Ripley drew a sheet up over Bishop, switching off the bedside lamp and drawing the curtain around the bed. When she turned she found Hicks pacing the infirmary, his hands on his hips and tension rolling off him in waves. Ripley could her own corresponding tension arcing through her own spine, warring for dominance with her exhaustion.

'We need to do something,' she said. When he didn't react she tried again. 'Hicks.'

'What?' he said, pausing in his stride to glance at her.

'We need to figure out what to do.'

'We got no idea where it is, no weapons, no backup. What can we do?'

'I don't know,' she admitted, reaching over and smoothing the coverlet over Newt. 'Something.'

She looked up at him, crossing her arms in an attempt to ward off the chill of the infirmary as she leaned back against the wall. He was more agitated than she'd ever seen him, his usually calm features creased with worry as his gaze lingered on Newt.

'Hicks -'

'Where was it?' he demanded, turning and resuming his pacing. 'When I came out of cryo it wasn't in the EEV.'

'I don't know,' Ripley said. 'Maybe it got out before you woke up. Maybe it got knocked out.'

'Is that even possible?' Hicks sighed and stopped pacing, lacing his fingers behind his head. 'We need to get outta here.'

Ripley shook her head tiredly. 'Where would we go? Back to that cave? I need to talk to Andrews.'

Hicks snorted derisively. 'That guy? Doesn't seem like he's gonna want to help us.'

'So what? We do nothing?' she snapped. Her lungs tightened painfully, sending her into a coughing fit, the nausea she'd been fighting all day threatening to resurface.

Hicks stepped into her space, looking at her as though seeing her for the first time since she'd shut Bishop down. 'You alright?' He handed her a glass of water from the stand beside Newt's bed.

Ripley took it, sipping gratefully and waiting for the water to calm her throat. 'I'm not gonna sit around here waiting for it to come find us, Hicks.'

Hicks smiled. 'Hell, no. But its the middle of the night and Andrews ain't exactly in love with us. We'll talk to him in the morning.' He squeezed her arm gently. 'You need sleep, Ellen.'

Ripley looked up at him, tilting her head to the side. He held her gaze, the startling intensity in his eyes reminding her of the way he'd looked at her when she'd first met him. She remembered catching his eyes on her on the dropship, his gaze assessing her coolly as Hudson spouted off. It was different now, the look he was giving her; there was heat behind the intensity that he seemed content to hold constantly in check. 'What about you?' she asked, realising she'd been staring far too long.

'You know me,' he grinned at her. 'I slept on the way down.' She huffed a laugh and he straightened, dropping his hand back to his side and backing away. 'I'll keep watch.'

/\/\/\

Ripley slept fitfully, periods of semi-wakefulness feeling like they lasted for hours while she slept for seemingly only seconds at a time. She'd stretched out behind Newt, smiling when the girl turned and snuggled into her. Whenever she stirred her eyes first lit on Newt, sleeping peacefully beside her, and then on Hicks, sitting on a stool at the end of the bed, eyes on the door.

She awoke from a confused dream - Newt lost on the Nostromo while Mother counted down - and found the other side of the bed empty. She sat up, craning her neck and ignoring her body's protest at the sudden movement, relaxing only when she heard Newt laugh quietly just outside the curtain, followed by a quiet murmur from Hicks. The curtain was drawn, shutting out the light of the infirmary and making the space around the cot feel almost like a private room - the first privacy Ripley felt like she'd had since the Nostromo. She rolled onto her back, stretching an arm up over her head and staring at the ceiling.

It was here.

She should have swept the Sulaco again and again before going into cryo. She should have made sure.

'Ripley?' Newt came through the curtain, coming to a stop by the cot as Ripley swung her legs over the side. She caught Newt in a hug and glanced up as Hicks appeared.

He dropped a hand on Newt's shoulder. 'Why don't you get Ripley some of that food the doctor brought?'

Newt nodded and disappeared through the curtain.

Ripley stood, stretching. 'I'm not hungry.'

'We should tell the kid,' Hicks said, pitching his voice low so Newt wouldn't hear.

As Ripley opened her mouth to reply the infirmary doors burst open, admitting Clemens and Andrews, followed by Dillon and Aaron, who were half carrying, half dragging a struggling fifth man between them. Newt darted between the curtains, ducking behind Ripley as she and Hicks moved to the gap to watch.

The fifth man was raving, kicking out at Dillon and Aaron as they pushed him onto a cot and used restraints to lash him to the bedframe. Dressed in what seemed to be an improvised straitjacket, he appeared to be covered in blood. 'It wasn't me!' he screamed. 'Wasn't me, it was the dragon!'

