Disclaimer: I don't own Predator or Aliens or AVP of any type, but the plot of this story and any OC characters that show up I do own!

Ok, so no flames please but constructive criticism is welcome! If you want to help by giving a bit of advice on how something can work or flow better then by all means but if you're just going to be mean yeah please don't. If you don't like then just leave and write your own story m'kay?

I LIVE! Im totally alive fear not! Once again life is a saggy titty bitch, you wouldnt Believe what this year has been! forget Covid ok just my life in general! The this fuck nut of a chapter was SO HARD to write, but I did it ok I sat down month after month typing little by little but I go it out.

This chapter has a LOT of explaining but its Important, so please read, also of course Snape Aka Mar'cte couldn't let Ke'Nai win and yeah well you'll see

Sins of the Stars

Light So Dim

"Am I just a lost soul blowing in the wind? Or a coward scared to look within? Or do I have a brave heart with a light so dim? Is that who I am?" ~Is That Who I Am, Chris Carmack

Ch. 12 Its all so clear

"Can someone please tell explain it to me again but slower this time?" Noelle whined as she looked about the command room of Barracks 13. It was a simple room with chairs, a small book case with a large window for light. They all had gather to hear the news Big Mama had, the news Mercy heard from Ke'Nai but to hear from Mama made it all the more real.

"What's there to get confused on? How dumb are you?" Jess snorted from her spot on the rug.

"Well excuse the fuck out of me for having questions."

"They're dumb questions!"

Mercy looked from the window to the weight in her arms, Andy was fast asleep. Sweeping his hair from his face she smiled, she could remember sitting in his nursey rocking him to sleep, though back then she only needed one arm, and now the boy was getting to big to be rocked. Closing her eyes, she sighed, if she tried hard enough she could almost fool herself into thinking she was back on earth, they were at Ethan's house listening to his family bicker.

Almost…the warmth and coziness paired with the smell of a home cooked meal and apple pie were missing and honestly, that's what really made it home. She shifted Andy in her arms to pat Varvatos, at her feet, maybe she wasn't trying hard enough, Mercy squeezed her eyes tighter.

"Noelle what are you confused on?" Jade jumped in wanting to end this unless bickering.

"The ornaments, how are they important? How does this point system work again?" Noelle tugged at her dreads trying to wrap her mind around it.

"Ok let's see the points are easier to explain first, pay attention. The point level is based on the best 2 out of 3. Each level has an assigned point limit to reach or surpass. If you score high for two levels you can pass, so if the first two test you score high then you're good, don't sweat the third; but if you score low in the second test, that third one is your ticket; if you score lower then you're out the game, stuck at the sign level you're at. You also can hit a bonus number, meaning if you hit it that number can roll over to the last two and save you."

"But how do you get the points?" Noelle frowns leaning on the back of her hands.

"I was getting to that," Jade smooths back her dreads. "Now you know how the points work, how you get the points is a bit trickier. Your points are based on two things: your favor with the males and how Yautja you act."

"Yeah you lost me."

"Fuck, how do I explain this." Jade face palms as she looked up at the ceiling. "Ok, ok it's like this, the more you act like a female Yautja the more the guys like you and give you points. This isn't a popularity contest on who's the most Yautja. The "Mothers" will base each point solely on you how you react in each tests. How did you handle yourself and your prey or whatever it is we're doing, so don't worry about trying to out shine everyone around you; that's the least of your worries. So the more you act like a badass female the higher points the Mothers will give you, thus making more males interested in giving you even more points, basically…yeah…whatever, in to the ornaments."

"You remember they were given to us when we were all sectioned off right? Fear and desperation brings out a person's true self, so in turn You can think of them as personality categories." Jade explained slowly making sure Noelle was paying attention.

"Right, so the categories go Cuff and Anklets, they are the weakest, they were the one that cried, panicked, you can think of them as the Submissive types. The Midriff, you can say are they Neutrals, they didn't cry, beg or fight, they accepted this is what happen, there was nothing to be done but survive under the radar, then there are the Collars." Jade sighed rolling her eyes over to Debbie, who just gave a wicked grin and taps at her collar.

