I regret everything, every terrible thing that's happened to me these past few months was cosmic retribution for this story I just wrote today.
"I just got a transfer off that fucking rock, and now you want me to go back?" Doctor Theodora Komiskey tapped her cigarette to the ashtray, her eyes narrowing at her old 'friend' Miranda Reynolds. She knew that Miranda's career as a corporate agent had been stagnating and in Weyland-Yutani, stagnation often meant termination.
Miranda leaned back in her chair, her eyes glossy with something Theo couldn't quite put her finger on. Was it desperation? Fear? Whatever it was, it made Theo's stomach clench. "You're the best we have, Theo. You know that."
"Midnight's got nothing of interest but simple vegetation and seas of acid," Theo retorted, her voice tight with skepticism. "Why would you need me there again?"
"Because five days ago I intercepted a mayday from our research outpost there," Miranda said, her tone turning serious. "They claimed a ship had just crashed. They sent this image." She slid a tablet across the desk, the screen displaying a grainy image of a colossal spacecraft, half-submerged in a pool of bubbling black fluid.
Theodora's eyes widened as she studied the image. The ship was definitely not of human design, its angular, organic shape unlike anything she'd seen in the corporation's archives. Her mind raced through the possibilities, each more ludicrous than the last. "What…what is that?"
"That's what you, me and about a dozen other lucky souls are going to find out," Miranda said with a forced smile, her eyes not quite meeting Theo's. The tension in the room thickened like the smoke from Theo's cigarette.
Theo leaned back in her chair, her eyes never leaving the image. Humans had been traveling deep space for something in the ballpark of a century at this point. Genuinely alien life was exceedingly rare, most alien lifeforms didn't exceed the size of a sheep and they hadn't encountered anything intelligent enough to build a spear much less a starship. Yet, here was evidence of something that didn't just buck that trend, it steamrolled over it.
"You bitch." Komiskey breathed, the words leaving a trail of smoke as she exhaled. "I'm in. Fuck you, I'm in."
Miranda's smile grew genuine. "Good. Get a team together, whatever you think we'll need. The company's sending us out on the Reliant."
"I want Sneddon. She's a genuine polymath and doesn't scare easily," Theo said, her eyes still on the tablet. "And we'll need some serious firepower. If that's what I think it is…"
"Sneddon's a fucking weirdo, and I've already taken the liberty of hiring some muscle," Miranda said, her eyes gleaming with something akin to amusement.
"She's brilliant and I want her," Theo said firmly, stubbing out her cigarette. "And I know you've got some hotshots on the payroll. What's the deal with the muscle?"
"Sneddon stays where she is, shifting through rocks of New Galveston and don't worry about the mercs, they'll behave. Totally professional," Miranda said, her voice leaving no room for negotiation.
Theo scoffed, pushing the image away. "Fine. But you just used up your one and only blackball. I pick the rest of my team."
Miranda nodded, handing over a data pad with a list of potential candidates. "Try to screen for competence and not how badly you want to sleep with them, yeah?" she said with a smirk that didn't quite reach her eyes.
Midnight was at the far edge of what was considered the 'human sphere' of colonized planets, a planet so named because it perpetually orbited its star at a angle where it was almost always in shadow. It took eight weeks to reach from the nearest space station, a journey that tested the mettle of even the most stoic of travelers.
Other than Theodora and Miranda the only othet women aboard the ship was the pilot, a young woman named MacDonald and a burly, crewcut wearing member of the "security team" named Brooks. The rest of the team was a collection of men, either gun toting mercenaries or scientists, all of whom had been vetted and approved by Weyland-Yutani. Theo had her misgiving about the whole setup, but the promise of discovery was too tantalizing to ignore.
She couldn't believe she was actually going back to this podunk colony world. But as the Reliant drew closer to Midnight, the excitement grew within her. Theo had been around long enough to know that the universe had a way of throwing curveballs at you, and she had a feeling that this was going to be one for the books.
"Got some handsome young buck waiting for you on Midnight?" Brooks quipped as she packed her gear into the shuttle.
Theodora had been the senior scientist on Midnight for two years, and despite her best efforts and better judgment she'd had a few liaisons with the local yokels. There was really only one person she could actually conceive of being glad to see again. Khati Fuqua, an assistant researcher who'd been a valued companion the last eight months of Komiskey's tenure before she'd gotten the transfer she'd begged for. Khati had been the closest thing to a friend and confidant she had on that godforsaken rock, and they'd spent hours discussing matters of art, science, politics and their shared bad luck with men.
The shuttle touched down in the research outpost's hangar with a thud, sending a tremor through the metal deck plates. The team disembarked, and Theo felt a twinge of nostalgia as she took in the sight of the outpost. It was a sprawling mess of corrugated metal buildings, the color of rust, surrounded by the alien vegetation that had grown eerily quiet in the face of the human intrusion. It had been a year since she'd left, but it looked like nothing had changed.
Other than the skinned human bodies hanging from the rafters like macabre Christmas decorations. That was new.
"What the actual fuck is this?" Theo breathed, her hand tightening around the strap of her bag.
Miranda's smile had disappeared, replaced with a look of abject horror. Some people assumed that to work for Weyland-Yutani you had to be an utterly unfeeling sociopath, but Theo knew better. Empathy was a handy tool to have in a snake pit, it was easier to stab a person in the back if you could mentally model their feelings.
"Looks like we've found our welcome committee," one of the mercs quipped, his voice crackling over the comms. His attempt at levity was met with silence.
The outpost was a slaughterhouse, the air thick with the metallic scent of blood and fear. Theo's team moved through the grisly scene with grim determination, the clank of their boots echoing through the emptiness. They found no survivors, just a trail of carnage that led to the research lab. Inside, it was a macabre mix of high-tech equipment and visceral horror. Computers had been shredded, their databanks smashed open like rotten fruit, and the walls were spattered with gore.
"Notice something about the bodies?" Brooks asked, her voice a low murmur that seemed to be swallowed by the silence. "They're all men. Weren't there any women working here?"
"Oh yeah, I noticed," Theo murmured, her eyes scanning the room. Khati worked in the medical fabrication lab in the colony proper, so the chances of her being here when whatever happened, happened, were slim. "But there aren't any women here."
"Damn it! All the data about the ship, gone!" Miranda's voice was tight with frustration as she surveyed the wreckage of the lab. "Where are the rest of the team? Did they get out?"
"Miss Reynolds. You and Doctor Komiskey should see this." Sargeant Brackett, the leader of the mercenaries, called out from the far corner of the lab.
Theo's heart skipped a beat. Something told her she didn't want to know what they'd found. But she steeled herself and marched over. In the corner, a group of the mercs had gathered around something that looked suspiciously like a makeshift surgical theater. A lab assistant's body lay slumped against a wall. His chest was…gone, ribcage and spine and organs all gone. She could see the gunmetal gray of the wall on the other side of the body through the hole in the man's torso. Theo felt a wave of nausea.
"This wound is completely cauterized," Theo murmured, kneeling down to examine the corpse. The edges of the gaping cavity were seared, as if the flesh had been removed with a laser scalpel rather than torn out with brute force. The smell of burnt meat was faint, almost as if the body had been processed immediately after death to prevent decay.
"I've only seen a wound like this once. It was a test firing of a high intensity Directed Energy Weapon," Brackett said, his voice gruff and unsteady. "It burned through a cow like it was butter."
