Hello all! Two chapters in one year! Amazing! Lol, I had intended it to be just a month-long wait, but I ended up having to move, dealt with a fairly gnarly panic attack, and had a whole mess of stuff to do. But I was working on this when I found the time and it's finally here. So, without further ado, enjoy! ^.^
Lar'ja huffed a sigh, earning him an irritated look from the Healer. He watched via the sensor still attached to the side of his head from across the room as the Elder ran more tests on his small mate, feeling useless. He'd tried to get the other male to listen when he heard sounds coming from inside the wall, but Bhu'ja-de dismissed it and told him that he was in the way. The Elder had gone so far as to threaten to throw the younger Hunter out bodily if he continued to be a nuisance. Suffice it to say that he kept his distance from the Healer, just in case, but refused to leave. Baby Jess would not awaken to find herself an experiment again; he would see to that.
It was boring, though. He'd been waiting for the Healer to decide that she was well enough to awaken and after two cycles, it was a trial of patience. He'd never really been very good at waiting and it was one of the many reasons he had chosen the ooman female; she was much like him in that the call to action was quite strong. She understood him. Even among his own kind, that was a rare thing. In an ooman female, it was all but unheard of. What would he do if he lost her again, he didn't know. Eventually, he would probably move on, but life would cease to have the same excitement. He may even, Paya forbid, become as boring as his brother.
His stomach growled then and he ignored the glare that the Healer shot at him. For a moment, he weighed the need for food against the likelihood that the Healer meant his mate harm. Food won, but barely. Not saying anything to the Healer, he made his way out of the room and into the larger, common treatment chamber. It was rare when this area was empty on a Clan Ship, but it was now. The quiet was strange, but it happened occasionally. Making his way to the doors, he waited for them to open and frowned when they didn't.
His stomach growled again and he pushed the button on the pad beside the door to open it. Nothing happened. Huffing again, he felt around the door with his fingertips, trying to see if anything was perhaps jammed in it, keeping the mechanism from working. The track felt clear on this side, so he tried to manually force the door open. The gears gave a scream of metal, but the door budged no more than a quarter talon's width. Bracing his feet, he tried again, the effort good enough to tear a Kainde's head from its shoulders, but the door refused to move. It seemed locked, but to his knowledge, no infirmary was ever locked, especially not on a Clan Ship.
Frowning, confused, he went back to ask the Healer why the door was locked and received a strange look in return. The Medic tilted his head, frowning, "It is not."
"It is. It will not open. I do not have my tools here to open it. You will have to unlock it."
The Medic scowled and pushed past Lar'ja, "If you broke this door, I will take your hide as a trophy and leave you to live through the process of its removal."
Lar'ja chuffed cynically, and stood by while the Medic attempted to unlock the door. Bhu'ja-de's expression darkened when the code failed to work and he turned the look on the Hunter, "What have you done now?"
Lar'ja glared back, "Me? I did nothing. I told you, the door was like this before I tried opening it."
"That makes no sense. Regardless, you will just have to wait until an Asegian can fix the door."
The albino male went to the wall console and began pressing a series of buttons when the screen and its keys flickered red and then died. He growled, demanding, "What is this? Why does nothing work all of a sudden?"
Feeling increasingly uneasy, Lar'ja went back into the treatment room containing his small mate. She was where he'd left her, sleeping peacefully. Nothing in the room moved except the quiet whirring of air from vents in the ceiling. He cocked his head, listening carefully for anything that might be moving, but he heard only the Medic's muffled cursing as he tried to get the communication system working.
Lar'ja resumed his place beside Baby Jess, shrugging tense shoulders in an attempt to relax, the fingertips of his right hand lightly caressing the mechanism to his wristblades. It could be that the ship was just experiencing difficulties (it happened on occasion, especially in older ships), but the likelihood that it would be just doors and communication wasn't very good, especially in an infirmary. If there was one place that clans made sure was updated and well maintained, it was their medical quarters. Noone on one of these ships wanted to be the person who's life relied on a medical facility and its equipment when failed, and on a Clan Ship, that could be any time.
Bhu'ja-de walked back into the room, frowning, "It will not work. I do not remember the last time this has happened, if ever it has. We will have to wait for someone to try to enter. Undoubtedly, it will not be long. I have assistants who will be here soon. When they cannot open the door, they will find an Asegian to fix it. For now, we will have to be patient."
Lar'ja sighed.
