Disclaimer: We don't own it Preds or Aliens or anything else in here that shouldn't belong to us, there, what more is there to say?
Hello! And welcome one and all to the greatest AVP fiction that will ever be written!!!!
–Wakes up from useless daydream– Oh crap. Anyways. Where was I? Oh yeah.
Me (CrimsonMistress) and Mac (Mac11 CQB) have combined our amazing fictional geniuses and pure intellect to create THIS! The beginning of our masterpiece!! –Mac holds up with a great flourish….a rubber chicken in a tutu– MAC! –CM hits Mac with the chicken– Anyways.
Anyone who likes my fic-in-progress, read, and Mac's fics and fic-in-progress, do read. Anyone who doesn't….well, it's your loss.
And BTW, I am SO sorry for not updating in AGES, but, alas, I have writers block….don't worry, it's coming!!!
Bigger Summary: The Yautja race has been struck by disease. Only one among them is immune to its devastating symptoms, one of their greatest warriors, and they have sent him to find the one thing that can cure them. Along the way he meets a rather unorthodox but honorable bounty huntress/mercenary. Now the two are in a race against time and the rest of the universe to find the mythical Gemstone that could be the Yautja race's salvation…….or the key to their destruction.
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The Yautja leaped from the tree, trailing a creature whose skull would make a prime trophy. Indeed, the creature was already wounded, and was ailing quickly.
Suddenly a bout of dizziness struck the Yautja warrior and he fell, throwing out a hand at the last second to catch himself. He hung from a branch, shaking his head and clicking as the dizziness passed. He moved to swing himself up again, when a sudden cramp and wave of nausea hit him hard and a spasm in his muscles released his grip on the branch.
He fell far, slamming into the ground, hearing several ribs snap in the impact. The Yautja tore off his mask and heaved, vomiting the contents of his stomach onto he ground….and blood.
He climbed to his feet, forgetting the hunt and deducing he was not well at all. The Yautja warrior made his way, slowly and difficultly, back to his ship, his body riddled with nausea, craps, dizziness and sweat. He stumbled inside and put on the autopilot for home, before collapsing into unconsciousness in the ship's medical bay, allowing the ship to tend to him. (Aww! Poor baby! . ! I just want to love him and care for him and make him aaaaaaaaaaall better!)
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On the Yautja home world, two unblooded males were in mock-combat, when they were struck by the illness. They fell to their knees, panting and swaying, then heaving their last meal up, and blood. Soon most of the Yautja race, practically the greatest warriors in the universe, unmatched and supreme in their hunting styles, stoic in their honor, were struck down by an enemy that they could not fight, the they had no defense against, an enemy as deadly, swift and thorough as a Yautja's ki'cti-pa, double-bladed wrist-knife. But unlike the Yautja who welded those knives, this enemy had no honor, no qualms or scruples about who it struck down. Male, female, children, elders and those heavy with child, all fell before the incorporeal blade of disease.
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A dozen men sat around a table, papers, mugs of coffee, decanters of whisky, brandy and various other alcohols. One man sat alone, at the head of the table, and he was the first to speak.
"Now, I have called this reason for a distinct purpose, gentlemen. You will see each of you has a folder before you. It contains…….information about the Predators."
"What could you know about them that Wayland-Yutani Corporations doesn't?"
"I know, for a fact, that the hunters have been withdrawing from all over the universe and returning home. And I know for a fact, that those on hunts, were struck down suddenly but an illness."
"Illness?"
"Yes, and a recent exploration of this planet," a hologram of a planet appeared in the middle of the table, slowly revolving, "reveals a series of ruins and a rather large temple," the hologram zoomed in to a point on the planet, revealing said ruins and temple, "where writing, carved into the walls, reveals that this is the resting place of an ancient gem used by the predators to cure all diseases."
There was a silence.
"And…?"
"If the Predators are sick, they would undoubtedly be sending someone here to retrieve this gem."
"I see what you're getting at."
"Indeed, but we have located this gem first, and we have the key to the Predator's salvation! We hold their lives, literally, in our hands!"
"And we could exploit that."
"The cure…."
"In return for their services."
"A brilliant idea. But how will it work?"
"Ah, now, that's where you come in, my friends……."
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As the humans prepared to exploit the Yautja's sudden weakness, the rest of the universe, sought to do the same……except in quite a different manner. As Wayland-Yutani and the mysterious gentleman wished to control, the rest of the universe sought simply…..
….to destroy
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Scarlet
I was furious. A rock. A goddamn rock! They drag me from my first vacation in ages for a ROCK! I am so going to kill whoever thought of hiring us for this. I am smart, yes, and I can appreciate the historical significance of this 'rock', but come on!
