《The Foundations of Humanity》 The Foundations of Humanity 1 (Venlil-Blooded) - an NoP fanfic Memory transcription subject: Valek, Venlil-Human Partnership Program Participant Date [standardized human time]: August 21st, 2136, midday, day one of in-person phase of exposure program. Finally off of the shuttle, I marveled at the shared workmanship of Beta Station. Clearly Venlil styling, but almost half again the size, with a focus on space-facing view panels. I hadn''t heard back from Maeve yet, so I figured she was still in transit. Seeing a free moment, I familiarized myself with the station. It was fairly small, only space for several hundred souls, and clearly focused on a shared-living purpose. The water closets were well equipped, and the bathing room was even better! The massive multi-level mess hall made up the core of the station, but from our view on the approach, I knew there was more to the structure. The mess hall was still getting set up, which meant lunch would be late, so I headed back to the room. I was so excited! I wondered if she was as excited as me? I found the room, 2118, on the outer edge of our ring. Relatively large and tall for a Venlil, space for a bunk bed, a small counter, two simple seats, and what looked like a simple bathroom, equipped with a mirror, sink, and I believe that''s called a toilet; its existence made me assume it worked for Venlil as well as human, but I thought I''d keep with the water closets. Even my apartment was larger, but I knew space was, ironically, precious in Space. I started to settle in and put my travel pack away, when my pad blipped from the bed where I left it. Made it to the station, I''m just outside. I''ve heard some stories, so I''d like to be careful with our introduction. Would you humor me for a moment? After all our talking, I had hoped this would be more casual, but I will confess to hearing the odd yelp on my way here. Ok, what can I do? Sit on the bed, and close your eyes, keep them closed till I message you. Ok? I trusted her, and this was no real effort on my part, so I decided to play along. I took a seat on the lower bunk, and draped a blanket over me, pad in paw. I''m ready, you can come in. Ok. The door swooshed open in front and to the right of me, and I could see why she was careful; the blankets helped, but they weren''t opaque. The person I assumed was Maeve was taller than me by almost a head and a half, and her lithe form was eerily backlit from the brighter hallway. The door swooshed closed behind her, and without the light from the hall I could no longer see. I heard her shuffling around and moving something heavy, shifting to my left toward the bathroom. The ominous sounds and self-imposed blindness were setting my nerves on edge, but I didn''t show it; aside from being frozen stiff and hyperventilating. I heard a presence sit on the ground. I saw a light flick on to my left and slightly below me, then my pad blipped. Thank you. You can come out now, whenever you''re ready. I moved to pull the blanket from me, but found I hadn¡¯t the strength to. "H¡­ Hi, Maeve" ¡­. "Hello, Valek" Her voice was smooth, and higher than I expected. Like a cold wind coming through the trees. I had to hear it again. "I-I-I''m really glad to see you. How was your shuttle?" "Mmm, I''m quite glad to see the blanket too," she finished with a giggle, as my tail twitched with delight. "It was fine. We came here straight from Earth, so it took some time. It was cramped, and noisy, but I''ve had worse and longer in-atmo flights, so it was fine. How about you?" This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road. If you spot it on Amazon, please report it. "It was¡­ longer than I wanted it to be. I was so excited to be part of this!" Finding my voice, I kept going, "This is the first First Contact I''ve ever been part of! I was still a pup when the Federation contacted the Yotul. And! You found us! You''re the first species since before the war to be the first to reach out, and one of only a handful to make your own FTL drive!" I was practically bouncing in my seat, "and the only one to ever try an exposure program with civilians! This is incredible!" I took a couple deep breaths. "I think I''m ready," steeling my nerves, I slid the blanket from atop me. The room was dim, still, but my eyes were already adjusted. I saw a small bundle of legs and arms, wrapped round itself with its head in their knees. I had already seen how tall she was, she was clearly trying to make herself as small as possible for my benefit. "Thank you, but I''d like to see you, too" I said as gently as I could, sliding from the bed to join her on the floor. She slowly lifted her head, and fixed me with two shining green eyes. I was at once entranced¡­ and terrified. My breath hitched in my throat and my ears locked forward. We sat for a moment, waiting for the other to move. I could not look away; but I don''t think it was fear that rooted me. Maeve lifted the rest of her head, and I was startled by what I saw. No hair that I could see, and her skin was almost pale, save for spots of orange under her eyes. Seeing she was starting to get uncomfortable, I turned my head and body away from her, looking at her with one side, I moved to the door-side of the room to give her space. She slowly rose from the ground, and sat herself in one of the provided chairs, giving me, and the door, as much berth as possible. "Are you¡­ scared?" She said, barely more than a whisper. "Terrified, I think. I''ve never seen a predator before. Not like you; not in person. It''s¡­ so much." I took a quick breath, "I tried to do my own exposure therapy, did what I could to find pictures of other humans. You look¡­ Nothing like them. How?" Maeve shifted uncomfortably in her seat, I worry I may have touched a nerve, "Well¡­ every human is different. But I''m part of a very small percentage." She breathed heavily, "this is not a polite topic normally, humans are what we do, not how we were born. But I can see it''s going to be a sticking point, so¡­" there was a tone in her voice that worried me¡­ irritation? "I don''t know the technical term, but everyone calls us Ginger. The things that make us like this are normally recessive genes, so they rarely appear elsewhere in the world. But somehow, the people in my family''s little corner of Northern Europe, mutated these traits as a dominant gene. And so, forever after, the people from my part of the world have an astoundingly high percentage of people like me." "It''s incredible." I said, without pause. This did, however, cause a significant pause in Maeve. We stared at each other for several moments before I noticed something. "You don''t wear a mask, but you have a head covering. Is there a reason?" "Oh! Um. The shuttle pilot asked me to, when I got on. Said something about spooking you guys, I''m not sure why." "Well, no better way to find out. I won''t ask you to, but you don''t have to wear that around me." She lifted her hand and unbound her covering. Rich glistening blood fell from her scalp. I heard the wet plap in my ears, I saw her long fingered claws reach out for me. I screeched and dove under the bed. -- I woke up in a room far too bright, my head far too thick. A nurse jogged up to me and pressed me back to the gurney. "It''s ok, you''re alright. You took a nasty bump on the head. What''s your name?" "V-Valek." "Alright Valek, I''m going to put something over your eyes, you still look pretty dazed," a loose net was placed over my vision, darkening the room considerably, "what''s the last thing you remember?" "I was¡­ talking to my partner. Mmm¡­Maeve. About her headscarf." I heard someone stirring beside me, "mm, Valek? Valek?! Are you ok?!" A spike of pain to my cerebellum, ¡°I¡¯m ok, I¡¯m ok. Quiet. Please.¡± The nurse handed me a pill and some juice, then moved to another patient. "Oh my god, Valek, I was so worried!" She said through shaking tears, "I just brought out my hair and you dove face first into the bed frame. I ran, panicking down the halls before I found someone who could remain conscious long enough to help." She took a deep breath, and steadied herself, "I didn''t find out till we got you here, but I think I know why you freaked out." Memory was coming back to me, but slower than words. "Another thing about Gingers is that we have red hair; well, more bright orange. And¡­ I think that you might have thought my hair was something else." The Foundations of Humanity 2 (We Wont Bite) - an NoP fanfic Memory transcription subject: Valek, Venlil-Human Partnership Program Participant Date [standardized human time]: August 23rd, 2136,early evening to to chickento mice teeth! Stolen story; please report. force them The Foundations of Humanity 3 (Like Puzzle Pieces) -- an NOP fanfic Memory transcription subject: Valek, Venlil-Human Partnership Program Participant Date [standardized human time]: August 24th, 2136 Beep do This narrative has been purloined without the author''s approval. Report any appearances on Amazon. closeness do pain kind The Foundations of Humanity 4 (Man-Made Man) -- an NOP fanfic Memory transcription subject: Valek, Venlil-Human Partnership Program Participant Date [standardized human time]: August 24th, 2136 that was odd [NSFW] randomintentional Giovanni Stanchi watermelons Unlawfully taken from Royal Road, this story should be reported if seen on Amazon. very Sheep They are not their ancestors. humans are They are not their Ancestors! They are not their Ancestors! The Foundations of Humanity 5 (Showing Colors) - an NoP fanfic Memory transcription subject: Valek, Venlil-Human Partnership Program Participant Date [standardized human time]: August 24th, 2136 interest like allows The tale has been illicitly lifted; should you spot it on Amazon, report the violation. armedpresenting work could thinking impulses thirsty The Foundations of Humanity 6 (Cracked Mirror) - an NoP fanfic Memory transcription subject: Valek, Venlil-Human Partnership Program Participant Date [standardized human time]: August 24th, 2136 predator could notice board began flashing Update: Research Outpost 1 attacked by Arxur bombing run. Station sustained no damage. Human craft were successful in destroying the invaders. Defending craft suffered massive casualties. punishso much Unauthorized content usage: if you discover this narrative on Amazon, report the violation. resourcesprocessedproduct. horrifyingly familiar The Foundations of Humanity 7 (A Choice) - an NoP fanfic Memory transcription subject: Valek, Venlil-Human Partnership Program Participant Date [standardized human time]: August 24th, 2136 joke choosechoose This I think I¡¯m ready to talk, can you come to the baths? I''m in the near corner on the left as you enter. Ok! I¡¯m on my way! sun-rightsurrounded every myfriend This book is hosted on another platform. Read the official version and support the author''s work. know you spacewhole different life form The Foundations of Humanity 8 (Cultivation) - an NoP fanfic Memory transcription subject: Valek, Venlil-Human Partnership Program Participant Date [standardized human time]: August 25th, 2136 very dideducation whycompulsory prevent you,actor Love this novel? Read it on Royal Road to ensure the author gets credit. every that this Please report to the Partnership Program lead office promptly. Suite 4006 on deck 4. The Foundations of Humanity 9 (The Next Step) - an NoP fanfic Memory transcription subject: Valek, Venlil-Human Partnership Program Participant Date [standardized human time]: August 25th, 2136 Hello, my name is Maeve, Barry gave me your contact. I was wondering if we could talk about what he called the next step, Integration? not Hello, Maeve! Barry told me about you two. We are looking for volunteers for a test program, so this is great news. I see you have already completed the Empathy test, with very good results. I would like to talk in more detail. Can you meet me in Suite 4182? On our way. If you encounter this story on Amazon, note that it''s taken without permission from the author. Report it. Professor Tarva why off willwill to a rural town grooming choosefeelchoose seefeelhearsmelltaste¡­ The Foundations of Humanity 10 (Old Memories, New Friends) - an NoP fanfic Memory transcription subject: Valek, Venlil-Human Partnership Program Participant Date [standardized human time]: August 27th, 2136 necessary in her own room fair will them my thankfulyoulet them HeyWewe both accused conveniencefuture Support the author by searching for the original publication of this novel. Memory transcription subject: Alvi, Venlil Citizen, Unemployed. Date [standardized human time]: August 26th, 2136. By the Sun what isthat?! thing Hello Alvi, it''s nice to meet you! I wear this because I look very scary, and I don¡¯t want to scare you. Why are you typing instead of talking? I¡¯m worried my voice will be scary too, but I do speak. Would you like me to? The Foundations of Humanity 11 (Funny Faces) - an NoP fanfic Memory transcription subject: Alvi, Venlil Citizen, Unemployed. Date [standardized human time]: August 27th, 2136. Late evening Maeve¡¯s voice was tenor, and lilting; the walls of the cabin seemed to swallow the sound. It made her seem so much smaller than her form, a stark contrast that made me more confused than afraid. Valek¡¯s tail still swayed slowly, clearly happy to hear us talking, and my own tail betrayed my curiosity. ¡°H-How do you know Valek?¡± ¡°We¡­ We are part of the Exchange Program. We only just got back from the Meetup on Station 2.¡± ¡°Exchange? The Venlil-Human Exchange program?¡± Maeve and Valek signaled assent in their own ways, ¡°So¡­ So you''re¡­¡± ¡°Human.¡± Valek finished. Immediately my wool flared, my heart started racing again, but only for a moment. The knowledge that there was a human in the cabin didn¡¯t register with what was in front of me, though I hadn''t actually seen a human myself. One of my coworkers talked about joining the program, but backed out as soon as his human was assigned. "What made you join the program Valek? I only know one who tried, and they didn''t get far." Valek''s tail twitched excitement, his ears locked on me in focus, "Curiosity! This is the biggest event of our lifetime; even the Yotul didn''t do anything like this! And the humans even invited civilians! No way I could miss this!" "... You¡¯re a braver Venlil than me. It hadn''t even crossed my mind to try. I had work, and didn''t give the news much attention." I deflated as my tail wrapped around me. "You''re braver than most, Alvi." Maeve added with an airy assurance in her voice. "Thank you for staying with us, and being ready to talk. This is going to be a long trip, what else is on your mind?" I went back and forth with the pair for a long while. I learned about human diet, and teeth, and about their ancient pull to the stars. They told me about first contact, and their time in the program. They taught me what humans look like. "Wait, you don''t have tails? Or ears? How do you communicate with each other?" Maeve took over this question, "Words make up our complex communication; you can''t make a spreadsheet with tail flicks. But a lot of our subtle meaning is conveyed in our face. The Venlil have told us that you fear humans because of our forward-facing eyes, giving us a ''predatory'' appearance. You''re not wrong, we are predators in a way, but that''s not why we have forward-facing eyes. Our eyes, and the area around them, evolved to convey, and perceive, a great deal of meaning; even in the smallest movements, which we call micro-expressions." "Our faces have the most complex musculature on our whole body, able to contort itself to even look like other people, with enough practice. We combine this with more cultural influence, such as hand gestures, and even whole body movements. I can show you, if you would like to see?" My body screamed my uncertainty, I wasn¡¯t sure I was ready for this. Maeve had been so kind so far, but what if she was just waiting for this moment? Maeve had barely moved this whole conversation, but Valek had been a bundle of energy. Even now his ears and tail were united, encouraging me. "O-Ok. I''ll try." Valek beamed pride and happiness. He switched sides, sitting across from Maeve, and I shifted over to allow it. With slow movements, Maeve lifted the cloak, the top half of a 2 piece garment, up to above her shoulders, and I saw the gleaming white skin of her neck. She halted there, and lifted one side, showing only half of her face. I kept my calm, though with no small outside anxiety, and signaled to continue. She lifted her veil entirely, laying it across the top of her head. Maeve''s skin was as white as a Sivkit, speckled with spots of light brown. Her green eyes shifted and shuddered, always hunting, but they kept coming back to Valek beside me. Seeing a predator locked onto its prey was chilling, but I was glad it wasn''t me. Knowing Maeve was distracted, I asked my first question: "You said you ''change your face''. What does that mean?" Maeve''s mouth seemed to tense, like a Venlil muting their thoughts by flattening their ears, before she began, ¡°Like this.¡± Still looking at Valek, Maeve pulled the corners of her mouth down, and scrunched her eyebrows together, sticking her tongue out and curving it up to touch her nose! The ridiculous display caused Valek to giggle beside me, but I was astounded! Her face changed again, her forward lips pursed open, revealing her wide teeth, her eyebrows arched high, and eyes whirling in wide circles. Maeve joined Valek¡¯s laughter, nearly breathless now, but I had more questions: ¡°That¡¯s incredible! What do those faces mean?!¡± Maeve was caught up in laughing with Valek, trying to keep her own voice quiet for my benefit. ¡°Those don¡¯t mean anything. Early humans learned that sometimes, silly things can be fun, so we would use silly faces to entertain! But here¡¯s an example of something with more meaning: when we are Surprised, we do this,¡± Maeve brought her eyebrows up, opened her eyes wide, and opened her mouth in a teeth-hiding circle. ¡°Or Disgust,¡± Maeve closed her eyes, closed her mouth and contorted her lips down, pulling her whole head back, as if recoiling from a horrid sight. I started to join Valek¡¯s laughter with my own giggling, before Maeve finished, ¡°In fairness, I exaggerated those faces; you won''t often see humans looking like that unless the trigger is especially strong. Most of the time the changes are much more subtle: a slightly raised eyebrow, looking at a specific thing or direction, or even the intentional lack of a visible reaction can be telling a story. I think by now, Valek has picked up on most of our body language?¡± ¡°I think so!¡± Valek chimed in between breathless laughter, ¡°Right now you''re feeling happy¡­¡± Maeve picked up her cheeks, squinting the corners of her eyes, and pulled her lips into her mouth. ¡°and a little proud...¡± Maeve¡¯s cheeks took on a berry color, and she looked away from Valek, ¡°Flustered¡­¡± Maeve¡¯s color deepened, and she leaned back to the bench, looking out the window, her cheeks pulling tighter up to her eyes. ¡°Embarrassed¡­!¡± ¡°Ooook! That¡¯s enough of that!¡± Maeve leaned forward again, fixing Valek with a predatory stare. ¡°I''m still trying to learn Venlil Body language, but I know you use your tails and ears a lot?" "Oh yeah!" Valek began, "Our field of view is much wider than yours, so we use a lot of large movements for general feelings; something that you can see a crowd of and get a sense of everyone." Maeve asked, "And how do you do that? Are they used together? For different things?" This is something I know! "W-" Maeve''s eyes flicked to me, stopping me short, then locked back to Valek, who rotated his ear to focus on me, motioning to continue. "W-We use our ears to show focus or-or attention. If they''re facing you, we recognize you, and are listening to what you say." Maeve showed happiness again, her eyes still on Valek, "Thank you Alvi! And what does it mean when they''re pressed down? Does the direction matter?" After a moment to collect my thoughts, I answered while directing my ears as I described them, "When they''re pressed down, it''s like¡­ we want to ignore or push away what''s happening. Sometimes it''s harmless; you''re embarrassed, or shy, or even doing it on purpose to be playful! Other times it isn''t; we get bad news, or someone yells at you, or you''re afraid. Direction does matter, if they''re flat to the side it''s normally about yourself, like shame or embarrassment. If they''re back, we are normally stuck, we want to get away but we can''t. And our ears swivel when we are worried, or confused." Maeve was silent while I finished, then started, "For us, all of that is conveyed with our eyes. Most especially, eye contact means we recognize you, and are listening. In fact, what I''m doing now," she used her hand to emphasize the eye contact she maintained with Valek, "this is seen as very rude, as if I''m ignoring you completely." "I do appreciate it though," I replied, "it is a lot to be under the eyes of a predator. You used your hand there for something, what does that mean?" Maeve answered, her eyes occasionally flashing to me, then back to Valek. "We use our hands to emphasize what the rest of our body says. What I was doing was pointing to my staring at Valek, so I wouldn''t have to explain it. We point at what we are referring to, though it''s considered rude to point at people." "It''s the same with us! We use our tails to address, and to give direction. We only use our paws to point at Things, so to point at a person demeans them, showing you think of them as Lesser." Maeve continued, "That''s actually different from us. We consider it rude because it separates the person from the group. It shows that you are not One of Us, you are One of Them. As family focused and social as we are, to exclude someone from your group is very rude; though sometimes needed." The narrative has been taken without permission. Report any sightings. It''s so similar, it''s like their language developed for a herd! My tail was idly swaying with excitement, and I almost tripped over my next question, "How do humans welcome, or say Hello? Maeve giggled at my question, answering, "There are hundreds of ways, in each of hundreds of cultures! In general, eye contact shows you see them, you recognize their existence. Though, this has the nasty side effect of it seeming rude, or even threatening, to not acknowledge someone after making eye contact; I want to emphasize this is not serious, no person of sound mind would act on this threat. Motioning in some way acknowledges them and shows you know they see you too. Where I come from, we would use head nods: a nod down," Maeve acted the gesture, "shows deferment. It used to be for people of lower class to show subservience to upper class, but has since expanded to some manner of ''I did not intend to change your day''; if someone has to move to allow passage, if you bump into someone you didn''t notice, and so on." "A nod up shows that you know that person and recognize them, but further interaction isn''t necessary; you make eye contact with a coworker while you''re shopping, you see your sibling while they''re on a date, that kind of thing." "Wow! We don''t have that kind of detail. I can see why you need to though, having forward facing eyes means you could easily miss someone; our field of view allows us to assume they see us." I thought about all the times I saw a friend at the market. How many times had they noticed me? Or wanted to talk? My mood was starting to turn dour, but Valek caught on and tried to distract me, "Our tails do most of the emotive work. It''s¡­ difficult to control, or define. But I guess you could break it down to how close or far they are, how fast they move, and the condition of the tuft." And Valek nudged me to pick up. "Oh! Uh, yeah, well¡­ our tails kind of respond to impulse. How fast, and how much of the tail is moving, shows how strong the emotion is. If we want to feel protected, we bring it close to our body; like affection, or despair, anytime we need to feel comforted. If we want to feel big, we bring it further away, like if we are angry, or scared and ready to run." "Oh! I''m sorry for scaring you earlier, Alvi." Maeve said, sadness on her face and regret in her voice. "It''s ok. I think I''m feeling better now." Brightening slightly, Maeve asked, "Your tail language sounds really complex, can you communicate with your tail alone?" "Not exactly. We can communicate feelings, but sometimes, if you know someone well enough, you can say a lot with just those feelings. It''s pretty common for close friends, family, siblings and so on, to make their own language and talk privately. Some Venlil can listen in, getting the broad strokes, but no one but the speakers will know everything." "That¡¯s so cool!" Maeve declared, eyes wide with excitement, Valek and I laughing together at her expressions. We continued talking for hours, more than half of the ride. The stress chemicals finally wearing off, I felt absolutely exhausted. Maeve and Valek were still deep in conversation, something about Human faces in art, so I took the opportunity to prop up my pack as a pillow and quickly fell asleep. -- By the time I woke, the view out the window had moved from rolling plains to deep wood; our stop couldn¡¯t be more than a quarter-claw away. I stretched the stiffness from my legs and arms, my tongue curling back and my ears shaking with a mighty yawn. A gentle tone drifted across me, ¡°Good morning sleepyhead,¡± That wasn¡¯t Venlil. My eyes snapped open and I pressed my back against my pack, searching around me for the source of the noise. I saw a Venlil, sleeping in darkness. ¡°Ooook¡­ It¡¯s ok. Keep it down, Valek is still sleeping.¡± My tired mind started to catch up to me. I was in a private cabin, with a Human and a Venlil, Maeve and Valek. Valek was laid up against Maeve¡¯s chest, her arms wrapped around him, as he gripped her arm with his, and her leg with his tail. I held my mouth agape at the sight, never imagining a Venlil so comfortable around a predator. ¡°How are you feeling? Sleep well?¡± Maeve¡¯s voice was quiet and gentle, betraying her own fatigue. I slowed my panic before answering, ¡°I¡­ I did. I guess I was more tired than I thought, it¡¯s been a long waking. How close are we?¡± ¡°There was just an announcement, we are less than a half-hour out.¡± I backed away from the human, finding my own comfort in the opposite corner. Their embrace looked so¡­ natural. Like the two just fit together perfectly; but I couldn''t think of any greater perversion. At any moment Maeve could dig her claws into his bel- ¡°I¡¯m sorry if this is uncomfortable, I didn¡¯t think you would wake up so soon. Valek was feeling tired, and before I knew it¡­¡± Maeve smiled with her cheeks while idly scratching Valek¡¯s chest. ¡°I can tell you¡¯re stressed, it¡¯s ok. What''s on your mind?¡± I didn''t say anything. I sat silent, my ears searching for an exit. I thought about leaving the cabin, but something kept me rooted, something felt¡­ comfortable around this human. My mind was screaming from separate mountains, one telling me to run, one to stay, to trust. Why did I feel this way? What was it about humans that made me feel¡­ safe? "Why do I trust you Maeve? Everything about you is screaming at me to run, but those same feelings are telling me to stay. What do you want with us?" ¡°You trust me, because I trust you. I don¡¯t want to boast, but I have put a lot of effort into appearing as non-threatening to you as possible, and I¡¯m glad it''s mostly working. Speaking quietly, keeping distance; I¡¯ve even tried very hard to avoid looking at you. It wasn¡¯t easy, you¡¯re very nice to look at.¡± Maeve''s eyes flashed to me, then back to the window with a smile on her lips. I-- wasn¡¯t quite sure how to react to that. Did she just admit to wanting to eat me? Would she be so cruel as to make friends with her food before killing it? My ears fell flat against the back of my head, and my tail curled around my torso. ¡°W-What do you mean, Predator?¡± Her smile vanished immediately, and her eyes grew sad, ¡°I¡­ I mean you have a very pretty coat. I can see you¡¯ve taken good care of it, and I haven¡¯t seen that pattern on a venlil before; though I haven¡¯t seen many. I¡¯m sorry if I offended you.¡± My flat ears shifted forward, nearly in front of my face. My voice apologetic, ¡°I¡¯m¡­ I''m sorry. I didn¡¯t mean to snap.¡± ¡°It¡¯s ok, I should have thought about what I was saying. I see now, how it ¡­¡± her words trailed off. We watched the forest fade to venlil suburbia, and I broke the silence, ¡°You said you haven¡¯t seen my pattern on a Venlil before; you¡¯re not wrong, this pattern isn''t common in this part of the world, but where else have you seen it?¡± Maeve chuckled a moment before answering, ¡°You won¡¯t believe this, but it¡¯s almost identical to a Gray Tabby, a cat my family took in when I was a kid. I haven¡¯t seen stripes before on a Venlil, and that it is so close to something from earth; an earth carnivore? That is beautifully unique and awesomely badass.¡± My wool fluffed in pride at that! It¡¯s true, I took very good care of my wool, and I was glad to see that effort recognized, even if its from a human who can''t have seen more than a dozen Venlil in their life. And the fact it was so similar to a predator! I quickly grew to enjoy this new human term ¡®badass¡¯. But I could see Maeve¡¯s eyes fall, and her lips drag downward. A heavy pause preceded her story. "As to what we want from the Venlil¡­ Before we met the Venlil, we didn''t know there were any other sapient species. We were the only ones on our planet, and based on everything we saw in our solar system, in asteroids, and even what we could see of other planets around other stars, everything told us: Life was rare. The question was: how rare? We believed we were using the cutting edge of science and technology to watch and listen to the stars." "But we saw only emptiness. As we pushed further, it became more and more likely that we were a fluke. A unique mistake on a universal scale. We were alone, in an empty, dead universe. Some humans never lost hope, and they sought and found what conditions life requires; liquid water, gaseous oxygen, specific range of temperature¡­ We used this to better look at other worlds, and we found hope! Thousands of worlds! That had what we thought was needed to support life; barely a grain of sand on the scale of a universe, but enough." "But we hadn''t discovered FTL yet. Even moving at what we thought was the fastest speed that our universe could allow, it would take thousands of years to get to any of them. So now we might¡¯ve not been alone, but couldn¡¯t meet because of the incomprehensible vastness of space. Then we had a breakthrough: we discovered Faster Than Light Travel! The first thing, the First Thing we did was put it in a tin can with a couple humans, and throw it at the closest, best candidate to support life." "Venlil Prime." I breathed, barely a sigh against the whisper of the train. Maeve nodded with a smile before continuing. "We discovered we weren''t alone; there was life in the stars! We honestly thought it would be simple life, pools of bacteria, some algae; imagine our surprise when we saw fully sapient, large mammals, already with their own FTL! We had finally found a friend!" Maeve was quietly beaming, her sheer joy written plainly on her face. "What we want from the Venlil is just that: a friend." Valek''s snout lifted up to press under Maeve''s chin; an expression so intimate, I bloomed and looked away. Maeve''s face coloring red, she gripped Valek tighter for a moment before asking, "Look who''s being sneaky! How long have you been awake?" Valek''s tail twitched playfully, as his mouth cracked an imitation of a human grin, "Somewhere around ''good morning sleepy head'', but I didn''t want to interrupt." Opening up for a yawn, Valek leaned away from Maeve, coming to his own sitting position. "We can''t be more than a few minutes out, we should get our stuff, and you should cover up, Maeve." Taking her cloak, Maeve met my eye, and quickly looked away, "Alvi, you can join us, if you like. We plan to go straight to the shuttle; we want to get to the Grove as soon as possible." She didn''t wait for an answer, allowing me to consider while she donned her veil. I had to admit, my comfort around the pair was quickly growing. I didn¡¯t have a reason to linger in the next city, but I had planned to just hitch with the next farmer heading to The Grove. No, I didn''t want to impose on them. "I would like that, but I don''t have a ticket; besides, I was already planning to hitch a ride with someone heading back after market." There we go, a polite refusal. "We can spot you!" Damnit. "Our tickets were already paid for, so we can afford one more. It''s better and safer to travel together anyway." Valek signaled an invitation with his tail, "I insist!" The Foundations of Humanity 12 (Familiar) - an NoP fanfic Memory transcription subject: Maeve, Human Integration Test Subject. Date [standardized human time]: August 28th, 2136. Early morning Gotta wear this fucking oppression blanket because of fucking space-racism so now I''m sweating fucking bullets because it''s fucking black linen on a planet where the fucking sun doesn''t fucking set when I all fucking wanted was to live on a cute fucking berry farm with my cute fucking boyfriend but now I have to be on my best fucking behavior because there''s a cute fucking venlil with us but I couldn''t say fucking no because the whole fucking point of this fucking experiment is to make fucking friends but now I fucking like them too, so I fucking invited them on the fucking shuttle with us like a fucking dumbass so now I have to keep this fucking death-cloak on for two more fucking hours and I just want to kiss this fucking Dope so fucking much ! FUCK! --- Memory transcription subject: Valek, The Dope. Date [standardized human time]: August 26th, 2136. Early morning I made an effort to keep Alvi engaged; I knew from experience that the more you knew about something, the less scary it became, plus I could see Alvi¡¯s curiosity was pulling her to us just as much as a shared destination. Maeve was completely silent so far, but I could tell something was bothering her; she lacked her usual grace while we walked, and shied away from Alvi and I while on the shuttle. We just needed to push a little further, and we could finally unwind at home. As the bus weaved through the woods, Maeve watched the forest passing by, taking in every detail; I couldn¡¯t see her face, but I hoped it was smiling underneath. Maeve brought her head forward and down, and after a moment my pad pinged. I would like to see more of the forest. Can we get off 2km from town and walk the rest of the way? A walk like that should only take an hour. My ears swiveled while I thought, tail swaying slowly. I already knew that there was nothing really dangerous in the forest, and even if there were, Maeve was likely the scariest thing we would see. And that would give her a chance to calm down. Ok, I¡¯ll ask the driver. Gesturing curiosity, Alvi watched me walk to the front. ¡°Excuse me, but would you mind pulling over outside of town? About two clicks out? My friend and I would like to get off.¡± The poor driver was clearly still vibrating from the stress of having Maeve on the bus, but barely mumbled out, ¡°You want me to stop the van, in the middle of a predator-infested forest, to let that thing into the Venlil wild??¡± ¡°It would mean you have two clicks less to deal with it.¡± His ears perked up at that! Just a little more, ¡°and you won¡¯t have to deal with the crowd when she gets off. Sounds like a great way to get her out of your fur.¡± The driver was still focusing on the road, but I could tell he was thinking it over. Then he hit the brakes. ¡°You make a great point. Get out.¡± ¡°... but we are still six clicks-¡± ¡°Out.¡± --- Memory transcription subject: Alvi, Venlil Citizen, unemployed. Date [standardized human time]: August 26th, 2136. Early morning Valek shrank from the driver, and walked back to us. ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± ¡°I may have been too convincing. Maeve, they are letting us off, but it¡¯s a little early,¡± Maeve stood from her window seat and stepped around me, laying a hand on Valek¡¯s shoulder to calm him. Maeve gave me her hand in invitation, ¡°What...?¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry, we should have asked you. Maeve and I are getting off and walking the rest of the way. We had planned to be closer, but-¡± ¡°OUT!¡± Valek¡¯s ears flashed back in alarm, and Maeve flinched at the command ¡°- I won¡¯t ask you to come with us, I¡¯m scared, too. If you need a place to stay, head to the Old Berrypatch, let my parents know Valek sent you.¡± And with that, Valek walked to the door, and Maeve withdrew her hand and followed. My herd was leaving me! ¡°W-Wait!¡± I cried, as I quickly grabbed my pack and ran out the door. Valek was both surprised, and very happy to see me, but Maeve was impossible to read while covered. The door slammed behind us, and sped off into the distance. ¡°Well!¡± Maeve sighed, causing me to flinch. ¡°Not what I planned, but we can make do. Either of you mind if I take this off?¡± Valek signaled an enthusiastic affirmative, but they both waited for my approval. ¡°O-Ok.¡± I could sense Maeve¡¯s urgency, but she caught herself and slowed down. Finally free of the suffocating veil, Maeve put her face to the sun and breathed deep the Venlil air. ¡°Thank you, you two. I''m sorry that I put us in this position, but I cannot tell you how much better it feels to be out of that. This way Valek?¡± and we set off. -- We had been walking for only twenty minutes before Valek and I started to lag behind, though Maeve caught on and walked back to meet us. "Sun and Stars Maeve, you''re not even winded, just like on the station," Valek gasped between breaths, "How can humans do that?" Maeve smiled at our exhaustion, keeping her eyes on Valek, "That''s a good question! We can take a break while we talk about it." And Maeve guided us off the road into the shade of a tree; we sat down against it, Valek between Maeve and I. "Before I start I need to tell you something Alvi," I focused my ears to show her my attention, "Valek and I agreed early in our friendship that we would be open and truthful about our cultures, and answer any question asked. There are a lot of things that our governments, both mine and yours, are not ready to share with the general public." This narrative has been purloined without the author''s approval. Report any appearances on Amazon. "I need to have your word that you will not tell anyone what I tell you today, or by any other question you ask me. What I have told Valek, and will tell you, is common knowledge among humans so I know it won''t be secret forever, but I could get in serious trouble for telling you these things so early. Can you promise me that?" Was this an admission of guilt?? Did Maeve just tell me, really, that her people actually were monsters and they were playing pretend this whole time?! Steeling myself for the horrors I knew were ahead, I answered, "Yes. I''m ready." "Ok!" Maeve said with a smile, still focusing only on Valek, "You already know some of this, Valek, but I''ll repeat the basics for Alvi''s benefit: Alvi, did you know that ancestral humans weren''t meat eaters?" I stared at her incredulously, that couldn''t be true! So much of what they were was predatory! Clearly she picked up on my disbelief, as she continued with, "It''s true! Bear in mind, these changes took place over hundreds of thousands of years, a hundred thousand more before we could even consider these creatures recognizably human; evolution moves slowly. Ancient humans lived in vibrant, humid, tropical jungles and ate mostly fruit. Because of what we were, sometimes pests would find their way into our fur so we would groom each other, and eat the pests we found." I thought about the Zurulians, how their grooming habits led them to being one of the most social species; this was credited for their incredible medical knowledge! "Eating these pests was how we developed the means to digest living tissue, and grooming helped develop social behaviors and kept us healthy at the same time." "But something happened to our world that caused the death of those forests. We don''t know for sure exactly what, but it turned the area into a dry Savannah. During this transition, we lost our fur coat." Now they''re like the Mazics?! They''re renowned for their resilience and adaptability! "Also, since our majority food source, fruit, was in short supply and high demand, we turned to meat eating. We mostly scavenged; we would see larger predators hunt, kill, and eat a carcass and, reasoning that if they could eat it so could we, we would eat what the hunter left behind. Eventually we developed our own methods of hunting, which brings us to your question." "The savannah was, and even today still is, a very dangerous place; not least of all because of the heat. Most creatures adapted to this by being sedentary during the day, and active at night. So evolution pushed us to be active during the day, filling the niche left open by every other creature sleeping or relaxing. Our bodies became very good at heat regulation, and keeping active for a long time, and we leveraged this to use something called Persistence Hunting." "In short, we would pursue our prey through day and night, until they would collapse from exhaustion or heat stroke. We needed no weapons beyond the finishing blow, and we didn''t need great strength to overpower; only the ability to last longer than the other beast. This endurance continued to be very useful to us, such as surviving injury that would kill other creatures, or being able to eat things most considered toxic, or the ability to wander far from our normal homes. The need to track and navigate pushed our brains to be more complex, setting the foundation for sapience. Our social behaviors allowed us to specialize, allowing each person to do less work while the whole would still prosper." "As we developed communities, or herds as you would call them, our biological evolution stagnated; we were now so prosperous there were no evolutionary stressors to change us on a biological level. But our cultural evolution exploded. And in less than fifteen thousand years, we went from hunter/gatherer beasts, to a space faring intelligent species." "And that is why," Maeve said with a giggle, "most humans could outlast, and probably outrun, any other species in the federation." I sat stock still, my eyes unfocused on the woods around me. That¡¯s why she was so eager for me to join them; escape was never an option in the first place! Maeve would catch me anyway, I was never safe to begin with! What would she do when I finally fell asleep? Would I wake with blood in my lungs, and teeth on my throat? Their words faded with my sanity as panic set in. But I had fallen asleep. A little voice at the fringes of my maelstrom reminded me: I woke up in the sleeper cabin, just as I had slept. Maeve had even sat further from me than when I had lain down. She and Valek had talked for several weeks, and even shared a room! What has she done to justify my fear? "Maeve?" I whimpered, interrupting their boisterous conversation about human sports. "Hold on, babe; yes Alvi?" Babe? What''s a babe? "I-I''m still scared of you. I''m sorry, I know you haven''t done anything to hurt me, or even imply you would, but I''m still afraid." My ears drooped. I was trying, but I still couldn''t get a handle on this conflict in me, and I didn''t know if I ever would. Maybe this was a bad idea. "It''s ok Alvi. Trust takes time, and you''ve only known me a few hours." Maeve crooned, still looking ahead into the trees. "Yeah! When we first started talking I could only respond once every waking. The rest of the day, I would be in a haze of stress chemicals! And the first day we met on the station, I dove under the bed!" They both giggled at that, and I could feel myself relax. "Actually he missed! Slammed nose first right into the bed frame!¡± That got a healthy laugh from me! Through her own giggling, Maeve continued, ¡°I was so terrified, I just ran down the hall screaming for someone to help, Venlil passing out in my wake! That was a rough day." A predator was terrified? For the health of a Venlil? Always more surprises! "You didn''t have to tell her that!" Valek shot back playfully, "or am I going to have to tell her when you first had Firefruit?" "Your entire menu was sweet things till then! I thought it would be, like, cinnamon or something! Not a solid bite of wasabi!" The tension snapped as we descended into hysterics; I think this could work! As we calmed down, Maeve asked me, "You said your last job was service? What kind of service?" "I worked for PrimeCom, helping people set up their networks. Nothing big, I''m not licensed or anything, but I''d like to believe I was good at it; not good enough, clearly." "I''m sure you were fantastic at it, Alvi." Valek told me, with more confidence than I earned. "I used to do something similar." Maeve started, "I worked for the customer service branch of TonkaLife; they did insurance and maintenance for their personal autos. I remember this one guy- so, we needed to identify the caller before we could do anything, right? Member number, first, last, date of birth yada yada, and of course we needed to know why you called. This guy calls in, and is screaming at me, right out the gate. We just finished training for irate customers, so I knew what to do and click, disconnected while he was mid-swear." Oh, I saw where this was going, I had a call like this not even a week ago! "Our system matches you with the same agent when it can, so I got him again. And again, hung up mid-slur. This happened three more times before he was finally calm enough to have a productive conversation. Not the best or worst call of my time there, but definitely the most cathartic!" Valek signaled pride, and I couldn''t stifle my laughter. I got a good one for her, "Oh I have one! About a year ago, I had a call from this guy, retired exterminator, you know the type, that demanded I tell him what his connection speed was. I look and see it''s 2tb InstaLight, which is pretty damn good for FTL communication! Most people only get sub-light, and download inter-planetary from the bulk packets. He tells me his contract says 512 gigabyte sublight. And! His contract rate was grandfathered from 20 years ago, so he''s paying a quarter of the cost of today''s plan!" "Oh no!" Valek sighed dejectedly, while Maeve was cackling on his other side. "So obviously, this guy wants the bigger number. I try to explain to him he has a better plan than he should, for less money than I can confirm him for, but he''s not having it. So!" I flung my arms and flicked my ears in resignation, "I did what he asked me. I left so many notes, made sure to send a bunch of receipts, and had my supe pull the call for recording." "Next billing cycle, guy calls back pissed, for obvious reasons, and asks to speak with me directly. Supe takes over and shows him the receipts. I washed my paws of it and took a long lunch." Maeve was gasping for air at this point, and I couldn''t help but feel my fluff swell with pride. "I- I can- I can''t believe," Maeve struggled through gasping guffaws, "that Customer Service is the exact fucking same, on another fucking planet!" Maeve''s laughter devolved¡­ to crying? Maeve was sobbing! Sobbing from some unknown grief, and it''s because of me?! Valek tried to console her, before she struggled out, "I want to be here! I''m so damn happy to be here, and be with you! But it still hurts. It''s so amazing that everything is so familiar, but it just reminds me that I''m not home." This wasn''t a predator that sat with me. This was a scared, isolated, intelligent creature that so badly missed their home. At every turn she has had to hide who she was, and settled for ¡®non-violent tolerance¡¯ when open acceptance was what she so desperately needed. I got up from the ground, crouched in front of Maeve, and grabbed her wrists in my paws. Maeve''s breath caught and she flinched, almost pulling me off balance, but I recovered. "I can''t make this your home Maeve. But I can welcome you, and accept you into my herd." Maeve''s eyes rose to meet mine, her face blotchy red, wetness streaked her cheeks and nose, her eyes- Thud ERROR /// Memory transcription fragmented /// Subject no longer conscious. The Foundations of Humanity 13 (Warm Welcome) - an NoP fanfic Memory transcription subject: Alvi, Venlil Citizen, unemployed. Date [standardized human time]: August 28th, 2136. Late morning I awoke in the Black. I could hear mumbled and muffled voices around me. Am I dead? Was this my passage to the Starry Night? I opened my eyes. Nothing. The Stars did not shine for me. I moved my tail and tried to crawl away, when a clearer voice spoke up, ¡°I think she¡¯s waking up Valek. It¡¯s ok, Alvi, you¡¯re alright. Let me put you down.¡± I felt something grip around me, gentle but secure. I felt my body meet the ground, cool even through my wool. A different voice calmed me, ¡°Alvi, I¡¯m going to take off the veil, ok? It might be a little bright.¡± Sunlight assaulted my senses as I got my bearings. I was in an orchard, I could see Greeol bushels hanging among the leaves. I saw a Venlil standing in front of me, showing worry. We were traveling together, this Venlil - Valek - and someone else. There was a predator ahead of us, and we three hid behind a tree. Maeve was crying- ¡°Maeve! Where¡¯s Maeve?!¡± ¡°She¡¯s alright. She¡¯s close, but didn¡¯t want to spook you. Maeve!¡± I watched the tree he pointed to, and saw a shade flutter from behind it. ¡°I¡¯m coming out now! My eyes are closed!¡± A great black beast stepped out from hiding, and my fur flared and tail curled in terror as I hugged the ground. Valek trotted to Maeve¡¯s side- the beast was Maeve! I remembered! - my heart pounded in my chest from waning fear, while my muscles relaxed from the remembrance of a friend. Valek took Maeve¡¯s hand and guided her to the side of the road with me. I pushed through my fear, closed my eyes, and barreled into Maeve¡¯s chest as I hugged her. She fell back with the force of my lunge. ¡°OOF! Ok, It¡¯s alright Alvi, we¡¯re fine.¡± Words coated in regret and frustration flew from my mouth. ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I¡¯m sorry. I¡¯m sorry. I¡¯m so sorry! I don¡¯t know what happened, I just-¡± ¡°You fainted, and it¡¯s ok.¡± Valek cooed beside me, soothingly, ¡°You¡¯re not the first to have that reaction, and you won¡¯t be the last. Maeve and I know it¡¯s instinctual, right Maeve?¡± Maeve¡¯s arms moved behind her head, avoiding touching me; even now, she thought of my comfort, ¡°Yeah¡­ Alvi, I know you didn¡¯t mean it, we¡¯re fine.¡± I stood there with my face buried in the folds of Maeve¡¯s cloak, crying in shame and frustration, my tail wrapped around my legs. My breath hitched when I felt Valek¡¯s paw on my shoulder. ¡°Alvi, since you¡¯re already hugging, would you be okay if Maeve hugged you back?.¡± -- ¡°Valek, I don¡¯t think that¡¯s-¡± -- ¡°It¡¯s ok, Maeve, I think she¡¯s ready for it. What do you think, Alvi?¡± Still shuddering through my sobs, I thought for a moment, and flicked the ¡®go ahead¡¯ with my tail. ¡°That¡¯s a Yes, Maeve.¡± Valek translated. Slowly, gently, Maeve took my paws by the wrist away from her ribcage, crouched down to be on level with me, then wrapped my arms around her neck. Maeve rested her chin on my shoulder, and I on hers, as I felt her arms wrap around me. I could feel them constrict around my whole torso, and for a moment, just the briefest of moments, I was terrified that now she would pounce, and snap my spine in two, before her pressure halted and held. We held each other for a moment, I bawled in her ear while I could feel Maeve¡¯s own tears on my shoulder. Another weight to my side, and I could feel Valek join us. It felt like several minutes before had I calmed down, and released my grip; I was the first to let go. Maeve kept her eyes high, still avoiding looking at me. My ears rose with my spirits, ¡°Thank you Maeve. I¡¯m sorry I¡¯m not ready to meet your eyes, but I look forward to trying again.¡± Maeve gave a toothless smile, and stood up. ¡°I know, Alvi. Thank you for saying what you did; it means a lot to me, it really does.¡± Maeve stooped down and picked up the improvised swaddle that was her veil. Putting it back on, she cleared her throat before starting, ¡°We carried you while you slept until we were just out of sight of town. Hauling you in might not have looked good, so we stopped here until you woke up. Are you ready to head in?¡± I flicked assent, and we walked on. We were just around the bend from town, but thanks to the orchards on either side it was still 10 minutes walking straight-away. The last two trees of the orchard were Dark Everwood, renowned for its longevity, making an enormous natural archway over the road; native to the Twilight band, the nearly permanent sun of the Green stunted its growth. It was probably grown elsewhere and transplanted, when is anyone¡¯s guess. Cobblestone roads filled the space between buildings, surrounding a fountain in the center, serving as both walking and driving paths. Most of the buildings were ancestral, fine gravelstone plaster over brick in the traditional leaf shape, in line with the wind. The odd modern style jutting out with its glass facades in stark contrast to the rustic buildings they were added to. Only a pawful of Venlil were out right now; a few pups running around the fountain, their parents gossiping nearby, the odd elder hanging out a window. Most activity stopped when Maeve came into view, except the children. The pups paid her no mind, until their parents pulled them aside as we passed. Not a single Venlil welcomed us, neither by voice nor tail, though Valek and I gestured safety and calm as we walked. ¡°I don¡¯t know about you Maeve, but I¡¯m exhausted from all of this. I hope you don¡¯t mind if we wait on the tour?¡± Maeve laid a hand on Valek¡¯s shoulder in response, staying silent as we walked. Valek took the lead as we walked through the town, and out the back on a gravel road, a sign in venlil script to the side: ¡®To The Old Berrypatch¡¯. The road was longer than we were ready for, all of us ready to collapse as we crossed the front gate. The Berrypatch home was an old burrow-style; I hadn¡¯t ever seen one, being a city girl. A great grass and wildflower mound rose from the ground, with a leeward circular door in the center-left. A path in the homely hill curved inward before reaching another level, with another door recessed into it. Maeve stopped, facing the great hill, expressionless under her shroud. We waited a moment for her to catch up, and continued on. We were about 20 meters away when the door threw itself open, a cacophonous rattle and jangle ringing out of items hung upon it. A white-streaked Venlil stepped from the threshold. Oh brahk, he¡¯s got a gun! ¡°Dad!¡± Valek yelled, stepping in front of Maeve and I. ¡°Step aside boy! I won¡¯t let that thing-¡± With a ker-CUNK the man pumped his lever action for emphasis, followed by a high pitched whine from the weapon charging. ¡°-into my house!¡± The four of us stood frozen in silence, waiting for someone to make the first move. We were very thankful for a smaller Venlil stepping out of the burrow. Speaking gently, the woman said, ¡°Valek invited them, dear; you know that. He wouldn¡¯t put us in danger.¡± She laid a paw on the rifle, just above the man¡¯s, pushing the barrel down to the ground, ¡°Let''s go inside, I have some soup in the pot." The man''s attention never left Maeve, but he allowed us inside, Valek ahead of the two of us. The inside of the burrow was¡­ Cozy. The walls were covered with old keepsakes, photos and family treasures; seating and surfaces abound, this appeared to be a room for entertaining. The far side of the open space was the kitchen, fully equipped with a large sink, simmering soup pot, Strayu Forge, and more than enough storage. Hung along the top of the walls was a long Vyalkit, nearly the full perimeter of the spacious den; so many meters of woven promises, a new pattern every half-meter or so. -at is why, TRUTH SEEKERS, we must repel these horrid invaders! They will feast on your children an- With a huff the woman stepped to the radio and silenced the vitriol with a hard click. From in front of us Valek groaned, ¡°Dad¡­ I asked you to stop listening to that feathered windbag, he¡¯s rotting your brain.¡± The genuine version of this novel can be found on another site. Support the author by reading it there. ¡°He¡¯s the only one on this damned planet talking any sense! That Tarva¨CMay her star go dark¨CHas got the Media and those scientists in her pocket! That first human¡¯s got her trained, by some torture I reckon! You''re lucky Elva¡¯s keeping me civil, or that blighted BEAST¡­¡± The old man spat the words with venom, ¡°wouldn''t¡¯ve made it through the front gate!¡± he bayed, but his knees shook and he collapsed in his dinner seat, his terror betrayed, while the woman, who must be Elva, took a seat next to him. Elva wasn''t faring any better; she kept Maeve in her blindspot, and I¡¯d never seen a Venlil so fluffed. Maeve was clearly blind in the gloom, so I helped her to a too-small seat as far from the man as possible, while Valek poured us all soup from the pot. ¡°Mom, Dad, this is Alvi,¡± My ears flicked a very timid hello, ¡°and this is Maeve.¡± Maeve slowly nodded her head; she mentioned that showed deference? Do humans have an understanding of hospitality? ¡°Maeve, these are my parents. On the right is my mother, Elva, and on the left is my father, Leksi." The parents made no reply. There was a heavy pause, before Leksi spoke up, "Why doesn''t it speak for itself? Are we so far beneath it that it must speak through my son?!" Leksi shot accusingly at Valek. "Do not speak to Valek like that." Maeve''s voice flowed through the den, and I shirked away from the chill of Night that followed it. She spoke softly, but with a finality that left room for neither interpretation nor argument. The man blanched and the poor woman shivered in the quiet gale. "Valek is your son. He has earned my trust, respect, and friendship by his kindness and curiosity; traits I am saddened to see you so-" Valek placed a paw on her arm, and Maeve quieted herself. Barely enough for me to hear, she whispered, "I¡¯m sorry." Valek closed his eyes to her, motioning care with his ears and forgiveness with his tail. ¡°What did you make today, Mom?¡± ¡°I-I-I m-made Greeol soup, with S-Sweetg-grass and F-Firefruit.¡± ¡°It looks delicious, thank you. Do we have any fresh Starberries ready?¡± ¡°W-What? Oh! Yes, t-they''re in the c-cooler, dear.¡± Valek retrieved the berries, and the three of us started to eat, Maeve taking the berries beneath her Veil. The elders across the table simply watched us as their soup got cold, the silence oppressive as we waited for someone to make the first move. Hoping to diffuse the situation, I asked, ¡°You have a lovely home, thank you fo-¡± ¡°Why is it wearing that? I hadn''t planned on meeting the Night this waking, not if I have any say in it.¡± This farmer¡¯s star had to be dim, always on the attack like this. Couldn¡¯t Leksi see we were trying to make this easy? ¡°Thank you,¡± I continued, not letting the man derail our conversation again, ¡°for inviting us, and sharing your food with us. If you must know, if I may speak for you Maeve, she wears this because the humans know how terrified we are of their appearance. She wears this for your comfort, and to avoid panic while we travel.¡± I flicked annoyance and admonishment, and continued my dinner. It was several more seconds of agonizing silence before Elva spoke up, ¡°W-What d-do humans l-look like?¡± Leski waved dismissively, ¡°Oh, come on Elva, you know what they look like! They¡¯re predators! They got hunting eyes and gnashing teeth. Slimy furless bodies so they can slip out of our traps.¡± Maeve simply waited for him to finish before, in a voice as kind as when she first spoke for me, answered. ¡°Thank you for your kindness and hospitality Elva; I¡¯m sorry I scared you. We walk upright on two legs, which support our torso, housing most of our vital organs. We have one arm on each side of our upper torso. These arms end in hands which are made to grip, and these hands end in fingers, which are made to manipulate. Our torso supports our neck and head, the latter of which houses most of our sensory organs, being our eyes, ears, nose, and mouth.¡± Leksi¡¯s ears were facing every direction but Maeve¡¯s, but Elva was focused; attentive, even. I could see her fur level, and her breathing calm, trying so hard to understand. ¡°Humans have fur, we call it hair, on most of our bodies; though not nearly the quantity or density of a Venlil. Our skin is easily seen under our hair, and both appear in colors determined by Melanin, causing them to appear in a spectrum of browns, from very pale to nearly black. Our hair also appears in a similar spectrum, from a sun-light yellow, to also nearly black. Some people, like myself, have a rare mutation causing very pale skin, and hair that is more orange or red.¡± Silence had returned, while Maeve allowed this to sink in, before Elva asked another, ¡°Can¡­ Can I see?¡± Maeve paused before answering, ¡°Yes.¡± Valek and I showed worry, no way were his parents ready for this; I could hear Elva¡¯s chair rattling! ¡°But I ask that you lift the Veil yourself; so you will be less shocked by what you see.¡± Elva¡¯s ears shot up in surprise, while her tail curled and kinked in worry, ¡°Wh-What?¡± ¡°I know I¡¯m scary - terrifying, even - which tells me just how incredibly brave you are for asking in the first place. And that is exactly why you need to control how and when you¡¯re ready to see me.¡± Maeve held out her black-gloved hand in invitation. ¡°Elva, don¡¯t you dare! It will snap you up the moment you¡¯re close!¡± Leksi commanded, ears, tail, and scruff united in challenge to the cloaked figure. ¡°I did it.¡± My voice trembled across the table, ¡°I had only met Maeve on the Ring. This whole time she has only thought of my comfort. I trust her, even if my body argues.¡± Mauve gave a gentle nod. ¡°Thank you, Alvi. I ask nothing of you, Elva; this is an invitation, nothing more.¡± A long pause, Elva breathing shaky breaths, before she stood from her seat, and walked to our end of the table; every step an effort as she fought through terror. Leksi behind her was livid, whispering through his teeth to get back to her seat. Valek stepped up from his chair and moved it out of the way. Maeve flinched at the noise, startling Elva. ¡°Valek, what¡¯s happening?¡± -- ¡°Mom¡¯s almost here.¡± -- ¡°Really?! Where is she? I can¡¯t see!¡± -- ¡°She¡¯s here on your right. It¡¯s ok, Mom, you can trust us.¡± Maeve stepped from her chair, and knelt on the ground, turning right to face perpendicular to the length of the table. I left my seat as well, moving around to be beside Valek as he coaxed Elva through her last steps. Elva stepped in front of Maeve, and hesitated; the three of us waited and allowed Elva to move at her own pace. She took the hem of Maeve''s veil in paw, and holding her breath, lifted the veil to Maeve''s chin. But no further. Valek stepped next to his Mother, "It''s ok, Mom, you can do this." And with a supportive paw, helped Elva slowly lift the veil up above Maeve''s face. Elva¡¯s body was a cacophony of expressions, every moment shifting from panic to curiosity to awe to fear to confusion and back again, ¡°W-W-Where are your eyes?¡± Valek whispered beside her, ¡°They''re here, Mom. She''s keeping them closed for now. Alvi is doing a lot to try to get over her fear,¡± My ears nearly covered my eyes in my embarrassment, knowing what was coming next, ¡°but she still fainted when she saw Maeve¡¯s eyes.¡± he finished with a kind chuckle. ¡°How¡­ How did you get over it, Valek? How could you stay in the same room with¡­ This, for paws at a time?¡± Elva¡¯s breathing was normalizing, we were making progress! Valek beamed with pride, though his tail decried his mischief. He took Elva¡¯s paw in his, and, his other paw on Maeve¡¯s shoulder, placed Elva¡¯s on Maeve¡¯s cheek. Elva started showing panic again, but it passed as quickly as it came, as Maeve leaned into Elva¡¯s paw. ¡°Because mom, they¡¯re just like us. In so many ways! In all the ways that matter!¡± Maeve¡¯s cheeks shuddered and blushed at that. ¡°Leksi¡­ sweetie, you should come see this.¡± Elva called out behind her, joy starting to tinge her voice. ¡°I AIN¡¯T GETTIN ONE STEP CLOSER TO THAT BEAST!!¡± We all jumped and started from the man bellowing at the other end of the table, even Maeve flinched and ducked her head. ¡°LEKSI! There¡¯s no need to¡ª!¡± ¡°Nono, mom, it¡¯s ok. We shouldn¡¯t¡¯ve pressed it. Everything¡¯s fine,¡± Valek stepped between his father and the rest of us, ¡°We¡¯re gonna go, gonna get some rest, let¡¯s all sleep on it, ok?¡± ¡°AIN¡¯T NO WAY NO SUN-SCORCHED PREDATOR,¡± Valek moved to gather Maeve and I ¡°C¡¯mon, we need to go¡± -- ¡°GONNA SLEEP IN MY HOUSE!! I SWEAR BOY, YOU TAKE ONE MORE STEP, I SWEAR ON MY MOTHER¡¯S STAR-¡± We were already up the stairs and through the door, the heavy wood only slightly muffling his tirade, another door to a bedroom bringing it to a low rumble. ¡°I¡¯m really sorry about him, guys. I didn¡¯t think it would be this bad, or I would have rethought inviting you, Maeve. And I¡¯m so sorry to bring you into this, Alvi.