Kjon's Audio Diary Log
June 2, 2621
Our pleasant welcoming committee came in the form of several heavily armed, enforcer Yatja. Even though we had told these guys our intentions weren't antagonistic, they still weren't taking any chances. I could understand that. When they ordered us to exit the ship we obediently did so. We also took the initiative to discard our weapons so we wouldn't send any yellow flags. Besides, I knew they were most likely going to remove them from us anyway so there was no point in bringing them with. As we stepped out of the ship we were immediately surrounded by several excited enforcers who pointed at us with combi-sticks and plasma casters. Some of them even brought flusher hounds (aka Hell-hounds). Even some of the onlookers joined them. Once they saw the Vall-kcor'sta clan's chestburster symbol on the side of the ship they reacted with worried concern, pulling out all sorts of bladed and ranged weaponry. Jenny and I instinctively held up our open hands at shoulder height in a surrendering motion, while Ch'ris and Rachelle bowed their heads low in submission as they encompassed us. The enforcers and even a few of the bystanders looked unsure and confused by our yielding. I could see it when some of them looked at each other and growled in puzzled bewilderment. Why would bad bloods come to them and just immediately surrender to them? It made no sense. They still cuffed our arms behind our backs and made us kneel down. Their confusion didn't make them lower their guard, which I understood and respected.
A flusher hound howled and gnashed it's teeth at me as I was being bound, like the other spikey dog-like creatures did as they saw us. I could feel spit fly in my face as it barked at me. Thankfully ,for Jenny's sake she sat with Rachelle in the middle between me and Ch'ris, which made me feel somewhat secure for her. After binding us they checked us over for any weapons, and were visibly surprised to find none on us.
"Who are you?" an enforcer asked. This enforcer was the captain of the pack. I could tell by his caped attire and stylish green painted bio-mask that matched the lime color of the rest of his uniform. His bio-mask's targeting system kept his plasma caster locked onto me, making me think he was asking me. Ch'ris got up to answer though.
"I am Ch'ris, leader of the Vall-kcor'sta clan. This is my mate ,Rachelle, and my friends ,Kjon and Jennifer." Ch'ris answered him respectfully with nervous bravery. The captain pulled his mask off after he heard that. He wasn't aggressive about it, but was rather calm, although you could tell he wasn't happy. That was confirmed by the gruff look he gave with his one eye.
The captain's face was white and wrinkled with age, which was further expressed by the boney protrusions that started broadly from the top of his steep head and sank past his eyes, ending sharply above his fanged mandibles. His dreadlocks were also profoundly long and white, which also displayed just how old he really was. Probably two thousand years old, which for most hunters is OLD, given how dangerous many of the hunts our species embark on are so dangerous that a lot of us don't even come back. Such is especially true for enforcer Predators, who hunt bad bloods, so the fatality rate for them is much higher. His face not only accentuated his age, but his experience as well, with many battle scars running up and down his body proving it. His right eye had been dug out by something, I'm not sure what, I couldn't tell, but I could tell it had been clawed out by the four small but deep cuts that scraped passed his crested head and cut just above his upper right mandible. The dreadlocks off to the left side of his head had also been forcibly detached leaving short stubby tentacles. By my guess they must have been blown off given the burn marks I saw, but who knows what really happened.
The aged lines and healed scars weren't for show though, but rather for tell. They were meant to tell others just how experienced and dangerous he was, and that it would be in every one's best interest if they didn't give him any sht. That caused him to radiate a powerful atmosphere, which was regarded with the high honor and respect. Very few Yatja have that kind of authority and even fewer have higher command and experience. The enforcers standing in front of us moved aside for their commander as he approached us with that gruff look still present on his face. As he stood in front of us we shrank below his massive figure. The captain must have been a whopping eight to nine feet tall. Nine, it had to be nine feet. Either way he was tall, taller than any normal Yatja male. For comparison I have a normal standing height of 7.9, but this guy easily towered over us. Ch'ris was probably the most intimidated out of all of us, since the captain kept his primary focus on him.
"Have they been checked over?" The captain asked one of his subordinates.
"Yes. However, we have discovered no weapons on them." The enforcer answered with some perplexity in his voice. That seemed to cause some confusion for the commander as well, but not enough for him to visibly display it.
The enforcer captain made a thoughtful growl as he circled the four of us. Ch'ris and Rachelle kept their heads low in submissive respect daring not to look at the captain. Jenny was scared but she kept her gaze on him as he looked at her. He noticed her tail which she fearfully moved out of his way. That made him quickly forget about her. Once he looked at me, he flared his mandibles in disgust. He saw my gills, and immediately knew I was an Abomination. Although the Yatja was much older, taller, more experienced, and much stronger than I was, I wasn't intimidated by his thoughtful glancing. I simply starred back at him with a brave, but respectful glare of my own, not even bothering to bow in submission to him. The captain was a little caught off by that. For how young I was, I wasn't terrified of him, although he wasn't really trying to scare me. It was more that I wasn't scared of his authority, although when you work for someone who's as tight assed as Charles Weyland is, that kind of comes as no surprise. He tore his glare away from me and brought it back to Ch'ris who humbly bowed his head to the superior Predator.
