The Nature of Predators - The New Arxur (7/10)

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Memory Transcription Subject: Raza, Arxur Collective Operative

Date [standardized human time]: August 19, 2154

The mountains loomed over our vehicle, majestically dark gray apart from the pristine snow caps that marked their peaks. Having a truck sped up our travel time by a significant margin; my squad eked out an hour to nap, and looked more rested for that downtime. I was a bit groggy, but I’d stayed awake for much longer in the past. This was nothing that I couldn’t handle, and my crew’s mental optimization would make up for any of my own brain fog. We couldn’t stop while we were hunting the sniper, though afterward, there’d be no reason to hurry. Once the mission was completed, we could rest and take our sweet time coming back. It might be best not to hustle to our border, if Ilthiss’ tanks were engaged in a massive skirmish with the Collective at this moment.

This war began when we rode our tanks in to put Sefturna back in its place, for their willful defiance of the moratorium on executing defectives. The way for the insurrection to turn the tide is to flatten our cities as well. The Collective will be the one playing defense for a change.

My team had wrought quite the trail of destruction behind us so far: torching a village, demolishing a bridge, and taking out two dozen soldiers with just the four of us. Our last stop to clear might require more subtlety, since it was a sprawling military installation. Though it was on the “smaller” side for an outpost, I could estimate there were still fifty-odd soldiers in the vicinity. There wasn’t a prayer of taking out all of them, unless Hossat could creep up on each one and slit their throats without anyone noticing. The Nevok had been concerningly effective as an assassin, despite the Arxur having a height advantage on him; he’d walked in absolute silence. Come to think of it, he’d popped up out of nowhere several times since I met him. The irony was he’d make an excellent predator. It was obvious that his government had some training in these areas; I could’ve inferred as much when he derided whether Isif had taught us anything.

I took a final look at the camp from afar, coasting down the road while peering through binoculars. Despite the fact that our arrival was during the early morning hours, an unusual proportion of the camp was awake and walking about. They must be waiting up in anticipation of the Sefturna Sniper’s arrival; it would make sense if our target was passing through here. I could see a gigantic trough of bloodsoak being prepared. The dish was traditionally made by exsanguinating animals, then tossing their flesh and organs in to marinate for hours. It often had a variety of quarries, offering the ability to mix-and-match meats. Since it sat directly in the sun, it would remain as warm as any fresh kill. Usually, it was left out to simmer during sleep time, and devoured when a contingent of soldiers awoke. I could imagine the delectable scent now, which would tickle my nostrils in all the right ways.

The sobering thought was that Arxur once used prey animals to concoct such a treat. It was a rare bounty reserved for the most competent raiding parties—and a dish that was impossible to make with the predominant lab-grown meat, which filled the majority of the Collective’s bellies. The gears began to turn in my head as I cast a glance toward Hossat. That dark past was how I could explain his purpose here: as newly-acquired cattle. These Betterment sympathizers might lap that up.

“Almost there; get ready! We have one of Ilthiss’ army’s trucks, so we need to try to pass like we belong,” I declared in a booming voice. “There’s no way of hiding or fighting our way through. This is where defectives have the upper claw: in talking our way out of this. But to achieve that, we have to explain Hossat—and to have him not act like himself.”

I could sense the Nevok’s eyes peering at me from beneath his cloak, before his scathing voice piped up. “What exactly do you mean?”

“I need you to act like scared, sniveling prey, not the belligerent assassin you are. My plan is to convince them we’re Betterment agents who Usliff sent to require sapient cattle for breeding. We can say that they wanted the Sefturna Sniper to bring you over Death’s Pass, since they’re the one who can make it across.”

“Hrrr. What happens when they ask why you don’t just put him on a fucking shuttle to fly him over?” Zefriss hissed.

“We say we couldn’t risk the transport being intercepted. Usliff didn’t want Isif getting wind of the plan, because then the Collective will make it a priority target. Not to mention that a shuttle runs the risk of being shot out of the sky; this is efficient.”

