Chapter 2
Jha'kle growled as he forced himself up and looked around, the Ooman had clearly done his job. There was a full collapse of the area around them, nothing under the rubble would survive.
He forced himself to stand and looked around for the father and child before seeing a trail of blood leading behind a broken pile of rubble, hearing heavy breathing and struggled gasps for breath.
"Damn it... Mark... can you hear me?!" Carlos asked over the radio. "Shara's hurt... losing more blood then I can stop... please... anyone... you have to get here now..."
Jha'kle cloaked and moved closed, watching as Carlos wrapped Shara in his coat and held her tightly against his body to keep her warm and in an attempt to stop her blood loss, but from what he could see now, he knew the cost was not one that the child would likely recover from without help.
"Daddy..." Shara asked weakly as she looked around, Jha'kle could see tears of pain in her eyes, likely she was in such pain her she couldn't do anything else.
"I know baby..." Carlos said carefully easing his thick, heavy coat onto Shara's body with her good arm, fastening it tightly to try and slow the blood lost she was facing, "I know." He said again, softly kissing her forehead.
"Will Mark find us... soon daddy?" she asked and Jha'kle heard the fear and underlying uncertainty.
"I'm sorry... Shara..." Carlos said, he was so cold and his body covered in so many cuts and gashes and so much blood, but he could at least give his daughter one bit of solace before he died, he slipped the radio into her coat pocket. "Mark won't find us... but he will find you."
"I don't want to be alone..." Shara said as her father held her tightly. "Don't leave me daddy..."
"You'll be ok Shara... you're a smart girl... you'll find a way home..." Carlos said looping his old dog tags and his wedding ring around her neck on a chain and putting his 45 Caliber into the holster on her coat. "You're always safe... I promise..." he added, "Now... try and sleep..." he said.
"Ok Daddy..." Shara said, resting her head on his shoulder while attempting to sleep.
Carlos smiled softly, Jha'kle watched as the man withdrew a small needle from Shara's good arm and put it down, a quick scan told Jha'kle it contained a heavy dose of sedative, likely meant to kill if too much was given, but Carlos seemed to have only given Shara enough to make her sleep.
A quick scan of Carlos also told Jha'kle why Carlos had done that, the Ooman was minutes from dying and to safe his child the trauma, he'd put her to sleep first, at least this way if they were found, Shara wouldn't be scared.
Jha'kle sighed. "I'm getting soft in my age." He said to himself as the adult's heartbeat stopped and Shara showed signs of fading.
Mark watched from a distance as a huge cloud of smoke formed over London.
"Watch over her, friend. Until she is with us again." he said, softly kissing his necklace. "Please... please watch over her."
Thar'ka looked dumb founded.
Bhul-Dwag blinked. Twice.
Be'guna and Cuh'tor set up the medical bay.
Dha-ta was unsure what he was seeing. "Um... Jha'kle?"
"She needs medical treatment. Now." Jha'kle snapped and instantly the five younger Yautja snapped into action with the same care and tenderness they would have used with a pup, they gently began work on cleaning, bandaging and stabilizing Shara's now comatose form while Jha'kle stood commanding them in their action, Thar'ka carefully cleaning the ick and dirt from the deep gashes while Dha-ta swiftly and precisely snapped many of her broken bones into place, Bhul-Dwag gave the child a small dose of sedative to insure the pain didn't wake her up or force her into shock and Cuh'tor very neatly and expertly placed splits and bandages around Shara's left arm and most of her torso.
In a matter of minutes, she was laid on her right side, covered in a warm blanket in Jha'kle's quarters, her weapons in a box nearby and her father's coat over her as an added comfort.
"What now?" Cuh'tor asked.
Jha'kle sighed. "These Oomans are fighting a losing battle and they know it, but they still have hope... that if nothing else, it is what kept this child so close to her Osh'dara, but she needs our aid now and I will not stand by and watch innocent Oomans die for the mistakes of a few foolish ones." He said. "I will form an alliance with this one's group and we will right the wrongs that were caused by our crash."
"Yes Jha'kle," Cuh'tor said then turned to look at the small Ooman form on the old Yautja's bed, "she isn't reading as a normal Ooman." He said as his mask began to scan the Ooman in great detail.
"I know." Jha'kle said looking down at his arm. "When the Queen attacked, she was covered in residue... likely the Jelly they use to feed their Royal eggs and when I carried her she was also covered in my blood."
