Derelict

By THE Xenomorph

I own only the character of Vile.

Star Trek Voyager is © Paramount

Aliens vs Predator is © Fox

Party

I spent the night in sickbay and had to force the Doctor to let me out the next morning. My ribs were already healing and ready to let me move, he just wasn't certain of it. I'd been injured worse before, but he insisted on scanning me and had Janeway not told him to back off I would have turned him off to get him to shut up. Thankfully I eventually got the all clear. Unfortunately that all clear came with a meeting with Janeway. I was certain she was going to lambaste me for the deaths, but when I entered her office she had two mugs of coffee on her desk.

"I wasn't sure how you liked your coffee." She smiled.

"I don't." I grunted and shifted into the room. "Not a fan of caffeine."

"Fair enough." She slid the coffee to the side. "What would you like?"

I thought for a second. "Lemonade with a slice of lime."

"All right then." She ordered her replicator to make it and soon I was sipping the tasty sour drink.

"I'm sorry I put you in such a position." Janeway's face was honestly apologetic and my confusion was evident not only from my look but from my sudden choking. "Are you all right."

"Nothing to apologize for." I managed to get out. "I went in hoping for a fight."

"And that's what I was hoping not to hear." She sighed.

"Hey, they got rough, I got rough back. I just hit harder." I grinned.

"You poisoned one and ripped the face off the other." Janeway's tone got dark. "Was that really necessary?"

I set my glass on her table. "My claws and my tail are my only weapons and they go hand in hand with predatory instincts that I can't just abandon. Had I held back with those two guard I'd likely be even worse off."

"Fair enough." Janeway leaned back. "I just need to know that you do know when to hold back."

"If I can talk back to you I'm in control." I assured her.

"And when you can't?" She asked.

"Prepare body bags."

She nodded. "Well I hope the next time you help with a mission it'll be a lot less violent."

"That'd be nice." I admitted, it seemed to shock her. "I like a good fight, doesn't mean I want to kill everything I see. Besides these guys had it coming."

She shook her head and waved her hand. "I'm not even going to get into that debate."

"And what would you have done were I not here?" I asked. "Gone around the territory?"

Her eyes locked to mine. "Likely, I don't like risking crew, but in this case the risk was minimal and the reward was worth it."

"Risk and reward..." I chuckled, "A diplomat's tool but it's not always the right metric."

"And what would you have measured this by?" Janeway leaned forward and stooped her fingers under her chin.

"You value your crew, the grand metric you should be using isn't risk vs reward it's what keeps them safe while keeping us going?" I explained. "Use your best judgment when it comes to the Directive, but keep in mind not everyone is going to respect the Federation way."

"I'm aware Vile, and I've had to make some very difficult judgment calls. If I'm lucky when this is over I might still be a Lieutenant." She joked, "And I'm aware not everyone agrees with our ideals, but I'm going to ask you to respect my decisions when using diplomacy."

I shrugged, "Never said I wouldn't, but I'll be here when it fails."

"To laugh or help?" Janeway asked.

"I can laugh at the poor sods we'd be fighting, can't I?" I chuckled and Janeway rolled her eyes and leaned back.

"Well." She seemed to rocket forward. "Neelix is throwing you and Flores a 'Welcome Back' party. Let's go."

She saw my face contort. "I think I'll go let the Doctor scan me now." I wasn't joking.

"Oh no, Flores isn't going this one alone." Janeway smiled, "Come on, Captain's orders."

"I'll be in the brig."

"Vile." The motherly voice came on. I rolled my eyes in defeat.

(8)(8)(8)(8)(8)(8)(8)(8)(8)(8)(8)(8)(8)(8)(8)(8)

The room quieted immediately when Vile entered shortly after Janeway. That was until Neelix ran up to the hybrid and handed him a party hat. The hybrid then put it on over Neelix's mouth and the room erupted into laughter. Janeway guided him to the center of the mess hall where Flores was already chatting with Tom and B'elenna with Naomi listening nearby. Vile chose to rest against a window as it offered him the greatest room.

"You don't look to comfortable." Naomi observed as she came over and sat next to him.

"You really have no fear, do you kid?" Vile chuckled.

"Oh I get afraid, but only of really scary things." She smiled. "You and Seven aren't scary, not like real monsters."

The hybrid glanced down at her with a confused look.

"I know they're real, the Borg are real monsters and my mom and Seven both say what changed you are real monsters, but you and Seven aren't apart of those world's anymore." At this point Vile was openly gawking at the girl. "So I decided to be both yours and Seven's friend. Because everyone needs a friend." She then stood up and handed a multicolored bracelet to the large hybrid and walked away living the large man-creature to blink in astonishment.

"She will prove a most loyal friend." Seven of Nine said as she walked up to him. "I think you will find the crew will be more open to spending time with you now."

"Of course they would, I'm Voyager's monster now." The hybrid spat bitterly as he still stared at the gift.

"If that is how you wish to see it." Seven turned on her heel and walked away, only to be replace by the trio of Harry Kim, Tom Paris and Catlina Flores.

"What?" Vile snapped.

"So Naomi thinks you're harmless." Tom chuckled. He stopped doing so when Vile stood up and began to growl.

"Easy Paris, he's an apex predator you know." Catlina smiled. "Relax, Tom's just funning with you."

Vile sat back down but maintained a low growl.

"I don't think he likes you Tom." Harry said as the two slowly backed away.

"I don't think so either." Tom waved slowly.

"Somehow we got stranded here with two of the most immature officers in Star Fleet." Catlina sat down next to Vile and noticed he had indeed stopped growling. "You're telling me those two idiots can provoke you?"

"It seems so." Vile growled.

"Men." Catlina coughed, Vile yanked his head down to level with hers.

"What's that supposed to mean?" He barked, though quietly.

"It means, no matter what species is involved men will be men and macho to boot." Catlina sighed.

"I could kill you all with a nervous twitch!" He hissed.

"But instead, you took my communicator and warned everyone." Catlina leaned back and stared him directly in the eyes. "Thank you."

(8)(8)(8)(8)(8)(8)(8)(8)(8)(8)(8)(8)(8)(8)(8)(8)

I stood and walked away.

"Thank you."

"Thank you."

The words seemed to echo in my skull and soon I found myself seeing red and purple and blue and then I was tossing tables left and right. Throwing a Vulcan into a bulkhead and roaring into the face of a random gold shirt. The last thing I was able to comprehend before blacking out was Seven walking up to me and striking me at several points on my shoulders and then my neck.

I awoke in sickbay, strapped down and barely able to speak. I really didn't like that, but the Doctor was soon explaining everything. Words I didn't understand and looks of pity cast my way . A pacing Janeway in the back her voice asking if the scan was wrong if there wasn't something he had missed. Then darkness.

Soon the small voice of Naomi was sitting next to me. She smiled and pat my hair and for once I didn't want to recoil. Then Ensign Flores came in with a look of worry and I heard her mention those in the fight were recovering fine, but Tuvok was more concerned with my well being. Darkness once more.

Soon I managed words. "What's wrong?" And I blacked out again.