Alien Redemption

Wake up, get coffee and start his patrol. That was Sergeant Kyle's routine every morning when he got out of bed. 6 days of the week he was donning his police uniform and riding along with his partner to patrol the mean streets of Detroit. He'd been on the force for little over two and a half years now after a grueling year prior in the police academy.

He wasn't the top of his class, or even the sharpshooter of the rookies back in the academy. If anything most of his scores were pretty average. But he did have something that most of his peers did not, even back them. And that was his genuine desire to protect the people. It was something his drill Sergeant saw, and the Police chief of the Detroit police department saw it too which was why fresh out of the academy he was transferred over from his quiet life in Kansas to the big rather rowdy streets of Detroit.

Thankfully for him, today was his day off. He had plans to go see a movie with one of his colleagues, a junior that had just finished his own training with the local PD. He got along with most all of the new recruits, though this one in particular had a bit of a penchant for punishment. They'd introduced Kyle to a franchise that he wasn't all too familiar with growing up called the Alien series.

Or Xenomorphs, as the young private called them. To Kyle it was all greek to him for the first couple sessions. He hadn't seen many of the films but he would occasionally hit up the arcade on his day off to check some of the games they'd had on the franchise, or even decided to download a game called Alien Isolation to his computer. To say he woke up his neighbors once or twice was an understatement, but eventually he grew accustomed to the strange deformities of the Xenomorph's biology. If anything…he grew intrigued by their bodily anatomy.

They had such a rigid, bony structure for most of their body. Heck it was almost like their rips were on the outside rather than the other way around, and that elongated head. For whatever reason it always reminded him of a watermelon just got way too enlarged with bony spiked ridges that he couldn't help but wonder what their purpose was for. Or the bladed tail tip that was as deadly as any knife he'd ever carried out on his person.

But it was that tongue that was the most fascinating to him. It had a mouth of it's own…with sharp pointed teeth that looked as though they were meant for tearing flesh but he'd never seen one, not ONE Xenomorph in the lore that he'd been absorbing since his junior officer dragged him into it that seemed to use those teeth to really EAT anything. "They must consume something…every creature in nature, even if it's something from the vastness of space MUST have some form of sustenance…"

It was a frequent debate between him and his colleague. They were always so adamant that the Xenomorph did not require the sustenance humans did because they were a fictional race. Their only purpose is to terrify and make for a worthwhile fright in the horror genre. Kyle thought differently though. Even if it was just a film franchise, the creator of the series had to have some sort of ecological purpose for them, even if it was within the bounds of the screen. He could be such a nerd but he couldn't be any other way.

A loud chime came from his phone which nearly had him drop the razor he'd had in his hand as he stood by the mirror of his bathroom. "Ten AM already? No rest for the weary I guess…" He made sure his face was cleanly shaven and did one last take on his hair. He had short black hair that was combed upright. A little bit of gel and that would stay unfazed all morning. He grabbed hold of a white uniform shirt and slipped into is black pants.

The movie started at 10:30. If he was late again then his coworker would become a Xenomorph and bite HIS head off, no matter what they said about Xenobiology. But they had their movie tickets in advance so it's not as though they'd be waiting in line, if there even WAS a line. This was just a feature showing of the original trilogy so the only ones coming to watch it would be die hard fans for the franchise.

And him. The thought momentarily put a smile on the officer's face who after making sure he had everything he'd need for the day. His handcuffs, flashlight and Taser were all accounted for. Even if he was off the clock that didn't mean he could just ignore injustice or law breaking if it happened right in front of him. He'd even made sure to bring his police badge in case such an incident occurred.

But that was all just hypothetical. With any luck he'd not be needing any of it. He pulled a red jacket over his shirt to fend off the cold weather and off he went.

His colleague, a young man by the name of Dylan was already waiting outside of the theater doors with a rather impatient/giddy expression on his face. By some sheer luck, somehow he'd managed to get his superior to come out here with him to watch a show he's beloved since he'd been in middle school.

