The art of the deal

The quaking ground quickly drew the attention of the marines although they were unable to hear the thunderous steps due to the exo suits suppression fire.

Sergeant Michelle Yin held her fire and looked back to Carl, the field technician of her unit. Carl had a surprised look as he looked at the motion tracker in his hand. The look lasted for a second before he nodded his head and looked up to his commanding officer. Having his attention Sargent Yin began to sign to him.

"What do you have Carl?" she quickly moved her hands

"A large contact is heading our way, my guess is that the queen snuck around behind us and is going to lead a pincer attack." Carl quickly signed back looking off into the tunnel they came from.

"Get Carmine to focus fire on the tunnel then. Those chainguns should be able to mulch the queen." Sargent Yin rapidly jestured.

Without so much as a nod carl's hands began a blur as he typed on a keyboard attached to his wrist.

Inside the cockpit of the exosuit Captain Carmine looked at the blue message on the top of his display.

'Queen incoming from behind. Rotate 160 degrees left and open fire on the entryway to the cavern.'

Carmine quickly rotated as he had been directed holding his fire while he moved the guns above his squad. With the roar of the dual chainguns gone the sound of thunder echoed in the cavern. Once on target Carmine sped up the idle rotation of the chainguns to prepare to fire. Just as he was about to press the triggers the stalagmites to the left of the opening erupted into a shower of rubble as a massive dark form burst through. Responding as soon as he saw the 'Queen' he rotated his guns while pressing the triggers. The chainguns roared as the bullets neared the beast eventually coming to a point where they pierced its side.

"THAT'S RIGHT BITCH! COME AND DIE!" He shouted his voice swallowed by the chainguns as he looked into the face of the xenomorph

Just as the bullets were going to reach the main body a twin tail Pierced the exosuits chest armor. The two tails quickly wrapped around Carmine before they ripped him out of the cockpit. A shower of metal and blood exploded out toward the xenomorph. Without its pilot the exosuit quickly fell to the ground in a crumpled heap of metal still inside the tails Carmine looked at the dark head of the xenomorph with his one remaining eye. Large pieces of his skin, muscle and fat either dangled from his body or were spread on the cavern floor half of his right leg, left eye, and some of his fingers amongst the debris. The onyx tails quickly turned crimson as his blood gushed from his body.

"I ain't going out that easily yo..." Carmine said as he grabbed his pistol and aimed it at the 'Queens' face before the tails converged in a rapid motion sawing his body in half at the waist. His severed halves fell to the cavern floor with a wet 'da'tunk'. Anger was the last thing that Carmine would ever know as he was forced into the void, his intestines spilling from his open midsection as he pulled his trigger. The bullet grazed the 'queens' crown before embedding itself in the wall.

The tunnels around the cavern amplified the triumphant screams of the xenomorph hive as drones and warriors exploded from them like water in a backed up pipe. The major threat to their survival eradicated they charged with a renewed vigour. Their once promised eradication at the hands of the marines now reversed. The screams snapped the marines out of the trance they had been ensnared in when Carmine was butchered

"Incoming!" Carl shouted as his motion sensor turned from dark blue to almost purely teal

As the marines began to fire into the tidal wave of xenomorphs coming toward them the actual queen spoke to Vinncent.

"That should be enough for my brood to overwhelm them. You have my gratitude, stranger. Now if you would please continue moving through the cave my chamber is just ahead."

Without a word Vinncent began to walk toward further into the cave the marines surprised as the 'Queen' left as soon as she came. However, they quickly snapped back to the task at hand ignoring the 'Queen' just as it did them. The sounds of gunfire and screams of both man and beast faded away as he moved the walls of the cave seemed to become more prismatic as Vinncent walked. Soon the hive resin surface of the cave disappeared and was replaced by the prisms. Curious Vinncent looked closer at an outcrop of the crystals, his eyes widening in surprise. Before him on the wall what appeared to be a blossoming flower extended its crystal petals.

'The Queen said something about the Queen Mother right?' Vinncent questioned himself

'If that's the case and she knows of the Queen Mother and her brood I couldn't possibly be?' A memory suddenly flashed in the back of his mind

'That's right the queen mother was brought to earth as a way of trying to draw out all the Xenomorphs on the planet. Seeing as these crystals are here and shaped like they are coupled with the size of the openings in this cave system... I might just be at the mammoth caves in Montana.' Vinncent was surprised as he realized his potential location as he kept moving forward.

'So I managed to end up right in the middle of the earth war? What poetic irony.' He chuckled

As more of the gypsum flowers covered the cave walls they opened up leading into a massive chamber. Almost all of the chamber's available surface seemed to be covered in the flowers and small sparkling deposits. From the ceiling several stalactites extended toward stalagmites on the ground toward the far end of the room some of the formations became pillars stretching the almost thirty foot gap from floor to ceiling. A fence like barrier made of the gypsum stalagmites, stalactites and pillars separate a section of the cavern from the main body. A moderately sized stream of mineral water ran from the base of the barrier to a pool underneath a chandelier like formation of stalactites in the middle of the cavern. The beauty of the cave almost completely distracted an observer from noticing the onyx form hidden behind the barrier.

