Chapter 4
"Oh come on... How did that get way up there?" Martha Mary sighed looking up at the cooking pan she needed to make mash potatoes in, stuck high up on a shelf out of her reach. "I hate being short," She sighed as she got the stepping ladder out of the storage room and used it to try and reach the pan.
"Martha?" A voice asked and Martha nearly lost her balance. "What are you doing?" the Elder Yautja R'ka asked.
"Trying to reach that pan." Martha said, growling when she found the pan was still out of her reach. "Oh for the love of... could you please get that pan for me."
R'ka clicked and reached up to get the pan for her, then watched as she began to wash and peel potatoes before cutting them into smaller chunks and putting them in the pan with water, leaving them to soften for about forty five minutes before draining the water in a sieve and adding butter before mashing the mix together with a and adding milk, butter and a pinch of salt while mashing them, pausing to check the meats she was cooking and giving the chicken another coating of cooking oil.
"You do this every day?" He asked.
"My way of contributing," Martha said. "I can't fight like the rest, so I cook for them."
"I see. But do you not get board of this?" he asked.
"No, I always wanted to be a chief when I was a child, so when the General asked me to cook for everyone I agreed without hesitating since this is where I'm most useful, I mean even your kind need food to keep your strength up."
She had a valid point.
"Smells good in here," Shara said as she came in, "What you cooking Martha?"
"Chicken, Beef, Lamb and Pork, along with vegetables, mash, Yorkshire puddings and gravy," Martha said. "Could you be a darling and set out the tables?"
"Sure," Shara said and in a matter of seconds, the mess hall had four large tables set out and ready with culturally and additional seasonings, along with large and small plates, Shara then came back in and helped Martha serve up the sides into serving dishes. "Ready?" She asked.
"Go for it." Martha said and R'ka wisely chose a seat at the back of the tables watching as Shara opened both doors to the mess hall and then took a deep breath.
"COME AND GET IT!"
There was a loud rumbling sound, seconds later Bull-Dog and Big Guns all but slammed their way into the room, skidding to a stop as Ben stepped to one side and let the High Priestess and Ghost come in and take a seat at the table first along with Rha-n, Nagara and I'ka, who looked at the food in awe.
Jessica and Dart leaped over the two larger Yautja closely followed by Tracker, Guan-thwei and Striker, by the time Kujhade arrived there was only one seat left, between Rha-n and Striker and across from Nagara.
"Any rules for the table." Rha-n asked.
"Three," Shara said. "Rule one, No leftovers unless you plan to have them as breakfast tomorrow, rule two, no complaining about the choice if you didn't get what you wanted and rule three, if you have any requests for tomorrows dinner, state it now so Martha can get it ready in time."
"And the unspoken rule four," Dart piped up. "Remember your manners; Martha's got a better throwing arm then anyone I know." He added with a slight shudder as if recalling a bad incident.
Jessica chuckled. "You were the one that didn't believe me when I told you not pardoning yourself was a one way ticket to a pan thrown at the head," she reminded while helping herself to two small servings of carrots and three scoops of mashed potatoes.
"Bad manners at a table are a sign of ill raised children, something I doubt very much comes from your planet," Martha piped up carrying the last of the cooked meats, a large joint of beef, from the kitchen to the table. "Jackal told me everyone was raised with manners and just because you're off hunting doesn't mean you get to be rude."
Shara chuckled a little and helped herself to a few slices of chicken before adding gravy as Ben handed a plate of pork to Bull Dog. Surprisingly the Yautja were all well mannered at the table, even if once or twice Bull Dog and Big Guns had all but charged through the door to get inside.
I'ka attempted to reach for a large slice of Beef when Kujhade snatched it from her reach, making her click and whine, Striker growled at his older brother and cut another slice and handed it to their mother on a plate for I'ka. "A woman should be served first Kujhade," he reminded.
"A warrior eats before a child." Kujhade snarled.
"By Yautja code, the pecking order is the High Priestess, the elders, their mates and youngest pups, than guests to the meal and THEN warriors." Shara stated.
R'ka clicked warningly before Kujhade could speak. "Seems Jha'kle taught you more than our code of honour, Shara," he said. "I never thought I'd see the day a Ooman spoke back to Kujhade."