Theo's mind raced. This wasn't the work of any weapon she'd encountered before. The precision was…alien. She swallowed the bile rising in her throat and stood, her eyes flicking to Miranda. "Did…did the government do this? Another WeYu team?"
Miranda shook her head and Brackett interjected. "The D.E.W. I saw had a barrel about the size of a man's torso and it was hooked up to a power supply the size of a family sedan. Whatever did this, it wasn't our tech. It was a lot more advanced, more mobile. What's strange though, is that some of these bodies weren't killed by that. Look." He pointed at a security guard who had died with his hand still on the gun in his holster. "This man was killed by some kind of bladed instrument, like a knife."
Theo's stomach turned as she took in the sight. The guard's neck had been sliced cleanly, almost delicately. "This…this isn't right," she murmured, her voice shaking slightly. "Miranda, we need to get back into orbit. Call in the Colonial Marines for God's sake!"
Miranda's eyes darted around the room before settling on Theo's. "No. No way, this is my find-our find Goddammit!" she said, her voice cracking like the whip of a lash. "The company wants answers and we're getting them, with or without backup."
"Colonial Marines mostly deal with armed uprisings on worlds with shit workers rights and the odd infestation of local lifeforms colonists can't quite handle," Brackett offered. "They're no more or no less equipped to handle…whatever this is than we are."
"We need to get in touch with the colony." Miranda's voice was firm, the tremor of fear gone. "Find out if they have any insight into what happened here."
Expecting any of those hicks to have any insight into anything was a stretch, but Theo knew that Miranda was a dog with a bone. Once she had something in her teeth she didn't let go, not without a fight.
"Alright," Theo said through gritted teeth, "But we need to be careful. Whatever did this wasn't just some wild animal. This is deliberate. This is…"
Theo trailed off as the hairs on the back of her neck stood on end. The silence of the lab was suddenly pierced by a chilling scream from outside, followed by the rapid staccato of gunfire. The sound of panic and chaos grew closer, sending the team's heartbeats racing.
"I…I saw something!" The merc who had been left on lookout said as they raced back outside to see what the commotion was. "It…it was the outline of a giant, but there was nothing inside! But it's eyes were like, like stars! I shot at it but the eyes disappeared!"
"What?" Brackett snapped, his hand moving to his sidearm. "What are you talking about? Speak sense, Enrique!"
"El fantasma!" Enrique yelled, his eyes wide with terror. "It was like a demon!"
"Real professional." Theo muttered to Miranda as Brackett tried to make sense of Enrique's rambling.
Miranda shook her head in disgust. "I'm going back to the shuttle to try and get in contact with the colony. Maybe they know something," she said, turning on her heel and stomping back up the ramp into the vessel. Tired of the heat and humidity, Komiskey followed her, the smell of fear thick in the air.
Theo took a deep breath of the cooled shuttle air, trying to shake off the feeling of dread that had settled into her bones. She took a long, refreshing drink of water from her canister, the liquid sliding down her throat like a lifeline. Miranda was already at the comms station, her fingers flying over the keys as she attempted to reconnect with the colony. Theo's thoughts raced.
"Midnight Actual, this is Miranda Reynolds of the Weyland-Yutani Reliant," Miranda's voice was tight and professional as she spoke into the microphone. "We've arrived at the research outpost. We have a…situation. Request immediate assistance and intel. Over."
She repeated the message twice before the static on the comm crackled in response. "Midnight…answering…communication…damage…over."
The voice had a strange quality to it, as if it was being squeezed through a narrow pipe and coming out the other side distorted. Miranda's hand hovered over the console, her knuckles white. "Midnight Actual, repeat your message. This is an emergency," she barked into the mic, her professional veneer cracking.
"Communication…poor…interference…Miranda Reynolds…over."
Miranda cleared her throat, aggravated by the static. "Midnight Actual, can you confirm that there are any survivors from the research outpost incident? Over."
"Incident…communication error…come here…over."
Theo's stomach twisted as she listened to the garbled message. The voice didn't sound human. "What the hell is that?"
"What the hell…is that? Miranda Reynolds. Over." The voice on the comms repeated.
Theo felt her heart drop. The voice was definitely not human. It was mechanical, with a hint of something…alien. "We need to get out of here," she murmured, her eyes wide.
Miranda though either wasn't picking up on the voices obvious unnaturalness or was ignoring it. "Midnight Actual, what is your current status? Over." she demanded, her voice sharp and clear.
"Miranda Reynolds…survivors of the outpost attack here…wounded…come here. Over."
Theo's skin crawled as the voice grew clearer, and she could hear the pain and urgency in it. It was definitely not the colony's communication officer on the other end of the line. "That's not human," she whispered.
"What, what are you babbling about?" Miranda sneered, her eyes narrowed at Theo's ashen face. She turned her attention to the comms. "Affirmative, Midnight Actual. Our eta is about forty minutes. Clear a landing pad and prepare for our arrival. Over."
Theo's hand clamped down on Miranda's forearm. "Listen to me. That isn't a person. That's…something else," she hissed.
"Something else. Over." The voice on the comms echoed Theo's words, then the signal cut out, replaced by a bubbling static.
"That's…that's ridiculous, Theodora." Miranda stuttered. She was clearly disquieted by the voice, but she wasn't ready to accept what it might imply.
Theo knew the look on her face was pure terror, but she had to keep it together. "Miranda, we don't know what we're dealing with. That thing out there could have tapped into our comms, it could be luring us into a trap," she said, trying to keep her voice even.
"What 'thing'? Enrique's ghost? His demon?" Miranda tried to sound contemptuous, but there was a hint of hysteria in her voice.
Theo's eyes darted around the shuttle's cabin, as if expecting something to come out of the shadows. "I don't know, but it's not one of ours. It's got to be connected to that ship. We can't go there blind," she insisted.
"We're on the edge of the greatest scientific discovery since Charles Bishop Weyland perfected faster than light travel!" Miranda spat, shaking off Theo's grip. "We're going to that colony and we're going to find out what happened!"
Theo stared at her, the gravity of the situation crashing down on her. This wasn't just a corporate mission anymore, it was a potential first contact scenario, and they were waltzing into it with guns blazing. "Fine," she said, her voice cold. "But you're going to be responsible for every death on this mission. This isn't just about your career anymore."
Miranda's jaw tightened, but she nodded. The shuttle took off with a roar, cutting through the thick atmosphere of Midnight. Theo's thoughts raced. If the voice on the comms was indeed that of an alien, then the creature had not only the ability to mimic human speech but had also accessed the outpost's communication systems. It was a terrifying prospect, and one she couldn't ignore.
As they approached the colony, the scenery grew eerily familiar. The same twisted, blackened trees and alkaline lakes stretched out beneath them. Theo had spent countless hours cataloging the planet's flora and limited fauna, but the sight now filled her with dread. The shuttle descended through the thick fog, the lights piercing the gloom like a lighthouse beam in a storm.
"Where is everybody? At church?" Brooks quipped nervously as the shuttle touched down on the designated pad. The colony looked deserted, the usual bustle replaced with a ghostly quiet that was only occasionally pierced by the distant sound of the ever-present wind. The team disembarked, weapons at the ready. The silence was broken by the metallic clank of their boots on the metal flooring and the occasional beep from their scanning equipment.
Theo felt a cold hand of dread squeeze her heart as they approached the colony's airlock. The doors slid open with a hiss, revealing a scene of utter destruction. It looked like somebody had set up an emergency triage station right in the hallway. Beds were overturned, medical supplies scattered everywhere. The smell of blood was faint but unmistakable. "Fucking brilliant, Miranda," she murmured, her voice thick with sarcasm. "You've led us into a slaughterhouse."
