[36 years ago]
Bright lights, a thousand scents, loud sounds of all kinds.
Oomans were a loud, gaudy, selfish, irresponsible race. Or so it seemed to Ah'kaedh. After spending a couple of months in the Solomons moons, and exhaust all leads he had on his Girl, the Yautja felt ready for some peace and solitude.
His people were not given to the chaos oomans called society, and for Ah'kaedh, and his introverted personality, oomans' society was beyond tiring.
But that night, once most inhabitants had already retired to their homes, Ah'kaedh decided to take a last look in one of the many places he heard about, years ago.
His tiny Pest would tell him so many things. In such detail that he was now watching one of the many places she described.
That place has been owned by the same family for generations. They used to be artisans back on earth, and if I'm not mistaken, a branch of the family is still there. But… oh, it's a shame I don't have any of their pieces to show you. They made the most beautiful puzzles!
The Girl had described some of the pieces she owned in minute detail. Ball puzzles, sculpted on crystal stones.
Ah'kaedh could not purchase any ooman item. And yet the Enforcer had some sense of right and wrong.
Ever since he had found that store, he yearned to take some of their puzzles with him. And offering them to the Diligent girl he missed- and missed deeply.
Ah'kaedh ended up leaving large pieces of alien ivory, whose value surpassed, and by far, the cost of the pieces he took in his last night at the Solomons, even by ooman standards.
The Enforcer never spoke to her. But he had been listening. Intently. And oh, how he loved the sound of her voice.
I was listening the whole time, he thought while holding one of the five pieces he took, admiring the detailed sculpted piece. And Ah'kaedh wished to show her he had been paying attention. That he remembered.
The puzzles would make beautiful, meaningful tokens of his… regard? Affection?
(Would Ah'kaedh keep her? Or find his Girl and let her go? Ah'kaedh could not answer those questions. And the Enforcer needed to find her first, anyway)
In the quietness of his vessel, the Enforcer could finally relax, free of the ooman's chaotic cacophony. But silence was not the refuge it once was.
Ah'kaedh missed his Girl's voice; the long monologues, the weird tales, the whispered songs, the absurd questions.
Now this hunt was becoming something more like a puzzle. But he still, yes. He still had time to find his Girl…
XXX
[present day]
Kivar was angered out of his mind. Not at others, surprisingly. No, it was at his own body. He had one of the most grievous injuries during the mudslide. The enforcer was in better shape, but better shape for what they were about to face was not enough. He and another Hunter were staying behind as support - checking information, running surveillance with drones, the works.
Tasks handed for inexperienced Young Bloods, if you asked anyone. How ironic the only Young-Blood onboard would be seeing all the action he didn't have a chance to experience due to all that bad luck.
The Kid had collected his share of skulls now. Two Bad Bloods, some large beasts, and if his past success during this assignment was indication of future performance, he would come home with some nice Kiande Amedha trophies for his wall.
Ho'kan held such a promise before his capture. When he finally returned to Yautja Prime, all that was left was beatered body full of apathy and resentment. Once another clan's Enforcer picked the task to go after his captors, Ho'kan felt hatred swell in his gut. But the Yautja seemed serious enough ( and dangerous enough) to see this assignment through. He had planned to beg Ah'kaedh to be allowed in his crew, and to his utter surprise, all it took was to ask.
The Kid heard others saying how remote and antisocial the enforcer looked; no crew, few words, icy presence. There was no doubts in Ho'kan's mind that this enforcer would need to be thoroughly convinced to accept a troubled (and troublesome) Young Blood in his company.
Now here was Ho'kan, polishing Tai'chall's skull, trying to banish his worries.
The dark Enforxer walked inside the workshop, masked, speaking Lance's alien language. Strange, her hologram was not being projected. Was he practicing or something?
The Kid put on his own biomask, activating the translation feature. Ah'kaedh sighed, shaking his head, irritated at 'something'.
