The Ripple of a Stone

The Ripple of a Stone


Nonentity

Authors Note: This story I have written may not be exact with the customs and culture founded by the Predator movies, comics or stories but I have tired to stay in the area of their beliefs and ways. I have brought in elements from each of the categories and have combined them into one. I do not own Predator. Updates will be regular and changes will be made if any suggestions are made for me. Pronunciations at bottom. Some of the mentioned items in the Yautja world are made up by me. Good Reading.

PLEASE READ THE AUTHORS NOTE AT THE BOTTEM! You don’t need to read it right now but I really wish that you would after…PLEEEEASE!

E.M.

Sya could only watch in horror as the Oomans were over taken by a Hard Meat. But when he saw one male abandon the female, armed or not, it made him furious. Any male that would desert a female, such as this one, should be killed on the spot. Sya growls lowly. Dhm’Ni didn’t know why Sya was so mad, and why he would get so angry at that one male leaving. Dhm’Ni was watching Sya closely when Sya suddenly flinched, he looked down and saw that the female was hit by the tail and had been pitched at a wall. Dhm’Ni didn’t know why but he felt like he should do something, but he couldn’t, so he wouldn’t. Seeing a female, any female, fall to a Hard Meat was a dreadful thing to witness. That was why almost no females went on a Kainde Amedha Chiva, there was too big of a risk of losing a female. Both Sya and Dhm’Ni begin to jump off the top of the building as they watch the Hard Meat lunge for the female but they were beaten to it. Before they even got a foot over the edge they watched the last male jump into its path and sacrifice himself for the females safety. Together they bow their heads in recognition of him surrendering his life for her. With not a moment to breathe the Hard Meat ran off with the male still in its grasp. They watch the female as she calls for the male, trembling and shaking, but a single second later she was on her feet. The trail of blood that seeped out of the males wound provided the perfect path to track and the female began to follow it. Sya thought it was a mistake for the female to be stripping off all the weapons she held on her body but then he thought of how it may weight her down to travel. Before she was out of sight Sya turns to Dhm’Ni.

“I will see to the male who abandoned the female, while you will follow her.” He ordered sternly.

“Wait! What? Why follow the female?” Dhm’Ni asks just as Sya jumped down from the building onto the sandy ground.

“Do not question me Dhm’Ni. Follow her or you will have me to deal with.” With a roar Sya was gone, running down the same road the deserting male traveled. Dhm’Ni didn’t know what to do. He didn’t want to follow a female when there are Hard Meats to take care of. He didn’t want to waste his time. But as he turned back down to the female she was gone.

“C’jit!” He didn’t want to deal with Sya if he found he didn’t do as was told of him so he started after the Ooman.

~

O’Conner wasn’t thinking, she didn’t know how but she was on her feet, running, following the blood trail and stripping herself of all heavy weapons that would weight her down, leaving a line of guns behind her. O’Conner only had a few knives, a full-size dagger hidden in her right boot and her hands but that was enough. She ran faster then she ever ran before in her life, following the ever increasing blood path. Somehow she was gaining ground, she had lost track of how many turns she made but she didn’t care. All she cared about now was that she could see the tip of its tail as she turned around a corner. As she rounded the turn she saw it, still dragging Becks and running fast. But at seeing him, O’Conners rage flew her into a frenzy, her legs seemed to fly as she slinked closer and closer to the devil. With out thinking she lunged, just as she got close enough, onto its back, causing it to throw Becks to the floor and roll to the ground with O’Conner still latched to it. The devil ended up on top, not as O’Conner hoped. She didn’t really have a plan, she couldn’t control herself as she jumped, the only thing she knew was that this thing was not going to survive.

The devil started to thrust its tail down at O’Conner but with their positioning she was ‘safe’ under its body. She had to bring up one of her legs to under its chest as it attempted to puncture her head wit its inner mouth. Remembering her training of how to deal with an attacker, human or freaky black devil, she brought up the same leg that was keeping it away from her and kicks its head, making it twist to one side. This was exactly what she wanted. She used her hands to grab the back of its long head while placing her foot as close the its mouth as possible, without getting hurt and she started to pull with her hands, while pushing with her foot. Gradually it started to twist so far that it looks unnatural, well…as unnatural as it could be. She was waiting for a particular sound, a cracking of its neck but it never came. Does this thing even have a fucking neck? A moment after she asked herself that a sound, that could only be luck herself screaming for O’Conner to prevail, rang through the air. Its neck buckled and its body went limp. Before it fell onto her she flipped it over.

