Lex and the King continued to discuss the fate of humanity. "I believe the humans are necessary to keeping the galaxy safe from the Engineer's return. We know that the Engineers intend to destroy humanity as well. We have mutual interests," the King said.
"Why do the Engineers want to destroy humanity?" Lex asked confused.
"They see humanity as a failure as well. We do not know why but two thousand cycles ago we intercepted a signal from the Engineers that ordered one of their outposts to attack Earth. At the time, we were too weak to destroy the outpost so we simply waited to see what they would do. The outpost went silent and nothing came of it," the King said.
"Why not destroy the outpost now?" Lex asked.
"We detected a known pathogen we believe is responsible for the biological engineering of the Xenomorphs on the outpost. If a Yautja or human for that matter comes into contact with the pathogen it will unleash uncontrollable violent emotions. During the war many Yautja warriors were infected by this pathogen. They became insane, turned against their brothers, and had to be killed. We have found it prudent to simply watch the outpost from afar," the King said.
"So, the enemy of my enemy is my friend," Lex recalled.
"Hold your friends close and your enemies closer," the King chuckled. "My son was right to mate with you," the King said amused.
Lex felt awkward talking about such things in front of her alien father-in-law. "Tell me about your father. I want to know the source of his daughter's strength," the King requested.
"My father was in the military, an officer that commanded men," Lex said.
"A warrior then," the King assumed.
"He was a pilot during a war between two nations," Lex clarified.
"Was he victorious?" the King asked.
"No, we lost," Lex said lamely. "We had more powerful weapons, better trained soldiers, and more resources but we lost."
"How is this possible?" the King wondered.
"Because the enemy was more determined to win. They were willing to sacrifice thousands of men, their cities, their fields, and their country to win," Lex said.
The King considered that thoughtfully. "Tell me what you think of the Yautja. There will be no punishment for your honesty."
Lex decided to trust the King as she was already at his mercy. "When you hunt you do not simply kill to eat or to control the population as you say. You mutilate the corpse, take the skull as a trophy, and then hang the skinned body for all to see. You are justifying murder and calling it conservation," Lex said boldly.
The King touched his mandibled chin thoughtfully and finished his drink. "It is the Yautja instinct to hunt and kill to survive. In ancient times before civilization this planet's environment made it very difficult to hunt prey. We developed powerful instincts to continually hunt and breed to survive. Now, with our technology we no longer have to worry about food but the instinct remains. If we do not hunt on other planets the clans will kill every kind of prey on this planet. Many ancient species have already gone extinct because of us," the King began.
"I cannot end the desire to hunt within the population. No King can. I can only redirect the desire to a cause that is noble and honorable. If not for the Kings before me Earth would be a wasteland. If I were to stop the hunts, the clans would hunt me down as well as all of the royals. There was once a King that tried to stop the hunt but did so to show his power rather than any noble ideal. He was assassinated by his own guards," the King said.
"So, you can't stop it even if you tried?" Lex asked.
"I cannot change Yautja nature. Attempts at biological engineering have resulted in failure creating the Black Yautja clan. Instead of reducing the desire to hunt it only increased it. But that is why you are an interesting experiment. Your child has human and Yautja DNA, which means there may be a possibility we could engineer the desire to hunt out of our society. Not completely of course but within the realm of reason. You have produced a daughter. Females naturally have a lower drive towards the hunt. Their instincts are more aligned to reproducing offspring. For us to know whether this experiment will work you need to give birth to a son," the King said.
"I'll make it a priority," Lex said sarcastically.
"Let us drink on it," the King said pleased.
Lex raised her cup in a very human gesture, which the King followed and then drank.
Prince Citali and Maquinna were summoned to the King's palace. The two arrived by separate transport and did not discuss with each other what the King would say or do. They both knew however that it would be an unpleasant conversation. The two Princes walked silently through the halls, and they noticed the servants were working to repair a fallen statue and plasma burst burn marks on the walls. The two realized some kind of battle must have occurred, but they did not speculate.
Citali and Maquinna knelt before the King with Citali in front. "My second son: you have developed a weapon of mass death in your laboratory. You shall halt production and never again produce another," the King ordered.
"Yes, my King," Maquinna said respectfully.
"Leave us," the King ordered.
Maquinna got back on his feet, stood at attention to his father, and then left. Citali remained still in a kneeling position. "First son and Crown Prince: lay prostrate before me," the King ordered.
Citali awkwardly got down on his stomach facing the King. "Lower your eyes to the floor," the King ordered. Citali did as he was told completely humiliated.
"You took your ship I gave to you and decided on your own to commit genocide on Earth. You brought your brother into this plot and when my Captain told you to stop you deployed the weapon anyway in defiance of my orders," the King said angrily.