"So... she's hybrid?" Cuh'tor asked.
"No... Not yet. But in time it will be down to her own body and blood what she becomes," the old Yautja said.
"Will she survive that long?"
Jha'kle looked at Cuh'tor as his mandibles twitched. "If she is anything as I suspect then yes, she will survive."
Cuh'tor smiled in the Yautja way. "If you say it's so, then I believe you," he said. "My Osh'dara trusts you and I see no reason to disagree with his judgment, you are after all the oldest of the Clan Elders."
"Thank you Cuh'tor."
Mark refused to give up on finding Shara.
No matter what anyone said he refused to let himself think that the child he had promised to protect was gone.
He searched day and night for any sign the girl was alive until he noticed a pattern of clicks that seemed to sound only when he followed a certain path.
He refused to let anyone tell him it was fools hope and when Sanderson attempted to forbid him from going after Shara again, Mark cursed him in his native language.
Needless to say Sanderson had been reportedly attacked by a pack of wolves a few days later that had apparently, escaped the local Zoo.
Mark was currently out in the Tanker, unaware of the eyes that watched him and the dog with him, watching them to see what they were doing and trying in their own way to lead him to the girl.
However on the Yautja ship, Shara's arm was starting to heal but Shara herself was not showing any signs of waking up, despite her vitals being normal.
"Comatose." Dha-ta said softly as Jha'kle stood watching Shara.
"She may not wake for a long time." he sighed.
"I'm afraid so," Dha-ta said gently taking the scanner away from Shara, "She needs to stay as still as possible as she sleeps," He added.
"She's hardly moved," Jha'kle said gently moving stray strands of hair from her face. "I am starting to wonder if she is trapped."
"Mentally trapped?" Dha-ta asked. "I thought it was impossible to trap a Ooman mind?"
"It is possible... but it is dangerous," Jha'kle said looking at the child and sighed deeply. "Bring Be'guna to me."
"Yes Jha'kle." Dha-ta said.
Moments later, the heavy Yautja came into the room, looking down at the small Ooman and a soft smile touched his mandibles. "She looks less pale." He said.
"I believe I know how to wake her." Jha'kle said. "But I would like you to insure my fears are real." He added, "You and your brother can sense a mental barrier, can you not?"
"We can." Be'guna said and despite his large size, he was gentle and softly placed his hand over the Ooman's head treating her with the gentle touch he would do a very small pup of his own kind, taking a deep breath, his mandibles clicking together softly before he nodded. "She has one, but it's like a web... it feels reinforced by another."
"Another Ooman?" Jha'kle asked.
"Yes," Be'guna said, removing his hand, "She is aware of herself, but I think it's fear that's holding her trapped, not someone else."
"Hmmm..." Jha'kle said looking at a scentless candle in his room, "stand by the door and watch over us." He said after a while. "I will attempt to wake her."
"Yes Jha'kle." Be'guna said moving away from the girl and to the door as Jha'kle lit the candles and sat in a large chair, one hand gently resting over Shara's closed eyes and the other holding a sacred jewel, blessed by the High Priestess to insure mental protection from invasions during meditation.
The room seemed to become still and Be'guna smiled in the Yautja way.
Jha'kle looked at the barrier before him and clicked softly as Be'guna had said, the barrier was much like a web; thin lines delicately crossed and interlocked making gossamer like curtains around a small curled up Ooman child, sniffling could be heard along with weak sobs.
While physically sleeping, it seemed mentally, Shara was awake and very much afraid of her situation.
Jha'kle decided to try a less common approach for his people, but in light of the situation he doubted growling and barking commanded at the child would work, and so he crouched low so he was more level with the child and cleared his throat a little.
The child looked up and Jha'kle was a little surprised to see not shock in her eyes, but a look of faint understanding when she saw the webs around her. "Am I... dreaming?"
"In a sense," Jha'kle stated. "What do you remember?"
"The hive... an explosion... then nothing." Shara said, slowly sitting up, favouring her right side more that her left. "My back hurts..."
"You suffered a nasty gash from the Queen, but she will not be bothering anyone again for a while." He assured, "Do you know where you are?"
"Um... my own head?" she asked.
He blinked.
"Mark is an Native American, he taught me about the mind and how you can still be aware even if your body isn't." She stated.
"I see." Jha'kle said. "Perhaps Mark and I will talk another time... right now my concern is you, you have no woken from your sleep since the explosion," he added. "Currently you are in my bed, recovering from what happened to you."
