Chapter 2: Familiar and Unfamiliar
Disclaimer: I do not own Alien/Predator series or any characters and may not follow all customs and cultures found in Alien/Predator movies.
The travel back to my makeshift home was almost like a bluff. I followed the hidden trail through the forest so many times that I acted on instinct. If anyone were to ask me directions, I wouldn't be able to describe it enough. I make sure that I cover my tracks, using mud to rub all over myself. It's a pain to wash off afterward but necessary. I couldn't relax for even a second. I would glance behind me . . . to the sides . . . and the front, being less conspicuous for any pursuer that would dare catch me by surprise. However, this particular day was foggy so I could only see a few feet forward. I kept cursing myself for getting my mask broken in the fight. The heat vision would make travel easier. That was the third one I made this week. I shook it off, knowing it would do any good thinking about it.
Carefully, I walked through the trees while jumping over logs and crawling under rocks. Finally, I saw the marker I created or rather . . . accidentally when I landed on Earth. The shredded trunks and disturbed dirt marked the way to the mountain . . . to my home. I sighed. Finally . . .
It was only a few more meters when I stopped in front of the crater formed on the mountainside. If I told anyone that we were here, they would consider me crazy. Nothing of a shelter or even a tent could be seen anywhere but it was a ruse. I brought my wrist gauntlet and activated the signal. At first, it was silent until I heard the familiar humming of a machine turning off. The air in front of the mountain shifts as blotches of metal appear. They grew bigger and bigger until the invisible cloak was gone, revealing the large ship hidden underneath . . . the same one I took from Yautja Prime and crashed in the spot it resided now.
The damage to its haul showed its rough journey, still trying to understand how I survived. A variety of plants, mostly vines, covered the top and over the front to create a curtain that hides the entrance. I closed my eyes in disappointment. Reduced to this . . . Six months of doing the same thing. Will this ever end? That question pops up every time I return and each time I remind myself of why I needed to do this.
You have others out there . . . waiting or even looking for you. You have Earth to protect with your friends depending on its survival. I paused. Lar'ja is still out there.
Lar'ja's face was the first I saw, followed by Rory, McKenna, Brackett, and the Loonies. My hand grips my chest, feeling my heart flutter like the wings of a hummingbird. Despite the rumors I heard long ago, somehow my faith in their safety and Lar'ja's was strong. I know you'll still out there. I'm sure of it. I let go of my chest, heading to the ship with renewed determination.
The way inside was the most difficult part. In the first three months, I conceded to squeeze through the cracks of the ship but it became difficult when I had to hack off more vines inside. Eventually, I couldn't stand it anymore and proceeded to blast an opening big enough for me. I had to wait until a lightning storm came to drown the blast. I made my way inside, lowering my head a few times to go under metal beams until I got to the other side.
It was like a scene from Jurassic World where you would find metal structures covered in overgrowth. The ship was no exception. Wires and vines mixed, shined by the small light breaking through the ceiling. Rubble and shards of the ship littered the ground, making it hard to navigate through. I learned my lesson the hard way when I attempted to clear a path and caused a deep scratch down my leg when I turned the wrong way next to a metal shard. It healed but the lesson was well understood. The front deck of the ship was left as it was, frozen at the moment it crashed. I walked in the opposite direction, heading through the hallway until I reached a door. It had a secured panel but it was worthless due to the damage inflicted. I fixed it enough that it will lock on my command in case a Bad Blood or a soldier showed up to investigate.
The lower levels of the ship remained strong, barely received any damage from the crash with a few scratches on the walls. I had no idea they existed until I checked it out a few days later. It's larger than I thought. A massive hallway stretched from one end to the other, branching out into several compartments. Most were bedrooms but near the far end there was a forge, storage for armor . . . weapons and a bathroom with a medical cabinet attached. I seriously thought that the Council prepared too well for an attack if they had a ship like this. Too bad it didn't help them. I scolded myself, disgraced by my thoughts. The Council members were true warriors . . . Hakr'ouh was too dirty to play by the Code of Honor. I bit my lip hard when I even dared myself to think his name. I could see his evil stare on me when I mention him. I licked the blood from the new wound I created, walking off as I felt it heal.
