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nain-de me-jahdi - hunt sister

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Miana woke, completely drenched like someone had just come in and dumped a bucket of water on her. Like an asshole.

She didn't look to be in her room. The darkness spread out for miles in front of her. No moon shined through her thin curtains. The streetlamp would have provided some kind of light, mainly glancing off that annoying toy she kept on her desk and hitting her in the face.

No streetlamp shined through either.

When she went to move off her bed, she quickly realized she had been sleeping on the floor and those weren't sheets under her. They didn't feel like sheets. Soft, but not quite smooth.

Fur. It was fur under her.

"Oh…" Miana grounded herself again. Chastising herself for not remembering that she sat months, maybe even a year or two away from Earth.

Still, she had no idea where she currently sat or whose furs these were. Her room on the ship always had a light glow to it thanks to the paneling, but she didn't see anything down here.

"Beanie?" At the soft call of his name, she could hear his collar scrap gently across the floor. Then, his head hit her foot.

He had rolled over.

Miana quickly reached over, thankful to find her gauntlet attached to her wrist. It came to life at her touch. Her shoulders sagged in relief.

A loud bang had her jumping out of her skin and had she not bit her lip, she would have screamed.

It grew silent once more.

Miana sighed in relief, leaning back against the wall.

Then, another bang occurred. Another following closely behind.

Despite the high vaulted ceilings, the noises sounded right above her. Loud. Like a SWAT team crashing through someone's house. Turning furniture over. Breaking vases. Ripping apart everything…

Miana grabbed her head, trying to block it all out. Tears filled her eyes and they would have fuzzed her vision if she could actually see anything to start.

Beanie sat beside her, his head finding its way to her nap. It didn't help her.

Everything rang in her ears clear as day.

It made her dizzy.

With a shaky hand, she began to use her gauntlet. Abba had shown her a way to signal him. Each gauntlet had a way to contact another so long as they each other's code or something. He put himself in under his English name.

She clicked on his name and it offered the several options he had explained. She could call him and talk like Face Time or send a message or… the last option. The one he had practically drilled in her head.

An emergency call.

Miana pressed it and placed her hands back over ears. She didn't even know if he had access to the labs. She could enter without a pass or anything, but it was the night cycle. Areas became restricted to most on the ship.

A hum began, not loud enough to break through the noise, but enough to be noticeable. Then, she felt something on her head. Beanie's head continued to rest in her lab, so it couldn't be him.

Looking up, Miana saw Abba crouching before her. His gauntlet provided a soft light that highlighted him.

"Miana?" He continued to purr low, cocking his head at her. "What's wrong? Why are you down here?"

"Abba, make it stop." He clicked at her curiously. "The noises. Can't you hear them?" He shook his head, hands gently pulling her to her feet.

Abba said nothing, but folded the pelts and placed them by the bowel for Beanie. He picked her up next and headed for the door. Her dog padding behind them.

Miana struggled a bit, wanting to be put down. But, she couldn't walk. Not with the way she trembled. She curled up and covered her ears once more.

Abba took long strides through the ship, only slowing whenever he felt Beanie couldn't keep up. He didn't want to waste any time getting her back to her room where she could relax without anyone crowding her.

Many were still asleep, but he caught a few heading to the kehrite. Unblooded mostly. They didn't pay the trio a second of attention.

"There are no noises, Miana. Listen." She listened to him, pulling her hands away to only hear ringing, but no large bangs.

She didn't say anything to that.

Abba brought her to her bed, setting her down and sitting beside her.

"You seriously didn't hear any banging?"

"No, Miana. I didn't." He kept his purring low, only stopping when Beanie whined.

He helped the dog onto the bed where he promptly curled against Miana's back.

"I'm not crazy…"

"I never said you were." Abba snorted at her, finding a spare pelt to cover her and turned a vent towards the bed to keep them both cool. "Why were you sleeping in the labs?"

"I wanted to." Her answer didn't satisfy him and he growled lowly at her. "I was trying to give you space."

Abba clicked curiously at her.

"Space? We don't share a room." He trilled at her, checking the panel next to her bed for the time.

The second sleeping phase had begun. He figured as much as his body protested to sitting up rather than lying down. Like clockwork.

"Okay, so Kwei-ke needed me to explain that humans don't have a mating season once a month because apparently she was going crazy in the lab with new ideas and wanting to go to Earth to observe and on the way, I saw you in the kehrite and there was this female that looked interested and well… I don't want to hear any of that…"

Abba groaned at her long-winded sentence, a bit annoyed that this looked to still be a problem. He had reassured her he had no issue guarding her and helping her while she figured things out. On more than one occasion, he had sat her down and explained that she wasn't in the way and wasn't stopping him from doing anything.

If he wanted to hunt, he'd stop at a suitable planet. When the council ordered him to find a nearby bad blood, he'd do it. If he wanted to mate, he would.

He kept it to himself, but while he didn't take on any temporary mates for the season, there were plenty only looking for a moment of release. They came and went, seeking out anyone who'd take the time to please them, all the while avoiding a more official mating. Something that would leave them pregnant.

The female in the kehrite had invited him back to her room for the night. He had left when he received Miana's call. Not that the female had minded, she figured it was work and let him go with a promise of finding him later.

"I went to her room." His blunt statement left Miana temporarily confused.

"Her room?"

"Sei-i. Her room." Gently, he whacked Miana upside the head. He opened his mouth but immediately shut it and rethought his next words carefully. "You are not a problem, Miana. You are nain-de me-jahdi Lar'dha. You have a reputation among those here and at home. A human warrior that helped beat a Queen during a Chiva, gained her mark, guarded our technology, considered a guest to the clan's council, and a possible future biologist… or geologist, whichever you prefer."

