xXx

Several hours had past and Hiram had gotten bored of relaxing. He left his room and headed for the science examination room. While still walking down the hallway, he noticed the door was open. He was still a ways away from the room so he pondered why it was the door was opened. He guessed one of the scientists was about to leave.

He came closer to the room, he heard some rustling around. A loud scream escaped from the room. It wasn't one of his fellow Yautja, so he guessed it was the Ooman. Then he wondered why she would be screaming.

One of the scientists flew out of the room and hit the opposite wall. Hiram ran up to the room and looked in. The other Yautja was knocked out. Above him, a metal vent tile was falling off. He went back to the Yautja that was thrown out of the room. He grabbed his arm and pulled him off the ground harshly.

"What did you do to the female?" He barked

"I guess we provoked her…" The Yautja passed out

Hiram threw him to the ground. This was great. The Female had escaped into the ceiling and now could be anywhere in the ship. The scientists could have done an array of things to provoke her.

Hiram stood silently, collecting himself. He walked down to the Xerxes's room. This was going to take a while for Hiram to explain.

xXx

Aleris scampered through a ventilation pipe. It was pitch black inside of it, but for some reason, Aleris could see perfectly. She looked down each vent she came up before moving on. Most of the rooms were empty or had sleeping Jamaicans in them. They all looked alike, but then again, so did Humans, so she had no room to talk.

She came up to another vent. There were Jamaicans talking to one another. After a closer inspection, Aleris realized one of them was her friend. This made Aleris feel better for some reason.

He was talking with another Jamaican. He seemed of higher rank. He wore a robe that was a crimson colour. They clicked and whistled at one another. She stayed still, watching them carefully.

Hiram stood before his Leader. He was trying to explain the lot of problems that had arisen since bringing the Female on board the ship.

Xerxes was more than just a little angry. He had allowed Hiram to bring the Pyode Amedha Female under the conditions that he kept a close eye on her. Now she was running free. This was just great.

"Where is the female?" Xerxes spoke in a bold, demanding tone

"I don't know. I left her in the care of the scientists. They must have provoked her in some way…"

Aleris tried to figure out what they were saying, but came up with nothing. She relied on body language to figure it out. From what she saw, her friend was getting a talking to. A big one.

Much like a lion coming into a foreign pride, Hiram kept his head lowered. The other, higher, Jamaican was obviously dominant. Oh how much Aleris wanted to go down there and smack the other guy. Not that it would much good, mind you, but it would make her feel better.

The other Jamaican left quickly. Her friend just stood there, doing nothing with his back to her. She decided to take this chance and make things right.

She quietly lifted up vent and took it off its base. She slid it across from her and looked back down the hole. Her friend was still facing away from her. She flipped her legs in front of her and slid them out of the hole, being ever so careful not to make a noise. She jumped out of the hole, landing on the floor gently and with little sound.

Hiram turned quickly at the sound. It was the Female. This was wonderful. He walked up to her and grabbed both of her arms. He was going to yell at her for getting him into so much trouble, but chose not to when she smiled at him.

He read about this behavior in his textbooks. The Pyode Amedha would smile at those things which they favored. They would often smile to fellow Pyode Amedha that they had a special relationship towards. This meant she trusted him and liked him enough to find him in the ventilation shaft. This was a good sign.

The automatic door behind Hiram opened. He spun around and met Xerxes head on.

"What are you still doing here?" He barked out

Xerxes looked next to Hiram. The Female was standing by him. But, how did she get into here?

Aleris hid behind her friend. She saw this Jamaican with the piercing stare and obvious higher status among the Jamaicans. Oh yes. This is what they would call 'In shit over your head'. She finally found her friend and now she was going to die by way of deadly stare.

Xerxes barked at Hiram. Hiram knew that he was in trouble, but not as much as he was before. He wanted the Ooman Female moved into a Quarantine cell until he could figure out what to do with her. Hiram objected to this. Hiram was always a bit slow.

Hiram tried to pull the whole ethicalities issues and tried to convince Xerxes that she might be the Kainde Amedha/Pyode Amedha hybrid. That would mean they would have to keep her around and study her. Xerxes refused flatly, stating that she may escape again. Hiram assured him that she would not flee if he were doing to examination. Xerxes refused again.

Aleris knew something was going down. Hiram showed the body language of a little kid who was trying to sweet talk a parent into giving them a cookie. That never worked. She guessed she was the topic of conversation. She didn't want to be taken away and sent back to the planet full of dragons. Things had just gotten too weird for her there. She eyed the ventilation shaft while still keeping her friend between her and the uglier Jamaican.

Xerxes made a deal with Hiram. He would only put the Ooman female into Quarantine until they could figure out a way to keep her from getting away again. Of course Xerxes was lying, but Hiram believed him. Xerxes wanted to figure out how the Oomans made her, then make more and possibly use her to make The Hunt with the Kainde Amedha more challenging, if that was even possible. Yes, she may be useful to use for their own needs.

The ugly Jamaican took a step closer to Aleris and her friend. She was confident he wouldn't be able to get her, since she was behind her friend, but he moved out of the way. He moved closer, his hand outstretched for her. There was no way she was going back. She turned and jumped up, grabbing the lip of the vent. Swinging her feet up first, she slid into it and scampered off.

Xerxes growled in frustration. This couldn't be happening! Not on his ship. He shot a look to Hiram. He was laughing at him, deep down; he could feel it. Xerxes spun around and left the room in an angry rage.

Hiram chuckled to himself. It would take them a little while to find the female. That would give him enough time to find the Female and keep her safe.

xXx

Hiram walked down one of the numerous dark hallways in the ship. They were still orbiting Ee-arth. Hiram didn't know why, but he didn't want to question his leader again. He may be a Blooded Warrior, but Xerxes would not hesitate to bring him down a few notches. Some fellow Yautja ran past him.

"They caught the Ooman" One of the Yautja said as they passed him

Hiram ran after them. He couldn't believe they caught her so quickly. He made it to the Quarantine cell in little time. The other Yautja had broken off to go somewhere else. Hiram went to the Cell. He went up to the door and looked into the cell window.

The female was inside, chains draping off of her body as if it were another skin that were all attached to the floor surrounding her. She was sitting on her legs, staring up to the ceiling. There was no way she was getting out, he knew she knew.

'A Captive Queen…' He though to himself

Xerxes walked up to Hiram. He noticed that Hiram was looking into the cell.

"I had to do it, Hiram" Xerxes said in a calm tone this time

"What are you going to do with her?" Hiram was not all there. He didn't want to see the female in this situation

"We may have to send her back…" Hiram interrupted Xerxes

"What?" Hiram spun around and took a threatening step towards Xerxes. "Why?"

"She is a risk we cannot take"

Xerxes tried to convince Hiram that it was priority to get her off. She was a security risk. She could snap and turn every Kainde Amedha within her reach against them. That would not be good. Hiram was being stubborn and wouldn't let Xerxes dispose of her.

Some alarms started to go off and red lights flashed. A computerized Yautja voice began to talk over intercoms.

'Kainde Amedha loose on ship' It said over and over again

Xerxes looked to Hiram. They must have picked up some Kainde Amedha while getting him and the female.

"We can use the female to get rid of the Kainde Amedha" Hiram said

Xerxes paused. He didn't like the idea, but he didn't have much of a choice. "Fine! Just keep a close eye on her!"

Xerxes ran down a dark hallway. Hiram was left alone with the female. He looked back to the female through the window. She was looking back at him, staring intently. Hiram could almost feel her gaze penetrate his soul. It was time she earned her place among his fellow Yautja.