Chapter 22

We Be Blooded

(R'ka POV)

I could hardly believe it when the ground started shaking beneath my feet. More importantly, the implications of the shrieks that sounded out from underground chilled my blood. I almost didn't want to believe it, as a Hard Meat Queen started scratching and clawing her way up from underground.

I react quickly, roaring at the Healer as I fire up my plasma cannon, "ARM ROSY AND LEX! AND GET BACK!"

He obeys, thank Paya, but I hardly have time for this, as I and Kanani, both fire our cannons.

However, the controlled Hard Meats seem to waken from their controlled state, four of them moving to collide with each of the four shots aimed at the Queen. Their blood spills, weakening the floor and allowing the queen to burst into the room… also allowing my shot to strike her in the leg. She is wounded, and enraged. With a shriek, she lashes out with her tail, and to my horror, I hear the answering calls of other hard meats.

More. Much more than are in this room. They have heard the call of their queen. And they are coming in response to her commands.

As I duck her tail, I notice with great displeasure that I have only enough energy for one more shot.

PAUK US SIDEWAYS!

Rosy screams, "Damn it LOOK OUT!" as she fires a barely controlled round into the smaller hard meats, which swarm over us. The gun she holds is too big for her, but she must be running on adrenaline as well as her own stubborn determination.

Kanani flaps heavily as she rises into the air and shoots a large clump of ice at the Hard Meat queen, shouting; "Hey BITCH! Up here!"

The Queen hisses as the clump bounces off her head and responds by lashing out at her, striking at her with that deadly tail.

I can no longer watch her. I'm surrounded by a swarm of Hard Meat. And they are not interested in using me as a host.

8~8~8~8~8

(Kanani POV)

DAMN!

This is the biggest motherfucker I've ever seen. And it's ugly. And it's big. Did I mention that it's ugly? And it screams like a bitch.

Two can play at that game.

I rise into the air, trying to find the best place to shoot it. Perhaps anywhere? I can't hover long enough to fire my cannons at the monster, cause her tail is on my ass… or it's trying to be, swiping and lashing at me with a vengeance.

I duck, twirl, and fire venom-laced ice at her, angry that I can't kill her, not yet. I CAN keep her distracted from the others, which I'm going to do.

They have enough problems with all those xenos.

All at once, I notice my mom. She's beset by a BIG xeno. Bigger then the others. And for a moment, I forget what I'm doing. And that's when Her Royal Ugliness nails me. I just see her tail, out of the corner of my eye, and twist around, so the tip just barely misses spearing through me.

But the rest of it clubs me into the wall. I SWEAR that everyone and their MOTHER could HEAR the sickening crunch when I hit. Although possibly, it could be drowned out by my screech of pain, as my vision explodes with stars, fireworks, and little dancing xenos. Next thing I know, I'm thrown to the ground, crumpled like a bad report card.

"BITCH!" I hear my mom scream. She's right next to me, kneeling down as she checks for life. I blink as I groan, trying to get back up. My wings hurt. Especially my right one. I hear Spiky roar, and I hear Psycho scream, "LOOK OUT!"

I hear the sickening squelch of flesh being impaled.

Oh gawd. MOM?

She sucks in her breath, and I struggle into a sitting position to see her, to confirm that she's hurt…

I see Kemp. He was standing in front of my mom. He took the tail-stab meant for her. But that's not stopping the Queen. She lunges forward, towards the human soldier, ready to bite him in half.

That's it. Fuck you BITCH.

Moving faster then is probably good for my health (who gives a fuck about that shit?) I stumble to my feet, my body screaming in pain, while a howl of pure rage leaves my throat.

Gad, my wing hurts so bad, it feels like it's going to tear off. But as I suck air into my lungs, feeling that familiar intense heat crawl from my core to my throat, I keep racing forward, knocking Mom and Kemp out of the way as I exhale, just as the Queen snaps her head forward, right in front of me.

A hot, intense fire shoots from my mouth, right into the Queen's open jaws.

What'sa mater? Can't take the heat? Take THAT, you outer space whore!