"I'm impressed that you managed to find a chamber like this. However I am surprised to see that its surface is not coated in hive resin." Vinncent said with his mind extended toward the large form behind the barrier

"Yes it is rather odd for our species to not coat the royal chamber however I like the look of the crystals and the small shimmers that they can produce even in this pure darkness." The Queens voice happily chimed

"It's an annoyance sometimes when my children beg me to let them coat them. They find them as unnecessary but I think that they add a special charm to my chamber." She continued as she raised her head to look at Vinncent through the barrier.

"I agree, it does give the cave a certain air to it that you might not find in a traditional hive."

"Thank you at least someone can appreciate my tastes. So what was it you wanted to discuss? It can't be about power as you certainly have that to take out one of the humans machines so easily." the queen asked

"You are partially correct, while I do seek power it is not of my own as power is worthless without numbers."

"So you seek my assistance with raising an army?" a small amount of curiosity creeping into the queen's voice

"Yes that is the reason I came although your current hive would not be strong enough to fulfill my requirements." Vinncent admitted

"Oh, how interesting first, how would my hive meet your criteria? What are the conditions of our exchange? Then most importantly... What do I get in return?" the queen said as her head tilted and a devious tone entered her voice

"In regards to conditions I request that you and your hive serve me and follow my commands and desires that is all. As for the criteria that falls alongside my method of payment. You see having helped you with your human problem and lack of praetorians in this chamber I can tell that your hive is weaker whether it be from poor circumstances or from defending against attacks."

"And what makes you think that I have no guards Hmm? Maybe they are in a nearby cave or hidden amongst the chamber." The queen said her head tilted to the other side

"Simply because if you had any lets say higher than three you likely would have sent two to help the hive fight the humans and left the remaining ones in this chamber. However, as I walked through the cave I noticed a distinct absence of praetorians whether it be bodies or the way that the rest of the hive moved in semi-coordinated patterns. As if a praetorian was present they would be highly coordinated and easily able to repel the human assault or atleast bring it to a favorable standstill."

"Your rather observant. I do indeed have very few praetorians remaining in fact from my original five I only have one remaining. I still don't see how this is relevant to the payment though? You came to me for an army because I can make one meaning that you can't."

"That is correct. While I can't make an army myself I can however bolster yours and by proxy grow my own. As such in return for your and your hive's servitude I can help you improve the strength of your hive while also providing you new territory and a safe location where your hive shall be outmatched by almost nothing. As for how I shall bolster the strength of your hive, you must first swear loyalty to me then I shall empart you with my knowledge."

Silence resounded through their psychonic link as the queen thought about Vinncents offer the only sounds in the chamber was the occasional breath of its two occupants and the water dripping from the stalactites into the pools below.

"..... If I were to take up your offer my brood would come with correct?" The queen said as she rose her head and straightened her body

"Of course, Seeing as I need your assistance it would be an insult to not allow your brood to come. For without them you would be on your own in an unfamiliar territory." Vinncent said shaking his head

"Would you not assist me?"

"I would however, my situation is complicated."

"How so?" the queen asked suspicious evident in her voice

"You see I am not exactly one of your kin." Vinncent said while sweeping his arm to gesture to the tunnel he came from

"Then what are you? I had my suspicions as soon as I suddenly felt your presence so close to my hive along with your manner of talking that you are different. Your only saving grace was your body but upon closer inspection it too now betrays you. Is it possible that you seek to deceive me!?" a small amount of anger entered her voice as she revealed her thoughts

"I do not seek to do such..." Vinncent tried to calm the queen

"... I tell you this because if you decide to take my deal we shall be allies and I do not intend to so quickly betray what little trust you may have in me." Vinncents skin slowly became translucent as he lowered his body toward the ground. A hole began to form in the chest as he leaned out of the torso. Although he could no longer see in the pitch black the queen could.

"You are a human! So you do seek to deceive me!" her voice rumbled in his mind

"No I am far beyond that." Quickly Vinncents wings extended from his back to create a impromptu cloak around his body.

"What are you? You have the body of the humans yet you have the appendages of the sky screamers." Her voice said curiosity

"I am what the humans call an Angel. I am a being whose existence supersedes the needs of the flesh and the passage of time. I serve only myself and one whose existence humbles mine." Vinncent said as he walked back into the xenomorph king body as it closed around him and regained its color.

The queen's head retreated into her crest as she once again thought about Vinncents words.

"Doubtful as I am your offer still intrigues me..." she said slowly.

"...Although it is likely unwise I accept your offer."

"Good then let me fulfill my part of the deal."