The Nature of Predators - Star Crossed (9/13) (Patreon)

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Memory Transcription Subject: Kelvanis, Kolshian Asylum Seeker

Date [standardized human time]: January 6, 2150

The humans returned my bag as I was herded into the shuttle. I sifted through it on the ride down, ensuring my belongings were all there. The task distracted me from the fact that I was further away from Chloe by the second. Numbness gripped me, making vibrant Aafa seem colorless to my eyes on the descent. Life quarantined on the surface was a life consigned to being alone, because who else could compare to the lovable human? Squeezing my eyelids shut, I could still see the first time I laid eyes on her; she’d been shifting nervously in her chair, binocular gaze panicked at the sight of me. Before I left, they had lit up every time she looked at me—brown irises somehow radiating kindness and fondness.

It was as if her hand was still intertwined with my manipulators, slender fingers applying light pressure. I inhaled deeply, losing myself in that illusion; it was only the shuttle landing on my homeworld that shattered it, snapping me back to an unpleasant reality. I wanted to keep pretending she was here a little longer, or better yet, to still be there with her. I’d left my heart on that station, and since I’d never see Chloe again, I doubted I’d ever get it back. It was only an irritated prompt over the PA that forced me to rise. It all seemed pointless now, trudging off to the home I shared with Volani.

I know I did the right thing, not accusing Chloe of horrible things and destroying her life. How could I raise a complaint against her that could have consequences until the day she died—that could keep her from her dreams, like quarantine keeps me from my passion?

My feet found their way through the streets on autopilot, and I hardly felt the weight of the bag on my shoulder. My eyes must’ve been emanating something fierce, because other Kolshians backed away from me. The City of the Flora’s disarray was apt, meshing with the bitter mood in my heart. I wished someone would challenge me, or attempt to rob me of what few belongings I’d toted around. The anger bubbling inside me needed an outlet; I wanted to scream, to smash the nearest window, and to run until my legs gave out. Instead, I stewed in the flurry of emotions and conducted myself like a reasonable person.

“Home, sweet home.” I reached my abode after storming down the sidewalks; it was in a seedy neighborhood, near a bunker with a secret entrance to the crime-infested shadow caste caverns. “Vola! You here? It’s your brother, Kelvan. I’m back.”

My sister scurried up to the door, sliding it open in a matter of seconds. I’d heard crashing noises as Volani scrambled to greet me, and staggered backward as she tackled me in a hug. Her perfume provided a hint of comfort, in a world that otherwise seemed devoid of happiness. My only family’s relief at my return gave me some motivation to go through the motions of conversation. I knew she’d want to pepper me at every detail about my visit to the human station, and that she’d be horrified to learn about my whirlwind romance with Chloe. I internally lectured myself not to go off on her, despite how my blood would boil at speciesist remarks against my love.

Volani waggled a baby blue tentacle. “I thought I’d lost you forever. I…I can’t imagine how harrowing that was; you’re lucky you escaped. What was it like? Tell me what happened!”

“Are you sure you want to know?” I countered.

“Yes! You’ve seen firsthand how rude and violent humans are; we can warn others away from visiting the station, so they don’t go up for a quick death.”

“Oh, humans aren’t dangerous. Some of them were a little curt, but one of them…it’s a long story, but she was so nervous and fidgety. She wanted to help.”

“That’s a nice way to deceive you to your face. You’re back on Aafa inside of a day, Kelvan…a quick denial. Clearly not that helpful.”

“It wasn’t her fault. Chloe had nothing to do with my rejection, and I’m certain she is devastated. I hate that I hurt her.”

“You hurt her? You hurt a fucking predator and lived! I thought I told you not to go toe-to-toe with an apex hunter!”

“I hurt her by leaving, Vola. Why don’t we go inside? You’re going to want to sit down when I tell you…what happened.”

My sister folded her tentacles in irritation, before stepping aside enough for me to entire our home. The lack of air conditioning was a slap in the face, an immediate reminder that I was far away from the comforts of the UN’s station. The barren cabinets that housed a few days’ meals at most stared back at me as well; they might last longer, given my current disinterest in food. All they were doing was reminding me of the bounty of food Chloe had brought to me. I recalled the way my chest had fluttered when she fed me a chip, her hand so teasingly close to brushing against my cheek. In hindsight, I could sense my own longing for her touch.

