NaNoWriMo Oct. 27th 2025

Antagonists Interviews

Captain Behemoth, a towering being of living stone from the planet Myraj, and captain of the Council peace keeping force sat in his reinforced chair behind his massive desk. He was assigned to interrogate the five beings most responsible for the damages done to the five previously thought primitive or uninhabited worlds. He shuffled some papers as the first being of interest was escorted in. His name was Darkfeir (Dark-fear) a Mammalian Nomad with no home world due to a nuclear war centuries ago. Darkfeir was a nightmare version of a sentient giant squirrel and captain of the Multi-world Pirate Consortium.

Darkfeir sat down in a comfortable chair in front of Behemoth's desk with a cold arrogant expression. "I hope you can make whatever charges the council put against be stick."

Behemoth grunted. "Harvesting planetary resources without a license will stick. So will the use of unauthorized force against a diplomatic emissary. I could go on but we are willing to cut you and your consortium a plea deal if you can name the entity or entities who hired you."

Darkfeir grunted under his breath. "So you are having me choose between life at hard labor and a life of always looking over my shoulder."

Behemoth cracked a grin. "Life is full of such choices."

Darkfeir was silent for a moment then agreed with a nod. "We were approached by the Shadow Collective. They are an organized crime syndicate that normally operates outside of Council space. They discovered that the Insecta honey and Flora fruits extends ones lifespan but only if consumed daily.”

Behemoth nodded. “Go on.”

Darkfeir grunted under his breath. “They tried to take the honey and frit themselves but found that a super organism protects the planet on ground level so they hired us.”

Behemoth took some notes on a data pad. “Why you?”

Darkfeir gave a humorless chuckle. “Simple. We are an overlooked variable; thieves and pirates who normally only steal what they need to survive. We had the technology but who would suspect a rag tag group of space faring nomads?”

Behemoth nodded. “What does the Shadow collective and the Pirate Consortium get out of this arrangement?”

Darkfeir sighed. “The Shadow Collective sells the honey and fruit at slowly increased prices. For political or business 'favors' they reduce the price for those in the position to give them leverage."

Behemoth grunted. "And the Pirate Consortium?"

Darkfeir frowned. "We get a piece of the profits but we also get burned if caught as the Shadow Collective would deny any involvement.”

Behemoth nodded. "Plausible Deniability; how naive. Thank you for your statement. You are free to go."

Darkfeir was surprised but he did not waste the opportunity to flee the station.

Unknown to Darkfeir, Behemoth had used to interview to gain all the answers he needed with a subtle telepathic link. Behemoth was smiling at this when the next being of interest entered the room. She was an Ursine named Grizzly. She was a sentient bear like being from the world Apex and the CEO of Spice Industries.

Grizzly sat in the guest chair. “My company has not broken any interplanetary treaties in our mining or extraction of the spice and crystals from planet Silicon Prime.”

Behemoth shook his head. “That was under the assumption the planet was uninhabited and controlled by a sentient race of crystalline based beings.”

Grizzly winced but argued, “We had petitioned for and received all the proper permits.”

Behemoth nodded. “That you did. However, failed to report the indigenous lifeforms who attempted communication. Attempts your company continuously ignored.”

Grizzly sighed, looking frustrated. “We lost billions of credits in equipment each time a platform was damaged or destroyed by the giant worms.”

Behemoth grinned. “You also stole billions of credits in spice and crystals from the Rockers so I’d say that makes your company and the good people of Silicon prime even.”

Grizzly grunted under her breath. “What does the council want from us?”

Behemoth leaned forward. “I suggest your company makes haste to start diplomatic talks with the Rockers before another world government beats you to it.”

Grizzly turned pale before Behemoth added, “You are free to go.”

Grizzly was quick to leave the room to follow Behemoth’s advice while the third being of interest entered the room. Her name was Vulgaris of the planet Void. She was the CEO of obsolete Management. She slowly sat in the guest chair with an air of confidence.

Vulgaris placed a data pad onto Behemoth's desk. "We were commissioned to dump all obsolete tech and ships onto planet Primalla. We assumed the council had already done its research.

Behemoth shook his head. "Actually, no one in the Galactic Council or your company did any research what so ever."

Vulgaris stiffened. "So the beings of Primalla gain all the profits for their ill gotten tech and ships?"

Behemoth raised an eyebrow. "Ill gotten? Every piece of scrap and every ship was tossed onto these beings' front lawn and you believe your company is entitled to profits once they found a way to make the discarded tech and ships better then the current top of the line?"

Vulgaris fell silent for a moment. "They were not discarded. they were..."

Behemoth raised his hand. "It would be wise for you to save your arguments for the Galactic Tribunal. Fortunately, the beings of Primalla gained considerable wealth from their innovations so they are not seeing restitution. I do, however, suggest you testify so that you do not become the scapegoat in this scandal. You are free to go."

Vulgaris sighed and left the room just as the next being of interest walked in. He was a Gelatinous named Greeb from the planet Gelatin. He was also the CEO of Interplanetary Tourism. Greeb’s form filled a bipedal exosuit which allowed him to walk and sit in the guest chair.

Greeb burbled with his translator turning his words into galactic standard. “My company has done nothing to disrupt the day to day operations of the indigenous lifeforms of Second Earth.”

Behemoth raised an eyebrow. “Oh? Did your company think to gain permission from the planet’s government? Did your company think to share the profits of your tourism?”

Greeb paused. “We followed standard Galactic protocols. We have permits, safety protocols, insurance, travel arrangements…”

Behemoth pulled a single data sheet from a pile. “All under the assumption you made first contact with the government of Second Earth, engaged in documented diplomatic talks and gained written permission from the government to establish your tourism trade. All of which your company failed to do.”

Greeb shifted uncomfortably in the chair. “There is room for negotiation…”

Behemoth raised a hand, silencing Greeb before he could finish. “The council has revoked all licenses and travel permits until your company pays restitution to the planet of Second Earth and pay fines and penalties for deceiving the Galactic Council.”

Greeb gurgled what passed for a gasp among his species. “And then…?”

Behemoth sighed. “And then you will be free to follow proper protocols to reestablish your tourism trade on that planet. However, after your companies mismanagement the first time, I doubt you will get far.”

Greeb grumbled under his breath. “Very well.”

Behemoth smiled. “I am pleased you see reason, Greeb. You are free to go.”

Greeb left the room, clearly agitated but Behemoth ignored it. It will take the Interplanetary Tourism Company decades to recover, if at all. The final being of interest entered a moment later. She was an Arachnid; a sentient spider named Moxwa from the planet Webb. She was the head of Galactic Council resources management.

Moxwa sat in the guest chair in confidence. “I was ordered by the council to obtain resources from the super planet of Goliath.”

Behemoth shook his head. “No, you were ordered to determine if the planet of Goliath was indeed uninhabited. You failed to file your report but you are not fully to blame as the council gave you the green light anyway.”

Moxwa hissed a sigh. “Our instruments were never designed to detect one inch tall sentient life.”

Behemoth again shook his head. “No, they were not which is why you will not be prosecuted. However, you will be asked to testify as there are members of the Council who will attempt to shift the blame. We will also need the companies who extracted the resources to testify as well.”

Moxwa nodded. “I can speak with them.”

Behemoth nodded. “See to it that you do. You are free to go.”

Moxwa left the room and Behemoth prepared himself to make his report.