Tails of the Apocalypse (32 page)

Others were trained as Kidapawan, who roamed far afield in search of new areas suitable for offshoot colonies to expand the territories of the two species. The night-flying Bats of the Kidapawan were responsible for aerial scouting, while the day-flying Budgies performed ground observations and identified food and water sources. Once these scouts discovered an area suitable for both species, Transplants—small groups of Bats and Budgies—would leave each of the main colonies and begin the settlement process.

On the seventh such mission, Humans were seen for the first time in as many generational cycles.

As the afternoon waned, the setting sun shone like brilliant diamonds on the ocean. Vic, the Youngling Budgie council member, and Via, his sister, made a final sweep of the island they’d been exploring for much of the day. The previous evening, smoke had been seen near the center of the small island; but closer inspection by the Bats patrolling couldn’t confirm it, so a daytime patrol was dispatched to investigate further. A small, nearby cave system held promise as a new colony home, and the presence of smoke so close to it was worrisome.

“I still don’t see anything,” carped Via. “We should head back. I’m getting hungry.”

“All right. Quit complaining. Let’s do one more low sweep over that clearing, then we’ll rest for a bit before heading home,” Vic replied. “There are some ripe mangoes down there we can snack on.”

“I guess that works,” Via said reluctantly.

The pair began their descent, sweeping in tight circles around the open area populated by coco palms and papaya and banana trees. Vic led them down, with Via riding close on his tail feathers. As they made their final circle aiming for the grove of mangoes, Via squawked a warning before shooting straight up and away from her brother. Taken by surprise, Vic nevertheless followed suit, quickly catching up to her as she settled, fluttering her wings, at the top of a coconut tree.

“What’s your problem?” he yelled, landing beside her.

“There are Humans there! Didn’t you see them? There are three big ones and two little ones.”

Vic hadn’t seen anything, but he was loath to admit it to her. “Of course I saw them. I wanted to get a closer look, before you scared the crap out of me. We should find out if there are more of them. This place would be a perfect offshoot site, so long as it isn’t too overrun with Humans.”

“I don’t want to live
anywhere
near Humans,” Via snapped. “They stink and make too much awful noise.”

It was something Vic had heard before. He and Via had been adopted by very different Humans. Via’s owners had kept her cage-bound, never letting her out to fly or stretch her wings. She’d lived her entire life indoors before the Collapse and now, with the freedom of a clear-blue sky to fly in, considered her life under the rule of Humans as near-imprisonment—the din they’d made, the constant, oppressive odors they’d created. Looking back on that time, Via found her memories of cooking chicken and a blaring Tee-Vee particularly offensive. It was only by chance that one of her owners had opened her cage to feed her when he was struck down by the Collapse Plague. His death had been her harbinger of freedom.

Vic simply couldn’t understand Via’s attitude, mainly because his Humans hadn’t been so bad. He’d been allowed free flight inside their home and could come and go from his cage as he wished. Because he’d been treated relatively well by them, he held a higher opinion of Humans than most Budgies. Deep down, if he were honest with himself, Vic missed his Humans. He missed their attention and their providing food and water for him. But if he were ever to acknowledge that, he’d likely lose his seat on the council. His was a minority opinion.

“They’re not all so bad, you know,” he said. “You just got unlucky with yours. I don’t want to live with Humans again either, but it might not be a bad thing to have some around. They build things that we can use as shelter, you know. So we don’t have to live in the trees.”

“But we’re
meant
to live in the trees, you dolt. We’re
birds
. Being caged isn’t natural. Just ask any of the Elders. I bet Hettie would spew seeds at you if you repeated to her what you just said to me. Even Max—”

“Okay, okay. Point taken. Stop breaking my beak. Look, I want to go take a closer look while we still have the light. If I can see how many Humans are down there, then we can assess how big a risk transplanting to that area would be.”

“Fine, but I’m staying here.”

“Scaredy bird!” Vic shouted. He quickly took wing before Via could retaliate.

