The Nature of Predators 2-14 (Patreon)

Memory Transcription Subject: Tassi, Bissem Scientist

Date [standardized human time]: March 20, 2160

My day-to-day life was a whirlwind, as we booked it back to Ivrana to put a muzzle on the Tseia’s beaks. I could only imagine the Lassian chancellor’s discontent, being asked to furnish a diplomatic boat with the most likely outcome of killing a prominent scientist, a high-ranking general, and the most notorious member of the first contact team—who happened to be from the galaxy’s predominant power. Renewed efforts were put into contacting the Tseia through diplomatic channels, but the radio silence persisted. Knowing that my time might be ticking down, I studied every piece of alien media that I could on the ride back. General Naltor was even willing to watch a Venlil-human war movie called Escape from the Cradle, which was one of the first films Terrans made in conjunction with an alien species.

The first contact team had set up a movie night, displaying their traditions of eating puffy kernels of “popcorn”; sadly, Bissems couldn’t share in that. Haliska had come for the popcorn, but left before the movie’s violent opening. It was strange to think I was watching an interpretation of what destroyed Nulia’s world—that such a catastrophe had been turned into story entertainment. There were many specifics that Naltor and I didn’t understand, such as the mass stampedes at the humans’ arrival. I inferred that was what the Gojid sociologist meant about her village panicking. To think that the galaxy found Dustin’s kind that monstrous, to instill such a senseless response.

Was that how they saw Bissems? Would they see…me as an abomination to run away from? That thought broke my heart into tiny pieces. I had grasped that there were prejudices against us, but not how fundamentally abhorrent we were to them; I wasn’t sure what I could do to maintain our image that would transcend that fact. However much things had changed during the twenty-three year duration, Haliska’s mind had kicked into flight mode as we welcomed her—and she had trained to face what we were, as though carnivores were something that required exposure to tolerate.

We’re risking our lives to save first contact, not just because of the opportunities for Bissemkind, but because Ivrana hangs in the balance. How am I supposed to not just fend off accusations of wanting to eat people, but to stop other Bissems, like the Tseia, from panicking at the truth? How did the humans do it?

The final day of our voyage, on descent back to Lassmin, came without offering any assurances. I couldn’t help but feel woefully underqualified for the tasks on my plate; none of my thought exercises about first contact had prepared me for this. General Naltor had been focused on quietly making arrangements, ensuring that word was sent back to his family in the Huddledom—despite the fact they’d disowned him after his exodus. I mulled over what I’d squawk at the Tseia, even as I listened in on human podcasts and peeked at animated media. If only I could hole away and absorb knowledge about their lives, without complications burdening me. Still, time didn’t slow for my troubles; Dustin, Naltor, and I loaded on to a small Lassian ferry, like fish swimming into a net. I listened to some alien music for part of the ride, before giving up on any escapism.

“Had enough of the Terran entertainment machine, Doctor?” The human leaned out over the railing, admiring the sea spray and searching for the coastline. “You still haven’t peeked at our sports, Tassi. You might enjoy our fishing competitions. There’s also some video games that are just about sailing, or diving underwater.”

I leaned my head back with exhaustion. “How can you be so calm, with all that’s hinging on our travels? We’re almost within the range where the Tseia normally start shooting.”

“I’m at peace. I said my goodbyes to my adoptive brother, Jimek. You would like his artwork. He’s got a penchant for portraits, done some for really important individuals. I bet he’d nail your likeness. He’d see the same fire for the universe that I see in your eyes. I hope we get the chance to know each other better.”

“I would’ve liked that. Actually…what is it you want to know? We have a few minutes left.”

Dustin tilted his head in thought. “I wish I knew what you were like on a personal level. I think we’d be friends, Tassi, given enough time. What would you be, if you weren’t a FAI scientist?”

“Uhhh? Dead, I guess? Figuring out what’s in the stars was all I was ever interested in; the hypotheticals always captured me. It’s the place I retreat to in my mind, a fixture of my identity. My family never understood my obsession, or why it mattered so much, but space is the single thing that ever fascinated me. Maybe I could’ve been an astronaut, but then, I would’ve been a passenger, not a scientific mover.”

“‘Dead,’ she says. Bold…I don’t think anyone’s answered that ice breaker quite like that. There’s gotta be something else. You seem to like movies and shows.”

“Because they’re your shows. They speak to how you view the world, your past, your emotions, your forms of expression and your criteria for artwork…the slight differences between things we take for granted! Such a wealth of information to be gleaned. I’ve liked Bissem shows, sure, but they were always related to aliens. I used to go to Space Expedition conventions—fictional Bissem explorers with a mission similar to FAI. I guess I’m always the nerdiest person in the room, no matter what company I’m in.”

An amused rumble passed through his chest. “I’d give you a run for your money. When I first moved to Skalga, I read the entire xenobiology textbook for fun. How creatures evolve and specialize: it makes the world make sense. The things I could’ve told you about Earth animals from the time I was in elementary school—you would’ve been surprised anyone cared about such things.”

