Kjon's Audio Diary Log
June 13, 2621.
I saw Ch'ris' face go white as the bad blood spoke. "It is you're sister ,Zell-oah. She is our pack leader." I will admit I was also a little surprised to here that myself.
Ch'ris was in shock. He couldn't believe what he was hearing, which he didn't, or at least he was trying not to at first. "No! This cannot be! You lie!" Ch'ris bellowed angrily smacking the Yatja.
"I swear to you clan leader, it is true! It is Zell-oah! She is our leader!" The bad blood said panicking, as he begged Ch'ris to stop beating him.
"Liar! Answer me the truth or I shall turn you over to Kjon!" I could see that Ch'ris wouldn't believe, but at the same time I could tell he knew that what the bad blood was telling him was true.
"Please don't clan leader! I swear! I speak the truth!" He continued to cry. "Please do not hurt me Abomination! I promise you both! What I say is true!"
"Ch'ris stop it! I think he means it." I told my friend to quit beating him.
"I do! I do! I assure you, every word I speak is the truth!" The bad blood whimpered helplessly. Ch'ris saw the look in the young Predator's eyes. He also saw the look of belief in mine. I knew he didn't want to believe it, but it was true. He couldn't deny it.
"Is this true?!" Ch'ris asked one last time to be certain. The bad blood responded with an affirmative nod. I could see Ch'ris was heartbroken by the revelation that his sister was conspiring against him. I couldn't imagine how overwhelming the pain was for him to know that she was going against not just him and the rest of his family, but the work that he and his father had done to try and restore the clan's honor.
"Why is she doing this?" I asked our captive curiously.
"She believes that her grandfather did nothing wrong, and that the clan was treated unjustly by the Grand Council. Zell-oah plans to make war with them, but she cannot afford to do so. She has been aiding us with our attempts to remove Ch'ris from his power for some time now. Zell-oah has also been stealing and raiding from honorable clans, and making alliances with other bad blood clans in order to prepare us for that war." The bad blood expounded.
"Merciful Master Jesus!" I stated with concern in my voice. This whole operation had been bigger than Ch'ris and I had thought. Zell-oah was amassing an army so she could attack Yatja Prime. To say that what she was doing was insane or outrageous would've been a huge understatement. I not only thought of Jenny and Rachelle, nor of Ch'ris' clan and my own, but for all those other clans on Yatja Prime. Take into account that Yatja Prime was not just a single planet that served as the home world to the honorable members of our species, but was made up of numerous planets most of which were inhabited by our species. If Zell-oah was forming an army that could take on that number of Predators, it was going to be a blood bath.
"How close is she to finishing this army?" Ch'ris asked.
"Our army has grown into a mighty power, but we are not strong enough to manage such a war yet. It will take us years of progress before we are ready for such a conflict. But make no mistake the army is very large and very strong." The bad blood explained. I was relieved to hear that, but it still didn't make me or Ch'ris any less concerned about what we were going up against, nor did it relieve our concern for Jenny and Rachelle
"So we still have plenty of time to stop her." I said with hope in my voice. "What about the captives? Rachelle and the Ooman ,Jenny? What has she done with them?" I asked with uneasy consternation. We had to know that they were alright.
"Zell-oah has-" The bad blood was about to answer us before his torso violently tore open in a geyser of glowing green blood. One of the other Yatjas who was still conscious and had some energy left in his wristbracer shot our captive with a plasma blast before he could answer us.
"NO!" Ch'ris and I screamed. The bad blood then tried to make another shot, but Ch'ris acted quickly and shot at the plasma caster with the SPAS. I knelt down to the Yatja to see if he was still alive. I checked his pulse and found that it had stopped beating.
