Chapter I
Disclaimer:
This story has been written purely for entertainment purposes, and in no way, shape, form, or fashion means to impede, or infringe upon any copyrighted material whatsoever. I do however retain credit and claim responsibility for the creation of names and character statistics of any and all characters within this publication. These characters are based on copyrighted ideas and or characters of the respective owners of said material within the entertainment industry. No money will be attributed to the author of the following publication in any form. Definitions and wording used to describe devices, and other such items are derived from other literary works involving these types of characters. This publication was created for the sole purpose of entertainment and the expansion of a concept formerly copyrighted by an individual or individuals as a group.
NOTE: By the way, I will try to have a glossary at the end of every Chapter. Each Chapter's glossary should include only the words that are in that Chapter. If you are several chapters into the story and see something not defined please check the earlier chapters. If you still don't find something defined let me know and I will try to correct the error. As you may not already know, this is the re-written form of this story, (still done without a beta), so let me know if you find any mistakes, errors, and such via a review please. Thanks, and enjoy.
Chapter I
Pok'de it'ktse entered the dimly lit room noticing the deep cast of shadows filling the area. Even his quarters were never left this dark considering that no Yautja really needed any light to see by, but in the cold metallic surroundings of an interstellar ship, light was needed to create just the right amount of heat in order for them not to be blind. This room was different though, it was even less illuminated than most Yautja would prefer. It was almost startling to him that anyone could utilize such a low degree of heat to their advantage, or even be comfortable with.
The visitor scanned the room and casually looked around for what was probably the first time in quite a while, and was overwhelmed with the vast amount of trophies and weapons that adorned the walls of this domicile. It was common knowledge that even the visible trophies and weapons that were displayed here were not at all the complete collection based on his memories and stories amongst the crew of the ship. The rest of the items in question were undoubtedly hidden away in storage areas, they were obviously the least of valued items collected and saved by this hunter of hunters. There were rumors though, that even the unseen items were more prestigious than that acquired by most Yautja. Of course, Pok'de it'ktse was already aware of this, for it was he and this hunter friend of his that had been on many hunts together and he could recall the moments affiliated with most of the trophies in this room.
He stood in the doorway and remained there not wanting to disturb or offend the one whom resided within these quarters. Amongst the Yautja, one's privacy was held in high regard. It was offensive to enter another's domain without explicit permission, with the exception of an emergency, or a prearranged appointment. Even then, during such an appointment, the visitor was to take up a stance of reverence towards the host by finding the most open and visible place with which to rest, or sit. This would allow for the host to have the advantage during what could always potentially be a hostile situation.
It was then that he heard a voice from the shadows on the opposite end of the room.
"Come in my friend."
He was again startled by the lack of any evidence of someone being there. His vision should have picked up even the slightest trace of a heat signature, but there was nothing.
Then suddenly and without warning a figure rose from the shadow he had been scanning for the last couple of seconds.
There was then heard a bit of laughter from this same figure that approached him, only to be followed by another invitation to enter the room.
"What is the problem old friend, are you afraid to enter the domain of such a revered warrior?"
It was then that Pok'de it'ktse had sighed almost unnoticeably, and further made his way into the room, towards a table with a chair on each side.
"Why do you mock my courage?" asked Pok'de it'ktse, as he sat in one of the chairs.
"Only to make you stronger, and remind you that in these days courage can be forgotten. And I would never want to know that you forgot about it."
"You are fortunate to be my friend and that I hold you in high regard for your skills as a hunter, or I would have to rip your throat out at the very mention of my forgetting the essence of what makes me a Yautja." Replied Pok'de it'ktse.
"It is because you tolerate my taunting of you that I admire that much more, the friendship we have forged. Of course, I am named Hulij-Thwei for a reason. Perhaps it is fear of my name that keeps you at bay, and explains your lack of action against me."
"You are not the Crazy Blood that everyone thinks you are…I know you better than that." Replied Pok'de it'ktse in the most mocking of tones he could muster.
"Well, aside from all of the taunting that I think you can handle for one day, you must have come by for a reason; it is not like you to just wander the ship aimlessly." Stated Hulij-Thwei.
"Yes, it is true, I have news of the upcoming hunt."
"I was already aware of the circumstances involved; I thought you would have already known that?" Questioned Hulij-Thwei.
"I was already aware that you knew, but what you do not know of, are the changes that have been made to this upcoming hunt, regarding your involvement."
Hulij-Thwei turned his head slightly with an inquisitive look about his face, as if silently asking his friend to finish relinquishing this news.