The Big Bitch reels back with an agonized shriek, her tail retracting from Kemp, as she uses it AGAIN to knock me to the wall, hissing as she pins me down and leans over, her ruined mouth growling.

Looks like this is it.

I hear a screaming roar. I have the impression that it's Psycho, but I can't be sure, and an ironic smile tugs at my lips as thoughts flash through my mind.

I wanted you so bad, Psycho. If I had a choice…

I'd have picked you.

8~8~8~8~8~8~

(Rosy POV)

I don't know what's come over me. I feel like an animal. I rush, towards the hideous thing threatening my daughter. It's crouched low to the ground, and this gives me an advantage as I quickly climb, growling as I ignore all my wounds, intent on my goal. I'm on its back in mere seconds, and then I brace myself as I point the gun at the base of its skull.

I don't say anything, other then an animalistic scream that tears hoarsely from my throat as I unload the contents of my gun into its head.

Acid blood spurts out with each shot, but I ignore it as I keep firing. I can't, however, ignore its thrashing around as it tries to throw me off. I wrap my legs around the black, bony protrusions from its back, ducking low between them as the huge crown slams backward. This Bitch is pissed. I guess cause we're killing her children. But hell, she's trying to kill MY baby. My ONLY baby. I can't feel pity for her as I hiss, acid blood seeping onto my clothes.

SHIT.

I have to get off.

At this moment, though, the Queen lurches forward, falling to the ground. I get off, jostled, tripping, and then I quickly strip off my pants, shirt, and kick off my boots.

I don't really have much of a choice, as the acid eats at the material. In my intimate apparel and the netting, I growl as I look at the Queen. She's twitching, and groaning, but she's not going anywhere. I unload another full clip of bullets into her still open mouth, eyes narrowed as I feel the sting of acid that managed to stay on my skin.

All around me, I hear shrieks, hissing, and then, I'm suddenly tackled from the side-SHIT I HURT GETOFFMEMOTHERFUCKER!

The smaller xeno has me pinned. I close my eyes, snapping them back open as its weight is suddenly wrenched away from me.

Spiky slams it into the wall by its tail before throwing it to collide into another oncoming xeno. He turns to me and yanks me to my feet.

I growl as he growls at me and I shout, "WHAT THE FUCK ARE YOU LOOKIN' AT? LOOK BEHIND YOU!" I pull up the gun and fire. The xeno explodes behind him.

He growls as he lunges towards and then behind me.

Crap. There was an alien bout to take ME out… and not on a date.

Oh SHIT…. STUPID images…

Why an image of THAT with one of THOSE monsters? Why not SPIKY?

Oh FUCK. WRONG images…

I DON'T HAVE TIME FOR THIS.

AND SINCE WHEN AM I A PERVERT?

8~8~8~8~8~

(Scar POV)

I can hardly believe this. No sooner have I finally earned a rest, a respite from defending myself against the Hard Meat Horde, when I see it. The Queen toppling over, with Rosy on its back. I quickly search for Lex, my stomach twisting with sudden fear for her safety. Relief floods my emotion as I see her, standing over the bleeding body of the Healer, defending him from the other Kainde Amedha. I growl as I fight my way to her.

She whips around to face me, before commanding, "Scar, PLEASE save him! You survived impalement, HELP HIM SURVIVE!"

I growl. That is NOT what I came here to do. But I obey swiftly.

After all… he did save our lives and hers. He is honorable. And his wound, though technically fatal, is not impossible to heal. Not for Yautja. I take out my medikit, keeping an eye on her and the others, as I work to stop his bleeding.

I have something I swiped from the infirmary. A liquid that mends flesh. It belongs to R'ka. He will kill me when he finds out I took it without asking.

But, somehow, I knew Lex would not be content to stay on the ship. I wanted to be ready, if she was injured. It turns out, she is ordering me to use it one someone ELSE.

I know it will not feel good. So I pour it on his wound quickly, holding him down.

He thrashes and screams as the pain of the fluid claws through him, but I growl as I pin him down, surprised at the strength he has in his small body. Lex screams as she ducks down, diving, she grabs the touch screen off the smallest ooman's body, looking it over, she hisses as her fingers fly over the console.

