u/-WIKOS-

Transcription memory, subject: Lyra, Commercial and cultural exchange program 

Date [Standardized Human Time]: February 06 , 2137 (two months after the incident)

"That was the last one..." Marcus pressed his own back, making it crack, releasing some tension.

...

...

...

"Lyra?"

"When I arrived, I couldn't sleep the first night. I told myself more than once that as soon as dawn broke, I would pack my things and fly back home." I was standing in the middle of what used to be my living room, now dark and empty, only the echo stayed. "And now, I'm telling myself that maybe I should stay..."

"You don't have to leave if you don't want to. I'm sure the boss will be happy to take you back if you ask, maybe even hire you permanently like he did with others." Marcus helped me with the last box, one in which I put everything I had no idea how to categorize and probably won't know what to do with when I unpack.

"I can imagine many reactions from the boss, but happy isn't one of them..." I said sarcastically.

"Well, maybe not happy, but I don't think he'll reject you either."

"He said something like that too, but I don't know, I think I'd like to take a break. Go back to Skalga, try to do things right this time... Also, I told Ozzy I'd show him my planet, I'm sure he'd love naps in the sun. Right?" Ozzy was still exploring everything he once called home, sniffing every corner as if it were the first time. His tail wagged with a feeling other than joy, something I don't think had ever happened before, but seeing me brought him a certain comfort.

"Does your mom really approve of you keeping Ozzy? Last time she..."

"I don't know if she agreed, but she accepted to host us both. I told her: MOTHER, THE GALAXY IS NOT WHAT YOU THINK. FEAR WILL NO LONGER BE MY LIMIT. I left her with no other option but to accept."

...

"Did you really say that?" Marcus said skeptically.

"Of course." I replied with absolute certainty, to which Marcus only raised an eyebrow.

...

"Well, that was the gist of what I told her." I don't know why no one ever lets me have my moment of glory. "The truth is, we argued a lot after the incident. She stayed with me for a couple of weeks trying to convince me to run away with her; it wasn't easy, but like everything, she got used to Ozzy, and Ozzy got used to her. She even agreed to leave the house a couple of times." Actually, Ozzy and Mom used to avoid each other at home. Mom didn't like seeing Ozzy eat, bark or open his mouth in general and Ozzy didn't like Mom's constant complaining, so they avoided each other as much as possible. If we go to her house, this dynamic will probably repeat again and honestly, I think it's for the best. "In the end, she just gave up trying. The last time we spoke, I asked her again if we could stay with her for a while, and she resignedly agreed. It's not much, but I think we're making progress."

"At this rate, she might be able to have a full conversation with a human," Marcus joked.

"To be fair, you laugh too loudly. You even scared me the first time you did it."

"I can't help it, I'm this way I guess." Marcus just shrugged before leaving the house with the last thing he needed to carry. "Are you coming?"

...

...

...

"J-Just… Give me a moment..." This house wasn't mine; it was just part of the incentives to get more people to join exchange programs on Earth. I always knew this moment would come and yet I couldn't believe I'd actually completed the exchange program... I didn't want to believe it. It was small, with thin walls, poor sound insulation and the insects frequently got in, but I still really grew fond of it...

Watching the sunset in the backyard, having a movie afternoon with friends or simply being able to sleep peacefully on a planet where we were always told that wasn't possible... It was great while it lasted…

Even the night before, with my tickets bought and all my things packed, I tossed and turned in bed wondering if this was the right decision.

"You'll always be welcome..." Marcus, with a gentle touch, helped me find enough comfort to step outside.

"...Come on Ozzy, we still have things to do." With that said, I left the house and that door closed forever.

Ozzy was still looking at all our things in the back of the truck and then at me, waiting for an explanation. It wasn't that I hadn't told him this moment would come, but maybe, like me, he thought it would never arrive, maybe he needed it explained to him in a way he could understand or simply he never really paid attention to a single word when I explained it. Well trying it now would only make my eyes well up and my voice break. He'd have to figure it out as he went along.

"So... you're sure all this is staying here?" Marcus said, giving a final adjustment to the stack of boxes and some furniture I'd bought during my time on Earth. I knew I'd have this problem sooner or later if I bought too much stuff, but some of the deals were so good I couldn't resist.

"You promised you'd keep them for me, you can't go back on your word now." The price of taking them on a regular flight was outrageous; the best option was to ship them little by little via regular parcel service. I just had to figure out where I would settle permanently after my sabbatical. Returning to Earth permanently wasn't out of the question either, but I hadn't decided yet.

"It's not that, I'm just saying it's too much and if you forget something, I won't be able to carry it for you like I always do." Marcus opened the driver's side door and got in. I thought I'd only done that just a couple of times, but judging by his voice, it might have been more than that...

"I've got what I need... I think."

"Lyra..."

"I packed what I thought I'd need, but you never know." I got in the truck too. Ozzy, who already knew the routine, jumped in and squeezed between us to the back seat. "Besides, if I need anything, you'll have a reason to come to Skalga. I'll give you a personalized tour in return." I said with a chuckle, though he just remained serious, thoughtful...

...

"I promise I won't bother you more than necessary..." Sometimes I feel that humor is the biggest barrier between species...

"You know, when I entered the exchange program I felt like I was making a difference, I felt like all of you needed me and the other humans to overcome your fears, to be better; but seeing all of you now... I don't know, I feel like we always underestimated you, that maybe I'm the one with the narrow vision." 

Well, in the literal sense, humans have very narrow peripheral vision.…

...

Marcus and the other humans I know are capable of more than I could ever imagine and yet for some reason they always seem dissatisfied with what they've done so far. Until recently, a Venlil could consider their life successful if they had a job, a family, a clean record with the exterminating guild and could die in any way other than being devoured.

"None of us would be where we are today without the help and patience of all of you. "Don't underestimate your own merit."

"I'll put that on my resume..." Marcus replied with a bitter laugh as he started the truck. "... Maybe I should work for that Jones. You could recommend me since you're friends, don't you think?" He let out a laugh louder than the truck's engine.

"You're joking, right?" I couldn't believe Marcus's level of cynicism to say something like that. "If you ever dare to do something like that, I swear by the stars I'll never speak to you again." Maybe I was exaggerating, but he knows perfectly well what I think about her. It's the worst joke he could possibly make.

"I don't know, I think that serious style with sunglasses could suit me very..."

My response was a flick of my tail against his seat, as quick as a whip.

"Okay, okay, message received..." A bead of cold sweat trickled down the side of Marcus's forehead. This was something serious and now he knew it. I miscalculated my punch once and judging by the mark left on his arm afterward, he'd never forget that feeling. "Do you hate that woman that much?"

My tail swung, ready to strike again if necessary, but the truth is I was trembling; the mere memory made my wool bristle.

"I don't know where or how, but I feel that human is still following me, watching what I do and listening to what I say." A shiver ran down my spine till my tail just thinking about it.

"Are you serious?" The laughter and jeering stopped completely.

"For example, the other day I said I'd like to buy a curling iron for my wool, now all my ads are about hair curlers. That can't be a coincidence."

...

"I don't think that's military espionage, just... regular espionage..." Marcus said somewhat uncomfortably, without taking his eyes off the road.

“No… She’s out there, watching and listening to everything. Mocking us all… I know it.”

Going back to that day at the rescue camp. General Jones was just waiting for my answer to decide our fate, even though we all knew that the possibility of choosing was nothing more than an illusion. "No matter what you do, the result will be the same." It was something Nerion had said at the time… and Jones also said.

Even so, my pride prevented me from accepting it. A "No" just escaped my lips without even thinking. I would have liked to say that I was able to remain as firm as my voice, but the truth is that my legs could barely support me, partly from exhaustion and partly from the anxiety those eyes hidden behind dark glasses caused me. At least I wasn't alone in this; the boss and Maaro didn't hesitate to support my decision.

…

…

…

After a moment that felt like an eternity, Jones let out a long sigh, followed by a condescending smile and a "I can work with that..." Then she ordered the last transport ship to prepare for takeoff. "We'll meet again for the official report, Miss Lyra..." It was the last thing she said before ordering her men to escort us to the ship. 

In the middle of the camp, Jones remained, overseeing the dismantling of the ship that had managed to get us out of that disaster. Now, the only proof that things happened as they really did was in my head and I wouldn't let that truth die. I'm sure Jones knew this and yet, in her infinite arrogance, she still believed that somehow, I would change my mind or even attend the official report. There was nothing in this world or any other that she could do to make me change my mind. Or at least that's what I told myself to calm my troubled mind.

…

As soon as things calmed down and I was able to go home, I charged my pad and among hundreds of missed calls and worried messages from my co-workers, one message caught my attention.

"A gift for the trouble caused." A message with no sender or image said. I couldn't even say "what" before a transfer notification was added to my pending notifications list.

…

Lured by the tempting bait, I checked my account and a beautiful six-digit number appeared. It wasn't as much as the bribe Jones offered me, and I refused by the way, but it was still an amount of money I'd never seen in my account before, tax-free and entirely mine.

As the responsible adult I am, I immediately paid all my outstanding bills, and even indulged myself by buying everything I had in my shopping cart. I didn't know if this money was a mistake and Jones would try to get it back, so it was better if there was nothing left to claim. Again, I felt like I had beaten that human.

In the end, six digits wasn't as much as one might imagine. With just one impulsive click, the numbers dropped by tens to five digits, then to four and finally to three. If I wasn't careful, blinded by euphoria, I could end up even more in debt than I originally was… So, I accepted that it was time to stop and humbly acknowledge that fate was finally smiling on me. If Jones takes back this gift, at least I enjoyed a part she will never get it back.

That night I went to bed with a feeling I don't used to have, as if nothing could ever worry me again. I had won... Even if what Jones said was true and we met again for the official report, she had nothing left on her side to make me change my mind, not even fear. I had seen it from so many different ways that at this point, nothing could affect me anymore. Or at least, that's what I thought…

...

Humans are truly creative when it comes to being terrifying...

The next day, it was time to go to work. I was waiting outside, ready to be picked up by Marcus and the rest of the guys. There was a lot to do, courtesy of Nerion, and very little time if we wanted to be ready for a new exchange program. As far as I was concerned, regardless we rejected Jones's bribe, the farm's certification was already a done deal, so the logical response was to reopen as soon as possible. Now, with SC approval, the reputation the place had begun to build and the great teamwork of the boss and Maaro, the farm was only going to grow.

…

…

…

I waited and waited, but Marcus didn't arrive... That had never happened before, so I couldn't help but worry. Instead, a truck, more imposing than any Maziq and in a color only the emptiness of space possesses, pulled up and a deep voice ordered me inside. I don't know why, but something about that authoritarian tone made me obey without question. When I finally could process what was happening, I was already inside the vehicle.

"What is this? Where are you taking me?" I said to the human driving. The dark glasses that hid his eyes made it hard to get an idea of ​​what he was thinking.

"I was ordered to escort you to your workplace." The human didn't even bother to turn around and his voice was completely emotionless. "General Jones wishes to keep her assets secure."

"Jones? Did she order this for all the members of the farm?"

The human just kept driving. The interior had every comfort a vehicle could possibly offer, and yet there was no way to calm my anxiety. I asked them to open the window; Ozzy always likes the cold air hitting his face for some reason, but the human just turned the AC on full blast.

I suppose it made sense that she wanted to protect us all after what happened, so I decided I would just accept it and do my best to enjoy the comforts that this vehicle, a product of all human engineering, had to offer.

When we arrived at the farm, I was quite surprised to discover that I was the only one in such a flashy and ostentatious vehicle. What I had expected to be a triumphant entrance turned out to be nothing more than an arrival shrouded in judgmental stares and an awkward silence. I tried to ignore it, to convince myself that perhaps it was merely a courtesy for everything I had done, but it wasn't the only day it happened or the only thing Jones had prepared for me.

When the first delivery of everything I had bought arrived, a note accompanied one of the packages.

"The press conference will be at the end of the week, we're counting on you," the note read. "P.S. we changed the color you requested for your new mini oven; this one matches your kitchen better," it said at the bottom. How did they know the color of my kitchen?!

And not only that. My feed was flooded with Terran news and propaganda. Every three posts she was there; in an article with her special forces, giving a conference or any other activity where she was present. It had nothing to do with me, but that human's face was on my device's screen basically all the time with that sharp, malevolent stare hidden behind her dark lenses... I only caught a glimpse of her real eyes for a brief moment when she adjusted her glasses that day I met her but it was enough to never forget them. Now that is all I can think when I see a photo of her.

This became my routine. The longest week of my life...

Everywhere I went, I saw one of those black vehicles. Whatever I said was immediately reflected on my social media feeds, accompanied by more articles about the human forces. Apparently, there were as many of them as stars in the sky, and in almost every one, the General Jones appeared in one way or another, either in the center of the image or among the crowd. Always, always watching…

On the day of the press conference, a black vehicle came to pick me up. I had stayed in Marcus's house in an attempt to avoid Jones's men, but as I feared, it didn't work.

The car just stopped in front of the house, they didn't knock or ring the doorbell, they knew, I knew... Words were unnecessary at this point.

"I'll go with you..." Marcus offered.

"No... I just want to be done with this." I grabbed my bag, containing only the essentials: my pad, some anti-nausea pills and a couple of bags in case the pills weren't enough. I took a deep breath and went out to face my destiny.

"Take care of Ozzy for me, okay?" I said, with a tremendous effort to keep my voice from breaking. "I'll be back, I promise..." I didn't want to worry Marcus or Ozzy more than necessary, but those words were really for me, an attempt to calm the trembling in my paws and untie the knot in my stomach.

It's funny how you become aware of certain things in moments like these. How the air fills your lungs, how the blood pumps through your veins with every beat of your heart, how real the good memories feel again...

I was so tired that I just wanted it to be over...

"What's the plan?" I asked the human behind the wheel.

He simply handed me a paper folder like the one Jones offered me back then and drove off without saying a word.

...

...

...

"What is this!?" I expected many things inside that and yet, I wasn't even close to guessing.

...

"Hey! Answer me."

"I'm not authorized to know what's in that document or to say anything about it." It was the closest thing to a real answer and the longest conversation we had that week. "And please, stay put."

I expected threats, blackmail... At best, another bribe. The document inside simply said, "The journalists are really eager to know what happened; try to answer all their questions. Good luck" What suppose that means?

…

I hate Nerion; everything that happened was his fault and I wanted him to pay. But besides that, the rest of what happened that day seemed blurry. I haven't been able to sleep a full night since that day and the only phrase that keeps repeating in my mind is, "I want all this to end already..."

Whatever the outcome, it seems I finally see the light in the void of space… that single thought calmed my troubled heart and the storm in my mind. By the stars! I'd forgotten how good it feels to be alive.

