Disclaimer – I don't own Alien(s), Predator, AVP, or any other trademarked or copyrighted material. All I own are my original characters and story ideas.
Chapter 25
"I still can't believe he's insisting that we go to the city… What is he thinking?" Ijane grumbled, as she and Grey stood just outside the village gates, holding their traveling bags over their shoulders and waiting for their vessel to take them to one of the few large cities on the Homeworld.
They'd gotten up early and bathed, hurriedly eaten and grabbed their things, and walked out here to await their small ship, being joined by Di'Sedi, Mjadi and Nuini, with Dami hurrying along behind her, having insisted on seeing his ooman friend off.
"He's stubborn… He's always been stubborn, that one…" Mjadi agreed, adjusting her long shawl on her shoulders. The morning was a touch chilly, which was normal for this time of year, as the rains were soon to arrive. Of course, such a slight temperature drop was nothing to the hardy Yautja; but they preferred hotter temperatures, and the cold tended to make them a bit irritable and sluggish.
"Well, he's his mother's son." Di'Sedi said, an touch of playfulness in her voice, and Ijane clicked in response.
Grey had been listening to the three of them, when a slight tugging on her tunic got her attention, and she looked down at Dami, who looked back up at her with his big yellow eyes and lifted his arms.
"Up?" he questioned hopefully.
"I can't carry you anymore, remember? You're too big." she reminded him, crouching down and rubbing his head. He'd gotten too heavy for her to carry around, but he still asked her every now and then.
"Mama up." he said, meaning that his mother had no problem carrying him.
"Mama's eight feet tall, honey." Grey said and Dami, looking from Grey to his mother and sizing them up, sighed in defeat.
"You going?" he asked, pointing to her bag.
"Yeah, just for a little while."
"Coming back?" he questioned.
"Of course! I'll be back to play with you and the others as soon as I can, okay?"
His little brow wrinkled as he thought about this for a minute, before nodding his permission, his face adorably stern, and going back over to his mother, who gathered the pup into her arms and bundled him up in her shawl.
Meanwhile, the three other females were deep in conversation. Mainly, this consisted of Di'Sedi and Mjadi trying to allay Ijane's misgivings about the while situation.
"I highly doubt you'll be out and wandering around in the city proper, Ijane. Kantra did say he made arrangements for you to stay in an apartment very close to this Vi'ren's abode, did he not?" Mjadi was saying reasonably.
"And Grey will have to mix with the rest of our people, eventually." Di'Sedi added.
"You're right… I know you're right… I just worry about…many things…" Ijane conceded, with a sigh.
"There now. Your ship's come; there's no getting out of this now." her mother said, and indeed, the small craft landed gently in the clearing, and the doors opened automatically to allow entrance.
"Come along, Luar-ke. The sooner we get there, the sooner we can be back home." Ijane said, still sounding uncertain and disapproving of the whole situation.
Grey followed her, turning to wave at the group left standing at the gates. She smiled when Dami peered out of one of the folds of his mother's shawl and waved one little hand exuberantly, before she boarded the ship and the doors closed behind her.
This craft wasn't like the larger transport ship they'd taken to the Great Temple. For one thing, it was much smaller and sleeker, with big, spacious seats and a lot of room to move around. Kantra had said that the little ship was fully automated; but Ijane had told her that these kinds of transports could be flown manually, if the occasion warranted it.
Setting her things down on the smooth metal floor, Grey tested out the large seat and found it surprisingly comfortable. Across from her, Ijane did the same.
"Wow, this thing's really going fast…" the human observed, seeing that the ground below was almost a blur of greens, greys and browns, with the occasional body of water whizzing by in shades of green and blue. She'd never been one to get carsick; but the sight of everything going by so fast was making her a little queasy, and she looked away and back to her caretaker.
"These luxury vessels can go far faster than this. At this speed, we should be in B'shet in a little over two hours." Ijane said.
"Does Kantra own this ship?"
"I doubt it. He could certainly afford it; but I don't think something like this would really get much use. He doesn't come to the Homeworld much; at least not since before he brought you here, and when he does come here, he uses his own private ship." the older female explained.
"Can this thing go into space?"
"Certainly not. These little transports are only for overland travel. However, I must admit that for those kinds of journeys, nothing is more comfortable." Ijane said.
With this, she stretched and sat back in the seat, and Grey smiled and did the same.
The pair of them managed to doze lightly for the remainder of the ride, and were yawning a little when the control panel chimed, and a message that they were nearing their destination came up on the screen.
Grabbing their bags, Grey and Ijane headed over to stand in front of the doors, but on the way, Grey glanced out the window, and her mouth fell open at the sight that lay below her.
The ship, it seemed, had slowed down dramatically, and was now cruising at a comfortable speed above a sprawling Yautja city.
