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The Nature of Predators - Star Crossed (3/13)
🕑 Added 2024-03-20 11:00:11 +0000 UTCMemory Transcription Subject: Chloe de Vries, United Nations Consultant
Date [standardized human time]: January 5, 2150
The door swung open without so much as a knock, causing me to almost jump out of my chair. I suppressed a groan, realizing I hadn’t gathered myself enough to read any of Kelvanis’ file; there was no time to brief myself on him now. My eyes locked onto the incoming alien, whose height rivaled my own. The gelatinous skin across his body seemed to have more sponginess than mine, and the tranquil blue didn’t distract me from the fact that he had tentacles, like some deep sea monster. The tapering structure of his legs, coupled with a conical tail, made him look not dissimilar to a half-complete mop. Then, there were the neon orange eyes, with vertical pupils that looked like a tear in the fabric of reality.
Nothing about him seemed like it should belong to an actual being. My brain was locked in a spinning wheel of death, while aimlessly triggering my fight-or-flight. This office had me feeling cornered, with the Kolshian standing between me and my chance to run back to the ship. Being in the presence of a creature that was so starkly alien brought a tremor to my arms and dryness to my throat; subconsciously, one hand migrated toward the panic button. My palms felt clammy when I forced them back together in my lap, and tried to string a few words in a row. I couldn’t help but openly gawk at the extraterrestrial, as he approached the desk on steady feet—it was clear he was studying me.
Get a grip, Chloe. You’re making a fool of yourself.
“Uh, hey.” I felt my back stiffen, as I forced myself to stay in my chair. I fidgeted with my legs below the table, discomforted by my tense posture. “You…you’re here. K-Kelvanis, right?”
The Kolshian paused, a bewildered look in his eyes. “That’s my name; or at least, that’s what my mother decided for me.”
“Great. Just, um, give me a moment. I feel sick to my stomach.” My pupils shot toward the ground, trying to look anywhere but at him. I didn’t want to focus on the alien staring at me, so I instead occupied myself by gazing at my screen. “It’s really hot in here. Or is it just me? Maybe I should, um, try to find a thermostat. Outside…I mean, out in the hallway.”
Kelvanis chewed at his lower lip, hesitating. “Okay, I have to ask. Are you afraid of me? I really hope I haven’t done anything wrong. I don’t know a whole lot about human behaviors, but you seem anxious.”
“Shit, I’m sorry. Really, I tried, but I don’t think I can do this. It’s not anything you did, I just—this is my first day, and I’ve never even met an alien before today. I don’t know what to be like, talking with anyone that’s not human. They walked me in here, gave me absolutely zero pointers on how this interview shit works, and now you’re walking in before I’ve had so much as a chance to breathe.”
The words spewed from my mouth before I could stop them, faster than my brain could filter out things I shouldn’t be telling an asylum seeker. I slumped my shoulders in defeat, as the Kolshian looked taken aback by my outburst. Kelvanis must think that I was a total fool after I unloaded all of that; the poor guy had entered the office of the least-qualified Terran up here, who had just admitted that she couldn’t handle his interview. I couldn’t get over the fact that such an unusual lifeform was standing a stone’s throw away, unreadable in his body language. Why hadn’t I at least thought to read about Kolshian nonverbals on the days-long ride over? I could feel my face turning beet red from embarrassment. All I wanted was to fly back to Earth and crawl under a rock.
Kelvanis doesn’t seem like one of the dangerous Kolshians that Kenzo warned me about, but how would I even know? I have no idea what’s rolling around in his skull.
“Wow. That’s…yeah, you sound like you’re under a lot of stress. I can go back outside if you want, give you some space,” Kelvanis offered.
I blinked in quick succession. “What? No, don’t be s-silly. That’s not fair to you. You’re here for an asylum hearing, not to turn back because you were assigned to an imbecile who’s pouring out her life’s problems.”
“Actually, it makes me feel a little better, since I was planning to spill all of my problems to you. Be a little kinder to yourself. We all learn at our own pace, and if this is your first day, I can be patient. You should’ve had more guidance than being thrown in here with a workstation and a spinning chair.”
How does he…oops. I should stop rotating back and forth on my seat. “Sorry. I’ll try to sit still, and um, hold a conversation. You’re, um…a lot. I don’t know what I expected, but it’s eerie. Unnerving. Not that there’s anything wrong with you, of course, it’s just scrambling my brain.”
