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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
- 7
- 8
- 9
Please forgive me if I left coding in the story. I wrote it like the old format. Sick lady is sick. BUT that meant I was stuck in bed and had nothing better to do than write. YAY! Thanks for reading though, everyone.

Chapter Eight: Settling In
            He didn't want to leave Jess'si'deinz so soon, but Naranarti had an investigation to start. It was a serious offense to poison a Leader-- it was a serious offense to poison any Clan member, for that matter-- and he couldn't let the trail grow cold any more than it already had with his absence.
            The first move was to have Nanaiyude's blood tested for any trace poison. Denarde was happy to oblige, though he was mildly intoxicated, by testing the sample against their known elements (Nanaiyude insisted on handling the needle himself, however). The poison turned out to be an old toxin used early in the war by the Hish. They would poison the water supplies of the planet-bound female tribes. It only worked once because the poison had a distinct scent, and it didn't take long for the females to realize the water smelled "funny." However, the poison could work easily on individuals if mixed with Naxa fruit, which was potently sour in taste and smell and generally masked any other. Of course, it would be Nanaiyude's favorite snack.
            "Go fucking figure," Naranarti hissed. "I'd commend them for being so sly, but you make it easy for them."
            "Shut your face," his father growled. "I eat what I eat, and anyone else can bite my ass."
            "Please! Both of you, shut your damn faces!" Denarde was feeling a hot pounding in his frontal lobe. Jess'si's "rum" was giving him a hang-over much earlier than he expected especially for how little inebriated he had become. "Naranarti, you need to teach her how to use our fruits and sugars for that shit. Whatever she has hurts."
            "She told you to drink water, dumbass."
            "Well, I've never had to."
            Naranarti had sent a messenger to his mother's mercy concerning the situation. The messenger had returned with a bleeding gash under his ridges, and Naranarti had an idea why. "She started asking questions you knew not the answer?"
            The messenger, a young subordinate Naranarti suspected he was related to, nodded quickly then told him that S'esutuhn backed his decisions to interrogate the other Clan Leaders. He would also have all other males gathered in The Pit for a chance to confess a hand in the crime. A subordinate doing something illegal under orders was a gray area that Naranarti was free to make merciful decisions in. Any Blooded Hunter or Elite was expected to have the sense and better judgment to avoid such situations, but subordinates, unblooded, and even some of the young bloods may suffer the confusion of having to make decisions against two authorities they were bound to obey.
            Which was why Naranarti kept an open-door policy with the youths on board; whether they used it or not was up to them.
            As for the females, S'esutuhn wished to be present during the interrogations. Naranarti wasn't bothered by the idea, but it was a question of whether she could keep her mouth shut while he worked.
            When the subordinate realized his presence was no longer needed, considering the turn of conversation and Naranarti's preparing to leave the medical bay, he started to head back to The Pit, bowing just in case the others considered him in glance. Heading down the hallway he noticed something very interesting. Pressed against the Arbitrator's suite door were five young unblooded males wearing student medallions with Naranarti's mark.
            "Shut your face," Yeyin hissed quietly, "I can't hear them."
            "I can smell her," Unada trilled.
            "Liar," Rautade pushed him, "I can't smell anything."
            "I can smell your rank ass," Si'myt'de said pushing Rautade. "Move over."
            "Get off me, you shithead!" R'kaan hissed.
            "Blame Twitchy back here!" Rautade declared.
            "Fuck your mother, cockbite!" Si'myt'de retorted.
            "Hey! Hey!" Yeyin hissed. "I think I hear something..."
            The five stood very quietly with their earholes pressed against the metal door. The hall was quiet while the subordinate watched in confusion. Then the door opened and the five disappeared inside the suite with several loud, surprised yelps. When the door closed, the subordinate couldn't be sure if he'd see the five ever again.
            At least among the living...

