[ WP ] Humans are the only intelligent species in the universe to have evolved from predators . Every other sentient species has evolved from a prey species ... and so they are terrified of us . Now it 's up to you to persuade the Galactic Council that we wo n't hunt them down and eat them all .

`` Bah! I wo n't have it!'' 
 
 `` Please, sir, we need to work out our relations by the end of the day, or else-'' 
 
 `` I said NO. I will not share the stars with consumers of flesh!'' 
 
 Jacob winced. Even through the translator, the ambassador's voice sounded brash in Jacob's earpiece. He shook his head, frowning. The ambassador was a very important man, and like any important man in his kind of position he was proud far beyond his means to contain himself. It was visible even in the way he walked - chest out, plumage puffed. Among his avian people, he was proud, strong, and terribly influential - and he *knew* it. 
 
 Sadly, this was lost on Jacob, as the man only came up to his knee and looked for all the world like a chicken in a space suit. 
 
 Jacob sighed. At least they had been kind enough to provide a location for the two of them to talk. The Gallus ship was n't roomy, by any stretch of the imagination - barely the size of a Coupé - but it had to be considered quite extravagant by their standards. But more than that, it was private - a fact that Jacob was more and more grateful for every passing moment. 
 
 `` You... filthy monkey savages!'' The admiral spat. `` With your great hulking frames, and your *teeth*... it's no wonder why you were n't able to get out of orbit for a hundred years after discovering flight. It's a wonder you can stand at all! It's unnatural!'' 
 
 `` Sir.'' Jacob started, teeth clenched. `` I know you do n't like us very much. You have made that fact abundantly clear. But you have to realize how important this event is for my people! First contact... with another species! We are very fortunate to have met at all!'' 
 
 The admiral made a sort of clucking noise that was dripping in disdain. `` First contact? You are very fortunate that we contacted you at all. That *anyone* contacted you, for that matter. If one of our own had n't crash landed in your desert, I would have made it my *duty* to deny you even that. Sadly, that was n't my decision.'' He sighed in his strange birdlike tongue, covering his face with a wing. 
 
 Jacob cleared his throat. `` Yes... about that. Why is it that you would have avoided us anyway? We *are* a Type One civilization, after all - I would have thought you eager to explore our culture!'' 
 
 `` Well, you're predators, of course!'' Said the admiral, beak drooping in what I could only imagine to be an expression of surprise. `` Predators do n't get to be Type One civilizations... they do n't get to be anything! You are nasty, violent-'' 
 
 `` Hold on.'' Jacob waved a hand through the air, cutting the ambassador off and making him jump back a bit with feathers ruffled. `` You are an intergalactic species, are you telling me there are *no* other predator-types at all?'' 
 
 `` None whatsoever!'' The ambassador puffed his chest even further, as if he took personal pride in that fact. 
 
 `` Why?'' Jacob asked. 
 
 `` Well, I should think it was obvious!'' The ambassador cocked his head to one side, staring at Jacob with one beady orange eye. `` You usually wipe yourselves out. Humans, are the exception to that rule - a very *odd* exception, I might add. It is usually the prey species that wind up with the brainpower to explore the stars.'' 
 
 `` I do n't quite understand what you mean.'' Jacob said. He shuffled around where he sat, only stopping when he heard a loud crunch from somewhere below him. He hoped it was n't anything important. 
 
 `` Well,'' started the ambassador, trying to peer behind him to see what had been crushed, `` *evolution* - you do know what that is, I hear your species still just considers it a theory.'' 
 
 `` Yes, I know about evolution, just get on with it.'' Jacob said, somewhat impatiently. 
 
 `` Ahem. Yes, well evolution on most worlds starts off as a sort of arms race between predator and prey. You know, one picking off the other and the other getting better at living... all very give and take. Well, it usually winds up as a battle of wits between predator and prey species. Prey, of course, always winds up the smarter - we wo n't stand for being eaten, of course! And once tools are developed... it's usually the meek that wind up inheriting the earth - to borrow one of your primitive idioms, of course. And so we wind up exploring the stars, solving entropy, and all sorts of other intelligent things. Unlike you.'' 
 
 `` But... what about the predator species?'' Jacob asked, willing himself to ignore the ambassadors jabs. `` If what you say is true, I imagine that they are quite intelligent themselves by the time all is said and done.'' 
 
 `` Oh yes.'' said the ambassador. `` That usually happens. On a few worlds we have seen, they are even nearly equal in power - but not quite.'' 
 
 `` Then they should be everywhere!'' Jacob exclaimed. `` If they are nearly equal to you, surely they could be exploring the stars!'' 
 
 
 `` Oh heavens no.'' The ambassador's feathers fluffed up until he resembled a ball of fluff. `` That never happens!'' 
 
 ``... Why not?'' Jacob asked, eyebrow raised. 
 
 `` Well, we exterminate them, of course!'' The ambassador laughed an odd, clucking laugh. `` They're never a match for the prey species anyway, we just... give them the room they need to grow! It's the way of the world, just like I said!'' 
 
 
 Jacob could feel the color rising to his cheeks. `` You would never do that to *humans*, of course.'' 
 
 `` No, no of course not. I doubt any of our weapon systems would even work against a species such as - oh.'' The avian being seemed to deflate as his proud feathers fell. `` Oh I see.'' 
 
 `` I think that ends our discussion for now, do n't you agree?'' Jacob said, coolly. `` Please, drop me off at the rendezvous point.'' 
 
 `` I'm suddenly craving some Chick-fil-A.''
