Well, I lied, the story will have three parts, but that's because I want to clearly separate each part of our protagonist's story.
link of the AMA here.

Memory Transcript.

Subject: Lonele, Junior Exterminator of Venlil Prime

Date [standardized human time]: January 5, 2135

Finally. It is almost like a dream come true.

Today will be my first patrol as an exterminator.

It has been almost half a year since I enrolled at the recruitment center and, after countless days of training, the time has finally come to go out into the field.

I still have a hard time believing it.

Ever since I was a pup, I admired the exterminators. They always seemed like heroes to me: brave, disciplined, willing to risk their lives to protect the herd.

And today... Today I am officially going to become one of them.

The excitement made my tail wag non-stop.

"You seem very excited, don't you, Lonele?" commented Ke’tal, my guide instructor, as they let out a happy trill.

And my ears reacted immediately.

"O-oh, that's right! I can't contain my excitement; since I was a young child, I've always admired you. You are like fantasy heroes to me." My tail wagged restlessly from the excitement I could barely contain.

"Hey, old Krakotl, don't go overboard with the rookie! Remember they have never held a weapon until now... this is a farm cleanup mission and you have to do your best to protect her." The co-pilot's voice scolded my instructor.

"Yeah, yeah... but you never know when you are dealing with predators; besides, sooner or later she would have to do one of these. Don't worry about them, I am going to protect her at all times, since they are not going to have a flamethrower." replied my instructor with a carefree whistle.

My hometown slowly disappeared behind us, replaced by endless crop fields stretching all the way to the Tivalo forest.

We continued flying over the lush crops until we slowly reached the town where most of the inhabitants of these farms gathered.

Upon arriving at the warm town called HomeTown, we were greeted by a large herd of friendly and welcoming tails. It was expected that we would be received kindly, but I didn't expect Ke'tal to be so popular among the locals.

While our large team spent some time around town, Ke’tal stopped for a moment by one of the many bars and urged me to go inside.

The bar was full and had a cheerful energy to it, typical of a bar.

"Oh, Officer Ke’tal, don't be shy and take a seat!" The bartender, a grayish-furred Yotul, greeted us with utmost kindness.

"Do you know them?" I asked my instructor, somewhat confused.

"Of course I do, I'm a frequent customer of theirs. Ever since I bailed them out of a jam with a PD patient who used to wreak havoc in their bar, they never miss a chance to buy me a drink every time I stop by their place." they exclaimed with a trill of joy.

"Wow... I didn't know you were so brave," I sighed in surprise.

"You must be the new one, I've heard a bit about you; come, take a seat. I'm going to tell you the story of how Ke’tal saved me from financial ruin." exclaimed the Yotul with excitement.

"Don't exaggerate... it was just my duty," He murmured in response with some embarrassment.

There was nothing extraordinary about it, just a PD patient who used to visit a rundown bar, who got violent when drunk, and who was kicked out by an exterminator.

But just hearing in person how much they loved someone just for doing their job made me admire them even more; how was it possible to admire someone more than possible?

After spending some time while the logistics team finished organizing, we were called by the squad leader to start the job.

"Listen up. We will divide into teams of three. Avoid using the radio unless it is absolutely necessary. All suits have a locator; if anyone gets lost, base will be able to guide them back. You know the drill." explained the platoon leader, who was met with a chorus of affirmative tails.

"You heard them, Kid, follow us and everything will be fine." Ke’tal rested one of their wings while encouraging me.

"Y-yes, I'm on my way!" I wagged my tail enthusiastically as I began to follow them closely.

The first claws passed exactly as I imagined. We checked the boundaries of the farms, verified that the fences were still intact, and looked for any trace of predators.

We found absolutely nothing. And, to be honest... I was glad; I preferred my first patrol to be boring.

It was during the final check of our perimeter when Ke’tal seemed to be communicating with someone over the radio.

"Ok team, we are almost done with the patrol... there's just one last thing left." Ke’tal sighed.

"That's great, and what is it?" I asked hopefully.

"It's time to venture into the deep forest looking for the traps from the previous patrol." he responded with a calm and serious tone.

"W-wait... D-did you just say the deep forest? I t-thought we were only going to do a cleanup mission." I stammered as I tucked my tail between my legs.

"Oh, and it is, Lonele, but don't worry about it; old Ke’tal will be with us; he is, like, super reliable and all that." replied the other Venlil on the team.

I only responded with a nervous ear flick before continuing forward with the team.

Anxiety and nerves grew with every step as we walked through the silent Tivalo forest. Every rustle among the trees made me flinch.

"Growl!"

A sudden growl stopped me dead in my tracks.

"Eep!" A small gasp escaped my throat while the others went on alert.

And without saying a single word, they approached where the growls were coming from; behind a couple of bushes was a huge and terrifying NightStalker completely immobilized by a trap.

Its paw was caught between huge rusty iron jaws. Orange blood slid down its fur as it continued to growl at us endlessly.

It was the first time I had seen a predator so up close... a non-sapient one.

The trap had mangled one of its paws, and yet, it was still trying to free itself.

I didn't understand why that sight made me feel so uncomfortable.

"I'll handle it." Ke'tal's voice sounded completely cold as they raised the flamethrower and a blast of fire engulfed the predator.

The last thing heard from the animal was a short whimper before only the crackling of the embers could be heard.

When the last ember burned out, where the fearsome predator once stood, now there were only a couple of charred bones left on that trap.

And that feeling of heaviness only became more unbearable.

Seeing the discomfort in my posture, Ke’tal tried to comfort me. "It's normal. The first time is always shocking... You will get used to it over time. It's not pleasant, I know that, but it's for the good of the herd." Those were their words as they removed their helmet to give me a reassuring look.

And that was just the beginning of something even worse. The more traps we found and the more predators we eliminated, that heaviness only got worse.

During all this time, I couldn't stop asking myself: aren't we supposed to be the ones being hunted?

In the whole patrol, we hadn't found a single attacked farm, not a single destroyed fence, any corpse of a poor victim, or even any beast spotted prowling near the farms. So...

Why were we going deeper and deeper into the forest?

And the deeper the "cleanup" went into the forest, the more that feeling of heaviness took shape.

Was it... guilt? Why, of all things? Why would I feel something like that toward a predator?

Each of those animals... none of them resembled the image shown by the media. Yes, they were still terrifying creatures, but they weren't the mindless beasts I had always been taught to imagine.

They just seemed like frightened beasts that didn't know what was going on.

It wasn't just that. For some reason, our cleanup was making the forest feel emptier and emptier. It was as if, little by little, all the life that filled it was disappearing.

As more predators were hunted down, the silences before the birds started singing again grew longer, with their songs becoming increasingly distant.

And the unpleasant taste of ash suspended in the air became more intense.

"Look, it seems this trap was defective." My Venlil companion's voice snapped me out of my thoughts.

"This is bad... it means a predator might be nearby. Lonele, stay by my side at all times and report any movement, no matter how small!" ordered Ke’tal as both exterminators raised their flamethrowers.

"Officer Ke’tal, look, there is a trail of blood between those bushes. If we follow it, we can find the predator's lair." said the other Venlil while pointing their tail toward a bush with orange stains.

All of this felt wrong; the more we followed that blood trail, the tension among us was even more palpable; at the slightest movement, they responded with their flamethrowers.

I couldn't handle the tension anymore; my nerves had already been shattered by this whole trip into the deep forest to be in this situation.

"W-why d-don't we call for b-backup?" I whispered while trembling under the instructor's wing.

"Because by the time they arrive, it will be too late," replied my Venlil companion as they clung to their flamethrower.

Every step was harder and harder, and I felt like things couldn't get worse, until a NightStalker lunged out of nowhere at me.

That predator's piercing eyes loomed over me, and my body simply petrified with fear before the frontal gaze of that beast, but in its eyes, there was no hunger; there was a different feeling, it seemed like... hatred.

"Get away, Lonele!" yelled my Venlil companion as they stepped in the predator's path and took the bite head-on.

Screams of pain accompanied my companion's fall after being bitten.

But I was incapable of doing anything because I was paralyzed with fear.

But Ke'tal had no such hesitation. In a single motion, they raised the flamethrower, and a long blast of fire engulfed the NightStalker and hit part of my companion's body.

When the flames finally died out, only scorched remains were left of the predator. A few steps away from it, my companion was writhing in pain. Their arm had been completely charred, but the rest of the suit was still intact.

"Ke’tal to base here, we have a seriously injured person and we need urgent help!" exclaimed my instructor in an alarmed tone of voice.

"Don't worry about them, they'll be fine as soon as help arrives..." My instructor tried to calm me down, but their voice sounded tenser than before.

"But the blood trail continues, which means there is still another one nearby." They finished in an even grimmer tone as they gripped their flamethrower tightly.

And so we hurried along the blood trail, until we reached a small cave.

With determined steps, we got closer and closer; the slight darkness of the cave was illuminated by the faint light of the pilot flame from Ke’tal's flamethrower.

Until we ran face-to-face into the owner of the blood trail; it was another NightStalker, who seemed to be even more defensive than the previous ones; it was breathing heavily, one of its paws could barely support its weight, and its fur was matted with dried blood.

Behind it, there was a NightStalker cub.

Ke’tal seemed about to unleash a blast, but something stopped them.

"...You do it. Do your job." they said in a cold tone as they handed it to me.

"W-what?" was the only thing I could do while clumsily grabbing the flamethrower.

"Don't you remember what one of those things did to our partner? If you don't kill it now, they will only become a problem in the future..." they replied dryly while not looking away from the NightStalker.

At that moment I swallowed hard, my pulse started to tremble, and my breathing began to accelerate.

"What are you waiting for... Attack before that thing attacks us first!" they pressured me with a colder tone than before.

And for a few moments, I began to feel cornered.

The cave walls were replaced by the walls of an alley. The narrow visor was now the slit of a trash can. Dad was there, holding a spear in their hands while shouting to chase them away.

My breathing became erratic; tears began to cloud my vision.

Even so... I was unable to look away.

"Lonele, what are you waiting for?!" Ke’tal yelled at me as their feathers became ruffled.

My heart felt like it was going to burst as my pulse became increasingly unstable and tears ran down my face.

"I-I can't, I can't... I-I, I can't pull the trigger!" I replied tearfully as I tried with all my might to close my eyes.

My senses felt blurrier, and a deafening ringing blocked my ears.

Ke’tal yelled something, but I couldn't understand them.

I felt like I couldn't breathe, that the world was spinning, and that my body was growing increasingly numb.

Until suddenly, the white was replaced by the orange of the flames.

My mind went completely blank. The roar of the flamethrower ceased to exist. I no longer felt its weight in my hands. Nor the heat. I wasn't even able to recognize if I was still breathing. For a long time, that was all I could see... and by the time the flames died down, there was nothing left.

The memories of the rest of the day became blurry; I remember Ke’tal trying to tell me something while we waited...

The only thing I remember was going to bed.

Hello... yes, I know there should be a chapter today about "the distance between us" and the truth is that I would like it, but I feel like this chapter is unfinished, it's not that I feel dissatisfied with it, it's just that I feel like it's missing something I don't know what... what makes me not be able to publish it, it's like it feels incomplete and I can't allow that, plus I'm not sure how to continue with the series, it's not that I'm going through a creative block or something, I just don't know how to continue it.

It's not for lack of ideas, in fact, I have several, in fact, tomorrow a two-part short story will be coming out about an idea I've been thinking about for a long time.

And well, I am open to ideas or suggestions about it, maybe seeing what you would like to see in my story will help me get out of that creative slump.

*You can hear hurried footsteps in the distance*

-Wait!

*A hurried voice cries out desperately*

-Don't go, I still have time!

*You decide to stay because you have nothing better to do, and besides, you know he has something you want.*

-uff. puff.

-Good heavens, thank goodness you haven't left yet...

*Before you stands a strange feline beastman with disheveled fur*

-Okay... uff, just... puff Let me... hah. Catch my breath...

-*The beastman takes a considerable amount of time to catch his breath, but what bad shape he's in!*

-Sorry to break the fourth wall...

-Sorry to break the fourth wall... ahem. lemme.

========================================================================

A huge thanks to Incognito42O69, for being my editor.

oh, that's right, I always forget to tell you to leave your comment, I usually read them and try to respond to most of them. XD
<prev

Memory Transcript
Subject: Joona, Zurulian Combat Medic.
Date [standardized human time]: August 29, 2130.

It had been a while since the Strayu disappointment, and now the predator and I were sitting face to face, completely bored.

Although I still felt uncomfortable under those forward-facing eyes, it was becoming increasingly difficult to reconcile him with the image of a predator the Federation had painted for me.

As I returned his gaze, I noticed a detail I had overlooked until now.

The predator let out a tired sigh and removed a second layer of clothing, a disposable blue garment that concealed much more casual clothes underneath.

That confused me.

It wasn't unusual for Federation species to wear artificial coverings, but humans seemed to take that custom to another level. Perhaps I shouldn't have been surprised; they possessed very little visible fur.

What if those garments served a more important function? Some kind of technological adaptation meant to compensate for a biological deficiency?

As they finished undressing, I couldn't help but notice the care with which they folded each garment before setting it aside. That, too, clashed with the savage image the Federation attributed to predators.