The poor newbie was just about to step into the theater when he saw their boss pull up in a beat up old black sedan. The look of disappointment in Dylan's face could be read like a book, wanting their superior to pull up in one of their police vehicles.

Kyle wasn't about to do that though. Waste police resources for a private outing? He clamored out of his car and started making his way towards the lanky young private straight out of the police academy. Today he wasn't their boss, but he couldn't help but feel a little overprotective of them. Maybe it was just the fact he wore his badge on and off the clock, but he did have a responsibility towards them so that they wouldn't make the same mistakes he did.

"Don't give me that look. We're not going on a high speed chase or even on the clock. So bringing the police cruiser out here would be silly." Kyle shot at his junior, giving him a brief but stern look before gesturing towards the doors to the theater. "Now let's go. If you stare any longer then we'll miss the film."

"Yes sir!" Dylan lifted one hand up in a salute before he moved to open the door for the Sarge. It may be his day off but he still wanted to make a good impression, even if to most it seemed like he was trying just a bit too hard.

Kyle would ignore it though. For the most part, Dylan was a good kid he just had a few misconceptions about what it meant to be an officer. But then he was that way too when he'd first joined the force. Young and impressionable, maybe even a bit gullible. He didn't want Dylan to become as misguided as he'd been.

The first film as it played was more than a little fascinating to Kyle. He saw the protagonist Ellen Ripley as a strong willed character. A woman who'd lost everything aboard the Nostromo. Her fellow crew, the soldiers. Everyone had been either killed by the alien Xenomorphs or taken to incubate and breed more Aliens.

Everyone had been taken, except for her which to Kyle was just a miracle and a half. By all rights, she should have been easy pickings for the Xenos. Yet she survived by a hair. But the real fascination he had was in the aliens themselves.

Their tall black figures…Scales, as far as he was concerned. How the presence aboard that ship changed every time you heard it's foot steps approaching. As if they commanded respect as the apex predators of the greater galactic scale. Humans were not the top of the food chain, and whenever the blip of a motion detector picked up their movements the HUMANS knew it too.

But he wondered what they were thinking. Wordless creatures who's only verbal sound was a hiss far as he knew. But…there had to be something there.

By the movie's end, and Ripley somehow managing to survive the encounter, the viewers were given a 20 minute break. Some time to stretch their legs out, get a refill on their beverage and just get themselves ready for more horrors.

Kyle himself decided to take the opportunity himself to get some fresh air with his Co-worker. Get some movement done as just sitting around all day didn't really do him any good. Especially if something were to happen and he weren't properly prepared for it.

"Soooo? What did you think?" Dylan was holding up two cups in his hands. He'd gone to grab them each a cup of coffee from the bar, but really he was just doing it to keep his partner in good spirits. Kyle wasn't accustomed to many horror flicks, and your first time watching the FIRST Alien film could be jarring.

"It was alright. Definitely kept me awake." Kyle took the cup and stared into the deep black depths of the coffee that was sitting inside. He couldn't help but imagine himself in that setting. If he were an alien what would he do? Would he be a mindless killer? Or would he have purpose?

He'd only managed to take a single sip of his coffee when he heard screaming down the road. Not something that was entirely unusual. The theater was by a mall where plenty of teenagers liked to spend their time. This wasn't that kind of scream.

Both officers made a mad dash towards the source of the scream. What he wouldn't give for his radio right about now. Why was THAT the one thing he didn't have on him though? Backup would have been appreciated but there was no time to think about that now.

The source of the scream was of a tall man with disheveled hair trying to yank a purse out of a mother's hands. Child behind her no older than 5, screaming at the man to leave them alone. It took no time at all for Kyle to jump in, tackling the man to the ground and wrestle with him on the floor.

"Stop struggling…You're under arrest!" Kyle bellowed in a rather loud, imposing voice that would surprise his colleagues when he really got into his job. "Dylan! Get off your butt and call the precinct. We need backup and a police car."

"R-Right. Got it chief!"

"I'm not the chief. And stop talking and just DO it!" Kyle roared, using one hand to hold the man's arm back while another reached around his belt for his handcuffs. What he didn't know was that there was already a concealed weapon in the man's hand, he just hadn't seen it upon the initial tackle so he assumed the man hadn't had any time to actually get a weapon out.

