AN: Yeah, and this one took almost no time at all. Please…bear with me. This is a story, not porn. It's got a plot, ok? S'ok. S'alright? S'alright. S'ok.

-Razz

Another Fine Mess

Chapter 12 – I Prefer the Frying Pan

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Kayla sprinted across the clearing as a charge raced up her spine. It had been a while since she'd sparred with Kh'aan or battled anyone else, and now his cautionary words made her itch for another fight. As much as she understood his concern – and how closely it mirrored hers – the implication that she couldn't hold her own was the biggest insult he'd ever given her. As a seasoned marine Kayla had faced and defeated many opponents almost twice her size, and had nearly killed Kh'aan when they first met. This new enemy did nothing more than set her mind to calculating how to bring him down. Don't forget who I am, precious…don't you dare!

The behemoth's enormous strides brought him closer by the second, and she subtly slowed her speed and added a slight limp to her step, favoring her right hip and forcing a pained expression across her features. A snarl echoed across the field, and the human knew that he'd bought her ruse. Come on, big boy. Damsel in distress just waiting to be decapitated!

The Arbitrator grinned eagerly when he saw that the human was injured. Foolish female! Elder Ne'hak did not specify your condition. I accept your witless challenge. He swiftly unclasped his cape and it fell from his shoulders as he raced forward. The human was mere strides from him, and he raised his wristblades to separate the puny head from its weak neck when suddenly her expression changed. He lunged forward sensing victory, only to have the female sheathe one of her blades and grasp the arm he thrust toward her. Before the Arbitrator could blink the human swung around his arm to smash her knee to the back of his skull, and followed through with her blade across his shoulders as she pushed off of his hip and flipped behind him.

He snarled in frustration, feeling the sting of a healthy gash in his skin accompanied by his plasma caster falling from his shoulders. He whirled around as he sensed her approach, a massive left fist aimed to crush her chest in one blow, but she dove beneath his reach to plant her hands on the ground. Two well-placed but unexpected feet drove up beneath his jaw and snapped his head back with a painful crack, and as he shook the stars from his vision she bounced back to charge again. The Arbitrator released the blades from his left gauntlet and spun away from her attack. As she dodged his right hand, the left sliced cleanly across her arm causing the female to hiss and dance out of his reach. She took a moment to check the wound before her furious eyes met his mask, and to his surprise she had to the nerve to address him.

"Touche, Monsieur Mountain," she grinned while smearing the blood down her arm. "Give and ye shall receive…in spades!"

Confused by her words, the Arbitrator was unprepared when she flicked her blood-stained hand at his face. Instinct honed from fighting Kainde Amedha made him dodge the spray of droplets, and too late did he realize his stupidity. The female spun as he ducked, and her blade sliced cleanly through his mask barely missing his tusks. He ripped off the useless metal just in time to avoid another strike and he swiftly grasped her wrist as it came within reach, squeezing until she dropped the weapon. He expected her to scream in pain or crumble at his feet begging for mercy, but instead the human snarled in his face and pulled at his grip. He yanked back against her resistance only for her to use his momentum to swing her legs up, planting another foot in his unprotected face. The Arbitrator was knocked back as his vision swam, but before he could regain his footing strong arms gripped him from behind.

Kh'aan hissed as the behemoth struggled in his hold. The Arbitrator was a full head taller and nearly twice his girth, but the former Firstborn threw all of his strength into the hold and yanked the larger male to the side, throwing him to the ground on his face before digging a knee into his back. The maneuver did not last long, and Kh'aan was thrown back as the Arbitrator bucked him from the position. The rust-colored Yautja rose to his feet with a snarl, and his eyes darted between the two as they moved to attack him from both sides. The human lunged first aiming for his legs, while the Firstborn feigned to the right before taking a swipe at his head. The Arbitrator leapt over the human's attack and lashed out with a kick to her side, and then parried the wristblades away from his throat, following up with a solid punch to Kh'aan's sternum that made the Firstborn gasp. A hiss from his left gave the giant male enough warning to face the human, and he barely managed to deflect her attack as she leapt to bury her blade in his neck.

