Chapter 9: Leadership
Mac-11: I'm back with the new chapter. I guess that cliff hanger I gave was worse than I thought. After reading it myself I was thinking 'Damn, I'm harsh.' Anyway here's the new chapter.
"What?" asked the current clan leader making sure he heard correctly. "I didn't studder. I said I challenge you," replied Netak. "I don't accept," answered Merc'rk. "You can't not accept. You're the clan leader... for the moment," he added. "Netak, we have no time for this! The clan is in danger," said the bough Predator. Netak thought for a moment. He didn't really want to command the clan. He just wanted to prove he was better than Merc'rk and kill him while he was at it. "It's their fault for being weak enough to be captured. Now draw your spear and let us do battle," Netak said before getting into a fighting stance. "I'm surprised to hear you say that seeing as how you were once captured before, but I'm afraid I have no choice," said the clan leader as he drew his spear.
Meanwhile...
Jason was the first to awaken. His body hurt all over and he could feel the blood rushing to his head. He realized he was in a cocoon and couldn't move. He could some how move his mouth. There was only one thing to do. He bit the webbing in front of him and took a bite. It tasted horrible, but at least he could eat a hole big enough for him to see out side. Once he was finished eating that hole he wished he hadn't done it.
Outside he saw a large spider web that had been made between two large trees. He was probably in one too. He could see a struggling cocoon. It was shaped like a human so he knew it must have been one of the guys from the other patrols that were sent out. Just then he saw the large Xenomorph spider crawl over to it. Its large fangs extended and it plunged them into the cocoon. Whoever was inside the cocoon screamed. Jason didn't recognize the scream so it wasn't one of the men in his squad. A few moments later and the screaming became weaker until it was completely gone and the cocoon lie motionless. The spider crawled away and disappeared.
After it crawled away he found out why the blood was going to his head. His cocoon was also entangled in the web, only he had the unfortunate luxury of being entangled upside down. Jason tried to turn his head. It budged. Apparently eating a hole for his face to look out loosened his head. However he wasn't willing to eat anymore due to the terrible taste.
A groan came from someone nearby. "Hello?" called the marine. "Who's there?" came the voice of Sean. Several other groans were heard soon after. "You guys OK?" asked Sean. "Yeah," they all answered. It was good that their voices could be heard through the cocoons. "Damn, I feel like I was a car fender used in a demolition derby," said Richard.
"Sean? Jason? Oomans is that you?" asked Essra. "Who was that?!" asked Bebop. "Don't worry Bebop. She's a friend," said Richard. "Essra where are you?" asked Sean. "I'm above you cocooned on the branch of a tree," she answered. "I can see you," said Jason. "Anyone got a plan?" asked Steve.
Sean had an idea that quickly popped into his head. They had dropped their weapons when they fell off the cliff and all of them were still in that blanket of silk... unless someone held onto theirs. "Anyone still holding their weapons?" he asked. "Over here," said Meagan. She had hand guns so it would have be easier for her to hold onto them. Meagan's hand guns were pointed at different angles inside her cocoon, but her fingers were still on the triggers. "Fire them," ordered Sean. Meagan squeezed the triggers and the guns fired.
Jason felt something skim the neck of his cocoon. "Whoa! Stop! Hold it!" Meagan stopped firing at the sound of his urgency. "One of those nearly killed me!" he screamed. "Sorry," she apologized. His voice was at her right so she knew it was her right hand gun that nearly hit him. "Okay that was a bad plan," Sean admitted. "Don't worry everyone. I have activated my homing beacon. The rest on the clan will be here soon," informed Essra. Another groan was heard. "Hello?" asked Bebop. "Yeah," said Reco'de.
"Reco'de? That thing got you too," said Richard. "Yes. Is Essra here?" he asked. "I'm up here," she said. "Great," the Predator said in a sarcastic tone. Bebop had no idea who or what the Predator's were, but if they were the other marine's friends he guessed he could trusted them too. "Hey guys how come I don't know anything about these "friends" of yours?" he asked. "Oh yeah that's right. You Steve, and Meagan don't know anything about how we met," said Richard. "Well, I guess we can't do anything right know until the rest of the clan comes so we might as well tell them," said Sean. "Okay. Well it all started when me, Sean, and Richard were sent to a planet called Lv-1201..." started Jason and he began to tell them the whole story of their adventure on the planet.
Meanwhile...
Shou'nk continued leaping from tree to tree. He stopped when he felt the sudden dizziness again. If he stopped moving it would go away and then come back later with more force as he began to move again. Most of the acid burns had healed and the wound where the spider's jointed leg had stabbed him also was healed, but his left arm was still fractured, the venom hadn't been completely removed, and the two holes where the spider's fangs had pierced his body hadn't completely healed either. He was in bad shape.
