Chapter XX
The Final Frontier
It felt as though there was an iron grip around my skull, crushing it slowly. I shuffled in discomfort, and slowly the painful grip was released. I let my body go limp as the pain finally stopped and I enjoyed the welcoming sensation of rest, something I haven't experienced in far too long. I lazily opened my eyes to look around, only to see that Six was nowhere to be seen, and I was on… a bed?
The feeling of a mattress felt so amazing after everything that happened that I didn't want to move, but I needed to find Six. "Six, are you okay? Where are you?" I asked her as I stood up slowly. As I waited for her response I looked around the room and tried to figure out exactly where I am. The walls were strange, yet ever so much familiar. As I walked to the door of the room I realized I still have heard nothing back.
I began to worry about Six and her fate, but surely they wouldn't have killed her… right? My worry began to grow to a panic and quickly I moved to open the door. The controls were already unlocked and the door opened without protest. I poked my head out the doorway to see a long and narrow hall leading to my left and right. I cautiously stepped out in the hall and just as I did, two Androids turned the corner and began to march my way.
The sudden approach startled me and I quickly tried to think of what to do. I turned around only to see Doctor Groves headed towards me from the other direction. Seeing that I was trapped I stood still and waited to see what fate held for me as Groves got ever closer. The aging Doctor walked up to me with a look of excitement and just a hint of relief.
I took a deep breath as I mentally prepared myself for whatever was to happen next. So many questions still ran through my mind. "Orion! It is wonderful to see you awake, there is so much work to be done!" Groves said with enthusiasm. He motioned me closer and the Androids gave me little choice. "Follow me Orion, we need to get you situated right away!"
Listening to his command I stayed close as we made our way through the claustrophobic halls. The hallway provided a light atmosphere with their unique hexagonal shape. While the lower portion of the walls were covered in a padded white material, the top had lights installed all along their length making for a rather bright area. The sight seemed so new, yet for some reason the back of my mind screamed out in familiarity.
As we continued through the strange hallway, I finally risked speaking. "Doctor Groves. Where am I? What even happened?" Groves nodded as he walked ahead of me and began to speak. "Well, I suppose you at least deserve an explanation for what has happened." A short moment of silence took the hall as we continued our march.
"You see Orion, after you fainted alongside the Specimen Mr. Weyland had his Android bring you both to the Monorail. Since then we made our way to the Colony. Sadly, before we arrived we got word one of the brutes from the Marines killed the Matriarch… A most regrettable loss." Groves shook his head in disappointment. "What was their name? I'll be dead before I let someone get away with such a crime." One of his Androids answered quickly. "The callsign of the Marine is 'Rookie', Doctor."
Groves gave a nod before he continued. "Anyways… One good thing came from the Matriarch's death; Freaya's Prospect was abandoned. It seems the Xenomorphs are scattering, yet there are still a large number headed to the Facility. Mr. Weyland assures me he has it under control, let us hope he is right." All of what I heard seemed impossible. The Matriarch was dead? How could someone even kill such a being? The thought of it did nothing to help my questions that rapidly grew more numerous.
"Since we arrived at the colony we have managed to secure a ship for off world transport, which takes us to you." As Groves finished answering next to nothing, we arrived at a door which he quickly opened. The doorway opened out into a cargo hold full of Androids and a singular large metal crate in the center. "As of now we have the Specimen locked away and ready for launch. When we are in Orbit they will be set up in the laboratory for you to continue your studies in."
I shook my head in confusion. "So then Six is alright?" I asked as Groves led me further into the spacious room. He gestured to the large metal crate, "Yes, yes, the specimen is fine. They have yet to wake up though, for now it is probably for the best." As I was brought through the room, I couldn't help but keep my gaze locked onto that container. Every part of me wanted to go see her, but still I had to follow.
It was only a short walk across the cargo area until we reached our next destination. As Groves put in the codes for the door it soon slid wide open. We entered into a large circular room with a dining table lit up all around from above. The room branched off to multiple other parts of the ship and it was then it finally hit me. I quickly took another look around the room as I realized why it felt so familiar to me.
This wasn't the first time I was aboard this ship, or at least this kind. I looked around every corner as memories flushed into my vision. My very first time in space… I thought to myself as my mind ran rampant. For a moment, I remember that day as clear as any other. I remembered grabbing all my supplies, running to the Spaceport, and meeting Vasquez for the very first time.
As I looked at the table again more memories rushed through. I recalled sitting at the table and seeing the smiles on the faces of the crew as they all joked around and ate real food. I remembered the thrill of launching off for the first time and the terrifying experience of going into cryosleep. Finally, I remembered how I felt about it all. I felt… excitement, thrill, and wonder. If only I knew what would happen, if only I could go back and stop it all.
Sadly for me, the past is the past, and now the only thing I have to worry about is the next threat thrown at me. As if he could hear my thoughts, Doctor Groves yet again motioned to me and began to open yet another door. As he did I quickly joined his side and together we marched on towards the head of the ship. Groves spoke yet again as we made our way. "As luck would have it, you woke up just in time. They should be ready to take off momentarily, so for now we will wait on the bridge, the rest of our crew should already be there."
With the whole switch of my surroundings since I passed out, I had completely forgotten about James and William. As we marched onto the bridge I looked around to see an Android at the helm along with James. As they went through the final checks for takeoff William was strapped in tight off to the side. Groves looked at me and finally out the window. "Find a seat Orion, in just a couple moments this will all be like a bad dream."
With his final words spoken Groves walked over to James and they began to talk to each other. As they talked I decided to find some more suitable company. When I walked over to William a smile instantly grew on his face and he chuckled. "Orion! It's good to see you awake! I figured you'd be okay, you seem to have some kind of guardian angel looking after ya."
I returned the smile as I slowly took a steady seat down beside him. As I began to strap myself in I spoke up. "Well, I don't know about that William, maybe I'm just lucky." I said in as light of a tone as I could. William once again let out a short chuckle and looked at me with glee. "It's good to see you Orion, really it is. We're almost out of here now."
I gave my old friend a nod and took a moment to look out the window. By now the sun had set and the night sky took the place of the once colorful world above. The moon floated lazily above as the light of the satellite shined down on us. As I looked on at the astral sight I looked over to William. "How long was I even out for? It was still daylight last I remember."
William responded quickly. "At most I would only say a couple hours… May I ask you something Orion?" I gave a shrug at his question. "Sure, I don't see why you wouldn't be able to." William nodded yet didn't respond. Instead I saw his gaze slowly move around the room until eventually it landed on the door.
"You know Orion, you never told me how you got away from Specimen Six and the labs. You said you'd tell me later… So why not now?" Hearing the question caught me off guard and I immediately froze trying to think of just something that I could possibly say to him. The worst decision I had to make was the choice of truth. Should I tell him about Six? Would he even believe me? And if he does, would he even trust me?
