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The Nature of Predators 142
🕑 Added 2023-08-10 11:00:05 +0000 UTCMemory transcription subject: Chief Hunter Isif, Arxur Rebellion Command
Date [standardized human time]: February 21, 2137
When the United Nations contacted me after the Summit, I expected to be chastised for my unannounced arrival, shirking Olek and Lisa’s watch. Instead, Secretary-General Zhao offered to confide the secret he was keeping about the Arxur; the human was emphatic that this had to be kept under wraps, even from Felra, Kaisal, and anyone else in my inner circle. I landed a shuttle on the gorgeous world known as Earth, following the UN’s landing beacon. It was a bit concerning to know the humans were officially in league with the herbivores, while we remained outside their organization. It wasn’t clear if the speech the rodent pestered me into had made a difference, given that I hadn’t heard from any governments except the Yotul. Tarva was notably quiet.
Human soldiers steered me in through a separate entrance from the main one, though I found their cordial demeanors reassuring. It wasn’t clear what the Secretary-General felt needed to be passed along in person; I hoped the request for a face-to-face dialogue meant I was in the United Nations’ good graces. My Dossur friend’s most compelling argument for attending the Summit had been that an effective rebellion required external military support. Our success hinged on how much the Terrans or their allies chipped in to our cause. While it didn’t suit me to beg like a leaf-licker, I would attempt to gauge their war plans.
Do humans view us as full allies? Unless they’re crushing Aafa underfoot tomorrow, this revolution needs to be more than an afterthought.
“What could be a lock-and-key secret about the Arxur from the Archives?” I mused to my escorts, who only acknowledged my words with a twitch of their binocular eyes. “We already know the truth about the conspiracy, yes?”
The humans clearly had been ordered to stay tight-lipped about the purpose of this visit, so I fiddled with my holopad while waiting for Zhao. The Secretary-General strolled into the room within minutes, which suggested he’d been here in anticipation of my arrival; it was another positive sign that the leader of Earth respected my time. His personal guards were lax, further denoting that he no longer viewed me as a threat. The Terran dignitary extended his right arm, and I gripped it loosely in my own paw. A slight smile crossed his face, before he seated himself across from me.
“I’m not here to put you through the ringer, since the Duerten were no major loss. If I’m being honest, there were lots of groans among the diplomatic staff when we heard they were coming,” Zhao chuckled. “But frankly, Isif, it wasn’t a smart move on your part. You know how delicate it is, just for us to appease the herbivores. Felra seems to have a negative impact on your decision-making, while also failing to maintain decorum…and making you appear weak to your kin. She’s been good for you personally, but she’s a negative influence on your judgment. She needs to go home.”
I flared my nostrils with indignation. “I’m not going to ship my best friend back to Mileau, gift-wrapped for the Kolshian occupiers! It was your people’s idea to guilt me into rescuing her.”
“General Jones…miscalculated, in my humble opinion. Her intent was for you to tilt the scales at Mileau, not to grab one Dossur and bolt. You’re a great strategist, and you did need a push, but you’ve become distracted. You’re not devoting your full energy to the movement. That’ll cost you in the long run.”
“I saved someone that is important to me. Jones wished to force me into openly rebelling, yes? Humanity has made no progress at Mileau in months, so it seems bold to fling accusations at me for my selected engagements.”
“You’re correct to frown upon our progress, or lack thereof. The problem with Mileau is we whittle down each other’s drone forces, and the Kolshians send more to replace them, as quickly as us. It’s become a competition of how fast we can slap new automatons together, and they have the advantage of being entrenched in the system already. If we commit resources from other key areas, that opens us up to an attack elsewhere. Perhaps what they’re banking on.”
“So humanity is more focused on keeping its current systems and counterattacking.”
“Precisely. Every system we fail to protect reflects on us. The Duerten Shield has been ineffectual. The whole of our industrial power can’t go to one world. You need to intervene, whether for Felra’s sake or for ours; give us an edge to make headway.”
It was undeniable that the Dossur didn’t belong among Arxur. Her presence was hampering my interactions with the rebels serving under me, many of whom would never accept her. Felra never complained about her homeworld being occupied, but I’d noticed how happy she’d looked at the sight of Dossur Summit delegates. I’d grown accustomed to having a friend to talk to; however, what was best for her was more important than her commitment, preventing me from being alone. No matter the distance, we could chat via SwiftPair like we’d done before meeting up.
Humans manipulated me into intervening at Mileau when the attack first began, but at least Zhao has the decency to outright ask without trickery. Felra’s behavior has forced me into some altercations to defend her honor. It’s truly not ideal.
“I’ll consider it, but we’ve lent our resources to rescue various cattle, for nothing in return. I can’t risk sustaining heavy losses without some guarantees and recompense,” I responded. “Spell out for me what comes next. Convince me that your cunning is truly enough to topple the Federation, once and for all.”
Zhao donned a cocky smirk. “The Farsul are already out of commission.”
“You and I both know they’re not the military might of the empire. They’re schemers, meddlers, rewriters. The Kolshians are the ones with the secret army, and we have no idea of their full capabilities, but Aafa could be an impregnable fortress.”
