AN: Thanks to all who continue to read, review and enjoy! You guys are my fuel. I hope this chap continues to entertain you all. -Cap'n Razz

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A Fine Mess

Chapter 36 - Prisoner

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The Arbitrator's vessel raced at top speed to cut off the Mhneschk. His sensors indicated that the creature had finally slowed down, and he knew that his only chance to intercept was slipping away. Though the engines creaked and whined in protest, he had no choice but to push them past their limit. Kh'val snarled at a blinking light on the console, indicating messages that he was of no mind to take at the moment. He was so fixated on finding his brother that all other input was ignored.

After four days with his eyes glued to the viewport Kh'val awoke to find himself on the floor, and he reluctantly set automatic navigation to take over. He had been avoiding sleep like it was a vicious beast, and even now with his eyes ready to close in the corridor, he was wary to face any dreams that may manifest. He stumbled into his chambers and collapsed onto his pallet, asleep before he hit the furs.

Jungle. Hot steamy jungle. The favorite place for a Yautja to hunt. He crept through the brush - his only weapon a double-bladed spear, his only covering a tattered loin cloth. The Arbitrator felt wild, like many of the creatures he'd hunted before pursuing his own kind, and he let out a yowl before stalking forward through the trees. His cry rustled small animals from hiding and birds from the treetops, but he was hunting something more substantial.

A scent reached him on the breeze and he recognized his prey. The beast roared and charged forward, and his heavy steps roused his quarry from its sanctuary. A dash of heat crossed his vision and raced away, but he was faster. He leapt over the brush and charged after the creature, his skin slick with moisture from the trees, his loins taut with lust. The human darted to the right and he heard her charge through a stream. Pausing to track her, he did not hear the sound of wet feet on soil and realized that she was attempting to hide in the water.

He stalked through the bushes to the bank of a narrow stream, easy to step across but appearing deep enough to hide a submerged body. His mandibles twitched in anticipation, and he jumped into the water while stabbing down his spear. It sank into the soil unobstructed, and so he stomped forward jabbing the weapon into the bed of the stream. After a short distance the stream suddenly erupted and the human leapt up to run into the trees. Dropping his spear, Kh'val charged after her and tackled the female to the ground. She screamed and howled like a deranged beast, sending surges through the male's blood that made him shudder. Short blunt claws tried to gouge out his eyes, but his superior strength pinned her beneath his bulk.

He leaned forward to breathe in her sent, and the female lashed up bearing her teeth. She grasped his right lower mandible and violently wrenched her head back and forth in attempt to rip it off. Kh'val roared and clamped one hand around her throat, the other slashing wildly at her coverings. The human thrashed in his grip but it only fueled his ardor. He tore the flimsy material from her soft body and buried his face in her throat, relishing in the scent of fear and pain that soaked her skin. The human whimpered, and then began screaming again as he forced her to her stomach and raised her hips. Her sounds sent fire through his veins, and he thrust into her without concern or remorse. The screams turned into wails of agony that he relished, and the Arbitrator lost all control. He gouged his talons into her back and wrapped his fingers around her spine before throwing back his head in a triumphant roar…

Kh'val awoke with a start, his heartbeat racing and mandibles clattering in agitation. For a moment he thought that the ringing in his head was from the dream, but then he realized that it was the proximity alarm. He raced from his chambers and skidded to a halt in the control room.

Filling the viewport was the Mhneschk, passing dangerously close to a large and highly unstable star. Their proximity appeared to be tearing the creature apart, and its usually uniform exterior seemed nothing more than a drifting mist. Lightning raced across the surface of the anomaly, and at times Kh'val swore that he could see straight through it.

"Perhaps this will work to my advantage."

He sent a short message to the clan ship that he had found Kh'aan's lair, and then rushed to engineering to adjust the settings for traveling through the beast. The only thing that worried him was destroying his ship before he could see the defeat on Kh'aan's face. Once satisfied that his modifications were ready, he returned to the control room and strapped himself into the command chair. Flexing his fingers, he switched over to manual control and eased in.

