A.N—Final chapter and it has been an absolute pleasure writing this fic, thanks to all your support and advice. To everyone who reviewed or thought about reviewing . . . thank you so much. You guys ROCK! I reeeeeally hope you like this finale. Oh, and I thank Arsenel for his ‘reminders’ and suggestions though many of you reviewers came up with some pretty good ideas!

But seriously . . . you guys are awesome. Thanks again. To all of you.

Enjoy!

000000000

Thousands. Hundreds of thousands. Thousands of thousands. Countless.

Oh sweet Mother.

As Sealink pressed her face to the cold glass, staring, she knew it was too late, for she had stumbled upon the truth. The human settlement above ground was just the tip of the iceberg. The rest of the humans lived underground. It was just like one giant underground catacomb, metal bars and contraptions with glowing lights linking each one to a centre platform in the middle. Even from her height Sealink could see the little shapes of the humans as they wandered about, walking about on the little catwalks and cement trails. With the same feeling as a patient who has received news that a disease that had progressed to long to be saved, Sealink closed her eyes.

It was too late. No Hive could conquer them. Perhaps if all three Hives combined full forces . . . but that was a fantasy. The Queens would rip each other apart—even the Truce was tentative. It would be so easy to fuel a fire between the two even with the threat of the humans.

What am I going to do? thought Sealink wearily, feeling too drained to care anymore. Exhaustion beyond her wildest dreams engulfed her, rendering her powerless. What am I going to do? What am I going to do? What am I going to do? her brain gibbered in a monotonous, wooden loop. Her tongue felt thick in her mouth. She could hardly mouth her thoughts into words, such was her desolateness.

Through the foggy haze of her confused brain a terrible screech echoed through her head. Sealink dimly turned her face along the glass to stare straight into the slavering and gore-flecked maw of the mad praetorian.

So it has triumphed over the human guards, she side-thought dazedly, her brain still numbed by her terrible find. It is still alive.

‘Well, DO something!’ her mind urged. ‘Fight back!’

But the blow that the humans’ existence was almost too great for her. (Not to mention she had been shot and her facehugger was dead.) Her mind screaming for her to get up and run or fight, Sealink watched as the mad Alien reared back upon its sinewy hind legs, unleashing a bloodcurdling skreeeeeee of defiance. Its hooked fingers were slathered with blood and curled into claws. Claws that would very soon end Sealink’s life. And as she stared up at this towering death with deer-in-the-headlights look, she knew this was it. She was going to die. No more after that. Death in oblivion, where her Mother would greet her. She sighed, too tired and burdened to care anymore.

‘Silly child,’ a voice chided in a mocking tone. ‘Are you going to give up so easily?’

“Mother?” Sealink mumbled, some of the fog clearing in her mind.

But as she turned to greet the other black shape hurtling toward her, her hail was cut off her lips as Zizar screeched, Down, Se!

The last of her confusion wiping away, Sealink ducked as the young warrior hurled himself at the other. Caught flat-footed by this unexpected flank attack, the old praetorian tumbled over, the roaring Zizar at its throat. But the mad one was still much bigger than Zizar and with a bawl of its own threw off the younger one, a hiss bubbling off its lips.

But Zizar’s claws were sharpened and his knife-tip honed to a razor, his armor sleek and burnished ebony—not flaky and grey from neglect. Swiftly Zizar threw himself at the blood-splattered other, his claws tearing and ripping. The other struck and tore just as furiously, jaws snapping gustily. Tails whipped and blood was spilt as fang smote fang. They circled like wolves, clashing together for a short, brutal moment before separating again.

All the while Sealink watched helpless, cursing her lack of physical body. Humans! Thrice accursed soft-meat bodies!

Suddenly the two heads collided as the two went head-to-head, their tendons straining in their legs as they battled for supremacy. Sealink watched the two dragons fight with wide eyes as her belovèd Zizar slid his tail deep within the other’s side, again and again. Acidic blood spouted out, the sizzle of acid burning away the floor and wall sharp in the ears.