And then, from the shadows of the hallway something whispered. "A slaughterhouse."
Theo's head snapped up, her eyes searching the dimly lit corridor. The mercs' lights danced on the walls, creating a strobe effect that made it difficult to spot anything that didn't want to be seen. Her heart thumped in her chest, the beat echoing in her ears. "Did you hear that?" she hissed at Miranda, who was busy scanning the room for anything of use.
The attack came from behind them, from the high walls surrounding the landing pad. There was a sound like a whipcrack and a bolt of blue energy streaked through the air. One of the mercs screamed as it struck him, punching through his back and disintegrating his chest, armor and all, in a shower of sparks and vaporized body tissue.
"Contact! Contact!" Brackett roared to the team. "Brooks, get Miss Reynolds and the eggheads into cover now!"
Theo didn't need to be told twice, she sprinted into the building with Brooks on her tail, the mercs laying down a barrage of fire to cover their retreat.
"What the fuck is that?" Brooks panted, her eyes wide with fear as she fired wildly at the shadows of the hallway.
"Operations is this way, come on!" Theodora yelled over her shoulder, leading the way through the corridors she'd once known so well. The layout was the same, but the stench of burnt metal and the acrid smell of fear had changed everything. The lights flickered ominously, casting jittering shadows across the walls.
They reached the operations center, a room that had once been bustling with life, but now was eerily still. The monitors were flickering with static, and the only sound was the occasional beep from the life support systems. Theo's eyes searched the room, looking for any sign of the creature that had spoken to them, but there was nothing. "We need to find the colony logs," she said, her voice tight. "If there's anything that can tell us what happened, it'll be here."
"It'll be here." Something whispered from a corner. "Miranda Reynolds." And then the room filled with a strange, vaguely amphibian clicking croak, echoing off the metal surfaces. There was a metallic thunk and a metal net fired from the corner to engulf Brooks. She roared in surprise and pain, struggling against it as it began to constrict.
A shimmering, humanoid figure strode into the center of the room, almost completely invisible save for the eyes, which occasionally flashed yellow.
"What the hell is that?" Miranda whispered, her hand tightening around her sidearm.
The invisibility cloak dropped from the figure revealing a tall humanoid being, scaly skin beneath forged metal and studded leather armor. The facemask completely covered the face, obscuring it, and was framed by fleshy, dreadlock like head tendrils. A short, broad tube was held in one clawed hand. The creature made the croaking click again, and the tension in the room thickened.
"Who are you?" Miranda demanded, her hand shaking slightly as she aimed her weapon.
The alien being turned towards Miranda, lifted the tube towards her, and fired a second net. This one wrapped around Miranda in mid-sentence, silencing her in a flash of pain. Theodora and the six other scientists bolted towards the door, but there were three more whipcrack sounds and three of her scientists fell, screaming and dying as the energy bolted scythed through them.
Her heart racing, Theo sprinted through the hallway, another of the armored aliens burst through a door holding a spear, impaling another scientist with a wet crunch. The creature's metal facemask swiveled towards her as she passed the kill and she felt a moment of pure, primal terror.
She got to a door before the last remaining scientist in her party, turning and activating the emergency lock as the scientist, whose name was…what, she couldn't remember, begged for her to wait. A third alien dropped its cloaking field, standing behind the fleeing man. It produced a disk, pressing on it and causing an array of one foot long curved blades to sprout from its edges. The creature flung the disk almost casually.
"Doctor Komiskey! Please don't leave-" The desperate man's voice was cut off as the alien's disk-weapon arced through the air and decapitated him, his body collapsing to the ground in a spray of blood. Theo's stomach heaved, but she didn't have time to process the horror. She slammed the door shut and locked it down.
The shuttle. She had to get to the shuttle. Theo's thoughts raced as she sprinted down the corridor, her heart hammering in her chest. The sound of the alien's footsteps echoed behind her, a relentless pursuer in this nightmarish game of hide and seek. The shuttle was her only hope of escape.
Down the hall ahead of her, there was a another clicking noise, and Komiskey cursed to herself, ducking down another corridor, her legs burning with exertion. Theodora wasn't a obese woman by any means, but she was a forty two year old smoker who enjoyed pizza once a week, and this was definitely not the kind of cardio she was used to.
Her heart hammered in her chest as she reached a stairway that led to the landing pad. Theo felt a searing pain in her side, her thighs felt like they were on fire, and as she stood at the top of the stairway a sudden mental image of herself going ass over teakettle down the steps made her stomach lurch. She took a deep breath and forced herself to take a moment to catch her breath, her hand on the rail to steady herself.
The stairs were clear, for now. The alien sounds had stopped. Maybe they had lost interest. Or maybe they were playing with her. She took the stairs slowly and deliberately but her legs and thighs and side were in so much pain she had to plop her heavy bottom on the second to last step, knowing she had another flight of stairs before she got to the landing pad.
Her heart thumping, she leaned back into the stairs, desperately trying not to cough or make a sound. The silence was unnerving. Theo's eyes darted around the corner, searching for any movement or sign of the creatures. The lights flickered, casting eerie shadows that danced on the cold, metal floor. For a moment, she thought she saw a glimmer of something, but it was gone as quickly as it had appeared. She took a deep, shaky breath and stood up, pushing through the pain. The shuttle was so close, but it might as well have been on the other side of the galaxy for all the use she was getting out of her legs at that moment.
Something thumped into the second level stairwell door across from her. Theo's eyes widened as she realized she couldn't get up, the muscles in her legs felt like jelly. With a trembling hand, she cursed herself for not taking a sidearm from the armory. The door was closed but she knew that wouldn't hold them for long.
The door beeped, then slid open with a soft hiss. Theo whimpered…
As a sweaty, disheveled, panting Khati Fuqua shuffled into the stairwell, Theo felt a glimmer of hope. "Khati!" she whispered harshly. "You're alive!"
Khati's face was streaked with tears, nose running. "Doctor Komiskey…welcome back to Midnight." Her British accent gave the bitter sarcasm in her voice an extra bite.
"What the hell is happening here?" Theo demanded, her voice a harsh whisper.
Khati gave a bitter laugh, then grunted in pain and clutched her stomach, doubling over. Fluid gushed from between Khati's legs and Theodora wrinkled her nose. Had the younger woman just wet herself?
"Oh no…" Khati whispered, collapsing to the floor. "Oh nooo…" She moaned pitifully.
Komiskey took a deep breath and hauled herself to her feet, limping over to Khati. "What's wrong?" she asked, her voice trembling with fear. "Are you sick?"
"My stomach!" Khati grunted, her voice full of pain and a deep, hopeless sorrow. "It hurts so much!"
Theo's eyes grew wide as she noticed Khati's stomach was severely bloated, as if she had consumed a large meal…or was in the beginning stages of pregnancy. But the pain and fear in Khati's eyes spoke of something far more sinister. "Khati, what's going on?" she whispered, kneeling beside her.
"It's coming!" Khati cried out, face a mask of pain and terror as she tried to process her agony.
Suddenly the pieces fell into place to reveal the terrifying full picture. The female colonists were missing, but the men were all dead. The alien in the Operations Center had captured Brooks and Miranda but killed the male scientists. "Khati," Theo whispered, her eyes wide with horror. "What's inside you?"
