Ramses and Setg boarded their ship and started take off procedures and engaged the engines as it roared into life. Entering the destination to the nearby planet, the ship took off at speed. Neither of them had spoken to each other, but both sensed the urgency of the mission and how important success mattered to them. Setg felt the continuing stabbing of pain at the thought of loss of Carly and the baby whilst Ramses thought of collecting Bekken's head for his attacks on the clan. The bastard had caused enough pain to everyone already and it was time to settle the score.
Finally, Setg broke the silence..."I'm sorry for not coming to you sooner... but I did not trust anyone, I was foolish... and now I fear I may lose her and the baby."
Ramses grizzled. "There are more important things at stake here now and we do not know the extent of the damage that Bekken has in store for the clan. And there are also now some unborn babies that may not survive being born even with Cha's help.... Who knows what mutations he has done..... Berserkers are bad enough but Bekken's seed is twisted as the male himself... and now I have a baby to raise.... Who knows what potential threat lays dormant in that babe..." Ramses rubbed his chin.... He felt old remembering his history with Bekken... he had enough of Bekken's curse.
Setg nodded. The Berserkers constantly fought and raided the clans and was determined to be a persistent threat. Their concept of honour was almost non-existent and if they weren't so consumed with fighting amongst themselves as well, if they ever banded together, they could wipe out the clans. Setg thought about his new baby brother.... "So what have you named him?"
Ramses shrugged... "I have not thought about him since this ordeal but I will think of one.... I'm glad he does not resemble Bekken."
"Father... Why is Bekken trying to destroy our clan? What does he have against us? This is the part I find most perplexing. And what does this have to do with Carlee?"
Ramses sat back and closed his eyes and sighed heavily. "I had hoped this day would never have happened. I had hoped that Bekken was just an eccentric male that the clan overlooked his underlying issues but here it is..... Bekken and I are both ancient.... We have seen the rise of man and are one of the few Yuatja to still be alive.... The clan had originally come to Earth back when they were still learning...evolving.... Some of our race took it upon themselves that we should nurture and raise these oomans, to join us in our community... and this is what our clan embraced...
But there were some clans that believed the oomans were there to be enslaved or destroyed... which led to war... we pushed them off the Earth and then we erased our presence and we were forgotten with time. That war... there were terrible losses.... the oomans came to our side and we fought against these clans... Some of these clans became the Berserkers.... For a while, we thought the ooman race would not recover, but they are resourceful and eventually they pulled through.... I do admit that I enjoyed my time on Earth and hence why I have an Earthen name instead of Yuatjan one... For I am born on Earth... and I still think of it as home.... My half-brother was ooman... albeit he was odd looking for an ooman, but he gathered the survivors and rebuilt them.... When we left, he chose to stay.... His name was Shendjw... which means Crocodile... due to his appearance... but that was a long time ago.... "
Setg sat there amazed... His father never told him anything and here was the first time he had heard any part of his father's ancestry.... His father was truly ancient... "So how does Bekken fit into this? That still doesn't give him a reason..."
Ramses nodded, "No that's not the reason. His clan and ours were allies but only for that time we were fighting in the war and Bekken was injured and missing in action. We could not find him and we were at the lowest point of the fight, we were losing.... It took a long time to rally back to that point... the carnage you would not believe .... Then one day, we found him.... He had this female ooman and he wanted her. He insisted that we take her back to the clan ship.... We denied him, it was in the midst of war, nowhere was safe... we were dying all around us.... We could not risk everything for a single ooman.... There was blood being spilt everywhere. We told him to hide her, that we would come back when the area was more secure and when they could move the ships without being attacked... I told him, we just need to push forward more... she would be safe hidden.
We held the area for a week before falling back again.... We went to get her from hiding, but it was too late.... That area had been overrun with the enemy... she took a few of them out but in the end, she took her own life rather than be captured by the enemy. She had fought to the end of her life like ours, with honour. Bekken managed to see her in her last moments before she died. We gave her a warrior's funeral... but her death broke Bekken... unhinged his mind. Everyone in the clan had lost family... friends...loved ones and..... Yet we still found strength to push on.... But Bekken only saw his loss and that we were responsible for her death."
The ship's beeping interrupted Setg's shock. In his mind, he saw the bloody war. He could feel the pain, the heat of battle.... that the Yuatja had to kill their own kind to protect a species that wasn't their blood. But it was necessary at the time... He could hear the anguish in his father's voice.
