spacepaladin15
patreon
The Nature of Predators - Nova's Children (10/10)
🕑 Added 2024-02-07 12:00:05 +0000 UTCThe Williams family celebrated most of the large human holidays, as a way for both children to be in touch with the happiest times in Terran culture. Tarva was particularly fond of Easter, spotting similarities with the well-known Gojid tradition Keilren, where gifts would be buried and children would go searching for them. Of course, first she had to learn that Easter eggs generally weren’t real eggs, but rather plastic cups that “hatched” candy when pried apart. The sugar highs from that tradition and Halloween were always terrifying.
However, Christmas was the true showstopper, among the Terran holiday calendar; it was a day where both children would receive gifts from their family, compared to the lone acquisitions received on their respective birthdays. There was so much festive spirit adjacent to the winter occasion, and their mother had to learn the time-honored traditions that went with it alongside her children. Baking cookies and building gingerbread houses took some trial and error. Hanging all sorts of decorations on a plastic tree earned strange looks from Venlil family who visited their abode, who’d return mumbling to themselves about why predators would ever place metal balls and lights on fake shrubbery.
A bit of research on the Terran internet would’ve revealed its religious importance, assimilated from older traditions celebrating life and growth during the dormant and dreary winter season; some practitioners from the Christian faith related the branches to a crown of thorns worn by Jesus during the crucifixion. That was an entire can of worms that was definitively not Venlil-friendly, and a context Tarva was adamant about not giving to the children. She wished she didn’t know what that t-shaped symbol many humans wore signified! Noah didn’t challenge her on that front, given how…difficult it was to explain that a human faith proclaimed to have brutally murdered their deity.
That was far from the only “predatory” tale that raised questions from former Federation species, about what exactly humans believed and put their faith in. Whatever Tarva might’ve thought about some of the background information—things that horrified her to think about her beloved Terrans partaking in or carrying out—she couldn’t deny the sweetness of the holiday in practice. She loved seeing Ari and Elia’s faces light up when they tore up the wrapping paper, and strained to get into their stockings by the fireplace. Though the myth of Santa Claus was one that they wouldn’t believe forever, the duo loved the movies about a nice man who flew reindeer to visit the homes of all human children—even using subspace to bypass star systems, in some recent cartoons. Slinking down every chimney in the middle of the night!
The cultural importance became known enough on Skalga that humans were permitted not to attend classes on Christmas Day. There were so many wonderful memories wrapped up in the December 25th celebrations. One year that they spent the day on Earth, the children roamed the streets of Noah’s hometown singing carols. There were some astounded looks on human faces, as they opened their doors to find a Venlil singing Deck the Halls and We Wish You A Merry Christmas in near-perfect English. The holiday brought out merriment and charity: the best in people. It also allowed precious time to be spent with family, and to focus on what was truly important.
Noah kept the letter that Elia wrote one year to old Saint Nick, complete with her wishlist. (Before this particular holiday, Tarva had several times inquired as to whether human parents did follow through on the threats of putting coal in stockings, if children were naughty.) This note was a simple request…that Santa would make her family happy, and that he could find a way for Tarva to go ice skating and frolicking in the snow with them. Those things might never be possible, thanks to the Farsul-induced crooked legs, but the former governor liked that Christmas kept a magical hope like that alive.
“It’s wonderful for the children to have such hope and innocence,” were her exact words, upon reading the letter. “Elia already knows that our family is the greatest gift of all. I hope we can make each other happy enough to fulfill that for several Christmases to come.”
Memory Transcription Subject: Elia Williams, Venlil Athlete
Date [standardized human time]: December 25, 2152
As Ari and I were ferried back from my physical therapy sessions by a self-driving car, I could pick out the visual chaos surrounding our residence—on an otherwise quiet Venlil ring—from afar. Noah had always put up Christmas decorations on the exterior, but he’d gotten crazier about it in his old age: going far past a string of lights on the roof and a Santa Claus inflatable. Honestly, for those uninitiated with humans, just seeing the likeness of an old Terran with a tubby belly, an ungroomed white beard, and blood red attire must be confusing enough. My father seemed to be waging war on our neighbors’ senses, and I loved him for it.
