The Nature of Predators - Star Crossed (3/?) (Patreon)

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Memory Transcription Subject: Chloe de Vries, United Nations Consultant

Date [standardized human time]: January 5, 2150

The door swung open without so much as a knock, causing me to almost jump out of my chair. I suppressed a groan, realizing I hadn’t gathered myself enough to read any of Kelvanis’ file; there was no time to brief myself on him now. My eyes locked onto the incoming alien, whose height rivaled my own. The gelatinous skin across his body seemed to have more sponginess than mine, and the tranquil blue didn’t distract me from the fact that he had tentacles, like some deep sea monster. The tapering structure of his legs, coupled with a conical tail, made him look not dissimilar to a half-complete mop. Then, there were the neon orange eyes, with vertical pupils that looked like a tear in the fabric of reality.

Nothing about him seemed like it should belong to an actual being. My brain was locked in a spinning wheel of death, while aimlessly triggering my fight-or-flight. This office had me feeling cornered, with the Kolshian standing between me and my chance to run back to the ship. Being in the presence of a creature that was so starkly alien brought a tremor to my arms and dryness to my throat; subconsciously, one hand migrated toward the panic button. My palms felt clammy when I forced them back together in my lap, and tried to string a few words in a row. I couldn’t help but openly gawk at the extraterrestrial, as he approached the desk on steady feet—it was clear he was studying me.

Get a grip, Chloe. You’re making a fool of yourself.

“Uh, hey.” I felt my back stiffen, as I forced myself to stay in my chair. I fidgeted with my legs below the table, discomforted by my tense posture. “You…you’re here. K-Kelvanis, right?”

The Kolshian paused, a bewildered look in his eyes. “That’s my name; or at least, that’s what my mother decided for me.”

“Great. Just, um, give me a moment. I feel sick to my stomach.” My pupils shot toward the ground, trying to look anywhere but at him. I didn’t want to focus on the alien staring at me, so I instead occupied myself by gazing at my screen. “It’s really hot in here. Or is it just me? Maybe I should, um, try to find a thermostat. Outside…I mean, out in the hallway.”

Kelvanis chewed at his lower lip, hesitating. “Okay, I have to ask. Are you afraid of me? I really hope I haven’t done anything wrong. I don’t know a whole lot about human behaviors, but you seem anxious.”

“Shit, I’m sorry. Really, I tried, but I don’t think I can do this. It’s not anything you did, I just—this is my first day, and I’ve never even met an alien before today. I don’t know what to be like, talking with anyone that’s not human. They walked me in here, gave me absolutely zero pointers on how this interview shit works, and now you’re walking in before I’ve had so much as a chance to breathe.”

The words spewed from my mouth before I could stop them, faster than my brain could filter out things I shouldn’t be telling an asylum seeker. I slumped my shoulders in defeat, as the Kolshian looked taken aback by my outburst. Kelvanis must think that I was a total fool after I unloaded all of that; the poor guy had entered the office of the least-qualified Terran up here, who had just admitted that she couldn’t handle his interview. I couldn’t get over the fact that such an unusual lifeform was standing a stone’s throw away, unreadable in his body language. Why hadn’t I at least thought to read about Kolshian nonverbals on the days-long ride over? I could feel my face turning beet red from embarrassment. All I wanted was to fly back to Earth and crawl under a rock.

Kelvanis doesn’t seem like one of the dangerous Kolshians that Kenzo warned me about, but how would I even know? I have no idea what’s rolling around in his skull.

“Wow. That’s…yeah, you sound like you’re under a lot of stress. I can go back outside if you want, give you some space,” Kelvanis offered.

I blinked in quick succession. “What? No, don’t be s-silly. That’s not fair to you. You’re here for an asylum hearing, not to turn back because you were assigned to an imbecile who’s pouring out her life’s problems.”

“Actually, it makes me feel a little better, since I was planning to spill all of my problems to you. Be a little kinder to yourself. We all learn at our own pace, and if this is your first day, I can be patient. You should’ve had more guidance than being thrown in here with a workstation and a spinning chair.”

How does he…oops. I should stop rotating back and forth on my seat. “Sorry. I’ll try to sit still, and um, hold a conversation. You’re, um…a lot. I don’t know what I expected, but it’s eerie. Unnerving. Not that there’s anything wrong with you, of course, it’s just scrambling my brain.”

“We can find a way to push through it. Hey, humor me for a second? If that chair spins all the way, turn around. Please.”