            Yeyin, Unada, R'kaan, Rautade, and Si'myt'de fell into the suite one over the other like a comedic act with childish yelps. Over their own cries, they heard another yelp, more like a high pitched squeal. They looked up in unison to just see a red-haired figure dive behind the couch. Hy'kgrel, who had been sitting on the couch, stood up and stared at the five with a mixture of shock and anger. When they looked up and directly in front of them, however, they saw their secondary teacher Mhrende with eyes of fury.
            Then they saw his foot connect with R'kaan's face.
            In a scatter, the other four jumped up and away from the crazed and screaming Mhrende, leaving R'kaan on the floor whimpering and clutching his bleeding cheekbone.
            The fuck do you think you're doing?!" Mhrende screamed, attempting to snatch and grab the nearest students. "Spying on an Arbitrator is a good way to get killed, you suicidal shit-eaters!"
            "But the Arbitrator isn't in! Would that even coun--" Unada tried to reason, but caught Mhrende's claws at his temple instead.
            "Don't be a smartass! What you were doing was rude and disrespectful! You embarrass yourselves, and you embarrass Naranarti and myself! I should beat you with something heavy and sharp-- COME HERE!!" Mhrende dived for Yeyin, but missed.
            Rautade bumped Hy'kgrel who then knocked him to the floor swiftly. "Stop being stupid, stupid," he said. "Naranarti would slice your hides for this on a normal day. Doing this now is indeed suicidal."
            "Why's the air funny?" Si'myt'de asked with a slight cough that set off his trademark head twitch, his head jerking to the left slightly.
            Mhrende punched him in the back of the neck. "Was I done kicking your ass?! Keep your guard up-- I don't like taking cheap shots!"
            "Didn't stop you--" R'kaan started to murmur before howling in pain as Mhrende's heel landed against his groin.
            "Did you say something?! Didn't think so!"
            Yeyin had managed to duck out of both Mhrende's and Hy'kgrel's sight. He crept along the wall behind the couch watching them. A scent caught his attention suddenly, and he jerked his head to see the strangest creature he'd ever laid eyes on pressed against the back of the couch. It was Naranarti's ooman. "Jess'si'deinz?"
            Jesse looked over at the murmur of her name. What looked like a younger version of Yekita was crouched five feet from her. He was staring at her with the same awe and curiosity she had received from Yekita, also.
            Yeyin slowly moved closer to her, testing her reaction before making any major move forward. She stared at him silently and made no indication that she was afraid or would give away his hiding, so he continued to move closer. She had a very distinct but light scent, which all he could get from was that she was female. Nothing indicated that she was upset by him, at least as far as he could tell. Her mouth was closed tight, with no teeth bared. She wasn't hissing or growling at him. She wasn't even posed for quick mobility, so if she were going to lash out at him, he'd see it coming anyway.
            Surprising even himself, he managed to get within a few inches of her, his knee slightly touching the soft ends of her toes (he noted she had not talons on her digits, and that she had five little single-jointed toes and no pectoral claws). Her tresses were long but thin like thread. It crimped and waved similar to Mhrende's dreadlocks and had the same color. In a bold move, but gentle and slow, he reached up with his talons held to his palm to touch a lock hanging along her shoulder. Her eyes watched his hand move until his talons wrapped around the lock of hair.
           Jesse looked up at the young male and smiled with humor at his curiosity. Having fixed the translator to rest behind her ear like glasses, she had been reading the curses and scolding the other boys were going through. They were obviously in deep trouble for eavesdropping, but still they risked it to get a sound or glimpse of her. Was she really that intriguing? She was going to let this one get his fill, though. The more she thought about it, if she made more friends, then the more safe it might be for her to exist in the Clan. How else were they going to get used to her if all she did was hide away in Naranarti's apartment?
            Yeyin trilled softly as he gingerly played with the lock of hair in his hand.
            Neither of them had noticed how quiet it became in the room. Nor did they notice the main reason until Jesse looked up and saw Naranarti and Yekita standing behind the young male.
            When Jesse stood, Naranarti reached down and grabbed Yeyin by the back of the neck making him yelp and buck in surprise.
            "He wasn't hurting me," Jesse said quickly in the younger one's defense.
