► Show Spoiler
Dhi'rauta (Or as those familiar with him, Dhi,) resisted the urge to stretch as he crouched on the branch. He chose a high vantage point because his prey, the n'itha halkrath (Earth Shadows) could sense vibrations in the ground. His bait, the small patrol of three armoured oomans who had thought that they were his hunters, were standing near the tree, wary. he let his mandibles form into a grin. They who thought to be the hunters, were the hunted all along. the ground suddenly split, a shower of dirt blinding the oomans, and the n'itha halkrath showed itself. a rust-coloured 4-meter long worm-like creature burst from the ground, rows of saw-like teeth whirring, and fell upon the helpless patrol, weak ooman flesh flying about. He waited a second, for the dust to settle, and the n'itha to gorge, then leapt upon it and plunged his dah'kte (wristblades) into its back, directly below the beginning of its rows of teeth. Silently, he cursed himself. he missed the giant nerve cluster that stopped it from eating harmful objects in its "head". He only dealt a small puncture wound. It twisted and flung him off, he slammed into the tree. It burrowed into the ground and he stared in horror. There was a very low chance of survival when facing a burrowed n'itha alone. I stood stock still and surveyed my surroundings, at least I had my back up against a tree. was the ground over there rolling? The panic was getting to him.
he forced himself to calm, picturing himself being able to boast a n'itha head to his clan members. he had to be careful, it could sense vibrations....but that could be its undoing. he stomped on the ground, and kept stomping. the n'itha's senses would be registering this, and it would be enraged from the "sound", by rapidly jumping up and down, it would be akin to a bee buzzing in your ear, very annoying. He felt movement. he stopped. The silence was thick in the air, the calm before the storm. Then, the calm ended.
the ground split, Dhi closed his eyes, no point in being blinded by dust. he focused on his hearing, a screech came from his left. he crouched and thrust out both of his dah'kte and roared. he didn't stop roaring until a few seconds after he felt an impact on his wristblades, which jarred his arms. He slowly, warily opened his eyes, afraid that the n'itha would leap out in front of him. he detracted his wristblades, and a long, limp body thudded to the ground in front of him. blood was splattered on the ground, none of it his. he couldn't believe what he saw. He roared, and sliced off the n'itha's head, this would be a trophy to remember. But, he was sobered by the thought that he had just gotten lucky. always be cautious, always be careful.
he forced himself to calm, picturing himself being able to boast a n'itha head to his clan members. he had to be careful, it could sense vibrations....but that could be its undoing. he stomped on the ground, and kept stomping. the n'itha's senses would be registering this, and it would be enraged from the "sound", by rapidly jumping up and down, it would be akin to a bee buzzing in your ear, very annoying. He felt movement. he stopped. The silence was thick in the air, the calm before the storm. Then, the calm ended.
the ground split, Dhi closed his eyes, no point in being blinded by dust. he focused on his hearing, a screech came from his left. he crouched and thrust out both of his dah'kte and roared. he didn't stop roaring until a few seconds after he felt an impact on his wristblades, which jarred his arms. He slowly, warily opened his eyes, afraid that the n'itha would leap out in front of him. he detracted his wristblades, and a long, limp body thudded to the ground in front of him. blood was splattered on the ground, none of it his. he couldn't believe what he saw. He roared, and sliced off the n'itha's head, this would be a trophy to remember. But, he was sobered by the thought that he had just gotten lucky. always be cautious, always be careful.
► Show Spoiler
Dhi and kiande syra'yte (a nickname: hardhead) observed the encampment below them from a distance. This would be their first r'kta (xenomorph, or Serpent) hunt. Their clan (whose name is lost in the ashes of time) had a non-standard way of raising unblooded (or young bloods.) to blooded, several unblooded would pair up and go hunting on a planet, where Serpent eggs would be released into small communities of oomans. the queen was, of course, locked in a steel tomb below the surface.