“Meanwhile, I intimidated my teachers into passing me in my classes,” Naltor remarked, mischief twinkling in his eyes. “Well, that’s not true, but you believed it for a second.”

“You’ve got to be curious about something in the universe, Naltor. There had to be some subject that spoke to you.”

“Do my strategy classes at the Selmer’s military college count?”

I scoffed. “That’s not something that invokes wonder and curiosity! There’s more to this world than fighting and killing.”

“That’s reductive thinking. It’s important to know how to protect yourself from any threat.”

“There’s some wisdom to be gleaned from cleverness of any kind, just like learning how scientists made their discoveries,” Dustin mused. “Tactics makes you think about what lines you’re willing to cross. Beyond that, there’s some lessons in war that translate to other parts of life. ‘Never stop your enemy when they’re making a mistake.’”

“Ha, I like that! It’s a shame I don’t see you as my enemy, so I had no choice but to try to stop you from this mistake. I could throw you overboard, and save the Tseia the missiles.”

“You are a disturbed man. The Tseia have to realize a war with us isn’t to anyone’s benefit. We just need to assure them we can work together, despite this carnivore shit.”

“Yeah, the nomads don’t do that ‘working together’ shit.”

“Naltor? Shut up.”

The Selmer chuckled to himself, contented with the alien’s rebuke. I stared out at the empty seas, and thought over what Dustin had said about xenobiology occupying all of his brain space; he might’ve been the first person who seemed to understand what is like to need to learn everything possible about a subject, down to the smallest minutiae. While someone like Naltor would find it a snoozefest, I would kill to get my flippers on a textbook like that. The things the human could tell me about each species’ evolution…there were three hundred of them out there, and I knew so few. On account of that tragedy alone, I was determined to survive long enough to learn them all.

I really just know the Venlil, Yotul, Gojid, Thafki, Duerten, Krakotl, and Arxur. There’s so much left for me to learn. Whatever they think of Bissems, I have to show the Sapient Coalition who we are. I have to rise to the occasion.

The GPS locator showed that we’d crossed the official boundary of Tseia seas; I rose to my feet, waddling over to the receiver in case I needed to talk to them. If the nomads would shoot down diplomats at once for the slightest intrusion, our fate was already sealed. My heartbeat quickened, as I waited to see if supersonic missiles would crest the horizon. There was no sign of a response from Alsh, until an incoming transmission was targeted at us. The fact we’d received a verbal warning was a positive sign; they didn’t want the hostilities associated with shooting down a civilian boat, whatever Naltor might think.

“This is Alsh Lighthouse. Lassian boat, turn back at once. You’re trespassing in Tseia territory, and no amount of goodwill between us gives you that right,” a stern voice squawked through the radio; the speaker addressed us in flawless Vrit.

I steadied myself, before pressing a button to respond. “We need to speak with the Tseia about the aliens. This affects all Bissems; we need to understand each other, and be on the same page. If there’s something you’ve learned about them, it benefits us all to share. If there’s one moment where we have to work together, it is now. This will define the entire planet’s future—whether it has one at all.”

The voice was quiet for a long moment. “To whom am I speaking?”

“Dr. Tassi, with Fishing for Alien Intelligence. I’m a scientist. Our ferry is diplomatic and unarmed. You’re welcome to search it, or to transfer us to one of your ships, if that’s your concern. We need to have a conversation, and get channels reopened. Please, at least hear out what we’ve learned; it can only help you. What is your name?”

“Zalk; I’m in charge of the Tseia Coast Guard. You’re fortunate I have the authority not to shoot you down. What you’ve said about Ivrana having a future—it’s why if you knew what’s good for you, you’d cut ties with the aliens. You’d see through all those grand promises Dustin told the crowds about peace and progress. Don’t trust that thing.”

“Why are you so certain these aliens are a bad thing? I’m sure whatever has soured your opinion, it can be explained.”

“I strongly doubt that.” The sands of Alsh were becoming visible on the fringes of my vision, along with a waiting army of Tseia on speedboats. The lighthouse was further back, rusted and looming over the obscured continent. “This is your last warning, Tassi. Turn the fuck back.”

“You’ll have to shoot me, Zalk. Is that what the Tseia stand for: gunning down scientists who want nothing more than world peace, and to represent Bissems in a unified way? I didn’t believe it was. Neither did that alien, who was willing to risk his life to understand why you’re afraid of him. If you have concerns about Dustin, the best way to handle them is to question him in person.”

“The alien is aboard your vessel?”

“He is, and he’s aware of your threat to shoot him on sight; that he’s not welcome. We’re all aware that we’re not welcome. Dustin wanted to go alone so he wouldn’t endanger us. He came all this way to try to save Ivrana, and he’s willing to die for our sake. Zalk, you have to listen.“

“I’m…listening. It might be valuable to subdue him, and acquire intelligence, since it appears he can’t fight back. Questioning a xeno alive…the only prospect more fascinating than putting him at the bottom of the sea.”

My beak parted in alarm. “Just what are you thinking of doing to him?”