He kept leaping to the next tree with his clan in mind. Suddenly some acid web landed on a branch right next to him. He saw where it came from and looked up to find the spider. They recognized each other. That shot the spider gave was for a kill or it would have use normal spider silk to wrap him up. Shou'nk grabbed his spear and jumped at the arachnid. It leaped away to a different tree. Shou'nk landed on the branch that it just leaped from.
Shou'nk had ten shuriken when he first came to the planet. The spider had already burnt up four of them in his first fight, leaving him with six left .He grabbed three of his shuriken and threw them at the spider. They began cutting through several branches and kept getting closer and closer to their target. The spider spat out more of its acid silk at them. The silk engulf the shuriken along with more tree branches. It shot a burst of silk at him too. The young predator jumped of the branch and onto another one. The branch he was previously on burned to a crisp.
The spider jumped to a branch next to his. It tried to stab him with its pointy jointed legs, but the young hunter was to fast and blocked it with his spear. It kept poking at him with it front two sets of legs while it stood on it back two sets. Shou'nk could only use his right arm and was just barely able to keep up with the spider. Shou'nk blocked several other strikes before giving one his own. He slashed back and cut off the spider's mid-front left leg. It gave a howl and then leaped away from Shou'nk.
The wounded hunter felt the dizziness again and fell on one knee. The spider noticed this and fired a clean stream of silk. The dizziness left just in time for Shou'nk to get up and put his spear in the way of the acid silk. The acid line wrapped around the spear. The hunter yanked his spear to his right as hard as he could. It pulled on the silk that was still attached to the spider's mouth swinging the spider off the branch and through several branches and trees. Shou'nk pulled back and the spearhead cut the silk on it. The spider fell to the ground with several cuts and gashes that leaked acidic blood.
The Predator jumped off the branch he was on and down at the spider with his spear held high. The spider leaped away just in time to dodge the blow. Shou'nk felt the nausea come back from the speed he had moved at after jumped. He fell on one knee again a waited for it to subside. The Xenomorph spider saw the open window of attack and sprayed acid silk at him. The dizziness subsided and Shou'nk leaped back to dodge it. He barely dodged it and some the silk had gotten on his right shoulder and right leg. It began to burn immediately.
Shou'nk ripped off the webbing that was burning his body with his left arm, which was still broken. Doing this caused him extreme pain and burned his hand a little. He looked up and found the spider right in front of him. It raised its jointed leg and stabbed him in his left thigh. It pierced right through it and nailed him to the ground. It used one of its other legs to kick the spear out of the hunter's hands. Its fangs extended and it was about stick them into him. Shou'nk quickly grabbed one of his remaining three shuriken. He activated it and with all the strength he could muster shoved it into its gut. Acid blood leaked out and dripped all over his hand. The shuriken had melted, but its damage had been done. The spider leaped away and jumped from tree to tree back to its web where it was holding the others.
Shou'nk began to feel the nausea again, but he shook it off and pulled out his medicomp. He would need to use it now and fast so he could save his clan. He only had two shuriken left.
Meanwhile...
Netak gave a strike to Merc'rk's neck. The bough predator blocked it and slashed back. Netak was indeed faster with his spear. They broke out in a fighting frenzy of slashes, blocks, and dodging. Merc'rk was struggling to keep up with him. Netak kick his leader off the branch he was on. He swiftly jumped off after him.
Merc'rk grabbed another branch while he was falling. He swung around and over it and kick Netak with both his feet as he was coming down. Netak flew back and into a tree trunk. He slumped down onto another tree branch. Merc'rk jumped down at him and was ready to make a slash. Netak jumped up back at him also ready to make a slash. They met in mid-air and slashed. When they landed in separate trees they both found a very deep gash on their left sides that was dripping neon green blood. Netak turned around and jumped to the same tree Merc'rk was in. His clan leader also turned around.
They broke out into another fighting frenzy. It was now a challenge of who would last longer. Netak was more skilled with his spear, but Merc'rk had more muscles to compensate for it. Just when it seemed like it would go on forever Netak knocked the spear out of Merc'rk's hands. It flew out of the tree and landed in the ground below spearhead first.
"Any last words?" said Netak. Merc'rk then realized what he could do. It was a very slim chance, but it was better than nothing. "At least I've got something you don't," he said. "Whatever. You're dead," It all happened so fast. Netak ran at Merc'rk and slashed at him. The clan leader grabbed the spear by the shaft with his metal arm. He switched arms holding the spearhead and gathered all his strength in his metal arm. He threw the hardest punch he could muster.
Merc'rk's metallic fist connected with Netak's stomach. Netak was hit with a force that could blow down a brick house. He flew out of the tree, straight through a tree trunk, and landed on the ground hard. The tree fell over and collapsed on the ground.