"They are simply the rebels, yelling profanities, wanting to start a fight, plotting someone's death. The," Jade make quote fingers. ""I will see you in hell" types," everyone looks to Debbie with a smile knowing she was the one to always instigate something.

"Finally it's the Head jewel, they are rare only because they are, as Big Mama said enigmas, they didn't act in the other three natural ways, or were very calculative, they are not to be confused with the Midriff-ers or the Cuffs. Just because you have a jewels don't mean you're all calm cool and collected, reference Mercy for example, the woman freaks out but unlike most while she's crying, she's pouring gasoline and lighting a match. They may cry and panic, yell profanities but they deal critical blows. There's no way to really know how they will truly act when under stress."

"Ok that makes better sense, so how does the ornament work with the point system." Noelle asked glaring at Jess when she groans.

"Shut it Jess," Jade laughs before explaining. "While your ornament shows your personality category they also have ranks, as for the points, they can either demoted or promoted you; All the challenges before this, was just them thinning the herd of the weaker ones and strengthening the strong. So look at it like basic training, those who can't cut the basics, are removed leaving better candidates for the 'picking', so to speak."

"So the ornaments ranks start off as such; Cuff and Anklets, they are Ranked as Nomad Breeders, their jobs will be jumping from clan to clan to be a baby factory, you pop out a sucker and then move to the next clan. They are the weakest, they are used to raise numbers… "

"The Midriff, are Ranked as "high class Breeders" or Stationary Breeder, they will mostly stay with one clan, her job is to mostly stay Prego for that clan to help pass on the best of genes, they will also have the opportunity to raise the child if the father wishes."

"Next are the Collars and they are by far the most interesting, they are Ranked as Hunting Partners, they mostly want the females wild spirit and strength to pass along; they'll hunt alongside one Male, they travel with him everywhere he goes, he is allowed breed her as many times before either passing her off or just keeping her as a Hunting companion, they are at least requiring to birth three to more crab faces.

"Lastly, the Jewel heads, they like the collar have more freedom to do a bit more, but unlike the rest are the status, or Ranks, is that of Mate; while that seem nice in all it carries a lot of weight. From my understanding, on how Big Mama explained it, they are tied to that one Male, the thing is like with all of us, they can't pick who the male is, but unlike the other they can't be given away they're bound to a Male."

Everyone became silent when they saw Mercy stand up, they couldn't see her face as she stared down at Andy. They watched as she turned out into the hall with the weird dog-thing following after her without a word.

"Can't the Jewel be demoted like all the rest?"

Jade shook her head sadly. "While a Cuff and Midriff can be promoted to Collar, a Collar and Midriff can be demoted to Cuff. No one can be promoted to Jewel, and they can't be demoted. We have to remember, the Yautja are looking to continue their race, not just rise their numbers. They expect some the us to be mothers to have honor and pride just like they do. They hunted our kind for as long as the earth is old, they know us. Collars are wild and dangerous but they are predictable, but the Jewels are a different kind of fighter; They were the kind that either out smarted the crab faces or fought on equal foot despite being human, they can make the race great again or tear it down, in a way they call Bad Bloods. What best way to control an enigma then to have it constantly monitored? Starting after tomorrow, if a Jewel loses too many points, she'll be put to death."

Mercy pulled the blanket up to Andy's chin smoothing his hair back then sweeping her knuckle down his cheek. Her mind racing with trying to formulate a plan, there had to be a loop hole a way out. There was something that wasn't adding up, why would they kill the jewel heads? That wasn't going to make someone feel Pride or Honor to be a part of this species. There was something they weren't telling them!

Chewing the pad of her thumb Mercy paced the length of the large window of her room, what was she missing, why tell them all of this, why teach them all of these things! Why, why, why!

Come on Mercy think! What angle could they be getting at? Why kill the Jewels and suppress the others? Who feels Honor in being passed around! Why the games?

