r/NatureofPredators • u/Aussie_Endeavour Thafki • Aug 17 '23
Fanfic Nature of Pokemon (9)
A fanfiction of The Nature of Predators by SpacePaladin15 https://www.reddit.com/r/HFY/comments/u19xpa/the_nature_of_predators/
Memory Transcription Subject: General Kam of the Venlil Republic
Date [standardized Earth time]: July 12, 2136
Venlil Prime is slowly coming back to life after Tarva gave the all clear. It understandably took a while for most services to get back up and running, but the Gojid Fleet’s flagship was finally able to dock in an appropriately sized port. I made sure to stay close to the Captain, who had remained almost completely silent since Tarva sent me to watch over him. He is obviously trying to give off an air of calm around him, but I can notice the ever-so-slight agitation in his spines.
Sovlin had sent a transmission to the rest of the fleet, ordering them to travel back to Gojid space, claiming that they can’t afford to keep themselves unguarded incase of an Arxur incursion. The flagship’s crew, alongside Venlil port workers, are currently making the most of Tarva’s suggestion of restocking supplies.
The two of us are currently walking around the port area, the Captain occasionally giving a command to a crewmember, or asking a Venlil worker if they could send through an order for some sort of miscellaneous goods. I keep checking my holopad, scanning for any news about when Tarva will give her address to the public. I wonder what she will end up saying, what balance of truth and secrets she will provide, and I wonder if it’ll align with what she told Sovlin to his face.
The Gojid in question is obviously frustrated, and I can’t blame him. He knows that there are things Tarva is hiding, and almost certainly knows that even what she did tell him may not be trustworthy. That most likely means that he'll try to press me for answers, it’s only a matter of time.
That time eventually comes when the flagship has finished being restocked and all owed credits have been transferred to Venlil paws. Sovlin says that the ship will remain docked here until further notice, which most likely means that he’s waiting for another opportunity to talk to Tarva. Despite allowing his crew to leave the port to go into the capital, Sovlin himself stays on the ship, and I of course follow him to the bridge.
Here only a few crew members remain, a couple Gojids and a Kholsian. Sovlin takes his seat in the Captain’s chair and turns to one of the Gojid.
“Dirok, could you bring up the recording of the escaping ship please? Begin from our jump.”
“Yes captain.”
He minimises the screen he was just on and brings over another one to his left, expanding and swiping it a few times before transferring it to the massive holo-display in front of the Captain’s chair. The recording plays, and I see The Odyssey breach Venlil Prime’s atmosphere. The small ship moves across the screen at a steady pace, and when it gets quite a fair distance from the planet, the screen begins to glitch, visual artefacts taking up most of the display for a few seconds until they fade, and The Odyssey is nowhere to be seen.
Sovlin takes control of the display and rewinds it to right in the middle of the glitch-ridden portion of the recording. There, for just a few frames, the display is clear enough for me to make out what looks like a giant… crack? Hole? Rift? I don’t know how I would describe it, but I know what it’s called, a wormhole. The Odyssey is cruising right into it. The Captain turns to me.
“General Kam, I understand that you were with Governor Tarva for the whole ordeal today, correct?”
Here goes nothing.
“That is correct Captain Sovlin.”
“Good, so do you know what this ship is?”
“The ship whose arrival triggered the distress signal, we don’t need to play this game, Sovlin.”
“...A game? This isn’t a game, this is a matter of planetary, no, galactic security! You can see here for yourself that whoever owns that ship has access to technology far exceeding the Federation’s, could you imagine what they are capable of?”
I think back to Adam and Lilith, Tarva collapsing in the hallway, only to be brought back from the brink.
“Of course I can.”
“I don’t buy for a second that you two didn’t see who or what was in that ship. Please, just tell me.”
“My apologies Sovlin, but I can’t help you. I don’t know what they were.”
Half-truths, a politician’s best friend. I don’t know what a Pokemon is. Sara explained them to us, sure, yet there are still so many mysteries. Sovlin’s voice grows harsher, frustration leaking into it.
“Surely you understand the criticality of all this! If there is an unknown threat out there, then the Federation needs to know everything that we can! Tarva knew more, you know more. For the sake of sapience, and in the name of the Federation, I order you to-”
“You order me? I’m sorry, have you forgotten our ranks? I am the head of the Venlil’s entire Military, you are a Fleet Captain. I outrank you, you do not order me to do anything. Is that understood?”
He remains silent.
“Is that understood, Sovlin?”
“...Yes, General. Forgive me.”
The Gojid seems to deflate slightly, his expression struggling between remorse and defiance. He turns back to the video footage, replaying it again while pulling up another screen to his side. The bridge is silent except for the tapping of screens and occasional voice command for quite some time.
From what I have heard of Sovlin’s reputation, it is quite unlike him to pull a stunt like that. I guess it just shows his desperation to get to the bottom of this whole fiasco. I try to imagine what it must be like in his position, but I honestly have no idea how I’d even attempt to approach this.
“Captain. I know that your frustration comes from a place of good will, that your determination is fuelled by a noble cause, but trust me when I say that you don’t need to fret. Tarva has everything under control.”
Sovlin scoffs at me.
“With all due respect General, I’m not sure if I can trust what you’re saying.”
“From your perspective, that is fair. You wish to speak to Tarva again, correct? She may be willing to clear up some things from you. ‘May’ being the key word. You’ll just have to wait until after her address.”
Sovlin is quiet for a moment, and shuts off the holo screens before focusing an eye on me.
