Chapter 2
Once everyone was gathered in the mess hall, the Wonderer began to explain what he had seen during his travels and then turned explained why he had come to Dover, as he did this, Dart and Jessica were applying medical aid to Shara and Ben, Shara, thankfully had only minor injuries to her body, a cracked rib on the right side, two large bruises on her sides where the Winged Xenomorph had grabbed her and a sprained wrist.
Ben however was having his arm snapped back into place and Shara winced hearing the bones grind together.
"Now, tell me how long you have been having these headaches and how long you haven't been sleeping." The Wonderer asked Shara as she sat with a cup of hot coco, his Yautja name was Guan-thwei which translated as Nightblood, but because he was never around the base much he was nick named the Wonderer.
"Um... about... a month." She said trying to think while rubbing her head.
"Hmmm... tell me, has your arm been causing you trouble?" He asked and Shara shock her head.
"No, it only hurts on a morning if I don't have my tablets." She said, "I don't have any other trouble with it until I over work it."
"I see." The Wonderer nodded and then gently patted her head, "Now tell me what happens when you have these headaches." He asked.
Shara took a moment to think. "It varies... Sometimes it's just a split second glance and I see a Xenomorph in a mirror or in a hallway... When I sleep it's like... I see what they see and even when I'm awake I see the Queen..." she said shuddering. "But it only last a few seconds, and then the headaches follow."
The Wonderer's mandibles clicked as he though. "I see..." he said. "Before you rest tonight, come see me in the kehrite, training room, perhaps I can assist you in escaping these nightmare," he instructed and Shara nodded.
Jackal and Wonderer left the room while everyone else watched Bull Dog and Big Guns spar; Ben was sat on the side lines with his broken arm wrapped in a bandage and a spilt.
Striker watched and found it rather amusing that Ben looked like he was pouting as he watched Bull Dog and Big Guns wrestle and throw each other around like rag dolls.
Shara watched and ducked as Bull Dog was thrown over her head and out of the ring. "You ok big guy?" she asked and Bull Dog nodded.
"Where are you going?" Jessica asked.
"To clean my weapons." Shara said as she headed off down the hall.
Striker followed her closely, standing by the wall and watching as she disassembled her 45s and began to clean them taking extra care with the smaller parts, all the while humming a tune of some kind.
Their ship was vast, sleek and made to withstand any form of attack, the hull reflecting every star, planet and moon that it passed, every now and then, the ship would shimmer as a comet or meteor passed it.
Within the ships walls, Yautja worked and prepared for the upcoming hunt, some sparring, some meditating, others cleaning and washing their weapons and blades ready.
Two elders stood in the bridge of the ship, watching as the planets slipped past their ship, watching everything that happened from their chairs. Reports, broken and distorted images and footage from their sons and fallen hunters, flowed into the screens they were watching.
"So much loss... and so much trouble these Oomans have caused themselves." The elder sighed. "Jha'kle and his crew have not yet been reported dead... I pray to our High Priestess that they are alive and well." He sighed.
"I'm sure they are. If Jha'kle is leading them they are all perfectly safe." The other said.
"Indeed."
A loud roar made both elders turn and watch as a large muscular Yautja stormed in to the room, mandibles flared and his back arched. "You allow Cuh'tor that zabin insect of a younger mei'hswei with Jha'kle and his crew, then you allow Srit'ore to go after them without telling me?!" he snarled. "I am the oldest! I should have gone with them! Not those two second rate brats!"
"Kujhade Destroyer... It was the High Priestess's order that Cuh'tor go with Jha'kle and Srit'ore went of his own free will after she gave her blessing. I have nothing to do with any of it." the oldest Elder said as his mandibles clicked. "You seek only trophies and to hunt the greatest pray. And that is what I have allowed you to do."
"You put Cuh'tor forwards when I should have been chosen!" Kujhade snarled. "I am the oldest and the strongest!"
"Ki'cte! Enough" the eldest elder snarled at his oldest son. "You may be the oldest of my sons, but you still have much to learn before you're respected and blessed by the High Priestess." He declared. "Now leave us. You have no reason to be here." he added before turning back to the view screens.
"He was named well." The second Elder stated. "His attitude will lead him to destroy everything."
"If that is the way it will be, then so be it..." the old Yautja said and then sighed deeply.
