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The Nature of Predators 2-69
🕑 Added 2024-09-02 11:00:13 +0000 UTCMemory Transcription Subject: Taylor Trench, Human Colonist
Date [standardized human time]: December 23, 2160
The stupid bird sat outside my prison cell, playing solitaire—a human game—from what I could see through the window. The bed and the smart-television were lavish comforts compared to what a predator would’ve gotten under prey species’ watch; they’d stripped the clothes off the back of the first Terran prisoner they obtained, and only given him unclean water from a pail. They beat him to a pulp for smiling that his Venlil friend was alright. Despite having suitable accommodations, I hadn’t slept a wink between my mind racing, and wondering what Gress was going through. One thought roared around my brain like a tempest: if my people had survived, was it possible my parents had pulled through? What would they even think of me, and how could they defend why they sent me off alone?
Alone. While they were happy and content on Earth, and forgot all about our little expedition. It should bring me a relief to know our home planet was still out there, with everything we’d done to preserve our culture, yet all I could think was how unrecognizable Terran society would be now. My life had been wasted; my suffering was meaningless. All of those mornings brushing my teeth, and hating the binocular eyes that stared back from my reflection—a waste. The mirror in this cell was still my enemy, showing that I was right to hide my face beneath the mask; it was the visage of a monster, after all. I’d forced Radai to pull the trigger on the Sivkit ships, which incited this whole war. I encouraged the Consortium to go after the Federation out of hatred, without thinking at all. My people could’ve been reunited with our home sooner.
The only thing that mattered to you was protecting Gress: the one person who ever loved you, despite how little you deserve it. Instead, you just put him in danger by chasing revenge, because you’re violent, angry, and short-sighted. Earth was lucky to be rid of you.
While I’d once thought the universe was denying my species any solace or joy, I now knew that it was me as an individual whose lot was misery. I hurtled a chair across the room, right as the door swung open. Cala hopped back, barely holding onto a tray she was balancing. The Krakotl stared at me for a long moment, noticing the sweat soaking my hair and the veins popping from my reddened skin. How I wanted to wrap my hands around her throat and throttle her. Despite the fact I wasn’t the least bit hungry, my mouth watered as I smelled greasy bacon, and saw pancakes steeped in maple syrup. The wealth of food they took for granted back on Earth, available on every street corner; I hoped the bird wasn’t bringing me tofurky shit. That would be a tease, after how long it’d been since I had a nice, home-cooked breakfast. I lived on granola and meal squares.
“I guess the way to a predator’s heart is through food,” I grunted, wolfing down a bacon strip. The salty flavor was so incredible, I almost sank to my knees with a satisfied shudder. “I wonder what restaurants are like on Earth now, with those frail herbivore sensibilities. I don’t remember what it was like then, and I’ve got even less clue how it is today. Not like a bird would know.”
The Krakotl squawked in protest. “I live on Earth.”
“What, for boot camp? You disgrace the UN logo; they shouldn’t let you wear—”
“I’ve lived on Earth for over two decades, and joined the Peacekeepers thirteen years ago. I’m a British citizen.”
I snorted with derision, a wicked smile crossing my lips. “That’s fucking great! You moved right on in to my planet, while I was forced to leave it at nine years old. What were you doing at the time of the battle: playing Polly wanna cracker?”
“No. I was part of the extermination fleet, Taylor. That’s why I ended up on Earth.”
“The fuck did you just say?” The fork and knife clattered out of my hand, as I no longer cared whether the pancake would grow soggy. “How dare you come in here? You’re worthless, despicable—you stole EVERYTHING! Slaughtering us all like vermin, and you think you could ever make nice with—”
“I was eight years old. My parents stuck me in the extermination fleet. I have nightmares about what those Krakotl did, and what I did. I just pressed the buttons they told me to, which resulted in so many stupid fucking deaths! I was younger than you were leaving Earth, when they had me dropping bombs on predators.”
