The Nature of Predators - Human Exterminators 2 (4/9)

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Memory transcription subject: William Kane, Human Exterminator

Date [standardized human time]: January 20, 2137

Rauln hated being alone, ever since Nam jammed a knife in my roommate’s throat, and left him terrified of his own shadow. Behind the posturing and sharp retorts, he was a frightful Venlil; I’d grown skeptical of his original motives for asking me to move in with him. After hearing his comments on bloodlust over the phone, I thought I understood. The “vicious predator” had saved his life from the serial killer, so he thought the only way to protect himself was to have a monster on his side. I wanted to pretend that he saw me as a brother too, but the ugly truth insisted on rearing its head now.

When had the smoky-furred teen ever reciprocated the affection I’d shown him? When had any of his statements toward me been kind or considerate of my feelings, rather than pejoratives masked under sarcasm? Perhaps I’d been so desperate to have anyone in my life, after the bombing shattered my spirit, that I’d duped myself into thinking these aliens were my friends. Our personalities were similar, but I wasn’t sure Rauln would ever see me as more than a guard dog. Realizing his self-serving motives, I felt less guilt about pawning him off on Luala.

I wedged my foot in her door, pointing to Rauln. “I’m going to Fyron’s. Take Rauln, unless you want him coming with me and killing your old…bestie, who you did nothing to help.”

“How dare you show up at my door unannounced?!” the Krakotl trilled.

“Look, we have irreconcilable differences, but Rauln is your friend. I trust you just enough to leave him in your company. It’s…not good for him to be alone for long stretches, if you understand me.”

“I told you, I’m fine!” the Venlil hissed. “It’ll be nice to have a break from you.”

What if that’s not tongue-in-cheek at all?

Luala sighed, a flustered glint in her eyes. “Go inside, Rauln. I need to have a word with William…alone.”

The smoky-furred Venlil trudged inside, giving me an odd look; it was as if he knew I was only making a pit stop at Fyron’s apartment, on my way to the Humanity First meeting. However, if that were true, there was no chance he would’ve kept it to himself. It was a figment of my imagination, stemming from unwanted guilt over doing something for myself and my species. I crossed my arms, and fixed the Krakotl with an expectant look. I’d go postal if I was late to the meeting because of Luala chewing me out.

“Will, I don’t think I can work with you anymore, while things are like this between us. The last few months have been very difficult for me—I’m sure it was so much worse for you, of course—and you couldn’t even pretend to care how I feel,” the bird murmured. “For a little while, it felt like we had…chemistry. Now I see that I could drop dead, and you’d fucking applaud. Why can’t I hate you, when you hate me so much?”

I blinked in surprise, as tears rolled down her cheeks. Why should I be feeling a tinge of guilt, when it was Luala who made a fuss and forced me to justify my beliefs?! After all the time I’d spent contemplating being a better version of myself, knowing full well that I was a scumbag, it wasn’t clear how I’d deceived anyone about what kind of person I was. What you saw was what you got with me: an open book. As a rule, I didn’t change myself or hide my real opinions for any xenos.

“You don’t deny any of it. Of course you don’t,” Luala continued.

I raised a fist in frustration. “I literally told you yesterday I don’t hate you! I tried to be nice; that’s just not enough for you, is it? Don’t you understand that your people took everything from me?”

“I could say the same about yours—humans sicced the Arxur on Nishtal, and are the reason my family is dead. I know it was self-defense, but every Krakotl on that cursed fleet thought it was self-defense—”

“HOW DARE YOU? Aqil told you that your fucking kinsmen landed and shot babies after they lost. We just wanted to survive, peacefully, and you didn’t let us have that. Just like you won’t let me keep peace in our ranks! You hate us for existing; you think humans are monsters! Everyone does!”