Luar'ke-de glanced at the ooman sleeping on the bed, wondering if he should wake her or not. The communication console flickered before going dark just after he had read the response from the Drot'n, and now the door wouldn't open. It was highly unusual for that to happen so... selectively on a Clan Ship. The last time he had seen this happen, the power in an entire area of the ship went down, not to just select things, and it didn't cause the doors to lock. Glancing at the light coming from the pad beside the door, he was sure that the door still had power, it just wouldn't open. He'd used the code to unlock it, but it had failed to work, and trying to open it manually proved to be just as fruitless.
He sighed slowly and walked over to where the ooman slept. Kneeling down, he reached a hand out and gave her shoulder a gentle shake. She woke, startled and looking around in the dim light before her eyes landed on the large Hunter, "Wha...?"
Backing off a little, his solemn, golden eyes met hers, "Do not be alarmed. We are trapped."
"Huh? Trapped? Why" she asked, blinking blearily.
He shook his head, vaguely annoyed at having to speak ooman and deciding that she should have a translating device like his Student, "Do not know. Could be... glitch? Yes. Could be glitch. Maybe not. Will have to wait."
Sitting up, looking around, she looked nervous, "Wait for what?"
"What else?" he grumped, "For something to happen. Either rescue or attack. Do not know yet."
She nodded and he gave her shoulder another gentle shake before laying down on his side of the bed, "Sleep while you can."
Savanna gave him an incredulous look as he rolled over, back to her, and went to sleep. Both cats cuddled up to the big Hunter, curling up to sleep as well; the white cat, Loki, on his hip while the gray cat was at the back of Luar'ke-de's knees. She frowned at all three of them, tired, but now to worried to fall back to sleep. Trapped, he'd said. And they were supposed to wait for a rescue or to be attacked. Attacked by what, she didn't know. If they were trapped, it meant that the door wouldn't open and the vents in the ceiling were far too small to fit anyone through. Maybe a hand, but that was about it.
Sighing, she stood up and began pacing around the small room, shivering a little in spite of the humid warmth. Walking over to the door, she tried the code, tried pushing at the door, and feeling stupid when she realized that if Luar'ke-de hadn't been able to open it, she wouldn't have any better luck. She hated being trapped, though. Not that she really wanted to leave the room and be at the mercy of those terrifying creatures out there, but she hated not having the freedom to be able to open the door when she wanted. She controlled very little in her life now, she didn't like losing anything else.
She jumped when the vents overhead came on, the sudden movement of air and gentle hum of machinery filling the previous silence. Rubbing her arms, she started chuckling at herself. She was being silly. Lua'ke-de was an ass, but she didn't think he would let anything hurt her. If he was comfortable going to sleep, she should be as well. The lead ball in her stomach refused to be convinced, however, and she went back to pacing, ignoring the subtle scratching sounds accompanying the sound of air moving.
Bhu'ja-de had gone back to work, running his tests and injecting the orange healing accelerator into Baby Jess. It was the second dose the Healer given her, and after looking at he vitals on his wrist console, Lar'ja saw the first look of satisfaction on the Elder's face. The older male gave a nod to what he was looking at, then went back to tinkering with some equipment. Lar'ja was sure that only his brother would understand any of this. There was a time when the Arbitrator had wanted to become a Healer. For whatever reason, he'd chosen not to, but it was just as well. Lar'ja was grateful that his brother had been willing and able to help him find his mate. If it hadn't been for Luar'ke-de, he didn't think he'd have managed to find her at all.
Reaching out, he gently took his mate's hand in his, missing the sound of movement in the wall over the growling of his stomach.
Jess sighed, feeling a little overwhelmed at everything she was learning. Rubbing her forehead with her fingertips, she looked around the clearing. It felt like she'd been there for days, yet it remained night. A breeze rustled the leaves of the trees and the grass around her and she looked at As'lng, "Do you think we could take a break? We've been at this for quite a while."
The Huntress tilted her head, but nodded, "Yes, I think that should be possible, but not for long. The danger draws ever closer. You are making a great deal of progress, though."
"You keep talking about this danger. Shouldn't I go back now and tell someone about it? I assume you can teach me this stuff any time or anywhere."
"Normally, I would say yes, but you ignore what you must not when you are awake."
Jess sighed, "What if I promise not to?"
As'lng looked suspicious and unconvinced, but sighed, "Very well. It will likely be too late otherwise. Awake!"
