Hey all.
thanks for the positive feedback, but i would appreciate it if they were more in depth. Grayhuntress, thank you for that. anything that you think i can improve on or if you just have any favourite parts would be good to know (And get me going for the next chapters.)
that aside, read away!
Chapter 15- Uninvited guests
Things were looking up for the colony since that first proper victory over the xenomorphs. There hadn't been another attack for an hour now, evidence that the xenomorphs are likely to try another line of attack. The colonists took the initiative with this moment of peace, working hard to make the colony more defensible. The barricades and makeshift shelters were looking more protective and all that can be repaired was being repaired.
One of the newest additions was a fully repaired mining dozer which was now being use to clear up the place a bit and to obstruct the tunnel, to make future attacks harder for the xenomorphs
Fighting back the xenomorphs with no casualties for the first time had instilled a new sense of hope for the colonists. And with the discovery of a Yautja distress beacon, it had given them a new urge to survive.
Even if rescue came in the form of a race of headhunters.
The initiates, Fel'tak and Mal'fax anyway, had fully bestowed the mark of the hunter on their masks. Kra'vyx and Ly'enta could only watch with respect, having not taken down any of the xenomorphs. But Alaric had told them that those bugs would come again, so there was still time to prove themselves.
The colonists attitude to the initiates were somewhat improved, understanding that they weren't here to hunt them, but they still kept their distance from them in case they changed their minds. The Archangels on the other hand found this as an interesting experience to work with hunters instead of fighting them.
Alaric had been reluctant to bestow the mark on his mask but in the end he had doneit. To come this far and not have the mark would be an insult to the clan and to Ja'anya.
Alaric was sitting down on a chair next to the communications hub located in the command center. Sven and Hicks were with him as he jury rigged the Yautja distress transmitter to the control interface. Sven was busy adjusting the systems to get as much optimal signal as was possible while Hicks was helping Alaric wire up the transmitter. It was much of a process of elimination since very little was known about how Yautja tech worked.
The Yautja were very diligent in keeping their tech from human hands unless it had been earned.
With the colony underground for protection against the blizzards, the comm-relay antenna and dish were situated in a secure bunker located on a mountain plateau several hundred feet directly above their position. And it was made to be impenetrable to attack from any means, be it human, xenomorph, Yautja, or even the environment.
So as far as anyone was concerned, the relay was undamaged.
Sven looked to the distress beacon.
"You think that predator tech is going to be compatible?" Sven asked, turning some dials.
"They're more advanced then us in many ways." Hicks said, plugging in a cable. "Communication is a priority for any race to survive. So it is logical that they could adapt it for our relays, should the need arise. But we don't know until we try."
"You never cease to give logical answers, do you?"
"Goes with the name 'Scribe', Messenger."
Alaric retracted the transmitter's casing, revealing a touch screen interface laden with Yautja glyphs. He then entered code combinations the Kra'vyx had told him. Hicks was intrigued by Alaric's skill and understanding for the language.
"How long did you live with them, again?" Hicks asked, out of the blue.
"A few months." Alaric answered.
"Alaric is a fast learner, you know that." Sven said.
'Of course I'm a fast learner.' Alaric thought. 'I wouldn't be here if I wasn't.'
Alaric then entered the final code and a status bar with accompanying glyphs appeared on the screen, indicating the connection's strength.
"We have a connection." Alaric said. "Okay, Sven, try it."
Sven then hit the transmit button. The station lit up with static as the relay dishes far above them worked to penetrate the snowstorms outside. Sven adjusted the settings. Alaric and Hicks kept track of the signal reading on the transmitter. The signal got weaker which Sven then corrected. Alaric adjusted the transmitter in unison.
"Pokker, this weather is interfering with the signal." Sven cursed, fiddling with the controls. "I don't think this planet wants us to leave."
A shower of sparks erupted from the controls, right into Sven's face. He cursed in Norwegian as he furiously patted at his face. Hicks took over the controls while Sven was momentarily occupied with his beard.
"This is as clear as we're gonna get." Hicks said. "Alaric, make your message now."
Alaric proceeded to record his message.
"Lai'kairis, this is initiate Alaric. Lai'kairis, this is initiate Alaric." He spoke in Yautja, recording his message. "Our shuttle, Initiate Shuttle Alpha, has crash landed on an ice planet. I don't know what sector we are in, or what name this planet has and frankly, I don't care. Me, Kra'vyx, and the others have survived the crash, but the pilot died on impact. We have taken shelter at an underground colony of humans, my old squad included, and we are being attacked by big fucking xenos. Beware; these things make regular bugs look like children's toys in comparison. We have managed to fend them off for now, but I don't know when they'll come back for seconds. We need immediate evac ASAP! Repeat immediate evac ASAP. This message will repeat until rescue arrives."
He tapped the transmit glyph. The transmitter was now broadcasting.
"Now, we sit and wait for the clan to come." Alaric said in English, getting up.
The Yautja transmitter then gave off a low humming and a small pattern of bleeps. Glyphs circulated around its interface as it worked to adjust its signal to the environmental conditions. It was a long shot, they all knew that, but this was their best chance to beat the xenomorphs or at least leave the planet.
"Well, I hope they pick up that signal." Sven said. "We're running low on supplies here."
"You got that right." Hicks added. "I don't think we can fight them hand-to-hand constantly for long."
"Well frankly, I don't care who comes, be it the Marines or the Yautja." Alaric said.
Alaric yawned. He needed to get some rest after all that happened. First was that ungodly blizzard which he and the initiates crash landed into, almost freezing to death. Then navigating a system of caves and tunnels. Stumbling into the Archangels was a welcome change while the attack from the xenomorphs just made their day even worst.
And now that there was some calm for once, he intended to take advantage of it and get back to top fighting condition.
Sven and hicks could see that Alaric was tired.
"Now if you don't mind, I'm gonna get some sleep." Alaric said, getting up from the chair. "Nothing else for me to do is there?"
His archangel comrades merely told him that he had done more then enough and he should get some sleep before they walked off to check on some other systems. Alaric walked back outside and went to find a nice quiet spot.
It was already late into the planet's night cycle and it looked like most of the colony was getting what sleep that they could. There were only a few marines or miners up, no doubt on sentry duty. They were drinking deeply from their mugs and keeping a sharp lookout down the tunnel. The rest were inside the ruined habs and improvised shelters, grabbing what sleep they could.
Alaric soon found a resting place that was empty. It was a small shed that had been re-worked as a sleeping area. Inside was a portable thermal coil that chugged away, keeping the air warm. Several sleeping mats were arranged on the floor around it and a chair was propped against the near wall.
Alaric stepped inside, removing his great axe from its holster and he heard steps coming towards him. He turned and saw Andrzej walking up to him.
The captain was holding two steaming mugs in his hands and he had a questioning look on his face.
"Alaric, I need to talk to you." He said.
Alaric sighed and gestured his former captain to come inside. Andrzej walked inside as Alaric sat down on the chair, propping his axe against the wall.
"Captain?" Alaric asked.
Andrzej had been planning to discuss with Alaric what he had been thinking ever since they first met back in the tunnels. He handed Alaric one of the mugs.
"Alaric. You have come to understand these aliens, yes?" Andrzej questioned. "Learned their ways and that?"
Alaric took a swig from his mug.
"Yes." He answered.
Andrzej cleared his throat.
"Well, me, and the squad still find it shocking that you, of all people, would be joining them." He stated, bluntly.
Alaric sighed.
"I still find it hard to believe." Alaric said. "But it actually proved beneficial in the end."
"Beneficial?" Andrzej asked, his tone suggesting that Alaric had lost his mind. "Alaric, did all that time alone make you forget what they did to you? What they did to your father's squad?"
Alaric leaned the chair back against the wall. He then fished around inside his armor before pulling out his tags and his locket.
