Shoot for Earth: MedSci Missions 3

“My tail is hopelessly twisted when I see you,” he said, unconsciously moving his hands as if you untwist his tail. “I could never shun you.”
“Karen breathed a sigh of relief. “I’m so grateful for that!”
“Grateful? Is that all you feel?”
“No!” Karen rushed over and gave him a squeeze hug.
Petmar grimaced. “Logically, I know this action means you care for me. I should let you know, though, that my mind and body remember almost being eaten after a squeeze hold by an upright.”
“An upright?”
“Yes, I assume you haven’t encountered them. You won’t hear bari speak of them unless there’s a good reason to. There’s some debate about how to deal with them, so it creates discord to any meeting.”
“Ok, I have to hear about these uprights. It sounds like they could be like our ape.”
“I don’t know of the ape of course, but uprights are large, clever, hairy creatures about our height when they lift full up. They hunt the many forest dwellers and jungle inhabitants. Including us. Baris I mean. For some reason they aggressively hunt baris. Maybe we’re especially delicious, or maybe because they’re possessive of their hunting domains.”
“Oh! So why is there so much debate about them?”
Petmar jiggled his tail. “Current Fabarian scientists have found signs that these uprights are likely to evolve into another intelligent biped if they’re left to do so. Some groups advocate wiping them out Some say they should be protected, some think they should be taken into a lab and modified to not eat Fabaris.”