“You dropped the fucking bombs, yourself?” My fist clenched tighter, as a tension headache formed a band around my skull. This thing helped genocide my species, proving the apple didn’t fall far from the tree. “Eight years old, and already a murderer? The Krakotl send literal kids on a field trip to wipe us out. And your whole little beef jerky stunt, chomping on meat, is trying to prove what: that you’re a predator yourself now?”
“We ourselves were omnivores just like you! The Federation, in their infinite wisdom, cured us. The guilt I feel, now that I understand my part in Terran suffering? That’s why I’m a Peacekeeper. Maybe I’ll make up for it, and be better than those fuckwits. Maybe I’ll die, like I should have for what I’ve done.”
“Then you agree that you’re unworthy of breathing Earth—or any planet’s—oxygen?”
“I am unworthy of your species’ kindness and compassion. I won’t resist if you think I deserve execution here and now, but the idea was to give my life for a cause, in the service of humanity; to save a few lives for all I’ve taken. There’s no good deed that can eclipse what I’ve done, yet I must try. Let me do something worthwhile, for you and for Tellus.”
I scowled at the bird, feeling a coldness in my heart a thousand times deeper than what I’d held against the Krev; this was the face of the people responsible for everything wrong with my life. My fingers curled around the knife. Despite knowing it was a dull blade, it was the nearest cutting instrument in reach. Cala being in the extermination fleet would’ve been like if my people sent nine-year-old me to defend Earth, which was a laughable prospect—an elementary school child in the military was beneath even us predators’ standards. It was bizarre to think that was acceptable to them, but I knew I would’ve questioned it if my parents told me to drop bombs on a planet! Also, I didn’t really care to learn that the Federation “cured” the Krakotl, since they had to be a monstrous species to slaughter us without mercy.
What did slap me in the face was how the blue-feathered murderer spoke. Trying to atone for bloodshed she caused, with guilt that could never be undone: I related to that rationale. It was the same reason I had joined the military, to serve humanity in the wake of the drilling accident I incited. That crushing sense of responsibility had never truly left me. However, my volatility made me a liability as a soldier, which was why I’d been forced to realize there were other ways to aid my species. Being a better person meant reflecting on the flaws that had landed me in that spot in the first place. The Federation were the original villains, if I set my emotions aside; they dumbed down the other species on purpose. The exterminators’ “kill all predators” theme song started and ended with them. If there was peace with the ugly birds, I wasn’t going to ruin it again.
Assuming this…Krakotl is truly capable of feeling guilt, and isn’t just mimicking my own expression of that from reading my transcript, I might be able to get a message through to Gress. He’s all I have. This isn’t his first time getting captured by humans, away from his home and daughter, but these ones have a lot more power; he must be frightened. As much as a Krev is capable of fearing a furless primate…
I turned the knife to saw off a piece of the pancake, popping it into my mouth with the other utensil. “I’d like to see your fucking transcripts. Whatever grand mentality went through our killers’ heads—that oughta be something.”
“I have nothing to hide, if it’ll make you feel better. I’ll pick out enough for you to get the gist of where I’ve been,” Cala sighed. “How are the pancakes? I made the type from your home country, not the thin sort my human Papa would make and fold up in triangles. I know you Yanks prefer the artery-clogging edition.”
“Do I look like I’ve been eating any processed foods?!” I protested, through a full mouth.
“I saw the bag of…obor treats in the lounge, and no obor.”
“That’s berries and sugar: it’s not that processed. And that was a recent addition to my diet. It reminds me of something I faintly remember from Earth…riding in a shopping cart with Mom through the bakery section of the grocery store, and sometimes, she’d let me pick out a cookie.” My eyes watered, remembering the faint memories of a childhood I’d had. I wouldn’t know my family if I saw them; they might as well be strangers. I remembered the fucking pastries better than Mom’s face. “I liked the ones with the shitty icing. I remember what could’ve been, if not for aliens. If I hadn’t been sent away, banished—now the best years of my life are fucking gone. Never to return.