Back to the present, the eggs have been released for several hours. in another half hour, the two youngbloods would be fighting their way through a group of around thirty Serpents. the two youngbloods stealthily made their way to the outskirts of the encampment. Entering the camp, they saw activity in the armoury, where the Serpents were probably assaulting the remainder of the oomans. The two predators watched the ensuing combat with interest, studying how the Serpents fought. The marines used the same tactics as the ones they'd been hunting for years, and held no interest. though it was interesting to see new-born Serpents adapt to counter them.
Nonetheless, the fight didn't last long. guns run out of ammo and jam. the suddenly unarmed oomans were captured or slaughtered, and the youngbloods decided that it was their turn. The Serpents were preoccupied with dragging bodies and didn't notice the two youngbloods who cut them down, and beheaded their bodies hissing acid scalded their blades, but they remained mostly intact. As far as the rules go, the hunt was over. they'd acquired a Serpent trophy, and could now be considered Blooded. But, the youngbloods were eager for glory. Dhi forgot his lesson, but this, would be the last time. they continued into the town, confident of their abilities, and were swarmed. The youngbloods valiantly fought, decimating the horde, but...a Serpent got past their whirling blades and leapt upon Dhi and its tail stabbed into his shoulder, its face was inches from him, opening for a headbite, but syra'yte saved him, tearing off the Serpent and helping him up while keeping the Serpents at bay. But with Dhi's shoulder, their defense was failing, the minor cuts across their bodies were slowing the youngbloods down. A serpent impaled syra'yte, but its tail was snapped off. a long gash was across Dhi's leg. they roared, but their efforts were in vain. Syra'yte suddenly spoke to Dhi. "Go. I will die of my wounds, but you may yet live. better one of us is honored, than both of us dead. Remember me, Dhi.". "No, we can still survi-", Dhi was cut off as Syra kicked him and sent him flying. Syra stepped backwards and quickly typed in a code onto her bracer, then charged into the roiling mass of Serpents, the blast destroyed them all. Dhi survived, barely, and activated his communications link with his mandibles "Hunt...completed. Syra...I couldn't...she's dead. I'm..I'm in the hunting grounds.". The response was immediate "You will be recovered. But you are dishonored. you failed to protect your teammate, and will be punished."
And punished, he was. The Elders who organised the Hunt cut a symbol into his chest, which meant "Dead Survivor"
He survived the Hunt, but to his clan members, he was Dead. he was a coward, who dared to survive, when his honorable teammate died. He was never paired again, and would forever hunt alone.
He was scorned, but he was Blooded. he was given the rights of a Blooded. Equipment was given to him. And due to being cursed to hunt alone, was given a small hunting craft that could support him alone for 50 standard years without resupplying.
Not Exiled, but not accepted either. Dhi would spend long portions of time away from the Clan ships to hunt, to try to make up for his failure. But one day, when he came back, he was not greeted by the imposing bulk of the Clan ships, but instead, wreckage, almost vaporised hull.
Back to the present, the eggs have been released for several hours. in another half hour, the two youngbloods would be fighting their way through a group of around thirty Serpents. the two youngbloods stealthily made their way to the outskirts of the encampment. Entering the camp, they saw activity in the armoury, where the Serpents were probably assaulting the remainder of the oomans. The two predators watched the ensuing combat with interest, studying how the Serpents fought. The marines used the same tactics as the ones they'd been hunting for years, and held no interest. though it was interesting to see new-born Serpents adapt to counter them.