Striker watched as Jackal and the Wonderer set up for a very old and very respected mediation session, it was written in his people's text that this form of meditation allowed one mind to connect with another and allow either a temporary or permanent mental link with the two minds, that protected them from threats and was said to strengthen a mind as well.
He had no idea why this was needed here on earth, but he didn't Question them, they were his superiors and he was still nowhere near as skilled as they were.
"You wanted to see me?" Shara's voice asked as she came in, looking ready to drop to sleep where she stood.
"Yes, Yeyinde." The Wonderer said and waved her over. "Tell me, have you ever meditated before?" he asked.
"Tried, the alarm went off for a Xenomorph attack when Cutter was teaching me about it." Shara admitted.
"Well, let us see if we can change that." The Wonderer said and motioned for her to sit across from him, like Cutter had taught her, Shara crossed her legs and put her hands on her knees, "first we remove the items that might distract us," he instructed and Shara nodded, carefully removing her helmet, Cutter's mask and then gently removed her chain and placed it into her helmet where it would be safe. "Good, now, take a deep breath and try to relax a little."
Striker watched as Shara did as instructed, despite the clear fear she was in, however it seemed there was an unspoken plan in effect as Jackal began to speak in their native language, an old chan of sorts that was used in a telepathic link between minds.
To Striker's knowledge, no human had ever been linked to a Yautja's mind and vice-versa, it was something not done as many Yautja were unwilling to allow the Humans to find out more about their technology.
What were the Wonderer and Jackal planning?
"Focus on Jackal's voice, Yeyinde," the Wonderer said, "Listen only to that..." Shara nodded to show she'd heard, her shoulders relaxed slowly and her eyes started to feel heavy. "That's it, let your eyes close if they need to," he encouraged and watched as Shara's eyes closed.
"What do you see around you?" He asked.
"I'm... I'm not sure... everything is dark." Shara said.
"It's alright, Yeyinde, you are safe." Wonderer assured as he closed his eyes. "I want you to picture a single burning candle in front of you." he said. "Do you see it?"
"Yes." Shara said.
"Good." Striker blinked cocking his head to one side as the candles around the pair began to flicker a little. "What do you see?"
"A desert... lava flows and I think pyramids..." Shara said and Striker went wide eyed. That was his home world.
"Good..." the Wonderer said. "What you see is a memory from my mind, that is my home and this planet is my home world, the place most Yautja clans and tribes come from." He explained.
"There's something behind me..." Shara said, "but I can't see it..."
"That is not my memory," the Wonderer stated, and Shara felt a headache starting to form, "It is as we thought," he explained opening his eyes as the image fade from Shara's mind and her mind went dark again. "You can open your eyes now." He added.
"What did you think?" Striker asked.
"That tunnel Queen has somehow managed to form a telepathically link to Shara's mind, much like she has with her children." Jackal explained. "That's why you haven't been able to sleep."
"She's been... inside my head...?" Shara asked shuddering.
"And I am afraid, I cannot cast her out." The Wonderer said. "Not without help from someone much stronger then her and me."
"So... What do I do?" Shara asked then blinked as the Wonderer picked up Cutter's mask and seemed to inspect it.
"For now, try and rest, I managed to push her away, but I don't know how long she will stay away." The Wonderer said.
Shara nodded and after replacing her removed items she walked down the hall to her room and all but collapsed on her bunk, too tired to care she'd left the door open.
Jackal watched as Striker took Shara's weapons and put them into a large bag. "What are you doing?" he asked.
"If Cutter left his mask with her, then there is a reason, I want to know what he taught her and how much of it she took in." Striker said.
Jackal clicked his mandibles and then shook his head. "Then I suggest you leave those. They are her parents and she has already earned them." He stated pointing at Shara's 45 calibres, "Take the ammo only." He added.
Striker nodded and after carefully removing the rest of the weapons Cutter had taught her with, leaving only her Spear and basic wrist blades, he left the room.
Several hours later, Shara woke and stretched, feeling better then she had in a long time, she looked around and felt a little out of place, her heavier armour was missing as were a lot of her weapons, including the ammo to her 45s, scared they had been taken too she ripped the draw open beside her bed and sighed seeing the two there with a small bottle of pills and a note.
