Chapter 9
Disclaimer: I do not own Alien/Predator series or any characters and may not follow all customs and cultures found in Alien/Predator movies.
"Are you serious, Sir? I should be the one in charge. Not Dr. Hastings."
The fury emitting inside the office made every soldier nearby jump and avoid walking through that particular hallway . . . and for good reason. Inside, Evans was going on a temper tantrum internally, almost surfacing as he directed it at General Woodhurst who knew all too well. He waited until his second-in-command finally ran out of energy to keep up, slowly taking breaths in between, "Things are getting out of hand, and getting worse."
"Are you done?" Woodhurst asked, tapping a pen on the hardwood of the desk, giving him a look of disappointment.
Evans nodded, "Forgive me, sir."
"I understand your frustration but I don't tolerate such disrespect the way you showed. The only reason I haven't court martial you is because of your skills as a leader. Remember that."
Evans lowered his head, "Yes, sir."
"Good," He grumbled, "I understand your concern but I placed her in charge specifically because of her idea. After all, she was the one who made contact with the specimens without bloodshed on either side despite your suggestion to exterminate them on sight."
He stopped abruptly, his thoughts drifted elsewhere as Evans saw for a split second, "You shouldn't worry too much. They won't be here much longer."
Evans squinted his eyes. What?
In a split second, the door slammed open and both men got to their feet, watching Dr. Hastings storm in like a tornado wreaking havoc who dared stand in her way. The glare at both men was clear to Evans. What's her problem?
"What is the meaning of this?!" She slammed the pad in front of Woodhurst, tapping it furiously, "Selling me out like this!"
"Show some respect," Evans puffed like an angry toad.
"I show respect when they earned it, not to those who stab me in the back," He didn't like the glare she was giving him and acted instinctually, stepping to her until their chests were inches apart, waiting for one or the other to snap first.
"Enough. Both of you."
With Woodhurst's intervention, the two split away after a minute of hesitation. Evans walked to a corner when he got the look from the General, staying out of the way. His fight now. He glanced as she turned away. Bitch.
Dr. Hastings took a breath and then directed to Woodhurst, "How could you make this decision without informing me? Much less not take my advice since I'm in charge of this particular department?"
"I didn't think it was necessary," Woodhurst leaned his chair forward, "I decided what was in the best interest for this base and our team."
"By selling our best chances to protect mankind like they are possessions?" Dr. Hastings growled.
"Again. I did it for our best interests. The specimens—"
"Their names are I'koh and Ma'dti."
Woodhurst grumbled, "They . . . have brought more trouble than they're worth. Now, almost everyone in this base is fearful, some even suggested leaving as an ultimatum if I didn't stop your little circus."
"But sir," Dr. Hastings swallowed, "They have contributed more that we ever imagined. We even got reports of a new hybrid the enemy had created. They sacrificed much more than we think to bring news of the invasion. Let alone hack into—"
"It doesn't matter if we don't have the power to act and defend."
Dr. Hastings paused, her pride and determination waived and Evans relished in that moment. It wasn't everyday he could enjoy her hand getting slapped and put back in her little lab box. He saw the bead of sweat growing slightly upon the lining of Woodhurst's hair, which struck him as odd, "The deal has already been sealed and they will be sent elsewhere by tomorrow."
"By whom?" It took a mere second for Hastings to connect the dots. The shock in her eyes came first but snapped into one of disbelief and rage, "You don't mean him?"
General Woodhurst and Evans remained silent, "Are you serious!? He and his shady organization are the last options we should even consider!"
"And yet he has captured a live Yautja by themselves and has advanced in the study of their biology far more than you have."
The bitter tone of Woodhurst's voice stung into Hastings' chest like a needle filled with poison, "We need the technology they discovered while they need fresh specimens to study. Both sides benefit and I can put my men's worries to rest. Doesn't that sound better?"
Evans knew that it was the truth. Even if the scientist woman tried to argue with any contradictions she could think of, it was inevitable. She had limitations to her power and this is where it stopped, much to his delight. See if you can get yourself out of this one.
With great reluctance, Dr. Hastings backed off without saying another word. Woodhurst sighed as if disappointed with the outcome, an attitude that a Leader like himself had to face, "Then we're in agreement. I'll let Traeger know to finalize the deal and then we can discuss the future of your team and—"
The ground shook with such force that Evans, Dr. Hastings and Woodhurst held on to anything solid they could find as the glass doors threatened to shatter. After it subsided, the alarms all around the base sounded off, awfully loud and piercing in its message of danger.