That was when he felt it. The man had one hand loose and as they rolled then shoved a knife into Kyle's chest. At first he didn't feel ANYTHING. But that pressure in his chest was hard to miss. He held on for dear life, suddenly realizing the error in his judgement. He was a dead man…And the blood spilling from his chest made that abundantly clear.

"Hello?! Yes this is officer Dylan! We need backup at…!" He paused when he saw the pooling blood on the boardwalk and his eyes widened. "No…no no…Send in an Ambulance as well!" He proceeded to give the 911 dispatcher their location and proceeded to take out his Taser and stun the perp. Once they were sufficiently stunned, he pulled them away from Kyle and cuffed them.

His immediate concern was Kyle. Blood was oozing from the wound and while Dylan did his best, he just could not get the bleeding to stop. He put his hands to the Sergeant's chest, tears starting to well up in his eyes. "No…Come on Sarge stay with me…! You can't just give up like this!"

Everything felt so numb. Kyle looked up and saw Dylan, their face grim and frantic as they tried to keep him from bleeding out. Why didn't he take his Taser out in the first place…He was better than this. His gut response just kicked in first. "Dylan…"

Kyle's voice was raspy, his energy just not there to retain his commanding voice any longer. He reached one hand up, which Dylan grabbed in his own bloodied hands. "You can't…be a smart ass recruit anymore…" Each word strained, his hand shook though he tried to keep it steady. "I need you…to keep fighting for me ok?"

"I will! I promise. Just don't go Sarge! I still need you to show me the ropes. You can't die here. Not yet!" Dylan's voice was growing shaky as well. It was getting hard to see with the tears in his eyes. He hadn't been in the force for very long, but Kyle had been his mentor. From day one he was made to be partnered with the Sergeant, to learn from him.

"Don't you worry…They'll make sure you get plenty of that." Kyle's breathing was becoming more labored. He could feel it now…That cold sense of death that creeped over him. He didn't know why but in minds eye he could see a Xenomorph stepping towards him, that clinking sound as their talons touched the grated floors of the Nostromo. He had maybe another minute or two at most...The ambulance wouldn't get here in time, even if he DID conserve his strength. "I saw your scores from the police academy…You'll do just fine." He tried to squeeze around Dylan's hand but found the strength just wasn't there. "You'd better make me proud…Or I'll become a Xenomorph and bite your head off…"

"Yeah…" Dylan couldn't keep the tears from just coming out like a deluge. A smile, more solemn than anything formed as he saw Kyle's eyes closing. "Yeah I'll do you proud Sarge…That's a promise. I won't let you down."

"Good…Good…" Kyle felt it slipping. Everything was becoming distant…the voices of Dylan…The people on the boardwalk. It all just vanished…as if he were sucked into a void and then…he felt…nothing.

Then just as quickly as everything had ended for him, he was suddenly aware of himself again. Where nothingness had gripped him he now found himself in a dark void. He could see nothing but the pain in his chest had vanished. His first thought was that he'd simply died, so any kind of pain wouldn't make a whole lot of sense.

But then he heard a loud thumping sound. Like a heart beating thunderously around him. But he'd been ran through…And he SHOULD be dead so how could he be hearing his own heart, much less so deafeningly.

Then his sense of touch returned to him. The numbness of death slowly fading as his strength began returning to his body as did the feeling of warmth. In fact, that warmth seemed to come from all around him. Like he was in some sort of cocoon. That's how he thought of it anyway despite the fleshy, squishy surroundings he found himself in.

The one thing he couldn't make it was where this place WAS. The first thought that came to Kyle was that he'd been stuffed into a body bag. He'd had to do that one too many times when transporting a body from a crime scene, but those were usually leathery and smooth. What he felt was spongy…If he pushed in any one place he could hear a muffled groan coming from all around him which had him even more concerned. His team, IF he were still alive hadn't simply fed his carcass to some animal did they? That didn't exactly fit either though, but the sounds around him were certainly organic.