“We can find a way to push through it. Hey, humor me for a second? If that chair spins all the way, turn around. Please.”
I didn’t like the idea of turning my back on Kelvanis, as Kenzo’s warning about trusting the visitors rang in my ears. Against my better judgment, I decided to humor him, if only because I wanted to face away from the alien for a split second; it might be my best chance of regaining my faculties. My seat swiveled around, though I kept an eye on the floor to check if his shadow moved closer. I could hear him adjusting the chair that was left out for him. The poor guy was stuck standing because of me, so I shouldn’t stop him from taking a seat. I gulped, and dug my fingernails into the armrest to ground myself. Why had he asked me to do this?
“Okay, why did you want my back to you?” I asked.
Kelvanis laughed, an inhuman chittering. “I need a few more seconds. You could just conduct the interview like that, and then you don’t have to see me. It’ll be you and that beautiful wall.”
“Beautiful wall? Do you have eyes for this drab, beige wall, Kelvanis?” A chuckle rumbled in my throat, and my lips curved up with a hint of amusement. I found myself relaxing ever so slightly, as warmth spread across my chest. “You’re a silly goose. I can’t talk to you like this. Beyond the disrespect, I need to look at the workstation to type your answers.”
“In that case, you can turn around now. I’ve made myself presentable.”
I turned around to find that the alien had dragged the chair back toward the door, and was hiding behind it without efficacy. His tentacles were clutching the back of it, while his face was pressed behind it; I could see him trying to fit his legs and tail underneath it. It was impossible to miss Kelvanis against the wooden chair, looking like a giant adhesive blob. He peeked an eye around at me, before making an exaggerated gasp as I laughed at him. It wasn’t long before I realized my mistake, flashing my teeth at him during the sudden surge of positive emotions; it was a genuine smile, but I wasn’t sure how he’d take it. The Kolshian didn’t flinch or demonstrate any fear.
“I’m just a chair, Chloe. Kelvanis the talking seat. Nothing out of the ordinary here,” he said.
I pursed my lips, trying to hide my smile. “If you say so. Sorry for showing my teeth, I know it’s scary to you.”
“Nonsense. I know what it means, and I’m glad you’re loosening up a little. Honestly, this is why I came here. I want a two-way conversation where we come out understanding each other better. You’re a lot more open than the people outside.”
I snorted. “Well, I’ve only met one of them, but if they’re all like Kenzo, then they’re assholes. Sorry you had to deal with them.”
“Don’t be. It sucks when people treat you like a monster, but I have no right to gripe to humanity about that. Ultimately, I know that I’m not, and I’m secure in that fact. You can’t make people stop hating you; you have to not let them change you, and show why they’re wrong.”
“Very true. I don’t hate you, for what it’s worth. You seem like a fun guy. I feel awful for making your experience up here even shittier.”
“Chloe de Vries, you did nothing of the sort. You’re a breath of fresh air, being willing to engage with me at all. I was losing hope. Um, may I come out from my hiding spot?”
“Of course you can. Bring the chair closer, and take a seat.”
“You got it. Mind if I make a stop at the water dispenser, Chloe? I know you might not like me in such close proximity—”
“Dude, I wouldn’t deny you water. Be my guest.”
Kelvanis untangled himself from behind the chair, and rose to his feet; those gelatinous legs were more sturdy than I would’ve expected, not changing shape under his weight. With a few measured strides, he avoided the corners of my desk to reach the water dispenser. At this point, he was close enough to turn around and grab me if he wanted to. I wasn’t legitimizing that possibility the way I was before, but I could see him in exacting detail from this proximity. His tentacles maneuvered a disposable cup beneath the tap, before humming to himself as it filled with water. Perhaps that was a Kolshian song that brought him comfort in times of distress. I was grateful for him breaking the silence, though I was hopeful he’d be finished soon and distance himself a little.
That thought diverged from reality, when Kelvanis spun around and extended a tentacle toward me. My eyes went wide from the unexpected motion, until my brain kicked in to decipher what he was doing. He’d gone to the water dispenser…for me. I accepted the cup from his outreached arm, and managed to offer him a subdued thanks. It wasn’t fair that my hypervigilant mind was still jumping at his every move. This Kolshian’s kindness and empathy was remarkable, and something that moved me to my core. I hadn’t expected such a ray of sunshine to waltz through the door—to lift me up and show more concern than Kenzo had for my welfare. I redirected my thoughts to his chair melding, and found it much harder to fear him.