And suddenly…

All of the Kainde Amedha stop. They go completely still.

There is an eerie silence.

And then, Kanani yells, "MEDIC!"

And Kemp, even through his pain, screams back, "SUCK IT UP SOLDIER! I JUST GOT IMPALED!"

8~8~8~8~8~8

(Psycho POV)

Holy Paya!

I don't think I've ever been more overwhelmed in my life. FIRST, the oomans turn on us, and actually manage to catch us by surprise, leaving us in a very bad spot. SECOND, we're saved, by the Healer and Rosy and Lex.

THIRD, Kanani comes in, bearing the oddest looking statue I have ever seen (Which becomes even MORE astonishing when I finally realize that it's not dead) and the skulls of four Yautja, all four bearing the marks of Bad Bloods who had gone missing some time ago.

FOUR Bad Bloods. And she has their spines and skulls tucked into a Yautja's belt that's strapped around her waist, just over her wide hips.

And FIFTH… there's an alien Queen in this base.

Pauk us. AND it broke the control of the ooman technology with its commanding tone, I would guess, re-awakening the Hard Meats who then came at us. They didn't stop. I'm covered with burn marks from acid blood. I'm bruised from fighting off these pauk-heads with my bare fists.

And then, all at once, I hear Kanani's scream of pain. I whirl and feel a stiffening shock jolt through my body. She's lying on the ground. The Queen is about to stab her, when Rosy gets its attention by shooting and missing. It then turns to her, but Kemp rushes in front of her, taking the stab that was meant for Rosy.

Kanani stands to her feet. I struggle, trying to fight my way to her. PAUK more acid blood, more gashes from the huge sickle claws of the Hard Meats. Kanani's in danger, I have to help her! I SWORE I would repay her! I will NOT let her be killed, I-

A roar of agony escapes me as the Queen crouches down, ready to end Kanani's life.

It's then that, once again, I realize just how bad an idea it is to get on Rosy's bad side. As I keep fighting my way through, surrounded on all sides by stabbing tails, chomping teeth and razor claws, the Queen is brought down by what I would have thought was the smallest and least dangerous member of the group.

One who barely comes to my chest in height, small in build, but fiery in spirit.

Paya, I see where Kanani gets her spirit.

I finally make it by Kanani's side. She coughs hoarsely before asking, "I thought angels were supposed to wear white togas. Where's yours?"

Paya, I think she lost her mind. But I quickly and gently examine her body.

C'jit, looks like she cracked some ribs. Her poor right wing… it will be scarred, that's for sure. It's bent out of joint, way out of joint, and there's a tear in the base, where the skin flap meets her back.

She tries to move, but I growl harshly, "Move and I'll break your other wing."

"You wouldn't!"

"Try me."

She growls, "You're too clumsy to actually accomplish something that important."

She's probably right. I notice the stillness in the room. I turn to look. Lex has the touch pad that the Ooman techie owned, her whole frame trembling as she looks up.

The Kainde Amedha are once again frozen in place.

And all at once, Kanani shouts, "MEDIC!"

"SUCK IT UP, SOLDIER, I JUST GOT IMPALED!"

"YEAH? MY WING IS BROKEN!"

"BROKEN BONES HEAL, DOOFUS!"

"SILENCE."

I growl as I stand up from Kanani's side and stalk over to Setg'in, who hands over the healing liquid. I take it to Kanani and quickly attend to her wounds. The healing process is going to hurt her.

I take out a needle and working fast; I straddle her and inject some directly into one of her ribs, before she can realize what I'm doing.

She bites her lips, her face turning an odd color as fire burns in her mouth, heat crawling up her belly- Paya, I can feel it- But she restrains it. The swelling in her rib cage goes down and I can almost hear the bones cracking as they are regenerating and moving back into their rightful place. She's breathing hard as I look at her wings.

"Psycho… you better hurry. Cause I can't guarantee I won't freak out and go rabid on you." she tells me flatly.

Right.

Rosy comes up at that moment, her voice frantic, "Kanani? Kanani!"