Nonetheless, the fight didn't last long. guns run out of ammo and jam. the suddenly unarmed oomans were captured or slaughtered, and the youngbloods decided that it was their turn. The Serpents were preoccupied with dragging bodies and didn't notice the two youngbloods who cut them down, and beheaded their bodies hissing acid scalded their blades, but they remained mostly intact. As far as the rules go, the hunt was over. they'd acquired a Serpent trophy, and could now be considered Blooded. But, the youngbloods were eager for glory. Dhi forgot his lesson, but this, would be the last time. they continued into the town, confident of their abilities, and were swarmed. The youngbloods valiantly fought, decimating the horde, but...a Serpent got past their whirling blades and leapt upon Dhi and its tail stabbed into his shoulder, its face was inches from him, opening for a headbite, but syra'yte saved him, tearing off the Serpent and helping him up while keeping the Serpents at bay. But with Dhi's shoulder, their defense was failing, the minor cuts across their bodies were slowing the youngbloods down. A serpent impaled syra'yte, but its tail was snapped off. a long gash was across Dhi's leg. they roared, but their efforts were in vain. Syra'yte suddenly spoke to Dhi. "Go. I will die of my wounds, but you may yet live. better one of us is honored, than both of us dead. Remember me, Dhi.". "No, we can still survi-", Dhi was cut off as Syra kicked him and sent him flying. Syra stepped backwards and quickly typed in a code onto her bracer, then charged into the roiling mass of Serpents, the blast destroyed them all. Dhi survived, barely, and activated his communications link with his mandibles "Hunt...completed. Syra...I couldn't...she's dead. I'm..I'm in the hunting grounds.". The response was immediate "You will be recovered. But you are dishonored. you failed to protect your teammate, and will be punished."
And punished, he was. The Elders who organised the Hunt cut a symbol into his chest, which meant "Dead Survivor"
He survived the Hunt, but to his clan members, he was Dead. he was a coward, who dared to survive, when his honorable teammate died. He was never paired again, and would forever hunt alone.
He was scorned, but he was Blooded. he was given the rights of a Blooded. Equipment was given to him. And due to being cursed to hunt alone, was given a small hunting craft that could support him alone for 50 standard years without resupplying.
Not Exiled, but not accepted either. Dhi would spend long portions of time away from the Clan ships to hunt, to try to make up for his failure. But one day, when he came back, he was not greeted by the imposing bulk of the Clan ships, but instead, wreckage, almost vaporised hull.
► Show Spoiler
Dhi cautiously entered the wreck of the Home ship, the center of the Clan fleet. lifting aside wreckage, his strength increased by the lack of gravity, Dhi found the twisted remains of a door. wrenching it aside, he entered the bridge.
nothing had survived, everything was pulverised, the metal twisted, what technology did survive was fried. he ripped open a safe compartment, which seemed to have survived the blast, and took out a data tablet, similar to a black box. he returned to his ship, and connected the tablet to his console. What he saw, sent him into overwhelming grief. the video showed the clan's Elders and the Leader directing the fleet to new hunting grounds, when up ahead, many wormholes opened. too many. A gigantic USCM fleet appeared, that had been travelling to the terrorist-controlled system of Carosa, carrying experimental weaponry to be tested on the battlefield. both fleets mobilised. The ooman fleet was much larger, but supposedly technologically inferior. The Elders were concerned, however. Firing, we managed to instantly destroy many of their ships, but even that number only slightly thinned the ranks. The oomans opened fire, their experimental particle beams causing severe damage to the Yautja ships, destroying several.
It was doomed. The Elders looked to each other, then to the Clan Leader. He nodded. Each Elder had a small section of the destruction code, each successor bore the code afterwards. each Elder entered his or her code. The video turned to static, as everything outside of the insanely protected safe was destroyed. the blast would be able to destroy every other ship in the immediate area. The human ships were disintegrated, but the Clan's wreckage survived. Dhi's fists clenched. Grief overcame him.
Dhi entered the Clan ship's armoury, hoping to outfit himself with more advanced weaponry than his standard issue Blooded equipment. Most of the weapons were beyond repair, not only due to the ship's destruction, but because there was quite a few explosives mixed in with the other equipment. One of the few surviving weapons was a Spike rifle, another a Glaive. Dhi had not used either before. First, he examined the Glaive. It was a simple spear-like weapon, but instead of a spear tip there was a sword-like blade at the end of the shaft. He tested the balance, it was slightly uneven due to the blade, despite the expert craftsmanship. Dissatisfied, he turned to the Spike Rifle. It was rather inconspicuous, it would have looked like a strangely coloured ooman rifle were it not for the advanced scope, and the Yautja symbols "Made in Yautja Prime".
