Earthies Are Intelligent Creatures

By Timothy

Prologue: Mankind running blindly to stay the course in absolute stupidity and unthinking lusts brought upon itself its own destruction. A destruction carried and powered by its inhumanity to its humanity.

EARTHIES: ARE FUN SOCIABLE ANIMALS THAT BOND. This was the heading for an advertisement for the prevention of cruelty to Earthies. After the near destruction of the human population in 2007, a pioneering colony from the planet Desloup came and began forming their own society. The humans that were left were rounded up by the colossal aliens. A small amount of Earthies became pets. Many were gutted for their smooth skin. It became very fashionable for Desloupians to wear the smooth skin of Earthies around their furry wrists. Breeding farms were formed to provide this fashionable attire.

Fourteen year old Kalcan had a cousin whose father ran such a breeding and slaughter farm. Kalcan enjoyed his visits to the farm. He would always go and feed the Earthies. His huge furry tail would swing back and forth with joy. He felt bad seeing them penned up as they were. He found they were very inventive. Building beds and make shift rooms. Kalcan began questioning the right in slaughtering these tiny creatures. Others had began to voice objections in what they call inDesloupian treatment.

It always sadden Kalcan that Earthies he had grown to love would the next time he came to visit, had been taken away to be slaughtered. Going down the street he would see female Deslopians with their Wrists Skins. Kalcan wondered if that could have been from an Earthie he had known and feed.

At his educational unit, his uncle had donated several Earthies to be kept by the students. Sometimes the students would tease the Earthies or try to scare them. One Earthie escaped and the kids mainly the boys stamped their huge feet down in front of the frightened creature. One boy misjudged the distance and crushed the Earthie. Taking a hand wipe, he removed the tattered remains from the bottom of his sandal.

One weekend, instead of going down to his uncle’s Earthie Breeding Farm, Kalcan went with his other uncle who was an historian. They went to an area called the wasteland. A group of students from the college were working an Earthie settlement. Going over to one student, Kalcan asked, "What kind of place do you think this might have been?"

The student replied, "A form of commerce perhaps. We found too, a transportation network." Among many artifacts near the student was that appeared to Kalcan at fist a toy. In reality, it was an Earthie trolley car. As the arid wind blew through his long pointed gray and black furry ears, Kalcan said thoughtfully, "Whatever happened, they were an intelligent race. Its wrong what we have been doing."

"Yes, tell us about it," responded an older student placing his paw on Kalcan‘s shoulder.

Looking back down at the trolley car, Kalcan asked, "Can I pick that up?"

"If your very careful." Gingerly, Kalcan placed his long fingers around the rusting metal object. Through the broken, dirty windows, he could make out skeletal remains of Earthies. Several appeared to be that of youngers.

Part Two

Kalcan put down the tiny tableau of sadness. On his knees, he sieved through other Earthie artifacts. He was fascinated by the tiny articles that had once been touched by living Earthies. He could even pick up a stray scent here and there. "I think we have a budding archeologist," commented the college student to Kalcan’s uncle.

"Glad to hear it," replied the uncle looking fondly at his nephew.

For the rest of the weekend, Kalcan helped the students in the digging and preparation of the artifacts to be preserved. Kalcan too, walked around the fallen structures that once stood so high and true. Around the cracked roadways that nature was once more reclaiming, Kalcan saw the clothed remains of a group of Earthies. By the position of their bodies, they must have been struck down in flight. Standing on the rubble of one toppled building, Kalcan tried to envision what the last moments must have been like. And what led up to this?

Back at school, Kalcan became even more interested in the Earthies. He watched the tiny critters in the glass aquarium. With permission from his teacher, Kalcan would gather them up in his paw and pet them. He also tried teaching them a few words. Kalcan was delighted in how fast they had picked up on his language. One Earthie he was fond of, was a female with long brown hair. It appeared to be a younger. Not real young, maybe one close to his age.

