Hunter's Requiem

Chapter 1

    He was old already by his race's standard, well into his seventh hundredth year.  Everything he had ever hunted, he had killed. He was a veteran, an Elite. He could have been an Arbitrator if he so chose, he did not.  Not many made it to his rank and those that did, generated nothing but respect and honour. He had the scars to prove this, the left side of his face a testament to his hard earned rank.  The left mandible was broken, missing the top tusk. A kiande amedha warrior had bitten it off centuries ago, its blood had also caused the heavy acidic scarring on his flared cranium when he had killed it.  The warrior had taken the sight in his left eye with its acid. blood. A battle Setg'in-yu'san or Set, had never forgotten.

    He was larger than most males, at close to eight feet tall, his colouring a mix of dark green, green and yellow a perfect blend of camouflage for the jungles he enjoyed hunting in.  Despite his injury, Set could hold his own. The trophies he had amassed over his long life that lined the walls of his home and his ship attested to this. Most were of the kiande amedha, the various stages of growth including three queens.  He specialized in eradicating the beasts when infestations broke out. His weapons were resistant to the acid, as was most of his armour.  

    His wrist guard beeped, startling him out of his thoughts.  His claw rubbed along the keys. A distress signal. His mandibles clicked.  It was Lax, the only living son of his mei-jadhi, his sister, she had passed long ago to hunt with Cetanu, the black Hunter.  All that remained of her were three of her pups, Lax was the only male. They had hunted together many times since he'd succeeded in his chiva, his trial.   

     Lax's ship had crashed to Earth, the ship had been carrying kiande amedha hatchlings.  One of their hunters had carried one aboard in death, and it had come from his chest. A hybrid.  An Abomination.  

    There was no hesitation from Set.  He stood from the massive chair he had been lounging in, his home overlooking the capitol, and began gathering his equipment.  His heavy armour was strapped to his body. Heavy boots, greaves, legplates, and his metal loincloth. He strapped the heavy armour to his back, strapped his pack with the energy for his sivk'va-tai, his plasmacaster and then decided he would wear two, one on each shoulder.  This was a new prey item, and it was half Yautja. He took no chances for this was going to be a clean up as much as a hunt. He strapped his whip to his belt, buckled the chest strap and his shoulder guard. He took everything he could carry that would ease his hunt and would not impede him.  His mask was the one that he had crafted himself, the runes on it symbols of his honour.  

     A few more presses of keys had his ship started and ready to go.  He did not hesitate as his long-legged stride took him through the halls of his palace and directly to the docking bay, the doors of his ship sliding open at his presence.  He made for the control room. He pushed some buttons and set a course for Earth. It would not take long for his ship to travel. He would make the month journey in just a couple of days, his ship was equipped with the ability to bend space, and travel from one point to another by jumping across like it was nothing.

     He uploaded the distress signal from his wrist guard to the computer on his ship and sat back in the pilot's chair, the controls in hand.  Leaving the atmosphere of Yautja Prime would be the hardest part of this journey, and had to be done manually. The many asteroids that guarded their planet had to be navigated through for they were known to be haphazard and difficult.

     It took a couple of hours but when he was finally cleared of the asteroid field, he touched a couple more keys, programmed his ship for the jump through space, and left the chair.  It was Time for him to train. The kehrite, training dojo, in his ship was stocked with all sorts of weapons, new and old. The targets and robots that he fought against were programmed to rebuild themselves so they were always ready for him when he needed them.  And he needed them. He did not want to think of Lax, or that he would find him dead if he did find him. There was a fire in Lax's eyes that reminded him of his mei-jadhi and how she had looked before going on the rare hunts with him. He had been close to his sibling, even if it was uncommon for it to be so for females rarely took part in the hunt, preferring to spar and raise pups.