Aliens: Not Alone Chapter 5: Message from a Distant World, an aliens/predator fanfic

ALIENS IS OWNED BY 20TH CENTURY FOX/DISNEY

THE OCS (ALL FOUR OF THEM) ARE OWNED BY ME.

ALIENS: NOT ALONE

Chapter 5: A Message from a Distant World

Back on Earth, Ellen Ripley was currently enjoying a rather good and hot cup of coffee with her newly discovered grandson Christopher, her grandson who was only a few years younger than her. She had to admit she was planning on being a grandma till she was old and gray, but with her daughter gone, she felt as if the closest thing she had now was the young man in front of her devouring a mountain of bacon, eggs, and hash browns, the two of them had decided to get a "light" breakfast at a diner around the corner.

"You plan on chewing your food?" Ripley asks as she slowly takes a bite of the omelet in front of her, as Mils swallows his food.

"Sorry when you've been eating some of the worst food possible for the past few months, this is like a feast" Mils says pointing his fork downward into towards his food.

"I can understand that... Christopher last time we talked you mentioned a place called "Sevastopol" right?" Ripley asks, Mils immediately places his fork down.

"Yeah...Mom and Dad never really talked about it much, it was where they met, but something happened there...something they refused to forget...I don't think they had PTSD or anything like that, but they definitely came across something..."

"And they never said?"

"They'd change the subject...fast"

"If only we had been found sooner..."

"You can't control things like that Ellen...it's just...timing ya know" Mils says taking a sip of his coffee.

"Yeah...I think I was also asking about your scar" Ripley replies motioning towards Mils' scar above his left eye.

"Oh this? Well it's kind of a funny story, so we had shore leave almost immediately after I was promoted to corporal, those of us who survived needed more than anything seeing as how a lot of the people we'd lost we'd been through basic together...anyway so we're at a bar, and we're just minding our own business drinking...to excess? Probably...so me and Ash are just minding our own business, when this one newly minted Lieutenant walks up and grabs her arm asking her to dance, and using a corny pickup line or two or three for that matter. He was drunk, Ash was drunk and I was tipsy, she kept saying no, and then he tightened his grip on her arm, in other words he was going to make her dance with him. I of course said "fuck that" pardon the language...and shoved him off, he retaliated with a strong right cross, his officer's ring cut right above my eye, blood started to drip down into it, so the adrenaline was pumping and I had to defend myself so I hit him with a crunching headbutt...he went down for the count and my head was slightly concussed, but the scar stayed..." Mils finishes

Ripley's ears perk up at the name her grandson utters during his explanation of the scar. The name being the same one of her former "crewmate" Science Officer Ash...although he was hardly a crewmate due to the nature of his existence.

"Ash?" Ripley asks

"Ahh yeah...a squad mate of mine, a lot of us call her Sparks...because she's always so excited about something...anyway I call her Ash most of the time, or Private First Class Ashley Stone if you wanna be official about it." Mils explains

"So that's the voice I heard from your hotel room"

"Yeah...she snuck into my room last night"

"Uh oh..."

"Nothing happened..."

"mhm" Ripley nods holding her coffee cup.

"Nothing happened I swear!"

"No really!" Mils says borderline pleading with his grandmother

"Relax Christopher..." Ripley says

"I mean I like her, but...I don't know if she likes me"

"Well you won't know if you don't ask Christopher…"

"True...I guess I'll have to see sooner than later"

"If you're anything like your grandfather...you'll be just fine" Ripley points out, shortly after a Marine Lieutenant in full formal uniform walks in, scanning the diner like a hostile horizon, his eyes scan all the occupants of the booths, his eyes land on the back of Mils' head, Ripley looks up from her coffee and takes note of the marine officer who had just walked in.

"Friend of yours?" Ripley says nodding add the officer, Mils raises an eyebrow looking over his shoulder at the man who approaches the pair at their booth.

"Corporal Mils I presume" The officer asks

"Yes sir, though I'm off duty at the moment"

"Noted Corporal First Lieutenant Gorman...recently transferred to your team..." Gorman states matter of factly as he takes his Marine Officer Cap off, placing it under his arm.

"Did something happen to Sergeant Apone sir?"

