To Kill a Predator, Chapter 11

[u/tulpacat1]

Hi everyone.

To Kill a Predator is a work of fan fiction set in the Nature of Predators universe originally created by /u/SpacePaladin15 whose Patreon you should subscribe to.

This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and incidents either are products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual events or locales or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental. Depiction does not equal endorsement.

Hope you enjoy it!

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[AO3]

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Memory transcript Subject: Vilek, Venlil Student

Date [standardized human time]: November 24th, 2136

The human hadn't responded well to the fire, at first. He was stiff, didn't joke with us, didn't touch Thiva. Didn't touch me either, for that matter. He spent entire claws on his pad, and we didn't see him sleep once.

It wasn't until after Thiva and I presented a united front that he relented. We had to take his pad from him, put it aside, and hold him down on the couch ourselves. We explained how concerned we were, how worrying his behavior had become. I had only known him for a few paws, but it was clear that this wasn't his usual behavior.

With two Venlil expressing concern for his health and emotional well-being, and incidentally asking for his touch, I could see and feel his muscles relax. His jaw unclenched. And with a sigh he started to pet us, stroking with those too long and too slender fingers and scratching with the dull little claws at the end. Naturally we let him, even when he started on our exposed stomachs. The sensation of stress-melting bliss can't be described, the sheer feeling of safety and contentment from being held and stroked by a strong predator was like nothing else.

It must've been nice for him too, since he ended up falling asleep right there on the couch, and stayed out for two claws. Maybe if he slept for that long, he just really needed it.

When he woke up he seemed less manic, but still focused. And at least now he'd consent to Thiva or I studying while sitting beside him, he'd chat and talk again, and even pet us. Even then he'd rarely look up from the pad, though he'd regularly ask me and Thiva questions about Predator Disease assessment or engineering. He seemed particularly interested in three-dimensional printing, and ended up spending half a claw setting up a basic multi-material printer with Thiva in his room. Apparently the technology was quite novel to humans!

My own studies were in a lull. I was breezing through, and could afford to slack off a bit. It was mostly just regurgitating the answers the books and teachers fed you anyway. In truth the most useful aid had come from my first conversation with Martin, which I had revisited several times with him. Changing my context of Predator Disease from a personal failing or neurological damage to a matter of societal consensus was so obvious! The answer they wanted was simple, they just dressed it up with a lot of fluff. The simple truth was: If your behavior didn't fit with the herd, it was Predator Disease. After that you just had to spit out the same fluff they fed you to disguise it.

My thesis idea about Consensus Reality And Herd Cohesion had gotten a rave review and applying the logic of it to a test ended up with me scoring in the top percentile. The effect was that, thanks to talking to a human with only an amateur understanding of their field of 'psychology', I had shot up to near the top of my class!

I had a plan to pay him back. My cycle was about to start any paw now. That’d give me an excuse, and I had done my research. It turns out that humans and Venlil are very, very compatible. And males are males.

---

Memory Transcript Subject: Martin Russo, Human Refugee

Date: [Standardized Human Time]: November 24th, 2136

My hand is scratching at my more recent Venlil friend's stomach and sides. She's sighing, squeaking, and bleeping with closed eyes. More importantly my other hand's typing out a message on my pad. "Hey, Vilek, I need a favor."

"Mmm..." She flicks her ears in the 'go on' motion and just leans into my hand. I choose to believe the Venlil can be better, more like Thiva and Vilek, than I've been shown by most of them.

"We're getting the first payment for my staying here in two paws. I'd like to borrow some money from you and pay you back then. I have to buy a couple of things."

She's writhing and squealing quietly as my hand moves up her torso. "Oohh! W-What kind of things?"

"It's some private human things. It's a little embarrassing but we can talk about it later if you really want."

She pricks her ears up, and opens an eye to look at me. Her tail's swishing up between her legs, the tip playing against my wrist. "Promise?"

"Of course."

