Predator Gothic Part 8
Pyramid. Training Planet.
"Come on, let's take a look around" I said "I need to figure out what is happening on this planet".
Actually I already had a fair idea of what the sodding hell was going on around here, the clue was that the the pyramid didn't look new, my guess was that in times past my clan had used this place for the rite of passage hunt, bringing in sacrifices from elsewhere, but had since abandoned it, or at the very least just hadn't used it for a while.
Someone was using it now. Whatever was jamming my mask, preventing me from following the beacon back to my ship, was magnified here, to the extent that I had to switch to what a human would call normal vision just so I could see.
"If there's more of those xenomorph things around I'd rather not" Jenkins protested.
While I understood her reasoning. I didn't agree with it. The xenomorphs weren't the real danger here. It was the Predators we needed worry about.
"We might find something useful inside," I said in an attempt to try and convince her. "The yautja are a hunter species, and this looks like something they would use base during a hunting season. If they use this planet to initiate young bloods they might have weapons and armour stored here, or maybe whatever they're using to prevent me from finding my ship is controlled from deeper inside. If I can disable it we can find my ship and even call for help".
Which might be dishonourable, but I was pretty sure that this wasn't my clan we were dealing with and the Predators had a system in place for dealing with disputes. An arbitrator was needed.
"They must be importing the xenomorph eggs, unless.."
I trailed off as something occurred to me.
"Unless what?" Jenkins prompted.
I actually felt my body shiver. It was a very human reaction.
"Unless they've already got a queen here already" I replied "Maybe right here".
Her eyes widened slightly.
"A queen? You mean a xenomorph queen? That sounds bad" she said.
I nodded.
"A queen is what lays the eggs that will, with the unwilling help of a host grow, into a xenomorph. That's what happened to your friend Mattews. The yautja capture them in order to provide prey for future hunts, and if this planet really is infested with xenomorphs then there's probably a queen around somewhere to provide the eggs".
Jenkins thought about this for a few moments.
"You mean there's probably a super-version of those xenomorph things somewhere in this building right now? And you think we'll be safer in here than we are out there?" she asked.
Actually yes.
"If there is one somewhere in here it's probably kept locked up in chains. The yautja don't really care about how they treat the creatures they hunt. If they did they wouldn't hunt them" I said "Not that I worry about a xenomorph's feelings. In my view the whole species needs to be wiped out".
With nukes from orbit, it was the only way to be sure.
"Are you sure that going in deeper inside is good idea?" the marine asked "I mean, we don't even know what's in there".
I started walking, and the marine followed.
"How exactly is it you know so much about these xenomorphs and yautja?" Jenkins asked me
My face was hidden by my mask, a mask that didn't look too much like one worn by a Predator, which was good because if she'd been able to read my expression she never would have let the matter drop.
"Is this an armoury?" I needlessly asked.
We began looking around the room we'd just found.
"Looks like it," the marine said before walking over to a row of plasma guns that were hung up on the wall "Nice guns".
She reached out to take one, but I stopped her.
"If you remove any of the guns the Yuatja will come after us" I told her "They are fussy about their tech failing into alien hands, so these will be alarmed in a sense".
She then eyed the weapons on the walls, and the ones I was carrying.
"Then where you'd get your stuff?" she wished to know.
I couldn't avoid this forever.
"The yautja are made up of clans just like humans have nations" I explained "I was brought into a clan, not by choice mind you, and they gave me my weapons. But this clan is a different group with different rules and values so I can't just take their tech. They would hunt us endlessly to get it back, and they'd kill anyone and anything that got in their way. They might even use WMDs just to be sure that their technology is never used against them".
Jenkins needed more time to think.
"Fucking great. So the only weapons we can take out of here without attracting their attention would be a few knives and some sticks with a pointy things on the end?" she said, sounding annoyed.
Those would be spears. Combi-sticks in fact. The Combistick was telescopic, making it relatively small and easy to store when not in use, but it can be extended to its full length when required, normally when used in combat. It was made of incredibly light, sharp, thin but strong material. There were versions, such as mine, that were proof even against the acid blood of the Kainde Amedha.