Once the predator had finally removed all those layers, they sat back down in the same hospital chair, wearing the same gloomy expression and thoughtful gaze as he stared at the empty plate from earlier.

My attention eventually shifted toward the small device in his ear. I had seen it before, but had barely paid any attention to it because of its size.

It seemed to fit directly inside his ear.

A communicator, perhaps?

I considered the possibility that it might be a translator, but quickly dismissed the idea. Translators were complex devices even among allied species; members of the same species had no need for such things.

Most likely, it was simply a very minimalist communicator.

they remained like that for quite some time until they looked at their meal tray from... breakfast? I wasn't entirely sure how the meals worked, and then they said something out loud, perhaps directed at the strange device attached to his ear.

The predator was speaking with someone through the communicator, using that exhausted tone they seemed to carry almost all the time. I wasn't sure what exactly they were talking about, but whatever it was, it turned into a long conversation.

Some time later, the familiar sound of decompression announced someone's arrival. I imagined it would be the large predator and, indeed, it was, wearing the same heavy containment suit as always.

They carried a tray with two plates. Before I could even see it clearly, a strange smell reached my nose; it was salty and mixed with a herbal scent... undoubtedly an unusual combination. I knew of very few Federation dishes with salty aromas, so it was probably some kind of predator food.

And that filled me with a morbid sense of curiosity.

The large predator and the smaller one exchanged a few words, and the larger one, who usually carried a cheerful and lighthearted tone, now sounded much more tired, though traces of his usual happiness still remained.

Then the smaller predator slowly raised an arm in my direction, revealing that he held another one of those disappointing Strayus.

At first, I didn't understand what this was about, until they began awkwardly babbling while scratching his head.

"Caryu... Slartu?... Aryu?..."

I quickly realized what they were trying to do.

They were trying to communicate with me through the only thing we had in common: Strayu.

"Strayu. It's called Strayu," I replied immediately.

The large predator straightened abruptly upon hearing me. then, hurried toward me while holding the Strayu in their paws.

Once they stood before me, they held it up so that it completely captured my attention. What they did next left me speechless.

"Bread."

The predator pointed one of their paws at the Strayu as they repeated the word, as though encouraging me to repeat it.

So they did have their own version of Strayu, and they called it "bread." I had never expected to take part in a first contact, much less through something as absurd as Strayu… And that's not even mentioning the possibility that the other side was a seemingly empathetic predator. Perhaps they were just as surprised as I was by this coincidence.

"Bread..."

I was pulled from my thoughts when the predator inside the containment suit repeated the same word again.

"Er... bread?" I replied, confused.

And the mere fact that the large predator immediately erupted into nervous murmurs while taking a few trembling steps backward. Whatever was happening to them was interrupted when the smaller predator placed a hand on their shoulder and said something that seemed to calm him.

Then the larger predator approached me once again, holding the "bread" in his paws and presenting it near my snout with a slight tremor in their hands. It was obvious they wanted me to eat it, although the anxious way they did so gave me a strange feeling.

I didn't think much of it and simply ate the Strayu. It was either that or eat that horrible paste from the military rations. The flavor wasn't particularly good; it was fairly average, much like the previous sample, but at least it filled my stomach.

After that, the two of them seemed to have a brief conversation.

The large predator continued to cast occasional glances toward me while speaking, though they appeared to be making a conscious effort to contain their excitement. Or at least, I think they were. It was truly difficult to know what was going through his mind while they wore that containment suit.

Not that it would be much easier without it. Without a tail or ears to display emotions, it was genuinely difficult to tell. Seriously, how do these predators do it?

They spoke for quite some time while the smaller one ate, until both suddenly stopped at once. I didn't know what they had heard through their communicators, but it seemed to bring tremendous relief to both of them.

It was especially obvious in the smaller predator. They practically collapsed into his chair with a loud sigh, and his expression finally lightened. They no longer looked so defeated, and the light in his eyes seemed brighter.

For several moments, they remained like that, sunk into his chair as if an enormous weight had been lifted from his shoulders.

However, that relief didn't last long. Something else came through the communicator, and the smaller predator's body tensed immediately.

Suddenly, his expression cycled through too many emotions per second: surprise, confusion, fear. There were so many that I simply couldn't understand what was happening.

Then the smaller predator shot to his feet and began shouting into the communicator.

Had I spent less time with these predators, I probably would have panicked already, but there was something in his tone that sounded desperate. Not long after his outburst, the larger predator tried to calm him down.

And once again, that defeated expression overtook the predator's face, only this time it took the form of pure panic, like someone who had just realized they had no choice.

The larger predator simply stood up, placed one of his paws on the smaller one's shoulder, and left.

Not before turning their head in that unsettling gesture of theirs. It was almost as though they were giving him a final farewell before entering the slaughterhouse.

The abrupt shift in their reactions left me confused and somewhat nervous. I wouldn't say I was afraid; I had reached a point where that alarm had broken down from sounding so often.

And for a while, nothing happened. The predator sat with his upper limbs resting on his lower ones, head lowered.

He was completely silent, and I could almost swear he was trembling.

Normally, I would have said that predators were incapable of showing fear, but considering everything I had experienced, I doubted that assumption was still valid.

When I narrowed my eyes to study them more closely, searching for clues about his condition, I noticed that his skin was secreting some kind of translucent liquid in large quantities, enough for droplets to form and drip onto the floor.

I didn't have time to formulate any theories about those secretions, because the familiar decompression sound pulled me from my thoughts.

I had expected the same large predator.

But a wave of nervousness washed over me when I saw strangers instead.

Three predators entered through the airlock.

Two of them carried small electronic devices similar to datapads, though much more primitive in appearance. Judging by the way they held them and the constant glances they cast toward them, those devices appeared to be the center of the entire operation.

The third was different.

Their posture was firmer, their movements deliberate, and most alarming of all, they were armed.

A whirlwind of fear began forming in my chest, struggling to break free... and suddenly, the restraints around my wrists felt much more restrictive than before.

The humans exchanged a somewhat nervous conversation among themselves. It was obvious that even among them, something was wrong.

If only I could understand them, all of this would have been so much easier!

Then the smaller predator, the very same one who had accompanied me throughout almost my entire vigil, approached me with trembling steps.

They took a shaky breath and adjusted the backrest of my bed so that I could sit in a more upright position.

Then, without warning:

Click.

Clink.

Click.

Clink.

The predator had removed my restraints, leaving me relatively free.

My mind went blank for a few moments.

I wasn't sure what was happening or why everyone seemed so nervous.

Then the predator who had always stayed with me gently placed one of those primitive datapads on my lap, waiting for me to take it.

When I tentatively touched the screen, what appeared left me stunned.

The interface was strange. Everything appeared to have been made in Zurulian and assembled in great haste, because the keyboard was completely disorganized and the characters didn't even match in typography.

I didn't understand what it was until I read the text at the top.

&gt;Waiting&for&text&from&the&other&side%ERROR%

Wait… Was this a text translator?!

Even if the message was poorly written, it was incredible that these predators had managed to create this in such a short amount of time. Even the Kolshians required far more time to add a new written language.

Only a few days had passed.

A project like this would normally require much longer.

Much, much longer.

And yet, those predators had accomplished it.

My mind simply stopped functioning properly when the smaller predator, the same one who had accompanied me this entire time, tentatively typed something from his side.

&gt;%ERROR%understand&you.

Memory Transcript
Subject: Andrés Felipe, United Nations nurse.
Date [standardized human time]: August 29, 2130.

Since the last time Julián visited us, nothing has happened... literally nothing. Who would've thought that spending what might be my last moments alive would be so boring?

Technically, I was still a UN medic on duty. But did that really matter now? While this nurse's uniform wasn't the most uncomfortable thing in the world, I didn't want to keep wearing this disposable gown all the time.

And with a tired sigh, I simply took it off.

I still couldn't fully believe there was extraterrestrial life. Every time I looked my patient in the eyes, I expected to find an animal staring back at me... and yet, that damned spark of intelligence was still there.

But there was little I could do about it now.

Huh, if I remember correctly... Julián was actually enthusiastic about this kind of thing, though he was understandably nervous given our circumstances.

After taking off my work clothes, I found myself thinking about what had happened that morning, about how the alien had reacted to the bread... that wasn't surprise, it was confusion, as if it already knew bread from somewhere else. What had it called it again?
Almost by coincidence, I received a call from Julián.

<<Hey Andrés, how are you? Were you able to eat?>> the young nurse asked.
"Huh? Oh, yeah, sure, yeah, I managed to eat.
Is something wrong?" I replied, utterly exhausted.
<<Nothing important. I'm just bringing lunch for the two of you. Come on dude, I know you can say that with a little more enthusiasm.>> he answered, a hint of sarcasm in his voice.
I'd been awake for more than twenty-four hours. Give me a break.

"sigh.
Hey... before you bring lunch, could you bring some bread too? Don't ask, just bring it, okay?" I sighed, not particularly eager to talk.

But Julián had other plans. Apparently, he wasn't very happy with my lack of explanation, and I ended up being forced to give him a summary of what had happened with the bread.

<<So... you're telling me you think this alien might know what bread is because, when it saw it, not only did it give it a name, but it also ate it?>> he exclaimed, his voice carrying a mixture of surprise and nervousness.

"Yeah... look, it's better if you see it for yourself, okay?" I said with a bit of enthusiasm before ending the call.

After a long wait, Julián finally arrived.

"Man, you have no idea how Léa reacted when she found out about what you did. She almost had a heart attack, and you owe me big time... You have no idea about the lecture I got because of you.
Jesus... is it just me, or is she suddenly starting to act like the UN?
Anyway, show me what you wanted me to see so badly." Julián sighed, clearly annoyed and tired.

"Alrigh er, sorry about that.
 ugh... just try not to lose your mind too much, okay?
Damn it, what had it called it? Caryu? No, not that... Ugh... Slartu? No, not that either... Aryu?" I said while scratching my head.

"...Strayu." The creature finally corrected me.

Julián turned toward the patient so quickly that he looked more like a machine than a human. He practically snatched the bread out of my hands as he approached the patient, completely mesmerized.

And as though he had just made the discovery of the century, he tried to make the patient speak.

"Bread."

He said it as if he were trying to teach a small child how to talk.

He spent a while trying to do the same thing until the alien finally repeated it, somewhat confused, and Julián reacted perhaps a little too enthusiastically.

"T-this is incredible. H-how did you even realize this? J-just think of all the possibilities..." He began muttering rather unsettlingly.

"Dude, relax, you're underestimating randomness..." I interrupted his train of thought, patting him on the shoulder.

"W-wait, I want to try something." he said as he quickly approached the patient.

With trembling hands, he brought the bread closer to the alien's snout, with all the excitement of a child feeding their pet for the first time.

The patient gave me a quick, somewhat confused glance before eating the bread with a hint of suspicion.

After that, we sat around while I finished eating, at my own request, because I couldn't stand the silence anymore... Was that how the alien felt all this time?

"You know, it's weird. We've known each other for less than three days, but it almost feels like we've been friends for much longer." I said while setting the empty food tray aside.

"I know, right? They say the strongest friendships are born from adversity, or whatever." the young man said as he leaned back in his chair.

Everything seemed calm until we both received a call at the same time.

<<Good news, team. We've received a report from bacteriology indicating that any potential pathogens inside the aliens' bodies are completely incompatible with us.

In fact, the analyses show that even their blood is entirely alien; they don't even use iron... hey, Andrés, I know you're listening to this. You got really lucky.>> Léa's voice, though tired, carried a noticeable trace of happiness.

For several seconds, I simply remained motionless, processing what I had just heard.
There was no danger.
There were no unknown bacteria incubating inside me.
I wasn't going to wake up one morning vomiting blood because of some extraterrestrial microorganism...
I wasn't doomed to die.
Hearing that felt like someone had lifted a ton of concrete off my shoulders.
The relief came so suddenly that it almost made me dizzy.

"For the love of all gods!" I let out a long, thunderous sigh as I collapsed into my chair; I was one step away from falling asleep right there.

Julián let out a small, friendly laugh.
"Damn, you look really relieved. Did you just hear some very good news?" he asked, crossing his arms.

"Heh, heh... I don't know, my definition of good is finding out that I'm not going to die vomiting blood." I replied with a small laugh.

And just when I thought I might finally get some rest after two long days, Léa contacted me again.
This time, however, she no longer carried that faint trace of happiness. Her voice was now filled with a tension that hadn't been there before.

<<Hey, Andrés... I know you're going through a lot right now, and you probably want a break, but you know how things are up there, and I can't do anything about it.

Listen, you probably won't believe it coming from me, so I'll pass you to someone who you will believe. Just... give me a moment, okay?>>

Léa interrupted my rest in a cryptic manner.

That immediately put me on edge. Léa wasn't the type to dramatize things, so if she was acting this way, something important must have happened.

"Andrés... are you okay? You seem a little worried." Julián said suspiciously.

"I-I don't know. I got a pretty cryptic call from Léa. She said something like, 'you're about to receive a super important call.' or something like that." I replied as I sat upright once again.

A nearly sepulchral silence settled between us as we waited for the call.

I swallowed hard, and my heart began racing when I heard a voice I had only ever heard on the news.

The Secretary-General of the United Nations, in person, had something to tell me.

