Max could care less for the General, in fact, he really didn't care for any of his superiors. When he joined the US Colonial Marines, he was drafted into the Human Enchantment project. There, they spliced his genome with several different creatures, including Xenomorphs. Most of those drafted into the program, went insane from the effects. But Max didn't care. He had already lost too much to care about losing his humanity. He had to watch his family die in front of him, holding his beloved mother as she died in his hands. He was only 12, and the next years of his life weren't any better.
The years after his life were filled with pain, after losing his family, he was sent to his only other relative, his aunt, and she was not a good person. His aunt was a prostitute. Every night, it seemed like there was a new person in their home. The people that would come would bring in drugs, tobacco, and violence. He never once touched any of the drugs or whatever else that was brought. But he could hear the grunts and screams from his bedroom upstairs while his aunt was busy… 'working'.
There was only two people left in his life that he cared about, his best friend Jake, and Max's fiancé, Hera.
Both were in his squad for this mission, along with the General and another marine, who was the squads newest private. Max has known Jake since High School. The become friends almost instantly, and have never left each other's side since they met. The two were inseparable. Hera, on the other hand, has known Max for a lot longer. After they met in 2nd grade, they have been together since, so it wasn't a surprise in High school when they started dating and then John asked her to marry him after they graduated from the academy. They shared a love that was rare in today's society, but it was a love that would never disappear.
Now they were off the dropship they prepared for their mission. They were on an island in the middle of the pacific, where a lab that was studying Xenomorphs became contaminated, and they needed to eliminate the remaining Xenos before they nuke the island to ensure that a hive isn't created. John looked around, they were currently in an alleyway, preparing their weapons and checking their equipment. John strapped his sniper rifle to his back, the bolt-action, high powered rifle able to pop the head of a warrior with a single shot. He then loaded his twin pistols, which he passionately named John and Martha, then holstered them. He then checked all his blades, he had two combat knifes, one on each side of his waist below his pistol, a slightly larger knife in his boot, and a short sword strapped at his lower back.
"Alright General, what's the deal?" Hera asked, loading her shotgun.
"Max already told you all you need to know on the way here. "We have three hours to get to the hospital, where we take the helicopter there to evac before they blow this place to kingdom come. It's just a bug hunt."
"Yes, but that doesn't explain why the General is with us." Jake replied.
"I am here to grab some confidential files at the lab." The General replied.
"If you get them in time." Max said threating, "I will not risk my squad to grab files. We will kill what bugs we find before they escape and we will grab the files if we can. Otherwise, I could care less." John then sniffed the air, his enhancements allowing him to smell, hear, and see, well beyond the ability of other humans. Weirdly, he could smell, what seemed to be… vanilla…. Max began to scan the top of the buildings, looking for whatever, what watching them. Then his eyes past what seemed to be waves in the air. Like that spot was hotter than the air around it. Max quickly kept his gaze moving, acting like he didn't see anything.
That was until something else assaulted his nostrils, decay, blood, and what seemed like acid. "Xenomorph!" Max yelled before through his travel pack on and whipping out his pistol, firing where he smelled the creature.
Nal'ca jumped to the next roof, her cloak on. She watched an Ooman craft land, then take off, and she was curious. She was here to hunt the hard meats with her clan, but she was always interested in the Oomans. She could collect trophies later, she wanted to study these Oomans. She stood on the edge of the building, her cloak on, and observed the group below her. One was standing, several weapons strapped around his body. This was interesting to Nal'ca, she has never seen an Ooman that could carry so much without effort.
She began to listen in on the conversation, she learned the Ooman language so she could better observe them. She even learned to speak it. She switched the vision in her mask to get a better look at the male Ooman. She then noticed that he had more bone and muscle mass than the others. His bone structure itself also seemed different. She switched the vision to how the Ooman's view the world, and realized that his even his eyes were different as well. Instead of the round pupils, he had slits, like a reptile.
What is so different about this Ooman, is he even fully Ooman? Then the Ooman began to look around, as if searching for something, then he looked straight at Nal'ca, she could swear his eye's met hers, but then he kept looking. There is no way he could have seen me… right?