¡± ¡°Honestly Valek,¡± I started, my ears forward and tail swaying, ¡°this has been one of my best wakings in a while! I¡¯m really glad I stayed in the cabin with you.¡± We all giggled at our situation, before Maeve spoke up. ¡°I would very much like to sleep, if that¡¯s alright.¡± Valek chuckled at her apparent exhaustion, ¡°Yeah that¡¯s a good plan. C¡¯mon Alvi, I¡¯ll show you to the guest room.¡± Valek opened the door and I made to follow him, before another surge in Leksi¡¯s tirade stopped me still. "Um¡­ A-Actually, I wouldn''t mind staying here?" Valek locked on me, confusion across his features. Even Maeve stared at me with clear confusion and surprise. ¡°I¡¯m alright with it, if you are Valek?¡± who signaled a cautious affirmative, ¡°But you should know Alvi, I won¡¯t be wearing this while I¡¯m in here. And¡­¡± Maeve looked to Valek, whose ears drooped shyly, ¡°we¡­ Valek and I tend to sleep¡­ together. Like what you saw on the train. If that¡¯s a problem-?¡± Another wave of Leksi¡¯s tirade rumbled up from below, cementing my decision. ¡°Yes, I would like to stay here, please.¡± ¡°Alright. Valek, help me get this off, I¡¯m exhausted.¡± And Valek closed the door. The Foundations of Humanity 14 (Lines Drawn, Lines Crossed) - an NoP fanfic Memory transcription subject: Valek, Human Integration Program Host Date [standardized human time]: August 28th, 2136. Midday It didn''t take long to get the girls settled. I showed Alvi to the bath at her urgent request, and Maeve was already asleep on my bed before we closed the door. With Alvi preoccupied, it was time to have a word with Dad. The yelling got steadily louder every step down the stairs, "...inks I''m gonna stand by while we have a hungry predator in the house he has another thing coming! I''ll protect this family the same way I always have and PUT A PELLET BETWEEN THAT THING''S STAR-LESS EYES! I WON''T LET IT GET A CHAN¡­" I could feel my rage building, just like when we left Tarva''s office, but I learned from that: I simply sat at the table and let him burn himself out. Credit to him, his tirade lasted longer than mine! Mom stood by the sink, cleaning the same plate for 10 minutes, I don''t think either of us had seen Dad like this before. Out of breath and shaking, he finally sunk into his dining chair and Mom brought him some juice. "Maeve is staying with us." Juice splattered across the table, "LIKE DARKNE-" "No. You said your piece, now I''ll say mine." I waited a moment for dad to settle back, "I''m not going to convince you she needs to stay. Not because I can''t, but because I shouldn''t brahking have to. But she is staying. And you will be civil to her, because I am asking you to. This is not your house. This is not your farm. It''s Mom''s; and I''m proud of her for at least trying to understand." A deep breath, I just had to get through this, then I could go to bed. "Maeve will be staying in my room for a week or so. By then her own space should be finished, so she will move to that. Until that time, you will not darken my door. We have a whistle in the kitchen for every room, use it." Even through the gloom and across the long table, I could see my Dad turning fluorescent orange. Before he could start another rant, I stood from the table and approached my Mom''s side, staying in her view. "We have been in transit for more than a paw, so the three of us are going to bed. Don''t bother us, we will come down when we are ready. Good rest to you both." I briefly groomed under my mom''s eye as a well-received heartfelt thank you, and plodded back up the stairs. Everything crashed around me at the penultimate step. The combined weight of navigating all through our transit, helping Maeve feel safe and welcome, keeping Alvi engaged and distracted, avoiding panic and rejection everywhere we went, keeping my Mom from succumbing to fear, and keeping my Dad from killing my mate. My knees shook. My breathing shuddered. My eyesight dimmed. Deep breath. I just needed to get up this last step, through my door, and into my bed. That''s only three things. I could do this. Opening my door, remembering to lift by the handle to silence opinionated hinges, I saw Maeve curled up on the bed, and immediately felt my weight lifted. The sound of an opening door down the hall told me Alvi was done with her bath. I held my bedroom door for her, and we stepped inside. With a small light of excitement that somehow broke through her obvious fatigue, Alvi started, "Thank you again, Valek. I didn''t have much of a plan before I got here, and I really do appre-" Just three more things. I can do this. "It is a pleasure and a joy to have you around Alvi, and we are both incredibly thankful for you trying so hard to accept us. We know it isn''t easy. C''mon, you look almost as tired as I do." I grabbed some simple bedding and a covering from my closet, and set Alvi up on the floor against the wall opposite the bed. Her bed made, I gestured a friendly welcome before passing by her. Alvi''s tongue grazed the top of my shoulder, and I stopped in place, "A-All the same: T-Thank you." And she lay down on the cot facing the wall; her eyes closed and ears flattened. I stood in shock for a moment. Maybe¡­ No. And then I, finally, crawled into bed. I nested myself against Maeve''s chest, and she sleepily wrapped her arms around me and pulled me closer. Then: blessed sleep. --- Memory transcription subject: Maeve, Human Integration Test Subject ERROR /// ERROR /// Memory Transcription Corrupted /// Dream State Not Compatible /// Load Transcript in SafeMode? Y/N /// Y Loading¡­ ¡­ ¡­ Home Home Home But Not WRONG WRONG Move Happy Valek Good Fear Protect Fight Sit Valek Calm Fear Alone Home Yes Yes Find Home New New New Fear Sad Fear Outside New Good Sun Tree Park Good Good Home Small Pizza Cute Fear Fear Shame Home Hobbit FEAR GET AWAY FROM HIM /// Transcript Corrupted /// Irretrievable /// Select New? Y/N /// Y Loading¡­ ¡­ ¡­ Memory transcription subject: Alvi, Unemployed Date [standardized human time]: August 28th, 2136. Late evening My eyes opened to a nearly pitch black room; Maeve had used her Burka to block out the only window. I raised myself off the cot, rolled my stiff shoulders and neck, and saw the two on the bed. I just¡­ couldn''t understand. I saw how they held each other, and it looked like that was what they were meant, even made to do. But it still looked so¡­ wrong. I crawled closer for a better look, but my knee hit my pack. Valek opened his eye to meet me, his ears gestured greeting, and his tail contentment. ¡°Good waking, Alvi. How long have we slept?¡± I checked my pad, quickly dimming to its lowest setting, ¡°Barely a claw.¡± Valek made a deep, contented sigh, ¡°I think I have another one or two in me. Is something on your mind?¡± He asked while slowly blinking. ¡°No¡­ It¡¯s nothing. It¡¯s just¡­ How can you look so¡­ Happy?¡± I whispered through the dark, but I could see the Star in Valek¡¯s eye as he answered. ¡°Because I am. Simple as that. Humans are so much more than they appear, like¡­ The Night reflected in a pool. Beautiful and frightening, but you need only look up to see awe-some depth and wonder.¡± His tail flicked with his truth. I saw him, his head on Maeve¡¯s right arm, and her left draped over his side. Her silhouette behind him slowly rising and falling with each breath, and this kind man, wrapped in the arms of a monster. Monster? Did I really think that? After all I¡¯ve seen of her, after all I¡¯ve seen of them, is she still a Monster? ¡°I¡¯m sorry if the floor is a little rough,¡± Valek¡¯s voice interrupted my train of thought, ¡°There¡¯s more bedding in the closet there, third shelf down. I¡¯d offer to help,¡± he chuckled through a long sigh and melted further into their embrace, ¡°but I''m not gonna.¡± I sat for a moment. My mind was still reeling, trying to understand what was in front of me. ¡°What convinced you?¡± Valek¡¯s eyes searched for an answer, and he spoke with greater severity, ¡°Time is what convinced me. My Dad thinks she is the Night; a hidden predator, waiting to pounce at our moment of weakness. But I have shown her my weakness, and I have seen her own. Her smile warms me as the Sun, and her cry makes me weep as the rain. She has protected me from harm and insult, and I have protected her the same. She has shown me that we are both so much more than Predator, and Prey. We are Venlil, and Human.¡± ¡°We will change this Galaxy, and end this War. I¡¯m sure of it.¡± If you discover this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation. His optimism was infectious, if unfounded. This war would never end, the humans would be added to the Pens, just like everyone else. But maybe we could find some kind of peace here. Valek flicked his tail to get my attention, ¡°I could show you, if you like? Maeve¡¯s got long arms, so there¡¯s room for one more.¡± My fur fluffed and my tail shivered. I turned around to my bed and- Hey, what are you doing?! My body refused to turn, and instead leaned forward to walk, my leg quickly moving forward to catch me. My arms pulled my body onto and across the bed, while Valek lifted Maeve¡¯s arm for me. What are you doing?! You can¡¯t be in bed with a PREDATOR! What if she wakes up hungry?! My mind screamed against me as I lay down across from Valek, and he let Maeve¡¯s hand fall against my ribcage. My heart thrummed against my chest and my ears swiveled for escape, but Valek took my paw in his and squeezed it comfortingly. He calmly blinked in contentedness, and Maeve sleepily, lazily ran her fingers through my fur and over my skin. The gentle brushing, along with her hot fingertips and heavy weight, brought a feeling of security, I now know, I sorely needed. My breathing slowed, my fur leveled, and my tail twitched in cautious satisfaction. Valek chuckled in his usual mischief, before closing his eyes and taking a deep breath of his own. ¡°Rest well, Alvi.¡± ¡°Good¡­ Good sleep¡­ Valek.¡± --- Memory transcription subject: Maeve, Human Integration Test Subject Date [standardized human time]: August 29th, 2136. Late morning Why does everything hurt? I felt heat and weight in front of me, and tried to scoop my lover against me. Valek is a lot wider than I remember¡­ I pried my eyes open and looked above the pile of dusty fur in front of me, and saw a second, much less dusty pile of fur. Several emotions boiled to the surface, before being drowned out by the overpowering thought of ¡®five more minutes¡¯ and I sunk back into the pillow, reveling in the two weights on my arm and the ball of fur in my hand. I thought about the week I¡¯ve had, and how much had changed. I thought about the friends I¡¯ve made, and how glad I am of their company. I thought about the reason I was on this planet, and how I might convince Valek¡¯s parents, and hopefully the township, to not try to kill me. I thought about the berries I had for dinner, and quietly giggled to myself. Valek was right, they were delicious. I stretched my legs in an effort to remind the complaining muscles of their purpose, though my activity prompted similar stretches and yawns from what was then apparent to be two venlil in front of me, to my immense delight. I brought my free arm to my nearer companion, brushing the wool I found there, while my trapped hand found purchase on an errant ear, yawns turning to happy murrs with the effort. The nearer was the first to rise, and I could recognize Valek¡¯s coloring; as he rose, I could see Alvi¡¯s grey-and-darker-grey striped pattern in front of me, though I snapped my eyes shut as she opened hers. I felt Alvi tense atop my arm and I let my hand fall limp; her¡¯s however, did not. I felt a tense grip on my upper forearm, as her body seized and her claws dug into my skin. I couldn¡¯t hide a whimper as each one broke through skin, and I felt Valek¡¯s weight whip around. ¡°Alvi! Let go! Alvi! You¡¯re hurting her! Alvi!¡± I could feel Valek¡¯s paw pry her from my arm before I jerked it to my chest, nursing the wound. But I couldn¡¯t stop my tears from coming. ¡°Ah Speh, I need the kit. Alvi, stay here, just don¡¯t move, ok? I¡¯ll be right back, ok Maeve? I¡¯ll be right back!¡± A soft patter, a screaming door, and Valek¡¯s pawsteps faded down the corridor. I clenched my eyes shut, from pain and from escaping tears. I felt Alvi¡¯s weight shift toward me on the bed, ¡°Maeve¡­ I¡­ I didn¡¯t mean to. Oh, stars, Maeve I¡¯m so sorry¡­¡± I could feel her weight getting closer, and I instinctively backed across the bed, my back to the wall. I couldn¡¯t stop my sobbing from the cascade of emotions; I knew Alvi just reacted, it¡¯s not her fault, it¡¯s not anyone¡¯s fault. But what I knew and what I felt didn¡¯t always agree, despite my best efforts. ¡°I-I know, Alvi. I¡¯ll be ok, but it still hurts.¡± I heard rapid pawsteps returning, a door slamming shut, and a rigid vessel snapping open. ¡°Ok, Maeve, I¡¯m back.¡± There was panic in his voice, but an assurance that helped to calm me, ¡°It doesn¡¯t look too deep, so the stitching gel should do it. I don¡¯t know the human pain response, so I don¡¯t know what this will feel like.¡± I took several steading breaths, before, ¡°Ok. Ok. I¡¯m ready. Don¡¯t tell me when it happens.¡± ¡°Alright, Maeve, I need you to bring your arm out. Alvi!¡± A terrified Beep from across the room, ¡°W-What?¡± ¡°I need you to sit on her hand. Put your whole weight on it.¡± Valek directed while he positioned himself just above my elbow. A moment later I felt heat on my hand, pinning it to the bed. My breathing quickened in anxious preparation for whatever this might be. Please don¡¯t be needles. I heard the snap of a lid popping, I felt a painful warmth on the wound, followed quickly by a freezing chill. A silent wail escaped me as my skin felt like it crystallized. Then, nothing. All pain was gone. Rattling, rustling, crinkling and crackling before I felt a bandage applied to the wound. Valek, then Alvi, lifted themselves from my arm, but I reached back out to Alvi, "Alvi, wait! Please stay. Please." Alvi shuddered through terrified sobs, "But I hurt you! I can''t be around you, what if I hurt you again?" Her weight left the bed, and Valek crawled closer to me. "Then I will forgive you again, and I will ask you to stay again. You''re my friend, and I won''t abandon you for something as small as this." Valek chuckled beside me, brushing the tears from my eyes, "She called you her friend, Alvi! No getting rid of her now!" And I joined Valek''s laughter. "Wh¡­What does he mean, Maeve?" "I mean," Valek answered through his slowing laughter, "that humans make very strong bonds. Maeve has made the decision to be as loyal and supportive to you as any Venlil would their own family. She has welcomed you into her herd." ¡°Wh-What?!¡± I could hear her concern shift to confusion, and¡­ hope? ¡°Yeah!¡± Valek replied, jovially, ¡°C¡¯mon up, we want you here! It¡¯s alright! Hey Maeve, can you sit up? Against the wall, like we used to do.¡± Following his command, and hoping my blush wasn¡¯t obvious, I braced myself against the wall, sitting mostly cross-legged. ¡°Alvi?¡± I felt an additional weight across the bed. ¡°You sit right here across from her.¡± I felt a weight move to just in front of me, not even arm¡¯s length, while another weight moved behind the first, giving the impression of a large human sitting in front of me. ¡°Ok, Alvi, you close your eyes¡­ and Maeve, you open yours.¡± I opened my eyes to a dark room. It was as dark as when I went to sleep, and the lack of change was disorienting my internal clock. Alvi sat in front of me on her rump, legs splayed. Her fur was shorter, more rabbit-like while Valek¡¯s was more shaggy. They both featured wooly curls on their crown, neck, and chest, though Alvi had the tighter curls of the two. Her belly, inner arms and legs were a lighter mocha color, which quickly shifted to a dark grey on her back. It was difficult through the darkness, but I could just make out her striped pattern of solid dark-grey on her crown, appearing to move to her back. Alvi was of a somewhat smaller build, her crown came up to Valek¡¯s snout while sitting. Valek sat behind Alvi, his legs framing hers, and his paws gently holding hers against her side. ¡°Oh, Valek, this isn¡¯t necessary, we should wait-¡± ¡°No, no. I¡¯m ready Maeve. I want to try.¡± Alvi stuttered unconvincingly through a shuddering breath. ¡°... Ok, Alvi. We can try again. My eyes are open now.¡± Alvi opened her eyes, but avoided looking at me directly. I tried to keep my sight on her paws, allowing her to be the first to make contact. Alvi shifted her head, and I could see the focus of her vision slowly scan the room to land on my face. Immediately her fur fluffed and her tail started thrashing; though she didn''t faint, which was an improvement. I could see her paws clench onto the thicker fur of her belly, her whole body seizing up while she studied my face. It was several moments before I could see her tail slow, and her grip relax, several more before she released a held breath and gasped it back. Valek was whispering encouragement in her ear, the show of care bringing my blush to the surface, accompanied by reminders of how much I love this man. Her tail flicked, and I could hear her ears flap against Valek¡¯s behind her, ¡°Ok, Maeve, you can look at me now¡­¡± I raised my eyes to meet hers. She was looking at me with her good side, which I noticed was the opposite of Valek¡¯s; did the Venlil have left- and right-handedness? Her pupil was a wide oval in the darkness, ringed by a black iris, only visible in the gloom because of the ring of white on its outer border, like an eclipse corona, though inverted to point inward. When my eyes met hers, she locked up entirely; her body, fur and tail were all stock still, as if waiting for a predator to move on; save for her ears, which were swiveling madly. Valek whispered something in her ear, but she didn¡¯t react. He shook her from her stunning. ¡°WhyDoYourEyesMoveLikeThat? It''sLikeThey¡¯reAlwaysHuntingLookingSearching ForTheirNextPrey. PleaseDon''tLetItBeMe. ILikeBeingAliveAndILikeBeingYourFriend.¡± Her question breathlessly spilled out with such force, it took a moment for the translator to parse her meaning into my mind. Valek continued to encourage her and reminded her to breathe. ¡°These are called saccadic movements. We do not control them, and they improve our eyesight.¡± I spent the next several minutes teaching Alvi about how our eyes function, that the place where the bundle of optic nerves meets the eye creates a blind spot in our sight. That our mind compensates for this blindspot and others with these saccades, which our mind then interprets as a cohesive image. I describe how we see color, and how it can change from human to human. I was talking about optical illusions when Alvi started to visibly calm down. I was ranting about eye color when Valek let her go, and she leaned forward to me, bringing a paw to my face. ¡°Oh! Hello, Alvi. Feeling a little better? Oh!¡± Alvi brought her paw to my lips, and pushed my lips open to reveal my teeth. I didn¡¯t interrupt her investigation. ¡°You¡­ don¡¯t have fangs? But your eyes mean you¡¯re predators? What are you??¡± Valek and I giggled at our shared memory of his own realization, and I offered Alvi the same answer. ¡°The universe is filled with more than predator and prey. There are uncountable subdivisions of everything that you could possibly name in life, and humans are one of those subdivisions. We use the word Omnivore, meaning all-eater, because we have traits of both, as you would call them, Predator and Prey. And many of these traits developed for reasons counter to what your sciences understand.¡± Without the adrenaline of the past half-hour, I became keenly aware of the yawning pit that was my digestive tract. ¡°Talking about food though is making me hungry; how long were we asleep?" Valek checked his pad, "We''ve been asleep for over 3 claws. I think it''s around 14 hours, by your clock." "Fourteen hours??¡± I groaned, along with my gut, causing the pair in front of me to tilt their heads in confusion; Valek¡¯s ears went up, Alvi¡¯s went down, and I giggled in response, ¡°Good lord, that''s why I''m so hungry¡­¡± Valek climbed off the bed, and helped Alvi with the same, ¡°The family tries to keep a soup pot ready, let''s head downstairs for First Meal.¡± I grabbed my burka and veil, ¡°No, Maeve. I don¡¯t care about the contract, I won¡¯t have you hiding yourself while you live with me. My parents will have to deal. But¡­ uh¡­ let me down first, so I can introduce you and, uh, hide the gun¡­¡± Valek¡¯s tail feigned an encouraging wave, but his ears did not agree; Alvi and I were not shy about our reservations. But! No one wants to see a hangry human, so it¡¯s time for breakfast! The Foundations of Humanity 15 (A Mothers Love) - an NoP fanfic Memory transcription subject: Elva, Human Integration Program Host Date [standardized human time]: August 28th, 2136, Midday My son groomed my cheek, and I wrapped my tail around his waist as thanks, "Don''t bother us, we will come down when we are ready." Valek left my side, and trudged up the stairs; his body progressively sagging with fatigue at every step. Leksi and I watched the stairway entrance for several seconds, though he was the first to speak, "That boy is going to get us killed." "¡­ I don¡¯t know¡­¡± My tail flicked as I thought about what I saw. Every feeling and instinct in my body writhed with fear, yet I never felt¡­ endangered by it. It intentionally blinded itself, for my comfort. It was easily half-again my height, yet it made itself smaller for me. Why?! Valek clearly trusted it implicitly, and the young lady seems to as well. What was it about this creature that was so compelling? ¡°... I¡¯m going to bed.¡± I stood from my seat and put the dishes away, adding mine and Leksi¡¯s untouched soup back to the pot. He rose with me, and we walked toward the stairs, Leksi dragging a stool behind him. ¡°I¡¯ll stand guard¡­¡± -- ¡°Oh, love, please come to bed¡­¡± -- ¡°Valek can make his own mistakes, but I won¡¯t let that thing come near you.¡± There was the man I loved. With the smallest laugh, I sighed, ¡°My valiant Protector, guarding me from the vicious predators.¡± I nuzzled my snout against his and closed the door. I could hear my husband mumble through the clacking latch, ¡°Damn right.¡± -- Date [standardized human time]: August 28th, 2136, Late Evening I opened my eyes to the empty space beside me; Leksi must have started his waking early. I stretched in bed and thought about the work that needed to be done today. Two of our three automatons were in the workshed; somehow their A-Grav drive kept overloading, and I hadn''t had the spare moment to call Farmer''s Friend. But the Dark-Wayside crop was due to harvest; we only had the one working droid left, but it would have to do. Leksi needed to go to Hidden Plains for spare parts already, so he could stop at the FF shop while he¡¯s there. This wasn''t the first waking I found myself alone. I left my bedroom, and found my mate asleep on a stool in the hall, the sharp break in my routine reminding me: There was a Predator in my house. Immediately my fur flared and I stepped softly, slowly checking the rest of my home, waiting every moment for it to step out of a shadow. But it was nowhere to be found! I went back to my husband and roused him, bleary-eyed from his vigil. "Oh, stars¡­ I fell asleep. I left you-" "To a peaceful rest, guarded by the man I love," I pressed my crown against his, before gently grooming his tired eyes, "I''ve checked the house, and there is no sign of the Predator. Come along, dear, the farm waits for no one, and we have chores that need doing." And so, our waking began. Our eventful meal before rest seemed almost a dream, becoming more ephemeral every passing moment. After our first meal, Leksi took the shuttle back into town, and I investigated our droids. It looked like their engines ran out of power, sunk to the ground and got clogged with dirt; the obstruction caused them to overheat, so safety protocols forced a shutdown. I''d have to watch one perform its rounds to see where the failure was. In the meantime I set the last working droid to harvest, sent a message to Leksi about the issue, and set about maintaining the house. Leksi made it back home in one piece, and brought me my favorite Crystal Cuties; I loved the way they crunched! I welcomed him back as any wife would, before we sat down for our dinner. He told me that Farmer''s Friend suggested the levitators were being overburdened, and we could get another droid while dropping the overall carry limit of each, but we couldn''t afford it at the moment. We talked about the new Comet Elvas that were blooming, and watched the Laysis do their work. We finished our nightcap, and headed to bed, my love joining me this time, to my immense pleasure. -- Date [standardized human time]: August 29th, 2136, early morning "Sweetie, we need to talk about the Shali problem. They''ve gotten into the sto-" A scratching above us. That''s too big to be a Shali¡­ the thing crawled down the hall above, and its sound shifted to pawsteps as it came to the stairs. A long silence followed, nearly a minute, Leksi leveled the barrel to the stairway, and I sat shivering, my mind running through every horrible possibility; never once touching the right one. "Mom? Dad? You still awake?" Valek''s voice called from halfway up the stairs. I let out a trembling breath I had been holding to scream, and released a tear meant to mourn; Valek was alive! "Yes! Yes Sunshine! We''re down here!" Valek crossed the threshold, his fur sporting the same filth he walked in with, though messed in new directions. I crossed the span of the kitchen to embrace him, in the way I should have when he first walked in. Giggling through my grooming, "Mom, stop that! I missed you too." And he pressed his crown against mine, before approaching my husband. "Dad, I need the rifle please." My hands were wet? Why did they feel so warm? Leksi curled his tail in satisfaction, his face and ears pulling the closest thing to ''smug'' a Venlil could emote. "Knew you''d come around son, I see those university classes paid off." Leksi handed the rifle to Valek, and as he did so, I heard the gentle plap plap of some thick liquid hitting the ground¡­ oh, stars, Valek was bleeding! "Something like that¡­" Valek killed the charge, and popped out the cylinder, checking the barrel for any chambered shots. "Ha! Ever the smart one, my Valek. Ole Nightshatter''s just fine, I''ve taken good care of ''er" "And you did a fine job." Satisfied with his inspection, Valek tossed the cartridge cylinder on the couch, "Master, you can come down now! First meal is ready!" Leksi''s snout took on a starlight pallor, and my own fur stood on end as I watched the stairwell. Alvi came into view, pulling a writhing mass of darkness by the paw as it stepped down the stairs, hunched over, ready to pounce on our undefended flesh. Pitch black abyss, The Night descended on our home. Its empty face stared forward; not needing sight to hunt, this nightmare could charm its prey to throw themselves upon its appetites! My mate and I stood frozen, while Valek, my poor child, set the thing''s place, to desecrate our table with the blood of kith and kin. Next, he guided me to my own seat, and we were forced to repeat the events of our last meal together. Valek reminded us to breathe, but it fell on ears deafened by our despair. He guided my sight, forcing me to remember the family I was about to lose, but I saw it was already lost; my son stared at me, snout forward like a predator, his lifeless eyes askew, his tongue dripping hot orange blood from an absent jaw. My breathing returned, too much, too fast, while my home shifted to something out of the Arxur cattle vids. Alvi poured us all soup, the ladle dripping thick Venlil lifeforce. The steaming bowl sat in front of me, forgotten, as we stared at our demise personified. At that point, no one moved. Claws and paws passed, while we waited for our end. The horrifying creature turned its form to me, a gaping maw of The End of The Sun, hanging over a plate of my First Son¡¯s severed head, "Thank you again," the demon''s descant flowed over us, "for inviting me into your home. I cannot tell you how excited I am to try your family''s B???l???o???o???d???." -- Date [standardized human time]: August 29th, 2136, Midday I awoke with a start, as Leksi defensively crouched over me. I could hear clattering clay and metal from the kitchen below us. We waited, and heard muffled conversation, punctuated by Valek screaming! "VALEK! We have to save Valek!" I shrieked, scrambling out from under my husband, the hall a blur in my periphery. I bounded down the stairs before I bodily slammed into a filthy fluffy mass, "MOM! Mom! It''s ok!" My son hugged me close, arms and tail, and I collapsed into his embrace. I buried my sobbing face in his mane, trying to scrub the image of his rotting face from my memory. Leksi was close behind me, but stopped halfway up the stairs; I loved him, but comfort had never been his strong suit. It was several moments before I pulled myself from my son''s wool, "I¡­ I thought you died Valek, I saw Elsi¡¯s¡­ I thought you coming here was a dream, then a nightmare. Where were you last waking?" My second son closed his eyes for me, trying so hard to show his contented calmness. "It¡¯s ok Mom, I¡¯m fine, I¡¯m safe; it was just a nightmare. We were still sleeping, and only just came down not ten minutes ago. We got the pot warm! If you''d like to join us for breakfast?" If you spot this tale on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation. "U-Us?" "Yes mom, us. Alvi, Maeve, and I. They are¡­ I am¡­ very excited for you to meet them." My son took me by my paw and shoulder, encouraging me with every step. "You too, Dad! I hid the gun, no one is getting hurt today. You''ll have to meet each other sooner or later!" I could hear careful steps come down the stairs, and finally thought to take in my surroundings. Valek had opened the sun-facing windows and curtains, bathing the den in the Day; the predator was blind when I saw them, maybe they couldn''t see as well as us? Alvi was at the table talking to¡­ What was that? It seemed to cover itself in linens and drapery; what little flesh I could see was as the White Cliffs of Sun¡¯s End, nearly glowing in the sunlight. It sat with its back to the stairs, and didn¡¯t turn to see us, despite us being in its blind spot. Valek pulled me around the table on its right, to my normal seating for meals; Leksi not a step behind me. As we moved, it continued to move its head, though apparently to avoid looking at us, even nearly laying its head on the table. ¡°W-We heard screaming! What¡¯s going on?¡± Alvi piped up from the soup pot, serving the same clear broth from last waking, ¡°Because I¡­ found out Valek is ticklish.¡± She said with a giggle, as her tail twitched in playful mischief. Valek backed away from her as she brought us our bowls and services, ¡°Only because Maeve told you!¡± Our meal served, Alvi rounded on Valek and made to chase him, her fingers grasping with evil intent. ¡°Ack! Don¡¯t you dare!¡± ¡°T-The thing is still here?¡± Alvi and Valek stopped their playful chase, turning to me with somber tails. ¡°She, Mom. Yes, Maeve is still here, and joining us for first meal.¡± Valek¡¯s tail directed my attention to the spindly wraith at the other end of the table. My fur flared and my husband blanched¡­ but nothing else. Silence for a moment, before a tiny voice trailed over to us, ¡°H-Hello. I¡­ I wanted to cover up, but Valek insisted. I hope you don¡¯t mind?¡± We were too shocked to respond; this tiny thing was under that cloak? ¡°I-I really want to make this work. I don''t want to scare you." Another pause, before Valek took charge, "Hey dad, why don''t you tell her what we grow here?" Leksi beside me heaved heavy breaths, his good eye locked on the creature, while his ears sought an exit. A word from Valek brought him back to the present, "W-W-We grow S-Starberries here, b-b-but we rotate to W-W-Woolgrass after every 4 harvests." "That''s really cool! We use crop rotation, too; what does the Woolgrass bring to the soil? Nitrogen?" Mine and Leksi''s breath hitched in our throats, but not from fear. From shocked surprise, and complete befuddlement! How could a predator know anything about farming?! Especially something as specific as crop rotation! "N¡­no," Leksi started, "We use Woolgrass to add biomass, and the roots hold soil really well. Shali Tails are for nitrogen, but they aren''t a money crop¡­ How¡­ How do you know that??" The creature rolled its head to the other side, and I saw my son relax as their eyes met. The same small voice started again, "Humans have a very long history with farming; in fact, we use it as the primary delineation between primitive and modern humans. More recently, information has become so widely accessible that it is relatively easy to know a little bit about nearly any topic. Which is something I take great pride and joy in." Leksi leaned forward on the table, all attention focused on the pale thing, "How do humans farm?" The creature picked its head up, and shifted to look into the kitchen, putting us to its side. Taking the bowl of soup in one hand, it started to eat over air. "The shortest answer is ''efficiently''. I''m not a farmer, nor was my family, so I only know surface-level information. Can you be more specific?" Leksi took a more comfortable position, ears and eye still focused on it, but began his meal as well; I followed suit. "Why would a predator use crop rotation?" "Because there was a time we didn''t, and it went very badly. For most of human history, we lived in separate communities which needed to grow their own food. Trade was a thing, of course, but even then they could only span so far, and travel would take so long that farms still needed self-contained variety, meaning crop rotation happened naturally so no one thought about it." "When we had our industrial revolution, it made worldwide trade much easier in many ways, allowing certain places to specialize. It was cheaper to buy in bulk, easier to farm with one crop, and one or two crops were the most profitable at any given time, so farming a mono-culture became common practice. I''m sure this happened elsewhere as well, but I know most about the American Dust Bowl." Leksi''s ears fell flat and his tail twitched, "Yeah, we''ve seen that in a few of our colonies. City folk that don''t know what they''re doin¡¯, setting off for adventure with nothin¡¯ but ambition and grants." "Exactly! These were new farmers coming from millworker, dockworker, and construction families, not old farming families. And they, being young and stupid, didn''t listen to their neighbors. Their mono-culture drained all the nutrients from the soil, leading to crop failures and widespread famine and poverty. Also, because the root systems were so poor or nonexistent, the slightest wind picked up many hundreds of tons of topsoil, causing dust clouds that covered a continent; even blocking out the sun in some places. Hence: Dust Bowl." "We essentially had to re-learn crop rotation from the indigenous populations. It has been standard practice ever since." Leksi seemed to sit taller, I had seen him do this with new farmers in town. He was proud of his experience, and was never afraid to show it. "And how did you solve that?" Maeve chuckled for a moment, "Honestly, not well. It wasn''t long after that, maybe a few decades or a century, that we discovered gene editing. So we made new crops that could fill several needs, essentially still doing a mono-culture, but better. This broke down too, because of evolution. Pests and blights got through the gene editing eventually, and entire species of crop were lost. This taught us that crop rotation also avoided over-competition of companion species." "Nowadays, the rotation depends on what you''re growing, but hemp and linen are very popular since they are effective cash crops." Leksi seemed almost to get excited, "And do you think you can tend this farm? What makes you think we need you?" "Oh, I''m under no illusions: you don¡¯t need me, I need you. I wasn''t a farmer on Earth, but I''m quick to learn and happy to help! To answer your question, though: I''m here, first and foremost, to learn about your people, and teach you about mine. I am here as an initial exploration into whether or not Human and Venlil can live together." I piped up, "W-W-Wait. Why would you need to know that? Are humans going to invade Venlil Prime?!" Valek, Alvi, and the creature all signaled emphatic ''No'', before Valek spoke up, "No, Mom, no. The Human-Venlil Exchange program was a huge success! Almost half of all Venlil participants want to stay in contact, and several are staying with their humans on earth, and a few even invited their partners onto Venlil Prime, like I did. We see where the wind is blowing; our species will integrate. Maeve and I are an early test to see how we can make that transition easier. Once we finish our meal, we will be sending our first report." "A-And what will you be reporting?" Is this thing a spy?! It will tell their kind about our defenses! This is just a forward scout! "I will mention that ''The Night'' is an omen, and to avoid all-black attire, as well as request a replacement burka in white. I will point out that eye placement is a problem, but most especially eye contact, so I''ll advise that we avoid looking directly at Venlil. Also, your lack of a day/night cycle is very disorienting, so I will suggest simulated cycles in our personal living spaces. There will be more personal requests, but that''s the mea-aaaaajority,¡± It cleared its throat, ¡°- majority of it. I know these reports sound scary, so I won''t put anything in them you don''t approve of. With your permission, I''d like to have you read through the report before I send it?" The beast was asking permission? It wanted us to read its reports? What was this? But I had to protect my people, "Y-Yes. I think that is best." "I''m very glad. Thank you." The creature finished the bowl, and set it aside. Oh stars! We were the next course! I needed to stop it, I needed to- "I am in desperate need of a bath. And I''m afraid my clothes need a wash as well, if you could help with that, Valek. Elva, I really appreciate the kindness you have shown me." The thing stood, and brought its bowl to the sink, to stack with the other dirty dishes, "and Leksi, I''m sorry we had such a rough introduction, but I was really glad to talk to you about human history and culture, and I look forward to doing it again, I really do!" Without another word, it walked up the stairs and their steps faded to nothing. Valek said he would help it with the laundry, and headed up; Alvi stayed with us, and started the dishes; she spoke up over the rushing water. "What¡¯s my name?" Her ears flicked to us, and she kept us in her periphery. "... It''s¡­ Alvi? Right?" My husband responded, hesitantly. "That''s right! Pleasure to meet you. Now what''s her name?" Her tail swung toward the stairs. Leksi and I froze. "She has a name. One that both Valek and I have mentioned, several times. So: what is her name?" It had a name? What would a predator call itself? Why would it need identity when they constantly killed each other? "Why does it matter? It''s only waiting for a chance to eat us, and I don''t need to know the name of my killer!" My husband answered, a protective tail wrapped around me. ¡­ A long pause, before Alvi heaved a heavy sigh. "I hurt her, you know." Leksi flashed confusion, and I grew terrified. This girl provoked that thing?! "I woke up, I saw her face, and¡­ my claws cut into her flesh." She held up what must be the offending paw, and gestured at the sink, "This water has human blood in it, that I spilled. And you know what happened?" We waited, breathless, for her to answer, "She ran from me. I tried to apologize, I tried to help, but she backed herself into a corner and cried, like I was the predator! I did that. And after that? When she found her wits? She asked me to forgive her. She asked me to stay, even though I just made her bleed." I watched her take a breath. "She means you no harm. And her name, is Maeve." The Foundations of Humanity 16 (Life on the Farm) - an NoP fanfic Memory transcription subject: Maeve, Human Integration Test Subject Date [standardized human time]: August 29th, 2136. Early Midday I couldn''t stop giggling as Valek and I enjoyed our affections while the filling tub thundered behind us. The bath seemed to be a slightly older model of what was on the station, but still took advantage of the powerful lateral jet to clean Venlil wool. It lacked the means and clearance for a standing shower, so we decided to fill it for a soak and scrub. With a parting nuzzle, Valek grabbed my clothes and took them to the washroom, telling me he would come back once he set the machine running. I lowered myself into the steaming water, and allowed my muscles and nerves coiled tight from the stress of the past two days to finally unwind. All of their toiletries were in Venlil script, vertical columns of squiggly box shapes, so I opted to wait for Valek to return before starting in earnest. I was fidgeting in the water, rinsing myself of the grime gathered in our travels, when a knock signaled his return. ¡°Alright, those should be clean and dry in the next hour or so. Have you figured out our shampoo?¡± I couldn''t stop myself from smiling as I shook my head, "Nope! Everything is in Venlilese. Which one is your favorite?" Valek and I went back and forth about their various cleaners; turns out, since grooming is a greeting for them, they tend to focus on flavor! Curbing my urge to sample the forbidden smoothies, I started washing with an import from Green Deserts: Deeproot fortified with Malley oil. The ginger smell was a little strong, but it made my skin tingly and my hair looked wonderful! We continued talking while I washed up, Valek giving his enthusiastic assistance. He told me about his life on the farm, and what kind of chores to expect. Most things were automated, but house cleaning and pest control always needed a helping hand or paw. Provided an embarrassingly small towel, Valek brought me back to the bedroom before starting his own bath, and I began my report: Hmmm¡­ Let''s go with¡­ Yes. That soup was really good¡­ like minty minestrone. Inconclusive, but tastes delicious. I did wake up pretty rough, but the bath was nice¡­ Some fatigue, but no pain. Well I did just take a 14hr powernap. But it''s still dinnertime? Yes. Hoo boy, not doing that. Optimistic. Alright, I wonder what their character limit is¡­ The lack of a day/night cycle is very uncomfortable. I suggest we build simulated daylight and nighttime into human habitations, including mine. I woke up really sore, so I think Human bodies are not used to sleeping in higher gravity; bedding will need to be figured out. Venlil are bothered by our forward-facing eyes, but they are especially afraid of eye contact, so newcomers should practice not looking at who they are speaking to. Some Venlil believe that the Night is bad, and are skittish around dark clothing. Using a full-face mask would be effe Whelp, there''s the character limit¡­ but where can I¡­ If you have any personal needs, please tap HERE to contact your sector''s handler, SAM. Ah! Here we are. They will make all possible accommodations in a reasonable time. Deliveries to the surface happen once every 7 human ''days'', or 8 Venlil ''paws''. God, I hope they can get me some coffee¡­ I had just finished filling the request form when Valek came back into the room, gleaming white and black and smelling like a french martini; I could barely keep my hands off of him while we talked about the report. "Yeah I did mine in the bath! They¡­ They were clearly asking me ''has she tried to eat you yet'' like six times, which was frustrating, but I can''t blame them for their fear; they''ll come around." His tail wrapped around me as my fingers wound their way through the wool between his shoulders. "I talked to my parents. Looks like their farm bots are having some trouble. I convinced them to take you along, if that''s ok?" I stopped for a moment. I admit, the idea of being outside with Leksi was a little unnerving¡­ --- Memory transcription subject: Elva, Human Integration Host. Date [standardized human time]: August 29th, 2136. Early midday "NO! I won''t be out in the field! Alone! With a predator! Are you DIM?!" "Elva, flower, you won''t be alone; I won''t let you two leave my sight. I''ll be on the Hill, Nightshatter trained and ready. And Alvi will be with you just over the next hedge. I''m sorry but we need her help with this!" "But what if she''s too fast?! What if she¡­ snaps my neck before you-?!" "She won''t because she can''t. I''d go instead, but we both know I''m the better shot. We can''t afford another short harvest, love¡­" This story originates from a different website. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there. I stood puffed and trembling in the kitchen. My husband was ready to put me out as bait for this beast! We could survive another season! Just until this thing was out of my house! We had enough! We-- ¡­ We didn''t. We were already behind, another missed bill and we could lose the farm! If these damn bots could do anything! We were promised higher productivity for less labor! Predator-shit! That last one hadn''t even finished its rounds before overheating! "I! I can''t!... I¡­ I''m so scared, Leksi." I shrank against my hopelessness while Leksi embraced me, arms and tail, and rocked my shivering form there in the kitchen while he groomed the space between my ears. It was almost like we were dancing, like we used to in better times. "I know, love. I know. We will get through this¡­" --- Date [standardized human time]: August 29th, 2136. Midday The predator walked several paces ahead of me, following my directions to the downed droid. I couldn''t take the silence, just imagining all of the ways they would carve us up. "So¡­ what do you think we taste like?" The creature ''laughed'' in its barking manner. "I need to ask you a favor Elva: never ask me a question you don''t want the answer to. I''ve promised Valek and Alvi that I will answer any question they ask me, and I will offer you the same courtesy. But you need to take that seriously." It turned its veiled head in a poor attempt to see me. Were it a proper prey species, it might''ve actually seen me over its shoulder. "I will answer that question, completely and honestly, if you ask me again. Or is there something else on your mind?" I thought for a moment. Here I had the opportunity to ask a predator, presumably a sapient one, any question I wanted. "What are predators like on your planet?" It stood straighter for a moment, before resuming its stride. "It depends on the predator: could be something more familiar like a Tiger, which uses camof-" "I mean¡­ What hunts Humans?" "Oh! Well, many things, and also nothing." That didn''t make any sense! Either they did or they didn''t! But the thing continued its babbling, "Parasites have the highest human kill-count, but I know that''s not what you''re asking about so we can skip those. The thing is: Humans are really problematic! We are difficult to kill, tend to fight back, and if you do kill one of us, more Humans tend to come back with a vengeance. Most creatures on earth have learned this, so they tend to avoid us. In this sense, nothing hunts humans." "But sometimes, an animal will be especially desperate, or maybe a human went somewhere they shouldn''t have, and bad things can happen. Wild Dogs have been the most effective human-hunters, using pack hunting and knowing when humans are most vulnerable. Next up are Tigers, using camouflage and ambush tactics, then Crocodiles using the same. But that''s only animals that hunt us. There are many that kill us as preemptive defense, like the Hippo which is actually completely herbiv-" The predator stopped still, then lowered its body to a crouch. It hissed at me, "Elva! Elva! I need you here. Now!" It reached its black hand to me before speaking up, "Alvi! Get over here!" Alvi struggled up the mound beside us, sliding down next to the predator. "Alvi, bring Elva here, quiet as you can." Its head was locked in front of us. "Maeve, what''s going on?" "Get under me, quickly!" Alvi nearly dragged me under its cloak, the creature''s form looming over us. It supported itself on long arms, fingers splayed in the dirt. Its legs were bound up behind us, like a spring ready to burst! "Ok you two, I need you to look ahead of me, and tell me if you see that." Of course this primitive thing wouldn''t know what a droid was! The beast was terrified of a hunk of metal and circuitry! "It''s just a bot! We use them-" "Look after the bot, Elva." "Are you sun-stunned? What are you-- Oh, my¡­" So THAT is a Predator¡­ Black pinpricks in piercing white eyes were locked onto us from the treeline. It hid in the shadow of a tree, but its orange and green-streaked muzzle just poked into the light. "C''mon! I need to know if you see it!" Strong arms pulled Alvi and I against a pounding heartbeat. A black-gloved hand took hold of a large stone. "Y-Yes, I see it. I¡­ I think that''s a Shadestalker. All my life on this farm, and I''ve never seen one¡­" -- "So you''ve never had a problem with these before?" -- "Not us, no." Tense muscles and heaving breaths surrounded us. "Shit¡­ Ok. Ok¡­ okokok. I¡­ I need you two to stay under me. No matter what happens, do not run. Keep your ears open, tell me if another tries to get to our side." I thought I heard-- Alvi whimpered beside me, "You''re scaring me, Maeve." -- shifting soil! "B-Behind us, on the left!" A bestial growl, shifting weight, and a sharp YELP in quick sequence. The stone came back into view, smeared with a smattering of violet blood. A voice above us whispered, "We need to back up. Stay with me." Their black arm wrapped around us, and we all started crawling backward as a unit. The Shadestalker ahead walked with us, bringing itself totally into the light. Its grey coat caught the light in unusual ways, seeming to sparkle and dance in distracting colors. My legs stopped unbidden, mesmerized by the display. I could feel the sun on my wool as my cover continued without me, "ELVA!!" The human screamed behind me, as something leapt from the mound to my right. I saw its wide mouth and excited eyes in my periphery. I''m coming, Elsi. Darkness filled my vision while a scream of pain echoed around me. She had thrust her arm into the Stalker''s bite! I felt something grab and pull me back under the black cloak. Vicious growls and angry screams filled the air around us, as the two predators fought above us. I could see the forward Stalker readying a pounce, but its eyes weren''t on me. It''s back legs made to spring, going for her neck! "MAEVE!!" Ozone filled my mouth as a streak of green light slammed into the beast''s shoulder, nearly rending its forward leg from its body. The creature writhed on the ground as its flesh sizzled from superheated plasma. Maeve let out a scream of defiant fury as she pinned her assailant, its angry growls shifting to panicked whines; a moment more, and a deep wet Pop signaled the end of the fight, but not for Maeve. She shifted herself back to covering us, breathing heavily as she raised her battered arm and bloodied stone in the air, a grim invitation to her next opponent; absent, by the grace of the Sun. Alvi was frozen next to me, the ground beneath us slightly damp. It took several seconds before Maeve''s breathing, and mine, returned to baseline. The protective shield that was her body shuddered, and collapsed to our side. Alvi snapped back to cognizance, "Brahk the Night, that was the most terrifying thing I''ve ever seen! C''mon Maeve, let''s get back to the Hill." She''s still shaking¡­ why isn''t she getting up? Barely a prayer on my tongue, "...Maeve¡­?" I could barely make out her arm through the black fabric. That''s a lot of blood¡­ "Oh, SPEH that''s bad! I need to get help, you stay here!" Alvi ran a bounding sprint back to the hill, leaving me alone with the girl. A mighty breath. A shuddering sigh. The Foundations of Humanity 17 (Promises) - an NoP fanfic Memory transcription subject: Elva, Human Integration Host. Date [standardized human time]: August 29th, 2136. Midday "... elva?" Oh by the sun she''s alive! "Yes, Maeve! Yes! I''m here!" Another sigh, another shudder¡­ but, laughter? "You said my name! I''m really glad." Another deep breath, "Listen, Elva: my arm is shattered, and I''ve lost a lot of blood." Another breath; too deep, too fast! Maeve was panicking! "I''m¡­ I''m going into shock. I-It''s ok, this is a n¡­natural human r-response, but it''s really important that I d-don''t fall asleep." Maeve still shuddered between each breath, "I need you to keep me awake any way you can; yell at me, bite me, claw me, w-w-whatever it takes, I-I cannot fall asleep until this passes, o-ok?" I felt my own panic building, but I had to buy time for Alvi to get back! I took a bundle of the black cloth and pressed it against the wound while she held the arm against her chest. "Alright! Uh¡­ wh-why don''t you tell me about this ''shock''?" Maeve''s breathing bobbed my whole body, despite putting all my weight into the improvised compress; I couldn''t see her through the fabric, but her pain was evident. "Uh, well¡­ A-All creatures on earth respond to threats in different ways, and ssssome of them are pretty novel. But they all break down to Fight, Flight, or Fffffreeze. Individuals have their own p-p-personalities and tend t-toward one or the other, but Humans as a whole are more Fight, and our biology developed to mmmm-maximize that." Maeve started to squirm and kick beneath me, whimpering through her pain, "Oh god, it hurts. It hurts so bad, Elva." I could feel my own tears pull from the corner of my eyes, "I-I know child. It will be ok. How do humans fight?" I had to keep her talking! Maeve fought sobs pressing at her throat, forcing her next thoughts through her pain. "W-W-We create an aaaa-abundance of Adrenaline; our b-body gets flooded with the stuff. It pushes our heart, and kills our pain re-response. Expands our blood vessels and puts our lungs into¡­ overdrive. More oxygen, more¡­ n-nutrients, everywhere, faster. The extra bloodflow in the b-brain even has the effect of boosting our fff-fine perception, causing time to appear sssslower to us, and increasing our¡­ reaction time." Even through the cloth, I could see her muscles binding and clenching, racked with pain. "Mmmm! Fuck! Fu- Fu¡­ Nnngh!" Several shallow breaths before she could push through another thought. "Mmm-But the adrenaline is¡­metabolized qu-quickly, and when the th-th-threat is gone, it stopssss being produced." Several short breaths, her panic was coming back. "P-Pain¡­ comes flooding back. But the b-body still needssss all the oxygen and nutrients that it was g-getting while hopped up. But without the adrenaline, and made¡­ worse by b-blood loss, the body starves and goes into sh-shock. I need to keep bloodflow going, and I need to ssstay awake because if I fall asleep, if my heart rate drops¡­" A tear rolled down her cheek. "I¡­ I¡­ I don''t want to die, Elva. I don''t want to leave..." A distant roll of thunder from behind us. "It will be fine, child, it will be fine. Alvi is getting help. Just hold on." I could hear a ship bearing down on us, while sticky warmth pooled between my fingers. "I miss my Mom. I never -- I didn''t --" "Shh. Shh. It''s ok." As roaring engines surrounded us. "I''m here." --- Memory transcription subject: Valek, Human Integration Host. Date [standardized human time]: August 29th, 2136. Midday "--your report said you ''had a tense welcome'', could you expand on that?" I should have known my report would prompt a follow up, but I wasn''t expecting a human! I guess it wasn''t just Maeve who had a knack for seeing through the wool. I didn''t tell them everything, I''m not that dim, but you can only polish a turd so much. "My parents met us at the door and, I''ll admit, introductions could have been better. We were all tired and they were¡­ unfamiliar, so things got a little¡­" "... tense. Right.¡± Sam was unimpressed, ¡°Is this going to be a problem?" "No, no, of course not! It''s cold winds, I won''t lie, but we''ve had two really positive breakthroughs! My folks have barely known her a claw, not counting sleep. They''ll come around, and sooner tha-" KRAK-Ow I nearly snapped my pad in half as the plasma fire echoed through the den. "... No¡­ No no no No!" Sam was yelling something, but I only dropped my pad where it lay, and launched myself from my seat to bolt out the door. I just crested the hill to see my fath- KRAK-Ow MY FATHER USING THE FARM AS A FIRING RANGE! "What the Brahking Stars are you doing?!" I made to dive for the barrel, shimmering with fresh heat. "They''ve got the girls pinned!!" Leksi bellowed through panic and his ringing ears, aborting my spring. "I got one of the beasts!!! But they''re slipp- Oh, Stars! Elva''s in the open!!!" A piercing shriek drifted over from the treeline, and my blood ran cold as I realized it wasn''t Venlil. Dad''s fur flared and fluffed as he muttered, "... it saved her¡­" Something seemed to catch his sight, "Oh, no you don''t¡­!" KRAK-Ow Ozone assaulted my senses as a wave of superheated discharge nearly singed my outer wool. My father seemed to yell something, "Gotcha!", if I saw his tail right, though my ringing ears couldn''t catch exactly what it was. My mind still a ringing haze of the everything, I stumbled down the hill, and started to run when I found my balance. My legs burning and my heart pounding, I found Alvi standing in the row, shivering; her tail was desperately cinched around her thighs, and her ears were pressed flat against the back of her head, indenting the wool of her scruff as her arms hugged her chest. "Alvi!!" Her ears snapped up as she turned her good eye to me, "VALEK!!" She screamed as she ran headlong into me, "I tried to get help, but I heard something in the brush and froze! I froze again like-" I pressed her snout against mine, and whistled a low lullaby, letting the reverberations quiet the maelstrom. "It''s alright, starlight. You''re not alone now. Breathe. You''re safe." I used my paws to brush away her fright, and rubbed the tears from her eyes. I took Alvi''s paw and we ran together back to Maeve, as shuttle engines roared past us. --- Memory transcription subject: Elva, Human Integration Host. Date [standardized human time]: August 30th, 2136. Late morning ¡°It¡¯s so¡­ square. Will that even hold up in Galetime?¡± ¡°Eeeh, they barely have the framing up; maybe it¡¯ll be more breeze-ready when it¡¯s finished.¡± Leksi and I sat in the sun on the Hill, enjoying our SunBreeze while we watched the construction of Maeve¡¯s guest room. It sat detached from the Hill, itself nearly as tall as the whole burrow; I wondered why a human needed so much space. Though I suppose Maeve did crouch a lot when she was here¡­ ¡°Is it strange I wished they built it attached to ours?¡± I chuckled to my husband. Stolen novel; please report. ¡°It is very strange. But that¡¯s why I love you. If not for all of your ¡®strange¡¯ I would still be just a farmhand.¡± ¡­ a long moment, punctuated by quiet sipping¡­ ¡°I don¡¯t like this Elva.¡± ¡°I know dear. Everything is moving so fast¡­ the world is changing around us.¡± I reached my tail under the lounge to entwine with his, taking his paw in mine as I did so. ¡°Hearing about all this nonsense in the cities¡­ it felt so far away. I didn¡¯t think¡­ change¡­ would find us here.¡± ¡°I remember the first time we saw a Yotul.¡± Our tails rocked happily between us as Leksi recollected in good humor, ¡°Poor thing was ecstatic to finally find something familiar in our little Grove. I should¡¯a been kinder to him¡­¡± ¡°You two warmed up eventually. And now he makes the best Firefruit Wine on the Wayward Side!¡± ¡°Only because he uses our starberries to sweeten it!¡± He tipped his glass to me, ¡°That reminds me¡­ we''re gonna to have to tell him we will be short this harvest¡­¡± His ears fell as the happy memory soured. ¡°It will be fine, sunflower. It will be hard, but we will figure it out.¡± We were just draining our glasses when, ¡°They¡¯re back!¡± I cheerfully lept from my seat, bounding down the hill to the main gate. Maeve¡¯s arm was wrapped in a CinchSplint; it looked like it had already cured, so she will be wearing that for a while. She was also sporting a new headdress, a mirrored visor set atop a new fabric covering the top of her head. I wonder why she never leaves that uncovered? Valek was at her side, Maeve¡¯s arm draped around his shoulder, walking in step together. Alvi stepped in front of me as I approached, my tail flashed concern, which Alvi met with assurance. ¡°Maeve¡¯s ok, she¡¯s just still a little loopy from the meds.¡± ¡°Hiiii there little stormcloud! I rrrreally like your slotsssss.¡± The translator had a hard time with that one, but I was glad to see Maeve in high spirits; even if it were because of high ¡®spirits¡¯. I giggled my response, ¡°Yes child, I quite like my ¡®slots¡¯ too! Come on, let''s get you inside.¡± Leksi met us at the door and welcomed us in, an enthusiastic ¡®Welcome Home¡¯ singing from his tail. Maeve and Valek sunk into the couch, Maeve¡¯s head flopping back and forth with the movement, Leksi and Alvi took their seats while I prepared some juice; that slur told me some hydration was in order. ¡°You guys have such a coooool house! It¡¯s like if Bag End was filled with The Burrow.¡± Maeve tried to laugh, but sounded to suck in her entire nose, ¡°Oh, god, I¡¯m such a nerd.¡± At which she giggled to herself. ¡°So, heh, they gave her the good stuff I see.¡± Leksi sat chuckling at the poor girl. Valek replied tiredly, clearly the girl exhausted his humor at that point, ¡°Yeah¡­ the surgery went well, but they needed to take each bone individually and get it lined up where it needed to be. Over 80 pieces, and they didn''t even get them all. The human doctors said the rest will be absorbed into the body eventually. And apparently, the fur on those things is some kind of powerful irritant, the doctor likened it to Fiberglass, whatever that is. The humans were very thankful for our technology; they said she would have lost the arm without it.¡± A deep rattling growl thundered from Maeve, causing Leksi to reach for his hip while I nearly dropped the drinks. Valek stepped between Leksi and Maeve, yelling, ¡°Woah Woah Woah¡­ it¡¯s alright! It¡¯s ok! She does this sometimes when she sleeps. C¡¯mon Alvi, help me lay her down.¡± The growling stopped and stuttered while the pair did their work; myself beaming with pride at the care my son was showing. ¡°She said it¡¯s called Snoring. It¡¯s apparently really common among humans, something about the nose getting in the way of breathing.¡± ¡°Weird¡­¡± I breathed, unbelieving. Valek chuckled good-naturedly, ¡°Yeah¡­ she¡¯s not normally this bad, I think it¡¯s something to do with the meds.¡± ¡°You look tired sweetie¡­ why don¡¯t you go to bed?¡± ¡°Oh, no I don¡¯t want to leave her alone. And now she¡¯s down I don¡¯t think we will be able to move her. I can nap out here, it¡¯s fine.¡± ¡°She won¡¯t be alone. You and Alvi get some sleep, Leksi and I can watch her.¡± Valek stiffened and his ear focused on me, while Leksi flashed confusion. ¡°We¡¯ll be fine! What¡¯s the worst one drugged up human can do??