Memory transcription subject: Onso, Yotul Technical Specialist
Date [standardized human time]: March 26, 2137
I was glad to have a moment to relax and contemplate the city, rather than listen to Kolshian spiels. There were engineering advantages to building underground. Natural disasters aboveground wouldn’t touch the shadow caste, and the insulation of the encompassing topsoil entailed a constant temperature. It wouldn’t need excessive budget expenditures on air conditioning and heating. It did pose the question of how close to the surface Aafa’s groundwater was, and how they’d handle any leakage.
This seemed a modernized version of sprawling underground cities on Leirn, such as Thysun’s Calamya’s Burrow, a massive complex that could house tens of thousands of occupants. Its main intention was as sanctuary from invaders during the Grain Wars—
Human fingers snapped right next to my left eye. “Onso, are you daydreaming about some engineering shit?”
“What can I say: I can’t handle boredom. Glad you’re back safely. That didn’t take long,” I remarked, flicking an ear at Tyler.
“We got the shadow caste’s surrender, and found out this all has to do with a prion plague. One more step ‘fore gettin’ out of here.”
Aucel’s bulbous eyes looked glazed over. “The government never believed that humanity was dangerous at all. I saw prey-like behavior on their data dump, but it was so misaligned with my instincts. The reason I feel like I’m going to puke, just looking at them…it’s selective breeding, based on a false threat. It’s all just lies.”
“I know how that feels,” Sovlin sighed. “My society, my family, the Federation I wasted my life on, my identity as a Gojid, and my knowledge as a captain. It’s all gone down the drain. If an old man like me can find a way forward, then you can too.”
Samantha rolled her eyes. “Stop right there. Your way forward is tricking people into calling Onso slurs.”
“It’s okay, Sam. That’s what I expect from a spikeback,” I said cheekily, using the human-invented word. “Now why the fuck are we drifting after some old Kolshian? I’m just following you guys.”
“Maronis here is supposed to be leading us to Slanek, assuming he’s part of their prisoner collection.”
“I hope that Venlil is alright. I feel responsible…for setting his fate in motion,” Sovlin sighed.
Tyler pursed his lips. “I don’t know if he’s there, but I sure don’t think you’ll be a welcome sight if he remembers anything. I ain’t gotta tell you how he feels about you.”
My whiskers twitched with nostalgia. “Last time we spoke, Slanek told me he was unwell. I warned him not to use those two words.”
“Why don’t we save the speculation on his mental state for if we find him?” Sam asked. “Keep moving, stay alert. I’d trust the word of the fucking boy who cried wolf over Maronis.”
“Me too,” Tyler agreed. “But given how old this squid is, I doubt the lockup is a long walk from his ivory tower. We’ll see who our supposed prisoner friends are.”
Our posse, along with a sizable contingent of UN soldiers and angry Kolshian citizens, marched after Maronis for a firsthand glimpse at how the shadow caste caged insurrectionists. I processed the tidbits of new information as we walked, leaving a mental note to read up on transmission methods of this prion plague. While I hadn’t heard the Commonwealth’s rationale from their lips, I could assume they linked eating meat to the acquisition of the disease in some way. Somehow, they decided predators’ elimination was for the benefit of “all life” (except the predators, of course), then used that to justify forcing their ideology on hundreds of worlds. Why that excused a silent partnership with the Arxur, or crushing unruly herbivores like us Yotul, was another matter.
There’s no consistency, even in their internal logic. Whatever piss-poor justification they make for their all-encompassing control, I’m happy with my decision not to listen to their disingenuous desperation. I knew it’d be some shitty excuse.
Chief Maronis shuffled toward a sprawling complex, a single-story structure which lacked exterior clues to what hid inside its confines. The decrepit concrete walls looked bleak enough to be a prison, and the sensory input didn’t brighten at all when we stepped inside. Rows of hallways passing forward were arranged under Kolshian numerals, with the centermost one having the two slanted lines that represented “1.” I wasn’t sure why the count started at the center, and judging by how mystified Tyler behaved behind his visual translator, he wasn’t either. The Kolshian leader started toward the dim corridor at the complex’s heart, leading into its recesses; the humans were quick to stop him for a question-and-answer section.
“Why the central chamber?” Tyler barked, suspicion emanating from his voice. “What are the other ones?”
