Disclaimer: I don't own aliens. I own the plot of this story and all the characters in it.
Author's note: Sorry about the delay, but school : ( and stuff kept taking up my time.
Chapter 12
Four Spared, One Sacrificed
Snarl groaned as something shook her awake. She looked up and yelped in freight as she saw the cyborg's face. She jumped to her feet and raked her claws across its face before stepping back into a fighting position.
(Ow,) the cyborg remarked, rubbing his organic hand over his head.
(Back off, tin can!) Snarl growled.
(Snarl, calm down!) Xena yelled. She was standing over Sonar who had just woken up.
(Why?) Snarl asked as she eyed the cyborg dangerously.
(Because I'm on your side,) the cyborg remarked. (The aliens no longer have control of me.)
Snarl shot a questioning look at Xena, who nodded and said. (It's true. This is Devin.)
Dropping her hostile stance, Snarl introduced herself, (I'm called Snarl.)
(I have a way to rescue your friend,) Devin explained. (But you're going to have to trust me.)
-----------------------------------
Esiki sneered as he watched the cyborg drag its captures into the hanger. It was dragging the praetorian along with its metal arm and the drones were tucked under the other.
Ordion was watching impassively, but Esiki was sure he was impressed with the cyborg's latest feat, even if they hadn't seen how it had captured the skitir. The monitor had turned off halfway through the battle.
He turned to Esiki and said. "You're creation has proved its worth. You have permission to construct as many cyborgs as it takes."
"I'll start right away," Esiki replied smiling warmly. Finally, they would be able to free their planet from the alien menace.
Ordion saluted him, turned, and left the room. Esiki turned to where the cyborg had dropped its catches. "Let's start with the one we caught earlier."
---------------------------------
Scar paced his cell restlessly. He was reminded all too clearly of when he had first arrived on this planet and been turned into a xenomorph. He had hated being caged then too, but at least he had had someone to talk to before.
He stopped pacing and looked up as he heard footsteps coming down the hall outside his cell. Five of the frogmen stopped in front of his cell. Scar crouched ready to attack if they opened the cell door, but instead one of them raised his gun and fired through the bars at him. The plasma hit him and he dropped to the floor unconscious.
-----------------------------------
When Scar awoke five minutes later, he found himself strapped to what could only be an operating table. He tried to break the bonds holding him, but they were too strong. He stopped and looked around the room. He immediately spotted Snarl, Sonar, and Xena lying unconscious on the floor a few feet away from him. Behind them was the cyborg, which was standing stock-still and had numerous amphibians looking it over, probably repairing it. Scar felt a surge of anger at the praetorian and wished he could get out and sink his teeth into it. He began struggling again.
(Stopped struggling, or they'll stun you again,) an unfamiliar voice commanded.
Scar did and asked. (Who are you?)
(Devin.)
(Aren't you supposed to be dead?) Scar asked.
(I came back,) he replied simply.
(Where are you?)
(Right in front of you,) he replied.
Scar glanced around again, not seeing anything, until his "eyes" settled back on the cyborg. (You're the cyborg?)
(Yep.) Devin replied with a hint of sorrow in his voice. (I'm going to get you out of here.)
(You have a plan?)
(Yes,) Devin replied and then began to explain.
-----------------------------------------
Esiki strolled back into the hanger. The drone that was pinned to the table still appeared to be unconscious. Good. The cyborg was also almost repaired.
A group of aliens that were dressed in surgical garb approached him. "We're ready to begin," the one in front said.
Esiki gestured toward the pinned drone. The group approached the table. The whole group seemed nervous. Of course, they should be. The procedure was dangerous even with the alien unconscious. The blood was a deadly force of nature and the only acid-resistant devices they had were made of a metal alloy. It was the same stuff that composed the metal of their cyborg.
"Sir!"
Esiki turned and faced the speaker. "What is it?"
"The cyborg's control circuits have been damaged."
"What, but-," Esiki couldn't grasp it. If the circuits had been damaged the cyborg shouldn't have returned. It should've gone back to its hive. Unless it had set them up… But they weren't that smart… They couldn't be that smart.
The cyborg roared and its tail, claws, and tongue all found their way into the amphibian flesh surrounding it. At the same time, the three xenomorphs that it had brought in, jumped to their feet, and charged toward their pinned companion. The surgeons scattered as they sprayed acid at the drone, dissolving its bindings. With a screech, it tore free.
Esiki turned and made a run for the door. He felt a hot pain in his leg as a bolt of plasma hit it. He tripped and fell to the floor. He heard the cyborg growl behind him and then its heavy footsteps. He tried to crawl forward, but the praetorian overtook him easily. It grabbed him and turned him over. He gasped as he looked at the cyborg's teeth, and he knew that it knew he was the one that had enslaved it, and it was taking revenge. Then its tongue shot out and he knew no more.
(Come on!) Xena called to him.
Devin dropped Esiki's body and turned toward her. She and the drones were at the exit door, but it hadn't opened of course. It only opened for the amphibians and him. Reaching into his robot side, he ordered the door to open. It did and the four of them ran through it.
He followed them out and away from the ship. Reaching the volcano's wall, they stopped and looked back at the ship.
(I got to destroy that thing,) Devin said grimly.
(Why?) Xena asked.
(Because they hate our kind,) he replied. (They'll take off and nuke the hive from orbit. I can't let that happen.)
(I'll go with you,) Xena said stepping toward him
(No.)
She stepped back and looked hurt. (Why not?)
He prepared to explain, then, decided it was better if he didn't. (Look, if you ever loved me, you'll take these three and get as far away from here as possible.) With that said he turned and ran back toward the ship.
Xena looked down at the ground.
(Come on,) Scar said, climbing up the volcano wall. (Let's go.)
(All right,) Xena nodded.
---------------------------------
Devin charged toward the base. He fired several bolts of plasma at the defense pods that had flown out to meet him. Each bolt hit and destroyed one of the robots. He reached the ship and climbed up it. More pods followed him. He reached the top of the ship and ran for the center. Gun turrets were opening on the top of the spacecraft. They fired and hit him in the chest. Acidic blood dripped from the wounds, but he ran on toward the center of the ship. More gunshots hit him and then a few shots from the defense pods connected. He roared in pain and fell onto the hard metal.
It's over, he thought. More shots hit him and he screeched in pain again. A panel opened in his metal chest and a screen began counting down. He had just activated the device that the aliens had made in case one of their cyborgs fell while inside a hive. They would activate that bomb and destroy the whole hive, ironic how it would now wipe them out.
---------------------------------------
Scar had reached the top of the volcano first. He looked back down at the others, they were all still right behind him. He reached down and helped Snarl up.
(Thanks,) she said.
(Maybe now that you're back she'll start acting more civil,) Sonar muttered to Scar.
(Not to you,) Snarl shot back at him.
Scar looked down at the ship, trying to spot Devin, but he was too far away. Suddenly a huge ball of blue fire exploded from the ship. It didn't stop there, however. It expanded to an enormous size and the force knocked him and the others off their feet.
(Devin!) Xena cried out and followed with a roar of utter anguish.
