Alien vs Predator: A Frozen Hell

[Villani]

There was a moment of adjustment for Kingston as she went from a nightmare scenario to the relative safety of the Commons. She wary of the Xeno above her, unsure how determined the beast would be in its chase. She was tempted to take a quick shot with the SADAR, but the memory of the first explosion was too fresh. Who knew how much damage she'd do to the building? Chances were she'd just be opening the place up to the Xenos like a can of sardines.

Her rise was sluggish, her parts reminding her that they did indeed have their limits. The launcher went back in its case, too dangerous to use inside. Weapon case in hand, Kingston headed for the garage. Ambrose had likely moved there after seeing her off. She'd receive orders from him. Perhaps she'd take to the garage roof if she couldn't immediately locate any officers and take another pot shot at the Giant.

Marines, pt XV.
Kingston strolled out into the hallway, breifcase in hand. She was moving so quickly she almost failed to notice the pool of red on the floor.
When Kingston stepped into the brightly lit corredor, blood splashed up on to her shoes.
Her analyzation was quick and precise. It was human blood...

Blood trailed away from the pool across the slickened, white corredor. The trail winded down the long hallway and rounded a corner, out of sight.
Kingston immediatly felt the equivelent of a sinking feeling in her gut. The gore made her cringe, knowing that she failed to protect a human. The breifcase went limp in her hands as she heard a scream echo from down the hall. Kingston immediatly recognized the voice pattern.

The scream belonged to Ambrose...

 

[Orlanth]

Gadaba ef Carnd Nork - Stalker of Pray

Predator, pt XXII.
Gadaba hurled the beast over his shoulders with great strength. The Preatorian fell to the ground with a great THUD!
As it attempted to get to its feet, Gadaba thrust the staff into the beast's fleshy neck. The tip plunged deep into its throat, spraying gouts of thick acid into the snow.
The Preatorian screamed as it wriggled around in the snow. Gadaba pressed his staff down deeper untill the tip ripped through the back of the throat.
The Preatorian's cries stopped as blood filled its chest cavity. It's twitches ceased as the hunter pryed the staff from the corpse.

With another guard out of the way, Gadaba was another step closer to the alpha...

Gadaba looked at his whrist, both blades on both arms melted away, his body armour was all but gone, and with his mask smashed, his Plasma caster was useless. He had his staff and spear gun left.

He looked to his right and sore a Preatorian fighting Thei-de, who was having trouble with the royal guard. Gadaba raise his staff and changed after it.

 

[Vixandra]

Nan-de

Predator, pt XX.
The response to Nan-de's transmission was almost instantaneous. Inside her mask, a generated diagram filled her visor. The graphic was entirely three-dimensional and highly detailed.
Nan-de watched the garage enlarged as the ship zoomed in. The screen halted its piloting when three very visable heat sources appeared in the doorway of the garage. They were humans obviously, but what were they doing?

Secure in our tower, I looked at Haj. "Keep this tower clear. Do whatever it takes, my Blooded kin but keep this tower clear."
As he went to do as I'd asked, I turned my attention to the courtyard below us. I flicked a pair of retraction springed shikuren into my hands and sent them flying in alternate waves, left then right. They were too sharp to run more then two at the same time. But they'd retract from a further distance then the standard ones so I put them to work, picking off the K.A. near my Blooded kin. I saved my javalins with thier exploding tips for later. For these drones they'd be over kill. For the guards, they'd be more then enough. But the big thing, that giant thing that I'd seen earlier was out here some where.
I sent a quary back to the ship with orders for the AI to find it and went back to work.
I was thankful for my cloak as acid splattered around me as my blades returned to my hands and went back out. I was careful not to hit the strange contraptions were white hairy things were wearing. As if it would make them as good as even the least of the us, I thought with a snort before watching one tear into a K.A. with projectiles. Okay, maybe as good as the least of the Yajuta but not on level with my party.

I watched the last Pretorean fall as I cleared another critter from behind the guys. I had a clear shot at the Alpha though I knew it wouldn't last long. I took the shot, safe from hitting any of my people but if something else, alien or white fleshoid thing turned wrong...

 

[MeikaBeans]

The scream meant Ambrose might still be alive - or that Kingston was moments too late. She couldn't ignore the life at stake, especially since it was an officer's. Who knew how many were left? The soldiers needed a chain of command, a definite leader to tell them how to combat the bugs. They'd need a leader to organize them in the aftermath.

The briefcase was dropped, it's heavy splash sending tiny ripples through the pool of blood. The SADAR was useless and would only slow the synthetic down as she took off. A point was made to avoid the blood. Such a gory hazard slowing her down was absolutely unnecessary at the moment. She needed to save Ambrose from... From what? The Giant was outside, of course. The marines were handling the Xenos from the garage (With some success, if she were to gauge from the roaring guns she had heard closer to the garage.). Narrowing down the list of suspects, the synthetic scowled.