"Cuh'tor taught me most of your laws and codes, said it would be an advantage if I ever had to fight one of your kind in a true challenge." Shara admitted.
"You have never faced one of us in a real challenge?" Rha-n asked.
"No, only sparring matches. Jha'kle said it was safer to wait until I didn't need the medication for my shoulder and back before trying to fight any one in a true challenge, since there was a chance I'd do more internal damage." Shara explained.
"I see." Rha-n said.
"Shara?" Jessica asked looking into the kitchen only to chuckle as she saw Shara sleeping at one of the tables, the plates and pans cleaned from dinner and a still warm cup of tea waiting as Shara slept.
When Jessica tried to put a blanket over her Shara woke up and looked around. "I'm awake... just... just resting my eyes."
"Sure you were." Jessica said smiling. "Come on, time for bed." She added.
"Ok." Shara said yawning as they walked to Shara's room and once Shara was tucked up in bed Jessica left the room leaving the bed side light on.
For a while, everything was calm until Shara felt something tugging on her blanket and stirred looking around to find I'ka sat beside her bed, tugging and pulling on her blankets as she tried to climb up.
Smiling a little Shara sat up and looked down at I'ka and I'ka looked up at her blinking before cocking her head to one side. "How did you get inside my room?" Shara asked with an amused smile that even a baby Yautja had somehow gotten into her room without a sound.
I'ka blinked then reached up and tried to stand on her own two feet only to wobble and grab onto Shara's bed for support, clicking and growling as she looked at Shara.
She sighed softly and carefully lifted I'ka up onto her bed. "Don't know what you think you'll find up here little one, just a bed like any other," she said but I'ka seemed more interested in pulling and inspecting the blankets and sleeping bag then anything she might find in Shara's room.
After a few moments I'ka yawned, spreading her mandibles wide before curling up on the pillow of Shara's bed, half wrapped in the blanket, "Ok... I have a baby Yautja sleeping in my bed and no idea where her parents are." She sighed.
"It would seem, my daughter is quiet the explorer," Nagara said and Shara turned to see the female Yautja stood in the door way of her room looking amused and relieved. "I was worried she'd found her way outside."
"The doors are locked at night and after all that's happened, we've upped patrols around the base, so I doubt she'd have gotten outside without someone stopping her." Shara assured.
"She hasn't caused you trouble has she?" Nagara asked.
"No, if anything she's quite interesting, I've never known any child to be so silent when moving." Shara smiled.
Nagara smiled as well and then sighed. "Shara... I hate to seem rude after all you have been through, but Jha'kle asked that we scan you, do you know why he would ask that?"
Shara looked at her left arm and slowly nodded. "I've never been sure until Sanderson said what he did... Somehow, I got Xenomorph DNA in me and some Yautja DNA." She said.
"I see... that does explain a few things actually." Nagara said.
"Eh?" Shara asked.
"Jha'kle's reports, from what we could make of them, detailed his first encounter with you and your late father... you were bleeding heavily from your left shoulder where the Queen had struck you and when he carried you, some of his blood may have mixed in to your wound along with secretion from the Queen's claws." Nagara said.
"I guess that makes sense... but why don't I feel any different? I mean I know I'm stronger then I should be, but if I have all three inside me, why do I feel like a normal human?" Shara asked.
"You are more Yautja and Human then Xenomorph, the chances are you will never feel different, but your body will out life most humans," Nagara said.
"But that doesn't stop some of your people seeing me as a trophy." Shara then said and Nagara sighed.
"Kujhade has never accepted the fact that his younger brothers were blessed before him even though he had killed many a prey and won many hunts. He doesn't understand that honour is something earned through more than just killing and being the strongest."
Shara listened and sighed. "I guess that just means I have to watch my back even more now."
"More?" Nagara asked.
"Sanderson is one of many people who seek to gain more power through using your kin's technology and studying a living specimen, that's why he tried to make me go with him instead of staying here to find Jackal." Shara explained, "They'll keep trying until either I'm gone or they are dead."
Nagara nodded in understanding and after carefully lifting I'ka into her arms she left the room.
Ben and Mark were up early the following morning, while Mark made a fresh pot of coffee, Ben fiddled with a small radio they had found, after a few minutes it stuttered to life and Ben smiled as they tuned into the only surviving station, named 'Survivors FM'.