Miana smiled at that.

"What about Lex?"

Abba snorted as if the answer was obvious.

"Nain-de me-jahdi Setg'rath. Another human warrior that helped beat a Queen during a Chiva, gained her mark, proved herself worthy time and time again without hesitation or complaint, daughter of Elder K'ash, and lifemate of I'sumu." He paused, before adding, "of course, if I'sumu hadn't had prospects, I doubt Elder K'ash would have allowed such a pairing."

Miana howled with laughter, startling Beanie next to her. She slapped Abba's arm, smile wide and bright, wrinkles around her eyes.

"Are you serious?! They're the same rank, aren't they?"

Abba trilled at her, "sei-i, only joking." Then, he plopped down, rolling himself fully onto her bed.

She protested, unable to dodge out of the way thanks to Beanie and got a leg stuck underneath him. She struggled, much to his amusement, and when she tried to get him to move, he feigned sleep.

Eventually, Miana managed to pull her leg out and kicked at him. It didn't do much.

Beanie moved himself to the edge of the bed. Away from all the jarring movement caused by the two.

She settled, pulling the pelt over her. For the first time, Miana actually slept at the same time Yautja were expected to. And woke with Abba the next day.

Actually, she woke before him. He did get up, but only after she had showered and changed into the clothing Elder K'ash had given her. A leather skirt with splits on both sides that showed the attached shorts underneath, a top that resembled close to a sports bra - like Lex often wore, and the teeth necklace she had made from the dragon-dog creatures.

Ma'ka-tewei… or something of the sort.

"Meal time?" Abba glanced over her choice of an outfit. "You finally look more like a Yautja."

"Hey!" She liked her Earth clothes.

He pulled gently on a strand of her hair and trilled at her, "you just need a few braids and beads."

To spite him, she returned to her room and pulled a large sweater on.

"I'm cold." Her excuse would have passed on Earth, but here, when she had to sleep under a vent and continuously keep hydrated, it was bullshit.

Abba growled low and tugged on the sleeve that passed her hands.

"You will get overheated."

"I have my netting on." She pulled back the fabric to show him.

"Then how are you cold?" Miana opened her mouth to retort but stopped. She didn't really have a quick comeback.

Someone knocked on the door and she disappeared back into her room, leaving him to answer the door.

To his surprise, the female from last night waited on the other side. Casually leaned against the door frame and purring at the sight of him in only a loincloth, she ran a clawed finger down his arm.

The thought tempted him but after last night, he wanted a bit of time to rest and eat.

"We can get something to eat and head to the kehrite…" A time when a lot would be sparring at the suggestion of the females.

His gut twisted at the thought.

One thing he agreed with Elder K'ash on was the disinterest in fighting for someone's attention that wouldn't further him in rank. Fighting for honor, to defend his position and prove his worth to the council and his peers had long lasting results.

To do the same for a female… often left him sore and her horny which led to him doing more work. She didn't want pups at the moment and neither did he. The reward would only be a few hours of pleasure, something that had become equivalent to receiving candy.

A great reward for a pup. A less desirable reward for someone his age.

He'd rather have a promotion.

It was common in their society that with age came a lessened sex drive. A lessened desire to have pups. He already had plenty, several of which had provided him wonderful grandchildren.

"I must decline." He bowed his head politely to her, stepping back to close the door.

Her eyes narrowed to something behind him and he turned to see Miana returning from her room with Beanie by her side. The sweater gone.

"For her?"

"It is meal time." That answer didn't please her as she growled low, eyes glancing between him and Miana. "I will not beat around those lower than me in rank for you. If you wish to seek me out later, I will gladly display my trophies for your liking. For now, I plan to eat and take care of my duties." He bowed his head to her again, a clear sign she should depart now.

"You'd turn me down? For food? And duty?" His fury snapped at her last question.

"I am an Arbitrator. My duties are above you." She had no mark of a hunter, so he couldn't tell of her standing, but he figured she'd be well ranked in her profession. She wasn't a pup by any means.

Nonetheless, his duties were only possibly outmatched by an elder.

Possibly.

She stiffened, obviously insulted, but said no more. She had crossed the line by bringing his duties into question.

"Mei'hswei?" Abba jumped to attention at the sound of Miana's voice and quickly turned to address her. The female's eyes widened in shock. "Are you ready, yet? I'm hungry."

The females bowed her head to the two before quickly leaving.

"She left in a hurry…"

Abba agreed, but unlike Miana, he fully understood what the female just realized.

"Give me a minute and we can go." Miana waited by the door, impatient as ever with a loud stomach.

In the cafeteria, Miana ran ahead to get her food, not bothering to wait. Abba took his time, hoping to catch Lex.

Scar had just paid for a tray of food and quickly headed for the door, catching Abba's eye. He stopped the younger Yautja, trilling at the tray that obviously was meant for two.

"Could you tell Setg'rath I need to speak with her? When she is free, of course." Scar's eyes quickly found Miana in the line before returning to Abba.

"Sei-i. I will let her know." He quickly glanced at the oblivious Miana again. "Everything alright?"

Abba had yet to know.

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Miana needs confidence. She loses it so fast when she has it…

And what on Earth is going on with her?! Who knows… well, I do, but that's not the point. Can you guess? Same sort of thing with Lex… But, Lex dissociated and stuff.

It's here that I'd like to admit that I have no idea when the end is going to be or what it's going to be. I have ideas I have yet to explore and so, whenever I have done that, that will probably mark the end of Miana's adventure.

8/17/19: LIES!

First is discussing mating and the ship's cycles and SCIENCE! (sort of… more like how the departments work and such). Then… well, I'll leave that as a surprise :D