Chapter 44 Infiltration Of The Perseus

             _ _ _3rd Person Pov_ _ _

"Oooooooh~" A relaxed sound echoed out as a male body flopped onto a rather soft looking mattress.

"You are laying in a bed, not getting laid, so stop with the fucking moaning already." The marine in the neighbouring bed hissed at the sounds his "friend" insisted on making.

"Screw you dude, I haven't slept in a bed for weeks, the least you could do is let me enjoy this a little bit." He chuckled as he stretched his body out with a smile across his face.

These two had been a part of the team who had "captured" the now contained violet Xenomorph. Thanks to their great "efforts" one of the objectives set by the higher ups had been completed leaving only one remaining before those planetside can be evacuated. As a reward for this success, the group in question had been given the chance to relax on the Perseus, at least for a little while before they had to return to the planet below.

"Whatever." The more stubborn of the two rolled his eyes before glancing at the third bed in the room with a questioning look on his face. "Anyway, where the hell is John?"

"No idea, however he did say that he had accidentally left something in the loading area and was going to go back and grab it real quick...I think that is what he said anyway." Was the reply he got as his companion continued to just enjoy the new accommodation.

"Shouldn't he be back by now?"

Hearing that question the more mellow of the two just shrugged without much concern. "He'll be fine, he probably just got a little lost as all." 

"Yeah, you're probably right..."

Unbeknownst to them, or anyone else from the ship in fact, their assumption wasn't correct in the slightest. To put it simply, their missing roommate knew exactly where he was going and was not even remotely close to being lost at the moment. Actually in fact, at this very moment the man in question was tapping on a computer terminal, he was seemingly attempting to open a nearby door.

Getting it open was relatively simple and once inside he moved with a single minded purpose. The room itself seemed to be some kind of storage area, however he didn't pay much attention to what was around him at all. Instead of that, he quickly walked over to a very specific container, one that was placed close to a ventilation shaft and looked exactly the same as those surrounding it.

(Good, no one is here to get in my way.) A smile spread across his face as he thought that. (Thankfully the cameras around here should already be taken care of as well.)

Not wasting any more time he made his way to a container at the back of the room. "Wake up now little ones, wake up." He hummed while pressing a button on the side of the box, a button that caused the top of said box to immediately click open. "It's time for your purpose to be fulfilled."

Glancing inside he grinned at the sight of several pale snake like creatures, of course they were Chestbursters, although one of them seemed different compared to the others. In fact this being had a much darker body with a differently shaped head, however the oddest thing was the fact that this Chestburster had limbs, six to be exact not counting the tail. In fact, unlike normal members of its kind, this one looked more like a small dog compared to the much more worm or snake-like appearance of its surrounding kin.

"For the queen I live, for the queen I serve, for the queen I die." He chanted as he tipped the container over allowing the creatures within to escape their confinement.

The normal Chestbursters quickly slithered out paying little attention to the man who had begun removing the grating around the ventilation shaft. The dog like Chestburster however was different, it moved more cautiously while also ignoring its siblings who seemed to surround it in a protective manner.

(Connection...bond...no control...) Fragmented thoughts echoed within the xenos mind. These weren't words however, instead they resemble complex feelings and desires, each of which had some intent and understanding behind them. (Yet...no hostility...strange...) 

The odd looking Xenomorph seemed almost confused as to the behaviour of her kin who despite not being hers to control did not attack or show aggression. She was even more startled when the strange two legged creature lifted her and her fellows up into an opening in a nearby wall. Despite knowing this thing wasn't even close to one of her own kind…something stopped her from lashing out at it, an echo in the back of her head she didn't quite understand at the moment.

Shaking off her confusion for now she and her siblings made their way deeper into this place made of iron and metal, at least until she came across something that caught her attention. Not far from her was a group of entities, almost immediately she could tell they resembled the two legged thing from before, however she did not feel any kind of connection to these ones.

(No bond...no connection...these ones...these two legged things...possible hosts...good...)

"Captain..." A hesitant voice sounded, a voice that could barely be heard through the metal walls.

She didn't understand what the words meant but something in the back of her mind told her to wait, to listen. "What is it marine?"

