Lex awoke to find herself in her bedroom. She didn't remember what had happened at first, but her memories soon returned to her. She cursed the Prince in her mind and opened the door. She walked down some hallways until she found the Prince eating at a table while watching a video screen.
"Do you know what you have done?" Lex asked angrily.
"Due to the circumstances upon which you are here, I find your presence very amusing. However, your tone with me is most inappropriate," the Prince scolded.
"I don't care. You have one of those things out there. It's probably already hatched," Lex argued.
"I am sure it has. I have equipment and weapons on how to kill Xenomorphs. Our Black Yautja opponents do not and that gives me the advantage," the Prince said confidently.
"Once all the Black Yautja are dead, the entire moon will be infested. There are humans on the moon too that can be infested," Lex pointed out.
"I am well aware of what the Xenomorphs are capable of. They can infest Yautja, humans, and other animal life forms. I don't think you have an appreciation for the difficulty of winning this war," the Prince said. He then showed a hologram map showing positions on the moon.
"As you can see from the map, we control only isolated areas of the moon. We have also lost air support. We will not receive any new reinforcements until the homeworld has confidence we can win the war on the ground. If you want to set foot on Earth again, then you should hope my plan succeeds," the Prince explained.
"I promised Royce and Isabelle they would be safe," Lex said frustrated.
"That is not a promise anyone can make on this moon," the Prince replied.
The pyramid shook lightly as plasma bursts hit the side. The Prince was drinking tea as the attacks began. Anti-aircraft guns installed in the pyramid fired on the Black Yautja ship. The barrage of fire overwhelmed the Black Yautja ship, and it quickly exploded across the sky.
On occasion, a few Yautja would come to the pyramid seeking shelter and supplies. The Prince was generous to the battle-weary Yautja. The Prince made it clear that Lex was off-limits and belonged to him. Lex was sent off to the medical ward of the pyramid so that she could aid the Prince's doctor.
"Put pressure here," the doctor ordered.
Lex did as she was told; the light green blood stained her hands. The doctor used a laser of some kind to cut into the Yautja's shoulder. He was looking for the source of the bleeding. Upon finding it, he realized a number of arteries and veins had been slashed open. The doctor then used a clamp to try to keep the bleeding down, but it was too late. The Yautja was started to ooze dark green blood from his wounds; a device monitoring the heart rate was starting to beep.
The doctor grabbed two triangle devices that were red in the center. He attached them to the chest of the Yautja and charged it. The resulting electrical charge jolted the body but the heart rate had not changed. Lex watched in fascination as the doctor failed to revive him.
"I'm sorry," Lex said lamely.
"With every death is an opportunity," the doctor said. "We shall now begin the autopsy."
Lex watched across from the doctor, as he peeled the skin off the chest of the Yautja. The doctor knew Yautja anatomy very well so the autopsy was for Lex's benefit. With the skin peeled back, Lex could see the powerful muscles underneath. The doctor went deeper exposing the sternum and rib cage. Lex could see that the heart and the lungs of the Yautja were larger than a human.
The doctor collected a green blood sample and then placed the blood on a medical table. "Feel it," the doctor ordered her.
Lex reluctantly put her finger in the blood and felt it slide on the medical table. The doctor then waited a few seconds and then pointed to the blood again. "Feel it now," he ordered.
Lex felt it for a second time, but it was different from before. It was like a thick gel or green jello. Lex turned to the doctor confused. "Our blood binds quickly, so we don't bleed long," the doctor explained.
Lex understood; it was the reason why Yautja could survive after getting hit with several bullets. "His wounds were too many," the doctor pointed at the body.
The doctor continued his autopsy showing Lex the organ systems of the Yautja. The abdomen muscles of the Yautja were an extra level of protection to the vital organs. It was a tough stringy material that seemed resistant to stabbing or projectiles. The doctor finally peeled away the muscle groups and showed the organs. They were fairly similar to that of humans only larger. There were a few organs that were additional to humans namely an organ specifically designed to quickly heal the Yautja. The adrenal glands were slightly larger than in humans proportionately.
The doctor then used a laser to open the Yautja's skull. The brain was green in color but was similar in characteristics to a human. It had many folds within the brain and was clearly divided into two hemispheres. The brain was twice the size of a human brain and had the potential to heal itself. After the doctor was finished, he placed the body in a containment cell.
"We can use his organs and limbs if called upon," the doctor told her.
"You can take his limbs, and attach them to someone else?" Lex wondered.
"Of course. Even human doctors are able to do so now," the doctor replied.
Lex stared at the doctor. "You know?"
"Everyone close to the Prince knows," he said. "Every Yautja has gone through an autopsy during their schooling."
"Can I ask a few questions then?" Lex asked hoping she would not irk the doctor.
"Ask and I may answer," the doctor allowed.
"What is pregnancy like? How long does it last?" she asked.
"It lasts fifteen months. I can't give you an accurate comparison between humans and Yautja. I would surmise that an unborn Yautja will be more aggressive in the womb," the doctor said.
"So, females don't lay eggs?" Lex clarified.
