Unusual Testing

by AmorousXenomorph

Summary:

Kirchoff is scientist out of his depth;
Valen is his test subject;
They must work together to survive;
While they try to live their Unusual little life.

 

Abandoned, but not Dead. Check the Epilogue & the Post-Script for more details.

Chapter 1: Awaken

He drifted in an endless icy void, a timeless sleep; dreamless & adrift admist the cold void of space.

He could not remember how long he had been waiting, nor what he was waiting for. Even his own name was locked away somewhere in the glacier of his mind. All that was certain was the solid icy grasp of eternity around him.

 

But eternity didn't last.

 

It began to fall away like the cracked pane of a window, shattering away piece by piece until it was a deluge of ice cascading around him; freeing his mind back into the warm embrace of awareness...

---

The loud blast of a siren in both of his ears jolted him back to life. The passenger flinched away from the noise, banging his head on the low, synthetic glass lid of his 'Convenience Class' Cryo-Chamber accommodations. He tried to reach up to rub his soon-to-be bruised forehead, but the cryo deep-sleep pod didn't even have enough room for him to wiggle his fingers.

"Ey! You awake yet?" A gruff voice shouted at him through the speakers. This time, he smashed his knees up into the roof of the insulated tube. "I'll take that as a yes then." 

The lid of his chamber let out a gentle hiss of air as the chamber's seal was disengaged, and the lid slid off to the side into a recess in the side of the tube. A drab, tired looking man looked at a notepad in his hands.

"Welcome back Dr. Kirchoff," the gruff voice droned, as if he had said these exact words a thousand times. "Thank you for choosing Interspace Travel Incorporated for your interstellar travel needs. Please follow the yellow lines on the floor to your assigned sleeping temporary sleeping quarters, you will find the room number attached to your personal belongings.” He pointed to a luggage case propped up against the wall. “Do you have any questions?"

"Erhm..." Kirchoff mumbled.

"Good! Since you have no further questions, please follow the yellow line on the floor to your assigned temporary sleeping quarters." Before Kirchoff could even inhale, the man was briskly walking over to the next pod in the row. A bright yellow line was painted along the floor, just like the man said, stretching away into the rows upon rows of cheap deep-sleep pods. Arrows scattered along the line pointed in what he assumed was the direction of his sleeping pod. He shrugged, grabbed the handle and pushed the cart in front of him down the yellow lined road.

---

Oooohohohoho fuck, I needed that, Kirchoff thought while he toweled himself off. After taking a luxurious 30 minute shower he felt more alive than he had in… damn, how long had he been in stasis? It was a long ass time, that was for sure. He’d had to use most of his savings just to buy his one-way passage to Bernard, a dinky little planet orbiting a boring M-class star on the ass end of the Perseus arm of the Milky Way. Despite the fact that the salary he was being paid for his new job was ridiculous, they still didn’t offer to help pay for his transport costs.

He picked up the watch he kept with him at all times from his bed and checked the date displayed on the tiny, mechanical display. 

 

Seven years. It had been seven years since he left. Fuck. It still felt like he had just departed.

 

He placed the watch back on his pillow. Better not to think about it. Not now.

Kirchoff dug through his luggage container, pulling out a clean set of slacks and a nice polo shirt. It was nothing fancy, but then again, he didn’t want to stand out too much. He slipped into the clothes, comforting him with their bland familiarity. His short brown hair was still dripping wet from his shower, staining the fresh garments with spots of moisture. Goddamn, it felt nice to be dressed in new clothes after wearing the same jumpsuit for seven years in suspended animation. It smelled exactly as bad as you would expect a years old stasis suit would smell too. He’d tossed the suit in the garbage can and tied the bag shut as soon as he got into his room. 

A tiny mirror was hung up on the back of the washroom door. Kirchoff gave himself a good once over. All in all he wasn't a remarkable specimen of a human. In fact he was rather average looking. Standing at about 5'6" with brown, tangled hair and dark brown eyes, he was the kind of person who could easily blend into a crowd without being noticed. Even his body seemed average, not too broad, but not too skinny either. It was truly amazing how little he had changed during his journey here, but that was suspended animation for you.

Kirchoff combed his hands through his hair in an attempt to untangle some of the knots in it, but after fruitlessly digging through it for a few minutes he gave up and decided to find the cafeteria.

---

 

Kirchoff watched as the cafeteria lady spooned a large serving of what he assumed was mashed potatoes onto his plate. It landed with a wet plop, coating the beans, rice, and pork that were already on his tray. Yum, dehydrated ‘potatoes’. My favorite.

He rolled his eyes, but what did he expect?  Interspace Travel Inc. wasn’t exactly a first-rate luxury cruise line company. It mostly did industrial shipping and the occasional military contract, and that fact was clearly reflected in the food on offer.

He turned around and looked out over the small cafeteria for a place to sit. It was a cramped room with only 4 tables big enough to seat nine or ten people at most. Three of the tables were already occupied by men and women in white bodysuits, crewmates no doubt. The fourth was occupied by two surly looking military types, muttering to themselves and glancing over at him occasionally.

Instead of engaging with the clearly hostile and unfriendly looking men, he decided to take his food for a walk out to the unoccupied hallway. There was an alcove not far down the hall towards the living quarters, a square hole in the wall that probably held some kind of vending machine at some point. Now, it was a nice little spot for Kirchoff to wedge himself into, balance his food tray on his knees, and try to eat the bland, overcooked, rehydrated muck that was being advertised as ‘food’. 

As he ate, he tried to think about anything other than the food he was shoveling into his mouth. That wasn't hard, since they were only about a week out from their destination, and he still knew surprisingly little about where he was going. Of course, he hadn’t exactly asked too many questions when he took the job, but he was still a little fuzzy on the exact details of his job. Of course he knew it had something to do with his Doctorate in Xenobiology, otherwise they wouldn’t have hired him in then first place. And it wasn’t like he was thinking all that well when he took the job in the first place. And then there was the other reason he’d come here, but he tried not to think about it too much. 

He shook his head. That was the past, and whatever was waiting for him out here, he was sure it would be better than the life he left behind.

---

"Dr. Kirchoff, please report to Dr. Nigel's office please," The polite, clipped voice  of a woman announced over the intercom. "Dr. Kirchoff to Dr. Nigel's office."

Kirchoff was lying on the small cot in his room, re-reading a worn copy of a cheesy romance book. His quarters were sparsely decorated, with only a bed, dresser, and bedside table (complete with lamp) to fill the small concrete room. At the sound of the announcement, he dragged himself upright and stared at the ceiling. This was odd. He wasn't expecting any more meetings today, least of all with Dr. Ursula Nigel. 

 

It’d been 3 weeks since Kirchoff had arrived at Bernard and the aptly named Bernard Research Station. Whoever came up with that name must have really been stretching their imagination. Despite arriving here almost a month ago, he had yet to do any actual research. Or even receive any information about what his position actually did. Or do anything useful.

All he had been doing was going to mandatory briefing sessions, instructional lessons on the use of lab equipment and the proper procedure on writing up reports as well as various aptitude, medical and physical tests. It was so boring and repetitive that Kirchoff was pretty sure he had actually fallen asleep three times during the last briefing. Well, at least I finally get to meet the infamous Dr. Nigel.

Dr. Ursula Nigel was something of a legend at the Bernard Research Facility, at least based on all of the gossip that was going around about her. She had been working at Bernard for nigh-on twenty years and that she had been in charge of the Xenomorph Studies Division for the past eight. If the rumors were to be believed, she had managed and participated in dozens of bizarre projects and studies, although Kirchoff doubted the legitimacy of many of them. After all, wasn’t that the entire point of this research station? Advanced Xenobiological Studies was the entire reason the parent company of Bernard had built such an important research facility on a nearly unreachable planet. Hell, it was so remote that they actually had to grow most of their own food and manufacture part of their own supplies on-site.

It was odd that she would call for him though. She rarely addressed any of the other staff in person other than her direct subordinates, so meeting her right off the boat was a little unnerving. Well, it wasn’t like he could just ignore the summons. He stood up, stretched his back, and began the long walk from his dormitory to the Xenomorph Studies Division of the facility.

 

It took Kirchoff almost half an hour to traverse the various hallways, stairs, elevator rides, and security checkpoints down to the office of Dr. Nigel. It didn't look particularly impressive on the outside, just a regular looking door with a simple name plate that read “Dr. Nigel, Ursula”. He didn’t enter right away, instead opting to stand at the door for a good minute, working up the nerve to knock. When he finally raised his hand to knock on the door, a clear, tired voice called out, "Just come in Dr. Kirchoff. I know you're out there."

His cheeks burning, he turned the knob and pushed the door inwards. He wasn't quite sure what he was expecting when he stepped into Dr. Nigel's office, but it certainly wasn't what he saw. It was a very simple affair, with only a wooden desk, a desktop computer, and several filing cabinets filling the interior of the cramped office space. However, it was hard to tell exactly where everything was though due to the massive amounts of paper strewn absolutely everywhere. Covering the desk, bulging from the filing cabinets, laying on the floor, and pinned to the walls. There wasn't a single inch of space in her office not covered by paper. Sitting behind the paper covered desk was Dr. Nigel herself, her head buried in yet more papers.

"Um… You called for me?" Kirchoff asked hesitantly.

She looked up from her desk. In contrast with the mess scattered around the room, her hair was neatly braided, the brown skin of her face seemed smooth and flawless, except for the large bags under her eyes. "I did indeed."

"Do you know why I called you here?" She asked.

He shuffled his feet uncomfortably, "No."

"Take a walk with me and I'll show you," She got up from her desk, being careful not to knock any of the papers off her desk and walked out the door. Kirchoff hesitated for a brief moment, then followed her out of her office and down the hall. Neither of them said a word as she led them down a winding path of hallways, stairs, elevator rides and various empty rooms. Soon they reached the doors to a grimy looking elevator. Dr. Nigel pressed the down button, and they stood together in awkward silence while waiting an eternity for the elevator car to arrive.

"So... I assume you've heard a lot of rumors about my work here," She said, breaking the silence.

"Yes," Kirchoff replied, not knowing what else to say

"Which ones did you hear?" She asked

"Pardon?" 

"Which rumors did you hear? It's always amusing to hear what stories all the new scientists have heard."

Kirchoff was taken aback. "Well… I've heard quite a few. The most memorable one I heard about was the one where you transfused Xenomorph blood into a group of test subjects and they melted from the inside out."

Dr. Nigel broke out laughing. "They're still telling that one?" She shook her head. "I can tell you with a hundred percent certainty that we did not pump a bunch of people full of Xeno blood. In fact, it was the complete opposite. We pumped a Xenomorph full of donated human blood in order to study how similar a Xenomorph's biology is to a human's."

"Wow," he breathed. "That's very…"

"Interesting? Yes it was. We learned quite a bit from that little endeavor I can tell you."

"Wait, we?"

She raised a thin eyebrow at him. "Well you don't expect me to do all of my research alone do you? You did see my office, right?"

He thought back to Dr. Nigel's paper coated office. "You do have a few papers lying around."

"And that's just some of the paperwork from the latest study we conducted. My job is far less glamorous than most people make it out to be. Sure I get to say I lead a variety of different research projects that better our knowledge of the Xenomorphs, but when it comes right down to it I'm like a glorified secretary. I get to sort through all of the data all the scientists working for me collect and I process it down into reports that I get to hand off to my superiors on the board of directors, which is not an easy task let me tell you."

"Why don't you just do everything through a computer?" It seemed a lot easier to have everything organized on a computer rather than have it all on paper.

"I don't trust digital storage. It's too easy to copy a report or steal a hard drive and get away with it. I would much rather my research remain… confidential. So I hope you don't mind hand writing reports."

"I don't really mind. It certainly explains all the classes on report writing though."

"Yeah. You wouldn't believe how many people have no idea how to write a proper report."

"Not after they're done with that report writing class."

She giggled. "I like you Kirchoff. I'm glad you're participating in this little project of mine."

"Don't get any crazy ideas doc, I don't swing that way."

She stopped talking and looked at him. Heat rushed to his cheeks and he quickly looked down at his shoes. Just as he started to regret letting his joke slip, she chuckled and shook her head again. "All that aside, I think we ought to get down to business. There is a reason I called you to my office."

Kirchoff let out a little sigh of relief. "Yeah, I was wondering about that."

"As you know, you aren't the only scientist who came here to be a researcher. Many of your colleagues are going to work in our weapons development programs or in our interplanetary agricultural department, but you are going to be working for me on my latest project. Xenologists are in high demand out here and I can use all the help I can get."

She pressed the elevator button a few more times. "God damnit, could this thing be any slower? Anyways, you are going to be working on a special project for me directly. Your job is going to be studying the emotional reactions of a single Xenomorph subject to certain stimuli and environmental influences."

"Emotions?" Kirchoff was confused. "You mean like their body language or reactions or something?"

"No, I mean their actual emotional responses. The point of this project is to determine the exact range of emotions that Xenomorphs can experience."

The sheer implication of what Dr. Nigel was mind boggling. Sure he was a Xenobiologist, a damn good one if he said so himself, but this was something else. "Um, are there any procedures or past work for me to base my work off of? I mostly did anatomical and physiological work before this."

"Don't worry Kirchoff. You'll be provided with all the equipment you need to perform the experiment."

“Hmmm.” Even if he was given some incredibly advanced equipment, he couldn't see this being an easy task. "Okay, but seriously, what kind of equipment will I be working with?"

"You'll see in a minute, if this damn elevator would show up." A loud ding sounded. "Ah, how convenient."

The elevator door slid open, revealing a carriage just as grimy as the doors. Both of them stepped inside and Dr. Nigel inserted a key card into a slot and pressed a button marked 'R'. The elevator screeched and slowly began its descent. It seemed like hours before the elevator finally stopped it's long journey down into the bowels of the facility. They descended down floor after floor, past the barracks, the dormitories, the indoor farms and hydroponic facilities... and the biology research labs. Wherever she was taking them, it couldn't be somewhere people visited very often.

The doors opened with a screech to reveal a corridor that looked very different from the car that had brought them down here. Everything was pure white. The walls, the floors, the ceiling and even the lights were all pure white and impeccably clean. Not a single scuff or mark anywhere along the pristine walls and floors.

"Where is this place?" Kirchoff asked.

"This is our Advanced Biological Research Facility, the ABRF." Dr. Nigel replied and gestured for him to follow her. "Take a good look around, because you are one of the few people here who will ever get to see this place. The only way to get in and out of here is through the elevator we just came through."

They strolled down the white hallway, passing rows of identical doors at regular intervals until they came to one marked 223-C. Dr. Nigel entered a code into a small keypad protruding from the wall and the door slid up into the roof without a sound. The room behind the door was similar in style to the hallway outside. Everything was clean and white, very minimalistic. The room was about ten feet high and all the walls were about twenty feet long. There was another door off to the side of the room. Monitors and panels protruded from the wall that had the other door, taking up most of the remaining space.

"This is your lab Kirchoff. That door to your right is your new living quarters, which has its own door to the hall.” Dr. Nigel explained. “All of your belongings have been brought down here from your previous room, and there is a map of the facilities down here pinned on your fridge. Get well acquainted with this place because you're going to be spending a lot of time here."

Kirchoff glanced around the room. "Where's all the equipment? I thought this place would be filled with computers and machines."

"This lab is the equipment," She pressed a button on a pedestal covered in even more screens, dials, and buttons. The wall opposite the entrance to the hall shimmered for a brief moment, then turned completely transparent, revealing a large empty room approximately the same size as the one they were in.

"The other side of this wall is a containment cell. This entire room is essentially a giant workstation," She explained. "The floors and walls in the cell are lined with sensors that can detect a subject's pulse, breathing rate, body movements, body temperature, anything you could possibly need. A computer will automatically process data into numbers and stats for you, but it's your job to draw conclusions from the data you receive.”

“Is that why you wanted me? To be able to process all the physical data?”

“Bingo, Dr. Kirchoff,” She shot him a single finger gun. “That, and you’re the best person we could get on such short notice. Our last scientist bailed at the last minute, and we needed a replacement.”

“Oh,” Her words stung him, just a little. “So I’m just a backup?”

“Not at all!” She hastened to answer. “You wouldn’t be here at all if you weren’t qualified for the position.”

She must have seen the look in his eyes, because her tone softened just a bit. “Don’t worry Doctor, you have personal assurance that you’re not just some last-minute replacement.”

“Thanks Doc,” Kirchoff's mood lightened at her words. “So, what kinds of tools do I have for this project?”

“Oh, we have a variety of different tools that you can use to stimulate certain emotional behaviors. Unfortunately, there aren't all that many existing procedures for you to follow either, since this is a new branch of experimental science. That gives you a lot of leeway for what you can do, but I still expect you to produce results."

"There are also a variety of documents that you have access to." She gestured to the table covered in monitors. "They have all the information that we have compiled on Xenomorph biology, genealogy, and behavior. All of the manuals for the equipment are included as well. I also recommend that you read the manuals in your room. Your lab is a bit more advanced than the equipment you learned to use in training, so you’ll want to give them a read."

"You seem to have this pretty well planned out," he remarked.

"Oh, you have no idea," she said. "Five years of planning and technological research went into this experiment, so try not to break anything. Do you have any questions?"

"Will I be working with anyone?" He asked. "This sounds like a lot of work and very little direction you're giving me."

"Only you will be working with this subject for now. That being said, don't get too wild with your research methods Doctor. I don’t want to go through the hassle of getting a replacement for you. He’ll arrive first thing tomorrow morning.”

That piqued his interest. “Does it have a name?”

“Officially, his name is VS-223.” She leaned in conspiratorially. “But unofficially, I've nicknamed him Valen."

"Valen? As in Valentine?" That seemed a pretty odd name for a Xenomorph.

"Yeah, that’s where I got the inspiration from,” She told him. “And he's going to be your one and only research subject. So please, please, please try not to kill him. He's rather… Unusual."

Chapter 2: Valen

Beep… Beep… Beep…

"Uuugh," Kirchoff groaned into his pillow. He rolled over in his bed and tried to make out on the clock blaring in his ear. 6:00 am Local-Time. Far too early in the morning for any sane human being to be awake. He rolled away from the alarm clock and pulled the blanket up over his head, trying to ignore the alarm. 

In the end the alarm clock's incessant ringing won and Kirchoff begrudgingly tossed his blankets off the bed and sat up. He rubbed his eyes in a feeble attempt to wake himself up. When that failed miserably, he stumbled into the kitchen for some good old fashioned coffee. It took several minutes of blundering around to find the coffee maker, figure out how the damn thing worked, and find a mug big enough to satisfy his need for caffeine, but half an hour later Kirchoff stepped out of his room relatively groomed and ready for a long day of research. Although what kind of research he was going to be doing was still unclear.

He’d skimmed over some of the technical manuals for the equipment the night before, and those manuals did not pull any punches with the ‘technical’ aspect. He could barely make heads or tails of them, but he was reassured that most of the equipment was used just by tuning dials and pressing buttons. The biology reports were interesting, but didn’t contain much that he didn’t already know.

He sat himself down at the control panel in a very nice, plush swivel chair and fiddled around with the controls. After poking around on the panels and consulting a user manual afew times, he managed to locate the transparency controls for the wall. He flipped a switch and the wall on his side turned clear, revealing the room behind it. 

The cell looked just as it had the other day, blank, white, and incredibly boring. Save for one thing. In the corner of the room closest to him, pressed up against the wall was a large Xenomorph warrior. Even though it was curled up, he could easily see that it was huge, probably over eight feet tall standing, with an impressive crest adorning his head. What made it more remarkable was that this was a male Xenomorph, an incredibly rare phenomenon that had only been documented a few dozen times.

No wonder Dr. Nigel didn’t want me killing him by accident, He thought as he stared in awe at the magnificent specimen.

---

Valen felt the human's gaze on him. Even though he couldn't directly see the person, he could feel it. Its consciousness was like a candle in a dark void. So feeble and flickering, unaware of how easily he could snuff it out. With a small effort of will, he reached out to that light spot in the dark and felt the man's mind. His every thought and emotion were as clear and vivid as though they were his own.

Valen knew he was being melodramatic, but he was just so damn bored. The man had been sitting there for at least five minutes just looking at him. He would have expected him to do something by now. That's what all of the others did anyway.

Is he just waiting for me to do something? Valen asked himself. He wouldn't give it that satisfaction. Instead he remained curled up in the corner of the room and continued pretending he didn't know he was there.

Without warning, a loud alarm blared and pain spiked through his head. He shrieked and screamed and covered his head as best he could to try and blot out the horrible noise. The noise blared on and on for what seemed like an eternity until it finally cut out.

There was silence in the room, then a voice boomed out from all around him, "Hey, you awake yet? Ready to get started buddy?”

Am I ready to start? Ready to start what? He grumbled to himself. Destroying my ears?

What he really wanted to do was scream at the man behind the wall for being so inconsiderate, but he fought down the urge. He knew that if he reacted the way he expected him to, it would just result in more pain, just like all the times before. What an asshole.

The man''s head snapped side to side, as if looking for something. What was that?

Valen's head perked up. This was getting interesting. He tried again, putting more effort into it this time. I said, you're an asshole!

This time, the man stood up and whirled around, casting his gaze side to side, looking for whoever insulted him.

Valen snorted and laughed. What an imbecile.

This time, Kirchoff turned around to stare at him, a disbelief and shock and dread washing over him, competing for his attention. He leaned forwards, pressed the button to activate the microphone and asked, "Did you say that?"

---

Valen nodded his head.

Okay, what the hell? Kirchoff thought. He can speak to me.

This research project was certainly off to an interesting start. When he had sat down at his workstation he had a half formed plan of talking to Valen to stimulate some kind of response, but this was most certainly not the response he had expected.

Maybe if he can speak to me... "Can you understand me?"

Oh, I do better than understand, human, said the voice. It wasn't a voice per-se since. He was pretty sure he hadn't actually heard anything, but he definitely heard someone saying those words.

What?  The voice snarked at him when he didn't respond. You don't understand sarcasm?

Kirchoff clenched his ears in an attempt to blot out the voice.

What are you doing? It asked again. You look like an idiot.

"Why won't you just shut the hell…" He looked up and saw Valen looking at him through the glass, his head tilted in what he assumed was amused interest. "So you do understand me..."

Says who?  Valen looked away, as if he was a guilty puppy not looking at the couch cushion he had just torn apart.

Oh great, he thought. Either I've gone insane, or I have a sarcastic, telepathic Xenomorph on my hands.

Insanity might be the better option, Valen remarked.

"So... so you really can talk? Like I'm not just having a psychotic episode or something?"

Unfortunately for you, this is all really happening.

Okay, so the Xenomorph talks... It talks... Kirchoff's head was spinning. His knuckles were turning white as he gripped the sided of the console. Why is it talking?

I don't know, why don't you try asking him? Valen replied sardonically.

"Okay... Why are you talking Valen?" Kirchoff asked in a husky, raspy voice. His throat felt suddenly dry.

Oh, wouldn't you like to know? Valen's jaws widened, his inner mouth extending, teeth protruding in what looked like the most terrifying grin in the galaxy. Kirchoff could tell this was going to be a long day.

---

"Okay Valen, let's try this again," Kirchoff said, rubbing his temples with his palms. "I'm going to ask you a question, and you're going to give me a straight answer or I'll shock you."

Why? You've shocked me so much that I don't think it would do anything at this point, so why should I bother? Valen asked.

"Fine, then I'll gas you!" Kirchoff shouted.

I still won't tell you anything, Valen retorted.

"Gah!" Kirchoff stepped away from the panel and began pacing his room.

Nope, I still won't talk even if you 'Gah!' me.

Kirchoff let out a stream of curses, kicking his chair across the room and pulling at his hair. Nothing he was doing was working. For the past week he had tried everything at his disposal, but no matter how much he gassed, electrocuted, hosed, starved, or beat him, Valen refused to show any signs of breaking. Any questions Kirchoff had about Valen's telepathic abilities were forced to the back of his mind as he tried day after day to get any kind of reaction out of him other than snarky retorts and backsass.

The data he got from the computers was also useless. When he tried to use the monitoring software to examine Valen's mind and compare them to existing models of other Xenomorphs, nothing significant showed up. He even tried examining his own brain activity when Valen was talking to him, but that didn't produce any useful data either, at least not that he was able to see. The lab equipment was so advanced that he couldn’t even make out half of what it was trying to tell him. Even the manuals weren’t much help, since they were written in the same arcane, deeply technical language as the results he was getting.

Kirchoff stalked back to the panel and was about to press the button to electrocute Valen when he had a sudden idea. One thing had done in the past week was read and reread the biological and behavioral reports that he was given. Most of them contained information he already knew, but he walked over to the databank computer and double checked a report on Xenomorph social behaviours just to make sure. If his plan worked, it might just get Valen to give him what he wanted. If not, no harm done. To him anyways.

Still trying to find the best way to beat me into submission? Valen asked sardonically as he was browsing through the files.

"Oh, I'm not going to hurt you," Kirchoff replied.

Hmmmm? Valen raised his head and looked up at him in mock interest. Mind telling me what exactly you are going to do then?

"In fact, I'm not going to do anything to you. For quite some time actually. I’m sure you won’t mind some alone time." He pressed several buttons on the panel, Valen's room went dark, and the wall turned opaque.

Is this some attempt on your part to be clever? Valen asked sarcastically.

"Oh, you'll see," Kirchoff sneered. Once he confirmed that the wall was completely opaque, he turned on his heel, walked into his quarters, and stalked out the door into the hall.

---

Kirchoff's plan was simple. Xenomorphs are eusocial creatures they lived in hives with a strictly regimented caste system, and as such social interaction was foundational to their psychology and behavior, both for the hive and the individual. If a Xeno that was raised in a hive or hive-like environment was isolated from the hive for too long, its mental health would degrade. Erratic behavior, violent outbursts,  reduced energy, self harming behaviours. This was followed shortly by a rapid decline in physical health, concluding in a long, slow death. The details listed in one Dr. Nigel's reports on isolated eusocial Xenomorphs were... gruesome to say the least.

However, that innate need for social connection did give him something to work with. According to reports from Valen's previously assigned researchers, Valen had been raised in an isolated lab here on the station from birth, and the only kind of social interactions he had were usually with human researchers, support staff, and security. Almost none with others of his own kind. Another of Dr. Nigel's studies on “Atypical-Social Behavior in Xenomorphs", suggested that Xenomorphs that were raised with an isolation from a have and regular contact with humans, developed altered eusocial behaviors, likely as a necessary psychological coping mechanism. Instead of forming typical eusocial hive behaviors, these Xenomorphs formed adversarial social bonds as a sort of coping mechanism to being isolated from a hive. In most cases this manifested as increased agitation and violence displayed to other Xenomorphs and more neutral reactions towards humans. In addition to this behavior, these kinds of Xenomorphs could be isolated for far longer than their typical brethren. However, the atypcicals still experienced the same deterioration as the rest did eventually if they were isolated too long.

So it was simple. If Kirchoff didn't interact with Valen for long enough, then he might be able to wear him down without having to do anything.

The tricky part of this idea was that he'd have to do nothing. Like, deliberately do nothing, all day. For weeks, probably. Dr. Nigel probably wouldn't like it if the reports from one of her labs in the ABRF, but that might actually be a good thing. Kirchoff had been trying to talk again with Dr. Nigel. He wanted to find out what she knew about Valen. Did she know about his abilities? If so, how long had she known about them? Why would she assign Valen to him? But he didn't want to just tell his boss "Did you know that Xenomorph I'm studying can talk to me in my head?" He had to talk to her, in private, to find out what she knew. So instead of wasting his time electrocuting Valen over and over for the rest of the day, he was trying to navigate his way to the elevator he had originally come down here on. It didn't help that there were no maps anywhere in the facility, and he was trying to navigate the complex, winding halls with only a generic map that he had found pinned on his fridge. He thought the laminated plastic map was silly when he looked at it on his fridge, but now he had no idea how anyone could get anywhere by themselves in this place without a map. Whoever planned this facility was either shitfaced drunk or what was down here was far more complicated than he thought.

It took a lot of walking and a lot of backtracking, but eventually he found his way back to the elevator. It looked just the same as the last time, only with the minor addition of a very tall, very muscular, and very heavily armed guard standing guard in front of the elevator control panel.

Kirchoff approached the man and said, "Hey, can I get up to level 12, I need to speak to Dr. Nigel."

"Sorry sir," the marine replied without looking at him. "But you're not allowed to leave."

"Excuse me?" he asked, confused.

"Sorry sir, but I can't let you leave. You're not authorized."

"But I need to speak with Dr. Nigel. It's really important!" Desperation was starting to leak into his voice. He wanted... no, needed to talk to her about Valen. If he didn't, he felt like his head explode from all questions.

"Sorry sir, you still can't leave."

"But… Look, I can't tell you what it is but I urgently need to see her."

"Sir, you are not authorized to leave."

Kirchoff's mouth opened to keep arguing, but the look in the guard's eyes made him reconsider pressing the issue any further.

"Fine," He rounded on his heels and stormed back towards his lab... until he remembered that he had to steer clear of them for a while, at least until the day was over and he could go to bed. So he turned left instead and eventually made his way into one of the communal break rooms. Once he had finally arrived at the closest break room, he wedged himself into the chair in a corner of the room furthest away from everyone else. This wasn't exactly hard, since the labyrinth of hallways probably discouraged anyone from wandering around to a break room unless they had serious time to waste getting there. He snatched a scrap of trashed paper and a working pen from the coffee counter, and did his best to smooth the paper out & quickly write a report to Dr. Nigel on the rough plastic surface of a wooden coffee table, expressing how urgently he needed to talk to her. In private.

Once he was done, he rolled the note up and stuffed it in his pocket. There was a vacuum tube in his lab that he used for submitting data sticks and paper reports. Apparently the ABRF was entirely separated from the electrical, ventilation, and communications systems from the rest of Bernard Research Station, in addition to being built extremely deep underground, and with an labyrinth of a floorplan. If anything dangerous broke out down here, they REALLY didn't want anything getting upstairs. He picked up an old magazine from the coffee table, wedged himself even deeper into his chair, and tried his best not to think about Valen, or his lab, or the ABRF, or Dr. Nigel, or anything else.

---

When is that imbecile coming back? Valen wondered. He's been gone for far longer than normal. He was pacing the length of his cell, casting the occasional glance at the wall that divided him the cell. It wasn't because he missed Kirchoff, he loathed the man. He just missed messing with him. It was so much fun to watch him squirm trying to get him to do anything. That was it. Still, it was rather lonely without him. It was bothering him much more than he would like to admit.

When he briefly felt Kirchoff's mind, he was excited. Then he quickly squashed his excitement, then felt angry with himself for feeling excited, then felt disappointed when all Kirchoff did was slip something into the wall-tube and leave. Then got angry at himself again. Then did his best to continue to not be disappointed...

It's only been one day,  he told himself. He'll have to come back eventually, and when he does I'm going to go right back to screwing with him.

---

Dr. Nigel was sitting at her desk, examining a report from one of her many subordinates when she heard a knock at the door. She glanced at her computer and double checked her appointment bookings for the day. She looked at the time and went back to the list. 1300 Local-Time, not a second too early or too late. Right on time.

"Come in Julianne," she called to the person on the other side of the door.

The blandest, plainest, most undistinguished woman Dr. Nigel had ever known stepped through the door and stood in front of her desk. Dr. Nigel looked up at her from her papers, "I take it Dr. Gavin wants something."

"Dr. Kirchoff has stopped turning in reports for the past 2 weeks," she stated flatly. Right to the point, just like usual.

"I'm aware of that," She said, putting down her paper. "He told me that in his last report. He said that he's doing an experiment where he is keeping his subject in isolation. What's your point? It's not like it matters to the board."

"Why has he stopped turning in reports?" She asked in the same bland monotone. "The board has had no updates for two weeks. Dr. Gavin is growing concerned."

"Kirchoff told me that he'd report in to me when his experiment was finished, and I agreed on the condition that he will still send me data regarding the subject's vitals. This is very delicate work, and I'm in no mood to rush him if he thinks this is going to work," she raised her eyebrow at the woman standing across from her and jabbed a finger onto her desk. "I'll say it again Julianne. Very delicate. The board and Gavin should know that by now. We cannot risk rushing it. Especially now."

"Your experiment has been an ongoing for the past 2 and a half years, Dr. Nigel," she said, still in her flat monotone. "You have yet to provide anything better than speculation. For the amount of money that they have already invested into your project, there has been very little return. What will they do when the shareholders start asking questions about the funds we're allocating specifically to the Bio-Research Department?"

"Tell Dr. Gavin that if he wants results faster, then he should invent a time machine," she rubbed her forehead in exasperation. "Look, Julianne, I have a feeling Kirchoff is onto something here. He was very clear in his note to me that I can't rush this phase of the experiment. He also wants to talk to me, and that means he's gonna ask me some very uncomfortable questions. That might compromise him and make him unsuitable for the next phase. Just because I'm not writing daily reports on him doesn't mean that it's not important. I made that very clear."

Julianne stared blankly at her, then turned around and walked out of the room. Just before she exited, she looked over her shoulder and said "I'll report your progress to Dr. Gavin. Oh, and the board as well."

Then the door slid shut Dr. Nigel slid back in her chair and heaved out an extended "Ffffuuuuuck..." She had dodged a bullet there. Dr. Gavin was up her ass lately, but he'd never threatened her like that. Shareholders... fund allocations... Corporate speak for "Hurry up or I'll liquidate the entire Bio-Research Department!" Dr. Nigel sighed. Everything depended on Kirchoff now. The Board had finally gotten fed up with her, and Gavin was whispering in their ears about her, casting doubt on her project. She needed a breakthrough, but since she couldn't just get up and get one, she got up and went to get a very large, very strong mug of coffee instead.

---

The past 3 weeks were probably the least interesting, most boring weeks of his entire career. Doing nothing for that long was hard. Legitimately hard.

3 weeks, 2 days, and 11 hours was the deadline Kirchoff had estimated he could leave Valen alone before risking serious mental damage to the Xenomorph. He'd calculated it using Dr. Nigel's results from her "Atypical-Social Behavior in Xenomorphs" paper and some rough estimation based on typical Xenomorph mental degradation. So 3 weeks and change before it would get too dangerous to Valen to keep him isolated. So he called it 3 weeks to be safe.

At first, he could keep himself occupied by taking walks around the facility, watching movies on a TV in one of the isolated lounges he had found, reading the outdated magazines in the break rooms, or chatting with the few other scientists working down in the facility with him. However, he began to run out of new movies to watch, new magazines to read, new places to explore or new people to talk to.

Just the idea of doing the same things over and over and over and over and over again made Kirchoff want to puke. Hell, that's why he signed up for this job in the first place. Exciting new research, they said! Work at the very front of Xenobiology, they said! Generous compensation, they said!

When he wasn't thinking about how bored he was, he was desperately doing his best not to think of Valen. That's why he was doing everything except sitting in his quarters. If he started staying in his quarters all day, he'd get bored. And if he got gored, he might start thinking about Valen. And if he started thinking about Valen, he might lost control and talk to Valen. And if he talked to Valen that would negate the whole point of not talking to him. And then he'd have to start all over again. So being in his quarters wasn't an option. The only time he went back was to sleep, and check his equipment to see if Valen was still alive. Aside from that, he spent every second of the day, not being in his room.

But now the 3 weeks were finally up. The second he woke up, Kirchoff pulled his clothes on, grabbed a room temperature cup of coffee left over from the day before, walked into his lab without even reheating it, switched all the lights on, sat down at his desk, and pressed the microphone button.

---

Valen was starting to give up hope by the time Kirchoff returned. At first Valen had tried to convince himself that everything was still all good. He passed the time by imagining all of the terrible and brutal ways that he would kill Kirchoff if he ever got out of his prison. Disembowelment, strangulation, lacerations, impalement, the list went on and on. But then that stopped being entertaining and became more of a chore. He also had trouble getting what little rest he needed. He felt less hungry, and rarely felt the urge to eat. Soon his thoughts were becoming more muddled & sluggish by the day. He felt trapped with his own head, and was beginning to get desperate, reaching out and trying to feel for someone, anyone to talk to, to be with, to even feel.

Whenever he did feel someone, it was always Kirchoff. It was always brief, and his thoughts and feelings were muted by boredom.

When Kirchoff did come back, Valen had all but given up. He was lying sprawled out on the floor, wallowing in misery when the lights snapped on with a loud hum, and the human's voice blared out from the hidden speakers in the walls.

"Hello there Valen, you're looking good today," Kirchoff said.

Valen remained silent and still. He didn't have the energy to make any attempt at making a comeback.

"What, no witty remarks?" Kirchoff asked.

No… he said quietly.

"Well now, there's a shock," he said with obvious smugness. This was the best thing to happen to him in weeks. He didn't need to be telepathic to tell that. "Are you ready to cooperate with me now?"

...Yes…

"Very well, we’ll start right away then, it's still bright and early. And do try to cut down on the sass."

Yeah right. Valen thought to himself, although with not as much fervor as he would have liked. As if I'll ever let that happen.

---

"So, then… Tell me about yourself Valen," Kirchoff talked over the microphone.

What do you want to know? Despite his grumpy tone, Kirchoff could tell that he was glad to have someone to talk to. Or he might have just been putting on an act so he wouldn't be put in solitary confinement again.

"Let's start with the basics," Kirchoff said, "How did you get your name?"

I thought you would have been told that Mr. Scientist, Valen retorted. Every other human I've talked with knows the story.

"I know," Kirchoff said. "But I want to hear it from you."

If Valen had eyes, Kirchoff definitely thought he'd be rolling them. The human called Nigel gave me that name. According to her, it was because I have such a lovely temperament. She probably would have called me something else if I could have spoken my mind at that time.

"Speaking of which, how did you learn to speak our language?"

Valen grinned. I thought we were starting with the basics.

"We did, and now we're moving on to the more complicated subjects," Kirchoff replied, smirking. "Now tell me, how did you learn to speak English? I didn't think that you would be smart enough to do something like that."

Valen looked indignant. Despite appearances, I am not just some dumb brutish creature. As you should know by observing me, I am rather intelligent, and I just so happen to be even more intelligent than the average... 'Xenomorph'. It was an easy task to listen in on your conversations and learn your language.

"How long did it take you to learn all this?" he asked.

A few months probably, maybe half a year or so at most.

"Wait, what?" Kirchoff did a double take at Valen. "Months? You took six months to learn English?"

Yes, Valen said. It wasn't that hard. I did it shortly after I discovered I could listen to human thoughts. And you of all people should know that English isn't the only language you meat sacks...

"That's unbelievable!" Kirchoff exclaimed, cutting Valen off mid sentence.

I beg your pardon?

"That's incredible! You learned to speak fluent English in less than a year by simply listening? Holy shit!" Kirchoff was flabbergasted.

You… you're impressed? He sounded dubious.

"Of course I am! That's amazing! The fact that hyou could even comprehend human language at all with astounding, let alone you learning it so, like, astronomically fast!"

Valen stood up slightly straighter at that. Well it isn't that big of a deal.

Kirchoff leaned forwards in his chair. "What else have you learned? By watching us, I mean." He asked with genuine interest.

Well, I do know that you have a device that can measure the passing of time, and that you also… Valen spouted on and on like that for hours about the things he had observed. Whenever he fumbled when trying to describe something he was unsure of, Kirchoff stepped in and helped out. Despite his little mistakes about the specifics of pop-culture, He had learned an astounding amount about language and science, especially biology, psychology, and sociology. Kirchoff was confused about both psychology and sociology, but Valen explained that Dr. Nigel had been trying every angle, every possibility to get more out of Valen for the past two years. Hiring doctors with every degree, every specialization, spending enormous sums of money to try and find anyone, anything that could get through to Valen. Of course Valen was unfeasibly proud of himself for being so resilient, so he couldn't help but brag about it to someone. Hell, he'd probably never had the chance to even brag before.

Kirchoff was too dumbfounded to really notice or care. If Valen was a human, he would have made an astounding scientist. Definitely a doctorate, maybe more than one. His observational skills and his capacity and aptitude for absorbing information were leagues above his own, and his extreme intelligence compared to the average Xenomorph drone was even greater than he ever expected. Which was saying something, considering Valen was already a telepathic talking Xenomorph.

In return for his cooperation, Kirchoff answered questions Valen had. His were mostly about Dr. Nigel's experiment, none of which Kirchoff could answer.

Pitiful, absolutely pitiful, he said, shaking his head. Are you sure you really don't know anything more than that?

"Look, all I know is that I'm supposed to be doing what Dr. Nigel tells me." he replied. "She told me to study your emotions. I had no goddamn clue how to do that. Then you started talking. After I stopped panicking, I thought I'd just roll with it and see how it went. "

You really didn't buy that excuse, did you? Valen finished. You really thought that 'studying me' meant 'Study my emotional responses?', and not 'Holy shit why is the xenomorph talking?! How the fuck does it do that? Find out how he does that!'.

