Harsh claws stung my face, my mind. I was sitting alone, desperate for any means of escape. The metal bars that held me fast to where I was sitting did not let me go. In fact, I was stuck.

Only moments ago it seemed I had crawled into my sleep back in the Refinery.

Now it seems as though it could have been five years ago.

I struggled as a hand pressed me down on the cold, flat surface. A needle was injected into my thin, silky skin. I squealed and growled, lashing and slinging my tail to and fro. It was still silent in the little room; whoever was attacking me had no intentions of making any sounds at all.

A lifting feeling flooded through me as I was turned over on my side and pressed down, a metal clamp snapping over my smooth, cylinder skin. My tail next, then my claws and body and neck. Soon, I was unable to fight back on this metal table, and I was exposed to the unnatural light. Was this captivity? Had humans gotten their revenge on me and Barb's hunt and trapped us here in this desolate world? Thoughts like this turned me negative. But I could not move.

As soon as the light lifted, I jumped.

My mind flashed open as I lifted my head from my terrible dream. I shivered quietly. My very first dream, and it was a nightmare.

I shook my head as if to clear it, then looked around.

All the Xenomorphs I had previously gotten to know the night before were organizing themselves in a fashionable sort of way. However, I could tell from the bent heads and desperate speaking that something was up.

Carefully, I bounced out of my sleeping chamber and found Barb sitting beside two other females, their voices frantic. Yawning and stretching open my maw, I pounced down to join them.

"What's all this?" I asked, clearing indicating the crowd.

Barb looked over at me. His gaze was horrified. "During the night, Number 6 sent four of us to explore the human camp for food, you know the one we went to for hunting? They were supposed to come back, but we haven't heard of them since."

I "blinked". A mere state of puzzled confusion. "What do you think happened?"

"I think the humans may have killed or captured them."

It was like a smack on the face. Fervently, I remembered my previous dream of being held down against a table and toyed with, unable to freely move my limbs on command. The thought of that actually happening to a Xenomorph was very not well.

"Are we going to go after them?" I asked, alarmed.

Barb looked down at his paws. "Number 6 says she's not allowing a rescue. She doesn't want any more of us to get caught. Do understand, won't you? I know you care about the Hive and all, but what she's going makes sense. We're not a big happy family. If you get lost from lack of your skill, then you get lost. I mean, that's the way it works."

I lashed my tail. "That's not the way we should think," I butted in.

One of the female Xenomorphs growled at me, flaring up her tail. "Of course you'd think that!" she growled. "You are our savior after all." She glared for a few moments at Barb, who didn't even seem to notice.

"I wasn't a – gr… What's it to you anyway?" I spat. "I wasn't trying to save anyone! Why do you care so much?"

For a moment, the female was silent, before she turned back to Barb and sheered at him, "Go make her bite a Face-hugger."

"I'm not!" Barb warned her dangerously. "And you," he added carefully, turning his gaze to me. "She's just jealous that she was never a great-fighting worm-ling, don't let her taunts get to you. She wants to be just like you."

I ducked my head, half-embarrassed, half-ashamed. "I never wanted to make anyone feel bad!" I protested. "I was just trying to protect all of you." I turned to where the female was flicking her claws dangerously. "Don't hate me. I never did anything to you."

She sniffed. "Don't even start that with me." And she loped off.

I tore at the roots in the ground. "Ugh. I haven't even been alive for two days!"

Barb was looking around as if he was ashamed to be seen with me. But he seemed to override his concerns. "I know, I know. She's just jealous."

I glared at him, suspiciously. "Who is she, anyway?"

He laughed. "Somehow, she got named by the humans. She's Victory. She's like a real stupid want-to-be, but she fights well. Whenever the humans see Victory, they know they'll lose, because she gets her name from all the fights she's won."

"Then why's she picking on me?"

He seemed embarrassed. "I, uh…" He shuffled for a bit. "Er… never mind. Still, why don't you get eat some remains that arrived yesterday night? You look hungry."

Still stupefied as to why he avoided my question, I got up and made my way over to the plateau silhouetted in the center, then paused. "I sure don't feel very hungry," I added slowly, flicking my tail blade. "Why don't you come join me?"

Barb ducked his head, apologetically. "Sorry, I just ate. See you around."

Don't know why he to beat around the bush.

At the top of the pile, there were hardly scraps to pick from. Some legs and thighs, but every Xenomorph had eaten as much as they could off the stomach and torso. I dug my claws in the ground in frustration before I picked it up in my teeth and carried it back to a nice spot.

I was never feeling famished, but I ate anyway. I was about to go have a word with Number 6 as to why I couldn't go out and find the missing Xenomorphs.

Once I had finished the leg I had severed off, I got up and dropped the bones at the edge of the corridor to rot, then I used my not very well senses to detect Number 6. Soon enough, I could smell her in the corner of the room, her head ducked and quiet. When she "saw" me, she looked up and hissed.

"What do you want?"

"Well, you can't call me worm-ling anymore," I joked.

Silence. So much for trying to start a laugh. How come I ever thought that would work…?

Big. Idiot.

"Is it okay if I go out and try to find the missing Xenomorphs?" I asked, shifting from paw-to-paw. "I am just trying to be-"

Number 6's tone rose above mine, her Praetorian glare sizzling like a fire. "Have you not heard? No one is allowed to search for them. Obviously your little Barb friend must have told you that."

Losing my temper, I spat right back, "And what are your reasons?"

All I got was a hiss. "Do not question me, Warrior. Just obey."

I sniffed and backed away from her. If I could not get out of here while she was watching, then I had to wait. Or maybe there was some way later I could convince her.

Picking my way across the clearing, I could see the elder female Xenomorph I had met two nights ago when I was just a chestbursted youngster. She had told off a gruff male Xenomorph guarding his kill then. I approached her.

"Hi," I greeted her.

"Oh, what?" she asked, looking up. She "saw" me and she scratched at the floor. "What do you want, kid?"

I lowered my gaze. "I wanted to say thank-you for convincing the male Xenomorph two days ago for giving me some food. I couldn't talk to you then, so I just wanted to mention it now."

The female Xenomorph used her back feet to claw an itch on her neck. "Eh. You were hungry. Got a name?"

I shook my head. "Not yet. Yours?"

She smiled at me. "Silence Within."

Dipping my head, I repeated, "Thank you, again. Now, I'll let you get back to your meal."

She flicked her tail with an unconvincing tilt of her head. "It wasn't anything," Silence Within stated. "There's a patrol heading to go see if there's a water source in here somewhere. Since there's not that much action hustling around since the rush yesterday, I suggest you go join them, especially if you're full of energy. Kid, you got to run down some of that energy."

