The next chapter is here! Enjoy :)
Natalie was pretty blown away by the time he walked them to his home.
The place was quite huge. She had to refrain herself from joking and calling it a large bachelor's pad. Which is what it kind of looked like to her.
Each room he showed her, were all equally large. As was the furniture that took up the rooms.
He led her down the hall on the second floor of the two-story home. He came to a stop in front of a door on the left side of the hall. Before they entered, he turned his attention to her.
"This is your room." Kata'nu said.
Then the door slid open, and he gestured for her to go in first.
Julie would've come off a bit hesitant, almost expecting a cell of sorts or a cage. Instead, she was blindsided by the very nice bedroom.
She slowly looked around the large space. It had a large lump of soft looking pelts near the back left corner, making up the bed. There was a small intricate metal desk on the opposite side of the room.
Little strange ornaments of sorts decorated the walls. And there was a very large and soft rug that sat in the center of the room.
As much as she tries to hide it, Kata'nu does notice she does seem to like her new living arrangements. He even showed her the hidden wall compartments for where she could keep her clothing.
And then, showed her another door on the right side of the room across from the bed.
When they stepped inside, she noted it was a bathroom off of the bedroom. Again, it was a decent size, just like the other rooms he showed her.
Kata'nu then showed her how everything worked.
Of course, everything in there was motion activated. From the shower to the tub to the toilet and sink. But then, Julie pretty much already knew that from her time using the bathroom on the ship.
It seems like just about everything tech wise with this race was either motion or sensor activated.
Afterwards, they left the bathroom and went back into the bedroom.
"Everything to your liking? If there is anything you need, you can always go out and get it at the markets." He told her.
Julie didn't answer at first. She spotted one of the windows at the back of the room and went to stand by it.
She moved aside the pelt like curtain and looked through the glass. The young woman noted her room faces what looks like a backyard. There was a large, square ring in the middle of it.
It strongly resembled the sparring rings in the kehrite on the ship.
Beyond the ring, several meters back, lay a vast jungle. The view wasn't all bad, but it just reminded her of how trapped she truly is. Even if she wanted to get out of here, where could she go?
From what she knew of this jungle so far, she didn't feel like taking any chances. Considering he told her that there were some very dangerous beasts out there.
"It's not that this place is bad, but..." She trailed off.
He waited for a moment, before speaking.
"But what?" The warrior asks.
Julie swallowed back the lump forming in her throat, trying to keep her tears at bay.
"It's just not home." She said, barely above a whisper.
Kata'nu expected this.
He knows that the young ooman female will most likely be homesick for quite some time while staying here. But he hopes eventually, she will see it's not all that bad.
She maybe now his servant, but that didn't mean he was going to treat her like some lowly animal. He will give her a good life while here under his care.
And while most yautja caregivers may give a list of chores and errands to their new servants not long after being shown their new dwellings, Kata'nu decided to hold off on that and will give her time to settle in and adjust.
Then there is a small part of him that is still wondering why he's even doing this. Because in truth, he still doesn't think he really needs a servant.
That acquiring her, was merely based off the fact that he was somewhat fascinated by her. She just was...different. Something drew him to her.
And hopefully, he can figure out why that is.
Kata'nu doesn't want to force her to do anything she isn't comfortable with. And something tells him, she may not want to perform any tasks or duties that involves keeping the place clean, polishing armor, or running errands.
Perhaps though, if she's not up to those tasks, she could be his live in training partner instead.
The hunter knew she had some fighting experience. It was shown when she dished out a couple hits at Dachande. And he was interested in seeing more of her skills.
He realized at the moment; he was getting a little ahead of himself.
"I know this seems hard at first. But I promise you'll grow to like it here. As I stated to you before, servants are not treated horribly here.
You will receive the best care here while under my care. I won't mistreat you in anyway nor keep you confined to one room or area.
You have free roam of the entire house, except for the trophy room. Only because there are fragile things in there. And you can come and go into town as you please as well." Kata'nu informed her.