"So... you're a hunter?" she asked.
"Hunter?" Jha'kle asked, playing dumb for a moment or two to see how she would respond and to see just how much of her memories were still there.
"Mark says your kind comes to earth to hurt the Xenomorphs, he was there when the ship crashed..." Shara explained.
"I see... in a way yes we are hunters. But this is neither the place nor time to talk about it," Jha'kle said standing up.
Shara watched him then bowed her head, "I don't know how to leave this place," She admitted, "I don't even know how I got here," she added.
Jha'kle smiled in the Yautja way and offered his hand to the Ooman child, through the web like mess around her, "Then allow me to show you the way back." He offered.
Shara was a little hesitant at first, she had reason to be afraid but for some reason Jha'kle didn't worry about it, instead he stood calmly and waited patiently and sure enough, after drying her eyes on her sleeve she stood up and took his hand.
Some Yautja would have laughed at the site; others may have blinked and clicked their mandibles. Bhul-Dwag simply shook his head watching as Dha-ta and Thar'ka sparred with each other, though to the heavy Yautja, it looked more like a pair of young unblooded pups having a play fight.
Heavy Yautja were known to think little of smaller built Yautja but Bhul-Dwag found it amusing to watch them spar and play fight, he had seen many battles in his life and watching his own kind spar in such ways made him wonder if sometimes, he would be a good teacher to Unblooded Pups when they returned home.
Seeing movement at the side of him, Bhul-Dwag sighed and brought his fist down onto Cuh'tor's head. "Either sit still or go fetch me some food." He stated. "You're fidgeting is making me hungry."
"Sorry." Cuh'tor said rubbing the top of his head. "I'm just worried... I've never heard of an Ooman mind becoming trapped before." he added. "Is Jha'kle sure about trying to link minds with her?"
"He wouldn't try it if he wasn't sure, pup." Bhul-Dwag assured, "you worry far too much."
"Jha'kle is the oldest member of the Dark Blade Clan; I would never hear the end of it from my oldest Mei'hswei." Cuh'tor sighed. "Being the youngest of eight is not the best thing to be if your Elder happens to die while you are on his crew."
"Your Osh'dara would see him dealt with." Be'guna stated as he came into the room, "They are both unharmed and the child is starting to wake." He added.
"Good to hear," Bhul-Dwag said catching Dha-ta before he could fall out of the ring. "Watch your footing."
Dha-ta nodded though looked a little unsteady and disorientated.
"I see two of you..." the smaller Yautja stated.
"Off to medical with you." Cuh'tor chuckled as Thar'ka marched Dha-ta out of the room.
"I'd suggest you go and settle with Jha'kle lad," Be'guna said. "Bhul-Dwag and I play rough." He added as the two climbed into the ring.
Cuh'tor nodded and quickly left the room before fists started to fly.
Unable to think of anything better to do and driven by his own duty to protect his Elders, Cuh'tor went to the elder's room and found himself welcomed by the sound of Jha'kle speaking to the Ooman child in her native speak.
"Are you able to sit Shara?" the elder asked as the Ooman groaned softly.
"I think so..." the child said and with a weak hand she managed to pushed herself up, wincing as the movement caused her back and bandaged shoulder stung. "How long have I been...?" she asked looking around as her eye began to focus now she was awake.
"Roughly a week and half, by human time." Jha'kle said. "How do you feel?"
"A little dazed... my back and shoulder ache a little but I think I'm ok..." Shara said. "Did... my father make it?"
Jha'kle bowed his head and said nothing. There was nothing he could say, he knew what her father had done to spare her pain and he, as a father himself couldn't bluntly tell her what her father had done.
"He's with mother now..." Shara said after a time looking at the necklace around her neck and clutched the items on the chain in her good hand for a time. "Are... my friends looking for me?" She asked.
"Yes," Jha'kle said, "Though they seem to have moved from this city's edge... do you know where they have gone?"
"Dover." Shara said. "It's the last base here in the UK."
"UK?" Jha'kle asked.
"That's what this island is called, the United Kingdom, most shorten it to the UK. Just like people who live in the United States of America shorted it to the USA." Shara explained. "Do Hunters have names for their countries?"
"Our home world is very different form yours," Jha'kle chuckled, clicking his mandibles. "But that is a story for a different time. Right now you need those bandages changing."
"Will it hurt?" Shara asked.