Ok…calm down take a breath, Mercy stopped her pacing and took a deep breath and sighed squeezing at the bridge of her nose. If they know our race so well then why do this? Hey should know, humans will always fight back, the whole reason they hunted us down before.

Mercy slowly began to pace her thought in a jumble, she felt like the answer was right there, she just needed to think damn it think! Why tell us how the system works? Why teach us their ways, think deeper, maybe it isn't so surface level they are an intelligence race, so why! The games are really just a dangerous why of showing off. Yet why teach us and not just keep it simply Yautja over humans, like a slave system why the games.

Grabbing her bottom lip Mercy paced the floor faster, she felt she was getting closer yet further away, pushing the pad of her thumb between her teeth nibbling, what was she missing? Ok maybe it isn't as deep as I think maybe it is all surface level, if that is the case I know and understand the games, but why teach us, what could be the real reason. Honestly, to me by know their customs we could…

She stopped dead in her tracks, her eyes zeroing on the blank wall before her, Varvatos lifting his head in alert, watching her.

It couldn't be that simple! No, no…no? She whipped around making the hound hop to his feet as she looked to Andy's sleeping body. The point system! The fucking point system, those cheeky bastards! Normally, it wasn't the Males, no it was the Females, those bitches! Oh they knew what they were doing, oh they knew alright, and the Males…

No, Mercy shook her head and resumed her pacing, No the Males didn't know, Big Mama said that it was the Females that ruled so, yes, yes that makes since! The point systems now made sense.

To be promoted in the game you needed points, each challenge held so many points but you can earn more points given to you by the amount of Males that are interested in you! The more points you have the more Males are interested in thus they will 'invest' more points keeping your rank high, but also giving the chance to be promoted for the lower starters.

Pride and Honor…Mothers, Teachers, Rulers…These games are nothing but a mock mating season, males fight over the best female, these challenges were a big Operant conditioning lesson! If she remembered right, this procedure is use to either increase or decrease a voluntary behavior using reinforcement or punishment!

No…No it was more to it than just that, that was only half of it the other half was…oh my gosh!

Mercy never thought she would have an epiphany light years away from earth on an alien planet but it hit her hard. She knew how to win; the answer was laid out before them but in doing so she's playing right into the trap! Maybe there was a way to partial fall into?

Biting her thumb, she walks over to the bed and pats Varvatos in the head before laying down, the last beginner challenge was tomorrow. She had much to do, she needed rest.

That night Mercedes could say that was the first night in a long time that she slept peacefully.

Being woken up by the rancid breath of an alien dog was one thing, to find Andy once again missing and a purple scale on his pillow was becoming highly annoying. How was he sneaking into her room without her knowing? She looked over to Varvatos and glared.

"You are a horrible watch dog." Varvatos snapped his maw close as he sat down and tiled his head clearly offended.

Groaning she stretched her body, she walked to her door tapping the glass for the awaiting game instructions. Normally Mercy would soak up the information with desperation but this time it wasn't needed, this game was easy enough it was tomorrow when the real games would begin and she needed a plan.

Spotting the box with her outfit she smiled, inside was the catsuit from the tag game, guess this was her 'gaming' outfit. The matted black spandex stopped at mid-calf then came up into a halter top. The open back and had a peekaboo mesh over her belly to showed off the weird markings they put on her skin, let's not forget her thick black hiking boots, fingerless gloves. Before she felt badass with this outfit, but now paired with her wild dreads and newly toned body, she truly felt kickass.

….

Mercy got to the gaming field, crowed with females as they stood about waiting for the signal at the edge of the forest. Looking up at the floating drones she hoped Andy could see her, the drones were camera that filmed the games back to the arena for the Males and Mothers to watch. The arena was always the finish line, she was sure Andy was with the Queen there waiting for her.

The game today was simple, it was Tracking and Herding. Keep up with assigned creature if it gets out of your range you got 4 minutes to get it back into range or it's consider "lost" and points will be reduced, you then have 10 minutes to find the creature or game over. Keep up with your prey while having to herd it to the finish line. Beside the wrist gauntlet, that held your radar and timer, you were allotted one item to help with this task.

