"Hello, Paul." Jeanne said. Her voice was shaking slightly, but she still smiled at seeing the scientist alive.
Paul kept the gun trained at her. "What are you doing here, Jeanne?" he said.
"Looking for you."
"Alone?"
She shook her head. "No, Frederic Weyland, and two friends like you are with me."
Paul was silent for a moment. "Two friends like me? Explain please."
"Look, Paul, can you take the gun down?"
"No."
She shivered "I don't like answering you, being held at gunpoint."
"All right then." He lowered the weapon, but didn't holster it. "Tell me now."
"Fred has made friends with a yautja, who has a xenomorph boyfriend. Just like you. They wanted to see you."
"And what about the promise Fred gave me?"
"Look, we aren't gonna stay here very long. Weyland just wants answers."
"So do I." Paul said grimly.
Jeanne heard a clatter behind her, and turned, seeing a large warrior xenomorph move out of the shadows below the ship, pass her by, and with a xenomorph grin, taking up stance behind Paul. This must be Akkan.
"How are you, Paul?" She asked.
"I'm fine. As is Akkan. We're fine."
"You don't look fine" she remarked.
Akkan hissed, and Paul looked up to the Xeno. They were conversing in the Minds, she knew it.
"All right, Jeanne. Call Weyland back, tell him to meet me here on the Plaza. No tricks. We are prepared."
He tossed her the communicator, holstered the gun, and turned, leaving towards the largest colonial building.
Paul entered the gloominess of the interior, followed by Akkan
What do you think, you think Jeanne is telling the truth?
I think she is Akkan replied She doesn't smell untrue, but one does never fully know with humans.
Grumbling, Paul set to work at a locker in the wall. So Weyland's back, huh.
Yeah, and I won't let him take you away from me! Akkan hugged Paul, lifting him up, and making the human struggle Hey, let me down! I need to get the pulse rifle from the locker!
Oh all right… Akkan set him down again, and walked around the room, checking out of the windows. Jeanne had gone back into her ship.
She said a xenomorph boyfriend and another thing a… yautja?
It's another kind of alien. They are pretty fierce hunters from what I have heard. Never met one.
Sounds dangerous. Akkan flexed his arms Perhaps I should neutralize him.
Paul laughed, and stopped his assault on the locker to walk over to Akkan and stroke him You are still so full of yourself sometimes.
Shut up!
They both laughed, the xeno hissing and Paul laughing.
What do you want the ancient weapon for?
If this is a trap... Paul resumed his attack on the locker I don't want to be unprepared.
It gave way, and Paul whooped, opened it fully, reached in, and drew out a M4A1 Pulse Rifle. Akkan sniffed it. It smells loaded
Sixty-five Bullets are still inside, and one grenade. How can you smell if it's loaded?
The Cordite gives it away.
Paul punched Akkan playfully, and checked the Pulse rifle's chamber. The weapon seemed fine.
So we wait in here for Weyland?
I'm not sure. I thought about the roof, but we can't get off it if it turns nasty…
Akkan hugged Paul again, cradling him in his arms. I love you, Paul. He won't hurt you…
Oi, stop it, I'm not your big baby!
You are The xeno hissed And if I don't carry you, you will toddle off to somewhere dangerous.
Paul struggled, but the Xeno held him even tighter. He was pretty powerful, and eventually, Paul stopped struggling, and hugged Akkan back, kissing his slightly moist lips, making the large Alien purr. I love you too, Akkan.
The xeno purred louder, stroking Paul's long hair. We need to get your hair cut. Especially the one in the face. Maybe we can ask Weyland for a razor.
You are so silly.
No the xeno puffed himself up I just think of the important stuff!
Paul punched him again, but Akkan couldn't retaliate as he was cradling Paul. He just poked him softly with his tail.
You really have to put me down now.
Okayyy…
Aki, Weyland and Eran had arrived at the Shipstern Bluff just before nightfall. Weyland was in a sour mood, Eran was hungry, and Aki wanted to hunt.
Jeanne was still sitting up on the engine, working on it by the light of a small maintenance lamp.
Weyland called up "Jeanne, where are they?"
"I don't know!" she called back, reluctantly switching off the lamp and climbing down to their level. "Paul is pretty pissed though, Fred."
"How's the repairs going?"
"I'll have to test-fire the Engine tomorrow. Then we should be good to go."
Aki grumbled "Where are they now?"
"They told me to wait here"
Weyland checked the buildings, and saw a man walk out of the door of one. He was holding a pulse rifle, and as he came close, Weyland recognized Paul, older, more haggard, with a beard and unkempt hair, but it was Paul
"WEYLAND!" he shouted
Aki and the Xeno turned, a jolt going through Eran at seeing the human
"Are you all right?" Aki clicked
"Yeah" came the answer.
Weyland walked towards Paul, stopping at a safe distance from him.
"Paul, I'm so glad-"
"Cut the crap. Tell me why you are here."
"I need some questions answered, and you are the only specialist on xenomorphs that I still know."
"What do you mean?"
"Weyland-Yutani quit all research on Xenomorphs a few years back. I've fired all my experts, and now finding someone who can analyse my two friends here is quite difficult."
"Who are they?" Paul beckoned towards the two extra-terrestrials.
"They are-"
"I can answer for us." Aki intervened gruffly. "My name is Aki'ru and this is Eran" he pointed at the xenomorph who nodded his head.
