Chapter Three: Sometimes Sleeping Is Better Than Facing Reality
Hicks had woken up to find himself in medical on the Sulaco. Looking around the large white room he quickly was able to spot Newt who was lying next to what looked like Ripley. Newt looked like she had taken a shower for she was clean, wearing some fresh clothes and not to mention her hair was no longer a tangled mess, but combed through and tangle free. Looking to his other side he saw Vasquez, her leg rapped in gauze talking quietly to Drake, who looked battle ready with the Pulse Rifle and a Flame Thrower hanging from him and another pair of armor strapped to him. Both of them, who had yet to notice he was awake, appeared to be clean. Gorman and Bishop were nowhere to be seen. Well where are they? He thought worriedly to himself. Trying to get up, he winced in pain at his chest, lightly rubbing the gauze over the acid burn. Leaning against the bed he cleared his throat and asked "where are Bishop and Lieutenant Gorman, how did I get here, and Drake why do you have all of that on?" Drake and Vasquez spun around just realizing that Hicks was awake. Vasquez did something she normally never would, but she was tired and her guard was down so who cared, blushed. "Hicks good to see you're finally awake man" Drake said laughing slightly, but the serious and worried look remained. "Bishop is walking the perimeter and last time I checked Gorman went to take a shower." Shaking his head he continued "we carried you here, you were out cold as for me" Drake stopped trying to figure out a way to explain this "when we got aboard the Sulaco, we went to get a stretcher from here to carry you back. Ripley and Bishop went back with it while I began treating our own injuries. Bishop came running back a minute or so later with you on the stretcher. He told us somehow the Queen had managed to get on the drop ship when we picked Ripley and Newt up. Ripley was back in the Cargo Bay fighting it. He dropped you there and we went to get guns. By the time we got there, Ripley and the Queen were nowhere to be seen. It took us awhile but we found Ripley at the bottom of the main airlock, unconscious and bleeding. We got a backboard and got her here, but we still can't find the Queen, hence the reason I'm dressed like this. The only place it could be is the Cargo Bay, we've kept all pressure doors closed shut ever sense we found the Queen but have heard no word of it." Drake finally finished leaving Hicks to digest the information. The Queen was on the Sulaco, which was not good. Gulping Hicks inquired "how's everyone?" Eyeing Ripley this time Vasquez responded, noticing the worried looks he was giving Ripley with mild curiosity. "Newt's fine she took a shower and ate something, borrowing some of Ripley's clothes and fell asleep there. Bishop is perfectly fine, Gorman is as jumpy as a frightened cat but otherwise alright, Drake here just has a few cuts, I'm fine beside my leg burned by their damn blood, you have a burn to your chest from the alien's blood, and a cut above your eye, and Ripley" she paused for a moment "is the worst off out of all of us. Possible concussion has some deep cuts and a few burns from what looks like the alien's blood. Her left arm was dislocated at both the shoulder and elbow but Bishop realigned it, but it is still severely sprained and has signs of torn ligaments and muscles; it's amazing she didn't break it. We aren't exactly sure how she got in the airlock or what happened to her." Vasquez finished. Before Hicks could speak Drake added "you should take a shower and eat something when Gorman gets back." Hicks just stared at them in shock as if hearing the Queen was here wasn't bad enough, the list of injuries made it where only three of them were in true fighting condition. Sitting back down, unable to get any words to exit his mouth he looked over at Ripley helplessly. What were they going to do?