Maronis made a sweeping gesture with his tentacles. “This isn’t the only shadow caste prison…the one under the capital is reserved for disloyal citizens aboveground, and foreign actors who are working against our interests. They’re arranged by the severity of their actions: the closer you get to Row 1, the more grave your misdeed. That, and it’s usually reserved for individuals who are well-known in the public eye and could have propaganda uses. There are plenty of citizens in the other halls, but I know who you’re here for. You want Row 1 and the lab.”
I stiffened with alarm. “The lab? A lab…for what?”
“I don’t like the sound of that neither. Are y’all cookin’ up some cure shit back there?” Tyler parroted my concerns.
Chief Maronis blinked in irritation. “The shadow capital’s research lab is for several purposes. Yes, it’s a backup, in the instance that we need to take up our own research: a prudent choice, given what happened on Talsk. We might’ve…dabbled in some human experiments, after encouraging results at Mileau. With the new information at hand, it might’ve been possible to integrate you, rather than relegate you to the Arxur’s role. However, its primary service to our cause is as a…neurological studies facility.”
The fur on my hackles raised, as I picked up on the implication. “A predator disease facility. Is that where you’ve been keeping Slanek?”
“I’d say it’s more focused on the success of our re-education measures, as well as analyzing the brain scan data to better understand and target aggressive areas. Some people need to be…reminded of the proper beliefs. The Venlil who shot Nikonus in cold blood, after exposure to humans, is a prime example.”
“What the fuck have you done?”
“He’s here,” the elderly Kolshian purred, sick amusement in his eyes. “But he won’t be thrilled to see your predator friends.”
My hindlegs bunched up to lunge at the elderly Kolshian, but Tyler hurriedly pushed me back. I could sense anger projecting from his gaze, beneath the biohazard mask, and wondered why he had stopped me from putting this old chieftain in his place. How dare he use such a flippant tone to talk about rewriting someone’s brain, no doubt through cruel, invasive methods? The blond human revealed his rationale for stopping me, as his gloved hand curled up into a fist. Before hundreds of witnesses, he smashed his knuckles into the Kolshian’s eye, smashing through the socket. I could see Sovlin wince, knowing from his first meeting with Officer Cardona how strong the gargantuan primate could be.
Does Tyler think that I can’t fight for myself? I’m more than capable of taking on an arrogant, elderly despot, especially one who’s so casual about horrific deeds.
“Let me take a swing at him!” I protested, as Maronis nursed an eye that was turning purple. “For everything he’s done.”
Tyler shook out his hand, flexing his fingers. “Nah, we’re done now. I ain’t gonna let you swing at him, ‘cause if anyone gets in trouble outta this, it should be me. That was for Marcel, and for Slanek; don’t you ever mock him again. To be clear, we will come back for everyone wrongfully detained here. Take us down to Row 1, and try to learn some empathy on the way.”
Stolen from Royal Road, this story should be reported if encountered on Amazon.
Aucel turned to Sovlin. “I thought you said the humans weren’t gonna attack without warning!”
The Gojid chewed at his claws with discomfort. “Um, the Chief deserved it.”
“I don’t disagree; he threw away countless Kolshian lives. I’m pissed at him too. I just want an honest answer about how high their threshold for violence is, so that I don’t say anything that provokes an assault.”
“Unless you torture their friends, you’re fine. Tyler saves his beatdowns for special cases.”
Samantha rolled her eyes. “But if I threw a right hook at a prisoner, I’d be unhinged.”
“Well, I knew Slanek and Marcel, and I have a better right hook,” Tyler said.
“Pfft. Tell yourself whatever you need to sleep at night, but you don’t have a boxing career in your future. Now make that Kolshian sot get his ass in gear.”
“I give the orders here…but get the fuck moving, Maronis, or I will let Sam swing at your other eye!”
Chief Maronis marched down the central corridor, as the Terrans kept their wary eyes trained for any traps. The Commonwealth leader was still reeling from Tyler’s punch; Nikonus’ replacement leaned over a retinal scanner, mumbling a remark about the primates being lucky they hadn’t tenderized both of his eyes. There were clicks as blast door mechanisms came loose, and it slowly creaked open to reveal the full hallway. Dingy prison cells lined both sides, with despairing inmates backing away from the bars at the sound of our footsteps. Some of the prisoners were, in fact, Kolshians, but there were a number of different species scattered in the hundreds of cells.
