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The Nature of Predators - The New Arxur (4/10)
🕑 Added 2024-09-07 11:00:09 +0000 UTCMemory Transcription Subject: Raza, Arxur Collective Operative
Date [standardized human time]: August 19, 2154
The majority of the shuttle ride, I’d been thinking about confronting Hossat over his manipulation of the facts with Isif. It was difficult to manage any planning on how to get to Death’s Pass, which forced me to improvise when Zefriss came over to do his usual prodding. I stalled for a bit by asking whether the bullet wound in his tail would be an issue, which led to a glum comment that his legs worked just fine. I then concocted the idea to cross the roads to the rural villages, despite the fact that such places were where the Sefturna Sniper and patrols would typically pick us off; we knew the former was occupied crossing the Kizniftor Mountains. We’d seen in Cruelty’s Maw that there were not only pockets of fighting in the heavily-contested battleground cities, but also ambushes being sprung. There were risks regardless.
Besides, this is the fastest route to Death’s Pass, which is on the far side of Sefturna—all the way at the Kiznith border, of course. We can’t take a winding route through the southeast now. I don’t know how fast the sniper can climb on those dainty ledges, but with how often they make the trek, they must have it down to a science.
Ilthiss’ province wasn’t built up the same as the Collective’s heartlands, which were under Isif’s supervision. Our Chief Hunter had taken it upon himself to build up roads and modernize buildings, a tacit encouragement of the social gatherings the Dominion abhorred. Prey species (and the humans) often mingled at bars on their worlds, but alcohol was toxic for us; instead, us defectives often used butcher shops for the same purpose, chatting as we browsed the day’s lab-grown cuts. I didn’t see anything built for entertainment around Sefturna, or even anything designed for comfort—no motels sat on this desolate street. The road was still made of dirt, rather than paved. How could a region’s people feel connected at all if they all were homebodies? I loved the travel aspect of operative life, and to me, sticking to a single dwelling’s confines may as well have been a cattle pen.
“Why did the Sefturna Sniper cross the mountain?” Hysran cackled, breaking the silence as we stalked across the mud.
Hossat pulled his cloak tighter. “To blow your head off.”
“No! To pass death from Death’s Pass.”
“I don’t get it,” Zefriss groaned. “Your jokes are of a lower caliber than my handgun.”
“That’s a nice witticism. One of these days, I’m going to make you laugh, Zefriss, and then I’ll retire from comedy.”
The snarky male Arxur faked laughter, before snapping his head toward Hysran. “There. So you’ll retire now?”
“No! It has to be legitimate. Speaking of, I have a joke about Hossat that’s almost ready. I mean it, you’ll like this one.”
“There’s a joke I actually want to hear,” I commented. “If that fucker ever tries to throw us under the meat grinder again, I’ll gut him.”
The Nevok’s posture seemed bored. “I suggest you keep the threats and jokes to yourself. I have enough neurotoxins on my person—which I did check that they work on Arxur—to kill ten times your number.”
Hysran leaned closer, a childish expression on her face. “Where on your person?”
“Want me to show you? I might oblige, if I didn’t need you for my bonus.”
“You know, social people are more likely to survive if they have friendly feelings toward each other! You should be nicer to us, so that we have a greater chance of survival. Make normal conversation.”
“I don’t want to hear a thing he has to say. I will never like him,” I growled.
Hossat straightened, as if deciding to defy me. “What should I say? That Sefturna looks as dreary as the Nevok cities with closed-down factories? There’s nothing to talk about, Hysran.”
“Surely there’s some aspect of Arxur culture that you’re curious about,” the wannabe comedian prodded.
“Hmph. What do your laws about murder look like? Is it permissible if it’s against a weaker, perhaps subordinate Arxur, or used as a way to settle a dispute? Assuming such charges exist, how would they even be tried on Wriss?”
I snorted, realizing that was the most words and eagerness he’d expressed about anything. “Of course that’s what he wants to know. Already trying to find the legal loopholes to slaughter whoever he’d like.”
“We have laws against murder and cruelty in the Arxur Collective, but don’t expect Sefturna to enforce them,” Zefriss scoffed, quickening his pace. The dirt roads stretched for miles, which meant Hossat would have plenty more time to slow us down, but we had to stay alert; there could be other traffic on the path, especially during nighttime. “Ilthiss never did. They’ll have your ugly head separated from your shoulders and think nothing of it.”
