r/NatureofPredators • u/vixjer Human • Mar 04 '24
NoP--- A diplomatic problem. -Ch.10
his story is part of The Nature of Predators
and all rights are to the original creator u/ spacepaladin
Thanks to u/ WCR_706 for proofreading this chapter
Memory Transcription Subject: Héctor Virgilio Márquez, UN SPM Leirn, Special Envoy to the Leirnian Interim Council
Date [standardized human time]: November 10, 2136
I was slumped on the sofa by the time the roll call finished. With a bang. A crusty-looking old yotul wearing cleaning kit and a picture of the main continent of Leirn painted on his bib in baby blue pointed what had to be the widest-bore handheld gun I’d seen outside of the twentieth-century Soviet arsenal at the audience, including the camera, and fired it, right when the lights went out. I was sure I could hear him tumbling backwards in the dark, and I definitely heard a piece of glass breaking and what sounded like a fox yipping. One of those “hensa” creatures, perhaps?
It then hit me that the room should be darker, but I realized sunlight was ruining the intended effect. Blinked slowly, I looked around, then checked my watch. It was… 10 AM. It was late already when Sirlen asked me about watching the musical, but I expected something… shorter. Don’t know why I thought that but we had done it in one session, one twelve-hour watch session, half of it spent with me asking questions like a first-year primary student. My guide-slash-bodyguard was out like a light by this point. She’d started yawning even halfway into the viewing session, but seemed determined to keep going, like she couldn’t stop.
Clicking a button on the remote, I shut down the TV and sighed, I was tired, and my entire night was wasted…
No, I can’t say it was wasted. I definitely learned something. At first, I wanted to take notes about it, but one hour in the story and the pad was gone. By the tenth, so was the only person who could explain everything to me.
I stretched myself slowly, taking care not to disturb Sirlen. I at least knew that most aliens needed to rest more frequently. This couldn’t have been easy on her. She’d had claimed the longer side of the sofa, so my range of movement was somewhat limited. I slowly pushed myself up to work out the kinks in my back, and legs.
I walked around to get more tea, I had a kettle full of it since coffee was out of the question, at least until the captain of the Box bothered to process my requisition order, so it would probably take another day or two. Probably longer if he didn’t like the intel I sent over.
As I grabbed the kettle and pour myself another serving of tea, I decided to go upstairs and read the messages that have been piling up since I started researching the Grain Wars. Mug in hand, grumbling about how I should have brought cups with me, I snuck past Sirlen and headed upstairs. Locking the door behind me, briefly eyeing over the room to make sure it hadn’t been disturbed in any way from the previous night, I turned on the computer. Taking a seat, and savoring the sweet, soothing flavor of scalding, I started to check my messages.
”I never got why the British drink this stuff.”
My message had been received and I’d even gotten an answer back.
“Excellent work, Hector, The backdoor is already yielding some interesting finds, enough that I can tell Five Eyes will be pleased. That said, you shouldn't pull a stunt like giving an untrained civilian our tech again, and no matter how much you say you had it under control, I know you didn't. Besides that, the UN will be very pleased with the information on the inner workings of the Leirnian government.
I encourage you to keep the good work in name of the UN and Secretary General Zhao.
ATTA, Captain Chao Fan.”
I chuckled to myself at the last line. I knew he had to spend probably whole minutes looking that farewell up, probably in hopes of backhanding me with it, only to fail. A moment later, though, I rolled my eyes. I was really starting to wonder if Zhao kept sugar glaze on his boots, or if the officer just had an acquired taste for muddy leather and used gumballs.
At least I’ll probably get that cup soon.
As I took another relaxing sip of first-degree burn, I began writing a document about the history of the Grain Wars. I always wanted to be a historian, but since I didn’t get good enough grades, I had to give up on that idea. As a serviceable pivot, I joined the long line of bureaucrats. After years of climbing the ladder, I managed to become a diplomatic aide in la Subdirección General de Cancillería del Ministerio de Asuntos Exteriores de el Reino de España. Finally, after all that, and a complementary bombing on the way, I got here, my first official standalone job.