My first stop was the storage. My skin was feeling itchy from the armor I created. As soon as I came home, I would take it off first. The room was mostly emptied when I discovered it except for several cabinets on the far side. I headed towards one of them, opened it and proceeded to take off my armor. It was nothing special, made from scraps pulled off the ship and patched with whatever I could find. It was mostly silver but the patches were a darker color, mostly resembling a metal cow that was a little too big for me but only so that my Yautja form can fit it. Any respectable warrior would have laughed in embarrassment. After placing it in the cabinet and leaving me with a thin leather shirt, shorts, my wrist gauntlets and my other weapons I held in my hands, I headed towards the last cabinet standing alone. I opened it slowly to reveal my most precious gifts.
My Yautja armor gleaned when the light touched it. The silver patterns detailing the chest were still impressive, even after wearing it on my Chiva and Yautja Prime. The red straps with the Dark Blade Clan symbol stood out above the rest as I lightly touched it. My leg braces stood on one side of it while the other I placed my wrist gauntlets, making sure they're secured. They were the only things in this wreck that looked new and clean. Although I haven't worn them in such a long time, it's a Yautja habit to maintain such items. A Yautja must care for their armor as they would on a trophy . . . and be proud to wear it. You heard that many times. As much as I wanted to keep it on, I had very good reasons not to.
I turned my gaze lower until I saw my mask standing upright below the chest armor. My heart warmed at the memory of Sa'iye gifted me that day. I reached to hold it but stopped. A quick but sharp pain skewered through my heart when dark thoughts followed. Is she safe? Is anyone safe? I pulled away, having enough.
I placed my twin swords first on the bottom shelf, deciding to clean the dried green blood off later. The knives and disks were placed as well but they weren't my own. The secret stash I found contained several of these weapons, including a few, self-destruct devices that I detested. Yautjas pride themselves on honor . . . so much that they would take their own lives if they failed and to protect Yautja technology from another species. It was one philosophy that I never agreed on. Plus, the devices had too big of a risk when using them. Still, they came in handy when I have to clear a hive so that no more could be made.
After setting all aside, I decided to have a much-needed bath. I headed towards the bathroom that only housed a makeshift tub built into the ground. I turned it on and the hot water began to pour in. You would think that the ship wouldn't have power left after the crash so it was a shock when I found that out. All of its normal functions were still in operation. The only things it can't do anymore was fly or send out a message. The engine was far beyond repair and the communication systems were destroyed. Without the proper materials that can't be found on Earth, I had no way of finding help from space.
The steam from the hot water made my skin sweat as I took off my clothes. The bath called for me and didn't hesitate to jump in. I hissed when it began to burn my skin but after a few minutes, it worked its magic. My muscles ached into relaxation and my heart slowed to an easy pace. I went to sit on the other side of the bath, leaning back on the walls with my arms sprayed on the edges. I moved my head back, closing my eyes as I listened to the breeze swaying the leaves and branches outside.
"Bravo 1 . . . *static* . . . to Alpha 5 . . . *static* . . . What's your status? Over . . ."
I jolted a little, making my heart skip a beat. Pauk . . . I forgot I had it on. I turned my head around to see the small device standing there. It was a small hand-held military radio that sat a few feet from the tub behind me. Frustrated by myself for acting like a paranoid fool, I sighed deeply and reached for it. I brought it close and lowered the volume a bit before sitting it up next to me.
"This is Alpha 5 . . . *static* . . . reporting in. No signs of activity . . . *static* . . . Permission to check next perimeter?"
"Permission granted."
The radio went silent after that. I wasn't surprised that I won't hear anything for a while and even if I did, it would end with screaming and gunfire. These soldiers are idiots . . . When will they ever learn? The military is only interested in destroying the infestation of the kainde amedha and the Killer Yautja that made it happen, keeping everything in secrecy. They're no better than Stargazer. The day when I took the radio was an example of a situation going wrong . . . very wrong.
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
A week after I landed on Earth, I tried to assess my surroundings. I stayed in the confines of the wrecked ship while I listened for danger. Ever since the Bad Bloods landed, it had been chaos all over. I kept hearing groaning of metal and trunks snapping, probably being crushed. I waited for them to find me, preparing for a battle of a lifetime the moment the Bad Bloods came. I ate some of the meat stored in a cooler that broke in the lower levels but I couldn't last on it forever. I have to go and investigate.
I inched my way out of the ship while checking to ensure my armor was on. I got my mask on and activated the visuals. I was surprised that it was still functioning from receiving damage from the crash. Sa'iye's marksmanship was prolific if not insanely good. I kept my normal vision mode until I found something as I headed into the dark forest surrounding the ship.
