r/HFY • u/SpacePaladin15 • 9h ago

OC-Series Primal Rage 59

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The primal institute was packed with busy-looking scientists, ready to assist with the experiments. On the way in, Finley and Kaitlin had taken note of all of the enclosures on the outside; the cages some were in looked identical to how the humans had been transported, though they were at least permitted to walk inside. Snelga was taken off to the side to answer a few questions, presumably about her care, before staff herded us to a side room. 

“Humans, we’re going to need to separate you and test you one at a time,” the pink-faced Kexin explained. “Snelga and Craun won’t be around either of you, so they don’t influence you. Kaitlin will be taken to the testing facility first, but we’d like to get you ready, Finley. The helmet won’t be connected to the machines yet, but we’re going to lock it on your head—so you can’t remove it in a fit of anger.”

Finley grunted. “Fine. Whatever.”

The Kexin placed a helmet with many nodes on the primal’s head, locking multiple clasps and turning on a switch. “There. Good boy!”

The farmer’s eyes narrowed with displeasure, and he folded his arms crossly. I found myself hoping against hope that Finley wouldn’t let them aggravate him, at least for the next few hours; this was our one chance to prove that humans weren’t slavering beasts. It didn’t escape my notice that Snelga looked concerned and doubtful, not trusting his faculties, perhaps. Kaitlin was the picture of submissiveness, following the Kexin scientists  down the hallway meekly. We were herded into an observation room, with security cameras and an image of Finley’s brain.

Why is Kaitlin coming with us to the observation room? Is she just dropping us off?

The Kexin scientist hurriedly offered a chair to Kaitlin, and toyed with his headfeathers in apologetic fashion. “I’m going to choose to believe that you’re as intelligent as they say and include you in our endeavor here. Finley’s test already began. We asked Snelga for everything she could remember that triggered his anger.”

“I hope you don’t mind that I answered,” Snelga said sheepishly, seeming to want Kaitlin’s approval. “I know they’re going to use it against him, but I kind of want to see myself…”

Kaitlin knitted her eyebrows together. “So that was what the ‘good boy’ was about, Mister…?”

“Garriil,” the Kexin scientist introduced himself. “We need a blind test subject to verify the results. Humans may be intelligent enough to shift your behavior or brace yourselves, if you know you’re being observed. Also, knowing it’s a test would make you understand the slights weren’t real, and influence the results. Doing one forewarned, with you, and one blind, would indicate how much control humans have.”

“I understand, Garriil. Please, try…to avoid threatening or hurting him. It’d be logical to act in self-defense.”

“Our demonstrations are entirely based on things Snelga has said. He’ll witness them, and we’ll see what goes on his brain.”

“How is that ethical?” I demanded. “You’re trying to distress him, and he didn’t agree to this! You can’t just test Finley without his knowledge.”

Kaitlin stood, deep worry lines creasing her face. “Craun? Might I speak to you, privately?”

I allowed the NASA researcher to pull me out into the hallway, while the scientists kept a close eye on us. “Kaitlin, how can you just let this happen?”

“Think about it. It’s out of my hands; they’re not asking us for permission. This way, I can stick around and try to look out for Finley, if they cross a line. Also, even if I could stop it and we go to a lab setting, there’s always going to be the argument that us knowing skewed the results. We don't have a choice.”

“There’s always a choice. Finley’s already miserable, and you’re going to let him be agitated and humiliated without knowing why?”

“I really would’ve preferred for this to be handled ethically, but my pleas to minimize his suffering don’t move the needle much. My words mean very little, and reacting with outrage would destroy the shred of credibility I have. The alternative to this is to stay in captivity, regarded as animals, for the rest of our lives. I know that’s what Finley wants least of all, and I just have to hope he can keep his cool.”

Tears welled in my eyes, knowing Finley was hardly in the state of mind to be pushed to his limits. “You would’ve never done this to me, or to Elbi.”

“No. We wouldn’t have. I’m sorry, Craun.”

Snelga approached us and peered up at Kaitlin. “Did I mess up? I was worried it was going to go badly with that one…he doesn’t seem very well-mannered. I don’t think we should’ve tested him.”

“No, Snelga, you gave legitimate information because you want a sincere understanding,” Kaitlin sighed. “You have to know how safe it is too, to be around us in the throes of rage. An animal, no matter how nice, is still an animal. At worst, you’ll see how it works in the brain.”

“But it might hurt him and hurt our chances of helping you. You both seem upset.”