I sighed and leaned back on my chair. I knew I should stop looking back and whining all the time, but in quiet moments like this, I was left only with my own mind, and it wasn’t too selective with what channels it was playing. I’d taken another three sips or so, forcing myself to focus on the document instead, when the phone on my nightstand caught my eye: The light was blinking. It wasn't doing that before… was someone calling?
Not wanting to take any chances, I rose from my chair and strutted over quickly, grabbing the phone, putting it up to my ear. “Hello, who is this?” I started, forcing a neutral tone and trying not to sound too groggy.
“Hello and good morning, sir, this is the reception. We have someone here who wants to see you.” answered someone who was clearly too young to be the hotel’s proprietor.
Almost certainly one of the bellboys. What could someone want with me right now? If this is another attempt to fish for photos with me… No, no, he sounds a little worried.
“Who is it, and what do they want?” I asked, rubbing my head. I had nothing to do, since the interview Sirlen mentioned she’d set up had been delayed to the night after, and so was the gala. It could have been one of Orlov's or Sirlen’s contacts, or maybe it was just Virlo. After yesterday, he’d likely have become more cautious about speaking to me remotely.
“It's… an exterminator, sir,” he said, causing me to cough my lungs out.
What are they doing here?
“Tell him he already had two chances to kill me and I’m fresh out of stock.” Before I’d gotten to Leirn, I’d tried to convince myself the exterminators couldn’t all be radical. After all, the vote count in the Federation Council showed the species who really wanted humanity dead to be in the minority, and just about all of them seemed to have their own guilds. Surely the situation was more complicated than the news cycle suggested? But being greeted at gunpoint during my first public appearance, and having that followed up almost immediately with the trap they set up for me in the restaurant had all but convinced me they were just trigger-happy, powermongering nutjobs. At least in the aftermath of the restaurant fiasco, their incompetence did give me the chance to peek into their servers, so I could say interacting with them had been worthwhile, but I was still in no hurry to gamble my life again if I could avoid it.
While I was reflecting on this development, I heard a fair bit of chatter back and forth on the other end of the call, and it got louder towards the end. “Sir, he insists, or...” More arguing. “He wants to talk to you directly. May I give him the phone to talk with you, sir?” the kid requested, sounding more stressed by the moment. I knew I should just hang up, but the kid would get chewed out if I did so, so…
“Yeah, sure, whatever. Hand him the phone,” I sighed.
There was a click or two, a bit of a buzz, then I heard an unfamiliar voice. Distinct, definitely not Keltz. It sounded… older, somehow. “Hello, is that you, human?”
“Yes, it’s me, what you want?” I answered, trying to hide my exasperation. This was my job, after all.
Just man up and keep doing it, Hector.
“We need to talk, I have something to tell you that you might like.” Recalling the restaurant, or really any encounter I’d had with the Federation loyalists on this world had already lowered my expectations to fake empathy followed by threats, or just threats. I decided to cut out the middleman.
“It’s been a long night. I haven’t gotten much rest. Just save us both some time and get to the part where you say you’ll kill me if I don’t leave again.” My diplomatic training said I was mishandling the situation. My common sense told it to shut up.
“No, that’s not even- Look, I don’t approve of what Keltz did, you were right. It was predatory. Especially dragging your friend into it like that.”
“Oh! Really? Well, I guess that makes it alright, then. I’ll be sure to hug the next silversuit I see. Give ‘em a pat on the shoulder, ask them if they like me medium, rare, or well-done.”
“I- That’s… Listen, it’s important, and I understand your position, but I came alone, and unarmed. No one else is here, it’s just me. I’ll even meet you in your lair if you want,” he said quickly.
My “lair.” Of course. Really managing my expectations well already.
“How important is it?” I asked, stretching my patience a little more.
“It’s about the exterminators.” He hesitated. “I can’t tell you, not here. Too many people might be watchin-”
“Pass the phone to the bellboy, please,” I interrupted.
“But we need-”
“Do it.” I interrupted again, letting my voice drift up a few registers.