"'Ey Ma. I thought you were supposed to stay on the ship."

"Got too quiet, baby doll. Are you ok?"

"Yeah, I-OHSHITMYWINGI'!"

She screamed a string of threats mixed with ooman curses as I snapped her wing into place while injecting more of the healing liquid into the joint of her wing. She snarls as she rears, moving like one possessed as she pins me down. Strange, I'd be enjoying this if she didn't look like she was going to roast me slowly and then devour me.

"Kanani! Stop!"

Kanani growls for good measure, her eyes going from pure pain and rage to a quiet grudging thanks as she pulls back, rubbing at her wing and her injured side, which is already looking better. She healed much faster then I expected.

Wonder if it has to do with her genetics…

There's no time to think of that now as Lex and Setg'in help Kemp to his feet, his side no longer bleeding, though he's not healed all the way just yet.

"Kanani."

R'ka calls the hybrid. She takes in a breath as she walks to him. He points to the skulls and the weird metallic hybrid on the ground.

"What. Happened?"

"Ok, long story short, I melted a file cabinet on that bastard and then sprayed it with icy cold breath, and then lugged it up the stairs only to be attacked by four Yautja who, when I mentioned your name, got an attitude and attacked me even harder, like they hated that I mentioned your name. So, I killed them, and took their skulls cause you're like my mentor and you're a damn good one and I wasn't going to let their shit go by unpunished. End of story. Make sense?"

"Hardly," coughed Kemp.

I take in a breath. Incredible. I would say she has more then earned her status as a Blooded Warrior. And for some reason, my heart begins to pump harder as I turn my head and look at her. And by this, I really look, at all of her. As the amazing, exotic creature she is, and as the hard skinned warrior I know her to be. Sharp, bold, and more then enough honor to temper her attitude.

I swallow hard, for a moment remembering just how close I was to losing her.

R'ka turned to Rosy and regarded her silently, as he considered the dead Hard Meat Queen.

"Rosy."

"Yeah Spiky?"

"You have accomplished what most Blooded Warriors can only dream of. You have killed a Hard Meat Queen. You are more then Blooded."

She looks at him solemnly before asking an innocent question.

"Come again?"

8~8~8~8~8

(Lex POV)

Man, I have no idea why I didn't think of it before.

See, I realized, with a glance, that the touch pad Daniel had held was still functional. And I noticed it had commands typed into it.

I grabbed it, and, praying that my crazy idea would work, rebooted the system. When the system rebooted, I retyped the commands, hoping to God that it was still on the transmission frequency that controlled the Xenos. Thank God, it appeared to be so, because all the black terrors froze.

It was a hunch, a gamble, and I had nothing to lose.

So, there you have it. Now, as we stand, listening to Kanani's story- It's a COLORFUL tale- Spiky tells Rosy she's more then Blooded. What this means exactly, I don't know, but I have a feeling that the scar on my cheek has something to do with it.

Rosy's not going to be happy about getting her cheek marked with acid. Mm-Mm.

Spiky shakes his head before he looks around carefully.

"We still must destroy this base."

No duh there, Spikster. How?

He looks at me and Scar. We're both helping Kemp to stand on his feet. Poor kid got the worst of this deal, I'd say. He was impaled through the side, and though it seems his vitals are still intact, he's still lost a lot of blood, if Scar hadn't poured a shit-load of that juice in the hole that was in Kemp's abdomen. The flesh has been sealed, but I think it's still mending on the inside.

Damn, it must have hurt like a bitch…

"R'ka, the Healer is done. He cannot fight. Kanani is wounded as well." Scar tells him.

"Yeah, but I can still fight, damn it!"

Oh Kanani…

Spiky grumbles before he makes a decision, I guess.

"Setg'in, take Lex, Rosy, and Kemp back to the ship. We will finish destroying the base. Tell me when."

"What about their trophies?" Psycho brings up.

I look at Kanani's prizes. Those won't be a problem hauling, but the Alien queen? At least, I'm pretty sure that's what they're talking about.

Trophies indeed.