Passing through the surface set him on edge; he'd been expecting to be enveloped and instead crossed the boundary unhindered. The interior of the creature was in chaos, with lightning dancing through the ether and unusual energy waves disrupting navigation. When the sensors indicated no forward resistance, he directed more power to the engines and hoped that the exhaust system would hold.

After what seemed like hours of flying through the storm, the Arbitrator suddenly punched through into a void. Before him hovered a tiny planetoid, and he knew that he'd found his brother. Without waiting to run a systems check, he quickly set the ship into orbit and began scanning. He expected to find some sort of jungle planet with shelter for the wayward fugitives, and so was surprised to see a world covered with water.

His orbit took him around the planet, and after scanning he realized why there seemed to be no land on the surface. An enormous rift had opened in the planet's crust, and molten rock from its core was erupting beneath the surface of the sea. It displaced the sea level on a drastic scale, and he saw surges flow out from the rift before dissipating. He figured that one wave must have swamped everything before he arrived.

Another pass around the planet sent the sensors into an uproar and he pinpointed the location. Two life forms had been detected on a ring of stone, though one was very faint. The thought of losing one of his targets weight heavily on the Arbitrator for a moment, but he shook off the question in favor of retrieving them first. He banked into the atmosphere and headed for the stone ring. After a few more minutes he finally spotted the formation, and was close enough for the sensors to distinguish the life signs.

The human was alive. Kh'aan, it seemed, was not.

"Pauk! This is not how the chase was supposed to end!" He programmed the ship to hover over the ridge, and then leaned forward with his elbows on the console. Something was itching in his mind at the sight of his brother's body bobbing in the water, and after an extended debate he rose and left the control room.

The Arbitrator retrieved his gauntlet and mask and headed for the access hatch. If he was to make a decision worthy of explanation to the Council, it would be worth his time to check out the situation first hand. When the hatch opened he leapt down to the stone, checking over his shoulder to be sure that the ship remained cloaked. Then, unable to delay any longer, he turned toward the ridge.

An agonizing wail reached him on the wind, and when he found the source was surprised to see that the human had retrieved Kh'aan's body. A small, uncorrupted part of his soul ached at the despair in her voice, but it was overruled with a snort of derision. That pathetic creature actually mourns you, brother. He scanned the hunter and remembered what had been teasing his memory. Mourns pointlessly, I might add.

Kh'val approached watching the female struggle to pull Kh'aan out of the water, his mandibles clamped tightly shut against the flood of laughter that tried to escape. When she finally succeeded in wedging him between the stones, the Arbitrator resisted the urge to knock him back into the sea. Suddenly his computer beeped, and he was startled to see an enormous wave crossing the planet at high speed. He glanced back up at Kh'aan and snarled quietly.

"Hurry up, brother. On your feet."

A whimper reached him, and Kh'val turned his gaze to the human. Even in her drenched and despairing state, his blood sang at the sight of her. No creation in his mind could have come close to the creature before him, and his loins grew tight for a suffocating heartbeat before he shook himself out of his thoughts. He flipped his mask to the light spectrum to see her clearly. I did not expect such a fit specimen, nor one of her particular color. I have seen many different kinds of oomans, but most have been either pale-skins or very dark. Hers would make finely cured leather.

Kh'val snorted and looked away. Another voice spoke up in his mind and made him cringe. If there is any skin left when you are done with her, hmmm?

His eyes found her again, and he watched emotions cross her face in rapid succession. She thinks he is dead. She is going to take her own life because of it! Foolish female! When she started rocking on her heels he took a hesitant step forward, not willing to lose his prize. A strangled cry stopped him, and Kh'val turned around just in time to step out of Kh'aan's path. The hunter dove forward for the female just as she tipped over the edge, and the cloaked Arbitrator growled in spite of himself. Do not tell me you actually care about this creature.

He did his best to ignore their increasingly disturbing display of affection, but when his scanner beeped again he knew that they were out of time. Tapping in a command, he loaded a tranquilizer into his gauntlet and shot the human in the back of her neck. It took everything he had to maintain some sort of composure in the face of Kh'aan's panic.