{I need to get out of here. Wherever HERE is…And go make a report. I'm sure the chief would like to know that I'm NOT dead.}

He started trying to find some means of ripping himself out of his prison. Labored breathing sounded around him as that same heart beat that was droning in his ears was picking up. He had to ignore it though. Find out where he's at and then worry about these unusual sounds. His first instinct was to just muscle his way through.

That's when the screaming started. He could hear screams of pain, coming from the other side of this wall and his old police mentality kicked in, forcing his strength to surge out so that he might help whomever was in distress.

*RIIIIIIIIP!*

The "bag" as he'd called it burst open in a bloody gory mess. He broke out of his cage and heard the screams much more pronounced. They were coming from above him and then they just went silent. Was he too late?

His "eyes" were closed, yet he could see everything clearly. That said what he was seeing didn't make a whole lot of sense. He saw blood pooling from his torso down to his legs. Lots of it that should have been enough for him to bleed out. But if that were the case why was he still breathing. Blood dripped from his jaws which felt stronger than he remembered.

There was a groan from behind that startled him, forcing him to turn around and face what would scar him for the rest of his life. He saw a man with an expression of unadulterated horror but their eyes were glassy. They'd just expired from what Kyle could tell and was dripping with blood. It took him a few seconds to realize who's blood it was now. It wasn't his…

He was standing in the man's chest cavity! With newfound urgency, Kyle looked down at himself to find that he'd had a long serpentine body that now that he was thinking a little more clearly he came to realize had just burst right out of the man. That…Made ZERO sense though.

{Ok…This is a dream. THIS is a dream. I'm a…I think I'm a Chest Burster but those, they don't exist. They don't. It's just a film.} But even as he slithered his way out of the poor guy's chest cavity he couldn't help but feel for the man. He felt a closeness to them that really he just shouldn't have. They were dressed in military fatigues so they were obviously a soldier of some kind. He then noticed the Wayland Yutani logo on the shoulder of their uniform and that's when he started putting it together. They must have fought for their lives. But…Why? And where?

Kyle looked into these glassy, dead eyes of what he now understood was his host as if to find some answer that escaped him but nothing came to him. Not immediately anyway. His thoughts were interrupted however when he heard the familiar clatter of footsteps, claws tapping into steel he felt his heart quicken. {Oh god oh god…They're coming…They're coming for me. I need to hide.}

But by the time he started getting his newly formed body into motion he was already staring what he'd feared the most face to face. It was an Alien drone, staring down at him without any discernable features that would indicate that he was their sole attention. It's ebony black hide catching his attention, demanding it over all else, drool dripping from it's tongue like maw.

He like he were about to develop a chest burster of his own as he stared deep at the very creature that fascinated yet horrified him at the same time. He thought he was about to die. That they would realize he was a human and that they would snuff out his life for a second time like he'd done to the poor military officer that had housed him for however brief it was.

It never came though. The Xenomorph, which was undoubtedly what it was loomed over him but through some unknown means he could feel an emotion from it that never really shone through the films. The movies which they were depicted mentioned that they were the perfect creatures that did not have moral or emotional attachments and yet in this Drone Kyle felt a sense of safety. They were reassuring him, by some interconnected link that they were safe, that they would be protected until they grew into their new body themselves.

It wasn't just this one though. Throughout the ship Kyle could feel the presence of at least a dozen Xenomorphs and a queen, who's love unconditional poured right into him. A new life had been born and they were celebrating it. He never thought these creatures would have such emotions that the movie just failed to capture.

They were enough for him to allow the Drone to grab him in their claws and carry him away to safety. The horror of their once grotesque features becoming something more of a comfort to Kyle the more he thought about it. He was a Xenomorph now…not a human. But did that mean that he was now an enemy of his old race? Did he need to hunt more humans down for his new queen?

As these thoughts melded into his mind, he couldn't help but recall the man who'd been hosting his new life. James. He didn't see a name tag on them but he just KNEW that was their name. Suddenly a new batch of memories were flooding into him as if to fill in the blanks as to who they might have been.