In time, they became familiar with him. Any time kalcan came into the classroom, they would line up at the end of the aquarium. Kalcan loved to entertain the tiny Earthies with his tail. They appeared amused by it. He even let them hang on to the thick hairs as he gently caused it to sway. Once, as he held the little brown haired Earthie in his paw, the girl didn’t want to be placed back in the cage. Compassionately, he spoke a few words to her, promising he would be back. Kalcan was hoping maybe his parents could arrange for him to keep the tiny female Earthie.

At home, Kalcan pondered on the Earthies. His stomach would tighten up in knots And his blood run cold when he thought about how the Earthies were being exploited for commercial gain. "They had a language; sciences. Few of their primitive spacecraft had been found on the neighboring satellite. Its simply not right." His thoughts became happier when he thought about the brown haired Earthie. "I’ll set up a nice place for her in my room. In time maybe we can really talk with each other."

The next day, Kalcan had a shock. The aquarium was empty. "The Earthies! What has happened to the Earthies!?" Kalcan’s huge fluffy tail thrashed back and forth madly.

One of Kalcan‘s peers told him, "You uncle came and took them."

"Yeah, we know what that means," said another student who sent his finger across his hairy neck.

As class began, Kalcan tried to fight off the tears that were building in his eyes. Not able to take the mounting grief any longer, Kalcan stood up and ran out of class. "Kalcan! Where are you going?" shouted the teacher.

Running down the corridor, Kalcan replied; his words echoing, "To my uncle’s farm. I have a friend to save."

Part Three

Kalcan after leaving the school, headed for a transport depot. As Kalcan ran for the transport that would take him to his uncle’s farm, he could imagine the horror of the Earthies in their last hour. Swarms of these tiny frail creatures running from the disaster that overwhelmed them. Tears ran down Kalcan’s face, enough hardship had been wrought on these tiny frail creatures and children of the creator. He was going to at least save his tiny female Earthie.

As the transport flew silently through the air, Kalcan tried to gain composure. He thought, "Why me?"

After stepping off the transport, Kalcan ran as fast as he could. Entering the farm, he sniffed around for his Earthie. He went from cage to cage sniffing for her. The cages noticed Kalcan seemed to be unusually sparse of Earthies. Spotting an assistant, Kalcan ran up to him. Grabbing the lapels to his vest, "The Earthies from the school; where are they?"

"Oh, they were taken right to the skinning room. A rather large order had come in. And release me." Letting go, Kalcan looked around trying to figure what to do. He spotted a door, one he had never been through. Kalcan bolted for it. "Hey! You can’t go in there." Kalcan turned; snarled, and gritted his huge long fangs at the assistant.

Kalcan went through the door.

Attacked to long plastic tubing where rows of Earthies hanging upside down. They were being skinned electronically. Kalcan’s eyes widen in horror. He felt faint. Slowly, he tried to sniff the air for his Earthie. Not far from him, Kalcan picked up the scent. The Earthie female he found to his sorrowing heart, was just about skinned. Kalcan gave out a loud, mournful howl. "Kalcan, you shouldn’t be in here," spoke his uncle.

Being shoved through the door, Kalcan told his uncle while trying not to burst out into tears, "Its wrong what you are doing. They’re rational creatures. I have seen remnants of an Earthie city. I have made contact with the ones at school."

"Kalcan your young." Distracted, his uncle turned to his assistant who was holding a net, "What’s wrong?"

"Several Earthies have escaped." Kalcan’s uncle went to grab another net. Feeling weak, Kalcan moved up against a wall and slide down onto the floor. Feeling something, running over his long toes, Kalcan gazed downwards. Heading towards the shadows, he glimpsed an Earthie. Quickly looking up, Kalcan observed his Uncle at the other end of the room with the asistant. Reaching over, Kalcan snatched up the Earthie in his paw. He quickly shoved it down the pocket to his shorts.

