Who I am 11
When the ship was sealed and filled with normal Yautja atmosphere for the journey to another world used for hunting large game, Ne'Tahl, and the other three female warriors immediately noticed that the ooman pup began to have some difficulty in breathing. The four females who had been trading off the role of caretaker for the pup while she was awake, had exhausted all of their medical knowledge in an effort to relieve the labored efforts that resulted from the ooman pup's attempts to simply breathe. They were at a complete loss as to how to help the pup, and Takhal went to the Ship's Elder as a last resort. Although she rather thought that it might be for the best if the pup were to die as a result of being unable to breathe, she was not about to stain her honor by standing around and doing nothing to prevent such a senseless and honorless death.
"Ta Khan, the ooman pup can not breathe for some reason. Is there anyone on board who might be considered a better medical specialist than Kre'Gel?" Takhal exclaimed as she approached the old male.
"Yes there is. Take the pup to the medical bay, and I will send Da'Nan to see to the pup. If there is anyone on board who can help the little ooman, then he will be that one." Ta Khan replied as he turned to go speak to Da'Nan.
Takhal turned and headed to Ne'Tahl's quarters where the ooman pup was laying on the bed struggling to breathe. The ragged gasping of each panting breath was the only sound heard in the room. "Ta Khan said that he is sending Da'Nan to the medical bay, and that we should take the pup there to meet him."
Ne'Tahl quickly scooped the tiny ooman in her arms and immediately headed for the door. "Then let us go now. I don't want to listen this pup fight just for a single life giving breath any longer." She growled irritably.
They reached the medical bay quickly, but as fast as they had moved, they still found Da'Nan waiting for them.
The somewhat older male wasn't nearly as muscular as most of the other males on board, but instead he had a somewhat thin muscle tone and wiry strength that was very deceiving in nature. Many who had sparred against the male had found to their dismay that although he wasn't quite as strong as they were, that he possessed a tremendous amount of endurance that was unmatched by any in the crew. That endurance allowed the male to continue fighting at the peak of his strength long after his opponent began to tire.
"Lay the pup on the table." He ordered over his shoulder as he prepared several medical scanners and began calibrating them. When he turned to begin treating the pup he froze and simply stared at what lay on the table before him. "So the rumors were true. I didn't actually believe it until now, but it seems that there is an ooman pup on board. That explains the breathing problem. We have a much higher nitrogen content in our air then they do. It may take some time to construct a breathing unit that will allow the pup to slowly adjust to our atmosphere, but in the meantime, I can provide her with some additional oxygen to solve her immediate breathing difficulties." Da'Nan said quickly as he turned to the medical table and began sorting through the various materials to find some oxygen tubes that would do what was needed.
"That's it?" Ne'Tahl yelled in surprise. "We've been watching her struggle just to breathe for almost two days, and that's all she needs? How do you know that's what the problem is? You haven't even scanned her!"
Da'Nan shot the much larger and taller female a smug look, and held a canister of oxygen near the ooman pup's face while the gas was being slowly released. As soon as the little ooman began receiving the oxygen that her body so desperately needed, her breathing began to deepen, and ever so slowly started to return to normal.
"As I said, we have a much higher nitrogen content in our air than the ooman world. There have been a few oomans who have lived among us, although they are all long dead by now, and each of them have had this same problem in adjusting to our air." Da'Nan said quietly.
"Are you saying that this is something that she can adapt to?" Takhal demanded seriously.
"Of course it is. It's just going to be a matter of time, but her body can adjust to our atmosphere. While that happens she'll be somewhat short of breath for a while. She'll eventually be able to function normally in our environment. Although, if she ever goes back to breathing her native air, the higher oxygen content will either make her light headed, or give her the oxygen boost needed for extra endurance and strength, just as it does for us." Da'Nan replied as he continued to gather a few things. "That canister of oxygen should last her until I can get one of the engineers to put something together for her. If it doesn't, just get her another one, and set it for a slow release, and make absolutely certain that she keeps it close to her face, so that she gets the full benefit of the oxygen she needs."
Ne'Tahl watched the tiny ooman in her care very carefully for several seconds, and she quickly noted that Ahman'Dha was starting to breathe much more evenly. Apparently, Da'Nan knew what he was talking about in this particular case, although she had been highly skeptical because he hadn't even bothered with any type of scan. She would be the first to admit though, that after two days of exhausting every bit of medical knowledge she had while watching, and listening to this pup fight for breath, that it was a vast relief to see the little ooman pup breathing easily. She picked up the little ooman and gently cradled the small pup in the crook of her right arm, while making sure that the canister of oxygen was positioned to allow the pup to continue breathing easily.
Thinking back on the beginning of this problem, Ne'Tahl realized that she had known within minutes that the ship's air had been replaced. Though she herself had begun to breathe a little easier, the pup in her care had begun to struggle for each and every breath. She had quickly exhausted every bit of medical knowledge she possessed, but never would she have thought of such a simple thing as a difference in the air. Even as she recalled the difficulty the pup had just drawing breath, she also recalled something else.
