Kita couldn't get over about the size of the warehouse. She is used to large buildings, but this has got to be the largest warehouse she has seen. Or perhaps, this was more than just a warehouse. One of the Marines had found the light switch to reveal large shelves on the bottom ground that go up until just under the next floor. Four to five floors, each had a balcony going around inside, but she could see that each had long windows that she is able to get a glimpse of what looks to be offices.
"Alright, we'll split up, search all floors and rooms." Dan called out and the group moves out. Kita decided to check the fourth floor with Emerald, checking on each side parallel to each other. The first room Kita entered was a long room going almost halfway across the warehouse. Windows on each side, one through the warehouse and the other outside. Large desk with computers and stacks of paperwork. What on earth were they doing here?
"Is anyone here?" she called out, her voice echoes for a bit. No response. She continues walking along, glancing at each desk, seeing if anything the colonists knew that they need to know. Kita heard a shout coming from the floor below. Muffled but she knows what she heard. They found a survivor. She felt relieved that someone was found before returning to her search.
Finally, her eyes came across a computer monitor that had a layout of something. Something interesting. She sat down at the desk and started looking closer at the layout. Looks to be some sort of structure, not man-made. But when images started popping up, she started to be more confused. The images were of temple structures, ruins, some of the walls with pictures that remind of her of Ancient Egyptian. They are alien-like, but they are familiar.
She thought for a moment. This place was meant to be just a colony. A development to expand human civilization here. And yet there is currently nothing on the expansion. Is there more to this place than they know. What is Weyland hiding here? If it something important to him, then it's gotta be bad news.
Quickly she puts out a datapad she had and connects to the computer and begin to download all the files. While in process, she looks for more information. She clicked on a random document and her eyes darted onto one word written in large text that became a big piece of the puzzle.
Yautja
She almost cringed. The hostiles, they're the Yautja, the predators, hunters. It makes sense now. She's heard of them before. During her training, they were told of these hunters and how deadly they can be. Humans have fought with them before from time to time but it's rare and most time it's only been one or a few. She's got to tell Dan immediately.
The database chimed in completion of downloading the data. Pulling it out she quickly rushes to the exit. At a steady beep, her motion tracker was going. Looking down at it, there was movement coming closer to her. She glances in the direction, facing the windows viewing outside.
She puts her fingers up to her earpiece, "Guys, I've got movement." She backed away slowly, not taking her eyes off the windows. There was something there, outside. For a moment there was nothing but when she got to the doorway, a shimmer went upwards passed the window, making her aim her gun at it. What was that?
Suddenly a crash was heard from upstairs and guns started firing.
"Contact!" one of the marines called out before crying out in death. Another started yelling out. Quickly Kita turned around and rush towards Emerald who was already out aiming her gun above. She joined in. Already in her sights, she saw a severed arm fall from the platform.
Strange clicks and growls were coming from the platform, but they couldn't see anything. Kita quickly thought of an idea and pulled out a smoke grenade from her pocket and throws it to the upper floor.
"Deploying smoke!" she called out as the grenade releases a grey cloud, spreading fast and there among the smoke, a figure could be seen. "Light it up!" Both she and Emerald started firing at the creature. She watched as it fled back out of sight.
Roars of slight pain were heard but then the creature ran around the platform out of their sight but they both knew where it was going.
"Above!" Emerald called out and the two splits, ducking to the floor as something large swings from the rails above and landed in between them making a loud thud against the metal platform. Kita looks up as it made itself appear out of nowhere.
The Yautja was tall at least 8 feet with a heavy body built. Reptilian in appearance, long dreadlocks for hair with a few rings wrapped around each one. Wearing a dark grey armour covering the upper chest, shoulders, arms, legs and sides of the hips which seems to be connected to it tribal Egyptian-like loincloth. It wore a necklace, decorated with small skulls of animals she does not know of and what looks to be a spine wrapped around its waist.
