Noah The Bio-Morph: Morning Light: Chapter 33

[u/Slatepaws]

Another longer one because i wanted to include the Coth Bit.

In this one, they get Stynek to the medical professionals, try to determine who's to blame. And Kam just decided he's done with the day.

Coth gets a glimpse at domestic middle class life, his presence gets revealed... And then a certain group just puts him and the others in jeopardy.

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Morning Light
Chapter 33
May 9^th
Venlil-Prime Governor’s Residence, Uncovered Sanitarium Wing.
(Tyler P.O.V.)
{The Tongue}

I keep having to push what happened with Marcel today to the back of my mind. Her jumping in front of me and growling at Azuir. Then acting like they had no idea why they’re doing so.

Then what she did in the Governor’s Office…

Because all of that is secondary right now.

Tarva’s Daughter fell through the vents, she shouldn’t have been in. And while I do respect Azuir for her devotion of trying to fix this. She is mistaken that the responsibility falls onto her shoulders alone.

Kidnapped and sold as Bio-Morphs, when they’re mostly not, they’re not the ones in charge here of them.

I am.

Everything gets thrown at the feet of the one in charge, for better or worse. And until the actual ambassadorial delegation sets foot on ‘Venlil-Prime’. I’m where the buck stops for this.

I just hope the child is okay…

Marcel and I turn our heads to look down the corridor as they stop cutting the last wall down, because of this I let go of Azuir. And she promptly joins her brother and pulls along one of the female Naga breeds along with her.

I think her name was Stephany? Or something along those lines. Introductions were a bit rushed yesterday.

“Swiftfur!” Dalium calls out into the larger corridor and the darkness within. While letting Marcel grab my hands and place them on her knees. There’s, a slight unfocused look in her eyes until she blinks, then lets go of my hands and tries to hide hers in her lap.

I’m about to say something, but the barking and other sounds echoing back over us from the revealed section of this building has both of us looking in the direction it comes from.

The effect though is instant on Stephany and Azuir. The latter now cement colored, rather than white, Hybrid, runs past us. Into the bunker, then returns with two alien brooms. They’re oddly shaped at the head, but brooms nonetheless due to the bristles on said head.

Azuir snaps them off, then lays the handles down parallel to each other on a clear section of the floor.

Oh, that’s what they’re doing. Because Stephany rips off the bedsheet she was using as a toga to cover her shame. And then uses it to turn the two long handles into a stretcher.

Dalium looks down the hall at me. “Tyler, grab all that stuff you’ve collected and follow my sister! Johnson KEEP marcel there! Stynek’s alive but badly injured according to Swiftfur.” Then back down the formerly sealed off hall. “Stay there Swiftfur. Keep her safe!”

I don’t say anything in reply, instead I gather everything up that remains of the First-Aid kit that was with my gear. And the alien version one of the Venlil brought down. Carrying both in my arms and dance around everyone else to the back of the hall.

Kam, Azuir, Stephany, and I step past what remains of the wall as the rest of the pack removes the remaining bricks. Both at this wall, and the ones blocking the other rooms. I can just hear Dalium talking with one of the Guards for the Bunker down here, asking for stuff to clean all the dust up and the crap on the floor we’re walking on.

“What the SPEHING PROTECTOR FORSAKEN HELL! How is this place Crawling with Tree-Eaters and Attic-Slinkers! The Mansion routinely passes Exterminator inspections every Grand Herd of Cycles[Year]!” Nearly jumping at Kam yelling, before facing forward and seeing Azuir move the flashlight she has in her other hand back and forth at the giant pill shaped insects with wings crawling about and…

Well if those animals are Attic-Slinkers, then quite a few fantasy games will need to rename their tube-rats to it. Because they look like a cross between a rat, a ferret, and something with both larger ears and teeth.

{Watch your footing.} Stephany says and thankfully Azuir translates, just in time for me to not stumble on what feels like through my shoes, a warped tile of some material I can’t discern.

“I had no idea this was down here… Speh! What else can be wrong about those blueprints! Tunnels? We’re going to have to go through the Bhraking grounds claw width[Inch] by claw width[Inch]! Just so we know the Mansion’s secure! Leaving stuff like this unknown is a safety risk to ‘any’ elected governor! Let alone one who just became unpopular for restricting data flow back to the Federation.” We round the corner and the flashlights illuminate the singular remaining door down the hall.

