The Nature of Predators - Becoming a Predator (8/10) (Patreon)

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Memory transcription subject: Narlem, Krakotl Exterminator Fleet Comms Technician

Date [standardized human time]: October 8, 2136

My eyes burned from being glued to the television screen for ten-hour spells, hooked on what happened next in Red Dust, Red Fire. In spite of myself, I grew interested in what would happen with the character drama, alongside the constant maneuvering for promotions and daring missions they undertook. It was unclear how I could be hanging on every word about a predator’s marital problems, but I felt awful for David Bentley Jr. For several seasons, his wife had been issuing unreasonable demands and ultimatums, never happy. Now, she had the nerve to broadcast her infidelity? Why did David keep trying to stay with this predatory malcontent?! People like her were the reason for the extermination fleet’s necessity!

“First thing when I walk in the door, all matter of fact…hey honey, I cheated on you?” David hissed, finally breaking the silence. The human firefighter looked incensed, with his features becoming more ugly than ever. “With who?”

Liliana crossed her arms. “Does it matter? I think what matters is that you don’t satisfy me anymore.”

“Oh, that’s just rich. I’ve been loyal to you, contrary to your constant questions about my friendship with Tessa—you couldn’t bear the thought that I’d talk to anyone else of the female disposition! After all your jealousy, after all I’ve done to keep you happy, you cheat…what, to piss me off? Do you want me to fly off the handle?”

“I did it because I don’t love you; in fact, I hate you, David. I want you to pack your shit and get out of my house. I realized I don’t have a husband. You’re gone all the time: married to the fire truck. When you get the divorce papers tomorrow, I’m going to take you for everything you own, and full custody of my daughter.”

“I think a divorce is a great fucking idea. But to be clear, it’s my being gone that funds your lifestyle. I gave you everything, and I’ve tried so hard to be some perfect husband. We’re through, so don’t come crawling back regretting this. Even if you do win this hab module, good luck paying for any of it.”

David collected his essential items from his place, stuffing them into a luggage bag; I couldn’t believe he was just letting Liliana kick him out of his place of residence. Where was he going to go? How could a human have controlled their temper at such insults? Even I would’ve wanted to claw her nasty eyes out! I watched as the strong firefighter carried the tote, a bitter smile on his face. He turned to face his wife, and raised his arms in an exasperated gesture. I’d never seen this Terran fight back against her jabs, or say anything remotely rude to her. My own resentment toward her character made me desperate to at least hear him take her down a notch with barbed insults.

“We could’ve been happy together, if you knew how to be happy,” the firefighter said. “The next time you hear from me, it’ll be through an attorney.”

Rage flashed in David’s eyes for a brief moment, as he cleared the door’s threshold into the navigation tunnels. I watched as he pulled his holopad out of his pocket, and paused with uncertainty. The camera angle switched to behind his shoulder, revealing that he was staring at Tessa’s contact information; she was a kind, funny coworker that had much more chemistry with him than Liliana ever did. I’d long since wondered if the two harbored feelings for each other, after their awkward chat at an alcohol-infused “Christmas” party, but David was too loyal to his wife to act on them. Watching the firefighter’s thumb hover over the call button, I thought he’d confess some secret affection. However, he couldn’t summon the courage, and to my chagrin, put the device away.

Back in the real world, there was a click as the door to Caleb’s place opened. I didn’t pay much attention once I confirmed it was my brother, not an invader; the show had transfixed me. It was ridiculous how much I wanted to know what would become of fictional flesh beasts, and how my hopes rose and fell with their own interests. The police officer laughed at my obsession, and tiptoed over to collect an empty potato chip bag from the furniture. When he first returned to work, he’d set out several snacks, and informed me where to find more “safe” food if I was hungrier than that. My sibling had left prepackaged carcass-and-cheese cartons in easy to find places.

I don’t have to worry about my appetite spiraling out of control in his absence, which makes my existence a little less like a ticking time bomb. Caleb was worried I’d get into something that I shouldn’t, or wander off hunting.

“Not even going to say ‘hi’ to your brother?” The human snickered as I paused the show with an impatient look. “You know, if you fly through the whole series, you won’t have any more to watch. Can’t hurt to slow down.”