"Kayla! Kayla, wake up!"

"She will, eventually."

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Kh'aan stepped warily into the Arbitrator's ship, his instincts begging him to flee even though there was nowhere else to go. Kh'val's scent bordered on ecstatic, and the thought of what had him so energized made the hunter's skin crawl. He unconsciously held the human a little tighter and proceeded through the engineering deck. He felt cold, and was surprised how easily he had acclimated to terrestrial life when by choice he preferred space. As they passed a viewport his eyes were drawn to the ocean below, just in time to see the approaching wave completely obliterate the remains of their island. For once he did not lie - why does that make me feel worse?

Kh'val caught a strange longing in his brother's eyes as he gazed at the planet, and was mildly disgusted by it. "You have changed, brother. You have grown weak in your time with this female. How disappointing."

Kh'aan turned to him with a glare that promised infinite suffering. "I am pleased to disappoint you, Bad Blood."

The Arbitrator snarled but said nothing, instead gesturing for the hunter to keep moving. Internally he warred with himself over what to do now that he had captured the fugitives. Grand Matron Sh'aan and High Elder Kh'alik were adamant that he return them alive, but Elder Ne'hak would certainly have his head if the Arbitrator did not concede to his demands.

Kh'val snarled and directed his brother to the right with a poke of his wristblades. I should have ignored Elder Ne'hak…but that would prove more trouble than this traitor's life is worth. Her scent is sweeter than before. Shut up! Not now!

Kh'aan winced inwardly at the strength of Kh'val's scent. It fluctuated erratically between rage and amusement, and beneath everything else he caught a trace of lust. He had not missed his brother's extended study of Kayla as they entered the ship, and the former Firstborn hoped that he would have the strength to protect her from a rapidly degenerating Arbitrator. His worried thoughts were interrupted by a sharp jab in his back. Kh'aan stopped and waited for Kh'val's direction, snarling at the fact that he had to obey the twisted brute.

The Arbitrator punched a code into a panel in the wall that Kh'aan had not seen, and a hidden door opened on his right. The hunter heard an amused chitter from behind his back that made his hackles raise. When he turned to face Kh'val, he was grinning like a Hard Meat ready to strike.

"Put her down." He gestured to a small bench against the wall and Kh'aan growled, tightening his grip.

"No."

Kh'val sneered and stepped forward, his blades jutting out so fast that Kh'aan did not have time to react. They pressed against the human's throat just enough to cut her skin.

"Put her down now."

A roar caught in Kh'aan's chest at the sight of Kayla's blood, sounding more like a strangled growl, and he locked his furious gaze with the Arbitrator. Kh'val added a small amount of pressure, and it took everything Kh'aan had to lower his eyes in submission. He turned his back and carefully rested her on the bench, one talon lightly brushing her cheek. If he touches you I will not be responsible for my actions. He stood to his full height and turned to face his brother, arms crossed and feet firmly planted.

The Arbitrator dragged his gaze from the human with some difficulty, and the amount of hostility in Kh'aan's gaze nearly gave him pause. Only the knowledge that he acted on the orders of the council strengthened his willpower, and Kh'val stepped out of the way of the door.

"Out."

Kh'aan visibly balked, his stance faltering for a moment before he let out a grating snarl. "Absolutely not. You do not fool me, Kh'val. You will have to kill me if you want me to leave her alone, at your disposal."

Kh'val growled and stepped up until he was toe to toe with his brother. "Correction…I will not hesitate to kill her if you disobey me. The Council has no interest in your ooman, only the Grand Matron and our sire wish for me to return with the both of you. But by all means, resist if you want her to die. I will take great pleasure in it." To emphasize his point, the Arbitrator punched a command into his computer. The air filters whirred to a stop and Kh'aan immediately noticed the air growing thinner. Knowing that humans required a slightly different breathing mix, any change in oxygen content could easily kill his companion. His eyes snapped to her and he noticed her breathing already growing strained. He hissed vehemently at his brother, but knew that the arrogant Arbitrator had won this battle. With hesitant steps he inched toward the door.