Kirchoff said nothing. Apparently he didn't need to, because Valen replied anyways.

Oh you idiot!

"What?"

How did you ever manage to become a doctor being that dumb?

"I'm not dumb!"

Oblivious then!

"Look, I'm not... How the fuck did you expect me to react? I was in shock!"

For a week?

"I wasn't told that you were telepathic! And I just assumed they already knew! They were so vague about it that I just assumed it was, like, top secret or something!"

Valen pondered that idea for a minute before responding. Well, I suppose I can see why you would think that, but nobody knows I can do this. I was just as surprised as you were when you heard me.

"So you didn't know you could talk to me? But you acted like..."

I knew I could do it? Like I expected it. Valen turned his gaze away, as if embarrassed. To tell you the truth, after I got over my surprise I couldn't help messing with you. You're such an idiot, and you got so mad it was worth a little pain to feel your frustration and pain.

Kirchoff took a deep breath to calm himself, to think this through. "Okay, this is... a lot to wrap my head around. But, I mean, can't you just..."

Just tell you how I can do my telepathy trick, right?

Kirchoff nodded, "I mean... that would make my job a lot easier, yeah."

But why would I ever want to do that? Valen leaned forwards, pressing his crest on the wall in front of him, towering over him as he sat in his chair. It made him flinch, even though Valen was on the other side of a wall at least three feet thick. Even if I did know how I can do telepathy, which I don't by the way, why should I just tell you?  he asked. Even if I did know - which I don't, and if I told you all that I know about it right now - which I wont, what would happen next? You'd tell your superiors, and if you did they would probably torture me, kill me and dissect me to study my brain just like you do for every one of us down here, your superiors will pat you on the back for a job well done, and then you would probably be out of a job. And that is the best case scenario. What happens if you tell someone you have a talking Xenomorph in your head and they don't believe you?

Valen let that thought hang in the air like a dead weight before continuing. I'll tell you. You'd sound crazy, they'd throw you out of here in a heartbeat. You'd probably end up worse than all the others."

"All the others?" Chills ran down his spine. 

Fifteen others to be precise.

Fifteen? Fifteen! holy shit 15 was a lot! That was a new scientist more than every 2 months... "What happened to them?"

Some quit, a few had mental breakdowns, and the rest were fired because they were 'unsuitable' . After they left, I never heard or saw them again, and they'd bring in a new scientist.  Valen told him. Each and every one of them was given the same briefing as you, by the way. That's how they get you all to come here. I also get the distinct impression that they couldn't just leave this place with no consequences, considering how hard they have this place locked down.

"Hang on... Earlier you said this experiment has only been going on for 2 years... I shipped out to Bernard seven years ago, I've been in hypersleep way before this whole thing started. There's no way I got hired to study you! They'd have to get people from much closer systems to study you."

If you want my theory, I think they got anybody who could be even vaguely qualified from any incoming ships and reassigned them to study me. All of them were treated the exact same way as you were. A long, confusing orientation, not telling you what your job is, keeping you busy with pointless work. Barely any information on what they were to be doing exactly until just before they meet me. Valen's jaw cracked open in what Kirchoff could only guess was a grin. And each one of them quit or was 'deemed unsuitable'. The one before you said she she got bad vibes from me. She was so unsettled by me that she refused to work in the lab at all the last few days she was here. She was deemed unsuitable after only a month. They had you down here two days after that, so they probably kept her around just long enough to finish training you.

"Motherfucker..." So he had been a last minute replacement. And they'd been keeping him busy so that he could replace her because she was unsuitable.

Cheer up, the only person the only one who can hear me is you. So you don't have to worry as long as you keep it a secret.

"What?" Kirchoff's head was spinning from the multiple revelations Valen had just dumped on him. "So... like, other people can't hear you? The other scientists I mean?"

Maybe, He thought about it for a moment. I think some of them could get vague feelings, or a few words. Dr. Nigel probably can probably sense something, but probably not much. She doesn't respond to anything I try. But nobody has been able to hear me as well as you.

"Do you think anyone suspects you're telepathic? Anyone important I mean?"

I know they don't. I can feel your thoughts like I'm right in your head with you, I could tell if anyone caught on. Some of the scientists probably suspected something, but it was never concrete enough for them to say it out loud.

Kirchoff leaned back in his chair, digesting what Valen had just said. If what Valen had said was true, then his job and possibly his life could be at risk. Whatever Dr. Nigel was planning, he was sure of two things. First, there was a lot that Dr. Nigel wasn't telling him. Whether she knew about Valen's telepathy or not didn't matter, she suspected he was special and was probably watching them very closely. Secondly, whatever had happened to all the ‘unsuitable’ candidates before him couldn’t be anything good. There's no way that the Bernard company would ever let even the rumor of a psychic xenomorph get out before they wanted it to. The security of his lab spoke to that.

However, if he played his cards right, he could learn so much more than anyone ever had about Xenomoph behavior, even though Valen was a bit atypical. Hell, he was told his exact job was to study Xenomorph behavior! That's what they wanted him to do anyways, but he could do his job far more productively and easily than he could by trying to fumble around with the expensive and complicated equipment he barely understood. A talking Xenomorph was far more useful than anything in his lab was. 

He thought long and hard about what he was going to say before he said it, "Okay, I believe that you don't know how you can do what you do, and that even if you did you wouldn't tell me. And besides that, my job isn't to figure out how your telepathy thing works. My goal is to find out the exact array of emotions that you are capable of displaying, not to study a telepathic Xenomorph. I believe you when you say that nobody knows you're telepathic, but Dr. Nigel must suspect something is up. Otherwise why would they have you down here and be so clandestine about all this? No, they're studying you specifically. And as you said, if I went to Dr. Nigel and told her that her pet Xenomorph is talking to me in my head. Best case scenario: I get reassigned somewhere after you get dissected. Worst case scenario: I end up dead or locked up before you get dissected."

Valen stayed silent and still, waiting for him to go on. He took a deep breath and continued, "So what I'm proposing is that you tell me enough about your feelings and emotions so that I can write some decent reports and keep my job. In return I won't torture you, and I'll stretch out my work as much as I can and only give them information that points to you not being telepathic. There's no external data connections out of here, so all they'll see is what I send them." Kirchoff pointed to a slot on the side of the console with a data stick protruding from it. "That way, we could both benefit. I would get all the data I need to keep my lucrative job and not get black bagged, and it would prolong your life considerably. Who knows, one day you might be set free if they determine you're an ordinary Xenomorph?"

Fat chance of that happening, Valen let out something like a snort, But I do see your logic. It could work if you play this right. However, this is a dangerous game you are suggesting. I would be putting my life entirely in your hands. If you mess up and let something slip, or if you don't give your superiors enough to keep them interested in me, or if your reports aren’t backed up by anything, then they'll know something's up. Who knows what will happen to us if they suspect that you’re not telling them the truth, or if they find out about my telepathy?

"Yes, it will be dangerous, but I think the reward will be worth the risk. I can also learn to use the lab so it won’t actually hurt you, but still get some numbers and data to pad my reports. Besides, it’s not like either of us has an option at this point. What do you say? Want to play along?"

Valen was silent for a long time before he replied, I don't see a better alternative. Why not? Let’s play.

 

Chapter 3: Questions

It was another two months before Kirchoff saw Dr. Nigel in person again.

There was a conference meeting regarding Dr. Nigel's projects that Kirchoff was required to attend. This would have been perfect, were it not for the fact that Dr. Gavin, the current Research Director of the Bernard Research Facility to his high-level staff, was present at the meeting. Normally meeting with both his boss and his boss's boss would have been bad enough, but it still gave him and opportunity to leave the ABRF and to possibly talk to Dr. Nigel.

Unfortunately, Kirchoff doubted he'd be able to get a single private word to her, because despite their efforts to remain out of sight, it didn’t escape his notice that he was being monitored at all times by two heavily armed guards that followed him wherever he went. but that wasn't even the worst part. What was really bothering him was Dr. Gavin.

He was always awkward around him, not only because of his position, but also because the man was so damn attractive. It was hard to focus on presenting when he was in the room, what with his chiseled features, dark hair, and piercing blue eyes. If being a doctor hadn't worked out so well for him, he could easily get rich as a model. He had never seen the man outside of a grainy picture on an old newsletter in an out of the way lounge, but in person he was stunning. It got lonely in his lab with only Valen for company, and Kirchoff was having a hard time paying attention to anything anyone said.

It was while he was zoning out that Dr. Gavin addressed him directly. "And of course, we are all impressed at the amount of progress that has been made by Dr. Kirchoff these past few months. The hypothesis that Xenomorphs are capable of expressing empathy sounds so odd to us, but I must say you make a convincing case."

"Thank you sir," Kirchoff did his best not to flush beet red as he muttered his thanks.

There were some murmurs of approval, and some congratulations were directed his way, but no one's mind was really on the meeting. They were all consumed by their own thoughts, daydreams, or rumbling stomachs.

"Excellent," Dr. Gavin stood up and clapped his hands together. "Alright everyone, I know how much you want to be here, but I have several other appointments today, so you're all free to go."

While everyone filed out of the room, Kirchoff spotted Dr. Nigel sitting at her place at the table, where she was still gathering up her mountain of papers that she seemed to take everywhere she went. He started to walk over to her, but a strong hand pulled him aside.

He was spun around and met face to chest with Dr. Gavin. His cheeks flushed and he quickly took a few steps back. "Dr. Kirchoff, do you have a few minutes to talk," Dr. Gavin asked.

He didn't have much of a choice in the matter as he was unceremoniously pulled out of the crowd of scientists shuffling out of the conference room. Dr. Gavin practically towered over him as he spoke. "Dr. Kirchoff, I really am impressed at your work, I truly am. The work that you've done so far has been outstanding."

Dr. Gavin rested a hand on Kirchoff's shoulder, and he felt his cheeks flush at the touch. "I was wondering if you were considering other... potential directions that you could explore in your research. Most of what you have been exploring so far has been geared more towards positive stimuli and encouraging emotions like empathy."

"Yeah, I have mostly been doing that. It strikes me that nobody has ever thought to explore the idea that Xenomorphs can display emotions that we consider more positive, such as empathy or joy or contentment."

"And I don't fault you for that. I'm just suggesting that you explore the full range of emotions that could be useful for future avenues of research. Let's say... Fear, as an example." Dr. Gavin beamed at him. "You're setting the groundwork here Kirchoff, just think of all the good that will come from your work. "

Kirchoff shifted uncomfortably under Dr. Gavin's firm hand on his shoulder, both from the awkward contact and the implications of what he was asking. "Yes sir."

"Good man. Now if you'll excuse me, I have other matters to attend to today. My work is never done." He patted his shoulder one last time and strode gracefully out of the room.

Kirchoff stood where he was for a moment, trying to gather his thoughts. He cast his gaze around the room and saw that Dr. Nigel was still struggling to gather her mound of paper.

He took a deep breath, walked over and tapped her on her shoulder. "Hey."

"Hello Dr. Kirchoff," she looked up at him from her paper gathering. "What did Dr. Gavin want?"

"Something about trying to make Valen... afraid." He shuddered. "Kinda creeped me out to be honest."

"Hey, look at me." Dr. Nigel's eyes were hard, staring unwavering at him. "Remember, you work for me, not him, no matter what he tells you. You keep doing what you're doing and let me handle him."

Dr. Gavin may have been the Director of Research at the Bernard Research Station, but it was an open secret, even among the staff in the ABRF that Dr. Gavin had deep rooted hatred of Xenomorphs. His mother, a navy Lieutenant, had been killed by a Xenomorph when she was on a tour of duty when he was a teenager, and ever since then he had dedicated his life to eradicating the Xenomorph threat. At least according to the rumor, but it was so widespread and accepted that it seemed more than likely to hold a grain of truth.

"I'll keep that in mind," He said.

"I do have to agree with him on one thing though, you're doing a remarkable job Kirchoff. It's almost unbelievable how insightful your research is. It's like you can get inside his head and figure out exactly what he's feeling…"

Almost Doc, he thought. Just turn that around and you've hit the nail on the head.

"...And the fact that you've managed to keep using Valen to produce results for the past two months makes it all the more amazing," She had finished gathering her papers and was standing up to leave. "Whatever it is you're doing, keep it up."

"I'll do my best," he replied. "Um, about my request for a private conversation..."

Dr. Nigel waved her hand at him to cut the question off. "I'm sorry Kirchoff, I'm very busy right now. Ask me again later and I'll see if I have time."

---

"Valen, for the love of all that is holy, can you please give me a straight answer for once?"

Nope, not happening. You have to work for your dinner.

"I can have dinner anytime I want to, thank you very much. What I want is for you to tell me is how you feel when you've have your dinner." All Valen had to do was say he was content or satisfied or something, then he could go to bed.

What are you, a psychiatrist? That was Valen's new favorite word as of late, and he used it at every opportunity. He flopped down on his side and looked over at him with what he assumed was a pitiful look. Doctor, I think I might be in love with my mother! Oh, what should I do?

"Please Valen," He begged. "Don't pull some Freudian bullshit on me!"

Freudian, what's that? Valen asked. Some kind of mental disease?

Oh dear god. "No, it's just a phrase."

A phrase about what?

"Can we please get back on track?" Kirchoff rubbed his temples. "I have other things to do today, you know."

No you don't, Valen made a raspy sound that Kirchoff assumed was laughter. I'm not saying another word until you tell me what Freudian means.

"I'm pretty sure you already know what it means you ass!"

Conversations just like the one he was having right now had been his daily fare for the past two months. Kirchoff kept his word and hadn't tried to torture Valen, but that didn't mean he wasn't sorely tempted. He had found that the easiest way for him to get information out of Valen was to as the same question over and over until he relented, but even then he rarely ever gave him a straight answer. Instead he answered in riddles or brain teasers that frustrated Kirchoff to no end. At least no one ever visited his lab, so he didn't have to worry about unexpected visitors. Probably a good thing because if anyone walked in on him trying to get Valen to talk they'd assume that he was nuts. Trying to get Valen to talk about anything relevant to his research was harder than trying to eat a plate of bricks without any utensils. Still, it was a much more efficient method than trying to torture information out of him.

The one thing Valen never discussed under any circumstances was how he did his telekinesis trick. Whenever Kirchoff raised the subject, he deliberately avoided talking about it or simply said that he didn't know how it worked. When Kirchoff's curiosity got the better of him and pressured Valen for an answer, all he got was unbearably sassy remarks about his personal hygiene as answers.

It wasn't all business in the lab though. Valen was very curious about everything, often sidetracking entire conversations out of the desire to learn the details behind something he had said. He was fascinated by things Kirchoff didn't even put any thought into, the various phrases and intricacies of the English language being one of them. On rare occasions it was kind of entertaining to explain what various phrases and words meant, but most of the time it was mind numbingly grating.

---

"Okay Valen, do you get it now?" After his little Freud joke, Kirchoff had spent two hours explaining as much about Sigmund Freud as he knew, and when he ran out of Freud Facts he made stuff up to try and satisfy Valen.

I think so, but would you mind explaining…

"Yes, I would mind very much!" Valen could see that Kirchoff was getting impatient. "I just spent the last two hours explaining the life and times of Sigmund Freud to you! I had to go to the library database to find a book on Freud to get information on Freud to tell you about him! What more could you possibly need me to explain to you!?"

Um… He trailed off. He'd tormented the idiot for long enough. Well I just thought I'd tell you that as much as I love eating the rotten carcasses of cows, I'd love to do some real hunting sometime.

"You like hunting?"

That's what I just said, you oaf.

"Have you ever actually hunted before?"

No, but I would like to someday. Even though he had never been hunting, he could imagine the thrill of hunting live prey, the satisfaction of catching it in his claws and the rush of delivering the killing blow.

"Can you describe how you feel about hunting?" He was excited. Another report to write, another boring piece of paper to hand in to his superiors. This man needed to get his priorities straight. He was currently in the presence of a spectacular specimen of a Xenomorph and all he could think about was his work.

Give it a rest will you, Valen snorted. You know, what I would like to have one decent conversation with you without your stupid research getting in the way.

Kirchoff seemed taken aback. It seemed that he had never thought of actually talking with him for the sake of talking.

"Okay.” He put down his notepad on his desk and folded his hands in his lap. “So... What would you like to talk about?"

I don't know, I was hoping you had something to talk about.

They sat there in an awkward silence for some time. Kirchoff twiddled his thumbs, and Valen made a detailed inspection of his claws. Kirchoff spun around in his chair, and Valen thought about taking a nap. Kirchoff made a detailed inspection of his stubby little claws, and Valen decided he was going to go ahead with that nap idea. He curled up onto the floor, wrapped his tail around himself and was just about to doze off when Kirchoff spoke, "How old are you?"

According to your calendar, I am three years old. Might I ask how old you are?

"Twenty seven."

Kirchoff was not good at small talk, that was certain. In an attempt to find a topic of conversation more interesting than blithe small talk, Valen extended further into his mind and began to search around his thoughts. It was an odd feeling, reaching out into someone's mind. It felt as though random thoughts and feelings were being dropped into his head unprompted; feeling emotions that were not his own as if they were. But he knew that they were not random. They were thoughts and feelings of Kirchoff. All Kirchhoff's intimate, private thoughts and emotions were available for his viewing pleasure, provided he didn't have to dig too deep for them.

He waited for Kirchoff to think of something interesting, something that could start a decent conversation. The terrible toast he made for breakfast. A large table, surrounded by people. Dr. Nigel’s apparent indifference to his questions about a meeting. A tall, muscular man in a white lab coat. What would happen if he took him and...

Oh… That was unexpected. Oh my… oh yes!

---

It had been a long day for Kirchoff and his mind had begun to lose interest as he waited for Valen to say something. He put his legs up on the control panel, careful to avoid hitting any of the buttons or dials and let his mind wander. He thought about the horrid attempt at making breakfast he had made, his weekly conference, talking with Dr. Nigel, the way Dr. Gavin looked in his white collared lab coat and… No, he couldn't fantasize now, not when he was talking to Valen. He secretly hoped Valen hadn't heard his thoughts.

Kirchoff, why are you thinking about naked females? Valen asked.

Oh god, too late, he thought. He stayed silent, hoping that Valen would drop it. It didn't work.

Are you ashamed? Don't worry, it's only natural for a boy your age, he mocked.

"Shut up Valen, I'm not thinking about that!" he said indignantly. His face turned hot and he heard the sound of raspy laughter.

Oh, you are right, silly me! I must have been mistaken, Valen said.

"Really?" he asked dubiously.

Yes. You're thinking about naked males, not females, Valen said with a mental smirk.

"Shut up!" He yelled.

I don't hear a denial! Valen taunted. He walked over to the fake wall and pressed his head against it. It was a rather poor attempt to get in his face, but it did the trick.

"I said shut up Valen!"

Oh my! I was just teasing you, he mocked in an amused tone. Do you really like other males?

"Why should I tell you?" Kirchhoff asked defiantly.

Because I know what you're thinking, he said. It's hard to keep a secret from somebody who can read your mind.

He let out a sigh of defeat. "Yes Valen, if you must know, I am attracted to other males." His face went red again and he looked away from Valen's elongated head pressed against the wall.

Why are you ashamed? he asked.

"I'm not ashamed, it's just… well… most of the people in my life... or should I say were in my life, weren’t very accepting of my… sexual preferences." He squared his shoulders. “But I’m comfortable like this. I don’t have to think about it, and it stops it from getting in the way of my work.”

That has to be the most pathetic excuse I've heard. Which is saying something, knowing what kinds of excuses you’ve given me. Valen shook his head and stared at Kirchoff.

"What do you mean pathetic?" he asked indignantly. "I'm fine with the way things are."

Like hell you are! Valen was glaring at him from the other side of the glass.

'What do you mean?"

Look at you! You're so uncomfortable with the subject you can’t even talk to me about it!

"And why on earth would I ever want to speak to you about my sexuality? I talk to you because I need to!" Kirchoff spat back. Valen was really pissing him off. He didn’t want to think about this at all, let alone share it.

Hah ! Valen snorted. That's rich! If I recall correctly, the only reason I've been talking to you is because I need you. I'm trusting you with my life, so why don't you trust me a little?

"Why would I trust you?" Stupid Xenomorph.

A sudden spike of pain wracked through Kirchoff's head and sent him tumbling to his knees. It felt like a bullet had just lodged itself in his brain and was burning a hole in his head.

Just… a... stupid… Xenomorph... am I? Valen seethed.

"N-n-no, I meant that…"

Meant what, exactly? Valen was furious, pacing his cell and lashing out at the walls, leaving long scratch marks on the white floor. That I'm just another dumb animal that can't tell his head from his tail? WHAT?

Kirchoff's head felt like it was going to explode. The sheer fury that Valen was projecting was burning into his mind like a hot iron.

Valen, he thought through the pain searing in his head, Calm down.

Calm down? CALM DOWN? Why would I calm down?! Valen fumed. You can't even trust me with the most simple details of your life, even after I trusted you with mine! Remember that little agreement we had? The one where I would tell you what you wanted and you kept me alive for as long as possible. That one!

I remember, he thought.

Really? It seems like you forgot that the only reason that you are here right now is that we agreed to help each other! To trust each other! Valen stalked over to a corner of his room and curled up, facing away from the wall and Kirchoff.

Kirchoff knelt on the floor for what seemed like an eternity. His head ached and his mind was reeling. But the worst thing about it was that he had no reasonable defense. Valen was completely right. Up until now, he had merely seen Valen as another specimen, a lab rat to examine. Sure he was a sarcastic, sassy asshole about it, but the only thing he ever talked to him about was his research. And he knew that Valen was intelligent, that was obvious by now, but he had underestimated the level of trust and hope that Valen must have put in him. Without his cooperation, he might already be dead or worse, and Valen... He'd probably get assigned to another person, who would probably resort to torturing him for information.

What was Valen to him anyways? It’s not like he talked much to anyone else, least of all about a topic as personal as this. Was he… his friend? He hadn’t even considered that possibility at all.

Kirchoff knew that if he and Valen were going to cooperate in the future, he had to mend this wound now. He brought himself up and into his chair and turned on the microphone.

"Listen, Valen.." he began, "I'm sorry for what I said. I was upset and…"

And?

"And you were right, I am pathetic." He looked down at his feet in shame, both for insulting Valen and for being such a wuss. "I didn't really understand where we stood until just now.

There was a long period of silence before Valen broke the silence.

You don't need to feel ashamed of yourself, Kirchoff, he said gently. Kirchoff looked up. It was the first time he had heard Valen use his name. I might not be able to totally understand your emotions or your justifications, but we’re not all that different. I should know, I'm also… Valen broke off his sentence quickly. Nevermind. Now, what were you saying about being a pathetic wreck?

"Wait a minute, what was that last part?" Kirchoff asked, his eyebrows raising.

The part about you being a pathetic wreck? Valen asked, a bit too quickly.

"No, before that."

I didn't say anything before that, he said nervously.

"Yes you did. You said I'm also… oh... Oh!" Kirchoff looked over at Valen, who was examining the pointed end of his tail with a great deal of interest. "You?"

Me? Me what?

"You? Really?" Kirchoff was astounded. "You're gay?"

I didn't say that, Valen said

"You were about to!" Kirchoff laughed. It started out as a little giggle but quickly turned into full on, rolling on the floor, eye watering laughter.

What's so funny? he asked.

"You… you… it's just… you… Ahahahaha!" he wiped the tears from his eyes and stood up. "Sorry, it's just that I never would have suspected that you were gay until you slipped up."

I didn't slip up, I did it intentionally, Valen said haughtily.

"Like hell you did!" he shot back.

Of course I did. I never make mistakes.

"Of course you don't."

They were silent for a time. Kirchoff sat back in his chair and put his legs back up on the control panel.

Kirchoff, Valen said.

"Yes?" he asked.

Do you find this… Valen turned around and raised his tail, attractive?

"Find what attractive? What are you talking…" Kirchoff looked over at Valen and fell out of his chair. "Oh my god!"

Valen let out a raspy hiss that Kirchoff could have sworn was laughter.

---

Dr. Nigel was sitting at her desk trying to sort through all of her papers, as usual. They had gotten all messed up from the meeting and she had been spending the past several hours putting them back together in the proper order.

I really need another filing cabinet, She thought to herself. Of course she could always use the company's data server like Dr. Gavin kept pushing her to do, but she didn't trust either the electronics or the man. As of late, Dr. Gavin had been trying to involve himself in her projects far more than she was comfortable with. Even more than normal anyways.

His attempt to influence Kirchoff had made it all the more obvious. Aggravating though it was, she couldn't do anything about it. If he wanted to, Gavin could terminate her entire operation in the blink of an eye.

A loud knock on her door roused her from her musings. Speak of the devil...

Dr. Gavin opened the door and squeezed his hulking frame through the doorway. "Do you have a moment Ursula?"

"Yes, Julius. I'm just sorting through some documents."

"Good," he said. "And speaking of documents, I have one for you to read."

"Gavin, please. I don't want to read another one of your propositions."

"Tsk, tsk. How can you know that haven't even read it yet." He waved a small pile of papers held together with a paperclip at her.

She took it and skimmed over the document he handed her. The first page made her skin crawl, she read the second page twice to make sure she wasn't reading it wrong, and when she read the contents of the third she threw the papers back at Dr. Gavin violently.

"Well?" He asked unfazed. "Will you do it?"

"No Gavin! I refuse to go ahead with this! It's barbaric!" She shouted. His suggestion... It was disgusting; inhumane.

"I don't like the term barbaric," Gavin gathered the papers and carefully organized them. "I prefer to think of it as a necessary sacrifice."

"I won't do it," She yelled. "I've learned more from Kirchoff than anyone else before him. He's a valuable asset!"

"And he'll be even more valuable if he is used in my experiment. Tell me, exactly how much have you learned from him recently."

"A lot," she muttered, casting her gaze down to her desk.

"A lot hmm…?" Dr. Gavin leaned forwards in her desk, making it creak slightly. "How much is a lot? Enough to continue your experiment for another year or two?"

Her silence was her answer.

"Ursula, if you want to keep your career intact, I highly recommend that you give my proposition serious consideration," He picked up the scattered papers from off the floor and placed them neatly on top of her desk. "I shouldn't have to explain all of the potential… consequences." A stony silence fell over the room. He had called her bluff. As much data as they had gathered from using Kirchoff, she was still missing a certain type of data, data which was not easy to obtain.

Dr. Nigel shot Gavin a cold look, but he didn't even react. He just turned on his heels and stalked out of her office. When he was halfway out of the door, he paused and said, "I'll give you another two months to mull it over. If I don't see the results I want, then I'll have to step in." And without another word, he left.

Even after he left, Dr. Nigel remained stony, silent and still, wondering how the hell this had turned south so fast.

Chapter 4: Julianne

So Kirchoff, what do you like from a prospective mate?  Valen asked. He was leaning in his usual spot against the wall up next to the control console where Kirchoff usually sat, his massive crested head resting on his clawed hands.

"Wow, you really cut to the chase today, didn't you," Kirchoff yawned. He had only just dragged himself out of bed and into the lab, his shirt hanging loose and wrinkled over his pajamas. He considered changing out of them when he got up this morning, but they were too damn comfortable.

So, what do you like? He asked eagerly as he sat himself in his amazing swivel chair. Whoever was responsible for giving his lab a chair this comfortable should be given a medal. Or a raise. Or both.

"Gimme a minute," Kirchoff stifled another yawn and took a sip of his coffee. "I'm still waking up."

Hurry up, I'm curious! Valen was laying on his stomach, leading his chin on his hands like a teenager waiting to hear some hot, juicy gossip.

"Okay okay. Jeez, you're impatient today," Kirchoff rubbed the sleep out of his eyes and did his best to think of a suitable answer, which wasn't easy right after waking up. "I dunno. I like smart guys, and they have to have a sense of humor. They don't have to be the nicest, but I don't want to be in a relationship with an asshole. Strong is also nice, I guess. I haven't put all that much thought into it."

He shrugged. "What about you?"

I don't care as long as they don't try to kill me on a daily basis.

"Wow. You have got some real high standards there."

It's not like I can afford to be picky. There aren't all that many male Xenomorph drones around now are there?

"Whatever. If you want to shack up with an asshole, that's fine with me. I can afford to be picky."

Why don't you pucker up and kiss my rear end. Tell me what you think about assholes then.

"Like I'd do that."

I think you'd like to do that.

"...Shut up." Valen let out his raspy laugh and curled up tight. So what's on the agenda for today Doctor?

"Not much. I just have to crunch some numbers, bullshit some reports so it looks like I'm actually being productive, and I might have to talk to Dr. Nigel soon."

Sounds thrilling. Doing some actual work for a change. The disapproval in his voice was palpable.

"Yeah, positively riveting." He pushed back from his workstation and swiveled around in his chair.

Ever since they made their deal, Kirchoff had been pumping out reports as fast as he could, right up until he had his little breakdown to Valen a few weeks ago. But recently he found that he had less and less work being assigned to him and more and more free time on his hands. His constant stream of reports had dwindled into a trickle, but the day after his breakdown Dr. Nigel had sent him a memo commending his work, and suggesting he take it easy for a while since she was occupied with another project she was working on. It was very odd, considering the pace she expected him to work at prior, but at the time he didn't put much thought into it. Maybe she could sense she was burning him out and wanted to let him rest a bit.

At first, it was nice to have a break from all the tedious labor of report writing, but soon enough boredom had begun to creep in. Despite all the fancy equipment, there wasn't much to do in his lab. Of course he could talk to Valen, but even after working with him for a few months he still needed a break from him every now and again. He still tried to make a visit to the library at least once or twice a week to get a change of scenery, but it wasn't exactly a great source of anything that wasn't strictly non-fiction. And of course he had already watched almost every movie he was interested in the lounge.

"I'll be back. I'm going to grab some food." He wasn't all that hungry, but it was something to do.

I'll be here when you get back.

Kirchoff chuckled and walked into his living quarters and down to the small kitchen. After several minutes of rummaging through the fridge and cabinets, he gave up on having breakfast in his quarters. In theory, he could submit a request for any food that he wanted to the kitchen staff and have it delivered to his quarters, but any attempt he made to cook anything more complicated than a sandwich usually ended up being put out with a fire extinguisher. So aside from coffee and cereal, Kirchoff's fridge was pretty empty. Just as he was closing the cabinet and thinking about making the trek to the canteen for whatever abomination they were calling breakfast today, a shape peeking over the top of one of the cabinets caught his eye. 

What is that? Kirchoff reached up and tried to grab the box, but he was too short to reach it and his fingers were off by a few inches. Grumbling in frustration, he grabbed the desk chair from his room and got the box down. It must have been up there for quite some time judging by the layer of dust on the lid. He blew the dust off the box to see if there were any labels indicating what might be inside it, but there was nothing. He ran his fingers along the edge of the box and gently lifted the lid.

Instead of dinnerware, the box was filled with an old chess set. The top of the box folded all the way out to form the chess board, and inside was a smaller, carboard box filled with actual wooden playing pieces. The cardboard looked positively ancient, frayed and torn at the edges, but the pieces inside were immaculately clean and painted, the varnish still looking wet and fresh over the white and black paint. Kirchoff rolled a pawn between his fingers and he pondered the treasure he had just found. It had been left here ages ago by some unknown resident and never taken out since, forgotten to everyone.

Kirchoff stuffed the pawn back inside the box scooped up the box. He rushed back out to the lab, where Valen was still laying exactly where he was before. To anyone else, he looked like he could have been fast asleep, but Kirchoff knew better by now. Valen never slept when he was awake. He sat himself on the floor in front of Valen and placed the chess board down on the ground next to his console, and began pulling the pieces out of the box and placing them on the board.

What's this? Valen asked, gazing at the small board on the ground.

"Valen, have you ever heard of chess?"

He raised his head. What's chess?

Kirchoff grinned.

---

Dr. Nigel frowned. She flipped through the pages of the proposal again, re-reading what she already knew off by heart. Once she reached the end of the document, she flipped back to the first page and re-read it again, searching for any loophole, any inconsistency she could use to refuse the proposed experiment. Nothing. It was a rock solid proposal. Aside from the flagrant disregard for the nature of her entire project. 

God this is just like him. She fumed silently as she reached the end of the proposal again. Maybe that was why she ordered Kirchoff to slow down. She wanted to spite Gavin, to tell him she could see right through his lies in his proposals. It was petty, but what else could she do? He was the Research Director, and he had the whole Board wrapped around his finger. Several of his weapons development projects were extremely lucrative for the company, and they were always eager to listen to his proposals if there was even an inkling that it would make the more money.

Still, her two month grace period was up and Dr. Gavin wanted her decision. Of course she knew that it wasn't a real decision, it was a veiled threat to coerce her. To let him twister another one of her projects into something else that he could use. In theory it could have been worse. At least he didn't want to dissect Valen, not yet anyways. 

As if reading her mind, the man himself appeared at her door. He leaned on the door jamb with one hand on his hip and smirked at her. She had to resist the urge to get up and slap the grin off his face.

"I trust that you have come to a conclusion regarding the board's proposal," he said.

"...Yes, I have."

"And?"

She sighed. "You win Julius."

"I knew that you'd come around eventually," He said more than a little smugly.

"I'm only doing this because it's better than you shutting me down," She snarled. "I've spend three years on this project, I'm not letting it all go to waste. Even if you want to turn this into another one of your 'weapons development' endeavors." 

His smile faded, but only a little. "Thank you for the insight Ursula, but I didn't ask for your opinion. This proposal was greenlit by the board, and has the potential to be one of the most advanced innovations in anti-Xenomorph technology in decades."

"Not everything we know about Xenomorphs needs to be turned into a weapon Gavin."

"I agree, but that's not for me to decide." He reached out and laid a hand on her shoulder. It took every ounce of willpower she had not to recoil from the touch. "It's just the board's opinion that taking your project down this path will be more... beneficial."

"Beneficial for the shareholders," she muttered under her breath.

"I'm glad you see the bigger picture." His grin widened, showing off the whiteness of his perfect teeth. "We'll start first thing tomorrow!"

He gave her shoulder a tight squeeze of reassurance before turning and leaving her office, gently shutting the door behind him, leaving Ursula Nigel fuming by herself in her paper strewn office.

---

"How the hell did you beat me so easily?" Kirchoff asked in exasperation. "I thought you've never played chess before?"

I haven't, Valen said. It's not all that hard if you think about it critically.

"I don't understand how you could beat me in just twelve moves though." Kirchoff was resetting the position of the pieces on the board, which was taking less and less time between each game.

I bet you I could do it in nine. He gave Kirchoff a smug look. 

"You're on."

Even though he had just learned the rules of chess only a few hours ago, but he had already gotten the hang of the game. It was fun, and it actually challenged him a little. He had to plan his moves, and try to stay one step above his competition. Which admittedly wasn't too hard because Kirchoff didn't seem to have quite the same grasp on chess as he did.

Pawn to E4. Kirchoff moved the little white playing piece. Then he responded by moving his pawn on the same row down to E5.

Perfect, He thought to himself. Bishop to C4. This made Kirchoff pause and think his next move through carefully. That was good, he was learning, but he still wanted to win. And the best way to do that would be to cause some kind of distraction. Fortunately, he was very good at those.

Kirchoff, do you remember the first day we met?

"Yes," His calculating gaze shifted to him. "Why do you ask?"

No reason. I was just thinking about how much has changed since then.

"Yeah, things certainly are different," Kirchoff looked a little distant.

You're not trying to electrocute me for one.

"In my defense, you were annoying as all hell."

I was not!

"Oh yes you were!" Kirchoff moved the knight to Valen's left to C6. Perfect.

Queen to F3, He had to resist the urge to snicker as Kirchoff moved his piece. Tell me one way that I was annoying.

"Um, lets see," He said sarcastically. "You refused to answer anything I asked in a reasonable manner."

I was merely challenging you. You think so slow that I thought you could use some mental exercise.

He laughed out loud as Kirchoff squirmed in rage. He moved his bishop to B4 to prevent him from moving one of his pawns, but it was too late now. "Y'know, despite everything, you're still an arrogant, sarcastic asshole!"

That doesn't matter so long as I've won. Queen to F7. He watched in anticipation as Kirchoff moved his piece and knocked out one of his pawns. Checkmate.

Before he said anything Kirchoff kicked the chess set, sending the board and all the pieces on it scattering across the room "Fuck you Valen! Fuck you!" He was so mad that it practically radiated off of him. His face was twisted into an expression of astonishment and fury at his loss.

Talk about a sore loser, Valen chuckled to himself. Are you really that upset about getting your ass handed to you?

“No!” He fumed. He sat there, simmering for a moment, before he remembered who he was talking to. "...Fine, yes!"

I thought so.

---

Kirchoff took a deep breath, his temper fading from red hot boiling anger to a cooler simmer. "Sorry, I just got a bit competitive."

You don't say, Valen said, looking at the pieces rolling over the floor. No matter what he said, Valen always seemed to have a comeback ready to go.

"Valen, do you know how many times I've been tempted to go back on my promise not to hurt you?" Kirchoff muttered as he bent over to pick up the scattered chess pieces.

Ummmm… About seven times.

"I think it was closer to seventeen."

No, seven. I've been keeping track.

Kirchoff rubbed his temples. "I swear to god, one of these days I am going to snap and 'accidentally' kill you."

You almost did that already you jackass.

"What?" His eyebrows raised, "When?"

When you locked me up for three weeks! exclaimed Valen. I thought that was obvious.

"I knew that you were weakened, but I didn’t know that you could have died! I tried to keep my eye on you to make sure that didn’t happen.”

I'm pretty sure you almost did kill me by accident. I felt myself starting to slip just before you ended my solitary confinement.

"Oh," he mumbled. "According to reports I've read, Xenomorphs are very social creatures that will die in a matter of months if separated from social contact with other Xenomorphs. I just assumed that since you were raised in captivity it wouldn't affect you as much."

Apparently not. I felt... hopeless after a while. Like I had no will to live.

"If I actually cared about doing my job right now, I'd be thrilled." Valen shot him what he assumed was a calculating look.

You should still care about doing your job. You're feeling guilty about being so lazy. 

"No, I just... Okay yeah, I feel guilty," Kirchoff looked at his shoes. Mind reading bastard. It was amazing just how well he could read him with his little psychic trick. 

I can tell.

"I'm sorry. I should really focus more, even if Dr. Nigel was the one to tell me to slow down."

Don't you find it odd that she made you slow down your work so much? 

"I mean, obviously," Kirchoff shrugged. "But just because she didn't give me a reason doesn't mean there isn't one."

Well maybe you should listen to your guilt and start working again anyways. It couldn't hurt.

"Alright, fine, lets start right now," Kirchoff gathered the last chess piece and put it back in the cardboard box. "Do you feel guilty about anything?"

Hah, guilty about what? Daydreaming about breaking out of here and murdering every human in sight? Valen asked.

"That was an oddly specific answer," Kirchoff leaned back in his chair, mildly disturbed at how quickly the conversation had turned dark. "I meant more in general."

No you didn't, he snorted. You've been wanting to know about that since we started talking, even if you didn't consciously know it.

"Alright, I'll admit to being curious. So do you? Feel guilt about killing people?"

I've never killed before.

"You haven't?" 

Why do you sound so surprised? Valen sounded irritated. I've been locked up my whole life, it's not like I've been given many opportunities to kill anything, even if I wanted to.

"So... you don't want to kill anything?" Kirchoff leaned forwards now, curious. "Like, do you thing you would feel too guilty even thinking about it?"

I'll answer your question with a question of my own, Valen lifted his head and gazed intently at Kirchoff. Should I feel guilt over killing for my own survival?

Kirchoff thought about Valen's question for a moment. Sure he was intelligent, but he was still a Xenomorph. The perfect killing machine. "I… no, I don't think so. That wouldn't make sense predatory species."

But what about you? Do you think you would feel guilty if you had to kill to stay alive? 

"I... I don't know. Probably I guess."

But that wouldn't make sense for a predatory species. It felt like Valen was starting a hole right through him. 

Kirchoff couldn't think of a reply to that, and for his part, Valen didn't seem to know what to say either. And they sat in silence together, neither knowing what to say for who knows how long. Finally, Kirchoff asked Valen something that had been at the back of his mind for a while, "Valen, do you think we'll ever get out of here? After whatever I'm supposed to be doing here is done?

Instead of a snarky retort, Valen seemed to take the question seriously. Honestly, I don't know. I'm fairly sure that I'm not going to live for long once the good Dr. Nigel is done with her little project. As for you, you have a better chance of leaving this place than I ever will.

