Jek'tual
Yautjan clanship
3300 AD
The back walls were illuminated red. Decorated with teeth, vertebrae, skulls, and necklaces made from ribs and fangs. With each trophy was a story. Stories told from the mouths of those I had hunted with. Trilling at the memories of when I was a young hunter. Not even a year after my chiva, the test to prove you are worthy of being a hunter, I used to tell stories of my hunts. Learning from an early age, earlier than most, that you were not a successful hunter if only you talked about your prowess. I would wear my trophies and fight anyone for the simplest of reasons. I once fought an aseigan, a slave, because I felt it looked at me too long.
I thought I was the c'jit, the shit, but I only lived in the pits. In the pits, we all fought for our own sleeping space, food rations, weapons. Anything any yautja had, they fought for and defended. Amongst the clan, you were only successful when you leave the pits. When hunters from ranks higher tell tales of your hunts. When females would come from different clans and fight each other to be your mate.
I am very successful.
I came from nothing! From my mother abandoning me and thinking me the runt of her pups, to the leader of my own clan. Now I have the third largest clanship amongst my species, around 38 pups, many trophies, and lived to old age. Now I am awaiting u'sl-kwe, the final rest, the final hunt. Until then, I lead my clanship and take packs of young un-blooded on their Chivas for entertainment.
Taking my time with walking over to my wall of equipment. The wall had weapons of all kinds. Yautja weapons, kainde amedha [xenomrph] tails and claws, a single engineer weapon, even the pyode amedhas [humans] weak weapons. As for armor, I only have one set. I could have hundreds of different armors, but I grew fond of one particular armor set.
I was on a hunting expedition to either trap a queen mother for relocation, or kill one. Queen mothers are highly intelligent, strong, and can control kainde amedha queens. Most of the elite hunters who joined this hunt died. I was lucky to have made it out with my life. My right pinky and index fingers are missing, and I have a bionic left arm that I wear with pride. In the end, we had killed a queen mother. I had made the killing blow, meaning the trophy was mine to claim. I took what I could and we left. That same guan, night, I had called upon my best blacksmith and requested that he make the best armor he could out of my queen mother trophy.
I had on all of my armor, all but the bio-mask. It's a tradition to carry the bio-mask on hip until we land. I was to supervise a batch of thirty-four unblooded yautja on their Chivas for the next few moons. Only equipping weapons that unblooded were allowed to carry, just in case. Ten moons ago, I had one of the unblooded grab ahold of one of my shurikens while I was in combat with a kainde amedha. He was not allowed to use it, because he was too low of rank, and has never used one to my knowledge. In the end, he died and I never found that shuriken. Now when I take the unblooded on their Chivas, I don't bring any weapons they aren't allowed to use.
Walking towards the kehrite, the training room, I noticed there was an unblooded standing outside. When he saw me he ran back inside, but it's too late, I already know what's happening. I used to be unblooded once, a long time ago.
In the kehrite, it is against the rules for unblooded to fight without the supervision of an experienced hunter. Usually, there is a runt who cannot fend off the others to see the fight and so they become the hult'ah, the spotter. This one is the runt, so he became the hult'ah. I think I will make him fight whoever wins this fight.
Punishment for being the runt.
Leo Albin
Carplis, Colony Planet 287
Landing pads
Late 3300 AD
After a couple of months of our long journey, we have landed on colony planet 287, Carplis.
22 people stood in front of the ship's doors, shoving each other and yelling. I stood in the back against the wall, waiting silently for the doors to open. Just like everyone else, I was impatient. I want to see what's behind those doors, what someone so dear to me, died for me to see.
Tears began to form in my eyes. The last thing I want to think about, to realize, kept crawling its way back into my head these last few days.
My mom is dead, and it's because of me.
Leo Albin
Earth
Rooftop of some building
Early 3300 AD
The ship doors opened and everything went quiet. The lights were so bright that they were almost burning our eyes. We couldn't see who was walking out, only two silhouettes of men holding guns.