Picking it up, he discovered it was fully loaded. he checked the scope, fired a few test shots into a mostly intact wall, and decided it was functional. A long-ranged, silent weapon capable of impaling prey to objects. Turning, Dhi was about to leave when he realised that if he scanned a Spike, he could upload the data to the Foundry on his ship, to produce more if he could not retrieve it.
He was about to do so, when he glimpsed a flash of movement in the corner of his vision. Experience from several past hunts told him "Don't look, just dodge.". He did, and was rewarded with the sight of a flailing Serpent careening into a window. He raised the Spike Rifle, only to realise that if one Serpent had escaped the training hold, it probably would have freed the others, even if most had been killed by the blast. Two more Serpents came into view, one leaped. On impulse, Dhi fired the Rifle. the spike thudded into the Serpent, sending it flying back through the air. The other had flanked, swiftly moving along the wall. By this time the first recovered from its leap into the window, and was preparing another. Dhi could not kill both with the Spike Rifle alone, he switched to holding the Rifle awkwardly with his right hand, and unsheathed his left wristblades. Seeing this imbalance, the Serpent on his right side (The one on the wall) leaped at him. He fired off a shot from the Rifle, but it missed. The Serpent was upon him, and it was a whirlwind of claws and teeth.
The Serpent scraped and scratched his space suit, which was not designed for combat. It would not be long until it was breached. Dhi brought around the Spike Rifle and fired a spike into the Serpent's chest, it was blown off, but not before gashing his side with the end of its tail. It smashed painfully into the ceiling, denting it. The spike held it steady, and its thrashings were weakening. The other Serpent leaped from the window and took him by surprise as he observed its kin's death spasms. He attempted to hold it at bay with his left arm, and it was trying to claw at his face when he disabled his mag boots so that he was pushed to the floor, and kicked it off. It slammed into the ceiling and was stunned. Before it could recover, Dhi retracted his wristblade and held the Rifle properly, and fired off a spike, which embedded itself into the Serpent's midsection, its jaws opened in a silent roar.
Pinned to the ceiling, the Serpent was still far from dead. It lashed its whip-like tail and sent Dhi flying, painfully impacting the wall at the other end of the room with an audible crunch inside the suit, buckling the wall itself. Groaning, Dhi picked himself up, and noticed a small pain in his side, coupled with his broken ribs. He had to patch the suit, which had automatically sealed off the depressurized area. He took out a suit patch from his belt, and applied it to the hole, which had been sealed by his congealing blood. The patch merged seamlessly with the suit's material. He looked up to see the very first Serpent had returned and was helping its fellow down from the ceiling. They turned to him.
Dhi dropped the Rifle. They were intelligent prey, the same trick would not work twice, and unsheathed his wristblades (which were slightly longer and more curved than other clans', but still had the standard three blades.). The Serpents charged, one left, one right. Dhi stepped to the right and uppercutted the Serpent, the upward momentum sending it over his head. The other came in from the side. He kicked it back and turned on his heel. It came back for another try. He stabbed his blades into its forehead and forced it down to the floor, then stomped on it. His ribs crunched painfully with each manoeuvre, but the pain was dulling.
Suddenly, Dhi felt a weight on his back and was carried to the ground and pinned, unable to do anything. He desperately scrabbled for something, anything.
Narrator view: The Serpent's lip-like skin peeled back from its mouth......
Dhi's hand alighted on something hard out of sight, he grabbed it and twitched his hand into his view, it was the Spike Rifle!
Narrator view: Its jaws slowly opened......
He propped up the Rifle in an awkward position, so that he had his finger on the trigger, and it was roughly aimed at the alien.
