The Nature of Predators - Venlil Foster Program (13/14)

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Memory transcription subject: Callsi, Venlil Bartender

Date [standardized human time]: November 16, 2136

Dustin had been hiding in his room since the magic show, ignoring even food. My foster son took our shock as a personal affront; as usual, he presumed we were on the cusp of sending him away. When I pushed on his door, I found it barricaded from the inside. No amount of pounding would get him to unlock it.

Perhaps I was hallucinating, but I thought I heard something like gunfire echoing from tinny speakers. Instead of being afraid of the predator toting a weapon, I was concerned about Dustin harming himself. The child had a difficult life, and there wasn’t enough I could do for his mental baggage. It felt like no progress had been made on his abandonment complex.

Jimek and I were shoveling down lunch in eerie silence; the table felt empty without the human. Dustin’s placemat jumped out at me like an eyesore. If I could coax him out of his room, I’d happily listen to a tangent on human hunting. Any amount of discomfort was preferable to this seclusion.

Dustin is part of our family. I thought he understood that now.

A thunderous knock rattled the front door, as if someone was hurling their body against it. That was the unmistakable sign that our visitor was a human; the predators went overboard with physical force against inanimate objects. Panic seized my chest, and I feared the worst. What if Dustin had called the embassy to relocate himself preemptively?

I rushed to the door and hurled it open. Olek was back on my doorstep, with his chin growing fluffier by the day. My tail curled up in fear, pondering why he visited unannounced. Had the Peacekeeper decided I was an unfit guardian, due to my continuing frightfulness? The poor guy had to hold me back from stampeding last night.

“W-why are you here?” I stammered.

The human shrank away at my tone. “God, Callsi, the magician scared you that badly? I am so, so sorry, for inviting you and Jimek. We had no idea that Davis jackass would go rogue, but I feel responsible.”

“You’re…here to apologize?”

“I know, I could’ve done it over holopad, but I wanted to deliver the embassy’s apology letter personally. I respect you for taking in an alien who’s like the boogeyman to you. Besides, I wanted to say good-bye.”

“Good-bye?”

I accepted a parchment from the human, and steered him inside. A sullen Jimek brightened as he spotted “Uncle Bondy”; I hoped my son didn’t use that nickname in front of the conspiracy theorist. Scanning the contents of the letter, the United Nations offered sincere apologies for any trauma caused by last night’s incident. Earth’s government also insisted they had no foreknowledge of the stunt.

“One thing at a time. Davis Conrad is known for his shocking magic, and he played our diplomats like a fiddle.” Olek waved to Jimek as he entered, and relaxed as the little Venlil met his gaze. “I think it was an ego thing. He’s facing charges. He’s lucky no Venlil died, or we’d throw involuntary manslaughter at him.”

“I don’t get how that slipped your notice. The swords he brought to the venue didn’t give it away?”

“Davis told the UN he was doing a sword-swallowing act. That should’ve been pushing the envelope, but he went way off-script.”

“Sword swallowing? Like, he actually eats it?!” Jimek gasped.

“Yep, kiddo! Human performers can eat fire, swords, the whole nine yards. We’re crazy bastards.”

“Watch the cursing!” I snapped. “Jimek’s picked up enough from your people at the bar.”

“Sorry, Callsi. Thought that one was a softball…”

“Never mind that. What’s this about you leaving?”

The human’s expression turned deadly serious. “They’re deploying everyone with formal training. The war is about to ratchet up; we’re shipping out later this week. You won’t be seeing a lot of human soldiers anymore.”

“I…I don’t want anything to happen to you,” I said.

Jimek pinned his ears back. “Yeah. Don’t go, Olek. You’re my friend, remember?”

“I’ll be fine!” The Peacekeeper forced a taut smile. “You said I was too old to be your friend, anyways.”

“Where are you even going? Somewhere lame like Tunsas?”

“I’m being assigned to Fahl, the Harchen homeworld. Tell you the truth, I’d rather stay here, but orders are orders. They don’t ask whether you like them, huh?”

Jimek sprang up from the kitchen table, and charged at the massive Peacekeeper. My son wrapped his arms around the bulky human; the beast’s gentleness in embracing the little Venlil was noted. Bondarenko had been a good friend to us, but I had hoped I could repay his kindness one day. Now it appeared our time was running short.

How can I ever thank the man who kickstarted Dustin’s art school? The first human to ever attend my bar, and the one who brought Jimek’s birthday cake?

I pinned my ears back. “I don’t like good-byes. There’s no way I can return the favor for what you’ve done for us.”

“Nah, I got more from you than I ever gave. Seeing Dustin and Jimek reminded me who I am. You helped me, well, stay human,” Olek growled.

Jimek kept clinging to the Peacekeeper. “Please help us with Dustin, Ollie! He’s avoiding us.”

I sighed under Bondarenko’s quizzical gaze. “He’s upset that I was scared of that egomaniacal human last night. I don’t condemn your species for one man, but Dustin won’t let me tell him that. He’s locked himself in his room.”

“Is that so?” the Terran asked. “I can help you get him out.”

“Thanks, Olek…but it goes beyond this one incident. The only way I can prove we won’t get rid of him is to make this permanent. I don’t want any government authorities to have the power to rehome him on a dime. Is there any way to adopt Dustin officially?”

“Are you sure about that, Callsi? That’s a big decision, and it’s irrevocable.”

“Surer than I’ve been about anything. I think of him as my son already.”

“Okay then. We should ask if that’s what Dustin wants first, before we start arranging things.”

