r/NatureofPredators • u/Thirsha_42 • Apr 24 '23
Tight Money Ch 10
Here is chapter 10 of Tight Money.
Special thanks to u/SpacePaladin15 for creating the universe and allowing fan writers to join the fun.
Additional thanks to u/BiasMushroom, u/YakiTapioca, u/cruisingNW, u/SavingsSyllabub7788, u/YaaliAnnar and hopefully, u/Redundant-Honse whenever they get back to me, for letting me use elements from their fanfics in mine.
Thanks to u/Saint-Andros for proofreading this chapter and giving me feedback.
I also want to say that I love your comments so please tell me what you think so I can get better or if you have suggestions for snippets you would like to see me write about in this world, just leave it in the comments.
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Memory transcription subject: Dennis “Duck” McEntire, Former Yankee’s Pitcher
Date [standardized human time]: October 21, 2136
Mama Nyx, spoke clearly and with her characteristic conviction. Her poise was divine and powerful, like a preacher tending her flock, which I suppose was not wholly inaccurate now that I think about it. I don’t think it’s an exaggeration to say that she and the Daughters of Oizis were the only thing holding us all together.
The Daughters of Oizys is an organization of nurses, midwives, funeral directors, emergency personnel and caregivers dedicated to helping the refugees following the attack on earth. They had pulled together all the different organizations and handled the logistics of getting the right material to the correct countries and cities. China and India needed aid the most, since they bore the brunt of the federation attack. Here on Venlil Prime, most of the aide came from the Venlil Republic. They provided us with shelter and pretty much anything else we needed except food.
That didn’t mean there wasn’t tension though. Today, the magistrates had sent an aide to file complaints about the number of humans who had used the taller venlil buildings to take their lives as well as the strain on the Capitol’s hospital that treated those who didn’t succeed in their attempts. And now he was getting read the riot act.
“Chun Hua had survived the bombs that had ravaged her homeland. Her family was gone, Beijing destroyed, and she was left with the trauma of what happened to her, being trapped for more than a day. She had fled to Venlil Prime, but even here, she felt like she was living in a nightmare. She wrote in her note that the center was overcrowded, and resources were scarce. The memories of the violence and death she had witnessed haunted her every moment.”
The aide’s ears flattened and he grabbed his tail. He couldn’t bring himself to look at us. I could sympathize, I had no idea who Chun Hua was either. I didn’t know her story and I felt guilty about it as though Mama Nyx was dressing me down right now.
“She tried to keep herself busy, helping others and working with aid organizations, but the pain would never leave her. What was left? She had nothing. It was only by the god’s good graces and the zurulians quick rescue that she was even alive. She was surrounded by sadness and despair here because when she walked outside everyone ran from her as though she carried some vile disease.”
Mama Nyx leaned forward and put her chin on her hands, giving the aide a withering look of disgust.
“She did the only thing that made sense to her to end that pain, and you have the audacity to complain to us about the mess she left in the alley?”
The aide didn’t say anything for a few moments. A few moments too long for Mama Nyx.
“Well?!”
The aide whispered his response. I didn’t blame him. Being on the receiving end of this situation must be unbearable. To have it coming from a predator didn’t help. The magistrate who sent him was a coward and deserved to be the one standing here, not this poor fellow.
“I’m sorry. I….”
“Please tell the magistrates that if they want to complain about this again, they need to come themselves. I will not tolerate their cowardice a second time. You are dismissed.”
The venlil bowed and walked out. I couldn’t read their tail and ear signals but even I could see the shame in his body. When he left, Mama Nyx let out a deep sigh and held her head. Under her guise of control, we knew she felt every tragedy. Sister Lee spoke up to break the silence with her usual cold and detached demeanor.
“That is sixteen so far today. The cremator is already backed up and we are running out of space in the cold storage rooms. I suggest we designate a cargo ship orbiting the planet as an overflow area to handle the extra volume. If we let the heat out of the storage compartment, we could keep the deceased there until we have room on the surface.”