Looking to where there was a group of Xenomorphs gathering around the wall, I responded, "Sure, I don't see why not. Is Barb still hanging around?"

Silence stared at me before shrugging. "He's that friend of yours, isn't he? Nice guy, Barb. Probably can imagine if Victory is hanging around him. Surprised you haven't heard of her since today. Real nice, that Victory is."

"Is that sarcasm?" I pestered.

Silence Within's smile made me grin back at her. "Maybe, maybe not. Now run along then. They'll be heading out soon."

Thanking her a last time, I raced down the slope to where the Aliens were grouped. A dominant-looking female was leading them, her tail lashing at anything nearby. "Supposedly," she started. "There's a source of water that is inside of here – the Refinery. Our job is to go find it." She bounced off the wall and landed with a thump, almost eight feet tall. "And let's go take a look at who's come to join us, as well."

I stiffened. I hated the spotlight.

"Ah. It's our hero. Come on then, and join us." It was another female Xenomorph, since those heavily dominated our numbers. Every ten Xenomorphs you looked at, only probably one would be a male. 30/100 Xenomorphs in our ranks are probably male. But I hated what I knew little of arithmetic, and who cares how many males we had? I wasn't preparing for a mate anytime soon.

We started the trek for water by leaving through the catwalk overlooking the center. We used our fore-claws and scrambled up the sides of the walls, and then we reached the balcony. I dropped off the railing that bordered it and thumped on the heavy metal floor. Reaching out with my senses, I could smell what was inside of the Refinery, all the way to the other side. The Matriarch somewhere hidden in these walls, and Nethead elsewhere beside her. The heavier the stench, the more dangerous.

I knew I couldn't sniff myself, but I made a joke out of it and tried.

Once we started to ease our way to the walls, two iron doors stood in our way. However, once I could feel the air currents around it, I figured out that the Xenomorphs or something had bused a hole in the side of it that completely made a way for them to break through. It was a great way.

But once I figured out that we didn't mean we were looking for something outside but inside of the Refinery, I grew less happy about this since this wasn't so great to look for, but you know. Always something to stretch your legs, just as Silence Within had mentioned.

Rusted puddles of last night's rain I was determined was still happening filed out in the open corners we were padding through. The tunnels were tight, yeah, but it was nice. I was having a few conversations with the others here. 10 female Xenomorphs, and 3 male ones. The nearly 8-foot female that was leading this group was named Mercy Claws, and she turned out being a very friendly person. I fell down right on my ass and she asked me if I was okay.

"Make sure that kind of fall doesn't always happen," she whispered, her gaze shining. "I really don't want anything happening to everybody. Like it did to my father yesterday. He was in the rush."

"What happened to your father?" I asked, interested.

She looked down. "He was crossing underneath a few rocky outcroppings and it collapsed on top of him."

Memory swarmed me as I remembered a Xenomorph that had gotten killed when a Marine named "Rookie" had shot the boulders down on top of him. Only his tail with blood splatters had been left poking out.

"So that was your father?" I asked. "How old are you?"

Mercy Claws shrugged. "Three weeks old."

I was surprised that she was that young. I was a lot younger, being only two days old, pretty much, but Xenomorphs matured fast. I was an adult in like, 24 hours.

"Huh." I looked at her curiously. "How may rushes have you been into?"

Whisking her tail, she responded, "Only like 5 of them. We go on those sieges often, but we don't have them every day. I tried to get in all of them. I know you've only ever seen Number 6 so far, but you'll like Nethead better. He is more understanding of things, and he is more of a conversationalist. He likes to talk to everyone, and not just sit around. You'll want him to talk to you, too, since he can tell you about the Queen."

"What's so interesting about hearing about her?"

Mercy Claws simply waved her tail. "I don't really know. I ever talked to him once, and what I had gotten of that experience I really liked."

Then we moved in silence for a while. It was peaceful, despite the creaks that moved in the floors as we tread across it. The twelve other Aliens that moved behind us had conversations amongst themselves as well.

It was with the bang then that we all paused.

The random bang was alarming, it was that loud. I stumbled to a halt and nearly let a male Xenomorph behind me crash into the back of my legs. He growled at me, but Mercy sneered at him. "Get down and stay quiet!" she ordered. "We don't know what this is, so spread out and stay on the walls."

And I did just that. Pressing myself against the wall, I kept my head lowered, but I approached the source of the uncommon sound. A scuffle went by me – and I have no amazing senses, found out when I went hunting with Barb – and I could see the in darkness below, a few humans pressing in on us. I turned back to look at Mercy Claws, and her gaze looked terrified.

"No!" she whispered.

I scrambled to her, wanting to comfort her, but a male Xenomorph who I can tell liked her; that being gross since she's 3 weeks olds, and to you humans that's even grosser, leaped in front of me and hissed, arcing his tail.

"Help the others," he grasped. "I'll make sure Mercy Claws is safe.

I wanted to lash out at him and explain that I was careful enough with doing that, but I had a bad attitude as it was and I didn't want to take that out on anyone else. I simply dipped my head and turned to flee.

The others had grouped up – they were discussing a plan of attack.

"How many?" I asked as I jumped down off the ceiling to meet them. One of the female Xenomorphs looked up at me, who I remembered talking to as Pestilence Withdrawn.

"Only eight," she warned me. "But we never underestimate our open. Take the ventilation ducts and stay close. But don't stay too close, if they have motion trackers we'll be doomed. You'll know what I mean soon enough."

We took the nearest ducts and leapt through.

The one I'd taken, to the far right, was joined by a male Xenomorph. I was not comfortable with him walking behind me, and I had a very instinctual urge to tuck my tail, like an Earth dog, but I held it straight down so he wasn't breathing right down on my neck. These vents were tight so I held my head down so my cylinder-shaped head wouldn't scrape the ceiling.

Once the vents were flatter and not so narrow, I peeked through an open crack and the male Xenomorph edged behind me. Gunfire rattled from down below, and I stiffened, rigid with terror that my unspoken friend Mercy had been shot. But after some rumbling I could see her and her escort, the male Xenomorph that had offered to take my place, sliding up me and the other Alien's vent to safety.

"She's hurt." He watched as acid blood poured down from a wound rippling on her flank, and she hissed and trashed in pain. Mercy Claws' wound looked bad.

I peered at her. "What kind of gun?"

"What does it matter?" the Xenomorph growled. "We need to return her to the Hive. If she dies…" He looked at Mercy Claws desperately. "Please don't die," he urged.

She could only hiss in return. "Who cares if I die?" she retched. "I'd be with my father, at the least. I could join him, you know." She stared ungratefully at the ceiling. "And since when have you ever cared about anyone?"

