Alien vs. Predator

The Human Element.

Intro

"Daddy!?" Everything was so dark... everything was happening so fast... there were so many sounds and movements around her...

"Stay hidden Sweet heart, I'll find my way to you..." he'd sounded so far away... she was on her own in this place and she was terrified.

"Daddy! Behind you!" she'd been screaming as the monsters charged and attack her father while he tried to free her trapped leg from under a heavy slab.

"No... No... Daddy..." she was so young back then... believed so many times that she was going to be able to save him. "Daddy... come back..."

"Run Shara! Get out of here!" he yelled as she tried to dig him out of the falling rocks.

"I'm not leaving you!" she snapped at him, trying with all her strength to pull him from under the rocks... she wanted him to get out of this terrible place with her...

"Shara you have to go!"

"Daddy..." She's wanted to so much to keep him alive... to save him like he'd saved her so many times...

"Shara look out!"

"AAAAAHHH!"

"Shara!"

"Daddy..." He'd given her as much warning as he could before she'd been hit hard from the left side, pain ripping through her left side and arm as she slammed into the far ruins of the wall.

"I'm sorry... Shara..." he was so cold... his body covered in so many cuts and gashes... so much blood...

"What do I do daddy? I don't know the way back... I don't know what to do..." she'd been scared, cold and her whole left side was in agony... she was bleeding too but he'd made her wear his big coat and a padded vest to slow the bleeding down...

"You'll be ok Shara... you're a smart girl... you'll find a way home..." he'd said looping his old dog tags and his wedding ring around her neck on a chain and putting his 45 Caliber into the holster.

"Daddy? Daddy?!"

Dull blue eyes snapped open and a young 15 year old girl sat bolt upright in her sleeping bag, her mid-back length blond hair flaring behind her a little as she moved so fast. Heavy pants followed by shaky breaths as she looked around and realized where she was and what she had just witnessed was a dream of her past...

She rubbed her face and sighed, holding the cool metal of four dog tags and two rings that hung around her neck, blinking back the tears as she reminded herself that her father was not coming back...

She sighed again and put her sleeping bag and pillow away quickly and quietly dressing herself in a pair of combat print jeans with a gun belt looped through the rings, a pair of black combat boots, along with a extra large black shirt, over which she pulled a light weight but thick armour for her back and chest fastening it tightly so it wouldn't shift when she moved, over that she pulled coat with the embroider name 'Kelly' over the left pocket.

She gently kissed the dog tags and rings, tucking them into her armour and then stood and went to the small cupboard in the room, taking out a pair of black 45 calibres and several clips of ammo went into her bag, she also put a long bone spear on to her back, attaching it to her armour.

She then slid to carved out Xenomorph heads onto her hands and put a helmet that was slightly too big for her on to her head, every time she moved to fast or nodded, the protective mask to cover her face would fall down and cover all of her face, as the optical visor would stay dark until activated.

It was somewhat annoying, considering the mask had been made for her by the smaller of the Yautja on base, Dart and even he found it amusing when the mask fell down over here face at inopportune moments.

She paused as a dull sting began to creep through her left arm and back, sighing she turned to her bed side draw only to find her medication gone, in its place a note. 'Come and find it. Cutter.'

Shara sighed and put the note in her pocket as she left the room, ducking under the low door ridge to get through two huge doors, held open by a large log of drift wood.

"My name is Shara Kelly, I was born 3rd of January in 2006 in the city of London, by the age of 7 in 2012 I was being school at home by my daddy after he'd been sent home from the Army due to heavy injury to his hips, he was given an honourable discharge and given the offer to return if his injuries would allow.

In 2014 we moved from the busy centre of London and settled outside of the city with my mummy, she'd been discharged from the army after a bullet nicked her heart, she was home in time for my 9th birthday.

I had been told by both my parents that there were things out in the universe that were real, like monsters and aliens, planets like ours and planets that weren't, I always believed that someday we would know what was out there...

I guess you could say I got some of my belief handed to me on one stormy Monday 10th in January 2017. We were all gathered for dinner when the news came on the TV about a ship of some kind crashing into the centre of Manhattan... after that day, earth was a battle field."

Seeing a slight shimmer in the space in front of her, Shara stopped and ducked under an unseen swing that dented the wall and placed the spear from her back against the unseen throat. "Bull Dog?"