I climbed onto the nearest tree, hoping to get a better visual of the area. So far, I didn't see anything out of the ordinary. I couldn't even see the ships that landed earlier. Where the fuck are they? I changed to heat vision and it revealed nothing. I did the same for the night vision and I got the same results. I grumbled and jumped to the next branch. Over and over . . . nothing. Frustration was kicking inside me like an angry bull. Come on! Are you serious!?
I don't know if the universe was watching me or something else but my questions were answered. I heard footsteps coming from the northeast and I took off without hesitation.
When I saw a shadow figure from my night vision, I stopped at the nearest branch to observe. I expected that it was the Bad Bloods and my blood boils immediately with rage. I grabbed a knife from my belt, thinking it best to attack from a distance and take out the Leader before chaos ensues. I was ready.
"Keep your eyes peeled. They could be hiding in plain sight."
My eyes perked. That's not Yautja. It sounds . . . ooman. Or rather . . . human, I should say.
Sure enough, a dozen of them come stalking through bushes and into the open field. Their flashlights scattered everywhere, forcing me to change to normal vision when my eyes got blinded. I looked closer and notice all of them was carrying a rifle, wearing camouflage padding over their bodies.
I knew right away. Soldiers . . . Are they Stargazer?
I tensed in fear upon mentioning that name. It had been a long time since I thought about them but being back on Earth . . . seeing soldiers in front of me . . . it's as if I never left. I started to get angry once more and my grip on the knife tightened. But then I relaxed when I saw they looked more like standard army soldiers rather than Stargazer. They would have more advanced weaponry as well. So what are they doing here?
One soldier in front stopped in his tracks, glancing down on the ground. He did nothing for a minute until I noticed him start to tremble in fear.
"What is it, Soldier?"
The others stopped as their supposed Leader went next to the soldier. He shook his shoulder but the guy refused to move. Even his voice shook unsteadily. He's terrified. Why?
"Sir . . . They were . . . here."
The Leader looked down at the ground and I saw the same reaction that the soldier made. Curious, I tilted my head to the side to see better. My mask automatically focused closer on my target, revealing a body lying on the ground. I was confused about why they were reacting like that. There has to be more. My eyes travel up the body and stopped at his chest, noticing the bloody gaping hole. I cringed, realizing what had happened to the guy. It was confirmed when I saw a dead facehugger next to his face. The guy was frozen over by death. His eyes almost bulged out of their sockets, scaring me all the more.
Kainde amedha . . . It must be the Killer Yautja's work.
No sensible Yautja would create such creatures in the middle of a forest unless for a Hunt. But in this current situation, it's only reasonable to conclude the obvious choice. The Leader presses an arm to cover his nose, pulling the soldier away from the corpse.
"Alright. We got another dead body that looks fresh, meaning that the aliens aren't too far. Set a perimeter here until I get further orders."
The soldiers reluctantly move in a circular formation, watching their surroundings for the kainde amedha or the Bad Bloods. It was a bad idea to be out in the open with deadly creatures hiding in the shadows. The kainde amedha were slick and use the darkness to their advantage. The Bad Bloods, despite being the lowest of Yautja society, have stealthy skills to kill them without being noticed. My training taught me well enough to use your surroundings to hide. Plus, I heard whispers between them as clear as day.
"So we sit here and wait for them to come to us? Like baits?"
I shook my head. They're fools.
The Leader pulls out something from his belt, seeing that it was a heavy-duty radio. He brings it up to his face as it crackles.
"US Defense Command. This is Beta 1 requesting back up in Perimeter 2. We found another body and need someone to pick it up. Further orders to investigate further."
The radio comes to life. "Got your message . . . *static* . . . proceed with caution . . . *static* . . . Sending backup to your location."
The radio was too loud. Anyone could hear it from a mile away. Another mistake . . . pauking idiots.
The moment the Leader spoke and the radio answered became fatal to the whole group. I heard a hiss from the other side of the plain and my head jolts to see a massive kainde amedha perched on a branch. I tightened my lips to keep my breath low but it made my heart pump faster. It didn't know I was watching, more focused on the soldiers. A drool drops from its mouth and its tail swings violently around. Oh no . . .
Before I could react, the creature flies into the air and right in the middle of the soldier's formation.
The humans turned in terror but none were fast enough to react. The kainde amedha swings the tip of its tail and skewers one through his stomach. The soldier screams in agony as crimson blood spilled out like a waterfall. The Leader turns his attention to the creature as it screeches in victory.