"I guess," Kirchoff said. The idea that Valen would just be disposed of after this project was done made him sick to his stomach, even more so than the idea that he might be disposed of as well. Valen had just as much a right to live as any other human… but he wasn't really a human was he? It was slipping his mind more and more lately, but Valen was a Xenomorph, an alien life form, nature's perfect killing machine. But did that really matter?

"Valen, as weird as this is to say, I'm glad you're my friend. Hell, I think you're the best friend I've ever had. I'm glad I met you."

Kirchoff waited for Valen to respond, but remained quiet. Reluctantly, he packed up the chess board and retired to his room. That night, Kirchoff laid on his bed staring up at the roof for a long time before he was finally able to drift off to sleep.

---

Kirchoff woke up bright and early the next morning, like he did every morning. Mostly because he had moved the alarm clock to the other side of the room after he threw his old alarm clock across the room in frustration after being unable to find the snooze button on the damn thing. It blared defiantly from the counter next to the stove, screeching  until he rolled out of bed and switched it off.

Once he had finally gotten dressed, fed, and caffeinated, he walked out into his lab… And froze as he saw a woman standing in front of the control panels in his lab.

"Excuse me, who... who are you?" he asked.

"My name is Julianne. I am your new assistant," she said in a calm, monotone voice. She turned around and he saw that she was dressed in a plain white lab coat, grey slacks and a grey sweater. In her hands was a simple black briefcase. Her face was... well it wasn't much of anything... It was plain, smooth, devoid of any unusual features. Even her eyes were grey and washed out. All in all, she was utterly bland and forgettable. But there was something about her, about just how perfectly plain and undistinguished she was that made his hair stand on end.

I didn't realize you requested an assistant, Valen said suspiciously. Evidently he had the same feelings about his new assistant as he did. He was standing upright, tall and intimidating, looming over her, trying to intimidate her. She didn't so much as look at him.

I didn't realize I did either, Kirchoff replied in his head. "Um, if you don't mind my asking, why are you here?" 

"Dr. Nigel sent me here to assist you in your research," she said in her unnerving monotone voice.

"I'll be sure to extend my thanks to Dr. Nigel," Kirchoff said skeptically. "But that didn't really answer my question. Why are you here?"

I do not like her, Valen snarled at the woman, showing off his impressive sets of glistening teeth. If Kirchoff wasn't familiar with Valen by now, he'd probably need to change his pants, She gives me the creeps.

Same here.

"Dr. Nigel asked me to observe you. Your methods have resulted in very strong, clear results in your reports, but there is very little data on the methods you used to get your results. We cannot rely solely on your results, we must test your methods. Dr. Nigel wants me to verify your test results."

Oh shit, Kirchoff thought. OooohshitohshitohSHIT!

Agreed, Valen said, worry creeping into his voice.

Kirchoff's mind was racing. He couldn't repeat his tests because almost all the 'methods' in his reports were bullshit. "Well I guess we can start I can show you my past reports," Kirchoff started, but Julianne cut him off. "No. I am supposed to observe and assist you directly in re-creating your tests, and verifying the results. Dr. Nigel gave me direct instructions, and I will be reporting to her and her superiors directly after I leave here every day."

Okay, what the hell? Kirchoff asked Valen. All of a sudden they get suspicious I've been feeding them a bunch of made up nonsense? All the test results I gave them were of your actual neural activity, Dr. Nigel can verify that easily. Why does she want to verify my results all of a sudden.

Kirchoff struggled to find a reason, anything to explain the sudden shift in their fortunes. It couldn't be anything he said to Dr. Nigel, the only time he had seen her was... Oh shit. Dr. Gavin.

What? Valen was confused. You mean that handsome scientist you have a thing for?

I don't have a thing for him! Kirchoff snapped. The last time I saw him he was being weird and asking me to try getting different emotional responses from you like fear.

Well that's not ideal. Valen muttered. Do you think Dr. Nigel is in on it?

I don't know... maybe? She didn't seem to like him very much, but... Kirchoff paused to consider. I don't think that matters. Regardless of who sent her, Julianne is here and that's not good for us.

Especially since I can't feel her thoughts.

Kirchoff tried to hide his shock as best he could, doing his best not to whirl around and stare at Valen. What do you mean you can't read her thoughts?

I mean I can't feel her mind. It's as if she's not here at all.

Ah, fuck, Kirchoff mentally groaned. She's an android.

"Dr. Kirchoff?" Julianne asked, snapping him out of his thoughts. "Are you alright? You seem distracted."

"No... I mean yes! I'm fine," Kirchoff shook his head and tried to focus. "I just haven't had enough coffee yet. I'm still kinda groggy."

"Please try to focus, we have a lot of work to do today," Julianne laid her pristine briefcase on the table and pulled out a sheaf of papers. It was hard to see them from this distance, but his own signature on the bottom of the page was recognizable from any distance. "We're going to start at the beginning and work out way forwards from there."

"Yeah, sure," Kirchoff stalked over and snatched the papers out of her hand and sat down at his terminal. With a jolt he realized that he actually hadn't used any of them for months, and now he had no idea how he frantically trying to remember which buttons and dials did what. His eyes frantically scanned the control panel, trying desperately to recall how to use the complicated equipment. He scanned the document, scanning it in hopes that he had written down the procedure he had made up somewhere. Hoping that whatever he had made up wasn't as bad as he was fearing.

Electrocution and Negative Reinforcement of Undesirable Behaviours.

Fuck.

---

The fear and panic were rolling of Kirchoff in dark, smothering waves. He'd forgotten how to do almost everything that he had supposedly done during his so called 'experiments', and was panicking so hard that it was making his memory even worse. And underneath that, Valen could feel something more. Shame, regret, a deep, sickening conflict. Kirchoff truly didn't want to hurt his friend, probably his best friend.

Kirchoff, tune the dial marked voltage and press the black button labeled 'Discharge' next to it once the light turns green, Valen instructed him.

What? Kirchoff looked up at him, before catching himself and staring back down at the panel.

That will build up a charge in the capacitors that you can use to electrocute me. Valen explained. From there you'll keep increasing the voltage until I stop hissing and screeching.

What... why are you telling me to do this? Kirchoff asked. The fear and conflict was being washed away by confusion.

Think Kirchoff! We can't let her know that you faked all of your tests to get those results, or Julianne will start asking some very uncomfortable questions about how you got them.

I don't want to hurt you though, he answered. Valen could feel the desperation as he frantically went over and over the math in his head, trying to determine the best voltage to not hurt him. Valen was a little flattered by how hard he was trying, but he was running out of time. He could see the not-quite-there woman Julianne leaning over his shoulder. Watching. Waiting.

Just do it, I'll be fine, he ordered Kirchoff. Reluctantly, Kirchoff twisted the voltage dial to the left, and the faint hum of electricity reverberated from the walls. There weren't any exposed contacts, Valen knew from experience that none of the 'stimulation' equipment was directly exposed. There was no opportunity for him to break any of the valuable lab equipment.

“Well... We can start with a moderate shock to get a baseline reading. From there, we'll use escalating shocks until he catches on and ceases resisting and becomes docile.” He saw him glance up at him and Valen felt the pang of guilt and regret. I'm sorry.

Then he looked back down and pressed a button. Valen screamed as a blast of electricity shot through his body from the floor. It was only for an instant, but the sharp pain was intense and he hissed in pain and rage. His fury wasn't directed at Kirchoff, however. This wasn't Kirchoff's fault. It was Julianne. It was Dr. Gavin. It was Dr. Nigel doing this. Kirchoff was just their unwilling instrument.

Julianne leaned forwards and whispered to Kirchoff, who reluctantly turned the dial to a higher voltage.

---

By the end of the day, Valen was tired, sore, and his tail had developed an irritating twitch that wasn't going away. It had taken far longer than either of them expected for Julianne to be satisfied with whatever results she saw into whatever lies Kirchoff was feeding her. She made him repeat the whole experiment three times before she finally packed up her briefcase and told them to stop for the day.

I'm still so, so, so sorry for Valen, Kirchoff apologized.

You know I'm not deaf, Valen snarked. I heard you the first twenty times

I know, I just... I'm sorry...

Kirchoff it's fine, I don't blame you. He said. But I can tell you, I did not miss this part of our friendship.

They weren't talking directly because Julianne hadn't actually left the lab yet. Kirchoff was in his private rooms, and Valen had to cram himself into a corner of his confined room to stay close enough to talk to Kirchoff. Kirchoff's bed was apparently the furthest place in his quarters to the lab, so he was currently laying on top of the kitchen counter to get close enough for Valen to be able to communicate. it was awkward and uncomfortable and weird, which Valen found very amusing. Or at least he would have if he wasn't too busy staring at Julianne. She was still in the lab, standing stock still at Kirchoff's console and staring directly at him. He had tried several times to reach out and touch her mind, but every time he tried he found nothing. Not even the faintest hint of life.

Kirchoff, what exactly is an android? He asked, keeping a close eye on the woman.

An android is like an artificial human. A really, really good one, Kirchoff explained. Most people can't tell the difference between them and real humans.

And most people can't read minds, Valen responded. She still hasn't left yet.

It's been an hour, what the hell is she waiting for? Kirchoff asked in exasperation.

I hope you're not asking me, he snorted. Because I can't tell, and not being able to sense what she's feeling is bothering me more than I like to admit.

God... I hope she leaves soon. Kirchoff tried to rub his temples but all he did was bang his elbow on the cabinet above him, which made Valen snort with laughter. She's going to make our lives hell if she just sticks around all the time.

I will let you know when she leaves. It's not like I have anything better to do.

---

Julianne eventually did leave 2 hours later, right at 2000 hours according to Kirchoff. As soon as the door to the lab slid shut behind her Kirchoff rushed right back into the lab and right over to the corner where Valen was curled up in.

He pressed both his hands to the glass and tried to get a better look at Valen. He still looked fine as far as he could tell, but his tail still had the occasional twitch. "Are you hurt?"

Well I'm sure not feeling great, he snarked.

That made Kirchoff smile a bit. "Well you're feeling good enough to be sarcastic, so that's good at least."

Valen chuckled, which sounded more like a car tire violently deflating than a real laugh, but it was still enough to put Kirchoff at ease.

"So what do you think of my new assistant," he asked.

Oh she's just delightful! Nothing but helpful and polite.

"Yeah, I agree," he rolled his eyes. "I've eaten oatmeal that was livelier and more pleasant than she was."

I really don't like her Kirchoff. Especially if having her around means I get zapped all the time.

Kirchoff raised his hands. "Hey, I agree. I don't like her any more than you do. Do you think we should try to get rid of her?"

How? It would be much easier if I were on that side of the glass, then I could tear her into several separate pieces and use her entrails to redecorate your lab.

"I appreciate the offer, but I'd prefer not to have to smell android guts every time I go to work in the morning."

Do you have any other ideas?

"Not yet, but I'll do my best to think of something."

Try and think of something quickly. I know that's a tough ask for you, but I'd really appreciate it.

Chapter 5: React

"Again Dr. Kirchoff," Julianne droned at him in the same monotone voice that he had come to hate.

"What? Are you serious?" He asked incredulously. "We've been doing this experiment for 5 hours, my original test was only for 30 minutes!"

"Yes, and I was instructed to recreate this experiment over a longer timeframe," she replied blankly. The 'experiment' that she was referring to was based on a bogus report that Kirchoff had conducted, where he had supposedly alternated using positive and negative stimuli to images that Kirchoff showed Valen. It was the sort of classic conditioning experiment that would have made Ivan Pavlov proud, assuming that instead of dogs he used giant alien alpha predators that liked to munch down on people's guts.

The biggest difference however was that no matter what Valen tried, Kirchoff was supposed to shock Valen. This was supposedly to test Valen's memory and conditioning from the original experiment, but Kirchoff felt like it was an experiment to test his patience with Julianne.

"Well I think it's been going on for long enough. I'm tired, I'm hungry, and I have to take a leak," Kirchoff stood up and stalked to the door, opened it and gestured extravagantly for her to leave. "We're done for the day."

Julianne made no comment, but fortunately for him she stood up and walked out of the door. Kirchoff slammed the door shut behind her and let out a huge sigh of relief. Ordinarily when he asked her to leave, she didn't listen until whatever time she was supposed to be with him had passed.

Julianne was wearing them both down to the bone. Day after day, week after week, she had shown up before Kirchoff woke up, and left long after he went to bed. Not only that, she had started 'requesting' that he demonstrate certain types of procedures that he used in his previous experiments with some 'additions'. What this really meant was that Kirchoff had to replicate his experiments, only with the added 'bonus' of inflicting pain on Valen.

---

Please tell me that you've come up with a way to get rid of her. Valen hissed as he hobbled back to his usual corner after Julianne had left the room.

"I'm trying Valen," Kirchoff slumped next to Valen on the wall. "But I just can't think of a way without raising some serious red flags."

Valen winced as he curled himself up in the corner next to Kirchoff. It had been a particularly nasty day. Julianne had showed up nice and early, waiting for him like she always did to begin the next mandated 'experiment' from 'Dr. Nigel'. Although it barely seemed likely now that she was here on Dr. Nigel's behalf. Kirchoff hadn't heard from her since Julianne showed up, and he & Valen suspected that either Dr. Gavin or someone else was pulling her strings, or she had been replaced entirely. Neither option was good for them.

"I'm sorry," Kirchoff said. Valen could feel the shame and guilt in his mind, they were practically his default emotion these days.

It's fine, Valen reassured him. I know that you're not really the one doing it.

"Yeah, but it doesn't make me feel less shitty about pushing the button," He said with his head in his hands. "It's not exactly fun to be forced to torture your best friend."

Even though Valen was the one of the receiving end of said torture, he felt even worse for Kirchoff. Valen was used to having pain inflicted on him, that had been most of his life up until then. What he couldn't stand was the toll it was taking on Kirchoff's mental state. With every day that passed, he could feel Kirchoff's mind slipping a little further towards breaking. It wasn't a feeling he could accurately describe, but he had a feeling that Kirchoff would end up cracking before he did.

Look, Kirchoff. I don't think either of us can handle this much longer, He said, leaning up against the thick, reinforced glass. We need to get rid of her as soon as possible.

"I've been trying!" Kirchoff exclaimed. "But no matter what I say or do, she doesn't react, and she's here like 95% of the time!"

React… That word stuck in Valen's head. React… hmmmm.

Kirchoff, I think I might have the beginning of an idea.

"Oh? Care to tell me what it is?"

No, Valen said, a trace of his usual snark returning to his voice, I just told you because I don't intend on sharing it at all.

That got a laugh out of Kirchoff, and a pleasant feeling of amusement that Valen had rarely felt from him recently.

The whole reason that she's here is to try and get me to react differently to all of the tests that I supposedly was subjected to before, right?

"Yeah, that's the vibe I've been getting from her."

What if I stop reacting all together?

"What do you mean?"

I mean what if I stop reacting how she wants to all of these asinine experiments? I've just been following your advice on how to react to them and playing along so far, Valen elaborated. But if I were to stop reacting at all, then maybe she'll see that the experiments aren't working anymore. Or maybe she'll be satisfied at seeing me acting defeated and leave.

"Hmmmm," Kirchoff scratched his chin, thinking hard. "Maybe, but she could also just conclude that you're dying and not useful, and then you could get killed. That's too big of a risk."

Well what if I just don't react the way she wants? Valen asked.

"I guess that could also work, but then that could call my past 'experiments' into question," he said.

Well that's no good.

"But..." Kirchoff continued. "We could try meeting in the middle."

That piqued Valen's interest. Care to explain?

"No, I just told you because I'm not going to explain it."

Valen shook his head and chuckled. Smartass.

"What can I say? You're a bad influence on me." He grinned.

So are you going to explain or just keep me in suspense all day?

"So what I'm thinking is that you only react hostilely towards Julianne whenever she is in the room, and behave normally whenever she isn't paying attention, or when she's on the other side of the room or something. That way it'll look like her mere presence is disrupting the experimental conditions now," He explained. "Like, you've caught on that her presence is the reason you're in pain. Then I might be able to convince her or Dr. Nigel, or whoever she's working for, that she's compromising my work and that she needs to leave."

That does sound like a good idea, Valen said. But what if that doesn't work and she just sticks around?

"What other choice do we have?" He asked, turning to face Valen. "Like you said, I don't think we're going to last much longer if Julianne keeps making me do this shit, and we have to try something. We've just been sitting around for a month, passive-aggressively hoping that she'll go away, and that's clearly not going to happen."

Valen gave it some thought for a long time, weighing the risks against the possible benefits. As much as I would like a better plan, I can't think of one. That and your plan is significantly better than the alternative.

"Alright then," Kirchoff clapped his hands together. "It's a plan."

---

Kirchoff didn't sleep well that night. Come to think of it, he hadn't been sleeping well for a while now. The combination of nerves from stress and anticipation made it difficult for him to get sleep on a good night, and tonight was even worse than normal. Kirchoff spent more time tossing and turning than actually resting. He was incredibly anxious about their plan. What would happen if it went wrong? What if it didn't work the way they thought it would? What if he was replaced? By the time 0600 hours rolled around, Kirchoff was already out of bed and well into his third cup of coffee. He knew that caffeine was probably the worst thing that he could do for his nerves, but it was the only way that he could force himself to stay sharp for what was to come.

Kirchoff, she's here, Valen told him. Kirchoff got up from his table, which was about as far as he could go into his apartment and still be able to hear Valen, and trudged into the lab.

Julianne was standing in her usual spot, waiting for him like always. "Good morning Dr. Kirchoff."

Kirchoff just grunted in response and slumped into his chair. It was then he noticed Valen, and he nearly jumped out of his skin. Valen was standing up to his full height and towering over them, his mouth extended and drooling, his claws scraping the wall just above Julianne's head.

I take it that I'm doing a good job of looking hostile, Valen said, sounding unbelievably proud of himself.

I think I just had a minor heart attack, he said, trying to breathe slowly and slow his racing heartbeat.

I'll take that as a good sign, he chuckled, and then turned his attention back to being as terrifying as possible, which for him wasn't all that hard.

Julianne however appeared not to notice the horrifying Xenomorph staring daggers at her. "Are you ready to begin, Dr. Kirchoff?" she asked in her usual bland monotone.

"Sure thing. What does the good Dr. Nigel have in store for me today?" he asked, mentally putting air quotes around "Dr. Nigel".

"Today she wants you to revisit your water jet experiment," she told him.

"Which one? I've done several of those."

"She wants you to start with the first one, the experiment you conducted where you attempted to gauge VS-223's reaction to water at varying water pressure levels."

"Really?" That was an odd choice of experiment to recreate, since he had first conducted that one when he first started working with Valen. Still, he didn't think Valen would mind too much if he just hosed him down a bit.

"Yes." she replied, not giving anything away with her tone or expression.

Alright, he told Valen. This one shouldn't be too bad, and it'll be easy for you to act hostile towards her as the experiment goes on.

Understood, Valen replied.

"Yes, we can start with some basic stimulation with the water jets," he muttered. This was a nice break for once.

"Very well," she said. However, instead of waiting for Kirchoff to find the necessary paperwork, read it, and start the experiment, she pushed him aside and leaned over the control panel.

"Hey!" Kirchoff yelled. "What the hell do you think you're doing?"

Julianne ignored him and turned a dial marked 'Water Pressure' all the way to the right and pressed a button.

"Wait, not that much!" Kirchoff shouted as jets of water powerful enough to punch through reinforced steel blasted from holes lining the side of the wall. One of these jets slammed directly into Valen's chest, making him scream in pain and surprise. The jet forced him off balance and caused him to fall directly onto his back in the center of the room, where the jets were on the other side of the wall.

Kirchoff ran up to Julianne and shoved her as hard as he could. Apparently not expecting his attack, she stumbled on her feet and let go of the button she was pressing. The water cut off immediately, leaving a very angry Valen flailing and screeching in the center of the room.

"Valen! Are you okay?" Kirchoff shouted.

I just got hit by a water blast that almost ripped my limbs off, do you think I'm okay you idiot?! Valen snapped back. He tried to stand up, but collapsed to the ground in agony whenever he tried to put weight on his legs.

Kirchoff whirled around to face his 'assistant' who had moved to sit, blank faced in front of the control panel.

"What the hell did you do that for? I wanted to do basic stimulation, not blast him to bits!" he yelled at her. She stared at Valen, unresponsive.

"Hey, I asked you a question!" Kirchoff shoved her again. "Why did you do that?"

She whipped her head to him and stared him dead in the eyes. A shiver ran down his spine under her cold, blank stare.

"Why should you care?" She asked, "It's only a Xenomorph."

The question itself wasn't out of the ordinary, but Kirchoff could sense the meaning behind it. She's trying to get me in some kind of trouble.

"That is true... but he's also a valuable specimen," he said carefully, "I've made more progress in the field of Xenopsychology studying him than any other researcher has made in the past thirty years. There is still so much more research that I have to do."

"Such as?"

"Well, er…"

"You hesitated. Are you concealing information from me?" she asked. Suddenly, her tone wasn't bland and monotone, it was harsh and demanding. Faster than he could follow, she stood up to her full height and glowered down at Kirchoff.

Despite her intimidating stance, he steeled himself. He refused to show weakness to this sadistic android. Especially in front of Valen, who was watching the scene from behind the transparent wall, "Okay, that's it. I'm sick of dealing with you. Get out of here. Now!" He gestured at the door.

The woman narrowed her eyes at him. When she spoke again her voice was filled with venom, "What did you just say to me?"

"I told you to get out, you are not suitable as an assistant," he said more forcefully than before.

"Are you questioning the authority of Dr. Nigel?" the woman asked. Her voice was filled with malice.

Kirchoff knew he had to be careful. If this woman was working for Dr. Nigel, or even worse, for someone else, and he had no reason to suspect her of lying, then he had to choose his next words carefully. "No, I respect her decision to appoint you as my assistant," he said slowly and deliberately, "However, you are working with me and MY assistant. Hell, not even an assistant, an observer. It is my decision to make whether or not you are suitable to work with me, and since you directly took control of my experiment and jeopardized the project I am conducting for Dr. Nigel, I have decided that you are no longer suitable. Now leave before I call security."

She showed no signs of moving, "You overestimate your authority."

"Do I?" he asked. He made his best effort to be intimidating, swelling up his chest and squaring his shoulders, but it was hard to maintain the act when his legs felt like they were going to collapse at any second.

"Yes, you do," Juliane said. As if a switch had been flicked. All of the anger and venom in her voice had been replaced by her usual monotone blandness. That scared Kirchoff more than her threats.

"Good day Dr. Kirchoff," she said. She looked him in the eyes one last time, then bowed her head and left the room.

He stared after her for a few seconds, then turned and almost stumbled in his hurry to check on Valen. He had managed to stand up, but he was moving slowly, letting off hisses of pain every time he tried to move.

"How are you doing Valen?" he asked.

I already told you, you imbecile! Valen shouted. I'm in a lot of pain!

"You know what I mean," he replied. "Any injuries that I should be worried about?"

No, I don't think so. That jet caught me off guard is all, he curled up next to the fake wall near where Kirchoff stood at the control board.

"Did you hear what she said?" He asked him.

Yes, I heard most of it, Valen hissed in pain as he prodded himself where the water jets had hit him. That didn't sound ominous at all.

"I agree," he said, rolling his eyes in an attempt to appear calm and in control. "That didn't sound vague and threatening in the least."

---

Dr. Nigel was sitting at her desk when she heard the light knock on her door.

"Come in," she called to the knocker. The door opened and Julianne stepped into her office. Perfectly on time, as always. Julianne stepped into the room and stood in her usual spot in front of her desk, waiting patiently. Dr. Nigel looked up at her, not wanting to be the first one to speak. After a few minutes of awkward silence, it was clear that Julianne wasn't going to be the one to speak first.

"So I heard you nearly killed Valen today."

"Yes Ma'am."

Ma'am? She must really think she's in trouble.

"You do realize that Dr. Kirchoff was correct in reprimanding you. You nearly destroyed my entire research project, all because of Dr. Gavin's orders to try and evoke a strong, hostile emotional response! That's why you did it, right?"

"I was told to evoke a strong, hostile reaction. Nothing I had done previously was working, so I took more extreme."

"And you almost ruined everything!" She shouted, slamming her hands on her desk. "You nearly destroyed all of my hard work because that nosy shithead thinks he can just shove his way into every single one of my projects and twist them into something he can use!"

"I was merely following orders Ma'am."

"You were. And now you are going to follow my orders," Dr. Nigel seethed between her teeth. "Get the hell out of my office! And if I even hear so much as a peep from Kirchoff that you returned to his lab, I will deactivate you myself! Do you understand?"

Julianne's expression remained the same. All she said was, "Yes ma'am," and walked out of her office.

Ursula flopped back into her chair and ran her hands through her hair. She had dealt with Dr. Gavin butting into her experiments and projects in the past, but this was utterly ridiculous. He was interfering to such a degree that he was threatening to compromise the entire project because of, what? His hatred of Xenomorphs? His desire to weaponize every project that crossed his desk? Brown nosing the board? Sadism? She shuddered at the thought of that last option.

The worst part about the entire situation was that there was nothing that she could do about it. Dr. Gavin was the Research Director and had been for almost 10 years. It would be almost impossible to go over his head, not without evidence of some kind of serious breach of conduct, and only then if there was a chance of it going public.

She buried her head in her hands, and was contemplating getting a very stiff drink or three from the station bar when she heard the muffled chiming. The desk phone buried under her mountain of papers was ringing. Furiously she swept the papers aside until she unearthed the phone and snatched the receiver off the hook.

"What?" She demanded.

"Ursula..." Fuck. It was Gavin.

"Look Julius," she fumed into the phone. "I'm not in the goddamn mood to talk right now, so if you want to reprimand me then you can...."

"Ursula, it's Kirchoff," Julius Erhardt Gavin, Director of Research & Development for the Bernard Interstellar Conglomerates Associated LLC, Bernard Planet-side Division, cut her off mid sentence. "He's... well he's just given us a golden opportunity."

"Us? Opportunity? Julius, just what the fuck are you talking about?"

"Meet me in my office. Five minutes." The line clicked and went dead.

"Fuck me," Dr. Nigel slammed the phone down on the receiver and stormed out of the room. 

Chapter 6: Recover

"Alright Valen, I know you say you're fine, but I'm going in there to do an examination whether you like it or not." Kirchoff was fiddling with a series of wires under a computer panel next to the wall that seperated the lab from Valen's cell. A large amount of electrical equipment and manuals were lying on the floor next to him, in addition to a spoon that Kirchoff was using as a makeshift screwdriver.

I am fine though, he emphasized. Valen had expressed his firm opinion that Kirchoff was taking a huge risk, both at volume and at great length, but none of that was deterring him from his task.

The specific computer that Kirchoff was messing around with was the control panel to open a small hatch that led into Valen's cell. Ordinarily it was used for maintenance purposes and had an alarm that would trigger if it was opened when the cell was occupied. Kirchoff was no computer scientist, but he did do two years of Electrical Engineering at university before switching majors to Xenobiology, so he was confident that he could bypass it. Probably.

"Okay let's see if this worked," he muttered. He closed the panel and entered a long series of passwords into the computer. At first, nothing happened.

Maybe you messed up the computer thing when you entered a password? As smart as Valen was, he was utterly useless with computers.

"No, if the passwords failed it would show it on the screen. I probably messed up with the wiring," Kirchoff replied.

You don't have to do this, you know, Valen told him again. I can take care of myself perfectly fine.

"Yes, but I want to make sure that witch didn't cause any permanent damage." He opened up the panel again and made some changes in the wiring. Thankfully he didn't actually need to solder anything, most computer systems on any sort of facility in space or far from Earth usually used easy to replace standardized components to make maintenance easier and less expensive. "If this doesn't do it, I don't know what will."

He went back to the computer and reentered the series of passwords. This time a section of the wall slid into a compartment in the adjoining wall, leaving a small hole barely big enough for Kirchoff to squeeze through, and certainly not large enough for Valen with his impressive head crest to fit in.

Kirchoff, what if you get in trouble? Valen asked worriedly.

"Relax you dumb Xeno," he said with a chuckle. "I'm confident I’ve disabled all the security alarms, both silent and loud, and I've locked all of the doors in here manually."

Still…

"Quit worrying," he said and crawled through the hole and popped out the other side. The room looked different on this side of the wall. The walls weren't perfectly white, but had a yellowish-blackish stain to them. He could clearly see the scratch marks on the walls that Valen had left on the wall during their argument when Kirchoff had come out to him, as well as others that he couldn't have made out from the other side of the wall.

"Wow, this place is filthy," he said to Valen, who had moved and was curled up in a corner on the opposite side of the room.

Well it's not like they send in a janitor to clean this place up.

"You should have said something, I could have gotten someone to clean it for you."

Yeah, like any sane human would enter a room with a live Xenomorph in it, Valen said with a snort.

"I'm going to pretend I didn't hear that," kirchoff retorted. "By the way, how do you do that?"

What, this? He snorted again.

"Yeah, you don't even have nostrils."

Not ones that you can see anyways.

Kirchoff laughed. "Okay, down to business." He walked over to Valen who was still curled up in his corner.

Are… are you sure you want to do this? he asked.

"Why wouldn't I? I know that you won't bite my face off." He reached out and placed his hand on Valen's head. It wasn't slimy like he suspected, but smooth and dry. He rubbed his hands up and down his elongated head and was surprised when he started to purr. He was like a giant, intelligent, deadly housecat. He chuckled and started to examine Valen's body for injuries. Kirchoff checked for any signs of unusual dents or cuts, but due to the coarse, ribbed texture of his body it was hard to tell. Whenever he thought he found a wound, he would ask Valen if it hurt when he poked him. He didn't find any injuries on his arms or legs and his head was fine, but he couldn't see very well onto Valen's back, even if he was lying down.

"Hey Valen, move over for a minute, I'm going to check for injuries on your back."

I'm fine, I told you! Valen tried to shove him away from his back with his tail, but Kirchoff fought against him.

"Quit trying to change my mind. I'm already here and I'm not going to a half assed job."

He ducked under his tail, careful to avoid the spiked tip and leaped on Valen's back from behind. He wrapped his legs around the base of his tail and stretched as far as he could along his back until he grabbed hold of Valen's two lower dorsal tubes.

Aaah, what… what're you… Valen stuttered before breaking off. He stopped fighting and flopped down on the floor, squirming and purring.

"What's with the sudden attitude change?" Kirchoff asked.

Just… hurry up… mmmmh… Valen said. His words were slow and slurred in Kirchoff's mind, like he was hearing him while his ears were filled with water.

"Okay…" Kirchoff said warily. He started rubbing his hands over Valen's bumpy backside, looking for more injuries.

"Does this hurt?" he asked, pressing an indent next to one of his dorsal tubes.

Gah...N-n-no… oooh…

"Are you sure? I can get off if it hurts too much."

No… keep… ah… going…

He rubbed up one of the dorsal tubes and Valen bucked and squirmed like crazy, almost throwing him off. They must be really sensitive, he thought, I'd better get off. Careful not to fall on Valen's tail or legs, he slid off Valen's back and stepped away from him, watching him writhe and purr. Eventually he came to his senses and looked over at Kirchoff, who was watching him with an amused smirk.

Sorry about that… he said sheepishly.

"Don't be. They must be sensitive if they can make you wriggle like that," Kirchoff said. "It doesn't look like there are any serious injuries, just a few minor dents and abrasions."

Like I didn't already know that, Valen looked uncomfortable, shifting positions and squirming around as if he were trying to scratch and itch something without using his hands.

Kirchoff sat down crossed legged several feet away from Valen, not wanting to disturb him any more than he already had. He sat in silence for a long time just watching him before he asked a question that had been preying on his mind for some time. "Valen, are you sure you're doing ok?"

Yes, I thought that's why you came in here in the first place.

"No, I mean how are you doing? Mentally, I mean. Like, how are you handling all of this?"

Valen froze where he was and looked over at Kirchoff. Why do you ask?

Kirchoff shrugged, "You're my friend."

Valen continued to stare at Kirchoff, frozen with his back and tail raised in the air and his legs and arms spread out on both sides of his body. If it weren't for the atmosphere in the room, it would have been amusing. Eventually, he spoke. To tell you the truth, I am tired. Tired of all of this. Tired of these tests, tired of this prison, and tired of all of these wretched humans! Those blasted, ignorant, destructive, hate filled, megalomaniacal, idiotic, humans!

Valen thrashed his tail against the wall, making another gash in the surface and making Kirchoff flinch and put his arms over his head. Humans don't want to know me as a being with a history and a future! They don't even consider the fact that I just might be intelligent. They want to understand me as only an animal, a killing machine, a predator, and not as an intellectual mind, as a curious being, as a person!

He heaved several deep breaths. Kirchoff was shocked. He knew Valen seriously hated most humans, but he didn't know his resentment was so personal. Finally, Valen relaxed and walked gingerly over to Kirchoff. He scooted back a few feet out of instinct, but stopped himself and let Valen approach him. He walked behind Kirchoff and carefully wrapped his arms around him. Kirchoff, you have done this. You have treated me as an equal and a friend, and that is the greatest gift I have ever received.

Valens words were touching, but the thing that took up most of Kirchoff's attention were the powerful black arms that were currently wrapped around him. He's… hugging me? The most surprising thing about it was how gentle Valen was. His arms were strong enough to rip apart solid steel, but they held him as though he were a china doll that could break at the slightest touch. It was nice though, and he let Valen hold him for a while longer.

Kirchoff stayed wrapped in Valen's arms until he realized that he had been inside Valen's side of the cell for quite some time.

"Hey Valen, I should probably leave now, just in case anybody comes looking for me."

Can't you stay for a little while longer? he asked.

Kirchoff raised his eyebrows. "Are you sure you didn’t hit your head or something? First, you didn't want me to come in, now you don't want me to leave!"

I know, it's just…

"Just what?" he asked. 

Nevermind. You're right, you'd better go now.

Kirchoff disentangled himself from Valen's arms and they walked the short distance to the maintenance door side by side. He was about to pop out to return to his quarters when Valen's voice in his head stopped him, Kirchoff.

"Yes Valen?"

Thank you.

No insult at the end of his sentence, no witty comment, no play on words. Just a simple thank you.

"Did I just hear that right?" Kirchoff turned around and looked at Valen, who was curled up on the floor near the maintenance, "Did you actually just thank me?"

I'm not going to say it again.

Kirchoff stared at Valen, who was still directly beside him. He caught his gaze, then looked away shyly.

What is up with him? he thought. First his reaction when he was examining his back, the hug and now this. I'll ask him about it tomorrow after we’ve had some rest.

"I'll see you tomorrow Valen. Try to get some sleep." Just as he was about to climb back out into his side of the lab, the small maintenance door slammed shut.

"What the hell?" Kirchoff clawed at the panel, but it was no use. This place was designed to hold Xenomorphs. "Well shit."

What is it? Valen asked, sounding worried.

"It looks like I'm sleeping with you tonight, the panel closed by itself."

I assume it's not supposed to do that.

"No it is not. I have a very bad feeling about this."

Are you sure there aren't any other ways out?

"Not a single one. The maintenance panel doesn't open from this side and this place was designed to hold Xenomorphs. Once you're in, you aren't getting out." He plopped himself down on the floor and leaned back against the wall. 

I'm sure you'll be fine, Valen reassured him.

"I’m not worried about just me. Once they find me here, I’m going to have to answer some very uncomfortable questions." He pulled his legs up into the fetal position and tried his best not to have a panic attack. “You’re right, I shouldn’t have come in here. I bet I didn't disable all of the silent alarms.”

If that was the case, shouldn’t the door have closed before you could even come in here?

Valen made a very good point. If the alarms had gone off, then the access panel should have slammed shut and guards would have been dispatched to his location to deal with a potential breach.

Kirchoff, what’s going on? Valen sounded just as confused and afraid as he felt.

“I wish I knew,” He yawned and stretched, suddenly feeling very tired. The stress and anxiety of the past few weeks was finally catching up to him. “All I know is that we’re probably in trouble.”

I have no doubt about that. What do we do now?

“What can we do? If they were going to kill us, they would have done it already.” Kirchoff was dead tired all of a sudden and he just wanted to go to sleep. Valen looked like he had the same idea since he curled himself up and rested his head on his arms, looking at him. "At the very least, this is going to raise a lot of awkward questions. Us, sleeping together."

Valen chuckled nervously. Let's try not to worry about that until we need to.

Kirchoff nodded and curled up on the floor. "Good night Valen."

Good night Kirchoff.

And with that, he drifted off to sleep.

---

Dr. Nigel was not in a good mood. One might go as far as to call her mood a bad one, but that would be inaccurate. She was furious. Dr. Gavin had called her five minutes ago and requested that she come down to the Central Computer Monitoring Center, the main computer repository where all data for the entire facility flowed through, and he had made it clear that it was not a request.

She arrived at the door and slid her ID card into the slot in the panel next to the door and punched in her key code. The panel buzzed and flashed a green light, then the door swung open with a click.

The monitor was showing a view from inside of a Xenomorph containment call. Dr. Nigel looked at the numbers at the bottom of the screen with a sinking feeling in her gut. The feeling was justified as she saw the code ‘VS-223’ in the bottom left hand corner of the screen.

As she watched, she saw the maintenance panel slide open, and the familiar form of Kirchoff slide into the room. The camera panned to follow Kirchoff as he walked over to where a large black form was curled up, then stayed in place as she watched Kirchoff closely examine Valen. Dr. Gavin paused the video.

"What is this about Julius?" She asked, her eyes still glued to the screen.

He pointed at the screen. "This is just the break I've been waiting for. This is how I'm going to get what I want."

"So what, you're going to resort to torture now?" She asked. His silence was all the answer she needed.

"Why are you doing this?" She cried. "Why the hell would you do something like this?"

"Why?" His eyes gleamed with a sudden fierce rage. "I'll tell you why. My family died because of those monstrosities! My wife was eaten alive by those things! The only reason that they even managed to identify her body was because her teeth were the only thing that wasn't eaten!"

"When I originally gave your little project the greenlight, I assumed that it was to find out was to find out what made that Xeno's mind tick, not so that you could stand by and watch your telepathic pet and your dopey little scientist perform an interspecies alien soap opera!"

He took a deep breath to calm himself and kept going. "I've made no secret that I want to take over your project Ursula. I want to find out how that creature can do what it does, and I want to be able to use it, and for that to work I need stronger results and readings. And since you are clearly incapable of keeping a tight enough reign on your little test subjects to deliver the results you were instructed to gather, I am taking matters into my own hands."

"What are you going to do Julius?" She fumed. "What the hell are you planning?"

"You'll see Ursula."

"Tell me Julius. Fucking tell me what you're going to do to them!"

"Well, since you've made it clear that you don't want to let me experiment directly on your precious Xenomorph pet directly, I'm going to do the next best thing."

Dr. Nigel felt her blood run cold at the implication. "Julius, no! You can't do that!"

"Oh, I think I can. I'm the one official in charge of this project now after all."

"It's unethical! It's inhumane!" She lunged forwards as if to punch him in the chest, but he caught her wrists as if she was no more than a child. "It's a sacrifice I'm willing to make. I’ve given the order to administer a sedative to knock both of them out. Security and transport teams are already on their way to the laboratory."

He dropped her wrists and turned his attention back to the monitor. "You're dismissed Dr. Nigel."

Dr. Ursula Nigel had to use every ounce of her willpower she had not to reel back and kick Dr. Gavin square in the balls. Instead she wiped the tears that were forming in her eyes and stalked away.

---

What's wrong with me? Valen thought. Until tonight, he had seen Kirchoff merely as a friend, the one person who made the burden of living in the white walled room for the past 5 months bearable. But now that he had actually come into his cell. He had tended to him, talked to him, and touched him. And all without a single trace of fear. That was what truly astonished him. Kirchoff trusted him so implicitly, understood his so well, saw him as more than a savage monster, that he hadn't hesitated for a second once he set his mind to breaking into his cell to care for him.

Now Valen couldn't get him out of his mind. And his hands. He had loved the way his hands felt, so warm and careful as they ran along his skin. His body was so much warmer than his own. He could still feel it, pressing against his own as he examined his back for injuries. It felt unbelievable when he ran his hands along the sensitive tubes on his back. He wondered how it would feel if Kirchoff to climb back there and...

No! No, no, no! I can't think about that, Valen shook his head violently. I have to get my mind off of him.

He looked away from Kirchoff's sleeping form curled up next to him and tried to ignore him, but it was almost impossible since Kirchoff was right there next to him. His gaze kept drifting back to him, watching his rhythmic breathing. It was funny in a way, that he, one of the most deadly creatures in existence, needed the protection of a mere, squishy human. A wonderful, smart, caring…

Damnit, he Valen shook his head. It was no use, he just couldn't get Kirchoff out of his head. He gave up and curled up on the floor next to him, nuzzling his massive, crested head against Kirchoff's delicate, brown haired one. Kirchoff… Why you? Why do I… why you?

