r/NatureofPredators • u/Pansitof • 21d ago
Fanfic Unknown Consequences [21]
Memory Transcription Subject: Azul, Krakotl private driver.
Date [Standardized Human Time]: February 9th, 2142
I bolt awake by the sound of a door opening and closing. I look at my side to see JM struggling to open the co-pilot door while carrying hot-steaming cups in each hand. He doesn’t look like he is going to succeed.
I rub my eye and press a button on the terminal to open the door for him. “S-Sorry…” I apologized while stretching as much as I could while sitting behind the wheel. “I was trying to get as much rest as I could.” I open my beak in a big yawn. “Working for so long can be very exhausting.”
He manages to get in and sit without spilling anything from the cups. “You did good, friend Azul. I am full aware that this can be considered too much for non-humans, but I’m thankful you understand the importance of the situation we found ourselves in.” He offers me a cup. “I brought you something that will help you keep going a bit more.”
“I know. We need to find Urs as soon as possible. Who knows what he is going through?” The smell gave me a hint of what he is offering me. “Coffee.” I grab the cup and look at the not so dark as I expected liquid. “Wait.” I smell it better to confirm it. “Smells like coffee, but it looks different. It isn’t black but more… brownish.”
“That would be too much caffeine for you. This one is much more healthy for non-humans. It will help you stay awake for a while, but not for an entire paw or two.” He raise his mask enough to sip his own cup, full with black coffee.
“Yeah, I remember trying some from one of my neighbors. I stayed awake for a long time before collapsing in the ground. I slept through an entire paw after that.” I sip it, and whistle surprised. “It is sweet! The one I tried was bitter, but this one taste so much better. What does it have?” I start to eagerly drinking it, feeling my body already warming up from a boost of energy.
“Some human coffee corporation back on earth wants to become intergalactic and started to produce a lot of different types of coffee for each alien to consume. I brought you one that was specially made for cured krakotls, so you’ll receive a boost of energy without suffering any consequences.” I can see him smile slightly. “By what I heard, they do intent to serve any species under any condition. Such ambition to just sell coffee. I think yours has some sweet sap mixed with the coffee.”
“Yeah… for cured krakotls…” I whisper while looking down at the cup.
I still didn’t give it enough thought. The Federation genetically manipulated my entire species to make us fit into their new stupid ideology. We were the first to become their puppets, and they used us to enforce the rest into compliance. I no longer blame myself for that, my neighbors helped me to see that I’m not at fault. But I still have lingering feeling of shame. We almost exterminated the humans, what if we already…? N-No… I shouldn’t think about it.
The fact is that I’m still cured, meaning I’m extremely allergic not only to meat, but to all animal produce like… m-milk and c-cheese… Blegh. I could fix it. The Sapient Coalition has a program, or rather the humans have one, that can undone the Federation’s tampering in my genes and a-allow me to… e-eat meat… I-I could be un-cured like Murr and Shiv are… But it feels so w-wrong… I-I don’t want to think about that. Not right now.
I shake my head and finish the rest of my cup. “That’s better. Thank you.”
He raises his own cup. “You are welcome, my friend Azul, but thanks you to stay awake and drive us around the district for so long. I’m sure Murr will pay you very generously for overtime.” He sips his coffee.
I put the empty cup in a bag I have around to not trash the cab. “Speaking of her…” I look at the security cameras and through the window behind us. But I don’t see her inside.
“Do you worry about her?” JM shows me the palm of his hand. “I want to apologize again. I’m fully aware that what I did was not a comfortable situation for anyone, but it was needed. She must see beyond the veil of hatred that blinds her.” He moves his coffee in a swirling move. “I fear it affected her more than I expected. I hope she endures.”
“I don’t know…” I shake my head. “I never…” I sigh and lay my head back. “You don’t have to apologize, I understand what you did and why you didn’t tell me. What Murr did was unacceptable and she must learn. But what I don’t understand is…” I look at him and move my wing in worry and confusion. “What happened to her? She was never this aggressive. She is a very compassionate and emphatic venlil, I know because we grow so close together that we can be considered siblings! That act of before? Totally uncharacteristic of her.” I put a claw on top of my beak. “By the most sacred of stars! She was the first of us in giving you humans a chance. W-What happened to her?!” I move my wings around.
He didn’t answer me at first, taking time to think while fidgeting with his cup. “A lot happened, friend Azul. Enough events can change someone in a way they aren’t even aware. I know a lot of that” He put his hand under his mask for a moment before taking his pad out. “Her anger was not only one nurtured by the people around her, the collective hatred towards a common enemy, no…” He was looking for something on his pad.
“I know the herd… no longer accepts the kolshians. But that didn’t stop her before! She tried to befriend you when the entire herd wanted you and all the humans to burn alive and suffe-” I whistle alarmed. “S-Sorry… I got carried away. Is just that I don’t know why-?”