“Is it such a good idea to…offer Hossat up as cattle? If only, hsss, because Isif worries about the optics…and gave us orders not to let this happen.”

“It’s asking a lot, so he’ll have to agree—”

“I’ll do it,” the Nevok said flatly.

“Oh. Well, okay then, it’s settled. Let’s see how good his acting skills are.”

The vehicle rolled closer to the camp, and the guard flagged us down. I tapped the brakes to come to an obedient halt, hoping to steer my nerves. This would require more acting prowess than our brief encounter, pretending to be Tless refugees back by the cliffs.

“That reminds me! What do you call the medicine an actor takes?” Hysran butted in, unwelcome as always.

Zefriss sighed in irritation. “A bullet to the brain to remedy the impending torment of going on stage?”

“No! Performance-enhancing drugs.”

I chuckled on accident, proving that the tension was impacting my faculties. “That was almost passable, Hysran. No more jokes, and no laughing. Betterment can’t see us socializing or acting like we like each other.”

“We don’t like each other, so there’s nothing to see there,” Hossat huffed.

“You. Are. Scared. Prey.”

“Yes, yes. I blended in with the herd for years in public. I can fool a few of the unintelligent lifeforms on this planet.”

Zefriss lunged toward Hossat, picking him up by the scruff and trying to look menacing. The Nevok seemed to catch on, since he flailed his legs about and whimpered. The prey creature also took a deft swipe at his own chest, drawing his blue blood to sell Arxur abuse. The nearest guard’s eyes lit up with hunger, before his pupils darted over to the bloodsoak cauldron. The implication was obvious: he wanted to add the prey animal to the festering collection of entrails. Could his blood scent really be that tempting? With a bit of morbid curiosity, I took a whiff through my own nostrils. I could detect a coppery scent, as well as proteins and enzymes that didn’t seem at all familiar. The smell was strong and not unwelcome, but it wasn’t as intoxicating as these bastards made it out to be.

Then again, I haven’t been trained to think of this prick as food…as our traditional prey.

“Step out of the vehicle. All of you,” the guard grunted.

I gave little reaction, complying in orderly fashion along with my companion. “We work for Betterment. We are to bring Hossat to Usliff as cattle.”

The Betterment lackey tensed, shoving a gun in my face. “Why the fuck did you call that animal a name?”

Oh…fuck. Wake up, dumbfuck! What a rookie mistake, Raza, but my thinking is so clouded. I’m exhausted…

“N-not prey!” Hossat screamed, scrambling to try to run blindly as Zefriss threw him onto the ground. “Must…you cruel monsters m-mock me? H-how…who taught you the Nevok word for prey?”

I shot a glance toward the prey creature, slowly catching to his quick-thinking save. “Hossat means prey in the Nevok language, and it’s the only name it deserves. I do mock you, pathetic vermin.”

“Keeps trying to run,” Zefriss scoffed, as the prey assassin purposefully crashed into Hysran while scampering off. “Where’s the escape? Run all you like. You are on our planet. You are cattle.”

“J-just…eat me now! Please, have m-mercy!”

“Mercy? From us?!” Hysran leaned closer to Hossat, as he recoiled from her fangs. It must be hard for her to act so seriously. “No. It’s time we controlled all of the lesser creatures again. Bring back our old glory!”

“This seems a foolish way to bring this perfectly delicious-smelling morsel to our people,” the guard commented with suspicion. “Why travel toward Death’s Pass?”

“That geezer Isif must not become aware of this,” I remarked, still rattled from my previous slip-up. Without Hossat’s clutch idea, we would’ve been busted then and there. “The Sefturna Sniper can bring the creature across. We can do so much with it, whether it be cloning or finding others to breed it with…so long as it arrives with its genetic material intact. Those Collective fools won’t even lab-print sapient meat; those defectives bring shame on our people.”

