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Chapter Nine – Just Desserts

The Heracles was in final docking stages at Gateway Station. The Station slowly hung thousands of miles above the Earth. Plaskitt, Lee, Bailie, Wren and Collier sat awaiting the greeting party. Lee offered a comment "It's finally over"

"Not yet it isn't", Collier retorted without looking up from the viewscreen that showed the Earth slowly revolving in the heavens. There's one more monster that needs destroying. "Go with whatever I say, Ok?"

The greeting party joined the five survivors in the loading bay. The most senior officer stepped forward. "Plaskitt, Lee, Wren, Bailie, glad to have you back. Mr Collier I am sorry to hear about your colleagues on the Prometheus. It was unfortunate that…"

Collier snapped "Unfortunate? Unfortunate doesn't quite fit into it. I demand a meeting with all department heads immediately."

The officer was taken aback by this sudden request. "I'll see what I can do but I doubt it very much. They're extremely busy men". His tone was rather sarcastic.

A team of sharp suited men quickly came into the loading bay looking concerned, "Mr Collier, how was your trip?"

Collier nodded to the suits curtly, "fine, thanks.". He turned to the senior officer again, "I want that meeting. Call me when it's done", he handed the officer a business card. With that, Collier smiled at his surprised co-survivors and walked out of the ship surrounded by the suits. The office turned the card over to read the name.

It was Douglas Weyland-Collier

The meeting went ahead as planned. Collier stood in his freshly laundered suit and next to him stood Lee, Plaskitt, Bailie and Wren. Collier's face was stern.

"I see that there is one department head missing. Where's our friend from sector twelve?". Donohue was notable by his absence. "This hearing will continue without him. I have proof that Donohue has been in regular contact with key employees at our registered colonies. He has them in his employ. He is seeking to smuggle an alien specimen to Earth to use for Bio-Weapons research. Not for the company but for his own personal gain. I motion that Donohue be subject to disciplinary action. Due to his absence today, he shows himself as nothing but a coward and we cannot afford to tolerate such weakness in our higher echelons. So I recommend dismissal with immediate effect"

The room erupted with cheers and noises of approval. It was unanimous. Donohue had to go.

Donohue had his suitcase packed and was waiting for the taxi to arrive. The rain was pouring down in torrents. He had to get away. His intercom rang. He ran to answer it, "Hello?"

"Cab for Mr Donohue?"

"I'll be right down"

Donohue grabbed his case and ran down to meet his cab. He threw his case into the boot and jumped into the back seat.

"Where to?" drawled the driver

"Spaceport. And quick" Donohue snapped.

The driver flicked off his for hire sign, turned to Donohue and nodded.

"This won't take long"

Donohue looked at the man. He was pointing a gun at him. Before he had chance to try and persuade him to not shoot him, he fired the tranquiliser dart into Donohue's chest.

Then everything went dark.

Donohue had trouble adjusting his eyes to the light surrounding him. He couldn't move, he must have been strapped down. As he blinked heavily, the round light of a surgical lamp blurred into view. Where was he? Donohue struggled with his bonds but was firmly tied to his bed. He looked to the right. Through the observation window he could see faces. Faces he recognised. There was Van Lewen, the Bio Weapons vice president. Andrew Proctor of the colonial commission. And…

It couldn't be. Sat in the middle, it was a face he hoped he would never see again.

It was the step son of his former employer.

It was Douglas Weyland.

They watched Donohue with some significant interest. He wondered why. Until he looked to his left.

Next to him, on a low table, stood an egg. It was smaller than the eggs he'd seen on the photographs of the hive, but it was unmistakable. It was a facehugger egg.

He turned to the observation window again, pleading with his captors. They could only see the movement of his lips. The glass was too thick.

Douglas Weyland Collier pursed his lips. "Its amazing what you find on expeditions. This particular specimen is a cross breed of our generic xenomorph and the hunter we caught on Marcoma. Particularly vicious."

Collier was going to enjoy this. Donohue had been responsible for the deaths of all those colonists not to mention those marines who had come to rescue him. Major Kelly had been a good friend of his father. Now He was dead and Donohue had to pay.

The egg peeled open and the spider like creature crawled onto the lip. Donohue's screams turned into a sickening gagging sound as the face hugger launched from the edge of the egg and attached itself firmly onto his face.

Collier grinned, "Above all else. Nobody Steals from me."

The rookies lined up in formation at the front of the training zone. They were terrified. Their new Major was a legend and well known for being a hard-ass. They couldn't imagine being as badly injured as he had been and yet be as capable as he is at simply shrugging it off. In particular, the scars that attracted the most hearsay were the slash marks to be found on his chest. Two perfectly straight lines, equal measure apart and done with something so sharp that it equalled a laser scalpel for its cleanness. There were rumours amongst the other soldiers that the marks were proof that he had removed his heart and sold it to the devil, the rookies could see the reasoning behind that.

Major Plaskitt simply refused to die.