u/-WIKOS-

Trees no taller than a house stretched as far as the eye could see, laden with pink blossoms whose petals fell in the slightest breeze and even so, they didn't seem to run out; no artificial decoration or floral arrangement could compare. In the middle, a clearing with perfectly aligned and decorated chairs formed a path to an altar, where a nervous Farsul paced back and forth.

"Do you want to go say hello to the groom? Maybe say a few words?" Marcus and I placed our gifts on a table laden with wrapped surprises. "He looks like he's going to throw up."

"I don't know about those things." I said, without taking my eyes off the hat and its owner, who seemed to be hiding among the people.

"Hey, he invited you for a reason. I think it's polite to congratulate him and calm his nerves a little."

...

To be honest, I just wanted to see a wedding with my own eyes. They're so common in movies that I always wanted to be one of those girls catching the bouquet, eating the special delicacies... Maybe even witnessing a drama...

Besides, it was the bride who invited me, not Brax, the former exterminator.

After I left the farm, I barely kept contact with my colleagues. I’d venture to say that Brax’s girlfriend was the only person from this place with whom I stayed in touch beyond the occasional message, a birthday wish, or a funny video that only they would understand. She even kept me up to date on some gossip. She's a journalist or something, after all.

After the farm incident and the subsequent SC cover-up, many were dissatisfied with the outcome. Posted his videos and complaints about what happened. Needless to say, Jones took it upon herself to censor everything. Even so, Brax's girlfriend didn't remain silent.

Thammie, or Tamy as she preferred to be called, had helped document what happened on Earth after the Federation's attack; dozens of photographs that she took of those days are displayed at the city's monument to humanity. And as a pursuer of the truth, she was not at ease when she discovered that Nerion's misdeeds would go unpunished.

Naturally, her story focused on those who experienced the events firstpaw, especially the boss and me, although she took statements from every member of the farm at the time. During lunch, after work, at home on my days off… Tammy was there, asking questions about what had happened. Even after I left, she continued contacting me by any means possible whenever she made a new progress in her story…

I didn't like being rude and refusing to help, but knowing that Jones could be listening at any moment, I always tried to steer the conversation away from the subject. About my day or she asking her for advice; Her calls became a regular part of my days, some days even talking for hours and hours. 

Just remembering everything Jones put me through to keep me quiet still made my blood boil, but on the other paw, I didn't want her knocking on my door again. So I kept myself as a small and discreet part of her project. 

…

 After months of secrecy and many calls, Tammy gathered all the image and video evidence she could, she independently published her report after failing to find support from any news outlet or media that wanted to broadcast it.

...

It didn't have the impact we all expected... Without the necessary support for an investigation of that scale, and with many parts of the true story lacking material to substantiate the controversial claims, the final product came across more as a conspiracy theory video than a serious report. Furthermore, other stories quickly overshadowed this old news. It gained some popularity among other online conspiracy and theory stories like "Tarva's Call with the Arxur," "The Chief Hunter Isif and His Friend Dossur," or "In Terms of Compatibility, the Venlil..." but little more than that.

In the end, she felt satisfied for at least having managed to publish what remained of the truth (or at least that's what she said) and we all considered the matter closed, but the calls between the two of us remained constant.

Out of an injustice, we both found a friend in each other.

Despite that, the news that he was getting married took me by surprise. Firstly, because the word itself is a human thing, so I needed some further explanation to fully understand what he was talking about (I have to admit I got a little bit addicted to the matter after that... weddings in movies are so funny), and secondly, because Brax... Well, is Brax. Too serious and with that controlling tendency that all extermination officers tend to have. He was the first of them to take my side when I needed him, and he never seemed to have anything against Ozzy, but even so, they were like night and day. If I was honest, the only thing they had in common was that they were both Farsul, perhaps reason enough for them to be together given the current state of their species, but marriage?! Well, if they're both happy...

Tammy is definitely the person I should congratulate first; I’ll go see Brax later, but since I don’t see her anywhere, the next person I definitely need to see is the boss.

"You go with Brax." My tail wagged in a gesture that was perhaps a little disdainful... "I want to see someone first."

Without losing sight of the hat, I tidied up the wool on my head a bit, adjusted the outfit I had chosen for the occasion (it's a good thing I decided to dress for the occasion, seems everyone thought the same.) and walked towards the crowd, trying to think of what to say to the boss after so long.

"B-Boss?" I know he wasn't my boss, but it felt natural to call him that way. If he gave me an order right now, I'd probably do it without question (too much). And… I never used his real name and I'm not sure what it is.

...

"Boss?" I pushed my way through the crowd and who I found...

"Lyra?"

… wasn't the boss...

"LYRA!" Before she could even think of what to say, I was being strangled in the burly arms of a Gojid who, for some reason, was wearing the boss's hat. “It's been so long!”

...

I couldn't say a thing, partly because I didn't fully recognize the gojid who was talking to me and partly because I could barely get any air into my lungs.

"Don't you recognize me? I'm Kajim."

"Kajim!?" The last time I saw him, we were practically the same height, maybe he was even a little shorter, always running around, arguing with Zep or any other silver-clad officer if the opportunity arose. Now he looked so... mature. Chatting and laughing with others has he waited for the ceremony to begin.

"Brax invited you too?!" No offense intended, but his relationship with the exterminators was always complicated, to say the least. His being here was a real surprise.

"You could say no." Kajim laughed, still holding me.

"So what are you doing here?"

"Who would have supervised all this if not me?" His cheerful expression changed to genuine confusion.

"... What are you talking about? And more important, why are you wearing that hat?" I don't know if that old thing was some kind of relic or something, but there wasn't a single day that the boss didn't wear it. Seeing someone else wearing it was almost unthinkable, unless...

"It's the boss hat..."  Kajim's face couldn't have been brighter.

“Yeah yeah… The boss´s hat. But why is the boss not using it?”

“You´re not understanding. This hat can be only used by the boss of this place.”

…

“The boss hat.”

…

I don't know if such a thing as a boss hat is something real or just something Kajim invented, but I think I got the idea. My only question and concern now was... "And then why isn't the boss wearing it?"

...

"Sigh..." Kajim took off his "Boss hat" and lowered his gaze. "He... He left the farm a while ago..."

"W-What..." A huge weight settled on my chest.

"He's now running a new farm among the stars..."

…

…

…

It always bothered me a bit that the boss only called me just to ask for a favor and never called again; was this the reason?

"Don't say it like that!" With a movement I barely perceived, a hand split the air for an instant and struck Kajim on the head. Nothing that caused real harm, just a disciplinary tap. And judging by the way he did it without hurting himself on Kajim's quills, this wasn't the first time it had happened. "It sounds awful that way." Maria, whom I hadn't noticed was also here, scolded Kajim as only a mother (and Maria) knows how.

"But it's true!" Kajim genuinely didn't see the problem.

Maria raised her hand once more and Kajim could do nothing but try to cover himself; it seemed a bit exaggerated, but I also felt annoyed after feeling my heart flutter for no reason.

…

“Sigh…” Maria lowered her hand. “The boss is fine, if that’s what you’re worried about. He just left the farm.”

“Left?!” Considering how obsessed he sometimes seemed with this place, it's something I could never have imagined. “Then, who’s in charge now…”

Maria's eyes fell upon the little Gojid who… wasn't so little anymore…

"This fool is the boss of this place, so to speak," she said.

...

"Kajim?"

"That's why I'm wearing a boss hat."

…

If it weren't for Maria's completely serious expression and Kajim's smile, I would think they were joking again.

"Why?" That was the first thing that came to mind, the second one was "weren't there any other options?"

"When the boss announced his retirement, Not a day went by when Kajim didn't beg him to take over the place." Maria still seemed to have some conflict with this.

"Someone had to run this place according to the boss's vision..." The certainty with which Kajim spoke made me feel that this was really true.

"Surprisingly, things have worked out quite well here." Maria sighed. "Although sometimes someone has to rein in so much enthusiasm... Right?" Maria crossed her arms and Kajim just swallowed.

"But Zep, Brax and other former exterminators are now working here," I said, still so naively.

"I know." Kajim didn't seem really bothered.

"But didn't you hate them?"

"Well, I still don't like them, but they've hung up their uniforms and they're good workers, so I guess it's okay." Kajim just shrugged.

"I guess... I guess that makes sense." I never thought Kajim would say something like that. I guess more things than I expected have changed...

"And then, the boss..." Even so, the idea of ​​someone like the boss retiring seemed unthinkable to me; A quiet, carefree life was incompatible with someone like the boss.

"The boss decided that a single exchange program didn't already present enough problems...." A voice so deep it could make your insides rumble sounded behind us. I still don't understand how someone with a voice like that can sneak up behind you, undetected until it's too late... I'm glad I'm not an enemy of someone like that.

"Boss!" I don't think I've ever felt so happy to see that grumpy old human again.

"Phew... I'm glad to see you too..."

Without realizing it, I practically threw myself into his arms; sometimes so much affection can be a painful.

"Kajim said… For a moment I thought that you… Is it true that you left the farm?"

"I come here fairly regularly, but basically Kajim is the one who manages it now... With help and constant supervision, of course." The boss's gaze shifted to Maria, who simply nodded discreetly.

"But why?"

