I visited an alien zoo with a horrifying main attraction

Read Part one here

This has been a difficult account for me to write, but a necessary one. I never imagined that I’d be given the opportunity to tell my story and speak to my people, even if my communication is indirect – a message transmitted across vast light years from the far side of the galaxy.

I am a human being, still recognisable despite all the modifications made to my physical body. I was born on Earth many decades ago, but I was taken from my planet when I was still a child, and I’ve accepted the fact that I’ll never see my home world again.

I haven’t thought about my fellow human beings for quite some time. After all, my life has taken me to all corners of the galaxy where I have met numerous exotic aliens and visited extraordinary worlds which would be beyond your wildest dreams. And yet here I am, speaking to the peoples of Earth and trying to regain some of my humanity, because recent events have sharply reminded me of who I am and where I come from.

I’m not going to recount my entire life story, but a brief history is necessary to set some context. My early years were unremarkable and surprisingly peaceful when I consider what happened in the period that followed. I was born on a small farm in an isolated rural community. My family weren’t wealthy but we were happy and safe.

Sadly, I only have fleeting memories of my parents and younger siblings – images etched into my brain of birthday parties, playing in green fields, and bedtime stories. These were the good times, before I realised how vulnerable we really were.

When I was young I looked up at the night sky and faraway stars with a child-like sense of wonder. I dreamed of one day becoming an explorer and visiting these uncharted worlds. But I never could have imagined the horrors and dangers which existed out there in the cold vastness of space.

My childhood ended one summer’s night shortly after my ninth birthday. That’s when the Astri came for me and my family. I remember little about the frantic assault upon our home. I suppose I forced the traumatic experience into the back of my sub-conscious. In any event, I do recall chaos, white lights and screaming, as my mother and father tried in vain to protect their terrified children from this inexplicable threat.

But there was nothing they could do in the face of the advanced and all-powerful alien technology. I was attempting to hide under my bed when the window was smashed and the room flooded with a blinding light. Then I lost control of my own body, being dragged through the window by an invisible force and out into the dark night. And soon after, I lost consciousness.

I was now a prisoner of the ruthless Astri – a cruel and sadistic alien race who have abducted, tortured and murdered countless human beings over many decades. My entire family was taken that night and I never saw any of them again. Contrary to popular belief, the Astri do not kill all of their human victims. It’s true that they’ve built an entire culture and quasi-religion around their cruelty and murderous ways, and few adult humans will ever make it out of their torture cells.

Children are a different matter however. The Astri like to ‘retrain’ youngsters and sell them onto various other nefarious actors as slave labour. This was to be my fate. I can only assume that my brother and sister were also enslaved, but they must have been sent to a different training camp than the hellhole I ended up in, because I never saw them again. As for my parents, I’m afraid they likely suffered horrific deaths at the hands of those monsters.

The next six years of my life is not a time I like to recall. My training at the Astri’s hands was typically brutal, with discipline and total obedience drilled into us by constant beatings and electric shock collars. It was hell, pure and simple.

I soon realised that there was no hope of escape and it was all but impossible to fight back against the brutes. Therefore, my sole focus was on survival. I lived while many others didn’t, and even now – after all these years – I’m still not sure how I feel about that.

Once my training was complete, I got sold to a rogue mining consortium and was forced to work on a mineral-rich asteroid located in the Sirius system. Conditions were almost as brutal and probably even more dangerous than in the Astri training centre, as I worked down in the mines alongside thousands of other slaves – some human, some from other species.

Our robotic overseers dished out savage punishments for even the smallest of misdemeanours and safety protocols were virtually non-existent. As a result, workers died on a regular basis and our life expectancy was limited. I fully expected to meet my end upon that god-forsaken rock, but then salvation came from a most unexpected source.

I was resting between shifts, laying on my hard bunk in the worker’s barracks when all hell broke loose, as suddenly I heard multiple explosions and heavy gunfire. I jumped up from my cot and ran through the barracks to find out what the hell was going on.

At first, I suspected a slave rebellion was underway and my heart sank, because I knew the consortium’s automated defence systems would slaughter us in our droves. However, when I looked up into the dark sky, I saw war machines descending into the asteroid’s orbit, neutralising the mine’s defences with lasers and missiles.