"Are you the descendant of Reo'am-oir, the bad blood who was your clan's leader at the time of it's exile?" The Yatja pronounced. That gave me the impression he'd been around when it happened and knew something about it.
"Yes. Reo'am-oir was my grandfather." Ch'ris answered the captain truthfully. The captain gave another mussing growl.
"And did he or your father after him explain what the elders, especially the Grand Leader told him and the rest of your clan when they were exiled?" The captain asked kneeling down to face my friend. Even when he was on his knee he was still very tall.
"Yes my father did." Ch'ris said. He made no effort to give excuses, and only spoke when spoken to.
"Then why is it you have decided to come to the sacred and honorable grounds of our ancient home like this?" The captain hissed.
"We came to warn you of a bad blood army that certain members of my clan have made, with the hopes to invade this sacred place." We also decided it would be a good idea to bring up Zell-oah's army to the Yatja. That made the captain visibly concerned. He'd gotten a fair deal of action in his time, and knew just how dangerous bad bloods were, both individually and in groups, but never in armies. The underlings saw his concern and gave each other worried looks and growls. The captain turned over to one of his underlings and ordered the news be brought to the Grand Council. The enforcer gave a salute to his superior, before running off to do as he was requested. The captain then looked back over to Ch'ris with that same concerned look.
"What information of this army do you have?" The elder questioned my friend with calm concern.
"We do not know much, but we have taken prisoners. My sister is their leader, we have her as well. All we do know is that they have been forming alliances with other bad blood clans, and they have also been raiding other honorable clans for their supply. We found some of it after we finished them, which we brought with us to return to you as well." Ch'ris explained. That news managed to calm the captain, but before he breathed a sigh of relief, he sent some of his minors to make an inspection of Ch'ris' ship as well as an investigation of the smaller bad blood ships that came with us. The enforcers that entered Ch'ris' ship came out a moment later with our bad blood prisoners. Zell-oah and I momentarily looked at each other in resentment. She made a small smirk as she saw me bound and taken captive just as she had been. "Up yours too," I thought as we starred at each other before she disappeared within the group of captive bad bloods. Unfortunately the enforcers had also came out with Sa-v'ar, who they'd caged, probably as to display our dishonor or use her as evidence for a trial, I don't know.
"Merciful Master Jesus." I thought dispassionately, while looking up and giving an equally dispassionate growl. That caused the flusher to bark in my face again. I was getting very tired of it spitting in my face like that. It then made the mistake of barking at Jenny. It probably noticed her tail which she moved to wrap around my leg for comfort. Jenny jolted back a little as the hound tried it's best to bite at her. I frowned at the dog, before making a short growl and smashed my head into the creatures snarling face, avoiding the sharp boney tusks around it's head. The flusher made a pained yipping noise as it retreated to it's handler. I looked over at Jenny and saw that she wasn't harmed. The enforcers didn't like what I'd done, and one of them hit me in the back with his combi-stick before kneeling over my fallen body keeping me pinned. He held the combi-stick down on my throat keeping my face to the muddy ground.
"Sorry about that." I apologized respectfully to the captain as he looked at us.
"Quiet bad blood!" The enforcer ordered me.
"What is that?" The enforcer captain asked, pointing to Sa-v'ar. That wasn't going to be easy to explain.
Ch'ris looked over at his shadow, as it was hauled out of the ship, banging and thrashing forcefully inside it's cage. He turned back over to the captain and dropped his head. "She is mine." He told the captain truthfully. The captain exhaled a growl, as he rubbed a finger judgingly on his lower left mandible.
"I see." The captain replied in a foreboding tone. Thankfully one of the enforcers came to give a report before the elder Yatja could do anything to my friend. "What of the prisoners?" The captain asked his junior.
"They are bad bloods as he says. We found these on them." The enforcer told his superior as he handed him pieces of their armor. They had the Vall-kcor'sta's symbol etched and painted on them, as well as the bad blood's circular insignia.
Upon looking at them with his good eye the captain made a interested growl. "What of the equipment?"
"It is also true ,Sir. In fact these may be the raiders we've been receiving some of our recent reports on." The enforcer answered. That sounded promising. The captain thought so too. He starred at the four of us, before turning his attention over to the prisoners, then to the armor, and then the ships full of equipment. His eyebrow ,or whatever the heck we have for them, raised in interest.
"Very well then." The captain said with a much more pleasant look on his face. "After everything you've shown us today, I shall allow your stay. However, you shall be turned over to the Grand Council for a more proper judgement. If they find that you are true to your word, you shall roam freely amongst us without any limitations. But if they find you are in any way seeking to cause harm to our society you shall be executed on the spot." The captain told us. Ch'ris, Rachelle, and Jenny looked at each other with a nervous glance before turning to my mud stained face.
"Works for me." I answered. The others responded the same.