The shimmer faded to reveal a masked face with heavy dread locks framing it, the being before her wasn't human, but a Yautja standing a towering 9 foot 7, with a huge muscle packed body of armour, a bone whip and bone glaive on both his sides and a large crack in his mask, showing off a deep mark on the ridged and hard forehead.

"Getting better." The masked Yautja said as he stepped back and gently patted her helmeted head, a reminder that despite being bested today, Bull Dog had the strength in one hand to kill Shara if she over stepped her place.

"Thank you." Shara said putting her spear away and bowed her head keeping her eyes lowered.

By lowering her head and keep her eyes down, she showed him submission, a sign she knew that he was better than she was and that she did not seek to challenge him.

With a nod, Bull Dog gently gave her a small push down the hall and she began walking again.

"There are five Yautja here with my group of survivors, the others are spread across the planet helping us win against the Aliens or Xenomorphs as Jackal calls them, Jackal is the leader of the Yautja here and in London and he's the reason I'm still alive today, i can't do much to thank him, so when I see him struggling I try and help him...

Bull Dog is one of five Yautja that help me and a small hand full of other humans, but mostly only me, the General, Mark, Big Ben, Jessica and Martha are in constant contact and living space with the Yautja, Most are scared of them, but once you get to know them, they aren't scary at all."

Shara paused again when she heard a series of click, snarls and growls, she waited and soon after she'd heard the sound, another large Yautja, standing a tall 8 foot 7 with several large plasma casters and modified human guns dressed in a similar armour to hers came around the corner with smaller Yautja at a height if 7 foot 9, carrying a variety of throwing disks, daggers, knifes, shurikens and dressed in a wide wire-mesh shirt and weapon belt.

"Good morning Dart, Big Guns."

The smaller Yautja greeted her with a nod clicking a greeting in the Yautja language she didn't understand fully but had come to know was a greeting of some kind and the larger one gently patted her head as Bull Dog had before continuing to walk, talking in their own language.

Shara smiled and then sighed as her helmet fall down, just as she was about to move it, a clawed hand did it for her and she smiled. "Morning Tracker," she said as another Yautja stood before her.

"You need grow more, young one." Tracker said, adjusting her helmet a little as he did many times to try and hold the mask up better. "You have training session?" he asked.

"Yes, Cutter wants me to find my meds." She said.

"Good luck." Tracker stated and walked off down the hall.

Shara smiled and then winced as her left arm began to feel like it was being held close to a fire place or open flame, she needed to find her mentor and get her medication.

So she did what she had been taught to do, think like a hunter.

She needed to find her target, in this case, medication, but said meds were in the hold of her mentor, an older and powerful being whom would likely be watching her thanks to his cloaking device...

She was a young hunter and he was her teacher and while he did often take her medication as a test he knew if she didn't get her medication before a certain time her left arm and back would start to hurt and she would be unable to move due to pain.

So that narrowed the hiding places down to Cutter's room, the training room, one of the hall ways on the Yautja ship or Jackal's room, so first she checked the training room, finding nothing she moved on to the hall ways, saving time by using her mask to scan for Cutter.

When she didn't find him, she left the boat yard and with a small struggle, managed to pull herself up into the Yautja ship, she looked around and out of respect, kept her footsteps quiet and tried not to knock anything over.

Jackal would be meditating at this hour and he had only one rule, no one disturbs him unless it is Xenomorph related, so Shara kept walking, keeping her steps light as she passed a large door, pausing for a moment to let a breath of air out before continuing down the hall.

She stopped outside another door and was about to open it when a movement behind her caught her attention, she spun, drawing out one of her 45s only to have a sharp blade placed against her throat and her gun pressed against the bullet proof armour of her mentor.

"Slow, but faster than last time." Cutter said as he stepped back, dropping his cloak and holding a small bottle of dim glowing pills. "You are getting better."

"But not as good as you." Shara said taking the bottle and taking one of the glowing pills, frowning at the taste. "I ducked Bull Dog's punch today."

"Very good, now he will start using his glaive or whip." Cutter said and Shara sighed. "You are up before your time..." He then said.

"Bad dream... I saw my daddy back when..." Shara trailed off and absently rolled her left shoulder.

Cutter put his hand on her right shoulder. "It is the past Shara... you can't bring him back." He said. "U'sa-kwe, death is something we all face and one day, even I will sleep forever." He added using his own language.

"I know..." Shara sighed, "It just... happened so fast... I didn't have time to say good-bye or tell him I loved him..."

"My dad's death was a large shock to me, where as I hadn't seen my mother die, I'd been there to witness my dad have his body run through by a large tail spike and then thrown across the room, bitten by a Xenomorph runner and nearly crushed by falling rubble...