O’Conners heart stopped when she looked to Becks. She half expected him to be face down, dead and lifeless but he was moving, HE WAS MOVING!

“ALLEN!” She screams out as she makes her way behind him, pulling him up to sit against her body. Her hands wrapped around his chest, the blood pooled as he lay there against her, flowing onto her arms and legs and she sat behind him. “NO, you’re not dying, I won’t let you!” Becks coughs up blood as he attempts to laugh.

“I don’t have a choice Nala. Now get outa here, NOW!” Becks ordered but only got ‘no’ as a response. “We *cough* we promised each other that if anything should happen to one of us, *cough* ANYTING, that the other one would go on.” He said softly. But still only got a ‘no’ back. “Nala…” He takes her hand that was rapped around his chest and brings it to his mouth, giving it one last kiss. “Get to the jumper and get out…for me…ple...please…” Becks squeezes her hand one more time, then his hand drops to his side and his head falls forward. The only thing O’Conner could do was scream, so she let out all she had. The sound echoed in the air, forever etched into the wind as her heart broke into a trillion pieces.

~

It took everything Dhm’Ni had to keep up with the Ooman, he was only slightly impressed. Somehow they were gaining ground on the Hard Meat. As they rounded the corner he found that they were right on its ass. He couldn’t even comprehend why the female leaped on top on the Hard Meats back but she did and she brought it down. Dhm’Ni laughed to himself as he thought that the Yautja watching over his video feed from his mask would be shitting their loincloth as they watched from the Bridge. But when he watched her kill it, with her bare hands, Dhm’Ni nearly fell over. He froze as he stood on a building top just across from the fallen male after witnessing that. Its neck twisted like nothing, leaving the carcass motionless. Dhm’Ni couldn’t even imagine what his face looked like at that moment. His mandibles were slack, eyes wide and head cocked a little to the left. What the Pauk just happened…that’s…just…wuh??? He couldn’t catch any other words, they seemed to have decided to take a brake as his mind attempted to process what he just saw. He next thing he knew the female was over by the male, holding him to her. Dhm’Ni thought the way she was holding him was odd, conceivably they could be mates by the way she was acting towards him. But they wouldn’t be mates for to much longer. Dhm’Ni changed his sights and saw that the injuries to he male were too severe and that nothing could save him now, it was too late. He saw that the female also had an injury as well, a broken rib that had punctured her right lung. How could she have moved so fast with a wound like that? I could just keep up with her and she was injured! Dhm’Ni was taken from his thoughts when the female screamed as he saw the males’ heart stop. He had to wonder why she would be so distraught by his death. Wouldn’t she just go and get another? Surly a female like this would attract many males, she was strong, agile and for Pauk sakes she took out a Hard Meat. But then again Sya did say that everything is different here, there females are nothing like theirs. They are not as strong like theirs, not as dominant like theirs…not as striking as theirs. Dhm’Ni slipped into a daydream. He could actually feel himself with a female. Just imagining her on his bed, just thinking about what he would do to the first female he got his claws on… Unconsciously Dhm’Ni lets out a tremendously loud purr as those delicious thoughts of mating leak into his mind.

~

O’Conner was content with staying by Allen. She wanted to be with him, no matter what stood in the way…like her life. All she wanted to do was stay here until she died. Whether those black things got her or the bomb she didn’t care. Even though they promised each other a long time ago that if one died that other had to live on, she would never let him go. O’Conner held onto the lifeless body as tight as she could and started to slowly rock back in forth. She didn’t care if she cried. She never did, she didn’t think it was as weak to cry as some in the NWGA did. She was brought out of her spell when she heard something really weird, kind of like a kitten purring or something. Then the realization of what just happened dawned on her. She couldn’t just stay here until death claims her. She had to live for Allen. She had to get out of here and survive for him. O’Conner gives him one last hug and a kiss on his head before she lets him go. Slowly she stood tall, starring down at the one person in this world she ever really loved. Then she heard it again, the same loud rumble. O’Conner walks into the middle of the road to hopefully catch the hot wind and smell something or someone, and she did. She could smell those scents again, no…just one. Just that all too familiar fresh rain and vanilla again. The way the wind carried it, she could tell it came from above and she looked up accordingly at the tops of the surrounding buildings. There was a familiar sight as well. On the top of the roof were heat wave lines, or so she thought. Now she realized that someone or something was following them sense they left the armory. Its probably The Secret Service, they must be here watching those things and decided to watch us run like fucking mice through a maze. But why would they still be here when the island is going to be destroyed? Unless its not? Why else would thy stay here? Well fuck them, either way I need to get off this rock.