"He looks fine, Lance", a pause. "No, I have not counted, but I'm positive he has all his fingers".
"What about my fingers?"
Ah'kaedh tapped his own mask with his prosthetic hand.
"She wants to speak with you. Pair your mask's channel with mine", the Enforcer instructed.
"Can you hear me?", Ho'kan asked after fumbling with his mask for brief seconds.
"Loud and clear", the flat tone of the translation feature couldn't convey Lance's joy, but Ah'kaedh huffed.
Her mood improved just by talking to that damn Kid. Jealousy, along with a handful of other feelings were completely new to Ah'kaedh. To the Enforcer's shame, dealing with those emotions was somewhat harder than the impending planetary collapse on top of Bad Blood fuckery.
(You see, he could kill the disgraced fuckers, couldn't he? What the fuck was he supposed to do with his feelings? Almost 400 years old. Ah'kaedh knew he was too old to not be in control, and yet…)
"I told you, he is alright", at least he could keep his posture in front of Ho'kan.
"Of course I'm alright! I'm not sitting on top a Kiande Amedha's nest", Ho'kan was divided between outrage, amusement and relief. The ooman was fine.
"Nor I! Currently safe and sound in the safe house", Lance relayed.
"Will you wait for us there?"
"I will be here when you arrive, yes".
Ah'kaedh sighed, a hint of exasperation in his gesture. Of course she was not going to sit and wait for support, like a good girl.
The Bane of his existence.
"As in waiting until we arrive?", The Kid insisted, but Ah'kaedh knew better.
"Have some errands to run, kiddo. And they can't wait. Unfortunately", she said, trying to sound cheerful.
Lance was running against the clock. She needed to tie all loose ends before the predators arrived.
In 25 hours.
XXX
The rented vehicle was filled to the brim with every-day-stuff items
Asher used to take Rookie Girl to grocery stores trips, to teach her to shop for 'essentials'.
(Fer-de-Lance had been well trained, yes, but the realities of their work entailed much more. During her very first mission, she tagged along for all minor tasks her team could fit her into. Lance needed to learn, and fast).
After unloading the car and placing some aluminum buckets on the kitchen's floor, the Girl went about 'cooking'; homemade napalm.
Fire still remained one of the few weapons against most known beats. Xenomorphs were afraid of it for good reason; it was one of the few things they were vulnerable to.
23 hours to go.
XXX
Many, many hours ago (before the communicating with Lar'jar even), the Girl had sent an anonymous warning to the USCM Army base. Footage clearly showing Xenomorphs and complementary info about possible locations.
Almost undisturbed, the USCM base inhabitants went about the day like any other.
Lance just needed to take a good look, even if at a certain distance; the kids playing under the watchful and yet relaxed gaze of the military spouses.
And she knew. She knew everything she needed to. The Girl glanced down, eyeing her wrist watch.
20 hours left.
XXX
[35 years ago]
Books were such old technology, that the only printed versions were now considered luxury items.
Lance once mentioned that her paternal grandfather had gifted her a collection of books containing all sorts of fantastic tales.
It's a tradition, you know? We tell stories to children before bed.
On that occasion he also learned that males were also expected to participate in child rearing. His time with his Girl gave him some deep insights on ooman society.
The enforcer already knew they sought to pairbond, but that a father would do a mother's work? Oh, and that grandfathers also played a role?
Ah'kaedh ended up discovering many different versions of the same tales. Oomans had a variety of printed versions. While hunting for the Girl, he found time to revisit those absurd stories.
I would read my favorite tales over and over, once I learned how to read.
Children's books were so colorful, richfully decorated. At least the ones he found. No wonder his Girl had been so taken as a child.
XXX
[Present day]
Setg'n'kah was checking, minutely, all his equipment, along with other 5 Yautjas who would join the incursion to the planet's surface.
The act of examining and testing each piece of their armor, weapons, and devices, was almost a sacred ritual. It brought calm and focus for the hunters, steeling their mind and hearts. Taught this kind of discipline from childhood, a good number of hunters would even do it daily.