“Keep in mind that we can still do that too. Capital punishment couldn’t be doled out to a nicer guy. We keep order, not this ‘violence for sport’ mentality that you adore. Isif has a Public Executioner post in his court; he just uses it on scum like you, rather than defectives.”
“So…Betterment didn’t have any laws against murder? Their only executions were those with empathy?” The Nevok’s tone indicated surprise, as he jogged to keep up with our strides. “I have a hard time conjuring how such a society would function.”
“Bloodlines, bloodlines, bloodlines. Lots of pressure to only go for those beneath you. I came from a proud lineage, the kind Betterment adored,” Zefriss spat. “Perhaps we would’ve been so lucky that my…condition was considered only a chance mutation.”
“I don’t see the issue with having an extra digit.”
“The real mutation is his personality,” Hysran cackled. “Pricklier than a Gojid. Some say they took a chest x-ray of Zefriss’ heart to come up with the design for barbed wire.”
Zefriss lashed her with his tail, growling. “Do you think I was around at the invention of cattle pens?”
“You act like you were!”
“Please, Hysran, he’s not that bad. Hossat, on the other claw…” I hissed.
“…has Isif eating from his paw pads.” The Nevok sauntered down the road, bouncing on his hooves. “Remember, Raza, I don’t need to kill you to toy with you.
“All I’d have to do is swipe one claw, and every Arxur here will swarm your blood. I never thought I’d agree with eating sapients, but you look tastier by the minute.”
“Raza,” Hysran ventured.
“What? Are you seriously offended on his—”
“Shut the fuck up, and you’d hear the rumbling! Get to the bushes, yesterday!” Zefriss roared.
Turning away from my tunnel vision on the Nevok’s irritating voice, I could feel vibrations through the dirt; my acute hearing detected engines heading toward us down the road. It didn’t come from a lone source, from what I could tell. This was a supply route, so it was possible this was a trucking convoy, ferrying munitions and food to hungry soldiers. To our left was a ravine, which we wouldn’t want to tumble down; therefore, shelter was only available in the thickets to our left. We’d avoided those open fields due to it being a staging ground for insurrectionist troops, and also affording little cover should we be spotted. Hossat burrowed in the thorny bushes the easiest, with his smaller body; the rest of us had to lie flat behind them. It was tough to see from my vantage point, and I knew the Nevok’s diurnal eyes wouldn’t make out poorly-lit details for us.
If it’s a defenseless transport of supplies, perhaps it’s our duty to disrupt them? That would be valuable, though we can’t afford delays on catching the Sefturna Sniper…
I shook that thought from my head. The task of stopping this convoy would fall on other Collective forces. Jeopardizing this mission wasn’t an option, especially since gunfire would draw out any soldiers. I hoped these trucks would pass by quickly, since precious time was ticking away, hiding here. We still had another twenty minutes to the small village of Tless, where we’d be able to get a read on how many Arxur were afoot in its premises. Then, we’d still have to find a way to sneak through there, make it across the heavily-guarded bridges through Rissana Canyon, and then get past the patrols near the base of the Kizniftor Mountains. I risked a brief glance over the top of the bushes, only to find these passing vehicles were anything but the supply transports I expected.
An entire procession of tanks barreled down the road, kicking clouds of dust into the air with their treads. It was all I could do to suppress my cough, as the churned up particles made their way into my lungs. Hundreds of Ilthiss’ soldiers marched alongside them, eyes prowling right over our hiding spot; I hoped Hossat’s scent-masking oils worked, and that our own smells blended into the masses. The rogue provinces must be planning some kind of colossal assault, possibly trying to go on the offensive—in response to how we’d battered their territory! Part of me wanted to forget all about the sniper, and send a squadmate back to notify Isif; the Collective had to know about this movement. I hadn’t thought Sefturna had this many combat vehicles, which suggested that Provincer Usliff of Kiznith must have sent some too.