Valen knew the answer before he even finished his thought. It was because Kirchoff was so different from the others. All of the other humans he had met, even if only briefly, treated him like just another beast, and as a result held no qualms about hurting him. The only way Valen could have any kind of vengeance was to be surly, snarky and a general smartass by refusing to cooperate. This was made more effective by his unique ability to feel emotions and speak to people in their minds. He had no idea why he had it or how it truly functioned, but shortly after discovering it he put it to good use. Every human could sense him as well, to various degrees. But never like this. Kirchoff was the only one had heard him, who he could talk to, who saw his as more than a beast. Kirchoff.

Of course at first, Valen treated Kirchoff like all of the other scientists who came before him. Surly, hostile, but there was even more satisfaction in exploring all the new avenues of resistance that opened up with Kirchoff. Sarcasm, sass, instigation, insults, all of which were delightfully new and fresh and fun... but then Kirchoff made the strange move of offering him a limited degree of freedom and protection in exchange for information. And now it had evolved to the point where Kirchoff was standing up for him, even against Julianne. Valen supposed it was only a matter of time for him to like, respect, befriend... and now fall for Kirchoff. Kirchoff actually coming into his cell out of concern for his well being was just the final nail in the coffin. Despite the fact that he was a weak, fleshy human, Valen felt...

Not that I mind him being a human, Valen thought mischievously, allowing himself to indulge in fantasy a little. Oh, the things he could do with his hands…

If only Kirchoff knew how much he had riled him up. His dorsal tubes in particular were loaded with sensitive nerve endings to detect changes in air temperature and pressure, and this made them extremely sensitive to touch. Before Valen could think about dealing with a rapidly expanding problem, a quiet hiss of air filled his ears. He looked around to try and identify the source of the sound. A strange scent filled his nostrils and his head felt light.

Oh no. Valen tried to stand up, but his legs felt weak and limp, his arms rubbery. A shadowy form standing at the control panel on the other side of the wall caught his attention.

What'ssss thissss now? he thought. Kirchoff, what are you doing?

But... that wasn't Kirchoff.

Kirchoff was asleep in his cell next to him, he wasn't operating the computer. Valen started to panic as he realized the danger they were in. He tried to shake Kirchoff awake, but he didn't move. Valen felt his vision start to fade and his mind start to fall slip unconsciousness. He only had just enough time to curl himself protectively around Kirchoff before he passed out.

Chapter 7: Pain

"Rise and shine Kirchoff. You have a busy day ahead of you."

No… I don't want to... he thought. It was way too early to wake up, his alarm hadn't even gone off. He tried to roll over to and pull the blankets up over his head, but when he tried to move he found that he couldn't. There was something restraining him, something tied around his arms and his legs that was preventing him from moving. but before he could panic...

"Wake up!" A hand slapped his face hard, jerking him into painful consciousness. His eyes tried to focus, but his head was spinning so hard from the pain that they refused to cooperate.

"What is… going on?" he mumbled.

"Oh good, you're alive," the voice said. "Dr. Nigel was worried the dosage was too high. I told her that I wouldn't hurt you, but I doubt her acceptable level of risk is the same as mine."

The voice sounded so familiar, but his vision was spinning so fast and his mind was so foggy it was an effort not to throw up, let alone pin down where he had heard the voice before. Kirchoff closed his eyes and tried to control his nausea. He felt hands running across his head and arms, attaching small metal things to his chest, his arms, his head. Kirchoff tried to raise his head and see what they were doing, but felt a hand pull his head back and tighten a strap around it. He wriggled his arms and legs, to see if there was any weaknesses in the restraints, but found none.

"Help…" he whispered. "Someone… help me…"

"Sorry Dr. Kirchoff, but I'm afraid that's not possible."

"W... why?" His throat felt like it was lined with sandpaper.

"Because we need you. We tried to do this without involving you this deeply, but you presented us with an opportunity that was too good to pass up."

Opportunity? What was she talking about? What's going on? Kirchoff clenched his eyes shut, and tried to stay focused, tried to remember how he got here. His memories were blurring together, faint and foggy, but there were some details he could make out.

A circuit board covered in wires... The hiss of a door unlocking... Valen, staring at him with his sightless gaze...

A flashlight clicked on and fingers pried his eyelids open, shining the light directly into his eyes. "You seem well enough. I doubt the procedure will be fatal."

Fatal?! Oh... oh fuck! The lab! He had gotten locked inside the lab! With Valen...

Before he could scream and beg and try to explain, he felt a sharp, stinging jab in his arm. Something cold, seeping into his arm. The familiar hazy blackness of unconsciousness reaching out to seize him as he fell back into it's embrace.

---

"And you're sure this will work?" Ursula asked. The wiry IT technician was hunched over a Portable Computer Station that she had 'borrowed' and moved to her personal lab the day before. The station wasn't fancy, basically a decrepit computer on a plastic cart that they kept stored in one of the employee lounges, but it would do for what she needed.

"Yeah, it should," He explained. "I wired you directly into one of the security A/V feeds that runs to the central database, and set it up with a copy of the software we use for recording the lab footage. Just type in the ID code of the lab you want and bingo, you're watching a live feed. And there - he pointed to another box on stacked on the cart's shelf - is a recorder. Just press the green button to start, the red one to stop, and make sure you plug a data stick into it or it won't work."

He stood up and stretched his back, cracking the vertebrae. "You're just lucky you have high enough authorization to get into most of the feeds, otherwise I'd need to set that up too, and that is a biiiiiitch."

"Thank you again William," Dr. Nigel reached into her jacket pocket and pulled out two very thick wads of bills. 

"This," She handed him one, "Is for your services." 

"And this," She waved the second wad. "Is to make sure that you understand that no one - no one - knows that you were ever here." She placed it on top of the first stack.

"Doctor, I'm a professional. I have no idea what you're talking about," William grinned.

"Good. If I'm right, I'll meet you at your office tomorrow. I might need your help again."

"Glad I can be of service," He tipped his grey cap to her and walked out of the room without another word. One perk of her miserable job as head of a research division on an isolated research base on a backwater planet was that it was significantly easier to obtain clandestine services for cheap, provided you knew who to ask. Unfortunately, she'd had many times in her career where she needed William's help, or at least someone like him. He was just the latest.

"Let's see here..." Ursula pressed the "on" button the computer and waited for it to complete it's boot up sequence. After some fiddling she managed to open the monitoring program and locate the feed she needed. It was of a lone Xenomorph, curled unconscious on the ground.

"I've got you now you bastard."

---

The loud siren jolted Valen awake. He scrambled and flailed his arms and legs, trying desperately to haul himself upright and prepare to fight off an invader before he realized what was going on. Just as quickly as it had started, the siren cut out, leaving the whitewashed room eerily silent. Valen tried again to haul himself upright, but as soon as he tried to stand, his head spun and the world around him blurred. The next thing he knew he was lying sprawled out on his front on the floor.

W… What… What…? He tried to think, to speak, but he couldn't get the words out. The world was spinning too fast and his head was too fuzzy. He just closed his eyes and waited for his mind to clear.

Time passed. The fog in his mind was persistent, but eventually it began to fade and the world stopped rocking around enough for him to get a good look at his surroundings. The bleached white walls and floor indicated that he was still in his cell, although that wasn't really a suprise. It appeared to be the same as always. White walls, white floor, white ceiling. Kirchoff was probably in the other room already and... Kirchoff!

Valen sprang to his feet and quickly scanned the cell. Nothing. Kirchoff was gone.

No! No no no! Valen reached out with his mind, scanning as far as he could for the familiar flicker of his Kirchoff's thoughts. Nothing, not a trace, not a stray whisper of him. The other humans must have found out that Kirchoff was in his cell somehow. Supposedly Kirchoff had disabled the alarms on the security panel, nobody should have known that he had broken in... except his cell was teeming with cameras and sensors and other monitoring devices. They must have noticed something was off and come to investigate. Kirchoff had told him at some point there wasn't a live data feed in and out of the lab, that's how he was able to fool his superiors for so long. Apparently that was a lie.

Kirchoff… Where have they taken you… He heaved a sigh. The brief moment of panic passed and a wave of hopelessness crashed in to take it's place. Kirchoff was gone. Dr. Nigel or whoever had probably seen him in his cell and knocked them out so they could haul him off somewhere. And now who knows where he was, or if he would ever see him again.

That was when he noticed something odd about the wall, or rather all the walls. They seemed to be much closer together, and suspiciously free of scratches and gouge marks. He got up and inspected the walls closer. Not a single mark or scuff, and they were completely free of discoloration.

That's odd, Valen thought. He had no idea how long he had been out, but it didn't feel long enough for his cell to be completely cleaned and repaired. While he was still inside no less. They must have moved me somewhere else.

Out of nowhere, another siren blared, forcing Valen to cover his ears with his clawed hands and curl up into a ball. This one was loud, so much louder than any other sound he had ever heard. It felt like razor sharp knives were being driven into his skull. When the noise stopped and Valen felt like it was safe to think again, he immediately noticed that one of the walls had turned transparent, just like Kirchoff's wall. And on the other side...

Strapped to a chair on the other side of the wall was Kirchoff. His arms and legs were bound with a series of metal restraints and a single fabric strap restrained his head up against a metal headrest. Valens scrambled as close to Kirchoff as he could, pressing his head into the wall. His emotions were awash in conflict. Releif at seeing Kirchoff, worry at his condition, terror at his restrained body slumped in the chair. He reached out to Kirchoff, trying to feel his thoughts. They were muffled, blurry, and decoherent, but they were unmistakably his.

Kirchoff! Valen mentally shouted at him. Kirchoff, can you hear me?

"Hello VS-223, good to see you're alive and well," a familiar voice said over the hidden speakers in the walls. From behind Kirchoff's chair, a hidden door in the wall slid open emerged a familiar tall, plain woman. Valen hissed at Julianne as she walked over to Kirchoff's chair and stood beside him.

"How are you doing today?" she asked, with a hint of bemused sarcasm lacing her usual monotone. "The accommodations are more than adequate I trust."

Valen hissed viciously in response. He raked the wall with his claws and smashed his tail against the floor. Julianne wasn't intimidated in the least, only tutting and shaking her head at him.

"Now, now, Valen, don't worry. You aren't at risk of any harm," Valen stopped trying to rip the wall apart with his claws, but kept up a low hissing. He wasn't going to let his guard down.

"However your friend Kirchoff here," She patted Kirchoff on the cheek. "Isn't so lucky."

Valen's hissing petered out as the meaning of her words registered. Kirchoff...

The woman calmly and deliberately reached behind herself and revealed a small rectangular object with a series of small buttons on its surface. She stood back from Kirchoff's chair and pressed a button. Kirchoff jerked and screamed as electricity sparked from the metal bands on his body. Valen screeched in horror and fury. He clawed at the transparent wall, slashed at it with his tail, even craning his head to find a hole, a weakness to climb through. In a final act of desperation, Valen reached out with his mind into Kirchoff's. He couldn't make contact for more than a brief instant before the absolute agony overwhelmed him. The pain was so intense that he couldn't maintain the connection. He could do nothing but watch helplessly as Kirchoff was electrocuted, writhing and thrashing in his restraints.

Julianne, who was watching the whole scene with a look of bland amusement, pressed another button on her remote and the current ceased. Kirchoff slumped against his restraints. His hair was smoking slightly and his breathing was shallow and jerky. His left leg was twitching spasmodically.

"Don't worry, I didn't do any permanent damage to him," Julianne told him, "That was a low voltage just to sensitize him."

Valen ignored her, pressing his head against the wall. Kirchoff! Can you hear me? Do you know who I am? Are you ok? The only thought he could feel was a faint feeling of recognition. He knew it was him, but that was it.

"It's futile to try and communicate with him in this state. He's still heavily drugged, it would take hours for it to wear off on it's own." She put her remote in her pocket, and pulled out a small, grey box. She entered a password into the tiny keypad on top and it swung open with a click. Valen craned his neck, trying to get a glimpse of what was inside the container.

"Are you curious?" Julianne grinned and walked past Kirchoff and closer to the wall. She titled the box to Valen. Inside were 2 syringes and vials of clear liquid. She pulled out the first vial and held it up, as if she was giving a classroom lecture to a room of student.

"This chemical here is an antidote to the sedative we've given Kirchoff," She explained, rolling the small vial in her fingers. "I didn't administer it to him before shocking him, or it might have cause too much pain. Consider it a gesture of... professional curtesy to the good Doctor."

She placed the vial back in the box and pulled out the second one. On closer inspection it was not clear, but tinged with a faint yellow color. "This here, is not nearly as mundane. This is a chemical that causes intense pain by directly stimulating certain pain receptors. Essentially flipping them on and holding down the button, so to speak. Of course, this is not strictly legal for use on a human patient, but Dr. Gavin is of the opinion that it is more... expedient to ask for forgiveness rather than permission."

"Of course this will not kill Dr. Kirchoff," she continued, walking back towards Kirchoff. By now his leg had stopped twitching, but he was moaning faintly and his eyes were fluttering. Julianne withdrew one of the needles and the first vial, quickly and efficiently drew the liquid, and injected it into Kirchoff's arm. "However, the effects will be particularly unpleasant. The electrical shock primed his nervous system, so the drug's effects will both feel stronger, and last longer."

No! No no no nononono! Valen clawed at the barrier in renewed desperation. Julianne ignored Dr. Nigel and faced Kirchoff who was stirring in his restraint. His chest rose and fell in short, fluttering bursts, moaning in pain as the sedative wore off. Julianne delicately replaced the needle and the vial, and withdrew the second set. She prepared them with the same calculated efficiency, but instead of carefully injecting him with the drug, Julianne stabbed the needle deep into Kirchoff's thigh and slowly depressed the plunger. Valen could feel the drug start to take effect immediately in Kirchoff's mind. A tingling, burning sensation started to spread out from the point of the injection, and Kirchoff writhed and moaned weakly as the drug worked its way into his system. Valen felt it as the tingling slowly spread and escalated into a deep, painful burning, until it felt like his very blood had been replaced with molten metal. Kirchoff writhed and moaned and cried out in his chair as the chemical spread, burning through his veins until his entire body was consumed in a raging fire.

Valen felt the pain. It was worse, so much worse than the electricity. He struggled to maintain his connection with him, not daring to draw his mind away no matter how badly he wanted to. He couldn't let Kirchoff do this alone. He wouldn't let him.

Instead, Valen turned his gaze to Julianne. That vile, hateful fake human. It was one thing to torture him. Valen was used to torture, and his body was was strong, built stronger than any human had ever been. He could handle anything they threw at him.

But to harm Kirchoff... He was soft, weak, and fragile. To hurt him was unforgivable. His shared pain tempered his anger and fury, boiling and blackening into a core of unrelenting hatred. Hatred of Julianne. Hatred of the man Dr. Gavin. Of Dr. Nigel. Of every single person responsible for the heinous torture of his friend.

Valen towered over Julianne, his claws sinking into the tough material of the barrier, opened his maw, and poured all of his molten hatred into a single deafening, bloodcurdling scream.

---

Dr. Nigel flinched and tried to cover her ears and find the volume dial on the computer at the same time. She had been watching everything, silently observing everything on the monitor of her computer. As she watched, the view in the monitor wavered and flickered, then the lenses in the hidden camera shattered, distorting the room into fractured kaleidoscope of glass. She leaned back from the monitor and rubbed her temples to try and get rid of the sudden headache caused by the terrible noise. Even though she had only heard the muffled version produced by her headphones, the sound he had pierced her eardrums like a pair of hot irons.

While Nigel rubbed her ears she looked down at a table strewn with various papers, audio logs on recorders, and half eaten lunches. Scattered all over this table was the cumulative effort of almost three years of tedious research, all focused on one objective. To determine the nature of Valen's unique telepathic ability. From the moment she had heard him talking to her in her head, she had been convinced this would revolutionize their understanding of Xenomorphs. It was an endeavor she had poured her blood, sweat and tears into. A project that she had been in direct control of up until Julies poked his greedy fingers into it, just like everything else. This was supposed the pinnacle of her career, the project that would revolutionize the human understanding of the Xenomorph mind, but instead it had corrupted and twisted into indiscriminate torture.

She clenched her fists and tried not to scream curses at the thought of the man. He had been trying to interfere with her project since day one. All he saw the in her research was the weaponization of her work. To maim, kill, and eradicate everything related to Xenomorphs under the guise of protection and the advancement of useful knowledge. Dr. Julius Gavin had started his career as an weapons researcher for a company split off from the old Weyland-Yutani megacorporation following their disastrous collapse, then he worked his way over to the Bernard Research Station to develop more specialized forms of killing. Toxic gas, high explosives powerful enough to rip apart a solid steel box several meters thick, venoms extracted from the local wildlife purified and synthesized into lethal and pain inducing toxins. The man held a deep burning hatred for the Xenomorphs, and wanted nothing more than to see them eradicated from the universe. Still, she didn't realize just how far he would go for the sake of his vendetta.

Ursula let out a sigh. Fucking Julius.

On top of her guilt of making him play into her elaborate facade, she hated herself that Kirchoff had to be tortured like this. She genuinely liked the man, both as a colleague and as a scientist. If she wanted to, she might have gotten him to safety, warned him that he was in danger before it was too late.

But she couldn't. She had to let it happen, not just for the sake of her project, but to stop something like this from every happening again. She just hoped Kirchoff would understand, although she doubted he'd forgive her.

Still, she had gotten what she needed. She could vaguely make out Julianne holding the vial of pain serum in one hand and the used needle in the other, watching in passive silence as Valen screamed and Kirchoff writhed in pain. She held one of the headphones close to her ear to check if Valen was still screaming, but he had thankfully stopped. She pressed the red button on the machine and removed a data stick from the computer. It looked so mundane, but this was her golden ticket. If her plan worked, then Julius would never be a problem for her, or anyone else, ever again. Hastily, she ran out of the room, heading towards the offices where she knew William would be waiting for her.

---

While Valen had stopped screaming, he was still grinding his claws against the wall, glaring her with what Julianne assumed was all the concentrated hatred he could muster. Of course she had nothing to fear from him. Short of a sub-atomic detonation, nothing was getting through the wall that divded him, and her synthetic mind was completely invisible to him. All he could do was glare and knead his claws into the reinforced material of the floor.

This had been a productive experiment. According to the readouts on the monitors, she had gotten more than enough data for Dr. Gavin. More than he would have dared hope for.

“I have what I need,” With a curt nod, she took out her remote and pressed another button. The restraints on Kirchoff's body unlatched and he slumped out of his chair and onto the floor. She only allowed herself a moment of quiet satisfaction while she stared at his writhing, barely conscious body. What an irritating man. She had no idea what Dr. Nigel saw in him. He was sloppy, brutish, unprofessional, and barely qualified to hold the position he did. Surely someone of better education would be a better subject for testing VS-223's mental abilities. Regardless, that wasn't her decision to make, and Dr. Nigel had appeared satisfied with him. It had also apparently been the correct choice, which irritated her even more.

Pushing the thought out of her mind, she walked over the wall where the recessed door pulled back to reveal the white, clean hallway. Just before she left, she pressed another button on the remote over her shoulder. The invisible wall that separated Valen from the other side of the room began to slide silently down into the floor. Again, she had no idea why Dr. Nigel insisted on it, but it wasn't her place to question her. She heard one final, unfiltered scream from Valen as the door slid shut behind her.

---

Unwilling to wait for the wall to fully lower, Valen backed up and took a running leap at the descending wall. He couldn't quite manage to jump over it, but he latched onto the lip of the wall with his claws and vaulted himself over. He landed next to Kirchoff with a loud thud. His friend was groaning weakly, curled up into a ball on the floor. Valen's hate turned to worry as he stared down at Kirchoff. He was so small. So frail.

"V... Val... en..." Kirchoffs voice was barely discernable. He was so weak and in so much pain he was barely able to form the words.

I'm here Kirchoff. I'm here. Not wanting to cause Kirchoff any more discomfort, Valen gently dragged Kirchoff just far enough away from the chair with his tail so he could curled himself around him, to shield him from the world. He pressed his forehead into Kirchoff's hair, trying to be as close to him as possible, to comfort him as best he could as the liquid pain burned it's way through his veins.

---

Dr. Julius Gavin was sitting at his desk. Julianne had departed only an hour or so ago, and he was still reviewing the data from the test when he heard a rapid knocking at the door. Firm and insistent.

"Julius, it's me," He heard Ursula say from the other side of his real maple wood door. "Let me in."

Of course it was Ursula. He sighed and rubbed the bridge of his nose. Well she was going to make a fuss sooner or later, let's just get this out of the way.

"Come on in," he called back. "The door is open."

Ursula slammed the door open with a bang loud enough to make him wince. "Was that really necessary?"

"Yes," She said coldly. She walked over to his desk and tossed a brown paper envelope onto the desk.

"What is this?" He asked her.

"Open it." Something in her voice made his blood run cold. Gavin plucked the letter knife from his desk and used it to slice the envelope open. Inside was a single sheet of paper and a data stick.

"What is this?" He asked her again.

She motioned to the paper in his hands. He read it, his eyes growing wide with anger as he took it in. He looked at the data stick, then up to Ursula.

"You set me up," He fumed.

"No, I merely took advantage of a situation that you put yourself in," She told him. "You can thank Julianne for boasting. I doubt the board would have acted so fast if it wasn't for her."

He pointed the paper he held in his hand at her. "You ratted me out to the Ethics Board! You showed them footage from the experiment I performed on your precious little Xenomorph pet and his little friend!" He seethed. He’d been buttering up those doddering assholes on the board for years, and just when he was finally getting in their good graces she had destroyed his hard work! Ursula had shown them direct evidence of him torturing someone, and employee, with an illegally obtained pain chemical in an unauthorized experiment.

Fuck me. He doubted even the fattest of bribes would get him off without repercussions.

"We don't torture people Julius. Ever. What you did to them, to Kirchoff, is unforgivable. Consider this payback for all those long years of you poking your nose where it doesn't belong." Ursula's voice wasn't smug. She didn't do this to one up him, or to advance her career. This was revenge. She had it out for him. Well if that's how she wanted to play this...

He stood up to his full height and towered over the little brown woman in front of him. To her credit, she didn't even blink.

"I’m only on suspension pending review, Ursula," He waved the paper in his hands. "When I come back, I will make you pay for this."

Dr. Nigel shrugged. "Maybe you will, maybe you won't. Either way, I got what I wanted."

Dr. Gavin picked up the data stick and threw it in Dr. Nigel's face.

"You'll regret crossing me," He seethed, then stomped on the little data stick, crushing it.

"I've heard enough," She stood to the side and two burly security officers stepped into the office. "Please escort Dr. Gavin to his quarters, and make sure that he does not leave until he is authorized to do so."

The two men grabbed Dr. Gavin by his arms and led him out of the room. The last thing he saw in his office was Dr. Nigel, smirking at him.

Chapter 8: Betrayal

The only thing that he knew was the Pain. The only thing he was was the Pain. It reminded him of a time long ago, when he had scalded his hand on a hotplate when he was a human, a child living in the colonies. But this Pain was so much worse. It was amplified a hundredfold, like molten lead burning through his blood, being pumped directly into his nerves. Every beat of his heart only refreshed the agony, sending it pulsing from his core to the furthest tips of his body.

It seemed like it would never end, that it would burn on forever, so he did his best to accept his new existence. To embrace the Pain. To just live from one heartbeat to the next. 

Only the presence of Valen in the back of his mind kept him anchored to reality. Valen never left him, not even for a moment. No matter how badly it hurt, no matter how long it would take, Valen was there. Soothing him, whispering to him, holding his psyche together through the storm...

He didn't know how his Pain lasted. Minutes, hours, days, months, it could have been years. There was no passage of time, only the Pain.

Until there was. Eventually, gradually, other sensations creeped into his conciousness, bringing with them other, new forms of pain and discomfort.  These were familiar though. These were human, and he clung to them with the desperation of a shipwrecked sailor clinging to a plank in a hurricane. The first thing that made itself known was the smell. It came as an acrid, metallic odor, burning his nostrils with it's intensity. Soon after the smell came the taste, foul and rotten and dry in his mouth. After this came the tingling sensation, like pinpricks walking random paths over his body, that slowly intensified into million hot irons dancing over his body. The hollow ringing in his ears came next, with only the sounds of his pounding heart and rasping breath breaking the piercing shriek. But... this also brought in more from outside his own body. Another sound, the sound of another's breathing. Familiar and comforting. And another noise, one that resonated from somewhere within.

Kirchoff... Kirchoff, can you hear me?

Who's there? The words came to him sluggishly, as if covered in thick syrup.

Then he felt a pang of hurt and worry inside his mind, one that was not his. Kirchoff it's me... It's Valen.

Valen… the name floated in his head. Valen… Valen! 

---

Kirchoff snapped back to awareness like a switch had suddenly been flipped, and with it the pains of his body became even more real. He was temporarily overwhelmed by every one of his senses screaming at him at once, loudly protesting whatever the hell had just happened to them. It took everything he had not to pass out again.

When he could finally form a coherent thought again, he asked, Valen, what's going on? Where am I?

Don't worry, Valen cooed, You're safe now.

Where are we? he asked. This time he tried to say the words out loud, but his throat refused to cooperate.

I don't know any more than you do,  Valen said with a hint of annoyance. Instead of upsetting, Kirchoff found the irritation comforting. That was Valen alright.

Kirchoff cracked his eyelids open a fraction to see where he was, and was blinded by a light so intense it brought tears to his eyes. He slammed them shut and curled back up, doing his best to cover his eyes with his hands. 

"Aaa-!" He cried out, but that made the pain in his throat flare up so badly his voice cut off mid yelp.

What's wrong? asked Valen, the fleeting annoyance in his voice completely replaced with concern for him.

It's too bright, I can't see, Kirchoff told him.

It isn't that bright in here, even for me.

He didn’t respond for a minute, doing his best not to scream as the knives stabbing through his eyes into his skull. When he could finally think again, he asked, Valen… How long was I out?

I can't say for sure, Valen said. But I think it's been about 12 hours, maybe a day?

A day?!

I can't be sure, I don't have a watch you know. That's just my best guess.

Kirchoff didn't respond. A day. It had only been a day. Maybe not even that, if Valen was right. It felt like an eternity had passed in the endless sea of Pain. Keeping one hand over his eyes, he levered himself up into a sitting position. When he did, the horrible prickling sensation flared over his skin. It felt as if his clothes had been replaced coated sharp gravel, determined to rip the skin off his body, like every cell of his skin was being abraded off at the same time.

Valen, can you get rid of my clothes?

Pardon? Valen sounded a little flustered at the request. 

My clothes, they're hurting my skin, He explained. You must feel it too, it's like I’m covered in sandpaper. I need you to get them off me

I can feel it... so do you want me to unbutton them for you? Valen’s tone was uncertain. 

No, just rip them off. I don’t care, I just need you to them off.

Valen did his best to be gentle, moving slowly and carefully, avoiding touching his skin wherever possible. He ripped the fabric of his shirt and pants with ease and gently, delicately slicing the fabric of his socks and undergarments next.  At last, he shredded through the shred of clothing and his skin felt relieved by the cool air and the smooth, cool tiles.

Valen... I don't remember what happened... Who did this to me? Kirchoff asked.

Julianne. It was her. Valen made no attempt to hide the seething hatred he felt. 

Wait, Julianne? Like... the android Julianne?

Yes, it was her. There wasn’t a hint of snark or sass in his voice. She said something about using you for a test. You were strapped to a chair when you were brought in. She shocked you with electricity, and then she injected you with some kind of chemical. It was supposed to hurt you Kirchoff. Badly. The shock was supposed to make you even more sensitive to it. I was afraid you were going to die from the pain...

I certainly feel like she tried to kill me. He winced as he tried to sit up. His muscles shrieking in protest and his skin felt like it was on fire where he twisted and stretched. It took a great deal of effort, but he managed to prop himself up against the wall with Valen’s assistance. Everything is so sore. I probably need a doctor or something. Has anyone tried to get in to see me?

No, they didn't want to enter the chamber.

Why not? Kirchoff inquired.

They didn’t want to die. Valen ground his claws and his tail slashed through the air in a vicious arc.

They could have just knocked us out again and taken me. They didn't have a problem with that before.

I don't think they wanted to risk it. Julianne also injected you with an antidote to whatever sedative they used, and I don't know if gas would be good for you in your condition. Who knows what it might do?

He pondered that for a little while. Maybe...

As he pondered the question, something else occurred to him. Wait, did you stay by my side the whole time I was out?

Yes, Valen said, almost sheepishly. I was afraid something might happen to you if I left you.

That was really… sweet of you. Kirchoff leaned forwards, grasping in the air until he felt the smooth carapace of Valen's crest, and pulled his head in to give him a little kiss on his forehead, despite the protest of his muscles and skin. Thank you.

Kirchoff couldn't see it, but he was almost certain that he felt Valen blush.

---

Dr. Nigel, new Interim Director of Research, was sitting in her new private laboratory. Not her lab in her quarters, but a proper, detached lab filled to the brim with the latest computer equipment. She didn't even know what half of the machines did, just that they looked very expensive. Her new office space was the former office of the now disgraced ex-Director of Research, Dr. Gavin. Pending Review, at least according to the Ethics Board. Of course she had been the obvious temporary replacement for Dr. Gavin, being both second most senior and already managing the Bio-Research division, and certainly had nothing to do with the implied threat of the recording of Kirchoff's torture being leaked to the press. In exchange for a harshly restrictive non-disclosure agreement, she was now Interim Director of Research. By now she had begun to make Julius' former space look like her old office, mostly by leaving a layer of papers strewn across every available surface. Dr. Nigel had never been a particularly organized person, and but her office looked like a drunk tornado with a hatred of filing systems had come in at 3 in the morning on an raging bender.

Most of the reports scattered all over the desk all belonged to Dr. Gavin, which she had been sorting through and scouring for any relevant information for the last day and a half. However, at the moment she was occupied by staring intently at one of the monitors on the wall that gave her a fractured view of the secure room Valen and Kirchoff were being held in. Valen had wrapped himself protectively around Kirchoff's vulnerable form after Julianne had left yesterday, and he hadn’t moved at all since. From this angle she could also get a glimpse at Kirchoff, wrapped up in Valen's embrace.

She rubbed her tired, baggy eyes and took a gulp of coffee directly from a pot sitting on the only clear patch on the table. Over the past 36 or so hours she'd been observing Valen and Kirchoff in between her other duties, constantly checking for any change in Kirchoff's condition. According to the monitor readouts she could understand, his vitals were weak, but stable and steadily and slowly recovering. However he was also dehydrated and required immediate medical care, and because the particular toxin Julianne administered was lethally reactive to almost all forms of painkillers or sedatives, she couldn't risk sedating Valen to get him out. She had no doubt Valen would rip anyone who dared approach Kirchoff into a fine, bloody paste. She ground her teeth at the thought of that damned drug. She wouldn't be surprised if Julius hadn't altered it or enhanced it with additives to prevent sedatives being used on the victims. That would be right up his alley.

Even considering how harsh his torture had been, Kirchoff did not handle it well. The electrocution by itself was bad enough, but the drug Julianne had given him was extremely dangerous and the electrocution beforehand made it even moreso. It was designed for use on Xenomorphs, derived from a particularly toxic fern that was abundant on Bernard. She had no idea what effect this might have had on the Kirchoff's all too human body. 

As she turned her attention back to some inane report she was supposed to be reading, a flash of movement on the screen caught her attention. It was brief, but there was definitely movement. She leaned in close to the monitor to try and get a better look. He wasn't moving very much, just wiggling faintly inside Valen's embrace, but he was definitely moving. Even though the image was disrupted by the cracks in the lens, she clearly observed Kirchoff rousing, then propping himself up on his arms, and then sitting against the wall with Valen's help. 

Thank god. Oh thank god... Kirchoff was awake, and he was moving!

Dr. Nigel heaved a sigh of relief. Admittedly it was a low bar to clear, but she would take what she could get. The headset for the computer was lying discarded amidst the papers on the table. She hurriedly put them on and pressed the call button. Maybe now she could get him the medical attention he needed... and the explanation he deserved.

On screen she could see & hear Valen hissing in discomfort when the call tone began playing over the speakers. Dr. Nigel chuckled, then felt ashamed at her amusement. When did I become so callous?

She didn't have long to think about that unpleasant thought, because Kirchoff collapsed to the floor.

---

It felt like two spikes were being driven into his ears. The sound of the siren was so loud that he was forced to clench his head and curl into a ball to try and blot out the ear splitting noise. He felt Valen try to contact him, but he couldn't maintain his link more than a couple seconds before retreating. Fortunately, the siren was mercifully short and it cut out after only a was at his side almost immediately, gently nudging him with his head.

Get up Kirchoff, Valen sounded worried. Get up! Please get up!

Cautiously, he removed his hands from his ears. Thankfully, the sound had stopped, but it was hard to tell because of the ringing in his ears.

Valen, what was that? Kirchoff asked as he held a hand out, groping to try and find the wall again. Valen was there in an instant, pushing him upright with his crested head and helping him lean back against the wall.

That's the siren that plays when they want to talk to me. Valen explained. I don't think you ever used it that much, what with the telepathy and everything.

Is it always so fucking loud? He gently rubbed his temples, trying to quell the rising headache.

It's loud certainly, but it's not that loud, Valen sounded more than a little concerned now. He laid down next to him, pressing his head gently into his chest. He was like a gigantic lap cat.  Are you okay?

I don't know. It's just like.. like everything feels more intense. All my senses are dialed up to 11.

"Kirchoff," Dr. Nigel's voice blared over the speakers. "Can you hear me?"

The sudden spike of pain the sound brought on made Kirchoff almost pass out. His eyes rolled into his eyelids and he his head lolled forwards, slamming into Valen's head. Valen hissed in alarm and wrapped himself protectively around Kirchoff, putting himself between the wall and the rest of the room. Kirchoff lay in Valen's embrace, dazed. Something was seriously wrong. The pain was too intense, and it kept getting worse and worse.

"Kirchoff," the voice boomed over the speakers. "Are you alright? Can you speak? It's me, Dr. Nigel"

He flinched again at the noise driving spikes into his head. Thankfully Valen's body was insulating him from the sound, shielding him from the worst of the pain.

"Kirchoff, can you hear me?" She shouted again.

With a great effort, he opened his mouth and shouted as loudly as he could, "Shut up!" His voice sounded like a harsh whisper, but just that small sound made his throat burned as if he had been screaming for hours.

The effort it took to yell made his head throb and coherent thought was impossible again for a time. While he recuperated he heard Valen in his head, quietly speaking soothing words and comforting him as best he could. When his head didn't feel like it was splitting in half anymore, he removed his hand from his ears.

"What's going on Dr. Nigel?" He asked in a quiet voice, being careful not to hurt his throat.

"That is a very complicated question," Dr. Nigel said, her voice much quieter than it was before. "With a very long answer. But first how are you? Do you need anything?"

"Water..." Fuck, he would kill for even a glass of warm tap water right now.

"I'll have someone bring you a bottle of water now. It'll take a few minutes to get there."

"Okay," he croaked. "Then explain... what happened..."

Dr. Nigel let out a loud sigh. "Kirchoff... Can it wait until I get a doctor to look at you? Or take you to the infirmary?"

"No... I'm not leaving Valen... until you tell me." Kirchoff could feel the surprise and relief and joy from Valen at his words. "Tell me."

---

Ursula sighed, took a big gulp of coffee from the pot, and started to explain.

"I... I haven't been totally honest with you Kirchoff. About anything. My project, your role in it, the purpose of all of this. Please understand that all of this deception was a part of it." "What I told you, about you studying Xenomorph's capacity for feeling emotions... We already know most of what was you were reporting on. Most of the data you've been receiving from your laboratory equipment was useless. None of that equipment actually measured anything of use. Some of it wasn't even real, it was just random gibberish to convince you that you were doing real work."

"I wouldn't have set up a project so complicated if I just wanted to study the emotional activity of a Xenomorph. I can do that with a modified electro-encephalograph and vials of drugs. I have done exactly that before. No.. the real reason you're still here is because of your relationship to Valen."

She had to turn the volume almost up to maximum to hear him, but from underneath Valen, Kirchoff asked, "What do you mean?"

"Kirchoff... I know about Valen. His telepathy. I've known from the beginning. That's the real purpose of my project, to study Valen's telepathy. I mean, you even sort of caught on pretty early. Why would I go through all this trouble just to study one Xenomorph if he wasn't special?"

The faintest of smiles broke her grim expression. "You getting suspicious of me was really convenient for me in a way. I used it to justify keeping my experiment going for even longer, since you two had convinced yourselves that nobody could find out about Valen's telepathy, and you made your little pact."

"You knew...?" He asked, his voice low and thick.

"Of course I knew. I was the one who discovered he was telepathic in the first place."

---

Kirchoff was reeling from the revelations Dr. Nigel had just dumped on him. She knew about Valen, she had known all along. Valen, did you know about this?

No... I had no idea... Even Valen sounded uttely shocked by the news.

Dr. Nigel continued, not noticing either of their reactions. "I found out while I was selecting subjects for a different experiment, I can't even remember what it was anymore. I think it was some genetics proposal I was working on. When I was trying to select male drones to study, I heard something, someone, muttering in my head. I'll never forget what I heard. This voice, Valen, said Wow, you really need to clean up after yourself."

Kirchoff couldn't help it, he burst out laughing. Then he coughed and gagged and struggled for breath as his vocal chords protested. That sounds like you alright.

Oh shut up. You've seen what her workplace looks like. She makes you look like a clean freak.

True, very true.

"Of course I knew right then that I had to study Valen," Dr. Nigel kept going, oblivious to their internal monologue. "I had to find out the exact extent of his mental abilities, how I could replicate them, what this meant for Xenobiology and Biology as a whole... but of course, Valen refused to cooperate with me. So I went to my boss and got approval for a pilot study. The funding I received once I showed them my preliminary results..." He heard the sounds of liquid sloshing and gulping as she took another drink of something. God he wanted water so bad. "Well let me tell you I'd never seen any of my proposals get even a tenth as much money as this one did."

"My original plan was to have a scientist interact with Valen under what would appear to be normal laboratory conditions, where the mental activity of the scientist and Valen would be closely monitored. That lab of yours is a highly sophisticated piece of technology that can monitor almost everything going on in your body. the cost... well let me tell you commissioning an entire lab suite and containment unit with heavily modified and custom made monitoring equipment was not cheap, even with the budget they gave me. Anyways, as soon as Valen showed any kind of mental communication with his human counterpart, we would start recording the neural activity of Valen and the scientist studying him."

Wait, something doesn't make sense. Kirchoff raised his eyebrows, an instinctual reaction because nobody could actually see him do it. "Why didn't you... tell anyone what was really going on?"

"Ah... well..." Dr. Nigel sounded uncomfortable. "That wasn't my idea. That was a condition of my funding. If word ever got out that Bernard had acquired a telepathic Xenomorph, it would start an interstellar bug hunt to find more. And if nobody could find one, someone might be tempted to steal or kill Valen, or even attempt to make one of their own. And that might lead to a bioweapon gold rush that would make Weyland-Yutani look like a kid pickpocketing money for candy."

"So nobody was told about it, not even while they were participating. Of course we expected people to find out once Valen started talking to them..."

But that didn't happen. Valen finished her sentence before she could.

"But that didn't happen," Dr. Nigel continued. "Not everyone could actually hear Valen to the same degree I did. In fact most people didn't even catch on to his telepathy at all, and the few who did quit because it creeped them out. The woman we had before you quit after only a week."

"That's also why this project has been running for so long. We couldn't find anyone who was a good fit. There was myself obviously, but Valen refused to cooperate with me in the least. He outright refused to ever talk to me again."

"What?" Kirchoff was astonished. Valen, is that true? Did you not cooperate with her?

It is, I never spoke to her again after that first time.

Why?

Because when she heard me... She didn't think about how she needed to understand me, to learn who I was and how I could do this, and to advance the field of science and biology and all that noble crap she just told you. Valen sounded disgusted even recounting it to him. Her thoughts were entirely about how famous she would be when it finally came out, how far it would launch her career, how much money she was going to make... And I hated her for that, so I refused to play along with her. I never spoke to her again, and watched as she wasted years and years of her life trying to exploit me for her own gain.

Wait, I thought you didn't know that she knew?

Valen remained silent. Before Kirchoff could press him to elaborate, Dr. Nigel interrupted him.

"So when Valen started communicating with you, I was overjoyed. I finally found someone who could hear him, who could talk with him, who wanted to talk with him!” She sounded excited at the memory. "At this point, I was running way over budget and the board was considering scrapping my project, and repurposing or selling the lab. But when I showed them what you two were doing, all of the budgetary concerns suddenly stopped ."