            "That's unfortunately not the point," Naranarti replied. He turned Yeyin to face him, the boy's toes barely scraping the floor though he was nearly Naranarti's height. "[Explain yourself to me or explain to Paya.]"
            "[I just wanted to see her,]" Yeyin whimpered.
            "[And what else did you do?]" Naranarti asked sternly.
            "[I touched her hair,]" he replied with a mildly proud and amused tone which quickly faded when he remembered the seriousness of the situation. "[I didn't hurt her! I didn't scare her! I wouldn't, I swear--]"
            "[Oh, and how would you know? Did she tell you?]" When Yeyin shook his head, Naranarti continued. "[She said something just now; what was it?]"
            "[I...I know not...]"
            "[What if she is telling me you frighten her, or that you did hurt her? What if there are nerve-endings in those tresses that you've damaged beyond repair and she's going through an extreme amount of pain right now?]"
            "[She doesn't seem--]"
            "[Does she not?! How would you know?]"
            At first, Jesse felt sorry for him, but listening to Naranarti speak, she began to understand his point. If Yekita knew nothing about "ooman" females, then what would these youths know? What if she was a being that didn't cry out in pain? They didn't know how to read her facial expressions or understand her speech. Then, she herself didn’t know much about them. It was still best guess at what Naranarti was thinking or feeling, but he would generally tell her. The others may not, and offending them could be easier than expected. Her mere presence offended his mother, as just one example. Jesse’s ideal seemed to crumble.
            Yeyin looked as though he was beginning to understand what Naranarti was saying and stopped trying to think of excuses.
            "[You offend her by not trying to take the time to know,]" Naranarti continued in response to Yeyin's silence. "[She is an important guest in my home, and I will have her treated with the same respect is shown to me. The next time you approach her, you better be able to carry a steady conversation with her.]" He looked to the other four bruised and battered youths. "[Am I clear?]"
            They bowed their heads and affirmed in murmured unison.
            Jesse had been looking from Yekita to Yeyin throughout the conversation. They were indeed spitting images of one another, save a mild difference in jaw structure. When Naranarti released Yeyin, she went ahead and asked. "Is this Yekita's son?"
            Yeyin twisted about and stared from her to Naranarti in dread. What had she just said?
            Naranarti looked at Yeyin thoughtfully. "I want to say...yes... [Yekita, is Yeyin your son?]"
            Yekita, who had been glaring at Yeyin to back Naranarti's anger, suddenly looked up. "[Um..er... I dunno. Yeyin, am I--]"
            "[Really?! You have to ask again?! I have half a mind to say 'fuck no, a retard like you isn't my father'! The only living one and you can't even...]"
            "[Yep, that's my son,]" Yekita said proudly. He could recognize the pissed off defiance against a father, so similar to the kind he had felt for his own. Apparently, it was hereditary, hence he didn't hold it against Yeyin, and Yekita's father didn't hold is against him, and his grandfather didn't hold it against his father... For the little bit of parenting males were responsible for, Yekita’s kin were very shitty at it, and one day, Yeyin would be a horrible parent too.
            Naranarti looked to Jesse and shrugged. "Well, apparently he is."
            Yeyin looked from the two mildly bewildered. Did he ask because she had asked? Was she interested in his heritage? Uh oh... "[Um, Honored Arbitrator, would you mind telling her, I'm nothing like Yekita? Normally, I'm an intelligent being.]"
            "[And I'm not?]" Yekita hissed.
            "[No.]" The answer came from Mhrende.

            "'Ello, my name is Yeyin. I at a stu-- m'ko, m'ko! I AM a student of our Honored Arbitrator Naranarti... C'jit, my face is going to get broken to pieces..."
            "Touch her hair, and you're already speaking In'glish," Unada said as he took a seat next to Yeyin.
            After the tense confrontation, the four students had returned to The Pit, while Yeyin went to visit Yari'mso, when Mhrende leveled with him. If he explained the situation to her, Yari'mso may help him with learning Ooman languages. And indeed she did. She was very pleased to hear that the younger members of the Clan were not only warming up to Jess'si'deinz, but they wanted to get to know her. She only hoped the attitude was contagious.