Ari had helped him set up this year’s decorations alone, since I wasn’t much help with my arm in a cast. There was a metal silhouette of a sleigh with reindeer flying off to the sky, mounted on the roof; the path leading up to our doorstep was lined with giant candy canes, a symbol which would be indiscernible to anyone who didn’t know humans very well. Noah had also brought in some garden gnomes that looked like elves to put near the vintage Santa inflatable, which was another thing that required explanations. Why did these humans have pointy ears? What was this mythical Santa’s workshop, set up under a homemade North Pole sign?
The sole thing missing was the snowfall present on Earth, so that “snowmen” could be constructed; Skalga lacked the climate variance of the human homeworld. Snowball fights were always something my brother walloped me at, with his superior throwing abilities. I supposed I was secretly grateful to get out of that. For this year, Noah had gotten his hands on a cheap artificial snow, and scattered it everywhere on the lawn and the roof. I found myself agreeing with my mother, as she protested that he shouldn’t be climbing up on roofs at his age. However, I thought I knew why he kept upping his decoration game. Terran refugees had gotten wind of our Christmas display, and many would bring their children to view it.
My father likes being able to give a little joy to the humans displaced on Skalga. It’s a taste of home…a small moment of happiness, no matter how difficult things are for the other 364 days of the year.
Ari nudged me with an elbow. “Your nose is twitching with amusement.”
“What can I say? I love Christmastime,” I replied. “Mom’s really gotten good at making certain dishes—mashed potatoes especially. I can practically taste them already!”
“Don’t make me hungry yet; we’ve got to open presents before dinner! I wonder what they put under the tree? I’m hoping for some cool video games we can play together.”
“I already got the only thing I want—a gold medal to hang on the wall!”
“It’s awesome how much attention you’ve gotten since then, with the interview requests and sponsorship offers. Beyond the monetary sum that came with the win, things are falling into place nicely for you. That’s a reason to feel some holiday cheer if I’ve ever heard one.”
“You sound happy.”
“Of course I am. I’m always cheering for your success, and I just want you to capture all of your wild dreams. If I didn’t, I wouldn’t be helping you scout buildings to jump between near the governor’s mansion. It’s not just that you might fall, and break your bones all over again. You’ll draw all sorts of attention! The last humans that tried it got arrested; the exterminators thought it was training for hunting…chasing prey in an urban environment.”
“I’m not a human. A civil squad might think I have predator disease, but they can’t do anything about it anymore. Besides, they’d have to catch me first. Think of all the views, running from the exterminators on camera!”
“An answer for everything. You’re going to get yourself into real trouble one of these days, but I wouldn’t expect anything less. You’re lucky Mom didn’t kill you for painting your claws Christmas colors.”
I waggled the red-and-green digits with delight. “I had to do something to kill the time, while I can’t run. Tarva won’t believe me, but I genuinely like this. It’s not like the ears.”
“I like it too. That’s a human tradition, you know.” Noah threw the front door open without warning, and I wondered how much of our conversation he’d eavesdropped on. “Don’t just stand out there, you two. We have guests. Come say hello!”
I blinked in confusion, knowing it was rare to have distant Venlil relatives attend what was in essence a human feast. Had one of Noah’s kin actually made the trek out to Skalga, instead of attending their own celebration on Earth? The Terran gathering was an event we’d frequented several times, as we alternated worlds for our favorite holiday; it became easier once Skalga’s schools became more understanding. I was beyond grateful not to have to deal with classes at all anymore, but the real gift of Christmas had been not being imprisoned in a classroom on that day. I might’ve celebrated our own kidnapping if it would’ve gotten me out of there!
Not that I mean that…I wouldn’t want anything that’d endanger me or my brother. Still, not being bored out of my skull all the time makes me SO GLAD I didn’t go off to university.
My parents hadn’t mentioned having any visitors this Christmas, so I found it strange that one would’ve showed up out of the blue; with my curiosity piqued, I followed my dad into the kitchen, where Tarva was hard at work on some vegetable dishes. A turkey was roasting in the oven, certainly Noah’s handiwork, but the smell of cooking flesh was mundane to my nostrils—hardly the appetite killer it would be for most Venlil. I’d grown up around a human brother raised on meat, after all. There was a dish I didn’t recognize though, with some sort of confection definitely sourced from non-leafy materials; the viscous texture of the sauce told me that much. I could identify most Terran foods that we used, but this one had me stumped. Perhaps our mystery guest had brought it.