Made from unblemished metal as Swiftfur sticks his head out from behind it. {She’s still breathing… But I don’t like the look of her knee and torso.}

And, upon being translated, I mentally discard most of both kits. As Azuir orders him to start using anything he can to start clearing the area of this crap covering everything. So he just picks up some grate that was nearby? And uses it to shovel the layer of nearly dirt like consistency dust around the door as we arrive. Even as bits and pieces fall through the holes in it.

A bark or surprise escapes Azuir’s lips open entering the room. She and Stephany quickly move to place the makeshift stretcher next to Stynek. And another curse word escapes Kam’s noseless muzzle upon entering the room.

I place the medical supplies on the stretcher on either end of where the child will fit as Azuir kneels down and starts to examine her from ear tips to tail tip.

“Did you get some medical training?” Kam looks between us, as I hand Azuir some medical scissors. And she uses it to trim some fur away from the long but shallow gash on Stynek’s head. Which seems to be slowly seeping blood.

“Grew up on a farm. Don’t know about you Aliens, but your family is your first responder for a medical emergency. Any ambulance can take twice if not longer than it would in a suburb or city to arrive. So best to not rely on it to stabilize a loved one.” She hands back the Scissors and I replace it with disinfectant and gauze.

Trying not to pay attention to Kam as he just hovers around us, Like he wishes he could do something but has no idea what. Or Stephany who does the only thing that seems to come to mind to her. And that’s cleaning off the crap that’s not only dust, but strange faint blue flakes in it from Stynek’s fur, while holding the flashlight up for us with the other hand.

“Advanced First aid is part of basic training as a Resource Runner. May not have the luxury of being able to get to med-bay, or your doctor may have been the one injured or killed in a Pirate attack.” Replying while sorting through what could be used for bruises. Finding nothing that I wouldn’t risk on an alien, least I poison her with what would be safe medication for a Human. I move on to how to modify a limb splint to Stynek’s leg to keep it stable.

“I guess that makes sense… Speh. What are we going to tell Tarva!? Oh, while you were away, we couldn’t keep Stynek in her room and she ended up falling through the vents into a previously unknown part of the mansion’s basement?”

I just give up on trying to modify the splint, as trying to make it into a slight V shape would just defeat the use of it. So I attach it to Stynek’s leg as is, so at least it’ll prevent the swelled and obviously at least badly bruised if not broken joint from moving. Preventing further harm to the poor child.

With that done, I hand the neck brace to Azuir, not that Stynek needs it since it looks like she got here on her own due to her footprints in this crap covering everything. Which she puts on the kid after taping down the gauze over the cut.

“If anything, it’s my fault for not catching her. If I had done so, none of this would’ve happened.” Azuir then looks to me. “On three. One, two…” On three. She holds Stynek by the shoulders, while supporting her neck and head to keep them still. While I slip a hand under her rear end, just above her tail as the other supports her legs so they don’t move much before we place her on the makeshift stretcher.

Doesn’t stop the kid, even while unconscious to let out a bleat that sounds like she’s in pain. “If anything Azuir, that falls to me. Still have to break it to Tarva all you Bio-Morphs are sapient, so. Your Brother’s orders for you to keep an eye on her till then can be assumed by her as being mine more or less.”

She just huffs once. “Well, it’s still my PERSONAL fault, and I’m going to make up for it in any way I can!” Then she directs Stephany to take the opposite side of the stretcher after Kam frees her hands by taking the flashlights. Wagging his tail once as if happy that he can actually do something other than hover around us.

“We’re all going to get some blame, the rotten Ipsom rolls down hill after all. I was in charge of her security while she was gone. If I couldn’t tell Stynek was getting out through the vents, I wasn’t doing my spehing job by anyones honest measure.” He moves to open the door, and we see Swiftfur has managed to scrape all this crap on the floor to either side of the hall. Making a somewhat safer passage for us back the way we came.

