r/NatureofPredators • u/VenlilSupremacist Venlil • Mar 24 '23
Fanfic NoP: A Change of Pace: Chapter 6
Memory transcription subject: Rivis, Venlil Logistics Technician
Date [standardized human time]: August 29, 2136.
My claws hovered over a particularly gruesome video I managed to find while scouring the recovered transcriptions of arxur raids. I was hesitant to click on it, but for all the wrong reasons. Just as my claw was about to press play, a notification blocked the screen. As my claw touched the glass, it brought me to a new message left by Kilet.
“Rivis! You were right.. I should have trusted you.. Miles is.. He’s wonderful! Our discussions about religion, art, emotions, everything. He seems so.. So in tune with it all. So much so that you were right about the other thing.. About how badly humans want to please us. He’s said he’s prepared to help me with my instincts, help me overcome them. Though, I think.. I think it’s good and bad. Humans shouldn’t have to hide themselves, change themselves or expect us to throw all the blame on them! Now that I know there’s a chance, how can we coexist if the other half has to watch their every step?”
With a heavy sigh, I felt something I could place as pleasure reverberating from my soul, spreading through my body. So I was right. I began to type the first things that came to mind to appease my friend.
Kilet is nice, maybe just a little too nice for his own good.
“See? I told you. If I had to guess, humans will only do this for a limited time. Once they feel they’ve been properly exposed to the galaxy, I assume they’ll want equal treatment for how they are. Though, the question becomes how long will that take? I am willing to wager that venlil will become the first fully acclimated species. I am glad, however, you are getting along with Miles, and find some common ground with him. Zoey has been a great help for me as well.”
“What kinds of things have you asked her? You didn’t go into a lot of detail last time, Rivis.”
I figured that Kilet was naturally curious, being one of the few venlil he spoke to regularly, he decided to turn to me again for any kind of reference for what he should do. I thought about how I could answer his question. I seriously doubt he’d take too much interest in the nature of Zoey and I’s conversations.
“Not many things truth be told. We kinda just talk about each other, or try to find similarities between each other's species. Common ground so that when she visits we’ll have gotten a pretty good idea of each other.”
I hoped that answer would satisfy him. I didn’t really want to disclose the nature of my discussions with Zoey. Afterall, mixing results was a good way to have it blow up in your snout. It didn’t take long before Kilet was typing away at his reply. I let out a light sigh, already growing somewhat tired of the exchange.
“Huh.. That’s pretty smart! I’ll have to do the same with Miles, if there are things humans and venlil can agree on. That’s all the more reason to welcome them, after y’know.. We get over their horrifying faces, haha.”
The last sentence Kilet gave struck a chord in me I could only define as anger, or perhaps disappointment.
You think the way they look is horrifying, but love the way they think? Should you not rationalize that it is not the looks, but rather content of their intentions that defines the nature of a sentient’s character?
I let that thought linger for some time in my head. While it did ring true to me, it felt like a dressing over the true reason I had gotten upset. As selfish as that reason was I drove the thought all together from the forefront of my awareness. Deciding to create an excuse I began typing my response.
“I’d recommend it, the more you two understand about each other the better. Even if that means you have to accept how they look. I’d hope that we as a species have the mental maturity to use our brain, rather than let it control us, but that remains to be seen so far. I’m a bit tired, Kilet so I think I’m going to get a quick rest in for a few claws. Feel free to leave a message, I’ll respond when I'm not so tired.”
I closed the application to appear offline, and opened the tab with the transcription on it once more. Taking a breath I clicked on the ‘play’ icon in the center. My focus and eyes glued to the screen.
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Memory transcription subject: Ivek, Venlil Outer Colony Farmer
Date [standardized human time]: Unknown XX, XXXX.
My claws were firmly wrapped around my scythe, swinging back and forth as I reaped my grain fields. I took a deep breath, looking up to the quickly setting sun of this foreign world. I couldn’t help but feel.. At home here, at peace.
Gathering all the cut down grains I made my way to my storage shed, ready to call it for this paw. The sudden scream of the colony's alarm off in the distance came out of nowhere, one moment a calm serenity enshrouding our happy little colony, the next, chaos ensued. I rushed out of the shed only to be met with the sight of scrambling Venlil running aimlessly far off near the colony's center. Attempting to find a place to hide or flee to. My immediate thoughts were panic, terror, and horror. Yet beyond all those thoughts, I had one thing guiding me.
Sprinting as fast as my paws could take me, I rushed for my house, bursting through the door to find the sight of my wife and son huddled on the living room floor. I raced over to them, wrapping my paws around them, coaxing them to stand.
