xXx

Xerxes stood at the helm of his ship. The Yautja around him typed away on the computers. His team recovered the soil samples just fine, but that didn't have anything to do with the current problem.

About an hour ago he had received a report of a Yautja attacking Aleris not long after he gave her the mark. She had disappeared into the ventilation shafts again after the fight. She hadn't shown since then and Xerxes had become increasingly worried.

Not for her safety, but for the well being of Hiram and Tangoroa. Both had been stressing over her safety since they got word of the fight and saw the hole from her blood. Xerxes needed to find her to make sure his me didn't worry themselves sick. But there was also another problem.

They also had scattered energy readings throughout the ship. Readings that would come onto the screen and leave just as quickly. Xerxes didn't like not knowing what was on his ship. To add to that, several holes had appeared in the security grid. Anything could come and attack them now.

"Have you found her yet?" Xerxes asked

"Not yet sir. We have found several more holes in the security grid though" A Yautja officer said

This was just great. More and more holes were showing up as time went on and they still hadn't found where Aleris was. He figured she was in one of the holes.

"Sir. We have figured out what the scattered energy readings are" Another Yautja officer said

"What are they?" Xerxes was weary in knowing

"They are Kainde Amedha energy signatures"

He really didn't want to hear that. That was a bigger problem than he needed. He looked back to Hiram and Tangoroa, who were both sitting by the door, with deep sadness on their faces.

"She'll be ok. The Kainde Amedha will not hurt her" Xerxes assure them

"That is not the problem" Tangoroa said

Xerxes looked at them longer. He knew that wasn't the problem. He was just trying to reassure them.

"What if they kill other Yautja? You'll have to kill them and her if she gets in the way" Hiram said

"I can make sure she doesn't get hurt in any way" Xerxes said strongly. He very well knew he couldn't promise that, but if it made them feel better, then he would lie to them.

The two Yautja nodded their heads at him. They got up slowly, still deeply sad and worried, and walked out of the bridge. Tangoroa broke off from Hiram almost immediately. He patted Hiram and the shoulder and reassured that Aleris would be returned to him, safe and sound. Hiram understood, but felt no better. Tangoroa, knowing he had done all he could, disappeared into one of the countless rooms on the ship.

Hiram continued down the hallways, walking slowly. He couldn't stop thinking about Aleris. He couldn't live if she were hurt or killed. He finally made it to his sleeping quarters. He walked into his room and sat on his bed, facing the wall.

All was quite on the Western Front.

A thud within the room walls startled Hiram. Quickly he looked around himself, but saw no one. Another loud thud filled the room. Hiram stood up quickly, ready to attack. A last thud followed by crashing and something fell through the shaft opening within the room. Everything settled and all was quite again.

It was Aleris. She had fallen through the vent cover…again.

Hiram was relieved, but that soon left when he realized that she wasn't getting up. He started to walk towards her, but he was caught off guard when the three Kainde Amedha jumped down from the shaft above and knocked him back. They circled around Aleris, ready to lay down their lives for their Queen.

Hiram could see that she was hurt. A wound on her torso, her shirt was missing around her wound, burnt off, and her blood had had time to dry on her skin. He wanted so badly to over to her, hold her and make her better, but he knew the Kainde Amedha Drones would not allow him to get any closer to her.

The Kainde Amedha swayed form side to side, watching the Yautja carefully. Their Queen had told them that they could not attack one of them unless they attacked first.

Aleris stood up shakily. She was still in much pain and clutched her stomach. It had begun to heal already and so it was a good pain.

Hiram called out to her. "Are you ok?" He knew she wasn't, but he wanted to know from her

"Yeah, I'm doing well. My new friends are helping me" she laughed to herself

"Where did the Kainde…your friends…come from?"

"They told me that the ship landing on their planet woke them up" Aleris set her hand on one of the Kainde Amedha's head and petted it gently. It hissed lovingly at the contact. "They felt me, when I was in trouble and they came and saved me. They are helping me heal"

Hiram remembered that fact. That Kainde Amedha can help heal each other faster than if they were on their own. She would probably be completely healed within two days time.

Hiram needed to get her to Xerxes without the Kainde Amedha shredding everyone on the ship.