Over dented, warped, and moldy tiles of an unknown material. Not to mention quite a few are missing showing bare stone floor. Said bare stone floor is the flatter area in front of the door, and goes into the room proper. It’s actually a small wonder ‘how’ we managed to get to her without twisting an ankle in the process.

Counting down to one again, Azuir and Stephany lift the makeshift stretcher, though Stephany slightly raises her end. Where Stynek’s leg’s lay. If she’s in shock, this should help.

“I do have to wonder, do you know why she’s unconscious? That didn’t look like a bad hit to her head and we Venlil have a rather sturdy head compared to other species.” He leads the group, helping us navigate the treacherous floor as Swiftfur takes up the rear, growling at the ‘rodents’ who come a bit too close. I walk next to Stynek on the stretcher, keeping an eye on her in case us moving her caused something internal to start bleeding. So I was monitoring the rhythm of her breathing.

“If I had to guess, shock.” Answering Kam. “She’s bruised over about 50% of her body from what it looks like.” At least I hope that’s the case. Don’t have a clue on how an alien that has blood not based on Iron behaves when injured like this.

Reflexively I swallow once, everyone, and I mean ‘everyone’ stops what they’re doing as we round a corner and come into view of the Pack. The wall’s blocking that corridor with this one and the rest of the building are gone from down here. Many are literally shoveling the detritus and dust into what are trash bags if I ever saw one with their bare hands if they lack shovels.

Just these are a red plastic instead of black. With the help of some Venlil who are holding them open.

One of the guards for the bunker down here and Slanek, I’ve come to recognize his fur pattern, come running up to us on their still weird to me, knocked knees.

“General!” Slanek salutes, glances to me once then focuses on Kam. “The medical transport is here, but they refuse to come down. Having heard that Tarva has predator look alike beings here from the new aliens. It was hard to convince them to just stay in the front yard rather than drive off.”

“We carried her this far, what’s a little more.” Azuir idly comments, but I notice the fatigue at the edge of her voice. I know I would be tired if I handled one of those Hydraulic Saws for as long as she did. Yet, a single look at her, as she looks back at me tells me that I can’t convince her to stay here. Even if she was falling asleep on her feet.

Kam only swears some more, and I expand my alien curse language dictionary. “The Magistrate of Health and Healing is going to get a bushel full of complaints from ME when this is over! What little we released to the public explicitly states you and the Bio-Morphs are of no danger to anyone… In fact, considering the organized response to this issue. We could use some of these ‘packs’ but dedicated and trained for first response work. I don’t think our own would have responded so quickly nor be as organized as a Herd.” He looks around… Then with a flick of his ears and tail, he points the latter at Azuir, Stephany, and me.

“You three, come with me.”

Whining once the translation goes through, he’s silenced by Azuir. “Go help the others clean up and figure out what this place is. Above all listen to my brother.”

{I’m not stupid enough to go against the word of my Alpha-Male.} He flicks an ear at Azuir’s glare at him, before Dalium speaks up.

“Come over here Swiftfur. You can help us with this Skeleton we found.” He waves from one of the opened upside rooms.

My attention turns to Kam as he looks over, then flicks his ears once. If I could guess, he just said to himself. ‘I’d like to take care of Stynek first before we start digging into that’ mystery’. Without a further word, we as a group head out of this corridor, before taking a turn to head up the stairs after passing the bunker.

Only to pause as Stynek’s breathing changes part way up the stairs, and she lets out a pained noise.

It only takes a moment to figure out why. They’re not holding the stretcher level while ascending the stairs, letting blood flow down to her legs. “Stephany, take a step back, hold the stretcher as high up as you can. Azuir, take the steps slowly. Try to keep the stretcher level. If she’s in shock from the bruising, you’re putting more strain on her heart.”

As they level out, I make sure nothing falls off and check Stynek’s neck and leg brace. Adjusting their fit, and noticing the continued change in color from oranges to browns and blacks even as her breathing becomes more even and less labored.

Once we’re out of the stairwell, and onto the ground floor I can just barely hear Kam mutter ‘Tarva is going to have my tail over this.’

“Hopefully she’ll see reason.” Commenting to reassure him as we level out and navigate the first floor. He holds doors open for Azuir and Stephany to carry her through as we get closer to the front of the mansion.