"Orion? You alright?" William asked as I tried to organize my thoughts. I shook my head in an attempt to clear my head. "Ye-yeah, I uh, I'm just still a little cloudy." I said, trying to find an excuse for my silence. William stared at me with growing interest as he waited for my answer. "In all honesty William, a lot of it now is like a blur." I finally said in an attempt to avoid the question entirely.
William shook his head and pressed the question. "Surely you remember something, I mean come on, you had to have come face to face with that monstrosity!" Hearing his comment about Six immediately seemed to strike a nerve but I didn't let it show. I took a deep breath and then finally decided to go ahead with the story.
"Well, I don't remember much, but from what I do remember I can only recall little bits of it." I began as I tried to weave together a story that was somewhat believable. "When the power went out, all I remember is how dark it was. Thankfully the emergency power let me send out a distress call to Security."
William listened with fascination as I told the fabricated tale. "It took the Specimen a while to get out of their containment unit, and by the time they did so Security showed up." As I continued on with my blatant lies it seemed to have my desired effect. "They held off Six for a while, but I got grazed by some of the acid, hence the blood." William nodded as he heard.
"They told me to run while they held back the Xenomorph, and next thing I knew I found you sitting there." I took a deep breath and let it out as I finally finished my tale of lies. William silently nodded as he processed everything he heard. While I sat beside him in silence I looked to the door and my mind once again began to be plagued with worry for Six.
It was then I felt a sudden vibration as the engines began to come to life. As the ship began to shake ever so slightly, the intercom came on. "Engaging take-off procedures, please stay seated until otherwise notified." the robotic voice of the ship's AI called out. I leaned my head back into my seat and looked outside the window once more.
The large area around us was cleared off and gasses began to spread around and mask the launch pad as the ship readied for launch. The hum grew louder and louder until it was nearly all I could hear. "Primary and secondary system analysis complete. Engaging launch protocols." The automated voice said as it talked once more. Hearing the incoming blast, I suddenly held onto the arm rests of my seat as tight as I could.
Suddenly I felt the ship begin to violently shake as it slowly began to lift off the ground and into the sky. As it slowly rose, I could see more and more of the outside world as we cleared the nearby jungle blocking the view. For a moment it stood still, and I looked out at the planet I have called home for the past few years of my life.
I could see the remnants of the colony around us and the rails of the Monorail rushing into the dark jungle below. The great foundry of the planet sat shattered on the horizon, half of the once great structure now gone and replaced with fiery ruins. I could see the faint glow of lights from the ruins that I had just barely escaped with my life. Finally, I could see the mighty facility of the planet from afar, dominating the jungle around it.
Despite all the chaos that has torn this world apart, it all seemed so serene up here. While I enjoyed the view for as long as it lasted, I soon felt as the ship began to shift and begin to point skyward. As it did so I felt my weight shift deep into my seat and left me with an unsettling feeling in my stomach. Suddenly the engines roared to life with fury, and with a fantastical blast they shot to life.
As the crippling force of the engines sent me deep in the cushions of the seat around me I felt the strain of the G force subdue my every movement. The ship flew higher and higher into the heavens, faster than I could even process. As we grew in altitude, so did we grow in a violent struggle of forces. Gravity and the atmosphere tore at the ship for all it was worth, but still the mighty vessel pushed on.
With as much strength as I had I slowly but surely turned my head to my side to look at William. Like me, he had a death-grip on his seat and he had chosen to close his eyes for take-off. He was breathing heavily from the stress of the experience as well. While we neared our objective, the ship experienced sudden jerks and shakes, each one filling my mind with worry that something may go wrong.
I closed my eyes as the whole experience seemed to grow to a new height. A sudden loud crash echoed through the ship and red lights turned on as a consequence. As the sirens blared I held onto my seat as my fierce grip caused my knuckles to turn white from the stress. I was shaking all around, the only thing keeping me from flying out of my chair being the safety straps.
Just as suddenly as it all began, it all stopped at once. The shaking, the crashes, that sickening feeling of breaking through the atmosphere, it was all gone. The only thing now was the sound of sirens as the ship sent its warning of something gone wrong. The sound of a struggle pulled my attention and I saw Groves as he quickly got off the last of his restraints.
He quickly marched over to the two Androids who acted as the helmsmen with obvious fury. "What is going on! What happened to my ship?" One Android quickly typed in a command to the computer and then turned to Groves with not even a hint of emotion. I feel like I should be used to their inhuman nature by now, yet it never seems to surprise me when I see it in action.
"Doctor, during takeoff we experienced failure to our orbital thrusters. It seems there was a breach in the hull that went unnoticed." The Android said, explaining the situation to the man. Groves grew visibly worried as he heard the news. "Well then, can it be fixed?" He asked with a bit of hope. The Android responded quickly. "Negative sir, all the damage is external and cannot be repaired until we land or dock at the nearest station."
The Doctor cursed as he brought a hand to his forehead, his stress only getting more and more noticeable. "What are our options?" he asked with a strained voice. The Android once again put some more inputs into the computer before turning back to Groves. "With the loss of the thrusters, our travel time had been significantly extended to an additional 9 months. On board rations won't be able to sustain the crew. MU-TH-UR has an alternative plan."
"Cryo systems on board are all operational and can be ready for human transport on your command." Groves shook his head in disappointment before finally waving the Android off. "Fine, go begin getting them ready." He mumbled another curse under his breath and stepped away. He began to pace back and forth on the bridge until finally he walked to us.
"Orion, William, go wait in the lounge. I will be with you both shortly." We both gave him a nod and quickly began to get out of our chairs. As we got the last buckles unlocked, we gave each other a look and walked off into the ship. When we reached the large circular round table of the lounge we both took a seat in silence.
Androids seemed to move around the ship much more than before and while we sat there they ignored us the whole time. During this period, William and I spent some time recalling events from before the break out. Thinking back on some of the times I spent with him almost helped me forget the situation I am stuck in. Almost.
After about a half hour had passed, Doctor Groves finally came to meet with us. When we saw him we both immediately went to stand but he motioned for us to stay seated. "Gentlemen, I am afraid I have some bad news." he said in a heavy tone. He rubbed his brow in frustration before he continued.
"As I am sure you both heard back on the bridge, the ship has suffered some irreversible damage for our voyage. Our flight time has nearly tripled and in doing so, we won't survive without the utilization of cryo-sleep." We both listened with great interest at every word Groves said. "The problem with this, as I am sure you both realize, is the factor of Specimen Six."
Groves shook his head. "It is this reason that I am here with you both now, and not simply sending you off to begin getting ready to be frozen. I have two options for us." It was then Groves focused his attention only to me. "Orion, you have more knowledge of the Specimen than anyone else on board. For that reason, I would like for you to decide."
Having all of Groves' interest on me has never once helped me stay calm, and now not only did I have his interest, but also his full support for a vital decision. I gave him a cautious nod to show him I would do as he asked. Groves returned the nod and began to give us our options. "Well then, I see two different ways this can best be done."
