~ The Matriarch ~
Red lights filled the halls as I ran as fast as I possibly could. With every step, my breathing became more ragged as I ran through the now empty halls of the facility. Ear bleeding sirens filled my ears the whole way. The halls were shockingly empty, and left an eerie sense behind in the absence of life.
With one final turn, I finally saw the door to the observation room. As I used a last burst of energy, I sprinted to it as fast as I possibly could. As quickly as I could, I put in the codes to open the door. Come on! I can't let this happen! I have to stop this! Despite my best attempts, the door remained sealed. Slamming as hard as I can, I berated the door with feeble attacks of my fists in a last ditch effort to get it open.
Suddenly, the door's locks gave way and the hydraulic system opened the door wide, revealing the observation room. The room was dark, only being illuminated by the red emergency lights, and Six's Cell was completely blacked out. As I took cautious steps inside, I couldn't help but feel that I was being watched the entire time.
Suddenly, I noticed a lone figure in a chair ahead of me. They were turned away from me, and sat shockingly still. I stepped towards them cautiously and I did my best to figure out who they were. As I finally got close enough to see the figure, I saw something far worse. Blood poured from the skull of the masked, lifeless body.
The sight churned my stomach, and what was worse is that this could mean my worst fears were a reality, she escaped. There was suddenly a deafening *thump* from behind me as a heavy figure landed on the ground. A sickening hiss sounded from behind me, and ever so slowly I turned to see what made the noise, but deep down I knew.
I looked up to see the bloodied fangs of a xenomorph as it stared into my soul. I went to run but its powerful arms grabbed me. I tried to scream, scream out for any one near, but no noise escaped my open mouth. The door to the room began to pound as a muffled voice from the other side said my name.
"Orion!" I heard faintly, as the door kept on being assaulted. However, a deep growl jostled my attention back to my captor. In the light I could barely make out the dark glimmer, but for a moment, a flash of red revealed the engravings of the letter six on the Aliens forehead. I tried to break free, but she only responded by bringing her long, wicked tail up to me. With one final look, I watched in horror as the blade of the tail was sent flying into my chest.
In a sudden moment of pure confusion and shock, I jolted up and clenched my chest. Papers were strewn around my desk and a pool of drool laid by my work. William stood above me, a concerned look was on his face. "Jeez man, are you alright? I came in here to start my shift and you were just sitting there screaming!" William said as he laid a hand on my shoulder.
I took a moment, trying my hardest to get a grasp of my surroundings. From the looks of it, I passed out last night while I was with Six. Her lights were turned off, and the observation room had quite clearly never been cleaned from last night. I rubbed my eyes and slowly stood from my desk.
"Ye-yeah, I'm fine William, I must have just passed out again." I said as I stumbled to my feet. William sighed and shook his head. "Let me guess, another nightmare?" William said as he gave me some space. I gave him a nod in response and began to fix my desk up. "You need to seriously go and do something about this. You've been working yourself to death here. You should be sleeping in a bed, not making puddles of drool on your desk." he chuckled, "At least you turned the lights off for The Specimen this time, it seemed pretty peeved the last time you kept it up."
Memories of that flashed in my mind, and I can't help but still feel guilty for Six. Ever since the experiment with Groves, Six has distanced herself from me quite a bit, and her threat to me has been stuck in my mind since it happened. In a way, I could see it as a good thing, as it helped me remember just how dangerous they are. However, deep down I still feel that Six has great potential, and I won't abandon her now.
While I still have no idea what I did to set her off, I know she doesn't seem to trust me anymore. A part of me wants to blame Groves for being so brash in his dealings with her, another part of me feels there is much more to it than that. In the end, I know I have to find a way to mend the bond, no matter what, and I have just the idea.
William raised an eye and waved a hand, "Hey Orion, you still with me?" His question helped me snap back to reality and I apologized. William just shook his head and took a seat at his desk. Before starting his work, William turned to me in his chair and grabbed my attention. "Hey! Keep in mind that transfers start today! Groves says we're finally getting some more help here. Maybe now you won't be passing on your desk and actually make it to your bed!" William said with a smile.
How could I forget! With the new transfers came a meeting I had been looking forward to for quite some time, a long overdue reunion with my old mentor, James. Due to my position for Project Astraeus, I had gotten the list early and even got to choose who would move here. On the list I was glad to see James still alive and couldn't help but request for him. Excitement filled my heart as I prepared my desk for the day. The old friend would make a welcomed addition to our little group.
