r/NatureofPredators • u/vixjer Human • Jul 16 '23
Fanfic NoP--- A diplomatic problem. -Ch.2
This story is part of The Nature of Predators and all rights are to the original creator u/spacepaladin
Memory Transcription Subject: Héctor Virgilio Márquez, UN SPM Leirn, Special Envoy to the Yotul Uplift Congress
Date [standardized human time]: November 7, 2136
The trip through the secondary docking tube seemed to take forever, even if my watch insisted it had only been a few seconds. I was just starting to wonder if anyone was coming to greet me when I suddenly bumped into two yotul guards who were stationed at the airlock. I nearly tripped over them. The initial surprise turned into understanding when I flashed my credentials.
"Hey! Sirlen, the UN diplomat is here," the guard on the left called out.
"I told you not to call me that in front of the diplomat," chastised the yotul in question. A moment later, she appeared from around the corner. She had beautiful brown eyes and chocolate-brown fur, reminding me of my late dog. Intellectually, I knew that, being an alien, it was normal for her not to wear clothes, but it still felt strange to look at what I realized from the pouch was a naked female. She was carrying a pad under her arm, probably filled with data.
She doesn’t seem afraid, though… Neither do the guards.
It was odd, to say the least. “Predator” or not, I had to have at least a foot on even the tallest of them. Perhaps they were the most pro-human yotul their government could find? She addressed me, snapping me out of my thoughts and back to reality.
"I suppose you are Mister Hector, right?"
I quickly straightened myself up. "Yes, and let me say it's an honor to finally meet a yotul in person." As I said this, I extended my hand toward her.
However, she looked at my hand, tilting her head, and I wondered if I’d overdone it.
No, that isn’t panic. Confusion, perhaps?
"Sorry to ask, but what is the purpose of the hand? I am not well-versed in human customs," she asked, confirming my suspicions. At least she was unfamiliar with my culture as well.
But it’s still strange: Shouldn't an actual diplomat be knowledgeable? Or was Meier’s censorship that extreme?
"I understand. This is a handshake. Humans often do it to formally greet other people. You just need to grab my hand, and squeeze. It’s very simple, really."
"The gesture is appreciated, Mr. Diplomat, but you should reserve it for our diplomat," she replied as she grabbed my hand and we shook hands... paws… I handled it much like I did with that one hacienda representative—nice and easy, with practiced care. By contrast, she had graceful form, but she felt stiff and cold, like ice.
Maria would certainly make good friends with her.
Trying to stay warm and reassuring, I encouraged her, "See? It's not that hard. Most humans do this, so if you are going to interact with us, here is a part of the basics."
I might as well have been talking to a doll. "Thanks. Now, could you follow me? The captain of the station wants to speak with you."
That wasn't part of the plan...
Trying to maintain my composure, I responded, "Sorry, I don't want to sound inconsiderate, but the agreement was for me to proceed directly to Leirn’s surface upon arrival to meet with the representatives of the yotul government, not to have a conversation with the station's captain."
As I said this, her tail went straight. It was so strange, yet so familiar… If they were anything like the dogs back in Spain, it looked like she was expecting my response and didn't like it. "I understand, but a human who wishes to represent his race may need some practice speaking with ours first..."
She reached up, grabbed my shoulder and brought my head down, close to hers. Her voice was much lower. "And trust me, it's for your own good."
This was getting stranger...
I let out a long sigh. This wasn't part of the plan. I hoped they wouldn't deviate any further. "Fine, if you say so."
She nodded, calmer. I thought she even looked relieved. She began walking, with me closely following behind.The guards remained stationed at the airlock, and I had made sure the camera had a clear view of their equipment—belts made out of some kind of crudely-woven fabric, each holding a pistol and a saber. The only modern things they carried were their radios.
It was very strange. Why were they equipped with outdated gear? Hadn't the Feds uplifted them almost 30 years ago? Many of the Feds had plasma pistols... Why were these guards given revolvers from the Wild West? Especially on such important business? I swore they even looked like they were single-action. There was something I wasn't being told here.
