THE KING

Chapter 5-

Endgame

Dr. Richard Vree, for anyone who'll listen,

When I first received this assignment I was afraid of the monsters that men call xenomorphs. I'm not afraid anymore, for the monster called man is far, far worse...

"Six-Hundred unfertilized ova." General Thompson proudly swept an arm over the six opened carriers, each holding a hundred monstrous eggs in cold stasis. "Now all we need, Dr. Vree, is for your boy here to due his thing."

"Why?" Dr. Vree felt light-headed, stunned by the sheer mass of eggs and their implication.

"Surely even you understand the 'birds and the bees' doc." Thomas said, "We slide the eggs in that cage, he fertilizes..."

"And you use them as weapons. Weapons of mass destruction, living agents of genocide."

"These are hard times, doctor, and we have to take hard measures. The Yuatja have been a thorn in our side for thousands of years..."

"No."

Thompson turned red with rage. "They're not even human! It's not like we're dropping them in an orphanage or something! In case you haven't noticed, the Yuatja have killed..."

"Even if I agreed, even if I was willing to let the Yuatja suffer and die for your greed, which I'm not, I know you will turn those eggs on humans whenever it becomes profitable for Weyland-Yutani..."

Eggs? A new hive. A new queen.

"You have no say in the matter, doctor, you are hereby relieved of your duties and remanded to custody until..."

Dr. Vree held up a small device, and Col. Jervase stared in horror. It was the lifting mechanism of the cage. "I'll let him fertilize your eggs alright, general, but we'll be the hosts."

"Easy now..." Several marines drew their weapons and Gregor growled, "Surely, you don't want to do this... You wouldn't kill your own kind to save predator scum..." The general was a fast draw, and the bullet tore through Vree's left arm, forcing him to drop the device. Gregor shrieked and pounded against the cage walls. General Thompson walked over to Vree, who was trying to reach the device, and put the gun to his head. "Traitor" He growled.

The explosion was deafening, then the screaming, the shouting, the screeching.

"My God!"

"I thought you said that cage was unbreakable!"

"FIRE! FIRE YOU IDIOTS!"

Gregor picked up Thompson and tore him in half, then impaled three marines with his tail, acid blood and bullets flew everywhere, slashing, biting, tearing flesh as Gregor slaughtered the marines . It seemed like it would never end. Then, all was quiet. Dr. Vree managed to sit up, then stand.

Gregor picked up one of the carriers and tore his way through outer wall, which, unlike the cage, was not reinforced. He paused in the bright sunlight, a black silhouette against the golden light. He turned slightly,

I told you I wouldn't kill you.

And then he was gone.

Private Yellowhorse tried to convince Dr. Vree to leave with the rest of the survivors as the base was evacuated, but he refused. He didn't know why, but he knew he couldn't go back. He also knew Gregor's children would show him no mercy, if, or when, (more likely when), they found him. Somehow, he didn't care anymore. With his shoulder on the mend he watched the transport leave, taking the remaining eggs. Then he realized why he couldn't leave, he knew too much, had learned too much about the xenomorphs, information that would only serve Weyland-Yutani. They were in such a hurry to leave, they'd overlooked him, and his research, and he would make sure there was nothing left when they returned.

Dr. Richard Vree, On my life's Work,

The computers, the specimens, everything, all my work, burned by my own hand. I now simply await my own demise, the final end to my research, but I am not afraid. I know it was probably futile. One day they'll find another Xenomorph, and another scientist, one who's willing to work with them. If not Weyland-Yutani, then another nest... Corporation... Does it really matter anymore? I still wonder, though, did Gregor intentionally save me, or was he simply after the eggs? Of far greater concern now is this, will he teach his offspring all the things I taught him about humanity?

The End.