'Mommy.'
That single word that had come from the ooman pup had been made in a tone that contained many things. Fear, trust, faith, and she would swear to both Lilka, and Cetanu himself that she had also heard a plea for help in that single word with which the pup had addressed her. She knew that the pup had been told that only the Matriarch could decide who would be the permanent caretaker for the pup, but that information had seemed to make little difference. Apparently the little pup had already decided that she was to be not simply her caretaker, or guardian, but a replacement bearer, because that was exactly how the pup had addressed her. It was the type of thing that had made her chest swell, and her heart pound with pride at being perceived as so worthy by one so young, even as her blood had run cold at the prospect of having an ooman for a pup. The inner conflict and turmoil which stirred within her mind was something she just didn't understand. Why the ooman pup was so drawn to her was a mystery, and yet even as revoltingly ugly as the little thing was, there was still a part of her that was immensely proud of the fact that this strange little creature would place such unwavering faith in her, and her abilities.
Ne'Tahl looked down at the ooman pup who was already asleep while nestled securely in her right arm. She knew that the tiny thing hadn't been able to sleep while fighting for every breath and that now pure exhaustion had taken its toll. Why, the pup hadn't even been able to eat or drink anything because of the valiant struggle that had been waged for nearly two entire days. Suddenly, Ne'Tahl shook her head as she realized that no matter how much she might wish otherwise, there was no way that she could neglect any care that this pup might need in the near future.
Ne'Tahl made certain to grab two extra canisters of oxygen before she left the infirmary. She had no idea how long a single canister would last the pup, and she wasn't about to take any chances on the possibility of running out. She took the little pup to her room and began to put the little thing on her bed to sleep more comfortably. The instant she made to put the little pup down, the ooman grabbed her arm tightly, and held on.
"Pwease don't leave Mommy."
Those words had been slurred by both sleep and exhaustion, but Ne'Tahl still understood the meaning behind them. Her mandibles drooped in shock as she came to the rather stunning conclusion that this ooman pup wasn't intentionally naming her as a bearer, but was naming her as such without even knowing that she was doing it! The mere idea that anyone or anything could possibly value her skills in such a way was staggering to her.
Ne'Tahl never had any intention of leaving the pup alone, not when the pup was in such an exhausted condition. Breathing issue aside, Ne'Tahl knew well that the pup would have been both half starved and completely dehydrated had it not been for what little medical treatment she and the other three females on board had known how to provide. Knowing that the little ooman was now reliant on a canister to provide her with life giving air, Ne'Tahl was not about to neglect a mere pup's health by leaving her unattended. Although she could understand why the pup would not want to be left alone, she also felt somewhat insulted by the thought that she would so quickly and easily discard her obligations and responsibilities. No matter how physically repulsive she found the little creature, there was no way that she could abandon this pup right now.
She lay down amidst her furs, and almost immediately, the ooman pup crawled on top of her and assumed a prone position on her stomach. Ne'Tahl quickly repositioned the canister so that it would continue to assist the pup to breathe, and allowed herself to fall into a light sleep; knowing that she would instantly wake up if anything changed.
Amanda opened her eyes to a slightly sweet and strange smell that she wasn't familiar with. She knew at once where she was, but she wasn't sure how she'd gotten here. The last thing she remembered was that the Shimmer Monster that she wanted for a new Mommy had been trying to do something to help her breathe. She was aware of the slight rise and fall that her entire body made every time that Ne'Tahl took a breath. She really liked sleeping on Ne'Tahl's tummy, because Ne'Tahl was really warm, and she felt safe from any boogeyman that might come to get her. She didn't know what had been done so she could breathe, but she was just glad that she could.
Not yet fully awake, but not quite asleep either, Amanda's mind was wandering aimlessly. She lifted her right hand and began tracing a finger around one of the numerous spots that were a slightly darker color than most of the Shimmer Monster's body. She stopped for a second when the Shimmer Monster she was laying on started shaking all over. Not too sure what was going on, she continued tracing a few more spots on Ne'Tahl's body.
Ne'Tahl tried to stop the involuntary convulsions that tore through her from the pup's actions, but it was no use. When the little ooman kept on moving her finger around, she burst out laughing. "Stop it; that tickles!" She said still laughing as she reached out and lifted the tiny ooman so she could face the little pup.
Amanda had no idea what Ne'Tahl had said, but she knew that the Shimmer Monster was laughing. When she thought about it, she figured out that she had been tickling the huge lady. "Sorry Ne'Tahl. I did-int mean to tickles you." She apologized while wrapping her arms over her stomach. "Pwease don't tickles me! I don't wanna be tickles."
"Ne'Tahl… I am informing everyone on board that we'll be maintaining our own internal gravity while we hunt on this world. The planet's natural gravity would be harmful to the ooman pup since it's much higher than that of the ooman world." Ta Khan said as he caught the large female outside the dinning hall and entered with her.
"That's good to know, Elder. I will go inform the other females of this as well." Ne'Tahl said as she grabbed a bottle of C'ntlip, and five cups along with a flask of naxa juice and headed for the exit.