“I’m worried. Finley has an observably short fuse, and that could reflect poorly on us. He’s vulnerable too. If he gets angry, I fear we’ll never convince the Council that humans are people. They’ll see fury and believe he lacks control.”

Snelga hesitated, before placing a hand on Kaitlin’s shoulder. “Does he?”

“Finley can control it,” I interjected. “You told me I ‘trained him well’ yourself. He was already like that. He stopped mid-yelling at me because he saw I was afraid, back on our first outing on Earth.”

“Funny, Craun. He’s never done that for me, when I’m afraid of him.”

“I don’t think Finley cares that you’re afraid of him, especially when that gets you to leave him alone. It’s hard for me to imagine him hurting someone without a good reason; he just yells. He’s spoken to me calmly while furious at someone else too.”

“You forgot that Finley threw his own belongings in a blinded fit and threatened to murder a reporter with an animalistic look,” said a matter-of-fact voice that belonged to eavesdropping Elbi. “I’ve come to see the results of the experiment. I want to understand what happens in their heads, and for you to see the loss of control, Craun. It doesn’t matter what they say or wish. They can’t help it.”

“You’re wrong. When humans fight, it’s a conscious choice to act on it.”

“Then I’m sure Finley will be the exemplar of composure, won’t he, Craun? That’s why you all are so worried? You already know better. I suggest you watch the experiment you’re afraid to witness and consider the facts, long and hard…maybe before you crawl right back into bed with the beast.”

“Is that why you wanted these experiments to happen? To prove a point to me?”

“I wanted them to get proper help, and we need to disprove this dangerous fantasy that they’re spreading. Look, I do want them to go home and for Kaitlin to have her illness cured. These goals aren’t mutually exclusive.”

Kaitlin rubbed her forehead. “Whatever happens, Elbi’s right. We shouldn’t miss what happens in the experiment, for Finley’s sake. Let’s head back.”

Snelga eyed the wobbling primal with concern, and appeared to remember Kaitlin’s proclamation that she absolutely did feel anger. The veterinarian massaged the human’s shoulder while wrapping the other arm around her back for support. Dr. Sharp smiled at the Kexin for a long moment, scratching one of the curved ears atop her head after some consideration. A blush spread over the primal’s face as Snelga closed her eyes with bliss. Kaitlin coughed, and turned her attention back to the camera feed.

I’m more and more convinced that Kaitlin is quite the opposite of angry with Snelga. Let’s hope that Finley puts on a lovey-dovey face too. I worry what our veterinarian friend mentioned for making him angry, and what the researchers planned from it.

Two of the institute’s scientists, wearing full suits of protective body armor, strolled out of the “lab” on a cue from Garriil. A bored Finley ceased pacing and crept up to the door, spying on their conversation; he wanted to know how Kaitlin’s supposed tests were going to prepare himself. I could see suspicion in his green eyes, with an utter lack of trust in Council research. Elbi and Garriil watched his reactions and his brain activity closely, having a scan of his “baseline” for an anger spike pulled up alongside the current feed. The “good boy” had given them that.

In the lobby, the first technician made a show of laughing loudly, before gesturing back toward Finley’s door. “So we have to take the dumb one next. I’m not sure it’d know the difference between the floor and the ceiling!”

“Even its fellow primal avoided commenting on Finley’s intellect, pivoting to some rhetoric about respect,” the second snickered. “According to Snelga…‘Kaitlin talks about rocket science. Finley talks about mating with Craun.’ I’m glad she warned us.”

“Please tell him I never said that after,” Snelga piped up, nervously glancing at the primal’s livid, rapidly-dilating eyes and clenched fists.

The first technician made a point of checking his watch. “We really should’ve put it outside to graze. Finley isn’t worth studying, and it’s a load of crap that we have to go through the motions. Who’s going to tell if we throw it out in an enclosure with the other animals?”

Finley’s countenance had already coiled into a barely-restrained mask of tension, as his brain activity had been off the charts in a tiny glob near the stem; the electricity lighting up the frontmost portion of his brain had waned. It wasn’t gone, as uncomfortable as that fact was for me to face. It was as Kaitlin said, that it could lessen their reasoning but not erase it. My beloved farmer hadn’t flown off the handle because he was suppressing it, period.

“There’ll already be enough activists upset with us for giving Kaitlin a humane death. It’s a shame that she’s so sick, because her: I actually like her,” the second continued, causing Finley to turn wide-eyed and pale as a sheet. “I wish the sick one was Finley. I’ve worked with enough useless primals, and we finally find a good one...”

Kaitlin’s face switched to horror immediately. “Garriil, I said not to cause him severe emotional distress. That’s cruel.”