The Predator.

The hunter had begun its killing spree, even in the midst of this battle between human and bug. She was responsible for any deaths that occcurred it the beast's hands, responsible for Ambrose. Kingston's simple ethics propelled her faster, had her charging after the scream and the trail of blood. She'd been through enough already, without this wretched monster appearing and reappearing to taunt her and make the situation worse. Kingston was pissed.

 

[Villani]

Gadaba looked at his whrist, both blades on both arms melted away, his body armour was all but gone, and with his mask smashed, his Plasma caster was useless. He had his staff and spear gun left.

He looked to his right and sore a Preatorian fighting Thei-de, who was having trouble with the royal guard. Gadaba raise his staff and changed after it.

Predator, pt XXIII.
Gadaba charged towards the creature with his staff in the air. He bellowed out a glorious war cry as he approached.
Tar'nithkis spotted the hunter across the field. He called out to him with urgency.

"Gadaba, we could use a hand over here!" The arbiter cired as he dodged a swooping tail.
"Anytime would be great!"

Gi'this sniffed the air and immediatly picked up the approacher's musky scent. The hive champion curled his tail up at his side, waiting...

 

[Villani]

The scream meant Ambrose might still be alive - or that Kingston was moments too late. She couldn't ignore the life at stake, especially since it was an officer's. Who knew how many were left? The soldiers needed a chain of command, a definite leader to tell them how to combat the bugs. They'd need a leader to organize them in the aftermath.

The briefcase was dropped, it's heavy splash sending tiny ripples through the pool of blood. The SADAR was useless and would only slow the synthetic down as she took off. A point was made to avoid the blood. Such a gory hazard slowing her down was absolutely unnecessary at the moment. She needed to save Ambrose from... From what? The Giant was outside, of course. The marines were handling the Xenos from the garage (With some success, if she were to gauge from the roaring guns she had heard closer to the garage.). Narrowing down the list of suspects, the synthetic scowled.

The Predator.

The hunter had begun its killing spree, even in the midst of this battle between human and bug. She was responsible for any deaths that occcurred it the beast's hands, responsible for Ambrose. Kingston's simple ethics propelled her faster, had her charging after the scream and the trail of blood. She'd been through enough already, without this wretched monster appearing and reappearing to taunt her and make the situation worse. Kingston was pissed.

Marines, pt XV.
Kingston began to follow the slickened trail of blood down the length of the hall. She crept quietly but moved quickly, careful not to step in any puddles of dripping gore.
When she reached the corner where the trail turned away from the corredor, she froze in her tracks. Her "mind" was busy calculating the situation.
It hadn't killed me before, maybe its motives have not changed. However, if it killed a USCM personal, I will have to put a stop to it...

Kingston snuck a glance around the corner. She was looking into the mess hall and it was utterly empty. Then, movement in the corner caught her eye.
Kingston immediatly got another gut-wrenching feeling. Hanging from the ceiling by their feet, were three skinned marines. The bodies swayed back and forth from their restraints, collecting pools of blood at their bases. Each corpse wore a distinctive screaming facial expression and each were missing their skin!
Kingston quickly retreated behind the bend. She was sick...

It's out of controll...

 

[Villani]

Secure in our tower, I looked at Haj. "Keep this tower clear. Do whatever it takes, my Blooded kin but keep this tower clear."
As he went to do as I'd asked, I turned my attention to the courtyard below us. I flicked a pair of retraction springed shikuren into my hands and sent them flying in alternate waves, left then right. They were too sharp to run more then two at the same time. But they'd retract from a further distance then the standard ones so I put them to work, picking off the K.A. near my Blooded kin. I saved my javalins with thier exploding tips for later. For these drones they'd be over kill. For the guards, they'd be more then enough. But the big thing, that giant thing that I'd seen earlier was out here some where.
I sent a quary back to the ship with orders for the AI to find it and went back to work.
I was thankful for my cloak as acid splattered around me as my blades returned to my hands and went back out. I was careful not to hit the strange contraptions were white hairy things were wearing. As if it would make them as good as even the least of the us, I thought with a snort before watching one tear into a K.A. with projectiles. Okay, maybe as good as the least of the Yajuta but not on level with my party.

I watched the last Pretorean fall as I cleared another critter from behind the guys. I had a clear shot at the Alpha though I knew it wouldn't last long. I took the shot, safe from hitting any of my people but if something else, alien or white fleshoid thing turned wrong...

