I-do-not-own-Aliens. Got that? Onwards with the story then! :)
CHAPTER 5 Awakening Alpha
"So, what do we do now?" Chris was speaking to Schwartz. The two were at the main lobby computers again, poring over the station status screens. The computer shone a blue glow on both mens' faces.
"We need to activate the backup power generator," explained Schwartz, pointing at the lower hub on the display, "otherwise, we can't send a comm out to Jupiter. The generator itself was also isolated from the surge, according to the ATLANTIS mainframe"
"Not just anyone could reactivate that generator." Chris seemed to read Schwartz's mind. Any old person couldn't just go up to it and switch it on...it required technical skill, to make sure there be anyone getting an electric shock.
"I was just thinking the same thing..." Schwartz looked at Chris. "You seem like the best technical wizard here, Chris"
"Me? I don't know about that...." Chris scratched his head.
"Most of the other eggheads who survived were from the Planetology and Weapons sections. It was your section that had all the techno-dudes. You're pretty much the only techno-dude we've got." Schwartz brought up a list on the screen. "There's only 4 people who know how to work the stuff around this station, you being the best of them. Plus, you're the only one who has any kind of experience with weapons." He closed the list, and looked at Chris, a look of absolute seriousness on his face. "You're the only chance we've got"
Chris sighed. "I don't mind going down there....it's just Michi. She won't leave my side....." Chris looked behind him to see his girlfriend sitting on a chair. He gave her a smile, and she returned it.
Chris looked back at Schwartz, concern written all over his face. "I don't want to put her in any danger"
Schwartz smiled. "You won't be alone. Samson and Lafayette have requested to go too. The area is pretty small, so we don't need as large a team as last time"
Chris nodded. "Right....but they're guarding Michelle, not me." Chris checked the pistol on his hip. "I can take care of myself"
Schwartz frowned. "Don't get complacent, Chris. You said it yourself....you're a scientist, not a soldier. Someone has to watch your back, too. That's why I'm sending Marissa with you"
"Marissa? But why?" Chris thought Schwartz's behaviour was strange...didn't he want to protect his girlfriend?
"Unlike Michelle, Marissa can take care of herself. Besides, you saved her butt. She wants to return the favour." Schwartz grinned, and left the computer. "I'll brief you guys in a few minutes. See you then." Schwartz walked across the marble white floor, away from Chris.
Chris moved off towards the crowd of guards near the kitchen, where he knew Samson and Lafayette would be. He looked back at Michelle, who was playing with her hair.
"If only one of us gets out of here alive, let it be her." thought Chris, as if he was speaking to God.
"Listen up." Schwartz addressed the group of five. "From what we can tell, the lower hub is completely deserted of any xenomorph presence. I don't have an explanation for this, but all the same, be on your guard"
"No Aliens?" Marissa looked deep in thought. "That's strange"
"Well, I should be straight in and out. I don't think it'll take me long to power up the generator." Chris seemed to have gained new confidence in his technical skills.
"That's great," acknowledged Schwartz, "but I've had another idea. At the same time you go to the lower hub, we'll be sending a second team to the upper hub to activate the communications array. I've briefed them already, and they'll standby until you power up the generator"
"Is this wise, capitaine?" spoke Lafayette. "There is a significant xenomorph presence up in that area, and one attempt has already failed"
"We were unprepared last time." replied Schwartz. "This time, I'm sending a five man team. The sooner we can alert Jupiter, the sooner we can get off this damned station. Understood"
"Yes sir." Samson came with the almost automatic reply. "But why is the chick coming with us"
"Michelle is..." Schwartz knew there would be some ire from the team, but it couldn't be helped. The poor girl was scared stiff, and if she and Chris had to part it would tear her apart. "She is backup in case Chris somehow befalls an unlucky fate"
Michelle shuddered in her seat at the very thought.
"Well, as long as she doesn't slow us down, I'm happy." Samson said, taking a puff of his cigarette.