"Open fire!"
The soldiers didn't hesitate to shoot. Flashes of gunfire illuminated the center as I heard screams. They weren't war cries I'm used to hearing on Yautja Prime . . . They were screams of terror.
The kainde amedha got some hits in its hide and screeches in pain. But it only made it angrier. It targets another soldier and leaps onto his shoulders. He cries for help from the others but the creature silences him, allowing the inner jaws to pierce through his skull and out between his eyes. More shots fired and the Leader frantically tried to call for more help.
"US Defense Command! We're under attack! Can you hear me!? I—"
The Leader chokes on blood but the kainde amedha wasn't even close to him. Confused and frantic to find out, I scanned around the area but don't see anything . . . that is until my mask alerted me of a presence. It's a special feature I added to the mask that detects if there's another Yautja with a wrist gauntlet. It can't tell me who or what clan they belong but it was good enough. I saw the signal was right next to the Leader but nothing was there . . . at least to the untrained eye. I made out a silhouette standing in front, cloaked from sight. My hair stands up when the cloak dissipates, revealing a Yautja with his wrist blades in the Leader's chest.
The Yautja kicks the Leader away from him and roars, raising his masked face to the sky. I didn't know who he was until I saw the distinctive red X symbol on his sleek, dark silver armor right above his shoulder. I ground my teeth in fury.
Bad Blood . . . Killer Yautja . . .
I wanted so badly to go in and kill him but my mind looked at the situation logically. If I went into the chaos, there's a chance I will get injured severely. These soldiers aren't in their right minds. Also, there could be more Bad Blood around and I have no idea where they're located. There's too much risk to go in so all I could do was watch as the massacre unfolds.
The kainde amedha and the Bad Blood killed off each soldier one at a time until they were the only ones left. The bodies of soldiers decorated the ground in red color and shredded flesh. The smell was strong enough that it began to seep behind my mask. I ignored it, focusing on the new development. The creature turned its attention to the Bad Blood and hissed in warning. The Bad Blood growled low, retracting his blades and taking out a large spear. It was a foot longer than his body, equipped with a large tip the side of my forearm.
"Easy, prey. I don't want you to cause more problems than your worth."
As if in response, the kainde amedha screeches loud and long. In a flash, it lunges at the Bad Blood. It wasn't 'tamed' like the others I saw on Yautja Prime. No collar or chains were on it so the kainde amedha will attack without restraint. They acted on instinct and nothing else.
The Bad Blood saw this coming and rushed out like a tank. He raises his spear like a lance as the creature brings its tail forward in an attack. The Bad Blood dodges it at the last second and the tail gets stuck into the ground. Vulnerable, the Bad Blood swings his staff in a circular rotation before using the tip to slice the kainde amedha's head clean off. Little acidic blood spilled on the ground as the head tumbles away. The body flops like dead weight and the Bad Blood looks down in pride. He throws his arms into the air and roars in victory.
I scolded at what I saw, furious to witness this. You don't deserve such an honor.
He looms over the body before I heard more footsteps from behind the Bad Blood. He doesn't even flinch and I knew he could hear it. But the dissipation of another invisible cloak revealed another Bad Blood wearing armor with a hint of a yellowish hue. So there was another one.
The yellow armored Bad Blood walks next to the dark silver one, grumbling on the way. "Those prey would have been worth using as hosts."
The dark silver one growled. "They were shooting the kainde amedha and almost got me." He lifts his arm to reveal a bullet wound going through the crook of his arm. The yellow Yautja smacked it hard without warning, earning a grunt of pain from the other.
"What did you do that for?!"
"Be quiet. More oomans might hear us before we get the chance to capture them. Alive."
He emphasized that last word, turning a knot in my stomach at its meaning. Creating more hosts. Are they planning to create more kainde amedha for their army? I tightened my fists quietly, keeping my anger in check that was causing my body to sweat underneath the armor. The yellow armored Bad Blood started walking off.
"Let's get going."
"What about the crashed ship we found? On the mountainside?"
My heart skipped a beat in shock. They're talking about my ship! They must have seen it while I was gone! I feared that they know my location now and would decide on investigating my whereabouts. Instead, the yellow armored Bad Blood flicked a hand in the air.
"There's nothing left to salvage. It's beyond repair and not worth the time."
"But it belonged to the hybrid."