Make your way to the training hall and earn back your weapons, do this and I will train you.
Striker.
You are not allowed to use your parents' weapons, only the spear you began training with.
Shara smiled a little and after taking her pill for the day and armouring up, she paused as Jackal walked past her door. "Jackal, do they have permission to use their Plasma Casters?" she asked. "Bull Dog and Bug Guns I mean."
"They don't," Jackal assured, "Only Striker will use his Plasma Caster." He added, "Now off with you." he added with a gently push down the hall way.
"You aren't going to join in?" Shara asked.
"I'm not as young as I was and besides, it would be unfair on you." He said.
"You're not that old." Shara said before heading down the hall, missing the look on Jackal's face as she left.
Slowly she made her way through the hall ways, keeping an eye out for anything that might give away the two largest Yautja she knew were on the base, Dart was out on patrol with Tracker and likely, Jessica had gone with them.
She felt and saw the movement behind her seconds before a heavy hand fell onto her shoulder and reached back, tightly gripping the hand and yanked forwards, using a trick Cutter had taught her as she drop her knee as hard as she could into the unseen foes side and then jumped over him, snatching his arm and forcing it behind his back as she put her spear to his neck.
"Well Done." Big Guns said with a wince as his cloak dropped. "A little more practice and you'll have it perfect."
"Thank you." Shara said then blinked as a small animal skull from Big Guns' belt dropped with a large crack in it. "Did I do that?" she asked.
"It would seem so." Bug Guns said inspecting the skull and then her knee. "but you aren't bleeding and there is only a redness... didn't you feel pain?"
"I thought I'd hit your armour." She admitted, "I'm sorry."
"Don't be child; now go on, you have your weapons to earn back." Big Guns said and Shara nodded, continuing down the hall.
Once she was out of the hall way, Big Guns turned to Jackal and showed him the skull. "She broke it."
"She broke the skull of a native creature on our world? No human could do that... not without heavy padding..." Jackal said looking at the skull.
"I'm telling the truth, Jha'kle," Big Guns said. "She executed the move Cutter showed her and the skull shattered from impact."
Jackal looked at the Skull then at Big Guns. "Then I suggest we keep a close eye upon her."
"Agreed."
Meanwhile Shara was now only a few steps from the Training hall, but she stayed outside. She'd not seen Bull Dog yet, which meant he was either inside waiting for her, or he wasn't up yet...
Unable to stand outside much longer, she opened the door and looked around, barely ducking in time as Bull Dog's Bone glaive slammed and cut into the door frame. "Did you sharpen that?" she asked after rolling away from him.
"Not yet." Bull Dog answered as he dropped the glaive and charged at her.
"Use the larger size to your advantage, let him get close and then attack and weave around him. When the time is right, dodge and send him to defeat."
Striker watched as Shara jumped up with all her might and used a move both he and Cutter had been taught by their mentor and shoved her hands down on Bull Dog's shoulders, forcing him to stumble and fall ass over head and slam into the wall.
Shara landed in a crouch, ready to move if need be, then cock her head to one side as Bull Dog lay groaning and breathing heavily. "Ummm... Bull Dog?" She asked.
"I think... you broke something... inside me..." Bull Dog said. "My shoulders... hurt..."
Shara blinked. "I did what?"
"Broke his shoulder and collar bone," Striker said as he dropped down from his observation point. "Now, you'll face me." He stated. "Defeat me, using only what you have and I will train you."
"One Question. How am I meant to dodge a Plasma Caster shot?" Shara asked and Striker clicked at her.
"Be quick."
"In coming ship." Martha Mary called down the hall way as Jackal came around the corner. "Yautja language." She added.
Jackal came into the main room where they'd managed to salvage his ships main computer and set it up so Jackal could send messages and receive them from incoming ships.
Martha Mary began to type rapidly on the key board in front of her, working on a program to help them keep a closer eye on the EMP field that kept downing Yautja ships and give them a way to shut the EMP Field down.
Jackal listened and answered the messages that kept coming over the comms of his ship then turned to Martha Mary. "How long until you hack the Mother System?" he asked.
"About a week, why?"
"The other clan leaders are coming here; they plan to be here in a month with re-enforcements and someone of great importance." Jackal said.
"I'll do all I can." Martha Mary said.