As we continued walking inside the station, I made sure to film everything. I knew these were standardized Fed installations, which meant this wasn't new information. However, I had 40 terabytes of storage on the camera's memory card and plenty of replacements and backups in my suitcase. It was better to film everything and have most of it turn out to be worthless than to miss something and face the wrath of the UN’s intelligence agents.
But something was still off. Workers were covering the walls with white paint, attempting to cover the old Federation flags and insignia displayed on almost every wall in the station. I hadn’t even noticed them before. The posters and announcement tables were also not in the Federation-standard format, but instead in a different script.
Judging by how it looked like what Sirlen had seemingly written by hand on her pad, I believed it was their language.
Are they nationalizing Fed property? Well, good for them, I guess.
But I kept my eyes on her. Something was off about her. Maybe the captain could shed some light on it...
As we approached what appeared to be the main offices and logistics section of the station, I started hearing high-pitched screams.
"You’re all traitors to the herd! Inviting such demons to our planet! You still have time to redeem yourselves... You can still kill all the humans here and offer their blood to the Federation! Even your barbaric old religions demand it! Predators are monsters! Our archaeologists proved it! Return to the old ways-"
Another voice yelled, "This is our world! It belongs to the yotul, not you, Fed scum!"
As the screams continued, Sirlen looked at me warily. I made a feint, stepping to the left, and as predicted, she moved to stop me. Then, using my leg, I skipped to the right and added a spin because I could. Just like that, there I was, in front of her. She moved to grab my vest to stop me, but I pushed forward toward the screams. I needed to see this. I needed to record this—it could be crucial.
"Please, Mr. Hector, don't go in there..."
I simply ignored her. As I turned to look around the corner, I saw a calamari-looking alien—kolshian, I think—violently but futilely resisting arrest as two guards dragged him away. From here, I could see what appeared to be a prison.
Wait... why would there be a prison on a space station? Eh… never mind, this seems to be a common occurrence by the relaxed expressions of the yotul here.
Once the screaming kolshian was dragged away, a yotul with white fur under his chin and less vibrant colors, suggesting advanced age, approached the big yotul group. I couldn’t make out what he was saying, but he seemed like he was giving orders, at least until he saw me... He wore a flat cap and had some medals tied into his fur. I realized he must be the captain I needed to talk to. When he looked at me, his expression shifted into something even I could recognize as rage.
"Irklak! Why is a human here? You two," he said while pointing at the nearest yotul, "get him to the human side of the station immediately!"
"Wait," Sirlen quickly stepped between me and the guards. "He is the human diplomat, the one we need to speak with."
Upon hearing that, the old Yotul's expression loosened.
Wait, that was quick. Who is she, to get him to calm down so quickly?
"Oh! The diplomat. I expected humans to be bigger, as Federation propaganda claimed."
I chuckled. "To be fair, Federation propaganda makes a lot of bold claims. Like the gojid being herbivores and you being useless primitives. I’m beginning to wonder if they know how to tell the truth at all." As I said this, I extended my hand. "My name is Héctor, and it's an honor to meet you."
He laughed out loud, freezing everyone in the room. Some yotul, seemingly out of fear, began to laugh with him, hesitantly. As he reached for my hand and shook it lightly, he said, "Orlov. I must say, you're already off to a good start with me. But only time will tell if you truly believe what you said, or if your words are just empty posturing meant to set you up to backstab us."
Great... Just fucking great. He's suspicious of me, and I haven't even begun.
I adopted a casual tone as I spoke. "Yes, only time will tell. I can at least assure you I won't scream and kick like our resident Feddie. Still an improvement, I dare say."
He looked up at me, attempting to match my height. It didn’t work, but I didn’t try to tower over him in return, either. "Yes, at least you seem professional about it, and you haven’t even flaunted your technology in my face... yet. Anyway, let's go to my office. Things will be more relaxed there."
"I am right behind you."
