The Fool’s Feast

The Water Supply Squad was the first to return to Base Camp, their burden heavier than expected—but not just from the water canisters. As they crossed into the valley, soldiers at the perimeter caught sight of Gregor, who had slung something large over his shoulder—a wild pig, lifeless but intact.

Murmurs rippled through the camp. Fresh meat. A rare sight, an even rarer luxury. Ogar and Michael, however, marched straight toward Bogi and Oliver, standing at attention outside the command tent. "Captains," Michael began with measured respect. "We have a report."

Oliver gave a short nod. "Speak."

Ogar took the lead. "As we entered the jungle this time… we felt something. A strange current, like energy coursing through us. But it was fleeting. It came and went almost instantly."

Michael continued, his voice calm and direct. "And something else. After the fight with the panther, when we went back in… the jungle felt different. Lighter. Free."

Bogi's brow furrowed slightly, his fingers tapping lightly against his arm. Oliver's expression sharpened.

"Explain," Oliver said.

Michael chose his words carefully. "It's hard to describe, but when we were out there, it felt like the jungle itself had been under some kind of weight before. As if something had its grip on it. But when we returned, that pressure was gone. It felt… alive in a way it wasn't before."

Ogar nodded. "It's as if the jungle was trapped under something—under that thing. Now that it's dead, it's as if the air itself has changed."

Bogi and Oliver exchanged a glance before Bogi finally spoke.

"Noted," he said. His voice was firm, carrying a weight that made both men straighten slightly. "But if something like that happens here, in the camp, I want to know immediately. No waiting. No second-guessing. We handle it before it becomes a problem."

Michael and Ogar nodded sharply, acknowledging the instruction. Oliver dismissed them with a short nod. "Go. Get some rest—you've earned it." Michael and Ogar saluted before turning and leaving.

Back at the Laboratory ruins that are now a makeshift medic tent.The few members of the Water Supply Squad who had carried the pig had already brought it to Viper and Tahir, their two medics.

Viper let out a delighted laugh, already intrigued by the unexpected bounty. "You're kidding me! Fresh meat?" His smirk widened as he knelt beside the carcass, slapping its side lightly. "Tell me, when was the last time we had something like this? Dried rations are for peasants!"

Tahir, on the other hand, was deep in thought, his analytical mind racing. He examined the creature, his fingers brushing against its skin, noting the texture, the scent, even the heat still clinging to its body.

They had never been asked to do something like this—not even in their own world. Determining whether alien meat was safe to eat was not in their field of expertise. There were no medical books, no studies, no guidelines. How the hell were they supposed to test this?

Before Tahir could begin formulating a plan, Viper moved first.

With a wide grin, he casually pulled a knife from one of the water squad members and, without hesitation, sliced a chunk of meat from the pig's hind leg. He inspected it briefly, then threw it onto the fire, watching the fat sizzle as the flames licked at the flesh.

The soldiers stared. "Only one way to test it, huh?" Viper said, grinning like a madman. "We cook it, we eat it, we see what happens! Hahahaha!" A deep, horrified silence followed.

Tahir's expression twisted as he turned toward him, staring as if he were looking at a mentally unstable patient. His usual cold, calculated demeanor faltered for the first time.

"Have you lost your mind?" he snapped.

The gathered soldiers exchanged uneasy glances. Some of them shifted uncomfortably, watching Viper as if he had just declared war on common sense itself.

Tahir, still in shock, turned to Kaspar, his expression a mixture of disbelief and frustration.

"Go. Report this madness to the captains. NOW!" he ordered.

Kaspar, more than eager to get away from whatever lunacy was happening here, bolted toward Bogi and Oliver's tent without another word.

Now alone in the tent, Oliver turned to Bogi. "What do you think?" he asked.

Bogi rubbed his chin, his expression thoughtful. "If Michael's right, then it's possible that the panther was some kind of overlord in this part of the jungle. Everything—creatures, even the land itself—was subdued under it. And now that it's gone, the jungle is reclaiming itself."

Oliver crossed his arms, considering Bogi's words. He somewhat agreed. It wasn't just about killing a predator—it felt larger than that. This place wasn't natural, at least not in the way they understood.

"We should keep an eye on this," Oliver muttered. "If more of these creatures exist, we need to know how much control they have over their territory. Killing one changed the jungle. What happens if we kill more?"

Bogi didn't answer immediately. The thought lingered. Could they reshape the very environment through battle? It was a troubling idea.

Their conversation might have continued further, but a voice at the entrance cut through their thoughts.

"Captains," Kaspar stood at attention, his posture straight, his expression composed but carrying urgency. "I have a report from the Water Supply Squad."

Oliver raised an eyebrow. "Speak."

Kaspar hesitated for only a brief moment before delivering his report with precision. "Viper has decided to test the pig's edibility… by roasting it himself."

Oliver blinked. His posture straightened slightly, and his eyes flickered with genuine surprise.

Bogi exhaled through his nose, shaking his head slightly. He kept his expression neutral, but in his mind, he was laughing. He remembered the first time Viper had pulled a similar stunt years ago—it had involved eating something they had explicitly been ordered not to touch. It ended with a severe stomach illness and three days of suffering, but Viper had come out of it grinning like an idiot, muttering something about 'learning the hard way.'

Oliver, however, did not share Bogi's internal amusement. Instead, he slowly turned his head toward him, brows furrowing. Bogi could practically see the question forming in Oliver's mind before he even spoke.

"…Is this normal?" Oliver asked, his voice carrying a careful tone—one that suggested he wasn't sure whether to be annoyed or concerned.