<<Greetings. It is a pleasure to meet you, Mr. Felipe. I would have preferred to speak with you at greater length, but the circumstances of our meeting are less than ideal.>> Although his voice lacked even the slightest trace of emotion, every word landed like a hammer blow.

"<<G-good morning to you as well, Mr. Secretary.
May I ask why you've taken the trouble of calling me personally?>>" I stammered as I abruptly straightened my posture.

<<I am fully aware that your working conditions over the past three days have been far from ideal, and that you have likely endured far more than you should have... and for that, I apologize.>> the Secretary continued in that cold, measured voice.

"N-no need to worry about that. Working under pressure is part of our daily lives." I replied nervously.

<<I understand. However, given the circumstances, we are compelled to request additional assistance from you.
I am aware that this request greatly exceeds the responsibilities normally associated with your position, but the current situation leaves us with little alternative.
You see, after extensive deliberation, it has been determined that you will be responsible for carrying out the first formal exchange using the experimental translator.

The team in charge of the trial is already en route and should arrive at your facility shortly.

We fully understand that this decision places you well outside your usual professional duties. However, given the current circumstances and your recent history with the patient, we believe you represent the most viable option.>>

The Secretary-General delivered the news without even the slightest hint of subtlety.

The impact of that revelation was so overwhelming that, for a few moments, I forgot I was speaking to the most powerful person on Earth.

"N-no, you can't do this to me!

I don't have the slightest training in diplomacy! Mr. Elias, I'm a nurse, not some kind of diplomat! What if I mess up?!" I pleaded with the Secretary-General as I rose to my feet.

I would have continued escalating the situation had Julián not stopped me in my tracks.

<<I understand your concerns, Mr. Felipe. Nevertheless, the decision has already been made. Good evening.>>

After a brief silence, he ended the call with a formal and cold farewell.

I was completely stunned.
I simply had no words for what had just happened.
Fear flooded my mind. I felt like vomiting or fainting, and cold sweat began forming all over my body.

After briefly explaining the situation to Julián, he remained silent for a few moments before apparently receiving a call of his own.

"I'd like to stay and support you through this, but they need me somewhere else... sorry." my colleague sighed before leaving with dragging footsteps.

The wait was the most horrible thing I had ever experienced.

Nothing to do.
Nothing to say.
Just drowning in my own terror until they arrived.

It didn't take long before a small trio showed up.

They didn't look particularly impressive: just a soldier, a sleep-deprived programmer, and an equally exhausted linguist.

We exchanged a few awkward greetings and proceeded with the task.

As I approached the patient to adjust the bed and make it easier to use the tablet, I noticed something close to fear in their eyes.

I gave them a look of understanding, and almost immediately I heard their heartbeat begin to calm through the monitor.

After taking a long breath, I picked up the other tablet and began typing what the linguist and programmer told me to write.

&gt;Hello, can you understand us?

If this went wrong, it could doom humanity's first contact.

A huge thanks to Incognito42O69, for being my editor.

oh, that's right, I always forget to tell you to leave your comment, I usually read them and try to respond to most of them. XD

this time I DID arrive on time

<prev

Memory Transcript
Subject: Joona, Zurulian combat medic.
Date [standardized human time]: August 29, 2130.

I...

Was I really standing before a predator?

It was all I could think about as I forced myself to look into the increasingly profound eyes of that creature. I could see the exhaustion in them, the dark circles beneath its brown skin, and an expression of concern so genuine that my mind simply wasn't prepared to process it.

As it continued scratching my head, a strange feeling began to grow inside me. The more time passed, the less I wanted it to stop. And that felt wrong.

A part of me kept insisting on it, telling me that this was wrong on a level I couldn't even comprehend; as if I were enjoying something forbidden.

I wasn't entirely sure, but I could have sworn the predator was enjoying this as well. The desperate way it moved its tiny claws through my fur suggested as much, yet there was also a skill and delicacy to its movements that simply didn't belong to a predator.

Though now that I thought about it, that gentleness had always been there. It had always been gentle with everything it did to me.

Then it touched a sensitive part of my ears, and a shiver ran through my entire body. It quickly pulled its elongated paws away from my head, almost as if it had struck something fragile, leaving me with a strange desire for more.

For some reason, a large part of me expected to see blood or perhaps bits of my fur clinging to its tiny claws, but I was pleasantly disappointed to find absolutely nothing there except dead skin.

After that, an awkward silence settled between us. Neither of us knew how to react, I was still deeply confused by everything that had happened.
How was it possible for a predator to possess so much empathy?

I wanted to believe that all of this was some kind of predator trick, that I would soon see its true intentions.
But no. I had nothing to support that theory... in fact, quite the opposite.

As I tried to organize my thoughts, the predator slowly moved away from my side. After a shaky sigh, it returned to the same corner where it had stayed before.

Same posture, same wall, and now with its head hanging low. All I could do now was observe its strange body, and the more I did, the harder it became to keep believing the same things.

Is it really a predator?

I mean, it had forward-facing eyes, but that was all. Put a mask on it, and it could easily pass as just another Federation citizen...

The... Federation. If they saw them at first glance, they'd massacre them without giving them a chance to speak, simply because they had the misfortune of possessing forward-facing eyes.

Watching them display empathy on a level that even few within the Federation have shown makes it harder and harder to keep believing the Federation's teachings.

I shook my head when I realized what I was doing.

What am I even doing?!

Why am I feeling compassion for a predator?!

Predators are heartless monsters. They're destructive beings who deserve no mercy. They don't deserve it...

They simply don't deserve it.

...

Right?

I could feel a knot growing larger and larger in my chest as revelation after revelation struck me, barely giving me time to process them.

I could keep trying to deny it, but the bitter realization that these predators possessed medical protocols so similar to our own made it increasingly difficult to cling to the Federation's beliefs.

Yet the memories of those recordings the sadistic Arxur sent to the Federation still haunted me. Watching them keep those poor people inside the farms made me want to vomit.

Watching them dismember someone while they were still alive kept me awake some nights… But the predator in front of me didn't seem capable of such actions.

No.

This can't mean anything. The Arxur managed to hide their true nature long enough to gain access to our technology and knowledge before betraying us.

And these predators shouldn't be any different. I just need evidence. Just one piece of evidence to keep my sanity...

I clenched my paws tightly, trying to remain firm. I couldn't allow my loyalty to the Federation to be weakened by a few simple exceptions.

Even so, I simply couldn't hate it. I wasn't even capable of fearing it, no matter how much I tried to convince myself I should.

Damn it, I'm handcuffed to a hospital bed against my will for who knows how long!
And yet, despite having me completely at its mercy, served up on a silver platter for every atrocity imaginable, it simply chooses to give me space and treat me like a patient...

I'm just— just confused...
Suddenly, a grim realization crossed my mind.

What if everything happening to me was because I had already been infected with PD? Terror flooded my being as I tried to deny it, but the evidence seemed to point in that direction.

The way I felt less afraid with every passing moment. The way it became harder and harder to remain loyal to the Federation. And finally, the fact that I could no longer see it as the monster it was supposed to be. Now I could only see a person whenever my gaze drifted toward the predator.

But what was the point of worrying about that now? I didn't have the strength left to fight those thoughts anymore, and I simply rested my weary neck against the bed in defeat.

I was already completely lost...
A disgrace to the Federation.
Darkness crept along the edges of my vision as my utterly exhausted mind finally surrendered to the growing pull of sleep.

///////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
///////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////

I slowly woke up, somewhat disoriented, when a striking smell drifted into my nose. I wasn't sure how long I had slept this time, and little by little the events from before returned to my mind, erasing any relief sleep might have given me.

As I sniffed the air, I caught a very noticeable aroma. I wasn't sure how to describe it; I could only say that it was strangely delicious.

Lifting my neck, I saw the two predators talking about something. The larger one was still wearing the heavy containment suit and seemed to be speaking quietly with the other.

The smaller predator looked terrible. Its face was covered in a strange oily layer, the little hair on its head was completely disheveled, and its eyes were swollen and ringed with dark circles while it remained curled up in the same place.

Even though all I could understand were growls exchanged between the two predators, their conversation gave me the impression that the larger one was trying to encourage the smaller one.

The other seemed to be comforting it somehow, bringing a spoonful of some kind of yellow paste toward its mouth.
But the smaller one turned its face away with a weak growl, showing no interest in the larger predator's attempt.

Without warning, the predator raised its head and locked eyes with me, sending a chill through my entire body.
I wasn't sure why it pointed at me, but it made my fur stand on end.

The gesture caused the larger one to rise, turn its head with that unsettling motion, and leave the plate right beside the smaller predator, almost as if tempting it to eat.

When the larger predator finally approached me, it began carrying out the same medical procedure the smaller one usually performed. It checked the monitors, ran its incredibly primitive medical instruments over my body, though this time it skipped the bedpan part—not that I minded too much.

Then it turned to the smaller predator, said something to it for a while, and simply left.
And now it was just the small predator and me again.
My stomach let out a quiet growl as the smell of whatever was on the predator's plate made my mouth begin to water.

Looking more closely at the contents of the plate, I could make out three things: the yellow paste from before, some strange dark-red bars with an oily sheen, and...

Wait.
Was that...?
No.
Impossible.
“Staryu?!—akh.” My shock was so great that I blurted it out loud, immediately causing a stab of pain in my chest.

The predator looked up at me quickly, wearing an expression of confusion and surprise at the same time.
My eyes weren't deceiving me. That really was Staryu. Its color and shape were impossible to mistake.

How was it possible for a predator to know about Strayu?!

Of all the strange things I might discover about an alien species—let alone a predator—how in the stars had Strayu ended up on a predator's tray?!
It simply didn't make sense. Considering how paranoid they were about contamination, I highly doubted they'd just stumbled across it and eaten it.

Besides, this Strayu looked strange. More... golden, with a more geometric texture, as if it had been molded by a machine.

I simply couldn't take my eyes off it.
I don't understand...
How has a Velil cultural treasure ended up in a predator's claws?
I was pulled from my thoughts when a primitive alarm went off inside my head.

Thanks to my wide field of vision, I noticed the predator watching me with narrowed eyes, sending a jolt through my body and forcing me back to alertness.
Then it lowered its gaze to the plate and stared at it longer than necessary, as if it had just realized something.
And then it approached me carrying the tray in its paws.

With slow but steady steps, the predator stopped beside the bed I was handcuffed to, though it still wore that defeated expression it seemed to have carried ever since removing its helmet.

Seeing it up close, I could better examine the strange items on its plate.
The first was that bright yellow mass. In fact, it looked more like a lumpy paste with tiny irregular white specks scattered across its surface.
Beside it were two reddish-brown strips. Their surface was smooth and coated with an oily shine similar to the one I'd seen on the predator's face.

A long, deep:
“Mmm...”
came from the predator.
I didn't understand its language, but it sounded like it was thinking about what to give me.

Wasn't it obvious?

I was prey. It should know that instinctively. And if that really was Strayu on its plate, then that should have been the obvious choice, right?

Wait... to begin with, why would a predator even have something like Strayu in its diet? Strayu is plant-based, and if memory served me correctly, the Arxur seemed to reject plants with extreme hostility...

So what was it doing there?

Meanwhile, the predator had already made up its mind, placing a mixture of the yellow paste and bits of the red bars onto its spoon.
I swallowed nervously when it tried to bring the spoon toward my mouth.

I wasn't sure what any of it was, but it was probably not plant-based. Maybe I was already infected with PD, but even then I wouldn't dare eat something of animal origin.

Even if the smell was terribly tempting...
After several failed attempts to feed me, the predator let out a long, tired sigh and stopped insisting.

Then it looked at the Strayu, picked it up with one of its dexterous paws, and broke it apart with ease.
It examined the broken piece and then, without much enthusiasm, held it out toward my mouth.
After spending a couple of seconds debating whether it was a good or bad idea, I took a deep breath and bit into the Strayu.

And it was...

Okay.

I mean, it obviously wasn't life-changingly delicious, but it wasn't bad either.

Just... okay.

It wasn't the same Strayu I occasionally treated myself to, but it didn't seem to be trying to replicate the flavor either, and that left me feeling oddly disappointed.
Apparently, the predator noticed my reaction.
It let out a few growls and performed a strange shrugging motion that I couldn't understand.

Memory Transcript.
Subject: Andrés Felipe, United Nations Nurse.
Date [standardized human time]: August 29th, 2130.

How much longer am I going to keep denying it...?

How many more facts am I going to keep ignoring...?

I repeated those questions to myself as I curled up against the wall, trying to ignore the crushing reality that we were not alone in the universe.

If only things had happened differently...

If only all of this had been some ridiculously massive misunderstanding...

But no, there it was.

Reality, patiently waiting for me to accept it. Like a bitter medicine I knew I had to take, yet couldn't bring myself to swallow.

The idea that humanity was nothing more than another number in a galaxy filled with intelligent life was so overwhelming that it barely left me room to think about my other problems.

The contamination.

After the needle accidentally pierced both the glove and my hand, there were a few moments when I forgot all the damn therapy I'd gone through.

And once the adrenaline and shock wore off… The little energy I had left was spent trying to accept two things I didn't want to accept.

On one hand, there was the possibility that I'd been infected by some kind of alien pathogen and might become a threat to humanity.