Ta Khan stared at the large female in concern as she headed out with a full bottle of C'ntlip that was enough to fully intoxicate a pair of females. "May I ask what you intend to do with that before you leave?"
Ne'Tahl flared her mandibles in a smile. "We females are having a little time for ourselves before we start trading off guardian shifts for the ooman pup. You don't need to be concerned about her. She is with us in the steam pool, and she is being properly cared for."
The Elder felt a surge of lust run through him at the thought of four highly attractive, and very desirable females lounging around while covered in nothing more than a tantalizing sheen of moisture and steam. Then he realized that since none of the four were in season, merely entering that room while they were unclothed would be certain suicide, because all four females would readily cooperate to kill any unwelcome intruder. He shook his head as he struggled to regain some measure of self control. Then, he noticed that the female hadn't even bothered to stay long enough to see his reaction.
'If they are planning to watch the pup in shifts, then that means they will also be hunting as well. Pauk! The scent of fresh blood, combined with the presence of a pup could very well put all four of them in a foul mood towards every male on the ship! At least the pup is being cared for.' The Elder thought ruefully before realizing something. 'If they are forced to hunt in rotating shifts rather than as opportunity allows, then they may welcome a chance to hunt at will. I will speak to them later about including me in their scheduling of some time with the ooman pup so she may continue to learn our language. I'm sure they would appreciate being relieved of the pup for a while.'
Amanda was enjoying the hot pool of water that was even big enough for her to swim in. One of the fun things about it was that something made lots, and lots of bubbles. There were thick clouds of steam that filled the whole room, and there was even a smaller pool of cooler water that she could get in when she got too hot which had happened a few times already. Gre'Cham, Takhal, and Kre'Gel were letting her play in the water as much as she wanted while they sat around and talked. What was really fun though was that she was allowed to sit on the side of the pool so she could kick and splash as much as she wanted without getting in trouble, even when she splashed the Lady Shimmer Monsters! The only thing they didn't want her to do was splash them in the face.
Kre'Gel grunted in amusement as yet another wave of water crashed over her torso. The ooman pup certainly enjoyed the water; there was no denying that, but the amount of sheer fun that the pup seemed to have involving a large amount of water was something to see. She shook her head in disbelief at just how much the ooman pup appeared to be enjoying herself with nothing more than water.
"I think the Gods have made a mistake." Takhal muttered with a shake of her head.
"What do you mean? What mistake could the Gods have made?" Gre'Cham asked curiously.
"I think she should have been some type of aquatic creature instead of an ooman!" Takhal explained with a rueful snicker. "She enjoys water far too much not to be some type of marine creature."
Both of the other females began laughing at the joke, with Takhal soon joining them. The laughter only became more pronounced when the ooman pup plunged into the water with a large splash.
That was when the attention of all three females was drawn to the sound of the opening door as Ne'Tahl entered.
"Hurry up and come in so we don't lose too much of the oxygen we've added to the room's atmosphere." Takhal instructed firmly.
"You added oxygen to the air in the entire room? Why would you do that?" Ne'Tahl asked after the door slid shut behind her.
"Ahman'Dha was unable to properly enjoy playing in the pools while encumbered by her breathing mask. It's not a full combat style mask, so she can't breathe under water with it, and she had a lot of trouble trying to swim with it on. So we filled the room with additional oxygen by using this planet's atmosphere to allow her some freedom from it, while at the same time forcing her to adjust to a slightly lower oxygen content in the air she breathes. There isn't as much as on the ooman world, but still more than our own atmosphere. She seems to be adapting just fine, although she does get short of breath easily, and has to rest frequently because of that. She's still enjoying herself…" Whatever else Kre'Gel had been about to say was cut short when the ooman pup in question surfaced and shook her head violently to get the water out of her eyes and hair.
"Not wet face!" Takhal snapped as she wiped away the water that had been slung by the girl's hair.
Amanda looked around to see who had spoken to her. "Sowwy Takhal. I didint mean too."
Takhal merely grunted as she acknowledged the ooman pup's apology, because she was more interested in the two bottles that Ne'Tahl had carried in with her. She watched as the other female shed her clothing, before getting in the heated pool.
As soon as she was seated in the hot soothing water, Ne'Tahl poured a cup of naxa juice for the ooman pup, and then poured a cup of C'ntlip for each of the females, herself included. Ahman'Dha accepted the cup of cold juice gratefully, and sipped at it while the Yautja enjoyed their liquor. It was immediately obvious that the pup was relishing the cold juice.
"I think that was an excellent idea, Ne'Tahl." Kre'Gel stated as she sipped the beverage.
"Well, I didn't want her asking us for C'ntlip, so I got her something to drink, so she wouldn't bother us for ours." Ne'Tahl said with a shrug.
Gre'Cham nodded her head with a smile. "Brilliant thinking my friend."
Author's Notes: Please, please feed the Plot Demons by leaving a review, they serve as inspiration, and they let me know how well or poorly I am doing. I do respond to every signed review!