Hello everyone! So, I had this idea in my head and it just wouldn't go away and was getting in the way of my other story. So, I wrote it down! I'm putting down this chapter and seeing how people like it, it's a bit different from my other story Silent is the Night but I hope you enjoy it. Here's a test chapter although I might just add more for fun. Enjoy!

Chapter 1: General Deidre Finn

"General!"

The Private ran up to the tall brunette as she gazed down at the lifeless eyes of a Yautja. Her trademark runed broadsword in her hand covered in neon green blood. Her normally immaculate uniform was torn and stained with blood from herself and her enemy. She didn't respond to the Privates approach, just stayed staring emotionless at the alien she'd killed.

The Private stood next to her and followed her eyes to the body than smiled enthusiastically and appreciatively.

"Good work General! You got that ugly son of a bitch good-"

Before he could finish his sentence she turned sharply to him, her sword at his throat in an instant. "Watch your tongue, Private. Have respect for the dead."

"B-but they're the enemy."

She narrowed her eyes at him.

"Even your enemies."

She held the sword at his throat for a moment longer to emphasize the point than sheathed it on her back strap. Leaning down she removed the Yautja's helmet and gently set it aside. Taking out her knife she gently grabbed one of the tresses removing a ring and pocketing it.

"Set up the pyres, Private Rhodes."

Rhodes hesitated for a moment. "General they're just dead Yau-"

"Private Rhodes!" She fixed a deadly cold stare on him rising up to her full six foot height.

He cringed than nodded running away to have the troops set up pyres for the bodies.

An hour later hundreds of large pyres were erected and the soldiers milled about setting the Yautja upon them and posing them with their arms straight by their sides, their weapons were laid around them, and dressed in their armor. Every one of them had coins laid upon their eyes, Deidre knew it was an old superstition from Earth's ancient history but she couldn't help but listen to her fathers words to respect her Clan's old ways. Deidre personally laid each one, kissing the foreheads of the fallen Yautja's saying a prayer over each before heading back to Rhodes. She knew Rhodes was watching her even as she gently removed rings from those she killed. Standing up she looked over the battlefield sighing at the loss of life.

Clearing his throat Rhodes spoke up shaking the General from her reverie. He couldn't understand her remorse from killing Yautja, they were the enemy. They were at war, and one didn't feel anything but contempt for the enemy, but she was different. She cried after every battle, over every loss, and although to others that made her weak he and the others loved her for it. She acted so cold and unfeeling, but she felt so much more than she gave off. After every battle or discovery of an annihilated colony she'd excuse herself at the next possible moment and weep in her quarters. It broke his heart every time he came by her door and could hear the slightest sob.

"We've gathered our dead and put them on the other side of the hill by base camp for transport back for burial-"

"Command wants us to leave the bodies, the graveyard and crematoriums are overflowing and it's too costly." She paused sighing. "I hate to leave them, but we don't have room on our transports for them. Command modified our ships to carry men, not bodies."

Rhodes clenched his fists. 'Those bastards.'

"They would just leave'm here?"

She nodded. "Set them with the Yautja, and take their tags to send home."

Rhodes stared at her. "Bu-"

"Do it."

He watched as she walked away and sat down on a nearby boulder. Gritting his teeth he nodded and did as he was commanded. When night had fallen all was ready, the night sky was clear and lit up by the planets three moons.

In formation the troops watched as their General stepped forward and lit the pyres. Taking a few steps back she stood and watching the bodies slowly catch fire and burn.

"Atten-tion." She barked and all snapped to attention saluting.

They stood watching, saluting both friend and foe.

The trip away from DB-824 was quiet and somber. Deidre Finn's group was only about a few thousand strong, and they lost about half their number in the surprise attack by the Yautja. They'd been sent by the United Earth Command to check out the colony on DB-824, it'd went silent a few days ago so Deidre and her group was sent. They were almost back to their transports when the Yautja emerged. They were a ragtag group of youths who'd stolen their parents armor and murdered everyone in the colony.

"General? I thought DB-824 was a designated neutral planet?"

"There is no neutral planet, we just call them that due to their large unarmed populations. The Yautja tend to go after us not our civilians."

"Than why did they?"

Deidre shook her head sighing and added the rings to the cord at her side that held around 54 rings, after adding the 16 new ones she marked with a red marker. Connecting the string back to her belt she looked at her men's curious looks. Rhodes was the most as he'd been serving with her since he joined about 5 years ago.

"They were young, unblooded."

"Unblooded?" A voice in the back of the group peeped out fearfully. She didn't bother looking for the face to the voice, she knew that they were well hidden. She understood the fear was shared, after today's fierce battle she knew they feared going against the other ranks. Most of them were new, never having faced the blooded adults and Deidre envied their innocence of the experience.

