Chapter 12
"I don't have time to bleed." He remarked as he stepped forward.
Rita started to follow him, but stopped when she heard someone gasp. She turned around- as did Artorus.
Einrich suddenly seemed pale and her knees started to buckle. His made a strange hissing sound as she fell on the floor. She then broke into tears for a moment and then fell over, loosing consciousness.
Artorus approached her. "Somebody, give me a hand with her." He spoke as he reached down to unbuckle her armored vest and smart-gun.
Jackson picked up the weapon. "The clip is almost empty." He commented.
"Leave the gun and take the extra magazine, she'll probably need it later." Artorus replied.
"I'll get her." Harmon announced as he kneeled down next to her. He quickly scooped her up into his arms and stood back up.
Jackson pulled the extra magazine of ammunition out of Einrich's backpack and stood back up.
***
Clement and Stanton stood up as the door slid open.
"Where is Abel?" Artorus asked
"He left." Clement replied. "But what the hell happened down there?" He then asked.
"The Xenomorphs attacked us, but I'll get into that in a moment." He replied. "Right now, we need to know if you can help us with our friend." He explained.
The marines set up a bunk and laid Einrich down on it.
"I'm not an expert, but from the look of it, she seems to be suffering from mild shock." He commented as he examined and checked out her eyes. "She'll probably just sleep it off." He added He then looked up at Artorus. "That wound on your arm need to be treated." He remarked.
***
Artorus and Clement were standing over a table-shaped display unit. Jackson was looking it over with them.
"This is where it was that the attack happened." Artorus pointed out. "Do you know what those things in the wall were?" He then asked.
Clement thought about it for a moment. "They're a mechanism used to purge sections of the complex of chemical outbreaks at high speeds. they were intended to help." He replied.
"But the aliens are using them to hunt and kill us." Artorus remarked.
"That doesn't make sense," Clement replied. "Only a staff member with top- level security clearance could activate it." He added.
"That would make sense," Jackson inserted. "These systems are far to complicated for the aliens to active it themselves." He added.
"So that would mean that someone at the highest rung of the ladder activated the purging system." Artorus replied.
"And that would be." Clement began to say.
"Geraldy!" Artorus cut in.
"But why?" Jackson remarked.
"I don't know, maybe because he's crazy." Artorus shot back in frustration.
"He vanished," Clement began saying. "He practically walked straight into the epicenter of the alien's activity." He added.
"What do you mean?" Jackson asked.
Clement ran a hand through his hair and looked back at him. "When he went mad and released the aliens, the converged into a specific sector." The scientist explained. "And then Geraldy proceeded to leave the lab and slip away during the chaos." He finished.
"Why didn't you and the other staff people exit the base as soon as this all happened?" Artorus asked.
"The Security protocols locked down the whole system, as is required such an outbreak-scenario." The Doctor replied.
"That makes sense." Jackson remarked. "The Wayland Yutani people would have to come in and reopen the doors." Jackson added.
"Dr. Clement," Artorus began. "Were you there when it happened?" Artorus asked him calmly.
Clement straightened himself out and looked him in the eyes. "I was a genetic technician, and it was my job to oversee the genetic coding to make sure that there were no abnormalities in the sequences." He replied. "Is that what you wanted to know, or were you going to ask me if I worked on the xenomorphs myself, because I did not." He finished.
Artorus shifted his weight onto his right leg. "You don't have to explain yourself to me." Artorus replied.
"Good." Clement replied.
***
Everyone was gathered together, except for Einrich.
"We have to figure a way to get out of here." Jackson announced to the others.
"But why?" Salazar began. "Abel left to go get Wayland-Yutani Death Squad." He went on.
"That won't be good enough." Artorus spoke.
"Why not?" Came Salazar's question.
"Because their current course position will take them at least seven days to get here, and that's if they perform a light jump." He replied.
Salazar swore and looked away.
Harmon spoke up. "Why don't we just make our way to the APC and get the hell out of here?" He offered.
"That won't work," Jackson cut in. "The Aliens have recently moved to block our path to the vehicle." He continued. "I'm not sure if they're doing it deliberately or not."
"Why was the APC left unattended?" Rita asked.
"Because Jaeger was the driver, and she had to go with us to fill in for McKenzie." Harmon answered.
"Abel couldn't stay in the APC by himself, so we used the portable unit." Artorus added.
"I guess we'll never know what the hell happened to that dumb son of a bitch." Salazar remarked.
"What do you think happened to him?!" Jackson snapped back
"Both of you stow it!" Artorus interrupted.
"Then we're left with only two options," Harmon began. "We either wait here and hope the aliens don't get inside, or we try and escape." He went on.
"Fuck escape, I'm staying here!" Salazar exclaimed.