The battle was short-lived and one-sided, with the attacking forces soon overwhelming the slavers and taking control of the facility. Afterwards, all the surviving workers were gathered up and addressed by a representative of the conquering forces.

I’ll admit that I was cynical and didn’t hold out much hope. I reckoned the invaders were simply another gang of slavers who would merely sell us on to the highest bidder. But I’ll admit to being astonished when we came face-to-face with a tall and thin alien with pale skin and large oval-like eyes which looked upon us with compassion and empathy.

When the alien spoke, his voice was soft and almost song-like, and he calmly explained that he was a representative of the Galactic Confederation, sent here to close the illegal mining operation and set us all free. That alien’s name is Gabriel. He saved my life that day and I’ve been with him ever since.

Let me try to explain my situation after the liberation of the Sirius slave mine. I was only fifteen years old but had been forced to grow up fast. I’d known nothing but violence and cruelty since my abduction from Earth, and there’s no doubt that the tortures I’d endured had a significant impact upon my fragile psyche.

I assumed the galaxy was a place of chaos and violence and so didn’t know what to make of this Galactic Confederation. Were they genuine about their stated mission of fighting inter-galactic aggressors and ending their reign of terror?

I’ll admit that I was highly suspicious. They told us we were free, but what did that actually mean? The Confederation weren’t able to send me back to Earth…and even if they could, why would I want to go? My family were missing, presumed dead. I had nothing to go back to. And besides, how could I go back to a normal life on Earth after everything I’d been through, and with what I now knew about the universe?

I was at a loss on what to do with my newfound freedom, but I guess Gabriel took a shine to me, because he offered me a position as his assistant, one which I would ultimately accept. At the time I had little idea what this job would entail but it was clear that Gabriel’s life was an interesting one.

The alien was a member of the Malach race – an advanced and cultured alien species who lived in peace for millennia until they were forced to take up arms in self-defence following a brutal attack upon their home world by the Astri.

The Malach were one of the founding members of the Galactic Confederation which aimed to restore peace and justice to the galaxy, and Gabriel acted as a diplomat for that organisation, which meant that he travelled through space on his own starship, meeting all kinds of exotic and bizarre alien races.

I have been by Gabriel’s side for decades, travelling back and forth across the galaxy using the vital network of wormholes which allow our vessels to transverse between the stars. It may seem like an odd relationship, but over the years Gabriel and I have become close companions and have forged a lasting friendship.

So, this is my story and explains how I came to be in this bizarre yet somewhat privileged position. Over the many years of my service, I have come to think of myself as a citizen of the galaxy rather than a refugee from a backwater planet on the edge of known space. But, as I’ve said, something significant occurred which changed my point of view and made me reconsider my link to humanity. And this is the story I want to tell you.

I’m guessing you’ll all be familiar with the concept of a zoo, even if you’ve never visited one. I recall going to the local zoo with my family before our abduction. I assume they still exist on Earth, although they might have changed somewhat in the many years since.

I remember the excitement I shared with my siblings during our visit as we saw exotic and majestic animals from across the globe. Nevertheless, the experience was tinged with sadness on my part at least. It upset me to see these animals trapped in cages, whereas I’d always imagined such magnificent beasts roaming free in the wild.

I told my father how I felt, and he explained that many species were endangered in the wild and so were safer here in captivity. This made sense I suppose, but it still didn’t sit right with me.

In any event, the galactic equivalent of a zoo is something considerably grander and more advanced than anything we have on Earth. Can you imagine a small moon orbiting a gas giant which has been specifically adapted for this purpose, with vast biodomes and artificial habitats designed and equipped to accommodate all kinds of bizarre and unique creatures from all corners of known space?

As you can imagine, a venue such as this is exorbitantly expensive to set up and run, and so only the wealthiest and most important individuals can afford to attend, often travelling many light years to visit the largest and most extravagant zoological facility in the galaxy.
Only one race has the wealth and capability to construct and run such an enterprise – the Calmar. What can I say about the Calmar and the highly influential position they hold within the galactic hierarchy? Well, they are a squid-like, aquatic species who have long since abandoned the water world where they evolved, instead travelling through space in mighty colony ships and inhabiting vast space stations scattered across the stars.