"I don't know, it depends how you use them," I said casually, while picking up one of the combi-sticks and examining it to see if it was different than my own "In the right hands this is very deadly weapons and I'm sure there's some stuff we could take from round here without them noticing. If not then, we'll have to improvise".
Before long I found what seemed to be the controls for the jammer. Once I took that down the other hunters would know for sure that we were here, but it would allow me to call my clan. It was possible that they were on their way even now, but I couldn't know for sure what was going on and seemed unlikely that they knew either. As such sending them the footage from my mask would help clear things up.
After I'd taken down the jamming and had sent off the signal I found that I was able to locate my ship. There was a chance that this rival clan had a mother ship in orbit, something must have destroyed the Colonial Marine's ship, so I couldn't just take off but it should be safer to wait things out on my vessel.
Next I took a few of what had to be some sort of grenades. Hopefully I wouldn't have to use them, but someone I doubted I'd be so lucky. Then I started to look at an array of small metal discs that were laid out on a table by the door. Each was a semi circle with a base. Could be landmine of some sort. Some tribes must have weapons unknown to me given that the clans hunted in different galaxies or even universes a times.
I soon found out what the devices did when I threw one at the doorway we'd used to enter this room. I did that because I'd heard the hiss of a xenomorph and had seen them coming on a monitor of sorts the Predators had set up in here for some reason.
There turned out to be two of the creatures, and I was about to open fire as they came at us, only for them to fall into segments as they lept through the air.
"Okay odd" I commented.
Upon closer inspection I realised the mines deployed a very thin, but incredibly sharp wire. The xenomorphs had failed to sense the trap and their blood had no effect on the mine's wires. They'd only started to bleed after falling to pieces it seems, they'd died very quickly. As a bonusI was able to safely recover the mine as it retracted the wires after a short amount of time.
Seeing the blood gave me an idea. I quickly used my ceremonial dagger to cut off the claw of very dead xenomorph.
"Jenkins" I said "Come here I'm going to mark you as part of my clan. Adopt you into it. That just might stop the Yuatja from killing you".
That hunter which had killed last remaining male marine might have spared me because it somehow knew I was part of another clan. If that was then it might work that way again.
"Of course it might just make you a bigger target" I then realised "But its worth the risk".
She back away hurriedly.
"I've seen that blood melt through the deck plating of a star ship" she said.
Her concern was valid, so as to assure I took my mask and showed her my mark.
"After I killed my first xenomorph I was marked as a blooded warrior just like this" I told the marine "That allows me to take an apprentice and you've killed a yautja and a xenomorph so you're more than qualified. The mark will scar, but you can it have it removed later".
She bravely withstood the pain. And once I was done I pocked the claw. It would look good hanging from a bandoleer, not the xenomorph tail and chain one. Another thinner one that would allow me display smaller trophies, but that was something to think about later. Right now what need worry was that three Predators were on their way here.
"Remove all your weapons" I ordered "They can't hurt us if we're unarmed its against the honour code. Please trust me on this".
She did as she was told, not right away of course, and she tossed the rifle aside, she then laid her sidearm and combat issue knife on the ground, I was doing the same just as the door on the far side of the room opened.
The yautja advanced forward several paces and then stopped just a couple of yards in front of us. There were a few seconds of confrontational silence between us, which was then broken by me
"I take it you're the ones who've been bringing the xenomorphs here to hunt," I said, sounding confident and not at all afraid, despite not feeling that way at all "I am Gothic, Blooded Warrior of the Shadow Blades Clan".
There was a strange clicking sound from behind the mask of one of the yautja who took a step forward to stand in front of the others, but there didn't seem to be any more of a response from them. That was when I remembered that I wasn't wearing my mask so I didn't get a translation.
"We aren't armed: you can't kill us" I said after donning my mask "That would go against your code of honour"
The three hunters simply stood their ground as animated as statues.