"But... I wasn’t doing any real research?” Now that he'd been talking for a little while, his throat was getting used to talking again. The burning pain was only a mild ache, provided he only whispered. “Everything I did was all for nothing.”

“Oh no, not at all," Dr. Nigel scrambled to console him. "You're right that your reports didn't lead to anything, but you were absolutely invaluable! In order to get the data I needed, Valen had to talk., and you two basically never stopped talking. The sheer volume of data we got from watching and listening to the two of you was more than I could have dared hope for. Still... I wanted more. I needed to do more to get better data, different data, to really see how far this could go. If it was up to me I would have continued the project unhindered for months, if not years. I was planning on bringing you in on it eventually, but I didn't want to rush it. I was afraid Valen would stop trusting you if he thought you were in on it. but then Julius started taking notice..."

"Until Julius took notice."

"Julius? You mean... Dr. Gavin?"

"Yes, Gavin." She spat the word out like it was an insult. "He's been sticking his fingers into my projects for years. I told you before that he specialized in weapons R&D, but that's an understatement. He's obsessed with it. He hates Xenomorphs and Xenobiology in general, and loves using it to develop better and more efficient methods to inflict pain and kill aliens. Apparently his mother was killed during a Xenomorph outbreak on his home planet as a child, when a queen broke free and nested in the sewer system of his city. It took years to root them out and destroy the nest."

"He wanted to twist my project - my work - into another one of his weapons development projects. And by now he'd made the company so much money by twisting and taking credit for my research and my work, the Board would do anything he asked them. He had them wrapped around his finger. So he submitted a proposal, supposedly to learn how Valen's mind responded under intense emotional stress and pressure, so he could weaponize it his telepathy somehow. He was the one who orchestrated Julianne becoming your assistant, and used her to try and torment you and Valen. But it was endangering the who experiment, and I made Julianne back off when I felt that Gavin had gotten enough to get what he wanted."

So it was her that that Julianne back off, not me... Kirchoff thought bitterly to himself.

To be fair, you snapping at her probably gave her the excuse she needed to get rid of her.

It's not like it helped in the long run...

"But apparently interfering with him like that that pissed Julius off," Dr. Nigel kept going, still oblivious to her audience's inner conversations." He didn’t get everything that he wanted from Julianne, so..."

She paused, as though collecting herself. When she spoke again her voice was a little bit tighter and high pitched.

"Please try to understand that I tried to protect you for as long as I could Steven, but he forced me to go along with him," Kirchoff prickled when he heard her use his first name. When was the last time he'd heard it? "When you entered Valen's cell that night to tend to him, he ordered me to sedate you. He said that he needed to provoke a more extreme reaction to get the results he wanted, and that this was a 'golden opportunity'. And... well... you know what he did. I didn't want to let him you to hurt you, I wanted to tell him to go fuck himself, but I had no choice. He would have gone ahead with it, with or without me. At least by pretending to help him, I could do something about it. I had a computer installed in my room and secretly recorded what he did to you, and as soon as I could took that video to the Ethics Review Board. They acted immediately when I threatened to take the video public. Dr. Gavin is currently suspended, pending review, and I'm acting in his place in the interim."

"Kirchoff... Steven.. I... I'm so sorry for what I've done to you," Her voice was tight, choking, as if holding back tears,  "I'm sorry for being complicit in this, but please, you have to understand this is the only way I could protect you. The only way I could prevent something like this from happening again, I'm so sor-"

"Oh fuck you!" Kirchoff shouted, surprising even himself at the volume of his voice. If she expected gratitude from him, then she was sorely mistaken. His soreness, his weariness, his curiosity were all swept aside by a torrent of fury. He felt it rising up from the pit of his stomach, propelling him to his feet, shoving Valen aside so she could see his anger for herself. "Sorry?! What, did you think I'd forgive you if you apologized?”

“I… Steven I...”

“No, you don't get to call me that!” He exclaimed, cutting her off. “You let me get kidnapped! You let me get electrocuted and tortured because your asshole boss' fragile ego was hurt!”

"Ste... Kirchoff, I couldn't stop him! I wanted to but I couldn't! This was the best I could do!"

A thought occurred to him. "What would have happened if I died?"

"W-what?" She stuttered. His question had apparently caught her off guard, which pissed him off even more.

"You heard me!" He yelled. "Did anyone even think what would if... whatever that shit was killed me? Did you even consider what Valen would have done if you let me die because Gavin's feeling were hurt?!"

"Kirchoff, I..." She stumbled over her words as she tried to explain. "They... he promised me it wouldn't kill you! That it couldn't!"

"And you trusted him?! If I  died, I doubt Valen would ever cooperate with anyone else ever again!" Valen nodded in agreement, backing his point up.

"Why didn't you just tell me - tell us  - what your plan was from the beginning? We could have helped you!" He was screaming at the top of his voice now. The metallic taste of blood filled his mouth as he yelled, but he kept going. "You know what might have been simpler? You could have just told me the truth your precious little project from the beginning! We would have gladly gone along with whatever you were planning! You've apparently been spying on us from the beginning, so you must have known about our agreement, when we thought we needed to work together to stay alive! We're both just as curious about how Valen's telepathy works as you are!"

"Kirchoff... please..." She was crying now, not even trying to hide it anymore. "I didn't think..."

"No you didn't!" He interrupted her, his own tears leaving hot streaks down his face. His nose was dripping, his fists were clenched, and his legs were shaking with the effort of holding himself up, but he kept going. "And more importantly, we could have helped you satisfy Dr. Gavin! We could have worked around Julianne, and I never would have been tortured!"

"Please... I'm sorry, I'm so sorry!" Ursula was openly crying now, he could hear it in her voice.

"You openly admitted that you let me be tortured to get what you wanted out of me, just like Gavin did!" He pointed a shaking finger up at the ceiling, where he could see the single, cracked lens of a camera. "You used me! Go fuck yourself Dr. Nigel!"

"I'm so sorry Kirchoff… I tried to help!" She sobbed. "I didn't want to this to happen, but Julius…"

"FUCK! YOU!" His vocal chords felt like they were being ripped to shreds. HIs head felt like it was splitting in half. He didn't even notice that he had collapsed back to the floor until Valen rushed to his side and screamed up at the camera.

He wrapped himself around his body, shielding once again him from the unkind world and all the cruelty in it. Kirchoff sobbed and sobbed, all his pent up anger and hurt and rage pouring out of him until there was nothing left.

Then he finally, mercifully, slipped away into a deep, dreamless sleep.

Chapter 9: Recuperation

The memory of the pain was still hot and fresh. It tinged everything with the memory of it's white hot intensity, seared into every passing thought, every fleeting emotion. It was as if the pain had made it's way into the core of his being and made itself a part of him.

Valen growled and withdrew somewhat from Kirchoff, still maintaining the contact. No wonder he had snapped at Nigel the way he did. Even if she wasn't the one who inflicted his torment, her actions and inactions still lead to it. His feelings towards her now were a seething cauldron of rage and betrayal and resentment and sadness and anger. But he was alive, and he was still with him.

Intellectually, Valen actually kind of admired Dr. Nigel's plan. She had taken advantage of the situation to eliminate the real threat to all of them. To her career, and their lives. There was very little doubt in that Dr. Gavin would have... disposed... of Kirchoff the first chance he got. The board of the company had apparently signed off on whatever Dr. Gavin proposed, so if Gavin got what he wanted it was doubtful that the company would have cared if one scientist had disappeared on a distant, backwater planet if it made them enough money. They'd just tell Kirchoff's family it was a 'tragic accident' and... 

Wait, does Kirchoff have a family? Valen wondered. Now that he thought about it, in all their time together Kirchoff had talked very little about his past. He wracked his brain, trying to remember Kirchoff ever talking about his friends, his family, his life before they met, but couldn't remember anything. Not even a brief flash of emotion or images. How much did he actually know about Kirchoff?

"Va... Valen?" a weak, raspy groan came from underneath him. Valen almost cried out in relief. He was so wrapped up in his own thoughts he hadn't even noticed he'd woken up. Kirchoff! Kirchoff, can you hear me?

Valen? Is that you? His outburst had clearly taken its toll on him, even though he was awake now. His thoughts were still confused and muddled, he was having trouble orienting himself. Valen did his best to comfort Kirchoff, nuzzling his head and speaking soft, gentle words of comfort to him. Eventually, his roiling consciousness began to stabilize into more coherent thoughts. Kirchoff tried to say something, but voice was so ragged and hoarse that Valen couldn't make anything out. 

Just talk to me in your head. You should rest your voice anyways.

Valen...  Even his mental voice sounded weak and raspy. Can you pass me the water?

Valen used one of his claws to clumsily slide the bottle of water over to Kirchoff, and watched in concern as he struggled to open the plastic cap.

Kirchoff, are you ok?

Honestly, I feel like shit. Everything is sore, and I feel so weak. Kirchoff held the bottle up. Can you open this for me?

I don't exactly have great fine motor control with my hands.

Then just stab it open, I don't care. Kirchoff sounded so exhausted it almost hurt. I need water.

Valen gently stabbed one of his sharp claws through the plastic lid and twisted it side to side until there was a hole big enough for Kirchoff to drink from.

Kirchoff greedily sucked the water out of the bottle, but spilled almost half of it when he drank too fast and choked on it.

Kirchoff! Valen admonished him. Slow down!

Too... too late... Kirchoff thought between coughs. Valen could feel his throat screaming in protest with every exhalation. He tried to prop himself up on one arm, but his arm gave out and he narrowly avoided smacking his head on the floor.

 

---

 

Kirchoff! Valen rushed forwards and pressed his head against his. Are you ok? 

I'm fine, I'm fine. Kirchoff attempted to wave Valen away, but his arms didn't cooperate with him. His brain was clearly sending the signals for his arms to try and push Valen's head out of his way, but the most they did was weakly slap his crest like limp pool noodles. His skin was shrieking in protest every time he moved, and even the dim light of the room almost felt like too much.

I think we both know that's a lie. Valen snarked, but only a little. He was far too worried about him to give him his usually level of sarcasm.

Kirchoff grumbled internally. I hate to agree with you, but... Can you write a sentence for me?

Write? Um... Perhaps? Why?

I need to get a message to Dr. Nigel, He explained. I need serious medical attention, and I can't even stand, let alone talk, and it's not getting better.

As much as I don't want to admit it, you might need to go to the hospital.

No! Kirchoff almost shouted the words aloud. No hospital. I'm not leaving you.

Kirchoff could swear he almost felt Valen blushing. I'm flattered, but if you're going to die if you don't get help, then...

Then I promise I'll go to a hospital, but only if I absolutely need to. Dr. Nigel is the head honcho of the research division now, at least temporarily. I'll bet she's willing to throw her weight around to keep me alive.

Agreed, but how much do you think she's going to do for us?

That's what I want to find out. So, can you write a word for me? Kirchoff asked.

I’ll try. Valen sounded doubtful. What do you want me to write?

 

---

 

Dr. Nigel was sitting in a chair directly in front of the monitor, in the exact same spot she had been for the past 7 hours. Her eyes were red and burning, her hands were massaging her temples to ward off her growing headache, her butt was sore, her leg bouncing nervously as she stared at her monitor. She hadn't dared to take her eyes off the screen for more than 5 seconds at a time, with only a brief bathroom break. She wanted to, no needed to make sure Kirchoff was ok. Sure she had access to every one of Kirchoff's vital statistics at the press of a button if she wanted, including his neural activity, but that didn't tell her anything about how he was really feeling.

Kirchoff had blamed her for everything; blaming her for everything that had happened to him. Of course she knew intellectually that it wasn't her fault; that Dr. Gavin made her do it; that Julianne had been the one to torture him. But in the end, Ursula knew it was her own inaction that had caused him so much pain. She could have warned him, gotten him out before he was drugged and tortured, but she didn't. She let it all happen.

And the worst part of it... was that she still didn’t feel guilty. Ursula did what needed to be done to save him, and now she had to live with the fallout of it. She sighed and glanced at the long emptied coffee pot. Another pot of coffee was tempting, but her head aching head and her restless foot told her that she'd probably regret it.

Dr. Nigel also desperately wanted to get him out of that chamber and into a hospital bed. Being tortured had probably hurt him even more than she feared. He was repeatedly losing consciousness, had a bright red rash all over his body, and was barely able to lean up against a wall or talk. Unfortunately there would be no way of safely extracting him while Valen was there, and she didn't want to test just how far he was willing to go to protect Kirchoff. For now, all she could do was wait.  Just like she had been waiting all day. 

She heaved a sigh. Maybe I should have more coffee.

But before she convinced herself to get up to make more, she saw Valen unfurl himself and walked to the wall near the center of the room. She watched him as intently, wondering what he was going to do. He paced back and forth along the wall, staring at it. Then he slashed repeatedly at it with his claws leaving a rough, yet distinct series of lines on the wall. When he was done, he backed off to admire his handiwork. She peered at the marking closely. While it was obviously some sort of looked like a letter, the scratch marks didn't stand out from the color of the wall very well, making it hard to tell exactly which letter he was spelling. E? H? No, K, it was definitely a K. Valen tilted his head in Kirchoff's direction, then went back to work clawing away at the wall, working on the next letter.

Over the next little while, she watched him carve multiple lines and squiggles into the side of the wall under Kirchoff's direction. It took some time, since whatever he was writing on the wall looked very deliberate, and Valen didn’t have any prior experience writing, so most of the letters were extremely sloppy. Dr. Nigel leaned forwards until her face was only a few inches from the monitor. She looked hard at the gouges on the wall, trying to piece together the word that Kirchoff wanted her to see.

"KE… Y… BOA… R… D," she muttered. Wha...? Why would he ask for a keyboa- oh! That clever son of a bitch. Why didn't I think of that?

Slapping herself on the head, Dr. Nigel rushed out of her personal lab (living room) and back down to her new office. She shifted the papers on her desk until she uncovered an intercom. It looked totally unassuming, just one of thousands of intercoms the staff at Bernard used to communicate every day. Ursula was one of the few people who knew just how special this one actually was. It was unmonitored, unrecorded, and on it's own separate communications line. Nothing spoken into this receiver would ever be documented on any official record. A fully private communication channel to anyone, anywhere in the entire facility. A shiver ran down her spine. Who knows what this thing had been used for in the past.

"Stephan, are you there?" Stephan, her new secretary, replied after she heard a groan and more than a little shuffling and grumbling.

"Yes ma'am? What is it?" His voice was high and nasally, and with a hint of irritation lacing it. Her call had probably woken him up, it was... oh my god it 3:42am local. When did it get so late?

"Sorry to wake you, but I need you to get something for me." Ursula hadn't had a secretary on the first day of the job, and by the end of the day she had half requested, half demanded one from her new bosses. If she was going to take over from Julius, he needed someone like Julianne. Someone to do all of her busywork while she focused on what was important.

"May I ask why?" He stifled a yawn as he spoke.

"No you may not," she replied. "Now go get me those tablets. And if anyone asks why you're getting them, say that they're defective and being scrapped."

"Yes ma'am." Stephen hung up the phone, but not before Ursula could hear a weary sigh as he hung the phone up. Whatever, she had more important things to worry about. She grabbed an almost full mug of coffee she had left on the desk yesterday and stalked back to her room.

 

---

 

Valen watched silently as the fake wall slid back up into position. He would have dearly loved to hide behind the door and rip the woman's throat out when she appeared, but Kirchoff told him to wait with him. Besides, there was no way she would come into the room without Valen being securely held on the other side of the thick divider.

Dr. Nigel had briefly talked over the speakers in a muted voice to explain her, which Kirchoff and Valen agreed to with quiet nods. Valen glanced down at Kirchoff who was standing shakily with both his hands up against his shiny black hide. Although he had been recovering remarkably fast, he was still very weak and sensitive. Any sort of loud noise caused his extreme discomfort and he had to squint in order to look around the room.

He was also still naked, except for a loose garment covering up his private area. Kirchoff explained that it itched like crazy whenever his clothes rubbed against his skin and Valen could see the rash all over his body that he had gotten from his clothing. Although it made Kirchoff feel better, it was hard for Valen to ignore the rather noticeable bulge in Kirchoff's undergarments. He caught himself catching glances down at his crotch before looking away hurriedly.

Now was not the time or place. It was inappropriate to look given the circumstances. Valen told himself this repeatedly, that it was not appropriate right now, but it didn't make it any easier to resist staring.

His attention was drawn away from Kirchoff when a door opened up on their side of the room. It was only raised about 3 inches, so there was no opportunity for escape there. A thin black pad was shoved through the crack and the door swiftly slammed shut again.

Can you get that? Kirchoff asked.

Fine, but sit down first. You'll fall over.

I'll be fine.

Valen snorted. I'm not moving until you sit down and get comfortable.

Alright. Kirchoff lowered himself obediently down to the floor with Valen's help, and sat down with his legs crossed.

I said comfortable, Valen said. Kirchoff laid down on the floor and waved his arms back and forth like he was making a snow angel.

Happy now?

I said get comfortable, not have a fit.

Kirchoff sat back up and looked at Valen irritated. Just get the tablet.

Chagrined, Valen walked over to the small black monitor on the floor and slid it over to Kirchoff. He picked it up and held it close to his face. It was an unremarkable thing, about eight inches long on both sides with a thin body and a flat touch screen. It was modelled after the ancient cell phone technology developed on earth over a century ago.

Nevertheless it was effective at what it did. It was used to communicate with hospital patients who couldn't or were forbidden to speak. He fumbled around with the sides of the tablet until his fingers stumbled on the power button. He pressed it and was blinded by the sudden brightness of the screen. He tilted it away and waited until the glow projected on his hands dimmed before tilting it towards his face again. The light still hurt, but it was bearable now. On the bottom half of the screen was a keyboard complete with symbols and numbers. The top half was left blank for text.

Kirchoff fiddled around with the brightness settings for a bit until it was on the minimum setting, then typed out a message on the pad.

 

---

 

SYS: Communication Opened.

K: You can come in now. We're ready.

The door behind the transparent wall slid open and Dr. Nigel came through, dragging a chair on wheels behind her with one hand and a black tablet identical to Kirchoff's in the other. She walked right up to the wall, sat herself down on her chair and began to type rapidly.

N: How are you? Are you okay?

Are you okay? Valen snorted. What kind of a question is that?

Kirchoff just shook his head and typed.

K: Turn down the lights. It's too bright in here.

N: Yes. Give me a second.

She pulled a black remote out of her pocket and pressed a button several times. The lights in the room dimmed until it was almost in complete darkness, save for the glow of the screens.

N: Is that better?

K: Much better. I can open my eyes all the way now.

N: What's wrong with your eyes? I can barely see anything.

Kirchoff looked at Valen who had plopped himself down beside Kirchoff and was busy cleaning himself. 

What? He asked.

Stop that, it's distracting.

Oh, I'm distracting, am I?

Yes, please stop it.

No. You're distracting me from my cleaning.

Kirchoff groaned aloud. Can we not do this now please.

No, I’m filthy and you sweat in your sleep.

That’s not my fault! He retorted. Need I remind you I almost died. Could you cut me some slack?

Fine, but only if you clean me instead.

What? No, I’m not cleaning you!

Well I’ve got to get clean, and someone has to do it.

N: Are you quite done there?

Kirchoff looked over at Dr. Nigel who was looking at them with a bemused expression. Their mental argument must not have been as discreet as he thought, even in the near darkness.

N: I can see you two are still getting used to living with each other. How's the conversation?

Right. She knew about that. Yesterday's conversation crept back to the forefront of his thoughts and a scowl made its way across his face.

K: Fine. But just in case you forgot, I was recently tortured. So conversation hasn't exactly been my number one priority.

He looked over at Dr. Nigel, trying to gauge her reaction. She looked up and he saw the sorrow and regret in her eyes.

N: Kirchoff, I truly am sorry for what happened to you. The only reason I didn't stop it was because it was the only way I thought I could keep us all alive. I’m sorry this had to happen to you. Is there any way I can make it up to you?

Is there any way I can make it up to you… Can you think of a way she can make it up to you, because I'm totally at a loss. Valen said sarcastically.

K: Let me think.

 

---

 

Dr. Nigel spun her chair around in a circle. Kirchoff and Valen had been talking for the past ten minutes. Even though she couldn't hear them speaking, she knew they would undoubtedly be chatting up a storm. She had deliberately given them a very generous offer and they were going to take full advantage of it. She knew that she was probably going to regret it sometime in the future, but it still helped ease her conscience.

A quiet ding from the tablet in her hand indicated Kirchoff's reply.

K: I've made up my mind. We want to be moved to a better place to live, with guaranteed protection. And we want to be able to make requests for supplies whenever we feel like it.

She may have made a generous offer, but that was pushing it just a bit.

N: I can't just move you two Kirchoff, the sheer amount of paperwork required to move you here was astronomical. I might be the new interim Director of Research, but I'm not all powerful. Not to mention I need the approval of at least a dozen officials, and not all of them can be bought off easily.

K: I don't give a shit about how hard it is. These are my demands, and you're not in any position to deny me what I want.

N: Really? And why is that?

K: Because I'm so frail at the moment I'd probably die if you so much as sneezed on me. Need I remind you that if I kick the bucket, your little experiment will be lost and you'll lose any further opportunity to study Valen. And the way you make it sound, you definitely still need Valen if you want to save your job and your skin. If something unfortunate were to happen to me…

She felt the blood drain from her face as she read the text. His message trailed off, but the implications of it were crystal clear. And he was right too. As much as she wanted to deny it, her project, her career, and very probably her life rested on Kirchoff and Valen. She had just turned in Dr. Gavin to the Ethics Board to save him, and now she had to keep them alive, or this would all be for nothing.

If she wanted their cooperation, she would have to give them what they wanted. Kirchoff was clearly in no mood to bargain, and anything she could do to reason with them wouldn't accomplish anything at this point. Not right now. Besides, did she really want to deny Kirchoff's request? It wasn’t like she could keep them here forever anyways.

 

---

 

N: Let me think about this for a minute.

 

Valen, you're brilliant, Kirchoff thought.

I thought that was obvious, he replied. But thank you anyways.

I mean it! he gushed. That was awesome. I couldn't have worded it better myself.

I've been told I drive a hard bargain, Valen bragged.

I never said that.

No, but you've thought it.

I can never have any real privacy with you can I?

No, not really.

Kirchoff looked back over at Dr. Nigel. She was still sitting with the same expression of shock on her face when she first read Valen's message. Of course he didn't tell her it was from Valen, but that made it all the more effective. She clearly thought of herself as an exceptionally clever person, but she had never had an argument with anyone the same caliber as Valen. Or with anyone who could read her mind.

K: So, what are your thoughts?

It was a long time before she responded. Kirchoff leaned back up against Valen who was curled up behind him. When she finally responded, she chose her words carefully.

N: This is my proposal. In exchange for your and Valen's guaranteed safety and comfort, you have to keep participating in my little project. None of the tests you will undergo will be designed to harm or torture information or reactions out of you in any way. In addition, Kirchoff, you must have weekly checkups with my personal physician to monitor your condition. I don't want you to keel over and die on us.

Well, what do you think? he asked Valen.

It seems a reasonable agreement, he sniffed. We could use some better living quarters though if the two of us are going to end up living together.

Who says we'll be living together?

I do, he let out a low growl. And if you argue, I'm going to wrap you up and carry you around like a sack of potatoes..

Do you even know what potatoes are?

Yes, and I know potatoes fix exceptionally well into sacks. I’m not letting you out of my sight, not after this.

K: We agree, on one condition. Valen and I will share the same living quarters at all times. And not just an empty white room either, something comfortable and roomy. Xeno's aren't big fans of being cooped up for long periods of time.

N: Deal. Any other requests.

K: Can I get some food and water? I'm starving and my throat hurts. And maybe a bucket too. I'd rather not do my business on the carpet.

N: I'll have something sent down.

K: Thanks.

SYS: End communication.

 

---

 

Kirchoff turned off the tablet and slumped against Valen's body. He looked exhausted. It was no wonder why though. Kirchoff was still incredibly weak after his ordeal and even typing a conversation was tiring.

Are you okay?

Yes Valen, I'm fine. You can stop asking that, he said. I'm just tired.

And everything hurts, Valen added.

That too.

And you're not sure if you'll ever recover.

Yes, that too.

And you'll never be able to live your childhood dream of becoming a professional ballerina…

No! Kirchoff exclaimed. You promised to never bring that up again!

Just trying to cheer you up.

Yeah, you're doing a bang up job.

Was that sarcasm I heard?

Shut up.

I think it was!

The door on their side of the room opened up again. A bowl and a bottle of water were pushed through the crack.

Do you mind? he asked Valen.

Valen let out a small hiss in annoyance, but he brought the bowl and the bottle over to Kirchoff. Are you sure you want to eat this, it looks like a bowl of ground up rocks.

Blech, sounds like oatmeal.

Valen sniffed the contents of the bowl. If that's what you eat, then I'm glad I'm not a human.

Let me at it. It should be enough to blot out the taste of my morning breath. Kirchoff grabbed the spoon sticking out of the bowl and gave it a yank. It didn't budge. He tried twisting it, but it sprang back to its original position. The food at the Bernard Research Station was relatively good, except for the oatmeal. It was infamous for being impossible to scoop into a spoon, let alone eat. There was even a tradition where new hires had to eat an entire bowl of the stuff as a sort of hazing.

Having trouble there? Valen asked, swishing his tail back and forth in an amused fashion.

Um, can you help me? he asked. Valen stopped swishing his tail and burst out in his weird hissing laugh. He tried to stop, but whenever he looked over at Kirchoff struggling with his spoon it made him laugh even harder.

I'm being serious here, Kirchoff said indignantly.

Valen pulled himself together long enough to yank the spoon out of the oatmeal with one swift jerk of his claws, but he fell into hysterics again when he saw Kirchoff trying to eat it. He had stabbed the stuff with his spoon and ripped out a chunk and was trying to chew it.

It tastes like rocks. He told Valen. That only made him laugh harder. He was literally laying on the floor trying to catch his breath. Do you have to be so loud? That hurts my ears.

Stop being so entertaining then, he could barely get the words across. Kirchoff could feel his amusement, which made him smile. You look ridiculous when you're laughing.

Says the human trying who can't get his spoon out of his oatmeal.

At least I have an excuse. You just look silly. He took another bite of the oatmeal and gagged. I can't eat this crap, it tastes awful.

Have you ever tried eating raw octopus?

No.

You shouldn't. It's slimy and disgusting.

Did they feed you raw octopus before?

Yes, and it was slimy and disgusting.

Kirchoff chuckled and pushed the bowl away. He had Valen open the bottle of water by stabbing it into the top of the lid and sucking it down as fast as he could manage. When he was done, he thought, I'm going to sleep.

Valen crept up behind him and pulled him into a hug. You know, for being an intelligent, ruthless killing machine, you sure are cuddly. Valen purred in response and curled himself around his body protectively. Kirchoff pressed himself up against Valen's protruding ribs and sighed. It wasn't the most comfortable spot to be in, but it made him feel safe.

Good night Valen.

Good night Kirchoff.

Chapter 10: The Past

Summary:

Hello everyone! Before you dive into this chapter I must inform you that there will be some very mature themes present in this chapter, namely VIOLENCE and SEXUAL ASSAULT. If you feel uncomfortable with any of these subjects, please skip Kirchoff's memory sequence at the end of the chapter.

"Time to wake up," Dr. Nigel said over the intercom. Her voice sounded cheerful, almost giddy.

"Uuuugh," Kirchoff mumbled. The cheerful tone of her voice made him feel even more crappy than he already was. Let me sleep.

"Wake up sleepyheads," she said again, louder this time. "I've got a surprise for you."

Kirchoff's ears twinged with pain and he curled up trying to blot out the sound. He felt Valen curl up tighter around him. That made him smile a bit. It felt nice to have a familiar presence literally surrounding him after the events of the past few days.

"Get up you two," Dr. Nigel sounded less amused. "Or I'll turn the siren on."

Both Kirchoff and Valen half jumped up from their position on the floor. Kirchoff sat up while Valen laid back down on the floor and tried to go back to sleep.

"Ooooh," Kirchoff moaned. His head was throbbing, his skin felt raw and sore and his eyes stung from the lights. Everything hurts.

Surprised? Valen didn't sound like his usual witty self. His mental voice was slower and somehow raspy. Valen picked up on Kirchoff's observation. What? Can't I have a morning voice?

No. Well yes, he floundered. It's just I didn't expect it, that's all.

Valen chuckled but didn't respond.

"How are you doing this morning Kirchoff?" Dr. Nigel asked. "Can you speak?"

His ears pricked, but Dr. Nigel was considerate enough to keep her voice down. He opened his mouth, but all that came out was a series of quiet gargles. He looked around the floor nearby, but he couldn't see the black communication tablet anywhere. Valen, where's my tablet?

Valen shifted slightly and pulled the tablet out from under his chest and presented it to Kirchoff, holding it between two of his claws. He took it from him and noted the tiny scratch marks Valen's claws had left on its surface.

---

SYS: Communication Opened.

K: I'm sore everywhere, I have a really bad headache and I'm in a really bad fucking mood.

N: You should be grateful that you can still sit up.

K: Well it’s no thanks to Dr. Gavin or Julianne or you.

N: Kirchoff, I'm sorry for everything you’ve been put through, I really am. But I’m not going to keep apologizing. I did my best under the circumstances.

She is terrible isn't she? He asked.

Yes, she is terrible, Valen said. But there are others who are much worse than her. At least she feels remorseful for her part in all this, and she’s trying to make up for it. We should be thankful we ended up with her instead of someone who might not look so favorably on us. He got up from his position on the floor and walked over to a corner of the room to clean himself.

Kirchoff sighed. He didn’t disagree with Valen, but he just couldn’t forgive her. Not yet. But he did feel his anger at her fade and simmer.

K: Whatever you say doc. What's the surprise you have for us?

N: I managed to secure new living quarters for you and Valen.

K: Tell me about our new living quarters. Is it something roomy and open, or is it just an even larger white room.

N: I think you'll be pleasantly surprised. I had to pull quite a few strings to wrangle it for you, but I think you'll be impressed.

K: It'll take quite a bit to impress me at this point.

N: Then I doubt you’ll be disappointed. You're going to be relocated in a few hours, so prepare yourself. I'll have breakfast sent down to your room. Do you still want oatmeal?

K: I'd rather eat a bowl of rocks. It has a better texture.

N: I'll send down some dry toast and water.

K: Thanks Doc.

N: You're welcome. I'll let you know when you're going to be transferred.

SYS: Communication Closed.

---

Valen was in the middle polishing his claws when Kirchoff finished his conversation with the Dr. Nigel. Ever since his torturing, Valen always kept contact with Kirchoff's mind whenever he could. It also spared him the trouble of asking Kirchoff what the conversation was about, since it was much easier to listen in.

So, new living quarters, he commented. Sounds exciting.

Exciting is the last thing I want right now, Kirchoff grumbled. He certainly wasn't at the top of his game today. Not that he could blame him after all that had happened recently. He gently lowered himself down to lie on his back. I just want some time to relax.

Valen was content to lie down next to Kirchoff and relax with him.

Valen, what did you mean, about other people not looking favorably on us?

Other humans don't understand me like you do, he said. And as a result they fear me, and I wouldn’t be surprised if they would fear you. Your best friend is a Xenomorph, how many people do you think would let you sit at their cafeteria table now that word has gotten out about us?

Wait, hold on, Kirchoff propped himself up on his arms and looked at Valen. Other people know about us?

Yes. There’s no way that this was staying quiet after Dr. Gavin brought us here. It must have taken an entire team of humans to transport us here and set up their sick little experiment. Valen explained. I’ve been listening to the people bringing you food and water, and  they’re terrified of us.

You, I can understand. Kirchoff still felt confused. Why would they be afraid of me?

Humans… no, living things in general, fear what they don't understand. There are a few exceptions, like Dr. Nigel, but I'd imagine other humans would be terrified of the man who can spend a night with a Xenomorph and survive. Plus there’s rampant speculation about the… nature of our relationship.

Kirchoff let that sink in for a minute, mulling it over. Is that why you want me to live with you?

It's one reason out of many, Valen said. It was then he realized that Kirchoff might not know the level of affection he felt for him. It was obvious that Kirchoff trusted him, but he had no idea how Kirchoff felt towards him. Even with his ability to literally read minds, it was hard to identify specific emotions unless they were very strong and were being expressed when he was in contact with a person's mind. If Valen could look into his own mind, it would be hard for him to identify his affection towards Kirchoff unless he was thinking about Kirchoff and how strongly he felt towards him. It was a bit of a confusing concept, and even Valen hadn't figured out all of it's intricacies yet. The possibility of Kirchoff not reciprocating his feelings was something Valen needed time to think about, but now was not that time. He could sit down and work out his feelings later.

Are you okay? Kirchoff shuffled closer and he backed away shyly.

I'm the one who should be asking you that.

Alright, you're just acting really... weird, Kirchoff lowered himself back onto the floor.

I'm not acting weird! he exclaimed indignantly.

You keep telling yourself that, he chuckled. Whenever you want to tell me why you're acting weird…

Which I'm not.

...I'll be here, Kirchoff finished.

---

They sat together for a while in silence, waiting for Dr. Nigel to contact them again. At first it wasn’t so bad, but after what felt like hours of nothing but waiting, Kirchoff began to get bored. He yawned and tried to stretch, but his body gave a shriek of protest, which did not help his foul mood.

Fuck, I hurt all over, he moaned.

I guess it doesn't feel so good when you're on the receiving end of the stick huh, Valen jabbed.

He knew that Valen was probably just trying to make one of his usual sarcastic jokes, but something about his remark just rubbed him the wrong way. Valen, I'm not in the mood.

What's with the attitude all of a sudden? He sounded shocked at his outburst, which made him even more irritated.

What's with the attitude? I'm sore as hell from being tortured not three days ago and you go and give me hell for it when I try and complain about it.

What do you want me to do about it? Valen sounded hurt. It's not like I can just make the pain go away?

At that moment, his back decided to twinge, sending a stab of pain running down his spine. 

Oh jeez, just kill me now! He griped, throwing as much annoyance behind his words as possible.

Out of nowhere, Valen pounced on Kirchoff, pinned his arms down with his clawed hands and sitting himself on his legs. He brought his face close to his until he could smell his breath. Despite the situation, he noticed that his breath didn't smell as bad as he thought it would. In fact it had a faintly sweet scent to it.

Don't talk like that! Valen shouted in his head. He still had a nasty headache and Valen's words in his mind made his head throb harder.

Calm down Valen, Kirchoff said as soothingly as he could. It was just a bad joke!

No! I won't calm down! Valen screamed. Literally screamed. His inner mouth was extended so it was right above his and it was emitting a long, horrible, screeching wail. I nearly lost you so many times! Do you have any idea what it's like to almost lose the only person you care about?

As a matter of fact, yes. I know exactly what it feels like to lose someone you love, Kirchoff said in a deliberately calm voice. Valen stopped screaming and just stared at him. Kirchoff could feel that he was still angry and upset at his comment, but he was also curious now. He was giving him an opportunity to explain. 

Kirchoff squirmed, trying to free himself from Valen’s grip, but he wasn’t budging. He didn’t want to think about it. That was a part of his past that he felt was better left untouched, but he could see no other way that he could get Valen to get off of him. 

He sighed. Before I was hired to work here, I had no one I cared about in my life. My mother was dead, my father refused to speak to me and my two brothers were drafted into the Colonial Marines. I was swamped in seven years of student debt and I couldn't hold down a job for more than a month. Being a Xenologist doesn't exactly provide great employment opportunities where I’m from. I was living at the bottom of a bottle, with no place to live, just drifting from one couch to another until the couches ran out. Then I met someone who made me feel special. Someone who made me feel that my life was worth living after all… and then I lost her.

Valen showed no signs of moving. Kirchoff guessed he wasn't satisfied with his explanation. He heaved a sigh and continued. Valen... I've never told anyone this story before, so please try not to interrupt me until I'm finished.

He took a moment to gather his thoughts, then he told him. I was just rejected for a weaponry research position with the military or something along those lines. I can't remember much from those days since I was drunk most of the time.

That night I went to a bar in a rough part of town. A real nasty place too, not somewhere anybody decent should be hanging around. Right after I got there some kind of gang fight broke out in the street outside. I heard shooting and shouting outside, so I thought it might be a good time to leave and I tried to leave through the back alley. Unfortunately for me, several men decided to wait in the exact same alley. They attacked me and… and...

Kirchoff stopped speaking. He had repressed that particular memory for over ten years beneath a veil of alcohol and denial. Speaking about it openly for the first time made the memories of that horrible night come flooding back to the forefront of his mind.

---

Kirchoff stumbled out of the bar and into the alleyway. It was dark, smelly, humid and all around unpleasant. There were doorways that led to neighboring establishments along the walls of the alley and the floor was an assortment of trash, empty bottles and other things Kirchoff couldn't identify. He started to pick his way along the alley, trying his best to avoid the filth on the floor. His head was spinning from all the drinks, and he stumbled his way through the filth as best he could. Before he made his way to the end of the alley, a hand stabbed out of a doorway to his left and seized him by the shoulder.

"And where do ya think yer goin'?" a snarling voice asked. The hand on his shoulder yanked and Kirchoff tumbled off balance and slammed into a wall. He could barely see in the dim light of the alley, but there was enough for him to make out the silhouettes of two men. One looked very thickset and the other one was tall and very skinny.

"Look at this one," the tall skinny one said with a high squeaky voice. "Quite the looker ain't he?"

"Eh, seen better," the other man replied. Compared to the tall man, the thickset man's voice was deep and raspy. "Still, he ain't half bad."

"Well, we gonna break 'im in?" the squeaky man asked. He sounded eager about something.

"Excuse me," Kirchoff said in a quiet voice.

"Oi Barry, you hearin' this faggot?"

"Yeah, sounds like quite the little bitch, doesn't he," Barry replied. "Hey faggot, are you a bitch?"

"What?"

Barry grabbed Kirchoff by the hair and pulled him to his feet. His face was uncomfortably close to Barry's. His breath reeked of cheap wine and cigarettes "I asked if you were a bitch. What, are you deaf too?"

"No," Kirchoff said. He was wincing from Barry pulling on his hair.

"Oh, really. Ya' sure look like a bitch, faggot," Barry sneered.

"I'm not a faggot either," Kirchoff said through gritted teeth. Barry's grip on his hair was rock solid and it hurt like hell.

"Not a faggot? You hearin' this Tim?" Barry asked the other man. "Real piece of work."

Barry turned his attention back to Kirchoff. "Don't try an' lie to me. I know that you snuck outta that ratty-ass gay bar. I saw you m'self."

Kirchoff went pale. He had always tried to keep that tidbit of information a secret, but he supposed there was no point in trying to hide it. "Alright, fine. I'm gay. You happy now?"

"I will be in a minute once I'm done with you." Barry had an unpleasant slime on his face that gave Kirchoff the creeps. A second set of arms, probably belonging to Tim, grabbed his arms and pinned them behind his back. Tim forced Kirchoff into a kneeling position on the filthy floor of the alley.

"What the fuck are you doing?" Kirchoff asked. He was starting to panic now.

"I think you're smart enough to figure that out ya little bitch," Tim said menacingly from behind him. Kirchoff looked up at Barry's silhouette outlined by the light coming from the nearby street. The shadow reached down and Kirchoff heard the sound of a fly unzipping.

"No! Please no!" Kirchoff begged. He squirmed and writhed in the iron grip Tim had him in. "Please, I'll do anything!"

"Well then I hope you're good at blowin'," Barry chuckled. "Open up bitch."

Kirchoff clamped his mouth tight shut.

"C'mon, don't be like that." Barry rasped. He raised a hand and smacked Kirchoff across the face. Kirchoff grunted in pain, but he kept his mouth shut. Barry smacked him again, and again, and again until he couldn't keep his jaw clenched. He let his jaw go limp and his mouth dangle semi-open.

"There, isn't that better?" Barry grabbed Kirchoff by the hair again and shoved his face against his groin. Kirchoff did his best to keep his face away from Barry's crotch, but he was still too dazed to struggle for long. Eventually, Kirchoff gave up and accepted the inevitable.

"There we go," Barry said with a sigh. He was still holding on to Kirchoff's hair and was using it to move his head back and forth. Kirchoff was in a daze. Everything had happened so quickly it didn't seem real. He didn't know how long he was there, down on his knees in the darkened alley, the foul water soaking into his pants. After what seemed like an eternity Barry let out a groan and finished. Kirchoff gagged and choked as he came. It was bitter and sour, and it made him want to puke.

