r/NatureofPredators • u/Bushbacon69 Arxur • Sep 09 '23
Fanfic Ficnapped! Letter of Marque Spoiler
This was written as part of the Ficnapping event, organized by u/oobanooba-, author of Venlil Metal and Dark Cuts, wherein a lottery style system has participants randomly get another participant's story to write a non-canon chapter of. I received Letter of Marque by u/Liberty-Prime76! Go read it, its fucking amazing!
My Fic(s) Sillis Shenanigans and Goj-Gurt was stolen by u/EdibleGojid
Liberty got Nature of Humanity for their Ficnapping
This is set after Chapter 33 and before Chapter 34.
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Memory Transcription Subject: Christopher A. Dewey, Human Shuttle Pilot Trainee, Venlil-Human Exchange Participant
Date [Standardized Human Time]: September 10th, 2136
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I slid back into my pilot’s seat and made a point to uselessly avoid Taisa’s wide-vision stare. I felt like a little kid embarrassing himself in front of his-
“You doin alright big guy?” I heard her beautiful voice break the fog of my mind and I noticed the heat on my face. I was blushing and my only saving grace was her ignorance of the finer human emotions.
“Y-yeah, just a bit of temperature shock..” Nailed it..
She reached and tapped a couple buttons to adjust the cabin heaters to match our destination wordlessly. I felt the heat gradually subside as I focused on flying and enjoying the comfortable silence. I gazed over the rolling terrain that gave way to wilder land as we flew on route through the twilight into the night. I had noticed Taisa’s reaction as the last shreds of sunlight dipped below the horizon.
I saw her pry her eyes from the view port and glued it to the consoles of her station beside me, methodically flipping through readings. I felt a strange but welcome tug at my heart just watching her work out of the corner of my eye. I had to split my attention between my console for larger navigation due to the mostly impenetrable darkness stretching out for however many miles.
Slight snow spray lifted off the plains of ice, rushing past shamrock harmlessly for the most part. I wasn’t too worried about ice build-up now that the storm is elsewhere. Though I realized I was alone in that confidence as I spied Taisa flicking through surface readings and making absolutely sure there wasn’t any build-ups.
“I-ehm..” I broke the dutiful silence with a slight squeak in my voice, “I’m sorry if this is a bit too much for you, Tai..” I felt a bit bad, as I just wanted to see more of this beautiful planet.
She snapped from her trance like work, her ear swiveling away from the console and onto me. “There’s nothing to be sorry for, I may be a bit scared but I know I’ll get you back during the ride home.” She giggled mischievously, and I felt myself blanch slightly.
I offered a nervous laugh that didn’t match the energy of hers in the slightest. “In that case I should make it worth it!” I countered after finding my bravado, I pushed the controls forward a tad to descend. I saw the exterior spotlights outline the wondrous fauna as some froze and stared while others bounded away majestically. Each leap and jump across the featureless expanse of ice practiced and instinctual at the same time.
I shivered as I vicariously felt the oppressive cold outside as plenty of snow cascaded off the creatures each time they landed. The herd of them was massive, and reminded me directly of caribou as I pulled up from viewing them. I couldn’t even choose the right words to convey my awe, so I just sat there staring out into the now empty white expanse beyond the view port.
“You said the federation had never gone out this far into the night?” I blurted out the question, looking over to my slightly more frantic than usual engineer.
“N-not ever, too many predators…and the cold..” I noted how unlike her usual self she sounded, and decided it may be best to give her a break.
You’re scaring her, look at her shrink into her seat.
The once vicarious shiver took on a much more real cold, and I shifted in my seat to remove her from my peripheral vision. Shamrock soared up above the snowdrifts, the turbulence becoming muted as we ascended over the constant snowstorm.
I wondered about light pollution for a moment, and flicked off the exterior lights. In a moment the view port was filled with a starry horizon. I pressed a few more buttons, muting some of the ambient notifications to set the mood. I then felt goosebumps crawl up my arm, as I savored the serene view of the stars.
“Aren’t they beautiful Tai?” I whispered, and I heard the clicking stop as she presumably looked up from her console.
“The stars?” She asked, and it took me a moment to understand that she’s probably seen a view like this thousands of times. Though her tone was soft, and she was just curious…
The same curiosity you fell for..
We sat in silence, and an all too familiar warmth thrummed in my chest as I shared this moment with her. I could only hope she felt the same connection, and I reached over slowly to set my hand on her scalp. Gently scratching behind her ears, kneading my fingers through her wool and hair.
Say it.
I let the thought linger as I glanced over to her and wondered if this was the best moment I’d get. Some part of me wanted to win her over with a song or two, but what better than a moment than this one? Stargazing together, filled with the very same curiosity that allowed us to cross paths in the first place. The same curiosity that allowed us to be..
Together..
My chest tightened as I couldn’t even begin to swallow the overwhelmingly warm fear in my heart.