Nal'ca noticed, out of the corner of her eye, one of the serpents, stalking the group, preparing to attack. Nal'ca continued to watched interested of what would happen next. Then, the Ooman suddenly stiffened, before throwing on his pack and whipped around, firing at the silent Hard Meat. Three bullets rang out, all three going through the Hard Meat's skull, killing it instantly.
Suddenly, Sya, Arbitrator for Nal'ca's clan, stood beside her.
"Observing the Ooman's again, are we?" he whispered, chuckling as he walked toward her.
"Yes, Arbitrator. But look at the p'kya'uha, the sniper, he just killed a Kiande Amedha, he's different from the others." she replied. Sya, an arbitrator, was a good friend to Na'cal. Yautja females weren't supposed to go on Chivas, hunts for the Hard Heads, but Sya constantly stood by her, persuading the clan elders to allow her to do so. Sya and Nal'ca would often watch the Oomans together. Both could understand their language, and speak it. The Oomans began to move through the city, and the two hunters follow them from the rooftops, watching as 5 more Hard Meats pursued them.
Max began to run, his pack on and everyone else behind him. He could smell more of them, chasing them, he could hear them. Max knew that eventually they would catch up; the Alleyway was not the place to fight them. Eventually they made it to a courtyard, throwing off his pack, Max pulled out his Katana. The alloy was acid-proof, and super-strong, making it perfect for the Xenomorphs. Max watched as the rest of the group made it to the courtyard. First Hera, followed by the General, then Jake.
"COME ON PRIVATE MOVE!" John yelled as Private was lagging, but he never made it to a courtyard. One of the Xenomorphs jumped on top of him, extending its inner jaw and pushing it straight through Private's skull. John held his sword in his left, grabbing a throwing knife attached to his belt and throwing it at the Xenomorph that killed Private. The knife struck dead center of its face. The acid blood melting away the knife, but the knife killed the Xenomorph, that's what mattered.
Two more Xenomorphs dropped down, but Jake and Hera where ready for them. Pulse rifles out, they fired as soon as the two Xenomorphs dropped in front of them.
"I smell more coming." Max yelled as warning. However, the wind was blowing toward Jake, who was to his right. So he didn't notice the Xenomorph sneak behind Jake before it was too late. A warrior Xenomorph grabbed Jake, and with its claws, ripped out his neck, blood oozed out.
"JAKE!" Max screams as he throws his body into the Xenomorph, pushing it back. The bug reacted by throwing its tail at Max, who stepped to the side, and used his sword to cut the tail off, moving so it didn't bleed onto him, before he slide behind it, swinging his blade with him, cutting the Xenomorph in half. However, he turned to find the General stealing a bike and driving off, and his worst nightmare. A Xenomorph Drone attacked Hera, attempting to claw her, but before he could move, a wave of pain hit him. The only problem with having Xenomorph DNA, is that it had an unusual side effect. Xenomorphs communicate telepathically, through brain waves, which is well known. But Max's enhancements caused a mutation that allowed him to 'speak' and listen telepathically, like the Xenomorphs. There was a Queen on the planet, and it was trying to take Max's mind. Another Queen attempted it on him before, but he resisted it.
Max watched as the Xenomorph dug its claws into Hera, causing her to cough and spurt as the Xenomorph screeched in victory. Max threw himself at the Xenomorph, causing him to drop Hera as the two went tumbling. Max pushed the Xenomorph against the ground, throwing a punch with his right, then his left, hearing the exoskeleton crack severely with each punch. The Xenomorph then managed to push Max off, then hit him with its tail. Max flew backwards, landing on his back, with several broken ribs. The Xenomorph jumped on top of him. Max roared at the Xenomorph, then when the Xeno attempted to stab him with its tail, Max managed to move his head to his side, and grabbed the tail with his right hand. He then grabbed the back of the bugs elongated head, before pushing the face with his right hand. Max twisted the head, hearing it crack and the Xenomorph still, he pushed the corpse off and ran to Hera.
Hera was on the ground, her chest bleeding profusely, she wasn't going to make it. Even now he could feel their mental bond breaking, snapping, causing Max pain.
"Hera…" Max whimpered, his eye's tearing up.