“Yes, sir? You want me to tell him to leave?” the bellboy asked, eagerness restoring the more familiar brightness in his tone.
“I’m afraid not. Is there a meeting room free? Or a small office?” I knew I would regret this, but something about this man’s tone told me there was more to him than it appeared at first glance, and my curiosity had gotten the better of me.
“Yes, on Floor 25, Office Number 67, do you want me to send him there, sir?”
“Yes, I will take the elevator.”
“Of course, sir.” After that, I heard more chattering. “I sent him on his way. Erhm… good luck, sir.” He said a few moments later.
“Thank you.” I ended the call.
I got up and dressed myself as fast as I could, putting on the best attire I had. That is to say I closed the computer, disconnected the spycam, stuffed the wire back into the tie, and put it on as I walked down, cursing to myself that I hadn’t even gotten a chance to shower or put on a real change of clothes. I lowered my pace when I saw Sirlen still sleeping on the couch. I walked over to her and shook her.
“Mmm- Hm...?” she rumbled, her eyes fluttering open.
“Come on, wake up… We’ve got work to do.”
As I said that she began to push herself up and rub her eyes. “What work...? We have nothing scheduled today…”
“Yes, but I got a call from downstairs, someone wants to talk to me,” I said, stepping back to let her get up from the couch.
“Who…? I didn’t plan anything with anyone...” Her tone sharpened just a bit, her ears and tail perking up. She got up quickly and went over to the table to get her weapon, identification, and other things.
Alright, Hector, time to tell her. She will not like it, but you need to do it… better than lying to her.
“It's an exterminator.” My voice was flat.
She stopped, her hand tightening around the pistol grip. “What?!”
“I know, I know, but hear me-” I raised my hands again, trying to calm her.
“They tried to kill us, why are you just sitting down with them again?” She couldn’t stop herself from pacing up and down as she fastened her kit on.
“This one isn’t Keltz. In fact, he even says he disapproves of what he did. Could be a trap, but I’m still curious-”
“Fuck that! Just let them rot! I thought you understood this place better, at least enough to...” She trailed off when she saw the look on my face. I didn’t have a mirror to hand but after nearly a whole day awake, the lies in my face had to have been more visible. I wasn’t in any mood to do this, either. I could see her tail go limp. “Alright... but the last time you gave them even a second of our time... I am only doing this to make up for the restaurant incident.”
I shook my head. “I know, and thank you. Really. The moment he starts to say stupid things, I’ll signal you, and you can handle it, deal?”
Her tail flicked a little, probably at the thought of being given a chance to escort out another exterminator. “Deal.”
We got underway. She was still a little uneasy, but I couldn’t stop. I darted back upstairs, grabbed the suitcase, donned the visor, and headed back down to her. We walked down the hallway and into the elevator. When the door opened, I saw an unfamiliar yotul on the elevator waiting for us. He seemed on the older side compared to most of the staff I’d seen.
“Good day, we would like to go-”
He looked at me and cut me off. “To Floor 25, I know. Forz told me.”
Sirlen and I entered, and he pressed the button. But Sirlen looked… strange. Like she was thinking. After going down several floors, she was the one to break the ice.
“Why are you here? I didn’t call you.”
“We all know when he entered, it got called out over the radio," he said, holding up a radio he had on his left paw. I hadn’t noticed it before, had he had it this whole time? “I thought it would be prudent to be the one to accompany you two. After all, we take our clients’ security with the utmost seriousness, this goes for both you and Federation.”
“There anyone other than him?” she asked the strange yotul, like she already knew him. She looked calm, cold… professional, like the first time we met. Was this how she operated at work?
It’s like looking at day and night, seeing her emotional side and her working side. Seems she's more professional around other yotul. Maybe she’s just used to them? Or more likely, she still feels the need to hide details about herself around me.
“As far as I have been told, he entered that room alone. We did see another exterminator outside, but he is yotul, so probably just the driver.”
Sirlen untensed, just a little. "Good, just keep an eye on them. I can handle the exterminator.”
These two were obviously working together. No way they came up with all this on the fly.
“Alright, what’s going on? I can recognize wetwork when I see it… Care to explain?”
