Of Kzon and Zed, District 9

[Conspiir]

Suppose I'll be the first to post in this subforum.

 

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Kzon.

Yes?

Pain.

Explain.

Neck and chest. Stinging.

Likely your vocal modulator. How much have you worked today?

Three shifts.

Consecutive?

Yes.

Rest. I do not have spare medicines at this time. If you know you are to work a long time, conserve words.

Yes. Thank you.

Ka’Akaix’Kzon Zo’ra gestured for the next in a line of several patients to step forward. They were sequestered in a small corner of the District, but the Zo’ra that called the District home knew this tent. It was where they went when their bodies began to fail, manned by a select few.

Kzon.

Yes?

Burned.

Explain.

And on it went.

Kzon began to smuggle small amounts of medicine several weeks ago. A few pills here, a vial there. Anything they could tuck in into their sandal or a carapace divot so it won’t be confiscated before getting to the District. Another worker who also volunteered in the District, Ka’Akaix’Zed, picked up on the sudden influx of medicines in the tent quickly, and two became partners in the largest medicine smuggling operation that, at least, they have ever heard of. Expensive, specialty medicines like Peridaxon or Arithrazine would be missed, but small doses of Dermaline and Bicaridine or even precious Spaceacillin has not raised anyone’s suspicions. Once, they even made out with a few doses of Imidazoline for the ones that had spurred the ire of some ISD or another.

It would be easy to say it was a thankless job. But the appreciation of those that work for the company overlords is near palpable. At the end of the day, no matter how cut or broken, there is a tent where the healers reside.

Kzon.

You two. What is it this time?

Kii was hurt.

How.

Kee blind Kii.

How.

Kee take light, Kii blind from bright light.

I do not have imidazoline. I cannot fix that now.

Was fixed!

I see.

So does Kii.

… Why are you here if you are fine?

Want Kzon to know was helped by human.

What was the human’s name?

Kzon pulls up a document on their laptop. The document is simple. Just a list of names under categories. This List circulated to any interested Zo’ra in the District. It detailed certain members of the NSS Aurora crew that can be trusted, those that should be approached with caution, and those that are distrusted. Kzon has fashioned it from their own experience and the experiences they have heard from others. Similar lists are maintained by other Vaurca serving aboard other stations. The only way forward is by accepting the kindest of hands.

Does not remember.

… You are both useless. Leave.

Tzu’ikak’xa, tla’akaix.

Bounds are difficult to work with for so many reasons. But at least they listen.

Zed.

Kzon?

Keep an ear to the ground. Whichever doctor healed the Viax’s eyes. If they’re willing to help the useless, they might lend a hand to the useful. I would like to add them to the list.

Yes, Kzon.

Kzon shuts the laptop and gestures the next one forward.

Kzon.

Yes?

Hand broken.

Surgery is another matter. Rarely do they have enough painkillers to ease the way, and severe injuries must usually be brought before any human that would listen. But the Zo’ra do not trust the humans, who do not bother to know the difference between up and down. They trust the few tasked with the supreme knowledge of their bodies. They trust Ka’Akaix’Zed.

Bite this.

Yes, Kzon.

Zed, dear child, left hand. I will hold them down.

Yes, Kzon.

Thank you.

They know upon entering that it will be painful. And it is that knowledge that manages to get them through, even with stained tools and sluggish drills. Sanitary, it is not. Necessary, it is.

Done.

Fine work, Zed. Pass me the vial of spaceacillin.

Yes, Kzon.

Thank you.

… Kzon?

Yes?

Why did you call me “dear”?

Did I? Too much time around humans, their beast diminutives have begun to mar my transmissions. Apologies.

I see. Kzon?

Yes, Zed?

It is okay to use the diminutives.

Fair enough. Send in the next patient.

Yes, dear.

… Zed, you confound me.

The amused chitters could be heard three tents down.

 

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Whether this is canon or not depends on how District 9 is actually set up. I was making things up mostly. But it doesn't seem so far-fetched to have a sort of off-tent for medical care. I imagine it's a very pleasant blue.

[Coalf]

A first story and not a bad one either!

While I'm not a fan of Vaurca I do like how they're potrayed as actual thinking and feeling things instead of drooling retards I meet on station, making me almost not want to slaughter them all.

Almost.

 

 

Otherwise it was a bit uninteresting to be honest, it seems more like a prequel to a longer story than anything, the setup is there but no punchline, no actual payoff no twist ending, just a stammer into nothingness.

Writing style no critique nothing out of the ordinary, I did like the thinking/dialogue text having the same font as Vaurca communicate telepathically.

[Conspiir]

Coalf, fam, you must not have read any iteration of Vaurca lore. Vaurca aren't drooling retards, and have never been. They aren't a horde coming to kill all of humanity. They're just as intelligent as humans. They are workers and warriors. They are bastions of continued work toward something greater. They just have a slave sub-sect that is intentionally lobotomized for the good of the species. You gotta separate your IC feelings from the OOC knowledge, k? If everyone keeps looking at Vaurca like a stain even in OOC, we'll never get anywhere and Vaurca players have to work twice as hard to get any sort of recognition that they exist. ICly, that's fine. OOCly, not so much.

