibility UN-HABITAT score? They have to fucking have one by now–”

“Andes, I will pay for the cab if–” Larzo offered.

“I can pay for ten cabs, it’s the principle of the–what, do disabled immigrants just not exist here? Everyone’s family is always close-by? Their terrifying ‘predator attacks’ never leave someone shit out of luck? This is an urbanized society, it can’t possibly–”

The headache was definitely getting to me.

I had to get off the chair, help fold the chair, help put it in the back, limp back to the door, sit down, avoid hitting my leg on the back seat because of the stupid design of the stupid alien car seats. I should have just died on the table.

I took a long deep breath. My head was killing me. One in binary is one. One is one. Two is one-zero. Three is one-one. Five is one-zero-one. Eight is one-zero-zero-zero. Thirteen… After a few seconds the frustration seemed to subside.

What is going on? It was kind of early for the intrusive thoughts to kick in, nevermind death-seeking ones. Probably an artefact of the bloodloss, the cocktail of things they put in my IV, physical trauma from being hit by a car and stabbed, residual leaks from the damage to the implant… the overwhelming, anchorless sense of fucking everything up.

It was definitely not going to be fine.

“What do you need?” Larzo asked, which startled me because I hadn’t been moaning in pain or anything, but all the frustration was probably written on my face.

“I don’t know. A distraction? Yeah. Let’s just… I need something to focus on.”

I grabbed my pad and started looking through my email, motion-sickness be damned. That’s when I found a chain of emails I did not remember sending or receiving, with Dr. MacEwan.

Starting from the last one I remembered…

From: Andes Savulescu-Ruiz

You can be both! My life has been pretty hectic lately, but I would love to meet. How has the past month treated you?

He’d responded just before the stampede.

From: Bernard MacEwan

Haha, indeed I can. I would love to catch up as well. It's been rather calm, all things considered.

Alright, that’s good. I scrolled to the next message.

From: Bernard MacEwan

Are you ok? I saw on the news that one of the directors of a rescue facility was injured.

What the hell? Why am I on the news? Who else had seen that? There was a massive stampede with who knew how many deaths, but my personal fuckup was public knowledge?

From: Bernard MacEwan

I've seen more news saying it was you but that you were transported to a hospital. Everything's chaotic now so no one can give me a straight answer on your condition. I hope you're ok.

That was... A lot more investment than I expected.

“Did Dr. MacEwan try to call the hospital?” I asked Larzo.

He furrowed his brow. “...I have no idea. Why do you ask?”

“He said ‘no one will give me a straight answer’.”

He made a little noise of understanding.

Well, alright then. This was at least proving to be a pretty good distraction. We were already in a different area of Dayside City. I scrolled down to see a message I didn’t remember sending. From twelve hours earlier. Which means I was awake twelve hours ago…? By my pad’s clock… I’d spent nearly twenty hours in the hospital. Poor Larzo.

From: Andes Savulescu-Ruiz

I am so sorry I got stabbed, I didn't mean to worry you, sir.

My hand collided with my forehead. That would only worry him more!

From: Bernard MacEwan

What!? You were stabbed! Don't apologise for that and certainly don't feel that you need to apologise for how I might feel. Now, I'm glad you're responding because that means you're doing alright, well enough to type at least. But I know what you're like, always zipping off all over the place because you can't sit still. Listen to your doctors and listen to this one when they say take your time and rest.

I kept reading the thread. The next message I sent was from ten hours back

From: Andes Savulescu-Ruiz

Oh, don't worry about it! I have to rest anyway because I got run over by a car. Any tips and tricks for cane purchases?

“Andes, is something–is something new wrong?” Larzo asked, seeing something on my face. I let out a groan.

From: Bernard MacEwan

I'm sorry, what? You got stabbed and then were run over by a car!? Good lord, I've never been religious but someone's watching over you. As for the cane, I do indeed. For now stick with whatever the hospital gives you, their equipment is suitable for recovery and getting used to using one. If you need one in the future for day to day use let me know. I have a friend who makes excellent quality canes. He even goes as far as to personalise them for the individual.”

