A New Alliance

Apart from a shuttle in orbit above the planet, Night Dagger’s scans were picking up no signs of any ships in the area. The Klingon had no doubt however that one was close by, hidden by its cloaking device.  Opening a channel he sent out a broad spectrum signal on all frequencies.

 

“Yautja ship, this is the Klingon vessel Night Dagger.  We are here on a peaceful mission to retrieve a lost crew member.  We intend no violation of your hunting grounds and will remain in your space no longer than is necessary to achieve our goal.  We await your permission to continue”

 

After long moments of silence, the comm channel crackled slightly and a single word came back “Proceed”

 

****************

 

It had been a long, hard hike back through the jungle. Kehlan had thought George a harsh taskmaster, but he was nothing compared to his elders and rank superiors. She'd long since guessed that she was holding George back, that he would be able to move a lot faster without her. What she hadn't realised was just how much she had slowed him down.  George was carrying all their trophies and gear but even unencumbered by nothing more than the makeshift spear she had chosen to keep, she was struggling to keep up.  In her haste and exhaustion, she did not pay full attention to the ground and did not see the exposed tree root until it was too late.

 

Bizarrely, the mud in which she landed face first was cool and soothing against her aching muscles, but she wasn't able to enjoy it for long before the senior Yautja was at her side, pulling her to her feet with a vocal tic that sounded suspiciously scolding.  Suppressing a growl that she knew would get her into trouble, she struggled to her feet, wiping the mud from her face and started to walk again.  The familiar trilling sound she had come to equate with laughter echoed from the Predators surrounding her as they picked up the pace again. This time however, George held back and walked beside his friend. She offered him a grateful smile and kept on moving.

 

The sun began to set and the group showed no sign of reducing its pace. When Kehlan stumbled again, unable to see in the darkness, one of the warriors simply picked her up and carried her. Kehlan must have slipped into a doze at some point because the next thing she was aware of was being set down in a large open space.  Above them a small atmospheric craft was descending carefully through the canopy, coming to rest in the clearing.  George touched her arm lightly and pointed. "Georrrge... sssheeep"

 

Kehlan understood clearly.  The Yautja had sent a rescue shuttle.  The hatch of the Yautja shuttle swung open and a tall figure appeared.  Staring curiously at the stranger in the midst of his fellow hunters, he growled a question. 

 

It was evident to the Klingon woman that this Yautja was in charge. If the other hunters were older than George, this one was older again and something about his bearing and the tone of his voice indicated authority.  Was he the Elder she had come to negotiate with?  She dismissed that possibility immediately.  She had been stuck on this planet for several days.  By now her ship and no doubt the Yautja ship she had come to meet would know that she was missing and would… she hoped… be looking for her, although George’s words “Ooman no ship” still worried her.  Whoever this Predator might be though, he had obviously not been expecting to encounter her and was wondering who and what she was. 

 

The hunt leader answered him, his gestures making it clear to Kehlan that he was talking about her, explaining the situation to his superior.

 

The old one shook his head in refusal, the action sending those long, iron grey braids swinging around his face. “H’ko!”  Her own people were coming for her.  She could not go with them. Barking a sharp command for the warriors to follow, he disappeared back inside the vessel.

 

One by one the Predators entered the shuttle until only George was left.  The two friends stood staring at each other, neither knowing what to say, even if the other could have understood their words.  Over the last few days they had been through so much together, had fought side by side, had saved each others lives too many times to count.

 

George placed a large hand on her uninjured shoulder and shook it slightly, growling with frustration as he tried to piece together the words he needed to communicate with his friend. “Ooman…”  He stopped and started again.  She’d told him more than once that she was not Ooman.  “Kling-on sssheeep good.”  He gestured towards the sky, “Kay-lan ssheeep good.”

 

She looked up, her gaze following the pointing finger.  A tiny speck was just visible in the moonlit sky, descending rapidly through the atmosphere, coming closer and closer until she could just make out the shape of a small but perfectly proportioned Bird-of-Prey, its wings swept back as it prepared for landing.  Night Dagger! She knew that ship.  The cavalry had arrived at last.  But what in the name of Kahless was Krang doing here?

 

She bared her teeth at George in a way he had learned she meant not as aggression but as a friendly gesture.  “Goodbye my friend” she said softly, “I will see you again soon”   He would not understand her words but it didn’t matter, she thought confidently.  Finding George again would not be difficult.  If these Yautja were not among those she had come here to meet, still the Ambassador would be able to identify them or be able to find out who they were.  Any parting would not be for long.

e would not understand her words, but it ditn matter.HeHe

 

He stepped back, releasing his grip on her. It was time for him to go.  “Frriennd.” He said the word carefully, pronouncing it as best he could before turning away from her and moving towards the shuttle.  Reaching the entrance he stopped and turned back momentarily to look at her.  “n'dhi-ja Mei-jadhi” Goodbye sister… There was nothing more to be said.  He had thought for a while that she would be returning with him.  She was Blooded and the Yautja would not abandon her to certain death on this planet. But it was not to be.  Her own people were coming for her.  It was for the best he knew. She was of a prey species and even one such as Kay-lan would not live easily among his people.  Wondering if he would ever see his friend again and at the same time hoping he would not, - for if he were to visit her home planet, it would be to hunt – he entered the shuttle and allowed the hatch to close behind him.

 

Standing at the edge of the clearing, Kehlan watched, keeping well out of the way as the arrow-like Yautja shuttle revved its engines, its powerful anti-grav boosters kicking dust, leaves and small stones into the air.  Distortions from the engines made it difficult to see. Nevertheless she did not take her eyes off the shuttle as it rose gracefully into the air.

 

As its lights vanished into the night sky, she felt the ground rumbling. Turning, she saw perhaps the most beautiful thing she had seen in a long time. Night Dagger's access ramp was extending and a slight figure was moving down. "Pasty Head.... What have you gotten yourself into this time?"

Kehlan was too relieved to respond to the familiar insult.  Tiredly she moved towards her old friend. "N'Sal, it’s good to see you"

 

"Come on..." The half Human half Romulan mercenary put a supportive arm around Kehlan and all but lifted her on to the boarding ramp. "Let's get you home"

 

*************

 

Hissing discontentedly, the Kainde Amedha drone stood over the carcase of its fallen queen. The hive needed a new queen.  Without one, the colony would fail and die. Deep within the drone’s body, hormones were shifting, changing, transforming it into something new.

 

Something bright flashed in the moonlight and curiously the drone bent to investigate.  A shiny, oddly shaped piece of metal lay partly hidden in the ruined foliage under the dead queen’s outstretched hand.  The creature that was no longer drone but not yet a queen, studied the object. The newly awakening intelligence dawning in its mind telling it that the shiny thing had significance, it reached out and lifted it with a long spindly claw.  Turning, it lifted its long scorpion like tail over its back and began to lope back into the foothills, still clutching its shiny treasure.