A stroke of luck fell into the Arbitrator's hands, and as he turned away from the female he managed to snare her thin neck in his meaty palm. He squeezed while sneering into her eyes, and she was finally helpless to retaliate as her air was completely cut off. She flailed in his grip while scratching helplessly at his hand, but as he clenched his fingers to snap her neck, a thunderous fist slammed into the side of his skull. The Arbitrator's eyes crossed as searing pain arced through his skull, and he dropped the human only to receive her foot beneath his jaw. Thoroughly fed up, he threw up his arms knocking the fugitives to the ground, and roared his frustration at the clouds. Human and Firstborn rose from where they fell and the trio faced each other down for the final charge, when a faint whistle sounded through the air.

Kayla paused as she heard the strange sound, but memory caught up with her too late to avoid the bolas that sailed toward them, snaring their legs and knocking the three to the ground. She winced as her teeth drove into her lip, but before she could rise a heavy foot planted itself in her back. The human struggled to turn her head, and saw similar feet holding down her companion and their adversary. She raised wary eyes to their captors and nearly yelped in shock. Surrounding them were six heavily armored and well-armed Yautja complete with imposing masks and formidable physiques, but what astonished her were the mounds on their chests, barely covered by thin wraps or what appeared to be half-shells of wood or bone. The human struggled under the pressure on her back, and finally managed to meet Kh'aan's eyes.

His discomfort was clear.

Of all the worlds in all the universe, we had to crash on a planet of female Yautja!

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Kh'aan felt his heart rate surge painfully when he realized who had captured them. As deep as his curiosity had always been regarding the females of his species, he now realized that in their presence was the last place he wanted to be. He thought that the Grand Matron was an exception in terms of their size, but each of the females standing over them easily approached her height. Not quite as tall, but from his position on the ground it was difficult to tell clearly. Their scent wafted over him like a field of Arnak blossoms after a heavy storm, and he felt nauseated as the breeze died down and the aroma settled over them. He managed to catch Kayla's eye and was surprised to see more curiosity than fear in her gaze. He knew by the widening of her eyes that his own feelings were plain, and hoped that his scent did not give away his fear. It would have been better to suffocate.

The Arbitrator growled and struggled vehemently beneath the foot pinning him, and it was joined by two more along with a gauntlet to the back of his head. Kh'aan was rather amazed that he was almost as tall as their captors, and yet they were still able to immobilize him with little effort. After a discussion among the females, they were heaved roughly to their feet and their hands bound with thin wire that bit into the skin. He supposed it was purposeful torture, and did his best not to struggle. He sought Kayla's gaze again, and was surprised at the almost haughty expression on her face. She gave him a subtle wink that spoke volumes, and he prayed that she did not do something foolish even as he resigned to follow her lead.

Once upright and properly bound, Kayla took a bold step toward the seeming leader of the group. Her voice adopted that arrogant tone that he'd heard in jest after their Kouchou hunt. "You will take me to your leader. There has been a grave misunderstanding that must be rectified at once, or…"

A fist crossed her face and knocked the female to the ground, and it took every ounce of Kh'aan's will to remain impassive. Kayla surprised him again by swiftly bouncing to her feet showing no sign that blood was running down her face. "You would do well to control yourself, Madam. You have no idea who I am or the power I wield, and should you fail to take me to your leader as I have honorably requested, this will result in a galactic incident of epic proportions. I doubt that your 'Queen' would appreciate you starting a war, now would she?" The human raised her chin defiantly as blood dripped onto her chest, and she stared into the eye sockets of the lead female's mask without fear.

Kh'aan heard muffled words spoken among the group, but they were too silent to make out and his anxiety threatened to grow exponentially. The two holding the Arbitrator had yet to take their eyes off of him, and he felt an uncomfortable chill down his spine when the two holding him began to sample his scent. Pauk! They will know! They have never met me; there is no way for them to know who I am. There is one way…

Suddenly, as though reading his mind, the lead female stepped toward him and grasped his jaw in her claws. She roughly turned his head to the side and took a deep huff of his skin, and the purr that erupted in her chest turned his blood to ice. She reached forward with the other hand to run her claws down his chest, but barely managed to touch him when Kayla wrenched out of the grip of her guard and insinuated herself between them.