And then there was this. The elephant in the room, the aliens.

As if that alone wasn't bad enough, Léa had spoken in a voice utterly destroyed by exhaustion and mechanically stated: "The UN confirms that the aliens are sapient." Just like that.

Destroying any remaining possibility of me continuing to deny the inevitable. And if that wasn't enough already, there were those damned rumors circulating among the military.

Do they really think we can't hear them? The theories about there being more of them, the talk that there might be a war. I wasn't sure how long I'd been stuck in that state, completely obsessed with denying reality.

All I knew was that someone had entered the room, but I felt so exhausted that I simply ignored it.

"Hey, man. Are you doing okay?" It was Julián's voice, muted somewhat by the heavy suit, he spoke in a forced cheerful tone.

I didn't answer.

"I know you're going through a really hard time.

Sigh.

Possibly being infected by an unknown pathogen, especially after everything you've been through… You know, the super-virus pandemic and all that.

But don't you think you should try making peace with yourself so that, at the very least, you can rest in peace?" His voice sounded sadder now, though it still carried that cheerfulness he always seemed to have.

"It's not because of that," I replied flatly.

An awkward silence settled between us before I continued.

"After years of therapy, I finally managed to live a normal life. I learned how to deal with some things, how to accept others...

But this?

I-I…

...

Julián, do you actually believe what Léa said?" I pulled myself tighter into a ball.

"I… I don't know what to tell you, everything happened so suddenly that none of us really know what to think.

B-but that doesn't matter right now. Here, I brought you food. You should eat breakfast, at least for now." He changed the subject.

I slowly lifted my head to see what he was doing, only to realize he was holding out a spoon containing what looked like a rather simple breakfast: eggs, bacon, and a miserable piece of industrial bread.

"Julián, I'm not in the mood… I'll eat later." When I turned my head away to reject what he was trying to do, I noticed that the bear was awake and sniffing around as if searching for something.

"Julián, looks like the patient woke up." I sighed as I pointed toward the constant reminder of everything I was trying to deny.

"Come on, man, don't change the subje— Oh. Right."

Julián turned his head.

"Well, I guess I've got work to do..." he continued as he stood up from in front of me to attend to the patient.

It's amazing how easily a person's view of the world can be shattered. It had taken less than three days to push me to my limit, and the rest of the team probably wasn't doing much better.

I wish I could go back to three days ago. I would've preferred ending up in prison over getting trapped in the middle of all this. God damn it… I'm not ready for any of this.

But then again, you weren't ready when the pandemic started either.

The best thing I could do now was stop trying to solve the entire universe and focus on the next problem in front of me.

"Well, I'm done with my work. I hope that someday you make peace with yourself.

...

Sigh.

Seriously, Andrés.

Because literally nobody on the planet knows whether you'll get another chance.

...

Goodbye, I guess." And Finally, the cheerful tone he always carried cracked, revealing someone who was deeply worried.

What Julián said before leaving planted something inside me, It wasn't hope. It was something far more uncomfortable, but he was right.

Time wasn't on my side and if I truly wanted to find some peace, sooner or later I'd have to make peace with all of this. Maybe it was finally time to stop pretending none of it was happening.

My train of thought was interrupted when—

"Strayu?! —gkh."

The strange bear-like creature suddenly exclaimed, making me lift my head in confusion.

Looking at it more carefully, it seemed to be staring directly at the plate beside me.

After thinking about it for a moment, I realized there was apparently something on the plate that had caught its attention. Or maybe it was just hungry.

Without much hesitation, I walked over to figure out what exactly had grabbed its attention. Once I sat down beside the patient, I realized a small detail I hadn't considered before.

What exactly was safe for this thing to eat?

I remembered more than one case of food poisoning caused by absurd differences in body chemistry between species here on Earth.

And now I was considering giving human food to an alien.

It was a terrible idea. But I didn't have any better options.

So I scooped up some eggs and a bit of bacon onto the spoon to see if that was what had caught its attention.

But the patient didn't seem interested in what was on the spoon, so I stopped insisting, I didn't have the energy to push very hard.

Then I tried the bread. It was the only thing left.

After breaking off a smaller piece, I held it out toward its snout.

The creature sniffed it for a moment before taking a fairly large bite.

Its expressions were completely alien to me, but I could've sworn disappointment was written all over its face.

"Yeah… It's not exactly the pinnacle of human culture either." I replied with a shrug.

https://i.redd.it/3n11wt0ae47h1.gif

ok... ok... I'm back, I wasn't dead (kind off), I was just absorbed by work, both incognito and as myself.

A huge thanks to Incognito42O69, for being my editor.

yeah, yeah... i wasn't dead, i was out partying (being overexploited).

<prev

Memory Transcript.
Subject: Léa, Lead Nurse.
Date [standardized human time]: August 28, 2130.

Shit, shit, shit, shit, shit, shit...

It was all I could think as I read Julián's report. Cold sweat and paralyzing panic ran through my entire body while I desperately tried to think of a way out of this mess.

My team was falling apart far too quickly, and I had no idea how to deal with it.

First, there was Hana. The pressure of not understanding what was happening to the patients seemed to have finally consumed her. Now she spent most of her time withdrawn into herself, reviewing the same data over and over again in the hope of finding an answer.

Then there was Julián. After helping Andrés get some rest, he disobeyed UN orders. I couldn't blame him for it, but that didn't change the fact that he now had a noose around his neck and that every one of his actions was being closely monitored.

Lastly, we have Andrés...

My leg began bouncing restlessly the more I analyzed Julián's report. During the bear's latest examination, he accidentally pricked his hand after falling; a mistake... a simple mistake that ended up costing far too much.

Right now, he was voluntarily isolated alongside the patients, waiting to find out whether he had been infected with an alien pathogen.

And that brings me back to the present. I knew what I had to do. I knew I needed to deliver results before midnight.

But every time I tried to write the reports on my tablet, the same questions ran through my mind.

What exactly was I supposed to report?

That Julián had disobeyed orders again?

That Andrés might be on his deathbed because of a simple accident?

Or that our anesthesiologist was on the verge of a breakdown because none of us understood what was happening to the patients?

Shit, all of this is my fault... I knew we needed a larger team, but I went along with the UN's recommendations, and now everyone is paying the price for it.

I need to focus. Léa, you've been in this industry for over ten years. You're not about to stop now. You're the team leader, and you need to act like one, because if you freeze up now, the whole team will finally collapse.

Sigh.

I let out a long, weary sigh as I prepared to write the reports and the new requests I needed the UN to approve. I had to write something the UN wanted to read, not something that reflected what was actually happening.

In front of me, the desktop monitor displayed a blank document, ready to be filled with a way out of this predicament, and I could see my hands trembling in anticipation above the keyboard.

"Come on, Léa, you can do this. Just focus on surviving tonight, and tomorrow you'll deal with the rest with a clearer head." I told myself as an increasingly irresistible urge to smoke grew inside me.

But before I could begin writing the letter, a call interrupted my concentration. The irritation was immediately replaced by concern when I saw the number calling me.

It was the UN.

I quickly checked the time to see if I had somehow let it get too late, only to be confused when I saw it was only 10:45 p.m.

This didn't make any sense. Why were they calling at this hour?

Was this some kind of surprise inspection?

I swallowed hard.

What if the UN had somehow found out what happened?

What if something even worse had occurred, like an alien invasion, and we were the primary target?

Or what if the aliens turned out to be the equivalent of a biological weapon?

I shook my head hard to get those crazy theories out of my mind.

Then, with a shaky breath, I grabbed my phone and, trying to sound as serious as possible, answered the call.

"Ahem.

Ahem.

Good evening, UN delegate. What is the reason for the call? I'm currently writing today's report." I said with the friendliest tone I could force myself to use.

<<Thank you, and good evening to you as well. I am UN Secretary-General Elias Meier. It's a pleasure to meet you.>> I froze instantly when the Secretary-General's cordial voice came through the speakers.

I couldn't form words. Dread seized me the moment I heard his voice. The very fact that the man in charge of everything was contacting me personally could only mean one thing: this was going to be a terrible night.

<<Uh... hello? Miss Léa?>> The UN Secretary-General repeated.

"Oh, uh... y-yes, I'm here... it was just a little interference. W-what brings someone as important as you to call me personally?" I replied, barely containing my terror as a burning sensation of reflux rose into my throat.

<<Very well, then I'll be brief so you can finish your report... in fact, that's why I'm calling today, though I'm not exactly asking about the status report. To be precise, I'd like to ask, from your perspective, how things are going within the team.>> The Secretary-General's calm, formal voice no longer felt so light.

"Oh, i-is that so? A-and what exactly has you c-concerned?" My voice was beginning to crack as cold sweat ran down my back.

<<Some military personnel have noticed certain irregularities among your group. I'm sure it's nothing serious, but I thought it would be wise to hear your version before drawing any conclusions.>> And suddenly, everything came crashing down.

The world around me seemed to stop completely while my mind worked frantically between one heartbeat and the next, trying to decipher the true meaning behind those words.

What was I supposed to tell him? Was there even a right answer?

If I lied, there was no way of knowing what he already knew and what he didn't. And if he realized I had lied, the consequences could be devastating.

On the other hand, if I simply told him the truth, there was also the possibility that he didn't know what was really happening, and revealing that the mission he had entrusted to me was on the verge of complete failure was almost worse than lying.

But I had to say something.

I didn't know what to say.

I was completely cornered, and anything I said could condemn me.

Then an idea crossed my mind.

It was stupid and completely desperate, but at this point I had no other option that didn't lead straight to the guillotine. Still, I had to try.

By now I was completely trapped. I wasn't sure how much he already knew, and lying simply wasn't an option. I'd spent the entire night worrying about the consequences, and it hadn't done me any good.

"I...

Inhale.

Exhale.

With all due respect, sir, before I answer your questions... I need you to answer mine first." I said in a tone that mixed exhaustion and determination at the same time. Before he could respond, I continued.

"What's going on?

I mean, what's going on in general with this whole alien situation?

You took a bunch of people who, less than three days ago, were complete strangers and put them to work under inhuman conditions with beings that are simply beyond our understanding.

You demand results, but we can't give you anything if you keep us blind.

You act obsessively and oppressively, demanding full reports when we're barely managing to hold ourselves together.

I—I'm tired, okay? I'm tired of all the secrecy, of all this oppressive behavior, and everyone here is terrified of what all this could mean...

We've heard the soldiers' rumors too, you know.

How do you think we'd react if we were told that the worst-case scenario of the Dark Forest was possibly real?

More than one person here would rather deny what they're seeing than accept how insignificant we are... not everyone is ready for the revelation that aliens exist.

So if you really want answers, answer my questions first." My breathing was shaky. I couldn't believe what I had just done, I had just confronted the most powerful person on the planet.

And after several seconds that felt eternal, Elias finally responded—not with anger or annoyance, but with exhaustion.

<<Sigh.

I knew this was going to happen sooner or later, but I suppose you have a point… I'm only telling you this because of the importance of your mission, and I expect you to treat this information with the utmost discretion.

As you already know, it is almost certain that your patients are sapient beings. We're only waiting for written confirmation before making it official...

You see, shortly before your team was contacted, we had already found several other capsules besides the destroyed one and prepared for first contact.

Things did not go as we expected. The aliens turned out to be extremely hostile, and in almost every encounter they fought until they were killed.

Right now, we only have two groups left: yours and another one located at a different military base.

...

And that's where things become complicated.

We're not sure whether alien reinforcements are on the way or when they might arrive. All we know is that they are extremely hostile and highly uncooperative.

Except for, well, that bear.

Intelligence is currently desperate to keep that bear alive in order to establish a line of communication with these aliens. We're not sure how large this confederation of sapient species actually is.>> Elias's voice never once abandoned that cordial, almost emotionless tone. And somehow, that only increased the pressure building on my shoulders.

<<I hope this helps you understand the reason for our secrecy… I'll leave you to think about it while you finish today's report.>> Elias's diplomatic voice ended the call without ever changing tone.

And now I was completely alone in the room.

The revelation had been so overwhelming that I could barely process it. The objects around me seemed to blur as I struggled to organize my thoughts.

"N-need a cigarette." I said as I tried to light one, only to fail three times before realizing I hadn't even noticed I was holding it upside down.

Memory Transcript. 
Subject: Joona, Zurulian Combat Medic. 
Date [standardized human time]: August 29, 2130.

After the apparent stampede and the larger creature suddenly stepping in to comfort the smaller one, the two seemed to have a long conversation—or at least, that's what it looked like.

Obviously, all I could understand were deep, guttural growls, but for some reason they appeared to be having a tense discussion. I wasn't entirely sure why, but the smaller being seemed to be caught somewhere between panic attacks and something resembling anger.

I don't know. Without ears or a tail to watch, all of their expressions looked the same from my perspective.

After quite a while, they apparently managed to calm down completely, and for some reason the whole situation reminded me of a paranoid Skivit being soothed by an irritated Gojid.

At first, I didn't understand what all of that had been about, until I started mentally reviewing everything that had happened.

Okay... first came the fall, then the panic attack that triggered a pseudo-stampede, and then the larger creature arrived to help it... now that I thought about it, they were both wearing the same heavy biological containment suits.

