Fang's eyes never left her. He just stood there staring at her, waiting. She was aware of the most likely outcomes of her choices that are laid out before her.
If she jumped, he would follow. If she stayed, he would come down himself, as already proven as an excellent climber. And climbing up was not an option. Peered over her shoulder to the rifle, only to bit her lip. Kita wasn't in a good spot to support herself with one arm holding the wall while the other held the weapon. And if she were to move, Fang would definitely move.
She rested her head against the cold rocky wall and closed her eyes. It was only for a moment though when looked back up and saw Fang pacing up and down the cliff. As if he could be at a lost as well or was, he just pretending to make her make the first move. Kita found it funny how she felt like they have been fighting for a long time even though it has only been a few days.
Suddenly her hand lost grip against the wall. She cried as her other hand lost grip as well. But quickly, she grabbed onto the roots she held before. Her heart was beating hard against her chest. Though it wasn't the only thump she heard. Fang had dropped down beside her, hanging off the wall with one hand.
Luckily, he was out of reach. But now the situation was even tighter. Fang was bound to copy any move she would do. Perhaps…
Kita positioned herself, ready to kick off the wall. In the corner of her eyes, Fang was preparing for what came next. With that, she pushed herself away from the wall and fell. Fang did the same only he would have grabbed her if she hadn't used her feet to lock in with the roots. Hanging upside-down, watching Fang fall to the water below.
Smiling to herself that it worked. He fell for it. Literally. Kita began to pull herself up right as she heard a loud splash. Not wanting to look down, she started to climb in hopes that she would be able to get to the top before Fang could reach her.
Three tiny red dots were the first thing she saw before a blast went straight past her and hit the root above her. The impact and disconnection of the root made her fell. Experiencing the same thing from the bridge before hitting the water below. That bastard!
Once again, Kita found herself engulfed by water. Feeling the mud being washed off as she broke the surface. Still finding herself treading water, the lake must be quite deep. Looking around, the shore was on the other side of the lake, though wondered if the cliff side provided any shallower water.
She barely made it to the cliff where true to her guess, it was shallow enough to stand. The water was now knee height. However the wall near the water was smoother than above where she was before. No possible ledges that she could climb up.
"What the hell…" she mumbled, "I didn't feel like climbing anyway." Splashing of something emerging for the water had made Kita remembered that she wasn't the only one who fell. Turning around to aim her pulse rifle at Fang only for three small red beams aiming at her rifle flat side, showcasing the three triangle dots. Coming from the small cannon on his shoulder, luminates a glowing blue and white pulse.
He's warning her. If she aimed, he would shoot. This only made her bear her teeth. The hunter only moved to be on the same level as her. Kita was aware that she cannot outrun him, and fighting will only end up even worse. What in hell does he want from her?
As if the heavens had given her an answer, the amulet reflected the moonlight as it hung over her. Out of rage, she pulled the necklace off her, prompting Fang to tilt his head.
"Is this what you want?!" she yelled, "Is this the reason you've been chasing me?!" Fang made no reaction to her outburst.
"Well, if you want it…take it!" Kita through the amulet straight at Fang. In response, he shot out his hand and caught it. He looked at it for a moment before finally staring back at her, as if there was more.
"What?! You got your stupid amulet, now leave me alone!" she continued to yell at him. Kita was ready to fight. If the amulet was what he wanted, then her life was no longer valuable, and he could kill her.
However, to her surprised, Fang only shook his head. For the first time, he was replying to her. Then he pointed to her.
"You." He voice was deep and guttural, but it was clearly a translator responding.
"Me?" Kita exclaimed though she was slight taken by the fact that Fang was finally talking back to her. But her spirit only grew to the point as she lifted her rifle up to Fang. "If you think, I'm going to let you take my head, you are wrong."
Fang tucked the amulet away as they prepared to fight. It's going to be a wet one for sure. Suddenly, a bright light shined on them, as if it was the sun. But the familiar engine sound of a transport ship, assured Kita that she wasn't alone.
"Hey, Private, good to see you alive and kicking!" she couldn't help but smiled as Corporal Dan's voice spoke through the PA system. Quickly, she noticed Fang trying to run to her, had not for the waves of shots from the ship, creating a barrier between them before slowly going towards Fang.
But quickly, Fang dived into the water and disappeared from sight. The ship moved in closer as a rope was dropped from the side.
"Come on, Private, let's get back to base."
As Kita grabbed onto the rope, she had one final look out to the lake, wondering where Fang had gone. But there was nothing, though she knew that they would meet again.
