The first thing 'R' did after entering the new corridor was to kill the lights.
The lurid red glow of the emergency lighting could not hide the discrepancy between the clinical peace and quiet of the locality and the odd pair of intruders completely – but it certainly made sure that 'from hell' was among the first words springing to the mind of anyone walking in on them.
"What's the matter, between you and the doc?" the man asked the monster, next. Light tone, belied by the tension humming through the whole body.
YOU WON'T UNDERSTAND
"Try me."
THERE IS NO HAPPINESS WITHOUT A HIVE – FOR MY KIND. NO PEACE, NO CONTENTMENT. ONLY A BURNING DESIRE: TO FIND, TO PROTECT, TO GAIN A HIVE THEY WOULD DO ANYTHING. NO FEAR, NO PAIN TO STOP THEM. THOSE WHO CAN CHANGE BODILY TO CREATE A NEW ONE, IF NECESSARY.
BUT: IF THE HIVE IS WELL, THERE IS BLISS.
'R' nodded.
I AM DIFFERENT: HUMAN MEMORIES – I KNOW THERE CAN BE NO HIVE HERE. BUT THE CRAVING REMAINS.
AND: YOUNG ARE PART OF THE HIVE – CHILD IS YOUNG, HUMAN MEMORY PERSISTS!
"Child?" Not much of a visible reaction, but deep down in the voice, danger reared its ugly head.
HE SENT ME A CHILD – FOR FOOD. I NEVER TOUCHED HIM – HE LET HIM DIE IN THE DARKNESS, ALONE, WATCHED THROUGH THE WINDOW. V IS ENEMY!
The last word was occupying all that was left of writing space. It was punctuated with an angry hiss.
"He definitely deserved having his head taken off," 'R' said with a hint of regret in his voice, "as the last part of his body."
WE KILL WORST ENEMY FASTEST
"You're not human, I know."
A/N: Innermost thoughts of an eusocial raptor. By someone struggling hard even to convey human motivations. Not my best chapter ever. Anyway, both Riddick and the Alien creature feature a little girl at some point of the storyline. So in the sense of sexual equality, I had to introduce a little boy here. ;)