“Surprise!” Noah exclaimed, pointing to a lithe figure, who was helping slice vegetables.
Ari’s eyes lit up. “Aunt Lesedi? You…came for Christmas? I…didn’t think you were actually going to!”
“I’m here. I’ve never been to another planet, so this is a first for me,” his biological relative replied. “I made sure not to come empty-handed. I brought Malva pudding, a South African treat that’s a mix of pudding, cream, and cake. I don’t think it’s Venlil-friendly, but—”
I reached out with my paw, ripping off some of the cake crumbs. “Oh. That’s good.”
“Elia!” Tarva shrieked; Aunt Lesedi flinched, assuming my mother was angry that I’d sampled the predatory confection. “Wash your paws. You’re not the only one that’s going to be eating that!”
“Chill out! I just took a tiny piece.”
Lesedi’s facial features stretched out with visible confusion. “You are an unusual Venlil, aren’t you, young lady? You’re welcome to have some, of course, but I’m just surprised. Anyone who’s been awake for the last sixteen years has heard how you guys react.”
“Elia is extraordinary,” Noah said, affection in his eyes. “She’s a firecracker, and you’d be surprised how many human mannerisms she’s adopted. Really proves the side of the ‘nature versus nurture’ debate that I’ve always been on.”
“I see that she’s painted her claws. I really like those, dear! Did you do them yourself?”
My ears perked up with delight. “As a matter of fact, I did. Thanks for the compliment!”
“Don’t encourage her,” Tarva griped. “As lovely as the cultural melding is, Elia’s picked up a few too many human traditions. Painting claws, like she’s some predator—accentuating her natural weapons? Next, she’ll go painting her teeth.”
Lesedi’s posture seemed awkward. “I…wouldn’t have expected you, of all Venlil, to say something like that.”
“I’m not judging your kind for it. I just object to the fact that…if Ari and Noah went off…what do you humans call it? Trophy hunting? If they did, Elia would be right behind them.”
I mimicked the human gesture for “blah blah blah” with my paw. “Tarva’s been extra grumpy since I hurt myself at the Olympics. She’s really been on one about my recklessness.”
“Yes, I saw the clip of your photo finish, Elia,” Lesedi responded. “Many humans did. I heard that, despite solid viewership numbers from Skalga, even more humans watched your Olympics than Venlil. Earth really enjoyed seeing your contestants square off, and with the competition level you faced, you should definitely be proud of your victory.”
“I am proud, even if my mother thinks it was stupid. She’s managed to blame me, Noah, and Ari for the injuries, all at once. Tarva should try out for the gymnastics team, if they add that to the next Olympics.”
Tarva hissed at me. “You could’ve given yourself a permanent disability, ruining the gene mod reversals that we sacrificed so much for! And it was all for a hunk of metal! I swear, I’m the only sane one in this house. How many bones do you need to break before I should speak up, Elia?”
Noah rolled his eyes. “Knock it off, both of you. It’s Christmas. Let’s not scare off our guest on her first visit.”
“Yeah, please don’t,” Ari chimed in. “This is the best Christmas gift ever! I’m glad you’re here, Aunt Lesedi.”
My brother’s aunt smiled. “Wouldn’t miss it for the world. This is the first Christmas I haven’t spent…alone since Zola died. I’m grateful your parents reached out to invite me.”
“We’re glad you could make it. You being a part of Ari’s life: I think it’s a good thing,” Noah responded.
“I do too. It makes me feel more in touch with my human side…and I like that,” Ari said. “I wonder if my birth dad’s out there, somewhere. Observing Christmas on a very different world with the ark ship colonists. I hope he made it, and he…thinks about me, from time to time.”
Lesedi squeezed his shoulder. “Aadan would’ve loved you, just like he adored your mother. He would’ve been proud of the young man you‘ve grown into, just like I am. Wherever he is, I’m sure he’s looking at the stars and wishing you were with him.”
“I wish Aadan was here too…but I don’t wish I was there with him. This is my home, and my family. I wouldn’t want to be anywhere else.”
