Chapter 6: Learning
Disclaimer: I do not own Alien/Predator series or any characters and may not follow all customs and cultures found in Alien/Predator movies.
After my first meeting with the female, I became hopeful that I might learn more about her and what role she plays in my mission. But as much as I tried to think about my goal here on this planet, I could only think of her. Now . . . I knew her name, and it sounded unique to me, but it was an ooman name after all.
Mia Jones . . .
In my mind, it was easier to say it thanks to her voice but trying to let it through my mouth was another story. I never thought that I needed to learn the ooman language as I always believed to be a waste of time. But here I was . . . Wanting to understand it like an Unblood who wants to learn how to fight for the first time. I had to think about if Mia would teach me how. It will be tough to admit within myself that I need help from an ooman, but it was worth the try.
Just swallow your pride and get it over with tomorrow!
With that, I kept running through the trees and bushes and into the direction of the ship. I had to prepare for the bombardment of Xen'ork when I arrived. No doubt that he had a ton of questions to ask about my meeting with Mia. A headache was coming on, and I just ignored it as I pushed faster back to the ship.
After the sun began to rise into the sky, I reached the location and expected Xen'ork to be hanging out somewhere. He was hanging out but was fast asleep on a branch with his legs dangling over. I growled a little in frustration, unable to comprehend his decision to do so in a place like this. With armed oomans so close to us, we could get attack without warning, so both of us had to stay vigilant at all times.
I walked up, taking my mask off on the way until I was beneath him. I straightened up a bit and inhaled deeply until my chest was full of the air from my mask. When my lungs were at the max, I roared out with all my might since the mask muffled some of it, but it was enough to jolt him.
"WAKE UP!"
His body scrambles so much that he loses his balance and falls straight to the ground. I moved just in time as he lands right in front of me. His futile attempts to recover for a proper landing was pathetic, and he ended up falling on his butt. He lifts his unmasked face in the air and shrieks in pain, but he deserved it. It was a mistake only made by Unbloods, and he was a Blooded. I watched as he shakily gets up, holding his butt with one hand while turning to me.
"What was that for?"
He looked at me like I was mad with his eyes widened in disbelief. I growled once more into his face, making sure he knew of my reasons.
"You shouldn't be sleeping when you are alone. Do you want to get killed by oomans?"
He moves a bit to the side of me, groaning about the pain in his butt and back, according to him. I just crossed my arms and waited for him to answer back. Running out of patience when a few minutes had passed, I growled once more, and that got him to face me.
"It's alright. The ship was cloaked, and if oomans did come, my gauntlet would warn me before they reached this place."
"That's still no excuse."
He groans again, but just as I thought it was the end of it, Xen'ork's expression changed all of a sudden. He was showing pain at first, but then a smirk started to grow on his face. Even his mandibles curled in such a manner, and I squinted my eyes in confusion.
"What is up with you?"
"I was just wondering how your meeting with the ooman female went."
I stepped back a bit as my eyes widened in surprise. I had forgotten that he knew of my meeting with Mia, but the creepiness that he was giving off made me feel very uncomfortable. I had to look away for a moment so I could collect my thoughts, but Xen'ork didn't even let me have a moment of peace.
"So you did meet her? How was it? What did you say? Was she frightened of you? What about—"
"Okay! Stop!"
I snapped at him with his voice as I closed my eyes to suppress the headache once more. I couldn't take it anymore with all of his questions hitting me at such a pace. Again, I had to remind myself that he still acted like a pup but also that he was a Blooded warrior. I was getting very confused with him. When I have the strength to face him again, I opened my eyes and turned to him with his face grinning at me.
"Yes, I did meet her, but it was only brief. Oomans were coming so I had to get out of there."
"But she didn't run away from you?"
I paused for a moment, trying to keep my meeting with her as confidential as possible but I saw Xen'ork's mouth open up once more and became worried that he was going to hit me with more questions. Before he could, I raised my hand to stop him midway, and his mouth and mandibles hung open like he was dumbfounded.
"She didn't run away. We are meeting tonight somewhere more secluded."