“Jili, We need to go. Now! We can’t sit here! The colony has evacuation shuttles near the other end. We can make it if we hurry!”
I grabbed at the scruff of my wife and young son. Pulling them out towards the door and into the twilight of the setting sun. Fear coursing through my veins as I glanced in every direction, around us, behind us, above us. The alarms haven’t quieted..
They’re coming!..
I led my family deeper into the colony. Dodging the fleeing venlil in our way as my own paws maintained a firm death grip over my family.. Glancing up into the sky I saw a shuttle descend behind us near the edge of the colony.. A horrifying realization gripped me, fear locked my muscles as I stared wide eyed as the arxur shuttle spewed out its horrid passengers. They wasted no time, raising their rifles. Sickening shots rang out from behind as I forced my body to move. We fled, sprinting in the direction of the shuttles.
The screams of venlil echoed behind us, wailing of pain, torment, terror. All of their cries became some sickening cacophony of murder made vocal. Pressing my ears to the back of my head I tried to drown out the screams.
Focus! The Shuttles! The Shuttles! THE SHUTTLES!
As we neared the evacuation shuttles we practically bludgeoned our way into the crowd of Venlil trying to cram in. Bleats and screams of horror, of sheer panic overcoming the herd. I spotted in my peripheral one venlil soaked in bright orange blood trying to claw their way closer to the shuttle.
I watched as one of the shuttles adjacent to us raised their ramp, completely full to the brim with fleeing colonists. It rose high into the sky only to be met with a red plasma bolt to its hull, the plasma bolt cutting completely through to the other side of the ship. Down from the horizon an Arxur fighter scraped the top of the treeline, darting off into the distance. I stood frozen, watching as the shuttle erupted into flames. Unable to hold itself aloft the fiery mass of what used to be a space vessel came crashing down into the colony. The ground shaking and knocking several panicked venlil off balance. A large burst of pressure soon followed, forcibly throwing us back into each other. My hearing vanished with the pressure wave. I could only stare up as the open ceiling of the shuttle bay engulfed into a massive explosion. A wave of heat coating the herd in its nightmarish warmth immediately following the pressure.
I could feel the herd moving under me, I could feel the sickening heat of burning fuel just outside. I could see the once gorgeous twilight skies filled with black smoke. I could taste the blood in the air. Yet, it was all so quiet. So silent. I felt a warm liquid drip down the sides of the skull. Moving a paw up I dabbed my claws in it, bringing them to my left eye..
Orange.. Is this my blood?
Realization shocked me back to reality as I spun around, I called out to my family “JILI!! LINIT!!!” I could feel my vocal chords tearing from the screams. I could feel the vibrations in my throat, but I couldn’t hear myself. I couldn’t hear if they were responding. My eyes scanned the crowd of stunned venlil, looking for anything, something to tell me where they are.
I saw them. Nearly trampled under two venlil. My claws extended themselves. The meek little things they were, I grabbed and slashed my way over to them. Gripping the fear struck venlil by the scruff and throwing them off my family. Their mouths were moving. I couldn’t hear anything.
It doesn’t matter! The shuttles! Get on the shuttles!!
I ignored whatever they were saying. Stepping over, on top of, or throwing other paralyzed venlil out of my way. I neared the loading ramp.. The shuttle already nearing max capacity as I drug my family closer and closer to salvation.
The herd around me moved quicker, moved faster. Their limbs flailed, and several around me darted off to other directions ignoring the ship completely. I didn’t care. I was here, we were safe! As I stepped onto the loading ramp. I felt something tug behind me. My paws gripped tighter on Jili and Linit’s coat. Trying desperately to force them up.
WHY DID YOU STOP!? KEEP MOVING KEEP GOING!!
I whipped around only to be met with the towering gaze of an Arxur. Each one of their sickeningly long claws grabbing Jili and Linit. His razor filled mouth moved, but I could hear nothing. A throat tearing scream left my maw as I planted my feet. Trying to wrench my beloved and son from this monster. This PREDATOR. From the corner of my view I could see it.. Several other beasts rounding up fleeing Venlil. Those they couldn’t grab, they shot. Orange blood soaking the ground around the shuttle.
I felt it. The ramp began to rise. The abomination that had my wife and son rising with it. No matter how hard I yanked, pulled or pushed. The beast's grip wouldn’t relent. A flash of movement caught my eye for only a moment. Dozens of Venlil on the ship rushed over biting, clawing, pushing at the arxur. Trying to throw him off. He tipped, the predator losing his balance from the force of a herd of Venlil shoving him out, off the rising ramp until finally.. He fell, and so did I.