“They could well have an ace up their sleeve to play, but who said all our cards were on the table? There’s three phases left in the war. The first is defense; should the tables turn at Mileau, I imagine the Kolshians are biding their time to hit human territory. We know they want to cure us, so I’d find the use of biological weapons against a civilian populace likely.”
“Have you made any progress toward undoing this cure? It would be of use to the Arxur, as this disease would be lethal against us.”
“Even with emergency use protocols, I can’t see us having a genetic reversal inside of a year—especially with the life-or-death issues on our plate. We’ve been looking into this since learning about the omnivore manipulation from the late Nikonus, but knowing which human genes were targeted by the retrovirus, via a before-and-after, is insightful. It should accelerate our research progress a little.”
“At least your kind can survive on vegetation, yes? I should hope your other two war ‘phases’ aren’t so dreadfully passive; it inspires minimal confidence.”
“No, Isif, we’re not content to sit back. The second phase is preventing the Kolshians’ allies from joining the fray, since it’s unfeasible to clash with hundreds of species. We keep them out of it, hitting any targets we can, and make it a fair fight. The third part then, of course, is an all-out assault on Aafa, and we take it inch-by-inch; we storm the planetary defense systems on their satellite like the landing at Normandy. Humanity must execute each of these phases simultaneously, and to perfection.”
“You can’t be everywhere all at once.”
“But we can make them think we are.”
Realization struck me like a kick to the teeth; that was the strategy humanity wanted my rebellion to employ against the Dominion. It was an arduous illusion to pull off, but the psychological effects couldn’t be understated. Leaving the enemy looking over their shoulder, expecting an ambush at each turn, was the classic strategy of the Arxur. Could the Terrans rattle the herbivores further than we had, with a more convincing rendition? I was intrigued to know how Zhao hoped to accomplish that, and whether I could replicate those strategies against Giznel.
We’ve discussed the state of military affairs long enough; I’m sold that the humans are planning an attempt to stamp out the last of the Feds, in one grand push. Even the tireless Terrans can’t keep up this pace of activity forever…can they?
“I’ll draft a plan to retake Mileau, but again, I expect some collaboration and aid,” I decided. “Now, I thought you summoned me here to impart something you found at the Archives. Or was that a false pretense?”
Secretary-General Zhao pursed his lips. “I decided to tell you the truth, because I trust you and see you as an important ally. At the Archives, we discovered a handful of Arxur kept in cryosleep, presumably preserved from long ago, in case the Farsul ever took another go at curing you.”
“What?! That’s…incredible. I would love for these Arxur to join me.”
“That’s part of why I hesitated to tell you. You see, after learning about what the Arxur once were, many of them have become despondent. I feel like we’re treading the same path as the Farsul, too, telling your people that aliens kidnapped them, but not us. Except it’s true, in this case.”
“I don’t follow. Knowing my own sadness to what we’ve lost as a culture, I do not see why humanity’s role or their reaction to the present status quo would matter.”
“Isif, Earth providing asylum to vocal critics of Betterment, several of whom opposed that very ideology in their day, would destroy what’s left of our outward neutrality with the Dominion. If word got out through your people, or we accepted the scattered pleas from this lot to join UN forces, it would be problematic. Regardless, I’m not sure they want to sign on to your rebellion. They’re leery, even of you, learning about the cruel practices and your history.”
Disappointment fogged my mind. “Ah, I see. My own people think I am a monster. You don’t want me to get the wrong idea about their allegiance, or spread the word about what Arxur used to be.”
“I felt it would be wrong to deprive you of the opportunity to speak with the ancients. I know you want to restore your society to what it once was, and that mandates full knowledge of the changes that have transpired.”
“If humanity has assessed that these people wish for nothing to do with me, I would respect that conclusion. After the ridicule at the Summit, I do not need to speak to anyone who does not wish to speak to me.”
“Relax. I’ve selected one of the Arxur who’s taken the news in stride, and hasn’t had a depressive episode. Her name is Vysith; she was open to speaking with you, if only to find out how you could do such things.”
“Why would I wish to defend my entire life, Zhao? It is not as if I don’t already know the full scope of my crimes.”
“You want a reason to go through the trouble? One word: morality. Call it a foolish notion, but heeding moral principles is what gives you integrity. Without ethics, your movement is one bad actor away from returning to Betterment’s oppression. Vysith could show you what the Arxur stood for.”
I lashed my tail in frustration. When word from the Archives confirmed empathy was prevalent in our past, I’d yearned to see it in action. After years of repressing my own defective leanings, it was difficult to understand how personal expression and interactions worked. Furthermore, I found myself defaulting to cruelty as the disciplinary crux that kept my subordinates in line. As much as I aspired to emulate the ideals of the past, I was at a loss for how to achieve that. Vysith could give me pointers on the proper bounds of morality.
Maybe we could become more like humanity, through this conversation Zhao is facilitating. It’s worth hearing what Vysith has to say.
“Very well.” I leveled the human with a piercing stare, which he matched with his own brown eyes. “If it helps return to the reason and honor that once guided us, I must do it. Peace for Arxur of the future—for every species among the stars—is what I desire, at any cost.”