Bogi sighed, rubbing his temple. "For Viper? Yes." Oliver just stared at him.

Bogi finally let out a quiet chuckle, shaking his head. "Alright," he said, standing up. "Let's go see what kind of mess he's made this time." Oliver exhaled slowly, still clearly processing this new information about one of Bogi's men. 

Kaspar stepped aside as they walked past, maintaining his composure but clearly relieved the captains were handling it.

As Bogi and Oliver approached the firepit, the camp had already gathered, forming a loose circle around Viper's latest masterpiece of stupidity.

The aroma of roasting meat filled the air, its golden-brown surface sizzling as fat dripped into the flames. Viper stood beside it, his smirk still present but twitching slightly, the kind of expression that said: I might be in trouble, but I'm gonna pretend I'm not.

Tahir stood opposite him, arms crossed, face unreadable, though the sharp glint in his eyes screamed: I told you this was a terrible idea. "You're actually going through with this," Tahir muttered flatly.

Viper, ever the showman, gave a carefully controlled chuckle and tapped his knife against his palm. "Tahir, my friend, life's too short for bad food! Besides—" But before he could finish, a distinct silence spread through the crowd. Something had shifted.

Viper's smirk faltered slightly, his instincts catching up to his mouth just a second too late. He didn't need to turn around to know that Bogi was standing behind him now. The air felt different—not hostile, but heavy, the way it always did when Bogi was about to fix a problem personally.

Viper slowly straightened, rolling his shoulders, his usual bravado still there, but noticeably forced. "...Oh, hey, Captain," he said, keeping his tone light. "Didn't expect you so soon."

Bogi tilted his head slightly, his expression unreadable. "Why wouldn't I be here, Viper?" Viper swallowed once, shifting his weight ever so slightly. "Well, you know, I figured—uh—maybe you'd be too busy handling, uh… actual problems?"

Bogi arched a brow. "You mean like this one?" The camp went dead silent. Viper's smirk froze. He knew that tone—the one that didn't need to be raised to be dangerous.

Oliver, standing beside Bogi, folded his arms, watching Viper closely now, clearly curious about how this was about to unfold. Viper gave a thin, nervous chuckle. "Now, now, let's not call it a problem, Captain. More like… an experiment in culinary advancements!"

Bogi didn't react immediately. He let the silence stretch, just long enough for Viper to feel it.

Then, finally— "Alright," Bogi said, nodding once. "You want to be the camp's hero, right?" Viper blinked. "...Uh?"

"You believe it's safe?" Bogi continued, his voice calm, unreadable. "Then eat it." Viper's entire posture stiffened—not enough for most to notice, but Bogi caught it. "Uh… well, I was gonna let it cool first—"

"No," Bogi interrupted, his voice flat and controlled. "Now." A beat of silence. The surrounding soldiers leaned in slightly, curiosity sparking in their expressions. Oliver folded his arms, now fully invested.

Viper glanced around, suddenly very aware of just how many eyes were watching him. "...Alright then." He cut a piece of the meat, blowing on it dramatically before popping it into his mouth. The soldiers watched. Viper chewed slowly.

A moment passed. Another. Then— "…Oh damn," he muttered. His eyes widened slightly. "That's actually good." He grabbed another piece. Bogi held up a hand. "No. One piece. That's it. You'll be monitored for the next 24 hours."

Viper stopped mid-bite, his grin faltering. "Wait, what?" Bogi sighed, shaking his head. "I don't stop idiots from learning the hard way. You're the experiment now, Viper."

Tahir's lips twitched—his first sign of amusement since this mess began. Viper groaned. "Ah, come on, Bogi! What if it's fine?"

"Then you'll be the first to enjoy a feast tomorrow," Bogi said. "If not… well, at least we'll know before feeding the entire camp something that might kill them."

The smirk was completely gone now. Viper slumped slightly. "...I hate it when you're smart."

Bogi patted him once on the shoulder before turning to the gathered soldiers. "Let this be a reminder: We don't gamble with survival. We test things the right way. If you ever pull something like this again without consulting command first, you'll wish food poisoning was the worst of your problems."

The soldiers nodded, some chuckling under their breath. Bogi then turned to Tahir, his tone shifting from dry amusement to firm command. "Make sure the rest of that meat is kept safe. We don't let food go to waste." He glanced at the untouched portions of the pig. "Skin it. Remove anything inedible. If it turns out to be safe, we make use of all of it."

Tahir nodded immediately, already stepping forward to take control of the task. "Understood, Captain." Oliver, now understanding Bogi's way of handling discipline, gave a small smirk. "I'll say this," he muttered as they walked away, "your methods are… different, but effective."

Bogi glanced at him. "You wanted me to shut him down, didn't you?"

Oliver shrugged. "I expected you to. Instead, you turned him into his own punishment."

Bogi chuckled lightly. "Viper learns best when he suffers for it. If I had just ordered him to stop, he'd find another way to do something just as reckless later. This way, he thinks twice next time."

Oliver shook his head, almost impressed. "I still think you should've just smacked him."

"Maybe next time," Bogi said, smirking slightly. From behind them, Viper groaned dramatically. "Ughhh, Tahir, can't you just knock me out for the next 24 hours?" Tahir patted his medical bag. "I'd love to, but unfortunately, I'm under orders to keep you alive."

Viper sighed. "I hate it here."

As Viper lamented his fate, dramatically slumping as Tahir took control of the pig's remains, the scouting squad was making its way back toward the pass leading into the valley.

The journey had been longer than expected, pushing deeper into the jungle than before. Though they had moved with precision and discipline, their latest discovery had put them on edge. Something was out there.