Disclaimer: Same as Chapter 1.
Notes: This one admittedly has been difficult. I didn't want to repeat some things, but ended up doing it anyway. Also wanted to create some tone separation from the first two. I guess I have an angle in mind, but well … we'll see.
Chapter 3: Busy Zabin
He and the other hunters arrived at Nar'raka. The world was known for its violent winds, scorching days and often frigid nights. The plant life was inequitable and provided little to no coverage for a hunter in pursue of a kill. Dunes made the grounds difficult to navigate exerting the muscles. The Kainde Amedha nest rested in the underground caving system of the sand valley surrounded by nothing other than plains of rock. This was the site reserved exclusively for Chivas.
The Kainde Amedha Chiva was the first personal transitions which marked the end of one phase of life and began another. It marked the end to a pup's journey into adulthood. He was to experience fear and pain and in return show courage, endurance, and the ability to control his emotions. The rite of passage was clearly delineated in every clan. The conclusion of extensive preparations ended with a kill of the most vicious wild beast to ever stomp the lands of any world; the Kainde Amedha.
The Yautja believed the Kainde Amedha to be the perfect rival. It was a creation that started its existence with claiming the life of another by using other species as reproductive hosts. Their life was parasitic and violent. They killed to eat, killed to protect and killed to exist. The ultimate murderess design that was believed to feel no fear. The legends gave birth to a conviction that by killing the Kainde Amedha the young warrior would capture the essence of its intrepid spirit; The more tenacious the animal the greater the spirit and tribute. The young warrior was to kill his adversary, mark himself with its acidic blood and take it's syra'yte as trophy. The th'syra was to be displayed as testimony of the achieved maturity.
The custom was more than a male's first official hunt. It was an event of consequence for the entire clan; a time their ranks grew in worthy hunters. Every aspect of the chiva had its weight. The unblood needed to be faced with the true opponent, triumph in close combat in a place appropriate for the task. Nar'raka for generations was measured for such a commission.
There were many Yautja clans and often they used similar hunting grounds. In a standard chase of the game clan members competed with each other over the greatest kill, but the Chiva was no ordinary hunt. Chiva was a pure hunt. It was not to be disturbed and interfered with, often patrolled by a seasoned Yautja. The location of the Chiva needed to be away from the hunting grounds of other clans. With the Ooman's masses sharing space it was also important that the unblood did not encountered the Pyode Amedhas, even if, at times, they were used as hosts for the Kainde Amedhas. The practice of using the sentient Pyode Amedhas as host was rare and most often it was to provide cunning and typically a worthy challenge for a Chiva. The Kainde Amedha gained traits of their breeder and Oomans made good incubators.
Nar'raka has been dear to him. It was where he has completed his passage. The planetary body was capable of providing surviving living conditions for the Kainde Amedha, but not favorable enough for their numbers to get out of control. The creatures did not appreciate the sweltering sands of the desolate tracts and long sizzling days it would require for the travel. Kainde Amedhas liked their damp dark dwellings. They killed when they could and hibernated when times were dire. During a Chiva the queen was often left living, time and again unchallenged. Only the bravest of hunters would attempt such a task at their Chiva, especially in a caving system of the Nar'raka. This location was just a perfect hunting ground. But when they arrived, Nar'raka had not been the same. It was occupied by Oomans.
Their hunting party has first observed a change during the usually effortless approach toward the planetary surface. This time there were artificial satellites, Ooman made, patrolling the orbit. The Ooman technology was unmatched to the Yautja's and their pilot easily subverted the directives of the device. The act itself posed no difficulty yet yielded the starting sign of what soon became the obvious.
The Pyode Amedhas have been developing at a staggering rate. It became difficult to maintain the hunters' covert existence. The Yautja clans were not afraid of the soft meet. They were still stronger, more advanced in every fashion. Yet, Oomans were animate beings with unstructured consciousness, predisposed to band together when threatened. They were intelligent in many ways and highly adaptable. Often when hunting the soft meet a Yautja would see a display of cleverness right before Cetanu claimed him. He himself had hunted Oomans and knew that their actions can be quite unforeseen and ferocious. The Pyode Amedha's had an unpredictable and highly emotional nature.
Many hunters especially young ones could not understand the elitism in hunting the soft meat. Oomans were seen through their week exterior as s'yuitde zabin, pathetic insect. On an honorable jehdin jehdin battle they stood no chance even with a young inexperienced Yautja. But the Pyode Amedhas did not fight with yin'tekai, honor. They used trickery and deceit to deliver a principled hunter to his down-throw. He understood the loathe for Oomans as formidable opponents, but he has lived long enough not to take them lightly. He certainly understood the need to not unveil the Yautja's state of reality.
Nar'raka was beyond the Ooman's borders of expansion. A few cycles ago he would not think this to be possible. Nar'raka's location was always its greatest asset. Advantage which now was annihilated by a Pyode Amedha variety. Clear signal of how serious their decision of claiming their secrecy.
