Chapter 10
Disclaimer: I do not own Alien/Predator series or any characters and may not follow all customs and cultures found in Alien/Predator movies.
I'koh could do nothing as the first wave of the explosion hit. Even with the clear barrier, it took almost everything off of him not to be flung across the small space with his brother. But his concerns were solely concentrated on Sara. The smoke from the blast shrouded her from his sight, even with his heat sensors equipped in his mask. Despite the early warning, he feared it wasn't enough.
"Sara . . !" He called. The ooman language scratching at his throat through the sheer force of trying to stain his vocal cords that were never designed for this, "Sara . . !"
"Will you stop that, I'koh?" Ma'dti spoke casually as if this was a normal day. He growled at his brother without looking away, "Mei'hswei."
I'koh shrugged Ma'dti's grip on his shoulder, keeping his focus on the thick fog, waiting for it to disperse. Is she alright? Was if . . ? He gripped the edge bordering the frame of the glass, struggling to hide the fact he was ch'hkt-a to his brother. Pauk this invisible barrier!
Finally, the air venting system kicked in and the room cleared enough that he saw something lying flat on their stomach. He needn't a moment to know what happened, studying her body that was covered in bleeding scratches and battered with bruises. The blast had done more damage than he feared. I'koh banged as hard as he could, knowing he couldn't break it but at least stir her to wake up.
He paused, noticing her finger twitching and then she curled all into a fist, making a groaning sound while she got to her knees. I'koh waited patiently, the heavy urge of caution still present in his chest, "Are you alright . . ?"
She didn't answer, most likely her hearing was impaired when she smacked the side of her head. Sara stood up but her legs shook, struggling to keep herself upright and not fall over, cursing under her breath. His heat sensor gave some sense of relief, none of her injuries were too serious and her core temperature was stable. He sighed to alleviate his worries.
"I'koh!" The conceded call from his brother drew his attention, seeing him stand on the other side of the room next to an opening in the wall caused by the blast, emitting a vayuh'ta of fire and burnt metal, sensing the smile under his mask. It was the opposite for I'koh, suppressing a growl "This is our chance. We should escape before the main event comes."
Ma'dti was halfway twisting through the wall when I'koh turned around, hearing something that he knew too well . . . and it wasn't good. Sara was still out of it but smart enough to get her weapon ready, an M4 carbine being the standard that the ooman soldiers carried, before the danger emerged from the smoke. It didn't take long for I'koh to realize what was coming, the shape of the heat vision was enough.
No! Not this thing again!
"Open fire . . ! Don't stop . . !" He tried the recording again, not sure if she heard him or saw the thing first but it was too late. The creature was already on top of her before she had a chance to aim. Both crashed to the ground, Sara flailing to get the upper hand and surprisingly did so. The creature moved back, lowering itself to the ground with a warning hiss and gave a good look for I'koh.
He remembered vividly the abomination created for a specific purpose, the appearance was nothing he couldn't easily forget. Its stretched limbs and tail were too long for its body, spreading the muscle to the thinnest without snapping, barely covered with a transparent, sickly skin that folded on itself around the abdomen. The disgusting feature of its mouth showed as it opened with mandibles and teeth protruding toward Sara. The oomans would have compared it to a walking ape corpse but his kind— no— they would be considered abominations. His 'former' clan had a special name as if they were prized pets instead of the monsters they should be treated as.
I'koh hissed. Ma'kai! What are they doing here?!
The Ma'kai chattered in a frenzy of disoriented clicks and screeches before it ran right to Sara. True to her training, she moved with such fluid motion, rolling backwards in time as the creature's claws crushed the hard floor and fired. It hissed and cried in anger and agony as its body was riddled with bullet wounds.
Sara grinned as if she won the battle, "Take that, you monster."
It brought about some satisfaction in him, the sight of her taking on a beast while showing no fear. Any Yautja male would have been interested since females tend to leave the affairs of the Hunt to the opposite sex, almost rare for a warrior female and a good source for a strong bloodline. His mandibles chattered at the thought of seeing it in Sara.
