Chapter Eight

Title: Project: More Teeth

Author: Divine Dark Angel

Summary: If the I-rex had been prevented from killing her sibling, if someone had stepped in and stopped I-Gen and the people of Jurassic World from isolating them and had gotten them properly socialized, if they had been trained to know what they are…how would life be different for the I-rex sisters and the rest of the park?

Rating: M for mentions of death and a mature relationship.

Pairing: Owen/Claire, Oc/Katashi Hamada

Disclaimer: All characters that you recognize belong to and are copywrite of Universal. The recognizable plot items and other such things are also copyrighted to Universal. I am simply playing in the rich world they have created for us.

"Ah don' wanna. Why can' ah jus' keep doin' wha' ah'm doin' an' tha bigwigs can back tha hell off?"

"Ku`u Lei, I am not able to change this for you. I would have tried if it were possible. There is a possibility that there is something to be learned from this opportunity, perhaps you should give Mr. Grady a chance?"

"Ah don' wan' him anywhere near tha girls! This is jus' asinine!" A soothing hand traced over the top of her head, the ghost of his touch soothing her enough that her accent thinned, "They're already six months old, changing things on them now will just confuse things for them. Honestly, if they wanted to do shit like this they should have done it when they were younger. Who knows if they'll even accept him in the den? What if they attack him and he gets hurt? They'll make me put them in the paddock and stop interacting with them without a thick ass glass wall between us!"

"Emma, there is a very small possibility that this will occur. I do not doubt the little ones will listen to your commands. If you tolerate him the girls will likely follow your lead." Her head leaned against his shoulder, rolling her forehead against the warm firmness of his arm.

The subjects of the conversation played in the grass in front of the pair, rolling over each other with playful whistles. The white of their hides dull with dirt and small pieces of grass stuck to their ostoderms, the two young predators practiced hunting skills they would never use. Emma felt a brief sense of guilt for being part of this project, bringing animals long past into a world that simply wasn't big enough for them any longer. Nefret chose that moment to pounce on her mother, thrumming and rubbing her face under Emma's throat. A lump formed as she blinked to clear the sudden tears from her eyes, cuddling her first-born and humming back at her. It may have been an act of science that caused the infant to exist in the first place, but even the slight guilt she felt couldn't overcome the absolute love she felt for all three of her charges. Nenet had outgrown her need for Emma's mothering long ago, the aquatics and her specific genetics causing a break in the maternal bond as soon as she reached maturity. Nefret and Nefretari would be with her long after Nenet had started vying for independence, something she was looking forward to immensely.

Nefretari climbed into Katashi's lap, her forearms hooked over his shoulders as she flopped into a boneless heap. Her thrumming was lower than her sister's, a fact that Emma used to differentiate the two when she couldn't see the fading stripes on Nefretari's hide. Katashi stroked down the youngster's back with both hands, itching the flaking skin around the ostoderms. The girls' hides were stretching as they grew, but around the ostoderms and eye ridges the skin tended to flake frequently during growth spurts. Baby oil tends to curb the worst of it, but the twins hated the application and tended to rub it off on the couch or Emma's clothes.

The little family spent time basking in the sun, the baby dinos curled in laps and the humans resting against each other. The slide of the glass door leading into the apartment alerted Katashi that they were no longer alone, Emma's relaxed body posture indicating she didn't hear the door. Katashi leaned down to kiss her forehead and let her know they had company. She grumbled a reply but chose to remain relaxed against him with the girls held in their laps.

When Owen emerged out of the brush onto their sandy stretch of beach, the girls lifted their heads and whistled at him. Owen paused, crouching to put one knee on the ground as he waited. Emma whistled back, her tone even and low. Catching his eye, she repeated the whistle slowly, grinning when he repeated it back to her. Nefret squirmed in her mother's grasp, wanting to go investigate the newcomer. Carefully, Emma released her and watched without staring at her as she approached Owen's crouched form. To his credit, Owen held his ground and let the apex predator approach without showing outward signs of nervousness.

