Queen Potter (The Potter Xenomorph Saga: Book 1)

Metamorphosis

Metamorphosis

E'jeah broods quietly in her room, it's been several days and, apart from the ship becoming far more noisy, she is depressingly the same as she was. Those strange creatures have kept her well fed and watered, but she's still expecting to die at some point. Looking up from the bunk as the door opens, she's surprised and then resigned when a R'ka pushes the door open.

"Rula wonders why you are moping in here."

E'jeah fair jumps while lounging as it speaks to her, "Did you just speak?"

"Obviously, I can also reason and use a computer configured for Yautja too. Though I can't read, as I can't feel the characters properly."

"I must be losing myself. This is a hallucination."

"I don't know what one of those is. But this is real. I'll take you to your Queen and you'll see."

E'jeah was expecting a lot of things, but being bumped with a snout and then being engulfed in flames wasn't it. Appearing in a room full of pyode amedha [an:soft meat, humans] with one Yautja and one hybrid sat amongst them.

"Rula, what are you doing here? And Who's this?" the hybrid says.

"Lady Potter, please can this wait until the class is finished. Rula, Ma'am please take a seat over there and Arry will be able to deal with whatever has come up. I'm presuming it's not an attack or something as I can't feel any urgency."

E'jeah's mandibles drop open as the female points a stick, and two chairs appear, one suitable for her stature, and a lounging style chair suitable for a kiande amedha [an:hard meat, xenomorphs], or R'ka if you're not hunting them, which she supposes she isn't. Stunned, she allows the xenomorph to nudge her over to the chair.

She watches in amazement at her ability to understand what's being said, though the meaning of what's being said eludes her. As the lesson comes to a close, she feels another surge of amazement as nearly half the pyode amedha become kiande amedha, before streaming out the door.

The youngling walks over and kneels in front of her, "Greetings Honoured Elder. This one would learn from one so honoured."

Despite the situation, E'jeah laughs, "Stand youngling, I am but a blooded hunter. I have not grown so bored of the hunt I seek the rank of arbiter, or so tired of life I wish to be an elder."

"Thank you honoured hunter."

"Tell me youngling, what is your name, and what clan do you belong to?"

"I am known as Ne'stbei of Potter Clan, formerly of Dark Blade Clan, formerly of Dachande's Clan."

"So many clans."

"Dark Blade claimed my family were bad bloods, and claimed my youngling brothers too. My Queen saved me on my chiva, and gave me her clan."

"You have no markings, you are not of age."

"I am not. I chose to go early after my clan sister was unable to achieve her chiva within one half cycle after coming of age."

E'jeah makes an Yautja frown, "Why would you go early rather than train harder?"

"There were no Chiva available for my clan sister. Yet a tenday after, there was a chiva for a clan born."

"Do they have no honour?"

"I am learning that honour may not be what we thought it was."

"Youngling, honour isn't some set thing that you can weigh. It differs from species to species. Our honour is there to control the bloodlust we suffer as we come of age. To give it a safe outlet. Others have their own honour, and we should always strive to recognise that, while not ignoring our own."