"No, but it may sting, Cuh'tor, come in or leave, do not linger in my door way." Jha'kle commanded softly but firmly making Cuh'tor realize he was hovering.
"Sorry Elder."
Jha'kle only clicked and chuckled in their way. "Shara this is Cuh'tor, the one who has been helping to tend your injuries and keep watch over you."
"Thank you." Shara said, wincing as the bandages were carefully removed from her back. "How bad is my back?" she asked.
"In Human terms, you have been badly scared, the Queen managed to dislodge your shoulder from its joint and broke many bones, she also tore several nerves and veins resulting in a massive loss of blood. Had it not been for our healer you would likely not have survived." Jha'kle said, carefully watching Shara's face for any signs of pain as he worked, quickly and cleanly to insure she was not at risk of infection. "I will introduce you to him after your bandages are changed and you have had something to eat."
"Thank you," Shara said.
"You're lucky," Cuh'tor said. "According to our healer if the Queen had cut into you any deeper she could have easily broken your spinal cord or even hit your lung." He explained. "For some reason your left lung is smaller than the right and that saved you."
"All Human's Left lungs are smaller than the right. It's to make room for the heart." Shara explained. "That's what Martha Mary always tells me."
"Martha Mary?" Cuh'tor asked.
"She's a teacher, a cook and our medical officer, she teaches me sometimes when my dad couldn't." Shara said.
"Speaking of your friends..." Jha'kle said. "Do you know the way to... Dover was it?" he asked.
Shara nodded, "Mark says the best way to get to Dover is follow the river to the sea and take the coat line until I reach Allhallows there will be a boat there that can be used to get to St. Margaret's Bay from there I walk 3.5 miles to Dover. Since the roads aren't safe," She said. "I know the waters aren't safe all the time, but Mark says he has help out there to keep any travellers safe."
"I see..." Jha'kle said. "But that leads us to the current problem." He stated, "You are in no state to travel alone and I have no desire to see the work we did to keep you alive gone to waste."
"Shall I tell the others to ready the ship?" Cuh'tor asked.
Jha'kle nodded. "It will get us there quicker." He said before looking back to Shara, "Do you know if your friends will mind having us drop in?"
"Mark won't mind. Jessica and Ben might be a little worried about it, since they don't like things just appearing out of nowhere." Shara said.
Jha'kle chuckled and clicked his mandibles. "Tell me Shara... how much has Mark told you about Hunters like us?" he asked, wanting to see if she had learned any more from the older man.
Mark it seemed, knew much more about the hunters than Jha'kle thought, the older man seemed to have been brought up in a tribe near a hunting area on earth and thus been brought up knowing of his kinds actions in the jungles and even cities of this world through stories of his elders.
And he had passed those stories on to Shara, as a means to help her remain calm during nights when her dreams tormented her.
"Jha'kle."
Shara paused her words as Jha'kle looked up at the door. "Shara this is Bhul-Dwag,"
Bhul-Dwag nodded to the child, it felt strange not greeting her as his own kin would but he knew that at her current state Shara wouldn't have enough strength to stand the normal greeting of his kind. "We are ready to leave," he said.
Jha'kle nodded, "Do you mind if Bhul-Dwag carries you?" he asked and Shara shook her head. "Good."
Bhul-Dwag moved closer and very carefully, as if he were lifting a delicate glass sculpture, he lifted Shara up, carrying her bridle style while Jha'kle carried the box with her weapons in and placed her coat over her to keep her warm.
"Why do you wear masks?" Shara asked.
Bhul-Dwag clicked a little. "It helps us define our targets during a hunt, it also helps us identify ill and sickly so we do not break our code of honour."
"Code of honour?" She asked.
Jha'kle smiled, listening to Bhul-Dwag tell Shara about the code of Hunters, noticing how Shara, despite having little strength listened carefully, socking up the new information like an eager learning pup.
Once on the ship, and with Shara giving directions, they were on their way to Dover.
Mark sighed softly as he looked over the sea, partly to try and calm himself, partly hoping and praying the reports were just the ravings of a mad man from the overseas camps.
To his horror, there was a huge black mass suddenly surfacing from the ocean, an ear splitting scream as it seemed to hover for a moment then sink back into the deaths.
"Even the water is not safe anymore..." he sighed. "Please... please be safe Shara..."
Hearing something behind him Mark turned slightly to see a grey and beige wolf stood a few feet away and an angry look in the wolf's eyes as he looked towards the city that once was Dover.
