AN: I screwed up with the dialog in the last chapter, and so must revise. Bold = yautja speak. Regular = English (or your preferred native tongue). Sorry for the confusion! -da Cap'n
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A Fine Mess
Chapter 25 – Ready or Not
High Elder Kh'alik followed Grand Matron Sh'aan out of the council chamber, the ten hour fiasco finally over and unresolved as far as he was concerned. They are fools! If they do not implement measures to at least contain rumor of this, Kh'aan's betrayal will breed within the clans until someone follows his lead. Sympathy for prey! Taking ooman females as pets…he snorted and shook his head to halt the train of thought, the sound causing the Grand Matron to stop and turn around.
"High Elder?"
He glared at her and allowed his fury at her decision to save him from his nightmares. "How could you let them brush this aside? You know that we must contain Kh'aan at all costs."
Sh'aan's eyes widened before she bit back a snarl. "You make it sound as though you want him killed, and if that is the case I cannot support you without knowing exactly what happened." She huffed at him in annoyance. "What has gotten into you, Kh'alik? What are you so afraid of that you would behave this irrationally?"
He snarled and turned away from her. "If you will not listen to reason then I have nothing to tell you."
"I should listen to reason?" The Grand Matron could not stop the growl that rumbled from her throat. She did not have time for another childish argument, this thought reinforced by the appearance of Mr'sah behind the High Elder. She shut her eyes tightly and took several deep breaths before meeting his gaze. "I have nothing further to say to you at this time, Elder Kh'alik. I bid you good day."
She quickly marched past him without another glance, and the frustrated Elder shook his head roughly and let out a bark of exasperation before heading toward his chambers. Images from his nightmare seeped into his mind and he snarled. You should share my concern, Grand Matron. I must find him before it is too late.
Kh'alik reached his personal offices and swiftly entered before any would catch his scent and realize his mood. The weary male shuffled around his desk and collapsed into the seat with a loud groan. Almost the minute his backside hit the cushion he suddenly remembered his last remote chance.
"Shl'nar!"
He leaned forward and activated communications, praying that the aide will answer his call.
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Grand Matron Sh'aan stormed through the halls to her chambers, those in her path dashing out of the way while Mr'sah rushed to keep up. The regal female snarled at her chamber door as it hissed open too slowly for her liking, and once they were both in the room she let out a frustrated growl. Mr'sah stood back and watched Sh'aan pace furious circles around her desk.
"He is INFURIATING! How could he be so blind to his own actions? The Council will have no problem finding reason to reprimand him if he does not contain himself. And he has the audacity to blame me!"
She fell into her chair with a low grunt and huffed in her rage for a few more minutes before her eyes met those of her assistant. Sh'aan took a deep breath and motioned Mr'sah to a seat.
"Forgive me. Tell me what you have learned."
The young aide eased into the chair opposite the desk and activated her data padd. She did not want to start off with more bad news, and so scanned her notes for something positive. There was not much to choose from. "Half of the Council seemed sympathetic to Kh'aan's plight, Grand Matron. Though they did not offer much comment, the delegates from the Trikandis clan could not hide their aggression whenever the High Elder mentioned punishment. They do not like what he is suggesting.
"Also, I believe that Elder Unakandi will be able to sway Matron Rahsil even though she voiced her agreement with High Elder Kh'alik. I noticed that she did not look at the High Elder, even when she addressed him." Mr'sah scanned her notes for anything else that might help. "Solaris and Beh'jhadi clans kept their eyes fixed on you during the meeting. It is possible that they also agree with you, though it appeared that Elder Wulk of Solaris was being manipulated by Matron Oniku – whenever she voiced her opinion he would flinch before echoing her sentiments. Elder Nek'am and Matron Kil'ikai of Dark Blade clan clearly favor caution and knowledge over immediate action. Also, they have asked to speak with you later today."
Sh'aan felt her fury fading while her assistant recounted her observations. The knowledge that at least some of the Council would see reason gave her hope that they could see this through without bloodshed. She understood completely the need to punish to the fullest extent of the law if necessary, but the thought of executing Kh'aan tore at her soul no matter what his crime. "And what about the others?"
Mr'sah flinched and lowered her eyes. "Roliaan and Halkis clans will never agree to your terms. They whispered whenever you spoke, and I could almost see the rage coming from them. If they had their way, I believe they would send out search parties themselves and bring back the Firstborn's head. They will require monitoring. Also, Matron Xixxa and Elder Qh'altik barely paid attention to the meeting after the initial opening remarks. I doubt they care about the plight of the Firstborn, being from the furthest clan in the galaxy. They usually have no concern for matters pertaining to anything other than their own sector, and this seems to be no exception."
Sh'aan squeezed her eyes shut and growled. "Of course…but that means that they can be swayed if it becomes necessary." She motioned for the aide to continue.