"If you stay here, you'll die." Artorus inserted into the conversation.
"What do you mean?" the other marine asked in return.
Artorus stood up and looked down at Salazar. "They're body is covered in spikes and claws, they had pure acid running through them and spit it straight of their mouth, and they most perfect and adept killing machine." He replied. He then pointed at the door. "If you think that a sliding door can stop them, then you're welcome to stay here and hide!" He finished as he walked away. "I'm not going to stick around and be food." He added as an afterthought and left.
"He's right." Harmon remarked. "I'm going too." He added.
"I'm certainly not staying behind." Rita announced.
"Me neither," Jackson spoke. "I'm not sticking around to take it like as punk!" He added.
"If Corporal McNealand sees fit to leave, then so will I." Clement remarked.
"Me too." Stanton inserted gruffly.
"You're all crazy!" Salazar raged.
Harmon looked around. "Since Blake and Jaeger are dead, we need to establish a new leader." He remarked. "I nominate Artorus." He added.
The Bowman's wolf stopped and looked over his shoulder. "What?" He asked in surprise. "I'm not a leader." He replied.
"You're the highest ranking person here, and you have the most qualifications.
Artorus had turned around and was facing him as he stood there, silently.
"I'm just a grunt, trained for combat," Harmon began. "But you're a leader, I can see it in your eyes." He finished.
Artorus turned to Jackson. "He's right, you took charge back in the corridor; you just didn't know it." The marine replied.
"They're right." Rita added. "I know that you can get us out of here." She added softly as she tucked her hands in her pockets.
Salazar shook his head. "Fine by me
~End of Chapter 12~
Well, when it rains, it pours. The fight scene was difficult for me to write because I went to so much trouble to make the characters relatable, only to have to agonize over who I could have survive and who would need to die. I do not take the concept of death lightly and it was rather difficult for me to do it, but it was necessary.
The deaths in the previous chapter killed off some of the character dynamics, but they have also created some new ones as well. The people who have been reading this story for a while may understand the reason for killing off the characters as I did. but I'm not going to give it away.
Also, I'd like to send out some thanks to BlackDawn, Zinic, Corpal Hicks, and everyone else who took the time to send me a review.
Ps. I drew a few more pictures for BlackDawn's website, which is a wonderful site that you all should go check out when you have a chance. Her website is the best place to find artwork of the cast from the story.
Later,
-Bojack
"I don't have time to bleed." He remarked as he stepped forward.
Rita started to follow him, but stopped when she heard someone gasp. She turned around- as did Artorus.
Einrich suddenly seemed pale and her knees started to buckle. His made a strange hissing sound as she fell on the floor. She then broke into tears for a moment and then fell over, loosing consciousness.
Artorus approached her. "Somebody, give me a hand with her." He spoke as he reached down to unbuckle her armored vest and smart-gun.
Jackson picked up the weapon. "The clip is almost empty." He commented.
"Leave the gun and take the extra magazine, she'll probably need it later." Artorus replied.
"I'll get her." Harmon announced as he kneeled down next to her. He quickly scooped her up into his arms and stood back up.
Jackson pulled the extra magazine of ammunition out of Einrich's backpack and stood back up.
***
Clement and Stanton stood up as the door slid open.
"Where is Abel?" Artorus asked
"He left." Clement replied. "But what the hell happened down there?" He then asked.
"The Xenomorphs attacked us, but I'll get into that in a moment." He replied. "Right now, we need to know if you can help us with our friend." He explained.
The marines set up a bunk and laid Einrich down on it.
"I'm not an expert, but from the look of it, she seems to be suffering from mild shock." He commented as he examined and checked out her eyes. "She'll probably just sleep it off." He added He then looked up at Artorus. "That wound on your arm need to be treated." He remarked.
***
Artorus and Clement were standing over a table-shaped display unit. Jackson was looking it over with them.
"This is where it was that the attack happened." Artorus pointed out. "Do you know what those things in the wall were?" He then asked.
Clement thought about it for a moment. "They're a mechanism used to purge sections of the complex of chemical outbreaks at high speeds. they were intended to help." He replied.
"But the aliens are using them to hunt and kill us." Artorus remarked.
"That doesn't make sense," Clement replied. "Only a staff member with top- level security clearance could activate it." He added.
"That would make sense," Jackson inserted. "These systems are far to complicated for the aliens to active it themselves." He added.
"So that would mean that someone at the highest rung of the ladder activated the purging system." Artorus replied.
"And that would be." Clement began to say.
"Geraldy!" Artorus cut in.
"But why?" Jackson remarked.
"I don't know, maybe because he's crazy." Artorus shot back in frustration.
"He vanished," Clement began saying. "He practically walked straight into the epicenter of the alien's activity." He added.
