Chapter 51
Another brick in the wall
Vai'dqouulth held his new earth mate back from pursuing the new female warrior. Why there were so many on this continent when generally they were otherwise so rare confused him greatly. Maybe he should report this anomaly for study. But perhaps it was merely a cosmic coincidence, too.
Like Jade, this one was clearly more reliant on deception and dishonor, unlike his Katja. But in different ways, he suspected. It was irrelevant anyway, because she had run off, and they were not going to track her down.
"Let me go, Blue!" Katja struggled against him, desperately trying to pry his fingers from her.
He felt there had been some reconciliation between them with their earlier conversation. Maybe not fully; but her trust in him was increasing back to the position it was in when this alliance had first been made.
Now, to test how far that trust went. "Cease. You cannot assist a creature that does not want assistance," Vai'dqouulth stated.
Katja slowed her struggling. Submission in the face of logic was a good sign. "But she's not in a right frame of mind," his mate argued.
The word made him think back to earlier, in the communal dwelling. She had finally slipped up when recalling a memory, and he had gotten a taste of the scent he had so long wondered about.
Needless to say, it was as shocking as getting struck full force by another Yautja. Doubtful anything could compare or be as alluring. And that was with his bio-mask filters. Without it, very possible that he would have given in. His only regret now was how much of a distraction it was.
"Focus on eradication. Securing area is a more viable option," Vai'dqouulth stated. Maybe he should take his own advice when it came to focus, as he endlessly and discreetly sniffed her at this proximity in hopes of another pheromone cocktail.
Katja finally stopped, but didn't look particularly happy or satisfied. Interestingly, she did not offensively project the smell associated with her emotion like she previously had been. More control; but it made it harder for him to read her, too.
"Kaa-ti'ja. Trusssst," he said with his own voice, hissing on the 'S's' of the language. No response. She was clearly contemplating.
"I trust you, Vai," she finally said, using the shortened human pronunciation of his name. Excellent. They both had concerns and reservations about her coming with him to Yautja Prime. Trust was imperative to her survival, and she was clearly trying to cede control to him, even when fear or personal opinion attempted to override that.
With further coaxing, they were now on the hard meat hunt once more. Picking up a trail had been difficult, as there were plenty of tracks and waning scents, making it a trial to truly be certain a drone had followed a particular path.
It was only farther down the trail when he became confident that they had found a true lead. They now had to trek to wherever this path led them. Highly time-consuming. They'd likely only kill one before the sun fell, and her sleep cycle was needed.
Conversation was kept to a minimum to reduce noise signature and keep them alert, focused. The problem was, without conversation, he felt more distracted. They were also in an unfamiliar part of this land now.
He had told Katja he would not personally kill them if the clan ordered. Now, though, even that wasn't enough for him. While Vai'dqouulth would not become a bad blood, he was trying to figure out what leverage he had against his clan to keep them from killing the humans.
He could leave in protest, certainly. He had enough prestige and recognition that other clans would gladly accept him. In fact, he got invitations to join others constantly.
With convincing, his bearer might also join him, which he felt would be a loss to his current clan.
And he was a prince. His sire was king. The title didn't mean much on the surface, but it was doubtful a clan would want to lose a direct line to their king. He never exercised the title and never wanted to, but he would if he had to.
While he wouldn't exactly feel honorable with underhanded threats, there wasn't any law saying he'd be branded a bad blood for doing so. Their killing of Adrien and Katja felt far more dishonorable.
The question remained if the leverage would carry any weight. Better to keep it as a contingency rather than a leading move.
Vai'dqouulth mentally chuckled. Hypotheticals. It seemed he was taking on the traits of the creatures around him.
Katja suddenly stopped, hyper alert. In response, he also became alert. There were noises echoing all around them. Heavy machinery. Metal hitting metal.
The human pointed up a small rise in the terrain. She wanted to investigate. They got down and crested the ridge.
Far below them, they could see what the human female had previously told them. Warriors of the region were erecting a containment barrier. A very poor one, at that.
