Chapter 8

Disclaimer: I do not own Alien/Predator series or any characters and may not follow all customs and cultures found in Alien/Predator movies.

Sara.

I'koh thought as he involuntarily took slow steps toward her, the dark-skinned female who followed behind Dr. Hastings after the whole fiasco with the fainted ooman and then the others babbling nonsense out of anxiety and fear for the future, dressed in military uniform as the same like the so-called warriors upstairs.

Sara. The name ringed in his mind, the only way he could since his tongue couldn't match the pronunciation.

He stared at her for quite some time prior but was forced to pull away after his brother elbowed him from behind, not enough to hurt but a warning all too well known. With a grunt, I'koh had to stand with the ooman scientists, pretending to pay attention for Ma'dti's sake so he could glance at Sara. When he had enough of listening to them and his brother's silent protest, he inhaled deeply and moved closer to her . . . assuming this might be his one chance.

Like them, she didn't speak and was not keen to interact with anyone in the room, even as he came closer. Her eyes gave a glance but nothing more, a deep sigh filled with annoyance, and then took a step away.

He stopped in his tracks. What's up with her?

"Hey, you!" One of the oomans called with the weird short mane that served no purpose, almost befitting his ignorant and rude personality, "We need more information, not some shit that's in a language we don't understand."

He rolled his eyes. And here I thought I was the incompetent one.

I'koh desired to ignore the group of oomans, only tolerated because of the deal and most of their technology was taken. His original wrist gauntlet would have allowed better translation but more importantly a way to block them out. He ignored the ooman, called a weird name like Greg, keeping his sights on Sara.

"Hey! I'm talking to you!"

His claws dug into a fist, his limit close to breaking before the same c'jit that's about to happen again. This particular ooman who has gotten on his nerves more than anyone . . . well, second to Evans if he thought about it. I'koh blew off steam slowly, knowing Sara was watching carefully and reaching for her weapon.

Then a thought hit him. At least I can have some fun.

He raised his hand and flicked his middle finger, a trick he'd observed from the oomans that was amusing. Right on cue, Greg's expression tightened into a tense ball full of rage. It didn't take long before the ignorant male charged at me, not realizing he was going to mess with sometimes twice his weight and had a foot or two on him. The others tried in failure to stop him, it didn't matter anyway. Let's play, prey.

I'koh prepared for the small brawl when all of a sudden Sara intervened, putting herself between them while facing Greg, both stopped in their approach, awaiting what action she would take as she looked to them.

"Dr. Charles," Her voice strong and yet calm, "I suggest you keep your voice down and show some respect."

"What. Did. You. Just. Say?"

As astounded as I'koh was, Greg was even more so and the anger already growing had turned into a furnace, fists ready to throw a punch at her, "Say it again."

Sara raised her chin without hesitation, "Shut up."

That did it for the lowborn male, the thick air exploded like a plasma shot as Greg rushed at her., aimed to start a fight. A sudden urge rose in I'koh's chest, something that called him to take action, whatever it was he didn't know. The act alone was enough cause to take action on Sara's part. If the male ooman were to pull that on a Yautja female, it would be the last day he would have his head on his shoulders, the smallest offense would be enough.

Instead, he watched her step closer, a warning that Greg understood as he moved back to keep the distance, still angry though.

"Watch your words carefully," Sara exhaled through her voice so everyone could hear, "I doubt you have any military training to fight me."

"And what about you? You were ordered to protect us from them."

"And I still plan on doing it. Protecting you from risking your life with them, as you seem to want to act the fool. And I thought scientists are supposed to be smarter."

"Why you!"

Greg charged again but was stopped by the stubby ooman named Bob, an obvious submissive with an edgy personality; any confrontation would put this one into a fetal position as I'koh thought. At least he can settle issues like this.

"Greg, come on. This isn't worth it." Bob tugged on the male's arm, a futile attempt to stop him.

All of a sudden, Ma'dti got in between the two opposing forces, growling to warn them to back off, "Enough . . . Watch your words carefully."

It caught I'koh off guard to see his brother putting himself in the middle, trying to settle the matter calmly with Sara's voice. He can't even stand the oomans, much less interfere without conflict.

But it worked and within a minute, the tension dissipated after Greg glanced at Sara and then at I'koh and Ma'dti. He imagined the ooman finally saw the odds were against him, a being like himself and then Sara who was capable of defending herself easily . . . even he had enough common sense that this was a death sentence if not less.

With a grunt of irritation, the ooman went back to work with Ma'dti following but stopped a moment to tilt his head toward him. It was no guess to him what Ma'dti was doing and the silent conversation between them was confirmation.

You own me for this.

I'koh rolled his eyes. I'm going to pay for this later, aren't I?

While the oomans and Ma'dti conversed about her recent news and the data it brought, I'koh turned to see Sara had returned to her post, arms together behind and chest raised like a soldier or guard, eyesight watching the group's every move like nothing happened. Quick to return . . .