"I could never forget what they did. You know that fact very well." Alaric said, opening his locket and looking at the picture of his wife and child. "Every time I close my eyes, I can still see and hear them dying."
He looked up to Andrzej, with anger in his eyes.
"I distrust them as a whole, I'll admit that, but my true hatred is to those who tried to kill me when I was a boy and those who took Sam, and Ares, from me." He said, before clicking his locket shut. "Besides, I have accomplished more in the last few months with them then I did in the last year."
He unclasped the gauntlet on his right arm, slid it off and showed Andrzej the four tattoos that were still on his arms.
And the scar from where one use to be. Andrzej understood, as per Alaric's family background, exactly what that meant.
"One of the Marked has been purged." He told the captain. "Only four remain."
Alaric reattached his gauntlet.
"They're all dead." Alaric said. "They died a year ago the moment they laid their claws on them. They just don't know it yet."
"And they let you get away with that?" Andrzej said, gesturing to the initiates. "Killing one of their own?"
Alaric gave a light curt chuckle.
"Interestingly enough, those five, as I later learned, are what the Yautja call 'Bad bloods'." He explained. "Outcasts, criminals in the extreme. So in some way, I am doing me and their race a favor."
"Bad bloods." Andrzej said, playing with the word. "Hicks would like to note that down."
Alaric yawned again. Andrzej saw that Alaric wanted some sleep and he knew for one that was one thing he couldn't deprive his former squad mate. Alaric fought best if he was in top condition.
"Is there anything else?" Alaric asked before taking a good gulp from his mug.
"Just wanted to make sure you get some rest." Andrzej answered. "You, and your friends, are the best bet we have of getting out of here alive."
"Well, don't thank me yet until they get here." Alaric said.
Andrzej took a swig from his mug and turned to head outside.
"Andrzej, before you go." Alaric said, reaching into a pouch as the captain stopped.
Andrzej was then handed the dog-tags of the dead marine in the tunnels.
"Came across a dead marine before we met." He explained.
"Well, I'm sure Kelso would want to know." Andrzej said, looking at the tags. "Better then not knowing." He looked back at Alaric. "Rest well, Alaric."
Andrzej then walked out of the hab and Alaric then shut his eyes. He sighed as he shuffled to get comfortable
"Oh, Alaric." Andrzej said, just remembering something.
Alaric opened one eye.
"Captain?" he asked.
"You might want to find some ear plugs." Andrzej told him.
Alaric raised an eyebrow.
"What for?" Alaric asked
"Just saying you'll need some, otherwise you won't sleep." Andrzej stated.
"I'll cope. I can sleep through nearly anything; you and the others know that."
Alaric shut his eyes and crossed his arms, wondering why he needed earplugs in this place. Andrzej walked outside, muttering in polish that Alaric was going to regret it.
The initiates were taking advantage of the calm, and were busy napping inside one of the recently restored habs with a fire barrel warming them up. Used food bowls and a large empty food pot were scattered around as they had a sort of victory feast after the fight. Mal'fax was up against one of the walls with Ly'enta resting her head on his lap and purring softly in her sleep. Fel'tak was laying on his back on a sleeping mat with his new trophy on his lap and his hands resting on the xenomorph's large crest and snoring away loudly.
Kra'vyx on the other hand, was sitting by the fire barrel deep in thought. Well, he was awake mostly because of Fel'tak's snoring.
He was going over the events that just happened and he could've sworn that he, and in fact most of the clan, knew something about those xenomorphs. He couldn't remember the name since he was only a young pup back then when he heard them. All he knew came from old songs and half forgotten legends that some of the oldest ancients would tell. They talk about a race of god-like Kainde Amedha that completely devoured whole clans and killed off entire ecosystems as their numbers grew. And those stories spoke of a clan of Yautja, it's history and identity long forgotten by modern times, who defeated them and imprisoned them inside masterly constructed prisons designed never to be opened by anyone, at the cost of their entire clan.
But of course, those legends are half forgotten so he couldn't be sure what was truth or just exaggeration by some overly flamboyant bard.
Most of Lai'kairis were skeptical that those Kainde Amedha had ever existed, passing them off as stories that parents would tell disobedient children. One Elder in particular, the self appointed Master of Lore, was so certain that they never even evolved that he would personally punish those who spread that 'lie'. But some of the Elders, the High Elder, and High Priestess included, that believed that the legends held some measure of truth.
And not for the fear and terror in the ancients' eye when they talked about them.
Then again, he thought, would he and his friends even survive to tell the tale?
Footsteps were heard pacing up and Kra'vyx was shaken out of his thinking as Alaric came walking inside. He was rubbing his bloodshot eyes, evidence that he was trying to get to sleep and he was looking grouchy over the interruptions. Alaric looked around the hab and saw Fel'tak snoring away like an asthmatic lion.
This was why Andrzej said he needed earplugs.
"For Grimnir's sake!" He fumed in Yautja, before keeping his voice down because of the other sleeping initiates. "How is it possible for someone to snore so loud!"
Kra'vyx looked at his snoring friend.
"I'd been wondering that for years and I still don't have any clue." Kra'vyx answered.
Fel'tak then gave out a loud rasping snore. Alaric cringed at the sound of it.
"This is unbearable, gives those bloody pipes a run for their money." Alaric muttered.
That was when Alaric got a little idea. Something that he was often on the end of whenever he was asleep. And the environment provided the exact thing needed for it to work.
He grinned.
"Kra'vyx, I got a perfect little present to give him." Alaric said.
"A present?" Kra'vyx questioned. "You're going to give him a present for snoring his head off?"
"In a manner of speaking." Alaric clarified.
Alaric cocked his head towards outside and walked out, picking up a bucket laying nearby with Kra'vyx following. He walked over to a large bank of snow and he started scooping snow into the bucket.
"What are you doing?" Kra'vyx asked.
"This is a little something that Hicks did to me once. It's called a 'Mr Frosty'." Alaric said, picking lumps of debris from the snow.
He made sure that the bucket was nicely heaving with snow.
"What does it involve?" Kra'vyx asked.
"One sleeping victim, a bucket of snow, and a well placed smack to the face." Alaric told him.
Kra'vyx's eyes went wide when he learned that this was a prank. He then pointed to the bucket and then made the action of chucking the bucket into his face. Alaric nodded and cocked his head, telling Kra'vyx to follow him.
They both crept back into the hab and sneaked over to the sleeping Fel'tak. A couple of miners sitting next to a fire barrel, drinking some hot coffee watched them sneak inside. Both of them were perplexed by Alaric and Kra'vyx's movements.
"What is the predator and marine doing?" One of them asked.
"Don't know, but it's likely about the one that's snoring the place out." The other answered as the two warriors stepped into the hab. "Hope they shut it up."
Alaric and Kra'vyx carefully crept closer and closer. Fel'tak gave out a loud snore, making the two of them freeze in anticipation of him waking up. But Fel'tak merely scratched his forehead and snored. Alaric sighed softly in relief and positioned himself to hurl the snow onto the sleeping Yautja's face while Kra'vyx knelt down by his head.
Alaric nodded to Kra'vyx to begin.
On cue and after a few seconds of anticipation, Kra'vyx slapped Fel'tak hard in the face, waking him up as he snapped one eye open. And the first thing he saw was the bucket of snow coming right for him. The snow completely piled into his face and he sputtered and grunted as he tried to get up. Kra'vyx and Alaric by now had darted out of the hab, bucket clattering behind them and sprinted to another hiding place, which they dived behind out of sight behind a wrecked truck.
Hicks was sitting on a crate outside the command center typing into his data-pad as he watched the whole thing. He saw Fel'tak step out of the hab, his head and upper body covered in snow and a seething look on his face. Hicks couldn't resist laughing at the sight, causing some of his squad to see what was going on from what ever they were doing.
Andrzej came walking up, finishing off the last of his drink followed by Sergei who was polishing his sword.
