Chapter 2 Gifts?

(I can't do this...) I thought to myself as I realized that the only way out of this place was through the chest of the poor bastard I was currently living inside of.

[You must, you can't stay here forever after all.] He was right...but I couldn't stop that voice in my head screaming that this was wrong. [However, if it makes you feel any better the person you are currently inside of is not innocent, he is a murderer, he is someone who killed his own kin for wealth.]

(You know...you know I haven't asked but who exactly are you anyway?) I asked out of curiosity but also to try and take my mind off what I had to do if I wanted out of here.

[I am one of the Ten Administrators Of Chaos that help in the management of Alternatives, most people simply call me Gold or Goldy. My job is to help provide logistics and answer questions, I am also in charge of finding and instructing new potential Alternatives.] The newly introduced Goldy mused, he sounded rather proud of himself.

(That's interesting I guess...) At this point there wasn't much that could really surprise me anymore. (Anyway, is there anything else I should know before I...before I kill this poor bastard?) I asked, the words getting stuck in my throat somewhat.

[There is one thing, consider it an apology given to new potential Alternatives for the stressful situation they are unwillingly put into.]

(What is it?) I asked with interest.

[As you are not yet an Alternative you may not use the store as well as other restricted functions and features, however as a possible candidate you may choose two free Gifts from a pre generated list.] Goldy explained and I couldn't help but look a little puzzled.

(Gifts?)

If I could actually see him I'd think he'd be smiling now as he continued. [Gifts are special powers that can be bought with Reward Points. Normally you would need to travel to the Nexus or one of the many outposts that are under the banner of Chaos in order to buy such things, however you can not do that at the moment.]

(So you are basically giving me two superpowers for free?) I asked, managing to sound a little excited.

[In a sense, yes]

I was now very interested but had just one last question to ask. (What's the Nexus?) 

[I can not tell you that until you have become a fully-fledged Alternative.] This was the first time he had refused to answer one of my questions and I could only accept it, even if it was a little annoying.

(Okay...I guess.)

[Now then, you may choose two Gifts from this list, the abilities given were selected based on your current situation and race, they are also all grade C or lower.] The moment he finished speaking a massive list of abilities was projected into my mind.

There were a lot of options but like Goldy said they were all based around some aspect of abilities that xenomorphs had. For example, the ability to generate acid from nothing or the ability to alter the evolutionary path of certain offspring.

It took me a while of looking through them all but eventually I found two I liked and believe would help me down the road. "Can you show me more about these two?"

[Affirmative.]

[//Name: Hive Dominance. 

//Type: Growth

//Rank: 1

//Grade: C

//Effects:

Effect 1: Creates a hive mind like network that the user is fully connected to and in control of. Allows for the slow indoctrination of non hive mind members as well as better control over naturally born hive members. Telepathic communication between the user and indoctrinated individuals is also possible. Current limit of indoctrinated individuals: 0/100.

Effect 2: LOCKED.

Effect 3: LOCKED.

//Notes: The higher the individual's will and mental strength compared to the user's the harder it is to succeed with the subjugation, in fact it is very possible for someone to completely stop the domination attempt with enough mental fortitude.]

[//Name: Hive Possession.

//Type: Growth

//Rank: 1

//Grade: D

//Effects: 

Effect 1: Allows the user to temporarily take control of the body and mind of anyone or anything that they are connected to via the hive mind.

Effect 2: LOCKED.

//Notes: If a possessed being dies while under the control of the user a penalty in the form of a psychic backlash will be inflicted, the severity of the backlash will increase with every consecutive death but will return to normal given time.]

I picked these for different reasons. Starting with Hive Dominance, it would not only allow me greater control over other xenomorphs but also allow me to build a group of human followers that were loyal to me. I didn't like the idea of brainwashing people but I wanted to live, I wanted to survive and so unfortunately I had to cast my ethics aside for now.