Spiky just harshly barks, "TAKE THEM! Before anything else happens that is unforeseen!"

I growl to myself, "I'm not injured! I-"

Forget it. There's no arguing with him. Besides, the way his dreads just flared, cresting at the top almost like feathers, is a tell-tale sign that he's very pissed.

I move, Scar and I helping Kemp to walk. Rosy comes with us. She looks over her shoulder, at Kanani and then Spiky, before deciding not come along with us. I don't argue with her. And neither does anyone else. After seeing how she handled the space whore, I'm pretty sure she can handle whatever else this lab has to dish out.

I close my eyes momentarily.

I hope this ends well.

8~8~8~8~8

(Kanani POV)

Well, there they go. I act quickly, sealing off that part of the exit with my fire, welding another piece of metal over it. Spiky growls as he quickly grabs the Hybrid Xeno-Yautja, looking it over with a strange expression.

"Spiky?" I ask quietly.

He chuffs, grumbling, "Grab the Bad Blood skulls, and bring them over here." He puts my living statue with the Alien queen, and I place my skulls with the pile.

Then, he takes out his blade and severs the head from the neck of the Queen. Tapping a command on his wrist console, he holds still. This blue light radiates over the trophies, making a sort of graph looking grid over them before they suddenly vanish.

"Uhg?" I think my jaw dropped. Rosy stiffens.

"Magic?"

"No. I do not have time to explain. Your kills are in my trophy room. It is… a modification I created some time ago. Come. We must find the heart of this base, to place the bombs. And then, we must escape. Let's move!"

He turns and jumps into the hole that the Queen left in the floor. We follow quickly, my mom hitching a quick ride on my back. Damn, Spiky's moving fast.

As we rush down this darkened tunnel, I smell all sorts of disgusting scents. And then, we see them. Human bodies, cocooned to the wall.

Oh…

SHIT.

One of them starts moving, his chest contorting as something pale and slippery starts to break out. I try not to scream at the blood that pours from the wound, the little xeno is covered with it. Mom retches. I wince, horrified at this new development.

Psycho, however, is unfazed and wastes no time, leaping forward, he practically rips the creature out of the man's chest, breaking the little xeno's neck with a quick twist of his claws.

Spiky growls low in his throat, quickly setting up one of the bombs. It's then I see it. A garbage shoot.

I point it out and Spiky sets off the rest of the bombs. We turn to get the hell out of there. I'm thinking it's too bad we couldn't investigate more… Thing is, I think the other little monsters aren't far behind in getting ready to burst out of their little nests. We have to destroy this place…

Before New York ends. And then possibly, the entire World.

Now I know how these things are born. I don't know quite how they got into the people, but from what I DO know, they were planted in there, like those wasps that plant their eggs in spiders.

These creatures are children of death.

Huh, and I thought that was just an expression…

Suddenly, the end that we came from crashes down. CRAP. We're trapped… the only way out is going up every single fucking level of this monster-making factory.

Can it get any worse?

"SHIEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!" Scream an uncounted number of xenos from down the hall.

Yes it can.

8~8~8~8~8

(Professor Khan POV)

An hour earlier

I do not know what possessed us to believe that it was a good idea to release the microchip controlled xenomorphs. I protested loudly, against the board, but as usual, my protests went largely ignored.

We were certain that the intruders would come from below. Therefore, we set off the traps and security forces there. And we set up our best controlled xenos there as well. But despite everything, the alien and human intruders all managed to overcome our security. Things were bad… but they got worse when one of the marines blew up our power generators.

Most of our specimens are kept within energy cryostasis. As soon as the power generators were blown up, not only did the lights go out, literally, but also figuratively. For the subjects that are NOT microchip-controlled were awakened.

13 minutes ago

One by one, my colleagues were taken. The only thing now is to terminate this base and warn the last remaining two. I pray that these horrors we have created do not make it to the outside world.

However, as I move to set the self-detonation, something latches onto my face.