Walls worked well as a defensive structure, without question. But one also had to understand what they were trying to keep in or out. Hard meats would scale above and tunnel below this construct with little issue.
"A feat of engineering in response to their own mistakes. Again. Probably using all the concrete in the whole of Russia to build this thing," Katja voiced aloud. He did not know what she was talking about specifically, but the implication seemed to be this type of rapid construction was not wholly unprecedented for her clan.
The familiar noise of the large prop aircraft had Vai'dqouulth activating his cloak and rolling, as well as caging himself over Katja. It flew by without incident, however. No markings to indicate clan Weyland. They must be Katja's clan, then. That did not make them allies, even to her.
"While I appreciate the sentiment, you, being invisible and rolling over me, does not make me invisible. They can still see me though you," Katja lightly pointed out with a quiet laugh.
He looked down at her from his position, coming out of cloak now that the immediate threat was gone. Yes, he was still feeling instinctively and irrationally defensive over her.
It was not as though she carried his child.
Still, he chuckled back with rapid clicking to put her at ease. Vai'dqouulth maneuvered off her and laid prone in the cold snow. Mentally, he grumbled about that. Katja was warmer and Yautja were naturally attracted to heat sources. Plus, the position was pleasing for obvious reasons.
The two of them watched the construction efforts for a little longer before Katja finally prompted him that they should get moving again. It was both a surprise, and not, that she didn't even attempt to contact her fellow warriors.
It was only when the tracks led to an extreme blood patch, did they pause. It seemed their quarry had caught something and dragged it off.
Katja, for her part, seemed disgusted and tromped on, determined to find this creature and end its life. If given the chance, he knew she'd even assist to hunt down the matriarch.
The tracks eventually meandered back to the rails of the long snake vehicle that had crashed many sun cycles ago. Further still, and they found themselves outside the cave where they had spent their first night as allies.
The hard meat had taken up shelter in the cave. He was grateful to have finally found it. The sun was going down now, and the danger to them would increase.
His earth mate pulled down the tubes that increased her low-light vision and crept into the cave without hesitation. That was a failing on his part. He should've stopped her and collaborated on a plan. Too late now without alerting the creature.
The demon wasn't even hiding. It was crouched down in the middle of the cave where the remaining ashes of their fire had piled, making squelching noises as it feasted on whatever it had caught.
They broke off in opposite directions without any verbal communication. They were the perfect hunting duo, able to coordinate silently.
The drone must've been either luring Katja in closer, or had only just become aware of her presence, as it leapt to attack her without warning, clawing and biting in a fury.
He had wrongly assumed Katja was adept in many forms of weapons. It became clear that she had no experience in how best to utilize a shield and combistick combo.
Rushing forward, he grabbed the hard meat's tail and ripped it off her, whirling it against the opposing cave wall. Not even hesitating, he fired off a shot from his plasmacaster, blowing it apart in a spray of acidic blood. Not exactly a glorified kill, but containment wasn't about glory.
Katja groaned slightly as she attempted to stand. Vai'dqouulth rushed to assist. This was why he hadn't wanted her to come along.
"Account injuries," he ordered.
"None. I think," Katja said as she looked herself over. Adrenaline tended to temporarily block out pain, so her uncertainty was understandable. Together, they investigated her body.
She had sustained some minor lacerations that would not even require healing salve. There were no traces of acid burns, and no self-sustained injuries from the unfamiliar weapons she wielded.
"Sorry, Blue. I must be a letdown or poor representation of my species to you," Katja said as she organized herself.
Vai'dqouulth considered that. She was not a 'letdown' or 'poor representation' to her kind. Nor was Adrien. Alexei was, however.
No; she was holding size and strength as the only factors to this battle.
"The size of a creature does not determine lethality. If it did, humanity would not be worthy prey. Many other creatures would not be, either. The gods made Yautja superior beings; this cannot be helped. But others defeat Yautja despite shortcomings. Even humans," Vai'dqouulth explained.