Oomans voyaged space and expanded like no other. The same way they have overpopulated their own backwater planet. The same they were expanding in space. It was baffling especially with the wars they waged against each other. The Ooman's progress was discontinuous and he was watching this development with his very eyes. He stood on a sandy ridge-line. With the short night approaching the winds gained their minuscule speed. It was warm, yet he knew with the night the chill would follow. Neither the hunters nor their adversaries preferred the cold. The Kainde Amedha will crawl to the pits of the caves. A perfect time for hunting.
The distance separating the hive and the Ooman construction was substantial. The dunes were difficult to steer on foot and equally so by vehicle. If any Pyode Amedha wondered into the Kainde Amedhas layer it was no longer amongst the living. Decision has been reached to carry on with the Chiva, following his advice, and have another hunter patrol the grounds while he was taxed with a different task. He took off in the direction of the settlement.
On Nar'raka, Oomans disregarded dangers of a Kiande Amedha's hive and made themselves at home. And they were busy zabin. Anyplace they disembarked they seized. Build and changed their surroundings to fit their needs. The huge compound they have created on this world was its attestation.
Few believed Ooman's development should be studied. However, the Yautja's clans valued the hunt above all other functions. Lessons on Ooman's nature, customs, culture, social functions are considered superfluous. Most held true that all they need to master is how to capture, challenge and kill their prestigious pray. He believed that knowing more rather than elemental dissipates ignorance, especially with such complicated and escalating species. But now knowing that his favorite game planet has become an Ooman depot he was more inclined to share the latter persuasion.
At first anger claimed him when he saw the fortifications and machinery producing the atmosphere they needed to exist. Soon, as he advanced on the domicile, he realized that their disregard of the hive did not come without a price. The usually busy Ooman dwelling was void of activity and in such instances the Kainde Amedha are frequently to blame.
It pleased him to see disregard of the hive pay its dues. He needed to know if it was carelessness or arrogance that paved the way to the Ooman state of affairs. There was no time to waste and many questions to appease. The Pyode Amedha did not forsake their settlements. They will come back. At the outset the groups arriving will be small and those would fail to ascertain their position, but succeed to peak interest. The alarm they will send or lack of communication will alert the others, and the Oomans will return with combatant reinforcements. And, they do not like to give up. Stubborn creatures. If they will not prevail, they will do what they do every so often: wipe out the entire surface from space, after capturing Kainde Amedha's specimen for study. That could not be allowed.
He climbed over the embankment and entered the camp yard. He sent a message to the hunting party to carry on the Chiva. The settlement appeared drained of life further confirming his suspicions. The Chiva would continue with his mei'hswei. He will have to gather specifics and report to the Jag'd'ja Atoll, Mothership. The Kainde Amedha Chiva grounds will most likely be moved. This will no longer be a game planet.
"C'jit, pauke-de Oomans" he clicked quietly, griped by the loss of a good ritual spot.
He moved into the structure and carried on his inquisition. Kainde Amedha's bile coated some walls. All misgivings of the inhabitants' fate; testimony of ommans doom.
After reaching a spacious room, outfitted with monitors and data processing machines, he perceived sounds coming from the long corridors. He quickly discerned those to be Ooman voices. It appeared not all were lost, yet with the racket they were making that was only a matter of time. They were headed his direction. He was cloaked, but in the center of the orderly, decor-less space the presence lay bare.
The upper limit of the room was elevated and he perched on a high ledge in a wall nook just under the ceiling. He was hoping to gather some information about the location and what transpired from the Ooman words he could understand. He stayed and observed, but quickly discovered Oomans' understanding was lacking to a greater extent than his.
The events after that were quite attention-grabbing and he gave consideration while staring at the l'ulij-bpe, mad Ooman. The creature appeared pleased, making odd movements, conversing with the caged Kainde Amedha. His understanding of the language was not the greatest, but from what he understood the female was taunting the deadly animal, or trying to obtain some explanations.
... Hulij-bpe Ooman... None in their right mind would want to reason with a Kainde Amedha. The creatures had no sense of rationale. Their existence was purely instinctive and reactive.
It was furthermore shocking to discover that the fearless Ooman warrior was a female. He surveyed its perplexing behavior. When the face-huggers swarmed the Oomen he was sure this was its bpi-de, end. One of the inseminators latched on to the protective mask the Ooman wore. The Pyode Amedha tried to get it off, but failed. He was sure that the intense creatures they are, this one was no different and once again, as he has seen before, will use it's burner to kill the hugger, killing itself in the process. He was about to abscond this s'yuitde display, but the Ooman started laughing.
..."Hulij-bpe Ooman"...
As surprising as the Ooman's behavior could be this one stretched even those limits. They tend to abuse their weaponry even if they have no chance of reaching their target. They have a propensity to cower and run when scared. He's also seen them fight kha'bj-te, reckless when cornered. They could be cruel, wild and relentless when pushed to fight for survival. He sensed her distress, but the reaction did not match.
