Xenomorph's 2200
A Future of Hunt and Change
It is now the first year of 22nd century, 38 years since countries of Earth have become one and the Terran Collective has been founded. 38 Years of almost no war. Racial and religion different are now things of the past – slight different skin color no longer mean anything where aliens are common occurrence. The Earth has prospers, peace and harmony reign the land, foods and shelters are now given freely to those of need, the poor are given free education and health care, and the Nature has come to a balance once more.
Sound too good to be true? Well, your greats grandmother might have said it is the age of nightmare, rather than a utopia as some want to call it now. And it all started over one hundred and fifty years ago, in the darkest of the dark corner of a small town within a huge mountain range of North America, in the day that is now called…the Day of Founding.
But you are not here to have a boring history lesson, right? Because now, it is seem that someone is calling you…
"…en? Jen? Terra to Jen?"
"Hu…huh? What?" I looks up and see a pretty girl sitting there on the chair opposite of me, waving her hands in front of my eyes. "Yes, Kass?"
"Day-dreaming again, did you? I was asking what are you planning to do now that you have graduated?" Kass ask. She has been my close friend ever since I was assigned to be her hunt-mate back in our primary school. We were just grade 4 but she sure was a very fierce hunter, despite her rather carefree nature as a human. I pick up my forgotten orange juice and a half-ate donut, take a bite, before I response.
"Well…I want to go get myself tested and try to join the space academy. Already sent my application, actually." I say, "What about you?"
She hmms, "The same, actually…"
And she suddenly frown, her voice trail off for just a second, her face blank of emotion, but her voice resume. "…I've always want some adventure, y'know. And space would give me as good a chance as any. Maybe we'll get lucky and be assigned to the same ship…"
She continue talking as if nothing wrong or suspicious ever happened. But I know the look. It's the looks of her in 'hunter mode'. I tune off from her voice and tune in with my surrounding. I may not be as good a hunter as her, but I can mostly hold my own…
Faint echoing of vibration of the grass reach my ears. I hmms and nods to Kass' monotonic speech, knowing her is doing the same to what I am doing and not really pay attention to her own words anymore. A gust of wind blow through the trees, ruffles the leaves…
A faint sound of a branch snap.
I jump up instinctively and roll to the side. A dark blur pass through right where I had been merely a second ago, before disappear into the bushes once more. I risk a glance to where Kass had been, but she's nowhere to be seen. I stand ready, glancing around, my ears tune to my surrounding, waiting for a signal…
A grass ruffles.
My eyes snap to the direction, but couldn't see anything out of place. Instinctively, I whirl around and see a dark blur come out of the trees and move directly at me. I try to step aside but the shadow is too fast. Something get me from behide my knee. And next thing I know, I am face-first on the ground, with sharp claws pinned down on my shoulders, cold and boney tail wrap around my ankle, and its wide drooling, black jaw growling dangerously close to my neck.
"Okay. Okay. I give! You win!" I yell out. And, perhaps surprisingly, the weight on top of me suddenly gone. And a pair of clawed hands pull me up and deposit me on my legs. I turn around to face the black chitin, boney, monster drooling at me, looking menacing.
"Oh, snap out of it already!" I put my hands at my waist, and glare.
The drool stop, and if it's possible for their kind of pout, I bet this one would.
'You spoiled the fun…'
"Yea whatever. Now will you tell me what are you doing here? …And where's Kass gone??" I look around at my now suspiciously disappeared friend. When a giggles reach my ears, and a bush ruffles. And Kass come rolling out wrestling with yet another drone, laughing all the way. She looks up at the one in front of me and greet joyfully.
"Oh! Hi, Rasz! I didn't know you'd be here too! How's the hive lately?"
The alien nods to her, 'Very good as always. It's gone a bit quiet though without you there. And you too, Jen.' He turns to me, 'We all miss you, you were always such a joy and fun.' He grins his toothy grins.
"Gee, thanks. And I'm sorry wasn't there to be your 'joy and fun' anymore!"
He mentally chuckles, 'You know that's not what I mean. But you were always rather...wild as a drone, if you get my drift. Make me wonder if you're the same as a human as well…?'
The drone step closer, grinning his teeth full jaw at me, his clawed hand brush close to my side. And I blush.
"Erm…well…surely you don't come here just to tease me, right?"
'Actually, we were on a Queen's errands. But knowing you are around here, we decide to come and greet. Also, I've got a news for you.'
"Oh?" I blinks, "What news?"
