Chapter 14
I DID IT! I finished a chapter before HALLOWEEN! Enjoy!
James Emotion paced around the lab going through his notes on his holopad. He was trying to think of which xenomorph to use in next attempt to turn one into a 2.0 unit.
He looked up from his notes and glanced at the dead body of X-3, and that was when he noticed something different about it, something that he had noticed with a few of the other xenomorphs.
X-3's head was different.
"Off course its different there a gaping hole in the side of its head," Emotion said thinking aloud.
"Having problems James?" the computer asked.
"Computer bring up an image of all the xenomorphs heads please,"
There was a short pause before a large holographic image of all xenomorphs heads appeared.
That was when Emotion noticed the difference in the heads that he's been over looking this whole time. Some of the xenomorphs domes were ridged, others where smooth.
X-3's dome was ridged.
"It's possible that xenomorphs have different domes because they have a different job within the hive or because they're a different caste within the xenomorph society, but what does it mean?" Emotion asked himself
Emotion let out a deep sigh.
"Think this through James, look back at other insect societies in this galaxy, what could two different types of domes mean?" Emotion asked himself, getting out of his chair and again pacing the room.
"X-3 was a rather strong and tougher fighter during the retriever droid trials; maybe the xenomorphs with a rigid dome are some type of warrior or soldier. Then there are the ones with smooth domes, like X-13, maybe those with the smooth domes are workers," Emotion suggested
Emotion continued to pace the room before stopping "That's it! Computer contact Fetch-X and have him bring X-5 and X-6 up to me,"
"Yes, James anything else?" the computer asked
"Yes tell him 999 to prepare X-4 for the procedure,"
X-4, 5 and 6 were lying on the surgical tables, all three were restrained and under sedation. Emotion walked in between the tables examining each before stopping at X-5's tables. Emotion rubbed the smooth surface of X-5's dome.
"Yes, you'll done just fine my friend," Emotion whispered gently to the xenomorph.
Emotion moved on to X-4 and touched the rough surface of its dome.
"As for you my friend we're going to have some fun with science," Emotion said with soft chuckle.
Fetch-X approached the captain.
"My lord, I'm sorry to interrupt but after what happened with the first test I don't see it safe to have three of them in same room, just in case it happens again," Fetch-X suggested.
"Oh, I know and don't worry X-5 and X-6 is to be taken back to their cells before I start to have some fun with X-4. I simply wanted to see what their domes were like,"
Fetch-X was confused to the purpose of the differences in the domes, but simply nodded in response.
"Computer, contact 999 and tell him to come to the lab, I'm going to need my assistant if we're going to begin the procedure. Fetch-X you can take X-5 and X-6 back to their cells now and be extra careful with X-5," Emotion ordered them.
Emotion was hooking up all the equipment to X-4 when 999 walked in.
"Where do you need me captain?" the cyborg asked.
"Give X-4 another sedative would you; I believe it's starting to wake up," Emotion told him, as he saw X-4's head move a little to the side.
999 garbed a fluid filled syringe from a surgical tray and injected the fluid into the xenomorph. X-4 let a sleepy hiss before becoming unconscious again.
"Right then were going to go through the same procedure we went with on X-3 to see if it'll work this time before we change tactics," Emotion told 999.
999 nodded as they began to transform X-4 into a 2.0 unit. All was going well until they tried to implant the computer chip. As the captain was pressing the chip into the brain tissue X-4's heart increased and the xenomorph began to struggle.
"Blasted reflexes" Emotion cursed "999 get it sedated again,"
999 moved to grab another syringe when the computer spoke up.
"Sorry to interrupt, James but the General demands to speak to," The computer said
"Busy at the moment, 999 where is that sedative I asked for?" Emotion stated, as he moved to secure the restraints around the new mechanical limbs.
999 quickly moved to inject the sedative when the heart monitor began to flat line. X-4's struggling stopped and its body went limp, as the heart monitor's single beep droned throughout the room.
Emotion head quickly switched to anger as he angrily knocked over a surgical try next to him to, sending the surgical equipment sliding across the floor.
"The umm general still wishes to speak to you," the computer said quietly
"FINE! Put that blasted nerf herder through," Emotion said angrily.