His flyby confirmed what Via had seen. Five Humans—an adult male, two females, and two children. They were using the cave as shelter and had cleared the area in front of it for a fire pit. Vic couldn’t tell if they’d begun constructing a more permanent shelter, but he didn’t think so. Now the night fliers would need to confirm what he and his sister found and determine, if possible, if the Humans were establishing a permanent presence in the area. It was possible the Humans were only passing through, but Vic doubted it. The island was a good ways away from the mainland, and no boats had been spotted on the shores. That suggested an intent to stay.

As he motioned for Via to follow and they headed back to the colony, Vic wished they’d never flown this way. He had a bad feeling about what was going to happen when they reported back to the council that Humans were nearby.

As word of the Humans’ discovery swept through both colonies, reactions were mixed. Many Bats and Budgies alike held the opinion that the Humans should be left alone to either destroy themselves or thrive, as nature determined. Others were more vocal in their protests, demanding something be done about them to ensure the safety of the colonies.

Budgie Elders Max and Hettie were discussing the issue when Bongse and Magsay, the Bat Elders on the council, joined them.

“We should just leave them be and observe only,” Max was saying. “As it is, they’re in no position to harm us, nor would they be likely to even if they were capable of doing so.”

“While I agree with you for the most part,” Hettie nodded, “I do think it would be in our best interests to be prepared, just in case they attempt to relocate to Davao.”

Bongse spoke up then. “Hettie is correct. We
must
be prepared for the eventuality that the Humans will migrate back to the mainland and threaten us. We
must
take steps to prevent them destroying what we’ve built and will build in the future. They’ve had their time to shine, to rule this planet. They squandered that chance and destroyed themselves in the process. And how many other species as well? No, we cannot allow them the opportunity to do again as they did before … and, perhaps, destroy more than themselves this time.”

Magsay flexed her wings in agreement. “I agree, Bongse, but what can we do? We don’t have the capability to defend ourselves or our colonies like you suggest. We rule the trees and the air. This is something best left to those who rule on the ground—the Dogs and Cats and Rats.”

“While that may be true, we cannot rely on the others to fight our battles for us. And I will not turn over our fate to those who might make peace with the Humans. I don’t trust Humans to honor any such peace treaties,” Bongse replied.

“Then what would you have us do, Bongse?” asked Max. “Attack and destroy them before they can destroy us? How many of us would
you
kill with that course? You’re suggesting the same kind of rash action that resulted in the Humans destroying themselves. Are we to become like they are now out of some misguided attempt to avoid extinction at their hands? Now, wouldn’t that be ironic! What’s your opinion, Hettie? You’re unusually quiet.”

Hettie appeared hesitant to speak. Finally, with a deep breath, she began. “Max, I have given Bongse’s suggestion a great deal of thought, and I must concur with his assessment. We must take action now to defend ourselves, while we have the advantage. Magsay is too meek to admit this, but I can see it in her eyes—she feels as I do … as we all should. The Humans may be harmless now, but they will not be so in the future. History shows us the course of the future. They’ll multiply and spread as they did before. They’ll consume everything they touch.” Hettie swallowed hard. Very quietly, she said, “They mustn’t be allowed to live.”

As Hettie spoke, a grim coldness settled into Bongse’s eyes, but Max looked shocked by what his fellow Budgie was suggesting. Magsay seemed sad but didn’t argue with Hettie.

“We must see how the others in the colonies feel about this,” Max sputtered. “We cannot make a decision this momentous without the input of all who will be affected.”

“Very well,” Hettie stated. “A meeting of the colonies has been called for, and we will hear arguments both for and against action regarding the Human camp. Whatever action—or inaction—is deemed necessary will be decided tomorrow by all of us … together.”

“This is so unreal, Kal. I can’t believe this is happening.”

Shaking her wings and chirping quietly, Tal—sister to Kal, the Bat pup on the council—was beside herself. The pair had been eavesdropping on the Elders’ conversation, though Kal could have joined it as a council member. Instead, he’d chosen to remain hidden in the shadows. “We have to go and talk to the others! We have to get a handle on this before a huge mistake is made.”