Narrator view: The inner jaw inched out...
He pulled the trigger. He felt the weight be pulled off his back, the Serpent tried to cling to him, but was carried away by the spike's momentum, and was pinned to the wall. Dhi slowly got to his feet and walked over to the silently shrieking Serpent. "You were good prey, thank you for the Hunt." was what Dhi said. Their clan taught that it was important to thank cunning and powerful prey for the honor of hunting them. Its tail flailed about wildly, and Dhi grabbed it, and pinned it one-handed to the ground, then with a spike kept it down. He walked over to the Serpent, and stuck his wristblades into its mouth, turning his hand so that its mouth was prised open, then he fired a spike down its gullet. The effect was immediate, the Serpent stopped struggling, and the spike pierced through the back of its head. I one swift motion, Dhi beheaded it with his wristblades. This would be one to remember.
What Dhi did immediately after was leave the sector in which the almost unrecognisable Clan fleet lay.
nothing had survived, everything was pulverised, the metal twisted, what technology did survive was fried. he ripped open a safe compartment, which seemed to have survived the blast, and took out a data tablet, similar to a black box. he returned to his ship, and connected the tablet to his console. What he saw, sent him into overwhelming grief. the video showed the clan's Elders and the Leader directing the fleet to new hunting grounds, when up ahead, many wormholes opened. too many. A gigantic USCM fleet appeared, that had been travelling to the terrorist-controlled system of Carosa, carrying experimental weaponry to be tested on the battlefield. both fleets mobilised. The ooman fleet was much larger, but supposedly technologically inferior. The Elders were concerned, however. Firing, we managed to instantly destroy many of their ships, but even that number only slightly thinned the ranks. The oomans opened fire, their experimental particle beams causing severe damage to the Yautja ships, destroying several.
It was doomed. The Elders looked to each other, then to the Clan Leader. He nodded. Each Elder had a small section of the destruction code, each successor bore the code afterwards. each Elder entered his or her code. The video turned to static, as everything outside of the insanely protected safe was destroyed. the blast would be able to destroy every other ship in the immediate area. The human ships were disintegrated, but the Clan's wreckage survived. Dhi's fists clenched. Grief overcame him.
Dhi entered the Clan ship's armoury, hoping to outfit himself with more advanced weaponry than his standard issue Blooded equipment. Most of the weapons were beyond repair, not only due to the ship's destruction, but because there was quite a few explosives mixed in with the other equipment. One of the few surviving weapons was a Spike rifle, another a Glaive. Dhi had not used either before. First, he examined the Glaive. It was a simple spear-like weapon, but instead of a spear tip there was a sword-like blade at the end of the shaft. He tested the balance, it was slightly uneven due to the blade, despite the expert craftsmanship. Dissatisfied, he turned to the Spike Rifle. It was rather inconspicuous, it would have looked like a strangely coloured ooman rifle were it not for the advanced scope, and the Yautja symbols "Made in Yautja Prime".
Picking it up, he discovered it was fully loaded. he checked the scope, fired a few test shots into a mostly intact wall, and decided it was functional. A long-ranged, silent weapon capable of impaling prey to objects. Turning, Dhi was about to leave when he realised that if he scanned a Spike, he could upload the data to the Foundry on his ship, to produce more if he could not retrieve it.
He was about to do so, when he glimpsed a flash of movement in the corner of his vision. Experience from several past hunts told him "Don't look, just dodge.". He did, and was rewarded with the sight of a flailing Serpent careening into a window. He raised the Spike Rifle, only to realise that if one Serpent had escaped the training hold, it probably would have freed the others, even if most had been killed by the blast. Two more Serpents came into view, one leaped. On impulse, Dhi fired the Rifle. the spike thudded into the Serpent, sending it flying back through the air. The other had flanked, swiftly moving along the wall. By this time the first recovered from its leap into the window, and was preparing another. Dhi could not kill both with the Spike Rifle alone, he switched to holding the Rifle awkwardly with his right hand, and unsheathed his left wristblades. Seeing this imbalance, the Serpent on his right side (The one on the wall) leaped at him. He fired off a shot from the Rifle, but it missed. The Serpent was upon him, and it was a whirlwind of claws and teeth.