My body froze immediately. I waited for the dreaded words to come. But again, I was surprised by the Bad Blood's answer . . . or rather shocked to be the most likely reaction.
"The hybrid is dead. The crash alone would have killed the lou-dte kale. We have more pressing matters to attend now."
I shook my head softly in disbelief. Everyone thinks . . . I'm dead? My thoughts went straight to Lar'ja and the others. Do they believe it as well? Have they given up faith in me? Unable to believe it, I bite on my finger and tasting the metallic blood. The pain was welcomed but wasn't enough. Unintentionally, my breath hitched a little too loud. I closed my mouth tightly but it was too late.
"What was that?"
The dark silver Bad Blood turned towards my direction and I hid behind the trunk before he could see me. I held my breath, keeping as quiet as possible.
"Did you hear that?"
"Yeah . . . I did."
One of them growled and I heard blades unsheathing. I kept calm, remembering my training with Daugo that one time. You are the hunter . . . not the prey. You must show dominance when your enemies close in on you. They'll think you're cornered . . . but it's you that cornered them.
I missed hearing his voice, soothing and calm . . . unlike the behavior of a typical Yautja. The species is brutal and unkind to all compassion but not Daugo or Lar'ja . . . and all my friends. They never were cruel but understanding. I repeated Daugo's words over and over again. And every time. . . my confidence builds. I opened my eyes, feeling them burn with determination and strength. I pulled out my knife once more, rubbing the tip between my fingers as I heard the Bad Bloods coming closer and closer.
But then, I heard a painful groan from across the plain. The footsteps stopped as I listened.
"Well . . . we have one prey who refuses to die."
I heard their feet shift away from the tree and move away. Huh? Their attention was drawn away from me and towards the source of the sound. Slowly, I turned my body to the side and saw the Bad Bloods walking over to the Leader. Surprisingly, he was still alive but bleeding badly. He tried to hold his wound closed but the blood wouldn't stop flowing. It created a trail behind him. His cough was wet and hoarse as he tried to lift his body from the ground. The way he looked and the amount of blood loss . . . he wasn't going to live long without treatment. But I had to admit he was a fighter. He got on his weak legs, glaring at the Bad Bloods.
Both of the Killer Yautja chuckled. "Tough male. His skull would be a worthy prize on my wall."
The dark silver one acted too cocky for his good. A warrior would find that behavior befitting an ignorant pup. The yellow Bad Blood stayed put, looking rather annoyed. "I guess you can have him. And then we leave. Understood?"
The other smirked. "Yes."
His wrist blades were out and ready to slice the human into pieces. The Leader grunts in defiance, showing a look in his eyes that he was ready to fight and die. A very rare trait in humans but very honored to have in Yautja society. The Bad Blood inches closer and the Leader moves his free hand slowly to his belt, reaching for something. What's he plotting? But the human was too slow when the Bad Blood suddenly charged. I knew he was a goner but I felt he deserved to survive after everything. But also because I couldn't stand the Killer Yautja taking more lives for their senseless killing.
I had enough.
I pulled my knife and prepared to jump. Since there were two Bad Bloods with deadly weapons shown on their belts, I changed to my Yautja form. My legs and arms grew in length and girth as my mandibles emerged from my cheeks. I flinched when my back extended. It was the worst of the transformation when it came to pain but I endured. I opened my eyes and flexed my clawed fingers, feeling the power flow into them. My mandibles clicked against the mask as I watched the Bad Blood inch closer. When he raised his blades in the air over the Leader, I took my chance.
I leaped into the air with such grace and silence that by the time the Bad Bloods noticed my presence, it was too late. My knife plunged into the middle of the dark silver Bad Blood's back. He lets out a horrible roar of agony but I didn't relent. I wanted him dead. I pulled the bloody blade knife out, only to strike it back into him. He tries to swipe his claws but I was beyond his reach. Anger fueled my actions as I kept stabbing him again and again.
But then I felt my body being tugged in the opposite direction. The other Bad Blood grabbed my dreadlocks, yanking as hard as he could. Pain radiated like acid rain dripping all over my head. I roared but threw my knife at the Bad Blood behind me. He grabbed my wrist and twisted it hard enough that I was forced to drop the knife. Out of nowhere, I felt a blade sliced into my side and dragged down to my hip. It only fueled my rage and I kicked the yellow armored Bad Blood hard into his stomach. The force was enough to push him away while I used the other Bad Blood as leverage to jump out of range. He drops to the floor writhing in pain until death took him. But as soon as I managed to get on my feet on the opposite side of the field, the Bad Blood rams into me. I held my hands out to meet his but he got the upper hand. With such momentum, he skids both of us across the ground. My heels tried to stop it but my back slams into a tree trunk. I grunt as pain radiates across my spine. The Bad Blood pinned me down and I roared in defiance through the mask. He laughed as if he found this funny. Pauking Bad Blood.