Noah’s eyes glistened with moisture, touched to hear Ari, in essence, say that he would always be his true father—the father he wanted. The former astronaut swiped his son up for a quick embrace, before bringing Lesedi and I into the fold. Tarva protested as he yanked at her prosthetic, in the hopes of completing the group hug; our mother was single-mindedly focused on monitoring the Christmas side dishes. She joined in ever so briefly, but then hurried back to the boiling vegetables as if they’d spontaneously combust without her watchful eyes. My heart felt warm and fuzzy, as if all was right with the world on this special day. We all had found our purposes, and our sense of belonging; through blood or through love, we were all brought together under this roof.
With presents, a hearty meal, and pudding still ahead for the evening, I decided to engross myself in the moment. Times like these were the memories that I would cherish forever, seeing my family happy and enjoying each other’s company. As far as I was concerned, I agreed with Ari; for all of our disagreements and strife, this was my home, and I wouldn’t trade it for anything. Whatever gifts we received as the day went on, the people from two worlds standing here now were the greatest ones of all.
A/N - The finale of the Nova series! We see how Christmas is celebrated in the Williams' house, with a bit of history on how it's gone down through the years, then leap to the present...where Elia, defiant of cultural norms as ever, is going through physical therapy with painted claws, and swiping predator pudding without a second thought. Lesedi shows up for the holidays, meshing with the typical family dynamic, and being a pleasant surprise for Ari: though Ari states without a doubt that Noah is his father.
What do you think of the series as a whole, and the insight into their family dynamic? What do you think of Ari's journey to find peace, Elia's bickering with her mother, and Christmas traditions being passed down?
As always, thank you for reading and supporting; this is the first NOP2-based bonus content, in the books, with a bit of a style experiment. We'll be turning back the clock Saturday, because we've never had a Gojid refugee story...it'll be from Talpin's POV, so we'll get to see the Federation's consideration, or lack thereof, for a deaf individual. Also, more on this in the main update, but Chapter 11 of the main story will be releasing Sunday: a day early! It's my absolute favorite, so I wanted to see the comments without obstruction.
Comments
pogman
It seems the vengeful soul has found solice in family
Some Lvm
This is such a nice, heart warming chapter! I've been thinking recently that the way NoP 1 turned out was, how can I put it gently - unsatisfying. It felt to me that humanity overall did not value the billion dead, they, and more importantly the billions of friends and loved ones left behind to grief them, never got justice, and overall humanity showed the galaxy it does not value the lives of its members. While the writing was superb and the politics realistic, I found my self wishing for a version where humanity had just straight up join the Arxur after the battle for earth, or at the very least had the decency to glass Aafa and the Farsul home world (keep forgetting is it Talsk of Fahl?). This chapter though, it somehow helps dispel those thoughts...
Some Lvm
Reading the first part of this chapter reminded me of a short story by Arthur C. Clarke called "The Start". It starts with "It is three thousand light-years to the Vatican." I won't spoil the rest, but lets just say Tarva would be terrified :P
I finally got around to catching up on things, and this story has been a lovely epilogue to Noah and Tarva's story. The odd quirks of such a family are very entertaining, even if Tarva herself is (understandably) overprotective. It felt like a bit much, but it makes sense. The introductory bits felt like a very refreshing change that gave complementary insight into their characters and the ramifications of growing up as the children of such important figures. The only thing I would have liked to see more of would be Ari picking up odd habits from Venlil like Elia did from Humans, especially since his conflict involved not feeling quite Human. Overall, a lovely side story, and one that leaves me in high spirits as NoP 2 progresses. (:
It's combining their names. No from Noah + va from Tarva = Nova. This is commonly done by fans of series "shipping" characters that aren't canonically in a relationship. Given that context, it wouldn't surprise me if Nova is what fans were calling them long before their relationship became canon.
Kilo Rat
I'm embarrassed to ask, but why is this called Nova's Children? The parents are Noah and Tarva
Space Paladin
Thank you!
Alicja Pielichowska
Noah is so wholesome
SimpleArtist
In Latin América and some parts of Europe, we celebrate the 24th :)
PhycoKrusk
... bravo. Seriously, well done. You just made me realize those "implications": Modded Venlil are an extinct species. Not now, obviously, but it's only going to take a few generations, and I think Tarva is struggling very, very hard to ignore that fact. For the Federation's grip over the Venlil to be truly erased, modded Venlil and, by extension, Tarva and everything she grew up knowing must necessarily die. All progress is built upon a foundation of corpses; this is no exception.
