by Chris Hechtl
“Truth.”
---<(+)>~~<(+)>---
When they were ready, they dropped the twelve condoms, turned stink balloons, in strategic places. Two didn't break on impact, leaving their bombardiers to groan, but the others did. The elephants screamed in pain as the smell assaulted their sinuses and eyes. One even stepped on an unbroken balloon, popping it. That earned a guffaw from the watching humans. It trumpeted again, then slipped a bit on the slick mess. Apparently, the condoms came prelubricated and were quite slippery.
A majority of the elephants withdrew from the building to get clear of the stink.
“You know, I think we screwed up. The stink is rising,” Dom coughed.
“Yeah, but we can survive that. Someone open a window though!” Raymond ordered.
---<(+)>~~<(+)>---
“They have won. Against the odds, against all expectations …,” the commander seemed stunned.
“They have indeed. And now you know why we do this process, Commander. Our patience has been rewarded with new data. I look forward to writing the files on this event.”
“You would.”
---<(+)>~~<(+)>---
They watched the sunrise slowly together. Sydney rested her head on Dom's good shoulder. Amy smiled.
“Now ain't that a pretty site,” Ezra murmured as people began to stand.
“Is it over? Please tell me it's over!?!” a couple people near hysterics said.
Amy shaded her eyes to see a familiar shape drifting down into the early morning sky. “I don't know. I hope so.”
“Don't jinx it,” Sydney murmured. Will crossed his fingers next to her. She glanced at him and then did the same.
---<(+)>~~<(+)>---
“How extraordinary. They rose above their animal instincts. They were in a clear kill or be killed scenario and yet ….”
“You sound disappointed, Commander.”
“I am not. I am surprised.”
“As a scientist you should treasure these moments of ….”
“Do not lecture me on such matters!”
“I regret the circumstances, but I will not follow that command. You have become too accustomed to the bloodletting. They have found the one means to avoid their penance.”
“Their species will still fail. You know it. I know it. Given time …”
“Which they have now earned. Do you need me to step in and state the obvious, Commander?”
“You would like to assume command wouldn't you? To bring me down? I will not give you the honor yet. You have yet to earn it. Being right once is a fluke.”
“I think this species will surprise you in the end. Given time and effort, even they can learn.”
“We shall see. For now, let us get this over with.”
“You have indeed gotten accustomed to the bloodletting. We are here to teach, not to ….”
“I said enough, young one, or you will regret your insolence.”
“As you command.”
---<(+)>~~<(+)>---
At the end of the trial time, the aliens came floating in on disks of gold once more. “This is the first group to survive a major animal trial. It is unprecedented. And without a fatality on either side. Extraordinary,” the alien leader said without preamble.
The elephants roared in frustration. They were bloodied and battered, but that was their own doing. The humans found themselves lifted up and brought down to the ground level. The pachyderms stamped and swung their heads and trunks, but the lead alien raised a hand and stepped between the two groups.
“We were cheated!” one of the bulls said, clearly still incensed. “They cheated!” He pointed the tip of his trunk at the humans.
“They used the environment around them to survive. They did not kill any of you, nor you them despite your overwhelming size and strength. You had your chance at justice for your species. You failed,” the alien Commander said, closing her upper eyes.
“Give us more time! No time limit this time!” a female elephant said, swinging her trunk about. She ignored the blood dripping from her side and head. She stopped moving and pointed her trunk at Sydney. The girl shrunk away whimpering. Raymond wrinkled his nose; he could smell the trace of urine from the girl over the bleach and ammonia. Most likely she wasn't the only one leaking he noted, remembering his earlier bladder malfunction.
The alien blinked and then clasped her hands together. “It is over. Our law is clear. You have earned your respite. Use it wisely.”
“It wasn't just for ourselves or our species. It was also them,” Raymond said, nodding his chin to the elephants. “We have learned from our ancestors. We learned from their mistakes and crimes. We have tried to learn from them as well,” he said indicating the still angry pachyderms. “Many of us are trying to atone for our ancestors. We also did our best to diffuse the situation as best we could,” Raymond stated from the group of humans.
He started to come forward, but Amy stepped in front of him. She held a hand out between him and then one to them as if separating the human and alien. She turned, hand pointing to her throat. “Listen to me please. I love animals. I love elephants!” She said as her hand dropped to cover her heart. “We may not have harmed you personally but I know others have. You are right about that. But that was then. Now … now we can find ways to coexist. We know that. We've known it, and we're trying, honest,” Amy said imploringly. Raymond judged the overwrought girl was near tears.
“Please. Can you help them? They are in pain,” the girl said, waving to the injured elephants.
“To feel empathy for one who was only moments ago an enemy?” an alien said.
“Hush,” the commander said.
“Yes, we do that. In war and in peace. We do have empathy,” Amy said, now a bit indignant. She wiped at her eyes as the aliens stared down at her. “Oh, why bother. As if you care,” she said, practically screaming as she turned away.