Oh, don't be fooled, I'm no pushover nerd chick with glasses and a stack of books. I am smart, yes, but I can, and will, kick your ass eight ways from Sunday,
My name…well, no one knows my real name, except my best friend and partner Lynn, but she's not telling anyone.
I'm known as Scarlet River…guess why.
I'm a mercenary of sorts, a bounty hunter too, I suppose. Rough history, no parents, that's all that on my file, and that's all you're gonna get.
You pay me right, I'll do the job.
But don't be fooled by that either, I have strict sense of honor. I don't kill children or innocents.
On an execution, I…well, Lynn mostly, digs up history on those I am paid to kill. If there is not enough reason, I turn down the job. After that, it's not my concern, unless, of course, they hire me to protect them. I have hardly ever failed on a mission I have taken up and I'm proud of that.
But when Lynn came to me with this job…well, let's just say I was a little less than pleased.
Flashback
"No fucking way!"
"Lettie!"
"Don't call me that! There are people here!"
Lynn pushed the glasses up her freckled nose and scowled at me, "But this stone could be of such historical significance, not to mention a medical breakthrough! It can cure any disease dammit! Humans would never have to be sick again!"
"Whoopee for the human race," I muttered, sitting up and checking my tan. Yes, it was coming along nicely. "Not my concern!"
"It's just retrieval! They've already found it!"
"So?"
"They just need guards."
"Grab some grunts! I'm no babysitter!"
"They asked for us specifically!"
"Yeah, and?"
"Scarlet!"
"What?"
"They asked for you!"
"Lots of people ask for me!"
"It'll be dangerous!"
"So is life."
"You'll get to fight people and impress others with your fighting prowess!"
"Not gonna happen. Besides, if it's just retrieval, how dangerous could it be?"
"But-"
"No buts, Lynn, I'm not doing it. I'm on vacation! You know what that means? No blood, no guts, no missions," I sighed and leaned back in my bikini on a tropical beach on LV-1209. The sun beat down on me nicely and I was slightly light headed from the half-emptied glass of alcohol beside me, with a little blue umbrella. I love those things.
Lynn sighed and put her hands on her hips, eyeing me.
I put my arms behind my head, my sunglasses on my face and closed my eyes, smiling.
"So you're not going to do it?"
"Nope."
"You're just going to lie here on this beach?"
"Yep."
"Even if I go by myself into unimaginable danger?"
"Yeah," I hated the way I hesitated. Lynn wouldn't go without me, but she was my friend. The closest thing I'd ever had to family in a long time, besides a few other things.
I didn't want to lose that. Not her. Not again.
Lynn sighed in defeat, "Fine, fine, I know how stubborn you can be. I'm just gonna go tell them that they'll have to offer their $16.5 billion to someone else."
Crap.
"Huh?" I sat bolt upright and yanked off my glasses. "How much?"
"Oh, just 16.5 billion dollars. Nothing big or anything."
"Damn you, Lynn."
Lyn whirled and grinned, plait flying about her head, "So you'll do it."
It was a statement. She knew me too well.
I sat for a moment, thinking.
"Who the hell would pay me sixteen and a half billion dollars to go get a rock? No matter how dangerous the mission, or significant it is?" I scowled and sat back, resting my body on one arm. "Who's funding the trip?"
"Oh…uh…I don't know…let's see," Lynn looked at the file she carried in her hands. "Oh, well, well, well, it's Wayland-Yutani."
As it always did, that name sent rage flooding through my veins.
"Wayland-Yutani," I spat through clenched teeth. "Those assholes."
"I wonder what they could be up to with a rock?" breathed Lynn.
I glanced at Lynn. Like me, she held a deep hatred for WY. But not as deep as me. Not even she knew how much I hated them
Or why.
I stood slowly and signaled to a serving man to collect my things. Even if I wasn't going to be paid sixteen and a half billion, I still would have done it. WY is a dirty, vile, arrogant corporation full of stuck up assholes who would do anything for money and power. Something was up.
And I was gonna find out what.
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Rez'ek (I'm not sure if that'll be his real name) cut through another target with his spear. The predator was training in his own personal quarters as always. He stopped when he heard a knock on his door. The Yautja warrior approached the door when the rather impatient predator on the other side opened the door.
As the door was opened Rez'ek noticed several illness signs on the predator. He was on the brink of vomiting, his throat was dry, he had a heavy cough, and his eyes were bloodshot. "High Council wishes to see you," he said before fainting to the ground.
