Colonial Marines (7)

One week later.

Hadrick watched as Asundhe cried himself to sleep beside one of the trees inside the enclosure. The poor kid had watched Weyland's recovery team bring back what was left of the dropship. Hadrick had just been there himself. There was little to nothing left of the wreckage, and no sign of Mei-ek'li's body. At least the kid didn't have to see them drag it back.

"M... Me-Mei'si-dha..." Hadrick could hear Asundhe whimpering in his sleep "Mei'si-dha... ma'pode lik-eh... Ma'pode lik-eh..." He'd been going on like this since his mother passed away.

Once his team had secured the queen's chamber, he went back to check on Mei-ek'li and Asundhe. As soon as he got to the enclosure however, he found her gone, and Asundhe lying all curled up in a sad ball with xenos, scientists and androids lying all around him. After seeing the dark cloud and the large crater left behind from the explosion, Hadrick was able to figure out that Mei-ek'li had managed to escape, but she wasn't able to get very far.

Once all the escaped xenos had either been contained or killed, Hadrick looked over the security footage to see how it all happened. As he did, he also saw what the scientists and androids were about to do to them, after which he confronted Weyland about it. At first he tried to play it off like he didn't know what was going on, but Hadrick could tell he was lying. He'd sent Bogs to perform a lobotomy on Asundhe so that they could put some sort of mind-control device in his head. The bastard had planned on making the kid a weapon the whole time. Weyland seemed pretty pissed about it as he was explaining it. Apparently the device and most of the eggheads involved in the operation ,including Bogs, had been killed. Mei-ek'li had also destroyed much of the lab during her escape.

Good, Hadrick thought with a cathartic smile. That's what they get for trying to hurt a kid.

While Asundhe was safe, that didn't take away from the fact he was without a mother to look after him. Hadrick couldn't help but feel sorry for the kid, and wonder just what he was going through. He'd lost loved ones in the past before ,Hadrick, and he knew how much it hurt, but Asundhe was just a kid. This must've hurt.

Weyland and his scientists' lack of empathy didn't help. The motherfuckers hadn't even bothered to bring him any food and probably no clean water either. Poor Asundhe must've been drinking that nasty ass pool water for the past week. Kid looked like a skeleton.

In truth, Hadrick shouldn't have been near the enclosure. Ever since the outbreak, the scientists wouldn't let him anywhere near Asundhe. Hadrick couldn't figure why, it was probably Weyland's orders by the way it sounded but either way, he still went to check up on the kid. Thankfully there was no one around to tel him to leave.

As Hadrick stood there he thought to himself why Weyland would do this to him. Weyland was pissed, that much he could understand. His facility had been destroyed, his scientists were dead, his plans for Asundhe were ruined, and many of his xenomorphs had been killed. But that didn't mean it was right for him to punish the kid. He did nothing wrong.

As he thought about that, he wondered if there was anything he could do to help him. And then something came to him.

/

Weyland turned his chair around as he heard the automatic doors to his office opening. He was looking over the damage reports on his lap-pad, so he didn't bother to see who it was coming in. The coverage for the destruction caused during the outbreak was going to be expensive as hell, and he was fuming at the thought.

"Yes," Weyland growled, still looking at the pad.

"I want to talk," Hadrick spoke.

Weyland turned his head to face the marine, his face wide with surprise and frustration. His irritation only became more pronounced as he threw his lap-pad on the office table in front of him as he got up to greet him. "What do you want now, Schaefer? I'm already busy enough as it is."

Hadrick looked down and saw the pad. "Ouch! Just got the damage reports in I see," He said as he lit a cigar.

"No jokes, Schaefer! I'm not in the mood!" Weyland snapped back. "What do you want from me?"

"I came to talk to you about the kid." Hadrick said as he blew a small stream of smoke from his mouth.

"Oh, for God's sake. Enough about Specimen #147! I told you everything you wanted to know! Why won't you leave it at that," Weyland growned.

"I didn't come here to argue with you, Weyland. I came to ask you for something."

"Ask me for what?"

"The kid," Hadrick responded simply.

Weyland paused, stunned by Hadrick's request.

"You heard me right. I said I wanted the kid."

Weyland let out a small chuckle. "You want Specimen #147," His chuckle quickly turned into hysterical laughter. "He's my asset. What makes you think I'm going to give him to a worthless marine like you?"

"You got anything you want him for? An experiment perhaps?" Hadrick asked.

Weyland's smile dropped when he asked that. "No, why?"

"If you don't want him then, why not give him to me. It's better than letting the poor little guy starve to death. Seriously, he looks like a damn skeleton."