“Alright I know your there!” She yells out. Suddenly the waves she thought were most likely a person ducked down beneath the roof ledge. She was right, there was someone here to watch over the devils. “I saw you, I’ve seen you sense we came out of the armory! I can smell you in the wind too you fucker! You’ve been following us sense the beginning and you haven’t help us! How was it huh? Did you like seeing us being picked off one by one? HUH? WELL FUCK YOU!” With the same speed as she ran after the devil, she turned back following the same blood path back to the main road. She wasn’t going to leave behind her pack, all she had left of Allen was in there.

~

Dhm’Nis’ body gave way to an immense flinch when the female yells out that she can see him. Without thinking he ducks down behind the ledge but when she again said that she saw him move, he cursed himself for being so careless. She couldn’t have seen me? She couldn’t know I was here? Could she? I shouldn’t have moved, PAUK! When Dhm’Ni heard ‘fuck you’ and then her footsteps he slowly raised his head to see her again, his clocked cranium lifting up, as slowly as he could, just above the top of the ledge. But she was gone, running back down the bloody path. With out a moment to loose Dhm’Ni started back towards her on the roof tops. He didn’t want to loss her for fear of what Sya would do to him. The last Yautja to disobey an order from Sya was in the healers for at least a full cycle. Sya wasn’t one to take kindly to disobedient pups, or unbloods or young bloods OR ANYONE for that matter. He wouldn’t think twice about killing one to question him, or even injure them enough to cause them to become an ETA. No one but Lord Khupiee can really question him, the other Arbitrators would have to issue a challenge if they had a dilemma him. Dhm’Ni wasn’t stupid enough to cause Sya to become enraged so he had to keep up with the female. But what did Sya want with her? Maybe he wants to study her? Dhm’Ni would not interfere with the Oomans death if a Hard Meat should cross her, he wouldn’t protect her for Sya. He laughed to himself as he thought the he wouldn’t protect a Hard Meat from her.

When they reached the spot where the male was taken, the female grabbed a small carrier bag and strapped it to herself then she raced down their original passageway they were traveling on. Dhm’Ni was again impressed at her speed. He could keep up with her with no trouble, it was just the jumping from top to top that was keeping him back. And royally pissing him off. It would be mush easier if he was on the ground. He could stay a little ways back so she would be able to see him again but close enough that he could still watch her. When he saw the chance he jumped of the roof onto the sandy ground. He hadn’t gauged just how hard he jumped, when he hit the ground it caused a very loud thud and a small dust cloud to form by his feet. Then the female, that was about 15 meters ahead of him, stopped and turned on her heal to look back, Dhm’Ni ducked, AGAIN, behind some wooden crate and boxes. Pauk I’m getting sloppy! He felt stupid to hide from her, why should he? He could take her any day, she was an Ooman, no matter what she has shown today she is still nothing compared to his strength.

“Alright you shit stain!” The female yelled out. Shit stain? Dhm’Ni thought that was absolutely hilarious, he was a little insulted, but he still thought it was funny. He held in a laugh but his shoulders still rose and fell as they would if he laughed out loud. He shook his head, making his ringed locks wobble. “I know you’re out there so show your self. Coming don’t be so pathetic…” She teased. Dhm’Ni stiffened at being called pathetic, it took everything Dhm’Ni had to not jump out and kill her for calling him that. He did however growl, so low that he hoped she didn’t hear him. “FINE! FUCK YOU!” She said again, Dhm’Ni wondered why she kept saying that. He knew that ‘fuck you’ in Ooman meant ‘Ell-osde' Pauk’ to him. Before he let his rage overcome him, Dhm’Ni steadied his breathing and then continued following the female.

As Dhm’Ni ran behind the female, he noticed that just beyond the buildings to their left was the training ground, and the DropShip. He wondered if the some of the others on the ship were watching, by now the one monitoring his video had informed Ykas’e and were undoubtedly watching them run by.

~

“This is not possible!” Hisses one of the watchers of the video monitors. He and another yautja next to him were watching over the video feed from Dhm’Ni and Sya. When they split up, and Dhm’Ni followed one of the Oomans, the watcher didn’t know what to make of it.