I fall over the keyboards, trying to scream, but something long and rubbery slides into my mouth, down my throat. Darkness fades in, as I hear the computerized voice;

"Lab base will self-destruct in 15 minutes"

8~8~8~8~8~8~

(Rosy POV)

I've never felt so horrible in my life. Well, at least, that's what I think. Actually, I have been through worse, but this is beyond weird. And infinitely terrible. The Xenos… they're implanted into human subjects and… and they hatch this way.

Gawd…

I've never been so horrified in my life. And it gets worse when we realize that our only way out is up. How the hell are we going to fight our way through odds that are so stacked against us?

The only plus is that perhaps I'll be seeing Malachi very soon.

But there's plenty of downs to counteract that.

My Kanani won't live to see another sunrise.

No. Hell no. I don't care how the odds are stacked against us, we're BUSTING OUT.

All at once, it gets much worse, as a computerized voice declares, "Lab Base will self-destruct in 15 minutes."

OH SHIT! WHO SET OFF THE SELF DESTRUCT ALARM!

I glare suspiciously at Psycho, but he's nowhere near any buttons.

We're attacked on all sides, but Kanani's making use of her fire and ice. Spiky blocks off one of the forks in the halls with this device that clings to the wall and then makes a laser-like graph, causing any xenos that attempt to rush through it to be cut to pieces. Kanani uses her ice to block off one end of the hall, giving us a moment to run before they break through. She's exhausted by all this exertion.

Suddenly, she puts her shoulder armor and cannons on my shoulders, growling, "We don't have fucking time for this!"

And with that, she morphs into her largest form. The hall can barely fit around her, but no sooner does she do this then she's using her horned head to break into the ceiling, grabbing me with her tail, she hoists me onto her back, growling in a barely recognizable voice, "Hang on!"

Her powerful body moves, her jaws snap and she's suddenly more then a match for the Aliens that begin to swarm over us.

I don't know how to use this cannon thing!

Spiky and Psycho are right behind us, providing just the right back up as we move, closer and closer to the surface. Suddenly, we're at street level, in the observatory itself. There's a giant window, just to my right, and from there, we see the ocean. Kanani seals off the hole she created in the ground with ice, growling angrily as the aliens beneath screech their displeasure.

Spiky growls as he points, barking, "OUT! NOW!"

Kanani takes off at a dead run, shooting a ball of ice at the window, shattering it, as she jumps through.

Spiky and Psycho hit the water, just as the lab explodes. Shrapnel flies through the air, causing us all to dive under the water. Kanani begins to swim, still in her largest form. I hang onto her, as she tows me, Spiky, and Psycho along. Shrapnel's still hitting the water when we finally make it back to the ship. Kanani pokes her head above the water before asking in a low, growling tone, "Ma, can I borrow your… never mind. You don't have a jacket to let me borrow."

"Sorry, baby." I replied, shivering as I look down at myself. Damn, I don't even have any pants on myself. Just this kinky fish netting and my underwear.

Thank God I've got on a sports bra…

Spiky turns and looks at the blast behind us. He then turns and clicks on some buttons on the console of his wrist. We all hear the sound of a ramp being lowered. Spiky's ship opens its doors for us. I sigh with relief as we get on board, moving quickly as I try my best to hide Kanani from sight… which isn't the easiest thing to do, since she's far larger then me, even in her human form, which she's decided to occupy at this moment.

Kanani grumbles, "Next time, you guys bust out of the building using your body and I'll hitch the ride!"

8~8~8~8~8

(Kemp POV)

In all honesty? I have no idea what I'm going to do from here. I'm a traitor to my own race, if you think about it. I killed my teammates, for the sake of three strangers, and now, I'm owing my life to a human-hunting E.T. and his human girlfriend.

This is wrong on so many levels, it's not funny.

I barely retain the guts to stay conscious during our trip back to the ship. Wandering back through those disgusting sewers, having to dive BACK underwater… damn. I thought my lungs would burst. Luckily, the smaller member of the ET trio had enough muscle and stamina to haul my ass to the surface. His girlfriend too, amazingly. As we board the ship, the base blows sky-high. I look at the small mushroom cloud and shake my head.

"Nope, nobody's going to notice THAT little hiccup."