However, my duties still held priority until that time would come. For now, William and I continued working and filling out forms. Through it all, I couldn't stop myself from thinking of my nightmare, and more specifically Six. Seeing her in her current state did nothing but fill me with sorrow, and while I think my request will help, I know that I need to do more to really fix our bond.
"Hey William" I called out, getting up from my chair. He turned to me and gave me his attention. "I'm going to go have a little chat with Specimen Six, you know the drill. Anything goes wrong, get me out or call the guards." William gave me a thumbs up and leaned back in his chair while letting out a sigh. "You know, when I saw how it started hissing at you, I thought that it'd finally make you realize it's not your friend." William said in a bothered tone.
I couldn't help but shake my head at his comment. "Say what you will William, but it will pass, I've seen what she's capable of." I said. "No. You haven't. You might think you know what you're dealing with; you might have read all the documents and watched all the videos, but you'll never understand a threat like that in there till you see one slice a person up in front of your very eyes."
As William spoke, flashes of my nightmare once again plagued my thoughts. I know he is right to an extent, but I also know that Six is different, that she is better. She has to be. "I understand where you're coming from William, but we've gone through this a dozen times. At the end of the day, you know I'm too stubborn to listen." I said in a light hearted tone in an attempt to lighten the mood. William chuckled, "Ain't that the truth. I'll keep an eye out for you Orion."
With a flip of the main breaker, the observation chamber sprung to life. A little to my surprise, Six was already awake and staring straight at me. Already off to a good start it seems. With cautious steps, I walked into her room and closed the door behind me. From the moment I took my first steps, she began to bare her teeth, however this time she didn't growl. Maybe she's had some time to cool down. Only took her a good couple weeks.
I stopped a good five feet in front of her and pulled out a chair which I kept in the room for talks just like this one. As I sat down, I glanced behind me to see William staring intently at what was happening. He looked more worried than anyone I'd ever seen before. As I turned back to Six, she finally let out a harsh, yet soft, hiss. I sighed and began to think of what I should say.
"Hey there Six. I know that you aren't exactly happy to see me right now, but I want you to know something." As I began my conversation, she ever so slowly quieted down and allowed me to continue, something she hasn't permitted since the experiment. "Look, remember how I made that promise on that night a couple weeks ago? How I said that if you worked for me I would pay you back? Well I think I finally got it in motion for ya!"
I was hoping to see some reaction at that, maybe a tilt of the head, or even a twitch in her restrained tail, yet all I got was that blank stare of disapproval. The awkwardness began to set in and I rubbed my neck in discomfort. "Six, I just-" I paused, deciding it best to think out my next words very carefully. "I just don't understand." I finally admitted, letting my shoulders go slump in defeat.
I rubbed my forehead in irritation and looked back to Six infront of me. "Before that night, everything was great! You'd help me out, I'd do my best to see just how much I could bring to make you happy, we accomplished so much!" With every word I said, I said with desperation. Oh how I hope a single one will finally reignite that spark Six once had. "I'll never forget the first time I fed you, you remember right? It was so long ago, yet to me it feels like it still just happened." I smiled thinking back on it all.
As I sat there, spewing out memories, Six continued to just stare. It almost felt as if she was mocking me at this point. "Look Six, I don't know what's caused you to push me away… Was it Groves trying to command you? I don't know what he did to you when you were young, but it's clear nothing he did was right. Was it the Guards? Did they trigger some bad thoughts of your youth? I need you to give me something!"
Once again, I was met with nothing but a stare. Frustration began to fill my mind as I ran through the day over and over again, desperate to think of what could have caused it. "If nothing else, I want you to understand what I risked for you that day. Stepping in on whatever Groves had planned for you was one of the biggest risks I've ever taken, yet I would do it again." I meant every word of what I said, and finally it seemed that I got through.
While it wasn't much, Six moved her head down and began to look at the floor. Times like these are when I wished the most that I could talk to her, really talk to her. Six has made it apparent that she understands me, and her attempts to communicate only exemplify it, however there is no real way to properly talk.
"You've had a big impact on my life Six, and I think you can be a bigger impact on everyone else's. You are spectacular, and your potential is limitless, just do me a favor. If you can, give me another shot." As I finished, Six turned her head to the side and kept her view to the floor. I let out a sigh of defeat and ran my hand over my head, only to suddenly hear the door to the observation room open.