…

…

…

“Hey…”

…

“Hey…”

“Five more minutes…” 

"Wake up..."

A deep voice resonated deep within me; I almost fell out of my seat.

"Huh!? W-What? Who?" The place seemed unfamiliar to me and my heart raced again.

"We're here." The human said without even bothering to turn around. I was starting to think that maybe his field of vision was wider than it seemed. "They're waiting for you inside."

My surroundings became a little clearer as my eyes adjusted to the light; the beige interior of the vehicle reminded me of my situation.

"Thanks, I guess..." I opened the door and stepped out of the unnecessarily large vehicle, only to be greeted by two other humans who immediately bombarded me with information about what was supposed to happen while leading me toward the back entrance of a building somewhere. I guess it was a bad idea to have fallen asleep; I didn't even know where I was... At least it didn't look like some grim place where they'd lock me up and torture me if I didn't say what they wanted. That was something, I suppose.

"After this, it's over. Right?" I headed towards the vehicle one last time.

...

"Right?"

"Have a good day, Miss Lyra." Without another word, the driver accelerated as soon as the door closed.

…

…

…

"The conference will begin in 30 minutes, you will be seated next to..."

"You will be the last to testify before the SC representative closes the questioning session and..."

"We don't have a script for you, but we'd like to go over a few points..."

They wouldn't stop talking...

"Just let me know when it's my turn to speak..." I collapsed onto the first surface that looked remotely comfortable. Humans were bustling about, setting up what looked like a stage for a press conference; others were preparing to put on their best face when answering questions, some of them human, others representatives of the species involved in the incident and a last group were anxiously waiting for their turn to ask questions on camera. I just wanted to go home.

"Hmm... Miss. Would you like to go to the dressing rooms to get ready?" A human, quite young and somewhat nervous, approached me. "We have all sorts of products that might help with your unruly wool."

...

...

...

"Yeah, why not?" At least I'd look good during my worst moment.

"And would you like something to eat? We have a small buffet of..."

"Give me one of each..."

"Are you sure about that? I think some things might have..."

"Just give me one of each!"

"... R-Right away..."

I still didn't understand how there could be such different personalities within the same species.

At least I'm glad Jones put as much effort into these details as she did into harassing me all damn week.

+++++

"The return flight was scheduled for 6:00 PM on the day in question, but due to situations related to the evaluation itself, the takeoff was delayed until 6:40 PM according to reports..." A uniformed human stood before dozens of cameras and reporters, doing his best to maintain a positive demeanor while spewing out unimportant information.

"Unofficial sources claim that the takeoff delay was due to a decision by a member of the evaluation committee and former member of the exterminators' guild, which directly led to the cause of the accident. What do you have to say about this?" The reporters didn't hold back with any questions.

"Takeoff delays are common, especially on private flights. Regarding the incident, weather reports indicate an abnormal evolution of the storm that caused the emergency landing; it was impossible to predict such an outcome." Even so, the human seemed able to evade each accusation with great ease.

"Is anyone responsible under arrest?" A human reporter raised his hand.

In my mind, this moment was a lost cause for the SC and Jones' plans; no matter how they tried to handle it, there was no way they could hide what had happened.

"Each of those involved was temporarily detained to assess their health and provide their account of the events; however, no one is being held responsible for the incident."

To my surprise, they weren't hiding what had happened, at least not in the strictest sense of the word. They were telling half-truths, omitting key points but without letting that weaken the narrative. Every word made me oscillate between admiration for such ingenuity and indignation at the audacity to bend the truth. It really made me question how much of what I know is actually true...

"The navigation log indicates that there were three more passengers at the time of takeoff on the return flight, however, the information is unclear and the current whereabouts of these passengers are unknown. Why are you hiding this information?" A quite old Yotul asked.

"The additional crew members are part of the exchange program evaluated that day. The program director and two other members." The person speaking into the microphone spoke with such precision that the only conclusion I could think of was that this was all rehearsed. Honestly, everything seemed rehearsed to me now. "For security reasons, the identities of the ship's operational crew have been withheld and those three extra members. Their reason for being on board that day was to negotiate new agreements regarding the program and they are currently out of any danger." With one hand, that human pointed at me as part of his explanation and all the cameras focused on me for a moment. It was clear my turn to speak was near.

"Some reports mention that one of the crew members was a predator, a non-sapient predator." Reporter Harchem stood up to make herself known in the crowd. "Can you confirm that information? And if it's true, did it have anything to do with the incident?" She got straight to the point.

"I'm glad you asked..." The human in front cleared his throat. "The short answer is no, that had nothing to do with the incident, but since I'm sure my word won't be enough, today we're joined by Miss Lyra, a member of the exchange program in question, owner of the predator known as Ozzy and a key witness of that day."

Murmurs could be heard throughout the room.

"I'm sure she'll be able to answer all your related questions satisfactorily." He gestured for me to come closer.

…

"First of all, his name is Ozzy and he's with me." I snatched the microphone from the human's hands. "Yes, he's a predator. He can't speak, but he's far smarter than many I know. He would never hurt anyone (who didn't deserve it), and he had nothing to do with the incident. In fact, without him, the injured crew members wouldn't have been able to return safely." Wanting to cover up the truth was one thing, but wanting to blame Ozzy in the process was a new level of cynicism that I wasn't going to allow.

"Would you mind telling us more about why that creature was with you?"

Suddenly, the ears and tails of the non-human reporters perked up. Apparently, a story about a predatory crew member was more interesting than the suspicious crash of a ship carrying representatives of at least eight different species.

...

"Do you want me to tell you about Ozzy?" The recorders pointed in my direction, the camera lenses focused to get a closer shot of me, more than one leaned forward with great expectation and the place fell into absolute silence, as if what I had to say was the real reason why these guys came.

+++++

"And that's basically the story of how Ozzy and I met." I never got tired of telling this story. It was so clear and yet there was always some little detail that gave it a special touch. Just remembering it made my surroundings disappear and time cease to matter.

...

But judging by the reporters' faces, I think I got a little carried away this time.

…

…

…

"Any other questions?"

"Has that predator ever attacked you?" A Venlil reporter raised his paw.

"... No..."

"Has that predator ever attacked anyone else?" A Dossur had to climb on top of one of the cameras to be seen.

"...No..." Well, you could say that he has, but it was for justifiable reasons, so it doesn't count.

"Were you ever diagnosed with Predator Disease?" A krakotl in the audience puffed out his feathered chest as he asked, looking for something juicier to add to his note.

...

"Does anyone have any real questions?"

"I do..." A woman in the audience raised her pen, checking her notes one last time. "I understand that you and your dog assisted in the rescue of a small group of exterminators who went out to find help. Is there any additional information you'd like to add about that?"

...

That part wasn't omitted from the final report, but it was very, VERY shortened compared to what actually happened. I was still a little annoyed about that because I wanted to be the one to narrate that part. Besides it being my best moment, it was what I was going to use to expose the whole string of lies that Jones and his people had spun here.

…

I'm surprised she didn't take steps to prevent me from spilling the beans and saying absolutely everything.

"W-Well..."

Or did she?

"Is there anything else we should know, yes or no?" The reporter looked at me impatiently from over her glasses, tapping the tip of her pen against the screen of her personal device.

…

I got too confident...

From the day we left that camp, Jones's eyes have been on me, so why would today be different?

On camera? No, too far away. Backstage? No, I would have seen her when I arrived.

Her staff was the most obvious answer, but it didn't seem to be her style; after all, she went to the trouble of personally coming to our rescue.

It had to be somewhere, just like in the photos in those articles; the question was, where? My field of vision allowed me to see the entire scene and a little beyond it, yet I still felt as if I were blind...

Damn Jones, I was always at her mercy. She showed me her hand from the start because I never had a real chance to do anything about it. She was… No, she is unbeatable. This whole week was just a game to her and finally she was ready to make her final move. She was just waiting for my response.

"I ask you to please answer the question." The reporter insisted one last time.

I finally understood...

Those eyes... The eyes that only a true apex predator possesses and that she tried so hard to hide behind her dark glasses met mine once again.

"Are you okay?" A voice sounded from behind me. Everyone was waiting for my answer.

"N-No..." The words felt like they were cutting my throat as they came out.

"Excuse me?"

"I have nothing more to add." My claws dug into the lectern and the chatter of my teeth was faintly audible through the microphone. "It was just like they said... We all left on the ship, the accident happened, then the boss, Ozzy, and I went out looking for the crew members who went for help but couldn't get back. That was it..."

I felt dirty... All that talk about defending the truth only to end up letting them get away with it, but… I was so tired... I just wanted to be done with it all and go home.

...

...

…

“And in the end, Jones and Nerion got their way…” The memory still burned in my conscience.

"Damn..." That's all Marcus could say. That was all everyone else could could to say after hearing this story.

"I would have accepted the bribe from the start..." In the end, the truth does have a price... "I think that's partly why I want to leave Earth too, at least for a while. That woman has no authority whatsoever in Skalga." Although, if I took Nerion's words as truth, she'd probably find me wherever I go... I think in the end, it was best not to anger her further.

"You should have told me..." I rarely hear Marcus so serious. "I would have..."

"No! Nobody can do anything. I would have just dragged you down with me." Silence filled the air. "Sigh... At least it's over now. I think."

...

"... How about we forget about that and you enjoy your last day?" The vehicle began to vibrate slightly, a sign that we had reached the farm's cobblestone road.

…

“S-Sure” I expect many things from this day, but “enjoying it” is not one of them.

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Transcription memory, subject: Lyra, Commercial and cultural exchange program 

Date [Standardized Human Time]: December 04 , 2137

...

I don't know when we'll be able to go home... At least I think I'm out of danger. I felt restless, upset and confused. In hindsight, what was the point of everything that happened? My luck was anything but normal. I was even starting to think that someone else was causing all this just to have fun at my expense.

Sigh… I guess I’ll go with the boss in the meantime to take my mind off things a bit, not because that human woman suggested it.

…

Sigh… It was a very chaotic two days. I don't think I've had a moment alone with my thoughts until now, and... I don't like how it feels.

What that human said made sense, I suppose. I could imagine my mother, for example, watching the news about what happened and immediately launching into a lecture about why it's a bad idea to be around humans and while she's at it, nag me about things that happened months ago that she's still angry about for some reason. I suppose that's what Jones and her people wanted to avoid, but why did I feel so bad about it?

From an objective point of view, this was for the best; everything was back to normal and most importantly, no one seemed interested in pressing charges against me for assaulting an extermination officer, but Nerion was also coming out on top, just as he had said it would be, and that was what really bothered me.

That just made me wonder, what other things he said were true? About humans... About ourselves...

I wanted to see his stupid face one last time just to ask him what else he knew, but I guess that won't be possible. I don't even know where they have him or if he's even still on Earth... In fact, I think most of them have already left.

In the infirmary, only the two extermination officers we had rescued remained; the tables with food were practically empty; only a handful of transport ships were still waiting to take off; they had even begun to dismantle the tents that were no longer needed.

"Miss Lyra!" A soft, gentle voice caught my attention. It was the Zurulian representative, carrying a bag with some things she'd recovered from the ship. "Miss Lyra, are you leaving too?"

"N-No, not yet. I'm looking for the boss to discuss some issues..." I said, forcing a cheerful expression on my face.

"I see, I suppose you still have some unfinished business regarding the farm and all that. Well, as for me... I already have a flight ready to take me home." A small ship was already waiting for the representative.

"...And... Did they tell you anything about how this whole thing is going to be handled?" I couldn't resist asking.

"Y-Yes... Yes, they did." Zurulian's ears drooped.

"And you agree with them hiding everything?"

"... I don't know." She looked away. "We all made it back, so I guess it doesn't really matter."

"But they're lying! How come that doesn't matter?"

"Lyra, I'm not the best person to tell you that lying is wrong. I also have to answer for my decisions, but right now, I just want to go home. I'm sure Hugo is very worried for me."

"Hugo? Hugo is your..." She just blushed shyly, her cheeks turning a little green. "I see..."

I suppose some people just want to forget this happened and move on with their lives. I wonder if I should do the same...

...

But just thinking about Nerion makes me furious all over again!

"Anyway, take good care of yourself, Lyra. There are many who would like to see what all of you've built on that farm torn to pieces. Don't let that happen." She gave me a tight hug before leaving, only to turn back again as soon she remembered something else. "By the way, this is my contact information. If you ever need anything, I'd be more than happy to pay you for all your help." Her card was quite similar to the one Jones gave me, just a bunch of numbers on a white background. Very uncreative if you ask me...

"And take care of your little friend too, you make a good team." She hesitated, unsure whether to extend her paw toward Ozzy or not, but he wasn't about to miss a pet. If she didn't approach, Ozzy would, placing his head right under her grasp. "... I-It's not so bad once you get used..." she said, still a little uncomfortable.

And with that said, she too left, leaving me alone once more. I was happy for her; she had been dragged into all of this without asking. But something still bothered me deep in my conscience...

"Come on Ozzy. We still need to talk to the boss..." With a bark Ozzy answered, and we walked in silence through the rest of the camp. We exchanged glances with some of the other crew members who were also leaving, but we didn't really say much. Honestly, I wouldn't lift a claw for most of them and they probably wouldn't for me either. Even so, there was a certain glimmer of mutual understanding in their eyes, as if they were saying, "I don't like you, but I'm glad you're okay." At least, that's how I felt, but maybe I was just seeing things. We were all physically and mentally exhausted; we weren't in the best frame to mind to think or make important decisions.

...

I bet the boss is no exception. He always acts tough, but he's probably completely exhausted right now, unable to move from his seat. "Hehe... I need to take a picture of that."

+++++

"I already told you I'm fine, they're just scratches."

"Scratches can also get infected; it's not possible they weren't treated in the infirmary."

"I didn't go to the nurse, okay? It's not necessary."

"But just look at you, it's impossible that you don't have the slightest instinct for self-preservation."

"Maaro, it's enough!"

I never know what to expect from those two... It's like the boss shows a completely different face when the supervisor Maaro is around. More spontaneous and more open… though just as grumpy and bitter as always.

I don't know how supervisor Maaro got here or what he came for, but after so long, I saw the boss and that Kolshian together again, arguing over nonsense as supervisor Maaro had his supple arms tightly intertwined around the boss trying to put patches and bandages on every little scrape and wound the boss suffered during our expedition.

The boss resisted with all his might, but the more he pulled, the more supervisor Maaro's arms clung to his face. It's not something you see every day... It was strange, comical, and somewhat unsettling in my opinion, like when you're grown enough but your mother insists on grooming your wool in public, but judging by the looks on the faces of the others present, I think everyone had their own opinions. Even so, they seemed completely indifferent to what the others saw or thought. 