"If you have any honor at all you will stop right there. Do you understand me?" She again stared fearlessly into the female's mask, and even went so far as to back up against Kh'aan's chest. "This male is under MY jurisdiction, giving me the right to kill you for what you just did. Now, TAKE ME TO YOUR LEADER!"

Six masked faces stared down at the human female while agitated clicks filled the air, and for a moment Kh'aan thought that they would simultaneously crush her, when all six head rose in unison and cocked to the side. The hunter held back a sigh of relief and hoped that their 'leader' was instructing them to bring the captives. After another moment of silence in which Kayla tried to sneak him a reassuring smile, they were violently yanked into formation and marched out of the field. He and the Arbitrator were flanked by two guards, while Kayla was pushed to the front to walk directly behind the female who seemed to lead the pack. As they passed into the trees he sent up a silent plea. Paya get us out of this!

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Kayla marched behind the lead female with as regal a posture as she could manage, all the while trying to ignore the ache in her ribs and blood running into her eyes. She didn't dare wipe it away for fear of appearing weak. Any sign of weakness would eliminate any chance she had to protect Kh'aan, and by the way they were sneaking breaths of the air around him and covert glances while she'd been able to observe, he would need all of the influence she could muster. What irony… now who's the damsel in distress? I'll get us out of this…somehow.

She turned her attention to their captors. While in the clearing she'd been able to make a few cursory observations. Of the six, the lead female seemed to be the largest. Her skin was a dull grey with speckles of orange over haphazard white stripes, like an inverted zebra spattered by a paintbrush. Her loin cloth, if it could be called that, was made entirely of a type of chain mail, and matched a gathered bandeau across her chest with sharp claws dangling like fringe around the bottom. On one hip she carried a curved double blade, smooth enough to split hairs on one edge, serrated to eviscerate on the other, and on the opposite side the human recognized two spiked throwing disks. Her tresses were a surprising bright blue, and Kayla was amused that the females would sink so low as to dye their hair. I guess vanity is universal. The thick strands were pulled into a high pony-tail, and each end was tipped by the curved tooth of some vicious beast. She stalked rather than walked through the trees as though expecting enemies behind every shrub, and Kayla wondered if she'd attack the foliage for making too much noise. They're all extremely dangerous, but the chip on this one's shoulder must be massive.

From what she saw the clearing, the other females seemed less elaborate in their presentation. The one behind her she remembered as missing the first finger on her left hand. Her skin was solid olive green without a single stripe or spot, and the leather covering her personal bits matched her color perfectly. The marine assumed that she would blend flawlessly into their surroundings even if one stood directly in front of her. Of the two guarding Kh'aan, one had claws on her knuckles sprouting from some type of rings or glove, and carried an enormous sword on her back that reached from her shoulders to behind her knees in blade only. The hilt towered over her head, and the human wondered if it was as heavy as it looked. The other inappropriately sniffing her companion was a miasma of browns, greens and yellows, mushed together to almost appear like the muted color of vomit. Kayla would have chuckled, but the female also had a series of elaborate hash marks running down both legs like kills marked on the butt of a rifle, and the human knew that she was not one to trifle with.

She barely paid attention to those holding the Arbitrator. Deep down she hoped that they would grow tired of him and string the male up in a tree, and by the extra size they had on him they could probably do it easily. Serves you right, jerk! Should have left well enough alone. The one on his left had a firm grip on his tresses, and Kayla noticed a bit of color on her claws, much like the dye in the hair of the first. After a few more minutes of marching, she couldn't stop the words from bursting forth in her adopted arrogant tone. "You simply must share with me the name of your stylist. I can never do anything with my hair out here. Your males have absolutely no concept of fashion."

The lead female stopped and spun around abruptly. "Silent ooman!"

Digging deeper into the role, she held up her bound hands in mock supplication. "I mean no disrespect. That is such a vibrant shade of blue. Tell me, how do you get the dye to distribute so evenly? I have tried to color my hair, and it is never so uniform. Is that chain mail? I'm sure it must chaff."