Ramses could see the brunt of his words hit home.... "War is never good; especially when it is blood against blood. Our clan has always been part of Earth, since the beginning... our home.... And because of this, our clan will protect Earth for as long as we live. Our blood runs in the veins of that planet... that is our code... that is our honour... this is why I must stop Bekken, I will not let him harm another ever again, especially a ooman."
Setg swallowed hard.... His whole life he wondered why the clan was always so close to Earth... His clan... his family... had bled and died there.... Carlee's face flashed through his mind.... His Earth.... His world.... And he realised he would do the same... he would bleed and die for her... his heart pounded in his chest.... He gulped air and tried to focus.... His vision swam... Save me... her voice whispered in his ears.... Ramses rested his hand on Setg's shoulder breaking the spell.... "She will be ok..... We are going to get her.... alive"
The computer now indicated they were approaching the planet. Setg started to scan the maps for colonies.... The planet had a loose community living there, and would take some time to search. Ramses watched Setg search the maps.... "Bekken is using a cloaked vessel... it would be easier to detect the residual engine heat left by the ship when it landed." Setg nodded and soon a location appeared on the map.
"Found it. He appears to be isolated... it will be easier to get Carlee." Setg felt a glimmer of hope; soon he will be with her again.
Ramses manoeuvred the ship to land a distance away from the place so he wouldn't alert Bekken to their presence. As Setg and Ramses suited up for the battle, Ramses placed his hands on his son's shoulders. "Understand this, no matter what happens, get Carlee and get her back to the ship. Do not worry about me; just get her off this planet."
"What are you planning? I cannot just leave you here..." Setg was concerned that his father was going to do something rash.
"When Bekken is dead I will make contact with the clan ship, and they can collect me afterwards. Carlee and the baby is the priority here. Now get ready to disembark. Go in via stealth and I will be the distraction. My personal vendetta with Bekken is my own.... Carlee's baby affects the clan's future" Ramses sighed.
Setg furrowed his brow, "how do you mean that?
Ramses looked at Setg confused momentarily but explained, "You forget that you and your brother are the only living offspring of the current Matriarch. If Carlee gives birth to a female, she will be in line to the throne of the clan. The Matriarch is ancient..." Ramses lowered his voice to a whisper "And is no longer able to conceive... despite our best efforts... even aided by technology.... If Bekken gets hold of her.... Who knows what will happen?"
Setg sighed, "I am having a son, Bekken knows this.... before he took Carlee away."
Ramses considered it for a moment, "Then why would he take her?"
Setg shrugged, "I don't know"
Setg could see fear in his father's eyes. Nothing hurt a Yuatja male than the attack on the young, more so if it is family. Setg tried to smile reassuringly, "Carlee will be ok... She's strong... resilient..."
Ramses nodded..."Oomans tend to be, this is why I respect them. Now, let's go get her..."
Disembarking from the ship, Setg activated his cloaking device and made way to Bekken's home. Ramses instead slowly marched his way to the front, calling out to Bekken. Setg watched his father briefly and had to admit that even seeing his father beckoning out to Bekken, fully armed and armoured was a fearful sight.
Ramses bellowed loudly, "Bekken you traitorous dog! Come out and face me.... ". He stabbed his spear into the earth. "I'm waiting you old prick!"
Bekken stepped out slowly from his home, wary of Ramses. "Why Ramses... however did you find me? Are you alone?" Bekken slowly looked around, searching for other hunters... satisfied they were alone, he sneered... "Why did you come? This ooman is of no concern to you....Leave me.... And I won't kill you, you pauking piece of ancient c'jit!"
Ramses released his cape, letting the breeze catch it, drifting away. Bekken used the opportunity and dashed forward, his speed belying his age. Midst run he went invisible; leaping into the air, his shape shimmered. Ramses grabbed his spear and batted Bekken mid-flight into the dirt. The suit sparked but maintained Bekken's invisibility. Ramses waited for Bekken to get up, his spear, ready. Bekken struggled and hissed.... Ramses knew the cloaking device was going to be an issue since he wasn't wearing a helmet, but he knew that since Bekken will try to be underhanded as possible, he would always be on the attack.
Ramses held his spear defensively. He needed to play Bekken more, and give Setg more time to rescue Carly. The sound of soft earth being pressed made Ramses turn and strike out at his assailant before flipping backwards. Bekken swore as green blood sprayed out from the cut to his shoulder. Ramses stretched his arms out again before going into a defensive stance again. "Is that all you have got? All these years alive and you still no better than an unblooded whelp? I'm disappointed..."