“What is not possible?” A shrill voice questioned. Ykas’e was basically in charge when Lord Khupiee was not on the Bridge. He may have held a little power but it got him nothing. He was a runt and an ETA. No female would want him as a mate and he was too small to be allowed to go no hunts. When he became Lord Khupiees servant so many seasons ago, his life changed for the better. If it weren’t for Lord Khupiee, Ykas’e would have been dead by now, killed by some hormone driven pup or unblood that thought he had something to prove. He owed his life to Lord Khupiee and will serve him until his death. Which wont be to far off. Ironically Ykas’e was older the Lord Khupiee, by at least 70 seasons and his age had begun to show. It didn’t affect his duties though, but when it did Lord Khupiee will have no other option but to kill him. But until that day Ykas’e will serve him as he always had. The watcher motioned to Ykas’e to come over and see. The Bridge room was oval in shape, the three tiers were set in the middle, and Lord Khupiees Leaders chair sat at the top while on either side was a small set of stars for the yautja to walk on. The watchers were on the lowest level on the three tiers, along side with the navigation. In the middle were the weapons and on top were the sensors. As he made his way down, Ykas’e saw a glimpse of what was on the watchers monitor. What he saw was an Ooman fighting a Hard Meat, bare handed and win. He was about to ask a question when the watcher said something first.

“Wait, you have to see this also.” The watcher punched a few symbols and opened up to old footage of Dhm’Ni and Sya observing the Oomans. The clippings showed the Oomans actually killing Hard Meats, Ykas’e was stunned, for a lot of reasons.

“Why have you not brought this to my attention earlier?” He asks a little irritated.

“I did not think that the Oomans needed to be watched closely for their movements, but when I saw this…” The watcher goes back to the footage of an Ooman killing the Hard Meat. “I knew something wasn’t right.” Ykas’e went silent. He was thinking about whether or not to bother Lord Khupiee with this now or wait for the hunt to be over. But he decides on now. Something as rare as this was not a thing to hold back. No doubt Lord Khupiee will be angry that he interrupted the hunt, but he would be even angrier if he was given this information to late.

“Watcher, get a short clipping ready to be sent to Lord Khupiee. Include only the significant footage.” The watcher began to assemble the correct data to be sent to Lord Khupiees mask for him to see. Just as Ykas’e was about to walk back to the top tier of the Bridge, he would NOT be sitting in Lord Khupiees chair however, only one with a death wish would sit there, he turned back to the watcher. “Is there any audio?”

“No sir. Neither Dhm’Ni or Sya had turned on their audio recorders.” A hunters mask always recorded video, but it could record audio as well. However it was up to the hunter if it was recorded or not. The video recorder was not a choice to each hunter. It was up to the leader of the hunt, and in this case it was Lord Khupiee. He thought that the video would help the unbloods see just how to Kainde Amedha moved.

Ykas’e only had to wait for a few moments until the watcher was ready with the recording. He motioned to the communications group to COM-link Lord Khupiee. He would need to be delicate when he talks to him, if he is to forceful with the video Lord Khupiee will not watch it.

“YES?” Lord Khupiees voice came over the COM-link, sounding just tad irritated.

“Lord Khupiee, I think that there is something you need to see.” Ykas’e says skillfully. Just enough power in it to show that he really needs to see it but not enough to seem as if he is forcing it.

“I do not have to time Ykas’e” He clicks bluntly.

“I know that at the moment you are hunting but sir, I think that you should watch this.” Ykas’e says with a little more force.

“You have 5 seconds to tell my why I should see it.”

“It is a short clipping from Dhm’Ni and Sya, showing Oomans killing Hard Meats.”

“And that would be of importance because…” Lord Khupiee asks.

“Because in the video it shows an Ooman killing a Hard Meat, with its bare hands.” Lord Khupiee fell silent.

“Show me.” He finally says. Ykas’e nods to the watcher to send it to Lord Khupiee. A few minutes later, after he viewed the footage, Lord Khupiee spoke.

“And you say this came from Sya?”

“Most of the footage came from both Sya and Dhm’Ni. But the last part, of the Ooman killing the Hard Meat with its “

“Her.” Lord Khupiee interrupts.

“Sir?”