The female snarled and stormed forward looking like she wanted to rip the human's head from her shoulders, but she suddenly cocked her head to the side. Another disgruntled snort escaped her tusks, before she turned and resumed their march into the trees. Kayla hid her smirk and tried to ignore the throbbing over her eyes. Score one for the human!

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They marched through the trees in silence, the sounds of the native wildlife cawing and chirping around them in a continuous symphony of nature. As much as he enjoyed the call of the wild, at the moment Rhoar could only concentrate on keeping his tresses attached to his skull. This was not how his hunt was supposed to end, and the thought of failure curled a knot in his gut that could not be ignored. He'd disregarded his instincts for the first time in his life, foolishly pursuing the Firstborn to this forbidden planet when he'd known the consequences. Now, faced with potential execution for trespassing, he could only think of what he'd be leaving behind. The pale face and luscious touch of his chosen raced through his mind like the last images of his life, and he wished for the power to say goodbye to her from across the stars.

They followed a well-worn trail through thin yet towering trees, and gradually a stone path appeared beneath their feet. It appeared very old, with square white stones breaking through centuries of accumulated dirt and trampling footsteps, and eventually the intermittent stones coalesced into a clear walkway six squares wide. The dimness of the forest lessened as they went, and he finally glanced up as they emerged from the trees into the contrasting brilliance of the afternoon sun. His eyes widened in awe at the spectacle before them, and he heard concurrent gasps from his fellow prisoners.

The forest gave way to an enormous stone valley that stretched further than the eye could see, appearing like a giant bowl carved into the surrounding cliffs. The laborer in his blood marveled at the seemingly impossible construction, and as they were led down a cascade of steps he could not help but look around in wonder. Circular paths lined the valley every thirteen steps, and he spotted doorways in the stone that occasionally opened as numerous females went about their daily business. Frequently a door opened near to their path, and the occupants peered out in rapt curiosity at the strange procession passing through their midst. Rhoar risked a glance behind them, and was surprised to see a slowly growing column of curious onlookers following them. The female gripping his tresses yanked roughly, and he quickly turned back to their path as he felt something tear along his skull.

Their continued descent seemed endless, but slowly a large structure took shape in the shadows and thin mist below. As they drew closer he realized that it was nearly as tall as the valley, but their odd perspective made it seem infinitely smaller. Five smooth stone walls tapered from the ground to a sharp golden peak, and each side had five large triangular windows in a straight line from top to bottom, possibly delineating different levels in the structure. He felt the pit in his stomach grow as they reached the bottom and approached two large wooden doors, and had to forcibly resist the urge to drop to his knees.

Rhoar knew where they were going, like the realization of a long-feared nightmare, and as the heavy doors swung open he could not hide the shudder that shook his frame.

The Matriarch!

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A shiver raced down Kh'aan's spine as they passed out of the sunlight into the dim interior of the strange building. He thought it might be a temple, but as they crossed the threshold the first thing he noticed was the scent of food. Almost on cue he heard Kayla's stomach growl, and had to stifle a laugh when she responded to the pack-leader's gaze.

"Forgive me, jailer. The last person I ate was not very filling."

The females led them through an elaborate hall filled with towering statues and highly detailed tapestries. He spared a glance as they passed and realized that it was an artistic history of the female Yautja, rendered in ink and thread around them like an ancient holo-program. As a breeze from the open door fluttered the various tapestries, the figures seemed to move as though alive, acting out historic battles and triumphs in vividly colorful renditions.

His scrutiny was interrupted as they reached another set of thick wooden doors, and his guards roughly shoved him across the threshold nearly causing the hunter to lose his footing. Almost immediately Kayla whirled around and fixed the two females with a stern glare, and received answering growls for her efforts. The guard behind her pushed the human to keep moving, but she paused long enough to voice her displeasure.

"You try my patience, and make me question your honor."

His guards growled at the impetuous human, but her words were the perfect shunt to their actions and the prods to his back lessened in intensity. Unexpected but intense affection bloomed in his chest, and Kh'aan allowed a small smile to twitch through his mandibles. It is unwise to upset my mate. You will learn this soon enough.

