06:00

Kathryn was in her alcoholic coma when Jacky and Terry knocked on the door.

"Miss. Chang It's 06:00 are you awake?" Jacky asked rapping on the door.

Jane woke up and looked at Kathryn still sleeping and stood up. She threw one of the shirts on that was on the ground. The shirt was Kathryn's and because Kathryn was taller than her by about 6 inches the shirt almost covered her panties. She walked to the door scratching her head.

"Kathryn are you in there?" Jacky asked.

"I'm coming I'm coming." Jane said.

She opened the door and leaned on the frame.

"She's still asleep." She said looking at the two girls.

Jacky and Terry looked at her for a second and raised an eyebrow and then got serious.

"You have 10 minutes to get ready for your patrol." Terry said. "I don't know what you two are doing and I don't care just keep it behind closed doors."

"Yea yea." Jane said and closed the door.

She walked back into the bedroom and sat on the edge of the bed next to Kathryn.

"Hey Kat we have to get out on patrol." She said shaking Kathryn's shoulder.

Kathryn took a deep breath and opened her eyes.

"Good morning." Jane said with a smile.

"Yea what ever." Kathryn said groggily and sat up.

"You might want to cover up." Jane said with her eyes glued to Kathryn's chest.

"You're wearing my shirt." Kathryn said.

Jane laughed and removed the shirt and handed it to Kathryn and retrieved her bra and shirt.

"Do we have time for some coffee?" Kathryn asked.

"I don't think so." Jane said.

They both got dressed and grabbed their weapons and walked to the door.

"It's about time." Terry said.

"I was tired." Kathryn said.

"Yea sex will do that." Terry said.

Kathryn turned bright red and looked at Jane who was chuckling to her self.

"You thing we're lovers?" She asked.

"It's not our business." Jacky said.

"I was afraid to stay in my room after what we saw yesterday." Jane said. "Kat allowed me to stay here. The couch was too small so she let me stay with her in her bed big deal."

Terry gave them a "yea right" look and handed Jane her rifle and walked into her room. Jacky handed Kathryn her rifle and headed to her own room to get some sleep. Jane ran into her room and changed into a pair of Jeans and a black t-shirt and walked with Kathryn out of the building and started walking around the compound. Kathryn slung the rifle over her shoulder and walked with the spear in her right hand. It was only 06:30 but it was already getting hot. Kathryn was walking a little ahead of Jane and wasn't saying anything.

"Hey Kat." Jane said.

"Yea?" Kathryn asked.

"Umm about last night." Jane said. "I'm sorry I kissed you. I know you don't like girls. I just saw that as my only chance to kiss you."

"Don't worry about it." Kathryn said. "I really didn't mind."

"You didn't?" Jane asked.

"Hold your horses Jane." Kathryn said. "I'm not saying that I liked it. It just didn't bother me."

"Well as long as you're not mad at me." Jane said with a smile.

She picked up her speed and started walking next to Kathryn. They walked around the compound several times without seeing anything.

"Let's take a brake." Kathryn said sitting on a crate.

Jane sat on the ground at the foot of the crate looking out across the barren desert land.

"So Kat." Jane said. "What do you think about that kiss last night was it a good kiss?"

"Why?" Kathryn asked.

"Well I've always wondered if I was a good kisser." Jane said. "Be honest."

"I was to drunk." Kathryn said. "But I'm gonna guess that it was a good kiss."

"But you don't remember?" Jane asked.

"No I don't." Kathryn said.

Jane looked at the ground and started playing with the sand. Kathryn looked down at her and it was a sad sight to see.

"Don't worry about it." Kathryn said. "I'm sure that you're a good kisser."

"Yea well I'm not so sure." Jane said. "All the girls I've been with have never said I was any good at kissing. But they all say I'm good at other things."

Kathryn laughed and sat on the ground next to Jane. She set her rifle and spear down and took a deep breath.

"Now look." She said. "This doesn't mean anything."

"What?" Jane asked.

Kathryn put her hand on Jane's cheek and made her look at her. Jane knew what Kathryn was planning and licked her lips in anticipation.

"I'll be truthful." Kathryn said and licked her lips and moved in and kissed Jane.

Jane's heart couldn't help but skip a beat knowing that Kathryn was kissing her willingly. She closed her eyes put her hand on Kathryn's cheek to keep the kiss holding strong for as long as she could.

2 miles from Crimson Palace

Moving as fast as he could Skylark headed for where his wrist computer said there was a structure. He knew there were Oomans in the structure but he was caught between the Hard Meat and the Oomans he'd rather be on the Oomans side. His bleeding had stopped but his leg was in a lot of pain.

'If I keep this pace up I'll be at the Ooman structure soon.' He thought. 'At least my cloaking still works. I need to learn as much about their language as I can.'

He could see the structure in the distance and from what the hest signatures showed him there were only 2 Oomans outside.

'Oomans must not be able to handle the heat.' He thought. 'Their bodies shouldn't be that hot so soon.'

Crimson Palace

Kathryn finally broke the kiss and looked at June with a new found respect for her. Jane kept her eyes closed for a few more seconds before looking at Kathryn.

'Wow.' She thought. 'If I didn't know better I'd say she liked it.'

Kathryn smiled and looked down at the ground.

"Your not a good kisser." She said.

"I'm not?" Jane asked.

"No your not." Kathryn laughed. "That had to be the best kiss I've ever had."