“The Ooman that killed with its bare hands, it’s a female.” Lord Khupiee was well aware of Ooman females, and of the variation between the sexes of Oomans. That was why he was so flabbergasted by the video. Ykas’e was even more stunned than before. Even though he never went on hunts, he knew of the Oomans, he actually knew of all the pray that they hunted. It was an asset that he thought Lord Khupiee would like when he took a new servant, and it was his knowledge that made Ykas’e the front runner.

“Well, that footage came from Dhm’Ni alone.” Lord Khupiee wondered for a moment if he should get Ykas’e to send to footage to the other hunters. Pakka had been wondering what he was talking to Ykas’e about and wanted to see the female killing the Hard Meat. So he orders the footage to be sent to the others, along with a message saying that he ordered it sent. If Ykas’e were to send footage with out order, some of the other hunters may get angry at him for disrupting the hunt.

“What of the Queen?” Lord Khupiee asks, changing the subject.

“They have decided to take her. She is quite large and could not leave the cavern on her own accord. The young bloods sent have helped M’Ho, Miy’Hota and Bakkub open the cavern wider and have captured the Queen. They are on there way back now.” He answers.

“And the others?”

“Dh’Kn, Rathe and Inkle have taken all that travel on the outer rim and have also begun to return. How has your hunt been?” He asks.

“There are still some Hard Meats that roam. However if the Queen is making her way to the ship than it will definitely call for aid, Pakka and I will move towards the ship and along with the others wait there for the coming drones.”

“Yes sir.” With that Ykas‘e ended the link.

~

“What was that nonsense?” Pakka asks after watching the video. It must be trickery. No Ooman could do a thing like that. They must have missed something that the female used to twist its head like that.

“Nonsense? Why must you think Oomans are incapable of ANYTHING Pakka? Perhaps Sya was right. Maybe they are more then they seem.” Lord Khupiee chirps.

“Don’t even think it Khupiee. One out of billions does not make the entire species worth anything else but pray. Just as one Bad Blood does not make our entire species murders and rapists.” Pakka hit a cord that he shouldn’t have, and regretted it deeply the moment it came from his mouth. Almost immediately, Lord Khupiee dropped his head in remembrance of his lifemate Ni’Atne. He missed her with all of his heart and every night he would sleep in there bed hoping beyond hope that one day he would wake to her golden eyes. But she was never there. When Lord Khupiee finally took other mates, he had an individual room made just for matting. He would never have another female in his bed. He would never disgrace her by having another share their bed. Pakka placed his hand in Lord Khupiees shoulder as a silent apology. Pakka also had a great love for Ni’Atne. She was his sisters when Lord Khupiee and she became lifemates. And he held the highest respect for her because for one thing he had to, but also because she could kick his and Lord Khupiees ass with out a sweat. The fights that those two had were legendary. They would fight together and then heal together. Ever sense that day in the gardens, where Ni’Atne was murdered, Lord Khupiee was never really the same. He never smiled the same way, he never laughed the same way. Sometimes, if you look hard enough, and at just the right time you can still see the same hurt in his eyes as on the day she was found.

“I must contact Sya.” Lord Khupiee says suddenly. He presses a few buttons on his control panel and it links Sya.

“What can I do for you Khupiee?” Sya asks right out. He had been tracking the Ooman male, to see what he would do. The male had made his way to the southern tip of the compound and had begun to mess around with a flying machine.

“What is this I hear of an Ooman female killing a Hard Meat?” Lord Khupiee chirps.

“I was not there when she killed it Khupiee. I left Dhm’Ni to follow her.” Sya had said that a little too roughly for Lord Khupiees liking. Sya was watching as the male had started the machine. He knew that the male would not go back for the female, so he would have to deal with him now. “Khupiee, I will have to get back to you I am in the middle of hunting an Ooman if you can belive that.” Sya then terminated the COM and started after the male.

