Author Note: I do not own Aliens or Predators. Thanks for reading! Hope you all liked the Prologue. Now, we get in to the real story. If you have any suggestions or comments, feel free to PM me or leave a review! Enjoy!

1: AWAKE AND ALIVE

CP-159 was dreaming. In her mind, she was she was a young girl with wavy brown hair and beautiful green eyes. She played on a beach, chasing sea gulls and kicking up sand and sea water. Her skin was a healthy tan color, from all the time she spent outside. At least, that's what she looked like in her dreams.

In reality, she was anything but an ordinary girl. One look at her, and it was obvious she wasn't human. She was eight feet tall for one thing, and had skin that looked almost reptilian. Her skin was pasty yellow, with fine black speckles peppering her shoulders, upper arms, and back. In place of hair, she had black tendrils that resembled dreadlocks, the "dreads" reaching her waist. Her arms from the elbow down, as well as her legs, were covered by a black exoskeleton, her fingers and toes tipped with sharp claws. CP-159 had a long, prehensile tail, with spiked segments and made of the same black armor as her arms and legs. The tail ended in a wicked, sharp blade. The only thing that was human about her was her face.

She was curled up, hugging her knees, in a glass isolation chamber. The tank was filled with water, at a temperature that made her muscles relax. She was hooked up to machines that monitored her health, as well as several IVs that put nutrients, drugs, and sedatives into her body. An oxygen mask was fitted over her face so she could breathe, and a machine measured her breathing and oxygen use. Her tail, easily nine and half feet long, was coiled around CP-159's slim but strong body.

While she played in her dream world, scientists and doctors worked around the sterile, white room. They monitored the Chimaera, while nervously watching the door, as though waiting for someone to arrive. The room was buzzing with excitement. Today was the day that the creation they'd worked so hard on would be awoken. But first, they had to wait for him to arrive.

At long last, a tall man in military uniform walked in, his stride brisk and purposeful, followed by the lead scientist. She was talking to the intimidating military General, who didn't appear to be interested in what the doctor had to say. He walked over to the tank and studied the Chimaera in it.

"Isn't it time you woke 159?" he said shortly, interrupting the doctor.

She was silent for a moment, apparently annoyed that he had interrupted her, then said, "We were waiting for you to arrive, as you told us to." She was careful to keep her tone neutral-she had thought that being in the military would give General Jackson a better sense of time. Didn't he realize just how important this was?

Jackson glared at her, knowing that she was basically telling him not to blame them for not having CP-159 awake by now. Despite his annoyance, he decided not to say anything about it. "Well I'm here now, Dr. Kingston" he said, stepping away from the isolation tank. "Wake her up."

Resisting the urge to roll her eyes, Kingston nodded and went over to a control panel on the side of the tank. She put in the security code, then drained the tank of water. The doctor kept an eye on 159 the whole time, making sure nothing would happen to the bioweapon during the waking process. Once the water was drained, the glass walls of the chamber were lifted, leaving 159 open to the room. She went on sleeping, the sedatives still in her system.

Kingston removed the IV of sedatives, then waited for the drugs already in her body to wear off. She expected it to be fast, but was still surprised when 159 stirred after only a couple moments after the IV was removed.

CP-159 slowly opened her amber-colored eyes and looked around sleepily. She shook her head and rubbed her eyes, then looked at her arm in surprise. Cocking her head to one side, looking confused, she looked over the rest of her body, ending in her tail. She swished it expiramentally.

General Jackson approached 159. "So, you're finally awake," he said. He seemed ready to fight, if it turned out that she was hostile.

Rather than attack the General, 159 simply looked at him. She lost interest in watching him after a moment, and instead tried to get the oxygen mask off her face.

Kingston stepped forward and took it off, watching as 159 breathed the lab air for the first time. The Chimaera wrinkled her nose and snorted in disgust. She supposed it must have been the smell of chemicals and bleach.

Dr. Kingston breathed a sigh of relief. "Looks like she's healthy and alert," she said. "She's not hostile, either."

"Just make sure she can be trained," said Jackson. "She's a weapon, and she has to learn to obey. Don't coddle her."

"I know that," said Kingston. "Look at her-she's like a child. I'm sure it won't be difficult to train her. But first, we need to get an idea of what her physical abilities and senses are like."

She looked over at 159, who was trying to stand up. Her legs seemed strong, but, having never used them before, she was wobbly on them.

"Stay where you are," ordered Jackson when she tried to walk.

159 again put her head to one side and looked at him. "S-s-stay?" she said.

Looks of surprise flitted across the doctor's and general's faces.

"So she can talk," said Jackson.

"Yes, but does she understand?" countered Kingston. She pointed at the ground by 159. "Stay," she said.

159 seemed to get it. She sat back down. "Stay," she repeated.

Jackson snorted, unimpressed. "We've got a long way to go."

...

Please review! What do you think of 159? She's not the Ember you know from Dreaming of Freedom, but she's childish and innocent when she first wakes up. Her mind will mature more as the story goes on. Hope you liked it!