"Our first option is simple. We will simply send the Specimen to the Medbay and have the Androids hook it up to a large supply of anesthetics to force it into a coma until we arrive. While it is in the coma, we would go to Cryosleep as the ship goes to reserved power systems. However, I am unaware of the damage such a lengthy coma could cause to the Specimen." Groves looked away from me for a moment as an Android walked into the room.
"Doctor, the Cryo-pods will be ready for use shortly." Groves nodded and swatted the artificial mechanation away. "Now, option number two. We stick to the old plan and only use the Cryo-pods as needed. We will stretch our rations and above all else, we will continue tests on the Specimen during this voyage. Sacrifices will be made, however this should be a more suitable situation for our valuable 'cargo'".
William spent no time waiting to speak his mind. "Well personally I think it's rather simple. Let's just go put that thing under and sleep through this voyage. If they can survive nearly twenty years of captivity, then I don't think a little nap is going to hurt it any." He was obviously pretty passionate in his opinion, but as he spoke a new idea began to come to my mind.
While I thought of my plan and the risks, Groves spoke up. "Well Orion? What do you believe would be best?" I looked around the room to the Androids for a moment before I spoke. "You're right Doctor Groves, no sense in taking unnecessary risks. I say option two. Bring Six to the Medbay, we'll use it as a temporary holding cell." William looked over to me in shock but kept silent. A small yet ever so prevalent grin grew on Groves' features as he heard my decision.
"Perfect to hear Orion." He turned to my colleague. "William, head to Hypersleep Vault and go watch over it for a moment. I need to talk to Mr. Orion here alone." William obviously wanted to protest the decision, but as Groves gave him a threatening glare he backed down. "Right away Doctor…" William mumbled as he left.
With the room just now holding the two of us, Groves smiled and gestured for me to get up and follow him. As I walked beside him he began to lead me back down to the cargo hold. "You chose well Orion, you are wise to not want to waste any time!" He paused to look at me. "You must be wondering where we are going, I just realized I haven't told either of you yet." he said with a laugh.
The thought of our final destination never actually occurred to me until now, but I gave him a nod, now sickeningly curious about where we could possibly be going. A look of wonder grew on his face. "I won't say the name, but I will say this. We are headed to a large Weyland-Yutani facility dedicated to researching and containing the top assets of the company. It's a top secret station that has been in operation since before my time, and this is just one of many."
"I thought the Black Sites were a myth?" I asked without thinking, immediately regretting my choice. Groves suddenly looked at me with anger, but quickly calmed himself down. "Do not use such… harsh terminology. It is much nicer than you would believe. The upper decks feature full sized quarters for crew, and they say they even have a biosphere on board. I assure you, it will be a wonderful place to continue your research."
By now we had arrived at the cargo hold, but as we entered we continued talking to one another. "How long will I be staying at this station, Doctor?" I asked with apprehension. Groves simply scoffed as he heard my question. "You will be there as long as it takes for you to finish your work, or at least for as long as you prove to be useful." I took his words as a warning, a message I am sure he intended to send.
Before I could ask anything else I noticed the large crate in the room was now completely surrounded with the Androids. As they all took aim at the large metal box, two of them opened the large metal gate which concealed what awaited inside. As the gate was dropped onto the ground it made a deafening crash. I looked on in pain to see a series of monitors inside along with what this crate was built to contain. In the middle of it all was Six, restrained inside a containment unit just like her last one, the only difference being this one was built for transport.
As I looked at her sleeping form, the monitors slowly began to pick up in pace and the Androids quickly began to move in as they slowly rolled Six outside. Groves looked on in satisfaction as she was slowly brought into the light of the cargo hold, yet I only felt sickened to see the sight. It was then one of the dozen Androids went to our side and spoke. "Doctor, we believe the Specimen is waking up, do you wish for us to administer narcotic agents?"
Every one of my senses tore my mind apart as pain swept over every single inch of my body. My muscles convulsed as I squirmed in pain and discomfort. I tried to clear my mind to the best of my ability, but no matter how hard I tried the onslaught just didn't go away. It was so powerful I could not even look at the world around me, so instead I did my best to ignore it. I focused all my mind on something to comfort me, Orion.
As my nerves betrayed me and my mind felt as though it was shattering, I only pictured Orion giving me a warm smile. I thought back on the old times when he fed me, and the very first time he granted me the gift of his touch. I thought back from when I saved him in those dark hallways, and finally the very first time we shared an embrace.
While the warm memories of Orion filled my mind more and more, the unbearable sensation began to subside. When I realized it was finally over, I slowly and weakly went to move. As I did so I was suddenly met with fierce resistance, and it was then I looked in horror to see my current situation. I was somehow locked back up in the dreaded containment unit.
I looked around in horror to see a large group of the Husks surrounding me, as well as two people whose presence I could never forget. Orion was staring at me with pain in his eyes, yet for some reason there looked to be more going on in his head. I wanted to reach out to my caretaker and to hold him, but these metal claws refused to let me move a muscle.
When I looked to Orion's side, the impending feeling of despair finally hit me with as much force as the metal slugs the Human Hunters use. The dreaded Doctor Groves stared at me with a sickening look in his eye as his malicious smile grew on his face. The moment I saw him I couldn't help but release a fierce hiss as I tried to lunge out of my restraints to no avail.
Groves let out a hearty chuckle seeing my display before taking a step towards me. "Specimen Six, I assure you there will be no more incidents for you. Don't you worry about the manners you seem to have lost since you broke out, I'll make sure to teach them to you again." Every word he spoke was thick with malice and every memory of everything he had ever done to me rushed into my mind.
For a moment there was nothing else on my mind other than Doctor Groves and the amount of pain I wished to inflict upon him. If I was given even the smallest opportunity, I would make sure he feels everything that he has done to me. Yet my mind was suddenly ripped from my obsession for revenge as I felt a voice call out to me in my mind. It was Orion's voice.
"Six… I am so sorry. I couldn't stop them." he called out to me mentally as he looked at me with painful eyes. "Orion, what has happened, why am I here? How am I here!?" I asked confused as I suddenly felt a jolt and I was put into motion. I let out another hiss as I looked around to see the Husks begin to cart my containment unit behind Doctor Groves.
"I don't really know what happened Six, all I know is that I got knocked at the same time you did. It's like it was all connected somehow." That is when it hit me, the sudden realization of what had happened. As Groves spat out more threats to me I simply ignored him as I recalled what happened. I remember running through the jungle, split between following Orion or going to save my Queen.
In her final moments, she told me so much. Despite all she said, I can't help but believe it all so hard to understand. How could I, a simple Warrior, be expected to carry out such a grand plan for the Queen Mother herself? None of it made any sense. The next thing I remember was the death of my Mother, and the massive backlash that came with it. In a single moment, the entire Hive lost connection to the heart of it all.
Every single pathway was shattered as our Mother perished in her throne room, and it was all just too much for me to handle. The only other thing I can remember is falling to the ground, and a warm presence crawling besides me. I faintly remember holding onto them as the pain overflowed my senses. Finally, I remember a bright falling light over the trees as I held onto my last bastion of warmth.
