Violence

The Venator had awakened, and they hunted with more ferocity than ever before.

For the first few weeks after Zafira died, it felt like I had to learn to become a runner again – like I'd forgotten how to be on my own since he came into my life. I didn't realise how much I relied on him until he was gone. Instead of calm, there was only violence. The savage desire to hurt everything I saw.

I felt only hunger, pain and anger. I wasn't human anymore, but a beast. I mauled my enemies, my skin forever coated in blood. I welcomed the chase, the fight, the kill.

The days turned into weeks and the weeks into months, blurring together in a heap of exhaustion and hunger. One night I attempted to rob a farmhouse larder, but the farmer heard me and came running with a weapon. I was so close to pulling the trigger. To ending his life. But something snapped in me. My morality.

I turned and ran.

From that day on I calmed down considerably, putting all my energy into survival. Without the violence controlling my mind and body, I returned to patiently stalking my prey and ate well for the first time in months. I was ashamed of my recklessness and swore that, no matter what, I would not turn back into that savage beast. The old pride of my people ran through my veins and I wouldn't dishonour their memory, or Zafira's.

With my focus improved, I slept more and managed to stock up on my belongings when they ran low. Although I missed Zafira, I had to come to terms with the fact that people died. There was no changing what happened.

I shivered in my sleeping fur, curling into a ball in a feeble attempt to retain heat. It was my second night on this planet and the previous night I'd woken from fitful sleep to find my lips blue and my nose running. When morning came, I forced myself from my fur to exercise. The constant movement kept me warm until the sun peered over the horizon.

I trudged through the forest in the early dawn light and saw the cut on a tree that marked where my trap was. A small creature was entangled in the rope and I clenched my jaw and slit its throat.

"Thank you," I said automatically. It was my tribute as a hunter. I didn't kill for the fun of it, but because I needed food. With a slight pang, I regretted that the creature had to die, but it was the natural cycle of life.

That morning I enjoyed a warm morning meal of bread and meat. I even risked a cup of weak tea.

A droning pierced my consciousness and I froze. I recognised that sound. My guess was proven correct, as a Venator ship appeared in the sky. The sound was louder as it came closer and I saw another ship following it. Suddenly, the rear ship fired at the one in front, damaging it and sending the first ship careening out of control. It came dangerously low, almost hitting my cave, and I was already on my feet.

BOOM!

I slung my bag over my shoulder and ran in the direction of the crash. Heavy smoke billowed through the nearby trees and I drew a piece of fabric around my face as I plunged into the thick air. I didn't have long. The other ship passed overhead, and the mechanical whir slowed as it began its landing sequence. I reached the fallen ship and stared at the wreckage. Broken metal everywhere, wires sparking and small devices beeping.

Movement from the front of the ship caught my attention and I tapped my ring, curling my fingers around the gun as I moved within range. A Venator struggled inside and I immediately saw a thick piece of metal embedded in its side. Its eyes snapped to me.

"Kill me," it rasped. It then closed its eyes and thrust its chest out. I raised my gun and fastened my finger over the trigger…

But found that I couldn't.

The Venator… it sounded so human, so much like… My lip quivered. Come on, just do it! But it so desperately wanted to die… what was so bad that a Venator preferred death? And its eyes.

Oh, its eyes. Round, hazel, soft, unlike the slitted yellow of the rest of its kind.

Despite all common sense, I lowered my gun. The Venator didn't move as I unbuckled it, drew my arms under its shoulders and pulled it from the wreckage. Its body was limp and heavy, but I'd dragged much heavier things before.

I encountered no resistance until I reached the Ring. As soon as I began dialling, a Venator burst from the trees and fired its stunner. I ignored the tingling and aimed at its chest, but another thought struck me. Instead of shooting it, I pivoted my elbow and smashed it in the jaw. While it struggled to get up, I ripped its stunner from its hand and shot it. I then turned my back and dialled the Ring to a safe planet.

The other Venator was heavier than the first and I tossed it through before going back and dragging the injured one through. It didn't stir as I dragged it along and I took it to the nearest cave before going back and retrieving the one I'd shot. I shot it again for good measure and tied its hands and feet together before turning to the injured one.

There was a road with two paths in front of me. The easier one would be to kill both Venator, and the other one was to help it. I bit my lip. Were all Venator the same? What if they were like humans, with their good and bad ones? This Venator hadn't threatened my life. It just crashed its ship. However, if I helped it, it would probably turn around and try to kill me.

But wasn't it fleeing the other Venator?

I pulled out my medical kit and prepared bandages and cleansing salve, then wrapped my fingers around the metal in its side and pulled. The creature didn't stir. I washed and bandaged both the wound on its side, and the gash from the shoulder to breast. I worked over the clothes, unwilling to do any more than was necessary.

Once that was done, I made camp, sat back and watched both Venator.

My attention was mainly on the injured one. It was male, but unlike any human or Venator male I'd ever seen. Its white skin was tinged green and seemed almost transparent, with visible veins. Under the high-necked, black leather, military-style coat it was solid and most likely strong. It wore long black pants, a plain black shirt and black boots.

The face was stranger than most. It had a prominent brow with ridges sweeping down into a broad nose, flanked on both sides by viper pits that sat right below those human-like hazel eyes. There was no beard, but its hair was white and tangled over its chest. If I reached out I knew that it would be soft, but I forced myself to stay where I was.

Perhaps its strangest feature was the black sun-shaped tattoo that sat above the left eye. It looked fresh and dark green tinged the edge of it. This time I couldn't stop myself and leant over and ran my finger over the tattoo. It wasn't like skin. The layer of ink set right over the skin gave it a rough feel. My hand trailed from the tattoo to the side of its head, touching the hair. Yes, it was soft.

The Venator yawned, and I pulled my hand back. Its teeth were like human teeth but only slightly pointed. In fact, they were blunter than others I had seen.

Its eyes opened, and I stared into the soft hazel. With a lazy smile, the Venator reached up and pressed its hand into my chest. It was my turn to smile and it slumped back. I pointed at the unconscious Venator nearby and it crawled painfully until it reached the food and began to feed without a second thought. I looked away, bile rising in my throat, images of my brother aging unnaturally flashing through my mind.

The cave fell silent. I expected the Venator to come over and snap my neck, but instead, it gripped the husk and carried it outside, returning moments later and settling back where it had previously lain. Uncomfortable sitting so close, I moved to the entrance of the cave and sat, watching the darkness.

I didn't know what I was thinking by not killing it when I'd had the chance. As a human, I was supposed to hate the whole race, but I couldn't help but wonder if they were all the same. Helping a Venator was surely a death sentence, but I couldn't be fed upon. I had an advantage over other runners and everyone in this galaxy. It was enough to make me smile.

I didn't chance sleeping. Just because I'd helped it didn't mean that I trusted it.

The night on this planet wore on.