As I turned around, I saw none other than James walk into the room. Seeing him here made me panic, if only for a moment. Six seemed to sense the stranger's presence as well and immediately snapped back to attention, releasing a threatening growl. Deciding it best to leave, I picked up the chair and headed for the door. As I walked back in the room, William had already begun to introduce James to all the tasks he would have to do while working with us.
Seeing him standing there, looking around aimlessly with a hint of confusion, I couldn't help myself but laugh. "Well, look at this. I remember someone who was in your predicament just a couple years ago!" I said with joy as I walked up to my old comrade. James turned to me and stared for a moment, before finally returning the smile. "Orion? Nathan Orion? Is that really you?" James said. "Who else do you know would request for your 'unprofessional' assistance in the workplace" I responded with a chuckle.
James hesitated for a moment before finally letting out a laugh as well. It felt a little uncanny, however I have to remember it has been a long time. "I gotta say, thank you for taking me in. The other positions haven't exactly been very welcoming to my skill set." James said as he looked around once more. I gave a friendly shrug and motioned him over to the area we cleared for him to work at. "I'd love to have you. William and I have been hoping for a transfer for months now. This spot may not seem like much at a glance, but trust me, we'll find work for you."
"Who knows, maybe with you around we can finally convince Orion here to stop gambling his life every other day!" William said. A look of confusion overtook James' features. "What do you mean 'gambling his life'?" he said. William patted me on the back "You can tell him, you're the maniac here after all." I sighed and shook my head, "Ignore his comments, we'll get into it later. For now, we need to get you set up for your new position." Having diverted the conversation, I walked James over to his desk and let him begin to familiarize himself with his new work station.
James looked rather impressed with all the equipment in the room. "This is some pretty impressive stuff, I've been with another Xenomorph team and they didn't have half the quality of some of this equipment." he said in awe. He turned to me in his chair, "Just how many are we dealing with?" James asked with caution. At that, the light hearted atmosphere began to be snuffed out; replaced by one much more serious.
Before I could even respond to the question, William interjected. "We have only one of them, Specimen Six." James stayed silent for a moment, but clearly his mind was running rampant. "All this, just for one Xenomorph? What is so special about it? Is it some kind of new breed?" He finally asked. William shook his head, "All I've gathered is that this thing is smart, much smarter than your average bug anyhow. It's had more escapes than any other in the Companies records, and the boys up stairs have taken an interest in it."
William gave me a look, wordlessly asking me if I should take it from here, and I nodded in acceptance. "You see James, I was moved here after the incident back in Volatile Materials. Whether it was supposed to be a punishment or what, I'm not sure, but since then I've been put in charge." As I began to tell James the story, he leaned into it with fascination. "Specimen Six is special, there is not a doubt in my mind, and to make matters even larger, this also seems to be Doctor Groves' passion project."
I gave a pause, imagining that he would, understandably, have something to say at the mention of Doctor Groves, but no questions came. "Our primary goal is to keep Specimen Six in good health and ensure that there are no more escape attempts." Again I paused, but this time for myself. I thought of how best to word what was coming next, as I knew I would have to make an excuse for him on why I personally go and work with her. "I believe that there is more to Six, so much more than people think capable of any Xenomorph, so on the side I've been trying my best to keep their spirits up. You may see me in there from time to time, but I assure you there is nothing to worry about."
My excuse wasn't perfect, in fact it was far from it, but it seemed to be enough to satisfy James for now. After hearing about what the team did, he asked the biggest question of the day. "So, what exactly is my role in all this Orion?" I nodded to him and then went to my desk and grabbed a stack of paperwork. "For now, until we can get you fully integrated, you're going to be helping us fill out all the paperwork we get. I know it isn't exactly exciting, but as of now-" James cut me off and raised his hand. "Don't apologize, I'm just happy to be here."
In all honesty, his response surprised me, but thinking of the past it did always seem that James was doing some kind of work involving documents, whether it be filing or filling out forms. As we all took our seats and went back to work, I took a moment to look at Six still contained in her cell. How exactly am I gonna get this done? I thought to myself, thinking of any possible strings I might be able to pull for her reward. Deciding it best to do it later, I shut off the main switch to the lights and gave her an opportunity to sleep once more.
After a few hours of work passed, the day began to come to its end. With only a few hours left, I once again began to brainstorm my plan for later, only to have it be interrupted by the doors of the room opening for Doctor Groves. When he walked in he gave the room a quick once over, nodding at the sight of James in the room. After his analysis of the room, he looked at me and said, "Come with me Orion, everyone else is dismissed for the day."