Kelvanis seems genuine and thoughtful. Like he said, I should try to understand his kind better. I don’t want to treat him like a monster; he’s something new to me, but that doesn’t have to be bad.
The Kolshian filled a cup for himself, sipping at it for a moment. “Drink, please. We have a saying on Aafa, that water cools the mind’s embers. I think it’d help.”
“That’s very thoughtful of you,” I murmured, before chugging half of the cup. It brought a welcome coolness to my throat, taking the edge off of my light-headedness. “That’s enough time we wasted worrying about me. Thank you, Kelvanis.”
“Just Kelvan is fine. That’s what my friends call me.”
“Kelvan it is. Okay, let me just focus on the screen, and figure out what I’m supposed to do here.”
“Would you like me to take a look at it? We can figure it out together.”
“Please. Go for it.”
The Kolshian hovered directly over my shoulder, leaning toward the workstation; how close he had maneuvered took my breath away. He smelled like flowers, which caught me by surprise. It was a pleasant aroma, not like the overpowering ones that would make a person gag. Kelvanis pointed at a government ID picture of himself on the screen, something that’d escaped my notice entirely during my prior panic. It might’ve helped to see a picture of him beforehand. Now, I found that his proximity was distracting me from studying the screen, though I was pretty sure I’d suppressed my fear of him. I squinted harder at the display, reading something to take my mind off of where he was standing.
“I’m afraid I can’t decipher your lexicon. Sorry. I brought a visual translator, but the UN…held onto my travel bag,” Kelvanis said. “No clue what this all says, though I recognize little old me.”
“I didn’t actually read your file beforehand. Let’s see here. Profession: Xenobotanist.” Age 27. No known relationships. One sibling. God, this is practically a dating site profile. Wait, why would I even think that? “I know what a regular botanist is, but I’m intrigued. What does xenobotany even mean, Kelvan?”
“I study alien plants specifically. You can do a lot in the field, surveying flora that have never been classed before. Think of each…flower as having a story to tell. People like me see how they grow under varying conditions—that often means on planets far, far from their home—and discover the best techniques to bring them to full health. Back before the quarantine, Aafa’s botanical gardens would send out surveyors to collect and integrate plants from across the galaxy! That was my dream job.”
“I’m getting a picture that you haven’t been able to do what you love. What drew you to the field specifically? What do you…see in plants?”
“I like beautiful things. Plants are simple, but they all have a story to tell. They’re a reminder of the cycle of life—symbols of growth and new life. Where I’m from, those symbols are needed for sanity’s sake.”
I nodded in thought, as I found a button labeled “Interview Notes.” “I think I found where to write your story. Take a seat?”
“Of course. I hope I wasn’t crowding you, Chloe.”
I waited as Kelvanis settled down, relieved that the text input boxes had simple prompts. The goal was to write down the reasons why the guest believed their asylum request should be granted, as well as a separate box for anything about their life story. After a moment’s consideration, I typed in a shorthand of “unable to pursue dream profession of xenobotany” under the life story column. This really wasn’t as bad as I thought it’d be. I found myself feeling a bit wistful, as the Kolshian retreated to the chair, and pulled it closer to the desk to sit down. There were still traces of the fragrance he was wearing in the air.
Would it be weird if I asked him about that? Kelvan seems happy to talk with me, but still…
The Kolshian cleared his throat. “Something on your mind?”
“Oh, I was just wondering about the…scented product you’re wearing,” I confessed. “Sorry if that’s a weird thing to observe.”
“Aw, don’t be shy on me now. I don’t know if this is something that humans would grasp, but Kolshians used to love wearing our favorite scents from nature—most often some sort of plants. You know that feeling of the summer breeze, soaking in all that’s alive? I like the idea that I can carry that effect. My sister, Volani, likes it even more, which is why she crafts them…despite the fact virtually nobody can shell out for such luxuries anymore.”
“We have perfumes and colognes; fragrances aren’t a foreign concept to us. A lot of human men wouldn’t think floral scents are masculine…manly, but I think such talk is stupid. It’s refreshing to see someone not beholden to stereotypes like that.”
“The stereotype defies comprehension. I assume that this concept of ‘masculinity’ has something to do with toughness, but how does recognizing beauty weaken you? If anything, flowers are a symbol that you’re in your prime, and full of life.”
“I agree. To get a little back on topic, you mentioned your sister. Is she someone important to you?”
