Crimson Palace
Kain and Walther went back to patrolling the area but kept looking out across the sand. Kittler and Fisher were in the mess hall, Jacky and Terry were sleeping and Kathryn and Jane were sleeping in each others arms. Jane wanted to do more than sleep but Kathryn flat out cut her off saying "It was too soon for her.". On the roof of the compound Skylark was looking out at the sand giving his leg a break (no pun intended). Rick was looking over some papers in operations and the rest of the colonists were either in their rooms, the recreation room or the mess hall. Of all the people and one Yautja only 2 people had a bad feeling that something was gonna happen.
"I really don't like this place." Kain said.
"Yea." Walther said. "I don't like the look of those prints we saw."
"Well that was over 2 hours ago." Kain said. "We haven't seen nor heard anything. Besides out patrol is almost up."
"Yea your right." Walther said.
3 miles from Crimson Palace
The group of Xenomorphs continued to run for the compound and had been joined by over 50 facehuggers from the nest. They were quickly approaching the compound some began to shriek rallying the others into a frenzy. They picked up speed and could see the compound in the distance.
Crimson Palace
Kain and Walther were heading to the mess hall to get Kittler and fisher when they saw a cloud of sand moving their way.
"Oh great another sand storm." Kain said.
"It's moving fast." Walther said. "Damn thing will be here in I'd say about 10 minutes."
"Yea well let's get Kittler and Fisher out here and we can go inside." Kain said.
"Agreed." Kain said.
As they were walking to the mess hall Skylark was also looking at the sand storm.
'That is no storm.' He thought. "Hard Meat." He said and jumped onto the ground.
'That one female had a Ancient Yautja's spear.' He thought. 'No ancients have been lost in hundreds of years. Where did she get it?'
He walked to the doors of the compound and waited for someone to come out so he could get in. He was cloaked so no one would see him. After a minute Kittler and the others came out of the mess hall. Kittler looked at the storm through his binoculars and saw that there were objects in it.
"That's not a storm." He said. "I can see some of those spider things and some very big things."
"Their close." Fisher said.
"Yea." Kittler said. "Get the workers out of the mess hall and into the main building."
Fisher and Kain ran into the mess hall and ordered everyone to get into the main compound. They were a little confused about the order but did as they were told none the less. After the last civilian was in the compound the 4 Marines ran inside, closed and sealed the doors. Somewhere in the confusion of the workers running into the compound Skylark slipped in unnoticed. There were 2 other ways into the compound but they were soon sealed off. Kittler and the others ran down the halls and started pounding on Kathy, Jane, Terry and Jacky's doors. Jacky and Terry were up and armed within seconds.
"Where's Kathryn and Doc?" Kittler asked.
"I'm not getting a response from Doc." Walther said.
"Jacky run a bypass." Kittler said.
Jacky pulled the lock pad off of the door and hot wired it then forced it open. She ran into the bedroom but Jane wasn't in there.
"She's not here." Jacky yelled.
'I know where she is.' Terry thought looking at Kathryn's door.
Jacky walked up to Kathryn's door and ran a bypass on the lock. Kittler and Jack walked into the room to get Kathryn and found her in bed her in bed with her arms around Jane both slightly sweating from the heat. The blankets were around their waists leaving their chests bare.
"Well now I see why you threatened me." Jack said.
Kathryn opened her eyes and looked at Kittler and Walther.
"Oh my God get out of here now." She said pulling the sheets over her chest.
"Why?" Jane asked starting to wake up.
"Not you." Kathryn said. "Walther and Kittler."
"What?" Jane said sitting up and looking at them.
"We didn't mean to intrude but more of those spider things are on their way and something new." Kittler said.
Kathryn and Jane jumped out of the bed completely nude and grabbed their clothes. Kittler and Jack in the name of decency turned their backs as they got dressed. Kathryn tied an old shirt to the spear and slung it around her back and picked up the rifle that Jacky had given her and Jane grabbed Terry's and ran into the hallway.
"Where's Terry and Jacky?" Kittler asked.
"They ran to the armory to grab rifles." Fisher said. "They said they'd meet us at the main gate."
They all ran to the main gate and heard something pounding on the doors.
"What the hell is it?" Jane asked.
"It was big." Kittler said. "And from the look of the san they were kicking up there are at least 20."
"That door isn't gonna last long." Kathryn said seeing it start to bend.
