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A Union of Convenience (Formerly ‘Alone’)	By : Keen Category: M through R > Predator Views: 13009 -:- Recommendations : 0 -:- Currently Reading : 0
Disclaimer: I do not own the Predator movie series, nor any of the characters from it. I do not make any money from the writing of this story.

Chapter List
- 18
- 19
- 20
A/N: [Edit 21 July 2008] Easy folks! In my haste to put the chapter up, I forgot to add that this is the original ending, the one I was going to post the first time around but was persuaded not to. And by ‘persuaded’ I mean, threatened with bodily harm and destruction of personal property so, cheer up! You’ll have your way and there will be a sequel with both of the main players, :D.

            Fushel, seeing Ali’shir was not here
to do it, pushed the lever down with a metal clang, sparking the fire to life,
instantly engulfing the platform where the body lay. Gi held her baby boy close
to her as the flame bloomed wildly, filling the Hall of Remembrance with orange
light and blanking it in thick heat. Isis’
body now smouldered, breaking off into feather light black flakes that lifted
up and out, siphoned out of the ship. It grew and grew until it could no more,
each time with a startling and roaring ‘whoosh’. Seeing her jump, Heron lay a
reassuring hand on his mate’s shoulder, tucking her closer to him, something
she noticed he seemed to do a lot as of late.
            For Gi, Isis’
ceremony was the second she had attended and the very first she had been a part
of. She headed the procession that brought Isis
into the hall, walking in front of Heron and the new acting Lead Elder, who
both carried her. They lay her body in repose in the packed vestibule and Gi,
despite her warbling and unsteady voice, spoke the dedication. But even before
then, she had done a task only family was supposed to do. She was the one to
prepare the body, bathing Isis’ battered frame
and then neatly wrapping her in dark purple cloth and golden rope, her final
marks of honour.
            The rope meant she was an Elder
female and the purple meant she gave the ultimate sacrifice of a breeder,
bringing new life into the world and giving her own to do so. No one knew what
kind of life she was scarified for. Only Gi and the males at her side knew the
horrible truth, but even in death they protected her secret, although Fushel
clearly did so out of loyalty for Ali’shir. Even if the male seemed to be
testing that loyalty at the moment.
            The ceremony done, Fushel tapped his
foot angrily, his eyes searching the slow milling crowd. Ali’shir had been
absent from the preparations leading up to and now the ceremony itself, forcing
Fushel to act his part. And the new Lead Elder was not the only one to take
issue with that.
            The gathered members gossiped about
it incessantly, wondering at what moment Ali’shir would make himself seen and
at the ceremony’s end, when he did not, the wild conjecturing began. Even atop
the dais, Gi’s sensitive and long pointed ears could hear their vicious but
hushed whispers. The ivory tips twitched and extended like hands at their
thickest parts to capture the sounds nearby.
            “Maybe he committed suicide,” said
one female, her voice high and child like.
            “No, he simply did not care to show
up,” another female replied.
“Yes, Ali’shir was always a crude and heartless one,” a gravel voiced
female said. “It is a wonder how Isis even
stayed with him this long.”
            “She was a human,” the first female
replied. “She probably did not know any better.”
            “Perhaps the baby wasn’t his,” a
young male said. “I was told he was sterile, most hybrids are.”
            The gravel voiced one admonished him
with a thump on his skull. “Fool. He had two sons before, remember?”
            “Ack! I just thought that is why
they fought all the time, she wanted children and he could not give her any,”
he replied.
            Still far away from the voices, Gi
handed Sagar to his father, shaking her head. “I can’t do this anymore,” she
announced softly. She felt suddenly overwhelmed and hot. The bangles stacked on
her wrists tinkled as she fanned the ceremonial wrap flung over her shoulder.
Gi pulled anxiously at her clothes, she felt covered and surrounded, weighted
down. “I need to step outside and clear my mind.”
            Heron took his son and followed his
mate up the stone staircase of the chamber. Their other children ran ahead,
joining friends who waited for them at the top. When Gi cleared the outer
doors, she turned into a quiet off shoot of the main hall, slumping against the
wall.
            Heron found her there, ripping the
shawl from her shoulder, furiously prying off the metal rings around her
wrists. He stopped her from bruising her skin as he came to stand next to her,
sliding his arm round her. Gi sighed thankfully and leaned on him, freeing the
tears the ceremony made her hold back.