¡± --- Date [standardized human time]: August 30th, 2136. Early Evening I was just finishing a problematic tie in my newest Vialthi when Maeve first stirred. She had been breathing evenly, but now took a long deep breath, as if welcoming life to her waking. "Hello, Maeve." The girl started at my words, almost looking to confront me, but her body relaxed as quickly as it tensed. She kept her back to me as she spoke. "I''m sorry, I didn''t mean to scare you Elva." "You didn''t child; in fact I believe I scared you. What a funny time we live in¡­ where a predator is afraid of prey." I set my lines on the pincushion and set it aside. "But I have seen a Predator, and I have seen you. You are many things Maeve, but you are not a Predator." The tight ball of human curled tighter. "You want to know something? We have been having problems with these droids for weeks. Before yesterday, we would just use one of the others; it would fetch it and take it in the garage so I could fix it. That droid out there¡­ That was our last one. We had nothing and no one left to retrieve it." My ears fell and my blood ran cold as I allowed the thought I''ve kept buried to surface. "Whether or not you came¡­ that droid would have gone down, just the same. And if you weren''t here¡­ Leksi and I¡­ we would have gone¡­" my voice broke as I saw the black pinpricks in the treeline. "Gone to get that droid, without any idea what was waiting for us." My vision blurred with tears as I stood from my craft chair and walked to the couch. "I''m sorry Maeve, that you got hurt. But if I''m honest with myself, if you weren''t there¡­" my voice caught in my throat as I struggled to get the words out. "I was there Elva. What could have happened doesn''t matter because what did happen is: we all got back ok. Well, mostly ok." Maeve rolled over onto her back to look at the ceiling, her rigid cast held tight against her torso. "Ya know I''ve broken a few bones before; human kids play rough, it''s basically unavoidable. But what you guys can do¡­ I would be laid up in that hospital for weeks if I were still on Earth, but you guys got me patched up and healing in less than a day!" Maeve''s voice had taken on a lighter tone, "And with the supplements they gave me, I should have full use in a couple weeks!!" Looking at the ceiling, she seemed to take note of something, "What''s that on the wall? Looks like a scarf?" She used her good arm to point at the Vyalkit running the border of the den. "That''s our Vyalkit. Fifty-three generations. Fifty-three promises of love, Fifty-three new families." I said, with no small amount of pride. ¡°Our family has one of the oldest: my ancestors started it before first contact. There''s mine and Leksi''s, on the end by the stairs." Maeve got up from her seat, but staggered and swayed before sitting back down. I moved to the side of her good arm, and she tried again, using my shoulder as support. She was¡­ heavy. A heavy presence beside me, a heavy weight on my shoulder¡­ but it felt¡­ safe. Like a good roof on a stormy night. I thought back to that day, huddled under her, and remembered the heavy weight then. It was like a great beast looming - no - shielding us. I could not fathom, in that moment with her walking beside me, how I ever thought she was a danger to us. We stood under mine and Leksi''s weave. His white wool held our vows, while my black scribed them; I remembered gathering that specifically from above my heart. Leksi''s black stripe bordered our Vyal, while my black embraced and weaved with his, fading into my white spots at the edges. We sat for a moment. Maeve took in every detail, while I reminded myself what every stitch and tie meant. "Are these your vows?" - "Yes." - "... it''s beautiful." Maeve raised a hand to touch it, but pulled away, continuing to look. "You called it a Vyalkit?" "Yes, Vyalkit." As we moved to my mother''s. She kept with the tradition, but she always had a more modern mind. Which I am thankful for, truely, for if not for her I wouldn''t have gone to University. Leksi knows how to farm, no denying that, but he would still be using hoes and tillers without me. "FFFFF¡­ VVVV¡­ SSSL¡­ HHHS" a slight whistle escaped her with that. "HHSS-" Stronger then. "Vyal¡­ kit" I stressed my sounds as best I could. She got the first sound, though the tone was off, "Al¡­ K¡­ K¡­ T¡­ Q¡­ " the hard sound fell further down her throat, "Qit." "Hhssal¡­ qit¡­ Valkit. Valkit?" My tail flashed glee, "You''ve got it! The Vy sound has an upward shift. Vy-" as my whistle shifted up a half-step, "but that will come with practice." "What does it mean? Normally the translator helps me to understand intuitively, but the only sense I get is ''good'' and ''old''." We moved to the next in line, my Grandmother''s. She was the one who taught me the old script, with help from my mom. "This¡­" I pointed to the Vyalkit as a whole, "is a Kit. It is an heirloom of woven tail- and paw-wraps. These¡­" I pointed at the bordered vows on my now Great-grandmother''s wrap. She loved the family history, so she had Baltiv make additional vows to the family itself, woven outside the Vyal. "Are Vyala. They are¡­ it''s hard to describe. They are promises you make to someone, and to yourself, together. They bind you to someone in purpose and in self. A Vyal is a symbol that shows you are now one person, one love, one being, living and growing as one." "A Vyalkit, is a Kit of Vyala." Maeve didn''t speak, and only breathed slightly¡­ if I didn''t know better I''d almost say she was trying very hard not to breathe. "Humans have our own rituals, but nothing like this; not that I know of. We have objects, which we pass down as reminders of our history. The most common are Rings, to symbolize being bound to each other, ''until death do us part''." My ears and tail flashed concern at that, which I hoped Maeve didn''t notice. "Marriage has a very complicated history for humans, largely because it is something nearly every culture invented themselves, and almost entirely differently. In broad terms, Marriage is a promise to love one person, without condition, and to support that person, without hesitation. Life is hard, and humans can''t face it alone. A marriage is a public declaration that ''this person will never be alone, because I will be there''." My heart filled, learning that humans have this concept. Maybe Valek was right: just like us, in all the ways that matter. "Thank you, Elva, for sharing this with me. It''s¡­ it''s really beautiful. It is incredible that you surround your home with love, both symbolically with your¡­ HHSS¡­ HHSSS. HHSSSY! Valki- mm, no, VVVyalkit! Vyalkit!" The girl hopped with joy beside me, nearly losing her balance before I set her right. My ears flapped joy and my tail pride. "... and literally. I saw your fear, but through it I saw how much Leksi loves you, and you him. You have a wonderful family, Elva." "And I couldn''t be happier, for Valek to bring you to us." I pulled Maeve''s hand for her to kneel. I took her head in my hands and briefly groomed the space above her eyes, before placing my snout where I groomed. "Welcome to the Berrypatch, Maeve." The Foundations of Humanity 18 (The Mouths of Babes) - an NoP fanfic Memory transcription subject: Leksi, Human Integration Host. Date [standardized human time]: August 30th, 2136. Late Evening Clatter and chatter and clinking and clanging¡­ I already missed when it was just me ''n Elva. "Guess it''s time to get up." I muttered to myself, as I rolled up and out of the bed. I always liked the traditional warren style bed, the cushy bowl shape was exceptionally comfortable, but it did make getting out a pain in the tail; which''d normally be a treat with Elva here. But she wasn''t. I heard her voice and others floating up the stairs as I plodded down the hall. "...the poor driver was vibrating at the wheel! Maeve gives me the great idea to ask him to drop us off out of town." A warm, smooth taste, like fresh tilled soil after a rain, filled my mouth as I gingerly stepped down the stairs, "Apparently when I said ''two clicks out'', he heard ''right brahking-" -- "Valek! Watch your language!" -- "Sorry, Mom," -- "I gave you a pass that once ¡®cause of¡­ all that. But we raised you better!" "Yes, Mom¡­ anyway he heard ''right bra-... right now, please''." I could see the girls giggling while I came down the last stair. "He hit the brakes and kicked us out right there! Maeve could have made the walk in an hour, if that, but we couldn''t keep her pace-" "Good waking, Dad!" Valek flicked his tail in welcome, quickly mirrored by Elva and Alvi; even the human waved their hand in a poor imitation. "Good waking¡­" I grumbled, "What''s got everyone all bright ''n sunny?" I stretched my back and tail where I stood, as stubborn muscles voiced their displeasure, "I ain''t used to being the last one awake." "Maeve and I only just woke up; we slept on the couch. These two woke us with fresh soup." My flower flicked an appreciative tail toward our son. "Don''t taste like any soup I''ve ever had. Feels like I got fresh dirt in my mouth." "Oh, that''s my doing, sorry Leksi." The human explained; they still sat with their back to the stairwell. "This is a traditional human breakfast, or as you say ''first meal'', drink." She placed a handled porcelain cup on the corner of the table nearest to me. "It''s called Coffee. Sam, our handler, could only get me around 300g of pre-ground, but it''s the best he could do on such short notice." I carefully stepped closer to the Predator, and inspected the cup. It was half-full of a dark brown liquid, almost black. I lifted it to my mouth to breathe the fragrant beverage, "This ain''t some predator fare is it? Some bile of one of your native beasts?" "Oh heavens no! I can''t think of any human culture that uses bile in food. This drink is made from Coffee beans, which are dried in the sun, then ''roasted'' or exposed to high heat, then ground to a powder. Boiling water is filtered through the grounds, et voila! Coffee. Valek already tried some and-" -- "I hated it." The four tittered at their shared memory, before she continued, "Yeah, it''s an acquired taste, but at least we know it''s not poisonous. We should have checked with a doctor first, but I sorely needed caffeine and Valek can''t control himself." I sipped the steaming brew, its bitterness settled into my senses, and left an acidic sting in its wake. The warm flavor felt like soft soil under my paws, while the slightly burned aftertaste set my senses alight. I was suddenly aware the kitchen was silent as they waited for my reaction. "Well, it ain''t exactly Firefruit Wine, but I quite like it!." My tail waved happily while I took a second sip. The trio of Venlil flicked, flapped, and waved their glee and good humor, while the human laughed a happy giggle and plucked the cup from my paws. "Finally! Someone with taste! I''d make you a cup, but we really should check with a doctor first." I took the bowl of soup Alvi offered me. "So what''s on the list today, love?" Elva looked warmly at Alvi, ¡°Alvi and I are going to work in the shed. Turns out she did some work for Farmer¡¯s Friend once upon a time, so she might have some ideas. Just ideas!¡± She brandished her bowl at the girl, ¡°You¡¯re not to come within three Tails of those grav lifts, you hear?!¡± Alvi backed up playfully, ¡°No complaints from me! I¡¯m just glad I can help.¡± Another round of boisterous laughter at the exchange. Even with the Predator here the Den was so much¡­ Warmer. I missed having Valek around, but Alvi brought a kindness to the burrow we sorely needed. Just had to make it through this harvest. ¡°What about you Son? Any big plans today?¡± I asked, sipping from my pleasantly scalding soup bowl. "Maeve and I are going into the village. The whole purpose of The Program is to see how well Humans can live among Venlil, and we can¡¯t test that by keeping her here. If you¡¯re ready to go, Maeve?¡± The human finished their cup of ¡®Coffee¡¯, picked up a small pack from the floor, then she and Valek made for the door. Screams on the wind¡­ ¡°What if¡­¡± Words left my mouth unbidden, the two turned from the door to me, as did all ears in the den. ¡°What if¡­ I brought Maeve into town?¡± Valek¡¯s tail was frozen, but his ears screamed confusion and worry. ¡°I¡¯m not sure that¡¯s a good idea, dad. The town may not be very welcoming, and I don¡¯t want you to get caught up in it.¡± ¡°Valek¡¯s right, Leksi. But I still think it would be a good idea.¡± The human spoke up behind him. ¡°What?¡± Ah Speh, what weed did I just plant?! She continued in her gentle tone, keeping her face to her side; even with her mask on, it was clear she was avoiding looking at me. ¡°Leksi, the fact that you are asking me at all tells me you¡¯re ready for this, and I am choosing to trust you. If you would like to take me into town, I would be honored.¡± She tilted her head down, a gesture I have seen her use in place of ¡®thank you¡¯. She placed a hand on Valek''s shoulder and met his eye through her mask, the predatory nosing sent a chill down my spine. "I think it''s time we try this Valek. Besides, this will give you a chance to check University readmission, and fill today''s report. I''ll be ok." Something about the way she looked at him¡­ "Ok, Leksi,¡± she continued, holding the door open for me, ¡°I would like to get going, if you don''t mind; it''s a bit of a walk, and I know you''ll need a break." "Break?! Seems my boy turned City at school, if he can''t handle that walk. I''ll work that back into ''im yet." I stepped out the door and she closed it behind me. "As for us, we got a buggy to take us into the village. Might be a little tight, wasn''t made for your lot''s spindly legs." A small chuckle behind me, "I''m sure I''ll fit just fine." -- Memory transcription subject: Alvi, Assistant Farm Equipment Technician. Date [standardized human time]: August 30th, 2136. Late Evening ¡°What nut-knocked desk pup thought making a second hidden heatsink was a good idea?!¡± Elva squeaked in frustration as we came back into the den, making for the sink to wash our paws. ¡°Were they trying to make these easy to break?! That¡¯s what happens when you don¡¯t have a farmer in the planning process!¡± She continued her ranting while I finished cleaning up. I knew from experience people aren¡¯t actually asking questions when they¡¯re like this, so I let her be. One droid was already up and running, collecting what they could of the harvest. Now that we know the process, we should be able to get the other two running quickly on next waking. Valek was at the table, pad in paw, reading something with great focus. I stepped beside him as I asked through his mother angrily doing the dishes, ¡°Find anything promising?¡± His ears fell behind him while his shoulders fell, ¡°The University in Hidden Plains is still offering classes, but I¡¯ve missed nearly a Night¡¯s worth of class time. It will be hard to catch up. I think I could do it, but really¡­ What¡¯s the point?¡± He sighed in frustration. I placed my paw on his shoulder and kneaded through the wool as he continued, ¡°Everything taught just related to being an exterminator! I did well enough in Federation History and Mathematical Engineering, but there is so much we don¡¯t know about our world! Like there¡¯s one big gaping hole! Why is it so hard to find anything?!¡± I thought for a moment¡­ ¡°I don¡¯t know how it is in Hidden Plains, but the Capital Library has basically everything! I know university is important to you, but have you tried self-teaching?¡± Valek stiffened for a moment, ¡°That¡­ of course! How could I have missed that! Thank you Alvi!¡± He placed his paw on mine, and flicked his ear in thanks. What was¡­ Enjoying the story? Show your support by reading it on the official site. I looked down and saw my tail brush against his, No! I stepped back a stride, separating our hands and, thankfully, kept my tail from twining his. Valek pulled his hand away and swiveled his ears, sporadically catching me before shifting focus. ¡°Right. Right¡­ Thank you, Alvi. I¡¯ll¡­ uh¡­ I¡¯ll check what the Library has on their portal.¡± ¡°Yeah, and I¡¯ll, uh, get¡­ cleaned up¡­¡± and I bounded up the steps to the bathing room. Looking in the mirror, I was thankful to my dark velvet for hiding the bloom I knew was beneath it. No! You¡¯ve just met the guy! He hasn¡¯t shown any interest in you, you¡¯re just begging for something you know isn¡¯t there! But what if you¡¯re wrong? He has been so kind, helping you through every moment of fear. He was the first to welcome you into his herd! He was just being polite! This happens every time, you find a new herd and you read too much into it, then they drop you! You¡¯re Herdless and you always will be! But what if they¡¯re different? YOU¡¯RE DIFFERENT, PREDATOR!! Stop it! I¡¯m not diseased! I just¡­ I just forget the wrong things sometimes. It¡¯s not my fault! They will see you look at a Laysi, or a Reedshell, and they will see you for what you are! Freak! No! I¡¯m not a predator! I¡¯ve never wanted to eat them¡­ I just¡­ they¡¯re so pretty! My mind twisted and turned in my conflict. Oil. My paws were stained by machine parts and the tacky feeling was driving me mad. There was only a few minutes of the filling tub before I heard a knock on the door. ¡°Alvi?¡± Valek? --- Memory transcription subject: Maeve, Human Integration Test Subject. Date [standardized human time]: August 30th, 2136. Late Evening I, in fact, did not ¡®fit just fine¡¯. But I wasn''t going to let Leksi know that. The squashed golf cart was still a welcome change over walking. Today was going to be a long day, best case scenario. Worst case¡­ well I''ve already learned how dangerous Venlil Prime can be, so it can''t get too much worse. I shimmied myself out of the cart once we parked, and Leksi asked what the plan was. ¡°My goal is to find a public place where I can sit and allow people to approach me on their own terms.¡± He flicked his ears at me, apparently reproachfully given the context of his next words. ¡°No one¡¯s gonna come. I don¡¯t know why you bother.¡± ¡°You came.¡± I countered through a giggle, which seemed to set him off balance. ¡°But really, I think you¡¯re right: I doubt anyone will approach today. My first goal is for the people to get acclimated to my presence, and see that I am not here to hurt anyone. It might not happen today, tomorrow, or the next, but someday someone will be brave enough to ask their first question.¡± We made it to the center of town, and I only just caught the last sight of a tail whipping around a corner; an adult judging by the height. The fountain looked like a great place to sit, but without my burka I would be bright pink by the end of the day in this sun, so I helped myself to a parasol from what looked like a nearby cafe. Leksi made himself comfortable at a nearby seat, several yards away and behind me; having something behind me set my nerves on edge, but I understood he needed his space. With the two of us situated in our own way, I busied myself by completing my next report. It took some effort, but Elva is so¡­ nice. Yes. Even after breakfast I still feel hungry¡­ I frequently feel hungry. I think our caloric needs are much higher than theirs. I still feel pretty good, considering¡­ Their chairs are too small, and the ceiling too low. My back and knees are starting to complain. I like to believe I¡¯ve adjusted to the Venlil sleep cycle. Yes. With caffeine assistance. I really think I¡¯m getting through to them¡­ Excited, and welcomed. Ok, let¡¯s do this. I¡¯m typing in broad daylight at what should be 2 in the morning. Very excited for my apartment. The Venlil have a beautifully deep culture, I encourage others to ask about it, both to appreciate and to build relations. The constant immovable sun makes turbocharged sunburns. Suggest sunblock or UV protective clothing be standard issue. Food is wonderful, but increasingly clear I can¡¯t live on this. Burka was effective, reactions seem only slightly worse with full-face visor; good compromise, allows for personal decoration. They have caffeinated drinks, but nothing as strong as ours. Need soundproofing in slee Aaand there¡¯s that character limit. If you have any personal needs, please tap HERE to contact your sector''s handler, SAM. Thank you, Sam, you¡¯re a lifesaver. I saw a fluff of grey in my periphery. I wanted to look, but I held myself as stiff as I could. They stepped lightly on the cobblestone, but their claws gave them away. I tried to distract myself by tinkering with my pad, but knowing something was behind me rattled my nerves. It climbed onto the fountain, I could hear their claws as they shivered and scraped on the stone. It had to be just behind me, I could feel it just over my shoulder. A tiny paw pushed my shoulder, but I didn''t push back. It had to be a child, an adult could have knocked me off balance. I typed into my pad in big words and high brightness, the simple ''Hello'' switched to Venlil script as I finished. I took a deep breath, letting my chest fill and fall, hoping to signal that I was about to move. The little claws scrabbled away from me. Though I hoped not too far. I lifted the pad to my side, let it shine behind me, and hoped they could see it. I sat like that for a long while, before I heard the claws on stone again; on the ground this time, but from the same direction. A small voice, higher than I have heard before, floated across the fountain. "H-... Hi." I pulled my pad back to me, quickly typed an invitation, and placed it back for them to read. Thank you for talking to me. I am here to answer questions. Do you have one for me? A silence hung over me, I was worried they had run off. "... what are you?" I brought my pad back. I made a sincere effort to make my movements as repetitive and predictable as I could, to avoid any possibility of surprise. I am human. Another long silence. I wanted so badly to see them, to see their expressions and thoughts, but I needed to wait until they were ready. ¡°Are¡­ Aren¡¯t humans¡­ Predators?¡± This wasn¡¯t the time to stress the nuances of the circle of life. Yes. I could hear them hyperventilating behind me. They gulped through their next question, ¡°You¡¯re here to eat us¡­ aren¡¯t you?¡± No. Their breathing slowed, then they asked their next question in audible confusion, ¡°Then¡­ what are you here for?¡± To answer questions. And maybe, find new friends. The scratching came back to me on my right; they were almost at my elbow. "And¡­ what is a friend to¡­ to a predator?" To a human, a friend is someone we protect, from harm and hardship. Someone we care for. Scratching on stone, following my arm toward my front, ¡°Protect from wh-?¡± "ILNEK YOU GET AWAY FROM THAT!" A piercing shriek carried over the commons, painfully bouncing off of the cobblestone and stucco. I kept my head down, sad for the panicked claws that ran from me. The following silence hung over me as I waited for them to come back, or confront me, or anything. But they just ran; which was really the most sensible option, if I was honest with myself. After several minutes, I heard heavy paws approach me. "That could have gone better, girl. But I''ll admit it could have gone way worse." I breathed relief as I recognized Leksi''s voice. I still have to be careful, but at least I can talk to him. I forced out a giggle, feigning a better mood than I had, "Pretty great first day! I think this is going to go well!" "You''ve been out here for almost half a claw, you wanna plant this now, see how it will grow?" "Not yet. I don''t want to give the impression I can be scared off. They sounded small, was it a child?" I didn''t try to hide my excitement. "That''s right, how could you tell?" There was clear concern in Leksi''s voice. "Children are always the first to try kindness. It makes me very glad to see that even among the Venlil, fear is taught." Leksi''s tail slowly swayed behind him. "...Why are you trying so hard? What friendship is worth all of this?" I laughed a little too hard at that, Leksi even jumped a hair. I thought about my time with Valek on the station, and my time with Alvi on the train. I thought of Elva teaching me my first Venlil word¡­ "Your friendship is worth it. And Elva''s, and Alvi''s, and Valek''s." That seemed to set him off balance. Not wanting him to find a retort, I offered, "I think I have taken up enough of your day, do you mind if we head back?" He stood for a moment, unfocused. "... home. Yeah. Let''s head back." Leksi started the cart, and through the whining motor he asked, "... it''s¡­ Maeve, isn''t it?" It was my turn to be off balance, but he continued before I could answer, "I¡­ I sounded just like that woman¡­ didn''t I." The non-question hung in the air between us. He sighed. "... Never again." I was quiet for the short drive; I didn''t know what to say. As we stepped out of the cart, he slapped my back with his tail. "Welcome home, Maeve." The Foundations of Humanity 19 (Damage Control) - an NoP fanfic Memory transcription subject: Valek, Human Integration Host. Date [standardized human time]: August 30th, 2136. Late Evening Oh, Alvi¡­ How am I going to do this¡­ I stood in front of the bathing room door, my conflict drowned out by the filling tub. I took a deep breath, and knocked on the door, ¡°Alvi?¡± No response. ¡°... Can I come in?¡± ¡­ The latch clicked, and the door opened. Alvi was tear-streaked and her body screamed shame and regret. We just looked at each other for a moment before she stepped aside, and I went in. I latched and locked the door behind me. "Alvi, I-" "Nono, it''s ok, I understand." Her voice wavered through her assurance while she wiped away another tear, leaving grease streaks through her velvet. "You¡­ you do?" She didn''t know¡­ did she? "I-I-I knew you weren''t interested in me, but I still¡­ it''s ok, I''ll be fine. I''ll get cleaned up, then check with one of the other farms. I should be gone by your next waking." "No, Alvi, no that is not at all what I want!" I stepped forward and took her paws in mine. "We won''t keep you here if you want to leave, but we - Maeve, my parents - want you here. I¡­ want you here. I¡­ I don''t¡­ Stars, why is this so complicated¡­" She pulled her paws from mine, her body showed concern while her ears were afraid. I tried to say the words, but they froze in my throat. Would she accept us? "W-What''s complicated Valek?" She gasped through her sobs, "I need to know, please?" "I¡­¡± I sighed, ¡°I''m mated." The confession snapped Alvi out of her breakdown; I saw her tail twitch in confusion. "...with-" "Maeve." Her body calmed and recognition played across her features. "You¡­ you''re mated with¡­ how?? Why??" I couldn''t stop a small chuckle, as much as Alvi''s expression pained me after, "I won''t answer the ''how'', for your sake. As for ''why''... I think you know. It¡¯s not often Prey shares a bed with Predator, and you''ve seen it twice." I moved to turn off the overfull tub. "But¡­ but she''s Human! You can''t-!" "We know! We know, but¡­ we haven''t had a chance to talk about it yet. Everything has been moving so fast." My tail curled around me in embarrassment, "But I can''t do this to her. You''re amazing, Alvi; a wonderful person, an incredible woman, and a fantastic friend to us both. I love you as a friend and as a herdmate, but I can''t love you like that. I''m sorry." ¡­ "I¡­ I''d like you to leave now, please¡­" Her choked words felt like ice in my veins. Was this what I wanted? Maybe if- No. I made this decision. I know who and what she is. I choose Maeve. A quiet plea as I unlocked the door. "I hope she makes you happy, Valek." I couldn''t stop my tail from sharing my glee, even while my ears showed my sadness. "She does." I could still hear her cries as I reached the stairs. --- Memory transcription subject: Leksi, Human Integration Host. Date [standardized human time]: September 1st, 2136. Late Morning. This waking started much the same way as the last few. Maeve and I went to town, and we just sat in the commons for nearly a claw. A few Venlil showed up to investigate, though no one approached. I doubted if Maeve even saw them from the distance they stood. More than once the grey boy, Ilnek, would come around and ask a question or two before scurrying off. It appeared they¡¯d gotten comfortable, as I could hear Maeve¡¯s real voice carry over the cobblestone. That boy asked some good ones! Maeve talked about human appearance, and I learned how side-eyes and front-eyes were selected on earth. The first to approach today was Carvit, much to my surprise. The stubborn headbutt was the owner of the Greeol orchard ahead of the village. ¡°Wonder what sparked his tail?¡± I muttered, as Carvit stomped right up to Maeve. His body was terrified but determined as he asked something that seemed to put Maeve on the defensive. He didn''t even wait for Maeve to answer before asking another question, just as hard as the first. I could feel my ears fall flat to the back of my head, Maeve was sitting more tense than normal. A small herd turned the corner by the cafe behind me. I could recognize Bilvee among them, dragging her little Ilnek by her side. Just like Carvit they all walked right up to Maeve and started demanding answers. Maeve''s shoulders relaxed, as did her posture; it seemed she was just waiting for them to burn themselves out. It wasn''t until I saw another three Venlil come from their houses abutting the commons that I stood and approached. I hopped up on the lip of the fountain to avoid the quickly growing crowd, and Maeve jumped when she heard my rough claws on stone. FWEEEE I let out a window rattling whistle to quiet the building stampede. "Alright everyone quiet down! Maeve''ll answer any question you have, but this is gonna happen CIVILLY!!" I glared at the loudest instigators with my good eye; gave ''em a look that could ferment an under-ripe juicefruit. The still growing flock sufficiently cowed, I checked on the girl, "You doing alright there, little bird?" I asked quietly, for our ears only. "Much better now, thank you, Leksi." I didn''t know human too well, but she sounded pretty relieved. I flicked my affirmation and rested my tail around her back. Deep breath, stand straight. "We''re gonna do this one at a time! Alright, Carvit, you were here first.¡± I flicked him the ¡®go ahead¡¯. "Do you think we¡¯re stupid?!" -- ¡°HEY! I SAID CIVIL!¡± -- "Don¡¯t think we don''t know what you¡¯re doing! This is just some trick to get us on your side!" I was about to hop down to tell him off when Maeve blocked me with her hand, before bringing it back to type on her pad. A synthesized Venlil voice spoke from beside her, ¡°We do not think you¡¯re stupid. Your medical and material sciences are a century or more ahead of us, and we are eternally grateful for your help, and kindness. I know your people have been lied to before, and I cannot promise we are innocent in that. Our only want is peace.¡± Bilvee piped up from the back, ¡°You¡¯re going to kill it aren¡¯t you?! Just because it¡¯s injured!¡± If you encounter this story on Amazon, note that it''s taken without permission from the author. Report it. And more besides, the crowd quickly grew to a rabble, before I could wrest control again, ¡°Hold On! HOLD ON!! We aren¡¯t going anywhere, we will answer any question you ask, but y¡¯all are gonna have to Settle the Brahk Down!!¡± The clamor quieted quickly enough, but another voice came up from just in front of us, "Are you going to eat that Gojid for clawing the human?" What the brahk??? I took out my pad and checked my newsfeed. Truth Seekers said there was some kind of pity ploy, Rux was talking about a false flag operation. This isn¡¯t helping, maybe mainstream has more info¡­ I found a transcript of Talen¡¯s news segment, What you have seen here is the after effect of Federation torture of their Human prisoner. The story that we have so far is that Marcel made a call to lure the Arxur attackers away from the outpost. Where their ship became disabled and rescued by Captain Solvin¡­ Maeve was the first to speak, using her own voice this time, though as quiet as I have ever heard her, "Oh, I know that voice: you must be Ilnek! It is a joy to finally see you." Such a voice for a child''s ears¡­ did they treat their young with such kindness? Maeve fiddled with her pad, before her Venlil voicebox spoke for her. "I will say this once: No human will ever eat a sapient creature. No matter our people''s relations, no matter what the Venlil, Gojid, or anyone else will ever say, do, or not do, No Human will eat any of you, your kin, your allies, or your enemies. Humans do not eat sapients." She raised her hand as the murmurs started to build. "Now, as for the Gojid, it seems I¡¯ve missed a memo?¡± ¡°Maeve¡­¡± I whispered beside her, as I brought up the video broadcast. Her eyes were hidden by her visor, but her body went rigid as the ¡®human¡¯ was wheeled from their shuttle. What was on that gurney had to be some new contact creature, some poor beast, rescued from some desiccated world! But those forward eyes and bipedal legs¡­ it was human. Splotched with sickly purple and yellow marks, its face and torso coated in dried blood. Red blood; not a drop of Venlil, Gojid, or any other species on it. Just red. The human was wheeled around the corner, and the video cut out, but Maeve just stared at the still screen. Her breathing was shallow and her hands shook. Her head and visor snapped up and looked at the crowd, who backed away with a collective gasp. Her arms still shook as her breathing slowed; she sat straight-backed and head held high as she took another deep breath before addressing the crowd through her voicebox. ¡°I will answer your questions, but please be patient with me; this is a terrible tragedy, and a lot for me to process. You, with the grey gradient,¡° Bilvee flinched at the address, ¡°you asked if we would kill this human? Our first effort is to save their life. We will provide medical care, food and fluids, and work with them to heal their body. If we succeed, we will stay with them to heal their mind. If the body, or mind, is so broken that to live is agony, we will provide them the mercy of death; with great sadness and remorse. Weakness is no reason to kill or to die; but when no other option is possible, Mercy may be.¡± ¡°And Ilnek: No, we will not eat this Gojid, nor any other.¡± ¡°Then what will you do?!¡± A voice called from the back, as Carvit brayed his accusations in front of us, ¡°Are you people going to kill them all?! What are you predators going to do to the Gojids?!" Maeve raised her hand again to signal she would answer, thought for a moment, before returning to her pad, ¡°These are hard questions, and I cannot keep up with my pad. I had hoped to be more gradual, but I will need to use my voice. I mean no harm, and wish no fear. You are safe together, and you are safe with me.¡± She took a deep breath, this time she used her own voice, ¡°What this gojid, Sovlin, has done, violates many of our laws of ethics in science, medicine, war, and diplomacy. It is reprehensible, and demands justice. The Gojid people are not at fault, hold no blame, and will not be held accountable. But their Government is, and will be. Humanity¡¯s first action will be to demand the government he represents denounce his actions. If they do not, then the Gojid government will have shown they are complicit. Our second action will be to demand the extradition of Sovlin; Only Sovlin, to face fair and public trial by human law. Should the government refuse, they will be aiding and abetting a known torturer and war criminal.¡± Through the deathly silence, she continued, ¡°On earth, we were able to work together as a people to sanction the offending government through economics; levies, embargos, and border closures. We have no such influence on the galactic stage, so if these requests fail or if they even defend his actions as right, we will use force to compel the government to cede our demands.¡± More silence surrounded the commons. Why would predators have so many laws in war? War. The thought hung like a heavy mist in my mind. If what Maeve was saying was true, Humanity would offer several opportunities to avoid conflict; but like the predators they were, they would not back down from this cruelty. ¡°Maeve¡­¡± She turned her visored head to me, ¡°How do humans¡­ How do your governments fight? What should we expect from this?¡± Maeve thought on her words, before beginning, ¡°I pray¡­ Every Human prays that conflict is avoided. I wish very deeply that the Gojid Government sees Sovlin¡¯s cruelty as unjust, and work with us to bring the one person who did this to justice. But governments are complicated, run by complicated people; there is a very real possibility that this will lead to conflict. The first thing you need to know is that humans attack military and government targets only. We know the actions and decisions of leaders are not always in line with the Will of the People. We know that the actions of one man, or one Gojid, cannot justify the slaughter of innocents. Also, we know that the fastest way to end a w-... a conflict, is to hinder the machinations of the military. We will destroy shipyards, weapon¡¯s factories, transport depots; but we will not target living quarters. We do not bomb population centers, our soldiers do not harm the unarmed or surrendered. We pull the wounded, friendly, enemy, non-combatant, any wounded to safety to receive care. We reunite families, and allow continued production of necessities, like farms. The goal at every level, with every action, is to end conflict without bloodshed, and reduce misery and pain.¡± She took a breath, seeming to consider her next words. ¡°Humans recognize the necessity to fight. But we despise it, with every moment.¡± --- Memory transcription subject: Maeve, Human Integration Test Subject. Date [standardized human time]: September 1st, 2136. Late Evening My body and voice were a painful wreck of what they should have been. Leksi and I had answered questions for two more hours in the village before they were satisfied. And I stayed for another four hours longer while old and new faces asked so many more. Valek laid beside me while I whispered my complaints for the day; I was truly grateful for the glass of chilled juicefruit he brought with him. "... and Carvit came around for the sixth time! Leksi got to me before him, and offered me an out." Valek slowly swayed his tail happily, "I''m really glad my dad''s warmed up to you." His ears fell back behind him. "The way he talked to-" "Yeah but¡­ he is really trying. I don''t know what changed but he really keeps me level out there. How about you?" "Nothing useful with the University, but I think I found something in the public library: apparently a Gojid family on the Cradle had been experimenting with the reintroduction of native predators as a conservation effort in a sanctuary forest. They don''t have a lot of literature, but it looks promising. I was going to go today but¡­" he ran his paw against my tired face, "Are you doing ok? This is really big news, how are you handling it?" The day and the news were a muddled swirl of brown in my mind, "I¡­ I don''t think I''ve had a chance to process it. It is terrifying, and I am afraid for our future in the Federation. I can''t expect them to be paragons, I know that, but this is¡­ bad." My hand sought comfort in his wool, and he accepted the invitation to come closer. He rolled to his back and I nested up against him. "If the federation drags their feet- or worse, endorses his actions¡­ I''m¡­ I''m scared of what will come next¡­" I hugged his body against me as he ran his paws through my hair. "It will work out," he quietly encouraged me, "as long as we have each other, I think we will be ok." I was reminded of the empty space behind me, "Where''s Alvi?" Valek tensed under me for a moment, "She¡­ She''s gotten settled into the guest room. Now that she has her own space, I don''t think she will be joining us." I felt¡­ sad. I felt like she needed the company¡­ and I wanted hers, too. "Oh¡­ ok. Well¡­ I like her. I think she is really nice. If she wanted to stay¡­ I think I''d like that." Valek continued to pet my hair and back. "Yeah¡­ you get some sleep. I''ll tell her that later, ok?" "... ok. Goodnight, Valek." "Sleep well, little leafy green." The Foundations of Humanity 20 (A Gnawing Obsession) - an NoP fanfic Memory transcription subject: Maeve, Meetup Program Refugee, Temporary Resident of Venlil Prime. Date [standardized human time]: Sept 3rd, 2136. First Claw. First Claw. When did I start thinking in claws? I¡¯d been trying to get in sync with the Venlil sleep schedule, but it has absolutely been a challenge. They tend to have several rest periods, basically siestas, but their long rest was just four hours bridging the 5th and 1st claw, comparable to midnight to 0400. Having naps throughout the day was very refreshing, but just four hours of sleep was taking its toll on me after a week. Another day or two and my apartment would be ready; I could sleep in actual darkness for as long as I pleased, and, god willing, have some good fucking coffee. Really hope they get that french press¡­ Valek¡¯s scruff filled my nose as I woke up, and I pulled him closer against me. His wool felt incredible on my skin; I could only imagine the booming conditioner industry on VP. Maybe I could get him a can of lanolin sometime! But I would miss that Shinti smell. ¡°Whintee¡­¡± I quietly said into my lover¡¯s fur. I was getting the hang of a few of their words! The whistle was definitely interesting, but I already knew how to whistle with my lips, so I just started those words with W. It worked with some words, but it sounded childish in my head. I¡¯m vewwy sowwy Vawik, I pwomise to be gud. I giggled to myself, comfortable knowing that thought will never see the light of day. The chest in my hand swelled with waking life as Valek curled his tail through my legs, and stretched straight his own. ¡°Good waking, my Star of First Light,¡± He rolled over to face me as my hand found his favored ear; the soft murrs and sighs of our mornings made it very difficult to wake up sometimes. But it was a treat to listen to him and his pet names; they always had a certain musicality to my ears, and the meaning implanted in my mind always made me flush. "Good morning, Carrot." He immediately blushed at that and playfully pushed my shoulder, but I was already cackling. "You better not say that in front of my parents! Or, by the stars, humans!" We kept laughing to ourselves till we ran out of breath. Between our gasps, Valek groomed my cheek and I pulled him closer. We enjoyed each other''s company for a moment before pausing our efforts. In the silent embrace, Valek''s voice was low, "I love you, Maeve. So much. But I don''t know when, or if, I can tell my parents." My brows tightened out of his sight. We needed to tell them. We couldn¡¯t keep this secret, not forever. "One step at a time." We held each other for a while longer, before Valek was the first to stir, "I''m going to take the shuttle into town today. I''ve been wanting to get to the library, and with the droids up and running I finally have a chance to. Want to come with?" His tongue grazed my neck as I answered. I enjoyed our affections, and the privacy her absence allowed, but I still missed Alvi. She hadn''t spoken to me in almost two days-- er- ''paws''-- and I was getting worried about her. "I think I''ll head back to the village today. But I think I''ll ask Alvi to come with me." Valek''s tongue froze mid-groom, and he seemed to stiffen under my arms. His paw traced my side before he answered, "I think that¡­ is a great idea. She hasn''t had a chance to really see the village; it would probably do her some good." We paused for a moment longer; I so wanted to fall into the need I felt for his¡­ more involved attentions. "C''mon, it''s time to get up." --- Memory transcription subject: Alvi, Assistant Farm Technician. Date [standardized human time]: Sept 3rd, 2136. First Claw. ¡°Well! Droids are running well, and I think we can just make the harvest!¡± Elva proclaimed, one paw on her bowl, the other on her pad. ¡°Here, Here!¡± Leksi cheered over his steaming mug. After the clear from the doctor, he took to this human ¡®coffee¡¯ like a Krakotl to Algae Bloom. ¡°But I''m still not liking these readings. Heat is still pretty high on each of them, but especially Delta.¡± She continued, frustratedly staring at her pad. ¡°Well those heat sinks were pretty stuffed with soil, right? Maybe it got into the cooling system? Can you see stress reports on that?¡± I offered, having just finished my own bowl. ¡°That is a fantastic point¡­ Alvi¡­ thank¡­ you¡­¡± Elva trailed off while she tapped on her pad, ¡°Well would you look at that! Seeing actuator strain on the cooling fans for each of ¡®em, and Delta¡¯s only got the one working! Good work, Alvi!¡± Her praise made my tail curl on itself while I took in this moment. It had been¡­ a long time since I¡¯ve been part of a herd; since I¡¯ve been part of a family. It felt really nice. Just wait till they find out about you. You¡¯re going to slip, and they will see you for what you are. I buried my thoughts behind my good mood, which got quickly buried itself when I saw the pair come down the stairs. My heart shattered like glass when I saw Valek¡¯s swaying tail, and I shifted my sight away from Maeve entirely. I couldn¡¯t stomach the thought of what they¡­ of what Valek was doing in their bed. Their bed, not mine. The racket in my mind was cacophonous, with my bleating the backdrop of my arguing selves in my ears, so loud I couldn¡¯t hear what was going on around me, and I couldn¡¯t see the predator watching me. ¡°-- Actually, Leksi, if you don¡¯t mind, I¡¯d like to go to the village with Alvi today.¡± My ears shot up and I snapped out of my self-loathing to take in the conversation around me. ¡°I don¡¯t see a problem with it, and I can keep my lovely wife company while the Burrow is empty.¡± Leksi added with a chuckle and playful flick of his tail. ¡°Oh, hush, you! We will do no such thing until I have these droids figured out.¡± But Elva¡¯s tail betrayed her. Maeve turned to me, but her approaching steps halted before returning to lean against the counter, ¡°So what do you think, Alvi? You want to come with me to the village? Valek is going to Hidden Plains, so it will be just us?¡± I couldn¡¯t bring myself to meet her eyes, but her voice was dripping with her kindness. Maybe if I could¡­ I opened my mouth, but no sound came out; every time I thought about them, I could only think of what Valek¡­ I still couldn¡¯t look at her, so my ears flicked my assent. I couldn¡¯t see her face, but her stance seemed to loosen when she saw me. ¡°I¡¯m really glad, Alvi.¡± --- I stayed silent on the drive to the village while Maeve and Valek chatted beside me, with Maeve hanging off of the driver¡¯s side. I kept my mind off of them by thinking about the droids back at the farm, and the Bluebacked Bell I saw on a bush earlier; it had the most gorgeous shine, and it seemed to shift its color to gold in just the right light! Would Valek think it was as pretty? Stop thinking about him! Stars, even when you¡¯re being predatory you can¡¯t keep him out! I wasn''t being predatory, it was just pretty! I didn¡¯t want to mouth it! That only happened once! Once? ¡­ Recently. Predator. I shook my pounding head and wiped my tearful eyes as we parked. Maeve and Valek said their partings, then he made off to the shuttle. Maeve and I were left alone among the cobblestone, but she was the first to speak. ¡°Alvi¡­ can I talk to you about something?¡± I stayed silent, simply flicking a resigned affirmative with my tail, which Maeve couldn¡¯t see. Regardless, she took a deep breath beside me; I almost missed the shaking behind it. ¡°... Alvi¡­ you haven¡¯t spoken to me since¡­ since the news. I know it was scary. And I know what people are saying about us; about humans.¡± She thought I was scared of her? After everything so far? I wasn¡¯t scared of her! I was¡­ ¡°I miss the way we laughed in the woods. I miss the way you made fun of me and Valek. I miss you. I can¡¯t make you stay, but I want you to. I don¡¯t know what I did wrong, but I want to try to make it better¡­¡± I was jealous of her. Not because of her. Maeve choked on another breath, cleared her throat and began again. ¡°You don¡¯t have to be here, if you don¡¯t want to. I¡­ I just wanted the chance to talk to you, just us. I¡¯m sorry for¡­ whatever it is, I¡¯m sorry, and I want to¡­¡± She heaved a heavy sigh, but she couldn¡¯t stop the choked sob at the end of it. ¡°Please say something, Alvi. I don¡¯t want to lose my friend.¡± There¡¯s that word again. Maeve was worried I was leaving her herd; her little three-person herd. But did I want this? Could I be in a herd with, but also without, Valek? I took too long to answer. Maeve stepped forward, leaving me behind. She was already three long strides away, headed back to the Hill, before my legs bounded on without me. ¡°Maeve!¡± I called out to her, hoping she would slow down, but rather she suddenly stopped and whipped around, allowing me neither the time nor traction to halt myself. Maeve knelt and caught me into her chest, immediately holding me like we did in the woods. She all but crushed me against her, desperately holding on like I would disappear. ¡°I am so sorry Alvi! I want to make this right, I want to be your friend. Please don''t leave." "I know." The words left my mouth as a whisper. This couldn''t be a secret between us. It wasn¡¯t her fault that I felt this way, but I couldn¡¯t hide this from her, not even for Valek. Maeve''s arms loosened around me, and I met her eyes for the first time in paws. Her cheeks were wet, but her face was the image of confusion and worry, "What?" "I know, Maeve." Her confusion lingered for a moment, before her face flashed to panic as her eyes darted around the shuttle station; seeing them move like that, it was exactly like how our ears would swivel. "I''m sorry, I know I haven''t been a good friend. But it hurts that seeing you two just reminds me I¡¯ve never¡­ Not like that. And-" "Shh, it''s ok. I''m sorry Alvi, I didn''t think about how that would feel." Her arms lost their desperation and fear, and held me gently while brushing my crown. She giggled in good humor, "How about I be your wing girl? Neither of us know anyone in the village, not really. You could stick around and see if you fancy anyone?" A case of literary theft: this tale is not rightfully on Amazon; if you see it, report the violation. She let me go, and I stepped away while she stood to her towering height. This¡­ this felt good. I don''t know what had gotten into me, but I had forgotten how much I liked Maeve''s company. But new faces have always been hard for me, "I think I''d like to just walk around, if that''s ok?" She smiled broadly and her eyes sparkled. She turned aside and we made for the edge of the village, "I haven''t really had a chance to look around; just our walk through when we got here and the past few days were all at the fountain." Her voice shifted to a sarcastic over-appreciative musicality, "Oh it is a gorgeous fountain, I love how the concrete jams up against my tailbone." Tailbone? "Wait what? I thought humans didn''t have a tail!" I craned my head to look at where a tail should be, though I found none. Maeve laughed lightly above me, "No, we don''t; but we used to. Our ancestors had tails, which they used for balance and to hold onto their arboreal homes. But later on they weren''t needed, so we slowly evolved them away. We know we used to have them because we have a vestigial line of bones at the base of our spine," she pointed to a space just above her rump, "it''s under the skin, and we can''t move it. We believe we still have it because it still acts as an anchor for a cluster of muscles we continue to use today." "And which muscles are those?" I asked, keeping pace beside her. She chuckled slightly, "Not for public viewing. It is an anchor for many muscles in our lower back and hips," she placed her hands on the general areas, "which are the main muscles for supporting our upright walking, as well as turning and twisting. Also our butt and thighs," she placed her hand just below the curve of her rump, "which helps us walk. Without the tailbone, we would have a much harder time being this mobile." We had just reached the last house at the edge of the village; in front of us stretched five tails of cobblestone road, then another twenty of grass to the treeline. ¡°I¡¯ll admit, I couldn¡¯t quite get my head through Anatomy; the instructor just rambled on for half a claw, never keeping the notes on the board. I just¡­ I couldn''t understand how so many students could just¡­ do it, while I was struggling in the front row.¡± I sighed in exasperation. ¡°Yeah I can relate to that! Was there anything in school that could hold your attention?¡± ¡°Oh mechanical engineering was my favorite! We made our own droids in the more advanced classes. I remember in one class we were repairing a junked CycleDrop van, and my herdmate Tiansi had the bright idea to mix the fuel line with the oxygen intake. The group across from us were clod-crunching thought-thieves, so we wanted to kick their tails in the race! He was right that mixing the fuel with oxy-intake would boost our power, but he didn¡¯t remember to switch the line to the engine from air-only to hybrid, so onsh the fue¡¯ ran frew, the hosh just dishin¡¯egrate¡¯! Wish wood ha¡¯ been fime, ekshep wit¡¯ da--¡± ¡°Hey, Alvi? What are you doing?¡± I froze mid stride as my mind caught up to me. I had picked up a glossy stone from the curb by the grass, and had fully lodged it into my back teeth as I rolled it around my tongue. Oh Stars, she saw you! She saw you! She¡¯s going to see you¡¯re a predator and run! Just like-! ¡°Alvi, I can see you¡¯re freaking out, and I would rather you didn¡¯t while you had that. Can you please give it to me?¡± One hand was on my upper back, while the other hovered in front of my mouth. I stood frozen while Maeve leaned closer, ¡°Please Alvi? I don¡¯t want you to choke.¡± I could feel my fear building while her hand approached my jaw and pressed into the binding muscle there, the pressure encouraging me to open my mouth and the stone to drop. ¡°Thank you, Alvi.¡± She bent and retrieved the stone, stuffing it, still soaked, into a pocket. ¡°Let¡¯s get away from the houses so we can talk about this, yeah?¡± Maeve gently guided me by the shoulder away from the village and to the treeline, and she sat me down behind one of the great trees, totally out of view of the village, before she sat beside me. ¡°Ok, I want you to know you did nothing wrong, ok? I¡¯m not angry, I¡¯m just worried about you, and want to make sure you¡¯re alright. Do you want to talk about what happened?¡± ¡°I¡¯m A Predator!!!¡± I bawled, wailing into the trees around us. All of the fear, all of the hiding, all of the shame just snapped within me and I couldn¡¯t stop myself from screaming out my sins. ¡°I-I-I take things, and I chew them, and I Like It! I see a shiny rock, or a pretty bug and I! I can¡¯t stop myself! I just think about it all paw and can¡¯t get it out of my head! Just on the way to the village, I saw a Bluebacked Bell, and could only think about what it felt like on my tongue! I don¡¯t want to be a predator! I don¡¯t want to go away!¡± I devolved into a huffing and braying mess as Maeve pulled me into her lap and held me there, brushing my crown as I buried my shameful predator mouth in her neck. But she never pulled away. The pressure from her arms never lessened, and her comforting words never waned as she held me there. It took several minutes before I cried myself out, too tired to continue, but Maeve still held me, letting my weight sink into her as we leaned against the tree. She was the first to speak. ¡°Alvi¡­ I know this is hard, but have you killed any of these bugs? Have you really eaten them before?¡± My tail thrashed an emphatic ¡°NO!¡± along with my voice, ¡°I just- I like to feel- Oh stars, I''m a monster! I like to feel the roughness of their shells against my teeth. I like the resistance when I bite down, just a little. Sometimes they make little chirps and they sound so-¡± I cried again as the cruelty of my obsession washed over me; not for the first time, and I knew not the last. ¡°It¡¯s alright Alvi, you¡¯re not a predator, and you¡¯re not a monster. It¡¯s okay. I had a thought: you Venlil eat nuts right?¡± My tail flicked affirmative while I kept my head buried. ¡°Do you have a favorite one? One that cracks in your teeth just right?¡± I flicked the same affirmative, before answering, ¡°Th-The crackleberry. It makes this kitck sound when you bite the shell, with just the right give. People always looked at me funny for not shelling them beforehand.¡± I could feel Maeve nod her head, as her voice took on a more confident strength, ¡°Alvi, what you experience is completely normal; among humans, yes, but also among nearly all creatures on our Earth, predator and prey alike.¡± Maeve pulled me away from her, only enough so I could see her. ¡°Tons of animals will grab something of interest and put it in their mouths. Rocks, metal, sticks, other animals, themselves! Anything! We humans have a known preference for chewing on coins, and those are metal, so you can¡¯t call that predatory.¡± My ears shone my curiosity, while I was still gasping from my breakdown. ¡°Actually, I think I can help with that. I don¡¯t have a fix, because there is nothing to fix because there is Nothing Wrong With It, Alvi. But having a better outlet than beetles would be for the best. What do you like most about when you bite on things? The sound? The roughness?¡± She¡­ How was Maeve so calm with this?? Every Venlil who has ever found out about me has¡­ at best shunned me, at worst threatened to call the exterminators! Was this really so normal for humans? ¡°I¡­ I think I like the pressure? The way my teeth press into my gums. And, and the sound! I like the crack and snap of some roots and reeds.¡± I really should not have been getting as excited for this as I was. ¡°Great!¡± She said excitedly while pulling out her pad. ¡°I was expecting a shipment of my things sometime tomorrow, but this kind of item is normally pretty cheap and easy to get, so I am hoping they can get it before shipping out, but I don¡¯t know.¡± She quickly typed into her pad, it looked like it was an email to their Handler; turning back to me as she finished. ¡°I don¡¯t want to open old wounds, but I feel like talking about this might help you. Can I ask when you started chewing things?¡± My ears fell against the sides of my head while I remembered the thing I couldn¡¯t forget. ¡°I was in the yard behind our house; I was around two or three at the time. I found a Laysi and it looked so beautiful! I was completely enthralled by how it shined red in just the right light. I reached out, grabbed it by the rump and¡­ and put it in my mouth.¡± My tail curled around me, but Maeve just brushed my ear and crown before I continued. ¡°My Mom saw, and she screamed! And she called me a Pr-¡± I took a deep breath, trying not to fall into the memory again. ¡°I don¡¯t know how long after, but the next thing I remember¡­ I was screaming at them that I was sorry, that it wouldn¡¯t happen again. But they¡­ they left me there, while someone dragged me into the foster center.¡± Maeve shared her tears with mine, but she didn¡¯t interrupt, ¡°From there I found a family quick enough. But they found out about my- about me, just as quick, and I was back in the center. Another family, and they tried, but they put me back too. I tried to make friends in school, but they didn¡¯t like how much I liked bugs. Eventually someone would find out about¡­ the other thing, and I would have to change schools again. I finally had a handle on it in my teens, but I didn¡¯t know how to be in a herd. That guy I told you about, Tiansi? He wasn¡¯t my herdmate, just nicer than the others. We shared a table so we worked on the project together. He, uh. He moved to the other team¡­ when he found out.¡± ¡°And it¡¯s been like that ever since. When we met, on the Ring? I was laid off because my boss found my file and moved me to the top of the list. So¡­ now I¡¯m here. Just waiting for¡­ for you, or Valek, or his parents to¡­ to-¡± Maeve grabbed me and hugged me against her, choking through her own tears, ¡°I don¡¯t care if you bite, or chew, or claw¡­ I don¡¯t care if you had trouble in school, or couldn¡¯t keep a herd. Because this herd will keep you. You are my friend. And that won¡¯t change, for anything!¡± I had heard these words before, many times, but never from someone who already knew about me. Never from someone who has already shown so clearly that they really do care. So I felt that maybe, for the first time... I believed it. Her eyes fell as she spoke her next words, ¡°Alvi, I need to apologize for something. You might not have noticed it, but I disrespected you, and I want to say I¡¯m sorry.¡± I wiped the abated tears from my eyes, while my tail waved confusion, ¡°Ok¡­ how did you disrespect me?¡± ¡°Earlier, when you still had the stone in your mouth, I didn¡¯t give you the chance to give it to me yourself. I just grabbed your jaw like an animal, and I almost praised you for dropping it. I know you¡¯re lacking the context to understand what I did, but I treated you like an animal because I didn¡¯t spare a moment to think. I¡¯m sorry.¡± I chuckled in good humor, the irony not lost on me, ¡°Honestly, Maeve, I thought you were going to eat me for the first claw or so we knew each other, so I guess we¡¯re even. But I accept your apology, and offer my own: I¡¯m sorry it took me so long to get over my fear of you, and that I still sometimes struggle. I am trying to be better, and I hope you can be patient with me. I¡¯m sorry¡± Maeve laughed along with me, before pulling my head to meet her own, ¡°Apology accepted.¡± Maeve sat back against the tree, and I stood from her lap to stretch my legs, while she quickly followed suit, though she was the first to speak, ¡°You mentioned earlier you had herd problems because you liked bugs? I¡¯m sorry that happened, but honestly, I adore bugs! I¡¯ve seen a few while walking, and while at the fountain, but they don¡¯t hang around much. Wanna tell me about some?¡± I started while we stepped out from the tree into the light, ¡°Well one you might have seen is a Laysi. They¡¯re a pollinator, about uh¡­ yay big," I made a circle with my paws, slightly larger than Maeve''s hand fully extended, "and mostly darker colors. We might get to see one if we can find a flowerbed, but they usually come to the Hill around the end of 2nd claw. Oh, there''s one!" The massive bug hovered over a large Eltavi bloom, in the open space before the treeline. "Holy Co-! That thing is monstrous!" Maeve''s eyes were locked onto it and she made right for the flower bed. The Laysi was eight-legged, with a bulbous thorax heavy with its gathered nectar. The head was elevated from its body and articulated to assist in reaching deep nectar reservoirs. Even from several tails away, we could see its long bright red proboscis drinking deep from the flower. I loved the way the sun shone off of the rough texture of its carapace, shining red through its normally black coloring. Its long membranous wings were iridescent, playing a mockery of the Shadestalker''s fur; if you could even call what they had ¡®fur¡¯. Maeve approached the Laysi with all of the exuberance of a pup, the sight relaxing my ears as I recollected fond memories. I could remember the nearly painful buzzing of one¡¯s massive wings as they beat against my hand. "This thing is incredible! It¡¯s larger than most arthropods on earth! And scores larger than any pollinator!" She reached out to touch it before drawing her hand back. "mmmmBut also most of our pollinators leave a nasty sting. Or bite. Or both!¡± she finished with a giggle, ¡°Is this little guy dangerous?" "They use claws to climb, and if they catch you just right it can leave a mark; but no, they''re harmless." I stepped closer to her, enjoying her observations. She reached out and curled her fingers around the creature in a loose cage, letting it turn and wander around her hand to sit atop her topmost finger. As she turned her hand this way and that, the Laysi moved continually to remain as close to ''on top'' as it could figure. "Amazing¡­ a surprising heft to it; though maybe not so surprising, given your gravity. Its wings are so similar to a dragonfly! Though larger by half-again, easily!" She brought her burdened hand to me, offering the Laysi. I took it into my paws, letting it crawl around and over as it maintained the same ''on top'' position as earlier. My tail flicked behind me at a happy memory. ¡°I actually made one of these, you know, back in that mechanical engineering class? We used wound springs to make its legs move; it took some time tinkering, but we got it to walk across the room!¡± She snorted and laughed in disbelief, ¡°You made a Clockwork Bug; in School?! That¡¯s so cool!!¡± We laughed together, she in her moment, and I as I remembered fondly, though Maeve continued, ¡°The fact you made clockwork anything is impressive in its own right! Those take skill! I have always admired clockwork, but I¡¯ve had a special fondness for bugs.¡± ¡°Ah, it was just a simple wireframe. It wasn¡¯t much, but I was proud of it.¡± ¡°As you should be; I¡¯m sure it was fantastic.¡± She said with a smile on her lips, and pride in her eyes. She said she would be my friend. For once, I am feeling that such a thing could be true! The Foundations of Humanity 21 (Human Drives) - an NoP fanfic Memory transcription subject: Alvi, Assistant Farm Technician Date [standardized human time]: Sept 4th, 2136. 3rd Claw. is Maybe if I¡­ then I turn this¡­ now¡­ what about half-clawis constantlysticking rocks in our mouths fidgety This content has been misappropriated from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere. This One Less Poetic lotThunderstruck! way likepolyrhythms This One Crunch Just like Maeve? Why would he give you this if he were afraid? What if he was honest, when he called you a friend? eep! this The Foundations of Humanity 22 (The Chains That Bind) - an NoP fanfic Memory transcription subject: Valek, Amateur Ecologist in Training, Self Taught. Date [standardized human time]: Sept 5th, 2136. 1st Claw. tickled my brain Date [standardized human time]: Sept 5th, 2136. 2nd Claw. makes very¡­ unique An Argument on Behalf of Certain Kinds of Predator knew 150 years ago?! stopsthis But Thatmudon sapientsacross the entire federationdiseased paw-drawnmissing was did nonezero How?!drop They grow You might be reading a stolen copy. Visit Royal Road for the authentic version. by the preyso much Shifting the river with wolves¡­ really The Linked Chain Memory transcription subject: Maeve, Village Monster Date [standardized human time]: Sept 5th, 2136. 3rd Claw. I should send them a Pie. Do Venlil have Pie? What kind of civilization wouldn''t have Pie?! Maybe if they had Pie they wouldn''t be so grouchy. This child needs pie. With God as my witness, I will get them one. stop not She carries the Night upon her back. The thoughts of her I cannot t-track Ohhhh no, boy, don¡¯t do this! I hope that I can be her rock So won¡¯t you be part of my flock?¡± vibrant Nor have I ever beenI have gotto see a Venlil rock concert No! stadium don¡¯t memighty paws I gasped in genuine nerdy joy, ¡°Oh I would love that! Could probably skip the dome and just do the museums if I¡¯m honest. I am not honest, please don''t skip the dome.¡± and The Foundations of Humanity 23 (Herd Mentality) - an NoP fanfic Memory transcription subject:Valek, Amateur Ecologist in Training, Self Taught Date [standardized human time]: Sept 7th, 2136. Start of 2nd Claw. Keneles didn¡¯t even touch the textbook before answering. ¡°Fair. But how many predators were killed?¡± He pointed to a table showing their increased kill count. General Changes in Prices of Goods¡¯. What the Brahk?! alone
Introduction: The dangers of keeping Predators in close proximity to Settlements.