Cala nudged me, noticing that I was pushing the food around my plate. “If I can be candid, be grateful you had those best years—parents who loved you, and gave half a flying fuck what happened to you. Not everyone does. Some people never had a happy childhood. I barely remember how my real dad looked, but instead of cookies, I remember yelling. Being locked in closets. Made your Tellus cavern look roomy.”
“Roomy? Fuck you! It wasn’t a five-star resort, my entire living quarters were smaller than this fucking cell. You don’t know shit about what I went through.”
“I wish I didn’t know. My living quarters were smaller than my prison cell too, and my cage had literal bars. Believe me, that I know what it is to live in darkness, because electricity is seen as a waste for you. To hide anything you enjoy for fear of a reprimand at best, and that sliver of happiness’ destruction at worst. I even know what it is to have done something reprehensible, which cannot be undone or taken back, for a cause so utterly pointless. Some people know only that reality, including the very settlers born on Tellus. Some people never knew there was anything better.”
“Some people never…shit. I, um, didn’t think of it that way.”
“It can always be worse, Taylor. I think that might be my life motto. I even wrote a song with those five words as the title.”
“Sounds like a cheery-ass tune, real crowd pleaser. We should make that the Tellus national anthem.”
Cala trilled with bitter amusement. “As if you’d pick a song written by a Krakotl to represent you. A Krakotl that bombed Earth to boot.”
“It stabs at me to hear that any bombs fell on my beloved homeworld. At least you didn’t fucking succeed in killing us off. At least neither of us succeeded, for that matter; we got our asses handed to us at Nishtal and Talsk. I’m sure you’ll have no problems at Aafa.”
The Krakotl winced, her head snapping back. “About that. Aafa…well, I think you have the right to know what’s going on in the galaxy. The Arxur and a faction called, and I shit you not, the Federation remnants, started shooting at each other instead of the Consortium drones. The planet was lost, and your forces are still out there, which is why we need you to help talk them down.”
Despair punched me in the gut. The war I set in motion had devastating consequences after all; how many had we murdered? What the fuck did Cala mean by Federation remnants, when they’d all told me the organization was destroyed? Perhaps having lost an entire world would render peace impossible between the KC and the SC. Regardless of how much progress the Earth humans claimed to have made with their herbivore allies, these were the same prey that had insisted we would inevitably slaughter them all. This could slander my entire species, and the United Nations for creating our group. The terrible wars that threatened us all might never end; we’d have to live in fear for as long as our kind existed! Even so, learning the scale of the innocent lives lost, much like how Cala had rained antimatter down on Earth, was the most crippling at all.
The Kolshians were already defeated. I mean, of course, we know they’re responsible for distorting the entire array of Federation species, but that’s just…more blood on my hands. I’m a monster. I deserve to die every bit as much as Cala.
“The Arxur and Federation fighting had nothing to do with you. That was their old hatred, and it would’ve blown up somewhere, some time,” the Krakotl offered, as tears flowed down my cheeks. “We read your transcripts. You were eager for revenge on Earth, yet even so, you neither made nor had any say in the decapitation strike plan. It’s a shitty situation, sure, but the SC has forgiven worse. We can stop this from happening anywhere else, okay? If the KC want to be friends, I’m sure humans will oblige. Especially since the Krev were protecting you.”
I gritted my teeth. “They were protecting themselves too, but also for nothing. What fucking reason is there to hope that things will get better? What, that it could always be worse?”
“It could be worse. If I had told you a few days ago to pick between having Aafa bombed or Earth bombed, it’d have been a no brainer; your home is here. There are still plenty of possibilities ahead of us to restore order. It’s only when a baby chick falls from the nest that they realize they need to fly, Taylor. We’ve hit the ground, the absolute floor. There’s an entire sky overhead, and we’re in a place to make its reclamation happen.”
I gestured to the room around me. “From a prison cell?”
“You won’t stay imprisoned long; neither you nor Gress will. If they charged you, they’d have to charge every ark settler and Krev infantryman, which they won’t want.”