"Human traits such as cunning, intelligence, level headedness, and various skills are not to be overlooked. You are accustomed to kinetic projectile weapons. I provided you a combistick and wrist shield, weapons you are not trained on. That is my failing, and one I will rectify. If strength and size were the only factors in battle, then neither of us would be considered the dominant species of our planets," Blue explained.
"I guess," Katja agreed, but she sounded unconvinced. She began looking around the cave, as if finally recognizing it.
"Heh, our first bed and breakfast. You even brought me a steak meal in bed," Katja chuckled.
'Bed and breakfast'? He suspected that was a phrase, and not random words strung together. Still, he couldn't help but be pleased at her remembering he had provided her a meal.
A sudden gurgling noise had him alert once more. The hard meat was still alive!
"Um. That was me. Sorry," Katja spoke.
Vai'dqouulth turned, confused now.
"My stomach is letting me know I haven't eaten in a while," she continued.
While helpful knowledge to him in the future, that was yet another inefficiency in the species. Those noises could break stealth in a critical situation.
"Our quarry is caught. Let return for refreshments and rest," Vai'dqouulth spoke.
"Already? We only got one. Well, you got one," Katja pouted like an eager young blood.
"The sun is dropping, and you are hungry. Our hunt has concluded for the day. We will pick up the next track after a rest cycle," Vai'dqouulth reasoned.
He watched Katja take a long, slow breath before exhaling deeply. "Ok," she finally agreed.
They both exited the… 'bed and breakfast', as she had called it. Using his wrist computer, Vai'dqouulth guided the ship to their location.
The ramp dropped once their presence was detected, and the runt was waiting for them. "I was worried you died, and I was trapped in here!" Alexei whined.
The bastard human was ignored as Vai'dqouulth and his earth mate passed by him.
"I would've died of thirst! Slowly, painfully!" Alexei continued.
"Enough, Alexei. I tolerated you staying behind on the warm ship. Crying about 'maybes' is not making me sympathetic," Katja stated with exasperation.
Vai'dqouulth noticed again how drained she seemed to be. The lingering illness.
When she was out of hearing range, Vai'dqouulth pushed Alexei against the wall. "I tolerate your presence even less. You will not disturb us the rest of the cycle. Sustenance will be provided to you. Am I in any way unclear?" he threatened.
Alexei couldn't even speak; he was so in fear. A first. The weak male just shook his head, confirming the threat had been received clearly.
Vai'dqouulth released the pup, and the small human scampered off to his sleeping quarters.
How he desired to skin that one. He suspected Katja and Adrien would, too. Why they couldn't, was a question that needed to be asked.
Coming back into focus, Vai'dqouulth decided there were currently more pressing matters. Stalking to his room, he found Katja shedding equipment and coverings with care.
"Hi," she greeted.
"I thought perhaps you might enjoy picking our meal," Vai'dqouulth explained. He didn't know human customs well enough to surmise if this was an appropriate offer, but took the chance anyway.
"I'd love to!" Katja readily agreed.
That word again. Love. The closest translation he could find was weakness. Literally, something was weakness, or one was willingly taking on weakness or even one was weak. The Yautja translation when put next to the human translation made no sense. The respective words from each language, when translated, did not line up at all. Not to mention, why was there a dedicated word for these descriptions? It seemed unnecessary.
But, it was a rude reminder how different they were…
Katja sat at the counter as Blue brought out various alien foods for her to pick from. There were some really chopped up bits of purple meat. The color was questionable, but it looked like beef tips. If she squinted. So, she picked that.
"Anything like an animal on Earth?" she asked in curiosity.
"Avian reptile. Perhaps a relatable animal existed before exploitation by your former slavers exhausted many animal populations in desperation," Blue answered.
Oh. Reptile meat.
She had never tried anything like that, but knew snakes were edible and sometimes hailed as delicacies in certain nations.
