Unknown Factor

"Do the Yautja have lullabies?" We were walking through a wildflower lea and the waves of blooming admiral blue Beethovens, played a dreamy melody with every breath of the wind and as their bell-shaped blossoms bounced off my legs. Musically inclined flowers, huh, I wonder where I've read that one before. Despite my abhorrence for Alice in Wonderland, hearing those beautiful piano-esque notes brought back the fondest memories of my brother, Takahiro, who was the only one in our family not completely tone deaf and able to carry a tune.

"... lullabies..."

Was it selfish of me to wish that that infernal recording device would spontaneously combust? It didn't make my hair stand on end anymore, but it was still disconcerting. Which, now that I think about it, that was probably one of its purposes beyond communication. What better way to throw your adversary off-kilter than by freaking them out.

"You don't know what a lullaby is or the word isn't translating?" I glanced down at him questioningly and found myself smothering an absurd giggle as this terrifying hunter tromped his way through the almost head high flowers (to him) as if they were a dense rainforest. The Beethovens were knee height to me, and only Toki's hopping gate made him visible...

I stopped walking. The flowers were knee height... and I couldn't see Toki unless he was jumping, but I could clearly see T2.

Is he... is he taller?

The Yautja- er, T2, paused and turned to look at me. Noticing my consternation he walked back and stood in front of me, his head cocked curiously to the side.

"Usaagi," he calmly rumbled after the silence had stretched for too long. Most people would've just yelled at me, but it appeared as though he'd gotten used to me getting lost in thought and knew exactly how to draw me out.

"Hold still."

He chuffed at my words. However, he humored me and didn't move as I crouched beside him. He tensed somewhat at my nearness, but I dismissed it as a natural reaction to the invasion of his space.

"Toki," I called.

The little raptor's head popped up out of the flowers a few feet away with a curious chirp.

"Come here."

With a chitter, Toki made his way back to us, the flowers barely moving as he ran through them. His head popped out between a bunch of tiny white flowers and chittered in annoyance as the viney stalks got tangled around his neck. Growling, he bit and tugged at the stalks, tearing them away with ease, then promptly came to stand at attention in front of me and beside the Yuatja.

"My stars," I gasped raising a hand and measuring their head heights. "You are taller! You're taller than Toki now!"

Toki seemed to balk at this, fluffing his scales and giving the Yautja a dubious sniff as he sized him up. T2 half turned towards the raptor and straightened. Toki did the same and stretched out his neck, but T2 was still taller.

"Fascinating," I mused.

Toki snorted.

Is the effect wearing off on its own or is there some factor I didn't account for? Moreover, when did it occur?

I mulled the thoughts over in my mind. Our journey had only just begun, and we were now eight kilometers from the hab, so perhaps maybe it had something to do with the habitats environment? No, that didn't make sense. The habitat's primary function had been a lab, a protected space for experimentation and observation. However, the habs contagion and biohazard air scrubbers had stopped operating long ago so its protection was limited to serving as a shelter. Of course, without it, I would be at the mercy of Alice's, frightfully bizarre elements.

Four days until the zenith, I wonder if that would be enough time for the effects to completely wear off on their own...

A tantalizing thought but I knew it was the fear talking. Then again, I think a small part of me wanted to mess this up, wanted to force him to stay. I couldn't risk T2's safety and future because I was hung up on an errant desire not to end up alone again. Of course, that is, assuming he didn't kill me to protect the secrets of the Yautja that I have learned.

"Eeko, Usaagi."

T2's voice brought me out of my head with a confused start. "Huh?" I blinked and looked around, only to find T2 and Toki had both run several yards ahead of me.

"Wait!" I stood, my thighs stiff from the prolonged crouch. "Guys wait up!" The heavy rucksack shifted awkwardly in my haste nearly tipping me over. T2 and Toki disappeared beyond the crest of the hill, and I trundled clumsily after them.

...

"... they remind me of dwarf hippos, only smaller." We huddled- er, well, I huddled behind the silver poles of a Skyscraper tree, it's thin assorted trunks ranging anywhere from three-hundred and ninety feet to well over four-hundred feet. Taller than the extinct redwoods of Earth. Silently, we watched the matriarch of Toki's pack taking the chicks on one of their first hunts. It was an honor and a thrill to be permitted to witness this moment in their young lives, so I readily took the opportunity to study them for a few minutes. I knew we were short on time, but even T2 had stopped and taken an interest in the curious interaction.

