Queen Potter (The Potter Xenomorph Saga: Book 1)

Chapter 28

Chapter 28

On the darkside of the moon, a temporary habitat has been dug into the shadow of one of the craters dotting the moon's surface. There, several Yautja are looking at a model of the earth, as it fast forwards through their collected data again.

"Stop, there see. This is when Ditein made his foolish attack. See how the R'ka looks Ooman, and here is R'ka again. Then four more R'ka appear and Ditein is overwhelmed. This is why we study prey. Watch and learn about them, then we hunt. Never assume that this hunt is the same as last. Dark Blade clan has been doing this for 8 cycles, and they are now under Arbiter investigation. Here, Red Blade clan has claim for two more cycles, here we do right."

The Yautja rewinds the display once more before she stabs her finger at a sensor glitch, "Here, what is this?" Fast forwarding it again, she stops and enlarges the map to show just after the attack, "Same here, what is it?" Moving on once more, she ends up looking at an area full of ooman signatures, with to R'ka signatures in a domicile, "And here. Same glitch. Also, where eggs? Where Queens? Why Ooman's not dead? Hunt not glorious if there's no chance for victory. Go and teach the young bloods, and thank clan Dust Hawk for knowledge of Oomans that can teleport. He has apparently earned a combistick."

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Everly looks down at the slip of paper in her hand as the minicab drives off behind her. Screwing up her courage, she mutters, "You said we could talk about it later, and now's later." With that said, she walks up the path to the front door, which opens before she can knock, or find the doorbell. Standing there is Vivian, holding the door with

"Well, you better come in." Vivian's voice shocks Everly into looking away from the arm, and she climbs the couple of steps into the house in a daze.

As she reaches Vivian, Everly touches the arm, "But you lost this."

Vivian shrugs, "It got better. Is there any reason you didn't phone?"

"And say what? Especially after we had to sign the official secrets act."

Vivian sighs and leads the way further into the house, "Come on, and don't mind E'jeah, she's here to dissuade any attacks like the one on the hospital."

Everly stops in the doorway and just stares at E'jeah as her mind goes back to that few minutes. When she comes back, she's feeling calm and slightly floaty while E'jeah holds her gently on her lap.

A deep voice comes from E'jeah, "Ow are you feeling now, little ooman?"

"Floaty, like I'm on clouds or something."

"Good, it would not be good for you to be afraid of me."

Everly look over her shoulder, up at E'jeah, "What are you?"

E'jeah's mandibles open in her equivalent of a smile, "I am a hunter. What of you little ooman."

"I was an orderly, but I don't know what I am now. I didn't even make it one day back at work. When I saw the padded shields we use, I just saw Zak's head fly off."

"You could learn to fight back."

Everly laughs, "Humans don't work like that. I'm no psych, but I've picked up enough to know what PTSD is, and that I probably have it."

On the other side of the room Henry puts a hand on Vivian's arm as a physical reminder not to talk.

E'jeah touches her cheek gently, "That is because oomans have forgotten their origins. What you call illness was once ingrained survival instinct."

"I think there's a lot wrong in that thinking. Humans also didn't live long lives, with most dying before the age of 6, or in childbirth. See, I do remember my nursing training."