The Nature of Predators - Farsul Abductee (2/8)

First | Next 

Memory transcription subject: Danny Palmer, Human Law Enforcement

Date [standardized human time]: E̶͉̖̺̣͇̽̔̓̃͑̂̍̍͝Ŗ̸͈̙̭̼̝͛̃̍̃̆Ṛ̶͖̙̩͐̆͝Ȍ̷̡̱̞̳̹̩͙̩̼͚͛R̵̝̽̈͑̌̑̐́̊̍͝!

The groggy feeling was reminiscent of waking up from anesthesia, and the effects were noticeably different from the sedative the dart was laced with. A rustling sound reached my ears when I moved my legs, which caused my eyes to blink open. The classy clothes I’d been sporting were nowhere to be seen, replaced by odd plastic attire. Thankfully, the garment was painted red and was not see-through. It reminded me of a poncho, not providing anything resembling comfort. The heart-pounding capture on the beach rushed back to me, knocking me out of tranquility. My eyes darted around the room, and tried to assess my location.

My body was prone on a bunk bed, which had two square pillows that resembled throws. What I assumed was a one-way glass pane took up the wall facing me, and a metal door sat in the opposite corner. Where had the kidnappers taken me; what had they done with Greg? I struggled to my feet, swaying from the dizzy rush that reached my ears. The insides of my arms tingled with a pins-and-needles sensation, as though someone dumped antifreeze into my bloodstream. My hand tapped a door handle, but it was locked.

“Hello.” A voice drifted through an overhead speaker, though it felt like my understanding of the words had a slight-delay. Comprehension was a lightbulb moment of sorts, where it almost seemed like a spiritual voice was whispering the meaning in my mind’s eye. “How are you feeling?”

Still addled from the confusing chemicals, I shot a withering look at the glass pane. “Where the fuck am I? What do you want? You have no idea how bad you fucked up: you kidnapped an FBI agent. The entire might of the US government will be after you.”

“I don’t understand what ‘FBI’ is. Please, calm down.”

“You think you’re funny? Who even are you? What is it you want? Money? To get back at the government?”

“I can assure you, your currency is useless to me. I’m Veiq…I’m a historical archivist of…your civilization. What is your name?”

Gritting my teeth, I realized I had no choice but to play along and try to gain their trust. “Danny. What do you mean by being a historical archivist of my civilization? Are you turning people into your exhibits?”

“It’s complicated. I mean you no harm.” There was a long pause, which left me further confused. Even with the words that didn’t sound quite right, and seemed to leave an almost-psychic imprint, I thought I detected apprehension. Am I their first abductee? “Please, sit down, Danny. I’m afraid I have shocking news.”

Keeping my gaze fixed on the glass pane, I retreated back to the bed. My hands raised in an exasperated gesture, and I arched my eyebrows. A huff echoed through the speakers, as I feigned looking at my wristwatch. The armband was missing as well, likely pawned off by this psycho and any accomplices. I hadn’t figured out how to work Veiq, but if they were being polite, I shouldn’t invite any torture. Whatever I did to anger them could result in consequences for Greg, if I knew anything about typical cheap tricks.

“Danny, I have never interacted with a human before. I am…a little nervous.” As those words carried over the speakers, it was all I could do not to drop my head to my hands. This person was genuinely insane, if they didn’t think they were human; I could be talking to some nutcase who thought they were the second coming of Jesus. “LISTEN TO ME! I had nothing to do with your kidnapping. Other aliens snatched you, and used you for biological experiments. We rescued you, and we want to help.”

I couldn’t withhold a derisive snort. “What, so you’re one of those Little Green Men? Klaatu barada nikto!”

“That last part didn’t translate. The translator; don’t you notice how the meaning of my words just seems to appear in your mind? I’m going to show you what I am, but I don’t want you to hurt yourself in panic. You’re not a prisoner—you’re only locked in there because I don’t want to be attacked myself.”

“Good, yes, show me, Spock!”

Another sigh reverberated over the speakers, and the glass defrosted. I stiffened like I’d been electrocuted, as primal terror gripped me. My mind couldn’t process the strange, almost-canid…thing watching me, with beady black eyes that faced sideways. Floppy ears were covered with the messy brown fur, and its gaze seemed to avoid mine. The dog-like creature had a skittish posture, with a clumsy paw hovering over some buttons.

My breathing intensified, and my heart pumped blood through my tingling veins with intensifying fury. This couldn’t be real; it was absurd! All conscious thought collapsed, overwhelmed by this far-fetched scenario. Sweat beaded on my neck, and my legs carried me to the door. Several minute of pounding and begging for help drained my energy, until I ran my vocal cords ragged. After collapsing to the floor in exhaustion, I tried to collect my bearings.

I must be dreaming or hallucinating, while the real kidnappers perform ghastly experiments on my body—yeah, that’s it. This is one of those “life flashes before your eyes” moments…a figment of your imagination. You’re dying, and that’s why you feel so strange.