"Ah, so you are curious as to what I know? Well, perhaps I now have something to taunt you with…your lack of knowledge, to be exact." Hulij-Thwei's response was immediate and held within it a slightly amused tone.
"Ell-osde' pauk, ka ooman Lou-dte Kalei"
Pok'de it'ktse began to laugh triumphantly, as his friend chuckled inwardly at having been mocked so well.
When the laughing had stopped Pok'de it'ktse looked over at his friend and questioned him seriously.
"Why is it that you insult your own kind in such a way? Have you forgotten that you yourself are human?"
A stern look washed over the face of Hulij-Thwei as he stared back at his friend with near contempt in his eyes.
"I was raised as a Yautja, and I will always be a Yautja, nothing less. If the humans were so highly regarded, then why did my surviving relatives not commit themselves to contacting the Yautja High Council, and attempt to locate me?"
"I don't have the answer to that. I will say though, that perhaps it was for the best. Think of who you are, and what you've accomplished with us, no other human has ever gained so much as you within a Yautja clan."
"Maybe so, but then again no other human has had to endure a lifetime of feeling betrayed or unwanted by his own kind."
Moments passed before either spoke again.
"Have you ever asked Gon'tok-de if he ever did the same in return? Did he not try and return you to your relatives; he could have very well contacted Earth or its colony worlds and found them for you, or at least assisted in doing so."
"No, I would never have betrayed him that way. Just asking would have offended him. He was like my father all these years, and treated me as such. I would never bring shame on him that way."
"Then it is your fault for feeling this way. I have known him for only a few years now. But what I do know of him, leads me to believe that there is a way you could inquire of this subject without disgrace on either behalf. He is partial to the humans, or he would have never taken you in as his own."
Another few moments passed before either of them again spoke.
"By the way, what was it that you came to tell me concerning my involvement in this hunt you spoke of?"
Pok'de it'ktse laughed in relief at the disappearance of the awkward silence and seriousness of the recent conversation.
"I did not think that part of the conversation was over yet. It just so happens that you have been chosen to lead a special group of Unblooded."
"That's not anything I haven't done before, at least not officially. Why is it you kept it from me before?" Asked Hulij-Thwei.
"Because the High Council feels that you need to again be familiar with training the Unblooded in preparation for future combat situations against the Kin'chen De'ok."
"Again, I say, why have you made such an issue of this situation?"
"Because the future training of these Unblooded, you will be in charge of, will include humans."
"WHAT?"
There was both anger and disbelief present on the face of Hulij-Thwei at that very moment and it didn't take having to see like a human to know that this was the case.
The increased heat signature of his facial muscles flexing was all that Pok'de it'ktse needed to see to know this. It was only after years of being friends with this human that he was able to decipher the intricate subtleties of his facial expressions, based on the changing heat signatures of his facial musculature, to know when his friend was nearly beyond rage concerning this news.
Hulij-Thwei walked as calmly as he could towards the wall of his chamber where his most valued trophies were kept and looked over them carefully, as if it were a ploy of self-distraction concerning the recent news.
Without turning to look at Pok'de it'ktse, he spoke.
"Would you mind meeting me in the training room shortly?"
"Why?"
"I will need to relieve myself of some frustration before I can lead this upcoming hunt."
"I fail to understand why you are upset my friend, this is an opportunity that should have been afforded to only the most revered of Yautja."
"I am not upset at the opportunity, in fact, I am honored. It is the presence of humans that bothers me."
"I think you are afraid of how your kind will react to your being raised as a Yautja."
"Despite the reason, I am still wary of humans interfering in Yautja affairs, and I would have rather had the experience be more on my own terms, rather than having it forced upon me."
"You would rather defy the orders of the High Council?"
"No, so will you meet with me in the training room later?"
"Of course, it will give me the opportunity to show you what a real Yautja is made of." Pok'de it'ktse replied laughing.
Hulij-Thwei responded with his own form of verbal torment.
"Perhaps you would be interested in gathering together the Unblooded in the hopes that maybe they will learn something from watching you lose."
"I will be there. And so will they...to watch YOU lose." Replied Pok'de it'ktse.
"Hmm, I think you are becoming delusional." Said Hulij-Thwei.
It was then that Pok'de it'ktse left the room snickering and clicking his mandibles ever so slightly.