Khati grunted and panted, her stomach making gurgling sounds as it visibly bulged and shifted. It sounded less like hunger growls than it did something was shifting through her guts.
"We have to…we have to get you to the shuttle, there are stasis pods on the Reliant. They can keep you…keep it…until we can get you to a doctor." Komiskey's voice was a mix of horror and desperation as she took hold of Khati's shoulders, trying to help her to her feet.
But Khati was dead weight, the pain of her impending delivery too intense. Khati's eyes bulged and she let out a scream of pain so intense it seemed to shake the very walls of the colony around them.
"Khati, please, we have to be quiet," Theo whispered urgently, her eyes darting around the stairwell. The last thing they needed was to draw attention to themselves. The aliens could be anywhere, and she didn't know what they were capable of.
"Oh, you try to be quiet when something is clawing its way out of your guts," Khati snarled through clenched teeth. Her eyes rolled back in her head as another spasm hit her.
Theo knew she'd never be able to sneak past any aliens guarding the shuttle with Khati in this state. "I'm sorry Khati, I…I can't help you…but I won't let your sacrifice be in vain. When this…thing comes out of you, I promise I'll take it back to Earth for study. Your name won't be forgotten, I swear it," she said, her voice breaking with the weight of her promise. And of course Theodora would reap the fame and fortune of being the one who brought back the first sentient alien lifeform…
Khati didn't answer, just glared balefully at Theo, panting miserably as her abdomen spasmed again. Theo fell back onto the step, her eyes never leaving her friend's bulging stomach. She had to get out of here, and hoped it wouldn't take long for the creature inside Khati to emerge.
"Hhhooooohhh!" Khati moaned, her body contorting as if in the grip of a nightmare. "Ooooohhhh!!!!"
"Khati, please, I know it hurts but you have to be quiet," Theo pleaded, her eyes flicking back to the stairway door, expecting at any moment to see the alien creature burst in on them.
The younger woman's breathing grew ragged and her face contorted in a grimace of pain. "Oooohhh…aaahhhhh…why is this taking SO LONG?" She moaned.
"I'm sorry, Khati. There's nothing I can do," Theo whispered, her heart breaking as she watched her friend's agony.
Khati laughed bitterly. "Oh, yeah, you're a fucking gushing font of comfort," she gasped. She whined through another contraction.
"I want to assure you, Khati, you have Weyland-Yutani's deepest gratitude for the specimen you're about to provide us," Theo said through gritted teeth, trying to keep her voice steady. "And I will personally ensure that any dependents you leave behind will be well-cared for."
Khati's eyes narrowed. "You bitch," she managed to get out, her teeth clenched with pain. "You always were a smug, self satisfied…" Her voice trailed off as another contraction hit her. The creature inside her was definitely dropping through her body, descending through her pelvis towards her vagina. "Oh God, oh God, oh GOD!"
Theo took a deep breath, trying to ignore the hatred in Khati's voice. This was the job, this was what she was paid for. "Khati, listen to me," she said urgently. "You have to be quiet!"
Khati opened her eyes to give Theodora a real look of pure anger and pain but then her eyes focused on something at the top of the stairs behind Theo and her blue eyes shined with triumph.
Behind Theodora, there was the distinctive croaking clicking sound of the alien creature that had killed so many of their colleagues. Theo froze, feeling herself lose control of her bladder.
"You want an alien specimen to study?" Khati's voice was a guttural growl as she pushed herself up, her swollen abdomen distending even further. "I have a feeling you're going to get one of your own, you fucking cow," she spat.
The alien at the top of the stairs cocked its head, as if it were listening to their conversation, then tensed and leapt down to them, landing beside Theodora and Khati, reaching down to the laboring woman. Komiskey scrambled to the staircase leading down further to the landing zone, all thoughts of collecting Khati's offspring forgotten. She had to get away, had to get to the shuttle. She heard Khati shout "It's coming!" Behind Komiskey as she descended the stairs, her legs moving faster than she knew they could. Poor Khati sounded less like a woman anticipating motherhood and more like a woman announcing a freight train coming at her while her foot was stuck to the tracks.
"I'm sorry." Theodora whispered as she hobbled away from her friend, her heart feeling like it was being ripped from her chest.
She threw herself against the door to the landing area, sucking in a mouthful of stinky, humid air. The door slammed shut behind her, cutting off the sounds of Khati's agony and the alien's eerie noises. Theodora stumbled forward, her legs shaking uncontrollably. She had to get to the shuttle. That was the only way she'd survive this horror show.
Three of the armored creatures were loitering around the shuttle. A fourth one sat cross legged on top of it, peering down a maintenance hatch into the ship's guts as a fifth rummaged through the ship's circuitry.
"Shit!" Komiskey shrieked before she could stop herself and every one of then turned to look at her.
Her heart racing, Theo tried to compose herself, but it was too late. The aliens had noticed her. They rose up as one, their movements reminding her of a pride of stirring lions.
Theodora stumbled back to the stairs, her eyes never leaving the aliens. "You fucking bastards," she spat out. She hoped that the alien inside would have left with Khati and whatever she had spawned but she knew that was a long shot. Her mind raced for a plan, for anything she could do to escape, but she was unarmed, injured, and outmatched.
The scientist stumbled to the stairway just as something barbed wrapped around her legs, sending a jolt of pain up her spine. She fell hard, the impact knocking the wind out of her. Some kind of strange, almost leather like material covered in bone spikes had wrapped around her legs, the ends were metal devices that interlocked in front of her knees. Theo screamed in pain and fear, her eyes darting around for a way out.
One of the creatures stood in the doorway to the outside, its armor gleaming in the artificial light. "Oh my God." Theodora muttered under her breath. She tried to haul herself up the stairs scooting and squirming up one step at a time. "Oh my God, Oh My God, OhMyGodOhMyGodOhMyGod!" she chanted as the creature stalked her up the stairs.
It was toying with her, letting her clumsily ascend before it took another step closer, the clicking sound of its armored boots echoing through the stairwell. Theo's breath was ragged in her chest, her heart hammering like a drum in a death metal concert. The creature was playing a macabre game of cat and mouse, enjoying the fear it was inducing.
At the top of the stairs, Khati was crouched, her pants off, eyes wild with pain and a hint of madness. She sucked air through her teeth, saliva dripping from her clenched jaw as the adult alien stood by her, hand on the top of her head, croaking softly to her.
Khati's blue eyes bulged and she screamed, blood and amniotic fluid gushed down her legs and pooled around her. Her entire body stiffened, her shoulders hunched, and Theodora watched in horror as she realized Khati was pushing. Theodora turned away, not wanting to see but she HEARD the wet, squelching sounds of something bodily emerging from her friend's body and flopping wetly onto the floor, Khati screaming like a woman being murdered.
Khati toppled onto her side, limp. Komiskey couldn't tell if she was dead or just unconscious from the pain. The alien creature behind Theo grabbed her by the collar of her shirt and hauled her up, pulling her to her feet and jamming something into her face. It was a translucent bulb attached to a metal nozzle, and the smell that wafted out was faintly sweet, like a rotting fruit. The creature squeezed the bulb, spraying her in the face with a mist that made her eyes water and her nose burn. Her head began to swim, her vision blurring. Her muscles spasmed, weakening.