Treatise?Papers. Books in and of themselves. Memory transcription subject: Elva, Matron of the Berrypatch. Date [standardized human time]: Sept 7th, 2136. Middle of 2nd claw. play coal Many what is now eastern europethousand Werewere Are predators built A case of theft: this story is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation. You And lostNot Temple!¡± Stomp This Memory transcription subject: Alvi, Assistant Farm Technician Date [standardized human time]: Sept 7th, 2136. Late 5th claw. You are most certainly not fine! want billionsmaybe something all of them healedHow many worlds are lifeless because of us didthat after The Foundations of Humanity 24 (Settling In) - an NoP fanfic
Memory transcription subject: Maeve, Temporary Resident of Venlil Prime, Exchange Program Refugee Date [standardized human time]: Sept 10th, 2136. End of 2nd Claw. lot of blood. I¡¯m not sure I would have made it to the hospital if not for you. So: Thank you.¡± invited all the time Hey Taisa, are our guests awake?! Not all of them, you noisy rekan, quiet down!¡± Any fictiondo everywhere any What?! that Cunt never trying was Heand bottom everywhere! Unauthorized use: this story is on Amazon without permission from the author. Report any sightings. thing, smoother I feel like a shark swimming through a school of fish. Even if they aren''t screaming, they''re still terrified of me. But I''m just another fish. Looking for a school. is not massive Well at least they have some automation figuredOk. Where is the shag carpeting? I know it¡¯s around here somewhere cats look at the pretty sheep in the fields Yet. Aaand there¡¯s that shag carpeting. Every just likedead on celebritiesso much Earth is home. Not Venlil Prime. You can¡¯t stay here. You shouldn¡¯t stay here. This is nothome. What ishome? Why do you need to go back to earth? Do you want to go back to earth? Do you want to leave Venlil Prime? One at a time. What is home? Too hard, move on. Why do you need to go back to earth? I have an apartment, and a job. I have friends who like me, and I like them. All of my stuff is there -- All of your stuff is here. You filled out a form of everything you could remember you need, and they didn''t miss anything you noticed. Maybe you missed a few things, and maybe you¡¯ll be sad later, but it is no different than moving apartments. Your apartment and job have always been temporary. At worst you¡¯re in a different temporary place, but at least the new one doesn¡¯t have rent. You hated your job. And yeah, it may have sucked less than job hunting, but that was going to happen anyway, eventually; what difference does it make that it¡¯s on another planet? Why do you Needto go back to earth? You don¡¯t. Do you Wantto go back to earth? No. Do you want to leave Venlil Prime? No. So I ask again: What is home? offor Home. Is where I want to be. And I wantto be here. The Foundations of Humanity 25 (Fun and Games) - an NoP fanfic Memory transcription subject: Maeve, Temporary Resident of Venlil Prime, Integration Program Subject Date [standardized human time]: Sept 11th, 2136. Start of 2nd Claw. Ok, maybe the Warren bed isn¡¯t so bad. still couldn¡¯t read Venlilese. comfortable Is! Memory transcription subject: Valek, Venlil Tourist Date [standardized human time]: Sept 11th, 2136. Middle of 2nd Claw. exchange partner repetitive melody am so kindso poorly This content has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere. nothing Shunk Shunk Memory transcription subject: Alvi, Venlil Tourist Date [standardized human time]: Sept 11th, 2136. Middle of 3rd Claw. again I would wintogether incredible EOLYSHIT The Foundations of Humanity 26 (First Impressions) - an NoP fanfic Memory transcription subject: Valek, Venlil tourist Date [standardized human time]: Sept 11th, 2136. Middle of 3rd Claw EOLYSHIT It was toying with us! Trying to get us off-guard!Protect your mate! Gigantism? look at it more Hold on, we would gladly help! Escape?! They WHAT?! No! ¡°right? !¡± Unauthorized use of content: if you find this story on Amazon, report the violation. Father? It had a father? Wait, why is that a surprise? They were born, so they must have had one. That Brahking photomister Valek not This thing was crying? It had family, and it cried from remembered pain? We weren¡¯t wrong! Look at it! How can we be wrong to be careful around something that could eat us without a thought? I bet your dad thought the same thing. Why is this familiar? What about this fear¡­ The Meetup. This is the same fear I felt when I met Maeve. The same fear that was wrong. Fundamentally and completely. This fear¡­ NO! HIS Nothing about this fear is real. Who I am and what I do is MY CHOICE, and I had the gall to forget that. hishis Be Well that was a disaster. all No! A little more religious? What? crash before More good boy Oh, that¡¯s not fair. The Foundations of Humanity 27 (New Horizons) - an NoP fanfic Memory transcription subject: Valek, Venlil tourist Date [standardized human time]: Sept 11th, 2136. Middle of 3rd Claw not we allsacrifice your Set your head back. The next part might make you a little queasy. Vala¡¯s Embrace Chief Exterminator Estelathis so you Sir GO! Everything Inatala¡¯s Will This If you encounter this tale on Amazon, note that it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it. your so badly course not I Biblical Memory transcription subject: Alvi, Venlil tourist Date [standardized human time]: Sept 11th, 2136. Middle of 3rd Claw So spicy! So good! I am so glad we came to this food court! She says while she continues stuffing her face like a hun-- SHUT UP!! I AM NOT!! I AM LOVED!! I AM IN A HERD! THAT KNOWS AND STAYS! SHUT UP! get Because she doesn¡¯t know, stupid! But she''s about to! They never stick around once they find out! Well then. What would that make me? The Foundations of Humanity 28 (Upturned Stones) - an NoP fanfic Memory transcription subject: Valek, Venlil tourist Date [standardized human time]: Sept 11th, 2136. Middle of 3rd Claw Well then, what would that make me are did NO! No! Night be damned, you WILLget this through your thick skull Valek. Tarlim. He! Is Tarlim! Tarlim What?! happened Of course I know why I freaked out! It was because he was big and¡­ he was big and¡­ No, no, that wasn¡¯t the only reason! It couldn¡¯t be the only reason. He was¡­ he was big and he¡­ His teeth! That¡¯s it! They were¡­ big and¡­ And¡­Was that really it? Was that as deep as this fear went? I can¡¯t even say I was afraid for my life, or for Maeve or Alvi¡¯s life. Not next to how I felt running across the farm. There had to be something more to this than just how he looked! That couldn¡¯t be true!The exterminators weren¡¯t like that! They were- they were¡­ Tarlim Enjoying this book? Seek out the original to ensure the author gets credit. Evil Like there¡¯s proof they helped people during Herd Protection? why sawbrains Of course: it''s here too. How deep do I have to dig to see these things? Are they even buried at all? Against the Herd Maybe because it was never in shade? Fine. If hard work is how you fix predator disease, then what is their success rate? Ok¡­ well if it is so successful, they must want everyone to know it! So finding lists of released persons shouldn¡¯t be too hard. ¡®Correctional facility release stories¡¯... hmm, nope. ¡®Correctional Facility successes¡¯ - OH that is notwhat I meant. Brahk. Fine, how about ¡®Dangerous predators released on the city¡¯. There we go. There¡¯s Dawn Creek again. Guess Tarlim wasn¡¯t lying about setting everyone loose. Alright here we go. Let''s check these names.There¡¯s my twelve. And there they are again. And again. Why is this story eve- Wait. [Standardized Human Times: 2129? 2126? 2132]...? They¡¯re just releasing the same list over and over! Were these people even patients?! pick AndHe Alright let''s try Chelm the¡­ Gojid Harchen? Ok what about Tarsi¡­ who has three single biological mothers in separate cities. Brahking spawn of speh! Stranek?! Anyone?! Please! Just one person! Just one person who got out who¡¯s not- who¡¯s not¡­ There was one. Wait, paws? . Tarlim. I¡¯m so sorry Tarlim. They The Foundations of Humanity 29 (Healing Words) - an NoP fanfic Memory transcription subject: Valek, Venlil tourist Date [standardized human time]: Sept 11th, 2136. Middle of 3rd Claw complaintshundredsmaybe anyonetortureshalf-shorn screening!!" nothingtrashbrahkwe You¡¯re what?? Sorry?! Person¡¯sbegin really One paw!them.not one, familiarcustomer service The Roost That disgusting stuff? Blech! that stuff specificallythey blind? This narrative has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. If you see it on Amazon, please report it. None? tight on moneycommunity service that facilities possiblenothing. any Ok Tiny, you''re laying it on a little thick. You don¡¯t have to be that nonchalant. toweralready What they¡­ that hasn¡¯t¡­ that has to be the most cynical reason for bravery I¡¯ve heard. Damn right, she does. hear kivery excited The Foundations of Humanity 30 (Good Eats) - an NoP fanfic Memory transcription subject: Alvi, Venlil tourist Date [standardized human time]: Sept 11th, 2136. End of 3rd Claw No! Could he tell?! Maeve can¡¯t know about¡­ Oh, no, what if it''s for them! What if the Program takes her away?! Oh, No. all the time could Love you like family. Not like- Shut Up!! If you find this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the infringement. that direct HELLO you terrible fresh such II Wooly soup? What violations did the translator go through to give that? Family. Like Family. The Foundations of Humanity 31 (Doubts) - an NoP fanfic Memory transcription subject: Maeve, Temporary resident of Venlil Prime. Date [standardized human time]: Sept 11th, 2136. Start of 4th Claw I watched Valek and Alvi walking in front of me as we made our way back to the hotel, their steps and tails in sync as they chattered about lunch and what we might do for the rest of our stay. My eyes lifted to the herds surrounding us, and I started to see familiar sights. A small herd nuzzled a single Venlil, seemingly an adult, before they left the circle on their own adventure, while the circle closed behind them. I saw another small herd walking past us, and I craned my head around me to watch them pass. Two older Venlil led the herd, while two younger in the back kept up while holding onto the older¡¯s tails; one of the younger had different wool than the rest, and I saw their ears honed in on one another. There were three venlil across the road from us that talked and pushed each other without malice, the attention of the two lingering slightly longer than the third. My eyes returned to my friends, and I watched their banter and ribbing in a new light. How could I have missed this?! Even setting aside the alien body language, they¡¯ve been inseparable since we all came together. They both seem really happy¡­ We had made it back to the Forum and I tore my ears away from the noise to instead focus on the conversation in front of me. Believing the pain of their affections to be less than the suffocating reminders that I am not part of them. ¡°-- As much as I love the Gravity Arcade, I really want to bring Maeve to the Museum of Federation Sciences.¡± Alvi¡¯s head turned so she could see me behind her with one eye, ¡°They have a whole room about Warp Plates! We can see how they were discovered, and how they were first used!¡± Alvi¡¯s exuberance pulled a smile to my hidden face, but it was half-hearted. I retreated into my self loathing as we rode the elevator up to our room, and we all stepped inside. My thoughts were occupied by what I would do after this, and my shoulders slumped when I thought about their life together. Two happy Venlil, living happy Venlil lives, without fear of a human. Valek deserved it. And so did Alvi. Did I? These two had been so good, to me and to each other, that it was obvious they would live well, and fruitful lives. What have I done? Parents kicked me out; ¡®gotta learn to be an adult! Ain¡¯t learnin¡¯ nothin¡¯ living with your parents!¡¯. Couch-hopped between friends, but I couldn¡¯t hold a job so I couldn¡¯t help with rent. My last job was pretty nice! Got to talk to people, and I could afford an apartment! Then I had to run off and meet an alien; no way is that job still waiting for me. Every time you try to find something better, you fuck up and it falls apart. When are you going to learn? I stood in the open space, suddenly feeling like I shouldn¡¯t be there, like an unwanted distraction to the start of a new story. Valek needed a good life, and Alvi needed a good family, neither of which I could really give them. I was just another drain on the both of them; dead weight. I turned around and the door slid open for me, I stepped into the hallway while Alvi¡¯s voice rang behind me, but I simply kept walking. As the elevator descended, I watched the ground come up to meet me. Somewhere in the darker corners of my mind I wished it would accelerate and solve my worries with a healthy application of gravity. But I landed safely, and the whistle sounded behind me, so I started walking again. I ignored the terrified Venlil at the counter, and left the hotel. My senses were assaulted with Outside; the smells of the city, noise of the Forum, and light of the sun suddenly more than my mind could take. I found shade in the cover of an empty stage in a corner of the diamond-shaped forum. From the taller vantage point of the stage¡¯s edge I watched distant herds as they milled about, my translator refusing to parse the muddled ocean of conversation. I saw couples sharing their mealtimes, letting their larger herd carry their conversation. I watched others touch ears and laugh at happy memories. One herd spoke, and their bodies showed worry, a mother gripped her child against her chest wool while stroking their ears and back. Another youngster, no older than Vaibek, sprinted across the turquoise lawn weaving between adults as they angrily lashed their tails at the passing child, closely followed by other youth. A mother was nearer to me, her eye locked onto where my face should be, while three pups clung to the wool of her legs; it was like staring at a small family of jackrabbits. My eyes only passed over them, taking in the sight of the larger crowd. I imagined The Berrypatch with Valek and Alvi at the kitchen counter, cleaning the dishes from a freshly finished meal, while two venlil ran laps around the table and a third held onto Alvi¡¯s chest, peeking at their siblings over their mother¡¯s shoulder. I imagined Valek and I, standing in that same kitchen, empty of life but for our own. I saw my own parents in my own kitchen, I saw them argue about money, and time; not the first time, and not the last. My fantasies spiraled into imagined breakdowns and conflicts, major and minor as I tried to imagine a life with Valek and found it harder and harder. What could I offer Valek? Why should I stay? Nothing, and no reason. You came to an alien world, full of strangers who want you dead. For. No. Reason. My breath hitched in my throat, and my mouth contorted into a silent scream. I drew a shaking breath and tried to cry, but nothing came out. I was alone in my anguish as my stomach turned and I felt tears pool at the corners of my eyes. I wrap my arms around me and bend at the middle, my lungs wrenching and twisting in pained convulsions. ¡°Predator, you need to leave. You¡¯re scaring the Venlil.¡± A voice calls out from the edge of the stage, a slight tremor of apprehension to it. I looked up to the speaker and found what looked like a two-legged bear, standing between me and the growingly attentive crowd. I dried my eyes before addressing the bear directly, ¡°I¡¯m not here to hurt anyone. Please, I just need to be left alone.¡± The bear hardened its stance, and puffed the fur on their back, ¡°I¡¯m not going to let you make this your hunting grounds. You¡¯ll either have to move on, or I¡¯ll drag you.¡± ¡°I Won¡¯t¡­¡± I sighed, defeated. I just didn¡¯t have it in me to fight this today. I sniff muck from my nose and ask through a breaking voice, ¡°Look¡­ man¡­? I¡¯m just having a hard time right now. If it¡¯s ok with you, can we just¡­ Talk, please? I¡¯ve never seen a¡­ whatever you are¡­¡± The bear looked surprised at the statement, a moment¡¯s hesitation before it began. ¡°I am Gojidi. We can talk, if it distracts you from your hunt. I do not trust you, Predator.¡± ¡°Well, I trust you, Gojid.¡± I shifted my weight to make space for the ample creature, inviting it to take a seat by my wounded side; though they stayed standing where they were. ¡°Tell me, Predator, what is it you would ask of me?¡± The Gojid seemed to lack a tail that I could see, though the ears were surprisingly emotive despite their size. ¡°Just¡­ kindness. Is that really so foreign a concept for you aliens? How about what brought you here? Why are you on Venlil Prime?¡± My breathing had evened out, and I was starting to get back to my senses. His voice took on a rather neutral tone as he talked. ¡°I was brought here by my parents. My father was an exterminator, like myself, and his father before him. I am here because these people need protection from Predators. Predators lik--¡± ¡°Like me,¡± I added sardonically, along with his own words. ¡°Yep. Yeah, I¡¯ve heard the whole thing. I honestly kind of agree with you! If VP has things like whatever did this,¡± I lifted my casted arm for emphasis, ¡°I think Tarlim called it a Shadestalker? I can see why you need a force.¡± The Gojid huffed, ¡°Of course you would be friends with the giant. Although I am surprised you survived an encounter with Shadestalkers; it would seem I now know which is the stronger predator. What, I wonder, would motivate you to engage them? Fighting for territory? Staking a claim for food?¡± I quieted my laughter with a hum, which still seemed to set them on edge. ¡°If you¡¯re wondering who is the stronger predator, I hate to disappoint you, but the answer is Venlil.¡± I giggled when the ¡®gojid¡¯ balked at that. ¡°Yeah! He got two, and I just got the one. He had a gun though, so who knows. One of their farming droids was down, so I went to help collect it. The things were waiting in the woods when we got there.¡± Their stance slackened, and obvious doubt covered their features, ¡°I should think a firearm makes the comparison hardly fair. Even still, why would you defend these Venlil? Why even be there in the first place?¡± The Gojid seemed interested now. A smile cracked beneath my veil and I leaned slightly toward the Gojid. ¡°I should think a flamethrower makes the comparison hardly fair. Even still, why would you defend these Venlil? Why even be here in the first place?¡± They stopped again, stiffening slightly at the comparison while they fixed one eye on my veil in thought. ¡°Don¡¯t twist my words like we are the same. I do this because it is my duty. Because I care for the people here. They have helped my family and taken us into their herd. Such things are not the case for you.¡± ¡°Are they not?¡± I was actually starting to have fun again! I hoped my unlikely companion was, too. ¡°Who took in humanity? Who welcomed my people into the wider galaxy, when we had spent our entire history alone? Who were our First Friends in the cosmos?¡± I leaned away from the Gojid, and their posture relaxed as I did. ¡°Venlil are family now. We will defend them to the last soul. I would say I gave my arm for it, but your guys¡¯ medicine is really good.¡± The Gojid huffed again, their ears flapping atop their head as they stared back at me. ¡°And what would family mean to a predator? What could compel something as ruthless as you to stand between a Venlil and a Shadestalker?¡± ¡°Family is¡­¡± My eyes returned to the crowd in front of me. Some of the throng had thinned, but several still stood stunned. ¡°...who we protect. From harm, from misery, and from sadness. Family is everything and everyone, helping each other find and keep peace. Family is who we love.¡± ¡°What does a predator know of love?¡± The Gojid sneered as they spat the words. ¡°You tell me, Exterminator. When you burn predators, what do the adult predators do? Run? Abandon their young?¡± Their ears wiggled smugly. ¡°Yes! They run to avoid the tiny demons as much as they can!¡± ¡°I¡¯ll bet they run every direction but where the den is, don¡¯t they?¡± Their ears stopped then, and they watched me intently, ¡°Maybe chase you down, nip and bark at you every step closer you get to the burrow, don¡¯t they? They recovered, and I heard a thump of what must be a heavy tail behind them, ¡°Of course a predator would know how they act. Same tainted herd.¡± But I pressed my point, ¡°And when you finally reach the den, those predators throw themselves at you. Tooth and claw, pulling you away from the den, and making you face them before you get to the cubs. And when they can¡¯t¡­¡± ¡°I¡¯ll bet that the first thing the fire licks: is the parent. And more often than not, you have to move their charred husk to get to the mewling cubs. Isn¡¯t that right, Exterminator?¡± This tale has been unlawfully obtained from Royal Road. If you discover it on Amazon, kindly report it. They weren¡¯t wagging anymore, ¡°And how can you possibly know this?¡± ¡°Do you have children, Gojid? If one of them were diagnosed with Predator Disease, if they were labeled a monster¡­ if exterminators came to your door to burn your child¡­ Who would they burn first? Your child? Or You?¡± They stood stiff, breathing heavily. After several moments, they asked, ¡°What are you trying to tell me, Predator?¡± ¡°You asked me, ¡®What does a predator know of love?¡¯ The answer is: just as much as you. Love is protection. Love is mercy. Love is support. It is the kindness we give to those who may not deserve it.¡± They derisively tossed their snout, ¡°And what have the Venlil done to earn this? I turned to fully face the Gojid, and they bristled again. ¡°Do you believe that love is so transactional that someone must get something from it? What is love to you, Gojid?¡± By his expression, he didn¡¯t seem to be expecting the question to be turned back on him. His brows furrowed in both confusion and thought. After a minute of his mental conflict passing, his voice spoke once more. ¡°Love is¡­ love. It is the care I show to my family. The fervor I put into my work to keep this city and its people safe. The effort I put into bringing home my wife''s favorite food when she is sick. The gentleness I show my cubs when I put them down to sleep at the end of a paw. Love is to care for another more than yourself.¡± The Gojid had a distant look in their eye, focused on something I couldn¡¯t see, while I could hear their tail slowly wagging as they thought. I nodded slowly, before responding, ¡°Love is Service. Another virtuous goal. And if I may, congratulations on your family; I hope you and your cubs live a long life.¡± His shoulders stiffened as his eye snapped back into focus on me, an eyebrow narrowing down ever so slightly as he studied my veil. ¡°What we have to gain from love, is love in return.¡± I started emoting with my good hand, pulling the words into my chest, ¡°I wish that were true, and many of us try to make it so, but not all humans are the same. I won¡¯t deny there are many who feel as you do, that to love is to be in service to another. And there are others who only know love as being in service to themselves. We are not perfect, though based on the incident at the station, I don¡¯t believe anyone is perfect.¡± He huffed in irritation, ¡°That disaster was because of one officer; since fired, I¡¯ll have you know.¡± I look at him skeptically, ¡°I saw the broadcast; there were three sprayers. And what of the one with that match?¡± He let out a sigh. ¡°The Sprayers panicked and acted like there was a threat, when the only threat was that idiot of a Venlil.¡± He spat on the ground. ¡°The Idiot is gone, good riddance, and the Sprayers and Lighter are on desk duty, indefinitely. Better than they deserve, I¡¯d say.¡± I waited a moment, knowing the next question needed to be asked, and afraid of where it would take me. ¡°And did you feel good when the human writhed on the ground? Was it right for him to burn?¡± The Gojid¡¯s ears shifted as they looked for an answer; narrowing their eye toward me, ¡°I am no monster; I do not take joy in the suffering of other beings, Predator or not.¡± I relented, and leaned away from him, ¡°You¡¯re a good person, Gojid. Mercy is Love.¡± After a moment of silence, I offered, ¡°I¡¯m Maeve.¡± Apprehension was clear in his eyes as he considered whether to tell me his name. ¡°I am Ulmic. Thank you, it is good to hear that¡­ even if it comes from a predator.¡± I chuckled lightly, ¡°I¡¯ll take that as a compliment, Ulmic. And it is a pleasure to meet you.¡± I offered the seat beside me again. This time, after a few seconds'' consideration, he took it. As he turned his back to me, I could see long straight fur on their back, dotted with long spines. Their head and back glistened in the sun, like they were covered in a wet gel. Once he had gotten comfortable, I asked another question to start a new topic. ¡°I¡¯ve been told this place is called a Forum? What do you talk about here?¡± Ulmic thought for a moment, measuring his response before speaking as he cast his other eye about the space in front of the stage. ¡°That is the correct word for it, I suppose. To say there is one subject to speak about at a Forum would be both correct and yet incorrect at once. Forums are a place to come together, speak about anything under the sun and stars; family, work, interests, plans, and feelings. To connect with friends and feel at one with your herd. To speak of life, and all its many subjects.¡± ¡°And as a consequence, observe it.¡± I pointed out the younger pair in the corner, their ears never leaving each other. ¡°Those two have been staring at each other since before I got here.¡± His attention followed my finger, landing on the pair. ¡°Yes, I suppose that is accurate. Young lovers often take to the forums as a way of announcing their intentions without announcing them. It is a cute custom, I think.¡± I giggled slightly, ¡°I¡¯ll try to avoid any implications then, old man.¡± His laughter was surprisingly high, in spite of his size, like an ocarina moved down an octave. ¡°I think we should be fine, I am far too old to be doing that anymore. Although I¡¯ll have you know I was quite the lady¡¯s man before I met Bernia; she settled me down right quick. I still remember the day we met¡­ Though I doubt that would concern you.¡± ¡°Oh, it concerns me a great deal, Ulmic! Please, please tell me about how you met!¡± I may not have understood Gojid ear or tail signals, but I knew happiness when I saw it. ¡°It was a warm day; a storm had just passed, so the humidity was thick, and I remember watching flowerbirds playing in the puddles. I was taking the Ring into the Capitol to meet some family from a colony that had come to visit.¡± After a moment of watching the sun through the leaves of a tree, his attention wandered back to me ¡°I was ahead of schedule so I decided to stop into a Forum; see what I could find to pass the time. And there she was: golden fur and shining quills glinting in the sun, beautiful laughter dancing on the wind like a humdrum seeking a flower. It took everything I could muster to talk to her; a new feeling for me, I assure you!¡± He spoke with a chortle, waving his paw to emphasize his surety. With a soft wistfulness, he continued, ¡°She was the kindest woman I had ever met. We spoke for a full claw about everything under the sun¡­ until I realized I had missed picking up my family from the space port by a half a claw!¡± Ulmic laughed, and I joined him. His higher pitch was so unlike his size¡­ ¡°She hurried me off, but it wasn¡¯t until I was already at the station that I remembered: I never got her pad! I needed to find her, so I opened mine to try to maybe see her on Bleat; and wouldn¡¯t you know it!¡± His eye was gleaming with mischief and joy, and I waited with bated breath, ¡°I had a message waiting for me! ¡®My name is Bernia, by the way.¡¯!¡± The large Gojid belted out a resonant belly-laugh, more befitting his appearance, ¡°The sneaky little shali stole my pad when I wasn¡¯t looking, and snuck her contact into it!¡± His story set me to cackling amid his belly laugh, drawing no small number of stares from the rest of the forum. It took several moments for us to catch our breath before he continued, ¡°She¡¯s never let me live that down, especially any time family comes to visit. I can¡¯t imagine my life without her; or our cubs.¡± Our talk settled for a moment, while we watched the bustling crowd further into the forum. ¡°What of you, Predator? I have given you a story of my life, have you one in kind for me? I must admit, this conversation has been far more pleasant than I imagined it would be.¡± ¡°Surely you''ve learned that surprises come from surprising places? But yes, I do. We met¡­ we met recently. We talked for hours! And I learned so much from him. We met new friends, and she came with us. She is amazing, but she refuses to see it. We all moved in with his parents in th-... in a tiny town. The kids were always so excited to learn, and everything just felt¡­ like home.¡± Ulmic looked pensive, nodding his head slowly, ¡°And yet something is amiss. I take it this¡­ this friend¡­ isn¡¯t like you?¡± And he leaned slightly closer, speaking softer, ¡°Isn¡¯t Human?¡± My heart stopped, and my mouth refused to speak. After a moment, Ulmic thumped his tail in satisfying finality before starting again, ¡°I would be a hypocrite if I were to judge you for that; I¡¯ve been on this planet all my life, and the Gojid dating pool is rather small, as I am sure you¡¯ve noticed.¡± He cleared his throat before refocusing, ¡°So this other friend would be the thorn in your paw, I assume? Er¡­ hand, as I believe you call it.¡± I shook my head, my veil billowing below me as I did, ¡°No, no. She would never be a thorn. But how can¡­ he would be so much happier with her. I see it when they''re together; in hindsight, I should have known days ago.¡± ¡°Why?¡± Ulmic asked, that single eye peering into my veil. ¡°Why would he be so much happier with her than with you?¡± ¡°I can¡¯t¡­¡± My tears reasserted themselves, and my voice faltered, ¡°I can¡¯t give him a future. I can¡¯t keep the farm, I can''t give him¡­ I mean, it''s fun, and we are happy, but where can this go?¡± ¡°Why does it need to go anywhere? What would be wrong with simply being happy with one another? If he knows the farm then you can help. And the Venlil are no strangers to adoption. It is more important to be happy than it is to be going anywhere.¡± Ulmic assured me. I could see a fatherly instinct in his eye, odd that he would apply it to a ¡®predator¡¯ so quickly. My heart lifted, before it fell again, ¡°But¡­ what about Alvi? I can¡¯t¡­ I don¡¯t want her to leave. She is such a good friend, and I couldn¡¯t do that to her.¡± Ulmic tilted his head again before pointing across the forum, indicating a trio of Venlil sat closely on a bench. Looking closer, I noticed it was the same three I saw earlier, across the road. ¡°Tell me, Maeve, what do you think of those three there? Do you think them a trio of friends out for a conversation on a beautiful day?¡± Remembering their exchange, I shrugged, ¡°I saw them earlier. Yeah those two are adorable, but the third hasn''t a clue; why?¡± Ulmic beeped his jovial laugh, ¡°You¡¯re courting a Venlil and you¡¯re still this blind? Watch their tails, under the bench there.¡± I struggled to focus over the distance and through my veil, but if it hadn¡¯t been pointed out to me I would think three snakes were having a moment. My voice dropped to a whisper, ¡°Oh, get a room, you three!¡± Ulmic laughed lightly again, his tail thumping slowly. ¡°So, then. What would prevent you from accepting Alvi into your little herd?¡± ¡°Well, when I was on Earth I tried a¡­ man, am I really about to tell you this?¡± I tore my sight from the lovebirds to face Ulmic directly, the sudden movement flaring his quills; only slightly, and only for a moment. ¡°You are really easy to talk to for a cop, you know that?¡± The comment prompted a snort from the Gojid, before I continued, ¡°I actually tried¡­ that before, and I was always the third wheel. What if that happens again? Or, god forbid, happens to Alvi? I couldn¡¯t do that to her, knowing how it feels.¡± Ulmic swatted his paw, like the thought were an annoying fly, ¡°All that needs is conversation, and understanding. Which, if the past¡­¡± Ulmic pulled his pad from his shoulder pouch, ¡°Quarter claw has taught me, seems to be lessons you¡¯ve learned.¡± It¡¯s a nice thought. But how would that work, practically? I just¡­ ask to have more of their time? Maybe we could talk about houses, and families. I¡¯m sure Valek would love that. Like how we talked about blushing. Or chewing. A long silence while I imagined what could happen. ¡°... I think I need to talk to them.¡± ¡°I think that is a good idea. This has been¡­ nice.¡± He pondered a moment before speaking again. ¡°Before you go, I think I would like to be able to contact you again.¡± He offered his pad to me, and I tapped mine against it. With a poke of mirth in his voice he finished, ¡°To keep tabs on a dangerous predator, of course.¡± I lifted myself from my seat, startling a small gasp from the crowd, and offered a hand to Ulmic, ¡°Ah, yes, it is going to be very difficult to keep tabs on an excessively tall parasol that cries sometimes.¡± With no small effort, I pulled the Gojid to his feet, though I believe he may have simply humored me. ¡°If it is any comfort, we are only in Dawn Creek for the next few paws; just visiting. We should be out of your hair before you know it.¡± Ulmic dusted himself off before addressing me, ¡°Thank you for the notice! I¡¯ll be sure to be extra vigilant for emotional umbrellas for a few paws.¡± Ulmic turned to face me, and bowed his head briefly, ¡°It has been¡­ good. It has been good to meet you, Maeve the human.¡± I returned his bow, bending my knees slightly to keep my balance, ¡°And to you, Ulmic the Gojid.¡± before stepping across him and back the way I came, back to the hotel. The Foundations of Humanity 32 (The Talk) - an NoP fanfic Memory transcription subject: Alvi, Venlil Tourist Date [standardized human time]: Sept 11th, 2136. Start of 4th Claw ¡°-And I heard they have a chunk of Morning¡¯s Light that you can hold! I¡¯ve only ever seen it on the Cattle Memorial!¡± Stepping through the open door to our room, the blinds had opened to paint the space in the bright light of the sun, making the room seem to glow in welcome. I took a seat on the lip of the Warren bed, and Valek took a chair to stretch his legs and feet. He dusted off the gathered grime of the city, while Maeve stood in the center of the room and looked around aimlessly. She¡¯s looking for an exit. You¡¯ve trapped her like the Predator you are, and she wants out! She¡¯s just getting comfortable. We¡¯ve had a long day, and it''s ok to need a moment. Valek kept one ear on me while he focused on removing an especially stubborn bit of asphalt, ¡°Wow, that would have been cool to see! My class went to the Natural History Museum instead; showed us a bunch of local predators. Back then, I thought the exterminators were heroes for eliminating them, but now¡­¡± In the corner of my eye, I saw the door closing and a white cloak disappear from view. ¡°Maeve?!¡± The door had closed, and she was gone. Another door shut, ¡°The company is going in a different direction, but we wish you luck in your next herd!¡± That company was going under; lots of Venlil made that list! Another door shut, ¡°Look, you¡¯re really nice but I¡¯m not looking for something so¡­¡± They weren¡¯t ready for a relationship; and really, you were kinda intense back then! Another door shut, ¡°-and get that thing out of your mouth! If the money weren¡¯t so good I¡¯d¡­ ya know what?¡± You pushed them too far! If you could have gotten a handle on- Another door shut, ¡°EEW! What are you doing with that?! I¡¯m gonna call the Bellwether! Mama Bellwether?!¡± You were going to eat it! You know you were! You should be thankful that boy saved it! The First Door shut, ¡°You¡¯ll be fine, little pup, we¡¯ll get you a new family.¡± They deserved better than you. My claws tore at my wool and my tail cinched around me. My chest heaved with panicked breaths that built to a yell, forcing the crackled rasp of my voice through the tears in my eyes and sludge in my throat, ¡°MAEVE!!¡± --- Memory transcription subject: Valek, Venlil Tourist Date [standardized human time]: Sept 11th, 2136. Start of 4th Claw Alvi wailed and cried on the bed. My instincts told me to run after Maeve, but I couldn¡¯t leave Alvi like this! I trusted Maeve to know what she needed, and trusted her to come back to us, even if it was for no other reason than to say goodbye. I tried to get Alvi¡¯s attention, without success; although her piercing screams tore at my ears, all of the pain I felt was from her tortured panic. I tried to calm her down, but every word made her cry harder, and every touch was met with slashing claws and panicked shrieks. After several of these attempts, Alvi lept from the bed and made a mad dash to the bathroom. Acting before my brain could catch up, I matched her leap and caught her around the middle. Alvi continued to flail and scream while I lifted and dragged her back to the bed, throwing her into the cushioned center with significant effort. Loose from my grapple, Alvi curled herself into a ball and pulled her tail under and through her legs, grasping at it tightly with both paws. Alvi was completely inconsolable, and there was nothing I could do. So Nothing is what I did. I gathered a soft Dacham blanket, draped it over her, and tucked her in tight. I sat patiently on the lip of the bed, hoping my presence would help her move to the next stage of her grief, whatever it was going to be. My tail found itself against her over the blanket, and I made no effort to stop its desperate attempts to calm her. I kept my back to her, allowing Alvi her vulnerability while always keeping at least one ear on her, and one eye on the door. --- Memory transcription subject: Maeve, Temporary resident of Venlil Prime. Date [standardized human time]: Sept 11th, 2136. Middle of 4th Claw The doors to the hotel slid shut behind me, and I continued toward the elevator. I heard a squeak and a thump, which I assumed came from the receptionist panic-slipping and falling to the ground. I spared a moment to wait for the poor thing to stand, hoping they didn''t hurt themself. Lifting only slightly above the desk, I saw them watch me and, my worry abated, I continued to the elevator. Watching the ground fall away from me out of the glass siding reminded me of where I was this morning, and I found my spirits rising with the lift. I stepped to our room, but the door opened before I got there. Valek stood in front of me, worry apparent in every fiber of his wool. He managed a tired flick of his tail in welcome as he moved aside and let me in. Inside I could hear soft crying coming from the warren bed. I looked at Valek, and his ears were hopeless while he looked at the bed with melancholy. Moving closer, I saw a bundle of a pink scratchy blanket tucked tight into a sobbing ball, occasionally heaving a wet cough before wailing again. I took off my veil and laid it aside, leaning over the lip of the bed to reach my hand out and comfort the quivering cushion. The bed shifted under my weight and Alvi stirred; I saw her ears poke out from under the blanket on its far side. My hand was already waiting for her when she lifted her head and met my eyes. She struggled in the blanket bundle, so I scooped up the emotional furball and held the quivering pink dumpling against me. Alvi¡¯s face was contorted and her eyes a puffy orange, her snout and everything below it sopping wet from her tears, but she had no energy left to cry. I held her there for several moments, feeling her paws grip desperately and painfully at my shoulder while she dug her snout into the nape of my neck. Valek came to my side, and we held each other there for a long while. After a shuddering sigh of relief I hugged Alvi against me, then sat her on the lip of the bed. I reached over and pulled a chair beside her, then I sat on my knees, inviting Valek to take the chair. Once we were all sat down I took a deep breath and after sniffing my own tears away, I simply stated. ¡°We need to Talk.¡± --- Memory transcription subject: Valek, Venlil Tourist Date [standardized human time]: Sept 11th, 2136. Start of 4th Claw I had heard her say those words only once before, and it was¡­ memorable. She was right though, this is a conversation that should have¡­ would have happened a long time ago, if I weren''t a coward. Another deep breath, before Maeve started speaking, ¡°I love you, Valek, I do. And I know how you feel and I don¡¯t doubt it, but I¡¯m¡­ I can¡¯t provide for you. I will never be part of the Village, not really. What we have is¡­ incredible, and fun¡­ it makes me so happy, and I want it, so badly. But I can¡¯t help you make a life, make a family, with just Fun.¡± ¡°But Alvi can.¡± My heart sank, my ears fell, and my tail went limp. I knew what Alvi could give me, and I knew that I could have happiness with her. But I Want Maeve. I Choose Maeve. I couldn¡¯t bear for her to walk away from me, I couldn¡¯t imagine a life without her! My voice chased after my bolting thoughts, ¡°I-I know that! We don¡¯t need pups to be happy! I thought about all that and I want This! I¡¯m ok with losing all of that, because I know you''re worth it. I want that happy quiet life; with You!!¡± Stolen content warning: this tale belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences elsewhere. Her eyes met mine, pooling with tears as she took hold of my paw, beaming a happy smile, ¡°I can¡¯t tell you how amazing that makes me feel. But we both know that¡¯s not entirely true.¡± Her eyes bore into mine, and I could feel my heart breaking and my tail fall limp with despair, ¡°I¡­! But¡­!¡± I couldn¡¯t hide from this anymore, I needed to face this. I was done burying parts of me. ¡°... Yeah. I know that I would be happy with Alvi, and I do want to be with her. I have ever since we all slept on the train.¡± I couldn¡¯t stop the happy flick of my tail as I thought of the memory, nor my deep feeling of guilt, only worsened at the surprise I saw in Alvi¡¯s affect. Turning back to Maeve, I continued, ¡°I love you Maeve, and You are my choice. But you¡¯re right, I¡­¡± Maeve stood slightly to caress my ear, wiping a tear from my eye as she did so, a deep pain building in my chest as I chewed the cud of my mistakes. ¡°It¡¯s ok, sweetie.¡± ¡°I-It wasn¡¯t Valek¡¯s fault.¡± Alvi¡¯s rasping voice drifted between us, ¡°V-Valek didn¡¯t want me! He told me he wouldn¡¯t have me, and I still stayed. He said ¡®no¡¯, and pushed me away when I confessed! You two should be together!¡± Alvi gripped her blanket slightly tighter. I started to speak, but Maeve squeezed my paw to speak herself, her green eyes boring into Alvi¡¯s, ¡°It¡¯s alright. I¡¯ve seen the way Valek looks at you; I should have noticed a week ago. But it¡¯s ok!¡± Alvi shifted her, until now, avoidant attention fully on Maeve, ¡°You are so wonderful, Alvi! You¡¯re smart, and you¡¯re kind, and you try so hard to learn and understand. Your love is as clear as the sun, and I know that you and Valek would be happy together.¡± ¡°No!¡± Alvi bleated back to Maeve, ¡°I don¡¯t want to brahk what you two have, I can¡¯t be the reason you leave! I-I can! I can leave! I¡¯ve had to start over before, I can do it again!¡± Faced with the decision of one or the other, I found myself falling to pieces as I imagined a life without either of them. They both, together and apart, bring me so much joy that¡­ to even imagine the idea of a ¡®choice¡¯ was unthinkable! --- Memory transcription subject: Maeve, Temporary resident of Venlil Prime. Date [standardized human time]: Sept 11th, 2136. Middle of 4th Claw Alvi¡¯s words broke my heart. I couldn¡¯t imagine the life she has had for that to be normal, ¡°And I don¡¯t want You to leave either. You remember when we talked on the train? You were so scared of me, but you stuck around. You still remind me of that Tabby Cat from home; he used to nuzzle into my neck too!¡± Alvi laughed across from me, and I drove the point, ¡°And in the Village? That poor pup and his poetry!¡± She was nearly hysterical at that, ¡°I-I had to let the poor kid down so easy! Honestly I''d never had someone approach me like that!¡± Her ears stood a little bit taller, and I watched her tail tip flick half-hidden by the blanket. I smiled wryly while I booped where a nose would be, ¡°Well at least we know he has good taste!¡± I allowed her a moment to catch her breath, ¡°Alvi, you are my friend. I want you to stay, yes because of what you mean to Valek, but also what you mean to Me. You¡¯re like the girlfriend I never had, and I would be crushed to lose you.¡± --- Memory transcription subject: Alvi, Venlil Tourist Date [standardized human time]: Sept 11th, 2136. Middle of 4th Claw My heart swelled to know that Maeve valued our friendship as much as I did. I wanted her here, and I wanted her and Valek to have a happy life, even if I were an extra leaf on the vine. But Maeve had more to say, ¡°So that leaves us with where We are. Valek,¡± Maeve turned to fully face him, ¡°do you love me?¡± Not even a moment¡¯s thought, ¡°Y-Yes! I¡­! I¡­! I want to see the Everwood bloom with you Maeve! A hundred times, in a hundred lifetimes!¡± My snout bloomed at his declaration, and my tail curled around me. It was incredible to see how their presence charged a room and warmed the heart; it was so clear, the love that connected them and overfilled their being, and I was blessed to see it. But my heart sank as I reminded myself it wasn¡¯t for me. No one could, or would eve- ¡°And Valek¡­ Do you love Alvi?¡± My body seized as the light of hope snapped me out of my pity, waiting for Valek to answer. He sat wall-eyed in his chair, his tail thrashing behind him in conflicted contemplation. Only a few seconds of silence that felt like millenia, before his ears snapped to me, along with his favored eye, and his tail flicked with confident finality, ¡°Yes.¡± He¡­ He loves me? But, like family right? No, Maeve thinks it¡¯s more. Is it? Maybe he- Yeah you¡¯ve got him trapped in your little claws now, you Predator! I¡¯m NOT a PR- You just want him because you want what She has! You want to fill her spot like a raid-chaser you filthy Vapic! No! I can¡¯t control what he wa- You can and you do! How else could you make it this far! You should have been diagnosed years ago you mate-stealing, love-breaking- Please, stop! -Prey-biting DISGUSTING -- Valek was right in front of me, I felt his paws first on my shoulders, then slide up my neck to just behind my jaw. He laid his snout against me and whistled a low lullaby,
Flowerbird, your voice unheard, fly through frigid hail A melody, on wings that breathe, determined to prevail Flowerbirds, songs sung together, fill the stormy sky. for memories, put minds at ease, so forever you may fly
He ran his thumbpads along the ridge of my snout, and around the backs of my eyes, pulling back to the front of my snout and around again. His low reverberance thrummed through my snout and drowned out my voices, leaving only his in my ears. ¡°Alvi, you¡¯ve come a long way, and I¡¯m so glad to get to know you. You set my tail twitching, and have helped me crawl out of my own thoughts more than once. I love it when you laugh, and when we run and play together. You¡¯re smart, and funny, and I love the way you make me feel, even when the two of you team up to tickle me.¡± A bleating laugh escaped me, my tears changing their emotion while his paws continued to work the worry from my head, ¡°I love you, Alvi, I do.¡± As his thumbs made another pass around the backs of my eyes, he dragged the tip of his tongue over the ridge of my snout, and I could feel Maeve take my paw in the same moment. ¡°C¡¯mon.¡± She gently pulled me down from the bed, supporting my paw as I found my balance. She pulled me to her and laid my snout on her shoulder, gently scratching my crown, before whispering quietly, ¡°And I love you too, Alvi.¡± ¡°NO! You Don¡¯t!¡± I squealed over her shoulder and tried to squirm away, but Maeve¡¯s gentle hold kept firm. ¡°I always do this! I think they¡¯re going to leave, so I.. I do this-¡± My lungs had betrayed me and I started to hiccup, ¡°-and they stay! None of this is R-eal! It¡¯s just Pity! You¡¯ll figure it out, and just h-ate me for it, and you¡¯d be right! You can do be-tter than me! V-alek can do better than me! E-Everyone¡­¡± My voice faltered as Maeve¡¯s fingers wound their way around my ear, gently pulling at the fur around it, ¡°Ok, Alvi. Maybe what I¡¯m feeling isn¡¯t real. Maybe everything around us is just¡­ stardust that got too friendly. But what about you? What you feel is real. Maybe it isn¡¯t right, but you still feel it.¡± She brought her hand down to my chin, and lifted my shout so she could look into my eyes. ¡°Do you love Me, Alvi?¡± My sight and mind sunk into her emerald eyes. Every time I¡¯ve felt this, I was wrong; it was ¡®too much¡¯ or ¡®misplaced¡¯. When I tried to groom the man who shared my work pod, he backed away. He wasn¡¯t at his seat next paw. I tried to give a piece of Polani¡¯s tears to that girl in burrow building class, but she already had a herd; kept the stone, though. What if I just¡­ don''t feel love? ¡°I¡­ I don¡¯t know.¡± Maeve nodded her head, before asking, ¡°How did you feel when we woke up this morning?¡± Happy, comfortable, safe. Her eyes watched mine as I ran through fleeting memories, ¡°How about yesterday, when I herded Valek into your dastardly trap?¡± Fun, welcome, trusted. My happy bleating drifted around her words, ¡°What about in my apartment? How did you feel when you got your gifts?¡± Thankful, understood, wanted. Home. My tail curled around the two of us while I pulled her shoulders against me. I wrapped my arms around her as far as they would go, and held on with¡­ ¡°Yes.¡± Maeve returned my embrace and Valek joined us over Maeve¡¯s cast and sling. I could feel her strong arm up my shoulder blades, her hand cupping my skull and pressing me further into our affection, gently scratching through my wool while she did. Valek was excitedly grooming every bit of my face not buried in Maeve¡¯s shoulder, and I was bleating and whistling happily at their drowning affections, banishing harsh voices from my mind that tried hopelessly to rip this happiness from me. But one voice never really left. You¡¯ll never be his Maeve. Or her Valek. I pulled away from Maeve, and she held a looser hold for me. Falling back, I could see Valek and Maeve together, and I had to remind myself there must have been a time when they weren¡¯t. So obvious was their connection, I thought they just always were. ¡°Thank you, both of you. I love you both, I know that, but watching you two¡­¡± ¡°Actually, Alvi¡­ Valek¡­¡± Maeve started, taking me off of her lap, and setting me beside Valek before scooting back. ¡°That is why I wanted to talk to you both. Valek, I love you more than I have words to describe, and I believe I want to spend the rest of my life with you.¡± Valek all but bounced in place, before Maeve continued, ¡°But. With your blessing, and with her consent, I would like Alvi¡­¡± And she met my eye, squeezing my paw gently, ¡°to join us in that.¡± Valek stopped bouncing and his tail stood still and fell to the ground. Before quickly rising with his elation, ¡°Yes!¡± My heart rose with him, beating in time to his excited jumps as Maeve smiled from ear to ear! I couldn¡¯t believe what I was hearing! My tears flowed freely as I flicked and flapped and smiled along with them. In the middle of our celebrations, Maeve met my eye, and asked one more question, ¡°So¡­ Alvi¡­ Would you like to help our Herd, become a Family?¡± The Foundations of Humanity 33 (Desires and Needs) - an NoP fanfic Memory transcription subject: Alvi, Venlil Tourist Date [standardized human time]: Sept 11th, 2136. Middle of 4th Claw ¡°Yes!¡± The bleat ripped itself from my lungs faster than I could consciously answer, feeling like a suffocating haze had been ripped from my heart and star! Maeve squealed along with me and launched herself from her knees to tackle me to the ground, rolling me along with her body as she hugged and kissed my muzzle. Valek was quickly on top of us and joining in our celebration, the fluffy pile a maelstrom of affection and cacophonous joyful sounds! We stayed like that for several minutes, brushing, grooming and holding each other like none of us ever wanted to let go. Having caught our breath, my eye met Maeve¡¯s as she ran her fingers through my crown, and I found a joy there I don¡¯t believe I had seen before¡­ No¡­ I had. When she looked at Valek. This wasn''t happening, it couldn''t be real... after everything that happened. After accepting my place as just a friend... Maeve lifted herself to sit on her knees again, and I rose with her; something about her eyes locked my attention and I couldn''t look away. Valek rose as well and sat behind me, wrapping his arms and paws around my belly as he resumed his grooming; It had a calming effect, and I could feel myself relax as his attentions wandered about my back and shoulders. My body tensed as he began to climb my scruff, pulling a surprised breath from me as he continued to climb higher up my neck, and his paws shifted to hold my waist. This was not how friends groomed each other¡­ not how friends held each other... My eyes were wide with surprise when they found Maeve''s. I expected to see some¡­ admonishment, some sadness or regret. But there was none to be found... just Warmth, and Welcome. I tried to pull away, disbelieving. They were teasing me; they had to be! Valek held me tight and secure, but kind; not a cage, his arms were shelter. He began to groom my ears gently and a shiver passed through my spine. This was real¡­ We were real. I leaned into the grooming letting loose a breath I didn''t know I had been holding and the tension of the moment dissolved into a jumbled mess of happy emotions all at once. I interrupted Valeks affection to groom his cheek and neck, and I could feel his quickened pulse as our tails twined tightly. This was real. This was happening. And it was okay. I was going to be fine. We were going to be fine. Please let us be fine. --- Memory transcription subject: Maeve, Temporary resident of Venlil Prime. Date [standardized human time]: Sept 11th, 2136. Middle of 4th Claw I watched my lover lick and knead and grip Alvi; I won¡¯t deny the tinge of jealousy I felt in that moment, but it didn¡¯t come from my heart, rather somewhere more¡­ ¡®biblical¡¯. Such wants may be demanding, but they are patient. Regardless, there was more we needed to talk about. I took my hand from Alvi¡¯s crown and brushed it over and around to Valek¡¯s current focus, blocking their affections for the moment. ¡°Ok, you two. This is wonderful to see, but we aren¡¯t done yet.¡± Valek relented, and pulled away so he could see both Alvi and I. I laid my good hand on Valek¡¯s, itself resting on Alvi¡¯s waist. ¡°Have either of you ever been in this kind of relationship?¡± Negative flicks from the ears in front of me, ¡°Alright. Valek we already talked about our pasts, what about you Alvi? Have you had any other partners before us?¡± Alvi blushed a pale orange, that I could only barely make out where her fur was thinnest around her eyes. ¡°N-no. Not for lack of trying but¡­¡± I didn¡¯t want to reopen old wounds, so I brushed the arm I could reach and interrupted, ¡°It¡¯s ok, you¡¯re here now. But relationships are hard, and something like this is especially difficult. Before First Contact, I actually experimented with one back home and¡­ it didn¡¯t go well.¡± The pair¡¯s attention was squarely on me now. Valek moved to Alvi¡¯s side, making the three of us a very small circle. ¡°When you¡¯re with someone, they need attention. They need to know that you want them, and appreciate them. For most people - most humans at least - it is very easy to neglect someone in favor of the other. And¡­ I was that someone, back then.¡± I felt suddenly colder, but only for a second. My new family, my new Herd, were there to dispel the cold. Gathering myself, I started again, ¡°I would never forgive myself if I let either of you feel the way I did.¡± Valek sat straighter and moved to speak, ¡°I¡¯ve never been in something like this, but there were a few Herds that experimented when I was in University. There was an air of¡­ ease? Of simplicity to it. Like it was just convenient.¡± He wrapped his tail around Alvi and held my hand, looking at us both, ¡°That is not what I feel today. This doesn¡¯t feel simple, or just convenient. It feels¡­ It feels complete. It feels freeing, to be allowed to love both of you. It feels like my heart doubled in size! I Want this to work, and I am willing to put in the effort to make it happen!¡± He nuzzled the broadside of Alvi¡¯s snout while eyeing me with a wide gleaming eye, happiness and joy clear in his affect. My sight rested on Alvi along with his, and her blush deepened because of it. ¡°This is all¡­ so new to me, I don¡¯t even know where to begin. How do you two do it? How can you be so¡­ This?¡± Alvi pointed at my hand in Valek¡¯s paw, and I couldn¡¯t help smiling at the happy memory of our confessions; Valek¡¯s tail told me he was on a similar page. ¡°People show love in an uncountable myriad of ways; it just so happens that Valek and I both enjoy touch. Because of that, we tend to show our affection by holding paws, or tails; he really likes this spot just behind his ear!¡± And I scratched the space, Valek swatting my hand away as Alvi and I giggled. ¡°Because touch comes so naturally to Valek and I, we may show that same affection to you, Alvi; though I don¡¯t know if you enjoy that kind of touch, or prefer something different. Most of what a relationship is, is learning. Learning how your partner speaks, and how to understand their meaning beyond their words. Learning how your partner tells you that their needs are met, or when they aren¡¯t.¡± Valek¡¯s ears were on me and his tail twitched excitedly; I always loved it when he was eager to learn! ¡°What do you mean by ¡®needs aren¡¯t met¡¯? How do we know?¡± ¡°Well, sometimes people want certain things you may not think about. Like a touch at the right time, or a kind word in the morning. And sometimes it can be kind of big, like remembering a holiday. None of us are mind readers, we can¡¯t expect each other to know all of these all the time, we will sometimes forget. But it is also important that we try.¡± ¡°You mean like when I¡­ When I chewed on that rock.¡± Alvi showed worry, but Valek and I did what we could to encourage her, ¡°You didn¡¯t freak out, or yell. You just¡­ you tried to understand.¡± I smiled broadly for her, and she seemed to perk up at that, ¡°That¡¯s right! Valek, for example, can sometimes have a bit of a temper. That¡¯s ok, some things are right to be mad about or mad at, but he is still learning how to be mad at the right things. We¡¯ve talked about it a few times, and I feel much more comfortable with him because of it.¡± Valek spoke up after me, ¡°And Maeve is still trying to adjust to Venlil Prime and our people. I try to be her root, and help her grow when the weather is unkind. But I can only do so much.¡± And I continue his thought, ¡°And doing what you can is enough. These are all things we have had to learn; even in the scarcely three weeks Valek and I have known each other we have each lost control more than once, and we have helped bring each other back.¡± Alvi quickly asked, ¡°And how do you do that?¡± Valek was the first to answer, ¡°Sometimes I just need to be angry. Burn it out, until I¡¯m too tired to yell. I don¡¯t like it when that happens, but sometimes it¡¯s all that works. For nearly everything else: just taking a moment to breathe works wonders.¡± And I was the next, ¡°I really like touch, and being around people who care; so you two are already doing a fantastic job of that!¡± I could see Alvi¡¯s mood improving steadily, slowly becoming the glowing beacon of joy that I saw in her. Then her ears dipped, sadness settling into them before she spoke, her voice shaky. ¡°I¡­ I don¡¯t know what I need. When things get bad, I don¡¯t¡­¡± After waiting long enough to give Alvi the chance to answer, Valek finished her thought. ¡°She ran to hide in the bathroom. I didn¡¯t want to leave her alone like that, so I tucked her into bed. She stayed like that till you came back.¡± If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it. Panic and worry flared in my chest as I realized what happened, ¡°Oh, Alvi, I¡¯m so sorry¡­ You¡¯ve told me about how - I didn¡¯t mean to do that to you.¡± I laid my hand against her jaw, and she leaned into it as she spoke. ¡°It¡¯s ok. I know why you left, and I don¡¯t blame you for it; but it did hurt.¡± Her ears fell back against her head, ¡°It hurt a lot.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I can¡¯t promise that I won¡¯t make that mistake again, but I can promise that I will try. If it is any comfort, know that I will come back.¡± ¡°But why did you leave? What did I do to make you walk out like that?¡± Alvi¡¯s voice was sad, but understanding, and I could tell it was more because she wasn¡¯t surprised, rather than because she understood. I drew a shaking breath, cleared my throat and answered, ¡°I left because I was wrong, not because of anything you did, Alvi. I know that many relationships have¡­ a certain idea of where they should go, and I couldn¡¯t figure a way that Valek and I could do that. He and I could be happy, but I knew that Valek could have more - deserved more. I didn¡¯t want to be the reason that Valek wouldn¡¯t have the life he deserved; a life with you, Alvi.¡± I squeezed her paw, and after a breath, continued, ¡°So I walked away. It was selfish of me to walk out of your lives without talking to you about it, but I wasn¡¯t thinking then. Someone in the forum¡­ he gave me the strength to try again.¡± I held Alvi¡¯s paw while I looked at Valek, ¡°But if we want this to work, we are going to have to Try. Like, Really Try. That is all I can ask of you, and all I will, but we can¡¯t take what we have for granted. We have to remember each other, and help us remember ourselves too.¡± Alvi¡¯s eyes met mine and Valek''s, deep oblong pools of inky black bordered by a ring of starlight, set in a sea of deep gold, ¡°I can promise that I will try, but I¡¯m worried I might be too much, or not enough. I hope that you both will be patient with me?¡± Valek¡¯s tail wagged happily behind him, as he leaned in to nuzzle Alvi¡¯s snout, ¡°That is a promise I can make, Alvi. As for me, I hope you don¡¯t get tired of my affections. I love you both, and I love to show it!¡± The three of us giggled at our good mood for a moment, before Alvi asked, ¡°So, how do we do this? Do we¡­ I dunno, trade off? Do we just spend all of our time with all of us? I wouldn¡¯t complain, but I would like to know.¡± I answered this one, ¡°It would be a mix. It is wonderful to be piled under both of your loves, but people also like to be special sometimes. There will be times, like when we went to the Gravity Arcade, or when we go to the museum, where we all go together, as individuals and as a herd, but not as a couple. And there will also be times we set aside for someone. Maybe the other person is busy, or it''s a special day for the two of you; but we try to use those days to really show that person what they mean to us, without distraction.¡± And Valek next, ¡°Like when I go to the library, or when Alvi is helping mom with the droids!¡± ¡°Exactly! We all have our interests, and sometimes they won¡¯t align. But that¡¯s ok! We are separate people, and are allowed to do our own thing! None of us are forced to be a part of this, and we are not joined at the hip.¡± ¡°While we are on the topic, Alvi, if I wanted to do something special for you, what would you be excited to see?¡± Alvi thought for a moment, and her tail flicked slightly when she spoke, ¡°I¡­ I really liked it when you got me gifts.¡± Valek flicked his ears to encourage her, while I continued to hold her paw, ¡°I¡¯ve never gotten gifts like that before. Just, you know, the company gift card for your birthday. Thank you, really; if I haven¡¯t said it yet.¡± ¡°I¡¯m really glad Alvi. I didn¡¯t want to bring it up, but I¡¯m really sorry for how your parents treated you.¡± Valek leaned closer, and put his weight against Alvi, ¡°We can¡¯t make up for what happened, but we can try to make what comes next all the better.¡± Shifting my attention to Valek, I asked him the same. ¡°How about you, Valek? What would you like to see?¡± His body was glowing with joy, and had been for several minutes. I found it very infectious, my cheeks long since numb from smiling and laughing. ¡°I¡¯m not one to turn down a paw inside, but I really like doing things. When I was in university I was part of a bolting herd, and we would sometimes see who could get to the other side of campus first! All this walking today has been fantastic!¡± Valek turned his ears to me, ¡°Alright Maeve, your turn!¡± I thought for a moment. All of my happier moments with these two had been in the small moments between big ones. Except for the Gravity Arcade. That was amazing. ¡°I like new things, and sharing them with people; especially the people I care about!¡± I bent down and kissed Valek on the snout. Which seemed to surprise Alvi. ¡°Most often it¡¯s movies or media; all the better because with a movie, I get to cuddle up with someone¡­¡± and my eye drifted to Alvi instead, her orange blush just visible at the tips of her ears. ¡°A-About that¡­ um¡­ How¡­ How do you¡­ uh¡­¡± Alvi touched the spot where I kissed Valek on her own snout. ¡°Show affection? How do I¡­ return it?¡± Valek brought his attention to her, and answered, ¡°Just like any Venlil! C¡¯mon, I¡¯ll show you!¡± And he lifted Alvi to stand with him. The two hopped into the warren bed, and I could feel the heat rising in my cheeks. ¡°Uh, actually, Valek¡­ your Venlil ¡®grooming¡¯ habits are a fair bit more intimate than what humans normally do.¡± I changed into my pajamas, and rolled into the cushy bowl with the two of them. ¡°But I''ve noticed you groom each other a lot, and I also saw some while I was in the forum. How does that work?¡± Alvi shifted to lay against my good side, and I wrapped my arm over her shoulder and down her back, gently kneading the fur I found there. Valek had taken his place at my casted side, stroking my waist through my pajama top, ¡°I¡¯ve never really given it a lot of thought, but I think it is really about location. You don¡¯t groom strangers at all, it''s definitely a friends and family thing; but even then, it¡¯s divided. Your mom would groom your snout as a hello, and you could groom her shoulder back, but you wouldn¡¯t go anywhere near each other¡¯s scruff. That kind of thing - neck, scruff, hips, upper legs - those are for when you¡¯re at home with your mate. Especially the tail!¡± He flicked his own for emphasis, ¡°It¡¯s really sensitive, so grooming or kneading it is seen as very intimate; with the exception of Chaining. Kids grab their parent¡¯s tail and so on, so the whole herd stays together.¡± The day was starting to take its toll, and my voice purred from encroaching sleep, ¡°Is that what that was about earlier? I was worried you and Alvi were going to ¡®have a moment¡¯.¡± Valek turned a vibrant shade of orange and, though Alvi was out of my sight, I was certain she had too. ¡°Well, that¡¯s kind of why there is so much delineation. Grooming like that can be an invitation, or a declaration, depending on context.¡± Valek picked up his head so he could see Alvi¡¯s across my body, ¡°It was both, by the way, little Stormcloud.¡± Valek pulled the closest thing to a ¡®Shit-eating-grin¡¯ I had ever seen on a Venlil, and I could feel Alvi tense up and hold me closer. An evil thought came to mind while I mustered what energy I could, ¡°Is that so? Hmm¡­ hey, Alvi? How about we switch places?¡± I turned my head to see her eye, which was sweeping around the room, her ears searching as well. After a few moments of thought, her eye met mine and she nodded. I struggled to a crawling position, letting Alvi scoot herself under and past me to where I was, while I shifted to her other side. Valek and I were now on either side, Alvi facing Valek with her back to me. I reflexively started to lay my hand on her hip, then thought better on it, rather asking, ¡°So, Valek, how do I do this?¡± I saw his tail twitch as he responded, ¡°You don¡¯t have a tongue like ours, so kissing and nuzzling would be the closest. Start at her shoulders, and work your way up to her neck and ears.¡± Taking mental notes, I then asked Alvi, ¡°I want to make sure you¡¯re ok with this. Can I touch you, Alvi?¡± She took a steadying breath before nodding, and I laid my hand on her hip and started to work my fingers into her wool, and the skin beneath it. Being larger than her by a fair margin, I shifted down to nest her against my torso, my legs bending to a mock fetal position to totally swaddle Alvi. I started to press my lips through her wool along her upper back and shoulders, walking and wandering aimlessly. I split my attention between her and Valek, and saw he had started to repeat his motions when he sang her a song earlier, lightly tracing his tongue along her snout while running his thumbs around the ridge of her eyes and jaw. I felt Alvi¡¯s breathing become slow and deep, occasionally shuddering when she exhaled. A moment longer and I could feel braided tails lay against my leg, and I took this as a signal to move higher. I walked my lips up her spine, lingering only slightly on her scruff and drawing the slightest mewl from her, before continuing higher. Reaching the base of her ear, I shifted my hand to the same and started to slowly pinch and rub the sensitive skin. Another deep breath, longer than before, and Alvi melted into the bed, tail falling limp were it not for Valek¡¯s twining. Valek halted his affections, and I brought my arm around her chest and pulled her closer to me. ¡°Goodnight little Stormcloud. Sleep well.¡± --- Memory transcription subject: Alvi, Venlil Tourist Date [standardized human time]: Sept 11th, 2136. Middle of 4th Claw Maeve¡¯s question rang in my ears. Valek before me, and Maeve behind me laid unmoving, waiting for my consent. I took a deep breath to steady my hammering heart, then nodded. I felt her hand lay its weight on my hip, pressing further to wind her fingers through my wool and knead the skin beneath. I felt her weight shift behind me and she nestled up to my back. I could feel her full presence and warmth against me and it felt both sheltering, and overpowering; almost claustrophobic. Valek shifted as well, moving so he may groom me thoroughly without reaching across the thick air between us. He started by rubbing the ridge of my snout and jaw, grooming the fur as he traveled, much like his ministrations during his lullaby. He loves me¡­ I could feel Maeve press her face through my wool against my upper back and shoulders, wandering and walking till she touched her love against every part she could reach. I felt her hand grip and stroke along my silhouette, pulling me against her to emphasize her affection. She loves me¡­ I closed my eyes and lifted my snout to fall deeper into their attentions. I sighed and while I felt Valek¡¯s grooming wander down my throat, feeling my pulse beat along with his efforts while his tail wrapped tightly around mine. He loves me¡­ Maeve¡¯s grip slowly pulses and kneads on my waist while she pressed her lips up along my spine, pausing briefly at my scruff and making me shiver because of it. I felt her full length stretched against me as she wandered higher up the back of my head, pausing to focus her attention at the base of my ear, gently brushing her fingers along the edges to its tip. She Loves me¡­ I felt every muscle in my body go slack as all I let go of all breath and worry throughout my entire being, falling what little further I could onto the bed and into their love, feeling my consciousness slip as sleep overcame me. They Love Me. I Love Me. I Am Loved. The Foundations of Humanity 34 (Dreams of the Future) - an NoP fanfic Compatible Dream Format Recognized Run As Memory? Y/N Y ¡­ ¡­ Memory transcription subject: Valek, New Hidden Plains University Graduate. Date [standardized human time]: Undefined I donned my uniform and walked with my work-herd to the van. We got a 12-18 off of Eltavi and Rolem, and I needed to make a good impression on my first field assignment! ¡°Reckon it¡¯s a Drake burrow?¡± I called out to my cohort, trying to be friendly, ¡°We didn¡¯t get those back in the Grove!¡± ¡°What the fuck is a Drake, Newbie? Nah it''s one of the local pests, keeps making a problem for the farms.¡± I had to jog to keep up with my trainer¡¯s longer legs, ¡°I¡¯m so glad to finally do¡­ something to better my community! Ever since I found out about the Facilities, I¡¯ve been struggling to find a place in all this.¡± We stepped out of the van, and he spoke again, a groan of spite in their voice, ¡°That was certainly a shock, but good riddance! Glad we got some good people running them now.¡± My silver suit felt uncomfortable along my back, like I couldn¡¯t feel my tail anymore, ¡°So, what''s the plan? You wanna head around while I flush it out? Get it stuck between?¡± I lifted the nozzle, keeping the pilot light off of the grass, my partner watched me through their visored helmet shaking along with their head inside it, ¡°I don¡¯t think that will be needed. C¡¯mon, I think I heard it just past these trees.¡± They moved tall grass aside and I saw a large wooly creature curled up in a trembling ball, its brown-striped coat failing to hide it. It sat there wall-eyed while I switched off the safety. ¡°I¡¯m doing my part!¡± --- Memory transcription subject: Valek, New Hidden Plains University Graduate. Date [standardized human time]: Sept 12th, 2136. End of 1st Claw My eyes snapped open and I could feel my tail twitching madly behind me, my breath heaved short and fast against the dark. My eyes fell on Alvi¡¯s brown-striped coat, and her dream-self¡¯s screams rattled in my ears while imagined fire chased my sanity through her wool and I felt panic grip my senses. I started to hiccup and cough in bubbling sobs, which woke Alvi as well. Her eyes looked for what woke her and found me trembling, tears starting to pool at the edges of my eyes. ¡°Valek? Valek?! What¡¯s wrong?!¡± Her paws reached for me and her tail wound around my ankle, Maeve behind her slowly getting her own bearings. With Alvi¡¯s warmth as my root, my breathing leveled and I found my voice, ¡°Bad dream. I was¡­ It was really bad.¡± Maeve reached out to comfort me, rubbing at my ear, while Alvi copied my efforts that calmed her own panic the paw before. We all laid together, enjoying the comfort and warmth of the bed and each other, their ministrations helping to bring peace to the storm in my mind. We started our waking routine, cleaning and preparing for the day. I wouldn¡¯t let a bad nightmare overshadow what should be a brilliant paw of fun with my two favorite women! The attentions they were paying me were already working wonders to clear the mire in my mind, the details of the dream long forgotten; I¡¯d hardly remember it¡¯d happened if not for the churning storm it left in my stomach as we passed the forum. I watched the pair in front of me talking about their time in the Burrow as we passed by the Forum on our way to first meal; Alvi ranting about some engineering idiocy disguised as a ¡®cost saving measure¡¯. The two set to cackling, before Maeve put on an affect and voice, playing the part of some bureaucrat making an ill-advised decision, succeeding in bringing Alvi further into hysterics. Maeve looked out over the forum and waved at someone I could not identify through the herd; if I had to guess, I would bet it was the same ¡®someone in the forum¡¯ who helped Maeve come back to us. I would have to get them a bottle of Shadeberry as thanks! --- We had arrived at the Museum of Federation Technologies in good time, though it looked like this was one of their busier claws. Small chains of pups led by their Bellwether hurried past us, beeping and whistling among themselves in excited anticipation of the day! Maeve was staring up into the grand building, replicas of great machines suspended between massive archways. Alvi met my eye and my own amusement was reflected in her affect because we could tell, even through her cloak and veil, Maeve was smiling wide-eyed at everything around her. Maeve seemed to float and spin as we crossed the threshold into the large main exhibit, taking in every detail of every angle of everything. The center of the room was dominated by a massive scale replica of Sovlin¡¯s ship from when he led his mythical charge into the Arxur line, thwarting a raid on another world. Maeve hopped from display to display as we circumnavigated the centerpiece, reading off excerpts and descriptions of remnants from the battle. A large twisted slug of hardened steel read, ¡°This shot proved the superiority of Federation technology. This artifact was recovered embedded into the sturdy spine of the ship, recently outfitted with the finest Federation armor.¡± A scale model of the isolated maneuvering thrusters read, ¡°This novel technology developed by the brilliant Kholshians had been recently implemented on experimental battleships, of which the Protector¡¯s Grace was one. This network of anti-matter-powered thrusters gave the Grace unprecedented maneuverability, helping it avoid most of the Arxur¡¯s desperate attacks.¡± Alvi followed Maeve around, constantly buzzing about what was on display and how it worked. Maeve matched her enthusiasm and my heart glowed to see the two so happy together, matched only by the similarly energetic pups among the throng! I watched the pair talk animatedly, comparing humanity¡¯s advancements with what was on display; the whole conversation flew over my ears, but that didn¡¯t stop me noticing Alvi¡¯s tail curling around Maeve¡¯s ankle every time they stood still for more than a moment. I envisioned what I hoped would happen next, their same boisterous teaching and learning over a dinner table, as my mother added her pawful of ipsom about over-engineering a simple problem, and my father lamenting the same; a happy herd, all coming together. I felt a warm comfort fill me, as I hovered after them, letting the pair take the lead as we all but ran to the next exhibit. We stepped from the stark white marble main exhibit to a room painted with purples and blues, mimicking the appearance of nebulae and the cosmos, passing under a large sign reading ¡®Miracle of the Warp¡¯ in Venlillian script. Inside felt to be a little lighter than the previous room, which Alvi posited may be because of the sheer amount of warp technology in this room; even just on display, they could still influence the space around them! ¡®Discovered by the Kolshian people a mere decade before finding the Farsul, Warp plates attract or repel gravitons when a sufficient amount of energy is passed through them, influencing the gravity field surrounding them in the process.