It's not the way I expected to find them, but I'd be lying if I said I was surprised.

"Miss Lyra? It's been so long!" With a suction cup sound, Supervisor Maaro released the boss's face as soon as he saw me and ran to give me a hug, accidentally creating suction on parts of my face. "I'm glad to see you're okay. Oh, your little friend is fine too!" Already used to each other, Maaro also petted Ozzy, who as always, was happy to receive affection.

"What are you doing here?" I said, still surprised by his presence and how tightly he can hug. "I thought Nerion had done something to you."

"You know, one day you're in a clandestine cell and the next you're escaping as contraband on a human ship." I don't know if that was some kind of joke or colloquial expression, but he seemed to find it very funny.

"All of this is basically thanks to Maaro..." the boss said, still removing everything Maaro had put on his face.

"It's no big deal. I just had to make a huge scene at an embassy ​​and suddenly the human intelligence agency was interrogating me." Again, only he seemed to find something so terrifying amusing. "Anyway, when I told them all about Nerion, no one seemed to believe me. Then I told them I was friends with a human ex-member of Earth's armed forces and that's when they started taking me more seriously. In the end, they intercepted You call for help, and bam! General Jones herself was commanding this operation."

"That human with glasses... Is a general?" I said with absolute disbelief.

"Oh, you've already met her. She's scary, isn't she? Even I had trouble dealing with her."

"I yelled in her face that I wasn't going to accept any deal..." I felt my heart stop for a second.

"You told her and her treatment to go to hell?" The boss chimed in with a mocking tone. "Me too..."

…

At least I wasn't the only reckless but... The boss was human; one would expect some leniency toward his own kind, but as for me...

"What did she offer you?"

"I don't know, I just rejected the offer as soon as she told me what she wanted." I replied, embarrassed and the boss burst out laughing.

"Don't laugh! What if she decides to make an example of me?" All the strength drained from my legs. "What if she decides..."

"She won't do anything to you, don't worry." The boss waved his hand dismissively in the air. "Actually, she seemed quite interested in you... in both of you, actually." He gestured toward Supervisor Maaro as well. We both looked at each other, unsure if that was a bad thing or a very bad thing. "Without you two, this would have gotten even more out of hand and she knows it. Her best bet is to curry favor with you so you're on her side, or... silence you. But that's not her style." The boss said in a tone I'm almost certain was sarcasm.

...

Everyone here had a rather twisted sense of humor...

"Anyway, considering the facts, I'd say everything turned out pretty well. Why don't you both relax a little and forget for a moment everything else? I think you both deserve it." The boss made room for us to sit next to him. How does he expect us to relax after what he just said?!

"So... Miss Lyra. Martin told me that you were the one who found Nerion," Maaro said, trying to ease the tension. "He already told me a little, but he's terrible at telling stories. I'd like to hear it from you."

...

...

...

I wasn't in the mood for that. We were still in the middle of nowhere and I'd yelled in the face of the only person who had the authority to let us go...

"...I'd been teaching Ozzy a few tricks for a while, finding objects was one particularly difficult one, so..." Well, not telling my side of the story won't let us leave either, so...

...

...

...

"And so there we were, neck-deep in mud and covered in wounds. The chief had stayed behind and was shouting my name, but I had to keep going..."

"That's not how it happened..." The boss intervened.

"Well, from my perspective, that's how it happened." The human who interrogated me didn't even let me get to the best part of the story; no one was going to deny me my moment again. "Anyway, with the storm at its peak..."

"The storm wasn't as intense anymore, that's why we went outside."

"STOP INTERRUPTING."

...

The boss just crossed his arms.

"With nothing but the sound of Ozzy's barking, I crawled through brush and fallen logs to a clearing, where I finally found him..." I could feel everyone watching me intently; the suspense was killing them, and I was relishing it. "Like some wild beast, Nerion was covered in mud and thorns, clinging to life as tightly as he did to his weapon, and then..."

At some point, the other rescued, who were waiting for their return flight and with nothing else to do, approached to listen to my story until a circle formed around me. A certain morbid curiosity drove them to learn more about the predator that had found Nerion. The vast majority only knew that a predator growls, bites and eats meat, so something like what had happened was completely new to them and it certainly made them see the dog sleeping in my lap in a different light. It was a shame Ozzy wasn't awake to see all the attention he was receiving. The little predator had finally collapsed from exhaustion.

"And what about you, Supervisor Maaro? How did you escape?" One story led to another and another. We had nothing to do but wait, so it was a good way to relieve tension and lose track of time.

By the time we realized it, only Maaro, the boss and I remained in the tent. Many left silently without a word; some, like the Harchem and Yotul representatives, said goodbye to the boss, me and even Maaro, promising to meet again under better circumstances. The lights had been on for some time, and General Jones watched us from the entrance, waiting for her opportunity to speak.

"Fascinating..." she said with a slow clap. "It's almost a shame we can't put all of that in the official report..." She was practically mocking us.

"Is it time for us to leave?" The boss seemed to maintain the same dismissive tone despite knowing who he was dealing with.

"That depends. Have they reconsidered my proposal?" General Jones walked toward us, carrying three folders, one for each of us.

"What do you think?" The boss crossed his arms without a hint of fear or respect in his voice.

...

"This is my final offer. Whether you accept it or not... Well, things will happen anyway. Consider it a courtesy for your help. Handing over a wounded Nerion causes less trouble than a dead one." Jones threw the folders in front of us, and this time I couldn't resist the temptation to look...

...

...

...

It was... quite tempting, I must say. Maaro also saw his offer and for just a fraction of a second it seemed as if his eyes would pop out of their sockets, before returning to a neutral expression.

"No amount of money can erase the suffering that my employees and many other innocent people have endured at the hands of people like Nerion or you." The boss didn't even bother to look at his offer.

"That's true..." Jones frowned. "But we also can't create a better tomorrow without funding... I ask that you at least consider our proposal."

...

...

...

"Sigh..." After an intense staring contest, the boss relented and looked inside the folder. His expression barely changed and he placed the document back on the small table in front of him.

...

"I don't tell lies..." The boss said, crossing his arms again.

Now that I think about it, he really doesn't lie... He never hesitates to say what he thinks, even when he tries hard not to say an uncomfortable truth or a hurtful opinion, his face is unable to hide it; he's a terrible liar.

"You won't have to... We'll take care of it..." Jones flashed a smile only a true predator could muster. "You've got something good going on, Mr. Martin. Don't let your pride ruin it."

"I would call them principles..." The boss responded with growing irritation.

"In any case, the situation is beyond us and beyond what we believe." Jones was also beginning to lose patience. "Personal opinions are irrelevant. Sometimes we even have to negotiate with the threat itself if that means..."

"I know I know... Keep your friends close and your enemies closer..." The boss interrupted her. "The problem is that everyone's so close I can't tell who's who anymore."

...

"That's stupid..." I couldn't help but say. "If we had kept our enemies close, they would have eaten us without a second thought."

...

Nobody responded to my statement, they just pretended not to hear anything... Sometimes it's hard to be alone among humans, sometimes you feel excluded...

The boss looked at the document again, his foot twitching anxiously and the wrinkles between his eyebrows deepening.

"Besides, isn't the economy supposed to be in the red? How do you plan to pay for this?"

"Even the most bankrupt nation has its foundations on gold. If necessary, we can build several war fleets with those resources." Jones said it as if it were no big deal. "I'm sure my superiors will be more than happy to use a little part of that resources to maintain peace without having to build more weapons."

The tapping of the boss's foot against the ground grew more and more intense, its echo resonating throughout the tent.

I was still completely against it, even if it meant I could pay off my debts and buy everything on my shopping list and... No! I wasn't going to give Nerion the satisfaction, though... If the boss is willing to accept the deal and it really benefits others, as General Jones says, maybe I...

"Lyra." The boss's voice pulled me from my thoughts. "What do you think?" The boss looked at me, searching for an answer; even Maaro silently awaited my decision.

"W-What, me?!" Damn it, I was supposed to be asking you!

FIRST - PREVIOUS - NEXT

Transcription memory, subject: Lyra, Commercial and cultural exchange program 

Date [Standardized Human Time]: December 04 , 2137

"The boss told him that flying in this weather was dangerous and yet Nerion didn't care. The ship vibrated and creaked as..."

"Uh-huh..." The human in front of me, perfectly uniformed in the SC colors, was barely paying attention; in fact, my story seemed to bore him, while I racked my brains trying to remember every detail.

"The alarms sounded everywhere and even the boss seemed worried, but Nerion was more interested in his monologue."

"Sure..." The human seemed to be merely scribbling on his device's screen rather than making an actual note.

...

"... Aren't you going to write down what I'm saying?" I hadn't realized my tail was swishing on the floor with growing desperation. The cookies on the table had been gone for a while and no one had refilled the water pitcher; my mouth was starting to go dry.

"I'm taking notes on the important things, miss..." The human still had the nerve to answer me condescendingly.

...

"Nerion said a lot of stupid things but... there's something that's still going around in my head..." I said and the human raised an eyebrow.

"I know it's nonsense and that you guys would never be capable of something like that, but he said that humans were manipulating things from the shadows..." I said with a silly tone, almost laughing, but the human didn't seem to share the sentiment... "Anyway, he said that you were manipulating decisions within the Sapient Coalition, even in the Venlil government and those of other species. Crazy, isn't it?"

...

The human in front finally seemed to be paying attention to me.

...

“You know, he also mentioned something about the humanity relationship with the Arxur… He didn’t elaborate, but the way they just handed over Venlil cattle like that always seemed odd to me.” I said, getting straight to the point. The atmosphere in the room seemed to shift, becoming smaller and more suffocating. The human’s eyes seemed to glow in the room’s single light, staring intently at me as he considered his next words.

"A-Anyway... What would I know about it? I'm just here to recount what happened on the ship, right?" I'd be lying if I said I didn't feel a little anxious. I did my best to hide it, glancing away for a moment to pet Ozzy, who was sitting beside me and seemed, as always, oblivious to everything that was going on.

"Do you want me to add that to your statement?" The human moved his pencil with some impatience.

"N-No... I was just thinking out loud. The truth is, I don't know anything about the subject." I wasn't stupid; I know there are things they don't tell us, open secrets and hundreds of theories I didn't know what to make of, but I think it's best not to push any further on the matter. In retrospect, my experience with humans hasn't been so bad and if I'm honest, I don't have time to worry about those kinds of things. I was just annoyed by the condescension of the person in front of me.

"If that's the case, I think we're done..." The human began to pack his things.

"What?! But..." I still had so much to say, like the part where I found Nerion and more importantly, how I did it. I couldn't leave without at least telling that part.

"We already have a preliminary report thanks to the ship's beacon and statements from others involved; we don't need anything else." The human finished putting everything away except for a paper folder that remained closed. "However, we know your role in the whole incident and we deeply appreciate your help. That's why we'd like to ask you one last favor..." The folder slid across the table to me; his eyes glanced at it and then fixed on me, waiting for a response.

...

I've never liked suspense... I don't know why humans love being so cryptic sometimes...

Without further ado, I opened the folder; a single printed sheet was inside. I looked again at the human who, with a flick of his eyes, seemed to be saying, "Read it."

...

...

...

Anxiety turned into confusion, then annoyance and finally fury.

"What is this!?" I squeezed my paws around the paper sheet, wrinkling it.

"The official statement of what happened." The human's face lacked any emotion.

"But that's not what happened!"

"This is the official report we will give to the press as soon as we return to safe territory."

"B-But..."

The "official" report was nothing more than a massive string of lies. It essentially stated that the accident was an event caused by a failure in the navigation systems coinciding with an unexpected storm; that the authorities on board helped maintain order and that the boos got us all off there after contacting the authorities. Nerion's role in the whole affair was reduced to mentioning him as just another passenger, with no further significance.

"It wasn't what happened!"

"That's what people will know about it."

"But what about Nerion and the exterminators and, and… I was the one who saved them! They can't pretend none of this happened." My tail wagged furiously. They couldn't deny my role and more importantly, they couldn't let Nerion get away with it. "... With the exterminators involved, no one will believe that nonsense."

"That's why we need your help. All the representatives involved will say these exact words, but the credibility of any authority figure right now is... fragile and Mr. Martin is human, so they won't want to listen to him either. We believe you could be a voice closer to the people, someone who can help us avoid a public relations crisis." The human rummaged in his briefcase, pulled out another folder and slid it toward me as well. "The SC will be happy to compensate you for all the inconveniences."

...

...

...

I'd be lying if I said my ears didn't perk up with curiosity when I saw that second folder. If the government tries to bribe you, it's definitely something worthwhile, and... it's better than a threat. Besides, we're not talking about just any government, IT'S THE GOVERNMENT OF GOVERNMENTS!

...

This could be a great deal or... the worst thing that could ever happen to someone. And yet...

"What happened, happened." I'm not going to give Nerion or any other jerk any more leniency, no matter what. "And that's the story I'm going to stick to."

...

The human remained silent with the typical penetrating gaze they usually have when words are not enough.

Pfff... Good luck with that. The boss gives me that look practically every day; I'm used to it. "Nerion threatened to shoot my dog. I'm not going to do anything to help him." There are times you say something with absolute certainty just to try and convince yourself. Well, this wasn't one of those times. "And there's nothing you can offer me that will change my mind."

Judging by Ozzy's blank expression, he probably didn't even remember what had happened, and even if he did, he likely didn't truly understand what was going on at that moment. Still, this was the least I could do in return for all his help.

"Sigh... The others warned me about your stubbornness..." The human muttered, removing both folders from the table. "Very well, you leave me no choice..." The human stood up and stretched a little to release the tension of so many hours sitting before heading for the tent exit. "Please come with me..."

There were no growls, threats or the slightest hint of hostility in those words and yet, my body tensed up when I heard them.

"Miss, we don't have all day." The human returned, this time holding the tent curtain open to let in the exterior wind and light. His gaze told me I had no choice.

"W-Why?"

"I assure you that there is no need to worry. Just follow me, please."

My instinct still told me not to do it for some reason. Even so, my body was unable to disobey the order and followed him, seeing no other way out...

I don't know how much time they had to do all this, but in the middle of nowhere, the rescue team the boss contacted had set up a complete base of operations. Medical tents, mess hall, communications, rest area... even a tent just for interrogations. Everything perfectly equipped with the basic necessities and even a few comforts. Several pairs of ships of different designs had landed in the remote area and it seemed their numbers were still increasing, with personnel of all species (though most were humans) coming and going, keeping the whole place running like a well-oiled machine. I'd never been on a rescue operation before, but this was definitely more than I expected...