I offered an apologetic smile. “Sorry, I’m pretty hooked. I can’t believe the mayor is refusing to let them investigate the fires at the factory! What is that predatory jackass hiding?! The firefighters think it could be dangerous to look into corrupt affairs, so maybe they’re incinerating bodies of political rivals…you never know with human schemers.”

“Your conclusions about where the story is going…it’s awfully special, Nate. Just straight to murder. Not as if there’s anything else shady or illicit in this star system.”

“I thought you’d be glad I like the show. I guess you can harness your emotions creatively without exalting war and violence, so that’s neat. How was your day at work?”

Caleb grimaced. “Stressful. There’s wild rumors about…well, I won’t worry you based on what social media is saying, but panic is brewing. The UN’s making a statement later today; Elias Meier, the SecGen himself. We can watch it together, and there’s no sense freaking out until we know what‘s happening.”

“What are they saying, Caleb?”

“It doesn’t matter. I don’t care what they’re saying until we have cold, hard facts in our hands, and you shouldn’t either. Why don’t we talk about something uplifting, like our upbringing? The more we get to know each other, the more we can move past you thinking of me as some spooky creature.”

“Fine. Talk away.”

The human walked over to the wall, and removed a framed, physical photograph from its post. I accepted the offering as he passed it into my hands, taking care to handle it with delicacy. The picture must be one of his favorite moments, since it was displayed in his home where any guests would see it. It depicted a younger version of Caleb, being held upside-down by a muscular, silver-haired male. I could see my human host-body as a child, pretending to throw a punch at my sibling’s jaw—some violent, chemical-driven impulse that made it seem funny to the predators. A woman that shared many of Caleb’s facial features was seated in some mobility aid chair, like she couldn’t walk.

Caleb said that he missed his mother. Did they put her down once she was unable to move of her own accord?

I arched my eyebrows with an expectant look. “When was this?”

“My ninth birthday. Uncle Russell took this photograph of us, and it just reminds me of when we were all happy. Dad was a goofball…we’d throw footballs in the park, go biking on the trails together, and watch sports games on TV. He never complained about Mom’s accident, but I could see he grew resentful of her lot in life. He had a massive heart attack, dead on the spot, and I really think it was the sadness that killed him. You were in high school. I’d try to remind you of the good times, but you were never able to move on after they were gone.”

“They. Did your pack alphas put her down because she couldn’t walk? That’s what the chair is, yeah? I imagine your father tried very hard to hide it.”

“Dude, she outlived Dad—by two weeks. That was what fucking broke you, both at the same time. It’s a story you hear a lot, two people that loved each other and when one goes, the other hardly makes it any further at all. Doctors say she had a stroke, but I think she died of a broken heart.”

I was quiet for a long moment, scrutinizing their expressions for any emotional tells. As outlandish as it would’ve sounded to a Krakotl who hadn’t been immersed in their state of being—that a predator could care about someone besides themselves enough that it caused physical harm without them—Caleb spoke as though he believed his own conclusions. I could attest to how strong a human’s sympathetic instincts were firsthand. What was bizarre was that Terran society allowed his mother to complete her natural lifespan and consume their resources, despite her infirm condition. Meat-eating creatures weren’t supposed to care about weaker lifeforms, not even their own kind; everything was a contest of strength and dominance.

I was struggling to believe that these were mindless killers, with aspect after aspect of their planet failing to align with known truths about their kind. Along with my weakened loathing toward Terrans, my mind was beginning to accept that I could be stuck as a human forever. Gavin’s curse had specified that I would know what it was to be them, but not that it was for a limited duration of time. Wasn’t it immoral to laugh at the suffering of a beast as capable of selflessness and higher thought as Caleb? He was fated to die here in Houston, whenever the extermination fleet arrived: that would be a few months, maximum. The thought of my caretaker dying, after everything I owed him, made my eyes oddly misty.

Looking at this picture, I can see that Nate and Caleb’s parents loved their progeny. They were happy, and their species as a whole is capable of some civility and expression. Does all of humanity really deserve to be wiped out?

The first strike against my vitriol toward the Terrans had been Caleb’s question, during the chili meal, asking why I enjoyed the thought of killing them all. I could still remember watching the bomb impact this city through the viewport, extinguishing the millions of residents that lived here. Humanity constituted a massive threat with their propensity for cruelty, that was undeniable. However, against my wishes, I’d found myself capable of positive emotions toward my brother, and fictional characters. I was sitting here, feeling pity for a predator mourning his parents. Had the knowledge of what flesh tasted like impaired my judgment that much?