"It's a long story..." The boss scratched his sparse facial hair. "To sum it up, I stayed in touch with some members of the evaluation committee. They came around a couple more times to support us with some ideas for renovations and in the end, Zizios, the Yotul representative, convinced me to try replicating my exchange program model on his planet. He seems very interested in getting the generations who grew up under the Federation regime back in contact with the native flora and fauna of their world."

"Oh..." I knew that someone like the boss didn't know the meaning of the word rest...

"The certification assessment will be next month. I'm confident that this time we won't have surprises this time ."

...

"I see..." Seriously, they were all so different from how I remembered them...

"Congratulations for your two successful exchange programs."

… 

The boss made a strange face that made me wonder what my mistake had been.

“Is something wrong?” I said

"...Actually there are three... Or well, there will be soon."

"Three!?"

I almost choked on my own words. It wasn't impossible, but I can't remember a single day when the boss didn't complain about something related to this farm, yet he still decided to open a second exchange program and now a third?!

"But how? No, more importantly, why?"

"Well, with the second one, I basically did the same thing as here. A few loans here and there, plus a couple of favors and agreements. The SC really promotes cultural exchange, so it's not that difficult if you have a plan." The boss started listing a few more things "For this third one, I was contacted by the Harchem Representative. It seems his planet is looking to boost tourism in every way possible after rebuilding it and he offered me the chance to start a joint project that..."

"I mean, how did you come up with the idea of ​​doing something like this? The last time I saw him, it seemed like he was starting to delegate some of his responsibilities. Now he's creating... I don't know, some kind of franchise?!"

"Yeah... It turns out retirement doesn't suit me. It's curious how my body aches if I'm not doing anything." The boss moved his knees with some difficulty, as if he were warming up for something. Unlike the last time I saw him, he now carried a cane, but it seemed to be something he only really uses every few steps, when for some reason his joint decided to give out, only to then work perfectly again for a while longer. "This machine will only stop the day its boiler shuts down..." He gave her a couple of blows to the chest

…

It was terrifying how he could say such things so casually. Now I understand why Kajim is the way he is…

“Besides… he’ll never stop bothering me, saying I’m ‘wasting my potential’ or whatever excuse comes to his mind.” The boss gestured with his cane to another small group of guests further back, all laughing at things only they understood. Among them, Maaro the Kolshian seemed to be the center of attention…

"He's basically the driving force behind all this; I just make sure to keep all that enthusiasm focused on one goal at a time..." As if Maaro could hear us from where he was sitting, he turned around in an instant and, after saying goodbye to the people he was chatting with, came over to greet us. "And I'm not really complaining; he keeps my days busy." The boss shrugged.

"Miss Lyra, it's been so long!" Maaro said, his arms outstretched to the sky, ready for a strangling hug. "Radiant as ever... And, where's your little friend? Ozzy, right?" Well, it seems he hadn't changed a bit.

"Supervisor Maaro..." I said, trying to avoid being hugged; the one Kajim had given me still hurt.

"I'm no longer a supervisor," he said. "I'm tired of politics and public relations. I preferred to dedicate myself to the tourism business..." Maaro adjusted the lapels of his suit. Unlike the boss, who wore a dark suit, matching tie, and nothing else, Maaro was more... flamboyant... He wore an outfit in a pearlescent hue with shimmering accents; the absence of a tie lent a more relaxed air, while his decorative element adorning his lapel resembled a flower one might see in the gardens of Aafa.

"Congratulations for you..."

"Let's be frank, on my own, I'm nothing." Maaro laughed with a touch of bitterness. "If it weren't for Martin, Linda, and all of you who welcomed me... I wouldn't be here now." The boss pretended to be occupied with something else to avoid answering that. "The least I can do is try to mend my people's legacy and rebuild the bonds between us all. Only then, perhaps someday..." Maaro took the brooch adorning his attire in his tentacles and gazed at it as if it were a window to the past, to a memory, or perhaps to a dream...

...

"But enough about that. Let's focus on what's important." Maaro shook off any negative thoughts from her mind, and that cheerful, slightly cheeky tone returned to his voice. "You seem like someone who has good taste... I'd like to know your opinion on something..."

"Here it comes again..." The boss pressed his hand to his temple, shaking his head in disapproval.

"I have a couple of ideas to make our new project a unique place, please tell me what you think." Maaro took out his device and after a couple of taps showed me the screen. blueprints, sketches and at least several dozen notes lit up the device's screen.

"I already told you no." Martín almost wanted to rip the device off my paws. "We'll stick to the model that has worked so far, and that's not up for discussion."

"But we have the support of the Harchem government, so why not try to innovate a little with..."

"Trying to replicate what you saw in Charlie and the Chocolate Factory is not innovation."

...

That film was another good example of how creatively macabre the human mind could be when it came to wielding karma... A concept I've known very well since I first encountered humans. Now I was curious to see what someone like Maaro could imagine with that.

"... How do you know that?" Maaro clutched his device and all the ideas stored there.

"I'm not an idiot, Maaro. Anyone could see the similarities." There it was again, that stern tone the boss used so many times with me... Truly nostalgic... "Besides, do you think I can't hear you watching films in your room until late at night?"

"What's wrong with wanting to give the place a theme? Fahl has an ecosystem we could draw inspiration from, its crystal caves and underground lakes..."

"With what money do you plan to do all that? If people want to visit those places, it's better to go directly to them than to an imitation."

"We still have a budget and I think it would be a good idea to have a safer and more controlled experience for the kids." Maaro was truly convinced of this. "Miss Lyra, please make the foolish human understand: creating themed zones will give our next project a unique touch."

“Lyra, don't indulge this octopus's delusions.”

"Lyra."

"Lyra!"

"LYRA…"

...

...

...

The discussion continued like this for a while...

Honestly, it didn't bother me. It felt like just another day on the farm, with pending tasks, the boss about to yell at me for something I did or… for something I didn't do, all while I was just worrying about what I was going to have for dinner as I was seeing Ozzy running around. This was really like my second home… or the third? … Bah whatever. It felt like being home.

If the whole Shadestalkers thing doesn't work out, or if the lieutenant really gets fed up with me, maybe I'll come back to this place.

+++++

The morning sun shone more intensely. Although the trees' foliage offered some shade, the humid heat of the place was still noticeable.

More guests arrived. Some were acquaintances; others didn't remain strangers for long..

I finally had the chance to speak with Tammy, the bride, who, unlike Brax, was incredibly excited about everything. She was running around in a dress clearly influenced by human taste. A satin white that contrasted beautifully with her fur. The dress had ample room for her train to move freely, floral decorations in the same color adorned the edges, and a veil that, from what I'd seen in the movies, she was supposed to wear to cover her face until the ceremony, but which she chose to remove for the impractical it resulted. She took the time to greet everyone, thanking them for coming and taking pictures to remember the day. It was a shame that when my turn finally came, the ceremony was about to begin. Well, I have the rest of the day after that…

I didn't realize it until Marcus mentioned it, but my tail was wagging behind me, hitting the back of my seat. I'd seen it so many times in movies; I'd even dreamt about being at a wedding a couple of times. Not as the bride though, that was too much trouble. Finally, I was at one.

Generally, a union was a serious matter, with almost mystical undertones depending on the religion involved. With the Sibkit, for example, it was practically a contract between families; with the Kolshian, it was a display of status; for the Zurulian, an oath that had to be honored. The Krakotl often simply began living together, and that was all. We Venlil celebrated with a banquet, and the Yotul took it a bit further with music and dancing, but nothing that compared to human weddings (at least the ones I've seen on television).

Anything involving humans was an excuse to celebrate and go all out. Music, food, dancing, games... literally anything could happen. The best part was that the only requirement to attend was knowing one of the guests, unlike a traditional Farsul ceremony.

That's why when Tammy told me that their union ceremony would basically be like a human wedding, my ears perked up in surprise and great anticipation; nothing has made me lower them since.

"Brax, it's your turn to say your vows..." After doing his part, the officiant took a step back and gave Brax the floor first.

…

"Ahem..." Brax cleared his throat, adjusted his robe-like attire. Something a bit more traditional than his companion's, and with a trembling paw unfolded a tattered sheet of paper, covered in scribbles and stains. It was clear that this sheet had been with Brax for some time and yet, the Farsul didn't seem ready to say a word without it.

"Tammy, I know your flaws and I've decided to stay by your side. I know your fears and I won't use them against you. I know your joys and I want to share them." He said, swallowing as if he feared his partner's reaction. "It's not that you have many... I wouldn't even call them flaws, but you know, it's part of the family speech and well... part of the ceremony..."

"I understand..." Tammy just smiled and gave a small bow, inviting Brax to continue.

"When your journey is long, I will walk with you." Brax said in a very nervous voice, some words barely understandable through the translator implant. In contrast, Tammy seemed so happy that she could barely stop her tail from wagging with joy.

"It's just a metaphor… by the way. I won't force you to walk too far or anything like that."

....

"What I'm trying to say is that I'm not going to abandon you just because things get tough. If you have a problem, I'll be there. If the problem is mine, I'll be there too, obviously... And if the problem isn't our problem but it still affects us... Well, I'll see what I can do."

Tammy simply bowed again in acceptance of the first marriage vows.

...

Brax took another breath before continuing.

“I promise to always be loyal and offer you nothing but the truth…”

Tammy nodded again.

"In the face of danger, I'll be the pillar that protects you... Not that you can't do it yourself, and not that I'm implying anything about anyone here..." Brax's gaze lingered on some of those present, trying not to offend them. He even glanced at me briefly, I suppose because of Ozzy, who was sleeping peacefully under my seat after having explored every corner of the place.

