The Nature of Predators 2-97

Memory Transcription Subject: Taylor Trench, Human Colonist

Date [standardized human time]: May 30, 2161

I didn’t know what place I considered home anymore, but I wasn’t sure that such a title even belonged to a physical planet or a building where I rested my head at night. Instead, what felt most like home to me was being with the people who believed I could be something more than I was, even when I didn’t believe it myself. I peeked out from behind the curtain, waggling a few fingers at Lecca in the audience. She’d been elated to see the changes around Tellus, with our settlement now an official UN protectorate adorned in the official baby blues. The colonists were busy overhauling any aspects of Krev culture that’d been built into our city, such as the Trombil bridges; Sivkit architects—who were surprisingly savvy—were helping out.

It felt like the world was healing, by the time the Sivkit Grand Herd arrived to reclaim their home planet; the United Nations was reaching over the fence to provide terraforming technology that could breathe new life into this desert, just like they were trying to salvage the ruins of Esquo. We’d gotten along well in early interactions, which might blossom into some neighborly spirit. Mayor Hathaway had been arrested on conspiracy charges and human rights violations, following a review of his conduct both after his induction as a KC delegate and during the years living in the caverns. He’d been willing to obfuscate many details to keep the colonists in line, selling a lick and a promise.

Tellus will be safe under the United Nations’ guardianship, and the Sivkits and the Tellish both have shared suffering at the hands of the ghost Farsul. It’s two species’ home now, two species who want to make it a better place and restore it to its former glory.

“I guess it’s a good thing the Consortium built up a theatre after all,” I told Cherise, puffing out my archaic sleeves. “How do I look?

Gress interjected, grabbing my hand and pressing his nose against it. “Enchanting. Dashing! Half of the seats out there are filled by Sivkits; Loxsel will be delighted.”

“Daxfrin dares to speak for me?” Loxsel crawled across the ground, inspecting us up-close-and-personal. “Huh. You seem prepared. I’ve dreamed about this day coming for a long time; shouting wild words at people is the only way I ever feel heard. I’m capable of such immaculate drama.”

Cherise placed her hands on her hips, scoffing. “Who are you, and what did you do with the crazy rabbit spewing unintelligible words?”

“An actor must play their roles at all times. Am I a little unhinged? Perchance, but I know exactly what I’ve been doing. The Herd fucked me over with the predator disease diagnoses, so I gave them what they wanted. If they sought crazy, they could’ve just asked.”

“Did you have to fucking act like the humans were savage predators?” Cala chirped. 

“Yes, the hilarity is not lost on me; I only began to feel bad for Doctor Tassi, who tried to connect with me, so I ensured that I stopped bringing her into it. With the SC though, I…expressed the views of my people. You, Taylor and Gress—you played along—you are my people! So I’ll pay the courtesy of speaking to you as civilized beings, lo! Tell me my performance is not convincing; an ability I see in both of you young steeds!”

I wagged a finger. “Okay, steed is not a Sivkit word, Loxsel, but you didn’t say that in English either. Did you add this shit to the translators?”

“Ha, Trench! I know much more about ancient Sivkit history than anyone, nary a soul has tasted past trifles like I have. Humans are the only beings to have beast of burden, is that what you think? You’ve unlocked a mere fraction of what the Farmdom once knew and comprised. Read my plays—truly read them!”

Gress fiddled with his claws, running through his lines mentally. “Daxfrin’s uncle promises to kickstart his career, and promises to give him grandiose life, but works him to the point of physical and mental exhaustion; to the point that he feels like mere cattle.”

“It’s about the Federation,” I ventured. “They promised you glory in the stars, brought you into their family, but they broke you and cared for you not at all. You are Daxfrin; you hated them so, didn’t you, Loxsel?”

“Perhaps.” The Sivkit waggled his ears noncommittally. “Plausible deniability. The story of what happened in the Farmdom, it was always there, in that silly play I wanted to hold on the Paltans’ base. Someone must read between the lines. And that I have the idea of cattle being able to have purpose and to toil—yes, yes, it’s all there. Such ideas are not so foreign to Sivkits of old.”

“I see. That’s fucking brilliant, Loxsel. Your little commentary is gonna be a smash hit, especially once people realize the depth behind it!”

“It is the first entertainment that my people will see on their homeworld, returned at last! I cannot wait. Please, remember what this means. It was a gesture that was genuinely worth sharing this soil, in my mind. To regain our spirit…that always is.”