"And now a classic song to kick start the day, as we try to stay hopeful and pray that we will see the sun of freedom again. Long Tall Sally by Little Richard." The DJ said and sure enough the voice of Little Richard filtered from the radio.
I'm gonna tell Aunt Mary about Uncle John
He claims he has the music, but he has a lot of fun
Oh baby, yes, baby
Ooh baby, havin' me some fun tonight, yeah
Well, long tall Sally, she's built for speed
She got everything that Uncle John need
Oh baby, yes, baby
Ooh baby, havin' me some fun tonight, yeah
"Well, I saw Uncle John with bald head Sally. He saw Aunt Mary comin' and he ducked back in the alley. Oh baby, yes, baby. Ooh baby, havin' me some fun tonight, yeah..." Mark sang along, smiling. as he saw Ben taping his thumbs to the song. "Well, long tall Sally, she's built for speed. She got everything that Uncle John needs. Oh baby, yes, baby. Ooh baby, havin' me some fun tonight, yeah."
Well, I saw Uncle John with bald head Sally
He saw Aunt Mary comin' and he ducked back in the alley
Oh baby, yes, baby
Ooh baby, havin' me some fun tonight, yeah
"We're gonna have some fun tonight. We're gonna have some fun tonight." Martha Mary sang as she came in chuckling as she and a Mark practically danced around the kitchen preparing Breakfast. "Ooh, Have some fun tonight. Every thing's all right. Have some fun. Have me some fun tonight."
"Trust the Radio to play a song to lift the tension." Jessica said with a smile as she came in from early patrol with Dart, Tracker and Big Guns, all looking a little cold and tired but otherwise unharmed.
"It's your own fault for trying to sneak around the base!" Striker yelled as he and Kujhade came in to the room the latter with a large bruise forming on his arm and a bleeding bite mark from a set of tiny jaws. "No wonder I'ka was scared when she woke up, you frightened her!"
"The little brat didn't have to bite me!" Kujhade snapped back at his brother and the two glared at each other.
"Morning all," Shara said coming around the two with Nagara and R'ka close behind, I'ka in her mother's arms and clinging to her armour as they sat with Ghost.
"Do I dare to ask?" Ghost asked Nagara.
"Kujhade came into our room while it was still dark and knocked something over near the crib I'ka was in, she woke up, didn't like what she saw and bit him." Nagara said.
"Rule one when entering a room with a baby inside, keep quiet and don't scare them." Jessica said.
"Bacon, eggs, homemade hash-browns and toast for breakfast." Martha Mary called.
"Yum." Shara smiled. "Martha's hash-browns are the best."
"Crunchy on the outside and soft on the inside." Ben added chuckling.
I'ka apparently now feeling a little braver then she had before pulled away from her mother and crawled across the table to Shara and tried to grab hold of her necklace, only to find she couldn't reach and so instead she growled and tugged Shara's coat.
Shara smiled and carefully pulled her necklace out of her shirt and let I'ka see it, making sure she didn't pull too hard as she watched the two wedding rings sparkle and the Dog tags clings together.
"Seems my sister likes you," Striker stated, watching as I'ka lost interest in the chain and instead tugged on her coat to try and see what was hidden inside the cloth.
"Can't imagine why," She said chuckling as I'ka hugged her coat sleeve.
After a warm breakfast, I'ka entertained herself by attempting to climb up Bull Dog's back, all the while Bull Dog remained still as stone, Big Guns and Mark were soon locked in a sparring match while Ben helped the General and Martha Mary clean up. Shara fiddled with some string between her fingers while Striker and Ghost sparred on the mats, the Wonderer was leant against the wall meditating, the High Priestess and Nagara were watching I'ka while the two Elders sat and watched everything.
~"Brace!"~
That single word over the comms made Bull Dog pull I'ka off his back and shield her in his huge arms as the whole base suddenly rattled, as if something big was striking its walls. "What's happening?" he demanded as Nagara took I'ka.
~"Crushers!"~ Dart's voice yelled over the comms, ~"Two Crushers are attacking the base!"~
"Martha Mary take the General, Nagara, I'ka and the High Priestess down into the safe room and set the systems online." Bull Dog ordered as everyone else raced outside.
"Safe room?" Nagara asked Martha Mary as she helped the General walk down a flight of stairs to a huge door.