Through the second set of doors they entered a dark corridor with blinding light beckoning at the end. As they entered the chamber he was forced to squint against the sudden glare, but when his vision adjusted he wished he'd remained blind. Before them rose an enormous bone structure, fashioned into a throne large enough to hold three hunters. Seated upon it, however, was the largest female he'd ever seen, even taller than the Grand Matron by his memory, and fiercely imposing regardless of her reclined posture. Her skin was a solid cream from head to toe, but he noted artificial markings etched into her skin – the ancient language of the Hish that he'd seen carved into the stone on Markedis. Her grey-speckled tresses were pulled into two high groups on her head, 'pony-tails' as Kayla had called the style, but when she rose from the throne they reached to her knees. Her eyes burned like coals too long in a fire, and she wore a woven golden loincloth and matching wrap across her chest.

Kh'aan's scrutiny was interrupted when she let out a bellowing roar that shook the braziers on the walls, and as she stepped down from the raised platform her steps vibrated through the stone floor. Their guards dropped to one knee as the regal female approached, and they roughly shoved the prisoners to their faces before their leader.

"What an unexpected surprise. We do enjoy uninvited visitors, especially over an open fire." She let out a grating laugh that ached through the hunter's bones, and when her molten gaze passed over them Kh'aan couldn't help but look away.

"We have retrieved the invaders, Matriarch. What is your order?"

Matriarch? Kh'aan shivered as realization washed over him. The Grand Matron was the political voice of Yautja females, but the Matriarch was rumored to be the force behind the strength of their warriors, the guardian of all Yautja offspring, and the final word on relations between the sexes of their species. Paya help us, we are doomed!

The imposing female stepped forward and raised a hand. With one subtle movement of her fingers they were yanked to their feet. A swift nod set another message to their captors, and five of the six guards bowed before leaving the chamber. Kh'aan noted more guards stationed throughout the room, and any thought to flight withered and died in his mind. The Matriarch glided toward them, a figure of elegance even if she could crush skulls with one hand, and stopped before them with a curious expression on her features.

"Now, Ix'ana, what is the meaning of this intrusion?"

The pack leader stepped forward and bowed reverently. "We found them fighting in Lond'aar Field, Matriarch, and brought them before you as instructed. I am ready to dispose of these intruders at your order."

Kh'aan swallowed the lump in his throat, but it reappeared with a vengeance when Kayla boldly stepped up to the Matriarch without a hint of fear.

"Honored Leader, I humbly request an audience to explain the circumstances of our arrival. I assure you that we meant no disrespect by invading your home. It was entirely unavoidable and…"

"SILENCE!"

The Matriarch's voice rang clearly in the human's language, and thankfully she had enough sense to hold her tongue. That fiery gaze bored into Kayla for several heartbeats before the regal female turned away completely. Kh'aan froze in place when she approached him, her eyes widening in what he feared was recognition, before she bypassed him as well. Stopping in front of the Arbitrator, she fixed him with her unwavering gaze until the giant male humbly bowed his head.

"I am Arbitrator Rhoar of the…"

Before anyone could blink, the Matriarch lashed out and her claws gored across his face, knocking the Arbitrator to the floor as blood gushed from his torn tusks and one ruined eye. She yanked him to his feet by his tresses, but just as Kh'aan thought that she would gut the male where he stood, she suddenly leaned forward and took a deep breath of his skin. Burning eyes widened in surprise, and she abruptly released the Arbitrator and backed away.

"That scent…it is not possible!" She stormed forward and wrenched his head to the side for another breath before again throwing the male to the floor. "ON YOUR FEET!"

Rhoar rose with difficulty, obviously off balance from her assault, but he managed to straighten his shoulders as he reluctantly met her gaze. The Matriarch stepped forward until she could feel his breath on her sternum, and her scent radiated both fury and curiosity.

"She lives! She lives and you are BATHED in her scent, an impossible feat in itself as her kind barely have one. Speak, impudent male! Explain to me why you positively REEK of her scent."

The Arbitrator's eyes widened, but by some inner strength he managed to clamp his tusks shut in refusal of her demand. The Matriarch roared and moved to strike him again, but suddenly dropped her hand as her expression softened.