Mercy looked around seeing that the females all had some type of item that could help them, it was mostly weapons that could help herd the creature, while other she noticed actually had trackers. She knew this was the last game of the weeding out but she could tell that this was a 'preliminary' type of game. They were being introduced to the Male's favor, she was sure that they only gotten these 'gifts' from a male. This was like hunger games shit, if a male liked you he would favor you with gift to get you more points, the more males that favor you the more 'gift' you will get.

Yet there were also females that didn't have any time of gift, they stood there with either pissed off or panicked looks. They either were really skilled or not favored.

"Guess I ran off my suitors." Mercy grumbled bitterly, but it wasn't a problem this wasn't truly the important round. She just had to keep the prey in her sight and to the finish line, maybe she could make a sling shot or something. Nibbling on her thumb muttering to herself she yelled when she felt hot slobber on her elbow.

"Eck! Damnit Varvatos, go to Home!" She snapped pointing behind her, back to their barracks. "Go! Now Go?" the hound just rolled out its tongue and sat down, her shoulder slumped with a groan. "Varvatos, go find An—" Hearing her gauntlet deep, Mercy frowned, it never made a sound before.

Glaring at the hound, she looked to her left arm in confusion, tapping the screen a hologram bloomed to life. "Item acquired, Predator Hound." A holographic model of a hound slowly rotated before her.

"Wait you're my item? But.." Mercy eyes widen. Ke'Nai's voice echoed in her mind 'investment.'

'He trails hic claws down the side of her arm pulling her closer by her chin, his top left mandible sweeping over her cheek. "Consider the hound an interest...It can track anything through the cosmos."'

Mercy face bloomed three different shades of red, she thought it was meant for Andy, that it Snape took Andy she would be able to track him down!

"Proceed to dock 23" Her gauntlet spoke again, with the number 23 rotating now. She assumed that's where she would meet the creature she was going to hunt.

"What is that thing?"

"How did she get it?"

"Isn't that cheating?"

Mercy groans as the females stared and whispered. They all just got weapons or tools and She was given a damn cosmic hound. She was basically had the game in the bag, Varvatos could hunt and track, all she needed to do was keep up.

"Damn S'yuit-de!" She grumbled trying to cool her blushing cheeks, while thinking of anything else expect the time in the woods yesterday with Ke'Nai. Fuck he was acting so weird yesterday!

"Stop! You need to focus, this is in your favor," She mutters to herself. "Let's use this time to get a head start on our plan."

Getting to her assign dock, an unknown male was there with a Vrekni. It was the same type creature she learned to track. The tall creature, it was like a deer in mannerism and face, with greenish skin and blue zebra strips while the under belly was purple but a long fish like tail, with the antlers along its head in a mohawk like fashion.

It made a weird panicked noise when Varvatos came into the area but the Male just calmed it down with soft clicks and pats to the neck. Mercy stretched her limbs, while her hound paced beside her eager to go after the Vrekni; She knew out of anything her biggest obstacle for the game was keeping up with Varvatos, it was really going to test her agility.

The gates to the docks swung open and the deer creature dash out in fright, but all the other docks were open as well so all the players prey were dash over the other, tracks being covered or trampled over. Yes, this last game was simple but they weren't making it easy, yet. Mercy looked to Varvatos, his body was still his eyes trained on something in the far off distance. Ke'Nai gave her a tramp card.

Grabbing the hounds collar she bends over. "Wanna get it? Let's go get it, let's go." She held tight to the beast as it tugged and barked at the gates. They were giving the prey a 20 second head start, she used that time to rile up the hound, and when the gates sung open they both bolted out the door, they had 4 minutes to get into range.

Mercy could care less, she just had to keep up with the hound. Mind shifting to the thing at hand that wasn't on the game, she needed a plan. She wasn't sure how things will play out tomorrow, will they be through into another game quickly or given time to rest and gain some favor.

The first thing firsts, when he finished this game she needed to get in contact with Snape, she was sure he would do her the favor she was needing, without him it will take longer. In order to avoid the pitfall, the Mother's had plan she needed help,

Mercy dropped to her side as she slides cross wet moss to dodge a fallen tree before rolling back to her feet, hoping over a bolder blocking her path, to continue chasing after the hound.