“You’re not real,” I accused, wagging a finger at the glass. “You’re a product of my subconscious. I can prove it.”

Veiq narrowed its eyes. “What would satisfy you that I’m real?”

The imagined alien moved closer to the glass pane, and I hopped to my feet. Before I knew it, I was backed into a corner like a caged animal. My fingers searched for any weapons, in case the dream phantom tried to attack me. This was a rather detailed fabrication, much more vivid than any nightmare I had before. Despite willing myself to wake up, I found the room unchanging. A new idea dawned on me, and a triumphant grin spread across my face.

I snagged the skin of my forearm between two fingers, and pinched hard. To my surprise, the pain did register, leaving a lasting impression on the appendage. Panic returned, as the reality of this madness smacked me in the face. What the fuck was I supposed to do, being held by literal people from outer space?! Veiq watched with bewilderment, after seeing me pinch myself.

“Please don’t hurt yourself,” the alien spoke at last. “I meant it when I said I don’t want to hurt you. We are protecting you from a race called the Kolshians that wants you dead; that’s the truth. We can show you their rhetoric to prove it.”

Panicked tears poured from my eyes. “What…what even are you?!”

“I’m a Farsul, female if you haven’t guessed. As I stated, our goal here in the Archives is to record data on all alien civilizations. Now, if I unlock this door, are you going to attack me?”

“No.” I subtly removed my hand from a pole of the bed-frame, which I’d been trying to loosen. “Of course I’m not.”

There was a beep from the door, and I crept forward with shaking limbs. The hairs on my arm were standing straight up; running a palm over my wrist revealed goosebumps. My eyes must have been crazed, because they burned from a lack of blinking. Maybe I could get the drop on Veiq and make a run for it, but I doubted she was the only Farsul around. The best option might be to play it cool to ingratiate myself to this…thing.

There’s no telling what this species is capable of: they could read minds or suck your brains out. Is she reading my mind?

The Farsul gulped, taking an instinctive step back as I turned toward her room. Upon closer inspection, she was quivering too; was she really afraid of me? I raised my hands, and offered my warmest smile. The alien flinched, which led me to wonder if I’d given the wrong cue. I inched forward slowly, and tried to calm my own racing heart. Her exhale was one of relief; meanwhile, my thoughts were anything but relieved, as I wondered what these…Kolshians did to Greg.

“See? I’m not going to attack you,” I murmured. “You said you wanted to help me. I need to know what’s going on, and how I get out of here.”

Veiq cautiously placed a glass of water in my hands, watching me chug it. “I’ll answer your questions, but could you answer one of mine first? What is an ‘FBI’ agent?”

“It’s a federal law enforcement bureau that targets criminals. I analyze intelligence for them.”

“I see. Ask what you want to know, Danny.”

“You said these Kolshians…biologically altered me? What does that mean…and how do I know it wasn’t you? You didn’t explain how you found me.”

“The Kolshians engineered a disease that makes species allergic to meat. It’s happened to other races, but for some reason, it’s been 100% lethal in humans. We, um, intercepted you from being returned to Earth so it wouldn’t spread to others.”

“Back up. It’s one hundred percent lethal? I’m supposed to die?!”

“It’s slow-acting. The average human patient doesn’t begin to experience late-stage effects for years. And, the good news is we can try to make sure that doesn’t happen. I can’t promise anything; the Farsul will do our best to save you. Our advanced technology is your best hope.”

Stabbing pains pulsed through my temples, as the grim prognosis was heaped onto my plate. My entire life had been waiting for me, with a set path of climbing the ladder and starting a family. Now, I had years to live, without any of the gains I worked toward? I agreed that quarantining me away from Earth was sensible, but I’d never gotten to say goodbye to any of my relatives! SSA Schneider was probably going to fire me when I didn’t show up Monday…or would I become a missing persons case that went cold?

The prospect of death terrified me, a looming specter that would snatch me from this universe with permanence. There were so many things I’d wanted to achieve; I wasn’t ready to die! These were supposed to be the prime years of my life. The worst part was I couldn’t ask these Kolshian assholes why they’d done it. My sole hope was a bunch of aliens that looked like cocker spaniels. However advanced Veiq claimed they were, that didn’t strike me as a reassuring offer, but I didn’t have a better idea.

What about Greg? Did the Kolshians do the same thing to him?

“…was I alone? You know, the only human the Farsul found?” I asked, in a dazed voice.

Veiq studied me with confusion. “No, there were a lot of infected humans in your attackers’ possession. Why do you ask?”

“Do you know if there’s one called Greg? Long, dusty hair, clean-shaven…same brown eyes as me? That’s my brother, and I have every reason to believe he was abducted just like me.”

“I don’t have a list, but I’ll look for him. It may take some time. Please, wait here; now’s not a good time to give you a tour of the facility.”