Kh'val smiled behind his mask and reactivated the air processor. Kh'aan's discomfort made him want to howl with glee, but now was not the time to gloat. Once the former Firstborn was in the door frame, Kh'val planted a foot in his back and kicked him out of the room. Kh'aan whirled around with a snarl, but the Arbitrator was already in the corridor with the door sliding shut behind him. It took all of the hunter's control to keep from throttling his brother.

Kh'val grinned inwardly and backed down the corridor to another panel. The door slid open to reveal another cell, nearly identical to the human's though the bench was on the opposite side of the room. The Arbitrator gave an elaborate bow and gestured inside. "Sit, brother. We should talk."

Kh'aan eased past him as though he oozed some foul substance. He marched into the cell and stood against the wall opposite the bench. The Arbitrator snorted and sat down, his expression one of infinite patience. Kh'aan grew angrier with each passing second and finally he growled.

"I have nothing to say to you, Kh'val. You are the traitor, not me."

"I?" Kh'val chittered as though he'd made a joke. "I am not the one who abandoned our clan for an inferior species. I did not steal a ship and attack a representative of the Council of Elders. I am not rutting an ooman."

Kh'aan roared and lunged forward, claws aching to tear the Arbitrator apart. Kh'val spun out of the seat and out of Kh'aan's path, swinging back with his gauntleted wrist to whack the furious hunter in the back of his skull. Kh'aan stumbled into the wall but immediately bounced back, his crest bristling as testament to his fury. The Arbitrator dodged another lunge from his brother and then grasped his tresses as he passed, spinning him around to pull the surprised hunter down face-first into his knee. Kh'aan stumbled back in a daze, and was too slow to block the thunderous fist that planted squarely on the side of his head. His vision flashed before everything went black.

Kh'val shook out his stinging hand and quickly disarmed the unconscious hunter. Such a blow, if executed correctly, hit a sensitive nerve cluster in the Yautja brain that immediately incapacitated the recipient. Unfortunately, the target was beneath a plate of bone that made a successful hit damaging to the deliverer as well. Once certain that he had not broken any fingers, the Arbitrator backed out of the room and locked the door.

"Fool. You have lost. Accept it."

He turned down the corridor toward the access stairs, but paused and glanced back at the cell doors. His mandibles tapped rapidly in his indecision, and then he snorted and approached the last cell. The door hissed open silently and his eyes rested on the unconscious human. Her scent filled the small room, and he hesitantly removed his mask to take a deep breath. A chill traveled the Arbitrator's spine, and he drifted forward as though his feet had a mind of their own. When he reached the bench he had to physically restrain his hands behind his back, but he could not resist leaning forward until his tusks brushed her hair, breathing deeply again. His gaze fixed on her closed eyes, and he wondered if he was truly going mad.

"You are an evil temptation, one that I fear I might not be strong enough to resist. I hope for your sake that the Council orders you both executed on the spot."

He shuddered and quickly stepped back out of the room. Images from recent dreams flooded his mind, and the Arbitrator swore he could hear Cetanu laughing. Mustering what remained of his sanity and confidence, Kh'val headed for the control room anxious to get out of the disintegrating Mhneschk.

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"Fire in reserve fuel cell. Deactivate. Fire in reserve fuel cell. Deactivate. Fire…"

Kh'val turned off the alarm with a snarl and reattached his death grip to the controls. The return trip out of the Mhneschk was proving to be more troublesome than the journey in. Where before the creature was a hazy cloud of gasses and lightning, now the energy waves seemed to ripple through it in frequent cycles. His sensors picked them up only seconds before they struck the ship, leaving him little time to bank out of the way or re-polarize the hull. It was obvious now that the creature was destabilizing, and he did not want to be within it for the finale.