"Team 2 is ready to go, sir!" The team of five that comprised Team 2 were stood behind the seated Team 1. It was Benson who had spoke, the team leader. With him were Langeridge, Chomsky, Ndlovu and a familar face, Tsukino.
"Good luck, you guys." said Chris, not envying them one bit. They had to play a waiting game, and they were counting on him to restore the power. He hated being under such pressure.
"Time to move, people." Schwartz's voice broke him from his thoughts. "Good luck to you as well"
The team nodded and salauted, then headed for the lift to the lower hub. It was a smaller one than the four main lifts,as it was just a service type. It would be a tight fit for the five of them.
"Round three, Chris?" Lafayette winked, referring to the number of times Chris had now been into the dark depths.
"Round three it is." Chris grinned. He felt Michelle squeeze his hand. She was now wearing body armour like Chris, and carried the pistol he'd given her and a few magazines.
"I won't leave you, angel." He kissed her on the cheek as the lift went down.
The lower hub was eerily quiet as the five stepped off the lift. It wasn't very big, and basically consisted of four subsections of corrdiors, each housing systems for running the station. However, the one the team were interested in was inside the big room which the corridors surrounded. The backup generator was inside. The bsuted main generator was in the upper hub.
It took the team little time to find the door to the room. As Chris opened it, each expected a sudden Alien attack, but none came. They were all on edge due to the lack of Alien activity...the last time it had been this quiet, they'd lost Rockett and Davis.
The door to the generator room opened. Chris looked at the others. "OK, I'm going in by myself. Samson, take Michelle and wait by the lift. Marissa, Lafayette, stay here and cover my back"
"Chris! I want to stay with you!" Michelle's face was full of worry.
"Michi, I'll be OK. Please go with Samson." Chris hated to leave her, but wasn't even meant to be here. If it went pear-shaped, he wanted her to be the first person out.
"OK......but please come back...." Michelle looked back at Chris as she and Samson headed back for the lift.
"You sure this is a good idea?" Marissa was looking inside the large generator room as she spoke. "They could be in there"
"Maybe, but whatever happens, that power has to get back on. At least if they do show up, you guys have a chance to get out." replied Chris. Truth was, he was scared, but he didn't want anyone else to die.
"You're getting out too, monsieur Chris." Lafayette's rich french accent echoes through the corridors.
"Just watch my back, guys." Chris nodded to the two of them, then stepped carefully inside the generator room. Now he knew why the lower hub area was so small. The generator was huge...it took up most of the lower hub's space. It was the same story with the main one in the upper hub. He looked down...it was a drop of several hundred feet, and all that kept him from falling was the transparent floor under his feet.
The massive tube like generator stretched from the ceiling of the massive chamber to the bottom of it. This thing was capable of restoring power to the whole station.
"Chris, what's your status?" called Schwartz over the comms.
"I'm inside....man this place is huge...." Chris replied.
"The control panel should be right ahead of you, mounted on the generator itself." Schwartz directed Chris.
"Copy that." Chris closed the comms, and saw the rectangular panel on the side of the generator. He flipped it open, and knew instantly that it would be piece of cake for him. All he had to do was turn it on, and make sure to much power didn't get sent to a certain area. That would cause an explosion, or another surge. Neither would be good.
He pressed the 'Activate' switch. The entire chamber lit up with a blue glow as soon as he did. The generator shone a beuatiful blue light through the whole chamber.
"Power is back on." Chris spoke over the comms. "I'm routing the power to station areas now"
He carefully routed amounts of power to the different areas of the station. Anyone else might have come into trouble here, but Chris knew what he was doing. He sent power to all four sections, and to the hub. The power was evenly disributed, and Chris checked the warning gauge. The meter was well below the red 'Critical' line.
"We have station wide power back on." Chris grinned into the comms.
"God said let there be light, and there was." laughed Samson over the comms.