For the whole night, Kita felt at ease. The mission was a success. Many were saved thanks to her, but she couldn't help but feel pity for those who didn't make it. However, their numbers were more than what the marines had started. This would hopefully make a stand against the predators.
Upon arriving at base, Kita was once again together with Conner and the rest of the mercenaries, but her happiness came from the sight of the rest of Echo Team. Every one of them were still alive. Apparently after the attacks and the loss of a few teams, Major Colvin called for everyone to return to base and remain there until backup arrived.
In fact, Kita wasn't surprised when Major Colvin came up to her personally.
"Well done, Private." He congratulated her with pride, "Not only you've brought these people to safety but supplies us with a great force than what we have brought. With our numbers higher, those hunters won't think twice now to attack us."
Most people around her cheered which made her feel proud of herself. That was until Sergeant Karon appeared beside him.
"Sir, though numbers we have, we don't have enough transport ships to remove everyone off planet at once. And we've already lost one transport to confirm that the alien warship is orbiting the planet." She reported, Kita frowned at her response. She often wondered if Karon brought the bad news to make her celebration look like a problem.
"And we are low on food and ammo supplies." She added, "How do we propose to keep these men alive, sir?"
"Sir, may I speak?" Conner stood forward beside Kita. Major Colvin nodded in responds, "There is a possible solution. Sector 1."
Kita's eyes widen upon hearing that word. Sector 1, the other unknown location. Both the Major and Sergeant looked at him confused.
"The other major location of this colony but It was more for the private, higher ups of the company that were allowed there. The main headquarters of Weyland-Yutani." He continued describing it.
"Sir, we were never told of another location." Sergeant exclaimed, "No files ever mentioned it this headquarters. There were sightings of other buildings, but we were told it was abandoned."
"Cover up." Conner said almost harshly, "We have a known survivor over there. He was the one that sent out the distress signal and brought you here."
"So, how do we get to Sector 1?" The Major asked but Conner suddenly looked lost. He doesn't know but Kita remembered the letter.
"The monorail!" she blurted out, grabbing the attention of everyone around her. "There was a letter found in the mining district that mentioned Sector 1. Everyone there was to report to the monorail station that would take them there."
"Sergeant, check the map to find this station and report back to me immediately." The Major ordered and Karon responded straight away before leaving the group.
Meanwhile, everyone was able to finally settle down as the Major and each leader of the teams were discussing a plan to retrieve the supplies. Kita sat with her group as they were telling each other things however her mind began to shut out the noise around her.
She couldn't help but think back to the lake. That single word, 'You', echoed in her mind. Why would Fang want her? It could be that he wanted her head as a trophy like all the other hunters seemed to do but there was something amiss.
The amulet felt like it was of some sort of importance to them after all, it was kept in a hidden location with a trap but if Fang wanted the amulet, he could have simply taken it off her when she was held captive or hunted her and then taken it if he was going for sport.
Neither of them happened and she still alive. Did he need her alive or something? And for what? She sighed heavily. Hope was the one thing she wanted. For this to all be over.
The ooman base was quiet. No signs of an armed warrior out guarding the entrance. However his mask was picking up signs of movement and heat coming from inside. It was up until now that he realized the reason for the sudden migration of the second ooman group. Now, they are together as one, bigger than before. The situation was getting harder and harder every moment. The numbers were however smaller than what he was to expect when facing a hive of 300 serpents, as part of the passage to clan leader.
But safety in numbers and each armed with ranged weapons would certainly be a death sentence. And the female knew it and there was a risk of her getting killed if they attack. Pauk! He growled tensely the remove the thought of valuing her life. It continued to disgust him. If only, he took her when he had the chance. Instead, his stalled and allowed that opportunity to escape him. A mistake.
But the conversation they had, intrigued him. The female was smart to understand the importance of the key to him but to through it away just like that. Zo'dta would have killed her straight away if she wasn't needed. Either way, she clearly wasn't interested in the knowledge she could obtain from them. The female valued something more.
Those that aren't driven by greed were always a good sport. Fun to toy with them, enrage them, make them fight. If only this never happened, she would have been the perfect sport. But that won't happen. Yet.
As restless as the other yaujtas are, he ordered them to wait. The oomans have nowhere to go. Their small ships would be destroyed and even if they got passed them, doubt they were design for long distance. So they wait. They won't last long inside their stronghold, soon they would need supplies and they would have to come out.
Waiting and starving prey out was not the most popular method among clans. Not even Zo'dta liked this method as engaging prey was more of a challenge. However, he saw the benefits of this method. Learning how to wait for the moment to strike.
