Chapter four: The here and now.
Ghardeh…
"Still nothing Matriarch? Is there cause for concern?" I hear Qah'dah ask as she approaches with gentle strides, she stops just off the steps knowing her boundary no one except Shane is permitted to walk directly up to the throne to which i am seated, unless of course they have a death wish. Or lack of respect. Qah'dah lowers her head as the monitor rises back within the central spire to which it descended from. "I am concerned, not a single signal or message.. It is not like him at all.. Indeed there was times we did not speak, however he saw Shane only once during his procedure, i fear something has perhaps gone awry with his mission. Or maybe he has issues with communication or his ship in general."
"But with respect Ghardeh, hasn't your nephew Danny Le'Blanc sent out assets also to help determine what has happened? And still nothing?"
"Still nothing Qah'dah.. When was the last time you went home? Have you stayed here overnight?"
"Several days ago, i was hoping to find something on Ki'xal, but nothing.."
I give her a short nod.
"Take a couple of days rest. Don't worry about tomorrow Shane and i have it covered."
"But i… Very well.. I shall take some time away from my duties.. Thank you Ghardeh.. Though.." she hesitates to say her next sentence, her red orbs flickering away from my gaze.
"Speak your mind my friend.."
"I have not had the chance to see Shane just yet.. I have been wondering about him for some time.."
"Well isn't that sweet Qah'dah.."
My mandibles grin as i notice Shane behind Qah'dah.. I watched him walk through the doors as she spoke.
She turns sharply and clicks several times..
"By the veil look at you, za sezrim!" my Lord!
"M-di.. Just Shane, we discussed this before Qaddy.. Come here.. I know you want a hug.."
I grin as she gently wraps her arms around him with a clicky laugh.
"Your markings are quite a stark contrast to Ghardehs, you turned out very well.. May i add.. With respect of course.." she lets go of Shane and stands formal once more.
"Ahh as you were.. We are not in meeting Hult'ah.." Shane says with a tilt of his head. "And those eyes.. Very.. What is that word you said to me one day? Suave?"
"Are we going somewhere with this Qah'dah? Are you trying to butter me up? It's working.."
"I cannot believe you are up and about so soon.. It has been ten or so years.. I am glad you pulled through Shane.. I should be going.. Goodbye Ghardeh.."
She bows her head to me then to Shane.
"Ze'rei Sain'ja.." She takes her leave and Shane turns to me.
"Ok can i say she is always so.. Lovely? So.. Kind yet strong? So.. Cute?"
"Of course.. If you want her to beat your face like a mallet.."
"You mean that's what you would do? She has such a calm nature.. I have never seen her primal side. Can't be as arousing as yours.."
"I still haven't found anything on Ki'xal, Shane.. I'm worried.."
Shane nods.. "As am i darl.. Something will come up.. It has to.. Has Danny's and Auktano's Assets found diddly squat?"
I give him a slow nod and Shanes arms angle to his large hips. "I think something may have happened.. It's been far too long.. Three years?"
We walk back home when we eventually go to sleep, Shane is fiddling with his forehead, rubbing his smooth ridged outer crown. His mandibles twitching as he concentrates as he runs his black talons over and around his forehead. I grab his finger and pull it away when he slowly turns his head. A hint of questioning doubt mars his facade and i feel his confusion. He is slowly beginning to realise he will never be the same again. And for a short time i begin to see, he is slightly broken.. As if something in his mind.. Is searching for something, and it only seems like times when we stop.. That it hits him. I decide to dig for his thoughts.
"What is wrong Shane? Tell me."
He blinks slowly.
"Is it that obvious darl?"
I slowly turn his head as he begins to turn from my gaze, then i see a hint of emotion convey through him. Saddness, but also dread. A lingering doubt. A damning truth of the here and now.
"Have i made the right choice Ghardeh? Was there another way i could have lived? This all started with that damned Deaunali artefact i touched in that blasted cave.. What if we never went in? What if you left me on that planet to die with T'qu'dha? What if none of this had ever happened? Where would we be now?"