"What happened?" Andrzej asked.
"One of the preds has just been Mr Frosty'ed" Hicks said, pointing at the half frozen initiate.
Alaric came walking out of his hiding place with a smirk on his face. Kra'vyx followed behind and he chuckled when he saw Fel'tak's new make over. Ly'enta and Mal'fax had also woken up from the scuffle and, seeing the state of their friend, were chuckling too.
"Figures." Sergei said. "Alaric couldn't stand the snoring."
Fel'tak looked at Alaric as the slayer walked up to him.
"What the hell was that for!" He asked before shaking his head to get the snow off.
Alaric glared at him with bloodshot eyes.
"With your snoring, it's a wonder those bugs aren't attacking us." Alaric told him. "I would suggest closing your mouth when you sleep from now on."
Alaric went walking off to his sleeping place, Kra'vyx following him. Mal'fax and Ly'enta in the meantime had gone back to sleep. Fel'tak merely muttered unhappily as he went back inside.
Alaric stepped back inside the shed and yawned.
"What was it you said about pipes?" Kra'vyx asked. "Saying that Fel'tak's snoring was worse?"
"Oh, the pipes." Alaric said, sitting back in his chair. "Well, once when me and the Archangels were on a training mission on urban warfare, there were these quarters which had these pipes running along the ceiling and they made the most odd and annoying creaks ever heard." He shuffled back into a comfortable position. "Sergei made a bet with me to stay in that room for the night. I did and the next morning, he found me hanging up on the pipes, smacking them with my fists and screaming 'If you're gonna keep me up all night, do it properly!"
"I bet you were cranky because of that."
"I certainly was." Alaric said before giving Kra'vyx a mock serious look. "And I'll get even crankier if I don't get to sleep right now."
Kra'vyx took his cue and left Alaric to his rest. Alaric then shut his eyes and relaxed his breathing. It didn't take long for him to fall asleep, now that nothing was preventing him.
Alaric slept quietly for about two hours when he was roused from his slumber. How he woke up came from Andrzej as the captain came up to him and gently started rocking Alaric's shoulder. Alaric merely grumbled as he shuffled a bit and didn't wake up. Andrzej then nodded his head when he saw Alaric needed a little incentive and then clicked his fingers. Alaric then felt something hit his face with a loud poof. A white cloud erupted around his head and he opened one eye. He saw as the dust dissipated that Andrzej was standing by him and he saw Sergei dusting his hands clean of a white powder. He also saw Kra'vyx was standing behind them, chuckling at Alaric and was holding a small barrel.
Alaric coughed a large white plume as he guessed what happened. It just happened to be the most repeated prank on him. Something that he had regretted showing the squad that one time on leave.
"I've been antiqued, haven't I?" Alaric asked, yawning. "Plaster?"
"Da." Sergei answered before hurling another handful right in Alaric's face.
Alaric shook his head, coughing as the plaster powder went dispersing into the air, obscuring his head in a white cloud. Kra'vyx snickered at the sight.
"What is it?" Alaric asked, getting up and coughing.
"It's something that you should see." Andrzej explained. "Urgent."
Alaric grabbed a canteen that was laying nearby and splashed water on his face before scrubbing his face clean.
"Well, as soon as the fog clears, I'll see what it is." Alaric said before taking a swig and then spitting into a corner.
The two archangels walked out with Alaric following them, leaving a white dust trail behind him. Kra'vyx meanwhile was digging the in the barrel for a hand full of plaster and was intent on trying it on one of his friends.
Andrzej pointed to a large dilapidated vehicle shed and inside there was a large mass of tarpaulin, netting, and scrap metal covering a large object. Alaric didn't know what quite to make of it, other then a poorly improvised shelter.
"Over here." Andrzej said, gesturing Alaric to follow.
The Archangels arrived at the junk pile and Sergei moved over and started rummaging around, pulling the scrap aside. Sheet metal went clattering to the ground and netting tangled up with it.
"What's going on?" Alaric asked. "What is Sergei digging for?"
"The one thing that those bugs didn't destroy." Andrzej said.
Sergei yanked another tarpaulin out of the way, taking down several scrap plating with it and a sliding door was revealed. On it was the Archangels' symbol, the winged sun and the crown. He then unlocked and slid the door open. Alaric saw now what was hidden under all this scrap.
It was a marine corps Spec Ops APC, a far more aerodynamic and advanced model then what the standard grunts were issued. They were designed to be faster, stronger and pack enough fire power to wipe out a hive, as demonstrated by the intimidating auto-cannon turret on top. Moving to its front, he could see the vehicle had a massive retractable plow attached to its structure for clearing a path in heavy snow. It also served as a simple but effective battering ram.
Sergei moved out of their way and went about his sentry duty.
"I was thinking about where the APC would be." Alaric said, stepping inside.
"How else did we get an advance warning?" Andrzej answered, following him inside.
Alaric felt at ease to be in a familiar setting again. He could see the line of seats that would be used to transport up to ten marines. And he could see his codename stenciled on the seat facing out the door.
REAPER.
'Just like I last saw it.' He thought.
Alaric, as the squad's point man, was always the first out of the APC
There was an open weapons locker on the wall and there was an array of spare weapons, pulse rifles and the like with the spare ammunition to go with them. One of which was a SADAR anti-tank missile launcher.
The medical cabinet was open as well and what Sven said earlier about dwindling supplies was true. There was barely enough supplies to treat the squad, let alone an entire colony. The ammunition was tapped as well. Sarah was at the cabinet, busy rationing what supplies they had left and was improvising bandages from old sheets of fabric.
Sven was sitting on one of the seats with scattered tools around him, engrossed in fixing several sentry guns, no doubt wrecked during a previous attack. The sentry guns' casings were torn and ripped and the circuitry inside were damaged. Sven had been improvising rudimentary plating and welding it in its place. He had also added some wickedly sharp spikes on them to discourage further attempts to touch them. He had also oddly removed his gauntlets so he could work without hindrance, which may prove problematic on account of the spikes.
Sven looked up as he heard his captain and Alaric walk over. He retracted his visor from his eyes.
"Captain, what do you think?" He asked, showing off his handiwork.
Andrzej looked at the sentry guns. It was evident in his eyes that he seemed a bit apprehensive about getting closer to them out of fear of losing a finger. Alaric on the other hand thumbed the spikes to test their sharpness.
"Do they fire?" Andrzej asked.
"Of course they fire." Sven told him. "They wouldn't be fixed it they didn't fire."
Sven hooked up the sentry gun to its power cell, then activated the firing mechanism and its gun gave of a series of clicks in ten click bursts. It was clear that the sentry guns were now ready to be deployed.
"Well, in that case." Andrzej said, pointing a thumb outside "Deploy, load and activate them."
Sven picked up the sentry gun he was working on and Alaric and Andrzej gave him wide berth as he walked outside. A curse was heard coming from him and the thumping of the sentry gun hitting the ground. He came back inside, flinging his hand up and down with blood seeping out of a cut on his palm. He reached in a pouch and pulled out a band aid before applying it to his palm.
"If they can cut me, then they can cut some bugs." He said, slipping his gauntlets on and picking up another sentry gun before walking out.
Andrzej shrugged and moved further into the APC with Alaric following him. Sarah moved past them, taking the medical supplies with her. She hopped out of the APC and walked over to the medical hab.
Mac was manning the command console and he was concentrating on deciphering a puzzle. On one of the monitor screens was a radar display, showing a fifty kilometer radius. At the twenty kilometer point to the north, there was a blip that indicated something moving around
"What is it, Mac?" Andrzej asked.
"Far range motion trackers are picking up signals." Mac answered, focusing the monitor on the blips position.
Andrzej looked at the screen. There were a dozen blips concentrated in that position. They were moving around but staying in the general area.
"Bugs?" He asked.