I arched my eyebrows in surprise, as Loxsel departed from the backstage area to check on the lighting crew. Peeking back out at the crowd one more time, Hysran, who was living at the new Arxur embassy on Tellus, had an entire fistful of hotdogs. I thought Cherise had finally found a stable friend that she deserved, someone who could look out for her. Knowing we didn’t have much longer before we were supposed to go out there, I gestured for my old security guard friend to go back to her seat. I was safe here, not in need of any muscle. She smiled at me, but hesitated.

There’s one person missing out in that crowd, one person who should be here in spite of everything that she’d done. An end that sudden and abrupt was shocking to Cherise, but the world just moved right on. Quana had no one in her last moments, and that…that is sad. She lost to her hatred, a fate Gress and I both came dangerously close to.

I patted Cherise’s shoulder. “I know you miss her. I do too. If I might be so forward…”

“Go on, Trench. I’ll give you props for even trying to filter yourself,” Cherise sighed.

“Don’t remember Quana the way she was in those last moments. She wouldn’t want that. Sometimes, you hold onto toxic feelings that twist you into someone you don’t recognize…someone who isn’t the person you wanted to be for the people you loved. On behalf of all the broken people, please forgive her for her failure. Let me say the words I know she couldn’t.”

Tears welled in my friend's eyes, and she offered a shaky nod. “I wish I could’ve helped her, but she was so…vicious to me. Her dying has a way of making none of it matter. We were best friends once, and I know she wanted to find herself. Taylor, do you know what she left me?”

“A suicide note?” I guessed. “It was obvious she wasn’t planning on coming back, from the moment we landed.”

“She left a note, and she scanned herself, leaving that transcript behind for me to find. Quana said to…only bring her back if we could remove her anger. That just sticks with me, Taylor; she wanted to be free of that nasty side so much, that she’d ask something us like that. That reeks of desperation, and I…wish I could’ve endured the blows she dished out. She was sick.”

“That does not mean you had to let Quana hurt you.” Gress embraced Cherise, holding her for several seconds to comfort her. “You were struggling too, and there is nothing wrong with not bringing yourself down if she was a source of pain. It’s a tragedy it had to end this way, with her lashing out instead of reaching out at every turn.”

“We did terrible things, Gress. The kind where you see it every time you sleep at night.”

The Krev offered a bitter chuckle. “I know what that’s like. We can’t take back our regrets. We can only live our lives so that we don’t have more of them, for the people that are here now. You deserve to find someone, whether a friend or something more, who will cherish you at your highs and your lows. You’re worth it.”

“We all are,” I interjected. “If I can’t call myself good-for-nothing, neither can any of you. We can’t spend our life blaming ourselves for what others have done, or even what we’ve done. They wouldn’t want us, and I don’t want us to. It’s time we lived life at a hundred percent. Chin up, a little confidence—we’re gonna go out there tonight and have a wonderful experience! I expect a standing ovation.”

Cherise smiled, wiping her eyes. “You got it. I’ll ask Hysran not to chew too loudly, so I can actually hear what flowery Shakespeare nonsense you’re saying. Good luck, boys.”

The lights dimmed at the moment my friend scurried back to the audience, and I drew a sharp breath of anticipation. Everyone that I had known for the vast majority of my life was out there tonight, here to see me finally able to express myself without any shame or suppression. The rest of my life was staring back at me from those theatre seats.  There was a peaceful future out there where we could have as many restorative pursuits as we desired. Enough people were present in this building who loved me just as I treasured them with all of my being. 

Tonight, I wasn’t the binocular-eyed monster incapable of feeling, the miner hiding away with no hopes at a better life, or the prisoner of war who had a litany of grave mistakes in his past. I was Taylor Trench; son, soulmate, and father. I was confident that I was on the right track every bit as much as Tellus and the wider galaxy. 

A/N - 97, Taylor’s finale! A changed man on revitalized Tellus, Taylor and Gress fulfill their commitment to put on Loxsel’s play after the Sivkits move back into their homeworld alongside the human colonists. The funny bunny lets on that he’s much more cognizant and purposeful than many believe, and that his plays have some Federation allegories hidden in them. We also hear the note Cherise found from Quana along with a transcript, and Taylor asks the fallen Jaslip’s memory not to be left on such a dark note. Hysran, meanwhile, is a ray of hope from the new Arxur embassy.

What do you think of the revelation that Loxsel could talk normally the whole time? What do you think about how far Taylor has come since the start, and how he’ll date with his new family in the future? What do you think about the future of Tellus/Tinsas post-KC, with the Sivkits moving in too?

As always, thank you for reading and supporting!