Chapter 5.
Lin looked through the cupboard seeing what there was to eat, "Nothing but shit…" She sighed and turned to Bishop, "Would you eat this?" She said trying to hide her nervousness and held up a can of baked beans.
Bishop thought about it and replied, "No… I suppose you wouldn't either." He smiled and took it off her.
"Thanks," She sighed and began searching again.
Bishop stood still, looking at Lin.
Lin pulled another can down, "Canned corn… Corn soup?" She turned to Bishop again and found him looking blankly at her, "Um…" Lin put the can down and began to look through the cupboard again, whispering to herself – He's just a robot, he's just a robot, he's just a robot…
Bishop finally looked away, "I'm sorry if I made you feel uncomfortable, but I need to tell you something. I was just thinking about how I was going to." He sighed.
Lin stopped and looked at him slowly, "Yes?" She said softly.
"You're very nervous, I can tell…" Bishop told her, "And even now your cheeks are turning red. Blushing?" He asked.
Lin nodded softly, "Why are you telling me this?"
"I can't lie to you… I wasn't going to say anything, but the way I'm programmed, I can't exactly do that." Bishop said, "Corn soup?" he asked off topic
Lin again nodded and handed the can to him slowly and hesitantly.
Bishop began to open the can and pouring the contents into a bowl, "You were right, by the way… I maybe synthetic, but my skin should grow back together…"
"Come on guys… Stop fucking around… We have a job to do!" Peters slapped them both after getting pinched on the backside.
"Sorry Peters… Couldn't resist!" Indig laughed.
"Yeah, nice joke, but she slapped me too, dumb ass!" Allan grabbed the light off him and continued on with Peters.
Indig scowled, and caught up with them eventually, "Yeah, so you leave me behind?"
"Well, you weren't moving…" Allan said.
Peters stopped suddenly, "What was that?"
"What was what?" Indig said worried slightly.
"We didn't hear anything…" Allan said putting a hand on her shoulder.
"Not hear… See… Didn't you see it? Something moved, up ahead." Peters pointed into the darkness.
The three paused for a moment and then Indig went on with a laugh, "Haha, very funny Peters… Trying to make us worried." He continued into the darkness, suddenly unafraid.
"Indig, I'm not joking! Stop! I really saw something, at least take the light." She pleaded, staying with Allan.
"Stupid moron, thinks that everything's a joke." Allan said, starting to go after him.
Indig disappeared shortly after and Allan and Peters heard him scream.
Allan stopped and moved back to Peters.
"Indig… Indig… Indig, you alright?" Peters called with a shaky voice, "You better not be fooling around… Come back." Peters continued and stepped back.
"HELP!" Indig screamed suddenly.
"Shine the torch over there…" Allan said.
Peters stared.
"Shine it over there, NOW!" He yelled.
Peters didn't do anything. There was more screaming, and finally when it stopped, Peters curiously moved the light of the torch slowly down the dark hall.
"Oh my god…" Allan whispered.
"Lin is a very nice girl… How'd you come across her? I think she mentioned something about you wanting her." Hicks said, looking across the table to Luppes.
"Well… We wanted someone young, no older than 30, and we didn't really want a droid – glitches y'know. So yeah. She had just turned 24 when we came across her, it was all by luck actually." Luppes laughed.
"24?" Hick repeated, "She said she was 19…"
"Oh… right," Luppes said sitting back, "That's something different." He said concerned.
"How can it be different?" Newt asked, as she became curious.
Luppes sighed, knowing he'd have to tell them about her age, "Well," He began, trying to remember what he had been told, "There's 2 rumours about her age… No-one knows accept her. When her old boss signed the contract, he put down 24. But obviously she looks a lot younger than that!" He paused.
"Then how old is she?" Hicks asked again.
Luppes shrugged, "Dunno… The other rumour is that because she's so smart, people just assumed she was 23. But personally, I think she's 24, but her image stopped changing at the age or 18 or 19…" He finished.
"But wouldn't you need to know her age? I mean, isn't necessary to have the correct age of all crew members on file?" Newt replied innocently.
"Yes, but her old boss said it was her age, regardless of what Lin said otherwise…" Luppes smiled at the girl.
"By the way, what did Lin do before she joined this crew, job wise?" Hicks asked.
"Yeah. Was she a science officer or something?" Newt wondered as well.
"I think so. All I know is that she's from your side of the galaxy and she worked for Weyland himself." Luppes began to drum his fingers on the table.
"Weyland? As in the Weyland Yutani?" Hicks asked.
"Not the company, but the owner, Weyland… Come to think of it, I'm pretty sure that Weyland had made a droid of himself. I suspect Bishop… He does look a lot like the man." He smiled.