"The nine sons agreed it was the best policy my King," Citali said speaking to the floor.
"They agreed only because of your deciding vote. You and your brothers are not a legislature. You do not propose laws for me to sign. You do not veto my decisions. You merely send me recommendations for my approval. I am the King!" the King said.
"I acted in the best interests of the Yautja Empire and Earth," Citali said defensively.
"I will not be known as the King that butchered five billion sentient lives," the King told him.
"When I am King I will do what is right and not make decisions based on reputation," Citali said defiantly.
"You as King? Have you forgotten your deceased brother has a son? Before you are King there are dozens of your deceased brother's sons. The infant son of your brother outranks you," the King reminded him.
"I will be the regent," Citali argued.
"Maybe you will and maybe you won't. Perhaps an accident should befall you before that ever happens," the King said darkly.
There was silence between them. "Rise," the King ordered.
Citali got up and faced the King with a defiant expression. "You and your second brother shall administer the colonial possessions. You will be given divisions, ships, and every comfort. You will rule in my stead however you please but you will not remain here," the King ordered.
"You are exiling me?" Citali questioned.
"I am teaching you the responsibility of governing a kingdom. If you cannot govern a colony you cannot govern Yautja Prime, and I will hand over authority to one of my other sons," the King said.
"Now go," the King ordered.
Citali turned around and stalked off. The King motioned with his hand summoning a dozen females to his throne, one of which was Lex dressed in a white dress. "Was that sufficient?" the King asked Lex.
"Thank you my King," Lex replied.
Lex was transported back to the Prince's palace and faced Makawee who was still guarding the house. Lex gave a respectful bow of sort to her as she came inside the palace. "Since you are alive you must have been successful," Makawee said.
"The Earth is safe, the two Princes are being sent off Yautja Prime, and everything is good now," Lex said.
"The Crown Prince has many allies on Yautja Prime. We must always be on guard," Makawee warned. Makawee led Lex to the dinner room for a drink. "The Prince will be arriving back soon with his third brother. We will be expected to join him on the landing bay," Makawee said taking a bottle.
"Will the others be coming back as well?" Lex asked.
Makawee placed the bottle on the table and poured two large glasses. "I will inform them to come back after the Prince has arrived," she said.
Lex took a sip of the alien wine. "What for?"
"You have saved your world that the Prince highly favors, you battled the King's guard, and you have spoken to the King personally. You have brought great honor upon yourself and this house," Makawee complimented.
"Thank you but..," Lex said confused.
"Before the other wives and their children fill up this house I want you all to myself," Makawee said. "Now drink."
Makawee and Lex were dressed in colorful garments as they waited for the light cruiser to arrive on the landing bay. The ship finally arrived and the two Princes were the first out of the ship. Nahuel walked slowly with a cane in front of the Prince who intentionally slowed his walk out of courtesy. Nahuel was joined by his first wife Nina and a dozen other wives to comfort him as he took a transport back to his palace.
Once Nahuel was gone, the Prince quickened his step greeting Makawee and Lex. He eyed the two of them in wonder and then addressed the business at hand. "Seeing as how you're not dead you either doomed your race to extinction or pulled off the greatest stunt a female warrior has ever done," the Prince complimented Lex.
"The King intervened to save the Earth. He was always going to," Lex said lamely.
"Perhaps or perhaps not. Your display of honor and self-sacrifice could have persuaded him at the last moment," the Prince said.
Two servants carrying a chest walked up to the Prince. "Where would you like this stored my Prince?" they asked.
"Place it in the last transport vehicle," the Prince directed.
Lex winced as she realized they were a collection of skulls, spines, and bones. "How was your hunt?" Makawee asked.
"The Miwok were not very formidable unfortunately," the Prince said displeased.
"What are Miwok?" Lex asked.
"They appear similar to an Earth bear but at full grown they only reach waist high. They are primitive creatures but they are skilled with spears, bows and arrows, and traps," the Prince explained.
"I am sorry to report that the gear you provided me is completely ruined," Lex said hoping it would displease the Prince even more.
"To be expected from the King's guard. The King will honor me that I was willing to sacrifice a great asset," the Prince said referring to Lex and/or his armor.
"Your other wives and children were evacuated. They have been alerted to come back to the palace," Makawee said.
"I have sent my fifth wife off to vacation for her service to me during the hunt," the Prince said and then considered his two wives in front of him. "It would appear it will only be the three of us."
Author's Note: In case anyone was wondering the word "Miwok" is the Native American word that inspired George Lucas to name the creatures Ewoks. The Prince collected some Ewok skulls. Yes, I went there.