I nodded, before plodding back through the open door to the bunk. Veiq seemed to weigh locking me back in, but ultimately decided to trust me not to run off. The moment she departed, a yawn purged any adrenaline from my system; lingering effects from an unknown sedative, and the energy I burned in my panic, left me feeling groggy. I rested my head against the pillow, considering what happened with the last scraps of wakefulness.

The expression on Veiq’s face, when I entered the observation room—she looked at me like I was a hungry lion licking its lips. The alien stated that she’d never seen a human, but that still didn’t explain what invoked such visceral fear. Why would anyone think of me in the same vein as a wild animal? There was something more that I hadn’t been told, though I decided to keep that perception to myself.

Then, there was the issue of the alien pathogen, which was set to rot me from the inside. The Farsul hadn’t offered an estimate of their success for reversing it, and that told me everything I needed to know. They didn’t think the chances of preventing its progression were high. I didn’t feel sick, apart what felt like static electricity corked in my veins. My hands did a quick inventory of my body, checking for any scars or incisions, but all I could find was what seemed like an IV slit in one wrist.

For the sedative? Which I’m starting to guess the Farsul administered, so I didn’t wake up in transit to here…wherever here is. I really should sleep.

Slumber was more than willing to drag me under to its depths. It seemed that I was out for a second, but it was obvious from the exhaustion in Veiq’s eyes that it’d been hours. The Farsul was herding Greg from behind, with two other aliens that I didn’t know following. Had my impulsive brother done something to mandate extra eyes on us? I was both elated to see him alive, and upset that he’d been dragged into this nightmare.

I raced to the doorway, ignoring how the Farsul all stiffened at my charge. Greg was shivering when I threw my arms around him; he was also in the strange attire, which I tucked away as something to ask about later. My brother patted my back, our quarrel on the beach seeming less important in light of the abduction. We lingered in that embrace for several seconds, and I tightened my grip around his shoulders. Veiq wore a surprised expression, witnessing our reunion.

I pushed away from my brother with a sharp inhale. “You good, Greg? Are you hurt?”

“No,” he grumbled. “We missed your birthday.”

I laughed, in spite of myself. “That’s the least of our worries. How much do you know?”

“They…woke me up from some freezing chamber pod. I was bugging out and all, so I booked it. I mean, jeepers creepers, how am I supposed to react to Martians kidnapping me? We eventually had a confab, and unless they’re psyching us out, these guys didn’t do it…but our days are numbered.”

“Yeah. That’s the gist of it.”

“I’m scared, Danny…”

“Me too. Whatever we do next, we need to look out for each other. I’ll think of a plan. Maybe these Farsul can fix this.”

Veiq cleared her throat. “We’ll do everything in our power, humans. I’ll find Greg someone to be assigned as his liaison, but you’ll have as much time to socialize or come to terms with what happened as you need. However, we’d like to monitor your health. Are blood draws acceptable to both of you?”

“I don’t see an issue.”

“Me neither,” Greg answered.

“Great!” The Farsul wagged her tail for a moment, before catching her excitement. “I mentioned that this place is where we record Archives of every civilization in our neck of the galaxy. You are under no obligation, but we would love for you to help us document anything about your culture you deem unique or important. Other humans have been given the same offer.”

“So like what? Can I make an entry about folk music or weed?”

“Anything you like, Greg. We are committed to learning about other cultures and maintaining comprehensive records. I’d love a chance to get to work with you, teach you about the galaxy…and I think it’d be good for you to have something to do, other than count the days.”

I bobbed my shoulders. “I’m in. I’ve read a lot of books, and I’m sure that literature is relevant in the scope of history. You don’t seem to know much about our governments and bureaucracy either.”

“We know as much as other humans told us, or that we picked up from your broadcasts. I’m excited to learn more about Earth. It’s my sincere hope that we can save you, and discover a way for our planets to co-exist in the future.”

Greg seemed surprised by how quickly I’d agreed to the Farsul’s offer; I was a meticulous planner, someone who weighed the risks and rewards before reaching a decision. These weren’t ordinary circumstances though, so with our limited remaining lifespan, there was no time to build toward a goal for years. I had a short time to craft some sort of legacy, because I realized I’d left little impression on Earth. In this venue, our actions reflected on humanity as a whole.

The only thing I could do was dispel Veiq’s notion that humans were animals, and win her over. Making a positive impression on the aliens tasked with curing us was in our best interest. I was determined to make the most of whatever time we had left, and give our shortened existence some meaning. Besides, my brother wasn’t going to protect himself; someone had to keep him out of trouble.

First | Next

A/N - Part 2 of the abduction series! Danny wakes up to the shocking news that aliens exist and have snatched him for experimentations, though Veiq warps the truth a bit. Greg was brought out of cryostorage to the same news, and the two brothers agreed to work on the archival of humanity. Will our narrator figure out more of what's really going on? What approach will he take to earn the Farsul's trust?

As always, thank you for reading and supporting!