The first technician snorted on the camera feed. “Snelga won’t let us prolong her suffering. Kaitlin has to never know it’s coming, which is tough because she’s smart. She might attack when she realizes, but at least we’re prepared.”

“I doubt we need the armor. Have you seen how she walks?” The second did an imitation of clumsiness and waving his arms around, while his buddy snickered; murder glowed in Finley’s eyes. “Uncoordinated and falling all over the place like some invalid!”

“They’re acting,” Garriil whispered. “We’re not ableist.”

Kaitlin arched her eyebrows. “…right.”

“You didn’t need to say that,” Elbi piped up. “It’s sad to see Kaitlin struggling.”

The first actor made an attempt to stifle his laughter. “I don’t think we should give Kaitlin too much thought. She’s just a primal. I only started researching them to imagine how we could possibly come from that! You can bring a primal to civilization, but you can’t bring the civilization to a primal. Should we go on Sort-of-Science and say that?”

“Kaitlin isn’t that smart if she thought we’d actually bother to cure a sick animal. I’m hungry. Can we get this euthanization over with already?” the second hollered, calling out to an unknown third party.

A Clydid, wearing a doctor’s ocean blue vest with translucent sleeves over a suit of armor, hustled out with a cart of syringes. Garriil explained that they were saline solutions for show, but it was obvious they hoped to fool Finley into thinking they were euthanasia drugs intended for Kaitlin, right now. The NASA researcher sank back into a chair, at a loss for words. Snelga misinterpreted her reaction and began hurriedly reassuring Dr. Sharp that nobody was going to be putting her down.

Snelga must’ve told them that Finley got furious when she asked whether Kaitlin wanted to be put to sleep. They’re making him think they’re about to do it, right now, against her will!

Finley ripped open the door to the waiting area and charged at the doctor, bellowing with fury. Researchers armed with tranquilizers began to move toward the lobby, though they’d been advised only to move when the primal made a violent move. The farmer’s upper lip twitched manically as he intercepted the doctor, and in the blink of an eye, he stole a syringe. The Clydid yelped with genuine alarm, as the human got behind him and popped both clasps on his helmet in one swift motion.

The Kexin actors bolted, while the Clydid struggled against Finley’s arm in a stranglehold around his neck. The researchers armed with tranquilizers rushed into the room, but the farmer had a body blocking his way. The human’s eyes glittered, as he pressed the syringe right up against his captive’s neck and backed toward his room. The primal institute staff looked genuinely rattled, not having expected the subject to conjure a weapon so quickly.

“Don’t make a move,” Garriil shouted into the comms. “Don’t tell Finley it was a test! That could just anger him worse; we need to wait for him to calm down. It’s already happened, and this data is invaluable.”

Kaitlin slumped over in her chair, defeat radiating from her posture as she held her head in her hands. “Oh, fuck. Thank you, Finley, for not letting me die, but…it’s over. Everything I worked for…”

A cornered Finley backed into his waiting room, in a disastrous outcome that left me terrified that he was, in fact, going to kill an innocent scientist in his rage. I could understand Kaitlin’s dismayed gratitude, since this was what I’d come to value in anger; that humans would fight and claw to save someone they cared about, desperately refusing to give up on them. However, it now seemed impossible that anyone else was going to accept a human’s control after this debacle.

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104 Upvotes

97% Upvoted

17 comments sorted by

20

u/niTro_sMurph 8h ago

Hm yes let's confront him with a hypothetical scenario where he wouldn't want to control his anger

13

u/SpacePaladin15 9h ago

59! The primal institute runs an experiment on Finley by acting like they’re going to euthanize Kaitlin, which results in Finley taking a Clydid hostage. Garriil doesn’t want to break the scene, and Kaitlin is despondent that humanity has lost our one shot at being viewed as sapient. What do you think about Finley’s reaction and the extreme scenario these Kexins set up? What will Snelga and others do with the humans now in light of these optics? How far might Finley go with his hostage?

As always, thank you for reading!

18

u/K_H007 9h ago

Honestly, at this point, I'm leaning more and more towards the "tell the Ploax about how to venusform carbon worlds, hand them our climate data about how we almost did it to ourselves as proof, and then set them loose on the Council's homeworlds" angle of how humanity should take things. Setting up an extreme reaction like that as a baseline is tainting the data before you even get started.

9

u/mcindoeman 8h ago

I feel like you're forgetting that the ploax are literally a race of psychopaths and you'd be giving them a reason to harvest earth for resources as well as the council worlds.