Not too long after Pok'de it'ktse's departure, Hulij-Thwei left his quarters and traversed the aisles of the great ship. His destination was the bridge. Once there he would see the Elder of the clan to which he belonged. It was apparent by his demeanor that he was in no mood to be bothered. Several of his clan that would have otherwise acknowledged him, were now silent and said nothing as they passed him. It was more than apparent that he was fully immersed in zazin and had no desire to communicate with anyone.
He had reached his destination, and stood silently off to the side of the entrance of the bridge and waited patiently for the Elder of the clan to notice his presence. It was out of respect for his Elder, that he stood there, not interrupting the activities of those on the bridge. It was well known that any hunter deemed lower than another Elder had no right or reason to speak to an Elder unless spoken to first. Of course, not all Yautja practiced this outwardly and were occasionally reminded of the need to have respect by receiving a heavy hand from the Elder himself. It was something that Hulij-Thwei had learned early on in his life, and never again could he ever remember a time when he forgot these guidelines, and it was for this reason that he was highly respected in return. His Elder had even once made the comment as a lesson to other young Yautja that 'Hulij-Thwei is sometimes more a true Yautja than any Yautja breathing today.'
Hulij-Thwei had at one time thought this to be almost a punishment of sorts, for there were many young Yautja that were offended by this statement, and made something of an issue out of proving themselves against him in battle for honor. Unfortunately for them, he had bested them all, and survived only to find later that the Elder who spoke those words had truly meant what he said.
It was during a hunt early in his life that he had been paired with the Elder on a raid of a Kainde Amedha hive to capture a queen. This pairing was most likely the result of the Elder having some doubts as to the abilities of a human hunting with them, and under his supervision he would either find Hulij-Thwei to be worthy or worthless. During this raid the Elder had revealed to him that he was indeed impressed with his skills up until then and that on that day he would truly need to prove himself in order to keep the Elders faith in his abilities. It was a test unlike any other, and for that matter it was like nothing that any Yautja had ever had to endure before.
To his surprise, the Elder had almost reluctantly instructed the young Hulij-Thwei that not only would he have to help with the duties of capturing an Alien queen, but that it was also his duty to protect the Elder in the process, and that the Elder would do nothing to even protect himself. Being a nearly impossible task, he was almost sure to have failed. In the end though, Hulij-Thwei was not only triumphant in his goal but had received one of the greatest honors that any Yautja could ever receive. He was marked with the sign of the clan on his forehead, not only by the Elder himself, which is a great honor alone, but he had also received the personal mark of the Elder. This additional marking symbolized that he was to be recognized as one of the Elder's trusted few. He as a human was never even expected to have more than the mark of the clan placed upon him, although, after proving himself on more than one occasion in the most strenuous of conditions he was awarded, so to speak, with not only the mark of the clan, but the mark of the Yautja that had served as his father figure, and even more astoundingly the mark of the Elder of his clan.
It was after receiving each of these three marks that even more challenges began to arise from the ranks of natural born Yautja against him. Yet time and time again he was challenged and won, each time gaining more and more experience in battle, not to mention, a greater degree of honor each time.
Less than a minute had passed when the Elder had noticed Hulij-Thwei near the back of the bridge. With almost what could be perceived as arrogance about him, he turned to face Hulij-Thwei and stood there. Even through the elaborate mask that he wore, Hulij-Thwei could sense that this stare was meant for him and no other. A mere moment had passed when the Elder breathed deeply and slowly released as a sign that he was calm and ready to engage in conversation with this young Yautja Warrior. Only then did this great leader motion for him to proceed further onto the bridge and stand at his side.
The Elder was a large creature even for a Yautja, and his presence was intimidating even to some of the strongest and most prominent warriors of the clan. There was no mistaking him for an old useless warrior of political stature. The Elder was never seen without his staff, wrist blades, and other various weapons. The most noticeable of weapons not carried by the Elder was the Plasma Cannon. Hulij-Thwei had learned long ago that the leader of his clan felt it was not as honorable to kill prey from long distance, and that only during times of full fledged war with another race would he ever utilize these types of killing devices.
Hulij-Thwei considered himself lucky just to be allowed within the presence of such a great and powerful leader. Even more astounding was that he was allowed to speak to the Elder.
Both the Elder and Hulij-Thwei stood beside one another and appeared to be staring out of the front view port of this massive ship. It was then that the Elder, without moving, spoke.
"I am sure that by now, you aware of your being part of my lineage within the clan, perhaps not by blood, but more importantly by honor."
"Yes, and I am honored to be a part of that lineage. Although, I sometimes wonder if I am deserving of that honor."