"Very well then," The captain said, "These bad bloods are neutral. They shall be taken to the Grand Council for judgement. Until they make a determination of them they shall be kept under protective guard. Release them, but keep their pet subdued. It shall be brought as evidence to the council." The enforcers obediently did as they were requested, and uncuffed Jenny, Ch'ris, and Rachelle. As the enforcer that stood on me went to do the same however, the captain stopped him. "Wait. Do not release it." I was a little taken back by the development as was everybody else.
"Why? He is with us. What has he done?" Ch'ris asked the captain.
"It is a dishonorable Abomination. It's judgement will come as will yours, but until then it will be kept in confinement." The captain explained. "Take it to the hold." He ordered the enforcers.
"Wait?! Why though?!" Jenny blurted in my language. She'd learned a lot about our language from Rachelle since they met. She could speak our language very well. The captain seemed a little surprised by this, but it didn't completely shock him.
"Do you not understand Ooman? Surely you would since you speak the same tongue as we do?" The captain questioned her.
"Yes, but I don't understand why he's not receiving the same treatment as we are?! They're bad bloods yes, but he isn't?! He's one of you?!" Jenny inquired in my defense.
"It is an Abomination. A stain upon our society's honor. We shall deal with it." The captain said in a very uncomfortable manner.
"How?!" I interjected.
"You shall see ,Abomination!" The captain spat at me.
"No, you don't understand! He helped us! He's one of us and one of you! If it wasn't for him none of us would be here right now!" Jenny told the enforcer captain in a demanding voice.
"Quiet Ooman! Now my word is final and it shall not be said otherwise, unless it is overruled by the council. Now this Abomination shall receive fair and just treatment just the same as you will, but until the council makes it's decision, what I say is final! Consider both yourself and it lucky, that we do not kill it where it stands now as we should." He hissed at her. I didn't like that. Had he posed a threat to her, I would've attacked him, but at the moment his beef was with me, so I would go along with it until I had no other options. Jenny was about to make another argument, but I stopped her.
"It's okay Jenny. Let them do what they'll do. I'll be fine." I said in an assuring voice. I was more worried for her than anything else. Ch'ris and Rachelle looked like they had a good chance on their own. Sa-v'ar, what did I care for? It was a shadow, and despite the fact it was passive, I still hated it, as I hated all shadows after what they did to Mom. I was an Abomination, so I was in the greatest danger out of all of us, which wasn't my first time. I wasn't cool with it, but you get the idea. But Jenny I wasn't sure about. Sure she was a Ooman, but she was a neutral. Not to mention she's also part shadow. I just hoped Ch'ris and Rachelle could do well enough where they'd be able to give her exemption. Although the choice wasn't really up to them. Sure I made a promise to protect her, and yes, I may have been jeopardizing it, which I also thought about, but she didn't seem in any real danger. If such was the case however, all I could hope for was that God would protect her while I was away and that he'd give me the time and strength I needed to fix my mistake. I'd also wouldn't make it a second time.
"Are you sure?" She asked me with the same worried look.
"Positive." I told her with a hopeful smile. She finally begrudgingly conceded with the captain and we parted ways. I starred at her, Ch'ris, and Rachelle as I was forced away by the enforcers until they disappeared in the crowd.
As I was brought to "confinement," I was mocked and spat at by the bystanders. Obviously it had something to do with me being associated with the dishonorable Vall-kcor'sta clan. Also someone may have overheard the captain calling me out as an Abomination so... yeah.
"He's one of them! He's a bad blood!" One voice would say. "I heard it is an Abomination." Another would respond. "What?! It's an Abomination, and a bad blood?!" You can pretty much understand how it went. And before long the only thing you could here the crowd shout was "KILL THE BAD BLOOD ABOMINATION!" Yeah whatever good idea I thought it would be to come here was not looking so good anymore. Thankfully I managed to find some peace in my cell. Yeah, I expected this would happen, although I will admit I didn't expect the crowds to react so violently as they did. But then again given the reputation of most dishonorables, especially bad bloods and Abominations alike, it was understandable that they would react this way. Believe it or not, but I actually didn't blame them for their reaction. Think of it like how the Nazi Germans viewed the Jews during WWII. It's kind of like that, only the Germans have the Japanese mentality. Although I wasn't a bad blood, my existence as an Abomination left a stain upon the society's honor. These people were taught much like I was that that was bad and needed to be fixed. The only honorable way to do that would be to kill me. Although that ship had already sailed twenty-seven years ago when Mom refused to kill me.
Mom had went through the the dishonor to let me live because she loved me. I was the only surviving pup of my litter: the only thing she had left to live for. She'd also went through the agonizing pain of teaching me to be an honorable hunter warrior, in the hopes that at least I could bring back some honor to her and the clan. I thought about this as I laid rather comfortably down on the hard cement floor of my cell. The room did have a slab in it that was used as a bed, but it was no different to the floor so I just slept on the floor. No that wasn't an option now. I was to far past that to let that happen. I couldn't let them do me in. I still had to restore Mother's honor, get my friends home safely, and save a planet from a bunch of shadows. My society would argue with me about it, but screw them. I not only did my best to be an honorable hunter warrior, but I also was trying to give them back something that belonged to them, and try to warn them of an impending invasion. The least they could do was just leave me alone. I didn't expect for them to show any gratitude. Maybe Ch'ris and Rachelle would if things worked out and they were reinstated, but the others... I'd spent so much time protecting ungrateful Oomans that I just had this cynical and pessimistic view of everyone and everything around me, including my own species, who seemed to be no different. Although I must say there are exceptions, Jenny, Ch'ris, and Rachelle, being the three that primarily came to my mind at the time. I had really enjoyed the time I spent with them. Like I've said before and I will say again, it's friends like them that you live for. It'd been a long time since I've had people like them in my life, and they gave me a reason to live. I loved them and they loved me. They were also the reason why I was here.