"What do you mean?" Jackson asked.
Clement ran a hand through his hair and looked back at him. "When he went mad and released the aliens, the converged into a specific sector." The scientist explained. "And then Geraldy proceeded to leave the lab and slip away during the chaos." He finished.
"Why didn't you and the other staff people exit the base as soon as this all happened?" Artorus asked.
"The Security protocols locked down the whole system, as is required such an outbreak-scenario." The Doctor replied.
"That makes sense." Jackson remarked. "The Wayland Yutani people would have to come in and reopen the doors." Jackson added.
"Dr. Clement," Artorus began. "Were you there when it happened?" Artorus asked him calmly.
Clement straightened himself out and looked him in the eyes. "I was a genetic technician, and it was my job to oversee the genetic coding to make sure that there were no abnormalities in the sequences." He replied. "Is that what you wanted to know, or were you going to ask me if I worked on the xenomorphs myself, because I did not." He finished.
Artorus shifted his weight onto his right leg. "You don't have to explain yourself to me." Artorus replied.
"Good." Clement replied.
***
Everyone was gathered together, except for Einrich.
"We have to figure a way to get out of here." Jackson announced to the others.
"But why?" Salazar began. "Abel left to go get Wayland-Yutani Death Squad." He went on.
"That won't be good enough." Artorus spoke.
"Why not?" Came Salazar's question.
"Because their current course position will take them at least seven days to get here, and that's if they perform a light jump." He replied.
Salazar swore and looked away.
Harmon spoke up. "Why don't we just make our way to the APC and get the hell out of here?" He offered.
"That won't work," Jackson cut in. "The Aliens have recently moved to block our path to the vehicle." He continued. "I'm not sure if they're doing it deliberately or not."
"Why was the APC left unattended?" Rita asked.
"Because Jaeger was the driver, and she had to go with us to fill in for McKenzie." Harmon answered.
"Abel couldn't stay in the APC by himself, so we used the portable unit." Artorus added.
"I guess we'll never know what the hell happened to that dumb son of a bitch." Salazar remarked.
"What do you think happened to him?!" Jackson snapped back
"Both of you stow it!" Artorus interrupted.
"Then we're left with only two options," Harmon began. "We either wait here and hope the aliens don't get inside, or we try and escape." He went on.
"Fuck escape, I'm staying here!" Salazar exclaimed.
"If you stay here, you'll die." Artorus inserted into the conversation.
"What do you mean?" the other marine asked in return.
Artorus stood up and looked down at Salazar. "They're body is covered in spikes and claws, they had pure acid running through them and spit it straight of their mouth, and they most perfect and adept killing machine." He replied. He then pointed at the door. "If you think that a sliding door can stop them, then you're welcome to stay here and hide!" He finished as he walked away. "I'm not going to stick around and be food." He added as an afterthought and left.
"He's right." Harmon remarked. "I'm going too." He added.
"I'm certainly not staying behind." Rita announced.
"Me neither," Jackson spoke. "I'm not sticking around to take it like as punk!" He added.
"If Corporal McNealand sees fit to leave, then so will I." Clement remarked.
"Me too." Stanton inserted gruffly.
"You're all crazy!" Salazar raged.
Harmon looked around. "Since Blake and Jaeger are dead, we need to establish a new leader." He remarked. "I nominate Artorus." He added.
The Bowman's wolf stopped and looked over his shoulder. "What?" He asked in surprise. "I'm not a leader." He replied.
"You're the highest ranking person here, and you have the most qualifications.
Artorus had turned around and was facing him as he stood there, silently.
"I'm just a grunt, trained for combat," Harmon began. "But you're a leader, I can see it in your eyes." He finished.
Artorus turned to Jackson. "He's right, you took charge back in the corridor; you just didn't know it." The marine replied.
"They're right." Rita added. "I know that you can get us out of here." She added softly as she tucked her hands in her pockets.
Salazar shook his head. "Fine by me
~End of Chapter 12~
Well, when it rains, it pours. The fight scene was difficult for me to write because I went to so much trouble to make the characters relatable, only to have to agonize over who I could have survive and who would need to die. I do not take the concept of death lightly and it was rather difficult for me to do it, but it was necessary.
The deaths in the previous chapter killed off some of the character dynamics, but they have also created some new ones as well. The people who have been reading this story for a while may understand the reason for killing off the characters as I did. but I'm not going to give it away.
Also, I'd like to send out some thanks to BlackDawn, Zinic, Corpal Hicks, and everyone else who took the time to send me a review.
Ps. I drew a few more pictures for BlackDawn's website, which is a wonderful site that you all should go check out when you have a chance. Her website is the best place to find artwork of the cast from the story.
Later,
-Bojack