"And I'm not just talking about physical dangers. Although, obviously, if someone tries to hurt you, I'll do everything I can to stop them. I'll protect your name, your decisions, your secrets, your dreams… even the ones I'm not involved in, because of course, everyone has their own individual goals and dreams, right? But if I can, I'll support them too."

...

Tammy tilted her ears in confusion at that last part but decided to ignore it and smile again.

"Brax..." Now it was Tammy's turn. "I, Thammie, have come to know you in all your layers, some... harder to love than others, but at your core I can see..."

"Oh, and I'll protect you from myself if necessary." Brax stepped forward to add, interrupting his fiancée's wedding vows. "I'm sorry... But I had to add that. May I do that?" He turned to the officiant, who merely gave a discreet wagging of his tail in affirmation.

...

Tammy just stood there silently with her ears back, probably wondering what was supposed to mean that.

"I have always been honest with you, and my intention would never be to hurt you. But if one day I say or do something that you consider a betrayal of these vows, I want you to know that I will do everything in my power to make amends..."

...

"I'm not saying I'm going to do it. It's just that you never know when things might be misinterpreted, and all that." Brax was getting more and more tangled up in his own words... "I just want to set a record of..."

"How long is this going to last?" I asked Marcus, already feeling a bit impatient. This wasn't at all what I'd imagined, and it was all Brax and his stupid nerves. He was an exterminator, someone who was supposed to be brave. How could he suddenly start stuttering so much?

"From what I've researched, traditional Farsul wedding ceremonies involve three marital vows: to protect you, to be by your side, and to tell the truth. You also give something special as a token of your commitment to your partner, but you can add more vows if you wish. So, I don't know." The boss, who was sitting next to me, clarified, holding his device to confirm that the information was correct.

"And how many marriage vows have he said so far?"

"I think he already did the three, but judging by how this is going, I suppose Brax still has a few more things to say..." Marcus chuckled. "And Tammy still has to say hers."

"This will take us forever..."

"Shhh." Immediately everyone silenced me.

I slumped back in my seat. Beneath it, Ozzy slept peacefully, indifferent to any rules or rituals, ready for when the party really started… sometimes I envied him.

“I’ll also protect you from my past… not that I have anything to hide, but if someday…” Brax continued babbling nonsenses.

"Technically, they’ve already accepted each other, rigth? This is just a formality that he has been practising. Why is he making such a big deal of it?"

"Lyra..." Marcus, as usual, put on his disapproving face.

"What? It´s the true"

"I'd like to see you do better." Marcus crossed his arms and raised an eyebrow. "This is an important moment in our friend's life."

"Even me was a bundle of nerves at my wedding..." The boss added with an awkward chuckle. "That damn photo Linda framed reminds me of it every morning."

"Pfft, no big deal." Honestly, I couldn't imagine myself in that situation, but if I were, I'm sure I'd do a hundred times better; not that Brax is setting the bar too high anyway...

...

...

...

"Hey." I nudged Marcus in the side to get his attention. "When this is over, I dare you to try a spoonful of the firefruit sauce from the food bar..." I said to Marcus, trying to change the subject.

…

Marcus wrinkled his face in confusion.

"But it must be a bite with nothing else that could dull the flavor." I couldn't help but smile a little maliciously as I imagined what would happen.

When I passed by the food bar, that salad almost made my eyes water. Without a doubt, that one and other condiments were prepared with ingredients grown here. I don't know why, but some fruits really adapted to the local environment, standing out from the ones you usually find in the supermarket. For example, the fire fruit grown here really lives up to the "fire" part; I couldn't wait to try it.

...

Marcus just stared at me for a long minute as Brax continued rambling in the background. "Are you serious?"

"What? Can't you, or are you scared?"

Marcus narrowed his eyes, feeling his pride tingle at the challenge.

"Deal, but you'll do the same." The same evil smile appeared on Marcus's face.

"Hey, copying isn't allowed."

"What? Can't you, or are you scared?" His smile only grew wider.

"Fine..." I said resignedly. I never back down from a challenge, and this time wouldn't be the exception. "And I challenge you to drink a glass of Venlil liqueur, neat, nothing of mixing it with other drinks like you always do..."

"So I dare you to ask the boss to dance... They say he has two left feet and that his partners always end up with their toes stepped on."

"I would be offended if it weren't true." The boss just shrugged, pretending to pay attention to the ceremony and not our conversation.

"So I challenge you to..."

"Oh yeah? In that case I challenge you to..."

"Well, I challenge you to..."

...

...

...

I changed my mind. This was the best wedding I've ever been to.

FIRST - PREVIOUS - NEXT Sorry but this is the end :´(

"Lyra, we're almost there."

...

"Lyra..."

Marcus's voice sounded distant, as if he were in another room or speaking through a cardboard tube.

"It does bring back memories, doesn't it?"

"Mhm..." I didn't even bother opening my eyes.

This trip was supposed to be fun; visiting places, eating strange dishes and finally arriving at the farm to celebrate, but I was exhausted and we hadn't even arrived yet.

Walking back and forth, checking papers, sitting for hours in different types of ships and vehicles, more walking.

Many days in advance, I prepared the paperwork I needed to bring Ozzy with me, and even then, I had to return several times to get a stamp, obtain a signature or request special permission for my dog ​​to board like any other passenger...

This time I checked the requirements, I SWEAR BY THE STARS I DID IT, and yet at least a third of my vacation so far has been just that, papers, “routine check-ups” and even a couple of small favors/bribes. Why is this so complicated?!

The event I had been waiting for all these weeks now gives me a headache just thinking about it. I just wanted to go home and sleep until next week...

"I'm just going to say hello and then I'll leave..." I said, trying to find a comfortable position in my seat.

"You're not serious... right?" Marcus sounded even more discouraged than me. "You kept going on about this and now..."

"I don't know, the trip just wasn't what..." The vehicle shook a little when we took the turn.; it was the unmistakable feeling of the tires bouncing against the cobblestone road that led to the farm. With my eyes still closed, I could almost hear Kajim arguing with Maria about something as I curled up with Marcus to shield myself from the freezing cold morning wind,  so nostalgic...

"OZZY NO!"

And it seems I wasn't the only one who thought the same...

"OZZY, ENOUGH!" I had been hearing Ozzy sounding more and more agitated from the back seat of the car for a while. Maybe he was just as fed up with traveling as I was, maybe something in all this was stirring up an old memory. But as soon as he felt the car vibrate and saw the place up close, he had no doubt. He ran from one side to the other in the back seats and when he decided he needed a better view, he jumped to the front... into my seat... without caring that I was still there.

"Ozzy! You're hurting me." Not that he was actually hurting me... At this point, it was an absolute certainty to me that he would never dare to do anything to harm me or endanger me in any way, not intentionally at least... But he had become so big and heavy that having him in my lap was really uncomfortable and his claws... If he wasn't careful, his claws could…

"You're going to ruin my dress, you stupid dog!"

He didn't seem to care in the slightest; he just wanted to find a way to open the door and go back to exploring the place like he did as a puppy.

"J-Just… wait a minute, okay?" We were both supposed to have made the same trip, how come he doesn't seem tired at all? "Stay still" I could barely manage to put his leash on. In the past, he would have walked beside me with complete freedom, but I suppose things have changed and I wouldn't be surprised if new members have little to no experience with certain creatures.

It's been a while now and you could say most are acclimated to all sorts of terrestrial peculiarities, even so, a dog running and barking is always fuel for stampedes, besides, at this moment we are nothing more than simple visitors, they could even expel us from the place for the slightest  reason.

"Ouch ouch... Marcus, you know what? You take Ozzy, I'll carry the presents." I think I'm reconsidering my stance that Ozzy would never hurt me; he seems so excited to be back here that he doesn't care about anything else, not even if he drags me all over the farm like he did once before. So nostalgic, though not in the way I'd like.

We got a few looks from some other visitors and a couple of guys in uniforms with the word 'security' written on the back. (I didn't recognize them and they didn't seem to recognize us, so I guess they have to be new). Anyway, besides those glances, nobody said a thing, so I guess this might have become relatively common around here.

"And... Do you know where we have to go?" Marcus looked at the different forks in the road and scratched his head, looking again at the invitation on his device.

… 

What a stupid question. At least that's what I would have said if I hadn't paused for a second to look around and realised that I didn't know where to go either...

Beyond the parking lot, past the main entrance where a plaque engraved in more than one language welcomed everyone, the place was so different from how I remembered it.

...

It's not as if the buildings had moved or been demolished and replaced with new ones. Even so, in my dreams and on those nostalgic afternoons, my memory of this place was far removed from the actual one.

It's definitely the same, but it's…  It's like that friend who gets a radical haircut overnight just because they "wanted a change".

From that place in the middle of nowhere, full of saplings struggling against its desertical nature to survive, there was the seed for a new whole ecosystem. The cobblestone paths extending from the centre of the main square were now covered by the natural shade of the planted trees. This made it difficult to see the signs and notices in some places, while providing a refuge for new species that had made their home among the leaves.