Any resident of Aafa with serious aspirations of unseating the Commonwealth government would land themselves in here. The stench was unmistakable, showing that they’d had negligible access to hygiene facilities. A handful seemed happy to see a human posse marching in, and begged for us to let them out. Some UN soldiers kept back to help liberate and document the captives, perhaps taking meticulous records for the Sapient Coalition or the Duerten Shield to witness. The Kolshian protestors tagging along seemed horrified, after hearing that some of their own neighbors could be thrown here, without due process. Aucel looked like she wished she could swing at Maronis herself.
There’s more prisoners here than I expected, but no sign of Slanek or a lab. If these are the average inmate’s accommodations in this facility, I don’t want to imagine what his life has been like.
The bars of a cage next to us rattled, drawing our attention. I saw a tear-stricken Kolshian, pressing his face against the barrier; something about his violet visage tickled my memory. Sovlin paused for a brief second, before his eyes widened. Tyler craned his neck at us, confused why the two herbivores in his squad were stopping. The Gojid moved closer to the cell, and the prisoner’s eyes—tinged with a bit of instinctive disgust to the humans—widened with desperation.
“Help me!” the Kolshian pleaded, in a hoarse voice.
Sovlin tilted his head. “You’re the Kolshian commander from the Battle of Khoa. I’m sure of it. Captain Monahan talked you into having the fleet stand down. What the fuck are you doing in here? Did you realize what you were doing was wrong?”
“I…I didn’t want to kill civilians. Herbivores. The human…I remember what she said. That you would reach Aafa. You have now, and if we’re still standing, I did the right thing. I saved my men from a battle we couldn’t win. If you wouldn’t sacrifice the Mazics…how could I?”
Tyler wheeled on Maronis. “Why is he here?”
“I don’t know why every prisoner is here,” the Chief grumbled. “This one, I do. Commander Telvos humiliated the Commonwealth, and disobeyed direct orders. He allowed your allies to survive, abandoning the battle. We could not tolerate treasonous defiance—questioning of our orders.”
“The greatest treason of all: asking questions.” My ears pinned back with fury, though it was cathartic to see Maronis’ swollen eye staring back at me. I still wanted to beat the shit out of this pompous asshole. “You tried so hard to snuff out curiosity and wonder for the universe.”
Aucel scowled. “In prison for not rendering the Mazics extinct. You shadow caste are monsters.”
“Spare me the indictment. Do you want me to take you to Slanek, or do you want to lament every prisoner’s life story? If it’s the former, I suggest we keep moving.”
Chief Maronis didn’t wait for an answer, stomping off down the hallway, as pleas for help rose from the furthest cells. A duo of UN soldiers stopped off to guard Telvos’ cage; we weren’t going to get involved with freeing an enemy commander, especially considering that he’d threatened to obliterate a civilian populace—under orders or not, it was a war crime by Terran law. As we drew nearer to the far wall, which seemed to be a containment bulkhead on closer inspection, another prisoner clamored for our attention. This time, I recognized the alien face outright. It was the testy Duerten ambassador to Earth, Coji: the one who’d jumped at the chance to abet Nikonus’ assassin. She’d been missing ever since, and unlike Slanek, the Kolshians hadn’t publicized her capture.
The Duerten were never overly fond of humans, and that started from the top. Coji may not have the knowledge that the UN saved Kalqua, given that she was captured well before that started.
“Humans!” the gray avian squawked, wrapping stress-plucked wings around the bars. “I’m sorry…for everything—for ever rebuffing your friendship. Please, let me out! It’s horrible here…I hear screams from the lab, all the time. I think it’s going to be me next. They kept my mind intact so I could watch what they did to Kalqua, clip by clip. Are there any survivors?! LET ME OUT!”
Samantha crossed her arms. “We bailed Kalqua out, though I’m sure the Kolshians omitted that part. There were still billions that died, but without the UN, it would’ve been the whole fucking planet.”
“The Shield fought beside us here, at the Battle of Aafa. Seems your side finally wants to be on better terms,” Sovlin grumbled. “Your leadership definitely want to bomb this world, but the humans got them to hold off long enough for us to scope out the shadow caste.”
