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The Fighting Irish: Catalyst and the Dtai'kai'rish	By : girlyhero Category: M through R > Predator Views: 4378 -:- Recommendations : 0 -:- Currently Reading : 0
Disclaimer: I do not own nor profit from Predator, Alien Vs. Predator, Alien franchises.

Chapter List
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OKAY SO EITHER SOMETHING HAPPENED AND A CHAPTER WAS DELETED OR I NEVER POSTED THIS CHAPTER. THIS MAY CLEAR UP SOME CONFUSION. SORRY GUYS.
I've gotten back into the game for a second time. I had a death in the family and I was having trouble dealing with it because it was someone who secretly was reading this story and was drawing characters and everything and it was hard to come back to this story because of the sentiments and knowing she liked it so much and how much I had wished I'd known... but she would have wanted me to keep it up and I knew that it's just hard. So if I'm slow bare with me because of the now sentimental value of this story. I've also started another story and have been playing with the idea of an interesting crossover, just don't know what the reception would be like. If any of you have seen Revolutionary Girl Utena, then tell me on the forums if a crossover of that setting/scenario with THESE PREDATORS sounds intriguing. Thanks much. Again sorry if I jumped completely over this chapter.
P.S. It still has the coding written in it. I am not taking it out so if it shows up, deal. Not trying to be a dick, but I'm betting yall would rather me be busy writing the story than spending a handful of hours picking out <>'s.

Chapter Seven: Neyen'ku


Jesse entered the room quietly, not wanting to awaken Naranarti. Denarde had pulled her out of cryo an hour ago. While they were fine out of it, the food she had eaten was merely fruit, and they did not have much. What was left were strange meats, but Naranarti did not have anything to cook them with, not properly at least. Mhrende and Denarde insisted it was unwise if she ate raw meat and suggested she spend the rest of her time in cryo until they were closer to the Clan ship. After a quick bath, she'd come to get dressed. She dug through her bag for her jeans and slid them on. She pulled her tank-top and gave it a quick smell. "Ick," she gagged. She had been soaked in her own sweat for who knew how long in the shirt. She quickly pulled it off and looked inside for something else. There wasn't much except the bikini top, but she felt mildly embarrassed. There was the dress, though. She started to pull her jeans off when she heard a purring and felt Naranarti wrap his arms around her, his hands finding her breasts.


A small moan escaped her throat, "Nara." Her whole body shivered as he massaged her nipples into hardening. "I was trying to find something to wear."


"Why wear anything at all?" He released her so she could turn and face him. She kissed his neck as he laid her on the floor where she was sitting. "I've missed you," he whispered as their sexes met.

*****


Naranarti's ship settled in the bay of the Neyen'ku Clanship. Nanaiyude looked behind him and gave the subordinates a nod; they immediately took off out of sight. He walked up to the ship's loading ramp as it came down. Yekita and Denarde were first to exit, Denarde yelling obscenities at the Elite for who-knows-what reason, claiming incompetence and idiocy. Mhrende followed with an odd bag in his hands. Upon seeing the Leader, he bowed and smiled. Mhrende leapt from the ramp to clear a path. And considering that, Mhrende approached the older male.


"[Honored N'yaka Ba'kev'thei Nanaiyude,]" Mhrende addressed him, "[Arbitrator Naranarti wishes to inquire if the hallways have been cleared for their arrival.]"


He nodded. "[They have,]" he walked past Mhrende to the foot of the ramp. "[I don't know why you are so concerned, Naranarti. The hunters are more curious than irritated about your ooman female...]" His voice trailed off when he saw her. She was gripped onto Naranarti's arm like a scared child, wearing the breathing mask of one ironically enough. She was wearing a very long dress that shimmered in the light, her hair draped over one shoulder purposefully. It was red hair like he'd never seen, not the color he'd remembered (but then again, the communication screens muted colors). He was humored how similar her hair color was to Mhrende's though, and their hair style for that matter. Her eyes were captivating and were what silenced him.


Naranarti led Jesse down the ramp. She had been complaining of nervousness and refused to eat anything for fear of vomiting. Her fingers were digging into his lower arm indicating her anxiety. "[I know,]" he replied. "[And that is what worries me. I don't need them overwhelming her.]"


"It's been a hell-of-a-day," she mumbled as she read the mini-screen of her translator.


Nanaiyude made a chirp very dissimilar to Mhrende's, deeper but still inquisitive. He hadn't noticed the little clip-on devise until she was closer. He blushed slightly, green rushing over his muted, pale skin. He should never have dropped his manners, especially knowing how his son viewed her. He knew Naranarti didn't have the capacity to keep a slave-- maybe a pet, but she was his mate. He's too much like me, Nanaiyude thought, too much compassion and not enough cut away from the heart. At least he left the apathy behind. He grabbed his own micro-screen and pressed the suction to the left side of his temple. He hadn't spoken any Ooman language in so long, he didn't even know where to begin even grammatically.




"Oh?! You're fine," she said, the nervousness tickling her into word-vomit rather than physical illness. "I was just saying that I had enough excitement for the day. In fact enough to cover the rest of the year." She laughed to cover her anxious feelings.


Naranarti traced a claw over her shoulders. He knew she was talking about the incident on the ship. She was still embarrassed about it, though he assured her she need not be. Between getting shot, the almost-fight over mating, the blood and the trophies, she was probably ready to lock herself away in his quarters. Though, her curious nature wouldn't likely allow that.