Another light began blinking rapidly on the console as Kh'val sent the ship into a dive. An enormous mass of electricity had suddenly formed directly in his path, and he knew it would short out every system if he connected with it. The sensors and proximity alarms wailed all around as he pulled hard at the controls, pulling the ship out of what had nearly become a fatal maneuver. The engines whined in protest, the vessel shook around him, he wondered if this entire mission had been a mistake, and then suddenly they were free.

The Arbitrator's ship burst out of the anomaly just as another wave of electricity surged through the ether. The Mhneschk flared brightly and nearly doubled in size for a brief moment, and then it abruptly collapsed, imploding on itself until nothing remained but empty space. Kh'val released the controls with some difficulty and leaned back in the command chair. He felt his heartbeat racing out of control, and decided at that moment that nothing would stop him from going directly to sleep. As he stepped wearily out of the control room, however, a loud roar echoed throughout the ship and vibrated the bulkheads. He groaned and pounded a fist on the wall.

"After this assignment is over, I will take a much needed break."

After engaging the repair system and setting a leisurely course for the clan ship, Kh'val stormed down to the holding cells. Kh'aan was making quite a racket from within his cell - mostly threats of painful death - and the Arbitrator took several deep breaths in an effort to remain calm. When the door hissed open, Kh'aan stormed forward snarling.

"Let me out of here! Where is Kayla!"

Kh'val snorted and shook his weary head. "You are my prisoner. I will not. She is here. Stop that juvenile noise!"

Kh'aan was momentarily shocked, not only by the lack of aggression in his brother, but in his short rebuke. It was not like Kh'val to avoid an argument. "You coward!"

That got the Arbitrator's attention, and Kh'val turned to the hunter with a snarl. "Mind your words, Kh'aan. Until we reach the clan ship, you both are mine."

Kh'val turned for the door but Kh'aan would not be dismissed so quickly. He grasped his brothers shoulder and jerked him back around. "Where is she!"

"Your pathetic pet is around. That is all I choose to tell you. Perhaps she is alive, perhaps she already adorns my trophy wall. You will not know until we arrive at the clan ship. Now shut up or I will be forced to knock you out again."

Kh'aan took a step back, his tresses bristling in his rage, but before he could make a move Kh'val turned with startling speed and landed another hit to his skull. This time the Arbitrator was exhausted from the day's activities, and could only muster enough force to knock Kh'aan back and bruise his own hand. Taking advantage of the space, Kh'val beat a hasty retreat.

Kh'aan roared weakly, but his head was pounding too much and he slumped to the floor in the corner. If she is harmed, brother, I will leave no scrap of you larger than a talon.

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Muted light filtered through her eyelids, dragging Kayla out of a drug-induced stupor that left her body aching and lower jaw numb. She slowly opened her eyes, her gaze resting on a metallic corner above her head. No…that's the ceiling meeting the wall. Ok, the brain is working. She turned her head carefully to take in the rest of the room. Four shiny metal walls enclosed her, but aside from a grate in the floor everything was uniformly smooth and seamless. She scanned the surfaces for a door but could not even see a crack to indicate one. After an extended effort the marine managed to sit up, and she stretched forward to her toes until her back cracked. Taking a deep breath, she swung her legs to the edge of the large bench she was sitting on. Giant furniture equals Yautja furniture. With that thought swirling in her mind, recent events came back in abundance and Kayla growled.

Psycho brother would be my guess.

She winced at the pins and needles that began to lance through her face, and then hopped down from the bench to take a look around. Her initial assessment was reinforced when she examined the walls up close. They might as well have been poured into place. She ran her hands along the surface but they were smooth as glass, and after tapping on several spots she wondered if they were sound, vibration, and everything else-proof as well. Great! So am I on a ship or have I been left to drift through space in a box?