That is all I was going to tell him and hoped it was enough. However, his smirk didn't go away, and in fact, it became even more prominent. . . More than what I thought he was capable. When I glared right into his eyes, his smirk disappears, but the curiosity still lingered in his eyes. But then, he moves his body so that his arms were crossed in front of his chest while he spreads his legs in a sturdy position . . . Like he was proud of something.
"Well, well . . . It seems someone is going a little faster than expected. Guess I'm not the only Yautja that has an interest in oomans. Especially the females . . ."
It was then that I saw the gleam in his eyes and I knew that look only too well. As quick as I could, I got up to his face and grabbed the edge of his chest armor to keep him in place.
"Don't even think of trying something with Mia. She's just an ooman and worth nothing to us except for helping us in our mission."
I was hoping to scare him into submission, but instead, he grins even more.
"So her name is Mia, huh? Guess she likes you if she told her name on the first meeting."
My eyes widened in shock when he said that. The ooman female . . . Liking me? That's absurd . . . We only just met each other, but somehow, a part of me agreed with him. To tell me her name just like that and so fast was unnatural and naive. But I was the same since I told her my name as well, but I had no intention of telling Xen'ork about that. I had already said too much. I let go of his quickly and backed off, trying to show him my displeasure about this.
"She doesn't like me, and I feel the same way. I'm just getting close to her so we can get more information about our mission. Remember that."
"Sure . . ."
His voice lingered a little when he said that like he wasn't entirely convinced of my words. I just shook my head and turned around, heading towards the ship to get some much-needed rest. But Xen'ork calls to me yet again, and I growled to stop him. However, he ignores its warning.
"So what are you going to do? Meet her tonight?"
I stopped my walk and paused for a moment, turning my head around to face him and giving him a stern look.
"That is the plan. And while I'm gone, you are going to scout the building where the oomans are."
I watched Xen'ork tilt his head in confusion at what I was asking of him. No doubt going to ask more questions, so I just waited as he blinks his eyes in thought until he opens his inner mouth.
"What is the goal of me watching them?"
I was expecting him to ask something like that since his brain needed to catch up after asking so many questions to me. I sighed and turned fully around so that he can see me. I took several deep breaths to get my frustration under control so that I won't lose it and try to kill him. But a little part of me wanted to do just that. I looked back at Xen'ork once more.
"I need you to find anything different with the oomans and report back to me. We need as much information as we can to see what we are up against. And also to see what experiments they are up to. Make sure you stay hidden while you're there."
When I knew he was satisfied with my answer, I turned back around to head back to the ship and wash up while hoping to get some sleep from all of this. Everything from fighting . . . Killing armed oomans . . . To meeting Mia properly for the first time, my body was surprisingly exhausted, and I was looking forward to a quiet evening until I had to go to meet Mia. The thought of meeting her was warming my chest with the same heat as before, but I kept it suppressed as not to show Xen'ork on how I felt about this. But as I was walking back, Xen'ork had one last thing to say as he chuckled.
"Get some rest. You're going to need it."
I tightened my mouth shut so that I wouldn't let out a growl. I had enough of him tonight as I made my way up the ramp and into the ship where a warm bath and bed were waiting for me.
. . . . . . . . . . . .
After several hours of rest, my body was at full strength but a little sore from the bath and sleep that I managed to get. By the time I woke up, got my armor on and came out of the ship, the sun was beginning to set. It was only a matter of time before it was completely dark and my meeting with Mia was drawing closer. But for some reason, an uneasy feeling was growing in my chest, and I had several things on my mind that might be causing this. It was hard to single out with all of it juggling and scrambling around inside me. Too many questions and yet no answers to compensate for them.
What if she doesn't come? What if she told the other oomans and they'll come for me? Or maybe . . . Is she still terrified of me? Have I've done something wrong to make her feel like that?
I had to close my eyes shut for a moment to calm down my mind and heart that was beating way too fast for comfort. I thought that it would burst out of me for a moment. I was glad that Xen'ork already left to monitor the oomans at the building I had found before so I had a moment of peace to ease myself without him boasting about my meeting with Mia. After some time, I managed to recover quickly and with a new resolve to go through with this, I made my way into the forest.
