Disclaimer: I don't own aliens, but all the characters in this fic are mine.

Chapter 5

Renee's Fate

Scar jumped as the door slowly slid open. He twisted in the air, hit the ceiling, and stuck there as Rachel entered, her head nearly brushing against Scar's spines.

(Doesn't anybody knock any more?) Scar said.

Renee ignored his silent pun and opened her mouth to say something to her mother.

Rachel interrupted however and said. "Come on, I need to talk to you." She seemed positively aglow as she grabbed Renee's hand and led her out of the room.

Scar dropped from the roof and looked at the closed door. Scar debated whether or not to follow. Making up his mind he leapt back into the air vent and followed after their retreating footsteps and scent.

They headed to a largely deserted storeroom. They sat down on the crates as Scar listened from the air vent above them.

Scar resisted the urge to try and get comfortable as moving could alert Rachel to his presence.

(Scar!) Said Xenomorph jumped as his name resounded through his mind with near painful force.

(What?) Scar asked the Queen.

(Where are you?) She sounded extremely mad.

(I'm in the human facility,) Scar replied.

(And why are you in the human facility?) The Queen asked angrily.

(I'll explain later, right now I'm busy,) Scar replied.

Scar turned back to listen to Rachel and Renee's conversation. He was aware that the Queen was now listening too.

"Okay," Rachel said breathing heavily.

"Are you okay?" Renee asked.

Rachel nodded beaming brightly. "I've found a cure."

"A cure? For what?" Renee asked. Her mother looked at her. "You mean a cure for…?"

"Yep," Rachel said smiling happily. "Finally."

"Well, what is it?" Renee asked with pure delight.

"The Devil's Light," Rachel said suddenly dead serious.

Renee's delight vanished and she seemed to think. The two women sat in silence for a few minutes. "How's that work?"

"It reconstructs a diseased human body into a perfectly healthy alien," Rachel said.

"Yeah, I guess that would be expected," Renee said.

"So-, I'm not going to force you to-."

"Go ahead," Renee said.

Her mother looked at her startled. "You know that this-."

"I know all about the problems, but-," Renee sighed. "If I'll be alive then I guess its better then the alternative."

Rachel nodded. "All right, I'm going to go and-."

"Yeah," Renee said. "Go ahead, I'll head back to my room."

Rachel got up and left the room. Renee sighed and closed her eyes. A single tear streaked down her face.

Renee gasped and jumped to her feet and turned, as the vent behind her was ripped open by a xenomorph. Scar crossed his arms.

(What's going on?) Scar asked.

"Were you spying on me?" Renee asked.

(Yes,) Scar replied. (So sue me. What's going on?) Scar moved toward her and leaned down to eye level.

"I-, oh, boy," Renee said. She turned away and walked to the opposite wall. "My parents were married when they were very young. Shortly after I was born, my father died of cancer."

(I'm sorry,) Scar said.

"Well, my mother who was studying genetics at that time immediately began searching for some kind of cure after she got out of college," Renee said. "Imagine how she felt when we found out I have the same disease that killed my dad."

(That's why your mother let you come?) Scar asked.

"Yeah," Renee nodded sadly. "I wanted to see space, before-."

"Yeah, okay," Scar said. He fell silent for a moment as he conferred with the Queen.

(That's not our problem,) she said.

(Come on, you know that if she transforms there is no place in human society for her,) Scar said.

(There's no place for her in xenomorph society either,) the Queen said coldly.

(Oh, come on.)

(No,) the Queen repeated.

(Why not?)

(I don't trust her,) the Queen said. (What motivation is there for her to join us? You were used as a test subject. I figured since that was the case it would be easier for you to join the hive. Besides if you didn't work out I said that I would kill you. If we allow her in the hive and that decision had to be made, what would you think of it?)

Scar sighed mentally and physically. (I don't know.)

The Queen was silent and finally said. (You're turning out to be more trouble then you're worth. All right save the girl.)

(Thanks,) Scar said. He leapt back toward the vent. He hung there and looked back at Renee. (Where's your mother going to get the Devil's Light from?)

"In the hanger where the ship is at," Renee said. "That's where we moved all of the working serum."

(Thanks,) Scar climbed into the vent.

"Wait, where are you going?" Renee asked.

(To have a little talk with your mother,) Scar replied as his tail vanished into the vent.