Chapter Seven: Lethal Devotion

Isaac sat and thought on what he had learned and seen. It made sense how the Xenomorphs were able to get on board the Ishimura without anyone knowing. His mind turned to those underground tunnels, obviously dug, coated with more of that resin. Even it looked old and dusty. How long had they been there? His mind raced, and he wondered if the whole tectonic load was riddled with their tunnels and eggs. It made him shiver to think about, that there could be thousands of them, maybe millions, waiting just below them. That was to say nothing of how many could be down on the planet. He also recalled the dust on those eggs. How old were they? Obviously they were still viable. If they could stay dormant for so long, they would be a true nightmare anywhere they were encountered.

Isaac was brought of his reverie when the buzzer of the tram sounded.

"Now arriving at Medical," said the Ishimura computer. Isaac raised an eyebrow. He was pretty sure he'd selected the Bridge. The tram rumbled to a stop. Isaac got up to select the Bridge, was surprised when an error message was displayed. Isaac tapped it several times, but it was unresponsive. He frowned. He turned to the open tram door. He could cut through to get back to the Bridge. Take him a bit, but at least he didn't need to worry about them being smashed by asteroids at any second. Isaac walked out, wary and careful. He tapped his RIG to radio.

"Kendra, the tram brought me to Medical and won't respond to command. Kendra?" Only static met him. "Kyne, you read me? Hammond?" Still nothing. Isaac looked up at the Medical tram station. It was the same as he remembered, but also different. He saw the bloodstains, but the bodies were missing. He recalled that one that had been eating a small clone body. Maybe they really did eat the people who they killed, and the ones who were unfortunate enough to be captured alive met a far worse fate. Isaac softly groaned, suppressed the thought. Isaac also noticed candles and lanterns around, lit. He glanced around. His heart leaped a bit as he realized there might be other survivors in Medical. People hiding in other areas of the ship maybe found their way there. Cautious and wary, Isaac opened the door into the Medical Deck and headed in towards the Security Station.

The hall was clean and cleared now, though still with plenty of bloodstains and acid holes. The body bags and parts of bodies were gone, some scattered lanterns and candles glowing in the dim light. Isaac opened the door to the Security Station, and similarly found it also illuminated. He was shocked when a buzzer sounded, and the shutter behind him slammed down.

"Ah. Another survivor. At last. You'll be safe here. I'm a doctor," said a male voice through the PA system. Isaac looked up. Why did the voice sound familiar?

"Is Dr. Nicole Brennan with you?" Isaac asked.

"You're not here for salvation then?" the man asked. Something about his question didn't sit right with Isaac. "Well, Dr. Brennan is currently engaged. Shall I send you to her?" said the man's voice. Something about his tone didn't make Isaac feel good.

"Yeah, just unlock the doors and I think I can find her on my own," said Isaac.

"Ah, ah! Careful. You might let something in . . . or out," the man said in a teasing tone. Isaac frowned as the doors unlocked. Isaac checked his RIG. He recalled there was a secondary tram station for the Medical wing near the Cryogenics lab, for when very extreme injuries were treated. He checked the map, and it was through the Chemical Lab, near Zero-G Therapy. While Isaac really didn't relish the idea of heading back through that mess, he had little choice. He headed for the Imaging Diagnostics lab. He kept his flamethrower ready, just in case he encountered one of the Xenomorphs.

Isaac wound his way around and through the hallway, back to that familiar area. What wasn't familiar, was the stretchers with bodies on them. Isaac stopped and stared. Once again, it was dim, lit by candles and lanterns. The dim light was enough for Isaac to see these people were not victims of acid, or claws or another injury. Each one of them, had their chest ripped open, white bones of broken ribs protruding. Isaac felt a chill at the sight. Some were strapped to the gurneys, some free. "I would ask you not to disturb my patients, but I think they are resting deeply enough," said the man, almost playfully.

"You . . . you killed them," said Isaac, shocked.

"Nothing of the sort. I gave them salvation!" the man declared. Isaac hardly suppressed a shiver, pushed on, trying to not be disturbed by what he was seeing. He passed by more bodies, some had trails of blood leading away from them, often to broken vents. Isaac hurried and made his way up and around back to where he entered the first decompressed area before Zero-G Therapy, then turned right and headed down a lift, the signs directing him to the Chemical Lab and Cryogenics wing. However, he came to a new problem when he found the door.

"Access denied. Authorization by Dr. Challus Mercer only," the computer stated. Isaac blinked.