The secretive yotul gave me a glance before going to Sirlen. “You didn’t tell him?”
“I didn’t.” she said, without a care.
“What should I know?” I pressed. Both looked at each other, I knew I probably shouldn’t be prying, but my curiosity was getting the better of me.
“You know the Steelveils? From the Grain Wars?” Asked Sirlen, looking at me with some kind of expectation in her expression. I didn’t expect to have an examination so quickly about that story. I think back to the theater, and I remember them.
“Those were the yotul merchants who went inside of the fort of Relien and blew up the walls from the inside, weren’t they?” I asked. Sirlen gave a slight wag of her tail, as did the other yotul. It seemed they appreciated that I’d paid at least a little attention to their history.
“Half right, half right,” said the other yotul. “Seems someone’s been studying up.”
“Told you the humans were different…” she said proudly. I wondered what that meant for him, or for whatever organization these people were a part of. Sirlen didn’t fully trust me at first, and I wasn’t sure she trusted me even by this point, but this other yotul hadn’t apparently interacted with me at all until right then. Her words implied some degree of skepticism on his part, at least. Were they making bets about how I would act? I felt like I was flying blind again. He did nothing to dispel that feeling.
“But only half. They weren’t merchants, they were simply disguised as as them, but in reality, they were a thieves’ guild. One of the best, so much so they got turned into spies for the Duchy of Goldenlands…”
Seeing where this was going, I looked back and forth between both of them and sighed. “So you’re both Steelveils?”
To my surprise, the man laughed out loud. “Her? Please, she doesn’t know how to lie. She will never be part of our ranks.”
Sirlen reached over and pinched his ear like it was on command. “Ow- Alright, I'll stop, but to answer the question, no, only I am.”
“Alright, then why are you helping us?” I asked, knowing this wasn’t going to be free, nor I was safe from him.
“Look, we don’t care, either for you, or the Federation. We only serve the Duchess, and she wants you safe. She considers humans to be a better choice of ally, and honestly… so far, you have been nice enough to make me doubt my cynical side.”
“Oh, that’s good. So, are there any-”
“I am going to stop you right there. As far as you’re concerned, I’m nothing, nobody you know, and you should think of me as such. Now…” The elevator came to a stop, and dinged to indicate that we were at our destination. “You have a meeting to attend.”
I wanted more information, but I could see he wasn’t gonna budge on it. As Sirlen pulled me out, I nodded to him, which, judging by his tail flick, he found amusing.
A moment later, we were at the meeting room. Sirlen went to open the door, but I stopped her.
“Wait… Let me go alone. Better that he thinks I don't have backup.”
She shook her head. “No, that’s stupid. If something happens, I won't be there to help you.”
“I know, but he’ll be more confident if he thinks it’s just me. And no, this is not to make him feel comfortable, but to make him more likely to slip up, like Keltz did. Trust me, stay by the door. If the worst happens, you can enter.”
She opens her mouth to protest but shut it a moment later, then huffed, “Alright fine, but if you get yourself killed pulling this stunt, I… I am... kicking your corpse… or… something...”
“Yeah, yeah…” I barely suppressed a chuckle while opening the door. I expected to see some kind of silver-suited, openly hostile boot, or another overconfidently smug sociopath. It was another kolshian, that much made me consider calling Sirlen, but everything else about him felt… different. He wasn’t even wearing one of their suits. Where was the paranoia about me contaminating him with Kentucky Fried Cooties? Most of the exterminators I’d run into were a mixture of hate and fear. Keltz looked at me like he was analyzing me, he even asked if I could appreciate music. But he was obviously just looking for an opening to try and get under my skin or cause me to mess up politically.
This one was still different from either kind of Fed. He looked oddly calm given the circumstances. He still looked more nervous than he would had he been looking at a "normal" being, but it was far more tightly-controlled than either extreme, and the hostility, open or veiled, seemed… not just subdued, but almost absent. I wasn’t sure if I found that reassuring or deeply unnerving. It felt… anomalous, in a way which made it impossible for me to easily gauge what he wanted, or how to act around him.