"C'mon, swallow it," Barry sneered. Kirchoff shuddered and swallowed. "There we go. Now it's Tim's turn."

Tim let out a wheezing laugh that sounded like a deflating balloon. Barry and Tim switched positions without much struggling on Kirchoff's part. Tim grabbed Kirchoff's hair the same way that Barry did, but Kirchoff could feel his hands trembling in excitement. Tim unzipped his pants and Kirchoff didn't even bother to struggle this time. He just opened his mouth and waited for the inevitable. Tim didn't take nearly as long as Barry did to do his business and he finished almost as soon as he started.

"Alright Tim, I think our work is done 'ere," Barry said.

Thank god, Kirchoff thought.

"Just one thing left," Barry said in a quiet voice. Without warning, he swung his leg back and kicked Kirchoff in the ribs. Hard. Kirchoff heard the crunch of several of his ribs breaking and he fell to the ground breathless.

"That," he rasped. "Is for being such a whiny little bitch. C'mon Tim, let get outta 'ere."

The sound of their footsteps faded back down the alley and into the street. Kirchoff didn't bother to move. Instead he lay in the damp and the filth of the alleyway in pain. Since he had lost any sense of the passing of time, it felt like mere seconds when he heard another set of footsteps in the alley emanating from the direction Barry and Tim had left. Maybe Tim had come back for more, since he barely got any action.

The person in the alley spoke, and it wasn't Barry or Tim. It was a new voice. A feminine voice.

"Hey, are you alright?"

 

Chapter 11: Memories

Valen's vision came back with a snap. The sudden change in scenery, both mental and visual, made his head throb and it made him close his hidden eyes to try and dull the pain. When Kirchoff began recounting his story, it was as though he were Kirchoff, living through the experience for the first time. Just the implications of what had happened would boggle Kirchoff's mind.

Kirchoff!

He opened his eyes and saw Kirchoff who he was still pinning down to the floor, trembling and crying his eyes out. Concerned, Valen tried to touch Kirchoff's mind but the sheer amount of grief and sadness pouring from his mind was like a torrential waterfall, crashing against his own consciousness so hard that he was forced to withdraw. He let go of him, letting him roll on his side and curling up into a ball.

Valen had no idea what to do. He had never seen Kirchoff like this before. All he could think to do was stand where he was and wait for him to calm down. Minutes passed, but he didn't calm down. In fact he seemed to get more and more hysterical as time went on. Soon he was wailing as well as crying and heaving for breath between sobs and his hysterics began to worry Valen. If he didn't calm down soon he might hurt himself. 

He approached Kirchoff, laid down on his side next to him, wrapped himself around him and nuzzled his head into his hair. He wasn't sure if it would help, but Kirchoff seemed to register Valen's presence and he cuddled up to his bony chest. Ordinarily he would be purring like a housecat if Kirchoff was cuddling with him like this, but he was too worried to do anything other than wait and watch.

Gradually, Kirchoff's sobs turned into gentle whimpers and his body wracking trembles turned into the occasional twitch. Valen extended his mind out to Kirchoff's and was relieved to find that he was stable enough to talk.

Kirchoff? Are you alright? As soon as he spoke he regretted asking. He obviously was not alright.

"No… I'm not…" he mumbled, speaking out loud. His voice was so hoarse and quiet that Valen could barely make it out. "I'm sorry... I've repressed that memory for so long… I couldn't control myself… I'm sorry..."

No, I'm sorry, Valen reassured him. I shouldn't have snapped at you. I knew you were in a bad mood and If I had known…

"But you didn't know," he cut in. "And I owed you an explanation because you were angry... but having to recall that…" Tears welled in the corners of his eyes again and he paused to collect himself again.

Kirchoff… Valen lowered his head in shame. I really am sorry. I overreacted because I was worried. You're the only person I care about, and if I lost you...

"I understand," he replied, reaching out and rubbing the top of Valen's head, making him purr slightly at the touch. "It's just... that I really didn't want to relive that..."

I understand.

Valen curled up tighter around Kirchoff and for a long time, neither of them spoke. Eventually, Kirchoff broke the silence, "So… I suppose I should finish my story."

No! Valen exclaimed. Kirchoff gave him a look. I mean, you don't have to if you don't want to.

"I want to," he said. "The rest of the story isn't... well I mean it's still hard, but it's not as bad. And besides, you should probably know how I ended up here anyways."

That caught his attention. Kirchoff had never been willing to open up about his past before, even with his incessant pestering.

"I suppose I should start from where I left off," Kirchoff began.

That would be an appropriate place to start, Valen scoffed, a hint of his previous sarcasm slipping past the comforting façade he was putting on for him, but all it made Kirchoff do was chuckle.

"I thought I was a goner. I was pretty sure Barry did some pretty serious damage to my ribs and I thought I might have a punctured lung. Lucky for me, a woman was just walking past the alley and called the emergency services." An image replaced his vision for a split second.

A woman's silhouette in the light of the nearby street. Valen mentally shook his head and tried to focus on listening to Kirchoff speak.

"I was taken to the hospital, and not a moment too soon. It turns out my intuition was right. I had 3 broken ribs and really bad internal bleeding. If I had gotten there an hour later, I would probably have died."

This time, several images flashed across his vision in quick succession. The inside of an ambulance with tubes and monitors everywhere. The sensation of pain. A glimpse of long gray hair.

"The first time I met Silvia was several days after the... incident in the alley. It was about 3 days before I regained consciousness, and because she wasn't my family she wasn't allowed to see me until then."

A white room lined with rows of beds. Some were covered by drab green curtains, but most were empty. A window directly to his left cast bright beams of light on his face.

"I can't remember too much about her first visit. I was still pretty out of it thanks to all the drugs they had me on, but I remember..."

A white room… his bed, with green curtains pulled off to one side. A multitude of images and sensation this time. A woman's face, everything but the very edges of her sharp cheekbones masked by the shadows cast by the sun behind her head. Random snippets of conversation. The soft tone of the woman's voice. She was saying something, but he couldn't catch the words. Whatever she was saying, it made him feel more at ease and he slipped back into sleep…

Valen shook his head. All these images and sensations were giving him a headache. It didn't help that he had no idea why this was happening all of a sudden. He tried to put it out of his mind and just focus on Kirchoff's words, but it was getting pretty hard.

"The next time she visited I was much more coherent. It was then that I learned what she did for me. Not only did she call me an ambulance, she also offered to pay for all my medical bills and take care of me personally after I was discharged. Of course I was wary of her offer, but I wasn't in much of a position to argue…"

"Hello Steven." The woman said in a soft, high voice. She sat herself down on the small stool next to his bed as she always did.

He sat up a bit, but his ribs prevented him from getting up beyond a slouch. "Hi Silvia."

"How are you feeling?" she asked.

"Better," he grunted, half truthfully. He did feel better, but better was a relative term. He still felt like a sack of shit, just not one that had recently been thrown out of a three story window.

"Well that's good to hear," She looked skeptical, but she held her tongue. "So, I hear that they're going to turn you loose soon."

"Not for about another week," Kirchoff slumped back down into the thin hospital blanket. "Maybe more, depending how well my ribs heal."

"Don't worry about it too much dear. You just need lots of rest." She ruffled his hair. Under ordinary circumstances he wouldn't have tolerated anyone treating him like a sick little boy, but to have Silvia do it… it was comforting.

"After I was out of the hospital, she offered to let me stay with her. I considered turning her offer down, but the only other person I had to turn to was my dad, and there was no way I was going back to…"

You fucking faggot! I didn't raise you to be a cocksucker! Get the fuck out of my house!

"...my father. So I took her up on her offer. She took me under her wing…"

An enormous plate piled high with food. A small pair of hands on his shoulders. A warm bed with blankets tucked up high around his shoulders.

"...and treated me like her own son. Her real son had died on a military tour 6 years earlier out on some unnamed planet, and from what I gathered they had left on pretty bad terms. Since his death she had spent most of that time as a shut in…"

Empty rooms filled with furniture, all immaculate and clean. A dusty picture of a man in military outfit. His face was blank and emotionless...

"I lived with her for about a year and a half. She wasn't particularly old, but she was lonely. I didn't really have anywhere else to go, so I stayed with her."

"Steven, it's time for dinner!" Silvia's voice echoed from downstairs. She was most likely in the kitchen, cooking up what smelled like pasta. His stomach growled at the scent. He pushed his chair back from his desk, which was covered with a mix of papers, empty plates and various pieces of garbage along with the small personal computer that sat in the middle of the mess.

"I'll be down in a minute Silvia," he shouted back. He pulled on a clean shirt from his closet and replaced the smelly one he had on for the clean one. He had been up all last night and today applying for jobs and he smelled like hell. He smoothed his hair in front of the mirror hanging next to the desk and did his best to make himself look less like a slob. Once he was satisfied with his appearance he opened his door and walked downstairs to the little kitchen and dining room.

"You look terrible," Silvia fussed. "Were you up all night again?"

"Yeah," he admitted. "It's not easy to find a job."

"Well don't wear yourself out," she said sternly. "You need your sleep, you know."

"I know." A plate of food was placed in front of him. It was piled high with spaghetti and meatballs, one of his favorite foods. "Thanks for the food."

"It was nothing Steven," she said and ruffled his hair. He looked up at her face and saw her loving smile.

"It was like having a mother, a real mother to take care of me. My real family was always… distant during my childhood. My mother died when I was young, my father was always busy with work of one kind or another and my siblings were much older than I was. I was never good at making friends as a child either, so most of my life was spent alone. Silvia was the first person to genuinely care for me. I guess when she found me, she saw me as an opportunity to reconcile herself with the way she treated her son before she died. Whatever the reason, I know that she genuinely cared for me."

A hand on his shoulder. Silvia smiled at him from her large armchair as he read aloud to her from an old, leather-bound book. The look in her eyes as he walked in the door after a long day of work.

"But one night... I came home after going out drinking with a few of my friends. The lights were on, but the house was…"

Quiet… The house was so quiet. No sound coming from the kitchen, the living room or the upstairs bedroom where Silvia slept. She was normally up until late when he went out, usually cleaning and waiting for him to return. He stumbled down the hallway towards the living room, thinking that maybe she fell asleep in the big armchair she always liked to nap in.

He opened the door to the small living space and cast his gaze around the room. It took a bit longer for him to investigate his surroundings, but after a few seconds he realized that Silvia wasn't in her armchair, or anywhere else in the room for that matter.

Then a sound from the kitchen, the sound of running tap water hit his ears. He turned around and stumbled his way back down the hall to the kitchen. The door was ajar, swinging ever so slightly. A sense of dread washed over him.

"Silvia?" he called out. "Are you in there?"

No answer. He pushed his way through the door, and right away, he saw her. Lying face down on the floor, hair sprawled over her head. It concealed her features, but it wasn't enough to cover the red pool of blood seeping around her head…

---

"Apparently it was just an accident. She slipped and slammed her head on the floor in just the wrong way. Fractured skull... The paramedic told me there wouldn't have been anything I could have done anyways. But you don't know that. I could have been there... I could have saved her! The one person in my life who cared about me, the one person who made my life worth living... was gone. Dead.

"Even though I was stone cold drunk by the time I got home, I remember everything…"

This was too much... This was his fault... He didn't deserve this...

He was walking along the sidewalk crowded with people. He bumped into several of the pedestrians and they cast him angry looks, but he didn't care enough to acknowledge them…

"...I can't remember exactly how I got to the rooftop, but I guess it seemed the best way to go. I always loved the lights of the city..."

The wind was strong up here. It whistled and screamed into his ears, blocking out the sounds of the city far, far below him. It battered his clothes, making them flap wildly in the breeze, adding to the cacophony pounding against his ear drums.

He looked down on the city, the bright lights of all the cars, streetlights and buildings casting a glow up at his face. The smaller lights of the far off residences and the factories extended far out into the distance and beyond the horizon. It was nice, like a warm tapestry of all the life hidden inside the cold, grey shells of concrete and steel.

"W-w-well... s'time," he told himself. He stepped up onto the lip of the roof and peered down over the edge, his legs wobbling dangerously. He could see the cars whizzing by on the well worn roads, stopping only when the traffic lights changed color. The people were also there, walking by on the sidewalks, talking on their phones, hailing cabs, eating at the fancy restaurants that lined the streets, and conversing with one another.

"Hope I don't hit any," He chuckled. It was a morbid thought, but why should it matter to him? He wouldn't be around for much longer anyways.

"...And the next thing I knew I was on the ledge of the roof. I was all prepared to..."

He hesitated for a moment, his resolve wavering... Then he raised his leg to take the last step forwards…

One last deep breath...

This was too much for Valen to handle. He recoiled from Kirchoff, shaking his head, trying to clear the awful vision from his mind.

---

Valen had taken a step back from him and was shaking his head and growling like a rabid dog.

"Woah, Valen! Take it easy, what's going on?" Kirchoff asked. He gestured towards Valen, but he hesitated to go further.

Kirchoff, I... keep seeing your memories, Valen said quickly.

"Wait, what?" Kirchoff's brows furrowed in confusion. "Isn't that what you do normally."

Whenever you're thinking about a memory, I see images and feel flashes of sensations. this was like... like I  actually was you, living through it.

Kirchoff opened his mouth to speak, but only a faint squeak escaped. He had grown used to Valen's ability to read his thoughts and emotions, but the idea that Valen could actually see and experience his memories was something else.

"Valen, are you sure that…" Before he could finish his question, he was put off by the sound of the sound of someone fumbling with a microphone. "We're gonna have a long, long talk about this later."

The sound of someone fumbling with the microphone echoed from the speakers until a deep gruff started talking over the intercom, "Dr. Kirchoff, please step away from the Xenomorph so that we may transport you to your new living quarters."

In response, Kirchoff wrapped his arms tightly around Valen's neck. He looked up into a camera defiantly, as if daring the man at the intercom to do something.

"Dr. Kirchoff, please step away from the Xenomorph subject so that we may transport you to your new living quarters," the voice said again. All Kirchoff did was hold onto Valen tighter. Although it was faint, he could feel him purring in his embrace.

"Just transport them together Major," Dr. Nigel said. Her voice was faint, but it was still loud enough to heard over the intercom.

"But it's against protocol! If we are to transport a Xenomorph we must…"

"Yes, Major, I'm well aware of the protocol," she exclaimed. "I'm just trying to save you hours of frustration. Trust me, it's like pulling teeth with these two."

"...Yes Doctor."

"Very well," Her voice got much louder the next time she spoke. "Kirchoff... Valen… Say goodbye to your cell, it's moving day."

A door slid open on the side of the wall, revealing the entrance to a small, dark, dim container. It looked like it had several slits in the side, as if it was used for transporting cattle.

"Your first class accommodations await," Dr. Nigel said. "Just bang on the side of the container when you're ready to go. And be warned, it can get a bit noisy in there when the transport is in motion."

With Kirchoff's arms still around Valen's neck, they walked over to the door of the dim box and stepped into the transport container. Kirchoff could fit in no problem, but it was cramped for a Xenomorph of Valen's size. The only light in the cart was from a lone flashlight that had been turned on and tossed inside. The beam of light was too bright for Kirchoff, who shielded his eyes with one arm while keeping the other around Valen's neck.

Can you get that for me? He thought wearily, not bothering to use his vocal cords. His throat was raw from sobbing and talking.

Valen reluctantly stepped out of Kirchoff's embrace and tried his best to turn off the flashlight. It took quite a bit of fumbling and frustrated hissing, but eventually he clicked the light off with one of his claws. Once that was over with, he flopped down on his side and extended his arms towards Kirchoff. He sat down next to Valen, who wrapped his arms around his waist and curled up around him. He let out a long sigh and leaned back against Valen's ribs and felt him purr. During all their years together he never would have guessed that cynical, snarky, arrogant Valen was so cuddly. Still, he had gotten used to Valen snuggling him during their time in the cell and he wasn't going to complain about it now.

Want to get going? he asked him.

Valen didn't reply. He just banged his tail against the side of the container to signal that they were ready to depart. For several minutes there were the faint sounds of people running around, dragging things, opening doors, preparing the little transport cart to take them to their new home. The sudden noise of the engine starting made the container vibrate. Kirchoff and Valen flinched at the sound it made, but it wasn't unbearably loud. The driver revved the engine and the transport cell rolled slowly forwards.

 

Chapter 12: Home

The cart ride wasn't pleasant to say the least. The transport car was loud and every bump and jolt of the cart, while not particularly painful, still annoyed Valen. Kirchoff still leaned up against his chest though, so it wasn’t all bad. Valen purred and curled up a little tighter, content with the fact that they were on their way to a better place to live.

So, Kirchoff said. He might have been actually speaking, but the noise of the cart was so loud that even if he was he doubted he could have heard him. Do you think it's possible for me to finish my story without being interrupted?

I hope so, he replied. I'm getting sick of waiting to hear the end of it.

Alrighty, where was I…? Ah, right. Once I reached the rooftop, I was all but determined to kill myself. I wasn't in my right mind, at all, I was so torn by grief and impaired by alcohol it just seemed like the right thing to do at the time.

Another image. He was standing on the edge of the roof, all but prepared to jump. He took a step forward and…

Wait! Valen shouted. Stop!

Why, what's wrong? He asked, concern lacing his voice. I've barely started.

I'm seeing your memories again.

Oh… Kirchoff looked at him inquisitively. Valen, can you tell me more about what you're seeing.

I'm not just seeing things, it's as though I'm experiencing everything like I was you. All your emotions and all the sensations you felt… I could feel them like I was you… Most of them are just little snippets, but some of them last for a lot longer.

Hmmm… were all of your senses the same as normal? He questioned.

No, Valen answered. Whenever I was experiencing one of your memories, my… your vision was much more vivid than normal and the rest of my, gah… your senses were dulled.

I see… has this happened before?

No you imbecile! Valen snapped, but he caught himself before he went further. Not being snarky was significantly more difficult that he expected. Sorry. The first time I experienced your memories was when you were talking about the incident you had in the alley. That was also the most vivid one…

Maybe whatever this is is just a more advanced form of your telepathy? Kirchoff suggested. Maybe if you're in my head when I'm feeling strong emotions, you can experience my memories or something.

Maybe… Can you just tell me your story when I'm not taking up space in your head?

Okay. For now I'll just say that I came to my senses before I did anything permanent and didn't end up jumping to my untimely demise. Lucky for us, right?

Very lucky, Valen curled up even tighter around him. He wouldn't admit it outright, but Valen loved how soft and warm Kirchoff was. Valen was sure he could spend the rest of his life just cuddling him and be totally content. His scent was also very pleasing. Most humans smelled rank and sour because of all the products that they washed themselves with, but Kirchoff had a more pleasant, masculine scent to him. A purr made its way out of his mouth and he nuzzled his head into Kirchoff's hair.

What's with you all of a sudden? Kirchoff asked him. I never expected you to be such a cuddle monster!

I like cuddling.

Well yes, I can see that. Care to explain why?

I... Well... So much for not admitting it. I've never had any physical contact before, with anyone. I don't know what it is, but I just love the feeling of you touching me. I love being close to you and wrapping myself around you and I love the feel of your skin. It's so warm and smooth. And your scent is amazing. It's so… He stopped, realizing what he was saying. Er… I mean…

Don't worry, Kirchoff responded. To his credit, he was only smirking a little bit. I like cuddling with you too. It makes me feel safe.

That made him purr so loud that the vibrations of the cart were temporarily overpowered by his own.

Someone is certainly pleased.

Can you tell? He wriggled and clung to Kirchoff even tighter.

Well, what matters now is that we're together, and we're hopefully being moved to a better home.

Speaking of which, do you have any idea where we're being moved?

Hmmm, Kirchoff went silent for a while. He could sense him thinking hard, going over any places that they might be moved to. This time, he didn't have any kind of images or sensations go through his head. Maybe Kirchoff was right. Perhaps he could only experience his memories if he was feeling some kind of strong emotion. But if that was the case, why hadn't it happened before?

Kirchoff's voice interrupted his train of thought. I have several ideas…

Are you planning on sharing those ideas? Valen asked. Perhaps with a certain someone who is curled up around you.

Kirchoff chuckled and shook his head. The first thing that pops to my mind is another research lab, but I doubt it.

I hope you’re right.

After the guilt tripping I gave her and your threats, I doubt she’ll risk going back on her word now. Another place we might be going to is one of the indoor farms, but I doubt that. Knowing you, you'd probably eat all of the cattle.

I would not! Kirchoff gave him a look. Okay, maybe not all at once.

Besides that, the only other place I can think of is the dangerous extraterrestrial lifeform enclosures. He broke off. Fear radiated off of Kirchoff so strongly that it made him feel uncomfortable. If there was something that could scare Kirchoff that much after all he had been through... If we get locked up in there I doubt we'd survive a week.

Why? His pride stung. He was a Xenomorph, one of the most dangerous creatures known to humans. Whatever kind of dangerous creatures they had aboard this station were no match for him. I'm a dangerous extraterrestrial.

Well you aren't the most dangerous extraterrestrial on Bernard. Most of what I've heard was just rumors and speculation from some of the other above-ground staff, but even if a fraction of them are true then you do not want to end up down there.

What could be so bad about it?

I heard that the last time a Xenomorph was brought down there, it was to see how well it could defend itself against the local wildlife. They apparently had to replace the entire interior wall because of all the acid damage.

That made his blood run cold. Not to honk his own horn, but Valen thought pretty highly of his own lethality. If there were creatures around that could turn him into an acidic splatter on the wall, then he didn't want anything to do with them. That does seem pretty bad.

Thank you Captain Obvious, Kirchoff poked him in the side.

Quit doing my job! Valen whined in response. Leave some sarcastic comebacks for me!

You're not doing a very good job right now. You'd better be careful, I think you're losing your touch.

I'm just a little rusty. I find it hard to make sarcastic comments when you're busy bawling your eyes out.

I only cried once or twice, and I had an excuse!

If you can call incapacitating torture an excuse, Valen scoffed.

Yes, I'm pretty sure that counts as a very valid excuse.

...You win this time.

Kirchoff laughed and ran his hand over his crest. He petted the length of his head and Valen pressed back into it, trying to get the most out of the physical contact between his head and Kirchoff's soft, warm hand. This went on for the remainder of their trip until the transport cart came to a rough stop, rocking the container gently. Then the sounds of clanking and people moving outside filtered through the walls of the chamber. A series of rhythmic clanks sounded, accompanied by a loud whirr. It went on for about a minute, then the door slowly, silently opened.

---

He winced and shielded his eyes from the blinding light outside.

Valen, can you help me up? He asked. Valen stuck his hands under his arms and hauled him to his feet. Together, they walked out of the transport cart and the light coming from outside burned his retinas. He winced and covered his eyes with his hand.

Valen, where are we?

No response.

Valen, what is it? Where the hell are we?

I… This place… Kirchoff felt a rush of air as Valen ran past him. Our new home is amazing!

That piqued his interest. Cautiously, Kirchoff cracked his fingers just enough to see. It was still too bright to see, and his eyes couldn't quite focus. He strained his eyes, forcing them to focus despite the burning light.

When his eyes finally focused, the scene in front of him took his breath away. Spread out before him was a massive forest of pine trees that stretched as far as the eye could see. It wasn't outdoors, he could still clearly see the concrete walls that had been painted a dull baby blue, but the room was so incredibly huge that it may as well have been outdoors. The place was even lit like the outside, a large collection of lights clustered over his head cast a bright, yellow-white glow down on the trees. He took a deep breath and smelled the fresh scent of the needles, wood, and grass.

Have you ever seen anything like it? It's incredible! Valen ran in a circle, flopped down and started writhing in the grass. This indoor forest was their new home? Dr. Nigel said that she had to pull some strings, but this was ridiculous. The entire forest must have covered at least several square kilometers. Kirchoff knew that the Bernard Research Facility was a massive installation that had taken over a decade to construct, but now that he had seen this, it was probably more comparable in size to an entire space station than a typical planet based facility. If this entire forest was contained deep underground, what the hell else was down here?

"Enjoying the view Kirchoff?" A familiar feminine voice boomed out over the indoor pine forest. Dr. Nigel must have been watching him standing around while Valen was running around doing who knows what. "I take it this exceeds your expectations?"

Kirchoff nodded. "Any expectations I had have been thoroughly blown right out of the water," He rasped. He wondered if she could hear him... but if he knowing her, the whole forest was probably crawling with hidden listening devices and cameras.

"This forest was part of an old experiment to determine if Terran vegetation could grow in the local ecosystem. Fortunately for you, the composition of the soil is very similar to that of Earth. And since I know what you're going to ask, this place was scheduled for decommissioning and conversion into a new facility, but I pulled a few strings and cashed in on a ton of favors to swing it... but this place is under my jurisdiction for the foreseeable future. I sold it as a part of a new batch of experiments I'm conducting on you two."

That made him a tad uneasy, "So… Are you conducting a new experiment on us?"

"Well... yes. I wasn't lying when I said I'd be using this place to conduct a set of experiments, but given your current state I don't think anyone will raise their eyebrows if I give you some time to recover."

"How long do I have?"

"I'm not sure. I'll have to get you to be inspected by a physician before I can pass judgement on that."

"I'm not so sure Valen would like that. I'm the only person he trusts, and he's the only person he trusts to keep me safe... aaand I assume that sending a doctor in here to inspect me while Valen breathes over their shoulder isn't an option."

"No, I'm not sending anyone else in there, but if you want to stay here you have to get yourself checked out by a medical professional. We don't even know what kind of damage you have, let alone how bad it might be. If you don't get checked out now, there may be complications further down the road that we could have prevented."

"...Alright, but I'll have to talk it over with Valen first."

"Well aren't you two a cute couple! You have to talk things over with your little alien lovebird?"

Heat rushed to Kirchoff's cheeks. He felt like was going to die of embarrassment. Dr. Nigel's laughter rang out over the intercom and echoed throughout the forest. "I was just pulling your leg Kirchoff! Oh my god, the look on your face was priceless."

He grumbled some swears under his breath and kicked at a patch of grass at his feet.

"I'll leave you alone for now. I'll check in on you in an hour, and I expect you to tell me that you've decided to submit yourself for a medical exam. Unfortunately I still have a ton of paperwork to sort through."

"Don't you always have paperwork to do?"

"...Valen's a bad influence off on you," The sound of fumbling with the microphone and then nothing.

Bad influence, He thought to himself. She must know Valen better than I realized.

Speaking of which, Kirchoff turned his attention back to Valen, who had climbed the trunk of a nearby tree and was perched up at the top like a giant bird. His sturdy his tail was wrapped around the trunk of the tree, grasping onto it to support his weight.

There's so much space! And it smells amazing, so fresh and clean. I've never felt so free! He pounced from his branch down onto a lower one on a nearby tree. Then he started leaping his way from tree to tree like a giant cat, barely touching one pine before jumping to the next.

In that moment, watching Valen jumping from tree to tree, Kirchoff felt something change. Something deep down shifted while he watched Valen leap through the pines, totally fixated on his lithe, bounding form. Seeing Valen outside of a white walled cell was like seeing a whole new side of him, so different from the cynical asshole he had met on his first day on the job. His cheeks flushed, but he didn't quite know why. Before he could mull over what that was all about, Valen pounced out of the trees and landed directly in front of him. He was squirming and wagging his tail in excitement.

Isn't this place amazing?

It sure is better than a lab cell, He remarked. I can't believe Dr. Nigel managed to get her hands on this place for us.

I must admit she did a good job. I don't hate her quite as much anymore.

Well that's great to hear, because she wants to get a doctor to look at me.

I know, and I agree.

What? That was unexpected. He was expecting a big argument. You agree with her?

I don't like it, He said. I don't want you out of my sight for any longer than five seconds, but she did make a good point. You may have some damage that could lead to future complications, and the last thing I want is to have you die from some affliction you could have prevented.

You know, when you're not being sassy, you're actually pretty smart.

Shut up and go get a checkup.

 

Chapter 13: Relaxation

Grey concrete walls, a single light bulb dangling from a line on the ceiling, empty bottles of cleaning fluids pushed into the corners of the room, a single metal shelf overloaded with disorganized full bottles of chemicals. It certainly didn't look like your traditional doctors office. In fact, one might say it wasn’t even a doctor’s office at all, but just a decrepit janitorial store room that had been converted into a temporary doctor's office. At least it had the advantage of being a mere five minute walk away from the entrance to the massive underground forest where he and Valen lived in now.

"Well Steven, everything looks fine," the doctor muttered. It was weird, being called by his first name. He had gotten so used to being called Kirchoff that his given name sounded alien to him now.

"So let me make sure I've got everything down right." He pulled a clipboard and pen from a nearby shelf. "You don't have any unexplained muscular aches or pains anywhere?"

"Just the occasional itching now, it's not nearly as bad as it was before."

"No headaches of any description?"

"No, not really."

"Not really?" The doctor raised his eyebrow.

"The only time I get headaches is when I'm looking at really bright lights or when I hear loud noises," Kirchoff elaborated. The physician who was examining him was Dr. Nigel's own personal doctor. Kirchoff found it hard to believe that she even had her own personal doctor, but it must have been a perk of being the Director of Research. Even so, her doctor was incredibly thorough. He had been in the makeshift examination room for over two hours while the he inspected him from top to bottom, inside and out.

"Well, I have good news for you Steven," the doctor said cheerfully. "The good news is that you don't appear to have any kind of permanent muscular or organ damage."

"Okay…" Kirchoff was skeptical. "And what's the bad news?"

"I didn't say there was any."

"Yeah, but I know there is bad news. There can't NOT be bad news."

"Well... you're right. Unfortunately, I can't determine the exact nature of the damage to your nervous system. I need equipment that I don't have access to to analyze in further detail to have a concrete opinion. However, given the speed of your recovery, I do not think you are at immediate risk of injury or death. And I also have it on good terms that you'll avoid doing anything stupid that might hurt yourself."

"I don't know doc," Kirchoff chuckled. "That's a lot of trust you're putting on a guy who sleeps with a Xenomorph."

The doctor stared impassively at him, and continued on as if he didn't hear that particular remark. "In the meantime, I'm recommending that you're given a month's rest before you participate in Dr. Nigel's experiments, and that if you notice anything different in your condition you will come straight to Dr. Nigel. I don't want to see you injured further."

"I'll call the guards." Under Dr. Nigel's instruction, Kirchoff wasn't allowed to leave the indoor forest unless he was accompanied by an entire squad of security personnel. Probably a concession to the "Powers-That-Be" to make sure he didn't run away. Not that I want to leave. Valen was still waiting for him.

His bodyguards led him through the winding corridors of the facility back to a door with "Entrance" scrawled in messy handwriting on a sheet of paper in red marker. One of the guards handed him a large pack that looked exactly like his image of a stereotypical hiker backpack. Upon inspection, it appeared that it contained all of his personal belongings along with a reasonable supply of food, water and even a sleeping bad strapped to the bottom. How thoughtful of them .

He stepped inside the small room and didn't even have the chance to turn around before the door slammed shut. A loud series of clicks and whirs sounded for a few seconds, then the other airlock door opened. He stepped out back into the forest... and was almost immediately bowled off his feet by a flying tackle from Valen. After his heart stopped trying to leap out of his chest, he hugged the giant alien around the waist. Valen purred and nuzzled his forehead in return, pinning him to the ground under the weight of his affection... and his huge crested head.

"Miss me much? I was only gone for an hour." Kirchoff wheezed. His throat was still fairly sore and dry, but the doctor was kind enough to give him enough throat lozenges to last him for a few weeks, which made talking much less painful.

Yes, Valen said bluntly, face still nuzzling his chest. What did the doctor say?

"I should be fine as long as you don't keep scaring me half to death. No permanent damage as far as he can tell, but I should be careful for the next little while... Do you mind getting off of me?"

I don't want to. I think I'll stay here for a while.

"Get off me!"

No.

"Get off me or I'll…"

Or you'll what? Bitch at me?

"No! I'll... Uh…"

Valen laughed his raspy laugh, and lifted himself from Kirchoff's chest. He brushed the grass off his new sweatpants and couldn't help but notice the prominent green stains on his ass. Huffing in exasperation, Kirchoff gathered his scattered belongings and walked back to the forest, Valen prancing around him.

Once they reached the treeline, Valen leaped up into the foliage and gracefully landed on a branch that was easily fifteen feet or more over his head.

"How's the view from up there?" He called up at him.

No idea, Valen snarked at him. I'm still mostly blind if you'll recall, but the smell of the trees and the air is... indescribable.

They both inhaled deeply, taking in the pleasant pine scent of the forest air.

"It sure beats the smell in the containment cells."

That's an understatement if ever I've heard one.

Neither of them said anything, mentally or verbally for a long time. Both of them just stood where they were, taking in the whole scene. Just over a week ago, they were stuck together in a cramped, whitewashed containment cell with no hope of escape from a tragically short life of inhumane experimentation. Now they had their own private forest to do whatever they wanted in, and a whole month to do it before they would be bothered to do anything else. All in all, a modest improvement.

Kirchoff was the one to finally break the silence. "So did you find anywhere to set up camp?" He asked Valen hopefully. Last night they ended up sleeping on top of the hill near the wall because Kirchoff had no intention of walking the few hundred feet down to the pine forest and had just slept curled up on the ground. In hindsight he wished he had made the walk down to the forest. His back was killing him, and the ground was probably a lot softer in the undergrowth.

There are several places I found that would be suitable, but I don't think you'd like them very much. Valen responded.

"And why is that?"

Because they're sixty feet in the air. I assume you don't intend to sleep on a branch?

A shudder ran down his spine. "Yeah, no. I'll sleep on the ground if it's all the same to you. Much less likely to die by falling if I'm on the ground."

I thought as much, Valen chuckled. He descended to the ground, leaping from branch to branch until he landed at Kirchoff's feet. I did find one spot I think you'll like. It's not that far away.

Valen turned on his heels, although quite how he did so was a mystery of physics and biology, and silently strode off into the forest. Kirchoff shrugged, adjusted the straps on his pack and followed behind his alien friend.

---

I love this forest , Valen thought to himself. It was truly amazing. For a start, there was so much room. Far more than he had ever experienced before. If he wanted to run in a straight line, he could! If he wanted to chase his own tail, he could! If he wanted to leap from branch to branch until he was flying through the foliage, he could! Not only that, but he absolutely loved the smell that the large conifers gave off. It was so fresh and clean that it made him want to roll around on a pile of pine needles until it would be impossible to distinguish him from a 8 foot tall pine scented air freshener.

But he wasn't leaping through the tree tops or cosplaying as a pine-scented air freshener, he was escorting Kirchoff to their new home that he had chosen. It hadn't taken long to find it, only several minutes of searching. Honestly, Valen could have tried harder to find more potential places to 'set up camp' as Kirchoff put it, but he got bored and wanted to run around in the forest more. Besides, if Kirchoff didn't like it, they could always find another spot.

He glanced over his shoulder and was greatly amused to find Kirchoff panting and grunting under the massive pack slung over his shoulders. His face was red and he was almost bent double from the weight of it.

Having fun back there? He asked, trying his best to keep his amusement out of his thoughts.

"What... does it... look like?" Kirchoff shot back, his breath coming in strained bursts. Even his mental voice sounded out of breath.

Oh, I just thought you might want some help. He strained, desperately trying not to laugh.

The look on Kirchoff's face was a lovely mix of irritation and exhaustion, his eyes bulging and cheeks flushed. It entirely fit the exasperated, frustration that Kirchoff was feeling, and that was just too much for him. Valen broke down and started laughing, rasping even louder every time he looked back over at Kirchoff's exasperated expression. Kirchoff gave up, throwing down his pack and sitting down on it, panting and gasping. That just made Valen break into a new fit of raspy giggles.

When at long last Valen pulled together long enough to compose himself, he addressed Kirchoff. So... would you like me to carry that for you?

"By all means," he gestured at the pack he was sitting on with a tired flourish. Valen picked it up with a delicate claw and placed it on his back. He didn't bother with the straps, he just balanced the backpack between his dorsal tubes. Now freed from his burden, Kirchoff matched Valen's pace, walking agreeably close to him. Several times during their walk, Valen had deliberately stepped slightly off center, making contact with Kirchoff. This of course shoved him off balance and nearly sent him sprawling face first into the forest floor, but it was worth it for the expression on his face and the little bit of contact with him. In less than 5 minutes the forest abruptly cut off on both sides of them, giving way to a small clearing. The grass here was shorter and tougher than the grass outside the forest. Valen had chosen the spot because there was enough space for both he and Kirchoff to sleep, relax or whatever they were going to do while he recuperated, and it wasn't very far away from the door Kirchoff had left and arrived from.

Well, he asked. Do you like it?

"Valen, you couldn't have chosen better," Kirchoff said, his gratitude and amazement rolling off him in waves. This made him purr with content, and he purred even harder when Kirchoff scratched the spot on the back of his neck under his crest that he could never reach by himself. Kirchoff broke off and walked around the perimeter of the clearing. Valen clambered up a nearby tree, and watched from above as Kirchoff paced the uneven circle of grass. He looked so small from up so high on his perch. I wonder if I could pounce on him from here, it's a big jump but if I could build up some momentum...

"I heard that!" Kirchoff yelled from the other side of the clearing.

You can still hear me? Valen asked. He was equal parts impressed and confused. It was at least two hundred feet from his side of the clearing to the other.

"Yes! I just said that!"

You weren't able to hear me this far away when you were in your home back in the lab! According to Kirchoff's memories, his personal rooms were fairly close to his cell back in their old lab, no more than 30 feet from the closest wall at most

"I dunno, maybe the concrete in the walls was limiting your range or something?"

Maybe... Valen pondered. Could there be something wrong with your head after what happened. That possibility worried him quite a bit. The possible side effects of Kirchoff's torture was a near constant worry in the back of his mind.

"Equally plausible," Kirchoff was stroking his chin, deep in thought. "Tell me, did you ever try communicating with anybody besides me when we were in the lab?"

No, why do you ask?

"The basement where the lab was was mostly deserted, just a few other specialists and guards worked down there. Maybe the range of your mental ability is much greater than we thought and we just never found out?"

Hmmmm, perhaps, he thought musingly. That was a much more preferable theory that possible brain damage.

"Anyways, we can puzzle over that later. I'm tired and I wanna take a nap."

Splendid idea, Valen leapt forwards, landed gracefully in the middle of the clearing and sauntered over to Kirchoff, who had just unraveled a long sheet of cloth, presumably to sleep on. Probably. Valen couldn’t understand why humans used half of the things that they did anyways. Maybe you could store snacks in it when it wasn’t in use? He watched as Kirchoff unpacked the rest of his things. He pulled out a pillow, a change of clothes, a stick of plastic with bristles on one end, a tube of sharp-scented paste, a water bottle, and some foul smelling packages that Kirchoff swore were food.

Are you sure you're supposed to eat that?

"Yes Valen. It's called a granola bar."

Just keep them away from me, He backed up a few steps, shaking his head. I don't want to get contaminated.

He also had a small supply of personal belongings, among which were several slim paperback books. Those caught Valen’s attention. The only books he had ever heard Kirchoff read were the manuals on operating computers back in the lab, and those had been so boring and tedious that it made slamming his head into the wall seem like a welcome alternative.

What are those books about? He asked.

"Hmmm? Oh, just some silly novels I brought with me from home when I came here," Kirchoff answered. But Valen could sense that he was trying to brush past his question, to not pique his interest in those books. Which only piqued his interest even more.

Interesting, but that didn't answer my question. What are they about? Valen pressed Kirchoff, closing the gap between them and getting right in his face.

"Well, err… Well one is a sci-fi novel and the others are… they're just some stupid romance novels. It's nothing really." Kirchoff was so flustered his face practically radiated heat.

It sure doesn't feel like nothing, he teased, laughing at Kirchoff's supreme embarrassment.

"Look, let's forget about that okay! I've gotta get unpacked" he said, trying to change the subject.

You can do that later, Valen chuckled. I want to hear what these novels of yours are all about.

This made Kirchoff even more embarrassed. His cheeks were so flushed that Valen thought he would spontaneously combust if he got even more flustered. Satisfied with his handiwork, Valen plopped down on the grass next to Kirchoff and wrapped his tail around his legs.

I'm teasing you, you imbecile, He said, not unkindly.

"Oh... okay," Kirchoff let out a sigh, relieved. He was silent a moment before saying. "I could still read you a story you know... If you wanted."

Really? This made Valen perk up. He'd never read a book. Not that he could have even if he did have the opportunity, what with the claws & the poor eyesight & the inability to actually read English.

"Sure, but I'm not reading you any sappy romance novels," His tone, both verbal and mental, was bemused. "You're already a cuddle monster as it is, I don’t need you getting any ideas."

What, me? He gasped in false shock. Never!