The Serpent scraped and scratched his space suit, which was not designed for combat. It would not be long until it was breached. Dhi brought around the Spike Rifle and fired a spike into the Serpent's chest, it was blown off, but not before gashing his side with the end of its tail. It smashed painfully into the ceiling, denting it. The spike held it steady, and its thrashings were weakening. The other Serpent leaped from the window and took him by surprise as he observed its kin's death spasms. He attempted to hold it at bay with his left arm, and it was trying to claw at his face when he disabled his mag boots so that he was pushed to the floor, and kicked it off. It slammed into the ceiling and was stunned. Before it could recover, Dhi retracted his wristblade and held the Rifle properly, and fired off a spike, which embedded itself into the Serpent's midsection, its jaws opened in a silent roar.
Pinned to the ceiling, the Serpent was still far from dead. It lashed its whip-like tail and sent Dhi flying, painfully impacting the wall at the other end of the room with an audible crunch inside the suit, buckling the wall itself. Groaning, Dhi picked himself up, and noticed a small pain in his side, coupled with his broken ribs. He had to patch the suit, which had automatically sealed off the depressurized area. He took out a suit patch from his belt, and applied it to the hole, which had been sealed by his congealing blood. The patch merged seamlessly with the suit's material. He looked up to see the very first Serpent had returned and was helping its fellow down from the ceiling. They turned to him.
Dhi dropped the Rifle. They were intelligent prey, the same trick would not work twice, and unsheathed his wristblades (which were slightly longer and more curved than other clans', but still had the standard three blades.). The Serpents charged, one left, one right. Dhi stepped to the right and uppercutted the Serpent, the upward momentum sending it over his head. The other came in from the side. He kicked it back and turned on his heel. It came back for another try. He stabbed his blades into its forehead and forced it down to the floor, then stomped on it. His ribs crunched painfully with each manoeuvre, but the pain was dulling.
Suddenly, Dhi felt a weight on his back and was carried to the ground and pinned, unable to do anything. He desperately scrabbled for something, anything.
Narrator view: The Serpent's lip-like skin peeled back from its mouth......
Dhi's hand alighted on something hard out of sight, he grabbed it and twitched his hand into his view, it was the Spike Rifle!
Narrator view: Its jaws slowly opened......
He propped up the Rifle in an awkward position, so that he had his finger on the trigger, and it was roughly aimed at the alien.
Narrator view: The inner jaw inched out...
He pulled the trigger. He felt the weight be pulled off his back, the Serpent tried to cling to him, but was carried away by the spike's momentum, and was pinned to the wall. Dhi slowly got to his feet and walked over to the silently shrieking Serpent. "You were good prey, thank you for the Hunt." was what Dhi said. Their clan taught that it was important to thank cunning and powerful prey for the honor of hunting them. Its tail flailed about wildly, and Dhi grabbed it, and pinned it one-handed to the ground, then with a spike kept it down. He walked over to the Serpent, and stuck his wristblades into its mouth, turning his hand so that its mouth was prised open, then he fired a spike down its gullet. The effect was immediate, the Serpent stopped struggling, and the spike pierced through the back of its head. I one swift motion, Dhi beheaded it with his wristblades. This would be one to remember.
What Dhi did immediately after was leave the sector in which the almost unrecognisable Clan fleet lay.