I tried to look elsewhere, and found myself staring at the cot. Her mattress had been as plushy as a cloud, and roomy enough for us to share with ease, though nothing had been more comforting than holding her in my arms; the warmth of her body had soothed my very spirit. When she’d woken me up, all I’d wanted was to lay beneath the blankets for a little longer.

The lovesickness was maddening at every turn. There was nothing that didn’t remind me of the magic between us; Chloe occupied my every thought. Even now, whispers passed through my brain about what she might be doing. Had she even received the sloppy note I’d passed to Perry? I knew that guard wasn’t my biggest fan, but he’d seemed intent on keeping Chloe from being hurt; when I recognized him in passing, I thought it was my best shot at getting it to her. Was she disappointed in me for not following through with her plan, when I realized how dire the consequences could be? It wasn’t just losing her job like she suggested. I could imagine the human sobbing, or worse, believing that Perry was right about me not loving her—betraying her and breaking her heart, without a care in the world.

I wished I could hold Chloe close, knowing her presence was the only thing that’d bring me any peace. I should be there to comfort her through every hardship, especially ones I had caused by forsaking her. If I had known how the Sapient Resources meeting would play out, I would’ve stuck to my original idea. Spending as much time chatting and being with each other would’ve been a better use of our fleeting time, even if it’d only bought us a few extra minutes. Those would’ve been memories that I could’ve taken with me. My sister gave me a suspicious stare, as I settled down on the couch. My eyes looked past her, turning wistfully toward the sky; knowing the sun’s glow kept me from seeing the moon she was orbiting.

Vola won’t be supportive, but sharing the story with her about it might be good. She might be able to help process it, and at the least, she gives me someone to talk to. I don’t know how I’m supposed to keep going; still, I have to find a way, because my sister’s relying on me to pull my weight.

“Why does this have to hurt so bad? Why can’t I stop thinking about it? There’s no relief,” I lamented, my voice a broken whisper.

Worry creased Volani’s face, and she settled down next to me with a gentle touch. “Kelvan, I’ve never seen you like this. You’re the most resilient person I know. What did they do to you? Please tell me.”

“I…fell in love with Chloe, the human who heard my case. It was her first day, and I just tried to be nice to her, and it all just happened. She felt the same, Vola; the invigorating rush that being with her brought was like nothing else! We spent one perfect night together, and I’m maddened that I’ll never see her again.”

My sister’s eyes had widened with disbelief and horror. “You got with a predator? One of the patchy—”

“I don’t want to hear insults about Chloe’s appearance! I don’t care about her eyes, or her skin; you didn’t see the way her cheeks turned red with her feelings, or the way her hair bounced against her shoulders. How could people think someone so compassionate and adorable is a monster?!”

“I don’t believe what I’m hearing. I…I have so many questions. How do they…what are they like…um, how do predators express…how did you two…”

I chuckled, in spite of myself. “None of those are a complete question, but I get what you’re asking. The most violent thing they do is—well, I was a bit startled by the nipping traditions, to be honest. It became clear she wanted to, um, lock lips to exchange saliva, not eat me.”

Volani shuddered with disgust. “How the fuck could you…do you know what they eat?! There were carcass particles swimming…forget I asked. You better not share this with anyone else.”

“I know what people will think, and I don’t care. I don’t! Before any of that, we just talked for hours. It was easy. Listening to her and being there was intoxicating, like there was some force tugging us together. I still feel it, a planet away.”

“This must be some kind of brainwashing. Think, Kelvan. Did they drug you somehow, or…”

“No! I’m telling you, Chloe just saw me in a way nobody else could or ever will. She was nothing like those delusional stories that get told about her people. You’d be amazed how vulnerable and sensitive this human was.”

“Whatever. It doesn’t sound completely unlike a stupid thing you’d do, but I am appalled. You need help,” Volani countered. “Why were you rejected? Were the humans mad that one of theirs hooked up with prey?”

“They were, but it was anger that I was a Kolshian, not that I was prey. They think we’re dangerous, and I was right about most of them being cold and indifferent. Anyway, I was rejected before they knew about Chloe and I’s…indiscretion.”