Shara and Striker were, for all intent and purposes, at a standstill.
If Shara moved, Striker's wrist blades would take her head off and if Striker moved, Shara's spear would slice his neck open, leaving him to bleed to death.
"I think," Bull Dog began from where Big Guns was 'treating' his broken bones. "That's a draw."
He was right and with a single nod, Striker put his wrist blades away and stepped back. "Seems Cutter has taught you very well." He stated.
"He wanted me to be ready for anything." Shara stated putting her spear away.
"I see..." Striker said. "We start up tomorrow morning." He added handing her back the weapons he'd taken.
Shara smiled.
Over the following days, Shara's training picked up drastically, and to everyone's shock and surprise, she was just as good a student to Striker as she had been to Cutter, she listened and obeyed instructions, she learned from mistakes and improvised where she had to.
Martha Mary worked endlessly to try and find some way into the Mother System that was keeping the EMP Field up and shut it down while Jackal responded and sent word of the arrival to other Yautja.
All the activity attracted some less then desired attention and before anyone could stop him. Sanderson was ranting and raving about how they were risking the safety of the humans by allowing Yautja to just land on Earth.
"Oh will you shut up?!" Shara snapped much to everyone's shock. "All you do is talk and complain that things aren't right, well things wouldn't be this way if YOUR people hadn't messed with things they didn't understand!" She snarled.
To say Sanderson was speechless would be an understatement.
"Why... you... of all... I should... you don't..."
"Leave Sanderson and tell that old Hag of a Queen we have to keep her ranting for the people who caused this mess by letting that Mother System set up an EMP Field in the first place." That said Shara turned on a heel and marched off.
"Well, that was..." Mark began then paused.
"Different?" Dart offered.
"Strange." Martha Mary said. "Shara's never snapped at anyone before."
"If you ask me it's about time," Jessica said as Sanderson left in a hurry. "He's been harassing us ever since this started."
Meanwhile Shara was sat in her room, looking at an old photo she had of her family, her dad stood to the left with his 45 showing on his side, dressed in his uniform and smiling at the camera. Her mother was stood to the right also in her uniform with her 45 sat on her hip, the same dull blue eyes Shara had looking down at a small child on her side, wearing her father's hat.
She missed them both so much...
"They are your family?" Shara looked up to see Striker stood in the door way and nodded.
"They were both in the army... my dad was a gunner and my mom worked in the air... when I was a baby they left the force so they could raise me, but then mom got sick and couldn't go back to the force... my dad retired early so he could spend more time with us."
"What happened to your mother?" Striker asked.
"She died in an attack, but dad always said it was better that way." Shara said then when Striker cocked his head she explained. "My mom was ill suffering from Terminal Lung Cancer, there was no way to cure her and she would have died because of it, so my dad always told me that mom would have preferred to die on the field then in a hospital bed, too weak to move and in pain."
"I see... and your father was killed by the Queen?" Shara nodded again. "So why do you continue to fight? If you have lost everything?" he asked.
"Cutter asked me the same thing." Shara said. "I keep fighting because it's what my parents would do, I keep fighting because I know one day the Xenomorphs will be gone and earth will recover and because I know if I keep fighting others will too," she slipped the photo into her inner pocket and sighed. "If we lose the hope we have, then we may as well drop all weapons and let the Xeno's kill us, but if we keep fighting and hold on to the hope one day it'll end, then it will."
"Hope is a fragile thing, Shara." Striker said.
"True, but it's hard to kill." Shara pointed out. "Kinda like the Yautja code of Honour and way of life."
"How so?" he asked.
"You would do anything and everything in your power to protect the High Priestess, yes?" Striker nodded. "And if she asked you or any Yautja to go on a hunt and not kill anything but your intended prey, you would do it."
"Of cause, such is our code and law." Striker said. "To porously defy the High Priestess is like asking for your death."
"Then in that regard it's the same. If I give up on hope, then I may as well be a Yautja who refuses the task and kills everything to get what I want."
Striker thought about it then nodded. "You would get along well with my Mother and our High Priestess... if you ever met them."
Shara smiled a little.
She sat perfectly still, candles flickering around her as she focused upon the minds of her people, reaching out as far as she could to reach the mind of those who shared her gift, those who could tell her all she needed to know and more.