"No, not moving fast enough." Mac answered.
"Missing miners?"
"Maybe, but I doubt it unless they had the means to evade the bugs for this long."
Alaric looked at the screen. He couldn't help but think that another explanation could be helpful at this point. One that he himself was the catalyst for it.
"This could be a rescue party from Lai'kairis." He suggested.
He figured that maybe the transmitter caught the attention of a passing ship. Or perhaps Lai'kairis had been searching for them when they learned that they never arrived for their hunt.
"That's the clan you were with?" Andrzej asked.
"Yes. But I can't be sure unless someone investigates."
"Well at least we know have three possibilities as to what we're dealing with."
"Where are they located?"
Mac typed on the control interface, accessing the colony's schematics and the layout of a complex was projected. It was a heavily industrial layout.
"The abandoned refinery complex." Mac answered.
Andrzej turned to Alaric.
"Alaric, we'll need to organize a scouting party." He said. "You and your friends up for it?"
"I'm sure they'll be happy to go on the hunt." Alaric answered.
"I'll inform Kelso and Hernandez. Mac, continue tracking them."
Alaric and Andrzej both walked out of the APC and moved off in separate directions.
When Alaric came up to the initiates' hab, he saw that was a large white cloud billowing out from within it. It would then grow large with a surge of white dust every few moments. Alaric sighed as he figured what was going on inside.
A large white dust cloud came walking out, coughing, and brushing itself off. As the dust settled, Alaric could see that it was Mal'fax and he was in definite need for clean air. Ly'enta soon shuffled out in much the same state, cursing at the two who were still inside.
Fel'tak came scampering out, bending over and giving a loud roaring cough. It would seem that he took a good amount of plaster right in his mouth. Obviously, he had not followed Alaric's advice.
Finally, Kra'vyx came out, dusting himself off and looking quite pleased with his handiwork.
That is until he saw Alaric's frown.
"What?" Kra'vyx asked.
"If you lot are finished antiquing each other, I have some news." Alaric told them.
It was decided that after a lengthy and somewhat heated debate between the colony's leadership that Alaric and the initiates along with a few marines would head out to investigate. The Archangels were to drive them inside the APC near to the location and drop them off before pulling back to wait as back up. Kelso had volunteered to be part of the welcoming party and he brought along two marines, privates Topazini and Giles, as well.
Foreman Hernandez in the meantime will direct the rest of the colonists to fortify their position in their absence.
Tensions were high inside the APC. The initiates felt that this APC was more like a prison then a transport, having to sit on the deck due to not fitting in the seats and having to stoop down when ever they stood up. Mal'fax suffered most, taking up most of the back with his bulk.
Kelso and his marines were strapped in their seats and were watching the initiates' every move. Topazini, the marine who threatened Alaric when they first arrived, had one hand on his shotgun at all times and was venomously watching them, ready to pump them full of lead should they try anything. Giles, a marine who sported a ragged scar down the left of his cheek on his upper lip that left him with a permanent snarl, was not as hostile but he had his pulse rifle on his lap just in case. Kelso, still bandaged, was busy cleaning his flamer's nozzle.
There was also a miner, a young worker in his early twenties, holding a bolt-gun and head lamp, who had been instructed to guide them around the refinery. He was looking very apprehensive about the prospect of being in an APC full of marines and Yautja hunters.
The Archangels, treating this just like any other mission, were busy prepping their equipment. Mac was up front driving the APC and Andrzej was in the command chair, checking all the camera feeds and vitals for the group. Sven was busy uploading the refinery's map into a datapad and synching it with the APC's sensors for easier access for Alaric and co. Hicks was manning the turret, keeping an eye out for any hostiles, ready to blast them with the 20mm autocannons.
Alaric, sleeping in his seat, and the initiates, not so much napping, each had a camera hidden on their armor. This was so that the Archangels can track them and be able to point out hidden dangers they might not notice to Alaric's mask frequency. They also had each been given proper winter gear in place of their improvised cloaks. Alaric's was no big deal, his thermal jacket fitting snugly under his chestplates, but the initiates had to have theirs modified to account for their larger sizes. They were wearing rudimentary vests and had multiple heat packs strapped on their bare arms and legs.
The ride was calm, despite a few rough bumps every now and then. So far nothing had appeared to confront them. Either the xenomorphs were biding their time to attack them when they least expect it or were busy preparing a trap before hand.
To Alaric, it was like he was rocking in a crib.
"We're coming close to the refinery." Mac called out from the cockpit. "Five minutes."
"Somebody wake up Alaric." Andrzej ordered.
Everyone immediately started putting on their helmets and cocking their weapons. Sarah, sitting next to Alaric, gently rocked him on the shoulders. Alaric stirred and opened his eyes. Upon seeing that everyone was getting ready, he told the initiates to do the same as he slipped on his mask and cocked his desert eagle.
"Sven, are the signals still in their position?" Andrzej asked, cocking his pulse rifle.
"Ja." Sven replied, focusing the datapad's monitor on the refinery schematics. "From the looks of it, based on the last scan, they're holding up around the foundry. Makes sense, it is hottest place and bugs can't stand fire."
"Okay." Andrzej started, pivoting his seat to face everyone. "Let's recap the plan so that we know exactly what we are doing."
He made sure everyone as listening. He even gave a sharp whistle at the marines who were busy glaring at the initiates. He then proceeded to go over the plan with Alaric translating for the initiates.
"About thirty minutes ago, we picked up signals of lifeforms in the refinery. So far, we don't know whether it is bugs, miners, or predators. Since we're clear of hostiles for the first time since this incident started, we're taking the initiative."
He looked to Alaric.
"Alaric, what is our objective?" Andrzej asked him.
"We head out and investigate those blips." Alaric stated, indicating himself, the initiates, and Kelso and his marines. "Determine if it is Lai'kairis, surviving miners or ungodly bugs."
"Once contact is made, if the signals are friendly, then maybe negotiations can be started."
Topazini hawked and spat on the deck, right between Alaric's boots.
"Fucking head hunters don't negotiate." He spat. "Look at them. They're plotting to rip our heads off first chance they get!"
Alaric, to shut that offensive marine up, aimed his tri-sight at the marine's head, right between the eyes. That caught his attention as Alaric extracted his plasma-casters and the barrels started to spin.
"If they didn't negotiate, you would have been dead the moment they saw you. Remember that." Alaric pointed out. "And if you deface this transport again, I'll tear your salivary glands out with my axe."
That had silenced the spiteful marine, who could only glare back as Alaric shut off his sights. Giles snickered at that sudden lack of balls.
"You were saying, Captain?" Alaric said.
"As I said, investigate the signals and determine if they are friendlies." Andrzej continued. "The Archangels will supervise the situation and provide extraction should things go FUBAR." He looked to everyone, including the initiates. "Any questions?"
The miner put a hand up nervously. All eyes turned to him.
"Why the hell are we going out there with those headhunters?" The miner asked, gesturing to the initiates. "Wouldn't it be better if we all go?"
Obviously, the miner felt that safety in numbers would be better then going out there then a small group. More so because of the Yautja race's reputation.
"A smaller group will attract less attention and be able to move faster." Hicks said from the turret. "Besides, we need them to confirm if it is their clan or maybe one that they know of."
"Exactly. The sooner we get this done, the sooner we can get back." Sergei added.
Kelso looked up from his flamer.
"Well, the moment those bugs appear." Kelso started, brushing his flamer. "Contact with predators or not, we're bugging out."
"Ten seconds." Mac called out.
Alaric unlatched his harness and stood up as Kelso and his marines did the same. The miner on the other hand was hesitant. Alaric signaled the initiates to get up, which they did in cramped positions. Alaric moved up to the door.
The APC had now reached the outer areas of the refinery. This was where the refined ore would be stored and then shipped to the colony for processing and transportation to shipyards throughout human space. The APC drove past abandoned warehouses and derelict transport trucks. Its headlight beams illuminating the darkness, casting eerie shadows onto the surroundings.