Kelvanis’ expression became more morose. “Volani is the only family I have. She didn’t want me to come here. Turning my back on her was one of the hardest things I’ve ever done. We were orphaned during the Battle of Aafa, and I had to find ways to keep us alive. There was no system to take us in, once the government collapsed. Social programs are a thing of the past.”
“I’m so sorry to hear about your parents, Kelvan. You must’ve been very young; way too young to be left alone.” I made a note about the alien being orphaned as a child, and caring for his sister without any sort of aid. “There were no relatives that could take you in? It’s okay if you don’t want to talk about it.”
“No. Mom and Dad were on Caato, and…” The alien paused, when I returned a blank stare to the name Caato. “I’m sorry, of course humans wouldn’t remember it, compared to all of your catastrophic losses. It’s the rocky planet just before Aafa; it was a research colony of a few million souls. I think our parents worked on developing synthetic fertilizers there. Flights were canceled as you guys closed in on us, so they couldn’t come home. The…the Duerten bombed Caato to kill all of the civilians, as revenge for Kalqua.”
I extended my hand in silence, as Kelvanis squeezed his eyes shut at the painful memory; my palm rested atop his tentacle for a moment, hoping to offer support. He seemed surprised that I tried to comfort him, though gratitude flickered in his eyes. To think that I’d only heard of Kolshians as monsters that existed to kill us, and not how much their civilians suffered. From what little I’d learned from my guest, he’d been left to fend for himself since childhood, and his planet was in disarray. Why didn’t we do more to try to help Aafa? Why should people like Kelvan, who was twelve at the Federation’s collapse, be included in the quarantine?
I’m not sure what his full reasoning is for wanting asylum on Earth, but he deserves to have it granted. He’s had a difficult life, and still turned out to be such a sweetheart.
“To answer your question, our parents’ will was for our uncle to take us in—live with him, his wife, and their four kids if they passed. That never happened, because Uncle Tadonos and his family hopped on an evac ship when Chief Maronis finally decided to let us flee…and it was clear that Aafa was lost,” Kelvanis continued. “Everyone was quite panicked; you have no idea what it was like on the ground. None of the human accounts got how bad the riots were, and it was made worse by our dear leader using those fleeing vessels as battering rams. A lot of good people died for the ruthless shadow caste, and my uncle was one.”
I grimaced, feeling my heart clench with sympathy. “I can’t imagine what that was like, seeing your own government sacrifice your family needlessly. If it were up to me, just hearing what you’ve suffered is reason enough you deserve asylum. Life hasn’t cut you any breaks.”
“Oh, it’s easy enough to give you a list of reasons why I’d want off Aafa. Having a chance to pursue my passion, which I literally can’t do here. The fact that life’s so desperate that we have to battle for every scrap; the future there is bleak and miserable.” My fingers struggled to keep up with Kelvanis’ thoughts. “If you’re writing down why I feel I should be given asylum, may I tell you the main reason?”
“Go ahead. I’m happy to jot down any tidbits that’d bolster your case.”
“Well, to be blunt, I never did anything to humanity. I wasn’t involved with the shadow caste at all, yet I’m imprisoned because of crimes someone else did. How is that my fault, to earn an unending punishment? Why do I deserve to be quarantined for the species I was born as? If I’m turned down, it’s saying that humans will deny me equal rights and opportunities just because I’m a Kolshian.”
A thoughtful frown crossed my features, hearing the truth in Kelvanis’ words. They lingered in my brain, which made it easy to notate the rhetoric verbatim, despite my fingers lagging behind his speech. I’d already found myself wondering the same thing, just after learning a little bit about him; even before meeting one of his kind, I’d known that they couldn’t all be evil. Kenzo told me that we’d locked all of the Kolshians up for a reason, but I couldn’t see what it was for the life of me. After humanity had been lumped into one basket and condemned as monsters, we were doing the same to innocent people like this xenobotanist.
“Those are good points and questions.” I leaned back in my chair, heartbroken by everything Kelvanis had said. The nerves over speaking to aliens, along with the urge to flee the station, were gone. In their stead, I felt a determination to be the sole human that did care. “You don’t deserve to be quarantined, Kelvan. I’m glad you opened my eyes to that.”
Warm relief flickered in the Kolshian’s vertical pupils, as he realized his story had found a receptive audience. Remembering his earlier kindness to me, I made a silent commitment that I’d do everything in my power to help his case.