Later that night I said a hopeful prayer to my Heavenly Father wishing that he'd keep them safe, and that the "Grand Council" would be understanding to them, and allow Ch'ris and Rachelle to receive their redemption. Upon ending with a respectful Amen, I rested myself down on the cold, hard, stone floor, and went to sleep. Once again the comforting voice of the Holy Ghost had accompanied me and told me they would be alright.
A couple days passed by with little word on how Jenny, Ch'ris, and Rachelle were being treated. I asked a couple times, but was met with silence so I didn't bother much after that. Instead I kept my mind situated on other things like P.T. Some of the guards found my behavior amusing, others found it annoying, some even tried to make me stop doing what I was doing, but I just ignored them and minded my business. No fights broke out, but I wasn't going to take all of their sht. Things did get loud and violent whenever I had an episode in my cell, and the enforcers quickly learned it was a good idea not to try and do anything about it. It became kind of mundane for them after those couple few nights. I'd bang around a couple minutes and make some noise, but other then that I did nothing bad enough for them to beat me.
After four days I finally got a knock on my cell door. I assumed it was breakfast or the normal crap they call for, but once I finished my push-ups I found that it was the captain.
"What is it?" I asked curiously as I saw him.
"The time for your trial has come ,Abomination. Are you ready?" The captain asked.
"Not that I can do anything to avoid it." I answered.
The captain gave an understanding nod. I let the enforcers bind my hands together like they had before and followed the caped general to our destination. The crowds were just as violent and vulgar as they were before, but I didn't care. They didn't call me a bad blood, but I was still undeniably an Abomination so they still hated my guts. I took that opportunity to admire one of my home worlds many societies. The tall structures mostly all resembled pyramids like the ones from Egypt or Central America, and even a few Aztec to go with them, but besides a few forgettable extra designs on the structures, and their color, they were almost completely indistinguishable from each other. The smaller buildings were mostly all small side markets for weapons, food, and fashionable trinkets; they sat everywhere, surrounding the pyramids on all sides. Some of the hills had been carved out of the sides and aside from a very noticeable entry way they were just caves hollowed out of the side of the hills that served as homes for my people.
There were a few other things here and there but I didn't pay as much attention to them as I did the awesome construct that I beheld in front of me. It was yet another pyramid, but this one was much much bigger than all the others. It looked to be far older than any of the other structures. It was probably the oldest standing building my species ever made. It was the Grand Council's sacred court. To clarify there are other smaller courts across the multiple planets that take up Yatja Prime's star system, but this was the one of most importance. Mom had told me stories about this place when she visited it. It was even more spectacular than she made it out to be, although I couldn't blame her for that. Such sights can only really be seen in order to be properly described and admired. Had I been visiting this place rather than being judged in it, I would've felt honored to be there. This was the meeting place for the elders, and clan leaders, as well as the Grand Leader himself, which was also the great Yatja's home. Although such was the case, I doubted he would be there now. From what I remembered Mom telling me, it was very rare for any Yatja outside of the Grand Council to see him. Although that didn't mean I couldn't appreciate the ancient, sacred structure and it's marvelous agriculture. The palace had a courtyard that spanned about one thousand eight hundred feet, by my estimation, before reaching the base of the structure itself, that, again by my guess was around five thousand four hundred feet, both in length and width, giving it a perfect square base. In comparison that's about the size of fifteen football fields with the end goals, which is only one hundred and twenty feet longer than a mile. Although this was only a guess, so what did I know?
There were large ancient statues of Yatja elders and clan leaders in the courtyard standing or kneeling proudly in front of each other, each of them were wearing different stylish bio-masks, and holding their respective weapons that they were most skilled and well-known for using. From what Mom had also told me, these statues were the immortalized figures of ancient Yatja warriors who once held a position in the council itself, who have since passed on. Whenever one of them dies a statue is sculpted in their honor and placed within the courtyard. Among them were hundreds of trees whose vines had overgrown and wrapped around the statues. I felt a sense of awe come over me as I was able to admire the figures as they knelt to each other. Once we made it to the base we traveled up a enormous flight of stairs before arriving at the court itself, which allowed me to appreciate more statues as we went up.