"That still doesn't give me a reason why I should give him to you!" Weyland pointed.

"Damn it, Weyland, will you take your head out of your ass and listen to what I'm trying to tell you! The kid's down there and you have nothing for him to do! He's an asset, you just said so yourself! What good is that asset if it's starving to death?"

"And your point being?"

"My point being, I can train him! Make him useful to you!"

The two paused momentarily, both staring each other down as they thought about the situation.

"You're gonna train him, will you? Make a marine out of him?" Weyland inquired.

"Yes," Hadrick replied. The two were silent again for a minute before Hadrick spoke again. "Well? What do you say?"

Weyland's expression lightened into a soft smirk "Alright. I'll tell you what; you can have him. Take care of him, make a marine out of him all you want, but understand two things. One I gave him to you, and two that makes you responsible for him, and for whatever damages he causes along the way."

"Understood," Hadrick grunted.

"He's all yours then, Schaefer. Have fun."

/

Asundhe gasped as he weakly fell to his knees. He'd awoken somewhere in the jungle outside the facility with no memory as to how he'd gotten there. At first he tried to find his way back, and that was when the shadows found him. They'd been chasing him now for what felt like hours. Each time he thought he'd escaped them, they'd managed to find him again. He could still hear them screeching and hissing as they tried to look for him, but at least now he could find some time to catch his breath.

Then he saw something sprinting through the brush a couple paces to his right. It was one of the shadows. Asundhe, quickly but quietly lowered his body into the brush. As he did so though he accidently stepped on a twig. He felt his heart leap into his throat as he heard it snap. The creature hissed as it reared its head up to scan its surroundings.

Every sense in his body told him to run, but he ignored it and attempted to calm himself down and slow his breathing. Anything just to keep quiet. Asundhe laid there like that for several seconds, all while the monster continued looking for the source of what made that sound. Finally after a couple of minutes the shadow looked like it was about to go away. As he watched it skitter away Asundhe let out a relieved sigh.

Suddenly one of the creatures leapt out in front of him, screeching in his face. Asundhe screamed in terror as he stumbled back. The monster rose on its hind legs as it prepared to pounce on him. Just as it did, Asundhe jumped to his feet and ran as fast as he could, narrowly avoiding the shadow's vicious talons as it reached for him. Asundhe heard the other monsters hissing as they all began to give chase.

"Help! Somebody please! Help me!" Asundhe cried out, hoping someone would hear him.

As he ran, Asundhe quickly felt his legs grow tired, and his lungs dragged in a short heave of air. He hadn't been able to rest for as long as he needed to. The only hope he had now was to try and find his way back to the compound and pray that there was somebody who could help him. Almost miraculously, he found lights shining in a nearby clearing. It was the compound. It must have been.

"Somebody! Anybody! Please, help me!" Asundhe screamed as he ran as quickly as he could towards the clearing. Asundhe began to sob as he thought he heard the marines calling back to him. "I'm here! Please... help..." He exclaimed, almost joyfully as he made it through the clearing ,his prayers surely answered.

As he began looking around though, he quickly realized he was nowhere near the compound, nor were there any marines in sight. None who were alive anyway. The lights he saw were only small fires from a crashed dropship. Asundhe tried to call out again, but all that came out was a ragged cough.

Just then five of the shadows jumped out from the treeline. Asundhe feebly tried to get back to his feet but all he could do was hobble back.

Just as one of the monsters was about to grab him, the ground gave out from under him. Asundhe grunted in pain as he stumbled down the slope before hitting his back against the dropship's cockpit. As he turned to look inside he was shocked by what he saw. It was his mother lying in a broken heap inside the downed airship ,dead. A cold chill ran down his spine when he saw her cold lifeless eyes staring back at him.

"M-M-Mei'si-dha..." Asundhe stuttered, hoping by some miracle she could hear him, but she did not.

Asundhe looked back as he heard the shadows hiss. They'd surrounded him, but strangely none of them had attacked. As he was wondering why they weren't mauling him to death, he felt the ground began to shake. The monsters snarled as they all looked up and backed away from him. Asundhe turned around to see what it was they were looking at, before suddenly jumping back as a giant foot came down on the dropship's cockpit.

Asundhe looked up to see a massive creature crouching over him with a large crest on its head. It was the shadow queen. He tried to get up, but just as he did so the monster snatched him off the ground, pinning his arms to his sides with its long spidery claws. Asundhe struggled to get free as the queen pulled him up to her crested head, which slided back to reveal its mouth, lined with long jagged teeth that creased into a twisted grin. It kept him in its hands for a moment studying him, before opening its mouth revealing the inner jaw inside. The queen's cold breath stung his skin as the second jaw drooled down on him.