"I care! I care because…" He stopped, flicking his tail. "Well. Just never mind. You're my friend. Of course I care."

"Oh, Anger," she rasped. Then she looked over at me. "Go kill the Marines. Anger will escort me back to the Hive. You need to run on and live. If you can't kill them all, then leave. Number 6 will send out a patrol out to overrun them. My life is not as important as it is yours. You have a great destiny ahead of you, I can tell."

I glared at her. "Get back to camp."

Anger lifted the wounded Xenomorph off her belly. "And we won't waste another second!" he decided, before taking off towards the opening of the duct and streaming out tail-last. There was not time for stealth now, I noticed. It was time to fight these humans and flush them from our territory.

I opened the duct with my tail and lashed in.

Everything seemed to slow down for me. Things went in slow-motion for battles, I remembered. It was like you were fighting in a slow-motion world. And that's exactly what I felt as I raced for the sun.

Bullets rippled along my skin but I ignored them. It didn't feel as bad as everyone had always seethed that it did. Suddenly, I realized those weren't bullets. Pestilence Withdrawn had jumped from her vent and blocked my way. It was her wriggly tail blade that had bumped into me.

Screams wailed into the air as she died before she hit the ground.

It was a brief moment of terror, caution, and everything in-between. I stared, befuddled, at the body laying before me. She had risked her life in order to save me. It was like everyone wanted me stay alive. But she must have done that for I reason.

And soon I would join her.

I lashed out with my tail and screeched, before pelting towards the nearest exit. But there was none. It was like I was forever stuck. Trapped in this little room. Smart guns and pistols and Flamethrowers and Pulse Rifles were on my in one instant, and I had no means of escape. I was going to die.

And I supposed I could let that happen. Because many of my kind at this age had been killed before. I would not be the first. But I remembered Mercy Claws' words. I had a destiny ahead of me. But other than those words, I would have just let myself die.

I let out a ferocious bellow, rattling everything from here all the way back to the Hive at least. The humans tried to come at me with their fists extended, ready to chomp at me. Ready to imprison me. The memories of my dream once wafted over me. Maybe it was a dream of the future. Perhaps I really was guaranteed destruction from Marines and scientists that mimicked our feral growls in mirrors. But no.

I was stronger than that.

I lunged at the closest opening and battered with my claws, hacking and slashing until I had a way in. I wiggled in, shoving my banana-shaped head and circular shoulders, before my slim tail disappeared last.

Safety. At last. Somehow I didn't imagine all those thoughts would go through me at that current time, didn't seem very possible. But apparently I did have all that in my head, because they started shooting at me in a matter of mere moments! I was so fast, just as Barb had said. Oh, and how much in the end would I have liked to see Barb! I needed his comforting sarcastic talk and friendly nature. Then I remembered he was being weird right now. Wonder what all that was about. He never had any problems the night before. Probably stuffed himself with too much fresh-kill.

I barreled into the quiet night. I was sure it was still dimly raining.

After that, there were no sounds.

Human speech. "God damn. I thought we had that thing."

"We killed one of them. That's the least-"

"I was nearly killed-"

"That tail blade could have speared me-"

I didn't want to hear any more. I was sick of these humans. I could not have a day's peace without having to see one. I was only two days old, but I was sorely sick of this thing. Humans were peace-destroyers. Foreign to these planets in which we lived on. They needed to leave, yet they flushed us out.

The rage that was beginning to spark inside of me was unlike any other.

I wanted to make and have a fit right then and there, lashing my tail against the thing and screeching my head off. But I did not want to make a fit. Making fits were for worm-lings. And I know I had just gotten off that level, but I was already sick of the worm-ling comments. Was it just me that got taunted in this way? Or was it simply everyone that was called a worm-ling?

I pressed my back against the cool, smooth metal. In such a way, I could have wished to die, I could have. Had the chance to end it all. But I had stood my ground. I was not going to die like this. There was no way that I could have been felled like this. I was part of a Hive, and they needed me.

We need each other.

After getting a hold of my feelings and thoughts, I climbed up the vent as the human noises vanished. I could still smell their reeking detections, but it was not so strong from up here. The hissing and telepathic speech was soon heard as they fretted from the lost Xenomorph Pestilence Withdrawn. Yes, our true names sure are special.

They'd long names. Not simple names describing our character. Barb. Victory. Don't know why Anger got his name, but I wasn't sure if I wanted to know. From what I had seen from that Xenomorph he really wasn't the brightest-scaled fish in the river.

They turned to look at me, scared and frigid. There glares were locked with fear, right on me. I bounded to them, and stated, "We have to fight these guys! For Pestilence Withdrawn."

They seemed unsure, looking amongst themselves for a response. Until I saw Pestilence Withdrawn's friend rise from within them, her gaze cautious but determined. "I would be honored to stand alongside you." She trotted across the open gap I had between me and the others' and stood there, head held high. I admired her determination, it was what we need at times like this.

Slowly and unsurely, the others came as well. Pestilence Withdrawn would be avenged from her will to die. And she would be honored back at our camp.

We all huddled together and made a plan. Since we had ten remaining, with Mercy Claws, Anger, and Pestilence Withdrawn gone, we put five above, and five below. Five from the ceiling, and five would come from the ground vents. A surprise attack all in one. They would be flushed in moments.

I took the bottom since it was harder, and when I saw Victory with Barb again, she had better not say anything about my superior heroism. I was doing this for the Horde, not because I wanted to a savior or anything.

I was cramped in with Pestilence Withdrawn's friend, the male Xenomorph I had been caught with first, and two others. Both female and didn't really mean that much to me. We had a mission we had to embark on, and that was the main priority right now. But the Queen did not have this attack authorized, so we had to make the wise choices all by ourselves out here.

Surely Anger must have gotten back with Mercy Claws by now. The camp had not been that far away, but this simple search for water had been turned into a real mind-crazing adventure! But I was tired of beating treating like a Queen, like a God. I needed to sacrifice my life as well, not be that preppy princess. No wonder why Victory wanted to be just like me, as she had mentioned.

No one would sacrifice themselves for her.

But I hadn't asked for this. The frustration of trying to understand my unexplained infamy was killing me. I could sit here for hours and wiggle and turn in my restless feat and think about that statement, and not be able to piece together the answers. It was like the true conclusion did not make sense.

No one inadvertently stepped anywhere – the slightest sound and hell would break loose. One single flaw committed, and I and the rest of us here could die. And I decided that this time I would jump in the way to save them, not the other way around.

What would Barb think? Probably that I was too brave for my own good. That I should never had been so courageous. Victory? She would probably say something about how much of a savior I was, and that an end like that was to even come to me shortly anyway. Who cares what she thinks.

