The Nature of Predators - Omnivore Miniseries (4/8)

First | Prev | Next 

Memory transcription subject: Lyben, Sulean Police Officer

Date [standardized human time]: November 9, 2136

The one-seater spacecraft resembled a patrol ship, apart from the baby blue paint. It defied comprehension that a human vessel was touching down on Jild. It was even more unthinkable that I was supposed to give its predator occupant a ride. How could I sit in a confined space with a beast? Why would our captain make my assignment involuntary?

The United Nations’ archaeological teams were arriving today, and had been asked not to travel in packs until reaching the dig site. Police escorts would ferry the aliens to their destinations, which were in the middle of nowhere. In other words, this human could hide my remains in the wilderness with ease. There was a reason nobody volunteered when prompted…the same reason I refused to let Miztesh accompany me.

I don’t want anyone else getting hunted with me. There’s no disobeying orders; my name was called. Someone has to keep the humans away from schools and playgrounds.

The placard in my window was marked with Terran scribbles; a translation copy told me it read Nadia Khalid. This should allow the predator to identify her vehicle. I’d stuffed the passenger seat with clutter, hoping that would force the beast to sit in the back. If she attacked without provocation, at least there was a glass pane between us.

A scrawny hand rapped on the passenger door. The predator concealed her eyes beneath sunglasses, but I could faintly make out her pupils’ silhouette. Her olive skin was unblemished, lacking any fur aside from the scalp mane. Even with the sedative I’d ingested, this creature gave me the creeps.

Fighting my instincts, I popped the window down a crack. “Hi.”

“Lyben?” Her voice was smooth, with a rising inflection to pose a question. “It’s so nice to meet you! Could you unlock the door please?”

“Sure. But, um, w-would you mind sitting in the back?”

“Of course. Whatever you’re more comfortable with.”

The primate slunk into the backseat, and I released a sigh of a relief. My instincts still tingled with a hunter positioned behind me; I could feel her electrifying eyes scorching into my skull. It took constant reassurance that the glass pane would hold, long enough for me to flee. How could such creatures have passed empathy tests?!

It baffled me how many Suleans signed up for Earth’s instinct training program, and how our dignitaries would maintain such an alliance. I didn’t understand why Terran “expertise” was a requisite for excavations. My intention was to use the predators to protect the Iftali, and help our sister species adjust.

Playing chauffeur for Nadia, a predator who was supposedly a “harmless archaeologist”, was a bad idea. Suleans should avoid direct engagement with these beasts. Humans wouldn’t respect the herbivore half of the populace. It was possible their propaganda was tailored to pull the Iftali away from us.

Nadia pinched her nose. “I’m sorry…a little distraction, please, Lyben? Music, chatter…”

A chill ran down my spine, and I risked a glance at the human’s ashen cheeks. The color was draining from her face, perhaps a side effect of resisting her instincts. She didn’t look well at all, and we’d barely departed the spaceport. How was I going to distract her from eating me for the hours-long drive?

“Er, how l-long…are you supposed to be on J-Jild?” I stammered, struggling to speak over the lump of fear.

“This project is…likely to last several months.” The human leaned forward, and cradled her head. “We’re going to carbon-date historical artifacts to check their veracity. Canvas supposed historical sites and settlements, and…”

My eyes darted about. “And?”

“Art…skeletal frag…pull over. PULL OVER!”

This was the moment of my imminent doom; Nadia had snapped in a matter of minutes. I jerked the wheel in desperation, and parked the car along the side of the road. The human tugged at the door, while sweat coalesced on her face. The creature leaned forward, and made an awful retching sound.

I averted my eyes, as the predator spewed up animal remains from her lunch. Nadia coughed with disgust, and wiped her mouth with the back of her hand. My fear quieted a bit. The human hadn’t been working up an appetite to eat me; quite the opposite appeared true. Pity stabbed at my heart, when she clutched at her esophagus.

Hesitantly, I exited the vehicle and sidled around to her door. It was in my nature to care for a sick animal, despite the peril. My feet were placed carefully, sure to avoid any predator spit-up. The beast was still slumped over, and tears were trickling under her sunglasses.