Merc'rk jumped out of the tree and walked over to his clan mate. He grabbed him by his collar and lifted him off his feet. He then pulled him closer so they were face to face. Netak was on the brink of unconsciousness. "Netak, I am sparing your life and you now owe it to me. All I ask in return is that you obey my commands. That is all," said the clan leader who just defended his title. Netak heard every word and then he fell unconscious.
Meanwhile...
"...And so that's what happened," finished Jason. He had told them everything about what they had previously done with the Predators. To his surprise the two Predators even helped some. "That's some story," remarked Bebop. "Yeah, brings back some good memories," said Jason.
A light click came from Essra's wrist computer. "What was that?" asked Steve. "After the homing beacon is activated my wrist computer will give a signal that one of the clan is within twenty-five meters and that was the signal," answered Essra. "Why not use beeps?" asked Steve. "Beeps are too loud and attract hard meat," she said.
Just then they heard a tree branch break. They all remained silent for a while. Another branch broke. Then the sound of several foot steps filled the air. "It's back!" cried Richard. Jason heard the many foot steps, but he couldn't see it. Suddenly the web began to shake violently. The spider was crawling up the web with extreme haste. Jason could feel it getting closer to him. "It's hungry!" he yelled. "And it's coming towards me!" he yelled again. As it came closer it got inside Jason limited field of vision from out side the cocoon. "It's right next to me!" he yelled as he saw the large fangs begin to extend.
They all began to panic and worry. None of them could think of an idea in time. That is none of them, but Meagan. She remembered her shots that she fired earlier nearly hit Jason and if the spider was next to him...
The reporter began to rapidly pull the trigger of the pistol in her right hand. The bullets flew out of the cocoon hit the spider in the head and abdomen several times. Jason felt another bullet skim across his cocoon.
The clip ran empty after nine shots. The spider now jumped across his web and next to Meagan's cocoon. The web shook again at its impact. The Xenomorph crawled next to her cocoon and the other gun Meagan had was not at a good angle. The spider readied its fangs for a good meal.
Suddenly a shuriken flew by and cut off one of the spider's fangs. The arachnid jumped off its web and back onto the ground. It roared at Shou'nk who just came out of the jungle as if a warning. 'Oh yeah, like that'll stop me,' thought the young hunter with sarcasm. However the odds were still against him. He had more burns now, a still broken left arm, the venom continued to cause him nausea, and to top it all off he had only two operational shuriken left. Very bad odds.
The spider continued to roar at him, but it wasn't helping. Shou'nk charged the arachnid and pulled out his spear. He gave a powerful slash, but the spider blocked it with the point of its jointed leg. The Xenomorph stabbed at him with its other front legs. The Predator used the other end of his spear to block it. Shou'nk had to fight three pointy legs with a spear using one arm, a very difficult task.
It continued to try and stab him and Shou'nk continued to block the pointy legs. Shou'nk found an open spot and slashed. The Xenomorph noticed this and jumped away from and onto a branch just in time to dodge it. Shou'nk jumped up after him, but it leaped away again this time on it web. The young Predator couldn't jump on the web or he would get stuck. The hunter threw one of his shuriken, but the spider was not its target. It cut through the large web holding his clan and friends. A large portion of the spider web collapsed. The spider noticed it was aiming for the web and sprayed the shuriken with acid silk. The Shuriken dissolved.
The spider then shot a clean stream at Shou'nk. It wrapped around the young warrior. It started to burn his skin. The impact made him drop his spear. His right arm was free from the silk. Shou'nk grabbed his last shuriken. The spider was trying to pull him down, but Shou'nk was resisting.
This was his last shuriken. If it missed that would mean he lost. Shou'nk threw it at the spider. It flew for a second, but that second seemed like an hour. Shou'nk watched closely. It hit and cut through the part on the spider's body that connected the head with the abdomen. The spider fell to the ground and died.
The victorious Predator ripped off the webbing on his body. Shou'nk was about free his clan and friends when he felt a heavy amount nausea. It was so heavy and then came a large migraine. Shou'nk collapsed on the ground and fell unconscious.
At that exact moment Merc'rk showed up while holding an unconscious Netak who was slung over his shoulder. He saw the dead spider and the unconscious form of Shou'nk. He also saw the web holding his clan and the marines.
He put Netak's body next to Shou'nk's and walked over to the web. He activated his plasma flechette and fired it down the web. The web and the clan and marines came down in a few minutes. Merc'rk walked over to them and freed them one by one with his wrist blades. They all headed back to the ship to get some much needed rest.
Meanwhile past the web lies a blanket of silk. It had the marine's weapons in it and it had their imprints. It was the same silk they fell in and where they got caught in the first place. Under it lays an eggs sac that was beating with life and about over one-hundred eggs.
Mac-11: That's the end of that chapter. By the way everyone I'm starting a new thing where I answer everyone's reviews. After you see me talk just look under it and if you reviewed the last chapter your name should be there and I'll say something to you. I'll be starting this next chapter.