The doctor simply stared at her. "No, Yautja have live births. We are more similar to Earth mammals than reptiles. We have live births, we are warm-blooded, we have hair, and the females have mammary glands. We evolved from an ancestor that could be described as reptilian millions of years ago. Once our civilization gained space flight tens of thousands of years ago, our species has evolved in different directions. On some colonies the females are actually larger than the males," the doctor explained.
"And the Black Yautja?" Lex asked.
"That was not natural evolution but artificially produced by using genetic manipulation," the doctor said scornfully.
"What kinds of illnesses should I look out for?" Lex asked.
"Like what?" the doctor wondered.
"Like cancer?" Lex suggested.
"Yautja are inspected every year for cancers and other ailments. In most cases, we are able to cure the disease without difficulty. Those who have terminal illnesses tend to go on the highest level hunts," the doctor said.
"Can you tell me the health of the Prince?" Lex asked.
The doctor stared at Lex for a moment and then decided to push some buttons on a computer console. A red hologram of a Yautja's body was displayed in front of them. "This Yautja is in perfect health with above intelligence. No family history of disease or genetic defects. I would suspect that such things would have been eliminated from the gene pool long ago," the doctor speculated.
"What would happen if my DNA mixed with his?" Lex asked.
The doctor understood her meaning. He did a computer simulation of the two genetic codes. "There are so many combinations that could occur," the doctor considered.
"But it is possible to mix?" Lex asked.
"Yes, it could with this specific Yautja," the doctor said and then turned off the hologram.
The Prince and some of his royal guards entered the room. "You learn something?" he asked her.
"Yes, the doctor was a good teacher," Lex replied.
"Good," the Prince said and then turned to the doctor. "I will have a new specimen for you. One that has never been dissected before."
"I eagerly await it," the doctor said graciously.
The Prince then exited the room with his guards. "Whatever he asks of you, do not refuse," the doctor advised her.
On his throne and with Lex at his side, a scout came forth. He bowed before the throne before giving his report. "A hybrid was discovered," the scout said handing his mask to the Prince.
The Prince placed the mask on his face and saw the video recordings in various imaging scans. The new Hybrid was taller and heavier than the one on Earth. Once he was done with the mask, the Prince handed it over to Lex. "What is the Hybrid doing?" the Prince asked.
"It appears to be attacking the human fighters and laying embryos inside them directly. There are a number of human bodies with exploded chest cavities," the scout reported.
"This is not too surprising. The humans are weaker prey," the Prince considered.
"I thought this thing was supposed to kill the Black Yautja," Lex said outraged.
The Prince took the mask and gave it back to the scout. "Leave us."
The Prince then turned to Lex. "The Hybrid will have a greater probability of success with a squad of Xenomorphs when confronting the Black Yautja."
"Or the Xenomorphs will kill all of the humans, and then get slaughtered by the Black Yautja," Lex replied.
"That is a risk I am willing to take," the Prince said dismissively.
Lex decided to take another approach. She knelt down before the Prince. "I will give you whatever you want if you stop this," she offered.
"You cannot offer what I already have," the Prince replied.
Lex stared at the Prince angrily and then reached for his throat with her right hand. The Prince grabbed her wrist keeping her in place with the left hand and with his right wrist slashed her across the chest. Lex didn't feel any pain, but she did feel her armor slip off her. The Prince retracted his blades and watched as Lex's armored bra fell off her. Still holding her wrist, he used his right hand to cup, push, and pull her exposed left breast within a few seconds. He then released her from his hold. Lex fell to the ground stunned, as she felt a rush of hormones flood her body. The Prince watched in amusement, as Lex could barely think. She had never felt that kind of stimulation before. She could barely move or make a coherent thought.
"Go to your quarters and change," the Prince told her.
Humiliated and defeated Lex quickly left the room. The Prince turned to his guard nearby. "A normal female would have been able to maintain herself," the guard commented.
"Indeed, this female never ceases to amuse me," the Prince said.
Royce and Isabelle walked through the jungles of the preserve aimlessly. They were both low on ammunition and since their release was light on water and food. Suddenly, there was movement in the brush.
"Lower your weapons," a camouflaged soldier ordered. He had an M-4 rifle pointed at them. There were four other soldiers pointing assault rifles in their direction.
Isabelle immediately lowered her weapon, but Royce hesitated briefly. "We're US military personnel. Lower your weapon," one of them said.
Royce complied and allowed the group to come closer to them. "Where are you two from?' the leader asked them.
"Kansas," Royce smirked sarcastically.
"Israel Defense Forces," Isabelle said cooperatively and then showed a military ID.
"The fact you have survived this long indicates to me that you must have some military experience. Care to share," the leader asked Royce.
"Nope," Royce refused.
The leader nodded in annoyance. "My name is Staff Sergeant Patterson, this is Specialist Thompson, this is Sergeant O'Connor, this is Private Holmes, and this is Specialist Rodriguez," the Staff Sergeant pointed out.
"When we got here, we figured we were transported to India or something. But then we saw the moons and the planet. Any of you care to explain?" Patterson asked.