Nefret stalked over towards this new male, crouched on all fours to make her getaway easier should it come to that. Emma's careful gaze tracked her offspring, hand clenched around Katashi's wrist tight enough to cut off the circulation to his hand. He gently shook her hand off his wrist, lacing his fingers through hers in replacement. She glanced up at him, eyes conveying her worry, relaxing her body into his to convey her acceptance of this other male in the paddock. When she glanced back towards where Nefret crept towards Owen, she saw his wide eyes watching the nearing footprints of the invisible baby dino. Emma's sharp bark of warning caused Nefret to shimmer back into view, looking over her shoulder at her mother in worry. Emma shook her head at her wayward child, eyes narrowed as she resumed her journey towards their visitor.

Owen remained crouched as Nefret craned her snout up to snuffle at his clothes and face. Her ostoderms puffed out as she took in the scent of his girls, a bark sounding remarkably like Echo coming out of her throat. Nefretari answered, clamoring out of Katashi's lap to scamper over and smell this newcomer as well. Owen kept his hands loose at his side, perched on his toes and ready to roll away should the girls turn aggressive. After a thorough investigation the girls returned to Emma, rubbing their heads under her chin and returning to their play.

Emma grinned when Owen started chuckling, waving him over to where she and Katashi sprawled on the ground. Owen joined them, flopping on his back with a sigh. "Hey Emma, Commander. That was super fun. Did you know about the invisibility thing? They couldn't do that before right? And what's that whistle? They sound remarkably close to the raptors with some of their vocalizations, did they put raptor in the genes? Did you know-"

Emma's laughter caused the girls to pause in their wrestling to check on her, soft whistles exchanged before they went back to play, "It went surprisingly well, actually. I was thinking that they were going to rip your throat out!"

"The two do have a tendency to convey their displeasure with their teeth. It is perhaps best that we were laying down when you appeared." Katashi's deep voice rumbled under Emma's shoulder, reminding her that it was unprofessional to be laying on her boyfriend when her new supervisor was present. The thought was a cold wash through her and she sat up quickly, brushing at her tank and cargos to remove the bits of dirt and plant matter the girls had left on her. "Um….so. I guess we need to talk? About why you're here? Changes you want to make? Stuff like that?"

"Look Emma, I know that this was kinda forced on you. I'm not gonna come in here and change things on you or them unless it's unsafe. These are your kids, and neither of us know what the hell that quack put in them so who the fuck knows how we're supposed to train them in the first place. It's not your fault that they keep doing shit they shouldn't be able to do, it's that asshole in the lab pretending to be some sort of god. I'm just here to offer suggestions and to keep the fuckers up in the lab happy and off your back." Owen's beaming smile made her worries disappear, but before she could voice her relief a white blur bolted past her and bowled him over onto his stomach.

"Shit! Nefret venit! Katashi get the stick!" Emma reached forward to get her arms around the front of the angry predator, dodging her attempts to claw her away. "Nefret! Venit!"

Katashi arrived back with the shock stick, getting the tool between the pissed off infant and her intended target. A few jolts had her backing off, shaking her head and growling. Emma checked to make sure that Owen wasn't badly injured before rounding on her offspring, bowling her over onto her back and pinning her there with a low noise. Nefret struggled for a moment, catching Emma on the forearms with the tips of her claws, forcing Emma to grasp her by the muzzle and stare her down. Meeting her mother's angry gaze took the fight out of her and she went limp under Emma's grip. Emma waited a bit to see if the infant was going to fight again, letting her up after a moment. Sending her and her sister to the mark by the small pond they had learned to wait on, Emma turned to Owen and Katashi.

"Owen? You okay?" Emma scrubbed her hands over her face and through her short hair, the suddenness of Nefret's attack causing a jittery nervousness she attempted to burn off through movement.

Owen had stripped his shirt off to reveal a Kevlar vest similar to Katashi's, "Yeah Emma I'm fine. I knew wearing this was a good plan, but man…. she's fast. I mean really fast. How old are they now?"

"Six months, they hatched in December. They've always been extremely coordinated, after the first month they never seemed to have that awkwardness that most infants do. It's the smile, I think, that set her off. You can't show teeth around them, they see it as aggression. She probably thought you were gonna challenge Katashi. I'm sorry, I should have told you about that."

