Woot! I just finished the rough copy of this story! 18 chapters and 85 pages! Now for the arduous task of typing it! (unenthusiastically) Yay. I'm starting to write a spin off of this one now, so wait a while and I will start posting it. Thanx for all the reviews! Please give me more! I apologize for the shortness. Next chapter is longer.
C'ntlip- A strong alcoholic beverage.
Ki'cti-pa- Wrist blades.
Ki'cte- Enough.
Naxa- A type of fruit.
Kainde amedha- Hard Meat, Xenomorphs.
Pauk- Fuck.
Chapter 5
Guan-Thwei sat down on a big leather chair in the small kitchenette. He had a flask of c'ntlip and a slab of meat impaled on one of his knives. It felt good to be in a familiar place, eating familiar food. He put down the flask and lifted the meat up to his mouth. Then he leaned back, chewing reflectively. Suddenly there was a bang. Guan-Thwei tensed and rose slowly. He dropped the meat and extended his ki'cti-pa. He stalked to the door, barely making a sound. He tip-toed down the hall and straightened by the open armory door, waiting. With a roar he jumped around the corner, drawing back his right fist! The entity in the armory screamed and threw itself backwards. The Yautja stopped his blades in the nick of time; the razor tips a mere hair's breadth from the intruder's face. Guan-Thwei retracted the ki'cti-pa and leaned against the wall, putting a hand up to rub the scar on his brow. Matt stood up and brushed himself off.
"Hi…" he said uncertainly. Guan-Thwei sent a silent prayer up to the gods.
…..
"M'aat-hew, why you have to follow me?!?" Matt drew himself up to his full height, 6'2".
"I wanna be a warrior like you." Guan-Thwei growled and rubbed his head. "It's all right. Lee and I talked about it. She's going into foster care with a friend. We've been talking about her doing that for ages. Besides, no one would want a 16-year old kid moving in with them."
"You know nothing about Yautja! You cannot be a warrior! Oomans are seen as prey, you have not proven yourself to be a warrior! If you are not sent to the arenas, M'aat-hew, you will be an eta! A slave! If the Council finds out about this, I will either have all my status and trophies stripped from me and be reduced to an eta or I will be killed! PAUK!!!" Matt looked shocked,
"But w-"
"Ki'cte!" Guan-Thwei shouted, "Do you know any Yautian? Do you know about our society? Can you use a weapon? Do you know anything besides the small amount I have told you? NO!!! Because the ship is too far for me to turn back, we will still continue on. You will not speak of Ce'lia, you will not reveal what happened, you will not speak to any Yautja unless I tell you to and you will do as you are told! If you listen to me, my honor and your life will be secure! Leave me! Go wait in the, in the, the eating area until I think of a passable lie! I HATE lying to the Elders!" Matt scurried away, much cowed by the Yautja's rage.
…..
Guan-Thwei viciously punched and kicked a bag hanging from the ceiling, swearing an artful string of the most venomous curses in Yautian and English. He vented for over an hour, running out of swears long before he was finished. Finally he returned to the kitchenette. Matt looked on him in terror.
"M'aat-hew, I will not yell anymore. I feel better now, just don't say anything or I will lose it again. You will be my personal eta. I will be able to look after you then. When I am away on a hunt, you will stay with Nihkou'te. He will understand. I will make sure that you do not do too much work away from out chambers, at least until you can speak properly. If you behave I will begin teaching you to fight. Being an eta is very hard work; expect to work almost all day. If you want any food, eat now before entering a sleep pod." Matt tentatively opened the Yautja equivalent of a fridge and peered in. He held up an odd fruit.
"What's this?"
"Naxa. You will probably like it. Do not eat the kainde amedha flesh. You would not like it and it will make you sick." Guan-Thwei picked up his discarded knife and meat and began chewing on it again. Matt nibbled on the naxa. Guan-Thwei cocked his head.
"It's weird, but I like it. The meat you're eating kyi... Kain- what you said?" Guan-Thwei nodded.
"Hard Meat. It can only be eaten after it is bled and aged or it burns like acid." Guan-Thwei finished the greenish meat and left. After fiddling with the computer for a while, he set a spare pod for Matt. "M'aat-hew! Come!" Matt walked in a few minutes later, panting and flapping his shirt.
"Why is it so hot and humid? What's with the air?"
"This is how it is always on the Homeworld. There is more…more…" Guan-Thwei gestured hopelessly. "I do not know what oomans call it." He smirked slightly and added loftily, "This air is much better than your thin, dry air." Matt stuck his head into one of the open pods. "Get in. You are going to sleep for awhile." Matt climbed in and leaned against the padded back.
"So what do I do now?" The Yautja pressed a button and the lid closed on him. Then Guan-Thwei settled into his own pod and instantly dropped off into sleep.