"No! Please! Let me go! Please!" Asundhe begged the monster as its teeth clicked together with anticipation. With an abrupt hiss the queen's tongue shot out, clamping down on his head...

/

Asundhe awoke screaming at the top of his lungs. Once he came to his senses he looked around and found himself back in his enclosure. It had just been a dream, yet it all felt so real…

Asundhe let out a small sob as he looked around for his mother, before remembering she was gone. He was still having trouble accepting that she was dead. Hell, he couldn't even believe it. How could he? He was just a pup with no future or purpose he could see ahead of himself. The scientists didn't want him anymore, and aside from Hadrick ,who he'd barely seen in the past week, there was nobody else he knew, let alone cared for.

For the past fifteen years, this enclosure, the things the scientists had taught him, and his mother was the only reality he knew, and with her death it felt like everything else was collapsing in on itself. Nobody would let him out, bring him food, or just come by to see him. Even the enclosure and the rest of the facility itself looked and felt dead and lifeless without her. It was like she'd been the axis that controlled his life, and with her gone it was all falling apart on him.

All of it made him wonder if he was going to die soon. He probably would... Although the thought terrified him, it couldn't have been any worse than sitting here doing nothing ,starving, and just waiting until it was all over. And anything was better than sleeping through another nightmare. With that in mind, death didn't feel so bad, regardless of the fact that the gods showed little mercy to blasphemous abominations like him in the final rest.

Although he knew there was no hope for himself beyond the veil, he couldn't help but feel more worried for his mother's soul. Unlike him, she wasn't an abomination, but she'd broken the code. Honor was everything in yautja society, and the mark of an honorable hunter would continue to shine as an example to other yautja in the final rest, and the gods alway smiled on them for it. Although she hadn't done it intentionally, it still didn't matter. To break the code of honor was the worst thing any hunter could do. Although there was a chance a dishonored yautja could restore their honor, it was not given easily, and almost always involved one giving their life for it. All Asundhe could hope was that she'd been able to redeem herself before she died, and if not…

A sudden pain flared unexpectedly in Asundhe's gut. All of this thinking had made him forget how hungry he was.

Disgustedly, he plucked a fern from the ground and stuffed it in his mouth. The taste was bitter and rancid. It felt like he was chewing on a worn piece of dry rubber. Still it wasn't like the scientists were going to feed him, and anything was better than starving to death.

As he was gnawing on the weed, the enclosure door opened unexpectedly. On the other side coming in were some of the scientists and... Hadrick... He hadn't even seen them come. Asundhe weakly rose to his feet to greet them. Timidly he kept his head and eyes lowered to the floor.

"How's it going, Asonde?" Hadrick greeted him, incorrectly pronouncing his name.

Asundhe tried to move his mouth to answer the marine. When it didn't, he moved his eyes up to meet the marine's gaze, before submissively lowering them again. The scars on the marine's visage intimidated him worse than the shadows did.

"Still missing her, aren't ya kid?"

Asundhe nodded as his stomach growled.

"I brought something for you," Hadrick said as he pulled a plastic bag out from behind him. Inside was a raw piece of beef.

Asundhe's eyes lit up enthusiastically when he saw it. "Thank-you!" He said gratefully as he took it from him, before tearing into it with righteous fury.

Hadrick almost groaned as he watched, "Take it easy."

"Thank-you!" Asundhe said again, not listening to what Hadrick was saying. He was too preoccupied tearing a strip of meat off with his mandibles before slurping the whole thing up excitedly.

Once he was finished with the whole thing, Hadrick spoke. "I noticed nobody else was feeding you, so I decided to do it myself," Hadrick said, glancing at the scientists outside the enclosure with a dirty scowl before turning back to Asundhe. "How was the beef?"

"It was good... Thank-you," Asundhe said as he gently rubbed his dreadlocks with bloodstained hands. A sign of appreciation and gratitude.

Hadrick paused, allowing Asundhe time to lick his hands clean before speaking again. "I came here to make you an offer Asonde. Understand?"

Asundhe nodded.

"I was talking with Weyland. Says he doesn't want you anymore, not after what happened last week. So I asked him if I could take you under my wing, and he said yes."

Asundhe tilted his head up to face Hadrick, his eyes wide with wonder about what the marine was saying. As Hadrick looked down at him, he noticed his eyes were differently colored. His left eye was a calm cyan blue, while the right one was a fiery red. He'd never noticed that before.

"You're going to make me a marine?" Asundhe asked.

"That's right. I'm gonna make you into a marine," Hadrick answered affirmatively.