"It's cool, any other surprises I should know about though? Secret handshake? A complete language of whistles?" Owen's good humor had survived the incident intact, the only casualty his poor shirt. Emma winced as she took it from him to inspect the damage, thinking that she could perhaps sew it up for him.

"I'm sorry about your shirt Owen, there's too many rips for me to try and fix it….."

"That's okay, it was an old shirt. Wore it just in case this happened. Maybe I'll leave it here and they can get used to the smell. I am curious what would happen if they met the girls though…..they do sound remarkably like them…." Owen trailed off, watching the two crouched on their spot. The unblinking amber eyes were unnerving, tails sweeping side to side as they waited for their mother to call them…..there was something vaguely feline about it. "I wish we could get our hands on their DNA structure. I can't seem to pin down all the behaviors they exhibit."

"I've seen things that remind me of big cats, primates, elephants…..It's ridiculous! Just when I think I have it something else pops up!" Emma's exasperated tone caused both girls to sit up on their haunches and croon at her, she ignored them and continued speaking, "I have requested a copy of their genome, but due to 'intellectual property' and 'copywrited genetic research' they keep blocking me. I've never seen the raptors, so I couldn't tell you about if they exhibit raptor-like behavior. If they do share genes with the raptors… I know raptors are supposedly the smartest of the dinosaurs we've brought back…..can we really think we can contain them? I don't want to believe they're dangerous, but I know they'll be massive as adults. We've seen hand raised lion cubs turn on their caretakers, what's going to make them any different?"

"I'm pretty sure that the imprint bond is going to save us on that one. The raptors have attacked other humans, but they still respect and respond to my commands. The important thing is not to start fearing them for something that may happen, it's gonna communicate thru to them and then they'll start to sense weakness. Call them over, I want to see what behavior they exhibit now."

"Nefret, Nefretari." The instantaneous swivel of their heads to face her made her heart swell with pride, the bright amber of their eyes caught the sun briefly before their inner lids slid to protect them, "Venit."

Nefretari ran to her, all four legs underneath her to enable her to move swiftly across the distance. Reading her behavior, Emma crossed her legs under her and prepared to catch, bracing for the impact as she would a human toddler running toward her. The soft whoosh of her breath leaving her after impact made Katashi chuckle, a hand moving to support her in rocking back upright stroking down her spine before moving away. Nefretari thrummed and pushed her snout up under Emma's throat, breath puffing across the delicate skin behind her ear. Emma hummed a swift set of notes, arms wrapping around the more fragile of her children.

When disciplined, the girls reacted in completely opposite ways. Nefret usually pranced off, head and tail high. Nefretari crept, belly and head low to the ground. When recalled, the reverse was true. Nefretari always rocketed back to her in exuberance, while her sister sulked and had to be coaxed out of her 'cave' of blankets. In the paddock it was not unusual for Nefret to ignore the calls for a good twenty minutes, usually only showing back up when Emma took Nefretari inside. Today was no different, Nefret choosing to remain by the pond and sulk while her sister cuddled into their mother.

"Are they always like this?" Owen asked softly as he remained reclined next to Katashi, the other man in between him and the pair.

"The one sulking and the other almost apologetic? Indeed. The older monster tends to stay away after a scolding, the little one over compensating and clings for hours. It is amusing to see the differences between them." Katashi's micro-expression was fond, his dark eyes fixed on Emma and her scale-child. "It is difficult on her to enforce the rules. She would allow them much more freedom if she could, asked to allow them to hunt once. The dressing-down she received from that request had stopped her from requesting anything from the upper level. It is shameful, the little ones could benefit from the exercise."

"They don't want them to learn what a rush hunting and killing a living animal is. I get it, but it's not right. We created them, it's our job to make sure that their lives are as rich as possible." Owen was watching the other dino out of the corner of his eye as she crept slowly forward towards the group.

"What are you two whispering about over there?" Emma's brisk tone broke into their conversation just as Nefretari joined them and flopped herself over Owen's legs.

Owen tensed, forcing himself to relax and the infant craned her neck to meet his eyes. The intelligence he saw there concerned and fascinated him, he would be hard pressed to deny that there was also emotional responsiveness in the little face looking up at him. A tender feeling sparked deep in his heart, and he suddenly understood Emma's fierce protectiveness. "Nothing Emma. Guy stuff."