"It pains me to hear a warrior of your stature, and accomplishment to speak those words; you have endured great hardship to gain your present rank within the clan. Why do you doubt yourself?" replied the Elder.
"I was merely exaggerating my modesty in order to show you respect."
"A warrior of your status need not be modest. It is the Elders position within the clan to encourage strength, and honor among his people. You are to express, without modesty, your attributes, and demand respect from all others within the clan, especially from me, with limitations of rank of course. Is this understood?"
"Yes, Elder."
"Good." He paused for a few seconds; perhaps thinking of an appropriate way to change the subject towards what he thought may be a concern on the behalf of one of his trusted few. "I can assume that you are here to discuss an important issue."
"I was…curious, Elder about why I was chosen to lead this upcoming hunt to serve as training for the humans and some of our very own Unblooded youth?"
"It is because I have faith in your skills as a hunter, and you are one of the few that I trust with my life and the survival of this clan. There is also the obvious fact that you are human and will most likely have more success in bridging the gap between our two races during these stressful times. The humans will be more accepting of you, diplomatically speaking. It will then be easier for them to understand how and why we train our Unblooded the way we do, and later go into battle with one of their own, rather than having to deal with an individual outside of their own species."
"So, I have gone from being an Honored Warrior to being nothing more than a political game piece simply because I am human?"
At that very moment, the Elder had grabbed Hulij-Thwei's left wrist with his powerful right hand and held it up at eye level in front of him, and for the first time since their conversation started the Elder peered directly at him.
"Look at yourself, you are human, and yet you are more than that. You are Yautja. You may look human, you may even bleed as a human does, but you have the soul of a warrior, of a Yautja Warrior. You are the embodiment of the greatness that comes with the advantages of both races. It is no secret that I have learned to respect the humans for their resourcefulness and cunning in battle, and it is for those reasons that I have gained much respect for their kind. When you learn to embrace what it is to be both human and Yautja in spirit, you will have then accomplished something that no other creature can boast of. As far as being given this duty, it may very well be something of a political move on behalf of the High Council, but in my eyes it will be nothing short of an opportunity for even greater honor within this clan."
"Your wisdom is beyond words Elder. I will serve the clan with honor."
"I have no doubt of that." Replied the Elder.
"I will not fail you."
"The thought never entered my mind, for you are too great a warrior to be doubted in such a way."
"Thank You, Elder."
"Now, is there anything else needing to be discussed?"
"No, Elder."
"Good, I'm sure you have duties to attend too, am I correct?"
"Yes."
"Just to show you the faith that I have in your skills, I will be observing your training sessions of the Unblooded Yautja. Would that be acceptable?" The Elder knew, according to the records on the computer, that someone had recently requested use of one of the training rooms for a previously unscheduled session, and after seeing as to whom it was he was that had done so, he was compelled to honor Hulij-Thwei with his presence at the event.
"I would be honored."
"It is I who would be honored." Said the Elder.
Hulij-Thwei then left the bridge and headed for the training room where he was to meet Pok'de it'ktse. Whilst on his way, he was confronted by one of the Yautja from the bridge and two of his comrades. It was just this sort of confrontation that he once thought had come to an end some years ago after proving that he could not be bested in Jehdin/Jehdin. Apparently one of the bridge crew was offended that a human would be so trusted by the Elder, and received such an honor in regards to his higher rank. Hulij-Thwei knew that this Yautja was of a lower caste and sought to further his own standing within the clan, by way of challenging Hulij-Thwei in combat.
Fortunately for both of them, they were both bound by the rules governing the clan in respect to these types of challenges, and neither were willing to duel within the confines of the ship anywhere but the authorized training rooms.
'The Unblooded are sure to be pleased with the additional course they will have in this afternoons training sessions.' He thought to himself.
Not only were they to train with one of the most feared of all warriors, but now they will get to see him in action against a foe, and have a first hand look at how the ritual challenges are conducted.
Hulij-Thwei neared the room where this challenge was to take place, and the training he had authorized for the Unblooded earlier, when the calling of Ka'rik'Na surprised him, via the announcement over the communication system of the ship. The Ka'rik'Na was to take place in the very Kehrite that he reserved earlier. This in turn led him to believe that news of the recent challenge he would be involved in had already spread throughout the ship.