"Vicendu clan was not present at the meeting, possibly due to the unrest on their planet. The delegates from Fireheart and Jumalsa seemed indifferent, but they always do unless under direct threat. As for Nightblood clan, I could tell that they will follow whatever decision High Elder Kh'alik makes. You still have some personal animosity with them, correct?"
The Grand Matron flinched but nodded. "Yes. They will disagree with me simply out of spite." She sat up and leaned her elbows on her desk before reaching for the data padd. Glancing at the notations, she pondered exactly how difficult the next few weeks or months would be. She returned the device to Mr'sah before leaning back in her seat.
"Tell me your personal impressions, Mr'sah." The young aide's eyes grew wide in question. "What I mean to say is what do you think of this situation?"
Her assistant gnawed on a talon while she composed her words. Finally she huffed and met the Grand Matron's gaze. "I think that the Firstborn is in dire peril and it will take a miracle to save him." Her expression of dread fit the somber tone of her words.
Grand Matron Sh'aan was a little surprised at the young female's grave analysis, considering that she usually kept her emotions under control. "What makes you think so?"
"Well, what I know of him is contrary to what is happening. He is a proud and mighty warrior; he strictly follows the code as though he'd written it himself; he has never gone against the will of the Council and has expressed his dislike of those who question their law." Her mandibles twitched in the beginning of a smile. "He hates oomans with a passion I have never seen outside of Bad Bloods, and yet his honor is sound and true. With that in mind, I can't help but wonder why he would have left everything he's ever known behind for the sake of one ooman."
Sh'aan was quiet for a long moment before she sighed, deciding to let Mr'sah in on a little secret that had been kept from the council. "The ooman is female."
"What!" Mr'sah could not believe what she was hearing, and her entire outlook on the situation changed in an instant. "You don't think that he…"
"No." Sh'aan did not believe for a second that her Firstborn would choose to mate with an inferior species. "Kh'aan has his standards. Whatever reasoning behind his actions, mating with her is not one of them."
The aide began to nibble her talons again. "High Elder Kh'alik does not think so, does he? That is why he is so adamant that the Firstborn be contained."
"That has occurred to me," Sh'aan commented with some reservation. "He seems so terrified of allowing Kh'aan any more time out there than necessary, as though he thinks that time is running out." Suddenly she sat up, her eyes wide. "Mating season is only months away! He wants Kh'aan home to match him with a proper female before his needs overwhelm him. How could I have been so blind?"
Mr'sah watched as the Grand Matron lowered her forehead to the desk and took several deep breaths. She hesitated to say anything but felt bad for her superior and tried to raise her spirits. "If nothing else, Grand Matron, you can rest assured that Kh'aan will not do anything that he does not want to do." The words sounded stupid to her but when Sh'aan raised her head and gave her a small smile, Mr'sah grinned back.
"I hope so, Mr'sah." Sh'aan's voice was quiet in her concern. "I hope so."
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Kh'aan stepped onto the sand and took a deep breath, spreading his mandibles to take in as much of the mouthwatering scent as his receptors could handle. His stomach grumbled in response and he had to chuckle. Even her stomach is affecting mine. It did not start making noises until she came along with her vocal bodily functions. He glanced toward the fire and saw the technicians bustling around with pieces of meat in various states of doneness. Shl'nar knelt nearby preparing ration packs, though the aide kept an eye on Kayla who sat a distance away watching them. Kh'aan felt a twinge of emotion that he could not name; her expression was so full of remorse and shame that he could easily imagine the mental punishment that she was inflicting on herself. A glance around the beach told him that Mr'aal was not outside, and he turned and reentered the ship to talk with the old healer about what had just happened.
Mr'aal was shuffling down the corridor toward the access stairs when Kh'aan reached the main deck. He started for a moment and nearly lost his grip on the large jug in his hands. "Firstborn. I was just getting this to take outside for our meal."
Kh'aan caught the aroma of freshly brewed c'tnlip from the jug and couldn't stop himself from leaning forward to take another sniff. "Where did you get that?"
The old healer's expression softened. "I found the cinteliptas plant when…when your friend took me exploring. I will have to give you the recipe before we leave." He met the hunter's eyes before looking away.
"About that, Mr'aal…" Kh'aan took a deep breath. "Kayla meant you no harm. I am certain that she was simply surprised and disoriented."
Mr'aal shuddered almost imperceptibly; only Kh'aan's heightened senses caught his discomfort. "I fear that my judgment must be failing in my old age. I was…frightened of her."
Kh'aan patted the healer's shoulder lightly before lowering his voice. "To be honest, for a moment I was as well." Mr'aal raised surprised eyes and the hunter nodded. "Her behavior since we began this journey has been markedly different from that of the soldier I fought on the ice moon. But the soldier is still there…we woke her up."