Of course, Joona, you idiot. Why didn't you realize that sooner?

That's what the biological containment suits were for. Something must have happened during the crash that damaged the suit somehow, and now it thinks it's been contaminated by some unknown pathogen.

Something must have happened during the creature's fall that tore the suit somehow, and now it believes it's contaminated by some unknown pathogen.

Ugh... I always forget that not every species is aware of microorganism compatibility. It's simply impossible for a virus or bacterium to bridge the gap between species.

Even...

Predator Disease?

I shook my head, trying to ignore the incredibly stupid thought that had just crossed my mind. Spending so much time with almost no outside stimulation was clearly starting to affect me.

It's obvious that PD is an exception to the rule and therefore I shouldn't think too much about it... Damn it, I need to stop thinking about that right now.

I forced my mind away from that train of thought and tried to see what the creature was doing to distract myself—or at least attempt to. My field of vision was still somewhat limited, even after it had accidentally torn down one of the curtains during its fall.

As I shifted to get a better angle, I could see the creature leaning against a wall while clutching its legs in a fetal position. It seemed to be talking to itself, or perhaps through some kind of communicator.

At first, I thought this was going to be a long and awkward wait until something happened to relieve my boredom.

And suddenly.

The creature growled something in protest and stood up. I wasn't sure exactly why, but I quickly realized it was trying to remove the apparently heavy suit, and anticipation immediately took hold of my mind.

Because up until now, the only thing I had seen besides the creature's strange paw was something that, in all my years as a medic, I never thought I would witness: its small paw, barely covered in fur, with elongated, seemingly articulated appendages, and where claws should have been, there were only translucent coverings, similar to scales.

It was a very strange sight. Its paws didn't seem designed for attacking or defending at all. Instead, they looked like tools—even more dexterous than the skilled tentacles of a Kolshian.

After struggling for a bit, I heard a—

ZIIIIIIIIIIIIP.

And finally, I watched as the creature began removing that heavy suit. Seeing the entire process, and the way it seemed to wrestle with the thing, reminded me of how uncomfortable it was for a Harchen to shed its skin.

By the time it was halfway through the process, I noticed that without the bulky containment suit, the creature inside was far more slender than I had originally thought.

I had assumed it possessed some kind of dense, short fur underneath, but apparently not. From what I could tell, it either lacked body fur entirely or had fur that was extremely light.

And just when I thought I would finally get to see its face and satisfy the morbid curiosity that had been gnawing at me from the very beginning, it turned around, leaving me trapped in that state of anticipation.
oh, come on…

On its back, I could see it unfastening a gas tank. Originally, both creatures had appeared quite robust, which had left me wondering whether they were predators or prey.

But the more I watched it perform this strange dance, the more relieved I felt knowing it was prey. You only had to glance at it to realize it wasn't a threat.

Its claws were even more harmless than a Skivit's. Its body seemed even frailer than a Venlil's, and it most likely either lacked a snout entirely or had a very small one, judging by how flat their masks looked.

And finally, it had removed the entire suit, revealing a figure covered in some kind of blue garment that enveloped its entire body, emphasizing just how frail the species really was...

There was no way it could be a predator.

Until it turned around.

The relief vanished as quickly as it had come.

The creature's head rotated in an unsettling motion, and the world around me seemed to slow down as the predator's full face finally locked onto me.

And there it was in front of me.

A predator.

The shock was so overwhelming that I couldn't even panic. In that moment, my mind became a tangled mess of thoughts fighting for dominance.

No... no... no... no, no, no, NO, NO, NO, NO.

This couldn't be happening!

It's a predator! It's not supposed to be doing all of this!

But here I am...

No, predators are ruthless killers who know nothing of mercy!

Then why am I still alive?!

They want something from me! Yes, that has to be it!

But if that were true, wouldn't it have demanded it already?

Shit, shit, shit!

My chest hurts. I need air. I—my chest hurts.

I can't breathe...

I feel like I'm going to faint.

I can't move.

Why can't I move?!

Somehow, I snapped out of that panic when a pair of enormous paws gently settled on top of my head. I realized I had been hyperventilating, and I remembered the scar on my chest.

My breathing stopped abruptly when I realized the terrifying predator's face was right in front of me, only a few inches away.

I thought this was going to be the end and closed my eyes in response, I expected to feel fangs or claws tearing into my skin.

But… nothing happened.

The only thing I felt were those same comforting motions from before running across my head, forcing me to open my eyes again.

The predator was still there.

Only... there was something strange about it. Its gaze wasn't filled with delight or restrained hunger. In fact, its eyes seemed burdened with exhaustion, resignation, and a hint of concern.

I simply didn't understand, Why was all of this happening?

Nothing I had experienced up until now made any sense. What stood before me was a monster. Period.

I'd learned how predators were supposed to behave.

And yet...

They had taken care of me with so much effort, for no apparent reason.

Am I...

Am I truly still looking a monster in the eyes?

A huge thanks to Incognito42O69, for being my editor... srry dude, I always forget to thank you for being my editor XDXDXDXDXDXDXD.

Don't forget to leave your comment; I'm always happy to read and reply to them... if I think of anything to say.

CW: This chapter touches on somewhat delicate topics, but nothing out of this world, just medical things... I guess.

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Memory Transcript. 
Subject: Andrés Felipe, United Nations nurse. 
Date [standardized human time]: August 28, 2130.

I woke up on the couch with terrible back stiffness and completely disoriented, with no idea what time it was. I tried to check my phone to see the hour, but it seemed to be completely dead.

Instinctively, I turned to the first person nearby to ask what time it was.

“Hayou, do you know what time it is?” I asked with a hoarse voice.

“好了，现在是上午十点半。你已经睡了快一个小时了。你还好吗？” they said, without me being able to understand a single word.

I stared at them for a few moments, trying to rationalize why they were suddenly speaking Chinese out of nowhere.

“... What?

Wait.

Ugh…

I forgot to turn the translator off before going to sleep and now it’s dead. Just show me the time, okay?” I sighed while rubbing the bridge of my nose.

“啧啧啧……你得更小心对待这些东西。你知道它们在市场上卖多少钱吗？” They looked annoyed as they showed me their phone.

Shit, it’s 10:30 AM… I slept almost ten hours. I’d better take a long shower while the translator recharges.

On my way to the barracks, my mind drifted into the past, into how medicine changed drastically after a pandemic that nearly wiped us out. Back then, we left the work to pharmaceuticals and our immune systems. Antibiotics used to be enough. Now we have to unleash phages against bacteria just to avoid extinction.

Once I reached the barracks and started grabbing my clothes, I noticed that inside my suitcase, among the few essentials I had brought, there was that photograph; the same one where we were decorated for our efforts, for how we supposedly “saved the world.”

A faint smile crossed my face as memories of our team—back when it was complete—returned to my mind, about how we all used to think the same way; the world outside could be falling apart, but the patient always came first.

Sometimes the photo feels incomplete… like the rest of my nursing team is missing, from that hospital that never gave up.

Once inside the bathroom, I took a shower to wash all my burdens away… which wasn’t very effective.

When I looked at myself in the mirror, I saw someone defeated, exhausted, and carrying the expression of a man who had already lost.

That was when something inside me snapped awake.

I slapped myself hard, forcing myself out of that pit of pessimism.

“Come on, man, you can’t let this defeat you so easily. You’ve survived far worse things than corporate coldness. They wouldn’t be proud of this. If they never gave up even when everything seemed lost, why would you do it now?” I told myself while pushing every last dark thought out of my head.

With renewed energy, I got dressed and, before leaving the bathroom, took a long breath to finally start the day with the best attitude possible.

I headed toward Léa’s room to ask her about each patient’s reports and stay informed about the UN’s new orders.

By the time I arrived at Léa’s room, I could hear a conversation. I couldn’t make out what they were talking about; it was beyond the translator’s hearing range, so I decided to wait until the conversation ended before going in.

But before I even had time to react, Alejandro walked out of the room with a grim and worried expression. He had clearly been scolded, but why? Whatever, I had more urgent things to do.

“Good thing you’re here, Andrés, I had just asked Alejandro to wake you up.” Léa greeted me with a tired, raspy voice.

“Good morning to you too… Sorry, were you going to call me? What for?” I replied, somewhat confused.

“Indeed. It’s a long story, but to avoid getting too deep into it.

Cough.
Cough.

The UN finally accepted the new visitation schedule I proposed. They won’t be every four hours anymore; now it’ll only be four times a day: one during breakfast at 8:00 AM, another for lunch at 1:00 PM, another for dinner at 7:00 PM, and a final check before you go to sleep at 10:00 PM.”

She paused to drink some water before continuing.

“Not only that, but now you’ll also have to wear a camera over your containment suit while thoroughly examining each patient, with the most complete controls possible according to the aliens’ anatomy.

With the exception of the bear; you’ll practically have to do everything for them: feeding, cleaning, and bedpan duty, until further orders or until they can walk on their own.” She finished with a long sip of water.

“That sounds fair enough. By the way, what happened earlier with Alejandro? He looked like he got an awful reprimand.” I sighed in relief at not having to go there every few hours anymore.

Léa paused for a long moment after exhaling through her nose, as if deciding whether or not to tell me.

“Mmm… he’ll probably tell you anyway. So, in summary, since you were out of commission for almost ten hours, he covered your shift and the UN didn’t like that.

Right now the UN threatened to revoke his license if he doesn’t follow their new orders.” Léa cleared her throat, visibly exhausted.

I politely said goodbye to Léa and headed toward the medical area to begin preparing for my next visit. I should ask Julián about the more specific details I needed to keep in mind during the examination.

On my way there, I spotted Alejandro talking with the rest of the medical team; he seemed worried about something.

“Guys, even if you ask Andrés, he’ll tell you too that that bear doesn’t behave like an animal… the more I think about it, the harder it becomes to ignore.” Julián said while staring intensely at the table.

“What are you talking about? And what do I have to do with any of this?” I tossed the question into the air, not expecting an answer.

“Julián thinks the bear could be a sapient being. He says he has evidence, and that you could corroborate his theories.” Olivia replied with an incredulous look.

“He’s right, Olivia. I noticed those abnormal behaviors too, and I swear that being is sapient… or at least it seems that way. We don’t have enough evidence to confirm it, much less know whether it truly is or if it’s some kind of misunderstanding.

After all, they’re aliens, and we can’t judge them by our standards. But one thing is clear: there’s something deeply wrong with that bear.” I sighed as a chill ran down my spine while remembering how that strange being followed me with their eyes at all times.

“Julián, Andrés has a good point. While that strange bear—or whatever it is—does have unusual behavior, it’s still far too early in the investigation to jump to conclusions.

I’m telling you from experience: as a combat medic, I can assure you that even when something seems certain, nothing is guaranteed until direct contact is confirmed.” Olivia replied warmly.

“I know, that’s why they ordered me to analyze Andrés’ recordings.” Julián’s voice had now become a whisper loaded with nervous anticipation, though it seemed nobody else could understand him.

“It’s just that the UN has been acting way too strange and— you know what? Never mind.

Andrés, I was informed that from now on you’ll be the one exclusively in charge of the bear. Honestly, there aren’t many details to add, just that apparently their food has to be crushed in a mortar.

And if I’m being honest, I’m not surprised. Those things look like tree bark… it’s a bit strange if you ask me, but I think it makes sense if you take a closer look at their snout; they seem to be primarily herbivorous.” Julián abruptly changed both the topic and his energy while talking to me.

After what happened with Julián, the atmosphere remained fairly calm, save for the occasional conversation between us making crazy theories about what the UN would come up with next.

For now, the only ones truly busy were Léa, Julián, and me, although rumors said Hana was working on something; since we hadn’t seen her all day, we assumed that was why.

Still, Hayou said that both they and Olivia would probably end up doing nothing because, honestly, they doubted two surgeons could contribute much to the team for now—unless they suddenly had to perform necropsies out of nowhere. Most likely they were only there because they couldn’t risk a leak of information.

That was logical, considering that in their country censorship and extreme secrecy were far stronger than in others.

As for my checkups on the aliens, nothing had changed except that some of them looked a bit thinner, but otherwise they remained in that same comatose state… and then there was the bear.

During my visits, they didn’t put up much resistance when it was time to eat; they handled it without much trouble. The problems started when it came to cleaning and the bedpan.

Bathing them felt strange. Passing damp cloths with pet soap over their body made part of me feel uncomfortable, not to mention that every time I did it I could see a clear discomfort in their eyes.

I remember that during the pneumothorax surgery I noticed their blood was green, which still unsettles me a little every time their ears tint that same greenish shade whenever I start cleaning their body.

And lastly, what I would consider the most uncomfortable moment of all. Normally I was used to dealing with bedpans and everything that came with them, but there was something about that bear that made it impossible to see them as a simple animal.

Every time I had to help them with something so humiliating, that look would appear again… and no matter how hard I tried to ignore it, part of me felt like I was invading the privacy of someone who clearly understood far more than they let on.

And with that we reached the final checkup of the day. Honestly, everything seemed calmer than usual; by this point I had already gotten used to the routine: standard patient examinations, feeding and bathing the bear, and enduring the slowly fading discomfort caused by those eyes staring back at me.

