The Reptilian who Loved Dogs
Meuianga Mera, chief scientific officer of the Reptilian Starfleet, has troubles with her Commanding Officer
— Greetings, Meuianga Mera Te Aì 'Enge'ite, May the Reptilian Federation rule justly and wisely!
— Greetings, Captain Fyeänääkxaw Te Taetxkutx Pxaymeflae'itan. May the Federation rule!
— Meuianga, I have something to show you. Please wait a moment as I set it up on the screen. Here it is…
— Can you explain this to me, Meuianga?
— Ah… Captain. A nice photo!
— A nice photo? Meuianga, isn’t it of one of your cadets?
— Yes, captain. She is cadet Yuimi Te Rìtxekä 'Äpi'ite; one of my best pupils.
— One of your best pupils? She brought an alien lifeform inside our spaceship! What kind of idea was that? It could be dangerous.
— Captain, we do that all the time using our tractor beams…
— Yes, but there is a procedure. You have to have permission from your commanding officer. We don’t know what this creature could do. Maybe it has dangerous parasites. I understand that you are teaching to these cadets how to deal with alien ecosystems, Earth’s ecosystem in particular. But your pupil seems to be exaggerating a little. Don’t you think so?
— Captain, I am sure that our Reptilian immune system can take care of those planetary germs. And don’t you think that the small furry creature is cute?
— Cute? Meuianga? What kind of idea is this?
— Captain, I think I have to explain something to you. You see these furry creatures….
— I know. They are called “dogs.” But they are mammals, not especially intelligent, they. . .
— Captain, it is more complicated than this. We have been studying these “dogs.”
— I guess you think they are important for some reason. But I can’t understand why.
— It is a remarkable case of symbiosis.
— Symbiosis? You mean with the naked apes? Yes, I saw that they are often together, but I thought they were used as food. . .
— No, Captain. Their symbiotic relationship with those humans is complex. Initially, we couldn’t understand it. But these dogs are very special creatures. We hadn’t encountered creatures like them before. Their communication skills are exceptional. They don’t speak, but they understand human language. It is a special case of interspecific mutual language understanding. They have built up a symbiotic relationship with the naked apes, in which they are the dominant symbionts.
— Dominant? What do you mean, Meuianga? Such a small beast can dominate a large ape? Why should that be?
— It is what we are working on, Captain. These little furry creatures completely dominate their human symbionts. They get shelter, food, even medical care from humans. And those humans seem to be very happy to work for their dogs. Can you believe that humans also regard dog excrement as sacred?
— Do they? Is it possible?
— Captain, beam down to any of the cities of the naked apes, and you’ll see how they collect with their hands the poo that dogs leave on the ground.
— Unbelievable!
— Fascinating, captain. Cadet Yuimi found these “dogs” so interesting that she decided to do some experiments on herself. And she created a bond with the little furry creature you see in the image. These two creatures are bonded together: a proud reptilian cadet and a furry mammal. I wouldn’t have believed it had I not seen it. Not just in a picture but with my very eyes. Captain, this is unbelievable, but I felt the effect of the creature myself.
— Mera… you keep surprising me. You have surprised me many times.
— It is the beauty of science, Fyeän; we have known each other for a long time.
— Yes, Mera. It is because I know you so well that I am not reporting this to the Galactic headquarters. I hope you are doing this right because I am afraid that these naked apes can be dangerous. And these furry creatures are an additional element that makes me worried. I was looking at the creature in the picture, and I felt something strange myself.
— Apparently, we Reptilians are not immune to these effects. A good reason to study them.
— All right, Meuianga. Tell cadet Yuimi to be careful with her experiments. Then, I leave it to you to keep things under control. May the Federation rule justly and wisely!
May the Federation rule, Captain Fyeänääkxaw!
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— It is very nice here, Meuianga
— Ah… Yuimi, didn’t we say that you should just call me “Mera” when we are not on duty?
— Sorry, Mera… I forgot. But I wanted to thank you for beaming me all the way to Earth. This place is fantastic. I couldn’t stay any longer inside that cramped spaceship.
— Oh, yes. I was sure you would have appreciated it. The apes called it a “resort,” it is a place where they relax. Even your puppy… where is she now?
— She’s playing with the water down there. She loves the pool.
— I see that you are really attached to it. What did you say her name is?
— Txälpxawafewtx Te Mawkx'eya Äemkew'ite. Do you like it?
— Sure. Sounds perfect for a puppy.
— Well, actually, she answers when you call her Txäl.
— Cute little dog. I feel attached to her, too.
— Do you know that even Captain Fyeänääkxaw patted her on the head and scratched her on the chin? Txäl loved that.
— I am sure that Captain Fyeänääkxaw loved that, too. He looks a little stern, but he understands when we have to circumvent the rules a little.
— Yes, I was wondering what he would say. . . I mean, when he knows that we are here.
— He would understand. But we don’t have to tell him.
— Are you sure, Mera?
— I know him well. I have known him for a long time. He knows that to do our job well, we sometimes need a full immersion.
— You mean in the pool, Mera?
— Ha… Yuimi, you have a good sense of humor. But, of course, I meant full immersion in the culture of these naked apes. I told you that they are fascinating.
— It is what we are doing, right?
— Right, Yuimi, but you need to do more.
— What do you mean?
— Just what I said. Full immersion. Did you bring your mirage suit?
— Yes, of course. You told me to.
— Now it is the moment to use it.
— You mean to look like a human?
— Exactly that. Look at me.
— Ah… Mera, you really look like… I mean…
— Try that. The latest versions of these mirage suits work so well…
— Yes, indeed, they seem to work very well. I feel a little strange.
— You have to. The mirage suit didn’t just change your aspect. Your molecular structure has been affected.
— Strange. Yes. . . And what are we going to do now that we look like human beings?
— Well, we are in a human resort. it is a place where humans are supposed to have fun. We’ll do the same.
— But what exactly…?
— Come with me. The night is coming, and we have all of it. You’ll see things that most reptilians can’t even imagine! And may the Federation rule justly and wisely!
— May the federation rule!