The ancient healer hung his head and started down the stairs. "When you said that she had nearly bested you, I did not believe it. Even when Shl'nar told me that she had attacked him on your ship I remained dubious. It did not seem possible that something so small and harmless in appearance could pose a danger, and my opinion was reinforced when she escorted me through the valley. The creature that demonstrated such care and concern for my well being could not be the same one you fought, or so I wanted to believe." He sighed dejectedly. "I must have been deluding myself. After what she did to that beast on the beach, and just now in the medical bay..."
"Oomans are complicated creatures, Mr'aal. I have encountered and battled many, and I still do not understand them. The ease with which she has adjusted to our situation is surprise enough, and I must continually remind myself not to underestimate her."
Kh'aan caught the scent of regret from the old healer and held his shoulder to stop him from walking down the ramp. "Kayla is overwhelmed with remorse for threatening you, Mr'aal. If you hold no animosity, please speak with her. She will never forgive herself if you do not." He didn't add that the expression on her face was tearing him apart.
Mr'aal nodded and squared his shoulders. "I made this a little milder so that it would not be such a shock to her system. I would like her to try it first." He snorted out a determined breath and shuffled down the ramp. Kh'aan watched as he walked directly to the human, and relief flooded through him.
Like a pup that has shamed her sire. I did not realize that Mr'aal meant so much to her.
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Kayla watched the hunters bustle around the fire finishing up their meal. Their efficiency was astounding and reminded her of her grandmother. Holiday dinners were never a hassle with Gram. Everything was done at once, on schedule, without a second wasted. Dishes were cleaned before we even sat down, and by the time we were stuffed there was nothing to do but sit and digest. She would like these guys.
Movement on the sand made her turn to see Mr'aal approaching her slowly, an earthen jug in his hands that steamed even in the warm air. He stopped and bowed slightly before his mandibles quirked in question. Unsure what to do, she nodded and patted the sand next to her. Mr'aal eased down and they sat in heavy silence for several minutes before she sighed in frustration.
Unknown to them, Kh'aan had moved over to stand nearby, curious to see how they mended the rift that had formed between them. He watched as Kayla suddenly crawled in front of Mr'aal and began making hand gestures to correspond with her words.
"I am SO sorry for what I did to you." Her right hand touched her chest and her facial features showed remorse that could not be mistaken. Then she mimed throwing the blade and pointed to Mr'aal before bowing low and waving her hands in a gesture Kh'aan had seen before – it signified 'no'.
"I…I would never harm you, I would rather take my own life." She pointed to Mr'aal as though holding a weapon and repeated the 'no' gesture frantically before pointing the imaginary weapon to herself, her eyes wide. If Kh'aan had not heard her words, he still would have understood her meaning.
"Please…I beg you to forgive me." She clasped her hands to her chest and her beseeching eyes held the healer's gaze. Then she bowed low until her short hair dragged through the sand.
Kh'aan watched Mr'aal's posture as he could not see his face. The healer's head was cocked to the side, and his shoulders and spine were as straight as his old bones would allow. He placed the jug in the sand to free his hands before reaching forward to tuck a finger under her chin and raise her face from the sand.
"I understand now, young one." He pointed to himself before tapping his head with a talon and nodding. "You are first and foremost a warrior, and I must not forget this." He reached forward to gesture to the blade on her thigh and pointed to her. Then he grasped her hands firmly and nodded while his mandibles tilted into a smile. "I trust you with my life, my ooman friend." He clenched a fist to his chest and bowed until his forehead touched hers, and Kh'aan did not miss the reflection of moisture on Kayla's face before she wiped it away and smiled brightly at the healer. They clasped hands tightly like the oldest of friends before she gestured to the jug and made a drinking motion.
"Is that your magic elixir?"
Kh'aan had heard enough and walked over to the fire. The knowledge that they had reconciled was like a weight lifting from his shoulders, and while he watched Shl'nar and the technicians he pondered its significance. Why is it so important that they get along…that they approve of her? Because they are risking their lives for us, and I would not want them to feel misguided in their assistance. No…it is because you want them to see the same honor in her that you do; you want them to see her through your eyes, and not through the eyes of the clan. They have already left the views of the clan behind or they would not help us.
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Shl'nar was sealing ration packs full of meat when Kh'aan reached the fire, and the hunter slipped over and snatched the package from the aide's hands. "How is it?" He pulled a piece from the pack and devoured it in one bite.
Shl'nar jumped back in surprise before growling half-heartedly at Kh'aan. "That entire pack was nearly wasted in the sand, you fool!" His jaw dropped when Kh'aan's eyes rolled in his head and he eagerly snatched another strip. "I take it the meat is edible?"
Kh'aan had never tasted anything so delicious in his life. For a predatory species the beast they killed was remarkably flavorful, and the meat was tender and seemed to melt the moment it touched his mouth. "Edible is an understatement. Paya's hide made flesh! Give me more!" He reached for another strip but Shl'nar snatched the pack from his hands.