Something had gone horribly horribly wrong. James Schneider as his name was had been signed off by his CO along with the rest of his crew for some shore leave. He thought that would have meant going back down to earth and finally having some time to sun tan at the beach. Instead he was here, on a large commercial trading station. A colony out in the middle of space much like Sevastapol Station.

He still met tons of new people. Some who'd even offered him their room code which surprised him considering there were many who lived out on these types of stations that had little love for the military. He had started thinking that his time off might actually be worth enjoying.

But then he felt a rattling shake under his feet while sitting at a bar in one of the colony's food courts. There shouldn't be that much turbulence. Not out in space when for the most part the station remained well…stationary.

At first he thought nothing of it but then he got a call on his radio from one of the scientists on board the vessel. A Weyland Yutani executive had requested that him and his platoon go to the lower levels of the ship to get a creature they'd been transporting under control.

What this executive had failed to tell them however was just how dangerous the creature had been.

They started out as a group of five as they traveled through the dimly lit corridors of the ships bowels. At first all he heard was something behind them, large footsteps. But when one of them turned around to check for anything, they'd find nothing there. Then came the sounds from the air vents. Like something was running THROUGH them with great urgency.

"Man…screw this…Why did WE get picked for this job. There are like 3 other teams on leave here on this ship. Let them have this job!" One of the men, a Private by the patches on his uniform complained as they were made to cover their six at the back of their formation. New to the platoon, he didn't really want to be ANYWHERE this dark where only the lights from their rifles and helmets would offer them any sort of illumination.

"Stow it. We have our orders." James growled. "Besides Peterson…You need to get out more instead of the bedrooms." He meant it as a joke but with everyone on edge it didn't make him sound any less condescending. He'd apologize for that later.

"Bite me. And where's the Sarge?"

"That's why WE'RE here. The Sarge went on ahead apparently. THAT'S why we were picked."

James let his voice trail off as he heard something reminiscent to a hiss. Was it the ships cooling? They were pretty far down. Much of the ship's cooling systems were down here so it's possible that a pipe was busted. But that didn't feel right. Not to his instincts anyway.

That's when he heard the staccato of gunfire just up ahead followed by shouting. It must have been the Sarge. But why would he fire off his rifle like that? Whatever the reason James signed at the rest of the squad with one hand, urging them forward as he brought his rifle up to bare as he stopped at a hatch. The sound of the gunfire stopped but it was undoubtedly coming from this room.

"Maintenance hall…" That was what the door had etched into it anyway. But what really caught his attention was the spray of blood that was on the window. That had him concerned on so many levels as it was fresh.

Quickly he keyed in the door's opening code and watched as it slid up and open, allowing them access into what was essentially a glorified janitors closet. He brought his rifle up, aiming down the sights as he used the source of light from it's attachment to get his bearings. Mops, brooms, and a bunch of cleaning supplies that had been haphazardly flung out of one of the storage lockers in the corner of the room. There was a telephone hanging up on the wall, but the phone's handle had a bloodied hand print all over it.

"What…happened here…?" James muttered. Trying to piece together the situation. Without thinking, he turned his attention away from the phone and turned towards one of the glass walls and saw what he'd hoped he wouldn't have seen.

It was the Sergeant laying in a pool of blood. His own blood even by the looks of it. The rifle was in hand, and the smell of gunpowder wafting from it told James all he needed to know about the source of the fire but it was the hole that was protruding from their superior officer's chest. It's like something had shot right on out of him. It didn't make a whole lot of sense. But then NONE of this made sense. "Damn…I didn't think anyone would get him. I've seen bears flinch when he growled their way, and something took HIM out?"

He saw the look of terror in the man's eyes. Glossed over as if staring at whatever had burst out of him before his life finally gave way. His time to grieve was short. He saw the blood trail and how it crawled right on into one of the floor vents. Whatever it was they were after had high tailed it out of here.

But that was only one piece of the puzzle. The phone…the blood that was on it hadn't been the captain's…nor was the blood splatter on the door. Someone else had been here. "Alright our mission objective still hasn't changed… we're still after whatever…THIS thing is that killed the Sarge."