Buildings. There were so many buildings, most of them made of what looked like different kinds of stone, though some seemed to be either fully or partially made of metal. Many of the larger ones, Grey noted, were something like large ziggurats or Mayan pyramids, with a few more similar to the tall buildings she was used to seeing back on Earth.
"One of the largest cities on the Homeworld, B'shet." Ijane said, coming over to stand beside her.
The craft seemed to be descending, and Ijane guided Grey over to stand with her again, just in time for the doors to open, and Grey closed her eyes against the sudden, bright sunlight.
It appeared they'd landed on some kind of balcony; for when she looked around, she could see the city stretching below them. Now that they were closer, she could see that there were dozens of small craft zooming here and there through the air, maybe the Yautja version of taxis…
As she turned, she could see that the balcony was attached to a beautiful building of smooth, cream-colored stone, with other such large balconies sticking out here and there. Decorative plants had been arranged around the edges of their balcony, and the ones above, sporting large, brightly-colored flowers, enormous leaves and long hanging vines that fell down like waterfalls from the balcony above to the ones below, creating, in some places, an almost screened-off portion of space. This seemed to be intentional; for a table and chairs were set up in the shade provided by the thick growth of vines, in case the occupants wanted to sit in the shade. To one side, Grey recognized a fire pit, and supposed it was there in case people wanted to cook their own food. The sound of running water got her attention, and she turned around to see a small waterfall trickling from a carefully-placed pile of decorative rocks, tumbling down into…
"Holy shit, we have a pool!" Grey thought, looking at the large depression in the floor, which was filled with sparkling greenish-blue water, and it even had rocks, sand and small water plants at the bottom…and…were those fish? Well, this planet's version of fish, anyway; they looked a little more like a cross between fish and salamanders to the human…
"Kantra?" Ijane's voice inquired, and Grey quickly turned from observing her new surroundings to find that the Arbitrator was indeed standing behind them, dressed in a "casual" way, with a knee-length loincloth and simple cape, with his Bio-Mask under one arm. It had been a few months since he'd been back to the village, and Grey noticed that he'd picked up a few new scars since the last time they'd met. He must have come through the apartment to meet them out here, or he'd already been here waiting for them…
"I thought it best that I come to meet the two of you here, after you told me of your reservations about coming." Kantra said, looking from one to the other of the two females before him.
Grey couldn't stop herself from smiling; though she restrained herself from hugging him in her relief to be around someone familiar in this huge place.
"Are you going to stay here with us, Kantra?" Grey asked hopefully. No one would dare mess with her when she was with him; but her hopes were dashed when he shook his head.
"I have duties to attend to here; but I will be residing with you, no. I have, in fact, requested that two males accompany you to and from Vi'ren's facility, and that they remain in one of the rooms of the apartment, in the chance that something should occur." the male said.
"Who?" both females asked. They didn't know anyone here, and didn't really like the idea of a couple of strangers around them that much.
"That will be them now, I think." Kantra said, looking upwards, and the other two followed his gaze to where a ship, even smaller than the one in which they'd traveled, descended and lightly touched down nearby. The door opened…
"V'KHA!" Grey shrieked with joy, and before he'd even disembarked, the human had thrown herself into his arms for a hug, momentarily forgetting that he was now a Blooded Hunter.
"Nothing for me? And I thought we were all but family…" a familiar voice said, in a tone of exaggerated disappointment.
"NANKU!" Grey cried, and jumped from the still stunned V'kha into the arms of her most beloved friend…but V'kha was an extremely close second.
"I've missed both of you so much!" she said, looking from one of them to the other, taking stock of how much they'd grown, and all the scars they'd accumulated on their bodies since leaving the Lakeshore Village.
"As have we, Grey." Nanku replied, seeming unashamed of letting her fawn over him like this.
"We think of you often, my friend." V'kha added.
"How are they here?" Ijane asked, giving her son a questioning look.
"I requested their presence, told them what I wished of them, and they agreed. They seemed quite pleased to see Grey again, and I did not wish to leave you here with someone unfamiliar to you." Kantra explained, shrugging.
"Your Clan just let you leave?" Grey asked the pair of them.
"This is a mission given by an Arbitrator; it's considered a privilege…an honor." Nanku said.
"And the fact that it's an easy mission, in the company of people we like, doesn't hurt, either." V'kha added, with a smirk.
"Easy or not, I do not expect anything less than your absolute dedication to this task. There will be no slacking, no laziness or inattentiveness on your part, is that understood?" Kantra said, and the younger males straightened up and became serious.
"Yes, Arbitrator." they said in unison.
"And I know I likely need not warn you about this, Grey: but do not, under any circumstances, venture out into the city alone. You are to be, at all times, in one of only three places: this apartment, Vi'ren's facility, or the transport going to or from the aforementioned locations. This apartment has everything you could need, including food; but if anything needs to be procured, either Nanku or V'kha will go and retrieve it for you."
He turned back to the younger males.
