The Nature of Predators 2-89

Memory Transcription Subject: Quana, Jaslip Soldier

Date [standardized human time]: February 16, 2161

It all felt a bit too easy how we’d been able to gather Jaslips from the first three enclaves: the Trombil, Ulchid, and Resket worlds. There hadn’t been much resistance mounted by the locals, allowing for quick stops and collecting Jaslips on the Resket fleet with ease. Kaisal chalked that up to the Krev Consortium losing the backbone of their military operations, but something about it smelled rotten to my nose. Furthermore, I didn’t trust Radai as far as I could throw him. We couldn’t leave the Independence Brigade’s newly-recruited army with those birds (often the most discriminatory of all toward us.) Perhaps we were being tricked into letting them capture every insurgent, taking care of the KC’s little problem.

I remembered the time spent training under Radai’s supervision. I could give the general some acknowledgment for standing up to Mafani and choosing to ignore my jabs about their defeat on Esquo, but he was still the Consortium’s lackey through and through. I understood with each reflection that he cared about sapient lives. However, the honorbound avian talking about Tanet’s freedom, as if they were oppressed, then acknowledging our own captivity in the same breath—I found it odd, to say the least. I could see that the Arxur and the Reskets related to each other deeply, as two proud species that wouldn’t back down in the name of their reputation.

Avor is the world at the heart of this all, where I imagine the Krev will mount a resistance. When we get there, whatever is hidden in their scales will make an appearance, and we’ll see how much of a fortress their Cage in orbit really is.

I turned to Zefriss, since Cherise was paying me little attention with Hysran next to her. Humans. “Why do you think Kaisal called a meeting? We know the plans to demand the release of the final enclave on Avor, then we leave. It’s the last one before we can start anew…rebuild Esquo. Perhaps the Sapient Coalition will take us in.”

“After you allied with us?” the operative hissed. “Since they’re still raising ‘Osirs,’ that may be a possibility. Hss, it would shock me if they would ever accept us into their ranks. We used to think one day, we’d be able to right our past and live among the galaxy’s other peoples.”

“You’ve made allies of us and the Reskets. The bad blood from this—the Krev are a bitter species. If Radai is genuine…”

“The other Consortium species will loathe the Reskets for marching an army on their worlds. It could disband the organization. I imagine that the avians would hate hiding as much as most Arxur, though I appreciate the finer arts of stealth and ambuscades. The shadows are dark and quiet, where I achieve the most functionality.”

“I fight dirty, from where they’d never expect, because I have to. It was the only way to hurt our enemy, when we were so outmatched. Look at Cherise. Does she seem like she cares about sending a message anymore?”

The human had taught Hysran some stupid game called “Charades,” and was hopping around in a stupid way. I pinned my ears back, watching as she mimed ripping through the dirt and seeming to devour whatever she picked up.

“Sivkits!” Hysran decided.

Cherise pointed with a grin. “Yep. It’ll be strange to have them on Tellus, pretty much everywhere past our settlement; and I can’t believe that Taylor Trench managed a successful negotiation without folding like the wet paper towel we all know that boy is.”

“Humans are all wet paper towels to us, once we have you in our jaws drenched in saliva! Haven’t you heard that we eat anything?”

“Then you have that in common with the fucking Sivkits. You know, I heard a weird rumor that we need to have lots of orange farms ready. I wonder if the bunnies have scurvy or something.”

“And I wonder if you’re replacing your current white-furred friends with the herbivore version,” I growled, interrupting their conversations. “Tellus won’t side with us in the civil war. Humanity won’t directly interfere. You’ll go running back to your people, won’t you?”

“Quana? Go fuck yourself. I’m done with you, for good. You’re the most toxic, self-centered—”

“Says the species that hid behind masks for twenty-four years. It’s your fault we didn’t learn that the Federation was dead sooner! Everything that Tellus pities itself for, you did to yourselves!” 