Slowly getting up, Kalcan began to leave the room. "Wait, I want to talk to you," shouted his uncle.

"We have nothing to say. I hate you! You’re a monster!" and Kalcan ran out of the building.

Stopping a ways, Kalcan pulled out the squirming Earthie from his pocket. The poor creature was wiggling in fright. "Its ok Earthie I won’t hurt you." The creature lifted out his arms as if in supplication.. Gently, Kalcan lowered the arms of the male Earthie with a finger. Kalcan hoping to quell the creatures fears, spoke a few Earthie words he had learned. The tiny Earthie in his palm, slowly stopped shaking.

Part Four

Kalcan was pleased to see the Earthie was settling down. The Earthie slowly stood up in the great gray palm of Kalcan’s. He walked over to the edge and began pointing toward the farm. "I don’t know what you are saying but I have a guess." Kalcan spoke a few more Earthie words to the tiny creature, "Sorry, can’t help the others right now." The Earthie lowered his head and sat back down. Speaking to himself Kalcan said, "I will see what I can do to put an end to this slaughter."

Putting the Earthie back in his pocket, Kalcan went to take a transport back home. "I suppose I’m going to get it when I get home. At least the tiny Earthie is safe." Kalcan looking out the port window thought about the female Earthie he had grown fond of and her gruesome death. He leaned his head against the window trying to suppress the sorrow and rage he felt building up inside of him again.

Entering his dwelling, Kalcan peeked around doors to see if anyone was around and if he could get to his bedroom unseen. Heading toward the stairs, he heard, "Just one moment you pup," spoke the voice of his father. Kalcan turned around to the angry faces of his father and mother.

"Your Uncle Tete Epaisse called and told us what happened. And how you said you hated him."

Kalcan twitched his whiskers and replied, "I do hate him! I don’t consider him part of my pack."

"Cher beau ame. What makes you hate him so?" asked the mother.

"He killed an Earthie I loved. And what he is doing to the others its not right. I saw what he does. And I’ll never forget it. Never."

"Yes son, I do know there is a movement to save the Earthies," spoke the father. His father suddenly became aware of moment in his son’s pocket. "You have one don’t you?"

"Yes."

"You took it from your uncle‘s farm?" .

"He had escaped with several others. I wasn’t going let him end up like the others." Reaching into his pocket, Kalcan brought out the Earthie. His mother and father drew close around their son’s hand and the tiny creature that looked up rather apprehensively at them.

I have seen photos of Earthies. Never a live one. They are so tiny and delicate looking," replied the mother rather sympathetically. .

"Yes. It is kind of cute. However Kalcan, they did nearly destroy themselves," replied the father.

"Does that mean they should be abused?" Gazing down at the Earthie in his hand who smiled any time he spoke, "I think he’s around my age. And in the Desloupian tradition, I declare him, ‘Mi cuidado de la vida.’

"Son," said the father with surprise in his voice. "You know what you are saying?"

"I do dad."

Part Five

Kalcan took his Earthie upstairs. Placing him on his bed mat, Kalcan stretched out. "You are quite safe now. I made you my Carga del la vida. No one can touch you." The very tiny Earthie bent its head back and looked up over the fifteen foot long black and brown haired snout. Two light green eyes looked benignly down at him. The Earthie standing up on his toes, ran his hands over the ends of several whiskers. "Hey, that tickles," said Kalcan giggling.

"Protect me?" spoke the frail Earthie.

Kalcan’s eyes grew wide, "You can speak. Ah, I mean, in my language. Boss" Kalcan’s huge twenty foot long pink tongue, slapped the sides of his mouth in excitement to this small development. "And, yes. I will protect you." Kalcan ran a gentle nail from his paw down the side of his Earthie. Placing his head down on his paws, Kalcan looked down with affection and wonder at the Earthie.

