Note from the author: If you haven't read my first aliens fic: Scared what are you doing here? Go read the first one. As for anyone who has read Scarred, I hope you enjoy the sequel.

Disclaimer: I don't own aliens, but all the characters in here are mine.

Chapter 1

The Conflict

Scar recklessly charged down the resin-covered tunnel. The climate inside the hive was hot and would probably be uncomfortable for a human, but for an alien it was perfect.

Scar's reckless charging was going from the floor to sticking to the walls and roof. He avoided the drones and other obstacles that appeared in his way with ease. He dropped from the ceiling and landed in front of the opening leading to the Queen's chambers.

Scar walked into the room and found the Queen in the company of Half-Jaw, Sonar, and a small group of nameless drones. Scar looked at the small group noting their tense manner. Something was wrong the Queen never called him unless she wanted to discuss humans, but Scar had a feeling this meeting was more serious.

(What's going on?) Scar asked.

(We have a small problem, I'm afraid,) the Queen said. (The human installation where you were being held is now host to a small group of humans.)

(Humans?) Scar repeated. (What are you going to do?)

(Our first priority is to find out the human's plans for that base,) the Queen said. (We need to know whether they're planning to stay permanently, or just gathering information from the first experiments.)

(And if they're just gathering information?) Scar asked.

(Then we don't interfere and let them go their merry way,) the Queen said. (If they are staying then we'll take measures to eliminate them.) She turned her massive head toward Half-Jaw. (You are not to engage the enemy even if they discover the scouting party. You are to retreat. I'm not sure how many humans are there, but it is probably enough to take out a scout group.)

(Why do you want me coming?) Scar asked. (Wouldn't it be better if-?)

(You are the closest thing we have to an expert on humans,) the Queen said. (That's why you are going.)

Scar nodded. (Alright,) he sighed.

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Tom stepped off the ramp. Barket was breathing down his throat, asking him why his employee had allowed a girl on board the ship. He had been complaining about that every chance he got. It was really beginning to annoy Tom.

Tom snarled at him. "Look, Barket, I'm not the one that allowed the girl to sneak aboard. Maybe your dumb marines should be the ones you're chewing out." Tom increased his pace and broke away from the colonel.

Tom headed to the lab where Rachel would be analyzing the sample of Devil's Light she had been given. Tom wanted to see the results and he also wanted to talk to her. Entering the lab, which had its door ripped open, the whole place seemed to have sustained heavy damage. There were holes in walls and doors and the vents seemed to have a lot of holes in them as well. There were spots were there were visible traces of a gun battle, but only one side had used bullets. Apparently something had attacked the base.

Rachel sat at the counsel looking through a microscope. Her kid (what was here name? Renee?) sat beside her.

"How's it look?" Tom said, his voice sounding angrier then he had meant it to be.

"The stuff looks pretty good," Rachel said. "I actually can't believe it's this far evolved."

"Yeah, well, we had help," Tom muttered. "Could I speak with you?"

Rachel looked at her daughter. "Uh-huh, sure."

Tom and Rachel stepped outside the room. Tom turned and faced her. "Now, why the heck did you smuggle her aboard the ship?"

Rachel looked down at the floor. "You know why. The same reason you pay me a little extra."

"That's the reason?" Tom said. "I don't mean to sound unsympathetic, but how could you let a kid come along?"

"I know it could be dangerous, but so does she," Rachel said. "She isn't a preschooler you know. She can make her own decisions."

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Scar quietly climbed across the ceiling as the military grubbed men below unloaded their equipment. Sonar was crawling along behind him.

(What do you make of it?) Sonar asked.

(I'm not sure, but I don't think they intend to stay,) Scar replied.

(You sound disappointed,) Sonar noted. (Wouldn't you want them to leave so that we don't have to kill them?)

(Yeah, but they're taking that formula with them,) Scar said. (I hate to think whom they're going to be testing it on.)

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Private Hudson walked slowly down the empty corridor. He was alone and he wished like heck he wasn't. The holes in the wall left by the gunfire and the ripped apart doors and vents were a little too familiar. He turned a corner and saw all the proof he needed to prove his hunch.

The floor had a large hole in it. Above there was another hole. Looking down the hole the private realized what had down this. The floor looked like it had been eaten away by some kind of acid.

The private turned and made a mad dash back to the group. His heart raced as every little sound startled him and why not? He'd seen what those things could do.

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Scar had found a perch to watch the humans unload the ship. He was several feet above the hanger floor on one of the rafters. There were several other xenomorphs stationed around the room. Scar was quickly getting bored. So bored in fact that he was almost happy when a man ran in hollering, "Aliens! Aliens!" over and over.

(Oh, no,) Scar said as the other startled marines turned to their comrade. One of the drones hidden in the room, leapt out of its hiding place, and pounced on the screaming soldier.

(Run for it!) Scar cried as he leapt to a lower rafter and started running for the exit. The soldiers opened fire on the aliens that suddenly sprang out of their hiding place. Scar growled as the hanger door began closing. He quickly turned and ripped open an air vent. He climbed into the small tunnel and made a hasty retreat.

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Renee looked around nervously as the klaxon started blaring. Tom and her mother quickly rushed back into the room.

"What's going on?" Renee asked.

"I don't know," Her mother replied. "Let's just find a safe place to-."

She never finished as something large and black ripped its way out of the air vent. The black monster screeched. A scorpion-like tail stretched out behind it. Its head was elongated back and its body was skeletal looking.

The monster jumped forward and grabbed Renee. It shoved past the two adults and took off down the hallway with her.

"Renee!" Rachel cried as the black monstrosity disappeared with her daughter.

Renee kicked at the creature, but it ignored her blows. It leapt through an open window and landed out in the jungle.

Renee started crying as she finally realized what the creature was, a xenomorph drone. The creature took another step forward when something stepped out of the bushes in front of it.

(Put her down!) Scar growled facing the drone.