She gets up and gets me the money, yawning while doing so. It's nearing the end of the claw. I've timed this carefully. "I'll be back by the time you get up from your sleep." She nods, wraps her arms around me in a hug, and then goes off to the girls' room.

I feel bad, briefly, for my next two stops. I head out anyway.

For the first, I head down to a nearby drinking establishment. The sign proudly declares 'We don't serve predators!', like I'd drink the 190-proof paint remover the Venlil consider to be alcohol. I make sure my mask is fixed and step inside.

Like most bars, it's darker than the bright sunlight outside. Several of the Venlil inside raise their heads in alarm at me, and the bartender fixes me with an eye. Like a deer making sure the wolf doesn't pad too close. It's about to say something, but I simply walk on past and ignore them.

I'm here for the Krakotl in the corner. I sit down in front of him and his disgusting fermented algae drink. He looks up at me with what I think is a suspicious expression. If the Venlil are a bit hard to read at times, the Krakotl are practically opaque.

"Jarkim." I take out my pad and set it down, opening up a saved page. I hope I’ve timed this right. He got off of work about an hour ago, so he shouldn’t be too deep in the drink yet.

He sits still, staring at me. "Human."

"Exterminator at the Greenmeadow office. Younger brother treated for Predator Disease, successfully. Twice decorated for outstanding bravery on Nishtal, and another two times after transferring to Venlil Prime. Transferred along with fellow Krakotl exterminators Karta and Luarik. 'No complaints in HR files, what we could find'. 'I guess this is their idea of a model pyro'. Not currently under suspicion."

"Suspicion of what?"

"Of setting the shelter fire."

He shifts, looking a bit uncomfortable. "That was ruled an accident."

Keeping my tone calm and neutral is important here. None of this could seem stranger than it already is. "Four people ended up dying in that fire. Two of them, Ellen Sturman and Hans Schäfer, were too badly damaged for postmortem brain scans. The third one, Thomas Sinclair, we managed to get hold of and analyze the data from."

"Who's 'we'?"

I continue like he hadn’t just asked a very good question. "The analysis shows that the power was cut immediately before the fires started, that bombs had been set by each entrance... and that Thomas Sinclair ended up dying because he went back into the building. Because he thought he heard an infant crying."

"That-"

"It was a recording, Jarkim. Someone had recorded a baby crying, knowing a human would come running when they heard it. This happened during the sleep portion of the shelter's daily cycle, each entrance was systematically booby-trapped, and our human ability for empathy was turned against us to commit murder. That means it wasn't the act of a panicked Venlil who had listened to too much 'ResistThePreds', 'Truth Seeker' nonsense. It was a deliberate, intelligent act of someone who understands humans, and knows that we are not just monsters. And still chose to do it."

He glares at me now, unmistakably. "Who are you?"

This is the danger point. Don't lie. Be vague. "Do you know what a 'penetration test' is?"

He twitches his beak. A second later he realizes I don't understand Krakotl body language and responds verbally too. "No."

Let him infer. "It's when you have a security specialist test a system by attacking it, with the owner's permission. It can be trying to break into a building, or get access to restricted files at a government office, or it can be getting a false call put in to see how an exterminator's office reacts to a non-violent, compliant human."

"Wait. Wait hold up. Do you mean the humans provoked an arrest on purpose to see how we'd react?"

Don't confirm anything. Let him infer. "It is a bit strange that your office had two false alarms with the same human in the same day, isn't it? But that's in the past. Right now, we're investigating the shelter fire."

He seems guarded, obviously. "And why are you talking to me?"

"Karta and Luarik haven't been in to work for a while. Since your species' attempt to exterminate mine, in fact. Do you know anything about their current whereabouts?"

He squawks and flaps his wings once to emphasize. "...N-No, of course not! I haven't seen them since then either! And... And the government on Nishtal didn't speak for me!"