The trophies do need some attention at times, like for cleaning and polishing. But he would never trust another to handle them.
He always cleans them all himself. He actually enjoys it and finds it relaxing. Despite the fact it can take a while to do. Seeing as he has a large amount of trophy skulls in there.
To the point, he can't do them all in one sitting. He will clean a few at a time. Until he gets through them all.
"Don't want anyone touching your sports trophies huh? Play a lot of space football and baseball?" She lightly joked.
It was her way of distracting herself and keeping herself from crying.
It's funny, being a hardened marine back home, it always seemed to take a lot to make her cry. But since she was captured, she probably did more crying these last couple days then she did in the last couple years.
In the service, there was no room for tears, her superiors always used to preach during training.
Kata'nu's eyes glinted in amusement. By now, he had his bio mask off, so she can see the amusement in his eyes. It seems like his eyes are really all she could read with his strange expressions.
Though when he did that thing with his mandibles, it did look like he was smiling at times. That thing being, he would pull in the lower two close together and flare out the two top ones.
And sometimes when his eyes widened and his mandibles would flare out a little, it looked like a strong indication of surprise.
"Something like that. But no, not any type of Earth sport you're thinking of. They are all hunting trophies. Skulls to be exact." The hunter stated.
She arched a dark brow.
"So, you're not just a bunch of intergalactic kidnappers, you're hunters as well. Can't say I'm all that surprised. With all that armor and weapons, you carry, I did kind of peg you guys as warriors of sorts.
He ignored the jab about being kidnappers. Mainly because he knew that is what she only saw him as so far, because they took her from Earth.
"We are hunters and warriors. Always have been and always will be. Our kind lives for the hunt and challenges they bring. To some, our ways may seem somewhat barbaric. But it's our way of life." Kata'nu told her.
Julie crossed her arms as she stood before him.
It still amused him just how incredibly short she was. The young woman barely reached the bottom of his chest. It reminded him of one of the times he was hunting on Earth, and he saw one ooman male walking what her kind calls dogs or canines.
One he had was very large and lanky, easily coming up to the male's elbow. While the other dog was little bigger than a rat.
And funnily enough, it was the small one that came off as aggressive. It lunged snapping and snarling a few times at other oomans walking by. While the much bigger one paid the passing oomans no mind and appeared quite laid back.
This is what this reminded him of at this moment. He was that big dog, while Julie was the tiny aggressive one. Someone who wouldn;t hesitate to snap and attack someone she deems threatening towards her.
The hunter almost laughed out loud, the more he thought about it.
Right now, she leveled him with a look.
"Have you...hunted on Earth before?" She cautiously asked.
Kata'nu didn't say anything for a moment. Then slowly nodded.
He has hunted on Earth before. Quite a few times really. Though he's only hunted a few oomans while there. And they were all bad bloods. Kata'nu doesn't make a habit out of going to Earth all that much to hunt oomans.
This is out of respect for someone he holds very dear.
But he'd be lying if he didn't say he didn't enjoy it to an extent. The bad oomans he hunted had it coming. They were murderers and rapists. He even killed at least one pedophile once as well.
Kata'nu also hunted some other big game like bears and tigers a small handful of times.
"What did you hunt?" Julie asks.
"Found bears and tigers to be quite a good challenge. Have a few of their skulls in my collection." He told her.
The hunter didn't want to relay to her that he hunted her kind before as well.
He believes it will only proceed to scare and greatly upset her. Though as much as he hates to admit, he knows she may find out eventually. Whether it be from him or another of his kind.
The young woman nodded.
"My dad and uncles hunted too. They hunted birds, deer, and bears. I also had my fair share of hunting too. Dad was the one that actually taught me how to use a pistol and a rifle. Which came in handy by the time I signed up for the marines." She said.
Kata'nu tilted his head, "Marines? That some kind of soldier?"