Once we entered the great structure I beheld a long corridor that continued to display more sculptures of the elders that once took council over the society. We saw many of the societies most important elders and clan leaders gather together in a massive semicircle, and sitting proudly on his throne above them all was the Grand Leader himself. Apparently I was wrong about him not taking counsel today. My eyes widened in awe as I realized this. This was the apex individual of our entire species. The stories of the Grand Leader's hunts are the stuff of legend. He is the most successful and powerful Yatja ever. His reputation alone is enough to overwhelm his enemies with fear. But his bark is nothing compared to his bite, as many Yatja who have tried to challenge, assassinate, and rise against him have all failed, and most if not all of them have never lived to tell the tale. Those who may have were never seen or heard from again. Because of this, most of society believes him to be immortal. Like I said before, it is very rare that any individual actually manages to see him, outside of the elders and the clan leaders themselves who council with him privately. All of this made him the most intimidating and powerful individual I'd ever seen. This was a most rare opportunity.
As the Grand Leader rose into the light from his throne which was made from the skulls of his numerous kills, one of which was a queen shadow, I managed to focus my nearsighted eyes enough to see him properly. He was orange in color, with dark lines stretching down his body vertically, which were most pronounced on his chest and forehead. He had long white dreadlocks just the same as the enforcer captain's, although the Grand Leader's looked to be much longer and much paler compared to the captain's. The Grand elder's eyes were demonic red, and his face had a gruff look that could rival Hadrick Schaefer's perpetually hard stare .His figure was also surprisingly unscathed despite the many dangerous hunts he'd gone on, which only further enforced the concept of his immortality. His midnight black mask sat proudly atop his throne with it's horny ear-like protrusions, and equally demonic red eyes that gazed judgingly at me, giving it a draconiform (dragon-like) appearance. I could also see his legendary mechanical tendrils that served as his most intimidating and devastating weapons stretching over his shoulders and drag on the ground. They were neurologically commanded devises that served as perfect offensive and defensive tools in combat. With all of this in mind it is no wonder this Yatja was as feared and respected as he was.
"Is this the newcomer that has been requested?" The Grand Leader spoke in a commanding, yet patient voice.
"Abomination." I heard one of the clan leaders correct him with a quiet hiss.
"Yes, Grand Leader." The captain spoke bowing respectfully to him, before he uncuffed my arms. I took that moment to try and see if Jenny, or Ch'ris and Rachelle was there. They weren't. I wasn't exactly worried, but it would be relieving to have seen them, although I kept my faith that my Heavenly Father would continue to keep them safe.
"Good." The Grand Leader said in a pleasant tone before dismissing the captain with a wave, who's face soon joined the other snarling hissing assholes sitting around the semicircle. "Let the trial begin."
After the Grand Leader said that and sat back down on his throne, one of the elders stood up and spoke. "Grand Leader. If I may? Why should we bother with putting this Abomination on trial?! Let us be done with this stain and put it to death as it should be!" I was kind of asking that question myself, although I wisely said nothing as the council continued to mull.
"I have seen no proof of his dishonor." The Grand Elder replied, although I could tell he knew the accusations against me were true.
"It is evident upon it's throat ,Sir, which the blight makes no move to hide! I see it now!" The elder continued his bullshting. I decided to turn my head and display my gills to the rest of the council who hissed as they saw them. "You see ,Grand Leader! Even it makes no move to hide it's shame, and reveals it to us publicly! Let us not waste time and be done with this fiend!"
"Quiet! While the accounts of his hybridization I know to be true, there are other reasons he is hear." The Grand Leader explained rubbing his fingers over his lower mandibles in a thoughtful manner.
"Great Elder, the elder is correct in his assertions! This Abomination must be slain! It is a dishonorable blight to our society's honor by it's very existence!" One of the clan leaders rose in support of the elder. Soon most of the other elders and clan leaders joined in the argument to have me executed. This didn't worry me much, although if they did come to that conclusion I wouldn't just let them go for it without fighting back. I was pretty sure that that's what it was about to come to. The Grand Leader looked down at me, and at the chaos that was brewing below him, and managed to stop the council's bickering before it became physical.
"SILENCE! I have spoken, and such actions shall not be made until I've given my verdict! Back to your places all of you!" The Grand Leader said pounding his combi-stick on the ground hard. The guards joined the Grand Elder and pointed their weapons at the crowd of dysfunctional elders and clan leaders. That made them all stop and sit back down.
"We apologize for our behavior ,Great One. We meant no disrespect." They all said apologetically. I could sense some smug in their voices.
"I apologize if I've caused any disturbance to you ,Sir." I said humbly, bowing to the Grand Leader for anything I may have also done, although I didn't see what I could have done to anger him. I was just humble like that. The Grand Leader had already known I was an Abomination, but he didn't see me that way. I could see he sensed something in my character. Something that intrigued him above anything else.
"Indeed you have ,Abomination." I heard another clan leader hiss hatefully at me.
"The disturbance has been dealt with. Let us continue. If there are any other accusations against him to be made, bring them forth with evidence. If you do not then remain where you are." The Grand Leader said. I could see by all of the whispering mandibles around me they were thinking of ways they could dig my grave even deeper, although since none of them had any proper evidence that was mostly impossible. One of the clan leaders got up and stated his charge.