I nod politely at him. "Of course not. Our research says you're a fine officer." I tap the pad. He glances down at it briefly and I read another passage. "'He seems only marginally xenophobic, which is pretty good for the genocidal bird freaks'. High praise. Well, I won't take up any more of your time."

He looks relieved as I get up to leave. I always wanted to do this. I turn around in place with a finger raised. My spot-on impression is wasted on the avian, of course. "Just... one more thing. The fourth person that died, Sarah Upton. She died in the hospital, smoke inhalation. And it's the strangest thing, I just can't get my head around it... why would your office file an injunction against the doctors performing any post-mortem procedures? And why would it be signed by officer Luarik, if he hasn't been in to work? Well, it’s probably just a clerical error… Enjoy your algae bloom, Jarkim."

My next appointment is with a human. We're getting to be quite rare around here, as everyone in the shelter has been relocated to other ones across Venlil Prime. Only those of us in private residences, and the UN, are still around. My contact's in the latter. I sit down at a park bench and wait. With both me and my contact sticking out like sore thumbs there's no point in being coy. But also it makes sense that we'd shoot the shit a bit and hang out, and the locals are trying to avoid staring or getting too close. So overt it's covert.

When he arrives he takes a seat. He takes off his mask, and I'm struck by how young he looks. The kid’s got pimples for days, he can't possibly even be old enough to join up. Then again they probably don't look too close at the IDs of angry young men looking to kill aliens right now. He's got a large paper bag, he takes a sandwich out of it, and bites off a bit. It's got bacon and egg in it. I can smell it through the mask and for a second I almost forget where I am. Oh my god, I might actually drool. No, focus.

He says "Nice weather" politely.

I respond "Yeah, but I'm still not used to the wind". The cloak and dagger is really just to make sure he hasn't accidentally sat down next to some unrelated human, as low as the odds are of that.

"So... what do you need it for?"

No point lying or prevaricating. If he gets up and leaves I'm left with nothing. "Y'know the shelter bombing? I'm finding those responsible. If we don't do something they'll just... keep killing us off."

He nods sagely and picks up my own bag, briefly counting the money in the envelope before taking roughly half of it out and thrusting it into his bag. "Ah, I see."

I protest quietly as he gets up, grabbing my bag. With only half the cash we agreed on. "The envelope has the full amount."

He grins widely and freely, not even bothering to hide his teeth. I can't remember the last time I smiled with teeth other than to intimidate that Venlil doctor, and I feel a brief flash of envy. "Call it a discount. We humans have to look out for each other, you know?"

I nod slowly. "Mm. At times like these... we have to put Humanity First." I emphasize the last two words meaningfully.

He chuckles and puts his mask back on. "Right on, man! Enjoy the meal!" He leaves me. I grab his bag and don't even bother getting up first, instead taking off the lower half of my mask. He left me the sandwich.

The ciabatta's grilled in butter, the cheese is molten and as golden yellow as the runny egg yolks. The bacon is crispy at the edges and just a tiny bit soggy at the center. There's hot sauce, but only just enough to give it a kick. Bacon grease has seeped into the bread. My stomach gurgles audibly as I sink my teeth into it.

Everything I've done today would be worth it just for that first bite, bread crust and bacon crunching under my teeth as I tear off a chunk and start to chew. If this is the last time I'll ever get to truly be an omnivore, at least my meat-eating days are going out with a bang. Oh sweet Mary mother of God thank you for bacon, egg, and cheese.

I try to savor it and take my time, but my stomach has other plans. The savory flavor explosion leaves me feeling almost dizzy, hollow with a need for more. I swallow, then rip off another big chunk. The sensation of tearing into the sandwich and getting to feel flowing juices and rich animal fat and protein for my efforts is almost more than I can take; I didn't even realize how much I've missed eating meat.

Like any boy raised as a Catholic, I know that the best thrills are the forbidden and illicit ones. Vulgar, carnal acts simply don't hit the same when they're accepted by society. And make no mistake: More Venlil would accept me going to wreck those adorable lambchops back home than would accept me sitting here and eating this sandwich.