"Was your journey less than pleasant?" Nanaiyude eyed his son questioningly, though he was asking her.


"The trip was good; no, it's just...stuff..." Jesse answered feeling awkward. "Human stuff, I guess." She blushed. Nanaiyude saw her skin change shades, and his eyes grew from surprise. Jesse became very aware of herself, and sought to change the subject. "So, you are Nara's father?"


Now Naranarti was mildly embarassed. Bad etiquette seemed to run in the family. "Jess'si, this is the Clan's Elite Leader, Elder Nanaiyude. My sire."


So formal, she thought with a smirk. "I am very honored to finally meet you."


"As am I," he replied bowing his head.


Finally stepping off the ramp, Jesse was almost overwhelmed at how large Nanaiyude was. She accidently expressed her shock with a soft gasp. Naranarti was shorter than Yekita by almost a head, but Nanaiyude towered over both by at least two feet. The subtle differences between father and son suddenly became extraordinary to her, unaware that they were actually just alike. She let go of Naranarti's arm and looked about the hanger. It was extremely large, twelve other ships similar to Naranarti's surrounding them. At the far end of the hanger was a wide corridor. At first glimpse, she hadn't expected the Clan ship to be so gargantuan. But when you peer at an object in empty space with nothing to compare it to, all perspective is lost. The ship could have just as easily been the size of Jupiter or small enough to fit in her hand.


On the way to the corridor, Nanaiyude and Naranarti discussed the others. "Did Denarde find what he was looking for?"


Naranarti trilled. "Yes, but then there was Yekita."


"He lost his research in the crash?"


"Explosion," he corrected. "And yes, he lost most of it, but apparently, it was progressive. He said he could make do with what he had, but he's not going to forgive Yekita anytime soon."


"Neither is S'esutuhn," Nanaiyude grumbled. "She wants your report and to know if you'll be enforcing disciplinary action on him."


"Of course not! Yes, he fucked up, and I could pull his rank, but he has so many damn students in his care. He's a better asset to the Clan as an Elite--incompetent as he is as a pilot-- than a start-over-subordinate." Naranarti paused and stared at the corridor opening.


Jesse took notice and looked. Standing with Yekita and Denarde was a tall female Yautja. Her hair was gold and red with large wooden circlets holding it back in five tails. It wasn't dreaded like the others giving Jesse curious notions-- how did their hair grow in the different forms. Her skin tone was the same as Mhrende's, rust with bright red speckles. The female was voluptuous, but the muscle-tone over her shoulders and legs was rock solid. She wore a bright blue wrap-around that started behind her neck, crossed over her chest, went around to the back and came to front once more to tie just under her solar plexus. A gold ring was looped through the cross-over between her breasts with a small skull dangling from another ringlet. A stola in the same color hung over her shoulder loosely. Her sarong was dark red and translucent, the leather thong just visible underneath. Jesse didn't know what she had expected of their females; she hadn't given too much thought to their appearance.


"I thought I said 'completely clear'?" Naranarti hissed. He watched Yari'mso walk to meet them half-way. There was a static in the air. Naranarti admired Yari'mso, but she was almost as unpredictable as his mother. One of two things could happen when one meets Yari'mso for the first time: she either really likes you or she really hates you. Though there was little to no reason why she would dislike Jesse, the uncertainty was still there.


"You try telling Yari'mso to stay put. I like have my eyes fixed inside of my skull, you know," Nanaiyude retorted. "When she decides she wants something, dare I say, Paya gives second thought at stopping her."


"Blasphemy doesn't suit you, Elder," Yari'mso called to them. She had a keen sense of hearing compared to most. It helped her gather information from afar, her specialty a mild form of extortion, another reason Naranarti was put off by her.


Jesse started to breathe heavy as Yari'mso stopped in front of them. She could feel her ears burning as she looked Yari'mso over trying to fill her curiosity as best she could. Her nervousness grew when she realized how tense Naranarti was. If this was Yari'mso, Mhrende's mother, then she shouldn't have anything to worry about from what she had heard of her. Now, she was unsure, though.


"So, Arbitrator, this is your Ooman," Yari'mso cocked her head to the side as she watched Jesse boldly inspect her. She could play that game, too. "She's very interesting... visually; can't say anything about a personality you've not experienced." She looked at Jesse and addressed her noticing the translator. "Don't you think?"


Jesse knew nothing else to do but answer her as she would anyone else. "True. I hope we would be able to get to know one another soon, though." And then the word-vomit started. "I mean, I feel like I'm imposing on everyone just by being here; making everyone disappear so I can hurry to a room. It's a big transition for me, and I don't want anyone to be forced to adjust to me, but I have an idea that Nara is going to enforce it anyway. There's so much I need to understand before I'm remotely sociable, I'm sure. I'm sorry, it's you are the first female of your people I've laid eyes on, and frankly, I don't why he chased after me with a beautiful woman like you here."


Naranarti's head jerked as he looked at his mate in confusion.


Yari'mso could understand most of what Jesse said (she was talking very fast). It wasn't often she dealt with the ooman languages on casual conversations. She patrolled technical chatter from many beings in the Universe, she determined how "secret" their race was and if it was in their best interest to hunt in certain regions of a planet or if they needed to switch up prey for the season. But with Mhrende wanting to practice Ing'lish with her, she at least picked up the gist of her rambling. "Oh, I think you're quite sociable," Yari'mso commented in mixed English and Yautja. "And--there's a phrase...you are such a doll. And I mean that. But please, I am not a template for our females; I'm extremely different from the others around here. I am flattered, though."