“How do you know that, when we’ve bungled every improvement the UN made through our actions?”
“The UN wants reconciliation, and they put out an announcement on Earth about reuniting loved ones. We made contact with Tellus, you know, and they’re aware that humanity is alive now. Perhaps it might help you feel less alone, to recall that you’re going through this alongside all of your fellow colonists.”
“They answered? Captain Sylvia must’ve put you in touch with them.” I knitted my eyebrows together, recalling a panicked Cherise passing out pamphlets about the KC’s defeat. She’d wanted us to board a new ark. “What—how are my people reacting?”
“Mayor Hathaway offered an unconditional surrender of any Tellus military forces, and we’ve established diplomatic channels. I’d describe the few blokes we’ve talked to as shellshocked, inquisitive about Earth and loved ones. I don’t know how the common people have reacted, though they promised they’d make an announcement soon.”
“That should go over without any hiccups—and yes, I’m being sarcastic. It all goes back to the Grand Herd. The Sivkits just came to reclaim the world the Federation stole; we know that. Still, after laboring to be allowed to stay on Tellus…it’s really all pointless if humans leave. That’s been our home for twenty-three years. Like you said, it’s the only world some of our settlers have ever known.”
“That’s exactly where my idea for how you could help comes in,” Cala chirped. “You were the liaison of Tellus to the KC. Why not be the liaison of Tellus to us? You’re already cozy with Consortium parties, enough to help humanity establish proper diplomatic relations. You could also help put a better foot forward with the SC, plead the ark colonists’ case, and make nice with any aggrieved parties—starting with the Sivkits.”
“Don’t be ridiculous. You know I’m not a diplomat.”
“Is anyone in your colony?”
“No. But if you read my transcripts, you know I just kissed up to the KC. I don’t want to be the person that capitulates to every demand, for Tellus’ sake.”
“Then don’t be that person. You know what the ark colonists want. You know what it’ll take to get peace. What better way is there to leave your vengeful past behind than to suggest yourself as someone that can mend those fences?”
I swallowed. “A quiet, happy life with Gress was what I wanted, not buddying up with the same aliens that hated us then, and now have actual reason to do so.”
“As long as Tellus has enemies, you won’t have a quiet, happy life. You have the rare opportunity to put an end to a debacle you were a part of, so think on it. The choice should be simple.”
The Krakotl collected the dirty dishes, as I chewed on the last of the breakfast and considered what she’d said. My hope, for the longest time, had been to serve humanity’s interests, and securing peace with their current allies would be an unequivocal way to do that. I knew that I was a failed diplomat, only schooled in appeasement, and prone to hot-headed outbursts ever since the drilling accident. However, the fact remained that I was a prisoner of war en route to Earth, who played a part in prolonging this tragic misunderstanding. The best way to protect Gress, and attempt to prevent the Consortium from facing steep consequences for aiding us, would be to try to smooth feathers. I wasn’t sure that I was capable of such a thing, but at least it was finally a cause worth caring about.
As the only representation the ark settlers would have in the Orion Arm, it fell on me to earn the forgiveness of aliens that I’d very much wanted dead.
A/N - 69! Taylor despairs over how his life was wasted and he’s detached from Earth, and quickly turns his anger on Cala—who makes him see red by mentioning her role in the extermination fleet. The Krakotl tries to explain how she understands him, and also fills him in on events at Aafa and Tellus; she believes that he has an opportunity to act in a diplomatic capacity, to ensure peace between the KC and SC. What do you think about the guilt Cala still carries with her, and how much common ground she might have with Taylor? Do you think Taylor will be able to smooth things over with aggrieved parties, given his flaws and temperament? Will the Tellus colonists want to maintain their claim to the Sivkits’ homeworld?
As always, thank you for reading and supporting!