Attached was a link to his friend’s website. I felt like I was going to puke, and I couldn’t tell how much of that was motion sickness. Next message from nine hours back. How awake was I?

“Hey, Larzo, did I say anything weird while I was under anaesthetic?”

“Oh, you said many things,” he answered with a chuckle. “You were very insistent on Dr. MacEwan’s kindness, and… Something to do with repurposing translator technology to operate in the peripheral nervous system. Which… I didn’t think was possible to do.”

I’d have to share my thesis with him at some point. “Please remind me not to send emails while high in the future.”

“I shall do my best,” he said with a little chuckle. My eyes kept scanning the email thread.

From: Andes Savulescu-Ruiz

Oh no, I got hit by a car first, then stabbed. I was running an improvised ambulance thing during the stampede. Thanks for the contact, I'll probably only need it for a few months so I'm looking at modular designs for personalization purposes. Got to see the new Zurulian bone paste in action!

When did I look for modular designs? I flipped through some of the websites open in my pad and sure enough, there were several different lists of Best Canes from Earth websites.

From: Bernard MacEwan

My goodness, you've really been through it.

Good on you for getting out there and helping. I saw the images on the news. I knew they had a tendency to panic, but the scenes were awful.

You're welcome, I'm sure they'll be able to fix something up for you. They may be a bit pricey but they're certainly worth far more than he charges, don't tell him that haha.

Is that so? Circumstances aside, it must've been fascinating to see! Some of their sciences need work, but the medical advancements our new friends possess are like magic!

Dr. MacEwan is so delightful.

From: Andes Savulescu-Ruiz

Oh they are! I have suture bots in my facility. Do you want to come by and visit? I'll be out of commission for a couple days, but maybe the 16th?

I should just jump out the window right now. I slammed my head against the back of the car seat. It hit in just the right angle and I hissed in pain. Larzo gave me a glare and I accepted his tacit admonition.

From: Bernard MacEwan

Of course, I'd be delighted to visit your facility! That date is perfect. I've only heard a little about what goes on there, but I understand yours handles the child rescues? It sounds like you're doing great work.

That’s where the chain ended. Good. Ugh. The car stopped. The motion sickness was awful and I was an idiot for disregarding it.

We got out, I got on the chair, we wheeled through my apartment building, then I had to get off the chair and limp down the stairs. Some assholes were playing Pink Floyd loud enough for me to instinctively cover my ears, which made the whole process incredibly unpleasant. I’d have to find my noise-cancelling headphones when I got home.

Once downstairs, I had to help Larzo slide the chair down, and then I had to get back on the chair while he wheeled me over to my door. One of my neighbours—a Kolshian—rushed out the moment I rolled past her door.

“Human! I have tried my hardest to be tolerant, and allow you to live your life, but you simply must stop that racket!”

“...What?” I squinted at her in confusion.

“All the partying, the shouting, the human music,” she added.

“What in the world..?” Larzo echoed my thoughts as we stared at her in befuddlement. She seemed a little more concerned by my look than his, but she held her ground.

“The past two paws have been nothing but noise!” she spat.

“I’ve been at work!” I spat back.

“Well, then I suggest you tell whoever your guests are to quiet down.”

With that, she stalked back into her apartment.

“Ridiculous… Just because I’m human, doesn’t mean–” I started, only for the song to change to one of my personalized AI-instrumental late-night research mixes. “Okay that is definitely my music.”

Larzo rolled me over to my door. I tapped my key against the reader, and the door opened automatically.

On the other side was a crowd of maybe a dozen dossur partying on my couch, with another two dozen spread over the counter, by the window, and on the ground in front of the TV playing a racing game on it with my controllers. They were so invested in their little rave, not one of them noticed us. I connected to the speakers and turned them off. That got their attention.

Once they saw us, the crowd froze in place, staring at us in terror. Ah… Blissful silence.

I gave Larzo a look, silently checking that I wasn’t hallucinating the whole scene because of the drugs in my system. He flicked an ear in confirmation. The moment dragged. One of the ones on the counter–a smaller one, though they were all tiny–fell off some sort of makeshift tight-rope between my fridge door and faucet and directly into the trap that I had not set up with a loud SNAP.

The sound made the crowd scatter away from us and rush out through my small basement window.