The human’s eyes smoldered, and she curled her fists while I laughed at her. “I could say the same about the Jaslips. It’s not like you did anything to help yourselves. You had to have the Arxur and the Reskets carry you, you fucking asswiping—”

“Enough!” Zefriss hissed. “I’ll remind you, the Arxur saved Earth too, though you do not acknowledge that we carried you at all. This does not have to be a competition about who was hurt by a lousy organization more!”

Hysran pulled Cherise back, as she scowled at me. “Come on. She’s not worth it. She’s just a sad, hateful person who wants a reason to resent everyone. I’ve known my share of her type.”

“I am not!” I growled.

Aulan stormed over to the incident, hackles raised. “We cannot fight among each other—not when we’re so close to victory! If you have a personal disagreement, settle it however you wish; the Reskets would facilitate a duel, should you desire to be so dramatic. All I ask is that you do it after all is said and done, because distractions are costly. We’re staring down the world of our true enemy. Kaisal has something important to share, and I think we all should listen.”

“She is a human, Aulan!” I bared my teeth, tail fronds lashing with overzealous emotions. My binocular eyes shot toward the Arxur leader, looking for validation. “They only help themselves. Kaisal said so.”

Kaisal blinked, staring out at the crowd without amusement. “Well, here’s some shocking news. The humans have offered to send ships to aid our efforts in destroying the Consortium. Do not spread this news to our Resket colleagues, as they may have Underscale spies in their midst. I have brought General Radai here to reconsider our plans in light of what the Sapient Coalition told us. The Terrans vouch only that he can be trusted.”

My head snapped in the direction of the towering avian, who looked out of place at the heart of the Jaslip rebellion’s ship. Radai had been the head of the Consortium military, and now, everything that had occurred under his supervision was supposed to be forgiven? I didn’t trust him to keep our plans under wraps, if it was that important. I was shocked that the United Nations had volunteered aid, after how certain Kaisal had been that they wouldn’t offer direct aid. As bitter as I was at Cherise, I did know how useful the aid of the Sapient Coalition’s dominant power could be. They would change everything, though I didn’t know that we’d even need their help taking Avor. The primates were coming in at the last moment.

Perhaps humanity sees how handily we’re orchestrating the Consortium’s collapse, so now they want to retract their precious peace treaty, migrate to the side of the winners, and take all the credit. That seems like the sort of self-benefitting play they’d make.

General Radai ducked his head to me with respect. “Quana. I failed to protect you, along with my own people and the Consortium. That was all that I…ever wanted, and I did not know then how misguided my actions were. I will find an appropriate punishment for this dishonor at the conclusion of these events, to shoot down any doubts over whether I feel guilt. I apologize for my part in serving them with the deepest sincerity and regret. I knew not what they were.”

“Neither did I, when I was willing to work with them against the Federation remnants. I admit with a grudging surprise that the humans uncovered quite the…damning information, which might’ve saved us a hasty defeat,” Kaisal grunted. “The Krev backed the very organization that attacked our allies, the Bissems, for being carnivores. The Arxur Collective protects meat-eaters from the insanity of herbivores in power who love to discriminate against us, wherever they might be! It’s far more sinister than just the Jaslips.”

“I’ll be direct. What Chief Hunter Kaisal is saying is that the Krev Consortium backed Farsul extremists with the goal of rebuilding the Federation. They knew all along that humanity had won the war, and was the species living on Tellus. They even knew that Tellus was once the Sivkit homeworld. Yet they still let me and the wider military plot to expel the ark colonists, attack Sivkit vessels, and strike ‘Federation’ worlds, dishonorably concealing this information. They worked to turn public opinion against Jaslips in particular.”

The yowls and gasps that spread across the chamber were immediate, as the Resket shared the files containing this information. I couldn’t believe what I was hearing, that the scaly bastards knew everything all along and decided to fuck us over anyway. Holy hibernation! The Krev Consortium backed the fucking new Federation, the very organization they claimed to be hiding from? Jaslip lives somehow mattered to them even less than I thought. I’d at least thought they were bumbling around in amoral ignorance.

