Second fic! WOO! (Not including the oneshot). Read and Review, and I mean, REALLY review. I lost my mind last time…..
Chapter 1: Patient
He was already half-dead when they brought him in. Doctor Andy Dodgson was sitting in his office when he got the call.
"Yes?" he asked, uninterested in the daily affairs of the hospital, thumbing through a magazine to pass the time. Life was slow here on LV. 644.
"You'd better come look at this," Jenny, his secretary said. It wasn't the words that had initially concerned him about this patient, but her tone of voice, it was alarmed, with a bit of fear. Andy knew something bad was about to happen.
……..
Nurse Rooter was doing what she could, but that….thing….was just stuck too tight to the man's face. Why couldn't she pull it off? It was something like a spider…but strange. It was an alien life form of some sort, which the colonists of LV 644 had gotten used to seeing, but only sustainable quantities of small insects or birds. This thing was different somehow. So….hostile. Nurse Rooter took a bag of morphine from the medicine cabinet in the bathroom (They were now safe for home use) and applied it to the patient, reaching for her scalpel to try and remove the parasite from it's…..host, for lack of a better word.
…….
"What are the general symptoms?" Andy asked Jenny as they trekked to the colony surgical facility across the rather large medical center. "They're…." She began, "um…..you'll just see when we get there," The nervous black haired woman had seemed somewhat jumpy today. Well, Andy thought, Jumpier than usual. She must have the jitters or something today. That's what happens to overworked secretaries. And he himself had been somewhat attracted to her, but he could easily hide it behind a façade of stern distaste for everything. Andy opened the door for her and spoke in a manner he would consider, "soft", and said, "Jennifer, please. What's wrong with you today? You're getting Goosebumps and you seem to be really stressed out…." Jenny just looked into his eyes and he knew it all.
Something was seriously, seriously wrong.
…….
"Alright Marines! I want this deck scrubbed and ready for tonight's flight! I don't want to see any goofing off, flubbing up, or screwing around. I want every single spot removed from the ground, and I don't want any lint in your pockets. If I see one thing out of place, I'm going to have your hide hangin' on my door around Christmas time, understand!?" The tough sergeant boomed in his commanding voice to his men. He was tough, black, and more experienced in combat than anyone here. The year was now 2453, and the colonial marines were still viewed as nothing more than useless hypocrites destined for nothing more than a future of guarding museums and safekeeping the weapons for the other branches of the military. Private Terrence Wheeler thought about the time between being labeled useless and now, and began to snicker uncontrollably at the Sarge's seriousness. "You think something's funny private?" the Sarge grunted, eyeing the dirty, red-haired grunt up and down, as if he were sizing him up for a meal. "No sir," he replied complacently. "Well then, I guess you don't mind getting out the floss, 'cause for that little stint, you and your marines are gonna clean the floor with your toothbrushes, maggot!" Terrence nodded quickly, staring at his feet. The Sarge left the room, and immediately the jeering began, "You suck, man." Or "Just wait until later, then we'll see where your toothbrush ends up." Things like this happened all the time. The only one who never remarked was the skinny medic in the back, Harold Mann. "Screw you guys," he remarked, then set off to grab the toothbrushes.
…….
Andy and Jenny reached the room just in time to see Nurse Rooter raking a scalpel to the things back. "Don't touch it!" he warned. Rooter stood back and let her superior take a look. "As far as I can tell, it's alien." Andy glanced a scornful look at her, and then said, "Why are you attempting to remove it! Where is the rest of the staff?" Rooter looked at her feet and replied, "The Corporation called them away on duty." Andy twitched menacingly. They can't do that! Andy looked back at his patient and sighed. "What's wrong?" The nurse looked baffled. "I don't know…..it's just…..stuck on his face……like that….." Andy took the scalpel and gently slid it under its skeletal leg. The thing was bony, but it seemed to be at least a little meaty towards the bottom. It was pale and oily, giving off a deathly glow, but its legs were somewhat of an endoskeleton, and Andy thought it the best place to start. He pushed harder, but that thing just wouldn't budge. "Damn." He said, noticing the jointed tail wrap tighter around the victim's neck. "What should we do?" Rooter asked fearfully. Andy tried a new tactic:
He slit the leg at the joint.
………
Quinn Wilson almost flipped when he heard the news. He was going to be a Dad! He was so shocked and speechless for a moment, but when those words registered, he went insane. He was yelling it at the top of his lungs. He wanted every colonist on LV644 to hear it. He was to be a father. His wife was going into labor and the baby would be born any moment. Quinn couldn't wait to see his new child, and to hold it in his arms for the first time. Immediately he took a civilian APC to see the baby. This was just utterly amazing. In a few hours, a new life would begin. He also had no idea that within a few hours, another life would end….
………..
The green liquid poured from the wound, literally eating away at the floor. "What the fuck….." Andy began. He hadn't seen something do this other than concentrated acid. He adjusted his coat and stared into the gaping hole. It had gone through numerous floors, and Andy was beginning to get worried. Whatever it was….it was a threat, and Andy wanted nothing more than to be out of there. "Dr. Dodgson, please report to the front desk," boomed the loudspeaker. "Thank god for that," he mumbled, then trudged out of the room, Jenny not far behind.
He reached the desk to find Doctor Clark had been on leave. Only Rita, the administrator was still on duty. "What's up?" he asked. She looked at him lightheartedly, saying, "Mrs. Wilson is in labor, so someone has to birth the baaaaabyyyyy." Andy's eyes widened in horror. "Hey, that's Clark's job, not mine, I can't birth a baby!" Rita laughed, "Soooorrrryyyyyy……" Nurse Hurt had rushed her up immediately. Andy groaned and moved towards the elevator, Jenny stepping in with him.
He pressed the button for 4. Jenny bent past him and hit 3. "What?" Jenny looked back at him, "Sorry, but I'm sitting this one out…" Andy hung his head in despair. His life was screwed up so bad…..Jenny stepped out as the doors began to close. "So….see you tomorrow," she shouted, "Doctor Dodgson." She gave him a final wink as the doors slammed shut in his face.
Weyland-Yutani Corp
Engineer's log
Registered to: Isaac Kurt
Entry 16
Marine presence on LV 466 is decreasing rapidly. All cases of advanced yellow fever have subsided. Studied strands suggest mutations from the sudden weather change.
On a project note: Studied life form seems to be thriving within containment chamber. Project Blackbird will move ahead as planned. U.S. army to transport Codename: Xenomorph to containment chamber in Pod 3. All personnel to divert efforts towards aforementioned project.
Whether or not the boilers are working is critical to containment. The failure of two of the three boilers effectively dismantles power to the colony, and releases the locks on the containment pods. Should an engineer be late in restoring the backup locks, the contained specimen has a chance to escape, breed, and overrun the colony within days. Unfortunately, information on the dismantling and ultimate failure of the boilers is classified, and I am not allowed to divulge information to even my superiors. Power is the most critical asset to surviving on a planet as barren and lifeless as LV 644. Without power, the colony is doomed.
No further entry