She had to make the other see that this game was a farce, cloak and dagger type of shit, it was all a big ass lesson! It was the whole point of them teaching their customs, the reason why Big Mama kept drilling it into their heads. They were basically waving the answer in their face, it was the ultimate test but the challenge was getting to work. The Mother knew this would happen naturally in time but only a few will see it, and if they did could they make it to the end, because if they did.

Pain flared in her ankle as Mercy crashed to the forest floor, getting a mouth full of moss and dirt. Spitting out the clumps of earth she gagged as her gauntlet began beeping rapidly. "Ahh Shit!"

Looking around her franticly she raced forward, they couldn't have gotten too far right? The beeping got faster, counting down her time to find her prey before it was "lost". The sounds of barking Mercy dashed to the right, it wasn't long until she spotted Varvatos circling the creature keeping it in place.

"Good Boy!" She yelled as the hound nipped at the heels of the Vrekni to get it running again. She looked to her gauntlet to see she made it in range with 3 second to spare. Damn that was close.

It was another 20 minutes later, that her wrist beeped again alerting her to head to the finish line. "Thank fuck!" She yelled her lungs were fucking burning, she wasn't even sure how the hell her legs were keeping her running.

Mercy had her plan and with it she knew it was possible to win, possible to keep Andy by her side, but she couldn't do it alone. She needed Snape without him it would push her plans back, she wanted to start on this as soon as possible. She wanted to be ahead of everyone before anyone else could figure it out.

Just like she had guessed Mercy was the first to cross the finish line, it was a relief but it was also nerve wrecking because all eyes were on her. Which of course was her fault she came in nearly riding on the back of the hound, her arms around its neck digging her feet into the earth, trying to knock the hound off its feet to keep him from chowing down on the prey.

It was like the more she praised him the blood thirstier he got, of course he was breed to injure the prey for the Hunter to finish them off but that wasn't the game.

"No down Varvatos!" She was able to get down to her knees and yank the beast off its feet and onto its side. "Stay!" She wanted the Vrekni be collected and rushed out before the hound eased and relaxed. "Damn dog."

She stood dusting off her hands and pants trying to ignore the silent arena as the Males observed her, this is good if their eyes were on her that meant she would get more suitors. Trying to will the red from her cheeks, she squared her shoulders she needed to appear confidant and bold. Walking to the steps of the Queen's chair, where Andy sat on the biggest pillow she ever seen, she glared at the Queen as she played with the boy's dreads.

Patting his head, the Queen urged the boy forward to his sister. Hugging Mercy tightly before getting a face full of slobber from the hound, showing the hound his ball and tossing high, both ran off. A child will always be a child.

Le' Nona watched the Ooman female glare at her before going after her brother, resting her cheek on her fist, her top mandibles curled outward the bottom curling inward in a smile.

"So it seems she has figured it out." She chuckles as she looked to her troublesome son. "And it seems you have pick an interest?"

Ke'Nai and his brothers all stepped forward into the light from behind her throne to stand beside their, Mamoon. "I don't know what you mean."

"Is that not your hound?" Le' Nona held back her amusement. Her Ke'Nai was full grown and yet he still acted like when he was a pup.

She watched him tense up. "Many Males have hounds Mamoon."

"And you think your Mamoon, wouldn't know the hound you raised?" She chuckled. "Well, she definitely an interesting one." Nodding in approval.

"It's not like that I just don't want to have to take over watching her dumb ooman brother."

"Is that right?" She looked up to her middle son with a knowing gleam.

"Yes Mamoon, I do have other intendeds." He grumbled.

"Oh?" She smiles wide her mandibles spreading wide in a grin watching as he tenses even more.

J'tor looked down with a snort, Ke'Nai squared his shoulders before abruptly turning around, walking away. The two older brothers looked in the opposite direction to keep from laughing.

He was so obvious.