Ruined, run down, broken and destroyed.
Yet still it held the only safety that his team were able to use now, the last of the city bases left in the UK.
He sighed and gently put a hand on the wolf's back. "Easy boy..."
The wolf seemed to calm under his touch before following Mark away from the cliffs back to the six wheeled vehicle and climbed into the back, laying down while Mark began to drive away from the cliffs.
~"Mark, do you hear me?"~ Jessica's voice came over the radio.
"Yes Jessica I hear you... anything?" Mark said hopefully.
~"I believe we might have... there is a moving signal, just along the coast line...it following the upper Road... it could be Shara?"~ Jessica explained.
Mark changed gears and the Tanker moved faster. "I'm on my way." He said as his friend looked up as if aware he was soon to be needed.
He arrived at Dover Base moments before Jessica and Ben came out of the building, both clad in heavy armour and weapons and lower covering face masks. Ben was also carrying a Muzzle modified to allow the dog wearing it room to bite but also keep unwanted face huggers off the canine. "Xenomorphs?"
"We picked up movements." Jessica said. "Whoever is coming our way, they don't have a radio." She added.
"Put your foot down Mark." Ben said as the Tanker took off towards Upper Road.
Shara winced a little as her left side started to sting as the ship swayed slightly, Bhul-Dwag was doing his best to keep her steady, by the ships movements were not easy to predict and even though the movements were minimal they still caused stings to shoot up her back.
"Thar'ka."
"I'm sorry Elder... this isn't easy terrain to navigate... even less so with these blasted Kainde Amedha everywhere." The piloting Hunter said as the sound of strange gunfire made Shara even more worried about the world outside the apparent safety of the tiny ship.
"What's happening?" Shara asked.
"The beasts you're kind call Aliens are outside the ship, they have been following us for the last Hour, trying to bring the ship down, they haven't counted on so many open areas where we can open fire on them." Jha'kle answered.
"Your friends are on the way..." Be'guna said from beside her.
"We will stay behind and follow at a distance," Jha'kle said to Shara, "Close enough to help, but far enough away not to cause a scare," he added, putting Shara's weapons in their holsters. "You remember what I asked?"
"You need to talk to the General." Shara nodded. "I'll remember."
"Thank you." Jha'kle smiled in his way. "Now, this may be a little painful but trust me you are safe."
Shara only nodded, feeling Bhul-Dwag move her in his arms so that she could easily be placed down but also trying to keep unneeded pressure off her left side.
"When you are on the ground, call on your friends. We will do the rest." Bhul-Dwag assured before he charged the cannon on his shoulder.
Mark growled and slammed the Tanker into another Xenomorph, "Anyone got eyes on Shara?"
"Nothing... but that signal's stronger."
The wolf suddenly shot away from the Tanker and towards a mount where a loud gunshot had just come from. "What in blazes?"
"HELP!"
Jessica and Ben all but dived off the Tanker and followed the canine's path, finding the wolf ripping face huggers off the floor and ragging them around like dolls while Shara, looking very much alive and well fired her father's colt 45 at any Xenomorph that got too close, her left side clearly in no state to be holding a gun.
"Shara!"
"Duck lass!"
Shara obeyed as Ben and Jessica unloaded several rounds at the Xenomorphs before Shara felt herself being heaved up into strong arms and carried away.
"Come boy!" She yelled and the wolf raced after them as she was placed in an empty passenger seat and strapped in while Jessica sprayed the area with bullets, pausing one second or two for the wolf before opening fire again. "Good boy."
"Everyone hang on!" Mark commanded changing gears and revving the Tanker. "Homeward!"
Shara winced a little as some turns and bumps lead to pain on her left side, but it was at least somewhat bearable with the wolf beside her, somehow managing to brace the impacts.
Shara heard a faint tap that was a little out of place and smiled one of the Hunters was hitching a ride and that made her feel a little more confident.
As soon as they were out of danger, the Tanker slowed to a steady speed and Shara smiled as Jessica embraced her from the right, placing a soft kiss on her forehead. "You are one brave little girl Shara Kelly." She praised gently ruffling Shara's hair. "Are you alright?"
"I'm ok now... I need to talk to the General when we get back... I'll explain everything there." She assured, smiling as Ben reached around and embraced her too.
"You had us all worried sick Lass, I thought we'd lost you." the large male said, all the while gently looking over her left side, having seen the bandages as he lifted her. "Who bandaged you up?"