But the upper hand Sara held dissolved like mist on a warm day. The Ma'kai whimpered, holding out its injured arm bleeding green as Sara inches closer for the final kill. He didn't like what she said and the tone she gave.
"Huh?" She huffed in plain arrogance, "Not so tough are you?"
I'koh knew what was coming and panic crept in. He pounded on the glass, either to get her attention or break through, to whichever managed to come first. She flinched, eyes taking a peek in his direction before continuing to advance. No. No. No! S'yuit-de!
He slammed his fists once more but she didn't even react. Sara was determined to finish the wounded creature . . . or so she thought. She stopped a foot away and pointed the barrels of her weapon at its forehead as it looked up, clattered it's mandibles and teeth before it let out a screech toward her. Sara remained there, realizing her mistake too late as another figure swooped at her.
She was launched halfway across the room, crushed by the force from the attack and the sudden stop the wall provided. Her gasp of pain made his body tense up as if he was the one being thrown. The Ma'kai stopped its whining, shook off its injuries and screeched. Sara barely got to her feet when another, louder roar grabbed hers and I'koh's. Much to his dismay, he saw what he feared emerged from the smoke through the hole.
Twice as large as the Ma'kai and even more than a mere ooman, a beast of different shades of blue stood on its six limbs with four acting as arms, decorated in black spikes like a porcupine. With similar mandibles covering its mouth, it hissed at Sara in turn with the Ma'kai.
I'koh shook his head. Great. The Sk'irti are here too. His fists clenched against the cold surface. This is bad. Really bad.
Sara staggered to her feet, both beasts joined in congregation, waiting for her next move. She hissed but he saw the fearless bravery in her eyes despite the odds against her. She loaded her weapon with a smirk, "So you brought a friend with you? Don't think this will change anything."
The creatures didn't wait for her and charged with the larger one taking the front and the Ma'kai going to the side. Sara fired at the Sk'irti, concentrating on a few areas, particularly the head and stomach. I'koh knew it was useless, the beast had a hardened exoskeleton that only specific Yautja weapons could penetrate it. The shots bounced off like rubber, not even making a dent as Sara realized a split second later.
But then, it halted for a moment in front of her, that small bit of hesitation allowed Sara to fire a bullet right into its eye. It howled, throwing its head with a screech while its dark green blood splattered on the ceiling. She took the chance and charged while firing in a display of bravery that filled his chest with pride but that was one side of an opinion. The other was thinking she was stupid and in his experience, it was the one that would always win . . . mostly.
His heart almost clamped down when the Ma'kai swooped in out of nowhere, grabbing onto her shoulders and using all of its weight to bring her down, her weapon discarded far from her. She made a desperate attempt to get back up but the Ma'kai had her pinned well, biting into her arms when she used them to shield her face until she managed to grab her knife and stab it at the crook of its neck, a fatal and precise wound on her part.
I'koh watched as she threw the corpse off of her and got to her feet, purring in deep satisfaction as she shook off her wounds. For a brief moment, she glanced at him and he was certain she was smiling in her ooman way. That sent a tingling feeling through him. What . . ?
"I'm surprised," I'koh did his best not to react to Ma'dti's sarcastic tone as he stood next to him, "The ooman can hold her own. But . . ."
I'koh inhaled, "But—"
He heard a scream unlike anything he heard before. When he turned around, he saw a horrid scene before him. The Sk'irti had recovered and had Sara pinned into the wall, rammed her through with a few of its spikes. The pain was written all over her face and it drove him mad.
C'jit! She needs help!
Without hesitation, he pounded his fists into the glass, using all of his might to break it.
"Stop, Brother," Ma'dti spoke lightly, no concern or anger in his voice only fueled his determination, "We can't help her now. Let's get out of here."
I'koh felt his mei'hswei's hand pull his shoulder. He pulled away and roared right into his face, forcing his brother to step back in fear of retaliation. Nothing else mattered at that moment, knowing Sara was in trouble.
He pounded again and again on the glass, feeling helpless as the Sk'irti bit into her shoulder and she gasped in agony. No . . . She'll be killed!
I'koh used his body into the glass, driven more as cracks formed in the middle. The Sk'irti was about to go for the kill, opening its mouth and aimed to crush her skull.