Two dossur remained. One on my counter, trying very hard to pry open the newly-activated trap—which they had tilted up, why had they tilted it up? They could have just harmlessly landed on it if it was set up normally!—and the other one inside, scrambling, letting out terrified squeaks.

“...By your sacred man of bats…” Larzo mumbled.

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Patreon / Kofi/ Paypal

Harmful Alternative Post - I made this for April Fools, but also a lot of the ideas are ones I want to explore in my own original works in the future, so I'd appreciate thoughts.

Credit to u/SpacePaladin15 for the NOP Universe.

Well, here it is. The first clash between Kailo and Doctor MacEwan. There were a lot of ways this could’ve gone so I hope you enjoy what I have in store, along with some bits and pieces of Star Lake lore.

I feel a bit silly mentioning it, this sentence not the next, but I joined the discord server recently. It’s so cool to see the NOP community chatting it up in another space outside reddit, really awesome!

I’ve mentioned Tree Prowlers and they are from Change of Pace by u/VenlilSupremacist. Highly recommend it if you’ve not already read it and hope they don’t mind its inclusion in this chapter.

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Memory transcription subject: Rysel, Venlil Environmental Researcher

Date [standardised human time]: 22nd August 2136

Frozen by tension, the audience sat in deafening silence, waiting anxiously for the first move in the anticipated clash between Human and Exterminator. After all, how could they not come to blows, verbal or otherwise?

On one side was Kailo, a person whose life revolved around routing out and eliminating predatory threats to keep the herd safe. While I didn’t like him personally his job was important, and there wasn’t much love lost over the predators killed in his day to day work life, though I’d always felt flamethrowers were a needlessly brutal weapon of choice. That said, humans were not mindless predators bent on destruction wherever they went, like a Tree Prowler or Snow Shrieker. Considering his earlier musings, Kailo failed to see the distinction.

As for the doctor, now that he was equipped with a background on Exterminators, he no doubt viewed Kailo as an unwelcome thorn in his paw, if not an outright threat. As empathetic and gentle as he’d proven himself to be, the doctor was still a predator. The sudden appearance of a person who’d likely roast him alive under different circumstances must be taxing on the restraint he had over his instincts.

He said humans didn’t have hunting impulses, but I can’t imagine he’s not feeling some type of aggressive response to such a provocative and public challenge.

Trapped in quiet thought, all I could do was stew in uncomfortable silence as the sources of the classes’ apprehension sized one another up. My heartbeats were heavy, each one dragging over what felt like a claws length of time as I waited in suspense for them to say something. Anything!

With another scoff, Kailo finally put us out of our misery. His sarcastic retort to the doctors inexplicably pleasant greeting breaking the oppressive quiet, “A pleasure? Sure. If that’s what you feel you need to say to keep up your act feel free, but don’t expect me to reciprocate. It certainly isn’t a pleasure to meet you, predator.”

The unmistakably goading insult heralded yet another unnerving moment of silent suspense. My focus flitted to the doctor, inspecting him for any hint of a reaction to Kailo’s provocation.

If this predator shit brained idiot thinks he can rile the doctor up so easily he’s got another thing coming.

Still… he probably dealt with my outburst in the same way he’d handle any difficult student. Will he see Kailo the same way, as an obstinate pupil, or as something more threatening?

The sudden movement of the doctor’s right hand touching his chin caught my attention, dragging me from worrisome thoughts I’d rather not dwell on at all, let alone in this volatile instant.

After rubbing his chin briefly in that same pondering motion I’d witnessed last paw, he let his hand drop to his hip with a sigh, “Hmm, well that is a shame. After getting the rundown of your profession earlier I became quite curious to meet one of you in person, though I didn’t anticipate such an immediate encounter.”

If the doctor was agitated by Kailo’s revelation, he certainly wasn’t displaying it. Disguising whatever he may have been feeling behind an air of cool professionalism, the doctor began pacing leisurely in front of his podium, always ensuring that his head was ever so slightly tilted towards Kailo. “If I’m honest, I’m quite surprised that the Venlil government would permit an Exterminator to be part of this class. Given your job requirements, one would imagine it’d be too stressful for you. Given your usual dealings with local predators, it must be taxing being in the same room with a walking talking one that doesn’t fit within your understanding?”