The countertop parted, and Katja saw a metal surface beneath it. Blue dumped the meat, and it began to sizzle immediately. It reminded her of those Asian cooking tops that skilled chiefs used to put on shows. The word for them escaped her, as she had only been privileged to see and eat at one once in her life.
It seemed she would get a show now, too, as Blue expertly flipped the small meat tips into the air, stabbed them, and dropped them down on the side that needed cooking, all while using nothing but his wrist blades to do so.
"That's some skill you got," Katja complimented. She was maybe starting to suspect that Yautja were a little vain, as Blue immediately perked up at the praise.
"What is?" he asked.
"Your meat flipping technique," Katja answered, pointing and trying to vaguely mimic the motions. Poor big guy seemed genuinely confused.
"It is not an exceptional skill to rotate meat for cooking," Blue answered. It didn't seem like he was being humble; maybe it was the universal method.
"But you do it with such flair. That's a pretty small target to impale out of the air with such consistency. A human would struggle to learn that, and an expert would probably still make mistakes," Katja tried to reinforce the complaint.
"Unsurprising. This is a common technique my bearer taught me. Not exceptional; however, your praise is welcome all the same," Blue said. Now that he knew, she picked up subtle attempts from him to be even more flashy.
"Your mom, she must be proud of you," Katja ventured. She didn't know if Mila had been proud or happy to have given birth to her. Olga certainly wasn't proud of her. The need to ask Blue was somewhat of a self-projection, and maybe a way to validate her existence. Though how that would be proven, she didn't know.
"She is. But why do you say such a thing?" Blue answered before offering a question himself.
"I mean, despite the obvious, you seem like a good guy. Like the men of old. Honorable; a traditionalist with conviction, I guess. Not a lot of humans like that anymore. Men or women," Katja tried to explain. There was a big hole in her understanding of their culture, but she meant it.
"They are clearly not extinct yet. Two are in this very ship," Blue mused.
"Who?" Katja prompted.
"You. Adrien," Blue said without elaboration, still cooking the meat. "Your bearer should be so proud of you as mine is of me."
"Thanks. I try to live up to the standards I imagine she had," Katja said. He nodded and went back to the food. "Much longer?" she continued with a generic question.
"No. There is an accelerated method, but I do not prefer the taste. My bearer taught me only traditional cooking methods and insisted I include older tools, such as this, on my ship for the occasions when I do cook and sear my meats. Our ancestors cooked this way. You should at least utilize this method, she would tell me," Blue answered.
Katja furrowed her brows. That didn't seem like something he shared with just anyone. Maybe not even with close friends. That sounded deeply personal, a fond memory of his mother.
"I think I agree. Working for something, putting in the labor, makes the reward that much more enjoyable," Katja said.
There was a contemplative rumble from him in response. He continued to cook in his mother's method and Katja would give a clap every so often in appreciation at the show he was putting on, intentional or not.
As the meat finished, he loaded up plates. She also got to pick fruit and at her insistence, a vegetable. A plant root of some kind. He claimed it was edible, anyway.
"Will feed the runt. You may get started, hungry female," Blue stated, doing that rapid click that was the Yautja equivalent of laughter. Why that was funny, she didn't know. He had strange humor.
"Alright," Katja agreed. She dug into the root first. It wasn't like she was an exceptional vegetable fan, but her brain was telling her that any vegetable would have nutritional value that her diet was currently lacking
Blue returned, strolling to his plate. He simply popped the meat straight down his gullet. It was a little… disturbing to watch. The tearing method was much more palatable by comparison. He needed better table manners; but since they were on his ship, she figured it was not the best time to broach the subject.
"What's tomorrow's plan?" Katja asked as she began to chew bird lizard meat. It was actually pretty good, despite the weird color.
"We will retire sooner than before. I intend to have you rise earlier for training on Yautja weapons. Then we will continue our hunt," Blue answered.
"Aren't you worried about how much time we'll lose training?" Katja asked.
