Chapter 32 Skirmish

                          _ _Carmen pov_ _

A rocky plane, the sounds of gunfire and animalistic cries, pits created by acidic blood that flowed from the wounds of raging creatures, and finally the vicious battlefront created from the mixture of three different forces that were all trying to kill each other. This is the place I found myself, controlling the body of one of my children as my tail pierced through the body of a rival. It struggled just for a moment before my inner jaw tore through its skull sending brightly coloured green blood in every direction, splattering against the ground before melting through the rock and dirt with ease. 

(I just need to distract them for long enoug-shit!) I hissed as I felt another one of my xenos die off in the distance.

It didn't exactly hurt me when one of them perished, so long as I wasn't actually possessing them at the time that they met their end that is, however it still had an effect on me to some extent. The uncomfortable sensation that I got from the link we shared suddenly vanishing as the mind on the other end just died all of a sudden was a rather unpleasant experience to say the very least.

(We're killing them far faster than they can kill us at this point, however that doesn't take away from the fact that we are still outnumbered.) I grunted in annoyance as I glanced around at the rather brutal battle currently going on.

[Well, I personally think this is fucking awesome.] Goldy mused in excitement as he watched the carnage play out before him.

(Of course you would...) I sighed with a shake of my head.

The problem I was currently facing however was that I was very much outgunned and unable to send for help at the moment. (If I call in any more reinforcements and they do the same then this could very quickly get out of control.) I didn't want to waste so much on a battle that wouldn't mean much in the grand scheme of things, after all my only purpose for actually being here was to simply save my thralls and that was it. (There numbers should be around a hundred and thirty or so yet there are only sixty of us here, give or take anyway. Thankfully the humans are pulling some of the attention away from us.) 

[You got more incoming by the way.] He warned, pulling my attention back to my current surroundings. 

(Thanks for the heads up.) I muttered as I noticed five more enemy xenos heading my way.

Knowing that I probably couldn't handle this on my own I screeched and three of my children that were close by came to my aid. (Bring it on you motherfuckers.)

It was around this moment that the five enemies in question finally reached us, they of course didn't even hesitate to run right in and engage, a fact that wasn't too much of a surprise to me at this point. Unfortunately however two of them went straight for me while my three little helpers intercepted and fought the others in a rather vicious melee.

Thankfully it would seem that my children had somewhat inherited my self preservation instinct and were able to handle themselves quite well in combat, all without getting themselves killed by just rushing in mindlessly. In fact not long after the fight began one of my three children ripped the head off its opponent before turning around to help its siblings that were still fighting for their lives.

I on the other hand wasn't doing as well to be honest, two vs one was not an easy fight, especially when your opponents were murderous killing machines that barely reacted to pain at all. Either way though I still had to fight, this wasn't my body of course but that still didn't mean I was just going to lay down and die like a bitch.

Dodging out of the way of one of them I grabbed the other as it jumped at me and tossed it to the side far away from myself, just in time to move out of the way of a bladed tail aimed at my head. Before the asshole could retract said tail however I took hold of it and without any hesitation I pulled it forward before chopping it off with my own before the bastard could retaliate. Tossing the severed part of its tail to the ground without much care for where exactly it ended up, I moved forward and tackled the Xenomorph in question to the ground as it screeched in rage at me.

It of course didn't take too kindly to this and began slashing my sides in hopes of getting me off of it, the remains of its tail sending acid blood everywhere as it clawed madly at me and thrashed from side to side. Despite the claws cutting and scratching against my exoskeleton I held on to it without any intention of letting go. After a few more seconds of this I bit into its lower jaw and with a jerk of my head I tore it off, just in time for the xeno I had thrown away to join back in on the fun by ramming into my side sending me rolling across the ground.

I had just enough time to get back up on all fours before it slammed into me once again, this time though it grappled on to my body as we rolled across the cold ground sending dirt and rock into the air as we fought and struggled against each other. As we wrestled for control it used its inner jaw to rip through my right shoulder causing me to howl in agony, in response to this attack I dug my claws into its head while snarling viciously in its face.