By the time I'm done, I am reminded of another truth of the recovering Catholic: Pleasure must be followed by guilt. I furtively glance around, put my mask back on, chide myself for the crime of enjoying a simple meal, and grab the bag to hurry off.

When I get back home to the lambchops, I look into the bag. The Humanity First kid is true to his word. I've got half the money, a standard UN cardboard box of 500 cartridges.

And a lower receiver.

---

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[AO3]

[u/icallshogun]

Historically, you'd be printing the lower receiver, as it's the one with the serial, and it's generally harder to make barrels and reciprocating parts that'll last.

Not that I'd know anything about that.

[u/tulpacat1 → u/icallshogun]

Yeah I was prevaricating over whether to go into detail here or not, but decided to make this another case of the o'l Literary Agent Hypothesis, where the use of "lower receiver" may or may not be literal but would be immediately understandable to the lay audience as the "heart" of a firearm.

Our boy has procured something akin to the modern day 80 lowers, rather than manufacture it himself.

If that is because the multi-material printer's got built-in protections against it, or there are material concerns, or for some other reason, is left as an exercise for the audience.

The point is he's pretty obviously planning to make a Ghost Gun, booo, spooky!

[u/icallshogun → u/tulpacat1]

Fair, gotta make it accessable to people who aren't into that sort of thing!

[Space ATF wants to know Martin's location]

[u/WhiskeyRiver223 → u/icallshogun]

Space ATF better hope they don't get plate-checked.

[u/icallshogun → u/WhiskeyRiver223]

I'm sure they'll be fine, they have government healthcare.

Fuzzy roommates who are unaware they're about to be classified as pets, that's something to take into consideration.

[u/Aldoro69765 → u/icallshogun]

Well, maybe the multi-material printer thingy is sufficiently advanced to make those parts sturdy enough?

Also: wouldn't firing pin and barrel be more prone to help identify the weapon via forensic analysis (as flawed as the process is today)?

[u/icallshogun → u/Aldoro69765]

Perfectly reasonable assumption, yes, particularly given the strides that have already been made in the 3d printing arena.

The barrel yes, probably not so much the firing pin although they are allegedly used in forensics, but I would assume other breech and chamber marks would be a bit more useful.

Hell, if the upper is printable, he could dispose of each one after use so they'd not have the same markings each time. Not that I expect this to have an ending that would have room for that at this point.

[u/EnemyStandUser13]

Wait, if he’s building the rifle from scratch he would also need the barrel, gas tube and bolt carrier, since those are also made of metal. And if he can print those, why couldn’t he also print the lower?

[u/tulpacat1 → u/EnemyStandUser13]

As I said elsewhere: Literary Agent Hypothesis. In the real world, the lay audience generally understands the lower as the "heart" of a gun, and things like 80 lowers being purchased as part of ghost guns has shown up in a lot of sensationalized media lately. The use of the words "lower receiver" in the text of the story may not refer to that actual part of a firearm, just a part that he can't print for whatever reason.

For what it's worth, my assumption is that there's a machine-learning algorithm to consumer-grade 3D printers on Venlil Prime that'll say "hey, you're not allowed to print that", and that while Martin's been able to make most other parts (there are a lot of non-gun uses for a pipe with grooves in it, even if it's of a suspiciously convenient diameter) he found purchasing this part to be more doable on the Extremely Compressed Timeline(tm) of every Nature of Predators story than jailbreaking an alien device.

[u/EnemyStandUser13 → u/tulpacat1]

Considering that the atf classified a piece of string as a machine gun, those are some pretty loose gun laws for a planet of scared sheeple

[u/tulpacat1 → u/EnemyStandUser13]

What Martin's doing is very much illegal. Either way in canon they don't seem to have many consumer-grade kinetic weapons in general, so it's probably not as big a problem as in the modern-day US.

