Bishop

"And that is all?" Bishop asked. He eyed Hicks, his new bandages, and his tired face.

"I was just hoping to get home alive…" Hicks answered. How much more information did Bishop need? For over two hours he had given the most detailed account he could muster between the pain from the wounds, the medicine and his exhaustion, which had gotten worse after the intolerable procedure the doctor had put him thorough. Had the whole ship heard him, he wondered? He looked back at Bishop's face.

"We were not involved directly in your mission, but it was unfortunate for the USCM that your mission went as… offline as it did, I admit that. And what affects the USCM affects Weyland-Yutani…" Bishop said.

"Bates… he worked for the Company… for you…" Hicks began, but stopped. Such accusations were bold, perhaps too bold or a Corporal. When he had told them everything, would they need him anymore? Or was he expendable? Bishop just shrugged, raising his eyes to the ceiling.

"What Bates did, he did by his own accord, and he told you as much, did he not? I personally did not know what he was up to." Hicks looked at Bishop, he was right of course. Bates had been working solo.

"Yes, but-" Hicks began, but was interrupted.

"Do not rush to conclusions, Corporal. We are here to make sure that nothing got off Acheron." Bishop said, leaning back in his chair, his round eyes glistened in the murky office.

"I'm not that stupid, if you find anything, you'll take it with you!" Hicks blurted out. God, he was tired! Nor did he like to be played a fool. Besides, he did not have the patience or the stamina for such hefty negotiations right now. It seemed to take Bishop off his high seat, and he rose. His expression had changed slightly. He looked have come to some conclusion to a problem.

"Well, finding… something… would pay for your little failure, would it not? Now think carefully, Hicks, I will only make this offer once! You obviously have your wits about you, so I will give you another chance. If we find anything left onboard we will study it, just as you said. You can become our… security consultant, in lack of a better title."

"Like Ripley? Why don't you take her?" Hicks sighed while leaning back on the chair… he was so sick of it all. Ripley, Ripley, Ripley… why did they not talk to her?

"She can't train marines; we will use her talents elsewhere. If we do not find anything we will just retire you somewhere and you will never hear from us again." Said Bishop and pushed his chair in towards the table, signing an end to the talk.

"If I do not take your offer?" Hicks asked. He already knew the answer of what would happen to him if he rejected it: he would not wake up alive from his hypersleep. In one way, he was relieved that it was such a black and white choice.

"If you decide to reject the offer you will no longer be protected by Company policies, I cannot guarantee anything. But I see you are exhausted from my bantering, think about my offer during dinner, and then come to me with your decision. These guards will see you to the mess." Bishop concluded and walked out, leaving a pair of thugs behind to help Hicks.

"Think about it?" Hicks murmured. He could barely get out of the chair! One of the thugs grabbed him under his arm and helped him up. Perhaps he did need to eat? Slowly he made his way through the dark corridor towards the SULACO's canteen.

There was another group of marines dining when he entered the mess. The sight of them made Hicks swallow extra hard, the memories he had from this very mess hall, when the android Bishop had been doing his knife trick, were just a few days old! A few days! How many had died in that time? One of the accompanying thugs had to support him by grabbing his elbow. Hicks took a deep breath and shook the man off. Placing his tray by an empty table he sank down. He sat for a long time, looking down at the marks left by the android's knife-trick, before he slowly began eating the soup that was served. It tasted quite bland, but it was warm, which was good enough for him.

"Hey! Are you alright?" A sturdy marine asked. He seemed to be a sergeant. His group sat over by the other table. Hicks did not respond. He did not even manage to look at the group. He gulped down the food, feeling an intolerable hunger spreading throughout his gut. Only the pain kept it at bay. Had he really been that raving hungry? "Hey!" The man called again. "What's up?" Hicks turned, finishing his meal.

"What do you want?!" He rasped while getting up. The marines were staring at him.

"Just checking…!" The sergeant said. "No harm meant!" Hicks eyed them. He felt so alien to them!

"Well you checked too late!" He said angrily. Before anyone could respond he was already outside, heading towards Bishop's quarters. It was not far, but felt like an eternity. Bishop sat on his chair, writing something down on his computer. He stopped as Hicks entered the little office once again. A small smile spread over his thin lips.

"I see you have made up your mind!" He said. "That's good!" With a wave of his hand he dismissed the thugs.

"I haven't said anything yet." Hicks said.

"That's the difference between me and that android Bishop over in the hypersleep pod. Intuition. I have already deduced that you will accept the offer." Hicks just shook his head. "Please, Corporal, obviously you are not a fool, nor do you wish to get yourself killed, not if you can help other people. Besides, you want another crack at those Xenomorphs if you get the chance, don't you?" He continued to smile, happy over finding Hicks' weak point.

"I do. But I cannot do it alone. I will accept this deal with the Devil… But don't shove me under the table; I will make it my life's work exterminating those things!" Hicks said, sitting down on the chair opposite of Bishop. "If you want me to help other marines deal with this alien… the Xenomorph, it will be my rules on the field. I must be able to tell them what they're up against!" Bishop sat still for a while, quietly looking at the desk in front of him.

"You drive a hard bargain." He said. "I must speak to a few of my associates, but I think that your proposal will be cleared. After hearing your story, I can see why a team of marines may need to know what they are facing, at least in the sense of how it may attack." Bishop began typing something on his computer. "Now you should go get some rest, I will not require your help anytime soon. I must clear this whole mess of a mission up first." He spread his hands.

"Should I use a hypersleep pod?" Hicks asked, He sure looked forward to closing his eyes for a few months.

"Yes please." Bishop said whilst continuing to type. "Please use one of the spare pods, there is some technical hiccup with your old one according to the technicians." He gave Hicks a look. A deadly technical hiccup. Hicks nodded slowly."There should be plenty of other pods to choose from."

"I will. Just don't wake me until this mess heals up!" Hicks asked, lifting his bandaged arm. Bishop gave him a small smile.

"Don't worry; I will give you a few weeks inside that pod, perhaps even more, depending on how the situation turns out." Bishop said and sent him away. Within minutes, Hicks had lain down in a different pod, slipping into a blissful nothingness as some technicians overlooked the pod data.