Greetings all. At last after a long, long, long time i have managed to do the next chapter of my fanfiction. I do apologise for ake forever to get the next chapter up but job and writers block have a lot to answer for. Any way enjoy.

Chapter 10 – Hunt Sanitization

Navigating through the corridors of the ship Rag'nar carried the injured form of the little ooman towards the healer's area. As he walked through the corridors he could feel the gentle pulsing through the ships structure, of the great engines as they purred in readiness for unleashing their power. He walked quickly ignoring the aches and pains he himself had sustained. His honour demanded that he now care for the little ooman in his arms. As he walked he was passed by various blooded warriors who were about their business sorting out the various problems that had occurred from the disaster of this hunt.

Rag'nar strode through the entrance arch of the healers domain and headed over to one of the empty beds. With gentleness for one so huge he placed the injured ooman on the bed and stepped back. The little ooman was dwarfed by the adult size bed she was small in comparison. Rag'nar stood there looking down at this little being that showed more honour and courage than that excuse Ma'lok who by now should be down in the holding cells.

No'den approached Rag'nar from behind; only the barest of whispers on the floor by the passing of No'den's feet as he approached, gave his presence away. Rag'nar half turned to face No'den,

"I see that you still have your hunters grace in stalking No'den"

"I may be a healer now Rag'nar but I still remember my old days of the hunt"

"Your skills of hunting I have no doubt in. I have need of your healer's skills now old friend."

Rag'nar extended his arm to point to the bed and moved out the way of No'den's sight so that he could see the injured ooman lying on the medical bed.

"Ooman! Why have you brought an ooman onto our ship?" No'den's voice was a mixture of surprise and disbelief.

Turning his head to face the little ooman Rag'nar responded

"There is a blood debt of honour between me and this ooman. This ooman saved my life twice, and in the process killed a praetorian hard meat."

Rag'nar paused for a second letting that information sink in with No'den before continuing.

"Ma'lok by his actions has caused this trial to become tarnished by his actions. In the process of dealing with him I was struck by a praetorian hard meat that took me unawares. In the ensuing fight with it I was overpowered and was ready to face my fate and death when this little ooman using one of our hunting spears intervened in my fate and saved me from death. The ooman showed brave equal to any full blooded warrior. The little ooman sustained its injuries from the death spasms of the hard meat."

Rag'nar paused again for a second before continuing.

"No'den because of this ooman I still walk and hunt in this world and I am honour bound to the ooman for this. I need you to do what you can to heal these injuries."

No'den stepped close to the ooman and gave the ooman a quick glance.

"What you ask is difficult Rag'nar. Ooman physiology is different from ours and our medicines and medical equipment is designed for our bodies and metabolisms. But as you say it's an honour debt and I will not stand between that debt my friend. But I will warn you that I will do what I can but I am not sure the ooman will be the same after."

"You will honour me by trying No'den. Let me know when you are done. I have other business to take care of before the ship can depart." Came Rag'nar's reply as he then turned and walked towards the exit from the healer's room.

"I will let you know once I have finished and the ooman is recovering" No'den spoke to Rag'nar's back as he exited the room.

oOo

Rag'nar walked from the healer's area and headed to his next port of call. The cells. The cells where located in an area seldom used in. Rag'nar had to traverse a few levels of the ship to get to them. Eventually he arrived at the cell area. It was not big it only held Ma'lok as its current resident. Rag'nar approached the force shield that blocked the open area from the cell room. He could notice the slight fluctuations in the air from where the force shield surged. Ma'lok, Rag'nar could see, was shackled in wrist and ankle cuffs and chains linked these to the floor he could not move far.

Ma'lok stood there glaring death at Rag'nar the instant he saw him enter the cell area.

"Come to gloat and see a true warrior held in captive by a small minded little piece of dung" Ma'lok spat the word at Rag'nar lacing them with contempt.

"Do not dishonour yourself any further Ma'lok. You are a disgrace and will stand before the elder council to answer for your crimes here" Rag'nar's reply was steady and certain.

"As I am a true warrior and claimed glory here they will exonerate me and then there will be a reckoning between you and I Rag'nar the oh so glorious leader" Ma'lok's replied showing even more disrespect.

"Think what you may Ma'lok but you are even further delusional if you think that you can walk free and unpunished for your actions. I will be there when the sentence is passed ordering your execution. Scrape together what dignity and honour that is left to you and prepare yourself for trial."

And with those last words Rag'nar turned and walked from the cells satisfied that Ma'lok was secured and knowing there were a few more pressing matters to be completed before they could depart for their clan world. As Rag'nar left he could hear Ma'lok swearing and cursing at him and it faded from hearing the further he walked away.

oOo

Rag'nar walked down the ramp and back out onto the planet's surface. He could see the nearby ooman buildings some burning where somehow fires having caught the structures. Just a little way from the ship Rag'nar could see the dead form of the praetorian hard meat still lying there with the spear jutting from its body. Before he could deal with the issue with the dead hard meat he had to check the status of the blooded warriors about his orders.

Flipping open his wrist computer he opened communication channels and checked in with each and every one of the warriors getting their status updates. The warriors were a true reflection of honour to the clan as they had done exactly as he had order and they were almost complete in their tasks. Satisfied Rag'nar closed the wrist computer and knowing the clean-up was almost complete he headed over to deal with one last matter.

