Disclaimer: I'm 17 years old. So how could I possibly own Aliens? I'm just writing this for fun, not profit.
Chapter 7
A Steel Trap
Xena lost all sense of up and down as she and the cyborg rolled through the air. It was only luck that kept the metal praetorian's random fire from hitting her. The cyborg kicked her in an attempt to break her grip, but it just succeeded in spinning them more wildly.
With a sickening crack, Xena hit the ground first. The cyborg landed on top of her slightly shielded from the impact as a result. The praetorian shakily got to its feet and stumbled away. Xena tried to get up, but her side screamed in pain. She roared.
The cyborg looked back at her. It no longer looked stunned and didn't even seem bothered by tis fall off the cliff. Its plasma cannon turned and fired three shots into her back. With one last snarl, Xena fell silent. Satisfied, the cyborg turned away and started back toward its lair.
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"The cyborg is returning to base, sir," Esiki nodded even though the speaker was facing the computer screen that monitored the cyborg's activity.
Esiki stroked his chin thoughtfully and then said. "Change course. Have it go after the group of skitir in the cave."
The subordinate glanced back at him. "But sir, it's badly damaged."
"Yes, I know. That is precisely why," Esiki said. "I wish to see how it fares when not at one hundred percent integrity."
"Yes, sir."
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(Looks like it's better,) Scar commented as he watched Sonar stand on his wounded leg. (Now, if only we could get out of here.)
The party turned back along the tunnel. A feeling of unease hung in the air. The group glanced around as though expecting something to leap out of the shadows at them.
(Does anybody else feel uneasy?) Snarl asked as she glanced around.
(Yeah,) Both Sonar and Scar replied at the same time. The drones merely ignored her question.
(This is actually kind of how I felt last time before that cyborg thingy attacked us,) Snarl continued whispering despite the fact no one, but them could hear her.
(Maybe that thing somehow transmits fear,) Scar said. (Makes any xenomorph that gets near it uneasy.)
(But that would give away that it was nearby,) Snarl said.
(I would imagine it would be worse for the simple-minded drones,) Sonar said. (They're not used to these kinds of feelings. They'd be more likely to panic.)
The two drones did indeed seem ready to take off.
Scar stopped glancing around as his eyes passed over something. In the darkness, he could make out the shape of a crest. (Down!) Scar yelled as he jumped and pushed Snarl down. A bolt of plasma shot through the spot they had occupied moments before. The blast instead hit one of the drones. The creature hissed as a gaping hole was blown in its side.
The cyborg roared and charged out of the darkness. Both Scar and Snarl jumped in opposite directions as it charged past. It slashed through Sonar's side. The behemoth stopped and glanced back. It stood still for a moment, as though deciding its next move and Scar noticed that it was missing its mechanical arm.
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Esiki's mouth hung open as the skitir jumped and pushed its companion out of the way of the blast. Esiki had watched battle footage of the hordes of bugs that had invaded his home planet. Never, in all of them, had one of the aliens pushed another out of harm's way.
"I want you to capture that one," Esiki said, his voice not hiding his shock. "Order it to capture the one with all the scars on it."
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Suddenly, the cyborg charged back. Ignoring Sonar, it charged towards Scar and Snarl. It lunged forward, but both of them dodged to the side at the last second. They didn't stop at dodging however and ran up the wall. Scar growled and bared his fangs as he hung from the ceiling.
The xenomorph's plasma cannon pivoted and fired. The ball of heat struck Scar and the ensuing explosion knocked him off the ceiling. He fell to the ground in a heap. The cyborg rushed forward.
Snarl kicked off the ceiling and launched herself at the thing's face. However, it pulled its head back and her leap missed. The praetorian kicked her before she landed and sent her flying through the air. She collided with a rock and slumped to the floor.
Leaning down, the praetorian grabbed Scar's unconscious form and threw it over its shoulder. The creature turned away ignoring the last remaining xenomorph.
The last drone had run off that left Sonar as the only one who could rescue Scar. However, he was certain he couldn't take a praetorian cyborg by himself. So, he was forced to watch as the great monstrosity disappeared back into the darkness.