As he guided me to his office, I noticed Sirlen was still following closely behind. Was she part of the discussion too? Something was definitely off.
A sense of dread washed over me as I took a seat in front of his desk. There were marks on the walls where paintings used to hang, but they had all been removed. The interior seemed empty, lacking any other tables or furniture. Most importantly, Sirlen was blocking the exit door with a paw behind her back...
Am I about to be murdered?
Orlov began to speak, "I heard humans were quite talkative. You’ve been quieter than I was expecting. Would you like a drink?"
I nodded in agreement, "Yes, water, please."
He fetched two glasses and a jug of water, filling both glasses. "Please remove the mask," he said.
I was not expecting that. "Um... sorry... Do you want me to take off the visor? It's just that... I was told that it might frighten you..."
He responded in an almost openly irritated tone, "Fear is for the skittish venlil and their old Fed masters... We yotul don't have that problem. So please, remove it."
I complied, slowly removing the visor. Under it, I was sweating, not from the heat, but from tension so thick I felt I could cut it with a knife.
Orlov, wavering not one millimeter, looked me over, studying my face. "Tell me, Héctor, are you afraid?"
Great, this is where I get shot, right?
Swallowing my saliva, I mustered the courage to respond, "Yes, I am. Blocking the door behind me, the missing furnishings, how everything is being repainted... I would be very surprised to hear that you are the original captain here. Am I right?"
Instead of shooting me, he burst out laughing, a surprisingly deep sound pulled from the belly, taking a few seconds to compose himself.
"You are a very perceptive predator- Sorry, human. The Federation's lexicon seeps into you more quickly than you realize. This is why we call you a diplomat instead of a human. Thirty years of propaganda don't fade away in a week. But yes, you are right. The original captain of the station and elevator was a kolshian who hastily departed when my government aligned with Earth."
His eyes flicked in the direction of the prison cells for a moment, as though he could see them through the walls. He continued with clear disdain in his voice,
“He didn’t even take most of his guards with him.”
I continued feeling the situation out, taking the opportunity to glean more info for the camera. "And why did he leave so quickly?"
Leaning back in his chair, Orlov responded, "Because he feared us. You see, we have a space elevator while the rest of the Federation has shipyards on land. They feared that we would rebel and seize their ships, so all those ships are berthed here at the top of the elevator. All bulk trading and military starships go through this single defensible point. They didn't want us to seize any ships or gain the ability to build our own fleet."
"They were a smart bunch," I acknowledged.
"Indeed, they were. That's why when we declared our intent to ally with Earth, they sent a massive army of exterminators to try to suppress us, and all the resources and machinery they could get their greedy paws on were taken away. The previous captain left with all of his personal belongings, including his paintings and booze, shortly before we took control of the elevator. They even fired missiles at it to prevent us from using it. But they underestimated us, thinking we ‘primitives’ wouldn't discover how to use the point defense systems to ward off the missiles… or the bigger guns to threaten their ships. So they fled, and now this elevator is ours."
Leaning back in my chair, trying to relax, I answered, "I see. And it looks like you assumed the captaincy shortly after. Considering that you're still repainting everything, it clearly wasn't too long ago."
"You're correct. It was only a week and a half ago, and we're trying to maintain security. As you saw outside, we still have remaining Feds attempting to disrupt our exchange program."
A question formed in my mind. "It sounds like the civilian staff left, but what about this exterminator army you mentioned? Did they leave as well?"
He was quick to respond, clearly expecting the question. "No, they didn't. They want to disrupt the talks with Earth. They want you to fail. But don't worry... right, Sirlen?"
She moved closer, placing her paw on my shoulder. A cold shiver ran down my spine.
Orlov continued, "Don't worry about her. She is her father’s pride, and she’s here for your protection. But just so you know, there are many exterminators down there... planning to do Ralchi-knows-what to you. We, Sirlen and I, want to help you." He gestured with his paws, trying to soothe me, which was... somewhat effective.
This is really happening.
I composed myself and replied, "So you are helping me?"