She awoke with her head pounding, the floor beneath her cold was warm, stinking dirt with sprouts of toxic looking blue fungus shooting up from it. Theo looked around blearily and realized she was in a cage, made from dirty bronze colored bars that looked like they had been roughly beaten into shape. The smell of her own fear was thick in her nostrils, mixing with the alien fungus and the coppery tang of blood.
The cage was outside the colony walls, in a clearing surrounded by tall, twisted trees that stretched into the snot green sky. The aliens had set up a makeshift camp, with several more cages-all empty save one where Brackett and three of his mercenaries huddled by the bars, their eyes wide and haunted.
"You okay, Doc?" A voice startled her. It was Brooks, lying in the dirt a few feet away from her, her face bruised and a deep gash across her forehead. Theo nodded, trying to clear her head.
"Ohohoooo God, they're going to kill us," Miranda sobbed in the corner of the cage. "I don't want to die, oh God I don't want to die!"
Theodora's eyes snapped to hers. "You want to live, then you need to keep your mouth shut," she hissed. "You're going to get us all killed with that caterwauling."
She didn't mention that these creatures had even darker plans for them, something far worse than death. The thought of what they had done to Khati made Theo's stomach churn. One by one the creatures filed back into the camp, their movements deliberate and eerily silent. There was a certain amount of variation in their armor configuration, mask design, even their weapons. Their scaly skins also boasted a variety of colors and patterns as well.
One of them removed its mask, revealing a face only a mother could love—if that mother was a creature of the deepest abyss. The alien's head was elongated, with a lipless slit for a mouth full of viper fangs, framed by four tusked mandibles. It leaned in close to the cage, inspecting them with piercing yellow eyes. Then it went to inspect the men's cage. Nodding in satisfaction this creature, orange skinned with black stripes, raised its fist and barked out a series of clicks that seemed to resonate through the very bones of the prisoners.
Four smaller members of the alien species emerged from the crowd. Their skin was smoother, less spiny and gnarled than the other and they were all barely over six feet tall. Three carried only clunky looking alien rifles with big knives strapped to their thighs. The fourth had a big spear with a tip that almost liked like an axe blade. They approached the orange male, who Theodora mentally dubbed the 'Alpha' and knelt before him offering up their knives and spear to him.
The Alpha cut his fingertip, dripping a drop of glowing green blood onto every one of the blades and then handed them back, a gesture that seemed almost ceremonial. The four young ones took the weapons and approached the cage, each looking at the humans with hungry eyes.
The mens' cage was opened and a few of the guards prodded them out with their spears, sending them stumbling and groaning into the middle of the camp. The Alpha then gestured towards the jungle, growling to the humans.
Brackett looked to the jungle, then to the cage where the women were being held, then to the Alpha, his eyes full of understanding and dread. "What the fuck do you want from us?" He bellowed.
"Run." The creature rasped. "Weapons…by…river."
Brackett's eyes narrowed in confusion, but he knew better than to question an order when survival was on the line. He nodded firmly and barked at his men. "You heard it! Get moving!" They stumbled out of the cage, looking over their shoulders at the women, their fear palpable. The aliens didn't seem to care, their gazes fixed on the jungle beyond.
A half an hour later, Alpha raised his own spear and bellowed something unintelligible. The four young ones looked at him with excitement, and then charged into the jungle, disappearing into the foliage with their new weapons in hand. Brackett and his men had been gone for what felt like an eternity, and Theo couldn't help but wonder if they had been led into a trap.
Three hours passed before in the distance they heas pulse rifle fire, then a few minutes later an alien roar of victory.
"Jesus, what have we gotten ourselves into?" Miranda's trembling voice broke the heavy silence in the cage. Theodora ignored her, her eyes glued to the spot where the men had disappeared into the jungle.
Roughly an hour later one of the young creatures emerged from the jungle, weapons slung over its shoulder and one of the mercenaries heads hanging from its hand by a flap of skin. The men had failed. The creature raised its gorey trophy and thumped its chest, letting out a victory cry that echoed through the camp. Theodora felt bile rise in her throat.
The Alpha approached the young killer, examining the head. It nodded in approval and gestured for the youngster to kneel.
The creature dropped to its knees, casting aside its rifle and knife and bowed its head. The Alpha took the head and held it up high, letting out a deep, resonating howl that sent shivers down Theo's spine. The other aliens joined in, a cacophony of sound that seemed to shake the very fabric of the jungle around them. The Alpha gestured to a tall, muscular member of the clan who brought forth a two and a half foot long metal spike. The Alpha took the spike, twirling it on its hands then depressed a button on the side and it telescoped out to well over six feet in length. The Alpha bid the youngster to rise and then presented the newly made weapon to him. The creature took it with reverence, almost worshipfully.
The young creatures thrust its new spear skyward, still holding the severed head in its other hand. The camp erupted in a symphony of clicks, roars, and the clanging of their weapons. The Alpha stepped closer to Theo and Brooks' cage, mandibles clicking and opened the cage, rumbling something to the new hunter.
He gestured to the three women, croaking. The youngster suddenly froze, previous bravado draining from its posture. It stared at them, then at the spear, then back again. The Alpha said something, it's tone almost encouraging, and the young one's body tensed. It retracted the ends of the spear, hanging it from the belt before entering the cage. The youngster's eyes darted between them, like a predator deciding on its next prey. The creature's eyes fell on Brooks, her stature and muscles a stark contrast to the other women in the cage.
The other creatures crowded closer to the cage, barking and howling and screeching what Theodora could only guess were encouragements or commands. The young alien took a tentative step towards Brooks, who had pushed herself into the corner, her eyes wide and unblinking. The creature reached out a hand to touch her bruised and bloody face, its long, clawed fingers quivering with excitement.
Brooks lashed out with a steel toed boot, catching the young alien across the snout with a sickening crunch. The creature stumbled back, roaring in pain and anger as green blood spurted from its mouth. The Alpha's mandibles clacked rapidly, and the camp erupted into delighted cries. Theo's heart raced as she realized that the aliens were watching their interactions with the same anticipation as a crowd at a gladiatorial event.
The young alien snarled, wiping the blood away with the back of its hand, and stalked back towards Brooks, who had braced herself for the attack. The creature was fast, much faster than any human, and it was on her in an instant, its claws sinking into her shoulders and lifting her off the ground before supplexing her into the center of the cage. Theo watched in horror, as Brooks' head hit the floor with a sickening crack, her body going limp.
Again the other cheered as the youngster rushed up to her, kicking her in the thigh, eliciting a whimper. It grabbed Brooks by the hair and dragged her out of the cage. The Alpha stepped aside, allowing the young one to pass. It threw her onto the ground outside the cage, where it began to strip off her remaining clothing, ripping them away. The creature's excitement was palpable as it exposed her bruised and bloodied body. The Alpha snarled and kicked the youngster in the back, then slapped it in the back of the head. The youngster stood, seething, and for a moment it looked like it would attack the Alpha but it quickly realized it's error and scooped up the still unconscious Brooks in its arms.
The Alpha nodded in approval as the youngster carried off Brooks, leaving Theo and Miranda alone in the cage. The camp fell into a tense silence, broken only by the distant cries of the jungle creatures. Theo's mind raced, trying to piece together the aliens' intentions. It was obvious that they were the prizes in some twisted hunt, but to what end? Her thoughts were interrupted by the sound of rustling foliage and a second hunter approaching, its eyes hungry and eager. It had torn off not just the mercenary's head but also his spine, the vertebrae dangling.
This one chose Miranda Reynolds as it's broodmare. The creature's eyes lit up at the sight of her trembling form, snorting and clicking.