"Max…" Hera spurted, blood coming up as she coughed, "I'm sorry… You need…" Hera coughed blood trailed down her mouth and chin, "t-to go…."
"NO!" Max cried, tears flowed down his cheek, "I won't leave you behind!"
"You… have to." Hera then reached to her neck, ripping her dog tags off and putting them in one of the pockets of Max's vest. "Live… for me…. Move… on… con-tinue… I love you." With that the two kissed, before Hera went limp, and breathed her last.
Max closed her eyes, took a deep breath, standing up, he wiped the tears off his face, and grabbed his pack. He looked around and noticed the General had vanished, along with a motorcycle.
"Coward!" Max growled, cursing under his breath. Max took another deep breath, once again he smelled vanilla. Looking up, Max once again spotting what looked like waves in the air.
Secret Service. Max thought, they were always trying to get him to work for them after his enhancements, but Max refused, he wasn't going to kill civilian targets and work for a corrupted force. Probably are using cloaks that they created, keeping it away from the rest of the military.
Nal'ca and Sya, continued to watch the Ooman group as they fended off the Hard Meats. The Male Ooman, surprising them both with his skills. Easily killing the first Serpent with his precision throw, while the other two took care of the next two Serpents. Then the two noticed the supposed 'superior' of the group, cowering in fear as everyone else fought.
"Why is that male doing nothing?" Nal'ca asked, angered at the dishonor of the Ooman.
"I don't know." Sya replied, "I don't understand why he does nothing. He is supposed to fight as the n'yaka-de, but the p'kya'uha seems to be the greater sain'ja."
Suddenly, they watched as another Hard Meat killed another Ooman, but the Hard Meat was down-wind, making it impossible to smell until it was too late. They watched the p'kya'uha attack the Warrior Kiande Amedha, easily moving around it, cutting its tail before cutting it in half. While at the same time, they saw a serpent attack the female, as the coward Male ran, stealing a vehicle the Oomans called: motorcycle, and driving off.
"How dare that Male not defend the Female!" Sya growled as he watch the male flee.
"Oh no!" Nal'ca breathed, as she saw the female die, and the p'kya'uha throwing himself into the Hard Meat, then kill it with his bare hands. As the p'kya'uha cried and mourned for his loss, they watched as they kissed then the female sain'ja breathe her last. The two Yaujta bowed their heads in respect, before Sya moved.
"I'm going to take care of the unhonorable Ooman, he can't be allowed to live, you continue following this Ooman sain'ja." Sya said as he moved.
"HEY!" Nal'ca heard, and turned her head to see the p'kya'uha staring at her invisible form.
How does he know where I am? She thought.
"I know you're up there, I can smell you!" Max screamed at the form. "Why are you sitting there, not helping, all of them are dead! My best friend is dead! MY LOVE IS DEAD! AND YET YOU STAND THERE AND DO SWEET FUCK ALL! And don't try to hide yourself, I know you secret service bullshit. YOU CAN'T HIDE FROM ME!"
Nal'ca was surprised by the male's outburst. Knew that he was cursing at her angered her, but she kept it down. He was right, they didn't do anything, they watched them die, when they could have saved them. But she was even more surprised when he ran off, with his pack, in the direction the coward Ooman ran.
Sya watched as the Ooman drove toward what the Oomans called a hospital. He then scaled the building stopping in a room where the coward had taken a minute to catch his breath. He then deactivated his cloak, surprising the Ooman before Sya kicked him, breaking his chest. He then pulled out his spear, extended it and threw it toward the Ooman, who was backing away in terror.
"What the fuck are you?" the Ooman said, fear in his shaky voice.
"I am your Judge, Jury, and Punishment, as you Oomans like to say." Sya replied. He took a step closer as the Ooman grabbed the spear in fear, holding it for dear life. "This is the only chance I give you. You can kill yourself to repent for your dishonor, or you don't and I give you no mercy."
"What dishonor have I done?"
With that, Sya smiled, as Arbitrator he was the enforcer for his clan. Ensuring that all the clan follow the Code of Honor and delivering the correct punishment for dishonor of the code. "You fled, and left a female to die. The being most important to your society, that gives your kind life, and you left her, and her mate, to die."