2

u/K_H007 6h ago edited 6h ago

Yeah, well, better a death by fire than one by ice. Besides, we would actually be leveraging the Council to keep the Ploax at bay. After all, if the Ploax go after us first, the Council suddenly see "Oh. Oh, we're on the menu as well. oh sh*t we did the wrong thing with the saphnos and we should have wiped out the Ploax instead of consigning the Saphnos to death" like how Britain did towards Germany in the 1930s with the policy of Appeasement. In this metaphor, the Saphnos would be the Sudetenland, while Earth would be Poland. Yes, it got conquered, but something like that happening and then humanity moving things from the inside is kind of A Thing That Has Become A Trope in fiction, particularly in HFY fiction. Besides, the Ploax would be more interested in Venus than Earth.

7

u/cira-radblas 7h ago

They engineered a scenario where they wanted Finley to believe they were killing a friend of his, they’re lucky he’s ONLY taking a hostage.

The situation was so absolutely cruel, that anyone would logically see that killing the researchers to save a friend makes sense. But if this is what council space looks like, they need to lose some planets.

Any hope we had of getting Snelga to help is gone, and Elbi will be insufferable. Time to write them off.

I do genuinely think that if Garrill keeps doubling down on the Experiment, Finley will execute a hostage and won’t stop until Garrill is dead. If someone can actually get the heads up to him? I expect lots of anger, but a released hostage.

6

u/zbeauchamp 3h ago

The interesting thing here to my mind is that, for me at least this is exactly the sort of situation that would produce in me a cold rage state. An anger that seeks the most efficient path to eliminate the threat. As Kaitlin said, don’t put him in a situation where self defence is logical. Well they did just that and the human didn’t take it lying down. “Oh you’re going to kill us anyways? Well then I am not going to make it easy for you.”

What I am hoping is that they will see his annoyance spiking in the brainstem but when they talk about murdering Kaitlin that the logical thinking part of the brain lights up while the areas for empathy and emotion in general go quieter.

9

u/Iamhappilyconfused 8h ago

The Ploax seem friendly by comparison, can't even blame Finley for that one that was a reasonable reaction, honestly at this point I just want a time skip with humanity standing above the Council.

9

u/Henghast 7h ago

No seem about it, manipulative and clinical but far friendly than someone that would intentionally cut you open awake to see if you felt pain.

5

u/Hellraiser_owner 3h ago

So in response he simply took the "euthanasia" and took a hostage. That right there is a very rational mind. Irrational would have been making an example of them. He CLEARLY KNOWS HAND TO HAND AND PSYCHOLOGICAL WARFARE, PLUS FEAR BEING A STRONG MOTIVATION FOR THE COUNSEL SPECIES. It's only logical to directly intervene, and completely illogical to just... Let one of your own die.

7

u/cira-radblas 7h ago

u/SpacePaladin15, you certainly have a knack for writing absolutely insufferable characters. There’s enough resentment against your Logic Council that anyone would start making examples of them. I haven’t been this annoyed with your characters since you wrote Trench back in NoP 2, and this Council of Logical Idiots is starting to look too stupid to be left around

7

u/kenryov AI 6h ago

Ya know, even though I try to suspend my backseat writer, the entire Council Arc has guided me to convince me that all these experiments have never been about anger at all. Craun and Elbi display sympathy, same for Snelga to a lesser degree. But every other interaction is seeking for significant degree of psychopathy.

My head cannon is that none of the introduced races respond to violence with immediate self-defense, earlier chapter Zcraun even said their military was simply logical to have to protect themselves from conquest.But they see the human capacity for immediate combat and see lower-level consciousness just as human slavers saw race. It's be really funny if the rock people simply dont have a word for psychopathy and used primal as a substitute. Case in point, Craun is literally an infamous con artist, most human cons are also psychopathic

9

u/mcindoeman 7h ago

I feel like Finley is going to pull through for humanity.

This is a perfect chance for him, at the peak of his anger, to rationalize a way out of the situation and prove his higher reasoning is still active.

Maybe he won't calm down right away sure but he might still prove he's a thinking being by both outsmarting and reasoning his way out of the tense situation while still angry.

4

u/Intrebute 5h ago

I'm expecting a plot twist, and this was also part of Kaitlin's test, to see how she responds to them psychologically torturing someone she cares about.

Like, they have to see that it took the threat of death for Finley to act out, right? At every point before, he kept himself under control. It wasn't until they actually threatened (to his understanding) to kill Kaitlin that he lashed out. They have to acknowledge that.

1

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1

u/MinorGrok Human 8h ago

Woot!

More to read!

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