Remembering the path I took, I maneuvered through with ease and eventually made it to the lake that was still as beautiful despite the moon almost at the end of its cycle. The water shined from the bit of light from it and in some way, drew me close to the edge. I stood there, watching my surroundings and eventually looking up into the sky where the many stars and planets danced around. This so tranced me that I didn't notice the rustling of leaves behind me until a few moments later when I finally heard footsteps very close behind me. Reacting out of instinct, I extended my wrist blades and swung around. It was out of sheer luck that I was able to stop my attack midair as soon as I caught a set of blue eyes in my sight.
"Whoa!"
She calls out instinctually, stepping way back from me as I froze in panic. I couldn't even believe what I just did and right in front of Mia. Now . . . Look at what you have done! I cursed myself inside for making a move like that. It was an instinct that I acted upon, but it gave no excuse for it. I should have known better since I'm an experienced hunter. It didn't help even more when I saw Mia's eyes widened in fear while her hands were held up and open to show that she didn't mean any harm as I caught a glimpse of the translator on her.
"Sorry if I startled you."
When she spoke instead of running away like I thought she was going to, my body relaxes a bit as I sheathed my blades back into the gauntlet. After I moved my posture into a non-threatening one, my actions took immediate effect as she also began to relax, putting her hands down slowly until they were at her sides. But then, a silence grew between us and only the sound of the water running into the lake could be heard. I wasn't sure how to proceed in this situation. I've never really had a conversation between an ooman except hunting them until just last night when I talked to Mia for the first time. I flexed my fingers back and forth, trying to think of something while my eyes fixed on her. Her brown hair rustled a little from the wind that came, and I looked down to see that she wasn't warning that white coat anymore. I didn't like it one bit, but I couldn't figure out what she was wearing. Looked like some kind of long, blue pants with a white shirt or something that partially covered in some small coat. But my eyes went straight back to hers, and although I had my mask on, it still sent tingles down my spine when I think she can see right through it and into my own. I kept moving my head from side to side, doing my best to think of something.
And then, she calls out in a soft tone with some uncertainty mixed in, and I could only guess it was from the uncomfortable silence between us.
"So . . . Your name is Daugo . . . am I right?"
I looked up fast as her question. She should know my name already. Why is she asking again? In confusion, I just decided to answer her question as she did just now.
"Yes. And yours is Mia?"
"Yes."
Again . . . More silence and it was starting to drive me crazy, so my mind went to work in thinking of something to talk about. I could ask her about what her role is with the oomans at the building, but I feared that she might either not answer or get angry . . . Or something. I had no pauking (fucking) idea. At this point, I might as well call it quits and forget that this ever happened. But like before, Mia goes into action once again except that she slumps her shoulders as if guilty of something that she had done. I was about to ask her until she beat me to it.
"I'm sorry if I cut our meeting last night short. My husband got out early and was looking for me. Scared him a bit though."
"Husband?"
She opens her mouth in surprise but then composes herself when she probably realized that I didn't know what that meant. She clears her throat a bit as she explains it to me.
"It's. . . A person whom you . . . Decided to spend the . . . Rest of your life with. A partner."
I had to think for a moment cause it sounded quite familiar. She talked about a partner and joining together for life, and that is when it hits me. She probably meant what Ni'geria and I were with each other. That has to be what she's talking about.
"You mean lifemates?"
She tilts her head to the side a little after I said that but then pouts her lips together and closes her eyes for a bit. I had no clue what that expression showed, so all I can do is wait for her response to see if she was upset, confused, or something else.
"Something like that."
I nodded my head a bit and lowered it down. She had a life mate and that caused some painful memories to come back that I suppressed in my mind as soon as it came. I silently growled a bit when I was struggling. But then as soon as I looked up, my body froze when she smiled a little in my direction. That causes the warm feeling to come back again while the pain went away. Every time I'm with this female, she somehow can stir something inside me with just a single look and made even my mandibles twitch underneath the mask. It was annoying but at the same time . . . Intoxicating.
But just as I was enjoying it, it was quickly shattered when Mia asked a question that I was afraid and reluctant to answer.
"Why are you here?"