"Damn it! He's dead Ch'ris!" I told him. Ch'ris was about to begin beating the bad blood who'd killed him, but the sly bastard activated his wristbracer's self-destruct sequence. We didn't know how to deactivate it, nor did we have the time to figure out how, so we ran. I was able to grab my pack, smart disc, pulse rifle, our masks, and what little of our munitions I could gather. The hill exploded into debris taking the remaining bad bloods and their equipment with them. The wristbracer didn't have very much energy in it left so the blast was fairly small, and we easily outran it. We did lose a lot of our ammo, Ch'ris' spear rifle, and both of our sentry turrets, but the most important thing we'd lost was our source of information. That one bad blood had given us plenty of vital knowledge, but there was still a lot more we needed from him. We were about to find out if Jenny and Rachelle were alright, but now we'd lost that information before it could be given to us.
I cursed angrily under my breath as did Ch'ris. We both roared savagely at the sky. It was the only way the both of us could release our anger. We'd come so close to finding out how our loved ones were, which was the most important thing to us at the moment, we couldn't help but lose our tempers. Ch'ris and I returned to the site to see if there was anything left we could salvage from this fck up. The only thing we did find were some pieces of the sentries and a few blown up bullet cartridges.
"So what do we do now ,Kjon?" Ch'ris asked in exhausted frustration. I could tell his anger wasn't directed at me, and he could tell I wasn't angry with him either. We'd just fought a vicious battle against eleven bad bloods who were armed to the teeth. We had pulled days worth of work setting up everything for this, sustained several injuries for our trouble, and won, only to have it all blow up in our faces. We were tired, injured, and frustrated.
"Forgive me for saying this ,Ch'ris, but right now I'm so pissed off I don't know what to do now." I answered apologetically.
"Pardon my anger as well ,friend. I am also unhappy with our circumstance." He apologized.
"Well, at least we managed to get something from this. We successfully eliminated eleven of our enemies, got some information out of one of them, and lived. But we were so damn close to knowing what happened to them." I said trying to be as thankful and positive about our situation as possible. I was still irrefutably upset about it and gave a sigh as my guilt began to weigh down on me again. "I'm sorry about this Ch'ris." I gave him a sincere apology.
"As am I ,my friend." He said to me in a reassuring manner.
"No, I meant to say that I'm sorry that I let your wife get taken. You were right. I could've done more to help and I didn't. I couldn't save Jenny, and because of me your wife is gone too." I clarified the reason for my apology.
"No, it was not your fault my friend. Listen, I am sorry for what I said. You probably fought like a hard meat (hard meat is the Yautja definition for xenomorph) trying to protect your Ooman friend."
"No I didn't. I didn't let them take her, but I know there was more I could've done to save her." I explained with sadness in my voice. I wasn't crying, but I was to the point where I was almost in tears. "You know I made a promise that I'd take Jenny home the moment I finished my mission. Do you know how much she helped me, not just with the mission but with myself? Do you know what I was like before I met her?"
"You have told me this before. Yes." Ch'ris said.
"It's one thing to be told what hell is like, but it's another thing to live it, and survive it over and over and over again. I've been through some of the worst sht ever. I've had to bury Oomans I loved as siblings, I had to bury my own mother when I was just a suckling. I wake up every night and I can't remember where I am half the time. I see memories of the worst things that I've lived through, but I can't recognize that they are just memories. I've had to live for eight whole years with the guilt of my Hunter Siblings' deaths. All the while I'm surrounded by strangers who don't give a sht about anything but themselves." I explained painfully. "You know in the marines they can teach you almost everything I know in terms of combat, how to stay alive, and how to keep others alive, but the one thing they can't teach you is how to live with a mistake. Especially one that keeps you from saving others. Jenny saw this and tried to help me. She wanted to show me that she cared about me and what I was going through. She wanted to make me understand that she loved me, and for the longest time I pushed her away because I was so afraid I would make that mistake again. And I did. I just want it all to end. I want to have peace. I just want her back."
Ch'ris materialized beside me, and wrapped his arm around my shoulder. "Do not worry my friend. We do not know that anything has happened to them. You have given me strength when I needed it, and I will continue to give you strength when you need it. You have saved my life twice now, and you have been a good friend to me. I owe you." Ch'ris said encouragingly. He was very good at doing that. "I shall help you find your Ooman, just as you have helped me, and I promise you that my sister will pay for what she has done to us."