A/N - The third installment! Chloe has an anxiety attack as the Kolshian walks in, and after she confesses how sloppy her onboarding was, he calms her down with some goofy antics and bringing her a glass of water. Kelvanis shares a bit about xenobotany and his career dreams, as well as how his family dying on Caato and in the evac ships left Volani and him orphaned at a young age. When Chloe hears his argument about how he’s done nothing personally to be quarantined, she realizes that she agrees with his argument…and she comes away with a new perspective on Kolshians.
What do you think of Kelvanis’ unafraid and chipper behavior toward humans so far, and the new details we’ve learned about his story? Will the interview notes be enough for Kelvan to get asylum? Will Chloe be able to fulfill her promise to do all she can to help his case?
As always, thank you for reading and supporting!
Comments
Wholesome Redditter
Because Kelv is the Rizzler
Some Lvm
So EliasArt2Life wanted someone to challenge Kelvanis' point, and though I am not a character in the story, this seems to align with what I was considering to post, so here goes: Kelvanis is not imprisoned. He lives on his home planet. Being able to work abroad is not a right, its a privilege, one that here on earth, even people from fairly developed countries, don't often get. If you are from the EU, it might be natural to you that you can just hop over to your neighbor through a virtually non existent boarder and get a job. If you are from the US, you might not even want to go anywhere else. In large countries, there are people who spend their whole lives never leaving their home town, not because someone locked them in, but just because it is the way they lead their lives. I get that Aafa was connected to the rest of the Orion arm for a millennia, and getting cut off is not easy, but we also have to remember Aafa is an entire complete planet. The Kolshians built a flourishing civilization there before they ever had FTL. And they can, and should do it again! Which brings me to my point: before Kolshians can be properly integrated back in to the galaxy, they need to get their own planet straightened up. They need to get a proper, functioning government, one they elect on their own and is not appointed or propped up by the SC or the UN. They need to get any rioters, looters, and so on, in line, even if this means reactivating shadow caste prisons and shoving them in there. They should get the infrastructure and economy back up and running. A planet is still big enough to do all that without connections to space. Everyone has to have a good, advanced society on a single world before they get enough resources together to become space fairing. So here is what I would say to Kelvanis: while it is tragic what happened to your family, and it sucks that you were born in to an unfortunate situation not of your making, everyone in the galaxy has to deal with the fact that reality is not fair. Go back home, put your botany skills in to rebuilding your planet, and earn the right to gallivant around the galaxy making discoveries. Don't expect it to be handed to you because you have a sad story. And to Chloe I would say: this is your first asylum seeker. You are going to hear many such stories, and even worse ones. If you want to keep this job and be fair while doing it, you will have to learn to filter, and focus on the important things. And then I would put Kelv right back on that shuttle and send him to his sister. Honestly, she needs him more than earth does. I mean, the poor thing is all alone now, and how is that fair?
Stueymon
Ah yes. See my previous comment about A Goldfish brain
Space Paladin
Nope, there’s been Bahri, Kane, Cedric, Danny, and Meier!
Stueymon
Ah yes, I remember now. Goldfish brain. Thanks.
glum06
There has been a good amount. Like the one shot with Tyler and Nulia and The Sacrifice
Stueymon
Is this the first story in NOP with a human protagonist?
Guardian
That's a good point. Regardless of whether any information about the arks even remains on Earth, efforts might need to be undertaken to locate them, outside of however the two narratives in the second series will/may eventually intertwine. (I can't remember if SP has stated they will; I'm pretty sure he has, though.)
extraintelligence
I was answering the question, not justifying the action.
Ethan Rappolt
thats a reason to thoroughly vet those trying to leave. it is not a reason to refuse to let ANYone leave, nor is it a reason to allow and/or encourage the collapse of social services and the widespread neglect, poverty, and so on that humanity has clearly at the very least permitted to occur.
Guardian
"Subtlety of an air-horn." Hahaha, I love it!
Swan
Because of the quarantine...
EliasArt2Life
If you want to see REALLY interesting pupils, look up cuttlefish. They have “W” pupils. Cephalopods are cool.
Soheils
Something I realized is: in the long term, Aafa, Nishtal and probably a few other planets need either a mass population exodus, or some sort of defense. For the humans that left on ark ships, the universe is now a dark forest, except they know where some of the hunters are already, while their own location is unknown. Given that ftl is a completely solved problem for all the ark ships, it seems too possible that eventually one of them will send relativistic kill vehicles at those planets, sourced from some far away system to make them untraceable. This is actually the big danger of the ark ships: humanity may have unleashed a wave of hyper xenophobic, hyper militarist civilizations on the galaxy.
