My People's Blood

Once the first high-pitched cry was heard, the xenomorphs bolted through the hive. One alien was jumbled among the hissing and screaming, trying desperately to enter the queen's main chamber. The hive was under attack, and they must take care to seal off the entrance of the egg quarters, for if they were destroyed, they would survive no longer than a year.

Komos was the xenomorph's name, an adultized drone instructed to assist the others as they covered the only way into the queen's area. If she faced any danger, their clan was potentially doomed. With a clumsy pounce and stumble, he landed near around seven others who were covered in dirt and mud, trying furiously to cover the burrow into her lair. Hatched eggshells and dead carcasses of enemies were caked onto the solid wall, making it as sturdy as possible.

"Where have been you?" snapped an alien who kicked dirt in all directions.

Komos touched his head to the other's in a greeting and began to shove dirt against the wall. "How many of guards does the queen have?" he asked.

"Many. Block creatures from hive we must. I have handled it here! Go! Go and be fighting up above!"

Komos obeyed and darted, shoving past the others. He had to reach the surface; he must protect his colony. To say the least, the journey was difficult, for the others shared much the same thoughts. "No leave out this way!" came the screech of an alien as it came down the other way.

"What say you, Pe'sedilak?" growled a friend. "This is only way out."

"Ambushing, they are ambushing! You hear what I tell you say? Ambush!" he panted as a great deal of his own blood dripped onto a neighbor's head. "We must now dig ways of new! Around the other side, where hatchling fresh lay!"

"Give orders to the North chamber to remove fresh layers away! We must dig holes new!" cried a face in the crowd to no one in particular.

Komos, being last in the line of people, spun around and was one of the first to arrive. Before he could start digging, however, he was bombarded by others who fought their way in front of him. Anxious, he snapped at a younger xenomorph and pulled him out of the way, digging where he had started. Once he had freed the roof of dirt, he squeezed through the opening...and foolish Komos ended up face to face with the muzzle of a firearm.

With a squeal of terror, he leapt from his ground and managed avoid fire. He had seen and killed humans many times before, and today would be no acceptation. But lately...more had been coming, and it was getting more and more difficult. He landed behind the thing and slashed it in the back, causing it to shriek and fall over as its blood spattered the ground, groping the ground for its weapon as it faced Komos. He flared his mouth in a snarl and pounced on it, forcing his jaws down onto its chest and drawing great spurts of blood. Normally, he would not stop until a broken rib or a chunk of bone stabbed him in the gums and he became annoyed with the body, but he had to hurry today or the other humans would destroy him.

The crack of a shot was heard behind him and he saw it hit one of his kind, falling with a cry of agony and screaming for help. Komos was fast enough to arrive on top of the human in a heartbeat, tearing its head off. The fists of the thing continued to beat on Komos's chest long after the head was severed, and Komos gently nudged the injured one. The wound was not bad; only his hind claws had been blown away and his foot broken by the force.

Able to escape freely, the alien rose and limped away quickly. Suddenly, a large human yelled at him in a dialect he did not understand before it aimed a gun at him and fired. Komos crunched into a small lump and dodged the attack; swiping his tail and removing the majority of the human's lower half. It fell, grabbing the bloody stump, which had once been connected to a leg.

Confused by all the action and being forced to make decisions so quickly, Komos looked around and was beaten to the ground by a tripped fellow alien. "Komos child, get out of our way! Kill more or have you be killed! There are more coming!" the larger male snarled as he scrambled off back into the hive.

It was soon obvious that the xenomorphs were outnumbered. How could it have happened so quickly? What would he do? Seeing no option but to retreat, he helped a few panicking youngsters back to the hive and turned to defend his retreating companions.

"Komos, look out!" yelped one of the young ones, Tyaka.

He veered to his right and saw a charging brave/stupid human going straight for him. He used his barbed tail once more and pierced the human's abdomen, trailing out a long, brownish pink entrails. It gargled blood and fell dead.

"DIEEEE BLOOD SUCKER!!!!!!!!" screamed a human as it turned on its weapon. It sprayed out a sudden burst of flame and fire, throwing Komos aside helplessly and leaving the young at its mercy.

Komos howled in pain, and gasped, leaning his head back and preparing for his death. His wounds were literally on fire, and he felt as though he were melting internally. A wave of misery passed over him as he heard the pathetic cries of Tyaka and the others.