The Nature of Predators - Arxur Miniseries (4/6)

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Memory transcription subject: Kaisal, Arxur Dominion Third Fleet

Date [standardized human time]: September 29-30, 2136

The human was in no condition for a strenuous trek, which meant she required transportation. However, Maya yelped when I tried to move her, leaving us vulnerable to enemy detection. It wasn’t ideal to carry her for long distances, regardless. My physical strength was lacking, as every Arxur made a point to mention.

The simplest option was to abandon her, since she would do nothing but slow me down. I snatched her food pack, telling myself that there was no other option. My new plan was to venture off to the Gojid orchards, and find other Arxur to join up with. This wasn’t my fault; I’d done everything in my power to aid the alien, and defect to her people. Maya was just weak.

Hell, I was weak for feeling guilty about forsaking her. There was nothing I owed to the pack predator. More importantly, her food stash should have dissuaded me from thinking of her as an equal. I found fruits and grain products diluting the supply, with little meat for me to eat. Swiping the knapsack was a mistake, since I would be back to tracking down Gojid prey in a day.

The rations were dwindling anyways. I don’t think this omnivore’s food supply was meant to last more than a few days, I noted. And that’s with a human’s appetite. This is barely a snack for me.

I rested on the bulky roots of a tree, staring out at abandoned farm equipment. Going back to my people might buy me a few weeks, but ultimately, the Betterment office would have their way with me. A return without a human rendered me disposable; it would invite another endless spell of starvation. Nobody would be able to see past my frail form, and all that mattered to the government was war contributions.

“I can’t leave Maya. She’s too valuable,” I growled.

My search turned to a way to carry her, scanning the agricultural tools for anything useful. A harvesting vehicle was left unattended, with the electrical charge at half-capacity. That should be enough to get back to Maya, and make it to the settlement near the military base. An amused snort came from my nostrils, at the thought of a Gojid seeing an Arxur driving their plant-vehicle.

The vehicular controls were intuitive, with a steering wheel and acceleration lever. However, it was uncomfortable to wedge myself in a seat designed for a creature much smaller. I tried to distract myself, sifting through the static of prey radio channels. Those had all fallen dead with the cradle’s bombing; there was nothing to absorb but rural scenery.

I cursed to myself, seeing that only ten minutes had passed since my departure. This was going to be a long ride.

The forest was too dense to fit a harvester, so I had to disembark my vehicle to retrieve the human. Maya didn’t stir, despite the necessity to drag her for half a mile. From what I could tell, she had drugged herself with some sort of sedative. The omnivore’s fragile form was placed into the seat, and I carefully rested her head against the door.

The bombs hadn’t relented behind us, a sign of the overwhelming force the Arxur military possessed. Some detonations pummeled the forest perimeter; it was a good thing I’d retrieved Maya when I did. If the Dominion was besieging rural areas, near a drop site, that meant time was running out. All Arxur personnel would be withdrawn from the region by tomorrow.

I monitored the electrical gauge, seeing the vehicle’s power almost extinguished. It was frustrating how slow the harvester was; it was never meant for cross-country travel. Fortunately, we were able to cross the settlement’s threshold before dawn arrived. Stampede signs greeted us near the gates, and I parked the vehicle. My appetite hissed in disappointment, as all the Gojid corpses reeked of rot.

I’m hungry again. Don’t want to roll the dice with food poisoning though.

Most Gojid civilians had either trampled themselves, or fled elsewhere at this point. The third option, being holed up in a central location, was more likely at the town epicenter. I mulled over everything Maya told me about humans, recalling how her squad perished at a daycare center. If the tree-omnivores were lurking anywhere, it would be a place with Gojid children.

I slapped the steering wheel with my tail. “The Gojid scent trails were moving away from the north, I think. That probably means humans were operating in that direction.”

The fuel gauge indicator had dipped close to empty. There was no telling what to do with Maya, if this thing died. I’d have to figure out how to keep her sedated, or we’d draw unwanted attention. The last way I wanted to die was by getting caught in a gasoline trap. I had no idea if Gojids would have extermination measures in a remote village, off the beaten path…but I didn’t want to find out.

“Fuck,” Maya groaned, in a groggy tone. “Carmen, I had the strangest nightmare. This pitiful Arxur tried to defect, and then—”

The human’s eyelashes fluttered, before her gaze snapped open. I narrowed my eyes, thumping my tail in a gesture to continue. The color drained from her complexion, and she rubbed her forehead with a hand. Her pupils darted around, before dejection crossed her expression.

“Who’s Carmen?” I prodded.

Her brows knitted together. “A f-friend from my unit. We worked together for a long time. Where the hell are we? I thought you left me for dead.”