Bekken swore... "You overconfident c'jit.... I'm going to cut your pauking head off and skull pauk you. I will show you pain...."
Ramses sneered, "Then show me....."
Bekken lunged forward and Ramses threw the spear at the cloaked figure. Bekken howled as the spear slashed his arm, breaking his computer. The cloaking device failed now, revealing the injured Yuatja. Ramses waited for Bekken to charge.
Bekken tilted his head... something was not right..... "You are not as aggressive as I imagined you to be.... ". Realisation struck and Bekken's angered flared, "You are trying to delay me!" He turned and ran back into the house. Ramses roared and chased after him, kicking down the door. As he stepped through, Bekken stabbed Ramses in the back.
Roaring in pain, Ramses tried to reach for the blade in his back; Bekken seizing the opportunity and stabbed him in the side. Ramses collapsed to the floor. C'jit... I think he's punctured a lung.... Ramses coughed bright green blood confirming the wound... Ramses struggled along the floor trying to get up. Bekken lashed out, kicking him in the face, Ramses felt a crack in his mandible and a bruising starting to swell. He managed to get to all fours, facing Bekken, half his face had started to swell, his left eye closed and purple. Ramses coughed up more blood spluttering tiny drops everywhere.
Bekken pulled out another knife and admired the blade..... "Time to die ancient one... " and stepped in for the death strike.
Ramses roared up to his feet; pushing Bekken as he went, cleaving Bekken's head off his shoulders with his wrist blades.... He spat green blood at Bekken's body and threw the head into the corner, "You first, you talkative c'jit "
Ramses sat down uneasy on a chair. Blood was pooling everywhere... but Bekken was dead now, so Ramses could die happy now. He knew Setg would have taken Carlee back to the ship and was probably giving birth now. He suddenly wished he could have seen that baby being born; would have been good to see his first grand-child. He sighed.... Then coughed up more blood. He thought momentarily how he should go... should he activate self destruct? Or just sit here and bleed out. Ramses felt disgruntled.... I'll get my cloak first.. no way am I going out looking anything like trash.
Wandering outside, the sun felt good on his face even though it felt like it had grown double in size. He licked his chapped lips and tasted blood. Finding his cloak, he wiped it off and collected his spear. Ramses inhaled and let out a mighty roar, broken mandibles flared, spear raised. "I'm ready for you, death....."
A familiar voice spoke behind him.... "But not today..."
Ramses turned to see Setg was standing there. Ramses growled, "I told you to leave."
Setg smiled, "And miss out on seeing you kill that monster?"
Ramses shook his head... "ah the stupidity of youth..."
Setg continued smiling, "Or the stubbornness of the elderly?"
Ramses swayed and collapsed on Setg. "Im dying..." Setg struggled to carry him "Shut up... I need you to help with raise my baby..... And yours..."
Ramses eyes flared open... "My baby.... Yes....." Together they hobbled to the ship and struggled through the door.
Setg eased Ramses into the bed and started to run the diagnostics. Running up to the cockpit, he communicated with the clan, to remote pilot the ship back to them and prepare for the injured. Running back to his father, the diagnostics had completed the report and Setg could see a puncture lung, a deep stab wound to the back, but missing vitals and a third blood loss. Setg started the process of easing the pain and administered a shot that the computer supplied upon a touch of a button. Setg rolled his father to his front and bandaged his wounds. His father needed blood. Activating the IV system, the computer prompted for the donor to insert his arm. Setg put his arm in place and then placed his father's arm into the receiving section. The machine started to pump and Setg winced in pain. He heard the computer beep and the ship's engines roar to life. Finally.... We are going home. Ramses vital signs steadied and the computer indicated that the transfusion was complete.
Walking over to Carly, Setg tried to steady himself. His head felt light, but his should recover soon. His father was now stabilised but still needed medical attention beyond his skill or the simple onboard medbay could provide. Sitting next to her, her vitals were steady, her breathing deep. Setg couldn't awaken her, but as long as she was alive and resting, she would be ok. He closed his eyes and remembered seeing her in Bekken's house. She was sleeping in a bed near the door and saw Bekken leave to encounter his father. But Setg entered the house through the rear and saw devices that made his skin crawl. Whatever Bekken was going to do to Carly, Setg was glad his father killed the bastard. He breathed out slowly.... I'll just rest for a moment.... Setg passed into unconsciousness.