u/-WIKOS-

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..."

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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.