“They do. I haven't had a real meal…or real fun in ages.”

Zefriss’ pupils tracked the Nevok, as the guard snatched him. “I couldn’t resist toying with the cattle myself; it’s delightful when it screams. Unfortunately, all its parts must stay attached so they can run tests on it, and decide what’s useful. Usliff will have the head of any involved or responsible for sending him damaged goods, yes?”

Mimicking Isif to sound like the old Arxur. Smart.

“Usliff will never know if I let some of that juicy, dripping blood fall into the bloodsoak.” The guard licked at the Nevok’s wound, and it took all of my resolve not to shudder with revulsion. Hossat tried to wriggle away, showing a trace of genuine concern, but the soldier had his paws gripped around the prey animal’s throat. “Oh my. That tastes…”

“Like what we should go back to having in the future,” Hysran managed. “That’s what real rations look like. You can’t torture the lab-grown garbage.”

“The thrill of the kill! I could snap its neck, but…no, just a bit of fun. As long as my soldiers will be among the first to receive the rations made from it.”

Alarm rippled through my veins, in spite of my utter dislike for Hossat, as the Arxur warrior dragged him toward the bloodsoak trough. Who knew what “fun” might entail to these twisted monsters? I heard a yelp, after the guard’s claws tore out clumps of fur from the Nevok’s cheeks. The enemy grabbed the back of the alien’s head, then shoved him facefirst into the slush of guts. That was one way of mixing his blood into the food. Bubbles appeared in the crimson goop, while the prey sophont remained submersed and unable to breathe. His paws flew out from under the cloak, pulling on the cauldron’s edges with desperation. The movements grew feebler, as Hossat lost the ability to struggle, deprived of oxygen. It was only then that the guard brought him up. Reorienting his claws around the Nevok’s neck, the Arxur threw him hard onto the ground.

Hossat remained in a heap on the floor, eyes bulging. His cream-colored fur was painted red, entirely soaked in Wrissian bloodsoak; it was dripping from him, and falling into his eyes. The blue gashes on his throat were still oozing, and looked rather painful. He pawed at his throat and tried to move, before falling back to the ground—unable to stand. I felt wretched for suggesting this plan; this was unacceptable to ask of anyone. This was also the clearest look I’d gotten of just how monstrous my people were, something that made me understand why diplomacy with the prey species was such an uphill battle. I forced myself to remain impassive, despite how I wanted to execute this bastard of an Arxur, like the Betterment lackeys back in Cruelty’s Maw. He deserved a gunshot to his cranium, but our mission was more important. 

“So you think the sniper will bring him across? We’re waiting for her here,” the guard huffed. “I’d be surprised if she’s willing to move this asset. Besides, isn’t she supposed to support the tank advance into Collective territory? Ilthiss already paid her for that.”

Paid “her” for that. We’re looking for a female Arxur who is taking a king’s ransom to mow down our people. We were right to go after the Sefturna Sniper, rather than disrupt the tanks. She’s going to try to get over the border and slaughter our people, if we don’t stop her!

“How is Usliff supposed to know what Ilthiss paid for? She can store the creature however, and get it done later. I want it off my paws; it was next to impossible not to devour it, with it sitting beside me in the car,” I hissed.

The guard flared his nostrils. “I can imagine. It’s got a lot of meat on it; won’t need fattening. What’s with the cowl?”

“We don’t want it to die going over Death’s Pass—especially if it spends days in the elements. Way too much effort was put into preserving its life for its weakling body to give up now,” Zefriss sneered.

“Hsss. Your answers do make sense. You can wait for the one you seek here.”

“Again, we can’t stay in a place like this too long. For all we know, Isif has a way of spying on us like the coward he is,” Hysran commented; I was surprised she was brainy enough to contribute to our excuses. “Even a slight chance that senile fool learns of the Nevok here is unacceptable; our orders are to keep moving.”

