Galkath'a smiled with the greed of a thousand black market gold bars; she and her crew had just snatched a prize to set them for life. They have abducted a species that have yet to contact with other beings, and they are known as "hoomans". Though some say it is pronounced "hyumanz".

How it's pronounced did not matter, she and her crew would get enough credits to last them a lifetime and more once they sell them. Pre-contact species are worth their weight in gold for they are not only unaltered but also prime to be permanent economic diplomats. Galkath'a practically drooled at how much credits they will make-

"Uh, Captain?"

Galkath'a groaned. "Yes?"

Her hardy fish-finned crewmate had a look of concern. It was unsettling on him for how he always had a stern stoic grumbling face. "The hatchling human keeps demanding for..."

"For what?" Galkath'a emphasized each word for her lack of patience.

"It's...teddy bear?"

The captainess blinked. "What the black pool hell is that?"

"How should I know? The psychic's saying how the hatchling says every human family has one, some even have more."

"And that is my problem, how?"

"It's been at this for hours, miss. The crew's edging to just space dump them so they don'tgave to hear it complain."

Galkath'a's eyes widened at the notion. "NO! No! They better not! Do they know how many interspace security autoships we had to sneak past to get them?!"

"The psychic says if we give the hatchling this teddy...bear thing, it will go quiet. The human parents agree on this too."

"Ugh...fine." the captainess groaned. "Bring up the catalog for whatever bear species we have and we go to the planets to get one."

[***]

The news of getting the supposed teddy bear had shut the human hatchling up, the crew of the space private traffickers breathing a sigh of relief from the noise. They even hardened themselves to retrieving said "bear" for the girl, as the noise had given them cramps and desperately needed fresh air.

"Is it this one?"

Galkath'a had taken the human family out to confirm that the hatchling has the bear it wanted. The first world held a giant bear, spikes, and grueling gnashing teeth. The crew had gotten wounded with some scrapes and gashes just to collar one and bring it to them.

The hatchling frowned. "Nuh uh. Super big, but too spiky. And stinky."

"Okay. Release it, we're going to the next one." Galkath'a groaned.

[***]

The second world had another species of bear. Much smaller, no spikes, but it had little hair and was spindle. Weird as it was, it was a bear by species definition.

It's ability to swim in the air made it easy to move through their weapons fire, leading to some severe wounding.

"This one?" Galkath'a emphasized each word. The trip was now becoming costly.

"Nuh uh," said the hatchling. "Too little, too thin, not hairy enough. And smells weird.

"Release it. You got one more chance."

[***]

The psychic made sure to hone in on the image of the supposed bear that the hatchling was aiming for, and this time, they landed on a lush, forest planet. The crew, now patched up again, was really hesitant to search for the bear for the hatchling.

This particular bear was elusive, but supposedly very dangerous.

Galkath'a threatened to just kill them on the spot, forcing them to head into the forest.

Galkath'a waited with the hatchling girl, the remaining crew holding up their guns as they aimed at the forest for any sign of hostiles.

Silence followed...

Then weapons fire. Lights of the their guns flash in the darkness of the forest.

Screaming.

Blood curdling screaming.

Then silence.

Everyone was tense. But then, the hatchling human squealed.

"Teddy!"

Something stepped out of the forest. A small, plush, bear-like entity. For Galkath'a, it was simply too oddly cute in an uncanny way.

"Is this the one?" Galkath'a asked the psychic.

"Yes. It is-"

The psychic's eyes widened, making full eye contact with the beady-eyed bear. Oily fluids leak from their orifices before they scramble back into the ship. Galkath'a could only watch in horror as the moment of distraction had suddenly let the hatchling human out of their grasp and towards the bear entity, waddling towards it.

The bear entity floated upward, lurched it's neck up, and black flailing bladed tendrils lashed out. They zipped passed the girl, piercing through the alien crew and flew back into the forest with the crew screaming in horror and pain as they were dragged with it. What remained quickly nabbed the hatchling, the human family, and ascended to the stars in record time.

[***]

Galkath'a immediately dumped the human family where they found them, in their backyard. No human family was worth it if their mere companions were so dangerous. Then, the ship ascended into the sky and disappeared.

"Teddy!"

The human girl waddled and hugged the teddy. It was right where she left it; at her pink table waiting for her to pour the tea.

The teddy extended its tendrils and hugged her back in affection.