The Nature of Predators

Memory transcription subject: Slanek, Venlil Space Corps

Date [standardized human time]: August 30, 2136

The glow of artificial lighting was the first thing that met my eyes. I stared at the unfamiliar surroundings in confusion, trying to recall where I was.

This doesn’t seem right. How did I get here?

Someone had cocooned me in a blanket, which insulated me from the drafty room. There was light pressure by my ears, perhaps from some sort of bandage. Pain pulsed in my temple, dulled by a painkiller. Snippets of shapes lingered in my memory, but there was nothing concrete. I think I had been drifting in and out of consciousness for days.

My brain concluded that this was a hospital, which meant I was recovering from a serious injury. My addled state suggested the damage was concentrated on the head.

Gritting my teeth, I tried to think of the last thing I could remember. Two Arxur bombers were chasing my spacecraft, and after that, everything got fuzzy. How was I still alive? It had seemed to be a hopeless scenario. There was a grim certainty that they would catch a small ship, sooner or later.

There were vague recollections of being paralyzed in fear, plastered against the seat. The person flying was screaming my name, and had the most visceral look on their predator…

I snapped upright. Marcel! Where is Marcel? What happened to him?

“Easy. Calm down.” A gentle voice came from my right. A Takkan male was seated beside my bed, keeping an eye on my vitals. “You’re safe now. I’m Doctor Zarn. You’re in the medical bay of a Federation warship.”

“The Federation?” My heart rate spiked, which Zarn seemed to notice. “Why are you involved?”

“Well…your craft came into our territory, so we took out the Arxur. It was fortunate that the grays crippled your ship first. If they didn’t, our boarding party wouldn’t—”

“Where is Marcel?” I blurted.

The rush of panic was best described as gasoline lacing through my insides. It was not safe for him to encounter unprepared aliens alone, when his appearance was so jarring. My mind leapt to the worst-case scenario. Had the Federation killed the human on sight? All I could picture was myself, standing over his corpse.

The doctor patted my arm. “He’s not here. Rest easy, he’s not a threat.”

“He’s alive,” I exhaled. “Please, take me to him.”

“I don’t think that’s a good idea.”

“I need to see him. I won’t be able to function if I don’t.”

I staggered to my feet, but wobbled when I tried to walk. Zarn caught me with a grunt, setting me back on the bed. Sympathy flashed in his amber eyes, as if he sensed my desperation. The doctor retrieved a wheelchair from the storage closet, and eased me into it.

“Captain Sovlin is going to kill me, but if that’s really what you need to heal…then alright,” Zarn grumbled.

The Takkan doctor pushed me into a hallway, steering us past maintenance rooms and lounges. My concern intensified as I received pitying stares from the crewmates we passed. It reminded me of the look people had when they learned a species’ homeworld had been destroyed by the Arxur. Had the Federation assumed that humans attacked Venlil Prime?

Oh God, how long have I been out? They would at least hear Marcel out, right? They’re rational people, I tried to convince myself. I need to back up his story, before something terrible happens. I have to speak to their captain at once.

A pair of automatic doors creaked open, and Zarn rolled me into an observation room. A throng of officers stood by a glass pane, which provided a view to the holding cell. They seemed to be pointing to a spot in the corner. From their whispers, I caught the words “non-responsive” and “hungry.”

My blood turned to ice as I realized what the tan mass in the nook was. Marcel was curled up in a ball, hugging his knees to his chest. The human was shaking from head-to-toe, and looked gaunt enough to hardly be recognizable. His coverings had been removed, leaving his form exposed and barren. His face was buried in the wall, so I could only see the purple bruises lining his spine.

A desperate scream poured from my mouth, high-pitched and agonized. I flung myself toward the window, crawling on all fours. The sounds of the doctor trying to pacify me and the bewildered shouts of the captain registered, but I drowned them out.

“MARCEL!” I shrieked.

Pain laced through my vocal cords from the volume, but I hardly felt it. The human lifted his head, craning his neck toward the glass. The moment his face became visible, I gasped in horror.

Clawmarks traced down his right cheek, deep gashes. Marcel hadn’t even bothered to clean off the dried blood, perhaps losing the ability to care. The sockets around his hazel eyes were puffy and bruised; the left one was severe enough to be swollen shut. To add insult to injury, a thick metal band was clasped around his neck, restricting his airway.

The human rose on weak legs, but stumbled to the glass. His gaze locked on me, and his lips curved up slightly. The band on his neck crackled with electricity seconds later. With a yelp, the predator collapsed in a heap. One of the officers must have triggered the shock, as a form of punitive control. My heart twisted, watching my friend racked with pain.

I snarled toward the Federation posse. “Stop that!”

The one I believed was Captain Sovlin blinked in confusion. “It’s snarling at you.”

“That’s how humans show happiness. They don’t have tails or moveable ears,” I growled.

The electric current ceased, to my relief. Marcel languished on the floor, clutching his throat. The skin beneath the collar looked red, as though the human had been zapped repeatedly. I was amazed that he found the strength to answer my call the first time.