“Drop back, Zizar!” cried Sealink, the blood squelching under her hand as her grip tightened on her arm.

Zizar heard her and immediately gave way, ceasing his resistance against the mad praetorian. Caught again off guard and too occupied with its multiple wounds to care what was being said between Zizar and Sealink, the praetorian flew forward. Its momentum caused it to crash into cement wall. It screamed its rage and hurt. Zizar saw his chance as he flicked his tail along the praetorian’s neck. When he pulled back, acidic blood dripped off his tip; the knife had not been idle.

It snarled terribly, its jaws wide and drool splattering the walls as it shook its head. But its snarl broke midmost into a tickling cough. Already stricken, he struck at the assailant and fought while life oozed away from him. Its blows and springs fell shorter and shorter together. Finally it slammed into the glass wall, ribbed sides heaving and its jaw unhinged, its breath rasping. Zizar rumbled deeply in his blacker-than-night chest, head held high, triumphant.

Die, you sad excuse for a foul-meat’s gibbet, he spat viciously. Teach you to mess with my Queen, he added under his breath, finally turning away from the quivering heap of barely living acidic meat.

“Zizar?” said Sealink in utter relief, despite the fact that a few minutes ago Zizar was nothing but a vicious killing machine, trying to hide her shaky voice. “Why are you here? I—but I didn’t call you—”

Damon and the others could sense you even in the Hive, Se! said Zizar as he prodded Sealink up with his smooth skull. His voice was filled with joy and relief that she was safe. He sounded so proud of himself when he crowed, Did you see me back there? I beat that old one! Did you see me? Did you?

“Yes, yes, shortstuff,” laughed Sealink tiredly, wincing as Zizar licked her bullet wound to the best of his ability. “But what about Damon and the others?

There was so much anger and when Damon sensed pain . . . well, here we are! Kaylon’s here too, ready to bring you ou—

The young warrior stopped abruptly as a figure stepped out through the shadows, it holding its weapon out in front of it. Sealink’s eyes widened. It was blue-eyed human! The one that betrayed her and forced her to remember that she was Alien! Traitor!

Zizar hissed threateningly, tossing his head like a bull just about to charge. Let the human try to take away his Queen a second time! Bracing his rear legs, Zizar lurched forward, a furious screech erupting from his throat.

“Zizar, no—!” cried Sealink in warning just as she noticed that the human’s finger on the trigger was pulled.

Too late.

Zizar’s head snapped back from the impact of the bullet. A chunk of his slick, hard head—right in the middle of his forehead if he was human—blew away, acidic blood spraying everywhere. From the power he slammed to his side, stunned and shocked. Sealink screamed in horror, bile rising in her throat, the sight of the facehugger rising briefly in her mind.

“ZIZAR!” Sealink skreeeeeeed, her breath coming out as a shrill, keening whistle.

But Zizar wasn’t dead as he pitched to his feet, half of his face blown off. He tried to hiss but it came out bubbly and broken. It rose into the most terrible cry Sealink had ever heard in her life—worse than the mad one’s even during the worse times—and she clapped her hands to her ears in attempt to block out the noise. The banshee cry rose higher and higher until Zizar suddenly cut his body up an air vent, leaving Sealink and the blue-eyed human alone.

“What have you DONE!” screamed Sealink, hot tears flowing down her cheeks as she stared at the bewildered human. “You killed him, you—you—YOU TRAITOR!” No curse in both yautja or Alien tongue seemed good enough. Nothing compared to this. Oh Zizar . . .

The human continued to stare at Sealink, as if confused at her reaction. It was indecisive whether or not it should go to her or not—Sealink’s arm was now covered with the tacky liquid.

But just as the human went to take a step forward the human garbled something in its tongue just before Kaylon appeared, silent and swift as a shadow, slicing him down the middle. The human toppled over, the hot jelly of its organs gushing everywhere. But Sealink ignored it as Kaylon landed in front of her. He offered her the quickest of nods.

Highness. Are you hale?

“Zizar—I saw him get shot—Kaylon—!” babbled Sealink, burying her head in the militant Alien’s shoulder.