I was awaiting for a single or a screech – but there was nothing. I turned around and saw the gazes of the other Xenomorphs on me.

They expected me as the leader.

"Er…" I looked around and glanced at Pestilence Withdrawn's friend. "You can tell us when to go."

"No," she reprimanded me. "This is for you to say, not me."

Again with that heroism stuff. Ugggghh. Forget about that, already!

I tried not to grow angry. I was done with this! I felt like a hero that didn't deserve to be like in a human book! A hero that had done nothing to deserve that title. It made me insufferably angry. It was just another reason that a real hero like Number 6 could hate me, getting the title she longed for and didn't receive. I had haters, now. But I also had friends.

"Go!" I screeched telepathically at my teammates, and soon that one tense hell was now running in circles. Xenomorphs from all angles were pouncing on the Marines. They were outnumbered by two, and they died faster than I could say this.

I had gripped the closest Marine to me, and her face got swarmed with a mix of confusion and alarm as her chest was gripped, although it was well-supplied with armor and that sort of thing. I used my tail as a lethal spear to impenetrate her heart, and she died in a mere matter of seconds. Soon after, the rest followed.

Standing in the feat of our victory, it was something I wish I could replay. Except this time it had been sped up, so fast in fact I might have even gotten a bit dizzy. I was wobbly with exhaustion, and there were still other matters back at the camp that I had to tend to. The missing Xenomorphs were still among us, and I figured that I could persuade Number 6 maybe, but I doubted it. I'd talk to Barb about her persuasion skills.

And we sauntered back to our camp.

Number 6 was there, standing alongside an angry Anger. His tail lashed from side to side, but when he stepped forward the Praetorian shoved him down. "Explain to me what happened," she growled, her voice rising.

I was not doing it again. I hated to rat anyone out, but I nodded to the male Xenomorph that had been with me for a portion of the patrol. He seemed eager to take my place. But this whole savior thing was started to drag me like a claw.

"We got attacked in the tunnel," he started, flicking his tail, which I now noticed was severed and unusable, not unlike Nethead's. "And Anger came back here with Mercy Claws – is she okay? And why did you not send any help?"

Number 6 sneered, the one she always gives me and the rest of this Hive. She was just a really nasty Praetorian. "I didn't send you any help because I believed that they would not get there in time. And yes, Mercy Claws is okay. And what exactly did you find there? Did you find perhaps some water like the mission stated you find?"

Pestilence Withdrawn's friend butted in next. "You expected us to stay there and keep going after all that? It's the fact that we had friends here who have their life at stake that we came back. We'll go back out tomorrow for water. I can't believe you thought we would come back clear-eyed and bushy-tailed! Are you completely out of your mind, Number 6? Pestilence Withdrawn is dead!"

Number 6 didn't even blink.

"So what does that have to prove?" she spat. "First, a Hive is not about being and looking after your friends, and second, lower your attitude mongrel, or I'll let you join Pestilence Withdrawn."

Although she immediately backed up from her lack of authority, the little Xenomorph stared hard at Number 6's back with a feral snarl commented across her face. Once that matter was done with, the massive Praetorian turned and focused on me, and if she had eyes, I figured they'd be narrowed.

"It was your idea, wasn't it?" she asked, a hiss in her voice. "To stay and fight them? Was it not your call?"

It was.

I knew I had to say it but I really didn't want to. I hated this Praetorian I had tried to joke and tease with for the past day, but my attempts failed. She was like an itch in the back of your brain you could not reach.

"We all did. So no one gets punished."

And I turned and stalked off, leaving her raging and seething on the Refinery floors.

The next day I was already preparing for my leave. I knew that even if Number 6 would allow others to go out now, she certainly wouldn't let me. I knew this by heart. So I gathered all I would need, which was just simply me, and sauntered to find Barb, who I never found previously yesterday.

"Barb?" I tried, letting my voice rest over the clearing.

However, still that blasted Warrior was not here. I decided to give up for the most part. What harm would be going alone? I know that this was dangerous and the risk factor involved in doing this was heavy, but I had no choice. Xenomorphs should not be left behind, and I knew that they probably did not feel good hoping someone of their kind to stray on their path and help them escape.

I was going to sneak out of the Refinery.

Despite me knowing not where the Aliens were being held, and since I had a pretty defective scenting-system, this was going to be a bit more on instinct than anything. But what I did need Barb for was to distract Number 6. She would definitely see me strolling out of here like there was no problem.

I hoped in my head that Barb was a right one to trust about this. For the past day or so I had not seen him or Victory or that other Xenomorph that he had been with. I was starting to feel ignored in the least way, no one would talk to me since they knew Number 6 would lash out at them if she did catch them talking to me. But something deep inside told me Barb was staying away, or that something Victory was forcing him to do was. I didn't know where he was right now, probably pretending to be asleep, but I didn't care.

Still, I needed someone to distract Number 6.

Perhaps it could be Silence Within? No, she was far too old for that, and she would never agree to my schemes. My prehensile tail swooped the ground in an arc, and I guessed that I really had no one to help my means of escape.

So at night, I would strike my blow and get the Xenomorphs lost from human clutches, if that was where they were. Victory may or may not complain about it, but who really cared? I was doing this for the Hive, not because I wanted to rub in to her smug little face how great of a savior I am and how much I was doing to ensure the survival of my species.

Please, leave me out of it.

Waiting impatiently for the sun to go down sucked, which meant in only a few hours I would be four days old, I ate what fill I could and drank what fill I could. I could not have many rest stops on my journey, and fattening and stuffing yourself with all supplies was the merest response to that question.

As the moon drifted behind the wisp in the clouds, I slunk towards the Refinery walls. Barb was not here for all I was concerned, but I was ambitious and needed to find those missing Xenomorphs! I wall-crawled on the wall and slithered towards the loft. I could see a few Xenomorphs sniffing the air curiously for any detections, but I outsmarted them and moved on.

It was the same trail I had taken as when I had gone in the rush a few days ago. I crouched down as if to hide from Number 6's senses, then I leapt onto the ground. The door was still slightly opened from when we had exited on that day, which had only been like two sunrises ago.

The night was different from the day, certainly. The cool midnight washing over my silky skin was enough to soothe the toughest wounds, not that I had many. A few scratches that Number 6 had given me, but I was pretty much clean. Still, the relaxation that coursed through me made me want to find a nice stone and relax. Just imagine the possibilities that I could have, without having to return, and just stay huddled up as soon as possible and escape everything I had to face.

But I had a task at hand. As soon as I could locate the missing Xenomorphs, the fast I'd be able to return. Although a quiet thought ebbed in my mind as I realized that I would have to face Number 6 as soon as I returned, depending on how long it might take for me to return. I decided to just stay out at night and not leave, or someone probably would think I'd die. And another one I would have to face.