However, the female would undoubtably have learned that she was still a target and would never leave the group. He kept on imagining how much of a challenge she would have been if they met at another time in another place.
But for now, all he could do was wait. Wait for his prey to come out.
"You fucking bitch! Where have you been!?" Kita was startled as Emma stormed towards her giving her the biggest hug in a long time.
"Hey Em." She barely was able to say from the tight squeeze. "Could you…loosen up?" Upon that question, Emma completely let go and looked at her bewildered.
"Loosen up! Kita, I was worried sick that you were dead! And you just walked in out of nowhere with an army? How can I loosen up?" Kita could only give her a sheepish smile and shrugged her shoulders.
"What can I say? I'm full of surprises." They both laughed. Kita began telling her everything that happened up to now. Emma was most interested in the parts when she spoke of the predators. Though when she mentioned Fang…
"Wait, you gave him a nickname?" Emma blurted in disbelief.
"What? He was fucking following me everywhere and being very hot and cold with me." Emma tilted her head for a definition. "One moment he wanted me dead, the next he was saving my life from a native animal."
"That is strange, even for them. I don't think I've ever heard of a predator saving a human life." Emma responded. Kita would have said the same thing if she was told that a predator saved a human.
"I think he wanted something more though. He was really interested in me for some reason." She mumbled once again returning to her thoughts on Fang's motive. "Even when I gave him back the amulet, he just pointed at me and said you." Kita made a deep gruff voice when she said 'you' to mimic what Fang said to her.
"Saving and communication? Double bonuses to you." Emma complimented though Kita didn't feel special at all. She felt like she's been cursed or just bad luck. Suddenly the commotion around them began to rise. Quickly to turned to Corporal Dan for information.
"Our backup has arrived, but that predator ship is not letting them pass without being hostile and that's not the worse. If they can't get pass within a few days, then we will be left here for months for a whole armada to arrive." He explained.
She already had doubts in mind that they would survive that long. The predators won't wait for that long just for their fleet to arrive.
"What about the monorail? Heard anything from that, sir?" she asked.
"It's a no go, Private." His was full of disappointment when he said it. "We would have to go out into the open to get there and it was too far. The Major isn't going to risk anymore lives for now."
Damn it. She cursed to herself. So basically, they can't do anything. If there was something or someway, they can get the supplies or to their ship without the predators attacking them. Something that can prevent them like a leverage or…
Kita suddenly realized that she was of some value to the predators and Fang had shown it many times. What if…she offered herself in exchange for the lives of everyone here. She almost made herself mistrust the idea, but it was something. Was is it?
She took a deep breath and reported to the Major of her idea. Explaining everything and proving the points to back up her idea that she was of some value. Almost everyone around her were as shock as she was at the idea.
"Are you crazy?" Conner exclaimed. "What makes you think that they are open to negotiate?"
"What choice do we have?" she yelled back, "If you have a better idea of getting off this planet with everyone alive then be my guess." It was probably the first time that she yelled at Conner in anger. She could clearly see his hatred for the predators and his wound was a burning reminder.
"Enough!" the Major shouted before turning to Kita, "Are you sure about this, Private?"
"We clearly have stumbled onto their lands. We are merely, in their eyes, trespassing." Kita said, "And besides the multiple times, they had the chance to kill me, I do believe that they want something from me."
"Sir, I must advise against this." Karon stood forward beside the Major, "What proof other than her words that they want her? And if so to fail, what is there to gain?"
"Would you at least trust in other marines?" Kita's annoyance finally stood out over manners, "Honestly, it's just going to be me going out, no one else. Besides, what else have we got to lose?"
Karon's eyes sharpen at her snapped response. The Sergeant does become firm with other marines who are lower than herself. She preferred to always be respected unless it was someone higher than her. At least a little respect for the others would have been nice. Not all higher ups would have great ideas. Of course, Kita would never have said that out loud.
"Very well." Major said before Karon could say another word. "You have my permission to proceed with your plan. Let's hope you know what you are doing." So does she.
"I'll go with you." Conner added.
"No." She shook her head, "If you come, they'll just kill you on sight straight away."
"But..."
"No buts!" she put a finger up to his face, "That's final."
When she realized that Conner wasn't going say any more, Kita began to prepare herself to go out and expose herself to the predators.
"God, I hope I know what I'm doing." She muttered to herself.
A/N
Hey guys, sorry for the long wait. Had a bit of a writer's block and was deciding whether or not I was going to go with this path or that path. But hope you've enjoyed this chapter and will see you next time. Leave a comment to share your thoughts.