He discovered that the Ooman devised a clever plan to dispose of its threat. Instead of using its weapon, as he suspected it would, the Ooman used the advantage of the head cover to inflict bone shattering damage without breaking the skin and getting drenched with the inseminator's acidic blood. When her head-covering fell she quickly disposed of the hugger and those that came after it from a safe, non-threatening distance. She could have engaged the creatures in hand to hand combat, but it appeared the Ooman did not find the animal challenging enough.
During her first encounter was when he initially suspected this Ooman was female. It had a smaller frame than most of the Ooman males, higher voice pitch and long fur that came into view after removing its head covering. Although he has seen undersized males with longer tresses so he left it at a suspicion. When the other Oomans returned there were questions and discussion to no purpose. He got disinterested with the aimless tumult and cursed under his breath for not taking leave when he had a chance. He had to linger around until the time for departures was more fitting. The movement from the position he was at would cause too much commotion, and he would have been spotted. Disposing of the Oomans would be quick, but hunting Oomans was not his prerogative right now. His mission was to check the facility. If the Oomans still lived he could do it later. Also, taking the risk with the inventive creature, especially as unpredictable as the one he has been watching, was foolish.
Time was fleeting and sitting still and hidden did not contribute to his mission either. Thus, once again, he considered getting rid of the Pyode Amedhas and moving on. As he did, some words have brought him back to the scene down below. The Ooman, he has observed from the prelude, has confirmed it was female. "Girl" he knew meant young female in one of Ooman dialects. She has referred to herself as being one. What he did not understand, was why the other Ooman was asking? It seemed strange. Even he who has not seen many Ooman females before had suspicion it was female. Why would its own species not recognize the difference? He crooked his head, submerged in thought grasping for sense. Quickly decided it no longer mattered. Time was of essence, dwelling was not. He got ready to strike, but the Oomans started vacating the area leaving the now confirmed Hulij-bpe female alone again. The change in events quenched his impatiens.
He waited reflecting on the Ooman gender and a possibility that since he hasn't had much contact with Ooman females, this clever and bold behavior was typical of the females of the species. The Yautja females were stronger and highly aggressive often more than the males, especially during mating season or enraged in a hunt. Yet, he was taught as a pup that the Ooman females are weaker and depend on males for survival. He removed his mind from the rumination eager to continue the task he was given.
He was about to carry on when a Kainde Amedha drone approached the space the female and he occupied. At first the female gave the impression that she did not notice its presence, but then her eyes slowly reached up to take in her new adversary. He knew that the Kainde Amedha was searching for him and the location of the Ooman it already scent out and heard in the room. At the same time, he extended his dah'kte, her communication devise came on, muffling the sound of his protracting weapon from the Kainde Amedha as well as the Ooman. It did not take long for the hard meet to react as it charged at the female with deadly intent. Again, this unpredictable Ooman has surprised him. Instead of firing her burner which often even the unbloods did startled at a Chiva, she charged in the direction of the incoming drone. At the last moment she shifted out of the drone's reach and tumbled into the small area with the drone on her heels. This time the female's plan was to trap her pursuer in the area using herself as bait. Very risky for such a small and fragile creature. If the drone got to the empty-handed Ooman faster there would not be much left of it.
Now he was watching the female in her pointless tirade of gestures and words that came out of her too rapidly to follow. He did pick up a few expressions. She called the drone a "bit 'ch". He understood that to be a female back-water mammal, even though this drone was neither. It seemed that humans had difficulty determining genders. Unless she was using it as an insult. Oomans had too many of those to remember. Then, she waved her digit and scolded the Kainde Amedha with a finger as one would with a badly behaved suckling. He knew the word "no". He heard it many times while narrowing on his human prey. Often "no" was followed with the sound "pleee ase". Which he also understood very well. Moreover, he recognized the word "bo ouk". This was a human script. The speech appeared random and unstructured, which confused him to no end.
"Hulij-bpe Ooman". She made no sense
The second drone has appeared in the area once again. He really should be continuing with his task, but this was way to intriguing to miss. The Ooman did not see the drone at first, which started to be a pattern or maybe a strategy. Most likely the Ooman was kha'bj-te, and did not pay attention to its surroundings. This action was very typical of the Pyode Amedha. But then she turned and saw the other drone. She then did the unthinkable again; what could be best described as a chuckle...
Translations: (most of readers know this, but it can be confusing so here it is)
Nar'raka – Peninsula, LH 742, BumfuckEgypt. In other word totally made it up
Kainde Amedha – hard meat
Chiva – trial, test
syra'yte – head
th'syra – skull
unblood – Yautja version of a rookie
yougblood – Yautia version of a recruit
s'yuitde zabin – pathetic insect
jehdin jehdin – one-on-one, hand to hand
yin'tekai – honor
zabin – insect
mei'hswei – brother
Jag'd'ja Atoll – Mothership
C'jit – Sh*t
pauke-de Oomans – f..king humans
l'ulij-bpe – mad
hulij-bpe – crazy
bpi-de – end
s'yuitde – pathetic
kha'bj-te – reckless
dah'kte - Wristblades