No . . . The beast inched closer as she stood there helpless. No! It hissed and he saw her close her eyes as if admitting defeat.
No! Sara!
With a mighty roar and one last push, the glass finally gave in, shattering into a thousand pieces around him.
I'koh ran through like an angry rhino and fast, not missing a beat as he clenched his fingers around the Sk'irti's neck and dragged it hard against the ground, not slowing down even when the creature's skull shredded against the hard floor like paper. He threw the body across the room and it pierced into a broken pipe sticking out of the wall, hissing its last breath.
I'koh roared in victory and then settled, observing his work in satisfaction. That's enough from you.
He froze when he heard a grunt behind. Turning around, he saw Sara getting back on her feet, a little shaken and bloodied but still able to move, much to his surprise.
"I guess I have to thank you for the assistance," She hissed when tending to her arms, wrapping them in some kind of bandages the oomans used for a quick heal, "But I had it under control."
I'koh grunted, turning on the recording, "Handled enough . . . Stubborn."
She chuckled a bit, "Guess you're right about that."
It was a brief moment but it was the first time she genuinely smiled. He tilted his head, watching her grab her gun and adjust it. Her attempts to hide the pain were clear on her face, "You . . . need rest . . . Wounds . . . need to heal."
I'koh waited. She gave a puzzling look, lowered her head and then brought it back up with her mouth open to speak . . . until that annoying device they called a radio started up and out went whatever she was going to tell him. Her attention was drawn to hear what it was saying.
All units . . . Enemy incoming from the southwest of the base. All units report to the gate for reinforcements immediately.
Sara grumbled, "Duty calls."
Just as she turned around, I'koh gently grabbed her wrist and kept her there. She noticed his hold and spoke with a line of irritation, "What are you doing?"
He clicked, "Wounds . . . not healed yet . . . You need to rest."
Much to his disapproval, Sara tugged her arm away and he had no choice but to let go or risk damaging her further. She gave a stern look and then answered with a sigh, "I have my orders and I can't rest while everyone else is fighting."
He met her eyes for a moment, strong and full of determination until the softened, which struck him unexpectedly, "Sorry . . ."
Before he could react, Sara took off through the hallway and out of sight. I'koh took a second to process what happened and started to follow her.
"I'koh!"
Ma'kai came, blocking his path and his chance to catch up with Sara. I'koh growled, "Step out of my way." He pushed his brother aside.
"She can handle herself. We have to go now or else we will be hunted down and killed. This is our only chance of escape to fight another day. The oomans are a lost cause. Better to let them fall than be dragged to Cetanu in shame," A growl vibrated in Ma'dti's chest, a clear warning signal not to go against his words.
I'koh stopped in his tracks but didn't turn around, "She showed us respect when others didn't when we first met. It would be dishonorable if we don't show the same."
"Are you that blind!?" He tensed as his brother roared, "How much are you infatuated with this ooman female?!"
I'koh sighed, his fingers flexed and relaxed until he spoke without skipping a beat, "I don't know . . . but I've decided. Leave if you want but I'm not done here."
I'koh ran ahead, disregarding the roars and cries of his brother from behind. He pushed a broken door to the side, hearing the last plea of Ma'dti before he crossed through a wall of residual fire.
"Brother!"
Hi everyone!
Somehow got this chapter finally posted quicker than expected and a good one at that. Our main boy, I'koh is coming into battle, angry and determined to help. But what is it that they are so terrified? Whatever it is, definitely not good news at all.
As for the two creatures in this chapter, they were inspired by the concepts from The Predator (2018) movie that never made it in. I will be posting the pictures on my Instagram account if interested.
More is to come for all three current stories and hopefully sooner for all of you to read!
Thank you for the support and Good Hunting!
Normal = Human speaking human language
Bold = Yautja speaking ooman (human) language (aka voice recordings)
Bold and Italic = Yautja speaking Yautja language
Ch'hkt-a = Agitated/Nervous
Cetanu = Black Warrior (God of Death)
Mei'hswei = Brother
S'yuit-de = Idiot
Vayuh'ta = Air