¡¯ Alvi was brimming with excitement, her eyes wide and sparkling, almost as much as the wonder-crystals themselves! She eagerly listened as the audio continued, her tail finding its way back to Maeve¡¯s ankle, ¡®While this property alone helped revolutionize our ability to travel into space, allowing for it to become both cheap and easy for even the most massive of tonnage to enter orbit; it was the discovery of dual polarization that led to the development of the first FTL Drive, allowing for the founding of our noble Federation!¡¯ She giggled in glee, her full attention on Maeve as her thoughts spilled over into words, excitedly bouncing on her paws as Maeve turned from the display, listening intently, ¡°I read about this stuff so much when I was a pup! It has so many different applications depending on how and where they are used! Internally, externally, inertial diffusion, actual FTL in a warp drive; so many! Look! There¡¯s models of a bunch of FTL Drives! There¡¯s the first!¡± It was almost comical how simultaneously simple and complex that first drive looked to be. The cross-section allowed us to observe the warp plates arranged into two internal spheres, with a ring surrounding them both also covered in the crystalline material. ¡°Say, Alvi,¡± I asked, stepping up to the pair as I did so, ¡°You know a bit about this? Would you like to tell Maeve how this works?¡± Her tail was whipping back and forth as she seemed to bubble with joy, ¡°Oh, it is So Cool! Essentially, Warp Plates affect gravitons when a charge is run through them; but they also block gravitons when there is no charge!¡± She pointed at the two spheres, one nested within the other, ¡°The first thing a Drive needs to do is isolate you from the effects of Space, so you can go faster than light. Anything larger than a shuttle would need more Warp Plates than is necessary to encase it, so how Version One did that was to have one sphere, containing a vacuum, nested within another sphere, also containing a vacuum. An electric charge would run through these spheres, and they would be spun in opposite directions! Because of their equal charge and opposing spin, they would create a null field that would extend out past the hull of the ship! Do you guys follow me so far?¡± Maeve nodded her head, muttering an enthusiastic ¡°Mm-Hm!¡±. I forced my ears to be attentive, but I knew my tail gave away how confused I was getting. Alvi gave a whistle and flapped her ears in amusement when she noticed. ¡°I guess I should simplify a little. Basically, the spheres can¡¯t agree on how to charge the gravitic particles around them, so they make a kind of noise or static in the surrounding space. This static separates the surrounding area from the effects of Space, allowing things within it to travel at Faster Than Light speeds!¡± This story originates from a different website. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there. I think I was starting to get it¡­ if light was as fast as it was because ¡®space¡¯ itself was hindering it, then removing yourself from ¡®space¡¯ would remove this upper limit! I think. ¡°Of course, this only makes a field. Not really something that can be steered or even moved, you know? So thrusters were still needed. They, with the field, allowed the ship to basically cheat inertia, so they could go into FTL!¡± She exclaimed. ¡°The Kholshians had to use chemical thrusters for their first flights. It became even more revolutionary when plasma thrusters were perfected, and finally proton-drives make acceleration instantaneous! Because of that, all modern warp drives move at the same speed: 18 lightyears every claw.¡± She paused in thought, ¡°well, one of the reasons, anyway. The other are improvements on the design. Like in those!¡± She gestured down the hall towards two other models; one added a horizontal bar, and the other replaced the spheres with a lateral disk. ¡°The larger ships required larger thrusters generating more heat, and the need to carry fuel to feed all of it. So they tried to find alternatives that didn''t require all that. They discovered that antimatter charged the Warp Plates by flowing across it, so they tried to use a cylinder to create forward movement. They filled the vacuum of the cylinder with antimatter gas, and spun the cylinder forward and backward to essentially pull the field along the fabric of Space!¡± She then drew our attention to the Disk design, ¡°But that was clunky, so the next iteration took advantage of the Torus! Instead of a sphere, there was a Warp Plate Torus suspended within a second, the space between them filled with antimatter gas. The center torus stayed stationary and the outer torus was spun around it. But! They used magnetic fields to also spin the antimatter gas in the opposite direction! This movement causes the charges of the Warp Plates to oscillate! So the internal now attracts gravitons while the external repels! Then the whole process reverses, over and over, with the warp plates changing their charge maybe thousands of times per second!! And that rapid change causes a Null field to form around the drive at a much larger size then the spheres ever did!¡± By the sun, I could see the stars in her eyes¡­ Alvi was nearly hopping with excitement as she drew to her finale, ¡°And what¡¯s more! The spinning outer Torus dragged on the fabric of space just like the cylinder did in the earlier versions, so it pulled double duty! Now they could: isolate the vessel from space, create movement, and steer by turning the torus on its axis! It is just an astounding feat of engineering! I could only ever hope to make something anywhere on this level.¡± ¡°Oh, you will,¡± Maeve laughed, ¡°I think with your enthusiasm, and a little bit of human AI, you will make something incredible.¡± Alvi seemed to glow with pride as Maeve stood beside her, and my heart filled at the sight of them, though Maeve¡¯s attention was pulled elsewhere, ¡°Who did make these, by the way? These are all amazing! The creators of our warp drive are basically world famous!¡± ¡°Oh, that¡¯s easy! The Kolshians were the first to develop these drives, and they gifted it to each species as they were uplifted!¡± Maeve pulled out her pad to read the placards, ¡°¡­ That¡­ But these drives were developed after the creation of the Federation? If I have my dates right, the Cylinder Drive was developed after the Venlil were¡­ uplifted. Surely other species offered their ingenuity?¡± ¡°Well everyone knows the Kolshians have been at the forefront of technological advancement since most of the federation were still in coal power! Everyone has their strengths, and this is the Kolshians¡¯.¡± My tail curled at that. Maeve made a good point, and I couldn¡¯t reconcile that the Kolshians have been responsible for all scientific advancement for so long¡­ ¡­ no names. That¡¯s familiar¡­ But not today. Today is for Us, not for Them. I walked up to Maeve¡¯s side and laid a paw on her arm, drawing her attention, ¡°Does it really matter who made it, when it¡¯s what brought us together, right?¡± ¡°But it can¡¯t be just the Kolshians; whoever they are. The Venlil are-¡± ¡°Maeve.¡± Her face snapped to me, and I spoke quietly, hoping not to interrupt Alvi¡¯s boisterous glee, ¡°I know better than most, the wrong question may dim a bright sky. Let it go.¡± I could nearly see her winding thoughts through her veil, before she nodded and we followed Alvi into the next room. The next room was a stark contrast: sleek white paneling and a black floor. Straight lines and curved corners, the whole room seemed to be only one or two pieces of some synthetic material. This was the ¡®Meta-Materials¡¯ exhibit, if the sign above the threshold were to be believed. Scattered around the room were plinths, shelves, display cabinets, and mounts displaying amorphous blobs or blocks of materials that see common use among federation planets. As Alvi suggested the waking before, It seems they encourage the touching or holding of many of these materials, though some were still locked under glass displays. Working our way around the room, we first approached an open plinth with a solid black block atop it. Maeve reached out, but withdrew her hand before looking at it in detail. I caught her eye with my tail. ¡°The signs say you can touch and hold anything uncovered, it''s ok.¡± Maeve nodded at me before removing her gloves, revealing her stark white skin colored only by blood red blushes on her palms, fingerpads, and knuckles. She reached out and held the mass, which became apparent to be a sample of the Soft Asphalt that pervaded federation roadways and walkways. ¡°Oh my god, this is so weird! Like¡­ my brain sees it as a bit of road from back home, just a chunk of black asphalt kicked up from a pothole. It wants it to be hard, and sharp, and a little crumbly; but it is just so¡­¡± she gripped the sample with force, causing it to deform slightly between her fingers, ¡°Bouncy. Does it say how they make it?¡± Alvi and I look at the placard beneath the sample. ¡®This patented SafeStreet material was pioneered by the Iftali and Sulean, the latter of which developed these soft roadways to reduce wear and discomfort on their hooves. The Federation saw its value as a safety measure against Stampedes, and made it standard practice across all member species, with the Kholshians perfecting the formula into what we mostly use today. There are many brands, each with their own properties brought out by specific mixes; but in general SafeStreet is produced by combining waste soil from colonies and construction with boiled Zullarid sap, though an artificial version is more commonly used now. The soil adds structure and grip, while the boiled sap gives it its remarkable malleability.¡¯ ¡°Honestly, that''s not too different from how we make it! Though we use Petroleum waste along with grainy substrate, like sand. Makes something which is ¡®soft¡¯ but not nearly like this.¡± An excited bleat behind us caught our attention, as a pup jogged up to a children¡¯s display, containing a variety of touchable materials. The pup seemed especially interested in a translucent film, labeled ¡®ReWeave¡¯, immediately launching into a rant about its properties to her parents. Maeve was beside me watching the interaction, standing relaxed with what I knew was a warm smile and kind eyes beneath her veil. Alvi stepped forward from beside me and approached the small family. ¡°Hey there, little one, you sure know a lot about this!¡± The pup wagged furiously and beamed, ¡°Uh Huh!!¡± The parents weren¡¯t far behind, and flicked welcome to Alvi while they let their daughter be sociable. Alvi continued her conversation after acknowledging the parents, ¡°Ya know, I have a friend who would like to learn more about this stuff; she¡¯s never seen anything like it! Do you think you could teach her?¡± The parents shifted their attention around the room, and when their ears and eyes fell on Maeve and I, I could see the pair stiffen. The child didn¡¯t even think to ask or look, only excited for the chance to share, ¡°Mom! Dad! Can I?!¡± The mother¡¯s ears fell back and her tail wrapped protectively around the now two pups clinging to the wool on her hips, though the father only looked worriedly at the excited daughter, ¡°Sweetie I don¡¯t think that¡¯s a good idea¡­¡± Alvi motioned calm and comfort, ¡°Please? It would mean a lot to us. She¡¯s completely harmless, and I think you¡¯ll be surprised; for the better.¡± The father watched the excited daughter continue pleading for the chance to meet and teach someone new, but his ears were split between his mate and Maeve. I could hear the mother whisper everything we had already heard so much, from the ever familiar: ¡®what if it pounces¡¯ and ¡®we can¡¯t let it near our children¡¯ to the more outrageous ¡®what if it steals her and runs off?¡¯ The father looked between his mate and his daughter, then to Alvi, ¡°Shia stays with me, but they can talk.¡± Alvi wagged joyfully as she walked up to Maeve and pulled at her hand, bringing her to the children¡¯s display. ¡°Hello, Shia-¡± ¡°Voshia.¡± The mother sharply corrected, glaring at the father. ¡°Voshia, thank you. I¡¯m Alvi, and this is my friend Maeve. What is this stuff called?¡± I stepped back while Alvi brought Maeve forward; not wanting to crowd, and content to simply watch the interaction. The girl answered her with exuberance! ¡°It¡¯s called ReWeave! It¡¯s a ¡®sinsetic¡¯ skin, and can repair itself! We use it a lot for signs and seats and even medicine!¡± Alvi nudged Maeve to talk, though she was clearly nervous. She lowered herself to a sitting position, making her need to look up slightly to look at Voshia. Maeve spoke quieter than I had heard before, but in that same lilting tone she used for new faces and children. ¡°That¡¯s really interesting, Voshia! How does it repair itself?¡± The pup held out the square of stretchy film; it was nearly clear, though a green tint could be seen when it was bunched or gathered, and it distorted light as it was stretched and contorted. ¡°The stuff it¡¯s made of likes to stick to itself, but not other things, so when it touches itself it''s like it was always together!¡± Maeve got more excited as she fell into the lesson, trying as she did to temper her enthusiasm for the parents¡¯ benefit. ¡°Oh, so it¡¯s like vacuum welding? But how does it keep its shape when it wants to stick together? Why isn¡¯t it a clump of itself?¡± ¡°Yeah, yeah! That''s why, once they have the shape they want, they coat it in something rough that attaches itself to the skin! Here, touch it and feel it!¡± Maeve slowly lifted her hand, and I stepped to the parents to support them while their wool flared. Though once her hand was out from under her white cloak, they relaxed when they saw she had no claws to speak of. Maeve kept her hand relaxed as she slowly brought it to the sample, and felt its grainy tacky texture. ¡°So the outsides don¡¯t stick to each other, but the insides do! Very clever! Thank you for showing this to me, Voshia.¡± The pup thrashed their tail in glee, before noticing something on the other end of the room and exclaiming, ¡°Oh Oh you¡¯re going to love this! This is MirrorPlate!¡± She bolted to another plinth and held out a thick plate of metal, ¡°See how it¡¯s so dense? Well when it feels pressure, it expands and gets really bouncy! Grey slugs just bounce right off!¡± Maeve slowly rose to meet the girl at the next plinth, our tiny teacher barely breathing while she taught us everything she could! Alvi walked with me as we watched the parents follow the pair. To the father¡¯s credit, he did a good job of keeping up, never leaving more than a tail¡¯s length between him and his daughter. The mother slowly hovered after them, making sure her other pups stayed close holding on to wool or tail. Alvi¡¯s eye met mine as she stood beside me, and I saw joy swirling within it. In hushed tones, I told her, ¡°Good choice, Raindrop. This has been a wonderful waking!¡± She matched my tone, keeping our conversation from interrupting the whirlwind of lessons, ¡°I have good ideas sometimes. I think my best one though, was staying in that sleeper cabin so many paws ago.¡± Alvi reached her snout up to mine as traced her tongue along my jaw, before resting her chin on my shoulder while I pulled her into a hug. I rested my chin atop her crown, her closer ear folding underneath it, letting go of a contented hum, ¡°My sun and stars, I thank the cosmos for bringing you both to me.¡± --- The Foundations of Humanity 35 (Connecting) - an NoP fanfic Memory transcription subject: Valek, Venlil Tourist. Date [standardized human time]: Sept 12th, 2136. End of 2nd Claw ¡°... What makes FieldFlow so special is that it doesn¡¯t need to be cold! Even at room temperature, electrons just shoom right through it!¡± Voshia swung her paw through the air for emphasis, like a shuttle taking off at speed. ¡°We use it for all kindsa stuff! The Ring, the warp drives, FTL comms, everything! OH OH If you¡¯re here you¡¯ve got to see the Morning¡¯s Light, too! It polishes itself in daylight!¡± The tired father pinched his daughter¡¯s ear. ¡°Alright Shia, that¡¯s enough; it¡¯s time to go home.¡± - ¡°But Dad!¡± The father flicked their tail in irritation, ¡°We¡¯ve been here nearly a claw, and your brothers are both asleep! C¡¯mon, we can see the other half next waking.¡± ¡°And you, predator¡­¡± His eyes narrowed, as his ears focused on Maeve. I braced for another rant, another dismissal of everything that made Maeve the wonderful person I knew her to be¡­ but his shoulders fell with a sigh, ¡°... thank you. With three pups, the missus and I don¡¯t always have the energy for her. It was good to see her so happy again.¡± Maeve waved off his concern, and I hoped the friendliness behind her body language was noticed, ¡°It brightened my day to learn from Voshia, thank you! You have a wonderful family.¡± The mother¡¯s wool settled as Voshia joined her brothers, taking the youngest onto her own shoulder. Voshia looked back as the herd left the exhibit, flicking farewell to Maeve who returned the gesture with her own waving hand. A few moments after the child was out of sight, Maeve heaved a sigh and leaned back from her seat on the floor against a nearby plinth¡­ Which was apparently not attached to the ground. In a flurry of flowing white cloak, Maeve immediately righted her balance, and the plinth wobbled precariously behind her. Alvi and I stepped to try to catch the sample of aerogel atop it, though retreated as the plinth appeared to stabilize. When it finally arrested, the three of us released a held breath and tittered between ourselves. After a moment, Maeve clapped her hands together in excitement, ¡°Did you see that?! They were so excited for everything! Just the way that they were so eager to know and to teach! It''s just¡­ I''m¡­" Maeve flung her arms and kicked her legs in overfilling joy and excitement, "It is so wonderful to see someone have their Best day!¡± ¡°Sometimes all they need is someone to listen; I should know.¡± Alvi stepped up to Maeve and offered a shoulder to help her up, which Maeve thankfully received. ¡°Feel like you¡¯ve got a good handle on this room? Voshia was very thorough, after all.¡± Maeve¡¯s face lifted to look at the next display, ¡°I would love to see what this ¡®Morning¡¯s Light¡¯ is all about.¡± At the end of the room stood a full desk display, surrounded by Venlil and their pups that were taking advantage of Voshia¡¯s distraction. Each had a turn in handling a slightly-larger-than-paw sized burnished gold tile, before an attendant on the other side of the desk encouraged them to pass it along. The three of us stepped up to a few tails short of the crowd, Maeve¡¯s height forcing the attendant to address us. But she didn¡¯t. While her ears never left our little herd, her eyes never met us. She didn¡¯t acknowledge us, and continued to guide the tile from paw to paw, though never to us. ¡°Uh, excuse me?¡± Alvi¡¯s voice drifted over the crowd, the attendant¡¯s ears focusing on her, before snapping back to Maeve. ¡°... Miss?¡± They turned away from us, guiding the tile to the other end of the desk away from us. ¡°Hey, I¡¯m talking to you!¡± ¡°Alvi, it''s fine.¡± ¡°No, it isn¡¯t! This is one of only three pieces that are open to the public, and we won¡¯t leave unt-¡± ¡°Alvi, please.¡± Alvi shifted her focus to Maeve, her tail twitching indignantly. ¡°I¡¯d rather wait for another day than sour this one. It¡¯s ok.¡± The attendant¡¯s ears stayed on Maeve, but her focus was still on the other patrons, trying to keep them away from us; her tail swayed smugly at hearing Maeve concede. Taking the opportunity, I gently pulled Alvi¡¯s paw for her to follow, and I guided the three of us out of the room. Memory transcription subject: Alvi, Venlil Tourist. Date [standardized human time]: Sept 12th, 2136. End of 2nd Claw My tail thrashed behind me as we left the counter, ¡°Scorched headbutt of a woman; wonder what¡¯s got her tail all kinked.¡± Valek led us out of the exhibit as Maeve tittered beside, ¡°Probably salty she didn¡¯t get into the exchange program.¡± ¡°Oh, for sure. Everyone knows how popular it is to sign up to meet with a predator.¡± Valek¡¯s deadpan set Maeve and I to quietly laughing, our humor barely echoing off of the marble ceiling as we walked to the next exhibit past a vertical stone which read: ¡®Parneksilous Dedicatory Hall of Uplifting the Venlil Farmer¡¯ carved in Venlil script in the traditional style of a herding trail marker. False turquoise grass covered the floor, nearly clashing with the fields of ipsom and woolgrass painted on the walls. The displays in this room were over-large, as was the room itself, and were arrayed chronologically starting with the oldest on our right side; several primitive farming instruments hung on the wall behind protective glass. A Bellwether saw us coming into the exhibit and quickly gathered her herd, rushing out of the opposite exit while the confused pups tried to understand why she was scared, not realizing Maeve was the subject of her fear. Valek took advantage of the now nearly-empty exhibit to excitedly call out to us, ¡°This is a record of Venlil farming! I remember my dad telling me about when he first started working for Mom¡¯s herd, they were still using a lot of pre-fed tech; claw diggers, straight-holes¡­ they picked most of the field by paw!¡± I giggled, trying to hide my delight at the image of Valek, backlit and shining as he tilled the soil of his farm and harvested a colorful third-meal. My tail found his side as I walked past him, speaking low for the three of us, ¡°Just imagine how much more handsome you¡¯d be working the fields with these!¡± Valek¡¯s tail kinked in playful mischief, ¡°I¡¯ll have you know, Mom thinks I¡¯m very handsome.¡± Maeve and I giggled at our little Bellwether-babe, though she was the first to recover, ¡°You¡¯re teasing, Alvi, but I bet you¡¯d love it if Valek tossed you around like a bale a¡¯ woolgrass.¡± ¡°Maeve! There are pups present!¡± I tried to be admonishing, but I could feel the warming bloom in my ears. Valek stepped to my side and wound his tail around what little of mine that wasn''t cinched against my body, ¡°I can attest, Maeve, that yes: Alvi is very tossable.¡± I shoved Valek away from me, ¡°No fair! That was a very different context!¡± but my tail held his firm. A predatory smile pulled at his lips as he pulled me to the next display. ¡°If you¡¯re such a big, strong¡­¡± Gorgeous? Quiet. Bullsome? Silence. ¡°... farmer, why don¡¯t you tell us how these work?¡± I could feel my bloom deepening in its intensity, but while I was sure we could tease and flirt the whole paw through, I was actually interested in the history of Valek¡¯s family work. If you spot this tale on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation. ¡°Actually the tools we used to use are really interesting!¡± Valek pointed out a set of wood and stone, shaped in wedges of varying sharpness alongside rods and clubs. ¡°Primitive farming was mostly grains and grasses, so we would use wood or stone shaped into blades to hack at the bases of stems. Then we would soften them using dowels against something hard, like logs or another stone.¡± Leading us along to another display, Valek continued his lesson by showing more advanced tools, combining wood and reed handles with stone and glass blades. ¡°This is what a lot of our current paw-tools start to look like, though the materials have definitely improved. Ugh, I hated using the root-claw!¡± He pointed an accusing claw at a tool that seemed similar to the others, but its orientation was rather surprising. The primitive example had a solid wooden handle, a little shorter than the average Venlil at the shoulder and made from a single branch or sturdy sapling. It had a paw-grip midway down, in this case what was an off-branch of the main, and a broad flat end that sat under and braced against one¡¯s upper arm. The tool ended with a sturdy tapered spike positioned to aim toward its wielder. ¡°This recreation is made of wood and stone, but modern manufactures used hardened steel for the head, and a variety of materials for the handle, including wood. The original spike shape allowed us to loosen packed soil around the root and pull the whole plant, but there are also chopping variants that sacrifice the root.¡± Valek turned his side to us, practicing the use of the phantom tool in his main-paw, ¡°You have to stand right next to whatever you¡¯re pulling. With one paw, you pull the bulk of the plant out of the way, and with the other you just hack at the base of it until it comes loose.¡± He beat his arm down to his side, like he was trying to amputate his own paw. Maeve walked past us and looked at a diorama including a model of a Venlil using the aforementioned root-claw, while another knelt beside a false vine with a basket half-full of sturen. ¡°It¡¯s really interesting how different your tools look! We use something called a hoe for that kind of work, which we use by swinging down in front of us. There were some with a hook-end for pulling roots like your root-claw, but mostly we used a flat blade to chop at the root, leaving it in the ground.¡± I tilted my head in confusion, ¡°That sounds really wasteful? Why would you leave so much good food to rot?¡± Maeve shrugged as she moved on to the next display, ¡°Roots were only a small part of our diet, so they had more value staying in the ground. If it survived, it would grow a new plant to be harvested again; if it didn¡¯t, then it would decompose and be nutrients for the soil, making planting there better later, so you win either way. Once we got to farming, we mostly harvested grain and supplemented that with fruit and veg.¡± Valek brought us to another display, ¡°That¡¯s actually pretty similar to us! True, Venlil Prime has made gathering fruits and vegetables easy for us, but eventually we needed to make dedicated farms to keep up with population which is when we started using these!¡± In front of us was a massive wooden frame, supported on a single wooden wheel, a bar handle on one side, wide enough for two Venlil side-by-side, across from a wide lateral blade. ¡°This would be pushed by one or two Venlil through level farmland to harvest grasses and grains. It could be shoved, but Dad said some pairs could go at a full run! Several Venlil would follow behind to gather the shorn grasses.¡± Maeve looked at the exhibits curiously, ¡°How long before first contact did you guys move from stone to steel? A lot of this stuff looks¡­ I don¡¯t want to use the word primitive, but compared to what humans were using even 6000 years ago, a lot of this looks inefficient. I mean, this thing looks too big for just two Venlil to push.¡± ¡°Well our current machines are part of public record, and what we had before first contact just wasn¡¯t as good, so no use recording them. This stuff shows how we developed, so it has cultural significance.¡± Maeve meandered to the next diorama which depicted Parneksilous receiving a pad from a member of the First Contact team, a Farsul. Valek walked with Maeve to the diorama and described the re-creation, myself just behind the pair, ¡°Parneksilous was an early-adopter of Federation technology. Farron, the Farsul there on the left, gave Parneksilous access to Federation research; the machines and materials the Federation gave us made farming much more efficient, and now the Venlil are a major fruit-basket of the Federation!¡± Maeve froze, tilting her head at the display, ¡°Wait¡­ So Parneksilous was a major figure in the uplift? Made the process easier for the federation?¡± ¡°Oh, absolutely! Our old records showed that a lot of farmers at the time were very traditionalist and didn¡¯t want to change how we¡¯d been farming for generations! Parneksilous, on the other paw, saw the value in what the Federation was giving us. They taught him how to cycle crops most efficiently, how to select what crops to cultivate, and even how to make fertiliz-¡± Valek stopped short, as his ears swiveled in thought. His eyes darted from display to display, his breathing grew panicked, and I tried to ground him. Maeve, however, was still examining the diorama, her head cocked in thought, ¡°Then why does he look so¡­ afraid?¡± Valek and I looked at the recreation as one, taking in its every detail. Parneksilous¡¯s tail was wrapped around their ankles; and despite the Farsul standing tall on a shale outcrop, Parneksilous stood hunched over in mud, almost in¡­ Reverence? Valek¡¯s breathing quickened, his ears on a panicked swivel as I caught him when he lost his balance. His eyes were locked onto the First Contact display as I held him close, trying to bring him back like he did for me. Maeve joined us kneeling on the floor of the exhibit, running her hand through the wool of his mane while I held his paw. Valek¡¯s breathing leveled out, and he began to respond to our touch with his own. He took a deep breath, and spoke in hushed tones. ¡°I didn¡¯t want to believe it¡­ I¡­ I know the Federation lied to us; not just about predators, but¡­ we need to find somewhere quieter. Help me up?¡± Maeve took his other paw and helped him stand alongside her, myself only just behind. Valek led us from the exhibit and around the corner toward an unfinished Yotul exhibit, finding a corner of the room behind temporary partitions; in our privacy, Maeve lifted her veil and I saw my concern reflected in her worried eyes. After a long moment to collect his thoughts, Valek told us about his time in the library. He told us about how his family farmed, and how it didn¡¯t match up with what was in the museum. He talked about his readings, about ecological research that was hidden, and never taught. He talked about the findings of a Dr. Turin, and the produce output of isolated colonies. He talked about ¡®missing¡¯ researchers - entire teams - that discovered something they shouldn¡¯t have. And under it all, the Exterminators were at every step, being the paw that pulled the weeds. ¡°It¡¯s just¡­ We¡¯ve barely known Humanity for a few harvests, and so much of what is just common knowledge to you upsets everything we know about our world! And the more I learn, the more I see that it was on purpose, and I can¡¯t understand why!¡± Valek¡¯s ears were back as his tail curled around me and him, while Maeve tried to brush his distress away. Her eyes shifted through a torrent of worry, fear, sadness, anger, and loving, before landing on ¡®resolute spite¡¯. ¡°Fuck ¡®em!¡± My eyes and ears snapped to Maeve; surely the translator was mistaken?? Valek¡¯s despair lost its momentum as he stared up at Maeve in equal confusion. ¡°What does it matter what They¡¯ve done? You are what you are because of what you have lived through, and I love¡­ the Venlil that sits in front of me.¡± Her eyes held his, as her hands held his paws in surety. ¡°And so do I.¡± My tail met his as my voice found his ears, while he looked between us in a flurry. ¡°H-How can you when you don¡¯t even know who I am? My-My family has been farmers for generations! My grandfather said Parneksilous was one of their biggest role models! We-we thought we had a grand history and could be continuing it! But it¡¯s all a lie?¡± His voice started to catch in his throat as he started to retreat into himself, flicking his ears between Maeve and I. ¡°Th-The Farm! My Family! Me!! What-¡± Tears streamed from his clenched eyes as he started to bleat and cough. I fell into his side and tried desperately to comfort him, while Maeve wrapped her good arm around us and pulled us closer. Valek¡¯s sobs echoed around the empty hallway as Maeve and I held him close while he desperately clenched and twisted the wool of his mane and chest. ¡°I want to give you All I Am, but everything¡¯s a lie! I have nothing! I am! Nothing!¡± ¡°No, mo chridhe, no¡­ It¡¯s alright.¡± Maeve¡¯s voice was soft as Dacham. It tore me apart to see this wonderful man fall apart in front of me. With no words to say, I pressed my snout under his chin, slipping my paw under his to slow the worrying of his wool. Valek sobbed between us as we sought to comfort him, allowing him the space to cry. When his grief started to slow, I whispered to him, ¡°I don¡¯t think you¡¯re nothing.¡± His tail pulled tighter against me and I could feel his jaw tighten; he didn¡¯t believe me. ¡°You have a beautiful home, a beautiful farm, and a beautiful family. It doesn¡¯t matter to me how your great-great-great-whatever got there, or how your family started. Because however it happened¡­¡± I pulled away from him, meeting his eye with mine, ¡°... the man it made, the man in my arms, is everything I could ever hope for in a friend, and a mate.¡± He looked over and away from me, refusing to meet my eye, but I wouldn¡¯t let him ignore what I saw plainly! ¡°You love me¡­ ever since the train, you said it yourself, you love me. Even when I didn¡¯t know how to love myself you were kind and accepted me when no one else had! And I love you Valek, because of what you are now, and what I know you can be for me; for us.¡± His ears twitched and turned while still pressed in his wool, I was getting through to him! I caught Maeve¡¯s eye, and she took Valek¡¯s other paw in hers as she followed my lead. ¡°Your burrow is real. Your farm is real. Your family is real. What the Federation did was wrong, and I can¡¯t hope to understand everything you and your ancestors lost. But despite that, you and your family are still Farmers. You still have them, you still have us, and we still have our goofy, loving, very good boy!¡± Maeve¡¯s hand flashed from his crown to his side, diving into his wool to tickle him and I quickly did the same. Valek¡¯s cries turned to snorting brays as he tried to push our paws away, only for them to dive again for his defenseless sides. As quickly as we started we stopped for him to catch his breath, before we sunk again into our warm embrace. Valek returned our slow stroking, his claw finding its way under my chin and around the side of my face, tracing the tip of his tongue across the broadside of my snout. ¡°Thank you, girls; both of you. I¡­ I don¡¯t know what this means for my family, or the farm. But thank you for staying with me while I figure it out.¡± The Foundations of Humanity 36 (Artistic License) - an NoP fanfic Memory transcription subject: Alvi, Venlil Tourist. Date [standardized human time]: Sept 12th, 2136. End of 2nd Claw With a parting nuzzle against me, Valek stood and helped Maeve and I to our paws, ¡°I could really go for some juicefruit; need to rehydrate after all that¡­ How about we try that juicer we saw on the way here?¡± Maeve and I agreed, and Valek led us back down the hall to leave. Passing by Sovlin¡¯s ship and away from the other exhibits, Valek looked to his side and halted mid-step; his shoulders going stiff as the tip of his tail thrashed behind him. Following his sight, I saw he was staring down a blocky stone archway, the sight of it pulling fear from deep in my memories as I remembered the foster facility, and the silver-suited officers who frequented it. Beside the entrance stood a vinyl cut-out of the newest season of The Exterminators. My steps faltered and a small pup ran into my legs, nearly knocking me to the ground. Maeve righted my balance beside me and pulled me from my dark recollections. Valek had made it to the threshold and called back to us, conviction in his voice. Maeve¡¯s voice was worried, pleading, ¡°Valek, today has been a lot, maybe we should head back?¡± ¡°No. I¡­ I need to see this. I need to see what lies they tell themselves. I didn¡¯t tell you about them because I knew they were wrong even then, but never so¡­ It was careless of me to bring you here. I should have told you about them. But now? Now, I don¡¯t even think they¡¯re Venlil.¡± We crossed under the archway of the exhibit, the inside decorated plainly with white tile and steel furnishments, just like the inside of Exterminator Offices. This was easily the most well-appointed exhibit we had seen so far, and probably in the entire museum. The walls were so thick with artifacts and displays that several topics were covered by just one glass. On our right was a progression of flamer technology, ranging from torches connected to a single fuel tank on a truck, to carried personal packs. The fuel tanks themselves became more complex, then shifted to perplexingly simple modern examples, taking advantage of high-pressure meta-materials to compress and solidify the fuel, allowing it more range from pressure alone. I was surprised to see they had a kind of Energy torch in their own display; judging by the plaque, this technology was deemed ¡®not sufficiently purifying¡¯ and kept to industry, while Exterminators continued to use propellants. Valek led us through and around scattered herds before joining the largest in front of a replica of the second Stonebuilder Tapestry, hung above a case holding an early flamer replica. Touted as one of our earliest records of the use of exterminators, the tapestry depicted a giant Venlil, the Stonebuilder, commanding a herd of Exterminators to cleanse a pack of shadestalkers. The plaque beside it read: Here we see an ancient account of Venlil Exterminators, dutifully commanded by the Stonebuilder to rid their homelands of the predator taint. Such imagery confirms scientific theory that convergent discovery unites Prey in the creation of their own manner of ¡®exterminator¡¯ to cleanse predator taint and protect the herd; even within the most timid of species! Maeve recounted what she heard from the Village about the Stonebuilder, that they were a heroic folk figure dedicated to the protection of their herd. Valek and I confirmed the same, and told the story of how he, and early exterminators, had rid their lands of predators. ¡°Honestly that is fairly familiar. We have several stories of mythical figures ¡®ridding evil¡¯ from their lands; Saint Patrick comes to mind. But it strikes me as odd that the Stonebuilder would command other Venlil to combat the predators? The stories in the village gave me the impression they were a protective, or sacrificing figure; wouldn¡¯t he put himself in harm¡¯s way before others in the Herd?¡± Maeve looked to me to confirm, though I only bobbed my tail in confused admittance, ¡°I couldn¡¯t say. The foster facility didn¡¯t tell us much about him, and the other pups told wilder stories than I had heard before or since. What really gets me is this nightmare of a flamer!¡± My words pulled them to the case beneath the tapestry, holding a replica of a pre-contact exterminator flamer. The flamer itself was¡­ certainly creative! hardwood piping with a tin nozzle, the ¡®tank¡¯ was a wax-lined flask of woven woolgrass. This over-complicated fire hazard would easily light up the user before anything else, right before everything else in a five-tail radius! ¡°I mean, look at it! They were using tin for the nozzle??¡± ¡°Tin?¡± Maeve peered over my shoulder and cocked her head in confusion, ¡°Well, humans worked with Tin in our bronze age before we could do iron.¡± My tail flicked in annoyed humor, ¡°Right, and yeah, tin is really important for most alloys, but alone?? I can melt tin in a pot at home, and they expect it to last more than a single blast on a flamethrower??¡± ¡°Oh, my stars! Come here and look at this!¡± Valek¡¯s voice carried over from further down the long exhibit in the predator showcase. He stood in front of a large curved display housing several eye-witness recreations of predators, backed by a panorama of the Twilight sky. His tail twitched in mischievous humor as he asked, ¡°See something wrong here?¡± Before us stood three predators; on the left before the brightest part of twilight, bordered by false fields of shadeberries and brightstar beans, hunched a massive mound of shaggy black fur, its giant jaws were stuffed with rows of fangs and stained orange as it hung above an over-thick brush, censoring some grisly scene. Its nearer eye glowed blue as a Venlil¡¯s star, stolen from the Tapestry. Below it a plaque read its name, Kelach, and its preferred method of stealing sleeping pups during its feeding frenzy in the Night. On the right, backed by black starlit skies and standing on a faux glacier, was a beast of pale white skin, stretched tight over its massive crouching frame, ready to pounce on anyone brave enough to look away from it. After a few moments, a small pup walked up to its side of the display when a piercing mechanical screech assaulted the child, while the specimen lurched forward slightly on well-traveled rails. The pup squealed in terror, jumping nearly a tail off the ground before bounding back to their parents, who tittered at the poor thing from their safe distance. The plaque beneath it read ¡®Tangar¡¯ and described how it waited, frozen still for paws or whole harvests for some hapless Venlil to wander too far. And in the center was a large white-wooled creature, its piercing orange eyes following your every move around the exhibit. It was easily as tall as me, and its long-fanged maw was horrifically bared and glistening with false drool; its paws were long and grasping, with claws that could skewer a Gojid, not to mention a Venlil! The plaque below detailed how it hunted in the darkness bordering Twilight and Night, doomed to its solitary existence, cast out by both Night and Day. The Shadestalker wou- Wait. Shadestalker? I looked to Valek beside me, my tail twisted in disbelief, while his own was as flat as his voice, ¡°Yeah.¡± ¡°No.¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± ¡°No!¡± Valek laughed at my confused frustration. ¡°It isn¡¯t! Their eyes were white as Day¡¯s End! This looks nothing li-¡± The narrative has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the infringement. ¡°-What¡¯s gotcha all hot¡¯n¡¯bothered? Oh, what the hell??¡± Maeve chuckled disbelievingly, ¡°Why¡­ by all that is holy, do you have a Lycan in your museum??? And did¡­ did they put LED¡¯s in that thing¡¯s eyes?!¡± She leaned over between the two of us, looking closely at the display. ¡°Feeling at home with your kind, Predator?¡± Maeve above us nearly jumped out of her skin, and I reached out to ground her; Valek shifted to stand between us and the source of the noise. Turning to look, I saw a great pink Iftali hobbling toward us as quickly as their knobby knees would carry them. I kept behind Maeve, staying out of sight of the intruder, though I could see Valek¡¯s tail thrash and wool flare at the man¡¯s accusation. ¡°She isn¡¯t a predator.¡± Pity crossed the Iftali¡¯s features, and his voice was kind as he spoke to Valek; too kind, like he was one of the myriad pups milling about the exhibit. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, it won¡¯t do anything while I¡¯m here; you can speak freely, citizen.¡± They bowed their head slowly in Valek¡¯s direction, then mine. ¡°Lafza. A pleasure to serve you. I am the curator of this house of knowledge.¡± Maeve snorted, an unflattering sound that slipped into a soft cough, her good hand coming up to her veil before she collected herself. ¡°Does that mean you¡¯re the one who put together these¡­ creative displays?¡± ¡°That I am! I¡¯m pleased you found this exhibit actually, Predator.¡± Lafza lifted their long neck high, puffing out their chest as a tone of condescension slipped into their voice. ¡°Mine is the best depiction of Venlil Prime¡¯s Predators this side of the Capitol! By the order, you poor Venlil had the most horrid displays I¡¯d ever seen when I got here; it was like you don¡¯t even know your own predators! I swear, you weaklings would be lost without us.¡± Valek was incensed, and looked about ready to charge the elder, but I grabbed his wool and pulled him back. Maeve picked up in our silence, ¡°Oh, I am sure they are quite the improvement! Your great institution¡¯s workmanship is clearly on display as much as your knowledge. I haven¡¯t learned Venlil writing yet, maybe you could tell me what these are? Lafza scoffed, clicking their tongue derisively. ¡°Of course you haven¡¯t! Certainly couldn¡¯t expect a Predator to have picked up even the Primitive¡¯s language this quickly, let alone the Venlil¡¯s. Very well, let us begin.¡± Valek and I watched as he walked past us, while Maeve politely followed, ¡°Here we have the Kelach, a monstrous beast that hunts its way through the edge of twilight. Although such beasts are rare to encounter, they most certainly pose a threat, especially to a species as soft as the Venlil. Note the fangs and the size of its maw; even the smaller ones can consume a Venlil whole. Those piercing blue eyes have been the last thing many a prey species have seen before their deaths. A predator to put even your kind to shame.¡± Maeve nodded and bowed dramatically, her voice rising and falling in musical fashion, ¡°Oh, most definitely! Truly, humans could bear-ly hold a candle to the dangers of Venlil wildlife!¡± Lafza continued, their hooves tokking on the floor as they walked on to the next display, pointing to the skeletal beast of skin and teeth. ¡°This is the Tangar. A vicious nightside ambush predator. One wrong step in its territory and you¡¯ll be pounced on and devoured in mere seconds.¡± They surreptitiously tapped a paw-level button to the side of the display, causing the model to screech and jump again; Maeve jumped in a playful fashion, somehow finding this degradation delightful. Lafza bellowed their lesson, obviously pleased to have ¡®startled¡¯ Maeve. ¡°Although far rarer for Venlil to encounter due to their habitation in Night, they are still a genuine danger to those who would wander from the herd. Surely not even your predatory reflexes could defeat its pouncing.¡± Maeve spoke through a wavering voice, trying to wipe her eyes under her veil, ¡°Nope! Most cert-heh-hly not!¡± She sniffed away unseen muck, and took a deep breath. ¡°Ehh-Heh, hem. Hmm Hoo! And how about this¡­¡± Hold on. She was laughing! Barely holding it in! What could she find- ¡°This lovely specimen. What¡¯s this angry boy called?¡± ¡°Of course your kind would call this lovely. This, is a Shadest-!¡± Maeve burst out in breathy cackles as she turned away from the curator, bringing her hand to her face to try to muffle further indignities. Valek and I started to titter along with her, caught up in her mirth. ¡°What is so funny, Predator?!¡± ¡°Why does it have hands?!?!¡± Maeve rounded on the curator, screaming in exasperated disbelief. ¡°You put the same claws on the Shadestalker as the Tangar! The Kelach has venomous fangs, and it and Shadestalker both have Venlillian wool! There is no fucking way the Kelach has bioluminescent eyes. I¡¯ve seen better taxidermy in a goddamn Spirit Halloween! Who gave you these Questing-Beast-ass models?!¡± ¡°I-I¡­¡± They stuttered a moment, ears flicking between each of us in turn before they took in a deep breath and stood a little straighter. ¡°I made them myself with testimony provided by our very own Dawn Creek Exterminators office.¡± Yeah, cause they¡¯re so good at their jobs. ¡°I beg your pardon?!¡± The curator¡¯s attention snapped to me and he pointed a hoof in insult, making to step to me, ¡°I won¡¯t take any dune-sliding from the likes of-¡± My ears fell back against my head as I realized the ¡®inside thought¡¯ had escaped. Valek crouched between the curator and I, leveling his crown to the elder¡¯s sternum, and I could hear his claws scratch against the tile at our feet- ¡°And the Tangar!¡± Maeve¡¯s voice cut off the curator¡¯s, pulling his attention away from me and Valek. She left our side and moved to the opposite end of the display, forcing the Iftali to choose to focus on her or us; he chose the former. ¡°What of it? Going to criticize my work again, beast?!¡± Maeve belted, ¡°HA! There is no ¡®work¡¯ to criticize! Think for just half a moment, I know it¡¯s hard,¡± the Iftali sputtered indignantly, ¡°You said the Tangar is a night-side predator? Lives in a perpetual winter from lack of sun? So why is it hairless?¡± ¡°Now see here, I will not-¡± ¡°It would freeze to death in an hour! What in the world led you to believe anything living in such a frigid environment would be, not only hairless, but skeletal?!¡± Maeve glared at the Iftali from under her veil, hands on her hips as she waited for an answer. The curator pushed themselves up to their full height, though still only just a head above Maeve, and stomped right up to Maeve, implicitly commanding her to back down. ¡°I will not be talked down to by some BEAST wi-¡± ¡°AND YOU WILL NOT CALL MY FRIENDS WEAK!¡± Maeve shrieked. Too loud. Too sharp. Her voice silenced the dull murmur of the crowd around us, until it was the only sound stabbing into my ears. I pulled into myself as the room and the anger overwhelmed me, clinging onto Valek¡¯s arm as I started to go wall-eyed. Valek saw my distress and tried to ground me as Maeve and the Curator continued yelling at each other, neither giving a tail of ground as Maeve defended us and the Curator belittled us. I pressed my ear into his chest, and he covered my other ear with his free hand. I felt him yell something at the two of them, and Maeve¡¯s voice went quiet. A moment longer, and he pulled his arms from mine to be quickly replaced by Maeve¡¯s. Under Maeve¡¯s shower of - much quieter - apologies, I watched Valek walk up to the curator, still spewing his vitriol. Valek waited for him to lose his breath, before speaking calmly, but boldly, into the witnessed silence. ¡°We¡¯re leaving. But not before I tell you, and everyone here: We are stronger than you tell us we are.¡± Every ear was on Valek, and the Curator scowled as he glared down at him, whipping his against his backside in haughty irritation. ¡°I have seen enough of We Venlil back home, in the arcade, and here in the museum to know that We are many things, but ¡®timid¡¯ is not one of them. Proven by the fact that you need to beat it into us, in our news, in our schools, in our ¡®history¡¯, every single Paw. I have learned that we are so much more than what people tell us. And I hope - no, I know - that we will all learn our strength. Soon.¡± Valek bowed politely, turned his tail on the curator, and herded Maeve and I out of the exhibit. Maeve lifted me into her arm, holding me aloft with her sling, and turned to face the sputtering Iftali as she walked, pointing two fingers at her veiled eyes, and swinging them back to him. The Foundations of Humanity 37 (More Than You Can Chew) - an NoP fanfic Memory transcription subject: Alvi, Venlil Tourist. Date [standardized human time]: Sept 12th, 2136. Start of 3rd Claw I found my voice as the throng parted before us, clearing our path to the exit and out of the museum. ¡°You didn¡¯t have to do that, Maeve. We aren¡¯t exactly known for being-¡± ¡°Stop it. I won¡¯t tolerate anyone saying my girlfriend is weak or timid; you¡¯re a cat-coated badass, and got the claws to prove it!¡± Valek¡¯s tail swayed with humor as we stepped out of the shadow of the Museum, and I was thankful for the warmth on my wool. ¡°Tarlim said something about two attacks on prime station, yeah? With the ¡®Sovlin Incident¡¯, that makes you one of only four non-humans to draw human blood; three of which are Venlil!¡± My tail kinked at the reminder of my panic attack, but I could feel my mood lighten at their assurances. Despite everything, they still stuck with me, and even defended me from that egotistical windbag! Maeve let me down at my prompting, and I trotted up to walk beside Valek. The warmth of the sun was doing wonders for my nerves, but it wasn¡¯t lost on me that Valek and Maeve were still having trouble. Valek was on alert, eyes and ears on a swivel; watching for some exterminator truck to pick us up, no doubt. Maeve had retreated into herself again, trying not to focus on the herds around us as the noise of the city started to sink in. I knew just the thing! I caught Maeve¡¯s attention with my tail, then swatted Valek¡¯s ear with my own. The sudden distraction startled him as his eye watched mine in confusion. Not breaking eye contact, I swung my ear against his again, but he dropped it at the last moment and I swatted air. His tail thrashed and slapped my side with a soft whap, and I could hear Maeve giggle behind us. Valek shifted his attention to her, then to me as recognition crossed his features. My ears were high and I closed my eyes in glee, jutting my long tongue out as my tail emphasized my swagger. Maeve was audibly laughing now, high and bubbling as she followed behind us. I called behind me, ¡°There¡¯s our Daylight! A little rain just makes damp wool, it¡¯s ok.¡± Maeve caught her breath, and spoke low and worriedly, ¡°I-I¡¯m really sorry Alvi, I didn¡¯t mean to worry you. That curator just¡­ Gah! You guys don¡¯t deserve that.¡± Valek tried to swat me again with his tail, but I blocked with my own and wrapped around it as he returned my playfulness. My eye wandered among the city and landed on a storefront, ¡°No, but you know what we do deserve? A snack!¡± I gently pulled Valek¡¯s tail to follow as we crossed the pedestrian crossway to a Strabundt bar, wide open to the shade and gentle wind. Voices died as a field of ears were raised and focused on us when we approached, making us pause at the oppressive attention. ¡°Maybe¡­¡± Valek murmured for us alone, ¡°Maybe we should take-away¡­ You two stay put, I¡¯ll be right back.¡± And he bounded off to the counter. The herd avoided him as he passed, leaning away and turning ears from him. The attendant¡¯s tail thrashed as he approached, and I clearly saw ¡®speh¡¯ on their lips. ¡°Alvi¡­ um¡­¡± Maeve¡¯s voice pulled me from Valek¡¯s diplomacy, and I noticed Maeve was hunched over, staring at the ground; like a great collar was around her neck. ¡°Thank you. For not, uh¡­ being afraid of me.¡± I tried to let my body sing my happiness at knowing her, unsure if she could see or understand, but hoping she would learn, just like I did. ¡°And thank you, for your patience while I learned not to. I know what it¡¯s like to be avoided, but nothing like this. It¡¯s ok, we¡¯ll be back at the hotel soon.¡± I wrapped my tail around her ankle as we stood there, well outside of the shop. The attendant finally punched in what I hoped was our order, and Valek¡¯s tail and ears were frantic ¡®thank you¡¯s as he stepped away from the counter. ¡°Ya know,¡± Maeve¡¯s voice picked up a little under her veil, ¡°it was really nice learning about the warp drives. Not least of all because I got to watch you bouncing around like one of those pups!¡± My ears fell at my slight embarrassment, ¡°Yeah, I might have gotten a little carried away¡­¡± She gently shoved me to show her good humor, ¡°I mean it, I liked it!¡± My sight wandered above me, to see Maeve lifting her veil just for me, letting me see her beaming smile. ¡°You¡¯re really smart, Alvi. Don¡¯t let anyone tell you otherwise.¡± My heart swelled at the compliment as Valek returned with two full paper bags. ¡°Got some two-paw wraps, and they had a sale on three-paw so I got a bunch for you Maeve!¡± He called. ¡°They had a really good jelly bar, so I might have over-brushed the wool on that. I think I saw a table a little further up the way?¡± Valek pointed at a table off of the main thoroughfare, and it was not lost on me that several herds still passed within a few tail-lengths of the dining area. I had my fill of crowds by this point and, judging by Maeve¡¯s fidgeting, I bet she felt the same. ¡°I¡¯d like something a little¡­ quieter. How about back here?¡± I led the three of us further down to a breezeway between the buildings of the city-cell, finding our way to an empty loading bay out of sight of the road. Valek and I sat on the ledge of a cargo platform; I looked to Maeve, who was glancing around anxiously. I beeped at her for her attention, signing comfort and invitation; she was getting good at our tail signals! In the privacy of the breezeway she lifted her veil and sat beside me, while Valek opened the feed-bag on my other side and started handing out wraps. They were a variety of shapes, but consistent; Strabundt were normally wrapped to show how old the Strayu was aged, one point per paw, with two-paw forming an oblong leaf shape. I took a crunching bite of one of the two-paws as Valek was setting out the nearly dozen cups of jellies, oils, and juices. Holding her triangular wrap, Maeve asked quizzically, ¡°So you call this a Strabundt?¡± I tried chewing through my over-dry first bite, savoring the tang of the aged Strayu and appreciating the bar¡¯s choice of salt and herbs. Valek flicked assent as he explained while I tried to swallow, ¡°It¡¯s aged and crumbled Strayu mixed with seasonings, packed and wrapped in Bundt leaves. It¡¯s pretty tasty dry,¡± I nodded in the human fashion, as my tail wagged an enthusiastic affirmative and I poured a bit of firefruit into my now-open wrap and took another crunchy bite, ¡°but it¡¯s often served with some kind of wet thing to add to it.¡± Maeve bit a corner of her wrap, snapping the bunt leaf and spilling a smattering of crumbs as she hastily leaned forward to hold the food past her lap. Valek and I giggled at her gaff and reaction, but Maeve was frozen as her eyes were wide in surprise, ¡°... That¡­ That¡¯s really good.¡± Valek and I were glowing from being the first to show Maeve the incredible Venlillian cuisine, ¡°Our Strayu is exported all across the Federation, no one does it like us!¡± ¡°I can see why! You''re right, though, it''s a little dry. Could you hand me something sweet and fresh?¡± Valek grabbed and passed a cup of sweetened shadeberry jam around behind me on the platform. I grabbed and spread a claw-full of spiced Melroot paste on my opened wrap before I took another bite, letting the smooth and tangy flavor sink into my senses along with the residual firefruit from my last bite. Valek poured a helping of greeol juice into his, the two-paw discoloring as the aged strayu soaked up every drop of the translucent pink nectar. The hunger of the day catching up to us, we ate there in silence broken only by the occasional request for dipping. Maeve was just finishing her third wrap as she slowed down, letting the wrap and its holding hand fall to her lap, and sighed with satisfaction. ¡°Fuck that was good. I love your guys¡¯ food, but¡­ Man¡­¡± She looked at the lonely two-bites-worth of Strabundt in her hand, turning it back and forth idly before mumbling, ¡°I honestly didn¡¯t think Lembas Bread would be so savory¡­¡± Valek and I were startled in surprise. Valek had just taken another bite of his second wrap, so I swallowed mine and asked, ¡°Wait, you know what this is? Humans have something like Strayu?¡± Maeve¡¯s words struggled past her bite, ¡°I ¡®dunno,¡± and covered her mouth as she hastily swallowed, ¡°what is ¡®Strayu¡¯?¡± ¡°Oh! It¡¯s this forged food we crea¡­¡± Valek¡¯s tail sagged as his words died in his mouth. ¡°Did¡­ did we even create it¡­?¡± The despair in his voice stopped me cold. The weight of what we had discovered crept up my spine, and threatened to settle into mind; I wrapped my tail around his back, and his mine, as I laid my head on his shoulder. The three of us sat in silence, allowing our discoveries to sink in, and become real. Valek¡¯s shoulder tensed under me. I heard him huff, and watched his grip on the wrap become tighter, and tighter, threatening to crumble it in his paw¡­ before he relented, and I heard and felt his voice. ¡°This¡­ was made by a Venlil. With Venlil paws, in a Venlil bar. The Strayu was made with Venlil grains, from a Venlil farm.¡± I lifted my head from his shoulder, seeing him glaring down at the bite of food with his ears high and forward, ¡°Our planet grew the Ipsom. Our people brought the food of Venlil Prime together to make something incredible! This. Is. Ours. No matter what happened when They found us, no matter what They replaced or erased, this is ours, now.¡± His eye met mine, and he held what was left of his wrap out to me, ¡°To Venlil.¡± I giggled as I held my the last of my two-paw, tapping it to his as my ears swayed optimistically, ¡°And to new History.¡± Love this story? Find the genuine version on the author''s preferred platform and support their work! And we tossed our final bites of Strabundt into our mouths with a satisfying crunch. We all enjoyed our company for a while longer; the worst of our hunger abated, we fell to a slow snacking as we made our way through the rest of the bag. We told Maeve about Strayu, and that it is a ¡®traditional¡¯ Venlillian dish made from Ipsom grain, Malley oil, Poffel paste, Uin, and water. It was so labor intensive, it was often made with the help of families or partners. Because of all of this, it is a very sentimental food, and fresh strayu is often gifted as a declaration of intention, or as a celebration, or as mourning. ¡°Mourning?¡± Maeve¡¯s face was confused before realization crossed it, ¡°When we went to the cattle memorial, those loaves scattered around were Strayu?¡± ¡°Well, yeah! Families would make a loaf to have together, then leave some of it for whoever was mis-¡± Tick-ik-ik-ik-ik-ik --- Memory transcription subject: Maeve, Temporary Resident of Venlil Prime. Date [standardized human time]: Sept 12th, 2136. Start of 3rd Claw The metallic clicking caught my focus immediately, and I was faced with two aliens blocking the entrance of the alley; one appeared to be Venlil, but the other I couldn¡¯t recognize, though it was taller than their partner, and their arms were more flexible than an ¡®arm¡¯ should be. Their uniforms were immediately recognizable as high-temperature exo-suits, and upon seeing them I saw the source of the ticking was the nozzle of a long chrome flamethrower. Exterminators. Alvi froze beside me and I could see her wool flaring, Valek¡¯s affect shifted from surprise to fury lightning-quick. I remembered what they told me, what Alvi said of their foster program, and what Tarlim said of their ¡®Correctional Facilities¡¯. We needed to get out of here. I spoke calmly, low enough that a human wouldn¡¯t hear me from this distance, ¡°Valek, take Alvi an-¡± ¡°Don¡¯t run. You¡¯ll just die tired.¡± The voice called from the apparent Venlil exterminator on the right, cold and still as a lifeless reservoir, colder than I had ever heard the Venlil¡¯s language. The left one lifted what looked to be a tentacle, and leaned into a silver disk on the forward shoulder of their uniform as they pressed it. . The first exterminator spoke again, ¡°Stay where you are, predator. You two: other side of the breezeway. Now.¡± Valek jumped down from the platform, standing between us and the pair. ¡°You won¡¯t touch them!¡± The pair stepped forward, and my blood froze at the roar of the flamethrower¡¯s gas, ¡°You¡¯re right. We won¡¯t.¡± ¡°DO YOU TWO WANT TO END UP LIKE THAT PICVEN, TREVEN?!!¡± The sudden shout made even the exterminators jump in alarm at its volume; the one who had been only a second before so eager to use that flamethrower now dropped it as if it were itself burning. The first kept their head, speaking in a level voice. ¡°Ulmic, stay out of this, and you can spare your paws the ash.¡± The large Gojid turned the corner of the alley, and his shadow fell over the exterminators; his quills were full-bristled and rattling as his iron focus laid on the pair. ¡°Stay out of this? What, you¡¯re going to handle this like you did with that human at the station? You¡¯re lucky that Treven took all the blame for firing first! You all joining in practically cost us whatever prestige we had left!¡± Taking the opportunity given by his distraction, I frantically looked around the apparent loading bay and saw a stack of emptied crates and boxes at the end of the platform. I pushed Alvi¡¯s shoulder, pointing at our salvation, and she took the implicit command to dive behind the refuse. I tried to hide with her, but the sight of Valek alone in the alley chilled me. Telling Alvi to hide, I grabbed the first solid thing near me - an empty glass bottle - and stood beside Valek, ready to crash glass against whatever came for us. The burn-happy second exterminator kept their focus on me and Valek, leveling their nozzle at us while the first turned to return Ulmic¡¯s challenge. ¡°What we did was for the safety of the Herd. We stand at the Edge to protect those in the Center, just like you did.¡± ¡°Oh, spehkan your damn cult! You did it because you¡¯re scorch-minded, and you know it. You should have known better than to follow Treven! But, brahk it, here we are! What sivkit-brained idea made you think burning a human was smart?!¡± Not waiting for an answer, Ulmic continued his tirade, ¡°This Magistrate is just waiting for a reason to charge at us, and that damned Venric is drooling over your paychecks like a hungry Grey!¡± The Venlil stared Ulmic down through their mask, but their tail was unusually and only sporadically still; the other¡¯s attention on Valek and I faltered as their head turned to keep all three of us in their wide periphery. A long silence hung in the air as the trio stared each other down, before Ulmic gestured calm and his voice fell into his familiar fatherly tone, ¡°Look¡­ We¡¯ve got orders from Kevros. It would be a political disaster if you burned a human, and it would be a PR disaster if this mess makes it to the news. So how about you let me take the human back where it came from, and we all forget this happened. Deal?¡± The woman stood tall. ¡°Sir, we gave an oath that we would defend this district from all predators, like that thing, so that¡¯s what we¡¯re going to do! Right, Nenikes?¡± They turned to where the flame-happy xeno had been, but to all our surprise, it was just empty air. Looking back, I caught the silver flash of a tail disappearing around the corner of the alley¡¯s other end. The Venlil¡¯s attention split between Ulmic in one eye, and Valek and I in their other; they turned aside and put their back to the wall, swinging their nozzle between the three of us. I pulled my good hand behind me, ready to crash the bottle against the exterminator¡¯s head at a moment¡¯s notice. Valek was wound tight, like a spring ready to snap, ready to charge through the fire and torch right through the exterminator and the wall behind them. A deep chuckle lessened the tension, ¡°Dawn Creek¡¯s finest,¡± Ulmic deadpanned at the disappearance of the partner before turning back to the Venlil. ¡°Now if you¡¯re bringing up oaths, how about our first? ¡®We shall protect all the people of the district.¡¯ Sound familiar? Well.¡± He pointed at me. ¡°Person. So, take the paw. Go get a drink or four. Go home and watch some of your soaps, and I¡¯ll see you next shift; alright?¡± A moment¡¯s thought, before the Venlil clambered across the wall, past the Gojid, and broke into a run as soon as they reached the street. My vision clouded and exhausted breath fell from my mouth. The bottle dropped from my hand as my knees gave out and I fell to the ground. My hands shook and my breathing rattled in panic while tears welled in my eyes as the weight of what almost happened threatened to suffocate my senses. ¡°Th-They were go-going to burn me! I didn¡¯t do anything! They only s-saw me, and-¡± Valek¡¯s back filled my sight, and I could feel his tail wrap around me. His presence slowed my panic and allowed my tears to flow; but I knew what was true. I knew what I almost did, ¡°They came for me¡­ t-to¡­ they were going to burn you and Alv-... Alvi. Alvi!!¡± I was slammed with clarity of sense, but not of mind. I whipped around to her hiding place behind the refuse, terrified that the second exterminator got her while we were focused on the first. I shrieked her name, trying to throw myself upright but tripping on my burka. I took the fall on the shoulder, and my shoes skid on the soft asphalt as I resigned to crawling on my hand and knees. When next I looked up, Alvi was already at a full sprint to me and relief flooded me to see her safe. I caught her with my good arm as she hugged me around the neck, blubbering apologies for putting her in danger, ¡°I¡¯m sorry - I¡¯m sorry - I¡¯m so sorry, I shouldn¡¯t have come here I shouldn-¡± ¡°It¡¯s not your fault,¡± I heard Ulmic''s calming baritone, his footsteps clicking closer. ¡°They-¡° ¡°Get the Brahk Back!¡± Valek screamed behind me and my head snapped to the noise. His tail was lashing in fury, his crown leveled on the Gojid as he stared him down. Ulmic halted, and his voice was level and placating, but Valek was not calmed, ¡°I won¡¯t let you take her!¡± ¡°No one¡¯s taking anyone anywhere. Believe me, I-¡± ¡°Vyalpic! I know what you ash-breathers do! ¡®Protect the herd¡¯ my tail! All you do is burn everything you touch, and disappear anyone who asks ¡®why?¡¯. NOT HERE! You won¡¯t have either of them!¡± Panic started to fill Valek¡¯s voice, bleating through Ulmic¡¯s confused pleading, ¡°You stole our history from us! Lied to my family! You act like we¡¯re too weak to do anything, and any time we do, any success we make for ourselves, you steal it and wear our pride like another speh¡¯d badge on your uniform!¡± I let go of Alvi and turned to Valek, calling out to him to stop. He didn¡¯t hear me through his screaming, his anguish, pain, and frustration at the specter of his fabricated history. I stood on my knee and pulled him to us, wrapping both of my lovers in the cloak of my burka as Alvi and I tried to calm Valek down between us. Valek¡¯s voice fell to a whimper and his coherence faltered as Alvi worked to bring him back to ground. I had just caught my first level breath when I heard an all but whispered ¡°Protector, save us.¡± followed by a grumbling cough. ¡°So, uh¡­ That talk go ok?¡± The whiplash of what happened against that last night¡¯s wonderful confession set me laughing, easing the tears in my eyes as I sniffed muck from my nose. ¡°Yeah! Yeah, the talk was good. We went to see the museum today and learned a bit about how the Federation did things. Some of it was rather personal, and we¡¯re all still a little r-... wounds are still a little fresh. I¡¯m sorry you took the brunt of that.¡± Ulmic took a deep breath and sighed, the universal signal of ¡®yeah that wasn¡¯t great¡¯. ¡°Better me than those two. They¡­¡± In his silence, he desperately reached for the right words, ¡°They were good people. Nalja covered for me, so I could stay with Bernia the last time she gave birth. Nenikes, he-he pushed for the closure of the Facility!¡± Valek croaked up from below me, ¡°So good to other exterminators and their reputation.¡± I leaned back to let the pair breathe. Valek¡¯s eyes were orange and puffy, and his voice gurgled through muck, his ears were accusatory as he talked to Ulmic. ¡°No way you ash-breathers would actually help people.¡± ¡°They did and we do! Nalja, she didn¡¯t used to be so¡­¡± His quills fell flat, unwilling to stand anymore. ¡°I knew some of us weren¡¯t¡­ kind. ¡®Preylike¡¯. But I thought they were better than that. I thought they were kind. I-¡± His focus found my veiled face, ¡°I just want my friends back.¡± Everywhere I looked¡­ So many people lost so much. Was this because of us? Were we really so horrifying that they would turn like this? No. "Your friends were kind, because it is easy to be kind to what is familiar. When everything changes, when your world is flipped to something you can''t recognize, hard thoughts sound a lot more sane. I¡¯m sorry your friends¡­ I¡¯m sorry this happened.¡± Ulmic nodded. And again, with certainty, having made a decision that weighed on him. He stood straight and resolute, and spoke calmly with a tired breath. ¡°Alright, let¡¯s get you guys back to the hotel. Just next to the forum, right?¡± ¡°Yeah, I think that¡¯s best.¡± I stood and pulled Valek with me, not missing his thrashing tail and angry eye on Ulmic. ¡°Today has been¡­ yeah¡­¡± My voice was tired; I was done. ¡°... I think I¡¯m ready to go home.¡± The Foundations of Humanity 38 (Clawing) - an NoP fanfic Memory transcription subject: Maeve, Temporary Resident of Venlil Prime. Date [standardized human time]: Sept 12th, 2136. Middle of 4th Claw. The walk with Ulmic was¡­ pleasant, and blissfully short. Valek trailed behind as I walked with the big Gojid on one side and Alvi on the other with her tail around my wrist. I couldn¡¯t see him, but I could feel Valek staring daggers at the back of Ulmic¡¯s head. Ulmic, for his part, did a wonderful job of keeping me distracted with conversation; for once on this trip, I could almost forget the crowds of Venlil giving us a klick-wide berth. Almost. Once we reached safety in the lobby of Setting Sun, Valek noticeably relaxed before trudging to the elevator to our room as Ulmic offered to take us to the park one of the days we were still here. ¡°I appreciate the offer, but I think we will be staying in ¡®till we leave. If I¡¯m honest, I¡¯d rather not be in Dawn Creek anymore, even by the morning if I can help it. I¡¯ll miss you, Ulmic, but I¡¯ll try to keep in touch.¡± Ulmic pulled his head to one side and his ears went flat; a signal I didn¡¯t understand, but did not seem positive. ¡°Yeah¡­ I do wish you had a better time here; I love this city, but I can¡¯t fault you after what happened. Hey, if you¡¯re gonna be holed up, you should try Flowerbird¡¯s Delight or Nana¡¯s Anuana¡¯s they¡¯re two of my favorites when I¡¯m stuck in the office, and they both deliver.¡± After exchanging our thank yous and goodbyes, Alvi and I met Valek at the elevator. The familiar slide of the bedroom door was like music to my ears as I quickly tore my veil off my head and breathed a sigh of relief; I wasn¡¯t the only one, as Alvi went right to the bed and curled up in the center of the bowl. ¡°The Talk?¡± I turned around to see Valek pacing in front of the window, his tail thrashing in a hundred different emotions I couldn''t understand. ¡°He¡¯s who you met at the Forum, isn¡¯t he?¡± ¡°Yeah¡­¡± I chuckled incredulously, taken aback by his question, ¡°He was a bit of an ass at first but-¡± Valek wheeled around, facing me with both eyes, ¡°What were you thinking? He¡¯s an Exterminator! You could have gotten killed! You left us and went right up to an exterminator to-to, what? Make friends?!¡± His tone caught me off guard, and I stuttered my response, ¡°I-I didn¡¯t know he was an exterminator then, I just-¡± ¡°I TOLD you they were exterminators! I thought you would understand but-¡± Like hell I was going to take this; I didn¡¯t even start it, he came to me! What was Valek on?! ¡°Well maybe if SOMEONE had-¡± No. Stop it. You know exactly where this will go. You don¡¯t mean what you¡¯re saying, and you know he doesn¡¯t either. You¡¯re both tired, and scared. Breathe. Let it pass. I tore my sight from him, closed my eyes, and took a long breath. In through the nose, out through the mouth, and again. ¡°I know you¡¯re angry¡­ and scared¡­ so am I. But these aren¡¯t your words, they¡¯re your hurt. Breathe, and come back to me, please?¡± Valek¡¯s tail was still thrashing and twitching, as his ears flipped from flat against his head to facing me, erratic and panicked, ¡°They found us! W-We left the street, we gave them space, we tried to hide and they still found us!¡± His voice started to choke and stutter over his building phlegm, ¡°I¡­ I can¡¯t stop them! I can¡¯t stop this! They¡¯re everywhere, and I can¡¯t-¡± before his words failed entirely and he fell on his rump, hugging his tail against his chest as his ears pressed against the back of his head. ¡°I brought you here! I thought it was safe! My people, my planet, everyone is trying to - to¡­ I can¡¯t protect you from this. From Us. Why-¡± I sat down across from him, and pulled his head to rest under my chin. I ran my fingers through the wool down his back as his arms wrapped up and around mine, desperately gripping and kneading fistfulls of linen as he cried into my chest. --- Memory transcription subject: Maeve, Temporary Resident of Venlil Prime. Date [standardized human time]: Sept 15th, 2136. End of 2nd Claw. ¡°And that¡¯s another 11, so another three woolgrass for me!¡± Alvi whistled with satisfaction as she collected the yellow wooden pieces from the board. ¡°Ya know, that¡¯s the third time in a row you¡¯ve rolled an 11. I¡¯m starting to think you¡¯re taking advantage of my illiteracy.¡± I fidgeted with my paltry piles across from Alvi¡¯s heaps before reaching for the 7-sided dice. ¡°You sure you read the rules right? There¡¯s another, like, 4 tiles in the box?¡± ¡°Oh yeah, it''s an easy game to pick up.¡± She answered, pulling the faded pamphlet from the tabletop to her seat. ¡°Uh, huh. What¡¯s these say?¡± - ¡°That¡¯s a 6.¡± - ¡°So I get the¡­¡± - ¡°Deeproot; orange pieces.¡± Alvi picked up a purple bushel piece and idly brought it to her teeth, but I laid my hand on her wrist to stop it. Her eyes flashed with recognition, then shame, as she pulled a pistachio from her shoulder pack. She had already finished the rest of her Crystal Cuties yesterday, and it was only by the grace of Flowerbird¡¯s Delight¡¯s nut mixes that her pistachios were still around. Looking across the tiled pieces, I saw the orange hexagon had a rail line on it. ¡°Ok, well it¡¯s not nothing; so that¡¯s one for the rail, and one for it being lightspeed?¡± - ¡°It would be, but you never built the lightspeed.¡± - ¡°Sonuva¡­¡± I collected the gnarled orange piece as Alvi¡¯s snack rattled around her mouth. Looking up and over my shoulder, all I could see of Valek was his tail hanging limply over the edge of the warren bed. He hadn''t left the bed for anything but the bathroom ever since I laid him in it three days ago. It tore me up to see him like this; Alvi and I were taking care of him, making sure he ate, but this wasn¡¯t something we could fix. All we could do was give him time to heal. Reading on this site? This novel is published elsewhere. Support the author by seeking out the original. The door chimed before it slid open, the sudden woosh making Alvi drop several pieces and sending them clattering from the table to the floor. Ulmic filled the doorway with a worried look on his face. ¡°Ulmic! Hi! Uh, what¡¯s up?¡± His snout scanned the room, scattered with strewn blankets and disorganized luggage, I saw his blocky bear-like nose pull and curl as he met my eye, ¡°It¡¯s almost 3rd claw, are you guys ready?¡± My hazy memory sparked and fizzled, ¡°Ready¡­?¡± His shoulders fell as he looked at me; even through the language barrier, I knew ¡®Hopeless Sympathy¡¯ when I saw it. ¡°C¡¯mon, let¡¯s get you guys cleaned up; even the park has some standards.¡± Recognition shot through me, and I leapt to my feet, ¡°Oh my god, I¡¯m so sorry. We-¡± He waved his hands placatingly, ¡°It¡¯s fine, it¡¯s fine. I knew you guys were having a hard time, but¡­ Protector¡­ Any way I can help?¡± I started throwing laundry into my bag as Alvi packed up the foregone conclusion of a game. ¡°No, you¡¯re helping plenty; thank you for changing your plans for us!¡± Ulmic walked up to the Warren bed, his nose curling again as he looked inside. He reached down and took Valek¡¯s hands by the wrists and pulled him to sit on the lip of the bed. Valek¡¯s ears bobbed lifelessly as he hunched there, barely present as he stared wall-eyed at nothing. ¡°I was happy to; I wanted to show you more of this great city and hopefully help you leave on a good note. When is your shuttle coming?¡± He walked over to the covered window, twisting the mirrored blinds slightly to soak the room in daylight and prompting Valek to turn his sight away from the sudden brightness. Alvi slid the game back into its drawer as she spoke, then started collecting discarded take-out. ¡°Should be just after 4th claw. It¡¯s the first one Sam could get us on this short notice.¡± ¡°Good¡­ Good¡­ We can, uh¡­¡± He started wandering around the room, throwing anything cloth and not recognizably Federation my direction while I bundled what was ours into my bag. ¡°We have the time, so we can wait a little longer for Valek to take a bath.