After the whole incident in the mountains, I returned to the ship without further incident. The remaining extermination officers trailed behind me with difficulty; even so, I didn't lift a claw to help them. This was all their fault and this was their punishment. Towards the end, the boss caught up with us. He was carrying Nerion on his back and his face said he didn't want to talk about it.

On the ship, aside from the awkward glances and divided opinions, everything went better than expected. Nerion was strapped in and thrown into a small maintenance room without anyone protesting, not even him. The ship powered up and after a couple of failed attempts, we were able to take off.

It felt unstable, as if the fuselage were about to break in two at any moment and the alarms kept blaring because we were flying at suboptimal altitudes. Even so, with our hearts in our throats and holding our breath, we managed to reach the designated extraction point before the alarms escalated from “emergency” to “critical systems failure.” Aside from the abrupt landing due to a landing gear deployment failure, I'd say it was a more than successful landing; very costly considering the state of the ship, but successful nonetheless.

As soon as the whirring of the thrusters stopped, the ship's ramp deployed and dozens of uniformed personnel entered without permission, ordering the boss and everyone else on the bridge to leave the cockpit. Only after they had secured the flight data, recordings from the ship's interior and exterior, and any other relevant information did they offer us assistance, all under the orders of a human woman in military uniform and a pair of dark sunglasses that concealed her eyes. It didn't seem like they were there to avoid triggering the prey species' instincts, since they only covered her eyes and not her whole face. It was more of an aesthetic choice.

"The wounded to the infirmary, the exterminators to the interrogation tent, the representatives of each species to the main tent with me and for Mr. Nerion... Make him look presentable and send him back to Skalga on the first flight." She wasn't the largest nor did she seem the strongest, but her orders seemed absolute to the point that no one dared protest such a show of leniency toward someone who had caused us so much trouble. "Oh, and Mr. Martin, please follow me; there's someone who wants to see you."

"W-Wait... Wait! What are you..." I tried to protest.

"Miss, follow us please. We need to check your injuries." A couple of uniformed men grabbed my shoulders without even asking. Their grip wasn't painful, but it didn't leave any room for argument or resist either.

"Where are you taking Nerion? And the boss..."

With that cold and calculating efficiency that humans possess, they took each of us to different locations of the base. I resisted as much as I could, but it was clear I wasn't going to be able to fight them; in the end, the boos convinced me to cooperate, otherwise, we'd probably still be struggling.

They didn't hurt me, I must admit. The medical team treated my wounds patiently and kindly, even checking on Ozzy. I took a shower and we were offered a decent variety of food. A couple of nurses even offered to help me untangle my wool and remove all the thorns and twigs that were caught in it. I'd almost forgotten why I was there until it was my turn to go into the interrogation tent and give my side of the story. That's when the whole atmosphere changed.

I kept repeating that nothing bad was going to happen, that it was just my imagination or the pent-up anxiety from everything that had happened. Even so, the closer we got to the main tent on the base, the more my nerves stood on end. I didn't know how to put it into words, but something bad was in there...

"How dare you? You have no jurisdiction to arrest Nerion or any of my other men!"

"And nobody is arresting them, however we still need to... Clarify some points in the events that occurred."

"You are violating the rights of a citizen of Skalga by detaining him against his will."

"As I said, we're not detaining anyone. Besides, you violated the Sol agreements by coming here and..."

I had barely entered the tent when I was hit by a barrage of shouts, accusations and threats from all sides. The woman with glasses was arguing in front of a monitor that illuminated the entire room.

"Nerion acted within the stipulations of the exchange program regulations, and what happened to the ship... No one could have predicted such event, that's all. If you want to blame someone, blame your planet, how can you live on..." The voice on the monitor protested again.

I... I recognized that voice. It wasn't someone I knew personally, but I'd definitely heard it before. In spots, advertisements, political speeches and a couple of debates; basically, his voice was everywhere in Skalga during the election. It was Governor Venl's voice, without a doubt, and... He didn't sound anything like I remembered him from his campaign, almost as if he were a completely different person now.

... 

Perhaps voting for him wasn't such a good idea after all...

I don't know why they wanted me to come; the discussion clearly wasn't my concern, they weren't even paying attention to me. In fact, I don't know if I should even have been listening to this conversation; it seemed too serious for anyone to be overhearing...

I looked at the human who brought me here, hoping for an answer, but all he did was gesture for me to sit and wait my turn. “Ozzy, how do you manage to be so oblivious to everything going on around you? I need a little of that skill right now.” I thought to myself as I glanced at the dog beside me, his tongue lolling out and his expression telling me it hadn't had a single thought in his head for quite some time.

"If my men return with even a single scratch from your claws..."

"Your men will return in even better condition than we found them, you can be sure of that." The human no longer seemed to be taking Governor Venl seriously.

"Human-Venlil relations are hanging by a thread, Jones. I'm not Tarva to be manipulated at will..." Governor Venl issued his final threat.

"I assure you, nobody wants that. In fact… I understand you've begun to establish some... special relationships with some humans. We wouldn't want that to be ruined." The human sat down in front of the monitor with an arrogant expression as she began to fiddle with the buttons in front of her. "You have a very particular taste in women, if I may add..."

"W-What does that mean?"

"Hmph… It's always a pleasure to speak with you governor, but I'm afraid other matters demand my attention."

"Wait, what did you mean by..." I didn't know what part of what the human had said had so agitated Governor Venl, but one thing was for sure: I really shouldn't be listening any of this. All I could do was pet Ozzy, pretending I didn't notice what was happening around me. At least he didn't seem to mind being petted for no reason.

"We'll be in touch..." With that, the transmission cut off, and the human let gravity pull her back into her chair. She lifted her dark glasses slightly and rubbed her tired eyes, though I couldn't really see them.

…

…

…

"Lyra, I suppose... Aren't the Venlil supposed to be one of the most peaceful races? Because they sure do cause trouble.” She said, “First, I got reports of a Kolshian causing a disturbance at a consulate, saying something about conspiracies, and then a Venlil crashing a ship on Earth after taking prisoners. I don't know what Predator Disease is, but you guys definitely have something wrong with your heads." The human didn't even turn in my direction, yet she was perfectly aware of my presence. "I suppose there were some issues during the negotiations, isn´t it? I must say, your actions ultimately benefited us more than you realize, so I'm willing to be a little flexible with your demands." She continued working on her monitor, probably on something completely different from what we were discussing. It seemed she could multitask endlessly and still come out on top in every single one. This human is terrifying.

...

"Go ahead, spit out what you're thinking. I don't have all day."

"I..." This human operates at Governor Venl's level, what am I supposed to say or do in front of someone like her? "...T-That speech your subordinates gave me. I'm not going to protect Nerion." Well, aside from that.

"I'm afraid that's the only thing I can't be flexible about." She paused typing on her device for a moment.

"But they're lies."

"This is the official version we will give to the media."

"It's the same thing."

"The difference between a lie and a state policy is usually only who signs it," she said condescendingly.

"But it's false! I-It's..." A huge weight settled in my chest. "... It's exactly what Nerion said humans do..."

…

The human looked at me for a moment over her glasses before hiding her eyes again to answer.

"When I told Governor Venl it was a pleasure to speak with him, do you think I meant it?" She walked toward me, slowly cornering me against the wall.

...

"And when Governor Venl said that the relationship between humans and Venlil was at risk, do you think he was serious?"

"Well, I..."

"A couple of crew members who were interrogated say that you threatened them, saying your dog would eat them if they didn't confess what they knew? Were you serious?"

...

I didn't even remember that anymore... How much does this human know about everything that happened?

"In every society, at least one foundation is false, in every treaty there's always a fine print, in every government there are sealed files, in the voice of every leader there's a fact that kept silent. Do you know why? Because that way we build trust, create cooperation, bring progress... It allows us to get what we need." Jones… that name was engraved on a badge on his uniform; pushed a chair over to us, not bothering to raise it to avoid making a creaking, unbearable sound, and sat down across from me. I couldn't see her eyes through the glasses, but I knew he was staring at me.

"The cannons no longer spit bullets, but we are far from peace. Our alliances are a mere coexistence forced by circumstances. Or tell me, what was it like being inside that ship with all those species together?"

I felt my throat tighten as I relived those moments.

"But it's not fair that..."

"That's your problem, Miss Lyra. You're seeing this as a matter of justice; we're seeing it as a matter of consequences. Under other circumstances, Nerion would have been arrested on the spot, dismissed and sentenced faster than you can blink. But what would we gain from that? Our actions aren't isolated incidents. If we make the facts public exactly as they happened, not only will Nerion be a target of public opinion, but the entire SC will be in the eye of the storm, a setback that more than one is eager to see happen and one that I absolutely cannot allow."

"But what's the point of laws if we can ignore them whenever we want?" My tail wagged indignantly.

"I'm afraid to say that under a certain interpretation of the law, Nerion's actions remain within the bounds of legality, and according to the ship's navigation data, the abrupt change in the storm was something that couldn't be predicted, so we can't hold him directly responsible for that either and even if we could, his fate is under the jurisdiction of the Venlil government, which, as you've seen, doesn't seem very keen to make him pay."

"B-But..." My blood was boiling, but... I had nothing left to defend my case. "Such a government, huh? Lying to our faces because you think we need to be  protected."

"The purpose of the government is not to administer justice. It's to maintain stability. Sometimes the two coincide, sometimes they don't." Jones adjusted her glasses once more. "And when they don't coincide, someone has to decide which priority produces the best overall outcome, and that decision has already been made... Not because Nerion is innocent. Not because we condone his actions, but because, after evaluating all available variables, the harm caused by the truth outweighs the benefit of revealing it. You don't have to agree. But you do have to understand that no one made this decision thinking of Nerion. It was made thinking of the maximum benefit for humanity, for the Venlil and for all species involved. With the hope that tomorrow there will still be the treaties, trade routes, military cooperation, and peace between worlds... all in exchange for a single individual."

…

It was just like Nerion said... I couldn't even be mad at either of them anymore. Only at myself for being so naive to believe someone was telling the truth. Only Ozzy was honest... No, wait... He pretends to be asleep when he doesn't want to be bothered and pretends to be sad when he wants attention... There's no one in the galaxy you can trust.

"It seems like you thought about everything..." I said with a touch of bitterness and resignation. "So, I don't understand why you need someone like me."

A slight smile appeared on the human's lips.

"We managed to intercept and block several videos of the incident at the farm. All the supervisors have skeletons in their closets, so they're more than eager to forget this ever happened and get on with their lives. The extermination officers seem to be the most worried about what will happen to them; they're hoping for nothing more than a leniency so we already have them in the bag. Others involved... Well, as far as they're concerned, it's all over." She typed a few things on her personal device before putting it away again. She really does seem to be juggling at least two things at once. "That leaves you and your boss. Why he was on that ship isn't too difficult to explain, so his situation isn't a problem for us, even if he chooses to not cooperate. But you and your dog are a somewhat problematic variable in the equation. You and your dog wandering around the ship appear on every camera and the takeoff report sent explicitly mentions a Venlil and his dog as additional passengers. That raises too many questions, making any narrative that omits the two of you rather unbelievable. Besides, you, a Venlil, would help us with credibility with that specific demography, that could certainly help prevent Governor Venl, Nerion or anyone else from trying to polarize the situation."

...

...

...

Lying is fine, up is down... I was exhausted. Until yesterday, I thought I understood how things worked. Now, just thinking about it makes my stomach churn. I miss working on the farm so much right now; no lies, no public relations crises, no questionable politics, just honest work under the scorching sun until I couldn't take any more...

"I know this might not be what you expected, but it's the best we can do for now." Jones moved close enough to place a hand on my lap. Her touch was gentle, but his skin was cold. "Besides, don't think we don't know what you did..."

...

I don't know if that was a good thing or a bad thing.

"Mr. Martin gave you full credit for rescuing Nerio and didn't leave out a single detail of how you did it. And threatening the crew with your dog to extract information... I must say, I'm impressed." Jones chuckled and patted Ozzy's head. "If you ever want to put those skills to good use, don't hesitate to contact us." She held out a card; there were no letters or logos, just a number in the center.

...

"I don't do anyone's dirty work." I said, still a little annoyed, although I must admit the recognition felt pretty good.

"Tools have more than one use if you know how to use them, dear." Her smile was terrifying. "Anyway, I still have a lot to do. Why don't you meet with your boss and reflect on everything we've discussed here?" She stood up and practically forced me to do the same.

"But I said I wasn't going to..." She was practically running me away, without giving me a chance to reply.

"I'll try to improve the original offer, but I must tell you not to get your hopes up too high. I know it doesn't always seem like it, but taxpayer money isn't infinite."

"O-Offer?" Was she referring to the folder they offered me that I didn't even open? "But I didn't..."

"We'll talk again later, but for now… That´s all." And just like that, she kicked me out of her tent...

FIRST - PREVIOUS - NEXT

Transcription memory, subject: Martin Quintanilla, head of the farm (maybe) and human representative of the commercial and cultural exchange program (also maybe)

Standard Human Time: December 05, 2137

"Lyra..."

"N-No, wait..." Lyra paced back and forth, rummaging through all the things she'd taken out of her backpack and scratching the wool on her head for the umpteenth time; in her mind, there was still a missing piece to her puzzle. "I just... I just have to find... t-the right scent for Ozzy to follow." The truth was, there was no missing piece because there wasn't even a puzzle.

I must admit that the idea of ​​tracking Nerion was good, brilliant to be honest. But the circumstances were beyond anything any of us could control.

The rain and wind instantly washed away any trace any creature might leave; the place was so vast that we didn't even know if we were going in the right direction and to top it all off, even the ground we were standing on wasn't certain; at any moment another collapse could happen and...

As far as I'm concerned, the idea that Nerion and his men were buried under a ton of mud was as plausible as any other possibility.

"Just leave it, Lyra, let's go back to the ship, let's go back to home."

"Why?" Even with the face soaked and the spirit shattered, her pride refused to yield, thrashing her tail on the damp ground as if her determination were defying me and all logic that stood in her way.

"Why? Because there's nothing left to do, okay?" Those words seemed to irritate her more than any insult. "Don't be stubborn and obey your boss for once."

...

Lyra just lowered her gaze, her paws clenched into fists and her teeth ground together. I know she doesn't like being contradicted, but this is out of the question.

"You tried, you really did. But sometimes things just don't work out the way they should. There's no shame in admitting it." She tried again and again to track Nerion, went through a whole bar of rations and still the outcome didn't change. Even her dog seemed uncomfortable receiving another payment for a task it clearly couldn't accomplish.