"Welcome to your new home Specimen Six, we'll do great things here." Groves said as a new door opened. I was immediately pushed inside the spacious room and pushed back towards the wall. As I was turned around I saw the large semi-circular room around me. The far curved walls were covered in large glass panes for viewers to look inside, and on the walls around me were multiple monitors and devices.
The Husks who had pushed my cart in now stood by Groves and Orion while the two looked at me. Groves changed his attention to my Caretaker before he spoke. "Well Orion, the floor is yours. I'll allow you to get situated and get ready, feel free to have the Androids help." Groves said as he began to walk out of the room.
When Groves left, Orion watched him every step of the way. I could feel the discomfort Orion held towards Groves, and it was a relief for us both to see him gone. A new feeling of stress and worry filled my Orion's mind as he turned back around and looked at the guards. For whatever reason he would feel this way, I don't understand.
His eyes darted around the room frantically as he picked up every detail, before finally his eyes landed on me. He took a deep breath before he spoke. "You, Androids, I need you to…" His voice trailed off as the Husks snapped to him in a very unsettling motion. Orion snapped out of his short trance and went back to his order. "I will be fine with the Specimen, go check on the ship's power, I don't want anything going wrong."
The Husks turned on the spot and without a word, they left the room. Orion stared at them through the windows as the Husks made their way through the ship, and soon we were completely alone. His heart rate began to pick up speed as he quickly turned around to me and came to my side.
He placed a gentle hand on the side of my head as he gave me a look of sympathy before speaking. "Six, I have a plan, but I need you to promise me something." Orion said as he brought his voice down to a close whisper. Suddenly he pulled back for a moment and looked around the high corners of the room before turning back. "I think I can get you out of here, but you must promise me you won't hurt my friend."
When I heard what he said I shook my head in surprise. "Orion, what do you mean!? If that monster Groves catches you, he will kill you!" I shouted at him, nearly outraged at the thought of him taking such a stupid risk. Orion shook his head in defiance. "Six, listen to me! I won't let you be stuck here any longer. I watched you suffer for years, I won't be letting that happen again."
Hearing Orion's determination to free me despite the risks made me feel weak as I looked at him. A feeling I could never describe, yet one I have felt grow stronger whenever I am near him, once again begins to grow in my mind. However, as sweet as his offer is, I just can't bear to see him get hurt again. "Orion, if you get hurt I won't be able to save you again! You must leave me here, I will manage."
Orion once again shook his head. "Six, I am not asking you if you want to be free. I'm telling you that you will be free. All I ask is that you don't hurt William, no matter what." I wanted to keep on telling him no, but deep down I can feel he has already made up his mind. I looked down to the ground as I tried to think of a plan, and finally I looked at him and nodded.
Orion nodded as he stepped back from me and looked around the room. He put his hands to his side as he began to think of his next course of action. Seeing him still working on his escape plan did nothing to help my confidence in his well-being for whatever comes next. He looked at me and suddenly began to head for the door behind him.
"Six, I need to go get William to safety. I will be back soon, just be ready for anything." And with that, he was gone. I watched in pain as he quickly walked out of the room and down the hall through the glass. In a matter of moments I felt his presence grow further and further until he stopped his motion.
Listening to his warning, I decided to prepare myself the best I could. My body was trapped, but my mind was free. As I stayed there alone in silence I began to delve into my thoughts the best I could, thinking of any strategy I could muster against the Husks that would no doubt do everything to stop me. While I thought though, I felt something that wasn't mine in my own mind.
Memories began to be seen that I never recognized or have been sent before from anything the Hivemind shared. Battles I had never heard of flashed before my eyes as if I was there myself. Suddenly a massive surge of psychological power flooded into me and I roared in pain. Just as sudden as the feeling came, it left. I looked around confused for a moment, but suddenly I felt the power bring myself to a level I have never felt.
My connection to Orion skyrocketed and suddenly I could feel the presence of every single thing on board the ship. Three humans, eleven Husks, and one more Husk that posed as a Human being. I am not sure where this power came from, but I can't help but suspect it must have something to do with my Mothers death.. In a matter of moments I was able to start mapping out the interior of the ship in my mind and the location of any threat.
As I put it all together, I then decided to focus on Orion to ensure his safety. He was in a nearby room, however it felt cold all around him. After a small amount of effort, I could even hear him as he began to speak to the other human there. "William, we got Specimen Six locked up and ready for transport. I thought about it some more and we're going with the other plan."
Confusion filled the mind of William before it suddenly vanished. "Glad you got some sense knocked into you Orion, I was worried you were gonna be toying with that thing some more." Orion ignored the comment and began to talk yet again. "William, go ahead and go into your Cryopod. Groves and I will be here soon but right now we just need to focus on saving resources."
William seemed surprised as he heard Orion's command and I could feel a tinge of suspicion fill his mind. "Why shouldn't I just wait for you guys? I can still help you know." Orion shook his head in frustration and quickly tried to think of something to say. "It's not my call William, it's Groves'. Come on and get ready to sleep, we are wasting time."
Orion stormed out of the room as William watched him closely, suspicion only growing the whole time. Orion was now headed back to my new prison, and he wasted no time in his return. As he quickly walked back to the hall he showed up in just a few moments before practically dashing in the room. Beads of sweat began to form on his forehead and his heart beat got faster and faster.
He paced back and forth in the room for a moment as stress dominated his mind. His eyes darted every which way and finally he stormed over to the small panel on the side of my containment unit. His breathing was harsh as he stared at the panel for what felt like hours, yet was only seconds. In an attempt to calm him down I sent a wave of warmth and called out to him. "Orion… I'm here for you. I promise you, we will both be fine."
As he heard my words his breathing suddenly began to slow to normal and his stress began to wane. He looked up to me with a bright look in his eyes and finally he gave me one of his old, classic grins. The look brought immense joy to me, and suddenly he began to put a command into the side panel.
As he finished the command, lights suddenly began to blare and I felt my locks release. He stumbled back away from me and into the corner, and as I began to strain and break out, I sensed as Husks began to storm our way. I quickly crawled out of the containment unit and I rushed to the door. Before I could go to pry it open, Orion quickly ran to my side and gave me a nod. With one final action, he cleared my first hurdle.
When I made my way outside the hall I could sense as at least six of the Husks were almost here, coming from both sides. I sat still for a moment and cleared my mind, focusing now only on the combat ahead of me. All the needless noise seemed to disappear and soon all I could hear was the incoming footsteps of my guards.
The voice of Groves echoed through the halls as he spit words into the intercom. "Orion, what is going on! Recontain the Specimen now! I want it alive!" Just as he finished, the Husks arrived and took aim at me. I took a moment to look at them on both sides of me. There were three on each side of the hall, slowly taking steps closer. I readied myself as I got ready to pounce. I looked at the Husks with hatred and released a long and fierce hiss.