“That depends on the answers Dustin gives, I imagine. Don’t worry your little head, Vritala. I’ll…ask for clearance from the elders on how to proceed, and I might be able to tell you everything soon. It might be beneficial for us to stop Lassmin from crawling into a tightbox with these terrors.”

Naltor shoved me aside, features brimming with outrage. “What are you going to do with us in the meantime?”

“Ah, the Selmer general from the broadcast. Naltor, is it? We’re going to detain you, since you so expressly wished to talk. I can probably let you watch as we extract information from that thing, by any means necessary.”

“Stop this madness. What is wrong with you? You can’t lay a flipper on him. Dustin might be an alien, but he’s a civilian! A humble scientist, and a surprisingly pleasant fellow at that.”

“Civilian? As if that matters. Whatever you think you know, Selmer, save your breath. You and your alien friend better lie out, face down on the deck. Resist and we’ll put a bullet in your skulls. Why don’t you pass that message along?”

“Wait, Zalk! It doesn’t have to be like this; we could talk just over the radio,” I pleaded. “Dustin will talk willingly.”

“He better. I’ll see you soon, Tassi.”

Zalk disconnected from the channel, as the coast guard boats closed in on us; Dustin’s complexion had lightened, though he stretched out on the ground, grumbling something about being “the new Marcel.” Wasn’t that the name of the human who took Nulia in? What did that mean? I didn’t feel right about letting the Tseia capture him, when they all but said their questioning would be less than civilized. The thought of them using advanced interrogation tactics on my fellow nerd made me shudder. After having already washed up to Alsh’s shores, there wasn’t much we could do; I supposed I should’ve been relieved they didn’t just sink us. Sharing a glance with the irate Naltor, I laid out alongside Dustin, and nudged him to offer some comfort.

I swear, Zalk decided to spare us once he heard he could get his flippers on an alien, like Dustin will be some live test subject to them! I’ve got to try to talk them out of this…to figure out why the Tseia are doing this, and what it’ll take to stop them. I won’t let my friend from the stars suffer in Bissem custody.

“If Haliska was afraid of our friendly welcome feast, what would she think of this reception?” Naltor grumbled. “I bet she’d make a swim for it. It’s not too late for you to do the same, Dustin.”

The human chuckled half-heartedly. “Hallie wouldn’t be alone in having that desire, right about now. Though I imagine it’s an exercise in futility at this point. I’m glad that I didn’t let her and Nulia come along. Hopefully, they’re having…a better time meeting the other nations.”

“Well, that’s about guaranteed. It’s tough to be worse off.”

“You really inspire optimism, Naltor. Remind me to never follow you into battle.”

“Optimism gets you captured by crazy nomads. Realism is a better philosophy to aspire to.”

“Maybe you’re right. I should’ve listened, not to talk to them. I mean, I knew the risks, but I shouldn’t have agreed for you and Tassi to come along.”

I drew a shaky breath. “We’re in this together, like Naltor said. I’ll do everything I can. I’ll make sure someone knows about how they welcomed you.”

“I hope you do, but…I don’t want to start a war. Just save Ivrana…that’s what matters to me. Goodbye, Tassi.”

Tseia soldiers stormed onto the vessel, with every one of them surrounding Dustin; the mid-sized Bissems had yellow crests protruding from the sides of their heads, beneath their helmets. Several bodies restrained him, ensuring he was tightly bound. They bagged his head, before hauling him to his feet with a rough grasp. I couldn’t help but notice the strange expressions on their faces, though that might’ve been because it was their first time seeing an alien. I squeezed my eyes shut as they cuffed me, with only a touch more delicacy; Naltor’s outraged barks echoed beside me. The nomads’ greeting party placed a bag atop my head, blocking out any vision I might’ve had of Alsh.

Powerless to stop whatever their intentions were for Dustin and for us, I allowed myself to be herded to a different boat and ferried to the shore. Horror flooded my chest, once I overheard the chatter between Tseia soldiers; it wasn’t the standard questions or apprehensions that’d floated through the Lassian military, when the aliens landed. The sick bastards were laughing, practically rubbing their flippers together in glee, at prospective remarks about ripping the human open. How could any Bissem respond to our first visitor from another sapient species, by relishing in the idea of his suffering? I couldn’t begin to understand what would drive such sickening behavior!

General Naltor had been right about this being a mistake, no matter how necessary it seemed to our mission. As we disembarked onto dry land, I racked my brain in desperation to think of a way to get the human out unharmed. If the Tseia wanted to torment Dustin, they’d have to get through me. I would fight to stop this, in any way that I could.

A/N - Part 14! Tassi and Dustin share how much their respective fields have always enthralled them, and all three have made peace with their possible ends, though Tassi wants to learn much more about the galaxy and to play a role convincing the SC that Bissems are benign. The boat crosses the Tseian border, and is contacted with orders to leave...until Tassi presses the issue of aliens, and Zalk figures out that Dustin is on board. What will the Tseia do with Dustin, and what answers are they seeking from him? What will Zalk say, if he gets clearance to tell Tassi and Naltor everything?

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