She smiled as two minds reached back to her, one much stronger than the other.
/"High Priestess, what brings you so close to this world?" a deep voice asked and within her mind's eye she saw both Yautja knelt before her, both with their heads low and their weapons held before them. "It is not safe."
"I come here to see the end of this nightmare," she answered, "Rise, Bhu'ja. Rise Guan-thwei, I am reaching out to learn, not give orders." She said and both Yautja stood. "Tell me everything..."
And they did, slowly and surely, Bhu'ja explained everything that had happened on earth, running down the events from the moment the Xenomorph Queens escaped Jha'kle's ship, to the present day, then Guan-thwei told the story of the humans and of the alliance.
"You say there is an alliance, formed between Jha'kle and an Ooman child?" the High Priestess asked.
"There is, but I give you my word," Guan-thwei started. "The child and her friends are all able warriors, and I have a temporary link with the Ooman child."
"Why?" she asked.
"That is difficult to explain, but I can assure you, if you see in her mind as I do, you will understand why Jha'kle has grown fond of her." the weaker Yautja said.
"When we arrive, I should like to meet her." the High Priestess said. "Bhu'ja, go to the Ooman base, see for yourself if this alliance is a stable as told. I wish to be sure of what we are letting ourselves in for." She added.
Both Yautja bowed again before fading from her mind.\
Several days later, Martha Mary was typing rapidly at her computer, working on a new system Jackal had asked her to try and complete while he worked on a 'project' as he called it.
She paused a moment when she heard something behind her and turned, seeing nothing she shrugged and started to type rapidly again pausing again to take a drink and resumed, five minutes later she sighed and stopped. "Ok, I don't know who's cloaked in here with me, but whoever it is, please stop," she said. "If you want me to test something then tell me, don't try and slip it into the front of the line because Jackal's already given me a task."
For a short time there was nothing and then to her left she caught movement and turned to see a bright flare of pure white standing roughly 8 feet above her, making her gasp in fright. "Who are-?"
"Hit the deck!" Shara's voice yelled and Martha ducked as a spear embedded itself in the wall behind her. "Sorry Martha Mary." Shara said as she came in, pulling the spear from the wall, "Are you ok?"
"Y... yes I'm... I'm fine." Martha Mary said.
Shara smiled and then headed back out of the room to where Dart was waiting with a spear-gun. "Let's try that again, this time aiming at the targets." Shara suggested.
Dart nodded and aimed down the indoor test range and pulled the trigger, the recoil caused him to stagger backwards but the spear ran through the target, carrying it back to the wall and pinning it there.
"Recoil's a little strong don't you think?" Shara asked, looking at the spear gun. "I mean I know you guys can take a beating but if that happens every time you'll have to move fast to avoid anything oncoming,"
"You might just be right there." Dart said looking over the designs and the gun. "Another job for Jessica and the General."
"My turn." Shara said, and Dart stepped aside as she loaded her 45's with some dimly glowing bullets with red tips.
"What are they?" Dart asked.
"Prototype ammo, something the general and Cutter were working on, these are the test rounds, less power than the real ones since they never had a chance to try them." she explained.
She aimed and emptied her clip, Dart watching in amazement as the wounds began to bleed what looked like a liquid. "What's in those?" Dart asked.
"Liquid nitrogen with dry ice coated tips." Shara explained. "It's over kill for the small Xenomorphs, but for the Queens, the Predalien and that... thing that's out there, they should work perfectly."
"Remind me to keep low if you're ever going to fire those." Dart said.
"Oh these aren't for me." Shara said.
Dart clicked and then went very pale. "Oh dear... not them."
"Yep. Big Guns and Bull Dog." Shara smiled and Dart's shoulders dropped. "Oh come on, they aren't that bad..."
"You weren't there when they were protecting our High Priestess. Anyone so much as dared to breath wrong near her they would be top of their kill list." Dart explained. "I recall one fool tried to kiss our High Priestess, Bhul-Dwag almost ripped him in half."
"And Big Guns?" Shara asked. "How do you pronounce his name again? Be'guna?"
Dart nodded. "Yes, well done... and let's just say he's not a Gun Master for nothing." He added.
"What do their names mean?" Shara asked as they moved to the sparring mats, "I know your name means 'Rapid' and Tracker's means 'seeking', but I have no idea what Bull Dog's or Big Guns' mean."