(Keeping equipment in impeccable conditions survey saved the lives of many).
Not long after, the enforcer went to the common room, were they were holding meetings. Ah'kaedh was sitting in one of the many chairs around the round table, studying. Lar'jar was sitting somewhat apart from his younger sibling, doing the same.
"Ah'kaedh", growled Setg'n'kah.
"Yes?", he answered, without raising his eyes from the tablet he was using.
"Any news?"
"Not yet", he answered, cold and collected. But Lar'jar knew better than to believe in his brother's knew better than to believe in Ah'kaedh's outward demeanor.
"I'm sending the hunter's back to their quarters. Inform me of any new developments, even if you need to wake me up".
Every single one of them would need to be well rested for tomorrow.
A faint blip came from the main screen.
"Lance speaking".
Years of training made her start this type of communication by identifying herself first. Lar'jar chuckled, still able to find her quirky costumes funny. Of course it was her!
"Do you have any news for us?", asked Ah'kaedh.
Setg'n'kah cocked his head. That enforcer… he was not just fucking prey.
"Yes. How… How do I capture what is in front of me? I mean, instead of showing you my figure…"
"Pair your mask with your wrist gauntlet, and enable the live feed".
"Erm…how?"
It took some minutes of Setg'n'kah explaining. His clan used a particular design, leaving the mount, jaw and mandibles exposed.
Not the best when facing Kiande Amedha, especially close to the nest. Because of that, most members of his clan carried a spare traditional biomask.
On the bright side, that mask fit Lance's face better than a traditional would (even if it sat funny on her head).
"Why are you showing us this?", asked Setg'n'kah.
"This location is inside one of Genovese's properties, in the industrial sector of the city close to Pike tradepoint. This place is located underground. In the next room there are some… cages. In any case, I believe you can see the corpses.".
Corpses? The room Lance was now touring looked like something out of nightmares.
And every single detail of the carnage was now being displayed by a hologram hovering over the round table.
"Judging by how advanced decay is, I would say they have been dead somewhere between 3 to 6 weeks"
"Can you examine the bodies and give us a less broad period?", Larjar asked.
"I would need some good hours that I do not have. Besides, rodents and other creatures have already found this place. Anyway…"
She got closer to a corpse.
"Can you see that? Such lesions are not due to decay, someone or something clawed at his chest. I found 22 corpses here, 9 of them have similar injuries".
"Alright. Rot'gar was there. Do you have any clue as to why?"
"There are structures for agro cryochambers in the next room. They have been destroyed to retrieve what was being held here".
"You believe this is the place where they retrieved the eggs?"
"It's quite likely. But I came here because this is the place were two Predators were being held. But since there are clear signs of armed conflict here, I can't be sure if the traces of non-human blood I found are from those individuals - which would confirm they were actually here - or from your criminals".
"Is there any surveillance equipment in those rooms?", Asked Ah'kaedh.
"Yes, but I can't hack the mainframe to check. I tried, it's beyond my skills".
Setg'n'kah tapped his wrist gauntlet
"Come to the common room", he ordered.
Velk'n spent the good part of a whole hour helping do something any Young Blood could have achieved in less than 10 minutes, easily.
Cracking the ooman security system was easy, since Velkn had the help of an AI. It was, however, time consuming.
"Velkn, could you please send back the cracked files? I want to take a look"
"Looking for something specific?"
"Transaction records"
"What type of information they should contain? Give something that would identify those files."
"Large numbers with that also have a dot and two digits after. That's how we represent fractions, and the two digits after the dots are…"
"Got it", Velkn cut her, and dove into work.
"Lance, stay away from contamination areas.", Ah'kaedh's advised. "Also, you should know that their last trade with oomans included 5 queen eggs".
Lance shut her eyes, taking a deep breath. Than another.
"So we might have more than one hive?"
"I don't see any reason for Rot'gar being… moderate".