“Why? Your plan to make them treat us like sapients…your objections to our quarantine didn’t go over well with not-Chloe predators?”

“I guess it didn’t. Chloe agreed that I didn’t deserve to be quarantined, but the UN hardly looked at my app; I didn’t meet the criteria. I…Chloe suggested a way to appeal, and it might’ve worked. She wanted me to accuse her of ruinous things to reverse the decision on my app, but I couldn’t do it. I love her, Vola.”

“Don’t say that.“

“I can’t help it. I miss her so much.”

Volani looked torn about whether to challenge my declaration, but seeing my miserable expression, she kept the thoughts visible in her eyes to herself. I supposed my sister was content with the fact that I couldn’t see Chloe again; her efforts would no doubt be focused on getting me to forget the predator. My sister brought me close, and I found some solace in her familiar presence. I needed comfort, however misguided it was, so I nestled my head against her shoulder—wishing it was the sweet human’s arm instead, with the floral-colored pelt she’d been wearing today. I kept my gaze trained on the window, trying to slip off into a world of daydreams. This was my life now, so there had to be some coping mechanism I could find.

I wish that we weren’t cut off from the Terrans’ internet, because then I could at least message her. They want us quarantined even virtually; we only see the media they share with us.

“How could you just turn your back on me, Kelvan? What did you think would happen to me if you left?” Volani murmured.

I slumped my shoulders. “I’m holding you back, just like I would’ve been doing to Chloe. I’m a xenobotanist, and that doesn’t help pay the bills. There’s no career path for me. You could find someone…get something better if I wasn’t here. Look around; it’s not like there’s any privacy in our little box. I wanted you to move on, just like I wanted her to.”

“A predator won’t think twice about you being gone, whatever she said. It was, at most, momentary hedonism or curiosity to that creature. They don’t love like we do.”

“You don’t know what you’re talking about. Her people accused me of using her; you sound just like them.”

“I’m sorry that you feel that way. For what it’s worth, humans can be very convincing, but they’re not more than hollow emulations of our depth. They’re built for a very different purpose, and we don’t understand the intricacies of their relationships with each other. It’s always for some gain.”

“If it was for gain, Chloe wouldn’t have selflessly offered to take the fall for me. She is NOT an animal!”

My sister sighed, giving up on the argument. “Okay. Fine, Kelvan. I’ll let you believe what you want to believe; there’s no sense in making you hurt more. Why don’t we talk about something happy?”

I curled myself into a ball, unable to find a single thing that interested me; flowers popped into my head, but that reminded me of my promise to christen a chloeflower. Perhaps it was best to be alone, since Volani was the opposite of helpful right now. There was nowhere for her to go in this tiny space though that would give me any privacy. I decided to ignore her question, embracing the silence that would let me hear every word Chloe had spoken to me. If I strained my ears hard enough, I could hear her voice screaming for help, then bellowing a single word: “Stop!” It seemed so real, even though I’d never heard the human pitch at that register; imagining her in pain hurt my heart even worse. Did she want this aching void to stop assailing her as badly as I did?

“I swear, I can hear her voice even now. Screaming, on the brink of tears. There, again; it’s my name this time. Her desperation stabs at me as if it were real,” I whispered.

Volani tilted her head, before her eyes went right. “Holy shit. Kelvan, that is real; I can hear a human’s scream. You led a predator to our dwelling? A predator that’s gone mad?”

I snapped upright, bolting out into the street before she’d finished her questions. Why the fuck would Chloe be here, on Aafa? If Volani had detected it, then it wasn’t in my imagination at all…but I didn’t understand. What mattered first was that my darling was in distress and needed immediate help; I might be running into danger, but it was worth it to save her. My legs propelled me on at speeds that seared my lungs, heading in the direction of her voice. The sounds grew louder as I spotted a horde of Kolshians, circling something with kicks and grappling. Some people were running off with bits of technology, while others were trying to torment a writhing mass. Fury surged through my veins, as the mob laughed at her crying.

Stay calm. Get them to leave with trickery; you can’t fight them all.