"I'm sorry about her ,Ch'ris."
"As am I. I wish I could have seen that in her sooner." We gave a sigh as we shed more tears. My tear glands were working overtime during those exhausting months. "Let us rest. We've been through much these past days."
"That sounds like a good idea." I said as we set up our camp for the night. Even in the wake of victory, I couldn't get a good nights rest. All I could think about was how close we were to getting answers about Jenny and Rachelle, before they were pulled away from us. I kept thinking about Jenny, and how she was taken from me. I was deep in prayer that night asking God why he'd done this to her, and why he was punishing me when I couldn't see what I'd done to deserve it. I felt like Abraham when he was told to sacrifice Isaac. I didn't curse God, I knew better than to do that, but I couldn't help but keep asking him why he was doing this to me.
I suddenly felt this feeling of hope build up inside me, the same feeling I remember feeling before I lost Michelle, Rich, Taylor, and William. That still small voice that used to whisper "Hey, it's okay bud. You know what to do, just do it." It was the Holy Ghost. It'd been a very long time since I'd heard that voice. It was a little different this time but it still held the same peaceful effect it had on me years before. "Don't worry, she's alright. They'll be okay. It'll all be okay." That little voice was saying in a promising and hopeful tone. It gave me a feeling of peace, energy, and strength that I hadn't felt in a very long time. I could feel a smile wrap around my mandibles as this feeling of hope filled me. I gave God one final prayer that evening thanking him for the return of the feeling of the Holy Ghost and the voice that accompanied it. I managed to fall asleep afterward.
In the days that followed, my focus on getting Jenny back and catching Zell-oah was overwhelming. I wasn't uncontrollably angry, doubtful, or afraid. I knew that God was with Jenny and Rachelle. He'd told me so. Ch'ris shared my hope which further strengthened my resolve to find Jenny and Rachelle.
We also spent those days carefully hunting for bad bloods, scouting out their encampments, learning their behavior, and making plans and preparations to defeat them. We managed to quickly take out two camps using the old Schaefer mud trick, and picked them off one by one. We also made sure not to leave them with any of their weapons or technology, we also kept our questions simple and asked where the next camps would be located. Ch'ris either took them as prisoners and kept them locked up in his ship, which was pretty big, or he simply killed them and skinned them. He did this to send the other bad bloods a message. I offered to help hang the bodies once he was finished. I still operated on my rule of not killing Oomans, which I also extended to Yatja, simply because of how similar our species are. I also did it just so I wouldn't make God angry and jinx myself. I didn't say anything about protecting or dismembering them though-unless I cared about them like I did with Ch'ris and Rachelle-so whatever Ch'ris did to them I let him do. Besides they were from his clan. They were his problem, and it was his responsibility to punish them the way he saw fit. I explained this to him and he took it with cognizance.
On our third camp we kept our wits about us, and considered that the bad bloods would learn from our behavior. We decided to test them once to see how they would react. Our first test involved me acting as the decoy yet again, since I was the faster runner of the two of us, while Ch'ris stayed behind and watched them from a distance to observe how they would react. As we expected they were catching on to our tricks and some of them stayed behind to report what was going on. We also made ourselves conscious about scouts who weren't around while we preformed our operation. After we tested them, and I successfully avoided being captured. We formed a plan of attack, which involved Ch'ris acting as the bait while I snuck through the camp and picked off the bad bloods that stayed behind. Ch'ris would then give himself up and they would return him to the camp where I would be waiting. The plan worked perfectly.
Ch'ris extolled me for my "expert" planning and "professional" combative performance. I didn't glorify myself, but I humbly accepted his commendations, and graciously gave him some acclaim to our victory as well for his expert acting. I also made sure to give a thankful prayer to God for his support in our accomplishments, and that he would continue to keep Jenny and Rachelle safe, and that he would also allow me and Ch'ris to continue to overcome the bad bloods. I also made sure to give Him the glory for it all. Like I said before, I knew better than to piss God off.