"You never thought I could..." She said. With her face hidden under the wet wool, it was impossible for me to know what she was really thinking or what this was about.

"Lyra..."

"Remember the time I found Ozzy? You challenged me to take care of him, believing I would fail."

...

"I want to believe it's not intentional, but whenever I want to try something, your first instinct is to discourage me. Because deep down, you don't believe I'm capable of achieving anything... Just like everyone else."

Lyra toyed with the last bar of rations between her paws, deciding her next words.

"It's just that... My mother never believed I was capable of surviving on Earth, you don't believe I'm capable of doing my job, Nerion doesn't even believe I could be a Venlil... Even when I'm alone, a voice in my head tells me I'm incapable of anything..."

To be fair, it's not that I think she can't do her job, I just think she's lazy and looks for easy solutions, which usually ends up causing problems. But I don't think this is the time to say it.

"I've tried to ignore it time and time again, trying new things that don't always turn out as I expected, but they weren't as terrible as I thought and yet... That voice won't go away, and you and anyone else seem unable to see the difference, my effort, so... What's the point? I know there are things I'll never be able to do. Run faster than you, be taller... Smell things..."

A cheerful doll tried hard to hide her sad eyes.

"But there are things I can do, things I know I can do. Maybe not in the way others would expect, but once you know your limitations, you're able to compensate them... Or at least that's what I like to believe so I don't give up."

Lyra gave the rest of the ration bar to her dog, resigned to giving up.

"But it would be nice if someone else told you that, just once in a while..."

...

...

...

What am I supposed to tell her? Comforting myself with sweet lies and excessive trust is what dragged me here. Consoling her just because she's sad will only make her continue to be blind to reality.

"Lyra..."

... Maybe that's what we sometimes need to keep from falling apart... Just enough to dust ourselves off, ignore the pain and get back up.

"You're a great Venlil, a valuable asset to my farm and an excellent trainer. If I don't tell you that every day, it's because I don't say those things to anyone, not even myself. I'm a bit of a pessimist about everything because that's what motivates me; I feel that if something is good enough, then why need to improve? Does that make any sense?"

...

Lyra just stared at me silently, as if I had something stuck in my teeth and she didn't know how to tell me subtly.

"What I mean is that you don't need the recognition of others; every advance is an achievement in itself, and if others take the trouble to mention it, it's because your actions don't go unnoticed, no matter what their opinion is about it."

"If you say so..." Lyra didn't seem convinced, as if my words were only forced by the situation... Well, they were, but I was doing my best damn it! Give me some credit for that.

"What do you expect? Recognition? A parade? Life doesn't work like that. You prepare, you try hard and still, sometimes you fail. The only thing you can do is take what's left and put it all together, hoping it will help you next time." I was getting fed up with this crap.

...

"Put it all together?" Her brow furrowed, not in anger, but as if she were struggling to grasp that last part. ".... That's it!" Renewed in her conviction, she returned to the pile of trash she had brought with her. She rescued as many things as she could to give to her dog, in one last attempt.

"Now what?"

"All together!" She said confidently, though her ears drooped again as she realized we weren't thinking the same thing. "All this time I've been thinking about Nerion. That Nerion did this, that Nerion said that... That we have to find Nerion; but the truth is he's just the head of the bunch of idiots who follow him and more people means more scents for Ozzy to track. In other words, more chances to find them all!"

...

Lyra had lost her breath after saying all that in one breath and I think I did too because I couldn't say a single word in the face of such reasoning...

"Now I've left you speechless, huh?" The arrogance on her face... no Venlil should be able to make a face like that, it's irritating.

...

It didn't make sense, and yet it seemed perfectly logical. I guess I'll have to confirm it for myself...

“This time it’ll work, you’ll see.” She scooped up as much as she could in her small arms and dropped it abruptly in front of the dog, who jumped at such a sudden display of roughness. “…And if it doesn’t work… No, it’s going to work.”

The dog, no more convinced than I was, acknowledged the search command once more and reluctantly complied with Lyra's request one last time. He inspected the pile of objects Lyra presented and stared at his mistress for a moment, trying to understand what he was supposed to do.

"Oh, and this too..." Lyra unzipped her own silver suit and added it to the pile of things as well. I guess besides Lyra's essence, the essence of the original owner or the materials or whatever, might also be useful.

The dog stared at everything in front of it. Tracking an impossible trail was one thing, but with all this, it didn't even know where to begin.

"… Lyra, it doesn't work that wa…"

"Quiet! Ozzy is concentrating..." It was the second time that day Lyra had told me to be quiet, and I didn't even know how to feel about it anymore...

"This is the last time I try to be nice..." That was all I could think to reply.

"Yeah... I think it's for the best..." She replied without even bothering to turn around to look at me, still trying to convey her intentions to the dog.

"I know I said I'd appreciate a little acknowledgement, but when you force it... It sounds strange and frankly doesn't suit you. I'd even say it's unsettling in a way I can't describe."

...

The audacity of this Venlil... I don't know whether to admire her courage or be furious at her complete lack of respect for any authority figure.

"You want me to be frank? Fine. This isn't going to..."

"It works!" Lyra's little scream was so high-pitched that over the translation the implant was doing in my head, I could still hear part of the original bleat of the word; it's a miracle she didn't cause another collapse.

Against all odds, it seems Lyra was right; something finally clicked in the animal's head, and a path seemed to open up before it. It darted into the undergrowth, barking to get our attention, just as we lost sight of it.

"I told you I could..." Lyra had made the impossible, making her smug expression even more odious.

At least the dog ran back the way we came; hopefully we won't stray too far off course…

“This will be easy…” She said before running after her dog. “We just have to follow him and we’ll be done…”

+++++

"Want a break?" I said with a hint of amusement, seeing Venlil beside me gasping for air. She just glared at me with utter hatred, unable to even reply.

Once Ozzy started, didn't stop, perhaps so as not to lose the scent, perhaps because if it stopped Lyra would make it start again; whatever the reason, the only stops it made were to wait for us to catch up or when it returned just to confirm the scent. Its barks echoed through the mountains and its paw prints were deeply embedded in the muddy ground, making easy for us to follow its trail.

Only he knows where it's leading us. Lyra was absolutely certain it was the right direction, and my only consolation was that we were technically retracing our steps. If this didn't work either, at least we were closer to returning.

"Don't fall behind or we'll lose the trail..." Lyra complained that I was being too compassionate? Well, no more compassion... Every so often she slowed down or stopped for a few moments, alone, in the middle of nowhere and I simply continued.

I wasn't going to leave her so far behind that she would get lost, obviously not; just far enough so that from my perspective all you could see was a wisp of cotton floating through the undergrowth, probably cursing us all.

At this point I don't know if she still trusts whatever his dog is tracking or just doesn't want to admit her mistake, but at least it seems we were done.

“Lyra, are you coming or what?”

I don't know if the dog was actually following a scent or if it simply returned to where it remembered smelling something similar. Whatever the case, the dog had led us back to the last spot where we found evidence of exterminators' activity: a pile of sticks and branches they'd never managed to set on fire and some ration wrappers, but no trace of those responsible.

"Well, Lyra, we're officially done..." I said as soon as the Venlil caught up with us. I couldn't see her face beneath the soaked, tangled wool, but she probably wasn't happy with the result. Even so, I wasn't going to keep raising false hopes. "Let's go back to..."

"Look!" Lyra exclaimed, her voice still panting.

As soon as the dog saw that Lyra had arrived, its tail began to wag again and without warning, veered off the main path to go deep into the thickest of the bushes.

"I don't think it's a good idea to go that way, and I certainly don't think Nerion or the others went in that direction."

"Well... That's where Ozzy says the trail leads, so..." Lyra didn't seem to see the problem. Had she already forgotten how a mountain crumbled in the blink of an eye? It was ironic that now I was the one worried about potential dangers.

"Let's go!" Without even pausing to consider it, Lyra made her way through as well. To my surprise, she was more agile in tight spaces than I would have suspected. Well, she'll pay the price later when she has to remove all the twigs and thorns that get caught in her wool.

"Lyra, wait!" In just an instant I lost both of them. Now I was the one who had been left behind.

"Lyra! Where are you?"

"This way!"

My size made it difficult to move through the tangled vegetation, even if I had something to cut with, and my weight caused the unstable ground to give way as soon as I tried to take a step. It wasn't a good sign... After last year's antimatter attacks, ocean and wind currents became chaotic. Some places flooded while other regions experienced the worst drought in recorded history. In this particular region, I didn't see a single cloud in the sky for months, the earth cracked and the entire ecosystem seemed doomed to become a desert. Even with all human efforts, we were barely buying a little more time. Now one of the biggest storms I've ever witnessed hit, and although it's fantastic that the land is coming back to life, the eroded soil combined with sparse, barely living vegetation was a recipe for disaster; the small landslides here and there, along with all the fallen trees further hindering my path, seemed to confirm my woories...

We must return to the main path as soon as possible.

"Lyra? Can you hear me?"

"Why are you taking so long? Don't tell me you're already tired." Lyra's voice could be heard getting farther and farther away, and the dog's barking was barely audible to me.

"You dumb Venlil! It's not safe here, come back immediately!" Damn it... My knees are already hurting...

"This side isn't so bad. There's a really, really nice clearing. I think we..."

...

...

...

"...Lyra?" I know I didn't want to hear from Lyra for the rest of the day, but... "Lyra!?" I don't like this kind of silence either...

"LYRA, WHAT HAPPENED? CAN YOU HEAR ME?"

I couldn't even hear the dog anymore...

Shit, shit, SHIT!

Without hesitation, I pushed through the undergrowth, cleared away the branches of the fallen trunks and climbed the slipperiest rocks, all while following the faint trail she had left behind.

I felt more than one branch pierce my clothes, my hands were cut more than once by splinters or sharp rocks, and at least a couple of times I swallowed mud as I slipped and fell. None of that mattered if anything happened to them.

"Lyra? Lyra, can you hear me?" Reaching a small clearing covered only in tall grass, it had become impossible to follow any trail. She couldn't be too far away, but which direction should she take?

"Ly..." As if by a miracle, a small beam of light filtered through the clouds, descended to earth and... reflected on some kind of metallic surface among the tall grasses.

...

I swallowed hard, not knowing what I might find, and with nothing else at my disposal, I picked up a rock from the ground; took a deep breath to calm my agitated mind and without thinking twice, I jumped into the unknown.

I felt I should say something, maybe shout? The truth is I couldn't really think of anything, all my concentration was on whether or not I should use the rock as soon as I crossed the grass wall and… how I should use it.

...

It only took a second, maybe two, but it felt like an eternity, as if time had stopped and I was suspended in mid-air. I felt like I might never touch the ground again.

Once again I tried to say something but it was useless, my body crossed, unable to stop in the air and my eyes quickly scanned the place, the first thing I noticed was a dirty and battered uniform almost at my feet, its wearer was not in better condition and seemed to be hugging something, the dog... Lyra.

Although everything, she seemed to be okay, which allowed me to breathe again and let out a huge sigh of relief. But why didn't she answer?

"Lyra, what the hell is wrong with you?" I quickly regained my composure and, to my relief, I confirmed that she wasn't hurt or anything worse, but something didn't feel right. She didn't react; her eyes didn't even blink.

...

"D-Don't move..." was all she could manage to say. Her grip tightened around her canine companion and I noticed that with one hand she was keeping the dog's mouth closed, preventing it from barking.

"L-Lyra?" For the first time, a Venlil gave me chills, and I must say it's worse than I would have imagined.

"Don´t... Don't move..." I couldn't do anything but obey her. I tried to look her in the eyes for an explanation but she seemed almost hypnotized, staring at something far away, out of my line of sight.

...

I carefully rolled my eyes, wondering if that broke Lyra's order, and I saw it… or I should say, I saw him…

"Nerion?" Huddled beneath a rock, barely sheltering from the rain, his short wool soaked, dirty and discreetly stained orange in some places. His eyes were glassy and his breathing almost agonized; in one arm he still clutched the mobile rescue beacon, blinking for a signal, in the other hand his personal weapon pointed at us. Lyra had truly found him...

"Nerion... Put that thing down..." Instantly, the weapon moved in my direction. "Can't you see this is over?"

"...I-I... I must..." He barely had the breath to vocalize a couple of words and I don't think they were directed towards me, in fact he didn't even seem to be really looking at me.

"...Nerion, can you hear me? It's me, Martin..." I know it was stupid, but the slight twitch of ears I received in response gave me the courage to take a step forward, toward the gun barrel...

"What are you doing?!" Lyra whispered to me. "Can't you see he..."

"Lyra, step back..."

"But..."

"Obey for once in your life. You kept your word and found him. Now put yourself and Ozzy to safety..."

...

She grumbled but backed away, slowly hiding in the grass while I took another step forward.

"NERION..." I said almost without thinking when the crack of a branch was heard in the direction of Lyra and the cannon changed direction again. "Nerion, listen to me, don't do something you might regret..."

"...M-Mar..." He barely seemed to hear me...

"Yes, I'm Martin... Everything's fine..."

The distance between us closed one step at a time. I could hear my heart pounding against my chest and feel the cold sweat trickling down my forehead as I considered my next move. The slightest noise and...

"Leave it already, let's go home." Even with his face covered in soaked wool, I could clearly see Nerion's eyes welling up, a moment I seized to reach for the gun barrel and…

Click

...

Click

Click

Click

...

The gun was cocked more than once but nothing came out. I don't know how long it had been out of bullets or against what or... who had used them, whatever it was, I almost shat my pants for nothing.

"Well, that's enough..." I yanked the gun from Nerion's paw with more effort than I'd like to admit. His claws were cold and gripped the pistol handle so tightly that I understood the saying: "You'll have to pry it out of my cold, dead hands." Not that Nerion was dead although it looks like he wasn't far from it. In fact, as soon as he felt his paw relax, his whole body slumped.

"Sigh... Lyra, you can come now." Two pairs of ears perked up from the undergrowth.

"D-Did you kill him?" Lyra approached cautiously. "I won't say anything, I promise."

"What?! No! He just fainted." It offends me that everyone think I'm capable of such things. "Can you stay here? I'll go find the others." Nerion's body finally allowed itself to relax a little. Having checked that he didn't have any more weapons, I left him to rest under a nearby rocky overhang so that he wouldn't get any wetter and could warm up a bit.

"I'll go find them." Lyra replied confidently.

"Didn't you see what happened?"

"Yes, but I was the one who found him... Well, Ozzy did, but under my orders. I'll just be more careful and..."

"Absolutely not! These lunatics are armed and scared, anything could happen..."

"A-Actually..." Nerion interrupted, his voice barely audible. "Two are wounded, another was exhausted and their weapons... I don't know where they left them. They're not a threat to anyone."