"When spoken in a sentence, Bhul-Dwag means 'Guard' or 'To Guard', along it has no meaning, Be'guna however has several meaning depending on what context it is spoken in, when spoken in a normal sentence, it means 'weapon', or 'fire arm', when bellowed as a command it means 'Open fire'. To be given as a name it means 'Large gun.'" Dart explained.
Shara nodded, taking her spear up as Dart twirled his Combi Stick. "So first to land a strike wins?" She asked and Dart nodded.
Before Shara could attack however something grabbed her from behind and lifted her up. "Hey, put me down!" she said struggling to try and reach back, or turn to see who was holding her.
There was a flash of pure white and Shara was almost scared when a new Yautja, standing at least 8 foot 9, held her up by the scruff of her collar and looked at her with his head cocked to one side.
"Um..."
There was a deep growled and Shara found herself dropped as Striker de-cloaked, his wrist blades pressed against the newcomer's throat. "Bhu'ja."
"Who?" Shara asked.
"Bhu'ja is Striker's mentor, his name means Ghost." Dart explained, "you might want to move off the mats, knowing those two it's about to get very dangerous there." He advised and Shara moved just in time to see Striker and his mentor start to fight.
To her amazement she saw the same manoeuvres, strikes, blocks and stances Cutter and Striker had taught her, this newcomer seemed to know them all, and watching the two fight was like watching a rerun of her sparring matches with Cutter.
Striker roared in shock as he was tossed into Dart and both Yautja slammed into the wall, a close cutting Shrunken sliced through her light top, thankfully it only nicked her skin, but it did uncover her scars and make her turned, bringing her right arm up to block the down ward strike from a Combi-stick.
"Ki'cte!" A voice roared as Shara felt someone behind her, bringing something large up to block the combi-stick, the cloaking faded and she recognized the armour as Bull Dog's. "Ki'cte Bhu'ja."
"Bhul-Dwag." The new comer said as the larger Yautja brought his arm up diagonally across Shara and his chest, "You protect her?"
"She was Cuh'tor's apprentice, she is like a younger mei-jadhi to all of us and I will not see you strike the one Ooman who makes Jha'kle so happy." Bull Dog said. "She has earned our respect and she's earned our trust. I won't see her hurt for one of your tests."
"Even if it were at the request of the High Priestess herself?"
Before Bull Dog could answer, Big Guns, Jackal and the Wonderer came in, Jackal instantly pulling Shara from the space between Bull Dog and the newcomer and checked her over.
"I'm fine." Shara said, "It's shallow." She added only to be hushed as Jackal continued to tend the cut.
"I thought you were only here to observe?" the Wonderer said. "This is not what our High Priestess asked you to do."
"She asked me to test the stability of this alliance, how better then to threaten the life of the one Ooman who formed it?"
"You could have just asked," Shara said. "I'm a terrible liar and I no desire to insult or upset someone who can take my head off my shoulders without even trying." She added.
Bhu'ja blinked at her answer then looked at Striker. "Is she serious?"
"Sei-i." Jackal, Bull Dog, Big Guns, Striker and Dart said together.
"So... the High Priestess is coming to earth? Isn't that dangerous?" Shara asked.
After a quick rundown of what had happened so far, everyone had gathered to hear what the new comer, now known as Ghost, had to say and ask questions.
"Only if she is unguarded," Striker explained. "Our High Priestess is, to us, the most important life in the clan; she leads us through darkness and makes calm from all forms of chaos. She is protected from everything by the whole clan and only a select few Yautja warriors are ever given her full blessing."
"She is also the only female Yautja who is free of any form of trial." Dart said. "The High Priestess is our only true link to the Gods of our faith, it is said that to anger the High Priestess of any tribe or clan, is to face the wrath of the Black Hunter, Cetanu."
"Who in their right mind would do anything to anger someone so important?" Martha Mary asked. "I mean, if your High Priestess is held in such high respect and you would all die to keep her safe, why would anyone want to upset her at all?"
"Some young Yautja who have not faced trails and who seek only to hunt the greatest trophies can become arrogant and foolish, they believe that the High Priestess should bless them because they are stronger than most and have brought home many a worthy kill." Tracker said. "But the High Priestess of any clan or tribe dose not seek a warrior who kills simply for a trophy. Certainly it brings a great honour and shows skill, but to be blessed you must show more then that."