"Grand Leader. This thing is not only a dishonorable Abomination, but has been conspiring with the dishonorable Vall-kcor'sta clan. You know as well as the rest of us that it arrived with them! They may be trying to trick us with their stories, and are plotting against us!" He spoke, snarling at me.
"If you have evidence to support this accusation bring it forward." The Grand Leader requested.
"Sir, why do you defend them like this?! They are bad bloods?! And this thing is an Abomination! They may still be angry for exiling them, and they have brought this stain to assist them in bringing forth an uprising tha-!" The clan leader continued.
"Have you no evidence to provide, then silence your useless speech and sit down!" The Grand Leader told him. The clan leader was about to continue his argument, but the Grand Elder gave him a hard stare which, put the lesser Yatja in his place.
"Does anyone else make charges against him?" The Grand Elder asked. The room stood silent except for the blazing torches that light the corners of the room. "No? Very well then." The Grand Leader pronounced before standing up and turned to me. "Your name is Kjon, is that correct?"
"Yes ,Sir."
"And from what I've heard, you were born and raised among the Oomans to be trained as one of their warriors. Is this also true?" I didn't know why the Grand Leader was asking me all of these questions, but I didn't ask any questions of my own, and only gave him truthful answers.
"Yes ,Sir. That is also true."
"And from what I've heard of your friends, who my group counseled just days ago they say that you are an accepted member of the Ooman family know to us as the Schaefers. Is this also true?"
"Yes ,Sir. It is."
Suddenly the one elder that brought up the first accusation stood up and spoke. "It lies ,Grand Elder! How could such a stain be so fortunate as to be an accepted member of the Schaefer Oomans?! What proof does it have?!"
The Grand Elder then snapped his fingers before giving a command. "Find the evidence on the newcomer's bio-mask. Once you have, bring it forward." A lone female came forward a moment later and brought the mighty Yatja my bio-mask. The Grand Elder played the footage that the female had found for him. Sure enough there was Hadrick Schaefer on the feed. The moment was of me and him after my triumphant fight against my first shadow.
"Take it. You've earned it ,Son." The recording said with my language dubbed in. The elders looked at each other in disbelief, yet at the same time they couldn't deny it. They recognized Hadrick's Schaefer's resemblance, and knew it was true.
"It is as we've been told. This individual is one of the Schaefers." The Grand Leader said stepping down to face me. "It is an honor to finally met one of the mighty Schaefers." The Grand Elder said pleasantly. "Although must say I did expect you to be an Ooman."
"Grand Leader! That does not change the fact it is a dishonorable Abomination! It must be slain!" The elder continued to argue.
"Where is your wisdom ,Na-vex?! Where is your honor?!" The Grand Leader addressed the elder as he began to walk around the semicircle. "Where is all of your wisdom and honor gone?! Do you not recognize that this young-blood is a Schaefer?! Do you not realize they have bested every one of us who has fought against them?! If you would have seen that this young-blood was special, you would have known he is a highly blessed and skilled young-blood." He kept calling me that because I was still only about as old as a normal young-blood Yatja. I also appreciated that he called me other things like newcomer, and not Abomination, unlike the rest of his council.
"But it is an Abomination! Do you not understand that it is a dishonorable menace?!" One clan leader responded.
"It is true that he is, but what do you know of this young-blood?! He was raised differently than we all have. Had you seen him like I had, you would have known that he was prepared to defend himself! According to what I've heard from your testimony of the Vall-kcor'sta's clan leader, and from what I've seen on the young-blood's bio-mask, he had helped them bring down the bad bloods who were plotting against us! And that it was he who single handedly destroyed two Abominations with only his bare hands, and while severely wounded! And he is but as old as a young-blood! He may very likely have slain you all with ease had you chosen to attack him!" The Grand Leader said in my defense. I forgot to mention that the Grand Leader was also very very wise. Many have said he's the wisest individual of the whole society. "Have you no honor for this young-blood and his friends who also brought us knowledge of an uprising that the bad bloods were planning against us, and brought back what the bad bloods have stolen from many of our smaller brother and sister clans?! Have you no respect?! Have any of you no shame?! What if he is an Abomination?! Look what he and his friends have done for us?! Why should they be treated with such disrespect as the rest of you have treated them?! The clan leader and his mate have been taught the error of Reo'am-oir's ways, and has made improvement. They only wish to be forgiven as do those of their clan who are still loyal to them. The mysterious hard meat Ooman, who is of the Weyland family, who have also been great adversaries to us for many centuries now, also came to assist and bring us back what was rightfully ours, instead of taking it for her own gain, like many of her ancestors have before. And the young-blood, he is the one they give most credit to for these accomplishments. He protected and saved them numerous times. Without him we would have no knowledge of the bad bloods and their army that we have now, and our weapons that the bad bloods have taken would still be in their possession. What are his true motives? What do any of you foolish sucklings know of him? Where you see a dishonorable stain, I see a hunter warrior who we owe a great deal of gratitude for the help he's given us." That caused the whole council to bow their heads in foolish submission.