Comments
Sci-fi reader
Soon, on Krevhub and OnlyKrev
T___
"Simply more resilient" Well Cala had some help. She got a second daddy who worked tiredlessly for her. All when still being a child. Why is there no mention of her daddy's timely help here? They were both affectedly abandoned , around the same time in their development. I guess many reader think Taylor was "too stupid" to get adopted by a qualifying character...
Kevo
my bad I did just skim it, I read it all now, sorry you feel that way. It’s hard for me to understand your last point but I think I get it. I empathize a lot with Taylor bc I’ve been there somewhat too, not blaming myself over peoples deaths, but fucking up in what seems like a big deal to me. I like that he keeps on going on unlike Kuemper. ( a good twist for humankind being humans ) I wouldn’t want the SecGens job right now either as Elias… to deal with that BS though and im sure we both can’t wait to see where it goes. If anything I didn’t like the Taylor’s POV before the Krev reveal lol. The flaws and fuck ups make me see a real world
EliasArt2Life
@Kevo Sorry for the late response; I thought you were responding to someone else with that “he emphasized with the Jaslip immediately”. I think you skimmed my response. I wasn’t saying TAYLOR doesn’t emphasize; I was saying that (some of) the PEOPLE WHO DON’T LIKE HIM don’t emphasize. They don’t emphasize WITH Taylor, specifically.
EliasArt2Life
Agreed, but he’s a figurative child. Not a literal child. A literal child might be better at some areas of diplomacy than him.
Mark Baculna
I very much object to cala adopting taylor as implied. He’ll just eat the crayons or stick them in his nose
John Krause
Taylor is a litteral child and i havent noticed much improvement, if hes gonna be a diplomat earth needs to put him through diplomat training bare minimum
Kevo
He empathized with the Jaslip immediately
EliasArt2Life
I find there are 3 common reasons why people don’t like Taylor: 1) Refusal to empathize. I find people do this with a LOT of characters. Almost every character has at least a few people who refuse to empathize with them, and who hate them in part due to that. 2) Taylor makes a lot of mistakes due to his emotions. He’s a character whose emotions control him. Some people have difficulty understanding/empathizing with that. I understand that side; I’m pretty emotional, and was often reprimanded or looked down upon for emotional outbursts as a child. As a result, I learned to control my emotions. I never suppressed them to an especially unhealthy degree, and have been relearning how to let them loose, rather than hide them, but I am ALWAYS in control. Even if I’m boiling with rage, I’m not going to hurt anyone, or harm anything. I control my emotions, my emotions don’t control me. I get frustrated with Taylor, as a result, because for me, being unable to avoid causing problems due to your emotions (aside from when there are legitimate issues that make maintaining control nearly impossible, like PTSD, so Taylor get a pass where his PTSD is involved) is nearly as bad as you purposefully causing problems. Now, I understand that not everyone is that way, so while I can’t understand it, I don’t hold it too heavily against him. While it’s a slightly grating part of Taylor’s personality, it’s not why I sort of dislike his POV. 3) Some people are literally hurt by his POV. There are some people who are very easily influenced by others: fictional, in reality, or both. Their emotional and/or mental state will mirror whatever they’re exposed to. That means that spending a long time reading about a depressed person can make them depressed, potentially for hours after the fact. Reading a stream of consciousness from a hateful person can make them see everything as something hateful. I’m one of those types of people. If I’m conversing with somebody, I start to see and feel about their point of view almost as strongly as they do. As you can imagine, if you haven’t learned how to hold multiple points of view at once, accept them, and compartmentalize them, it can lead to some pretty wicked psychological distress. While I’ve gotten good at holding only my own position, while feeling passionate about another person’s point of view, I still occasionally need to stop and take time (sometimes days) away from the topic, because it’s not leaving my head, and even when you’re good at it, holding two opposing views at once can be draining. It also colors all my perception of things until it leaves my head. On the other hand, if a fictional or real person is experiencing an emotion, and I become aware of that emotion, I feel it. I can’t help it nor can I shut it off, and it’s not just a small amount of that feeling; I get pumped full of it, to the point where it can oftentimes become the only thing I can feel for a while. Reading about a suicidally depressed character makes me feel depressed. If I continue reading for too long (like an hour - an hour and a half), it can result in a mood shift that leaves me depressed for a day or more. Constant exposure to that can make things even worse. So to summarize, I don’t like Taylor because he’s a suicidally depressed character whose world outlook is full of hatred, who is stuck in a hole of self pity and self loathing, and who is constantly being pushed back every time he tries to move forward. I don’t like him because when I read his POV, his thoughts, emotions, and world view spiral into my head and I start to mirror them. I have to fight to avoid that. The amount that I don’t fight off I makes me feel icky inside and brings my mind closer to places that I left behind years ago, and do not want to revisit. And, just to clarify, I’m fine. The only thing in NOP that got anywhere close to something dangerous for me was Slanek’s breakdown. Even still, it’s uncomfortable for me in short doses. I don’t hate Taylor. I DO hate the way he makes me feel and think. Those things are either not who I am, or who I’m trying to move away from.