'Well, a few days ago there was a drone coming from Queen S'liitss hive. They have just received the list of this year's new students for S'liitss Space Academy…'
"Yes? And…?" I raise my eyebrows, waiting expectedly. The drone's amusement almost visible in my mind's eyes.
'Well, you see, Jen. Your name was on the list, too.'
I blink, thinking…so my name is on a list? But the list was sent to Space Academy… and the list is about new students… So…does that mean…? My eyes widen.
"REALLY?!! I've been accepted?!"
Kasz grins, 'Now, now… Don't get too excited yet. The list still have to be approved by the queen. But I must say your chance is very good now, considering who the queen is.' He grins knowingly.
"YESS! Whooopppieee!!" I jump up and hug the drone in front of me. I've been accepted into the Space Academy! And not just any academy, but the one I always dreamed of too!
The sound of Kass' chuckles coming from behind me, along with the other drone holding her hand. His mind radiance mild amusement.
"Congratulations, Jenifer S. Sarliits. You've been accepted into Queen S'liitss' Space Academy for Psychic and Gifted. You might get to live up to your many greats grandmother after all." She grins widely at that. And my smile widen even more as I dance around.
"Nah." I chuckles, sober up a little, "I don't dare compare myself to her. Beside, you were even a better drone than I was! I could never match you hunting skill!"
Suddenly, I remember, "Oh sorry, but what about you Kass? You haven't told me where you will go yet."
"Oh, about that." Her smile turns to grins, "It looks like we'll continue to be roommate still. I am going to the S'liitss Academy too. The lazy tail here just told me right now." Says Kass, making gesture to her Xenomorph partner, who growl back at her playfully.
"Really?!" I jump and grab her in joy, "That's great news!"
'Well…all these are fun and all…' a mental voice interrupt us, 'But we have more errands to do…'
'Yes, right.' Rasz says, a bit disappointed in his mental-voice, 'Supposed we'll see you both later, Jen, Kass.'
"Well, tell my grandmother I miss her for me, 'k?" Kass says.
'Sure thing,' the drones wave and scuttles into the bushes once more.
* * *
A few months see me and Kass walk in and out of our school, doing our tests and final exams for the academy. It is an old style building, dated back a few hundred years ago before the Founding. The cream colored concrete looks rather classic in the park surrounding the area. Suburban buildings have been razed to make way for the trees and nature. This part of the once busy and polluted city has become much quiet, when the poor moved into the hives and the riches moved up into the sky. You can see houses spaced here and there in between many trees that lined up the street, with a few cars can be seen travelling down the peaceful road.
We walks into the local airport, insert our tickets into the slot and the automate door slide opens for us. We walk through the door, smiles and nods to the drone crouching on the wall just above the door. A terrorist and criminal detector as well as security in one. All airport have at least a few of them at station now after a terrorist attempt many years ago. The terrorists have all been captured of course, the whole network had been rooted out when their agents had been forcefully converted and read by the queen.
A few hours flight in the air-shuttle found us at the S'liitss Academy Spaceport. They have just been built not long ago after the founding of the academy itself, colored in light-absorbing black and shining silver. The end of the landing strip found us heading into the underground port for local flights. It is a big underground cavern, with one tunnel leading us in from the landing strip, and another leading out into the launching tunnel. The cavern wall itself made of hive-material, by the look of it, which made sense seeing as both the spaceport and the academy reside on a hive ground. There are silver metal port holes lined both walls, with shuttles here and there connected to the port with silver and black connectors.
Out of the shuttle and through the shiny silver connector, bring us into a hive-tunnel lined with lights on both side of the metal walkway, leading to a little more well-lit chamber with check-in counters. The chamber wall and ceiling are clearly done to imitate a queen's eggs chamber, where counters lined the side which the queen would have been, while the floor are dark metal lined with shining silver light that guide the way, with occasional ceiling and wall lights spaced the chamber. The Xenomorphis architecture could easily disturb those who are not used to it, mainly those from the strict human towns or families. But for both of us, namely me and Kass, they feel almost comfortable, like within a mother's womb.
We find ourselves in the visitor chamber that is decorated in similar style, with lights come from brightly lit shops as well as wall and ceiling lights. There is also a signpost point toward a cafe area with brightly lit room and table in old classic western style in contrast to the dark Xenomorphic chamber.
After some searching, we found ourselves heading down a tunnel to the underground train station, and board and train that will bring us eventually to the S'liitss Space Academy for Psychic and Gifted. One of the few academies owned and controlled by the hives themselves.
And the train move, quietly, down the tunnel, bringing us into the darkness, and the future...