► Show Spoiler
Dhi woke. He walked out of his stasis tube, nutrient tubes coming out of his skin with a pop, and retracting. He donned his armour and weapons, selecting his favoured Spike Rifle. as well as standard-issue wristblades and plasma caster, and walked over to his console, which displayed information about the planet his ship's navigation systems had deemed a worthy hunting target. Apparently, it was going to be a Great Hunt, several clans would be hunting here, and their members would mingle, it was a great social occasion. But, most of the newly-raised Blooded would be thirsting for battle, in the Hunt. In advance, one of the more renowned Clans sent a shuttle of Serpent eggs on a route to crash into the planet's surface, near the ooman-populated area. Most likely, the Serpents slaughtered the humans and entered hibernation. Unfortunately, it seemed the oomans had managed to contact others before succumbing to the Serpent onslaught. A large ship was orbiting the planet. no matter, several other hunters had arrived early, as Dhi did. They would want to stop the Serpents from being killed off before the Hunt began, as well. And besides, Dhi was eager for blood to stain his blade.
He decided to pilot the ship manually, to ease off the stiffness in his muscles. tapping the Manual Override Command, two large mechanical limbs with hand-shaped sockets at the end of them slid noiselessly out of the Command Console, and one with a mask from the ceiling. Dhi lightly placed his hands in the sockets, and additional holographic displays overlaid the cockpit's window, external camera views from ship were shown, and Dhi pressed both hands downwards. the landing thrusters ignited and pushed the ship off of the asteroid, the cloak engaged and the ship shimmered and faded from sight. He raised his hands and donned the mask, which automatically tightened to his face via needles and pressurised, both a piloting tool and a precaution towards breaches. With his mandibles, he used the maneuvering thrusters to enter orbit around the planet, and engaged forward thrusters, correcting his course with the others along the way. With this method, he would be able to reach the largest Hunting Ship in the system to regroup with the other clans.
The Clan's retribution is here.
And it would not be merciful.
He decided to pilot the ship manually, to ease off the stiffness in his muscles. tapping the Manual Override Command, two large mechanical limbs with hand-shaped sockets at the end of them slid noiselessly out of the Command Console, and one with a mask from the ceiling. Dhi lightly placed his hands in the sockets, and additional holographic displays overlaid the cockpit's window, external camera views from ship were shown, and Dhi pressed both hands downwards. the landing thrusters ignited and pushed the ship off of the asteroid, the cloak engaged and the ship shimmered and faded from sight. He raised his hands and donned the mask, which automatically tightened to his face via needles and pressurised, both a piloting tool and a precaution towards breaches. With his mandibles, he used the maneuvering thrusters to enter orbit around the planet, and engaged forward thrusters, correcting his course with the others along the way. With this method, he would be able to reach the largest Hunting Ship in the system to regroup with the other clans.
The Clan's retribution is here.
And it would not be merciful.
► Show Spoiler
Dhi's ship glided soundlessly through the air, skimming the forest's treetops. Up ahead, the trees began thinning out, and eventually stopped, and the ground became too rocky for most vegetation. Scanning for heat signatures, there were multiple small creatures hidden among the rocks. Vaguely canine, and not native to this planet. Dhi smiled inwardly, he was getting close. Closing the thermal scan, he brought his ship lower to the ground, as the rocky face of a mountain reared up in front of him. Setting the ship gently down on the ground, Dhi deactivated the thrusters and exited via the boarding ramp, walking towards the mountain of rock in front of him. As usual, his friend did not emerge to say g'kaun-yte, shaking his head, Dhi quickly located the door panel, and tapped the activation rune. Next to him, rock groaned as it was moved by the sliding door, and warm light spilled out. Stepping inside, Dhi looked around at the lodge. A group of comfortable chairs and a console dominated the center of the room, while a large pen sat in the corner. Along the walls a diverse amount of trophies, body parts, skulls, hung there, the skeleton of a long extinct dto beast, whose poison could cause severe seizures which literally forced the prey to break all of its bones, hung from the ceiling. And there, a nanku r'ka (living fire), a fireproof spider-like creature that secreted highly flammable slime, which it can set alight with a spark from its pincers. His friend had quite the collection from when they had last met.
Then, from behind him, Dhi heard a deep growling.