The intercom in the room opened. "Hiram. We still cannot find Aleris" Xerxes said unhappily

"That is because she is in my sleeping quarters with me"

"She's there? With you! Bring her to me immediately!" The link closed

Hiram looked back to Aleris. She eyes were wide open. She had heard what Xerxes said.

"He doesn't sound too happy" She said calmly

"He's relieved your ok. Trust me. Now we have to get you to the bridge to see him" Hiram said happily. "But what about your friends?"

"I'm bringing them with me. Don't worry. They won't try and kill anyone. I've told them they can't hurt anyone except if they try and hurt me" Aleris said

"Fine by me"

Hiram headed for the door in his room. Aleris followed him, quickly latching onto his arm lovingly as they walked down the hallway. She was very happy to see him again. The three Kainde Amedha followed close by. They would guard their Queen and the Yautja that she was so fond of.

xXx

The automatic door to the bridge opened. Xerxes looked over his shoulder to see who was coming in. Tangoroa stood next to him, and also looked over his shoulder.

Hiram walked into the bridge, head high, feet strong. This surprised both of them. Just a little while before he could barely keep his head up. Now he was strong. He moved to the side and revealed Aleris. Tangoroa was hit by a rush of emotions he never knew he had.

He ran to her, hoping to give her a hug or just touch her. When he got close to her he was thrown back when her Kainde Amedha jumped out in between them, hissing and waving their tails threateningly. All the Yautja within the room jumped up and prepared for a fight. Xerxes turned completely around and barked at Hiram.

"What did you bring into my bridge?"

"Don't worry! They're safe! They won't hurt anyone that doesn't attack first" Aleris jumped in

Xerxes exhaled loudly. He didn't know what he was going to do with this girl. She was wreaking havoc and still staying alive. He didn't know whether to kill her or praise her.

Aleris relaxed only slightly. "I don't want you guys to hurt my friends" She said calmly

Xerxes looked at her, gazing over her body and wound and at the Kainde Amedha that surrounded her. He sighed and motioned his officers to be at ease. They reluctantly went back to work, but still tense, expecting an attack.

Xerxes looked back to Aleris. Her Kainde Amedha had eased as well, nuzzling her hands and legs lovingly, showing that she had some unspoken power over them. They would listen to her no matter what she asked.

"I'll make you a deal Aleris" Xerxes said

Aleris looked up at him, checking his eyes for an ulterior motive. She found none.

"Ok. What is it?"

Xerxes explained to her what had happened on her home planet since she had been gone.

In that time, they planet had been almost completely over run by Kainde Amedha. A group of people had tried to kill what they thought was the only Queen on the planet, but she had moved so their attack was in vain. They had used their most powerful weapon in their hand and the most devastating. They had a nuclear weapon to kill the Queen, but all it did was destroy miles of land and kill thousands of Oomans and other creatures in its wake.

This was not the only problem for the Yautja. There were two Queens on the planet. The one that Aleris met was sent to a facility in China soon after their encounter to keep her from reproducing more. Well, she escaped and now there are millions upon millions of Kainde Amedha in China. The other Queen was kept in the United States and she also escaped and reproduced rapidly. The world was almost completely Kainde Amedha.

A few pockets of people had hid out and survived, but they were decreasing in number. Now, Kainde Amedha were not use to being within good distance within each other. The Queens were usually on different planets, but there were two Queens on this one. A war was waging between the two of them. They wanted to other one dead so she could rule the whole planet. The Queen in the United States had moved from the United States to Europe with her drones to fight the other Queen head on.

This was Aleris' mission. Xerxes was sending her to the Planet and leaving her there with her Kainde Amedha. It was up to her to rid the entire planet of most of the Kainde Amedha. The Yautja would keep contact with her to make sure she fulfilled her mission. If she did, she would be highly honored within the clan and would have deserved the respect of all the Yautja. She would be higher in honor than Xerxes himself. If she failed, Xerxes would have to destroy the entire planet to make sure the infestation would not spread.

Hiram was worried that she would get harmed during the fight but Aleris reassured him that she would have her friends to protect her. Tangoroa also was worried about her, but knew she could do it. She was strong enough to do anything.

Xerxes placed a great deal of trust in Aleris. He had faith she would prevail. If she completed her mission and returned alive, he would be able to finally relax for the rest of his days.