"Katashi would never discuss 'guy stuff' with you Owen. Not with me sitting right here. Is it that fucker up in the lab? Has he managed to hatch a male out? You know that's a bad idea!"

"I agree with you dude, no need to preach to the choir! I don't know if he's done it, I know he's trying. Last I heard from Natalie – you know her right, Commander? Super-hot blonde in carnivore hatchery? – he's had four embryo failures in the last two months out of a clutch of seven."

"Wait! He has a clutch of these animals? Like a brooding clutch?!"

"Yeah, said he realized the mistake of using just two when you stopped the older one from eating her sister. Wanted back-ups."

"How far along are they? Do they have a trainer lined up for the hatchlings? Where are they going to hose them? What the ever-loving fuck are they thinking?!" Emma's rising tone caused Nefretari to huddle down in her lap and shove her head into her chest. Nefret got her feet under her and clambered up into her mother's already crowded lap. Both infants were thrumming, piling on top of each other in an attempt to relax her. She stroked the spines of the twin on top, her movements distracted as she attempted to breathe through her irritation. "Ah hate tha' man. He's nuthin' bu' a money-grubbin' bug wit no ethics. Ah hope tha hatchlin's eat 'im."

Katashi's chuckle broke her out of her sour mood better than anything else could have. Owen's faked shocked look caused her to giggle. The bulk of the girls was causing a strain on her spine, and in one of those instinctual readings of her needs, Katashi was suddenly there behind her to support her weight. She leaned back, thankful to let him help hold her weight. A soft kiss pressed into her hair caused a raised eyebrow from Owen and a mild look from her. Katashi's dark eyes issued a challenge over her head, one Owen wisely backed down from. The girls watched this exchange carefully, and relaxed completely as the pack order was firmly established.

Owen took this as a cue to leave, standing and brushing off his clothes, "I think we've pushed them enough today. I'll bring the meat by tomorrow, let's see if that helps secure my place in your pack. Plus, it'll give the two of you some time together."

The twinkle of his hazel eyes made Emma choke back a laugh. She thanked him for his time and for bringing the meat by tomorrow, waving as he made his way out of the paddock. She relaxed back into Katashi completely, craning her head up to meet his tender kiss as the two infants took to sunning themselves from her lap. The relaxed atmosphere was shortened by the sliding glass door opening again and a squeal of outrage louder than anything the infants had managed. Emma grasped them out of instinct, Katashi springing to his feet and placing himself between her and the door.

"Emma Madison McGovern git yer ass ovah here right now! Ah have been callin you for weeks!" The voice came from the door, Owen's calming tones attempting to cajole the young woman back into the apartment not deterring her in the least. "Look here Sir! Ah am gonna see mah sister! It can't be any more dangerous to visit her here than it was at that lion sanctuary! Git yer hands offa me! EMMA! Don' make me start telling tales!"

Katashi looked down at his partner in surprise, "I had thought your family was not to arrive until next week."

"It seems Cricket came early, not completely unheard of for her. She's been doin' it our whole lives." Emma let the girls up with a strict order to stay put. Raising her voice to carry she responded, "CRICKET! Don't you dare! Stay in the damn apartment and I'll be there in a minute! Owen, can you stay for a few? I need extra hand to help with the girls!"

"Yeah Emma, I got a couple minutes."

"They can't be that dangerous if you're living with 'em! Come on Emma, I haven't seen you in months!"

"I'm commin' you impatient heifer! Now when we get there, don't scream and don't run!" Emma casually walked over to the glass door, the girls scampering along with her. Her sister stood in the door with her hands braced on her hips, a scowl on her classically beautiful face as her older sister came out of the greenery. Two white shadows followed her, the size of large dogs. She barely glanced at them, the tall man following capturing more of her attention.

"Emma, I'm gonna tell mama you've been shackin' up with a man and didn't tell her and daddy!"

"Cricket don't you dare!"

"Good Afternoon, Ms. McGovern, I am Commander Katashi Hamada. It is a pleasure to meet you."