Mercy wanted her brother and the hound play out in the field, his laughter floating on the wind. For it being a game day, she felt so relaxed for once, yeah her body was aching from all the running but she had to say over all if things go well with Snape, she could get another night of good rest.

As if summoned by her thoughts a shadow loomed over her, warm against her back blocking the sun at her back but throwing out equal heat. Rolling her head back she looked up to Snape, "Sup," she popped her 'P'.

"You did well today." He mutters his mandibles were tightly curled in, a human equivalent would be pursing the lips. His eyes slide to Varvatos then back to her.

"I had an interesting gift." His top right mandible twitched.

Walking around the bench she was sitting on, he plops down next to her tossing his arm over the back of the seating, his heat flaring hotter and thicker. Marking the area with his scent since she was so close she was sure his scent will linger on her skin.

Ok his pride is wounded, good makes the next step easier, no matter the specie Males were all the same, now let throw out some womanly charms. Leaning her shoulder into his chest she placed both her hands on his thigh, looking up at him leaning in with a low voice.

"Hey, can I ask for a favor?"

Mar'cte stared down at her eyes locked body becoming so still that if she didn't know any better she would have though he was part of the damn bench. Once again making her remember the Yautja are the apex predator of the damn cosmos, Mar'cte was a hunter by nature.

Reaching onto her back pocket without moving her body from his she held of a fold piece of paper. Finally, he looked to the offered item, taking it between two claws, with a swipe of this thumb he swish the paper open, looking of the contents.

"You think you can do it?"

"There's no thinking the task is simple," He mutters his mandibles wiggling, to the point it a creep shiver go down Mercy spine. Ewwwww. Feeling the trimmer Mar'cte looked back to her. "This is important?" He asked watching her nod before leaning in closer to her invading even more space between them. "Then what do I get?"

Holding back a sigh, she leaned back a bit to get him out of her face, she knew that he would ask for something in return she was hoping he would actually do it before asking. "Well, if you get me that no sooner than sundown tomorrow, I'll," Mercy nibbled on her on her nail before holding up a finger. "I'll go on a date with you."

Mar'cte leaned back against the seat, his head tilting to the side. Evening with an ugly ass face Mercy couldn't help but admit the head tilt was cute ass shit. "Date?"

"Yeah, it's where two humans spend the whole day together. So if I can get my favor, I'll spend the whole day with you. We can do anything you want, within reason!" She quickly added when she felt his large hand drop to her hug her hip.

He looked at the list again. "If I get it done sooner?"

"You get your date sooner." She frowned looking at him. Yeah buddy this isn't a flea marker there no haggling the price.

"Meet me at the Giant Oak in the game forest at Sundown." He stood up tucking the note into his gauntlet.

"Ok I'll see you there tomorrow." She waving bye.

"No tonight." He grabbed her hand and pulled her to her feet.

"Wait what? You can get it done, Today?" Mercy blinked as he pulled her in until her breasts was against his chest.

"Yes today." He held her close by the grip on her hip while his knuckle grazed down her cheek. "And I'll get to spend the whole day with you tomorrow?"

"Within reason, yes." Her voice wouldn't go any high than a whisper.

She tenses when his hand left her hip to grab her chin pulling her face so close, she could breathe in his breath. "You should be care with the rewards you give out." Her heart jumped into her mouth when all four of his Mandibles brushed the sides of her face.

Abruptly turning away from her heading onto the trees shimmering into nothingness, leaving her stunned. Swallowing thickly she looked back to her brother waving him over.

"And…" She squawks. "Ahem…Andy! Let's head in."

Fuck these Males are dangerous…

So there you have it folk, I hope it was ok and not too confusing, We have Ke'Nai in denial and Mar'cet knowing what he wants!

I hope you all like it and the next one well...hopefully wont take 8 damn months.

Once again thanks to all the New Alert and Follows and Follower , I really hope you all enjoyed it since I been gone so long!

Please remember to keep REVIEWING! even if its just "that was great!" I honestly makes my day and makes me want to write more, I love you all and Happy Upcoming Holidays.

Until Next Chapter!