"An unworthy offspring, an abomination, they called my Firstborn. Banished, left on a desolate moon to die from exposure; that is the punishment for the unworthy. I never dreamed that she would live, much less thrive…and mate." Her gaze bored into the Arbitrator, and finally Rhoar's shoulders slumped in defeat.

"Honored Matriarch, if you speak of Kez then yes, I have taken her as my mate. But I did not know of her heritage or I would have known that I was unworthy. I humbly ask your forgiveness."

Kh'aan watched as a small smile quirked the regal female's mandibles, and she gently reached forward to raise the Arbitrator's gaze to hers. "Kez? A fitting name. I was not given the opportunity to choose one for her. As for your worth, Arbitrator Rhoar, you forget that she is unworthy, an outcast. It was her destiny to die. How is it that her fate was changed?"

Rhoar gulped in hesitation, but knew that he needed to speak the truth. "My sire and matron found her while scouting for mineral deposits. They took her in as their own, and gave her a home among my clan."

"The Mining Consortium of Haj'tar. Of course they would take pity, weak minded as they are for the less fortunate." She smiled when the Arbitrator growled under his breath. After holding his gaze for several heartbeats, the Matriarch stepped back and motioned to the guard, Ix'ana, who stepped forward and took the Arbitrator's arm.

"I believe the gods smile upon you, Arbitrator. If not for this surprising development, I would take great pleasure in feeding you to the populace. However, I now see a far more satisfying punishment for your intrusion." She paced a circle around him and grunted as she poked at his thick hide. "Yes, Paya could not have dropped a more fitting specimen into my court."

She stood before the injured male and her gaze would have burned a hole in the stone around them. "I do hereby strip you of your status as Arbitrator to the Council of Elders. You will return to Haj'tar as my official emissary to the Mining Consortium. You will keep me apprised of all activity, trade and political dealings associated with Haj'tar Prime. But most importantly…" She stepped forward until her clawed feet gouged into his. "You will serve as personal guard to my…to Kez. Should any harm come to her, I will take it out of your hide. And should she ever learn of her heritage, I will destroy the entire Consortium without remorse. Am I understood?"

Rhoar's eyes widened in shock, but he managed a short nod before he respectfully lowered his gaze. "Honorable Matriarch, I will fulfill my duties to the best of my ability."

"If you wish to live a long life with your chosen, yes…you will." She gestured to Ix'ana and the female pulled the disgraced Arbitrator toward the door. "Know this, Emissary Rhoar: No male has ever received such an honor from the Matriarch. Do not disappoint me."

Rhoar exchanged a brief glance with his former quarry, and Kh'aan's anger toward him dissipated in an instant. He has chosen a forbidden mate as well! He gave the male a short nod as they left the chamber, and all animosity toward the former Arbitrator died. If only I had known sooner…perhaps we would have never wound up here. Paya, watch over them.

Once the door closed the Matriarch turned her attention to them, and Kh'aan froze beneath the weight of that molten stare. She studied him as though seeing a possession after it had been lost, and the hunter knew without a doubt that somehow she knew who he was. Rather than wither, he straightened his shoulders and returned her gaze, even though he knew that it was insubordinate to do so. To his surprise, the regal female gave him a small smile before turning away entirely to approach Kayla. The knowing grin sent chills down his spine. How could she know me? I have never met her.

The Matriarch stopped directly in front of the human, towering over her as Kayla's eyes centered on a well-developed set of abdominal muscles. She forced her gaze upward to burning eyes and swallowed the lump that had formed in her throat. Before she could speak the Matriarch let out an amused snort.

"Now, I believe that you were about to address me, ooman. State your business."

Kayla was shocked by the clarity of her speech but tried not to show it. "Honored leader…"

"You will address me as 'Matriarch'."