I swung a fist at the hallway’s drywall, punching a gaping hole into it. As carefully-buried thoughts of my life on Earth bubbled to the surface, emotions overtook me. All I wanted was to do something about the aliens who persecuted us; it stung when even my supposed friends refused to support me, and dredged up the worst moments of my life. When we fought back after taking, taking, and taking their shit, then it was confirmation that we really were monsters all along. My knees folded under me, and I wept into my hands.

Why does everything have to hurt like this? Why is everyone against me?

Luala trotted forward, and to my befuddlement, wrapped a wing around me. “What I was trying to say is that humans technically killed my family. When I came to Venlil Prime, it was supposed to be temporary, but now, I’ll n-never go home. Yet I can’t convince myself you’re a monster. I know how sad and lonely you are, Will, but whatever you’re about to do—”

“I’m visiting Fyron,” I coughed, pulling myself away from her. “I came here for Rauln’s sake. He’s the one who needs help.”

“There’s not a person in the exterminators’ office that doesn’t need help: you and I aren’t exceptions. But let’s stop going through the motions, since that’s all you were doing; I’m not just going to let you hurt me, over and over again. We can talk about me transferring units after this case, and handle our differences civilly.”

“Yeah, that’s for the best. Glad we’re on the same page, Krakotl pot pie.”

“I’m very tired of being called food names. Look, whatever you’re thinking about doing, I still want to believe it’s not you. Please…just visit Fyron.”

“I am! Why do you accuse me of lying—because ‘predators deceive?!’”

“I can’t fight with you anymore. Leave, William.”

“I’m going. Just one thing—do you happen to know the name of Fyron’s Yotul racism fanfic? I’ll accept a truce if you tell me.”

Luala considered my proposition for several seconds, before she extended a wing for my holopad. I cleaned the snot from under my nose, and tried to pull myself together as she searched the web novel up. A devious grin spread across my face, at the prospect of reading the Farsul’s story; if it was as off-kilter as she thought, it would be the perfect material to blackmail her into covering for me. The Krakotl might be useful after all, by giving me a ticket to an alibi.

---

The train ride to Fyron’s apartment was a short one, but it gave me time to get through a few chapters of her adventure. Several passengers gave me strange looks, as I burst out laughing at every passage a human was mentioned; other Terran refugees needed to read this! The way this described our customs was too hysterical to be offensive. I trotted up the stairs, noticing red Venlil letters splashed across Fyron’s door. My visual translator informed me it said, “FARSUL” and “CRIPPLER,” so I pretended not to notice when the dog-like alien hurried me inside.

“Fyron, you’ll never believe what I found!” I declared in a giddy voice, turning my holopad to face her.

The Farsul’s eyes widened with horror. “How…I told you not to read that!”

“Aw, but I like it! The Predator Primitive: what an inventive title, by the way. Hats off. Want to hear my favorite part?”

“No, but I’m sure you’re going to tell me anyway…oh stars.”

“‘I wouldn’t go looking at Ryan like that. Human mating rituals are incredibly savage,’ my coworker told me. ‘As part of their predator nature, they don’t want to consummate a union until they’ve tasted the other’s flesh and assessed the quality of their blood. The biting allows them to express their primal instincts: claiming their mate like a piece of prey, while also testing their partner’s pain resistance.’”

“Stop, Will—please, stop!”

“Nope, there’s more. ‘Humans, as they became sapient, realized the dangers of biting near the throat; despite their predator instincts compelling them to bite there, they feel horrible if they accidentally kill their partner in the heat of the moment. Once the lifeblood is in their mouth, it’s a fifty-fifty bet whether they can reel in their instincts at all. That’s why their biting migrated predominantly to the face, though the less-controlled predators still bite near the most vulnerable veins—you’ll see when it leaves physical marks on their partner’s neck.’”

“Ugh, I mean, it’s true? That’s what you all do!”

Fyron’s expression was indignant, as if she couldn’t see the error in her presentation. What compelled her to research this enough to draw…these wild interpretations, regardless? I burst out laughing, slapping my knee from amusement. The Farsul’s ears swiveled back with embarrassment. She looked slightly frightened too, as if she’d learned a dastardly secret. I decided to have a little fun at her expense, playing along with the idea.