...

Lyra and I looked at him and then at us in silence.

"Could you... Could you take them back to the ship? I tried, but... I got this far..." His voice sounded like a silly laugh or maybe a cry? It was hard to tell because it was so low. "They're in a small shelter, a few trees uphill." His paw was barely able to lift itself to point the way.

...

...

...

"Lyra, stay here, I'll go check."

"But..."

"STAY HERE." This time even the dog was startled. I was already tired and didn't want any more surprises in all of this.

FIRST - PREVIOUS - NEXT

Transcription memory, subject: Martin Quintanilla, head of the farm (maybe) and human representative of the commercial and cultural exchange program (also maybe)

Standard Human Time: December 05, 2137

"C-Can we... Can we stop? J-Just for a moment."

"No, you already made a stop 5 minutes ago."

"That didn't count, Ozzy stopped to do his business," Lyra said between tired gasps. "It's not my fault he doesn't recognize the place and it took him so long to decide where to do."

"Well, that counts as a break for me, so let's keep going." The complaints were becoming more and more frequent, her voice increasingly laden with weariness and annoyance as our pace slowed.

"No." With a wet thud, Lyra collapsed on the ground, water and mud rushing into her boots through the seam of the suit, raindrops soaking her face. "I'm not taking another step, at least not until I catch my breath," she gasped.

I wanted to protest, but I knew she'd truly reached her limit. Demanding more would be as futile as expecting a tree to bear fruit simply because I ordered it to. Despite the wool covering her face, an orange glow shone on her cheeks, and her ears seemed to pulse in an attempt to expel the stifling heat from the long walk.. The rain, which we had so desperately tried to avoid soaking us, now seemed like the best ally we could have; each drop dissipated a little of the heat, steadying her breathing and giving her racing heart a respite.

"I don't know how exterminators can wear these things every day. These boots are killing me." With one swift motion, Lyra ripped off both her boots and threw them as far as her tired arms would allow. There really wasn't much point in continuing to wear them as water and mud had already seeped inside. "I don't care if my paws get wet anymore. I'd much rather that than keep torturing myself with these things." With a tremendous effort, she reached for her hind paws and massaged them a little. Small abrasions had begun to form between each claw and on the pads, a consequence of wearing unsuitable footwear for long distances, or of wearing any footwear in the first place, in her case...

"I warned you it would be tiring..." I couldn't help but respond with brutal honesty, something that didn't go unnoticed judging by the furious look Lyra gave me in response.

I, too, was starting to feel cramps in my legs. The price of not sleeping properly, barely eating breakfast and carrying Lyra's backpack was beginning to show.

The only one who didn't seem to feel the miles passing by his paws and remained as enthusiastic to continue as at the beginning was Lyra's dog, sniffing with childlike curiosity everything around him, only returning to our side from time to time to confirm if it wasn't time to leave yet, giving small licks to Lyra's face who barely had enough energy to repel.

We'd been at it for about an hour and a half, maybe two, and there was still no sign of Nerion or the other missing crew. The only consolation I had was that, judging by Lyra's stamina, they hadn't been able to travel much further either. In the distance, I could still make out silhouettes that were vaguely familiar to the area where the ship was supposed to be. I wasn't sure if I could tell from this distance whether the ship had taken off, but it didn't seem to be the case. Apparently, the crew was still keeping their word and waiting for our return, or perhaps they simply hadn't mustered the courage to leave us behind. Either way, we still had time.

"What if...  What if we consider the matter closed?" With a slightly cooler head, that was the first clear idea Lyra had.

"Lyra..."

"I know what you're going to say, but I assure you I'm not saying this because of Nerion. Well, he's partly the reason, but I promise you he's not the main reason." Lyra stretched and retracted her hind claws, feeling the damp grass offer refreshing relief to her swollen and injured paws. "It's just that we're already quite far out. Not even a Venlil should be able to get much further than this. I work hard every day and I can't do any more. Besides, I know you and Ozzy aren't like this, but predators are supposed to be lurking around here, wild predators. Don't you think it's possible that... You know, they might have been..." I didn't quite understand Lyra's gesture, but I don't like where this is going...

"Why is it that if things don't go as you expect, the first thing you think is that something has eaten them?"

"Hey! Until recently, if you lost contact with someone, the possibility of them being devoured by the Greys was quite plausible. You can't blame us for still thinking that way." It se ems the only thing Lyra never runs out of is her capacity for grumbling and shouting, although... I think she has a point.

"Well, you'll be glad to know there are no predators here, at least nothing large. At most foxes and maybe coyotes? I don't know, but I've never heard of an animal bigger than a dog roaming these parts."

...

"A dog..." Lyra looked at me not with fear, but rather with irritation at the comparison.

"Do you have any idea of the odds with something like that? It's not just the size; behavior can vary drastically from breed to breed.

…

“From those that can be incredibly aggressive toward their prey to those that hunt in packs, enter burrows, track for miles, and I could go on... A Dossur or a Sibkit could be devoured in an instant by creatures that size... Even an average-sized human wouldn't stand a chance against something like that..." Lyra stood up irritably, brushed some of the water soaking the wool on her head and seemed ready to continue. "If that really is the case. There's no time to waste." The claws on her hind feet extended and dug into the wet grass, ready to cover a few more miles before collapsing again. She didn't seem to intend to put her boots back on... or even pick them up. They weren't exactly designed for long distances anyway, but they weren't hers... I think whoever lent us the outfits will have to get us a new pair when we get back...

"Let's go." She said with determination.

"You seem to know a lot about the subject..." With this brief respite, I too was ready to continue.

"Over time, questions arise and lead you down paths you never even knew existed." Lyra just shrugged. With a whistle she called her dog back to her side. "My internet feed is now full of stuff about dogs and human stuff that I can't help but watch. You guys are damn good at creating bait that's impossible to ignore. I have tickets for a movie about a monster called Godzilla just because I accidentally saw the trailer and left me full of questions, can you believe it?!"

"Now you understand why I don't allow all of you to use devices during work hours?" I said, feeling in a better mood. Most species seemed especially susceptible to clickbait and other internet lures.

"But you always ignore that rule."

"Lyra..." Seriously, will I ever be able to have a conversation with this Venlil without us ending up arguing after 5 minutes? "I have work to do, I need to answer calls, send information and a lot of other important things."

"Really? Because the other day I saw you talking with your wife for almost an hour and it didn't exactly sound like work..."

"That's none of your business, besides, why are you listening to my private conversations?"

"Don't change the subject, it's not the first time you do something like that. Sometimes you just wander around doing absolutely nothing."

"So you want to reproach me for things? Well, what about the time..."

+++++

"...And in the end I told her: if that wasn't your intention, you shouldn't have cut your wool like that, you're sending confusing signals to others."

"... Sure..."

I don't know how much longer we had walked, but we hadn't stopped since the last time. Once Lyra started talking, nothing could stop her and everything else ceased to matter.

The journey had become pleasant, I suppose. Well, I don't think that's the word I'd use, but for lack of a better term, I'll say it was pleasant. Time became abstract, the tiredness lessened, and the purpose of all this almost ceased to matter. All that was on my mind was what Lyra ate three days ago, her opinions on the new season of a show I haven't even seen, an argument she had with her human companion a few days ago in which she obviously insisted she was right, what her mother thinks about Earth... The information kept piling up. Truly, the only thing that never runs dry in Lyra is her stream of words. Every word from me opened a new topic of conversation and every little thing that caught her attention seemed to revive a memory of some insignificant situation that she felt I should know about.

I didn't even bother listening anymore; my brain had been on autopilot for a while. Part of me was focused solely on not losing the path; the other part merely grasped the bare minimum, managing to find the right moment to nod or offer a brief, polite reply. It wasn't that I wanted to be rude or impolite on purpose, but I couldn't take it anymore; I was afraid my translator implant would overheat and melt my brain from prolonged use. At this rate, I'll learn to speak Venlil before I even find Nerion.

...

Nerion...

...

Shit! I'd completely forgotten about that guy.

After leaving the ship and walking through dense undergrowth and over slippery rocks, the path became relatively easy. In these conditions, climbing had become virtually impossible; the only and most reasonable option was to follow the natural trail formed between the mountains; a significantly longer route, but the safest by far. A trail created by the erosion of the water flowing down from the large, rocky and rugged mountains, forming small waterways that continued their ancient work of terraforming the ground. A place that, under other circumstances, could be used for hiking or cycling.

I wanted to believe Nerion thought the same and followed this route; small clues like flattened grass, trash and equipment left behind that had no other explanation for being there, what looked like an attempt to build a campfire and a hunch were all that guided me. It seemed so obvious when I left the ship, but at this point, doubt was starting to creep in. It was still raining, but judging by the faint light filtering through the cloudy sky, midday was approaching. We still hadn't found anyone.

Perhaps we were following a trail left by one of the ones who had already reached the ship, perhaps it was someone else's trail or perhaps… it wasn't a trail at all. The truth is, I'd never done this before. Xenos just assumed that all humans knew how to hunt or track. I never bothered to clarify this, mainly because it would have been too tedious. The closest thing to it was once when I went fishing; I discovered I hate fishing...

Sigh... Now I was in the middle of nowhere. Beside me was a Venlil who had absolute confidence in what she was doing and back on the ship, everyone considered my words irrefutable truth. I could continue pretending I knew where I was going for a while longer, I could backtrack to the last trace and reassess the route, or... I could consider the matter closed. There are rescue teams who really know what they're doing. I think the most responsible thing to do is acknowledge my limitations and leave this to someone more competent. Everyone told me it was a bad idea, but that damned expression on Nerion's face...

"Boss..."

I underestimated the warnings of others just because they weren't humans...

"Boss..."

When am I going to learn?

"BOSS!"

Lyra gave me a much-needed jolt from my thoughts; I only wish that every time she does it, my eardrums don't feel like they're about to burst.

"W-What is that?" she asked, her ears moving in every direction and her tail twitching with anxiety. "It's not… a predator, is it?"

...

At other times I would have dismissed her reaction as the typical unfounded paranoia of her species and perhaps even lectured her for that, however, her dog also seemed to perceive something that even made bristle its fur and take a step back.

"Lyra, what are you talk..." I couldn't even finish my question before I heard it too... And I felt it...

First, a great crash, followed by the sound of dozens of trees creaking; not just their branches, but as if dozens of tree trunks had split like simple sticks in an instant. The ground shook, and it wasn't until a second later that I understood what was happening.

"B-Boss..."

"Go back, Lyra!"

The sound didn't seem like a direct threat to us, it didn't even sound close, but with a landslide you never know...

Through the treetops, I could see how the surface of one of the slopes simply disappeared in the blink of an eye. The clatter was amplified tenfold as it echoed off the rocky mountain walls, and the sight of dozens of birds fleeing the catastrophe seemed to tear through the gray sky, screeching in pure terror as they left their homes behind and then... absolute silence...

At our feet, the water that trickled downhill became murky and full of sediment, foreshadowing what awaited us further on.

"Well, that doesn't sound like a predator..." Lyra said with a nervous laugh. "It wasn't, right?" I know Lyra was hoping to find reassurance in my often sarcastic answers, but this time I was worried too.

"Boss? Wait, where are you going?!"

Without thinking twice and ignoring little Venlil's worries, I quickened my pace towards the source of the sound. I didn't know exactly what I was waiting for, but each possibility only generated more anxiety than the last.

"Boss, wait! Don't leave me behind."

I could hear the anguish in Venlil's voice behind me, but it paled in comparison to mine.

"Boss!"

With no more time to lose, I ran through the undergrowth, climbed among the rocks, and how I feared... there was no more path...

"Boss..." Lyra managed to catch up to me, gasping for air, her face turning orange again. "Don't you dare leave me behind like this, what if... Oh…” She shared the same expression as me, seeing the enormous obstacle that rose above us.

“So, this is what caused the sound..."

Before us, a great wall of mud, trees, undergrowth and debris blocked our path. Difficult to flank, unthinkable to cross and ultimately, impossible to remove. There was no clearer way to say, your path ends here.

…

…

…

"...So... Now what?" Lyra stared at me, hoping to find the answers in this foolish old man who actually believed that everything would end fine like it used to happen. And for what? To get my farm and the exchange program back? To prove Nerion was wrong? To maintain the image I have of myself?

I put the lives of myself, Lyra and everyone else on the ship at risk, because in my head they're always wrong and only humans are right. How many times did I tell myself that I started to believe it?

"Boss… Do you want us to escalate that or..."

"We're leaving..." My only consolation is that I think I still can retreat in time. If I hadn't let Lyra rest and slowed down the pace, we probably would have been trapped on the other side of this or worse, under it.

At least I tried...

"You're joking, right?" Lyra seemed surprised and somewhat annoyed, for some reason.

"Yep... We're done, let's go home."

"But what happened to all that talk about leaving no one behind and..."

"LYRA..." I couldn't take it anymore. I'd stuck it out because I thought I knew the outcome, but the truth is, I was exhausted. "Sigh... I don't know what I'm doing, okay? I've been walking without any idea which way to go."

For the first time, I saw Lyra's expression wither, ears droop and her gaze dimmed.

"So, why did you keep walking?"

"I don't know. They always look at me as if I have the answers and I… I thought I had. When Nerion confronted me, I felt it as a personal challenge, I felt like I had to prove he was wrong. Then I stood up to them all and said I would bring Nerion and the others back, how am I supposed to return with nothing?"

...

"At some point, I just... kept going uphill, hoping to find them. 'They're just a bunch of Venlils,' I kept telling myself. They'll probably get tired soon, they can't go very far. or They're clumsy, so this path is the only way they can go. They get scared by everything, so I'll probably find them all huddled under a tree or something. I don't know. Deep down, I can't help but underestimate them... I've survived worse, how hard can it be? I always tell myself, but in the end, I've just been lucky... Lucky to have people like Maaro, like Kajim, even like Zep... I guess it's time to accept my own incompetence..."

… 

I couldn't even begin to understand what was going through Lyra's mind at that moment. She just stood there, staring at me like I was a stranger.

"I'm sorry, Lyra. I always tried to force you to understand each other, but I never did enough to understand you... to truly understand you and show you the respect you deserve."

...

Lyra said nothing, her gaze fell and she approached with weary steps. I thought she would take out her frustration on me somehow, but all she did was snatch her backpack from me with a hostility she didn't bother to hide.

"What are you doing?" I said as I watched her rummage through the deepest of her backpack, throwing away everything that was no longer needed.