            “Where is Sagar?” she said.
            “With his nurse, he is fine. You can
check on him if you like.”
            “I think you should check on
Ali’shir,” she said, through her sniffling. “Something may be wrong.”
            “There is nothing wrong with him,”
Heron assured.
            “Then why wasn’t he here, where he belonged?” she said, her voice hinting
at anger.
            Heron shrugged lamely. “I am sure he
has his reasons.”
            He himself doubted he could bear
laying Gi to rest, especially if his son and previous mate had a hand in her
demise. Bending over her petite body, Heron batted Gi’s head with his softly,
making her raise her face to look at him. He took his free hand and wiped away
the blue tears that stained her cheeks and then rubbed against it with the side
of his face. It strengthened her enough to stop her tears. Her posture changed
almost immediately, her back straight and head high.
            “I will visit him later,” she
nodded, wiping her cheek dry. “I still think someone should check on the male,
it is not right he is so quiet.”
            “That someone will not be you,” he
said firmly.
            “Why not? He is a very close friend
to us, Heron.”
            “That he is, but he is also someone
you approach with caution. Especially now.” Gi looked away and Heron moved his
arm from her. He lifted her chin and looked in her eyes. “Promise me, Gia-nan.
Promise me you will not see him.”
Gi opened her mouth to respond but a female called to them. “I thought I saw you two come this way,” it
said.
            Seeing his mate immediately take a
knee, Heron did the same. He did not know it was the Clan Elder and his mate
approaching until they told them to rise. Pavi and Tu’shar crossed the hall
with Fushel a step behind them. “It is nice to see you again, dressmaker,” Pavi
said, taking the female into a hug. “I only wish it could have been under
better circumstances.”
            “Where is Ali’shir?” Tu’shar asked.
            Fushel cleared his throat, “From
what I have been told, he makes preparations to bring his son and Kai to
justice.”
            Tu’shar gave a scoffing grunt, “By
whose authority? His own?”
            Fushel nodded. “He proclaimed
himself Arbitrator and made the decision before choosing me as Lead Elder.”
            The older Elder folded his arms, his
voice low, “And you let it stand, Fushel?”
            The male raised a thick brow, his
expression incredulous. “Shall I tell him you said he cannot, Clan Elder?”
            Tu’shar gave a warning growl, upset
with Fushel’s implied dare but quieted as Pavi laid a hand on his back, rubbing
a wide circle there.
            “Face it, my mate,” she said,
softly. “The boy has chosen his path and it will not be that of an Elder.”
            “Then we have two losses on our
hands,” he huffed, folding his arms.

            The group of males spoke as Tu’shar
moved to the lifts and the ports below. Both Heron and Fushel were surprised to
see what sat in a private docking level of the massive clan ship. The Clan
Elder’s private cruiser was a thing of detailed and technological beauty,
unlike anything they had ever seen. With its sleek black form and silver lines,
it instantly reoriented the once sombre and heavy conversation to talk of more
pleasant things. Inside the luxurious vessel, Pavi and Gi spoke of things other
than tragedy as well. After a short tour through the lavish halls, Pavi showed
the female her personal quarters and the niceties there. The conversation
flitted between Gi’s dressmaking work and Elder’s duties in the Clan Leader’s
ship, to the common ground they both shared as mothers to often wild and hyper
children.
            Many hours had passed but the males were still
content to talk outside the ship while Pavi readied to retire. Gi left her to
sleep in the master suite and followed the walk to the outside. She moved to
meet her mate in the ship’s helm when a noise echoing in the large space,
sounding faint over the riotous laughter and conversation caught her ear.
            All the while, even as the time
passed and the conversation rolled nicely along with the Clan Female, a
question still festered in the female’s mind. Stealing a quick glance to her
mate, Gi pulled a lock of ivory hair behind her ear, hiding her face as she
snuck across the hall. Ever since the incident, Heron made it a point to hover
over her that much more, but he was blissfully distracted at the moment,
talking about the one thing he often joked he loved as much as her, ships. He
did not even see her as she slipped out the door and down the steps to the
other private docking port across the way.

            Ali’shir was shelving supplies when
he heard the tinkle of bangle jewellery at his back. His face was free of both
masks he wore, so he could scent her plainly.