"Thank you," Jesse said in blushing relief-- Naranarti relaxing fueling most of the relief. "I'm very nervous if you can't tell."


"I understand," she nodded and looked to Naranarti. "But I'm sure you have little to worry about. You're very safe with the Arbitrator." She looked to Nanaiyude. "I hate to break the three of you up, but I must speak with the Elder."


Nanaiyude nodded at his son saying he would meet them at the suite, and Naranarti started to lead Jesse away. Yari'mso reached out and took hold of Jesse's shoulder and gave it a gentle shake. She was caught off guard and didn't know what to do about the motion, but Yari'mso's expression was soft and pleasant like when Mhrende looks at her. She smiled at her and continued on. She noticed that Naranarti was now beaming. She waited until they had entered the corridor passing Denarde and Yekita, the latter joining them, before she asked Naranarti what the shoulder-shaking was.


"It's a formal greeting between Yautja," he said in a pleasant tone, "She basically welcomed you to the Clan."


Naranarti had taken her to an elevator. While in there, he ordered Yekita to go ahead of them and make sure that the halls were clear. The trip through the hallways held an upset air as they walked down them to their destination. They would pass smaller hallways crowded with Yautja leaning as close as they could get away with to sneak a look at Naranarti's guest. Occasionally, Naranarti would yank Jesse to the opposite side of him and growl or hiss maliciously at a large group of males crossing the lines. Jesse wasn't frightened in the least, shockingly. She was interested in the reactions of the others. The frontlines of the groups would immediately back away, look away and bow their heads. Few hissed or growled back, and when they did, they retracted quickly by escaping through the crowd. She recognized the pack-mentality, and her gears turned as she started to categorize best of what she saw. In all packs, there was an Alpha male and an Alpha female, Betas falling down on both sides from there. Usually, one of the Alphas was the Ultimate Alpha, but it seemed that when logic was added to the pack mentality, they found the need for an unbiased Ultimate Alpha, an Arbitrator, Naranarti. Considering how they walked as equals, yet he took orders from Naranarti, Nanaiyude was the Alpha male. Yari'mso, since she was not the Matron but kept Naranarti on edge, must have been a Beta female. The mass population of them might blur the lines between Betas and even Omegas. She was interested to learn their social structure in better detail.


He led her through different areas explaining where they were and had been. The hanger was on the first level. The elevator had taken them to the third level of the ship, the primary living quarters. Immediately out of the elevator, they faced the Matron's suite and the other females' apartments. What literally translated to "Parliament Assembly" was to their right; once it had been a recreational hall before Naranarti was born, but when the war started and females required living area on the ship, it was converted for political meetings and war-games. Leaving from the elevators, on their right were private quarters. After the females' quarters, Naranarti pointed out the homes of those she already knew. First was Yekita's suite, then Nanaiyude's. To their left, where they encountered most of the other males, were two large rooms, one he called "The Pit" and the other was apartments for "blooded" hunters. Jesse didn't understand what it meant to be blooded, but he explained the difference between the Pit and the apartments. The Pit was a fully open room meant for "unblooded" hunters and subordinates to live. It was large enough and their clan small enough though that they had privacy. The young bloods even built up a small recreational area in it. The apartments had temporary walls for the blooded hunters to live in greater privacy. Naranarti suggested she never go in either two rooms without at least Yekita or his father with her.


The hall went in a curved direction around the two large spaces. After some of the apartments, there was a large area that reminded Jesse of Oriental bath houses with a bit extra tech. Indeed, it was a public bath house. Naranarti's suite had a private wash room, however, so the likelihood of her ever needing to go in there was slim. Again, more apartments lay beyond the bath house, and finally they arrived at Naranarti's suite, an open entryway to the Pit directly in front of it.


"My living quarters are much larger than the other apartments," he commented, though he stared into the Pit and not at her. He watched the cluster of males as they gawked at Jesse, his claws balling into fists. "I can barely fill the rooms, so you will be very accommodated and may fill the space as you see fit—I generally don’t care about decoration, so you can spend as much time on that as you like, also. I do ask you tell before when you move something,” he paused as she said she’d ask first either way, “Just be careful of anything sharp. Do you want your own separate bed or do you wish to sleep in mine?"


"I'd like to sleep with you, if you don't mind," she replied. She waved at Yekita who was leaning against Naranarti's door waiting for them. Yekita seemed to become agitated by the motion, however, and she quickly stopped uncertain of herself.


"[What was that?]" Yekita asked Naranarti in a low voice.


"Calm the fuck down," Naranarti answered in a volume loud enough for Jesse's translator to catch it. "She was greeting you."


"Oh..."


Jesse stood waiting for Naranarti to turn off the electronic "dead-bolt" lock to his suite, when she heard a sound behind her and then a startled hiss. Before she could even turn about, Yekita grabbed her by the arm and slung her into Naranarti, being closer to the action than the Arbitrator. Yekita faced the danger and snarled at a male a bit shorter than he was. The other hunter said something that Jesse had not caught on her translator, and the two calmed. The other Yautja looked at Naranarti and bowed his head.