The Calmar have become obscenely rich and powerful due to their control of the network of wormholes which connect the inhabited systems and serves as the sole means of communication, trade, exploration, and military expeditions in the absence of faster-than-light travel.

The Calmar control the entrances to these wormholes and they never fail to collect their toll. What’s more, the Calmar are a pragmatic people who will do business with any species with money, but who also refuse to enter into any formal alliances or coalitions. Therefore, they remain officially neutral in the conflict between the Galactic Confederation and Astri Empire, allowing both sides to use their network, albeit for a substantial price.

The Great Galactic Zoo is a vanity project for the Calmar royal family, allowing them to demonstrate their vast wealth and extravagance. So, why did I end up visiting this location? Simply put, Gabriel was invited to the grand reopening of the facility following a substantial refurbishment, and he was obligated to attend, lest the Calmar take offence and limit our access to their crucial wormhole network. Such is the convoluted nature of inter-galactic diplomacy.

I pondered these matters as our needle ship descended into orbit around the gaseous planet, and I admired its vast rings and atmospheric bands as we approached the ball of icy rock that was our destination. The ship’s autopilot slowly and carefully made its way towards the docking station which was constructed upon the moon’s rocky surface. The structure didn’t look like much from orbit, but I reminded myself that the bulk of the facility was located below ground – within the hollowed-out core of the small moon.

As the AI took care of the navigation, Gabriel and I were left to observe the scene from the observation deck and consider the finer details of our mission. I looked into my companion’s dark, oval-shaped eyes and felt like I could read his thoughts. We’d been working together for a long time and there were few secrets between us.

“You are concerned about the mission?” I asked, more as a statement of fact than a question.

“I am.” was Gabriel’s limited reply.

“But why?” I continued, “Surely this visit is nothing more than a diplomatic nicety, or is there something I’m missing?”

Gabriel nodded his egg-shaped head before responding. “You are quite correct my old friend. On paper, this is simply a visit to flatter the Calmar royal family – to show them due respect and compliment their outlandish creation. But I fear the situation is more complex. Relations between the Calmar and our Confederation are strained. We have put pressure on their government to cease their support for the Astri Empire, but to little avail. My instincts tell me that our Calmar friends may have an unpleasant surprise in store for us.”

The alien said no more, but his prophetic warning brought a chill down my spine.

Nevertheless, our ship docked without incident, allowing us to disembark and enter the lavish welcome centre which marked the entrance to the mega zoo.

As one would expect, the Calmar had spared no expense in their construction of the centre, combining the traditional and modern flawlessly, with pillars of finely sculptured marble alongside holographic 3-D images of several exotic creatures accommodated within the zoo.
I was awestruck for a moment, admiring the grandeur of the setting, but Gabriel drew my attention towards a glass viewing window set above us, behind which was a tank of dark, murky water. We watched in silent awe as a dark shape emerged through the water, swimming up to the glass so we could see its huge and intimidating form.

I took a deep breath as I witnessed the Calmar in all its terrifying glory. At least twenty foot in diameter, with long and thick swinging tentacles, vast eyes the size of dinner plates, and a sharp beak large enough to swallow my head whole.

The Calmar was like something from a nightmare to my human eyes, and yet it was a member of an advanced and powerful species who demanded respect. Therefore, I swallowed my disgust and fear and followed Gabriel’s lead, bowing respectfully towards the Calmar in a symbolic gesture.

The squid-like alien responded by shooting black ink towards the glass, which Gabriel assured me was a good sign. With this bizarre ritual completed, the alien swam away from the glass and disappeared back into the murky water, leaving us still standing within the welcome centre and awaiting further instructions.

I wasn’t surprised by the Calmar’s swift exit. Gabriel had provided me with a crash course on their culture before we landed. In addition to their greed and lust for power, the Calmar were also surprisingly xenophobic and wanted little to do with other species. The brief greeting we’d received was the best we could have hoped for, and the logistics of our tour would be left to their robotic subordinates.

As if on cue, an automated communication drone hovered over to us, speaking in a friendly tone through its attached speakers.