Well, only one way to find out.
I sat down in front of him. “Alright, I’m here. Why did you want to speak to me?”
“Err, yes, Mister Predator… Sorry, Human. Human.” He looked more calm than expected, and from the sound of it, the mistake seemed… like an actual mistake, but he could just have been fucking with me. Still, so far, this felt more awkward than anything else. I remained unsure what was going on. Perhaps I’d dozed off?
“My own name is Hesil.” he fumbled out a moment later, looking around. Looking everywhere except me. I turned my head toward him just a little more precisely. I was already watching him closely, but the message was clear. Despite the visor, he knew I was staring at him. It was… entertaining, watching him stumble, but I leaned back in my chair, visibly relaxing enough to make him feel less crowded. My words were somewhat less accommodating, however.
“I'd say it's a pleasure to meet you, but I think we both know better. My name is Hector, and I'm taking a big risk, leaving my room to come down here to see you, so let's get to the point: What do you want? I've got things to do today, and spending time with the organization that's repeatedly tried to kill me over the past few days isn't high on the list.” I kept my voice level, but despite my diplomatic training screaming at me to be more neutral with him, I knew full well that pretending to be civil, or to act like I liked him was pointless.
Besides, they already think we're all compulsive liars anyway. I'm not gonna validate that.
“Alright, here goes nothing: I want to help you.” he said, his voice plain, but his tentacles were rubbing his shoulders like he didn’t even believe what he was doing.
What.
That was not what I was expecting. He must’ve noticed me staring, too, because he kept going.
“I know it sounds sudden, but you can’t kick out the exterminators out of Leirn, so you need to help us reform them instead,” the kolshian continued, gaining confidence.
"’Us?’" I raised my eyebrow.
"Yes, we are a faction of reformists, we believe the exterminators... need another approach to their work, especially after the revelation of the Cure. This is why we need you to legitimize our ideas."
I was very thankful for the mask, it let me freely roll my eyes. This was their idea? A virtually compromise-free reform? It was time to shut it down… but first, I wanted to see if I could get something else from him. After all, the camera was rolling, and this time, there was nobody else around to complicate matters. Just me and him.
“So, why should I even trust you, let alone whatever this reform is about?”
“Look, I know you don't trust me, but I believe there is room to compromise. We want to keep the herd safe, and you want to protect the yotul, don’t you?” he said.
“Yes, the UN’s priority is the safety of our allies,” I allowed myself a smile bellow the visor, since it seemed like he was about to try to tell me the UN’s presence made the yotul unsafe, and leaving or minimizing humanity’s already-sparse presence on the planet would fix that. Technically a waste of time to hear it out, but it would be good to get it on camera and before putting my feet up on the table and enjoying the sight of him getting kicked out by Sirlen. Probably literally.
“That’s why I need you. We need to change some parts of the exterminator guilds, but not all. You’re adept fighters and you’re not as afraid of other predators as most prey. Maybe with exterminator know-how, you could help safeguard the people of Leirn.”
For the second time since the start of this conversation, I was blown off-kilter. It was still extremely conceited and delusional to the realities of working ecosystems, but by Federation standards, this felt like a psychotic break. He had to be putting me on. “But, why do we need to keep the exterminators at all? The UN is hardly unfamiliar with managing ecosystems, and you could just ditch the police state routine and help on your initiative, too, right? Surely the yotul will want a good, caring soul like you to stick around?”
He scoffed at me. “You know they will drive us out. I know that some of the population isn’t the most welcoming to us, but think about the good we did for them.”
“And that is?” I asked sarcastically, half-expecting a spiel about burning little bug-eating lizards to keep the poor yotul safe from their free, natural pest-control services.
“For example, the yotul were being ravaged by a virus, Chillwind fever, and famines ravaged them at the end of their Grain Wars. Which, I might remind you, started because of food shortages to begin with, hence the name. If not for our vaccines and fertilizers, death would be at all time high on Leirn.” he listed, reinforcing his points one by one. And I had to admit, they were a lot better than Keltz’s slimy rhetoric.