~

The General, after disserting O’Conner and Becks, ran to another Tank Garage and carefully opened it to find a small tank that he could use. In his hands he held seven PBs’. A few were the nails but the others he didn’t recognize. He wasn’t listening as O’Conner went through what they were. The small tank that he made his way into was a single person transport tank. He thought that lady luck would never smile down on him like she had today. He slid into the drivers’ seat and started it up. He let out a giant sign of relief as it did, he was praying that it wasn’t here for spare parts and had been taken apart. He punched into the auto-navigator that he wanted to get to the hospital. This was going to be a smooth ride, he thought. But as the tank pulled out of the garage it collide with something that made it jump up and down but a moment later it rested again. Must have been a bump or something. Little did he know that he was carrying a passenger. With his view screen the General checked all angles around the tank to see if maybe it was a devil but as it made its way around the back and side he saw nothing. To bad he didn’t check on top or he would have seen a large figure that bent the air. The tank gained speed and soon it was up to 100 mph. In no time he was at the hospital. He made his way to the side and there was the jumper. It was basically a helicopter in design but they stopped using those about a decade ago. This jumper was large, it had a cockpit that could seat two, and a back that could seat six. For some strange reason it was open, the large doors that covered both sides were slid out, leaving the seating areas open. With a quick check before he left the tank, he opened it hatch, jumped out and ran towards the jumper. He made his way to the pilots’ seat and started up the engine.

~

Sya watched the male start the machine and begin to close the doors. He would not allow him to go far. With his agility Sya gracefully ran towards and jumped into the back of jumper just as the male was closing the doors. His large body could barely fit into the cramped Ooman machine but somehow he fit. It was glad about where he was sitting. He was all the way in the back, sitting on something very cushy, while his legs were spread straight out into the floor. Suddenly the machine started to move, very fast. It kind of reminded Sya of a bytte, it to could fly and travel at immense speeds. The first movement the male did was go straight up, which made Sya stomach turn a little. He was never one for moving so fast, but somehow he kept his dinner down. A Yautja vomiting is NOT pretty sight. Sya saw that the male was getting agitated at something, he kept fiddling with some knobs and such that were by him.

“Why the fuck isn’t this thing going faster? Full capacity, what the fuck do you mean to full capacity! There’s only me in here!” The male then hit the buttons is frustration. A little to heavy is it for you Ooman? Sya thought. He was, at best, 450 pounds of pure muscle. Maybe this machine can’t hold so much weight? As the Ooman made another move with the machine, Sya observed that they were not heading to the female and that he was right in thinking the male would not go back for her. Now he was really mad. Sya wanted to kill this thing but he couldn’t do it up here. He had to get it back on the ground. It would be stupid to kill the Ooman that was flying, he would end up dead too. Noiselessly Sya took out a small spear from his leg, moved up closer to the male and slide up right behind him.

“Leaving the female are we?” He says in their tongue. The male whipped around just as Sya brought up his small spear to his neck. “Don’t go crazy now Ooman. I wouldn’t want you to crash this thing before I have my fun.” The male didn’t know what to do, he was just staring at the ripple effect the air had. Sya had purposely left his clock on, he would until they landed. “Land now Ooman.” Sya ordered. With a nod the male turned back to look out the front window, still with the spear at his throat. They landed hard on top of a large building with a thump. “OUT!” Sya ordered. Complying, the male opened the large doors and slid out. Sya switched the spear to his other hand so that the male would not try and run. “Your reputation as an Ooman precedes you.” Sya says as he uncloaks.

“OH MY GOD! WHAT THE FUCK ARE YOU?” The Ooman asks.

“I am your judge, your jury and your executioner Ooman. You are charged with abandoning a female. And so you will die.” Sya says harshly. He wanted to tell the male right out that he was going to die.

“WHAT…WHAT FEMALE? YOU MEAN O’CONNER? SHE CAN TAKE CARE OF HERSELF MAN! I WAS… I WAS JUST ABOUT TO GE GET HER…” He says.

“Liar. The female is there.” Say points towards where he left Dhm’Ni to follow the female. He hoped the Dhm’Ni didn’t do something stupid like leave her, or take her skull. If he did either Sya would kill him for disobeying a direct order. Khupiees son or not! “And you were heading the opposite direction. Isn’t that right Ooman?” The male didn’t move. He just stared right into Sya mask. “I will give you one chance, Ooman. To take you own life, to keep what honor you have left.” With that Sya turned the spear in his hand over and offered it to the male hilt first. In a fast move the Ooman took the spear, but he didn’t use it on himself.

“THAT WAS A VERY STUPID THING TO DO!” The male yelled out.