"I am sorry, [Mei-hswei]," he said, calling Naranarti "brother." He was slightly taller than Naranarti. His skin was mossy green with black spots spread across him. His hair was black, and his eyes were a dark brown with a yellow sheen to them. He wore a gray wrap and kilt with an X-strap across his chest. In the center of the X was a medallion with a strange symbol gleaming in the light. Pieces of bone-- skull more particularly-- were strapped to his shoulder and bicep, puzzle pieces wrapped strategically to recreate the skull's shape. "I did not expect anyone to be out here-- I was surprised," he explained his reaction to them. His eyes returned to Jesse.


"You are forgiven," Naranarti nodded at him. "I did not expect you to have returned so soon."


"The hunt went much faster than expected," he tilted his head while staring at Jesse. "I heard odd talk about an Ooman female coming here with you...I didn't expect her to be living."


Jesse blushed and looked away from the male nervously. It was a rather morbid thing to say, and she wasn't sure how to take it.


Naranarti's eyes narrowed and his growled. "You offend Jess'si'deinz, Hy'kgrel."


The name to Hy'kgrel was familiar. He generally gave no heed to rumors concerning Naranarti, and thus immediately dismissed the silly ones about Naranarti pining over an Ooman female named Jess'si'deinz. She actually existed, though. The curious looking being had managed to captivate their Arbitrator's thoughts for the past several seasons, and he was having trouble wrapping his brain around it. "I didn't intend to," he replied. "I merely misunderstood what was being said around the ship."


"It's fine," Jesse said.


And she speaks freely? Hy'kgrel thought. Her scent was intriguing, too.


"I expect you to give her the same respect as you give me," Naranarti said sternly watching him bow his head in compliance. He looked to Jesse, "This is Hy'kgrel. He is the brother to my sister, though we treat one another as close relation."


Jesse smiled. "Sounds like what we call a step-brother," she said softly to herself. "It's good to meet you, Hai-kwill... oh, god, did I really just say that?!"


"Umm..." Hy'kgrel made a soft noise of mild shock. Internally, he knew she meant no offence-- mainly, because it is such as odd thing to call someone-- but he felt mortified and flushed greener than his natural color. Yekita's hysterical laughter didn't help any. "My name... is pronounced Hik-kgggr-ell."


Jesse's brow creased and she frowned in mild distress. Her scent changed to suit. "I am so sorry. I don't think I have the vocal cords to even begin to say your name properly." She looked about nervously, seeing Yekita laughing and making Hy'kgrel's embarrassment more obvious. Naranarti's talon tracing her back grabbed her attention. "I'm really tired. I should go rest… and not be here right now…"



Naranarti opened his suite door and pushed her gently on the back through the doorway. "I will be in shortly," he told her.


Yekita's laughter softened. "Guess we know what your new nickname is going to be--"


"I will kill you," Hy'kgrel growled low at the other Elite.


"Yekita," Naranarti ordered, "See to Jesse." He waited until he and Hy'kgrel were alone in the hallway before continuing.


Yekita closed the door behind him, trills echoing in his throat. "I can't believe you called him that," he commented.


Jesse found her way to a large couch and fell face forward onto it. She buried her face into the cushion. "I know," she sobbed. "What the fuck is wrong with me?!"


Yekita didn't quite understand her, but he picked up the distress in her scent. He watched her silently as she sobbed and spoke into the cushion.


"I didn't have to say his name-- I could have just said 'Good to meet you!' but instead, I try to say his name, knowing damn well I can't! I'm so stupid! I just wanted to be with Naranarti. I felt safe with him. I didn't want to fuck up his or yours or anyone's lives by showing up unannounced and out of the blue!" She lifted her head and yelled, "And the first thing I do when I meet his brother is call him such a horrible, mean name!"


"It wasn't horrible or mean," Yekita replied. "It was funny and mildly humiliating to him, but he'll get over it." That didn't seem to help any. He didn’t understand why she was so distraught. The only ripple in the water was a mispronunciation issue that didn’t even need that much resolving. Yekita, however, didn’t understand what it was like to want to integrate into a people he had never really known. Anytime he ever came in contact with other beings, he gave little care about their cultures and customs. Jesse was trying to play it with a delicate hand, but her fears were getting the better of her—she hadn’t shattered a thing…yet. "Hey, let me show you around Naranarti's apartment," he suggested. He helped her from the couch and led her to the other rooms. The bedroom was quite large, almost the size of his entire captain's quarters. A large bed was the center piece reminding her of mildly of modern Swedish interior decorating. Catching her attention was a wall of black and gray storage drawers arranged in a pattern. Other than that, it was the only decoration in the room. Yekita pointed out the wash room and then the room that Naranarti must have been speaking of earlier. The room was nearly empty except for a few storage containers and some weapons that looked unused for a long time. Yekita almost opened the trophy room, but grew and brain and decided against it. “You know, I bet he’ll want to show this room off himself,” he said.


The main living space was large with several couches and chaise arranged in a semi-circle. Jesse hadn’t paid attention when she’d entered, merely looking for a place to hide herself away for the moment. The walls were decorated with odd items and skulls, which she expected. Near the door was a panel of electrical keys and lights, similar ones next to all the doors but smaller. On the tables were small consoles, some strategically hidden by objects either decorative or useful. As for organization, Jesse had to smirk at his typical-guy-approach to decorating. Here’s a space—I’ll put it here! As her gaze came back to the seating arrangement, she saw what the semi-circle was open to. A tall, wide mantle jutted from the wall. Above it, a nasty Queen’s head seemed to hiss at all guests as though she was angry at the attention she was getting. It wasn’t even the Queen that Jesse cared about, though. Below the black banshee were two familiar pieces, trophies she hadn’t seen in four years.