"The Hunters..." Shara said. "They saved me... and they brought me here so you guys could find me... that's why I need to talk with the General."
"And you will, dear." Mark said, "even if I have to damn well park this old tanker in General Connolly's office window I will make sure you talk to him as soon as we get back."
"Thanks Mark... I'm sorry I made everyone worry about me."
"You got nothing to be sorry for." Ben assured as they reached open safe roads.
News of Shara's return had reached the base before them and the minute Mark had stopped the Tanker, Martha Mary was out of the base and beside Shara, gently but tightly hugging the child while the General came out with a look of relief and joy as Shara limped her way inside with the others.
"You truely are a god send, Shara Kelly." He said as Shara gave a small salute. "How did you get out of there?"
"I had help... a lot of it..." Shara said. "I need to talk with you, away from him." she added indicating to a fancy car that was parked up.
The general nodded. "Ben go removed Sanderson from my office, Martha Mary, activate the scrambler."
"Yes sir."
The General watched them go and then smiled kneeling so he was more level with Shara. "Before we talk, I would like you to have something to eat and a warm drink, I will have a fresh set of clothes brought to you by Jessica. Is that alright?"
Shara nodded and after a very angry Sanderson had been kicked off the base and Shara had change into clean clothes and had a full stomach, the group gathered in the General's office.
Shara explained everything she remembered about the mission to London, when it had gone bad and who she remembered was there, she recalled what had happened inside the hive and what had happened when her father had been injured.
She faintly recalled her father telling her everything would be ok before she passed out.
"So how did you get here?" Martha Mary asked.
"I had help from the Hunters." Shara said. "One of them found me after the explosion and brought me to their ship, they helped me get better and then brought me here." She explained.
"And how many of them are there?" Ben asked. "The Hunters I mean."
"Six, one of them is an Elder."
There was silence for a time and then Mark spoke up while taking his necklace off. "Shara... did any of them have this mark on their armour or masks?" he asked showing her the necklace.
A small arrangement of marks, cut into the old stone, Shara looked carefully and tried to remember if she had seen it before.
"It is the mark of our Elite Warriors," A voice stated and Shara smiled as the necklace was turned to a new angle. "You were looking at it upside down."
"Sorry Thar'ka..." she said and giggled as Ben and Jessica went slack jawed. "Guys this is Thar'ka, one of the Hunters."
"They can't see me," The Hunter clicked. "Jha'kle sent me to insure it was safe to come in," he asked and Shara looked at the General, who had been quietly listening the whole time.
He nodded. "So long as you don't mind being visible." He asked.
Thar'ka clicked and after an odd beeping sound the cloak faded and showed the Hunter stood to Shara's left. "The others are on their way."
"How do you speak our language?" Ben asked finally over the shock.
"Some of us pick up on languages better than others we learn naturally by listening, the more we hear the more we learn and we have been here a long time." Thar'ka said. "That and Shara has told us that Humans cannot understand our native tongue, so we agreed not to use it."
"You say this is the mark of an Elite Warrior." Mark said, taking back his necklace and putting it back around his neck. "That does explain why my father had it."
Thar'ka nodded. "Normally this planet is used as a means to train young unblooded pups, but some elites come and go here for their own reasons." He explained, "And they are known to leave gifts for those they see as an equal."
"It was not given to me, but to my father, when he died it passed it to me and said it would bring me luck." Mark said.
"And it seems to have worked." Shara smiled and giggled as Ben ruffled her hair. "Our god send is safe and alive."
"Luck had nothing to do with it." Martha Mary said. "Steady hands and quick actions saved Shara."
"And it was luck that the Hunters were hunting the same nest as us." The General said, "There are three of them after all."
"Then it appears we are going to be of bigger help to you than I first thought." Another voice stated as five more hunters arrived in the room, two of whom were just a little too big to fit through the door.
"Oomans need bigger doors." Bhul-Dwag stated.
"If he can fit through them you can put up with it." Dha-ta said with a nod towards Ben.
Shara had to giggle a little at that.
"I was under the assumption that the hunters knew of all the nests?" the General asked.
"We knew of the one here... but we had no idea two more had arisen." Jha'kle said. "But then again... we have been stuck here..." he admitted, "our ship is beyond repair and thus not able to fly, only the smaller, less spacious ships work and that are only good for short distances."
"Or unstable areas." Thar'ka sighed, "They don't go over the ocean so well."
