Hello followers! I'm sure you can all tell I'm a procrastinator. SORRY! It sucks when it comes to school work too... Anyway, here ya go! This one diverges from the original at the end (Instead of adding on)
"We're all going to die."
"I didn't sign up for this."
"Maybe it won't find us?"
They were all muttering amongst themselves, ignoring my move to the entrance of the room.
All except Brandon, that is.
"Cassie? What are you doing?" He wasn't yelling anymore at least.
I peeked my head outside when I heard a soft 'clank' echoing down the halls.
Flaitheas limped around the far corner, knocking a loose fire extinguisher across the ground.
"Get away from there, Cassie! You'll lead it right to us!"
Before he could even get to me, Flaitheas had gotten close enough that her movements could easily be heard. Her exoskeleton plating was rubbing up against one another, almost sounding like someone in a rubber suit.
Slowly, Flaitheas. None of these people will hurt you. They're just scared.
She hesitantly reached her head out to me. With the darkness somewhat hiding her from those inside the room, I brought my hands to her chin. I-It still hurts! She let out a small whimper.
Shh… Come on. I guided her into the room as slowly as I could.
Surprisingly, no one was screaming out in shear panic. I turned to find them all too scared to even make a sound.
When Flaitheas got herself into the room, she lifted her upper lip at the scientists, which only set them all on edge even more.
They won't hurt you.
She let out a long breath, and fell to her side after her leg collapsed from beneath her. Mother…
I-I'm here. I tried not to be surprised at my sudden name change and knelt by her head, softly caressing her side. You're going to be okay.
"A q-q-queen?" Someone squeaked.
Flaitheas hissed, but stopped after I gave her a small hiss of my own.
"She won't hurt any of you if you don't hurt her."
No one made a move. The only reaction I had were the stares and gaping mouths.
"Right?" Flaitheas? I demanded.
She rested her massive head on my lap and let out a gurgled croon.
"W-what the hell Cassie!?" Brandon cried out.
Flaitheas lifted her head and turned to face him, watching his movements carefully. "Is something wrong, Brandon?" I hissed at the same time Flaitheas growled.
He kept gesturing to the queen with his arms. "How can you possibly be that close to a xenomorph without it killing you!?"
"Apparently, I can."
"That's not what I meant Cassie!" Flaitheas growled when he took another step closer. "Those things can't be trusted!"
I narrowed my eyes. "She won't hurt you. And I won't let you hurt her."
"Just because that… that thing came out of you, doesn't make it your baby!"
Flaitheas let out a shriek and pushed herself off the ground, ignoring her leg wound as she stood taller than Brandon. He swallowed heavily and backed away.
"Flaitheas! Get down!" I ordered.
She barely acknowledged me, and bent down to have Brandon's face in front of her own.
She is as much my mother as yours is. I would've felt touched if not for the situation.
He can't hear you, Flaitheas. Only I can.
Then I'll show him.
"You're not killing him." I told her. She let out a deep throaty chuckle. I wasn't planning on it.
Her upper lip quivered as a warning, before she shot out her inner mouth.
The other people in the room jumped at her action, while Brandon barely had enough time to close his eyes.
Everyone gasped when there was no blood, but instead a deafening silence. Flaitheas had managed to stop herself only a few millimeters from his nose.
She only moved away when Brandon finally opened his eyes. His breath caught in his throat and he immediately jumped away. His legs seemed to barely able to support his weight.
"Enough, Flaitheas." You've scared him to death. Now lie down!
She hissed and curled herself around my legs, effectively shielding me from anyone who would get close. I took a mental note of how fast she'd healed. The bullet wound was already scabbing up.
"H-how…?" Brandon shook. "Why is it protecting you?"
I ran my hand down her crest. "Because she," I emphasized, "Is my daughter, in every way."
Flaitheas crooned softly.
"Are you insane!? Xenomorphs only obey their queen!" Someone in the back yelled. "They don't depend on anyone when they're chestbursters!"
"Those records were only for the drones. Not one was about a queen." I argued. "I'll admit, yesterday morning, I didn't plan on becoming a host anytime soon." The crowd seemed to relax somewhat. Some people even sat on the ground where they were standing.
"I woke up in the lab with a royal facehugger dead next to me. It didn't take me long to figure out what happened." I scratched Flaitheas' chin.
"How did you survive?" Selene asked quietly, pushing herself to the front.
"Well… I surgically removed her before she did it herself." I shrugged my shoulders. "After that, she didn't attack. She just… watched me."
I smiled at the memory. "I thought the same way all of you are thinking right now. Any second I thought she'd try to kill me before letting me go…"
Never. Flaitheas wrapped her tail around my middle.
Selene's eyes widened at my story, and cautiously took a step away from the group, carefully keeping her hands on her chest. Luckily, Flaitheas didn't even so much as growl at her approach. Possibly because I never thought of Selene negatively.
"Y-you can communicate with i-… her, can't you?" She stuttered.
I nodded. "Everyone thought it was just a theory, even me, but now I'm experiencing it first-hand."
Selene seemed to contemplate something before moving even closer, standing less than a car's length. Again, Flaitheas made no move to show aggressiveness.