At dinner time, Kalcan placed his Earthie down next to his plate. "I don’t know if its very sanitary to have an Earthie on the dinner table dear," spoke the mother.
"Its ok mom, we washed before coming down. Oh, I did I tell you he knows a few words in our language."

The father responded, "Really?"

"Yes. I’m hoping to teach him more. Research showed they had a complex language. In fact, it is reported there were many languages spoken by these Earthies before their destruction."

"Kalcan?" asked the father. "What do you hope to get out of all this?"

"Just the end to the slaughter of these creatures. Maybe, a place could be set up for them to begin again."

"Pretty lofty thoughts son."

Looking at both his parents, Kalcan asked. "Do you think I’m wrong? I mean based on what we are taught about life. And what Earthiepologists have revealed."

"I have always felt the skinning of Earthies was unnecessary. And indesloupian," replied the father. The mother also agreed.

"Aaah look," commented the mother. "Your pet is handing you a piece of his food."

"Could be a custom of Earthies?" Questioned the father.

Kalcan took the piece of food and ate it. He next took a tiny piece of his food and gave it to the Earthie. The tiny face glowed with joy as his tiny hands took the piece of food..

After dinner, Kalcan went back upstairs to his room. "I’m going to give you a name. From now on you will be called Gehilfe." Pointing at the Earthie, "You Gehilfe." Pointing to himself, "Kalcan."

The Earthie pointing to himself, "Gehilfe." And gazing up at the giant youth, "Kalcan."

Slapping his two paws together, Kalcan howled in joy. "Oh, loup, this is so boss." Gehilfe knelt down at Kalcan’s right paw threw his tiny arms up on the side and started making high pitch crying sounds. Kalcan’s bushy long whiskered eyebrows danced in a questioning manner. "You are not happy Gehifle. I wish I knew."

In broken Desloupian, Gehifle spoke, "No family had I attached. Kalcan you my pack…love."

Kalcan was realizing the enormity of his Carga de la vida. "Yes, you are a member of my pack Gehilfe. I will give you the love of a pack."

At bedtime, curled up in a ball on his mat, Kalcan had Gehilfe wrapped warmly into the fur of his arms. Gehilfe in the warmth of Kalcan’s love and in the warmth of his fur, for the first time in his life fell to a peaceful sleep.

Within days, news spread through Kalcan’s pack and neighbors of the Earthie he had and how he made it his: Carga de la vida. Kalcan’s uncle Tete Epaisse, started getting communications from Earthie Rights Activists, demanding he shut down his farm. He too received angry messages from clothing retailers who complained about late shipments of Earthie skin.

One day at school, during physical fitness break, Kalcan was sitting on the ground with several of his pals and curious peers showing them Gehilfe. Kalcan’s peers marveled at the words Gehilfe could speak. "I have been using an old pup language manual of mine, teaching Gehilfe basic words and sentence structures of our language."

"Kalcan!" shouted an angry voice. Looking up, Kalcan saw it was his cousin Toba surrounded by several of his friends. "Your stupid concern for these parasitical Earthies is getting in the way of my father’s farm."

Putting Gehilfe in the pocket of his shorts, Kalcan stood up. "Earthies are not parasites. They are intelligent, emotion feeling creatures."

"Yeah, than why did they want to kill themselves off. Huh? Answer me that? If they are so wonderful why were Earthie youngers among those slaughtered by their leaders?"

"Toba, I don’t know why these Earthies let themselves be lead by leaders of a stupid, savage nature. But due the saviors need to suffer further for those parasites as you call them?"

Toba had a small pouch attached to the belt of his shorts. Reaching in, he pulled out two Earthies. Kalcan became concerned. Holding one Earthie up by its left leg, Toba said with a snarl of his long white teeth and with dark menace in his voice, "This is what I think of your Earthies."

Kalcan’s long furry ears straightened right up as he shouted back, "Please don’t do it!"