"Screw THAT." The private groaned, having already started walking out of the storage room. "Whatever THAT was, killed the sarge. We should call the other officers on the ship here. This is too much."

"I've had it up to HERE with your whining." Another soldier in their group growled. This one female as she grabbed the private by the collar of his uniform. "I think you're yellow bellied. We were given a job to do and we're going to do it. The Sergeant would have wanted us to complete the mission anyway. You may be new to this crew but damn it all we all loved that man."

The private was about to growl out a reply when he heard foot steps clicking in their direction, coming to the hall that he was now standing outside of. Before he could even answer his fellow officer, a barbed tail had ripped THROUGH his abdomen, and dragged him away. He barely had so much as a moment to yelp before he started screaming through the halls.

The female officer who'd been reprimanding him just stared at the ripped pieces of fabric that were in her hands before lifting up her rifle and starting towards the corridor. "Damn it! Something got Louise!"

"He shouldn't have dropped his guard." James shook his head and started after her. "Alright follow the screams." That wasn't too hard. Louise was screaming his head off…In the distance he was yelling about how he was going to die, how he hadn't even had a girlfriend. The whole thing just came off as a bit jarring to James who thought the man had more nerves of steel than THAT.

As they ran down the halls one final scream came out of the private before they were silenced. A sickeningly crunch like sound came down the hall and at that moment they all knew that the Private was no more.

"Did it…Did it eat him?" The female officer asked. Her earlier gusto had all but vanished as she let the reality of not one but TWO of their team now being KIA. If she hadn't gripped him like she had he probably wouldn't have been caught so easily.

James didn't know what to say to her to calm her down. Instead he just gave her a light tap on the shoulder as a means to remind her that they were still in the danger zone. As she neared the door he gave her the OK and watched as the doors slid open.

No Lou in sight…DAMN. Not even a body to confirm. James was having some serious doubts about this whole assignment. So far it was just FUBAR.

They were in what was obviously a more domesticated room. A bed room, probably for one of the maintenance crew considering how far deep into the station they were. But they couldn't stay here. Hell they couldn't remain down here for too long or they'd be killed off by…Whatever THIS thing was.

Unfortunately for James this would not be the last. As they tried navigating through the dark underbelly of the ship his choices ended up with this creature pulling another of his crew into one of the air vents, while another just ran for dear life. He didn't know WHAT happened to them however as after they'd ran off he hadn't heard a peep either from the radio OR otherwise.

What he did know though was that whatever THIS…was. It was too dangerous to let it get out into the main community centers of the station. He had to seal off the maintenance ways, at least until reinforcements could get to the colony.

Between him and the last soldier in his squad, the female whom had such gusto at the start of their mission. They were able to find a control panel down in these maintenance halls that would allow him to seal off the lower levels of the ship. At least temporarily.

But the cost in doing so had been steep. His fellow officer looked drained, and by the time they sealed off the doors she just collapsed on the ground. Trying to catch her breath in a situation she knew she'd be unlikely to survive. "So…We're…not making it out of this alive…are we James…?"

She was staring up at the air vents. Something in her just told her that while the area at large was sealed off…if there was any vents that led up to the main station then this whole plan would all be pointless. She signed up for the military so she could kick ass and save lives. Was she really doing that now?

James couldn't have an answer for either of these questions. He pulled out a canteen of water and took a small sip, handing the bottle to her so that she could replenish fluids. "I can't get that damn exec on the radio anymore. But I already sent out an SOS. With any luck the station can be salvaged…"

He was just catching his breath too. He knew there was nothing else he could do. If this…THING killed him off then at least it would keep them from trying to target the civilians up top. What he wasn't expecting however was whatever IT was to jump right out of the air vent and land right in front of him.

James stared up at the ebony black flesh of the creature. It towered over him with a glance that seemed to tell him that everything was over. His time on this world was up. He saw the drool, dripping from it's maw, and even that secondary maw in it's jaws, dripping on his legs. It didn't kill him however…

He tried reaching for his rifle but it simply batted it away with it's tail. The bladed barbed edge catching him and slicing into his hand. He barely had time to scream before it started dragging him up and into the vents again. His fellow officer screaming until a second of these black insect like creatures crept out of nowhere and dragged her away in turn.