"You're good. You took down my partner and handled your own. I'm impressed . . ." He pauses to take a sniff next to my face. I growled. What is with Bad Bloods in trying to take me?
"You should join us."
Anger grew inside my chest when I heard those words. It brought back memories that I loathed so much. They were almost the same words that Hakr'ouh tried to use on me. His red eyes showing pure evil. There were times I wished I could have killed him then and there. I could see the same expression on the Bad Blood's face. Well . . . at least I can kill you.
But right as I was about to make my move, his expression changed to curiosity. I was taken aback as he looked at me from head to toe, stopping for a second longer at my chest with the Dark Blade Clan symbol on it. My fear of being discovered was realized when he spoke.
"That armor . . . You're—"
I didn't give him a chance to finish. "Go to pauking Hell!"
I pushed as hard as I could, freeing myself from his grip. He stumbles back and it was the opportunity I was waiting for. I pointed my gauntlet at him and activated the orbs. They flew like angry bees over the Bad Blood's head. I didn't give him a chance to take a look at them like he was. I gave the command and the orbs released thousands of blasts on him. He couldn't even let outcry or roar of any kind. The orbs made quick work in obliterating him to pieces. By the time they were finished, only a heated lump of flesh remained. The blood boiled like soup and his flesh charred on the ends. It was like seeing the alien from The Thing. The smell was abominable so I turned my face away as the orbs flew back into my gauntlet.
They're gone . . . That felt so good.
I took a step but stopped when I felt pain from my wound. It was enough that my body was forced to change back to ooman form. I glanced down, seeing that it was already healing. I sighed in satisfaction.
But just as I was about to turn around, I heard the static of a radio behind me. When I started to turn around, I heard the clicking of a gun. I froze immediately.
"Don't . . . move."
It was the Leader again. I raised my hands in the air, slowly turning around to face him. He had a handgun pointed in my direction but was shaking violently. I don't know if it was from being afraid or that he was dying. His whole front was covered in red blood. His hand pushed harder on his wound but it won't help him. He'll die if he keeps it up.
I spoke calmly, using one hand to unhook my mask so I wouldn't look as frightening. I placed it back on my belt. "Hey . . . You're hurt. You need medical treatment."
"You're one of them."
Excuse me? I didn't take it well. I growled in reaction. I never liked being compared to those Bad Bloods that have caused so much suffering. But when I saw the Leader flinch and push the front of his gun closer to me, I held back. I didn't want him to panic. I took a small breath to keep myself calm.
"I'm not. I'm here to help . . . but you need to drop the gun."
He shook his head. Fear was written all over his face. "You changed . . . into one of them. You're . . . a monster."
I flinched when I heard him say that. A flashback brought me back once more to when I transformed for the first time, revealing my true form to Rory, McKenna, Brackett and everyone else.
She's a monster!
Seeing the terrifying faces all over again made me shudder. A chill crawled across my skin, making me shiver. I shook my head to get rid of those dark thoughts, focusing back on the Leader who was shaking even more. Again, I tried to reason with him.
"Calm down. Don't do anything rash."
I could see him falter. His trembles lowering slightly. Okay . . . he's calming down. I took a step forward and he speaks softly.
"No . . ."
I took another step but more cautious. His trembling slowed down more so I thought I was making some progress. I took another step . . . and another . . . and another. His eyes showed calmness until they lower away from view. I was only inches to him. Alright . . . get the gun before anyone gets hurt. I reached out to grab the shaft. But as I did, the Leader panics quickly and screams.
"No!"
Before I could stop him, he put the gun to the side of his head and pulls the trigger. I opened my mouth to stop him but nothing came out. I watched as the bullet dug into his skull and went out on the other side. Bits of his brain and blood splashed out like confetti, managing to stain the ground in a streak. He drops dead to the ground and all I could do was stare at his body. His eyes showed absolute fear . . . the last thing he felt before taking his own life.