Yekita watched Jesse approach the mantle. He was ready to tell her about the prized Queen, when he realized she didn’t even give two-shits about it. Yekita didn’t know much as to how Naranarti met Jesse; only that it was from a hunt, and that Mhrende was familiar with her too. He was unaware that she had known the head on the mantle also.


Jesse stared into the hollow sockets of the Hish skull. The skull was smooth and white, but her brain started to mold skin back over it, careful of the odd design the forehead held in comparison to a Yautja. Under the ridges of the forehead, the green and yellow dreadlocks had been glued into place and preserved with a clear-coat sealant. The red and black skin enclosed the skull completely in her mind, but she stopped herself from remembering the eyes. She looked away to stop herself and studied the other trophy. It was an odd trophy, a preserved hand standing nearly ten inches tall by the wrist on a metal plate that had been polished with some type of corrosive material to make it shine blue, violet, and red in the light. Sitting in the palm was a red flower, the stem balanced between two fingers. Its once-toxic needle-like petals had been clear-coated, the dried neurotoxin no longer dangerous underneath the plastic. The skin of the hand proved she remembered well what he had once looked like, matching exactly what her dreams had produced for her terror’s pleasure. She took hold of the metal plate and pulled it from the mantle.


”Uh, I don’t think you should be messing with those,” Yekita said. She either ignored him or didn’t hear him because she continued holding the arm. “I mean, I don’t know how Naranarti would feel if you broke them…oh, shit,” when the door opened and Naranarti and Hy’kgrel entered, Yekita stuttered.


Naranarti caught only about what he’d think if something were broken and looked up with mild dread. When he saw Jesse by the mantle, he calmed. “She can do what she wants with it,” he said to Yekita, “It’s her trophy.”


Hy’kgrel looked from Yekita to Jesse with intrigue. She has a trophy? he inquired silently.


Naranarti’s voice had caught Jesse’s attention, and she looked up. She placed the hand back onto the mantle. “It didn’t even occur to me that you would keep these,” she said in a soft voice. It was almost a strain to speak while she remembered more in depth about that day four years ago. “You said the hand is my trophy?”


”You cut it off him,” he replied. “Remember?”


She smiled sheepishly and took a seat where she had originally thrown herself. Naranarti walked behind the couch and placed a hand on her shoulder reassuringly. Hy’kgrel took a distant seat away from Jesse and watched the two curiously. It was Yekita who started babbling.


“What is this new investigation about, Naranarti,” he asked blatantly.


Naranarti rolled his eyes, Of course you would bring that up! “It doesn’t concern you,” he looked at Hy’kgrel who nodded at him, “Either of you, but I am sad to say that the investigation needs to start as soon as possible. I won’t be able to get you completely settled in, Jess’si.”


”I understand,” Jesse nodded. “I’m sure I’ll be fine. Arbitrators have a lot of work to do—“


Hy’kgrel trilled lightly; he couldn’t help it. In a normal Clan with a population of six hundred to a thousand or more, an Arbitrator would be busy keeping order and investigating crimes and sorting out issues and disputes, but in their measly population of almost-four hundred, Naranarti took work out of boredom. “Sorry,” he apologized to his “step-brother.”


Naranarti sighed. He didn’t even take offense, considering the irony of what he had said. “Why? It’s not often that I have work suitable to the job description. It’s been a long while since I’ve done anything concerning our Clan; everything else comes from the L’uxa.” He looked down at Jesse and spoke to her more directly, “Naniyude and Denarde will be by shortly if you need anything while I’m away.”


“I’m right next door, too,” Hy’kgrel offered to Naranarti’s surprise.


“How do you suppose I should address you, since, well… you know?” Jesse asked considering the difficulty she may have not being able to say his name properly. “I’d rather not call you what I did again.”


Yekita triled. “I’ll call him that again—”


“Shut your face,” Hy’kgrel said in a fast biting hiss, then returned his attention to Jesse. “If you can think up a good nickname instead, you can call me that. I guess in the meantime, you can address me as ‘Ne’kev’thei’?” He looked to Naranarti for approval and received such in a nod. When he noticed that she was confused by her translator as to which word he meant, he repeated it for her.


“Elite. Ne-kev-thay, Ne’kev’thei-- am I saying it right?” She asked, and Hy’kgrel nodded in response. He had suspected it when she excused herself from the hallway and Naranarti confirmed it, but she was more embarrassed by what she had said then he was. This gave him a better opinion of her.


”I like Hai-kwill better,” Yekita commented.


Before Hy’kgrel could growl or hiss his irritation, Jesse twisted to look back at him and said sternly, “Yekita, stop it!”


“Sorry, Jess’si’deinz,” Yekita said very quickly.