I didn’t like the idea of turning my back on Kelvanis, as Kenzo’s warning about trusting the visitors rang in my ears. Against my better judgment, I decided to humor him, if only because I wanted to face away from the alien for a split second; it might be my best chance of regaining my faculties. My seat swiveled around, though I kept an eye on the floor to check if his shadow moved closer. I could hear him adjusting the chair that was left out for him. The poor guy was stuck standing because of me, so I shouldn’t stop him from taking a seat. I gulped, and dug my fingernails into the armrest to ground myself. Why had he asked me to do this?

“Okay, why did you want my back to you?” I asked.

Kelvanis laughed, an inhuman chittering. “I need a few more seconds. You could just conduct the interview like that, and then you don’t have to see me. It’ll be you and that beautiful wall.”

“Beautiful wall? Do you have eyes for this drab, beige wall, Kelvanis?” A chuckle rumbled in my throat, and my lips curved up with a hint of amusement. I found myself relaxing ever so slightly, as warmth spread across my chest. “You’re a silly goose. I can’t talk to you like this. Beyond the disrespect, I need to look at the workstation to type your answers.”

“In that case, you can turn around now. I’ve made myself presentable.”

I turned around to find that the alien had dragged the chair back toward the door, and was hiding behind it without efficacy. His tentacles were clutching the back of it, while his face was pressed behind it; I could see him trying to fit his legs and tail underneath it. It was impossible to miss Kelvanis against the wooden chair, looking like a giant adhesive blob. He peeked an eye around at me, before making an exaggerated gasp as I laughed at him. It wasn’t long before I realized my mistake, flashing my teeth at him during the sudden surge of positive emotions; it was a genuine smile, but I wasn’t sure how he’d take it. The Kolshian didn’t flinch or demonstrate any fear.

“I’m just a chair, Chloe. Kelvanis the talking seat. Nothing out of the ordinary here,” he said.

I pursed my lips, trying to hide my smile. “If you say so. Sorry for showing my teeth, I know it’s scary to you.”

“Nonsense. I know what it means, and I’m glad you’re loosening up a little. Honestly, this is why I came here. I want a two-way conversation where we come out understanding each other better. You’re a lot more open than the people outside.”

I snorted. “Well, I’ve only met one of them, but if they’re all like Kenzo, then they’re assholes. Sorry you had to deal with them.”

“Don’t be. It sucks when people treat you like a monster, but I have no right to gripe to humanity about that. Ultimately, I know that I’m not, and I’m secure in that fact. You can’t make people stop hating you; you have to not let them change you, and show why they’re wrong.”

“Very true. I don’t hate you, for what it’s worth. You seem like a fun guy. I feel awful for making your experience up here even shittier.”

“Chloe de Vries, you did nothing of the sort. You’re a breath of fresh air, being willing to engage with me at all. I was losing hope. Um, may I come out from my hiding spot?”

“Of course you can. Bring the chair closer, and take a seat.”

“You got it. Mind if I make a stop at the water dispenser, Chloe? I know you might not like me in such close proximity—”

“Dude, I wouldn’t deny you water. Be my guest.”

Kelvanis untangled himself from behind the chair, and rose to his feet; those gelatinous legs were more sturdy than I would’ve expected, not changing shape under his weight. With a few measured strides, he avoided the corners of my desk to reach the water dispenser. At this point, he was close enough to turn around and grab me if he wanted to. I wasn’t legitimizing that possibility the way I was before, but I could see him in exacting detail from this proximity. His tentacles maneuvered a disposable cup beneath the tap, before humming to himself as it filled with water. Perhaps that was a Kolshian song that brought him comfort in times of distress. I was grateful for him breaking the silence, though I was hopeful he’d be finished soon and distance himself a little.

That thought diverged from reality, when Kelvanis spun around and extended a tentacle toward me. My eyes went wide from the unexpected motion, until my brain kicked in to decipher what he was doing. He’d gone to the water dispenser…for me. I accepted the cup from his outreached arm, and managed to offer him a subdued thanks. It wasn’t fair that my hypervigilant mind was still jumping at his every move. This Kolshian’s kindness and empathy was remarkable, and something that moved me to my core. I hadn’t expected such a ray of sunshine to waltz through the door—to lift me up and show more concern than Kenzo had for my welfare. I redirected my thoughts to his chair melding, and found it much harder to fear him.

Kelvanis seems genuine and thoughtful. Like he said, I should try to understand his kind better. I don’t want to treat him like a monster; he’s something new to me, but that doesn’t have to be bad.

The Kolshian filled a cup for himself, sipping at it for a moment. “Drink, please. We have a saying on Aafa, that water cools the mind’s embers. I think it’d help.”

