Chapter Text
It was odd, really. It didn't want to kill me, it was more, curious than that?
I think that was the first time it had ever seen one of us, our species. Which is fair enough, I mean, a lot of people don't recognise us yet, since the warp point only got up and running recently.
Heh, I guess I'm actually the first victim of space piracy for my whole civilisation, wonder if I'll go down in the history books for that.
Fine, just one of the first victims, yeah. Still, I feel like that's pretty big, right? Maybe I could write a book--
Right, sorry, so, I'd never seen a loqam before, either. I mean, there was a video about space dangers that covered them I think, but it didn't go into much detail. So, uh, we had a sort of, staring contest when they entered my room.
I don't know what else you would call it. We just stared at each other for a bit. I knew the ship was being raided, obviously, and I could put two and two together, so I was, honestly pretty terrified it was going to kill me, and...
Well, I kind of, acted on impulse, and just introduced myself? Name, species, profession and everything, all polite and friendly. I mean I’d been so used to introducing myself it was just sort of an automatic response, you know?
I don't think it expected that. It made a sound like a dog barking, I thought at the time. Scared the shit out of me. But now, I think it was just, laughing.
It closed the door, and then started talking. And it just asked me, weird questions. Or well, I’d been asked the same thing from other people, but it was so bizarre to hear them from this thing.
It asked me how I was finding space.
I’m serious, that’s what it said. Just, “what do you think of it all so far,” that kind of thing.
I don’t recall exactly what I answered with, I don’t think it was much. Just stumbling over words, you know, because I was still terrified.
But then, it said something else. Give me a moment, uh… “Your name is hard to pronounce. People won’t like saying it. So you won’t get much social support. So most of you will be enslaved or killed. You should change your name.” That’s what it said.
Yep.
I know. It’s insane. That’s why it stuck in my mind.
I mean, heh, it’s ridiculous, right? Atd’nisjiv’k isn’t even that hard to pronounce, right?
…
Well, uh. The crew were fighting them off by that time. It got some alert, I think, that meant it had to go help or run away or something.
There was just one more thing it said, um… “Nice to have new meat.”
Yeah.
…Well, after a bit the crew came around to check in on us, so, you know what happened from there.
Can I go now?
--Interview with an atd’nisjiv’k passenger aboard a transport ship, following an attack by loqam pirates.