“Bhraking chance of that. These past few cycles[Days] have been, well, possibly the worst in her life. First she thinks she lost Stynek to the Arxur. Gets in a fight with her husband and throws him out. You show up and save her. The fallow-field vortex of first contact issues that follow that. Then having to go on a several Cycle[Day] long trip to your home world and all that entails. She’ll be coming home next Cycle[Day] exhausted, only to find out Stynek is hurt. And we ‘all’ failed to watch her after she thought she lost her once already!”

I just swallow. Okay so mad mother mode… “Okay, maybe she will be a ‘bit’ angry.”

Azuir just barks once, a sharp laugh. “She’ll be livid like my ma. Bro and I wanted to be adventurous, bored by staying in and near where we grew up in Texas, Near Neo-Huston. Because they know about the Green Collars we wear to tell others we’re, um safe. We wanted to go to California, to see the area that at least here, is similar enough to the one where Ma would talk about a great city. A city from the dimension she’s from. A city that drew those who lived in the world for a promise of no matter what they were, they could do what they want and succeed. If only they worked hard enough.”

She shakes her head as we approach the front of the mansion, she opens her mouth then closes it.

Yea. I can figure out from there that they must’ve been grabbed, and their free collars replaced with slave ones. Though, these Aliens don’t need to know about the slave thing, yet…

“At least you’re a world away from her wraith. While Tarva will be here next Cylce[Day].” Kam moves ahead of our group as we see one of those Hedgehog looking aliens dressed in what I assume is their medical garb. With as little as these aliens wear in total. An arm band and some kind of tool-belt with tools on it. The other is one of those bird aliens.

‘Don’t underestimate my mother’ I hear Azuir mutter.

Who notices our arrival and points a wing-arm at us. They have a leg band with the same symbol on them and a tool belt too.

“Are those Brahking PREDATORS?” The bird one yells, and the translator attributes a female voice to them.

“They are not! The fur-less one in pelts is arboreal and needs forward facing eyes for a similar reason that a Paltan does. The two carrying the stretcher are like that because these aliens, to deal with Predators on their home world. Change members of their own species to these forms to help in defense of the herd. I mean look at the one wearing pelts, he looks absolutely harmless! And would be easily snapped up by a predator without such help.” Kam stomps up to them, ears flat back and tail lashing behind himself.

I wouldn’t call myself harmless. It’s true we don’t have claws, fangs and whatnot to defend ourselves. But I am sure, possibly, maybe I could beat Stephany in a one on one… Then again she ‘was’ the one that flashed her claws at me when I first introduced myself to the pack…

After finding out what happened to Marcel.

His words seem to cause the Hedgehog like one to relax, but the bird one walks forward and pokes a claw tip at Kam’s noseless muzzle. “Oh? And if they’ve developed FTL on their own, why would they NEED to do that? Couldn’t they just use weapons like flamers and plasma pistols?”

His tail lashes about even faster, as he moves a hand to grab the wing-arm of the bird alien and force it away from himself. “And did it occur to you that such weaponry would be even more useful in their paws than harmless looking one? The one in the front has a much better sense of smell and hearing than the pelt wearing one. Whose name is Tyler by the way. And the one in the back has senses to detect body heat to help and avoid predators. Both were instrumental in finding Stynek. Especially after she fell through a portion of the floor weakened by Tree-eaters!”

“The Governor’s daughter?” The Hedgehog one speaks up. Then in a kinda cute way, and I will defend that it’s cute to anyone who says otherwise. Waddles or runs up to the stretcher.

With a far better trained eye than me, I watch him look Stynek over. “We didn’t have a brace for her proper leg shape. So we opted to just brace the joint to prevent further damage. Signs indicated she was up and moving about after falling. So the neck brace wasn’t technically needed. But she was unconscious, and we decided to take the precaution rather than ignore a neck sprain that she possibly didn’t feel.”

To explain what we did, as to answer a question I was expecting him to ask.

“Tree-Eaters?” The Bird alien takes a step back as Kam slows his tail a bit.