“Run!” I shouted. “There’s Peacekeepers on the way, and I think they have cages. This one is bait. They’re…oh no, they’re going to go for the kids while we’re distracted! Leave it! You’ll get its contaminants through its blood. I can deal with this; I’ll watch it, and call the exterminators for a proper disposal.”

The horde paused with uncertainty, fearful looks in their eyes at the mention of a supposed UN cattle raid. The fact that anyone would believe that was enough to make me roll my eyes; I hated that I’d had to refer to my sweetheart as “it”, but hopefully she understood that it was to save her life. I waved my tentacles with urgency, trying to strike a menacing posture toward Chloe. My eyes still weren’t quite believing that she was here, alone; it was much too dangerous for her, with many people blaming humanity for their troubles or clinging to old beliefs. Others wanted to swipe any Terran’s riches for a quick profit, knowing they came from an affluent society. I breathed a sigh of relief as the other Kolshians backed away, before darting off to secure their children.

I waited until I was certain they had retreated, before kneeling beside Chloe. Tears rolled down her cheeks, next to inflamed patches of skin where she’d been kicked; the lips I wanted to kiss were swollen and bloodied. Her arms had gone over her binocular eyes, since that was where many attacks were aimed. The human had recognized my voice, and could sense my presence next to her. She tried to move her arm away, before whimpering in pain; it was mangled from absorbing the brunt of kicks meant for her eyes. I could see that she was missing a foot covering, and that a bag of possessions had been emptied and looted. My arm brushed against her forehead, gently pushing away hair that was matted with her own scarlet blood.

“It’s okay. I’m here, my love,” I murmured. “My heart is broken, to think that you were lying alone in the street, paces from my home; afraid and in pain. I’m sorry I didn’t get here quicker, and that…that I drove you to come here at all. We have to get you inside, before they come back.”

Chloe’s tears still flowed, and she yelped as I moved her arm back to her side. “O-okay, Kelvan.”

“I wish I could take your pain. Can you walk?”

“Let’s see.” The human tried to rise, before hunching back down with a shallow hiss. “No. Ribs…broken. Sorry...that I’m so weak.”

“Don’t worry. You did great. I’m going to carry you, pray nobody sees, and treat your wounds as best as I can.”

“Your sister…won’t she m-mind?”

“It doesn’t matter. I won’t leave you here; and I won’t let anyone hurt you.” I scooped her up in my arms, remembering how I carried her back at the station. She howled as I bumped her arm, and I winced with sympathy. “Sorry. I have to move you, but it’ll be over soon. I don’t know how you even found me.”

“I…have your address. All of your personal information, from…the c-case. I had GPS…before they stole my holopad.”

“What matters is that you’re safe. Holopads can be replaced, but nothing could ever replace you.”

I slid the door to our home open, and Volani screamed at the sight of an immobilized Chloe in my arms. I ignored my gawking sister, incrementally moving the Terran onto my cot. Hopefully, she could forgive my sister’s rudeness, and biases against her; this was Vola’s first glimpse of a human in person. I searched for the years-old, nearly empty bottle of disinfectant, ready to use it on her wounds. I needed to find a makeshift way to stabilize her arm, and while I didn’t have any painkillers or medication, I could try to brew an herbal remedy to ease the pain. With her eyebrows knitted together, the agony was written all across my love’s face.

I resigned myself to fighting with Volani, when she finally snapped out of it. In the meantime, I could begin the painstaking process of treating the human’s wounds. While the selfish part of me wanted her to stay, it was crucial that I figured out a way to get Chloe safely off of Aafa, before she was killed by merit of her species.

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A/N - Chapter 9! Kelvan tells his sister Volani about the human he fell for, and endured her skeptical comments about whether predators can love in the same way; however, after she tells him Chloe didn’t really care about him, she is suddenly met with his Terran lover in the flesh—who followed him to Aafa despite the danger. Kelvan is horrified by the danger Chloe put herself in, knowing this isn’t a place for her, and by the injuries she’s sustained. 

Will Kelvan be able to patch Chloe up and get her off-world? What do you think of Volani’s reaction to her brother’s visit…and how will she handle a face-to-face introduction to this “predator” she just learned about?

As always, thank you for reading and supporting! One more chapter on the Wednesday-Saturday schedule, then Gress takes over that slot; I’ll finish this series with 3 Tuesday updates.