Since this program started, each establishment was given certain freedom to personalize its facade of their premises according to the culture they represented, maintaining a certain uniformity among them. Almost three years later, the decor and vegetation chosen by each establishment varied so much that the whole place resembled a small embassy district. Since the clean, soft-edged structures, classic of the Venlil; the Yotul with their characteristic tendency to over-reinforce any joint; the Gojid with their distinctive reddish hue in the materials of their most traditional buildings... There was even a restaurant with the unmistakable Kolshian style, full of bright decorations and organic shapes. I suppose this last one is thanks to Maaro's influence; it's rare to see places like that these days. Unlike people, the plants obeyed no rules, growing as much as the fertile soil allowed, clinging to walls, cracking the ground where their roots ran, or simply reaching for the sky even if it obstructed lamps, windows and signs, all while displaying such bright and varied colors that the contrast between one building and another was like a leap between worlds. It might sound like something that would detract from the charm of a place that seeks to please as many people as possible, but in reality, it created a sense of homeliness… At least in this corner of this death world, it seemed there was something for everyone; you ceased to be a stranger, even between predators.

"Do you think we should ask for directions?"

...

I didn't want to do something as humiliating as that, not only because this place was supposed to be like a second home (well, technically it would be my third since my house on Earth was my second home) but also because at the entrance a guy offered us brochures about the place and I flatly refused them, arguing that I knew this place quite well... I couldn't face that Venlil again and admit that I need one...

"Well, well... I knew my day was being too good  to be true..." A voice said from behind.

...

It took me a while to recognize the sarcastic Venlil, but after a moment I... Who am I kidding, if it weren't for the badge on his uniform I wouldn't have any idea who I was talking to, especially since I'd never seen him without his silver uniform, I even thought that was his real skin.

"Need a tour?" Zep, the exterminator leader (or rather, former exterminator leader), greeted us with a look different from the typical disdain and slight disgust he always seemed to have when he looked at Ozzy. His wool was a bit grayer than before and a pair of dark circles are now under his eyes. It was clear this job had taken a lot out of him and yet, his tail swished so calmly, like grass swaying in the wind....

"Zep?" I know that's what it said on the name tag on his vest, but... We never exchanged too many words; in fact, I used to avoid him as much as possible.

"I knew I wasn't wrong." Zep seemed to smile. "You see Venlils and dogs, Venlil hidden from the dogs, but never the two of them walking together." His tone of voice was... soft and gentle, very different from the Zep who shouted that everything was a predatory trick.

...

"Is something wrong?" Leader Zep's ears pricked up and he stared at me with genuine confusion.

"N-No... Nothing, it's just that..."

"You look good, buddy. I'm surprised to see you still working here." Marcus saved the day, always putting into words what I´m thinking without sounding insulting. After what happened with Nerion, Zep seemed to show some interest in staying on Earth and working alongside the boss, but in my mind, that would only be possible if he were drowning in debt, hiding from Nerion and his likely revenge… or had suffered a severe brain damage that erased everything he once was. Any of those options sounded awful and what was worse, I couldn't think of anything else to say to him.

"Have you really been working here since the last time we saw?" It's good that Marcus is as gossip as me, but a little more subtle.

"Sometimes I don't believe it either..." Zep's eyes seemed somewhat distant... He didn't even bother to glance at Ozzy as he might have at other times. "There are some human things I still disagree with, but the pay is good and the place is peaceful."

In the distance, a human child was crying because a small Venlil had gored him and knocked him down. It didn't seem serious, but a dispute never seems to go unnoticed if humans are involved, even if it only involves children...

"It's peaceful most of the time...."

"I'm happy for you, buddy..." Humans are usually so measured in their actions until their emotions overflow, giving Zep a couple of pats, perhaps a little too hard. "Although it's a bit strange to hear it coming from you... No offense..."

"Hmph... I've been hearing that all day..." Zep's smile curled at the corners of his mouth, and for the first time that day, his gaze met Ozzy's for a couple of seconds. Ozzy just turned his head curiously, neither of them saying anything about it (well, not that Ozzy could say anything anyway). "But let's not just stand here. Allow me to take you to the others. The event starts in just over an hour, but there's a lovely reception for the guests." A little further from the bustle, one of the electric carts was parked, waiting for us. I hadn't seen one since the last time I was here.

"Even today you're working, huh?" Marcus sounded like that nosy voice I tried so hard to suppress... It's good to have him by my side.

"I've known Brax since he was a rookie in the guild. Watching him adapt to the whole human thing, was what inspired me to take this job in the first place. A simple gift didn't seem enough. The least I can do for him is make sure everything goes perfectly today." Zep drove along a path that seemed to be off-limits to the public; apparently, an entire section of the farm had been reserved solely for the celebration.

"Was your gift by any chance liquor?" I asked.

"The strongest..." Zep's expression was darkly cheerful. Every Venlil knows that a celebration isn't a celebration without the strongest liquor accompanying each toast, so it's a pretty common gift. Underneath a fine gift bag, decorated with ribbons and colorful paper, I also brought my personal choice, although Marcus insisted on buying something more original and decided to bring something himself. I felt insulted, to the point that I didn't even bother to find out what he brought.

…

Marcus was watching me out of the corner of his eye, waiting for me to bring up the gift issue again. I don't like that he can read me so well sometimes, so had to change the subject

"And... are you still in touch with Nerion?" It's a shame I couldn't think of anything else to say, but you can't blame me for that; seeing Zep made it impossible not to think of Nerion somehow.

...

The former extermination officer's spirits seem to sink for the first time today.

"I... I haven't heard from him since..." Zep pressed the accelerator a little harder. "After what happened, I submitted my resignation to the guild and tried to contact him to inform my decision personally, just as a professional courtesy... I never received a response."

...

...

...

"I know he got off scot-free for the ship crash, but honestly, I don't think he's doing so well right now. So I don't hold a grudge..." Zep sighed.

"Really?" Is Nerion doing badly somehow? I couldn't help but perk up my ears with morbid curiosity.

"Didn't you see the last time he was on TV? He came on to speak on behalf of Governor Venl." Marcus pulled out his device, typing at a speed you don't use unless it's really important… he selected a clip in the list of results and fast-forwarding it to the point of interest. "It was a disaster!"

[Governor Venl will not be providing any further information at this time.] It came over the loudspeaker.

“Nerion…” Those cold eyes, that serious expression that hides what he's really thinking, and that burn scar on his face... Again, after so long, Nerion was in front of me (so to speak). Holding back reporters hungry for answers and even pushing back the most insistent ones. I could see in his gaze that the only reason he was holding back was to avoid making a bigger scene.

[Governor Venl hasn't made any commentary about the leaks about himself and the... Humans accompanying him on those videos. Will he ever?] One of the reporters, squeezed into the crowd, used his last bit of breath to drop the bomb.

[... As I said, the governor doesn't want to talk about his private life. If you want to know more about the new projects that are being developed, I recommend...] Governor Venl appeared at the beginning of the clip but only for a brief moment; as soon as he saw his opportunity, he fled from the cameras, leaving Nerion behind without any remorse, who looked increasingly cornered by the hungry media.

[Governor Venl has always displayed a zero-tolerance stance towards humanity in front of the cameras, yet he seems to have a certain… fondness for the opposite sex of that species. How will this affect his policy on repatriating human refugees?] A small Dossur reporter was jumping from head to head trying to reach Nerion with his microphone.

[... Governor Venl is not obligated to talk about his private life, much less about information taken out of context whose sole purpose is to damage his....] Amidst the barrage of questions and the onslaught of microphones, Nerion could barely finish a sentence. 

[Were you already aware of the tastes of the governor? I understand that you are one of his closest and most loyal associates.] Their only interest was in getting the latest news story, or failing that, another equally juicy story.

[...] Nerion could do nothing but clench his teeth and swallow his anger.

[Do you or anyone else within Governor Venl's inner circle share a similar affinity for humans?]

[...] Nerion remained in a long silence, doing his best not to unleash his anger, his claws digging into himself as he made a fist and his tail moving like a whip ready to strike.

[So that's a yes or...] The last thing seen in the clip is Nerion ripping the camera off the paws of the poor reporter who perhaps felt too confident and got too close to the face of the furious exterminator or whatever he is now.

"It's been like this for weeks..." Marcus laughed, bringing me back to reality.

"Nerion was saved from all responsibility for what happened at the farm by Governor Venl. Now he's repaying that favor by having to deal with the Governor's political bullshit every day." Zep said without taking his eyes off the road. "There are days when I still question my decision, but right now the guild in Skalga is basically Governor Venl's errand boy. Without him, their budget would plummet, so they have to put up with the mountain of crap that came after those videos of Venl with several... human companions..."

...

...

...

"I don't know why I thought at the time that it would be a good idea to vote for him..." I couldn't help but think out loud.

“I agree,” Zep added.

Interspecies relationships... Quite controversial since the beginning and much more popularized with the arrival of humans. I suppose everyone is free to decide who they want to spend their life with, right? It's not a reason to make a big fuss; even former Governor Tarva formalized her relationship with that human from first contact and everyone seems fine with that. The problem is that if your entire campaign platform is based on racial segregation and saying that Venlil come first, it's normal for your supporters to perk up their ears in confusion and demand answers after seeing a video of you "flirting and playful," to put it mildly, with someone you publicly identify as your enemy.

...

I wonder if a certain general had something to do with all this...

If General Jones were watching me right now, she'd probably break into a macabre smile when she saw that I'd finally put all the pieces together...

Just thinking about it makes my tail stand on end.

"Former comrades have asked me about this job and if they're hiring since then..." Zep chuckled.