“That’s very thoughtful of you,” I murmured, before chugging half of the cup. It brought a welcome coolness to my throat, taking the edge off of my light-headedness. “That’s enough time we wasted worrying about me. Thank you, Kelvanis.”

“Just Kelvan is fine. That’s what my friends call me.”

“Kelvan it is. Okay, let me just focus on the screen, and figure out what I’m supposed to do here.”

“Would you like me to take a look at it? We can figure it out together.”

“Please. Go for it.”

The Kolshian hovered directly over my shoulder, leaning toward the workstation; how close he had maneuvered took my breath away. He smelled like flowers, which caught me by surprise. It was a pleasant aroma, not like the overpowering ones that would make a person gag. Kelvanis pointed at a government ID picture of himself on the screen, something that’d escaped my notice entirely during my prior panic. It might’ve helped to see a picture of him beforehand. Now, I found that his proximity was distracting me from studying the screen, though I was pretty sure I’d suppressed my fear of him. I squinted harder at the display, reading something to take my mind off of where he was standing.

“I’m afraid I can’t decipher your lexicon. Sorry. I brought a visual translator, but the UN…held onto my travel bag,” Kelvanis said. “No clue what this all says, though I recognize little old me.”

“I didn’t actually read your file beforehand. Let’s see here. Profession: Xenobotanist.” Age 27. No known relationships. One sibling. God, this is practically a dating site profile. Wait, why would I even think that? “I know what a regular botanist is, but I’m intrigued. What does xenobotany even mean, Kelvan?”

“I study alien plants specifically. You can do a lot in the field, surveying flora that have never been classed before. Think of each…flower as having a story to tell. People like me see how they grow under varying conditions—that often means on planets far, far from their home—and discover the best techniques to bring them to full health. Back before the quarantine, Aafa’s botanical gardens would send out surveyors to collect and integrate plants from across the galaxy! That was my dream job.”

“I’m getting a picture that you haven’t been able to do what you love. What drew you to the field specifically? What do you…see in plants?”

“I like beautiful things. Plants are simple, but they all have a story to tell. They’re a reminder of the cycle of life—symbols of growth and new life. Where I’m from, those symbols are needed for sanity’s sake.”

I nodded in thought, as I found a button labeled “Interview Notes.” “I think I found where to write your story. Take a seat?”

“Of course. I hope I wasn’t crowding you, Chloe.”

I waited as Kelvanis settled down, relieved that the text input boxes had simple prompts. The goal was to write down the reasons why the guest believed their asylum request should be granted, as well as a separate box for anything about their life story. After a moment’s consideration, I typed in a shorthand of “unable to pursue dream profession of xenobotany” under the life story column. This really wasn’t as bad as I thought it’d be. I found myself feeling a bit wistful, as the Kolshian retreated to the chair, and pulled it closer to the desk to sit down. There were still traces of the fragrance he was wearing in the air.

Would it be weird if I asked him about that? Kelvan seems happy to talk with me, but still…

The Kolshian cleared his throat. “Something on your mind?”

“Oh, I was just wondering about the…scented product you’re wearing,” I confessed. “Sorry if that’s a weird thing to observe.”

“Aw, don’t be shy on me now. I don’t know if this is something that humans would grasp, but Kolshians used to love wearing our favorite scents from nature—most often some sort of plants. You know that feeling of the summer breeze, soaking in all that’s alive? I like the idea that I can carry that effect. My sister, Volani, likes it even more, which is why she crafts them…despite the fact virtually nobody can shell out for such luxuries anymore.”

“We have perfumes and colognes; fragrances aren’t a foreign concept to us. A lot of human men wouldn’t think floral scents are masculine…manly, but I think such talk is stupid. It’s refreshing to see someone not beholden to stereotypes like that.”

“The stereotype defies comprehension. I assume that this concept of ‘masculinity’ has something to do with toughness, but how does recognizing beauty weaken you? If anything, flowers are a symbol that you’re in your prime, and full of life.”

“I agree. To get a little back on topic, you mentioned your sister. Is she someone important to you?”

Kelvanis’ expression became more morose. “Volani is the only family I have. She didn’t want me to come here. Turning my back on her was one of the hardest things I’ve ever done. We were orphaned during the Battle of Aafa, and I had to find ways to keep us alive. There was no system to take us in, once the government collapsed. Social programs are a thing of the past.”

“I’m so sorry to hear about your parents, Kelvan. You must’ve been very young; way too young to be left alone.” I made a note about the alien being orphaned as a child, and caring for his sister without any sort of aid. “There were no relatives that could take you in? It’s okay if you don’t want to talk about it.”