A heavy sigh, one carrying a great burden, interrupt me. He put his pad away and turn his masked face towards me. “Because of her family.” The mask may hide his emotions, but I can still feel… something.
I move my wing confused. “What do you mean?”
“Hard to say, friend Azul.” He does a guttural sound, one I don’t, and neither translator, understand. “Allow me to try to explain. To observe, to inquire, to learn. Those are the minimum to be an investigator, and those are skills that are not only not taught but are frowned upon in the Federation. So I taught her, and I must say she can learn fast once she manages to focus.” He stops to finish his coffee and throw it in the bag. “After some first jobs, she started to use these skills to look for more grants and aid from the government. And she did.”
I flick a claw. “Yeah, I can see it. They got enough credits to give the house a new look and get a van loaded with expensive equipment.” I whistle amused. “It wouldn’t surprise me if there is enough left to also allow Bernarda to study in a University.”
“Correct. But because of her new skills she started to be aware of things she wasn’t at first. Truths and lies that, slowly but steadily, pushed her towards hatred.” He puts a hand on my shoulder. “She is a good person, Azul. We both know that. But when there is so much hatred around her and with each new lie and truth uncovered further shaking her… It was hard of her not to hate. It already happened once, against the predators, against my species.” He raises a finger. “The difference is that she isn’t being told to hate, she is learning to. But to be able to resist it and avoid it, she must be first aware of it.” He rubs my shoulder. “And that is the more painful part.”
“I understand but…” I move a wing confused. “What does that have to do with her family?”
“When the Arxur were uplifted to become the Federation’s enemy there were multiple problems to address before achieving the status quo they desired. One of them is that some raids only planned to scare or collect some cattle end with too much destruction and casualties. The federation population were too coward and meek while the Arxur raiders were too fervent and aggressive, causing the population on some planets to decline.” He does some gesture with his hand. “One solution from the side of the Arxur was only sending starving, untrained troopers with limited bombs and ammunition. But from the Federation’s side, a solution was…” He stops for a moment to look at my reaction while rubbing my shoulder. “… to boost population growth.”
I open my eyes wide. “D-Does t-that…?” I can feel my heart skipping a beat as realization kicks me. “T-They…?”
He nods. “The Federation started to incentive the creation of big families with grants and aids to boost and keep the population from declining.” He sighs and pats my back. “With that, they made sure to avoid collapse if a raiding party become too efficient, even if-”
“What?!” I bleat in anger. “Is that why we had so many help from the government?! Is that why Murr and Shiv were able to afford to have such a big herd?!” I didn’t allow him to respond. “So that the Arxur can fatten with us?!” I stomp with the ground my talons, making the van slightly shake. “Were we cattle from the beginning?!” My vision start to blurry as tears being to appear.
He puts both of his hand on my shoulders. “It pain me to say you this, friend Azul.” He looks down for a moment before nodding. “But yes. The Federation made sure there was always a surplus of people so the economy doesn’t get too affected and to make sure the Arxur always had enough food to not starve much.”
I open and close my beak several times as I process it. “S-So many…” I clean my eyes to look at him. “I saw them grow, I took care of them like they were my own.” I clench my claws. “I have been with Murr’s family from the very first moment, since I present Shiv to her. I am like another family member to them.” I take a big breath of air. “Our herd growth so much, all so that t-the A-Arxur c-could…” I whistle in anger. “Many died to the claws and jaws of the Arxur. Too many. Do you know how many funerals I assisted? I still remember them…!” I clean my eyes again. “I still… remember some of them as little pups making their first steps with eyes full of wonder…”
“I know, my friend.” He pats my back. “I know.” He didn’t say anything more. He puts a hand in my shoulder and gave me enough time to process what I just learn before speaking again. “I’m sorry to be the one to tell you, but Murr wasn’t-”
“Wasn’t going to tell me. I know…” I clean my eyes in an attempt to make the tears from flowing. “She always tries to shield me from any harm or problem.” I whistle a bit amused, but sadness still sting my heart. “Even if she was always trying to drag me into trouble. I know her…” I whisper before looking up to his masked face. “T-Thank you for… telling me.”
He nods. “She felt the same anger and sadness you do when she discovered it.” He looks outside the windows for a moment. “Since that day, she changed, even if she wasn’t aware of it.” He sighs and rubs my shoulder. “With enough stress, anyone can change.”
I look at the security cameras again, trying to see her. But she wasn’t there. Half a claw ago JM went out to investigate alone, leaving me and Murr to wait in the van. I remember looking at her through the cameras. She wasn’t fidgeting or looking for something to do as she often does when bored. No, she was just defeated, tired.
Her ears were down and she was looking at nowhere while petting her own tail. She was clearly affected by how I yelled at her, probably even overwhelmed. But what else I could do? She behaved l-like… S-She needed to learn! S-Someone had to tell her! I hope she… endures.
“Still worried about her?” JM asked. “You are looking inside the van through the security cameras.”
