Birds of Prey - Hetero Edition

Her thoughts traveled up through the thick tube that secured her to the fleshy ceiling of her chamber, and which linked her nervous system to that of the hive ship, something in the bowels of the great beast stirring in response. She felt it as if it was happening to her own body, the simple intellect of the ship commanding one of the probes to awaken and crawl from its recess in the hull. It tickled the thick hide of the vessel as it crawled along its flank, its many pairs of jointed legs clutching the irregular and pockmarked carapace. It made its way to one of the magnetic accelerators, usually intended for plasma rounds, burrowing into the flexible joint with its sharp mandibles.

The hive ship communicated its pain to her, but she knew that it would soon heal the damage, the living probe embedding itself into the barrel of the cannon. She had suspected that she might have to examine the planet from a distance, and so she had engineered this breed of probe for that very purpose. It was designed to be fired like a projectile rather than to be released from the ship's belly in clusters, as they were usually employed. It rolled up into a tight ball, its thick, reinforced shell partially composed of magnetic alloys. There was iron to ensure that it could be accelerated by the cannon, and titanium, which was weakly magnetic but which would protect it from the heat of reentry.

She aimed the cannon carefully, accounting for gravity and rotation, the orbits of the planets and the placement of the alien objects. She had to be sure that the probe would enter the atmosphere at the right speed and angle so as not to burn up. Confident in her calculations, she ordered the ship to fire. A pulse of chemically-generated electricity created a magnetic field, which captured the probe bug and sent it hurtling into space.

If her plan came to fruition, the probe would soon make it to the inner solar system. It would then arc around the star, using the gas giant's gravity well to decelerate to a speed where it could make an orbital insertion. It should be small and strong enough to survive reentry, as well as to avoid the attention of the defenders, and then it could evaluate a potential landing site.

She soothed the vessel's simple mind as more of the probes emerged to scurry towards the cannon. Yes, it would hurt, but the more probes that she fired, the better a picture she would have of their ground fortifications and numbers. The beast bellowed silently as she performed more calculations, watching the green planet hungrily through the glittering eyes that she shared with the hive ship.

CHAPTER 11: IT'S EVOLUTION, BABY

The train car sped towards the city, the bands of greenery and the clusters of white structures flying past below. Jaeger watched the high-rise buildings race towards them, the mag-lev track passing between two of the curved structures.

Maza and her friends were wearing the same loose-fitting tunics and knee-length shorts that seemed to be the fashion on Valbara. It was the most revealing thing that he had seen her wear. He was only interested in her anatomy, of course, which had previously been concealed beneath her full-body flight suit.

Now he could see that her figure wasn't due to the suit itself, she was just naturally shaped that way. Her tight shorts gave away the shape of her body beneath the fabric, her thighs thick and powerful, disproportionate to her size. Her hips were similarly wide, tapering into a pinched waist, her torso short and narrow. Her entire lower body seemed to be powerfully built, which was no doubt the source of her inhuman speed and agility. Her flowing top concealed much of her upper body, and so it was hard to discern what lay beneath it. He could see more of her flexible neck and her arms than when she had been wearing her suit, however.

The scales that coated her body were so fine and smooth, like a tiny mosaic, very slightly reflective when they caught the light at the right angle. Her companions were all similarly dressed, though the colors and patterning on their clothing differed, as did the subtleties of the design of their collars and sleeves. Some wore shirts that they tucked into their shorts, leaving a billowy pocket of fabric, and others wore them long so that they reached down to their thighs, which was how Maza preferred it. He noted that they wore no jewelry, no necklaces or rings. The only item that they all kept on their person was a small touch device that very much resembled a phone, and which fit snugly in their pockets.

Baker caught him staring at the aliens, and leaned over to nudge him.

"Wish we could wear shorts too," he said, "I'm sweatin' my ass off in this uniform."

The train car had some kind of climate control, but the Valbarans seemed to like it a little hotter than humans did, and their uniforms were indeed stifling. Jaeger deigned to undo the top button on his collar, just to let himself breathe a little better. As he relaxed in his seat, he noticed something strange. He leaned forward to get a better look at the Valbaran who was sitting in front of him, his eyes widening.