When the Husks took one more step closer, I immediately launched myself across the room. Just as I did so they began to open fire and bullets began to fly around me. I moved fast, faster than I ever have before. I kept my path random and moved without warning to avoid their shots. In the chaos of the firefight, they even began to hit themselves as some got caught in the crossfire.
As I leapt from wall to wall, floor to ceiling, time itself began to seem to slow as I calculated each and every move I was to make. With my next lunge, I flew above one of the Husks and sliced their head clean off with the blade of my tail. As the body began to stumble and eventually fall, it managed to disrupt the other two behind it. Using this chance I jumped behind them and quickly held onto the one in the back, before launching my tail through its chest.
The last one left on this side began to unload whatever they had left into the chest of the dead Husk on my tail, and just as they ran out of ammo I dropped the body and jumped at the defenseless husk with my talons cleaving through the air. The Husk attempted to block my attack, but this newfound speed let me outmaneuver them.
With a strong slash I cut a clean hole into the arms of the Husk and limited its movement. As it tried to struggle to get back into the fight I sent my tail into its skull and brought it down. With one side of the hall cleared, the other three took aim as I stood in the pile of the dead robotic abominations. I quickly went back to the walls and began to scurry and leap to get away as I searched for a more opportune area to hunt from.
While one or two shots managed to graze me, none of them did enough damage to slow me. It was only seconds before I found an entrance to the vents of the ship which I quickly crawled into. I quickly made my way through the vents, but as I did so I could smell the Husks begin to block off all the entrances. Realizing my blunder, I quickly turned around to escape.
As I did my best to run back as fast as I could, I saw a Husk kneel down to seal me inside. I let out a mighty roar as it did so, but I was too far to stop it. Just as it began to input the commands, I felt Orion's presence nearby and suddenly gunshots echoed through the narrow space. The impact sent the kneeling Husk down, yet it immediately began to move to fight back. Orion continued to fire into the Husk, but his attacks didn't prove to be effective enough to kill it.
Sensing Orion's impending danger, I let my body go into overdrive as I reached the exit. Just as the Husk raised its rifle to gun down my Caretaker, I lunged out and tackled the thing to the wall. As I sat atop it, I began to tear into it in a blind rage. Wires and chunks of strange white material flew around as the thick white liquids began to cover my body. I sat there for an entire minute, ripping the terrible thing apart that tried to hurt my Orion.
My frenzy finally stopped as I felt worry, and even a bit of fear, begin to form in Orion. I quickly looked at him and then back at the decimated remains before stepping away. For the first time in years, Orion looked at me with a small sense of fear. He looked at me and the body before he conquered his senses and shook his head. "Six, we have to keep moving. The entire ship is going to hunt you down"
After Orion spoke he dropped the small pistol he was carrying in favor of the large automatic rifle that the Husk used. "I'll do my best to protect you where I can." Orion said as he walked to my side. "Orion, you should go hide yourself and find a safe place! If you fight by my side-" Orion cut me off as he smiled.
"If I fight by your side, then I know you'll be safe too." He said to me in our thoughts. I wanted to argue against it more, but time was out. I began to move deeper into the ship, making sure there was nothing coming behind us to hurt Orion. We soon entered a large circular room with a large table and chairs all around. The far side of the room held the path to my ultimate goal, but between us and my final destination, was five more Husks with their guns raised.
I made sure to stand in front of Orion in case shots came, but for now they only held their aim. As the tension in the room built during the standoff a screech of the intercom came to life. "Orion! I don't know what the hell you think you're doing, but I will give you this as your only chance to turn Six in! If you do that, I may just not send you in as the next test subject!" Groves spit out in rage through the microphone.
Orion looked at me for a moment and I gave him a slight nod of my head, showing him I was ready for the fight. When he saw my nod, he quickly jumped down to the floor and took cover under the steel table below. "Kill that traitor now! Kill them both!" Groves screamed through the ship's speakers. Just as his command was issued, bullets began to fire and I lept to the side to avoid getting hit.
I ran across the walls with immaculate speed, and as I closed in on the Androids I leapt at them. When I collided into the first of the firing line, the force pushed them back into the other. With two now close together, I sent my tail through the chest of the first and managed to impale them both at once. Bullets now shot into their backs as the ones behind them tried to hit me, and quickly I pulled my tail out and began to avoid the attacks once more.
With all their attention on me, Orion began to peek out of his hiding spot and shoot at the remaining Husks as well. His aim was untrained and sloppy, but he managed to strike a few blows in one of the Husks and send them falling to the floor. However, the Husks were quick to respond and the last two standing began to pummel the table with lead as Orion took cover.
Using Orion's opening, I sent my final attack at the final Husks and flung my body at them a final time. I landed onto the back of the first one and quickly used my inner jaw to send a blow deep into their skull. Despite the blow, the Husk continued to live on. I held onto the head of the creature with as much strength as I had, and with a final twist popped it off with a brutal crunch.
Now only one Husk remained, and it decided to change its focus to me as it backed away to the door it was protecting. I used the corpse of the one I had just killed as a shield and slowly began to advance. As the body was pelted with lead, I only grew closer and closer. When I finally got within reach and the ammo of the final Husk was gone, I made my move.
I dropped the body and grabbed the last Husk by the shoulders, locking them in place. I sent my tail deep into their stomach and lifted them into the air. As the Husk struggled in my grip, I began to lower my hold from their shoulders to the arms, before finally beginning to pull. Sounds of tearing artificial flesh began to sound through the room as the zaps of wires and cracking of metal echoed around.
With one final moment, the arms were torn from their sockets and I let the body fall. I stood over the final corpse with pride as I conquered my kill, and I let out a mighty cry of victory. I let the arms drop to the ground as I stepped off of my achievement before looking around. Slowly, Orion peeked out from his hiding spot as he held onto his gun tight. His eyes looked worried, but his will was strong.
He cautiously joined my side and together we made for the door to the final room of the ship. When Orion tried to open it however, the door refused to budge. "Look around you Orion! Think about what you are doing! I finally thought we had begun to understand each other, yet you go and pull something like this!" Groves said through the intercom.
I felt anger build up inside of Orion as he listened to Groves, and it was then Orion spoke his true thoughts to Groves. "There's nothing to understand, you bastard! You're a manipulative psychopath who kills with glee and would rather thousands die than to help a single person! I'm done being your pawn, and I'm done with this God forsaken company!" Orion yelled as he banged on the door.
A deafening silence echoed through the room as we awaited an answer. I began to look around for another way in until final Groves came back on. "It's a shame Orion, you two had so much potential. I'm having the Androids turn off all systems in the main portion of the ship. Enjoy your final moments with that pet of yours." the Doctor said with malice. Dread instantly took over Orion as he quickly turned to me with pale skin.
"Six, you have to stop them now! If they turn everything off, then William and I are sure to die!" Orion said quickly as he began to mess with the door controls. I quickly nodded in understanding before looking for an alternate route. As we both looked for a way to stop Groves, Orion suddenly froze and turned to me. "Six… Can you reach the vents that go through the ship?" Orion asked.