¡± Having tossed everything to me he could hope to assume was ours, Ulmic walked back to the door, ¡°I¡¯ll be at the lobby bar downstairs, just past the front desk.¡± And he stepped through the open door. I turned around, twisting a shirt in my hands, ¡°Hey, Ulmic?¡± He stopped the door with a heavy hand, meeting my eye with his, ¡°Thank you¡­ for trying.¡± His ears twisted in the same way Valek would when he was happy, before he let the door close and was gone. I looked around at the disaster of a hotel room, feeling my heart tear when I saw Valek just¡­ trying to exist. I moved and stooped down in front of him, running my hands over his tear-crusted snout and through the wool behind his ear, the smallest smile pulling at the corner of my mouth as he barely leaned into my touch. ¡°I¡¯m going to give him a bath, can you finish packing up, Alvi?¡± She gave an affirmative beep as she collected what was left of our minimal possessions, and my good hand held Valek¡¯s jaw so I could look him in the eye, ¡°C¡¯mon big guy, I¡¯ve only got the one arm to carry you; can you stand and walk for me? Please?¡± He gave no indication that he heard me before he slid off the bed and took a readying breath as he made his first step toward the washroom. I collected his brush and joined him inside, closing the door behind me as I did. Ulmic was right, Valek was a mess; fur pointing every direction and clearly dingy and discolored in the washroom¡¯s hard light, his muzzle especially was crusted with gunk from his eyes and mouth. I collected our shampoos and detanglers amid the thundering warm water of the quickly filling tub, then quickly undressed myself. Valek¡¯s ears moved slightly, like they tried to move forward through molasses, and I failed to suppress a giggle, ¡°Oh! We order some xeno-banana-strone and not even a twitch outta you, but I drop my knickers and that gets your attention?¡± His dingy snout quickly flushed as his tail wrapped around his legs, eyes flashing between me and whatever else they could land on. My mouth cracked in a smile as I leaned down to kiss him, letting our lips linger for a moment longer than needed. I pulled away and continued getting ready, quickly impressed at the effectiveness of Venlillian tubs as the waterline filled past what I needed. I shut off the water and the washroom was suddenly quiet save for the dripping of the fill faucet as I pulled Valek to the tub and helped him in, watching his wool float and flow to blur his silhouette. I stepped into the tub behind him and laid my legs on either side as he turned his head slightly to keep me in his rear periphery. Once I had found a way to fit myself around him comfortably, I drew our first dollop of shampoo and started to work it into his wool. Valek¡¯s ears laid flat against his head and I watched his chest heave with breaths before starting to shudder with broken sobs. My hands stopped their work, moving to his back in a poor attempt to comfort him. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, I¡¯m sorry¡­ I-I¡¯m sorry I can¡¯t- I¡­ I¡¯m-¡± I wrapped my arm around his chest and pulled him against me, his hands quickly finding my arm to hold it like a lifeboat as his emotions flooded him again. I told him it was ok, that he would get through this. I held him tight with a fervent fear of the yawning pit I knew he was so desperately trying to crawl from. A breath of cold air blew over us as the door to the bathroom slid open for Alvi, her body screaming her worry and confusion at the scene before her. I saw her gulp, trying to enter and stopping short of the fine slatted floor, before she collected herself and stepped over the threshold in feigned confidence. I could hear her try to inject humor into her voice, but the tremble under her words told me she was just as worried as I was. ¡°Maeve, you silly thing, you were supposed to clean him up; not let him get you filthy, too.¡± I barked a tearstained laugh, before talking through my sniffing nose, ¡°Yeah, well¡­ I was sharing a bed with him, so I figured I needed a bath too. Speaking of which¡­¡± I shot my hand around Valek¡¯s side, grabbing Alvi¡¯s wrist as she reached down to retrieve a brush from the tub¡¯s edge. Tugging hard, I pulled her into the tub along with us with a surprised bleat before she hit the water, the giant splash falling through the slatted floor to another drain. She righted herself quickly, sitting at the far end of the tub on her rump as she sputtered water from her mouth, ¡°Good to know you''re a sore loser, Maeve.¡± ¡°Oh, come off it; if Valek needed a bath, you know the both of us did, too. And, since you¡¯re already a mess, how about you get his front while I work on the back?¡± Alvi played an angry face but her ears were happy at our banter as she suds¡¯d up a brush. She shifted closer to Valek in front of me then started to work the foaming brush through the wool on his chest, while I weaved my fingers through the wool on his crown and neck. Valek was more present now, his ears twisting between Alvi and I as he watched us work; only a minute of this before Alvi spoke, ¡°Hey Maeve, I think you missed a spot¡­ right¡­ here.¡± Looking over Valek¡¯s frothing crown I saw Alvi pull his snout to her, pressing hers against his for a long moment. We continued to shower Valek with affection under the pretense of thorough cleaning, though he wasn¡¯t receptive to start with; but it wasn¡¯t long before his head would tilt for better access, or he would lean into Alvi¡¯s brush. It took over an hour and two tub re-fills before we were giving our final rinses and combing. Alvi stepped out of the bath, sopping wet over the slatted floor, and started to help Valek out too; I drained the bath a final time while rinsing the soap from myself with the showerhead. Alvi was giving him some final brushes now that he was out of the water when he laid his hand on the brush to pause her work. I was just turning off the water when he spoke, so soft and quiet that the walls of the hard bathroom still swallowed his words, ¡°Th-Thank you¡­ I¡­ Y-You didn¡¯t-¡± Alvi pushed her snout against his as she set the brush on the counter beside them. She held his face, rubbing her thumbs under his fresh-cleaned eyes as he squinted back tears. ¡°The night will swallow my star, before I let you go through this alone. Maeve and I will be right there beside you, as we make it through this together.¡± Stepping out of the tub, I ran the fingers of my good hand through the wool of his mane, and he turned slightly to see me behind him. ¡°Neither of us are going anywhere, and we will be here to pick you up when you can¡¯t stand alone.¡± I gently nudged them toward the drying stall on the other end of the bathroom, ¡°Go on, you two get dried up and I¡¯ll get dressed; I just hope Ulmic is still waiting for us...¡± The Foundations of Humanity 39 (Leaf on the Wind) - an NoP fanfic Memory transcription subject: Maeve, Temporary Resident of Venlil Prime. Date [standardized human time]: Sept 15th, 2136. Early 3rd Claw. We left the hotel room in a far better mood than when we had entered and made for the bar on the ground floor. I saw Ulmic¡¯s familiar white spines on dark brown fur, with his grey-tipped ears and fading muzzle, nursing a glass of some translucent pink liquid alongside another empty glass. Valek halted a moment when he saw him, but continued after a gentle nudge from me. Alvi whistled over the space for his attention, prompting him to disconnect a call he was in the middle of with hushed words. We exchanged our pleasantries as he led us back to the elevator down to the parking garage, and I was tickled at the similarities to earth. One thing I noticed were thicker walls and pillars, with a taller ceiling to allow space for arches. Thinking about it for a moment, it made sense they would need such changes in a higher gravity. As we passed the rows of vehicles, I noticed Ulmic was leading us toward a tall white van, similar to the utility vans I would see back home. Valek and Alvi saw it as well and both stopped in their tracks, Valek becoming more incensed as Alvi started to visibly tremble. I quickly moved to their side, holding fast to Valek¡¯s shoulder as I flipped the hem of my burka over Alvi to give her some kind of cover. ¡°Ulmic, uh¡­ do you think you could have chosen a better car?¡± He looked back at us with resignation and scratched the fur under his chin. ¡°Yeah, but the only way I could get this approved was if I were ¡®escorting a dangerous predator¡¯ to the starport. It¡¯s just a patrol car, never carried anything ¡®tainted¡¯, and it¡¯s not carrying any gear. Kevros¡¯ orders; ever since that debacle at Fed Cuisine, we¡¯re under orders to be unarmed when dealing with humans.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not just a patrol car, it¡¯s the same kind of car you¡¯d bring people in to get diagnosed. I¡¯m trying to trust you, Ulmic, but you can¡¯t seriously think-¡± ¡°It¡¯s fine.¡± Valek¡¯s voice was hoarse and grating as he walked ahead of us, making to pass Ulmic. ¡°Besides, if he does decide to take us in, at least it won¡¯t be a surprise.¡± His tail was high and idle, but I could see the wool on his shoulders standing on end as his words dripped venom, ¡°Right, Ash-breather?¡± Ulmic glared at him with flared quills as he passed, before looking at me with thinly veiled fury, ¡°He sits in back.¡± Valek whipped around, striding back to Ulmic and standing tall, ¡°Like Darkness I am! The only reason your sternum¡¯s still intact is because Maeve is giving you a chance, but not me. I won¡¯t let you get one tail closer to them than I have to!¡± Ulmic stood over Valek, stepping up and nearly knocking him over, ¡°I¡¯m trying to be civil to you, pup, but you¡¯re starting to prickle my quills; keep this up and we¡¯ll see how thick that skull is.¡± ¡°Stop!!¡± Alvi¡¯s shrill bleat halted the two and sent a jolt up my spine, cracking off the walls of the garage as I knelt beside her. Her ears and tail were pleading as I opened the burka for her, ¡°Please¡­ can we just go?¡± Valek shrunk as he realized what he was doing, and Ulmic gave a huff as he plodded toward the driver¡¯s side of the patrol car. Valek paused for Alvi and I to catch up to him, before going with Alvi to the rear-passenger door and helping her in, while I buckled my harness as we got underway. We wove through the city cells, flowing with the rest of traffic while pedestrians had their own roadways for the most part. I watched Venlil at crossings talking with others in their herd, some looking at their pads before joining another conversation. It was¡­ nice. Seeing people not being afraid. How many people out there would burn you alive with a wagging tail? I took a deep breath to stave off my anxieties and thought to fill the silence, ¡°How¡¯s Bernia doing? You two do anything fun since we talked?¡± ¡°Well that little incident in the breezeway meant I needed to tell her what was going on. She didn¡¯t like that you and I talked.¡± ¡°Oof, hope you¡¯re not sleeping on the couch for that.¡± ¡°Well she ain¡¯t happy, but she trusts me.¡± ¡°Seems you have a talent for that!¡± ¡°It¡¯s what happens when you¡¯re honest. I got her some Nana¡¯s as an apology, and we watched a few episodes of Thorns; she does love a taste of home!¡± I leaned back and looked up at the glass skyscrapers sliding past. ¡°I think we watched some of that yesterday; that¡¯s the rural Gojid period romance right?¡± ¡°With Tark as the male lead, yeah.¡± ¡°Well, I don¡¯t know who ¡®Tark¡¯ is, but that younger farmhand¡¯s gonna be trouble.¡± ¡°Dol-nah? You don¡¯t think he and Surmi are going to make it?¡± I waved my hand dismissively and he seemed to balk at that, ¡°Nooo. Ten-to-one, he¡¯s gonna get with Tulna and there¡¯s gonna be a pregnancy scandal arc; I¡¯m betting like¡­ six episodes from yesterday.¡± Ulmic rumbled a belly laugh through his words, ¡°Don¡¯t let Bernia hear you say that! Ain¡¯t enough anuana in Dawn Creek to heal her broken heart if Dol-nah doesn¡¯t pair up with Surmi.¡± I started laughing along with Ulmic, while Alvi piped up behind our mirth, ¡°Well you better start loading up your freezer, ¡®cause that ship ain¡¯t leaving the launch pad.¡± The car was a din of barking, huffing, and whistling as we laughed ourselves breathless. Ulmic asked me how I was so sure what was going to happen in Thorns, and I told him about human soap operas and how popular they are in many cultures. If you discover this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation. I was just talking to him about a few of our older ones when they were still novels, when Valek interjected, ¡°What about The Exterminators? You watch that one, Ulmic?¡± Ulmic fell silent and his ears went flat to his head as he watched Valek in his rear periphery, ¡°No. No we don¡¯t.¡± I could hear Valek¡¯s sneer in his words, ¡°Why, you jealous of their competency?¡± The air stank with silence, before Ulmic took a deep breath to answer, ¡°They don¡¯t show you what it¡¯s like to burn a den. They always show some¡­ big ol¡¯ cave¡­ that the team can surround, and get to whatever¡¯s inside. In my almost [ 40 solar years ] of service, I never saw that; not ¡®round here or Dayside, anyway.¡± Another long silence, but electric; we were all hanging on his every word, so tightly that we didn''t notice him pulling into a parking lot as he finished, ¡°What I did see¡­ far too many times¡­ were little burrows, for little predators; the biggest predator I ever saw - here or Dayside - came up to my knee. A problem, sure, especially for pups that don¡¯t pay attention, but¡­ Anyway they never show you what happens when you find the pack. The cubs, they¡­ They don¡¯t hiss¡­ or growl¡­ or roar. They scream.¡± He drew a shaking breath, staring at the steering wheel as he put the car into park, ¡°They just scream.¡± I didn¡¯t know what to say to that; words failed me as I watched Ulmic seem to disconnect from this world, only to snap back, like only just remembering reality. He sniffed away some muck and cleared his throat, quickly undoing his harness. ¡°We¡¯re here! There¡¯s a, uh¡­ a hill looking over the Creek there. I''ll be able to keep an eye on ya from the bench here; you three¡­ Take as long as you need.¡± Ulmic was out of the car and had closed his door with his final word, leaving us to our silence; after a moment he stood straight and walked confidently to a nearby bench, his confidence undercut by nearly collapsing into the empty seat. Valek¡¯s voice was weak behind me, ¡°I¡­ I didn¡¯t mean-¡± ¡°No, Valek; you did.¡± I didn¡¯t mean for my words to be so hard, but they were. I looked behind me and saw he was downcast, and I regretted what I said; Alvi looked apologetic as she took his hand into hers. I was suddenly drowning in the claustrophobia of the car, so I hastily unbuckled my harness which prompted the other two to do the same. We gave Ulmic a wide berth as we marched off to the hill, Alvi leading Valek and I. A rush of wind greeted us as we crested the hill, billowing my burka behind me so much, I needed to pull my veil down to keep anyone from seeing me. I watched Valek as he stood facing the wind, letting his shaggy wool flicker and flow as he opened his mouth slightly, tasting the breeze as it came. Alvi flopped onto the turquoise grass with a sigh, splaying out so all of her dark wool could soak up everything that the sun would give her. I reveled in their relief, taking in the sight ahead of me as I breathed the cool air. A broad, slow river bent around the grassy hill and I could make out a few herds walking on the undoubtedly SoftStreet path at the water¡¯s edge. The Venlillian sun was a kaleidoscope of light bursting sunbeams from billowing clouds as they raced away from it, in their constant migration toward the cooler Night. The sun burned red like a disk of hot nickel in the sky, wreathed by yellow fire and bathing us in its white light, filling the world around me with what color I could discern through my veil. I sat on the ground beside Alvi and pulled at Valek¡¯s paw to sit with us, after which he resumed his wind-swept reverie while Alvi repositioned herself to lay her head on my lap, and I adjusted my legs to make it easier for her. We sat there for a long time, enjoying the moment of¡­ simple quiet. The city had been so much, even setting aside the more unsavory parts. It was good to just take a moment. Eventually, Valek laid his head against my shoulder, ¡°I lost it again¡­¡± Alvi and I gave him our attention, letting him continue, ¡°I¡¯m sorry for what I said. To both of you, and to Ulmic. I¡­ think I know that I¡¯m not okay¡­ But I am trying to be better. I know your graces have their limits, I know you can¡¯t be - shouldn¡¯t be - patient with me forever. But I hope¡­ I hope you can see that I¡¯m trying.¡± Alvi reached up and took his hand in hers as she blinked slowly, just like Valek had done so many times for her and those around us, while I laid my good hand over theirs. We sat there a long time together, watching the river, until I felt Valek¡¯s weight sag down the front of my shoulder, startling him awake as he gave a deep yawn; Alvi giggled from my lap and yawned herself, before I succumbed to the tightness under my eyes and yawned as well. ¡°This is nice¡­¡± Alvi all but whispered. Valek and I voiced our agreement before he continued, ¡°I can¡¯t begin to tell you how excited I am to get home. I¡¯ve always loved the city; Hidden Plains, Dawn Creek¡­ I love the activity and the noise, the people and all the things to do! But this trip has been¡­¡± His words hung in the air, and I was the first to catch them, ¡°We started out really well! The Arcade was just amazing, and I was glad to try more of your food. I¡¯m glad I¡¯ve made a new friend, even if the circumstances of it were less fun. But I think my favorite part has been waking up with you two.¡± Alvi mewled as my nails found the skin of her shoulder, her voice lazy and flowing as she fought her own fatigue, ¡°I don¡¯t know how you two get out of bed in the morning when this is what you have to leave behind¡­¡± before her eyes snapped open and urgency sparked through her voice, ¡°How¡¯re we going to tell your parents?¡± Valek lifted from my shoulder to look out at the river, his ears swaying worriedly as he thought. ¡°... I don¡¯t know. Mom would be fine with it, I think. Dad¡¯s really warmed up to you, but I¡¯d be lying if I said I wasn¡¯t worried. I don¡¯t want to keep this from them; honestly, I¡¯m not even sure I could if I tried!¡± I spoke with a lilt of humor in my voice, ¡°Well, they¡¯ve had to have noticed something by the time we left, they¡¯re not clueless!¡± ¡°No¡­¡± Valek sighed, ¡°They¡¯re not; they might have caught on to Alvi and I, but you would be a surprise, Maeve. And I¡¯ve had enough surprises this harvest¡­¡± his voice faded as he trailed off in thought. ¡°What if¡­¡± Alvi spoke up from beneath us, ¡°What if we just gave it a paw or two? I¡¯ll miss sleeping with the both of you, but that¡¯ll just give me something to look forward to! We get back, check the winds, and decide from there?¡± I grumbled in annoyance, ¡°I don¡¯t like to make current problems into future problems, but you make a good point. What do you think, Valek?¡± Valek huffed a chuckling laugh, ¡°Let my parents make the first move, letting me not have to worry about dropping this on their heads? Wring my tail, why don¡¯t ¡®cha.¡± Alvi affectionately clawed his leg which made him wince, prompting them to stick their tongues out at each other which made my heart melt, ¡°Oh, just kiss already. Geez, with how much you all use your tongue I¡¯m amazed Valek was so surprised the first time I kissed him.¡± ¡°Well, excuuuse me, if we think biting each other¡¯s faces wouldn¡¯t be a love language,¡± Alvi shot back in her high sing-song sarcasm, ¡°Teach us, oh wonderful enlightened predator, how does one chew their mate¡¯s face properly?¡± Valek was laughing along with her by now, but I was happy to educate, ¡°First off, if your kiss involves ¡®chewing¡¯ you¡¯re probably doing it wrong. We mostly use our lips, and sometimes tongue if we want to be more intimate. Kissing in general is for established couples; you don¡¯t kiss your boss or your parents, not like you would your mate.¡± ¡°I think Alvi may need a demonstration, Maeve.¡± Valek chuckled beside me. ¡°Not in a public park with a cop over our shoulder.¡± The reminder made Valek stop mid-laugh, only whimpering a small, ¡°Ah. Right.¡± The Foundations of Humanity 40 (Everburning) - an NoP fanfic The Foundations of Humanity 40 (000) - an NoP fanfic Thank you u/SpacePaladin15 for establishing the Nature of Predators Universe, and for allowing Fanfics to flourish! Thank you again, u/R0senkr3uz, u/Braquen, u/Acceptable_Egg5560, u/BiasMushroom721, and last but not least u/Liberty-Prime76 for proofreading! And thank you to u/OnlyOneSyllable¡¯s for his art of Maeve¡¯s Lessons , and for the Hug , u/Braquen ¡®s Group Photo , and u/ImaginationSea3679 ¡®s Several Drawn Works of my characters! It is so wonderful seeing these characters come to life on the page. Memory transcription subject: Maeve, Temporary Resident of Venlil Prime. Date [standardized human time]: Sept 15th, 2136. Late 3rd Claw. It was at that moment we heard a low bellowing croon float over the lawn from behind us. Turning around, I saw Ulmic standing from the bench and waving at us, prompting Valek to stand and help Alvi and I to our feet. ¡°Feel a little better, you three?¡± He called once we were close enough for conversation. Alvi¡¯s tail was high and bobbing as she answered, ¡°Much! Thank you so much for doing this, it means a lot to us.¡± Ulmic opened the rear driver¡¯s door for her as she hopped into the car, ¡°It was the right thing to do, especially after all that nonsense.¡± Valek followed his example and held the door for me as well, though it was the back door. I stopped and he noticed my hesitancy, urging me to take the back seat. I hoped I wouldn¡¯t regret my decision, but I took the invitation and allowed Valek to ride shotgun. Looking ahead at the pair, I watched Ulmic¡¯s quills flare as he saw Valek take the front seat and hastily put on his harness, his affect clearly saying ¡®I will sit here¡¯. Ulmic looked back at Alvi, who returned his confusion as he hesitantly started the car and pulled out of the car park. The tension in the front seats were palpable as we left the city center and navigated toward the starport. Ulmic was the first to break the silence when he cleared his throat, but Valek was the first to speak. ¡°How do you do it?¡± It was clear by his ears that talking to Valek was the last thing he wanted to do right now, so he put his eyes on the traffic around us and didn¡¯t answer. Valek took the silence to try to explain himself, ¡°So many people, when they first see Maeve, are terrified of her! They lock up, or bolt, or just hurl insults and curses; those weren¡¯t the first people to threaten her life. You? You just¡­ you¡¯re fine with her! I didn¡¯t expect an exterminator to give her a chance.¡± Ulmic shrugged in the Venlil way, speaking with a casual defensiveness, ¡°Well if I¡¯m honest, the first time I saw her I was off-duty at the time; I had to - wanted to - protect the people in the forum, but I was unarmed. I was hoping to scare her off but when she offered the chance to talk, I figured it was smarter to distract the ¡®vicious predator¡¯ than to drag her off, so I humored her.¡± Valek¡¯s tail flicked a negative. ¡°And I¡¯m thankful you did, but that¡¯s not what you should have done. I¡¯m no expert but I took Pred. Ident. 101, and they hammered into us that you should always call for backup, especially if you¡¯re unarmed. Any other exterminator would have called the office first; why didn¡¯t you?¡± Ulmic¡¯s ears flattened down, the tip of his broad tail twitching in the footwell in front of me. ¡±I¡­ would have. A younger me, anyway. I don¡¯t know, it¡¯s¡­ it¡¯s been harder to do this, ever since Bernia got burned.¡± Valek drooped his ears in sympathy, before raising them reassuringly as he forced positivity into his voice. ¡°You¡¯ve mentioned her a few times; sounds like she means a lot to you?¡± Ulmic laughed, like he was asked the most obvious question in the galaxy, ¡°Like the sun never sets on The Green, my love for her will never set. She makes me a better man, a better Gojid, than I could ever hope to be on my own. She gave me two pups, long grown now, and even then we have that same fire that sparked that paw in the Forum. Yeah, pup; she ¡®means a lot to me¡¯.¡± ¡°Sounds like an incredible woman, I¡¯d love to meet her someday!¡± ¡°HA! Not on your life, pup; not till you get that temper of yours in check.¡± ¡°Heh, yeah¡­¡± Valek mumbled through Ulmic¡¯s thick belly-laugh. When silence fell in the car, Valek took a short breath, ¡°About that, Ulmic, I¡­ I want to apologize for the way I spoke to you, the other paw and also earlier. I meant what I said, I will stand against anyone who wants to hurt Maeve or Alvi, but that wasn¡¯t you, and I didn¡¯t even try to give you a chance. I¡¯ll make no excuses, I¡¯m not asking for your forgiveness, but I want you to know I regret what I did, and that I¡¯m trying to be better.¡± Ulmic seemed a little taken aback by that, but his quills were flatter than when he sat down, and I could see his tail swaying in that footwell with what I could only guess was satisfaction, ¡°Hrmph, nobody¡¯s right after a pilot light in their snout; I don¡¯t know what¡¯s going on with you, neither will I ask, but whatever it is must be real big to make a Venlil that ready to fight. Thank you for apologizing, Valek, and I hope whatever you¡¯re going through, you¡¯ll make it to the other side. And if what Maeve and I talked about is anything to go by, it sounds like you got two ¡®incredible women¡¯ to help you along, so I think you¡¯ll be just fine.¡± This tale has been pilfered from Royal Road. If found on Amazon, kindly file a report. I could feel the blush under my veil as Ulmic looked back at Alvi and me, before refocusing on the road. I didn¡¯t want the conversation to end, so I asked, ¡°What happened to Bernia that she got burned?¡± Ulmic took a long breath as he started, ¡°Well¡­ A while back, me n¡¯ the missus were trying one of those sun-side dishes at home, Malley-fried Deeproot. We¡­ might have got a little distracted in the kitchen, but the oil was still sizzling when we came back so we just followed the recipe. Threw on some sugared deeproot and¡­¡± I spoke without thinking, remembering a very eventful dinner at an over-ambitious ex¡¯s place, ¡°And the pan lit up, so she tried to put it out. Grease fires are a nightmare!¡± Ulmic waved his ears agreeably, ¡°I¡¯ve seen plenty of fire, but never one so angry. Once the water hit the oil, a massive cloud of fire and smoke just exploded from the pan! Bernia¡¯s paw got the worst of it, but some of it splashed right onto her face and chest, and her coat hasn¡¯t come back right since. I let her know every blessed paw, that she is just as beautiful as the day I met her; she doesn¡¯t believe it, but her tail tells me she appreciates it, every time. And that¡¯s enough for me.¡± He took a moment to think before continuing, ¡°I took the rest of the harvest off, took Bernia home, and helped her any way I could. Hospital took good care of her but there was just¡­ so much damage¡­ I was by her side every moment I wasn¡¯t getting her something. But I had to go back to work eventually. Took a few paws, but the first time I was back in the field for a lair-light, I picked up my flamer and went to do my job. The moment the flames touched those predators, I heard Bernia in their screams; saw her on the ground, wearing the fire spat from my own damn flamer.¡± Ulmic stopped the car, and I was surprised to see a large open intersection, cars weaving through it like a dance. This wasn¡¯t uncommon back on Earth, but our cars weren¡¯t still driven! When Ulmic eased onto the accelerator and we slid into the maelstrom, my knuckles went white as I clenched a ball of linen in each fist, trying to keep my breathing at a normal pace. The boys were wrapped up in their conversation, but Alvi noticed and laid her hand on mine as her tail wrapped around my ankle. I took a deep breath, and tried to focus on the conversation as Valek asked Ulmic another question, ¡°Why do you still do it?¡± Ulmic was gripping the wheel tightly, and I could see his thumb-claws dug deep into the ReWeave, before he relaxed and answered his question, ¡°I didn¡¯t, for a while. Took every office role I could, but one shift they needed a second old claw on the paw, and there was just me at the time. Went out, found the lair, lined it up and I¡­ I couldn¡¯t pull the trigger; checked the safety, but I knew it was me. Treven called me out - that runt¡¯s always been a brapic - so Kevros gave my torch to one of the new fluff. Just some kid; the crew called ¡®em Mute. They were some fresh-shorn pup that had no business being behind the fire. I couldn¡¯t let him hear the things I do when I sleep, so I took back my flamer, and did what I had to.¡± ¡°Ever since, I¡¯ve tried to push for less fire in the field. Kalek was an old friend of mine, and when he was in charge we made a lot of great strides! Got training on higher-temperature flamers, and talked to a few predator specialists so we would know how to help them die faster; ease their suffering. Together, I like to believe we made the office more¡­ merciful.¡± Skyscrapers disappeared from the sky as we left the city proper and entered the industrial district. Their warehouses were likewise oblong, but rounder, letting the empty space between them serve as worker and vehicle throughways. Valek brought his focus to Ulmic, confusion and disbelief on his ears, ¡°More merciful?? Mercy Like what we saw in the breezeway?¡± Ulmic shrugged, ¡°Well, it was. We changed how we approached PD patients, got more people the help they needed. At the time we thought we were doing good things, but seeing the numbers now and how I helped them climb¡­ puts a foul taste in my mouth. We were actually about to pioneer a program where we would use our sidearms to put predators down, and only after that cleanse the body and area of its taint. But then¡­ Then Tarlim happened.¡± His spines bristled with agitation, and his voice took on an exasperated, disappointed tone, ¡°I-I have no idea why Kalek cleared that diagnosis. The Giant had no complaints of note, a stack of doctor¡¯s notes, and despite his size he was still just a pup! That whole mess brought Kalek back to the field and got Kevros behind the Big Desk, and he immediately doused every reform we had growing or planted. Said it was ¡®outside our reduced budget¡¯, or ¡®against official policy¡¯, or ¡®too risky for the herd¡¯, or this, or that, or BAH. Bunch of shali-shit.¡± ¡°After that, everything fell right in the Arxur maw. Kalek brought in some Herd priest, which brought the office together, sure, but it just made everyone more¡­ eager. Working the desk - doing something that was actually helping people - became a punishment; all that mattered was what you did in the field.¡± His confusion switched quickly to anger, swinging his attention on Valek, ¡°Valek, you¡¯re one sour sylphberry of a Venlil, and need a few headbutts yourself but, Protector shield me, you were right. ¡®Good to other exterminators and their reputation¡¯, I prick myself for not seeing it the first time. Nenikes? Sure, he was all for closing that facility even before we knew the whole story, but when the facility just -- let them all loose? Suddenly he wanted them gone, by shuttle or flame. Nalja was a joy in the office, but she kept getting written up for icing her flamer. I thought, then, that it was just an honest mistake, but now¡­ when I think about all lair-lights she volunteered for¡­¡± Coming out of the shadow of a large warehouse, we saw the starport behind a steel forest of processing plants. Ulmic was less agitated, but still angry all the same, ¡°I want them back - I want my friends back, but I¡¯m starting to think they were never really my friends; not the ones I thought they were. And I don¡¯t think they will ever come back.¡± He took a breath, swinging his attention from Valek and back to the road. ¡°So I¡¯ll be putting in for a transfer to somewhere quieter, somewhere I can be a servant of the herd again. Bernia always did like the countryside anyhow.¡± Valek relaxed into his seat, but kept his attention on the Gojid. ¡°That¡¯s probably for the best. If this trip is anything to go by, I think now with the humans around things are going to get real different, real fast.¡± Ulmic let out a huff, thumping his tail on the back of the footwell beneath him. ¡°On that, we most certainly agree. The world is changing, maybe a little faster than I¡¯m really ready for.¡± Valek nodded, bobbing his tail before his ears dipped in sympathy. ¡°I¡¯m sorry about your friends, Ulmic. You deserve better people than what Dawn Creek gave you, and I hope you find fertile fields wherever you end up.¡± Ulmic glanced his way, one ear staying on him as his eyes returned to the road. ¡°Thank you, Valek. And I¡¯m sorry for¡­ well, for Dawn Creek. For the people I work with. Sorry that they weren¡¯t better for you. Hopefully home is¡­ better.¡± The Foundations of Humanity 41 (Behind and Ahead) - an NoP fanfic Memory transcription subject: Maeve, Temporary Resident of Venlil Prime. Date [standardized human time]: Sept 15th, 2136. Early 4th Claw. ¡°You were showing her Harvest Time and she couldn¡¯t read?!¡± Ulmic¡¯s giggling sounded like water bouncing against the sides of a deep drum, bubbling and ¡®blooping¡¯ as he could barely catch his breath. ¡°It looked simple enough! And the rules booklet was so scuffed and faded I barely knew them myself!¡± ¡°That¡¯s even worse!!¡± Valek and I were cackling along with him as Alvi kept coming up with excuses while her tail playfully thrashed behind her. We arrived somewhat early so Ulmic pulled a bag of tiled resin hexes, with various simplified pictures painted on one side: Moons, Trees, Bonfires, Flowers, Hooded Gojid, and Chains. He called it Terroc, and said that it was a native Gojid game; it appeared to be a set-making game not unlike Rummy, and was popular with the other officers when they had downtime in the field. The game moved in rounds, triggered when a whole turn would pass without anyone taking tiles from the pot, such as by rearranging their deck or passing. After three rounds the mosaics are revealed and whoever needs the fewest tiles wins, or the first to complete their mosaic ends the game early. A ¡®mosaic¡¯ was a grid of some combination of tiles that could tell a story: a few examples being Trees and Flowers, Moons and Bonfires, Hooded Gojid and Chains. Ulmic told us that each set used to relate to some story or lesson long ago, but the game has long outlived its metaphor. Ulmic seemed very confident in what he had been building, his turns were often the shortest before he would pluck the tile from the pot and discard the spare with barely a glance, like he was already two turns ahead of that one. Valek was clearly struggling with his hand, switching out unrelated tiles seemingly at random. Alvi¡¯s attention kept wandering during the lulls of our conversation, but she was picking Flowers a lot. ¡°... And besides, we still had fun! Whoever said you have to ¡®win¡¯ a game, can¡¯t we just play?¡± I replaced my Tree for a hidden tile in the pot, pleased to have gotten the Chains I was hoping for; only a Bonfire to go, and I¡¯d have a festival mosaic! ¡°That attitude wouldn¡¯t have anything to do with having only four pistachios left, would it?¡± ¡°I think you¡¯ve miscounted Maeve,¡± One by one, Alvi flipped her tiles to reveal a flowering field with two Gojid in its center, ¡°because I think this means all of those are mine!¡± The three of us groaned and roared as she giggling leaned over the scattered tiles and collected the heaping pile of salted nuts in the center; Valek and Ulmic set to arguing about the validity of her mosaic before Alvi¡¯s ears perked and she lifted her sight skyward. ¡°They¡¯re here!¡± I scanned the skies and noticed a large oblong silver ship, tapered on one end, almost looking like a deer¡¯s skull in the sky. Soon after that I heard the rumbling thunder of its ion thrusters as it approached high and started a vertical descent, well-controlled by timed burns on its undercarriage maneuvering thrusters. Maybe fifty meters above the ground the reentry-scorched underside deployed three hefty landing struts, bouncing and sagging with the ship¡¯s weight as it touched down. Alvi was vibrating with excitement watching the ship perform its landing, narrating every step of the process and musing whether they used hydraulic or mechanical interactions. She was just making guesses on what the magnetic balance was on their ion thrusters, going on about how you could tell by the glow of their plasma discharge when the ship touched down, dropping its loading ramp with a long hiss. Two forms stood at the top of the descending ramp, one markedly taller than the other, though their features were hidden by the shade of the ship, made impenetrably black by my daylight-blinded sight. A high whistle called out from the pair, quickly followed by an excited Venlil¡¯s greeting, ¡°Day warms you three! It¡¯s good to see you again, we heard someone needed a ride home! Although I don¡¯t know if we¡¯ll have room for extra passengers!¡± The light of the sun glowed over short, sleek, mocha wool as her voice rang familiar in my ear. ¡°Taisa?!¡± She strode down the ramp alongside Chris, her giant of an exchange partner, while her musical bugle carried over the clear air between us and her tail swung joyfully behind her, ¡°oooWah! Yep! Sam sent us a message last paw!¡± My heart leapt to see a familiar face, and I couldn¡¯t quell the excitement in my voice, ¡°That¡¯s amazing; we have so much to tell you!¡± ¡°Well we¡¯ll be happy to hear it, let''s get you three up into quarters and situated so the ground crew can get to work pulling our old cargo off before we head out.¡± Chris¡¯ bass rolled from under his visor, his tension loosening as he recognized us, though maintaining his professional demeanor as he flagged down a loading crew. ¡°With any luck, these guys will get the Polani loaded up faster than the last crew.¡± ¡°Polani?¡± Ulmic asked himself as he checked the ship¡¯s designation, ¡°You guys out of Heartwood?¡± Taisa¡¯s ears swung onto our escort as her tail bounced a greeting, ¡°I grew up there. Stars know the port¡¯s a whole lot more quiet than anywhere else.¡± Ulmic huffed out a laugh as I watched the work crew approach with their grav-lifts, ¡°Don¡¯t I know it! Been almost [ 15 solar years ] but I won¡¯t soon forget wandering that damn port looking for someone to take my gear to the office.¡± Valek had the presence of mind to introduce the Gojid while Alvi and I tried to stay clear of the line of laborers, ¡°This is Ulmic, he was assigned to escort us to the starport.¡± ¡°Give me a little credit, pup; I volunteered.¡± I heard Alvi¡¯s tail pap against Valek while he giggled. Chris started to herd us away from the ramp as the first offload approached from behind him; Taisa seemed to tense up as she kept talking to Ulmic, her tail still cordial but stiff and jerking. ¡°Your gear? Did you work in Heartwood?¡± His quills flared just a moment, before quickly settling; as if he were intentionally calming himself as his attention swept over the loading crew, pausing as he spoke to choose his words. ¡°Work related. I was fielding Offices to try and showcase some more effective flamers; heard a few of your officers were looking to clear predators a bit¡­ faster than average.¡± Taisa seemed to relax as she caught on to Ulmic¡¯s implication, while Chris continued to take care of signing documents and overseeing the loading process. ¡°My Mama and one of her coworkers, Shenod, probably. Unless it was after she retired.¡± Ulmic quickly brought his attention back to Taisa, then relaxed as he recognized her. ¡°Mama? You¡¯re Rensa¡¯s girl?¡± Taisa¡¯s stiffness seemed to ebb, though she kept an ear on the passing crewmen. ¡°I am; she¡¯s doing well, outside of the leg of course.¡± Ulmic¡¯s voice softened, like he remembered some shared tragedy between him and Taisa, ¡°Good to hear she is doing well. Say, that festival of yours should be coming up, shouldn¡¯t it?¡± He asked, his affect rising as he tried to guide the conversation to happier topics. ¡°That it is,¡± Chris rumbled, checking boxes on their ship pad as he watched a line of crates get carted off the ship. ¡°Already got a handful of ¡®threats¡¯ from her parents about making it back on time.¡± Taisa flicked her tail dismissively as she poked him in the side. ¡°Oh they¡¯re just messing with you; they know we wouldn¡¯t miss it for the world. Besides, bring Mama back some new produce from Earth and I bet she¡¯ll let a claw or two slide.¡± Her tail fell to a neutral position, before wrapping around Chris¡¯ wrist. This content has been misappropriated from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere. Oh? I wasn¡¯t even sure she noticed. Chris¡¯ belly laugh was like distant thunder in a rainstorm as his hand met Taisa¡¯s scalp, before returning to its job of ticking boxes, ¡°We¡¯ll have to remember that, maybe Ma¡¯ll let us bring a basket or two home from her garden.¡± ¡°Maybe if you bring one back for the rest of the office you¡¯ll keep Farzen and Marlek off our tails.¡± Ulmic nearly growled across from me in our impromptu circle, his focus on Taisa while he spoke, ¡°Those two idiots are still in silver? I¡¯m none too fond of your kind, Human, but you shouldn''t have to deal with brapic like them; Protector knows we got enough of that in Dawn Creek. I¡¯m disappointed that Heartwood¡¯s hospitality was so lacking.¡± Chris belted out a laugh, shaking his head. ¡°Thankfully we haven¡¯t been introduced, but their reputation sure as shit precedes them. No, everyone I¡¯ve met in Heartwood that hasn¡¯t been welcoming has either been skittish, rude, or just dismissive. I¡¯ve had worse, sure, but I don¡¯t think I could have had a better reception than what Heartwood has given me; nah, Heartwood¡¯s hospitality is just fine.¡± Ulmic¡¯s eyes were on the ship¡¯s hull number, but his mind was somewhere else entirely. He straightened, just as he did when he gave me a chance in the forum; when he decided to trust me. He came back to us with a deep breath, ¡°Well if you don¡¯t mind, I have an office to¡­ handle. I have a short form for the captain to sign, but¡­¡± His ears flashed to Chris for a moment, ¡°All things considered I think the Captain¡¯s Second would be fine in their absence.¡± And he passed a pad to Taisa. Her tail swung impishly as she finished the form, her ears swinging between Ulmic and I as she asked, ¡°PD Patients, huh? Stars, what''d the three of you get up to?!¡± Valek¡¯s, Alvi¡¯s, and my attention snapped to Ulmic, Alvi stepping slowly behind my cloak as Valek looked ready for violence. Ulmic waved his paws dismissively and ears apologetically as he answered while taking back the completed pad, ¡°Regrettably they didn¡¯t have a form for ¡®diplomatic escort¡¯, so it was between this and ¡®predator disposal¡¯. Use the quills you got, right?¡± After a brief moment to confirm the form, Ulmic turned away from us and headed back to the car, calling back as he did, ¡°I¡¯d tell you to stay out of trouble, Maeve, but you didn¡¯t seem to listen. At least try to stay out of the news, eh?¡± Calling back over my shoulder, I returned his playful jibe, ¡°No promises!¡± With the sigh of a finished job, and the last lift hovering out of the refilled hold, Chris handed back what we hoped to be the last form of this stop and jovially invited us inside, ¡°Alright, let¡¯s get y¡¯all situated. You can chill in the crew quarters or the galley during the flight; gonna be an extra-atmo hop, so shouldn¡¯t be more than a few hours, little less than a claw. Maeve, you can lose that get-up once we¡¯re inside; we¡¯re all friends here.¡± I collected my travelbag as Valek and Alvi followed behind Chris, Taisa lagging behind and walking with me. I suddenly remembered our conversation, and hoped for a more positive outing, ¡°You mentioned the Festival last time, is it really so close?¡± Taisa¡¯s tail whipped about behind her as she walked beside me, a small pep in her step. ¡°Just over the hill! Shouldn¡¯t be more than three or four paws now. We¡¯re gonna spend a ¡®day¡¯ or two with Chris¡¯ family while he finds stuff to ship back with us and reaches out to some of his old contacts. I¡¯m¡­ excited?¡± Excited? I asked in, mind and voice, ¡°To come to Earth? You¡¯re one brave Venlil!¡± Taisa¡¯s ears flapped behind her before quickly returning to a neutral position, while she pulled her tail to her hands and gently worried the tuft. ¡°It¡¯s¡­ there¡¯s a few reasons: he keeps raving about his Ma¡¯s ¡®vegan cooking¡¯, those astounding views he¡¯s showed me in pictures, the money¡¯s good, I¡¯ll be doing what I¡¯ve always dreamed of¡­ and it¡¯s, well it¡¯s important to him, so it¡¯s important to me. Hopefully I can get past the dog though.¡± While I imagined a smiling and wagging hound, nearly dancing for a tennis ball to be flung, Taisa clearly had a different imagining as she shuddered like a chill wind rattled her bones. I turned to the closing cargo ramp, waiting until the final light of Dawn Creek was left behind and I could finally stow my now distressingly fragrant veil. While I knew meeting Man¡¯s Best Friend would be a new kind of terror for her, I tried to ease the worry as best I could, ¡°I¡¯m sure you¡¯ll be fine. I¡¯m sure it¡¯s well-behaved, but just in case it isn¡¯t: try not to run, especially if it comes up to sniff ya, that¡¯s just how dogs get familiar.¡± Chris strode past Taisa and I, his eyes on her with a wide smile before he continued to the cargo ramp and adjusted some kind of control which triggered hisses and clangs of a secured seal, ¡°C¡¯mon, Woolball, you¡¯ll be fine. Pa does a good job trainin¡¯ his pups. ¡®Sides, I won¡¯t let ¡®em hurt ya if¡¯n they get excited anyhow. We¡¯ll be there and having a good time ¡®fore ya know it and then right back here for the festival!¡± Chris flashed her a smile over his shoulder as he finished his task, and I noticed Taisa¡¯s tail wrap briefly around his wrist before she pulled away, ¡°I know, just worrying is all. Not my fault you lot keep predators that set my wool on end as pets!¡± The pair continued their canine-inspired banter as I watched their interaction; blushes and blooms, slaps and pinches, and joy evident in the space between them. Oh, yeah. They got it bad. Chris stepped away, returning her jibes with his own as Valek bounded after him, ¡°Wait, Maeve told me you keep animals, even predators, but I¡¯ve wondered why ever since!¡± Alvi was just behind the pair as they talked, Chris somehow keeping up with Valek¡¯s barrage of questions as they became more and more esoteric. I heard a soft sigh from Taisa as she walked with me, and I looked down to see her ears swinging around the room, as if to catch every errant echo of Chris¡¯ voice. As we left the massive hold Alvi had worked up her own question as Chris talked about Service Animals. ¡°H-How do dogs help your doctors? What would they know about disease?¡± ¡°A few ways. Can train ¡®em to pick up on some health problems, help with anxiety or mental health or just¡­ just helping people who need friends. They love doin¡¯ it too, workin¡¯ dogs are never happier than when they¡¯re doin¡¯ their jobs!¡± Taisa and I watched Chris answering their curiosities like he was talking to an excited nephew, honestly and enthusiastically, before I heard the smallest purr from her before she silenced it as quickly as it had arrived. I thought about the pair, and how Chris seemed to care so much about everything around them, and especially her. I dipped down, my voice low and private, ¡°Chris is so¡­ gentle, isn¡¯t he?¡± Taisa nodded idly, her focus on me cursory at best as it swung back to Chris, ¡°Y-yea, warm, too. Stars know he brightens my every waking moment.¡± I thought about my first time waking up next to Valek, the feel of his wool against my face and the wonderful weight that made us fall into each other, like gravity itself wanted me against him. Chris was just talking about Parkinson¡¯s-Sniffing Collies as they rounded the corner, and I took the momentary privacy of the empty hall to ask, ¡°So¡­ Does he know yet?¡± Taisa¡¯s steps faltered, nearly tripping as her ears turned bright orange, I waited for her to start walking again, and watched her tail swish anxiously as she thought of her next words, ¡°Uh¡­ y-yea, yea he does. We had that conversation last paw, actually. It was¡­ nice.¡± I whined as I fought the pang of wanting to hold a frustratingly absent Valek, ¡°Tell me about it! I still think about waking up buried in his wool, I could stay like that for days.¡± ¡°Stars, we harvested a little time last waking to just be, after our¡­ conversation, and I managed to drag it out an extra quarter claw! What I wouldn¡¯t give to have just stayed there.¡± She sighed, her tail slowly swaying about behind her. My laughter bounced off the corridor walls as I remembered the ¡®five more minutes¡¯ trick, ¡°Clever girl! When did you find out? What made you take the leap?¡± ¡°I¡­ Looking back, I think I kind of always knew. There was one paw at the meetup I was showing him some old Holo-recs I¡¯d made of home and the festival and he was so excited, so into it and he immediately jumped to wanting to see it himself, see it with Me¡­ but it never really¡­ clicked, that it was possible. The concert helped, seeing how kind he is, how happy he is to share his passions and how good he is with my brother or any number of other things about him that just¡­ just make me want to be around him. But seeing you and Valek in the back of the shuttle was one of the biggest things I¡¯d thought about when it finally clicked. When I finally decided to actually ask.¡± ¡°Well I¡¯m certainly glad you did! You two seem really happy together, and he seems like a really good guy; a good choice.¡± I smiled down at the mocha venlil, now practically bouncing with her elation. ¡°Best one I¡¯ve ever made. Stars know everyone else I¡¯ve ever courted has just been¡­ not good ones. But Chris, maybe it¡¯s still just fresh fruit, but he¡¯s just so nice, always positive, always there.¡± I could hear Alvi¡¯s muffled but decidedly excited bleating and whistling as we approached the helm, a small smile spread across my face before I whispered down to Taisa. ¡°Well it sounds like we both got lucky then.¡± She gave me a short nod as the door to the helm slid open, the muffled bleats and whistles exploding in clarity as we stepped inside. The Foundations of Humanity 42 (Girl Talk) - an NoP fanfic Memory transcription subject: Alvi, Metaphorical Kid in a Metaphorical Candy Store. Date [standardized human time]: Sept 15th, 2136. Early 4th Claw. Lights glittered around me as I spun around the helm, taking in every line and lever I could see! Two seats sat at the forward, the captain and engineer lit with electric life, with two more inactive stations a few tails behind them; the wide console across the forward, bridging both captain and engineer stations, was scattered with screens and interfaces glowing with information and readouts. The captain¡¯s seat was the most specialized of the lot, covered in switches, levers, and buttons for a hundred actions the ship could take, and the systems that supported them. Chris had been patient in answering my questions, and I soaked in every word like rainfall on my wool. ¡°... So I need to make sure both the intake collective and the stern magnetic directors are set up right. After all that, I can light ¡®er up.¡± My attention snapped to his hands as he punctuated his lesson with the ignition and the ship woke from its rest. The engine¡¯s building hum echoed through the frame and through me as my rushing blood seemed to match its growing resonance. My ears tingled with the almost inaudible change of tone in the engine, and it clicked in my brain, ¡°OH! So the power manifold needs to reach the superconductor¡¯s lock phase so you can direct fuel through the oscillating magnetic fields, tripling their force output! Why didn¡¯t I think of that!¡± My mind bolted madly through the thousand possibilities this new process could create! I could hear Chris¡¯ baritone at the back of my recollection, but my hearing couldn¡¯t keep up with my thoughts, ¡°So that means if you could take the outside atmosphere and run it though the same accelerators, you could really get her moving! Or even bypass the need for fuel AT ALL! OH I wonder if you could use negative gravity just inside the engine intake to pull in and condense atmosphere?! The engine compressor would pull it all one direction, charging it, which would allow it to be accelerated further with the same magnetic accelerators we already use! Then if you run the charged atmosphere over a warp plate, it would charge the plate, and create a field of null-gravity, reducing friction and accelerating it even further! ¡± ¡°We actually had a senior design project trying that in university! They got close but they could never get the timing right, never had consistent flow rates. Heard they tried to patent it as a new kind of wool dryer!¡± I swung around to the new voice, seeing Taisa watching me with a warm joy behind her eyes. ¡°You went to University? Is that where you learned about all this?!¡± My excitement at the possibility of whole schools dedicated to picking apart machines set me bouncing on my pads, my ears and tail high as they focused on Taisa. She whistled a giggle as she passed me, slipping into the engineer seat and booting up her station, ¡°Yep! Well, most of it at least. The classroom¡¯s great, but no one¡¯s a better teacher than your workshop at home. All the book smarts in the world can¡¯t replace experience.¡± I hopped around the captain¡¯s seat to stand between it and engineering, peering over Taisa¡¯s shoulder as she ran through her checks, ¡°That¡¯s incredible! I tried to tinker on what I could, but never really had access to a workshop. Having a whole ship to play with would be a dream come true!¡± Taisa purred as she split her attention between me and the console, slowing her routine so I wouldn¡¯t miss a single step. ¡°It really is, how about I give you a tour of the engineering spaces after we get underway?¡± My heart lept and my tail thrashed behind me in ecstatic acceptance at the invitation, bouncing in place as I imagined what incredible things I would see! Chris¡¯ hand hovered over the hail key, and Taisa focused her attention on her console as I watched them perform their launching routines before I felt a soft hand on my shoulder. Maeve gently guided me out of the helm while I kept an eye and an ear on the pilots, before the door slid shut between us. ¡°Sun¡¯s light! I¡¯m going to see the rest of the ship!¡± I couldn¡¯t contain my excitement as I bounced off the walls of the corridor, my tail flailing about completely devoid of language as it struggled to keep my balance while Maeve guided us through the ship. ¡°Did you see how she worked?! Paws just flying across the screen, like it was the easiest thing in the galaxy! Tenets, Sun, and Stars; I wish I could do that someday!¡± Maeve giggled as she walked behind Valek and I, his tail trying and failing to curl around mine in an attempt to keep me grounded, ¡°Well, Taisa said the best teacher was a workshop, and guess what Elva¡¯s got in the back room?¡± I spun round on my claws, my attention all on Maeve as I realized, ¡°You think she would?! That I could use her workshop?!¡± Valek chuckled as he wound an arm around my back, pulling my hip against his, the weight of his paw on my side halting my ecstatic bounding. I leaned into his side and laid my head on his shoulder and his weight sagged against me in tired support, ¡°Once we get you something to play with, for sure¡­ and I¡¯ll pick up any books I find for you at the library.¡± Valek finished with a wide yawn, ¡°Nap in the park not do it for you?¡± Maeve asked as Valek¡¯s tail swung a tired ¡®No¡¯. I marveled at the ship around me, noting the separate rooms for individual crew; I knew from shows that larger ships used shared living, but this must need a smaller crew. I noticed a service panel near the floor at the start of the corridor and tapped it, prompting it to push open and slide aside. It opened out to a tight service shaft running along and under the deck of the corridor, lined with color-coded conduit. Just behind the service panel on the floor of the shaft was an engineering readout, detailing the conduit''s loads and destination. All readings showed green, and I noticed many rooms were on drought settings; Galley, Engineering, and Helm were on full power of course, and the Captain¡¯s Cabin. Most of the Crew Cabins were on low power, few of the storage rooms¡­ ¡­ and so was the Engineer''s Cabin¡­ huh. ¡°Just can¡¯t wait a moment, can you, Alvi? Ya know, some engineers would call that rude.¡± The giggling Venlil cooed behind me, making me jump out of my wool and fall into the service shaft, her giggles growing to an abrupt bray ahead of Maeve¡¯s bubbling laughter. I whimpered as I lay there in a tangled heap, limbs and tail spilling over and out into the hallway, before Taisa bent to offer a paw and help me up, quickly followed by Maeve¡¯s gloved hand. I brushed the gathered dust from my wool and nursed a sore shoulder as their humor filled the corridor. ¡°Yeah, ok, I guess I deserved that. Sorry Taisa, I should have waited.¡± ¡°It¡¯s alright, Alvi. It¡¯s nice to see someone so excited about what I do!¡± She responded, tapping the low panel with her tail and making it slide back into place with a soft hiss. ¡°We set up Cabin 4 for passengers, just down the hall here. It¡¯s only got two beds, I hope that¡¯s not a problem?¡± She asked as her attention flitted between Valek and I. ¡°I-I think we can make do.¡± I answered as she moved to address Maeve, hoping the distraction kept her from seeing my rising bloom. ¡°Of course I¡¯d invite you too, Maeve, but if you don¡¯t mind, would you keep Christopher company in the helm while I give Alvi the tour? I usually stay up there with him and I¡¯d hate to leave him chatting with air.¡± Maeve smiled genially as she nodded to Taisa, ¡°I think I¡¯d like that; it¡¯s been a while since I¡¯ve talked to a human. Valek, would you like to join me?¡± Valek¡¯s ears stretched to the back of his head as he squinted through another wide yawn, ¡°I think I¡¯ll nap here, if you don¡¯t mind.¡± ¡°Perfectly fine, darling.¡± Maeve planted her lips on his crown and ruffled my own, ¡°You don¡¯t make too much trouble alright? Wouldn¡¯t want you gettin¡¯ stuck in the Holodeck fighting Noir Borg in a speakeasy!¡± Before the cabin door wooshed closed behind her. Silence filled the room in her absence, and Taisa was the first to speak behind incredulous laughter, ¡°What???¡± Valek shrugged his tail from the bed, answering as he got comfortable, ¡°I¡¯ve no idea. She does this all the time, mentions some human thing that makes the translator short out.¡± Taisa let out a sigh, pawing her snout as her tail curled. ¡°So does Chris, having a perfectly normal conversation one moment and the next the translator is shouting about some Human Cultural context I¡¯m missing!¡± Each of our tails swung in sympathy, before Taisa clapped her paws together with a sharp breath, ¡°So, Alvi.¡± Taisa started, cutting through the sudden silence before fixing me with her favored eye. ¡°Ready for that tour?¡± ¡°You¡¯ve no idea!! Where to first?!¡± Taisa led me out of the cabin, as Valek quickly fell asleep, his soft whistling nearly drowned out by the bulkhead door. "So what kind of power''s she runnin'' on? You guys splurge for the annihilation generator?" Taisa''s tail waved a lazy ''No'', "She''s got a stock Fissan Fission power plant. Not quite the Umph of the a-bats, but the fuel''s a lot easier to find, and twice as reliable!" My ears flicked back with worry before focusing back on her, "You''re not worried about leaks?" "Nah; her shielding is prime crop. And if something hits us hard enough to comprise the power plant, we''ve got a lot more to worry about than a little radiation poisoning." I followed Taisa down the hall toward midship, in awe as I peered through every clear pane and panel we walked past. Bustling circuitry and winding conduits hinted at the incredible workings of this giant machine, each piece working together, a herd of metal and lightning, to span the stars themselves! Taisa brought me to the end of a long hall, ended by a wide door and my heart hammered in my ears, barely registering the giant designation painted on the door as Taisa¡¯s words sunk in. ¡°Say ¡®Hello¡¯... to Polani!¡± The wide door slid open, the glow of the Power Plant filling the room from its far side, reinforced and shielded glass letting us see the planet below us. Immediately in front of us lay the primary console, wide and semi-circular, positioned such that we could see each subdivision humming with life and energy! ¡°So, portside we¡¯ve got a Starliner in-house drive, haven¡¯t gotten to test her yet but everything I¡¯ve looked over so far tells me she should work smooth as a dayside wind! On starboard, over there, we¡¯ve got the power plant; she¡¯s an older Fissan Fission unit, but she still makes consistent power.¡± This content has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere. She gestured to the walls with the flick of her tail, ¡°Hydraulics reservoirs, pumps and sensors are all in the walls alongside scrubbers, pneumatic compressors, the workbench for parts, armament subsystems and the mechanical rams for the landing gear.¡± She stepped forward, gesturing to the wide multi-screened console only a few tail lengths from the doorway as the system came to life. ¡°Where the thrusters are her legs, the plant is her heart and the guns are her paws, this is her brain.¡± I cast my eyes over the console, taking in every piece of data it had to share. The center displayed conduit paths and loads, their flow rates and power tolerances, while the port and starboard sectors, corresponding to the drive and reactor positions, laid their detailed readouts. Most of the displays were data feeds, but they also included wear-maps, showing each unit¡¯s full diagram and color coded for localized heat and damage. I eagerly hopped to the terminal, my paw hovering over the displays before I hesitated, looking beside me at Taisa, my tail asking permission. With a happy wag from her, I pressed my paw to the reactor diagram, zooming in and out, turning and flipping the digital representation to see its every piece and part. I tapped on several pieces, the model exploding to localized disassembly and isolating the selected part, giving me details of its install date, lifetime average heat and torque loads, and expected date to replace everything from parts to lubricants. Taisa giggled over my shoulder as I investigated nearly the entire drive, before whistling gleefully, ¡°So, Alvi. What sparks your curiosity more?¡± My eyes soared and my ears swiveled around at the cornucopia of discovery that surrounded me, my claws itching to piece apart every tail of the craft, before my attention landed, ¡°Can we check the thrusters? They look like bigger versions of the ones on Elva¡¯s droids!¡± Taisa¡¯s wool fluffed with excitement, her eyes sparkling as she took me by the paw and down the stairs to the service access for the starboard thruster, the pulsating hum of its matter accelerator forcing us to rely on tail-speech. She invited me inside, and I was captivated by the mac-coils surrounding the chemical thruster. Our ears were pressed tight against our heads, trying in vain to keep out the incredible noise, but I kept one eye on Taisa¡¯s tail as she told me about how they worked. Angry. Wet. Make. Storm¡­ Captive. Light. Make. Storm. More. Fast¡­ Push. Basket. More¡­ Less. Angry. Wet. Of course! Fission powers the mac-coils, which magnify the thruster exhaust! But something was missing¡­ I couldn¡¯t hear the roar of gas, so was fuel being burned? No. Storm. Noise¡­ No. Angry. Wet? Taisa¡¯s tail shook an emphatic No, before continuing. No. Sky. In. Night¡­ Captive. Light. Alone¡­ Captive. Light. Wind. Weaker. Than. Home. Wind¡­ Storm. In. Sky¡­ Captive. Light. Out. Sky. So Ion engines aren¡¯t powerful enough for a rig this large in atmosphere, so they use them out of atmosphere only¡­ that must be why the droids are so expensive, they probably use some anti-grav tech to lighten the load! Our tails were a flurry of questions and answers as she showed me how each piece of the thruster interacted with the others, and we brainstormed ways they could be improved. Weaving through the Engineering Bay, it felt like we had grazed through every system and subsystem, but I knew this was only a tiny scratch on this lampan melon of a tour! We left Engineering with pounding ears and sore tails, laughing to each other about mechanical mishaps and over-ambitious colleagues; I told her of our droid woes back at the Berrypatch, and she complained about the old mag-locks their last shuttle had used and Chris¡¯ overeager flying habits. We were just passing the Galley as the ringing in my ears finally quieted with a soft Pop as I worked my jaw against the pressure, sighing with relief when I could hear the resonant hum of the ship again. Taisa flicked her ears, puffing out her cheeks for a moment before shaking her head. ¡°Stars I need to get some proper hearing protection for out in the thruster spaces. At least most of my hearing is back now.¡± ¡°Agreed, much more of that and you¡¯ll be deaf long before harvest time. What¡¯s the humming from? Is that the Power Plant?¡± I asked as we wandered the halls, suddenly aware of how noisy our clicking claws on the hard metal deck made us; I wonder how that could be fixed¡­ Taisa shook her head, signing No with her tail. ¡°Starboard thruster mounts are long past their harvest date. A friend in Heartwood has a good trail for an M600 ¡®HC¡¯ variant that uses a bigger version of the ones already on her. Once he¡¯s got it secured we¡¯re gonna see what we can get it off of him for and start stripping her for the good stuff.¡± I whistled with delight, ¡°Sounds like a dream paw to me! Could probably spend the better part of a harvest tearing something that big apart. Any big plans for her?¡± Taisa¡¯s eyes sparkled in front of me as her tail twitched with excitement, ¡°Well, first thing¡¯s gonna be a brand new set of fresh-picked cooler fans, heatsinks and transfer tanks. Replace and upgrade the whole cooling system. Little extra work now will help save my tail later on with how he flies; I don¡¯t know how much you remember of that flight, but The Grove to Hidden Plains is supposed to be a lot longer than [ 4 minutes ]! After that, I promised Chris new thrusters, more power, better maneuverability, the works. Probably be a pain getting them mounted without a hangar and gantry crane, but I¡¯m sure I can swing it with a few extra sets of paws¡­ and maybe a rented hangar.¡± Taisa¡¯s ears fell as she thought of the, I¡¯m sure, several bills and invoices that loomed in her future. Only a moment before she took a breath, and lifted them again, ¡°The HC Parnel¡¯s got a trail on should pick me a new high capacity shield array that hopefully will just slot into the old ones carrier space. Also has the Mk.2 variants of these inertial dampeners, they¡¯ve not been a problem yet but with how he flies, Stars only know how long until he¡¯s tossing cargo around the hold. He keeps going on and on about new guns but that¡¯s a ways down the trail of priorities. Also need to do a couple of things in his quarters, luckily the U.N. said they¡¯ll pay up on that field.¡± My memory pricked with my curiosity, ¡°How about Engie¡¯s quarters? Noticed from the status logs on that service hatch that it was getting drought power; you sure that¡¯s comfortable?¡± She stiffened a little, her tail curling and uncurling as she stared one eye at me. ¡°Well¡­ I, uhm¡­¡± My ears snapped forward, and my tail curled with mischief and understanding, ¡°Unless you got a ¡®space-heater¡¯ of course.¡± Taisa was brimming with joy and relief, ¡°Yeah! Yeah, I, uh¡­ I don¡¯t need much, s-so I just keep a little space heater in there!¡± ¡°Yeah, ¡®little¡¯! I¡¯m thinking about three tails tall, self-powered¡­¡± Taisa¡¯s ears were steadily turning a brilliant shade of orange, ¡°... built-in ¡®grooming¡¯ function¡­¡± Her paws shot to her snout, covering her bloom as she let out a soft whine, ¡°Polani¡¯s Mercy, not you, too! Are we really that obvious?¡± I slumped in the nearest chair, braying laughter as she tried to explain how they were just ¡®saving power¡¯ and ¡®it was so nice sharing a room at the Meetup¡¯; after catching my breath I tried to reassure her with ears and tail, ¡°It¡¯s fine! It¡¯s fine! I¡¯m in the same field. Scarcely 4 paws ago, actually.¡± Her attention snapped to me, sudden interest in her bloom-ridden ears as they focused. ¡°Oh? Really now? Care to spill the crop on that?¡± I flattened my wool as I sat in the chair, looking out the wide window at the golden sands of the Burning rolling under us, ¡°Not a whole lot to spill, if I¡¯m honest! Ever since we met on the Ring, they¡¯ve welcomed me into their herd, almost like I was meant to be there. Valek welcomed me into his home, and Maeve even gave me a few things once her apartment was finished! I just¡­ I feel like-¡± ¡°Like meeting a Human was the best thing to happen to you? Like all that meandering, wandering, and failure throughout life finally might have had a purpose? Like¡­ like everything¡¯s just better now?¡± She sighed, a wistful look in her eyes as she stared with me out of the wide bay window on the side of the lounge. ¡°... Better. Yeah. Before all this, I¡­ I had a really hard time finding a herd. Every time I found someone, they would- I mean we had our problems, but every time, Valek was right there beside me, and Maeve was ready to just listen. To be there, and support me and-¡± My vision blurred and my voice caught, remembering every closed door, every dismissal, every time they would drop me the moment I was anything except the perfect Venlil. ¡°They just love! So completely and-and freely! And they have enough for Me! That they can spare any for- that I can finally have-¡± ¡°Have someone. Someone that actually cares.¡± She sighed, sliding down into the chair across from mine. ¡°Trust me, I spent nearly a rotation trying to find a crew to hire me and didn¡¯t have a single sprout. What little bit of a herd I managed to forage for myself just left me once we¡¯d graduated and¡­ and aside from Mama, Papa, and Renkel, I was alone. A-And then I got the ad for the exchange and now I¡¯m¡­¡± Her ears flailed about, her paws gesturing around us. ¡°Now I¡¯m the engineer for a ship, Our ship. I-In a partnership with my best friend! It¡¯s only been a few herds of paws! H-how?! How can life change that fast? What¡¯d I do to finally deserve this?¡± We dissolved into hysterics, overcome by the cavalcade of coincidence that made our lives what they were, that led us both to something each of us could finally call Happy. As our whistling quieted and the hum of the ship filled the space between, I looked around at the ship that surrounded me, letting it sink in that this incredible piece of technology was run and maintained by the Venlil in front of me. The same Venlil who couldn¡¯t find a herd, until they found one in a predator our people were taught to be terrified of. ¡°She¡¯s a fine ship, Taisa.¡± Her tail swayed happily, ¡°That she is¡­ And in far better condition than any of the old rust-buckets I worked on in university. Stars, with what the federation gives them in grants, you¡¯d think they could¡¯ve afforded some better examples to work with!¡± My claws twitched as I remembered Taisa walking me through the ship thrusters, eager to see their function, sighing with awe and envy as I spoke, ¡°I can¡¯t believe you got into University! I¡¯ve looked at classes but¡­ I went right into work out of school, and a girl¡¯s gotta eat.¡± ¡°Never too late to try! Have you checked the Hidden Plains University?¡± Taisa asked, her attention now off the view and onto me. ¡°Maybe¡­ Honestly, the thought hadn¡¯t really occurred to me. I love machines, how they work, how they move, how they think¡­ I¡¯ve grazed to root every book I could find! Valek¡¯s been, so maybe¡­¡± ¡°Well then, it sounds to me like you¡¯d positively shear through your courses! I¡¯d bet they¡¯d let you take them online if you were worried about getting there. Stars know, you might even be able to test out of a few of them!¡± My tail curled around me as thoughts of building, changing, perfecting¡­ making something like this. Like the droids at the Berrypatch. Something to help people. The fantasy blossomed in my mind, filling with color and possibility, becoming more real, more possible, every moment it lingered. ¡°I¡­ I think I could do that!¡± --- Memory transcription subject: Valek, Venlil ¡®Space heater¡¯. Date [standardized human time]: Sept 15th, 2136. Middle of 4th Claw. Woosh Tup Tup, Click Click. Warmth. Weight. Drag. Wool. Breath. Taste. Twine. Three. Together. One. Home. The Foundations of Humanity 43 (Reprieve) - an NoP fanfic Memory transcription subject: Valek, Gilded Hollow. Date [standardized human time]: Sept 16th, 2136. Middle of 1st Claw. ¡°C¡¯mon sleepyhead, we gotta go.¡± Maeve¡¯s soft voice pulled me from an empty rest at the same moment Alvi began to stir from my side. ¡°Everything - ¡­ - go alright?¡± I asked through a deep yawn. ¡°Just fine! Well, the doctor was vibrating the whole time, but the nurse was more used to us so she kind of led the conversation. Still got it off, though; see!¡± She lifted what used to be her casted arm in front of me, waving her fingers and turning her arm wildly to practice its newfound freedom, causing it to make a sharp cracking noise which seemed to come from her elbow, and she winced at the sound. My ears snapped forward and I was suddenly awake, Did they hurt her?! Maeve caught onto my worry immediately, laying her other hand on my shoulder as I tried to stand, ¡°I¡¯m fine, just a little stiff. It¡¯ll ease up in a day or two. You two ready to go?¡± I saw the herd around us recoil when I nodded, making me hesitate as I nudged Alvi awake. I wrapped my tail around her back and led us all out of the hospital to make way for the shuttle depot. We kept each other company on our walk, talking about nothing, but I loved their banter all the same. The whole time, though, my eye was on the Herd. Stares and whispers followed us, herds didn¡¯t come near us, and more than once I saw someone pull out their pad, only to put it back when they saw me staring them down. Again and again, the city I loved showed that it refused to love us back. My heart sank as we passed through university campus, and I was reminded of when I would run with my bolting herd, how we would always pull Mulm¡¯s tail about flirting with the cashier at Cuties on the Campus. Things were so much easier! So much kinder! But now, when I look back, I remember how Mulm shied away from Exterminators when we passed them in the forum. How Rallo always seemed to have the most trouble in class; he was just ¡®the uplift¡¯ to everyone, even when I had the same questions he did. That every lesson, there was always something in the back of my mind, this feeling that something was missing. I was angry at myself for not asking the questions that mattered, for not even thinking of them! I spent a few claws every harvest at that library studying for whatever I could find, because I knew something was wrong. A big hole of a question that no one seemed to ask, and I couldn¡¯t figure out the words for. ¡°Valek, are you alright?¡± Maeve¡¯s voice pulled me from the gloom, back to the noise of the city and chilling wind in my wool. ¡°What? Yeah, sorry; I¡¯m fine. Just¡­ Just tired.¡± I was suddenly reminded of my affect, so I forced my ears high and focused, and commanded my tail to curl and wag. ¡°Don¡¯t I know it! We¡¯ve had a long day; Alvi¡¯s probably got the worst of it, though. Polani really tired you out huh?¡± ¡°Nah, I feel bright as a¡­ -¡± Alvi¡¯s mouth split in a wide yawn, straining her ears all the way back, before shaking from crown to tail, ¡°-Dayside wind! Dunno what¡¯s got Valek so mopey.¡± My tail twitched in agitation as my ears snapped to her, ¡°I¡¯m not mopey, it''s just¡­ this is where I went to University. Classes were¡­ well, being what they were¡­¡± And after the last few paws I wonder why they even have classes to begin with. I breathed sharply, dragging my thoughts back to Now to keep myself from spiraling. ¡°But I still miss some of it. I had a bolting herd - I told you about that already - but they¡¯ve all scattered across the Bands. And after I left classes behind last harvest, I don¡¯t really come around here anymore but for the-¡± The Library. My attention snapped to the wide building across the road from us. I thought about what I learned there, about the deep well of knowledge I thought was barren until Keneles helped me hear the rush of water beneath me. I needed to learn more, I needed to do more. And maybe the chance was under my paws all along. ¡°You two go ahead. I¡¯ll be home later,¡± I said flatly as I turned toward the library. ¡°Valek, what¡¯s going on?¡± I turned back around, quickly bumping Alvi¡¯s crown with my own as I gave Maeve what I hoped was a toothless smile, ¡°Just something I need to do, don¡¯t worry. I¡¯ll be home later, I promise.¡± I kept the girls in my periphery as I bounded toward the wide glass double doors, waving my tail in assurance as they waved arm and tail back to me. I took the steps three at a time before I came to the wide glass doors and stopped, steadying my bolting mind with a breath before I slid the door aside and stepped in. The large space, familiar and quiet, was brightly lit from sun-ward windows and reflective panels scattered about the ceiling. Keneles was at one of the pad stations helping presumably a student. Definitely a student. The student¡¯s mottle-grey wool was shorn short; not all such Venlil were Exterminators, but Hidden Plains University was renowned for its Exterminator program. I couldn¡¯t take any chances. I caught Keneles¡¯ eye from a distance, and let him watch me walk to the Fiscal Histories section. I felt small in the shadow of these walls of knowledge and history, but it was hollow, like a tiny bearing rattling around a ship¡¯s hold. Despite the thick musty taste that surrounded me, I couldn¡¯t shake the thought¡­ How much of this is real? How much was invented? How much of my world is some grand farce to keep us placated?! No More! We will find the truth! I will learn of this world, and others. I will learn Who We Are. And I won¡¯t let the Federation hide it behind lies and fear! My heart was hammering against my chest, and my wool was sparking across my skin as I threatened to boil over, before I saw Keneles come into the aisle from the other side. He paid me no mind, only busied himself among the shelves not more than three tails away from me. Despite my rage, I knew the risk this conversation was to the both of us, so I found another approach. I looked among the shelves around me, and found what I needed, stacking them at eye level to be reorganized by whatever poor attendant happened to find it.