"They may have been large and seemingly adult, but they were the equivalent to teens. Unblooded means they haven't completed their trial to become full fledged members of their respective Clans."

"So…we just murdered children?"

Silence followed the statement filling the ship.

"We didn't seek them out nor did we know until after. Yautja children at that age are filled with aggression and are very impulsive. Do not think that you murdered them. Find glory in their death, that will honor them as they would wish to be honored."

Deidre hoped she eased their minds as the announcement they were docking with the main ship sounded over the intercom. Standing up she watched her men shuffle around grabbing their gear and fidgeting in their seats eagerly awaiting landing. Not five minutes later they docked and everyone started filing out, some running to greet those waiting on the landing for them. Deidre smiled softly at their cheerful faces, so different from before and quietly made her way out of the hangar trying not to notice she didn't have anyone to greet her.

"General Finn, please report to the Command Counsel chambers. General Finn, ple-"

Walking to her quarters she ignored the announcement in favor of dropping off her bag and getting a change of uniform. She wasn't sure why they couldn't just wait until she'd at least gotten cleaned up and rested before calling, but since they weren't considerate to her she wasn't going to be considerate to them. Undressing and hopping into the shower she sighed happily as the blood, dirt, and grime slowly came off her body and was whisked away down the drain. She wanted this war to be over, 57 years of war with brief periods of peace stretched out in between and she'd only been alive for 34 of them and fighting for 17. Her whole world was fighting and death, all she wanted was a family and a quiet place to live out her life. At the very least, she didn't want to be alone anymore having to come back to the ship with no one to greet her, and go to bed with no one to hold her and make her world right. She wanted someone to love, but no one would love her. The entire fleet knew of her only as their hero or as an ice queen, she kept her emotions in check to keep her men alive but it seems no one else saw how much pain she was in. Those Youngblood's for example, they saw ugly alien creatures, the enemy, but she saw someone's child and a life that hadn't yet lived. Exiting the shower she dressed in another uniform and attached the rings to them thumbing them like one would rosary beads, but she said a prayer of forgiveness for everyone as their names remained forever imprinted on each ring.

Thirty minutes later she found herself in front of the Command Counsel chambers not even caring how she'd gotten there. Everything was a blur to her these days anyways, all the pleasantries and no emotion, and an endless stream of loneliness and pain that she just wanted to block out. Walking inside she was greeted by her fellow generals and some diplomats as well as several screens with Counsel members on them.

"Ah, General Finn! Good to see you how-"

The pleasantries of the diplomats, Generals, and Counsel members floated into one ear and out the other she ran on auto pilot nodding, shaking hands, and thanking them in kind. She hated this, she hated all this pretense and the lying, and she hated the politics most of all. They all heralded her as a hero and congratulated her on her recent "victory," and commenting on how awestruck they felt to be in the presence of the youngest General in Earth's history. She was no hero, no awesome force, she was Deidre. A 34 year old woman with long wavy brown hair, blue eyes, and a curvy built body that still looked and functioned like that of a 24 year old thanks to the wonders of modern medicine. She never felt so old, so worthless, and most of all she felt used. Her accomplishments were only excuses to keep fighting, they'd only made it once to having a working peace, but every victory made them cocky thinking they could just kill all of the Yautja.

Unlike her compatriots she still remembered how they got into this war, all those years ago at the beginning of all this it only took a colony on the outreaches of human and Yautja space to shoot down one of their ships and murder all aboard than torture and kill a pregnant female and her young pup. Ever since it's just been an endless war that's made no headway, and both sides were suffering immense casualties.

"Forgive my bluntness, but the Counsel called me?"

The small group quieted and turned serious some shocked by her statement others completely unphased. General Steele cleared his throat as everyone took their seats around the rooms center circular table.

"Always to the point as usual, General Finn. One would think you'd take more enjoyment in your accomplishments. I mean after all, you lead our finest troops and you yourself have killed an impressive amount of Cra-."

"General Steele, the point please. I'm very tired and wish to get some rest soon."

The room was deadly quite as Steele glared at her for the interruption. She was unaffected, her eyes coldly regarding everyone around her in indifference. She wasn't called ice queen for nothing.

"Careful General, that was almost rude. You wouldn't want me to take offens-"

Her eyes narrowed agitation clear. "General Steele, if the Counsel has a reason to have called me after a mission than it should be said immediately. Your political games are of no interest to me so take your useless threats elsewhere to someone who cares."

Steele clenched his fists, eyes alight with anger.

"Why you bit-"

"That's enough! General Steele, General Finn has every right to be annoyed. Now, calm yourself."

The President of the Counsel cut in leveling a stare at Steele.