Byron Ritchie
Pretty wholesome ending I hope tarva learns to chill but I understand it’s due to what happened to her first child so I won’t blame it on her
Edmund Lam
Or ham.
Edmund Lam
This is great. Wonder what becomes of the kids in NOP2.
Aured
This was a great side story - I liked the historical vignettes before each chapter
Corporal Chunk
Also, let's go talpin pov
TheBlack2007
She's being over-protective. Hardly surprising considering what happened to her firstborn daughter and consequently her first marriage. Much of her behavior can be attributed to a deeply buried, subconscious fear of losing her children. Likely not helped along by the fact they got kidnapped and almost murdered because some former Exterminators had a bone to pick with her. Another factor is her never having come to terms with the fact her biological daughter might as well be a different species from her - with the Genetic Modifications reversed and there being only little in studies of Venlil behavior as well as their society before First Contact with the Federation. While she has fully accepted Humans for what they are (she better does with a Human husband and adoptive son), she seems to struggle immensely with the fact her biological, Venlil daughter, broken free from the shackles put in place by Federation Gene-Modding and Generations of Societal Indoctrination, is not too different from Human children after all due to her having been brought up under the same, indoctrinated society. Same goes for Elia's older half-sister. TL,DR: She's fiercely protective of her family but struggles with the implications the more "predatory" traits of her unmodded daughter pose on her species as a whole.
Gumcel
Iirc Onso didn’t know what fireworks were so probably not.
oobanooba
I quite enjoyed this story, easily my favourite one you've done so far!
PhycoKrusk
Wouldn't be terribly cost effective. You'd be better off growing a bunch of turkey paste and then injection molding out around a bunch of fake bones that were, themselves, injection molded. Spray on some "skin" to help hold it together and crisp up in the oven, done. Is it going to taste as good as one of those Franklin Farms pasture-raised turkeys? Not a chance. Will it be a close enough analog that you won't care? Probably. Is it going to be drier than a martini because everyone in your family has been cooking turkey wrong since 1947? Uh-huh!
PhycoKrusk
Part of it is perspective: In Tarva's eyes, what she did leading up to and even during the Orion War was risky, but wasn't dangerous. What Elia is doing is just dangerous. Yes, even painting her nails; what if somebody gets the wrong idea?
Yannis Morris
@T___ I think the point is they’re not wearing Jesus’ murder. They’re wearing Jesus’ sacrifice
Tyler Ellis
I doubt anyone will shake hundreds of years of fed indoctrination in a single life time. Plus after the loss of her first I’d be surprised if she wasn’t over protective. She’s progressive in policy but a bear when it comes to family, to me it fits.
Almatty
I really liked this story. I also like the idea of using those introductory bits to fill in context for character showcases. Like if you do something with Sovlin's collected family. Having a "how did we get here" section would be cool and i liked it in this story. Also i want more old Noah shenanigans. The idea of old fart humans trolling the shit out of the venlil (or others) sounds like a very fun and wholesome story.
Almatty
It may just be the cliche of wild young adult turns into controlling mother. She is still personally very progressive but dosent want to see her daughter hurt the same ways she was in the past? Theres no evidence to back that take, but i feel like Tarva being a controlling mom is very fitting and i like the dynamic.
print Path
:Arxur_happy:
Wesley Rigg
It's just a contest of who gets second. Because we all know that Print Path gets first.
Space Paladin
There’s room to go anywhere now, whether it’s NOP1, NOP2, in between, or several of these phases! Still lots of avenues that can be told 😅
Space Paladin
I have been asked a bunch for Christmas content, so I’m glad it fit the bill!
T___
I loved Noah and the kids. This might - of course - be my own issues with my mother speaking, but what happened to Tarva? She was just like Elia, that's why we all fell in love with her. She let humans land. She talked to them and had them even hugging her. She defied the Federation for them. Why is she struggling so much with Elia's strong will? Tarva seems to fall to the same rut every time when talking to her daughter, and Noah has to stop her. Maybe it is as simple as she is talking TO Elia, instead of talking WITH her.
Space Paladin
<3
T___
Never understood why you'd want to wear the implement of the murder of someone dear to you.