“I found wheels, so we could get to the settlement. You didn’t help. Neither did that Venlil feed in your bag.”

“Venlil feed? I beg your pardon?”

“You heard me.”

The human was silent, grimacing as she tried to sit up. The omnivore pawed at her throat, and she reached for my canteen. I debated whether to stop her from hydrating, until she answered my questions. However, after how Naitha treated me, I couldn’t bring myself to deprive an animal’s biological needs. Maya had fed me in my time of need.

The arboreal alien chugged at the liquid greedily. “That’s better. You had to take the ‘Venlil feed’ too? You left me with a fractured hip, in the heat, without food and water.”

“Then I saved your ass. You’re welcome,” I growled. “I can always put you back in the woods if you don’t like it.”

“Hmph. Also, I didn’t want to go to this tiny village. The plan was to go to the base nearby.”

“This piece-of-shit vehicle wasn’t going to make it to the base. Also, your plan was stupid. What, you think the Gojids are going to just invite you into their bunker?”

My stomach rumbled for several seconds, as if it heard my words. A shelter full of Gojids was an enticing prospect, though I didn’t believe it was worth the risk. Hunger pleaded to agree to Maya’s plan, but my brain overrode it. My salivary glands were getting rather overactive, which drew the human’s wary gaze.

The alien said meeting you was a nightmare. She called you pitiful too, and she hates your kind. Is it a good idea to seek out her comrades?

The harvester sputtered to a halt, just as a brick building came into sight. A field of soft earth, pocked with burrows, rested outside; that must be an area designed for Gojid recreation. Logic asserted that this was a school, though it was on the smaller side for such structures.

If my theory was correct, we’d have our best chance at meeting human soldiers on these premises. Their species was soft in their mental faculties, pitying weak creatures. I think that was why Maya spared me to begin with.

“You’re seeking out a school, Kaisal?” The omnivore’s hand shot to her hip, reaching for a weapon that wasn’t there. “No…I won’t let you do that. You’ll have to kill me first.”

I snorted. “That wouldn’t be too hard. Get out.”

“I’m not going anywhere with you, croc.”

“I don’t understand what that word means, but I gauge that it’s an insult. I’m looking for other humans, not Gojid hatchlings. Now, if I find a meal, that’s a bonus…I’m hungry.”

“Damn you. Are you just always hungry?”

“Something like that. Doesn’t help that I have no fat reserves to burn. You try barely eating for years, see how you feel.”

Maya pursed her lips, then injected her wounded side with a painkiller. The human waved me over, propping her arm around my neck. She limped along, struggling with each step. I curled my lip, hating myself for supporting a liability. This went against every philosophical tenet I’d ever learned; perhaps even the weak-minded omnivores would scorn me for enabling her injured state.

The scent of Gojid hit my nostrils, tempting my restraint. It was impossible to tell if humans were here, when that odor was so overpowering. I licked my lips, before refocusing on the visual cues. Arxur bodies were scattered near the entrance. It was visually stunning, to see so many of our soldiers taken out. I wasn’t inclined to believe that school-prey had done this jaw-dropping damage.

“Humans? Hello?” I called, hesitantly. “I have a present for you. Her name is Maya, she’s moderately useful, I promise.”

A shadowy figure ducked out of the doorway, a mask covering their face. The excessive gear made them look more imposing than they were. Dark goggles concealed their eyes, completing the impassive exterior. It was impossible to see the fleshy, pinkish alien I knew was underneath.

A barking laugh rumbled in their throat. “I have a present for you too.”

The new human jammed a gun barrel into my maw, shoving it against the roof my mouth. Their finger hovered over the trigger; perhaps they were waiting for me to make a wrong move. More aliens crept out of the school, prying Maya away from me. I gagged on the smooth metal, and shot an irate gaze at my companion.

Why couldn’t any meeting with these omnivores start without a gun in my face? Weren’t social predators supposed to like conversation?

“Don’t shoot Kaisal. He’s trying to defect…he saved my life. He deserted, and shot his own people,” Maya coughed.

The gun-wielding stranger stiffened, before withdrawing the firearm. They raised their goggles from their eyes, inspecting me with skepticism. I fell to the ground, spitting out the metallic taste. Hatred bubbled in the human’s visage, as though they found my presence reprehensible. There was something protective about their stance too.

“Mr. Frank!” A Gojid youngling skittered up to the stranger, and tugged at the human’s leg-pelt. My eyes widened, with a mix of hunger and disbelief. “Come back, Frankie! I want another story.”

Frank shielded the prey with his form. “Nimlin, I need you to go back with the others. Now.”