"No...you've been in need of a replacement officer for months now...that's why I've been transferred to you"

"With all due respect sir...is it really necessary for you to tell me all this now, the squad still has five days of shore leave left"

"That's not why I'm here Corporal...it's a family matter"

"Ahh come on...another one?" Mils says to himself

"I think it be best if we discussed this in private..."

"It can't wait?"

"Corporal...you may be on shore leave...but your ass belongs to me in five days...got it?!"

"Yes sir..."

"Come see me when you're ready I'm outside with transport waiting...make it quick" Gorman says placing his cap back on and glancing at Ripley, before turning to leave

"Sorry Ellen...duty calls..."

"It's alright Christopher..."

"Where'd you say your apartment was?"

"Here I'll write it down..." Ripley says as she jots down the address on a napkin, handing it over to Mils who places the money for the breakfast down on the table.

"I'll stay in touch Ellen...hopefully I'll be able to say goodbye before we ship out" Mils says placing a comforting hand on his grandmother's, squeezing it lightly.

"Sounds good...take care Christopher" Ripley says as she reluctantly watches her grandson walk towards the Marine transport.

….

The transport containing Mils and Lieutenant Gorman arrives quickly and efficiently to the local Marine Base, Gorman silently escorts the young corporal towards an office belonging to officers, however it was currently appropriated by Major Brian Mayson, Commander of the Colonial Marines pertaining to colonial affairs, also in the office was Carter Burke the local Weyland Yutani Rep, and Master Sergeant Apone.

As Gorman walked in first he showed Mils to a chair, Mils remained at attention however upon seeing Major Mayson, saluting despite being on shore leave.

"At ease Corporal...you know the rules and regs don't require off duty Marines to salute superior officers who aren't." The Major says as Apone lights up one of his trademark cigars, though he was also on shore leave he still wore his Marine baseball cap.

"Sir, it also doesn't prohibit it" Mils says with a smirk.

"In that case at ease Corporal" Mayson says with a slight smirk also showing.

"I'm sure you're wondering why we called you here Corporal" Mayson says as Mils takes mental note of both Apone and Burke's presence in the office.

"It had crossed my mind sir..."

"Well there's a reason we sent for you...Apone! Do you have to smoke that here?" Mayson asks yelling at the Master Sergeant.

"Sorry sir...thought I was under the air vent" Apone says extinguishing his cigar.

"The reason we sent for you is quite serious Corporal...we sent for your commanding officer...or in this case your senior NCO..." Mayson says

"Did something happen to someone on the squad sir?"

"No last I checked Master Sergeant Apone made sure they were all behaving themselves...there is a developing situation on a Weyland Yutani colony on the outer rim...that's why Mr. Burke is here...I understand you know each other" Mayson says as both Burke and Mils nod at each other.

"I'll let him explain exactly what's occurred..." Mayson says, as Burke steps forward.

"Ah yes...Corporal from what we can tell something catastrophic has happened on a newly colonized world..." Burke starts as Mils eyes begin to widen and he leans forward in his chair.

"The Planet is called Archeron also known as LV-426...the colony is Hadley's Hope" Burke finishes, as Mils immediately becomes incredibly concerned as he immediately recognizes that name...the name of his sister's colony.

"Oh God...Ell...what happened?"

"I'm sorry to tell you, but we simply don't know...we lost all forms of communication contact with them...maybe for a few days...which isn't rare with the weather patterns on planets being terraformed...however the silence was broken when Outreach station received a message from Hadley's Hope..." Burke says placing a tape recorder on the Major's desk, he then presses play on it and a eerie message plays to the room.

"Ell..."

"Corporal we're sorry to spring this on you so fast, but we just felt it appropriate to contact you first..." Burke explains, but is interrupted by Mils who asks a simple question.

"When do we leave?" he asks

"Corporal?" Burke asks as both Apone and Mayson smirk with slight pride at the Marine's answer.

"When do we leave? They're asking for military support...I want to be with whatever and whoever responds with the aid..."

"Corporal we're just putting the pieces together, we don't know what we're up against...ironically though your unit's won the distance lottery, you'll be leaving in a few days...most of our marines are out putting down the insurrections in New Wembley...that's why we have Master Sergeant Apone here as well...additionally your squad is getting a new commanding officer...Lieutenant Gorman..." The Major states as Lieutenant Gorman steps forward at attention.