"If you are going to kill me, then I'll ensure that Max dies here as well!" The General then pulled out a detonator and pushed the button, destroying the helicopter, to stop any escape. Then the General attempted to strike the alien in front of him, but the alien just grabbed the spear and ripped it from his hand. He then used his other hand to grab him by the neck and pin him to the wall. He then retracted his spear, holstering it, and using his wrist blades, he decapitated him, and left him. Sya then turned to find the last Ooman approaching the hospital, and staring at the rooftop of the building.
"Lord Kulem'te, you need to see this." Zul'ta said to the clan leader through the COM. Lord Kulem'te then saw the video feed of Nal'ca's mask. Watching as a group of Oomans fighting the Kiande Amedha and the one survivor killing the last with his bare hands. He watched the death of a female, who apparently was the mate to the Male Ooman.
"I was wondering where Nal'ca and Sya went to." Lord Kulem'te replied. He then contacted Nal'ca, "Nal'ca, you and Sya are to return to the ship."
"But this Male is alone, and he's… different." he heard his daughter respond.
"What do you mean?"
"Have you seen my feed? I'm not sure he's fully Ooman. And he's alone now, we could at least get him somewhere safe."
Lord Kulem'te growled, but realized his daughter was right, he couldn't just leave him. "Fine, but he must keep our existence a secret."
With that said, Nal'ca smiled, she doesn't know why, but she really likes this Ooman. Although she regarded most Soft Meats as nothing, this Ooman, if he even is Ooman, interested her very much. She has never seen an Ooman fight like him before.
Suddenly, the Ooman stopped, and looked up at the building in front of him. As soon as Nal'ca stopped, confused why he stopped, she heard an explosion, and looked up to see something had been destroyed at the top of the building.
"NO!" the male yelled, causing Nal'ca to look back at the Ooman.
Max fell to his knees, no… no… it's gone. I'm stuck, and I have an hour before I'm blown to kingdom come. Then Max heard feet hitting the ground… and the smell of vanilla. Max reached for a pebble, covering it in the blood from a cut on his arm, and turned around, throwing it as he turned.
The pebble hit Nal'ca's chest, and the Ooman stared at her. She looked down, seeing blood on her from the pebble, revealing her to him.
"There you are." Max said coldly, "Stop hiding, just show yourself to me."
With that Nal'ca looked past the Ooman to see Sya, behind him nodding. Nal'ca deactivated her invisibility, revealing herself to Max.
Max stared at the alien in front of him. Two objects on its chest revealed it was a female but her skin was made up of what seemed to be scales. Her hide was a light green color with brown seeping their way in toward her hands, feet, head, and chest. She had netting around her body, a loincloth, and an armored bra including armor on her arms and legs. Enough clothes to cover, but little enough for fantasies, as if her armor was based completely for agility. A mask covered her face, she had dreadlocks that reached her shoulders with rings in them and a slightly elongated head.
"Oh", Max gasped, "You aren't Human."
Suddenly, the smell of death and blood assaulted John's nose, and he turned to see a praetorian stomping toward them.
"Alright, look", Max said causing the alien to turn her head back to him. "I know these things. I don't know if you can understand me, but it is either you, fighting me, and fighting it… Or you and I, working together, to fight it." Max then pulled out his sword and one of his knifes, holding his knife in a reverse grip in his left hand, the sword in his right. "Hurry and decide!" He yelled as the giant Xenomorph came closer and closer.
The Alien took a quick look over at the hospital, and Max followed her gaze to see another wave form. Finally, she spoke, and surprisingly, in English, "Yes, I can understand you, and yes I will fight this hard meat with you p'kya'uha."
"Alright, we need to fight this thing on two fronts." Max turned himself so that he was in between the Alien and the Xenomorph, he webbed his hand together and got ready to throw her over. "When I say go, you run toward me, and I will throw you over the Xeno." The Alien then took a few steps back watching the Xenomorph get closer to Max. However, Max didn't look at the Xenomorph behind him, instead he used his hearing to determine when.
"Ready?" The female tensed up, ready to sprint.
