Disclaimer: I don't own aliens. What is the point of these disclaimers?

Chapter 8

Hostage

(Come on. Wake up,) Sonar growled as he gave Snarl's shoulder another gentle shake.

Snarl raised her head and shook it. (Huh? What happened?) She groaned and held her chest were the cyborg had kicked her. (Oh, right. Where's Scar?)

(That thing took off with him,) Sonar said.

(Why didn't you go after it?) Snarl growled, rounding on him angrily.

Sonar held up his arms in defense. (Because I didn't want to leave you here alone and unconscious.)

(You could have carried me!) she interrupted.

(Like that thing wouldn't have attacked me?) he countered. (There's no cover in this cave. It would probably have seen me as xenomorphs generally have good night vision.)

(I'm aware of that being one myself,) Snarl growled back.

Sonar took a deep breath. (Look let's just forget it. We're doing no good for Scar arguing so let's just go back. That alien came from behind us, so there's probably an exit in one of the other tunnels farther back.)

(And how will we know what tunnel to take?) The malice still hadn't left her voice.

(We'll cross that bridge when we come to it,) Sonar said and started back down the path.

Snarl growled and then followed him.

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It took only five seconds for Scar to remember what had happened after waking up. It took even less time for him to begin thrashing and struggling in his captor's arm. The praetorian's grip wavered for a moment, but then it was unmovable as a steel trap. Scar glanced around looking for a way to escape.

He was in a silver hall. The cyborg was carrying him and they were surrounded by a nervous looking group of frog-like humanoid creatures. They were clutching futuristic looking laser rifles. Their large eyes were bulging even larger with fear. They had all jumped back away from him and thanks to the spacious hall were well out of range of his tail.

Well, almost all of them were. One of them was still just a little too close, probably only because Scar's tail was curled up and he had no idea of its full length. His tail immediately uncurled and wrapped around the humanoids wrist. With a quick yank he pulled him over in front of him and grabbed him with his free arms. He knocked the gun out of its hands and opened his mouth, which was positioned right behind its head. The other creatures jumped and aimed their rifles at him, but none fired. The cyborg had stopped moving and had turned its head back to watch with what Scar thought was interest.

(Let me go, or the frogman gets it!) Scar shouted. The other frogmen glanced at each other in surprise and fear. They had apparently heard him, but none of them understood what he had said. Great, Scar thought. Why can't it be like on TV where all the aliens speak English?

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(Now what, genius?) Snarl asked as she looked at each of the four tunnels.

(We take the one that leads uphill,) Sonar replied. (We came from one that led uphill. Two of them go downhill and one more goes uphill. So we'll be taking the remaining uphill one.)

(All right,) Snarl sighed. The two xenomorphs started toward the tunnel.

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Esiki was sitting in his quarters, reading a book when he found out about the hostage situation. The door slid open and one of the soldiers entered.

"Sir, we have a situation."

Esiki glared at the other alien that stood at attention in his doorway. "So it's your job to handle that stuff."

"We have a hostage situation in the containment unit," the soldier said.

"The containment unit? But the only prisoner we have is-," Esiki's eyes widened and he immediately threw down the book he had been reading. He jumped up from his bed and rushed past the soldier.

In a few minutes, Esiki was running down the hall that led to the containment area. His pace quickened as he saw his experiment ahead of him, still clutching the captured skitir to its side. The skitir in turn was clutching one of the younger soldiers to itself and had its mouth opened behind its head. Surrounding this bizarre scene was the other soldiers who had their rifles raised.

The alien looked at Esiki, however it still kept its claws on the young soldier's neck. Esiki gasped as alien words rang through his head. It seemed to be coming from the alien. Well, that was certainly helpful to his theory.