"Great work, Chris." schwartz's voice praised over the comms. "I've just ordered Team 2 to start with the comms array. You guys can get back now"
"Roger that." Marissa replied to her boyfriend. "OK, Chris, let's mosey"
Michelle breathed a sigh of relief. "I hate it when he's in siuations like that"
Samson laughed. "I think he's more worried about you, lady!"
"Mission accomplished, everyone?" He stifled a laugh. "I think not"
He activated the station comms channel. Thanks to Appleyard, he could finally talk to them.
"Attention, all humans abaord this station. I have some matters to discuss with you..."
Everyone on the station was surprised by this new voice on the comms, and no-one had a clue who he was.
"Who is this?" Schwartz spoke.
"Check the lifeform sensors, Commander." The voice spoke. "Look at the director's office in the central hub"
A scientist checked the area on a computer screen. He turned around and said, "There's a human in there"
"So, we have another survivor." Schawartz acknowledged. "Who are you, and why haven't you tried to get to safety"
"This is Director Victor Cusack speaking." Cusack's dulcet tones drifted over the comms. "And I'm quite safe where I am, thank you. It's yourselves you should be worried about"
"It's the big man...the guy in charge of this station." exclaimed Marissa, listening. "How come the sensors never picked him up"
"What are you talking about, sir?" Schwartz was puzzled by the man's lack of worry.
"So far my experiment has been a complete failure." Cusack replied. "however, that was just Phase one. Phase Two is about to begin"
"Experiment? What are you talking about, sir?" Confusion registered on Schwartz's face.
"Ha ha ha....." Cusack's laugh sounded cold, as if Death himself was laughing. "You still have no idea, have you"
"This guy's talking nonsense......" Samson shook his head.
"I have a bad feeling about this..." Chris said suddenly.
"What's wrong, Chris?" asked Marissa.
"I have been watching your every move through my cameras since all this began." Cusack said, after a long pause. "I didn't expect you would last this long. I'm quite impressed"
"You've been watching us...?" Schwartz's voice took on an angry tone. "What the hell is going on, sir"
"You'll find out soon enough." Cusack laughed again. "I will tell you this, however." The next sentence came with a menacing tone.
"None of you are leaving this station alive"
Shock registered over everyone's faces. Director Cusack wanted them dead.
"What???" shouted Schwartz. "Do you have something to do with the xenomorphs"
"Took you long enough, Commander." said Cusack with a chuckle. "If you're smart enough, you'll figure out the truth soon enough. For now I'll tell you this.....the power surge was no accident. It was I who triggered it"
The words hit home to all the survivors like a hammer to their heads. Director Cusack had been behind the incident all along!
Chris was angry, but thinking hard. The Aliens at the Planetology section....it had been funny the way they'd turned up like that. Cusack must have released them into the area!
"You bastard!" Chris yelled over the comms. "You brought those things onto the station, didn't you"
"Ah, Mr. Appleyard." Cusack smiled. "You have become quite an annoyance. As have the second team in the upper hub. I believe it is time to take care of you.....permanently!" He touched his computer screen.
Marissa heard a whirr, and all of a sudden the door to the generator room closed. "Crap! Chris!!!!" she yelled.
Chris noticed the door closing, and dashed over to it. He pounded on it, while Marissa and Lafayette tried in vain to open it.
"Chris!!!!!!" screamed Michelle, looking through the large glass window and seeing Chris trapped. She and Samson dashed around to the door.
"Sir!" yelled Samson over the comms. "He's locked Chris inside! He's got door control"
"Shit!" yelled Schwartz. "Open that door, you asshole!" he yelled to Cusack.
"I think not. However, young Appleyard has my gratitude." Cusack grinned evilly. "He restored the power to the station, and to me. I now have full door control over the entire station"
Schwartz cursed under his breath.
"And now for your team on the upper hub.....Jupiter won't be getting a call today." He touched another button, this one on his wrist device.
"Shit!" Schwartz switched comms to Team 2.