"Shut up and keep walking, Kemp." Lex chides. My insides hurt so bad… But at least I'm alive. It's not long before they've got me in the infirmary. The E.T works quietly, to make sure I'm stabilized I guess.

Though it probably would have been better if I had died, I growl out, "Thanks… for saving my sorry ass."

"Shut up and keep still." Lex growls at me.

I reply sharply, "I'm just curious, what was your plan, after saving my life? Bring me along on this little excursion?"

"As a matter of fact, yes. But really, we'll take you where you want to go, if you DON'T want to stay with us. It's very possible that your commanders will think that you were killed with the rest of the team."

I think about this. That's true… but I have no family to go back to. No friends… just the army. That's all I've known, for a long time. I look at her and I growl out, "I'll help you guys finish this. I may as well. Besides… I owe ya."

Lex smiles, a strange smile as she shrugs, "You saved us first. Quite literally."

"Pfft. It's my job." I reply. "Quite literally."

At this moment, we hear them return. And it's not long before Goliath comes stomping in, I guess to check and make sure I'm not causing trouble.

"Where's Rosy? And Kanani?" Lex asks, suddenly alarmed.

"They're fine," Spiky assure her, "They're dressing."

Lex leaves, unreassured, I guess; which leaves me all alone with the two ETs.

Shit…

8~8~8~8~8~

(Psycho POV)

I walk to the trophy room. Sure enough, the trophies are there. I silently walk over to the metallic statue, which manages to offer a very quiet, gurgling hiss.

I shake my head. This… this one is the strangest trophy I have ever seen. I turn to the four skulls, smirking as I kneel down.

"You should never have messed with her, Bad Bloods. She's a lot more then she appears, and twice as dangerous."

Then, I look at the Queen. Pauk me. Rosy killed this one. By herself.

If Kanani and Rosy are not accepted into my clan, then I may as well hang up my mask and become a Bad Blood myself. Any other Yautja would be raised to a place of honor for these kills. And Rosy was armed only with an ooman weapon. Kanani is inexperienced in combat, and yet, she brought down five dangerous pponents by herself as well.

They both exceeded my expectations. And both of them are more then Blooded, in my own opinion.

I stand up, as R'ka enters. Rosy and Kanani are behind him.

They are both crudely dressed, though Kanani has been given another mask. I suppose R'ka did not give them sufficient time to make an outfit like the one Kanani made herself earlier. As it is, R'ka sets about with explaining to them the significance of their kills.

8~8~8~8~8~8

(R'ka POV)

It took them both long enough to dress, I had another mask ready for them before they were even done designing their outfits. As I lead Rosy and Kanani to the trophy room, I try to organize my thoughts.

To be honest, I did not fully expect to make it out of that last lab alive. There were so many Kainde Amedha, and it never even occurred to me that the oomans would set it to self-detonate.

Kanani saved us all. And not only that, but she has performed an arbitrator's job, killing not one, but FOUR Bad Bloods. The hybrid… it is the same kind that Setg'in carried in him. My friend, Nracha-dte, killed one of these monsters at the cost of his own life. Kanani captured it alive.

And Rosy…

If she is not accepted into my people, then I am not Yautja and never was. She's a mere ooman, untrained and small for even her kind. The Kainde Amedha Queen was in captivity yes, but that did not change the fact that it was pauk-de dangerous.

And Rosy killed it. She dealt the last blow. By herself. And she lived to tell the tale. This skull belongs to her. She deserves to be honored as a legend in her own right.

Now, to Blood them both. They are not familiar, I imagine, with our custom. And I know neither one of them will like it. But if they wish to survive among my own kind, they will have to adapt.

Kha'bj-te is already in the trophy room, admiring the kills. He steps back, as I go to stand beside the trophies.

Kanani and Rosy both stand, side by side and I quietly address them both.

"When a pup is ready to become an adult, they are taken on a Chiva, a hunt for the ultimate prey. If they kill a Kainde Amedha and survive the experience, then they earn the mark of their clan. Lex is one of the only oomans that I know of who has gained this honor. Both of you, however, not only killed Kainde Amedha… you killed prey that were even more dangerous. Rosy, were you a Blooded Warrior, your status would be raised to that of an Honored Warrior, for this kill," I gestured to the Queen's Skull.