"But ,Grand Leader. What will be done about it? It is still an Abomination? If we let it go it will cause unrest among our society. What shall we do?" One of the elders asked.
"That shall come later, but for now I wish to know more of his person." The Grand Leader said as he stepped back in the middle of the semicircle with me. "What ever skills and virtues the Schaefer Ooman taught him were that of wisdom and experience. It interests me to know more of this young-blood and what reason he has that he has visited us." He said to the rest of the council before turning his attention to me "May you explain yourself honorable one?"
"Yes ,Sir. Thank-you ,Sir." I said with a surprised look on my face. I honestly hadn't expected that to occur, but you could believe I was grateful for the Grand Elder's understanding. "The reason why I came, was to help my friends, Ch'ris and Rachelle. When Ch'ris' sister took my friend Jenny they helped me get her back. During that time we became friends and I learned they were trying to repent of their clan's previous misdeeds. So I came to help. I also came because of my mother." I explained.
"What is the cause that you came here for her?" The Grand Leader questioned curiously.
"She dishonored my clan, when she was captured by Weyland Yutani. Some of my clan's technology also ended up in their possession because of her, and after I was hybridized she refused to kill me. I was the only pup of my litter who managed to survive. She'd lost everything and I was all she had left. She cared for me to much to lose me. She taught me how to defend myself, and what she could about this society so that I could eventually restore the honor she'd lost for my clan and herself. When she died she tried to see what she could do to restore it herself, but she didn't succeed." I continued.
"As she deserved to." The one elder insultingly whispered. I flexed my fists angrily as I heard the elderly Yatja throw my mother's name like that shamefully. The Grand Elder heard it also and reacted.
"SILENCE! I here so much as one more word from you about the young-blood, I shall not hesitate to have my guards remove you from this trial! The same goes for the rest of you!" That made the elder and the rest of the council shut their traps for the rest of the session. "My apologies young-blood."
"Thank-you ,Sir."
"It is unfortunate to hear of such a tragedy, young-blood. I am deeply sorry for you." I couldn't believe I actually heard the Grand Elder apologize to me for something like this. Even after hearing it was Mom who'd dishonored my clan. "I suspect that the Schaefer Ooman took you under his teachings after the death of your mother, eventually taking you to be his son."
"Yes that is correct ,Sir."
"And since then you have fought valiantly for the Oomans in their defense against the hard meats." The Grand Leader stated.
"Yes ,Sir... How do you know this?" I inquired with a confused look.
The Grand Elder vibrated his mandibles in a laugh, which was surprising not just to hear for myself but for the rest of the council to hear. "A simple educated guess young one, that is all."
"Excuse me for asking, but why are you so interested in me?" I asked with a weird look on my face.
That made the Grand Elder laugh more. "In all of my life young-blood I have seen many of my kind who acted honorably and dishonorably. But never in all of my life, have I seen a individual of your circumstance, act with such control and honor. Especially for one who is so young, and has lived among Oomans as you have. I have had the pleasure of seeing many interesting Yatja who have done many interesting things, but they have never been as interesting as you. You know much of both your own culture and that of the Oomans, and you act with valor, and integrity, and ease for both, yet the individuals of both treat you with such persecution which I can sense is very oft, whether it is because of who they see in you or what they make of you. For someone to be so cursed, yet so blessed in character it is intriguing to see." The Grand Leader explained. "Would you say that I am correct ,young-blood?"
I was baffled by the Grand Leaders knowledge about me. "I don't know what to say ,Sir. I'm... speechless." Once again that made the Grand Elder laugh.
"In all my years of hunting and exploring all the many worlds that I have, I have found and killed many dangerous game, but I have also found much wisdom with many of the peoples I have encountered. The Oomans are one such people. After everything I've heard from your friends, and the knowledge I've gained from many wise and virtuous Oomans, that is how I know of you. The most honorable Oomans I've seen are the ones who sacrifice themselves for the good of their fellow beings, and the most ignoble ones I've seen are those who simply live to take from others, without conscience or remorse. Now while we do not have their views I feel it is an interesting concept. I also feel it is why many of us see them as such worthy adversaries, and occasionally unlikely allies. Not just because they are crafty but because of their morals or lack thereof. You know of this very well yourself do you not?"
"Yes, I do Sir."
"It is also pleasing to see such a young individual as yourself demonstrate such respect for authority, despite how poorly my fellow council members have treated you." He said looking over at the rest of the elders and clan leaders with a resentful look. "And that you only display disrespect and aggression only when you or someone you care for is threatened. You merely act out of defense for yourself and others. I cannot find any fault with that. I also admire how you act upon the Ooman's "moral compass" as they call it, and are able to combine it with the rights and wrongs of our culture, and react with honor and virtue accordingly to both." The Grand Elder told me with a soft smile, placing his hand on my shoulder. "It is for these reasons that I find such interest in you, as do I know so much of you. And I feel that it is because of your noble actions both to us Yatja and the Oomans that you are an honorable and exceptional hunter. I am also pleased to see how a young-blood such as yourself has so much potential. I too was once a young-blood full of great potential, and right now I see a hunter with much potential just the same as I used to have and every other young-blood hunter that does too." I was once again left speechless by the Grand Elders complimentary explanation.