            Yeyin sat on his bedroll trying to speak the sentences he'd memorized from the data pad Yari'mso had given him. The language didn't seem so complex once he broke down the words and their meanings. "Can I help you? I'm a bit busy."
            "Let me read it," he said grabbing the data pad. "Ello, mya name` ees Yeyin--hey! There's your name!"
            "Careful! Yari'mso will eat me alive if this gets broken. You don't normally hang out with me. What do you want?"
            "What'd she smell like, really?"
            "Perv. It was nice. Don't know if it was meant to be, but it was nice. That all you wanted?"
            "No," Unada pointed at the large gathering of males in their enormous hall. Some had grabbed a drink from the small bar off to the side. Others were congregating in clusters whispering concerns. There were young bloods, Warriors, and Elites among the youths. It wasn't always so strange, as the small bar was often a hangout for the older males who wanted to speak freely without concern of females walking by to become offended. "You didn't hear the news? There was an attempt to poison Nanaiyude early this month. Naranarti wants to speak with all the males before he starts the main investigation."
            "Seriouly?! Why-- well, I mean, besides the obvious reasons--"
            "You think another Leader did it, too?" Unada asked in a hushed voice. "Everyone has been saying that. They've all got a name on their minds."
            "Who?"
            "Ry'unete."
            "Rautade's father?! Oh, shit. How is Rautade taking it?"
            "Don't know. Don't care. He's a prick. He needs the dishonor."
            "I know he's a piece of shit, but no one deserves loss of honor because of their predecessors."
            "I didn't say he deserves it, but it would teach him some goddamn humility. Si'myt'de is pissed off with him."
            "For calling him Skyu'de? Yeah, I would be too. It's not like he can help twitching his head. It's never affected his skills. To pick on him for it is just for cruelty's sake. May Paya slice open his neck in the afterlife." Yeyin and Si'myt'de were very good friends. Though Si'myt'de's neck twitched his head uncontrollably, most of the time it was barely noticeable, and it wasn't hereditary. He had sustained a hard injury as a child, and Yeyin was witness to it, often standing up for him."'Twitchy.' It's not even clever."
            "It's Rautade. Clever is not necessarily one of his shining skills."
            "He has shining skills?"
            "Here, hey, listen to this: 'Roo'tade` ees a dum pauk'," Yeyin read from the data pad.
            "What?"
            "Rautade is a dumb-fuck."
            The two laughed as Si'myt'de approached. He didn't look very pleased, but when Yeyin taught him the new-found In'glish phrase, his mood lightened.
            A hush came over the large group of Yautja, and the three got up and approached to see Naranarti and the Matron S'esutuhn walking up onto an elevated platform. They looked out onto the quiet crowd. S'esutuhn nodded at Naranarti and looked again at the males, who all averted their eyes in respect for her.
            "If you are not already aware, a crime was committed on the ship while I was away. This foolish attempt on the Elder Leader's life was cowardly and against the honor code according to the Laws of Paya. I have tolerated many things for many years: blind-siding one's brother-at-arms, gambling mating rights, even cheating in a fight. Frankly, I'm getting tired of it any damn way. I was going to be lenient about all of it a bit longer. But someone decided that poisoning the Elder Leader Nanaiyude was perfectly fine." Murmurs spread quickly over the crowd, then silenced as S'esutuhn hissed in the air.
            "I am giving the benefit of the doubt to you, however. Maybe you were put in a difficult situation and forced to do someone else's dirty work at the expense of your own honor. If you come forward by the end of this day, your honor will be spared and your punishment silent; death, unlikely."
            Hearing this, the murmurs sounded both relieved and irritated. Mostly the subordinates were glad to hear that Naranarti understood the common plight they suffered when a Leader gave orders that contradicted another's. Warriors and the Elites however were irritated that the hand that was doing the harm was not to be cut. They preferred death.
            Naranarti was done. He walked off the platform and started out of the The Pit, S'esutuhn following.
            "Not often you give a good speech," she said mildly condescending. "Your apathy has seemed to decrease."
