Disclaimer: I don't own aliens, however Scar says that he will personally disembowel anyone who steals my characters.

Chapter 7

Scar's Sacrifice

Renee sat in the supply room and drummed her fingers against the box she was sitting on. She scanned the shadows of the room. A small kangaroo-like rodent was sitting on a box opposite the room.

Renee sighed and leaned her head on her arms as the door finally hissed open. Her mother entered looking around the room.

"Hey, mom," Renee said as her mother sat down next to her. She stared at the two vials in her hand and at the dark green liquid that they contained.

Rachel looked at her daughter and asked. "Do you happen to know a xenomorph named Scar?"

Renee nodded. "Yeah, he rescued me from that drone today. He said he was going to talk to you."

Rachel leaned back. "Did he tell you what he was going to talk to me about?"

"No," Renee shook her head.

"He is suggesting that were you to transform that you could live with the hive on this planet," Rachel said. "He's also invited me along."

"What's so bad about that?" Renee asked.

"How can we trust him?" Rachel asked.

Renee scoffed. "He already saved me. I don't think he's going to betray us."

Rachel fell silent and said no more. The two of them sat in silence as they waited for Scar to return.

Half an hour later as Rachel checked her watch, the door opened and the black alien entered.

"What took you so long?" Rachel asked.

(What's the hurry?) Scar asked. (Come on, let's go.)

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Rachel and Renee walked down the hallway while Scar was scurrying along the ceiling above them. Rachel glanced up at Scar in discomfort.

Rachel halted and Scar followed her example. "There's a guard around the next corner."

(Guarding the exit?) Scar asked. (Well, I can't get out with him in the way so…)

"What are you going to do?" Renee asked.

Scar hissed and charged around the corner still on the ceiling. The guard cried out and then a soft thwack followed. Rachel moved around the corner and saw Scar standing over an unconscious soldier.

Rachel moved past and punched in the code to open the door. The door opened and they stepped out of the climate-controlled comfort of the base and into the hot and humid jungle.

(Follow me,) Scar said taking point and galloping on ahead. He slowed his pace so that the two humans could keep up.

Scar pushed through the plant life. He looked back at Rachel and Renee and waited for them to catch up.

(Don't worry the hive isn't far,) Scar said as he helped Renee up the hill. (And the Queen is sending some aliens to meet us halfway.)

"Oh, and that's supposed to reassure me?" Rachel asked sarcastically.

Scar growled and continued his lead.

"Is there anything that will attack us out here?" Renee asked a little shakily.

(No, just the-,) Scar froze as he pushed back the tree limbs. A brown-scaled creature stood in the clearing ahead. Scar leapt forward and stabbed his tail through the brown-scaled cat.

"What's that?" Rachel asked looking at the dead creature.

(Komosloth,) Scar growled. (The only thing around here that's nasty enough to tangle with us xenomorphs.)

"You certainly took it down easily enough," Rachel said.

(Yeah, but they usually hunt…)

A low growl issued from the bushes. Four more of the brown-scaled cats emerged from the bushes. They growled and prepared to pounce at the lone alien.

(In packs,) Scar finished facing the four creatures. (Run for it! That way!)

Scar leapt forward and slashed one of the large cat's heads. The creature backed away slightly dazed.

The other three all lunged at once. They piled on top of Scar and forced him to the ground. Scar growled and kicked and slashed trying to force the three animals off of him. They began to tear into his armored carapace. Acidic blood spilled across the grass and smoked. A claw slashed across his throat.

(Its goanna take more then you guys to kill me!) Scar growled pushing the creatures away.

His echolocation showed a low tree branch above him perhaps within jumping range and thick enough to hold him. Scar leapt and grabbed the branch. He hauled himself up and away from the cats' jaws.

Scar sighed. Komoslothes might be viscous and cunning, but they couldn't climb. Scar moved to climb higher as the branch made a loud snapping noise.

Scar gasped as the branch gave way and dropped him toward the four waiting sets of jaws. The four creatures pinned him again and began tearing away his flesh.

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The two humans burst through the underbrush. They gazed at the small group of drones. Xena looked at them and then turned to Sonar.

(Where's Scar?) She asked.

(He should be with them,) Sonar replied.

(I'm going to go look for him,) the praetorian said. (Stay here and get the humans back to the hive.)

Xena signaled out a small group of xenomorphs to follow her and charged past the humans who jumped aside uncomfortably.

(How am I supposed to get them to the hive?) Sonar asked. (They can't understand us.)