The room was silent and not because there was little more to say. Naranarti and Hy’kgrel looked from Jesse to Yekita in mild astonishment. Maybe it was that Yekita was used to taking orders from females, maybe it was that he had been threatened earlier to do the same, but Yekita had apologized to Jesse—an Ooman—on a demand from her. It had taken Yekita a second to realize what had happened. A part of him was furious that she had spoken to him so harshly; Naranarti’s mate or not, she was only an Ooman, lesser than a Yautja—only higher than the Eta because Oomans are worthy prey in general. But that part of him wasn’t even significant enough to change his scent; the rest of him knew he was being a dick and deserved no less than to be chewed out by any otherworldly being. It was just as odd feeling…


A tapping at the door broke their silence. When Naranarti called for him to enter, Nanaiyude walked in and gave a fast glance at Hy’kgrel and Yekita. “You two may want to leave, especially you, Yekita.” He looked over to Naranarti and Jesse. “S’esutuhn is on her way.”


That sentence cleared the room faster than screaming “Fire!” could ever do. Hy’kgrel flipped himself over the couch and was pushed aside from the door by Yekita so he could exit first. Nanaiyude stepped further inside and took a place against the wall near the trophy-room door. He sighed and shook his head. Here’s when all the fun starts…


Naranarti came around the couch as Jesse stood up. “I hadn’t intended on the two of you meeting so soon,” he said. “But maybe it’s best we get it out of the way.”


”This is your mother, right,” she asked.


”[Sei-i,]” he nodded.


Jesse brushed her hands over her dress to straighten any new creases—damn silk, and then she combed her hair back from her face with her fingers. She put on a soft smile and took a deep breath from inside her breather. This was the equivalent to meeting the in-laws, but surely the stereotypes were different considering there was no matrimony, and it was the females who carried the importance in their society. The visit was probably more of a “let’s see what this human looks like” kind of visit than a “who is my son fucking this time” venture. How bad could it be?


”Are you alright for this? I can send her away—it’s just—it’d cause problems later if I did,” Naranarti told her.


”No, I’m fine. The last thing I want to do is cause issues, you know that,” Jesse replied touching Naranarti’s arm. “Besides, how bad could it be? What’s the likelihood that she’ll outright hate me when we first meet?” She had meant it jokingly to assure herself.


She didn’t expect an answer. “Pretty damn likely,” Nanaiyude mumbled. He didn’t expect the translator to pick up his low volume, but apparently, it did.


Jesse’s shoulders slumped and she sat back on the couch in defeat. Her smile faded into a frown of dread, and she glanced up at Naranarti for any last hope.


Naranarti hissed at his father in irritation for giving her such an answer (Nanaiyude could only shrug; it was the truth, and it wasn’t as though they needed to get her hopes up). “Don’t listen to him,” he said to Jesse. “S’esutuhn is only coming to see you with her own eyes. She’s judgmental, but she’s like that with everyone. Let her look you over, say what she has to say, and then she’ll leave, and you probably won’t have any more contact with her for a long while…just don’t say anything. Even, if she speaks to you, don’t speak to her back.”


”You were doing good there for a minute,” she said in an annoyed voice. “Until you started with the whole ‘no-talking’ spiel.”


Naranarti didn’t know what a ‘spiel’ was. “What’s a—nevermind. Think of it like this: you’re less likely to offend her if you don’t give her any ground to be offended on,” he paused and finished his thoughts in French. “This is where that whole thing about being my ‘property’ comes into play—there’s a benefit to it, I promise. And I swear to you, if she hits you, her head will be on that mantle next to Ulij, okay?”


Jesse’s eyes widened. “There’s a risk of her hitting me?!”


”No! She’s not going to hit you!” Nanaiyude said, able to understand Jesse though not his son. “She wouldn’t hit you—not today.”


”And yet again…” Jesse mumbled in dismay. Naranarti reached under her arms and pulled her gently to her feet. “I’m not long for this world, am I?”


He misunderstood the phrase, “Ignore her if she says anything about your stature. I like your height,” she traced the back of a talon along her face.


Since he’d mentioned it, Nanaiyude realized Jesse wasn’t much shorter than Mhrende, maybe by a palm’s length or so. Considering how well Mhrende was doing in their Clan, his gears started working with new ideas. Naranarti had told him about their first meeting. She’d survived an attack by Hish without the slightest amount of training. What could she survive with training?


Jesse smiled. It was a silly thing to say, and it took her a moment to even understand why he would bring it up. I’m not long for this world, I’m too short for it. Her smile quickly fell into a serious stare when a loud knock echoed from the door frame. Naranarti led Jesse out from around the couch and in between Nanaiyude and the door. “And don’t look her directly in the eyes,” he said remembering how Oomans actually valued eye-contact, completely opposite of Yautja. He watched and waited as she steadied and straightened herself before hitting the control panel to the door. He nodded at his mother and stepped aside for her to enter. There was a fast exchange of formalities before she turned her attention towards the new and strange smell standing in the middle of the room.


