"Thank you again, Garv, for coming down yourself to help me," Jar-hidda said as he led Garv through his small ship. It was surely nothing compared to the clan leader's personal vessel, but he showed no sign of contempt to the size of the Kut'kuni.

"It is no trouble Jar-hidda," Garv said calmly, his shoulders square but he himself relaxed. The two stopped at the back of the ship before the kitchen and Jar-hidda opened the door.

"There is no ladder," he warned curtly and the clan leader jumped in, followed by Jar-hidda. Garv moved directly to the engines, giving an impressed click as he looked around.

"This ship is falling apart," he commented and Jar-hidda held in a growl, "it is named after your father if I remember correctly?"

"Yes," Jar-hidda clicked, "and no."

Garv turned towards him for a second then to the engine. He inspected some of the moving parts and stepped back looking at the legendary sain'ja. Jar-hidda stepped forward and tore off the pieces of the engine that had failed in the crash and held them towards Garv, before dropping them on the ground.

"You know as much of this ship as a female by now, these looked fine to me," Garv pondered, nudging one of the pieces. Jar-hidda rattled his agreement and looked to the engine again.

"I did bring parts with me, spares, used," the clan leader stepped away from the pieces, "they will be enough to get your off planet, then I can tow the ship to my homeworld and the parts should hold for landing."

Jar-hidda inclined his head in thanks and bet to grab the pieces from his ship so that he may destroy them properly.

"What is your human called?" Garv asked, catching Jar-hidda a bit by surprise.

"She is called Hannah."

"'Ann'ah."

Jar-hidda shook his head, "no, 'Hannah' the sound at the beginning is like my name 'hidda.'"

"Ah I see," Garv turned and Jar-hidda followed, "and what is she to you?"

Jar-hidda walked slowly, keeping his tusks still lest they betray the emotion he felt at these words.

Garv stopped and looked when Jar-hidda did not respond immediately and me the hard gaze of the outcast.

"It is difficult to understand."

"I of any yautja in any clan would be the one to understand, Jar-hidda."

Jar-hidda rattled his reluctance. Garv was silent and did not let his gaze fall away from Jar-hidda. After a moment Jar-hidda rattled in irritation at what Garv was implying.

"I did not take her to be my mate, honored Garv!" the last Jar-hidda part almost roared, Garv rattled in amusement, and Jar-hidda growled, "she is not like Little Fighter."

Garv stopped chuckling, thinking a moment, "she is not blooded?"

"No."

"Is that your intent?"

Jar-hidda rattled and turned his head, looking to where he knew Hannah was; in the trophy room, repairing the r'ka skull. She would need it for the ceremony, and she would only have a short time to fix it.

"No."

"But what if it is her choice?"

Jar-hidda growled a warning but Garv was not intimidated, he clicked, "no offense is meant Legendary Jar-hidda. I just wonder, if these things are not your intention, then what is the human to you?"

Jar-hidda's rattle came to a stop and he stared at the clan leader, "I owe her a debt. That is all."

"Owing a debt to an unblooded human?" Garv gave a harsh, demanding click.

Jar-hidda growled in frustration and looked away from the judging eyes of the younger yautja. He backed away respectfully and then turned to another part of the control room, depositing the broken pieces on a flat surface with heavy sounds. Garv had not moved from behind him and waited. He was now exhibiting his position as an arbiter. Jar-hidda was in a bad position now.

Jar-hidda rattled, debating, before turning back to the clan leader.

"The humans on Waterrock interfered with my mission and brought me down in a place much like Cho't. Hannah lived there and healed my wounds in her primitive human way. But the humans hunted me, to steal the burner I had reclaimed and much more."

"I have experience with this," Garv growled with irritation. Jar-hidda waited to see if the younger yautja's anger was towards him. When he realized it wasn't he rattled in curiosity but asked no further and continued his explination.

"Hannah gave her life to keep the humans from causing me dishonor."

Garv rattled and turned his head toward the opening to the engine room, "she is still alive."

"Now."

Garv gave another warning rattle and Jar-hidda squared his shoulders, "she had died honorably in battle and I brought her back with my medicine. I knew that a death on that planet at the hands of other humans… it wasn't good enough. For saving my honor, she deserved more than that. That is the debt I owe her. That is why she is with me."

"That is a dangerous dance you are performing Jar-hidda. Such actions could brand you as a bad blood. Again," warned Garv and the muscles in Jar-hidda's tightened, read for an attack. He knew that Garv was an arbitrator, he would have the authority to put Jar-hidda to death, knowing that Jar-hidda had taken a warrior, human, blooded or not, away from an honorable death. He waited, calm and still. It would not be the first arbiter he had defied.

Garv moved instinctively as well, seeing Jar-hidda's irritation, but he did not move into a defensive or offensive stance, only turned to make his body a smaller target and regarded the older yautja carefully and silently. Why Garv was hesitating he did not know.

Garv's next move caused Jar-hidda to flinch. He relaxed and looked back at the engine, "I will not report this to the eldresses unless they inquire to the matter. You would do well to keep your blood clean for the rest of your Path."

Jar-hidda inclined his head in understanding.

"Keep in mind, Jar-hidda, that if you do not intend to send her on a chiva, then your training her also reflects badly on you. … Pets are not to be used for the hunt, as is the code."

"I am aware."

Garv gave a click, like he was unsure of the genuineness of Jar-hidda's statement. The air was silent for a long while, then Garv moved up to the broken pieces on the table.

"I'm sure we have replacements for these on my homeworld, they should not be a difficult fix. Let's get the spares and get your ship ready for travel."