"What is...is that fur?"

Ayau turned around, looking back at him over her shoulder. He hadn't noticed it before because it was the same color as her tan scales, but she had a coat of what looked like fine fur. There was none on her face, it seemed to start between her head-sheaths, and it grew thicker as it ran down her spine. It covered her back and shoulders where they were visible, running down her tail. There was even some of it on her legs, which was peeking out in tufts beneath the long shorts that she was wearing. It had previously been covered up by her flight suit, and the casual clothing that she now wore mostly exposed the non-furred parts of her body like her forearms, her lower legs, and her head.

Baker leaned in too, the alien cocking her head at them as the two humans inspected her.

"Did you not notice before?" Ayau asked, waving her fluffy tail back and forth. The smooth, hair-like structures seemed to taper into what more resembled feathers at the tip.

"No!" Jaeger replied, fascinated. "Do all of you have fur under your clothes?"

"It's not fur," Xico corrected, "those are proto-feathers. And no, we don't all have them. Ayau'pal'lea is descended from ancestors who lived in the arctic forests and who used them as insulation."

"How is a proto-feather different from a feather?" Jaeger asked.

"Well," Xico began, "a feather used for flight or display is made up of a long stem called a rachis. That stem then supports branching barbs which form a vane, a little like the branches of a tree. Less developed feathers used for insulation consist of a short, stubby rachis, from which a cluster of soft and flexible barbs extend. I suppose it looks a little like fur, and it serves the same function, but it's actually a kind of feather."

"Can I touch it?" Baker asked, Jaeger elbowing him and shaking his head.

"You can touch it," Ayau said, "but only if you let me touch your fur."

"My fur?" Baker asked, confused. She pointed to his head, and he laughed. "Alright."

He leaned forward, and Ayau reached out a hand, running her fingers through his straw-colored hair. More of the flock became interested, two more hands reaching out to comb the strands. Xico laughed at the texture, and even the usually reserved Tacka was joining in, a smile on her scaly face. Being military men, there wasn't much more than about an inch, but it was long enough for the aliens to bury their small digits in it.

"It's like mouse fur!" Ayau exclaimed.

Maza and Coza were sat behind the two humans, and Jaeger turned his head to look back at them. Coza was sitting with her arms crossed, apparently not impressed, and Maza was peering at him expectantly. She reached out a hand, and Jaeger acquiesced, leaning backwards so that she could reach his hair. He felt her two dull claws on his scalp, the alien stroking his dark hair like a human might stroke a pet.

"It's so soft," she chuckled, glancing past him and sharing a flurry of pink and yellow feathers with Ayau. "Don't you want to touch it, Coza?"

The surly Valbaran rolled her eyes, then uncrossed her arms and reached out to delve her fingers into Jaeger's hair. She was rougher than Maza, tugging at the strands, but she seemed to like the texture.

"Alright, my turn," Baker said as he warded off the aliens. He reached down towards Ayau's tail and combed his fingers through her feathery coat, his face lighting up. "Jaeger, come see this! It feels just like down."

Maza withdrew her hand from his hair as he leaned forward, joining Baker as he stroked the smooth feathers on Ayau's long tail. It really did feel like the down that you might find inside a pillow, incredibly soft and fluffy.

"So is Ayau a different race than the rest of you?" Jaeger asked.

"Yes," Maza replied. "Is that so unusual? I noticed that you Earth'nay have several different variations. I didn't know if they were races or subspecies, or perhaps just environmental adaptations. I saw ones that had very dark skin and curly hair, ones with brown and tan skin, then there were some with very light skin and yellow hair."

"Yeah, those are races," he said with a nod. "Those humans all come from different geographical regions of Earth, or at least they have a parent who did."

"As Xico explained, Ayau's ancestors lived in cold regions where they needed feathers to keep warm. My ancestors don't have them, we've always lived in temperate regions."

"But now you all live at the equator?" Jaeger asked.