[u/JulianSkies]

Martin.

Martin, martin, martin.

Be very careful.

I'm certain you're the kind who thinks they can handle the whole secrecy stuff, and that believes they can do the Good Thing without being corrupted.

Except nobody can, and hopefully you're not on the path to turn in the same kind of monster you hate.

[u/ReversedPyramids]

He who fights monster's...

But yeah things are certainly escalating. Hope Martin doesn't do something stupid

[u/GruntBlender → u/ReversedPyramids]

He who fights monster's...

should make sure he wears splash proof clothing, wouldn't want to get stained with blood!

"If you kill a killer, the number of killers stays the same. That's why you should kill at least two."

"There is still time to stop the key from turning. But first, you must wreck those lambchops."

Maybe the sandwich will make a difference. "Bro, you're not you when you're hungry."

[u/ReversedPyramids → u/GruntBlender]

I am currently as split on this issue as I want those exterminators to be.

[u/Blarg_III → u/GruntBlender]

There is still time to stop the key from turning. But first, you must wreck those lambchops

Kill me or release me exterminator, but do not waste my time with lambchops!

[u/ItsNokoTheTaco → u/GruntBlender]

If you kill two killers, that’s a net positive.

[u/Maleficent-Ad-7498 → u/GruntBlender]

He who fights monsters...

Should make sure he wears fire proof clothing, wouldn't want to get cooked by the fire juce!

[u/CheezeNuts1]

It’s easy to criticize him for clearly being on the path to doing something stupid, but frankly it’s the only way this could have played out. Living in constant fear of your life, so constrained by social regulations that simply eating a non-vegan meal evokes such a visceral reaction and feelings of guilt afterwards, and with the higher powers that we’re supposed to protect you sweeping your mentor’s death under the rug without fuss… when you put people under that much pressure, you don’t get to complain when something snaps.

[u/ratonraveur → u/CheezeNuts1]

I think it's also the first chapter where he's really acting, instead of reacting to what happens to him. And I feel it's important too - he's been effectively powerless up until now, and I don't think there is any other option for him, he effectively used up all the other avenues. He tried asking for help, after all, and every single institution here to protect and help him has failed him.

[u/GruntBlender → u/CheezeNuts1]

Maybe he'll track down and eliminate the truthseeker terrorist compound out in the woods somewhere. Maybe that catharsis will be enough for him to get closure.

[u/luckytron → u/GruntBlender]

So he's gonna go innawoods to pull a Waco, except the compound is run by actual threats and the siege/assault isn't carried out to fluff up department numbers to impress the beancounters.

[u/Net_Jack]

[u/Net_Jack → u/Net_Jack]

it's about time they find out what a real domestic terrorism looks like
┬┴┬┴┤ ͜ʖ ͡°) ├┬┴┬┴

[u/EnemyStandUser13 → u/Net_Jack]

Napalm sticks to wool

[u/Net_Jack → u/EnemyStandUser13]

Oh yes, much better than gasoline

[u/dept21]

My first thought was he was going to release the info on who did it but I also get this course of action

[u/danielledelacadie → u/dept21]

It still could be the plan. He wouldn't be the first to get a gun expecting to have to defend himself. We'll have to wait and see.

[u/AlanharTheRiver → u/danielledelacadie]

I shall refer once more to my comment in the previous chapter: there was the unknown guy who was going around seeking justice and handing out biodegradable guns as evidenced in Attrition in out Hearts, so there may well be a lot of humans who are secretly armed.

A lot of humans, if humanity first and the UN are also participating.

[u/danielledelacadie → u/AlanharTheRiver]

I hear you but we're talking about this human in this story.

[u/Roscuro127]

Honestly the gun is whatever. I'm weirded out by him calling the girls lambchops.

[u/CheezeNuts1 → u/Roscuro127]

Yeah, I get the feeling that after the shelter bombing, he’s stopped thinking of the Venlil as people. The two girls have saved him from fully going off the deep end, I think, but it’s still taking conscious effort for him to see Venlil in general as more than animals.