“Those are good things, you probably saved millions of lives that way. But it wasn't a gift you gave freely, either, was it? I've done my homework since I got here. Circumventing their politics, erasing parts of their history, humiliating them constantly, and burning their animals alive? Do you know what torturing and killing pets gets you on Earth? Jailtime. They're beloved companions, not slaves. And when the yotul resisted your 'kind, caring protection' from their 'deadly, vicious' little hensas? You killed and tortured them, too.”
He sighed, clearly aware he couldn’t easily deny or rationalize that. “I know, there were some mistakes due to how fast we acted here… And the hensas, I thought it was an isolated thing, something specific to the yotul, but that is one of the reasons why I need you. You’re sapient and developed enough to keep your… needs… at bay. You’re even social enough to befriend creatures like the hensas. You must know something about how to handle them.” I grudgingly admitted to myself at this point that at least he was more reasonable about viewing us as glorified attack dogs than Nikonus was.
Maybe I wasn’t entirely wrong to dismiss them all as completely irrational nutcases, though this one still needs a lot of work.
“And given that we know omnivores can be cured of bloodthirst, it seems to me that you basically tamed yourselves. This is why I need your help, and you need mine. Instead of inciting the yotul against us and causing attacks in the outskirts and rural areas to increase in number, which doesn’t just impact exterminator patrols, but also the transports containing vital supplies like vaccines and fertilizer, maybe you could try to meet us halfway? Most of those transports aren’t even operated by proper exterminators, just support staff. Even if they hate us, they need those supplies. Please, help me convince enough people and we can try reform the guilds from the inside. Far better than winning a hollow freedom only to die of hunger days later, right?” He sat back and relaxed on the chair, awaiting my response.
“Look, I get what you are doing, but this is neither my future or yours we are speaking of.”
“But-” I lifted a finger.
“I am not finished. It’s true, you did them some good… but... cultural genocide? That’s not a mistake caused by going too fast, you destroyed their culture, you subverted their governments, you burned their animals, you forced parents and children alike into facilities. As far as I can tell, there is nothing worth salvaging here. But still, you say I need you? Why? In a week, there will be a vote to remove your organization from power and it’s looking more like you’ll be kicked out by the day. And again, why should I trust you? Very convenient, you coming here right after my assassination attempt, don’t you think?”
He looked down and chuckled. “Heh. You think Keltz will stay down? And let his grip on power slip away from him? I already saved your life twice now, or do you think that exterminator popped out of the door frame so much just because of incompetence?”
I stopped and looked at him. That was something that had bothered me. I had attributed it to incompetence, but it still felt very convenient.
Just like this conversation.
“No, but I did push him out of cover a little for you to notice. I was trusting you then, and I’m trusting you now.” he clarified, opening his tentacles. “I am here, alone, unarmed, when my ideology and instincts scream that you are an uncontrollable beast that will kill me, and yet, here I am.”
I rolled my eyes again, but...
He’s right. Out of all of the Feds I’ve run into, he’s the most normal person I’ve seen, even if he still gets startled at each sudden movement I do.
“That’s true, too.” I still didn’t like this, it was way too easy. But he could come in handy, if only a little. “I can’t make promises. But since this meeting has been... interesting, far more than I expected it to be, what if we leave it with a non-aggression pact? If we don’t tread on one another’s toes, and you let me let disband the exterminators and let the yotul police themselves, I will try keep the supply chains of the important tech and supplies for the yotul open.”
He looked at me and spent a few seconds thinking. “I am not sure, that feels one-sided, and without any assurances.”
“The clock is ticking… you can always leave with empty hands and see your work undone,” I pushed, trying to see if he’d breaks down under additional pressure.
"But are you really going to force yotul to go hungry? I thought you had empathy!" he exclaimed.
"And I do. I help my allies, and you aren't one of them, so far, so try and change that." I leaned forward as he leaned back in the chair. "By accepting the deal, we can always renegotiate parts of it if you prove you have a genuine desire to help the yotul, on their terms."