"NOW!" Max yelled, the Alien ran full sprint toward John, stepping on his hand and pushing off as John boosted her higher than she was already capable off. She soared over the Xenomorph, but the Praetorian wasn't fazed. It was focused on Max, who now had his weapons out again and was charging at it.
The Praetorian attempted to squash Max with its tail, but Max simply rolled off to the side and continued his charge forward. Jumping onto the tail to get a little higher before he jumped across the monster's chest, using his blades to slash through it as he flew past it. The Praetorian roared in anger, but before Max could land, the Xenomorph swung his arm and nailed Max. Max flew toward the hospital breaking his left leg when he landed. Max quickly scanned his left leg to see that it seemed good enough to walk on. Either his tibia, or fibula was just fractured, not completely broken. Ignoring the pain, Max pushed himself up.
Nal'ca, after being thrown over, watched as the Ooman quickly attacked the Hard Meat, doing a lot of damage before she watched him get send flying. She extended her spear and charged, the Hard Meat stomped his foot, attempting to smash Nal'ca, but she jumped on top of the foot and jumped even higher up. She embedded her spear into the Praetorians shoulder before vaulting over and slicing down the Praetorians back.
Screeching, the Praetorian whipped its hand back and pulled Nal'ca off, cutting her back and throwing her into rubble. Max looked to see that his new 'alien friend', was about to be finished off my the Xenomorph. Thinking quickly, Max picked up a block of cement, and threw it at the Xenomorph. The block connected with the Xenomorph's head, getting its attention. It turned to see Max running at it, jumping to its face and landing on the Praetorians crest. Max then pulled out both of his pistols and emptied his clips into the Xenomorphs brains. Max jumped off the Praetorian as it fell to the ground.
Seeing his alien friend not moving, Max quickly grabbed his pack and ran to the female. He looked at her back, seeing three claw marks going down her back bleeding profusely. Max retrieved his med-kit from his pack, pulling out a suture and thread, he cleaned the wounds with his water before stitching up her back. He had just finished stitching up the last wound when she woke up.
"Woah easy!" Max ordered putting a hand to stop her movements. "I just stitched you back up! Don't move to fast or they might re-open."
The alien growled before she got up anyway.
"Alright ma'am", Max said standing and putting his med-kit away, throwing away the used suture. "I don't know who you are, and I don't know what you are either…" Max took a quick look at his watch, "However, we only have 45 minutes to get off this island before my superiors blow it to kingdom come. You, myself...", Max jerked his thumb in the direction where he saw the waves of another alien before, "and your friend will get blown up with it."
Nal'ca was surprised that this Ooman knew where Sya was, and could see that Sya was surprised as well. This Ooman was warning them of danger, he saved her life, and even managed to kill one of the Deadliest Hard Meats known to the Yaujta. He was so different from the other Oomans, where she saw rape, deceit, and evil in other Oomans, she could not see in this Ooman. Nal'ca decided to speak,
"What's your name Ooman?"
Max was surprised at the question, but decided it didn't matter. "Maximus, you can call me Max", he replied, "Yours?"
The Alien stood up, towering over Max, "I am a Yautja named Nal'ca of the Jac'kul clan."
"So that's what you are… Yautja." Max let his voice trail off. Then asked, "Can I see your face Nal'ca?"
"Why?"
"Well, I'm probably going to die here after you leave.", Max sighed, "I just wish to see the face of the last person I fought with before I die."
Nal'ca, understanding, brought her hands to her face and pulled off the mask. Max looked at the Yautja's face. She had a massive, bald forehead and where her mouth appeared to be, stood something like mandibles, her dreadlocks stood off to the side, and her eyes were colored green, almost matching her skin.
Max grunted, "Never thought I would meet an alien on the day I died, and fight with her on the same day, against an overgrown bug."
With that statement Nal'ca sighed, she didn't want to leave Max to die. But why do I want to take him with me? He's an Ooman? Right? She took another look at Max, but was startled when he quickly turned and aimed his pistol an Sya, who was invisible standing behind him.
Sya revealed himself to Max, who looked onto the male Yujita, who was taller than Nal'ca, by at least 6 inches, while Nal'ca couldn't be more than 2 inches taller than Max. "Another Yautja?" Max whispered.