"My apologies. Honored Matriarch, please forgive this intrusion. We were driven here by that brute you just dismissed, who attacked us without provocation and relentlessly pursued us into the asteroid field that surrounds your planet. Frankly, we were unaware that this place existed until we were forced to leave the field and it simply 'popped' up in front of us." Kayla hopped in place for emphasis, and inwardly grinned at the amusement in the female's eyes. That's right…I'm just a dumb, arrogant human. "Had we known it was inhabited, or, for that matter, had we the capability to contact you through official channels, we would have. But that menace disabled nearly every system on our ship. That is why we were forced to land when this refuge made itself known. I assure you that we have no hostile intentions, and will gladly take our leave of your world the moment our ship is operational again."

She took a breath and held the Matriarch's gaze, hoping that it was believable enough to avoid question. The enormous female's eyes burned into hers as though challenging her to look away, but after several heartbeats she broke the standoff first - her gaze flitting to Kh'aan before returning.

"And this male? Who is he? Why does he travel with you?"

The human wracked her brain as quickly as possible. "He is my ward, your Excellency, under my charge and protection until he has repaid what he calls a 'life debt'."

The burning gaze softened slightly, passing over the hunter before again boring into the human. "Truly? I find that hard to believe, ooman."

"Lady Jes'ika Contessa Flynn, your Grace. And I assure you, though I tried to relieve him of this debt, I did save his life. But your kind are most stubborn when it comes to upholding honor, if you'll excuse me. He insisted, before taking a vow of silence, that he was bound to me until the debt was repaid."

The Matriarch's gaze shifted to Kh'aan, and Kayla saw his expression change from surprise to indifference in an instant. "How interesting. And what, precisely, did you save him from?"

Human creative imagination sprung to life before Kayla could think of a reply, and the words flowed from her mouth as though they were the honest truth. "My father is the director of a military research facility, the most prestigious research company in all of our society in fact, and I found Rha'zen – at least that's the best I can pronounce his name – in one of our laboratories. I have never supported my father's genetic experiments, and to find that he was ruthlessly experimenting on extra-terrestrials was absolutely abhorrent to me. I released Rha'zen and we escaped after I destroyed the lab. We have been…'fugitives' you might say, ever since. I have repeatedly offered to return him to his people, but he is adamant that his god demands that he repay the debt."

She took as deep a breath as she could without it being noticeable, and then met the Matriarch's gaze hoping that the ridiculous story was believable. After several glances at Kh'aan/Rha'zen, the regal female's expression softened to what appeared to be amusement.

"That is quite a story, oom…Lady Jes'ika, but I would be remiss if I did not find it hard to believe."

The human repressed a wince. "I assure you, Honored Matriarch, I have no reason to lie. I have seen enough suffering in my life, and I have experienced enough treachery to know that it is not worth the effort to fabricate non-truths when one has nothing to hide. Rha'zen has already enlightened me to your kind's ability to scent deception; why would I attempt to fool you?"

The Matriarch's gaze shifted to the male again, and Kayla swore that she saw an amused twitch of her mandibles. "Oomans are devious, treacherous and unpredictable. You could be attempting to blind me to some truth that would give me reason to execute you both." Her eyes snapped back to the human. "Would you dare to deceive me?"

Kayla knew that she'd dropped them directly into the boiling pot with her story, and now had no choice but to see it through. She bowed low from her waist, holding the pose for several seconds before rising. "I would no more dare the gods to strike me down, your Excellency."

"I see. So your hope is that I would release you unharmed, after you have violated our home world and brought disruption to our people?"

The human flinched and did not try to hide it. "Honored Matriarch, I assure you that our presence here was unintentional and certainly without hostility. I only ask that we be allowed to repair our ship. Once able to take our leave, we will do so with the utmost haste and will speak to no one of our visit to this place. Personally, as beautiful as your home is, a visit is quite enough for me."

The Matriarch's tusks dropped into a hard frown, but she turned her back on the human and approached the silent male. Kh'aan did his best to remember everything Kayla had just fabricated about him, and forced down his true emotions while displaying a respectful amount of trepidation. The enormous female stopped in front of him, and after a deep breath Kh'aan glanced up to meet her gaze before meekly returning his eyes to the floor. I have taken a vow of silence. I was a prisoner of oomans. I am not anyone of importance, only a rescued hunter indebted to an ooman. Though the words served to bolster his courage, his sanctuary in ignorance was short-lived.

"I never thought that I would see you here, Firstborn."

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