"Ah, ah! Naughty man! Sneaking into another's workplace while they're not there. For shame!" Mercer teased. Now Isaac knew where he'd heard that voice before. Isaac growled. He looked around, saw a door that was locked and a fuse nearby. He broke the fuse, and was back in the Imaging Diagnostics area. Isaac made sure the area was safe, headed into a nearby storeroom.

"Kendra, Hammond, Kyne, anybody answer me!" Isaac hissed. For a few moments, his RIG radio hissed with static. He was about to give up, when Kendra's voice crackled in.

"Isaac! Where are you?" she asked.

"I'm in Medical. Dr. Mercer locked me in here," Isaac replied.

"Oh, shit!" she said as she typed.

"He's locked the doors and disabled the main tram station. I'm trying to get to the alternate through Cryogenics, but the door to the Chemical Lab is locked." Kendra typed.

"Ugh, no good. He's hotwired it locally. Crafty bastard. I can't override it from here," she said.

"Mr. Clarke, if I know Mercer, he likely keeps a spare keycard in his office. Check there, but be careful," said Kyne.

"Yeah, I know. He's ranting about salvation, and there's bunches of people dead here. I think he's lost it," Isaac said quietly, trying not to alert the not-so-good doctor. Kyne growled softly.

"Mercer . . .," Kyne hissed. Isaac noticed some spare fuel for his flamethrower, smiled and took it before he headed out and back to the security station. Isaac headed back to the Ishimura Clinic, and as soon as he stepped through the door, the PA hissed to like again.

"Ah, you show quite a lot of spirit. That is good. I would almost think we still had hope, were things different. Alas," said Mercer.

"What the hell are you talking about?" Isaac shot back.

"Am I the only one who sees the reality? Am I the only one who sees the writing on the wall? That we have died out long ago, and have just not accepted it yet?" said Mercer. Isaac grimaced at this.

"I'm not listening to this bullshit, you loony!" Isaac shot back. Mercer clicked his tongue.

"I wish you could appreciate what I'm trying to do here, Mr. Clarke," Mercer said in a sing-song tone. Isaac ignored him, opened the door to the ER, poked his head out. Sure enough, Mercer had re-locked the door to the elevator to the Morgue. Couldn't make it easy, could he? Isaac warily entered the ER area. Sure enough, the other door was locked. Suddenly, the doors all locked at once, and an alarm began to sound, lights flashing.

"Hazardous anomaly detected! Quarantine activated," said the computer, and Isaac felt his heart leap up into his throat.

"Are you a religious man, Mr. Clarke? Because you're about to meet some angels . . ." said Mercer. Isaac ran and hid behind a pillar. He glanced out, and sure enough, several Xenomorphs crawled down from ceiling vents in a slow, strange, twisting way that sent shivers up and down his back.

"Kendra, Kyne, Mercer's trapped me in the ER. He's somehow got a quarantine activated," Isaac hissed into his radio, gripping his flamethrower.

"I'll try to override it. Stay low and don't let them see you," said Kendra.

"Good plan," Isaac agreed.

"Aren't they glorious, Mr. Clarke? Don't you see? The future of our race ends, right here," said Mercer. Isaac ignored him.

"Dammit, I can't lift the lockdown. I don't know what tricks he's pulled, but he's good, I'll give him that," Kendra growled.

"Mr. Clarke, look around. See if you can find a maintenance hatch. I recall there was one somewhere on the floor," said Kyne. Isaac knelt and glanced around.

"Yeah, I see it. But the minute I start cutting, those things will be on me," he replied.

"Maybe not. Ms. Daniels, can you remotely trigger the alarms of the ER?" Kyne asked.

"Um . . . yeah, I think so," she said.

"Do it," Kyne ordered. "Mr. Clarke, as soon as the alarms go off, move something to block the hatch from sight and cut as quickly as you can!" Isaac smiled.

"Thanks. Ready when you are," he replied. The ER filled with the sounds of every kind of alarm there was, as well as alert lights and everything else. Isaac scurried for the hatch, pulled a gurney over and began cutting as fast as he could. He got through in less than five seconds, pulling it off and diving inside before pulling the cut cover back over. Down below, Isaac could only crawl on his belly, but hurried as he heard Mercer's laughter.

"Resourceful, Mr. Clarke! I like it! I can see how you survived so well! You'll make a magnificent specimen!" he said, and Isaac almost froze. He kept going, found another hatch and opened it. He poked his head out, looked around, and climbed out. Isaac hurried down the ER hallway and back through the ICU ward, candles and lanterns everywhere. Isaac turned just before the way to the Morgue, and there was the door to Dr. Mercer's office. Isaac looked around, checked his flamethrower, and tapped the hologram.