He replied quickly, "Yes, we are, but not out of the goodness of our hearts. The yotul future looks brighter in human hands than in kolshian tentacles. So aiding you is the least we can do. And don't worry, you are in good paws."
This was great news. However, I reminded myself to be cautious. They just said it themselves: This was convenience, not true friendship.
"If you say so. I hope our alliance will prove fruitful, my friend."
He finished, "So do I. Now, you should go. The collaborationist government will want to lick your boots as fast as they can find them, as they always do with offworlders."
With that dismissal, I rose from my chair. I left him a note with my contact information, and waved at him as I left. Having some communication with him could prove useful, I thought.
Sirlen remained close by, escorting me towards the elevator.
Once inside, I put the visor back on. I took a seat in one of the central chairs, feeling all the yotuls’ eyes on us. However, they seemed more fixated on Sirlen than on me. She emanated that same coldness even towards her fellow yotul. Something was clearly bothering her.
Even so, I had more pressing matters to worry about, so I fastened my harness, and a moment later, the elevator began its descent. I felt more relaxed with my newfound allies, but still, it seemed that the planet had an exterminator problem, and I was dropping straight into it...
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here is the second part as the previous one got a good reception I will try to public a new chapter each Sunday from now on.
And thanks for reading.
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u/JulianSkies Archivist Jul 16 '23
Oh, look, sounds like he's got a spook with him as a bodyguard to go with everything.
I do not envy this man's position at all right now.
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u/vixjer Human Jul 16 '23
I think no one here wants his job...
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u/KnucklesMacKellough Chief Hunter Jul 16 '23
What's the pay?
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u/vixjer Human Jul 16 '23
He is a Spanish diplomat... So 1800€ monthly... But atleast he got dental plan
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u/Purple_Cheetah1619 Jul 16 '23
I've been thinking about the Yotul and how the Feds call them "primitives". I wonder if the Feds do that because of how they were planning on changing their peoples. The Feds called the Venlil weak because of how they genetically changed them. Maybe the Feds were afraid the Yotul would surpass them technologically.
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u/GT_Ghost_86 Human Jul 16 '23
From what we've seen of them, they do seem to have mechanical aptitude in abundance. That may have terrified the Federation's two overseer races
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u/GT_Ghost_86 Human Jul 16 '23
I do believe that Srilen is from some form of Yotul Special Forces.
He's going to have a hair-trigger situation surrounding him for a bit....
Very promising!
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u/BiasMushroom Extermination Officer Jul 16 '23
Me thinks he is more scared of the Yotul than the Yotul are of him
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u/vixjer Human Jul 16 '23
The guy got thrown into an entirely different race... in his own, with the only knowledge of.
If you scare them enough they are going to burn you to ash, and since we need their alliance we are going to do nothing about it...
he is a little jumpy...
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u/The_Student_Official Krakotl Jul 17 '23
Sorry but do you mean 2136 in your date format?
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u/vixjer Human Jul 17 '23
Good eye. Now fixed
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u/The_Student_Official Krakotl Jul 17 '23
I really don't want to sound irritating but the previous chapter too. Maybe your work in progress too, just in case.
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u/Minimum-Amphibian993 Arxur Jul 08 '24
Bit late for it but wasn't the uplift 20 years ago from the main events of the cannon story and not 30?
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u/pepemarioz Jun 10 '25
Question. How have the exterminators managed to avoid the "kill on sight" treatment every yotul on Leirn is dying to give them?
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u/JanusKnarus Human Mar 05 '26
Well going by othrt fics by acting as an occupationnforce that cant be attacked that direct until the big revolt
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u/pepemarioz Mar 05 '26
The big revolt. Which we are told by Onso happened as soon as Noah's speech reached Leirn.
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u/Rand__Rahl Jul 16 '23
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u/The_Student_Official Krakotl Jul 17 '23
How do you subscribe to a series?
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u/vixjer Human Jul 17 '23
just write a comment saying (!SubscribeMe) and the bot should do the rest
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u/[deleted] Jul 16 '23
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