“Welcome esteemed guest, to the grand reopening of the greatest zoo in the galaxy! My name is Unit 1642 and I have been personally appointed by his Royal Highness Zalak the Great to guide you through his proudest attraction.”

His welcome was addressed towards Gabriel of course, and my companion replied in a typically diplomatic manner.

“Please pass on our sincere thanks to his Majesty for his kind invitation. It is indeed a great honour to attend this prestigious event.”

Knowing Gabriel as I did, I realised these words would have been difficult for him to speak. My companion had little time for ‘Zalak the Great’, the tyrannical leader of the Calmar. There were many places he’d rather be than here, but Gabriel was an accomplished diplomat and knew how to ‘talk the talk’.

I was a different matter however. The aerial drone turned to look upon me, examining me suspiciously within its inbuilt cameras. There was a short delay before it spoke again, and I swore I could hear contempt in its previously emotionless, robotic voice.
“Is this human a member of your party?” it enquired.

I was taken aback by the question, but luckily Gabriel answered firmly and without hesitation.

“Yes, this gentleman will be accompanying me on the tour. I trust this won’t be a problem?”
The robot delayed for a moment, perhaps transmitting the information to its masters upstairs. A tension-filled pause ensued before it eventually answered cooly, saying – “As you wish ambassador.”

A thin smile came across Gabriel’s slit-like lips as he said. “Very good. Now, shall we proceed?”

“No quite yet, Mr Ambassador.” the drone responded, “We are waiting for a second party.”

“Another party?” Gabriel replied uncertainly, as clearly he hadn’t been informed of this.

“Yes.” the drone confirmed, “Ah, here they come now.”

We turned around sharply to look back towards the docking bay, and my whole body froze when I saw the four creatures approach, their sharpened claws tapping on the metallic floor as they came. The other party were Astri – a family by the look of it. The father stood nearly seven feet tall, his red scales flaring and his yellow, reptilian eyes burning when he saw us.
I noted the visible scars across his tough hide and numerous decorations pinned to his neat uniform, and I guessed the Astri was a seasoned warrior of some repute.

The female walking alongside him was only slightly smaller and just as mean looking. I assumed this was his wife or concubine. And trailing behind were two juveniles – both male. They were adolescents and so I reckoned they’d already been through the hellish agoge-style training which all Astri children were forced to undertake.

It’s not an exaggeration to say that I was frozen to the spot in terror as I watched the Astri approach. Horrific memories came flooding back into my head as I recalled the hell of my abduction and the tortures inflicted upon me in the Astri slave camp. I’d tried to push this trauma to the back of my mind in the years since, but seeing these monsters in the flesh unleashed a tidal wave of repressed trauma.

“What is the meaning of this?” Gabriel exclaimed, his normally cool exterior suddenly disappearing.

The robot didn’t skip a beat before replying. “Ambassador. Let me introduce you to Admiral Taz, commander of the Astri Seventh Fleet. He is accompanied by his wife and two sons. They will be joining us on today’s tour.”

“I was told nothing of this.” Gabriel protested.

“His Majesty believed this meeting should be a surprise for both parties. He hopes this occasion can be an opportunity for reconciliation between the Confederation and the Empire, and perhaps the seeds of peace can be planted on this day.”

Gabriel shook his head but made no comment. Clearly, this was the Calmar trick he’d anticipated, but he’d been caught unawares by their boldness. Judging by the angry clicks emitted by the Astri and the hateful, murderous glares they shot me in particular, I guessed they were pretty unhappy about the situation too.

But there was nothing either side could do. This was neutral ground, and no-one could risk upsetting the Calmar, lest they cut off access to the crucial wormholes. For better or for worse, we would all have to play their twisted game.

The robotic drone guided us to what was described as a mobile viewing platform, essentially a floating, bubble-like transparent aircraft which would bring us through the various exhibits and enclosures, allowing us to remain nearly invisible as we observed the ‘animals’ at close quarters.

The two opposing groups shared the same viewing platform and the tension inside of that pod was intense. I saw the Astri Admiral glaring at me, his claws clicking and eyes burning as no doubt he imagined the horrific ways he would kill me, given half-the-chance.