EliasArt2Life
“While they were happy and content on Earth, and forgot all about our little expedition.” It really says a lot about Taylor’s mental state that he think his parents could just forget about him like that, rather than questioning how they reacted to finding out that they sent their boy out into the unknown, never to see him again, for nothing. As expected, even after being in the Peace Keepers for 13 years, Cala STILL doesn’t feel that she’s made up for her mistakes. She’s even offering to let Taylor kill her. There were definitely better ways for her to address those feelings of hers. I’m sure she’ll get better by the end of the story, but still… Please let this be one of those subversions of the “self-sacrifice” trope, where the character learns that they don’t have to die to make up for their mistakes! On both Taylor AND Cala’s end.
Kevo
I relate to having no wins, and getting angry when it builds up, then making bad decisions from ignorance
Guardian
It's a good callback, no?
Guardian
Glad I'm not the only one to pick up on that.
PhycoKrusk
@sticks It might be more accurate to say that it's tiring to be following a guy that doesn't have any "wins" when it isn't funny. Like, if every time something bad happened, Taylor's response was to throw his hat on the ground and stomp off muttering, "Darn the luck!" it wouldn't be so exhausting.
PhycoKrusk
Oh, within canon she is definitely not a Captain. This was actually a joke I'd made in the last chapter of Cala's origin story: Someone else had suggested a tiger motif for the unit she inevitable ends up leading, and I replied that Captain Cala and Her Flying Tigers was 100% a comic I'd read. So now every time Cala appears in a chapter, I make a joke about it. They usually aren't very funny, but I laugh all the same.
sticksnstones
I dislike Taylor because he's an angry conga line of mistakes masquerading as a person. He's like an inverse Mary Sue, he regularly makes bad decisions, bad things happen to him, and he constantly flips between blind anger and overwhelming grief. I would never say he's a bad character, but it's tiring to be following a guy that doesn't have any "wins".
Alekss Žukovskis
imagine theyre like: "holy shit-squares, they have multiple sapient predators @ direct neighborhood" we're no bono, no offence.
Alekss Žukovskis
*cala
Michael Halpern
The next best option personally and knowingly facilitated an assassination plot.
Michael Halpern
Again though "least bad" option is a thing, right now Taylor qualifies, they need one of the ark colonists, who is already familiar with major events AND the various leaders of the KC, and has more experience dealing with non-humans, the next best option whom would NORMALLY be better will avoid getting the necessary memory transcripts now, because she facilitated a terror attack.
Space Paladin
He’s a very flawed character with a good heart. He’s had a sad life!