Hysran shared a glance with me, mouthing a profanity that I thought was, “Fucking Prophet.” I shared that sentiment, paralyzed at the side of a full military troop passing by. All it took was one soldier straying off the road, and weaving around the bushes…
My heart rate accelerated, at the possibility that they’d spot us; I had to be ready to shoot myself and the squadmates I cared about. Being ripped apart from limb-to-limb wasn’t what I wanted for any of us. It was better to receive a quick end than the cruel torments Betterment could conjure for defectives like ourselves. All of a sudden, I was grateful that Hossat supposedly had enough neurotoxins on his person to wipe out tens of Arxur. The tanks passed at such a crawling pace; minutes felt like hours. The dust was becoming unbearable, and I felt the damning itch in my nostrils of a sneeze. The powerful exhalation of snot was involuntary, a wet gust of air that I feared they’d hear. My tail had jolted too, rustling the branches.
Fuck. What do we do? I could give myself up for my squad, hope they won’t find them…or maybe kick Hossat out of the bush, since I don’t care what happens to him.
A greenish-gray head snapped in our direction, eyes narrowed to slits, before ambling toward the bushes—poking a spot not too far from where Hossat rested with his rifle barrel. “I swore I heard something, but it’s impossible to make out much with those blasted tanks roaring alongside me. Those hedges moved, sir.”
A commanding officer walked over to the grunt, sweeping his legs out from under him. “The hedges moved? There’s nothing there! Are you jumpy like fucking prey—like those defective sots with Isif?”
“No, ma’am, but I know what I saw…”
“The tanks are shaking the ground, you idiot. Leaves crinkle. The wind: ever hear of the wind?”
“Of course I have.”
“Then get your ass moving! Before I decide to have you culled for your stunted intelligence.”
The grunt scurried back into formation, and I breathed a silent sigh of relief; every nerve ending had been tingling with fear, as the clenching of my stomach sickened me. A slew of tanks rolled past us. I’d been in no state to count the exact number, but it was enough to roll over a Collective border garrison. These weren’t from the old Dominion arsenal, since the Arxur rarely used ground vehicles; they enjoyed the claws-on hunting experience of a raid, and leaping straight off from the shuttle. That doctrine limited the logistical challenges of bringing tanks to foreign planets. It wasn’t like the artillery was needed, since the average herbivores would stampede and flee at our arrival. Hossat was made of much sterner stuff than those preyfolk. Yet somehow, I thought of the sniveling sapients as more of a person than him.
I supposed it was fortunate that three-digits worth of treads had rolled over our footprints, erasing any signs of our road traversal. The last of the small army passed our position, with the tanks that brought up the rear eventually receding down the path. The final, tailing enemy soldiers looked gleeful and excited. They chattered about how the Sefturna Sniper was on their side, and how they were going to be just like that sharpshot, since Collective soldiers were such easy targets; the sniper was every bit the recruiting tool we feared. That was the reason we had to stop them. I didn’t dare to give the all-clear to keep moving, until minutes had passed since the enemies vanished over the hill. Hossat tumbled out of the hedge, with the cloak seeming to have intercepted burrs that would’ve otherwise embedded in his skin. Such cloth drapes were more useful than I would’ve assumed.
“Where are they going, Raza? All the way to the palace? Surely we must try to signal Isif!” Zefriss growled.
I stretched out my tense muscles, before hobbling back down the road. “If they’re going for the border, Isif will hear of it on his own—long before they reach our capital. I imagine Ilthiss is trying to take the fight away from his war-torn country. We have our mission, and this delay was costly enough. We must proceed.”
“I agree, with the only good idea Raza ever had. Our money is tied to eliminating the target, so we don’t deviate,” Hossat snapped.
The extra-toed Arxur stamped a paw with indignation. “Is this one person—the Sniper—really more important than uncovering the plans of an entire invasion force? They’ll stop for the day to eat, and we can try to sabotage them…”
“We can’t take on hundreds of Arxur with tanks, Zefriss; be realistic. The Sefturna Sniper is the lynchpin of their recruitment strategy.” I gestured broadly in the direction of the tanks, hoping to remind my comrades of what we’d witnessed. “I bet half those grunts signed up because they were promised they’d be as mighty as the sniper. We heard them say as much. Not to mention, that one sharpshooter killed hundreds of ours, and we can’t even fight back! Who can touch them from that distance?”