Predator, pt XXIV.
Nan-de steadied her hands and eased her finger on the trigger. Through her mask, she could see a visual that her targeting system had picked up.
At the dead-center of the crosshairs was the alpha. She had never seen a Kainde Amedha look so confused before.
Nan-de began to put pressure on her trigger finger.

Just before she took the shot, she could have sworn that the alpha was looking right back at her...

There was a muffled scrape as the speargun jolted backwards and let loose a spiraling bolt into the night.
Sil'veis seemed frozen, almost paralyzed in the snow. The bolt hit her right in the center of her forehead.
The alpha's head exploded with a sickening, ripping sound as the bolt tore its way through her brain cavity. There was complete silence all around her except for the splashing noises her brains made as they sprinkled into the snow. Sil'veis toppled over without a twitch.

There was a short period of silence, as Nan-de looked up from her shot. The alpha was dead. The silence ended quickly as the drones errupted in a fit of primal screams. The black mob broke formation and began scattering all over the base. They began scrambling over eachother in their mad frenzy.
Their link with the hive was weakened and they thought now of only killing.

Nan-de looked down below to see hundreds of angry warriors charging the tower ruins. Had'jin called up to her in panic.
"Nan-de, they are coming!" he said as his plasma caster ripped through the approaching waves.
"They are climbing up the tower, you must get down from-" the cry was cut short as a drone leapt upon the hunter's back. Had'jin disapeared under the sea of black.
The tower was surrounded and Nan-de was trapped.

Before she could react, the warriors began to scale the ladder, their mouths already wet with the taste of her flesh...

 

[Villani]

OOC: Shadofox, this is your cue. I'm watching you.

Marines, pt XVI.
Jax's eyes blinked open. His world was a fuzzy white. He quickly realilized that he was laying on his back in the belly of a chryotube. As he shifted to sit up, there was a low humming noise as the lid of the cryotube lifted from its base.

The door slid open and Jax slowly sat up, clenching a muscled arm with his hand.
What happened to me?
The confused marine ran his hands along his side where he could feel the titanium plates below his skin. He remebered now. Jax quickly recited his last breifing in his head.



Subject 005399
Jax, N/A

Breifing:

You are to be shipped to the Tyrannus systems to a planet called Drahmin 03 for the completion of your medical transformation. There, doctor Pulvid, the senior Yaujta researcher can make the final touches on your prototype state.
You will most likely never awaken during your entire stay on Drahmin but I have set the cryotube's matinence pc to override the statis field in case of an emergency.
Remeber, many people want you dead. If you are awoken by an emergency, the cryotube will open and set off an alert beacon so we can come to pick you up. Untill we arrive, you may be in great danger. Your technology is incredibly advanced, and we don't want anything to threaten your current state.

For your own protection, I have hidden a small cash of weapons in the back of the cryotube. You know how to use them.
Be safe Jax, and remeber-trust no one.

End Breifing:

Cap Stiles, USCM special operations


Jax blinked again, his eyes remained fuzzy. He began to lift himself out of the pod when a sound reached his ears.
He immediatly recognized it as screaming. He looked beyond the enormous bullet-proof glass divider that seperated the cryochamber from the main lab. Outside, he could make out the faint outlines of figures. If they were human, he could not tell.

 

[Vixandra]

Predator, pt XXIV.
. The bolt hit her right in the center of her forehead.
The alpha's head exploded with a sickening, ripping sound as the bolt tore its way through her brain cavity. There was complete silence all around her except for the splashing noises her brains made as they sprinkled into the snow. Sil'veis toppled over without a twitch.
.....
"They are climbing up the tower, you must get down from-" the cry was cut short as a drone leapt upon the hunter's back. Had'jin disapeared under the sea of black.
The tower was surrounded and Nan-de was trapped.

Before she could react, the warriors began to scale the ladder, their mouths already wet with the taste of her flesh...

I screamed my victory, launcher held above me in triumph. "Bite me, Tar'ninthkis!"
Then things got messy.
Had'jin was lost to the hoards, his face mask shattered by the extended jaw of a drone. I screamed at them in fury over my fallen comrad and in blood lust all my own. I shifted to my standard shuriken, four of them flaring out around me in all directions as I lept from the tower, trusting them to return.
Lost one- damn K.A. tried to eat it literally. It self destructed after a command from me blowing the idiot and its closest fellows up.
I flew from the tower, a rain of acid following me from the explosion. I landed with a thud on drone, groaning over the crap I got on my boots. New pair of boots and of course, they're now etched with gore.
The though of how I'd have to pay for a new coating for my gear added to my frenzy (I am female). I switched to my staff, green fluids and thicker things flaring around me as I fought my way to the rest of my party.
"Thei! Where are you?"