Victory.

I had just met her and everything, two days ago, but she was so annoying I wanted desperately to sink my claws into her smug face. Or smack her with prey's limbs. A playing image in my head showed me doing just that.

My senses reached out, but my senses seemed faint, I didn't know if it was a worm-ling thing or just my own thing. I called at the ground for a moment, rooted to the spot before I came across the blood puddle.

It was red and green, but most of the green parts of it were burned away. The red blood I recognized as being a human's blood. A battle had taken part here, and since this wasn't exactly where the rush was, I knew it wasn't that. And the swirling pools were still fresh, and they stank with a certain musk. I sniffed in, knowing my sense of smell wasn't dependable but trustworthy.

From what I could tell, it lead it a northern direction, with the Weyland-Yutani's structure, the Refinery, to the south. I dropped to the ground. This was perhaps a fight the humans had won, because it certainly showed more Alien droplets than human droplets of blood spattered on the fragrant stones. The moonshine illuminated the scene before me, and I looked to the north. I think that was the way to the Research Lab. That was where I could imagine the Xenomorphs were taken.

Starting on my trek, I approached a rocky bank with a stream pooling gently over the rocks. I stepped on the crunchy pebbles, but their sharp spokes did not penetrate the tough skin covering my hind feet and fore-claws.

Although my senses were damp, I believed, I could still detect carrion, as in most places here, and a bunch of other things like flowers, plants, wildlife that tasted wretched, and some herbs and old human machinery. It was dark outside, so moving now was beneficial for this trip. The darkness is the Xenomorph ally, and we kept there because we are clearly seen in the sunlight.

Gathering ahold of myself on some rocks to perch on, I examined the clearing to see if I could see the metal walls of the Research Lab. I had been told about it, I recalled. A place so evil and wicked that not even birds dared fly over the place. It also stank and reeked like anything I'd ever scented before, even worse than the two days ago when I was sitting outside of the human camp with Barb, and got a terrible burning feeling in my throat.

When I felt tired, I sat down for a minute, then moved on again. The moonlight wafted over me, and I liked the feeling of it washing against me like a river. I never really had swam in water before, and I didn't really like the sensation. Still, it was better than when a wave of fire licked across your fleshy, silky exoskeleton and cracked you in half. Anything was better than that. Just imaging the feel of fire going across me was enough to make me start throwing a fit.

As I neared the towering structure, I kept my senses opening for any Marines. It was not uncommon for them to set base camps and refuges as defense for Weyland-Yutani or for their wounded to get safety. My senses tingled as I noted the presence of a human, but I evaded that location as durably as possible. I was glad I had passed it and the tingly feeling of danger was over. Not annoying or anything, but it got more worried in the way that that sense should make you.

The trip was eh, maybe an hour's walking speed. My tail was dragging along the ground, and my petite fore-claws poked gaping holes in the grass and soil. I lay so smoothly amid the rocks and turmoil beneath me I may have appeared to be one with them, and I moved at the best times so no creature could see me. I grinned, a feeling of unmatched hostility flooding in my brain.

A sharp pinch on my front left hand reminded me what I was doing, not practicing. I could rehearse my hunting/fighting skills as soon as I returned with these missing. I did not doubt their survival, for the humans here liked to keep us alive and study us, so if I could find where ever they kept our kind, this would be far simpler for me.

But who said that this would be simple?

I had already acknowledged full-heartedly the major risk factor of sneaking behind Number 6's back to find these guys. Still, if it had been her that had been caught, she would be hoping and screeching day and night to be found ago.

And I also recalled Number 6 couldn't boss us around.

But she did anyway. I had expected her to be self-preserved, and sad, and grieving for the horrible blow she had had to fight through, her captivity that pressed her against the walls of Weyland-Yutani. She was not drawn to the wretched place, and I knew why. No Xenomorph, despite their ever-growing curiosity, would want to venture into the walls of the Research Lab, for surely alone, caught they would be.

Pressing against the floor, I crawled on for a few hours more, and I knew that in a few more hours the sun would be boosting up high in the sky. I cringed at the thought of some dead Xenomorphs awaiting me in the Research Lab. The thought of studied bodies lying dissected on a few tables made me throw my guts up.

There goes my lunch. Great.

Since I was now aware that I would be going hungry a few minutes faster than I had intended to, I pressed on faster and harder. My heart beat as I tried my limbs hard to reach my destination. No more walking and cruising for me, I notified myself. It was time to reach the lab and find the missing Xenomorphs.

Once I had reached the building, I was wondering how I ever intended on doing this myself. The walls were all sorts of guarded, maintenance cameras, turrets, electrical fences, mines, radio towers, electricity… This was pretty much impossible.

Frustration tore at my flesh like a chainsaw. Instead of wasting time, I lunged for the nearest open crack and slipped in. It was not a ventilation duct, but I didn't care. I could find one of those soon enough. And besides, they could detect me in one of those, but they could not find me here. I clawed at the walls, and could hear a cart rattling beneath me. I pressed my face against the cold wall to hear more, my head slipping on the slick surface.

Scientists.

I had faced these two days ago. Defenseless, but hardly unwatched over by a few butting-in Marines. I would try to prohibit my engagement for as much as I could but if I had to stand and fight, I would.

But there was a difference to this time than any other.

No one would be here to save me.

It was not like I had been asked to be saved. It was out of the kindness of her soul that Pestilence Withdrawn had risked her life to leap right out in front of me. That was her own fault, yet other Aliens still looked at me as though I had literally dragged her out of that duct and used her as a living shield.

I followed the scientists to wherever they brought the cart, and since my tail blade was sharper, I could bust a hole in the walls now, whereas any time previously it would have just slapped off the hard metal surface.

Claws found a few footholds in the side of the smooth wall as I cracked my tail against the skin of the mold. The structure fell apart, and entry fell before me.

I slithered in and dragged my shoulders and lumpy tail spines that covered it through the relatively small opening. I let out a hiss of irritation as my actual tail blade got caught in a snag on the inside of the wall. I wrenched it out of the wall, and continued on my way.

The scientists I stalked pushed the cart into a room that opened and closed with their command. Masks covered their faces and expressions, not that I liked looking at humans anyway. A guard was behind them, but I did not smell iron human blood.

I had heard of this before. This was an Android, tougher than humans and Marines due to that they're robots, and commonly used in Weyland-Yutani Industries, lesser due to the fact that Weyland was one. They had tough armor on their heads and torsos, and usually the most effective way of killing one was to put a heavy attack through its legs and rip out its throat with your teeth. It's a lot harder than it looks.