Vladi Vladi
this mini-series flew by AND took its time, was ultimately a nice showcase of how Skalga is doing these days
EliasArt2Life
This chapter felt a lot like fan service; we’ve been asking for aliens to react to more holidays, and Space Paladin delivers. I’m all for it! I hope that we get to see some more of this family in the future, either in the main series, or a side series (please don’t turn it into a “be careful what you wish for” story). For all the flaws and clashes, this really is a pretty good family. Merry Christmas, Williams family!
Apogee
Awww sweet ending. This is my favorite interpretation of Santa https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=PJiHaVuZuHg&pp=ygUNU2FudGEgbW9uc3Rlcg%3D%3D
Wingit98
People can just as easily have positive values without religion and in a future where we know there's hundreds of sapient species on other worlds, it kinda makes the whole religion thing seem even more far-fetched than it already is.
Wingit98
I mean, ham is the traditional dinner in the US, but I've had Christmases where we had turkey instead.
PiñaPiloto
I fuckin LOVE christmas in space, my favorite sci-fi trope. I wanna spread ALL the holly jolly joy to my favorite fluffy friends! Another great miniseries SP! We love you, and remember to drink plenty of water and get good sleep!
EliasArt2Life
No no no; we celebrate it with pretty lights, colors, and sparkles. Also, I want them to react to Groundhog Day. I just want to see their mind try to understand the concept of a superstitious belief that a prey animal seeing its shadow or not affecting the weather for the next month.
Tyler Ellis
Nothing ever said you couldn’t grow the entire animal, perhaps minus the brain and central nervous system.
Tyler Ellis
Super glad we see alien perspectives of our holidays and religions! Been waiting on that for a long long time! Now the only thing I need is to see how they react to fireworks, do they even have a concept for it? “Wait, you celebrate the new years arrival with fire and explosives?!”
CyberpunkGandalf
I’m sure that if you’re 3-D printing meat artificially, choosing a shape to match the selected protein types is not that difficult it’s not that difficult
BXSinclair
Speaking of Christianity, while many faiths have just the cross, Catholics have the crucifix, which is a depiction of Jesus still on the cross, right in the middle of his suffering Imagine how the Venlil would react to that, since one could no longer pretend it's actually something else
PhycoKrusk
Ok, but friends, this still leaves unanswered the most important question of all: What do you think Noah did to prepare that turkey? Because, let's face it, if he prepared it the way 95% of people do, that turkey is going to be drier than English wit.
NextMan
Oh, the one Sovlin made a whole thing over because he thought humans would cull the disabled? The irony is thick there, considering how the Federation treated the disabled…
PhycoKrusk
It is one of the things we do here. I think ham is slightly more popular, but turkey is pretty common too. Goose is pretty uncommon outside of select regions, though. December 25th is the most common day for Christmas celebrations in the United States. Some folks will have theirs the eve of the 24th instead, and still others have a both.
th3h4ck3r
I'm guessing the "turkey" is some sort of processed meat product, right? I don't think the Venlil would be very receptive of the prospect of either importing 'corpses' or raising live animals.
Wingit98
Still a lot of meat on that bone (thought of a predatory phrase for it)
Paperclip
I don't remember what chapter, but I believe he was one of the Cradle refugees that Sovlin thought the humans were gonna pounce on because of his disability. He was later given a device to help him communicate.
Fever Dream
Christmas Turkey is a thing here in Canada too.
Greg Gougeon
Ok now I have to make malva pudding it looks so good.
Wingit98
Oh good to know we'll still be bouncing back to the first story's timeline here and there. There's still so much story potential back there that I wouldn't want to miss out on. Also it's good to finally get some attention on Christmas in this universe
The Moist Crusader
I actually thought Americans didn't have turkey for Christmas because they just had it for Thanksgiving. The UK has it for Christmas, I know that much
Space Paladin
Thank you!
ArchitectOfTears
Was Noah American? Xmas turkey sounds weird to me, but I guess its what they do in USA. Also 25th is not universally the day that xmas celebration happens.
Hello There
A lovely side story paladin. I think one of the best you have done so far. Keep it up
Stueymon
I was gonna say Ramadan would be interesting considering the fasting element too it. Could Venlil trust humans who were literally starving themselves?
Adam Myers
@SP Though I am curious how they would handle Hanukkah. I think they would be able to sympathize, somewhat with religious purity, defiling a temple, and a miraculous restoration of sacredness to the temple. Though, I suspect that the humans would just not mention that the defiling sacrifices were defiling because of being animals, but of what kind. Ramadan and Lunar new year could be interesting as well.