I gently patted her shoulder. “Shhh. It’s okay. You want some water?”

“I’m so sorry,” Nadia sniffled. “The blue helmets told us not to fuck this up. A career opportunity like this is once in a lifetime. Everyone wants it.”

“You should’ve told me you weren’t feeling well. What happened?”

“Motion sickness. Your car…it’s really bumpy.”

I fished through the passenger seat, handing the predator my canteen. Nadia pressed it to her pinkish lips, and gulped it down. Drinking after a flesh-eater wasn’t happening, so we’d have to stop and restock on hydration. Why hadn’t I thought clearly enough to bring supplies for my passenger?

The human lifted her sunglasses, revealing binocular eyes that were red around the rims. It was bizarre to see a hunter showing such open emotionality. My brain registered the terror from what she was all the same. My throat clammed up, while the oblivious beast wiped away her tears.

Nadia passed me back the canteen. “Thanks, Lyben. You’re a lifesaver.”

“Don’t mention it. How do we stop you from getting this motion sickness again?” I coughed.

“Er, I think sitting in the front seat with the window down would help. Fresh air works wonders.”

“Front seat it is. I’m on a shit-ton of sedatives, so you’re going to have to move the junk yourself. My muscle coordination isn’t good now.”

The predator arched an eyebrow, but toted the blockage to the backseat without comment. I sealed my eyes shut, and struggled to suppress my own nausea. The last thing I wanted was her hunter form sitting across from me, in an enclosed space. There would barely be a console separating us; she would be in the peripheral angles of my vision the whole time.

Humans are good at ingratiation. Nadia made you feel sorry for her, and upgraded herself from the backseat in the process.

I forced myself to walk back to the driver’s door. My heart rate picked back up, as I saw her clamber into the passenger seat. Her intent pupils landed on me, inky and impassable. A stray finger tested buttons on the door, until the window inched down. Perhaps the desire for fresh air was to avoid scenting my delectable lifeblood.

“Lyben, I can’t keep my mouth shut on this one. Should you be driving if you’re on sedatives?!” Nadia hissed.

Panic was making my vision blur. “I’m completely against d-driving impaired, in most c-circumstances. But I’d be m-more dangerous without a calming agent. Hypocritical or not, this seems like the lesser evil.”

“It’s really that bad for you to be around us?”

“Yeah. I don’t feel good myself.”

I slumped my antlers against the wheel, and allowed a few tears to trickle out. Nadia should’ve fallen into hysterical laughter from my weakness, but instead, she squinted with concern. The archaeologist’s hand landed on my wrist, which made me shriek. Shame blossomed in my chest, at my dramatic outburst.

The predator curved her lips downward, and finally saw through my composure. There was no pouncing on the fear though; she seemed pained by my startled response. The sudden touch had been a clumsy attempt to comfort me, I realized. It was as if humans truly felt compassion, for an herbivore no less.

“Aw, you poor thing. Take your time…I’m in no rush,” Nadia said.

I rubbed a paw on the spot her skin made contact, feeling numb. “I’m trying so hard. The Iftalis need you…and the Federation…”

“We’re both under a lot of pressure, huh? If it makes you feel this bad, I can tough it out in the back seat.”

“No, it’s a l-long drive. I wouldn’t make you suffer for hours.”

“Well, you’re going to suffer for hours with me here. I don’t want that either. Maybe we should take a break?”

My head snapped up, and I eyeballed the road wearily. A break would mean prolonging this voyage, and giving the sedatives time to wear off. The sooner I could ferry Nadia to her destination, the better my chances were not to have a breakdown. It was a miracle the Venlil ever learned to tolerate these creatures; humans looked like primordial blobs of teeth and hunger to me.

The predator’s request for a distraction floated through my head. Music wasn’t a terrible idea, and while I figured Terran songs were more violent, her words affirmed that they enjoyed tunes. I swiped through my holopad, pulling up a sad love song. Rolling arpeggios graced my ears, and I managed to get the car back on the road.