"We're on an alien moon. This is a game preserve, and we are being hunted by aliens with superior weapons. The game preserve is to look like Earth, but we are not on Earth. The only way off this planet is to take one of the alien's ships," Isabelle explained.
"Have you seen the aliens? What are their capabilities?" Patterson asked.
"They have cloaking technology to make themselves invisible, energy weapons, blades, and armor. They are heavier, stronger, and more durable than us," Royce piped up.
"Glad you could join the conversation," Patterson stared at Royce.
"What do you have?" Isabelle asked breaking the silence.
"We have M-4 rifles, two hundred rounds of ammunition each, two grenades each, a day's water, bulletproof vests and Kevlar, night vision goggles, and each of us has a knife," Patterson listed off.
"Well prepared," Isabelle complimented.
"We have to be when in Afghanistan. We are an infantry unit and just before we got here we were searching for the enemy. Once we got here, we had to stain all of our uniforms with green slime and dirt," Patterson explained.
"That isn't going to help. They see using heat vision," Royce said.
"Well, I think we can take care of ourselves. We've already killed one of them," Thompson said proudly.
"What do you mean?" Isabelle asked.
"Nothing I have ever seen before. It was in the trees; all black and it had a long tail. It kind of looked like a big snake or a lizard. Anyway, when we shot that thing its blood dissolved everything around it. We didn't stick around," Thompson detailed.
"That isn't one of them," Royce said dismissively.
"Then what was it?" Rodriguez asked.
"Can you take us to the body?" Isabelle asked.
"Sure, but if we go anywhere it will be by my rules. Create a team file; I will be team leader. Sergeant O'Connor will be Alpha team leader, and Specialist Thompson will be Bravo team leader. Let's have Isabelle in front as our sniper and Royce as our acting Saw," Patterson ordered.
"Any problem with that?" Patterson asked.
"No problem at all," Royce smirked.
"Good, let's move," Patterson ordered.
As they moved through the forest, the infantrymen looked back and forth with their rifles for any movement. Patterson moved up close to Isabelle for a word. "Tell me about Royce," he asked.
"He's a mercenary. That's all I know," she said truthfully.
"We're both in the military, and you know the importance of group cohesion," he said.
"I know."
"If he ditches us or goes against any of my orders, I will not hesitate to shoot him and take his weapon," Patterson said.
"Understood."
"You summoned me?" Lex asked annoyed.
"Come and take a seat," the Prince offered her. Only the seat was beside his throne and not an actual chair.
There was a red visual screen in front of them. The video was the visual recordings of the three Yautja on Antarctica. "I had been waiting for this for some time. Does it bring back memories?" the Prince asked.
"Some I wish to forget," Lex muttered.
The Prince showed no emotion as the first Yautja was killed. "You must always be aware of your surroundings. He paid too much attention to you than greater threats," the Prince said.
Lex stared at the Prince. "I am aware of what you looked like before your change," he told her. "From my point of view, it is a vast improvement."
Lex said nothing to that. The Prince then viewed the battle between the second Yautja and the Xenomorph. The battle was not as one-sided as before, but still, the Yautja lost. "When fighting the Xenomorph, one must have armor that can sustain the acid of the blood. The equipment they used was cheap," the Prince commented.
Another scene showed a brief interruption in the video. "That must have been the time when the Xenomorph implanted the egg," the Prince figured.
"I didn't see it happen," Lex shrugged.
"A disappointing performance but that is to be expected from youths," the Prince said dismissively.
"You saying you could do better?" Lex challenged.
The Prince ignored her. "I noticed how you fought that Yautja in your human form. That was quite brave."
A Royal Guard entered the room and addressed the Prince. "He is ready."
"Good. Let us see him," the Prince said.
Lex followed the Prince to lower levels of the pyramid. There were some animals from various planets in cells. It was similar to a low-class zoo or prison. As the Prince walked down the halls, Royal Guards gave him equipment for him to put on. The Prince quickly put on wrist blades, shoulder blades, a plasma cannon, and other devices on the sides of his legs. The Prince then stopped, as he approached the right cell. Lex peered inside.
It was a very large Yautja staring back at her. He was massive; even larger than the Black Yautja. But the most unusual part was his arms; there were four of them. "It seems the female has kept him calm," the Prince joked.
"Why does he have four arms?" Lex asked curiously.
"Just like humans, there are mutations from time to time. Someone of my stature has access to these fine specimens," the Prince explained.
"What are you going to do with him?" Lex asked fearfully.
"I am going to unleash him. He will hunt down the strongest foe which will be our Black Yautja friends," the Prince told her. He then turned to his guards. "Bring him to the field."
The Prince placed diamonds on the walls of the hallway, which created red lines in the air. If the mutant tried to get at the Prince or Lex, he would be sliced to pieces. The mutant was detained by the Royal Guards and had his arms bound.
The Royal Guard escorted the mutant to the outside on the field. The Royal Guard then deactivated the binds and then placed red beams on the mutant. If the mutant did anything threatening, he would be hit from several directions at once. "Arm the mutant with blades," the Prince ordered.