"Seriously?" Marcus raised an eyebrow skeptically.

"These days, it's worse to say you were an exterminator than to have a history of predator disease. You can't be picky about your job choices..."

"If the boss agreed to take you on, what’s a couple more ex-exterminators?" Sometimes my thoughts get mixed up with what I'm about to say… “No offense…”

"I'm still negotiating with him. Some of them are really good guys." Fortunately, Zep didn't take it badly.

...

"Wait, what do you mean, 'negotiating'?" That didn't sound like the boss. He probably would have agreed from the start, and if not... Let's just say that persisting after a "no" from the boss rarely gets you anywhere good.

Zep stopped the cart at the end of the cobblestone path. Beyond it, all that could be seen were rows of orchards that seemed to stretch on forever. This wasn't here the last time I came… If I remembered correctly, this area was just barren land. Now I really want one of those brochures from the entrance; I needed to know just how much this place had grown.

…

"Why don't you ask him yourself?" Zep pointed to a small crowd gathered a little further on, in a clearing among the orchards. A very familiar hat sticking out caught my eye. "I have to finish my rounds before the event. I'll see you later." Zep started her cart as soon as we got out and headed back the way he came, leaving us in the middle of what felt like a dream.

FIRST - PREVIOUS - NEXT

From the back of the restaurant, a human emerged, dragging an enormous thing made of paper, painted gray, covered with crinkled paper that resembled a fluffy coat of wool and exaggerated features painted in what I supposed was the head of that thing. It looked eerily like someone I'd rather never see again.

...

Everyone fell silent as they watched that thing pass by, being dragged along by the human who kept smiling.

"That is..."

"A piñata!" a human exclaimed enthusiastically as they attached it to a makeshift pulley system on the roof, leaving it suspended in the air. "Don't you like it?"

...

...

...

The word didn't translate into anything I could understand… It's not the first time this has happened; most of the time it's not a big deal. The problem is the shape of this piñata...

"It's… Nerion..." I said as the paper and cardboard replica hung from the ceiling, slowly rotating and revealing the side of his face where the real Nerion had a burn scar. I don't think I was the only one who immediately saw the resemblance, as others murmured his name as well...

"I think we captured its essence quite well, didn't we?" One of the humans said with great pride, others humans nodded with a similar sentiment.

"What is this?" I think I spoke for everyone... Regardless of our feelings against Supervisor Venlil, seeing a depiction of him being hanged in the middle of a party was just too twisted, even by typical human standards...

"A piñata... You know..." A voice said in a tone that made me feel like the stupidest person in the world.

"It's a tradition to make a model of something or someone, fill it with sweets and then smash it to pieces." Marcus approached me from the sidelines, offering an explanation and a calming touch on my tense shoulders, though it didn't have the effect it usually does... On the contrary, I think knowing more only made things worse.

...

"Why?"

"It's funny." Seriously, Marcus didn't seem to see the problem with all this. He just shrugged.

"So... Is this what humans do to their enemies? Hang them in the air, beat them to a pulp, and eat their falling entrails?"

...

"...That's the worst description I've ever heard of a piñata..." Marcus rubbed his head uncomfortably. "We only decided to make Nerion because it seemed like a good idea at the time, but piñatas can be anything, they can even mean nothing.” 

“But he's clearly Nerion, how is he supposed to pretend it doesn't mean anything?” I initiated. 

“Look, if you can break it with a stick and it's full of candy, then it's a piñata."

...

No matter how you look at it, this is definitely something only a predator in its most sadistic moment could have come up with. The mere thought of seeing the real Nerion hanging there, begging for mercy, haunted me. I couldn't help but wonder if humans saw the same thing.

"I promise you it's nothing bad. It's just fun." Marcus was really trying to salvage the situation. "Just give it a chance."

"If it's not predatory, then I don't understand the purpose of..."

"Oh, please!" Maria, who had been watching us from the bar, now a little more uninhibited by the alcohol, shouted. "Stop talking and punch that idiot!"

Other humans joined her, encouraging me to annihilate the paper clone.

"Just give them a couple of punches and they'll leave you alone." Marcus was trying hard to maintain a smile.

"Yes, girl, teach him a lesson!"

"Destroy him Lyra!"

...

I've always known how intense humans can be when they get excited, yet they're usually quite calm when they're with us; this side of humanity was a bit too much for my taste.

With no other option, I was forced to step forward, which only made the cheers erupt even louder. When I stood face to face with the life-size dummy of the Venlil supervisor, a human rushed toward me and handed me a stick before I took cover.

…

"Hit him!"

"Show what happens to those who mess with the Earth!"

All humans encouraged me to do something that would be a crime if I did it with the real Nerion.

...

Well, I guess it's that big of a deal...

...

Who am I kidding? If it's that big of a deal, I know that at the time I wanted to unleash all my anger on that Venlil, but it was only because the situation forced me to. Doing it just for fun was something only a psychopath would do…

“We don’t have all night, Lyra.”

But if I didn't do it, they wouldn't leave me alone...

"Nghh!" I lifted the stick with some difficulty (it turns out it was heavier than it looked) and let the inertia of my effort drop it onto the cardboard doll's head, barely leaving a small mark on the gray paint.

...

A hollow noise echoed in the room, and then it fell silent.

"You call that a blow?"

"Imagine it's the real one."

Humans are really demanding when it comes to violence...

I raised the stick again for a second blow, but this time, the “piñata” didn't stay still...

"Huh!?"

With a tug on the rope that held it, a human made the inanimate object rise above my head at the last moment, dodging my attack.

"Buh..."

"You failed."

Everyone made fun of me...

"I think you can do better than that!" Even the boss joined in the chorus of jeers, which really made me angry.

"BAH!" A third blow came from deep within me. There was no time for thoughts or feelings, only action.

"TAKE THIS! AND THIS!" I gave one blow after another, barely allowing me to breathe. Some of my blows landed, others missed ant that only made the next one more charged with fury.

"10... 9... 8..." The humans began a countdown, and I immediately understood that my chance to hit a high-ranking officer without suffering any consequences was about to end...

By the time number 1 arrived, my arms were burning and my lungs were gasping for air, but the paper Nerion in front of me had received all the pent-up resentment I still had. With a dented head and a broken ear, I couldn't have been more satisfied.

“Okay, that’s enough…”

They had to take the stick away from me... I felt I could still do more, but rules were rules.

"Who's next?" The human who seemed to be in charge of this asked and more than one paw rose into the air.

One by one we stepped forward; armed with nothing more than a simple stick and their resentment, we all had the chance to tell Supervisor Nerion what we really thought. I don't know if there are rules in this game, but some took the opportunity to gore, scratch with their claws or hit the piñata with their tails. The humans even had to intervene when Kajim tried to pull out his quills to stab the Nerion model. By the time the last of us had gone through, Nerion's already battered paper body could take no more and split in two, releasing a shower of candy all over us.

…

"What are you waiting for? Take as many as you can!"

Marcus exclaimed.

...

I had my doubts, as most likely everyone else did, but we were already in the thick of it, and collecting a sweet loot of a dead no longer seemed like such a moral dilemma...

Hesitantly, I picked up a chocolate bar, smashed to a pulp from all the blows. It wasn't like I really wanted to eat something like that, but I guess it was still edible. Then I picked up a small bag of dry fruit, everything fine with them and a sweet cereal bar, also broken into several pieces. That's when I started to understand why this was supposed to be fun...

The next treat I took was taken at the same time by a fellow Harchem, who without hesitation snatched it from my paws and added it to the small loot in her arms.

…

Not wanting to fight over a broken candy, I let the incident pass and eyed my next prize, a small bag of nuts, but Kajim grabbed it before me, not even caring that he couldn't carry any more sweets. It was then that the flame inside me reignited, making the next colourful package in my vision field the most coveted prize. I didn't know what it was, or even if I was actually going to eat it... I only knew that no one but me was going to claim it.

That's how we all fought until the last “prey” was captured, and there was a moment to think, "What are we doing?" and "Why was this so much fun?"

No one fought seriously and no one got hurt, but the catharsis afterward doing something forbidden... It was great...

I almost wished they'd hang a piñata of General Jones now. I had a couple of things I still needed to say to her, too. It's a shame that apparently, making a custom piñata is more time-consuming and complicated than it looks, and there was only time to make one. At least I have a decent loot of... crumbled cookies, pureed chocolates, and other stuff... Why did I want this in the first place?

Well, whatever the case, it was an interesting experience. It's not something I'd do again, at least not on my own initiative, but I'd be lying if I said I didn't have fun. After that, everything else seemed less predatory but equally enjoyable.

...

...

...

The night passed in the blink of an eye...

When I regained track of time, my pad was already ringing again, reminding me that there were only a few hours left until my flight back to Skalga... Enough time if it weren't for the hell that is the document check, the baggage check and all that stuff that airports love to do just to waste our time.

With a pain greater than any wound, I said goodbye to each of my colleagues, whom I had once considered family. Farewell gifts and promises to meet again showed that it wasn't just a working relationship and that perhaps we could always count on each other, but it wasn't the same anymore... Some even petted Ozzy for perhaps the first and last time, something that even the little guy took by surprise but he didn't refuse it; Ozzy never says no to a caress or a treat.

