Birds of Prey - Hetero Edition

Maza flashed a feathery greeting, the alien bowing its head and returning the gesture. Jaeger lurched backwards in alarm as it extended its two massive tentacles, the feathers within exploding outwards. Its headdress was huge, probably a third larger than Maza's. Not only were the plumes vibrant and colorful, but they were decorated with peacock-like patterning and branching quills. It looked heavy, and he found himself wondering how the creature could even keep its head up.

"Relax, it's just a male," Coza whispered to him. "A cute one at that..."

Apparently, the male was some kind of secretary, and he directed the group towards one of several automatic doors to either side of the counter. When they opened, Jaeger saw that they were cylindrical elevators, small and cramped by human standards but large enough to fit maybe ten Valbarans. Of course, they did everything as a flock, and so things like elevators would need to be larger to accommodate so many of them.

They stepped inside, and the elevator began to rise silently, only the feeling of acceleration giving it away. More magnetic technology, the aliens seemed to use it for everything. It was a good thing that his phone was shielded or the memory would have been scrambled a dozen times by now. Suddenly, a flash of light illuminated the dingy capsule from behind him, and he turned to see windows racing by. The rear wall was made of transparent material. Jaeger looked out on the city as the elevator shot upwards at alarming speed, able to see some of the balconies on the adjacent skyscrapers from above now, like tiny gardens cloaked in green and purple leaves. There were a few natives milling about on them, relaxing or peering over the edges. They really did take to heights, there wasn't a guard rail in sight.

He felt himself grow lighter as the elevator decelerated, coming to a stop at their desired floor. The doors opened, and the group stepped out onto a carpeted surface, Baker and Jaeger having to duck to avoid hitting their heads on the door frame. The corridor that they were standing in was small too, Jaeger could feel his head brushing against the ceiling, and it was barely wide enough to let two humans pass each other. This must be how Borealans felt walking around in human facilities.

There were more doors lining the whitewashed walls, and one of them slid open, another male stepping out with a tablet computer of some sort clasped in his two-fingered hand. He was wearing a form-fitting jumpsuit, not dissimilar from those worn by the military and the air force, but this one was a pale green in color. Jaeger was surprised to see that his figure was not so different from that of the females, he had the same large thighs and wide hips, along with a short torso and narrow shoulders. This one wasn't wearing any decorations, perhaps because of his job. He seemed to be some kind of medical professional judging by the unidentifiable tools that were dangling from his belt. He looked up at them, flashing his massive, ornate headdress in greeting and bowing his head in deference. They were certainly submissive.

"This way, please."

He led them down the hallway, bobbing along in the strange way that his kind did, and Jaeger chatted with Maza as he walked along beside her.

"So what's the deal with the males? These are the first that I've seen. I don't think there were even any of them on the street, at least that I noticed."

"There were a few," she replied. "But males are less numerous than females, and they tend to do work that keeps them inside."

"Like what?" Jaeger asked, "and what do you mean by them being less numerous?" He had known that there was some gender imbalance in Valbaran society, but not to this extent.

"Based on the population of your carrier, I'm going to assume that there are as many male Earth'nay born as females, correct?"

"Just about, yeah. I think it's slightly skewed in favor of women, but not by a lot."

"On Val'ba'ra, there is one male born for around every eight females," she explained. "It is possible to induce a male birth through medical means, but since most families want female heirs, it doesn't make much of an impact."

"And that's normal for your kind?" Jaeger asked skeptically.

"It's perfectly natural."

"How does that dynamic impact your relationships? Your courtship? Surely that would mean that seven out of every eight Valbarans can't find a mate? How is that sustainable?"

"What do you mean?" she asked, cocking her head as she looked up at him.

"If there's only one male for every eight females, how do the other seven find mates and reproduce?"

Her feathers puffed up in a shade of yellow. He was starting to recognize their feather patterns now, able to read them better, and he was fairly certain that yellow meant excitement or surprise.

"Earth'nay each have one mate? Is that what you're saying?"

"Is...that not the case for you?"

"How decadent," she muttered with a flutter of pink plumes. "Imagine having enough males to fill a bedchamber..."

