Xander sat at the table as he listened to the good doctor narrate the adventure they had out in the woods.
"So the last thing we see is soldier boy here running off into the woods with this massive Thanator chasing after him," Grace says mockingly as Jake shrugs and gets back into his story.
Shaking his head, Xander groaned as his watch beeped, alerting him that it was time to deal with his own headache. So, shoveling the last of his food into his mouth, he stood and headed for the exit.
--
"Harris"
Xander took a moment to roll his eyes before turning to his current problem, "Colonel. How can I be of service today?" he asked as the aged veteran moved up and walked with him towards the link room.
"I hear you picked up a pet out there. Now while I love a cute puppy or kitten as much as the next guy, I can't let one of the native monster loose in my compound." Quaritch explained.
Xander nodded in understanding, "Yeah, that kinda snuck up on me. But while I'm here, I want to study these Thanators, see if we can Genome them for Earth standards." Xander said before getting a shark-like smile "I would have loved to drop a couple of those sons of bitches into the outback of Cambodia. Let the local guerrillas deal with them, instead of looking for my scalp," He explained as Quaritch laughed and slapped him on the shoulder.
"Now that's an idea I can get behind," he said before getting thoughtful. "Still, the notion of one of those inside the perimeter is not something that gives me warm fuzzies at night," he said and after a moment's thought he finally snapped his fingers as an idea hit him. "Hell, might as well get you transferred out to Cerberus base, not as nice a place as Hellgate here, but it should do for ya. How's that sound?"
Considering it a moment, Xander nodded. "Sounds fine. Will I be out there on my lonesome or will I have company?
"Small research team is already out there being watched over by Captain Boone. He's a bit of a hardass that one, but a good soldier all the same," Quaritch explained before shrugging. "Can't exactly tell him your history, but I'll make sure he knows that you're good people," He said before slapping Xander on the shoulder again. "Get packed up and moved, I'll clear you with the flight deck before I head out today."
Watching him break off and move down a side corridor, Xander shook his head. "Great, someone he thinks is a hardass. This guy must be a real charmer," Xander muttered before heading into the link room, he had a monster to feed after all.
--
Creeping through the underbrush, he ignored all distractions. His prey had recently entered his domain. Shifting under a collection of Bola leaves, he stared as his target moved closer. Lying flat to avoid being seen, he took a deep breath and held it for a split second before leaping.
--
Moving through the carefully tended plants within the compound, Xander thanked the advanced senses the Avatar body gave him as he hunted. "Heeeere Sylvester, you bad ol' puddy tat, you. Heeere Sylvester," Xander called softly as he brushed the leaves away and searched for the problem he had orphaned.
With a rippling snarl, a three foot long, clawed torpedo exploded out of the underbrush and latched onto his leg with six sets of razor sharp claws and a mouth full of fangs.
With a muffled scream of pain, Xander set about detaching the clawed menace. After a moments work he managed to grasp it by the scruff of the neck and pull it up to eye level. "You little monster," he growled before shifting it about so he could hold it without it clawing the hell out of him. "I swear, if I could I would hand you over to a Chinese restaurant and be done with it." He grumbled as he made his way to the feeding station. He was the only one that the kit would take food from. Something about printing like a duck, he wasn't entirely sure what that was about, but the egg heads assured him it was natural, so he just ignored it.
--
Far away, in the Great Plains Tribe the People of the Pa'Li listened to the story of the unil-tìran-tokx, the dream walker that had faced the Palulukan in single combat with nothing more than a blade.
Listening closely to the battle being recounted, Endu'ha stared into the flames before interrupting the hunters tale, "Carry this tale to the four winds, let all the plains tribes hear and understand." She said as the entire clan listened to their Tsahik's orders. "This hunter is to be brought before me. Any tribe that slays him shall face the might of our warriors, this is the will of Eywa." She announced as the entire clan burst into a flurry of activity.
Turning towards the Hometree, she paused as Akwey stepped up to her side.
"Is this truly the will of Eywa?" He watched his mate for a moment as she stared at him before nodding. "Then our warriors will obey," He said before turning and moving off to prepare for the coming hunt.
Watching him go, Endu'ha whispered a silent prayer to Eywa for their protection before turning back into the tree.
--
Xander sat in the co-pilots seat as Trudy piloted him towards Cerberus Base, behind him his Avatar slept with the caged Thantor kit gnawing its way out of the titanium cage they had shoved it into for transportation.
"So are all the bases named after some version of hell?" he asked as the pilot smiled.
"Sure are, Hellsgate, Cerberus Base, Styxian outpost, Chicago, we decided not to sugarcoat the truth out here." She explained with a smile as Xander turned a cold glare at the Slayer.
"I happen to like Chicago," he growled as his pilot simply smiled all the more.