He will follow upward to the surface, Kaylon interrupted, realizing this was the best time for once to cut his Queen off. (Of course, if he was a normal Xenomorph . . .) Quickly, my Queen—on my back. We must make haste to the surface and back to the Hive.

His quiet voice reminded Sealink of who she was and at once she pulled herself together.

“Yes, Kaylon,” she said, rubbing her tears almost vengefully off, as if she loathed them. With that, she climbed on the Alien’s back as if riding a horse, right between his four shoulder spikes. Without another word Kaylon leapt over the cooling remains of the once-trusted Blue-eyes. Sealink grimaced in pain as she had to huddle right next to Kaylon’s black exoskeleton since they were going up the air-vent.

It was black all around in the compressed tunnel. Sealink drunk in her mount’s familiar scent, taking comfort in the familiarity. Kaylon’s stealth and fluid movements of organic steel were so smooth that Sealink just couldn’t help it. All the weariness and burdens came pressing down on her—Zizar hurt, hope lost, facehugger dead . . .

She fell asleep.

0000000000

When Sealink awoke, she had to blink several times before she actually remembered where she was. But before she awoke, she closed her eyes and took one giant breath: trees, forest loam, wind, fresh air. None of that dry, musty smell crap. Home.

And what was home, Sealink? she thought to herself as she got up from the nest. What will be home? Think, Sealink, think. Sealink stretched like a cat and blinked the sleep from her eyes. By Mother, I wish for our own homeworld—just like the yautja, she thought a little jealously. They had a planet all to themselves! Why, when she was there . . .

Sealink slammed to a halt, eyes wide.

She walked down to the clearing after a few minutes, purpose in her stride, where the rest of the Hive waited solemnly for her arrival. A few lifted their lips at Sealink’s bullet wound (which the youngest of drones had been brought to fish it out with its tiny knife-tip—it flicked the bullet out) but said nothing.

Zaphara got up on her old haunches and bowed her elongated skull.

Welcome back, Queen. Any news?

As Sealink heard her question in her mind, Sealink fell quiet. Her mind drifted back to the insane praetorian that (even though mad) was still closer to the true Xenomorph than any Aliens in the clearing.

“I am back, Zaphara. All of you. My thanks.” Her eyes tightened and she suddenly switched to business mode, wasting no time. “Zaphara, Kaylon, Damon. Come with me.”

The drone and warrior bowed their heads and made their way to the customary knoll were Sealink usually went to to speak to them. Damon hefted to his feet and, rumbling lowly. By the time Damon actually settled down behind his mate, she had already started.

“I went in the human settlement,” she began quietly. “And found that there is no hope for us.”

Silence.

“We must leave this planet.”

At this Zaphara hissed, But how? We already thought about leaving this place but disregarded it . . .

“Not just leave ‘here’, Zaphara. Leave entirely,” Sealink replied, firmness in her voice.

How, my Queen? We ourselves do not possess any human crafts of such ability, pointed Kaylon.

We don’t. But the yautja do, rumbled Damon mildly, earning himself a look of amazement from Sealink.

“You knew?”

How could I forget, dear one, her mate said dryly, about the fateful capture and our return in the foul meats’ craft?

Once again Sealink’s fierce love for her strange mate seized her. Her Damon. He could always by counted on to amaze her.

“I say we bring our Hive into the ship and leave here for good. Take provisions what we can. As soon as possible. Then leave.”

What about the alliance, Queen? pointed again Kaylon, shifting his weight on his haunches.

Sealink took a deep breath. She had been thinking about this for a long time.

“I will start a war between them. all. Let the humans have this planet—it’s not like its going to be any use to us anyway.” Her voice hardened. “For I am Queen of the Northern Territories, and my name shall be known. If I am to follow in Queen Mèlintèlinas’s footsteps, then I must prove my cunning. My only purpose is for the Hive—and none others.”

Both Kaylon and Zaphara bowed their heads at their matriarch’s decision. Never had Sealink sounded so much like Mèlintèlinas—and it made them prouder still to serve under their strange Queen.