They started backing up when suddenly a hole in the door formed and the Xenomorphs came flooding in. Kathryn and the others started shooting as the Xeno's came through the door sending acid blood all over the door and eating a large hole. They kept firing until the Xeno's stopped coming.
"Is that all of them" Fisher asked.
"No that was only like 8 of them." Kittler said.
Just then dozens of facehuggers flooded into the room. They all started shooting again and backing up. Kathryn was the first to run out of ammo because she had no training on how to shoot and was just holding the trigger down.
"Shit." She said and dropped the rifle and took the spear off of her back. 'I hope this works.'
The others kept shooting until all the facehuggers were dead. Then more warriors came in.
"They were letting us kill the little ones and use up all of out ammo!" Jane yelled.
"Run to operations I'll hold them off." Kathryn yelled.
The team mowed down all the Xeno's in the hall and turned to make a run. Leaving Julie and Kittler with Kathryn.
"Kat let's go." Jane said.
"Jane go with them." Kathryn said. "I'll be right behind you."
"I don't want to leave you." Jane said.
"I'll be ok." Kathryn said. "Just go."
Jane looked at Kathryn and nodded.
"Be fast." She said.
Kathryn put the Spear in her left hand and put her right arm around Jane's waist and pulled her into a kiss.
"Go now." She said letting Jane go.
"Hey when I get out of here I'm going back to New York." Jane said. "You're welcome to come with me."
"I will just go." Kathryn said.
Jane ran down the hall and Kittler handed Kathryn his rifle.
"Short controlled bursts." Kittler said.
"Ok. Seal the doors behind you." Kathy said putting the spear around her back again.
"What about you?" Kittler said.
Kathryn looked at him with a serious look.
"Take care of Jane for me." She said.
Kittler nodded and ran down the hall for operations just as another wave a Xeno's flooded through the door. Kathryn the rifle ready to fight to the death for Jane and the others. The Xeno's started running at Kathryn and she got ready to die. Just before the Xeno's were on her something unseen took the spear from off her back and pushed her back. Skylark decloaked and faced the Xeno's. Kathryn stood in awe as she looked at the seven foot eight inch Yautja.
"Go." Skylark said in English.
"I can't." Kathryn said. "They sealed the doors."
"Then stay back." Skylark said.
The Xeno's jumped at Skylark and he started hacking head off of the Xenomorphs. Kathryn started shooting at any Xenomorph that tried to get Skylark from the side. Skylark was tearing right through the Xeno's with the spear and wrist blades. Kathryn was taking down the facehuggers that came through the melted doors. After a few minutes of fighting later Skylark and Kathryn stood looking at dozens of dead Xeno's.
"You fight well for an Ooman." Skylark said and handed the Spear back to her.
"I thing you could use it." Kathryn said.
"I am Skylark." Skylark said. "I am a clan leader but my clan killed in crash."
"I'm sorry." Kathryn said.
"They die with honor." Skylark said.
Kathryn was silent for a minute before looking at Skylark.
"What are they?" She asked
"They are Kainde Amedha." Skylark said.
"What?" Kathryn asked.
"Hard Meat." Skylark said.
"Where are they coming from?" Kathryn asked.
"They will have a nest somewhere on this planet." Skylark said.
"There is supposed to be a cave 20 miles or so north of here." Kathryn said.
"They will be there." Skylark said.
"How do we kill the nest?" Kathryn asked.
"Kill the Queen, Kill the young Queens and all the eggs. The rest of the nest will die." Skylark said.
"Can you do it?" Kathryn asked.
"Not alone." Skylark said.
Kathryn looked back down the hall and thought about Jane pounding on the door with tears rolling down her face screaming her name. And Kittler having to pull her back.
"That's what will happen if I help this thing.' She thought.
Then she imagined what would happen is she didn't go. She would embrace Jane as soon as she walked into the room. But it would be a short lived reunion. After Skylark failed to destroy the nest the Xeno's would come for them and kill them all.
'She's better off in pain than dead.' She thought.
She looked at Skylark and at the dead Xeno's.
"Can you do it if I help?" She asked.
"Most likely." Skylark said.
"Then let's do it." Kathryn said.
Her pulse rifle had about 200 rounds left and 5 grenades. Skylark nodded and folded the Spear and hung it on his back.
"If we die we die with honor." Skylark said.
"If we win we will have great honor." Kathryn said.
Skylark nodded and they stepped over the bodies of the Xeno's and out of the melted door.
'I am sorry Jane.' Kathy thought as they started walking north.