Aliens: Collective

by Dance of the Dead

This will be a series of flash fiction (300 - 1000w) based on characters within the Aliens Franchise; most commonly from the second film. They do not link together as a single story, so please don't read them as such. This is a series of prompts I am working on with author Lucreace - Longer Prompts get their own submissions.

1. Suitable Warmth - Bishop

He was alone, in the vast, nothingness of space. The only breathing entity in a ship filled with emptiness. Yet he felt no chagrin for the fact, it was all part of his job. To be custodian over the humans sleeping in their stasis tubes. Their lives in his care, it was something that he could feel a small measure of pride over; should he have access to such emotions. Making sure their simple, resting needs were taken care off. Warmth, sustenance, adequate rest; it was all down to him.

All thanks to his programmed ability to outlive the humans in his care, not needing the basics that they did. Able to survive years of being alone, without need while his charges slept away the time without ageing. He ran a hand through his tawny hair as he carefully monitored the read outs on screen before him. The vibrant green colour clear on the dark background. There was one tube that seemed to be having a heat issue during this trip. Warmth kept dropping out of it. Bishop frowned lightly to what he was reading, the name of the occupant sticking in his mind; Vasquez. A trigger-happy, loose canon.

Deft fingers worked the keyboard in front of him, making a further programmed adjustments to the tube. He didn't want to have to wake the Private from her hypersleep, just to move her but if the tube wasn't giving her suitable warmth then he would have no choice. He punched in a new temperature for the stasis tube and the computer clicked approval for the change. But the artificial person wasn't entirely happy with the outcome. He moved away from the console and stood at the foot of the tube, staring blankly at it as he came to his decision.

The room was dark aside from the small illuminations coming from buttons in front of him attached to the end of the tubes. They lit his face in an odd, eerie manner. He pressed a few of the buttons and gave a quick glance at the read-out that blinked. Once more he frowned, the temperature having dropped suddenly again. There was no other choice; he had to move her before the stasis tube did her vitals any damage. She wouldn't be happy about the choice, but it was preferable to having her harmed; something that he couldn't and wouldn't allow.