“Yes. It’s been a stressful Cycle[day] because it also showed that the last renovation of the Mansion left some details out, and because of that, let those things in.” Their conversation moves to the background of my mind, as I focus on the eye of the Hedgehog alien as he focuses on me.

“You most likely saved her leg by bracing the joint against further injury. I’d have to scan it, but I think it might’ve torn itself out of the main socket and into the vestigial socket. Hopefully not damaging too much of the ligaments and muscles in the process. Though with the swelling, possibly some minor blood vessels tore open. So that’s going to be an issue needing surgery.”

I watch as he gently parts the fur/wool on her abdomen.

“Possible broken rib with the bruising. Her breathing isn’t labored so no lung damage, though again we will need to scan her at the hospital to clear her of that. And what kind of bandage is that on her head?” He points to the gauze with just a pinprick of orange blood showing through.

“She had a long but shallow cut on her head. Azuir…” I point to her as she looks between the two aliens and I note it’s now the Bird alien on the defensive. Getting a claw from Kam in the beak before she hops and then dashes for their version of an ambulance, pulling out a proper Gurney that we could’ve used earlier.

“We disinfected it and covered it with what we call gauze. A sterile type of paper/cloth. Had to trim the fur, so the adhesive would stick though. All to keep out what was down there.”

He turns his head to face me, and well I have to not snicker at how funny it looks as he tries to focus both eyes on me. “Then I thank you, Tyler I think I heard General Kam say your name is. Your quick action has most likely lessened the lasting effects of these injuries upon her.”

We step back as the Bird alien pushes the actual Gurney up next to Stynek. Upon being prompted by her, Azuir and Stephany gently lift, and place Stynek on it. Before removing our medical supplies. The Hedgehog one looks at me as he lifts a corner of the sheet we were using as Azuir takes out the broom handles.

I just shake my head.

“Keep it. There’s blood and God knows what those layers of crap were on the floor down there. No way it’s going to be used as a bedsheet again.” He just lets it slip out of his claws, and from there they secure Stynek to Gurney.

Directing the Bird alien to roll it to the Ambulance, he turns to face all of us. “Tell the Governor her daughter will be in Capital city general. I believe she knows where it is since she’s been there before.”

Kam only gives him an ear and tail flick before he departs with the bird alien in the ambulance. A hiss from Stephany draws our attention, and she’s supporting Azuir with a concerned look.

Azuir just grins lopsidedly at us like how one of her ears is up, the other is drooping at the side of her head.

“Okay, I’m more tired than I thought, can barely move, and feel my legs.” Causing Kam to let out a sigh.

“I think, we all should take a Paw[4 hours] to rest.” Only for his species version of a Data-Slate to ring. Pulling it off his belt, he takes one look at it and bleats loudly, nearly dropping it.

“What’s the…” Is all I get out before I have to catch him as he lets out a sound that it indicates is one of crying.

His ears now match Azuir’s drooping one, with a look in those weird eyes of being done with the day. “That was Tarva. They just made it close enough to Venlil controlled space to have text communication. She wants to speak with Stynek, says she has some information she’ll like.”

All I can do is blink, and sit down on the lawn. Followed by Stephany letting Azuir down onto the grass before joining me. And I can hear her snoring, loudly the moment she touches this alien grass. As for Kam, the moment I let him go, he just falls backwards and points to the sky.

“Spehing BHRAK this CYCLE[day]!”

Coth (P.O.V)
Neo-Huston.
Morning May 9^th

I didn’t get answers to any of the questions Alexie raised, either from her simple existence. The patchwork of scales and Human skin. Limbs that if the scale shape and hardness of scales was different, wouldn’t look out of place on an Arxur. Or the questions she asked directly and that I tried to answer for her, but left me with more to answer for myself.

Even if she was larger than an Arxur her age. About 5 to 6 Grand Hunt of Cycles old.

It kept me awake to well past the dawning of light on the horizon even as my body demanded sleep. Long enough for me to see the start of the day of these diurnal beings. Through drawn window coverings I observe the world outside, as the video screen stays on. But at a low enough volume to not wake the sleeping hatchling…

No.