I was frozen in my spot for a few seconds. I've seen my shares of honorable suicides from Yautjas when they lost during a Hunt or other reasons. They were honorable but this human used death to escape. It wasn't honorable at all. It was hard to believe it happened in front of me.
I snapped out of it when I heard a stampede of footsteps coming from a few miles away. I heard more humans yelling to find their comrades but they'll only find corpses. I wasn't going to wait around and find out. I can't let them find me.
I turned to head back into the shadows of the forest when I heard crackling near the Leader's body. The radio he had before was still hooked on to him. It struggled to make a connection due to the slight damage to the frequency button. I debated on whether I should take it. Might prove useful later.
An idea came across my mind. I could use it to find McKenna and others. Rory as well. I didn't have much time in looking for them. The Bad Bloods arriving on their ships delayed my search for them. Once everything got settled, I would look for some way to see where they are. I needed allies . . . more than ever.
The footsteps got closer and my escape window was closing fast. Without wasting any more time, I grabbed the radio and jumped into the trees. I hid underneath a branch just in time. A whole troop of soldiers arrives to find the bodies of their comrades along with the Bad Bloods and the kainde amedha. I turned the volume down on the radio in case it acted up without my knowledge. I heard soft gasps and their faces of disbelief were clear as day.
One soldier walked across the bloodied ground, stopping in front of the Leader. He shook his head, probably knowing he committed suicide.
"We got a dozen bodies and three aliens here. Beta 1 is KIA."
They checked their surroundings before taking the bodies away in morgue bags. Two soldiers began to converse with one another and I listened in.
"Do you think it's another alien attack?"
"I'm not sure. Reports say that another creature was here, wearing silver armor and about the size of a human."
"Do you think that one of our own is helping them?!"
One soldier gasped in shock while the other remained calm. "It's not confirmed." He points to the Leader on the ground waiting to get bagged. "His message was cryptic since we were losing connection but he seemed terrified. Whatever the reason, we need to tell Command that we need to stay cautious. If anyone finds this person, he or she is to be brought in for interrogation. If they resist . . . shoot to kill."
The soldiers end their conversation, walking behind the Leader's body as they took him away.
I shook my head in frustration. Great . . . now I'm seen as the bad guy. I got Killer Yautja and these oomans to deal with now.
This was going to make things worse from now on. I couldn't trust anyone at this point so finding the others will prove difficult . . . but not impossible. I have to find them . . . I paused for a second. And I have to find out what the Killer Yautja are up to.
With nothing more to do, I took off to the ship and see what I can do to protect it. I scurried through the forest, worried but also determined to come up with a plan.
Hello Everyone!
Another surprise for all to read. I got busy ever since I read the latest chapters of An Ooman's Strength by AriannaK. I love it so much but feel sad for the characters, having mixed feelings that drove me crazy. With that, this chapter got finished in less than two days (I think lol). But This is one for New Year's celebration and I hope you look forward to more.
So . . . Anya's got more problems now as soon as she arrived back on Earth. On one side . . . she's got Bad Bloods who thinks she dead but might try to find her if they discover it. On the others . . . soldiers see her as a traitor and might kill her when given the chance. She's stuck in the middle and forced to hide in secret.
Will she get out of this predicament? Will she find her friends on Earth with the target on her back by the government? It doesn't look too good for Anya.
But don't worry . . . Chapter 3 (Another Player) and Chapter 38 (Setting Off) for The Ripple of a Stone (Part 2) will be posted by next week (Friday the latest). I've decided to give a preview of the next chapter's title shown in parentheses. It might give some ideas about what will happen. ;)
As for the reviews, I thank Anonymous-E, Maria, and NeverNeverLady for following to the next chapter of the series. To answer your questions, the series is dedicated to only show Anya's POV . . . but a story will be created to have Lar'ja's POV from beginning to the end of the Twisted Fate series (and another for between Chapters 23 & 24 of Metamorphosis). It will be until all previous stories are sorted out like Respect, which I am thankful for. As for the 'leer' word use, I apologies if I had done anything wrong with it. As I said, I'm not the best editor and still learning.
And don't worry if you haven't read the first part of The Ripple of a Stone. At least you'll have more chapters to read when you're finished. :)
Thank you . . . good Hunting . . . and a Happy New Year 2020! :))))
Reading notes:
Normal = Anya (human form) or any human speaking English (ooman language)
Italic = Anya (human form) or any human speaking Yautja
Bold = Any Yautja speaking English (ooman language)
Bold and Italic = Any Yautja speaking Yautja language