Coza and Ayau began to whisper to one another, no doubt sharing Maza's sentiment, flashing their feathers and snickering. Tacka seemed more embarrassed by the idea, and Xico was listening intently, probably more interested in the social dynamics than in the prospect of a harem.

"No," he said, struggling to explain. "One male mates with one female, that's it. Or at least, that's how it's supposed to happen, but traditionally humans are monogamous. Mono, it means we take one mate."

"Oh," she said with a roll of her eyes, "I should have guessed. Earth'nay don't live in flocks, your relationships with your friends and coworkers are selective, impermanent. On Val'ba'ra, a flock of females will take a single male mate between them."

"Really?" Jaeger asked. This time it was his turn to be surprised. "So what, the whole flock has to decide on a match, and then they all..."

"Without going into too much detail, yes. That male becomes part of their flock, and they will continue to reproduce with him on a permanent basis."

"I don't know if I should be jealous, or if I should feel sorry for the little guys," Baker said as he nudged Jaeger with his elbow.

"So if male Valbarans become part of the female's flock, why haven't I seen any males until now?" Jaeger continued. "Wouldn't most flocks have a male in tow?"

"They wouldn't bring their male to work with them," Maza laughed, "imagine how that would go!"

"A male can't be a soldier or a laborer, there are no male pilots or male Ensi," Coza added with a chuckle.

"Why not?" Jaeger asked.

"Because they're just not suited to that kind of work," Maza explained. "They're smaller than females, weaker, more emotional. They're fragile, unsuited to any physically demanding work, really."

"Their place is in the home, raising young and caring for the flock," Coza said with a flurry of agreement. "They usually take care of household chores, cooking and cleaning, things like that."

"So they're like...house husbands? But what about this guy here, and the secretary downstairs? Aren't they working?"

"Yes," Maza replied with a feather display that Jaeger had come to associate with shrugging, "but these are jobs more suited to a male. This boy, for example, is a nurse. It's a nurturing role, he assists the doctors and cares for patients. A male can make a fine nurse, a teacher, perhaps a receptionist or a waiter. Besides, letting them work alongside the females would be dangerous. We can't throw male lives away on the front lines, or let them work perilous construction jobs. In terms of numbers, females are downright expendable in comparison."

"They would be too weak to qualify for military service regardless," Coza said, "they wouldn't meet the physical requirements."

Jaeger found it hard to conceal his shock. It seemed sexist from his perspective, downright archaic for a spacefaring species, and yet he didn't know enough about their culture to make such sweeping judgments. They might well be correct, the males certainly seemed smaller and more lightly built, which could mean that they were markedly weaker. If they were less competent and more emotional was harder to say, but he suspected that those attitudes might be more a result of the Valbaran's desire to protect their limited number of reproductive partners than anything to do with their performance. If there was indeed only one male for every eight females, then losing one to a workplace accident would be a severe blow to the gene pool.

"What about these ones?" he asked, gesturing to the male that was leading them along the corridor. "Are their flocks working somewhere else?"

"They're probably not joined to a flock yet," Maza replied.

"So they live on their own?"

"They usually live with their family until they find a flock, or on occasion alone, yes. That's more of a modern trend, they want a little independence before they become a member of a flock."

"So how do Valbarans court?" Jaeger asked, "do they date like humans?"

Maza thought for a moment, then turned her head on her flexible neck, whispering to her flock conspiratorially. They talked in hushed voices, no doubt so that their guide couldn't overhear them, then she turned back to Jaeger with a grin on her face.

"Perhaps we can show you. After the appointment, of course. I think you'll find it very interesting."

They arrived at their destination, and the male led them in through another automatic door, the only thing that differentiated them was alien script that Jaeger couldn't read. Inside was a room that very much resembled a doctor's office. It was just as whitewashed as everywhere else, but here the floor was comprised of bare construction material rather than carpet, like the kitchen in Maza's domed house. There were countertops strewn with various tools and instruments that Jaeger couldn't identify, devices bolted to the walls that must be medical in nature, along with monitors that were currently displaying alien text and what could only be surgical information. There was a raised bed in the middle of the room that was covered in green material, clearly for performing examinations, and standing beside it were three female Valbarans wearing green jumpsuits like that of the male.