“And not to let the prey be eaten.” I cast a glance toward Hossat, who had struggled to a crawling position on all fours. “Surely not every Arxur will have as much foresight as us, or be able to resist it, screaming and whimpering as it is. The Sniper is disciplined enough to handle it.”

“Hrrr. Yes, fair point; I would be amazed if the Sniper ate this creature. You should go then. She is expected within the hour, so as much as I’d like to kick your livestock around, you’d best hurry if you want to catch her.”

“We will not let the creature slow us down.” Don’t say thank you. Betterment doesn’t do that. “Get up, Hossat, or I’ll make you get up.”

“I…c-can’t,” Hossat wheezed.

The Nevok unleashed a shrill scream, as Zefriss lifted the assassin upside-down, sinking his fangs into the prey’s hindleg. I couldn’t tell how much he was faking, versus how in over his head he was; perhaps he’d realized moving to Wriss was a mistake. The only hint that Hossat was in control of his actions at all was that he hugged his arms around his cloak, to ensure the vials and weapons hidden underneath weren’t flashed to the onlookers. My snarky squadmate hurried to fling the alien into the backseat of the vehicle. I didn’t waste any time hopping into the driver’s seat, not wanting the guard to get any more ideas about ways to torment Hossat—or to have second thoughts, pressing us with more questions. The demented soldier waved us on, before radioing to the sentries posted on the other side of the camp.

Almost there. I’ll check that Hossat is okay as soon as we’re out of sight. I can’t drop the act now, or all of that horrible shit will have been for nothing.

We rolled through the heart of the enemy outpost, earning little more than surprised stares from the roving guards. The duo who stood at the base of the mountain parted for us, which allowed us to waltz past them with ease. Relief washed through my veins as they disappeared into the rearview. I stopped the vehicle as the road tapered off into jagged stone, which was a sort of platform up to the dizzying trail. This was where we’d wait for the sniper; it shouldn’t be hard to spot the only person insane enough to climb that thing. I turned around to face Hossat, who was toweling the blood off his face using his cloak; the Nevok was grumbling with disgust. Was he going to be alright to continue the mission, since he’d barely been capable of standing?

“I’m…sorry about that,” I admitted reluctantly. “Are you well enough to continue?”

The Nevok’s head snapped up. “What? The act fooled you when you knew it was an act? I’m fine. That was nothing compared to my father’s beatings; I can take much more.”

“I…don’t know what to say to that.”

“Then don’t say anything. Finish the mission and go home. The idiots let a bit about the sniper’s identity slip. She sounds like a mercenary.”

Hysran slumped over with defeat. “You’ve solved it. The Sefturna Sniper was me all along!”

“Hysran, you barely passed your marksmanship certification. Nobody would believe that,” Zefriss scoffed.

I cleared my throat. “Let’s not make a farce of this. I can’t believe I’m saying this, but Hossat has a point. We know more about the sniper now than we ever have. All that’s left is to meet her face to face.”

Our team of four hopped out of the truck. Hossat had proven that he was both tough and resourceful, especially after saving my own tired mistake; his presence had been our ticket through the camp, helping us pass as a mission for Betterment. While the Nevok was slower than us all, he had his own advantages—climbing and stealth being his proficiencies. I would never be able to stand him as a person, but maybe I could admit he had good ideas every now and then. With us about to confront the sniper, it was nice to know cold and efficient Hossat would be lurking in the shadows, and that he was on our side. 

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A/N - Arxur 7! Raza finally comes to respect Hossat’s capabilities, after the Nevok is bloodboarded under the guise that he is being brought to Usliff as a cattle clone. The guards also slip the fact that the Sefturna Sniper is a mercenary—which forces Hysran to confess. What do you think about how Hossat handled the ruse, saving Raza’s slipup, pretending to be feeble prey, and enduring literal torture? What will the game plan be to handle the Sniper?

As always, thank you for reading and supporting! Tomorrow is an off day, but Saturday will have Arxur 8 and main story content is back Monday.