“I don’t know how you found this out, but you can’t tell people this!” I pressed a dramatic hand to my forehead, feigning fear. “That’s exactly what happened to my first girlfriend; as a young guy lacking experience, I accidentally bit her throat way too hard, and next thing I knew, I was on the floor with blood all over my chin. I’d drank pints of her delectable blood; hell, I craved it for weeks. The doctors barely saved her, or I’d be in jail for murder now!”

Fyron seemed at a loss for words. “I…I didn’t need to know that. You must really have to be careful not to lose control.”

“Yeah, totally. Oh, now that I’m thinking about it, I really need a blood packet, and I can’t get any on Skalga…”

The Farsul was mortified, holding a couch pillow over her throat like I might fulfill my blood craving with her. I couldn’t keep a straight face any longer, and returned to a violent fit of laughter. Pointing my finger at Fyron, my eyes watered from the outburst; I could barely breathe through my amusement. The exterminator finally seemed to catch on, and her expression morphed into one of fury. I tried to calm down, so that I could engage in a conversation.

How do they actually think we’re vampires?! It’s mind-boggling that they see me like that!

Fyron threw the pillow on the floor. “That’s not funny! Why would you make me think that?”

“Because it’s so fucking ridiculous, and you had zero trouble believing it,” I chuckled. “Neither do the commenters—I see one dude saying they’re in the exchange program, and it’s accurate to human media they’ve seen. ‘OP clearly did the research.’ Jeez, Fyron, you could’ve just asked me to explain kissing, if you were curious.”

“I’m not…okay, maybe I am? Why do you bite each other?”

“It has nothing to do with wanting to suck people’s blood, or causing pain—and I don’t think anyone’s ever turned into a throat-ripping fiend, c’mon. Most folks aren’t just chomping down on their partner like a fucking carrot. It’s about, er, closeness…exchanging saliva, not tasting blood, which honestly is kinda weird when I think about it, but it’s not some predator instinct shit.”

“I don’t get it.”

“And I don’t get any of these comments, or pretty much anything that you Feddies think. Look, I need to go somewhere now without Rauln up my ass, so here’s what you’re gonna do for me. If he or Luala calls asking after me, say I’m here. Else, I’ll have to send an anonymous memo to the other human employees, telling them about this fic you got here.”

“Are you blackmailing me?”

“Yeah, ‘cause you’d have questions if I asked you to do it of your own free will. You gonna do it?”

“You’re a fucking prick. Fine, if you’ll answer questions I have about Ryan down the line. I need good examples of savageness for the ‘meet the parents’ scene.”

I smirked. “Y’know, it’ll be kinda funny, so you have a deal. Thanks, Fyron. I’ll see you tomorrow.”

With my tracks covered so that Rauln would never find out I’d ventured to a Humanity First meeting, I hurried out the door to join my new friends. Luala had suspected something too, so I was glad to have Fyron throwing them off my scent. If the Krakotl thought this wasn’t really me, she was sorely mistaken. This was my chance to express my outrage for what was done to Earth, and to help others fight back against the alien society that spurned us. It was a shame that it took a murdered agent of the organization, left to rot in a dumpster, for me to seize my passion for their ideals. None of my colleagues for the exterminators’ office would stand in my way; I couldn’t reach the meeting soon enough.

---

Paulo’s words about Humanity First not wanting aliens dead, but rather desiring for humanity to ascend to its rightful place, aligned with my sentiments. I didn’t want anything to happen to Rauln, Fyron, or even Luala, despite the outright accusations of “bloodlust” from the first two. The Farsul had been my first friend in the exterminators’ office, when I was truly stewing in a rut of hatred. I could feel myself reverting back in time, as I entered the cramped, low-budget refugee housing near the hospital. A few storefronts were visible, alongside UN guards whose eyes lacked vivacity.