"This is for your reserves. Take some from what Ti'nuk is carving if you are so impatient to eat." Kh'aan fixed him with an amused but disgruntled stare, and looked as though he would fight the aide for the ration pack when they heard a very non-yautja groan from the other side of the fire. Their heads snapped up to see Kayla swaying where she sat, a cup of Mr'aal's brew in her hands.
"This Is EVIL!" She leaned on the healer's shoulder for a moment before sitting up to smile at him. Then she unexpectedly threw her head back and swallowed the whole serving in one gulp. Mr'aal gasped and snatched the collapsible cup from her hands. She turned pleading eyes to him that Kh'aan knew the healer would not be able to resist, and Mr'aal reluctantly poured another few sips into the cup and handed it back. "Oh please, sir, may I have some more?"
Shl'nar glanced up at the technicians before rising to stand next to the hunter. "What is she drinking?"
Before Kh'aan could answer Mr'aal rose and shuffled over, handing out little disks that each one of them tapped in the middle to form a small metal cup. "I found something on this island that I believe we could all use at the moment. Stop that!" He batted away Kayla's hand as she tried to tip the jug and pour herself another taste. The human laughed and backed away to wait her turn. Mr'aal gave a serving to each of them and poured one for himself before refilling hers.
They stood taking in the intoxicating aroma before Shl'nar raised his cup with a nod to Kh'aan and Kayla. "Our adventure is not over, and yours is just beginning. May Paya watch over us all." Kh'aan quickly translated for the human before the hunters roared their agreement with the toast. She included her own 'huzzah' and drained her cup before moving to help the technicians serve their meal.
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Dinner was devoured in record time, the delectable meat too tasty to savor. Before long the six yautja and one human were too stuffed to move. They lounged around the fire in idle conversation, occasionally passing around the jug of c'ntlip but otherwise lethargic in their gluttony.
Kayla refilled her and Kh'aan's cups before returning the jug to the healer, and then shuffled over to fall gracelessly to the sand and use the hunter's leg as a pillow. "That hit the spot," she moaned, her stomach echoing the sentiment with a gurgle of fulfillment.
Kh'aan flicked her ear lightly before swallowing more c'ntlip. "Hit spot," he laughed, pretending that he didn't know what she meant. The marine turned her head to frown up at him.
"I meant, you goon, that the food was very tasty and was just what I needed. Ergo – it hit the spot." In response he poked her in the stomach. "Oh god, don't do that!" She rolled back to gaze up at the sky. After a short pause she muttered "Your knees are bony."
The hunter chittered and playfully twined his talons through her hair for a moment before leaning back against the boulder that he'd chosen for a back rest. "You all…bone-ee."
"Brat."
"Pup."
"Jerk."
Kh'aan paused and wracked his brain for a suitable human retort. Kayla chuckled thinking that she'd won until he flicked her on the ear again. "Wuusss." He was not ready when a jet of c'ntlip shot out of the marine's mouth and hit him in the chest.
Seated around the fire, the others watched their wayward charges' antics and could not help but laugh at the irony – the most formidable warrior in all of the clans having a c'ntlip -spitting contest with a female ooman. Mr'aal suddenly felt a moment's apprehension and turned to Shl'nar. "Do you suppose it is safe to leave them here? What if things take a turn for the worse and they become a danger each other?"
Ti'nuk laughed from beside the aide. "Do you really think that would be a problem?"
Shl'nar nodded in agreement. "I agree. There is no hostile intention between them; they have overcome their differences. They make a good team – I have no doubt that they will survive here until we can send a vessel to them."
At that moment the engineers eased to their feet. Sin'kaj stretched and let out a loud yawn while Fh'zaan returned their cups to Mr'aal. "It is time to rest, I am exhausted." Ti'nuk rose and nodded his agreement.
Shl'nar and Mr'aal stood with them, and after a quick clean up of the area they shuffled over to the fugitives. Kayla had rolled to her stomach – with her arms under her chin over Kh'aan's knee – and was staring into the fire, while Kh'aan had turned the boulder so that he could lean back a little more and stare out across the ocean. He jumped slightly when Shl'nar leaned over to block his view.
"It is time for us to rest. The meal served that purpose well." He glanced at the human and switched languages. "Good food, we will sleep now."
The human nodded absently before resuming her study of the flames, and Kh'aan grunted something that sounded like 'sleep well' before taking another sip from his cup and returning his gaze to the sea. The others laughed and headed for the ship, but Mr'aal paused and tapped Kayla on the shoulder, waiting until she turned around.
"You both should get some rest as well." He pointed to her and to Kh'aan before using the gesture he had not recognized before – he pressed his hands together beside his head and tilted it to the side. Kayla smiled languidly and nodded before mimicking his movements.