'Mr Clemens, sedate him!' Andrews ordered.

Clemens stepped forwards smartly, filling a hypodermic, but Dillon held out a hand. 'Not until I hear about the brothers.' He bent by the struggling man. 'Golic, pull yourself together, man. What happened to Boggs and Rains?'

'The dragon!' Golic said, his voice a hoarse whisper now. 'It was the dragon.'

Ripley felt Newt slip a hand into hers and glanced down at the girl. She was staring intently at Golic, her face impassive. Ripley shared a look with Hicks before switching her attention back to the prisoner.

'I didn't do it!' Golic insisted, staring up at Dillon.

'Hopeless,' Andrews snapped.

'You called it, sir,' Aaron sniffed. 'Mad as a fucking hatter.'

Andrews nodded. 'Mr Clemens,' he waved a hand at Golic.

'He's right,' Ripley called, letting go of Newt's hand and stepping out from behind the curtain. Behind her, Hicks picked Newt up and followed her into the room.

'Stay out of this, Lieutenant,' Andrews snapped, barely looking at her. He sighed theatrically. 'We'll have to send out a search team. You can help with that, Corporal,' he said, eyeing Hicks. 'We have to assume that there is a very good chance this simple bastard has murdered them.'

Dillon glared at him. 'You don't know that. He's never lied to me. He's crazy and he's a fool, but he's not a liar.'

'I'd like to talk to him about this… dragon,' Ripley said, her eyes on Golic.

He met her gaze, his eyes burning at the edge of insanity. 'Dragon… it was the dragon,' he whispered harshly, his words slurring as the sedative took effect.

'You're not talking to anyone, Lieutenant,' Andrews snapped, turning to glare at her finally. 'I am not interested in your opinion because you are not in full possession of the facts. This man is a convicted multiple murderer known for particularly brutal crimes.' He glanced at Dillon. 'Isn't that right, Mr Dillon?'

Dillon gave him a hard stare before replying. 'Yeah, that part is right.'

Hicks moved further into the room, flanking Ripley. 'We need to talk to you.'

'It's important,' Ripley added when the superintendent hesitated.

Andrews rolled his eyes. 'When I have finished with my official duties I'll be quite pleased to have a little chat.' He turned and exited the infirmary, Aaron close on his heels. Dillon followed reluctantly, glancing back at Golic before leaving the room.

Clemens shot Ripley a curious look before bending over Golic, checking his pupillary response. 'Care to tell me what you think is going on here?' he asked.

Ripley glanced at Hicks, who shrugged. 'We're not sure.'

'You seem to think you have an idea, however.'

'We brought one with us,' Newt said quietly.

/\/\/\

'So let me get this straight. It's an eight-foot insect of some kind with acid for blood and it arrived on your ship. It kills on sight and is generally unpleasant. Her colony was entirely wiped out by it and your squad didn't fare much better,' he nodded at Newt and Hicks in turn. 'You three were the only survivors. And, of course, you expect me to accept all this on your word.'

'No.' Ripley pushed away from the wall she'd been leaning against. 'I don't expect anything.'

'Quite the story, Mr Aaron,' Andrews said.

Aaron, standing behind Andrews, looked quite pale, as though he was leaning towards accepting what he'd been told. 'Yes sir,' he said quietly. 'It's a beauty.'

'If you don't expect me to believe you what is it you want me to do?' Andrews asked, his glare still settled on Ripley.

'What are we workin' with here?' Hicks asked, lighting a cigarette.

'Working with?' Andrews snapped, eyes focusing at the smoke in annoyance.

'Ordnance,' the marine supplied, keeping his tone level.

'This is a prison. It's not considered a good idea to give the inmates access to firearms.'

Ripley almost laughed in disbelief. 'This is a maximum security facility and you have no weapons of any kind?'

Andrews looked away, seemingly embarrassed. 'Some carving knives in the abattoir, a few more in the mess hall. Some fire axes scattered about - nothing terribly formidable, I'm afraid.'

Ripley dropped into a chair beside Newt. 'Then we're fucked,' she said, seeing Hicks nod out of the corner of her eye, blowing smoke from his cigarette towards the ceiling.

Andrews leaned across the desk, glaring at Ripley. 'No, you're fucked. You and the girl are to go back to the infirmary. You should be safe from any large beasts there. Mr Aaron will escort you.' He turned to Hicks. 'Corporal, you will accompany me for a little rumour control exercise in the mess hall. There will be no mention of dragons or eight-foot bugs. Afterwards, I will allow you to send your message.'