The doctors greeted them with a feather display, which the flock returned, the male bowing his head and standing to the side as they entered. The doctors immediately set upon Jaeger and Baker, circling the humans as they examined them with unknown handheld instruments, chirping and warbling to one another in their native tongue.

"Uh, Maza?" Jaeger asked as one of the women took his hand and began to count his fingers.

"My apologies," Maza said, "they're excited. It's the first time that they've seen an alien up close."

One of the doctors stepped back, her yellow headdress collapsing into its sheaths as she composed herself.

"Forgive us, Earth'nay, but you are simply remarkable." She flashed some kind of scanner at him, Jaeger blinking to clear his eyes as she examined the readout. "The pupils remain round even when exposed to bright lights!"

"My name is Lieutenant Jaeger," he said, trying to get her attention. "And this is Baker," he added, his friend waving at her.

"Yes, yes, you are the pair of Earth'nay who came from the alien carrier. We have been awaiting your arrival anxiously ever since Maza'xol'natuih arranged this appointment. To think that we might be some of the first physicians to examine you..."

She aimed some kind of red laser pointer at him, then took notes on her handheld computer, tapping away with her gloved fingers. She barked something at her companions, one of whom produced a cup-shaped device that she then pressed against Baker's chest.

"Maybe we should slow things down a little," Maza suggested, "I think you're frightening them."

The doctor called her two companions away, but they kept their unblinking eyes fixed on the two humans eagerly.

"My name is Doctor Matla'xau'tack, my flock and I are the head physicians at this facility."

"Just the three of you?" Baker asked.

"Our counterparts are regrettably indisposed, we do have a hospital to run, after all. Still, the three of us should be more than sufficient to perform the examinations. Shall we begin?"

"Hold on," Jaeger said, raising his hands. "What examinations, exactly?"

"Oh, nothing too invasive. We merely want to collect data on your species' physiology, and Maza'xol'natuih has informed us that a mutual exchange of medical information might be agreeable to you?"

"Yeah, that's what we had in mind. We're as curious about you as you are about us. I've seen some...strange things while I've been here that I'd like to get my head around."

"Good, good. You are male, correct?"

"Last time I checked," Baker replied.

"Yes, we're male," Jaeger clarified as he gave his friend a stop fucking around look.

"What a shame that we won't be able to examine a female too. Oh well. Please take a seat on the examination table, and we can begin."

***

The doctor used her laser pointer to draw their attention to one of the large monitors that were mounted on the wall, which was displaying a pair of three-dimensional renderings side by side, X-rays of human and Valbaran skeletons that slowly rotated. Everyone crowded around, Baker still sat on the examination table as they watched in fascination.

"Here we can see the most obvious differences," the doctor began, "in the skeletal structure and the respiratory system."

She traced the line of the Valbaran spine with her pointer, dark cavities standing out against the lighter bone. It looked like the skeleton had holes running through it.

"In Val'ba'ra'nay, we can see that the respiratory system extends deeper into the body, with anterior, posterior, and thoracic air sacks. There are air pockets along the vertebrae, as well as inside the femur and the humerus, that expand along with the lungs to fill with oxygen. This makes the skeleton lighter, thus reducing the energy required to move it, and also provides a larger store of oxygen that can be expended more rapidly. We inhale and exhale through pressure changes, the expansion and contraction of muscles in the sternum either drawing in or pushing out air. Val'ba'ra'nay physiology is very fuel efficient."

She turned her pointer towards the human skeleton now, the red dot sliding down the spine.

"In the Earth'nay, on the other hand, we see no such air pockets. The bones are heavy and solid, and the respiratory system consists of a simple pair of lungs. Here we see what is called a diaphragm, a sheet of muscle and fibrous tissue that extends across the bottom of the thoracic cavity. When this structure contracts, it creates a partial vacuum inside the thorax, causing the lungs to expand and take in air. It's far less efficient than the Val'ba'ra'nay method, but there are advantages associated with this system, stronger bones being one of them. Although it could be argued that lighter bones present different advantages, it's a hard comparison to make, as the two species have evolved to fill very different ecological niches. This brings us to the next major difference," she said as she swung her pointer down towards the legs.

