Aliens: Brood War

ORIGAE-6

The light Shaw, Walter, and the Engineers had been waiting for blinked on and all of them tore off running. Since he had a literal map in his head and could react fastest, Walter was in the lead. Right behind him was Shaw, then Rembrandt, and Wolfgang was last.

Further ahead, just down the corridor, Walter spotted a terramorph.

The creature was just standing there as it was in a state of shock by losing its connection with the queen. This telepathic link was not needed or required to function, but once made would be detrimental if lost. A severing of this cord sent a wave of disruption throughout the colony that would last roughly five minutes.

"Keep going," Walter said. "Do not stop!"

Shaw barely heard Walter. It hardly registered, because despite whatever he was saying, she was only focused on the instructions she had been given, and that was to run like hell.

Right as they passed the creature, Walter yelled out again, this time a little more forcefully to beat it in Shaw's head. "Keep going! Do not stop!"

It was a good thing too. Out of the corner of her eye, Shaw saw the terramorph. She slightly flinched and screamed as she passed it. The only thing that ran through her mind at the moment was to keep going and not stop.

The terramorph didn't react in any way to the living meat sacks that passed by within arm's reach. It remained in place, frozen like a statue. At the moment, one could do a hula hoop dance in front of it and not get a reaction.

The Geneomorphs were suddenly having a field day. To them, the terramorphs just didn't fight back for some reason. They had already made some progress in their natural goal, as little as it was, but now, in the time they would have, they'd make a great stride in decimating the enemy's numbers.

Emerging from the Seeder, Walter immediately spotted the Avellan, Mic waiting right outside the door with a gun in hand.

Mic waved the group on. "This way," he yelled. "Hurry!"

Shaw could barely see the ship with Walter directly in front of her. She kept telling herself that no matter what, to just keep following him. As she crossed the field to the ship, she could see a terramorph here and there standing perfectly still.

Mic opened the door to let everyone in just as the terramorphs began to come to their senses. Once inside he hurried to the flight controls.

Shaw had entered and stood by to close the door after everyone was in. She spoke into her radio. "We're all in, Mic. Punch it!"

A terramorph that was close by, had come to its senses and latched onto the Avellan as it rose off the ground. It naturally, and unknowingly, attempted to crawl in through a thruster.

Mic then engaged the engines to full power for a rapid ascent, the terramorph inside the thruster stood no chance and was blown out the nozzle by the force of the ship.

Shaw fell back against the bulkhead and dropped to the ground in tears. "I can't believe it," she said. "We made it."

Walter spoke to the Engineers and received a response after asking if they were ok. He then kneeled beside Shaw. "Everyone says they are fine," he said. "Come, sit over here." he continued saying as he helped Shaw to a chair. "It is over now."

It only took several minutes for the Avellan to reach space and then dock with the Covenant. Daniels and Tennessee waited by the door as it opened. They simply looked in and spotted the Engineers, which caused them both to flinch.

"Holy...," Tennessee cried out. "Aliens?"

Walter stepped forward. "It is alright," he said. "They are friends of ours."