Jesse paled as she stole a good look at S’esutuhn. The female was nothing like Yari’mso. Looking at her, Jesse immediately thought of the weird poster of Sharon Bruneau her father once had in their garage. S’esutuhn was nothing but muscle, and at two heads taller than Naranarti, all of it was intimidating, too. If there was a muscle in her, it was greeting the world loud and clear under her skin. If there was an ounce of fat on her, it was located in a thin layer over her buttocks for shape and small breasts only noticeable by the fact that they were being covered—they were smaller than Jesse’s. Either way, to Jesse, she appeared like she could have crushed the door if Naranarti hadn’t opened it fast enough. Her skin was a light mossy green with bright green spots thrown so closely together chunks of her skin were solid in that color. Her hair was not dreaded but braided in an odd fashion; it was a darker brown than Naranarti’s and had several beads of metal and gems attached to the thick strands. Her eyes were the same as Naranarti’s, but the scowl made them look completely different to Jesse, color or not. She wore a similar outfit to Yari’mso, except the top was three horizontal strips going across the breasts. All the fabric was a matching tan, and a large, heavily decorated medallion hung from a golden chord around her neck. The size of the medallion allowed Jesse to see the symbol etched into it was the same as the one on Naranarti’s and all the other males’ foreheads. The stola over S’esutuhn’s shoulder was held in place by a skull.


A human skull! That’s just fucking great… Jesse thought as she quickly averted her eyes when S’esutuhn looked her way. She and Naranarti approached Jesse, the latter strategically placing himself next to and slightly infront of Jesse, ensuring space and safety. Remember, don’t speak, she told herself. Pretend that you are hiding and will get caught if you make a sound. Jesse merely focused on her translator as S’esutuhn inspected her.


“This is it?” S’esutuhn asked no one in particular. She was mildly baffled at the Ooman’s coloring. She was strange and short; S’esutuhn had expected her to be taller, and of course, she voiced this. “It’s so small for an Ooman.”


“Actually,” Naranarti corrected, “She is on the higher end of average for a female’s stature.”


S’esutuhn glanced at Naranarti and continued looking Jesse over. “How did she get spots?”


”She was bore with them.”


S'esutuhn glanced at him again, irritated for some unknown reason. Most reasons behind her irritation were unknown anyway. She pulled at the strap of Jesse's dress to inspect the fabric, Jesse doing her best to not move. "Did you give this to her?" S'esutuhn referred to the dress.


"No, she brought it with her." Naranarti's voice was even but held the resentment for the Matron still. He boldly watched her ready for anything his unpredictable mother could do.


S'esutuhn released the fabric. Her brow creased at the answer. In the back of her mind, she knew how nice the fabric felt, but she would never admit that she didn't possess anything as nice. Partly from jealousy and partly to see how the female would react, she grabbed Jesse's tresses and pulled them about. Jesse's head didn't move until it had been forced to, and by that point, Naranarti started the low growl that reminded her of an irate crocodile. It was a warning to S'esutuhn, and she pretended not to know why he would possible need to do so-- she gave him a look as if to say "What have I done?" She knew what she'd done, though.


S'esutuhn released her hair. "Why is she wearing a breather?" This she asked in clear annoyance.


"Oomans can't breathe our air," Naranarti replied in a tone that implied an "idiot" on the end.


Duh, Jesse thought silently. It's sad that I knew that before you did, lady.


S'esutuhn ignored his tone and started trilling. "Oh, that's rich. And she has to wear a child's size, too! Tell me, Naranarti, what exactly is the point of having her here? Couldn't you visit her on her own world or... something? Was she so unimportant to her people that they were willing to hand her over to you? We don't need extra mouths to feed on this ship unless you intend on hunting food for her."


Bet I don't eat as much as you do, you Amazonian bitch!


"She was a scientist and a teacher for her people. They were rather upset about it," Naranarti said involuntarily growling between every word. "Hence the burner scar on her arm. As for food, we've never had an issue, and we've had plenty of visitors on our ship. If I need to get more to compensate, then I will."


"Still, you couldn't just leave her there, though? It was bad enough you returned her in the first place. Who knows what she told those Pyode Amedha?"


Jesse turned bright red with the mixture of embarrassment and anger.


"Because I didn't want to be apart from her any longer, and she has told them nothing of our existence," Naranarti started out very angry, but then shrugged it off realizing he was playing her game. As angry as he was, she wanted him to show it, to put Jesse in danger. "If you're so afraid of the matter, you can check with Yari'mso about Ooman progress."


"I guess you can teach her how to be civilized while you're at it. I can't imagine it would be so difficult, but then again, I haven't dealt with Pyode Amedha for so long, they could be slow learners... So she has absolutely no usefulness. Well, isn't that wonderful?"


Naranarti took a step between Jesse and S'esutuhn. "She can distill," he said watching the look of surprise on her face. "It's not as though we have anyone who can. Does that put any ease to your mind as far as giving her a place in the Clan. I'm glad to see you've considered the issue."


He had turned it around on her. Angered at the insinuation that she'd welcome the Ooman to the Clan, S'esutuhn changed the subject. "What have you done about Yekita?"


"Good to know you've stopped using a messanger for these matters, especially demeaning an Elder Leader to be such," Naranarti hissed.


Jesse slowly inched away from the two. She was starting to consider if the two would turn to fist-to-cuffs. As she got closer to the wall, she felt a claw take her shoulder. She looked up and saw Nanaiyude smile at her.


"Is he still running about," S'esutuhn hissed back. "Still an Elite!?"


"Of course, he's still an Elite! Only an idiot would wish to demote an asset to the Clan when basic humiliation suffices as a punishment!"


"You dare call me an 'idiot'!?"


Nanaiyude pulled Jesse slowly behind him. He didn't have to pull much as she wanted to distance herself from any possible violence. The room smelled strong of aggression and hostility. It reminded her of falling into a snake pit or walking into a reptile house.