"Clearance confirmed," the computer said. Isaac stepped into Mercer's office, and felt sick at what he saw.

There was a human body on a stretcher, dissected. The ribs were clearly broken from the inside. Were that all, Isaac would not as be put off as he was, but there was more. Much more. On the lab table was one of the spider-creatures, also dissected and pinned out on a dissection board, the internal organs exposed. One of the Xenomorph eggs sat, open, the top peeled open like a sick, fleshy flower, empty. Pages of notes were everywhere. There was also one of the shed skins. There were numerous still images of the Xenomorphs from cameras around the ship. One thing that really got Isaac's attention was another body. Not a human one, but not alien.

It was a dog.

Isaac blinked in shock. It was a Rottweiler, wearing a spiked collar. The chest was torn open, like all the rest. He also could see impressions in the fur around the face and neck, where the spider-creature had attached to the poor animal. Isaac felt his jaw truly drop in awe and horror.

"Guys . . . you gotta see this," said Isaac in growing horror.

"Oh my . . ." Kendra said, as horrified as Isaac.

"God in heaven . . ." Kyne breathed. Isaac skimmed through several text logs, and all of them were beyond disturbing. Reams of scientific and medical data, on the implantation and growth of the Xenomorphs, data on the affects on the body, even data on implantation into non-human hosts. Isaac froze in horror when he saw a still image of the Xenomorph that had chased him, Hammond and Kendra. It had come from the dog.

"He's been . . . breeding these things," Isaac breathed, glancing around at the scrawls on the walls, of the Xenomorphs in all their forms, almost looking like . . . reverence.

"And using the crew as guinea pigs for his experiments. But how the hell did he get eggs from the mining deck all the way up here without getting attacked himself?" Kendra asked. Isaac downloaded the data to his RIG. He saw the keycard waiting on a desk, and grabbed it.

"I can answer that for you, miss," said Mercer over the PA, Isaac could almost feel him grinning. "There are many among the crew who feel as I do, and were only too happy to help my research, and a few from the Mining Deck aided me. They were so impressed, in fact, you might say it . . . took their breath away," Mercer snickered, as Isaac's RIG suddenly alerted him he was entering a vacuum.

"Oh, shit! Isaac, he just vented all the atmosphere on the Medical Deck!" Kendra yelped. Isaac opened the door and hurried.

"I should be able to restore it from the Security Station," said Isaac as he ran, bringing up his Pulse Rifle, as he knew the flamethrower would not work without oxygen. Yes, hydrazine could ignite in a vacuum, but this model wasn't made for use in vacuum like other models were. Isaac hurried back down the hall, weapon raised. He was amazed nothing tried to attack him, but didn't complain. He made it back to the Security Station and restored life support while Kendra tried to keep Mercer from pulling any more tricks. Isaac gave a relieved sigh as his RIG alerted him he was no longer in a vacuum. "All right, I'm heading back to the Chemical Lab and to the tram," said Isaac, hefting up his flamethrower.

"Be careful, Mr. Clarke. Dr. Mercer is not to be underestimated. He may have gone insane, but insanity does not mean stupidity. Be ready for anything, and watch out for traps," Kyne warned.

"I will, thanks," Isaac replied, and once more headed into the Imaging Diagnostics lab. Isaac stayed on high alert, ready for anything. He thought he saw one of the Xenomorphs up on the second level, but stayed low and out of sight. He got through the door without too much trouble, and made it back to the Chemical Lab door. He looked around, unlocked it, and looked inside before entering. The inside was a bloodbath. There were stretchers and gurneys lined up, and Isaac recognized images from Mercer's logs. This was where he had locked that poor dog to be implanted and birth one of those things, as well as people. There were more empty alien eggs as well, and Isaac had his weapons at the ready. He glanced around, saw the other door was unlocked, and hurried in and opened it. Isaac had been half expecting Mercer to lock him in again. Thank goodness he didn't pull the same trick twice. If he'd tried, Isaac would have cut through the door. Isaac went down the hall, and found some lockers before the door. Isaac stopped and checked, found another tank of hydrazine, and clipped it to his belt. He then steeled himself and opened the door to Cryogenics.