            “Gi.”
            It was a curt and dry greeting, but
the female expected nothing more from him. “Elder Ali’shir,” she said with a
slight bow. He grunted and continued to move supplies on the shelves in
silence. Gi hiked up the ramp-less entry inside, stepping as lightly as she
spoke. “I just came from the ceremony,” she said. “It was quite lovely.”
            “I am sure it was,” he nodded.
            Encouraged by his response, Gi dared
to step further inside, sliding with her back against the wall, closer to him.
            “Almost the entire ship attended and
then some,” she smiled. “Elder Mara was there, she came all the way from her
post patrolling the outer-ledges to attend. Elders Pavi and Tu’shar came as
well from the central ship, they all asked about you. Although Elder Pavi has
retired, Elder Tu’shar is still awake and talking with my mate and the Lead
Elder. He has the most wonderful ship, it really is a sight, you should
look-”
            Ali’shir let out a puff of air and
his arms fell. “What do you want, Gi?” he asked with an exhausted sound. He
turned, wiping his hands, flexing his heavy arms. “Just speak to me, female.”
            Gi gave him a nervous smile. She
hadn’t realised she was babbling but she often did when she was nervous. She
tried to explain that much but only prattled off subject again, grating
Ali’shir’s patience even more. He made another sound of agitation, a ragged and
laboured sigh, and Gi forcibly buttoned her lips.
            The female took a deep breath and
was surprised to hear words fall out of her mouth in one quick rush, “Why the
hell weren’t you there?”
            Immediately she clasped her hands
over her agape mouth. She was mortified by her bluntness and vulgarity but the
male seemed indifferent.
            Ali’shir simply exhaled and tossed
the rag to the side, striding past her. “That was not my mate,” he said
casually.
            Gi followed behind him, her fingers
bumping against the textured walls as she moved round the corner. “I know you
two were pretending-”
            Ali’shir stopped abruptly and Gi
quieted immediately, clutching at the wall to stop herself from going any
further. She felt a sudden danger seeing
the subtle flex of his back and arms. His hands balled into fists. He spoke and
she flinched, startled by the sternness in his voice. “You are mistaken,” he
said crisply. “Maybe at the start, but that has not been true for a long time.”
            “Then why not be there, Ali’shir?” she asked,
stepping closer. “I usually would not pry, my mate has told me not to but I
must know.”
            “Because that was not my Isis. It’s flesh, a carcass, a shell. I do not care to remember her that way.”
            He turned another corner and Gi followed,
walking briskly to the helm where he sat down, spinning in the chair, his
fingers furiously typing all over the controls.
            “It made you look bad, not being
there,” she said. “They asked what kind of monster could not care about his
mate’s death, they couldn’t understand why, if you cared for her, why you would
not be there.”
            Ali’shir continued to type, not even
glancing up. He heard these things too and expected he would get an earful
someday. “Fortunately one thing my mate taught me was not to care about what
others think.”
            “But others show her memory this
respect, why not you?”
            “They were only there to be seen and
be a witness to the spectacle,” he frowned. “None of them knew her. Not a
fucking one.”
            “I did,” Gi said softly. “I knew her
well.”
            Ali’shir stopped typing and looked
up, watching the female fiddle with her fingers, her head bowed like a scolded
child. She thought his words applied to her and now cried. Ali’shir prattled in
his throat, rolling his eyes. His mate would kill him if she knew he’d hurt
her. He worried her spirit might haunt him if he did not make immediate amends.
            Ali’shir’s hands slid from the
controls as he stood, offering her the greatest measure of respect he could
think of. It felt awkward, but somehow he had to show the female he meant her
no disregard and certainly no harm.
            Hearing him move, Gi looked up and
then quickly down again, twiddling her fingers more. It made her more nervous
than before to see the Honoured Elder and Arbitrator bowing at her feet. Her
eyes darted around, hoping no one was around to see this. Who knows what they
would have thought?
            “Elder Ali’shir,” she stammered.
“Please get up, if you-”
            Ali’shir raised his hand. “Be
silent,” he said with all the tenderness he could muster. “I am thankful that
you knew her, Gi. As was my mate. Your friendship meant a great deal to her.”
            Her hands fell at her sides. “Even
when I was being annoying?” she asked jokingly.