As he says that i give him a hard punch in the abs. And i growl.
"Don't you dare do that to yourself.. Think about what would have happened if you hadn't have been caught, think about what you helped me through, think about what would have happened if you didn't try and stop the Deaunali, think about where we wouldn't be if you died that day and never came back.. You not only improved our lives. You gave life. Ki'xal.."
"Which was a fluke of nature!" Shane says with a slight angered flare.
"And to this day i don't know how that was possible! It was an accident.."
"Take that back right now! You don't mean those words!"
Shane rips himself from the berth when i do also he storms downstairs with weighty thumps i follow him, "Shane stop right now!" i grab his arm when i feel his energy and it was an unrivaled anger, he was ready for a fight and i was not willing to injure him. He turns his green eyes glowing with anger.
He grabs my arm and throws it into my chest.
"Shane.. Talk to me, please. I have been there for you every step of the way, do it for me."
"What do you mean. Do it for you, i moved planets for you.. I lived well past what is humanly possible for you! I TURNED INTO A YAUTJA FOR YOU! The here and now?! I'm here because of you! If i had my way i would have died on that table before the procedure to have your blood mess me up! And for what?! I outlived my family my friends my homeworld! For a life of constant danger and fucked up biology! Fan fu-"
My temper flares and i make a grab for him yet he anticipated and for the first time ever.. He throws me across the room into the mast, several holographic pictures of us and the family clatter onto the floor around me as the shelving is smashed with my weight, as i scramble up he opens the front door and slams it with such force the doors window shatters.
"Shane!"
He turns to me wound tighter than an angered lar'jinx and storms off in nothing but his lower armour..
"Pauk.." i say throwing the broken shelf.. It isn't the first time we have argued but this one was on me, i should have left him be. Especially with his new strength i was foolish to try and overpower him for once i may have met my match. I clear up the broken glass and place the pictures on the communicator. I'll repair the door and shelf tomorrow. Before i go to the city and have the meetings.
Shane…
As i storm as far away from the house as possible i feel my heart pounding with anger. What in the world set me off like that? Ghardeh was only trying to help, yet it was in part because i am still having an identity crisis.. I'm supposed to be dead but i am now a yautja. I always doubted myself as being capable. I was after all human, regardless of Ghardeh's blood, I still knew who i was. But now? Not so sure. I walk along the purple beach head when i begin to calm down, maybe i overreacted? But maybe i just needed to let it out? But i could have handled it better? I love Ghardeh to bits no question about it, but in that moment.. She was.. Dare i say an obstacle? We have argued before over small things but never have i thrown her across the room like that, in fact i would not have been able to.. Showing the significance of my changes. Ever since i had reawakened i have had some.. Doubt in my purpose in life. In my place.
I may have hidden it but clearly not well enough.. Maybe i should talk to Ghardeh about my woes. I regret saying Ki'xal was an accident but i meant it in a different way. As in Ghardeh and i should never have been able to procreate. It was just a natural thing we did, which we thought was without consequence. Again yautja do not see relationships the same as humans so i grew accustomed to her way of life. Yet i also knew once Ki'xal was born. My life was going to be not only turned upside down but inside out. I never had children before full stop.. Let alone an alien hybrid. Yet i loved him with all my heart. I am sat with my elbows resting on my risen knees as i watch the waves crash onto the rocks near the rock pool. It is then i am fully calm. I must apologise to Ghardeh and fix everything i have broken. Yes.. I did overreact. But that was my nasty side.. I just have too much to deal with and it has come to my head. I should be grateful i am still alive, because there are those who are not. Who were worse off..
Ghardeh…
I wake up next morning to feel a hefty arm around my back to see Shane asleep beside me. He opens his eyes and his mandibles opens and closes as he yawns, then puts his forehead to mine. "I'm sorry for the way i was last night Kch-tanu.. I was wrong on so many levels."