Moving on, Hive Possession was vital in my opinion. If I was going to kill the big bitch herself I would need my own swarm, I'd have to become a queen myself, even if the thought made me feel somewhat nauseous. Unfortunately that meant I wouldn't be able to move around much, also I'd rather not be stuck in the body of a literal egg factory for however long this took. But anyway you get my point, this ability was important for both future strategy and my own sanity.

(These two, I pick these two.) I decided after a moment of reading through them.

[Understood, beginning download now.]

(What?) Was all I got out before a wave of information crashed into my mind.

It wasn't painful mind you but it wasn't what I would refer to as a "pleasant" experience either. Thankfully after several long seconds of my head feeling like it was about to explode things settled down allowing me to take a minute to go over everything I had learned.

(That...that was a rush and a half...) I muttered as I tried my best to understand the information that had been jammed into my head.

[We apologize for any discomfort.]

(Again with the automated messages...) I would have rolled my eyes if I could. 

It was then that I realized something, something that made my heart sink. (It's time huh...)

[You are feeling stressed, why?] He asked, he sounded concerned for me but I could hear the slightest amount of sarcasm in his voice.

Deciding to ignore that fact I just continued talking. (I'm about to kill someone...I'm about to kill someone in a really horrific way.) 

[Like I said, he is a rather horrid person, you do not have to feel sympathy for people like him.] I was really hoping Goldy wasn't lying when he said this.

(Still...still it doesn't feel right.) I sighed before steadying myself. (Okay...I'm ready.)

The next couple of seconds were agonizing, for both me and my unwilling host. My will to live was contradicting my desire not to kill some random person I didn't even know. Unfortunately for the poor bastard my self-preservation mixed with my new body's instincts won out over my humanity. I tried to make it as quick as humanly possible, however it took longer than it probably could have because I wasn't used to my new form. I felt sick to my stomach as I burrowed my way out, the muffled screams and the slowly quieting heartbeat didn't help the situation either.

Eventually however I was free and the unlucky son of a bitch was finally put out of his misery. The moment I was out I was tempted not to look, to just pretend that what had happened was nothing more than a figment of my imagination, a bad dream that was nothing but fiction...but I couldn't do that...I...I just couldn't do that. The least I could do was look at my handy work, I considered it me punishing myself in some small insignificant way. 

And god was it a gruesome sight indeed. I could see his torn apart rib cage as well as several organs that had been ripped apart when I violently broke my way out of his body. Anyway, it was so horrible that I looked away almost immediately afterwards, thankfully there were a lot of things to distract me from what I had just done.

I was in some kind of testing chamber, more specifically I was trapped inside of a containment capsule that was attached to the now very dead guy's chest. The room outside my new confinement was completely made of metal except for the two windows on the north and west walls.

(Fucking hell...) I cursed when I noticed the blood covering my now snake-like body. (Just...just ignore it for now...) I muttered, I felt like I was about to have a panic attack but managed to calm down somewhat.

It took me a little more time to get my bearings, long enough for the big armoured door in the corner of the room to open and four people who looked like your typical scientists to file in one after the other. Surprisingly however I was able to almost sense them long before they even entered the room, that had something to do with xenomorph biology I guess. Anyway, I did try and break out but quickly realized that wasn't going to work, it was also probably a stupid idea considering how weak and easy to kill I currently was.

[It will get easier, after all in this violent omniverse all that matters is survival, if you hesitate you die]

(Why are you still here?) I hissed somewhat while trying my best to control my irritation.

[What do you mean?] He asked only serving to annoy me more.

(You can read my mind, why do you even need to ask why?)

[Where is the fun in knowing everything?] That...that made a little sense I guess.

I sighed before just deciding to come out and ask. (If this is a test then why are you helping me?)

[I'm not, I am simply observing you. I am not allowed to physically help you in any way, however communicating with you, giving you non restricted information as well as mental support is not prohibited.] 

(Alright then...)