Reaching out, As'lng shoved Jess hard and darkness swallowed her vision. She woke with a start, eyes wide, gasping at the sudden pain between her eyes. It wasn't as bad as it had been, but she'd forgotten briefly that she'd had one hell of a head injury. Shoving it aside and ignoring the exclamations of her mate and the Healer, she reached out, grabbing almost blindly onto Lar'ja's mandibles and drawing him closer.
"In the walls. It's in the walls, Lar'ja!" she winced, a wave of dizziness leaving her momentarily disoriented, though it passed quickly.
He looked startled and confused, "What, Baby Jess? What is? Should rest, yes? Think you are still hurt..."
"No, this is important. You have to listen. I can't explain how I know, but Lar'ja, it's the Candy Amandas! They're in the walls!"
He looked confused and worried, pulling his mandibles free, "Does not make sense, Baby Jess. Have been unconscious for 2 days. What?"
Loud scratching in the wall caught his attention then and Lar'ja's confusion slowly turned to a look of horrified anger. The Healer was demanding to know what she was saying and Lar'ja snarled, standing up, the wristblades sliding free of their casing while responding, "The Kainde are in the walls!"
"What? That is impossible!" Bhu'ja-de exclaimed, scoffing. "She has been dreaming and should clearly still be asleep."
Jess tried to sit up, but her vision swam. When she'd first awoken, she thought she'd only sensed Lar'ja and the Healer in the room, but she'd gotten a glimpse of As'lng standing off to one side, looking around. Lar'ja's head was tilted as though listening carefully for something, but he responded to the older male, growling low in his throat, "Never call Baby Jess a liar."
She heard the scratching in the silence that followed and saw the Healer raise his eyes to the ceiling as the sounds moved up the wall toward the vent. His eyes hardened in anger and a hand reached behind him to pull out a thicker, far more ornamental spear than she was accustomed to seeing. With a flick of his wrist, it extended and he held it almost casually. Seeing that, Jess was glad that she didn't have to fight him. There seemed something absolutely deadly about his relaxed posture. The sound of scratching stopped and her eyes shifted to the vent just in time to see a clear liquid dripping out and to the floor.
"Oh, that can't be good..."
Savanna stiffened at the sound. It was like the hiss of a snake and sent chills up her spine. A rank smell was filling the room from the vent, much like a drain, and what looked like a clear slime oozed out. Savanna, not thinking, reached out and grabbed the collapsed spear, opening it with a metallic click just in time as the vent cover and ceiling tile it was connected to crashed to the floor. A dark shape followed, launching itself toward Luar'ke-de as the cats hissed and ran, backs arched and tails fluffed out. The spear left Savanna's hand before she even realized what she was doing and it went through the dark shape just as the Hunter grabbed the black creature out of the air.
He ripped the spear free of the dying form, the latter of which he threw to one side while meeting the second dark shape before it could enter the room. The spear went through the creature's head and Luar'ke-de hauled it into the room, then pulled the spear free. Saying nothing, he leaped up, caught the ceiling with one hand, and hauled himself into the hole, disappearing into the darkness. Savanna sat as far from the two beasts as she could, shaking with reaction.
Five minutes passed and the door swished open as Luar'ke-de returned through the hole. He glanced at it with a wry chuff before looking at the two bodies and then at Savanna, "You will explain."
She shuddered, fear a cold weight in her middle, "I... I..."
He walked over and knelt, his eyes like gold glass as they met hers, "Well? Do not claim ignorance. Know better. Will not be lied to, yes?"
Swallowing hard, she nodded, voice breaking when she tried to speak, "I-I w-wanted to l-learn how to de-defend myself... J-just in case."
He listened, frowning at the end, "Does not explain why you saved me." His frown became a grim, wry, almost malicious smirk, "Could have been free of me, yes?"
"I-I didn't think..."
"Clearly. Much like Mei-jadhi. Never thinking. Could have tried to kill me, but did not. Practicing with weapons, but not thinking. Sounds very familiar." Standing up, he went to the creature that Savanna had killed, then reached down, broke something off and walked back.
"... What's that?" she asked, eyeing the black digit in his hand.
Kneeling, he grinned and caught the chin of her face in his other hand, "Will be painful, Yin'tekai-di."
Savanna's eyes went wide, "WHAT...!"
Jess rolled over and to the floor, room swimming, and crouched behind the examination table just as the first Candy Amanda rushed into the room. A sound drew her attention just in time to catch a blade from the Healer, then she was meeting the second alien as it hit the ground and bound over the table in a rush of violent motion. Still somewhat pained and disoriented from the head injury, her motions were a little slow and the serpent caught her left forearm with its claws. Growling in pain, she kicked the beast away from her, got ready, and ducked below its flailing tail.