"No it was i, i should not have pushed you into telling me what is wrong, i shouldn't have hit you."
"Ki'xal is not an accident Ghardeh, i me-"
I hold my hand to his mandibles and mouth.
"I know.. Now.. I miss him Shane.."
Shane gets up and places a crimson garment over him and matching sandals.
I walk with him downstairs to notice the shelving and door repaired, like new. No sign of our slight fight last evening. We head into Skri'jash'n, when I take Shane to the weapon smith. I tell Shane to give me a moment, then i head inside. An armoured yautja stands as he uses a mold to create the shape of what appear to be wrist blades. He stops once the technique is complete.
"Ghardeh Etur'sek, it has been too long my old friend what can i do for you?"
"Could you make a new blade? For my mate? In the same vein as my father's sword?" He walks round from his set up and looks me in the eyes, his silver eyes and brown markings glint in the fiery glow of the forge. "Give me 2 weeks I do not have any outstanding orders i will begin tomorrow."
I reach for currency when he holds his arm out in disagreement. "No. You need not pay me, you already have."
I give him a shallow nod then take my leave, Shane and i walk back to Wuis't'kei to begin the meetings, though when we arrive Shane notices Qah'dah.. It seems she wishes to continue her duties regardless of our suggestion to take time away from them, she gives us both a bow of her head and gently places a hand to her chest with a fist. I nod to her while Shane dives his head down as he passes. Qah'dah looks at Shane directly as he has always done such an action.. Though in her eyes she does not see herself of such importance that Shane shows her. It causes my mandibles to grin. He treats all the guard as equal but he shows his appreciation in a more direct manner than i. Still.. As he always has. Although Shane has always followed the code to the letter the way he acts around yautja sets him apart, he will never change in that regard. He deeply respects the yautja as a whole, even his enemies. We begin session and Shane sits to my right, Qah'dah brings in the first attendee, a Yautja with grey skin and red accents and markings wearing a light grey d'lex armour. He appears to be of the western clan across the border.
"Matriarch and Leader, it has come to our attention that the stocks from the western border was attacked last night, we have reason to believe it was the Askillian verge once again, as it was within your border may we ask that you head the investigation into what has happened? Of course we would, however it seems that it may cause more issues t-"
The Yautja is interrupted by the two doors slamming open.. I look at Shane as he snarls and his red laser aims directly at the intruding Yautja at the entrance.
"State your reason for this blatant disregard for my meeting!"
The Yautja steps towards and releases his wrist blades when i hear Shanes secondary caster unfold and aim at his right forearm.
The Yautja stops and takes off his mask revealing burning Orange orbs. Qah'dah brings up her Spear as do the rest of the five of our guard.
"Choose your move and words wisely or else they will be your last.. You have ten cycles to tell me why you burst through my doors unannounced.." I say with a growl. I stay sat knowing full well Shane will literally blow this incompetent into a green mist.
"Our tribe was under attack by the western fold! They were warned to never cross our borders! They have ignored the treaty and yet you are in meeting with them?!"
"Zah'dris.. Lower your posture.. Calm yourself and wait to be called in.. Do that now.. You will have your s-"
Shane is interrupted by a snort,
"You must be the new Shane? You still think you are Yautja because you have had a face lift? You will never be a Yautja all i see is -"
Shane fires his caster just past Zah'dris head he looks away just long enough for Shane to grab him and smash him out of the doors. Qah'dah and the rest of us follow as Shane smashes Zah'dris' head and looms over him with his throat in Shanes grip his knee on his armoured chest.
"Get on your Ship and never show your face again or else i will beat you so hard and fast they will need a DNA test to identify your remains.. Strike.. Three pauk-de.. Get out.." Shane kicks him across the floor and with a grunt Zah'dris storms to his runner ship. As it takes off towards the beach i blink as Shane fires his casters at the runner ship the bolts hit both engines and we hear a distant booming as the ship loses thrusters and plummets into the ocean. Shane walks back into the hall folding his casters, i feel his anger but we continue our affair.