 

[Donsehan]

Predator, pt XXI.
Thei-de dropped to the ground and raised his blades to the air. The air above his head split as the razor-sharp tail whizzed past.
Thei-de's razors extended into the night, right in the tail's path.
Gi'this jerked his tail sharply and the bladed end of the tail sailed through the hunter's wrist. Light green blood spewed from Thei-de's gorey limb.
His wrist blades were cut in half, right down the middle of the gauntlet. Sparks spouted forth and gore ran down the hunter's left arm and dribbled off into the snow.
The Preatorian began to slash his tail into the fallen hunter when a battle cry echoed into the night.

Trilling sounds errupted from all around the festering Preatorian champion. Gi'this swivled his head just in time to see a spiraling javelin slam into his neck.
The spear stuck lightly into the thick chitin armor but deep enough to make it stumble back on its severed leg.
Tar'nithkis leapt onto the Preatorian's back from out of nowhere, his wrist blades outstretched. Two of his remaing warriors followed closely behind, the first leaping up to join the arbiter while the other ran to Thei-de.
Tar'nithkis called to Thei-de as he hung from the Preatorian's back.
"Sorry about the wait, we ran into a bit of trouble!"
Gi'this frantically tried to toss the hunter off his back.
There was a loud crunching sound as the arbiter was tossed to the ground, landing on a limp leg.

The great Preatorian whipped his tail around and slapped the nearest Young Blood across the face with the broad end of his tail.
The flat end of the blade impacted the warrior with so much force that only an ear-splitting cracking sound could be heard as he toppled like a limp rag doll.
The hunter landed face down in the snow, blood streaming from under his mask...

Tar'nithkis howled in rage.
"Thei-de!" he called from the other side of the beast. "Can you still fight? We need your help!"
The hunter next to him offered a hand.
"Let's kill this pauk!"

I roared in rage as I felt my blade break and that turned into a howl of fury and pain as my hand was cut off. I saw the prey toss the arbiter to the floor, and I started to start the detonation sequence so I would at least die with some honor, when my helmet showed me how it killed the young blood. Still in lots of pain, I ignored it, like a true warrior and recalled my other disc instead. This prey was not meant for a young blood, but me and mine alone. As the targetting program came back up, I watched the creature, hearing Tar'nithkis' rage I moved so that the disc would have to pass the creature as it came back towards me. "I am a true hunter I do not need Ka'rik'na, I must have my honor, this one's mine!!" My words belied my fear, and the pain that was constantly nagging, but I knew if I didn't kill it, it would ravage the young bloods, I had a duty. As I was moved, I targetted two points next to its head and fired my shoulder cannon, using the controls in my helmet. I leaped at it, as its head turned away watching the plasma shots, pushing my blade into its chest where my disc had damaged it, and used my mandibles to hit the trigger on the plasma caaster to fire shots like crazy into it's neck.

 

[Villani]

I screamed my victory, launcher held above me in triumph. "Bite me, Tar'ninthkis!"
Then things got messy.
Had'jin was lost to the hoards, his face mask shattered by the extended jaw of a drone. I screamed at them in fury over my fallen comrad and in blood lust all my own. I shifted to my standard shuriken, four of them flaring out around me in all directions as I lept from the tower, trusting them to return.
Lost one- damn K.A. tried to eat it literally. It self destructed after a command from me blowing the idiot and its closest fellows up.
I flew from the tower, a rain of acid following me from the explosion. I landed with a thud on drone, groaning over the crap I got on my boots. New pair of boots and of course, they're now etched with gore.
The though of how I'd have to pay for a new coating for my gear added to my frenzy (I am female). I switched to my staff, green fluids and thicker things flaring around me as I fought my way to the rest of my party.
"Thei! Where are you?"

Predator, pt XXV.
Nan-de waded through the masses, swinging her staff with heavy strokes.
The first drone was caught off-guard as the spear plunged into its forehead. Ichor sprayed out across the ice, frosting quickly as the temperature dropped. There was a disgusting tearing sound as the staff was torn from the drone's corpse and flipped on its back. The head of the staff came flying out, smacking into the neck of a second bug.
The warrior's neck broke sharply and its head fell to its chest. Nan-de pushed it asside and continued towards her comerades.
...
When the mob parted as the last in her path fell face down in a pool of its own gore, she spotted her fellow hunters, fighting a revolting-looking monster.
She had not sooner spotted the beast when the stench hit her. Nan-de's stomach buckled as the putrid stench of rotting flesh swept through her.

The royal Preatorian turned to her briefly before tossing a hunter over his back.
She needed to get in there.