The Royal Guard placed blades on the mutant's four arms and then stood a distance away while keeping red beams on him. "You are free to go," the Prince told the mutant.
The mutant gave the Prince a look and then ran off into the forest. The Prince then turned to Lex. "I disapprove," was all she said.
The Prince eyed her for any indication she would try to fight him. "Begin tracking the mutant," he ordered.
The US Army infantry unit slowly moved through the forest looking in all directions, and occasionally taking a kneeling position among the brush. A mechanical glider suddenly darted through the air. Royce aimed his shotgun and fired on the device. The other infantrymen fired as well blasting the device to bits.
"You gave away our position," Patterson said displeased.
"They already know we're here. It's a tracking device," Royce explained.
"He's right," Isabelle said backing him up.
"If the enemy already knows we're here then we need to move," Patterson ordered.
Meanwhile, a man wearing a scarf around his head looked up to the sky. He was out of place on this moon. He did not recognize the large gas giant and the moons orbiting nearby. Instead of the mountains and desert, he saw rainforest. He was armed with an AK-47 automatic rifle. His comrades were nearby dressed in white robes designed to keep out the sand. They were armed with AK-47 rifles, primitive explosives, an RPG launcher, and long knives.
"What direction should we pray brother," one of them asked him in, Dari.
"As long as we all pray in the same direction, Allah will be merciful to us," he replied.
"What should we do now?" he was asked.
"We must find a way to get back home. Our families need us," he said.
"Are we in Hell?" another asked. "Or Heaven?"
The thought had occurred to him, but he dismissed it. He took a knife and lightly cut his hand. "We are still alive," he said showing them his wounded hand.
Black Yautja hunting dogs sped into the forest looking for prey. They stopped for a moment and sniffed around. Black blurs suddenly grabbed a hold of them and quickly tore into them. The beasts fought back with their horns but the Xenomorphs adapted quickly. Within a few moments, the Xenomorphs had used their tails to trip the beasts or slice into them. Using their second mandibles, they slashed into their heads. One beast attempted to escape but was quickly surrounded by Xenomorphs. The Xenomorphs did not attack but waited for one of their own to arrive. A Xenomorph face huger was on its back. The face-huger leaped off the Xenomorphs back and landed on the beast's face. Its tail wrapped around the beast's neck strangling it until it fell unconscious. The Xenomorphs then fed on the dead beasts and waited for one of their own to spring from the remaining beast.
There was a whistle but none of the beasts returned. Curious, the Black Yautja arrived on the scene and examined the remaining beast. Confused by the manner in which their beasts were killed, the Black Yautja carried the remaining beast away. The Xenomorphs hiding in the trees and in the tall grass watched intently as the Black Yautja walked away. Despite their cloak, the Xenomorphs could smell them out.
The Prince watched intently, as the mutant gained ground in the forest. The Prince had been tracking the mutant's movements the moment he was freed. Rarely did the mutant stay in one place for too long. Lex entered the room interrupting the Prince's thoughts.
"What are your thoughts?" the Prince asked.
"I'm bored," Lex admitted.
"I could make your stay here more pleasurable," the Prince offered.
"Not what I meant…," Lex muttered.
"I know. You want to save your precious humans. The Black Yautja ship you brought back to us had some interesting files," the Prince said as the video screen switched.
Lex watched behind the Prince as the video began. It was Royce in an isolated area of Africa. The two watched, as Royce fired upon other mercenaries, security personnel and then completely wiped out the civilian population before killing his target. The video showed Royce hunting men down the same way a Yautja would hunt down a human. After a half-hour of watching the carnage, Lex turned away from the screen.
"How is your kind any different. You slaughter yourselves in blood feuds that have lasted for centuries. How is this any different than your fight with the Black Yautja," Lex accused.
"The difference is that every Yautja volunteered to be on this moon. We do not kill females and the young, and we certainly do not do so for profit. Let go of your attachment to humanity. There are virtuous humans and virtuous Yautja and there are evil humans and evil Yautja," the Prince said.
"Well, your kind should know better. You have existed much longer than humanity," Lex said lamely.
The Prince chuckled at that with clicks. "After this war has ended on this moon and the blockade has ended, I have a proposal for you."
"What kind of proposal?" Lex wondered suspiciously.
"I can give you the drug to temporarily change you back, but in return, you must bring me the skull of an evil man. A man that has slaughtered humans in terrorist attacks, a man who is a serial rapist, or a man who kills women and children for money. You can help to make your world a better place, and in return, I can give you what you want," the Prince offered.
"I am not an executioner," Lex objected.
"Do you fear you will lose yourself? When a human kills, his brain chemistry changes to the point of madness. Yautja brains are immune to disorders of the brain like post-traumatic stress syndrome. I could kill thousands of sentient beings and come home to my family. No matter how many you kill, you will always be who you are," the Prince said.
Lex was undecided on the subject and the Prince knew it. "Do we have a deal?"