Cherise was holding her head to her hands; it was as if I could see any guilt that she felt over bombing the delegates blink out in an instant. The Tellish miners had been extorted for all those years, with the people in power having full knowledge that they were refugees. They could’ve been told that Earth survived years ago. No wonder the United Nations was incandescent to learn that the drone assault on their space, and the prevented return of their refugees, were intentional transgressions. Even humanity wouldn’t sit idle, when a superpower backed an organization that had it out for predators.

I growled at the Resket general. “How could you not have known?! You were a delegate!” 

“They know my character, and I do not think all of the delegates compromise the real government. I am appalled to have been…used to such ends. I am a fool,” Radai sighed. “At least I am not a…willing participant. That is all I can say in my own defense, though I am certain that I will not be judged with kindness now or by the history books.”

“You’re helping us now,” Aulan offered diplomatically, to my chagrin. “You can help us see that everyone knows what the Consortium did to us, without shame. Not just, to the entire unwitting public. It was all a facade, and it seems now, we’re fighting for every species’ liberation from that narrative.”

“I agree. The humans have cautioned us that the KC may have a backdoor into our ships. I believe they may wish to lure us to Avor, then turn my fleet on you. Until we learn how to remove that override—and that would tip our wing—we shouldn’t make a move. We should wait for the Sapient Coalition. Perhaps make a show of scouting, but…find a way to dump those files everywhere. All I can advocate now is to reveal the truth, though anything done over internet won’t last a second.”

“Then we drop physical data disks, unconnected to anything. We make it so the Consortium can’t wipe it,” Cherise spat. “I’m sure the United Nations will get word to Tellus; I trust our people. Aliens, not so fucking much! All scheming, conniving—just why?”

“I understand your fury, human, and I share the anger at how they mistreated you too. We did always care about you as fellow predators, even when our most wicked elements were in charge,” Kaisal said. “Your plan is much in line with my own. We will turn the people on them. The Consortium will fall beneath the combined wrath of the galaxy. When the truth comes out, a minute few will be left on their side.”

I snapped my head toward Zefriss, demanding that the snarky Arxur said something. “So we’re not going to free the Jaslips on Avor? It’s the last enclave! You’re an operative; send in a rescue squad, like you did for us!”

“I do not make plans, nor do I want to,” the greenish-gray reptilian responded. “Patience seems wiser than giving into temperament. The Sapient Coalition is sending aid which can ensure success. You must see the wisdom in going when we are strongest.”

“Humanity is so far away! Of course they can help, but—”

“Your insubordination has gone much too far, Quana,” Aulan snarled. “You will stand down and support the cause, or you won’t be a part of this movement. Whatever you’ve done for us, it doesn’t excuse your volatile behavior. Get a hold of yourself!”

I slunk back into the shadows, seething that the Independence Brigade leader had told me off for concern over the Jaslips still under the Krev’s claws. This changed both the nature and the urgency of our rebellion; we were fighting for all of the species that had been lied to, though our plight exceeded anything they’d endured. General Radai was keen to expose the truth, at least, so I supposed he’d been sincere enough digging into the Consortium’s underbelly. His fleet was good for nothing though, by the sound of it. Was it really worth keeping the avians who’d helped oppress and put us down in our inner circle, if he couldn’t even cough up a working strike force?

At least every Krev Consortium citizen would know just how justified we were in calling out the organization’s malevolence, rather than buying that we were extremists. We needed to find a way to take them down! After how Cherise had turned on me, I wasn’t sure I felt good about relying on the primates as our salvation. I hoped the humans remembered how to wage an offensive campaign, and could grind the Krev into the dust. They’d been fended off at Tellus the last time they went on the attack, so they’d need to put a better foot forward than their muted effort in the past. 

A/N - 89! The Reskets made it a little too easy to free the enclaves, but thankfully, humanity sends word of what they just discovered and averts a potential hack at the big moment. The Jaslip rebellion and the Arxur decide to try to spread the word to the Consortium by physically dropping the data. Do you think the information will make the KC break apart, if they can share it? How do you feel about Radai’s reaction? What do you think about Quana’s increasingly dangerous temperament?

As always, thank you for reading and supporting!