Something about another Yautja challenging him over a matter of pride just didn't settle well with him, and he could feel the rage dwelling deep within. There were only two ways that this would end. His opponent would have to both submit, and accept being dishonored by a human. Or, Hulij-Thwei would have to kill him outright. This was not much an issue in his mind, for it was not the first time he had been challenged by another Yautja, nor would it be the last. On the same token, it was not the first time he would have to kill a challenger either. Again, he knew ahead of time, that he would not be bothered by this fact, if it were indeed to occur. 'How dare this Tarei'hasan Pauk-de have the nerve to think that he could best me in Jehdin/Jehdin.' He thought to himself.
It was at that time that Hulij-Thwei became nearly oblivious to his surroundings as he mentally prepared for the combat he was about to partake in. Nothing would keep him from teaching his adversary a lesson in the form of a beating not soon forgotten. The thought of losing this challenge never even entered his mind.
Upon reaching the entranceway of the Kehrite, Hulij-Thwei slowed his pace so as to further immerse himself in a self-absorbed state of pre-conceived victory. In his mind he had already won. There would be no stopping him from thoroughly pummeling his victim to as close to death as possible.
It was just as he passed under the threshold of the hatchway of the Kehrite that he stopped and glanced around at his fellow Yautja warriors. He could smell the odor of musk emanating from his comrades just as he always did as they became eager for the hunt, or just before battle of any kind. With arrogance nearly unmatched by any Yautja, he stood in position and raised his head and spoke.
"My brothers…you will now witness how a true Yautja dominates his enemy and conquers those whom would challenge his position within the clan." Hulij-Thwei then paused more than likely to further intimidate his opponent. "Not that this insignificant pest will be much of a challenge."
Most of his fellow clan members that were present started clicking their mandibles, some in agreement, and some out of contempt. It was no secret that there were still those who were against the idea of a human being within in their midst, but most were unwilling to admit they were afraid to face him in combat after having knowledge of his skills, and accomplishments. Not to mention, there were even more of them, not willing to risk being beaten in combat by a human.
He then began to remove his armor, and the few weapons he wore as a symbol of his constant readiness to go into battle as he walked toward the center of the room. This would be where he would face his opponent, who was already standing and poised in the middle of the arena.
May be a bit before getting the next chapter up, and as if you hadn't already assumed as much, there will be action in the next chapter, maybe boring now, but I had to let you get familiar with the characters.
Ell-osde' pauk ka ooman Lou-dte Kalei- Loosely translated means: F**k you, you human female
Gon'tok-de- Hulij-Thwei's adoptive Yautja father figure.
Hulij-Thwei- A human found at a young age, by a Yautja Honored Warrior and raised as his own. His name means Crazy Blood.
Jehdin/Jehdin- hand to hand combat.
Kainde Amedha- means Hard Meat, or a specific type of extraterrestrial known Alien to humans
Kainde Amedha Chiva- A trial in which the un-blooded Yautja become initiated into the clan with blooded status, and to be Blooded, means to have survived the Kainde Amedha Chiva.
Ka'rik'na- "The summoning, of other Yautja, or warriors together for a meeting, or any reason."
Kehrite- battle arena, or training facility, or room
Kin'chen De'ok- An ancient enemy of the Yuatja that existed before the discovery of the Kainde Amehda.
Pauk-de- f**ker, f**king
Pok'de it'ktse- Yautja friend of Hulij-Thwei
Plasma Cannon- Typically a shoulder mounted weapon that emits a bolt of charged plasma. Although other variants have been utilized and or customized by the user to be either more compact or larger in form and hand held. Usually used for long ranged attacks or defense.
Tarei'hasan- small, insignificant, insect, unworthy opponent
Yautja- Predator species
Yautja High Council- should be self-explanatory, but, ruling council over the Yautja home world.
Zazin- Completely centered; within one's self; state of meditation at any level.
Order Of Rank:
Unblooded- youths or member of any race that have not been 'blooded' by hunting the Kainde Amedha (Aliens).
Youngblood- Youths or member of any race that can prove their kills of a Kainde Amedha.
Warrior- One who has passed the Kainde Amedha Chiva, finished successfully a solo hunt of a Kainde Amedha, and one solo hunt of any other species at minimum
Honored Warrior- One who has passed the Kainde Amedha Chiva, finished successfully a solo hunt of a Kainde Amedha, successfully finished a solo hunt of a Kainde Amedha Queen, and at least one solo hunt of any other species. As well as served a minimum of what is the equivalent of ten Earth years as a Warrior.
Leader- Same as an Honored Warrior, except that they are allowed to train Youngbloods, their rank officially is the same, and only has different privileges in regards to training of others.
Elder- Chief of all clan affairs for that clan, there exists only one Elder per clan.