I did take some time to enjoy the victory by sitting down and listening to "His Eyes" by Psuedo Echo from Friday the 13th Part V A New Beginning. I personally enjoy the movie despite the black sheep that it is. I really don't care what other people think about it. I like all the Friday the 13th movies, (with the exception of Part 8 through Jason X) especially the Tommy Jarvis trilogy, which I think are the absolute best of the series. Ch'ris also enjoyed the song as he skinned some of the Yatja. I remember thinking about how badly I needed to rewatch the series, and that I had to include Ch'ris when I did.
Our moment of mild celebrational rest was interrupted when we received a live message, which was transmitted to Ch'ris' wristbracer. He wasted no time answering it. I saw Ch'ris flare his mandibles in a moment of shock, before frowning. He recognized the caller with a look that could only be described as one of hate and betrayal. It was Zell-oah.
"Salutations Ch'ris." She began in a soft, charming tone of voice. I turned my iPhone off the minute I heard her.
"What do you want from me sister!" Ch'ris hissed at the image of his sibling.
"I shall not bother you with useless banter, as you already have discovered that I am the one behind all of this." Zell-oah said with a smile on her mandibles. I was so furious after what she did, I was going to make sure I whipped that stupid grin off her face the minute I met her in person.
"Tell us something we don't know!" He sneered. Ch'ris was learning a thing or two about Ooman sarcasm from me.
"I have been monitoring the progress of all of my troops that I've sent out to capture you, and from what I've seen you've managed to take out four camps. But from what your lovely mate has told me, you were not alone when you did it." Zell-oah explained. "From what Rachelle has told me you met another Yatja who has been assisting you in decimating my troops. Apparently this individual is no ordinary hunter. I have been told he is an Abomination who has been given the great honor of being an accepted member of the Schaefer family and has been trained as an Ooman soldier. I wish to speak to him." Zell-oah continued with that stupid smug grin wrapped around her face.
"What do you want with him?!" Ch'ris flared his mandibles in anger.
"Come now ,Ch'ris. I only wish to speak with him." Zell-oah said.
"He does not wish to speak with you. He and I are beyond furious with you, and we are-" Ch'ris continued howling at the hologram image of his sister before I interrupted him.
"No, let me talk to her." I was still angry, but I was curious about what she wanted to say. Ch'ris impatiently turned his wrist so the image was facing me. "Alright you're speaking to me. What do you want?" I said flaring my mandibles in anger.
"So you are the hunter who my dear mate-sister has told me so much about. It is a pleasure to finally met the blessed individual of the Schaefer family. No wonder four encampments were able to be taken so expertly. You understand that those were some of my best hunter soldiers. For a individual such as yourself, that takes great skill and experience. I could use a individual like you in my army." Zell-oah said in English. She was trying to butter me up by breaking the ice with me, and speaking in the English language, which she thought I was more accustomed to. This was going to be rich.
"Cut the bullsht and get to the point!" I snapped.
"My mate-sister also told me about your temper. Indeed you are a furious soul. I admire that." She continued. I honestly couldn't tell by the way she spoke whether she was deliberately trying to annoy me, or was kind of into me. Probably both.
"Just cut to the point. I'm not the happiest Yatja in the world right now, especially with you!" I threw her flirtatious comment away.
"Very well then. I have a proposition for you. One that I will grant most graciously if you comply." Zell-oah said.
"May as well hear what you have to say before I say no. Let's hear it." I replied.
"My mate-sister has told me that you are after a special Ooman female. One that is part hard meat." My eyes immediately widened in interest.
"Jenny." I said uncontrollably.
"Yes, that is her. I understand you have a deep interest in this Ooman." I was getting very tired of her smile.
"Jon! Is that you?!" I heard Jenny's voice call for me through the video feed.
"That is her now. I shall allow you to speak with her momentarily." Zell-oah said. I could tell she was going to try and taunt me using Jenny as a means to get me to do what she wanted.