“Your family looks lovely,” I offered, passing the picture back with discomfort. “They’ve shaped you into a good person, for a human.”

Caleb groaned. “You had me there, Nate. You almost said something nice.”

“I did give you a compliment, to reflect my appreciation of your empathetic assistance.”

“Never mind.” My brother returned the picture to its place, before fiddling with the remote to await this Elias Meier person’s speech. I shuddered, imagining how scarred and maniacal a predator leader would look. “Why don’t you tell me something about how Narlem grew up?”

“You don’t believe it’s real.”

“Well, whatever you believe your upbringing to be affects you. It shapes your whole personality. I want to get to know this new you, even if it’s…difficult for me to accept. What did you do as a kid? What were your parents like?”

I reached up to rub my beak, and instead awkwardly collided with my nose. “Well. I don’t remember much about my mother, since I didn’t see her much. My dad was a big deal general, with an overpowering personality, and I was always living in his shadow. Part of me proving myself in the extermination fleet was to show I could live up to his expectations.”

“Okay? So what did you do for fun? You skipped that part. Didn’t read up on any Krakotl recreation before your brain wipe?”

“Most of my childhood was spent training, but they put me on comms because I froze on the weapons station. That disappointed Dad. I enlisted when I was 8, so I don’t remember much of my life before then. When I was shown an Arxur briefing, I knew what I had to do. It was implied.”

Caleb’s jaw parted with shock. “Hang on. Eight?! That sounds fucked up. Do Krakotl mature faster than humans? What age is considered adulthood?”

“Nineteen of our years. I don’t see why it’s relevant. Even after reaching that age, I hadn’t done enough. My dad was proud of how early I recognized my duty to our people, and I clearly wasn’t too young to handle the truth about the Arxur and predators. It brought us closer together…for a time. Inatala, I hope he never finds out his son was turned into a blighted human.”

“So Krakotl age slower than us, slightly…that makes it worse. You really don’t see anything wrong with that, Nate?”

“No. I’m proud to have served Nishtal. Until recently, I was proud of myself for my distaste toward humanity too. Is your problem that you’re too prideful to be bested by prey creatures who aren’t even fully grown?”

“No! My problem is that’s way too young for any sapient to be asked to kill and sent to risk their lives in war. It torments even grown human adults, for all the supposed ‘predatory’ things in our nature. Children’s minds are still developing, and Narlem was being imprinted with horrors and propaganda in your scenario. That’s…a sad childhood, to be burdened with that. You should feel in your heart that ‘you’ were denied of your opportunity to be a kid.”

I blinked in confusion at the human’s reaction. Predators had to be fools not to initiate their children into the warrior guild, when warfare and slaughter came easily to them in their genes. It was treacherous that part of me agreed with what Caleb was saying, wishing I’d had a father that threw me hatchday parties and played games with me. Even if Nathan had been cursed with this form, he’d been lucky to have had such a beautiful childhood; no wonder the loss of his parents had struck him so hard. I barely knew Dad on a personal level, and my mother might as well be a stranger. When had we ever done anything that was just for fun, or had a family outing? Why was I jealous of a hunter’s life?

Caleb is twisting you against your own people. Smart, but you can’t let it work, Narlem.

“You have no right to judge my life!” I clenched my fist with outrage, feeling the skin tighten around my bony knuckles. An extra grating voice boomed from my throat, charged with bellowing fury. “My father set me up for success. The life of prey isn’t a game, because of predators like you!”

Caleb looked slightly leery of me. “Easy, buddy. I’m sorry for upsetting you…I was just angry about the idea of someone doing that to my brother. Like I told you, I want to see you happy.”

“I’m not happy. I’m stuck in a body I don’t want, and I’m developing emotions that aren’t fair. I feel more positive toward you, or even a fictional predator firefighter like David Bentley Jr., than I do toward my own kin from my real species!”

My brother’s gaze softened. “You do still care about me, deep down, don’t you, Nate? I thought you just saw me as a monster to keep track of.”

“I…I don’t want to see you die. It moves me to some amount of sorrow.”