This was perfect territory for xenomorphs.
From view screens inside the APC, the occupants could see the grizzly sight of dead frozen miners. They were scattered around in a mixture of fight or flight on the ground and against walls in frozen red sheens. The signs of combat were around as seen from the effects of mining equipment on structures with deep craters and shattered walls from seismic charges.
Despite putting up a hard fight, they never really stood a chance against a race evolved for killing.
The APC stopped and Alaric pulled the hatch open with a loud thud. Kelso and his marines hopped out, taking defensive positions as the initiates followed suit, glad to be out of the confines of the APC. Alaric hopped out last, sliding the hatch shut and giving it a few taps with his fist. The APC then reversed out of the courtyard and vanished back down the tunnel, taking their light of safety with it.
They were now in a hostile darkness.
"There they go." The miner said as their one path towards safety was driving away.
"Don't sweat Kid, they won't be too far." Kelso said.
The marines activated their shoulder lamps and the miner switch on his head lamp. Alaric and the initiates switched to thermal imaging and everyone's thermal signatures appeared as clear as day.
"I'll take point." Alaric said, drawing his great axe and gesturing the initiates to move ahead.
The group cautiously made their way past the abandoned warehouses and abandoned loading yards, keeping a vigilant watch for anything that would attack them. Alaric had the miner up with him, guiding the rest of them towards the refinery. The miner had his bolt-gun in one hand and the datapad with the area's map on it.
Kelso and his marines took the rear, much to their chagrin. Topazini was muttering a steady stream of curses while Giles was fixated on the motion tracker he was carrying. So far, he was only picking themselves up.
Kra'vyx and his friends were in the meantime high above, cloaked and running on the warehouses' roofs and piping.
So far, their presence had gone unnoticed.
Reaching one warehouse that was directly in front of them, it was decided to they should cut through it to save time. However, they proceeded carefully as they couldn't afford to get caught in an ambush. Alaric therefore led the initiates inside to scout ahead. Kelso and his marines took up positions at the doors
Entering the warehouse through its massive cargo bay doors, Alaric could see the gigantic shipping containers that would be and maybe still filled with the refined ore that the refinery produced. And in true warehouse fashion, they were all arranged like a modular maze, three stories highs. Looking up, he could see the crane that would be used to move the containers onto the trucks.
The initiates looked perplexed as they tried to figure out where to head to next. There where three possible entrances into this maze.
"Well, which way?" Mal'fax asked, hefting his hammer onto his shoulder.
"Your guess is as good as mine." Fel'tak said.
"We can use sonic mapping to record the surroundings." Kra'vyx said, flipping his wrist-comp open.
"This will go quicker if we search in teams." Alaric said.
He turned to the initiates.
"Mal'fax, take Ly'enta and go to the left. Kra'vyx, take the right with Fel'tak. I'll cover the middle."
The initiates followed his orders, moving to cover each of the sides. Alaric turned to the miner.
"Miner, what is your name?" He asked.
"It's Erickson, Sir." The miner said nervously
Alaric cocked his head to the miner, gesturing him to follow. The miner complied nervously. Each pair then moved through their chosen routes, one with weapons drawn and the other using their sonic scanners. The initiates promptly activated their cloak fields, becoming one with the darkness.
Alaric led Erickson behind him, his axe drawn and vigilant for ambush. The miner was keeping his eyes firmly on the ceiling, looking for any xenomoprhs that might pounce on them. In fact, he kept it up with such focus that he tripped over something. He hit the ground in a heap, his bolt-gun misfiring and nailing a bolt right into the container wall ahead, missing Alaric's leg by an inch. Alaric look behind him and saw Erickson picking himself up and seeing what he tripped over. He had tripped over the eviscerated corpse of a miner and had managed to shake its head loose. Its head then snapped off with a loud crack and rolled between Erickson's feet.
That was when Erickson's fortitude gave out and he promptly lost the contents of his stomach all over the floor for several gut wrenching moments
Alaric looked at the miner and shrugged his shoulders with a grunt.
'Should've asked for a more experienced guide.' He thought as he gave Erickson a few pats on the back.
After that brief nauseating episode, the two humans moved cautiously further into the cargo maze, passing turns and moving through open spaces. Alaric's sonic resonator was busy mapping out the area, indicating the best routes to take.
Approaching a cross intersection, Alaric cautiously stuck his head out and scanned his surrounding with his mask. All his mask could detect were the initiates sneaking around and the miner who was right behind him.
He looked up to the ceiling to make sure there were no xenomorphs were awaiting in ambush above. So far he could see nothing. It appeared that they weren't being hunted.
He checked in on the others.
"Guys, have you found anything?" He asked in Yautja, moving forward with the miner following.
"Nothing." Kra'vyx replied. "Found a couple of dead oomans, though."
"There is no prey here." Mal'fax added. "And if they were, they were long gone before we got here."
"Continue on and call in when either of you find the exit. Don't let your guard down."
Alaric then hailed Kelso on his coms.
"Kelso, it's clear to proceed." He voxxed in English. "No bugs are here."
"Roger that." Kelso replied.
The loud footsteps of marine boots were heard approaching and Alaric could see the light from shoulder lamps illuminating the darkness behind them. He could also hear Topazini's protests, stating that they're being sent on a wild goose chase. They soon came into view in a staggered line formation, hugging the container walls.
Alaric signaled them over.
"Where are the predators?" Kelso asked Alaric.
"Plotting to tear our heads off likely." Topazini answered.
"As long as your head is included, I'm not complaining." Giles added.
Alaric chuckled at that while Topazini gave a few bouts of 'fuck you!' to the two of them.
"They are busy scouting for an exit." Alaric said.
He was then hailed by Mal'fax on his coms.
"Alaric, I have found the way out." The initiate said.
"Notify Kra'vyx and Fel'tak. I'll be there with the others." Alaric answered in Yautja.
He looked to the marines as the layout of the warehouse projected on his mask, highlighting Mal'fax's position. A route was being plotted towards the initiate.
"This way." He said, cocking his head in the right direction.
They saw the massive refinery complex looming in the distance the moment they stepped out of the warehouse. The almost gothic looking complex looked like it was built into the massive cavern like a gigantic sprouting seed. A vast network of pipes were seen going into the rock like roots, from which the fumes and emissions from the refining process would be vented up into the outside world.
The refinery's immense size was what caught their attention when they emerged from the warehouse. The initiates for one were in awe over its sheer size. Alaric just gave a sharp whistle as Kelso reached for the pair of binoculars in their pouch.
"There it is." Erickson said. "The refinery."
Kelso looked through the binoculars, scanning the environment ahead. He could see that the environment was taking its toll as gestured from all the ice that was growing like a cancer on its pipes and walls. But on a plus side, there was no indication he could see that the xenomorphs were using it as a hive or even as a forward base.
"Well, there's no hive webbing." Kelso said, lowering them. "They hadn't hived this place so that's a good thing."
"Just because there's no webbing doesn't mean they're not lurking in there." Alaric pointed out. "Don't let appearances deceive you."
He flicked his masks visions to detect thermal signatures. He was ascertaining if the refinery was still in use if there are signals coming from within. However, the thick layering of ice was inhibiting his view, masking any possible heat signatures. He did however find an entry into the refinery.
"I can't scan the refinery from here." He said. "But the cargo bay doors are open so we won't have to break in."
"Well, let's just investigate the signals and get back to the colony." Giles said, cocking his pulse rifle.
The group proceeded to the refinery. Alaric and the initiates took up point, using their masks to scan out the area. The marines and miner followed behind.
"I heard stories from hunters about spires of metal that humans build." Ly'enta said, pointing at the refinery. "To see them up close is something else."