The sound of the heart monitors had already become background noise while I finished the last part of the examination. Now all that remained was changing the bear’s catheter so I could finally end the day and get some sleep. The heavy suit and its annoying oxygen pump weren’t easy to wear for long periods of time.

“Alright… the patient appears to have stable vital signs and everything seems in order. Julián, are you still there?” I asked while sending the data through the medical tablet.

<<Loud and clear, old man. Everything ready to head out?>> the German replied cheerfully.

“Uh… yeah, I’m just gonna get rid of the used IV—”

My ankle suddenly twisted and the heavy suit finished the rest.

I felt my body lurch forward.

I tried grabbing onto anything to avoid falling, but my hands only managed to drag one of the divider curtains down with me.

The sound of metal slamming against the floor echoed inside my helmet a second before my full weight hit the ground.

<<Hey, Andrés! What was that noise? Are you alright?>> Julián’s alarmed voice echoed through the radio.

“Yeah… I’m fine, I just fell. 
Ouch.
Shit, my hand.” I replied as a sharp pain shot through my palm.

I looked down and felt my stomach sink.

The used IV had pierced straight through my hand, completely penetrating the protective glove, and panic flooded my mind as I watched the green blood begin mixing with mine while it seeped through the catheter.

“No, no, no… 
Nonononono… 
No, no, no, no!”

I shot to my feet as my breathing became erratic.

I could hear Julián trying to tell me something, but the only thing I could think about was washing my hand as quickly as possible.

There was only one word in my head.

Contamination.

“The sink! Where’s the sink?!” I stumbled toward the basin, ignoring the pain in my ankle while ripping the glove off my hands.

Containment failure alarms started blaring inside my suit, but I didn’t care at that moment.

“Get off, get off, get off, get off, get off, get off!” I scrubbed my hands desperately until my skin started hurting, tears beginning to cloud my vision.

“It won’t come off… it won’t come off… it won’t come off…!” I repeated to myself while the urge to cough and a metallic taste filled my mouth.

The world around me began spinning and, had Julián not grabbed me, I would have collapsed again.

“Andrés, look at me! What happened?!” Julián said while gripping my arm.

“I stabbed my hand with the contaminated needle!” I answered between sobs and erratic breaths.

Memory Transcript. 
Subject: Joona, Zurulian combat medic. 
Date [standardized human time]: August 28, 2130.

If my internal clock hasn’t failed me yet, it’s been six… seven days? I’m not entirely sure anymore. Perhaps by this point I’ve completely lost track of time.

That doesn’t matter much right now. My routine had become a series of strange yet constant cycles… I think.

At first, it was the smaller creature who displayed a compulsive need to examine me every so often, with that horrendous patience that made it impossible for me to hate them. Then the larger one arrived, although they only visited me twice before the smaller one returned.

At this point I didn’t even bother trying to categorize them anymore. It was obvious that if I kept thinking too much about them as predators or prey, I would only lose my sanity.

After that, the small creature returned with a strange and humiliating medical protocol.

Now every time they came, they fed me crushed military rations, then cleaned most of my body with damp cloths, and after that came the metal container. It still hurts to remember the first time I had to use it.

I remember when they slid that cold metal container beneath my lower back. It took me perhaps a bit too long to understand what that thing was actually for.

And my ears turned green almost immediately.

Oh. Oh no…

“Oh, absolutely not! Do you really expect me to do that, in that thing?!” The first time I fought with all my strength to make the creature understand that this crossed every possible boundary, but the creature simply turned their back to me and crossed their arms.

No way!

They can’t force me to do that! I’m an adult woman and I would never stoop so low…

But nature did its work and, utterly humiliated, I ended up somehow signaling to the creature that I had done what they wanted.

Now that I think about it, the creature behaves strangely similar to nursing home caretakers; their patience and gentleness were painfully exemplary…

I was pulled from my thoughts when the small creature pushed aside the curtains and began the same humiliating and irritating routine as always, only this time they changed my IV.

And when they turned around to leave, they fell face-first onto the floor, dragging the blue curtains that normally blocked my vision down with them.

What I saw behind them was exactly what I would expect from a medical ward… except it looked improvised.

I startled when the creature let out a muffled, desperate sound before suddenly getting up and limping toward some sort of metallic counter.

I could hear water running forcefully while they repeated the same incomprehensible growls over and over again.

I wasn’t sure what was happening, but the creature was behaving almost identically to how prey trapped in the middle of a stampede would.

For a moment they seemed about to collapse, but the larger creature appeared out of nowhere after a loud burst of pressurized air and grabbed one of their arms.

The scene made absolutely no sense to me.

And for the first time since waking up in this place…

I truly wanted to know what was happening.

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Memory transcription.

Subject: Andrés Felipe, United Nations nurse.

Date [standardized human time]: August 27, 2130.

Every four hours, I was forced to go to that damn place to inspect the six aliens inside the room… the worst of them all was that horrible insect, it looked like some awful mix between a spider and an ant, thank goodness I only had to make the visual check and nothing more.

At least the rest were much more pleasant to look at, one was some kind of sheep/ram with a broken neck; some kind of squid, but with four tentacles, had a really nasty skull fracture; one that looked like a blue-feathered bird with a broken leg and lastly there was the one that seemed to be the common ancestor of marsupials, whose tail was broken to the point they had to amputate it.

No matter how many times I checked their vital signs, most of them seemed to be in a state of coma or unconsciousness.

Sigh.

The fact that none of them wake up is a very worrying situation and my shattered nerves can’t stand seeing them in that state. I’ve had more than one argument with Hana, but the Japanese woman always dismisses my concerns saying she has it under control, or at least that’s what she makes it seem like at first glance.

Seeing how all her nails were broken and several fingers covered with adhesive bandages, how her hairstyle was in a worse state and that she looked worse and worse, was a sign that she was not having a good time.

She wasn’t the only one, everyone in this depressing place was slowly falling apart as time passed, it’s just that some showed it more than others.

And then… There was that bear-like being, leaving aside the fact that it was the only being that managed to wake up; there were a couple details that disturbed me, that I hadn’t commented on with the rest of the team due to lack of evidence.

The way I could see that recognition in its gaze every time it heard my voice, the way it repeated the same gestures with those short ears and those strange cries every time I came… it’s almost as if it were some attempt at communication.

Or… maybe I’m simply starting to hallucinate from lack of sleep and stress.

Barely two hours had passed since the last checkup, but sleeping had become almost impossible since they brought it in. Léa had given me permission to rest, sure… but due to the constant checks that the UN ordered, I haven't been able to sleep since then.

The protocol demanded checkups every four hours with extremely precise reports, and after the fourth emergency call, the desire to spend twenty straight minutes putting on and taking off a decontamination suit kind of disappeared.

“Boom. Plus four.” Said Julián with a satisfied smile, a German nurse.

“Bah, I give up.” Growled Olivia while leaving the cards on the table, the American surgeon.

“Seriously, man, that’s the third time in the same match.” Sighed Haoyu, the surgeon from Beijing, from the other side of the table while we were in the break room.

I barely looked up. The small improvised room looked just as miserable as it had more than fifteen hours ago: cold coffee, empty wrappers and an uncomfortable silence hidden beneath forced conversations.

“Hey, Andrés, are you planning to take that off at some point? We’re in the lounge, not biological containment.” Said the German in a slightly forced humorous tone.

“…After the fourth alarm, you lose the desire to keep putting this thing on.” I responded dryly.

The atmosphere dimmed a little after that.

Not because they were indifferent. The whole team already knew about the constant calls and the extra surveillance orders; Léa had ended up telling them part of the situation. But nobody insisted too much. Mostly because I myself had asked them not to.

Apathy had taken over me ever since Léa told me what I was to the UN… just a stupid expendable pawn and it seemed like they didn’t care in the slightest about the large number of awards that they themselves had given me for my performance during difficult times.

In the distance I could hear Léa’s voice trying to calm someone down.

“Come on, breathe… everything’s going to turn out fine, don’t worry too much about it.” Her rough voice, already tired from talking so much with insensitive diplomats, was trying too hard to calm someone down.

“I-it’s just that you don’t understand… it’s the first time in my entire career that I don’t know what I’m doing. I’m a disgrace to my family, to all my years of study.” Hana replied in a broken and hurried tone, it seems the nerves had finally taken their toll on her.

As if the atmosphere among us wasn’t already gloomy enough, seeing Hana finally break down only worsened the situation. Nobody was capable of looking at anyone anymore and the cards were left abandoned on the table.

“Ugh… this has already been too much, this treatment crossed the line a long time ago, we need a break, whether those diplomats like it or not… I’m even going to speak with Elias himself if necessary.” Exclaimed Léa, already fed up with the situation.

“By the way, forget everything the UN ordered you to do, go get some sleep, you look like a war survivor.” She said again while pointing at me with a pencil.

“And who’s going to do the checkups?” I replied without much enthusiasm.

“Don’t worry about that… maybe a containment suit accidentally broke and they need another one…” This time it was Alejandro who responded, with an obviously fake smile.

“Fine… I’ll be on the couch if something happens…” I said while simply collapsing onto the sofa.

Memory transcription.

Subject: Joona, Zurulian combat medic.

Date [standardized human time]: August 27, 2130.

How much time had already passed?

It was very hard to tell without being able to see anything other than these blue curtains. My only way of knowing an approximate amount of time that had passed, was that mysterious being that always came at more or less the same intervals of time.

It always did the same thing: entered, checked my vital signs on the screens and with those strange primitive-looking instruments, and then left... At first it scared me and I went into total alert, but with time I stopped being afraid.

So much that I even drifted off for a few moments, only to be awakened by the —not subtle at all— decompression whistle that announced every round.

With each round, it sounded slower and its growls weaker and weaker, showing exhaustion. I wasn’t sure at what point I had started trying to establish a conversation, perhaps because of the loneliness.

And I wasn’t very sure if it understood me, but it seemed to react every time I did something, from my instinctive ear greetings, to my poor attempts to speak; every time I did, it stopped for a few moments only to continue as if nothing happened.

I had to keep myself focused on coherent thoughts to avoid going insane, being completely isolated is something harsh on the mind, so I focused my train of thought on the strange figure.

To begin with, its entrance was always accompanied by a loud decompression sound, as if it were a pressure change, I could hear its light footsteps on the floor, but they always went in several directions before reaching me, as if it checked other things.

Now that I think about it, sometimes I was able to hear other dissonant beeps when I focused on listening, could it be that there are survivors? And if so, why has nobody tried to communicate with me? What if everyone is in a coma and I’m the only one who woke up?

I quickly shook my head to drive those thoughts away from my mind, I didn’t want another panic attack.

Better to focus on analyzing the routine of the mysterious creature keeping me captive. I knew it was the same one because of the sound of its growls and its proportions; even its footsteps always seemed to follow the same pattern.

Clearly it had to be some kind of doctor or nurse. It constantly checked my vital signs and manipulated the instruments with far too much precision to be anything else.

Although… that still didn’t answer the real question. Why were they trying to keep me alive?

I lightly flicked my ears in frustration.

I had just come out of lung surgery. It was logical that they kept me under medical observation… but none of this situation felt logical.

I mean, this nurse acted strangely… it was somehow distant beyond the language difference; as if it didn’t want to be here.

But it wasn’t enough to sound indifferent, it was always attentive to any change in my condition, no matter how small it was.

That simply made no sense at all. The Federation taught us all our lives to recognize patterns for dangerous species … or for PD patients.

Gulp.

Impulsiveness, aggression and total lack of empathy.

But this being didn’t act like that, it seemed more like someone exhausted trying to fulfill their duty, than a dangerous creature…

I moved my ears in a gesture of frustration, could it be that they have something like this too?

Thinking about it a little.

It’s strange that the same being visited me again and again at the same approximate intervals. It’s a detail insignificant at first glance, but the more I analyze it, the stranger it becomes.

Sure, with each visit its state was more and more deteriorated, its growls weaker, its posture and movements clumsier and slower, but even so… it kept coming.

Anyone would have simply collapsed from exhaustion a long time ago, but this being simply continued without rest, again and again…

A chill ran down my spine when I thought about the implications of a species with the capacity to persist for who knows how long.

There’s something else that has been bothering me. It’s the fact that they are too paranoid. The handcuffs, the apparent obsession with contamination, everything seemed too exaggerated for someone in my state.

I could understand the fear of the risk of some virus jumping that could affect both species, but… what about the rest?

My eyes are on the sides of my head. Any member of the Federation would have understood that I was not a threat, even before the species united into the Federation.

We’ve always been told that it is instinctive for prey to fear frontal eyes and trust side-facing eyes —that it is vital for survival— isn’t that right?

But then, I remembered something.

Years ago I spoke with a Yotul during one of the shift changes. I barely remember how the conversation started, but I perfectly remember something he said about his homeworld.

His parents taught him from childhood that both a predator and a prey could be dangerous.

That any animal could hurt you if you let your guard down.

The Yotul dismissed it as just some old people’s superstition, but it made me think of something that could perhaps explain the reason for all this.

But deep inside, I didn’t want to think about it, because thinking about it would mean admitting that something I believed in my whole life, was completely wrong. That fear—

“No, no!” I said ignoring the pain in my chest while violently shaking my head.

But my train of thought was completely interrupted when that familiar decompression whistle was heard in the distance.