The constant day-cycle made it difficult for Terrans to coordinate get-togethers, though there were a few recreational facilities set up with limited materials. The gym had been one of the first installations built, alongside a mud-filled soccer field that looked sorry to the eyes. I could see a few kids running around on the pitch, slower than on Earth due to the gravity difference. A small number of board games were stashed on a shoddy cabinet, though the sparse group of adults at the picnic tables weren’t touching them. Daily camp life was just as lacking in spirit as I remembered; leaving the gates wasn’t much better.

There was a reason alcohol was the only good thing on this rock, and why I wandered the streets rather than coming home. I had no purpose or direction, just lots of time to ruminate on my mistakes. Nothing seemed to matter much, until Volek gave me the job.

I played with the blue ring on my middle finger, remembering how Rauln had asked me about it when I came home last night. It might’ve been easier for me to take it off, but I was proud of my allegiance; it shouldn’t have to be something I hid, the way some Terrans hid their eyes. I’d given a noncommittal explanation about how humans wore various accessories for style, and that I liked the look of this one. The symbol did make me feel whole, like a genuine part of the group. I steeled my nerves, and wandered up to the door belonging to the storefront.

An intimidating man in UN attire was guarding the entrance. “This shop is closed. Please move along; we’re keeping watch for looters. You don’t want to get caught up in—”

“I think I’m in the right place.” I raised my hand purposefully, and pointed to the navy-blue ring. “Paulo sent me.”

“New recruit? Welcome! Paulo has a good eye for patriots, so if he sees something in you, that’s good enough for me. You’ll find him inside; let me unlock this bad boy. Speech should be starting in a few minutes. You’re just in time.”

The HF doorkeeper popped a key into the lock, granting me entry into the store. The lighting in the building was kept off, to provide the illusion that it was closed for the evening, but candles and reflective lights were set up to grant some visibility. I made my way back into the storeroom, which was fully illuminated, since it lacked windows. Paulo spotted me immediately, and waved me over to his group. It was all I could do to keep the dumb grin off my face, seeing my chance to make human friends.

“Everyone, this is William Kane! This guy got me to join HF, and he’s never even been to a meeting. I had to fix that,” Paulo remarked.

A chorus of voices welcomed me, with a few giving me hearty claps on the back to cement the brotherly atmosphere. These were people that wanted me here with them, that didn’t judge me or reject me at first sight. How could anyone deride such a friendly group of people as terrorists? This was a David vs. Goliath situation in my eyes, a grassroots movement of refugees meeting in secret to protect themselves from the state.

I dipped my head. “Happy to be here, everyone. I’m real sorry to hear about Luca. I know you won’t let anyone threatening or standing in your way stop you, just like I won’t let anyone stop me from defending you. I think it’s high time HF, and humanity as a whole, gets the fucking respect we deserve.”

“Amen! Hey, since it’s your first time, our anonymous…ringleader phones in remotely, to us and every other sect on world,” Paulo replied. “After that, our local branch leader holds a group session to discuss issues, and plan actions we can take for the cause. I’m certain we can put you to good use, with your connections. Sound good?”

“Totally, man. I’m all ears, if you think I can be of service. It’s an honor.”

Standing among my fellow humans, and knowing that we were one of many sects, the hollow feeling lightened for the first time in a long time. This felt…right. I was enthusiastic to hear what would be said in the speech. While I might’ve failed to protect my sister and family during the raid on Earth, this time, I wouldn’t be sitting on the sidelines. If Humanity First had ideas on how I could further my species’ interests, that would give me the redemption I had desired since my failure.

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A/N - Part 4 is here! Luala suggests that she doesn't want to work with William any longer, but discourages him from going to the HF meeting. Meanwhile, Fyron is roped into covering for him, after Will is guided to her embarrassing fanfic (we also see a bit of how she's despised for being a Farsul). What do you think Paulo's ideas for putting Exterminator Kane to good use include? Is there still a chance for Will to come back to the ledge, and reconcile with his friends?

As always, thank you for reading and supporting!