Adam Myers
@Stueymon It can, but there isn’t much that can be done about it. Christmas is a cultural juggernaut, and the setting makes speaking about its origins necessary.
Yannis Morris
@PhycoKrusk Well it’s not like we’d be some omnipotent observer stationed above the guy. Nature of Predators is written from a first person point of view. We’d be in his head specifically. Everything he doesn’t tell anyone else would be available to us
PhycoKrusk
Either could be insightful in this case. It's clear that no formalized sign language was developed in the Federation beyond tail and ear signals, but even for those with both long ears and long, prehensile tails that only ever seemed to have a limited range of communication, and Gojid have neither of those features. How did he manage? Of course, it might also be kind of dull, since there would be no real conversation.
Space Paladin
Thank you! The door is always open to see them again 😅
Space Paladin
I think most Christians would find this to be in good humor, especially given how well certain aspects exemplify violence and bloodshed in human beliefs 😅 Though it’s hardly the only example!
Space Paladin
The deaf Gojid from the refugee camp!
Stueymon
Agreed but does it not feel detrimental to other religions to not be mentioned? That's what I've always assumed in most Sci Fi, that they don't choose a religion specifically to avoid a sense of favouritism?
DRIVE ME CLOSER, I WANT TO HIT THEM WITH MY SWORD
Personally I like the acknowledgement of Christianity. I'm not religious by any means, but its a major part of global culture. Kinda feels empty when sci-fi sweeps it to the side, makes the world seem less human.
Kevo
I can’t remember talpin now
DRIVE ME CLOSER, I WANT TO HIT THEM WITH MY SWORD
where was He introduced again?
Stueymon
Woof! On dangerous territory SP15! Not for me personally but some may take this religious stuff the wrong way
kenneth Moore
Hopefully you find a way to tie them into future side stories! I really liked this arc.
Paperclip
Holy moly we're going back to Talpin! I've ALWAYS wanted to get back to that dude. I felt like you couldn't just introduce a character like that and then dip, lol. I was so surprised that there was no mention or memory transcription of him 10 chapters later when I first read.
Yannis Morris
Okay so people tried to Parkour and the Exterminators were like “every physical activity is training for murder”
DemonVee
Oh I love this chapter, probably the most wholesome throughout the series. A good contrast to their bleak pasts. As a whole, I think this series had a bit of a slow start but it developed wonderfully as it went along, with really strong twol last chapter. One think I would love to see in a side story is the life of modern day Arxur and how they are adjusting to a demilitarising world. Maybe from the perspecting of a Yotul embassy if they finaly set up shop.
Space Paladin
Thank you! I glad you enjoyed it 😅
RaphaelFrog
I loved this side story! Seeing how Nova children interact and how Tarva and Noah's family fare after NoP1 was really nice and heartwarming! Keep doing an absolutely wonderful job and I'm looking forward to all the stories you create >:D
Andrew Lechner
I'm sad to see Noah not not pass on his faith to his children (assuming that he is Christian by the way Tarva talks about that aspect of Christmas). Religion usually forms the core of a person's values, and the values Christianity focuses on (perseverance, charity, and self-sacrifice) are very good ones indeed, especially for already semi-persecuted minorities like humans on Skalaga.
Mark Baculna
May the fourth be with you
Rowan Ruble
Ooo, Talpin is going to be very interesting.
un_pogaz
Sweet. Elia is definitely an ungovernable wonder. I'm very curious to see what will become of the Venlil in the future, and all the other ancient Fed races. Elia is great, but this situation is truly exceptional. But that for very others day. Gojid refugee, Talpin, disability management in the wonderful utopian Federation of Prey? Oh, I can't wait to see all that.
Vaill the protogen
I think I'm gonna cry, I'm really gonna miss Tarva and Noah
Swan
Feels wierd saying goodbye to the family, but all good things must come to an end I suppose :)
Bas Donders
Oh Talpin's story could be interesting. I hope it focuses more on the events during and after the evacuation than it does on his time under the Federation - the Federation are written as almost cartoonishly evil, while Alien-Human interactions are written as more insightful, more true to life.
Corporal Chunk
Second
print Path
First