 

[Villani]

I roared in rage as I felt my blade break and that turned into a howl of fury and pain as my hand was cut off. I saw the prey toss the arbiter to the floor, and I started to start the detonation sequence so I would at least die with some honor, when my helmet showed me how it killed the young blood. Still in lots of pain, I ignored it, like a true warrior and recalled my other disc instead. This prey was not meant for a young blood, but me and mine alone. As the targetting program came back up, I watched the creature, hearing Tar'nithkis' rage I moved so that the disc would have to pass the creature as it came back towards me. "I am a true hunter I do not need Ka'rik'na, I must have my honor, this one's mine!!" My words belied my fear, and the pain that was constantly nagging, but I knew if I didn't kill it, it would ravage the young bloods, I had a duty. As I was moved, I targetted two points next to its head and fired my shoulder cannon, using the controls in my helmet. I leaped at it, as its head turned away watching the plasma shots, pushing my blade into its chest where my disc had damaged it, and used my mandibles to hit the trigger on the plasma caaster to fire shots like crazy into it's neck.

Predator, pt XXVI.
The disk came spiraling back through the Preatorian's ribcage. It howled in anguish as the blade spun back into the hunter's grip.

White-hot plasma burned through the night and tore boiling holes into the monster's neck. The flesh turned black as streaks of plasma singed the beast.
The wounds were instantly sealed by the gunfire, tracing dark burns into its upper body.
Thei-de's face was cast in light as his shoulder-mounted burner spit forth boiling light. The plasma caster sizzled as white fire blazed forth in a burning inferno.

Gi'this screamed as his neck burst forth in flame, igniting the bloody nightmare into flame. The intestines and dripping organs draped over its back, turned to dark ashes as they were drowned in plasma flames.

Thei-de continued the relentless assualt, watching as the hive champion wriggled around in front of him.
The final scream errupted from its throat as its esophegous was torn open. Dark blood gushed from its singed trachea and it choked as acid ran down his throat.
The royal champion fell to its knees as a burning sphere of plasma tore a gash straight through its neck. Its head fell limply to its side.

Thei-de finished the attack with a final blast from his cannon, tearing the neck completelty apart and sending its head spiraling into the snow.
The victorious hunter grinned as the beast toppled over into the snow.

Tar'nithkis scooped up the head and handed it to Thei-de. The arbiter looked at the beast's plated skull and then at the hunter. He passed it carefully into Thei-de's arms as one would handle a child.

"That was fine shooting, Thei. The alpha is dead and her guards are buried beneath the fresh frost." The arbiter looked at the churning masses of drones in their chaos and then to the dark clouds of gloomy smoke.
"However, we still have an abomination to catch."

 

[Vixandra]

Nan-de

Staff whirling, I waded through the K.A. and pushed my way to Thei after he'd killed that monstererous creature.
I clapped Thei on the back. "Nice work, my friend. Nice head there. Now, what's this about an abomination?"

 

[Villani]

Aliens, pt XI.
There were screams...horrible, wailing, despairing screams. The hive howled in pain and anguish. They were confused, angry, and most of all scared.
They were worth nothing now. The hunters had spoiled everything. The alpha was lying dead in a pool of acid. The heir to the hive was beheaded and left out to bury in the frost. Thousands of drones and warriors had died for nothing...
No, not nothing. The Queen would make sure of that. Her general was dead, her heir executed, and her army destroyed. It looked as though the hive had failed...but looks, can be decieving...

 

[Villani]

Staff whirling, I waded through the K.A. and pushed my way to Thei after he'd killed that monstererous creature.
I clapped Thei on the back. "Nice work, my friend. Nice head there. Now, what's this about an abomination?"

Predator, pt XXVII.
Nan-de's question was answered not by Tar'nithkis, but by Ta'voc, who strolled up next to her out of the dark.
"Have you not heard its footsteps?" Ta'voc growled.
"And you call yourself a Blooded. This beast is obviously beyond your skill, Nan-de," Ta'voc snarled.

Before the quarrel could continue, the arbiter laid a hand on each hunter's shoulder.
"We do not have time for this," Tar'nithkis said.
"There are greater plots at hand. Firstly, the ravager still lives. I can sense him though I have not heard him for some time.," the arbiter said, gazing into the thick column of smoke. Tar'nithkis turned to Ta'voc.
"How many warriors do you have left?"
"Two. The rest are dead," Ta'voc said. "They were weak."
The hunter wore a vicous grin underneath his mask.

"That makes a total of nine of us," the arbiter said as he pointed to the yaujta.
Ta'voc extended his wrist blades.
"Are you forgetting the one we came to kill?"

Tar'nithkis turned to the hunter.
"When the time comes, Ta'voc. You never were very patient, were you?" The arbiter turned to his hunting party.
"The humans can be avoided for now. We must kill the abomination before it can meet up with the rest of the horde. Together, they can guard eachother's weaknesses." Tar'nithkis raised his spear.
"Move silently and make haste," he said, activating his light-bending cloaking system and disapearing into the night. The others followed.