"I want at least one of you here, and vigilant, at all times. I expect that there will be no trouble; but if there is…"
He pulled from a pouch on his waist a small, ornate metal box, and came over to Grey before opening it.
Inside was what looked like a wide cuff bracelet; but it was made of a material unlike anything she'd seen on or off of Earth. It reminded her a little of the pictures she'd seen of Damascus steel; with thin veins of silver meandering across a darker background that was reminiscent of highly-polished hematite, and when the light moved across it, she couldn't tell if it was grey or black. As she looked closer, she could see that tiny Yautja writing was embossed across the surface, and there a few much larger markings that looked familiar…
"Is that what I think it is, Arbitrator?" V'kha asked, sounding a bit breathless as he looked at the bracelet.
"I've never seen one before…" Nanku added, both of them coming over to stare at the object. It was a beautiful thing, Grey had to admit…a work of art, really; but she didn't know what was supposed to be so awe-inspiring about it, until Kantra spoke up.
"Grey, this is called an Array. You will wear it at all times during your stay in the city." he said, and took it out of its box, which he handed to Nanku to hold. Kantra then ran his finger along what looked like a seam in the metal, and the bracelet sprang instantly open, whereupon he placed it on Grey's left wrist, closed it, and ran his finger over it again.
"This Array is coded to my genetic signature; meaning that I am the only one who may remove it. There is a tracking device embedded within it, so I may find you if something happens. The symbols you see are the marks of the Adjudicators, Arbitrators, and the Thwei-Luar-Ke Clan, and confer upon you certain protections and privileges as long as you wear the Array. I would not advise trying to remove it, as the only way to do so, other than my removing it for you, would be to remove your own hand." the Arbitrator explained.
Grey looked at the Array on her wrist. It was pleasantly heavy and smooth, and was just loose enough to be adjusted and moved a bit, but not enough for her to get her hand through it.
"I can't believe the Adjudicators authorized you to give this to her, Kantra…" Ijane said, looking at her son.
"When I told them of the situation, they agreed that some extra precautions should be taken." the same said.
"What do the Adjudicators have to do with any of this?" Grey inquired.
"The use of an Array must be approved by the Council before one can be made. There is no "main stock" of these; they are made for the individual who wears them, and are usually destroyed when they are no longer needed." Kantra said.
"Who did you get to make this one, cousin?" Nanku asked.
"Kwei, the quartermaster and weapon smith of my Clan. He nearly fell over when I told him I had chosen him to craft it. I actually went to the Council soon after the incident at the Great Temple and explained the need for one, and the Council took nearly three weeks to debate on the issue. Finally, though, they agreed that this Array could be made for Grey, and I have had it ever since."
Grey was surprised to hear that the same Yautja who'd made the super-advanced, phone-like device she always carried in a bag around her waist had also made the apparently near-sacred object on her wrist. His skill really was incredible…
"Well, now that I have taken care of that, I will show you around your apartments." Kantra said, never one for idle chit-chat.
He showed them the beautifully-appointed living room, with large windows that gave an incredible view of the city below, and the spacious bedrooms, where there were no large piles of cushions; just enormous pillow-looking things that turned out to be filled with some kind of thick gel, almost like water beds, and were covered by finely-woven blankets. They were also capable of being controlled with a panel on one side, which, somehow, caused the gel inside to become firmer or softer, and could also be set to a wide variety of temperatures, depending on the preferences of the sleeper.
"It'd be worth becoming an Elite just to get one of these!" Grey said, wiggling around on what felt like a comfortable pile of jelly covered with soft fabric.
The kitchen was bigger than Ijane's, and fully-stocked with a variety of foods, and Ijane made a note to check Vi'ren's database, in case anything here was unsafe for the human.
The bathroom was marvelous, and sported a huge tub that was actually about the same size as the pool outside. Dozens of small bottles and jars were lined up neatly on a shelf, containing bath oils, lotions and soaps, scented and unscented, in every color imaginable.
"This place is amazing…" Grey whispered, awestruck, as they returned to the huge living room, and she gazed out at the bustling city below.
"Then there will be no reason for you to go wandering off, I trust?" Kantra said, crossing his arms and looking seriously at her.
"I promise, I won't go running off anywhere. Believe me, I've got no desire to go out adventuring in this place, even with this." Grey said, holding up her left hand with the Array on her wrist.
"Good, then I will have to bid you both farewell for now. Mother, if you want or need anything, contact me, and I will see that your wishes are fulfilled. I will be checking in with you soon." Kantra said, and after briefly reminding Nanku and V'kha of their duties, he left through the apartments' main door, which led out into a wide, well-lit corridor, which, in turn, led down to the city streets.
A/N – I actually spent a couple of days trying to figure out what to call Grey's new "accessory", before finally settling on "Array" as a name. Honestly, I'm not really feeling it, and if anyone has a better idea, let me know in a review or a PM.