We all looked at each other in confusion, but followed his commands. As the two left, I began to shut everything down as Groves waited for me by the door. Once finished, I grabbed my data pad and began to follow the Director. "Sir may I ask what this is about?" I inquired as we walked through the halls of the facility.
Groves stayed silent for a moment before finally responding. "As you know, we're over half way until the guest arrives on the planet. While we have achieved some rather impressive results, we also seem to have hit a roadblock." Groves paused, presumably recalling past events. "I will admit, the fault is partially mine, however it doesn't stop the fact that progress has all but stagnated since that last experiment. Time is running out, and until more than a single person can successfully give Specimen Six commands, we cannot consider this project a success." Groves looked to me as we neared a new wing of the building I had never seen before, protected by a massive bulkhead and some elevators on the side.
"I believe that if you are to once again gain progress for the program, then you need to have a better understanding of the Hive as a whole." Groves said as we stepped aboard the elevator. With a click of a button, the doors closed and we began our ascent. "What you're about to see is the facility's greatest asset. I feel this interaction might help you gain a better understanding of their species, and in doing so a better understanding of Six."
Finally, the doors opened wide. My mind ran rampant with speculation, and I followed groves into a large room filled with screens and devices. It seemed we were in a tower of sorts as doors to the outside led to catwalks lining the high walls of the room we were in. Groves led me to the far wall of the room where large glass planes were placed, revealing what was inside the room we looked into.
"Behold Mr. Orion, the Xenomorph Queen." Groves said, motioning to the beast. I was at a loss for words, for I had never seen anything like this in my life. The Xenomorph was massive, easily having to be at least 5 to 6 meters in height. While it seemed to share much with xenomorphs in appearances, there were some key differences. The Queen had a massive crest on her head, instead of the long, thin, cylindrical head their species normally has. Furthermore, the crest seemed to grow around her head as an extra layer of armor.
She even had an extra pair of arms just below her normal ones. They were smaller, but in relation to a man still had to be at least a couple feet long. The strangest feature was a large sac like protrusion coming from the Queen that continued past the confines of the room. However, most notable of all was the mesoskeleton of the Queen. Unlike any Xenomorph I'd ever heard of, it was not a dark black or even with a hue of blue, but rather a plastery white. Furthermore, it was rough and chipped, looking like the bark of a tree, and was even adorned in scars from head to tail.
I couldn't stop staring at the sight ahead of me. I felt a dozen different things, awe, shock, fear. My mind couldn't make heads or tails of what I should be feeling. "Truly magnificent isn't she. She is the oldest living thing we have ever encountered, in the history of mankind, even older than the great Redwood Forests on Earth. Our estimates say she is tens of thousands of years old, truly a wonder of science." Groves said, slightly tearing me out of my trance.
. "While normally referred to as the Queen, this specimen has earned a special title. We call her the Matriarch. Every Xenomorph you've seen on this planet is a direct descendant of her." Grove spoke as we both looked on at the shackled tyrant. Finally, I pulled myself out of my trance and began to collect my thoughts. Groves turned to me with a look of fascination. "To think of all that she has provided us, it truly is spectacular."
I pointed to the sack of the Matriarch, "What is that exactly, Doctor Groves." He looked on and began to explain, "Ah, that my boy is the ovipositor, it is how she lays eggs. For security purposes we have it set up so that the eggs are safely deposited in the next room." I looked on at the ghastly sight. It was as grotesque as it was massive, even dwarfing the Matriarch and even still going on to the next area out of sight.
"I'll give you all the material you could ever want to research later, but I felt that you needed to see her in person to truly understand the magnificence of such a being. Would you like to meet her, Orion?" The offer shocked me and I couldn't even believe what I heard. Gathering up as much confidence as I could, I gave a firm nod, "I would be honored, sir". Groves motioned for me to exit out the door to our left and I soon was on the high catwalks inside the massive enclosed room .
Groves of course chose to stay inside, but that didn't deter me in the slightest. I cautiously made my way across the platforms and eventually found myself nearly at eye level from the Matriarch. The catwalk was a safe distance from her, but still close enough that I felt like I was at the base of a mountain. The heavy and ragged breaths released from the creature shook everything nearby and did not help me in the slightest.