Once the lights dimmed, one of the men spoke out in a gruff voice. "Here's how things are going to go!" Taking a pause and grabbing out a piece of paper, he looked over each of us as if he was counting. "I'm going to call each of you by your name and then you're going to come aboard. I'll start listing off names from highest paid to lowest."
One by one, people started going up the ship's ramp when they heard their names. Mom hugged me tighter and sobbed. "We're getting off mom. We're gonna make it." I hugged her tightly and kissed the top of her head, trying my best to reassure her worries. Whatever they may be, I don't know. All I know is that it's going to be nice not having to worry about rations, restricted toxic areas, or hearing about dying planet news. "It's ok mom, we're safe." Mom moved back from my embrace, placing her hands on each side of my face. I leaned down so she could plant a kiss on my forehead.
We were supposed to be safe, so why didn't I feel like it?
Mom spoke in between broken sobs, her bottom lip quivering. "I love you more than you will ever know. You're my baby girl." Why does this sound like a farewell when we're getting off together. "Mom-?" She put her finger over my mouth and hushed me. "Shh, shh, shh. I need to finish." The look in her eyes makes me worried. "When they call your name, get on and don't look back. No matter what happens, just know that I will always be with you every step of the way and I'll always love you. Ok?"
"I'll always love you too. But why wouldn't I look back? What do yo-?"
"Last and definitely least, Leo Albin." Mom wasn't holding it back anymore. Even in the rain, I could see her tears. "Mom?" She took my face in her hands and kissed me on my forehead one last time. "Don't look back."
Suddenly she spun me around and pushed hard. My mind was blurred and my feet frozen. I was about to fall when a stern hand grabbed my arm and pulled me up. "Hey Scott, get this one on the ship." Scott firmly placed his hand on each of my shoulders and led me to the ramp.
My mom and I, we were supposed to get off this planet. We were supposed to live our lives together. Now It's just me, why? Uncle gave us all that money. Why didn't that cover?
I elbowed Scott's arm and managed to get one hand off. "Lemme fuckin go!" I yelled as I ducked to hit him in the ribs, causing him to bend over. Coming to a complete stop when I saw the look on my mother's face. She was standing there, broken-heartedly smiling. Waving at me to go.
Moms hand went to cover her mouth as she wrapped her other arm around her stomach. Her eyes could cry no more, but they showed so many mixed emotions. I was losing her, she was going to die here without me. I was the reason she could not- would not get off this planet.
"Why? Why did you do this?" I whispered, watching my mother from the ship's ramp. Dropping to my knees.
I started to lift from the ground. Feeling the warmth of someone's arms around me, holding me to their chest. "I'm sorry kid. Your ma only had enough for one ticket." He turned around and started to walk into the ship.
"Hey, Scott!" The other man called to Scott. "Yea?" Scott asked, straining from holding me up. The other man motioned towards mom. "This is sumthin she needs to see." He said in a monotone voice, not allowing any hint of emotion through.
The rain settled down to sprinkles as the wind stopped.
"I'm sorry kid, but this is a better way to go. A lighter sentence than the one this dying Earth would give her." The man said as he picked up his gun, aiming at mom.
"No!" I resisted, eyes widening.
Scott grunted against my futile resistance. Kicking with all my might, biting, and punching as much as I could. "Don't!" I yelled as the gunshots echoed, booming like thunder. Tears streamed down my face as my mom fell to the ground. She lay perfectly still, short blonde hair covered her face. Her blood spilled beneath her, mixing in with the puddles. No sign of life, no sign of pain.
The man stepped in the way so I couldn't see her, but to no avail. This is something I'll be seeing in my nightmares, something I will have to deal with for the rest of my life.
"C'mon, let's get the kid inside." The man said, leading the way into the ship. To shocked to fight anymore, I stay limp. Scott carried me into the ship, cursing under his breath. His arms covered in blood from my pathetic resistance.
Once the doors closed, Scott dropped me. Leaving me on my knees, staring at the floor.