Jar-hidda took the broken pieces and followed Garv out of his ship and into the clan leader's. It was much larger than his; a full hunting party could fit comfortably for the lack of all rooms save Garv's. Jar-hidda had to admit he would not mind the space now that he was two plus the lizard.

The space to Garv's trophy room was open, and as they walked by Jar-hidda stopped. There were many trophies within, all of great honor, all marking him as a true leader of his clan and worthy arbitrator. For how young Garv was in body, he was old in seasons. Garv rattled and Jar-hidda moved, following again. The pieces were easy to find in Garv's stash of spare parts.

Jar-hidda noted the planet's time by the heat as they moved back to his ship. He stopped to look in at Hannah. The human woman was aware of his presence before the door even opened. She had much of the r'ka skull fixed together, and by her leg a swept pile of small fragments.

"Yes Jar-hidda?" he thanked the gods she did not use her nickname for him. He said nothing but gave a small please click and let the door shut.

He heard Garv rattle in laughter behind him and he whipped and gave him another warning. The arbiter only laughed a little harder and urged him forward. Repairs were swift. As Garv said, Jar-hidda knew his ship as well as any female would, and he walked outside to get the tethers between the two ships connected so that the clan leader could fly Jar-hidda's ship remotely.

Jar-hidda had to admit, it was nice to be simply working with another male of his kind. It was a luxury he did not have very often anymore. Instead, the very complex and emotional Hannah was often his only company.

As they worked Garv asked, "is that your r'ka skull she's fixing? It's not the big one you're known for."

"That is her trophy, honored Garv. The big one will not fit on my ship, it is kept safe elsewhere."

Garv fell silent and ceased his work. Jar-hidda looked at the clan leader and held his tusks still from rattling in pleasure, "she brought hers down with something she calls a bow."

"What weapon is that? Is it like a ba?"

"It's a weapon similar to a ba, but it's bent and the ends are strung together, and the cord is used to fire much smaller ba."

Garv rattled, "what's the point of that?"

Jar-hidda laughed then stopped, he didn't answer immediately; in a sort of daze he had turned his gaze back to his ship and was silent.

"Jar-hidda? Jar-hidda."

"Yes, honored Garv, I'm sorry."

Jar-hidda rattled at himself.

"Do you see something?" Garv was silent; looking in the same direction, no doubt to see if worthy prey had stumbled in. There was, of course, none on this planet.

"No," Jar-hidda assured and went back to work securing the tethers.

"I want to see it," Garv said once they were finished, "her r'ka trophy."

"She will be presenting it at the welcoming ceremony," Jar-hidda said heading back to his ship.

"What good do you think that will do?"

Jar-hidda rattled, "at the very least, I hope it gains her respect."

"Or it will mark her as much worthier prey."

Jar-hidda growled in warning.

"I am not your enemy here," warned Garv back looking at Jar-hidda, "I am only telling you the truth. It is a risk you are taking. By making her a better hunter, you make her worthier prey. That is the consequence. Your reputation may only be able to protect her so much in the end."

Jar-hidda stilled his mandibles. Garv was very wise for being young.

"How many seasons have you been with the human?"

"Worth counting? Three. Her own? Two."

"Only three seasons?" Garv clicked, "you won't attract many females with so few."

"I don't want to attract females from your homeworld honored Garv," Jar-hidda rattled, opening the ramp to let the two of them back in, "he will take it personally."

Garv laughed, loud enough that it echoed down the hall. The door to the trophy room opened and the heat that was Hannah appeared out the doorway.

"What's so funny?" she asked.

Jar-hidda heard Garv rattle in curiosity and approach Hannah. He had half a mind to stop the clan leader but stayed his hand. If anyone, he could trust Garv.

"The legendary Jar-hidda has told me you've successfully hunted an r'ka."

Jar-hidda saw Hannah tense. She was being accused and she didn't like it. He hoped it wouldn't turn into a fight. Hannah might handle herself, hell maybe even win. Maybe. But she would be very injured.

"I did, yes," she answered.

Garv clicked and Hannah relaxed slightly, or resigned, it was difficult to tell.

"May I see it?"

"It's not finished."

"Not finished?"

Hannah breathed heavily through her nose and Jar-hidda's hands tightened.

"It was damaged in the crash," Hannah clarified, the snapping of her fingers sharp and exaggerated, "I had to repair it, it's drying."

Garv rattled then looked to Jar-hidda, "did you teach her to click like that?"

"No," Jar-hidda answered, keeping himself rooted to the spot, "she taught herself."

"Not very practical, Little Fighter does it with the muscle in her mouth."

"She's not Little Fighter."

Hannah made a scratchy noise from her throat, one that Jar-hidda knew was irritation. They were talking about her like she wasn't there. She didn't like that.

"May I see it?" Garv asked again.

Jar-hidda looked to Hannah, who's heat had increased in her face.

"Fine," she answered and backed away respectfully, back into the room. Garv entered after her and Jar-hidda entered last. Hannah walked to the skill and stood by it, facing Garv in a defiant stance. She was going to get herself in trouble if she kept acting that way around an arbitrator.

Garv didn't seem to notice. He recognized the specific species of the r'ka. He rattled and moved his hand around the skull without touching it. Jar-hidda fell silent. The clan leader was showing respect to Hannah's skull, the trophy of an unblooded human. It was, at the very least, a start, and just a little spark of hope that his plan would work.

But then Garv laughed and Jar-hidda clicked a demand to know why.

"You may have more to worry about than catching the eye of the females legendary Jar-hidda," Garv continued to laugh and Jar-hidda felt a small cold knife go down his back. He looked to Hannah, who looked at him with a confused expression.

He did not account for this.