Girls’ Trip - Chapter 6: Predators (Part 1)

[Wil Ukinix]

((Edge of Tropical forest, Fana 6519-G))

 

Just at sunset, Ravarj got to the edge of the forest where it met the beach, and crouched down to silently watch the two Betazoids, determining how he would kill each of them.  The sun was becoming orange, casting a long shadow on the Starfleet vessel across the sand.

 

While observing, he felt surprised that the two prey didn’t seem to talk to each other.  A feeling of pride washed over him, impressed that he had scared them so much that he’d stunned them into silence.

 

He wondered if they somehow knew he was there.  They seemed to be acting differently compared to their previous behaviour…  But he dismissed the idea.

oO They are simple creatures. Oo

Instead, he concluded that they were being silent so that he didn’t hear them.

Ravarj: oO Fools.  If only they knew I was *already* here. Oo

He watched as they moved his trophy prey that he had affixed to the side of the Starfleet vessel.  They would pay for that…

 

((Scoutship Yosemite, Fana 6519-G))

 

Vataix: ~~ It will take 12 hours to get here from Amity, and Keehani’s been checking in with us around 1400 hours station time. ~~

 

She looked out of the front cockpit window towards the sun beginning to set over the ocean horizon.

 

Vataix: ~~ That should be about another hour or so from now, so we need to just hold through until morning. ~~

 

Tani, having had her wounds healed, was still getting herself acquainted with the type-2 phaser Rivi had handed her. She’d managed to calm her nerves and took aim at a piece of junk.

 

Meanwhile Rivi, still wearing her torn yellow sundress, retrieved a small backpack to carry a few extra power cells for Tani’s phaser and Dimuri’s phaser rifle. Loading a few other supplies like rations and water, she flung the backpack over her shoulders and returned to the cockpit.

 

Tani looked over with uncertainty at Rivi.

 

Lekasa: ~~ Are you sure we shouldn’t just stay here? Hold out until someone can get to us? ~~

 

Rivi shook her head before looking over her shoulder, seemingly at the aft consoles, but actually her gaze extended far beyond.

 

Vataix: ~~ No. We know he’s already been here… and he’s back. ~~

 

Tani’s eyes widened a bit.

 

Lekasa: ~~ Are you sure? I was hoping that was just my nerves. ~~

 

Vataix: ~~ I could sense his unrelenting hunger as he was stalking us through the forest, especially after he broke off to chase after me. ~~

 

The proximity during their cat-and-mouse game had given Rivi an intimate familiarity with their attacker’s tholtren, the Betazed concept of a person’s inner personality as revealed through their thoughts and emotions–somewhat like an “internal voice” as felt by telepaths.

 

Whoever their attacker was, his tholtren was defined first and foremost by his discipline and drive.

 

Vataix: ~~ We need to move *him*, instead of letting him keep us trapped in here. Get to higher ground. ~~

 

She looked back over Tani.

 

Vataix: ~~ Let’s go. ~~

 

((Edge of Tropical forest, Fana 6519-G))

 

The Hirogen pulled his tetryon weapon from his back and watched as the two Betazoid women left the inside of the scoutship.  He lined them both up in the sensor scope on his tetryon rifle, which identified the prey and lit up to indicate that one shot would hit one of the women.

 

His finger reached towards the trigger mechanism of the weapon, and was tempted to activate it for a quick kill…  but decided against it when he saw that one that had tricked him with her torn outfit was now holding a phaser rifle.

 

oO The simple sun-haired targets are becoming truly worth prey after all!  Glorious… Oo

 

Now they were armed and would make for much more challenging prey in the dense rainforest.  The early, undisciplined kill of the Starfleet officers was suddenly becoming much less of a regret.  The new prey were giving him just as much of a rush, if not more.  He decided to let them get a head start.

As they re-entered the forest, he smiled a little before he began making his way through the forest to eventually intercept them.

 

oO I will toy with them, and then I will kill them at close range. Oo

 

He felt joy as The Hunt was becoming more elaborate than first expected.  He once again put his tachyon rifle on his back, before taking his knife from his holster.

oO They will feel my blade. Oo

 

TBC…

 

Tani Lekasa
Mediator, Betazoid Government
I238705TZ0

&

Ambassador Rivi Vataix
Chief of Mission & CO, Amity Outpost
Federation Diplomatic Corps, United Federation of Planets
I238705TZ0

&

 

Ravarj

Hirogen Alpha

Tribe Ravarj

V239511WU0