"Team 2, what's your status"
"We've sent the communication, sir!" Benson replied. "Damn, sounds like we've all got trouble, huh"
"Get the hell back here, now!" schwartz yelled. "Get the hell out NOW"
"Copy that, sir..." Benson looked around at the group. "Something's up....we have to leave, now." The others nodded, and they headed for the lift.
A loud crash suddenly echoed through the corridors. The whole team spun round in the direction of the sound, but kept falling back towards the lift.
Benson opened comms again. "We just heard something, but we're getting no sensor reading"
Schwartz acknowledged. "Strange, but just leave, now"
"Already on it, sir." Benson kept his pulse rifle in a ready position, aiming in the direction of the sound.
The group backed into the junction just before the lift. The lift was right behind them.
A hiss came from the corridor to the left. Ndlovu spun to face it and instantly a claw slice through his throat, removing his head.
"Christ!!!!" yelled Langeridge. Ndlovu's headless body flopepd to the floor, and the three guards' lights came to rest on his killer.....but it wasn't what they expected. It looked different.
It charged forward, and the three opened fire. The guns roared through the corridors and across the comms.
"Team 2!" shoued Schwartz, panicked. "What the hell's happening"
The team kept firing, but something was wrong. The unknown xenomorph kept coming, not even fliching from their shots. In fact, their shots were bouncing off it.
"This thing.....we...we can't scratch it!!!!" yelled Benson in terror. "We can't stop it!!!!!! AHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!" A horrible ripping sound flew over the comms as Benson was ripped apart by the Alien.
"Damn it!!! Team 2!" Schwartz yelled frantically. "Team 2, respond"
"They are no longer a problem." Cusack's voice spoke, as if to taunt him. "Now it's Appleyard's turn"
Schwartz and everyone on the lower hub froze. Chris frowned and started to look around him nervously.
"You murdering son-of-a-bitch...." cursed Chris.
"The Omega performed well, I must say." Cusack smiled. "Even though one of them escaped"
Back in the central hub, the lfit to the upper hub descended. Tsukino staggered off it, a huge gash across her left side. She then collapased onto the floor, passing out.
"Jesus! Tsukino!" Mac dashed over, along with a couple of scientists, who tended to her.
"Now it's the Alpha's turn....let's see you get out of this one, Appleyard." Cusack laughed and closed the comms.
"Cusack? Cusack!!!" Schwartz yelled. "Damn it....Chris"
Marissa tried once more to open the door. "It's no good, it won't budge"
Tears were streaming down Michelle's face. "You have to get him out of there"
Samson clenched his teeth. "There's no way"
Chris stepped back from the door, looking around. "I don't see anything on the sensors..."
All of a sudden, a bang echoed throughout the large chamber. It sounded like a door opening and clashing against a wall.
"I heard something....." Chris looked upwards, but still the sensors showed nothing.
The team stood outside in silence, listening for anything.
"Chris, what's going on?" Schwartz said slowly.
"Something's in here......" Sweat trickled down Chris' face, and he raised his pulse rifle.
A loud hiss filled the chamber. It didn't sound like the usual Alien hiss. Chris aimed his rifle upwards.
A black shape shot down from the top of the chamber, as fast as lightning. It landed with a loud thud in front of the control panel for the generator.
The team froze with shock at the sight of this new Alien. Chris froze on the spot, and looked at the Alien.
It was completely different from the regular Aliens. Remembering the report, it looked similar to the Praetorian type, but had flecks of white interspersed with the normal black skin. Its head was made of some kind of silver metal,and it sported four deadly claws instead of two. It also had two spiked tails instead of the usual one. Its arms and legs looked more buffed out than a regular Alien as well.
One thing remained the same however - the menacing teeth, which were now pointed towards Chris.
Cusack re-opened comms for a moment. "Mr. Appleyard.....meet the Alpha Alien." He then closed comms again.
The Alpha roared, then launched itself into the air. It jumped higher than any other Alien, and Chris knew exactly where it was going to land.
On him.