"Clan will arrive soon. Containment and cleanup efforts will become more broad," Blue assured.
"Ok." Katja said and focused on her food. It was weird. Having a meal with Blue and having a meal with Alexander was a stark contrast.
While Alexander had usually been either on his phone or bragging about his day's accomplishments, Blue included her in the conversation and future plans. It was nice, for once, to feel like she belonged at the table. She never felt it at her childhood home, either. It was only with Karik that she discovered what friendly meals were supposed to be like.
Yes, Blue's table manners certainly left something to be desired – especially the fact he licked his claws whenever he ate – but he was somehow a far more civilized dining partner than the more 'refined' and 'upscale' Alexander. And they weren't even the same species.
As a matter of fact, Blue was supposed to consider her beneath him – he'd basically just said so not long ago with his talk of 'superior beings' – but he never really acted like he did, to her recollection.
Alexander did.
Adrien didn't, either. Well, when he wasn't angry with her. Right now, she really wanted the three of them around the table. Eating. Laughing. Adrien posing a completely random question to the group that got Blue to open up a bit.
Katja frowned.
"What emotion are you feeling?" Blue broke her thoughts. How did he know she was feeling anything at all?
"Sadness, I guess," Katja shrugged. "How could you tell?"
"Ssssssaaaaaaddddddnnnnnneeeeessss." Blue tested the word with his voice in English. "Your scent changed. I have smelled it before on you. I could not deduce what it was," he followed up with his computer.
Wow. That was some… olfactory sense he had. Fear supposedly smelled, too, so maybe there was a precedent.
"Have you ever felt that?" Katja asked. Given that he couldn't figure out what it was, odds were his kind didn't.
"Not that powerfully," he said, confirming her thoughts. "I have mourned those lost before."
Well, better than nothing.
Now that she was done eating, bath and bed seemed imminent, as it sounded like they had an early morning.
"May I excuse myself to go see Adrien?" Katja requested, the manners coming automatically.
"You do not need my permission to leave," Blue stated.
"Maybe not. But it is also rude to leave abruptly in human culture. I am asking if you, personally, want me to stay and keep you company; or if you are ok if I leave," Katja explained. Might as well display some human manners. She noted he did like to learn.
"…Your value of my opinion is noted. I am agreeable to you taking your leave," Blue reinforced.
"Thanks, Blue," Katja said, kissing his… cheek as she passed. For a lack of a better term. It was more like the skin, or hide, that connected the mandibles together; but that was technically the same thing on a human. Whatever it was, felt extremely textured, like the rest of him.
She made her way to the medical room, noting that her navigation of the ship was getting better.
Once inside, Katja stood in front of Adrien's healing tank… thing. "Hi again. Wanted to check in on you, let you know I made it back," she spoke. Katja gave him a moment to speak; but once again, there was dead silence other than the humming of the machine.
"Listen, I need you to keep fighting. Don't stop fighting. Find your way home," Katja tried to motivate him. Still, no response. Sighing, she turned to leave. Maybe Blue was right, and he was so far gone, he might not ever wake.
She wondered where in his mind he was. Katja certainly hoped he was in a peaceful memory. Maybe with his wife and daughter. A simple day at the park, perhaps. The quiet life…
The gravel crunched beneath his hikers, and the road ahead seemed endless with the fog falling on it once more. Hunter woman certainly seemed confident and truthful, but damn if he hadn't been walking a long time now. And that wasn't including all the walking he had already done.
He kinda wished the kid, his mother, or both were still here. Keeping him company; keeping his mind off the possibility he was wandering an endless maze.
No, not maze. Expanse.
"Goddammit Pierce, what the hell happened out there?" the voice of his commander echoed in his mind.
"I lead those men into an ambush, sir," Adrien remembered himself saying.
"And who do you blame? The creature?" his commander demanded.
Adrien had run this conversation through his head countless times, and this question had never been part of it.