"No, no, no wait!" Miranda shrieked, but the alien's excitement was unbridled. It reached into the cage, its claws digging into the metal bars as it pulled her out. Theo watched in horror as her employer was dragged away, her own fear now palpable.
The alien holding Miranda tossed her over its shoulder, her legs kicking wildly in protest. The creature's grip was ironclad, and she was hauled away from the camp without any semblance of care. Theo's thoughts swirled in a tornado of fear and anger. She knew she had to act fast, but what could she do against these monsters?
There was a problem of math to be solved. She was the last human female, but there were two more young hunters left. Did these brutes expect them to share her?
The third youngster approached was gifted its spear but instead of being allowed entry to the cage was made to stand aside. A few minutes later, the fourth and final youngster emerged, carrying Captain Brackett's head and bearing wounds across its chest the wept glowing green blood. The creature tossed the head at Theo's feet, then knelt before the Alpha, receiving its own spear with a mix of relief and trepidation.
The Alpha spoke to the two, motioning towards Theodora, and she braced herself, expecting the worst. To her surprise, it pointed at the last young hunter and spoke firmly, the words echoing through the camp. The two youngsters nodded and then turned to face each other, hefting their new weapons. The Alpha gave a final command, and they began to circle each other, muscles taut with anticipation.
'Oh, they're going to fight over who gets to fuck a baby into me.' Theo thought to herself bitterly. 'That's what this is about. Fan-fucking-tastic.' She looked around for a sharp rock to slit her own throat with.
The young aliens circled each other, their eyes locked in a silent challenge. Theodora watched with a strange detachment, her mind numb to the horror of what was unfolding. The camp was a whirlwind of noise and movement as the other aliens cheered and jeered, their clicks and clacks rising into a frenzy.
The first hunter lunged, its spear glinting in the dim light. The second was quicker, dodging and countering with a fierce swipe of its own. The fight was brutal and unforgiving, each blow a testament to their desperation to prove themselves.
Theo watched, her eyes wide with horror and fascination, as the battle raged on. The hunters were evenly matched, each one driven by a primal instinct to claim their prize. The cage rattled and the ground trembled with their ferocious clashes. She felt a flicker of hope; if they killed each other, she might have a chance…
The one that had killed Brackett suddenly drove its spear through the leg of its opponent, the sound of tearing flesh and bone piercing the air. The injured creature howled, but instead of retreating, it only grew more frenzied, swinging wildly with its spear. The other hunter took advantage of its rage, sidestepping and shoulder checking the wounded creature to the ground. It hovered over the downed predator, ready to deliver a final blow, when the Alpha bellowed a command that echoed through the camp.
The victory lowered its weapon and stepped aside, bowing its head. The Alpha knelt beside the loser, placing its gnarled claw on the trembling shoulder of the defeated youngster. The creature looked up at Theo with a mix of anger and despair, its yellow eyes beseeching her. The Alpha spoke again, its voice firm but not unkind, and the defeated creature slumped in defeat, allowing itself to be picked up and solemnly carried away by two of its kin.
The winner strode into the cage, looking around and then its green gold eyes fell on Theo. She shrank away from it, raising her hand in a futile attempt to ward it off. "Now…now wait," she stammered, her voice shaking. "There's…there's no need for this. We can negotiate."
The creature tilted its head, and for a moment, Theo thought she saw a flicker of curiosity. It took a step closer, retracting its bloody spear into its more manageable length. Theo's heart hammered against her ribs as she searched for a way out of this nightmare. The creature's gaze never left hers, as if it was studying her, weighing her value.
"You…you should know…I'm…I'm not quite a spring chicken anymore," Theo managed to sputter out, trying to appeal to any shred of mercy or reason that might exist in this alien creature's mind. The young hunter cocked its head to the side, as if genuinely puzzled by her words. "If you're hoping for a baby, I'm…I'm not sure I'd be a good choice."
The creature's mandibles clacked, and for a second, Theo thought she saw a glint of amusement in its eyes. "Be…a…good…choice." It's voice was a raspy gurgle as it mimicked her words, almost mockingly. It took another step closer, and she could see the excitement in its pupils as it reached out to touch her. Theo flinched away, her mind racing.
"I…I can be useful to you in other ways, I went to medical school, I'm sure I can-" Komiskey's desperate words were cut off by the creature's hand snaking out and wrapping around her waist, lifting her off the ground with ease. The youngster carried her away from camp under its arm like a trophy, ignoring her feeble struggles and pleas.
The trek through the dense jungle was agonizing, her feet dragging through the mud and thorny underbrush as the creature's powerful strides ate up the distance. The alien's excitement grew with each step, its grip on her tightening as if afraid she would slip away. Theo felt like a ragdoll in its iron grasp, her mind racing with every step closer to her grim fate.
They arrived at a clearing, the jungle's canopy high above, revealing a patch of starlit sky. Theo took a deep breath, the stench of the creature's blood still lingering in the air. They were alone at least, just her and her new…best not try to label it. The creature set her down gently and turned to face her. It looked at her with an intensity that was both terrifying and fascinating.
The creature pointed up to the purple moon hanging low in the sky, making a strange, guttural sound that Theo couldn't begin to interpret. She looked up at the moon, the color was pleasing she supposed, but she didn't have the luxury to appreciate the view. The creature made a soft trilling noise, and a shiver ran down her spine. Was this some sort of mating ritual? She looked up at the moon, nodding.
"Yes…yes, it's quite a beautiful moon," Theo managed to murmur, her voice shaking with fear. The creature made another sound, this one deeper and more guttural, almost a purr. It stepped closer, and she felt the heat of its body against her, smelled the coppery scent of its blood and the musky odor of its scales. "There's…there's a lot of beauty here, I suppose," she whispered, trying to keep her voice steady.
The creature chuffed like a dog and picked at her waistband with a clawed finger, hinting at its intent. Theodora squeezed her eyes shut. This was not happening to her. Not like this.
"Okay…okay, listen, no just, just listen for a moment." Theo's voice was shaky, her eyes still tightly shut. "I can help you, I can. I'm a doctor, a scientist, not just…not just a…a breeder." The creature's clawed hand paused, and she took a deep, trembling breath. "You can't just use me like this," she continued, her voice stronger now. "You have to understand, there's a process, a way we do things."
"A…way…we…do…things." The youngster's voice was a gruff imitation of hers, the words chopped and poorly formed by its alien tongue. On the one hand, it's speaking of English had been pure imitation, generally of the last thing she had said but this time it seemed purposeful, as if telling her this was the way HIS people did things.
This was happening. One way or another.
She could fight, but she had seen where fighting had gotten Brooks. Theo took a deep breath and tried a different approach. "Look, alright, listen…I can…" Her gorge rose. "I can, no, listen, we can do…we can do this without hurting me, I can be…I'll cooperate if you just…" She extracted herself from its grasp. "Just…let me help."
Theodora reached up and unbuttoned her shirt, her trembling fingers exposing her bruised torso. The creature watched her intently, its mandibles clicking in anticipation. It leaned closer, its hot breath washing over her. Theo steeled herself, trying to find the strength to endure what was to come.
As she undressed further, she noticed the creature's gaze lingering not just on her body, but on the nicotine patch on her arm. It was almost white, spent and empty, but the alien seemed intrigued. "Nicotine," she whispered, the word sounding foreign on its tongue. It reached out a tentative claw and gently touched the patch, its curiosity piqued. Theo took a chance and spoke quickly. "This is from a plant on my planet. It helps with… stress, pain. It can calm you down. Really, I just use it because it's cheaper than real smokes in the part of the human sphere I just came from. You wouldn't believe the taxes Earth has put on them."