"Apologies, Sir."

Seemingly satisfied he turned to address Deidre. "We have heard of your recent engagement with the enemy on DB-824. Were there any survivors in the colony?"

She shook her head. "All inhabitants were killed in their homes in the night. We assume this as there were few signs of struggle all seemed to have been taken by surprise."

"Who did this?"

"A group of juveniles, I would not hold this against the Yautja Clans as they were basically teens and most likely stole the armor and weapons from instructors or family. The Yautja would be shamed."

Murmurs slowly arose in the room.

"Crab lover." General Steele muttered to himself a few others nearby having heard him nodded in agreement.

"Sir, I suggest we use this as a bargaining chip for another treaty. We can't sustain this war, both us and the Yautja have lost so many generations and I know that I'm not alone in this, but my men are nothing but teens freshly out of boot. I believe the fact that a group of juveniles indiscriminately slaughtered a whole colony will get them to agree to talks."

"What makes you think that?"

"Yautja value honor, respect, and tradition highly in their society. I believe that this incident will appeal to these values in a way that will enable peace. If unblooded males start taking up fighting as if they're adults than Yautja culture could very well be in jeopardy."

She could feel the stares and accusations from everyone in the room. She knew she wasn't very well liked due to her fascination for Yautja and peace, but the only thing that mattered to her was if the Counsel President heard her. She would fight if they so wished it, but above us she strived to be the voice of reason so that peace, long standing peace could be achieved.

His answer seemed to take forever when it was most likely a matter of minutes.

"You're right, General Finn. This war can not be sustained, my predecessors would wish it to until the alien threat as been eliminated but the fact of the matter is that it's a impossible and peace is the only way. I've already started up talks with the alien leaders and they've agreed to house a diplomatic party aboard one of their ships. I'm sending a group of delegates that are trained in the Yautja language an-"

Steele stood up forcing his chair back slightly. "Sir, please reconsider! They'll only end up dead like the last group!"

The President glared at him. "If you'd let me finish General Steele, that is why I'm sending the delegation with a small security contingent. Generals Finn and Steele, you will lead this contingent made up of 30 members half from each of your men."

Deidre felt her heart race as her eyes widened. "Sir, I must object. I am honored that you would put me on this assignment, but I must decline."

He raised an eyebrow. "General Finn, you have been a strong voice for peace for as long as I've known you. Why do you wish to decline this assignment that's the culmination of your efforts?"

"I beg your forgiveness, but my presence I believe will only hinder negotiations. I'm well known amongst our men and theirs as a Yautja Killer, and I do not want that reputation to destroy possibly our last chance at peace."

"I understand your objections, but you were requested personally by the Yautja Elders themselves. General Steele will be there to protect the delegation and your men will be assigned to protecting you as their first priority and the delegation second."

She bit her lip and nodded slumping in her seat slightly in defeat. "Fear not, General Finn. Choose and prepare your respective men you live within the hour."

"So soon?"

"Yes, General Finn. The Yautja ship hailed us thirty minutes before you arrived and is waiting for you. This Counsel is hereby adjourned."

Deidre stood and slowly walked out in the crowd trying to ignore Steele's canary eating grin. She knew he was loving the opportunity to see a Yautja gut her during this mission and ruin their chances at peace. It would be a win-win situation for him. Taking a deep breath she steadied herself and quickly left to her room picking up a pre-made bag and set out towards the landing by where her men were already lined up gear in hand having apparently been given a summons already.

"I need fifteen of you, the rest can go and enjoy some R&R until further orders reach you."

Walking down the line she picked her best men, including the new Corporal Rhodes, she smiled at his regained rank. Dismissing the others she waited until they were gone to address the remainder.

"No longer on suspension, Corporal?

He smiled largely and saluted. "Feels good to hear you say that, General. Say it slower." She laughed softly and rolled her eyes. He always knew how to make her laugh and break through her shell.

"Grab your bags and follow me. We're strictly security for this diplomatic delegation, so I will not tolerate any horsing around or fighting amongst yourselves or with our hosts. I will break up any fights, no matter how they started or their significance. Don't make me play Mother. Understood?"

"Yes, Ma'am!"

Nodding she signaled them to follow her and joined with the delegates and Steele's group aboard the transport. Strapping in she took a deep breath as they took off traversing the short span of space between their ships. Looking our the porthole she saw the Yautja ship in its full glory, it was sleek and shaped almost like a giant flower bud, except not as pretty and used for far less benevolent purposes. She'd seen these sorts of ships quietly appear in the upper atmospheres and drop waves of pods and ships into the ground overwhelming bases. Shaking her head to clear her mind of the memories she focused on the task at hand.

Peace.