"Yes. Just one of many branches in our vast military. I served for over ten years, joining right out of high school." Julie informed him.
"Explains why you know how to fight. Would still like to see how skilled you are one day. I can take you out back and we can spar." He said.
"Forget it. I'm no idiot. I've seen how strong and fast your kind is. I'll fight humans. But I won't fight you or anyone else of your kind. Doing so, would be suicide and flat out stupid." She replied.
"Even if I go easy on you? I wouldn't do serious harm to you. Just stating that I wouldn't mind seeing a demonstration of your skills." Kata'nu stated.
"Why?" She asked.
"Because I've never seen a fighter as small as you before. Most would agree you don't look like a fighter or come off as one. Just thought it be interesting to see how you handle yourself." He stated.
"Still not interested." Julie replied.
"Shame. Anyways, I'll leave you to get settled in. Though, may need to get you some more clothing. Seeing as there aren't any stocked in the drawers here at this time." Kata'nu said.
"Hopefully can get some new ones soon. Preferably ones that don't make me look like an ancient hooker." She retorted.
All she was wearing; was the outfit she first woke up in a couple days ago. The boob tube top and weird matching skirt. She was never one for skimpy wear. At this point, she would kill for a t-shirt and shorts again.
But seeing what everyone else was wearing, she doubts it.
Hell, it was pretty shocking and mortifying to see some yautja females practically walking around topless. Julie almost couldn't stop gawking at a couple that passed them, wearing nothing but a loincloth skirt covering their bottoms but no tops.
Thankfully, there were only some she saw that were like that. While other females were wearing tops. Though the tops looked pretty similar to what she was currently wearing.
'Guess this lot is all for showing off their bodies. But then, they are all quite built and have nothing to be shameful about.' She thought.
Her train of thought was broken when she heard Kata'nu chuckle at her statement.
"Hardly, what you wear is how many females here dress. Though I guess in a way, it is a little shocking to you. But then from what I've seen, most of you humans are quite the modest bunch." He joked.
"Trust me when I say, majority of humans you wouldn't want to see wearing little strips of fabric that could barely pass for clothing." She dead panned.
Which was true, seeing as more than half of America's population of people were overweight and unhealthy.
He just shrugs, "Perhaps, but this look isn't half bad on you." He finishes with a wide smirk.
Julie just glares and gives him a disgusted look.
"I'm sorry, didn't you just say not a minute ago that you'll leave me to get settled in?" She quipped.
His smirk still has yet to leave his face.
"As you wish." He said.
Then the large, reddish yautja turned and headed for the door.
Julie's gaze never left his back as he made his way to the exit. But then he stopped right before the door and looked over his shoulder at her.
"You know, if you're not crazy about the outfit, you could always ditch it and walk around without it on." He teased.
Her eyes widened and her cheeks reddened, and her lips slowly parted.
Kata'nu saw the look on her face and he laughed a little as the door slid open and he left the room. While Julie still stood there in the middle of the room, staring at the door.
'Why that smug son of a bitch!' Her mind screamed.
Looks like this hunter was still proving to her how much of a pain in the ass he could be.
And she is unsure why, but she was starting to find amusement in his quirky personality. She quickly shook her head, wondering where the hell that came from.
Then her gaze went back to the window.
She found herself going back to it. And gazed outside once more. The young woman wasn't blind. Despite everything that has happened in the past forty-eight hours, she can't deny that this world was pretty amazing and beautiful of what she has seen about it so far while looking around.
It was odd, yet fascinating looking up at the sky to see not one, but two suns. And she could also see what looked like a couple planets in the distance among the clouds.
There were probably a lot of explorers and science geeks out there that would argue this was the chance of a lifetime seeing these amazing sights on a new world.
And while it was all fascinating, Julie still felt like she didn't belong here. Her home is and always will be Earth. Nothing will ever change that.
All she felt she could do now, is do what the marines taught her to do. Adapt and survive.
Until Next Time ;)