Derelict

By THE Xenomorph

I own only the character of Vile.

Star Trek Voyager is © Paramount

Aliens vs Predator is © Fox

Training Day (Part two)

Vile watched from the security room's monitors. The seven crew members seemed to work well together when in control and they had no idea that Harry and Vile were actually directing the program from the security room. Tuvok had come up with that little bit in order to satisfy Vile's insistence that no computer could replicate the ferocity or brutality of the xenomorphs.

"They're not paying attention." Harry said. "They've passed three vents they should have checked."

"Let them focus." Vile said. "It's stupid, but we can point it ou..." Just then Carlson ran back and launched jets of flame in each vent.

"Lieutenant, we're clear at this junction." Carlson said.

"That's great Carlson, but try not to yell." Ayala sighed. Carlson just looked dumbfounded before wincing.

"That we punish them for." Vile gave a wicked smile as he tapped a few controls.

The group stopped as they heard the skittering in the vents above them. The listened for each placement of talon to metal and they watched every duct. For a moment both Harry and Vile seemed impressed.

"All right, let them move on." Vile smiled.

"Not just yet..." Harry tapped some controls. "Let's give them a scare, shall we?"

"Sir." Anderson stopped at a large sealed door. "Computer needs an access code."

"Seven." Ayala nodded towards the door.

"This may take a moment. The systems could be heavily damaged." Seven slung her rifle over her shoulder and began to work on the door.

"Where did you come up with the idea for this place?" Harry asked absentmindedly.

"The Hive." Vile said with as little emotion as Harry had ever heard. "The memory of the queens is long and terrifying, even when you think you're one of them." He shifted and sat on the floor. "I don't know the name of the race, but they're a close contender for what humanity would have been like if we hadn't nuked ourselves into orbit."

"So like the ferengi." Harry simplified.

"Those the big eared guys, right?" Harry nodded. "Close, I only know this story because they later cloned a survivor infested with a queen. It took centuries for the hive to cleanse itself of the foreign DNA. In the end they had to use the black to do it."

"The black?" Harry looked to Tuvok.

"Only know references." Vile shook his head. "Images of kainde blooming from everything. The hive didn't give me all it's secrets."

"So what's the story?" Harry asked.

"Some mega-corporation had a desire for a biological weapon." He laughed. "As always."

"That doesn't change a whole lot it seems." Harry observed. "Governments and mega corps, all coming for a weapon that could wipe them out."

"It really doesn't." Vile said with a sigh. "On the plus side, It weakened the kainde for close to a thousand years."

"How did it weaken them?" Tuvok asked

"They were impure. The queens consider purity very important." Vile explained. "Hybrids are tolerated because we bring something new to the fold, a strength not normally seen in a normal drone or warrior."

"Individuality?" Harry asked.

"Cruelty?" Vile partly laughed. "I dunno Harry, if I did I'd probably never sleep."

"They're past the door." Harry said as he looked back to the screen. "Scare time."

As the seven passed the archway of the door several pipes burst and hissed steam. The group all turned and fired, save for Ayala and Seven.

"Gold star for Seven and Ayala." Harry smiled.

"Throw a pack at them in about... thirty seconds." Vile smiled as he shook his head.

"Mr. Vile?" Tuvok noticed the change in Vile's temperament.

"Gettin' blue Tuvok, that's all." Vile said dismissively.

Tuvok for his part ignored Vile and stood over him with his tricorder before stepping over to his office's replicators and ordering a medicine from it and a glass of water. He handed the pills to Vile, who merely growled.

"I believe the Doctor ordered this on your permanent medical record." Vile took the water and pills with a begrudging glare. "Would you rather slip into a slow descent of madness?" Tuvok's eyebrow told a story all it's own and Vile's glare softened.

"They killed the small pack." Harry whistled, impressed as he watched the screen.

"Anderson?" Vile asked.

"She stayed calm, but she looked..." Harry gave a wave of his hand.

"We'll keep an eye on her." Vile said. "I love the tenacity, but the aggression is suicide."

"Can't argue with that." Harry admitted. "Carlson is missing air vents, Seven's getting them and not very happy about it."

"Carlson goes first." Vile predicted. "He's not watching out for the group so he won't be watched as well in return."

"I'm thinking 'beastie'." Harry nodded to no one.

"Really, that soon?" Vile laughed. "Give'em till they find the colonists."

"Who or what is 'beastie'?" Tuvok asked

"Near perfect replication of a drone." Vile said. "It's the one that nearly killed Harry during the malfunction. Speaking of, this shit really needs to shut down during a ship wide crisis."