She was too busy to watch the other two Yautja in the room, but she had the sense that they were making short work of their own opponents. Hers righted itself and rushed back with a piercing shriek that cut off as she thrust the blade into its chest. Jerking it free, she dodged its claws and stabbed again, forcing it to the ground, grappling with it as it died. She pulled the short sword free and used it to behead the Candy Amanda, just in case.
Her head throbbed dully behind her eyes, but she was alive. Looking around, she was gratified to see that the other were as well. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw As'lng disappear through a wall, then return and give her a satisfied nod, "The Kainde are dead. There are no others here. It seems that Eta were used, but not Yautja. They seem to be of various other races. It seems strange to me. I've never seen such a thing before."
Lar'ja walked through As'lng, who frowned in affront at the back of his head, to help Jess to her feet, "Okay, Baby Jess?"
She nodded, "Other than some scratches, yeah. I'm fine. There are dead Eta behind the wall, though."
He gave her a strange look, but nodded. Bhu'ja-de walked out, spear still out, then came back after a few moments, "The door is open and communications have been restored. I believe this was a direct attempt on our lives and it shames me that we were not more secure here."
Jess shook her head, "It's not your fault."
Lar'ja translated for her, and Bhu'ja-de bowed his head before walking out again.
Elder Jhukde sipped at his c'ntlip, waiting patiently to hear from his asegian that the abominations had been dealt with. He caressed the Yautja skulls in his private collection, smiling with perverse pleasure at the thought of that damned hybrid's blood staining the ground. Running the tip of a talon along the hole in the skull of one of the child skulls, remembering the rush of the kill, he could hardly suppress his anticipation.
Not only would the visitors be killed, but also that ridiculous Healer. That one had always been a thorn in Jhukde's side. They had been on the same Chiva as youths, seeking to become what that Albino had never deserved to be. At every step, he'd been just that much better than Juhkde, lording it over him. It had been a pleasure to knock him out and leave him for the Kainde. If he wanted to do things the hard way, let him. Jhukde had then killed another fellow Unblood, just after the youth had made his Blooding kill. Let others fight and struggle and Jhukde would be there to use their efforts for his own benefit. Claiming that Kainde for himself, he'd been the first to leave that pyramid, gaining the praise of the Elder.
That was, until Bhu'ja-de had reappeared, carrying the body of the one that Jhukde had killed. Fire burned in Jhukde's chest as he remembered the questions and accusations. It had taken a great deal of quick, creative thinking to get out of that predicament. After that, the Albino had always looked upon him with disgust and suspicion. And it would all end today. He purred, chuckling with dark pleasure.
It was only too bad that he wouldn't be there to see it.
There was the sound of heavy movement in the other room. Grinning, Jhukde walked out of the small room, letting the panel close behind him, and hastening to hear the good news from his Asegian. Stepping past the wall console, he was vaguely aware that it was off for some reason, but put it swiftly out of his mind, "Dg'gar! Tell me, is it over? Was it as wonderful as I had hoped? Dg'gar? Where are you?"
Walking into the dark reception chamber, Juhkde looked around before turning toward the sound of movement and stared, shocked, up at the large, grinning Yautjamorph. It hissed past horrible mandibles and reached for him with a roar.
Dg'gar smiled, pleased, at Jhukde's screams of fear and agony as he walked away. There were reasons why he'd fallen from grace, as it were, and was no longer an Honored Warrior. If it had been anyone but the Elder that had caught him, he'd likely be dead, but the Elder could be counted on for his love of excess and his misguided sense of superiority. It was a relief and a pleasure to finally put an end to his proud boasting. He'd wanted Dg'gar to use non-Yautja Eta, but the Asegian had taken the opportunity presented to him and it had worked out quite well. He would steal that Arbitrator's ship and escape while the Yautjamorph made short work of those on the Clan Ship.
Chuckling, he made his way to the docking bay, but stopped short. A low rumble of clicks echoed around him just before a pair of wristblades erupted from his chest in a fountain of green. Gasping, feeling blood filling his throat while his limbs twitched in reaction, he glanced behind him over his shoulder, eyes widening, "You...!"
And then there was darkness.
So, how was it? Please let me know! This has been in the works for a while and I hope you guys enjoyed it!
Happy Halloween, everyone!
I own nothing except my own characters.
Happy Reading! ^.^