"Pleased to meet you. I am Paul Cromwell. My mate Akkan is somewhere around here, he will join us shortly."
Weyland nodded "How about we talk inside one of the buildings. It will get cold soon."
Paul agreed, and they all moved into the mess hall of the colonial settlement, under Paul's watchful eye.
Paul had started a fire in the middle of the Room under a ventilation shaft and they all crowded around it, the glow of the flickering flames illuminating their faces. Weyland's ever cool visage, Jeanne slightly nervous, Eran's smooth xenomorph dome, and Aki's deep set eyes.
The Yautja was watchful. Paul had never seen a creature like him, but he wasn't surprised. He seemed amiable enough, but with a determined air of self-control.
Eran was different. The first thing he had tried was to reach out to his mind, he had gotten quite good at that, but with Eran he ran into a brick wall.
"This is Akkan" Paul introduced his mate, who appeared from a doorway, checking the room's reaction. Weyland was totally cool, Jeanne slightly nervous, Aki's grip had tightened, but the most interesting reaction came from Eran. The xeno shivered, curling his Tail around Aki, and cuddling himself close
Who's the Xeno? Akkan asked Paul
His name is Eran.
Yes, I heard that, but what is he? Paul felt Akkan's uncertainty in his mind
Can't you reach out to him?
It feels like he is blocking himself off
I felt it too.
Weyland spoke up. "Paul, I want to know why Eran is able to communicate the way he is. I'm guessing some involvement with the remnants of the research you did on Sigma 44"
"How does he communicated"
Weyland didn't answer, as Eran turned his head to Paul, and said with a gurgly voice "I can talk and understand you."
Behind him, Paul heard Akkan breathe in in surprise. Eran rubbed his neck, and with visible discomfort, turned his head away.
Paul wasn't aware that xenos had vocal chords, let alone those good enough to produce speech. This piqued his interest. Perhaps this wasn't such a bad opportunity after all. Besides, he could ask Weyland about the incident eighteen months back, if he was responsible.
This is surprising! Akkan put his talon on Paul's shoulder
It is. I want to find out more!
"Where did you find those two, Weyland?"
"I think it is best if you talk to Aki about it. He's probably going to know more."
Paul set himself down by the fire, stoking it, Akkan moving close to his mate, curling a talon protectively around him.
"Well, Aki'ru, where do you two come from?"
Aki shook his head, making his dreadlocks fly. "I'm from my home planet. We were hunting on a world inhabited by humans, it is called LX-783, where we removed a Xenomorph hive that had infested a human construction."
Paul saw him feel for Eran's talon, and squeeze it tight. "We took some of the Serpents alive, Eran amongst them. After an accident on my ship that left me stranded alone on the surface of a planet, we-"
"Hold on, what happened on the ship?"
Eran raised his head again, and simply said two words. "Blood Moon."
The effect on Akkan was instantaneous. Sweeping Paul up in a tight grab, he hissed, strands of saliva flying from his jaws, and beat his tail on the floor with a loud crash.
Oi, Akkan, let me go!
NO NO NO NO NO NO!
A wave of anger and fear overwhelmed Paul, making him dizzy.
Akkan! Calm down!
Jeanne was staring wide eyed at the xeno, and Aki was slightly worried as well.
Eventually, Akkan managed to snap out of it, and, still hugging Paul tightly, he set himself down again.
Sorry, Paul.
Akkan, that was slightly scary!
Yes, I know. I just couldn't help myself. Sorry.
Why does Blood Moon scare you this much? It's just a natural phenomenon on earth…
It's not. It's a code, used by the guy Schulz back when I was… imprisoned…
They had talked about Akkan's time in captivity, but he had never said anything about blood moon.
Paul decided another tack.
"What do you mean by blood moon?"
Eran looked at his talons, fiddling with them, and Aki spoke up. "The Blood Moon is what caused the accident on my ship."
"What is it?"
"To be honest" the yautja cleared his voice "We don't know."
"So you are saying you don't know what attacked you?"
"It lives in the dark, and we had to flee." Aki shuddered "It spoke to me in my head…"
Paul wormed himself loose from Akkan's grip "Akkan says Blood Moon has something to do with Dr. Schulz. He did a lot of research on Xenomorphs a few years back."
Weyland cleared his throat "I met an android looking exactly like Schulz a few days back on the Odessa, which is a space station some distance from here."
Paul scratched his head. "This all seems pretty tangled."
Aki nodded "We need to know how to kill Blood Moon. We have sworn an oath to destroy it."
I know where we will find answers, Paul.
Tell me, love.
The Temple. We have to check the temple.
Paul shivered slightly Last time we only got out alive by luck.
This time we are many, and besides, we know the way.
"There is... a place... close to here. It's buried down in the ground. We might find answers there."
Paul, what about the incident? Ask Weyland about it!
"When will we go?" Aki asked
"Tomorrow." Paul said "Tonight we will rest."
Jeanne got up "Well, I'm not gonna sleep in the damp hellhole. I'm heading back to the ship."
Weyland got up as well, and started to leave.
"Fred, wait a moment. I have to ask a question."
"Walk with me, Paul. I'll be resting inside the ship as well."
They both left through the door, out into the night. "Two things."
"I'm listening"
"For one, do you have a razor? I need to shave. My shaver broke a few weeks back."
Weyland laughed "Sure I do."
"And I want to know if you told anyone that we were here on this planet. Because, eighteen months back, we had visitors."