Only this time there seemed to be something different, its footsteps were heavier and with a faster rhythm, as if it had suddenly recovered all its energy. Besides, it seemed to be… singing? Or at least I think so.

I focused on listening to the creature while it followed the same routine.

Its strange growls —rougher and deeper— seemed to carry a certain rhythm, as if it were humming a song.

Most likely it’s another being. I still haven’t been able to see because of the curtains covering my whole vision, but the difference between this new being and the previous one was obvious.

The differences were obvious, the first moved in a slower and more methodical way, almost rigid. While this one seemed more cheerful and light… Playful, perhaps?

That makes me think there’s probably some kind of hierarchy, although I’m not sure whether they are predators or prey nor who was in command.

And finally the new being passed through the blinds. Gods, it was immense… and I thought the first one was already quite large by itself, this one was clearly, at the very least, a head or more taller.

No matter how much I thought about it, the duality between both beings never fit with the Federation’s standards and that made it difficult for me to know whether they were predators or prey. It was simply frustrating.

I was so absorbed in my thoughts that I realized too late that the creature had already finished the medical checkup without stopping its strange singing.

Looking more closely, I could see that the creature held a metal tray and on top there was a compact military ration. The package was somewhat battered, but it still seemed usable.

The mere sight of the ration was enough for hunger to run through my body almost instantly.

My stomach growled so loudly that even the creature could hear it. Its melodic growls changed into others that weren’t, as if responding to the universal signal of hunger.

Without wasting more time, it opened the ration package, only instead of giving it to me immediately, it stayed admiring for too long the hard piece of fortified bark.

Then, it simply brought it close to my snout with the expectation that I would start eating it… Seriously? Does it really expect me to chew that in my current state?

“Do you seriously expect me to eat that when I can barely even speak?” I said while giving ear signals of annoyance.

The creature seemed to catch my intention faster than I expected, since it quickly moved the piece of bark away, toyed a little with it and then left the room, making me think it had given up.

Only for the familiar decompression whistle to be heard again some time later, and I quickly realized it was the same creature because it kept growling in that melodic way.

When it crossed through the curtains I felt quite confused seeing what the creature carried with it; in one paw it had a metallic-looking pitcher and in the other, some kind of utensil.

It looked too rudimentary to be medical equipment, but it also didn’t fit with any utensil I had seen before. It was some kind of metallic bowl accompanied by a short and somewhat oval cylinder.

The creature left what it had brought earlier on the instrument table and grabbed the hard piece of bark and broke it with its own paws in a somewhat surprising act of strength.

And then it put the pieces into the small bowl, poured something from the pitcher that looked like water over them and began grinding it. That was when I realized this creature was grinding the bark into a more edible paste.

I wasn’t xenophobic toward the Yotul but it was a little comical seeing a creature with advanced technology use such primitive-looking tools, but I couldn’t deny it was an ingenious solution.

After making that improvised mush, it brought it close to me with a comically large spoon. The taste of the mush was horrendous, after all it was a military ration, but at least it was edible.

Each spoonful felt somewhat clumsy; although the creature tried to bring them delicately, there was a certain resistance in my mouth that betrayed contained strength. The room remained silent, and I couldn’t help feeling embarrassed when I realized I was being fed like a pup.

Once the mush was finished, the new creature brought a cloth closer and passed it over my face to clean the mess left by the enormous spoon and then, simply left with those same rhythmic growls it entered with.

And well, now I was alone, again. Only the silence remained… and all those questions that kept piling up.

Why did they act so differently from one another?

Why did they seem to distrust me so much and yet still kept taking care of me?

And why would a species capable of creating such advanced technology still keep using such absurdly primitive tools?

Sigh.

Better not think too much about it right now. My ears moved in frustration while I sank a little deeper into the bed, for the love of the gods, was it always this comfortable or is the anesthesia wearing off?

The more time I spent here, the less I felt I understood anything. 

Hello, do you remember me? Well, that doesn't matter much now.

What is important is that I have brought you the pilot of that idea that I said almost a week ago.

In any case, I'm just here to tell you that in this AU the universal translators are going to be LESS, universal and much less convenient for the plot, I can't give more details because that's what several chapters are about (if anyone really reads this).

Memory Transcript.
Subject: Joona, Zurulian combat medic.
Date [standardized human time]: August 26th, 2130.

My paws trembled as I tried to stay as calm as possible while the alarms for oxygen loss and severe structural damage flooded my senses.

“Sh-shit, Joona, don’t freeze up n-now, you need to get to the escape pods as fast as possible.” I told myself while grabbing the nearest first aid kit within reach.

The sounds of alarms and stampedes echoed through the hallways. My instincts struggled to keep up with the frantic crowds and my conscious mind –on the other paw– was screaming at me to treat the wounds; all while my conscious mind fought to organize my thoughts over the deafening alarms and the ship coming apart under the Arxur’s merciless attacks.

Being captured by the Arxur is a fate worse than death. The videos circled through my head, slowing my movements, letting a panic-driven haze paralyze me more and more.

I don’t want to be captured by the Arxur.
I don’t want to be captured by the Arxur.
I DON’T WANT TO BE CAPTURED BY THE ARXUR!

<<Everyone, we’re taking desperate measures… be ready to reach the escape pods after this emergency jump.>> Recel’s voice, the ship’s second-in-command, announced.

Somehow, that managed to snap my mind back into place, and I quickly grabbed one last emergency kit. Carrying two bags almost as large as I was proved incredibly difficult, especially while the ship shook like a leaf in the wind.

Without thinking too much about it, I sprinted toward the escape pods at full speed.

Through the corridors I could see the ship was in its final moments. Watching my medical DataPad light up with notifications redirecting us toward new shuttle routes only made my already racing heart beat even faster.

Sparks, blackouts, and the smell of smoke followed me on my way to the launch bays, reminding me of my first Arxur raid, back when I was just a child—

<<Warning, FTL travel without recoil calibration!>> the mechanical voice announced, pulling me out of my thoughts.

This was bad. A violent impact was coming after the jump. I needed to reach one of the shuttles before the collision knocked me unconscious. On my way there, I ran into Recel, who was carrying a Krakotl whose leg was in horrific condition.

“W-What are you doing here?!” the Kolshian exclaimed.

“I-I was just looking for more medical supplies, i-in case someone was hurt!” I replied while forcing myself not to panic. For a few brief moments, I could see something almost resembling respect in my superior’s eyes.

“Doesn’t matter, let’s get to the shuttles.” He said without another word.

And just as we reached the shuttle bay, panic overtook me when I realized there was only one shuttle left, and it was marked as damaged. Inside were only six other crew members, all wearing expressions of terror.

We didn’t have much time to think, because suddenly we felt weightless; that could only mean one thing, the FTL jump had already begun. Without hesitating, we rushed inside, only to feel seconds later as my entire body was shaken down to its core.

A sharp pain shot through my back as I slammed into the ceiling of the pod. While my vision blurred from the pain, I saw Captain Recel dragging himself across the floor to hit the button that launched us away from the dying cruiser.

crack.

A sickening crunch echoed from inside my body as the rest of the crew and I were hurled into the ceiling again. I tried to scream in pain, but all the air was forced from my lungs by the impact.

The groans of the other crew members were drowned out by a ringing in my ears. I was completely incapable of forming a coherent thought after that.

The last thing I saw before losing consciousness was the pod launching away from the ship as it broke apart and fell into orbit toward a blue-colored planet…

//////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
//////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////

The first thing I managed to hear were familiar rhythmic beeps, though at a strangely low frequency, followed by pain that at first felt like tingling before becoming a constant throbbing throughout my entire body.

I remember making a monumental effort to open my eyes when the terrifying image of an Arxur’s jaws flashed through my mind, only for my vision to blur and nausea to hit me immediately.

Where am I?

What was the last thing I was doing? Oh right, the Arxur… but after glancing around, the only things I could see were a strangely designed vital signs monitor, blue curtains, and dim white lights.

I couldn’t read the data on the monitor, maybe because of the concussion from the impact, or because my implant had been damaged during the crash.

My heart sped up at the thought that I might have been captured by the Arxur and that this was a cattle ship, but my nose could only pick up the smell of ozone-filled air, strong medical alcohol, and faint traces of something else… something salty.

Okay, okay, okay, breathe… this clearly didn’t smell like a place full of Arxur—

“Arg.” I groaned in pain while trying to breathe deeply.

After giving myself a quick look over, I noticed I was covered in bandages. I had probably fractured a rib during the accident, but something stopped me from writhing in pain…

I was pawcuffed to the bed. In fact, the proportions of everything in this place looked wrong. The proportions of the bed, the vital monitor, and even the IV drip slowly feeding translucent liquid into my bloodstream.

My anxiety started rising as I realized I had no idea what they were injecting into me, or why I was restrained to a hospital bed. Countless scenarios ran through my head as I tried to understand what was happening.

That was when I remembered what I had been doing before blacking out, how we had escaped the ship toward a supposedly unknown direction. The possibility that I might be in an alien world.

Although a part of me couldn’t stop considering the possibility that this was some kind of PD treatment facility; somehow, that was even worse than the first option.

Suddenly, a tall, thin figure appeared behind the blinds in front of me. I couldn’t make out the features of what was possibly a species new to the Federation. Thankfully, it couldn’t be a predator. Federation reports said creatures like that simply couldn’t exist… right?

The mysterious alien seemed to be wearing some kind of biological containment equipment, along with a tinted visor that prevented me from seeing its eyes… but there were details that didn’t fit, small things that made me more nervous instead of calming me down.

Like how ridiculously narrow the visor was… or that growl…

gulp.

I swallowed instinctively. It was simply impossible for it to be a predator. Those monsters aren’t capable of medicine, or compassion… that’s why I’m still alive, right?

The strange figure seemed uneasy, as if unsure what to do, and that only worsened my panic. The machine’s beeping began to accelerate, betraying the terror I could barely contain.

Then the strange figure approached me with slow, cautious steps. Instinctively, I tried to move away from it, but the restraints and the stabbing pain in my chest forced me back onto the bed with a weak whimper.

Strangely, the figure froze.

What?

How was this possible?

I was the one cornered and helpless, not this strange being.

But the strange figure shook its head sharply and resumed its slow approach toward me.

And once it was only centimeters away from my side, I saw the strange being slide some kind of device beneath my fur with its paws.

A shiver ran down my spine when the strange device—presumably metallic—pressed beneath the bandages on my chest.

It was strange. This was very similar to how the Yotul described some ancient medical procedure—

Cold?

Why could I feel something like that through my fur?

My confusion didn’t last long, because the being’s agile gloved fingers lifted the bandages, revealing a patch without fur and a horrifying scar where my lung should have been.

“W-what… huff d-did you do to me?” I managed to stammer while panic clouded my judgment more and more.

The machine started buzzing loudly and the strange figure stepped back while frantically turning its head between me and the machine, fidgeting endlessly with its thin paws.

By that point tears blurred my vision and I couldn’t think straight anymore. The machine’s noise became more frantic while I struggled harder and harder against my restraints, ignoring the stabbing pain in my chest.

Until I felt something on top of my head. The movement was hesitant, but it seemed experienced in what it was doing… and it stayed there until I managed to calm down a little. The strange being gently brushed one of its claws across my eyes, wiping away the tears and crust that had formed.

And just as suddenly as the strange figure had entered, it left, finally leaving me alone with my thoughts…

Gods, nobody ever prepares you for this.

Memory Transcript.
Subject: Andrés Felipe, United Nations nurse.
Date [standardized human time]: August 26th, 2130.

“Fuck… nobody prepares you for this kind of scenario…” I muttered to myself as I walked out of the improvised emergency room we had set up in the middle of a desert. At least now it was afternoon and there wasn’t as much dust as before.

My hands were still trembling while I took off the suit and went through the decontamination process. It was the slowest process of my life; I went through like five different machines meant to eliminate contaminants. Not before handing over the saliva sample, of course.

And to think my only job was to go in and collect a saliva sample.

Easy job, I said… just go in and out, I said. But then they had to tell me to check the bandages too, even after I told them that bear-looking thing was awake.

If I remember correctly, she was the first one to wake up, which was strange, because the anesthesia was supposed to last at least two more hours—though honestly, I’m not surprised it happened. They’re alien beings after all; it’s a miracle the anesthesia worked at all.

Uff.

This whole situation still leaves a horrible taste in my mouth…

“Hey man, you there?” Chief nurse Léa’s voice called out from the nearest table.

“Here, have some coffee. I heard it was three in the morning back in your home country when they called you in.” She said it with that tone of ‘I understand this shit’ that felt incredibly comforting.

“Thanks…” I replied halfheartedly.

“Mmm… beautiful day, don’t you think? Pretty soon they’ll finally finish building a proper hospital, puisque pour l'instant nous n'avons que cet étage et la pièce isolée là-bas.” Her speech got interrupted when my translator failed.

“Could you repeat that last part? This piece of crap translator keeps glitching out.” I answered while taking a large sip from the still-burning espresso.

“Huh? I said that soon we’re finally getting a real hospital instead of this thing in the middle of the desert.” She replied, her face carrying a cheerful expression that contrasted heavily with her… well, everything. Messy hair, massive eyebags, and exhausted eyes.

Silence settled between us while the sounds of military machinery brought over the rest of what was supposedly going to be our home for who knows how long.