Secretary-General Zhao stood, beckoning for me to follow. “Humanity has that in common, Isif. Meier talked about coexistence, and I championed protecting Earth, but it goes beyond both of those noble goals. If we vanished from the Milky Way tomorrow…I’d like for people to say we left the galaxy a better place than we found it.”
“I know they will not say that about me. I have perpetrated too much tragedy.”
“For what it’s worth, it’s my belief that history will be kinder to you than you imagine.”
The primate led me through a narrow corridor, which was cramped for my wider, taller form; had I not been slouching, I would not fit upright within the dreary hallway. Arxur posture proved beneficial in this instance, as we ducked into an observation room that opened through Zhao’s retinal scan. I stalked up to the window, curious for a peek at Vysith. The female Arxur was seated across from a blond human, who was playing some paper rectangle game with her. The glass was one-way, while security monitors also captured the scene.
Zhao approached a microphone, switching it on. “Testing. Vysith, can you hear me? Are you ready to talk to the rebel leader I told you about?”
“Yes,” the huntress answered. “In the interest of parity, I think we should trade questions. This…Isif figure can start.”
Swallowing with nervousness, I took Zhao’s spot by the intercom. “It’s a pleasure to speak with you. May I ask whether you were around during the fourth world war?”
“I was more than around. I could’ve gone into politics, run for a small local office, but I served my country’s military to oppose the genocidal maniacs that wanted to conquer the world and ‘cull’ their own. My turn. If Betterment culled the good people, how could someone like you even exist?”
“Blending in. You can’t fully erase defectiveness…their word…from the gene pool. Assuming you have empathetic traits, which I gather from your speech, you would be put down today; rest assured, I do not engage in such practices.”
“Yes, how reassuring, that you felt the need to specify that. I don’t get how the Bloc could’ve gotten away with killing people, without an uproar from friends and family. Nobody fought back?”
“Uproar…you had friends and family who cared about you? Normal Arxur did?!”
“Is that really your question?”
“If I posited it to you in the interrogative, I suppose it is. By that logic, you asking why nobody fought back was an extraneous question.”
“I’m astounded by how rigid and literal you are. I was expressing my shock that you people just let Wriss rot. Even less social Arxur cared about their families, and had a few people to share their subjects of interest with. It seems impossible to have a functioning society without any connection; it’s no wonder you have no conscience.”
With how self-conscious I was speaking to others, the criticism of my phraseology would’ve been enough to make me clam up, before Vysith lambasted me as devoid of empathy. My conscience was why I shied away from talking food to begin with. Despite my efforts to oppose Betterment, this huntress viewed me with unfettered hostility. It was difficult enough that the rest of the galaxy saw us as irredeemable monsters; to hear such rhetoric from my own kind needled shame deep within me.
Secretary-General Zhao knitted his brows with concern, and seemed to weigh terminating the exchange. I was surprised when the human placed an oily palm on my shoulder, a quiet gesture of support. Vysith’s verbal attacks drew disappointment from Earth’s leader, who’d hoped she would serve as a moral lighthouse to guide me through murky waters. I stepped away from the microphone, to deliberate a better angle to approach the investigation. The human dignitary started back down the corridor, sighing heavily.
A knock sounded from within Vysith’s room, coming from a separate entrance to her chamber. The blond Terran accompanying the Arxur leapt to his feet with a baffled expression, and propped the door open. My deflated demeanor was replaced by curiosity, prompting me to squint. The face on the other side of the threshold was Gojid, belonging to an individual the humans clearly weren’t expecting; the primates displayed concern at the newcomer’s arrival. If my fellow predators were worried, that could mean the herbivore was a threat to Vysith’s welfare.
I gazed upon the hate-filled eyes of the Gojid, and waited to see what his next move would be. It was clear the humans didn’t think this spiky visitor had come with peaceful intentions.
A/N - 142 in the books! Zhao discusses the war plan, and explains his thoughts on Isif's arrival at the Summit, but the true purpose of summoning our narrator was to reveal that Arxur had been rescued from cryopods. Vysith chews Isif out for the sins of their species, but just before the Chief Hunter is about to leave and regroup, a certain someone arrives. What happens next? Will Sovlin know Isif is there...and what does he do with the two Arxur?
As always, thank you for reading and supporting! I'm doing really well on staying ahead of schedule, so I might be able to include an extra one-shot exclusive before the end of the month; I still have that list on Discord of things you guys requested, including the narrowly-outvoted Thafki side story.
Comments
Weston Simmons
Zhao plan is not that great if it gets a fair fight rule number 1 of war is never take the fair fight if your fighting fair your not fighting to win the goal should always be to make it lopsided in your favor.
Isak Mark
Isif liberation speech of Mileau: This rebellion is not against the Dominion it’s against the very fabric of our own living. We are about to embark upon the great hunt. All sapient beings, Pray or Predator are welcome towards our crevasse, from which we prowl until time comes to strike. Those who oppose us will be crushed by our cruel claws. For the growth of the righteous must be earned by the collected sacrifice of the herd.