The human opened his mouth to respond, but snapped his attention to the television screen. I watched a gray-haired predator stroll up to a podium, a solemn look on his wrinkled face; if this was the leader of Earth, his appearance was much too unassuming and unintimidating. Recognition flashed in Caleb’s eyes, suggesting this was the Elias Meier we were waiting for. The dignitary was wearing attire similar to the multi-layered, heat-trapping pelts that Vinny and Brandon had been sporting during my interrogation. His blue irises stared down the camera, reminding me of Gavin’s pleading expression.

“My fellow citizens of Earth, I regret to inform you as I speak now, that the rumors are true. An avian race called the Krakotl, based hundreds of light-years from our precious home, has amassed a fleet consisting of dozens of parties who hate our very existence. The United Nations’ best efforts at peace have failed to reach their hearts, and we believe their journey is with the intent of eradicating the human race. We will be taking every option available to us to defend our home, while also offering several avenues for evacuation. Venlil Prime has graciously agreed to take refugees, and for those who feel safest off-world, the first flights leave today,” Meier growled in a measured voice.

My eyes darted over to Caleb, as Earth’s leader continued to list off steps citizens could take to protect themselves. Bunkers would be opened to shield citizens from bombs, and in the worst case scenario, volunteers were being solicited to board ark ships…heading to an unknown location to ensure the continuance of the human race. So much for our mission ensuring their kind would never prowl the stars again. I supposed that answered my question about how far back in time I’d been cast, but that meant I had very little time to save my brother. Houston was going to fall in a week’s time; I knew how the battle ended. There had to be something I could do to prevent this one predator from being vaporized.

“See? I was telling you the truth about the future! Houston is going to fall, Caleb; we have to get out of here. Please, go to Venlil Prime! Save yourself,” I begged, tugging at his wrist.

The human scowled. “Knock it off, Nate! You read something from Aafa suggesting that the Krakotl hated us, and that they didn’t take kindly to not being cheered on to genocide us. You’re not an oracle; your brain just inferred a correct future.”

“I don’t want you to die. If you know they’re coming to bomb Earth, you should leave. It’s smart to get out of harm’s way. We can have a fresh start…”

“So my option to evacuate is to go to a planet where I scare my neighbors by existing, and assuming Earth falls, the Venlil’s military and world will be mopped up next. Buying maybe an extra day. Or, I sign on to try to build a new society with an ark ship, not contacting anyone on Earth ever again or knowing what clusterfuck we’re sailing toward. I think I’ll pass.”

“But…”

“You can do what you want, Nate, but I’m staying here. I’m going to go to one of those bunkers on the city’s outskirts, and try to ride it out. That’ll be the safest place, and they’ll need police officers to maintain order, because people will be fucking panicky. I’m scared shitless, but it’s the best option. Now tell me what you want to do, ‘cause I’m about to hop in a car and get myself as far underground as I can go.”

The prospect of dying alongside predators I didn’t belong with, during the extermination fleet’s bombing, terrified me. I wasn’t supposed to be a human, which meant it was a twisted joke that I would perish here in this body. Maybe I deserved my demise for becoming a predator, and failing to resist the allure of their sinful culture. What was I going to do, head to Venlil Prime and tell the poor Venlil who had the misfortune to look on my face that I wasn’t really a predator? They wouldn’t need any more Terrans on their street corners, and I didn’t see any purpose of prolonging my existence alone, as a hunter among normal people. That was hardly living. Caleb was the reason my stay on Earth had morphed into a tolerable experience.

I swallowed against a dry throat. “I’m coming with you, brother. Let’s go.”

The predator, who had ignored my foretelling of our doom, offered a taut smile. Without any hesitation over his decision, Caleb herded me out the door after packing a small bag full of items for our basic needs. I found myself hoping against hope that this bunker could stave off the antimatter payload and keep him alive.

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A/N - Part 8 is here! Narlem gets hooked on the Mars firefighter procedural. As he admits he's feeling closer to Caleb, he learns a bit more about Nathan and Caleb's family and past, while professing the truth about his child soldier history. However, bonding time is brought to a halt by Meier's grim announcement about the incoming extermination fleet; Narlem is unable to persuade Caleb to evacuate. Will the duo be able to survive by heading to a bunker? Is our Krakotl finally close to learning his lesson about humanity? 

As always, thank you for reading and supporting! We have a new series launching after BAP ends, about the predator cultist Yulpa...what could possibly go wrong with capturing a human to be sacrificed? It's not like humans have ever proven to be...slippery...