Syrai Clarke

Carplis, colony planet 287

Hangar

3300 AD

"Damnit!" I've been sitting here for almost an hour trying to override the hangars aircraft holder lockdown. Trying to use the hacking device and switching comms, rewiring the circuits and attempting a manual override. Even the blow torch didn't work! That no-good piece of shit pirate must have blocked all access to the ships. Meaning, if he's locked the ships in the hangars, he's locked the ships on the landing pads.

"Hello?" A voice called out from outside the hangar. I grabbed my gun and prepared for the worst. "I heard you yelling, maybe I could help." The voice sounded female. "I came from Earth a few hours ago, so I don't know if it's a tradition for you guys to routinely release deadly creatures into the city and cause an apocalypse, but maybe we could talk in person?" The person continued on. I risked a quick peek from where I was hiding. The voice belonged to a girl who looks like she could be 15 years old. Dirty blonde hair, slightly tanned skin, and looked quite banged up. She's wearing green harem pants, a black tee, and sandals. From what I can see she's got a bag, a pulse rifle, and something in her pocket. A grenade maybe?

I peeked over and rested the gun on top of the crate. The girls eyes widened in fear when she saw my gun, but she remained perfectly still. Smart girl. "Slowly set your gun down in front of you, then straighten both of your arms out in the air with your palms facing me!" I yelled my command as clearly and simply as I could, I want no misunderstandings. "Ok, no problem!" She slowly followed my orders. Setting the gun down and opening her arms with her palms facing me. "Now take two large steps away from your gun and keep your feet shoulder-width apart!" She followed my orders. Backing away from the gun and keeping her legs apart. The girl looks pretty banged up with all the bloodstains on her face, hands, and pants. Looks like the bleeding came from her hand and a head wound. I don't see any fresh blood, so I'm guessing the bleeding stopped.

"I'm Leo, Leo Albin. You?" I approached her slowly and grabbed her gun off the ground. "I'm Syrai Clarke. Now, don't move a muscle."

"Nice coat. Did you used to work in the labs?" She asks too many questions, I hate people who ask too many questions. "No, I'm a doctor on Carplis." I lowered my gun. "Any other weapons on you?" Leo looked down at her pants. "I got a lighter in that pocket and a can of hairspray in that one. I used to have a knife, but it kinda melted away. Other than that, the pulse rifle is all I got." She's sketchy and naive. "The bag, what's in it?" I raised my gun at her as she turned her head to the side and grabbed her bag. "What point of, don't move a muscle, don't you get?" She dropped the bag at my feet and quickly put her hands back up. "Sorry bout that. You like water, cans of chili, paper, pencils, erasers, holographic screens, and medical supplies? Cus that's what I got in the bag." I don't think she realizes I could take her shit and leave. She's lucky I'm not a monster.

I flipped her pulse rifle over and pulled the clip out. Not one bullet slot was empty, meaning she hasn't shot it yet. "I'll give you your pulse rifle back, but you so as aim in my general direction and I'll kill you." I held the gun out and she slowly took it. "Finally, I can set my arms down! They were starting to hurt, ya know." The girl named Leo picked her bag up and limped past me. She lifted herself up on the metal crate with apparent struggle and obvious pain. "Well, thank god doc Syrai's in town. Think you can do somethin with my ankle? Kinda threw myself down a set of stairs and fucked everything up." Leo motioned to her cuts and bruises as she set the pulse rifle next to her. "Except for this one, this one was from a creature I killed with a knife. Apparently their blood is acid." She held up her hand. I could see the holes from the acid droplets, they were quite small and barely missed her bones. The acid didn't work its way through her hand, but it was still deep. "Found out the hard way, huh?" I asked, remembering the melted bodies I saw in the labs. "Oh yea, apparently acid isn't very good hand lotion." Some people have the worst humor, but maybe that's how people like her cope.

"Well, I got some numbing shots, but that's about all I got on me." The girl simply shrugged. "Well, numbing is better than nothing right?" I pulled out a numbing shot from the mini medi-kit in my pocket and gave her a dose. "How old are you kid?" I asked, not curious, just trying to get more intel from her. Leo fixed her pant leg and stood. "Turned 17 a while back. So, what were you yelling at earlier?" Leo asked as she slung her pulse rifle over her shoulder. "Long story short, the ship holder is locked and I can't fly the ship outta here without unlocking it." I hung the gun from my shoulder and checked to make sure my knife was still in its holster. "Did you try unlocking it?" Leo asked, moving to the control panel of the ship holder. Does she think I'm dumb? "No shit, I've tried everything! I have to go to the labs and unlock it from the main control computer." I watched as Leo adjusted her pulse rifle with a smile. "Well then, what are we waiting for? Let's go!" She's gotta be kidding me. Enthusiasm in a time like this? "You do know that the labs are infested with xenomorphs, right? Even the yautja decided to show up! There are dozens of dead bodies down there and we could be added to the count! Do you know that or are you just insane?" The girl tilted her head and looked at me as if I spoke in some foreign language. "I have no idea what a xeno-thing or a yaut-whatever is, but everywhere is infested right now. All I know is that I'd rather die down there fighting to escape than up here waiting for someone to save me." Insane as she may be, she made more sense than anything going on around here. I really hope she dies after she helps me in the labs. I never could stand kids.