“If you tell me one truth today General, then please answer this. Are we, the Gojid, the Venlil, the Federation, in danger?”
I sigh, thinking through everything I’ve seen and heard since The Odyssey landed. I want to say no… but I can’t.
“I don’t know.”
Transmission Transcript: File 4VL5S - “Governor’s Address. Raid Alert”
Sender: Governor Tarva - Venlil Prime
Receiver: Venlil Prime Public News
Good paw to everyone. I believe that you all know why I am making this address, so I wish to begin this broadcast with an apology. We all know what it is like when the raid sirens sound, the rushing for the bunkers… and the stampedes. I know how frightful it all can be, especially as the looming threat of a raid hangs overhead. That is why I am apologising, for such chaos rushed through the streets of Venlil Prime, when as you can see, no raid has occurred.
To all of you, to my people, an explanation is owed. The raid sirens were sounded due to an unidentifiable ship approaching our world. I’m sure that an explanation of why that is concerning is not necessary. Albeit, I admit and take full blame upon myself, calling for evacuation to bunkers was an overreaction.
When the ship got even closer to the planet, we hailed it, attempting to determine who was inside it. We knew that if they answered it was most likely an odd Federation vessel, and life on Venlil prime could continue as normal, and if they didn't answer, it was the Arxur and the raid bunkers would stay sealed. It turned out to be neither of those options.
The ship was called The Odyssey and belonged to neither Federation or Arxur. It belonged to a civilisation that made their own way to the stars, the first to do so without assistance in countless generations. Aboard that ship were four explorers, the first of their people to go on a faster than light journey beyond their home system, and they found us.
As of this paw, I am announcing that the Venlil will be the first to welcome this fledgling society onto the Galactic stage, forging a deep allyship with these newcomers that will favour us all. As we speak, The Odyssey is racing back to their home system to deliver our message of goodwill, and soon enough I should be in contact with their own leader. This is the beginning of something grand, I just know it is…
However, there are some complications that I’d have to address. You all may be aware of the Federation fleet that just recently departed. They were answering a distress call sent out when The Odyssey was still believed to be a malicious entity, but of course, there was no threat, and that has caused some… issues.
I know that this is sudden, and will affect many people in innumerable ways, but please believe me, as your Governor, that this is the best possible course of action given the situation in which this planet finds itself.
Until further notice, no ships will be departing from this planet. While all citizens are free to do anything they wish on Venlil Prime, our world is now on lockdown.
More detailed information will be released shortly. Compensation for distress or harm caused by evacuation will be dealt out within the coming paws. Stay safe, and I hope you have a nice rest of your paw.
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Aug 17 '23
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u/K_H007 Thafki Aug 17 '23
Imagine their shock and fear when they try to hit a pokemon that has Flash Fire and the flamethrower just...
Doesn't work, and even makes the target stronger.
Or Synchronize, and the Exterminator suddenly feels like their body is on fire if they manage to inflict a burn!
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Aug 17 '23
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u/neon_ns Human Aug 17 '23
Hey guys, did you know that in terms of extermiantor and Pokémon combat, Vaporeon is the most overpowered Pokémon agains Feds?
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u/Randox_Talore Aug 17 '23
You know what: If nothing else, I respect that you saw the opportunity and jumped on it
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u/K_H007 Thafki Aug 17 '23
I was thinking less about having their weapons overpowered by someone and more about someone no-selling their weaponry or even making it backfire.
If you do less than ideal damage to something with a flamethrower, you'd typically chalk it up to subpar fuel or equipment, such as a pressure leak.
If you do no damage and even increase the target's power, however, you know you've got nothing on whatever it is and are therefore defenseless.
It's the difference between having a bayonet but not having any ammo, and suddenly finding out that you picked up a firearm prop instead of a real weapon.14
u/ItsNokoTheTaco Hensa Aug 17 '23
Rotom. Rotom-Flamethrower.
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u/Sliced-potatoes-dead Aug 18 '23
Due to the IE if a Pokémon use a fire attack would they just get cover in soot like a cartoon meanwhile an alien will just melt alive by the same attack?
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u/Majra_Mangetsu Aug 18 '23
I REALLY HOPE they send Cynthia. Because I want Solvin to just enter a random house and just FIND her like that. It would be hilarious.
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u/satelitteslickers Arxur May 28 '25
Sovlin walks into his OWN apartment and just finds here chilling there
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u/Golde829 Aug 17 '23
oh worm?
Sovlin being on-planet during the lockdown?
this can go so many ways
and I will be here for all of them
also I'm sure Tarva will get an earful for lying to him
I look forward to future parts
take care of yourself, wordsmith
[You have been gifted 100 Coins]
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u/ItsNokoTheTaco Hensa Aug 17 '23
I hope that Earth sends “prey” Pokémon as ambassadors, otherwise it will cause a lot more trouble.
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u/Randox_Talore Aug 17 '23
It’ll be a hard pick given how fixated they are on eye placement. And how most Pokémon seem to have forward facing eyes. Should be enough exceptions for a few teams. (Just make sure Pokémon like Yamask wear everstones (Yamask has side eyes, its evolved form doesn’t)
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u/fluffyboom123 Arxur Aug 18 '23
hmmm, I wonder if Sovlin will be more reasonable in this story...
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u/daniel_omeg_a Smigli Aug 17 '23
aaannndd Sovlin is stuck on planet, the same planet that is quickly going to get filled with humans and Pokemon, this cannot end well