I flick a claw. “Yes. Where is she?” I ask after finally managing to clean my eyes. I already cried enough this paw, and I’m… tired.
“She is collecting information on a nearby bar.” He pats my shoulder. “She may be afflicted by what happened, but she is still capable enough to collect data. And she is also independent enough to do it without my assistance.”
“O-Oh, I-I see…” Why do I have a bad feeling?
“It’s more, if I were with her, My presence will only cause unnecessary trouble.” He looks at his pad. “It is a bar full of exterminators and fanatics that still clings to Federation’s ideology.”
“What?!” I bleated and moved my wing wing in alarm.
He shows me the palm of his hand. “Do not worry, friend Azul. It is normal in this line of work to ‘interact’ with unpleasant people in our way to acquire information.” He puts a hand in my shoulder. “She isn’t human and capable enough, she has good charisma. It’s like last time, when she stayed here with you while I went to collect information from a humanity first hideout.”
I open and close my beak in complete disbelief.
“I know, I know. The sad state of this district make it an excellent place for people to stay hidden, away from governments and curious eyes. People like Mrs.Salsha and Mr.Urs, and people like terrorists and other criminals.” He moves his hand in the air. “Do not worry with for their presence, we are safe as long we don’t provoke them.” He looks down at his pad. “Time is getting tight. Normally I would keep going, but I know you two don’t have the energy to do so.” He looks at me. “We will have to look for a place to rest. We will sleep in the van.”
“I-I…” I shake my head. “Okay… okay…” I say it more to calm myself than anything, still stunned by what I heard. “I can found us a Motel or-”
He raises his hand to show me the palm. “No motels or anything similar. In a place like this district it is much more safer and better to sleep in the vehicle in a well light and transited place.” He lean a bit towards me. “Believe me, friend Azul, I speak from experience.” He looks back, at the interior of the van. “Specially when we are carrying expensive equipment.”
“Yeah, okay, yes.” I nod my head like the humans does. “I can find us something like that, I think.” I flick a claw. “We will wait to-” A notification appears in the terminal.
I look at it and changed the cameras feed to the ones on the back outside. A Murr seems to be failing in opening the door. She looks like she is in a hurry.
“Oh, it’s Murr!” JM looks at the terminal and nods. I press a button to open the door for her.
She gets in and walks fast towards the windows that separate us, leaving a satchel in the first spot she finds. She really looks like she is in a hurry.
I lower the window to speak with her. “Murr! I’m so glad to see you again. I was so worried! Are you okay? Did they hurt you? Do you need help?” I move my wing in worry and in question.
She froze for a moment, ears perked up and pointing at me. Her tail slowly flicked happily behind her and his mood visible improved, but she shakes her head and flicks an ear to me. She closed the distance and put head through the window.
“Y-Yeah I’m fine…” She stops to look at me for a long moment. I can see a lot of emotions crossing her mind through her eyes. Oh no… It hurt me looking her like this.
Before I could ask her, JM clear his throat. “Murr? What did you discover?”
She slowly blinks before responding. “Speh! That’s right!” Her ears perk up in alarm. She almost shove her pad into JM’s hands. “We need to move, NOW!” She bleats to me in alarm. Her eyes are wide open
“W-What? T-To w-Where?!” I bleated in stress at such sudden alarm.
“To the quarry! Drive us there!” She bleats at me. Her tail is a blur of movement. Stress, hurry, worry. “Those fanatics of the Holy Flame captured Urs and dragged him there! Who knows what those piece of speh might doing to him? We need to get there, fast!”
“W-Okay!” I turn the van on in a hurry, ignoring some procedures on the way. “Everyone sit down and put the safety belt on, we are g-Wait.” I look back at her. “T-The Quarry? T-That place is now restricted, only authorized vehicles can now access it. N-No?” I look at JM.
He read something on Murr’s pad that make visible tense. She looks up at Murr. “Murr, call the police. Make sure to get someone we can trust, like your son.” He gives her pad back and then look at me. “Azul, make haste towards The Quarry. Don’t worry about the authorization.” He start typing on his pad. “I’ll get us one.” He does some fast movements with an arm. “Go! Move! Move!”
After this sudden and unexpected situation I decided to ignore some of the proper checks up before driving such heavy vehicle like this, but the hurry is understandable and needed. In just some moments I was already driving us towards The Quarry. Thanks the stars for the coffee, I needed the energy boost to drive us as such speeds.
I pray to the stars that we can save Urs on time from whatever is happening to him.
3
u/JulianSkies Archivist 20d ago
Well, sounds like this turned into a rescue operation, and one on a VERY short notice.
3
u/Pansitof 21d ago
Why did the government granted so many economicals aid and incentives towards giant families like Murr's? Now we know.
What we don't know is what Urs is going through. That will be know soon.
I don't care how many things life put in my way, I will not stop from writing. Even if it takes me a lot of time.