"Since they already set one, why not multiple? Yeah, I get it. How did you get this information, Ah'kaedh?"
"The Bad Blood interrogation was still ongoing when you reported the existence of Kiande Amedha".
Asking about their negotiations with oomans become important after Lancés communication.
Lance ended the communication before Velkn had anything for her. It was not safe to stay in that place for much longer, and she had to drive back.
The Girl was not done with her errands, though. And there was only 12 hours left.
[27 years ago]
Ah'kaedh observed the blue planet that had once been the home of his tiny Girl.
Last time he came to visit that solar system, a century ago, his life had been way less complicated.
Ah'kaedh had reached the rank of elite young (for Yautjas' standards), and by that occasion, was helping an Elder to harvest some oomans to be used for blooding Chivas.
Oomans were just another prey species. Cunning and smart? Yes. But too weak for his tastes.
And now…
Now he was prisoner. Still a prisoner. Entrapped by the memories of his Girl.
XXX
[6 days ago]
Dread engulfed her little Black Ops heard. The very first thing Lance did when she set foot on Thedus was checking the date.
She had been away for almost 10 weeks.
I should have insisted on coming back…
But her brain had been swimming in postcoital neurotransmitters.
(And her body was free from the especially formulated contraceptives she had been injecting for many, many years now).
Being fuckstruck (and lovesick) was fun, as in super, super fun. But now that reality came crashing down, Lance could feel all the weight of her neglected responsibilities charging its price in guilt.
There were 3 new messages.
The first saying for her to stay put, and carry with her duties, while they evaluated the situation.
Strange. Very strange. Her division protocol demanded all efforts to stop, and agents to return home once predators entered the mix.
The second came 5 days later, requesting more proof.
"More proof? What the holy fuck is going on?"Lance screamed at the equipment.
And the final message, sent 15 later, demanded her to report. They were about to send the new team on their way, and if she failed to make contact in the next 60 hours, she would be investigate improper conduct and insubordination.
"They can't be fucking serious".
She sent a message.
A video showing her new scars, explaining she had almost died, and had been recovering.
(Obviously, alien technology made everything way better than it should at the 2 months mark, but they didn't need to know her shattered bones were fine now).
After they failed to answer in the next 48 hours, Lance started to suspect they had classified her as a rogue agent.
But mere 10 hours before speaking to Lar'jar she got a message with the scolding of her life, which hadn't last 2 minutes, a new set of orders to report the status of all her activities and what would be the next steps she would take to get everything in order for the next team arrival. They were sent in their way 47 days ago. She had around 2 weeks to arrange the hand over.
"Hellbilly's vessel will be informed of all your activities".
Lance took a deep breath. by the sounds of that, there was still a solid possibility her command considered her a rogue agent, and were arranging for her to walk inside the slaughterhouse.
But the last request made her reconsider it for a moment.
"The command also requested a full report on the status of the Black Market's activities. You have 48 hours".
Black Market's activities? What? I told him I was MIA because I was shot, and recovering. How could he not understand what I meant by that?
As in, how could that idiot not get that she had not been working, because she had, you know, been busy cheating death?
You see, the UAAC-Arny headquarters were located on the Moon, the Earth's satellite. A fuckton of light years away. Humans had ways to communicate, yes, but messages still needed to travel. Worse yet, any message between Lance and her command was extremely confidential, which made the use of special equipment paramount.
She needed to send a message to the closest outpost of the UAAC (there was at least one member of her Battalion working undercover at each UAAC base). Any Sleeper's messages would be intercepted, urgent matters would be addressed right away.
And since keeping the Sleepers existence hidden, the middle man would relay the cypher messages through the Command secure channels.
Cardis IV was the closest outpost. Cardinalis tradepoint homeplanet.
Alright Lance, let's not succumb to paranoia right now. You are stressed. Very stressed.
But her thoughts would not give her a break.
They refused to send backup for Cardinalis assault…
But that was not all.