“We're trying, but it takes time to learn,” Raymond told them when Amy looked about frantically for support. She gave a wan smile to Sydney when the woman came and rubbed her shoulders. Raymond came to her side and rested a hand on her shoulder. He knew what she was saying. “I have no problem with you. I'm not an Asian, African, or Hindu. I am from North America. I am not a poacher, I do not have ivory. If I have touched it, I apologize for my ignorance.”
“You've been in zoos! Had pets! Television, circuses! You put us on display for your amusement!”
“True, but I never raised my hand to any of you. And yes, I've ridden an elephant at a carnival. I have been in zoos, theme parks, and other places. But I didn't hurt you. By experiencing you I learned to respect you. To realize you need your space, you need your own habitat. That you are an important part of the ecosystem. That's how we do it. We learn by experience, and for some of us, we set up parks and areas so you can be free and we can take our children to experience you and understand why it's so important to help others to learn to not harm you. To make certain there are others like you and other species to reintroduce into the wild should something go wrong. We are learning through trial and error to be better caretakers of the environment we all share.”
He turned to the aliens and spread his hands. “Instead of returning the elephants to normal, can they remain sentient?” he asked. He turned to the elephants. “I know you have some anger issues; I understand that. But we need your wisdom. We need it badly.”
The aliens were clearly surprised at the unprecedented request. They blinked rapidly then started to speak together in a high pitched voice. The elephants rumbled, flapping their ears in distress.
Raymond frowned, deep in thought.
“What do you have in mind, human?”
“We … I'm just coming up with the idea. Brainstorming. I remember, vaguely remember, webcomics and a book, a story about a similar situation.” The other humans looked at him expectantly as he rubbed his jaw. He looked to Dom.
Dom spread his hands and shook his head. “Hey man, don't look at me. I haven't
a clue what you're talking about. I never bothered watching Disney either,” he said.
“See, that's the thing. We love animals in different ways. We have anthropomorphic animals all through our media,” Ezra said.
“Yes,” Raymond said, finally catching on. “That is what I was trying to conceptualize,” he said, nodding his thanks to the older man. He turned back to the aliens. “What we need are animal ambassadors. Ones of other species to show us there are other ways of doing things. That we need to be … less …”
“Selfish,” Sydney suggested.
“Yes,” he said with a nod to her. She blushed at the attention. He explained to the three groups and the watching media that mankind needed animal ambassadors, those that would speak up for their people, to remind his people to respect them as well as the environment they all share. “If that is okay with you,” he said, turning to the elephants. “I would be honored to learn from you if you are willing,” he stated. “And willing to learn from us in return,” he said.
They flapped their ears but reluctantly agreed. “We do not wish to go back into the dark.”
Raymond reached out with a hand, ignoring the gasps of alarm behind him. He gently touched an elephant's trunk. He could hear and feel the subsonic rumble from th … not quite an animal, he thought. Person, he thought, correcting himself. “I hope someday time will ease your frustration with us,” he said simply. The great being blinked then bobbed its head, curling her trunk gently around the hand before brushing it away.
He turned to the aliens. “And you.” The lead alien blinked at him. “You are guests on our world. You came here judging a young species not of your upbringing for doing what comes naturally, for making mistakes. We're growing and learning, and you ignored that. We are realizing our errors; we are learning from those mistakes. Learning to overcome our fears and prejudices. Learning that we need to be caretakers of this world for we too are a part of it. You ignored the fact that we're trying our best everyday to improve not just ourselves but our view on the environment around us and how we are a part of it. We're trying to repair the damage we do now. What was done can be undone in time, with effort.”
He turned to the pachyderms. “Elephants, for example, were protected over the past century and prior and even more so now. Some of our species have even worshiped them,” he nodded to the one Hindu in the group. She blinked and bowed to the elephants. “But like a child sometimes we stumble; sometimes it takes that hard rap to get us to wake up and pay attention. To learn, and yes, sometimes we do make deliberate mischief. We're doing our best to police our own to correct that, but again, we're fallible.”
“I urge you to put the people most culpable for these ecocrimes in the line of fire here,” He held up his hands in supplication. “The poachers, the bandits, the people who pillage and burn. Start with them and then work down the list. It would be nice if you didn't rile up the 'prosecutors' though,” he said, eying them. “Give them the information, and then let them make up their own minds. Don't program them or goad them into violence.”
“Fascinating,” one of the aliens said. “You speak of bias.”
“Yes. You are biasing them against us. Show them the evidence, and then let them decide. Don't force them to act if you are truly honorable. And oh, by the way,” he frowned, “coming to our world and expecting us to live up to your unknown standards is cruel and wrong. We, as I said, are learning that on our own or were until your arrival. Now I admit, you've accelerated the process. But you've caused resentment …,” he paused and then shook his head at the expectant looking alien.
“Enough. I'm tired. Figure it out for yourselves if you even care.”
The alien blinked all four sets of eyes then turned to the commander. “Commander, their species is ….” She waved a hand, turning slightly to the scientist to get him to attend to her. He bowed slightly.
The aliens seemed to regard the human for a moment. So did his fellow humans, some in awe, some in disbelief.