"Someone who can show mercy when others would not, someone who will show compassion and understanding where no one else will, someone who can stand up to another, much stronger than they are and make then see reason when their mind is clouded." Dart said. "Those are the Key things that a High Priestess seeks in any Yautja that seeks her blessing."
"I guess you could say to be blessed; you must be willing to show even the most unlikely of people kindness, even when they will show you none." The Wonderer said.
"Ok but why would she want to come here when there are Xenomorphs everywhere and even we know they might get in." Ben asked handing Shara a glass of water.
"We don't know, it is said that with a High Priestess on a foreign world, the planet itself becomes blessed and the Xenomorphs will be beaten." Dart explained.
"Sounds like having a High Priestess here, even if she don't set foot on the planet, would be a good... good idea..." Shara said before her vision began to fade and blur, "What's happening...?"
/No one can help you now, little one.\
"Shara?!" Jessica asked as Shara fell from her seat, dead weight. "Shara?!"
Two hours later everyone was waiting on word about Shara, Jackal had carried her to the Yautja ship and after a tense thirty minutes explained that Shara was physically unharmed and stable, however she was giving off extremely high levels of brain wave activity.
It had scared everyone when her back reopened and she began to scream for her friends, Dart had managed to calm her down with a very small dose of Yautja sedative, however it didn't stop the tears.
"What's happening to her, Jackal... in all my years I've never seen anything like this," James said. "Shara's family has no medical history of this kind of black out, and there is nothing in her system beside the sedative Dart gave her..."
"It may not be a case of a substance," Ghost said, "But a case of intrusion in her mind." He added, "I have seen this before in young Yautja females who have been gifted with a seeing mind."
"Seeing mind?" James asked.
"Telepathy." Jackal stated. "The Queens have a telepathic link to their Hive and each other, also to the Queen Mother, in some situations, this leads to a complete takeover of a world in a matter of hours, however it seems that Shara, somehow, is now also connected to the Queen who scared her."
"So... Shara's like this... because that Tunnel Queen is in her head?" James asked.
"Basically." Jackal nodded. "it will take a stronger telepath to cast the Queen out of Shara's mind, the Wonderer managed to do it temporarily. But now it seems that the Queen is done simply scaring Shara."
"What do you mean?" James asked.
"In cases like this, the Queen forced dominance over the mind and while physically, Shara is unhurt, within her mind she is alone, cold and likely terrified, able to see the chaos and mindless bloodshed the Queen had caused. In the cases I have seen, without a stronger telepathic force to banish the Queen, the effected mind breaks down and leads to death or worse, insanity."
"How is insanity worse than death?" James asked.
"To live on, fearful of everything and unable to see what is real and what is not, to forever be haunted by the screams and images of what has been done to others... Knowing that your friends are having to watch you go through that, would you not prefer death to that life?" Ghost asked.
James went quiet watching as Shara lay still as if sleeping, barely breathing and not even a single twitch in response to anything.
Shara curled up in a tight ball, she didn't know where she was, what was around her, or how she'd gotten here... all she knew was she didn't want to be here, she could hear so many screams, so much pain and the scent of blood and rotting flesh made her feel sick to the stomach.
/You are alone, little one. And sooner or later, you will break\
That same voice had spoken to her when she'd blacked out; she knew now who it was, the Xenomorph Queen from the Euro Tunnel. "Go away."
/Oh? And pass up the chance to torment you and those Accursed Hunters that you have become so attached too? I think not.\ the Queen hissed and an image appeared in Shara's mind she wanted to remove forever. /What makes this one so special to you though? Is he your mate?\
"Get out of my head!" Shara snarled shaking her head as the images and memories of Cutter came flooding to the fore of her mind. "Stop it!"
/You have such deep emotions for all the Hunters, yet this one and the old one hold more sway over your mind than anyone else. Why?\
"None of your business! Get out of my head!" She snarled, trying to stop the Queen going through her memories. "Stop it!"
/I will find the answers, little one, no matter what you do I will always find the answers I seek.\ the Queen promised as a wave of pain surged through Shara's body.