"There's bigger ones that turn barren worlds alive." Mal'fax added. "I didn't think oomans could build anything like those."
"And they can just as easily destroy worlds." Alaric finished. "Atmosphere processors can cause a very big thermonuclear detonation when destroyed. LV-426 is evidence of that."
They eventually arrived at the massive cargo bay doors of the refinery in little more then ten minutes and their minds were changed when they saw the damage up close. Many of the large transport rigs were scattered around in various states of damage and disrepair. Their superstructures were crippled and wrecked, their ore and refined metal loads spilled everywhere in streaking heaps and their cockpits were smashed open and streaked in blood. And there was a dead miner dangling from his foot from the closest rig's cockpit, obviously had gotten caught while trying to escape and was then slaughtered like a stuck pig.
It was clear that when the xenomorphs attacked, the miners at the refinery were taken completely by surprise.
Giles checked the motion tracker and signaled that there were no hostiles in the immediate area. Alaric decided to check in with Andrzej.
"Captain, we have reached the refinery." Alaric voxxed. "No sign of hostiles yet."
"Roger that. Proceed with investigation." Andrzej confirmed.
"Anything on your end?"
"Nothing yet but I'll keep you posted in case anything changes. But be advised, camera feed is getting extremely faint at this point so we'll likely be blind at this end once you enter."
"Understood."
"One last thing. Those signals we're tracking, they're registering as human according to the scanners."
"Roger that."
Kelso walked up to Erickson.
"Are the signals still in the foundry." He asked the miner.
Erickson checked the map and sure enough the signals were still located in the foundry like the last time they checked. But what was odd was that the signals didn't appear to have changed position. They were exactly in the same places as before.
"Yeah." Erickson said. "And still in exactly the same place as last time."
"Still in the furnaces?" Kelso asked.
"Still? They hadn't even moved around the foundry. Not even an inch." Erickson showed
"Miners too chicken shit to move probably." Topazini muttered.
"Can it, Private!" Kelso ordered. "Lead on, Miner."
They made their way into the darkened cargo bay, negotiating their way past wrecked vehicles and spilled loads. Erickson led them through with Alaric following behind. Kra'vyx and his friends negotiated their way over obstacles while the humans slugged it out below.
Kelso and his marines were taking no chances, sweeping everything thoroughly before moving further another meter. Alaric and the initiates merely cycled through multiple visions and moved through the cargo bays.
They reached a half open doorway that led deeper into the refinery. After heaving the sliding door open more with a few hard shoves, they proceeded down the darken corridors. Erickson was doing all he could to not break down and flee as he stepped in but he was the only miner left who had worked in the refinery and they needed him to navigate the dark facility.
And Erickson promptly tripped over another corpse with a yelp, eliciting a snicker from Topazini.
They found that there were not many bodies as they made their way down darkened corridors in search of the control room. The only light, if you can call it light, came from the dimly glowing light-bars in the ceiling, like they were slowly burning the last remnants of power from whatever back up generators they were hooked up to.
In fact the light was barely bright enough to be even justified as light.
They came across the odd dead miner or refinery worker but this place was basically deserted of any life. But the debris on the other hand, broken jutting pipes and ripped open grates, were making their progress slow.
"There are a lot less bodies then I thought." Giles said, stepping over an eviscerated corpse.
"When the attacks in the mines started, evacuation of the refinery came into effect." Erickson said. "Unfortunately, not everyone made it out."
"Well, its clear where some of them ended up." Kelso said. "Hived. Hence why there are a shit ton of bugs infesting these tunnels."
"True. But these bodies that we keep finding, they're all low ranked workers." Alaric said, examining the corpse of a worker. "I haven't seen any foremen or admin staff among the dead."
"They were the first to be taken out, likely. You know, cut the head off of the snake and all that. Make everything disorganized for the main attack. Just like at the colony."
Erickson checked the map, scrolling it to the sides and flicking through different levels.
"The first thing we should do is check the control room." Erickson said. "See if the refinery is still working after several weeks of subzero conditions."
Alaric turned to the initiates who, by their postures, were looking quite bored through lack of events.
"You lot fancy scouting on ahead?" He asked in Yautja.
The initiates all nodded eagerly. They had been itching to go and resume their hunt to possibly gather more trophies for Lai'kairis. Especially since Kra'vyx and Ly'enta had yet to bear the Hunter's Mark.
"Go in pairs and make sure to stay in contact with each other." Alaric ordered. "And report if you find anything."
The initiates nodded again and they departed down the corridor, cloaking into the shadows. Mal'fax and Ly'enta went to right of the nearest junction and Kra'vyx and Fel'tak went to the left.
Alaric turned to Erickson.
"Which way to the generators?" Alaric asked.
It had taken them a good hour to locate the main generators, navigating dark and confusing corridors, and get some of them working again. All that was needed was to repair some damaged connections. That took some hard work and a lot of cussing from the marines when things didn't work out the way they wanted.
At least now with the lights working they wouldn't trip over any more bodies and debris.
The initiates soon reported in that they had not seen a living thing in the places that they were able to access but they did find traces of the xenomorphs dating from the refinery's fall. And by traces they meant battle damage ad the dried residue of their characteristic saliva.
Alaric informed them to meet up with him at the foundry.
They finally reached the massive doors that sealed the foundry, blast furnaces and smelters. As expected, the doors were, by design, heavily reinforced. This was so in case the blast furnaces ever malfunctioned and an inferno erupts forth from its superheated structure.
"Andrzej, we have reached the furnace and are preparing to enter." Alaric voxxed.
All he received was static. He tired again and he got the same response. He then muttered that the refinery's structure at this depth were interfering with his coms.
"I guess we're on our own at this point." He said.
He gestured to the marines and then to the initiates to get ready. The marines knelt down and brought their weapons up, aiming at the doors in a firing line. The initiates stood to their flanks in pairs, their weapons poised and combat ready. Alaric stood behind them as he drew Razeal from its holster and cocked it.
Alaric then nodded to Erickson to open the doors as he aimed his pistol and plasma casters locked into position. Erickson walked over to the control pad and punched the button. Nothing happened so he tried again. Still nothing. A flashing display indicated that there was not enough power to operate the doors.
"You gotta be fucking kidding me!" Topazini said, lowering his shotgun.
"Wait a second, there's an emergency release." Erickson said, reaching for a panel labeled 'emergency release'.
He opened the panel and then pulled down the lever. The doors gave a loud click, followed by a loud hiss of escaping pressure and the doors slowly started to grind open, inch by agonizing inch. From inside the foundry, they could feel the heat coming from the reactivated furnaces. And that was a welcome relief to the half frozen initiates.
Waiting for several minutes, which was being torturous at this point, until the doors were opened enough for them to slip through in pairs, Erickson then locked the doors in position.
Alaric moved up to he doors, hugged his back to them and then walked through, plasma casters primed followed by the initiates and then the marines. Erickson followed through last.
The main smelting area and the furnaces that occupied this space was like that of a cathedral. An industrial cathedral. The smelters filled the room like ugly blocky pillars with slag encrusted loading buckets looming overhead. The trench-like molding channels below the massive pouring buckets had solidified metal and slag caught in mid pour and had now each resembled a frozen metal waterfall.
The blast furnaces were chugging away on full power, the heat coming off of them was making the whole area like being in an oven. But needless to say, this was warming up the freezing air nicely so no one was complaining.
They quickly scanned for the people that they thought were in located around the smelters but they weren't picking anything up. Either by motion tracker, thermal vision or any other tracking that the initiates had, they were picking up nothing.
"Wait, this doesn't make sense." Erickson said
Erickson looked at the datapad and then looked around.
"We're in the foundry, but where the hell are the miners?" He said.
"Hiding, likely." Kelso said, sticking his head around the nearest smelter. "Only thing they could do."
He turned to everyone.
"Spread out and try to find them." He ordered.