“Not Hysran. She barely passed the marksman certifications. Remind me, why is she here?”
Hysran spread her arms apart, chipper as ever. “For morale. I had time to finish my Hossat joke while we were lying there!”
“That’s what you were thinking about?” I spat.
“What else was there to do? You guys ready?”
The Nevok emitted a frustrated huff. “Really, Zefriss has a point. Why is she here?”
“I’ll take as a yes! Why does Hossat have so much energy?”
“Because we almost got caught by assholes with tanks?” Zefriss hissed.
“No! Because he’s a hyper capitalist.”
I groaned at her utterly horrific quip. “Hysran…”
“Don’t worry, Raza! I’m making one about you too. Though the tliskis jokes were already for you.”
“How touching.”
“That’s what the tliskis sword said!”
“Alright, that’s quite enough of your shenanigans. I suggest we walk in silence on the way to Tless—only the first of many places we must broach tonight. Let’s enjoy the scenery, and stay vigilant in case anything else comes our way.”
I ambled up to the front of the traveling posse, and stared out at the sprawling countryside; while these weren’t the most exciting lands, the natural world was enough to clear my head. It was my job to stop allowing myself to be distracted by Hossat. Instead, I’d have to figure out how to sneak a Nevok through the secluded hamlet, and not to stick out like Zefriss’ extra claw myself. Going around Tless wasn’t an option, with the village’s elevated position compared to the surrounding terrain; they’d spot us in a heartbeat from above. It went without saying that the canyon and the mountain camps would have their own challenges as well. After witnessing Ilthiss’ army trundle down the very road we’d used to get under way, I’d say this mission was off to an eventful start.
A/N - Part 4! Raza and crew head off into enemy territory, and decide to cross through the countryside since they know the sniper isn’t on the prowl. Hossat continues to be unpleasant, and his question about Arxur culture is regarding their murder laws. The spat between the four is broke up as a wall of tanks appear rumbling down the road, seemingly bound for an attack on Collective territory. They’re nearly caught by Ilthiss’ men as they’re forced to hide, but the stigma against “fearfulness” causes the team to escape. Despite what they saw, Raza determines that it’s both more important and realistic to continue their mission instead of pursuing the tanks, due to the recruitment factor.
Which stop on our operatives’ mission do you imagine would be the most challenging for them? How do you imagine Ilthiss’ tank assault on Isif’s territory will go? Was Raza right to stay the course and go for the sniper?
As always, thank you for reading and supporting!
Comments
kabhes
I really wanted more details on those tanks
kabhes
Wait Arxur have pawpads
kabhes
How about a Krakotl or Duerten and that's why he's able to cross it so easy.
Assailant
Zefriss feels like the kind of person who wanted to join Betterment, but couldn’t because of his mutation, so he hates it purely out of spite because he secretly envies it and its ranks. Like someone who failed to get into a college and holds that grudge forever. I love it. Also, the sniper definitely isn’t an arxur, but I do wonder… I’ve seen theories about being a nevok or a human, both of which seem interesting to me. My crack theory, which definitely isn’t true but which I’m going to choose to believe anyway, is that it’s a jaslip. I mean, cold mountain with small pathways? Definitely a jaslip! Don’t ask how, shhhhh. Great work as always.
Greg Gougeon
Ok so I am almost 100% sure the sniper is a human mercenary. The inhospitable terrain is. Big clue since humans are natural climbers and arxur are not. Plus the propoganda of the sniper does not have pictures of the sniper. Plus the excellent marksmanship that no other arxur can attain. It shown humans have the best hand eye coordination so far. So mark my words they are hunting a human.
Bow-Tied Engineer
I mean, I think most fanfics indicate that it's at least somewhat toxic to them, or at least that the amount it takes to get them pretty fucked up isn't much. I mean, keep in mind, enough alcohol will kill us too, it's the dosage that makes the poison, and their dosage is simply far, far lower.
Neu5Ac
The tanks have already been introduced, describing them won't make them any more of a Chekhov's Gun. And it's unfortunate to hear that SP is valuing the volume of his writing over its quality: personally, I wouldn't mind a slower schedule if it meant the writing was more immersive, and anyone who disagrees with that should frankly be ashamed of themselves for having such poor taste.