/\/\/\

Ripley and Newt sat on one of the infirmary cots, staring at the sedated Golic. Anger roiled in her stomach and the back of her throat felt tight. Andrews was stupid, but it was her own powerlessness that really rankled. Not knowing where the creature was, or even if it had survived the trip down, they couldn't protect themselves, couldn't protect Newt. She'd seen the same helplessness in Hicks' eyes before Andrews led him away.

'They don't believe us,' Newt said quietly, breaking into Ripley's thoughts.

Ripley slipped an arm around the girl's shoulders, drawing her in close. 'They never do.'

Newt glanced up at her. 'What are we gonna do?'

Ripley thought for a moment, trying to find something to say to comfort Newt. 'I don't know, honey. We'll think of something.'

Clemens entered the infirmary and made his way over to Ripley and Newt. 'How are you feeling?'

Newt shrugged. 'Fine.'

'Good. Lieutenant?' He narrowed his eyes. 'And don't lie.'

'Not so hot. Sick to my stomach, headache.' Ripley smiled ruefully. 'Pissed off.'

'I thought so,' Clemens said, opening a drawer and withdrawing an ampule. 'So,' he said conversationally as he drew the mixture into a hypodermic. 'Would you like to tell me what you talked about with Andrews?'

'No,' Ripley said. 'You'll just think I'm crazy.'

'Try me,' Clemens said.

'Are you married?' Golic called from across the infirmary. 'You and the soldier?' He continued, not waiting for an answer. 'He's lucky. Got himself a pretty girl like you. I know lots of 'em. Pretty girls. Back home. They always liked me.' Golic paused, waiting until he caught Ripley's eye. 'You're gonna die too.'

Clemens tapped the syringe. 'You're not, are you?'

Distracted, Ripley tore her eyes away from Golic. 'What?'

'Married.'

'Why?'

'Just curious,' Clemens shrugged.

'How did you end up posted here?' Ripley said, not caring that the change of subject was jarring.

Clemens merely raised an eyebrow. 'It's a long story. And more than a little melodramatic.' When Ripley raised an eyebrow of her own he sighed. 'If you insist.' He sat back slightly, his gaze turning inwards. 'After my student years, despite the fact that I had secretly become addicted to Morphine, I was considered most promising. A man with a future. While I was on my first residency, I did a 36-hour stretch in an E.R., went out and got more than slightly drunk. I got called back to duty after a boiler blew on a fuel station. Thirty patients.' He looked back at her, holding her eye. 'Eleven of them died when I prescribed the wrong dosage of painkiller.'

'You served your sentence here?' Ripley asked quietly.

'Yes. I kicked my habit and got to know this motley crew quite well. So when they stayed, I stayed.' He shrugged. 'Nobody else would employ me. The question is, do you still trust me with a needle?'

Ripley smiled and pushed back her sleeve. As Clemens bent over her arm Newt shot off the bed and scrambled back against the wall, scrabbling at a grate set close to the floor. Ripley looked up, watching in horror as the alien descended from a ceiling panel. Her lungs emptied of air, her body struggling to process what was happening as the alien's second jaw shot out, ripping into the back of Clemens' head.

She scrambled backwards, knocking the cot over in her haste to get away. As the alien stalked toward her she fell in front of the grate Newt had managed to get behind. There was nowhere to run to, no way to get away from it. The alien hissed, its inner jaw extending until it was millimetres from her face, then stopped, as though toying with her.

'Mommy!' Newt screamed from behind the grate.

The alien drew back slowly, grabbing Clemens' body and disappearing back into the ceiling. Ripley dropped her head back against the wall, sobs boiling out of her. She felt the grate pressing into her back and shifted slightly, barely conscious of Newt climbing out.

'Ripley, we have to go!' the girl said, tugging her arm urgently. 'C'mon!'

Finally, Newt's voice got through to Ripley. She stood, staring wildly around the infirmary before grabbing Newt's hand and heading for the door. They ran through the complex hand in hand, following the signs for the mess hall until the double doors appeared in front of them.

Ripley slammed them open. 'It's here!' she yelled.

Hicks jumped down from the table he'd been sitting on and was at her side without seeming to cross the intervening space. 'Where?'

'It got Clemens!'

Andrews, apparently mid-speech, spun and levelled a glare at her. 'Stop this raving at once!'

'I'm telling you, it's here!' Ripley growled.

'Corporal Hicks, get that foolish woman under control at once.' Andrews bellowed. 'Mr Aaron, get her back to the infirmary.' As Aaron stepped towards Ripley a grate dropped from the ceiling and the monster descended, grabbing hold of Andrews and dragging him up and out of the room. Andrews' scream was abruptly cut off as blood rained down from the duct.