The Pirate and The Prisoner - [Chapter Ten]

Fanfic

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Happy birthday to me.

I'm not dead. At least not yet, anyway.

Life's been a real bitch as of late, though. Lost my job back in April, and have been without a job ever since, and now the US shutdown means I can’t get SNAP benefits for next month.

If you like my work, *please* consider dropping by [My Ko-fi page.](https://ko-fi.com/papyroo) Any little bit would really help.

Big thanks to u/Saylor_Man, u/Radiotrophic_author, u/Botanist-key-lime, and others on discord for proofreading this chapter.

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**Memory Transcription: Ilkam, Krakotl Pirate, Captain of "The Scarlet Drake"**

*Date [standardized human time]: October 17th, 2097*

___

The sound of static emanating from the radio flowed through the room, a dull thrum falling into the background of the oppressive silence choking the air. Time felt frozen to this singular, infinitesimally small moment, waiting with hitched breath for the quiet buzz to be cut away by the inevitable reply.

And soon enough, with a voice harrowing and low, that reply came.

*“...Understood, captain. I'll be there shortly.”*

Just as quickly as it came, the voice on the other end disappeared, as did the crackling hum in the background. Everyone let out a long sigh of relief almost simultaneously, even as the air of tension remained. My wings sagged down loosely, leaning my back tiredly against the wall behind me. Thoughts begin to echo through my mind, spurned on by the pervasive quiet.

…*I am the damned Captain! A menace across the entire arm of the galaxy! I should be better than this…*

My fingers curl into a shaking fist.

*No. This isn’t about some strong-willed ego, personal superiority shit anymore.*

*She is a member of* ***your crew.*** *You* ***personally*** *invited her aboard, promised her acceptance and kinship, told her that even in spite of their differences, of what she was, she would have a place here.*

*And yet even now, trying to do so much as* ***talk*** *to her on the radio makes you shy away like some hatchling* ***whelp.***

***Get a grip, Ilkam.*** *She deserves better than this.*

A sudden cough brought me out of my bout of self-beratement.I looked up, turning to see Jarkil walking back towards the room’s center, rubbing his wing nervously. “So…” He looked back and forth between Rilzev and I for a moment. “…What do we do now?”

“Right now… We wait.” I sigh, crossing my wings idly. “The other crew has likely already taken control of the bridge, only a matter of time before the engines are brought back online and we can get moving. Just gotta wait for them to finish...”

I glance past him and Rilzev to the airlock door behind them.

“...And wait for Vircha. Figure out what we do with… all this.”

Rilzev follows my gaze to the door, then turns back to me. “What… *did* you see in there, Captain?”

“I’m still not sure, honestly.” I admit, pushing myself up off from against the wall. “I know that it’s *not* an Arxur and all, but…”

Idle fingers rub against my forehead as I start rattling off what I can remember. “...It looked a decent bit smaller than one—maybe smaller than Terlid, honestly. Real thin and lanky, weird flat face. Pale skin, ‘n only a bit of fur on top of its head… never really seen anything like it.”

I shake my head and sigh.

“Nothing that’d help figure out what it *is*, anyway.”

The two share an uncomfortably puzzled look with each other, both clearly trying to put a mental picture to the description and coming up short—save for a bit of new nightmare material.

“Ey…” Another voice cut in, the three of us turning to see Terlid leaning forward from his seat against the wall,an inquisitive look in his eye. “What ‘bout the girl? Tha’ Farsul lass?”

“What?” I respond, a bit confused.

“Now, ah’ know ah’ basically jus’ got done prattlin’ on ‘bout ‘em bein’ scared at they’s own shadows, but… if whateva’s in dere’s even got *you* spooked, Cap’n?”

He made a pointed gesture with his head towards me. “Tha’ lass migh’ know som’n we don’t.”

I took in his words for a moment, looking down at our newest captive as they tugged at their restraints with a newfound worry. Terlid certainly has a point, anyway; she *is* one of the so-called “researchers” on the subject. And regardless, we don’t exactly have many other ‘willing participants’ to interview.

But before I could reply, Rilzev let out a low hum and shook his head. “Nah. Don’t bother.”

He waved a claw at their prone form. “Look’s practically fresh from med school, basically a pup still. Probably only here ‘cause of the check, no way she knows anything *important*. Wouldn’t be surprised if they’ve never even seen whatever it is in person.”

Another sigh passed my beak. *Damnit.*

“Aye, you’re probably right, hate to say. More than likely if anyone actually knew anything useful-” I point over to the dead Kolshian lying against the wall. “-It’d be them.”

The others continue to quietly converse with one another, but their words seem to fade to the background as my eye is instead drawn to the door across the room… And what lies beyond it.

*…There is still one left that would have your answers.*

A barbed spike of fear shot up through my chest—that primal, imperishable terror ingrained in one’s psyche from childhood rushing to the surface, screaming; *This is insane! You can’t seriously be thinking of going back in there, it’s a MONSTER! A* ***PREDATOR!*** *It’d sooner tear you to* ***shreds*** *for the meagerest bit of its ‘food’ than it would ever* ***help*** *you!*

*It’s not even a good plan regardless,* another mental reflection seemed to say, with an air of monotone practicality. A dull, constant drumming at the back of my skull with urges to think slower, to pull back.