Both of them are not saying anything, but I can hear their blood pulse quicken, and I see their stances become straighter, with pride I would suppose.

They have every right to be proud.

"If you leave your world, and return with us to our world, you will have to be blooded, in order to prove your worth."

I turn to the Queen's skull and I dip the tip of one of the Kainde Amedha claws that hangs from my belt into the acidic blood that still drips from its spinal cord. I turn to Rosy and I gesture for her to come.

She walks over to me. Kanani comes with her and takes her hand, as they both remove their masks.

Moving fast, but carefully, I etch the mark into Rosy's left cheek. She bites her lip, moaning quietly with pain, her eyes squeezed shut as her hands tremble. Kanani gulps as I turn to her. Awkwardly, she chuckles and then tilts her head, "Plant it there, Spiky."

I roll my eyes. Pauk-head.

But I give her the mark. She has earned it.

They both have. Rosy looks up at me, the mark raw on her cheek, but her eyes are bright as she speaks in a clear tone, "Thank you."

And then, it's not for the first time that I wonder…

Will I ever cease to be astonished by these strange oomans?

YAY! So Rosy and Kanani have proved their worth. ^_^ Once again, thank you to Khalthar, for both being my inspiration and being my awesome editor! Dude, I've said it before, and I'll say it again; YOU ROCK! TOTALLY *imaginary audience applauds wildly*

Now, on to the SHOUT OUT!

Du'Fuentes: Thank you so much for your reviews! very kind of you! Although not sure how I'd do writing that script... O.O

SesshiraRayu: LOL, you know it!

The Silent Hunter:I know some of your questions aren't wuite answered just yet, but bear with me! And lol, THANK YOU SO MUCH for your review!

HuntressOfTheWeird: Lol, I'm glad it made you laugh! It was Khalthar's idea to turn the predalien into a statue, though I did come up with the idea that Kanani should face a Predalien. And I know that the Hybrid is a Predalien, and YOU know that it's called that... but I don't think the Yautja, or the humans call it that. So... just clarifying, but thank you for the input! and the review! Thank you very much for the review!

WolfAngel75: I hope this is soon enough, I've been getting nervous *glances out window* I really don't need predaliens OR vampires crowding my day, heh... LOL, but glad you like it that much, never been threatened before to finish a story!

LynxbyLynx: I hope this meets your expectations...*crosses fingers*

2PMPrince: As always, thank you for your encouragement, my friend!

Khalthar:Your review made me cry tears of joy. Thank you so much for investing in this story and giving me so much encouragment!

Horser01: *cringes* I'm sorry! It seemed like a good place to stop, and it was really late and... Yeah... I'm sorry for the cliffie, but I'm glad, at the same time, that you're enjoying this story!

Animedreama: LOL, yeah, me too, those soldiers had to die. I really like Kemp's character though, he's fun to write. ^_^

Lady Augustin: I'm sorry I haven't been updating as much, just been very busy!

midnight84118: Well... now you know. ^_^

Dra9onf7yz: LOL! maybe they will, who knows? :DD

Lord Anubis Judge of the Dead: Yeah, well, it was just... time for them to go home. ^_~ thanks so much for your review!

PocketSevens: Yeah, a breeding ground of sorts. I hope you like this chapter, and thank you so much for your review!

Luv4Uncas: Lol, yep! I'm glad you enjoyed the last chapter! I hope this one is just as good.

WeirdCOMBO: Thank you so much for your review! And... no, uh, no need to, er, hunt me down... and uh, gut me. like a fish, or otherwise. I vowed to FINISH every story I started, so, no fear! it may take YEARS, but I will do it!

xXxMudvayneGirlxXx: Lol, thanks for your review, I thought that part was funny myself. ^_^

I hope I got everyone. I can't beelive how many reviews I'm getting. This is seriously making me too happy to express properly, and I thank ALL my readers and reviewers!

Until next time! *salutes*