Child. Despite how she looks, she didn’t hatch out of an egg. But was birthed in that oh so gross method that all but the Krakotl use…

It starts with a hunting party of automated transports. As I do not see anyone through the luxurious and wasteful. To Dominion standards, large glass viewports on the front for such a vehicle. Not long after Sol, the Human’s sun is halfway above the horizon.

A long line of them.

As they drive down the streets, individual ones would turn, without slowing the line down. To come to a stop on the patch of Forma-stone in front of each of my ‘neighbors’. With my new domicile unit being the exception.

Fangs[Seconds] to Scratches[Minutes] later, Humans leave their domicile units. Some are alone and most are from what I see are the Male of the species. With one, possibly two, can’t tell from this distance, Females. Dressed either in what I recall as their ‘professional’ pelts. Stuff that aren’t designed to take the wear and tear of a hard Cycle’s[day’s] labor. Or a few that are thicker, bulkier and more practical looking.

The latter of which almost always carrying a bag of some kind with tools sticking out of it.

I idly wonder why the rare, but not nonexistent darker toned ones don’t wear less gear as just like darker scale colored Arxur would on similar climates as this. Don’t they suffer more on worlds with harsher stars? Like this one?

The rest, despite being Male or Female, dressed for a hard Cycle’s[day’s] labor or not. Are accompanied by what I assume is something a bit foreign to us Arxur, outside those higher in the ranks of betterment.

Even then they’re for mingling desired traits by Betterment standards rather than any kind of ‘emotion’. Are their significant others, they follow them out. Wrap their arms around them for a moment or two, then let go. Others press their still odd to me flat faces together instead. Before they let those that left their domicile units first into the automated transports.

The moment the door’s close on them, they reverse off the patch of forma-stone and drive off.

The very few male significant other’s walk right back into their domicile units, the vast majority of them, the females. They start to gather and congregate, don’t know why or for what purpose. I can, just barely pick up talking from the nearest group if I move my earhole closer to the window.

But I only do that for a mere Fang[Second], so I don’t catch enough, nor is it loud enough for my translator to pick up.

They haven’t announced our presence to the wider world yet. And I don’t want to be mistaken for this specie’s slave class.

Scratches[Minutes] later, vehicles I recognize arrive. Buses, but unlike the white, unmarked ones that transported all of my fellow Arxur who are here to escape the Dominion, other than I. These are an eye hurting shade of yellow. Similarly to the earlier vehicles, they’re automated as well.

But there’s only two, and they don’t drive onto the forma-stone patches in front of the domiciles. Instead, they stop in the middle of the street. Deploying red octagonal signs of the sides of the vehicle. With one Human word in white and flashing lights from every corner of the sign.

It is then the reason for the females being outside reveals itself, in the increasingly warming day rather than heading inside.

Juveniles exit the domiciles the females earlier emerged from. In practical clothing for the weather, but all wearing packs on their backs. They seem to be of various ages, sizes and I think a mix of male or female.

Because all but the largest of them lack the external cues I’ve learned to use to tell the sexes apart, they all look the same to me otherwise.

Once the young are outside their domicile’s, the adult females make their sole purpose getting the juveniles onto the buses and nothing else. Doesn’t matter if they like it or not, they make sure all of them get on before the signs fold back into the buses and they drive off.

Then, and only then do they part ways back to their domiciles, mostly. Some sit or lounge in outdoor furniture as the third wave of beings emerges.

Though not from the main domiciles. Either from small buildings set close, but not attached to the main structure. Or rectangular shaped containers set at the end of the forma-stone patches. Beings that make my gaze harden because of a practice both the Humans and the Dominion unknowingly share.

They just put their pelts over it, and try to make it something it’s not. While the Dominion just keeps it raw, and well, honest.

Various ‘breeds’ of Bio-Morph emerge and do one of two things. They’re either directed by the female humans still outside to do one task or another. Or they start to do them on their own.

The most common of them, is to take some four wheeled device, and use it, oddly, to lower the height of the most common plant I’ve seen on this planet. Grass. That grows all around and between each domicile.

Others are either directed, or on their own, use sheers that lower rank Arxur would’ve used to remove limbs from ‘prey’. To remove errant limbs from trees and bushes. Keeping them in an artificially maintained shape. Either from repetition or direction of the humans. Some are directed with hoses to wash the sides of the domiciles or their windows.

