This was originally written as a FORWARD. Please bear with me. Most people don’t want all that talk in the beginning.

  I guess you can say this narrative was two decades in the making. It took me twenty years to find a story which could meet my initial expectations and motivate me to finally offer tribute to a franchise (and its creators) which helped to make my childhood both exciting and worthwhile. By the same token, I also developed a not so small inferiority complex.

  Fast forward a little more and I am now at a place where I feel I can drop the impostor syndrome, the inferiority complex, and the fear. I don’t have to be great. That’s not what true writing is about. In my opinion. Many of us just want to spin a good tale—and have others enjoy it. That is my belief.

  Back in 2004, I was just a kid writing for the sake of writing. I never even knew fanfiction was a thing. I only learned there are sites dedicated to fanfiction about three years ago. Along the way, I knew people wrote them. I was more than a little guilty of it myself. But I never expected other people to actually read such things. A large percentage of fandoms get angry if you even change an actor mid-season…So…

  Anyways. As far as I was concerned, AVP was top-notch. The only thing I disliked was the unusually short time the yautja actually appeared in the movie. But it was a forgivable situation. What I loved most about the movie was the interaction between Lex and Scar. And I don’t mean from a boy meets girl kind of standpoint. I loved how the character was able to shift from ruthless hunter to fearless protector. It molded perfectly with my perception of the original two movies.

  I’m big on redemption arcs. I get excited at just the prospect. So many times, I’ve watched a television show or movie and rooted for a character to turn a corner and do something good and out of character. The few times it ever happened, I was over the moon. The even more times that the character was killed off or did something unforgivable…I was mad as hell!

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  When I first saw AVP, I had no exposure to pre-release movie reviews. I went into it not knowing what to expect. I expected every yautja in that movie to somehow be slain by the aliens or the lone mighty human hunter. That is to say, I initially had no hope the yautja would win—even a little bit.

  After the last human (besides Lex) died, and after Scar and Lex had their moment, I was pumped. I was like: “Now, that’s what I’m talkin bout!”…”We’re gonna have us a good old-fashioned redemption arc.”

  Imagine my chagrin when after obtaining his weapon, Scar lost it again. I was like…”Uh oh.”

  And that ending? Don’t even get me started. I was madder than a diseased cow. I cried. I mentally raged. I was inconsolable. I was like: “You did not do that to my boy Scar!” Eventually, I got over it. With the release of AVP: Requiem…I-HAD-NO-CHOICE! I pretty much zoned out of Predator for a bit. I’d watch some youtube videos on the lore, comics, or gameplay. I’d check out Predator fan films. I’d revisit the movies and lament the things I wish were true. But then, circa 2023…I found something buried. And I read it. Then, I said: “Yeah. Me too!”

  That was the beginning of my foray into publishing Predator fanfiction. And there was no turning back. I am now in a place where I feel comfortable enough releasing the story I’ve been wanting to tell. It doesn’t negate anyone else’s dreams or perspectives to put a spin on my own. I had to convince myself of that. Because what motivated me to begin this journey is as different from my vision as night and day.

  And that’s okay.

  I used to have notebooks and folders full of various offhand fandom fanfics. I’ve lost some, trashed some, and had a few stolen (like someone wanted the paper copy) over the years. So now, I take the pick of the litter and feed it to the ether…Or rather, internet. And it helps me to feel…Better. I feel seen. It isn’t like a fantasy or daydream stuck in my head. By sharing, I am making it feel more real. A lot to unpack. I know.

  Scar is my ultimate yautja hero. As such, I always wanted him to feature in one of my fanfics. Now, he does. I started this story some time back and decided: “Nah, that’s been done before.” Hopefully, it hasn’t been done quite like this.

  I am grateful for the time and the opportunity availed me by my followers, favoriters (Is that even a word?), and readers. Thank you for your support, and for giving me the strength and courage I needed to….”Just do it!”

  For example: The relationship between Lex and Scar. I loved the idea as a young woman. I love it today. But in light of how dark the internet can get sometimes, I did not want to go into graphic sexual detail about a character who actually has a human face behind it. I know you can't prevent people from doing what they want. My works are a minor example of that. What I mean, is that I do not want to be a contributing factor to the madness. I want to tell my story, ship my characters, and be as respectful as possible.

  ME.