"But you just said." Jane said.

"You're not good." Kathryn said. "You're great."

"Oh am I now?" Jane said playfully. "So how about another?"

She started to lean in but Kathryn pit her finger to Jane's lips.

"No." She said. "Like I said it didn't mean anything."

"Oh." Jane said sounding upset.

"I know how you feel about me." Kathryn said. "You haven't even tried to hide it. It's just that you're a woman and so am I. If you were a guy and could kiss like that I'd never let out go."

"I see." Jane said.

"Hey come on." Kathryn said standing up. "Let's get back to the patrol."

Kathryn helped Jane to her feet and they started walking again. They walked for another 30 minutes without saying much. Jane was walking a little slowly kicking at the sand and never saw the shimmering figure come behind her and jump onto the roof of the compound and quietly walk with them. Finally after the silence was more than she could handle Kathryn stopped.

"You're mad at me aren't you?" She asked.

"No not mad." Jane said. "Just a little put off that's all. That kiss was more than just a test to me. I've wanted to do that for a long time."

Skylark was listening closely to the conversation and letting his wrist computer decode the language. He also picked up the sad tone that Jane was using.

"I know you have." Kathryn said.

She set her weapons down and leaned against the wall of the compound and folded her arms across her chest.

"When I went through that divorce I thought I'd never fall in love again." She said. "And I haven't. And I don't want to. Loving someone only leads to pain in the end."

"Not always." Jane said stepping forward.

"How many times have you had your heart broken?" Kathryn asked.

"More times than I want to think about." Jane said. "But life is full of pain."

"Yea it is that's why I don't want to get involved with anyone." Kathryn said.

From the changes in her body heat Skylark knew she was lying but he didn't know what about. She kept fidgeting and wouldn't make eye contact with Jane.

"But for all the pain there is more happiness and joy." Jane said. "Even if a romance ends in heart break I will never only remember that I'll remember the joy I had with that person."

"You have been thinking about this haven't you?" Kathryn asked.

"Yes I have." Jane said. "For a long time now."

She took another step towards Kathryn.

"I love you and there is no denying it." She said stepping right up to Kathryn. "That kiss was a kiss of passion not a test. You know it as well as I do."

"No your wrong." Kathy said. "I just wanted to…"

"You wanted to what?" Jane asked with a smile. "See if I'm a good kisser?"

"I knew you were." Kathy said. "It's just that I…"

"Just say it." Jane said whatever it is I will accept it.

"I don't know what it is." Kathryn said.

"I think I can help you say it without saying anything." Jane said.

She moved in and kissed Kathryn on the lips real fast them pulled back.

"What that what you were trying to say?" She asked.

"No not really." Kathryn said.

"Oh." Jane said with a sigh and looked down at the ground.

"But it's a start." Kathryn said.

Jane's eyes where shinning when she looked up at Kathryn and she was smiling from ear to ear. Kathryn smiled weakly and picked up her weapons.

"Let's get back to our patrol." She said.

Skylark had decoded a lot of their language and sat on the roof trying to learn what he had decoded. His compute managed to learn more of the language than he had heard and he knew he could tell them he was not an enemy.

'I need to wait for the right time to show myself.' He thought.

Kathryn and Jane finished the rest of their patrol and were relieved by Kain and Walther. They walked into the mess hall and ate a quick breakfast then walked through the hallways. Once Kathryn was at her door she walked in. Jane was standing at the door and was about to head to her room for a shower and a nap.

"Are you coming in?" Kathryn asked. "I want to take a shower so close the door."

Jane walked in and closed and locked the door. Kathryn was taking off her shirt and Jane was tagging after her.

"Jane I want to take a shower alone." She said looking over her shoulder and seeing Jane start to take of her clothes.

"Oh." Jane said turning red. "Ok."

She walked into the living room and sat on the couch as Kathy was in the shower. Kathryn was sitting on the floor with her back against the tub thinking with the shower running.

'Kathryn what are you doing?' She asked herself. 'How could you just fall in love with another woman?'

She leaned over and put her head in her hands and sighed deeply.

'God damn it.' She thought and stood up.

She wrapped a towel around her waist and walked into the living room. Jane was sitting on the couch with her head leaned back when Kathryn sat next to her.

"What's wrong?" Jane asked.

"Nothings wrong." Kathryn said. "It's actually right."

She leaned her head on Jane's shoulder and closed her eyes. Jane knew what Kathryn was saying without her saying it and kissed her on the top of the head.

"I love you." She said.

"I know." Kathryn said. "I love you too."

After a minute Kathy stood back up and dropped her towel as she walked back to the shower.

"Are you coming?" She asked looking at Jane.

Jane didn't have to be asked twice. She was on her feed and on Kathryn's heels dropping her underwear as she walked.

Outside compound

Kain and Walther silently walked around the compound and found some tracks that were not human.

"These things are huge." Walther said.

"They end here." Kain said. "But where is it?"

Skylark was watching the 2 Marines and listened in on their conversation learning even more words.

"Is this another one of those things?" Walther asked.

"I don't know but let's keep our eyes open." Kain said.

"They don't know what the Hard Meat are." Skylark thought. "I hope that the Hard Meat's haven't had a chance to spawn warriors.

Cave 20 miles away

30 warrior Xenomorphs stood at the mouth of the cave looking towards Crimson Palace. Without any sound they all began running at top speed for the compound with one goal. Destruction.