“The entire Homogeneity fleet came,” I added. “I caught the reasoning as, if our side lost, then Kalqua would be overrun by the Commonwealth anyway. We have the chance to tear down the Federation…and for you to return as your homeworld is rebuilt. Their alterations of our societies, and stifling rule: over. Finished. Thank humanity for making it happen.”
Coji’s beak parted with hope. “If what you’re saying is true, it seems we owe humanity a huge debt. It did seem odd, that the Kolshians only showed me clips from a small time frame…and not the aftermath. I’m relieved to know some of us survived, and I want to help with revenge on Aafa. Let me out!”
“Well, we would like the Duerten to be more open to our friendship.” Tyler hesitated, before punching the button to unlock Coji’s door. The avian stumbled forward on unsteady feet, before wrapping her wings around his waist, sobbing. “Easy now. Say, I wondered why you helped kill Nikonus too.”
“Thank you, thank you, thank you! The Archives: the Kolshians and the Farsul stripped us of individual thought. Our opinions were too strong, our intellect too sharp for them. How do you ever get that back? Who are we? The consensus on Kalqua…and my individual feeling…was that they needed to pay. We made a decision based on emotion, and it felt good.”
“Was it worth it?” I questioned. “Billions of Duerten died because of that one irrational choice.”
“If I had known what would’ve happened to my beautiful home, I would’ve never put this plan in motion. We didn’t think; we just wanted the figurehead who took our minds dead! I knew our role would be glaring, but I didn’t imagine it’d condemn Kalqua. When I tried to fly away from Nikonus’ corpse…a ‘drone’ had no trouble tracking me down and caging me. I’ve all but forgotten what life looks like, or how it feels to have air under my wings. My sole thoughts are dreams of home.”
My friend carefully removed Coji’s arms from his torso, wishing to keep moving. “We got a real special friend of mine to rescue. I don’t know what you meant by screams in the lab, but I ain’t wantin’ to leave Slanek in there a second longer. We are happy you’re safe, and you are goin’ home, Ambassador. Head over to the medics back there, and they’ll find you a transport.”
“Thank you, again! I’m sorry that I didn’t see your kindness sooner…but I hope we can meet again, so I can make up for my past hostility!”
“If you want to make up for it, keep your people’s bombers at bay. We want to do a thorough investigation of the shadow caste, which could take weeks. Plus, there’s a lotta victims to rescue. We need the Shield to stay patient and give us time to do our jobs, for everyone’s sake.”
“Whatever pull I have with my government, I’ll see that you have as much time as you need. Good luck, humans!”
The Duerten ambassador trudged off in the direction of Terran medics, all but collapsing in their arms. Comprehending the stories of every prisoner in these walls would take months. After encountering a number of familiar faces along the way, it drilled home how punitive the Kolshians were to anyone who thwarted their wishes. From Khoa to Kalqua, there had been no tolerance for rebellion; any people who gave humanity the slightest aid were whisked away, if the shadow caste could get their tentacles on those poor souls. I doubted they’d been more merciful during other battles and incidents.
Maronis had gotten to work opening the bulkhead, which concealed the lab behind its structure. If the lab was the heart of Kolshian experimentation, I was worried about what state we’d find Slanek in. I’d heard the words from the Chief’s lips, before Tyler threw a haymaker at him. There had been the idle comments about so-called neurological focuses, and it was a safe assumption that re-education was tantamount to rewriting neurochemistry. It was quite possible that our Venlil friend wouldn’t be happy to see us, which meant he might not accompany us willingly. I could only imagine how devastated Marcel would be, if his exchange partner abhorred his existence.
Our Venlil might not be the only person back there either. Maronis had claimed that the shadow caste “dabbled” in human experiments after Mileau. This matched with Coji’s mention of multiple screams hailing from the lab; the inhumane procedures could be stretched to several test subjects, for different purposes. It was a good thing that the UN soldiers wore biohazard gear to Aafa, because the cure was the only type of “integration” efforts the Kolshians had for omnivores. There was no telling how terrible the conditions would be in the lab, but I was prepping myself for the worst. It would be a positive outcome if our friend’s persona was still in there at all.