She didn't know if she was hoping she could talk her way out of the situation, but she had to try. The creature's touch on the patch was surprisingly gentle, almost tender. "See?" she murmured, "It's just… a patch. It's not… not a part of me." She peeled it off and offered it to the young hunter, who took it with a mix of curiosity and skepticism.
The alien sniffed it, then gently set it into a pouch hanging from its belt. Thinking for a moment it reached over to a satchel and pulled out a bone that looked like a vertebrae handing it over to Theo. The gesture was clear enough; it was an offering, a peace offering of sorts.
"Oh that's…that's sweet. For future reference though, I like sapphires. Or gold." Theo tried to force a smile, her voice shaking as she took the bone. The creature tilted its head again, studying her with its unblinking yellow eyes. "Okay…okay…fuck it…let's…let's do this."
She dropped her pants and underwear in the damp grass, the chilly night air raising goosebumps across her skin. The creature hesitated, staring at the dark thatch of hair between her legs with wide eyed confusion.
"What?" Theodora couldn't believe what she was seeing. "Well, you guys didn't exactly give me a chance to tidy up!"
The creature looked back in the direction of the camp, a whining gurgle building up in its throat. Theo took a deep breath, her mind racing. "Didn't they prepare you at all for this?" Theodora whispered, her voice laced with a mix of sarcasm and desperation. "How old are you?" She asked.
The creature looked back at her, took a deep breath as if steeling up its courage, and then reached for her with one of its clawed hands. Theo grabbed its wrist and held it firmly, staring into its eyes. "Look, just…here." She reached down for its belt and began to probe at what was likely a latch. "I think this'll go a lot smoother for both of us if you just let me…lead the dance."
The creature's eyes narrowed, but it didn't pull away, allowing her to unbuckle the thick leather belt. With trembling hands, Theo pulled down the codpiece and tried to make sense of the alien anatomy beneath. It was definitely male, that much she could tell, and the anatomy looked…compatible enough that she was fairly certain mating wouldn't cause physical damage as long as her Young Buck didn't get overly enthusiastic.
"Alright…alright we can…we can work with this," Theo murmured, standing she rested her hands on the Young Buck's chest, feeling the heat and muscles beneath the scales. "Just…just slow, okay, you need to-"
He pounced on her, knocking her to the ground. Theo's breath left her in a rush as the creature's weight pressed down, its scales digging into her soft flesh. Her eyes went wide with terror as it took her wrists in its clawed hands, pinning them above her head. She felt the pressure of its hips, the alien hardness pressing against her.
"No, no, no! Stop! Stop! STOP!" Komiskey screamed, her voice hoarse with fear and desperation as the creature's weight pinned her down. The Young Buck froze, maybe not understanding the words but the tone was universal. It stared at her, eyes wide with confusion. Theo took a deep, ragged breath, trying to regain some semblance of control. "Okay, okay, just…" She pulled her wrists free from its grip and placed them gently on the creature's shoulders, pushing slightly. "Just…gentle." She stroked its shoulders, let her hands slide up the side of its neck and then gently tickled the mandibles that clacked in response.
She reached down and gently placed her hands on the Young Buck's hips, guiding it, showing it the rhythm she wanted-needed. It took a moment for it to understand but soon it was moving in time with her guidance, its movements surprisingly gentle for such a powerful creature. Theo focused on her breathing, trying to ease the fear and revulsion.
"You know…it's strange…" She grunted between thrusts. "You're not even…the ugliest guy…I've been with." The creature didn't respond, eyes clouding with pleasure. "I…I never…never had…t-two guys…fight over me before, either."
The creature was young, inexperienced so it didn't last long. It reared up and roared as it emptied itself into her, the sound echoing through the jungle. Theo felt a strange mix of relief and disgust, but she didn't let it show. Instead, she gritted her teeth and focused on the stars above, trying to find some semblance of comfort in the beauty of the moon and stars.
The Young Buck collapsed on top of her, panting heavily. Theo waited for a moment, feeling the weight of its alien body, before it rolled off. She lay there, staring up at the stars, trying to process what had just happened. The creature snorted and trilled to itself.
Theodora tried to control her breathing as tears began to well up in her eyes. This was not how she had ever imagined her life would unfold. She looked over at the young predator, who was now lying next to her, its chest heaving with exhaustion. It seemed satisfied, and for the first time since her capture, she felt a brief moment of respite from fear.
She rolled away from it, onto her side, her breaths coming in short, pained gasps. "I want to go home." She whispered to nobody in particular. "I don't…" She sobbed, her voice barely above a whisper. "I don't know what I'm supposed to do now."
The creature stirred beside her, its eyes flickering open. It made a questioning noise, but she couldn't bring herself to look at it. "It's…it's nothing," she murmured, wiping the tears away with the back of her hand. "Just…leave me alone."
A hard, rough arm slid around her waist, pulling her into a surprisingly gentle embrace. The creature made a soothing noise, almost a purr. Theodora both wanted to throw the arm off of her and to never leave the comfort it offered. Her body felt bruised and used, but she was alive, and that was something. Sobbing quietly, she let herself lean into it, the warmth and weight a bizarre solace in the cold jungle night.
She awoke to the sound of hissing, clicking and, mercifully, human voices. She was laying in some kind of hammock supported by a metal frame, the green sunlit sky of Midnight peeking through the canopy above. Her head felt foggy and her body was sore, but she was alive. The Young Buck was nowhere to be seen.
"Morning, Doctor Komiskey." A familiar British voice drew her attention to another hammock about eight feet to her left. It was Khati Fuqua, her eyes red and puffy but alive. "Welcome to our little 'Mommy and Me' retreat."
Theo sat up slowly, wincing at the ache in her muscles. "Khati, you're alive?"
"Hmm." She shrugged. "Categorically."
Theo's eyes widened as she took in her surroundings. This camp was different than the one she'd been in the night before, around fifty hammocks hanging from metal frames that stretched out into the jungle. There were survivors from the colony, the women. They milled about, many them holding small squirming bundles of what she assumed were alien spawn.
"Are you okay?" Theodora's voice was barely above a whisper as she took in the surreal sight before her.
Khati offered a sardonic laugh, the kind that came from a place of deep pain. "I'm over the bloody moon, Theodora." She spat the words with a bitterness that made Theo's heart drop. Suddenly the blanket Khati had over her body squirmed and rose, a tiny squeaking sound coming from underneath. Khati pulled the blanket down to reveal a small, wriggling alien creature, a miniature version of the monsters that had brought them here. It had the same yellow eyes and scaly skin, but it was smaller, chubbier and lacking the harsh features of its elders. It's stumpy mandibles, lacking the wicked tusks of its kin, spread wide as it squeaked up at Khati. "What? What is it? I JUST fed you."
Theo felt her stomach churn. "What…what is that?"
"It's a big cosmic joke that YOU have a doctorate and I don't." Khati's voice was a mix of resentment and despair. She slid her hands under the infant's armpits and lifted the newborn alien up to her face, pressing the tip of her button nose to the infant's nasal ridge. "And YOU, what do you think you're doing being awake this morning when you kept me and your father up all night?"