And just like that, for the first time, I said "goodbye" without adding a "see you tomorrow," turned around, and walked out the door. Marcus went ahead with everything they'd given me to put in the truck. Most of it will have to stay with my other things on Earth while I decide on my living situation, just a few gifts will go with me this time. I just hope I don't go over the weight limit and have to pay extra for it… Bah! I'll worry about that later.

"I know we didn't always understand each other, but meeting you was one of the best adventures I've ever had." The boss personally escorted me to the farm gate. In fact, he said he could accompany me to the airport if I wanted, but Marcus made me the same offer too.

"Same..." I replied, trying to maintain the joy of the party and not think about what was to come.

"You'll always have a place with us. If you decide to pass through the city or are simply traveling near our planet... Don't forget to come to visit us..."

"O-Of course..." I've been trying not to get sentimental all day and now he comes out with all this sentimental bullshit; the human that sometimes looks that only knows the anger. "I appreciate all your help; you've truly made a difference to all of us... Thanks to you I'll always carry a piece of the earth with me." I said, petting Ozzy beside me. Ozzy didn't seem happy to be awake at this hour. After begging for food from as many humans as he could and wandering around, he collapsed from exhaustion. It's a shame the noise from the ongoing party didn´t let him rest. Now that it was time to leave, he could barely keep his eyes open.

"God, all of you can be a real pain sometimes." The boss laughed. "Things like the piñata… sometimes I don't know where I got the patience for all of you."

"Hey! You weren't the best boss, either..."

"But I'm glad it turned out this way..." The boss's eyes seemed distant and his smile somehow seemed... sad. "At least I can look back and say I don't regret anything."

...

...

...

Damn old man... He makes me angry and then says something like that. How am I supposed to not cry?

"And by the way... I have something for you too." From the inside pockets of his jacket, the boss pulled out a simple, slightly wrinkled paper bag with a bow; if it were on a gift table, I'd immediately know it was from him... "A small gift to remind you of us."

...

It was small, quite light and squeezing the bag didn't help me at all to get an idea of ​​what it might contain. I tried to open it carefully, but the excess tape the boss had used left me no choice but to destroy the wrapping.

...

"I-It's..." It was a little difficult for me to know what it was right away. I turned a piece of fabric. It had no buttons or zips, just a hard part on one side for some reason. "It's a..."

"A cap... It's a cap..." The boss, making an effort to be a little more patient than he usually is, took the gift in his hands and put it on his head to show me how it is supposed to be used.

"Oh... Right..." It wasn't that I didn't know a cap is, even if the design was human. It's just that between the dim lighting, the tiredness and the alcohol starting to take hold, I wasn't thinking clearly anymore.

Colored like the ocean and with holes for the ears, it wasn't just some random item the boss saw in a store and decided to buy; it was something he personally chose or customized with me in mind. With a large lettering on the front and a small inscription carefully embroidered inside, both written in human type, at least in one of the dozens of typographies they seem to have.

"Linda insisted on adding some detail that would make her stand out from the rest and... I could only think of this." The boss's voice, always so deep, stern, and direct… For some reason this time it was a little more hesitant.

"Lyra..." I'd seen my name written in human dialect so many times that I practically read it automatically. As for what's written on the front of the cap, even though I could read what it said, I didn't really understand its meaning. "K9... Unit?"

"You know... Canine Unit..." The boss laughed with growing discomfort.

…

I think I was missing something here...

"The other day we were joking that the place is like a small special forces unit. Me, an ex-pilot, several humans volunteered for the human forces, our security force is basically retired exterminators and you… You're our canine unit. That idea got stuck in my head and when I saw this cap, I couldn't resist."

...

I suppose that's one way of looking at it. Saying that I was part of a special unit in an exchange programme on my CV sounded more impressive than simply saying I worked on a farm.

"The problem is that I couldn't find one that was your size… or even compatible with your ears and all that; after all, it's not something a Venlil would usually wear. I had to ask Linda to help me adjust it a bit."

The difference between the two types of stitching was only noticeable if you knew what to look for; in any case, the care with which it was made and the attention to detail... It's not something just anyone would do.

"At the time I thought it was good... But if you don't like it..."

"Thank you..." I don't know why the boss was apologizing so much today or why he was speaking so weird... Well, I think if I talk too much right now my voice will crack too. "...Thank you for everything..."

…

That's why a hug is always better.

"The place will be much quieter without you... And I don't know if that's a good thing." To my surprise, the boss didn't reject the hug; on the contrary, he raised his long, strong arms and with a gentle touch, wrapped them around me. Even the most bitter human I know was capable of giving warmth and comfort to the heart... I think that's why, in the end, I never gave up on this place.

"I think that's why you accepted Brax, Zep and all the exterminators who quit after the incident." I was seriously trying his best not to burst into tears so talking about anything else was my only option. "I think with them and Kajim together, you'll have plenty of fun."

"Hmph... They don't compare to you..." The boss's hug tightened a little beyond what would be considered comfortable, only to release me a second later.

"Good luck, Lyra... Don't get into too much trouble."

"I'd like to promise, but you know me..." Ozzy could barely keep his eyes open and was leaning on me to keep from falling. "They follow me everywhere."

...

...

...

The boss laughed with a certain resignation and patted me on the back a couple of times in response, as if encouraging me to continue down the path I'd chosen. But seriously, if it weren't for that, I might not have been able to take the last few steps toward the truck where Marcus was waiting for me.

…

Did the boss go back to the party, or did he stay and watch me leave? Maybe he was raising his hand, saying goodbye one last time… I didn't have the courage to turn around and find out. I just got into the truck in silence and waited for it to move… I don't know why, but even now, remembering it feels painful…

How many times did he and other humans give me that push I needed to dare to do something? What will I do now without that by my side all the time?

"So, do you have everything?" Marcus asked before starting the engine.

...

I suppose I'll have to figure it out on my own from here on out.

Whine…

Ozzy, as the attention-seeking, manipulative being he always has been, sought out the soft, warm wool of my lap to snuggle up to. The road ahead was long and we both needed to be ready... 

"Yeah... I have everything I need with me." The pain in my chest lessened as I remembered I wasn't entirely alone in this anymore. Maybe we couldn't communicate perfectly, but we understood each other and at the end of the day, that's what mattered.

"Nothing can stop me from now on."

+++++

"What?! What do you mean we can´t go aboard?" My tail smacked furiously the ground. "Do you know how much I paid for his ticket? He has just as much right to go in that ship as any other passenger." Damn it, Ozzy, this is supposed to affect you as much as it affects me, how can you just stand there and do nothing?

"I'm sorry, miss, but rules are rules." The Venlil at the counter in front of me was trying hard to keep a gentle tone, though his tail was still wagging in frustration. After going through so much, he was the only obstacle standing between me and my flight back home.

"That's discrimination, discrimination against predators. I want to speak to your supervisor." A claw pointed at his face as an ultimatum.

"Miss, you are not being denied access to your companion to travel with us, but you cannot do so without the proper documentation confirming that..."

"You should have started there..." I pulled a couple of documents out of one of my bags and handed them to Venlil. The only reason I didn't throw them in his face was because I would have set a bad example for Ozzy... And because Marcus was watching. But by the stars! It's unbelievable that they continue to discriminate against predators like this. "Dog registration, vaccination record... I also have them digitally if that's not enough for you," I added.

"And the rest?" The Venlil receptionist glanced through the documents a couple of times before looking at me again with disdain.

"The rest?"

"Where are the rest of the documents, besides their respective validation seals?"

“What are you talking about?”

"Lyra..." Marcus stopped me from exploding at the receptionist again. "It says here that to transport fauna from another planet (especially if they are predators) you need several special documents..." He held out his device, where he had quickly looked up information on the matter.

"B-But..."

Animal identification where is described its species, personal characteristics and any potential risks. Certificate stating that it is not a protected or endangered species; if so, the corresponding documentation validating its ownership must be provided. The animal must undergo a thorough evaluation by airport or spaceport security before boarding. The animal must cooperate at all times; otherwise, boarding could be cancelled. All animals must have a health certificate, no more than one month old, guaranteeing that they are free of any diseases, fleas, ticks or other parasites. A link to related incidents and a guide on what to do in case of fleas was attached.

...

There was at least a second page describing the documents required for any animal on Earth to even put a paw beyond reception.

"B-But I though..."

"Skalga can't afford another flea outbreak or another cat infestation, so hand over those documents or step aside... You're holding up the line."

...

...

...

“I didn’t know anything about this… I just checked a couple of old articles about traveling with pets and it seemed so simple, when did the SC start asking for all this?”

"All I know is that without documents, you cannot board this flight." The receptionist wagged his tail disdainfully.

"But my flight..."

"Rules are rules... Don't make me call security." The Venlil receptionist didn't seem to be making up excuses to deny us access; in fact, he didn't even seem scared by Ozzy's presence. He looked… Tired, as if this wasn't the first time.

"Maybe if we hurry we can still..." Marcus tried to remain optimistic.

"...It says here that the documents must be stamped by the respective local government agencies. How long will all that take?" I felt like I was really going to burst into tears this time... “My money… I spared no expense just to make sure Ozzy's first flight was pleasant…”

...

...

…

“What am I going to do now?”

…

"Do… Do you want to go for breakfast then? It runs on me." That was the only thing Marcus could think to say.

FIRST - PREVIOUS - NEXT

The light of dawn has just reached the rooftops, but for everyone on the farm; the day had already begun a long time ago.