I blamed myself for his death, but Cutter and Jackal both tell me it wasn't my fault. But it is hard to believe them when I continue to have nightmares of his death and what could have happened if Jackal hadn't been there..."

"Come," Cutter said, changing the subject to try and stop Shara crying. "You need food."

Jackal glanced up as he heard Shara and Cutter walk past his room talking quietly as they did, he looked down at his mask as then up at the many trophies he had gathered over his life...

It was strange how a single act of a human father in defence of his child had lead to the end, if only temporary of one of the three Queens on Earth... and it amazed him that the humans, though seen as prey or apprentices to his kind, were willing to work with his kind to save their home, knowing the odds were against them.

He sighed and put his mask on, standing and walking to join the others at breakfast.

An old bearded man looked up as the door opened and smiled kindly, handing Shara a tray with a bowl of hot stew, several slices of bread, butter, a fruit salad and a cooked fish on it. "Morning Shara, morning Cutter."

"Morning General." Shara said as she sat beside another woman with braided brown hair and several throwing blades on her arms and legs. "Morning Jessica."

"Good morning Shara." Jessica said, chuckling as Shara instantly began to wolf down her morning meal. "Hungry?" she asked.

"Starving." Shara said emptying her glass of water.

"Slow down Shara." A voice said and Shara instantly stopped at looked up as Jackal came into the room, his right arm hidden by a short cloth cloak. "There is no rush."

Jackal was the only Yautja on base that could speak in full sentences, his crew were still learning and while they still used their own words and language with each other, they were teaching the humans to understand their words and what certain actions mean to other Yautja.

"Sorry." Shara said then sighed as the mask of her helmet fell down again. "I give up."

"It will fit one day, Shara." Jackal assured.

After breakfast and morning patrol, Shara found herself with Cutter and Jackal, going over the Yautja language, teaching her the translations and the meaning behind the words.

Shara never realized sometimes, just how much Jackal watch her when she was with him or when she was undergoing training with Cutter, she was so focused on proving she could complete the tasks set for her that she never saw the way he looked at her.

Cutter however, saw the looks and found himself wondering what the older Yautja was thinking at times, the look in his eyes when he watched Shara was a look of deep thought, puzzlement, content and respect, often with an underlying look Cutter related to the look a parent gave their child.

It wasn't his place to question Jackal, but at the same time, he found himself growing attached to the female and wishing oddly that the human life span was as long as his own.

"Do you have siblings?" Shara asked and Cutter blinked.

"Siblings?" he repeated.

Shara nodded, "A male or female that is related to you by blood."

"Ah, yes." Cutter said. "I do have siblings... three mei'hswei and four mei-jadhi..."

"Mei'hswei and mei-jadhi... brother and sister?" Shara guessed and Cutter nodded.

"Sei-i, yes however one of my mei-jadhi is a little... hulij-bpe... how you say...?" Cutter asked making a circle near the side of his head.

"Crazy?" Shara asked.

"Yes, crazy." Cutter said, "Maybe one day you shall meet my brothers, even they can't stay away from this hunt."

"Do you think they'll see me as weak? With my arm and everything?" Shara asked and Cutter blinked again. "Jessica, Ben and the general all have marks from your team... but I only have a mark from Jackal for the alliance and I'm training as an apprentice with you... but I still can't use my left arm completely yet... no one says it but I know it's slowing me down..."

"You are worried they will see you as a weakling?" Cutter asked and Shara nodded, "Why?"

"I can't go a day without my medication... I have nightmares and I'm not even a adult..." Shara sighed. "I'm still a child."

"And you have proven time and again you have the potential and ability to be as good a sain'ja and any Paya or Cetanu."

"A what?" Shara asked.

"Sain'ja means Warrior in our language," Jackal explained as he came in to the room, carrying several scrolls and a pencil. "Paya means Conquering Warrior, or sometimes God depending how it's used, Cetanu is the Black Hunter, god of death." He added.

"Sounds scary." Shara said.

"We are as some of your people call us Predators Shara, we are not meant to be harmless." Cutter said. "Now, tell me what is written here." he said handing her a pad with odd scribbles on its pages and then set a neatly written alphabet with the same scribbles next to their translated letter.

Shara looked over the pages then looked at the translator, repeating the action several times before pausing and cocked her head to one side, Jackal reached over and flipped the page up right for her without pausing in his designs.