Aerowarrier
Hey good news is, most of their fighting force is concentrated in that border assault, so it’s should be a lot easier for this squad to get through the country
fastinn
"Prey species (and the humans) often mingled at bars on their worlds, but alcohol was toxic for us" alcohol is toxic to arxur? you just killed a bunch of fan fics lol
Aerowarrier
Okay Hysran, that line about Zefriss’ heart was actually quite a good joke. Good on you xD
Alekss Žukovskis
i mean the tank part. it takes a lot of effort already for the guy to write, and he wants a break. also: he doesnt want to introduce and thus mislead us with a false chekovs gun.
Neu5Ac
Could you elaborate? There's a few ways that could be interpreted, and I'm not sure which you mean.
EliasArt2Life
I’m just going to make a prediction; the Sniper is a Nevok (maybe a Fissan, but probably a Nevok). Hossat’s “failed” mission was actually a cover, because the sniper has sources that would alert them to Hossat’s arrival. Claiming he want to become a Collective citizen makes sure that the Sniper doesn’t suspect that they are Hossat’s next assassination target. There’s still an “X” factor here; why are none of the others being informed of this, but a lot of things line up. Including why Hossat’s has been direct and exact about most thing he’s said, but not about how he was caught (and he also used language that alluded to him having a different goal than the rest of the team). I suspect that the Sniper is a Nevok because of a number of things: A) it’s been made very clear that the Sniper is firing from farther away than an Arxur can. The Nevoks have access to funds and tech and computers that could make those shots possible. B) Death Pass has sheer cliff faces with shallow foot holes. A smaller Nevok would find that much easier to deal with. It’s a little unclear, but I am beginning to suspect that the hooves and legs of a Nevok are similar to mountain goats, which could scale such a mountain with ease.
Michael Halpern
or Soviet
Alekss Žukovskis
we call it a german move
Alekss Žukovskis
youre complaining to god, dude
Neu5Ac
There's also the fact that they call "tanks" that. In a few other languages, they're usually called "armor" or "armored fighting vehicles," like German "Panzerkampfwagen," or "Panzer" for short. They're called tanks in English due to a disinformation campaign intended to fool German intelligence into thinking the British were shipping water tanks to the front line instead of a new class of weapon.
Neu5Ac
"To our left was a ravine, which we wouldn’t want to tumble down; therefore, shelter was only available in the thickets to our left." Typo here. Also, I understand that you don't want to get lost in detail, but please, PLEASE, at least give us vague descriptions of things. We have absolutely nothing on these tanks besides the fact that they have treads: for all we know, the insurrectionists are about to embarrass themselves by uselessly smashing a division of Bob Semples against the Collective's defenses. On the other hand, they could also be a division of 90+ ton assault guns that will plow through their defenses at a casual walking pace. We don't need specifics: are they squat, or hulking? Do they have a ponderous advance, or do they prowl ahead? Are they bristling with weapons, or do they have a sleek single gun? Are they belching acrid smoke from roaring engines, or can they detect the sickly-sweet scent of coolant from their whining fans? It's fine if you want to leave us to our imaginations, but please give us something for our imaginations to build on. With that said, I'd like to take the theory that the Sefturna Sniper is human a step further. The sniper's human, and his motive for all this is that the Arxur wronged him badly (perhaps they ate his exchange partner in front of him). As a result, he wants nothing more than the total death of all Arxur. He figures the best way to do this is to join the insurrectionists and help them win, so that they become a galactic threat again. This would prompt the Fed Remnants, Shield, and SC to act, ideally by initiating an extermination campaign.
DemonVee
Lol
Maelstrom
A big old tank group traveling down roads aren’t gonna be that hard to spot as long as the proper guard and surveillance are being kept up. They can’t hide either, since you can’t send them through a dense forest that would provide concealment from aerial assets. The question is how far out they can see from whatever border or frontline that is manned, and the logistics of getting more men and equipment in for reinforcements before the tank column arrives.
Nachtmund
Exactly what I was thinking.
Gumcel
“…has Isif eating from his paw pads.” An English idiom? Oh god, now the Nevoks are speaking English too. Demondeity’s English convergence theory gains more credence with every chapter.
