Disclaimer: As always I have no claim to the rights or money involved in the production of the predator movies. If I did, I sure would not complain.
Chapter Twelve
Poe watches from the doorway for their reactions to each other as Za'Ruc shows Tish her new home. He hopes she will accept her fate for if what happen on the platform is any indication of what her being here will be like, she needs to be as strong as any female he knows. He knew there would be trouble, but not as soon as the landing.
Za'Ruc notices Poe as he is descending the steps after showing Tish her new home. He leaves her to wander around to get a feel for the place.
"Come in and have a seat. How long have you been standing there?" Za'Ruc asks as he points to the chairs.
"Not long. How is Tish? Do you think she will like your place long enough to stay or should she stay at my place?" Poe says laughingly as he sits down.
"She has voice no complaints. She was surprise that I live in the trees." Za'Ruc replies.
"Well, you know that is unusual for us. The rest of us live on the ground below. Maybe you.." Poe comments, but is interrupted before he can finish his answer.
"Forget it. She is mine. I let the first remark slide, but not this time. You would lose her amongst your visual media books and research. Besides I am able to better protect her up here where the enemy can not sneak up on us." Za'Ruc says.
"You are referring to the incident back there. I was hoping you would not notice that little remark." Poe counters.
"Yes. What did you tell him?" Za'Ruc asks.
"Oh, I just reminded him that you can make him disappear without a trace and not think twice about it. You are aware that you have another enemy now. I do have to admire you for how you handle Elder Scqn'e. He hates oomans. Do you think he will contact Xuenjti?" Poe asks as he looks to see if Tish is near.
"I am not concern that Raj-Kum and his friends are tick off at me. Someone needs to knock that block off his shoulder. Over confidence is dangerous to ones health. I wanted to hit Elder Scqn'e for treating Tish that way. I do not fear the old man. If they are stupid enough to send for him, they deserve whatever Xuenjti gives them." Za'Ruc says as he stands up.
"So how do you like this place?" Poe asks as he stands up when Tish enters the room.
"It is amazing. I never expected to live in a tree and have such space. Poe is your place anything like this? I did not interrupt anything, did I?" Tish answers as they sit down.
"No on both counts. I have a single level place with too many visual media books and such." Poe says.
"BOOKS, but how? Everything looks so simple. No offense for I know about your ships and weapons, but look around you." Tish says with a surprise look on her face.
"Tish just because we live simple does not mean that we are primitive. We are a warrior race. We live our lives around the hunts. Where is the thrill or challenge if we just blow up our enemies? You understand the importance of staying sharp." Za'Ruc counters.
"Yes. To become dependent on weapons and not skills makes you weak. So living in nice cushy places and have everything you ever need at a touch of a button is unproductive, like me." Tish says with a sigh.
"Not like you, just oomans in general. You were forced out of the easy ways and forced to live off the land. You are not weak so never again think that way. Technically you are not ooman, but a better quality." Poe states venomously.
"You can not tell me that my presence here will not cause problems. On the walk here I saw no other humans. You saw how those two reacted toward me. One wanted me as a lo..lo..love slave and the other just wanted me dead. Try to deny it. So why?" Tish says staring at Za'Ruc silently pleading for a true answer.
"I never deny the fact that your presence here would not raise questions. I have never back down from a challenge before so why should I now? Our climate is a hot and humid one that most oomans can not handle. You will never have to be a love slave to anyone. Just stay away from Raj-Kum and you will be alright." Za'Ruc states.
"You still have not told me why yet. Za'Ruc why bring me here?" Tish asks wearily.
"Simple. You have a warrior spirit in you that equals ours. You did not have to help us, but you did. I could not leave you to fend off those creatures knowing that helping us could be adding more problems upon you. You are of use here. Besides you will like it here better." Za'Ruc replies.
"That makes no sense. If I did not know any better, I would say that is a typical human male answer. However being the female that I am, I will let you get away with that answer for now. In the future try to come up with something more of an original response." Tish states with a shake of her head.
Poe just starts to laugh at the way Za'Ruc stiffens his back and how bold Tish can be. Here is this female standing up to not one but two alien warriors who could kill her with just one blow. And we are not doing anything to stop her from doing it.
Za'Ruc looks at Poe and then at Tish and he too starts to laugh. He finally getting what she means and the sees the joke is on him.
Tish is looking at them like they just grew two heads. Za'Ruc is too serious and Poe is his counter to keep him humble in someways. A true friend if I ever saw one.
Their laughter is like a cross between a rumble and a purr. The combinations is a thrilling feeling. And like all laughter when one laughs we all laugh. So she just joins in.
"So you are interested in books?" Poe asks Tish as the laughter dies down.
"Yes I do. I use to read all the time before the experiments took place. After that there was no time for reading. You know with all the hunting and all." Tish answers
"Why did those oomans experimented on you?" Za'Ruc asks hoping to find the logic in it.
"Simple. They wanted the perfect fighting machine to control. History shows that steroids and radiation can alter the bodies molecular foundation. The more they experimented, the worst the results became. Some of the men turned into a vegetated state, totally of no use to the docs. With me something went wrong during the mixing of the chemicals, and I became what I am today. They have been trying to copy the formula, but not with the same results. I totally refuse to let them take any of my blood once I realize what they were trying to do. I do not know what I am anymore." Tish says with such hatred.
"You are my aseigan now. One of us if you will wish it. Mind you we can be brutal in ways, but treated fair in what is expected of you." Za'Ruc says.
"What do you mean by us?" Tish asks.
"US as in Poe, Alpha, myself. Why?" Za'Ruc says.
"Alpha? I can not believe that you would want me. I mean with the different race and all." Tish counters.
"As I said earlier you are not just a ooman. You are more like us than you know. Not just anyone can put up with us. We are not as lovable as you may think." Poe says with a lopsided look.
Tish could do nothing but shake her head in a I can not believe this is happening look to her. Here are two giants trying to make her feel wanted like you would to a stray. In a way that is how she feels.
"If I do not like it here, will you let me go?" Tish asks testing the limits of this new situation. She knows the answer before she even asks though.
"No! I will not let you go. Where would you go anyways?" Za'Ruc asks.
"Where else another planet that is where." Tish says calmly.
"Well forget it for it will not happen. Understand." Za'Ruc commands.
"Yes old mighty one." Tish says trying hard not to laugh at this conversation.
"Good. Now how about something to eat. There is food in the preparation room." Za'Ruc says.
Taking the hint Tish leaves the room to see what she can get them to eat. As she is going through all the cabinets hunting for food, Za'Ruc and Poe talk.
"You know she is only teasing you about leaving." Poe says to Za'Ruc when he looks at her leaving the room.
"How can you be so sure. Life here will be hard for her if she rebels. And she will." Za'Ruc says.
"Then you will have to teach her how to defend herself against us. Once she starts kicking butts, she will be able to tolerate it here." Poe says finally getting his attention.
"Train her in what way? And when?" Za'Ruc asks.
"The only way a warrior is trained. I think you can squeeze her in during your busy training sessions." Poe states plainly as if everyone knows it.
Before he can answer that Tish enters the room with a tray full of fruits, roots and what vaguely smells like papaya juice.
"This is all I could find that is eatable. No fresh meat tonight. So eat up." Tish announces as she puts the tray down on the table.
As the guys eat Tish starts to clean the place for it is dusty. As she cleans Tish wonders what it will like living here. Za'Ruc has no doubts about all of this, but Tish knows without a doubt that there will be trouble. She will do her best to make the best of the situation. It is the least she can do for them considering they did save her life.