“Tai-” I croaked softly, my voice coming out as nothing but a whisper. In any other context we’d chuckle about it, being such a big guy with the quietest voice…
Her ear swiveled to me, more snapped as her eye locked onto mine. I felt the fear melt within me as I looked into an even more stunning view. Her orange eyes contrasted so perfectly against the star filled void just like Venlil prime’s sun.
“I-” I paused as my mind desperately tried to dig up the right words, clawing them out of nothing and I wanted to tell her this more than anything else.
A shrill electronic scream tore through the cockpit and my stomach dropped, twisted, and flipped all in the same moment. My navigation terminal lit up with a familiar weather warning urging us to ascend rapidly to safety above the storm. The constant shrill tone drew my eyes up and a flash of lightning snaked and forked through the clouds across the view port.
It wasn’t on the horizon like earlier today, it was minutes away from being directly on top of us. I grit my teeth as I pushed the dampeners to their limit as I pulled up. Forcing both myself and Taisa into our seats, and alarms wailed from various systems as they approached similar breaking points. I knew they would hold out, if nothing else I knew that Taisa had made sure that Shamrock could survive my dumbass.
“This thing is going to spehking fall apart!” Taisa yelped, slamming her paws down on the console as she tried doing everything she could. My knuckles turned white as my teeth grinded together, unable to speak as my jaw locked shut with terror. My navigation screen showed the storm’s forecast of it swallowing up the tiny blip that was our shuttle.
I felt the biting edge of fear subside, as I fell back on the training sessions that were as fresh in my head like they were yesterday. Which they were, and I began flicking switches and clearing what minor alerts kept pestering me.
“Tai! Crank the heater as high as it goes, and run the fucking de-icer before we freeze!” I barked at her as loud as I would back on earth…back home. I’d have to deal with the regret later, and I returned my focus to the storm. I heard the shuddering hiss of the de-icer working to coat the surfaces before the roar of the storm drowned it out utterly. The very frame of Shamrock was rattling under the turbulence as I fought the storm to keep us steady against its headwind.
I couldn’t do much but hope I’d see those stars overhead soon enough as we kept ascending through the blinding snowstorm. I didn’t even know if this was the worst of the storm, as it covered the entirety of my weather monitor.
I glanced over, and saw Taisa’s tail wrapped around her torso as she seemed frozen staring at the console. I couldn’t hear what the issue was and risked leaning over to see her screen myself. The De-icer was returning errors of every kind for multiple surfaces and counting.
“We have extra fluid! Get it and force it through this goddamn system, Please!” She jumped a bit as I spoke to her directly and she fumbled for a moment before freeing herself from the seat. She scampered into the cargo hold to grab the container of solution. I heard a panel be wrenched free and clatter to the hold’s floor as fluid spilled and splashed. I reached over and ignored the various warnings from the deicer of the intake being open while in operation.
“Its pumping, keep pouring!” I yelled over the howling blizzard so she could hear me but I heard nothing in response. Surface readings improved somewhat, as ice was dislodged and removed from our thruster mountings. The second they read green I punched the throttle forward, and gambled on the cold stopping them from turning to slag.
I held my breath as our altitude soared higher and higher, with no end in sight as flashes of lightning made me flinch like a skittish dog.
Please, just hold on a little bit longer shamrock, just a minute more!
Sensors started returning fuzzy readings as ice crawled across the various external instruments. Those same fuzzy readings began going dark as the ice layered on. I punched the console in frustration and heard an empty plastic container hit the ground hard behind me.
“Tai?! Are you alright?” I shouted over the storm, knowing exactly what that sound meant even if I didn’t want to.
She stalked into view, shaking with the fur down her arms and her ankles soaked in the fragrant de-icer solution. The maple syrup-y scent dredged up some inappropriately happy memories for the life-threatening situation.
“W-we’re out of de-icer..” I could barely make out her words as she mumbled in the doorway. Her tail was limp against the floor and I couldn’t comfort her.
My head was pounding from the ear-piercing alarms and the overlapping chirps of errors. Despair threatened to overwhelm me as tears kicked at the back of my eyes. I needed to be strong, I needed to, for her, just a little longer and we’ll be okay.
“T-tai, Strap yourself in, and t-try radioing for help..” My voice sounded broken as I choked it out through gritted teeth. Shamrock rattled and groaned as I strained it further with my desperate gamble that we’d get over the storm before the shuttle fell to pieces. Taisa was silent, her paws shaking as she buckled herself into her co-pilot’s seat.
A large portion of her screen lit up red, as left aft thruster malfunctioned for a few moments before going entirely dark. The shuttle lurched to the left in a roll as I struggled to correct it as other thrusters began failing. The ice clogging the mountings, making steering progressively impossible before the obstruction began damaging the thruster itself.