"Unlike all other humans, you never showed us pity, consideration, patience or any special treatment; at least no more than you would show to any other human...which isn't much either by the way." She began to despair at not finding what she was looking for. "You've pushed us to our limits time and time again, to the point that when I can't go on anymore, I ask myself, 'Is that really it?' You came all this way because you believe you can find Nerion, and I followed you because I believe you can too. Now you tell me you're giving up?"

Okay, I see what she is doing. The worst part is that I don't think I really have the right to be angry...

"I've run out of ideas, what else do you want me to say?"

Lyra ended up emptying the entire contents of her backpack onto the ground. Many things were single-use supplies, and the rest were things that didn't even belong to her; I suppose that's why she didn't care if she returned them covered in mud or simply didn't return them at all. She searched through the pile of useless things and proudly pulled out what, in my opinion, was the most useless thing she'd brought: a brush full of ash-colored wool bristles. "Perhaps you don't have any other ideas, but there's a reason why I thought it would be a good idea to bring Ozzy to this hunt."

With a whistle, Lyra called to her four-legged friend, who was also happily rummaging through the things scattered on the ground. You never know when you might find something edible in the most unexpected place. Its ears perked up in recognition of the command, but in the end, it decided that it could wait.

"OZZY, COME HERE!" Lyra insisted again with a ferocity rarely seen in a Venlil, well, in a Venlil other than Lyra...

The poor dog ran to her side and stared at its mistress, waiting for the next command so as not to anger her further.

"Hmph..." Lyra looked at me with such pride that her "smile" barely fit on her long face. I don't know exactly what she expected me to see; after all, I was the one who taught her the basics of dog training.

"Lyra, I'm not in the mood for..."

"Shut up..." With a claw, she had the audacity to silence me while she concentrated on... Whatever it was she was doing.

[Find] Lyra made a sharp whistle that seemed to have some meaning for her dog, judging by how its ears perked up and its muzzle tilted toward the brush in Lyra's hands. I didn't recognize the command, so I suppose it's something she made up herself; a trick to forget the unpleasant moment?

...

...

...

Nothing happened, the dog sniffed the brush a little, sniffed the air a bit and went back to his business.

"What?! B-But..." Her tail drooped to the ground as if it had lost its life, a reflection of her own esteem...

...

I don't know if I should intervene in any way, I don't even know what she was trying to do.

"Come on, you've done it before." Lyra knelt on the ground and squeezed her fellow predator's face tightly between her paws, as if that would somehow make the understanding between their species clearer. "Just… try it one more time, okay?" She extended the object to the dog´s face again and, with the same whistle, gave the same command. "Please..."

...

The dog just stood there, watching her without even making the slightest effort to try to fulfill Lyra´s request.

"Oh, of course!" Lyra rummaged through her uniform, patting down all the pockets several times, seemingly forgetting where she'd put what she was looking for. 

…

"I know it's not much, but it's all I have left..." From a package I immediately recognized as a popular… and cheap brand of dog treats, she pulled out basically just crumbs. She piled them pathetically in the palm of her hand and held them out to the dog in a last-ditch effort to appease his demands.

"Please..."

I don't know if it's because I've learned to read the body language of ears, tails and whiskers, but I could almost see a doll of deep indignation on the dog's face. Lyra had clearly taught it to put a price on every trick it does and it was clear that it wasn't willing to do it for less, but... For its mistress, perhaps could make an exception...

Ozzy the dog accepted the miserable offering and devoured it in one lick; it was clear that it was not enough. This will probably be the only time it makes an exception and starts to sniff the air and the ground again.

"Yes! Just like that ." From the deep abyss where all her confidence had fallen, it once again soared to the clouds. "Sniff everything, don't leave a single inch unexamined and find that bastard!" She encouraged her dog as best she could. It seemed to be working, as both their tails wagged almost in sync.

I think I understand now... The dog pressed his nose to the ground, circled around us a couple of times, sniffed the brush one more time, did one last lap just to be sure; he even sniffed me, but in the end, nothing...

Ozzy turned back to Lyra and sat down as if to say, "That's it."

"Oh..." Lyra finally gave up. It was obvious her attempt to track Nerion wasn't going to work; between the rain and the wind, any trace vanished in a second. Sigh... But what right do I have to judge her? The truth is, we both made the same mistake. We have no idea what we're doing...

"It was a good attempt (I guess)." God, I'm bad at comforting people. "But there's nothing more we can do..."

"No!" Lyra looked at me, her face turning orange, her voice trembling. "This works, I know it does. If only I had more... I could prove it to you."

...

I don't know why she cared so much about proving me wrong... This was a situation that went beyond whether one is human or Venlil, but... If she says she can... I guess we still have a little time.

"Okay... I believe you." From among my belongings, I pulled out a couple of packages of rations labeled as "only for humans." They were at the back of a drawer in the ship, so I doubt anyone would have wanted them, although at this point I wasn't in the mood to eat anything, so I didn't mind giving them to the dog. “Try it with these.”

…

"What is this?" Lyra looked suspiciously at the package, mainly because of how plain it was.

"I'm not sure, maybe dried meat or something."

They were probably rations left over from a previous trip or something that came in a complete supply package and was just left lying around. To be fair, I wouldn't trust something like that under normal circumstances either, but we weren't in the mood to be picky at this point.

...

Lyra tore open the wrapper and stood silently examining the content. A hard, dry, brown paste that looked hardly appetizing.

"Is there a problem?" Shit, I completely forgot...

"Was this on the ship?" Her words were barely a whisper.

"Well, yes, but it was only a couple of bars and they're perfectly labeled to prevent anyone from accidentally..."

"This is just what I needed!" She exclaimed, waving the stick in front of her dog's face, who seemed to recognize the scent immediately.

...

"So, is this a good thing?" Definitely not the reaction I was expecting.

"As long as I have the means to pay, Ozzy will do whatever I..." Within the chaotic brainstorm that is Lyra's mind, another idea clicked.

"You had this all along and still let me humiliate myself by begging Ozzy for help?"

"First of all, I had no idea you needed something like this." I swear I never know what to expect from this Venlil... "And secondly, a good trainer shouldn't reward their dog for every command obeyed; it conditions good behavior and you'll end up making them obese."

"... You may have a point, but if you saw me suffering from lack of treats, it wouldn't have been so hard to tell me you had this." Lyra took the bar with her paws as if it were nothing, tore off a piece to inspect it a little more before offering it to her dog who immediately fixed his gaze on his next meal.

"And just so you know, I'm a great trainer, it's just that this trick is new and I'm still perfecting it."

"Sure..." I wasn't in the mood to argue. "Just... just do what you have to do..."

FIRST - PREVIOUS - NEXT

Transcription memory, subject: Martin Quintanilla, head of the farm (maybe) and human representative of the commercial and cultural exchange program (also maybe)

Standard Human Time: December 05, 2137

"Yup, that´s exactly what I needed..."

No matter what happens, after a long shower everything else seems to fade away. At least until I step out of the bathroom and have to face reality again...

Yesterday was... interesting... but I don't think I'd even put it in my top 5 worst days, maybe I'd put it in 7th or 8th place, mainly because I hate the feeling of wet socks.

I could have stayed in the safe and comfortable interior of the ship, even remained handcuffed in the hangar, sitting in one of those small and uncomfortable chairs that who knows what species they were designed for; sooner or later someone would come to rescue us, but in the end, I couldn't let the rest do all the work, mainly because most of them didn't have the slightest idea what to do; if I didn't intervene, they would probably still be whining in the sickbay while the ship sank or even worse, hurting themselves.

Anyway, aside from the whole certification issue and Nerion´s shit, the rest was basically a normal day for me. Clarifications here, mediations there... I've gotten pretty good at talking and resolving conflicts, and still, Linda complains that I don't listen to her...

I must admit that Nerion truly took me by surprise... Not only because of his small act of defiance, but also because of the way he arrived on Earth and faced humanity and every other species present with absolute certainty. "This guy is dead," was my first thought. But after hearing him, even I began to doubt what I had previously considered as unshakeable truths...

I took the liberty of doing something I usually avoid, mainly because of how annoying it is to read complicated and convoluted documents like the regulations and agreements between species of the SC; documents that usually are attached to every official letter, communication and treaty that involves more than one species. What's the point of writing a 30-page document to basically say something as obvious as "don't eat your neighbor" or that "both species are equal before the law"? Well, this time I actually took the time to read some of the documents I had downloaded to my device, they had just been consuming useless memory but I always forgot to delete. I had always considered them junk, but now that I've finally read them, I can say with absolute certainty that, indeed… they are junk.

Most are riddled with ambiguities and gray areas, perhaps the result of a rushed and clumsy implementation, something to be expected during conflicts and wars, where such documents are mere formalities for alliances in which there's no time to be meticulous and detailed. What's truly surprising is that several months after the end of the federation, these loopholes remain in such important documents. Errors of a negligent administration or intentional omissions. The only thing clear to me was one thing: someone is exploiting these vulnerabilities and the first people who come to mind are… the humans...

Exceptions to the rules, with special considerations here and there, clauses classified as "only applied for humans" make me wonder what they were thinking when they approved them.

Masks were mandatory in some areas and human access to certain zones remained heavily regulated. Something that several Xeno governments considered a "fair" measure, or perhaps a final "screw you" to humanity, humans saw as a golden opportunity to demand compensation for such a blatant display of contempt from those who were supposed to be our allies.

If the Venlil government prohibited humans from visiting certain areas of the city, humans demanded designated human-only meeting places, which quickly grew in number. Now there was a huge problem with citizenship applications from those humans.

If the Nevok government prohibited the commercialization of human technology on its planet and colonies, the SC declared human communication networks as the new standard, citing cybersecurity problems in the federation's traditional technologies, forcing the Nevok government and other species to buy human software and microcomponents since we are the only producers/distributors of them.

If the Zurulian government wants to avoid the demographic crisis plaguing Skalga and refuses to grant citizenship to human refugees, the problem now is how to deport illegal immigrants. Some Zurulian politicians have even opted to pay humans to leave peacefully so as not to jeopardize their "ally" status within the SC. This, however, is not sustainable in the long run.

If an exchange program were to take place on Earth, it would have to meet stricter standards to guarantee the safety of its participants. Consequently, it would receive greater support in the form of loans and subsidies funded by all the governments involved to ensure the well-being of its members. I knew the amount of money I owed was absurd. No one in their right mind would risk so much capital on a project as uncertain as an exchange program. In the end, whether the project succeeded or failed, all the money invested on Earth would stay on Earth.

Again and again, I found strangely convenient clauses here and there. Subsidies, loans, delivery of goods, omissions and exceptions... Not all of them directly benefited humans, but humans were certainly the only ones profiting from this.

One of the most worrying things I found was the allocation of remote and unsuitable colonies as properties for human refugees to live in, in an attempt to expel them from their main cities. Don't they know that a human can survive practically anywhere?

Well, in the end, those properties passed from one owner to another and somehow all ended up concentrated in the clutches of large corporations or the human government itself. Now, several planetoids and asteroids have become extraction and production plants, exempt from local regulations or military bases that unofficially expand the reach of human forces beyond what our allies officially recognize…

But xenos are happy that their neighbor isn't human… so technically, we all win, right?

Humanity sacrificed pawns to flank with bishops, infiltrate with knights and penetrate with rooks. All with the consent of both sides.

Well, Nerion seemed to realize this before many of his great leaders and exploited it in the riskiest way he could think of, where regardless of the outcome, humanity would lose its abusive advantage. If it comes to light, humanity will be questioned as the hypocrisy of its actions is exposed; if kept hidden, it will only be a matter of time before others like Nerion realize this and exploit it for their own benefit. In the end, both options will result in an extensive review of laws and agreements that will attempt to rectify the situation, but the damage will already be done.

“You can try whatever you want, it won’t make a difference…” Nerion’s words rang out louder than ever.

It's not that I was justifying Nerion or anything like that; the bastard messed with Maaro and my employees and I'm not going to tolerate that, but I wasn't as upset as I think I should have been. The guy really took me by surprise and his words were still echoing in my head.

I couldn't give an adequate answer at the time; leaving it like that would be like admitting I never had an answer. I'm not going to give him that satisfaction and besides, letting someone die, no matter how awful they are, would haunt me for the rest of my life...

Okay, it's decided. I'll go for the crazy Venlil and we'll all return safely.

"Mr. Martin! Miss Lyra wants to see you!"

"Mr. Martin, the lists you requested are ready."

"The exterminators who returned still haven't answered all our questions; they want us to..."

I'd barely opened the door to the locker room when they were all there, bombarding me with questions, practically swarming me to the point that I had to hold on tightly to the doorframe with one hand and the towel covering me with the other. The crew's attitude had shifted after their options (their only two options, actually) were put on the table, but they were still as annoying as ever.

"I can't understand them if they all talk to me at once, one at a time." Annoyed, I pushed my way through the insistent crowd. Asking them for patience or a little privacy would be pointless.

"First, how many crew members are still missing?"

"Hmmm… just four sir..."

"I imagine Nerion is one of them..."

...

"I'll take that as a yes..."

My clothes were still stained and a little damp, but it was better than nothing. An old trick I'd learned back in my pilot days was to hang them on the high-energy modules behind some of the control panels. I could have dry and ironed clothes effortlessly whenever I wanted; I just had to pretend not to know anything if any overheating alarms were triggered because of it.

"And regarding the ship, are we ready for takeoff?"

"The weather is... acceptable, the fuselage is still holding in one piece, the front of the aircraft is still sinking into the mud but the stabilizers should be able to compensate the inclination angle during takeoff, at least for now." one of the technicians said.

"In that case, we don't have time to waste..." I said, tying my shoelaces and adjusting my belt, all as I pretend not to notice how overly interested everyone was in what I was doing. Maybe they thought it was very primitive of me or maybe it was just something you didn't see every day; either way, they practically didn't blink as they watched me. The best thing to do was pretend I didn't notice...

"And were you able to do anything about the request I made?" I buttoned the last button of my shirt and put my hat back on.

"...Mr. Martin..." Zizios, the Yotul representative, stepped forward. "Do you really have to go after Nerion? None of us will question if you order us to leave now and I'm sure that before the SC, the absence of those four will be an acceptable loss, after all, technically it is their fault." It saddened me to see that everyone agreed, even Nerion's subordinates... Although they didn't explicitly support the idea, their lack of response was a silent complicity...
It wasn't because of Nerion; I simply couldn't accept that mentality. Our present would be far bleaker if we had thought that way a year ago, when the guns were loaded and nerves were on edge. No, I simply couldn't allow it, and trying to reason with them was something I didn't have time for.