Hicks thought about it for a moment. Could it be, that Lin's feelings towards Bishop are from her previous job with Weyland? "Do you know anything about her past?" Hicks became interested.
"You seem to be very interested in her, don't you?" Luppes said slyly, "Although I think she fancies that droid of yours…"
"What? I wouldn't think so… Right now, Ripley is the only woman for me…" Hicks replied in a sort of daze.
"What about me?" Newt asked.
"You're not exactly woman now, are you?" He said softly to her.
"Ripley…" Luppes repeated softly, "It's not that I have anything against the woman, but she seems a bit mean and up tight…" He said truthfully.
"She's just under stress. Probably from beingin the cryo-chambers for another 5 years." Hicks replied, thinking about her.
"Another 5? You mean she's spent a while in there?" He questioned.
"Well, yeah, 57 years before our last sleep." Hicks answered.
"Shit, that's a long time… No wonder!" Luppes laughed.
"What's so funny?" Ripley asked as she entered the room.
"Ripley!" Newt squealed and raced over to hug her.
"Newt sweety!" Ripley said, "How are you?"
"Hey Ripley!" Hicks said, smiling at her.
"Hey Hicks, how's your eye?" Ripley replied, taking a seat next to him.
"Alright… Still can't see with it, but Lin's been a real help. It's getting better, I can tell you now!" He said.
Ripley paused, " Lin… yeah, she's a little miracle worker, isn't she?" Ripley replied sarcastically.
"What's the matter Ripley?" Newt asked her.
"Nothing…" Ripley replied and kissed Newt's forehead.
"We have to find Ahliase!" Peters said, trying to catch her breath after running.
Allan stopped and put a hand on her shoulder, "I know, come on… We need to get back to the control room and put it over the loud speaker.
"That bitch… She's hiding something, she's gonna get us all killed if she doesn't let us know! Fucking hell!" Ahliase muttered to herself as she looked around the corner.
"Captain Ahliase! Please report back to the Ameddin immediately. This is no drill! This Peters, please hurry, you are in danger. Once again, please report back to the Ameddin immediately."
"What?" Ahliase said startled and began to go back to her ship.
"I hope she could hear that…" Allan said taking Peters' hand and pulled her into a run as they made their way back to the ship.
Lin stepped back with tears in her eyes, "Don't say that… Please…"
Bishop stayed where he was, "I'm sorry, don't cry. What have I done to upset you?" He asked rather confused.
"It's nothing you've done, it's your creator!" She whimpered.
"Weyland?" Bishop said in a questioning tone, "What has he done?"
Lin shook her head and started towards the door, "It's nothing, Bishop. Forget about it all!" She sighed as she put her hand to the knob.
"Lin…" Bishop said, closing the gap between them, "Don't cry."
Lin stood there, biting her lip. The tears streamed down her cheeks as she turned to come face to face with the droid, "Move away… That's an order! MOVE AWAY!" She yelled at him.
Bishop was shocked at her tone, but even so, he put a hand to her cheek, and attempted to dry it, "Don't cry anymore…"
Lin began to tremble and wrapped her arms around Bishop quickly, pushing her face deep into his chest.
Bishop remained still, unsure of what to do, "It's ok…" He said, looking down at her.
They remained like that for several moments until Lin pulled away, "No…" She said under her breath.
"What?" Bishop asked puzzled.
"Stop messing with me!" She said, tears still raining down on her cheeks. She turned around and opened the door and walked straight past everyone.
"Lin?" Hicks said as he saw the upset girl walk out of the room. He turned quickly to face Bishop, "What happened?"
"Peters, we're nearly there! Come on, faster!" Allan said still holding onto the Peters.
"Allan, what if Ahliase isn't alright? What if she's dead?" Peters panted as they reached the door.
Suddenly, there was sound of movement.
Peters squealed and stopped, turning around to see what it was.
"Peters!" Came Ahliase's voice, "Peters, is that you?"
"Ahliase?" Peters called back, squinting into the darkness, and Ahliase's figure emerged, "Ahliase, quickly!"
"Come on, we need to destroy this ship, immediately!" Allan yelled.
Ahliase began to run, not knowing why. She caught up with them and they reached the door.
"We made it!" Peters exclaimed as Allan cautiously opened the door.
Another sound came from down the hall.
"What was that?" Peters gasped and froze on the spot.
"Who cares, we need to make sure that thing doesn't get on the Ameddin!" Allan explained.
"What thing? An Alien?" Ahliase looked down the hall.
"Yes…" Peters said, pointing into the darkness, and calmly said, "And there it is."