"He's recently promoted from the 6th...he's seen some action, but the chance to save a colony from some highly aggressive species was too much for me to ignore, I think he'll be a good addition and a fine officer for the team..." The Major continues

"Follow his orders to the letter you two...no talking back...that means you Apone!" Mayson orders.

"Sir yes sir...we'll make him a part of our dysfunctional family" Apone says munching on his cigar.

"As for you Corporal Mils...I need you to keep a level head...I know you have a personal stake in this matter...but I need you to remain calm, cool and collected...in other words stay frosty...Apone, Mils you're dismissed you ship out at 0600 hundred hours...Gorman you and Burke have something else to attend to..." Mayson says as Apone and Mils exiting the room briskly, now tasked with telling their squad that shore leave was officially over...five days early. Burke and Lieutenant Gorman had the task of talking to a very unapproachable Ellen Ripley.

….

Ellen Ripley had just woken up from the fourth nightmare in a row in the last several attempts for her to get a descent night sleep, she was now resigned to the fate of not getting any sleep, as she was sipping on a cup of black coffee, she kept thinking back to what had happened on the Nostromo, what had occurred in the last 57 years ( a few wars, a presidential assassination or two, the unification of whole continents into one government) it was a lot to deal with obviously, but perhaps the most devastating was the loss of her one and only daughter to the sands of time and her only friend on the Nostromo was in a comatose state. Though she wouldn't admit it on the Nostromo, but she had a soft spot for Chief Tactical Officer Mils, they were they only members of the crew who spoke to each other via first name basis, which was rare in their line of work.

The fact of the matter was Ripley wouldn't deny that she found Andrew Mils attractive, he wasn't drop dead gorgeous, but for an officer on a freight hauler he wasn't bad looking. Though she never got a chance to really ask any sort of questions, as Lambert was often chomping at the bit to try to seduce Mils, which he strategically defended himself against, by sighting some law or regulation against dating crew members.

Ripley also now found herself in an odd position, being a grandmother in early thirties, something no woman would expect to be, especially with two grandchildren fully grown and only a few years away from her in the age department. Her head was spinning, that couldn't be denied, however she was snapped out of her thoughts by a knock on the door of her apartment.

She moves to answer it and when she does she sees the face of Carter Burke and the same Marine who had interrupted her and Christopher's breakfast.

"Hi Ripley, how you been...this is Lieutenant…." Burke starts, but is interrupted as Ripley slams the door in his face, after awhile and glancing back on Gorman who nods at him to continue he does.

"Ripley we've lost contact with Archeron..." Burke says, and with this announcement, Ripley opens up reluctantly pondering a single question.

"When?"

"Few days ago...may we come in...we better talk in private" Burke says, she nods quietly and let's the two gentleman in.

….

Meanwhile, back in Miami two marines were on a mission as they walked quickly to the hotel that the squad had taken refuge in, they both were focused in two separate ways on the coming mission.

"Sarge, what do we tell them?" Mils asks

"We tell them your smoking hot, virgin of a sister need rescuing, and you'll be eternally grateful to the chicks, while your sister can have the dicks of the squad..."

"Sarge...seriously"

"Listen Stretch when you've been in the glorious service of the corps for as long as I have...you learn to deliver some shitty news in the most badass of ways" Apone says as he munches on his cigar a little more, they both notice Corporal Hicks outside the hotel smoking a cigarette despite being totally asleep, with a beer next to him with his feet kicked up and his head laid back in total peace, a peace that his friend Mils and superior Apone just couldn't overlook or ignore.

Apone pulls his cigar out of his mouth and kicks the young Corporal in the thigh, Hicks looks up and takes a glance at Apone.

"Sarge?..." Hicks asks

"Hicks? What did I tell ya about sleeping son?"

"Eventually I'm gonna think that my dreams are real?"

"You're gonna prefer to stay asleep son..." Apone says as he smacks Hick lightly on the head.

"Come on Sleeping Beauty we've got news for the whole gang" Apone says marching into the hotel bar area where the rest of the squad was reeking all sorts of havoc. Hicks meanwhile had stopped the uncharacteristically quiet Mils who was still very much concerned with the condition of his sister, he places a cautions hand on Mils right arm.