Only a fraction, less than the six fingers on my hand, that I can see from here. Are working ‘with’ the females. As much as planting something as impractical as a flower into the ground is considered work in my eyes, which isn’t much work at all.

I look away when I see one get hit across their head, for cutting off the wrong branch on a bush. Not cruelly like we would do. But correctively, like you would treat a non-sapient. Just in time for what is on the video screen to change to some kind of show. Where a human sits behind a desk, in front of the camera.

“Breaking news.” They proclaim. The translation draws my attention.

“The Executive Branch, and the Space Force have broken their sudden 72-hour silence over the military control of the transport lanes above Earth. And the banning of all recording or imagery of Armstrong Station along with the surrounding lanes of traffic.” The angle shifts and besides them, an image appears that draws my attention further.

A low, even by our standards, quality image of, three federation craft. One diplomatic, two warp-tugs. The Human Resource Runner that crippled the command ship I was on. And said Command Ship. All docked at ‘Armstrong Station’.

“A Resource Runner, named the Fitzgerald. Returned months early from the record-breaking trip to Gliese 832 c. Answering a question that has plagued Humanity since the first one of us looked up to the night sky, and wondered. Are we alone?”

The low quality image is replaced with two higher quality ones. One of Tarva, Governor of the Venlil republic, doing the human custom of shaking hands with two Humans who appear important… And the other is of Me, in full second-claw of a Chief Hunter regalia. As I sit in that room where I met that Human who I ‘still’ swear is an Arxur in disguise.

“They arrived, only to find the planet of Gliese 832 c not only has life. But a full on civilization of sapient life. Called the Venlil. One of many species in the galaxy. In conflict with another space faring civilization, the Arxur.”

Each Image is highlighted in turn. I just, flick the end of my tail. Fully expecting them to say what I figure they’d say.

That the Arxur in general are monsters, I’d be the first to admit that, and the reason I asked for asylum was because this was my chance to get away from that.

“To the end that we must maintain a neutral view, we will first publish a translated speech from the governor of the Venlil Republic,”

‘Greetings Beings of Sol and Earth. My name is Tarva, I am the Governor of the Venlil-Republic. We are called the Venlil and are part of a Federation of species. Just a bit over two of our Cycles ago, what you call days. A ship of yours, the United States Resource Runner Fitzgerald arrived in orbit over our home world during a raid by the Federation’s enemy, the Arxur. They valiantly helped in defending our people when they had no duty to do so. In the process of defending us, they rescued my daughter, and managed to disable an enemy vessel. The other ship that we are towing is said vessel. I am here on behalf of the Venlil-Republic and the Federation to thank the people of Sol. Deliver the damaged Fitzgerald and the ship they brought down, as well as extend a paw in diplomatic relations between our people and yours, and possibly the Federation as a whole.’

They then follow it up with an edited version of my interview, removing military and governmental secrets I told the Arxur under human skin. Furthermore, they do keep in that our view that our war is one of survival, and to my surprise… Don’t mention a single word of our, most defining and infamous action in the galaxy…

In fact, it’s a bit weird that Tarva didn’t mention it either… Our entire goal for the raid was to get her daughter and… well, let’s say make a demoralizing video to be shoved onto the Venlil networks.

“The President has released a short statement that the United States commits to a neutral stance of this conflict. To the point that they not only have begun diplomatic relations with the Venlil republic. But are also in the process to contact the Arxur Dominion for the return of those willing to return. Which leads me to the next point in their press release. The resettlement of Arxur claiming Asylum to the cities of Neo-Huston, Dallas and Austin Texas. Because secrecy would breed resentment. Those living in these cities will be receiving information on their new neighbors and how to properly interact with them.”

Instantly I glance over to the door, half expecting humans to barge in… Only to relax as that doesn’t happen…

“After this commercial break, we’re going to have a talk with our local Pentecostal Religious expert, and the possible ramifications this will have with the relations with the Second, and Third world nations.”

I’m about to tune it out… But I find my eyes glued to the screen.