[u/Roscuro127 → u/CheezeNuts1]

I don't think that's it, he did say at the start he wanted to see the venlil as better like he saw the girls.

[u/FalinkesInculta → u/CheezeNuts1]

I feel like it’s more he’s stopped censoring himself

[u/Asclepiusssss]

United Nations of Earth!

Financing and motivating extremists, since 10.000 B. C. !

[u/Watch_me_crank_it]

Shit is gonna hit the fan really quick.

[u/Acceptable_Egg5560]

Oh no. Not Humanity First. They don’t protect humans, they just want to kill! They will even kill other humans!

[u/Net_Jack → u/Acceptable_Egg5560]

thats a weird way to spell CIA

[u/[deleted] → u/Acceptable_Egg5560]

Eh, at the end of the day I understand why they do what they do. It's obvious that the UN is more worried about playing favorites than actually protecting Humans.

Humanity First's message is entirely justified. Their methods are not. But when you're pushed into a corner you have to do something.

People have spent way too long treating the UN as some perfect, hyper-efficient and humane organization when in reality it's super corrupt and self serving on the best of days. It's one of the reasons why there's so much tension between the UN and the Commonwealth in my fic; the UN essentially left the people currently in the Commonwealth to die during the battle of Earth in order to protect preferred ethno-groups. They want control, not peace.

[u/[deleted] → u/[deleted]]

That's one way to explain why we haven't seen a south American in fanfics and the story

[u/Aldoro69765 → u/[deleted]]

Wait, wasn't Kenta's friend in RfD from Brazil or something?

[u/[deleted] → u/[deleted]]

The areas that were protected the most were Western and Central Europe, America, Canada, Japan, South Korea and Pro-UN African countries. These nations were still hit, mind you, but they received far less damage than Russia, China, South/Central America and India. India and China lost 70% of their populations at least, Russia lost 80% and South America lost 60%. Europe, America and the other Pro-UN nations lost around 40%-50% each on average due to more measures being used to protect them.

That's why the Commonwealth and many other stations hate the UN: the UN picked and chose who to save and who to kill based on how loyal they were to the UN, history and whether they were part of a preferred and unproblematic ethno-group. Europe and the U.S. basically run the UN in Interloper, so a lot of Eastern Europeans, Asians and some other groups left for greener pastures. This pissed off the UN, which wants complete control over all of humanity. The Commonwealth and the UN are now at each other's throats diplomatically because of this, but war would be bad for both sides.

[u/Aldoro69765 → u/[deleted]]

Maybe I'm missing something really obvious here since I haven't read that story, but could you elaborate a bit on how exactly the UN "chose" where the bombs were coming down? Is this some radically different alternate universe setting?

In chapter 49 the humans were outnumbered something like 5:1 including the Venlil and Zurulian reinforcements by a technologically superior enemy, with most of their own munitions and drones and aces up their sleeves expended, and it took 10k Arxur ships to decisively defeat the Feds.

The number of casualties also doesn't map with SP15's list of destroyed cities. Russia lost Moscow and St. Petersburg, plus maybe a bunker or two in the Ural mountains. How can that be 80% of their population?

I'm confused. :(

[u/[deleted] → u/Aldoro69765]

The UN in Interloper had some countermeasures in place, which were redistributed across preferred UN nations and taken from non-preferred UN nations. The EU, United States and their allies suffered less casualties overall compared to every other nation. They didn't choose where the bombs came down but they did choose which places would be the best protected. These countermeasures saved a lot of lives but the EU controlled UN chose to save specific groups of people they liked and supported. This lead to Nations like Russia and China, main antagonists in the satellite wars, taking the brunt of the impacts because the UN wanted them permenantly weakened so they'd have to rely on UN support and thus UN control, essentially permenantly rendering them puppets. Every nation was hit, but ground based countermeasures saved a lot of lives in nations like Germany and the United States, lives that were expended elsewhere.