            He knew what she referred to about his ability for public speaking. He never had a knack for it. Needless to say, he was irritated she brought it up. "Well, my Jess'si'deinz does that for me." He walked on leaving her dumbstruck.
*****
            Several years ago on the Neyenku Clan Ship...
            "You are the Arbitrator. The only Arbitrator," Nanaiyude said.
            "I noticed," Naranarti hissed.
            "They need to hear it from you. If they are to ever have faith in you as their Judge, Jury, and Executioner, then they need to hear this news from you," Nanaiyude grabbed Naranarti's shoulder and shook him rather aggressively.
            Naranarti hissed and snapped at him. "I know that! When I said leave me alone, I meant leave me alone to think! You are no help to me right now."
            Nanaiyude backed away bowing his head.
            After a long moment, and when Naranarti could hear the talking anxious Yautja grow louder from the Parliament Hall, he stepped into the large room. A circular dais was its center stage, and Naranarti's steps echoed over it as the crowd silenced themselves. To the side Nanaiyude and S'esutuhn stood looking very nervous. Out in front, Naranarti saw several of his students taking the front row to hear Naranarti make his first announcement to them as an Arbitrator; the smallest, Mhrende, was being hoisted slightly by his friend M'yreti. The young bloods who had taken to following Naranarti around like a lost children, Yekita and Venyude, pushed the two aside to get a better view.
            Naranarti inhaled then released. "The army sent out last month was obliterated by a Hish deep-space attack." If it wasn't quiet in the room, it was now. He continued. "The planet-bound females and their children... have seceded from the Clan. Our population is less than a quarter its original count." And that's all he could say. Naranarti turned and walked out of the silent room.
*****
            Naranarti walked into his apartment to find both Nanaiyude and Jess'si asleep on the couch. Jess'si'deinz was sprawled as far out as she could on the seat facing the trophies. His father was still sitting up a few feet away from her, arms crossed and his head bowed, snoring quietly. Nanaiyude jolted awake at the sound and scent of his son. "She fell asleep early," he said.
            Naranarti looked at the time on his computer gauntlet. It was just a bit passed "midday" for them; Jess'si, however, had been awake for nearly a full ooman cycle just after he had returned the first time when his students had invaded his home. "Actually, she stayed awake for longer than I expected. She's nearly ran through an entire day for an ooman. Why were you so tired?"
            "It got quiet enough," Nanaiyude trilled.
            Jess'si rolled off the couch and landed with a loud thud. Nanaiyude jumped up from the couch with a startled bark. Naranarti knelt to check on her, but realized she was still asleep.
            "Dhi'ki'de," Nanaiyude commented jokingly.
            Naranarti shook his head. He agreed though; she might as well be in a coma. He scooped her up into his arms and carried her off toward his bedroom. "Do you mind coming by tomorrow evening to watch over her? I will be searching suspects' quarters."
            "Tomorrow evening, no. Earlier though, I can...Mhrende not available?"
            "Denarde needs him...Could you come by the day after?"
            "I'm available the whole day. What about Yekita?"
            "Hell no."
            "Hy'kgrel?"
            "He did offer if she needed him," Naranarti said thoughtfully.
            "Why don't you give her some space? Let her adjust on her own? If Hy'kgrel offered to be around if he was needed, then she would be in capable hands. Give her some credit-- she's an adult female. Maybe not a Yautja female, but don't be so condescending. She may need a bit of guidance to the customs, though..."
            Naranarti considered it as he entered his bedroom and laid Jess'si on his bed. She murmured indistinct syllables and found herself a pillow which she latched onto like a face-hugger. He trilled openly, certain that if the fall off his couch didn't wake her, then his voice wouldn't. A console on the nightstand held environmental controls. He switched the air over to her capacity. After the air hissed and cooled, he gently removed her breather so she could sleep comfortably. He stood over her for a moment considering her. If she was only in his apartment, nothing could really go wrong. He could arrange times for food to be sent to her, and he may have time to check on her during his investigation.