“Zaphara—you will be in charge of collecting provisions. Have the drones hunt when can be hunted. I will preserve them on the ship. Kaylon—round them all up and bring them to the ship. Damon will show you the way.”

For the last time they bowed their sleek elongated skulls and left Damon and Sealink. Sealink sat down on the knoll, feeling a terrible weariness.

Spoken like a true Queen, commented Damon as he gently nibbled the curve of her neck with his secondary maw.

Sealink gave a tired smile. “Do you know how long it’s been since I have wanted to hear that, Damon?”

You waited that long? the King rumbled softly. Even when you’ve been told that all along but not through words?

“What about you, Damon? Have anyone told you that you were a true King?”

A shoulder moved: perhaps a shrug.

Kings are rare occurrences. As far as I can see, I am acting just as a King should, he said in his deep, mellow voice.

A little guiltily, Sealink couldn’t help but imagine what Damon would look like in full battle mode, with battlecry surging through his throat and blood dripping down his maws in ropes. She couldn’t explain it—perhaps it was the fact that she had seen so many of her Xenomorphs show a side that she never knew existed, and it made her wary . . . just a tiny bit.

But Damon was as loving and supportive as always (another prime example of how not-Alien he was!) and Sealink loved him for that.

“Remember the way back to the ship, my hunter?”

If I remember correctly, the mighty Alien rumbled, it was always ‘little hunter’. He was met with a light punch to his jaw. But yes, I do.

“Will it be still operational? I mean, I don’t want it to break down on me when we try to start it up.”

It will work. But will you remember how those yautja taught you how it works?

“What is this, a battle of questions?” growled Sealink, a ghost of a smile on her weary face. “I will. I could never forget that.”

Her smile faltered.

“Damon . . . did you see Zizar?”

At this, Damon’s mellow mood vanished as he looked away, his claws digging deep trenches in the soil.

He is terribly hurt, Sealink. Badly hurt.

Her heart squeezed painfully and her throat compressed. She swallowed thickly.

“How bad?”

Bad.

Sealink nodded to herself, lost in thought and quiet. Damon did not break it, and King and Queen watched out across the knoll to the Hive. The crystal waters rippled and the lake of blue for the dome for the sky shone. The trees rustled their leaves, still green and full from the summer. Never had everything seemed so beautiful and peaceful. Sealink would be glad when she would leave this planet, she discovered. Too many memories of what happened and . . . what will happen.

“When the Aliens from the other Hives come, I want you to take the Hive to the ship. I’ll . . . I’ll . . . I’ll meet up with you,” she whispered lamely.

Damon didn’t look at her.

Know the way?

“I will.”

Very well.

00000000

Damon grunted as he lifted himself on his hind legs, like a T-Rex. He suddenly stiffed. The delegates are here.

“Good. Might as well get this over with,” sighed Sealink as she too got up. All the members of the Hive turned their heads and stared curiosity and suspiciously at the two new Xenomorphs. They were called ‘runners’, or so to speak, because their shape was suited perfectly for ‘running’ over long distances. Instead of having long and sinewy arms and elegant hindquarters and hind legs, they had all four limbs long and muscular—perfect for long distances.

They both bared their fangs are several of the closest drones and one of them quivered its lip when Kaylon stalked up to them, stiff-leggèd and menacing.

“Leave them, Kaylon,” Sealink ordered, walking straight up to the two delegates. She eyed the two of them, sizing them up.

“I am the Northern Queen, Sealink. Tell me what Queen Skaléétéhillémékuhm and Queen Imárikákinjiá sent for reply.” Her voice brooked no emotion, no feeling, no nothing.

Both kept their silver teeth bared as one said, Queen Skaléétéhillémékuhm will send five hundred drones.

Queen Imárikákinjiá will send three hundred drones, droned the other, tail flicking.

Sealink’s eyes betrayed no feeling and her voice remained cold when she said, “I have a message to both your Queens: Queen Mèlintèlinas’s lands are for dispute. I, Sealink, will remove my Hive from this territory. They may divide these lands as they wish. As for the human Hive . . . their number is now far too great. Do you understand?”