"Do not fear my friend." the new Yautja said, "I'm here to give you some news."
"This one also speaks English." Max observed, "I'm Max, you are?"
"I am Sya", he replied, "I'm here to tell you that our clan leader is willing to take you to a safe island in thanks for saving Nal'ca, and for warning us."
Nal'ca put on her mask again and got ready to move, Max threw on his pack. Max followed the group as they walked to their craft. "Before we return, may I ask what happened to the General? The man that ran off when we were attacked."
"You mean that un-honorable Ooman?" Sya asked.
"If Ooman means human… then yes."
"He met his Judge, Jury, and I gave him his rightful Punishment." Sya answered, smirking under his mask.
"Damn, I wanted to do it myself." Max cursed, "His inaction caused me to lose what little I had left."
"What do you mean?"
Max then explained how he lost his parents, the abuse and exposure throughout his childhood, and how the only two people truly friends with him, were just killed in front of him, like his family. Tears started to form in his eyes as he thought about Hera, bleeding out, dying in his hands like his mother. He had been holding back the flood for years, and the dam was starting to break.
Nal'ca stopped and turned to embrace Max, purring as she ran her armored hand through Max's short hair. Max didn't care that he was getting a hug from a female alien he met that same day, he was just happy that someone cared.
"Thank you Nal'ca", Max said before they continued walking to the ship
"Here we are." Sya said when they reached the dropship.
Max looked around, he couldn't see any of the other Yaujta that they talked about, but he could defiantly smell them. Max chuckled, then said, "I can't see you all, but I can sure as hell smell you and hear you all breathing." Max could hear the surprise in several of the unrevealed Hunters, "Two of your kind have already shown themselves to me, you might as well do so yourself."
Max then fell the air around him shift, like someone was about to throw a punch. Before he could react, something had grabbed his neck and was hosting him of the ground. Instincts kicking in, Max grabbed his attackers arm, and smashing his knee into it, releasing him from the choke and causing the assailant to reveal himself. Max spurted out blood from his broken chest, before standing back up to see his assailant to be another Yautja, with 5 others revealing themselves as well. Max gasped as he realized how many there are.
"Ha", the Yaujta who Max just injured laughed, "You really are a sain'ja, I haven't been injured like that in seasons."
With that several of the Yautja laughed as Max ran his hand through his mouth, wiping the blood from his mouth off onto his combat fatigues. "Well, didn't think I'd run into a bunch of alien warriors when I woke up this morn- AHH!" Max screamed in pain, throwing his hands to his head.
"Kill Them… Free me…."
"What's going on?" Nal'ca asked, kneeling to Max, trying to figure out what was wrong.
Max suddenly stop moving, and open his eyes, his hands found their way to his weapons. His breathing quickened, muscles tensed, adrenaline pulsed through his veins, his pupils thinned as he focused on his target. "The Queen", Max growled before looking up to see the Queen chained up, as if she was about to be taken by the Yujita.
"We are planning on taking her with us, so we have hard meats for the Chivas." Sya said, translating what another Yautja had said, "However, it was decided that we would just kill this one." But Max was not listening, he picked up a rock and threw it at the Queen as she screeched in her binds.
"FUCK YOU!" he screamed in anger, "I HATE YOU! THIS MIND IS MINE! YOU WILL NOT STEAL IT FROM ME, NOT AFTER WHAT YOU HAVE DONE TO THEM! TO ME!" he picked up a larger rock, and threw it even harder, beyond the capabilities of a normal Human.
"What is he doing?" one of the Yautjas asked, "Does he expect to hurt it with only rocks?"
"The Hard meats killed his battle brother, and his mate." Sya explained, "She is, in a way, responsible for the pain he has just gone through."
Then Max unsheathed his sword, and held one of his combat knifes in a reversed grip in his left hand, the sabre-style sword held in his right. His signature weapon style. "I'm going to kill you for the pain you have caused." Max growled, animalistic instincts taking over.
"Max…" Nal'ca whispered, seeing Max's pain and anger and hoping to quell it, but before she could, Max had already begun his charge.