"I'll go for Nerion and his men and if you don't agree, get another pilot who can get you out of here..." The ship already had its own pilot, whom I have no doubt is competent enough to get everyone out of here, but the shock of what happened, his lapse in judgment and the tremendous lecture I gave him have left such a deep mark on his psyche that I don't think he'll dare take the helm of a ship for a while. So I can safely say that I'm the only one who can get them out of here and judging by the lack of response, I think everyone is aware of this.

"...As you wish, Mr. Martin..." Zizios resigned himself with a sigh and a bitter chuckle.

"You heard it, there's still work to be done." Zairus, the Harchem representative, didn't seem happy with my decision either, but after everything that had happened, he just wanted to support me no matter what.

On the way to the hangar, everyone was still following me closely, bombarding me with questions and inquiries until the very end. They all wanted to leave as soon as possible and they made real sure I didn't forget it. I almost wished I could go back a few hours to when everyone was trying to avoid me as much as possible; at least then I'd have a little peace...

"Mr. Martin..." The Maziq representative and the other supervisors were waiting for me on the hangar ramp. "...I guess you didn't change your mind..." Beside her, they had gathered some of the things I requested for this little excursion, well... let's just say they tried.

"Nope..." I replied dismissively, checking what they had collected for me.

"Sigh... I must tell you that unfortunately, the rescued exterminators were unable to provide any useful information, so we were unable to plan a way forward."

"It's not necessary. I have an idea of ​​where to go... East." I pointed beyond what the stormy sky allowed us to see, in the direction of a rising dawn. The light of the ascending sun filtered through the clouds and outlined the mountains around us. "Nerion took the mobile beacon so, if my theory is correct, he walked to higher ground to be able to receive a signal, which narrows down the options." I said, pointing in other directions where the terrain was so steep and rugged that it was practically impossible to imagine anyone going that way, especially for a Venlil. "As for how far he went... Well, I'll find that out when I get there."

"...I don't understand it, but... Predator's intuition, I suppose..." Maziq's representative shook her trunk disdainfully. Still not convinced by my reasoning.

"Common sense, actually..." My relationship with these... people was now purely situational. "Perhaps we could have avoided all this mess if at least one of you had used it." Courtesy was now optional.

The only response she gave was a defiant look...

I didn't sleep all night, lighting up the sky with flares to guide the lost and survey our surroundings. I took note of every exterminator who emerged from the bushes, whimpering for help, their condition, the direction they came from, the state of their clothing and dozens of other details to give me an idea of ​​what awaited me beyond what I could see, and in the end, they reduce it to a mere "instinct" that for some reason, they keep insisting I have. While this wasn't an insult, it bothered me in a way I still didn't know how to put into words.

"Anyway, the storm has died down enough for me to leave the ship. I should be able to get there and back without much trouble." I said as I checked the things I'd asked for. Flashlight, more flares, first aid kit, something sharp... I was expecting at least a kitchen knife, but they ended up giving me a couple of small scalpel blades..

…

I really don't mean to insult them, but somehow, they manage to exceed my already low expectations... water, supplies, ropes... I asked them for one of their largest exterminator suits to make me a poncho and protect me a bit from the rain. I don't know what they were thinking, but they ended up stitching together a bunch of pieces of silver fireproof fabric with crude stitches and tape that normally is used to patch up the fuselage in emergencies... If Linda saw this, she'd probably say it's a crime against sewing.

Did it resemble the description I gave them? I guess I could say it was... One sleeve of what was the original uniform still stuck out from what appeared to be the back of the poncho, but it seemed sturdy enough to withstand the brief expedition.

"...And what's the flamethrower for?" Zayrus and Zizios waited for me to adjust my poncho before handing me one of the standard exterminator´s  flamethrowers and one of the biggest fuel tanks I'd ever seen. Seriously, do all exterminators carry something like that on their backs all the time? My back ached just thinking about that thing on me.

"Well, you need it, don't you?" The Krakotl representative said with some disbelief. He didn't seem to understand the problem with the relationship between the concepts.

"In what scenario might I need this thing?" For a second I actually considered their offer, to the point that I even agreed to hold one of these for the first time.

"You know, it can make your way through the weed or... defend yourself against a predator." The Krakotl representative realized the weight of his words just as he finished that sentence. "...N-No offense but, no one knows what you could find out there..."

...

I have to admit, holding a flamethrower was... interesting. I hadn't taken the time to appreciate the details and ergonomic design for other species until now. I'd be lying if I said I didn't feel certain… temptation to pull the trigger and experience the sensation of spewing fire in all directions, but... there wasn't time for that. Maybe I can keep one after all this is over; I doubt anyone would object after I've saved them.

...

"...No thanks." I shook the pyromaniac thoughts from my head. "If it weren't for the fact that everything is soaked to the roots, one wrong move and the entire mountain complex   and therefore us, could easily end up charred."

...

...

...

"Even in the best-case scenarios, many things still can go wrong." My words seemed to make sense to the representative from Krakotl and the others present, but if I was being honest, I think I was saying it to myself, since my hands resisted letting go of the weapon... It will be another time and in a less problematic situation, I repeated to myself over and over.

...

"Oh, I-I guess it makes sence..." That was all Representative Krakotl could manage to say as he stared naively at the weapon. Suddenly, the most reliable tool a target could possess seemed like a deadly weapon... Well, it always had been, but that didn't mean it would be deadly against its user.

"So, you don't want us to give one to your companions either?"

...

"Companions?" I couldn't help but say it with utter disbelief. They could barely meet my expectations and still want to go with me? Each of their ideas and initiatives was… useless. "I told you I'm going alone. I'm not bringing anyone else." It's best to stick to my plan. I don't intend to get stuck here for much longer, and I'm sure they don't either. I can see the impatience in everyone's eyes. I don't want to find out what a stressed-out, frightened mob is capable of.

"Well, then tell them yourself!" An indignant voice said from the crowd. As usual, avoiding direct confrontation. "Tolerating that thing lurking around is already too much."

...

I already knew which way things were going...

I hadn't even started and I already felt exhausted. The few hours of sleep and so much tolerance were taking their toll.

"Fine..." I finished packing everything and headed for the drop-off ramp.

…

…

…

"Oh, one more thing..." I said before leaving. "I know we didn't get a good start and maybe we'll never agree on everything, but... Differences will never be a reason not to help and I hope you all see it the same way..." I felt that if I didn't say it now, I might never have the chance again. "In simple terms... Don't leave without me..." I didn't consider any of those present evil enough to do something like that, and besides, no one seemed willing to take the risk of trying to fly again in these conditions. However, responsibility tends to be diluted and consequences forgotten when you're in a group or should I say, in a herd?

In any case, anxiety and weariness shone in everyone's eyes. On the edge of the precipice, any option seems better than waiting.

...

...

...

Everyone remained silent; to try to make a consensus of what they were thinking wouldn't make a difference.

"Don't worry, Mr. Martin, we won't allow it." Zayrus dared to speak.

"We'll wait for you as long as it takes... Right?" Zizios turned to his companions, expecting an answer as determined as theirs, but all they got were evasive glances and some murmurs.

...

As always, their tails are unable to hide their true emotions; Zayrus and Zizios felt the defeat of a battle that existed only in their minds. As for me, well, it's more than I expected to be honest. The opinions in my favor are practically nonexistent, but they're not zero either, so any decision won't be unanimous and therefore, easy.

"I'm entrusting this to you... You know what to do." I said, handing one of the flare guns to their paws before leaving.

Hmph... I think I'm leaving with a weight lifted off my shoulders... Now, I just need to deal with the last problem...

"I never thought I'd see you wearing one of those uniforms... And yet, for some reason, I'm not surprised..." The first raindrops hit my makeshift poncho. It seems that despite the crude, improvised seams, the outfit will keep me relatively dry during this little excursion. "Looks like you'll be a pain in the ass until the very end... Don't you?" My boots sank into the mud at the end of the ramp. In front of me was all the useless cargo we'd discarded to stabilize the ship for our upcoming takeoff; beyond that lay the unknown, hidden among wet undergrowth and a layer of fog that made you fear what might be concealed within, or filled you with curiosity to uncover its secrets.

"Boss! You're finally here, it was about time." On top of one of the discarded cargo crates sat the Venlil who always seemed to be somehow at the center of the storm, with her characteristic toasted-brown wool and dumb expression, like if she already had done something wrong. This time, she was wearing a silver uniform that clearly didn't fit her, the tail area deflated at the tip as if a part of it were missing. The excess of fabric around her legs was clumsily tucked into the boots that completed the uniform. Not that we were going to be wading into a sea of ​​flames, but a perfectly sealed fireproof could also be useful for keeping us dry. Although she wasn't supposed to be going anywhere.

"Sigh... What are you doing here, Lyra?"

I think I already knew the answer, and yet I clung to the belief that she would make things easy for me, at least this time.

"We'll come with you, of course." The moment she set foot on the ground, she sank a couple of inches into the mud. Her expression was one of utter satisfaction, with the uniform from one of the extermination officers, she could go anywhere without having to endure the uncomfortable sensation of wet paws. "We're ready." As if summoned, Lyra's dog also stepped forward and stood right beside his mistress, wearing a modified version of an exterminator's uniform too, to protect from the rain and… fire, just in case.

"We thought it would be a good idea to make him a uniform as well..." the Zurulian representative was also present; apparently, the outfit was her idea. I don't know when, but it seems they got along quite well after the whole incident. "I think it turned out quite well, don't you think, Mr. Martin?"

...

I could almost say I felt a little jealous of the animal. While it was wearing a fairly decent full raincoat, considering the time they had to make it, I was wearing a Frankenstein's monster of a uniform, cobbled together from various pieces. Functional, but painful to look at...

"So, shall we go?"

Lyra's face shone with pride and confidence; in her mind, accompanying me was a brilliant idea, perhaps even a fun excursion... I think she had even forgotten the situation we were actually in.

"Absolutely not." I said, leaving no room for reply.

"What?! But why not?" I forgot that Lyra seems incapable of taking a no for an answer... "But we're dressed like you, I have a backpack full of things like yours, and even..."

"Lyra, I don't know what you think I'm doing here but..."

"I know exactly what's going on." Lyra adjusted her borrowed uniform once more and slung over a backpack that was surely full of things we didn't need. "You want to do things on your own, as always. Without caring about your own safety or who you leave behind."

The situation wasn't that bad... It was difficult just because they were making it difficult; with any luck, Nerion and his men should be an hour away at most.

Hopefully we should be back in civilization by lunchtime.

"I'm going to help Nerion, not to exact some kind of revenge if you were thinking I..."

"I know..."

"I don't know how far I'll go, but it won't be close and it definitely won't be an easy road."

"I have what I need." Lyra tapped her backpack with a confidence that was probably undeserved.

"I don't know what I might find."

"Ozzy will let me know."

...

...

...

It seems I wasn't going to convince her the nice way...

"No offense, Lyra, but you'd only be a hindrance. What lies beyond is uncertain and distance is... I just want you to be safe."

"That's not entirely true. I've seen you." Lyra's voice had a condescending tone that truly irritated me. "No matter what and no matter who, you always ignore the tiredness, endure the pain and do what needs to be done, just because you like doing things alone; well, this time it won't be like that."

"Lyra, I just..."

"Why is it so hard for you to trust us? I've learned that even a predator can't do things alone; everyone needs help with some things. A few extra noses to find Nerion and the others wouldn't hurt." With a whistle, her dog was already alert and ready for any order. "...Besides, I don't want to be left alone on the ship. If you think they look down on you, it's because you haven't seen the way they look at Ozzy and me. I think they consider me a traitor or something like that..."

...

...

...

This is a bad idea, no, it's a terrible idea!

So, why can't I just tell her no?

Was it because of the puppy-dog eyes Lyra had learned to use? Perhaps it was because of the curious glances of the other crew members who, from a distance, seemed to be begging I accept Lyra's proposal... I don't know, but I couldn't waste any more time.

"Sigh... I'm not going to stop, so keep your complaints, crying and pleading to yourself, understood? We'll make this quick and go home."

"Yes!" Lyra said enthusiastically, probably jumping for joy if her paws hadn't been sinking into the mud. Her canine companion responded with a brisk bark that took the Zurulian representative by surprise. I must admit that the poor Zurulian is really trying her best to be on our side. Her cheerful expression is straining to hide the screams of her agitated mind... If they won't give up, I can´t either.

"So..." Lyra slung her heavy backpack over her shoulder, ready for what she thought would just be a walk in the countryside, well, technically it was, but with intergalactic implications. "Which way should we go?"

...

"First, let me see what you have in there..." Unnecessary weight and a Venlil with low stamina are a very bad combination.

I have a feeling that I'll regret this soon…

FIRST - PREVIOUS - NEXT

Okay, I finally had my surgery and I don't know if it's the painkillers, but I feel reaaally good. I mean, my head, back, rib and wrist still hurt a little, but I no longer have that horrible cast that was keeping me from moving my arm.

Anyway, the recovery will be long, according to the doctor, but the instruction is to move my wrist as much as I can, within acceptable limits, obviously, and what better exercise than drawing something? The problem is, I have so many ideas and I don't know which one to start with... revisit old stories, continue current ones, start new ones or just draw something silly? Well, I want YOU to decide, and I'll try to do it.

Not today, since I'm still in the hospital, but I'll probably be discharged today or tomorrow morning. Also, keep in mind that my hand can already grip the stylus, but my wrist's range of motion is only about 30%. So, it might take me a few days to post what you ask for; it all depends on how complex it is.

Anyway, I don't have any rules; it can be ANYTHING, any kind of thing. It can be something simple, something funny, something absurd (those are my favorites), more of the characters I always draw, something... Else... >!I have never drew something nsfw, just simple anatomy exercises but... I guess anything is anything...!<

It can be a single image or a 3-4 panel story. If I have questions I will ask the winner and try to portrait their twisted vision.

I'm not an artist so the real artist and other users in the subreddit can easily identify my weaker points but, how will I improve if I don't practice and fail? So, don't make huge expectations either...

Anyway, whatever it is, the request with the most upvotes for tomorrow wins.

Also I want to say that if your idea amuses me, even if it doesn't win, I will try it in a future.

Hi, it's been a while since I've posted anything (I think it's almost been a month). I just wanted to say that my situation hasn't been great lately, and I haven't been able to write/draw the stories I enjoy so much. Besides work, I had an accident from which I haven't recovered yet. My right wrist is fractured, and I'm still waiting to be well enough to have surgery. That's why I haven't even been able to pick up a pencil or a mouse to do the silly drawings I love to do (I wanted to at least doodle something for this post, but it's impossible). I hope to be able to post the next chapter of VBF in a few days. It's not the end yet, but it is the conclusion to the conflict I've been developing for so long. Anyway, I hope those who take the time to read my stories will forgive me and be patient until I return.