"Alright, let's go. I'll lead, you listen and follow." I inwardly shivered at the excitement in her eyes as she settled the pulse rifle in her hand. She was ready to kill, even more so than I, and that scares me.

Jek'tual

Hunting grounds

3300 AD

My dreads swung as I dove to the left, avoiding a razor-sharp tail that would have been my death. I activated my power glove with a quick switch just as the xenomorph launched itself. Barely managing to punch the creature in the chest before it could crash into me, sending the xenomorph through the human interior and creating a thick smoke from the human technology inside. I switched through visions as I followed after the xenomorph. "GRA!" I was pinned down by a sudden weight on my back. *SKREEE!* The xenomorph's long claws dug into my shoulders and back. I struggled greatly against its hold.

I looked up, green fluorescent blood illuminated through the smoke. I've always hated the sight of my blood, to me, it proves that I am something in which I am not. It proves me weak. "RRAAAAA!" I pushed myself up and rolled over, trapping the xenomorph under me. The xenomorph struggled as I balled my fist under its jaw, initiating my wrist blades with a flex. Wrist blades shot through the xenomorphs skull, killing it instantly. I heard as its tail dropped to the floor, landing next to me.

I stood slowly as my bones ached with every move. "Hrrn, Hrrn, Hrrn." I couldn't contain my laughter, I wouldn't. What a time for old age to hit me. I used to dance with death as effortlessly and skilled as the best hunters, but old age has cursed me. Now I have to calculate every move and every decision because when you dance with death at old age you don't want to miss a step. There's no quick recovery or swift moves because the older your body gets the more it betrays you. It's true when they say, "with old age comes more tricks in your wrist blade", but what's the use if your body won't comply. "Hrrn, Hrrn." Death will come for me soon, but for now, Cetanu [god of death] can kiss my ass.

I checked my map seeing my students locations, the xenomorphs, and two humans. I zoomed in on the humans. I knew I should have killed that human, they're never up to any good. The human I left alive has brought a friend, and they both have weapons. I have to hunt them down before they get to the pups, or the pups get to them.

Leo Albin

Carplis, Colony Planet 287.

Underground.

3300 AD

She's trying to get me killed! Ordering me to go first, making me check that rooms and hallways are clear, having me create distractions for nearby xenomorphs.

At least she bothered to explain what xenomorphs are. She said that they're aliens who can lay these eggs in people that later pop out from their chest cavity as mini snake-like versions of them. Then there are facehuggers that hug your face and plant the same eggs as xenomorphs do. She says they're all picky though. They'll keep some people alive for egg hatching and the rest they'll toss in the trash.

"We're comin up on a hallway. You know what that means." Syrai looked at me and nodded to the wall. She's explained it once. I need to get close to the wall, without scraping it. Once I'm about 3 or 4 feet away from the corner, I have to start taking steps away from the wall to check the hallway. If it's a "T" shaped hallway, then I'd pretty much do the same tactic but with both walls.

It's another "T" shaped hallway, damn. "You know, I coulda swore you said you'd be leading." Syrai was right behind me, like usual, waiting for the clear signal. "No, I said you listen and follow."

"Before you said that, you said you would lead!"

Syrai chuckled. "You gettin chicken shit on me kid?" You should ask that again, but in a mirror. "No, I just think things would go alot faster if the one who knows where we're going would grow some balls and stop hiding behind me." She rolled her eyes with a scoff. " Now you're just pissin me off."

"Deal with it buttercu-ah!" I was kicked in the middle of my back and ALMOST landed face-first, but instead I landed roughly on my shoulder and ALMOST dislocated it. "Are you serious? You could've just had me killed!" Syrai stood back and watched me with a smile. "You got a pulse rifle, don't you? Now, how about you read that sign on the wall over there to me, doll. Assuming the hallway is clear, of course. " I have no doubt in my mind that this deranged woman would throw me to the xenomorphs and grab a martini to watch. "It's clear… Sign says the control room is this way." I walked and turned in the direction of the arrow. Sure enough, the control room was right there, but I think there's something there. I mean, like, I see a blurred outline of something in front of the door.

"What is it?" Syrai asked, breaking me from my fixation. "I don't know." Hopefully, she heard me, I suddenly found it very hard to talk or breathe.

The humanoid suddenly appeared from thin air. Its head tilted, short dreads swaying with every movement. It has a weird lookin mask on and it's kind of a light tan color with black spots all over. Is that some kind of endangered reptilian species? Is that why I've never heard of anything like him? Wait, is it a he?

I don't know and I really don't care to find out!