All that bullshit about needing further proof of Predators…
And finally:
After I came back with irrefutable evidence, they still deployed Hellbilly's team.
And now probably setting up her demise. No, not setting up her demise; her capture, debriefing and execution.
Fuck me, this doesn't make any sense. If my command was corrupt, they would have halted all actions before they even started. They don't…
And then it hit her. The middle man. The fucking liaison officer.
You see, Lance spent the last two years piling up lies to cover unauthorized (treasonous) activities. She knew how to twist the truth, to hide small but vital details. How to play with words to deliver the message the way she needed to be understood.
But working as a liaison officer?
"That motherfucker!", Lance screamed at the top of her still recovering lungs, smashing her right fist against the wall.
"Ow!", now bent over, with her fist between her tights.
"Fucking ow… my God, I'm so fucking stupid", she snarled, furious at herself. For punching the wall, for not realizing before what was probably happening sooner.
That guy had been using them - and would scapegoat the hell out of her ass, no doubts there. For what end, exactly? She still had to figure that part out.
But what Lance knew for sure is that this channel was compromised. And she needed a sure way her message (in its entirety, unadulterated) would reach the right people.
XXX
[57 years ago]
Fer-de-Lance became Ringer's shadow from the moment she was accepted into Dad's team.
You see, every team of sleepers was somewhat specialized in a certain type of action. They all worked undercover? Yes. They all could perform an assault masterfully? Also yes.
But Dad's team had better and faster results with infiltration and spying missions than any other.
It all came down to how each leader structured their teams.
Dad prefered women for undercover work. He had his reasons, and the man should be right (since you know, his team was the best at it).
23 agents (Including Dad), and 12 were able to work undercover; 9 girls and 3 boys.
Ringer and Haze were the oldest - and the best - at their roles. But after the stunt Lance pulled in the range, Dad thought it would be for the best if his Rookie learned from Ringer. Who happened to be a man.
Who happened to be a fucking brilliant man.
Learning from him had been one of the hardest and most rewarding experiences of the Girl's life.
(And worked her ass off to, one day, become as good as Ringer).
Code naming was something left for the team leaders, and all of them had some sort of ceremony. Dad's usually asked for the team members to propose names, and a vote would decide the most fitting.
"And Riger's suggestion…", Dad made a pause, checking the tablet. "It's Fer-de-Lance. What's that dude? Another fucking flower?"
The man laughed, looking in Haze's and Shade's direction. They both had been codenamed after poisonous flowers.
"Man of no culture! It's a viper!" Breacher shouted, already drunk out of his mind.
"The Bothrops are the species of venomous snakes responsible for more deaths in the Americas than any other group of snakes. Since she is joining the Black Ops of the United Americas Allied Command, sounds quite fitting".
"Ohhh! That's way too grownup for our Danger Kitty!", Asher chucked. Danger Kitty was Haze's suggestion. And he would be voting for that one.
Lance tilted her head, glancing over Asher, opening a wide, toothy smile, and scratched her forehead with her middle finger.
"And Fer-de-Lance would be…?" Trance asked.
(The spearhead, the iron of the lance, the deadly pointy end).
"The common name they are known for."
(Lanceheads would also do).
By the end of the night, everyone was so drunk Dad had to check the poll results the next day.
By one vote, his new member of his team would now be known as Fer-de-Lance.
XXX
[11 years ago]
Ah'kaedh had a sculpted puzzle in his hands. The enforcer had solved it maybe a hundred times.
(It brought him close to Her).
The Yautja had thought about destroying those pieces. Or burying them, not unlike the ceremony they would do for burying their own dead when a body could not be retrieved.
In the end, he could not bring himself to do anything but keep those items.
They are beautiful pieces, his Girl would have said. If she was here.
If.
XXX
[present day]
All Hunters were in the common room being briefed when the blip signaling an incoming message caught everyone's attention.
"Lance speaking".
"Please, report", Ah'kaedh requested.