I had never faced one, and didn't want to. I was just using these guys to see where my companions were.

The scientists and the Android entered a code-enabled door access, and soon enough, as I slunk after them with my tail streaming in ribbons behind me, that a bunch of indestructible glass vials filled with Face-huggers, our molecular acid blood, and Xenomorph parts, were laying all over this place.

This is exactly what I had hoped not for. I felt the rest of what I had left in me urge to come out.

Flushing down a feeling of light-headedness and squeamishness, I picked my way over to the next door the scientists approached. It opened, again, by code access. The Android stood by the door, unnoticing my presence as I slid in after the curious scientists.

Aliens held in glass tubes, some cages had more than one, the highest I counted five, were pressed against the back of an open room, with a control panel monitoring the process of the Xenomorphs. Others that had been lost for some time I could tell were in here, but once they smelled someone outside, me, they started a racket.

"What's that all about?" asked the scientist, warily eyeing a red button to his left.

"Who the hell cares?" disagreed the other, "they're probably screaming at us 'Pick me, pick me!'"

The first scientist snorted and mushed one of the gray buttons on the main control lid. One of the cages was hoisted to the front of the corridor. As I smelled the Xenomorph inside, I did not recognize him, but I pitied him. He was only trying to hunt, and he and the rest of the Xenomorphs had been caught and placed in this place of Hell. It made me seethe from the inside, wanting to drop in now and just break all this free.

But I knew I had to stand here and watch.

The scientist opened the door to the chamber, and the other walked in with a metal claw and electricity sparking off the side. He jabbed it at my sister, and she yelped and screamed, thrashed and turned.

Covering my gaze from the horror, I could hear them poking at her with the stick, and she screamed in fear and terror. As soon as she had been transported to the next room over, with all the glass vials, she was placed on a table with a metal tube getting hoisted down over head. Metal clamps were placed on her side and legs and fore-claws, and realization hit me, making me dizzy.

This is… This is my dream! I recalled the last nightmare I had had two days ago, getting placed upon a lab table with things getting injected into your skin. I had felt this, the pain and terror. I imagined how horrible it must all be, to be sitting there, knowing now you had no means of escape whatsoever.

I had not been seeing the future! I was dreaming a living nightmare!

Terror was washing over me at every word I thought, and I felt so sick I retched the rest of my food all over the duct walls. Great. Again.

I turned to see what they were doing to this poor Xenomorph, but they just took a few samples of her blood and put it on the cart that they had pushed into the room. The Android that had been watching them remained silent.

As the vial was placed into a secure lock on the cart, they started to wheel it out, leaving the acid-bleeding Xenomorph on the table. As the Android followed them, I took this chance to lope out of the walls and land beside the chained-down sister I had. When she looked up, I could see the horror, fear, and pain ebbing in her gaze.

"Wh…. What?" She saw me and blinked.

"I'm here to get you out of here." I peered closely at the bonds that held her down and wondered if acid blood could leak them down and get her free But I didn't want to hurt her or me any, so I privately disagreed with myself.

"You can't," she gasped. "It's too late. Get the others! Leave me behind."

I shook my head, knowing I didn't have a heart for that. "You're coming, too." I tried lashing out at one of the bonds holding her against the table, but to no use. She was stuck here, unable to more on her command. I scarcely remembered my dream, knowing that it felt bad not to wriggle and worm when you wanted to.

"They're right," the female Xenomorph breathed. "You really are a hero." She paused for a moment to watch my failing attempts. "You can't break them," she growled at me, adding in to her previous comment. "Until they get me out of here, you won't be able to break my caging tools."

Glaring at it, I said in a desperate voice, "There must be some way."

Waving her tail above her head, the female Xenomorph retorted darkly, "No! Get out of here and run for it. Get the rest of us and move on! I will be a burden anyway! Why did Number 6 let you come here?"

I paused, remembering. "I – I didn't… Number 6 wasn't allowing a search party, so I snuck out and tried to find you all myself."

She growled at me. "Xenomorphs don't think like that."

"Well, maybe they should start!" I hissed at her.

Why am I the different one? They didn't even want to be saved… Who am I?

The female Xenomorph gave up. "Fine, whatever. But leave me here, please. Get the others out first and then come back out for me."

I wanted to snap back at her, but she added snappily, "Go! The humans are coming! Hurry!"

Letting some of my senses go, I didn't detect anything. Frustration washed over me in piles. Huh. My senses really are bust.

Barreling into the room over, I could hear a scientist say, "Now let's get back to X-84."

I searched the panel of controls, but so many symbols made no sense to me. I lashed out at a button, but it only let out a ring. I shut it off, but the scientists looked up. They were close enough for me to sense that.

I wailed desperately, but not very loudly. I looked into the caging rooms before me, and wondered that the control panel humans used would not support my escape with these Xenomorphs. I would have to get in that room and break them from those cages myself. I dropped to the ground in a roll and jumped into the vent again, narrowly avoiding my spill of guts and smelly human remains.

Cracking my tail against the metal, I broke through the thin skin of the area and saw the cages below me. Xenomorph faces were pressed against the glass, leaving cloudy breaths of white all over the smooth surface.

Slithering down, I found a Xenomorph closest to me with saliva dripping from her steamy lips. She was beat and battered, and scars littered her. These Xenomorphs had been in here forever.

Why did no one tell me!?

I wanted to make sure every single one of these Xenomorphs got out and got to live life like it should be lived. Not stuck in these cages feeling remorse since you know what is bound to happen to you. Bound to be caged to those tables like the poor Alien the room over, getting dissected and studied, although being dissected would be hard for our kind since acid blood would just leak everywhere.

I approached the cage door and nosed it, and she peered at me. The male beside her hissed in alarm. I turned and saw the scientists with their furious and scared dead eyes staring at me, with their hands over the alarm key I had pressed.

Alarms blazed overhead, ringing in my "ears." I belted for the glass and cracked it with my tail, shattering it to bits. The female Xenomorph looked at me with unmatched gratitude, before going to help with the other cages.

Cage after cage was broken and cracked, and I dropped down to all fours as they were opened, every last one. I peered over my shoulder in horror as Androids glared through the glass, getting ready to shoot anything that moved. Subtly, I raced across the pavement and hissed at the others "Follow me!"

We dove into the ventilation ducts, at least 15 of us. Scrambling tails and claws scratched the back of my legs and bumpy tail as I raced on, but I ignored it. Only the end of all this matter now.

And once the light lifted, I jumped.

Except instead of a living nightmare this time – it was real.

The leap of faith ended as I hit the wall on the other side. It was time to escape with all of these Xenomorphs. Hissing bundles smacked into the walls as they darted, furious paws leaving smears in the dusky tiles. Androids erupted from the lab, no expression readable on their perfectly balanced faces.