            As for her food, he needed to check and see what she had eaten out of the selection Nanaiyude had brought her. Naranarti leaned forward and nuzzled the back of her neck with a soft purr. He would return to sleep with her, but he needed to stay awake for the rest of the day in case anyone came forward about his father's poisoning. He left his bedroom.
            As the door slid shut, Jesse sat up suddenly and sneezed. Her eyes fluttered as she surveyed her surroundings. She recognized the room by the black and white storage units on one wall. Her shoulder felt sore; unknowingly, it was the shoulder that she slammed into when she rolled off the couch. Beyond the door, she could hear the low voices of Nanaiyude and Naranarti.

            "She ate alot," Nanaiyude commented. "I didn't think something so small could, but she at least took a bite out of everything." He listed everything she ate and everything she hated. There was a root she said she would enjoy better if cooked. Only one of the fruits did she not like, but it was very common for females in general to dislike it; she found that information amusing and intriguing. "She drank more Zabin juice than... I don't even know. I haven't heard of anyone drinking that much-- and liking it!"
            "She liked it?!" Naranarti was taken aback. Generally, Zabin juice--the liquified insides of the Zabin bug-- was used for two things: emergency rations and to torment subordinates by forcing them to consume it. "I've never met a being..." He shuddered recalling the taste.
            "She said it tasted like, uh...Va’na'a... Va'na'na...Va-va, I don't even know; you'll have to get her to say it. She really liked Amendha Kainde--"
            "Really?! Did you tell her what it was?"
            "I said the name."
            "She would know it; I've told her. How was it served?"
            "Reduced. I told her she should try it raw from the kill."
            "She may be able to-- the meat doesn't host bacteria until it's rotted for a few days," Naranarti sighed. "Good to know there is something she'll eat around here. I was worried on the way here. She'd only eat the fruit."
            "She thinks Naxa would make a good wine."
            "Would it?"
            "Maybe a liquor. It ferments hot and bitter. We haven't had Axa'ntlip on board since before your birth. It's a long and difficult process, moreso than any other C'ntlip. What did she make that liquor she brought with her from?"
           "She said it was 'mo'lazaz' she made herself. Denarde said it’s a bunch of complex sugar compounds."
            "So it's called 'mo'lazaz'?"
            "No, that's what she fermented. The distilled liquor is 'rum'."
            Nanaiyude cocked his head to the side in mild confusion. He heard the small bark and initially thought Naranarti had cleared his throat to say the name of the liquor. When it was clear that his son had said all he was going to say, he shrugged. "I guess it's best to keep the name simple. Denarde's intoxicated ass stumbling out of here is a clear indicator."
            "He was quite drunk considering how little of it he drank," Naranarti commented. "I don't care what he thinks and claims-- that bastard was DRUNK."
            "Hope he didn't have to cut anyone open today. I didn't trust him with a needle let alone a plasma-cutter."
            "He at least could do most of his job."
            "That's because he's intelligent by nature. Recalling information is closer to breathing than it is thinking. He just does it. Why do you think I lay off him about not being anything more than a Warrior?"
            A tap at Naranarti's bedroom door startled them. "I think she's awake."

            Naranarti opened the door and quickly stepped inside his bedroom. Jesse was lingering beside the door.
            "When did you get back?" she asked him. "I tried to stay awake for you."
            "Don't strain yourself," he reached out and stroked her cheek, curling his talon around a stray lock of hair. "You've been here for more than..." he glanced at his gauntlet. "Twenty-seven hours."
            "No wonder I'm still tired."
            "You fell off the couch earlier."
            "And no wonder I'm sore," she chuckled. She approached him and wrapped her arms around his waist. She held onto him as though he was all that was keeping her standing. "Are you here to stay or do you have to get back to work?"
            Naranarti massaged her back, careful of her shoulders not sure where she hurt most. "I can stay. If I am needed, then I will be summoned." He slid his talons under the straps of her dress and rubbed her skin. "Was there something you wanted?" he asked hopefully.
            She giggled against him and kissed his chest. "You know, I can think of a few things."

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