Suddenly, the Matriarch began to move, and in a moment she slowly raised her head until she was looking directly at me. To see a creature of this size in front of me, I had no idea what to do. In an instant I began to regret my choice as what little confidence I had quickly melted away at her chilling stare. It wasn't till now that a thought so random took over my mind, this must be where they get Royal Jelly, and that would explain the name as well.
The Matriarch released a deafening hiss as she tilted her head, keeping me locked in her stare the whole time. A speaker sounded out, warning me to back away, but I couldn't help but stay. Seeing her up close filled me with this sense of wonder for their species, one even stronger than the one I already had. As I looked at her, she began to extend her head from outside the mighty crest upon her head. "Step away now! Come straight back to the tower now!" the voice called out again, yet once again I ignored it.
As her head got closer and closer, I simply looked on in wonder, until she began to open her gaping maw. Common sense finally took control and I hopped out of the way just as she tried to strike. The catwalk shook violently at the attack and I quickly began to run back to the tower. Jets of liquid hydrogen began to shoot out and attack the Matriarch. She released a deafening scream as she tried in vain to stop the onslaught.
I finally stumbled back into the tower and sealed the door behind me. I took ragged breaths as I leaned against the wall. My heart was pounding ever so loudly from my chest, and my mind was running rampant. Never before had I gotten so close to death. Groves walked over to me and smiled, before returning his gaze to the Matriarch. "She truly is something, isn't she?" Groves said as he admired her. "Come Orion, you have much more work ahead of you."
I gave him a nod and got back to my feet. We soon made our way back to Specimen Six's containment room. It took me a while, but I soon got my body to calm down. I have a feeling that experience won't help with my sleep. After the walk back to the room, Groves followed me inside and stood in front of the glass. He stared into the darkness for a moment, and then turned to leave. However, before he could I called out to him.
"Doctor, you know how you said I could make requests to help the project?" Groves raised an eye as he turned back to me. "Yes, I remember, now what is this about exactly?" he said with suspicion in his voice. "Well, I have an idea that I think would make great strides in getting the project back on its feet." Groves stood there, getting impatient "Well? What is it? I don't have all day Orion!"
I sighed and then finally told Groves my request. His eyes grew wide as he heard it and he went silent as I finished. He rubbed his chin in contemplation as he considered the risk. "Please sir, I know it's a risk, but this could be instrumental in getting Six to work with me again!" Still he stayed silent, only breaking his quiet thoughts with mumbles. Finally he looked back at me, and then glanced at the window.
"Orion, this is a massive risk you are presenting here." he spoke at last. Anticipation filled my mind as I awaited his answer. "However without risk, humanity never would have gotten off Earth. I'll allow it Orion, but I have conditions." I gave him a nod, "Of course sir, your word goes." Groves then began listing them off. "At least two of my guards must be present whenever this is to be done. They will handle cleanup. Furthermore, any and all incidents that happen because of this will fall onto you. Do you understand?"
Hearing my request get accepted filled me with joy, but I suppressed my happiness to stay professional. "Of course sir, thank you. I'll send you some documents when I get it ready." Groves gave me a nod and finally left the room. I turned to the glass and turned on the lights for Six. As she awoke in her confines, she looked up at me with a slight tilt of her head. I gave her the warmest smile I could. "Just a little longer Six, but I'm a man of my word. I have a strong feeling you're going to love it."
- Authors Note -
I have returned! First and foremost, I would like to give my deepest apologies about the long wait there has been. Everything took much, much longer than I originally hoped it would, but I am happy to say my schedule is fairly open! I'm writing once again and I am ecstatic to finally bring all you fine people the ninth chapter of The Sixth Specimen! Here we see Orion being plagued by nightmares of deadly attacks, followed closely by him trying to mend a bond which has been shattered. Furthermore, James has finally once again come into play, only now he is under Orion and William. And of course, the star of this chapter, the legendary Matriarch finally makes a physical appearance. I am super happy to finally bring her into the light as I've been looking forward to her introduction for quite some time. Finally, we have Orion's mysterious reward for Six that he thinks can help mend their relationship, but what could it possibly be? Let me know your theories in the comments!
I would just like to once again say thank you all so much for everything. This story has somehow breached the amazing feat of over 3 thousand viewers, and I have cherished getting to read all of your comments. I look forward to writing more, and for those who are itching for some classic Xenomorph disasters, don't worry, it is closer than you think. For now, I wish you all a great day and hope you enjoy the weekend! Until next time!