I ran to Syrai and grabbed her by her lab coat. "We gotta go!" She grabbed my upper and lower arm in her hands. Swinging me around and twisting my arm behind my back. She was so quick like it was some sort of reflex to her. Then she put pressure between my index finger and thumb. "Ahh!" Oh god, this is like going through the worst hand cramp of my life! "Tell me what's goin on!" Syrai demanded as she strained my arm higher. "You really wanna find out?" I asked just as the humanoid creature walked around the corner.

Perfect timing.

He stood in front of us with a staff poised in his hand. Syrai barely whispered. "Yautja." It was so quiet I couldn't tell what she said, it sounded almost like she said yahoo.

I struggled against her, but she wouldn't budge. "Syrai, let go." The humanoid raised its staff into the air. "Syrai, we need to-"

*RRRAAAAH!* The humanoid roared and so did my eardrums.

I kicked the wall in front of me, knocking us out of the way. "C'mon!" I grabbed the pulse rifle and rushed to my feet, but I didn't notice she wasn't behind me until she screamed. "Ahhh!" The humanoid pulled her up by her ponytail. She struggled against her attacker by twisting around and kicking, but the humanoid seemed unaffected. He made it seem like lifting human bodies was like lifting 5-pound weights.

Just when I thought things couldn't get any worse, it got ten times worse.

*RRROOAAARRR!* The humanoid cried out in pain as he was stabbed in his shoulder with a tail. Luckily for that reptile, the tail didn't go through. Syrai was thrown almost instantly, but she landed with the utmost elegance. Was she a doctor, or a secret agent? It's hard to tell.

She stood and adjusted the gun on her shoulder, looking at me before she turned. "You're on your own kid!" I could've sworn I saw her smile before she took off towards the control room.

The xenomorph had the humanoid pinned down and started shredding at his back. Green blood painted the floor and walls with every swipe. The humanoid lifted his head and stared at me. A silent plea for help, a plea I find hard to ignore. "I can't believe I'm doin this..."

One-shot, two-shot, three-shot, down!

I say It's a waste of three bullets, but at least the xenomorph's dead. The acid sure does work fast though, it's already made a clean hole through the floor.

I slung the pulse rifle back on my shoulder and put both hands in the air, my sad attempt to show I mean no harm. "Alright, don't kill me now. I'm on your side." I slowly approached the humanoid and offered my hand. He got himself up on his elbows to look up at me and growl. "Yea, you're not threatening anyone down there. Would'ya like some help, or did I just waste three bullets?" He eventually took my hand so I could help him up, but he wouldn't put his arm over my shoulder.

Turns out, he can't walk by himself in his current state. He's swaying in one spot like he's drunk off his ass. "Did you have too much to drink big guy?" The humanoid gave me a sharp growl, but at least he finally decided to just lean on the human for support. Although, he did it without warning me first.

"Oh damn-" He is a big, BIG heavy boy! "What the fuck do you eat?" The humanoid clicked at me and rolled his head. I'll assume he said something smartass.

"Looks like some idiot left the control room door wide open. Wonder who would do something like that?" The humanoid gripped tighter on my shoulder. "I know big guy, imma get you some help."

Syrai was bent over a screen, typing away. "Syrai?" She turned around in her seat. "Oh, not you again. The hell did you bring that thing here for?" I walked over to a wall and helped the big guy sit down. "We gotta help him. He's hurt, and you're a doctor-."

"Ha!" Syrai turned back to the screen. "Save that thing? A galactic alien hunter that tried to kill us? You really are insane."

" So what if I'm insane? At least I haven't tried to kill you, kick you in the back, or leave you for dead." Syrai stood so fast that the chair flew back. "Excuse me! I gave you a numbing shot, my only numbing shot! Do you know how much those are probably worth right now?" Oh wow, so much sacrifice. "Yea, and you also gave me a fucking migraine!" There goes another chair, only this time she kicked it across the room. "Fucking hell you're so damn annoying!" The same can be said for you.

I looked down at the humanoid, who looks very dead. "You alive guy?"

*Click, click* The humanoid tilted his head.

"Just checkin."

I turned around and nearly had a heart attack! How'd I not notice Syrai walking up next to me? How long has she been standing there for?

Syrai looked down at the humanoid, then at me. "Both of you look like broken glow sticks." Syrai said, barely able to contain her laughter. I never noticed how much blood I was covered in. "This day couldn't get any better if it tried." I was covered in my blood, his blood, and even had droplets of xenomorph blood melt through my hand.

"No, it couldn't." Syrai agreed through her laughter.

Author's Notes

I apologize for the lack of activity on this story, I swear I'm still working on this! For those of you reading and actively commenting, I thank you very much and they have not gone unnoticed.

I will most definitely try harder on making this story consistent with its updates. I'm far too attached to these characters I made and want to make more content of them XP

Again, thank you so much for reading and I'm sorry about my recent inconsistency with this story.