Star Wars - The Old Republic - The Third Lesson by Paul S. Kemp

Author:Paul S. Kemp [Kemp, Paul S.]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2011-04-30T18:29:26+00:00

“This is my favorite,” his father said.

“The viirsun?”

Veradun had always found the avian boring. A small ground bird with drab, brown and black feathers, it did little of interest other than care for its offspring, a male that was soon to leave the nest.

“Not the viirsun, no,” his father said.

“Then what?”

The viirsun’s habitat - native plants, a single tree, a few rocks - was built behind a transparisteel wall. As they watched, the mother regurgitated some partially digested insects into the mouth of her nearly grown offspring. Veradun had seen the same thing a hundred times, but his father watched intently, as if he’d never seen it before.

“What are you looking at?” Veradun asked. He saw nothing unusual.

“Watch.”

After devouring the insects, the offspring stood and strutted about the habitat, testing its legs. The mother watched, preening her feathers. In time, the offspring returned to the mother, stood over her, and began pecking at her with its beak. At first Veradun thought it wanted more food, but the pecking became more and more violent. Wings flapped, feathers flew. The mother attempted retreat but the offspring pursued, seized her neck in his beak and shook violently, once, twice. The offspring dropped her to the ground and began to feed.

Veradun had never seen anything like it.

“The offspring isn’t a viirsun,” his father explained. “It’s a mimnil. In its immature state, it looks like a juvenile viirsun. It kills the original offspring and replaces them. When it’s ready to molt, it attacks its adoptive mother. I’ve been watching this one for a while.”

A mimnil. Veradun had never suspected.

“I…still don’t understand.”

“Often things that pretend weakness await only the right moment to show strength. Do you understand, now?”

Veradun considered, nodded.

“You must trust no one,” his father said. “Least of all those who appear weak.”

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