"Captain" Grievous said as his holographic image appeared, before being interrupted by the captain.
"GENERAL! DO YOU HAVE ANY IDEA HOW HARD IT IS TO TRANSFORM SOMETHING WHEN SOMEONE INSISTS ON TALKING TO YOU? PLUS, YOU PROBALY JUST COST THIS ARMY A WORKING X-2.0 UNIT!" Emotion shouted angrily at the general.
"Another time then?" the general asked
"NOW YOU WANT ANOTHER TIME, WELL TO BAD! I'M ALREADY IN A TON OF TROUBLE FOR NOT HAVING ONE MADE WITH YOUR MASTER SO NO!" Emotion answered angrily "COMPUTER CUT THE FEED!"
With that the image of general Grievous disappeared before the general could say another word.
"Bring me X-6," Emotion ordered 999
999 nodded and left quickly as Emotion pulled a chair up next to X-4's body and rested his head on the dead creatures body.
"Why do I have to put up with such idiots?" Emotion asked aloud.
"You are a brilliant droid, James and even if the other were intelligent they'd never surpass your genius," the computer answered sweetly.
"Thanks computer" Emotion thanked the computer as he sat up straight.
As Emotion got up and grabbed his holopad, an idea struck.
"Computer contact 999 and tell him not to bring up X-6 quite yet," Emotion ordered the computer
Emotion began to draw and write furiously on his holopad as the idea began to mature and develop.
"That's it! I can't believe I didn't think of it sooner! Computer I'm sending you the design for a xenomorph head case. I want it manufactured right away and, then when it's done have, 999 pick it up along with the rest of the parts." Emotion told the computer, as he began going through the list of xenomorphs.
Emotion scrolled through the list, before stopping at X-12.
"Yes you'll do just fine my friend," Emotion said a lot more evilly than he had wanted.
"Computer one more thing contact Fetch-X and have him bring X-12 up here please,"
Fetch-X was the first to arrive with a very unhappy X-12 struggling against the chains that held it. Emotion walked over casually and jabbed a syringe full of sedatives into X-12's neck. X-12 screeched in surprise before collapsing tiredly to the floor.
"That's some fast acting stuff," Fetch-X commented, as he lifted the unconscious xenomorph over its shoulder.
"I may have added a few nanites to the mix to help spread the sedative through the system faster," Emotion said with a shrug as he led Fetch-X to a table.
Fetch-X laid X-12 down on the table and looked up to see several bacta tanks; two had xenomorphs with mechanical limbs attached to them, as Emotion restrained X-12.
"Shouldn't you have disposed of the bodies?" Fetch-X asked as he noticed the cut open corpse of X-2 lying on a table.
"I like to keep them around as reminders of my failure," Emotion answered casually as he closed the last restraint around X-12's left arm.
Fetch-X nodded his head as the door opened and 999 walked in caring a metallic crate.
"Got the parts you wanted, captain where you want them?" 999 asked
"On the nearest table if you can," Emotion answered without looking up, as he attached the heart monitor and IV.
999 set the box down as he turned to face the captain.
"Why the sudden skip from 6 to 12, captain?" 999 asked
"X-12 isn't as mature as X-6. I'm hoping that as he matures he will adapt to the mechanical attachments as if they were his natural limbs," Emotion answered as he ran a finger down the ridges in X-12's dome, "Similar to how X-13 managed to adapt to Felucia's environment."
"I see" 999 said he joined the captain at the surgical table.
"And why the sudden interest in the dome shape?" Fetch-X asked, asking the same question 999 was wondering.
"The domes determine which caste it is, warrior or worker. The ones with the smooth domes I've classified as the workers, they're as deadly as the warriors but not quite bred to be head on soldiers. If you look back at the security footage during X-Q's transformation, the ones with ridged domes were attacking the energy fields more viscously than the ones with smooth domes. Why? Because they saw X-Q's transformation as a threat. The ones with smooth domes weren't as aggressive they also seemed to be thinking and looking for a way out, especially when X-Q's transformation into the beautiful queen she is now was complete," Emotion explained
"I still don't understand why it makes a difference," Fetch-X said shaking his head.