The human groaned and contemplated shouting for attention, but the only one she wanted to see was Kh'aan and the thought of encountering his brother instead turned her stomach. Frustrated and without options, Kayla slumped down on the floor in a huff and rolled feeling back into her jaw. Arrogant bastard! Kicking us when we're down? Where's the honor in that? Her mind was instantly assaulted by memories of the island, and it took all of her willpower to keep from breaking down. Where is Kh'aan? He was alive, right? He woke up…or did I dream it? Maybe I'm dead and this is hell. No…hell wouldn't be cold. Where is he? Did psycho bro kill him? Is he here somewhere? The human groaned and rolled to her stomach on the floor, her eyes finding the grate she'd noticed before. Wondering where he is will not get me out of here. I should be looking for a door. In solid steel, or whatever this is…right. Snorting out a sigh, Kayla folded her arms under her head and stared into the darkness beyond the vent. A faint breeze met her nose inches from the floor, and for a startling moment she caught the scent of the ocean. Curious and desperate, she pressed her nose into the grating and took a deep breath. Mixed with the smells of ship, oil and dust, there again was the scent of the sea…and beneath it the musky aftertaste of Kh'aan.

Kayla didn't think twice. She wedged her fingers into the vent and pulled, surprised when it came free so easily that she flew backwards into the wall. The marine scrambled back over and peered down into the hole. The darkness was almost complete, but after squinting she was able to make out a glare from somewhere deep within the ship. Wedging her hands down into the duct, she estimated the hole to be less than two feet wide and barely eight inches high. Tight squeeze, kiddo. Good thing we've been sort of starving, huh?

Before logic could inform her of how idiotically foolish her idea was, the human flattened onto her back at the entrance to the hole. Another deep breath told her where the ocean scent was coming from, and she eased into the duct head first. Kayla had to turn her face to the side to avoid scraping her nose, but once she got her shoulders through the vent the rest of her body fit with relative ease. She wiggled her shoulders to worm further into the tube, and only after her foot hit the metal with a smack did she hazard a breath. I'm insane, I'm insane! I'm gonna die in here! Move it, Marine! Follow your nose!

Inch by inch Kayla wiggled through the narrow duct. Right shoulder - left shoulder - right hip - left hip - right heel - left heel - repeat. She chanted the movements in her mind in an effort to ignore exactly how cramped she was. Without the room to turn her head she could not see where the tube went, and only hoped that she did not meet a dead end or turn. An old military march popped into her head and threatened to vocalize, but she bit her tongue to keep silent. If the Arbitrator found her he would have ample reason to skewer her or flush the ducts or something else just as heinous, and that would defeat the whole purpose of turning herself into a human slug.

The further she went, the longer the duct seemed. Kayla's shoulders and hips ached from the awkward movement and uncomfortable abrasion, and she was starting to feel the effect of having so little room to breathe. What if I passed him? What if there isn't a vent in his room? Fuck! I'm gonna die in…Her thoughts were cut off when her hair suddenly got stuck. She twitched her head in an effort to release it, and finally had to push up further in order to break free. What she saw nearly made her cry out.

The marine's eyes peered through a small grate nearly identical to the one in her own cell. The chamber looked similar as well, and directly above her eyes was an enormous green and brown thigh. Ocean wafted over her nose again and she would have cheered if not for the pressure on her chest.

Hellooo drowned rat!

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Kh'aan brooded quietly in his cell, yearning to tear his brother apart but not willing to face him just yet. He wanted nothing more than to demand that Kayla be brought to him, but he knew that Kh'val would never listen. He would probably torture her in front of me just to make me suffer. The thought made him both bitter and fearful. He could be torturing her right now.

"Pssst!"

The hunter's head snapped up.

"Kh'aan!"

He surged to his feet and spun in place. Am I going insane? Why am I hearing her voice? He growled and stared at the door, as though expecting Kh'val to be playing games on the other side.

"Kh'aan, down here!"

The hunter turned to the sound, and could not hold in a chirp of surprise when a blunt little nose poked through the floor grating.

"A little help, huh?"

Kh'aan stumbled to his knees and violently ripped the grate out of the floor. There, in a space too small to hold her, was Kayla's face beaming up at him. His heart fluttered erratically though he could not tell if it was from fear or relief.