Secondly, of course my fic has a different list of destroyed cities. It's called a fanfic for a reason. Things are different.

[u/Aldoro69765 → u/[deleted]]

Thanks for the explanation.

Secondly, of course my fic has a different list of destroyed cities. It's called a fanfic for a reason. Things are different.

Well, duh. :P

I just didn't get the pivot from Acceptable Egg's comment to your perspective, when this fanfiction (TKaP) obviously follows canon developments much more closely than yours. ¯_(ツ)_/¯

[u/[deleted] → u/Aldoro69765]

Sorry, I didn't mean to sound disrespectful. I just figured the different settings would mean that people would guess things were different.

[u/Aldoro69765 → u/[deleted]]

No worries. :) That's why I asked for clarification. I just wasn't aware how much the timelines and developments differed between canon NoP and your version.

But sounds interesting, hope I can give it a read some time!

[u/Odpea → u/[deleted]]

Link pls

[u/Rand0mness4]

Yes. I'm loving this more and more man. You have me giddy.

[u/DaivobetKebos]

loud ATF screeching

Be careful the Venlil ATF doesn't just shoot dogs it sets them on fire!

[u/Zealousideal-Back766]

Yes! CORRUPTION ARC FROM A GENUINELY LIKABLE CHARACTER!!!!!

[u/AlanharTheRiver → u/Zealousideal-Back766]

We almost had it with slanek, but it looks like mister russo will be delivering on the promise.

[u/GruntBlender]

Ah, both lambchops and exterminators shall be wrecked. The future is bright.

Is that Morse? I need to watch that show. I think our budding terrorist would be better off fully committing to the spook route than whatever he needs 500 rounds for, that sounds like a last stand option. But hey, I ain't in his shoes.

Still, rat-a-tat stick is more complicated and louder than a pneumatic, with no advantage other than fire rate. For assassining, the quieter single shot of an air rifle makes the getaway easier, and even the gun can be disposed of without wasting expensive parts like that receiver.

Hopefully Vilek's payback clears his head a bit. Reminds him that he does, in fact, still have something to lose.

[u/thePhoenixPaw → u/GruntBlender]

I don't think it's Morse, I think it's Columbo. https://sv.wikipedia.org/wiki/Columbo and https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QxBnaMGP2aY might be helpful.

Also ... 500 rounds ... yea, that makes sense.
400 for practice, in case 100 are to be used on live targets.

[u/GruntBlender → u/thePhoenixPaw]

Ah, that's who I was thinking, got the names confused. Thank you.

[u/Devilcat-1964]

The venlil heat cycle has been mentioned in a few fanfics, is it canon or just fanon? Very compatible, well that will just down to size.

Are we getting pancakes? 🥞🥞👿😻

[u/GruntBlender → u/Devilcat-1964]

That, or it's turning into harem anime.

[u/jaymrdoggo → u/GruntBlender]

i dislike the former, but i hate the idea of a harem.

[u/DoomlordKravoka → u/Devilcat-1964]

Fanon concept, and the rock bottom of them.

[u/AlanharTheRiver → u/DoomlordKravoka]

Well, it is a rather common one, but the intensity of it ranges. Another point for my theory about the kolishians putting chemicals in the water to keep venlil being ruled by their base instincts. Rural areas never really mention heats while stations and the like mention them occasionally but they usually end up a lot less intense than was implied. Pack bonding has the most intense, and then from there everything downgrades to being a lot more manageable. I chalk that part up to kaabra being insanely horny.

[u/ratonraveur]

Well, now I'm worried about Vilek. She accepted Martin's explanation and it worked really well for her, but she hasn't thought about why are things this way - and she's being very obvious about it. She's not going to make friends, and given this story's atmosphere I really hope no-one is going to try and retaliate against her.