With that, I stepped back a bit and gazed in another direction and away from her own. I could hear her stuttering a bit from seeing her reaction but I didn't have the strength to look back at her. I was still trying to get to know her but that wasn't the only reason why I refused to tell her. I worried that if she found out about my mission here on the planet to destroy the progress of hybridization that the oomans were doing . . . Not to mention that Mia might be involved in all of this . . . I potentially could lose the bond that was growing between us. True that I needed to find more info about her work with them but I kept that in the back burner for my own sake and hers.
I was so in deep thought that I could faintly hear the small footsteps that were coming closer to my front. I opened my eyes and looked up to see that Mia had come a little closer to me, letting her hand reach out in front. Out of instinct, I stepped back a bit and crouched a bit. I saw her flinch a bit, pulling her hand back but the look in her eyes wasn't out of fear . . . But of concern.
"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to make you feel uncomfortable."
I shifted a little in my spot, going back into a relaxed position that I was in before. But even so, the uneasiness in my chest was still there, and I could see that Mia always wanted an answer from me. However, I couldn't bring myself to tell her just yet. I just hoped that she will be satisfied with my response for now.
"I can't tell you. It's. . . secret."
I could see the disappointment in her eyes, but despite that, she nods her head up and down slowly, understanding that it wasn't something I wanted to talk about right now. After some time, she looks back into my eyes and smiles.
"It's okay."
Upon her saying that I felt a comfort seep into my body and I relaxed in a way that I didn't think possible. At least it broke the little tension that was between us, but the silence was back again. The good thing is that it didn't last long as Mia changed the subject.
"You're one of them, correct? A Predator I mean . . ."
I raised the muscles above my eyes in confusion. A Predator? What is that anyway? Is that what the oomans call us?
Oomans were becoming more complicated than I thought they already were. I had no idea what a 'Predator' was, but I assumed that it is a word to describe my kind. I didn't like it one bit, so I tried to correct her by saying the outright name.
"It's Yautja."
She reciprocated the same expression I had before that filled with confusion. She squints her eyes together and lets her head fall a little to the side.
"Yau . . . jah?"
"Yautja."
I spoke slowly so she would get it, but it took some time and a lot of patience on my part until she was able to pronounce it. But it was a pain in the neck, and I had to wonder what else did the oomans use to call ourselves. It was like an indirect insult to me but knew it wasn't Mia's fault for that. At least . . . I hoped. I groaned a little bit and shook my head until I was looking straight to the ground. I looked back up to meet her gaze once more.
"You oomans need to learn how to speak our language. It's driving me nuts."
"Oomans?"
Oh, great. I need to learn to shut my mouth in times like these. But since I spilled it already, I might as well tell her as well cause her eyes just filled with curiosity, and I knew somehow that she wasn't going to let it go.
"It's a word we use to call your species. Like what you said about us."
Her eyes widened in realization, so I knew she got the message. "That makes sense. But I'm still wondering . . . I know that you gave me this translator to understand you but is it the same with you? I don't see one of those on you."
She lifts her hand with the translator and shakes it around so I could see it. I did have something like that to understand the ooman language, but it's designed differently than hers. I pointed up to my mask, right on the side of my temple.
"My mask has one already built into it so that I can understand you. If I didn't, then we wouldn't be able to talk to each other like this."
She looked where I was pointing and understood right away what I meant. I watched as she shifts around a bit from one foot to another as if nervous about something. I stared at her for quite some time, but she refused to look at me. I didn't know what I said that would make her this agitated so I quickly asked.
"What's wrong?"
She fidgets once more with her hair swaying back and forth but still didn't meet my gaze. I hesitated to move towards her as my legs kept stopping and going. The muscles underneath their skin were twitching uncontrollably as if trying to decide what to do. And then, Mia moves her eyes back up to me, glancing with such intensity behind them.
"Can I see your face?"
"My face?"
She nods a little. "You said that you're wearing a mask so that can't be what you look like and . . . I wondered . . . if you would show me."