Greg Gougeon
Failing upward seems to be his thing
Kevo
I like Taylor better than any other POV, I don’t get the hate. Dudes been through a lot with no support
AnAbsoluteVillain
Regretable
AnAbsoluteVillain
She is anti-foil; not a mirror. The comparisons were made but their lives are not the same. Its striking how her attempt to highlight that turned him down another path he never wanted on the "Kick Taylor Trench ride of life." We all know he will mess this up. Taylor isn't to be redeemed. 😔 To clarify a foil is a character meant to make the MC shine, and put them on a better path. She does the exact opposite by showing us a version of Taylor if he stayed on Earth. A better Taylor. She stayed in the military, emotions, and heritage did not define her. Which is why she is an anti-foil. She highlights the wrong in Taylor and puts him onto a path of further destruction. All while being nice.
AnAbsoluteVillain
🥰 Drama!
DrewTheHobo
Also she’s not dumb as a bag of rocks
Bbobsillypants
It would be funny if the UN discussed thier findings with the SC concerning the consortium and thier first question was wait "Taylor did what with that Krev?"
DDDragoni
In this chapter: Taylor Trench realizes that he is not the sole bastion of suffering in the galaxy
Rohn Carver
boundless optimism versus hopeless pessimism
Aerowarrier
Damn Cala is really recreating her own imprisonment, even playing Solitaire while waiting there xD
ToothyMcButt
Nice
Kevo
I always wanted to try the Japanese style pancakes, they look like bigger fluffy USA ones, but no one ever criticizes those!
Criss
"Instead, you just put him in danger by chasing revenge, because you’re violent, angry, and short-sighted." Tellus population is short-sighted canon, I was a visionary 🚬
Sci-fi reader
The difference between Cala and Taylor, is Cala's natural hopeful outlook. She is simply more resilient.
Sci-fi reader
I like my pancakes best either Cajan or European style. Of course, others are good too, just not as good.
Criss
Congratulations!! Taylor, you've been promoted. Don't resist.
Sci-fi reader
Has it been decided if she is captain (army or marine) or sargent? Hey, she is only seven years away from qualiflying for a full retirement pension!
Aured
fantastic chapter! I love that Cala is playing solitaire outside Taylor's cell.
PhycoKrusk
@swede Still sounds more "pan" than "cake." I like my pancakes to have some rise to them.
PhycoKrusk
@Lvm All that really means is that you're probably correct and he's being confined in a converted cabin.
Some Lvm
@Michael: If this was before the Mafani incident, I might have agreed with you, but I don't think we can entrust galactic affairs to someone who pics Trench as their "significant other".
Some Lvm
@Phyco: I suppose if you run a white color prison for tax frauds, but even if it wasn't Trench, they are hauling a POW...
Michael Halpern
No but his significant other IS qualified, Taylor might be the least bad choice in this case, everyone else either has other essential roles or hasn't dealt with non humans enough
PhycoKrusk
Honestly, the breadth of subjects and situations that get covered is one of my favorite parts of Captain Cala and Her Flying Tigers.
Youre a swedekisser arent you
@PhycoKrusk They're the superior form of crêpes!
PhycoKrusk
That sounds more like a crepe than a pancake. kiss
Neu5Ac
I maintain my theory that someone wished on a monkey's paw for all politicians to cease existing, and now everyone with political power is wildly unqualified to hold it. Why aren't they trying to get this Captain Sylvia person to be liaison? That's part of a captain's job, and there's no way they'd put her in charge of a ship filled with millions of babies if she wasn't qualified for the job! Prediction time: the Jaslip terrorists' insiders will discover the baby ship has been taken and will leak that information, but not the news about the SC and Earth. This will be so they can incite and justify further violence, as well as mistrust in the government. This benefits the Listeners (if my theory about the terrorist leader being a double agent is correct) because it will allow them to justify expanding their surveillance state even further, while also allowing the terrorists to call any news about the SC lies and propaganda, thus inhibiting de-escalation. If they can keep the war going, they can keep expanding their power, maybe to the point of everyone requiring more invasive brain implants that would allow them to take control of people directly, which would be an endgame move for them.
PhycoKrusk
It's fine for anyone who is non-violent and low enough risk that they can be in minimum security. So, you know, not Taylor Trench.
Michael Halpern
Taylor being subjected to "Theater".