DemonVee
I mean, do they know...? The Feds (or ex-Feds) aren't exactly the most rational when it comes to conflict and not lumping everyone into one unified group. Bros look at the "one bad apple spoiled the bunch" analogy and applied it to whole civilizations.
Sworishina
Good point.
Kevin Quintana
I really gotta wonder if keeping quiet and covering up the conflict is actually the best option for convincing everyone else that you're not slipping back into Betterment. Everyone knows its probably pretty difficult to just change your culture on your own especially when its one that was enforced by an extreme authoritarian regime that held power for centuries and you don't have any outside help. Conflict shows a difference in ideas between yourself and the one you are fighting, a large scale conflict would show many disagreed with that old government. Seems to me that making it a silent war is a bad way to convince the rest of the galaxy that you're people are going through changes, if they don't know you're doing anything then to them you're doing nothing.
DemonVee
We have our own Hossats here on Earth, how many would feel better being on Betterment's side after Humanities new found peace?
DemonVee
It was mentioned that they switched to living message carriers instead of digital means to maintain secrecy. Usually teams such as Raza's would be the ones getting the word out. For one, due to seeing first hand how devastating Human spy and hacking networks can be if there are any Betterment moles. For two, due to them trying to cover up the scale of the conflict from Humanity and other SC diplomats on Wriss to make it not seem like their slipping back into Betterment.
Mr Mopp
Why can’t they phone home about the approaching invasion force?
DDDragoni
Thats... a lot of tanks
PhycoKrusk
I call it here: Hossat actually thought that Hysran's joke about him was pretty funny, but doesn't admit it until one or both of them are at death's door because in spite of everything, he wants to do one decent thing before he dies.
PhycoKrusk
Certainly, it would seem barely realistic to anyone who is mainly or only familiar with Western armies (especially the United States Army). But for an Eastern (especially Middle Eastern) or African army, this behavior would not be out of place at all. An army like Ilthiss is fielding places great (even outsized) importance on following orders. Partly, this is for cultural reasons (no matter what, obey the commander), but it's also for practical reasons (if you follow orders exactly as they are given to you, then if the operation is a failure, the blame goes to your commander, not you). If this seems like an inefficient or even ineffective way to run an army, that's because it is; throughout human history, the most effective armies have always been the ones that allow and encourage their field officers to exercise discretion in how they carry out their orders.
Michael Halpern
I believe the CO choosing not to investigate, extreme top down structure, limited NCO core.
Adam Myers
I like that idea, but even “defective” Arxur are unlikely to have the same response as humans. More likely they would want to talk to him.
Mutedmirth
Thats what i was thinking, tho odd they're on betterment side.
DreamEnvoy
The commanding officier choosing not to investigate the bushes is so lucky I barely consider it realistic. Raza is right. The Collective should be able to handle the tanks. Ilthiss' real strength is in defense via both the terrain and the sniper. Though I doubt Dominion mentality would see value in defense.
Ndreda
A soldier of fortune
un_pogaz
Damn, that quarrel chapter was hard to read. Important and certainly not the last of his kind, but please let's get it over with. The thing that annoys me is not the fight itself, but they're all so petty (except Hysran, Hysran is an angel). As for the tank column, Raza is right, this movement of troops and equipment will come from far enough away for the rest of the Colletif army to get in the way. What's more, this assault is probably a bad idea, because even if they manage to outmaneuver and outflank the front, they'll be easily surrounded. What keeps the Ilthiss province in this conflict is the gueilla and their defensive position, not a frontal assault. It was also nice to know that Isif was working to change Arxur, by launching major infrastructure projects. A society isn't just the people inside it, it's also their environment. Oh and for the village: imagine if a child identifies Hossat and wants to hug the fluffy rabbit? And discover that the village is friendly to the Colletive? A touch of hope in this conflict.
Swan
The collective really gotta workshop some new names for their cities at some point
Michael Halpern
right choice to stay the course, even if they managed to capture the tanks they would just slow them down and attract attention
Sworishina
Calling it now: the Sefturna Sniper is a human.
Elliott
Omg Raza we all get it, you secretly have a crush on Hossat. Taming of the Shrew type of romance plot here.
Max Kreuzer
First