“Talk about chutzpa. This so won't work,” Ezra muttered softly.
“Don't bet against it yet,” Will said. “The man is on a roll.”
“Zip it, he's on a roll you two,” Sidney said, hushing them both.
Raymond ignored them. “And yeah,” he glared at the aliens. “Some species we don't care for, like parasitic insects. We don't kill them all, we know they are a part of the food chain. But some like mosquitoes do need to be controlled.”
Dom slapped at his shoulder. “Definitely,” he muttered.
The aliens cocked their heads and blinked then quietly withdrew to speak among themselves.
“So? Now what?”
“I think we try to relax and hope it is over. At least our part in this crazy mess. What I'd really wish is to wake up from this nightmare.”
“Someone pinch him quick.”
“Ow!” Raymond said, rubbing his rear.
“Darn. Didn't work.”
“No. Thanks a lot,” Raymond mock growled.
“You're welcome,” Sydney replied with a syrupy sweet grin and giggle. He sighed.
“Hope it's over?”
“It's what I said,” he said still glowering at Sydney.
“But?”
“But I think it is just starting,” Ezra said for him. He slowly slumped to sit down. He hung his head as Will and the others turned to him. “Something tells me we're in for a rough time.”
“Lord, I hope not,” Will said, eying the elephants. “If this is round one, I'd hate to see what they have in mind for round two,” he said.
“Yeah,” Raymond gushed out in a sigh. His nostrils flared. He felt like crap, but he also felt good. He'd spoken his peace, he'd done right. He had no regrets about the past.
---<(+)>~~<(+)>---
“You have to do it. Their response is as described. They have earned the respite.”
“You know they will fail!”
“It is their time to learn. They have been through the trial. Are you surprised that not one of the prosecutors has risen above their instincts to do the same? To stop the bloodletting? Or are you secretly glad?”
“Watch what you say, Subcommander. I am still in charge here.”
“It is as foretold. They have earned the respite,” a scientist stated. “One local year from this date. Though I doubt they will use the respite properly or learn from it as they should.”
“That will be their mistake. One their species will dearly regret.”
“Those that survive the next trial,” the subcommander agreed.
---<(+)>~~<(+)>---
“We have come to a decision,” the lead alien said. Will kicked Ezra in the foot. “Get up,” he hissed.
“Just leave me be,” the old man said. But Ezra groaned and reluctantly got to his feet anyway. He was none too steady but he was upright and rubbing the small of his back. He brushed off the road dust off his clothes, then straightened his back with a soft groan.
“In winning the challenge without harming your prosecutors humanity has gotten a new brief lease on life. You have one standard Earth year to mend your ways from this date,” she stated, pressing her long fingers together in front of her. “But remember, you will be watched and judged. Should you fail …?”
“We know. It won't be pretty,” Will said.
“I see your point about being childish,” the alien said, blinking at Will then turning to Raymond. He grimaced slightly but nodded at the rebuke. He glanced at Will, giving the man a shut up look. He didn't need to, the young man looked chagrined. He was even more embarrassed when his girlfriend head slapped him. Raymond turned in time to see the alien's eyes narrow but she didn't say anything.
“Indeed. Do try to do better. The next time it will be sharks,” the alien stated and then blinked at them.
Raymond wasn't the only person to shudder in terror at that news. The threat of being eaten alive was something primal man feared most of all. Knowing how terrifying that was, but knowing ultimately, humanity woul
d fail to mend their ways. “We'll try. We'll try to get our people to listen. I hope they will. But I doubt it. It's not in our nature. It is also hard to change overnight.”
“Do try. For your sakes,” the alien said over her shoulder as she floated off.
---<(+)>~~<(+)>---
“You noted the atavistic fear of being consumed?”
“Consumed alive. It is a primal fear. Well played Commander. It may yet give those who waver the incentive to walk the proper path.”
“I seriously doubt it.”
“There is an expression among these humans. The fear of a hanging is a powerful motivator.”
“We shall see. I again state for the record that I doubt it. It will all turn out in the end,” the commander stated as the scientists drifted over to them. She noted that they were highly excited by the recent events.
“To request that is beyond comprehension! This species indeed has hope. They show promise,” the lead scientist said, pointing to the test results. “This will take a great deal of time to analyze properly. We may need to send it to the homeworld for proper processing. I am now glad for the reprieve. This is so intriguing!”
“I am glad you are happy,” the commander said dryly.
“But you are not,” the subcommander observed.
“We shall see where it leads. But I believe this leader will fail.”
“He is near exhaustion. He may momentarily misstep but he has found his path.”
“Has he? He is but one man in his species. A small voice in the large crowd.”
“After witnessing this some of his species will change. How they change and if they change properly is the question. Some will go to either extreme, that is inevitable,” a scientist mused. “Those that do learn the proper lessons we must cultivate.”
“That is not our job!” the commander stated.
“It is a part of our orders. Subset section IV. You have been through so many species you have forgotten, Commander? Or are you unwilling to admit you are wrong?”
“We shall observe and render judgment later,” the commander stated, turning away.