"It is..." Tuvok pushed back obvious annoyance. "Supposed to."

"Damn." It was all Vile could say with a shake of his head and a light chuckle.

"They're at the control center." Harry said. Vile stood back up and watched with him.

"Where's Anderson?" He asked.

"She switched places with Seven. She and Carlson are guarding the door." Harry pointed to another monitor.

"Not bad for them, horrible for the group." Vile smiled. "Let's have some fun before we send in beastie."

"Oh boy." Harry winced in preparation as Vile glided his knuckled over several controls.

They watched as the power in the control center went out.

"Seven, take Carlson and Bristow." Ayala ordered. "We need the power back."

"Wow." Vile blinked. "Not even a little concerned their buddy?"

"We know who beastie is going after now." Harry sighed. "I would have expected better Ayala."

"I believe Lieutenant Ayala is aware of the threats." Tuvok noted. "He is also aware that they do indeed need the power back on. Carlson's weapon will provide profcient cover for Seven while they work."

Vile merely looked to Tuvok. "Send it after Seven."

"Do I detect some injured pride?" Harry smiled.

"Making a point." Vile explained. "Remind me to apologize to her."

"She's a big girl, she'll understand." Harry shook his head as he finished putting in the commands to the holographic xenomorph.

"She'll still be pissed." Vile said.

"True." Harry admitted.

The three now watched the monitors with anticipation and expectation. Ayala's group had now set up a perimeter and were making use of several Star Fleet methods and manual controls to make an almost perfect seal on all the doors they could. Seven and her group though had just arrived at the power junctions. To them the room was pitched in darkness and their small lights barely made a difference in it's vastness. Carlson set up in the door way to cut off any advancement and Bristow kept his eyes on Seven and the ceiling above.

"Not watching the floor guys." Harry sighed.

"That's a poor life choice." Vile smiled wickedly as Seven vanished into the floor.

"Down to six." Harry noted.

"That was..." Tuvok seemed unsure of himself. "Impressively fast."

"That was normal." Vile said with a flat tone. "You want fast watch what happens in a few minutes."

Sure enough as Carlson and Bristow scrambled to finish Seven's work, while screaming over their com channel the holo-xeno returned. Only this time it used the darkness as a weapon and managed to spike Brostow in the back with a barb.

Vile tapped a button. "Bristow, you're out." Bristow sat down where he was.

"Shit!" Carlson swore as he managed to get the power back on. To his utter horror, he turned directly into the holo-xeno without his weapon ready. Vile watched Ayala's group as the scream echoed through the simulation. Everyone's head turned and everyone knew what had just happened.

Seconds later Seven of Nine walked into the security room. "You targeted me."

"You went to the power source." Vile shrugged. "Did beastie treat you all right."

Seven merely glared.

"Three down in less than a minute." Harry said, "Still got four and they don't look ready to quit just yet."

"Good. Give beastie a few friends." Vile smiled.

"Ouch." Harry winced. "You just don't play fair."

"You think the real ones will?" Vile asked with a hard laugh.

A few moments later the two watched the monitor as the the xenomorphs used disturbingly intelligent tactics to selectively drive the team down a dead end hallway. It was down to Anderson and Ayala and they had both taken a beating from the xenomorphs that pursued them. Now they were backed into an indefensible position and both knew it. That's when Ayala pulled out his phaser and tagged Anderson then himself.

"The hell is that?" Harry was stunned.

"Smartest move anyone has made." Vile seemed to smile. "Let's go to the scoreboard." He then left for the holodeck, the others followed shortly after him.

When Vile entered he smiled and it wasn't his usual viscous smile. This time he was genuinely pleased with what he had seen. He ordered the armory to load up and then ordered a white board.

"So..." Harry came in. "How'd you all like beastie?"

"That was bullshit." Anderson almost screamed. "He shot me!"

"Better than the alternative." Ayala said. "We run into these things out there, suicide is a viable and acceptable option for anyone."

"That's the coward's way." Anderson snapped back, then added. "Sir."

Vile moved faster than the entire room could detect and he had Anderson between both large taloned hands, his knuckles pushing downward at her sternum.

"This pain magnified over a thousand time outward. Then if you're lucky a quick screaming death." He dropped her after that.

"Ah!" She grabbed her chest.

"Mr. Vile." Tuvok stepped between the crewman and the hybrid. "You will refrain from harming crew members during this training exercise."

Vile merely grunted before he turned and sat back down where he previously was.