Kal sighed, drawing his sister away as the Elders went their separate ways. “We have until tomorrow, although I don’t know what good we can do in just a few hours.”

“We must try to convince the others that the Humans don’t deserve whatever it is Bongse and Hettie have planned for them. I’m afraid of what will become of all of us if we don’t use restraint now, when we have the opportunity to show mercy.”

“Let’s find Vic and Via and see where the other young Budgies stand,” Kal suggested.

Tal nodded her head with nervous energy. “If they don’t stand on the side of reason, we’re all doomed,” she said. “Surely they’ll listen.”

“I wish I could maintain your sense of optimism, Sister. But I don’t think it’s going to be that easy.”

When they found Vic and Via, the two Budgies were heavily debating the Human question. Judging by the amount of tension in the air, they were clearly on opposite sides of the issue.

“It’s just as Elder Bongse says, Vic. The Humans must not be allowed to survive and thrive. It cannot happen, or we’ll all suffer the consequences.”

“Your opinion is colored by your past experience with Humans, not by rational thought,” her brother answered. He was clearly becoming agitated. “As a whole, we outnumber these Humans by millions to one. They cannot now, or ever again, pose a threat to our survival. It’s insane to think otherwise.”

“And I suppose your opinion isn’t influenced by
your
experience with the Humans you lived with?” retorted Via, her wings flapping anxiously. “And you call
me
biased! You’re a hypocrite, Vic!”

Her brother leaned back, scratching at her underbelly with a claw, and soon both birds were striking each other with claw and wing as only siblings can, screeching and flinging curses at one another.

“See, Tal, I told you it wasn’t going to be that easy,” Kal said dryly as they approached. Both Bats were careful to give the feuding pair a wide berth.

“Guys! Cut it out!” implored Tal. “We have to talk about this rationally!”

After a few moments of continued pleading by Tal, the Budgies reluctantly separated and set about preening themselves to put their feathers back in order and calm the ire coursing through them. In a short time, they were even preening each other carefully, almost lovingly. Their anger had burned brightly, but also passed quickly.

“Look, I can understand both sides of the argument,” continued Tal, “as I think most can. But don’t you think we should err on the side of caution rather than resort to brutality among ourselves or against the Humans?” Tal said. “Haven’t we always damned them for choosing that very course?”

“I guess, when you put it that way,” Via grudgingly admitted. “The last thing I want to be is like a Human.”

“We’ve spoken with many of the other Budgies and they’re as torn as we are,” Vic explained. “It’s going to come down to how the Elders speak about the matter, I think. Their opinion will likely sway the younger birds. One way or the other.”

“This is not good news,” Kal replied. “If what you say is true, we might just be going to war.”

The next day, both colonies met and arguments commenced. Many on both sides were neutral and couldn’t care less what was decided. That is, until Bongse spoke. His words chilled all but the world-weariest of Budgies and Bats present.

“Humans rose to power by eating one another, by trampling on those species they considered lesser and then consuming them too. As the Human population grew, so did their greed, their lust for power and domination—not only over the weakest of their own species, but over all they could conquer. They treated their home, our Earth, with such disdain that it rose up and consumed them. A just fate, that.

“I feel no sorrow or pity for these creatures. I feel nothing at all for them, just as they felt nothing at all for the lives they extinguished. I would not see them come to power again. We must end them now, here, while we have a chance. Not only must we exterminate those five so close to discovering our colonies, but we must seek out survivors elsewhere and destroy them as well. Humans must never again be allowed to have the power of life and death over other creatures.

“We must, as one force of Budgies and Bats, rise up and strike down the enemy. Go forth and retrieve any weapon you can fit in your talons and claws. We—with our millions of wings strong—will rain down a final fate upon these creatures who would become masters again over a world where no masters are or ever were needed. Nature is and should be our only master, and nature demands this final sacrifice of life to guarantee the survival of all.”

The chamber erupted as Bats and Budgies argued fiercely with angry words sharp as talons. But soon the naysayers were shouted down by Bongse’s supporters, who’d been whipped into a frenzy of fear by his ominous warning. Some seemed ready to take flight at that very moment.