Once he removed his hand from my shoulder I did the only respectful thing I knew to do and gave the Grand Leader an esteeming bow of appreciation. "Thank-you ,Grand Leader." I said sincerely and respectfully as I did so.
"And many thanks to you as well noble young-blood of the Schaefers. It is an honor." He told me with the same respectful gesture of gratitude.
"If I may ask ,Sir, but what about my friends?" I questioned.
"They are still awaiting a sentence. As far as my ignorant fellow council is concerned they should receive punishment as well as you, but I feel that such actions are not necessary or deserving. Would you agree?" The Grand Elder explained in an understanding tone.
"Absolutely ,Sir." I said.
"Very well. I shall see to it that the Vall-kcor'sta clan is reinstated, and that the bad bloods of their clan receive the proper punishment that they deserve." I knew that Ch'ris and Rachelle would be glad to here that, and gave a smile. "As for you and your Ooman female friend though, while I would suggest a pardon for your noble actions, I am afraid I cannot offer such a privilege, as you are an Abomination within the eyes of our society and it's rules. However, I can say that you do have the chance to prove yourself, which I can give according to our law." The Grand Leader explained. Despite how promising the Grand Elder's remarks were, I had a feeling such would be the case.
"What would that entail ,Sir?" I asked.
"You shall be sent to the clan of your origin, where they shall set up a challenge for you. If you complete it, then you will have proven yourself, and will be looked upon as an honorable and legitimate member of our society. However, if you do not succeed then you shall either be banished or executed. But given your actions to us have been noble, you may avoid execution." The Grand Elder explained.
"Sound's good to me." I answered.
"Very well then. You and your Ooman friend shall be sent to whatever clan it is you hail from where you both will be tested." The Grand Leader said giving his verdict. "Which clan do you hail from young-blood?"
"Uh, I'm not entirely sure to be honest," I told the Grand Elder truthfully, "although I do have an idea." I stripped off a piece of my armor that I knew had my clan's symbol visibly marked on it, and gave it to the Grand Leader.
"It appears you are from the Schroalatic clan."
"And which of these guys would just so happen to be from that clan?" I said as I starred spitefully at the rest of the council.
"That clan is not present in today's trial young-blood, but I will say I had my suspicions that you were from that clan. I shall have them notified of you and your Ooman's arrival and what the purpose of your presence to the clan will be for. I shall have a ship ready for you and the Ooman's travel to the Schroalatic clan ready in the morning. Your weapons and provisions shall be returned to you as well." The Grand Leader told me. "Ch'ris and Rachelle shall remain here so that plans may be made for the return of their clan. As for you and your Ooman, I wish you both the best of fortune." He said giving me back my bio-mask.
"Thank you for your understanding ,Grand Leader. It's been an honor to meet you." I told him with one last respectful bow.
"As it has been to me as well young Schaefer." He said repeating my gesture before he went to return to his throne.
"Peace be unto you." I told the Grand Leader with a smile, as his guards materialized beside me to escort me out.
As I was ushered outside the court. I couldn't help but feel a boost of adrenaline coursing through my system. Not only had I just met the Clan Leader himself, but I was also going to have the opportunity to meet my clan, prove my worthiness, and restore my mother's honor. I knew that the journey was going to be hard, but I'd already figured that out by the time I was already born. I was nervous and excited for the week ahead of me, but I kept my joyful confidence from evolving into pride. I wasn't out of the woods yet, but I was close, and I could see the light shinning at the end of the tunnel.
"I'm not going to let you down Mom."
Merciful Master Jesus, Thank you! Finally I am done with this fcking chapter. I'm sorry if I seem a bit upset, it's just I was trying to get this entry out of the way as soon as I could, but things kept distracting me. I took a break for a couple days because I had a hard time focusing, I lost a day because of power problems because of the snowstorm that swept past my area, and I had to redo some school that got lost, which put me behind by another two days. But thankfully I'm finally fcking done. Anyway I tried to make this chapter shorter like the earlier entries because I noticed how much longer they've been getting and I wanted to try and get it done as quick as I could, but obviously that didn't happen. At any rate, as for the characters, I wanted to put them in a society that most of them are from, but who still view them as outcasts and rejects. You can see this in a lot of the dialogue, and how most of the Yautja call Kjon "it" rather than "him." But just so that they could have a sporting chance at redemption, I decided to include the Grand Elder, or Grand Leader Yautja to help keep balance. As for Ch'ris, Rachelle and Sa-v'ar I'm going to be taking a break from them for a little, but they will be back. For now though Kjon and Jenny will be having their hands full with this "challenge." I won't spoil anything, but I will be including a revealing truth at the end of the next chapter. As always thank you NeverNeverGirl for the comments, they continue to keep me motivated on finishing this story, and I hope you continue to enjoy the series. I'm also curious to know what your favorite part of it is. Hopefully I won't have to many distractions and interruptions between then and now. Once again thank you for reading and enjoying, and I will get to work on the next chapter as soon as possible. :)