"A room we designed for emergencies if ever a child was born or if ever there was a fire, the walls are triple reinforced steel and concrete." Martha Mary explained. "Nothing gets in there without a code." She added as the General typed a number code into the door. "Jackal helped us make sure it was safe for everyone." She added as the door opened and they went inside.
Dart threw himself into the snow as one of the Crushers charged him, Tracker Jessica and Kujhade braced and met the elephant sized Xenomorph head on and tossed it onto its side roaring at it in challenge.
Striker felt Shara move beside him, ducking under his combi stick and shooting a round into the out struck inner jaw of the second Crusher to get its attention, as it reared its head towards them Bull Dog and Big Guns opened fire on it with their Plasma Cannons and shoulder mounted Plasma Caster.
Ghost and R'ka moved to aid Kujhade only to find themselves cut off by Drone Xenomorphs, while above them Shara caught sight of the Winged Xenomorphs. "Something's wrong." She said to Striker.
"They are too well organized!" R'ka snarled slicing a Xenomorph's head off with his wrist blade.
A loud screech caused a pause as the first Crusher fell limp and heavy to one side as Kujhade roared in victory.
"Help!" Jessica screamed and Shara spun on her heel firing a second and third round from her Colt killing the Xenomorph that was trying to stab Jessica's eyes out.
"Shara! Look out!" Ben yelled as the second Crusher charged her.
Rha-n watched as Shara bent her knees and then threw herself up at the Crusher, dragging something behind her that seemed to cut into the head crest of the Crusher, making it bleed as she flipped and landed in the snow, as the Crusher roared and tried stay up right.
"Cuh'tor taught her well." He said to himself.
The Drones seemed to back off a little then charged again as a loud bone shaking roar filled the air with a challenge that made Shara shiver inside.
She knew that sound.
"Stay close to me Shara," Striker said and she nodded hearing him draw his bladed weapon, a scimitar of some design extending from his wrist brace and with his other hand he drew out a Katana like blade and instantly the falling snow became water against the blade.
Two Predaliens charged into the fight, both making a bee line for Shara and Striker while the other Xenomorphs tried to hold off the rest of the Yautja and humans.
"Back to back," Striker commanded and Shara instantly obeyed, twirling her spear while watching the two hybrids circle them, when they charged Striker and Shara braced and began to block and counter all the while staying back to back.
Rha-n watched as Striker and Shara fought the two Hybrids, seeing moves and strikes from Cutter and Jackal in every step Shara took, she had taken in a lot from them both and despite the stiffness, the difference in power behind the strikes, she had mastered almost everything they had taught her.
As proven in the way she took the head of her opponent off with a single strike.
A shot rang out and Shara felt it pass behind her head with only miller meters of space to spare, all eyes turned to try and find the shooter but none were to be seen as Shara felt the tail of a Predalien coil around her foot and rip her from Striker's back throwing her into the wall of the base.
"Shara?!" Jessica cried as Shara screamed, feeling her right shoulder pop out of place. "What's wrong?!"
"My right shoulder..." Shara hissed. "Popped!" She added hoping Jessica could hear her through the comms.
She didn't need to be told to keep her head down as a familiar sound of set of Plasma Cannons opened fire and an unseen form lifted her out of the snow and carried her to cover.
Bull Dog held her still as Tracker took hold of her arm. "This is gonna hurt." He warned and Shara only nodded looking away as Tracker tightened his grip and Bull Dog adjusted his hold on her so she couldn't pull away.
The popping sound was drowned out by the dying roar of the second Predalien at Striker's hands, literally as Striker had lost his heated Katana blade.
~"Praetorian!"~
Shara turned in time to see Dart be smacked aside by the long claws of a Praetorian.
"Dha-ta!" Tracker yelled out as Dart slammed hard into the base wall and didn't move.
"Oh Shit!" Ben yelled, "She's pissed."
"Kujhade what are you doing?!" Rha-n snarled after his oldest son as he charged the Queen's Guard, only to be smacked aside as the Praetorian Charged at the group.
"Scatter!" Ghost yelled out and Shara had just enough time to dive as the Praetorian's tail swung over her head, it was then she noticed a weakness, the Xenomorph Guard was struggling to keep its balance in the snow, likely because it couldn't grip solid ground her the ice covered ground.
"Aim for her feet!" She called out. "She's struggling!"