"How…"

"How about helping me out first, and we'll Q&A later?" Kh'aan shook his emotions back down and watched as she carefully eased her head out of the duct. She rolled her shoulders to carefully work them through the opening, and once free he grasped them gently and pulled. She was tightly wedged and his grip kept slipping until both of her hands were free. Then she helped by pushing while he pulled and she abruptly popped out of the vent. They toppled to the floor in a heap.

Kh'aan stared at the human sprawled across his chest with a mixture of confusion and relief in his eyes. "How did you fit in there?"

She peered up at him and smiled through a layer of dust before rolling to her feet. "I have many skills."

Kh'aan watched as she started looking around his cell for an escape route. After a minute he shook his head and rose to his feet, snaring the pacing marine in a suffocating hug. "Crazy ooman."

Kayla smiled into his chest and stretched her arms as far around his waist as she could reach. "Yeah, well, you like me that way." She clung to him for another contented moment before her head snapped up. "So what say we get out of here and give psycho brother what for, huh?"

She pulled at his grip but Kh'aan tightened his hold, pulling her down to the floor with him. Kayla's eyes were determined and confused, but the hunter only scooted back against the wall and cradled her against his chest. He told himself that it was just to give the female some comfort, but a growing part of him did not want to let her go again, ever.

"Hey, if we don't move soon he'll catch us."

The hunter grunted before lightly flicking her ear. "We cannot."

"Why not? If there's a chance that we can take him, shouldn't we try?"

Kh'aan huffed and closed his eyes. Such persistence would seem foolhardy if he had not been given the time to become acquainted with this particular human. Kayla was nothing if not brave and if he did not believe that before, he was certain now after her reckless adventure in a tube nearly too small for her. Something shifted in the warrior, as though a wall he'd never noticed had suddenly crumbled. The purr that spontaneously grew within him was unexpected but not unwelcome, and he tightened his grip on the human while twirling his mandibles in her hair. The tension in her shoulders faded rapidly and she made a small sound as she settled into his arms.

"You're distracting me," she muttered breathlessly. "Answer the question."

He took a moment to clarify his answer and then cleared his throat. "There is a chance that the Council will let us go. A small chance." Her eyes rose to meet his and he continued. "If we try to escape, or kill Kh'val, they will declare us Bad Bloods and send every Arbitrator, hunter and Bad Blood after us. We will have no chance."

Kayla gulped and a shiver coursed through her. "So we just sit here like good little prisoners and hope that they see the error of their ways? Great." She glanced up at the wall separating their cells and growled. "Well I'm not going back in there. If he wants to play with his new toy he'll have to find me first. I'll spend the rest of the trip in that duct if I have to."

Kh'aan snorted in the face of the rage that grew within him. "You are not a toy, Kayla. I will kill him if he touches you again."

Her eyes shot up to meet his. "What do you mean, 'again'?"

He raised a finger and lightly touched the cut on her throat. Kayla winced and her hand shot up to feel dried blood. She let out a snarl worthy of a Yautja and her jaw clenched. "Oh no…That sick, perverted bastard is mine to dismember! You'll just have to settle for leftovers."

Kh'aan chuckled and pulled her back against his chest. "If you leave me anything."

They laughed together at the mental image of Kh'val being torn apart, but then the marine was reminded of another recent oddity in their lives. She did not met his eyes, but instead grasped his hand in both of hers and seemed to study them side by side.

"Um…I don't mean to be rude or ungrateful or anything, but…" A chitter from the hunter caused her to lose her train of thought for a second before she got back on track. "Why can you suddenly speak so clearly?"

Her heat spiked for a moment and she kept her gaze on his fingers. Rather than force her to look up, Kh'aan rested his jaw on Kayla's head and shrugged. "A gift, perhaps."

"Gift?"

The hunter grunted and raised his hand to work out a knot in her messy hair. Once it came loose he huffed out a sigh. "I do not question. I believe I know, but I do not want to lose the gift, so I will not ask."

Kayla frowned for a moment before an old saying sprung to mind - Don't look a gift horse in the mouth. "Ok. I won't ask either."

The fugitives settled in comfortably and waited for the inevitable arrival of a furious Arbitrator.

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