I gave a quick nod and he quickly told me his plan. "If you go through the vents, then you may be able to get into the air ducts above the bridge. They might expect an entrance from below, but you might just take them by surprise from above." I gave another nod of understanding before I moved to find the entrance to the vents.
Just before I could move away, Orion grabbed onto my arm and gently pulled me to my full height. I looked down at him for a moment with confusion, but then he suddenly pulled me into a tight embrace. That same indescribable feeling I hold for him returned, now stronger than ever. I returned the embrace as I pulled him close to me, and while he rested his head on my chest he gently spoke. "Be careful Six." He broke the hold he had on me, and I regretfully did the same. I backed away from him slowly, and with one final and painful push, I made my way into the ventilation system leaving him alone.
Orion's words were wise, and in a matter of seconds I found the area he told of. I moved slowly and cautiously above my prey, and thankfully they didn't have any of those forsaken motion trackers, leaving them completely oblivious of my presence. I moved around until finally I found a metal grate I could move. I gently held onto it, and as quietly as I could, I moved it out of the way and gave myself an entrance.
The two Husks held their aim at the main door as Groves stood over the shoulder of the thing they called "James". He kept ushering the Human poser to hurry up. With Groves distracted and the two final Husks having their full attention on the door, I silently began to crawl out and onto the ceiling. When I was finally out of my spot, I slowly moved above the Husks and sent my tail flying into one of their skulls from above.
Thanks to the angle of the blow, my tail was sent deep through their entire body, shredding their insides and killing them on the spot. I quickly slid my tail out as the other took notice and began to fire as Groves began to yell. "Watch where you are shooting, you blasted Android! How the hell did it get in!" I quickly jumped down to cover and the Husk quickly began to move into my position.
Right before the Husk turned the corner, I suddenly heard the door to the room open. As it slid open the Husk turned to look, and as it did so I used the opportunity to deal a killing blow. With a quick flick of my tail, my blade severed the head of Doctor Groves' final guardian and watched in satisfaction as it fell to the ground in a pool of white liquid.
For the first time in my life, I felt something from Groves that made me feel more satisfaction than anything I had ever felt before. I felt complete and absolute terror. Orion walked into the room with his gun held high, and as he did so Groves quickly looked to James. "Stand up and protect me! Shoot them, do something!" the Doctor yelled. James stood up and looked at us with a quizzical eye. He turned back to the Doctor and spoke. "I am sorry Doctor Groves, but I am afraid I can't do that." Groves' face immediately went pale as he backed away farther from me as I closed in slowly, savoring the moment.
"W-What do you mean you 'can't'! They're going to kill us!" James shook his head as if he was talking to a child. "It is against my orders to hurt Specimen Six. I am sorry Doctor." Groves began to look for any way out as his eyes wildly moved around the room. Orion took a step by the door but made sure to keep far away from myself or my prize. "No. No no no. Orion! I-I am sorry for what I've done, but this is insane! You can't let me die! I'll do anything! I can give you your own facility to run! I can make you a governor of an entire world!"
Listening to Groves plead for his life did nothing but bring joy to my heart, and as I took another heavy step closer, I made sure to rise to my full height. Groves looked up to me with an expression that left me feeling nothing but joy as he ran out of room to back away from. I slowly took another heavy step forward as the old man whimpered in fear.
I let out a nice long hiss as I put my head near the old man's wicked face. He tried to face away from me, but I made sure he couldn't. I slowly reached my hands out to the demon who had tortured me for so long with glee and wrapped my hands around his shoulders. He tried to squirm once he felt my grip, and it was then I let my claws sink deep into his skin. He cried out in pain as thick streams of the metallic crimson blood began to seep from the wounds.
I am not sure why, but for some reason a part of me told me to look to Orion for approval. As much as I wanted this, I don't want to draw Orion away by making him fear me. I slowly turned my head around to my Caretaker and for a moment our gaze locked. He looked at me for a moment before he silently gave a nod and walked out of the room. I quickly brought my attention back to Groves, now perfectly content with my actions.
The man began to shake his head no as he mumbled under his breath. "P-please… stop this, just kill me…" He said in a strained voice. Hearing his words did nothing but bring me more satisfaction, and it was then I slowly wrapped my tail around him and squeezed. I once again brought my head near his and showed my teeth to toy with him.
By now, he had completely lost his will to fight back against me. Seeing the man who once bore complete power over me get brought down to this sniffing mess made me feel content, but it wasn't enough. I won't let Groves off with a quick death, or even a long one. I will make the remainder of his life a living hell as I unleash upon him every agony he showed me, all in pursuit of 'vital research'.
I took one last moment to savor this time I got to share with Groves, before finally I began to pull him away as I made for the vents. When he realized what was going on, he began to panic and tried to reach for anything he could. "Wait! No stop it! Where are you taking me!" His screams echoed through the room as I held him tighter. As I finally made my way into the darkness of the ship, his screams echoed around as I brought him to receive his justice.
About half an hour had passed since I last saw Six. When she had cornered Groves, I knew exactly what she meant when she looked back at me. It felt wrong to subject someone to such a fate, even if they are as terrible as Groves, but what he has done in his life is simply unforgivable. I felt a slight churn in my stomach when she dragged him away, his blood curdling screams still echoing in the back of my mind.
The whole time I have simply sat in the lounge in complete silence, surrounded by nothing but the destruction that Six and I left behind fighting to the bridge. Despite my plan going off relatively well, a small part of me almost wished I failed. I felt like I had just taken an irreversible step in my life, and now I have no idea what to do. I slowly ripped my gaze from the wall which I had been staring at for so long and looked at the havoc around me.
Maimed bodies of the Androids painted the floor in their viscous blood like liquids and limbs seemed to be scattered by the hall. I took a deep breath from the brutal sight. I haven't really seen Six in action, at least not alone, but this… this was unlike anything I could have imagined. What perhaps shocked me the most, and in the moment even made me feel genuinely afraid, was ironically enough when she saved my life.
The pure strength and fury she showed as she ripped into that single Android shook me to my very core. I couldn't help but picture a human in their place, for a moment I even thought that I could have ended up like that. I took a deep and shaky breath as I tossed the thought from my mind. Six wouldn't hurt me, thinking about that will only bring more trouble.
I shook my head to clear my thoughts and decided to go check if William was doing okay. I slowly stepped over the carnage and once I was clear, made my way towards the Hypersleep Vault. When I finally arrived however, I saw none of the pods in use, and William was nowhere to be found. I immediately began to panic at the sight and I quickly ran out of the room. I'm not sure where he is, but I have some ideas.
As I ran to the crew quarters, I soon felt a message from Six. "Orion, I sense you are distressed. What is happening? Are you alright?" she said in a slightly worried tone. "William is gone Six! I-I don't know where he went but he's gone! I'm going to go find him." I replied. I quickly got to the first door and put in the override codes I got from an Android's corpse, the same codes I used to break into the bridge.