The infant responded by wrapping its stumpy mandibles around her nose and attempting to suckle. The corner of Khati's lips twitched into a sad smile. "So you ARE hungry," she said, her voice softening. She pulled her head back and lowered the newborn to her chest, making sure it had a latch before throwing the blanket over the feeding newborn. "Little glutton."
Theo couldn't help but stare, her thoughts racing. "Is… is that… a baby? Your baby? That you gave birth to in that stairwell?"
"No, I'm pet-sitting," She said dryly, her voice thick with sarcasm. "If they picked you for your brains I have a feeling they're going to be disappointed." Khati's words stung, but Theo understood the pain behind them. She looked around the camp again, her stomach churning as she took in the sight of the other colonists, each with their own squalling alien infants.
"They keep us alive after…after we've given them what they want?" Theodora's voice was a mix of horror and disbelief.
"Well they're not going to take care of their own pups, are they? Those big strapping lads are busy fighting and hunting. This is a woman's work, after all," Khati said, her voice thick with irony. "Though if you want to see something funny, watch this." Khati took a deep breath and shouted. "Red! REEEEEEDDD! Where the bloody hell are you?!? REEEEEEEEE-"
A alien with red skin striped with gray emerged from the dense foliage, hissing in response to the call. The creature was slightly smaller than the Alpha but still older and more formidable than the Young Buck.
Khati held up a cup that looked like it had been molded from wood pulp. "More fruit please." Khati asked, shaking the cup to show its emptiness. The red striped creature stared at her a moment, clearly he had thought she was calling for something else, something more… immediate. Then it snatched the cup away with a hiss and retreated into the jungle to retrieve more fruit.
"Thaaaank yooouuuu!" Khati called out to the retreating creature, her tone mockingly sweet. The former research assistant rocked a bit, resettling the weight of the creature on her chest. "I shouldn't tease him like this. He's doing his best, the absolute cunt."
Theo's eyes widened. "What…what are we going to do?"
Khati sighed heavily, her absently ran her hand over the covered head of her alien offspring, the movement surprisingly maternal despite the creature's origin. "I'm just…trying to survive. We all are." She suddenly winced, and lifted the blanket. "What? What are you doing down there, you little…oh, you're just playing, aren't you?" Khati tucked her head into the blankett, hiding her face from Theo's view as she talked to the creature. "You're not even eating, you're just being a nuisance." Khati's voice became increasingly affectionate.
Theo heard a sound of a raspberry from underneath the blanket and the infant squealed in what Theo guessed was delight. Her stomach roiled at the thought of Khati playing with the creature, but she knew she couldn’t judge. These women were probably staying sane any way they could. The red-striped predator returned with a cup full with a fruit Theodora didn't recognize. He tapped Khati's head and she pulled her head out from the blanket with a smirk. "Thanks, love. Much obliged." She reached up and stroked one of Red's fleshy dreadlocks, and the creature shuddered, purring in satisfaction. It was…disturbing, but Theo could see the power in the gesture.
Red turned and left after staying a moment in case Khati made another request, leaving Theo and Khati alone again. "Prick…" Khati muttered, passing the cup to Theo. "It's good. And this is what we're fed. This or burnt, overseasoned meat. Sometimes some local fungi that's safe for us. I'd kill for some boiled cabbage or a cup of coffee right now but it's not the worst thing I've ever eaten."
Theo took a tentative bite of the fruit, the sweetness surprising her. She hadn't realized how hungry she was. The juice dribbled down her chin, and she swiped it away with the back of her hand, watching as the red-striped predator disappeared into the jungle. "Is Red your…did he father the…the that?" She pointed at the wiggling outline beneath the blanket.
Khati took a deep breath, trying to keep her emotions under control. "Yes."
"And my guess is…he didn't exactly give you a say in the matter," Theo said, her voice filled with quiet anger.
"You know, you've always had a knack for asking questions that have answers that are blindingly FUCKING obvious." Khati's voice was tight with pain. The infant began to fuss at it's mother's tone. She took a deep breath and tried to calm herself before addressing the creature. "Shh, no no, none of that my one and only love. Mummy's not mad at you, mummy could never be mad at you. You didn't do anything wrong." Her voice began to break. "None of this is your fault."
Theo felt a wave of anger wash over her, and she knew it wasn't fair but some of it was directed at Khati. "Khati, what the fuck are you doing? Talking to that…that thing like it's your baby?"
Khati's blue eyes glowered up at Theodora from beneath a furrowed brow. "You don't get it. You won't. Not for another nine or ten weeks." Khati's nostrils flared. "It's almost like a madness, maybe it is a madness, I don't know. Maybe they're drugging us, something in the food to make us love these little woodticks. Or maybe they just trust our instincts to outweigh our hate. Either way, you'll notice there aren't any guards around here. They don't need them. We'd fight to the death for these babies, and any thoughts we had about smashing their little skulls open as soon as they were born, well… they just… they go away."
It was warm out, but Khati felt her teeth start to chatter, gooseflesh bubbling up and down her arms and shoulders.
Khati tickled her baby's mandibles again, and the creature's squeaks grew louder, a strange mix of fear and fondness in her eyes. "There's no way out, Theodora." Khati whispered. "There's no escape, and even if you did. Where could you possibly go? I ask myself that sometimes, when I think about slitting Red's throat in the middle of the night and just…fucking running and getting away from this planet. Where could I possibly go? What's out there in the galaxy for me there could possibly be more important than this…" She stroked the baby's head. "This little shit? Nowhere. My home is where this child is, now and forever. This baby and any others that Red decides to gift me with." Her eyes filled up with tears.
"God, Khati." Theodora whispered, feeling a knot form in her stomach. "What are we going to do?"
Khati sniffed, wiping the tears from her eyes. "I think your breakfast is here." She nodded behind Theodora, who looked up to see her Young Buck standing behind her with a plate of food. Blackened straps of meat that stank of pungent herbs and spices, a neon yellow chunk of fungal growth and a pile of fruit that smelled faintly of burning rubber.
The Young Buck presented the plate with a hiss, his yellow eyes watching Theo expectantly. The smell of the food was overpowering, a mix of charred meat and bitter fungi that made her stomach turn.
Theodora looked back at Khati, jaw slack, tears falling down her cheeks but Khati had rolled away from her, humming to her child.
Somewhere in the camp, Miranda Reynolds began to scream in abject, absolute horror.
Theodora picked at her food. The Young Buck rubbed her back a little as she ate.
That made her feel a little better.
This was not meant for human consumption.
This story was partially inspired by the "Hope's Last Day" campaign module for the Alien RPG. It's its own retelling of the fall of Hadley's Hope, and one of the NPCs is a expecting chestburster momma named for the kindly frontier doctor we meet in River of Pain, Theodora Komiskey. Functionally the RPG character is actually more a mix of Fuqua and Reese, a contemptuous high ranking WeYu scientist who's been facehugged in the final stages of the HH invasion and runs into a group attempting to escape Acheron as her time starts to run out.
The Predator part of this manifestation of my brainrot came from two places. Predator: Forever Midnight, a novel notable for ditching the Yautja interpretation of the Predators for the Hish, who are depicted a cyclical hermaphrodite slavers. And Robert Rodriguez's original draft of the Predators script. Both are terrible.
I regret using Damien Brackett as a jobber.
I wrote this on my phone over the course of five hours.
Damn, this is really something! Crackfic for sure, but very well written crackfic. I was absolutely not expecting it to be predators; a lot of it caught me totally off guard