"We'll be in soon."
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Human and hunter lounged idly for a while listening to the sounds of their new haven. The ocean was nearly enough to lull them to sleep if not for the intermittent crackle of the fire. Kayla drew random designs in the sand while draped over the hunter's legs. Under any other circumstance she might have thought long and hard about such a strange seating arrangement, but her feelings concerning their relationship had yet to surface in her mind. At the moment she was simply reminded of lazy card games with her team on Jurnada, lounging in their underwear in the mess while they waited for their laundry. Any thought to modesty or propriety went out the window in favor of simple comfort. Even Kh'aan's talons in her hair did not faze her; more-so the sensation increased her feelings of ease, and her eyes had just decided that it was time to close when she felt a feather light flick on her ear.
"What?" She muttered without looking up.
Kh'aan had been hypnotized by the rolling ocean and crash of waves on the shore, and the slow cadence of Kayla breathing against his leg. His mind shuffled through various similar moments of peace and quiet: the lull in action after his Chiva while he waited for the ship to return; three weeks of recovery after his survival training when he had been held captive by the Grand Matron while he healed – she had not wanted him sent out again until she was sure that he had fully recuperated. He'd been bored nearly to madness, but it had been the first time that he'd attempted to learn the ancient meditation techniques that most hunters found pointless. Grand Matron Sh'aan had nodded knowingly when he'd left, his self-control enhanced ten-fold after his 'imprisonment'.
His musings were interrupted when he felt Kayla slump against his leg, and he tortured her ear until she batted his hand away. Alright ooman. Time to rest. When she finally turned her head to face him he chuckled at her half-open eyes. "Sleep time."
Kayla nodded and yawned. "Yeah, I guess so." She heaved to her feet and stretched with a loud groan. "Let's put out this fire first, ok?"
Kh'aan nodded and grasped the arm she held out to him. He did not need her help but allowed the marine to yank him to his feet anyway. After several failed attempts to bring water from the sea, they settled on kicking sand over the flames until the fire went out. Kh'aan yawned loudly and then turned to his companion, who was gazing out across the sea with a perplexed expression on her face. His curious chirp drew her attention and she shrugged.
"It's just strange. I feel like it should be nighttime but it's not. I have a feeling that adjusting to this light will be the most difficult thing to get used to."
She shrugged again before yelping as Kh'aan gripped her in another head lock. Too tired to struggle, she hung onto his belt and allowed the hunter to drag her into the ship. They could barely keep their eyes open by the time they reached the living quarters, and Kayla shuffled blindly into the first chamber and waved as the door closed. Kh'aan stopped in front of the next room and was about to enter when he caught sight of the last door in the corridor. A sinister smirk twisted his mandibles as he approached, and he pressed the pad of his thumb to the access panel. Recognizing his blood, the door hissed open to reveal the elaborate chambers of the High Elder. He stood in the doorway and for a moment felt like a pup invading the forbidden domain of his sire.
Elder Kh'alik liked to make sure that everyone knew of his stature, and his chambers were no exception. Elegant fabrics hung from the walls in rich hues, and the trophy wall (one of many that the Elder kept) was extensively lit as though he feared that someone would miss it. Set in the center of the floor, an enormous nest of luxurious furs and cushions served as Kh'alik's bed, and Kh'aan again felt like he was about to do something very naughty. Before he could stop himself the hunter stepped over and threw his filthy body on the nest, dust and sand from the island puffing into the air from his impact. Though he knew that finding his scent in this room might jeopardize the crew, Kh'aan imagined the look on his sire's face and fell asleep chuckling.
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The marine's eye cracked open and searched the chamber wall for the luminescent time dial that Kh'aan had once shown her. She remembered taking note of the number of lit hash marks before she passed out, and now counted six more lines around the spiral. Six hours? What is that…twelve or three? She shut her eye again and willed her body back to sleep, but instead it reminded her of the enormous meal she'd eaten before bed. An internal argument with her bodily functions was lost almost the moment she gave them her attention, and she had no choice but to worm out of the warm furs and make for the bathing chamber with all haste. Of course I get the room with no private bath. Right, left, one…two…third door! Eureka! The door hissed open when she reached it and she practically dove at the panel that housed the commode. She made it through three renditions of her squad's fight song before her eyes settled on the enormous bath in the center of the floor. She guessed that it could easily hold three hunters, and then squashed the image before it had chance to solidify in her mind. Instead, finished with her body's needs she knelt by what she assumed was a control panel and studied the device.