The view zoomed in on the muscles, cross-sections expanding to fill the monitor.

"As you may know, there are several types of muscle. Skeletal, cardiac, voluntary, and involuntary, for example. The primary kinds of muscle fibers responsible for moving the skeleton can be divided into two categories, what we call fast-twitch and slow-twitch. The former provides rapid, powerful contractions, while the latter provides slower contractions with greater endurance."

She moved her laser to the Valbaran X-ray, pointing at the muscle fibers.

"Save for the cardiac and respiratory muscles, almost all of the muscle fibers that we see in Val'ba'ra'nay skeletal muscles are fast-twitch. They can produce proportionally impressive speed and force, but only in short bursts, the subject tiring very quickly and needing to recuperate before activity can resume. Meanwhile, the muscle fibers in Earth'nay are far more evenly distributed, with a focus on extreme endurance. Based on the factors that we've just outlined, we can conclude that a healthy Earth'nay could potentially run, or indeed perform other strenuous activities, for dramatically longer than even the fittest Val'ba'ra'nay. The differences don't stop there."

Well, there was the explanation as to how Maza could move so fast, and why she had so little stamina. Her whole body was designed to provide short, brutal bursts of power and speed, which had no doubt been advantageous during their time as ambush hunters. A Valbaran would have burst out from the undergrowth and attacked with such speed and ferocity that the prey wouldn't even have been able to react before it was dead. There was no need for endurance if the target could be dispatched quickly enough, and if one of them failed, the rest of the flock would get the job done.

"Something that is far harder to demonstrate are the neurological differences," she said as the image changed to what looked like CAT scans of the two respective subjects. "It might not be apparent to a layman, but there are subtle differences in the way that the neural pathways are formed. I have prepared a simple experiment that I believe should give you a better understanding."

She lowered her pointer and pulled out her tablet computer, tapping at the touch screen before handing it to Jaeger. On the screen were a series of shapes, perhaps twenty of them in a row. Triangles, squares, circles, and hexagons. A dozen different icons all laid out in a sequence. It was just like the logic puzzles that Evans had used to test the Valbarans when they had first boarded the Rorke.

"Please pay attention to the sequence," the doctor said. After a moment, she took the tablet from him and passed it to Maza, who examined the shapes intently for a few seconds before handing it back. "Now," the doctor continued, "describe the sequence of shapes."

"From memory?" Jaeger asked, perplexed.

"Yes, from memory."

"I can't," he admitted with a shrug, "I could maybe tell you the first four or five, but I'd need to study it for a lot longer than that to remember the entire sequence."

"Can you tell me how many individual shapes the sequence was comprised of?"

"No," he said, shaking his head. "Not with any certainty."

The doctor gestured to Maza, who promptly recited the entire sequence by memory, and then listed the number of individual shapes. The two humans stared at her, their eyes wide. Evans had said that the aliens possessed an accelerated capacity for learning, but it hadn't dawned on him until now just how different their capabilities were. They had looked at the same picture for the same amount of time, and Maza had been able to recall it like she had taken a photograph, while Jaeger had scarcely been able to remember the beginning of the sequence.

"We can see in these scans," the doctor continued, "that the neural pathways in Earth'nay are both weaker and take longer to form. This results in an overall weaker and less efficient memory. The same logic applies to non-declarative memories, which impact motor skills. When a Val'ba'ra'nay learns, the neural pathways cement themselves very quickly, which means that muscle memory actions can be performed with extreme speed and precision. The Earth'nay seem to entirely lack stacking behavior, whereby sequences of learned actions can be executed one after another. Let's take martial arts as an example, where stances and moves are learned by rote, repeated over and over again until it becomes second nature and the individual in question no longer has to think about what they're doing. They merely react, bypassing the conscious mind almost entirely. The individual sees a kick coming their way, non-declarative memory is accessed to find the appropriate reaction, and that action is then executed with very little delay. This phenomenon exists in Earth'nay, but it is massively reduced, almost entirely absent in comparison to what we're familiar with."