You never were very patient, were you?
The words rang like a bell in Ta'voc's head.

"Neither were you, father," he growled.

 

[Donsehan]

Thei De Guan

My blade was covered in its blood, my right arm was dripping with it. My right hand, still sizzling as the Kainde Amedha's blood was eating through my skin, and my upper body spattered with its blood, the pain was gettting to be too much. I barely managed a nod to the arbiter as I collapsed onto the ground, dropping the skull. Then I pulled my medkit out, and started looking around for my left hand. Then as Nan-de came over, "I still need my left hand if I am to be of any help, and I brought something special for that abomination, in my pack." I said, barely able to keep concious. I finally found my left hand, it too was being burned in the blood of that creature, I asked, "help me with the hand," and nodded towards the direction of it, as I pulled out my speargun to keep myself upright.

 

[MeikaBeans]

Kingston was angry, both with the Predator and herself. She'd lost her resolve for a moment and retreated yet again. Her self-preservation was costing time and possibly lives. She couldn't afford the luxury of caring for herself. Greater things were at risk. Her men. Every time she hesitated she was putting them at risk. It would not happen again.

Reaching into her medic's bag, Kingston pulled out the cauterizing wand. Military issue, it was a larger and sturdier piece of equipment than its refined surgical cousin. It was also the best weapon she had, for the moment. The sharp tip began to glow red as she crept into the mess hall. She moved slowly, electronic eyes peering into the darkness. She was watching for the hunter, a clue as to which way he went, anything. As unsettling as it was, the synthetic made her way to the hanging corpses. Perhaps there would be blood pointing after the Predator. Maybe there equipment was still around. A pulse rifle, a pistol... anything would be a step up from a hot poker.

 

[Vixandra]

I glared at Ta'voc but let the intermission in our argument lie as it was. Now was neither the time nor the place to pick a fight.
Trust the others to keep the K.A. back, I knelt next to Thei and started helping him clean out his wounds. I pulled a base-pack from my weapons harness (gals have all sorts of hiding places) and, standing, popped the thing over Thei's head, coating him and part of myself by default in a gooze designed to counteract the K.A.'s blood, bringing it to a neautral pH. Still lethal if swallowed, but what kind of idiot would do that?
I shook myself, knocking any remnants of blood and the base compound off before returning to attending Thei's wounds.
"Pretty banged up this time," I chided as I ripped off a now-useless peice of armor. My cloak was flung over my shoulders, leaving my armored arms bare to work.
As I tended him, I let my senses relax in order to find this "abomination" everyone spoke of. In an ever widening circle away from me, I could feel them, the K. A., the fuzzyness of humans, the warrior inside we were sent to kill and... other. Something not human... but not Yajuta. Something.... bastardized from the two of them, a mix of species enough to make one want to retch.
I snapped back to myself, hands finishing the near automatic motions of patching Thei up and stood. "Something wrong is out there... it is an abomination... and it must die and every creature that's with it! Let the blood of these fools flow upon this ground. Come on, Thei, UP! Time to go! Blood to spill, critters to kill, and a fallen warrior and an abomination to destroy utterly!"

 

[Villani]

My blade was covered in its blood, my right arm was dripping with it. My right hand, still sizzling as the Kainde Amedha's blood was eating through my skin, and my upper body spattered with its blood, the pain was gettting to be too much. I barely managed a nod to the arbiter as I collapsed onto the ground, dropping the skull. Then I pulled my medkit out, and started looking around for my left hand. Then as Nan-de came over, "I still need my left hand if I am to be of any help, and I brought something special for that abomination, in my pack." I said, barely able to keep concious. I finally found my left hand, it too was being burned in the blood of that creature, I asked, "help me with the hand," and nodded towards the direction of it, as I pulled out my speargun to keep myself upright.

Predator, pt XXVIII.
Thei-de clenched his teeth as Nan-de neutralized his acid burns. He pressed against the spear gun to keep his balance as she worked. All the armor on his left arm was now corroded away and useless. His chest plate was also pretty banged up but it would be worth keeping on.

The snow sizzled as Nan-de wipped some of the now less potent acid onto the ground. Thei's hand was next.
The hunter raised his bloody stump of a wrist and rested it on his other arm. Nan-de worked quickly, cleaning the wound with a burning substance. Next, she lined up the severed hand with the wrist and gave the hunter an injection of colored dye into his forearm.

The hunter's veins light up brightly and ran throughout his entire body. The huntress used an almost plastic-like goo to meld a connecter between his artery in his wrist to the veins in his hands. After the hand was joined, Nan-de stitched the hunter up with long stitches, testing his nerve strength with an electrical jolt.
She patted Thei-de on the back.
"You're done."