Rez'ek had a very important role. He was a hunter who specialized with every weapon in the Yautja arsenal. He was his own clan. Rez'ek had the most advanced weapons of his race. If there was something new he always got it. He always hunted alone and was always successful. He was only assigned the most dangerous of missions; ones that entire clans had failed in. It was a sort of one-man team special ops unit that never failed. If he were called on it was of extreme importance. However he had not gotten the satisfactory out of every mission that he had hoped for. He wanted something far more challenging where the odds were overwhelming.
As Rez'ek went to see the council he noticed every other hunter had the same illness signs as the predator who opened his door. Some even threw up as he walked by.
He finally reached the high council. They were inside a large temple. He entered. The inside of it was bright and on the walls were insignias carved in by the greatest Yautja. His own insignia was somewhere inside, but now was not the time to look for it.
Rez'ek entered the room that the high council's clan resided in. Once in their presence he got on one knee and bowed. He was given the order rise and as he looked up he saw the clan of the high council was sick too. The council would be made of the primary clan of the most honorable pack of Yautja. It was usually six, but one was killed. "Greetings, Merc'rk. To what honor do I owe this visit?" he asked. Merc'rk gave a cough and then spoke. "I bring you sickening information and I have a mission for you," he began. "Our race has fallen ill under some sort of deadly virus. The Gem stone of Reshak's unlimited healing has been stolen by soft meat. Since we already used the gem on you I had hoped you would not be a subject to it. You must retrieve the gem before our enemies find out we have been weakened. You are the only one who can save your race. You will gain much honor for this," he finished.
This was exactly what Rez'ek wanted, a hunt worthy of the greatest hunter. "The gem will be back in our possession soon," he replied. He stood up and left to his ship.
His ship was enormous. It had an almost unlimited power supply and a large weapon arsenal. The ship activated as soon as he walked in. The Predator looked at his computer and checked the system. Someone had already entered in the coordinates. Someone had also packed the ship with all the food and water needed. He guessed the high council had ordered it even before they called him. Rez'ek set it to autopilot. The ship lifted off the ground with no controls pushed. It flew towards the planet LV-1201 where the gem was supposedly held.
Unknown to the ship it was being watched by an enemy space vessel. As soon as Rez'ek's vessel went into warp speed and out of sight the unknown ship followed.
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"What?"
My lips barely moved as I stared at the scientists.
"Uh…well…the uh Gem you were supposed to get was....uh….stolen?"
"Stolen?"
My voice was calm and quiet, and Lynn was looking for the nearest object to hide behind.
"It was stolen?" I purred, I sucked in a deep breath.
Lynn squeaked and dove behind some guards.
"YOU DRAGGED ME OUT OF MY FIRST VACATION TO BABYSIT A ROCK AND NOW YOU'RE TELLING ME THE ROCK WAS STOLEN?!?!?!?" I roared.
The scientists quailed.
Obviously my reputation precedes me.
"That's it, Lynn," I snarled. "We're outta here!"
"Wait!" said a commanding voice.
I froze and snarled over my shoulder, "What?"
"We'll give you five hundred billion to get it back."
I froze. That's a lot of zeros. I turned slowly to look at the man who had spoken.
"Five hundred billion dollars," said the man. "Think about it. You'd not only be able to go on vacation and lounge on a beach, you could buy a beach….and the island….and the planet." (Kinds stole that form Sinbad ok?)
I looked suspiciously at the man, and then said slowly, "Who's coming with me?"
"You're friend there, some soldier and a few scientists."
I narrowed my eyes, something was really up. I stared at the man, and the way he held himself screamed 'I am an important Wayland-Yutani official and you will obey me!"
I sucked in a breath through my nose, "Who stole the Gem?"
"Xenomorph."
I swear you could have heard a pin drop.
"Bugs?"
"Yes."
"Bugs stole then gem?"
"I believe that's what I said."
I pursed my lips, "That doesn't make sense."
"It doesn't have to make sense," snapped the man. "You just have to know it happened. And now you'll get it back, and we'll pay you five hundred billion and pay for all damages."
I was silent, my gut was screaming something was off, and I knew to trust my gut.
I glanced at Lynn, who was also scowling.
I looked back with a sigh, "I'll do it."
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So? So? What do you think? Is it good? Of course it's good, but how good? You wanna hear more? Got any questions for the marvelous author and authoress? Any suggestions, well al you have to do is click the tiny GO button down the bottom and let me know, and I'll forward your much-needed support to Mac!
Love yas!
XXXX
The CrimsonMistress