Asundhe lowered his head deeply in thought. He almost didn't believe what he was hearing. Hadrick was offering him the chance to become a marine. It was something he'd thought about for a long time, but he never actually thought he would become a marine. After a moment he smiled. He wondered if his mother would approve of it though.

As soon as he thought about her, his smile faded. Hadrick saw the sad frown on his face, and he could tell what he was thinking about.

"Hey, Asonde..." Hadrick began before Asundhe interrupted.

"It is Asundhe." He corrected him

"Whatever... Listen, I'm not the best with kids... I know you still miss your mother... and I know it's difficult for you right now... and it is your choice, but... You gotta let go kid." Hadrick paused for a moment to let what he said sink in before continuing. "Now I know what it feels like to lose someone. It's tough, and I feel for ya... But ,speaking from experience, it doesn't get any easier just sitting around moping about it. Just makes you feel worse. Understand me?"

"Yes," Asundhe nodded, still looking at the floor.

"Hey, look at me... that's 'yes sir'." Hadrick told him authoritatively.

"Yes sir. I understand sir," Asundhe said, looking at him with a straight face before looking at the floor again and continuing to think about the offer.

"So what do you say, Asonde? It's still your decision, but what do you wanna do? You wanna come with me and let me train you, or would you like to stay here instead." There was no question about it really. Go with Hadrick where he would be trained, and fed, and get the chance to see the world outside of the facility, or stay and starve to death in the enclosure.

Asundhe looked back up and smiled. "I want to become a marine," He said proudly.

"Okay. I should warn you though that it's not going to be fun. It's tough as hell, and that's putting it lightly," Hadrick told him.

"I understand. But anything would be better than being here," Asundhe responded.

"Alright then. I'll get you set up, all you need to do is follow one of the scientists outside over to the barracks, okay?"

"Okay?"

"And you'll refer to me as either 'sir' or 'sergeant' from now on, understand?"

"Yes, sir," Asundhe replied respectfully.

"Good. I'll have you outfitted with your belongings as soon as possible. Your training begins tomorrow, Private Asonde," Hadrick said as he walked away.

"Sir," Asundhe stopped him, "It's Asundhe."

"Fuck it," Hadrick muttered under his breath. "I'm just going to call you Jonathan from now on."

/

Asundhe could tell the other cadets were staring at him. They'd been doing that ever since he'd arrived. Although he tried acting as normal as possible, it was evident he couldn't escape their attention, no matter how hard he tried, and it was starting to unsettle him. Some of the things he'd heard them say were also making him uneasy, although given his appearance he really couldn't blame them. Still, none of them approached him or said anything openly, so he just continued squaring away all the 'belongings' Hadrick had sent him as neatly as he could, only allowing himself a look around every now and then.

"Where did that thing come from?" He heard one of the marines whisper.

"I dunno man. What I wanna know is what the hell it's doing here?" Another said.

"I heard rumors Weyland was keeping a couple Predators in the lab. Using them as science experiments or something. Must've come from there." Another marine answered.

"Yeah, but what's it doing here?"

"Saw Sergeant Schaefer coming in with it. Guess he wants it for something. I'm wondering why and how he even managed to get it from Weyland ,the bastard."

Once Asundhe had finished placing his things where needed he took a moment to reflect on what the marines had said. He was particularly interested in the one grunt's question about why Hadrick wanted him. Truth be told he didn't understand the sergeant's reasoning for why he did what he did. From the way he spoke, it sounded like he just felt sorry for him, or perhaps it was because he felt he still owed something to Mei-ek'li. Either way, it really didn't matter. Asundhe was just grateful to be out of that prison. Asundhe would be sure to repay the debt he owed to Hadrick for what he did.

Suddenly the barracks door burst open with laughter. Three new cadets came in, all male and acting like they were under the influence of c'ntlip. Judging by the fact they were carrying a package of drinks with them, they probably were.

"Let me tell ya man that was a great moment..." The head of the trio babbled nonsensically from a previous discussion. He was a blonde man with a well built figure ,much like most of the other cadets around them, and a face most of the females would've considered handsome.

"Yeah, that was great, Ander. That was..." The smaller, skinnier ooman-de to his left stopped short once he saw Asundhe. When they noticed he didn't continue, he pointed at Asundhe. Their reaction was just the same as his.

"What the hell is that thing?" The blonde ooman blurted. When nobody answered he turned the question on Asundhe antagonistically. "Hey, what the hell are you?" Asundhe was taken aback by his sudden response. He looked around and saw that all eyes were on him. If he didn't have the whole barracks' attention before he certainly had it now.