“Marcel,” I repeated.

The predator struggled to a kneeling position, and pressed a splayed hand against the glass. The Federation officers backed away, like they thought he could reach through a solid object. Tears welled in my eyes; the poor guy was struggling with such simple motions. I met his gaze, and placed my own paw opposite his palm.

“Slanek,” Marcel croaked. “I am h-happy…you’re okay. I was worried.”

I pinned my ears against my head with concern. The human’s voice sounded weak and feeble. I could only imagine how much he was hurting, looking at the wounds all over his body. By my estimation, they weren’t feeding him either; the Federation was letting him endure a slow death by starvation.

I sniffled, wiping a tear off my face. “I am so sorry, Marc. It was my job to protect you, and I failed. I left you all alone.”

“Don’t cry. P-please. It’s not your fault,” the human murmured.

Doctor Zarn seemed floored by our exchange, as though he didn’t understand what was happening. A paw grasped at my scruff and dragged me away from the glass. I reared on my assailant, flexing my claws as best as I could. There was no chance I was letting anyone take me away from the human.

“What is wrong with you, Slanek?” Captain Sovlin set me down in the hallway, deflecting an attempted swing. “You’re crying over a vicious, sadistic predator. A human!”

“What is wrong with me?” The veins in my eyes bulged, as white-hot fury coursed through my blood. “How could you do this to him? Marcel is my friend.”

“I thought you’d be more grateful, being liberated. A species that enslaves and exploits you are not your friends. I can’t believe I have to say that.”

“We aren’t enslaved. We’re partners with them, willingly.”

Sovlin recoiled. “I’m sorry, what?!”

“A science vessel made contact with us. After speaking with them, we couldn’t let you chase their trail. We knew this is what you fuckers would do, to an innocent species that came in peace.”

“I…I refuse to believe that. The distress signal…their history…well, just look at them!” he spat, spines bristling. “The Venlil wouldn’t betray the Federation. Not for their kind. Do you have any idea which species you’re dealing with?”

“We do. Venlil scientists did tests that prove that humans feel empathy. They are kind and gentle. Marcel is kind and gentle.”

“Kind and gentle? As if. I can think of a quick way to sober you up.” The captain’s voice was low with anger. “Marcel hasn’t eaten in days. Let’s see how gentle he really is!”

Sovlin grabbed me by the scruff again, and marched back into the observation room. He opened the door to the holding cell, flinging me inside with disdain. Zarn shouted at him to stop, once it was obvious what the intention was. The doctor tried to remind him that I had a head injury, not to mention being under the influence of painkillers. The rough officer ignored him, and clicked the door shut behind me.

A brief tinge of fear crossed my mind. I knew Marcel didn’t want to eat me, but this might be pushing his instincts. When his options were starving to death or gnawing at my bones, there had to be some temptation.

The human glanced at me, surprised at my involuntary entrance. Russet hair sprouted along his jawline, which gave him a rougher look than I was used to. He approached cautiously, and watched me with sad eyes. Seeing that I didn’t back away, he settled down beside me. This was the closest we’d ever been, which made the discoloration around his left eye all the more noticeable.

“What happened to your eye?” I managed.

“S-sovlin was tired of looking at me. Said next time, he’d do it with claws out, and then…” The human gestured to the gash on his cheek. “It’s everything I do, Slanek. They hate my existence.”

I reached out with a shaking paw, tracing the wound. “Does it hurt?”

Keep going with the stupid questions, Slanek. Bravo. You’re really making him feel better.

Marcel nodded. “Everywhere.”

The fissure inside my chest widened; the way his voice cracked with that word was heartbreaking. The human lowered his head into his hands, and defeat radiated through his posture. I couldn’t bear to see the sharp, considerate Marcel reduced to this.

“I’m going to get you out of here. I promise,” I whimpered.

“My friend…don’t make promises…you can’t keep…” the human coughed.

My paws tugged the predator closer to me, before I realized I had done it. Marcel’s eyebrows shot up in surprise, but he didn’t try to pull away. He rested his head on my stomach, and tried to absorb some of my body warmth. I petted his hair with a tentative paw, humming soothingly. His oily mane was softer than I expected it to be, except for the strands that were crusted by dried blood.

The human closed his hunter eyes, relaxing into my arms. A more peaceful expression settled onto his face, and I observed him with fondness. Sovlin was right; I saw exactly how gentle Marcel was. With his bruised skull cradled in my lap and his shivering body snuggled up against me, he seemed so frail and innocent.

“But I will get you out of here. Because you are my brother. My best friend,” I whispered. “And I love you.”

I thought Marcel didn’t hear me, because there was no reaction or response. It wasn’t until I saw a tear trickle down his cheek that I realized he had. The human reached up with a feeble hand, and brought my paw over his chest. The steady beat of his heart ebbed into my toes, warm and rhythmic.

At the glass pane, the Federation officers gawked at the affectionate scene between a predator and its prey.