"What the hell is going on!?" Woodhurst yelled, reaching for his radio to repeat himself.
The radio crackled and screeched, barely making the audio clear enough to hear the distress of the recipient, "Sir! The base is being attacked!"
"By what!?"
"I don't know . . . *cackle* . . . The ship . . . *cackle* . . . out of nowhere . . . *cackle* . . . Oh shit! They're coming. They're—"
The chill of what came next ran cold down everyone's spine as they heard gunfire, then inhuman shrieks and screams of people. And then . . . silence. The radio continuously screeched until Woodhurst turned it off, frustration and the shock of realization hit him, "We need to go now! Evans, find out what the fuck is happening and bring men with you!"
"Yes, sir!"
Evans left the room like a cheetah, disappearing from sight while Woodhurst grabbed Dr. Hastings by the arm and dragged her out of the room.
"Sir! What's going on!?"
She asked but got no answer as his focus was elsewhere. She wanted to know what was happening as the ground shook again and again like bombs were going off. A realization hit her as quickly as the bombardment first erupted. From what she heard from the radio and Woodhurst's reaction, she knew inside that this wasn't an attack.
It was an invasion.
Sara grumbled her frustration inside as she carried a large tray with a metal lid over it, unable to take it out for a few hours after her shift was over. Despite multiple attempts to contact the general or Evans, their meeting was taking longer than expected until it was late in the night and it would be rude to disturb them over a small thing, not to mention it would show weakness to everyone. Suck it up, Sara. It's not like you've become a servant and babysitter.
She stopped at a heavy duty door, waiting for the scan, an extra security point, to finish before it creaked open and she went inside. The room was very sterile if she only counted the smell of cleaning supplies alone, white and boring with a plexus glass separating it into two. A guard sat in a chair with his back toward the two alien soldiers pacing back and forth.
"So the babysitter finally arrives," The soldier stood and walked casually to her, "Took you long enough."
The nerve at the corner of her forehead pulsed, reflecting the anger she was trying to keep contained, "I'll take over from here, sir."
The soldier chuckled and walked around her but not before bumping his shoulder roughly on hers, chuckling again. Sara saw I'koh stop in front of the glass. Although his mask obscured his facial expression, the muffled growl was enough of an indicator he wasn't happy. Time to teach him a lesson he should have learned a long time ago.
"You know," She heard his footsteps come to a stop, "Your attitude is somewhat lacking the appropriate mannerism. I wonder how you made it this far without a smack by your superior."
He took the bait line and sinker, hearing him slam his boots to the hard floor like a dinosaur. Here we go. Sara turned around at the moment he hovered over her, pupils dilated, "What did you say to me? I think you need to watch your mouth if you want anyone in this base to like you."
"I don't want anyone to like me."
The soldier blinked his eyes and if he got punched and took a few seconds to realize what had happened. Without giving him time to counterattack, Sara leaned her chin up, inches apart as she stared into him, "I don't need anyone to like me nor do I care. The only thing I expect from anyone is respect as a soldier and comrade. If you don't like me, then fuck off and whine to your superiors about how you can't stand working with me."
"Say that again, cunt!"
The soldier shoved her to the glass, the tray in her hands almost clattered to the floor as he was about to charge again. But as he was a foot away, the blue stripped alien slammed his fists into the plexus glass, a roar like a lion that shook the ground and walls followed by a series of short growls and hisses. The soldier's fuming demeanor faded in an instant, replaced by uneasiness and somewhat fear. Without thinking twice, he was out of the room. As quickly as the situation escalated, it dissipated and left worry behind.
She sighed. At least that done and over with.
Sara headed for the glass wall, avoiding eye contact as she unlatched the opening, enough to slide the tray to the other side and then close it. She quietly hurried to the seat, feeling a pair of eyes follow her. Long night this will be.
Deciding not to sit down for a minute, she leaned on the wall, not daring to look back. After the last encounter with them, she was confused as to why he made initial contact. Maybe curiosity but he's been around humans a lot. The other one doesn't appear to be interested.
After a minute, Sara turned her head slightly, allowing the corner of her eye to witness something that made her stomach turn for a minute. The tray she carried apparently had raw meat inside, whether it was from one animal or pieces of many, and the purple skinned one, Ma'dti, had his back turned away and mask by his side. The thought of eating raw wasn't exactly a thing she would see someone else doing but this wasn't exactly normal circumstances.
