Genesis

Chapter 16

Scouts had been sent out, to find any remaining serpents that could have been left behind. The rest of the war party made their way back to the ship. The rain that had threatened the sky's now fell. As they all began to enter the massive mothership one hesitated, the Marine. He felt drained even though he really didn't do any fighting and he was feeling every part of being an outsider. Slowly he followed into the great ship. He was ready to go home. He watched the group disperse, most likely to go clean up. He spied the leader, and the woman called Nina talking. The big guy looked directly at him for a matter of seconds nodded at the woman and left.
Nina approached him. "I want to thank you for saving my life." Her green eyes seemed to peer into his soul. "Roxanna has told me you wish to go home?"
"Yes." He replied quickly. His face lit up.
"My mate has agreed to have you shipped home. Tonight we offer you food and a place to rest." She led him to a private room showed him how to work the bathing unit and left him to relax and sleep.
Ryan bathed, and washed his uniform as best he could and hung them up to dry. He wearily climbed into the bed enjoying the fur pelts against his naked skin to exhausted to think about food. No one was going to believe his tales when he got home he thought, but then again such an encounter could never be told to anyone. With the thought of being reunited with his wife and child he drifted off to sleep.

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Nina and Wahkan set off on their own, another night was beginning to set in after the rain had stopped. Knowing their surroundings well, once living here together so long ago. They found their way to that little hot springs she had used to bathe in. They stripped each other of their clothing and climbed in. The warm water felt heavenly on her sore body. She rested her arms and head on the ground outside of the pool and relaxed after washing the grime from her body. Wahkan came behind her looking over her little body, seeing her skin scratched and bruised. Instinctively his hands explored her back, trying his best to soothe her.
"Here we are, on our planet." He said a bit sheepishly. "Though I must apologize for the interruptions we received upon arriving." His hand moved her thick black hair to the side exposing her fragile neck.
"It seems all we do is go to battle when we are together. Will peace ever find us?" Nina sighed looking over her shoulder at him.
Wahkan removed his hands from her and stared down at her. For the first time anger flickered in his eyes, his lower mandibles flexed, he did his best to control his temper. Looking at her as a human not as yautja, compassion replaced his anger. Grabbing her he turned her to face him, he picked her up seating her on the bank of the pool, she was now face to face with him. Forced to stare into his amber eyes. Wahkan put himself between her legs, gently he lifted her arms and put them over his shoulders. His voice low and gentle yet stern, "I have torn my culture apart for you." He looked deep into her eyes. "I'm destroying an empire and trying to rebuild a new one... for us. I did not expect this outcome but it is." He ran his finger over her delicate face, tracing her cheekbone down to her jawline. "I am doing all I can to keep you Nina. Soon there will be peace. We are rewriting history." He tried to sooth her fears. "I am sorry I have put you in a position of fear, and hurt. I will let you go if that is what you truly wish." His eyes searched her now tear filled green ones.
"I'm sorry Wahkan, I have ruined so much. I feel like you should have never met me. This all would have never happened." She couldn't help the feelings she had. "I tried to leave, to get away from you! But you still found me." She felt embarrassed for crying, everything she had tried to conceal deep inside, to contain her human emotions flooded out. "I want to be strong, for you and the clan. My heart and mind is heavy Wahkan, with everything that has happened and my betrayal of you with Tatsu still eats at me with guilt. I don't deserve your forgiveness. I don't deserve you forging a new empire for my sake!" She sobbed.
He placed both hands on her face forcing her to look at him. "Of course I found you. I would have searched forever for you. You are my heart now. Soon I will restore order amongst my people and you can be by my side without a care in the worlds my little jewell, my treasure. Though never in my life have I felt what you'd call jealousy until you ran away with my blooded brother, but I do not hold it against you now Nina. Everything you are, and all that you will be my love is worth the trouble. All the stars and spaces in between, the color of your soul is all I really see. Every moment and beyond the light, I'll be the one who's right there by your side, if you will have me." He stared intensely at her.