“Oh was it?” Sya teases. He knew that male you do something like this. They didn’t have the honor to take there own life. The Ooman lunged at Sya with the spear, but Sya countered with this arm. He grabbed the Oomans hand that did not have the spear, twisted it behind his back, and then grabbed the other one. “This is you punishment you filthy Ooman.” Sya bends down and whispers into his ear. “You pathetic males have no honor, you abandon a female like she is nothing. You rape, you disrespect, and you damage them beyond repair and for what? To reassure yourselves that you are better then them? They are life givers, the ones to bring others into the world and yet you still defile them. You abandon them. So your punishment is this. With you own hand,“ Sya takes the males hand that held the spear and brought it to his neck. “You will take your life. And in your last breath,“ Slowly Sya pushes the Oomans hand, causing the spear to enter his neck. “You will know that you died because of you actions or should I say inactions towards a female.” Sya leisurely carries the males hand across his own neck. The blood drained from his open wound, his tendons exposed to the hot air. All that came from him was a gurgling sound as the spear punctured his esophagus, his larynx and his trachea. Say rumbled as he watched the male struggle, the gratification he received when taking the life of a male who had done a female wrong was like nothing he has even felt. That was one major reason why he became an Arbitrator. The body of the Ooman fell limp and Sya just let it fall to the floor. He looked down to his kill. Blood poured out of its neck into the roof top, making a large pool of red and Sya loved it.

Then he remembered that earlier he had cut off Lord Khupiee and he was going to be mad! With a little hesitation Sya brought up his arm and contacted Lord Khupiee.

“Are you done what ever game you are playing with us Sya because it is getting very tiresome!” Khupiee clicks a little teasingly. Lord Khupiee didn’t believe that Sya was hunting an Ooman, he thought he was just kidding around but when he actually cut off the COM-link Lord Khupiee grew suspicious. Perhaps he is hunting an Ooman. Maybe something in him finally snapped back to reality and he hunted one that he thought to be worthy.

“I play no games Khupiee, just handing out a little justice to a deserving Ooman male.” Sya clicks. Hiding just enough information from Lord Khupiee.

“And just what is that supposed to mean?” He questions.

“Perhaps another time Khupiee, what was that you contacted me with before?” Sya changes the subject quickly. Lord Khupiee thrills at Sya, he always thought it was funny how skilled he was a changing the subject of a conversation. Once, Sya actually stopped a clan war by switching the conversation from hunting rights to females. It was a beautiful triumph, steering away from war was even better when females are brought into it.

“Did you watch the video Ykas’e sent? Or where you to busy?” He teases.

“Video?” Then Sya noticed that his control panel had been beeping, he just never noticed before. “One moment.” He says before activating the video. What he saw was unbelievable! The female actually killing a Hard Meat with her hands! Sya could only laugh as he watched it.

“What is so funny Sya? And why did you send Dhm’Ni to follow her?” Lord Khupiee asks. He really wanted to know why his son was following a pathetic, well…ok this one is not so pathetic, female when there are still a few Hard Meats around.

“It was his proposal Khupiee. He ingeniously thought that the Hard Meats would be attracted to the Oomans, and that then when they were over taken by them, we would then take them all out. But as you can see we haven’t needed to get involved yet. Amazing isn’t she?” Sya asks slyly. Lord Khupiee only grunts. True what she had done was an amazing thing and it was unbelievable that the Ooman survived so long but what does Sya care? He couldn’t possible want to take the Ooman female as a pet or servant? Taking an Ooman as either became outlawed almost a millennia ago. And he is not allowed to take her to experiment on her. It was both illegal to do so and Sya morals would never allow him to do such a thing.

“What of it Sya?” lord Khupiee asks.

“Oh…nothing.” Sya clicks sarcastically.

“SYA!” Lord Khupiee barks.

“I would just hate to see her fall by the hands of a Hard Meat. Or by ours.” Sya adds quickly. Lord Khupiee knew what he was asking. Sya didn’t want her to be hunted, at least not today. After a moment of silence Lord Khupiee finally gave in.

“Fine.” Lord Khupiee barks. Sya smiled big when he heard him. Maybe the female will survive this ordeal. And maybe he could comeback one day and find her to watch. His heart began to race at just thinking about getting back to his studies. It had been ages sense his last voyage to an Ooman world. Maybe lord Khupiee would even allow him to stay here, with small ship of course, and stay to watch the female. And then a horrible thought dawned on him. By now this video made its way through the ship and all those on it will probably be begging to hunt her. Maybe he should stay to protect her? Either way he would have to ask Lord Khupiee when the hunt and the celebration was done.

“What of the others?” Sya asks. Again covertly changing the subject.