"C-can I…?" I could see her fingers twitching, and her eyes locked on Flaitheas. "Can I touch her?"
I lifted my hand from her crest. "Don't ask me. She can understand you. She just can't talk back."
Selene bit her lip, and hesitantly moved closer. Not in fear, but in anticipation.
"Flaitheas, was it?" The queen lifted her head from the ground, keeping it pointed towards my colleague. "Can I...?"
At first, Flaitheas' lips started to move to reveal her teeth, but I mentally reminded her of how Selene hadn't caused either of us any harm.
Fine. She muttered and put her head back on the ground.
"She says it's alright."
Selene's smile was almost blinding. She knelt down and reached her hand out, careful not to look threatening. When her hand hovered just over Flaitheas' crest, she smiled again. The xenomorph let out a soft hum when Selene's fingers caressed her.
"You know… you remind me of someone." Selene whispered.
Flaitheas tilted her head in curiosity.
Before Selene could continue, the door was forced open with a bang.
So many things happened at once: Flaitheas jumped to her feet and wrapped her tail around me tighter than before, squeezing out most of the air in my lungs. Selene fell onto her back, and the crowd behind us all jumped at once.
"There it is!" The gruff man in front took aim through his rifle's sights. The rest of his team followed suit.
"NO!" I screamed at the top of my lungs. The four soldiers didn't show any sign of letting their guard down.
"She won't hurt you! Just DON'T SHOOT!"
Flaitheas snapped her jaws. NOT HELPING! I growled. She shrunk back slightly at my comment.
"Look lady, we're here to shoot and ask questions later. I don't care what it's going to do. I'm in command, and I say kill it!"
I searched frantically for any kind of remorse in their eyes, and finding none.
"Please!" I pushed against Flaitheas' tail around my waist. "Don't! She's only protecting me! If you shoot, you'll all get killed yourselves!"
One of the shorter men in the back of the group hesitated for just a moment. I took it as a chance to continue.
"She might be bad-tempered, but it's always because she's trying to keep me safe! If I'm not in danger, she calms down."
This time, all but the man in front responded by looking away from their sights, and directly at me. The one in back lowered his weapon completely, letting it hang by the strap around his shoulder.
"Wouldn't you do the same for your family!?"
The soldiers began muttering things amongst themselves.
They don't believe you. Flaitheas muttered.
Then I'll make them.
Before I could set my plan in action, the short one tossed his gun on the ground.
"Ames! What the fuck do you think you're doing!?"
"What's it look like!? I'm not going to be on an alien's hit list anytime soon!" And with that, he broke away from the group and towards Flaitheas. "Besides, this thing took out Ian and Brent without even trying. I doubt we'll stand a chance fighting against it for real."
He held his hand out to touch her head, only for him to nearly lose his arm when Flaitheas' jaws snapped shut. "Flaitheas!" He's on our side!
She hissed in reply, Not until I say so.
Ames was clearly shaking in his boots, but that didn't make him any less brave. Once again, he stretched out his arm.
Flaitheas snorted, receiving a quick flinch, but nothing else. "You'd better not bite my arm off."
He isn't the brightest, is he?
I snickered at the comment.
Ames gave me a weird look. "What did I do?"
"Not you. Flaitheas." I patted her shoulder, receiving a low croon in return. "Don't worry about your arm. I'll make sure she behaves."
The corner of Ames' mouth twitched upward, like he was trying to smile, but before I could confirm it, one of the other men in the squad moved forward. Flaitheas' tail curled tighter and pulled me closer.
"Look, I don't care if you stay here with your little alien children. I was told to kill them, and evacuate all the staff." Flaitheas hissed at his words.
"You're not killing her. I won't let you." And by the sound of it, she agreed. "Take all of them, I don't care! Just leave her be!"
The soldier's eyes narrowed. "And leave that thing to roam around this place!? I don't think so!"
Flaitheas' tail disappeared from around my waist. Before I could say anything to stop her, she flung herself at the soldiers. My ears began ringing from the flurry of gunshots being fired. She'd managed to knock the other two guards back across the floor, and pinned down the third against the wall.
And then my vision was blocked. It took me a second to realize that it was Ames. He'd spread his arms wide behind him, effectively shielding me from seeing what was unfolding.
However, his efforts were futile. I could still feel Flaitheas' anger filtering into my thoughts, showing me her intentions towards the soldiers.
"FLAITHEAS! STOP!"
Silence…
And then there was a dull thump along with the clatter of armor.
She remained standing where she was, and refused to turn around.
You expect me to let them live!?
I flinched at how accusation was put into the thought. She was actually blaming me for what I'd done. For saving the lives of three people.
Do you think that they would've let me live!? They deserve to be killed!
I couldn't move. My limbs were frozen by my sides. It was the first time after communicating with her, that I was afraid that she'd become what I'd feared. That the others had the right to be afraid. Maybe they were right all along.
Apparently, my thoughts weren't to myself. Flaitheas had stopped moving, and breathing all together.
M-mother…? I'd heard the utter betrayal and heartbreak. It was strong enough that it was left lingering in my own head after she'd run from the room and back into the vents.
Sorry for the sad-ish ending! Had to add some of that in here somewhere. Anyways, keep reviewing. (Even though I don't deserve it very much)