"Dha-ta! Get up!" Jessica yelled out and Shara bolted for Dart as he struggled to get back on his feet, likely something inside him was broken or his Wrist device was damaged stopping him using his medical kit. Shara would find out soon enough as she skidded to a stop and used her Spear to take out Xenomorphs as they tried to get close to the down Yautja.
"Can you move?!" She asked and Dart grunted as he nodded as they took off running again.
"Look out!" Ben yelled as something slammed into Shara's back, with enough force to send her tumbling into the snow. Dart skidded to a stop and fired a shot towards the attacker, a Xenomorph warrior.
"Get down!" Mark yelled as he opened fire with the Gun Torrent on the Old Tanker. The rapid fire forcing the Praetorian to back away from the base, giving Ghost, the Wonderer and Bull Dog a clean line of fire at her chest.
With a terrible screech, the Praetorian fell and seeing their Queen's Guard fall, the other Xenomorphs raced away.
"Is everyone alright?" Mark called and got a response of groans and half panted answers.
"Where's Kujhade?" R'ka asked looking around.
There was a loud growl before Kujhade appeared, badly beaten and bleeding but alive. "Is that normal?" he asked.
"No," Ben sighed. "They're getting bolder."
"They think we're weaker without Jackal." Shara growled.
Suddenly a loud bang was heard and everyone shielded their eyes as a blinding light filled the area.
Striker clicked angrily and then frozen as a familiar scream cut through the air only to be cut short, making everyone try to focus on where the scream had come from.
"Shara?!"
Martha Mary and the General typed rapidly at a console while I'ka and Nagara watched, the High Priestess listening to everything as she sat in a chair.
"You say this room is made to keep us safe." Nagara asked.
"Yes," Martha Mary said. "The only way to open it is by someone sides entering part of a code and someone in here entering the rest of the code."
"Smart idea," the mother Yautja said as I'ka clicked and growled at the screens.
"Flash bang?" the general asked then opened the comms. "What's going on out there?" he asked.
~"Sons of bitches! They got Shara!"~ Mark snarled in replay.
"The Xenomorphs?" Martha Mary asked.
~"No, Weyland Industries! They used a Flash Bang to blind us and grabbed the kid!"~ Ben answered. ~"Dart and Tracker just found he tyre marks in the snow and Shara's spear and guns."~
There was a loud roar and no one needed to be told the obvious.
Striker was mad.
"The specimen is stable?" one voice asked as Shara violently yanked and thrashed in her restraints. "If not a little agitated," it added.
~"Bring her to me, I want to know everything there is to know about her and how she came to be this way, before we turn her over to the Xenomorphs,"~ another voice said over a radio and Shara continued to struggle.
"Yes Mr Weyland." The voice said as Shara managed to kick out and hit the man behind the knee before she tried to yank herself free. "Quiet down before you hurt yourself."
"Bastard!" she snarled. "You're a fool if you think the Xenomorph will make a deal and keep to it!"
"I said quiet down." The man said again as he struck her face, right before the vehicle was rammed by something, causing the man to fall as they tumbled down a slope of some kind and ended up on the side. "What was that?!"
Shara had hit her head from the tumble and despite the throbbing pain and instinct to scream and fight, she knew what was happening around her and knew without her weapons she stood no chance against the Xenomorphs she could hear ripping the roof open and hissing.
She couldn't do anything to save the fool of a man who'd been with her in the Vehicle, he was quickly dragged out of a rip in the roof by black hands with deadly sharp claws, screaming in fear and agony as he went, the driver also screamed but his scream was muffled and faded, likely a Face Hugger had gotten him.
Seeing another Face Hugger closing in on her she forced her lips shut and tucked her neck as far down as she could, if the Face Hugger couldn't latch onto her securly it wouldn't impregnate her.
However, the Face hugger only clicked and slurped at her before a larger black hand reached into the space and grabbed Shara by the scruff of the straight jacket the Weyland employers had put her in and yank hard, ripping her off the wall like the chains were string before dragging her out and heaving her up.
The thing holding her was a Predalien, large, muscular and clearly the leader of the group of Xenomorphs around her, it had only one defining feature that Shara knew a scar from the fight on the beach.
It roared at her and then at the Xenomorphs before its tail struck the back of Shara's head, knocking her completely into darkness.
...