"Most Val'ba'ra'nay do, yes. We plan on a global scale, cities are placed with efficiency and their impact on the local ecosystem in mind. There are still cities in the colder regions, and in the sub-tropics, but the majority of our civilization is spread out around the equatorial regions. Especially following the exodus from Ker'gue'la, there are few cities divided along racial lines."

"We're coming up on the city," Xico said, turning her head to look back at him. "Don't be worried if people stare, they mean you no harm. It's the first time many of them will have seen an alien in the flesh."

The skyscrapers just kept growing in the forward viewport of the car, towering above them, glinting in the sunlight. Below, the walkways were choked with natives, thousands of them rubbing shoulders as they went to and fro. The city center was no doubt where they worked, and also where most of the recreational facilities were, it would make sense judging by the circular design of the city. That kind of layout would make such things equally accessible to everyone regardless of where they lived.

The train car slid to a stop at another awning, and they filed out onto the platform, the strange smells and sounds of the Valbaran city hitting him like a wall. In a human city, one would expect to smell smog and fumes, the air would be thick with the sound of vehicles driving and honking their horns. Here, the only sound was the chatter of voices, a chorus of whistles and warbles. It came across more like the song of a thousand tropical birds than as coherent speech. There were no foul odors, even here in the urban center, he could still smell the fresh air and the scents of native plants.

"Clean," Baker muttered, "sure makes Earth look like a shithole."

"Come on man," Jaeger whispered, "we're representing humanity here. Try not to curse like a sailor."

"I am a sailor."

As they followed Maza and her flock down the escalator, there was already a group of Valbarans ascending towards the platform on the adjacent side, their violet eyes fixing on the two humans as they passed. They seemed fascinated, their heads pivoting on their flexible necks to keep their gaze fixed on the aliens until they reach the top. When Jaeger stepped off onto the street, the tall buildings towering to either side of it, the crowd of Valbarans parted before him like the Red Sea. He felt a little self-conscious, there were a hundred pairs of eyes fixed on him, unblinking as they scrutinized his strange physiology and attire. It didn't help that he and Baker were a clear foot taller than everyone else. Their clothing was as diverse and as colorful as their feathers, which flashed and fluttered in all manner of hues, conveying emotions that probably ranged from shock and fear to excitement and curiosity. Immediately, a hundred recording devices were aimed at him. At least in that respect, the aliens had something in common with humans...

Maza whistled to her flock, and they formed a perimeter around the humans, surprising Jaeger with their speed and coordination. Perhaps they had been prepared for this.

A group of aliens stepped forward, another flock, and Maza warded them off with a flash of red and orange from her feathers. They halted and then began to talk with her, exchanging chirps and warbles. After a moment, they seemed to reach an understanding, Maza and her flock lowering their feathers.

"You are Earth'nay!" one of the strangers said, "you come to help us?"

"Are the Bugs coming for us?" another chimed, a worried murmur spreading through the crowd.

"Is it true that you bring us weapons and ships?"

"Where have you come from?"

"They speak English too?" Baker muttered, "fuckin' language is spreadin' like a virus. How are they learnin' it so fast?"

"They want to speak to you," Maza explained, Jaeger straightening his uniform and taking a couple of steps forward. What was he supposed to say? There were a hundred cameras filming him, this footage would probably end up all over the planet in mere minutes. If he fudged this, Fielding would have his head, but he was no ambassador. The least he could do was take the initiative before Baker made an ass of them both.

How much did they know? What was he authorized to tell them about the impending Bug invasion? In UNN space, the military often kept crucial information secret from the general public so as not to cause a panic, or for strategic reasons. Perhaps he should avoid that subject altogether.

"Greetings," he began, the city seeming to go silent as his voice echoed between the buildings. "My name is Lieutenant Jaeger, of the Coalition. My people, the Earth'nay, are members of a multi-species alliance that was assembled for our mutual protection. We were on a routine patrol, hunting for Bugs on the outskirts of your system, when we made contact with one of your ships. We come from a planet that's about sixty-five light-years away, we had no idea that you were here until we stumbled across you."

Maza gave him a reassuring nod, and so he continued, the crowd was captivated.

