Nuk’Var brought the food to the newest ‘guide’. He was in disgrace, having finally snapped and told his superiors that they were ‘wasting time and resources on a mudball of no strategic value’ He now carried no weapon or had any authority.
He brought the food to the prisoner, a female of the species. One of the darker skinned variants, though he couldn’t tell which. It was so hard telling one human from another.
She gave him a look as he set the tray down. “Do you want me to tell you a secret about humans?”
Her tone was not that he’d come to realize was ‘mocking’. The humans, he learned, took significant joy from seeing his kind fall to their own hubris. Curious he asked “Why would you tell me this?”
“The why is part of the secret. Human societies, different as all they are, are all built on cooperation. All human have what I’ve heard referred to as a strong ‘pack-bonding’ instinct. And we will bond with almost anything if we can see ourselves in it. None of the others will listen to me, despite me having more experience with this planet. I am only here to be mocked. I’m not allowed a weapon even though my word and your data both suggest this place is extremely dangerous.”
She looked into his eyes, as though willing him to put it together. She had specified the others, not himself (Which was true, he listened to what she said-it was the best chance to stay alive). But why point that out? He was well aware of how she was treated and…it clicked as he realized her treatment mimicked his own.
He must have shown some reaction, because she nodded. “How do you think this invasion is going to end?”
“The glorious Empire-” One eyebrow cocked up, a human sign of disbelief. “I think we’re all going to die. The while empire will be sent here over time just to die against this insane death world.”
She nodded satisfied. “Do you want to die, Nuk’Var?”
He was startled by the use of his name. He shouldn’t have been, she’d obviously been paying enough attention to noticed their similar treatment. “No, but I see no recourse.”
She smiled at him, again not a mocking one. This one was more reassuring. “Don’t worry, leave it to me.”
He should tell the commander. This human had decided to bond with him over their similar treatment. They could use this…
For what? No amount of human intelligence would be listened to. Life saving information would be ignored. And he’d still be sent to a pointless death.
With that in mind, Nuk’Var made a decision unthinkable to any soldier of the Empire.
“Well human, is it safe to cross here?” The Commander asked. Of course, even if she said no, they’d be crossing. Nuk’var was convinced there was something in the atmosphere of the planet that made his people idiotic.
“Sure, should be fine. Go ahead.” Their prisoner said a little too cheerfully. Enough the commander noticed.
“Why don’t you go first then?” He ‘suggested’.
“And have that coward Nuk’Var go with her.”
“Good idea,” The Commander grinned.
Nuk’Var internally fumed. Those stupid, blind-
“Swim smoothly,” The human said, in a voice just low enough for him to hear.
This was a plan! The human was planning something, probably something bad for the others, but was sparing him. Years of training once again told him he should share the information, but considering they had just sent him to a potential death with a smile, he kept his mouth shut. He may be a traitor, but they betrayed him first.
The crossing was as smooth as any river would allow. Once they climbed on the opposite bank, the others followed.
The human watched and waited, her hand on one of the tall thin plants near the waterside.
“Are we going to run?” Nuk’Var whispered.
“Not until we know they won’t be catching us.” The human replied, still watching the team.
Then suddenly she broke the plant (twice at tall as she was, but about the width of her finger) and began thrashed the tip into the water, hitting several of the others in the process.
“Human, you’re pitiful attack is nothing against ow ow AAAAAHHHH!!” The Commander and the others began screaming as blood blossomed in the water. The others frantically began trying to swim back, but each stoke showed limbs missing chunks, occasionally with a flash of silver or red.
“Piranha,” The human explained. “They won’t attack anything that seems to be healthy, but blood and thrashing causes feeding frenzies.”
Nuk’Var could only nod slowly as he watched his former until be consumed in only a few quarniks. “Now what?”
“Now we find the human resistance.”
“There’s a resistance?” None of the reports had indicated any such thing.
“Second lesson on humans. There is always a resistance.”