Negentropy
Possibly, although we should remember its entirely possible for cultures to hold multiple seemingly contradictory stances or beliefs simulatiously - and the cycle of herbivores and plants eating and nourishing one another could still be considered a "natural" cycle of life by Kolshian. And lastly, one could also argue its a reflection of how Kelvanis' personal cultural views have developed in the context of his profession and education, his (surviving) family and growing up in a post-shadow caste and post-quarantine environment (after all, his personal views may not necessarily reflect monolithic developments in Kolkshian culture, and cultural expression and evolution itself is almost never monolithic even in the most totalitarian of societies).
PhycoKrusk
I don't think it's that they forgot it so much as it is they staffed it with people who are being punished for their conduct elsewhere, or whose aptitudes are so poor that this is where they were determined to do the least amount of damage, or who are literally there because they can't do anything else.
PhycoKrusk
I'm not saying the UN shouldn't have tried to do better; I'm saying the UN did their best. Their "best" not being very good doesn't change the fact that it was their best. (But from your reply, I think you are completely aware of this and are in total agreement)
extraintelligence
"Why should people like Kelvan, who was twelve at the Federation’s collapse, be included in the quarantine?" I can answer that: he might have been radicalized between now and then.
extraintelligence
Anyone who's interacted with the UN could tell you it's not hard to believe at all.
Michael Halpern
part of it was a compromise with those who would have rather genocided them, still it doesn't help that they ended up staffing the place with people who forgot that
Guardian
Well, if Recel is celebrated as a historical figure, perhaps Kelvanis will follow in his footsteps.
DemonVee
I'm curious how this is going to go. I believe Kelvanis should get a chance to make his chase to the Galaxy, just one issue is... it doesn't sound like he's actually asking for asylum, and his case will likely be dismissed due to a misuse of the system. I imagine Chloe suddenly swooning over him won't look help his case when the other case workers notice.
EliasArt2Life
In the UN’s defense, I think this is more about a lack of resources and workers than anything else. They have to rebuild Earth, rebuild most of the rest of the galaxy, take part in the SC, monitor the Arxur, and maintain relations with other alien species. They just don’t currently have the resources to do anything big with Aafa. It also seems like most humans still hate Kolshians for what they did, so which is why the station is understaffed. Other aliens DEFINITELY won’t help. I think the situation is most similar to what happened at the end of WWI; some people DID advocate for well thought out plans regarding reparations, but the majority was so tired and fed up with the war that they just piled it all on Germany (naturally, I’m oversimplifying it). I think that, if they had support, the UN would do more, but the rest of the SC is against it, so this is the most the UN can do without angering their allies.
EliasArt2Life
Just because no one else is better doesn’t mean that we can’t or shouldn’t be better. That being said, you’re right; if any other species chose, then ALL the Kolshians would be dead. At least, on Aafa. It’s a terrible situation, but a complex one.
Dookus Maximus
Don't translators work by interpreting what is being said and turning it into something similar in your language? If so, the closest concept may have been "the circle of life".
EliasArt2Life
@Edmund Lam Yep. That’s the true tragedy of this. We can’t do it alone, but we’re the only ones who have ANY people who care. I guess that we could get some of the Kolshians from outside of Aafa involved, but that’s a clear conflict of interests, and I suspect the SC would try to stop it from happening… We need more aliens volunteers.
NextMan
Sheep and goats have horizontal double pupils too. (So do venlil lol)
Edmund Lam
What is needed a peacekeeping and transitional force on the ground. I don’t see how the UN can have enough manpower on its own to do that while also providing the bulk of the military strength to defend the SC. You know the Sol system would be the most heavily defended system in the SC if not the entire galaxy after the extermination attempt. So the UN has priority 1, defend Sol, priory 2, rebuild Earth, priority 3, defend SC space. Doing all that will take up all available manpower not to mention finances.
Amanda Chowning
This is 100% going to be a romance plot. Honestly technically already is one at this point- already met and showing them being attracted to each other. The title heavily alludes to it (“Star crossed lovers” being a common saying), there’s like foreshadowing every 30 seconds of the story, and one of the proof-reading/editing people mentioned that this story was going to be romance related before it even dropped (one of the previous patreon comments sections, I believe in the deaf Goijd one). Heck that’s not even much of a spoiler (what the editor/proof-reader person said), because just knowing the title kinda gives away the plot. I’m not complaining, it’s nice getting what’s on the tin, and it’s an adorable story, but this has all the subtly of an air horn, lol.