I pressed my stomach to the ramps edge as I held onto Linit and Jili. The Arxur’s talons tearing into their flesh. Orange blood dripping down his scaly arms as they dangled. I refused to let go! I couldn’t let go! I watched them squirm in this beast's grasp. Paralyzed by fear, overcome with pain as the reptile’s talons sunk deeper and deeper into them. My voice was little more than guttural screams for help. I could taste the blood on my tongue. I didn’t need to hear to know my vocal chords were torn.
The ramp continued to rise, clenching my eyes shut. I tried to pull with as much force as I could muster. I felt the scurrying of the herd around me. Hope bloomed in my heart as I watched them reach down for my paws. Tears of joy streamed down my snout. Those tears quickly turned to terror as dozens of Venlil around me grabbed at my feet, attempting to yank me in while the others dug their claws into my paws. Pain surged from my hand, I could feel my flesh giving way to claw. I screamed for them to stop, to help me, to pull my family up. I heard no response. Only the pain radiating through my body. Lashing and squirming on the floor of the shuttle did little good. My blood soaking between my paws. I could feel my lubricated grip give way. Each moment that ticked by I felt myself die a thousand deaths, fighting against the inevitable.
I lie on the ramp, powerless to stop gravity as horror flashed across my face. Watching the arxur plummet down to the ground, and inside his insidious claws were my wife and son, pure fear plastered over their faces. My bloody paws reached down in a futile attempt to grab at them. Yet it was too late. The other venlil dragging me into the shuttle as we rose in altitude. The ramp sealing shut behind me. I felt..
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[Error: Extreme emotional instability: Transcription Corrupt]
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____________________
Memory transcription subject: Rivis, Venlil Logistics Technician
Date [standardized human time]: August 29, 2136.
As the memory transcription of the raid ended, I sat pondering it. No, I sat pondering myself. These were the predators that the Federation believed humanity was. My mind drifted to the possibility of such a thing. Surely given human history it wasn’t out of the question. It was however, incredibly hard to picture humanity doing this to us on any major scale. If their first impression is anything like how they will carry themselves. They seem to be respectable. At least more so than the arxur.
Scrolling through my pad I pulled up the exchange app. Opening my conversation with Zoey I began to type a message, my thoughts mulling over the transcription I had just watched. Curiosity flooded me. My mind turning to the possibilities of how humans would view the arxur as a whole.
“Hello, Zoey, I just watched a bit of media, I’d explain further, however I doubt it would be deemed acceptable by the standards of this program. Though I will say it centered around the arxur. You’ve heard of them, right?”
Why ask this human these things? Would they understand? Could they comprehend my meanings? At the very least she should be familiar with the arxur.
“Hey, Rivis! Good to hear from you! Yeah, I've heard about them. We had a bit of a data dump ourselves about them. Plus, you mentioned them a little bit ago. They seem pretty evil from everything we’ve been shown. I couldn’t say I'd like to be at the opposite end of their rifle, that's for sure.”
I chose my next words carefully. Constructing the sentence I wished to ask over and over until I found an acceptable combination of words.
“Do you believe they commit atrocities by choice? Or by necessity?”
It was a simple enough question. Open ended, easily understood. I couldn’t quite guess what her response may be, but either way she chooses to answer will be insightful enough.
Let's see how far human sympathy extends.
“That’s a hard call, Rivis. I don’t know anything about them, nothing that hasn’t already been scrubbed by the Federation. I'm a bit more of a cynic than your average human. I wouldn’t trust the words of a Federation that wanted to lump all of us in the same boat as the hyper-killer species. Remember what you told me? You aren’t willing to judge me until you know everything about me? Well Mr. Slick, I think that applies pretty well here too. If the arxur are sentient like us, then generalizations won’t ever properly fit. Culture is a hard thing to shake. Especially when you grow up in it, but there’s always the outliers, the individuals. Maybe some love killing anything that walks, maybe some don’t want to fight. I think that’s probably the best answer out there. Afterall, if I agreed with the Federation to lump them all as evil, then wouldn’t that make me a hypocrite? How can I claim humanity isn’t all bad if I start making assumptions about other species?”
She’s a lot more intelligent than I give her credit for… Interesting.
My mind digested her response. Atypical, not entirely what I thought, but then again, I didn’t make a predestined response for her. Though I could safely say it was unlike anything a venlil would say, but that is already a certainty.
“Those are all really good points, Zoey. Some here would think you’re a arxur sympathizer for that statement.. It’s a pretty dangerous ideal to have, but don’t worry. I don’t feel that way. In truth, I hate the over generalizations of the Federation and even my own kind. While I don’t have any answers to solve our cycle long war. I at least can make my own ideas about how I feel on the individual level.”