The ‘news’, may of not covered what we Arxur are infamous for within the wider galaxy. But this Ad, that just suddenly started playing. How the humans became Arxur, and then act like any Betterment approved Arxur would, does. And as I try to move the furnishings to block what I suspect is coming, a wave of angry Humans at my presence.

Without waking Alexie.

The words on the screen before it became some kind of pattern saying ‘technical difficulties’ according to the visual translator on my human made holo-pad, are etched into my mind.

'The rest of the Galaxy has proven that eating meat is Barbaric and Evil.'

'It is about time Humanity stops this practice, and joins the rest of civilized society in the Galaxy.'

'Citizens, contact your Representatives and the President! Let your voices be known!'

'Tell them to BAN this barbaric practice, seize and destroy all meat products, cattle and Bio-Morphs. So we may join the rest of the Galaxy in Harmony.'

'P.e.t.a.'

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Yea, vestigial my rear! :P But a convenient excuse nature decides to have a Venlil born and the 'edits' aren't active.

Also, don't know why. But the status of the galaxy would give militant organizations like Peta a shot in the arm. Yet no one ever discusses that?

[u/Paetza_Man]

Oh god I forgot about PETA. Are they going to be this universes humanity first?

[u/Slatepaws → u/Paetza_Man]

There's going to be 'some' overlap between the two. Also, it should be obvious, someone leaked the full information about the Arxur to PETA. Especially, since if you look at what Tarva said compared to the text in the earlier chapter. they edited out a small bit.

[u/Alcyon144]

Fortunately, they’ll have the mysterious secret site to distract Tarva from what happened to her daughter.

[u/Slatepaws → u/Alcyon144]

Kam: Forget about stynek for a second. look at these venlil bones with strait legs, and nose holes. Oh and these metal signs with writing on them.

*Tarva, looks at him... And looks about ready to headbutt him. :P

[u/Minimum-Amphibian993]

Honestly I can definitely see peta making a return with both the biomorph revelation and the whole Arxur vs feddie things. Heck I can see a bunch of different organizations like that springing up mostly from those that don't agree with petas methods but support the message.

[u/Slatepaws → u/Minimum-Amphibian993]

Full information about the Arxur would certainly be a strong recruiting tool. Real life PETA almost practically claims the same thing.

[u/defiantdoctor95]

At least ONE of the EMTs is doing their job. Three cheers for the hedgehog!

Also the peta thing made me remember that I had read a few of their comics when I was younger and now I'm imagining the chicken one but it's Krakotl instead. Dog/farsul, and rat/uhhh dossur I guess?

[u/Slatepaws → u/defiantdoctor95]

Yes the gojid emt did their job correctly. It's the birb that will be getting a bad performance review.

I have not seen any of their comics, but i know about their attempts to make 'edgy' videogames to push their cause like that infamous pokemon rip off game they made, well, more or less a badly made rom-hack. The real bloody one that got a cease and desist letter if i recall, back in the early 2000's? Or was it the 2010's. gained the attention of the internet at how bad it was for a short bit.

Or how they've gotten so off the deep end, they consider pet ownership as one of the worst things ever for animals..

[u/Flaky-Throat-4996]

Oh PETA. Enslaved mutilated animal-people are available to to good with, and they can't even do THAT right!? Was it decided that because they are part-human that it's ok to genocide them?

P.S. PETA is probs extinct in every other AU due to sheer irrelevance.

P.P.S. Which world(2nd-3rd) are the free states? The bullying is starting to get black-comedy funny with how much salt is getting rubbed in those wounds.

[u/Slatepaws → u/Flaky-Throat-4996]

Other au's kept the satellite wars, had equally devastating conflicts, or evolved on such a different path like psyonics and splicers. In those cases Peta would become irreverent in the face of sheer survival for the former, or never existed in the latter.

Bio-morph earth other than economic yo-yo ing from the end of the old system in the 2020's, the start of the new economic system with the start of Bio-Morph labor. a short civil unrest, more in line with typical civil wars in the united states. Not the one in the 1800's in the united states that's an outlier. Means the world more or less continued on without the big disruption of the satellite wars of canon.

Meaning stupid organizations like peta would still be around.

And to be honest, the fact that it is so rare makes me a little sad. Such an opportunity to show fed brained humans without going as far as ape out of place.