The panel was a simple touch screen, indicating a small two-bar graph and a diagram of an empty bowl. The marine pondered when she would next get an opportunity to take a hot bath, and it did not take much convincing to make her reach out and tentatively touch the image of the bowl. A hum sounded almost immediately beneath the bath and three slits opened along the rim, cascades of water falling rapidly to fill the tub. She whooped at her success and reached a hand under the nearest cascade, yanking it back with a curse when the scalding water nearly burned off her skin. Holy mother of damn, that's HOT! Cradling her fingers she returned her attention to the panel and the other indicator. The two vertical bars had no indication of what they were for, and though the left was taller than the right, she had no idea what it meant. Come on, marine…head of your class and you can't figure this out? Gnawing at her lip, she reached out a finger to the taller bar. It blinked and then remained steady when she touched it, and she slowly dragged her finger down the screen. As the left bar grew shorter, the right moved in the opposite direction. When she had them at equal height she stopped and took a deep breath before reaching her hand under the cascade again.
"Woohoo! I'm a genius! Take that, Grady!" The water had reduced to lukewarm and when she tested the filling tub noticed that the temperature was evening out nicely. She watched as the bath filled quickly and then shut off when it reached a raised ridge beneath the rim. Eager to be clean the marine started to shimmy out of her pants but stopped. My clothes are filthy…cleaning me will only make me dirty when I put them back on. After another thought and a shrug she stepped into the bath fully dressed. The water turned a sickly brown in minutes as she rubbed the material, but to her surprise the jets along the rim turned back on and a mild suction began near her feet. It became apparent quickly that the bath cleaned itself even when in use, and after a few more minutes of scrubbing her clothes and the water were clean. She stripped and draped them around the bath before finally sinking into the water with a contented sigh.
"This is living! I'll have to insist that they install one of these in the cave."
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A loud growling yawn echoed through the High Elder's chamber as the former Firstborn roused himself from sleep. A full sleep cycle had been just what he needed after the last few days, and he literally hopped from the furs completely energized. Unfortunately, when he was upright his body fell victim to gravity and reminded him of the copious amount of beast he'd eaten. Kh'aan quickly headed for the bathing chamber cursing the lack of a personal room in his sire's quarters. If he was not so obsessed with showing off his conquests, that stupid sitting area by the trophy wall could easily hold a private chamber. The door hissed open and he entered intent on the commode, only for his senses to register the amount of humidity in the air. Simultaneously he heard a shout and splash from the direction of the bath.
"Don't you dare turn around!"
The hunter squeezed his eyes shut tightly and tried not to laugh. "Lock door."
"As if I knew how!" Kayla snarled and peered around the room for anything to cover herself. "Where are the towels?" She looked up and saw Kh'aan's head cock to the side. Dammit…should have looked! "Towel, as in piece of material to dry yourself with!"
The hunter took two steps to the side while keeping his back to the bath, and opened a panel that contained several thermal skins. He tossed one over his shoulder and willed her to hurry. After a few moments of splashing he heard Kayla growl.
"Make it snappy, I wasn't finished with my bath!"
He glanced over his shoulder to see the marine shuffle out of the chamber holding the enormous skin around her body, and then could not get to the commode fast enough.
Kayla stood outside the bathing room growling at the interruption. Lock door! I'll lock you, you big ox! She jumped when a loud whooshing sound came from the room, and a moment later Kh'aan opened the door and threw out her clothes before shutting it again. Wide-eyed she pounded on the door.
"Kh'aan! I wasn't done you asshole!"
His muffled laugh came through. "Done now."
Kh'aan heard Kayla yell obscenities at him before stomping down the corridor. He knew that she'd pay him back for kicking her out of the bath, but he could no longer stand the grit in his pores. After refilling the tub he soaked away the grime from their explorations and eased his muscles in the hot water. When he emerged later and went to check on the wayward human she was nowhere to be found, and he growled at the thought of her lying in wait to pounce on him.
"Kayla!"
Instead of the marine, Shl'nar came around the corridor. "Is something wrong?" The aide was puzzled by the hunter's nervous laugh.
"Yes and no…she is going to kill me."
Shl'nar's eyes grew wide. "What has happened? Has she threatened you? Why would she make an attempt on your life?"
Kh'aan rested a hand on his shoulder. "No, nothing like that. By 'kill me' I mean that she is probably furious and plotting revenge right now." When the aide's quizzical stare did not subside he elaborated. "I kicked her out of the bath before she was finished."
Shl'nar shook his head with a grunt of amusement. "Then remind me to stay away from you today. I would hate to be caught by her trap."
They made their way to the meal chamber and Shl'nar explained the remaining tasks before them. "We must depart soon, and so I have asked the crew to gather any items that might be useful to you during your stay here. We have also cured your rations so that they will keep for some time."
An itch in Kh'aan's memory reminded him about Kayla's problem with his rations. "How did you cure them?"
The aide looked puzzled but answered. "Without adequate time to preserve the meat properly, I was forced to dry it. It should keep just as well, but will be a little tougher. Is that sufficient?"