I saw Jenny's face materialize on Ch'ris' wristbracer. "Jon!" Jenny exclaimed.
"Jenny!" I said in a moment of joyous ease. She was still just as beautiful as she was the last time I'd seen her. I could see her face light up in tear filled relief as she saw me. "Hey Jenny. Are you alright Pyode Tarei'hsan?" I asked her in a concerned, yet comforting voice.
"I'm fine Jon. I'm so glad to see you're alright." She said sniffling brightly.
"I am too. Look I am coming for you, and I'm going to get you home like I promised, okay babe." I replied.
"Okay." She said, before she was pulled away from the feed and Zell-oah returned.
"How touching." I was beginning to really hate Ch'ris' sister. "I am willing to return your Ooman friend to you completely unharmed if you will bring my brother to me alive. I swear to it." She said. Ch'ris looked at me with concern. He knew just how badly I wanted Jenny back, and although we were good friends, he was uncertain of how honorable my intentions were. I mulled the decision over thoughtfully. I wanted Jenny back in the worst way, but was I going to give up my friend to do it? I had never been in such a situation like this before in my life. You could understand just how uncomfortable I was.
"Lord, please give me strength." I prayed in my head as I thought about my decision painfully. Zell-oah could see the weakness in my face. Her smile deepened as she watched me struggle. For as much as I wanted to get Jenny back I wasn't about to do the wrong thing to do it. "I'm sorry Jenny. I'm so so sorry." I thought painfully as I gave Zell-oah my answer.
"No." I said with a painful frown.
"No?" That had taken Zell-oah by surprise. "Do you not care for your Ooman as I thought you did?" She asked perplexed.
"Yes, I do, and you better believe I'm coming to get her, but I'm not going to give you Ch'ris." I told her angrily. "I have a code of honor, that I swore to God I would uphold for his sake, and I'm not about to break it, nor am I going to break just to give a little btch like you the satisfaction." I said flaring my lower mandibles aggressively, as I took Ch'ris' wristbracer from him. He wisely made no move to stop me.
"Is this you're answer Abomination? I promise you it shall not end well for your Ooman if it is?" Zell-oah threatened me.
"This is my final answer. Don't you ever test my honor like that again! and don't you even think about touching Jenny or Rachelle or else I will hunt you down and kill you!"
"Please? Do you really think I am afraid of your idle threats?" Zell-oah said challengingly.
"It's not a threat. It's a warning. AND GOD HELP YOU IF YOU DO NOT LISTEN TO IT BECAUSE I'M GOING TO SHOVE MY MACHETE DOWN YOUR THROAT AND CUT OUT YOU MOTHER FCKING SPINE!" I hollered before angrily roaring and throwing the wristbracer on the ground. The transmission ended immediately afterward.
Ch'ris let me have a moment to work out my anger before he spoke. "Thank you ,Kjon." I gave him a look of exhausted rage, before I began gathering our stuff. "What are you doing?"
"Do you think you can be able to track the source of that transmission?" I asked.
"Yes. Why do you ask?"
"Because I'm not going to sit around and wait for Jenny and Rachelle to be killed by your little btch terrorist for a sister. I have a plan."
"What is it?" Ch'ris asked with concerned interest.
"We're going to give your sister what she wants." I answered him.
HOT DAMN! Seriously these chapters are getting harder and harder to do. Sorry for the wait guys my tablet wasn't working and I mostly use it to write these entries. Thankfully I managed to work around that problem and I could get this uploaded on time. I had a better time writing this entry then the last one, since I was more motivated this time around, and my computer can tell me when I'm making a spelling error outside of the characters names. Also NeverNeverGirl I am very sorry about the typos. I am trying my hardest to catch them and correct them whenever I can, but I get carried away in the story sometimes and become less observant. I understand that they are annoying and I apologize if I upset you to badly with them. I will promise that I'll try harder. Also thank you for the comments. I am not upset at all, and I appreciate the encouragement you've given me. I hope I didn't do to poorly on this entry, and I really hope you enjoy it.