Giles and Topazini followed suit as Alaric explained to the initiates to do the same. The group went individually towards separate location where a signal was originating and scoured the area looking for a miner. But with every signal they could find no one in its vicinity. It was like they were finding ghosts.
Alaric moved right to the center where the foundry controls were located on a raised platform and searched the place. He found no one hiding about but he found something else entirely. He caught sight on a faint red light that was coming from underneath the grating that he was standing. He knelt down and pulled the grating up with a loud metallic creak.
What he saw under the grating wasn't a miner.
"I found one." Alaric called out, gesturing everyone to gather around as he grabbed what he was talking about. "But I don't think you're gonna like it."
"What is it?" Kelso called out.
Everyone gathered around as Alaric showed what had been making one of the signals. It was a small oval shaped object of Yautja design. Red glyphs glowed on its surface. The humans were puzzled at what this object was
"What's that?" Giles asked.
"That's predator tech!" Topazini exclaimed.
Alaric looked to the initiates.
"Any of you know what this is?" Alaric asked the initiates.
The four of them looked at the device and looked at each other shock in their eyes behind their masks.
"Aren't those suppose to be illegal?" Kra'vyx asked Mal'fax.
"Not illegal. Only Elites and above are allowed them." Mal'fax stated. "But I don't like this."
He looked to Alaric.
"That is an imitator." He explained. "It is designed to mimic life signs in order to... lure in prey."
Alaric looked at the object more closely, reading the glyphs and he could see what lifeform it was set to mimic.
Human.
"It's a trap." He said, bluntly.
A ghostly laughing was heard at that point, echoing around the foundry. And on a hidden signal, two dozen Yautja hunters in full enclosed armored suits and bristling with weaponry materialized into view all around them.
The initiates and Alaric didn't see the hunters on account of the heat haze from the still working furnaces. The emissions were interfering with their masks sensors, making detection far more difficult. And they fact that they must have been standing perfectly still meant that the motion tracker failed to pick them.
In other words, there was no way to know that they had been hiding in the foundry for all this time.
"Are they the rescue party?" Kelso asked.
That was when a multitude of tri-sights homed in on them. Plasma casters soon locked into position and started to charge up.
This was the final proof that they needed.
"Make that hunting party." Alaric said, "Move!"
That was when the air lit up with a barrage of plasma bolts streaming towards the group. Everyone frantically tried to dodge the incoming fire. Giles was cut down before he even had a chance to move, torn apart by the sheer weight of fire in an explosion of gore. Kelso, despite being partially handicapped and half blind, was moving very fast and Topazini was bringing up his tail, firing his shotgun at the Yautja.
"What did I tell you!" He shouted. "Didn't I warn you!"
"Shut up and run!" Kelso shouted, ditching his flamer and pulling out his sidearm.
Nets and bolas went firing after them. Everyone was frantically dodging to avoid being caught. Ly'enta gave out a yelp when a bola wrapped around her legs and she fell hard into the floor.
"Those are not hunters of Lai'kairis!" Mal'fax shouted, drawing his hammer.
Fel'tak had drew his stave into a defensive posture, deflecting another bola as Kra'vyx grabbed Ly'enta by the waist and pulled her along as she untangled herself
"Covering fire!" Alaric shouted, spinning around as his plasma casters blasted out a hailstorm of bolts.
He and the two marines fired their weapons the hunters. It was impossible to even hit the hunters at this moment but if they could get them to keep their heads down that would be enough. Erickson was more intent on getting out of the foundry as he raced to the doors. He was within diving distance of the door and he did dive for it.
"Run for the cargo bays and don't stop for anything!' Alaric yelled.
Alaric skidded into the door back first, shoving everyone through in turn while his plasma casters kept trained on the hunters. Kelso went running through next followed by the initiates and then by Topazini who gave one last blast from his shotgun before passing through.
Alaric could see the hunters were running towards him so he aimed his plasma casters at the nearest smelters. He fired charged shots at the smelters and they both ruptured like watermelons and the molten metal boiling away inside gushed out like magma from a volcano. The closest hunter to him was caught right in the middle of the two waves and his roars of pains were muffled out by the molten metal which began to melt him down. His comrades were forced back as the liquid inferno oozed towards them.
That should buy us a few moments, Alaric thought as he ducked through the doors.
A throttled yelp was heard from in the corridor and Alaric saw that Topazini was impaled through the abdomen on a wickedly serrated glaive and being held up in the air. His assailant then uncloaked and Alaric could see instantly that this one was the leader as denoted by the many gold piercings on his face.
Tan'kor emerged from hiding with a sadistic grin on his pierced face as he looked at the impaled marine. Topazini, blood oozing from his gut and mouth, reared his shotgun to Tan'kors face but it was swatted out of his hand with great force, The weapon clattered to the ground, smashed open by impact of the Yautja's fist and Topazini yelled in pain as he felt his hand break.
Alaric ran to his aid but Tan'kor shot something from his free gauntlet that propelled Alaric all the way down the corridor in a shower of sparks before impacting the far wall. His mask came off when he hit the deck showing his pain wracked features. Alaric writhed in pain as energy surged all over his body, inhibiting his very muscles from moving even an inch.
Tan'kor turned his attention to Topazini.
"I don't think this will be quick, ooman." He said in English, before grinning evilly. "But it'll be interesting."
Alaric, forcing the pain back and slowly heaving himself up could only watch with shock as the casual act of brutality that was to unfold. Tan'kor grabbed Topazini roughly by the head, his talons digging into the marines head and proceeded to pull. Topazini could only desperately grab at Tan'kors hand, frantically trying to get free, as blood started to seep from his neck. Tan'kor started to chuckle as Topazini's bones stated to crack
Then it happened.
With a loud crack of bones and a blood curdling scream from the marine, Topazini's head came snapping off in a gory crimson arc. His headless body immediately went limp and slumped. Tan'kor with a chuckle then casually threw Topazini's brutally severed head hard into the wall behind Alaric.
Alaric could see, as the world slowed, Topazini's last expression of torment before his head exploded against the wall in a bone crunching crack.
Alaric fought against the electrifying pain, which was now subsiding as he stood up and aimed Razeal down at Tan'kor. He then saw that the hunters were now pouring out of the foundry. As much as he hated it, he had to withdraw and link up with the others. He couldn't fight in these conditions against so many.
As he turned, picked up his mask and ran down the corridor, Tan'kor unsheathed his glaive from Topazini's headless corpse which went slumping to the deck.
"Capture the initiates!" Tan'kor commanded to his hunters. "Mal'kah wants them alive!"
His hunters then set off in pursuit in different directions.
As Alaric reached the upper levels of the refinery, obstructing every door he passed with debris, he was thankful to hear a friendly voice on his coms.
"I repeat! Alaric, Giles, and Topazini went flat lined! What the hell happened?" Andrzej demanded.
"Archangels, it's a trap!" Alaric responded as he dived out of the nearest window and ran along the pipes lining the refinery as a shortcut. "Yautja hunters led us into an ambush! Giles and Topazini are dead! We need evac!"
"Roger that, we're on our way!"
Alaric surveyed the surrounding from his new position and he could see the cargo bay several stories down from his position. And he could just see Erickson tumble outside in exhaustion. Alaric negotiated his way down the pipes and ledges with fluid ease as he saw Kra'vyx, Ly'enta, and Mal'fax appear. Alaric was now at the last ledge and he could see Kelso charging out. Alaric saw that he was too far up to safely jump down so he improvised. He drew one of his hand axes, hopped off the edge and drove his axe into the refinery wall. Sparks erupted from the long gash he tore into the wall as he slid down but he was descending at the safe rate. The falling sparks caught everyone's attention and they looked up to see Alaric free fall the last ten feet.
Alaric landed with a thud from his boots.
"Alaric, we thought they got you!" Kra'vyx said, running up to him
"Almost." Alaric panted, holstering his axe.