Both arms bare a wrist gauntlet, but one had twin jagged blades. But what really got Kita's attention was the mask. She has seen images of their masks before but this one was ragged rather than smooth. Many scratches but layered. Two large fangs were almost parallel to each other at a small distance from the middle to where its mouth is. Followed by smaller ones going all the way back as if it was meant to resemble a fearsome creature bearing its fangs. Smaller spikes were also decorated around the outline of the top head, evenly on each side and in the centre were markings.
For the first time, she was frozen in shock as she watches the eyes flash yellow for a moment. It was staring at her. It started its approach to her but then a few shots started firing at the hunter from behind.
"Kita, run!" Emerald's voice snapped her out of her trance and she quickly got up onto her feet and gain a few steps back away from the hunter but when she aimed her gun at it, she could only watch in horror as Emerald's body was lifted up into the air by the predator, crying out in pain before her head and arms drop.
It killed her. And as if she was nothing, it through her body against the wall. Leaving a blood mark against it. Kita knew that she was next, and she had to act fast. The elevator would slow her down. Her eyes spotted metal chains hanging in the middle. Her mind quickly came up with a plan.
As the hunter turned to her, already she shot a grenade at it, blowing up in its face. She rushes over to the rail, using it to jump and grab the chains. Suddenly she felt herself falling fast while still holding onto the chains but when it jolted to a halt, she lost grip and fell. Kita closed her eyes, expecting a hard impact only for two arms to catch her body.
"Gotcha." Kita opens her eyes to see Dan before he put her down. "Fall back! Get back to main base!" and everyone started running to the exit of the building. She didn't have to turn around to know that the hunter was behind them as the ground vibrated violently to something heavy making impact.
As they got outside, they began to cross a narrow bridge. Guns shots fired followed by a blast of another gun but not of their own. Shit, this thing carries more than it appears. Kita noticed she has one more grenade. If she uses it now, it might be able to knock the predator off the bridge. In her final attempt, she swiftly turns to face the predator and shoots her last grenade at it as it ran towards her. However what she didn't expect was the large pistol gun in its hand, already aiming at her.
It fired a bright light. She was expecting to be hit only it wasn't aiming for her. It has learnt her move. It happens so fast she didn't notice until a blast of flames erupted between them almost touching her if not for the force that pushed her body back and once again, she was falling as her view becomes enclosed of the walls of the cliffs with the bridge getting smaller.
Her world blacked out on impact with her body being engulfed by water.
Zo'dta quickly reacts, jumping back onto the hard ground as the explosion breaks the bridge in two. Breathing heavy as he watches the other oomans get away. But he couldn't spot the one that was throwing the bombs at him. Where did it go? A loud splash came from below. He stood at the edge and look down but couldn't see anything. It must have fallen to the river below. Growled in frustration, out of that group, the one that has proven to be a sport for him is lost.
Spikes of pain appear around his right shoulder. He gripped for a moment before letting it go and looking at the hand. Thwei. He bleeds. He felt enrage but excited at the same time. That ooman managed to make him bleed. Only a few have managed to do so and that makes them worthy opponents. He thought about that moment. It couldn't see him, but it knew that releasing some sort of gas at him revealed gave it and the other the ability to see him. And the quick reaction and thinking, it is smart. A worthy prey indeed.
Zo'dta look back across and the other oomans have already gone out of sight. For a moment he thought of going after them, but they could have already grouped up with the others and he wasn't in the best condition nor it will be smart to face many oomans at once alone. He'll rest and heal for now. Finding a place out of sight, he pulls out his medicomp and begins to fix his wounds.
Once his wounds were clean and healed. He thought of tracking that ooman who has proven to be a sport to him. It would have most likely got swept by the current. Follow the flow of the river and he will find it. Only for the voice of his leader to tell him otherwise.
He commands to meet up with another Yautja not far from here to gather more information. He reluctantly agrees but growls in annoyance once the connection between him and his leader broke. He was so keen on claiming that ooman's skull, but he'll have to wait. Perhaps he will find it again. He just hopes that none of his brothers claims it before he does.