Toki's species is the predominant predator on this planet or at least in this territory. A normal, healthy ecology of two to three hundred prey animals can only support one predator. And Toki's pack is thirty strong. A number rarely recorded beyond African Wild Dogs, Xenomorphs, or the temporary merging of dolphin pods which can climb to a thousand.

In order to sustain such a large predator population, there must be ample prey animals, and the raptors must kill at least once every two days. The raptors prey of choice isn't abundant but they are quite large which is why the ecology can support Toki's numerous pack.

Hands resting on my knees, I folded myself in half and got as close as I could to T2, trying not to disturb the hunting party or alert the prey, "That's the matriarch." A single female stood motionless on a rocky crest above the valley, observing her oblivious prey. The sexual dimorphism in the raptors was very prominent. Males, like Toki, had dark purple scales and a V-shaped crest running down the snout separating the twin sets of sunfire eyes. On the other hand, females, though slightly smaller, were more hunter green, and instead of a crest, they had a bony dorsal fan with similar characteristics to a stonefish. The spines weren't poisonous, but at the right angle, they could carve open the flanks of their prey.

T2 glanced up at me then at the lock of my hair that had escaped its confines only to brush his shoulder. Touching had definitely crossed the boundary line, but if it bothered him, he didn't show it, and after a second he turned to watch the matriarch. I exhaled a silent breath I hadn't known I'd been holding and ignored the urge to move away from him. That would only prove I was uncomfortable and thought I'd done something wrong.

My eyes went from the matriarch, who vanished into the underbrush, to the unsuspecting prey grazing several yards from our position. I am terrible at naming previously undiscovered species, but I'd call this one a fuzzy pigmy hippo. Roughly two feet tall, its stubby legs held up a body weighing about sixteen kilos. (Which is why the ecology could support such a large pack, and why they needed the numbers.) Covered in a soft downy fuzz, the dwarf hippo was a bright canary yellow with reddish stripes and a crown of black horns.

I searched for the hunting party to no avail. Even at a young age, the rambunctious bunch of chicks understood the urgency for silence while hunting. Because without a kill, they would go hungry.

The excitement and the nervous anticipation made me a little bouncy. I accidentally bumped T2, and he chuffed at my inability to remain still.

I think I muttered an apology, but I couldn't say for sure. My focus was everywhere else, attempting to catch a glimpse of movement. Solitary hunters only had to depend upon themselves for the success of a hunt. But coordinated hunters had to rely on each other, one excited chirp, one hasty movement and it was all over. The raptors relied on eye contact alone in order to convey position and intent. It really was a fascinating to watch, even if I couldn't see a single thing.

Stalking prey can take hours at times, though I didn't think that would be the case here. However, waiting for the explosive action was proving challenging for me for some odd reason. I've observed many predators while hunting and always managed an air of professional curiosity, so why couldn't I quell the jitters? Why did I keep glancing at T2? Was it because for once I had something no other scientist has ever had before, an actual predator to question the mechanics of a coordinated hunt? His scrutiny would provide invaluable insight.

I stared at T2, suddenly fascinated. As precious as his knowledge would be, maybe the real reason I was so excited was that I was sharing this experience with him. T2 was a Yautja, one the most feared predators in the known universe, and here I was casually observing a hunt with him. Me! Usagi!

T2's body tensed, leaning forward as if he were readying for the impending attack. The thick cords of muscle in his neck prominently stood out, and I eyed the panther-esque midnight blue patterns set against his dark grey skin and idly thought how exciting it would be to watch him hunt.

"T2..."

T2 tilted his head back slightly, eyeing me strangely from over his shoulder, and I realized it was because I'd called him T2 out loud. My face warmed, I wasn't about to tell him that the nickname meant Tiny Terror to the second power but I probably should've asked first.

"Sorry," I looked down at my bare toes. No reason to wear boots when my feet were synthetic. Well, wearing boots would be prudent, especially if I stepped in anything unsanitary but the haptic feedback was the only way for me to feel anything in my legs and I craved that sensation. "I, uh, didn't want to keep calling you the Yautja," I dug my toes into the dirt and curled my fingers into fists on my knees. Looking anywhere but at him. "It's too impersonal, too detached. Y-you're not a subject of study..."

You're my friend... I finished silently. And I felt true conviction in that statement. No one had ever even tried to do what he'd done. And even though logic insisted he was just doing it to free himself from this planet, he'd also gone out of his way to be gentle when he didn't have to because fear was equally a strong motivator.

"T-thank you," I said softly, my eyes tentatively seeking his.