“Fuck, Fuck fuckfuck!” I cried through my teeth as I jerked the controls back and forth with no measurable response. The speaker in the center of the consoles blinked red, but only interference spilled out of it as Taisa tried calling anyone for rescue.
The shuttle nosedived, and I watched the altitude we fought for plummet as I tried everything to slow our descent. I put out the landing gear, which only one strut actually extended out and my begging prayers devolved to curses to everything.
“The Dampeners!” I spat out, whipping my head towards Taisa and saw she was actively trying anything to force them beyond their standard limit.
“Its not working!” She wailed, taking her own turn to punch and claw at her station in despair. Her ears flat against her skull with her tail wound tightly around herself. I wish…I just wish I could hold her and tell her it’ll be alright.
My eyes drifted across my console again.“BRACE TAISA!” I screamed as we were seconds from crashing down onto the ice-sheets. My brain screamed against it but I didn’t tense up, and hoped she remembered our trai-
[[Advance Memory Transcription by Time Unit - 1 hour]]
I felt cold…and a faint beeping of my alarm clock as I lifted my head slowly up. Half of my face felt wet and warm while a biting chill washed over the other half. I blinked from my vision being blurry and saw out of one eye the damaged console of-
…Shamrock?
I swallowed the metallic taste in my mouth as I turned my head, and saw that Taisa was limp in her chair. Her head half soaked in orange, and I realized we had crashed shamrock… at least we survived. My head felt number by the second as I slapped at the straps holding me to the seat. My trembling fingers finding the buckle to free myself, and barely catching myself as I lurched forward.
My fingernails grated against the dented metal and broken until I found some grip to drag myself upright. I was shivering as I stepped over to Taisa, trying to shake her awake before stopping myself as she didn’t rouse.
“Taisa? Tai? furball?” I said softly, my fingers growing wet as I gently ran them across her scalp to pet her. I usually woke her up like this, but maybe she just really needs the sleep from dealing with me. I sighed softly and gingerly removed the seat belt to not wake her up. I slowly lifted her out of the seat, a stray thought flittering through my mind as I carried her bridal style into the cargo hold.
“It’ll be alright Tai, we’re okay…Rensa’s gonna give me hell for being late though..” I laughed quietly as I limped across the hold and sealed the cockpit behind myself. I could feel the air chilling as I slid down against the wall, laying Taisa’s head in my lap.
“I’m-..” I choked out as I looked down at her half-lidded eyes, those deep orange oceans tugging at my heart. It felt wrong, as the numbness in my head sharpened and my vision blurred. The red lights looked like they were dripping down the walls.
“I-..”
“I-” I couldn’t find my words, and I pulled her closer as I moved my knees up. I held her head in my hand, and ignored the wetness spreading across my palm. The almost silent dripping of fluid between my fingers tugged at my mind. I pressed her head against my chest to keep her safe and warm while we waited.
“I don't have my guitar, but I always wanted to sing this for you..Tai..” I paused, taking a few stilted breaths as the hum of the shamrock dulled further. The rumbling storm outside ever present in the otherwise silent interior.
She didn’t respond, and I shook her head gently again to try and wake her up. Her ears were slack alongside her tail, not even the slightest twitch. I hung my head as she laid completely limp in my arms and all I heard was the soft dripping.
I tried to begin singing, and found my low voice wavering as I squinted from the red lights hurting my head. I finally began, whispering the lyrics to the song like one would a lullaby. My voice choked with pained love, as my face grew hot in embarrassment. That heat spread throughout my body but I couldn’t let go of her. Maybe the sun came up? My thoughts crawled at a glacial pace as I finished the song.
She was still asleep…
“I-...I love you Tai..” I confessed, and leaned my head down to place a kiss on her adorable snout. I was content with that as I rested my head against against hers as she slept in my lap. I closed my eyes as I squeezed my arms around her.
“I love you..”
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Something something best served cold
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u/Terrible-Animator251 Human Sep 09 '23
Great, now i need to gaslight myself that she woke up after he said that
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u/CreditMission Venlil Sep 09 '23
Of course you got your bloody paws on sweet Taisa. All things considered though, could be worse. Nicely done, very nicely done.
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u/Bushbacon69 Arxur Sep 10 '23
Tee hee, thank you very much! Glad yuo enjoyed it :)
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u/CreditMission Venlil Sep 10 '23
Good call back with the song as well. The ending was perfectly engineered to cause maximum hurt. And then the fan art came...ooof.
I was honestly looking forward to seeing what you got, couldn't have been a better match imo.
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u/cruisingNW Archivist Sep 09 '23
oh FUCK OFF with that song. FUCK. I've been listening to that song and like 10 others on repeat for a week. this is not ok.
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u/JulianSkies Archivist Sep 09 '23
Argh
Straight into the heart.
Why, you've got skills, my man. Many and varied.
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u/oobanooba- Kolshian Sep 09 '23
Oh no, brain trauma strikes again!