 

[Villani]

Kingston was angry, both with the Predator and herself. She'd lost her resolve for a moment and retreated yet again. Her self-preservation was costing time and possibly lives. She couldn't afford the luxury of caring for herself. Greater things were at risk. Her men. Every time she hesitated she was putting them at risk. It would not happen again.

Reaching into her medic's bag, Kingston pulled out the cauterizing wand. Military issue, it was a larger and sturdier piece of equipment than its refined surgical cousin. It was also the best weapon she had, for the moment. The sharp tip began to glow red as she crept into the mess hall. She moved slowly, electronic eyes peering into the darkness. She was watching for the hunter, a clue as to which way he went, anything. As unsettling as it was, the synthetic made her way to the hanging corpses. Perhaps there would be blood pointing after the Predator. Maybe there equipment was still around. A pulse rifle, a pistol... anything would be a step up from a hot poker.

Marines, pt XVII.
Kingston moved cautiously into the mess hall. The room was eerily silent compared to the last time she had entered. Where dozens had eaten and joked, bodies now hung limply.

The synthetic approached a body hanging down from the rafters. Its eyes were open, starring lifelessly at her face. Its mouth hung open, trying to form a scream and its nostrils dripped blood. Where the back of its head should have been, there was a gaping hole, lined with burn marks.
She recognized the wound immedialty. The marine had gotten hit in the back of the head with a plasma bolt and ithe man's skull had been melted away before he hit the ground.

Kingston ignored the body, she had my important tasks at hand. Her eyes wandered to the large, seeping pool of gore at the bases of the corpses.
The blood ran under a mess table, where she could easily identify objects in the flow.
Kingston bent down to the ground, getting a closer look at the mess. The smell was sickening. Flayed skin lay in piles under the table.
She would have turned and backed from the revolting find except a glint under the table caught her eye.

She lowered her wand and let the hot light brighten the mess.
The light now revealed a slickened M4A3 pistol. She stretched a hand under the table and felt cool metal.
In her grip was a fully-loaded, semi-automatic, mid-caliber firearm.
Kingston also noticed a chain of identity cards lying under the table as well. She scooped them up and dropped them ontop of the table.

Ambrose, Robert S.
First Lt.

He was dead, hanging above her.

Kingston gripped the trigger of the M4A3 and turned to the other side of the room, where she could see an open door leading into the kitchens. It was the only way out of the mess hall other than her entrance. The hunter was in there, and she had a score to settle.

 

[Villani]

Aliens, pt XII.
The warriors dug quickly, their claws shredding cold ice. Hundreds of her children clawed eagerly into the walls of ice surrounding the hive.
The Queen watched as her minions dug a deep channel towards the valley. They would dig a striaght tunnel under the base and arise to claim the new hive as their own.
The hunters would die alongside with their enimies and the new hive would emerge in glorious victory. It was ment to be...

 

[MeikaBeans]

As a lone droid, the Kingston unit would matter little in the battle outside. She could do nothing the average marine couldn't do just as well in such a situation. In here however, she was protecting her charges. The Predator was a threat to every man on the base, as so gruesomely demonstrated with the peeled marines hanging from the ceiling. This was something she could do to save human lives.

Agile fingers adjusted the cauterizing wand, spinning it in Kingston's left palm as though she were about to stab downwards with it. Her wrists then locked together, left underneath right as she brought the pistol up to the ready. The wand was still the best substitute for a flashlight she had. While the red glow didn't touch more than a few scant feet ahead of her, it was better than nothing.

Kingston focused her weapon on the kitchen door, positive her hunter was inside somewhere. Quietly she crept to the left wall and along it, straining to see past into the next room. There was a slight pause when she reached the door, listening for noise. A fast step took her across to the right side of the doorway so she could peer into the other half of the kitchen and at least ensure the Predator wasn't waiting against the wall.

Seeing nothing, Kingston made her way into the kitchen to begin the search.

 

[Villani]

As a lone droid, the Kingston unit would matter little in the battle outside. She could do nothing the average marine couldn't do just as well in such a situation. In here however, she was protecting her charges. The Predator was a threat to every man on the base, as so gruesomely demonstrated with the peeled marines hanging from the ceiling. This was something she could do to save human lives.

Agile fingers adjusted the cauterizing wand, spinning it in Kingston's left palm as though she were about to stab downwards with it. Her wrists then locked together, left underneath right as she brought the pistol up to the ready. The wand was still the best substitute for a flashlight she had. While the red glow didn't touch more than a few scant feet ahead of her, it was better than nothing.

