In the lonely darkness of outer space a large craft glides swiftly away from planet Earth. Twin engines glow brightly, charging it on its course, moving with a smooth confidence.

The spaceship is a Predator Mothership, inhabited by a warrior race led by their experienced Elders. Along both sides are round bays which house smaller shuttle craft. These are used to depart from the clan, to take Predator hunters and unblooded youth to hunting sites on far off worlds.

Inside, along the smooth, dark corridors with raised walkways and straight, geometric lines, the walls begin to glow. Warm light seeps through a gaseous floor, orange and yellow walls with decorative textures lead the way to a central main chamber.

A very young Predator male stands at an open cabinet. Built deep into the wall, it displays trophy skulls from past hunts. The child gazes in awe at the impressive collection of vicious creatures, beasts with great horns, serrated teeth or ribbed spines.

There are human heads. Skinned and cleaned down to the bone and punched onto wall spikes where they rest, smooth, polished surfaces and empty stares. The most prized trophies are of the creatures which fought back, whether in self defence or for a similar eagerness to fight, for revenge or just the rush of violence.

As older Predator males enter the chamber behind him, the youth's eyes are fixed high on the largest and most prized skull...that of an Alien Queen.

The chamber is preparing for action. Within the outer walls stand great pillars, columns set in a ritual layout, this main hall is for duelling. Two Predators, one-on-one, fighting without armour or weapons.

The young Predator turns to watch as the first challengers prepare. The older males are blocking his view, stood side by side between the pillars. He cannot see between their big, muscular frames so he climbs the side of a pillar to gain height. Two warriors wait near the centre, psyching themselves for a brawl, roaring and clenching their fists to show off great strong arms.

The best view of all is reserved for the Predator Elder. He sits at a throne at the farthest end of the room, adjacent to the trophy display. His throne is thick dark stone, with deep decorative carvings and adorned with three human skulls down the front of each side.

Like the rest of his clan, he wears only minimal clothing -groin, shin and forearm coverings of cloth, bound tight like bandages. His long red cloak lies beneath him floating down the throne. He watches the warriors clash with a proud grin, stroking a human skull front hanging from his necklace.

The chamber rumbles with the roars from the onlookers. The first fighter punches the second across the side of the face, but he is left open for an elbow to smash hard into his ribs. As he buckles over in pain, the second Predator moves round behind and raises two fists up over his shoulders. Before he can strike again, the first fighter lashes back with his body, cracking back hard with his ribbed head into the bleeding face of his opponent.

The impact knocks the unprepared creature backwards, falling blindly onto his back. As his fellow warrior lies stunned with a mouth full of luminous green blood dripping down his face, the victorious fighter stands tall, an arm held high as the crowd cheers for more.

The noises quake through the ship. Away down the corridors, rumbling into the darkness. Follow the deep channels past the armoury and hibernation sections, the hunter's tomb awaits ahead. Into the long hall towards a window at the end.

On the alter slab in front, lies the body of the last Predator to escape from Earth's most ancient pyramid. He destroyed the Alien hive but was slayed in a battle with its Queen. Scar's corpse lies on display for others to respect, but this body has been defiled. The chest is split, with the flesh torn open by an unseen stowaway. With the clan engaged in sporting combat, this hidden threat has waited in the shadows.

Scar's blood is smeared down the back of the block and along the floor like a snake's trail. The slime leads into the corner by a ventilation shaft. Inside, a low hiss murmurs through the air, whispering like a child's breath. A glistening form crouches, curled small as its body grows larger and stronger. The impatiently fast cellular metabolism reproduces the strongest attributes of its host. Sharp spines protrude from elbows, head and back and a barbed backbone continues down the tail, reaching a club end of clenched bone quills.

Back in the tournament chamber, the fights continue with fuelled aggression. As one challenger is thrown through the air and into onlookers, the young Predator moves away to safety. His interest lost, the boy wanders the ship.

He practises a stealthy journey down the bowels of corridors, far into the depths, to where death feels present and waiting. Stepping into the tomb, he senses an uneasy atmosphere. Scar's body rests before him, a respected warrior -something to aspire to. The boy approaches, moving nearer and nearer, a reminder to himself that death should never be feared.

The body shows signs of multiple wounds, but the boy notices the blood trail. He curiously investigates, following it into the shadows where he meets with death in its most unforgiving form. A monster walks the ship. Fresh from its first taste of impulsive violence -it lusts for more.

In the armoury, a Predator finishes and sharpens a bladed staff. Many examples of ritual weaponry adorn the walls. In the still concentration of a master craftsman, he senses a movement from behind. Turning to see, the silhouette of a Predator's face is cast on the wall outside. He thinks no more of it and works on.

Behind him, a clear, glossy goo seeps from the onlooker's mouth. It bears the mandibles and forehead of a Predator, but the shadow moves closer. The head is long, backed by a row of curved bone tendrils.

The Predator has the staff weapon polished and proud. He holds it forward to examine the finish, only to see a set of smiling chrome teeth reflected on its surface. Quicker than he can act to use the blade, a lightning fast tongue fires through his head splattering bone and brain before him.

As the hunters continue their routines onboard the ship, the attacker seeks more and more victims. It has their stealth, strength and speed, added to its own, but with no Queen its only reason for killing is self preservation.

The clan is preparing to sleep, for a long journey home, they are unarmed and tired. The killings go unnoticed until it is too late. As the remaining warriors run for weapons, the alien tears through them like a charging bull. Its claws rip, jaws crunch and tail whips. The thick spiked ball at its tail's end belts through the air, dashing into chests, throwing bodies aside in a splash of bloody gore.

When the silence returns, the hybrid surveys the battle scene. Trampling over bodies and still fuelled for more. It treads progressively onwards, following a distant glow, pausing for a moment at the entrance to the combat chamber. It looks up by the trophy skulls, hissing deeply at the sight of the Queen's head looking down from its high perch.

The Alien turns its head and looks straight forward, right into the eyes of the Predator Elder who waits patiently in his throne. From this aged hunter's majestic Pu, the Alien appears as an horrific giant of menace -a true warrior's challenge!

As the killer makes its approach, the elder reaches a slow hand to his belt. He takes a small metal device -the size of a button. He activates it to illuminate and tosses it toward a pillar to which it attaches. He stands with a satisfied grin and meets the Alien with a charging impact.

Their claws connect, holding one another at bay, face-to-face, their arms rippling with forceful strength. The Elder watches as the Hybrid opens its mandibles ready to end the assault. Pausing, its head slowly turns -to look at the device on the pillar.

In the vacuum of space, the Mothership thunders onward, menacingly creeping away through the blackness. Until finally, with a burning flicker of light, the device detonates -in a dazzling eruption the Predator craft is destroyed, its clan is no more.