            “Especially then,” he nodded, daring
a smile. He quickly stamped it out when she lifted her head again and rose from
the floor. “Go back to your family, Gi. Heron is waiting.”
            Gi smiled and the dark blue tears in
her eyes rolled down her cheeks. “Like I said, he is busy talking to Elder
Tu’shar and Elder Fushel.”
            “Is she right Heron?” Ali’shir asked
loudly, seemingly screaming to the roof above him.
            Gi looked at him with questioning
and then she heard movement behind her. She turned as watched as Heron stepped
inside.
            “How did you know?” the male asked,
a little upset. “I was downwind, silent as a breeze, what did I do wrong?”
            “In the skies you are the master,
pilot. But on the ground, you will never surprise me,” Ali’shir smirked.
            “You were out there the entire
time?” Gi asked, still astounded to see him. Heron nodded. “Why?”
            “Because he is watchful of his
mate,” Ali’shir answered, watching them embrace. “As he should be.”
            Like I
should have been…
            Ali’shir turned his back on the couple
as they laughed, hugging each other. He pretended to be furiously at work and
not heatedly grappling with growing jealousy. He tried not to remember what it
was like to be held like that, but the sensation would not loose him. Nor did
the memory of her scent. It was so real, he looked to his right and expected to
see her there, twisting in her chair like she often did, biting at her lip. But
there was nothing but air. It was as if a piece of him was gone, a hand, a limb
or something just as vital but his mind still said it was there. It said she
was there.

            Ali’shir stared angrily at her
empty seat and slammed his fists on the control in front of him. Heron grabbed
Gi closer and watched as the male stood abruptly and strode to the exit. “I am
ready to leave,” Ali’shir announced, curtly.
“Unless you are coming with me, you two might want to get off my ship
now.”
            Heron nodded and taking her hand,
led Gi through the ship. He stopped in front of his friend. Ali’shir noticed it
was very much out of arms length and that he kept a firm hand on his mate.
            “Lead Elder Fushel wants to know
what you will do when you find Kaian?” Heron asked.
            “Kill her,” he said without blinking.
“Slowly.”
            “But she is a female,” Gi said to
Heron, surprised at the prompt and ruthless response. Heron squeezed tighter on
her hand but she continued talking about how dishonourable that was until she
glanced in Ali’shir’s direction. The male apathetically, leaned in the doorway
with a pitiless stare. A dangerous stare. Gi tucked her lips inside her mouth
and shrunk behind Heron, who spoke up then, trying to break the moment of
uncomfortable and tense silence.
            “And your son?” he inquired. “What
will you do with him, Elder?”
            “I do not know.”
            Heron watched him stare off into
space a moment. He could understand his uncertainty, he did not want to imagine
a world where he would have to judge his only son.
            “And after that,” he said, his voice
snapping Ali’shir back to present. “Where will you go?”
            Ali’shir’s answer was the same, he didn’t
think that far. He rarely did venture past the immediate, which at the moment
was finding them. Gi stepped forward then, her slender ivory hand softly
gripping Ali’shir’s shoulder. His eyes shot to where she touched him but she
did not turn him loose.
            “When you are at your journey’s end,
come home,” she said. “You are our
family. There will be a place for you at our table, Brother.”
            Ali’shir watched her hand slide from
his arms and looked to the pair. Heron nodded once, affirming his mate’s words
and then held his hand out to him. A long moment passed before Ali’shir raised
his. It jarred him when Heron took it at first, but Ali’shir quickly tightened
his grip, cinching the pilot’s hand in his until his knuckles blanched.
            Gi looked at the tightly joined
hands and realised this was Ali’shir’s goodbye to them both, simply said
through the gesture and a cuff about the shoulder and nothing else. The
Arbitrator released his hand and Heron turned, leading her to the edge of the
ship, hopping off first himself and then reaching for her.

            Safely behind the air-lock doors,
Heron and Gi watched through the protective glass as the gate opened and
Ali’shir disembarked. He hailed them both as the cruiser fell away from the
arms that held into place and skirted off in a burst of blue light.
            “Do you think we’ll ever see him
again?” she asked, gripping Heron’s hand tighter.
            It pained him, but Heron shook his
head. “No,” he replied, turning her away from the window and the vanishing
ship.
- 18
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A Union of Convenience (Formerly ‘Alone’)