I was scared of course, but also very angry, and I’ll confess that fantasises of revenge went through my mind. Gabriel kept his cool however, calming me and assuring me that I would remain safe by his side.

Our journey down into the depths of the hollowed-out moon was a once-in-a-lifetime experience, that much I cannot deny. The vast size of the alien zoo was nearly impossible to quantify. Entire ecosystems and biospheres were contained within the interior, specifically built to accommodate diverse species originating from many different worlds.

I could spend hours describing all the bizarre creatures we encountered during our descent, but I will focus on three encounters which directly relate to my account.

The first incident occurred when our vessel entered the porous membrane of a desert-type ecosystem – a hot and sandy sphere which looked desolate and virtually devoid of life. Our pod hovered in mid-air for some time, my skin baking under the simulated sun as I looked over what seemed like miles of white, near pristine sands. It would be easy to forget that we were inside of an artificial environment rather than an actual desert of natural origins.

We sat there and waited, although for what I could not say, and our robotic guide would not tell. Boredom soon set in, particularly with the two Astri youngsters who were seemingly obsessed with adrenaline rushes and bloody violence. The predators were certainly their favourites.

I thought that whatever creature dwelt in this habitat must be a recluse, but I soon learned otherwise. I stepped back, my jaw dropping as I looked upon the enormous worm-like creature with a thick yellow hide, easily one hundred foot in length, rising from the desert sands, its eyeless head and beak-like mouth heading straight for our stationary pod.

I yelped in terror as the mighty beast attacked, biting out in an effort to grasp our pod within its mighty maw. I was sure it would swallow us whole, but when the monster attempted to do so, it suffered a sudden shock, no doubt falling victim to a non-lethal hidden defence system.

The beast recoiled, shrieking so loudly as it retreated from our pod and returned to the sands below, burying itself deep and leaving us in peace.

“My God!” I exclaimed, looking to Gabriel and finding him typically cool and composed. If the beast’s attack had startled him, he didn’t let it show. However, our attentions were soon drawn towards the Astri family as a disturbing and violent incident played out.

From what I could gather, one of the Astri youths had flinched whenever the giant worm attacked, which his parents considered an unacceptable sign of weakness. Gabriel and I could only watch as the Astri boy’s father angrily remonstrated with his son while his mother went a step further, violently beating the boy with her claw-like hands formed into fists.
Meanwhile, the boy’s brother simply stood still and watched on as his brother was abused, no doubt relieved that he wasn’t on the receiving end. I winced upon witnessing the savage punishment which reminded me of the many beatings I’d received back in the slave camp. This was a harsh reminder that the Astri were often as brutal towards their own children as they were to their alien captives.

Gabriel no doubt shared my disgust, as he placed his long-fingered hand upon my shoulder in an attempt to comfort me. Meanwhile, our robotic guide waited for the punishment to end before delivering its cheery briefing.

“The death worm of Orkin, terror of the desert world. As you can imagine, my masters had considerable difficulty in obtaining this specimen. It will never be fully domesticated of course, but we have spared no expense in installing state of the art security measures to ensure the safety of our guests.”

It seemed there was nothing else to see in this biosphere, and so we moved on.
The next habitat was a jungle environment, one of stifling humidity and thick vegetation, all set under an artificial replica of dual suns. This was somewhere I’d never been and hope I never will, but nevertheless the location was chillingly familiar to me, and being here confirmed my worst fears.

“Welcome to our artificial construct of the Astri home world. We hope that the Admiral will appreciate the level of detail, including the authentic vegetation and organisms.”

The Astri male grunted dismissively, which was perhaps the best reaction one could have expected.

Our pod descended under the foliage, allowing us a closer view of the ground level. Amongst the exotic creatures we saw was a large and red scorpion-like beast with a sharp, dripping stinger on its tail. The beast was perhaps the size of a bull, but it scurried along the forest floor with surprisingly light feet.

As we watched from above, suddenly the beast tore across the dead ground, thrashing out with its stinger and impaling an animal which looked something like a deer, except with a horn on its nose and three sets of eyes. The stricken animal struggled desperately but ultimately to no avail, as the poison from the scorpion’s stinger entered its veins and paralysed its body. With its grim task completed, the hunter dragged its prey towards a narrow cave entrance which I guessed was its lair.