There were three of them, they weren't far from her actually, in fact they were uncomfortably close in her opinion. Of course she couldn't see them through the metal that surrounded her, however she could sense them, she could sense the energy given off by their movements, the electrical impulses given off by their very existence. Two of them held steel tools, they were "guns" the feeling told her, dangerous things she would need to be wary of in the future. The third one was different, they stood tall and straight, they lacked one of these "guns" but seemed to hold sway over the others.

(Submission...? Possibility...leader of two legged brood...would make good host...) She thought in her own animalistic way.

"This whole thing...it's...it's just..." One of the armed individuals tried to say only for his companion to finish the sentence for him.

"It doesn't feel right at all."

"I understand, believe me I do." The captain replied with a solemn tone in his voice. "Unfortunately we can't do anything about it right now, we just have to wait until we're given the order to initiate evacuations."

"What about the prisoners?" One of them asked all of a sudden. "After all, not everyone down their deserves to be vaporized with nuclear fire or used as a host for a newborn xeno."

"...For now? For now we have been ordered to leave them be." The captain sighed with a shake of his head.

"Damn it..." 

"There are fucking kids down there..."

"I know...I know..." He muttered while breathing a shaky breath from his lips.

With that the two legged things began to separate as they ended their conversation, a fact that left the Chestbursters in silence once again. And so the somewhat dog-like xeno began to move once again, her kin following closely behind. She made her way deeper into this maze of shimmering silver, her instincts driving her further forward. She needed to find an isolated place, somewhere secluded and far from prying eyes, where she could grow and mature.

As she and her little following continued however something caused them to stop in their tracks rather abruptly. <<Hear me little ones...>> A voice echoed within their mind, a voice they all felt a great and all consuming connection to. <<Listen closely now and hear your purpose...>>

It spoke to all of them in that moment, however its next words were meant solely for the apparent leader of their little group. <<From this day onwards you will be known as Navara, and the judge, executioner of all inhabitants vessel that find yourself within.>>

The newly named Navara didn't quite understand what was going on but she felt an overwhelming desire to listen and understand. She felt a need to do whatever this voice so commanded her to do, and despite not really knowing what having a name truly meant she felt a strange feeling at being given one. That feeling was pride, not that she understood this at the time but still.

<<Your mission is simple...>> The voice, which was clearly female, echoed once more within their minds. <<Stay out of sight, grow and mature, spread your brood prepare for the battle that is soon to come.>>

<<The being's on this ship will kill you the moment they realize are within their midst, so must move in secret, until ready that is.>>

That information brought a nervous feeling into the mind of Navara but the voice wasn't finished. <<Do not worry little one, their are allies amongst ranks that will help you the best they can.>>

<<Moving on however, once you are ready release your forces upon this ship, judge and capture those who may be of some use to me in my future endeavors.>> As the voice continued vague concepts of useful qualities and traits drifted into Navara's thoughts. <<As for the rest? Well, do with them as you so please.>> 

<<Prove yourself, conquer this place for me, kill everyone who gets in your way...>> And with that the voice was gone.

(Familiar...can sense connection...can sense bond...) Navara mused in contemplation. (Superior...?) She soon paused in thought at her own question. 

"Superior" that word just didn't sound right to her, especially when describing the voice she had just heard. (No...) she mused to herself, soon coming to a realization. (Mother...)

Meanwhile a certain reincarnated individual observed everything from deep within her hive, all the while she was slightly surprised by her offspring's greater intelligence compared to the others she had spoken to up until this point. Of course the irritating voice in the back of her head was not silent during this whole process.

(This reminds me of that one mission in Starcraft two, Heart Of The Swarm.) Carmen mused to herself as she watched the Queen Chestburster move deeper into the bowels of the Perseus.

[I'm surprised you had time to play games, after all you were never one to stay in a singular place for too long.] Goldy commented much to Carmen's irritation.

(Would you please stop looking through my memories...)

[Hey, I'm just saying you were quite the traveler back in the day.] Was his response, however he quickly continued. [Also, I've got to do something to pass the time, you're not exactly in a rush at the moment after all.]

[Anyway, how long until the final battle begins? Also, do you really think that putting your newest "pet" in charge of who dies and who doesn't is a good idea?]

(It's a test.) She huffed as if that explained everything.

(As for when it will all begin...) She mused to herself thoughtfully before shaking her head slightly and answering. (Soon...a few days at the very least...)

[This is going to be fun!]