How the Drilvar¡¯s Fiscal Theory of Market Forces Influenced Fissian Policy Friends from Afar: How Foreign Aid Benefits Us All Venlillian Tax and Agricultural Policy, 3rd edition
I moved to the adjacent aisle, pretending to browse a new section as I watched the Kolshian work. He paused at my stack of books, his eye flashing to me as his tail twitched, barely a ¡®Yes¡¯, and he put the tomes back to their places. I watched him move to his cart and rearranged a few of the books there, pushing it into the walkway between our aisles as he moved to the next row. I looked at the cart, and saw three stories, laid apparently haphazardly, but I could see the pattern.
A Primitive Hello: Welcoming Uplifts to the Herd Meeting the Predator Head on: An Exterminator''s Guide to Controlling the Flight Response. The Second Claw: Sovlin¡¯s Daring Charge Back into the Arxur Line.
Second claw¡­ only a half-claw to go! I flicked an ear to show I understood, and left to find a quiet space for a sun-blessed nap. --- Memory transcription subject: Maeve, Temporary Resident of Venlil Prime. Date [standardized human time]: Sept 16th, 2136. Start of 2nd Claw.
Dh''fh¨¤g thu s¨¬lteach mo sh¨´il Dh''fh¨¤g thu t¨´rsach mo chridh'' Dh''fh¨¤g thu tana-glas mo shnuadh ''S thug thu ghruag bh¨¤rr mo ch¨¬nn
Alvi¡¯s arms swung limply over my shoulder as I carried her atop the crook of my arm, my voice swallowed completely by the dense trees that surrounded the coarse dirt road leading to the Berrypatch. Wind rushed through the upper canopy, and the familiar chorus of leaves lifted my spirits; reminding me that just because the sun was a different color, it didn¡¯t make this place, right here, any less of a home. If you encounter this story on Amazon, note that it''s taken without permission from the author. Report it. As we rounded the final bend, I saw the burrow draped in shade from the tall trees surrounding the farm; the Venlillian sun had sunk below the treeline, the forest deepening the blue-black gloom around us. The skies above were streaked with golden clouds that stretched far out of sight, playing a brilliant contrast against the darkened sky and glowing stars beyond them. The droids were already hard at work, and I could hear the bustle of morning as I approached. The whirring, crunching machines were methodically tearing up the field, mulching plant matter as they went, and spraying some kind of chemical in their wake. I pressed a hand against Alvi¡¯s far ear against the noise and made for my apartment, hoping that the UN added extra insulation would suffice. I pulled my hand away only to open the door and shut it quickly behind us, which cut off the din almost entirely. I cast my eyes around the room as its lights glowed to life at our entry. Knick-knacks on shelves that reminded me of Earth, Alvi¡¯s anxiety tablet nestled between books on the shelf, and her blacksmith¡¯s puzzle that sat in pieces on the table by the couch. I gently laid Alvi under the covers of my bed before getting out of my burka, tossing it right into the wash along with the rest of what I was wearing before I slipped into bed alongside her. After the lights dimmed I pulled Alvi closer, sleepily winding my fingers through the wool over her belly and around her side as her tail found my ankle to curl around it. Alvi¡¯s ears swayed in a sluggish happiness as she took a deep breath and stretched, then came back to laying comfortably, facing me on her side. I felt my eyelids grow heavier, fluttering closed before Alvi whistled quietly in the space between us, ¡°... Why are you doing this?¡± The question hung, unanswered in the silence, before I found my voice, ¡°Well¡­ Humans have thought about alien life for basically ever, and once the chance to meet one ca-¡± ¡°No, Maeve¡­¡± Her unpinned ear flattened in irritation, ¡°Not humans, you. You left your home, your life, your planet, and decided to live with us? Just like that?¡± ¡°... Honestly it didn¡¯t start that way. I did the exchange to meet someone new, and I did the meetup because that someone seemed pretty cool! One thing led to another and¡­¡± My voice wavered as I thought about my time back home, ¡°I didn¡¯t have a lot going for me anyway. My job wasn¡¯t going anywhere, I didn¡¯t really have a lot of time to get to know my neighbors. My family¡­ We¡¯re not on speaking terms; haven¡¯t been for a long time.¡± ¡°So¡­ You were herdless, too.¡± She mumbled as her tail gripped my ankle a little tighter. ¡°I can¡¯t compare with what you went through, Alvi; but yeah, I suppose I was lonely.¡± ¡°Well¡­ for what it¡¯s worth, I¡¯m glad you came to Venlil Prime, and I hope you¡¯re less lonely now.¡± ¡°Me too, Stormcloud, and I am. Seems like a lot of people are lonely these days¡­¡± ¡°A lot of people were.¡± Alvi''s ear and eye perked, and my heart lept to see her brighten as she whistled on. ¡°I don¡¯t know what it is about you guys, but so far I¡¯ve met three Venlil who have found a herd for life in your kind! And every time, It¡¯s just a little clearer that¡­ maybe there¡¯s nothing wrong with me. That maybe I¡¯m different, but not alone! That maybe¡­ maybe I can do this.¡± Her focus came back to me, her hands worried the wool of her mane as I could feel her tail twitch against my ankle, ¡°I-I want to go back to school. I know it has its problems, but I want to learn how to make something, not just service it, and I know the University can do that. M-Maybe I can take classes online, or-¡± I touched a finger to her snout, stopping her words before trailing it up its ridge to the base of her unpinned ear, ¡°I think that¡¯s a wonderful idea. However it can be done, we¡¯ll do what I can to help it happen. But after we wake up, yeah?¡± Her ear swung happily, she sighed as my hand returned to idly brushing her side, before her ear fell flat and she looked shy, ¡°Thank you, for uh¡­ for carrying me back from the bus; when did I fall asleep?¡± ¡°Pretty much right when you hit the seat. We¡¯ve had a long day.¡± ¡°Yeah¡­ What were you singing? The translator couldn¡¯t catch it.¡± ¡°You were awake for that, huh? It¡¯s interesting that the translator couldn¡¯t catch it, I wonder why. Anyway, it¡¯s an old song. I learned it from my Gramma, and she from her mom, and she from hers, as a lullaby." I remembered when I asked my Gramma the same question. My parents had left me at her house again; for two weeks that time. I know, now, they did it to provide; I know they wanted me to have a better life than they did, growing up in the aftermath of the Sat-Wars. But I would have gladly been hungry if it were just with them. I remember the warmth in Gramma¡¯s eyes as she told it, like it was Her story, even though it was already easily over a century old by the time she learned it. "It¡¯s about someone who has nothing. Nothing, but the love they feel for someone special. They promise to work the hard ground to provide for their love. To love them until the end of their time; and when that time comes, they will leave this world with the light of that love at their back.¡± She thought for a long moment, ¡°¡­ It sounds sad.¡± I smiled, and sighed, ¡°It is. But grief is just love that someone left behind.¡± Alvi shifted closer, nestling her snout against my chest as she asked, ¡°¡­Can you sing it again? Please?¡± I bent my head down to kiss her crown as we wrapped each other in arms and tail, ¡°Of course.¡± Alvi closed her eyes as I took a breath, and she was asleep before I got to the second verse.
''N ¨¤m bhith cromadh ris a''ghleann Th¨¤inig snaidhm air mo chridh'' ¡­
--- Memory transcription subject: Valek, Law-Abiding Venlil Citizen. Date [standardized human time]: Sept 16th, 2136. Middle of 2nd Claw. The forests were dark and the wind was chilling. Night was nearly upon us, so the village was already buckling down to wait out the Grove''s uncanny darkness and gnashing cold. My paws were quiet on the coarse dirt road, tired from travel and from Keneles¡¯ lectures. He was impressed that I noticed the flaws in the Museum¡¯s exhibits, but brushed off the idea of them being fabrications, giving reasons and sources for each one. We talked about my thoughts on predator/prey relationships, and how they influence their environment. He was surprised when I told him about trophic cascade, saying they knew of the phenomenon but called it ¡®environmental decay¡¯. When I told him Maeve taught me about it, our conversation changed. He wanted me to stay where I was, and learn more about the Human¡¯s ideas of ¡®the Chain¡¯; the idea that everything that lives is connected to each other, somehow. But I was angry. I wanted to do more, I wanted to hurt the Federation, to take back what they took from us! Despite knowing those feelings, he still cautioned me. I¡¯ll admit, it made sense to start small, to learn before you act. So I¡¯ll listen, and I¡¯ll learn, and I¡¯ll take good notes. Hopefully this will help me understand my people more than what the Federation saw fit to teach us. The canopy split as I rounded the final bend, and I paused as the Berrypatch came into view. Did my ancestors build this house? Did it matter? My family made this house a home; this is ours, and no one else¡¯s. My mom owns the land, the buildings on it, and a decent chunk of the forest as well; we have the papers to prove it. Whatever the past may have been, we have made this ¡®Venlil¡¯ and we have made this Ours. That¡¯s what we¡¯ve done. And that¡¯s what we¡¯ll do. I stood tall as I made it to the door and pulled the welcome whistle, all but drowned out by shifting soil and crunching roots as the bots behind the burrow brought the field back to ground. I stepped inside and closed the door behind me, reducing the cacophony to a low rumbling; tolerable but still oppressive in the burrow. ¡°Valek! Welcome home!¡± My mom called from the table as soon as she saw me, setting down her pad and nearly running into me with an affectionate headbutt, ¡°Where are Alvi and Maeve, I thought they were with you?¡± My ears swung forward in curious concern, ¡°They were tired so I sent them ahead, they should have been here nearly a half-claw ago; you haven¡¯t seen them?¡± Mom flicked a ¡®No¡¯, and I could feel my panic building. Flashes of the predator attack rose to the surface of my recollection, "O-Ok maybe¡­ maybe someone in town saw them! I''ll run back, you get the bots-" "Son, if they were tired they probably took a nap." My Dad''s voice from the sink pulled me back. His confidence was calming, so I listened, "The droids have been tearing up the field since our last waking. If I came home to this noise, I''d find a quiet place to wait it out; like Maeve''s apartment." My heart was still pounding when I flicked a frantic ''Yes'' and ran from the burrow, slamming the door behind me and bounding toward the peaked cube. I swung the lever handle open and slipped inside, closing the door behind me and satisfied by the almost-silence. The lights glowed to dim life as I looked around the space and saw no one. My nerves started sparking with renewed worry, before I heard it: quiet whistling snores coming from the bed. I let go of a shaking held breath as my tail fell limp to the ground. I walked to the bed, barely lifting the covers to see my Starlight and Stormcloud entwined. My heart glowed with the love they shared, and I felt sun-blessed for them to share it with me. A buzzing from my shoulder pack felt loud as a star-freighter in the peaceful silence, making me jump nearly out of my wool! I opened my pad to see mom was checking in,
Have you found the girls? Leksi is looking for the keys to the buggy to check the village.
My tail swung happily, remembering our first day here, ecstatic that mom and dad had fallen for them as hard as I had! Well¡­ almost.
Yeah they¡¯re here. Asleep like pups in a dayside breeze. I think I¡¯ll sleep out here It¡¯s been a long paw for the three of us Are you sure? There¡¯s only the bed and couch is the floor more comfortable than your own bed ?^
I looked at the pile on the bed, chuckling at the thought of passing that up for anything.
Maeve has soft carpet, and extra pillows and blankets, I¡¯ll be fine. Besides, the insulation has made it nearly silent here, I¡¯m not sure I could sleep in the burrow if I tried. Good rest, mom ?? ??
My tail wagged groggily at the message, before I set it and my pack aside and crawled into bed. My arm wound around and under Maeve¡¯s, nestled under Alvi¡¯s chin, and I pulled myself into their embrace. I kissed Maeve¡¯s neck, tasting sweat and soil, then laid my snout against her, succumbing to the comfort of love and warmth. The Foundations of Humanity 44 (Between Us) - an NoP fanfic Memory transcription subject: Alvi, Venlil Citizen Date [standardized human time]: Sept 16th, 2136. End of 3rd Claw. The air was warm and thick under the blanket while gentle music of terran birds danced in my ears. I opened my eyes to see I was covered to the jaw by a thin blanket, and my snout pressed into Maeve¡¯s chest just as it was when she sung me to sleep. My head was cradled in one hand, her fingers still curled in her sleep-interrupted touch, while her other hand and arm laid a comfortable weight across my side. I felt wool on my snout, and slightly lifted the blanket to see Valek¡¯s familiar stiff locks of wool rising and falling with Maeve¡¯s breath as his arm was wrapped around her stomach, laying his paw against the same and under my chin. I looked around the room in my wide periphery, comforted by its familiarity after so many rests in strange rooms and ships, trying to peer through the gloom at whatever small details I could make out. The recessed ceiling was dark, speckled with a starry projection of unfamiliar constellations twinkling in Earth¡¯s simulated night. On the other end of the room by the couch glowed a decorative shape, all hard lines in pleasing angles, inlaid with small lights that ran along its form and gave it the look of embers burning a rainbow of color. I watched it in long silence, watching the colors dance over its ridges, never repeating, like some facsimile of a living thing. Could it live? Where was the line between random and intention? Could a machine want? Could light? Could they consider? Could they think? My mind and imagination wandered down this winding path, winding and dividing like the lights that so captivated my attention. It was a long while, I don¡¯t know how long, before more movement recalled me back to the pair that laid against me. Maeve¡¯s arm around my side started to move groggily up and down my silhouette, idly scratching through my wool and making me shiver because of it, while the thumb of her supporting hand gently massaged my eye ridge. ¡°Good morning, cutie,¡± she breathed, her quiet words swallowed by the darkness around us as I murred in response, my tongue reaching out to explore the wrist of her supporting hand while my own paws ran over her smooth skin. Maeve rolled onto her back and I shifted closer to her, laying my head on her shoulder and basking in her warmth as her delightful fingers found my lower back, drawing gentle circles in the wool just above my tail. Valek had woken as well; I saw his arm and paw moving under the thin blanket that covered us. Maeve looked down past her cheekbone to meet my eye, smiling as she whispered, ¡°God, you¡¯re adorable. Think Elva left anything in the pot f-¡± Maeve¡¯s voice faltered and she looked down at the mirthfully whistling lump on her other side, ¡°for breakfast? Valek, that is very rude.¡± ¡°Can you blame me? It¡¯s just right there waiting for-¡± Maeve rolled her eyes and pushed Valek away, sitting up in bed while still covering herself with the sheet. Was she cold? She flipped the sheet off of Valek who was whipping his tail in mischief, ¡°Well now it¡¯s time to get up. I¡¯m hungry, and you¡¯re thirsty, clearly. You ready to get up, Alvi?¡± I nodded and sat upright while Valek slipped off the bed before Maeve and I followed. Valek walked to the other end of the small apartment and started brushing himself while Maeve moved to the bathroom, quickly followed by the sound of rushing water as I met Valek to help with his brushing. "What was that about?" Valek''s tail kinked as his ears were high and pleased, ¡°Just having a little fun. We¡­ Well¡­ You already know about us, and we haven¡¯t really had the chance for fun in a while.¡± ¡°¡­ Because of me?¡± Valek stopped his brushing, seeing my ears and tail low before he set it aside to wrap me in a tight hug; my paws lingered on his chest when he pulled away, his one paw laid on mine and his other rose to stroke the wool along my jaw. His words were soft in my ears, and I leaned into his touch as he comforted me, ¡°Because of a lot of reasons. My parents, the town¡­ Maeve didn¡¯t have her apartment yet, and I¡­ I had my own problems, that really only got worse with Dawn Creek. And, yes, because I knew how much it would hurt you. Maeve was right, it was ¡®rude¡¯ of me to do that with you right there, without talking to you about how we do things. I¡¯m sorry.¡± I felt his wool between my fingers; thick, coarse and wiry against my pads as they wandered higher to sink into his mane. I felt his heartbeat under my paw, slow and strong, feeling like I could be lifted off the ground from the strength of his heart alone. His claws against my skin played with the heat of his pads, sinking into my cheek as my head seemed to fall into it, feeling both heavy and light as he returned my pressure to push my head up and meet his gaze, ¡°You deserve better than that, and I¡¯ll try to be more careful, ok?¡± My ears swung a clumsy ¡®Yes¡¯, feeling tired even though I just woke up. My heart was pounding in my chest and my mouth opened of its own accord, my tongue falling out of it to- The rush of falling water halted, and I snapped to attention as the bathroom door swung open with a towel-wrapped Maeve stepping out of it. Valek swung his attention to her as well, still holding me as I picked my head up out of his paw. ¡°Good waking! Feeling a little lighter, Starlight?¡± ¡°Augh, you have no idea!¡± Maeve sighed as she rubbed her hair dry with a second towel, ¡°I¡¯m not really awake until I take a shower; cold showers and hot coffee, no better start to a morning. Speaking of! You two ready to head to the house?¡± We both signaled ¡®Yes¡¯ as we parted, stepping to the door before Maeve laughed and stooped down to her under-bed storage, taking several pelts from inside, ¡°Well hold on, I need to get dressed!¡± Valek and I stopped before we reached the door; he leaned against a nearby shelf while I looked back at her quizzically, ¡°That¡¯s something I never got about humans: why do you wear so many pelts? Or pelts at all??¡± ¡°Well that is both complicated, and deceptively simple.¡± Her pelts now arrayed on the bed, Maeve looked to the both of us and asked us to turn around. We did so, turning together to face the wall, though Valek asked in an over-exaggerated tone, ¡°I just saw everything under the covers, why the theater?¡± - ¡°You¡¯ll see me naked on my terms, not yours. Turn. Around.¡± - ¡°I did, I did, I¡¯m just pulling your tail.¡± After several moments of shuffling pelts, Valek¡¯s tail kinked and he spoke deadpan, ¡°You missed a spot.¡± - ¡°Eyes forward.¡± - "Ya know, I could get it for you; my girlfriend tells me I''m a wonderful groomer.¡± A soft Woosh and a Wap as something red flew into my rear periphery, slapping into the back of Valek¡¯s head and catching onto his ear. He dropped his ear and the soft missile into his paw, unwinding it to a triangular piece of thin red fabric, which he apparently recognized. ¡°You¡¯re really sending me some mixed messages, Starlight. You want these back or¡­?¡± - ¡°Eyes. Forward.¡± ¡°Alright. Alright,¡± He laughed quietly as he balled up and tossed the fabric onto the couch beside us. He caught my questioning eye, and his own sparkled with humor as he stuck his tongue out at me. ¡°I think Alvi had a question for you?¡± ¡°Right! Clothes - or ¡®pelts¡¯, as you call them. So we started wearing them for protection. The sun would be too bright, or as we expanded further north, the cold got more intense, so we would use animal pelts to protect our skin. This also worked for protection against other animals, or even just nature; if you scratched your arm running through the underbrush, it could get infected and kill you, especially before we discovered antibiotics. Alright, you can turn around now.¡± Valek and I again turned together, to see Maeve covered from her ankle to her neck in thick but loose pelts, obscuring her form by how loose they hung. They were vibrant patterned colors, her upper-pelt a grassy turquoise with an abstract shape on its center front, and her lower pelt black with repeated graphics of something I couldn¡¯t recognize. Her fire-red hair clashed further with her garish coloring, making me nearly wince at the sight, ¡°See, this is what I mean: no sensible predator would ever wear such blindingly obvious colors!¡± Maeve gesticulated in frustrated exasperation, ¡°It¡¯s fuckin¡¯ freezing outside, and these are the warmest things I packed! See: protection! Normally these are my ¡®staying home¡¯ pajamas, but if push comes to shove I can wear my burka over it. Anyway,¡± she continued as she sat on the bed and collected her foot-pelts, ¡°Once we were able to control what our clothing looked like with dyes or tools, they became status symbols. Nearly everyone could have clothes, but not the material, tools, or skills people used to make them look nice. Eventually we figured out how to make clothes with plant matter. We still used animal hide, because animals still died for food or otherwise and waste-not-want-not, but most of our clothing quickly shifted to murder-less options.¡± Her footpelts attached, she stood and joined us at the door. ¡°A lot of these concerns - besides protection from the weather - are obsolete these days, but wearing clothes is now such a huge part of our culture that it feels weird¡­ vulnerable to go without, which is why even seeing a human naked is considered intimate, and most people feel very strongly about that.¡± Valek opened the door and Maeve stepped through it. My eye lingered on Valek¡¯s shaggy wool whipping about in the Night-ward breeze, the long wool of his tail tuft catching the wind like a flag as it twitched and flicked along with his good mood. His off-white coat nearly glowed under the threshold¡¯s hard light, appearing like a halo around the shadow of his toned arms within. I crossed through the door, pausing at the stoop along with him as my distracted sight wandered up his arm to his mane, and my breath caught as I saw his eye, gleaming and golden against his pupil, accented by ice-white streaks. That same eye flicked to mine, and in a panic I focused back forward, bounding to catch up to Maeve as I asked another question, ¡°B-But I thought you two were already there? Aren¡¯t you ¡®comfortable¡¯ enough around us for it not to be a problem?¡± ¡°This is actually where I¡¯m a little bit weird-¡± ¡°A little bit?¡± Valek jibed as he caught up behind us. This tale has been unlawfully lifted without the author''s consent. Report any appearances on Amazon. ¡°Hush, you. But yeah, most humans feel that way, and will be casually undressed in privacy with their partner. But when I was younger, something happened where I was not able¡­ not allowed, to choose when someone saw me like that. I-¡­ It left its mark. So now, it''s really important to me that I choose who gets to see me like that, and when.¡± She took a deep breath, shaking her head and shoulders as if to shake off some ghastly rain. "Valek may play like an ass, but he knows that I know it¡¯s only play; he makes an effort not to test my boundaries, and I appreciate the respect that shows.¡± Valek bounded ahead of us, pinching his claws against Maeve¡¯s backside as he passed before spinning around with an uncannily human grin, ¡°I don¡¯t just play like an ass; if you see my light.¡± Maeve squeaked as he pinched her, trying and failing to hide her laughter as she tried to admonish him, ¡°Oh my God, Valek, what is with you today?!" His tail swung with his backward gait, bobbing about as its tuft flicked and flapped in the wind, "I dunno! I feel¡­ Really good! Maybe it''s being back home, maybe it''s actually having a good sleep for the first time in paws¡­" He looked for me in the darkness, and even as his sight passed through me I could feel my bloom deepening as it did. He pulled the welcome whistle ahead of us, returning Maeve¡¯s loving gaze as she joined him. His eyes met mine as I stepped into the small circle of light ahead of the burrow door and I watched them linger on me, peering at and through my coat, before I felt his tail wrap around mine as I stepped beside him. --- Memory transcription subject: Elva, Loving Wife Date [standardized human time]: Sept 16th, 2136. End of 3rd Claw. Gasping and glowing as Leksi finished cleaning us up and tossed the messed towel in with the linens, I couldn¡¯t help a delighted giggle as I saw my pawprints in the wool on his back, ¡°Stars¡­ You¡¯d think I was still in my cycle after that!¡± His ears never left me even as he retrieved our brushes, setting them at the edge of the warren bed before he returned to my arms, ¡°Cycle or no, I never could keep my paws off¡¯a ya! I think I got a little seed left to sow, if the soil still needs tillin¡¯?¡± His tongue dove into my mane, tracing cool lines against my still sparking skin and making my giggling quickly grow to bleating in his ear as I responded, ¡°The soil is well tilled, my love, I assure you, but it is also thirsty, and hungry. How about we start on last-meal and see how we feel after?¡± His tail flicked a ¡®Yes¡¯ as he picked himself back up, rolling out of the warren bed and helping me with a strong but gentle paw. We collected our brushes and leveled out each other¡¯s wool, playfully jibing and grooming as we did, before walking down to the kitchen once we were presentable. I admired the dozens of family photographs that lined the hallway, so many hundreds of years of this family that we are forced to choose what photos to hang, and even switch them out every now and again. But I always kept this one up. At the top of the stairs hung a simple photo; not some grand painting or portrait, just a little hex of love in a home-made frame. I was on a gurney with a tear-streaked snout holding a bundle with a black-tufted tail hanging from it, still wet with birth. On the far side of the bed was Elsi¡¯s night-black head peeking over the edge with his white star-flecked snout, trying to pull himself up on the bed to meet his new brother. Leksi sat on my near-side, his tail draped over my lap like a wide embrace for our herd, for our family, as his paw gently brushed my head and I leaned on his shoulder, all of us welcoming Valek into the world. Leksi¡¯s tail brushed against my back as he passed me and I reached for it, letting it flow through my paw as he descended the stairs before I followed after, calling back to me when he reached the landing, ¡°So, hun! What¡¯re we having for last-meal?¡± - ¡°I thought I might give that ¡®stir-fry¡¯ another try!¡± - ¡°Oh, well, I¡¯ll get the bath started, then.¡± My tail popped him on the back of the head as he stooped to collect a wide and shallow pot, ¡°I didn¡¯t know it would spatter like that! You said that from the data dumps, it was just like day-side Malley fry!¡± ¡°Yeah, ¡®like¡¯.¡± He retorted as he laid the pan on the soup-burner; with a lid this time. ¡°I also said it was weird that they used so little of that ¡®olive oil¡¯; that you should¡¯ve kept with the day-side recipe and poured it in.¡± ¡°Yeah! Well¡­!¡± I had hoped - in vain, clearly - to find a response by the time I got here. ¡°Well now we know better.¡± - ¡°We?¡± - ¡°Yes, dear, ¡®We¡¯. Venlil ni Vyala ti Vyal, remember?¡± ¡°Didn¡¯t think that when we shared promises, we¡¯d share mistakes, too.¡± He said musically as he pinched the base of my tail. My ear tried to slap but he ducked, ¡°Obviously my first ¡®mistake¡¯ was when I said ¡®Yes¡¯ to being your partner at the CCC¡± [Community Construction Contest] ¡°Best mistake you ever made¡± I stepped away from the fire while the oil came to temperature, slid up beside him and let my headbutt to his shoulder rapidly blend into nuzzling the broadside of his snout as he turned on the teakettle. He could not turn fast enough to hold me against him as he bent to groom my neck while I barely gasped my answer, ¡°Certain as the stars.¡± My heart begged me to stay in his arms but for a moment longer, yet I pulled away from my Love and set to work preparing our meal. Some melroot rounds, cubed groundfruit, and ulren squares, dusted with powdered topo seeds! The powdered seeds¡¯ warm floral taste should help bring out the ulren¡¯s herb-y spice, the mere thought of it enough to get my mouth watering for a cheeky bite before it was ready. I dashed a flick of water over the oil and the immediate Pop let me know it was up to temperature, and so tossed the mix of veggies into the squat pot. Leksi laid a heaping scoop of his ¡®coffee¡¯ into a teacloth and tied it with twine, laying it in his boiling teakettle before he came back to my side to keep me company while I cooked, ¡°We need to get the truck scheduled for the next harvest.¡± His face ever so gently rubbed against mine as I answered with a purr, ¡°This Night is supposed to be a strong one. We may want to set the arrival a little later than normal.¡± His warm breath rushed across my neck, ¡°Good point¡­ Hrm¡­ how are the droids going?¡± ¡°Working like a dream! Think I might be able to get a little extra juice outta¡¯em with some tinkering, but they¡¯ll be ready to sow in time for the Dawn, don¡¯ you worry.¡± I took a piece of groundfruit to test the dish, and added some aged sugar to give the fry a fuller body. I gave Leksi the next piece and the low murr that slipped from him told me it was ready! I took the pot off the fire as the welcome whistle sung behind us, and Leksi left my side to open the door. I could tell who it was by the lift in his tail as he looked out the peephole before he swung out the door to welcome Valek and the girls inside with a joyful wag, amused by Maeve rubbing her hands over her arms against the cold of the coming night. ¡°Good waking! Our paw is just finishing, Elva¡¯s just about to serve last-meal, and the fire¡¯s hot¡¯n¡¯happy; you all sleep well enough?¡± I looked behind me to see Valek¡¯s tail swaying joyfully as he led Alvi to the dining table while Maeve split off to the hearth, the sunbeam I knew him for shining through his voice as he answered, ¡°Extremely! Slept all through the uproot, by the sound of it. You and Mom all set for Night?¡± Leksi re-closed and braced the door in their wake before passing by Valek as he pulled out a seat for Alvi, ¡°Just about; still need to get braces on the windward entry, but ¡®sides that we just need to burrow down and wait for the Dawn.¡± Maeve¡¯s familiar lilt sang from amid the popping flames, ¡°Oooo do I smell coffee?¡± ¡°That you do; I¡¯ll pour you a cup! How did you three enjoy Dawn Creek? Elva and I hadn¡¯t been since Valek was a pup.¡± Leksi laughed as he poured two steaming cups of the bitter human brew. Alvi and Valek bounded into overlapping trails of their time in Dawn Creek, joined by Maeve as she and Leksi took their seats at the table. Bouncing around topics like pups eager to share, I watched the pair banter and jibe as they told us about arcade games, new friends, and new foods, but I could tell there was something more there, something they weren¡¯t telling me. Something that was different. ¡°... Ugh, it was exhausting! Everywhere we went, the herd avoided us; even crossed the street! Actually! One of the big reasons we went to the museum was because they had a sample of Morning Light you could hold! But that Picv-¡± My head snapped around to fix Valek with a baleful eye, my tail thrashing behind me, daring him to finish that sentence, ¡°... That attendant wouldn¡¯t even acknowledge us. And, there was that self-righteous Iftali; when he yelled at Alvi I-¡± Valek looked to grow more incensed until Alvi reached over, setting a paw on his arm and soothing his wool for a moment. Like I used to when Leksi would get annoyed with his family when we were young. Soft as rain, her voice brought him back, ¡°It wasn¡¯t all bad. There was that harchen at lunch?¡± Valek¡¯s ears fell flat to the sides of his head. He squinted his eyes, took a deep breath, and his ears came back to their high attention as his sight came back to Alvi, ¡°Yeah, poor thing was terrified of us when we came in. Tarlim got her to smile though, so I think she was warming up to us before we left. Alvi here introduced Maeve to a pup at the museum. Little girl was bolting around the metamaterials exhibit almost as much as you were!¡± I could barely make out Alvi¡¯s eartips turning a bright orange bloom through her dark wool, even as her tail tried to be admonishing, ¡°I wasn¡¯t bolting. I was just¡­ excited.¡± Valek¡¯s eyes softly closed as he tilted his head at her, ¡°Well you¡¯re pretty dang cute when you¡¯re excited; I¡¯d love to see it more often!¡± Alvi¡¯s attention snapped forward and she returned to eating her last-meal, while the rest of her snout turned such a deep blooming gold I couldn¡¯t miss it even through her dark velvet, and I was keenly reminded of Leksi¡¯s playful bullying as we worked together in that building contest so long ago! These two were tail-twined if ever I saw it, and it warmed my heart and soul to see my son so taken by such a lovely woman! I was captivated by the warmth in the space between them, so much so that my mouth asked before it deigned to think, ¡°You get along well with pups, then?!¡± A hacking, wheezing cough sounded from the other end of the table, Maeve desperately gasping as she held her hand up to her mouth. ¡°Are you alright, dear?¡± Koff ¡°Yep! I¡¯m-¡± Koff Koff ¡°I¡¯m just dandy! A little-¡± Hugah-Koff ¡°-coffee went down the wrong tube.¡± Kawwf Koff Koff Sniff ¡°And maybe up another.¡± ¡°Well you better figure it out; I told Ilnek you were fine and it''s rude to make a liar out of someone.¡± Maeve took a deep breath and cleared her throat, ¡°You talked to Ilnek? How is he doing?¡± ¡°As energetic as ever; that boy¡¯s gonna be the death of poor Bilvee, the way he worries her. And he¡¯s not the only one, the whole Village Litter nearly stampeded me after you were gone a paw!¡± The human smiled - tight-lipped and toothless for my benefit - as she cupped her hands around the warm mug, ¡°Isn¡¯t it wonderful?¡± - ¡°To be stampeded by children?¡± - ¡°No! The way they¡¯re always so¡­ eager! So excited to learn, and to share.¡± Maeve¡¯s sight wandered about the den, lingering on the vyalkit that surrounded it, ¡°You have such an incredible history and culture; I¡¯m surrounded by it and want to see it all!¡± She stopped to return Valek and Alvi¡¯s genial swaying tails with her own smile, sharp teeth shining white in the warm artificial lighting around us, before she hid them and returned her focus to me, ¡°Right before we left, they all shared stories about your ¡®Stonebuilder¡¯, remember that? That was amazing, watching them all bright-eyed and bushy-tailed at the chance to teach me!¡± My wool, once flared at the predatory display of her fangs, began to level as I saw the sparkle in her eyes. I knew she did well with the pups, I saw it myself more than once in her improvised classroom around the fountain. But to see it in her eyes, these predatory eyes that bore into my soul like some stalking beast, that now showed me for what they were: a window, crystal-clear and genuine, through which shines her every thought and feeling. To imagine a predator, a nightmare, a specter I was taught all my life to fear and hate could feel, could be so¡­ Maternal. I looked to the pair of young Venlil across from me, comfort and joy in their affect as they saw easily what I only just discovered¡­ maybe¡­ Maybe we were wrong about Humans. The Foundations of Humanity 45 (Coming Storm) - an NoP fanfic Memory transcription subject: Alvi, Pup Struck Date [standardized human time]: Sept 16th, 2136. Middle of 4th Claw. Our buggy struggled through the headwind as we made toward the Grove, its complaining whine quieting only when we entered the village proper and were sheltered somewhat from the slowly building gale. Valek left his driver¡¯s seat and helped me off of the rear bench with a gentle paw while Maeve rejoined us from her usual hang, and we all wound through the riverstone streets to the commons. Valek strode beside me with Maeve behind us, and in my wide field of view I found my eyes constantly rediscovering his. Every line of his frame, every lock of his wool in sharp relief as my heart hammered in my throat and I struggled to ask him -- anything! How he felt, what he thought, what he¡¯s doing, what he sees; anything to hear his voice in my ears and have his focused attention! I wrested control of my faculties, took a breath and tried to make a sound, but the excited chattering of the village litter on approach stole our attention. The rowdy herd had nearly stampeded over us as they ran screaming, bolting, and climbing all about the commons; Valek¡¯s tail kinked with mischief as he joined the diminutive herd of happily squealing pups! My heart swelled and my skin sparked seeing him play with them, and I felt the burning warmth of a shining Day under my wool. I waved my ears forward and back, trying to cool them with the frigid air of oncoming Night; Maeve was a bubbling mess of giggles beside me, which I hoped were from Valek¡¯s antics and not my - I was sure - vibrant bloom. The off-white stucco of the village glowed with the diffused light of a fiery sky, glaringly bright against the steadily darkening forest behind it, while the village grown-ups were hard at work slipping temporary boards into permanent racks against glass windows in preparation of Galetime. Valek was gaining on Vaibek as they rounded the far side of the fountain at speed. Not to be outdone, the boy dropped his head and leveled out his tail behind him as a counter balance, then summoned a burst of speed before Valek could pass him on his right side. He looked over his shoulder, gleefully laughing as he taunted, ¡°Ain¡¯t as fast as you used to be, old buck!¡± Vaibek shot past us, making to lap the slower runners as he continued around the fountain. Valek slowed to a stop in front of us as he finished his own lap, his heavy breathing catching in my throat when he called back, ¡°A scarce two harvests away from home, and already outpaced by a pup!¡± Maeve and I laughed with him as the rest of the litter caught up to us; Mulva, the little shivi flower, looked about ready to collapse over her wobbling knees even as her little tail was still flicking in excitement. Without a thought, I knelt to scoop her up, hugged her tight, then twirled wildly with her tail tucked around my waist. Her little claws dug deep into the wool on my chest and she nuzzled her head down into my neck as she squealed in delight! After spinning two times, then three, and another for good measure, I had to stop to catch my breath, all but carried off by the joyful whistling and giggling brays of the little girl. The other children clambered around me, tugging at my wool and tail, begging to be picked up and spun, too. I lashed my tail, pulling the pup behind me to and fro as I laughed gleefully along with the litter, then spun again, causing the smaller one at my hip to be pulled along, joining Mulva¡¯s sparkling laughter along with my own! I dizzily halted my playing, but lost my footing on the riverstone street, along with my balance as I felt myself begin to fall, before landing against something soft and solid. The mass of grey wool was twice my size as they turned a baleful eye on me and I backed away, breaking up my bubbling laughter with frantic apologies. ¡°Alright everyone, let¡¯s get out from underfoot!¡± Maeve called over the commotion of whistles and bleats, ¡°What did we miss while we were gone? Everyone stay out of trouble?¡± High cheers and flailing tails sung out around me as Maeve led the herd to the fountain, taking her usual seat on the ledge; Valek was beaming as I passed him before he fell in beside me. ¡°Having a little fun there, Stormcloud?¡± I lashed my tail against his back before it returned to a contented sway behind me, ¡°Can you blame me? Just look at them, sweetest little lotenks you¡¯d ever see!¡± I whistled with glee as Mulva and I headbutted each other playfully, before I set her down and she joined the herd that now sat around the fountain. ¡°Not as sweet as you.¡± His whispered voice in my ear set my snout ablaze, and I nearly smacked my ears against his cheek as I tried to cool them. --- Memory transcription subject: Maeve, Pup Wrangler Date [standardized human time]: Sept 16th, 2136. Middle of 4th Claw. Well isn¡¯t that lovely? My smile was beaming under my veil, and it was a struggle to keep my voice level as I watched Alvi and Valek try to hide their blushing behind the flock of children that I led away from construction work. The whole village was lit in a castoff light, deep blue from the cloud cover that sped overhead while the wind howled through the winding streets. Above the rooftops of the village I could see the forest canopy, beating and whirling in the winds that skipped over the woods that surrounded the Grove. Thicimek was the first to offer some juicy gossip, running ahead of me and bouncing up and off the lip of the fountain, ¡°Dauln got caught in a greeol tree when the gales started! Chief Cyja had to ask Carvit for his picker-lift.¡± My memory flashed to getting stuck in the cedar tree behind our house, and I giggled to myself as I imagined a venlil bleating down from the top branches. Though it seemed I set a poor example, as titters and jeers bubbled up from the herd, making a grey-wooled boy pull his ears down in front of his eyes. I waited for quiet before addressing him in my kinder voice, ¡°That was very dangerous Dauln, and I hope you learned to be more careful in the future; but I¡¯m very glad to see you¡¯re ok, and that you can be here with us. Valek talked to me about Galetime; do the winds really get that dangerous here?¡± ¡°Mama says they¡¯ll lift you right off the grass!¡± Little Mulva cried from right in front of me. ¡°My da¡¯ says if I don¡¯t stay inside, the Gales¡¯ll blow me all the way to Nightside and I¡¯ll get eaten,¡± cried another with wool like a swirled latte. Oof, they don¡¯t mess around. Seems a little exaggerated but that¡¯s typical of ¡®be good or else¡¯ stories from back home; best not question the parents. Hell, maybe they could get sucked up into the wind, you don¡¯t know; you¡¯ve never seen a storm on an alien planet! ¡°Well I¡¯ll be sure to stay inside then; wouldn¡¯t want the storm to make my burka a parachute!¡± I said, billowing my white cloak for emphasis and making the herd squeal with delight, ¡°What do you do when you¡¯re all stuck inside? Not driving your parents crazy, surely.¡± I cast my eye around at the busy venlil about the square, pleased that more than a few tails agreed; even if their owners still avoided looking at me. The commons became a dissonant chorus of voices as they called out games, movies, and shows they all enjoyed while stuck inside, but there was one child whose ears stayed down, tail curling around them protectively; they kept a close eye on me and I guessed we hadn¡¯t met, judging by their trepidation. I looked off to the side, trying hard to show I wasn¡¯t looking at them, ¡°Why, hello, little one! I don¡¯t believe we¡¯ve met, are you new to the Grove?¡± Even despite my averted sight, I could see them shrink and curl tighter in my periphery; Ilnek looked behind from his usual seat in front, signing >Calm< to them with his tail, ¡°That¡¯s Hanin; she¡¯s just moved from Milna!¡± ¡°Hanin! What a beautiful name! I¡¯m sorry I¡¯ve scared you, Hanin; I promise you¡¯re safe here with your herd, and that I won¡¯t leave this seat until it is time to go home. Have you been in the Grove long, dear?¡± She continued sitting there frozen, her ears swiveling around, but her tail signed a twitchy >No<. ¡°Then I¡¯d like to welcome you, and thank you for joining us here. You know, I¡¯m new here too! Only arrived around two weeks ago; which I believe you guys call a ¡®herd¡¯ of paws, or maybe a ¡®trail¡¯, I¡¯m not sure? Where is Milna, is it far?¡± Their tail curled into a wide circle, then bounced pointedly up into the sky. A sign I wasn¡¯t familiar with, though Ilnek filled the gaps. ¡°It¡¯s a colony! We learned about it back in school; Bellwether Vana said we helped the Gojids get wood to make more homes!¡± ¡°A fellow astronaut, how wonderful! What was it like on Milna? Did you have winds like here in the Grove?¡± Her tail flicked a ¡®no¡¯, but her ears swung in-to-out as well; a rather un-venlil signal, but reminded me of Ulmic¡¯s very Gojid ¡®no¡¯, ¡°It rained. It rained a lot. Especially at night. Dad told me to stay inside, said the exterminators said they couldn''t get all the predators in the woods.¡± ¡°And he¡¯s right; even here! You shouldn¡¯t go into the woods without an adult you trust, ok?¡± Her tail bobbed a quick agreement, which I mirrored with my own nod, ¡°In fact! Y¡¯know, Hanin, my world has night and storms, too! I remember, one winter back home, we had a massive windstorm, stronger than any we had had in decades! I remember seeing the trees outside roiling, and the rain coming down in sheets. The storm screamed and wailed outside, and I was scared!¡± I had expected a reaction, but not for the pups to laugh at me! ¡°Yeah, yeah. Laugh at the big scary predator that¡¯s scared of the wind. We¡¯ve had tales about storms for millennia, and a good few of them involved the Wil-¡± The Wild Hunt, Maeve? The Wild HUNT?! The cacophonous march of the restless dead who stole the curious from their homes? That¡¯s what you¡¯re going with?? ¡°-ld¡­¡± Wild Night? Will o the Wisp? ¡°¡­-d¡­ d¡­ Dance!¡± Dance of¡­ Dance of the Sugarplu- Nope, not that one. But Fairies, uhh¡­ Fairy¡­ Host¡­ the Faerie Host! The Sluagh! ¡°The Wild Dance of the Sluagh!¡± Their tails thrashed across the ground with excited wagging, rushing against the cobblestone like a facsimile of hushed applause, every ear on me with beaming eyes and mouths agape; even Hanin, to my immense satisfaction, seemed to sit more comfortably and ready to listen. And she sticks the landing! ¡°Ahem, stories like this one were used to explain the sounds that people heard when storms got particularly rambunctious. On Earth, Night happens every waking, and in my part of the world night could last as long as 15 hours; That¡¯s almost 4 claws of night, every waking, for a whole harvest!¡± The litter was alight with surprise and wonder, talking to their friends before I recaptured their attention and continued, ¡°And before electricity, that meant that our towns, villages, and cities got dark, dark as the void between stars, which let people¡¯s imagination fill the space with all manner of stories!¡± ¡°And this story begins, in a forest.¡± The herd settled down, all ears on me as tails lulled lazily around their seated selves, and I animatedly started my tale, waving my arms wide as I set the stage.
¡°Many, many years ago, when the world was young and the forests were wild, a small village grew along the treeline, growing from the crossroads of many cities. Young Brienne O¡¯Coagh, a weaver girl, lived there with her Mother, Father, and Grandmother. Her Mother taught her of Here, of how to thrive where she grew and become more than the roots that fed her. Her Father taught her of There, of spices and silks, of people large and small, and cities old and new, of how to grow with the world and be ever ready for its complications.¡±
Alright we got here and there, now and later, so¡­ I hunched down and brought my voice low, like I was telling a secret for only the pups¡¯ ears.
¡°And her Grandmother taught her of Then, of the old world and its mysteries. Of the Fair Folk, and the Underhills, of those who have always been and always will be. She taught her never to enter the forest on moonless nights, where the dark was deep but never empty. She taught her to be a kind host, and a kinder guest.¡±
There¡¯s the setting, now for the conflict¡­ If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it.
¡°But most of all, she taught her to beware the winds of Samhain, for they were the hoots and hollers and peals and roars of the rancorous Sluagh!¡±
I had been getting louder, almost barking the name of the Faerie Host and making some in the litter gasp and shrink as I held my hands like claws just above my head.
¡°She taught Brienne that they would whisk her away, steal her from friends and family, carried on cold winter winds forevermore!¡±
Ok, there¡¯s the spook, let¡¯s bring it back¡­ I had nearly stood out of my seat, many of the litter holding their tails with ears back. Hanin was taking this remarkably well; not as well as the other pups, but better than most xenos when they first met me. Ilnek kept an eye and an ear on her, signing an excited stream of >Calm< >Fun< >Safe< back to her; I returned to a normal volume, putting an air of caution behind my words.
¡°But Brienne was smart and sharp; she listened, all, to her Mother, Father, and Grandmother, learning from them each to be the sum of all, and she knew their wit, combined in her, would shine like a candle in the dark!¡±
The pups had relaxed a fair bit, and I noticed several of the adults were slowing their work and listening in.
¡°But! While wit could be taught, wisdom came with years. Years she did not have, and so she believed her lessons enough to be more than their caution. So it was that one dark night, when the winds whirled with wild celebrations of Summer¡¯s End, she left the hamlet in search of an adventure, and learned how wrong she was!¡±
Ilnek looked like a kid opening their first pack of Neutron Ranger cards, eyes nearly sparkling as his attention locked on me. Alright, let¡¯s pick it up, paint a picture and get moving.
¡°Her cloak whipped in the gale, catching on thorn and twig who tried desperately to keep her home, to not follow the winds that tempted her deeper into the dark woods! But she did not listen to the thorn or twig; she pulled the cloak free and pressed on. The wind called her ever down, down into the dark, down into the old woods, where the roots gnarled and twisted through the underbrush, and the trees became giants, stretching so high she could no longer see the branches.¡±
And the Elsewhere.
¡°It was only after the last light of the last star was swallowed by the forest that she saw it: firelight, dancing in the cavernous space between pillarous arbors. Closer she crept, closer to the center of the storm where tumultuous winds grew to barking laughs and joyous cheers! She crouched behind a massive root and peeked over, seeing a great crowd of twirling dervishes in gay celebration, pulsing along with a whirling drum and song. Dozens of people were dancing in the grove, unknown but familiar, friends long forgotten and beasts seen through the trees, and every one was laughing and chanting along together,¡± ¡°B¨ªmse fh¨¦in a'' radairacht A'' radairacht, A'' radairacht, B¨ªmse fh¨¦in a'' radairacht Ag iarraidh bean a bhr¨¦agadh¡±
I started vocalizing a lilting rhythm, tapping my knees in time and bouncing my body along with the song. The litter quickly picked up the beat and papped their tails against the road in a ripple of soft whaps on cobblestone, some better timed than others; Hanin - interestingly - tapped her thighs and bounced much like I was, as if trying to mimic me.