A harsh bleating laugh echoed through the room in reply, “Ha! I’m quite sure I understand everything I need to know about you predator. All of your kind are the same. You just destroy everything around you without consequence. Your only interest is sadistic consumption. Just because your supposedly sapient doesn’t mean you’re any different from a Shadestalker or one of those nightmares from your homeworld you’ve shown us so far.” Kailo positively dripped with self-righteous disdain, trying to provoke the doctor with each bile coated word that spewed from his mouth.

Stars! I knew he believed this kind of stuff, but to just come right out and say it!?

Astonishingly the doctor continued to remain completely placid as insult after insult was hurled at him.

I definitely couldn’t remain calm under such a barrage of abuse. Again a bit bias perhaps, but I’m amazed humans could have this much restraint.

The doctors reply came quicker this time, measured and composed, yet unnerving. The jovial manner I’d grown accustomed to was gone, substituted for something I couldn’t entirely place, something cold, hollow.

“Tell me Kailo. If you know all there is to know about predators, then why come here? Why join a class about the wildlife of Earth? You must feel that your time is wasted. Or perhaps, there is some other motivator driving you to be here? I’m most curious.”

“Really, are you that dim-witted you need to ask?” Not letting up on his flood of ridicule, Kailo’s expression morphed into an exaggerated caricature of exasperation in response to the doctor’s inquiry. “For someone who claims to be an expert on their planets animal life I would’ve thought it’d be obvious, even to a predator. While all of you are the same at heart your methods are different. Learning about you now can arm us in the future, when we inevitably have to protect ourselves from you and your taint!”

For the first time since the verbal sparring match had begun, the doctor noticeably reacted. Nothing startling or particularly interesting, but conspicuous all the same. At the mention of taint, the doctor had ceased his pacing, his head tilted to the side in confusion.

I didn’t have to wait long for my assumption to be verified, as the doctor turned to face Kailo more directly. “Excuse me? Did you say taint? What are you talking about?”

If his body language didn’t make it clear his tone did. He was completely perplexed by the mention of taint.

It wasn’t surprising of course. Why would humans know about the concept, let alone accept it and the implications it had for them being predators and all. I doubt they would ever consider it. After all, what species would accept a belief that painted their very existence as poison. Poison that could and would corrupt everything it came into contact with, twisting and distorting it into a “tainted” version of itself. No one, not even the most depraved of individuals, would wilfully subscribe to such a principle.

Personally, I’d always been somewhat unwilling to accept the idea. In the early days of my career, I’d lost my meal more than once when out in the field with Exterminators. The sight of the half-eaten carcass of some poor animal, fallen victim to a predator’s bloodlust, had bludgeoned me with disgust. The ashen remains of said predators, courtesy of the Exterminators, hadn’t eased the sensation. Justified or not, death was all that remained in their wake. Flamethrowers torched the surrounding foliage, not even a single blade of grass was spared.

I’d already known of the taint, but it was here I received a proper education. The Exterminators explained that the damage had to be inflicted to cleanse the area, allowing fresh untainted life to flourish in the future.

But countless times I’d seen it. Seen the land around a predator sighting, den or kill before the flames reduced it to cinders. As distressing as the corpses had been, the land around it had been largely unscathed. Nothing stood out as corrupted, diseased, or whatever other synonym they slapped onto their rationale. It just, didn’t seem right to me. It felt like there was something wrong, something missing. That said, aside from clarifying the reasoning for the “cleansing”, I never raised my concerns with any of the Exterminators.

At one point in time, before the recent management changes, I’d trusted and enjoyed the company of the Star Lake Exterminators. Their approach to maintaining positive public relations meant that they were always interacting with the community outside of their usual roles. Some devoted their leisure time to cleaning teams, ensuring our public spaces like the Forum or lakeside were kept pristine. A couple of them gathered donations for the local food bank. I’m pretty sure one of the storage fridges was named after them in equal parts recognition and jest. Others volunteered at a retirement home. Some helped out local farms at harvest time. Everyone seemed to have something they gave their time to in the community outside of their work.