“The Scorpius queen will lay her eggs inside the still living flesh of her victim.” our guide explained, “Once her offspring are hatched, they will feast upon its warm flesh.” he paused briefly, turning to the Astri family. “But you already know this, do you not?”

I looked upon the Astri brothers – one still bleeding from the beating he’d taken, the second being physically unharmed but no doubt affected psychologically. Neither flinched upon witnessing the hunt. They knew better than to do so. Nevertheless, I could only imagine what was going through their minds in that moment.

No doubt they were recalling the horrors of their agoge training, when Astri youngsters are dropped into the deepest jungle and are forced to fight and kill to survive. More than likely, the brothers once had siblings who hadn’t lived through this brutal ritual. Perhaps they had killed them with their own claws. It dreaded me to think of such horrors.

Once we left the replica of the Astri home world, our guide droned on in its mechanical voice, hinting at the nature of the next exhibit.

“It is indeed a pleasure to present the star attraction of our renovated zoological facility.” the drone turned its cameras towards me before continuing, making me feel incredibly uneasy.

“Your human pet might find this exhibit quite familiar.” it said, directing its distasteful comment towards Gabriel.

I gulped, swallowing my anger whilst dreading what we were about to witness. Our pod quickly descended through the purposefully built tunnels, diving deep down into the core of the moon. Eventually we reached a massive subterranean chamber which must have been many miles in diameter. Our vessel penetrated the membrane surrounding the massive exhibit, and I came face-to-face with an environment that brought back many memories.
Inside of this hollowed-out core on an alien moon, the Calmar had somehow managed to construct a vast ecosystem consisting of a small but substantial tropical island surrounded on all sides by water, all contained within a protective bubble which projected an artificial sky and sun.

As our pod descended and got in closer, I was astonished to observe the green vegetation, yellow sands, and clear blue sea, all of which looked suspiciously familiar. And my worst fears came to fruition once the guide spoke again.

“Behold, our perfect recreation of the planet Earth, home to the uncivilised and primitive homo sapiens. Shall we take a closer look?”

He didn’t wait for an answer before directing our small craft down towards the island. I was still in a state of shock, and when I looked into Gabriel’s oval eyes, I saw an uncharacteristic anger seeping through his normally cool exterior. I could tell he was seething with rage at the Calmar’s latest trick.

Soon our pod hovered over a clearing on the island where we witnessed a group of human hunters armed with primitive spears and bows as they pursued their prey – a wild boar which tore across the long grass. I watched as spears and arrows flew through the air. Most missed, but at least one of the projectiles hit the mark, skewing the pig and bringing its charge to a halt.

We all looked on and listened as the boar squealed in pain before two of the hunters moved in – one holding the beast by its horns while the other slit its throat and ended the creature’s life. I heard a whoop of triumph from the other hunters, watching as emaciated and scantily clad humans moved in to claim their prize, their tired eyes burning with hunger as they did so.

“Thank you to our Astri friends for delivering these fine specimens.” our robotic guide suddenly blurted out.

I turned towards the Astri family just as the Admiral cast me a hateful look, with a sadistic smile etched across his fang-filled maw. Of course the Astri were involved in this atrocity, I told myself. They considered us as nothing more than animals and it would bring them a perverse pleasure to see human beings reduced to such a lowly state; mere exhibits in an alien zoo, trapped many light years away from their home planet. And it only got worse.

Soon our pod flew to the centre of the island where we saw a tiny village of bamboo and wood huts built in a small clearing within the forest. This was surely the main human settlement upon the island where my fellow homo sapiens were reduced to living a stone-age existence.

We stayed above the village for some time, observing a tragic scene play out below us. I watched wide-eyed as a weeping young woman carried a clearly deceased baby from her hut and slowly walked towards a tiny, swallow grave dug in the ground on the very edge of the village.

My heart almost broke as the mother kissed her dead child on the forehead before carefully lowering the body into the waiting grave, all while the other villagers looked on in solemn silence. I noted how there were many other graves of various sizes alongside it, all marked by crude but poignant wooden crosses.