During the night, three Black Yautja set up camp. Their hunting beast was whining and moaning throughout the night. The Black Yautja used rocks filled with chemicals to start a small fire, so they could cook meat. Suddenly, the Xenomorph inside the beast exploded from the chest. The Black Yautja turned their plasma cannons on the Xenomorphs but couldn't see it.
The three Black Yautja looked around but saw nothing with their infrared. They then switched their vision scanners only to discover a dozen Xenomorphs had snuck up on them. Before they could move, Xenomorphs tackled two of the Black Yautja. The leader was put in a stranglehold by the Hybrid. The Black Yautja was dwarfed by the Hybrid's massive size. It was a foot taller and significantly heavier. The leader struggled but was stabbed through by the Hybrid's tail. One of the dying Black Yautja attempted to charge his self-destruction device but Xenomorph acid deactivated it.
Throughout the night, Black Yautja parties were being attacked. The Xenomorphs could not be detected by infrared giving them a distinct advantage. The Black Yautja had no expectation of fighting Xenomorphs and were taken by surprise in every engagement.
Lex hesitated to answer. "My Prince, there is Black Yautja activity," a Royal Guard interrupted.
The Prince turned to his computer screen. Several Black Yautja ships were moving about in the atmosphere and then firing on the ground indiscriminately. The Prince then tracked the location of the mutant, but he was not in the general area. The Black Yautja ships were trying to find something else.
"The Xenomorphs are hunting as planned," the Prince said pleased.
The Prince then turned to his Royal Guard. "Prepare for a Xenomorph hunt," he ordered. He then turned to Lex. "We are going to do some scouting. You will come with me."
Lex reluctantly followed the Prince to one of his chambers. He stripped down to nothing except a belt around his waist. This didn't visually impress Lex due to her poor vision. He then covered himself completely in a black armor that still allowed him to move. He attached wrist blades, two plasma cannons on his shoulders, a cloaking device, and other equipment that he attached to his armored legs that were all made of durimet. His mask was covered in Xenomorph flesh with durimet metal underneath. The suit was acid-resistant and hid the Prince's temperature readings.
The Prince pointed out Lex's modified armor that had been newly constructed. Once she was done, she was in the female version of the suit. The Royal Guards assembled in identical suits. "Our mission is to scout. We will not win this war in a single night. Do not kill the Xenomorphs unless you absolutely have to. Do not engage the humans unless they fire upon you," the Prince ordered.
"Let's move," the Prince ordered.
The Royal Guard enthusiastically moved down the halls towards the open field. Despite their confidence, Lex felt nervous heading into a big fight. As they exited the pyramid, they activated their cloaking devices. Inside their masks, they could see their positions on a short-range map in the form of a motion detector.
"Switch to EM-Field Generator," the Prince ordered.
Lex used her mind to switch from infrared to the new vision. Everything appeared green like night vision goggles. When everyone was set, the Yautja took off into a run through the forest. Lex's new biology made it possible for her to keep up with the others at a speed of 10 mph consistently.
Meanwhile, the Taliban fighters considered the Black Yautja ships firing into the forest. "Are those American gunships?" one of them asked.
"I do not think so but if we strike it down we may learn something from it. Ghazan: bring it down," Salar ordered.
Ghazan carefully aimed his RPG and fired. The rocket went straight for the ship and hit one of the wings. The engine and the wing exploded, and the ship fell to the ground in an explosion. The Taliban fighters were excited, but Salar kept them silent.
"We go forth," he ordered his men.
Private Holmes was on watch in the trees when the Black Yautja ship was hit. He immediately climbed down and informed Patterson. "I saw an explosion in the sky, and I think it was an RPG," Holmes reported.
"Between you and me, I think someone is fucking with us. I bet they brought us both here," Patterson considered.
"They bring the best killers to this moon. They don't care what side you're on," Royce whispered.
"It could be our way home," Isabelle suggested.
"Okay, we move towards the ship. Sergeant O'Connor will be our map guy," Patterson ordered.
The Prince noticed the down ship with some curiosity inside his mask. Had Xenomorphs found their way into the ships? That was not part of the plan for the Xenomorphs to escape the moon. Suddenly, a Black Yautja decloaked, as he was hit with a Xenomorph.
The Prince waited as the Xenomorph and the Black Yautja fought. The Black Yautja sliced at the Xenomorph only to find his blades dissolved. He eventually used his plasma cannon to blast the Xenomorph but some of the acid got on his armor. The Prince fired from his two wrists; plasma bursts hit the Black Yautja like machine gunfire. The Black Yautja was punctured a dozen times and fell to the ground dead.
Another Black Yautja hit the Prince with a plasma burst, but it dissolved a foot from the Prince. Royal Guards fired on a Black Yautja killing him immediately. A Xenomorph darted towards them but the Prince fired a net on it. The Xenomorph was pinned against a tree. A Royal Guard was about to stab it through with a spear but the Prince stopped him.
"Keep them alive for now," the Prince ordered.
The Taliban fighters approached the damaged Black Yautja ship. With their AK-47s ready, they slowly walked up to the ship. An injured Black Yautja staggered out of the ship. The Taliban stared in amazement as the Black Yautja limped away from the ship.
