Prey

Chapter 21 - Yautja Prime

I sat on the metal floor with my legs crossed as I once again glanced up at the giant planet that loomed below outside the three-hundred and sixty degree span of window that spanned the observation deck. The walls had some kind of technology that Mira had shown me that made them transparent. Outside Yautja Prime looked stunning with the twin suns casting orange rays of light across the surface.

In my lap I had the tablet device Drogaxe had given me during our little tour of my galaxy. Using a device that I had the nano-thingy make, I worked in a bootleg version of a digital art program where I drew Yautja Prime. During our tour I had taken the time to study the Yautja male and drew many portraits of him, whether it was a hand or a quick sketch of him doing something, I had drawn it.

Before I had been kidnapped as a teen I had aspired to be an artist in Anchorage. I had managed to secure a scholarship to an art school in California, but that went out the door when Weyland-Yutani plucked me out of my small cabin in the woods that I had shared with my dad until his death at fifteen.

Drawing again felt amazing, relaxing even. It had taken a few days for me to get in the groove again but I eventually fell back into it.

I was currently working on my view of Yautja Prime. Drogaxe had told me he needed to go train kids again so I asked Mira to give me a tour. It ended here when she left me to draw in peace. The quiet was welcome here. There weren't any Yautja to stare at me or treat me like a disease. In this space I could do what made me happy.

Far down below I could see the planet that birthed my beast of a mate. While beautiful, I had no doubt about it being a tough place to live. It was no wonder the Yautja were a hardy species. Even the toughest organisms back home had to adapt to harsher climates like this to survive, to flourish even. It crafted humans into hardened individuals with certain ways of life that enabled them to prosper in such harsh and unforgiving conditions.

Even as I sat there and drew, my hands working in a creative fashion, I couldn't help my mind from wandering into the scientific part of things.

Long ago my mom had been right about one thing. My mind was full of wonder and curiosity. One day it would be my undoing, but for now, I let it take me under its spell.

I had just signed my work and was comparing it to the real thing when I heard heavy steps coming behind me. A familiar scent filled my nostrils mixed with another I didn't recognize.

Turning on my heel, I saw Drogaxe approaching flanked by a much shorter Yautja. His skin complexion was similar to my man's, only this one was lighter in tone and his dreads barely brushed past his clavicles. Set deep into his face he had silvery eyes that shone with curiosity as he came to stand beside Drogaxe. I noticed he wasn't as built and thick as him but still could break me in half should he wish.

I saved my piece again out of habit and smiled up at them. "Hi."

"Leoni, my mei'hswei, brother, wanted to meet you. This is Skadare. He is younger than I. Skadare, this is Leoni." A claw gestured to the younger Yautja who nodded slightly, a gesture I had come to understand as a Yautja "Hello".

Waving slightly with my free hand, I smiled, "Nice to meet you, Skadare." Seeing that he didn't try to correct me, I was relieved I had pronounced it right.

Drogaxe growled something at his brother, a giant fist meeting his shoulder before gesturing to me.

What the hell was going on?

"Is there anything I can help you with?"

"No, Lee-un-ee," Skadare gave me a Yautja smile, his mandibles pulled to the sides slightly. "I am curious to meet the only hybrid Drogaxe did not kill. He has not once taken a mate before."