Thanks for the critique. I left it intentionally vague, it's usually how I write. I want people to make their own connections and determine a deeper meaning for themselves. I don't like handing out moral lessons outright.

[Coalf]

Vro, I come off of what I see in game.

If majority of Unathi go Unga I assume they all Unga.

If all Vaurcae go Bunga I assume they all Bunga.

So far I've only met drooling retards and borderline synthetics with a bug skin, so some emotion being shown was an actual suprise.

And I don't mind the meaning, I understand what the story was supposed to convey, I'm saying you've made this what could be considered an amazing setup it feels like a prelude to something, like something is about to happen, the crisis, the part where the heroes journey begins.

I mean I'm not against "Slice of life" literalature, I didn't say I didn't enjoy it, in fact I read it without getting bored and was somewhat interested in what's happening but in the end I was just dissapointed.

[MFalco]

Vro, I come off of what I see in game.

If majority of Unathi go Unga I assume they all Unga.

If all Vaurcae go Bunga I assume they all Bunga.

So far I've only met drooling retards and borderline synthetics with a bug skin, so some emotion being shown was an actual suprise.

 

This is sad to hear, especially from a moderator. It is a bit unfair to just assume that all Vaurca are morons just because of your very few interactions with them (there are barely a handful of them, if any, on the station at a time, which by the way makes no sense lore-wise, and I'm surprised anyone gets to interact with them on a regular basis). Things like this make me not want to play any of my Vaurca characters again, since it's impossible to have any meaningful discussion (IC/OOC), without it devolving to name calling and memes. As it was stated before, the Bound are lobotomized at birth, and therefore have no personality and very limited intelligence, so there is a very small grain of truth to the "drooling retard" comment (even though it's kind of disrespectful). However, when reading this, it sounds like you are saying the people playing them are the idiots. There are very specific IC reasons for them to act that way. As for the Unbound, they are extremely intelligent and are independent. They can be compared to synthetics because in a way, they act like computers. They take their knowledge and experiences and "upload" them to the Hive, which in turn "downloads" them to new Vaurca so they can perform their jobs better. As for showing emotion, they are a very closed off and private race. Think about it: they are being forced to work for races that despise them becuase they are cheap. They are shoved into slums packed with thousands of their kind. I would never expect them to show any positive feelings towards non-Vaurca, especially since they've been alone for thousands of years. Both sides don't know how to interact with each other, so the Vaurcas natural response is to be cold and unfeeling.

As for the story, I see it as a small window into the lives of the Vaurca who had to Descend and live in the District. It shows that they are all just crammed together and are being overworked and abused, hence the never-ending line of patients. It also shows their desperation since Kzon and Zed have to resort to stealing in order to get enough medicine to treat the patients, even going so far as to make a list of people who can trust, even a little bit, when in reality they should be able to trust everyone since they work together. They even treat the Bound, who are really no more than tools and potential building material. This stuff isn't really talked about or expanded on anywhere, and it's nice to see some development on their current lore situation.

[Coalf]

Vro, I come off of what I see in game.

If majority of Unathi go Unga I assume they all Unga.

If all Vaurcae go Bunga I assume they all Bunga.

So far I've only met drooling retards and borderline synthetics with a bug skin, so some emotion being shown was an actual suprise.

 

This is sad to hear, especially from a moderator. It is a bit unfair to just assume that all Vaurca are morons just because of your very few interactions with them (there are barely a handful of them, if any, on the station at a time, which by the way makes no sense lore-wise, and I'm surprised anyone gets to interact with them on a regular basis). Things like this make me not want to play any of my Vaurca characters again, since it's impossible to have any meaningful discussion (IC/OOC), without it devolving to name calling and memes. As it was stated before, the Bound are lobotomized at birth, and therefore have no personality and very limited intelligence, so there is a very small grain of truth to the "drooling retard" comment (even though it's kind of disrespectful). However, when reading this, it sounds like you are saying the people playing them are the idiots. There are very specific IC reasons for them to act that way. As for the Unbound, they are extremely intelligent and are independent. They can be compared to synthetics because in a way, they act like computers. They take their knowledge and experiences and "upload" them to the Hive, which in turn "downloads" them to new Vaurca so they can perform their jobs better. As for showing emotion, they are a very closed off and private race. Think about it: they are being forced to work for races that despise them becuase they are cheap. They are shoved into slums packed with thousands of their kind. I would never expect them to show any positive feelings towards non-Vaurca, especially since they've been alone for thousands of years. Both sides don't know how to interact with each other, so the Vaurcas natural response is to be cold and unfeeling.

Yes I do hate them and after two years of continuous interaction I wouldn't say "A few" more like every, not the point of this thread and i'm not going to continue shitting up the OP's story so I'll just say we cut it here as the story itself is not bad or doesn't handle itself badly, it certainly wasn't boring and as a "slice of life" it offers an interesting and certainly not overplayed perspective.

Perhaps I was judging it unfairly due to most short stories I read having some kind of twist or being more action packed, if that is the case I do apologize.