It was Gabriel who broke the silence, directing his accusatory questions towards our guide.
“Your masters surely have the ability to stop the sickness? Can they not cure the humans from their ailments?”

“Of course.” the drone answered, “But we choose not to intervene with the ecosystem unless there is no other option. We believe in letting nature take its course.”

“I see.” Gabriel answered without any further comment.

It seemed we had remained in the same spot for too long, because the villagers eventually noticed our presence. Some of the young men reacted with anger, grabbing hold of their bows and firing arrows up at our pod. Most missed or fell short, and the few arrows that did reach us bounced harmlessly off the pod’s exterior, all while the Astri laughed cruelly in open mockery.

“Time to move on.” the guide stated, as our vessel ascended and flew to the south.

Soon we were hovering over a sandy beach at the island’s edge, watching as a hollowed-out canoe returned from the swallows and the people onboard unloaded a small number of fish from homemade nets. I guessed that fishing was another source of food for the imprisoned community who were barely surviving as hunter-gatherers.

All proceeded without incident until a couple of youngsters emerged from beyond the treeline and sprinted across the hot sands to the now unattended canoe. The two were just kids – a boy and a girl in their teens. Perhaps they were star-struck lovers. In any event, they seemed to have a pre-prepared plan to steal the small boat, as in an instant they were onboard and had cast off into the calm blue waters.

I saw an older fisherman on the shore shouting desperately at the pair, telling them to turn around and come back home. But they didn’t listen, instead rowing faster as they left the island behind.

“The villager elders warn their young to never sail past the designated boundary.” our guide explained, “But alas, human children are ill-disciplined and stubborn. In this situation we must intervene, but the scenario presents an exciting opportunity…”

I felt a chill creep up my spine when I heard these words. I didn’t know what was coming next but reckoned it couldn’t be good news for the young couple attempting to escape their cage.

Out of nowhere, a rogue wave emerged from the previously calm waters – an event that was surely triggered by the Calmar’s hidden security systems. The small canoe didn’t stand a chance against the powerful wave, and their boat was overturned, throwing both teenagers into the sea. But this was only the start of it.

Suddenly and without warning, our pod dropped from the sky and plummeted underneath the waves, and then we were submerged in water, sealed inside as we looked out into the clear waters, watching the two teenagers kicking wildly as they struggled to stay afloat.
And then I heard the excited clicks from the Astri group as the sadistic aliens pointed at the beasts emerging from the depths. My heart almost stopped as I watched the giant fish swimming upwards, their huge mouths opening to reveal rows of razor-sharp teeth, and their dark eyes filled with a raw hunger.

“Mako, Great White and Tiger sharks.” the guide announced coldly, “Alpha predators of the Earth’s oceans. Now we will get to see these magnificent hunters in action.”

I was frozen in horror whilst watching the trio of sharks rapidly ascend. It was obvious who their target was, but I was powerless to intervene.

The Great White tore into the boy first, biting his legs and almost severing them at the knees. The kid screamed as his warm blood filled the water, and the feeding frenzy began in earnest. The girl tried to reach out to help her boyfriend, but he was soon pulled under the surface. And a moment later, she was bitten through the torso by the Tiger shark, nearly torn in two as her eyes filled with shock and pain.

Meanwhile, the Mako fought with the larger Great White over the boy’s limp body, ripping one of his arms off while the kid continued his futile struggle. Before long, the scene descended into bloody chaos, the sharks feasting greedily on human flesh with a primal savagery which reminded me that – in this place at least – humans weren’t on top of the food chain.

I keeled over, retching as I felt like I was going to be sick. I glanced up at Gabriel and saw a terrible sadness in his now expression-filled eyes. But the Astris’ reaction was the polar opposite, as the twisted reptilian family snorted and clicked their claws with excitement as they celebrated the bloodbath we’d just witnessed.

Thankfully, the hellish show ended soon after as our pod returned to the surface and left the nightmarish exhibit behind. To his credit, Gabriel retained his professional demeanour as he thanked the Calmar guide for the tour and was even cordial to the vicious Admiral and his family. But I could tell how angry my Malach companion truly was, as clearly this entire visit had been designed to humiliate him.