I charged inside and quickly looked around to see nothing out of the ordinary. I slowly moved around the room and moved to the bathroom door. "William, are you here? It's me, Orion, we need to talk!" I yelled out as I investigated. No response came and as I looked inside, I saw the bathroom empty as well. I let out an annoyed grunt until my eyes fell onto the closet. I slowly walked to it, and right as I moved to open it, I suddenly heard a scream.
"Get away from me!" William yelled from the other room. When I heard his scream, I quickly dashed out of the first room and went to the one from where the noise came from. I quickly opened the door and walked in to see William cowering in a corner with nothing but a broom as Six stared him down.
"Stop!" I yelled out as I ran into the room. They both turned and looked at me the moment they heard my voice. As I ran between them I suddenly heard William yell at me. "Orion! What the hell did you do! You let this- this monster out! Groves hasn't responded in almost an hour and when I went outside I found dead Androids!" His voice was shaking and he was obviously panicking at the whole situation.
It was then he noticed that Six didn't move to strike me at all, and his confusion was soon made apparent as he tried to understand what he was witnessing. He looked at me with fear in his eyes as he pieced it all together, and slowly he began to shake his head. "No. No no, that can't be possible" he mumbled as he looked at me with a look of betrayal.
I put my hands up as I tried to calm him down. "William. Listen to me. I know this is a lot to take in right now, but I need you to trust me." Anger quickly began to grow in William and in a flash he shot out a finger in rage "You're helping that thing?! You were there! Because of that monster, pretty much everyone we know is dead!" William screamed as he let out his anger. I had never seen him like this, and in all honesty it caught me off guard.
I quickly tried my best to interrupt him, to try to help him understand. "William, just listen to me dammit! I was right about Six, there is more to her than anyone thought, and I had to do what I did! I couldn't just stand by while Groves tortured her again for who knows how long!" William shook his head as he heard my words, his face shifting to one of pure disgust and distraught.
His eyes suddenly went wide as a new thought came to his mind. "Orion…" William began as his voice shook. "Did you let her out back in the facility that night?" His voice held a sound of terror in it, and quickly I shook my head at the absurd thought of how I could even begin to do something so insane. "No! Of course I didn't William! I had friends that died too back there, and I swear to you I wouldn't risk their lives like that!" William's look grew cold as ice as he stared at me.
"You risked my life when you let her out…" William said he slowly looked to Six. The whole time she stood by my side, and as I turned around I realized she probably isn't helping me convince him in the slightest. I turned back to William and took a breath before I continued. "I promise you, I made sure you wouldn't be in danger, that's why I tried to get you to go to cryosleep so you wouldn't get caught up in this!"
He only shook his head as he heard my words. "Then what? What was your grand plan when you woke me up? Were you going to let your little pet tie me up and make me a damn host?!" William spit back as he flailed his arms around in anger. As I heard him insult Six yet again I couldn't help but finally begin to lose my patience with him. I clenched my hands as I looked at him but I tried to calm myself down.
"She isn't my pet, she is simply helping me out. We're helping each other." He gave me a nasty look as he heard my harsh response. "Wow, real nice of you, helping out some monstrosity of nature, and betraying your own species in the process." Hearing his sarcastic remark of malice finally started to bring me over the edge and I took a deep breath. When Six felt my feelings she quickly got closer to William and he stumbled further into the corner in fear.
As I slowly let out my shaky breath I looked at William with a mixture of anger and annoyance before finally I shook my head and spoke in a low and harsh voice. "William. I think it would be best if you go to the Hypersleep Vault and sleep this off." William immediately went to make his rebuttal, but Six closed in and bared her teeth, immediately causing him to back down.
He looked between us a final time, obviously contemplating to say something, before finally he conceded and slowly and carefully walked past us to the Vault. As he left I felt as though a massive blow had been taken against me. I let out a heartbreaking breath that I never realized I was holding in as I watched on as one of my final friends was lost.
Six came by and slowly placed a hand on my shoulder as she wrapped the end of her tail around my ankle. Despite her attempt to comfort me, I couldn't help but still stand there devastated at the loss of another friend. By now, I had lost nearly everyone I had met, yet somehow this hurt more than the others. I closed my eyes as I felt the impact of everything I had lost today, and every part of me wanted to cry.
Slowly, I opened my eyes, and as I did so my vision began to blur from the forming tears in my eyes. Six rubbed my shoulders as she nuzzled my neck, but I shook my head as I felt her and pulled away from her gentle touch. I quickly rubbed my eyes to wipe my tears away and then began to walk out of the room away from Six. She quickly tilted her head in confusion as she tried to follow me, but as she did so I turned around to stop her.
"Six! Just- just stop. I need to go do something and… I need to do it alone." Six's demeanor immediately shrank as she seemed shocked at my outburst. I don't know why I felt like I needed her to get away, but right now I just couldn't stand to be by her. I gave her a final glance as my tears began to return before I quickly walked off as fast as I could. While I ran off, Six tried to call out to me. "Orion… What did I do?"
Hearing her saddened voice did nothing to help me, but I blocked it out. Within moments I was on the other side of the ship and marched to the doors of the bridge. I quickly put in the override and walked inside. I noticed immediately that the Androids had been moved off to the side and there wasn't a single piece of evidence that Groves was ever here despite a small pool of blood where Six pinned him down.
I looked in the pilots chair to see as James worked on the ship and ensured it was working at full capacity. I walked over to the side of the Android and sat down next to him. Despite him being only a thief of my old friends' looks, I was desperate to talk with someone I considered a friend before everything began to end. He kept his attention to his monitors, the keyboard clacking loudly whenever he spoke to the ship's AI.
A small ding sounded out from a monitor and he then turned to me. "Orion, are you aware that a Cryo-pod has been activated?" He asked as he looked me in the eyes. I took a moment to look at the monitor, a small tinge of relief overtaking me to see that William actually listened this time. "Yes James, I am well aware." James nodded and turned back to his work.
We sat in silence for a while before I spoke up. "James. When we broke into the bridge, you could have shot me like Groves commanded. You said it yourself, you are here to protect Six, not me... why didn't you shoot me?" James suddenly paused his work and went stiff. He turned in his chair as he looked at me for a moment.
As his eyes locked onto mine, he spoke. "It's quite simple Orion. I am here to protect Specimen Six at all costs. It is clear to me that Six has formed quite a strong attachment towards you, and your death could cause physiological damage to her. By damaging you, I would damage her, thus violating my guidelines given to me by Mr. Weyland." His words were cold and robotic, as much as his answer. It was clear to me now that any personality he pretended to have before was all but destroyed since he no longer needed to maintain the deception.
It was then I realized I wouldn't be able to find any comfort in the Android who I once saw as someone greater, and with disappointment I slowly got up and walked to the glass. We were slowly leaving BG-386 behind, and I looked down to the planet as the smallest glow of lights in the heart of the continent shined, showing the entire colony from hundreds of miles up.