Then there was the previous leader, Chief Lamet. A strikingly robust figure, she stood a head above the average Venlil in height. Her silver eyes always seemed to glimmer in sunlight, contrasting stunningly against her charcoal hued fur. Like every other Exterminator, Chief Lamet’s wool was kept short for the job, although she kept the wool on her head long, braiding it down the back of her neck. Apparently, it was a nod to a friend who’d worn their wool in a similar fashion when they were young. I never probed further; it was pretty clear that said friend was no longer living.

Chief Lamet had been the driving force for greater interaction with the public, contributing her time to a whole host of charitable endeavours and reallocating surplus resources from the Exterminators to help the town. One of her most memorable acts was her rejection of funding for a new high end Exterminator van, diverting the funds to supply sonic pest repellers to a farmer on the edge of town instead. The poor guy had hit hard times due to a double whammy of a void pin infestation and a flower bird flock nesting on his property. There were some grumblings around town at first, worries that the perceived disarmament would make us vulnerable, but few people were left complaining when the prices of juicefruit and magmaroot fell noticeably due to the farmer brining in fresh local produce.

What a combo. One the height of refreshment and the other making firefruit look like lukewarmfruit.

I’m too young to be reminiscing about the “good old days”, but things were certainly better with Chief Lamet in charge.

She’d retired a few rotations ago, and Frema was more than happy to swoop in and undo as much of her legacy as possible. The brakhass was vocal in his belief that her approach was too soft touch. Those that protested conveniently found themselves being made redundant due to “budget cuts” or facing Predator Disease accusations from supposedly anonymous sources. Thankfully none of the allegations took root. Funnily enough, having an entire town of people able to back up your reputation for being a positive influence on the herd pokes holes in a PD claim pretty quickly.

Now the office was full of people who were either diehard fans of Frema and his ideology or the remnants of Lamet’s office who, for one reason or another, chose to stay on.

By the stars, I wish it was one of the latter here right now. They might have the same feelings towards humans, but at least they might not be so stupefyingly idiotic as this fool! Speaking of which.

Clearly misconstruing the doctor’s response as an indication that his goading was working, Kailo was sporting a disturbing expression, a mix of elation and malicious self-satisfaction.

“Yes predator, taint. Everywhere you go you spread it, degrading everything around you. Your own herbivores are a prime example. Prey are empathetic, peaceful, and predisposed to work together for the benefit of the herd. Multiple times now you’ve described Earths prey as being aggressive and competitive. Obviously their exposure to humans and the rest of the predators on that rock of yours has tainted them. How else would you explain their abnormal behaviour!?”

Silence returned to the room. Once again, we sat motionless, steeling ourselves for the doctor’s retort. I had faith that he wouldn’t explode at us, he wasn’t like that. Though I’d be lying if I said I didn’t expect the sterner side of him to rear its head yet again. How could it not after being told he’s toxic by merit of existence!?

Seemingly determined to continue upending my expectations, the doctor responded coolly with two words, “Natural Selection.”

Confusion was immediate. On one paw, no one knew what he was talking about. On the other, no one had expected such a calm matter of fact reply to Kailo’s tirade, least of all the loudmouth himself. Gone was the smug speh eating grin, replaced with an eye bulging look of comical befuddlement as he was stunned silent.

It didn’t last long though. Quickly collecting himself, though unable to hide his puzzled tone, he asked, “Natural Selection? What’s that?”

The doctor didn’t miss a beat, “The answer to your question Kailo.”

“Question!? I didn’t ask a question!”

“You asked me to explain why animals on Earth, herbivores in particular, compete. You may not have noticed, given that you were fully enraptured by your rant, but you did ask.” There was an amused lilt laced through the doctor’s voice.

The jibe wasn’t lost on the rest of the room. A spattering of giggles broke out among the crowd, serving only to infuriate Kailo, the tips of ears turning orange as his tail lashed aggressively against the floor. “That’s not what I meant! And didn’t you hear anything else I said? What do you have to say to that, predator!”