The large chamber was surrounded by upright Cryotubes, the glass frosted, but Isaac could see forms inside. He looked around warily, kept his flamethrower up, and approached one. He held his weapon in one hand, reached out the other, and wiped the ice off the surface. Inside was a human, a man, who looked like he was merely sleeping. Isaac was almost relieved, when he saw a dead spider-creature, curled up next to the man's face inside. His eyes flew open as he checked another tube. The woman inside had a spider-creature attached to her face.

"Beautiful, aren't they?" said Mercer as a shutter lifted from a window, and Isaac at last got to see the face of his foe. The man had short black hair, thinning at the top, and a beard. He was dressed in a Medical uniform, typing at a console. "They slumber in the greatest peace there is, sure in their own salvation," said Mercer, seeming pleased.

"Salvation? What the fuck are you talking about?" Isaac asked, fed up with Mercer's antics.

"Why, the salvation of the human species, Mr. Clarke. Indeed, the salvation of the Universe. Surely, you of all people, see how destructive we are? Destroying whole planets for our own selfish gains? Thinking ourselves gods? That we are the supreme species of the Universe? No more. Not in the face of true perfection," said Mercer, and Isaac felt his skin crawl.

"Perfection? These things?" Isaac almost yelled. Mercer only shook his head, a sad smile adorning his face.

"As an engineer, Mr. Clarke, I would think you, of all people, would recognize their structural perfection, matched only by their naked hostility. A true survivor of the Universe. Born and bred in the deepest, most harsh environments of the Cosmos that humans can scarcely imagine. Can you not admit how amazing they are? Able to survive in the most extreme environmental conditions, even the vacuum of space. Able to change their form based upon whatever host organism they come into contact with? Do you not see how amazing this is?" Mercer asked as he typed.

"You are . . . fucking insane," Isaac hissed. "If you love your pet bugs so much, why don't you go kiss one? I'm sure they'd love to meet you face-to-face," Isaac sneered. Mercer only smiled.

"In time, Mr. Clarke. Oh, and before I forget, I must thank you for fixing the Ishimura's engines. Now, our homecoming will be truly divine," said Mercer as he opened more shutters, and Isaac saw, to his horror, full-grown Xenomorphs, frozen in tubes, along with spiders and more people who were implanted, no doubt. Isaac felt as cold as the room around him.

"You . . . you psycho! You take these things to Earth, and it's all over! Not just for humanity! They'll kill everything!" Isaac screamed. Mercer smirked at him.

"Part of a cycle, Mr. Clarke. They have existed since long before Man, and will be there long after, waiting to wipe out any other parasites of the stars. The mighty Destroying Angels," he said with reverence. Isaac quivered with rage as the doors locked. "Humanity will be cleansed, whether you wish it or not, Mr. Clarke. It looks like you've chosen your side." Isaac looked around, saw Mercer was serious, and acted. He turned and fired his flamethrower at the nearby tubes, those that had humans with spider-creatures attached to them. Alarms began to sound and lights flashed.

"Stasis, interrupted! Fire in Cryogenic compartment! Repeat: Fire in Cryogenic compartment!" the Ishimura computer alerted. Mercer began to panic.

"No! You infidel!" Mercer screamed as Isaac doused the area with flaming fuel, rolling a spare canister under the tubes that held grown aliens, fired the rifle and the canister of fuel exploded, destroying the cryotyubes and their contents. Isaac turned and fired the Pulse Rifle into anything and everything. The body of a man inside a cryotube exploded in a red stain inside the tube, two tubes exploded and sent shards of glass and frozen body parts flying.

"Kendra! Kyne! He's trying to take aliens back to Earth! We've gotta stop him!" Isaac yelled as he decimated the Cryogenics lab.

"The bastard locked me out again! I can't do anything!" Kendra replied.

"Mr. Clarke, check in the corner of the lab! There should be an emergency override!" said Kyne. Isaac hurried to the corner, saw a panel. He brought out his ion torch and cut it open. He pulled the revealed handle, the panel opening. Isaac grabbed the manual override, and pulled it. Alarms blared as he whirled, and saw Mercer, no barriers between them. Isaac raised the Pulse Rifle, and Mercer's eyes grew, diving out of the way before Isaac could fire. Isaac chased after him, but stopped when he heard a service elevator door close. He saw it was locked and growled.

"Kendra, he wants to take these things back to Earth! Tell Hammond and lock the Captain's Nest, ASAP!" Isaac said as he tapped his RIG.

"Roger that, Isaac," said Hammond, Isaac relieved to finally hear his voice again.