The Taliban opened fire blasting the alien with powerful caliber bullets. The Black Yautja fell to the ground dead before he realized who had hit him. The Taliban then stood over the Black Yautja body in wonder.
There was a sudden noise, as the US infantry unit cautiously approached the crash site. The Taliban immediately turned their weapons on the US infantry with Ghazan pointing a fresh RPG at the Americans. The two sides shouted at each other to put their weapons down; neither understood the other. Finally, Salar ordered his men to lower their weapons.
"I speak English," Salar said with a strong accent.
The Americans considered what to do, but Patterson eventually came forth. "My name is Staff Sergeant Patterson of the United States Army."
"My name is Salar, and I am a Taliban commander," Salar said.
"I say we take them out, Sergeant. They can't shoot shit even at this range," Specialist Rodriguez suggested.
Salar took out what looked like a cell phone out of his robes. "If anything happens, one of us will detonate killing us all."
"Cool it, Rodriguez," Patterson ordered. Patterson then turned to the Taliban commander. "I think we were both taken off the battlefield to this place as some sick joke. Someone wants us to fight each other like a game," Patterson theorized.
"Who is that someone?" Salar wondered while pointing out the dead Black Yautja.
Patterson stared into the darkness and saw the dead alien. "Is this the right one?" Patterson asked Isabelle.
"Yes, these are the ones that sent us here," Isabelle confirmed.
Salar twitched upon hearing Isabelle. "You are an Israeli. That accent is unmistakable," he said with malice.
Isabelle simply stared at Salar and hoped she hadn't indirectly caused a firefight. "That's right. Israeli Defense Forces," Isabelle admitted.
"You're a sniper," Salar guessed upon seeing her weapon.
"Right again," Isabelle smirked.
"How many Palestinians did you kill with it?" Salar accused.
"I didn't keep count," Isabelle shot back.
"We should see whether the ship is functional," Royce interrupted.
"Salar and I will go into the ship; Sergeant O'Connor: if I don't return in thirty minutes move everyone back. You're in charge now," Patterson ordered.
The two entered the ship and looked around for any enemy combatants. "Seen anything like this?" Patterson asked Salar.
"Never in my life," he replied.
The console that appeared to be flight computers were damaged from the crash. "Looks smashed to bits," Patterson observed.
"I have found something," Salar said opening a compartment.
Inside were plasma rifles and a number of other bladed weapons. When Patterson and Salar returned, the men went into the ship and took all the weapons. When everything had been taken from the ship, Patterson ordered the group to move to another location to establish a camp.
The Prince, Lex, and some Royal Guards walked up to the broken Black Yautja ship. Their masks analyzed the destroyed engine on one of the wings. "Humans with primitive weapons," the Prince said amused.
"Humans?" Lex wondered.
"This is the result of a rocket-propelled grenade; a primitive explosive device. It is, however, effective against our armor and our physiology," the Prince said.
"Search the ship," the Prince ordered, as he examined a dead Black Yautja. He took out a medical toolbox and used a scalpel to dig into the body's torso. He finally found the bullet and took it out. The Prince's mask analyzed the bullet.
"The bullet is 7.62mm. I know this weapon," the Prince said to himself. "We have encountered this ammunition before in the wilderness of Siberia on Earth," the Prince added.
"Russian?" Lex wondered.
"It is too primitive for Russian, but it could come from a number of lands on your planet," the Prince said and then placed the bullet in a pocket.
"The weapons are gone," the Royal Guard reported.
"This is distressing," the Prince said annoyed.
Lex was secretly pleased as this would give the humans on the moon a fighting chance. The Prince seemed to notice Lex's lack of concern. "I will remind you that the more armed the prey is the more force shall be brought upon them," the Prince told her.
The Americans, Israeli, and the Taliban fighters stared at each other in the darkness neither trusting the other. Salar was the leader and spokesman for his group since the others didn't know English.
"I think we should part ways in the morning," Patterson said to Salar.
"Why do you say this?" he asked curiously.
"I have to be honest with you, Salar. Your men are not properly trained like mine, and we can't trust you. I've spent four years trying to hunt your type down and the rest of my men have lost comrades to you," Patterson said.
Salar nodded in understanding. "I joined the Taliban, so I could provide for my family. The Taliban can pay better than Karzai."
"That's because of the opium trade," Patterson pointed out.
"I don't care where the money comes from. I have a wife and four children. They are being taken care of by the Taliban while I am here. I have nothing against you," Salar said.
"When you eventually leave, all those who sided with Karzai will perish. I am a realist," Salar added.
"How can I trust you?" Patterson asked finally.
"I have the information you need. If you get me home to my family, I will tell you what you want to know," Salar offered.
"And what do you know?" Patterson scoffed.
"I know Osama Bin Laden's location. I know exactly where he lives, and I can show you on a map. He is not in a cave like you think. You help bring my men home, and I will tell you Osama's location," Salar said.
Patterson froze at that wondering if he could trust Salar. "I will need to know everything you know once this is over. If you fail to deliver, I will hunt you down myself."
"Then we have a deal."