"We'll leave you to your hunt if you grant us safe passage back to my ship" I offered "My clan will know what is happening by now, but you can just leave as well, or finish your hunt as you please. But killing us won't aid you either way".
The leader of the three Predators just stared at me for a while. Then it grunted in what might have been amusement.
"You know our ways, and you were trained by a good clan. It truly would have been an honour to hunt you, Oooman" said their leader "I grant you both safe passage, and will allow your ship to leave. I can not control the Hard Meat so do not leave this place unarmed".
With that they just left, having no other choice really.
(Line Break)
"So that's you ship" Jenkins said "I like it, its bigger than I expected, and I bet you've never heard a woman say that to you before".
I flashed her a grin.
"Just wait until you see inside," I said while opening the door "Not many humans have seen what's inside a Yautja craft. Not while alive anyway".
She followed me in and, as expected, her mouth fell open in surprise as she saw the interior. It was after all an alien space ship. Plus my trophy case was open. No human skulls of course, but by now I had a few things that would impress the right kind of female. And of course my weapons were on display. They were far more impressive.
"You're very odd" Jenkins told me.
I shrugged.
"Well, I guess I am just a bit different to most people" I said.
At this point I was still grinning.
"Just a bit" Jenkins said "You're a total freak, just in a good way".
Hearing that made me chuckle.
"I can't disagree with that," I said as I led her to what passed for a cockpit for this ship "Right then, where should I take you to?".
While I should make some sort of formal report to the clan. My mask recording should already tell them everything they needed to know. As such there was no real rush to return to the mothership.
"Well, away from here would be nice," she replied.
No argument there.
"I know, but where to exactly?" I asked "I guess I could find you a human held world nearby".
Her smile suddenly faltered, and she frowned slightly.
"I just lost an entire team" she said "Somehow I don't think my superiors would be too pleased to see me right now"
An understatement really. And she didn't seem that upset over losing them, which meant either she'd not gotten attached, or she was used to fellow soldiers dying in combat.
"You're a slayer of yautja and xenomorphs? I don't think your superiors could handle you," I joked, "But in all seriousness, I can take you to places very far away where not one knows about the Colonial Marines. You could start over, and there's no rush really. I've taken you as an apprentice so the Yuatja of my clan have to accept you. At least for a while".
She nodded.
"You've just saved my life so I guess I owe it to you. And even if you didn't. Well I have no idea where to go" she said.
She could come with me, for a while at least.
"I probably ought to say thank you too; you and your men did save my life" I reminded her.
My end would have come on that crashed cargo ship if the marines hadn't of saved me when I was suppose to be saving them, or maybe I'd been meant to kill them. Best not to mention that.
"What about you? Have you got a home to go to now?" she asked
She seemed slightly concerned, as if she was worried about something, when really she should be happy. She had survived.
"This ship is my home" I told her while touching a nearby wall.
Everything I owned was stored within this ship or carried on my person.
"Room for one more?" Jenkins asked.
Well there was only one bed. Which I soon mentioned and this just made her laugh.
"What's your first name?" I asked the marine.
"Bonny. Its Bonny Jenkins" she told.
I bit my lip to stop myself from sniggering, which she couldn't see since I was wearing my mask. However she guessed well how I was reacting.
"Laugh and I be talking your bed and kicking you out of it" she warned "Now do you have a shower in this tub".
Actually I did. After all it had been kitted out with humans in mind.
(Line Break)
Trophy Room. Mother Ship.
While his name was not 'teacher' or 'mentor' and they were not his titles either, they were good enough labels for the Yautja who escorted the human known as Gothic into the trophy room.
Mentor had never brought the human here, he'd never shown his student the prized trophies of the Hunts undertaken by the clan's greatest members, either in groups or alone.
Until now the teacher not considered the human to be worthy of the honour, and he still wasn't totally convinced that Gothic could fit a true understanding of what honour meant within his small furry head. He'd never imagined he'd have to try.