For the love of Christ, the only thing most of us knew was that we had received an emergency call directly from the UN, and that refusing would be severely punished.

Most of us had been asleep, or at work… all of this happened way too fast. In just seven hours, my life had completely changed.

“Hey, what exactly happened there? The only thing we know is what came through the radio. You were completely alone… and from what they say, you had ‘direct contact’ with him. What was it the military called him again? Specimen 241, or whatever.” Léa’s cheerful tone shifted into a more serious one as she stared at me with those tired eyes.

“Is that even a name?

Sigh.

Whatever. What I said was that the patient was awake and seemed nervous, judging by the monitor’s rising rhythm.

Although now that I think about it, maybe it wasn’t exactly that, or at least not at first, considering how small the patient was.

Everything was normal until I went to check the bandages, you know? I was there while the surgeon from Beijing was operating on her…”

Sigh.

I swear to God I heard that doctor pray like three times while trying to figure out whether that thing was a lung or some other weird organ.

…

I just wanted to make sure she wasn’t bleeding internally or something, but the moment she saw the scar she panicked. And I lost control of the situation, I know I shouldn’t have done that… petting her head, you know?

But the pressure of the situation was too much. Can you imagine what would’ve happened to me if that alien died from a pneumothorax because of me? At that moment I was more worried about saving my own ass than anything else.

And then that stupid part of the brain kicked in, the one that makes you want to pet anything with even a little bit of fur. Shit, I’m not even sure how that helped, but somehow it worked…

I wonder what the hell that might mean to that thing, assuming it means anything at all.” I said, completely exhausted after unloading just a small fraction of all the shit I had bottled up so far.

“Huh, that’s rough. Look on the bright side, at least all that’s over now and you won’t have to worry about anything else for a while.

Go on, you’ve got my full permission to get some sleep.” Léa replied in a softer tone.

“By the way… why exactly did I have to go in there alone? I mean, during the examinations and surgeries the whole staff was working inside that place, but after that, why did I have to go alone? Not even a soldier came with me.” I asked while aggressively rubbing my face.

“Uh… it was a matter of bureaucratic efficiency, nothing you need to worry about.” She replied in a strange tone.

“Léa, that sounds exactly like the kind of thing I’d tell a parent when their kid has a terminal illness.” I shot her an irritated, exhausted look.

Suddenly, a painful silence settled between us, broken only by the howling wind, sand hitting the walls of the provisional facility, and the occasional helicopter carrying equipment.

“Sigh.

What’s the point in lying? Fine, I’ll be blunt. If there had been a containment breach, your disappearance would’ve raised fewer questions than someone else’s.

I… I’m sorry, but this isn’t my responsibility anymore.” Léa sighed with even greater exhaustion.

Realizing the UN only saw me as a disposable asset, despite being one of the best nurses of my generation, left a massive emptiness in my stomach… but I was too tired to feel angry.

“Khh!… those bastards… they’re gonna hear from me…

Inhale.

Exhale.

Whatever… I’m way too tired to get angry right now.

Goddammit, I need a cigarette… to hell with my training!” I growled.

“Hey… changing the subject, did you hear the rumors?” Léa pulled me out of my pit while discreetly handing me a lit cigarette.

“No.” I replied dryly.

“It’s worrying. Some of the soldiers are spreading rumors that more than one crashed. Judging by the size of the ship, they think there could’ve been more than six, but only three trails were seen falling toward Earth… which means this chaos is probably going to last for a long time.” She said while staring at the desert sunset.

“Kh-!

What does it matter? We’re stuck working here either way.” I replied while leaning forward from coughing.

&gt;parent post<

[there is a link which redirects to a live stream from a very large news channel which is narrating the biggest scandal of the moment].

<<In latest news, one of the biggest conspiracies since the fall of the Federation has been uncovered.>> begins the presenter, a serious-looking Gojid.

<<That's right, it turns out that the Extermination Guild of Skalga's second-largest city, New Prime, has become embroiled in one of its biggest scandals. It appears that most of the guild, along with several bureaucrats from Governor Vlen's current inner circle, have been orchestrating a series of incidents using human pets and Dossurs to fuel a systematic hate campaign.

All of this with the goal of generating enough public outcry for the purposes of a segregation campaign against humans.>> continued their co-presenter, a red-furred Venlil with a cold gaze.

The shot of the reporters moves to the background as recordings begin to play of the joint Venlil/human task force conducting a raid on the Exterminators' Guild, while the reporters voice-over comments on what this implies for the Guild's reputation and whether this might be the final straw before the collapse of the last traces of the Federation.

The recording of the raid slowly transitions to a Yotul on a podium crowded with people of various races; from the chorus of voices, one can hear a common cry for justice for one person or another.

The Yotul, looking serious and very tired, quietly asks the crowd to calm down before beginning to speak in a cold and measured tone.

<<For months, many institutions have presented these cases as simple isolated incidents. As problems born from a species by its simple existence, but no more…

It is no longer possible to keep calling this a coincidence.>> The Yotul gripped their datapad tightly before continuing.

<<What happened in New Prime proves that certain institutions discovered that public fear could be administratively profitable.>>

The crowd erupted into murmurs, everyone pointing out that the Federation once did the same.

<<Our— ahem, my investigation points out that all of this was a campaign driven by the Guild to specifically drive Dossur families toward human homes with the expectation of generating these incidents.>> The Yotul was interrupted by a voice from the crowd.

<<How did the exterminators make the Dossur go specifically to human houses!>> a furious voice shouted from the crowd.

<<All of this was sustained by a system that slowly incentivized the displacement of Dossur families toward human sectors. Sectors that, even now, continue to be ignored by the institutions that supposedly had the role of protecting everyone equally.

I am not sure how long this has been going on, but the fruits of this act were being harvested not long ago. The incident of CatLov3r087… my client, was just one more of the bunch.>> The Yotul lowered their ears for a moment before snapping them upright.

<<Sigh...

If we truly want change, if we want to prove that we are better than those stereotypes the Federation imposed upon us, we must first solve our problems as a society.

I know that, with this, many officials will receive the retribution they deserve; others will not receive any real justice. But one thing is clear: these incidents must not be forgotten. And… if the institutions of this planet are truly telling the truth—about leaving behind the legacy of the Federation—then they had better act so that all of this doesn't just remain as words like it is now." The Yotul stepped down from the podium without speaking much to the reporters.

The recording is interrupted by the return of the same two reporters from before.

<<This sets a precedent for political history as one of the most terrible acts committed under the "protection of the herd." Is it truly so, or are we witnessing the greatest deconstruction seen to date?>> the Gojid said in a calm tone.

<<The most concerning part of all this.>> the Venlil presenter continued slowly while checking information on their datapad.

<<Part of the documents leaked by the lawyer Soura seem to indicate that multiple audit requests were halted or archived several cycles before these incidents began to receive public attention.>>

The Gojid uncomfortably adjusted their quills.

<<And if said documents prove to be authentic, then this could become a much larger problem for the current administration than initially thought. Because we are not talking solely about local negligence. We are talking about approved budgets, coordinated operations between districts, and public safety campaigns sustained for months.>>

Behind them both, an old recording appeared of Governor Vlen delivering a speech on "preventive civil protection" while images of anti-human riots occupied part of the screen.

The Venlil slowly moved their ears.

<<Which is inevitably leading various political sectors to wonder how much knowledge actually existed within the administrative circles close to the governor.>>

The Gojid took a few seconds before responding.

<<Vlen's office continues to deny any direct involvement. However, various analysts are already pointing out that many of the policies pushed by his administration during the last cycles seem to align… quite conveniently… with the atmosphere of fear that ended up benefiting the Guild.>> And then, the two presenters froze for a few moments, as if they had seen or heard something that left a bad taste in their mouths.

<<If the reports are accurate… the incidents occurred in sectors classified as "high predator-risk areas".>> The Venlil paused awkwardly.

<<Areas that were later reinforced with more troops, more preventive propaganda, and… social operations following the arrival of human refugees.>> The Venlil continued, while their tail could be seen twitching slightly in discomfort.

<<If the allegations in the report are confirmed.>> The Gojid concluded slowly.

<<New Prime could be facing the biggest institutional scandal since the post-Federation reconstruction.>> The rest of the live stream continues covering other relevant topics, but of little importance to the post.

Hello everyone… I’m sorry to tell you that this account will no longer be active for much longer; this is because the original owner is no longer with us.

I'm only attaching this link to spread the message to as many people as possible and give some context about what's happened since the last update.

More than five months have passed since the post was last updated and I just wanted to give you context on what happened. I personally knew the owner of the account and I just wanted to make a couple of things clear.

They weren't a martyr or a saint, they were just another person in the crowd: sometimes they were a bitch, as humans say, other times they were my rock and the only person I could trust when I felt cornered, and they were always there for me.

It's a shame I couldn't be there for them when they needed it most… You can't imagine the helplessness I feel right now, going to their room, empty, waiting for someone who isn't coming back.

I remember when I used to go to their home, even when I had nothing else to do, just being there meant a lot to me… now I'm just confused and I don't know what to do with my life now.

Sometimes I sit in their room thinking about how things were before. I know there are still matters to resolve, people looking for answers or questions with bitter answers. Continuing hurts a lot, because it reminds me of them.

I'm not sure how to move forward now that they are gone. But this will be the end for this post and this account… you know, sometimes I remember the last time I saw them and I can't stop feeling this sense of guilt, that I could have done more.

===========================================================

Ugh... I finally finished this. You have no idea how awful it is to kill time. I'll give you a piece of advice while I'm here... NEVER, FOR ANYTHING, WORK IN ANY AREA RELATED TO CALL CENTERS... they'll really exploit you.

OCC: dude, Why is my content being flagged as AI-generated?

&gt;parent post<
(Edit: Jesus… this thread is already too long. If anyone actually reads all of this, thank you. And also, I’m forced to be ambiguous about everything regarding my lawyer because of the contract I signed.)

Hello everyone.

It’s been… quite a while since the last time I wrote here. Two months? Less? I’m not sure. And to be honest… I didn’t plan on updating again, because truth be told, I didn't expect to be alive to do it.

But I guess life doesn't work that way.

A lawyer found my post. They said something in my case didn’t add up, that a piece was missing from this whole story. They contacted me almost immediately.

Obviously, I hesitated.

Why would anyone want to help a human in my situation? It’s not money, and even if it were, I have nothing. I also thought it might be a joke, someone trying to have one last laugh at a condemned man.

Even so, I accepted, though not because I believed I actually had a way out… but because I had nothing else left.

I didn't expect them to actually show up. But they did.

Half an hour after I replied, they were in front of my cell, accompanied by two exterminators who didn’t seem to bother hiding their contempt. I’m not sure if it was toward me… or toward my lawyer.

A Yotul. I can’t give their name.

Their way of speaking was too confident, too… rehearsed, typical lawyer stuff, you understand? As if they already knew how all of this was going to end. Still, their optimism—though I don’t know if it was real—was contagious.

As soon as we were left alone, they started asking me questions. Many. About Narancia, about the house, about that day. I didn't understand half of what they were saying, but they seemed to be trying to fit everything into some kind of legal argument.

Something about trespassing. About how… if the Dossur were there without permission, then what occurred wouldn't be exactly what everyone believes.

Damn, it sounds worse when I write it. But I still accept

I don’t know if it’s out of fear, exhaustion… or something worse.

Before leaving, they said they would do some “lawyer magic.” I don’t know what that means, but two hours later they came back… and somehow they got me released, at least temporarily.

Now I’m wearing an ankle monitor. If I go out of a certain range, it shocks me, and I don't think you need to be a genius to realize I’m going to be trapped inside the human shelter for a long while… and to be honest, even now I don't have much desire to go out.

Since then… things have happened, like details that don't fit.

Records that disappear. Recordings that no longer exist. My ex-landlord now refuses to speak unless it’s under a court order. And nobody seems to know where the boy is… the only survivor.

My lawyer says this isn’t normal.

Sometimes they talk as if there were something bigger behind it. Other cases. Other humans, and I don't really know whether to believe them.

Oh, and one more thing I’ve noticed as time passes.

During one of our conversations… I realized something I hadn't noticed before.

The way they spoke about Narancia—well, about companion animals in general. From my point of view, it’s not one of disgust or fear; it’s something else.

I don’t know how to explain it well. That “something” people who have had pets have, when they talk about them after something happens to them. As if… they weren't talking about an animal.

I don’t know if that means anything, or if I’m just imagining it. Either way, my knowledge of the Coalition species' culture still matters little or nothing to me at this point.

And yet they keep coming to see me. More than necessary.

Sometimes we talk about the case. Sometimes about normal things. Sometimes… I don't know what to think.

They don’t act like someone who should hate me. That is what unsettles me the most.

And well, that brings us to now; I wrote this while watching trash on alien television from my datapad… I know I should feel something.

Rage. Fear. Relief. But I’m simply incapable to a certain extent.

I’m just tired. Losing everything twice in less than a year caused something in me to finally break, and all I can feel is an increasingly deep disconnection.

===========================================================

Ugh... it's getting harder and harder to find time to write stories. By the way, I hadn't originally planned on a second part, BUT I liked the idea so much that I'm thinking of creating a short third and final part.