Gunfire rattled the air, but I dodged it, leaping and swooping like I could do nothing else. I swerved past a scatter shot, but one time I did get hit.

I screeched as an unbelievably painful hit came across my stomach, right along the side of it. Collapsing to the ground, I let out a very long wail. No one this time was going to rush to my help. They had no clue about this so-called great destiny I had ahead of me, they just wanted freedom.

I pressed on, but these Xenomorphs wanted war. They rained down on the Androids from the walls, and I turned to glare at them in a puzzled state of confusion. We weren't supposed to be here to fight, we were supposed to be getting out of here!

I swooped down to join them, but my stomach blazed. I was weak, and running around like this wasn't smart. I could hear the screeches of the Xenomorphs as they tackled the Androids, and the robotic voices of the Androids screeching right back as the Xenomorphs toppled them over. Tails got mingled by armed gloves, and tail attacks got blocked and punched. Claw swipes were countered. It was too much. I had not been helping these Xenomorphs. I had started war.

Pressing on, I wanted them all to just stop right then and there and listen to a few words I spoke, but even when I tried to ask someone to tell others to stop they said 'Okay' but it was never effective. They all continued to fight and battle, and Androids did die, but so did my own kind.

Screeching in a knotting battle, I tackled an Android over on his side. White blood smeared against the floor, and he growled at me, his robotic voice threatening.

As he lifted his gun to kill me, I used a fast-attack claw swipe and it made him stagger back. As he rushed forward to punch me back, I raised up both arms and his attack just got thrust off helplessly. I clawed him one, and he fell back, struggling to get up. By the time he was on his feet he got slung by my coiled tail.

Moving on to my next opponent, I just snuck up behind him and wrapped my hand over his face, and drove my tail though his stomach. Another Android caught me while I was preforming the attack and I got shot. I squealed and leapt for the nearest exit.

Others were flushing back the Androids, but some of us, well a lot of us were dying. It was not like we had a whole war of writhing Xenomorphs out here! Hell, we had only 15! Seven were left standing, and I didn't want to see any more die.

"That's enough, let's go!" I screamed. "Get moving, get out of here! If you want to survive you need to keep on moving now!"

Everyone stopped the battle and started to move to the exits. However, my command did not silence the programmed Androids. Tons of things were shooting after us, grenades, terrible gunfire. A few of us got shot, but besides the ones that had died already we were safe. But the mass wave of Androids moving quickly towards us scared me, and my nostrils were bust! I felt like I could not see anything! My sixth sense was supposed to be helpful!

As we raced for the nearest exit, I saw a few Xenomorphs behind me get trapped in. But soon enough they followed us out from cutting holes in the walls. The moonlight was already dim, and the morning was beginning to rise up and over the skyline. The Xenomorphs back at our camp would be wondering where we were right now. I felt fear for everyone here, because they needed to get back. Suddenly, I remembered the female Xenomorph I had left in the cages.

I had to get to her!

"Keep going without me," I offered, slipping away. "Run back to the Hive and tell them I'll be back soon."

Drifting away from the group, I watched them stare at me, and I stared back. "Go," I added. "You need to stay alive, but it's okay if I die. If I don't come back by tomorrow night, then you'll know what's happened."

I could see their gazes, wanting to help me, wanting to care for me. They wanted to stand by my side and offer as much of themselves as they could. But I was done with playing the hero. I did not need to be a hero, much. I was doing this for my Hive, not because I wanted all the female Xenomorphs in there to be jealous of my skill, wondering how hard they will now have to fight for the male Xenomorphs they wanted that were now going to chase after me.

I hated that kind of competition. I just wanted to be normal. I was already tired of my disobeying skills that was for sure. Everyone feared Number 6, but I had stood up to her and talked back without hesitation. I had gone off in the night to save these Xenomorphs, such it was that if the same dilemma had happened to them, rule-breaking was right off the table out of the question. It made me very ashamed.

And I did hate but love all the heroic comments.

As I dashed in through one of the holes the left-behind Xenomorphs had made getting out, I stared into the corridor that I had once left behind, and I could see where the female Xenomorph's room was. I tried along the pipes, but it was no use. I scrambled onto the wall and expertly climbed along the side.

Jumping off the wall and landing on the catwalk, I approached the door. Due to the alarm, it had been shut, so there was no entry into the place. I gaped in alarm, scratching the door to see if it would open. It never did.

This was impossible. There had to be some way around it. I jumped down off the catwalk and to the ground and weaved my way through some more vents, getting lost occasionally. The well-polished blue and silver walls and doors and floors got me confused a lot, but I gathered my bearings and made on.

I rested in a room after searching awhile. And could hear Marines preparing beneath me. Maybe I could use them to get into the room.

"Are you sure you don't want any help with that?" asked a white-skinned man with black hair and beard. His voice was worrisome and kind, but he seemed sure as if not trying too hard to show he was struggling not to laugh his brains out.

The female beside him, who had curly brown hair that fell between her shoulders, looked up at the man that had confronted her. "You know I can take care of myself," she sheered, noticing his expression.

"Suit yourself, then," the man countered, leaning in a very laid-back manner against the railing that support a bunch of crates overhead. "Bet that you-"

"Dallas! Just shut up and get your own loads! I got these stims I gotta carry outta here." She hoisted up a bunch of crates that wobbled in her arms, and the man just stared after her as she left the room.

I watched him, interested, as he picked up a few rattling crates and placed them on a shelf overhead.

Tilting my head, I continued to watch. Humans did not usually partake in such odd behavior, I noted. This was intriguing. He was not all that muscular it seemed, his arms shook a bit as he heaved the heavy cargo, but I noticed the slimmest remnant of rippling muscles underneath his arms as he placed them up there.

The door after a few more moments opened, and soon the female was standing again there in the doorway. Her eyes scanned the clearing. "D'you leave anything for me?" she shot at him as she padded in on her loud boots.

"By golly, Ripley. Why don't you get over here and help me out with this?" He extended a heavy crate towards her, and he offered a weak smile. "If you're so tough."

Ellen stepped back when she noticed the box, with its intimidating size. She reached forward to grab it, but as soon as Dallas let go of the box it crumpled to the floor, leaving him in a laughing heap as Ripley leapt back in alarm.

"Shoot, Dallas!" Ripley raged, angrily glaring at the black-haired man. "You want me to get a broken toe or somethin'?"

Dallas raised up his arms defensively. "You can take care of yourself," he drawled, the grin clearly visible on his face. "Better not butt in like I did last time!"

Ripley crossed her arms and glared at him, before a flush spread across her face. "Fine," she growled at last. "You take care of it." She abandoned him from the room before he could retort anything.