Toba viciously threw the Earthie down to the ground. He next slammed his foot down on it, reducing it to a dark, crimson stain. His pals laughed. Picking up the other Earthie, Toba flung it at cement wall where its remains slowly oozed down.

Kalcan and Toba growled fiercely at one another. A teacher came and broke up the potential fight. She instructed Toba to clean off the wall. Kalcan with his pals went back into the school.

"Those batards"

Part seven

After the transport vehicle left, the three teens resumed their mission to break into the farm. In the dim light of the moon, the teens kept themselves up against the dark colored walls to keep from being detected. .

When they felt the coast was clear, the leader of the pack activated his sonic tripper. A low hum with a green light registered on the hand held apparatus. "We are good to go," spoke the leader.

"Where did you get that?" asked the teen in the blue cap.

The pack leader’s tall ears drooped slightly, "I took it from my brothers work lab. He’s a technical worker."

The three teens opened the doors and entered. "Oh!" said the teen in the blue cap.

"What’s wrong?" asked the pack leader.

"I had the pole to my insect net sideways and got stuck in the door."

Letting out an exasperated sigh, the pack leader said, "Well turn it around. We can’t stay here long."

The air was filled with a dirty stench. The leader commented, "Don’t they ever clean their cages? Ok, put on your night goggles on." After the three teens put on their goggles, they were able to see in the dark.

"Oh, look at the Earthies. They look so cute."

"You know the deal," spoke the leader. "We can’t take too many. I think if we each take five at least a few will be spared."

Gehilfe in the safety of Kalcan’s arms dreamt. Dreams of past nightmarish events. People dying and suffering in starvation. Hearing his parents talking about government officials stealing food from those who were in need; including killing children for the food.

Feeling his Earthie's movements, Kalcan woke up. Sending a gentle paw over his Earthie, "Gehilfe, please your safe. Safe from my people who exploited yours. And safe from those Earthies who harmed your people. Your leaders are all dead. And suffering eternal fire for their lies and savagery." Hearing the youthful voice of Kalcan, Gehilfe felt peace once more enter him.

Slowly opening the cages, the three teens began picking Earthies they wanted to keep. The teen in the blue cap took younger ones. He too was charmed by a female Earthie with long red hair. As he reached for her, she screamed. "No, no I’m not going to harm you. I’m going to take care of you and the others I have in my net." He had to flick a couple away with his digits to get at the female. He felt bad that he would have to leave the others behind. With the Earthie female in his paw, he lowered her into his net. Lifting his net up across from his snout, the teen made cooing sounds.

"What are you doing?" asked the pack leader.

"I’m just trying to let them know they have nothing to fear."

The other teen went to a door. "I wonder where this leads to?" The young teen with his net filled with his five Earthies entered. After a minute, he slowly came back out from the room. Putting a paw up against a wall, he bent over and vomited.

"What’s wrong?" asked the leader.

"It-its what’s in that room. Skinned Earthies."

"Lets get out of this place of horrors," said the teen in the blue cap.

The three Desloupian teens left the farm.

Part eight

During the night, Gehilfe woke from another nightmare about the farm. Kalcan stirred slightly, "Gehilfe, pleeeasse. Its late, come on," he spoke groggily. Gehilfe wiped the sweat from off his forehead and sank back into the warm fur.

In the morning, Kalcan uncurled himself and stretched out his furry arms and yawned. Smacking his dry morning mouth, he brushed his paws up against his ears till they sprung straight up. Gently and playfully Kalcan send the tip of his tail over his Earthie several times. Gehilfe chuckled. Kalcan turned back around and getting on his knees leaned in over and gave Gehilfe a fraternal lick of the tongue.

Kalcan’s parents were down in their kitchen when an angry knock came to their dwelling door. Opening the door the mother replied, "Tete Epaisse?"

Without saying a word, Tete Epaisse went up to his brother. "Your son robbed from me. And took more of my Earthies."

"When?" asked the father a bit confused.

"Last night."

