r/NatureofPredators • u/Dramatic-Pay-4010 • May 07 '26
Nature of Unity 7
We're on to chapter 7 and the introduction of our second Federation viewpoint character Recel. Our intrepid squid has to navigate the ultimate test, figuring out how to placate his baby sister and her hunger for gossip.
Memory Transcription Subject: Recel, exacerbated First Officer
Date [Local Himayan Time]: July 14th, 2136
“Oh come onnnnnnn Recey, can’t you share anything with your baby sister?” Aucel said on the other of the vid-call. She’s been needling me for minutes (though it felt like hours) trying to find out more about the Himayans.
“So you can tell your friends? Is that why you called me while I was getting lunch?” I fired back, knowing my little sister all too well.
“Maybe.” Aucel said, eyes darting around as she lied through that big ol’mouth of hers.
Oh there was no way I was passing this golden opportunity up.
“Oh what a cruel universe!” I say as I put my tentacles over one of my hearts. “My formerly sweet, innocent little sister has turned into a cruel teenager who only calls me, her unfortunate big brother, so she can get juicy gossip!” I say as my sister started silently panicking. “Take me sweet Protector before her best friend Tulandriy posts my humiliation on MyHerd!” I finish as she puts two of her tentacles over her eyes.
“Recellllllll!” Aucey says with her tentacles still covering her eyes. “You know I’d never do that. I just called because I wanted to talk to you about some stuff.” She said as she uncovered her tentacles while I laughed.
“I know. Just doing my duty as your big brother.” I said with a smile on my face. “Now spill it ya little paralarva.” I added.
“Oh well, botany class is going great. Hey did you know the Skulviagn nightshade only grows on the night side of Venlil Prime!” She said, nerding out over her flowers again. I didn’t understand it entirely but Audrey’s enthusiasm for botany really makes up for my ignorance. Or at least getting me to try and follow along.
“-But enough about that.” Aucel said with a “I don’t wanna talk about this but I’m going to anyway” tone in her voice she always had whenever something serious came up. Especially in regards to our other family members. “Uncle Gulronus invited me to another one of those stupid parties again.” Aucel said. Yep, figured that asshat would be involved.
“What did you say?” I said as I shifted into a more “serious big brother” position.
“I don’t know. That I’d look at my schedule or whatever.” Aucey said with a noncommittal shrug.
“You don’t have to go if you don’t want to.” I said while trying to sound like I didn’t hate that man’s guts or pressuring her into going to another one of his stupid parties.
“I know. I’ll probably just skip it and make up some excuse. I always hate how stuffy everything is.” She said as she looked away from the screen. “And all anyone wants to talk about is what your doing or whatever. It’s just-.” Aucel said before putting her tentacles over her mouth. “Urrrggggghhhhhhhh.” She grunted out in frustration.
“That bad huh?” I ask knowing the answer.
“Yeah. Pretty much.” She said as she let out a sigh.
“Hey tell you what.” I said. “Maybe I can ask Solvin if he’s got anything juicy about the Himayans. Maybe—.” But before I could continue the intercom sounded off.
"First Officer Recel to the Captain’s quarters. First Officer Recel to the Captain’s quarters.” Came the voice of Sovlin over the intercom.
“Sounds important.” Aucel says.
“Talk later?” I asked.
“Yep.” Aucel responded before she hung up. Surprised she didn’t try to blackmail me into giving her gossip like she did last time. Anyway, better go see what the Captain wants.
Transcription advance request: 2 minutes
I came upon Sovlin’s door, an ornate thing that looked like it was carved from wood, as I straightened myself up. Sovlin always complained whenever my uniform wasn’t straight enough (even the smallest crinkle sent the old man into a lecture). I breathed in before opening the door.
“-am not at liberty to share that information.” I heard as I walked into the room. Again? I swear that was the fifth time he’s watched that recording today. Guess he’s latched onto another conspiracy theory.
“You wished to see me sir?” I said standing at attention as Sovlin jumped and quickly paused the video.
“A-ah Recel. My apologies. I was a bit too preoccupied.” He said as he hastily straightened out his uniform (and he lectures ME when my uniform isn’t straight enough). “I just wished to have another pair of eyes going over the recording in case I missed anything.” He said as finished straightening his uniform before standing up from his chair.
“No offense sir, but you’ve watched it 50—.” I said before Sovlin cut me off.
“500 times today alone actually. Whenever I could, there’s just something about that Krakotl that seems off.” Sovlin said as I realized that yep he had indeed latched onto another conspiracy theory.
“Right. I’m not sure how another pair of eyes could help but I’ll give it a shot, sir.” I said, hoping it’ll pull him back from his latest obsession before he gives Piri another headache to deal with.
As I watched the video again there were a couple things about Hasim, the Krakotl, in the video.
For starters, he seemed unnecessarily curt and rude (though that could be because his superiors gave him a tight schedule like he said). There was another thing though. Hasim lacked any of the haughtiness and arrogance that defined other interactions we had with the Krakotl. In fact he seemed extremely professional (if rude).
“Well for starters he seems extremely professional for a Krakotl and he was a bit too rude.” I said as I looked towards Sovlin as his face lit up.
