You Don't Belong Here

Chapter Twenty

Just as it seemed the situation with Dhadtoudi and the new male would escalate, a much smaller male in more modernized armor and a bio-mask which displayed pitch black eye shields stepped toward them. Soft clicking sounds crept from this male's throat and the larger of the two turned to face him with a low growl, his mandibles flaring slightly. The smaller let loose a deafening roar and the larger backed away from the female.

Dhadtoudi placed her fist over her chest and bowed at the waist to the approaching male. He wasn't much taller than her considering the average size of the others, merely a foot or so difference between them. "Zaiyu..."

"What is the meaning of this, Dhadtoudi?"

She rose to her full height and looked up at the newcomer. "You know well enough that this was not my doing." Zaiyu looked to T'ahrou who promptly shook his head, then the shorter one turned his attention to O'kaor.

"You are responsible for this?" O'kaor nodded once and Zaiyu's mandibles flexed in irritation. "Then you will explain to the Council your reasoning behind this reckless decision."

"How is it reckless?"

"You cannot bring every soft meat that you find back to our home world."

"Elder Tah'kath did just that."

"Tah'kath brought back a soft meat pup. You brought a grown pyode-amedha!"

"She is a warrior."

"How does that make the situation any better?!" Zaiyu pinned O'kaor against the outer wall of the ship which welcomed more onlookers than before. "You stand here, announce that this creature is a skilled fighter, and still you decided to bring it back with you?!"

"Yes." Zaiyu growled and gave another forceful shove against the larger male before releasing his grip and turned to face Dhadtoudi once again.

She held her hands up, palms-out in submission. "I tried to warn him. He wouldn't listen."

"Come. All of you. And bring the Ooman."
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Brielle watched, startled as the shorter creature pushed Ghost against the ship with little effort. The resounding slam left a small dent in the metal of the vessel, and the two were locked in a conversation of clicks and growls. The shorter of the two released O'kaor from his hold and turned toward the female who raised her hands in front of her as if to insinuate 'It wasn't me'.

"Is there going to be a fight or not?" She had directed the question at Ghost, but all four of the creatures looked at her. The new male voiced another round of clicks and Dhadtoudi followed up with her own sounds as she folded her arms over her chest.

"It talks?" Dhadtoudi clicked in frustration at Zaiyu as she folded her arms over her chest, the assault rifle still in her hand and her shielded eyes never leaving the human in dirtied clothes.

"It rarely stops."

"What is that?" He looked down at the rifle and Dhadtoudi handed out for him to receive.

"A weapon. Many of them were armed with these." Zaiyu observed the object but did not take it. Instead he tilted his head quizzically and returned his attention to its current handler. "What?"

"This weapon suits you, Dhadtoudi." The female growled in a threatening tone and the three males erupted into amused fits of clicking and soft chuckles. She turned her eyes on T'ahrou who immediately fell silent, and the other two dialed back their laughter as well. "Come, we must go before the Council."