But I'koh was sitting there, staring at his share. A minute passed and he still didn't reach, head lowered closer to his feet. What's with him?
"Hey," I'koh reacted immediately, masked head moved swiftly to meet her. Her skin stood up for a moment, "You need to eat."
All he did was tilt his head, maybe out of curiosity. Regretting her action, Sara sat down and thought of something to keep her mind awake and alert for the long night ahead of doing nothing in reality like everything she did was overshadowed by the negative attitude of males, the fucking society they lived in. What a joke.
Just as she drifted into her inner thoughts, she heard several taps on the glass. Sara noticed it was I'koh standing close to the glass, claws making the noise repeatedly. Ma'dti ignored it but she could tell that he was speaking to I'koh in a fury of clicks and growls, clearly not in a good mood. Despite her confused look and Ma'dti's supposed protest, the blue stripped male didn't budge.
"What do you want?" She asked in annoyance.
I'koh pressed the gauntlet on his arm, "Hello . . . Sara Gibson . . ."
Sara blinked her eyes. Did he just . . ? His voice wasn't his own as far as she could tell. It was like different sound recordings scrambled together to form a broken sentence. Still, it was enough that he knew of her.
"You . . ." Her job was to guard and do nothing else but she was curious about his unusual behavior and friendliness. Plus, no one was around or any cameras for that matter, "You know my name?"
She almost gasped when he nodded in understanding. So he knows English.
"Can you speak?"
I'koh clicked softly in a tune but there was no way to know if he was actually talking. She shook her head in response and she noticed he touched his gauntlet again, "Only speak . . . voice recording . . . Hard . . . their language."
Sara nodded, "I see," She pointed to Ma'dti, "Who is he to you?"
She stepped back when Mad'ti stood and roared, not fully but almost as if in warning to them. I'koh and Ma'dti exchanged growls in some argument before the latter puffed and went back to his food. I'koh sighed before answering, "Brother . . ."
Wow. So they're brothers? That's news to me.
She opened her mouth and then shut it. What are you doing, Sara? You're having a conversation with an alien like it's normal!
Sara turned away from him, unable to comprehend why she was doing this. She had a job, regardless of what it detained, and she needed to focus her priorities. Speaking with a foreign being was the last thing she should be doing. She had to end it here and so she took a step back to her spot, away from this.
"Don't leave . . . Sara . . ."
She paused in shock. It wasn't a recording like the last few times. This voice was deeper, more inhuman yet calm and full of concern. She was pulled back again by her curiosity and seeing him stand there pacing in his spot. She walked until she was standing in front of him with the glass separating them. In a shock of awe, his massive hand pressed on the invisible wall, revealing his sharp claws and scaled skin.
She did nothing, waiting for whatever he wanted. Suddenly, I'koh let out a deep purr from his throat, soothing and gentle to which caught her off guard. Does he want me to? As if drawn by him, she reached out with her hand, heart racing in anticipation as her fingers inches closer to the glass where his hand was. He purred again as she was about to touch the glass, the air thick with tension while everything else faded away.
But then she stopped, not from hesitation but something else that could be felt in the soles of her shoes. The ground rumbled and hummed, even that wasn't lost on I'koh and Ma'dti as they pulled back, scanning the room above, growling and hissing. They know something . . . Sara checked as well, sir enough noticing the walls and glass trembling, even the chair was clattering like it was on a machine running full force.
All of a sudden, it stopped.
It was silent again. The quake had halted and everything was still. What was that?
Out of nowhere, she jumped as I'koh pounded his fists into the glass and repeated like an angry gorilla. Sara didn't understand the sudden change in behavior until his voice recordings screeched loudly.
"Barrage . . . Blast . . . Incoming . . . Take cover!"
What?
There was no time to react. Sara barely reached for her gun when the world around her exploded in a gulf of fire and explosions. Her body flung halfway across the room, smacking her back on something hard . . . and her vision went dark.
Hi everyone!
Hop all is safe and well as the world is going crazy with COVID and such. Took me a while for this chapter but I'm very proud of it and hope you all love it as well. More is to come as things are starting to heat up ;)
Good Hunting!
Normal = Human speaking human (ooman) language
Bold = Yautja speaking ooman language (also voice recording)