King of the Hive

Chapter 14: Engaging the Enemy

Nine groups. Each composed of two humans and two Xenomorphs equipped with at least one motion tracker designed by Jason himself. Alistair and his group swept their part of the forest with their guns, scanning the area for any signs f hostile movement. The motion tracker beeped from time to time, making the group tense and swing their guns around frantically, but it always turned out to be a small bird or rat. Alistair shook his head and moved back to Kuala.

“We’ve been out here for a couple of hours, still no sign of them. Maybe they’ve all gone back to their ship and are waiting for nightfall?” Kuala sniffed the air.

“You’re right. I haven’t smelled any so far either... we should storm their ship then, they will not expect that.” Alistair nodded and was about to respond when his radio crackled to life. Bursts of gunfire.

“Shit, Alistair! Get back here... (gunfire) They’re attacking the village... (gunfire) Outnumbered! (screams) Hurry!” then static filled the air. Everyone was staring at him with wide eyes.

“Go go go!” he yelled and started sprinting back towards the village. There were at least twenty of the aliens there, with a few more dead bodies scattered around, though that isn’t to say there were only Predator bodies. Kuala screeched and leaped onto one, receiving a ball of blue energy to the chest for her troubles. Her acid blood sprayed out and melted a nearby human’s face off. All the other teams returned in a hurry and the all out war started. Alistair rushed towards one of the Predators and stuck his knife in its neck. It roared and bashed him aside with its arm. Kuala screamed in range and started ripping it to shreds. Alistair picked himself up and started gunning down as many as he could see, not doing as much damage as he’d hoped. Their armour was tough. Just as an Xenomorph managed to stab one through the chest, another came up and split that Xenomorph’s head open with its resilient wrist-mounted claws. Advena and Ostea were fighting back to back, swiping with their claws and hacking off limbs with their tails. The Predators had had the upper hand since the start though, so soon there was only a small group left, completely surrounded by their enemies. Alistair’s gun clicked empty, so he dropped it and unsheathed the Katana he’d scavenged off a fallen human’s body. He was grabbed by the neck and slammed onto the ground, almost crushing his windpipe. “I’m sorry Kuala,” he thought to her as he struggled to pry free of the Predator’s grasp. The Predator was blasted to pieces by the last remaining munitions of someone’s Pulse Rifle, allowing him to gasp for breath on the ground. Kuala appeared at his side. She glanced around the battle field and saw a raggedy group of humans with only knives left, and some didn’t even have that. The Xenomorphs left were injured and exhausted. One even collapsed to the ground and passed out right there.. Kuala looked back to Alistair and gently cupped his cheek.

“I love you...” she told him as she kissed him for the final time.

“I love you too.” Suddenly, their make-out session was interrupted by a large shadow looming over them. Alistair screwed his eyes shut and waited. There was an Xenomorph scream and Alistair shuddered. The shadow disappeared. Thumps and screams that were neither human nor Xenomorph could be heard. Finally, Alistair opened his eyes, confused as to why he wasn’t dead. He gasped as his eyes fell on a huge Xenomorph; a Praetorian.

“Did ya... miss me?” Jake chuckled. A terrified Predator tried shooting  him, but he batted it aside with the sickening crack that came with breaking bones. “The last thing I want to come home to after a day and a half of re-forming bones and cocooning myself in slime is a bunch of good-for-nothing alien bastards killing my friends!” he roared as he ripped another apart. Jake glared at the last Predator, who was holding Advena by the neck. The creature was just standing completely still and watching Jake intently, scared for its life. Jake brought his massive face right up to the Predator’s. “That’s my wife you’ve got there,” Jake informed it. It immediately dropped Advena and started sprinting. Jake yawned and tripped it over with his tail. He picked it up by the legs and dangled it in front of his face. He smirked evilly. “I wonder what your offspring would look like if we implanted you with an embryo...” Advena hugged him, or as much of him as she could.

“It can be our first host for our first child!” she squealed in excitement. “Because I’m going Praetorian too, right? Ooh, is that why you went away? To surprise me? You’re the best Jake!” She hugged him tighter. Ostea rushed over and joined them.

“Me too?” she asked hopefully. Jake chuckled.

“Of course.” Alistair and Kula watched them. Alistair chuckled and pulled Kuala closer, making her yelp in surprise, then purr as they embraced.

“We made it,” Alistair whispered.

“We made it,” Kuala agreed as Alistair passed out in her arms.