"Ah, that's why it made no sense," she said and then began to write down what she could of the lines, "They're rules?" she asked.

"Well done." Cutter said. "They are the rules of our hunts."

"They seem fair enough. No killing children or sickly or pregnant people, no killing those who are unarmed... but I don't see how hunting humans could be any sport for your people... I mean no offence but we're less advanced then you, we have no outer armour like the Xenomorph, our weapons are limited in comparison to yours, we have no way to hide while hunting like you do... why hunt us at all?"

"Some humans, despite what you say, are worthy prey. They are able to adapt and hide well, they are able to keep their cool and think when faced with death. We hunt those who can give us a challenge and some humans are seen as worthy warrior." Cutter stated. "Like you."

"But I'm being trained by you," Shara pointed out and Cutter gently touched her left shoulder.

"These are an eternal sign that you are special, Shara Kelly. You have faced a Queen and lived, very few Yautja your age can say they have done that."

"I guess..." Shara sighed. "I just wish I could use my arm more."

The General sighed as he looked at the temperature readings and the reports he had been given. "This is becoming a problem..." He sighed.

"General?" Jackal asked.

"Three hundred and forty two miles of eggs, increasing by the day... City Queen is actively laying eggs and due to the number of humans we know are still trapped around the world..."

"Chances are we're already being out numbered hundreds to one." Mark sighed as he came in with a large file. "Reports just came in from the Wonderer, he says the Ice Queen is also laying eggs and her children making a hell of a webbing way to cross the seas. Most of the survivors are gathering in the areas around some place in Alaska, preparing to cross the Bering Sea waters to get to us via any means available."

"I will speak with my people and see if we can get any ships air born again." Jackal said.

"Thank you Jackal." Then General sighed then looked at his paper work gravely.

Shara shifted in her sleep and suddenly jerked up as if struck hard by something, her body covered in sweat and her face covered in tears.

She looked around and sighed realising it was 3:15am.

"Another dream?" She looked up as Jessica came into the room with a new sleeping bag and pillow, Shara nodded and began to whip her face. "Don't try and hide it Shara," Jessica said as she helped Shara stand up and change Sleeping bags.

"I shouldn't be crying." Shara said sniffling.

"If you need to cry then cry, there's no shame in tears." Jessica said, gently embracing Shara and rubbing her back gently.

Shara broke down in her arms, neither of them noticed the slight shimmer by the wall.

"Now, sleep." Jessica said after a while, gently laying Shara down so she was comfortable. "There is a meeting being called at 07:00. The ever annoying one will be there and the Wonderer."

"Ok... night Jessica..." Shara yawned as Jessica walked out of the room.

"Good night Shara." Jessica said sighing softly as she walked towards the room she hoped to find the Yautja in. "Tracker? Dart?"

"Problem?" Tracker asked looking up from where he was sharpening his blades and adjusting his tracker in his mask, Dart was cleaning his net gun, since neither were in combat, they had both removed their masks, showing many small scars on their faces and mandibles, Tracker had dull green eyes and Dart had bright yellow.

"Meeting at 07:00. Commander Sanderson will be there." Jessica said and instantly both Yautja growled, mandibles flaring. "Shara is not leaving Jackal or Cutter's side." Jessica quickly added.

Dart growled low and deep. "I would give five Queen th'syra, Skulls to see that zabin, insect killed."

"Maybe one day he'll drop dead via faulty systems." Jessica said. "How do your people deal with people with a personality like Sanderson?" she asked.

"Yautja like him are rare, they mostly end up banished, dead or they don't survive at all." Dart explained. "In our culture, if you do not learn to hunt and survive, you will not live to see the days of your off spring."

"Sounds fair." Jessica said then sighed. "I have patrol with Ben and Bull Dog. Could one of you check on Shara for me?"

"No need, Cutter's with her." Dart said as Cutter walked by the door heading towards Shara's room. "Jackal was watching her when you went in."

"I never saw him." Jessica said.

"Cloaking does that." Tracker said.

They all stopped and seemed to listen to something in their masks while the humans listened over the radio.

"We need to gather in numbers if we are to battle this enemy, we each have some way to reach the white cliffs of Dover and make our stand, freeing this place will give us our chance but we must act fast. All Humans and Yautja are requested to make their way by any means to Dover in the UK."

Then they all turned to look towards the ruins and remains of their ships, taking apart the smaller ones to repair the largest and taking parts from old boat and jets for added parts, then they began to gather the humans, weapons, ammunition and other such items that could be used to help their people win this hunt.