As I watched at the darkened colony down below, I soon began to think about what James said. By damaging you, I could damage her. I always knew that Six had begun to grow an attachment to me, but I think I've never grasped how strong that attachment is until now. I slowly began to realize with dread that when I pushed her away, I must have shattered her. Just as I began to panic, a sudden and faint blue light erupted down below.
My eyes flashed at the sight and I watched in unspoken shock as the explosion from the colony stretched out around the continent for what must have been hundreds of miles. Clouds were torn from the sky as a great wave of energy tore through the world, and soon nothing but a large dome of ash dominated the horizon. A deep sense of doom pounded my chest as I watched the greatest weapon I have ever witnessed strike down the entirety of what I have known for the last past years of my life.
When I found Orion, he was sitting alone quietly in an empty bedroom. I felt his sorrow as he looked on into nothing, and since his outburst I was terrified to speak to him. He mattered so much to me, and I've done so much to ensure his well being, but somewhere I must have ruined it. I hated myself for it. How could I have been so stupid to ruin everything I have formed with Orion! Just seeing him now twisted my emotions in ways I've never felt, but as I let my hatred bombarded me, he suddenly looked at me with blank eyes.
His gaze froze me where I stood, but to my shock he slowly began to smile. I was caught off guard, and I was shocked to see him motion me to come closer to him. I slowly stepped closer to my Caretaker, and slowly and cautiously I crawled onto the bed beside him. He smiled as I did so, and I soon wrapped my body around him slowly, making sure he would allow it.
When I got into position I noticed him looking down at me, only now his eyes showed happiness and warmth. I felt ecstatic to see his brightened mood, but I stopped myself from bringing him into an embrace. Instead, I simply laid my head onto his lap. When I rested my head, he finally broke the silence as he spoke with his calm, perfect, golden voice. "Six, about earlier… I am sorry. So much has happened and I-" he took a deep breath as he slowly began to stroke my long skull.
"I don't know why I did what I did. It was wrong, I was confused and-" I cut him off as I listened to him begin to spiral into a voice of self loathing. "My Orion, it is okay. Let us just finally sit here and enjoy this moment." I said with glee. His happiness grew warmer as he heard my words and he nodded in silence as he continued to caress me.
Orion looked down as I felt curiosity begin to swell in his thoughts. "Six, back when we were in that facility… back when I was shot." Just hearing of the event made me feel ill and I suddenly looked at him in confusion as I lifted my head up. "You used that Royal Jelly to save me, and not only that, now somehow I can talk to you, and even hear you. I still don't understand how any of that is possible."
Understanding brought comfort to me as I realized why he brought up such terrible thoughts, and I took a moment to think before I responded. "Orion, in every Hive there is a Queen as you well know. The Queen lays the eggs, and the eggs will grow into working children to ensure the Hive will flourish, yet every Hive must ensure one thing. The safety of our Queen." I began to say as I explained everything to him.
"Every Queen is unique in some ways, but one thing they share are their grand guardians, the Praetorians. They are fierce warriors capable of great feats, and are even large enough to be able to stop larger prey that may attempt to attack the Hive." Orion nodded as I continued to explain to him, his interest reaching a peak as he heard about the working hierarchy of our society.
"Such a task will no doubt bring countless wounds, so in a way to ensure their survival, some Queens produce their... 'Jelly' as you call it. It is made to heal any wound and save one from death." When Orion heard the source and intended use of the Jelly, he seemed to understand it perfectly, but he quickly spoke up before I could continue.
"Well. that explains how you saved me, but I still don't understand how I got… connected with you." I slowly caressed his check as I looked into his eyes. "My Mother was an ancient being, and in her time her powers grew so strong, she could even speak to our great Queen Mother back from where we come from. This power found its way in everything she made, and it seems her Jelly acted as a gateway for you to join her Hivemind."
Orion laid back as he tried to grasp the scale of such abilities, and I felt a dark memory begin to grow in his mind. With my connection with Orion growing stronger by the minute, I used my own mental strength to subdue this thought and he looked at me with a warm smile. "Sorry, dazed off there for a moment." He said as he allowed himself to get comfortable in the bedding.
I gave him a smile, and together we laid there on the bed as time began to march on. While we were together, I felt as Orion suddenly got hit with a massive wave of exhaustion. When he climbed deeper into the bed, I moved to allow him in the center. As he laid on his side, I pressed myself on his back and brought him into my embrace as I hugged him tightly.
I placed my head atop of his as my legs surrounded his own and I wrapped my thighs around his waist. My arms covered his chest and I clung protectively to my Caretaker. Finally, I brought my tail around him and let it slide its way from his legs, past his stomach, until finally it stopped just past his head, placing us into a wonderful circle of connection as we spooned..
Content was all I could feel from Orion as he quickly drifted off to sleep in my grasp. I gently rubbed my hand atop his head as I pet the short hair that grew from atop his scalp. I laid there for hours in that blissful embrace, never once wanting to move. For the first time in my life, I was finally and completely free. No Doctor to test on me. No chains to hold me. No Queen to command me.
That unexplainable feeling I had for Orion was now the only thing that mattered to me. My instincts told me that much needed to be done, but above all else, I must keep him protected. While he slept in my arms I nuzzled the top of his head and even allowed myself to begin to pass along to the dreaming world with him. Now, it was only me and my Caretaker among the stars, drifting alone into the unknown void around us.
Fin.
- Authors note -
After two weeks of work, thirteen thousand words, hours of editing, and it is finally complete. It is with great pleasure that I present to you the final chapter of The Sixth Specimen. Writing this story has been one of the greatest decisions of my life, and I thank you all for the encouragement and drive you have helped give me. This story has meant the world to me, and I am very glad to see that you all have been able to enjoy it as well.
In our final chapter, we see our characters finally escape BG-386 as the events of the world come to a close. In the void, Orion takes a daring escape attempt to free his companion, and together they finally bring Doctor Groves to justice. However not all is well as in the process, Orion loses his last true friend and then watched on as the evidence of everything was wiped out thanks to the Yuatja.
While this story may have been brought to its end, there is still more coming for Orion and Six. I have decided to make this into a three-part series, each one focusing on a different phase of their journey. However, it also pains me to say I cannot say when I can begin the next story. I am soon headed to College, and as such I will not have time to write. During my breaks I will try, but whenever I get the chance I will keep you all updated on my situation!
For all of you out there bummed out right now, don't worry. I plan on making one last addition for The Sixth Specimen in the form of a one-shot-like chapter based after this finale. This last addition may also include a special scene I know a lot of you out there have been looking for, (I know how you people are, don't worry).
For now, though, I part with this final message to you all, one I am sure you have read dozens of times now. Thank you. Thank you all for everything. Every review, view, and follow, have all meant the world to me. This story has gone way beyond what I originally planned and I am incredibly thankful for every experience I have gotten to share with you all.
If you would like to talk, and even join a Discord dedicated to Fanfiction and more, then please check out my bio. For now…
This is your Narrator, signing off.