Grace of An Elder

Chapter 18

Dahdtoudi followed T'ahrou and Aichu into the ship, completely disregarding her father and brother as she proceeded to one of the private quarters of the ship. She was quick to remove the blood stained clothes as she drew a hot bath in the metallic tub, her hand shaking as she operated the controls. She climbed into the device and let the water rise around her body, tilting her head back against the ledge.

The girl tried desperately to force away the images of her former clan lying dead around her, but it was no use. Every time she closed her eyes, she saw them. She smelled them. The red stains on her skin were proof of the reality she was trying to ignore.

The tub was half full now, and she let her upper body sink below the surface of the water. She stayed there, holding her breath until she felt as though she would lose consciousness before she sat upright once more. "Dahdtoudi," The human flinched as her grey eyes shot open, "I brought your gear for you...you didn't answer, so I let myself in."

"Thank you, Aichu. Forgive me, I didn't hear you come in." Dahdtoudi brought her knees to her chest as she watched the female Yautja place her items on a nearby counter and turn to sit on the floor. "I want to thank you for your assistance..." Aichu waved a dismissive clawed hand as she clicked quietly.

"You are my brother's chiva partner. I can't have you dying because you're the only one with enough sense to keep both of you alive." Dahdtoudi chuckled as she wiped a smear of blood from her arm. "Besides, if you would have died, I never would have heard the end of it." The smaller female tilted her head in confusion, and Aichu pushed herself up from the ground. As she rose to her full height, she turned to walk toward the exit. "We will be waiting for you on the bridge."

When Aichu stepped into the corridor, the door slid closed behind her and Dahdtoudi laid back once more. "Why didn't you leave..?" Her voiced thoughts were intended for the deceased James and Laura, and she knew there would be no answer. "Why didn't you just leave?"
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Aichu stepped onto the bridge, and the three males turned their eyes on her. "What is her status?" Aichu shrugged at the Elder before moving to stand alongside her brother.

"She seems fine, but I'm sure she's probably a little messed up in the head." T'ahrou jabbed her in the side with his elbow and she returned the action with equal force. "What I meant, Elder, was that she finally gets the chance to meet the only beings she would have known as a child, and within a week they try to impregnate and then kill her because they are some kind of brainwashed radical religious group." Tah'kath nodded in understanding before turning his focus to T'ahrou.

"I want to thank you both for fighting alongside Dahdtoudi today. You did well, young bloods. You will bring great honor to our clan." The two of them placed their fists over their chests and bowed at the waist in salute to the Elder. "Zaiyu, contact Daih'kea and inform her that we are returning home. Your mother will be pleased to hear from you." Zaiyu nodded in understanding and moved to the communication console.

Tah'kath took a deep breath as he clicked his mandibles together in deliberation. Should he have brought his daughter to this planet to begin with? What would she think now? He knew Aichu had a point; surely she would suffer some sort of mental trauma from the ordeal...the human mind was such a delicate thing. Regardless, what was done was done, and they could only move forward from what they had learned.