Kh'aan nodded. "Yes, that will do. Kayla had an adverse reaction to the curing broth. Had you preserved them in the traditional sense, she would not be able to eat any of it."
With that out of the way, the two hunters began transporting the finished ration packs out of the ship. They passed the technicians and healer several times making their own runs to the beach with supplies, and Kh'aan absently wondered if they truly needed so much. After they finished in the meal chamber he remained on the beach to begin taking stock of their supplies. There were four large containers with sealed lids from Mr'aal, who insisted on providing fresh drinking water until they found a suitable source. A mountain of furs and skins had been gathered for various uses. Two extra masks and a spare gauntlet were brought out by Ti'nuk, and the engineers hauled out a large storage container that Kh'aan found was full of technical implements. He gazed at the tools and finally asked why they would need so much.
"Most of the devices are manual, so they will function long after the powered items fail. We may be leaving you on a primitive planet, but that does not mean that we must leave you to create primitive tools." Fh'zaan pointed out several items that would be useful for manipulating wood and stone, a gauge for testing water, and a portable satellite that would enable them to monitor atmospheric conditions on the planet, or detect any ships that breach the nebula void. "Place this on high ground in a stable position. Sin'kaj managed to modify the power source to utilize light energy to some degree. This ambient twilight will not provide much, but if the nebula passes a star it will fully charge the power cells."
Kh'aan nodded and was about to voice another question when he remembered his own belongings. He ran back into the ship and entered the first sleeping chamber only to see that the table was bare. Confused, he wandered back out to the engineers. "Did someone bring out my personal affects?"
They glanced up and at each other before admitting that they did not. Kh'aan searched through the growing pile of supplies but found nothing. He turned to question Shl'nar when he caught sight of Kayla further down the beach – leaning against a boulder and twirling something in her hands. The hunter marched across the sand and stood in her line of sight until she nonchalantly looked up.
"Yes?"
Kh'aan's eyes were glued to the ceremonial blade in her hands that she was using to strip a useless stick. He snarled and snatched it from her. "Where?"
Kayla leaned back and stretched her arms over her head. She knew exactly what he meant but chose to play dumb. "Where what? You've got to work on your language skills, buddy."
The hunter gently but firmly grasped the human around the throat and lifted her to eye level. "Where. Is. My. Stuff?" He waved the blade in her face before slipping it into the sheath on his thigh. To his chagrin the human sneered.
"Somewhere on this island. Right now you're not quite warm." Kh'aan dropped her with a snarl but Kayla only laughed, the sound not at all friendly. "Guess you'd better start looking, huh? Aside from that blade, I counted 14 items on the table."
Heads turned to stare down the beach when Kh'aan roared. "YOU HIDE! Dare dishonor?"
She leapt to her feet and stepped into his personal space. "Do you really want to talk about dishonor, or should I have made you wait until I was done with my bath before letting you take a shit?" She spun on her heel and marched toward the pass. "Happy hunting, asshole!"
Kh'aan squeezed his eyes shut and clenched his hands into fists, his talons gouging the skin. Pauking ooman psychotic pup female! Before he could stop himself another roar ripped from his throat, and he caught the lilt of Kayla's laugh as she skipped into the valley. Did it to yourself, didn't you? Pauk!
Kh'aan scoured the beach searching for his hidden weapons. He'd managed to find his wrist blades and two spears buried in the sand, but after that found nothing and was growing increasingly agitated. Every now and then the human's voice would echo out of the valley taunting him.
"You're ice cold!"
Finally after hours of fruitless searching he confronted her, perched on a ledge in the pass and apparently watching his hunt intently.
"Where rest?"
Kayla shrugged her shoulders and continued to weave the blades of grass in her hands. "Don't know. It's been a while. They're around here somewhere." She glanced up through her lashes and grinned before returning her attention to her task.
Kh'aan snarled and stormed back to the ship, flopping down on the ramp in a huff and staring daggers at the human. Shl'nar stepped over to him, though the aide was unsure if addressing the hunter was wise at the moment.
"Is everything alright, Kh'aan?"
The hunter growled but did not avert his gaze from the marine. "She buried my weapons. ALL of them."
The aide could not contain his surprise and moments later burst out laughing. Kh'aan hissed at him but Shl'nar could not help himself. "Do not tell me that this is her revenge!" The hunter did not grace him with a response which proved to the aide that he was right. "Use your computer to find them."
Kh'aan huffed and threw a stone across the sand. "She buried that too."
The aide laughed for a few more moments before he activated his own scanner. "Normally I would let you suffer your punishment, but we have no time right now. Come."
Kh'aan snorted again before rising to his feet. He followed along behind Shl'nar while the aide scanned the beach, exhuming his possessions as they found them. From the ledge the human called 'foul'.
"No help! That's cheating!"