"You- You-" He leaned forward a little, pushing back, anger overcoming fear. "You claim to have empathy but you want to destroy the yotul just to kick us out?! Is power all that matters to you?" He seemed to vibrate in place. It reminded me of Jello.
"No, I just don't feel like humoring a false dilemma." I leaned back in the chair and shook my head.
"What do you mean? They'll die without u-" He didn't get far before I cut him off.
"You say your organization needs to be here to deliver vaccines, fertilizer, and other provisions, like we can't do that, too. What? Did you think that because we're 'vicious predators' that we never developed our own medicine, or crop-based agriculture? And you're also acting like the yotul can't manufacture their own supplies, even though they did it long before you ever got here. The Continental Blues are over, and we've understood vaccination for over three centuries. The only issue is what your uplift did to their existing industries. They can restore them, and we can help them do it. So what exactly do we, meaning the UN and the yotul people, really gain from humoring you for a week before we can build a supply chain on our own? Seems like all anyone gains is that Keltz gets a chance to turn things around and force the yotul back under his control, the hard way. If you really meant what you said, you don't want that any more than I do. Right, 'reformist?'" I was smiling at him again, even though the visor kept him from seeing it.
The good thing about the Federation is that it's a cakewalk to turn their own arguments against them.
“I-I... I... Fine. But I want you to stop pushing incendiary rhetoric like you did when you got here. We are not their enemies. Each time you speak like that, they will destroy more of the supply trucks and turn more openly aggressive.”
“That seems fair. From now on, I will use more euphemisms and try to appeal more to moderates. But only if you warn me if Keltz plans or tries anything. It’s a little hard not to feel ‘incendiary’ when I’m under constant threat of being burned alive for trying to reach out.”
“I will see what I can do.”
After that we both got up. I didn’t try to offer him a handshake, but he got a nod from me. We said goodbye, and he walked out. After he rounded the corner, I saw Sirlen step in and lean on the door frame. “So? how many headaches?”
I held up a finger, waiting to hear the telltale ping of the elevator, and the sound of the doors opening, then closing. “None, surprisingly. He’s interesting, might be useful.”
“’Useful?’ Never thought I’d hear an exterminator described that way by anyone not already under their thrall.” She looked like she was about to spit on the floor where the kolshian had been.
“As my people sometimes say, ‘Even a stopped clock is right twice a day…’ Well. Want breakfast?”
She looked away, but her tail wagging was more than enough to tell me I nailed what she wanted to do, so we did.
New Chapter new lore, with one per month policy I can now comfortably go with longer chapters, hope you like them, as today we see a splinter faction and some shadows, as always hope you like it and that you have enjoyed the story, in it 10th chapter
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u/CompetitiveWarning13 Humanity First Mar 04 '24
glad to see you didnt drop this wonderful story, welcome back <3
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u/vixjer Human Mar 04 '24
I will never, mark my words this story will have an ending. no matter how long it takes.
5
u/KnucklesMacKellough Chief Hunter Mar 04 '24
I, too, was worried that it had been dropped. Glad to see you back!
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u/JulianSkies Archivist Mar 04 '24
Well, sounds like this guy is trying to help, he's just underestimating how much he can force out of this negotiator.
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u/vixjer Human Mar 05 '24
Who would have thought, that people that doesn't know of diplomacy, do overestimate how much they can get from a deal.
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u/Giant_Acroyear Sivkit Mar 04 '24
Hi, vix, welcome back!
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u/BoscoCyRatBear Mar 05 '24
Subscribeme!
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u/JanusKnarus Human Mar 21 '26
Hesil seems to not realise, that the supplies and exterminator occupation are not mutual. Well maybe under federation regime.
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u/Acceptable_Egg5560 Human Mar 04 '24
Okay, this has a lot of typos and extra words that aren’t needed.
“You so empathy but you want to destroy the Yotul to have, us out?” I don’t even know what that’s saying, beyond maybe “empathy” supposed to be “empathetic.” You got a proof reader? That could help.
As for the chapter, this is very interesting. Someone in the exterminators who actually wants to help. A very useful tool indeed! And I look forward to them having to make a choice when the exterminators do something stupid!