Kajim had already given the morning announcements and Zep had already organized the security personnel.

"Is the boss not here today either?" It was becoming less and less common to see him give the morning announcements.

"I guess he 's with Maaro." Marcus scratched his head. "Honestly, he didn't tell us anything."

"Again?"

"Since Maaro returned, they've been very busy with expansion plans for the farm. I heard Maaro say the other day that he'd like to try something like this on other planets too."

...

"Ultimately, that's Maaro's doing. The boss is a bit more... simple. "If it were up to the boss, the restaurant would only serve sandwiches.”

"Well, they're busier than ever now. With the certification issue sorted, the stars are the limit... Or so Maaro said the last time he tried to convince the boss of something." Marcus tried to imitate the gestures that only Maaro and his flexible arms can make, but the result was a little strange. Anyway, his way of speaking is so unmistakable that no one else came to mind besides the Kolshian Maaro.

"I wanted to be able to say goodbye to the boss." A small cloud of dust kicked up when my tail dropped.

"You've said goodbye to him every day this week. I think he's ready for you to go."

"But this time I'm serious..."

"I'm sure you'll see it during the course of the day. For now, we have work to do." Marcus was beside me toward the employee office

"... I guess I don't have a choice..." The day had barely begun and I already didn't feel like working. I'd say I longed to go home, lie down on the sofa and watch TV, but I no longer have a sofa, or a TV, or a home... What lay ahead after work were several hours at the spaceport, several more inside an uncomfortable ship returning to Skalga, and a lot of awkward days with my mother until she got used to Ozzy being around... "This day can´t be worse." My paws dragged as I walked, sinking into the gravel with each step; Walking became more difficult and I felt less and less like continuing.

"You were the one who promised to come."

...

"It's just... I still don't know what to think about certain changes..."

"You mean Zep and his men?" I don't know how, but Marcus always seemed to be able to read my mind or something. "Are you still worried that Nerion is watching us through them?"

"I-I don't know... Everything around me has been so strange lately that I don't even know what to think anymore. I don't particularly dislike Brax or even Zep, but at the end of the day, they are or were extermin..." Marcus snapped me out of my thoughts with a single slap on my back.

"Don't dwell on it. It´s a new program, a new beginning. We're all colleagues now." Human smiles... so bright and full of unjustified enthusiasm. I don't know why I ever feared them. "Let's enjoy your last day."

The exterminators had officially withdrawn from the farm, although to be more precisely, they had simply hung up their uniforms.

I don't know how that conversation with the boss went, but after the certification incident, the boss announced that Zep would be the new head of security for the farm; basically what he was already doing, but now without those arguments about the use of the silver suits or the constant complaints about the lack of flamethrowers, even the conversations with Kajim were a little less hostile after that.

It was no surprise that more than one followed their leader and left the guild behind. And although some habits are hard to break and frictions were still frequent (some even seemed to be wielding invisible flamethrowers from time to time), with a little time and a LOT of patience, it seemed we were finally starting to understand each other.

"Miss Lyra, you missed the morning meeting. We need you to..."

"The farm will open in less than an hour and we haven't even prepared the day's routes yet, Kajim wants us to..."

"Brax asked about you, he wanted to know if I could help him with..."

Let's just say I'd also acquired a certain authority on the farm. It wasn't official, but the new members of the exchange program saw me as... I don't know, some kind of leader or something. Maybe they just wanted to be on the side of the Venlil with the dog, but every day they waited for me to start the day, they asked for my opinion, even my permission for some things; my voice was always taken into account.

"Miss Lyra, we're running late for..."

"Yes, yes, I already heard you..." I didn't dislike this position, but at times it was truly exhausting and a real nuisance. Now, a certain responsibility prevented me from remaining indifferent to the constant worries and dumb questions that newbies ask daily.

"No, no, no! Don´t lift with your back, use your legs and balance the weight by extending your tail." I was supposed to have officially resigned a week ago, to use the time I had left to rest and get my things in order, but I couldn't avoid coming in every damn day because the rookies still aren't capable of doing the most basic things on their own. From how to operate any tool or Terran machinery, to how to lift a sack of fertilizer; they were terrible at everything.

"What are you going to do when I'm not here? You'll break your backs and no one will come to help you." A stern tone always helps to project exactly the image I want in their minds...

Ozzy next to me reaffirmed my point with a powerful bark, or perhaps it was just a coincidence... Either way, it added an extra touch of tension.

"How do all of you expect to survive if you're not even capable of..." Marcus, as gentle as ever, stopped me before anyone could start crying. 

"Get started on your tasks, we'll be there in a moment." He said, trying to lighten the mood, and no one dared to protest, leaving us alone.

"Why did you stop me?!"

"What's your problem?" Marcus raised his voice as he rarely did. It was a habit he had unconsciously adopted to avoid making his non-human companions nervous.

"I'm just showing them the importance of doing their job well."

"You're going to traumatize them."

"I rather that than them getting hurt because they're incompetent." My tail swung on the ground with every answer.

"Well, I remember a certain Venlil who was particularly clumsy and we always had the patience to help her and explain how to do things." The tone of the conversation was beginning to rise.

"That doesn't count. Nobody taught me how to do things. All I had was a security video the boss recorded and a human colleague who wasn't exactly the most competent either. The new guys are getting advice from an experienced Venlil and even then they can't do things right."

"Experienced?" Marcus crossed his arms and raised an eyebrow. "Last week, you couldn't even turn on the lawnmower."

"I said experienced, not expert, besides, that thing is like 100 years old, it's really hard to turn it on."

"Sigh... Could you be a little less intense with them? They take everything you say to heart. Think about how you would have liked to be treated when you first arrived."

…

It was easy to ask, but considering that I only had the rest of this shift to convey all my knowledge to them, stopping to consider sensitivities was a complete waste of time.

"I know you care about them. Just like you in those days, they're trying their best and honestly, they're not doing too bad either. Give them some credit." Marcus's condescending pats on my back really irritate me.

"But..."

"You know, you're becoming more and more like the boss," Marcus said, laughing.

…

That phrase felt like gasoline on the flames of my anger...

"Sooner or later, the new members of the exchange program will be on their own and will have to learn to make decisions for themselves.” I tried to justify myself. “I just want them to be competent and..." Oh the stars, I really do sound like the boss...

...

...

...

"L-Lyra?"

"You know what? Let's take a moment to have breakfast, then we'll worry about work." A version of me, several decades older and with a permanent angry expression on my face... maybe wearing worn jeans (if that was possible) and a hat came to my head and I wanted to get rid of it at any cost.

"But we just arrived..."

"I said let's go have breakfast!"

+++++

The rest of the day passed in the blink of an eye. In my head, the farm is a huge place. Well technically it is but, in my mind I can explore the entire place with a single thought. From the main entrance, the plaza filled with shops and restaurants, the orchards, the interactive animal pens and beyond there, where only staff is allowed, a complete tour could take all day. Now I understand why the boss always complains about being exhausted after a supervisory visit. 

After spending so much time in this corner of the planet, I´m able to recall every building, every tree and every creaking gate in vivid detail; I somehow know how many steps it took to get to each place or how long it would take in a cart; I even remember that light that flickers at sunset and that leak that only appears if you turn the water tap too hard... I never reported them because they'd probably make me fix them. Now I almost wish I could stay a little longer so I could do it myself.

“Sigh…”

The paths started to cover in the warm red light of sunset, indicating to visitors that it was almost time to return.

"You don't have to leave if you don't want to." Marcus sounded like the echo of my own conscience.

"I know..."

"These people need you, I need you, even the boss..."

"I know!" This echo was getting too loud. “... I know.”

...

"I could have changed my mind a month ago before telling the boss I was quitting, I could have done it a week ago before I started packing, I could have done it this morning before I locked my front door and handed over the key, but I didn't... I'm not going to change my mind now." It wasn't for the place, it wasn't for the flight tickets (well, partly it was, since they weren't cheap at all), and it's not like anyone was pressuring me to leave. It's just that... When I came to Earth, what I believed about this place was completely different from what it actually was. Skalga doesn't seem to be what I've always believed either... I'd like to know its true nature; the good and the bad alike, to finally quiet those voices in my head that keep me awake in my loneliest moments. Ignorance leads to fear and stereotypes to hatred; I don't want to feel either anymore...

"I understand... I didn't mean to pressure you." Marcus simply drove the cart back to the main square. Darkness was quickly beginning to engulf this side of the planet, and the last tourists were hurriedly ending their visit. It wasn't that anyone was rushing them or that something was lurking in the night or anything like that, but it was almost instinctive to avoid the darkness if possible.

"It's not your fault. I'm just feeling a little sentimental, that's all..." Stroking Ozzy's head had become a personal form of therapy. I don't know why, but seeing that silly smile that never left his face and those bright eyes full of hope and zero worries (of any kind of thought if I´m honest) made me believe that no matter what everything could be alright.

"Look on the bright side, at least you won't have to get up early anymore."

...

"...And the boss won't yell at you all the time anymore..."

...

Marcus was really trying and those were good points... But still...

"I really would have liked to see the boss before I left..." The pad inside my apron pocket vibrated. I didn't need to check it; It was my flight reminder. I know coordinating time zones is complicated, especially between planets, but why are all the flights at bedtime? This day was hard enough and ruining my sleep wasn't going to help.

...