Shara didn't answer, her body ached and she felt heavy, she curled up tighter and did what she hoped would help, taking a deep breath, she focused on the image of a candle, small, white and flickering in the darkness in front of her.
The Wonderer, Ghost and Jackal were stood around Shara's bed, Jackal holding his sword, the Wonderer his combi-stick and Ghost his Scimitars. Striker stood to one side watching as Shara lay still, unable to do anything to help her.
"Will this really work?" Jessica asked.
"It has never failed before." Striker said, "The High Priestess herself would tell stories how a telepathic mind could force the Queen of the kiande amedha away from another mind, to block the Queen's voice to her Hive is to cause the Hive to crumble." He stated. "If this is the Queen's work, then my mentor is the wisest choice to try and force her away from Shara's mind."
"Why?" Jessica asked.
"Because, he is gifted with a powerful telepathic mind," Bull Dog said as he passed, "He is the only Yautja allowed to address the High Priestess by name, not title."
"Because of his mind?" Jessica asked and Bull Dog shook his head.
"He is her younger brother." Bull Dog explained, "Only family members are allowed by law to speak the High Priestess's name."
Shara winced as she felt something sharp and cold try to cut into her mind, however she didn't uncurl, she kept her eyes fixed on the flickering candle as she waited, Jackal would find some way to help her, she knew he would, it might take a while, but he would help her...
/Give into the coldness, let it take you away and I promise I will not hurt you.\ the Queen sneered and Shara ignored her, /You can't resist me forever.\
She didn't have too... Shara did her best to ignore the Voices, the screams and the bloodshed the Queen was trying to show her, if she watched and listen to that she'd lose herself, she had to focus on something calming and the candle light was all she had.
/I am tired of your ignorance. Allow me to show you just how foolish you are for believe in cannot physically hurt you in this place.\ the Queen said and Shara tensed up.
Agony.
Sheer, raw, unmistakable agony.
Shara clutched her head and lost her focus on the candle, her mind felt like it was being claws at by some wild animal and then the pain began to move, filling every nerve, vain, bone and muscle in her body.
/Why won't you give in!?\ The Queen snarled as Shara felt her mind slipping.
Then it all stopped.
The pain, the screams, the feeling of being surrounded by darkness... it all faded away in a matter of seconds as if someone had forced it away and left Shara unharmed.
/"Shara."\
Instantly Shara looked up, and found she was alone, confused she looked around. "Jackal...?"
/"You're mind is still unfocused."\ Jackal's voice said. /"Focus on a candle and the rest will appear."\ He stated calmly and Shara did as he instructed. /"Good girl, now rest, we will talk more when you have more strength."\
Shara wasn't sure, but she could have sworn she felt someone was with her, holding her close while she rested.
"She's stabilizing again." Dart said and Jessica all but dropped into her chair with relief. "She'll wake up once she's rested, an experiences like that is not short lived or easily forgotten."
"Will the Queen get back into her head?" Ben asked.
"No. This time the Queen is gone for good." The Wonderer said. "Ghost and Striker are making sure of that." He added.
Jessica nodded glancing in to the room to see Jackal sat beside Shara's now sleeping form, both his gently holding one of hers while Striker and Ghost continued to meditate.
"She'll sleep until morning." Dart added, as everyone started to leave to their own rooms.
Later that night, Ghost watched as Striker placed Shara into her sleeping bag and then zipped it up for her. "You care for her?" He asked.
"My brother treated her as his younger sister... it is wrong of me to treat her any different." Striker said. "Do you think less of us because of that?" he asked.
"No, if anything I am glad of it... I knew from the start of her... condition." Ghost said and Striker sighed softly. "You know as well as I do that Kujhade will see her as a trophy to be claimed."
"He will go through me," both Yautja turned to see Jackal in the door way. "She is no one's trophy." He added with a deep throatily growl.
Striker and Ghost knew better then to speak against Jackal after hearing that growl; it was usually used when one a Yautja spoke of a dear family member.
The Ship was ready, holding in the shadow of the Moon as it scanned the planet and then attempted to make a connection with their fellow Hunters. At last they made contact, the signal was broken but that was easily overcome as a texted message was also sent with coordinates for landing.
It would take them a week to reach earth.
And it would take a Week for them to prepare themselves for this Hunt.