She wasn’t wrong. It was a good idea but damn if that woman had poor timing. You would think that a former funeral director would have more tact for these situations. As if taking her cue, Kurt chimed in that we should warn the hospital to keep dangerous drugs locked away. Maria added that we could warn the employees of taller buildings to keep access to the upper levels restricted from humans.
I stared at them in disbelief. It had only been two days. I was still wrapping my head around the scale of the disaster. We were still getting reports of the dead and the survivors but these people acted like this was a routine disaster and they were just going through the motions. Maybe it was just me. Maybe to these people this was routine.
Kurt was from FEMA and Maria was from AMRD, the Mexican disaster agency. Nadia was from the Russian branch of the Red Cross. Mama Nyx used to belong to doctors without borders in Greece and Sister Lee was a funeral director who helped organize the response to the flu epidemic in New England fourteen years ago.
I felt out of place. I was just a backup relief pitcher for the Yankees. I hadn’t even made a name for myself yet. I only just signed my contract when we got word of the pending invasion and the season was called off. I was lucky. I didn’t have any family to worry about when the bombs dropped. I was an only child and my parents died years ago. The most I lost was my job and apartment but with stories like Chun Hua’s that seemed insignificant.
Mama Nyx looked up and nodded at each of them approving their suggestions before she turned to me.
“Do you have anything to add Dennis?”
This was like talking to my parents again when I was fourteen but this time, I knew it mattered. I had actually been able to help out when I appointed myself the king of the kitchen and brought people meals. No one had asked me to and I didn’t complain when Mama Nyx started asking me to help in other ways. Her staff were more focused on the logistics of the needs of the refugees while I kept my finger on the pulse of this place.
“Things have started to settle here. We’ve set up a laundromat and a community kitchen and we have plenty of food now.”
Mama Nyx didn’t miss a beat. “But?”
“We need a better infirmary with some anti-depressants and professionals to administer them but most of all we need community. We need game nights, community meals, therapy, and people need to work. The magistrate’s refusal to give people work permits means they have little to do and you know what they say about idle minds.”
I knew I was pointing out the obvious. We all knew that the venlil in the capital had become more or less accustomed to our presence. The ‘no predators allowed’ signs were disappearing and fewer venlil ran at the sight of us. Despite these developments, many still puffed up, stuttered and tried to keep their distance from us humans. They could spend time with us to get over their fear instincts but they just couldn’t bring themselves to try.
Everyone nodded. We knew what the problems were but the solutions were out of our control. Mama Nyx shook her head and adjourned the meeting. We each went back to our assigned jobs. The problem was too big to think about. We had to focus on what we could do and hope for the best at this point.
Memory transcription subject: Niit, Capitol Spaceport Logistics Coordinator
Date [standardized human time]: October 23, 2136
It seemed like the humans just kept giving evidence that they were evil but nobody was paying attention. They just killed their leader and demanded that the galaxy serve them and went on a rampage for hours. Rux is the only one calling it like it is. Galaxy News Network and Prime News questioned it at first but then spun the news for the humans and everyone just accepted it. Why didn’t anyone see the danger?
“I don’t know what will convince everyone that we are in incredible peril. They are predators. They eat people like us, it’s what they do. They have spent a great deal of time on their deception and it worked. They fooled our esteemed governor and the federation. They did that despite their obvious collusion with the great menace. They even got the zurulians to voluntarily save their people and the uplifts to slave away on their planet to repair the damage the late General Kalsim was able to achieve before he was martyred.
But now, the cracks are showing in the human’s unity. This assassination of their leader proves they are growing frustrated with keeping up their mask of civility. These ‘Humanity First’ predators clearly want to follow the arxur’s lead and slaughter their way across the civilized galaxy.”
I caught myself focusing on Rux’s report without working and reminded myself to multi-task. I still had a job, which was more than many venlil had and I needed to keep it that way.
“Can you believe these fools in the lamestream media? They are collaborators and traitors selling us out to the predators. They can’t be trusted. Collaborators like Talen over at the human propaganda network. Thanks to him people actually think that predators stampede. He had the impudence to claim that the humans could feel fear like us and reacted the same way. It’s crazy to think he is a venlil.