"Hey, my friend here just asked you a question, ugly! What the fuck are you?" The larger male to the right of the blonde ooman spoke. Asundhe felt compelled to answer them, and tried to, but was too embarrassed to say anything.

"Hey, are you deaf? We just asked you a question!" The skinnier ooman said as they began to approach him. Now Asundhe was scared. Nervously he looked around to see if anybody would come and help him, but nobody did.

"Hey, you heard us, we know you did, you little shit! Answer us! What the fuck are you?!" Asundhe was too scared to do anything. He felt like running, but instead he just stood their petrified.

"He's one of the new cadets," Hadrick answered from the front of the barracks.

"Attention!" One of the marines called out. Everyone else in the barracks ,spare Asundhe, the three cadets who'd approached him, and Hadrick himself, all stood in straight-faced 'attention'.

"I take it, everyone here has met Jonathan." Hadrick said, looking down at him.

"Hey, Serg! What the fuck is this thing, and what's it doing in the barracks?" The blonde ooman asked.

"Jonathan here is a Predator. They're a race of technologically advanced alien hunters, as some of you already know," Hadrick answered as he approached the cadet, "But what he is, shouldn't concern you, cadet! What should be the fact you brought beer into my barracks!" Hadrick abruptly pulled the box from his arm before throwing it out the window, breaking it in the process. He didn't seem to care about that as much though.

"That was ours, you old..." Blondie went through a punch, but the sergeant caught his fist before putting him in the young cadet's gut, after which he spun around and threw him over his shoulder. Asundhe and the rest of the barracks gasped in astonishment when they saw it.

The larger cadet quickly came to his friend's aid and went to strike him, but Hadrick sidestepped, easily avoiding the blow. He then took the man by the arm before twisting it. The grunt groaned in agony as Hadrick spun him around sending his face into the wall. He kept him like that for a few seconds before letting him go.

"You're finished, old man!" The brute said as he stupidly went for another swing. Just as before, Hadrick caught it before driving his fist into the bottom of his throat. The man gasped as he held at his neck before falling to his knees, coughing uncontrollably as he went down.

Hadrick then turned to the skinnier cadet. Wisely he didn't do anything to provoke the sergeant, and just looked at him stupidly. Hadrick then turned his attention back to the blonde cadet. "No food or drinks in the barracks. Take it to the mess hall if you want and keep it there. Now all of you to your bunks!"

Everyone did as he commanded except for Asundhe, who was still amazed by how fluid the sergeant's motions had been. And he hadn't even broken a sweat!

Hadrick then noticed Asundhe wasn't paying attention. "Attention!" He growled at him. Asundhe quickly did as he was told.

"Good," He said, pleased. Once he made sure everyone had his undivided attention he spoke. "Alright you hopeless derelicts, listen up! My name is Sergeant Major Hadrick Shaefer, and if I haven't made myself abundantly clear, I am your commanding officer! From this day forward the first and last words out of your mouth whenever you address me will be 'sir'! And you will call me that as such or you will call me 'Sergeant'! Anything else other than that, and the next thing that goes out that window will be your sorry asses! You will do as I say when I say, and you will speak only when spoken to, and nothing you do will be without my say-so! You will not eat, drink, sleep, or use the pisser without my permission! Do you all understand me?!"

"Sir, yes sir!" Everyone in the barracks responded as loudly as they could.

"Good," Hadrick said as he began to pace about the barracks, "I'll keep it simple. You all signed up to be marines, and my job is to make you all marines. This is going to be the worst bullshit you've ever gone through in your entire life. You think you know what it's like or you think you've seen some shit before, let me break it to you, you haven't seen nothing. This will test you physically, emotionally, and maybe even psychologically. So if I have any quitters in here, or there's somebody who doesn't think they're able to handle it, you know where the door is."

Hadrick paused, looking around to see if anybody would move. Nobody did. "Very well," He said with a grunt. "Your training begins tomorrow. For today you'll all get your shit squared away, and whatever fun you wanna have tonight get it all out while you can, because tomorrow your ass is mine," Hadrick said grimly.

Just before he turned to leave the barracks, he stopped in front of Asundhe. "Jonathan. Put these on, I'm not having you run around like some half-naked savage," He said as he threw a pair of camouflage pants at him.

Asundhe clicked his mandibles thoughtfully as he put them on. He thought about what Hadrick had said, about how hard his training would be. He had suspected the marines' work was difficult, but he'd never fully taken in the scope of just how hard they had it until now. And he hadn't even started training yet. Still it was better than where he was before. He made his choice, and he had no intent on going back on it. From this moment onward, he was a marine.

Let it begin. He said to himself readily.