3

Makane stared down at her as she sobbed quietly, staring right back at him. He could smell her fear, a sharp and sour scent emanating from her curled up form. He could hear how fast her heart was beating, and he could sense she was... damaged, but not physically. The look in her eyes showed she'd been through horrid things, things someone shouldn't have to go through, and he could see different scars on her.

Obviously she wouldn't speak his language, but he knew English from visiting Earth many times to hunt throughout his life.

"Ooman... why are you here?" He rumbled, clicking his mandibles in a slightly curious manner. She just sobbed again, still terrified and not speaking. He could see she was unarmed too, so he lowered his weapon, deciding she wasn't a threat. He looked down at her, not used to seeing humans so weak. Most he'd fought were trained warriors, who's skulls he'd ripped out for his trophy wall, yet she was so defenceless down there, cowering under the counter.

—---

The creature from before stared down at me through his helmet, making a clicking sound from under it. I didn't know what to do, it had just spoken to me with a very thick accent, asking me why I was here. I couldn't find my voice, my words getting stuck in my throat.

"W-what did you do to Pepper?" I managed to choke out, staying as tucked into the corner as possible. The creature tilted its head and stepped closer.

"Pep...er?" He questioned, then seemed to realise who I was talking about. "The ooman in my cell?"

I nodded and he reached to his helmet, tubes hissing as he took it off. I froze up at his face; it was like nothing I'd ever seen. A large crested head, deep orange eyes, rough-looking skin with a deep tan colour and blackened undertones including small black spines going up the sides of his head, and the strangest mouth with four pincer-like appendages. I could see it was the appendages that were making the clicking sound, causing the moment to be more uncomfortable. Whatever he was, he was built like a tank and very scary looking.

"What... what are you?" I whispered, sniffling. The alien's strange mouth things spread slightly, like he was smirking.

"Yautja." He said simply, stepping back slightly.

I had no clue what that was but was ripped from my thoughts when he reached out for me. I immediately panicked and he paused slightly.

"Do not fear, little ooman. I have no desire to kill weak beings like you. Come, I need to return to the cockpit."

He stood up and stepped out of the room, looking back at me to follow. I slowly slid out from under the counter and stood up, my legs weak with fear. I quietly followed the 'yautja' down the hall and to the cockpit of the ship. My eyes widened when I got a first look out the window, looking out into the vast expanse of deep space.

"Oh my god..." I mumbled, mesmerised. The yautja made a deep noise that sounded like a laugh, along with a bit of clicking.

"Oomans do not see this often, yes?" he asked, sitting in a large pilot chair and pressing buttons.

"...No, only specially trained people go to space... and not this far out." I replied quietly, walking closer to the window. All I could see was stars, a never ending sky of twinkling lights. It was the most beautiful thing I'd ever seen. After so long being stuck in the same place, this felt like the most terrifying and exciting thing I could imagine. I was still so worried about what happened to my friends, but this almost made me forget everything for a moment. This was what I'd asked for, something other than the same routine I'd been in for the last 20 years of my life. Even if it had been horrific at first, this sight was what I'd been wanting.

"Your companion... Pepper..." the yautja spoke up, not looking at me. I tensed at the mention of her, remembering what I'd seen in that morgue.

"Did you kill her?" I whispered, looking at him. He thought for a moment before looking up at me.

"I did not. She was scared of me after they took you away. She was not honourable prey, I did not harm her. Those other oomans did it." he said firmly. It broke my heart hearing that. It was one thing that the scary 7 foot something alien killed her, that made sense. But the scientists killing her? The people who raised us from babies? The people we trusted.

"...Do you know what happened to my other friends? The two men?" I asked weakly and he grunted and shook his head, the strange tendrils on his head moving too. They oddly resembled dreadlocks, decorated with metal rings, but they didn't look like they were made of hair.

"They were taken away when you were. I did not see them after." he said. We fell into a tense silence for a while, and I just stared out into space, thinking about everything that had happened. After a while, the yautja spoke up again.

"You are still distressed, yet you are very safe on my ship and I will not harm you. Why?"

I looked up, and realised my hands were trembling a little.

"Where are we going?"

"Yautja Prime." he responded shortly, tapping the console of the ship. I didn't know what that was but assumed it was his home planet.

"We will arrive on the planet, then I will decide with the Clan Leader and Counsel what to do with you. You will not be harmed, ooman." he added, which only heightened the anxiety I had. He seemed to sense I was still scared and pressed a button, bringing a 3D image of what I assumed was Yautja Prime up for me to see. It looked big, bigger than Earth, covered in a lot of buildings but also a large portion of it being forest and water and even snow. I suppose it didn't look that scary now, almost similar to Earth.

"Get comfortable, ooman. We still have much time before we reach Yautja Prime."