"You good?" Hicks asks

"Not really...Hicks they've lost contact with my sister's colony, Hadley's Hope..."

"Shit...sorry Stretch...you going there I'm guessing….why we have time?"

"We're going there Hicks...higherups have pulled the squad out of shore leave early...and that's not the worst part" Mils says as Hicks curses to himself, lighting a cigarette in frustration.

"And the good news?" Hicks asks with sarcasm, Mils looks back at his friend with a slight smirk showing.

"We're getting a new Lieutenant..." Mils says as him and Hicks move towards where Apone has just finished briefing the squad who are less then happy, with Vasquez cursing at the thought of having to leave Shore leave early.

"¿Tienes que estar bromeando, jefe?" She yells at Apone who just waits for the squad to finish venting (I apologize for the poor Spanish).

"Come on Top I haven't gotten a single hickey on this neck of mine, and poor Spunkmeyer got dumped by a stripper last night at the buffet!" Hudson argued

"She was a slut anyway..." Ferro says under her breath, as Frost laughs under his.

"I said shut it!" Apone yells loudly as the marines quiet down, with the two corporals stepping into the bar.

"Last I checked you dumbass signed a contract when you volunteered, and that contract says and I quote "your ass belongs to the Corps first and final" You understand me boys and girls? Chances are that this is nothing more than a bug hunt, nothing more a ghost hunt with a bunch of bountiful and beautiful colonists needed some saving! You feel me?" Apone speaks loudly, asking his Marines a often asked question, his Marines are slow to respond.

"I SAID DO YOU FEEL ME MARINES?!" Apone asks louder, with his Marines giving him a strong response.

"SIR YES SIR!"

"Goddamn Beautiful...we ship out in two days at 0600, be at the spaceport in 24 hours dismissed...oh and before you go you should know we got a new Lewy..." Apone announces, causing many of the marines to shake their head in frustration, Stone and Hudson walk up to the two corporals.

"Man just my luck...I'm about to get some serious ass and we get pulled out..." Hudson says walking away with anger.

"Must be pretty big if we get called right?" Stone asks, Mils and Hicks nod as Hicks moves to follow Hudson, Stone notices that Mils isn't as energetic as he was before he left to go talk with his grandmother.

"Chrissy? You in there?" She asks

"Huh...yeah, look Ash...this isn't just another bug hunt..." Mils cautions

"So it's a super bug hunt?"

"Ash...the colony we're going to...my sister's there...they lost contact...she sent out a distress call...I've only heard my sister sound scared...truly in fear...on only two occasions...both involving the deaths of our parents...I just hope we get answers sooner than later..." Mils opens up sitting down an a spare bar stool, Stone is slightly thrown off by this showing of emotion from her best friend, the man who was known to be a good leader, a badass in disguise, and a total hunk outside of the blood and death was showing that he was fearful, fearful of losing his sister and only surviving family, well until recently.

Stone herself was an only child, so to a large part she considered the squad to be full of her adopted brothers and sisters, Vasquez was her cool sister who showed her how to get a homemade tattoo, Hudson was her goofy brother also making light of the situation, Hicks was the serious (but protective) older brother looking over everybody, and Mils of course was her crush, someone she shared a soft spot for, she knew he was probably in for a roller coaster of emotions, so the best she could do was be there for him, and if need be his sister.

"We will Chrissy...I know we will...I've...we've got your back" Stone says placing a quiet hand on his shoulder, he looks back up towards his friend, blushing a little at her eyes staring into his, he looks at the squad around him, feeling confident that no matter what he finds on LV-426 he won't be alone.

"Thanks Ash, you're always good for a smile..." he finally says

"Ey….I try" Stone says with a shrug, as the two friends go have one more drink before their departure.

…

Meanwhile back at Ripley's apartment

"There's no way!" Ripley yells as she paces the floor, hearing the details of LV-426's disappearance.

"Ripley please..." Burke borderline pleads

"I was reamed, steamed and dry-cleaned by you guys...and now you want me to go back out there? To hell with that!" she yells back, Gorman not saying a word along the way as Burke continues.

"Ripley please listen...we've lost contact with the colony completely...it could be downed transmitter...but there's something that was transmitted before all comm. contact was lost..." Burke says as he places a tape recorder on the coffee table.