"Continue attendee.. I sincerely apologise for that." Shane says sitting back at his chair.
"With respect, you are or was the human mate to Ghardeh?"
"I still am her mate.. Please continue.."
I sit down and nod to him. "You need not worry about Zah'dris if he sets foot here again.. Shane will kill him.."
"Not if i get to him first.." Shane and i both see Qah'dah still with her Spear but looking straight forward.
"As i was trying to say we do not want to cause more issues with the verge."
Shane dips his head as he receives comms by an unknown. "Fish him out and bring him to the temple I'll deal with him with Zir'tehn.." he says quietly..
"Sorry.. I was being paged.."
I give him a slight snort.
"We shall help you with your investigation, if need be i shall send more security to the border. We shall find out who is attacking the supply roads and put a stop to it.."
"Thank you Matriarch.. And leader.." He bows his head and takes his leave.
"Qah'dah bring in the next attendant."
She walks to the door when i look at Shane.
"Kch-tanu firing on Zah'dris was a balsy move.. What if he retaliates?"
"Then I'll kill him, he is on his final strike."
Qah'dah walks in with two Yautja, a mother and her young one.
"Matriarch, leader, we need some assistance. My younger son has gone missing, Zeg'ta and Mih've was out in the forest when Zeg'ta went missing.. We cannot find him anywhere. I fear for his safety.. Could you help with a search party?"
Shane stands and approaches the mother and she bows her head lower.
"Enough of that wei'gheh.. Female.. I am no royal.. Look at me.." he slowly raises her head gently..
"Ghardeh i will go now and help find Zeg'ta.. Come.. Show me the last place you saw him Mih've.."
They nod and with Shane take their leave.
It causes me to trill. No doubt it brought back a memory or two when he went in search of Ki'xal or Ry'kar back in the day. When they'd get into trouble. Shane will always help those in need and he always said he cares too much which he sees as a flaw but our people know Shane, he is and always will be a paragon.
Qah'dah brings in the next attendant and it involves several talks for stocks and trade.
By the end of the fifth meeting Shane returns. Only to be directed to the temple to deal with Zah'dris..
Shane moments earlier…
As the mother and Mih've lead me to the last place they saw Zeg'ta. I am hit by another memory.
"God's be praised!"
"Danny Le'Blanc! No one wants to hear your ass talk!"
Danny raises his left butt cheek and lets out another flatulent but Uzkielle slams his arm down on the table making everything clatter and Danny jump.
"Ki'cte Danny! You arre strriking my lasst nerrve.."
"You are just jealous you can't talk out of your backside Uz.."
Shane blinks.. Danny.. Little shit.. And Uzkielle the cranky brute.. Those were the days.. We make our way to his last known location after following Mih've.
I turn on my tracking vision and follow a set of small footprints.. They direct me to a sinkhole.. I drop down and turn on heat and pheromone vision when i see him.. Hidden behind a rock.. Clicking.
"Zeg'ta i am Ze'rei Sain'ja the leader of Wuis't'kei.. You are safe now.. Come.. Your mother and older sister await above.."
I hold out my arms when he slowly wraps around the rock and runs to me with a distressed gargle.
He wraps his small arms around my neck and i slowly rise. I walk to the light source and jump out of the sinkhole when an ecstatic sister and mother barely allow him to set foot on the ground when they hold him tight..
"Thank you Shane! We thank you so much!"
"Don't thank me wei'gheh just have your younglings be more aware of their surroundings.. Stay clear of this area.. Let us return home.."
As we return Zir'tehn sends for me and i am to deal with Zah'dris..
Let's see if he loosens his tongue again..
Authors note: It seems the small things are coming to Shanes head, but it seems he is able to temper his anger for now.. Will they ever find out what has happened to their son? Let's hope so!
Stay awesome out there. N'dhi-ja! (Farewell!)