"I don't expect you to like each other, and I know some of you have hard feelings towards the Taliban. But in order for us to survive here, we will need their help. They have agreed to give us the location of Osama Bin Laden after this is all done," Sergeant Patterson said.
"Hell, yes," Thompson smiled.
"It's bullshit. They're lying," Rodriguez accused. "Their religion allows them to lie to non-believers. They will say anything to us to get their way."
"That is not true," Salar objected.
"Look, they will give us the location of Bin Laden, and then our intelligence will verify it. If they lie, they get a first-class trip to Cuba. Does that sound acceptable to you, Rodriguez?" Patterson asked.
"Yeah, that's fine, Sergeant," he said.
"Good, these things that are out there are hiding in the trees. We need to get out in the open," Patterson said.
"I know a wide-open field a short distance from here," Royce said.
"Alright, lead the way Royce. You will be the team leader for Alpha team," Patterson ordered. He then turned to Salar. "Do you know how to do a file and wedge movement?"
"We have studied your movements," Salar replied.
"Let's move," Patterson ordered.
The Prince activated his communicator with his Royal Guards. "Fall back to the pyramid. We are done for the night. Good hunting."
Lex felt relieved upon hearing the Prince's order. He was suddenly hit by a long black tail. The Prince slammed into a tree and fell to the ground. Lex turned to see what had happened and stared into the face of the Hybrid. It opened its mouth and shot out its second mandibles. Lex dodged the attack and activated her targeting computer in her mask.
The Hybrid smacked her hard, knocking off her mask and her plasma cannon. She stabbed the Hybrid with her blades, but they were flesh wounds. The acid hissed on her blades, but they did not melt. Lex fell to the ground from the blow of the Hybrid's attack. Lex didn't realize it before but the Hybrid was covered with face-huggers on his body.
It peeled one of them off and released it. Lex found her face covered by the face-hugger and felt intense pain as a tube went down her throat. The face hugger's tail curled around her neck cutting off her airflow. Lex got on her feet and struggled to take the face-hugger off while the Hybrid watched.
Finally, Lex ran out of air and fell to the ground unconscious. Blades suddenly shot out stabbing the Hybrid in the shoulders. The Prince extended his blades and confronted the Hybrid. The two circled each other with Lex in the middle. The Hybrid roared and rushed the Prince. He expertly avoided the arms of the Hybrid and stabbed it to the chest and gut. The Hybrid swung its tail, but the Prince cut it off. Screaming in pain, the Hybrid backed off.
The Prince advanced on the Hybrid with punches and kicks that stabbed into its body. The Hybrid appeared to be twice the Prince's weight but the Yautja was fast. He quickly bent low and sliced into the Hybrid's legs forcing it to the ground. Satisfied it could not move against him, the Prince walked away.
Lex's body continued to spasm, as the face-hugger continued its work. With nothing that could be done, the Prince knelt down next to Lex and waited for the end.
The American, Israeli, Taliban team moved into the tall grasslands away from the trees. As they did a recon of the area, they found the body of a Black Yautja and a dead Japanese man. The two were in a state of decay but the Japanese katana blade was in good condition. One of the Taliban fighters picked the sword up and placed it on his belt.
"I knew this man," Royce said of the body.
"Who is he?" Patterson asked.
"He was Kakuza from Japan. He fought one of these things one-on-one," Royce said.
The Americans examined the Black Yautja and took off his mask. "Thompson: you have a fat head. See if it fits," O'Connor suggested.
Thompson placed the mask over his head and immediately felt new perceptions. "Well?" Patterson wondered.
"I can see in different spectrums. It's amazing. It is like my mind is telling the mask what to do," Thompson said.
"Keep the mask on. We may need that," Patterson ordered. He then turned to everyone. "We set up camp here." He then turned to Isabelle, "I am going to need you in the trees tonight."
She nodded and walked off with her sniper rifle.
The Prince waited a few hours for the face-hugger to die and release its hold on Lex's face. Lex began to stir and eventually got up as the face-hugger chemicals stopped flowing through her system. "What happened?" she asked dazed.
"You were attacked by a Xenomorph, and it has implanted an egg inside you," the Prince told her.
Lex stared at the still masked Prince. "I'm dead," she said resigned.
"Under normal circumstances, you would be," the Prince said and then took out a tube of a sort from his suit.
"What is that?" Lex wondered.
"This will suck the creature out of your body," the Prince said and then used his mask to find precisely where the embryo was located. The egg had gone down into the stomach, hugged the lining of the stomach, and then transfused itself on the outside of the stomach below the abdomen muscles and attaching itself to the aorta.
"There is something I want from you," the Prince said, as he casually prepared his tool.
"What? Anything," Lex said, as she felt powerful chest pains.
"I want you to be my mate and provide me an heir that will have some human genetic qualities," the Prince said.
"You're proposing to me now?" Lex asked while in deep pain.
"We don't propose as your modern human culture does. Generally, a male will choose a female and then ask the father of that female for permission. The female has little say in the matter. As it is, you have no parents Yautja or human," the Prince said.