Emotion sighed "The warriors would have a higher pain tolerance and a much higher reflex. This explains why X-3 was able to kill two prototype X-series retriever droids with ease, and why it was able to overcome the high dosage of sedatives we gave it. It's also the reason why I chose them to become 2.0 units, higher pain tolerance means less the likelihood of them dying during the transformation," Emotion told them
Fetch-X nodded, understanding a little better now.
"999 let's began the procedure, Fetch-X your welcome to stay if you wish," Emotion said as his grabbed surgical equipment.
The procedure went normally until Emotion stopped, began searching the crate and before he pulled out a smaller version of Z-6 rotary blaster cannon attached to some kind of mechanical tentacle or rod.
"What's that?" 999 asked
"It the tail attachment of course," Emotion answered simply.
Emotion took a smooth flat piece of metal at the end of the tail and slid it into a slot on the back armor plating, before drilling it into place. The Z-6 rotary blaster cannon end hanged off the edge of the table.
Emotion and 999, with the help of Fetch-X, flipped X-12 back on to its back and attached the front armor plating. Emotion than picked up a clear cylinder with dial on top and several teeth on the bottom. Inside it was a small rod next to a small spear-like object.
Emotion pressed the toothed end of the cylinder against the left side of X-12's skull and turned the dial.
999 and Fetch-X watched as the rod began to glow red before shooting a small laser beam into the skull tissue. Emotion turned the dial some more and the laser beam began to cut a small sizzling and smoking hole into X-12's skull. The laser beam did a complete turn before stopping. The small spear-like object then shot down into the flesh, before reeling back up into its place, attached to the small spear was cylinder cut piece of exoskeleton and tissue.
Emotion pulled the cylinder's teeth out of the X-12's skull and grabbed another cylinder as 999 injected X-12 with other dose of sedatives.
This cylinder was very similar to the first except it had a microchip attached to tweezers. Emotion placed the new cylinder over the hole in X-12's head and began to slowly turn the dial.
The microchip began to slowly descend into the hole.
After several nerve-wreaking minutes the tweezers reappeared without the microchip attached.
Emotion sighed before grabbing what appeared to be a full mechanical xenomorph head with an extra piece of curved metal attached. Emotion slid the curve piece onto the head, perfectly covering the hole and perfectly matching the curve of the xenomorphs head, before drilling it onto the skull.
X-12 now appeared to have an extra head or face attached to the left side of it's' head.
"Now it time to see if it was worth it all," Emotion said
Emotion flipped opened a panel at the top of the mechanical head, flipped a switch and pressed a button inside the panel before closing.
A red light began to glow on the metal head.
Emotion let out a sigh of relief "Good, it's connected to the microchip,"
They stood there in silence as the steady heart beat of the heart monitor droned on.
"999 could prepare a bacta tank for me please. X-12 still has some healing to do," Emotion asked, breaking the silence.
999 nodded as he moved to one of the bacta tanks on the west wall. The bacta tank opened up as Fetch-X and Emotion lifted X-12's body off of the surgical table and brought it over to the tank.
X-12 was placed in the center of the tank as Emotion hooked up the life support system to the xenomorph as it slumped against the glass walls surrounding it.
Emotion moved over to the control panel and pressed several buttons. One button caused the screen on the control panel to light up, showing an image of X-12's body, highlighting the damaged areas in red. Another closed the tank and the final on filled the tank with the blue bacta fluid.
Emotion watched as the tank began to fill and as X-12 began to float with in the tank.
"Thank you, Thank you all for your help," Emotion said quietly as he placed a hand on the bacta tank.
999 and Fetch-X nodded before leaving the captain to take in what they had accomplished.
This chapter probaly could've been longer but i decide to save the other control method test and X-12's battle test for later(WOOPS SPOILOR FOR NEXT CHAPTER). Random forshadowing question time! What does Emotion have planned for X-5? When will the republic get involved? What about the Queen? Will Emotion be able to find other methods of contorling the xenomorphs in the next few chapter? Find next chapter.
Anyways hoped you enjoyed it and don't forget to be critic and review. Happy Halloween!