When the pain in James' hand finally went numb he realized where he had been taken. It was a large, wide open area…probably from what he could tell, was the ship's engine room. Within were several egg like shapes sitting there. Unopened…This…alien creature that had captured him simply held him down, as if telling a child to stay put and hissed.

Uncontrollable fear welled inside him. But he'd be damned if he let this…this thing come to realize that. To know that they had put terror into his life, his heart pulsing. And then he saw it…The egg that he'd come to call it that…Started opening right in front of him. Almost like a flower in full bloom. What would come out of it however was far from anything pleasant like a flower.

It was a strange…pale looking thing…For whatever reason it reminded James of a mix between a Crab an a Scorpion. The faceless creature crawled out of it's protective housing and started skittering in his direction and then suddenly a new fear gripped him.

The pale parasitic creature leapt up at him, latched onto his face! He screamed but his shouts were muffled by the creature having clamped it's appendages around his head, tail coiled around his neck. Even if James wasn't being held down by the Xenomorph it wouldn't have done him any good. Then he felt something being ejected into his mouth.

Everything went black for the young officer then.

What he didn't know, was that Kyle was beginning to stir with life the moment the leathery creature started inserting it's ovipositor down James' throat. Carrying the embryo that would become the start of Kyle's new life. While he was unconscious in this phase of his rebirth, he undoubtedly felt the transition…Albiet he was in much of a dream like state. And would be up until his development was complete within the unfortunate human.

When James awoke again, the face hugger was no longer present, nor was the Alien that had caught him previously. Was it all just a dream?

He felt nauseous…and his throat sore and dry. He needed to get out of here too. The human, unknowing of his fate proceeded to leave the room that had already sealed it. Nothing attacked him though. He saw no signs of the alien or heard any foot steps like he were being chased. It did give him the illusion that everything he'd experienced up until now may have been just well…a dream.

His first thought was oddly, to go check on the Sergeant. To confirm if he'd actually just been dreaming or if all of this was really happening. Unknowing to him that Kyle was growing, and at a remarkably fast rate.

"How long had I been asleep for?" The officer asked, trying to get a feel for his sense of time but felt a tightening in his chest. He clutched at it, but moved on. His goal in sight, he eventually found his way in the old maintenance room. The same blood splatters…Even the Sarge laying lifelessly on the floor. It all just hit home that it wasn't really a dream.

If what came out of the Sarge was one of those…things. And they'd put something in his body. The revelation made him go pale. He was a dead man walking. He could shoot himself dead…but he very much doubted at this stage that it would do any good.

The pain in his chest was becoming much too intense. Whatever was in him was almost fully mature. He didn't like the idea. But he also didn't want his end to come right in front of the officer's presence…So he marched on.

He had one last duty he could fulfill. At the very least, he could make sure that whatever was inside of him would have their work cut out for them…And traveled as deep as he could into the inner depths of the ship's lower floors. It was only then that his strength finally gave out and he decided to lay back, against one of the station's walls that would undoubtedly be his final resting spot.

"You, whoever's in there." The man felt he pressure growing intense in his chest and realized his time was almost up. He wanted to curse whatever foul creature was inside of him. To wish the worst hellfire upon them, but even that was out of his tank. "You better damn well appreciate the life you're about to be given…We're not going to…Nnnngh…Surrender…"

Then the pain started really coming into him. His muscles being torn apart, ribcage shattered. The intensity left James screaming into the vastness of the ship's corridors. Hopefully, he was so far deep that nobody above would hear him. But in his last moments he grabbed hold of his mic, and reinstated the SOS beacon.

This ship was a goner…That was the last thought that went through his head. The residents, the local militia, it's crew…everyone now would be fighting for their lives. He only hoped that closing the doors in these maintenance tunnels would slow the creatures down enough for it to make a difference for SOME of the people here.

(To be continued)