"A member of the colony...A Dr. Ellizabeth Ripley...sent out a message..." Burke slowly explains, as Ripley immediately pays attention at the mention of her second grandchild's name, Burke offers to play it.

"I'll listen to it in private please..." Ripley says quietly, Burke nods, as Gorman takes the time to speak up.

"Ms. Ripley I promise you...I won't force you to accompany the troops, you'll be away from the main line of action...if there is any action...there have been around a dozen cases of this happening...only for the military to get sent in and just find out that a line's been disconnected." Gorman explains, as Burke adds his own statement.

"These Colonial Marines are damn good...the best as a matter of fact...and the team that's getting sent in...they're experienced...they've got the best weapons, tech, and ships money can buy"

"What's your stake in this?" She asks Burke interrupting him.

"Well personally...none...but the colony was co-financed by the company so...they want someone with eyes and ears on the ground"

"Sounds like a commercial..." Ripley says under her breath.

"What about you? Still working the docks?" Burke asks

"Just started..." she replies quickly.

"Working Forklifts...loading cargo"

"It's fine...days off are bad..."

"Is it? What if I told you that when you go with us..."

"If I go with you..."

"If you go with us...we could get you reinstated as flight officer with the company?"

"Mr. Burke...I appreciate it, but I can't..." Ripley says quietly

"Ripley...I've read your psych reports...you wake up every night screaming...sheets drenched in sweat..."

"NO! No the answer is no...please just go...…" Ripley yells and rests her head in her hands, Burke nods to Gordon, before finally standing up, he places a business card down on top of the tape recorder as him and Gorman exit the apartment leaving Ripley alone to contemplate her thoughts.

...

A few hours of sleep later Ripley awakes in the middle of the night, glancing over at the tape recorder, she takes it and places it on her bed, brushing Jonesy who also has awoken, she lights a cigarette as she reluctantly after a few minutes of contemplation, presses play on the recorder, a voice that sounds like her own, but lighter and perhaps younger, but still filled with fear and distress, a common trait amongst the Ripley women.

"This is Doctor Ellizabeth Ripley...I'm a member of the Hadley's Hope colony on the planet Archeron...also known as LV-426...we have encountered a highly aggressive alien species...we request immediate military aid...emergency code...NVR-223-43B...we have suffered heavy casualties and are currently under attack by said creatures...repeat we need immediate military aid on LV-426!" Ellen can't believe here ears, as a tear falls silently from her eye, she knows that pitch, that level of fear inside someone's voice, a feeling she'd felt on the Nostromo and from what she'd heard her daughter might have felt as well, she listens to the recording again and again, trying to make sense of it. It was clear, the same creatures that had slaughtered her crew, were still on LV-426, and the colonists had found them, they had open the Biological Pandora's Box, and they were paying for it.

Of course also Ripley had a personal stake in it now more than ever, not only did she want to see these creature's destroyed, but her own granddaughter was down on the colony, calling for help, she was now determined to go, even if it meant facing her fears.

She called the number on the card Burke had left, she waited for him to pick up on the videophone, when he did, it looked like he had been sleeping.

"Yeah? Oh Ripley Hi..."

"Burke? Promise me this...you're going there not to study them, not to collect them, but to kill them..."

"Yeah...I promise scouts honor..."

"Then I'm in" Ripley finishes finishing the call, she turns to Jonesy.

"And you...you little shithead...you're staying here"

...

Ripley before leaving has one more thing to do, she enters into the medical wing of Outreach station, and eventually arrives with flowers in hand placing them in a vase next to the bed of her lone crewmate Andrew Mils, who still remains in a coma, she stands at this side.

"Andrew...it's Ellen...I'm leaving to go...go try and put an end to all of this...find answers, kill these things once and for all...things will be different when you wake up...a whole new world...we're grandparents...I don't know how to explain this, but our kids hooked up...there simple enough...our grandchildren are fully grown...one's a marine and the other is on the colony we're going to...I can't promise much...but I promise I'll be here when you wake up...take care Andrew..." Ripley finishes as she places a gentle kiss on the forehead of her crewmate, she takes one more look back at his sleeping form, before heading off towards the docking bay to take a shuttle to the USS Sulaco, and ticket to the world she swore she never would return to.