Kelso walked up. Alaric could see that the bandages covering his face had come apart revealing his acid burnt and semi fused face.
No doubt he was too close to an exploding xenomorph during the previous attacks.
"Where's Topazini?" he asked.
"Pinfaced bastard tore his fucking head off while he was still alive." Alaric answered.
He looked around as Kelso swore in anger.
"Where's Fel'tak?" Alaric asked the initiates.
"He was blocking off the passages to try and stall them." Ly'enta told him.
She looked back to the cargo bays.
"Here he comes!" She called out.
Fel'tak came running into view from within the cargo bays. He hopped over a dead miner.
"Run! They're right behind me!" He shouted.
He then tripped and face planted into the ground with a loud smack. His legs had been caught in a bola and he was then quickly pulled back into the cargo bays. Erickson gave a frightening yelp and scrambled to get as far from the refinery as he could. He found a vehicle shed and he dived into it before scrambling for a hiding place.
"Oh fuck!" Fel'tak yelled as dug his stave into the deck to prevent himself from going further.
Mal'fax ran to his aid but a cable shot out from the darkness, coiled around the young hunter's neck and with one throttling tug, Fel'tak vanished into the darkness with his stave tearing out of the deck.
Mal'fax was next as a hunter came charging in from nowhere and decked that large initiate with a flying kick to the face. He was then jumped by several more hunters who restrained him and dragged him inside, all the while beating him into submission.
Kra'vyx and Ly'enta charged into the fray to try and help their friend. But despite their determination, they were no match for the more experienced, and more ruthless, hunters. Each were incapacitated in turn and Alaric tried to charge in to help them but a hail of plasma bolts forced him and Kelso into cover behind pipelines and crates where they could only fire pot shots from their pistols in response.
Kra'vyx was smashed into the ground and then restrained while Ly'enta was roughly tackled from behind with a yelp.
Tan'kor was high above them as he watched the one sided fight break out. His lead henchman was beside him. Tan'kor watch as one by one the initiates were subdued and how Alaric and Kelso were driven further ad further away from them.
"What now?" He asked the noble.
"Now we wait." Tan'kor said, moving deeper into the refinery. "And I intend on using these low-born for some amusement in the mean time."
One hunter fired at Kelso as he ducked for cover, which had the misfortune of being right next to a barrel of flammable fuel and the resulting explosion propelled the marine into the open. He groaned in pain from the resulting shrapnel lodged in his body and the flames burning into his flesh as the hunter took aim at him again to finish him off. The tri-sight homed in on his scarred head.
That was when salvation arrived.
The hunter was blown off his feet with a loud bang and with a large hole blown clean through his torso. That caught his fellows attention and they saw lights coming towards them. And roar of an engine and the firing of 20mm guns.
It was the Archangels at last.
The hunters, at the sight of more marines approaching, took this cue to pull back. They got what they came for and now they just need to wait for Alaric to come to them. They kept firing at Alaric to keep him pinned down as they retreated into the refinery, taking the struggling initiates with them.
Alaric could only watch from cover as Kra'vyx and his friends were hauled roughly away. The APC skidded to a halt and the hatch slid open. The squad came piling out, weapons out and ready. Sarah could see Kelso rolling on the ground, trying to extinguish his burning body and she rushed to his aid.
Alaric made a mad dash in pursuit of the hunters who had now vanished from sight in the darkness. But he was stopped by Andrzej and Sven who both grabbed him by the shoulders to prevent from chasing them. The three of them tumbled into he ground as Alaric tried to break free.
"Alaric, What are you doing?" Andrzej demanded.
"I can't let them take them!" Alaric shouted. "I gotta get them!"
"Get them? We barely got you!" Sven stated.
Alaric shoved Sven off of himself, the Norwegian stumbling back. Andrzej pulled himself on top of Alaric using his body weight to pin Alaric to the ground. Alaric was still defiantly trying to move forward as Alaric signaled to Sergei and Hicks to help and both dog piled on Alaric.
"Alaric, Our mission is to insure the survival of the colonists!" Andrzej said.
"That's your mission! Mine is to bring them back safe!" Alaric countered angrily.
Andrzej nodded to Sergei and Hicks and they let him go at that point. He knew that once Alaric had his mind set on something, he wasn't going to let anything stop him, not even his CO. Alaric sat himself down before starting calming down, taking deep breaths.
"Alaric, I understand you had been living with them but don't forget what their race did to you those years before." Andrzej cautioned as he stood up.
"Yes, you said that before." Alaric answered.
Hicks rested his smartgun on the ground and sat down next to Alaric.
"What happened, Alaric?" Hicks asked.
"It was a set-up, all of it." Alaric said, sitting on the ground. "There wasn't anyone alive in the refinery. It only appeared like that because of this."
He pulled out the imitator device from a pouch and showed them.
"This thing and many like it were designed to mimic life signs. To lure us into a killzone."
He tossed it to Hicks who examined it with care.
"Giles was the first to die, torn apart by plasma bolts and then Topazini had his head torn off. While he was still alive. "
Kelso was brought over on a stretcher by Sarah and Mac. He was sedated and his burns had been tended to. But unless he gets proper medical attention, he could end up dying from infection.
"Captain, Kelso has been badly burned." Sarah informed him. "I have sedated him but we need to get him back to the colony immediately."
A roar of an engine was heard, echoing around the courtyard and a pick up truck came trundling into view. Erickson was behind the wheel and he came to skidding stop next to the APC.
"Look what I found!" He said, sticking his head out of the driver's side window.
Alaric clicked his tongue.
"Well, at least one of us survived unscathed." He said.
Sarah gestured to Mac and he nodded. They both carried the unconscious sergeant over to Erickson. Erickson saw the state of Kelso and he cringed at the sight as Mac clambered onto the cargo pad and helped Kelso on board. He hopped off as soon as Kelso was secured as Sarah told Erickson to get back to the colony immediately. Erickson immediately obeyed, as it was the one thing that he agreed on for the whole day, and he drove out of the refinery's courtyard.
Alaric watched as Kelso was taken away.
"Alaric?" Andzrej asked, getting the slayer's attention.
Alaric looked up to the captain.
"Yes?" Alaric asked.
"Why did the predators get captured by their own kind?" Andrzej asked.
"Simply because those Yautja were not from Lai'kairis." Alaric answered. "Mal'fax said so the moment we were attacked."
"Those predators are not from that clan?"
"No. I don't know what clan they're from. I couldn't see any identifying marks. But I think they had been here for some time to spring a trap like that. I won't be surprised if they were the ones who set those bugs on us."
Alaric picked himself up and brushed the snow of himself before walking into the APC. He came back out a few moments later brandishing a pulse rifle and he had the SADAR holstered on his back. He cocked the pulse rifle as Sergei walked up to him
"What are you doing, Alaric?" He asked
"Isn't it obvious? I'm going to get them back." Alaric answered.
"Are you serious?"
"I'm always serious about these things. You know that."
Andrzej sighed and joined Sergei in his attempt to stop Alaric, despite knowing the futility of it.
"Alaric, what if this is exactly what those predators want. What if you're going to play right in their hands?" Andrzej questioned.
"We already played into their hands just then. I don't think things can get any worse then that." Alaric replied.
Andrzej knew he was talking to a brick wall whenever it came to these things. Alaric was not one to change minds easily.
"Okay, no point trying to change your mind. But how are you going to get to them?" He asked. "They could've turned the whole refinery into a death trap."
Alaric looked back towards the Archangels' APC. He eyed the bulldozer blade that was locked in position and a slight grin cracked on his face.
"I'm going in fast and hard." He answered.
The Archangels looked to the APC and then to Alaric. A few of them groaned as they realized what Alaric had planned.
"I was afraid of that." Andrzej said, putting his palm on his face. "Fine, let me track where they've been taken."