Byron Ritchie
“Assuming this…Krakotl is truly capable of feeling guilt, and isn’t just mimicking my own expression of that from reading my transcript” Oh trench… you really are no different from cala at one point in time but Fortunately for her she learned better Hopefully they are able to eventually become friends though Also nice chapter 😉
Youre a swedekisser arent you
I just want to tell all of you that Cala is correct about her judgement on pancakes. You can put a line of jam or syrup down the middle of European ones and roll them up. So much better than Yank ones.
BiasMushroom721
Man, Taylor is a fucking idiot. At this point I'm not even sure he knows how to wash his own butt let alone think
Bbobsillypants
My reaction to the third paragraph was simply. "Correct"
Some Lvm
If they didn't, making peace with the KC would be too easy...
craig spaulding
So Cala is getting more than just a cameo! That’s exciting and she’s a perfect mirror to Taylor in a lot of ways
Some Lvm
I was about to comment that Taylor's appeasement training seems to be on par with Meir's, so I doubt he can do much worse than the guy with all those statues in his memory...
Some Lvm
I originally didn't like many things about Cala's story, but having it as background makes this chapter a lot more meaningful and enjoyable. If I hadn't read it, she would feel like a random character, just put there to steer Taylor in the right direction, but now her presence and statements feel... organic, natural, reasonable part of the story and the universe! I was going to comment that Taylor must be held in Norway, since his cell looks more like a hotel room, but at the last moment I realized he is still on the ship, and I guess it does not have a proper brig, so they just locked him in some quarters? Because having a TV in a prison cell of any kind does not make sense. Nor having a mirror which can easily be shuttered for use as a weapon.
REDemon14
First three words of the chapter, "The stupid bird". XD Taylor is spiraling... again. Man must have chronic vertigo. The fact that the Ark colonists left Earth only for Aliens to move in is gonna be a source of ire for most of the Tellish. As well as the fact that surviving family members got to live on Earth without the labor they had to go through. Lot of anger in the future. Taylor: "I will never kiss up to aliens again." Cala: "You could help the Tellish by kissing up to the sivkit." Taylor: "FUCK!" Cala really is the only one who can understand where Taylor is coming from when it comes to the guilt of death. All he has to do is get over the racism :) I have no idea how the SC will react. Especially the sivkit.
Monolith
Nice.
Gumcel
Ah yes, a character who is absolutely not qualified to be a diplomat becoming a diplomat. A true nop classic (seriously this is like the 6th time this has happened lol).
Swan
I guess this is how the Taylor/bissem story lines might connect? If Taylor is gonna talk to the skivit he can’t get around the bissems
Intricate Zebra
Whoever in the UN suggested Trench should be put in a critical diplomatic position during war time needs to not only be demoted, but also put on probation for any advisory positions as well. Full stop.
Elliott
What I like about your work over most fanfics or even other works has to be the unwillingness to shy away from having truly guilty main characters. Don't get me wrong I think any other can be just as good, but it's rare that you get so many characters who genuinely DID fuck up and did objectively horrible things. Like it is not often at all that a story has, not one, not two, but arguably three MCs that have literally committed genocide, killed innocent children, but still try to redeem themselves beyond a single moment of Darth Vader-esque sacrifice. Taylor arguably killed an entire civilian fleet, with men, women, and children on board. Full ICUs probably on those ships with students and daycares, vaporized because of him. Same for Isif and Cala. Even more minor villains, like Sovlin after torturing someone was able to try to make amends and try to do better with the rest of his life. Tl;dr I admire not shying away from truly not-innocent characters, it's something I don't see attempted often.
Wholesome Redditter
*Looks at the chapter number* Nice
Sroni
Taylor is the antichrist himself, who not only hurls shit at the fan but actively takes shit in front of the fan, and now they want him as a liason?
Mutedmirth
Taylor and Carla bonding wasn't on my bingo card lol
Thomas Pignatelli
First also "nice"
