They sought out a serial killer. This killer sought CEO's and their supporters. Leaving a trail of slit throats and feathers shoved down their trachias.
The killer, was a level 3 deathworlder, who had no regrets over the killings, and said quite bluntly, crossing their scaly, feathery, arms, that they don't intend to stop. -- Anon Guest
There was a serial killer operating in Greater Deregulation Middling North-Northeast. The CEO's within it were dying with alarming regularity. The media did what it could to disguise the terror, but there was always one network that glorifies blood, horror, and assorted fears.
Loss of leadership was their catnip. And that was how the word got out.
Normally, the loss of Deregger CEO's is something that doesn't inspire much sorrow. Unfortunately for intergalactic political relationships, the Dereggers were blaming the CRC and rattling their significant sabres towards less protected colonies in their immediate area.
Thus, Investigator Jael was allowed free travel on his way through the allied planets of the Deregger polity. Including a permit to have answers to all his questions, so long as they pertained to his quest.
It didn't take long to find the killer's signature to their murder. A single feather shoved down the corpse's throats. It wasn't a Havenworlder feather. And it wasn't a feather from any of the widely-known avians, saurians, nor avi-saurian sorts. Jael put the DNA on a longer, deeper search while he worked out the pattern.
The killer was methodically working their way through industry leaders, from most influential to least. There was a priority based on proximity to the travel nexii, followed by proximity to the last kill. Until the leaders on that world were young, inexperienced, and willing to try something different to the previous status quo.
Then they would move on to the next un-ravaged world in the polity. Proximity being the most important factor.
After that, it was relatively simple to intercept the pattern and -theoretically- the killer.
Jael added himself to the CEO's security forces and sat up with the slumbering executive. After all, the killer always struck at night. He didn't factor in one thing - that the killer of Humans was not Human.
He put his reading down when the bedroom door swung slowly open. Almost missed the figure that entered.
They looked like a saurian Havenworlder. They almost looked like a non-cogniscent or cusp-cogniscent creature. It was the brain case that was always a dead give-away.
They hid it with fluffed-up plumage during the day. Now that it was night and most people were asleep... they let that relax. Further, Jael could see the calculating look in their yellow eyes.
"You want to save this one?" said the naked saurian, who resembled ancient Hollywood's idea of a Velociraptor... only with feathers.
"I've come to stop destruction," whispered Jael. "If I don't, people like him are going to start attacking Havenworlder colonies near their territory. Then the Alliance will be forced to act... and many innocents here will also die."
Feathers ruffled. Claws flexed. The being relaxed. "People like them don't just kill Havenworlders. People like that agreed that people like me were in their way. I had a very simple plan before you came along. Get in as an exotic pet delivery... sneak into their sanctuary... and then... Wake them up."
"Is that it?" said Jael.
"Oh, that's just step one. I would sit on their chest and say, 'Hello. My name is Indigo Montana. You killed my clan. Prepare to die.' They get ten seconds. And then I cut their throat, and put my mark where they killed the best. With the soul of their words."
"Stopping their throats with your own feathers? I'm impressed."
"Better. Stopping their throats with my clan's feathers. Those I was able to get before they trapped me for their entertainment."
Homeless. An orphan. Possibly even an Endling. "The CRC will investigate on your behalf. Prosecute the guilty accordingly. All you need do is take my hand... and walk away."
"This one was there," pleaded the killer. "This one pleaded with their own alpha to have me and my sibs as pets."
Jael didn't ask what happened to the siblings. Neglected. Taxidermied. Exhibited. Turned into works of art or exploited for their effluvia. And worse crimes than that. "All right." he said. He woke up the CEO.
"Architraedies Maltoranus, you have been weighed and found wanting by the forces of Pax Humanis. For your crimes against cogniscent life, a murderer has been assigned to your case. Meet your fate in dignity, and may your chosen deity or deities have mercy on your soul."
Indigo flitted up to the bed. Stalked to prime position on Maltoranus' chest. "Hello. My name is Indigo Montana. You killed my clan. Prepare to die."
Jael would tell the CRC that he was one minute too late to stop the slaughter.
They would understand.
[Photo by MD SHAHADAT RAFI on Unsplash]
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