Pulling it off of me I kicked it in the torso before slicing it's right leg off with my tail as it stumbled backwards, it of course fell to the ground only to be met by my foot stomping on its chest and pinning it to the ground. I then reached down and tore out its jugular in a rather gruesome display before slicing the front part of its head off with the sharp side of my tail.

And as for the other one, well, it was just getting back to its feet when my tail pierce through the back of its neck and out through the other side. To say that I was a little shaken as I ripped my tail free would be an understatement, I was only possessing this body but I could still feel everything that it felt, its pain, its exhaustion, everything.

[Very impressive.] Goldy hummed in my head snapping me out of my adrenaline filled frenzy.

(Whatever...) I muttered while taking note of the fact that my helpers had just about finished off their targets as well. (Seems they already dealt with them all, good.) I hummed before turning to the battlefield as a whole and what I saw was not ideal in the slightest.

(This is a fucking mess!) I growled out while breathing somewhat heavily. (I hoped I'd have more time to get ready before having to fight like this.)

When Connor had sent me that distress call I had ordered the nearest groups of scouts to go over and assist them, it did still take them some time to arrive of course but they managed it in the end. I had wanted to send more but in the end I stopped myself, mostly because I realized that not only would I possibly start the final battle before I was ready but also because I didn't want to show my full hand just yet.

[You say "a fucking mess" I say "a hell of a good time".] Goldy hummed, causing me to growl out in annoyance.

(Can you just take things seriously for once?)

[Aww come on now.] He mused with what I guessed was a pout. [If I actually did something like that this whole dynamic we have going on would be completely ruined, we can't have that now can we?]

[I mean seriously, I'm the funny and devilishly handsome one and your...well, you're the co-star that makes me look even better.] He chuckled while trying to sound like some stuck up Hollywood star.

(Oh fuck...you...huh?) I trailed off somewhat when I suddenly felt some kind of intrusion in my own damn head.

Something was trying to probe its way into my mind, I knew what it was of course, I was getting an instinctual feeling that made it rather obvious to me after all. And boy did it make me mad to say the least, in fact I could feel my Xenomorph half screaming in rage at the foreign intrusion.

Without much hesitation I slammed my own mental consciousness against the unwelcome visitor, for a moment it resisted but I soon felt it pull back. It would seem that I was far better at protecting my own mind when compared to others of my race, a fact that made sense considering my better understanding of such things.

I honestly hadn't expected that, to think that my so called mother would attempt to investigate me in such a way. I mean I knew that Xenomorphs, especially the Xenomorphs Queens, have a kind of telepathic connection with one another but I really hadn't seen that coming. To think that I'd be the one having their mind invaded, how bizarre.

(That will teach you to poke around inside my head.) Unfortunately this sudden distraction had left me open to something I didn't see coming at all. (What a fucking bitc-!) Was all I managed to get out before I noticed some kind of blue light fill my vision. Seconds later the head of the xeno I was possessing literally exploded out of nowhere and the link I had with it was abruptly cut off before I even had time to react.

It was the first time I had felt the backlash from my Gift, and damn, it hurt like hell. It felt like someone had just slammed my brain with a hammer made of red hot iron. In fact it was so painful that it caused me to spasm rather violently, parts of my body just completely locked up from the extreme agony I was feeling. It took me some time to finally shake off the disorientation and burning sensation that invaded my mind, however after a while I could function somewhat normally again.

(What...what the hell was that?!) I asked in alarm causing Goldy to chuckle.

[Surprise!] Goldy cheered as I possessed another one of my children who was rather close to my previous location.

(What are you...?) I was about to ask but stopped myself when I finally noticed the very thing that had just killed me faster than I could say "ow". (Oh...)

[Do you like the present that I prepared for you?] He asked and I could only groan in annoyance.

(So...this is the "new variable" you added?) I muttered while looking at the seven figures tearing their way across the battlefield.

[Yep.] He hummed proudly.

Only three words came to mind when I looked at the humanoid creatures, the creatures that were wearing futuristic masks and body armour while using weapons like a two-ended spear or some kind of gun strap to their shoulders that fired balls of blue light. (God damn it...)