Marcus didn't answer anything, he just kept driving the cart, but just when the exit could be seen at the end of the square, with a 90-degree turn he veered off between the small empty streets towards a destination that only he knew.

"Hey!" I almost fell out of the cart. It wasn't that we were going very fast, but the small space and the lack of stability the little electric vehicle has at speeds slightly above the recommended limit make it a bit dangerous. Even Ozzy's goofy grin vanished when he lost his footing for a second. "What's wrong with you?!"

Marcus simply accelerated, letting the whir of the cart's electric motor be his answer.

"M-Marcus, the exit is over there, why..." No... It was stupid to state the obvious. It was clear Marcus had other plans.

"... Where are you taking me?" If a human remains silent, it's because something really serious is happening.

People always say everything is scarier at night, but I was sure this time it wasn't my imagination. Everything looked so... dark and lonely, even at closing time. There's always someone straggling around, someone who thinks they still have time to visit that last souvenir shop they left until the last minute and one or two security guards directing people toward the exit with a flashlight. This time there was none of that, not even the moon or stars shining through the thick clouds in the sky. If it weren't for the cart headlights, the place would be in absolute darkness...

Ozzy also sensed something strange in the air, lifting his nose to the sky, sniffing the air and twitching his ears from side to side. I was sure this time it really wasn't just my imagination.

"This isn't fun anymore." My voice struggled to keep from breaking with fear and my paws trembled, debating my next move. "What's this all about?"

"Did you really think you could just leave like that?" Marcus stopped in front of one of the restaurants. As empty, dark, and silent as the rest at this hour, though my instinct told me there was something different about this one in particular. The wind sounded like whispers as if they were talking about me and the shadows seemed to come alive, moving and peering through the building's windows, only to slip back into the darkness.

Ozzy was the first to notice and confirmed that she wasn't crazy; a low growl came from his throat and a guarded posture pointed at the building entrance, only to shift to a more curious attitude a second later, tilting his head and wagging his tail.

"There's still something we need to do Lyra..." With both hands on the steering wheel and looking ahead with an expression that was barely visible, for the first time I felt fear for Marcus.

...

"M-Marcus?"

The engine shut off and with it, the headlights of the cart; a little moonlight managed to filter through the cloudy sky, barely allowing us to define our outlines.

...

I think I'd only inhaled and exhaled a pair of times, yet it still felt like an eternity. My mind was torn between fighting, fleeing, or asking for one last explanation. I don't know why, but I had a feeling they were all useless. I didn't even know what kind of situation this was. Damn it, why do humans love being so cryptic?

...

"Marcus..."

Bark

For the first time, Ozzy had something to say; unable to continue with… whatever this was, he let out a bark that echoed throughout the place, jumped down from the cart and fearlessly headed towards the restaurant doors.

"Ozzy, no! Come here." Marcus tried to stop him, but his reaction time was terrible; he hadn't even finished his sentence when Ozzy had already managed to open the door and step into the unknown.

Was I missing something or was he simply incapable of reading the tense atmosphere? Either way, my only possible trump card had abandoned me.

"Ozzy!" I screamed as I felt him leave my side for the first time.

"Surprise!!!" The restaurant lights suddenly turned on, blinding me and Marcus, while my translator implant became overloaded with the same word translated from at least a dozen languages ​​at once.

...

...

...

"Hey, it's just Ozzy..."

"Didn't you say Lyra was outside?"

"Yes, I swear I saw her through the window, I should have gone inside by now."

"Well, she's not here."

...

"Should we turn the lights off again?"

"...Nah, the surprise is ruined."

A strange argument was taking place inside what I thought was an empty place.

…

My head froze for a moment; it wasn't from fear (well, maybe just for a second). It was more that my brain was working at full capacity, trying to understand what the hell was going on, and adding just one more thing to the list caused a momentary crash.

"Damn it..." Marcus exclaimed, "I wanted to... I don't know, to say something witty before this moment."

…

I could only turn towards the human, still trying to understand what all this was supposed to be.

"Ugh. I guess the moment was lost..." The human shook his head in frustration. "Well… We'd better go inside." With a more familiar tone and an expression I already knew, Marcus extended his hand toward me, as if nothing had happened, and as had happened before, not knowing what else to do, I simply obeyed.

Even with voices still arguing inside and the lights already on, my paws followed Marcus and together we went through the door. Inside, the other members of the farm were waiting, surrounded by decorative lights, balloons, food and a large cake in the center. Now I understood why Ozzy had entered with complete confidence; he must have recognized their scent… or just the food. 

"Oh, there's Lyra..." A nearly disappointed voice said from the crowd.

...

"So... Do we say 'surprise' again or..." Everyone looked at each other confused, then looked at me as if I had the answer. I had no idea what was going on either.

"For God's sake..." From a corner of the room, the boss rubbed his temple in frustration. "We rehearsed it all day..."

Every second that passed only made her more confused...

"We wanted to throw you a surprise farewell party..." Marcus said beside me.

"Surprise… party?" 

"A surprise party.” Marcus said again. “It's a special day, but nobody seems to care. Then you get home and everyone shouts 'Surprise!'" I feel like Marcus and I were on completely different pages.

"... Why?"

"Because it's fun?"

...

...

...

"You're a complete idiot!" I punched him with all my might. "All that silence and that strange change in attitude, I-I thought... I hate you!" Humans and their strange pleasure in ambushing others, I don't know what they find so funny about that. It could have been a normal party, knowing in advance, maybe even having a say in what I wanted to eat or what flavor of cake I wanted, but NO, they have to try to give me a heart attack even for this.

"It's a tradition." I couldn't tell if Marcus was apologizing or laughing, but either way, one thing was clear: my punches seemed to do little to no damage. He barely even tried to defend himself.

"And what was all that waiting outside for? Couldn't we just go in and be done with this?"

"We rehearsed it and it didn't go very well. I just wanted to give them a few seconds to get ready. Maybe say something witty before going in... But I couldn't think of anything..."

…

A bleat of pure rage escaped my lips. If it were up to me, I'd punch Marcus all night, but my arms were already tired of attacking the human, my cheeks burned from the burst of energy, and perhaps a little shame for believing I was somehow in danger. I hate always succumbing to the same fear at the slightest provocation.

"I know you have to leave and... We just want to show you our appreciation." Marcus didn't even bother to defend himself from my last blows; the feeling of those words seemed to hurt him more than anything I could do to him.

...

Everyone around me was watching, a little confused but ready to celebrate, just waiting for me to officially inaugurate the party. Even the boss had a ridiculous paper hat on his head... That meant this was serious...

"Well... I was really surprised." I said this, trying to ignore the that my heart was still beating like crazy.

...

The others glanced at each other for a moment before erupting in cheers; their first surprise party had been a success, or so I thought. The truth is, I still didn't quite grasp the concept, and I don't think they did either. Anyway, the music started and everyone felt free to head straight to the open bar. A goodbye had never been so lively.

The farm cooks, as always, outdid themselves with their dishes. I don't know if it was just a coincidence or it's because I always ordered the same things from the menu, but more than one of them prepared those long flour noodles that I love so much. Some covered them with crimson sauce, others with vegetables shaped like small trees and other curious shapes, others prepared them in broth with ingredients whose names I still ignore, among other different presentations. Human and other species' creativity at its finest. I didn't miss the opportunity to ask as many questions as I could about each dish so I could recreate the recipes for my own personal enjoyment. The best part is that they didn't refuse to answer as they would have at another time; I suppose it was their parting gift to me.

Drinks were plentiful, though the boss asked for moderation for some reason. The last time we celebrated, nothing happened, at least not that I remember, so I don't know what all the fuss is about...

At some point, the music ceased to be mere background noise and became an invitation to dance. As expected, it was the humans who took the lead and broke the ice, offering their personal interpretations of each track. From the Venlils' rich wind instrument songs to the Yotuls' songs, full of percussion instruments; even a couple of strange tracks the Sibkit added to the playlist. There were parts of the songs where absolutely nothing was happening, though they swore it was a magnificent solo on a musical instrument I couldn't even pronounce. I thought the Venlils had pretty keen ears, well, apparently not enough. Maaro also contributed a bit of their culture, offering a couple of songs that practically invite to be danced in pairs, whether friends, family, or lovers…

…

“Why not?” I decided to stop overthinking and just celebrate. I danced with Marcus, Maria... even Kajim, although everyone preferred to keep their distance in case any of his quills got in their way. One human even grabbed Ozzy by his front paws and dragged him to the center of the dance floor to show off his best moves...

Ozzy wasn't amused in the slightest, perhaps because he didn't know the song or perhaps he simply didn't want to dance. Well, that didn't stop more than one human from dragging him back onto the dance floor, swaying him around, spinning him around and even lifting him into the air. Ozzy was clearly not happy about it, yet he didn't put up a fight, perhaps because of the prizes he received after each song. It wasn't until late at night that they finally forgot about the dog and let him finally rest.

With spirits high and some alcohol already in our system, what followed became my favorite part and one I'll never forget. Suddenly, the humans asked us to clear the center of the dance floor for a special event; they removed tables and chairs, moved the food as far away from the center as possible, and asked us to stay outside the designated perimeter so no one would get hurt. When it comes to humans, anything can be potentially dangerous, so we didn't object. What the humans had planned… let's just say it never ceases to amaze me and makes me wonder what goes through their heads…

FIRST - PREVIOUS - NEXT

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.

FIRST - PREVIOUS - NEXT

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.

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