Disclaimer: I don't own aliens, if I did they'd probably break out and take over the world. (Laughs nervously.) Scar and all the other characters in this story are mine. The Komoslothes are my own creation.

Chapter 13

Treacherous and Traitorous

Scar uneasily pressed ahead leading the group of drones through the forest. Sonar and him were leading the group. Every so often Scar would nervously glance back at the pack of drones.

(You seem uncomfortable,) Sonar said.

(Well, I'm not used to being around so many aliens,) Scar replied.

The Queen had decided that he should explore the forest and get to know the landscape and perhaps capture a few hosts and see how Scar would do under the pressure of a real fight.

Scar had laughed at that. What kind of creature would possibly attack an alien? The Queen had then gone on to describe a few of the creatures that would attack a xenomorph. They would attack in defense as they saw the xenomorphs as threats. Of course they wouldn't eat a xenomorph. Just kill it.

Sonar and him were supposed to take a hunting party into Komosloth territory. The Komosloth were large cat-like creatures. They were similar to the lions of earth the Queen had said. Scar had no idea how the Queen knew what a lion was, but he suspected she had pulled it from his memory. The Komoslothes also hunted in packs.

Scar pushed another branch aside. It was then that he got his first look at a Komosloth. The creature looked a lot like a lion, except that it was covered in brown scales instead of yellow fur. Its tail was also rather thick.

The drones quickly bounded past and overwhelmed the surprised animal. They knocked it unconscious without any loses.

(Well, I guess we can leave now,) Scar said.

Sonar growled. A second later, one of Scar's many new senses picked up something as well. Another Komosloth sprang from the bushes and ripped the throat out of one of the drones. Scar noticed that the acid blood wasn't burning the animal's teeth as affectively as he would have expected.

(They're acid resistant!) Scar said. More and more Komoslothes emerged from the bushes. The xenos soon found themselves outnumbered, 5 to 10.

(Come on,) Sonar said charging forward. Scar growled in reply and jumped forward. He landed behind one of the cats and lunched his tongue through its scaly armor. The creature released one last savage roar and died.

Another one of them turned and pounced on him. Fortunately, Scar found that he was faster then the Komosloth. Scar spun towards it and slashed its face. The big cat screeched as Scar's claws raked its eyes. Scar threw the blinded animal into one of its comrades. Scar lashed out with his tail and killed the one pinned beneath it. The blinded one he left alive.

Scar jumped at another one that was distracted by another drone. It had the drone cornered and bleeding badly. Scar ran it through with his tail. Surprisingly the injured drone lunged back into battle. Scar looked on in disbelief as it attack another one of the creatures.

Scar shook his head as he scanned the battlefield. The Komoslothes were all down. The only losses they had sustained were the one injured.

Scar cried out as something slammed into his back and knocked him to the ground. The Komosloth pinned him. Scar's tail thrust around looking for the creatures flesh. He struggled against its weight. Scar felt its needlelike fangs cut into his shoulder.

Scar growled and reached up with his hands. He gripped the cat's head and flung it off of him. The other drones jumped forward to attack. Scar still had a hold of the creature's head. Scar growled and twisted it to the side, snapping the Komoslothes neck.

Scar hissed and rolled onto his feet. The wound in his shoulder was already closing itself.

(You all right?) Sonar asked.

(Yeah, fine,) Scar replied glancing down distastefully at the Komosloth's corpse. Sonar leaned down and sliced a large piece of flesh from it. Sonar slung it over his shoulder and ripped another piece loose.

(What are you doing?) Scar asked.

(Komosloth,) Sonar said holding up another piece of meat. (Good eating.)

(Yeah, I'll bet,) Scar said. (Couldn't you find something else to eat?)

(This is about the best there is on this planet,) Sonar said. (Most of the other life forms aren't very edible.)

(Whatever let's just get out of here,) Scar said.

Half-Jaw ripped another chunk of meat from the human host. It was common practice to eat a host after the chestbuster had been born.

Chaos, a female praetorian was sharing his meal. She was a rather ambitious xenomorph, but the Queen had refused to let her metamorphous into another Queen and start her own hive.

(What do you think of the Queen?) Chaos asked abruptly. (Can you believe she let a human into the hive?)

(I don't like it anymore then you, but there's nothing we can do about it,) Half-Jaw ripped another piece of flesh loose. He paused waiting for Chaos to continue.

(We can overthrow the Queen.)

Half-Jaw paused. (Overthrow the Queen? Are you crazy? We would never survive.)

(And why not?) Chaos fumed. (She is unfit to rule.)

(Nonetheless, she is the Queen and we can't change that,) Half-Jaw shot back. (She would kill us both.)

(And you would just sit around while she allows humans to wonder the hive?) Chaos asked. (I won't stand for it.)

(And I won't betray the Queen,) Half-Jaw got up and turned to leave.

(Think it over,) Chaos said. Half-Jaw paused. (She is weak. You know that. We need a strong Queen.)

Half-Jaw huffed and walked away. Chaos growled. (Fine, I don't need you.)

Chaos stood and bounded off.

Scar absentmindedly flicked his tail. The Queen listened as he explained human religion.

He finished and the Queen mentally frowned. (And you believe this just because it's written in some ancient book?) She asked.

(Well, religion has lost its flair in the last couple of hundred years,) Scar said. (I personally never believed it, but if there is a divine being out there, he apparently doesn't like me.)

(Chaos,) the Queen looked up and Scar followed her gaze and saw a large female praetorian enter.

(Mom,) she approached the Queen and Scar.

(What do you want?) The Queen asked. The praetorian's mind was closed off from her.

Chaos stopped in front of the Queen. (I'm here to take the throne.) Chaos slashed the side of Scar's head open. Scar fell to the floor as Chaos leapt toward the Queen. Chaos roared in pain and fell to the floor clutching her head in pain.

(Did you really think you could kill me?) The Queen shouted as Chaos failed in pain. (I thought I raised you better then that.)

Scar began to climb back to his feet. The yellowish blood spilled from his wound and smoked as it hit the floor.

Several things happened in the next second. Half-Jaw charged into the room. The Queen looked up at him and temporarily released Chaos from her mental torture. Chaos taking advantage of this prepared to leap as she opened her jaws to deliver the killing blow. Half-Jaw raised his claws and struck…