EliasArt2Life
I hope the asylum request goes through. Although, I doubt it’ll be that easy, given that we’re on chapter 3. Poor Kelvanis lost all his family aside from his sister in the two greatest tragedies of that final battle. It’s sad that not many humans know about the civilians’ side of the story, but I guess that makes sense; between what humans went through, and the suffering of all the other species, it makes sense that the Kolshians would slip under people’s radar. Sadly for Kelvanis, it’s not up to JUST humanity. There are nearly 80 other species in the SC, and there would need to be a majority vote to end the quarantine. If you note, unlike most other settings, there are ONLY humans in this station. No other species is helping with Kolshian refugees. This is before even considering what the Shield would say about ending the quarantine. I would like to see the someone address the issues brought up in this chapter; talking to Kelvanis and Chloe but taking the other side. Only, not Kenzo. Someone who’s diplomatic and actually knows what they’re talking about, rather than repeating speciesist rhetoric that he’s heard. It would be nice to have someone challenge Kelvanis’ stance. He’s got a good point, but I don’t see that he’s ready for people who stand against him and have an actual point. He needs to experience that so he can be prepared for it.
PhycoKrusk
Ah, Chloe. Sheltered from the harsh reality of Orion. That the conditions are what they are on Aafa is a _good_ thing. Not because it is moral or ethical — punishing a child for the sins of their father is never either of those — but because it is ideal. Had Humanity not done absolutely everything for Aafa that they possibly could have done, there would be no Kolshians alive to decry their treatment. The arm being what it is, Humans are the only species in 2150 with the capacity for mercy.
TopazBrooch
"We, humanity, have rules of war that we hold above all else when engaging in combat, and anything outside those rules is a crime!" "..." "So anyways collective punishment sounds cool."
Dragon Writer Luc
Cats & snakes have that. Octopi have horizontal pupils.
Alekss Žukovskis
vertical pupils sounds the most alien feature of all.
mitsos_pr
The name Chloe means grass / vegetation <3
Alekss Žukovskis
ohohoho, forbidden love, hehehehe
Alekss Žukovskis
"circle of life" sounds very human, and not something an alien would say. i thought theyre allergic towards even the mention of being lesser (but maybe not, perhaps `predator bad` makes them use being eaten as moral currency to justify atrocities)
Yannis Morris
?
Alekss Žukovskis
conical tail... a comical tail! are kolshians pigs?
jervictor jer
I think there was an attempt to do a Plan Marshall's last chapter they explained the UN delivers aid through Drones, and the big issue is always the same, how to pitch it to the Sapient coalition because the average meeting will go like this. UN: Hey guys how about let's do this, we used it against our Nazis in our history to turn them into a healthy society is called Plan Marshall. SC Members: All alright what it does? UN: we deliver money and investment to the Kolsihans so they can rebuild their society. SC Members: *proceeds to throw a tantrum and say they will leave the coalition*
Austin Arlt
I have to agree that it would be nice to see less fearful humans. Dustin is a good example of this but the theme of NoP is overcoming fear and prejudice so it makes sense we would see fearful and prejudiced characters.
Anthony Mears
While I do think that the UN could and should do better, we seem to be forgetting that this is a species that, for thousands of years, maintained a separate ruling society of fanatics hidden within their own with no way of knowing who is who. If ever there was the possibility of some manurian canadate conditioning among the innocent, this is the place. that's not hyperbole and you can't say that for ANY other society encountered. what's the alternative, take the children and raise them somewhere else so they don't suffer and to make sure they are not a risk from influences? Seems I heard that somewhere before...I wonder what the Skalgans would think? Caution is essential.
T___
@Byne Space Marshall Plan would have been smart. The reason for the post WWII Marshall help was more political than humanitarian. US was afraid poverty, unemployment and refugees chaos would push more European countries towards communism. Aafa seems to be a prime breeding ground for terrorists and violent criminals. Space Marshall Plan could therefore be politically argumented for other SC members. Perhaps this refugees program IS that plan, just poorly executed and staffed.
Byne
"Secondly, if they willy-nilly make Kolshain species free. some of them may decide to start terrorist organizations." True, any species that might start up terrorist organizations should be imprisoned forever on their home planet. Please dont ask about Humanity First.