Twice Shl'nar had to restrain him, and by the time they'd found everything Kh'aan was several shades darker in his fury. Outwardly it seemed that he was angry at the human which put the crew on edge. To the contrary he was furious with himself for creating this mess. He made a mental promise to avoid her when she bathed, even if their lives depended on it.
By the time the crew had finished gathering supplies for the fugitives, Kh'aan had found everything but his most precious blade, a small curved dagger passed down through his lineage from High Elder to Firstborn and used in the Ascendance ritual. Though he put no stock in his status the tiny ceramic blade was an heirloom, and the hunter was livid that Kayla had managed to thoroughly hide it from him. He placed all of his belongings in a mesh sack and strung it over his shoulder, intending to keep them with him at all times. The sound of the crew gathering on the ramp made him turn only to nearly collide with Kayla. Her expression was like stone and for a moment they stared each other down with equal vehemence. A growl began in his throat and he was ready for another argument when she held out her hand.
In it was the blade.
He reached for it but she closed her hand and he instead grasped her fist. Kayla met and held his gaze. "If we cannot respect each other's privacy we will never survive here. Agreed?"
The hunter bit back a snarl, her words clicking in his mind. He hated to concede to her but… "Agree."
She opened her fist and carefully placed the tiny dagger in his much larger palm before closing his fingers around it. "The risk of damaging this was too great to hide it. I just needed to prove a point."
His property returned, she nodded and walked over to the healer who immediately began gesturing a conversation. Kh'aan felt his rage diffuse as he gazed at the blade, the knowledge that she had taken great care even in her revenge reinforcing his belief that humans were the most complicated species he'd ever encountered.
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Dragging all of the supplies to the cave was more of a trial than collecting them, though luckily Kayla's makeshift sled came in very handy. They piled as much as they could onto the contraption and dragged it into the jungle. The two fugitives cleared a path for the sled while Shl'nar and the technicians heaved it along behind them. Mr'aal brought up the rear gathering any items that fell, though to save him from too much exertion Sin'kaj made it a point to grab the loose items as soon as they dropped. Once they reached the pond they were forced to move the gear by hand, as the cart was too heavy and wide to traverse the wet soil along the bank. After a dozen trips up and down the slope into the cave, and more time waiting as the engineers took measurements of their hovel and gathered useful readings, the time finally arrived for their rescuers to depart.
The crew showed an uncharacteristic level of emotion in their goodbyes, each contemplating whether it would be the last. Mr'aal grasped Kayla's hands tightly before the human wrapped her arms around his waist and gave him a fierce hug. The old healer was unaccustomed to such a display, but it warmed his heart and he reciprocated the gesture, resting his chin on her head. "Take care, young one. Watch over our Firstborn and keep him safe." He released her to gesture to Kh'aan, and then grasped her hands again firmly. Kayla understood his meaning and nodded.
"I'll guard him with my life."
Kh'aan was moved by the reverence that the crew showed him, each stepping forward to address him as though he were already High Elder – one fist clenched to their chest and bowing low until he touched their shoulder in acknowledgement. Though the thought of such a display on his account made his nerves bristle, he did his best not to show it and accepted their grace with as much of his own as he could muster.
"I am honored to have been able to assist you, Firstborn." The young apprentice murmured in a low voice. "If my life holds no more adventure, I will always treasure sharing in yours."
Fh'zaan stepped forward and grasped Kh'aan's forearms, a greeting usually saved for Blooded warriors embarking on a trial and wishing each other a good hunt. "I will do all that I can to help Shl'nar return a vessel to you, honored warrior. We will not let you down."
When Shl'nar moved to speak Kh'aan grasped his shoulders. "I am blessed by Paya to have found such an ally in you, Shl'nar. You are a valued friend to me and I will not forget your assistance. Please take care when you return. I fear what Kh'val will do if he finds you."
"If we are able to reach the High Elder beforehand, Kh'val will be no threat. Pray that we are able to elude him until then." The aide stepped back with the others, the somber feeling of their departure weighing heavily.
Kayla stepped over to the apprentice and handed him something too small for the others to see. Sin'kaj's eyes grew wide before he bowed low, his gratitude obvious. Then, knowing that time was of the essence the crew turned and entered the ship. Kh'aan and Kayla walked back to the pass so that they would not get blasted by the engines, and a few minutes later they were buffeted by the force as the ship lifted from the sand. As the vessel turned and rose into the sky Kh'aan place a hand on her shoulder.
"What you give Sin'kaj?"
The marine smiled, her eyes never leaving the ship. "A souvenir…I managed to extract several intact teeth from our beast. I strung them together last night. It's not much but…"
The hunter smiled. "He will keep for ever."
They watched until the ship was only a dot in the sky against the haze of nebula, and then turned back to their new, and hopefully temporary home.
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R&R…hope you're enjoying! Happy Holidays!
-Cap'n Razz