“What’s this song called?” Nadia asked cautiously.

“When Love’s Not Enough.” I tried not to think about her presence, but the predator’s reaction was visible in my periphery. “It’s about letting go of someone you still love, because there’s no happy ending available. Is that silly to you, human?”

“Oh, don’t worry, we have songs like that. The singer’s voice is really haunting…those words are good.”

“And you don’t even understand the wordplay through the translator.”

“I don’t have to. We humans always thought that music is the universal language. Such a powerful display of emotion. Romance is one of our most common musical themes too.”

An image of a human, crooning a mushy love song, floating through my head. I barely stifled a laugh; I’d believe that when I witnessed it. Predators should treat relationships as a form of contest or conquest. To adore someone completely, and to spend time idolizing them…affection wasn’t the crux of Terran society. We’d all seen their history.

Nadia leaned out the window, a placid expression on her face. Cool air buffeted her black mane, and her eyes scanned the infrastructure. Trees and vegetation were built into the designs of Iftali residences; many rooftops had been turned into artistic gardens. Their love of nature must mystify the human.

I don’t know what Nadia’s angle is here. Perhaps our government agreed to servitude already, or the humans are waiting to broach the topic.

“What were your terms?” I sputtered. “When the Sulean government reached out to you, that is. You must’ve had a price.”

The predator heaved a sigh. “As I understand it, the United Nations had one condition for an alliance.”

“…I knew it. Please, just tell me. What was your stipulation?”

“That whatever we find out, the Suleans won’t pass judgment on the Iftalis. That you’ll commit to the truth.”

“Pardon? I don’t follow. There’s nothing there for human gain.”

“We want you to find peace. Honestly, we want to be accepted too…but humanity won’t achieve that by forcing you along. Maybe you’ll view predators in a more favorable light, one day.”

“You care what herbivores think of you?”

“Yes, Lyben. I think mankind craves acceptance, at our core. It felt good to be treated like a person back there…they told us that you wouldn’t.”

I fell into a reflective silence. Something about that matter-of-fact statement was unspeakably sad. Perhaps it was the resignation in her voice, or how genuine her statement of Earth’s intentions sounded. What if humans were highly emotional creatures trying to connect with alien life? And nobody treated them as anything other than monsters?

Before I decided if Nadia was a legitimate ally, I needed to tend to our supply issue. My parched throat felt raw around my vocal cords. The water bottle was nestled in a drink-holder, taunting me. Placing my mouth on the same spot as a vomiting predator was too much.

I opted for an honest response. “You were sick. I was just trying to do the right thing.”

“That’s why I like you. We have a lot in common.”

“I guess so, but your work has much more mysticism to it. What is this carbon dating you were referring to?”

The predator went slack-jawed, revealing the tips of her canines. I swerved into a convenience store parking lot, and flinched at the reminder of her flesh-tearing abilities. It was overwhelming to witness her range of savage expressions. Nadia seemed baffled by my sudden fright; I couldn’t hop out of the car fast enough.

The human cleared her throat. “Where are you going?”

“To g-get…water. Food,” I gasped shakily. “P-please, wait here.”

I bolted into the convenience store, before I could collapse to a full-blown panic attack. My paws slammed the door shut, and I slumped against the wall. Customers gaped at the shivering Sulean, who was hugging himself for comfort. It took a colossal effort to regain outward composition.

The civilians would be equally panicked if they realized I left a predator unattended, in their settlement. My brain coaxed me to my feet, and I wobbled over to the cooler. The sedatives hadn’t done the trick for long enough. Whether I viewed the human as a person or not, her presence on Jild was ruining my sanity.

First | Prev | Next

A/N - Part 4 of the miniseries! Lyben is forced to play chaffeur for a human, though he feels mixed emotions toward her. We also see comparisons of music, and a hint at how little science is involved with Farsul 'archaeology.' Will our police officer be able to get Nadia to her dig site?

As always, thank you for reading and supporting!