They both creaked their jaws open and closed them slowly.

Yes.

Yes.

No questions, no curiosity. Their purpose was to return to deliver the strange Queen’s words, nothing more. Let the Queens decide what course of action would be taken. And with that, they both left from the direction they came from. Sealink watched them go dispassionately. Now THAT will definably start a war between the two Queens. More territory for themselves? They would kill to have that, no question about it. If thought about it, Sealink had actually triumphed over both Queens. And even if they joined forces (unlikely) the humans would most surely succeed thanks to their weaponry and cunning rather than over mindless actions.

Damon and Kaylon looked over to where their Queen continued to stare off into space. Damon watched her for a moment longer, feeling torn in two. Should he stay and talk to Sealink, or should he leave her to face whatever was bothering her alone? In the end he decided against sharing tongues and began to head toward the pine tree section of the forest, drones burdened with deer and birds and wild fruit in their jaws and Kaylon taking up the rear.

After a long moment, they were gone, and Sealink remained where she stood.

000000000

Sealink walked through the woods, her mind mulling and expression wooden. The sunlight streamed down between the tree branches above her. Chickadees sounded above her, invisible. The fresh smell of forest loam was thick in her senses.

But not thick enough to hide the sharp tang of acidic blood.

Am I right in doing this? she thought to herself as she pushed away the layers of bushes.

Her breath felt knocked out of her as she gazed upon her friend.

“Zizar . . .”

Infection had settled in and begun to swell inside the hard carapace. Acidic blood continued to leak out of the half-mashed face into the young warrior’s jaw and into his mouth. It smelt bland and yellow—like the horrific suppurating wound. Zizar s a spasm gripped him. He moaned through his clenched teeth, a low and hissing sound. He looked around blindly at the hushed sound of his name. His ‘sight’ must be damaged by whatever he had been hit with, Sealink thought sorrowfully. She had to swallow the thick lump in her throat as she saw Zizar try to stand, but instead his coordination and control over his hind legs must have been damaged as well since he couldn’t do more than quiver.

Se? Is . . . that . . . you? Zizar asked laboriously, turning his terrible face this way and that, groping.

“Yes, my strong warrior. I’m here,” she whispered as she knelt down in front of the Alien, not risking burning off her hand with so much putrid acidic blood on Zizar’s face.

Se . . . did I . . . fight good? Did . . . I? he hissed, each word drawn painfully out of him.

“Yes. Like a true warrior and fighter,” she said fiercely, eyes over-bright. “Damon would have been so proud. Kaylon’s so proud of you, Zizar.” Her voice broke at the end and she had to swallow tightly.

Se? I hurt . . . all over . . . are we going . . . to war with . . . He had to pause against the pain, one of his hind legs shaking violently. The humans?

“Enough of that talk, sweet Zizar. You should . . . you should rest now.”

Yes . . . rest. So tired . . . Zizar struggled to get up but remained pitched to his heaving side. Sealink had to look away for a moment, her resolution now steel-hard. She remember bitterly when she had looked at the mad praetorian and thought about how it was amazing at what Aliens could survive through.

But did Zizar deserve to survive through this? He was a fighter and warrior. He would loose his mind if he could not see or move or hunt for himself or roam around free. And even if he was kept comfortable his muscles would shrivel and wounds would fester at the soft parts of his exposed flesh if he didn’t move. Not to mention his days filled with pain . . .

Se?

“Yes?”

Did I fight well?

Sealink smiled down sadly at her friend as she gripped her other spare dirk.

“Like a tall friend, sweet Zizar.” Sealink felt a hot tear drip. “Sleep well.”

Quickly and expertly Sealink made a long cut along Zizar’s throat. Zizar coughed once as the blood spurted out from his body, but he didn’t feel any pain. Rather, it was like she pulled a drain to release all the pain. Sealink continued to watch over her friend, still too numb to cry.

Se? murmured Zizar as he settled his head in the soft moss, I . . . I . . .

He was still thinking over what he was going to say before he died.

The End

000

puppy eyes

Reviews?