She does the fidgeting thing once again but didn't divert her sights from me. My body freezes upon hearing her request. Does she want to see my face? My fists tightened a little on my sides but mostly due to the uncertainty inside me. In hunts, Yautja never shows their faces unless it was because they had found a worthy opponent in their prey and would fight to the death with them. But this was not the case. I wasn't hunting nor did I see Mia as an opponent that I should face. Plus, I worried that she might not like what she sees. The stories that I heard in Yautja Prime were that oomans were terrified of our looks and would run away at even the slightest glance at us exposed to them. So this could go either way, but the unknown was terrifying for me. I looked up into the sky and found some clarity within them. A voice inside told me that I should follow what is right and not what other things tell you. When I heard it ring into my mind, I knew what I wanted to do.
I looked back to Mia as she was standing there, waiting for anything on my part. Without words, I went for the side of my mask, curling my fingers on the edges until I heard unlatching of the mask from my face. I placed my hands on the front of it, but I hesitated right then and there, questioning about this.
Is this alright? Is any of this I'm doing is right?
I looked back to her once more, and those blue eyes began to glow like before, shining like the stars in the sky. That did it for me as that one look pushed all my doubts aside for that moment at least. With determination, I pulled the mask off slowly, feeling the cold air of the night blow across my mandibles and forehead as I lowered the mask to my belt and hooked it on. When I secured it, I blinked my eyes a few times and looked right to Mia without the mask.
At first, her face showed a little bit of fear, but her body was telling another story. She started to step closer to me, and I wanted to step back a bit. However, my legs refused to move as I kept my sights on Mia as she came even closer than before. The anxiety that was coursing through my body wanted to shove her away, but again, my body didn't listen. She came closer and closer until she stopped just a few inches from me. Both of us just stood there like two statues among the environment, frozen in time. All I could pay attention was those eyes of hers. They were the only things that kept me right there or else I would have fled a while before this.
What is wrong with me? This can't happen but . . . I can't move or is it . . . I don't want to?
My mind was scrambling to hook onto anything at this point while my heart pounded away so loud against the underside of my chest. But just as I was contemplating what I should do, my eyes caught her hand lifting from her side and reaching out for me. Slowly, her hand came closer to my forehead, but instinct kicks in and before I could stop it, I growled.
That caused Mia to retract her hand back a bit, and for some reason, I immediately regret doing that. I flinched back a bit as well, turning my head to the side a bit while feeling my mandibles twitch and tighten into my inner mouth. I glanced a little to her, and I could see the uncertainty and some fear in her eyes. But her hand remained in the air, curled a few from the initial growl I gave her.
But just as I thought she might forget about it, she moved her head far to the side while closing her eyes tightly. It was then that her hand reached out one more time. Her fingers were extending to the fullest, spreading as much as they could. When she did that, my head turned fully back to her as I zoned on her hand. It was beckoning me to come closer, to initiate skin-to-skin contact with her. I have touched human skin before, and they aren't usually tough like ours. I thought that they were so brittle that a single touch would rip it apart, convincing me more that humans are weak.
But not this time . . . Instead, I wanted to feel her skin on mine. An urge that needed to be satisfied. I leaned my head a little closer to her but stopped a little when I was just inches from her hand. My heart kept beating hard on the underside of my chest while that warm feeling grew and began to spread itself into my arms and legs, burning strongly, but it was welcomed.
I didn't know what to do for that split second. Should I forget it? Is this necessary? Do I want this?
I paused . . . Do I want this?
I repeated that question over and over again, trying to find what my answer would be. My mind was saying one thing, but my heart was saying otherwise. I looked back to Mia once more, seeing her brown hair glow but it was her eyes and smile that I wanted to see. I want to see her . . .
With that, I took a small breath and with all the courage I had in me, closed my eyes and leaned myself closer to her until the soft skin of her hand rested on my forehead.
It was not what I had expected. Despite the cold temperature of the night, her hand radiated with a soft warmth that I've never felt before. It spread from her fingertips and into my skin, warming up my entire forehead with just one touch. It was intoxicating . . . I could feel her flinch at the first touch at first, but over time, her hand relaxes and begins to rub against me. When she did that, a vibration deep in my chest grows until it comes out as a long but soft purr, shaking every part of my body including my mandibles that tickled the inside of my mouth. It was exquisite, and nothing like I ever thought it could be. I didn't want this moment to end.