Slowly, he turned around to see a large canine with bone spikes protruding from its skin, baring its teeth at him. And behind it, a familiar figure. "Dhi!", it shouted, and launched itself at him in a bear hug. "Good...To see you too..." Dhi gasped out as he felt his ribs groaning under the stress. Beastmaster had always been training in brute force.
Beastmaster finally released him from the hug, and questioned Dhi, "But, why are you here?" Dhi grimaced, and took a seat. "The clan..." he paused for a moment, "....Is gone."
As expected, he did not take the news well. "What? Impossible!" Then, he watched on as Dhi pulled the black box out of his hunting bag, and set it onto the ground. They both watched on as the holographic film replayed the events of the battle. In the corner, the Hellhound sat, not making a sound, as if it could feel its master's mood.
After it ended, Beastmaster rose. "So, we, and others, are the only trace of our Clan left?" once Dhi nodded, he continued. "We must make contact with other Dead Survivors, and pairs out on hunts, then assemble ourselves into something resembling a Clan, at least, to be present at the next large-scale hunt.", he summoned a holographic map of the galaxy to the table, then pointed to one of the stars. Beside it, symbols, and underneath it, the Ooman name, LV-624. "You must go ahead and inform clans that have arrived early of our plight, I will stay and inform the rest of the clan, if there are any Elders or Elites hunting at the time of the tragedy, they will lead our Clan and form us into something that seems slightly organised." then, he pulled up a list of names and typed out a message, sending it to all of them at once. Dhi waited until he had finished to speak. "From the looks of it, we're probably the closest to the planet. I'll go ahead and inform the other Clans that we may not arrive at the time expected.
Clasping arms with his old friend once more, he bid him farewell, and walked back outside, an escort of curious hounds was reeled back by their master so that he could reach his ship without wading through a sea of Hellhounds. He disengaged the landing gear, and left Beastmaster's home behind, for the blackness of space. His next location to target, LV-634.
Then, from behind him, Dhi heard a deep growling.
Slowly, he turned around to see a large canine with bone spikes protruding from its skin, baring its teeth at him. And behind it, a familiar figure. "Dhi!", it shouted, and launched itself at him in a bear hug. "Good...To see you too..." Dhi gasped out as he felt his ribs groaning under the stress. Beastmaster had always been training in brute force.
Beastmaster finally released him from the hug, and questioned Dhi, "But, why are you here?" Dhi grimaced, and took a seat. "The clan..." he paused for a moment, "....Is gone."
As expected, he did not take the news well. "What? Impossible!" Then, he watched on as Dhi pulled the black box out of his hunting bag, and set it onto the ground. They both watched on as the holographic film replayed the events of the battle. In the corner, the Hellhound sat, not making a sound, as if it could feel its master's mood.
After it ended, Beastmaster rose. "So, we, and others, are the only trace of our Clan left?" once Dhi nodded, he continued. "We must make contact with other Dead Survivors, and pairs out on hunts, then assemble ourselves into something resembling a Clan, at least, to be present at the next large-scale hunt.", he summoned a holographic map of the galaxy to the table, then pointed to one of the stars. Beside it, symbols, and underneath it, the Ooman name, LV-624. "You must go ahead and inform clans that have arrived early of our plight, I will stay and inform the rest of the clan, if there are any Elders or Elites hunting at the time of the tragedy, they will lead our Clan and form us into something that seems slightly organised." then, he pulled up a list of names and typed out a message, sending it to all of them at once. Dhi waited until he had finished to speak. "From the looks of it, we're probably the closest to the planet. I'll go ahead and inform the other Clans that we may not arrive at the time expected.
Clasping arms with his old friend once more, he bid him farewell, and walked back outside, an escort of curious hounds was reeled back by their master so that he could reach his ship without wading through a sea of Hellhounds. He disengaged the landing gear, and left Beastmaster's home behind, for the blackness of space. His next location to target, LV-634.