One of them paused and watched as a huge surge of sea water reared up; falling free of a monstrous form that now ruled the oceans of the world.

A Xeno-whale; covered in oily black skin with multiple barbs and spikes upon its body and fins, a spiked tip to its tail fin and huge muscles capable of allowing the creature to jump 75 feet in the air from the ocean and take out Yautja ships, they could only hope they didn't become dinner for one such Xeno-whale.

"She's just a child, Carlos, she'd be better off staying indoors." So many voices, all saying she wasn't safe... she wasn't meant to be there...

"She isn't leaving Martha. I refuse to leave her alone after what happened... she stays with me." Her father... always so protective and caring of her... she wished he was still alive...

"Daddy, why do people say I shouldn't be here?" no one else would answer her.

"Shara?"

"Because they are scared... they don't want to see you get hurt..." her dad said, hugging her close while they lay in their sleeping bags. "Now go to sleep, sweet heart, it'll all be ok one day."

"Shara...? Wake up child." Someone was shaking her gently, her body was waking up... Who was that calling her? Was it... no her dad's voice was deeper and made her chest feel funny when he talked...

"Shara?"

"Hmmm...?" at last opening her eyes, Shara could herself face to mask with Big Guns, "What happened?" She asked.

"Nothing, but you are late for the meeting." Big Guns said "its 07:45."

Shara was up and dressed before Big Guns could finish telling her what time it was, however she skidded to a stop when she heard screaming and shouting inside the room.

"It's suicide!" Martha Mary snarled as Commander David Sanderson, a man who seemed to make a living in making everyone elses lives miserable spoke to them, dressed in a business suit and had his hair combed back and gelled.

It was a wonder he had lived this long. But Shara reminded herself that he was an android, they have no life span, just a date when they expire or go offline.

"It is an order from Our Queen!" David snarled back. "That Egg field is to go up in flames one way or another and since you have the only known survivor of the last attempt, she will know best how to get in and out! She's going and that is final!"

"Not Final! I will not send a child to kill herself when there are perfectly suitable Ass holes like you that could go and serve your beloved Queen! She isn't at war! She's safely locked underground with the other rich survivors and other kiss up suppliers of Weyland Industries and Borgia Industries." General Connelly snapped. "You're people freed that bitch from her prison after Sergeant Kelly gave his life to seal her away! Now you want to send his daughter to die just so you get a meddle?! I refuse to give the order."

"I'll do it." Shara stated.

"You have no say in this General," Sanderson said handing him a letter. "The Queen ordered it herself."

"This is Bull Shit!" Ben snarled. "Shara isn't going."

"I'll go." Shara repeated.

"No one asked your view." Sanderson stated.

"I SAID I'LL GO!"

All eyes turned to Shara, shock, hurt, confusion, fear, worry, anger...

"What?" Jessica asked as she looked at the child before her.

"I said I'll do it." Shara repeated. "I remember the way and I know what to do... I'll be alright."

"Shara you don't have to do this." Martha Mary said. "You've done enough and this bastard has no power to order you to do anything."

"It's my choice." Shara said. "My dad said if it happened again then he'd want me to go out and try to finish what we started."

"But Shara." Jessica began only to be stopped by Connelly.

"You are not going alone, Shara." The General said. "We'll take the old tanker Carlos used and we'll go together. Including you Sanderson." He added before David could leave the room. "You will document this for the Queen."

"Now just a-" David was cut off when Bull Dog growled at him and he quickly looked at the general. "Documenting would be good." He said.

Shara nodded and turned to leave, closely followed by Cutter and Jackal while everyone else went to prepare.

"Shara..." Jackal began taking hold of her hand. "Please, you needn't do this... it is a death mission... you'll be killed before you even reach the nest..."

"It's ok," Shara said before Jackal could finish. "I know I'll be ok... and besides, that Queen's eggs only activate if touched... So we just have to get the middle and set the bomb off." She said.

"Shara, you don't have to go through with this." Jackal said, "You have done your part, no one, not even our people would ask more of you."

"I ask more of me." Shara said. "Jackal... I owe you my life, I know that... but if I can make one of the Queens and her whole nest go up in smoke and flames that gives up back at least some of our home... isn't that worth something?"

"It is not worth the life of a child because of some heartless toy." Jackal said.

Cutter gently touched Shara's left shoulder. "Is this because of the nightmare you had the other night?" he asked, Shara looked at him in shock but nodded. "Tell me what happened."