Youre a swedekisser arent you
I really like the chemistry Kelvan and Chloe have together! They're just two genuinely kind people who wish things were better. It's really nice to see. Also that "This is practically a dating site profile." line is just PEAK subtle foreshadowing.
NMJ GD
It is not only that. Firstly, because of everything that happened Kolshain species needs to be punished. Individual doesn't matter, because they are punishing species. Secondly, if they willy-nilly make Kolshain species free. some of them may decide to start terrorist organizations. But the biggest reason is to "keep safe" Kolshain individuals. Despite the horrors which is happening on Afaa (And as I get the situation stabilized). The outside world is way worse for them. Pretty much 90+% of known species want them dead (big part of human population included) and even one individual is enough to make that happen. I won't be surprised if 60-70% of Kolshain's who got the asylum, were found dead in next 2 years.
Dragon Writer Luc
It's a reference to Romeo & Juliet, "stars-crossed lovers."
Byron Ritchie
I very heavily sympathise with the awkward air in their intial meeting
Kracker
This Kolvanis fellow has to be the most adorable chair I've ever read about.
Edmund Lam
Excellent. Especially now. We need to remember civilians in many societies have no control over what their government and military do.
Byne
"Frankly, I find it hard to belive that the UN could be so intentionally negligent, because Humans know how delicate you have to be with a defeated enemy." Yeah, I really feel like the UN should have done some sort of space Marshall Plan with Aafa and Talsk.
un_pogaz
>“It’s really hot in here. Or is it just me? Okay, fine: Subtlety, zero for this story haha. (there were other less loaded formulations for just an anxiety attack) >God, this is practically a dating site profile. Subtlety, absolutly zero (this will be wholsome). >This Kolshian’s kindness and empathy was remarkable I think Chloe's going to be disappointed with the other Kolshians. I'm suspicious of the average Kolshian's attitude, but Kelvanis is right, Afaa's situation is unfair. Frankly, I find it hard to belive that the UN could be so intentionally negligent, because Humans know how delicate you have to be with a defeated enemy. I had seen someone say that it was probably the former Federation members who were blocking the process, and I think he's right. The fact that the Arxur seem to have been treated more leniently may seem strange, but it's explicable: the Arxur were a horrible but still distant and nebulous threat, whereas the revelation of the Kolshians' betrayal was much more emotionally powerful, violent and concrete, creating a much greater angry response. Add to this the fact that Isif himself took the lead in seeking peace (controversial though it was), and compared to the Kolshians who clung to the last crumb of power, I can understand that the goodwill is less for the traitorous former ally than the repentant historical enemy. (not the good thing to do, but politicaly logic)
Paperclip
I wouldn't know lol, I thought the title was just sci-fi jargon
Dragon Writer Luc
He's foreshadowing that with the title of the piece.
John Benjamin Cate
A good first meeting! Sure, it wasn’t perfect, but it went rather well! And Kelvanis really is a tragic character to have lost so much of his family. Hope we get to see how this asylum process goes then, see how flawed it really is. Oh, and as a minor writing criticism, I don’t think the “wait, why did I think that” was really necessary. The thought before was one that made sense to come to mind with how minimal the info was. Maybe instead of that something like “wait, not important, focus on the priorities!” Or something where she’s getting her mind back on track. I do know this will be a romance, I just think this is a bit too early for that kind of intrusive thought as well as the the thought reacting to not being intrusive. Of course, once the relationship starts to build, intrude away! These kind of thoughts fit really well when the attraction builds!
print Path
Ba dum tiss
print Path
Magic!
Bas Donders
So much of NoP is about fear. It started with fear on Venlil Prime (now Skalga), it continued with fear under Sovlin, just fear fear fear everywhere. Just once I would like to see a pov about how humans control fear, and teaching it to the aliens. Tell them the story of Paul Atreides, or make them sit with buddhist monks. If the UN was on their shit, those are some of the first people that should have been sent to Skalga, to teach them their ways. I want Skalgan buddhists.
AFoxGuy
I guess Printers can go quick ;)
Paperclip
Wow, poor Kelvanis lost his entire family so quickly; in a matter of days. It's incredible that he's so positive despite that. He's going on my favorite character list, I think. Also, is SP foreshadowing a romance with the dating profile comment? Maybe I'm looking too deep into this but wow, Chloe was quick to come to that comparison
Yannis Morris
How
Corporal Chunk
Second
print Path
First