Kingston focused her weapon on the kitchen door, positive her hunter was inside somewhere. Quietly she crept to the left wall and along it, straining to see past into the next room. There was a slight pause when she reached the door, listening for noise. A fast step took her across to the right side of the doorway so she could peer into the other half of the kitchen and at least ensure the Predator wasn't waiting against the wall.

Seeing nothing, Kingston made her way into the kitchen to begin the search.

Marines, pt XVIII.
Kingston approached the open door with great caution. After checking to see that nothing would jump out at her from the side, she stepped into the room, pistol raised.
She trained the handgun across the room, making quick sweeps with the barrel. She couldn't see any signs of the hunter. It was dark, yes, but the wand offered her a short beam of sight in the dark kitchen.

Though nothing caught her eye, she still searched. She made her way past white countertops and cabinets, careful not to knock up against any pans. As her wand revealed the black shroud around her, the beam of light caught a thick, green substance on the counter.

The analyzation was quick and precise-it was hunter's blood. The small streak of green was right at the base of the tiled-wall.
Kingston's eyes flashed as she spotted it. The hunter's escape route was right above her head.

The open ventilation duct hummed above the synthetic, its grate missing from its massive mouth.
Interesting...that's a pretty big ventilation shaft. Big enough for a human...or a predator.

The mouth of the air duct hung only feet above the counter, its throat stretching away into darkness, lighten only by specks of green ichor.
The bastard went into the heating system.

 

[MeikaBeans]

Kingston stared at the duct as she contemplated her next move. While she was indeed a psychically capable droid, she was still at a disadvantage to the Predator. Intelligence was her greatest asset and would have to be used to its fullest measure if she wanted to take the hunter down.

Quite obviously, the beast wouldn't be afraid of her. She'd seen it take out three men bare handed and now it had its weapons back. Even if it were intimidated, Kingston couldn't see the creature turning tail like this. It wasn't running from her or escaping through the ducts. It had a plan, a goal, a destination of some sort. Perhaps it was simply waging guerrilla war on the base? Possibly. It was pointless to assume because at the moment she had no way of guessing the Predator's next move. The catch-all solution: hunt it down before it can do more damage.

Climbing onto the counter, Kingston began to hoist herself into the ventilation shaft. The wand went sizzling-end first, that arm being used to pull herself up. It was awkward now with both hands occupied, but the synthetic pulled herself along quickly none-the-less. The alien fluid would be her guide, saving her the effort of deducing which way to go and precious moments of time.

I'm coming for you, monster.

 

[Villani]

Kingston stared at the duct as she contemplated her next move. While she was indeed a psychically capable droid, she was still at a disadvantage to the Predator. Intelligence was her greatest asset and would have to be used to its fullest measure if she wanted to take the hunter down.

Quite obviously, the beast wouldn't be afraid of her. She'd seen it take out three men bare handed and now it had its weapons back. Even if it were intimidated, Kingston couldn't see the creature turning tail like this. It wasn't running from her or escaping through the ducts. It had a plan, a goal, a destination of some sort. Perhaps it was simply waging guerrilla war on the base? Possibly. It was pointless to assume because at the moment she had no way of guessing the Predator's next move. The catch-all solution: hunt it down before it can do more damage.

Climbing onto the counter, Kingston began to hoist herself into the ventilation shaft. The wand went sizzling-end first, that arm being used to pull herself up. It was awkward now with both hands occupied, but the synthetic pulled herself along quickly none-the-less. The alien fluid would be her guide, saving her the effort of deducing which way to go and precious moments of time.

I'm coming for you, monster.

Marines, pt XIX.
Kingston wormed her way along the dark passage, using the glowing green trail of ichor as her guide.
As Commander Griffin always used to say, "If they can bleed, they can die."

This thought gave her a small bit of comfort but knowing she had a physical disadvantage on the beast made her tense. She would have to outsmart it.
As she crawled, she began to hear a series of light tapping sounds, echoing off the steel walls of the venteliation system. The synthetic pasued as she noticed that the rapping sounds were growing louder.
In front of her, the hunter's blood trailed beyond a corner and out of sight. The noises were coming from the tunnel ahead.

Kingston raised her M4A3, prepared to blow anything's head off it popped out from around the bend.
The tapping grew louder and louder until it was almost on her...then it stopped. The wand she held light up much of the shaft yet it could not have told her what was in her blind spot.
...
Kingston grew eary of the time, knowing that the she would lose the hunter if she waited any longer. She began to ease around the corner, listening for the slightest sound.

As she peeked around the bend, her wand caught a flash of movment near her face.
A creature, no bigger than a cat lunged towards her face, its multiple arms outstretched. In the second before it impacted against her face, she recognized it as the Internecivus Raptus, a.k.a. the facehugger. Her data files were detailed enough to tell her she was already dead...if she were a human.