"Neither do our boats now," Mark sighed, "there are Xenomorphs adapt to the water now."
"So much for the boats..." Martha Mary sighed.
"So... what do we do about the other groups?" Shara asked.
The general sighed. "According to all radio reports and the Survivor FM updates. There are only a handful of us left... and the few Hunters outside the UK are not so much aiding our teams as watching them, I have several reports of one hunter who has been following the scout teams and then killing the smaller hives off. Another is plain ignoring humans all together and attempting to get in the main hive in Manhattan and Antarctica is in a total white out."
"And the Queens?" Jha'kle asked.
"City Queen as she is known to us is in Manhattan, she rules all the area, since her rising she and her hive have been the main cause of trouble in North and South America. Ice Queen has been another problem, using her hive to keep her warm and also sending Xenomorphs into the ocean... we are still trying to re-establish contract with teams since the radios died."
Jha'kle thought carefully over all he had heard.
"What about the Queen here?" Shara asked.
"She's trapped, but not dead." Ben said. "We sent a scout in, he came back paler than snow and said the hive was still intact but the Queen's chamber was caved in... he'd heard and felt something slamming against it and came running back."
"She survived?" Shara asked. "but.. I saw the bomb you made... nothing could have..."
"Unless someone tempered with the device." Jessica said clenching her fist, "I knew we shouldn't have let Sanderson near that bomb."
"Are you sure we can't just have a weapons misfire next time we see him?" Ben asked, cracking his knuckles. "Or even better, let me have him."
"Afraid not..." the general sighed.
"General! General!" a voice cried as the door to his office was all but bashed against, "General Connelly! Please answer me!"
"What is it Dutch?" the General asked.
"Radio channels five Sir, we just got through to Manhattan! General Henson is on the line."
In a fury of movement the General was at a radio console while Martha Mary worked at his computer.
"Martha Mary can boost radio signals using the computers." Shara explained before Dha-ta could ask what she was doing, while Ben and Jessica shooed the messenger off.
"General Henson... this is General Connelly do you read me?"
~"I read you, old friend... damn it! Barricade that door!"~ a voice yelled as gunfire echoed through the line. ~"James we have a HUGE problem... Something worse than just a Xenomorph!"~ The other yelled.
"What's happened?" Connelly asked as Martha's fingers danced on the computer, "Henson... Matthew Henson!? God damn it answer me!"
~"One of those bastard things got a hold of one of the Hunters!"~ The other reported and Jha'kle felt himself and his crew tense up. ~"I'm sending you the images and footage we have... Blast that thing to hell and back! Use everything!... James listen to me, the Xenomorphs are starting to dig underground tunnels to get to the bases! Get everyone in the UK to Dover and reinforce everything! Floors doors, windows, roofs everything!"~
"Henson..." Connolly asked as static filled the line.
~"Stay alive Connelly. That's all that matters now."~
"I'm losing signal..." Martha Mary said before there was a loud burst of static from the comm system and then silence. "Manhattan radio is down again sir..."
The general sighed. "Martha Mary I want you in comms working on signal boosts, Ben, grab every off duty member of the team and start welding everything down that can be, barricade every window and vent, pressurize every door leading in and out of this base, Jessica, go with Ben and make triple sure everywhere we welded before is done right."
"Yes sir." The three said before leaving.
Mark sighed. "This is going to be one hell run." He said then looked at Shara. "And we also have another issue."
Shara cocked her head.
"I am not going to put you in harm's way until that shoulder is healed and you are ready to go out again." The General said. "But we can't just sit you in a corner to look pretty."
"Can't I help Mark with the Tanker?" she asked.
"The Tanker will not keep you busy long Shara..." Mark said. "And we can't force you to stay indoors while healing..."
"Oh... so no training..." Shara said as she realised what they were saying.
"And we all know what happens if Sanderson finds out about this." the General sighed. "So instead of physical training you can help Martha Mary with the computers and if that walking junk pile has anything to say about it, I'm sure Mark and Ben can deal with him." he said.
"When will I be healed?" She asked looking at Dha-ta.
"That depends on your body's ability to heal." He explained, "Ooman's are not as rapid healers as we are but according to what I know of your species, the younger the body the faster and more chance the healing is."
"So... no one knows." Shara said.
"Do you believe you will heal quickly?" Jha'kle asked and Shara nodded. "Then you will."
Shara smiled.
"Well, then we have just one matter to deal with." General smiled, "How many more rooms do we need to set up?" he asked.