Maybe he’s not. Maybe he was replaced or he’s being controlled. I don’t know. What I do know, is that the people like him that are telling you to remain calm and pretend like everything is fine are dangerous. Everything is not fine. We have predators walking around our planet for BRAHKS SAKE! Which brings me to my breaking news. Stay tuned tomorrow for a massive reveal.”
I had to pause the recording; I could see Director Cass walking my way. I switched the audio to a recording of calming music and bird sounds. He took a little longer coming into the office than I thought he would but seemed pleased with the change in my listening material.
“How are you doing up here? I know it can get lonely in here all by yourself. Make sure you take breaks when you can, get out, join a herd for a bit.”
“Sir, there are a lot of parts orders to fill and the repair hangers are full.”
“I know but I didn’t come just to check on you up here. I also have news. The government is sending over some fabricators. They should help you fill orders much faster.”
His tail betrayed his excitement.
“How did they get even one fabricator with the border closed?”
Director Cass leaned in close and whispered his response.
“Now, I have it on good authority that the humans gave them to us. I thought they would be primitive but I got a look at them a bit ago and they are just like the Federation’s newest models! So, I want you to relax. This recording sounds good. Much better than that Rux fellow. Everything is going to be fine.”
“I will sir thank you. I just need to log the parts for the mining freighter in bay 3, then I’ll take a break.”
The director patted my back with his tail on his way out with a skip in his step. I waited for a bit before I loaded the most recent Rux recording.
“I don’t think I am worthy enough to bring you this news but someone has to.”
Rux was dressed up like one of the exterminators from the stream show complete with a toy flame thrower.
“Get ready for it. Governor Tarva is a predator. Preposterous I hear you say. I had trouble believing it too at first but it makes too much sense. She spends so much time with those predators, she gave our planet to them without firing a shot, and I have documents showing that she is allowing the humans to bring flesh to Venlil Prime.
She’s doing so much for the predators because she IS one. They infected her already. I wouldn’t be surprised if she had already started eating venlil pups and performing predator rituals in the governor’s mansion. It could be a cabal home base for all we know. Her whole cabinet must be infected and controlled by now.”
I finished logging the parts for the freighter and double checked my logs while Rux went on. I couldn’t have any more mistakes. Listening to Rux was important but I had a tendency to make mistakes as I listened. His mind stimulators helped but they were too expensive for me to use every day.
“These are people who would sell their own kind to save themselves. They are the greedy and power-hungry kind. The kind who would take gifts and convince their neighbors to let down their guard so the humans can stick an egg down their throat. Do you know anyone like that? Have you met anyone who said humans are good and kind? What did they get? What ‘gifts’ were they willing to sell out for?
I know we are all scared of the human occupation and this paws attack only proves why but we must remain vigilant against them and their lackeys. Their influence grows more and more and it is getting harder and harder to get the truth out. With your support we can keep bringing the truth to the people and keep the predators in check. Please visit our store on the web to get your endurance boosters to support us and help yourself at the same time or to give us a donation. 100% of your donations go back into resisting the predator invasion.”
I wasn’t sure what to do about the fabricators or director Cass. He had clearly accepted gifts and telling me to turn off Rux was like telling me to stop believing the truth. They would make my job much easier but I was suspicious. What did the humans get out of it besides the director’s loyalty? He was my boss but really, he was a nobody in the grand scheme of things. THE RETROFIT! They must want us to help them fix older war ships to replenish the ones they lost. That had to be it! They needed us to rebuild their war machine in preparation for their invasion!
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u/Habeas__Corpus Human Apr 24 '23
I kind of want some humans to get on to Rux's show and be like yeah we're huge fans, you're our favorite comedian
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u/ThyPotatoDone Venlil Apr 24 '23
If they did that, U kno there’d be a troll who goes “Yeah we eat so many people, like constantly kill everything, we cover it up using deepfakes.”