The Ancients back on the home world wished for the clans to better understand those they would hunt. Perhaps the worried that the Yautja culture had endured for too long without change. Species that did not change, and adapt died out. However races that changed too much lost sight of who they were. Hopefully his clan would remember that.
Prey or not, hunter or not, his student had done well recently. Uncovering the dishonourable actions of a lesser clan. An Elite such as himself would have attempted to correct the slight against the clan more directly, but allowances had to be made for Oomans, they didn't fully understand the proper way of doing things.
Some Ooman emotions were hard to read for Yautja, fear and anger were easy to see, Gothic's reaction to the history and glory around him was something else.
They were surrounded by the best trophies taken from centuries worth of Hunts. Hard Meat skulls of both drone and queen had pride of place, and no two were the same. Ooman skulls were far less common since the Shadow Blades rarely hunted that race. Also there were tusks, horns, fangs, claw and even weapons taken from many races as well.
The Predator sometimes known as mentor let his student, who had so far been wise enough not to touch any of these relics, study the displays in the hopes the he would understand, and perhaps even dare to dream of adding to the collection.
After a while it became time for training and Teacher called his student out of the room before carefully sealing it so that the trophies were as protected as they could be. Perhaps one day his student would see that room again, and hopefully not a trophy himself.
As for the female he'd recently brought back, well the others weren't going to like having soft meat cluttering up the ship so hopefully they wouldn't stay on the clan's craft for too long. Otherwise some hot headed unblooded might challenge him, and Mentor had no desire to find out that way how well he'd trained his student.
He'd marked the female as a member of the clan, something any blooded warrior could do if justified in doing so. That was worrying to Mentor because she had not been trained as Gothic had, and she might dishonour him and the Teacher by extension. Another good reason for them to sent away in order to scout as the Clan Leaders had decided.
The entire Clan, every Hunter they could gather at short notice, some were very far away, would be off soon to hunt the creatures known as The Wraith, that would a least give them all something to focus on. If the gods willed it there would be honour and glory for all.
(Line Break)
Training Room. Mother Ship.
As it turned out my mentor was not broken up by the loss of his sword. He'd taken the handle and had replaced the blade with metal resistant to xenoblood before returning it to me.
And this was very good because now he was trying to kill me with another sword while I defended myself with the restored sabre. Well he wasn't actually trying to kill me, he was trying to prepare me for when someone did try to kill me.
So far I'd managed to avoid having to fight a Yautja so far, but that could change, and most likely would even with my efforts to avoid antagonising them.
"Your female's armour will be ready" soon my teacher said as we took a short break "Then you should depart and scout out more worlds for the clan as soon as the Clan Leader allows. By telling us about the Wraith and uncovering the dishonourable actions of the Sharp Tusk clan, you have won much glory, but there are those who will simply never accept humans in the clan. It is best to keep your distance".
He might not train me as regularly as he used to, but still I listen to his sage council.
"Yes, sir" I replied "I plan to hunt and explore faraway".
My mentor nodded, always a surprisingly human gesture, and then turned as Jenkins, or Bonny as I knew her, entered the room. Despite having her face covered in a modified Predator mask I knew it was her because her armour had been made to hug her curves, and no one else I knew carried a pulse rifle slung over a shoulder.
I knew that she'd been modified in some ways that simply couldn't be seen with the naked eye. My own test results, gathered by Jennifer Keller on Atlantis, had proved to inconclusive, but she was sure something had been done to me, and I knew it had because I could feel it. Jenkins now might be different than the woman I'd gotten to know.
"You manage to make Yautja look sexy" I commented.
My mentor burst out laughing, again a surprisingly human thing to, as he walked out of the room.
"Sexy?" she asked "Really? I don't feel sexy".
Since I didn't know what to say to her about that I just shrugged, and she sighed.
"Come on let's go hunt some monsters" she then said.
Now that was something I could do. But first we had some rules to go over. Also she was going to need some training. Hopefully her time spent as a Colonial Marine would help with that.