(Behind his mask, Kivar rolled his eyes well into his skull).
"We have a security head alert for all 3 cities. The news channel says it's a new virus, highly contagious, and the authorities are requesting people to stay home today.
I know that 10 hours ago, two Colonial Marines squads were deployed to Pike's location, but I don't know if they have returned. Judging by the activity I can register from a distance, they are preparing something, but I don't know what".
"How many people on each squad?"
"10 soldiers plus a staff sergeant."
"We should add another 22 Kiande Amedha drones to the expected number of targets". Velk'n chuckled. Some hunters followed suit (Ho'kan included).
"How much are you estimating?"
"2100 to 3000".
Alien's humor; completely lost to Lance.
"Jesus Christ… ok", she inhaled, trying to gather her wits.
"Thanks to Velk'n's files, I found another two possible locations for a third Predator. However I will have no time to plan and execute a solo incursion. If you are interested in following that lead, I suggest we do it last.
Also, you should have no problem landing and moving. How many of you will come to my position?"
"Me, Velk'n and Ho'kan", said Ah'kaedh.
"Copy that".
Now was Ah'kaedh's time to chuckle. What a quirky little thing.
"One last thing. Don't go to Pike's tradepoint".
"What? Why?", one of the Hunter's blurted out, visibly frustrated.
One look from Kivar made the fucker lower his head, ashamed for his outburst.
"Pike's location is remote. The army will most likely bomb that place. It should happen any time soon. The explosion will wipe everything in a 10 miles radius, and screw stuff for another five. It's the only chance we get to try to control the infestation at this rate".
Velk'n converted the distance units, and put them all on display for the hunters.
"Lance, do you have any other concerns?".
"No. Do you have any news for me?"
"We evaluated the surveillance footage. There were two male Yautjas in that building. Quite weak, judging by their appearance on video. The Bad Bloods took them and also retrieved 3 crates, which should be the ones containing the Kiand Amedha Eggs".
(Ho'kan sighed, divided between guilt in relief. Nax was not among Rot'gar's prisoners).
"Only 3? Right, I will look for any transactions that could be related to the remaining two. There were no eggs or crates in the middle of that mess. I looked everywhere".
"We will touch the ground in one hour. Keep your communication channels open and the biomask on", Ah'kaedh advised.
"Understood. Lance out".
XXX
Parking the rented car three blocks from the safehouse, Lance grumbled at herself, annoyed at her forgetfulness. Praying for getting back in the safehouse before Ah'kaedh.
Otherwise she would be royally scolded. With cause.
(There was also the glaring lack of biomask, but Lance could not be wearing Yautja fashion to the a human store, now, could she?).
The fucking drugstore had been bursting with panicked people, and there she was, trying to acquire ladies products for her fucking menstrual cycle.
She was on contraceptives since enlisting - Leecher had been administering a specially formulated birth control for her specific needs and requests.
Do you know how one goes years without thinking much about sex?
(Demisexuality aside).
Her shots were also formulated to inhibit her libido.
Sex was a well known and effective weapon when used right on the Girl's field of work. But in Lance's case? It would never be her strong suit.
Being Ace had been one of the points Dad took into consideration , and he had actually made a list with pros and cons.
In any case, her contraceptive also prevent her period completely. Advised by Leecher, Lance would suspend the use for a month every year of activity or so. Which is why the whole bleeding ordeal caught her by surprise, since, you know, they would only happen on planned breaks.
And since Lance had to make the fucking trip at the fucking drugstore, she fucking bought a fuckton of pads, tampons and period related paraphernalia. Like pain meds. Like heating pads. Like feminine wash.
The Yautjas had already landed. Ah'kaedh should be here any time now.
"This can't be my life, it simply can't", carrying five bags, she was walking by an alley with a bunch of dumpsters when a noise yanked her attention back to the here and now. Everything in her simply stopped. And she was now listening, searching for the sound.
And it came. The Girl felt a lump catch on her throat.
"You must be fucking kidding me".