Rag'nar walked casually over to the dead hard meat lying there spread out on the hard ground. The dead hard meat with the spear jutting from the body cast a shadow and appeared to be a nightmare version of a sundial. Rag'nar stopped and stood over the body. Reaching for the spear he pulled and meet resistance from the body trapping the spear. Using both hands Rag'nar gave the spear a good pull and the body gave up its grip and the spear slid free. The yellow acid blood dripped from the end but as the creature had been dead for a bit of time the blood had oxidised and just dripped into little pools on the ground. Not bothering to push the inset buttons to compress the spear Rag'nar struck it point first into the ground next to the hard meat corpse. Kneeling down next to the head, Rag'nar withdrew his calf knife. With expert precision born of experience Rag'nar cut the head from the body letting whats left of its life blood drain onto the ground. A few hisses told him that some of the blood had not fully oxidised so he held the head at an angle letting gravity drain the last of the blood from the skull.

Standing up Rag'nar took the skull and moving to the spear he thumped the skull onto the exposed spear point mounting the skull clearly on the spear. Rag'nar grabbed the middle of the spear and yanked it from the ground, small tufts of turf coming out of the ground as the spear pulled free from the grounds embrace. Rag'nar walked over to the ramp of the ship and stepped onto the smooth metal platform. Turning Rag'nar faced the open air looking at the buildings and the battlefield.

Rag'nar stood there spear in hand waiting for all the blooded warriors to filter back to and board the ship with their tasks complete. As each warrior passed Rag'nar they gave him a silent nod of respect and a glance at the skull mounted on the spear before walking up the ramp and into the ship.

With the last warrior walking past him and into the ship Rag'nar gave the area once last glance. Signalling to Mo'di, Rag'nar gave the command for take-off. The ships engines responded seconds later lifting the ship from the planet's surface with their immense power. The ship lifted and the Rag'nar stood there for a few more seconds on the ramp that started to close as the ship lifted clear of the surface. Rag'nar turned from the rising view and walked into the ship with the spear and skull in hand. The ramp closed with a silent thump behind him.

oOo

Several weeks later after the Yautja ship had left the Company ship entered orbit around the planet and dispatched several drop ships of Company marines and an Company executive.

The marine drop ships touched down around the ruined village which had partially burnt down. The marines, dressed in full face breather masks and full combat gear only displaying rank and the company logo, exited the ship in a tight military formation spreading out into the area to secure the drop site and establish and command point.

With the command point set up the sole executive strode out of one of the drop ships. The man walked with a purpose and an air of authority that did not take criticism. Dress in black the man walked up to the marine captain. The marine captain turned and presented himself with a salute.

"Sir, drop site secured. Your orders Sir" the captain's voice came from behind his full face mask slightly dulled but still with a commandful tone.

"Spread out captain and find out what happened. Search for any survivors. Find me my xenos life form." The executive's voice was calm but was full of authority.

"Sir, yes sir Mr Ares" replied the captain and with a salute turned and began issuing orders to his men.

Mr Ares returned to the drop ship and awaited his orders to be completed.

Several hours later Mr Ares received news from the drop ship crew that the captain was asking if he could attend the command post. Walking from the interior of the drop ship Mr Ares approached the command post and he could see that the marines had found several survivors barely alive but survivors none the less. The marine captain turned from the marines with the survivor's and saluted Mr Ares.

"Sir, we have found these few colonists hiding in one of the buildings. They have been going on about huge black bugs and tall armed and armoured warriors with green and yellow skin. Also we have found something's of interest in a few of the piles of what appears to be dissolved remains that surround the area. It's over here on the command table for you to inspect." The captain spoke clearly and to the point.

"Well done captain. I will speak with the colonists then see what items you have found" replied Mr Ares.

Mr Ares moved over to the colonist and spoke to each one in turn getting their stories. The colonists blurted out haphazardly their stories in their eagerness to get it all out. An hour or two passed before Mr Ares was satisfied with the information from the colonists and he has asked them questions about what they had seen. Finished with the colonists he went over to the command desk and saw that the marines had put the items into two black boxes. Opening the first Mr Ares found it contained what appeared to be a hand of a black insect type creature its hand ended in a dissolved stump. Closing the box he moved to the second one and opened its lid. Inside the item caused Mr Ares to give a brief smile of satisfaction. Inside were the partially dissolved remains of an alien wrist computer. Technology the company would gladly pay any price to gain.

Mr Ares closed the box and signalled for a marine to take the two boxes into the drop ship. Turning to the marine captain he spoke.

"We are all done here captain recall your men we are leaving."

"What about the survivor's sir" replied the captain.

"There was no survivor's captain" Mr Ares gave the captain a knowledgeable look that spoke volumes.

"Sir yes sir, there were no survivor's" the captain replied understanding the order.

A few of the marines lined up in front of the colonists and on the order of the captain the silence of the area was suddenly broken by the quick burst of gun fire and dying screams as the last few colonists joined the rest of the planets dead inhabitants.

The marines and Mr Ares withdrew back to the drop ships and boarded. A flare of engines and the ships broke for orbit. In orbit Mr Ares contacted the company ship hanging in high orbit and spoke his authority codes followed by his orders. A few minutes later in response a missile burst its way from the ships side and fell away on a course for the former colony. As the drop ships came into dock with the big company ship the result of the missile detonation was a broiling mushroom cloud marking the former colony position. Mr Ares looked out at the mushroom cloud and already forming in his mind his report to his superiors he spoke quietly to himself

"It's a shame about the colony's reactor fault wiping out the colony there were no survivors"

He chuckled to himself and glanced over at the marine carrying the two black boxes with treasure beyond value.