Kita's eyes open but couldn't see anything. Where is she? She tried to breathe but only water ended up in her mouth. Her mind quickly snaps and focuses on reaching for air. She broke through to the surface, gasping for air and coughing out any water. Examining her surroundings, she watches as the current of the river moves her. The rocky surroundings have gained more vegetation and the cliff walls have lowered to create shores. She has gone far from where she fell. Kita headed for land, grabbing a branch to pull her out before she collapses.
Her body was exhausted and in pain. She must have fallen quite high to have hit the water that hard to knock her out. Suddenly she recalls what happened before that. Her team. The hunter. She quickly looks around. The hunter was nowhere in sight meaning that the explosion didn't knock him off the bridge. But what about her team? Did the hunter go after them? She hoped not.
"Hello? Does anyone read?" she calls out into her radio, "This is Kita. I got separated from my group." No reply. Perhaps she isn't close enough for a signal. Well, she isn't getting anywhere by sitting here. She got up and headed away from the river a bit but making sure that it was still in sight.
The best way to get back is to follow the river in the opposite direction to where it took her. However, being on her own makes her more of a target than ever before. Kita began her track through the jungle. Her only light source now was her flashlight. Night-time is always dangerous. The Yautjas won't be the only ones that are here.
"Does anyone copy? This is Kita! Is anyone out there?" she tries again as she moves along. Come on, someone pick up.
"Kita? This is Willow of Bravo Team." A female voice broke through, and she felt like an angel has answered her call.
"Fucking hell, it's good to hear someone's voice. I've got separated from my group and I'm lost. Can you pinpoint me to your location?"
"Gotcha, picking your location now. You are not far from the ruins. That's where we've set up." Willow answered, "Giving your location now." Kita pulls out her GPS and was relieved that she only has to walk a couple of kilometres.
"Thanks, man, I own you."
"What happened to your team?" Willow asked.
"We were at the warehouse when we got attacked by the hostiles." She answered, "It's the Yautjas, the predators. They are here."
"Shit." Willow replied, "This is getting more fucked up by the hour. Hang on…Bran has contacted your team. They are already back at base."
Thank god. Kita felt that luck was on her side for now. In the view of her light, she sees a large pathway with some pillars with marking on it as well as some man-made, well, alien-made walls.
"Hey, I see some alien-made stone pillars here." She said.
"Good, you are almost at the entrance to the ruins. I'm sending Bran and Neal to meet you there." Willow replied.
"Gotcha, on my way." She broke into a light jog to quickly get to the meeting point before anything happens. Upon turning a corner, a large gateway appeared. A rectangular stone archway was thick, going right up to the natural earth walls by width but not height. Beyond it, Kita could see building structures and standing at the entrance, two Marine she guessed are Bran and Neal.
"Hey!" she called out to grab their attention before reaching them.
"Heh, knew you were a chick but damn, you've still got your beauty jungle girl." Neal commented while staring at her. Kita smirks at the comment but not flattered.
"Quitted Neal. Let's just get back to the rest of the group." Bran said before heading further into the ruins with Kita and Neal following behind.
The ruins were indeed a sight to see. She's visited ruined places back on Earth when she was young. Studying the structures remind her of the ruins in South America. Rectangular mixed with pyramid shapes. Most of the outside was smooth but were decorated with patterns that remind her that humans did not make this. The patterns were alien with some having images of them. She swears she saw a predator or two on them.
"Was this what got the company's attention?" Kita asked.
"We believe so." Neal said, "From what I've heard Weyland has always had an interested in obtaining any alien technology. And they don't like to let everyone know about their discovery."
"Something tells me that the hunters are not that happy that we've found something of theirs." Kita noted, "It could be the reason why they are here."
"But what is here that they don't want us to find. It's just a bunch of old ruins that they've abandoned." He complained as they began to walk up some stairs.
"I don't think Weyland would be here if there was something that the predators hold value." Kita was almost getting annoyed with the company already. "Now we are caught in their business."
"Yep, the fucking marines are just theirs to play with." Kita almost laughed. They reach the top of the structure, high up but not the highest, in the centre of the small crowded area was a small temple in the centre. Kita could already see the rest of Bravo Team set up on top of it. She feels safe now but how long with it last.