"Kalcan was with us last night." With mounting anger, "Kalcan is not a thief!"

Tete Epasse growled, "Then he sent his pals to do his work."

Kalcan’s father went right to his brother. "My son would never do that. He has always taken care of his own battles. And has taken care too of those pups outside the circle of the pack."

"Anyway, a crime was committed. They broke into private domain."

Coming into the kitchen with his Earthie in his paw, .Kalcan responded to his uncle’s accusation, "Its not a crime to save a life. Especially if its intelligent life." The uncle just showed a bit of his white canines

"Its true brother," said the father calming down. "I have spoken with it."

With deep frustration in his voice, "He’s going to drive me out of business with what he has started."

The mother said, "Kalcan hasn’t started anything, he’s just brought the Earthies case more to the public’s attention." With a loud growl the uncle pulled out a chair and sat down.

Kalcan as he listened, wondered if on a tiny scale this conversation had been played out between the Earthies before their near extinction. Leaders threatening other leaders without realizing the consequences of their arrogant show of power. Madly spiraling toward their own defeat.

The uncle with an exasperated voice and hand gesture, "Kalcan, they killed each other. Creation has passed judgment on their brutality. Let it go."

"No doubt the fires of judgment blaze But for these saviors, creations orphans, they are to be looked upon with life. The bad are being punished. No uncle, what you try to justify is wrong," replied Kalcan with great candor and thought; much to the admiration of his parents.

"Hey, we’ll be late for school what are you doing around this waste quadrant, " asked one of Toba’s pals.

"One of my uncle’s clients because of the whimpering over the Earthies, let a group free in this area, " replied Toba steadying the ground around his huge sandaled paws. The two pals that were with him, looked under brush, under bits of concrete.

"Look, I see several," said one of Toba’s pals named Ruden pointing a digit down at three adult Earthies that scrambled over the rubble. A smile appeared on Toba’s furry face. The tiny Earthies stopped in fear as the giant’s shadow engulfed them. Huge brown and black fur covered muscular legs rose over a hundred feet before them. The proud, powerful chest narrowed off as Toba’s huge white teeth glistened under the sun as he smiled menacingly down at them. "You going to squash them huh. Are you, huh?" asked his pal Ruden with mounting excitement. The Earthies grabbed hold to one another as Toba lifted his gigantic sandaled foot over them. The bodies made a muted popping sound as Toba slammed his foot down. "What a sound!"

Scrapping the Earthie remains from off the bottom of his sandal, Toba remarked, "There has to be more."

Another pal named Angemessen who was crouched over dried vegetation, "Earthie youngers."

"Great more," replied Toba picking up a slab of cement.

Angemessen stood up, "Wait, their youngers. You can’t do that? I mean, they are so young."

The area where the three colossal teens were standing, had been a complex of Earthie military buildings where politicians and high ranking generals talked about the unfortunate civilian causalities. And how these causalities could be used in their favor for a show of force.

Moving over towards the Earthie youngers, Toba replied to his friend, "Watch me." Angemessen sent a powerful arm and knocked the slab of concrete from out of Toba’s paws. "You nuts!" snarled Toba.

Getting on all fours, Angemessen covered the scared tiny youngers with his body. His ears moved back. His tail went straight out. And Angemessen bared his teeth. Toba was about to get into a challengers position when Ruden told him, "Don’t, he’s in training for skill defense."

Standing up, Toba told Angemessan, "Do as you please." And he left for school. Ruden just shook his head and went with Toba.

Angemessen sat up and back on his legs. He looked down at the four Earthie children. "Your parental adults are now gone. Hmm, kind of cute looking." Angemessen gathered the four Earthie children in his paw. "I’ll take you home with me. If my parents don’t mind, I can keep you. If your intelligent as some say, maybe I can teach neat tricks." Angemessen gently and compassionately placed the Earthie children in a pouch he had attached to the belt of his shorts.