¡°She was so entranced by the song and dance, it was like the very breath in her lungs were pulled to the center of the grounds, pulling her from her hiding place and into the storm of dancers.¡± ¡°When she reached the eye of the storm, she spied a familiar blue tunic, one that tickled memories long forgotten, but a name lingered on the tip of her tongue.¡±
I raised my hand high, like I was waving to an old friend, ¡°¡®Liam?! Liam!¡¯¡±; a few of the pups called his name with me, three or four venlil tongues enjoying how easy Lee-im was to say for them. Some in the audience - especially the few adults - stiffened at the sudden movement but the children were simply entertained! I brought my focus back to the herd and grew more energetic, bursting my white-gloved hands like stars,
¡°The boy spun around at the name, eyes alight when they met Brienne¡¯s and he ran to her side, gladness on his face and just as small and sprightly as he had ever been! ¡®Liam!¡¯ She cried, ¡®We used to run in the fields, and play in the river! What has kept you away? What has kept you so like what I remember?¡¯¡± ¡°Liam laughed, harsh and snapping, like icy leaves under your paws, ¡®Our friends have! When I fell into that cold river, I woke up There! Where the forest leaves glitter like gold and the sun ever shines! I met these fellows around you, and together we ran, and danced, and played through the forest! With their food I was never tired, with their water I never grew, and with their music I was never sad!¡± ¡°Brienne thought, and remembered!¡± I slowed down, letting the mood change low along with my voice, ¡°Liam, the boy she knew, one day many years before, was found in that same river, cold as ice and still as death.¡±
The more tense pups gasped, but a few of the adults giggled mutedly, by now recognizing the cautionary tale as what it was; just a story. The work around the commons was finished, only a few grownups were finishing their tear-downs while the rest came to listen. Bilvee kept her distance, not as brave as her little Ilnek to join the front row, while one I hadn¡¯t met yet sat with Mulva and started nursing her, and others sat with their own. I used their support to allow me to be more bold, building my volume, broadening my voice to sound big and foreboding,
¡°She remembered, and in that moment saw this was not Liam, but one of the Sluagh!¡±
Again I barked, almost coughing the name. Only a few pups bleated, and I didn¡¯t miss old Carvit nearly honk! The pups had gotten used to the story by now, flinching only a little while still wagging fitfully and swinging their ears as if to catch my every echo. I picked up my pace again, building to the big conflict,
¡°The Thing-That-Wasn¡¯t-Liam offered his hand, his voice seeming to come from all around her, ¡®Here! Dance! Join us and Dance!¡¯ The music pulled at her feet, and the drum beat with her heart, but she knew, just as her grandmother told her, that if she danced with the Wind, it would carry her off to the Far Lands, never to return!¡±
I cut my arms across me to emphasize my point, making the pups pull back and many ears to go flat. I still had their attention, but I needed to be careful here,
¡°She stepped back, stumbling on her heels and nearly falling. She looked about and saw them all change, saw their trickery burned away like mists in the sun. Their forms shifted, from man to beast to weed to tree, but never quite right. Their smiles were too wide, their fingers too thin, their leaves too green and their tails too long; what she saw defied description, for to describe the Sluagh, was to describe the dreams of wind! Brienne looked at the face of What-Once-Was-Liam, his smile a wide rictus grin framed by pale blue lips¡­¡±
I brought my voice low, terror behind my tongue,
¡°And she ran.¡±
The herd seemed excited at that, ears coming back up and tails loosening from around their bodies,
¡°Ran as far and as fast as her legs could carry her, back into the woods behind her, back into the dark. Thunderous roars were at her heel, howling against the trees around her! She could hear their beckoning song on the wind that buffeted her winter cloak, trying to turn her around and confuse her, but she pressed on.¡± ¡°A claw and more she ran, ever pushing into the torrential headwind that tried to push her back, until she saw light in the trees; firelight in a window! She was almost there! She could hear What-Once-Was-Liam behind her, calling her name, ¡®Brienne! Brienne!¡¯ and felt their long fingers snatch at her back. She cleared the final thicket and burst from the forest with her heart in her throat, but she could no longer feel the howling winds that pulled at her, only hear them, echoing through the woods and slowly fading. Brienne kept running, back home, back to her village, screaming through the silent night for her Mother, Father, and Grandmother!¡±
I paused for a moment, letting only the sounds of the pups breathing quickly bounce about the commons, before I whispered with victory,
¡°There, across the field, she saw it; her warm barrow! She had made it!¡±
Immediately the litter burst into a chorus of squeals and whistles, drumming their tails and cheering in celebration, I called over the din, finishing the story in high spirits,
¡°The door to her home opened ahead of her, and she leapt into the arms of her family, promising never to chase the winds again. The. End!¡±
I cheered along with the litter, the pups all bouncing in their seats and waving their ears excitedly! Even as the gales of the coming Venlillian night built to a howl around us, rattling the protective boards that now barred windows and less sturdy entrances. The parents held their pups close against the gusts as I called over the din, ¡°Guess it¡¯s time to head home! Stick close to your parents, and be careful!¡± The commons was a blur of motion as pups were collected, equipment was stowed, and everyone struggled against the gale. The ride back in the cart was similarly harried, taking twice as long and more than once coming up on two wheels. Valek drove it right into their workshop, opting to keep it indoors for the storm, and we entered the house from there. We all crept into the darkened first floor of the burrow, trying not to wake Valek¡¯s parents during their rest claw. We paused at Valek¡¯s request and he listened intently, before relaxing and padding into the kitchen, ¡°I can hear mom¡¯s radio, so they¡¯re fast asleep; we should be good. Who wants some soup?¡± ¡°Please, yes, I¡¯m freezing.¡± I sighed as I held my arms tight around my chest, trying to will myself not to shiver madly. Alvi curled her tail playfully as she padded over to the fridge, ¡°You said you needed pelts, but a lot of good they¡¯re doing you! I could actually go for something cold and sweet, where do you keep the chilled fruit?¡± - ¡°Bottom drawer on the right.¡± - ¡°Ooh, stingfruit!¡± - ¡°Uin¡¯s in the ceramic, by the forge, sunsap sugar¡¯s in the bowl by the kettle.¡± ¡°What¡¯s stingfruit?¡± I asked as Valek handed me a steaming bowl of sturen porridge. Alvi¡¯s ears were high and happy as she came back with a small ramekin of ¡®uin¡¯, ¡°It¡¯s a sour fruit! Best cold and with a little uin to sweeten it. Here!¡± I took the slice she gave me, and even from just smelling it I knew it would bite my tongue something awful. There was a refreshing lightness to it, not unlike a lemon, though the acidic tang was strong enough to tickle my nostrils. Holding the slice in my hand, it looked like the whole fruit would be a little larger than an apple. Its skin was tough but pliable, carrying a thick layer of smooth light pink flesh that seemed to tear when I tried to invert it, so I scooped a bite of it using the spoon from my stew; my spoon cut into it with some effort, though smoothly. I tried my first bite without the ¡®uin¡¯, and immediately regretted it. My whole face scrunched in on itself as my tongue felt like I taste-tested a battery! Valek and Alvi were giggling at the table as I fought for my life, though I refused to spit it out. After several moments, the sourness leveled out and I was able to appreciate the almost tropical citric taste, finally chewing now that I was emotionally ready for its ridiculous acidity. Alvi reminded me of the ¡®uin¡¯ and I poured a bit on my spoon to try, pleased at the more familiar salty-sweet taste from the mixture. Armed with the sugar-salt, I sprinkled some of the uin on what was left of the slice and tried again, this time biting into the crescent like it was an orange wedge. The acid stung my gums, but the flavor otherwise was entirely changed! The acidic tang was mellowed significantly by the sugar, made fuller and fresher than it already was, lighting up my taste buds like a summer breeze, while the salt magnified it, filling my mouth with a delicious fruity sweetness! Alvi swung her tail delightedly as she watched me, before she slid another wedge my way after taking a pinch from the ramekin for her own. Now properly seasoned, I bit into mine eagerly. ¡°Did¡­¡± I looked up from my slice to see Valek stirring his stew absently, ¡°... Is that a real story? I¡¯ve uhh¡­ I¡¯ve noticed you say something, sometimes, but stop yourself, like you did at the start of the story. How much of that was true?¡± I took my time chewing, trying to think of how to answer that, ¡°... That story was fiction, obviously. The ¡®Brienne O¡¯Coagh¡¯ of this story, and the Sluagh, are not and have never been ¡®real¡¯; but I know that¡¯s not what you¡¯re asking.¡± I took a deep breath, and Valek looked downcast, ¡°No, ¡®The Wild Dance of the Sluagh¡¯ is not a traditional story, I made it up; hopefully Gramma¡¯s proud of her little seancha¨ª. But I built that story, as I told it, based on parts that are very old stories from human history. We¡¯ve seen ¡®cautionary tales¡¯ in cave paintings; from before language! The three-act structure is a little more modern, but still at least a thousand years old. A concept of ¡®familiar but wrong¡¯ is present in most early cultures, most specifically in northern Europe, which is where the idea of the Fae came from.¡± ¡°So what were you about to say?¡± ¡°Uhh¡­¡± I set aside my stingfruit rind and stew, clearing the space in front of me to give the pair my full attention, ¡°So¡­ please don¡¯t freak out, but¡­ I was about to say the ¡®Wild Hunt¡¯.¡± Alvi quickly shifted focus back to the rest of her stingfruit, while Valek just looked at me in disbelief, ¡°I know! I know the name sounds bad, but it really is just a story trying to explain storms at that time of year, seriously! It was pretty widespread too; there¡¯s Japan¡¯s Night Parade of One Hundred Demons, Polynesian Nightmarchers, the Sluagh are from Scotland, and then the Wild Hunt-¡± ¡°What on the Arm convinced you that was a good story to tell?! To children, Maeve? Really??¡± Valek sighed, exasperated. ¡°It just happened! It¡¯s really not as bad as you think it is, just¡­ I¡¯ll just show you, ok? I¡¯ve got an anthology back in the apartment.¡± I quickly stood from the table, striding to the front door and nearly donking my head on a support brace for my hubris. Valek sprinted in front of me, ¡°You don¡¯t need to go, it''s horrible out there! Let¡¯s just forget it and move on; please come back for break-meal?¡± ¡°It¡¯s fine! I need to get out of this thing and start the wash anyway, I¡¯ll be right back.¡± I bent to kiss his crown, stepped aside, and left the burrow. The door was immensely heavy against the storm and it was an effort to keep it from slamming, but I found success regardless. I leaned into the wind and worked back to the apartment, my cloak whipping and snapping downwind of me as I struggled through the twenty meters of open ground back to my apartment. I took a deep breath as I stepped inside, quickly taking off my burka and throwing it into the washer in the bathroom. Finally free of the accumulated rank of the veil, I undid the bun of my bright orange bushel and bounced my hair, coaxing fresh air back to my scalp. My eyes landed on the bookshelf and I stepped quickly to it, pulling a thick paperback with a stylized picture of Zeus readying a bolt of lightning printed on the cover. I flipped through the contents and index, making sure it had Odin¡¯s Einherjar, the Hyakki Yagy¨­, and a few of Aesop¡¯s Fables for good measure. But. As I left for the door, something stung my senses. There was the damp musk of a place lived in, maybe with less airflow than was ideal, but something else¡­ A thick sweetness that was weirdly familiar. I started sniffing around the room, feeling it get stronger here and there; it was earthy, but fuller, almost smoky. I followed my nose to the back of the apartment, almost tasting it as I flipped back my blankets to an empty bed. It was surprisingly complex, but above all else sweet. The earthy smell reminded me of forests, and mornings. Of laughter over a table, and comfort. It smelled like hazel eyes in sunlight, and pancakes. ¡­ Why¡­ ¡­ Does my bed smell like maple? The Foundations of Humanity 46 (Locked In) - an NoP fanfic Memory transcription subject: Alvi Date [standardized human time]: Sept 16th, 2136. Start of 5th Claw. My tongue was all but burning from stingfruit juice, but I bit into my last piece nonetheless, savoring the spitefully sweet tang that flooded my mouth. I reached for my glass of chilled juicefruit and shivered as its icy chill trickled down my throat, my eyes bolting around the room, overwhelming me with all of his color, history, and family, before snapping to Valek as he said something. I didn¡¯t quite get it, but his ears were down and his tail thrashed behind him as he strode back to the table. Why can¡¯t I hear him? Why does it matter? His voice danced in my ears, whistling fast and sharp, pulling fresh memories of giggling and playing pups from the fountain. I felt that energy, that joy, like dawn¡¯s light across my wool as I imagined a younger me running around this den, giddy and manic with a droid part in her paws. My breath was cold on my tongue in the wake of the juicefruit, and I waved my ears forward and back to soothe their burning heat. ¡°Sh-She¡¯s just getting a book, it¡¯ll be fine!¡± It was nice when she sang last resting. She sounded so¡­ nice. So warm. As warm as the blankets she wrapped you in. He mumbled something. Something I understood but didn¡¯t hear. I took another drink of my juice, whining slightly when I found its bottom, before it was gently retrieved by Valek passing by. ¡°Oh, yes please; juicefruit juice if there¡¯s any left! Your Mom leaves the den so warm, I think I¡¯ll sleep out in Maeve¡¯s room, this paw.¡± Why are my ears hot? And my eyes? You¡¯re just tired. Maybe Valek¡­ His voice was musical, high then low with a question that I just¡­ couldn¡¯t quite¡­ ¡°Well I¡¯m boiling, so maybe we just missed the fire.¡± My body itched with energy. I could feel my legs clench and relax of their own accord, curling my toes and twitching my tail as my focus scattered to the winds. ¡°I-I mean¡­ Yeah, I guess it would still be weird to them. Stars, I know I was the one to suggest giving it a paw or two but I don¡¯t-¡± I¡¯m not tired, I can barely sit still! Everything is so much! Why is my heart so loud?! Valek reached over my shoulder, placing my glass of greeol juice on the table, and I was drowning in his weight behind me. My ears snapped back to find his jaw just above my crown and getting closer. My skin felt like it was suffocating under his breath, and my ears burned like fire. My eyes swung behind me and his silhouette seemed to fill my sight; I could feel his pads sink into my wool as my shoulders bucked against him. His breath was hot on my neck, his claws pricked my skin. I felt him against me, a heavy hot weight my hips tried to press into and my tail pulled desperately against. My heart hammered in my chest and my eyes went wide as I realized what was happening. That feels amazing¡­ Valek. Wait. Don¡¯t. Please. Wait. Please. Right there. This isn¡¯t right. I don¡¯t like this. He was so close now, drinking me in, pulling and pressing¡­ And stopped. Please, Valek. Please. Tighter. Closer. Lower. His grip lessened. He stepped back. No! Come back! Don¡¯t stop! ¡°A¡­ Alvi¡­ Uh¡­¡± Don¡¯t go! I leaned against the table gasping for air, pulling my tail away from his thigh to my front, all but sitting on it as I fitfully worried the tuft. Valek¡¯s ears swung around the room and his tail hung low around his legs, twitching and shaking, just as confused as I was. He shook his head quickly and slapped his paws against his snout, then pressed his palms hard into his temples. ¡°Augh, my brahking head¡­ H-How long¡­ Mmph¡­ How long has it been since your last cycle?¡± --- Memory transcription subject: Maeve Date [standardized human time]: Sept 16th, 2136. Start of 5th Claw. Did I spill some at home, and it came with my stuff? No¡­ Even if that were true, maple doesn''t linger for over a week. Maybe I''m just imagining it? It has been¡­ damn I haven''t had a proper breakfast for at least a few months now¡­ do I even know what maple smells like anymore?? The mystery of my bed¡¯n¡¯breakfast held the biting cold at bay while I made way back to the burrow, holding tight onto my book of mythologies so it wouldn''t be ¡®claimed by the sluagh¡¯. It took no small effort to pull the door against the wind, so I planted my foot against the doorframe and pushed off. I breathed a sigh of relief when I made it into the warm safety of the den and shook the cold from my bones. ¡°Ok! To say that humans have a lot of folktales would be underselling it by several orders of magnitude, but this¡¯s got enough that you should get-¡­¡± I looked up to see Valek completely under the kitchen faucet going full blast, drenching his head and ears in rushing water, and Alvi at the table staring at a glass of what looked like pink lemonade. ¡°... What¡­ Did I miss¡­?¡± Alvi kept staring at the lemonade like she owed it money, but Valek turned off the faucet and spoke through the water that continued filtering through his wool, ¡°Alvi¡¯s on her cycle. Probably has been for a paw or two. We¡­ I¡­ Almost made a mistake.¡± ¡°Oh?¡± I looked at the two again, their heavy shoulders, their fallen ears¡­ And their messed wool. ¡°Oh.¡± ¡°Yeah. I¡¯m gonna wake up Mom and Dad, see if Uncle Maasi can take Dad and I for a few paws.¡± ¡°What? Why?¡± Valek combed his hands through his wool, coaxing out most of the water to splash into the sink, before reaching for a kitchen towel, ¡°Well Dad and I can¡¯t stay, and I will not ask Alvi to leave. Maasi used to take Me ¡®n Elsi when we were pups, when Mom was on hers; we¡¯ll be fine as long as I keep the two of ¡®em off¡¯a that Truth Seekers speh.¡± ¡°But¡­ why do you have to leave at all? You have an apartment on the farm now.¡± Alvi¡¯s everything perked up as she met my eye, and Valek froze mid-drying, ¡°...Why didn¡¯t I think of that?¡± ¡°Well, in fairness, neither of you are thinking with your head at the moment.¡± I answered through a giggle that quickly grew to a snorting chortle, ¡°Not the right ¡®head¡¯ anyway!¡± ¡°Maeve!¡± Alvi squeaked, which only made me laugh harder. ¡°What?! The folk¡¯s¡¯re asleep, it¡¯s fine. Sound like a plan, Valek?¡± He finished drying his crown and mane as his tail curled in thought, ¡°I mean, that helps me n¡¯ Dad, but I¡¯m not going to ask Mom to walk through galetime to help.¡± ¡°¡®Course not, I¡¯d be staying with her so I¡¯ll make the runs; I won¡¯t leave our girl hanging.¡± It was a delight to make Alvi glow a steadily brighter shade of tangerine through her tight-knit, fuzzy black-and-grey wool, but I kept my focus on Valek, ¡°Thankfully I¡¯m not built like a cottonball so the wind is just an annoyance. Think you can make a care package I can take with me?¡± Valek¡¯s tail bobbed a thankful >Yes<, ¡°Alvi, you¡¯re welcome to take what you need from the kitchen for now, Mom and I¡¯ll get you something once they wake up; should be ready before next claw. You sure about this, Maeve?¡± ¡°I am, if Alvi is. What¡¯d¡¯you think, cutie?¡± She continued to twist and worry the tuft of her tail, even as it flicked anxiously in her paws. ¡°I-I don¡¯t want to go away-¡± ¡°Uh-uh. Don¡¯t you dare.¡± I spoke with a finality I hoped would get through to her, ¡°You¡¯re not going anywhere; you¡¯re stuck with us, and that¡¯s final! I¡¯ll be right there with you through this, you won¡¯t be alone. Call it a ¡®girl¡¯s weekend¡¯; we can braid our hair and talk about boys!¡± Alvi blushed so hard I¡¯d clock her about ninety-eight percent done with her transformation into a dark chocolate orange. Valek brayed like an ass as he started up the stairs before calling back to me, ¡°I need to take a bath before I start presenting, you two have fun out there!¡± I brought my focus back to Alvi once I heard the landing door close, giving her a few seconds of silence before approaching, speaking quietly, ¡°How¡¯re you feeling, Stormcloud?¡± She whined before answering, ¡°Awful! I¡¯m hot. It feels like my wool is on fire. Everything¡­ itches! My ears are already numb from doing this speh!¡± She barked as her ears continued to flap forward and back, ¡°My¡­ My brain feels like a sieve that is somehow also screaming, and¡­ And I¡¯m just so scared! It¡¯s never been this bad before, a-and I¡¯m not due for paws! What¡¯s wrong with me?!¡± Find this and other great novels on the author''s preferred platform. Support original creators! ¡°Nothing is wrong with you, sweetie, you¡¯ll get through this.¡± I reached out to try to comfort her, but she winced when I touched her ear so I pulled back; the sound of thundering water from above gave us the chance of a distraction. ¡°Looks like Valek thinks a bath is the way to go; I have a shower in the apartment, how about we start there?¡± Alvi''s tail and ears gave a weak affirmative, and she started to slide off the chair to stand; she was unsteady on her feet, reminding me of when I was once dizzy from a fever. I was the first outside, keeping my body between the door and jam to make space for Alvi to pass, before spinning aside and letting it slam closed. Alvi was holding onto what she could of the rough wood paneling beside the door before I stepped to her side, pulling one paw to hold onto the seam of my pajamas. We struggled through the pounding wind, step by step, and I started to believe the kids¡¯ stories were a little less fiction than I first thought. It was fully dark here between the two porch lights, and I still had a good six or eight meters before getting to the doorstep, when a massive gust almost blew me over. I heard a scream at my side and looked down to see nothing there. Panic filled me immediately and I started frantically searching downwind, but Alvi¡¯s dark coat made her impossible to see, and my bright orange bob billowing in my face was doing no favors. ¡°ALVI!!¡± I screamed through the wind, straining my ears to hear through the howling night. I heard her scream again, further but not far! I crawled in what I hoped was her direction, following her screams as best I could. I felt warmth and wool on my fingertips, and immediately scrambled to cover her with my body. Supporting myself with one hand, I used my other to pull hers from the dirt to wrap around my neck, yelling for her to hold on. Now able to focus only on my own balance, I speared us into the wind and powered through to the porchlight and our salvation. We made it to the door; now we just had to open the damned thing. I lowered a very uncertain Alvi to the ground, stabbing my favored leg and side into the wind for her to hold onto while I put my other knee into the door jamb and pulled with everything I could muster; Alvi almost falling inside and myself right after with the door slamming shut behind us. ¡°FUCK!!¡± I yelled at no one as I tried to catch my breath, ¡°Fucking¡­ FUCK. I thought you guys were joking?!¡± Alvi gasped alongside me before she shrugged in the Venlil way, her tail giving a small jump before falling still again, ¡°This is the furthest outside of the Green I¡¯ve ever been! I had heard stories, but scorching sun, I didn¡¯t know it got this bad!¡± ¡°Fuck.¡± I stood tall, leaning back to eke out the strain our trek had gifted me and detangle the fiery nest that was now my head. ¡°Well, I guess the plan was to hole up anyway, so whatever. Not looking forward to doing that thrice a day though; I¡¯ll ask Valek to pack ¡®em big, make it one run a day.¡± Alvi had barely moved from where she entered, standing there knock-kneed and shivering with squinted eyes, tail curled tight around her as she pulled and kneaded the wool of her chest and hips, ¡°Aw, sweetie¡­ C¡¯mon, let¡¯s get you in the shower.¡± I laid my hand on her upper back and she both flinched and leaned into it with a quivering whine, before I gently eased her forward to the back corner of the apartment. Her wool was smooth, almost slick. No, definitely slick. When she left my side for the bathroom, I could still feel an almost greasy residue between my fingers. On reflex - a very regrettable reflex - I brought my hand to my face to smell, and immediately needed to stifle a cough from the overwhelmingly earthy, cloying sweetness of a maple processing plant on fire. Good lord, that¡¯s intense. Thank god for sense blindness, or this weekend would be hell. I wiped the offending hand on my pajama bottoms and started pacing as Alvi ran the shower, trying to figure how I would tackle these next few days. I was no stranger to helping a girl-friend through her PMS, but was this at all similar? I racked my brain trying to remember what Valek had told me about their cycle so long ago, but I was coming up blank; I was¡­ a little distracted at the time [NSFW]. All I could remember was that they somehow managed to function as a society despite half their population needing to be horny for a week every few months; though I guess humans are actually horny all the time, as a species, so maybe that was calling the kettle black. Don¡¯t get distracted, come back. Maybe¡­ Alvi did mention she was hot¡­ which, I mean, yeah, but¡­ cold. Cold! That¡¯s why Valek was waterboarding himself! I looked around the room with new purpose, trying to find anything that I could use to help cool her down, before landing on my minifridge. I can¡¯t just stuff her in there, even if she¡¯d fit, but¡­ Oh! Shit! Where did I put that¡­ I dove into my under-bed storage, digging through clothes to find¡­ AHA! My silica bead heating pad! Cackling and immensely proud of myself for the arduous task of finding something I already knew the location of, I quickly ran the two steps to my cooler and tossed it in among the clementines, seedless grapes, chocolate, and bottles of non-dairy creamer that came with our last UN shipment. Having fallen firmly into ¡®helper mode¡¯ I frantically flew around the tiny apartment, tidying clutter, setting up a cozy area, making sure her chew-plate was handy, whatever I could think of to help. The apartment, however, was barely twenty square-meters so this did not occupy me for nearly as much time as I hoped. Food. Food is good. Chocolate! Everyone loves chocolate! I turned on my electric kettle and started making mugs of hot cocoa for Alvi and I; non-dairy, of course. The UN was very insistent and very thorough in making sure nothing I requested had any animal products of any kind, which certainly made my tea less exciting, but thankfully synthetic creamer was a well established wonder of modern science. I had just finished mixing our drinks when I heard the water turn off¡­ ¡°Uhh¡­ Maeve¡­?! How do you dry out?¡± Alvi pined through the door. Shit! Right! They use a drying room! ¡°That¡­ is a very good question! Let me get you some towels.¡± I answered as I scrambled through the linens, laughing at my own forgetfulness as I passed a handful through the mostly closed door, ¡°Feeling a little better sweetie?¡± ¡°Much!¡± She replied back through the door with a sigh, ¡°I can actually think now. Are you sure you want me to stay out here? I appreciate it, I-I do! Really! But it can get pretty miserable, and it¡¯s ok if you-¡± ¡°Leave you to be miserable alone?¡± I interrupted, not letting her continue to talk down about herself, ¡°Nuh-uh. Not happening. You¡¯re right that I might not know what I¡¯ve signed up for, but I¡¯m still signing! I¡¯m not going anywhere.¡± ¡°... Th¡­ Thank you.¡± She replied in a tiny voice. ¡°So! Normally I watch bad rom-coms when I¡¯m on my ¡®lady¡¯s days¡¯, but I don¡¯t know what¡¯s on Venlil tv. Wanna watch some more Thorns?¡± Alvi stepped out of the bathroom still slightly damp; much more steady, though still nervous. ¡°Uh, sure. Yeah. W-What do you mean ¡®lady¡¯s days¡¯? Do humans have this too?¡± She found a seat in the cozy nest I made on the couch while I set my pad into the pad-mount and brought it to the coffee table just in front of her, and answered while I got everything booted up, ¡°Kind of! Valek and I talked a little about the Venlil cycle while we were on the station, but what is it like for you?¡± ¡°Darkness, I don¡¯t even know anymore. Normally I¡¯m once every third harvest, but I¡¯m a full 9-paws early; at least!¡± ¡°Well, I¡¯m glad it had the grace to wait until we were back from Dawn Creek. Can¡¯t imagine you having to deal with this in a hotel room.¡± Alvi groaned with aggravation, ¡°Ugh, that would have been bad! I¡¯m hot all the time; eventually everything aches because my legs¡­ stars, this is so embarrassing.¡± ¡°You¡¯re fine, we don¡¯t have to talk about it if you¡¯re uncomfortable. It is interesting that so much of your experience is around ovulating; nearly all human women can¡¯t even tell when we¡¯re ovulating, and have to see a doctor to find out.¡± I picked out Thorn¡¯s familiar spiral-patterned matriarch among the pad-mount¡¯s personal-sized screen¡¯s title cards before stepping back to the counter to retrieve our hot cocoas. Alvi had sunk into the cushy cushions after having found sufficient distraction with her metal knot puzzle, ¡°You¡¯re so lucky, going through a cycle is humiliating at best; I wouldn''t wish this on anyone.¡± ¡°Oh, it ain¡¯t all sunshine and rainbows, I can promise you that. Your problems are around ovulation, ours are around menstruation.¡± ¡°Yeah? How¡¯s that?¡± ¡°So the egg does its thing and moves to the uterus on its own -¡± I answered, sitting beside her and letting her lean against my side. Her eyes were on the puzzle while her near ear was focused on me, ¡°- whether or not the mother is triggered by anything, like pheromones. But fertilization still requires¡­ ¡®help¡¯, so what happens to the egg when it doesn''t get fertilized?¡± She shrugged her tail, ¡°Well the right answer is ¡®get reabsorbed by the body¡¯, but it sounds like you do it differently.¡± "Very different. We are one of only a few species on our planet who, instead of reabsorbing the egg¡­ Shed the uterine lining, the egg along with it, and start from scratch.¡± The tinking suddenly stopped. Venlil seem to lack a lot of facial muscles, emoting mostly with large body movements. But for a brief moment, I was convinced Alvi had eyebrows, and they had collapsed in on themselves in an ugly soup of disgust, incredulity, and empathized pain, before almost crying, ¡°Wouldn¡¯t that hurt?!¡± ¡°Like you wouldn¡¯t believe.¡± ¡°How¡­ How do you deal with it?¡± ¡°With help from a patient and loving partner,¡± I answer, laying my hand on her shoulder to emphasize my point, ¡°And! A whole lot of chocolate.¡± I leaned forward to the coffee table and retrieved our mugs, myself holding the too-hot porcelain by the handle while Alvi held it in her paws without issue. ¡°I can say with no small amount of confidence, and just a smidge of pride, that this will probably be the most amazing contribution Humanity will make to the galaxy.¡± ¡°What is it?¡± ¡°Chocolate is¡­ well to answer you directly I¡¯ll be technical. It is an emulsion of a fermented then roasted fatty bean, normally cooled to make a solid shape. The fats melt at around our body temperature, so they make a very smooth texture when we eat them. Since the fats melt in high temps, it also works great as a warm drink, which is what you have; hot cocoa!¡± She stared at the steaming mug, her body playing out her confusion and hinting anxiety, ¡°Maeve, I¡­ Thank you, but I can¡¯t drink this.¡± ¡°It¡¯s fine! This is dark chocolate, totally vegan; I wouldn¡¯t give you-¡± ¡°No, Maeve, it¡¯s¡­ I just cooled down in the shower.¡± My brain short circuited as it connected the two too-obvious dots, only allowing a simple, ¡°... Right. Oh! That reminds me!¡± I launched myself from the couch and jogged around the table, before halting mid-step to turn around and grab mine and Alvi¡¯s mugs, taking them with me to the icebox and putting them inside as I withdrew the now-cold silica cooling pad. Her ears were high and head cocked in confusion, so I clarified, ¡°Normally we treat our period pains with hot-pads, but they can be cooled just as well!¡± I handed Alvi the pad as I sat beside her on the couch, reaching over the side for a light blanket. She held it against her neck first, whining with a long breath, before placing it long-ways between her thighs with a relieved sigh. ¡°Ah. Dealing with that kind of heat, then?¡± I asked, inviting her to sit closer, wrapping my arm around her when she snuggled up tight against my side. ¡°Yeah,¡± she said with an amused whistle as she resumed tinking away at her blacksmith puzzle. ¡°Not many other kinds of heat in it.¡± I smiled as I held out the remote and pressed play. ¡°Well let¡¯s hope some overdramatic Gojid will at least distract you.¡± The Foundations of Humanity 47 (Rollercoaster) - an NoP fanfic Memory transcription subject: Alvi, A Mess Date [standardized human time]: Sept 17th, 2136. Start of 2nd Claw. ¡°Your quills ain¡¯t sharp enough for this, boy! I¡¯m tellin¡¯ you now, and I won¡¯t tell you again: stay away from Tulna. She¡¯ll be happy with the Kolshian, someday.¡± Harpin stood in the barn¡¯s open doors, backlit by Ki-yu¡¯s moonlight while Dol-nah didn¡¯t even look up from his work on the broken harvester. He umphs as he tightens something and flashes the camera a massive bicep, making me gasp and my legs clench slightly tighter than they had been for the past claw. My eyes stayed locked on the holovid, trying to ignore the grinding pain in my hip as Dol-nah slowly looked back over his shoulder at Harpin. ¡°You¡¯d deprive Tulna of her mate?¡± ¡°LIES!¡± Barked the herd-leader in the doorway, silhouetted by a crash of lightning. The music swelled in a discordant crescendo and my heart hammered against my chest along with it. I was so distracted by the show alongside my discomfort, I was almost startled when Maeve cooed, ¡°Oooh¡­ here it comes!¡± I tried to bap her ''quiet'' with my tail, making it wriggle in my tight grip just before Dol-nah quickly swung around to face Harpin, waving his spanner in front of him in challenge, ¡°And her cub a FATHER?!¡± ¡°NO!¡± I squealed even as Maeve cackled gleefully beside me, ¡°H-He was so good for Surmi! And that-that field scene?! They danced in the brahking wildflowers; she told him she loved him! What was that even for?! Why?!¡± ¡°Because the writers are dumb and think drama makes good TV. And hey, We¡¯re still watching it, so maybe they¡¯re onto something!¡± Maeve answered, her voice muffled between fistfulls of the sweet ¡®kettle corn¡¯ she made for us. ¡°UUUgh that is so infuriating!¡± I groaned, ¡°Tulna¡¯s not even good for Dol-nah, she¡¯s so stiff! Bet¡¯cha the actress¡¯s uncle is a producer, or something. I¡¯m gonna get another drink, you want anything?¡± Maeve declined so I slid off of the too-tall couch and made way for the cooler. I could barely feel my pawsteps through the numbing burn in my thighs, making my knees wobble with my first steps. Just as I reached the end of the couch, I felt what I could only describe as an Arxur fang buried just beside my tail, sparking a lightning bolt of pain that made me wince and whimper. ¡°You alright there, sweetie?¡± Maeve¡¯s voice floated over my sharp and purposeful breathing. I could only answer with a small whine as my supporting paw reflexively dug into the couch¡¯s pelted armrest. ¡°Talk to me, Alvi; what¡¯s going on?¡± I thought of answering her. I thought to be honest. But I knew how much of a burden I already was. I was already living in her den, I couldn¡¯t add more to her harvest; I couldn¡¯t make myself difficult, ¡°I¡¯m fine, I¡¯m¡­ I¡¯m just sore. I¡¯m ok.¡± ¡°Where does it hurt?¡± She wants to know what piece to eat first. Shut up, you know that¡¯s not true. You could never know that. I trust her. Should you? I choose to trust her. I tried to steady my breathing and forced myself to speak, ¡°M-M¡­ my legs. They just won¡¯t stop seizing, it feels like there¡¯s a shali gnawing on my hip!¡± Maeve¡¯s eyebrows pulled together for a moment, and I could see her eyes soften. Was she hurting too? Was she hurting with me? ¡°Maybe I can help? C¡¯mere, sit down and I¡¯ll try something.¡± I thought for a moment, tried to imagine how a human could feel a hurt they¡¯ve never had, and how they could possibly relieve it. But. At this point, I was willing to try anything. My ears dipped a quiet >Yes< and I tried to turn around, but the flamer in my side stopped me cold. I felt a warmth at my hip, and a hand in my free paw; Maeve was trying to take some of my weight and help me back to the couch. I gripped her hand like a vice, trying to hold myself upright even as my thighs seized with every half-second and faltered my stride. She helped me sit long-ways with my back to the cushy armrest before powering off the pad and positioning herself to sit sideways in front of me while she tied her shining orange hair behind her in what she called a ¡®bun¡¯. ¡°W-What¡­ are you going to try?¡± She shrugged and laughed nervously, ¡°Just going to try my best, honestly. The way you¡¯re describing your pain sounds like something I¡¯ve had before; mostly from standing too long, or doing a lot of lifting and moving things. And when I felt like that, pressing and rubbing felt good, so I¡¯m hoping it works for you, too.¡± I tried to breathe through the burning in my legs, ¡°I¡¯m willing to try anything at this point. Ok.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll start at the legs, and go slow. Let me know if anything hurts, ok? That means I¡¯m doing something wrong.¡± Maeve shifted closer to sit under my knees, draping them over and across her lap. She started by trailing a claw, shorter and blunter than any predator would ever have, down from my knee and over my shin, trailing troughs through my wool in their wake. My leg convulsed, whether from my cycle or from her gentle scratching, I couldn¡¯t tell, but I found some slight grounding in my sparking nerves. She squeezed her long fingers around my ankle and it flexed my foot, before I watched her knead it with her palm and fingers through that tight grip. My ears twisted as I looked around the room, idly trying to find something to focus on, while at the same time Maeve lifted her other hand to my calf and repeated the same motion, like a wave of constriction that seemed to coax feeling back out to my toes. Then she squeezed harder and held, one, two, three, and relaxed. Kneaded again, then held, one two three, and relaxed. Through the tension and release, I could feel tingling pinpricks in my foot and a fading numbness. I started to breathe with her motions, and she with me. She kept the pattern while her nearer hand drifted up my calf and supported my knee; she lifted it and pushed my ankle, folding and unfolding the leg in smooth and supported motions, as though I were squatting and standing but without my own effort. I tensed, expecting the familiar grinding sensation in my hip, but it didn¡¯t come; she had fully taken the weight of my leg, letting the joint of my leg spin freely in my hip socket. ¡°How¡¯re we doing? Feeling ok?¡± My ears dipped a distracted >Yes<, and I lifted my sight to her own bright green eyes as they lit up in joy, highlighted by her pale skin and densely clustered spots. She nodded and smiled before refocusing on her efforts. Her distant hand started to work up my calf, squeezing tightly in bands every few centimeters or so. She wrapped both hands around the taper above my knee and squeezed just as she had earlier, methodically working her way up my thigh. The burning feeling intensified as they reached the middle, when I skipped a breath and involuntarily flinched. Maeve let go, but not completely. She sat stone still, watching me as I worked to come back to baseline while she still held my leg aloft with gentle hands. A moment or a minute later, Maeve asked, ¡°Would you like me to keep going?¡± I stretched my leg, and it felt¡­ good. More free, more loose; the gnawing was still there, pulling at the muscles under my rump, but it was quieter than before. I twisted my body where I laid, testing my hips, my back, my knees, as much as I could from where I was, and the difference between my untouched leg and the other was like Night and Day. ¡°Yeah, um¡­ can¡­ can you do my other leg, too? Please?¡± Her face lit up like an ion thruster when I asked! She laid the first leg down on her lap and started the same routine on the other. I closed my eyes and relaxed against the armrest, letting myself fall into her attention as Galetime howled around us. The tingling of feeling returning to my toes rippled up my leg and my back, breathing along with Maeve¡¯s tension and release as she worked her way up and over my knee. In¡­ and out¡­ In¡­ and out¡­ Stars, my flanks are throbbing¡­ ¡®Throbbing¡¯s not all bad. I bet you¡¯d like Valek¡¯s thr- Shut it. Or maybe you¡¯d rather the ¡®in and out¡¯? N - I mean - Yes, but - Well I-I don¡¯t know! ¡°Doing alright? Don¡¯t want you pulling out your wool.¡± I opened my eyes to see errant trails of her venlil-blooded hair flowing off the left side of her face, before looking down at my paws; I had started kneading the wool on my belly, slowly flexing my paws and slightly pulling at the wool they found. ¡°I-I¡¯m fine.¡± I sighed, closing my eyes again; Maeve paused, only for a moment, to hand me my blacksmith puzzle. My ears and eyes focused forward to the puzzle as Maeve gripped tight loops around my thigh and pushed them up and down my leg while I sought refuge in the toy. Up, around, down. Twist here, and back. Nearly th- I yelped and my hold on the puzzle faltered when Maeve found a spot of tension, there on the center-forward of my leg. Her left hand went to my right leg and did that same exploratory kneading of her fingers, before finding another tenseness in a space that mirrored the first. ¡°You said your legs were hurting, have you been doing a lot of this?¡± She asked as she gently pushed my knees together, making me wince at the sharp pull I felt in my right hip. She immediately eased her pressure and asked, ¡°I think I know how to help, could you lie on your stomach, please?¡± She¡¯s going to snap your neck, drink you hot and fresh! Please just -- just leave me alone! What Maeve suggested made sense, in spite of the simmering fear in the back of my mind. I stifled the liar and signaled my agreement as I lifted my legs from her lap for us to untangle and Maeve to stand while I shifted down the couch to lie on my stomach. I made a big groaning stretch, then relaxed to lay my chin on the deep blue cushion with my arms laid out in front of me, still tinkering with my puzzle as I asked around the upholstery, ¡°What are you going to do?¡± Maeve sat on her knees behind me, straddling my ankles, ¡°So what I was doing was trying to feel your muscles so I could understand them and, hopefully, understand your pain. As I thought, they¡¯re not too different from ours, structurally, but just¡­ ¡®more¡¯?¡± I worked to find out where I had left off with the puzzle while Maeve continued, though I stumbled again when she ran her fingers along my tail; it was being particularly active now it was free from under me, forcing Maeve to move it aside. ¡°They feel denser, longer, more fine, and you have barely any fat, which surprises me! All this means I¡¯ll need to really focus on spreading out pressure, so I¡¯ll start light and slow, and try to avoid pressure points until we see how you feel, ok?¡± I watched through my rear periphery as she leaned forward, laying some of her weight into the backs of my legs with her hands. ¡°What I¡¯m going to do is try to push tired muscles back up to the pain, hopefully loosening some of the tension that¡¯s causing it, and encourage bloodflow to keep the muscles happy. Just like earlier, please tell me if you feel any pain. I don¡¯t want to hurt you, ok?¡± I beeped an affirmative and she started her routine. She was very light at first, barely even messing my wool as she pushed her hands up my thighs, then back down again. But with every pass she pressed harder, until it was almost like she was trying to wring a wet towel. Every pass felt like my muscles were taking a deep breath, in and out, back and forth¡­ I started to feel those now familiar tiny needle prickles again as they started to wake up. Ok. That was the twist, now bring them together, and¡­ slide. The two pieces fell apart, and I set them aside. Without my distraction, I was once again keenly aware of the dull pain that still sat deep in my hip, so I looked around the room for something else to focus on. I settled on her bookshelf, some dozen or so books, with one row leaning against the other, hinting at the book that was left behind in the burrow when Maeve and I came out here. Their spines bore titles I couldn¡¯t read, but they all looked like different languages; some were thick and blocky, like biblical Iftali, while others were thin and loopy, not unlike our own Venlil script. One was¡­ blobby?? Like it was full of water?? Weird! It wasn''t long before my eyelids started to feel heavier and my paws gently pulled at the upholstery as I started to lose focus. I closed my eyes, taking long, deep breaths while my tail dangled limply over my side and the edge of the couch; for the first time in paws, I didn¡¯t have two thoughts to rub together between my ears, totally relaxed and sinking further into the couch. Stolen from its rightful author, this tale is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings. How does she do this?? Every time I feel it, she just finds it, and kneads it out! If she keeps this up, I¡¯m going to be more strayu than Venlil! And I bet she¡¯d find you just as delicious. Sun and stars, PLEASE stop with the- Maybe Valek would, too. Just SHUT U-W-Wait what? That grooming was nice. He¡¯d probably ¡®groom¡¯ the rest of you, if you asked him. Why would I? Can you imagine his tongue doing this? How amazing would it feel for it to slide up your leg? I don¡¯t think he- Ohhhh~ just like that¡­ My heart was pounding and I slammed into terrified alertness. Maeve had started pushing deeply into the seat of my rump, kneading her palms into the muscles there and prompting my hips to press up into her pressure even as the tips of her thumbs gripped dangerously close to my pulsing sensitivities. Now fully aware of the burning fire in my snout and between my legs, I looked behind me to see Maeve still kneading into me, plain as you please, like my tail wasn¡¯t wrapped double ¡®round her right arm and curled back up her back, which - to my horror - it very much was! YES!! Please!! More!! I was pinned under Maeve¡¯s weight and started to panic and hyperventilate, causing her to immediately ease up and allow me to breathe as I desperately dug my claws into the couch cushion. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Alvi I didn¡¯t mean-¡± Yes she did! She¡¯s going to bury your snout in the cushion- ¡°N-No, just - please, just - I don¡¯t¡­ I-¡± - make you bleat, make you squeal while He treats you like the pr- I writhed on the couch, simultaneously trying to bury myself even while my legs stiffened and presented all of me to the facsimile of terran stars above us. I tried to speak, to apologize, to tell her this wasn¡¯t me, that I wasn¡¯t doing this, but words failed me as my breathing hitched and I started to sob past a quickly snotty throat. I couldn¡¯t stop it. I tried to stop it. I tried to breathe, but it just kept going! Make him see you! Make him taste you! Make him stay! Make his pups! He won¡¯t leave his pups! You want him to stay don¡¯t you?! Then bury his shaft in your brush assembly and- ¡°IT¡¯S NOT REAL!!¡± I finally wailed past braying sobs, ¡°It¡¯s not real! Wh-Why can¡¯t this be real?!¡± The room was a blur of blue, black, and white through my tears; I threw my body to the side, tossing myself into the crook of the couch cushions and hugged my knees as my tail tried to hide my face. I felt Maeve¡¯s weight shift, then retreat, but she never left. She stayed with me and allowed my pain to fill the silence around us. Take it. Take it all! Everything! Everyone! Lift your tail and lie there for them to- ¡°It¡¯s ok, sweetie¡­ you¡¯re alright.¡± Her voice wove through my ears like the hand that brushed through my wool, cooing through the pounding need that rang in my skull as I tried and tried just to think! I¡¯ma toyhere, I¡¯m nothingloved. MaeveIt¡¯s usingwants me here. ValekHe wantswill useme andfortoss MeAside. TheyI want toyou be gonehere. ¡°Why does this¡­ stupid cycle have to ruin it?! I just believed it, believed that-¡± I grunted and whined through coughing sobs, digging my claws into my skull like I was trying to hold everything in, hold back a gale that pounded against my head and screamed that no one could¡­ no one would- ¡°Alvi¡­?¡± ¡°That you loved me!!¡± I bleated; I was rambling now, I couldn¡¯t stop the whirlwind of thought and emotion, just as I couldn¡¯t stop the pangs of pain that stabbed my hip with every heaving sob, ¡°B-Back at the hotel, when we- I thought it was real! I thought- I¡¯ve been a mess for paws, I was probably already shedding when we were in Dawn Creek. Valek, he- it¡¯s just my cycle! He didn¡¯t know what he was saying! He¡¯d never give me the claw on the paw, never actually¡­ Why does it have to be this?! Why can¡¯t it be real?! Why can¡¯t I be enough?!¡± Maeve¡¯s hand jolted, hesitated, then continued. I choked on my words for several moments before I started again, ¡°I just want to be Me!! I don¡¯t want to pretend, or be whatever my cycle is! Just me! Just me, and this-¡± I was ready to scream, to pour every drop of my tears to scream at everyone that left me behind. I took a deep breath that rattled through the phlegm that gummed my throat. But my gasp for air was aborted by a lightning bolt of pain that stabbed into my hip, stealing my breath and searing my lungs because this-¡°-this brahking shali in my hip!! Is this my life now?! Just This thrice a [Year]?!¡± ¡°Look on the bright side: that¡¯s three times a year we have an excuse to binge Thorns.¡± Maeve stated coolly, as if she wasn''t comforting a mewling mess. I glared at her through my angrily flicking tail, though I couldn¡¯t think of a counter, so she continued, ¡°Three times a year I get to pamper you.¡± ¡°Maeve, please; I know you¡¯re trying to make me feel better, but be serious. I¡¯m crying non-stop, I¡¯ve swiped at you more than once¡­ No one wants to-to care for-.¡± ¡°I do.¡± The surety in her voice stopped me dead in my stampede, ¡°I mean it! I mean, yeah, it¡¯s barely been a day, but I¡¯ve really enjoyed watching TV with you¡­ raging hormones notwithstanding.¡± I couldn¡¯t halt the tiny giggle that escaped me, nor my tail twitch from unfounded playfulness. ¡°Hah! You laughed! So that little nerd is still in there somewhere! Maybe she¡¯s over here?¡± Maeve dove a hand to my side and tickled me! My body lurched involuntarily and I kicked a leg at open air. ¡°Ya know, I think I¡¯m onto something! Where¡¯s that little bouncing she-ven?!¡± She deftly avoided my swatting tail and fruitlessly batting paws; every time I moved to block her, she just dove for the opening I left unguarded! I quickly dissolved into a bleating and whistling mess, crying for altogether different reasons, ¡°St-Sto-op! Maeve, I- I can¡¯t breathe!¡± ¡°Ok, ok¡­¡± She sighed as she gently grabbed my forepaws, ¡°Maybe, if you can do something for me.¡± Breathless from her torture, I questioned with my tail and ears. ¡°Say, ¡®I¡¯m ok¡¯.¡± ¡°... I¡¯m ok?¡± ¡°Say, ¡®I¡¯m cute¡¯.¡± My ears splayed out angrily, though my tail¡¯s playful flicking gave me away. ¡°I¡¯m cute. Happy?¡± She grinned wickedly, kneading her fingertips into my pawpads as she held them, ¡°Very! But we¡¯re not done. Say, ¡®I¡¯m wanted¡¯.¡± My eyes went wide, even as a wave of numbness passed over me, my tail slowing to hang idly between us, ¡°I¡­ I¡¯m wanted.¡± ¡°Yes you are. It¡¯s not just your cycle, Alvi, it¡¯s true. Say it again.¡± I felt the need to run, to get away. My mind and heart screamed like I was bolting for my life, but I was frozen on blue cushions. I- She¡¯s just playing. The predator is just teaching you to lie to yourself. I¡¯m-. ¡°I¡¯m wanted.¡± She smiled again, a smile just for me, just for this moment with each other, ¡°One more time?¡± You can say whatever you want, doesn¡¯t mean it¡¯s true. I¡¯m wanted. I¡­¡± I swallowed around the sudden tightness in my throat and blinked away the blurring edges of my vision, ¡°I¡¯m¡­ wanted.¡± Maeve¡¯s eyes were soft, and her grip on my paws loosened to a gentle embrace, ¡°¡®I¡¯m enough.¡¯¡± You¡¯ll never be enough. They¡¯ll drop you when they find someone better; and they will! The fact they haven¡¯t already is a miracle. ¡°I-...¡± My paws, along with Maeve¡¯s hands, had sunk to lie on my stomach. Her favored hand let go to stroke and pet my side as my now free paw gripped my wool. ¡°... Enough.¡± Her smile softened, and warmed, ¡°¡®I¡¯m enough.¡¯¡± I took a long breath, uplifted by the warmth of her hand on my skin, ¡°I-I¡¯m¡­ I¡¯m enough.¡± And sighed a ragged breath, taking another around the building wetness in my voice and eyes, ¡°I¡¯m enough. I¡¯m enough, I-¡± I started crying again, blubbering around a chant of hope I was trying desperately to bury so deep in my mind that it might somehow become true. Maeve sank to lie down beside me on the couch, and I rolled over to bury my snout in her chest, trying to ground myself in the feeling of her hand brushing through my wool. There was nothing, nothing between us or around us, just me, and Maeve, and my coughing hysterics as my tail and paws pulled her tighter to me, terrified that if I let go it would all slip, all disappear like some manic dream of cruel kindness that dared to give me hope that I might be¡­ somehow¡­ Enough. [Advance Transcription by Time Unit: 0.5 Hours] ¡°Feeling better, sweetie?¡± Maeve was the first to speak when I had finally run out of tears to cry and voice to sob, reduced to labored breathing and trying to ignore my blanketing soreness from ear to claw. I eked out a >Maybe<, though my tonal whistle lingered and faded like a match with no wood left to burn. ¡°I¡¯m uh, still learning your language, cutie, but I¡¯ll assume that¡¯s a ¡®Yes¡¯. How long have you felt this way?¡± Her question stabbed my heart; I couldn¡¯t answer, only hold tighter and bury myself deeper. ¡°I see. It must hurt, feeling that way. I¡¯m sorry you¡¯re hurting, Alvi.¡± She paused, thinking of her next words while her hand idly kneaded the base of my ear, ¡°I can¡¯t make you believe it. But you should know, it¡¯s not just your cycle. Valek¡¯s been enamored with you since long before your cycle started, and I¡¯m¡­ well¡­ not Venlil, so¡­¡± ¡°¡­ A-Anyway, yeah. Whoever¡¯s telling you we¡¯re¡­ I dunno, pranking you or something, they¡¯re a liar and you should tell ¡®em to shove it.¡± Maeve always knew how to make me laugh. Though that laugh quickly became a yelp and whine. That laugh, as much as I needed it and that it helped me come back, all it did was remind me that the pain in my hip, the thing that started all this and stopped our show and fun and popcorn, was still there. ¡°Leg¡¯s still bothering you?¡± - ¡°Yeah¡­¡± - ¡°We never got a chance to finish; do you want to try again?¡± ¡°I¡­ don¡¯t know? I-I mean, yeah, I do, I really do, but I don¡¯t¡­ My cycle¡¯s never been like this, it¡¯s like my¡­ my body isn¡¯t mine! I¡¯m so scared that if¡­ if I let It happen I¡¯ll¡­ I don¡¯t know, make a mistake? That I-I¡¯ll mess it up somehow.¡± ¡°Messing up is half the fun!¡± Maeve¡¯s voice was light, trying so hard to help me be ok, ¡°But I understand you being scared, it¡¯s ok. I should have been more upfront with what I was doing, and avoided¡­ those areas, especially not having talked to you about it. I want to help you with your pain. I can back off, I think; change my grip?¡± ¡°Stars, I just wish it were gone. Yeah, let¡¯s try again.¡± I answered exasperatedly, disentangling myself from Maeve to roll onto my belly again while she sat back up. ¡°Are you sure? We don¡¯t have to do this, we could just go to bed.¡± Maeve asked from behind me. ¡°I won¡¯t be able to sleep like this. I¡¯m sure,¡± I mumbled through a mouth buried in couch cushions once again. This shali needed to get the speh out of my backside! Maeve won¡¯t try anything. She promised. ¡°Alright. I need to start lower again, try to re-loosen your thighs.¡± She started just as before, opening her hands wide to press even bands across my thighs, pushing them up to my rump as she leaned her weight into them. I winced at the first two passes, but it wasn¡¯t long before their renewed tightness was unwound. ¡°You still with me, Alvi?¡± I flicked an affirmative. ¡°Ok, I¡¯m going to move higher, and I¡¯ll stay away from your bits. I know you¡¯re nervous, that¡¯s ok, I¡¯ll stop the moment you ask me to, ok?¡± I reaffirmed. ¡°Alright.¡± Maeve made one deep push up the back of my thighs, continuing up until she reached the bottom of my rump and just pressed into the meeting of muscles there. I could feel a fire burning in my snout and worked to breathe through it and the unwinding tension in my rump. After pressing and kneading into the joint, Maeve pulled back, pressing those same bands down my thighs to my knees. She barely paused before working up to my rump again, this time pressing up into my seat¡¯s muscles directly. I could feel fire under my skin, like life returning to a desert as she balled up her fists and pushed deeply into my seat. She walked those same fists up and over, around and past my tail up into my lower back. By now I was entirely loose and relaxed, lost in her purposeful touch as she undid every bind and knot she could find. Maeve halted her efforts, and I was worried she noticed my hips spontaneously lift again, just slightly, before I felt her again at her beginning. She continued, though this time only doing her upward motion and then resetting. Every time she passed my rump, or touched the base of my tail my ears and tail twitched and I felt warmer. On her next pass she pressed again into my seat, though this time worked around the sides rather than over; the outward pressure split me open and I was keenly aware of the sticky dampness that suddenly cooled at the touch of air. I tried to breathe through the heat in my breath and ignore the warm wetness on my scruff and between my legs, worked to ground myself in the feeling of Maeve¡¯s fingers. I felt her fingertips slide around my hips, following the creases of my leg until her hands were holding tightly. For a moment she just held me, the longest of her fingers reaching well into my inner thighs while her thumbs were firmly planted on my back muscles at either side of the base of my spine, the tips of her thumbs all but squeezing the base of my tail. Maeve reminded me to breathe, and we did together, before she started to move. Still holding tightly, she used her solid grip to gently rock my hips back and forth, then rolling them in slow tight circles. I braced myself, readying for that grinding feeling I¡¯ve had all paw¡­ But it never came! Her fingers at my front forced space between my leg and my hip, allowing it to spin freely in its socket! My paws were gripping the couch cushion ahead of me, tightening and releasing along with her pressure as she slowed down, but tightened her grip. She was now pressing her thumbs into those base muscles and I could feel my whole hip twist under my skin just slightly with her movements. Then she stopped. And squeezed. Pressure, tension, building in my right hip. It felt stuck, like I needed to move it. Tighter. My ears were pulling inward, like I was pulling a thorn from my paw. I forgot to breathe, just holding my breath, waiting fo- Tok Ah~! My heart felt like it stopped entirely along with the mortifying realization that that was MY VOICE. My tail was trying to pull around me but could only lie against my body, the tuft trying its damndest to hide my face from Maeve¡¯s light laughter, ¡°Hit the spot, didn¡¯t it? Feel good?¡± I tried to signal >Good< but my tail just twitched erratically. Maeve all but stopped her efforts, barely moving but for slight slow kneading with her grip alone. After a few moments, she relaxed; keeping that same hand position though without pressure as her fingers wound slow tight circles in my wool. ¡°You looking so comfy is making me sleepy; ready for bed?¡± My tail bounced a tired >Yes<; the couch made a compelling argument, but I couldn¡¯t deny the draw of blankets and company. Maeve stood from the couch, hands hovering nearby as I found my footing and, for the first time in two claws, I stood solid on my own. I turned to the bed and while I still felt that stiffness, I felt no pain and sighed gratefully as I stretched the problem leg. We walked together to the bed, Maeve pulled the covers aside and followed me in. She shifted and fidgeted, arranging pillows just so for herself and for me, before we both settled in. ¡°Thank you, Maeve. Good rest.¡± ¡°You too, Alvi.¡± The Foundations of Humanity 48 (Play your Cards) - an NoP fanfic Memory transcription subject: Valek Date [standardized human time]: Sept 16th, 2136. Start of 5th Claw. ¡°...Call it a ¡®girl¡¯s weekend¡¯; we can braid our hair and talk about boys!¡± I couldn¡¯t quiet the bursting laugh that escaped me; I hadn¡¯t intended to envision Maeve braiding Alvi¡¯s wool, least not ¡®till a vyalkit was in the dawn! I finished drying my crown and tossed the towel back onto the kitchen counter as I started up the stairs. ¡°I need to take a bath before I start presenting, you two have fun out there!¡± In the corner of my eye I could see my Star blooming a steadily deeper shade of gold, while my Sun was nearly shone behind a wide delighted grin as I reached the landing and closed the door, thinking to myself that I ought to tell Maeve the significance of braiding in Venlil courtship. My lop-sided gait slowed my trek to the washroom while I tried to shake out the dull throbbing in my groin that twitched my tail uncooperatively; I was damn lucky my parents weren¡¯t awake, I hadn¡¯t been this bad since I was still in finishing school! I stepped into the washroom and locked the door behind me, turned the tap to fill the wide and shallow basin of a bathtub, and arrayed my preference of brushes, soaps, and oils. I wasn¡¯t due for a bath for a while yet, even if the hotel bath left much to be desired, hygienically, but if I¡¯m getting this bad then Alvi must be shedding something awful; even with her gone I¡¯d be right back where I started with the taste of her all over me. I sighed a whistle, Back then¡­ It¡¯s like It was another life¡­ scorch it, just last harvest was like another life! A new species¡­ a new friend¡­ I thought of Alvi, of my pads sinking into her wool and brushing against her skin¡­ I flap my ears vigorously to bat away the intrusive - though not unwelcome - thought and shut off the tub, quickly stepping into the i-i-i-IIIYE Speh that¡¯s cold!! My every muscle tenses as I dig my claws into the ancient wooden tub, lowering myself into the frigid water by naught but force of will and gravity. It did, thankfully, have the intended effect of dousing the fire under my skin. After several moments of breathing through the sharp discomfort, I finally reached out a shivering paw to the first of our cleaners, pouring a good pawful or two into the water and mixing it in. Almost immediately I could feel the water lose its tension and fall into my wool which I immediately started scrubbing. I worked to loosen stubborn tangles and knots, making sure to coat every fiber I could reach with Mom¡¯s organic pheromone-neutralizing wash along with my own fortifying oils while thoughts and memory started to seep in, no longer held at bay by distraction and company. The room around me silently bellowed its age. These floors were laid with tile that my Great Uncle paw-cut and mortared after the hardwood slats had finally rotted to hazard. The walls were paneled with sap-steeped dayside arbors that have since become illegal to harvest, due to their slow growth and therefore replacement. Everything about this room, how much of it pre-dated First Contact? We, the Venlil, had been part of the Federation for nearly a millennium, what could even survive that? If¡­ even if they had never found us, how much of this room could be that old? How much of my history could be leftover after just the march of time, much less Federation interference? Maeve had spoken many times of her people¡¯s history; they knew how they discovered farming, and language! They have books - real, physical things! - older than the entire federation, that they somehow can still read just as their ancestors did with layer upon layer of protection, all in a desperate attempt to prolong the eternity of the written word. I knew¡­ I thought I knew something of my people from before First Contact, stories passed down from ear to ear in the Grove, and some carried on winds of changing lives from around Venlil Prime. But I saw back in the museum there was evidence enough that the Federation lied about our history, though I didn¡¯t know how much. And I wasn¡¯t sure I ever would. But whatever they did, they put themselves in the light, and us in the dark. Was it just farming, just First Contact? How much did they change? I needed to know. I came back to the present, and realized the mess loosened from my wool had sunk to become a layer of silt on the floor of the tub, while what little fortifying oil that didn''t make it to my coat floated a layer of film on the water¡¯s surface. I had forgotten to finish my wash routine, and quickly got back to work; without someone to help, I had to retrieve the scrubbing panel for my back. I braced it against the tub¡¯s wall and leaned against it, shifting my body in wide circles alternating side-to-side with up-and-down. Once I was satisfied that I had cleaned every part of me I could reach without assistance, I drained the tub and grabbed the rinsing nozzle. Now fully clean, I got out of the tub and, dripping across the tile, found the drying seat and set to work with the corded wool-dryer. Papa told me when I was a pup that, before First Contact brought electricity with them, the Venlil used to do this with a bellows attached to a central wood furnace; I thought it was ridiculous even then, but now armed with new knowledge the notion gave me a hearty chuff! Maybe Keneles would have something. As big as that library was, I would hope that he kept something authentically pre-contact. I reached for my naked shoulder and realized I left my pad downstairs; I still needed to clean up from our meal, so just as well. I grabbed a bottle of shower-formula shampoo/neutralizer 2-in-1 before making my way downstairs, careful not to wake my parents so early in their sleep claw. The girls were long gone by the time I made it back to the kitchen; apparently in a hurry, as it seemed they didn¡¯t take any food. I gathered our services and rinsed them, dried them, and put them away, but my mind was somewhere else. What would I find? What was I hoping for? How would I prove that it¡¯s authentic? There has to be something, you can¡¯t change history on this scale without missing something; a thousand years is a long time, but VP is a big planet! Could there be anything left? What would it look like? My mind bolted a lightyear a minute, the idle cleaning barely a whisper in the background of my bounding questions. I thought about the Stonebuilder Tapestry as I raided the fridge of supplies for Alvi. I thought of my Dad¡¯s Great-grandfather''s infatuation with Parnekselious as I set the tote in the den and messaged Maeve, followed by a quick response that she was busy but will collect it later. I thought about tools that don¡¯t sit well in our paws, and forbidden readings. I thought of how angry I felt, because of what the Federation was hiding from us, and because of Keneles refusing to give me the chance to do something about it. Instead, he asked me to learn more about the humans; to sit and wait for the right moment, and prepare for whatever that moment could be. But how could I learn anything when I didn¡¯t even know what I didn¡¯t knoooo-Oh, hello! While passing the long circular couch, I saw a white book with a picture of an¡­ unbelievably muscled human holding a great jagged piece of yellow metal; this must be the book Maeve had brought in to show us! My task immediately forgotten, I sat on the couch and flipped past the cover. The first several pages were nearly blank, carrying only what I assumed were titles, sources, and acknowledgments, if they were in any way similar to more familiar literature. But I gasped when I opened the first decorated page; Maeve had mentioned they had art, but this was like nothing I had seen! At first it looked like a mess of color splashed across the page in greens and blues, surrounding a radiant supernova of golden light, that¡­ hold on¡­ I think that¡¯s a river! The familiar ribbon of blue was my cipher key as I made more and more sense of the scene before me. There were whole herds of humans! Climbing and falling and draping over each with little more than a curtain to cover themselves. But they were separate? Most were on the ground, a few by the water, but many seemed to be laying on clouds? These cloud-people were paler, less defined, like they were themselves made of those clouds. At the top of the picture though, in pride of place in the center of the supernova was one human, cloud-colored like the rest but in sharp relief, looking down at the herd below¡­ Just like Solgalick is shown looking down at his faithful. ¡°Wow.¡± I sighed, and flipped the page. And another. And another. Dense blocks of the humans¡¯ squarish script interspersed with images, some sharing a style like the cover but most were a wide variety of art ranging from the almost-real sun picture from earlier, to simple wall paintings, to massive statues of humans and predators and things entirely other! It seemed the book was sectioned by theme, maybe culture? The first section seemed to be the same as that first picture with very human people wrapped in simple cloth and as I reached the end I saw that yellow-metal-brandishing human from the cover. I was fascinated by the pictures I saw and how they seemed to be snapshots of stories, but it was all idle curiosity until I saw something I didn¡¯t expect. This section had very little modern art in the style of the cover, but instead seemed to be almost entirely photographs of carved walls and painted manuscripts, one of which featured something I couldn¡¯t readily believe. A depiction of Humans, with Federation heads! Th-That¡¯s a Duerten! A-And that¡¯s a Yulpa! And an Arxur?! How?! I frantically grabbed my pad and pulled up the visual translator, quickly reading the Yulpa entry attached to the photograph, ¡°Anubis is the Ancient Egyptian god of funerary rites, protector of graves, and guide to the underworld in Ancient Egyptian religion; usually depicted as a canine or a man with a canine head. Anubis assumed several roles, such as being credited with the invention of embalming, and for weighing the soul¡¯s heart to determine their place in the afterlife.¡± So it''s not a Yulpa, but some Earth animal; Maeve mentioned Venlil''s similarity to ¡®sheep'' and ¡®rabbit¡¯, was this another coincidence? Hold on, humans believe in souls too? I read on, ¡°As with many Egyptian deities, Anubis assumed many roles; one such being the ''Guardian of the Scales¡¯ [Fig 2.1]. This critical scene depicting the weighing of the heart, discovered in the Book of the Dead, shows Anubis performing a measurement that determined whether the person was worthy of entering Duat, what they believed to be the underworld. This scene depicted Anubis weighing the heart of the deceased against Ma''at, often represented as an ostrich feather, to decide the fate of the soul. This trial was witnessed and recorded by Thoth, here depicted as a man with the head of an ibis. Souls heavier than the feather would be devoured by Ammit, here depicted as a hound with a crocodile head, while souls lighter than the feather would ascend to a heavenly existence." If you spot this story on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation. I was awestruck. True, Ammit eating the heart was a uniquely predatory if prescient take, but everything else¡­ this could have been any one of our religions! My own family followed the Sun and Stars, believing that when we died, we left the Day and joined the Night as a star! I madly wove a trail through the dense book for the better part of a claw, reading through my pad''s translator as I absorbed stories of boats sailing through oceans of stars, of crafty mountains and jealous winds. I found Solgalick in their story of Prometheus, gifting man fire just as Solgalick taught the Venlil time, and our Three Tenets would fit right in beside their Buddhism! I was admiring their historic woven tapestries, amazed by the stylistic similarities with our Stonebuilder Tapestry when my pad chimed in my shoulder-pack.
Taking a break between episodes, is this a good time to get the thing? Great time! Stay safe out there. See you soon :*
I lept to my feet and double checked what else Alvi may need and, just as I was loading a few finishing touches into the tote, what sounded like a starship engine roared from our front door! The heavy wooden door was slowly pulled open and Maeve slid through; the storm outside slammed it closed behind her, muffling the deafening howl around us. She flipped her gale-tangled curls behind her and my heart leapt to see her brilliant green eyes find me again! Her lips parted in a wide smile, ¡°Hey cutie, come here often?¡± She laughed when I playfully admonished her by splaying my ears, before all but running to me and though I wanted to run to her¡­ But I stepped back, signaling >Stop. Wait.< with everything from ear to claw. She stopped, and I stepped back again, making some distance between us, ¡°Parents are going to wake up any moment, and with Alvi¡¯s taste on you¡­¡± Sun, Stars, and everything between them, I love it when she flushes that delightful eltavi-red! She took her own pace backward and cleared her throat, ¡°You said you had some snacks packed?¡± I affirmed and motioned to the crate just inside the den. As she got closer, she noticed the book I had left on the couch, ¡°Want me to take that too?¡± >No.< ¡°I was just reading that, actually! I had no idea you had so many different beliefs, how do you keep them all straight?¡± ¡°Lots of record keeping, and even then with¡­ debatable success. This book actually notes very few of our active faiths, just the big four; everything else is much older, and not actively practiced. Were there any that caught your eye?¡± I hear pawsteps above me as I¡¯m about to answer. I look at the book between us and see it is open to a full-page mural of a many-armed, many-faced human wreathed in fire, hands dripping with humanity¡¯s red red blood¡­ We shared a look, ¡°Maybe another time?¡± -- ¡°Raincheck. Shiva might be a bit much for Leksi.¡± In a flash, Maeve heaved herself and the crate through the wind-locked door which slammed closed the moment the crate was clear. I bolted to the couch and snapped the book closed, running to hide it in the bookcase behind three dictionaries and an outdated almanac before I called up the stairs, ¡°Hi Mom, hi Dad! Rest well?¡± A long low yawn announced Dad¡¯s arrival as his first steps came into view, ¡°Better¡¯n we have in paws! How¡¯d you and the girls do in the village?¡± ¡°Really great!¡± I answered with happily perked ears, resuming my interrupted tidying of the den, ¡°Maeve kept the litter distracted with a story while everyone finished prepping for galetime. The farm¡¯s locked down along with the rest of the village, so I hope you¡¯ve stocked up.¡± Mom looked around the den when she reached the bottom of the stairs, ¡°Where are the girls?¡± ¡°Alvi¡¯s on her cycle, so they¡¯re staying out in the apartment. Maeve will be taking care of her for the Night.¡± Mom winced sympathetically at hearing of Alvi¡¯s plight, ¡°Poor dear, have they got everything they need out there?¡± ¡°I packed a whole crate for her, Maeve just collected it before you came down. Also packed your 2-in-1 neutralizer, Mom; hope you don¡¯t mind?¡± Mom shrugged in the Venlil way as Dad beamed at me, ¡°Sounds like we raised you right, son! So did you include us in your planning?¡± I excitedly padded to the tall games cabinet by the stairs, pulling out a hefty well-worn box of cards and erasable playmats, ¡°I was thinking a game of Philosopher?¡± ¡°And let Elva drag us by the scruff again?¡± Dad chuffed ruefully as Mom papped him with her tail. I had already started shuffling scratch cards at the living room table, ¡°C¡¯mon we¡¯ve gotta win eventually, right? Get your boards and make sure your markers work.¡± [Advance Transcript by Time Unit: 1 Hour] I stared at the cards in my paw, trying to mentally piece them together with what was left on the table; Dad was taking his time, thankfully, giving me plenty to plan with. Mom had been stampeding right over us, having already finished her round with ¡®Growing Herd¡¯ while I was still struggling with ¡®Educate¡¯. ¡°You¡¯re going a little wall-eyed there, sweetie. Not finding what you need?¡± Mom asked coyly as she teased Dad about his languid pace while I stared at the ¡®si¡¯ card in the center pile, praying Dad wouldn¡¯t take it. ¡°I¡¯ll get there when I get there,¡± he grumbled, before drawing a mover and replacing it with a ¡®va¡¯. I tried to hide my sigh of relief as I drew the ¡®si¡¯ card and marked my board, finishing ¡®Educate¡¯ with a flourish and drawing from the deck to refill. Mom, however, started to sway her tail smugly. ¡°¡®Educate¡¯! Good choice, plenty of ways to grow it¡­¡± Her tail drew my attention to the down-tone in the third reveal pile. I knew that it would modify mine to ¡®Educate Youth¡¯; I was going to use my ¡®ta¡¯ to make it past-tense, but those extra points from adding a timed subject were awfully tempting¡­ Dad, however, picked up the down-tone and quickly added it to his board for a simple ¡®Before When¡¯ then redrew his paw, ¡°Stars, at least I¡¯m on the board now. You thought about going back to Uni, son? Should be a break-harvest after this night; give you plenty of time to study.¡± I played my ¡®ta¡¯ card to finish ¡®Educated¡¯, tallied my points and erased my board, then discarded my paw to pass the round, ¡°Pass. I dunno, maybe? Honestly the Library has been both welcoming and informative, I think I might see if I can pluck a job there.¡± Mom leaned over, pretending to look at Dad¡¯s paw, to which he leaned back and flattened his ears. She whistled playfully, ¡°Oh, really? Anything in particular about this ¡®library¡¯ that¡¯s caught your fancy?¡± My ears fell for a split-second as I thought of the ring of linked metal Keneles showed me, ¡°Uhh- getting to learn at my own pace is definitely a plus! And it is nice to get out of the exterminator pipeline; HPU has always been a bit more¡­ vocational than I liked. I think I like the learning part more, and maybe even teaching.¡± ¡°That¡¯s great son!¡± Dad all but cheered as he erased his board and redealt for the new round, ¡°I think something in the college would be great for you! You¡¯d be welcome here in the Burrow every break-harvest, if ya fancy.¡± Dad took his turn as he had the lowest-value word last round, leaving me a good pick for what I had been dealt, ¡°Thank you, it¡¯s nice to be home. The city¡¯s got its charms, but it never really felt like¡­ like Me, ya know?¡± I already have the marks for ¡®Big Process¡¯, and that ¡®vol¡¯ could make it ¡®Machine¡¯. But if I could get an up-tone and ¡®ven¡¯ for ¡®For People¡¯ that¡¯d give me ¡®Federation¡¯, which would put me over Mom¡­ I took a risk and drew from the deck, prompting mom to immediately play ¡®Join¡¯ from her paw and let Dad know it was his turn again - to his great and grumbly annoyance. Mom and I talked while he considered his options, ¡°I do know, dear. I do. I¡¯m eternally grateful for what I learned and was able to bring back to the Berrypatch, not least of all for meeting the new picker Papa hired on,¡± Dad huffed as mom playfully brushed him with her tail, ¡°But I missed the forest, and the village.¡± I drew from the deck again, and tried to still my tail when it was the ¡®ven¡¯ I needed; just needed the up-tone, now. Mom was up again, playing a 2nd scratch to make ¡®Weave¡¯, ¡°Speaking of the village, how is Alvi liking the Grove?¡± ¡°Oh, she loves it!¡± I answered excitedly, ¡°Every time we go out she¡¯s all wags and whistles. She and Maeve love to tease each other, almost as much as they love to tease me! You should have seen her dancing around the Gravity Arcade after she stomped me in Tower Tipper, it was¡­¡± Fantastic. Adorable. Incredible. I sighed, ¡°The way she hops when she¡¯s excited, and the way they laugh together at the tiniest things¡­¡± My voice failed to keep up with my thoughts, halting entirely with a gleaming galaxy of my Starlight on the tip of my tongue. Dad¡¯s ears dipped in my direction, and his voice was soft and smooth, ¡°They mean a lot to you, don¡¯t they?¡± The fire in my chest burned like the bloom on my face, ¡°Yeah¡­¡± I couldn¡¯t keep this secret anymore. Didn¡¯t even matter whether or not they would figure it out, I didn¡¯t care, I had to tell someone, everyone, what they meant to me! ¡°Hey¡­ um. Mom? Dad? We-¡± ¡­ But maybe some discretion would be prudent, ¡°Alvi and I are-¡± Mom lit up like a solar flare while Dad laid his paw down and focused on me, ¡°Alvi would like to¡­ to stay with us¡­ With me. I would like her to stay. With me.¡± Mom was positively glowing! Dad though¡­ ¡°I knew it! I knew it! From the moment you brought her home!¡± Mom¡¯s shrill whistle cut off my thoughts and collected both of our attentions, ¡°You can use our shears, love! Their edge is just as good as the paw Leksi gathered my-¡± I kept my tail behind me, trying to hide my embarrassment, ¡°Mom, it¡¯s fine, we only realized a few paws ago! It¡¯s still fresh, and we want to take it kinda slow. Alvi deserves as much.¡± ¡°You pups, what are you waiting for?!¡± Mom hopped up and quickly padded to her carved keepsake chest in the corner, carefully slamming the lamp it was under atop a different table. ¡°The Berrypatch has got plenty of room, and we still have the warren just off the kitchen, lots of wall to cover-¡± I opened my mouth to protest but Dad harvested my attention, signing >Wait. Let her run.<. I settled in my seat on the floor while we both watched Mom half submerged in the open chest, rooting for what I could only assume were her wedding shears, ¡°I¡¯m so glad to have a herd back in the den, again; I miss when the whole flock would come around! Massi¡¯s have all scattered across the Federation and I¡¯ve not heard bleat or bellow from my sisters since before the last Farsul Council confirmation!¡± ¡°You know, dear, I think you might have left the shears upstairs. Remember when we freshened up for Market, last harvest?¡± Dad offered from his seat across from me. ¡°Of course! Why didn¡¯t you say so sooner?!¡± Mom exclaimed as she all but launched herself off the chest and up the stairs. Dad chuffed as he watched her go, the light of love in his eyes and on his tail, ¡°That should keep her busy for a moment.¡± We both breathed in the quiet, taking the moment of peace as the gift it was; Dad was the first to speak, ¡°You said Alvi started her cycle? Have you¡­?¡± I startled at the reminder, tripping over my over-quick response, ¡°No! No. We¡­ It went to our heads earlier, but nothing happened.¡± His ears dipped approvingly, ¡°Good. Good. I think it''s great that you''re going slow, son; there''s plenty of time for that.You said Maeve¡¯s going to take care of her? Does she know what she¡¯s getting into?¡± I shrugged while signing >She¡¯ll be ok.< as I started to pack up the game, knowing Mom will be far too distracted now to play, ¡°We¡¯ve talked about it. She might not have the whole picture, but she wants to help, so¡­¡± I let the sentence finish itself. ¡°You¡¯ve ¡®talked about¡¯ the venlil cycle? How¡¯d that come up?¡± He asked; I only now noticed how intently he was focused on me. I strained to calm my ears and tail, ¡°We¡­ promised each other we¡¯d answer any question. She asks a lot of questions.¡± ¡°Hm.¡± My heart hammered in the silence between us as I struggled with what to say. Should I tell him? He and Maeve seemed fast friends, but would this be too far? He could kick us out, could tell the UN! They¡¯d separate us for sure! What should I do? What should I do?! Dad heaved a sigh, and asked, ¡°She¡¯s treating you alright?¡± The sudden return to the present set me rather taken aback, ¡°Well, yeah! Alvi¡¯s grea-¡± ¡°No, son. Not-¡± He stopped short when we heard Mom¡¯s excited pawsteps racing down the stairs, forcing his ears and tail to jovial attention along with himself as he left the table and talked to Mom. I was too stunned to move, my eyes and ears locked onto where Dad had sat as I struggled to navigate the maze of questions in my mind. They were talking about the ancient timber-bound photo album in her paws, but I couldn¡¯t hear them. At least, not their words. What I heard, was the music in Mom¡¯s laugh, and Dad¡¯s rhythmic ribbing harmonizing as they played off of one another. I saw his eyes find hers, and at every moment they met, I saw it: a spark, a warmth, a bond, that called to her with a silent song that was so beautifully familiar. He had it too, this rhythm in our chests that dances the tune of another. He found his step with Elva. And I hoped he could hear the harmony we sing together.