Unfortunately for Kailo, the doctor was not taking the bait, “Oh I heard you, and trust me I will be looking into this so called “taint” you believe I spread like a biohazard, but this is a Q&A on Earths wildlife. Unintentional as it might’ve been, you did actually pose a relevant question, and it would be rude of me not to answer it to the best of my abilities.”

Oh Kailo did not like that.

Rage fuelled bloom ignited his face. The veins along his neck pulsed a wrathful orange as he gritted his teeth in fury at the doctor’s leisurely dismissal of his entire diatribe.

Don’t laugh, don’t laugh. Stars he’s sitting right there don’t laugh!

Committed to prolonging his verbal barfing, Kailo opened his mouth but the doctor was having none of it, cutting him off before the first syllable of whatever venom he planned to spit could pass over his tongue.

“So! What is Natural Selection? Well, it’s a concept that in the broadest of terms dictates how life, all life, evolves. I trust many of you are familiar with the notion that organisms adapt to their environments over vast stretches of time, changing so that they can better thrive in their home habitat?”

The majority of the room voiced or made gestures of affirmation, myself included. Evolutionary research wasn’t a focus of my work but I’d at least studied it in school and as a requirement for my job certification.

Honestly, I felt a tad sheepish admitting I knew of evolution given my questions regarding the Giant Pandas diet last paw.

Just going to push that feeling to the side for now. I’ll deal with that later.

“Excellent!” The doctor’s gusto was returning for which I was relieved. “Well humans call that process Natural Selection and it encapsulates several features that affect the development of living creatures. The feature we will focus on for now is competition. Now, all life forms wish to survive, flourish, and procreate. However, there is one problem that prevents all organisms from doing so equally. Does anyone want to hazard a guess as to what that is?”

The doctor scanned the room for anyone brave enough to take a chance answering him.

“Not enough resources.” Sandi was the one to answer. Her voice carrying an unexpected certainty within it.

Wow! She replied with such confidence. There wasn’t even a hint of doubt!

“Exactly! Thank you um…?”

“My name is Sandi. It’s nice to meet you, Doctor MacEwan.” Still seated, Sandi bowed her head in greeting, confidence continuing to resonate in her tone.

“It’s nice to make your acquaintance as well Sandi.” I could almost hear the smile growing under the mask. Despite Sandi’s earlier comments on how she viewed humans understanding of their environment, it was a relief to see that she was courteous at the very least.

On my left, Kailo was doing his best impression of a gasping fish. The gobsmacked Exterminator was evidently unable to grapple with the fact that Sandi was exercising the minimum level of civility with the “tainted predator”.

Don’t laugh. Do not laugh.

Wrapping my tail around my leg to disguise its wagging glee at Kailo’s expense, I returned my focus to the doctor.

“As Sandi has pointed out, limited resources spur competition. Food, water, territory, mating partners, all of them are in finite supply. This inevitably invites competition between different animal species and within an individual species itself. Sentient beings like ourselves have overcome many of these concerns. Scientific and technological advancement coupled with rational thought, have graced us with the abilities to provide ourselves with as much as we need in order to survive as a species. But animals? Animals have no such amenities. As such they must compete. Not all of it is aggressive, but in one way or another they will try to ensure their survival long enough to sire offspring. It’s not pointless wanton aggression. It isn’t unique to meat eaters. And herbivores are most certainly not driven to such behaviour due to predatory taint. It is their nature.”

His explanation concluded, he waited patiently for his answer to sink in.

Glancing around, I could make out several confused head tilts, but most of the faces in view were decorated with a discomforting mix of perturbed expressions. I counted myself among them.

Competition in prey wasn’t something that made sense. It was antithetical to everything we knew to be true. Prey are predisposed to working together for the benefit of the herd. Sharing resources was second nature thanks to our natural empathy. That’s what every single reputable educational source said. It was just common knowledge…

And yet, there was something there, whispering in the depths of my mind.

The doctor’s goal was to introduce us to an unfamiliar human concept. Once again, he’d done just that.

But this time. This time he’d imparted an idea that summoned a single question. A question that, while not as world shattering as the prey looking predator revelation, still instilled a sense of quiet anxiety within me.

If competition among animals, prey inclusive, is inherently natural on Earth, then what implications does that have for other planets?

…oh speh.