"Sir, I don't blame the creature. For all I know, he was a military man himself. Doing what he thought was right," Adrien answered this question that never existed. He meant it, too. The fault solely lay with him. He could've saved them, if he had evacuated when his instincts first told him to.
"Hi again. Wanted to check in on you, let you know I made it back," the woman's voice suddenly cut into his thoughts.
"Stay where you are! I am coming!" Adrien shouted. He began to run along the road, frantic to find the end. He was certain that's where she was.
He nearly stumbled when he ran into the fog cloud and came out into a clearing. There was a temple in the center, very obviously alien-made given the statue depictions. Surrounding it was something of an ancient city.
As Adrien walked toward the center pyramid, he took note of the city being ablaze; corpses of hunters, serpents, and even modern military, everywhere.
"Comm says reinforcements are cut off. We are on our own," a voice spoke.
Out from behind the city ruins came an African American man whose skin was badly burned. Adrien knew this man. O'Neil Becker, callsign Viper. The burns… those were his fault. Somehow.
"We're down to a quarter strength, Pierce. There are simply not enough guns to stop these nightmares." This voice belonged to Brian Spooner, Hornet, who came out of nowhere as well.
"What about the hunters? Are they willing to help?" Adrien spoke, but not of his own free will. It was like… a pre-scripted response he couldn't help but say. He felt both connected and disconnected from this reality at once.
Before either man could reply to Adrien, David Kim - Scarecrow - came up from behind to ask, "You're talking about a species that hunts humans for fun, Pierce. Is it really worth trading one evil for another?"
These were his men. Not those former shadows back in Afghanistan. Those soldiers were already dead, he couldn't help them now, but he could help these guys.
"Listen, I need you to keep fighting. Don't stop fighting. Find your way home," the woman's voice came through the radio. His men didn't seem to take notice.
The woman was… the woman speaking was…Katja. He knew that name. That red hair, the eyes, the freckles and soft smile. It was important. She was important. He just… couldn't remember how or why.
"Katja seemed to think they weren't our true enemy and that even the serpents were only a symptom of what was out there in the far reaches of the cosmos," Adrien answered his men; but again, it felt like he was speaking and not speaking. Like he could speak the information, but didn't truly know it.
"Then what would you have us do?" the deformed Viper asked with a defeated tone.
"Follow my lead," Adrien ordered.
They set off; Adrien had a clear objective in mind. The pyramid.
As he approached, three hunters came out of cloak, but did not attack. Instead, they followed behind him and his men as they climbed up the pyramid.
It was wordless. They all knew what to do, and why they were doing it. A common goal. Eradicate the serpents.
At the top, a lone hunter awaited them. Like the women and his men, he knew and trusted this one; but without true explanation. It turned and dipped his head at him specifically. The action communicated familiarity.
Blue. That was the human-given name of this one, which meant 'friendly' in military jargon. He had fought and bled alongside this creature, that much he knew.
They all stood at the top of the pyramid now. Four humans, four hunters. The horde of serpents were coming. Had already come several times, if the bodies below were anything to go by.
Currahee… Cherokee Indian word meaning 'stand alone'. But they did it together. He had been told that once, by this Katja no less. It only now started to truly make sense to him.
They were all fighting to prevent their very extinction. Against what and why? It didn't matter. It couldn't be allowed to happen.
No doubt, in the future, humanity would fully discover the existence of the hunters and have the arrogance to start a war with them. Demanding they hand over technology or a seat at the proverbial table of universal power. Whatever the reason, it was inevitable. And stupid. But today?
Today they stood in common interest.
There was a collective screech of the serpents, from somewhere within that forest. They were coming.
"Give me a mag," Adrien requested. One of his guys handed one over. The sounds of spears and blades shooting out echoed in his ear, as well as the ringing noise of the laser cannons powering up.
"Listen, I need you to keep fighting. Don't stop fighting. Find your way home," he remembered Katja saying just earlier.
"Chiva has begun," Blue stated.
Author 2: Hey Blue, are you keeping track of your clan's imminent arrival?