"We came here on our jump carrier, the UNN Rorke, and we have a support fleet comprised of several smaller frigates. At this moment, our leader, Captain Fielding, is organizing and updating the defenses of your planet. We are indeed sharing weapons technology, manufacturing techniques, and other resources that will help to protect you in the event of a Bug attack."

"Are they coming?" someone shouted from the crowd.

"Will it be like Ker'gue'la?"

"Can the Earth'nay ships stop them?"

Jaeger waved his hands, trying to calm them.

"Rest assured, we are taking every measure to fortify your planetary defenses, and we're working closely with your military to coordinate our forces."

That seemed to satisfy most of them, the sound of their musical language returning as they discussed what he had said, many of them still filming him with what looked like phones or handheld computers. Maza whistled something in her native tongue and then ferried him away, her flock keeping the crowd from closing around them as they made their way through the throngs. Everyone wanted a look at the aliens, and Jaeger couldn't blame them. He remembered the first time that he had seen an alien in person, he had gawked at the poor Krell with his jaw agape for far longer than was polite.

He raised his eyes to the sky, the spires of the alien buildings rising to either side of the path like the walls of a canyon, built from glass and metal rather than rock. They were smaller than some that he had seen on Earth, but still massive, their facades decorated with artistic buttresses and curving architecture. Unlike in human cities, there were no walkways linking them together above the street, each was its own self-contained building. He marveled at the ever-present balconies, protruding from the sides of the skyscrapers at seemingly random intervals, further than seemed structurally sound. They were covered in explosions of greenery, plants and vines spilling over the sides to hang precariously. He couldn't see any guard rails. The Valbarans liked heights, but even a seasoned pilot would probably find his head spinning if he approached the edge of one of those terraces and looked down to the street below.

"Stay close to us," Maza said. "There is no danger, but we don't want to become separated from you. The hospital is this way."

Jaeger felt like a celebrity. Everyone wanted a picture of him, there were so many questions being shouted at him that he couldn't even differentiate between the voices. As usual, there were no vehicles on the street, but there was what appeared to be a bike lane for scooters that was separate from the pathway so as to avoid collisions. The aliens driving along it turned their heads to gawk at him, and he was mildly concerned that the distraction he and Baker were creating might cause an accident.

"I feel like they're gonna start asking us for autographs," Baker said with a chuckle, apparently reveling in the attention. He was waving to the aliens like a monarch.

The city center was barely the size of a few blocks back on Earth, and so they quickly reached the hospital building. It was just as large as the other skyscrapers, although perhaps a little wider and deeper. Where the other buildings had balconies covered in plants, this one had landing pads jutting from its walls at various floors. They were clearly designed for airborne emergency vehicles of some sort, but he couldn't see much from below. He was curious as to what kind of propulsion they used, as the VTOL capability of the Valbaran vessels that he had encountered so far had not been very impressive. He was amused to see a glowing sign above the door in alien text, which must be designed to be visible at night, just like the neon signs back on Earth.

They entered through an expansive lobby that was sparsely decorated with potted plants, dozens of Valbarans who were sitting in rows on benches as they waited to be seen staring at them as they walked up to a counter at the far end of the room. Standing behind it and peering intently at a holographic display was a new type of Valbaran that Jaeger hadn't seen before.

It was slight, even in comparison to the likes of Maza, who was already small by human standards. Its physiology was overall lighter and less muscular, and it was an inch shorter than the others, with smaller jaws and a slightly less pronounced snout. Oddly, the tentacles on the head and forearms were larger and thicker than those of Maza and the other Valbarans. It was quite pretty, Jaeger thought. Its scales seemed to have been polished to a glossy sheen, and its eyes were wide and bright. Was that...some kind of paint or makeup around its eyes, like mascara? It wore jewelry too. There was a silver chain around its neck made from fine links, from which hung a pendant, decorated with tufts of colorful feathers that must have been sourced from one of the animals that lived outside the wall. There was another silver chain draped over its forehead, apparently secured around the base of the feather sheaths on its head, with a shining gemstone that looked like emerald or jade hanging down between its eyes.