As for my own feelings…well, we soon returned to our ship and left the dark moon behind us, but I knew I would not forget the horrors I’d witnessed inside of that hellish alien zoo.
I was unable to sleep that night, lying awake on my back and staring at the dark ceiling as the awful images of the feeding frenzy remained trapped in my brain. I suppose it was just as well I couldn’t sleep because this probably saved my life.

Suddenly the silence inside of my cabin was broken as I heard a soft but clearly audible hissing sound. I jumped up from my bed, catching a fleeting image out of the corner of my eye as something small but fast slithered across my cabin floor.

I yelped in shock, jumping up on my bunk as I frantically scanned the room to find the mystery creature. But in an instant, the interloper was up on my bed with me, only inches away from my body. Through the darkness I saw a thin, snake-like creature with red eyes and sharp fangs dripping with venom.

I was frozen in terror, seeing my cabin door opening but thinking it was surely too late. The snake hissed and jumped forward; its fangs extended as it prepared to deliver its deadly poison into my veins. But, at the very last moment, a long hand reached out from the darkness, grabbing the jumping snake in mid-air and snapping its spine with a single, powerful action.

I was still shaking almost uncontrollably as I looked up to see my saviour – Gabriel. The alien examined the dead creature in his hands for a brief moment before tossing it to the ground in disgust. And then he turned his attentions to me, ensuring that I was unharmed and comforting me after the traumatic, near-death experience.

After I’d recovered from the shock, Gabriel and I retired to the ship’s canteen where the AI computer prepared me a light sedative to calm my nerves. When I finally felt confident enough to speak, I asked the following questions.

“That creature…where did it come from? Is it an escapee from the zoo?”

I knew this was unlikely but didn’t much like the alternative.

Gabriel hesitated, appearing deep in thought for a moment, but he eventually replied.
“I think not. The deceased animal is an Astri viper – purposefully bred and trained for targeted killings. It will be impossible to trace the attempt back to the Admiral of course, but I believe he was insulted by your presence and wanted to take you out to send a message.”

I felt a fresh pang of panic and a sickness in the pit of my stomach, once again remembering how close I’d come to suffering an excruciating death. I didn’t know what to say in that tension-filled moment and so waited until Gabriel spoke again.

“The Confederation leadership believe we can still work with the Calmar and negotiate with the Astri. I fear they are shamefully naïve in this regard. We must redouble our efforts to defeat this wicked coalition.”

The alien gave me a meaningful look through his large, oval eyes before continuing.
“We have travelled together for many years, old friend. But I feel I must now ask you a difficult question. Do you miss your people? Is it your desire to return to Earth?”

I was shocked by the directness of Gabriel’s question, although I’ll admit that I had given this matter some thought over the years and so I soon arrived at an answer.

“No.” I said firmly, “In truth, I would be an alien to my own people if I returned. My place is here, by your side.”

Gabriel nodded his large head and seemed satisfied by my response.

“And yet, you still care about your people.” he added, “I could see as much from your reaction today.”

I thought back to the sickening display in the alien zoo and realised he was right. I couldn’t stand to see my fellow human beings treated in such a way and wouldn’t forget what the Astri had done to me and my family.

I felt like Gabriel was going to come up with an alternative proposal and wasn’t to be disappointed.

“You know, we already have a legion of freed humans fighting as part of our forces. Before long we will reach out to the citizens of Earth and request that they join our alliance. I see you as playing a key role in these talks. In the meantime, I believe we have an opportunity here. You have a fascinating and poignant story to tell, old friend. We have the means to transmit your message to the people of Earth. This would not strictly be in line with the Confederation’s first contact protocol, but I believe we can make an exception in this case…”

And so, here it is – my story, warts and all. Much of my life has been marked by tragedy and trauma, but also by hope and redemption. But my message to Earth is this – you have been living in a dark cave for too long, and it is time to see the light.

The universe is a dangerous place, full of threats almost beyond human comprehension. But we are not alone in this fight. War is coming, whether we like it or not, and it’s time to decide which side we’re on.

Credit: Traveller

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