"Be ready, guys. I don't think Mercer's done yet," said Isaac. They were shocked when static hissed again.

"Indeed not, Mr. Clarke. In fact, I should thank you, because you helped me flush out where a certain rat is hiding," said Mercer, sounding pleased. Isaac felt ice in his stomach at this.

"What the hell did he mean by that?" Kendra asked. Before any could ask, Kyne messaged them frantically.

"Mr. Clarke! They know where I am!" said Kyne, them able to hear pounding and yelling in the background. Isaac felt all the breath in his body leave.

"Kyne, get out of there!" Isaac yelled as he ran down the halls. They could hear the sound of a cutting torch.

"No use. There's only one way in or out! Look, all of you, no matter what happens to me, don't let-" There was a bang, and they heard more yelling.

"There he is!" yelled a male voice.

"Get the infidel!" yelled another. There was an electrical crackle, Kyne screamed in pain.

"Kyne!" Isaac yelled as he ran, almost bouncing off the walls as he rounded corners.

"Oh my god!" Kendra gasped as she typed. "Guys, we can't lose him! Get to Crew Deck! Quick!" said Kendra.

"Right! You get here to the Nest and seal it. Isaac? I'll meet you there!" said Hammond.

"I'll be there!" Isaac yelled as he smashed a fuse and unlocked a door, dashing out onto the tram platform, into the open tram and selecting the Crew Deck. He just hoped they weren't too late to save Dr. Kyne.

Isaac was a wreck as he rode the tram to Crew Deck, not only worried about Kyne, but also scared. That Mercer was planning on taking the aliens back to Earth terrified him. How could anyone be that stupid or insane? The tram rumbled to a stop at the Crew Deck. Isaac had the Pulse Rifle ready. The door opened, and Hammond was already on the tram deck, waiting.

"Isaac, good to see you again, buddy," greeted the Security officer, and Isaac nodded.

"Same here. Kendra? You're our eyes and ears. What's going on?" Isaac asked. Her face appeared in a video screen for them.

"Not quite sure yet. But, if what Mercer said is anything to go by, looks like he and some of the crew developed . . . some sort of cult around the Xenomorphs," she mused as she typed. Isaac groaned.

"Oh, god. As if things weren't bad enough with the aliens," Isaac huffed. Hammond sighed and nodded.

"Amen, brother. Kendra, do you think you can track Kyne's RIG and see where they have him?" Hammond asked.

"Give me a second," she said as she typed. Hammond pulled out a pistol and handed it to Isaac.

"Here. Might not be much good against the aliens, but more than enough for a crazy human," he said, and Isaac took it gratefully and clamped it to his belt.

"Thanks. I think we'll need all the firepower we can get," Isaac mused.

"Isaac, I was thinking, and it seems to me that Mercer laid a trap. Not just for you. I think he did that to lure Kyne out," said Hammond. Isaac looked up at him. Kendra stopped typing.

"That would make sense. Seems the two of them had a history, and not a good one," said Kendra as she typed, growled and corrected a mistake. "Ha! Got it! Yes, Kyne's alive and his RIG is moving. It's . . . wait, that can't be right," she said as she typed. Hammond and Isaac looked at each other.

"What? What's wrong?" Isaac asked. Kendra looked shocked.

"According to this, he's in Engineering," she said, and Isaac and Hammond looked surprised.

"Why would they take him there?" Hammond wondered aloud. Kendra looked at him.

"That's not the biggest surprise," she said, and they looked at her. She looked at a screen and typed. "When I was searching for Kyne's RIG, I saw another one." She looked at them. "It's Chen. He's alive," she breathed. Hammond started at this.

"What?! You're sure?" Hammond asked quickly. She nodded.

"His vital signs are low, but yes. He's in Engineering, not far from where Kyne's RIG signal is located," she confirmed. Hammond checked his Pulse Rifle and other weapons.

"All right, we go in and get them. We don't leave people behind!" said Hammond with conviction. Isaac nodded.

"Yeah. If there's a chance." Isaac looked at Kendra. "We're heading over to Engineering. We'll need you to guide us when we get there," said Isaac. Kendra nodded.

"As long as Mercer doesn't lock me out, but I don't think that will be as much of a problem in Engineering," she replied. Isaac looked at Hammond, who nodded. The two men got onto the tram and headed for Engineering, hoping they were not too late.

Author's note: A big thanks goes to Pyrofox117. The idea of the Xenos getting onto the Ishimura from hollow sections of the planet was his idea.