*You’ve already sent a call for someone more knowledgeable to handle it, someone more personally experienced in this. Going in now will gain you nothing, it is better to wait.*

*Have you forgotten* ***who you are?!***

Another shout, but from a different place. A different *tone*. Not of fear, but of resistance. Of the burning of purpose within your heart. A voice of **pride.**

*You are the* ***Captain!*** *The anchor that holds your team together! The commander at the reins, The one that leads their crew forwards even in crisis!*

*And yet, here you are wanting to* ***throw them away?!*** *To abandon your crew at their lowest, just to chase some foolish, wanton* ***hunch?!***

The thoughts become like a cacophony, errant voices coming from all sides like a panicked stampede, shrieking and thrashing more than I can bear. My eyes squeeze shut, a desperate attempt to keep myself from screaming aloud, or vomiting from the stress.

…and in an instant, it all stopped. Only a single thought remained, clear and focused. An epiphany that silenced all the others.

*I’ve heard this all before.*

*The day a young Arxur girl pledged her fealty to you.*

My eyes snapped open, focused on that door with a newfound determination.

*Want to be a better person? A better leader? For your sake, for your crew? For* ***Her?***

***Prove it.***

Purpose now clear; I force myself ahead, cutting through the other’s conversation as I move to the cell airlock.

“Captain?!” Rilzev calls out to me, stumbling briefly as I march past him. “Where- What are you doing?”

Coming to a stop by the door, I turn my head back to look; and see all 3 of my squadmates looking back, either with confusion, worry, or both. With a deep breath, I press on the keypad and let the door hiss open, lifting my rifle to my chest.

“Getting answers.”

___

Frigid air wisps through my feathers stepping into the darkened cell. Just as before, I cannot see much of anything beyond the doorway, but the mystery of what lies in that darkness is gone. A shiver crawls up my spine, which I try vainly to blame on the cold.

A flick of a switch, and the light of my rifle comes back to life, the beam reflecting off the floor tiles and dimly illuminates the rest of the room… and the creature within.

*A ghostly pale figure, huddled to the ground… Skeletal arms raised high over its head, wreathed in chains…*

It recoils from the light, pressing its haggard form against the wall… and stares up at me. A pair of piercing, hungry eyes *staring r-right at-*

*Breath. Just* ***Breath.***

Hard enough to build the resolve just to enter the cell itself. Being in here **with it** is another nightmare entirely. *What was I* ***thinking-***

***Breath.***

*Can’t lose focus now.*

Steeling myself as best I can, burning through my willpower to still my shaking hands and fraying nerves, I just barely manage to force the words past the lump in my throat. To ask the question that's at the crux of everything at this moment, the reason I even entered this god's-forsaken cell:

“W-what… *are* you?”

The predator flinches for a moment, its expression changing as their eyes shifting to look around the room. “Wh- I…” It pauses, like they’re hesitating as it slips over their words.

“...M-my name’s Alex s-Strider…” It’s voice wavering as they answered, harsh and strained. “I’m… I’m a h-human.”

*A name. It has a name.*

*It’s definitely sapient. No disputing it now.*

This was it. The answers I was looking for, given plainly. What this imprisoned creature was—*Who* it was… And yet, I am left here not with resolution, but yet more uncertainty. Yet more *questions.*

*Where did it come from? How is it intelligent? How is there one here on this ship?* ***Why*** *Is it on the ship?*

*Are these “Humans” new to the galaxy? Were they just in hiding? Are there other predator sophonts out there too? How could the Federation not know about them?*

*…****Do*** *they know about them?*

A swirling myriad of these questions and doubts once more fill my mind, as I fight to regain my focus in the moment. Yet just before I can compose myself again, or attempt to get reprieve and voice these queries… The Human speaks again.

“Y-You’re not… You’re not with *Them…* are you?” They asked. But their tone was almost rhetorical in a way, yet also… cautious. Protective.

“Them?” I reply, giving a quick confused glance back at the door behind me. The human seemed to shrink, squeezing their eyes shut and pulling their legs up to their chest.

“That ***F-fucking Squid!”*** They spat, shaking. “The one in that *damn coat.”*

A flash of memories pass.

A lone figure cloaked in red light. The flash of a pistol’s muzzle.

And a bullet punching through my shoulder.

*The Kolshian scientist.*

That, at least, explains how the human ended up like this; chained and beaten even in spite of being a predator. Only someone as mad and deranged as that ‘Sorvan’ would ever dare. *Perhaps all the better that they’re dead.*

“No, I’m—*We’re* not. The Kolshian is dead.” I answer, trying to ignore the slight twinge in my arm thinking back on them.

“If… If you’re not, then…” The human trails off, but the intent is clear. *Who are you? Why are you here?*

I shift my stance uncomfortably. “We…”

I end up trailing off as well, trying to find the best way to describe exactly what it is *we* are. *Predator or otherwise, there’s not exactly a way to sugarcoat being a group of thieves and murderers-for-profit.*

Before I can respond properly though, The human suddenly jolts in surprise, their eyes snapping to focus eerily on something unseen behind me. I slowly turn to follow their gaze, feeling a shiver of dread, yet I see nothing beside the airlock entrance present.

But then, I can hear it: a quiet, muffled hiss. The door into the Laboratory opened.

Heavy footfalls, scraping on metal tiles.

And finally… an all too familiar voice.

The same one I heard mere moments ago through radio speakers, now just beyond the wall.

***“...Usually, when you guys call for my help, it’s not this quiet.”***

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Posted Oct 30, 2025, 7:30 PM UTC

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