Shara shuddered and absently held her left arm. "I saw everyone trapped in webbing and the Queen watching while Xenomorphs broke out of them... my dad's body was next to mine... everyone was screaming and then one of those hybrid things grabbed me... next thing I knew everything hurt and my whole body was in pain..."

Cutter looked at Jackal who nodded and then Cutter gently lifted her face so she looked at him. "It won't happen Shara. I promise everyone will be safe." He said.

"How?" Shara asked. "My dreams seem so real... everything feels real, sounds real... dreams shouldn't make you think they are real..."

Unable to find an answer Cutter sighed and looked at Jackal, who bowed his head.

The old Tanker was a large monster truck like vehicals with tank armour and weapons driven on six huge wheels and capable of ramming through Xenomorph webbing.

Carlos Kelly had left it with Mark with the instruction Shara was to lean to use it when she was old enough and as such, Mark had taken it upon himself to keep it in good condition and often taught Shara how to drive it.

Hearing that Shara was going to go in to the nest again, he was in an unusually bad mood, but kept his mouth shut as Cutter and Jackal spoke in their own native tongue.

Shara suddenly stiffened as the tanker jolted as if struck. "What was that?"

"Xenomorphs!" Mark growled. "Big Guns, kindly get those bastards off this tank." He asked and Big Guns nodded taking control of the Tanker's weapons and sending Xenomorph and acidic blood everywhere as the tanker continued to plough forwards through web barricades and walls.

Shara clutched her dog tags tightly and closed her eyes tightly as the memories came swarming back.

"They just keep coming!" Gunner shouted.

"Keep firing!" Driver snarled.

"We're not gonna get much further!" Mark stated over the noise.

"Keep going! We have a mission and we WILL complete it!" Driver ordered.

"Hold tight to me Shara." Her daddy said as she felt him shield her with his coat and his armour.

"Daddy..."

"It's ok Shara," Mark called back, "Tanker is stronger then she looks." He assured.

Shara nodded and took a few deep breaths, still tightly clutching her parents' dog tags and rings as they continued to move, eventually the Xenomorphs stopped coming, likely planning to attack them later believed Big Guns to be low on ammo.

After a short time more, the Tanker stopped and Jessica, Ben, Bull Dog, Big Guns and General Connelly were out and set up ready to defend the tanker while Cutter helped Shara out of the tanker.

"We need at least two people to go in there..." Gunner said.

"Captain?" Driver asked over the radio.

"Carlos... I know you won't like it, but you and Shara are the only two that can get in there right now..." Captain was scared and blaming himself...

"We'll do it sir... but I do have one request... that someone... someone comes and finds Shara... or at least... something of ours... to go on my wife's grave..." her daddy asked as she stayed close to his side.

"Shara? You ok?" Jessica asked.

"My daddy wanted someone to come find us... so we could be with mummy..." Shara said looking around. "He was crying..."

Cutter looked around then nodded. "Come."

Shara nodded and followed Cutter closely, no Xenomorphs were nearby, she knew that thanks to the mask, but that didn't mean they wouldn't come...

After walking a short while, Cutter stopped and turned to Shara, using his wrist blades to slice the detonation pack off her back and take it himself. "What are you doing?" Shara asked as Cutter placed the pack down and began removing his weapons. "Cutter?"

"You are not going to die, Shara." Cutter said. "I will not allow it." he added.

"But..." Shara said then stopped as Cutter handed her his combi stick, his smart disks and two shurikens, then knelt so they were eye to eye. "Cutter... what are you doing?"

"I will go into the nest, it is the place of a Yautja, not a human child who has already risked her life and lost her father..." Cutter said, "But I need you to do something for me."

Shara nodded. "Anything." She said as Cutter clicked into his mask, "Cutter?"

"When other Yautja come in their ships, if they have the same mark on their armour as mine, or if they know Jackal, show them my mask." Cutter explained. "Can you do that?" he asked as he ran several scan on Shara, saving them to the mask.

"How will I know them?" Shara asked as tears began to fall. "How do I know they are the right Yautja...?"

"You will know them, Shara Kelly," Cutter said and then began to remove his mask, "Just like they will know you." He assured flexing his mandibles and then handed her his mask, "N'dhi-ja."

"N'dhi-ja...?"

"It means good-bye." Jackal's voice said before Shara felt someone take hold of her shoulders to stop her running after Cutter as he nodded and then raced off with the detonation pack. "I am sorry..."

...