I'koh stood there for a second and then made the decision to get closer and see her since she didn't appear the type to have a chatty demeanor nor an inviting one. Careful not to show confrontation, he slowly stood by her side with a few feet between them, turning his head once in a while to see her reaction. So far, she kept her eyes on the oomans and Ma'dti, her face like a stone statue.

Hmmm . . .

He inched closer, testing the waters to see how much the female would permit him to come near, unnatural given that Yautja females chose which males to interact with of their own free will. Then again, this was an ooman female and she wasn't the sort who would be so easily persuaded . . . from the outside at least. Every time he came closer, she would move away at the same length so she wasn't oblivious to his advances until she had no more room to get away without bringing attention.

He got a foot of distance left to cover when Sara turned straight at him. I'koh froze on the spot, not just from the sudden reaction but from her face, eyes narrowed in a subtle warning.

"Don't come any closer."

That was all she said before she turned away, moving to another corner of the room. I'koh had to take a few moments to process what had happened. Did I do something wrong to anger her? Was it my approach? So confusing.

His mind scrambled for answers, found nothing by the time the meeting had come to an end and they had to return to their 'enclosure' as the oomans said, a nice term to say about what it was . . . a prison. Several guards came in to escort the scientists while a few made sure we went to our place since Dr. Hastings still hadn't returned. I wonder what's taking her so long.

"Excuse me?"

An argument caught his attention before he and his disgruntled brother through the glass door leading to their sleeping quarters, noticing Sara arguing with another ooman soldier. The sounds of her frustrated breaths were enough to tell that this wasn't a pleasant conversation, "I was ordered to guard the researchers and nothing else."

"It's not my call. Besides, you seem to be able to handle yourself against beasts."

"But I haven't received direct orders from Dr. Hastings nor General Woodhurst. If you would be so kind as to confirm this, then I'll gladly accept it without further questioning."

The male grunted, smirking while waving his hand in her face. Insolent prey.

"Dr. Hastings is still in a meeting with the General about confidential matters so they won't be done until late tonight. Until then, you can babysit them," The ooman turned away from Sara but his hearing was sensitive enough that he heard him speak under his breath, "Stupid bitch."

If the male hadn't left as he did and with other guards around, I'koh would have taught him a very important lesson of respect in the most brutal way he knew. He saw the smallest strain in Sara's cheeks and lips, holding back frustration and fury no less but she went quietly back to them, still maintaining distance with the other soldiers, not a situation he wanted to get a chance to communicate with her. The glass door closed behind, having no choice but to walk the cold hallway and into their rooms, separated by a plastic barrier in the middle so even he couldn't be with his brother when they slept on the rough metal frame of a bed. The ground is softer than this.

"So . . . Did you have a chance with the ooman female?"

I'koh ignored his brother's words until he laid on the bed, hands placed under his head, "Not as much as I thought."

"Oh really?" Ma'dti sat on the ground with his legs crossed, preparing for mediation no less, "And here I was generous enough to spare you a few minutes with her. But as I told you before, she isn't interested in you."

I'koh growled, "I know what you're doing, S'yuit-de."

His brother snorted, "And you're out of your league, Kha'bj-te."

I'koh turned his back at him, throwing his biomask away, not ready to have another lecture about his actions being unlike a warrior. He thought differently, ever since they left their clan and their Homeworld for a cause that now seemed lost. They gave up their rights as honorable warriors the moment they stole a ship and headed to this backwater planet. Although . . . they never had the honor to begin with.

"So . . ." He decided to change the topic, "what did the oomans have to say about the news?"

Ma'dti snorted, "They fear for the worst, of course. We knew this would happen when we left. They just sped up the process to create the ultimate hunter to find us."

"But they aren't ready to come."

He waited for his brother to respond or make a sound but it was deadly silent. That's not good. I'koh turned to face him, noticing his brother staring at his gauntlet.

"Or are they . . . Mei'hswei?"

The tension was so thick that a blade could cut through. I'koh's dreadlocks stood up, his scales rose from the skin layer like goosebumps when Ma'dti raised his head. His biomask was lying on the floor so his golden eyes were exposed with such intensity in them.

He narrowed his sights, "What are you thinking?"

Ma'dti appeared stoic until a small smirk formed with his mandibles, "Something we can use to our advantage . . . to finally get out of this pauking place."

I'koh didn't know what to say or how to respond. He had seen this look on his brother all too well in the past and knew the news was far from good, not even close.

Hello fellow readers!

My deepest apologies for the long-overdue update of this story but after hearing your pleas for a new chapter, I finally got the chance to finish. It has been a long week so I apologize if I have made any errors.

Thank you so much for your support and more is to come. Good Hunting to all! ;)

Normal = Human speaking human language

Bold and Italics = Yautja speaking Yautja language

Mei'hswei = Brother

Kha'bj-te = Maniac

Pauking = Fucking

S'yuit-de = Idiot/Coward