He rolled to the side just in time as the Alpha, screeching, came down where he'd been standing. Chris aimed the pulse rifle, and let off a couple of bursts of fire, aiming dead on at its head.
This would have killed a regular Alien, but the bullets bounced off the Alpha's armoured head. Chris didn't even scratch it.
"Oh, crap...." cursed Marissa, watching from behind the glass window. The others had all moved to the window to watch the battle.
The Alpha screeched again and jumped forward, its claws ready to strike. Chris managed to dodge it, but one of its two tails caught him in the face.
"Ooohhh!!!" It was like being hit across the face by a baseball bat. Chris went sprawling across the floor, dropping his rifle.
"Damn it! Get up, kid!" yelled Samson.
Chris got his feet, a little dizzy from the blow. He immediately tried to go for his rifle. However, the Alpha beat him to it. It grabbed the rifle with a claw, and broke it in two.
"Rats!" cursed Chris. "Lucky I still have this!" He pulled out his Desert Eagle from his hip pocket....but if his rifle couldn't stop this thing, what could he do with a pistol?
One thing was for sure....it's head was rmoured, and nothing was going to get past that. Maybe its back was the weak point, after all it was the place on an Alien that was least exposed.
Chris aimed his pistol and fired. The Alpha rolled to the side...he'd never seen an Alien do that before! It launched itself at him again, but this time, Chris was ready for it, and dodged both it and its tails. Chris was now facing its back, and without hesitation, he emptied an entire clip of 15 bullets into its back.
Acid blood sprayed out of the Alpha's back as all 15 bullets thudded into it. The Alpha screamed, doubling forward in pain. However, it was still alive...and kicking. It spun round and whipped its tails as Chris. At first it looked like it was going for Chris' head, but the tails swung low and cuaght him around the legs, knocking him over.
"Oof!" The wind was knocked out of Chris as he fell flat on his back.
"Chris!!!!!" Michelle screamed again.
All the other three could do was gasp.
The Alpha, sensing victory, roared. It crouched, and pounced on Chris.
Chris' eyes widened as he saw the Alpha leap for him. He thrust his legs out, kicking the thing straight in the chest. It howled and crashed to floor a couple of feet behind Chris.
Chris quickly got to his feet, though his whole body was aching.
Blood was splashed down the side of his face from where the tail had hit him.
The Alpha was momentarily stunned and surprised by Chris' kick, and was trying to get to its feet. Chris fire again, and more blood splashed from its already bloodied back, but once again it got to its feet.
"It's just not dying...." spoke Marissa. "His gun isn't powerful enough"
"He can't keep this up forever....." Lafayette's face fell. "He's had it"
The Alpha stanced once again, hissing loudly at Chris. It prepared to strike yet again.
Chris looked at his foe. "Looks like this is it....." he thought gravely. "I'm screwed....." His face fell.
His eyes spied the floor..the transparent, glass floor. The floor had supports, too.
Chris opened fire on the floor, surprising everyone. The bullets
smashed through them cleanly, but each one started to shatter the floor.
Before the Alpha could realise what was happening, the floor shattered and gave way. It fell down the massive chamber, screaming all the way.
At the bottom of the chamber, high voltage currents traveleld around the base of generator. The Alpha landed right in the middle of these, and was immediately hit by well over 500,000 volts of pure electricity. Its metal head served to conduct the electricity through its body, and it howled in agony as it was burnt to a crisp.
Chris looked down from above, seeing the flash of electricity as the Alpha hit the ground.
"Goodnight......" he said, silently.
"Damn it!!!!" Cusack smashed his fist into the glass desk. "How in the world did he beat the Alpha"
He got up violently, knocking the chair aside. Chris Appleyard was now his biggest problem. However, everything that he'd thrown at him had been stopped. No human was supposed to be able to stand up to the Alpha. However, he knew that the poor fool would have no chance against the Omega. If only the control device had been completed.
He could at least give it an order...however, everything else was out of his control, unlike with the Alpha. He opened his wrist device, and gave the Omega one single order.