Kirchoff laughed a little as he settled against Valen's chest, using a blanket and pillow to cushion his back against his abdomen. He had his water bottle beside him, his weird pills in his pocket that made his throat feel better, and the science fiction book in his hands. "Okay, I'm just gonna read the first few chapters, then I'm going to bed, okay?"

Alright.

---

At first, the book was rather dry and boring. It was explaining some science that Valen didn't quite understand or care about, but as Kirchoff kept reading, he felt his mind begin to stir. At first only a few dim flashes of color crossed his mind, barely feeling enough to be recognizable, but as he kept going the story slowly unfolded in his mind. Images and sensation danced before in his mind, painting a vivid picture as he read. The forms of characters, vehicles, plants and animals, planets, the vast empty void of space, decorating with millions upon billions of stars casting their eerie, beautiful glow across the sky danced across his mind. They painted a coherent and yet surreal portrait of the story Kirchoff was reading, playing out in his head. Valen watched in awe as a tragic young man, who appeared to be the focus of the story, travelled from planet to planet, solar system to solar system, galaxy to galaxy as he hunted for something that he had lost. Valen knew that this young man was not real, but he could not help but get invested in as he watched him suffer, struggle and succeed, over and over and over again as he continued his quest for who knows what. A lover perhaps? He nearly cried out in delight at one point where the man, after fighting a bitter battle against a ferocious, dark skinned, sharp toothed, horned monster, finally slew the beast. A young woman, scarcely clothed and feeble, was imprisoned in a cell nearby. With a leap the man was at the cage and destroyed it with one swing of his weapon and she flew into his arms. They embraced, and Valen could feel their elation as they reunited after so long. The final image of the two lovers, standing on a cliff overlooking a vast expanse of forest lingered for a moment, then it slowly faded to black, and with that, Valen slowly came back to his senses.

---

"And that's the end of the book," Kirchoff said, closing the paperback. "Man, I forgot how much I love this book. I mean it's not the best book ever, it's kinda cliche, but I think it's a good read. So what did you thiiii…!"

Before he could finish, Valen pulled Kirchoff into a bear hug and squeezed him tight, cutting off his words with a high pitched squeak. Kirchoff! I loved it! That was the most amazing thing I've ever experienced! It was like I was really there, in the story, watching it all play out before my eyes! I had no idea that something like this was possible!

"That's great to hear," Kirchoff wheezed. But do you mind loosening up a bit? I like breathing y'know.

Sorry! He relaxed his grip and Kirchoff took a deep breath of relief. It's just that, I've experienced anything like that! Can you read more of your books to me? Please? Pretty please?

Kirchoff smiled. "Of course, but not right now. I didn't think I would read the whole thing. My voice is sore, I'm dog tired and I really need to take a leak."

But… He was about to protest, but Kirchoff cut him off.

"I'll read another book tomorrow, I promise," His amusement showing as smile widened. "But for now, I need to empty my bladder and go to bed."

Alright, he grumbled, trying to make his disappointment as obvious as possible. I'm going to hold you to your promise.

"I'm sure you will," Kirchhoff grinned.

Once Kirchoff was all drained and ready for bed, he curled up next to Valen, who purred so much that he sounded like an electric go-kart. He hadn't seen Valen so happy in… ever. This made him smile, which made Valen purr even harder and pull him against his chest even tighter. For the first time in what felt like an eternity, he drifted peacefully off to sleep.

Chapter 14: Relief

Summary:

Hello everyone! Welcome to chapter 14! This was originally where the only explicit smut in the story was, but I've opted to remove it from this chapter because it doesn't really feel right here. I also don't plan on adding any actual explicit sex scenes in future chapters, but I'm planning on adding some side-fics for the more invested readers who want that sort of thing. Anywho, happy reading! - AX

"Valen, for the last time no!" Kirchoff shouted.

But you promised, he whined. This was an entirely new level of annoying. Kirchoff could deal with Valen's sass, he'd gotten pretty used to bantering with him by now. He could handle his anger, although with a lot less confidence. The one thing he hadn't been prepared to deal with first thing in the morning was a bitchy Xenomorph who wanted him to read his gushy romance novels to him.

"I know I promised you," he growled back. "But I am not going to read you that one!"

Why not? Valen complained. In his black, powerful claws was one of Kirchoff's romance novels entitled The Marquis of Mars . It was a birthday present he got from one of his brothers before they enlisted in the marines, and as such it held great sentimental value. The other thing it held was a lot explicit content that he didn't feel like explaining to Valen first thing in the morning.

"Because I said so, that's why!" Trying to get Valen to stop whining.

But you promised me a story, He whined, sounding like a five year old whose mother said he couldn't have candy at the grocery store. If the five year old was an eight foot tall alien death machine.

Kirchoff rubbed his temples. He decided to try and compromise. "okay look, I'll get some more books I can read to you, but I am not going to read you that one."

At least tell me why not! Valen's mental voice was so high pitched and drawn out that Kirchoff could swear he was doing it on purpose... which he probably was.

"I'm not going to read it to you because I really, REALLY don't want to answer your questions once I'm done reading it," he huffed. "And can you please stop your bitching! You're giving me a headache!"

What, you'd rather I sass you until you get a headache? Valen asked smugly.

"That would be infinitely preferable."

---

Ever since Kirchoff had woken up, he had been harassed by Valen to read him another story. Whatever Valen had experienced while listening to his story must have been nothing short of absolutely mind blowing, because it was all he could talk about the entire morning. Not that Kirchoff could complain too much. Never before had he seen Valen so happy and invested in... well anything. Nonetheless, it got a pretty grating after about four hours of talking about Galactic Quest: Search Among the Stars. In a desperate attempt to get some peace and quiet, Kirchoff had told Valen that he was going to go make a request for some books, and Valen had insisted on coming along.

I can't believe we didn't try this sooner.

"Uh huh," he said absentmindedly. They were walking back towards the door Kirchoff had come in the previous day, and which was also their primary means of communication with Dr. Nigel. It was the only place he knew of that had an intercom.

I mean, I had no idea that anything could produce images and sensations like that.

"Uh huh."

I still can't believe how vivid it all was, Valen spouted. I had no idea that anything could produce such effects in the mind.

"Uh huh."

Especially yours, he teased, nudging him on the hip. The gentle nudge was strong enough to shove him to the side, make him lose his balance, stumble on his own feet, and make him fall flat on his face.

"Classy," he fumed. "Real classy."

Sorry Kirchoff, Valen said, not sounding sorry at all.

"Valen, could you knock it off?" he shot. "I'm not in the mood."

When are you ever in the mood? Valen shot back.

Kirchoff stood up and said in a calm, controlled voice, "Valen, do you still want me to read to you? Because right now, I'm this," Kirchoff spread his fingers a fraction of an inch apart, "Close from never opening another book around you again."

Kirchoff stood in place, breathing heavily for a heartbeat... then his anger turned to shock at his own outburst. He looked back at Valen, who had taken several steps back from him, and Kirchoff felt something he'd never felt before. Genuine remorse & hurt. From Valen. Because of what he just said.

"Look," he paused, then took a deep, calming breath before continuing. "I'm sorry Valen. I shouldn't have shouted at you like that. I'm just a little tired of hearing about what happened last night when I read to you. I know what happened was very new and special to you, but I can't talk about the same thing for 4 hours without going a little crazy."

So… does that mean you're still going to read to me? Valen asked hesitantly.

"Of course it does you big idiot," he laughed and patted Valen's head until he was purring loudly. With that, all the tension in the air instantly evaporated. "Just give it a rest for a while."

The rest of the short walk to the outer wall of the forest was blissfully silent. When they arrived at the door, Kirchoff hurriedly dialed a number on the keypad on the wall and waited for an answer.

---

Dr. Nigel was sitting in her private laboratory, furiously typing away at a computer keyboard. Ordinarily, she didn't trust computers to store her data as far as she could throw one. Her IT staff had assured her that her computer was entirely secure and encrypted, but she was still hesitant to entrust any important information in a digital format despite her circumstances. She had been working almost non-stop for the past three days, and she had only barely started. Then her phone rang, which could mean one of three things. One would be Dr. Gavin calling and there was no way that it could be anything less than disastrous. The second could be Kirchoff calling, which was a significantly better option. Or third, it could mean that her new filing cabinets were here, which would be the best situation. She stopped hammering away at the keyboard and picked up the phone.

"Yes, this is Dr. Nigel," she almost slurred. She had been working on three hours of sleep for the past 72 hour,s and she had just run out of coffee.

"Hi Ursula," Kirchoff said.

"Hi Kirchoff, how are you doing?" She did her best to stifle a yawn while she asked.

"Just fine, thank you. Except…"

She sat up in her chair. "Except what?"

"Except I've got an avid reader down here who's been dying for some new material and hasn't stopped talking about it since this morning."

She puffed out her cheeks and blew hard. "So all you want is a few books?"

"Not a few books. I mean like, all the books you can get your hands on. Any genre, any subject. Classics, sci fi, fantasy, mystery, romance, textbooks, whatever. Oh, and throat lozenges. Shittons of lozenges."

"I should be able to get all of that in a day or so." She went back to typing, banging out Kirchoff's request in a new file. "Anything else? I've got lots of work to do."

"No, unless you can send down some toilet paper and about fifty pounds of raw meat."

"Toilet paper I can do. Fifty pounds of raw meat, no. Tell Valen that he'll have to go hunting for his own food. The forest is full of deer and other wildlife, so he shouldn't have a hard time finding a meal."

"But he says…"

She cut him off. "And tell him to stop being such a whiny bitch."

---

"And she tells you to stop being such a whiny bitch." Kirchoff tried to keep a straight face, and failed miserably.

I am not whiny, Valen huffed.

"You sure are acting like it. What happened to all the sass and sarcasm?"

I don't know, maybe it's because I've spent it all on an imbecile human who won't shut up about how his rear end is itching because he's been unable to wipe his…

"Alright, alright! You've made your point," He raised his hands in surrender. "She says it'll take about a day to get all of the stuff here, so what do you want to do in the meantime?"

Hmmm, let's see, what could I possibly want to do? Valen said, practically spewing raw sarcasm as he spoke. I'm completely stumped. Utterly lost for ideas. Do you have any ideas of what I want to do?

"I told you Valen, I'm not reading that book."

And I'm telling you Kirchoff, you don't have a choice in the matter, Valen grinned. Kirchoff gulped.

---

Okay, Valen chuckled, barely containing his mirth enough to talk. I have a few questions.

"Oh dear god." Kirchoff buried his head in his hands, dreading what was about to come.

First of all… Why do you own this book?

"It was a gift from one of my brothers for my 18th birthday."

And you enjoyed it?

"A little."

I'd say more than a little. You could barely keep your words straight half the time.

"I only read three chapters."

And I'm not sure how much longer you would have lasted, it was getting hard for you to read, He could barely contain himself. It was so hard to not keel over and laugh, And I'm pretty sure that's not the only thing that was getting hard.

"Really?" Kirchoff exclaimed. "Really? Are you really going there?"

I don't know, I'm sure you'd be more than happy to at this point.

Kirchoff squirmed, and Valen savored the moment. It was good to know that he could still make him writhe and squirm if need be. Then he asked, "Valen, what exactly do you know about mating?"

Kirchoff's question caught him off guard. Where did that come from?

"Seriously, I'm curious. I never learned about it in school because so little is known about it. Very few people are interested in Xenomorphs, and those that are into researching... that stuff are tend to be a little messed up in the head."

You mean like you?

"Me?" He snorted. "No, I'm a perfectly well adjusted adult with a Doctorate in Xenology who has a Xenomorph for a roommate, who is also my a best friend. I'm a totally a normal, well adjusted person who definitely doesn't regret their life choices right now."

Smartass. To be honest I never gave it much thought though. This was a blatant lie. Valen had thought about it very much, but never much about who he would do it with until recently. It always seemed like a distant fantasy back when he lived in a containment cell. He always imagined it would be with another one of his own kind, but now that he had time to put some thought into it, it seemed less and less likely. Obviously he was limited to males, which made his options very small right off the bat.

Back when he was living in the cell, he did have some private time whenever Kirchoff wasn't around to relieve the pressure, but since Kirchoff had involuntarily moved in with him he hadn't had much private time. Not that he had noticed up to now because he was so concerned for Kirchoff's well being, but now that there was no apparent danger to his health, there was nothing to distract him. Not only that, Kirchoff's book was so charged that even he couldn't help but feel a little stirred up.

Valen was so lost in his own thoughts that he forgot all about Kirchoff until he snapped him back to reality with a loud cough. "Valen, are you still here?"

What?

"I asked if you're alright. You just froze for a minute there."

Yes, I'm fine, just hungry, he lied again. I'm going to go hunting.

"You do that. I'm going to go exploring. You said there was a stream nearby?"

Yes, just a short walk over that way, he gestured to his left with his tail.

"Thanks," he gave Valen's head a hug, which didn't help his situation.

---

As it turned out, hunting was far more difficult than Valen had initially anticipated. It was easy enough to locate the deer, their scent was very strong and it only took him several minutes to locate the small herd that occupied the forest with them. Actually killing them turned out to be the hard part. They were incredibly skittish. Even the slightest snapping of branches, rustling of leaves or any kind of unexpected noise sent them running. Being sneaky in a forest literally covered in dry twigs and loose branches, Valen discovered after half a dozen failed ambushes, was very difficult. In the end, he gave up on his attempts to be stealthy and just chased down a doe for dinner. It struggled more than he would have liked, but that couldn't be helped now.

After his well deserved meal, Valen didn't head back right away. He wanted some time to think about what Kirchoff had asked him. Now it was obvious to him at this point that he felt very strongly for him and there was a good possibility of him feeling the same way, but he highly doubted Kirchoff would be willing to mate with him if it came down to it. After all, they were two different species, and he had no idea if Kirchoff would find him… appealing. Valen's thoughts drifted back to the night in the cell, before all of the crazy events of the last few days. He thought about when Kirchoff had come into his cell and oh so thoroughly frisked all of his sensitive areas. And he thought about what he wanted to happen next....

Perhaps he was thinking about it a little too hard, because Valen noticed that a friend of his had come to visit. Valen glared down at his erection, angry at his own body betraying him like this. He stared at it, willing it to calm down. In response, it twitched defiantly back at him. 

Definitely more pent up than he was expecting. Great.

---

Kirchoff was flipping through The Marquis of Mars when Valen arrived back at the camp. When he saw him land back in the clearing he quickly shut the book and stuffed it under his pillow.

"Hey there Valen, what took you so long?" he asked, noting the red splotches of blood on his muzzle and forearms.

Devouring a deer isn't exactly easy when you have to catch the damn thing, he snarked. Irritation and tiredness laced his mind and Kirchoff thought it would be best for his physical health if he didn't comment. I'm going off to the river to clean up.

"I'll come with you, I've gotta clean up anyways."

Clean up what? You still look perfectly clean to me. That is unless you were… Valen stopped talking and looked over at him. He looked away and ignored the implications of what Valen was saying. Valen laughed, oh Kirchoff, you dirty bastard.

Kirchoff rolled his eyes and his cheeks burned. "Oh, what?"

Nothing, Valen rasped through his laughter. Nothing at all. I wasn't implying that you were pleasuring yourself while I was out hunting.

"Like you've never jerked off before when I wasn't around."

I don't know what you mean, he said, clearly feigning innocence.

Kirchoff shot him a look that made it clear that he didn't believe a word he was saying, but he decided to let it slide. "Anyways, let's go clean you up shall we."

---

The river was only a brief walk away from their campsite. The water wasn't particularly fast or strong, but the river was wide and the water was chilly, so they stuck to the shallow water near the rocky bank of the river while Kirchoff helped Valen clean himself off. This was a difficult process, since most of the blood was drying or dried, and it made it a pain in the ass to scrub out of all of the tiny grooves and crevasses on Valen's body.

"You're a messy eater, you know that right?" He told Valen, trying to scrub a patch of coagulated blood off of his bony shoulder blades.

Like you're much better.

"I'll have you know that I have perfectly fine table manners," He retorted. "At least I don't end up covered in oatmeal every time I eat."

Kirchoff could feel that Valen wanted to comment, but he held his tongue, much to his surprise. Somehow Valen had managed to cover half of his body in deer blood, which wasn't exactly... pleasant to look at. Or smell. It made his stomach churn just to thinking about it.

If you're so squeamish, why don't head on back to camp? Valen told him. I can clean myself.

"Because I don't want to be hanging around a blood soaked Xenomorph when I'm trying to relax." Kirchoff grunted as he did his best to scrub a particularly stubborn patch of viscera out of a groove, "Is that too much to ask?"

Why should it matter to you? It's not like you're not covered in it.

"Several reasons," Kirchoff counted them off on his fingers. "One, you've become very touchy feely recently, and I don't want you to ruin my clothes. Two, it reeks of deer guts, and it's disgusting. And finally, I don't want to picture you ripping a deer apart like a meat-doll."

Kirchoff, I'm a predator. Killing things is what I do. I thought we discussed this a long time ago.

"Yeah, but I don't want to see you just as a predator all the time." He blushed a little. He felt embarrassed, although he had no idea why, and he felt even more embarrassed at not knowing why he felt so embarrassed.

Well... I'm glad that you see me that way, Valen said softly. They continued to bathe Valen in silence until all traces of his hunt had been washed from his body. Then they silently trudged back to their campsite in the clearing. They didn't speak at all, they didn't feel the need to. Both Valen and Kirchoff felt completely content just to bask in each other's presence. When they arrived back at camp, Kirchoff expected Valen to ask him to read to him, but the request never came. Instead he lay down on his side and extended his arms to him, an invitation he accepted without hesitation. He leaned his head against Valen's chest, his arms wrapped around him. And they laid like that together, late into the evening, until they drifted off to sleep.

---

Ursula Nigel was dog ffffucking tired. Her eyelids were heavier than a lead brick, her shoulders drooped over her desk, her braided hair was disheveled and frizzy, her clothes reeked like an offworld anime convention, but she couldn't bring herself to go to sleep. Her eyes were fixated on a monitor on her desk.

On the monitor was a live video feed, which offered a bird's eye view of a small forest clearing, in which two figures could be clearly seen laying side by side. They looked completely at ease, although logic dictated that this was an impossibility. Dr. Nigel had observed this scene many times over the course of the last few days, but she had never seen the two so relaxed and comfortable before. She sipped her coffee and continued to stare at the two figures, doing her best to avoid looking at the memo on her desk. She knew she couldn't ignore it, but that didn't mean that she wouldn't try. So she continued to ignore it by staring at Kirchoff & Valen, deep in thought until she could no longer keep her eyes open.

 

Chapter 15: Life

Wake up Kirchoff, Kirchoff heard Valen say. According to the smooth, chitinous cocoon he was surrounded in, Kirchoff concluded that Valen must still be wrapped around him, and therefore it wasn't time to wake up yet.

Wake up you bonehead, Valen chuckled, bemused.

"Hnngh… Err…" He mumbled incoherently. At sometime during the night Valen had put his blankets over him, and now he pulled them up over his head and round his ears, trying to block out Valen's voice.

Kirchoff, you do know that I'm talking to you in your head right? As in, not using your ears.

He grumbled and pulled the blankets tighter over his head. Valen was silent for a moment, then a horrifying shriek pierced his eardrums. He jolted upright, his heart pounding and his ears ringing.

"Damnit, what was that for?" He grumbled.

I wanted to see if your ears were still working, Valen said. You know, since the rest of your brain doesn't appear to be functioning right now.

"Well it's nice to know that I have an alarm clock for a roommate." Now feeling wide awake, Kirchoff stood up and rubbed the sleep out of his eyes. Valen also stood and stretched, arching his back like a cat.

"So why did you wake me up so early?" He asked, scratching the back of Valen's neck.

Because I got bored of watching you sleep.

"Wait," Kirchoff turned to Valen and raised his eyebrows. "You were watching me sleep?"

Well what else was I supposed to do while you were using me as a pillow? Valen asked, defensively. I sleep a lot less than you, and I needed something to do.

He laughed and gave Valen one last scratch on the neck. "Don't worry about it, it's fine. Wanna go see if Ursula dropped off your books yet?"

---

It turns out that Dr. Nigel had done a lot more than drop off some books. She had apparently made some 'minor' additions to the list, because when they went to open the cargo door they used as an airlock they found a pile of boxes, crates, and backpacks marked with various different labels. There were not only an entire pallet of books, but also cooking supplies, food, clothes, several tents, a first aid kit, and a music player complete with speakers. Several of the boxes were unmarked, but they would have plenty of time to sort through all of the boxes they had just received.

Kirchoff went over to the box marked 'FOOD' and flipped the lid open. It was filled to the brim with a large variety of cans, boxes, plastic bags, and water bottles. Kirchoff grabbed one of the water bottles and unceremoniously chugged it down. Then he grabbed a second one and offered it to Valen.

And what exactly do you expect me to do with that? He asked sarcastically.

"I don't know," Kirchoff shrugged. "I thought you might be thirsty."

I have a whole river to drink from back at our camp. He rolled his eyes. Or at least Kirchoff assumed he did. Besides, that's not nearly enough water for me.

"Fair enough," he said as he twisted the cap off and drained that water bottle too. When he was done he turned to Valen, who had flipped one of the boxes open and was looking at the contents.

"What's in that one?" Kirchoff asked him.

More books, lots of them. Valen reached inside the box and gently removed a paperback book from the case. The title of the novel was Marquis of Mars II: The Recolonizing.

Oh sweet baby Jesus no... Kirchoff thought in horror. Valen tilted his head as he felt the sheer terror Kirchoff felt wash over him, then started to laugh his raspy laugh.

"I am not reading you that book!" He stated, crossing his arms.

And why not? Valen asked bemusedly.

"I… uh…" He desperately tried to think of an excuse, any excuse. Of course his mouth blurted out the first thing he could think of, "I… I haven't even finished reading the first book to you!"

Then you'll just have to read me both of them, Valen smirked.

"Fuck," He swore under his breath. How dare you betray me like this brain... "Fine, but not until after we get all of this stuff back to camp."

That sounds like a fair deal to me. How are we going to move all of this?

"I thought that you were going to carry it all," Kirchoff said with a big grin on his face.

Why do I have to be the pack mule?

"Because you've got the biggest muscles," he said flatly. "That, and I'm under strict orders from my doctor to not strain myself." Kirchoff shouldered his much smaller backpack and took off back towards their campsite.

Valen hissed in annoyance, but walked over to the book crate, and with very little visible effort, lifted it and carried it off behind him. 

---

"Dr. Nigel sure has a cruel sense of humor," Kirchoff muttered to himself as Valen found a chess set in one of the boxes.

It had taken most of the day to take all of the supplies back to the clearing, and by the time they were finished both of them were tired, irritable and surrounded on all sides by miscellaneous survival gear & creature comforts. They had taken a brief break to eat and recover, and now they were busy rummaging through their new things in the slowly dimming artificial sunlight.

He stood up from the box they were currently going through and his back shrieked in protest.

"Oh god," he groaned. Despite doing his best to follow the doctor's orders, he was pretty sure that he had pulled a back muscle at some point during the day.

You know that Dr. Nigel never let you hear the end of that? Valen asked him, rather smugly.

"Yeah, yeah," he said dismissively and stretched out his back before leaning forwards again and looked back in the crate.

He pulled out another unmarked box and pulled off the lid. Inside was a single playing board, a set of metal playing pieces, and a large collection of brightly colored fake money and plastic houses. Kirchoff quickly shut the box.

What's in that one? Valen asked curiously.

"A great and terrible instrument of destruction."

It looks like a board game to me, he sidled over and peered over his shoulder at the closed box in his hands.

"No, really, take my word for it. If we ever want to stay friends, we are never going to play this game. It's been renowned for over a century as the ultimate test of family and friendship. Few people have survived it's touch unscathed."

Which of course meant that Valen had convinced Kirchoff into playing Monopoly less than ten minutes later.

---

"You can really be so childish at times you know," Kirchoff told him as he set up the board and pieces on top of a crate. "Haven't you ever heard of the benefits of delayed gratification?"

I would agree with you, He snarked, but my claws say otherwise.

"You make a convincing argument," he said, rolling his eyes. "I feel sooo intimidated." The truth was he really wanted to play Monopoly with Valen. Mostly because he was really, really good at it and he was still a little sore from Valen whooping his ass so completely at chess. "Do you want me to read you the rules or teach you as we go along?"

Could you please read the rules to me? he asked innocently. I'd rather know what I'm getting myself into.

Kirchoff quickly read the rule manual to Valen, who asked him to reread several parts of it in order to clarify some details. In no time they were playing the game. Kirchoff rolled the dice first, and moved the little race car forward several spaces onto the first railroad station. He smiled and paid the fee to buy the property. The game was off to a good start.

And so the game went. In the beginning, Valen looked like he was winning. He snapped a good spread of properties, including the utility properties in several trips around the board. Kirchoff was a bit more selective with his purchases, managing to buy two of the railroads and several pairs of properties. Then the game started shifting in his favor. In two consecutive trips he bought all 4 properties around the Go square and started to put up hotels on all of them. Valen, on the other hand, had no complete sets of properties and was having a tough time buying more since he spent all of his money early on. What he hoped would be his biggest money makers, the utility properties, turned out to be a terrible investment, since Kirchoff didn't even land on them once. Then he had landed on the boardwalk for the first time, forcing him to fork over most of his money. And in a stroke of luck, good for him, bad for Valen, he had landed on it again, and this time he had to mortgage most of his properties to pay him. By this point Valen was seething with rage, but that wasn't the best part for Kirchoff.

How did I land on your boardwalk again?! Valen said in astonishment. That's the third time in a row!

"Bad luck buddy," Kirchoff said as he rubbed his palms in a cheesy display of greed. "Pay up."

Valen did a quick tally of his remaining funds. I can't.

"Well I guess that means... " He was cut off by Valen swiping the board game off the table, sending the money scattering over the grass and ripping the board in two pieces.

"...I win," Kirchoff finished. The anger and frustration Valen felt was practically palpable.

It's a stupid game anyways, Valen pouted.

A smirk made its way across his face. "Someone's a sore loser."

Am not. It's just a stupid game. Kirchoff felt like this was an ideal opportunity to make some excellent verbal jabs, but he refrained. Instead he got up and wrapped his arms around Valen. "Yeah, I agree. It is a pretty dumb game."

Although if it weren't for a certain someone buying half the board I might have had a chance at winning, he said pointedly

"I'm your dreams big guy, I won through sheer skill."

If by skill you mean incredible luck, then yes, I am utterly floored by your boundless skill, Valen snarked.

"There's the sassy little Xenomorph I know," Kirchoff cooed derisively. "Much better than you being a big whiny baby."

I'm not whiny.

"Oh yes you are!" Kirchoff said vehemently. "You can't deny that you got all mopey when you lost or you couldn't have another bedtime story." He shook his head. "How can you be an alpha predator with that kind of attitude?"

I'm used to getting what I want. Not many people tend to argue with an alpha predator.

"Okay, fair point," he agreed. "Still, you could be less of a mope about it."

I could, could I? If Valen had eyebrows, Kirchoff was sure he would be raising them.

"Uh huh!"

Well how's this for mopey! Out of nowhere Valen whirled around and tackled him to the ground. He attempted to grab his arms and pin them over his head, but he somehow wriggled out of Valen's ironclad grip and clambered out from under him, crawling backwards on the ground trying to put some distance between him and Valen. However, Valen, being a Xenomorph, quickly leaped forwards again and pinned him to the ground this time, laying his whole weight on his chest. Kirchoff's arms were pinned on the ground next to him underneath Valen's powerful hands, his legs kicking helplessly at empty air. He struggled and writhed as hard as he could, but he couldn't break free.

---

Valen was laughing his head off. Kirchoff meanwhile was stuck underneath him writhing like a worm.

Eventually Kirchoff gave up on his attempt to wriggle free and put on a pouty face. His laughter died down and they lay there in silence, their faces only inches apart. Kirchoff's gaze pointed straight up at him, his eyes smoldering. Now was the opportune time to make a comment at his expense, but unusually, he didn't. This didn't go unnoticed by Kirchoff, who raised his eyebrows. Valen could tell that he had half expected it.

Maybe I'm getting too predictable, he thought. I've got to mix things up a bit. So instead of making an incredibly witty and sardonic comment, he kept his mouth shut. That threw Kirchoff off guard.

"What, no smartass remark?" He huffed.

You want me to insult you? He asked smugly.

"What? N-no," He stammered. "I just thought you would have done it by now."

I've decided to take a break from insulting you for once. I'll be nice.

"Nice enough to let me up?" Kirchoff asked hopefully.

Not that nice, he laughed. Besides, you make such a good pillow.

To emphasize just how good of a pillow he was, and because he rather enjoyed being in contact with Kirchoff for any amount of time, he nuzzled his head into his chest and purred loudly. This made Kirchoff's voice vibrate when he shouted, "Cut that out! You're going to give me a headache!"

But you're so soft and warm, he explained, and purred harder.

"Valen," He pleaded, his voice sounded like he was speaking through a fan. "Stop, please!"

Oh fine you big wuss. He stopped purring. He slid down a bit so his head was lying on Kirchoff's chest and released his arms. He was still purring a little, but not enough to make Kirchoff uncomfortable.

"Stop that," Kirchoff told him.

Stop what? he asked in mock ignorance.

"Stop looking adorable!" Kirchoff said. "You're not supposed to be adorable!"

I'm sorry, he chuckled, but I can't turn it off once it's on.

That made him laugh. "Damn you, you cuddle monster."

You wouldn't have it any other way.

"Yeah, I can't say I would," he laughed back, wrapping his arms around his head in a hug.

Kirchoff didn't seem particularly eager to get out from under him anymore, and Valen was perfectly happy with that arrangement. Unfortunately, they were interrupted by a loud chiming sound, accompanied by a faint buzzing noise. Valen ignored it. Kirchoff didn't.

"Is that a ringtone?" Kirchoff asked, as much to himself as to him. "Did Ursula send us a phone?"

No, he replied. The chiming sound continued, even louder now.

"I'm pretty sure that's a ringtone."

No it isn't.

"Valen, I think that a call from Dr. Nigel is pretty important."

Ffffffffine, Valen stood reluctantly and let the semi-squished Kirchoff get to his feet. He brushed as much grass as he could off his now green tinged clothes and searched through one of the backpacks until he found a small pink smartphone, similar to the tablet Kirchoff used to communicate with Nigel when he couldn't talk. Only this one was much smaller and it was chiming and vibrating.

---

"Hello Kirchoff" Dr. Nigel said. "I hope I'm not interrupting anything important."

"Not really, you just interrupted me being smothered to death by an overly affectionate alien," he replied.

Dr. Nigel laughed. "I hope that you're feeling better"

"I'm feeling much better, thanks for asking." A sarcastic comment rose up about how he would have been feeling a lot better if he hadn't been tortured, but he let it go. As much as he would have liked to, he knew that he couldn't rake Dr. Nigel over the coals forever. It wasn't fair to her, and she was trying to make ammends.

"How about Valen?" she asked. "Can he hear me? I don't want to leave him out of the loop."

"He can read my mind Doc, I'm pretty sure he's already listening in."

No I'm not, Valen said in his best innocent voice.

"Good," she said. "Listen, I made a few additions to that list you gave me."

"Yeah, I noticed," he muttered. "My back hurts from helping carry all of those damned boxes"

"You do know that you're on strict orders to be resting right?" she said, sounding very peeved.

"I know," Kirchoff rubbed at the back of his neck, his cheeks flushing a little in shame. "I just didn't want to make Valen do all of the work."

You do realize that I'm significantly stronger and in much better condition than you right? Valen snarked.

Hey, you were the one that was complaining that you were a packmule!

Valen snorted, but didn't say anything.

"If you don't start taking your recovery seriously, I'm going to get Valen to hold you down and make you relax." She threatened, and there was no doubt in her tone that she meant it.

Kirchoff gulped and glanced at Valen, who turned his head and grinned at him. "Got it Doc, I'll relax as hard as I can."

She laughed, "Good. Let me know if you think of anything that you need. Oh, and keep this phone on you at all times, it's the easiest way for me to stay in contact and keep tabs on you."

"Got it, thanks Doc."

"You're welcome Kirchoff, have a good night. I'll call you again tomorrow to discuss what we're going to do going forward."

"Talk to you later," he said and hung up. He stood staring at the phone for a minute, wondering what else she wanted to talk about. His thoughts were interrupted when Valen nudged his arm. He stroked Valen along his head and asked, "What do you want to do now?"

Didn't you say something about a bedtime story? Kirchoff felt his blood run cold and Valen laughed.

Chapter 16: Literature

He could see the beast towering over him. It stood at least 30 feet tall, with even larger wings and spewing fire out of it's maw. However, he did not stand down. This was the final challenge, a true test of his will and might, and beyond the dragon was the castle where his beloved princess was imprisoned. At the thought of his love, he felt a wave of righteous fury run through him. He drew his sword from its sheath, gleaming in the fire of the dragon's breath, and charged towards the beast. Raising his arm to strike, he…

"And that's where I'm stopping," Kirchoff said as he closed the book he was reading.

What! Valen started upright from his position curled up at Kirchoff's feet. It was just getting good!

"I know," Kirchoff smiled. "That's why I'm stopping there, so you'll have something to look forward to after my doctor's appointment."

Valen hissed. You're evil, pure evil.

"Truly, I am a monster," he said. He rolled his eyes and rubbed Valen's forehead, which made him purr a little. "I'm sorry Valen, but I'm already running late."

I know. Valen arched his back and extended his inner mouth in a yawn. But make it quick, I really want to see what happens.

"I'll do my best." Kirchoff stood up from the pile of blankets he was using as a seat, stretched his back, and walked off towards the door to the outside with Valen at his heels.

---

"Can you believe it's already been a month?" Kirchoff asked him.

No, and I didn't believe it the first five times you said that either, Valen snarked back. Of course he was just being sarcastic. Kirchoff had probably said that exact phrase at least two dozen times, but he lost count after about the 15th time.

Kirchoff gave him a playful shove. "You're funny for a Xenomorph, you know that?"

Believe it? Valen nudged Kirchoff with his hip, which sent him sprawling on the grass. I know it.

"Smartass," Kirchoff grumbled as he picked himself up and brushed off his clothes. "Keep that up and I really won't finish that chapter when we get back."

He wasn't bluffing either. Over the past few weeks, Kirchoff had used books as leverage to try and keep him on what Kirchoff described as his 'best behavior'. Valen had to admit that it was sort of working too. He had been trying his best to cut down on the sarcastic retorts and to suppress his overwhelming urge to startle Kirchoff at every opportunity. As much as he loved messing with him, it still didn't measure up to the experience of having Kirchoff read to him. Over the past few weeks Kirchoff had read him dozens of books. Each one was absolutely fascinating. Valen had never known that there was so much creativity and variety in the stories that humans had written over the centuries. He had even caught himself thinking that perhaps humans were good for something after all.

Of course, they just hadn't been reading for the past month. Dr. Nigel had given them a frankly ludicrous amount of things to do, or at least it seemed that way to him. She had given them more books and games that he knew what to do with. Kirchoff also particularly enjoyed the music she had given them, but Valen just couldn't get into it. It all sounded like incomprehensible screeching to him. Even when he was tuned in with Kirchoff's emotions, it wasn't enough to make up for the terrible screeching that Kirchoff loved so much. Still, Kirchoff liked it and that was more than good enough for him.

Kirchoff gave Valen's crest a few brief pets and walked through the door. Valen watched him go, then felt as his mind walked further and further away. When he could no longer feel him, Valen curled up and waited for him to come back.

---

"Welcome back Steven," Dr. Garrett said as he walked into the room. "I'm glad to see you still alive and in one piece."

"Thanks doc, it feels good to still be in one piece."

"So let's get down to business," Dr. Garrett clicked his pen. Kirchoff spent the next half an hour answering the same questions he had been asked at every appointment over the last month, watching as he scratched notes on his notepad. 

"I think you're ready to start physical therapy," Dr. Garrett said once he had concluded.

Physical therapy. Kirchoff tried not to groan. One of the reasons that he had become a scientist in the first place was to avoid exercise. Now he was being told that it would be mandatory.

Dr. Garrett must have noticed the look on his face because he laughed and said, "Don't worry Steven, I'm not going to make you start running marathons right away. I'm only going to give you some gentle exercises so we can determine if there is any lasting damage that we haven't caught so far. He also scribbled something else down on his notepad. "I'm also going to try to commandeer a portable medical scanner for our next appointment, so that I can see how your body is doing on the inside instead of just relying on your word."

"Why didn't you get one of those portable scanners before?" Kirchoff asked.

"If it was that easy to get one, I would have gotten it." Dr. Garrett peered at him over his thin wireframe glasses. Actually, Kirchoff didn't remember him wearing glasses during his last checkup.

Again, Dr. Garrett guessed what he was thinking before he could ask. "Contacts."

"Doc, are you sure you're not telepathic?"

"Not as far as you know," He flashing his pristine teeth in a wide, friendly grin. "Although you might be more of an expert on that subject, at least according to the rumor mill."

Kirchoff couldn't suppress a look of surprise and shock from flitting across his face, but if Dr. Garret noticed he didn't give any indication that he did. "What kind of rumors have you been hearing?" Kirchoff asked as nonchalantly as he could, which even he had to admit wasn't very nonchalant at all.

"I try not to pay too much attention to specifics. Ignorance is bliss and all that, especially in my position," Dr. Garret gave Kirchoff a knowing look that indicated that he probably knew far more than he was letting on... and that made sense considering he was Dr. Nigel's personal doctor. 

Duh! Kirchoff thought to himself.

"Look," Dr. Garret continued, ignoring his inner monologue, "I don't know what kind of history you and Dr. Nigel have, or what kind of experiment you're involved in, but let me tell you that she's using every resource she can get her hands on for you."

"She is?" He asked, out of genuine interest. "How much has she spent on me?

"I think I'll let her tell you yourself." At his words, the closet door swung open and Dr. Nigel stepped into the room, equal parts disheveled and supremely confident.

"Hello, Kirchoff," She said with a half smile. "It's good to see you."

---

Kirchoff was caught between the desire to run over and hug her, and the desire to reel back and punch her square in the jaw. Instead, he just flopped back into his chair and ran his hand through his hair.

"Thank you David," She said to her doctor, "Do you mind giving us a few minutes alone?"

"Not at all," David replied. He quickly gathered up some papers from his desk and hurried out of the room. He stopped just before leaving and told Kirchoff, "I'll see you at the same time next week."

They sat in silence for a time. Kirchoff had no idea what he should say, or if he should say anything. Lucky for him, Dr. Nigel spoke first.

"So, Steven," Dr. Nigel began.

"Kirchoff, please," He interjected. "I actually kind of prefer being called by my last name now."

Dr. Nigel shrugged. "Whatever floats your boat Kirchoff."

That made Kirchoff snort out a laugh. "I don't know Doc, what floats my boat tends to sink most other boats."

She smiled. "I see that you're well enough to crack jokes again."

"Yeah, I'm feeling much better. I've had a nice vacation since..." He trailed off, not sure he wanted to finish his sentence.

"Since you were tortured." She finished his thought for him.

"Yeah, since I was tortured..."

"Kirchoff, I'm not going to apologize to you anymore, but that doesn't mean I've stopped being sorry."

"It's alright Doc, I get it. I've had more time to think about it, and I understand that you were backed into a corner."

"I'm glad that you've forgiven me."

Kirchoff shrugged. "I wouldn't say that, more like I'm letting bygones be bygones."

She nodded. It probably wasn't the response that she was hoping for, but it was the one he was giving her.

"So... What is so important that you need to tell us in person?" Kirchoff asked, cutting to the chase.

"Us?" Dr. Nigel looked taken aback. "It's just us here."

"No, I mean I'm not going to talk to you about whatever this is without Valen present," He crossed his arms and leaned back in his chair. "I'm not listening to a word you say unless you keep him in the loop too."

"Wait... You want me to brief Valen too?"

Kirchoff couldn't understand her confusion. "Of course! He's as much a part of this whole mess as I am."

She raised her eyebrow at him. "He's not exactly a scientist. I don't think he needs to hear my plans directly from me when he can just read your thoughts."

"Doc, how many times have you talked with Valen?"

"Huh?"

"How many times did you have a full conversation with Valen before you met me?"

Her eyes furrowed and her lips pursed, but she played along with his question. "Not many, if any. It's hard to remember off the top of my head."

"Exactly, and that's a problem." Kirchoff uncrossed his arms and leaned in to stare Dr. Nigel directly in the eyes. "You keep thinking of him like a subject, not a person."

"Kirchoff, I know you two are close, but he's..."