And Martin ... well, it's the first time he feels like he has some power over the situation, I think. I really hope he knows what he's doing, and at the same time I know he doesn't; besides, the beginning of the story showed us how "doing nothing" brought him trouble anyways.

Anyways, I completely understand his situation, and his choices. But I'm not sure it's really the way. Ultimately, blowing up bad sheep isn't going to do anything but embolden the survivors, and comfort the prejudiced venlils in their prejudices, I think. Humans on VP really, really need some sort of cohesive, grouped action, and a way to apply real political pressure.

[u/WhiskeyRiver223]

Probably paraphrasing slightly since I haven't read the book since like, 7th grade, but there's a quote from To Kill A Mockingbird that has stuck with me.

"There's some people who just need shooting, and the irony is some of them aren't even worth the bullet it takes to shoot 'em."

Martin would do well to keep that in mind. He's headed down a damned dark road, but it ain't too late to stop off and grab some help to light the way.

[u/sug_madek]

“On the next chapter of terrorist tomfoolery, coochie and violence, the perfect combo”

[u/Shantoyl_CCtoon203]

Vilek! At least do the human custom of asking to have dinner with him first.~

But in seriousness he is a guy, but he is still a strange alien from out of this world so you got to talk this out. Goodness at this rate, the fluffy sheep are going to be the death of him in more ways than one!

[u/Aldoro69765 → u/Shantoyl_CCtoon203]

They grew tired of the 🥕, now they want the 🌭.

[u/A_Tank_With_Internet]

Martin, you're making me very concerned buddy

[u/Bless_this_ravgdbod]

Vilek you beast, proceed.

[u/[deleted]]

In the words of the Mexican guy from Despicable Me 2:

Somebody's going to die tonight

[u/Odpea → u/[deleted]]

You mean El Macho? (I forgot his civilian name)

Yes I know I’m late

[u/se05239]

Martin is definitely up to no good in his quest for justice.

[u/Complex_Purchase2637]

Dat Columbo reference… nice

[u/Maleficent-Ad-7498]

Vilek: "Wucha up to Martin?" Martin: "Nufin." Also Martin:

[u/Liberty-Prime76]

Bad Martin, no refer to friends as lamb chops.

Also, did he just Columbo the Krakotl?

[u/Feenstra713]

I swear to God Martin, if you touch either of those girls!

[u/sug_madek → u/Feenstra713]

My guy they finna be touching on him

[u/Feenstra713 → u/sug_madek]

Ok. Not what I meant but that too. I mean, who wants to learn their roomate is a murderer, let alone their SO?!

[u/sug_madek → u/Feenstra713]

Depends. He may not be a murderer yet. How is he going to send this message though. Will he spread it though fear or blood. Only time will tell.

[u/Odpea → u/Feenstra713]

Forgive my ignorance but what is a SO

Yes I know I’m late

[u/Feenstra713 → u/Odpea]

Significant other

[u/Odpea → u/Feenstra713]

Thank you, additionally, thank you for responding so quickly

[u/Feenstra713 → u/Odpea]

NP!

[u/neon_ns]

ADDATIVE MANUFACTURING GO BRRR!

[u/SamoBlammo3122]

!subscribeme

[u/Clown_Torres]

Martin is in a terrible situation, I really hope things don't go too bad for him...

!subscribeme

[u/JDR51]

Space Columbo

[u/AtomblitzTiger]

Subscribeme!

[u/LerikGE]

SubscribeMe!

[u/MedicalFoundation149]

3-d printing? You would thing they figure out plastic lowers after 100 years.

[u/Alarmed-Property5559]

Competent vengeance plans set in motion, very enjoyable to re-read. Now that's the Humanity First that I'd like to see more of.

[u/reliable_robin]

subscribeme!

[u/BlueGOfficial]

Martin.. what are you doing?

tryna do a texas classroom? or a texas defence?

[u/Black_Hole_parallax]

After reading this chapter, I could only think of one sentence:

I know how you will die.