"Did I? I don't recall doing such a thing," Naranarti said condisendingly. "Not unless you are one who would demote Yekita, but then my authority supersedes yours. So what does it matter?"


S'esutuhn turned dark in the face. Since she was already green, her skin merely darkened in shade when her skin flushed. She had never wanted to lash out at him before, but now, she wanted to full on challenge him, to challenge his rank and pull it if she won. But she had no grounds, and Nanaiyude was in the room with them; he would take their son's side.


"I will start my report and give you a copy when Denarde gives me his," Naranarti said. Her silence was enough of any answer. It was time for her to leave. "Are you not busy?"


S'esutuhn felt mildly lightheaded. She had never been talked to by Naranarti in such a manner. Any other person she'd have reached across and slashed in the face with her claws. But, short, male offspring or not, he was an Arbitrator. Maybe she should have laid off the Ooman? She nodded and turned to take her leave.


When the door shut behind her, Naranarti took a seat on the couch followed by Nanaiyude. Jesse went over to her duffel. Mhrende came in with Denarde behind him; they flinched from the atmosphere. "By Paya," Denarde hissed and looked about, "Is she still here?"


"She just left," Naranarti replied. He glanced back to see what Jesse was doing. She held the jar of "moonshine" in her hands and was having trouble opening it. He stood and approached her. She looked up at him and handed him the jar in defeat; Denarde must have tightened it too much for her after he'd sampled it. He opened it, and the scent of the liquor overpowered any hostile musk that remained in the air. He watched as she took a large gulp and sighed hard.


The sweet, strong smell of the rum caught all of their attentions. Denarde leaned to see that she had the jar out and grinned. "Ooo~ Are you sharing?"


She handed the jar to Naranarti. "Yall knock yourselves out," she walked over to the couch and leaned over the back of it, resting her face into the top of the cushion.


Naranarti handed the jar to the giddy Denarde as he took his place by Jesse's side. So close to her, he could feel her heart beating rapidly and her teeth grind inside her mouth. Her scent had changed drastically, but at first he wasn't able to tell because of the bickering between he and S'esutuhn. "Well...what did you think?" he asked her.


Her face turned red and every muscle in her tighened.


"Go ahead and be honest," Nanaiyude said. "We all think fairly ill of her, anyway."


"[What is she saying?]" Yekita asked. The two were in Hy'kgrel's living room, their ears pressed against the wall separating his and Naranarti's suites.


"[Can't tell, but damn, she sounds pissed.]"


"That woman," Jesse started very quietly. "That woman is... the rudest fucking bitch I've ever met in my LIFE!!"


Her shriek startled them, but she wasn't finished. She pulled away from Naranarti and started pacing as she vented.


"I mean, how little tact do you have to have to do and say the shit she just did?! What the fuck?! I've dealt with alot of assholes in my life, but even those fucking Agents weren't as boorish and vulgar as she was! I didn't even give a shit about her calling an 'it'-- she starts on a whole bunch-a-bullshit about how I'm basicly a waste-a-goddamn-space! But OH! I can't breathe your air? How fuckin' hilarious! Hilarious?! What's so goddamn-fuckin-funny about me suffocating-- nasty, mean-ass CUNT!"


Mhrende let a small yelp of laughter escape before slapping his hands over her mandibles and pressing them tightly over his mouth in attempts to stiffle anymore laughter. The others couldn't help but grin, either.


"Seriously, what the fuck?!"


"[Didn't she already ask that?]" Denarde whispered, but Nanaiyude hissed him quiet.


"What. The. Fuck?! Calling me a meat product! I just happen to think more highly of yall than of humans, and I get chastised by that bitch for it?! Fuck her! She can go to hell! She can go to hell and kiss my pale ass!! You don't even know the shit I wanted to say to her! I was over-qualified for my position! Freshman fucking biology-- I'd dedicated my life to my studies, so I don't need some big, ugly bitch to come up and critisize how I look and what I am! AM I WEARING A CHILD'S MASK?!!"


"[I'm switching the air over,]" Naranarti told the others. He leaned over and pulled up data from his personal ship to his rooms. Finding what he needed, he made the change.


The air cooled, and Jesse peeled off the breather as she continued. "You know what-- that don't even matter! I'm little, so the fuck what?! Nara thinks I'm hot, and that's all that matters! And yeah, I can fuckin' moonshine! I'd been doin' it for two goddamn-fuckin' decades! I've even memorized all the recipes! What can she do?! The shit's not that hard, and she can't do it-- no, there's no epic fail there! Hell, I had to teach science to four-hundred-and-twelve disinterested students and make sure they passed-- now, that shit's hard! Do yall have any idea how hard that is?! And my people were so upset about me leaving, they tried to kill me! So what's that tell ya?! What the fuck she know about me?! I could have been queen-of-the-fuckin-world for all she knew, but did she even bother to ask?! Fuck nah! Coming in here and makin' a goddamn scene-- I saw what that bitch was up to! You know what you're doin'-- bitch needs to back the fuck up!" Jesse paused. "Fuck yo' momma!! --I'm sorry!" She gasped and through a hand over her mouth.


Naranarti fell to one knee, laughing hysterically, the others allowing their trills and laughter to escape. "You're fine," he said reassuringly as he tried to pick himself back up. "I'm sure everyone agrees with you. I know I do."

*****
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The Fighting Irish: Catalyst and the Dtai'kai'rish