Prologue Reviews:

Dan Hunter – O.o I got a review! I'm actually very surprised by this, because after checking to see if this story could be found anywhere else but on my profile page (three days after uploading it), it turned up with nothing – even on the 'Find' section. Obviously that isn't the case now!

But anyway, I'm pleased I've captured your attention even when I've put so little up for this story so far. I'm a big Aliens/Predator fan too, which is why I'm writing this – it's a fan's dedication to the series! Hopefully I will use all of its potential – I strive to make my stories as original as possible, and plot twists are a favourite of mine too. You're right about Kurath and his followers having their own agenda, but what it is has yet to be revealed. And you're not wasting my time – I love reviews and opinions from others, so thanks for reviewing – and for adding me to your favourites list!

A/N: Just a technical note on name pronunciations, because there is a new name that is introduced in this chapter which is spelt one way, and yet when spoken it sounds entirely different. Jechonde – you would think about pronouncing it 'Jeh-chon-dee', wouldn't you? But, like with the German language, the 'J' is actually pronounced 'Y'. The 'ch' is pronounced 'ck', and also the ending sound is not 'dee' but 'day'. So the actual pronunciation is 'Yeh-khonn-day'.

Why not have a name that is spelt how it sounds? I'm experimenting! XD

(And it'll probably never happen again. I can't make promises though…)

And I forgot the disclaimer in the prologue – oops! Well, here it is:

Disclaimer: I do not own either of the Aliens or Predator franchises, nor anything linked to them (other than this story that is). If I did, I would be paying people to think for me.

~Chapter 1~

"Koora!" Fi'dre'n shouted for the third time in a row. The other four around the table sighed as they put down their cards. He grinned wildly as he pulled in the 'coins'. They were pieces of metal, which could be melted down and made into a weapon, or a piece of body-plating once he collected enough metal. Altogether, he had gathered one-hundred and twenty coins from his opponents, as well as the thirty of his own. Another good win! The other males around the table did not look happy at all, but the female was in a very dark mood; not because she had no coins left – the coins meant less to the females than the males – but because she had lost. Fi'dre'n decided it would be in his best interests if he did not gloat over his victory. "So…" he addressed the female, "What do you do back on the home world?"

Nidrua surveyed the rest of the lounge from his table in the centre of the room. This ship was his, along with its crew of twelve underlings, all blooded warriors looking to further their names with hunts. He looked around at his men enjoying the company of the three female guests, and could not help but smile. There was long-haired Uyari and broad little Ekkudo sitting on a reclining female's lap, each sitting on one of her legs. If they had done this with any other female, he was sure that they would need healing, but the one they were with seemed very friendly and was laughing along with him. Around one of the tables was the largest crowd; fierce young Fi'dre'n was playing Koora along with tall Trecha, ever-irascible Kekhani, fiery-eyed Askar'n and another female. Around them short Er'ed and Yojhain, the lad that wouldn't stop wearing that bloody mask of his, were watching the game's progress. On the table next to them, Shar-Issq talked (unsurprisingly) whilst his companion, Ah'ni'drin, the runt of the pack, yawned and moved his head in acknowledgement to what was being said – though Nidrua did not believe for a second that he was actually listening to Shar-Issq's babble. And on the very far side of the room, talking alone with the other female was his second-in-command, Jechonde. The female had taken a special interest in him, for his trophy case consisted of only the most presentable, ferocious and rare sport known (and even unknown, as one of his trophies had proved) to yautja-kind. Nidrua knew that the young warrior was going to go far. He had pride – enough to know to stand up for himself and let himself be seen, but only enough so that he was not a show-off, and cause him to kill himself by being blind from the truth: he was not invincible. He was not a god. And too many warriors thought that they were gods nowadays. As Nidrua watched his men with the females, he could not help but sigh. He was old; his retirement was near, and this would be his last mating season. He was the father of ninety-three suckers, but he felt that his real children were the lads he saw in front of him. He would miss them all.

Me'gaht entered the room, and when he saw his leader, he immediately strolled over to him.

"I thought you were meant to be piloting the ship. You did remember to put it on auto-pilot, didn't you?" Nidrua asked him rather patronisingly. Me'gaht gave him a blank stare. It did not instil confidence.

"I'll… get back to the bridge…" he said, turning to go. It was a pretty convincing performance up until the point where Me'gaht broke into a grin after he had almost fully turned away from Nidura's gaze.

"Come back here boy!" He demanded, and Me'gaht returned to his side, the grin still present. "Now why did you come here to see me?" Me'gaht took the smile from his face and began to absently touch one of his heavily decorated braids, the metal rings chinking against others in his hair.

"There was a message," he began. "We have been ordered to immediately investigate an incident on Yrr'gen, involving energy-readings like those given off by yautja weaponry near a known human outpost."

"So? A hunting party goes on a hunt – why should we investigate that?"

"The energy-readings are still being given out and are quite high. They do not think this is from human technology. The message came from the Arbitrators. They think that the attack was done by Bad Bloods." Nidrua growled as he stood up. He had once dealt with Bad Bloods before when he was as young as those around him now. They killed his leader and a few of his brothers-in-arms, but in the end all but one was killed – and he was hunted down later on. If Bad Bloods were involved, Nidrua would gladly put an end to them.

"Get Shar-Issq to navigate you to Yrr'gen. We must get to the planet as quickly as possible. Now we will have to get rid of these females as soon as possible, but I doubt that they will want to leave until they have what they want. Oh, I hate quick fumbles!" Nidrua commented, to see how the underling would react. There was very little response, so he decided to jab the knife in a little further. "Of course, you wouldn't know what a quick fumble feels like would you? Or any kind of intimate female contact…" He grinned, tilting his head and looking at the younger yautja sideways. Me'gaht grunted and furrowed his brows, pouting. Females had not taken any notice in his trophy-collection, and Me'gaht was sure it was because he didn't have a kainde amedha queen's skull. It always amused Nidrua to intimidate his subordinates – even after all of these years. But the time for play was over; work had to be done. "You're dismissed. Grab Shar-Issq and get to the bridge." Me'gaht bowed his head in respect for his leader, and – always being the one to take commands literally (especially for humour purposes) – he grabbed Shar-Issq by the neck, dragged him over the table and only once they were outside the door did he explain what he was needed for. Nidrua shook his head in disappointment. Well, they are what you make them, he thought to himself. At least Ah'ni'drin seemed happy to be relieved of his company. He turned back to the room and rubbed his hands together. The females would not be happy about leaving so soon – and neither would his men.

*

They arrived at the ooman outpost – and were shocked by what they found. There were bodies of children… of pregnant women… of a whole society – young and old – decimated in under an hour, from what they could tell. Flames even now licked at burning rubble, and skinned bodies still hung from the trees. The annihilation was incredible. He did not want to believe that once honourable warriors could do such a thing, and yet… remembering what he had witnessed Bad Bloods do all those centuries ago… he knew he had to. Nidrua's fist shook violently with rage. This was indeed the work of Bad Bloods – and he was going to make sure that their actions would not further taint the specie's name.

~End of Chapter 1~

A/N: Yup, this was one of those character introduction chapters. Obviously the pace is going to pick up.