But then my self-conscious self kicks in and reminds me of what I'm doing at this moment with an ooman female. This can't happen! I opened my eyes fast and ripped myself away from her touch, but my heart sank as soon as her warmth was gone. However, I backed up from her until I put my hand on a nearby tree, leaning on it to get ahold of myself. I closed my eyes and shook my head a bit. I can't believe what I just did. How can this even work?
"Daugo . . ."
Without hesitation, I looked back to her and saw her worried look written on all over. Something inside me called out to go to her, and I haven't felt that way towards a female since I met my mate Ni'geria. The impulse to be with her was stronger and continues to grow despite the short time I met her. It was unnatural but somehow . . . Comforting. But she had no idea what I was capable of doing nor did she know of my past and how brutal it was. I couldn't go any further or else I might do something to harm her. With reluctance, I turned back around and stared into the night sky that was starting to mix with the rising sun that was barely showing. I put my head back down but didn't turn when I called to her.
"I . . . have to go."
I unhooked my mask from my belt and begun to place it back onto my face, ready to take off as soon as it was secured. I needed to get some air to think and re-address this whole situation I had put both of us in.
"Wait!"
I froze just as my mask was only inches from my face. I turned around quickly and saw the despair in her eyes. It made everything inside of me stop right then and there. I didn't want her to look like that . . . And to think that I was the cause only made things worse as my heart sank deep in my chest. I could see that he was breathing heavily and standing very still in front of me. She opens her mouth a bit but closes it back up again, looking down to her feet. I remained where I was, waiting for what she wanted to say to me. It wasn't long before she glances into my eyes once more.
"Will you come back?"
I didn't answer her . . . At least not with words. I lowered my head down with my mask still in my hand. I had no idea if I should come back. I've broken so many Yautja laws that I might as well be a Bad Blood for just interacting with prey, let alone one that played some role in my mission. I was so confused . . .
"You can teach me how to speak your language, and I can teach mine in return. After all, you said that I needed to learn, right?"
I quickly looked back at Mia with surprise with my eyes widened to the max. She wasn't wrong about me telling her that she needed to learn our language. It would drive me nuts when she spoke one word wrong and come out like she was choking when she did. She had a point about this and just knowing that we can meet again for something as small as this . . . It was comforting.
I slowly nodded to her, looking deep into her piercing blue eyes. "I can teach you. Same time at this place?"
When I gave her the confirmation that I was going to come again, I saw the corners of her mouth stretch until a small, genuine smile was on her face. My heart flutter at that moment and the warmth came back once more as she nods slowly to me.
With that, I nodded back and finally placed my mask back on my face, making sure it was secured. I turned back around into the direction of the ship, bending my knees in preparation to take off until I heard her voice one more time.
"Goodnight, Daugo."
It ringed in my head, and I turned my head to the side to get a glance of her, still smiling as before. I stared at her for just a moment before I spoke.
"Goodnight . . . Mia."
And then, I turned to face forward and took off without looking back. I pushed through bushes as I climbed up the hill, maneuvering effortlessly until I was back on leveled ground. During my trip back to the ship, all I could think of was Mia . . . Her smile . . . Her touch on my forehead and . . . The relaxing heat that it provided on my forehead. As I remembered that moment, my mandibles and inner mouth spread until they hit the underside of the mask as a smile forms on my face.
But the dread of the unknown was far from over . . .
Hi Readers!
Almost done with the semester and although I still have summer to finish, I have more time to dedicate to my stories. I do want to apologize for the wait since school got so hectic but now . . . The wait is over! :D
For now, Daugo and Mia are getting along and learning a bit about each other day by day. But a gut-wrenching feeling troubles Daugo about all of this. Is this safe? What are the consequences of a relationship between Yautja and ooman? And is this even possible to begin with? What troubles lie ahead?
Find out when Chapter 7 comes around!
Enjoy! :)
Reading notes:
Normal = Human speaking English (ooman language)
Bold = Any Yautja speaking English (ooman language)
Bold and Italic = Any Yautja speaking Yautja language