The door finally opened, and Chris gladly made his way out of the generator room. Waiting for him was Michelle, who wrapped her arms around him in a tight hug. Her eyes were red - she'd obviously been crying.
"Oh Chris!!!" she cried, sobbing into his shoulder. "I thought you were going to die"
Chris embraced her tightly as well, stroking her hair. "Not from any monster." He broke the hug, and looked at her. "If I can beat a super strong Alien, I can beat the lot of them"
"Nice moves in there, kid." Samson grinned, slapping Chris on the shoulder. "If it had been me, I'd have been screwed"
"You have the fighting passion of a Frenchman!" said Lafayette with a toothy grin.
"You sure you're just a scientist?" teased Marissa. "Anyway, we'd better be heading back. I'll contact the commander." She opened the comms.
"Commander, Chris is OK. He fried that son-of-a-bitch
thing good."
"Thank God...I thought he was a goner for sure." replied Schwartz with relief. "Wasn't so good for Team 2, though. Tsukino was the only survivor. She's being patched up now"
"Shit." cursed Samson as the group got to the lift.
"She's going to be fine.....and they managed to get the message off to Jupiter." Schwartz's voice echoed the new hope in all of them now. "It's only a matter of time before they arrive"
"Charles, there's something I have to do." Chris said all of a sudden.
"Good to see you're OK, Chris," replied Schwartz, but he sounded concerned. "but what is it you want to do"
"I'll be deciding what you're doing." Cusack's icy voice echoed over the comms yet again.
"You!" Chris clenched his teeth as he heard that voice again. "Thought putting me in there with your beast was funny"
"It would have been funnier had you died." Cusack's resentment of Chris clearly showed in his voice. "I don't know how you defeated the Alpha, but you won't be so lucky with the Omega"
"I guess you set that thing onto Team 2, huh?" Chris closed his eyes for a second, thinking of those poor souls.
"Yes, I did." Cusack paused. "However, I'd much like to see it rip you to shreds, Mr. Appleyard"
"Too bad, because you won't." growled Chris.
"Cusack, Jupiter is sending ships to rescue us." Schwartz spoke confidently, not with the anger of before. "We'll also take you into custody...you'll have the death penalty for this"
"Ha ha ha!" Cusack's laughs unnerved everyone listening. "I'll be long gone by the time they show up...and all they'll find is a bunch of corpses"
Cusack flipped a button, and watched with glee on the cameras.
Down in the hub, the four section doors opened.
"Sir!" called one of the guards. "he four section doors are open, and we can't close them! We've been overidden"
"Shit!" Schwartz's voice turned to panicked anger now. "What the hell are you doing"
"I think you've been in your little hidey-hole for too long." replied Cusack coldly. "I think it's time the specimens had a little feast." He laughed coldly.
"I must take my leave. I wonder how long you'll last?" With one last laugh, Cusack closed the comms, and headed out of his office.
"Cusack!!!" shouted Schwartz. "Damn it"
"Charles, what's going on?" Chris was worried.
"Chris, he's opened all the section doors! We'll be swarmed by xenomorphs in minutes!" Schwartz loaded his shotgun while he talked.
"Crud!" cursed Chris. "We're on our way"
"We haven't got a chance!, Chris! Stay there!" Schwartz yelled.
"I can hack the system up there, try to get rid of the override! Hang tight, Charles!" Chris closed the comms. "Guys, we have to get up there now! This is gonna be a bloodbath"
"Bring 'em on, I say." Samson readied his smartgun.
"Forward into the breach!" Lafayette raised his smartgun in a victory pose.
"I'll fight till those things hack the flesh from my bones." Marissa nodded, a determined look on her face.
"I'll fight too....." Michelle was scared, but she looked ready to fight.
"Let's go!" Chris rallied them, and they stepped on the lift. Once again, they headed back to their haven. However, now this was the battle that mattered.
They couldn't lose this fight......
Never fear, Chapter 6'll be here
Chris the Phoenix Knight