Lex simply stared at him. "I know you are an orphan, Lex. I know that your father died when you were young climbing a mountain on Earth," he said.
Lex felt another intense pain as the creature was beginning to move inside her gut. "You would have me be a breeder?"
"All I ask is one heir and then I will take you to many planets and moons. I will take you to mountains taller and more challenging than anything you have seen on the Earth. I can give you the chance to climb the highest mountain on Earth, the Everest. You would never want and have freedom beyond any human," the Prince said.
"How can I trust you?" Lex asked him.
"You have to take my word for it."
Lex took out a blue vial from her suit and opened the cap. "What are you doing?" the Prince asked.
"There is another option. If it erupts from me, it will be a Hybrid just like the one that attacked me. I have to kill it even if it kills myself," she said.
"What of my offer?"
"I am not going to be blackmailed into marriage," Lex said defiantly and then tilted the vial.
The Prince considered Lex for a split second and then forced the vial out of her hand. He took the tube and placed it on her abdomen. He activated the machine and within a second the creature burst from Lex's chest. The Prince then capped the tube keeping the small Xenomorph inside. Lex coughed up green blood, and her wound was starting to bleed all over her suit.
"This is going to hurt," the Prince said and then injected her inside the wound. Lex tensed up in extreme pain as the substance cauterized her wound.
The Prince then brought Lex to her feet and collected her equipment. He would keep the mask off her face, so he could see infrared readings in her head. Lex noticed the struggling Hybrid on the ground. "You didn't kill it?" she asked stunned.
"It is still useful for my plan. It will heal itself in a short time. We should go," the Prince told her.
Lex didn't want to argue, so she let the Prince cover her in an invisible cloak. The two walked through the forest until they reached the pyramid. When they got there, the Royal Guards welcomed them inside. "We were concerned about you, my Prince," the Royal Guard leader said.
"I had a complication," the Prince said vaguely.
Isabelle watched intently through her sniper rifle as the night went on. The moon's night and day were longer than on Earth by a few hours. Still, she stayed watchful for anything coming near the camp. When dawn finally came, she went down to the rest of the camp with bloodshot eyes.
"Get some sleep, Isabelle, and the rest of you form a perimeter," Patterson ordered.
Isabelle immediately went to sleep exhausted. "It's good your remaining survivor is a true soldier," Patterson remarked to Royce.
Royce ignored the insult. It was true. Isabelle was the better soldier; she would never leave a fallen comrade behind and always considered what was best for the group. But that didn't mean she would survive.
Lex awoke several hours later with a pain in her stomach. She immediately clutched her chest, as she remembered the Xenomorph trying to push out. She examined the wound and saw that it was healing quickly. She was starting to feel like her body was actually her and not a costume.
She walked down the halls and found the Prince examining a hologram of the moon. "There are fewer ships in the atmosphere now," the Prince said, as she came into the room.
"You are winning," Lex said subdued.
The Xenomorphs infected the large birds of the moon from other planets and morphed into flying serpents. The Xenomorphs took flight like black dragons and were attracted to the heat from the Black Yautja ships. The Xenomorphs covered and attacked these ships until they fell to the ground. The air became filled with these dragons and at night they were nearly invisible. The humans also noticed the Xenomorphs and moved back into the forest.
The human infantry team looked in all directions for any kind of threat. Using Royce's suggestion, they built traps made of woods and vines. After a day's work, they were able to keep their circle relatively secure. During the day, a curious Xenomorph crawled around the ground sniffing for prey. It fell into a pit and immediately spikes sliced into it. The acidic blood leaked over the wooden spikes destroying them.
"We're going to need to dig another pit," Royce said dryly.
There was silence and then a swarm of Xenomorphs rushed the group. "Open fire," Patterson ordered. The infantrymen blasted the area with suppressive fire causing some of the Xenomorphs to explode in yellowish goo. Royce's weapon shot shell-after-shell as the Xenomorphs came closer. Suddenly, from the side, the Xenomorphs were hit with machine gunfire. The Taliban were firing with AK-47s and had successfully outflanked the rushing Xenomorphs.
"Not bad," O'Connor remarked.
The Xenomorphs adapted by confronting the Taliban but were cut down by the Americans. When the smoke had cleared there were a dozen dead Xenomorphs on the ground. "Good work, everyone," Patterson complimented.
"Traps or no traps, we can not hold an attack like that again," Royce said.
"Of course," the Prince replied. A Royal Guard entered the room with a mask. "I have scouted the humans near our location," he said.
The Prince took the mask and viewed what the Royal Guard had seen. He saw the Americans working with the Taliban against the Xenomorphs. He took off the mask and laughed in a creepy version of a human laugh. He then gave the mask to Lex so that she could view it.
"They are?" Lex wondered.
The Prince chuckled at her ignorance. "They are American infantrymen and Taliban fighters. No doubt the Black Yautja desired to see them fight each other and then hunt the survivors," the Prince said.
"This shows that humans can work together. Maybe, you should follow the same example and seek peace with the Black Yautja," Lex said boldly.
"Peace, there can be no peace," the Prince said dismissively.