"You know," Dallas yelped out after her, "maybe working together would help!" But she never came back.

Sighing, Dallas slung a bag over his shoulder and followed her out. I got to my paws as I noticed them to leave. I was to lure them towards the door and make them open it. I crouch in the ventilation ducts as I listened to Dallas catch up with Ripley.

As he looked like he was about to speak, a scientist inferred, "Well, well, well, Dallas. It's about time you showed up. With some of your experience, I think you can help us out here."

When the black-haired male passed her, Ripley grumbled, "Some profession, all right."

Not caring or not hearing, Dallas paused by the scientist and listened to what he had to say. I bothered little with the chat, but Dallas' eyes flooded over with another emotion. As he turned to check something he'd been asked to out, Ripley stood in his way and growled at him. Knocking back in alarm, Dallas peered his eyes at her.

"What do you want?"

Folding her arms again, Ripley retorted, "I want to go with you." She glared at the doctor and spat to him, "And let me go, you better, because I need to make sure this goofball stays in check." She reached for the bag over Dallas' shoulder and wrapped it around her own. "Let's go."

The black-haired male followed after her, making a pretend face-palm and winking at the scientist, who only glared after them darkly. Once I noted that they were heading in the direction of the lab I needed to get into, I slunk after them. Dallas pulled out a keynote pad and started clicking in to the door. It swiveled open, and the two stepped in.

At first glance of the wounded Xenomorph lying on the table, Dallas leapt back in alarm, remembering how he had had an experience with a Xenomorph from being trapped in a vent duct. He had barely escaped, and been skittish of all Aliens ever since, not taking too fondly to the fact that Weyland-Yutani even captured Xenomorphs. The rest of the crew on the Nostromo had believed Dallas was dead, but he was reunited with Ripley after he found out she'd survived. Dallas hated talking about it, so no one asked him.

I didn't know that at the time, but that was what happened.

"Chill out, Dallas," Ripley retorted to his sudden reaction of the Xenomorph. "It can't kill us from here. Don't get your pretty black beard in a knot."

Dallas snorted at the last remark – and silently slithered in after Ripley had. He scanned the shelves for any Face-huggers that had would want to kill him, but it didn't seem like they were alive anymore. Something else that made me want to throw my guts up.

I slipped in after Dallas had. He was still staring nervously around, and I wanted to laugh at him if I could. Even with my weak smelling skills, it was still very possible for me to detect the intoxicating scent of fear wafting off of him. Ripley looked at him with a tilted head – ah, they do tilt their heads! – and blinked.

"What's the matter, Dallas?" she responded. "Scared of a little Xenomorph?" She approached the one laying on the table, and the black-haired man stiffened as a result. "It can't hurt me," she rasped, as she touched the tip of its tail blade with her finger. "Go ahead and try it."

Dallas shook his head a few times. "There isn't any way I'm touching that thing," he spat, his eyes narrowed. "Leave Hell to look after them."

Ellen rolled her eyes. "Just try it," she insisted, snaking his hand in her own as he walked by. Dallas flinched from the sudden touch, and eyed her suspiciously.

"It's like you want me to get eaten."

"Shoot, Dal, I ain't here to waste time. Just touch the damn thing!"

Gingerly, Dallas poked the blade, then immediately stepped back. "Happy?" he chortled. "Now, let me do with what I was supposed to be doing in here." He approached the slide-in table and picked up a few things. "Have fun touching that thing."

Ripley grinned ear-to-ear. "I know you still have your little boy pants on," she tried to comfort.

Dallas turned from where he was working and glared at her. I watched with interest at the conversations they were having. They seemed to be joking about the stupidest things, I noticed. Dallas had a right to fear us, and Ripley had seen us too many times to be scared. She wasn't that clone or anything, she was skin and blood, but she wasn't afraid. She just wasn't.

Dallas' glare turned from anger to a mixture of embarrassment and surprise that Ellen would say anything like that. "What the hell-" he started.

"Just shut up and get back to business. I don't want to be in here any longer than we have too."

The black-haired man turned around grumbling to himself. Ellen grinned behind his back, her face smug with satisfaction. "Done," Dallas retorted. "Now let's get-"

Hiss!

I had been deciding when to drop in on the two of them so that they could run out and leave the door open, so I wouldn't get trapped in, and I chose then. I landed right in front of Dallas Arthur, and let out the most terrifying scream I could muster.

Terrified to his bones, Dallas took off with his data, face as pale the moonlight I thought had felt good. Ellen Ripley stared in surprise and did the same thing.

I looked to where the poor Xenomorph was laying on the table.

"I thought you'd forgotten me," she hissed.

I smiled at her and flagged my tail. "I wouldn't forget about you," I warned her. I looked at the handles. "I just got to figure out how to get this thing off of you." I examined the surface of it and found no real way in which to get rid of the latch holding my sister down.

Glaring at the handles, I chortled, "I'll figure it out. It's got to be on this control panel or something." Padding over to the control panel, I opened up the box which was previously locked but a tail lash cracking against it opened it up just fine. I peered at the controls, worried about something bad happening.

I saw a symbol that looked like something was unlatching. I tried the button, but nothing worked.

"Hurry," the female Xenomorph begged me, her voice a thin wail. "I don't want to die here and know the rest of us got us. Please."

Turning to her, I only nodded. "Doing my best," I started quickly, scrambling at the control panel ahead of me. "I can't guarantee anything though." I sniffed curiously at the thing, and popped open the latch. The things holding my sister down unclamped, and she was freed. She dipped me a nod of gratitude, then she belted for the door.

It was at that time that I guess I should have been worrying about more fervent matters, like what Dallas and Ripley were going to tell the others – a Xenomorph attack in the lab? I knew know that there was no one out of this. I was pressed her, and I was consumed in what to do next.

I focused on following after my sister and escaping with her, planning the route in my head in which to take after her. My tail swooped low over the ground, and I finalized the decision. Bad it was also at this time that the world, not unlike before, seemed to slow down for me. It was like my limbs could not move, which was indeed the weirdest thing that could have. It was like I was running a slow-motion world, and that my attackers could walk in fast motion. It was like I was trapped, like in the dream I had back in the Refinery. Oh, how I missed the Refinery! Its gooey walls would comfort me now, but I really did not want to see Number 6 in her attitude rage. I really did not.

I knew that it was also the closest thing to home for me. It was the place I was going to grow up, and I had to either accept that fact or leave it behind. I wanted to make peace with terrible terror Number 6, but it didn't seem that she wanted that same peaceful thought. It somehow made me sad that two awesome female Xenomorphs could not be friends together.

But as I neared the entrance of the door, that was when the whole lab was burst into flame.