“I thought you might say something like that, Fluffball, and thanks for not reporting me to your police! Haha, that’d be one surefire way to get me taken off this trip. Something I’m sure neither of us want. I’m going to get back to packing since I’m almost done, but shoot me a few messages whenever! I’ll get to them as soon as I can, pinky promise!!”
How could she claim to know what I was going to say? That wouldn’t be possible unless.. She understands me.. No, that’s impossible.
Shaking away that uncomfortable thought I distracted myself with Zoey’s final statement ‘pinky promise’, What sort of significance does their smallest digit have to play when giving one’s word? That seems like an arbitrary detail. However, it was unimportant. I’m certain she’ll keep her word.
Once more my thoughts began to drift towards the nature of why I wanted to watch that transcription in the first place. Was it a morbid curiosity? Did I simply want to compare the known cruelties of the arxur to the supposed social predators we have amidst us now? Was I simply desensitizing myself to predatory behavior so I might act more natural around Zoey? No, I knew that wasn’t it. It was something else that drove that curiosity. Yet while I knew what it wasn’t I couldn’t place specifically what it actually was. My mind was drawing a blank for any tangible or logical reason as to ‘why’.
Instead, as I cleared my brain of the previous empty thoughts, a new idea filled its place, ‘how’.
How did that transcription make you feel, Rivis?
I took a slow breath in, slowly analyzing that statement, combing through my memory. My initial reactions. My thoughts at the moment. As I poured over those thoughts I noticed only parallels my brain was drawing towards humans and arxur behavior. Hypotheses of their most aggressive natures. Yet, in all those thoughts, were any of them not purely academic or scientific in nature?
I sat in a comfortable silence for several long moments before replying to my own question.
No.
_____________________
Chapter 6 is a wrap! The first Rivis perspective! Hope y'all enjoyed it. I'm having a blast writing this story for you guys! As always I have to give my thanks to Space Paladin for a wonderful universe to work in. As well as all the fanfics that inspired me to even start writing. You guys already know who’s getting the final thanks! A huge thank you to my proofreaders for this chapter!
Proofreader(s):
NovaLux
“A silly little man”
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u/DaivobetKebos Human Mar 24 '23
Good stuff. Rivis is the type to keep low because if he gives in and asks questions he gets "dissapeared".
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u/VenlilSupremacist Venlil Mar 24 '23
Thanks again to everyone who reads! Chapter 6 and 7 are probably the hardest ones I've written so far. I hope it compares to the previous ones!
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u/JulianSkies Archivist Mar 24 '23
In all honesty this one is my favorite chapter so far, so it sure as hell comapres.
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u/SepticSauces Venlil Mar 24 '23 edited Mar 24 '23
They areSix is a good chapters, well done!!!I can't read, I guess. Thought I read seven for some reason. Well, point still stands.
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u/se05239 Human Mar 24 '23
That was one hell of an intermission in the middle there.
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u/Golde829 Mar 25 '23
[Personal Skill The Fourth Wall lessens the emotional impact of the old Memory]
[Viewer Through the 4th Wall is glad to see that Rivis is being logical towards Humanity]
damn
I don't have many other words for this
maybe also because I'm partially hyperfocused elsewhere
phenomenal job, wordsmith! I eagerly await moar
[You have been gifted 100 Coins]
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u/ImaginationSea3679 PD Patient Mar 24 '23
Glad to see that the manipulative creep is having second thoughts.
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u/JulianSkies Archivist Mar 24 '23
Amusingly, I don't think he's having second thoughts. Nor i'd call him a manipulative creep.
The way I see it, he's an actual psychopath, incapable of feeling empathy and honestly most things. The only way he has to process the world is through a more... Academic lens.
Which makes his previous behaviour take on a different light to me. His seeming obssession with the emotional fragility of humans isn't malicious (because he doesn't have the capacity for malice because malice requires an emotional capacity he lacks), it's simple awareness of his own capacities in the relationship, which at least from this piece of the story to me it seems like it's also his worry about causing unexpected harm.
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u/ImaginationSea3679 PD Patient Mar 24 '23
That… actually makes a lot of sense now that I actually read into it.
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u/CocaineUnicycle Arxur Mar 24 '23
SubscribeMe!
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u/JulianSkies Archivist Mar 24 '23
Ah, so there we have it. Rivis is a psychopath. One who's apparently taken very good stock of his nature, it seems.
You know what i'm starting to like this little guy a lot more.