He made a non-committal noise in the back of his throat, but if he'd been about to say anything it was immediately forgotten as our collective attention snapped away from one another as a high-pitched squeal rent the air. The raptors attack was indeed explosive and almost completely unseen until they lept out of the tall grass and onto the dwarf hippo's back. The squat herbivore tossed its head and stomped its feet like an irate bull, dislodging several of its attackers and launching itself into a full tilt run.

It was a mistake. The dwarf hippo stood no chance in outrunning the raptors and would only tire itself out in a matter of minutes. Two adult female raptors ran with the chicks, nipping the stubby legs of their prey, herding the animal towards an ambush.

The dwarf hippo was beginning to slow, but it saw the brush ahead and in a desperate move threw itself bodily at the raptors on its left with a honking cry. It forced the raptors to move out of the reach of its horns which gave the hippo a little space. The hippo made a final mad dash to the foliage ahead, to what it undoubtedly hoped was safety only to get within a few feet when the matriarch burst from trees and with blinding speed, ducked under the startled hippo's head and speared her preys throat with her bony frill. The calculated movement had been almost impossible to see before she got out from under its feet. The hippo staggered making nasally cries.

From start to finish, the attack had taken less than two minutes. The dwarf hippo never stood a chance. Swaying, blood soaking into its fur, the hippo fell on its side, and the whole pack converged on it and proceeded to feed. The matriarch and the other adult females stood on top of the carcass or near its belly and sliced into the meat with their powerful dew claws. I observed as some of the chicks lifted their feet and mimicked the movement. The males fed last, hanging around the perimeter of the kill and guarding the females and chicks as they gorged themselves.

"T2, do the Yautja take the juveniles on their first hunt?"

I'd heard the stories, but in my mind, that's all they were. I wanted to confirm it for myself. It would allow me to glean a little bit more information on the Yuatja social structure.

To my surprise, T2 didn't ignore me or even hesitate.

"Sei-i," he said with a sharp nod then briefly glanced at the raptors kill before continuing. "No," he paused, apparently searching for the right word and finally growled, "interfeeere."

My eyes went to the matriarch and watched how she ripped open flesh, then would give chunks to waiting chicks.

"But you do train them for it right?"

"Sei-i," he rumbled.

So they train their young to prepare them, but unlike the raptors, they don't interfere with the actual hunt.

My brow puckered in thought, "You don't smell like the typical carnivore."

That earned me a questioning head tilt and weird fixed stare. I imagined that beneath his mask, his brows would be pulled tight in bewilderment. If he had brows, that is. Hmm, for that matter does he have lips? A beak? So many unanswered questions, so little time. I'd seen rough sketches of the Yautja without their masks, but... but I really wanted to see for myself.

What is under your mask, T2?

"Er, well, I mean most carnivores have a distinctive odor which you lack. So I was just wondering if the Yautja are omnivores."

Even Toki had the sour tinged smell of a carnivore, but the raptors often played in the water, so it wasn't overpowering. But with T2, I'd noted a musky scent which reminded me of the sharp, fresh aroma of ozone when lightning strikes. I found it pleasant but strange for a predator.

T2 chuffed and shook his head as if he'd grown bored with my line of questions and started walking away. "Eeko, Usaagi."

"Wait!" I rushed to stand and trotted after him. Toki snorted, ducked his head and ran passed T2, determined to be the leader. "You're really not gonna answer my question?!"

T2's low rumbly laughter caused my cheeks to warm.

He's teasing me again!

"T2," I whined. Which only made the rumblings grow louder...

A/N: Hi everyone hope you enjoyed the update! Sorry if there was confusion about T2's name in the beginning! Anyway, thanks for all those favs, follows, and reviews. Hopefully, next week I'll be able to post ch.2 of A Fangirl's Crack'd Afterlife. Updates on this story and others can be found on my profile page.

Haylz93: Lol, I find T2's character entertaining too XD Thanx for the love!

KittyKatt25: Haha XD I know! They're stinking cute!

Tenfangirl: Lol, oh, yes. There is lots of love for Toki, haha. Thanx :)

angel897: Thank you! Happy you enjoyed it! :)

hotcat: Thank you! XD

Anonymous Reviewers: Thanx for the love! :)

Luna Silvereyes: Awe, thank you! I always try really hard to keep the Yautja in character even though I'm breaking a lot of rules with them. Lol, yes, baby raptors XD

CieloDistante: Not sure when I'll add that side story about Toki and Usagi meeting, but I will keep it in the idea vault. ;) Lol, what did you think of the "nameless stranger's" nickname? XD And yes, there was only one Yautja on that ship. Can you imagine the mayhem if she'd shrunk three of them?! Haha XD Thank you my friend! I hope your writing is going well ;)