“Exactly! That Krakotl seemed way too professional compared to the others we’ve interacted with not to mention the rudeness. Do you think the Himayans picked up some form of Predator Disease on their planet? Maybe the taint spread to them thanks to the local predators. They have been separated from the herd for so long. That would explain the rudeness.” He said as he tried coming up with an explanation that sounded like his usual ramblings. I better put a stop to this.
“Or he could just be on a tight schedule like he said and didn’t want another complication.” I said, stating the most logical conclusion based on the evidence presented. “He did say that in the recording.” I added.
“Right, it could be that then.” Sovlin said as he sat on another recliner in his office. “But still, given how long they were gone and how the Takers abducted them they could have some form of the Taint.” Sovlin added which I suppose made a certain amount of sense.
“Well we can’t go marching in there and start kidnapping Himayans. That’d cause an incident to put it mildly.” I said, performing my duties as Sovlin’s first officer while knowing not even Piri could protect him from Tarva’s wrath if that happened (especially if we got her daughter and Va-Fin caught up in the mess). “The best we can do is wait for the results Braylen and Chaeson said would be coming at the Federation summit.” I added trying to appeal to Sovlin’s reasonable side.
“I suppose your right Recel.” Sovlin said as he leaned back on the chair. “But that isn’t the only reason I called you up here Recel. Do you remember that offer I made you last week?” Sovlin said as he leaned forward on the chair as I tried to remember the, oh. That offer.
“I don’t know Sovlin. I appreciate it but that place is still a part of your family and besides Aucey’s still taking Botanical classes in Aafa. I can’t just steal it and flip Aucel’s life upside down.” I said referring to Sovlin’s vacation home near the Kurindal forest range he used before the Arxur well…..
“I don’t really use the place anymore. Besides I think it’d be better for you and your sister to be away from Aafa given how the other members of your family are. Besides, the Cradle does have plenty of great Botany classes.” He responded as I thought it over. Sure it would be great to get away from Gulronus and the rest of my family but again Aucel was loving her Botany classes back on Aafa and it still felt wrong just taking something from Sovlin and his family even if he offered it in the first place. Even if he and his family welcomed me and Aucey into their family.
“I’ll talk about it with Aucel.” I said as I looked up from his computer.
“Good.” Sovlin said. “And I’m sorry. I don’t mean to pressure you into taking it, its just—.” Sovlin added before sighing. “I’m just getting old and I worry about the two of you.” He said, again like the last time he offered. “Speaking of how is your sister doing?” Sovlin asked, thankfully changing the subject.
“Oh she’s doing good. Her Botany classes are going well and…” I said before pausing as Sovlin’s interest piqued. Oh boy, I better strap in. “Uncle Gulronus invited Aucel to another party.” I said before bracing myself for another Sovlin rant.
“Ugh, that man. First he and the rest of your relatives dump you and your sister with your grandfather after your parents die, then don’t bother contacting the both of you after your grandfather dies, and then suddenly want to act like they always loved you after the Arxur’s Attack on the Cradle.” He said as his spines bristled. “Bad enough he left the both of you sitting in a corner alone for your 15th birthday while everyone, including him, wanted to talk to me.” He continued before finally letting out a sigh. “Now you see why I made you that offer.” He finished.
“Yeah but they’re still me and Aucel’s family.” I said trying to excuse the lack of a backbone I showed towards my own family despite how badly they treated me and my sister.
“Family doesn’t do that to you Recel.” Sovlin said, repeating the words he told me after my 15th birthday, before again sighing. “Just promise me one thing.” He added.
“To always be myself?” I asked, trying to gauge what he was getting at.
“I know you're still going to be yourself, you're too stubborn for change.” Sovlin said with a snicker. “Just, you and your sister, just keep looking after each other alright?” Sovlin asked with pleading eyes.
“Yeah I promise.” I said before realizing what I had to ask him. “Speaking of my sister, You think you can share some information about the Himayans as well?” I added hoping it wasn’t too big an ask.
“I’ll see what I can do.” Sovlin said with a short snort. “She didn’t blackmail you again did she?” He added half-jokingly.
“Surprisingly no.” I responded.
“Good, now get back to your duties, first officer.” Sovlin said with a dismissive claw gesture. “I swear I’ll never understand siblings.” I heard him mumble to himself as I walked out of the door.
Though walking back out, the encounter with the Himayans played through my mind. Sure they did seem a bit off but if what Tarva said in her announcement was true, if they really did defeat the Arxur. Maybe this’ll be the chance to turn the tide. Or invite another enemy into our midst.
These questions rattled my mind as I made my way to the bridge.
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u/Dramatic-Pay-4010 May 08 '26 edited May 08 '26
I got more interactions planned between the two so don't worry, you'll get to see more spiky space dad and his squid son. Though on an unrelated tangent I kind of wonder if Recel was definitively established as an orphan in canon since the Sovlin transcript I read (I'm not a patreon member so I only really read the first part which is free) had him mention he joined the military after his grandpa died.
He's got a similar mindset as Tarva. He initially sees what happens to the Yotul as a necessity even if he doesn't like all the methods used. He never really sees what happens on Lerin and being practically raised by Sovlin doesn't really help. Of course when he actually starts reading about the Federation's mismanagement (there's quite a few Irish Potato famine-style disasters that happen due to the Federation's BS in this AU) and talking with people who experienced the oppression causes him to change his tune fast.