“No. Mom and Dad were on Caato, and…” The alien paused, when I returned a blank stare to the name Caato. “I’m sorry, of course humans wouldn’t remember it, compared to all of your catastrophic losses. It’s the rocky planet just before Aafa; it was a research colony of a few million souls. I think our parents worked on developing synthetic fertilizers there. Flights were canceled as you guys closed in on us, so they couldn’t come home. The…the Duerten bombed Caato to kill all of the civilians, as revenge for Kalqua.”

I extended my hand in silence, as Kelvanis squeezed his eyes shut at the painful memory; my palm rested atop his tentacle for a moment, hoping to offer support. He seemed surprised that I tried to comfort him, though gratitude flickered in his eyes. To think that I’d only heard of Kolshians as monsters that existed to kill us, and not how much their civilians suffered. From what little I’d learned from my guest, he’d been left to fend for himself since childhood, and his planet was in disarray. Why didn’t we do more to try to help Aafa? Why should people like Kelvan, who was twelve at the Federation’s collapse, be included in the quarantine?

I’m not sure what his full reasoning is for wanting asylum on Earth, but he deserves to have it granted. He’s had a difficult life, and still turned out to be such a sweetheart.

“To answer your question, our parents’ will was for our uncle to take us in—live with him, his wife, and their four kids if they passed. That never happened, because Uncle Tadonos and his family hopped on an evac ship when Chief Maronis finally decided to let us flee…and it was clear that Aafa was lost,” Kelvanis continued. “Everyone was quite panicked; you have no idea what it was like on the ground. None of the human accounts got how bad the riots were, and it was made worse by our dear leader using those fleeing vessels as battering rams. A lot of good people died for the ruthless shadow caste, and my uncle was one.”

I grimaced, feeling my heart clench with sympathy. “I can’t imagine what that was like, seeing your own government sacrifice your family needlessly. If it were up to me, just hearing what you’ve suffered is reason enough you deserve asylum. Life hasn’t cut you any breaks.”

“Oh, it’s easy enough to give you a list of reasons why I’d want off Aafa. Having a chance to pursue my passion, which I literally can’t do here. The fact that life’s so desperate that we have to battle for every scrap; the future there is bleak and miserable.” My fingers struggled to keep up with Kelvanis’ thoughts. “If you’re writing down why I feel I should be given asylum, may I tell you the main reason?”

“Go ahead. I’m happy to jot down any tidbits that’d bolster your case.”

“Well, to be blunt, I never did anything to humanity. I wasn’t involved with the shadow caste at all, yet I’m imprisoned because of crimes someone else did. How is that my fault, to earn an unending punishment? Why do I deserve to be quarantined for the species I was born as? If I’m turned down, it’s saying that humans will deny me equal rights and opportunities just because I’m a Kolshian.”

A thoughtful frown crossed my features, hearing the truth in Kelvanis’ words. They lingered in my brain, which made it easy to notate the rhetoric verbatim, despite my fingers lagging behind his speech. I’d already found myself wondering the same thing, just after learning a little bit about him; even before meeting one of his kind, I’d known that they couldn’t all be evil. Kenzo told me that we’d locked all of the Kolshians up for a reason, but I couldn’t see what it was for the life of me. After humanity had been lumped into one basket and condemned as monsters, we were doing the same to innocent people like this xenobotanist.

“Those are good points and questions.” I leaned back in my chair, heartbroken by everything Kelvanis had said. The nerves over speaking to aliens, along with the urge to flee the station, were gone. In their stead, I felt a determination to be the sole human that did care. “You don’t deserve to be quarantined, Kelvan. I’m glad you opened my eyes to that.”

Warm relief flickered in the Kolshian’s vertical pupils, as he realized his story had found a receptive audience. Remembering his earlier kindness to me, I made a silent commitment that I’d do everything in my power to help his case.

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A/N - The third installment! Chloe has an anxiety attack as the Kolshian walks in, and after she confesses how sloppy her onboarding was, he calms her down with some goofy antics and bringing her a glass of water. Kelvanis shares a bit about xenobotany and his career dreams, as well as how his family dying on Caato and in the evac ships left Volani and him orphaned at a young age. When Chloe hears his argument about how he’s done nothing personally to be quarantined, she realizes that she agrees with his argument…and she comes away with a new perspective on Kolshians.

What do you think of Kelvanis’ unafraid and chipper behavior toward humans so far, and the new details we’ve learned about his story? Will the interview notes be enough for Kelvan to get asylum? Will Chloe be able to fulfill her promise to do all she can to help his case?

As always, thank you for reading and supporting!