“The others are finished with there tasks. They have decided to bring in the Queen. And because she will most likely call for her remaining drones, we will meet the other groups back at the DropShip and wait for her drones to come to us.” Sya agreed with the plan but then he thought of Dhm’Ni.

“Should you tell Dhm’Ni or should I? I am heading back to him now.” Sya chirps.

“If you are heading to him, you may. But leave the Ooman be. If she finds we are here we will have to kill her Sya, so don’t be stupid.” Lord Khupiee warns him.

“Me? Stupid? Even the thought of me being stupid! HA!” Sya says sarcastically while making his way down the building he killed the male on.

“I am assuming that you understand Sya?” Lord Khupiee asks and gets a grunt as an answer. “Good. Then I shall see you and Dhm’Ni at the DropShip.” Lord Khupiee ends the link. Perhaps Lord Khupiee won’t like Sya stay now. He didn’t seem too pleased when he told him to stay away from the female. But Sya didn’t need to be warned of that, he knows how to hide among the Oomans so that he is not seen. When Sya finally reached the ground from the high building he searches from Dhm’Ni near where he left him but he was not there anymore. Franticly Sya searched for him, he couldn’t even fathom how Lord Khupiee would react if his youngest, and lets just say favored, son died here. But then there he was, running behind the still alive female. Sya was relieved that she was still alive and of course Dhm’Ni. With a deep breath Sya started towards the running Yautja and Ooman.

~

O’Conner set a pace that she had never seen before. She had already passed the training ground with out meeting anymore devils and was really close to the hospital. Her breath was starting to become labored and her muscles had begun to pulse with pain but she pushed past it. She only had thirty three minutes to get out of here, plenty of time by her count. After she looked to her watch she finally realized that in all of ten minuets her entire life fell into shambles. She lost her men, her friends, the love of her life and here she was…running away when she have stayed with Allen. NO! She can’t think like that! She needs to get out for Allen, it was his last wish. And so she would run for him. If it were even possible she picked up speed, her legs still burned, yelling at her to slow down but she wouldn’t. Her French braded hair flew behind her like a dark strawberry-blond vail. With every step she took her pack jumped with her, flying up then crashing down on her back. She takes a deep breath in and holds it in, she can hear her foot steps as they hit the gravel, but she can heard someone else’s too. They were heavy and hard, they didn’t even sound like persons foot steps they were so off. But then again this was probably Secret Service, they weren’t built like normal people, they were either gigantic or tiny depending on there profession. A long time ago they came to O’Conner and offered her a job, but it was something that she would never be, a sniper. Her shot was as good as any other, maybe even better but that didn’t mean that she should go around taking lives like the rest of them did. In mid thought she saw the hospital. There it was…right there! Now she can get out of here and go home! As she made her way past the front of the hospital to go around to the jumper pad, she still, somewhere deep inside, wished that she could stay and die with Allen. But she promised. She always kept her promises. Skidding into a stop in front of the jumper pad O’Conner couldn’t believe what she saw…or didn’t see. She fell to her knees as it sunk in. There in front of her was an empty jumper pad.

Authors Note: Current Pronunciations. (Past are on chapters 3 & 4)

Ni’Atne Ni-At-Knee

Okay…let me get this out of the way now! I know that in the movies and book that the Predator has infrared vision without its mask on, however I thoroughly disagree with that. As I said before I have brought it elements from the movies and all, but that is one that I have NOT brought in and here is my reasoning, but before I say, I would like to ask that those who disagree with me can send me a PRIVATE message with their argument, I love a good debate. Okay…because we only have this world to go on, and because life itself depends on the delicate balance of sun light and the elements like oxygen and hydrogen etc, I have ‘decided’ that the Predator vision is much like ours. If they did in fact have infrared vision than that would make us speculate that their world has either little or no sun light. It has been proven that creatures that live with out sun light either evolves to have no eyes and their other senses like hearing and smelling are much better, or they develop over sensitive eyes. Now, conceivably they could evolve into seeing infrared, but that has yet to be proven. And IF the Predator world did have little or no sun light then that would mean that there planet is either an extreme distance away from a sun or has some type of blockage, like a thick cloud that doesn’t allow sunlight through, BUT they are prone to cold, they prefer a hotter climate which would mean that they live in a hotter world. See where I’m going? The farther the sun the colder, if the sun light and heat is blocked by a thick cloud it would also block heat. And so there is my reasoning!!! TADA!!!