The human took several steps back, keeping his eyes on me. Saliva bubbled on my lips, involuntarily, senses teased by Nimlin’s arrival. The stranger’s gaze turned cold, and he seemed to consider shooting me again. Maya looked sickened by my rekindled appetite as well.

I didn’t understand why a reaction I couldn’t control was my fault. Their sense of smell was weaker, so they couldn’t grasp how the aroma drowned out everything else. If humans didn’t want me to eat the prey, they should provide an alternative food source…quickly.

The Gojid kid sulked off, after an insistent push from Frank. The male omnivore swallowed, and ushered us inside the building. My gaze was suited to the absence of electricity, but the arboreal aliens weren’t as fond of it. They had planted makeshift lanterns at various intervals.

The faint glow illuminated the carnage that was left behind. Human bodies were slumped along the walls, some with guns still clutched. Crimson fluid was smeared across the floor; a handful must’ve dragged themselves while bleeding out. Most of this unit appeared to be dead.

Why are these people stopping the Dominion from hunting, at such great cost? It was worth it to hold the line, and die, over food?!

The three individuals that greeted Maya and I were the only able-bodied humans on the premises. Any wounded omnivores were languishing near the Gojid schoolprey, parked by their weapons as a last resort. Several were unconscious and close to death, so I didn’t know how that contingency would work out.

“Frankie, why is Sascha leaking red juice? He won’t wake up!” Nimlin whined.

Frank’s eyes glistened. “I think Sascha is…sleeping forever, little man.”

“Forever? So he’s never…going to…?”

The Gojid started bawling, tears streaming down its fur. The human knelt to the ground, before drawing the prey into his embrace. The male soldier didn’t seem to mind the wet patches on his armor, or the spines poking his wrist. He whispered soothing words, stroking its neckline.

Nimlin wriggled out of the human’s grasp, and curled up against Sascha’s corpse. My ears ached from the shrill wails. Why was the food upset over a predator? More importantly, why was Frank indulging sniveling weakness?

Maya cleared her throat. “What happened here?”

“The Arxur kept coming. We held them off as long as we could…three waves of them,” Frank growled. “If they follow pattern, they’ll be back by daybreak. The intervals have been regular.”

I narrowed my eyes. “This next push will be decisive, since the Arxur Dominion is withdrawing ground troops by tomorrow. Not that you’re in any shape to defend this place, regardless. Why haven’t you moved out, switched spots?”

“We thought about it. But where are we going to go? The entire planet is under siege, and we have kids and wounded. This is a small town. Taking the bus outside will attract attention, lots of it, if that’s what you’re about to say.”

“Frank, the Arxur presence is gone. They’ve got what they wanted out of this town, other than these ripe morsels. You’re a sitting target here.”

The male human adjusted his gloves, checking for quills. The desolate hallway was littered with bodies and blood spatter, a grim reminder of the odds. There was no life but pitiful Gojids huddled together, and three exhausted soldiers planning to mount a last stand. I wasn’t going to count the gravely wounded in my tally.

It would be much easier for the omnivores to surrender the prey, but I already determined they wouldn’t do that. Maya and Frank made it clear they hated Arxur; my traveling partner refused to negotiate with Naitha earlier. Perhaps coming here had been an error of judgment. This ragtag band of prey younglings, and prey-like omnivores, were just more liabilities.

“Do you trust that thing, Maya?” Frank asked.

She studied me with concern. “It is quiet out there, from the little I saw. I trust that Kaisal has no loyalty to his government, and that he doesn’t want to hurt us humans. What I don’t trust is his control when he’s hungry. He’s a threat to, um...”

“I understand. I’ll keep it fed, unless it becomes too much of a hassle. Or it gives me a reason to put it down.”

I swallowed with discomfort. “I will do whatever you say if you feed me. No eating Nimlin, er, I’ll try.”

Something animalistic sparked in Frank’s gaze, and his chin muscles twitched beneath his mask. The human seemed oblivious to our physical mismatch, taking a step toward me. His hands were balled in fists, like he wanted to swing at my snout. The soldier glanced at Nimlin, and managed to calm himself.

“Well, we’re finished if the next wave gets here anyways,” he said, in a detached voice. “Let’s be gone before the grays show up. Time to move, people.”

The predator soldiers began rounding up the prey kids, and plotting methods to move their wounded. With an Arxur posse closing in on us, the humans were still wasting time on lost causes. It was a bit sad to see their low standards in action; I hoped this empathetic fiasco wouldn’t get us all slaughtered.

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A/N - Part 4 of our Arxur series! Kaisal manages to locate other humans, and bring Maya into their care. However, our narrator is less-than-thrilled about the Gojids under Frank's guardianship. Will our group escape the school before the Arxur return? What happens if they reach the Gojid bunker?

As always, thank you for reading and supporting!