Guilt stabbed at my chest, as I realized I hadn’t solicited the Terran’s opinion on his living situation. Perhaps Dustin wanted to relocate to a human family, either now or down the road. I couldn’t blame him for wishing to return to Earth instead of living on an alien world. After all, how could a Venlil compare to a Terran parent in meeting his needs? Our modest life might not suit the Canadian orphan either.

Bondarenko removed Jimek’s arms, and marched toward Dustin’s room with certain steps. The Peacekeeper raised a finger at me, then slammed his shoulder into the door. I flinched as the door wobbled; if the large predator leaned into it a little more, he’d blast the frame clean off its hinges. That was one way to undo the barricade, but I hadn’t intended for his help to entail property damage.

“DUSTIN!” Olek roared. “You open this door right now, or I’ll kick it down. Then I’ll have Callsi use your art school funds to fix it. You know I’ll do it, so open up!”

A muted gasp could be heard from the room, followed by scurrying footsteps. There was a scraping sound, as Dustin dragged away something blocking the door. Bondarenko tested the handle, and immediately shoved his way inside. The Terran orphan had abandoned some electronic device on the floor; it seemed to be some gunfighting simulation.

That explained the bullet noises, though it didn’t ease my worry about the kid’s mental state. My heart ached to think of the human grappling with emotional turmoil.

“Please go away, Olek?” Dustin croaked. “I know they’re mad at me. I begged them to go to that show, and I made Callsi cry.”

I scowled at him. “You did not make me cry! Watching someone get stabbed made me upset, but you had nothing to do with it.”

“You’ve tried really hard to be nice, but you don’t have to do this anymore. I make things worse, just by being here. I’m a mistake…a fuck-up.”

“Don’t you ever say that again! I took you to that show because I wanted you to feel at home. Anything ‘nice’ was done because you’re my son. No child of mine will ever be a mistake.”

“I’m not your child. I’m an alien predator, and that’s all I ever can be! Everything about me and humanity scares you. Why wouldn’t you want me gone?!”

“I just have a hard time with violent things, darling. That doesn’t mean I’m scared of you, or that I wish you weren’t here.”

“You’re just saying that. Nobody—”

“How would you feel about us adopting you, Dustin? Is that something you would want?”

The human child froze, and blinked with disbelief. Water swelled in his eyes, before flowing over onto his cheeks in rivulets. His hand covered his mouth, suppressing choking gasps. Struggling to rein in his emotions, the orphan gave a shaky nod. I approached him with slow steps, and ensnared him in a warm hug. I could feel the quivering of his chest, alongside the warmth of his body heat.

Tears blossomed in my own gaze. “That’s a yes? He nodded yes, Olek.”

The Terran soldier’s lips curved up. “I’ll get the ball rolling for you before I ship out. I can’t make any promises. There isn’t much precedent, but we’ll need the legal status recognized on Venlil Prime and by the United Nations. A full adoption might take time.”

“I understand. Does that make sense to you, Dustin?”

“Yes,” my foster son whispered. “Thank you. T-thank you.”

Jimek’s ears perked up. “We’re gonna be real, legal brothers! My brother is a predator…that makes me a badass!”

“A certified badass.” Olek chuckled in his low register, and flashed his teeth. “Well, I won’t outstay my welcome guys. I’ve got a lot to do, and I need to put in your adoption request. I guess this is farewell.”

I was tempted to ask the Peacekeeper to stay and eat lunch with us; this could be the last time we ever saw him. But gazing into his eyes, I realized Bondarenko was on the verge of tears. The big guy didn’t want to have a breakdown in front of us. Protecting the strong human’s pride was the least I could do, after how faithful of a friend he’d been.

To think I feel such heart-wrenching sorrow over a predator soldier leaving my homeworld. It’s a strange, new era we live in.

The four of us walked to the front door, and I placed a paw atop Olek’s swollen bicep. The Peacekeeper studied me for a long moment, before pulling me into a hug. It was a brief embrace, which the human cut short a second later. He stepped back with an awkward cough, and ducked out onto the driveway. He shoved his hands into his pockets, forcing a grin.

“You know, the Harchen put a lot of money into tech. What are they really building?” the predator asked. “An AI on the down-low? A network commissioned by the Kolshians to spy on other planets? I’m going to investigate.”

I chuckled to myself. “You do that, Olek. Stay safe, alright?”

“You too. Oh, and don’t let the boys slack on their studies. They’re too smart to expect anything but the best, you hear me?”

“On that, we’re agreed. There are bright things in their future.”

“And in yours, Callsi. It was an honor to meet such a trailblazer. Don’t discount yourself, eh?”

The Peacekeeper whirled around, and jogged off down the driveway. It was a glum moment, knowing Olek was heading to a hostile world far from Venlil Prime. At least Terrans had an odd rule about not taking teenagers for basic military training; I didn’t have to worry about the UN whisking my son away. When Dustin became a legal adult, there was no telling how the war could affect us.

For now, I was happy to live a quiet life. I herded Dustin back into the kitchen, ruffling his mane. The human child ducked away from my paws, and Jimek snickered at him. I loved our family dynamic, which had been created through trial and error. No matter how long it took for the adoption to go through officially, it was a done deal in my book.

The predator had a permanent home under my roof, and a special place in my heart.

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A/N - The penultimate part is here! Callsi decides to adopt Dustin, and bids farewell to a Peacekeeper friend as the galaxy mobilizes. How do you feel about the human child gaining a permanent home? Also, what are the Harchen really up to with their tech?!

As always, thank you for reading and supporting! The epilogue will be short and sweet. There may be down time after for planning the human exterminators series coming April 1, but I'm including an Onso one-shot on Wed 3/22 to lessen the wait.