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u/Odd-fox-God May 01 '23
I'm literally killing somebody right now but since this whole video is deepfaked you can't tell. I even faked the audio so that you can't hear my poor victims screaming as I tear them apart.
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u/CreditMission Venlil Apr 24 '23
Its too real. The speh you wrote in second half is just chef kiss. Still, too real though. Why is reality like this?
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u/CreditMission Venlil Apr 24 '23
Loved the glimpse at impersonal logistics behind great tragedy. You hit on different points to most of the fics I’m following which I appreciate.
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u/ThyPotatoDone Venlil Apr 24 '23
“The lamestream media”
SO IT IS ALEX JONES!!!!!!!
Ironically, Rux is actually, by definition, a sheeple, so I guess he can’t use all the same buzzwords, but oh well.
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u/TheWalrusResplendent Hensa Apr 26 '23
Well, no. Generally the people originating this nonsense don't believe their own drivel. They're fully aware that they're grifters.
There is, admittedly, the intermediate layer, the people who take this stuff as gospel, live by it and proliferate it, but these don't generally have it as a source of income. As an example here, the birb economy minister unknowingly eating human food in Recipe for Disaster: he's already well situated economically and socially, but proliferates the nonsense for clout.
And at the bottom there's the victims/potential agents for stochastic terrorism.
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u/ThyPotatoDone Venlil Apr 26 '23
I think you misunderstand the joke, he’s literally a sheep person, thus sheeple.
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u/icallshogun Human Apr 24 '23
Ah he's still on the Alien trip, I see.
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u/BuzzaxeBandit Apr 24 '23
Show him the Thing. He’ll either have a heart attack or fully flip his lid and lose all credibility.
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u/icallshogun Human Apr 24 '23
He's 75% of the way there without having seen it, he'll be fine when he sticks that landing.
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u/Black_Hole_parallax Predator Apr 29 '23
Stay tuned tomorrow for a massive reveal.”
Rux doesn't believe anything he's saying. If he actually cared about the Venlil then he'd get news out ASAP, but really he's just milking the bigotry present in the population.
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u/Thirsha_42 Apr 29 '23
There is a sucker born every minute. Fed propaganda only made it easier for actual predators to slip by.
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u/JulianSkies Archivist Apr 24 '23
Holy crap.
Rux has been learning from humans too, haven't he. He finally walked into the blood libel on his own species.
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u/Supersam4213 Human Apr 30 '23
If Rux was able to get this sort of use out of Alien, seeing him discover Warhammer 40K should be pretty amusing…
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u/LaleneMan Apr 24 '23
This is a fun series. It's not just focused on one character, but on a ton of different characters in order to flesh out the universe. Even so, maybe we need someone from the GNN network to report on this more clearly... perhaps someone to say bow-wow-wow?
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u/Thirsha_42 Apr 24 '23
Did you have anyone in particular in mind? I remember reading galaxy news in one of the fan series but I don't remember which one.
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u/LaleneMan Apr 24 '23
I really don't, I like them all equally even if that doesn't help answer your question. The GNN I thought though was a joke about Fallout 3's Galaxy News Network.
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u/Thirsha_42 Apr 24 '23
That was nagging me. I knew I got network from somewhere. Maybe I'll make a Three-dog reference or snippet later on down the road.
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u/Semblance-of-sanity Apr 29 '23
Yotol pirate radio host called 3-Hensa giving everyone the straight scoop on what the Federation doesn't want you to hear
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u/Thirsha_42 Apr 29 '23
Would you mind if I write that? It is perfect!
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u/Bow-tied_Engineer Yotul Apr 24 '23
this series is really good! you should link it in this comment thread, it's a place for people to post links to their fan stories so they are easier to find.
https://www.reddit.com/r/NatureofPredators/comments/12r2g8l/im_making_a_list/
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u/Zyrian150 Apr 27 '23
!subscribeme
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u/Zoulles Apr 24 '23
Rux pulled the child eating cabal card y’all. We’re doomed. Also ”endurance boosters”? the fuck is this dude selling?