"He's a person," Kirchoff cut her off. This wasn't a debate, this was a statement of fact. "Look Doc, I've been living with Valen for months now, I know him better than literally anyone else ever has or likely ever will. You may have known about Valen for longer than I have, but you don't know him like I do. All you've done is passe him around to other scientists to try and figure out what his whole deal is after he stopped cooperating with you, and they all basically just tortured him until they couldn't stand his stubborn sarcastic asshole act anymore. Hell, I was in that category after I first met him. The only difference between me and all of them is that we made a deal. We started cooperating. We started communicating, and after a while we just kind of... clicked. We understand each other."

"Look, Kirchoff," She rubbed her eyes, clearly frustrated with him. "As fascinating as this is, I don't have the time to argue semantics with you right now, nor I do I have the time in my schedule today to include him. However, I'm going trust you on this and I'll plan to include him in future discussions. Can we please move on?"

"Alright," He raised his hands in a peace gesture. There was more he wanted to say, but he'd have to trust her in return for hers. "I know you're busy. You just need to talk with both Valen and me, together. I also don't wanna keep playing middleman between you two forever."

She looked relieved that the conversation was back on track. "That's fine, because I need to start researching Valen again as soon as mother fucking possible."

"I assumed as much, but what makes it so urgent?" He asked.

"Well I'm not sure if you've heard any rumors about this yet," Kirchoff deliberately didn't say anything. He didn't say anything as hard as he could while Dr. Nigel continued, "But I used a lot of resources and even more favors to get you and Valen moved here, and my superiors are getting very impatient with me. I need to start producing tangible results on my - and I quote - 'pet project' soon, or I'm going to be in deep shit. Even more shit than Julius is in right now."

"Julius?"

"Dr. Gavin." Her eyes lit up. "Oh, I forgot to tell you! Dr. Gavin is gone."

"Gone?" Gone could mean quite a few things. "What do you mean gone? How 'gone' are we talking here?"

"Well I say gone, but he's still here on Bernard. Technically he's been fired and is awaiting transfer back home," She told him. "The Ethics Board concluded that he was unfit to resume his position, and that he is to be transferred back to Earth as soon as possible."

Kirchoff felt a huge weight lift off his chest. He hadn't even known it had been there, but once it was gone, he almost cried out in relief. Dr. Gavin, the man who had ordered his torture, was gone. "Good fucking riddance."

"I couldn't have said it better myself," Dr. Nigel's smile was back and wider than ever. "But now that he's dealt with, someone had to take over as Director of Research, and I've been very busy with assuming a lot of Dr. Gavin's former responsibilities. Managing all the research divisions, finding a replacement for my previous position, and keeping an eye on you. And now I'm starting to feel the pressure from my bosses. I need to start producing results on Valen again to justify all the strings I've pulled, and I need to do it soon."

"How soon?"

"As in we should have started a week ago," She leaned back in her chair. All of a sudden she looked ten years older. For a moment Kirchoff could see the immense weariness she wore under her calm, confident expression. The dark bags under her bloodshot eyes, the wrinkles on her forehead, the grey roots of her hair, all of it spoke of someone who was tired beyond tired. A kind of tired you can feel in your very soul. "So are you up for it?"

There was no hesitation in Kirchoff's voice. "Sure Doc, no problem."

Dr. Nigel waved her hand at him. "Please, just call me Ursula."

---

Valen was ecstatic when he felt Kirchoff coming back along the hall. He took up a new hiding spot that he had found, a small patch of trees and shrubs positioned near the airlock door that was just barely big enough for him hide behind. He waited and felt as Kirchoff approached, then watched as the airlock cycled open. He watched as Kirchoff cautiously stepped out of the airlock, glancing around for the big Xenomorph. He watched as he was confused by the lack of an eight foot tall Xenomorph tackle hugging him to the ground. He watched as Kirchoff turned his gaze to the copse of trees and...

Valen pounced, leaping forwards in a blur, seizing Kirchoff by the chest and sweeping him off his feet in a ferocious bear hug. Valen nuzzled his smooth forehead into Kirchoff's hair and couldn't stop himself from purring. You took your sweet time, he told him.

Kirchoff didn't respond right away, mostly due to the fact that his face was buried in Valen's chest. When he finally did respond he heard him think, Valen, I can't breathe!

Ooooh, right! I forgot that you need to do that! Valen slackened his grip enough to let Kirchoff take in a deep breath, but not enough to let him escape.

"You forgot that I need to breathe?!" Kirchoff fumed.

It was an honest mistake, he replied, not even trying to hide the amusement in his voice.

"I swear, sometimes I wish I still had that electrocution button," Kirchoff muttered. Despite his words, Valen could feel his mood lightening as he cuddled him in his arms.

Did your appointment go well? He asked. An almost instantaneous bolt of thoughts and emotions flashed through Kirchoff's mind. Dr. Garret's notepad, the rumors, sudden anger & joy mixing together at the sudden appearance of Dr. Nigel, demanding that she include Valen in their discussions… Dr. Nigel's... No… Ursula's tired face, empathy for her weariness, a list of initial tests she needed to run...  Valen saw everything before Kirchoff could even open his mouth. She needs to test me again.

Kirchoff looked a little shocked. "How did you... "

I saw it, he explained. Everything that happened, I saw it in an instant.

"Woah," Kirchoff marveled. "Your telepathy is getting stronger."

Perhaps, or I'm getting better at communicating with you? I'm feeling more of what you feel than I used to.

"That sounds plausible," Kirchoff said. "Do you think that it's all of the books we’ve been reading?"

That seems likely... But Valen silently doubted that was the case, not entirely anyways.

"Well Dr. Nigel is going to be thrilled to hear about this."

I'm sure she will be. Valen didn't like the idea of being 'researched' again, but Kirchoff had gotten the impression that Ursula was more interested in cooperating rather than dictating.

"Thankfully she gave us the rest of the day off," He said. "We're going to start tomorrow after you and her have caught up."

I can't wait. He rolled his eyes. Of course, Kirchoff couldn't see it, but he was usually pretty good at picking up his body language anyways. I am simply filled with excitement & joy at the prospect of seeing her again.

"Don't sound too excited," Kirchoff smirked. "Or I'll give her a call and ask her to come down because you simply couldn't wait. You two can catch up over coffee, maybe have a bite to eat at a café. Oh, it'll be just dandy!"

Valen could practically see the sarcasm dripping off Kirchoff's words. I think my sarcasm is starting to rub off on you.

"You'd better hope that you've only been rubbing your sarcasm on me," He retorted.

If Valen had cheeks, they would be flushing red. Instead, he gave Kirchoff one last squeeze and dropped him on his feet. Kirchoff made a show of straightening his clothes before he looked up at him and said, "Now I believe there was some mention of a story?"

---

The artificial sun was high in the artificial sky when they arrived back at their camp. It looked much the same as when they had first moved into the little clearing. A fire pit, a clothesline, a large tent that was constructed out of a tarp and a rope running between two tall trees, and several neatly organized rows of crates off to the side of the clearing were the only noticeable additions.

Kirchoff sat down in his favorite spot in between three trees which had twisted and grown together to form a sort of natural alcove that he had filled with blankets and pillows to form a sort of chair/nest. Valen plopped down in front of him, with his head resting on his legs and the rest of his body curled almost all the way around the trees that made up his reading spot.

"What chapter was I on again?" Kirchoff asked Valen as he picked up the book lying among the tangle of blankets.

The one where Sir Gawain was about to fight the Green Knight.

"Oh yeah, I remember now. I'll have to ask Ursula if she can get a different edition of The Tales of King Arthur, this one is very different from the one I remember from when I was growing up."

How many earlier editions are there? Valen asked, genuinely curious. When it came to books, Valen didn't possess an ounce of sarcasm.

"Dozens, maybe even hundreds. King Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table are a very old legend. It dates all the way back to Old Earth."

Humans might not have much going for them, but at least they're good storytellers.

"Well I doubt all of them are," Kirchoff said. "But there's a few good ones mixed in there somewhere."

Really? Maybe I'll get to meet one someday.

"Smartass," Kirchoff gave Valen a light smack on the head. "Do you want to start right where we left off, or do you want me to start at the beginning of the chapter?"

At the beginning. It gets much better once you've been reading for a while.

And with that, Kirchoff began to read and Valen immersed himself in the legends of Old Earth.

 

Chapter 17: Testing

“Where did I put that stupid monitor?” Dr. Nigel muttered to herself as she dug through one of the many crates filling the cramped storage unit. What had once been a storage room for experimental terraforming equipment and genetic samples of Terran life had been transformed into a fully functional, top-of-the-line Xenomorph Habitation and Monitoring Lab. At least functionally.

Visually it looked like a drunk tornado tore its way through an electronics junkyard. She suspected that just looking at her lab setup would give even the most hardened of her IT staff a heart attack. Tangles of wires and cables snaked across the floor, up the walls and dangled from the ceiling. Pieces of equipment were stacked haphazardly on top of each other with almost artistic lack of care, and dangerous looking containers & generators were packed together in ways that they definitely should not be packed. Still, it was the best she could do in the amount of time that she had been given, which was no time whatsoever. 

To say that she was in hot water with the Board about her decisions thus far would be an insult to the word 'understatement'. It was more like she was being dipped into a sea of boiling oil head first. After she had reported Julius to the Ethics Board for ‘gross ethical misconduct’, she had been the interim, now acting, Director of Research for the entire Bernard Research Station. It wasn’t bad enough that she had to deal with all of the work that Julius used to do, but she also had to protect Kirchoff and Valen. She didn’t trust anyone else to deal with them directly, and the Board was starting to ask some very uncomfortable questions about her personal investment in the project.

Even worse, if she couldn't start producing tangible results soon then she, Kirchoff, and Valen would all be in some serious shit. She shook her head. Now wasn’t the time to dwell on possible consequences. It was time to get to work. She shifted a pile of assorted cables out of the way and saw the corner of the monitor poking out from under some piece of highly sensitive equipment that should not be buried under a pile of cables. It's gonna be a looong day...

---

Kirchoff’s back was killing him. And so were his arms. And his legs. And the rest of his body too now that he thought about it. In fact, it was hard to think of a spot on his body where he wasn't aching. Despite Dr. Garrett's assurance that the physiotherapy exercises that he had given him to do were easy and simple to do, that didn’t stop Kirchoff aching like hell the next day. 

“Why did I agree to do this stupid physical therapy in the first place?” He asked the universe in general. He tried again to lift himself from his position lying against Valen's side, but his muscles protested so much that he gave up.

Because I would make you if you didn’t. Now get up Kirchoff, Valen squirmed, trying to free himself. I’m hungry.

“Sorry, no can do. I’m pretty sure all of my muscles have turned to jelly.”

And how is that different from how your muscles normally feel? Valen asked and poked him in the stomach with the rounded topside of his index claw. You were already soft and squishy before you started exercising.

A loud beeping noise from his pocket cut Kirchoff off before he could come up with a suitably devastating retort. He fished around in his pocket and pulled out his now thoroughly scratched phone.

“Hello, who is this?” He asked the person on the other end of the line, already knowing exactly who was on the other end.

“You know, that joke stopped being funny the first time you told it,” Ursula replied, not sounding in the least bit amused by his attempt at humor.

Kirchoff wrinkled his brow, confused. “I’ve never told that joke before.”

“Exactly.” Valen let out a loud hissing snort, and Kirchoff shot him a withering look. 

Kirchoff accepted the insult without further retort. “So what exactly are we in store for today Doc?”

“A lot. I need you two to get over here as soon as you can.”

“And where is here, exactly?” He asked her.

“Look at the map I gave you, it should be marked as Storage Unit #4.”

“Right the map. The map that I definitely have. I’ll be right over as soon as I find Storage Unit #4 on this very important map I definitely know the location of.”

“Valen,” Ursula raised her voice loud enough to make Kirchoff pull the phone away from his ear. “You have my permission to drag Kirchoff here by his ears if he doesn’t get up and find that map in the next thirty seconds.” Kirchoff almost spring-boarded off of Valen’s chest and began to desperately search one of the crates where he was pretty sure he had seen the map buried under a pile of music discs. He hoped.

Although he couldn’t see it, Kirchoff felt the mischievous grin that Valen was giving him.

---

Unfortunately for Valen, he didn’t get to drag Kirchoff to the makeshift lab by his ears. In fact, he had to give Kirchoff a ride most of the way there. It was further away than the door that Kirchoff normally used to go in and out of the forest, and despite his teasing he could feel that Kirchoff was almost sore to the point of immobility by the time they reached the halfway point. 

“Are we there yet?” Kirchoff asked, only half as a joke. He was laying between Valen’s dorsal tubes, his arms wrapped loosely around his neck. 

Well judging by the fact that I’m still walking, probably not. Valen snarked.

“Damn,” Kirchoff groaned. “Are you sure?”

Yes, we’re already there, He stopped in place. I was just lying to mess with you.

“Wait, really?”

No.  

“Have I told you that I hate you sometimes?”

You might have mentioned it once or twice. Valen snorted a laugh and picked up the pace again.

“What about Dr. Nigel? Have you thought about what you’re going to say to her?”

No, I haven’t. In fact, you could say I’ve been trying my hardest NOT to think about it.

“Why not? You knew you’d have to see her again soon.”

Kirchoff, are you really going to lecture me about avoiding my past?

“As an expert on the subject, I think I’m more than qualified enough to lecture you on the subject.”

...Okay, fair point.

“Exactly.” This time Kirchoff asked the question in his head, knowing that Valen would be listening to his thoughts. Now tell me, what are you going to do when you see her?

If you’re concerned about me ripping her face off... And Valen could feel that Kirchoff was worried about exactly that, just a little bit. Then don’t worry. I’m not going to harm her.

“Well that’s a relief.” Kirchoff let out a sign of relief. But…

Yes? Valen prodded him to continue.

How are you feeling about it? He asked. Actually meeting her face to face?

Valen pondered the question for a few silent minutes. He’d never liked Ursula Nigel, even after all she had done for them & especially for Kirchoff. She was ambitious, intelligent, driven, and wasn’t afraid of getting her hands dirty herself. He’d been living his entire life under her charge, he’d never been free of it from the moment he was born. Even when she wasn’t watching and studying him directly, she was directly in charge of who interacted with him, how long they would be with him, and who would replace them. Anything that he did, she would know about. Suddenly, a thought occurred to him. Kirchoff, have you ever wondered what happened to all those people who were assigned to me before you?

Valen could feel the answer before Kirchoff could even think of the works. Honestly, no. I’ve been more concerned with our wellbeing the past few months.  

He couldn’t argue with that. His life had certainly been a lot more hectic ever since he met Kirchoff. That’s one thing that’s been bothering me for a long time. If she was willing to dispose of all those others, then she might do it again.

Do you really think she’d do that now? Kirchoff asked. She’s done so much for us now, I doubt she’d screw us over now.

It’s not about what she is or isn’t going to do to us right now, Valen explained. It’s what she is capable of that I’m worried about. Neither of us really know her well enough to know what she’s capable of. I think we need to get answers out of her.

...Agreed.

---

When they finally arrived at Storage Container #4, Valen was surprised to see Dr. Nigel standing out in the clearing in front of the large, reinforced door.

“Doctor Ni… Err, Ursula,” Kirchoff stuttered, caught off guard by the unexpected appearance of his former boss. “Um, what the hell are you doing in here? With us?” 

With Valen? Valen caught the unspoken question, but said nothing.

“It’s a show of good faith.” She said as Valen walked them over to her. Despite her calm exterior, Valen could still feel the tension rolling off of her. Hell, even Kirchoff could feel it. She was almost quivering with nervous tension.

“Are you okay Doc?” Kirchoff asked, and Valen could feel him trying to keep the smile out of his voice. “You look a little tense.”

She shrugged. “You could say that. Unlike you, I’ve never actually been in the same room as a Xenomorph before, so this is just a little bit terrifying.”

I’ll choose to take that as a compliment instead of an insult. Valen snarked, giving the good doctor a glare.

Ursula jumped a little and swung her head towards Valen, shocked that he had chosen to talk to her directly instead of responding via Kirchoff. Her mouth opened and closed a few times, but no words came out. After an awkward pause, she cleared her throat and managed to say, “It’s… it’s good to see you again Valen.”

As much as it pains me to say it, it’s not horrible to see you again too.

“Well, that’s a start I guess.” Valen shot Kirchoff a look, but Kirchoff ignored it. Instead he patted Valen on the neck and tried to slide gracefully off his back, but his legs were so shaky he almost toppled to the ground.

I’m not a pack mule you know, Valen told him. 

“You keep telling yourself that.” Kirchoff grinned and scratched Valen behind his crest, drawing out a soft purr from the big alien.

“Alright boys,” She clapped her hands together. “Are you ready to get started?”

What happened to the other people who you assigned to study me? Valen was coming out of the gate swinging. No lead up. None of his usual clever snark or sass. He was getting right to the point.

“Them? Why do you ask?” She tilted her head, as if curious why he would even care about them.

Humor an old friend Doctor. Kirchoff could practically feel the venom dripping from the word ‘friend’.

“They were shipped off the station.” She looked unfazed by both his tone and the question, but even Kirchoff could see her eyes narrow and her back straighten ever so slightly. “Bernard has limited living space, and the company has no interest keeping anyone they deemed unnecessary on their payroll.”

Kirchoff’s eyes glanced over to Valen, who was studying her intensely. She’s not lying, but there’s a lot she’s not telling us.

“I doubt the company would just send them home after what they know about Valen.” Kirchoff pressed her. “He seems pretty valuable, and I’m sure Bernard’s competitors would love to know what they learned.”

She sighed and her shoulders slumped. This was clearly something she didn’t want to talk about, but she saw that she didn't have much of a choice. Valen had made up his mind, and there was no changing it. “You’re right. This station and all of the knowledge here is too valuable to just let someone leave with it in their heads.”

That caught his attention. “So, what happened to them? Were they killed?”

“What? No!” That time she reacted, glaring at Kirchoff. “The company just assigned them to positions on different stations, or doing work for the company elsewhere. So they can keep an eye on them.” She explained. “They’re under heavily restrictive work contracts and NDAs too. If they so much as breathed a word about Valen, then they would be drowning in lawsuits before they could even finish a sentence.”

She’s telling the truth now.

“So... I wasn’t in danger? If I didn’t mesh with Valen?” He asked warily.

“No... Well, not initally,” She explained. “But that changed once you began bonding with Valen. There was no way that the company, or myself for that matter, would let you leave. You’re just too valuable.”

That must be the real reason they got rid of Dr. Gavin. Valen speculated. He was threatening their precious resources behind their backs, and they didn’t like that. Not because the Ethics Board did anything about it...

That was probably just to save face, and now Ursula has to prove that we are a worthwhile investment. Kirchoff continued. If we don’t provide enough value for them, then they basically fired Dr. Gavin for nothing...

“I think we understand now.” Kirchoff told her. “You need us to keep the Board off your back as much as we need you to keep us safe from them.”

“Exactly. There’s no way that they'll keep this," She gestured to the expansive underground forest, "going if they think this was all a waste of resources. They were planning on completely removing the forest and remodeling the space starting next month, it's a massive drain on resources that they can't justify the cost of anymore. If I don’t give them something good soon to make up for the cost of keeping this space up and running... They might bring Julius back. Or just fire me, or both.” She didn’t need to tell either of them what that would mean for them. It also started to sink in just how much Ursula had put on the line for them, and how much it could cost them if it didn't work out. Kirchoff resolved to ask her about why she would even put them here in the first place if it was so expensive to run.

Well no pressure on us then, Valen snarked. That made Kirchoff snort out a laugh. “Yeah, like we were in such a good position before. At least now we get a forest to camp out in and I don’t have to worry about my blood being set on fire again.”

“Are you done with all the probing questions boys?” Ursula tapped her wrist impatiently. “I’d love to answer more of your questions later, but in case you forgot we’re on a short time limit here.”

Fine. Valen's tone wasn't exactly friendly, but he didn't feel quite so hostile now. So what “experiments” are we going to be a part of?  He actually used two of his fingers to make air quotes like he had seen Kirchoff doing on occasion.

“Okay, ignoring the fact that Kirchoff is clearly a bad influence on you, we’ve got a lot of tests to run today,” She told them, the tension on her face melting away and being replaced with her usual calm, focused, if tired demeanor. “Meaning that we’re going to be here for a while. We’ve got a lot of catching up to do.”

“How long is a while?” Kirchoff asked. In response, Ursula gestured behind her. “Come inside, I’ll explain while we get you two suited up. Time is money.”

---

“Most of the experiments we’re going to be running involve monitoring brain activity, so you’re going to have to wear these,” Ursula said, plucking a pair of bulky looking devices out of an open shipping container. Both of them looked like tangled messes of cables that were covered in wires and electrodes. She handed one of the strange devices to each of them. “Strap these on boys.”

And what exactly are these? Valen asked as he sniffed at the bundle of cables.

“Those,” She told him, pointing at the device, “Are very expensive, so try not to break them. Especially you, Kirchoff. I had to get that one modified for human use, and we don’t have any spares.”

“These are monitors for analyzing brain activity, right?” He asked, turning the bundle of cables and diodes over in his hands.

“Correct,” She sounded a little surprised. “I’m surprised you recognized them. Nobody is using this analog junk anymore, I had to go digging around in a bunch of decommissioned equipment just to find this pair, and then it took me a week to find someone to modify it for you.”

“Back when I was getting my Xenobiology degree we had to use these all the time.” 

He felt Valen giving him a dirty look. “Hey, don’t get jealous of me, big guy. You're the only Xeno I've tested in a long time.”

I’m not jealous, He snorted in indignation, affronted at the idea. But Kirchoff could feel the tiniest twinge of jealousy as Valen turned his head away, pretending to examine something in one of the many crates scattered around the place. Interesting.

Ursula butted in before Kirchoff could voice a response, steering the conversation back on track. “Normally we just use our remote monitoring devices built into our observation rooms, but since we don’t have one of those here we’re going to have to do this the old fashioned way.”

---

Is it bad if I say that I would prefer being back in that lab than having this thing put on my head?

Only a little. Kirchoff thought as he finished attaching the last electrode to Valen’s head. Want to help me put on mine?

Only if you don’t mind it being shredded in several pieces. He flexed his impressive claws to emphasize his point.

I don’t think the good doctor here would appreciate us breaking her equipment, Kirchoff rolled his eyes and did his best to wiggle the headgear onto his own head. It was difficult, the wires kept tangling in his hair and it felt like it was two sizes too big for his head. Eventually, he managed to fit the apparatus on his head and shot a glare at Valen before he could make any sarcastic remarks about his appearance.

“Alright, now that you’re hooked up, it’s time to get started.” Ursula slid off the box she was sitting on and walked over to a console, half buried under a pile of what Kirchoff assumed were food wrappers.

“Ummm, start on what exactly? You still haven’t told us what we’re going to do yet.”

“Oh, right,” Ursula rubbed her eyes and let out an enormous yawn. “Sorry. I’m a bit overworked and under-caffeinated at the moment.”

She gestured to a small stack of papers laying on top of the box that she retrieved the headsets from. “I have a whole list of different tests that we’re going to run, but in the end most of them boil down to studying your brains while you and Valen interact in a variety of circumstances.”

Kirchoff picked up the first sheet on the pile and started skimming over the abstract of the experiment. “You mean that you want to know how we talk?” Kirchoff asked.

I think she means more than just how I talk to you. I can feel your thoughts and emotions too. And I can sense living beings without ever seeing them.

“Valen is right,” Ursula said. “And it’s not only me that wants to know. The board also wants me to get as much information on you two as possible, and the best way for me to make that happen is by doing everything on this list.” She waved a sheaf of papers at them.

“Alright, so what exactly are we going to be doing then?” The excitement was evident in Kirchoff’s voice. It had been a long time since it felt like he had been a scientist. He couldn’t wait to actually do some real research again. “Oh! How about if we move some of this equipment back to our campsite! Then we could do tests even when you’re not here! And we could…”

“Later Kirchoff! We can go over that later,” Ursula interrupted, clearly impatient. “Now less talking, and more talking!” 

Valen and Kirchoff raised their eyebrows, the former in a much less physical sense than the later.

“You know what I mean smartasses! We’ve got work to do!”

---

Ursula wasn’t kidding when she said that they needed to do everything on that list. They were busy participating in tests for the rest of the day and a significant portion of the night, and by the time that Dr. Nigel released them from their service they were both exhausted.

The multiple brain scans of Valen and Kirchoff that Ursula needed were extensive and time consuming. It didn’t help that they had to work with cumbersome, out of date hardware that Ursula described as “obsolete pieces of shit.” She had them talk, read lengthy passages from books, listen to music, and even had them do several other communication exercises that she had devised herself. 

Sometimes she would have Kirchoff look at a picture and have Valen describe it to her, sometimes Valen would be the one looking at the picture. She gave Valen instructions for some type of plastic building blocks that Kirchoff would assemble. However Valen’s absolute favorite experiment was when she made Kirchoff play chess with her while Valen sat outside. Valen merely observed as Kirchoff had his ass handed to him over and over again, which he enjoyed far more than he would ever admit to either of the humans.

You’re just loving this, aren’t you? Kirchoff seethed, trying and failing to keep the frustration at losing another one of his chess pieces.

What? No way! Valen lied.

Can you at least cooperate? He asked, almost in desperation. You’re supposed to be helping me!

I am cooperating, He snarked. He was enjoying laying in the fresh air and artificial sunlight outside the cramped storage room. It’s not my fault you suck. 

"He's right you know," Ursula remarked. "Even for a newbie you suck at chess."

Valen, There was a delightful note of pleading in his tone this time. Please help me. I promise not to question your judgement again.

For this experiment Kirchoff and Ursula were playing chess, while Valen would tell Kirchoff what moved to make. Valen was still wearing his headgear, but the cables were long enough on his gear to stretch outside, which is where Valen currently was. He pitched the idea as 'adding distance as an additional data point' to Dr. Nigel and she agreed. Unfortunately for Kirchoff he had made the grievous mistake of questioning one of Valen's moves, which is what lead him to this predicament.

Fine, but only if you read three chapters of Space Wars II tonight instead of two.

Ugh. Fine, alright. Kirchoff relented. Valen had already talked him up to two earlier. Now can you please help me stop humiliating myself.

Well I’m not sure if I can do that, but I’ll help you win at chess.

---

Hey Kirchoff, have you noticed that you could hear me when I was talking to Ursula. Kirchoff was riding on Valen’s back on their way back to the campsite. It had been a long day of mental exercises, and both of them just wanted to get back home and sleep.

“Yeah, I did notice that. I thought that was you doing your normal telepathic thing.”

No, I thought I was just talking to her. I wasn’t even aware that you could hear me until you started replying.

“Well, you haven’t talked to multiple people in a long time. Maybe you’re just getting better at it?“

Either that, or you’re starting to feel my mind.

“Maybe? I did kinda notice I was starting to get hints and twinges of emotions coming from you. Are you projecting your emotions to me now?” Dr. Nigel would definitely want to know about this. His head throbbed and he rubbed his temple with a hand. Today has had too many questions and not enough answers.

Ugh, Valen made a gagging sound that sounded like a malfunctioning blender. Tell me about it. My head hurts just thinking about it.

“Do you want to go somewhere to unwind?”

I thought we were heading back to camp.

“We are, but I think taking a detour would be good. I’ve barely explored out this far before, and I thought we could just go for a little walk together.”

I would like that very much. He didn’t say anything, but Kirchoff could swear that he felt a little twinge of joy spark from Valen.

---

“Ursula, is this all you have to show us?” A blading, wiry man sitting opposite to her across the table looked up from the report in front of him, gazing at her over his glasses. This Board representative was particularly annoying. Not that any of them were particularly good, but Goodwin was always a particularly annoying brand of pain in the ass. Perhaps there were more diplomatic ways to describe him, but Ursula always found that ‘weasley, condescending, arrogant asshole’ was more apt.

“Like I was saying,” She explained patiently, as if to a small child. “This is just a preliminary report from today’s calibration testing. I would have had more by now, but Julius completely threw my timeframe off when he…”

“Yes, yes,” He waved a hand to cut her off. She bit back a retort, irritated at the man for cutting her off. “We’ve heard that excuse enough times already.”

“Look, I’ve been trying to explain that the potential this line of research has…”

“has enormous potential, yes.” Ursula was getting really sick of this stuck up bureaucrat interrupting her all the time. “But we are not in the business of theoretical research, Ursula. We are in the business of practical applications.”

“This is a completely new field of study!” She all but shouted. “You can’t expect practical results instantly! The implications of real, practical telepathy are extremely complex, it could take years…”

“Exactly. Years. How much time and money have we already allocated to your pet project Dr. Nigel? How much more time and money do you need before we finally get a return on our investment?”

“It’s… hard to say. We still don’t fully grasp all of the implications of Xenomorph telepathy, but it could be huge.”

“You said it again Ursula. ‘Could be’. Unless you can give us something tangible in the span of weeks, some practical use for your little pets in their little jungle gym, some way to justify the expenses, past and future, that you've committed the company to, then we may have to resort to other alternatives to recoup our expenditures. The company does not have infinite resources, nor do we have infinite patience.”

Shit. “Are we done here, Goodwin? I have other work to do today.” In reality, she just wanted an excuse, any excuse, to get away from him.

“Yes, you certainly do. Your quarterly financial reports are still not in, and our investors are getting antsy about why we haven't released our financials yet. You’d better get on that.” He said as he stood up from his chair, gathering his meticulously organized paperwork back into his briefcase.

Ursula bit back a harsh retort. “Yes sir.” How long can I keep this up? Everything she feared was starting to happen. Her workload was only getting more and more overwhelming, despite her delegating as much as she could to the rest of the staff, and now her project was being directly threatened by the Board. If Kirchoff and Valen didn’t give her something good soon, then they would all be screwed.

Chapter 18: Confession

Summary:

Content Warning: Lots of blood & self applied first aid. If that isn't something you're comfortable with, please skip the final segment at the end of the chapter.

“Okay Kirchoff,” Ursula shouted. “Now go back about another fifteen feet!”

“Remind me why I’m the one running all the way out here and not Valen?!” He shouted back. Kirchoff was sitting in the dirt about two hundred feet from the entrance of the messy storage unit that Ursula insisted was a lab. Today they’d been testing the range and relative intensity of Valen’s telepathy, and for Kirchoff that meant a lot of walking and sweating all day under the artificial sun. But dammit, he was feeling a lot better lately than he had been since before his torture. Like it or not, the physiotherapy was helping. 

“Do you want to make him move?”

“...No.”

“Then get cracking!”

A twinge ran up his back. “But…”

“Kirchoff!” Ursula’s voice snapped. “We don’t have all day!”

“Alright, fine!” Kirchoff hauled himself to his feet and dragged his feet over to a spot that he guessed was another fifteen or so feet away.. Valen? Can you hear me?

Nope. He could feel the smug amusement practically radiating off him.

“He says he can’t hear me.” He shouted back at Ursula.

“Okay, let’s try moving back another few yards and trying it again. You’re bound to move out of range of his snark eventually.”

My snark is infinite, Valen retorted. He was basking on top of a boulder, not a care in the world as he watched Kirchoff haul himself to his feet to walk even further away.

You do have to admit that your range is getting pretty impressive Valen.

So is yours. You could barely hear me from twenty feet away when we first met.

Oh yeah, it’s my range that you’re impressed by. Kirchoff jabbed. 

Mine is clearly longer, Valen snarked right back, not missing a beat. But yours isn’t bad for a human.

Is that why I caught you spying on me bathing this morning? Were you admiring my range?

I.. you…I wasn’t... I didn’t… shut up! This time Kirchhoff felt his cheeks heat up as the embarrassment from Valen washed over him. That was new. Of course Valen actually hadn’t been spying on him, he always stood watch while Kirchoff took a bath in the river, despite Kirchoff’s assurances that he probably wouldn’t drown himself. Was the best way to get under Valen’s exoskeleton to get flirty with him? Valen could out-sass and out-snark Kirchoff any day of the week, despite how much progress he had on developing his own banter skills. But that last remark totally threw him off his game. He decided to try this new angle of attack out. You’re lucky I already like you, you pervert.

I am not a ‘pervert’ Valen huffed. Well that was a start. I’m a Xenomorph, in case you forgot. I was just... observing you.

Right, you were just observing. Completely objectively. While I was washing my naked body. The entire time. Without blinking.

Before Kirchoff could draw out another flustered outburst from Valen, Ursula interrupted him. “Alright slowpoke, this time try going as far as you can! We’ll try to establish a max range, we've tried this incremental crap and before and it's not going anywhere quickly!” 

Damn her and her unwavering focus. Not that he could really blame her, she was barely able to keep the Board of Directors off her ass. Especially because they thought he and Valen could be put to ‘better uses’ aside from being her pet project. Just the thought of those ’better uses’ sent a shiver down his spine right across to Valen and up his back. With a sigh, he trotted off towards the woods. Hopefully Valen’s range wasn’t too long, or his legs would be sore tomorrow.

---

“Hey Ursula, got a minute?” His breath came in gasps and pants as Kirchoff raced to catch up with her. The shutters were closing on the makeshift lab by the time he’d sprinted back across the two hundred meters to the lab. Curse Valen and his stupid range. They’d just finished up for the day and he wanted to get a word in with her before she could disappear for the day.

“I’ve only got a few spare minutes a day now,” She glanced over her shoulder, the bags under her eyes even more prominent than normal. “Please be quick about it.”

“Yeah, that’s kinda what I wanted to talk about.” He lowered his voice to a whisper. “How is the situation with the Board?”

“Same as always. Impatient for results, no matter how many reports, proposals, or use cases I give them.”

“Do you need help?” He leaned in conspiratorially. “You know I’m still a Xenobiologist right? I could help…”

“No, Kirchoff. That’s not possible.” She cut him off before he could finish his offer. “If I let you help, the Board is going to get real suspicious, real quick. It’s such an obvious conflict of interest. There’s no way they’d trust anything I’d give them if I let you help write any sort of analysis.”

“You don’t have to tell them, I could do it in secret. I could analyze the data back at camp. I want to do more than just be a guinea pig.”

“Kirchoff I’m sorry, I really am, but I can’t risk it. It could jeopardize everything I’ve... We've worked for.” 

“But…”

“No buts.” Kirchoff opened his mouth to argue, but the words died on his tongue when he saw the look in her eyes. She wasn’t budging no matter what he said... which meant that the Board was damn serious. 

“Alright, alright,” He conceded, raising his arms in the air. “But if there’s any way that we can help, let us know.”

“Please don’t do anything stupid to hurt yourself either. Replacing you now would be a total pain in my ass.”

---

Ursula wasn’t exactly lying when she told Kirchoff that it would be a pain in her ass. Probably just a few orders of magnitude more painful than he could imagine.

The Board, which for her was effectively Goodwin for all intents and purposes, had been hovering over her like a vulture. Every report, every graph, every calculation, every scrap of work about Kirchoff and Valen was scrutinized under a microscope. Every piece that Goodwin deemed ‘less than satisfactory’ was another strike against her, and those strikes were piling up faster than she would have liked.

Hopefully she could spin something that would keep him satisfied out of this latest experiment. How far Valen could telepathically listen and speak had to be of at least some interest to them. Hopefully enough to keep them off their backs for another few days.

Is it going to be enough? She sighed and buried her head in her hands. Her desk was strewn with so many used paper plates, coffee cups, loose sheets of paper and half eaten lunches it was hard to locate the desk underneath the accumulated layers of mess. She was running on fumes. When was the last time she actually ate? Or had a liquid without caffeine in it? Fuck, when was the last time she actually had a good night’s sleep? And where the hell was the report to the Board about Valen that she was supposed to hand in today? Papers shuffled and fell off her desk onto the almost equally messy floor as Ursula shuffled the papers around, trying to find the stack of paper that she knew was there. She’d just put it down a second ago.

Fuck, where is it?

“Fuck!” Ursula shrieked in frustration. She swept her arms across her desk, flinging a pile of trash against the wall and onto the floor. A coffee cup, still half full, toppled over and spilled it’s contents over the remaining pile on her desk, soaking into the mess of paper and plastic. 

“Ffffuck…” This time her voice was barely a whisper. There was no way she could keep going like this. No matter what she promised Kirchoff, she couldn’t just burn herself out until there was nothing left. There had to be another way, something else she could do to keep them safe. Even if the Board ultimately decided to shut down the forest enclosure and relocate Valen & Kirchoff, would they even bother doing that? No matter what she told them, no matter what she gave them, no matter how much work she did, none of it ever seemed to satisfy them for long.

“Dr. Nigel, is now a bad time?” Goddamnit. Goodwin was peering around the edge of the door, peering at her with a mix of disdain and amusement on his weasely little face.

“Not at all Goodwin, just letting off some steam.” Several strands of her hair were hanging limply across her forehead. She swept them back behind her ears and stood up straight.

“Ah yes. So sorry to interrupt your stress relieving activities, but I’ve come by to pick up your latest report.”

“Goodwin, do you do anything else other than pester me for my reports?”

Not even a hint of a smile formed on his face. “It is my entire job to pester you, Ursula. You haven’t been meeting expectations since the Board promoted you to Director of Research. Even your little pet project has been suffering. Even with his little… shall we say ‘indiscretions’, Julius never had any problems keeping up.”

“And look where that got him in the end. We both know you couldn’t just sweep his ‘indiscretions’ under the rug forever. What he did to Kirchoff was the final straw.”

Goodwin’s voice tightened. “Only because you got the Ethics Board involved Ursula. And because we haven’t even been able to ship him off-site yet, we’re racking up massive fines.” 

“Oh yes, how dare I report Julius for hijacking my project and torturing one of my best scientists half to death. What a terrible person I must be for objecting to torture and mutilation for the sake of ‘science’.” Her eyes bored into his. “The Ripley Conventions exist for a reason, Goodwin.”

He scowled at her, but didn't bother replying. He just held his hand out, and Ursula scooped up a wad of papers from her desk and slapped the report into his open palm. The edges were wrinkled, and one edge was damp with spilled coffee. Goodwin barely skimmed through it, just reading the abstract and quickly shuffling through the rest. His scowl lessened slightly.

“I’ll be back at the same time next week.” Without another word, he spun on heels and strode out of her office. Of course he didn’t shut the door behind him.

“Jackass,” She muttered to herself as she closed and securely locked the door. She couldn’t keep doing this. Eventually Goodwin would tell her that she was ‘performing below expectations’ and deliver her notice of termination. Knowing him, he’d have a grin on his smug little face the whole damn time.

She flopped back into her office chair and started at the mess on her desk. “Okay, you’ve had your little freak out. Now you have to think. What are you going to do?” She asked herself. If things kept going the way they were going, she’d be fired, Kirchoff and Valen would be ‘repurposed’ and in all likelihood killed shortly thereafter. Maybe they’d kill them right away just to spite her. That sent a shudder running down her spine.

So... if they were all screwed anyways, what was to stop her from screwing the Board right back? Despite how she was treated by the Board, she was still the Director of Research of Bernard Research Station. Every budget approval, every requisition, every large-scale research project, all of them crossed her desk. The Board never bothered reviewing any of the day-to-day bureaucracy that kept the research divisions running. They only seemed interested in her research with Kirchoff and Valen. And the company profits, of course. As long as the budget was in the black, they didn’t really care what she did outside of her pet project. That gave her an idea. An idea that would involve even more work for her.

She exhaled a long, weary sigh. This was going to be hard. And risky. If she messed up, then they’d all be screwed even harder than they already were. Still, it was better than the alternative. She plucked a sheaf of papers from the table at random, some budget proposal she was supposed to sign off on. She placed it on a newly empty spot on her desk, and grabbed another. A report from the materials division on the progress of an anti-armor ballistic weapon. She placed that one next to the first, and reached out for more. It was going to be a long night.

---

How about we go north today? Kirchoff asked him. Valen felt the image of a pond shaded by low hanging pines, the calm water undisturbed save for a lone deer drinking on the far end, the cool air on his skin. 

We went that way yesterday, Valen replied. There wouldn’t be much wildlife hanging around there after today, even longer if he went hunting up there again. 

He and Kirchoff were making their way back home after yet another long, tiring, and in Kirchoff’s case, physically exhausting day of research. They’d settled into a routine over the past few weeks. Get up early, eat breakfast, walk to the hole in the wall that was Dr. Nigel’s new laboratory, participate in whatever inane tasks she had planned for them that day, walk home, and do whatever they wanted for the rest of the day. For Kirchoff, that meant reading and listening to music. For Valen, that meant hunting and harassing Kirchoff.

Yeah, but I was thinking we could stay there overnight after, do a little trip. The image of a campfire, the smell of smoke filling his nostrils, the sight of countless stars in the sky. Longing for better days gone by.

Hmmm… Fine. As long as I don’t have to watch you eat.  

Valen, I watch you eat all the time. I can’t possibly be a messier eater than you are.

You clearly haven’t watched yourself in a mirror eating a granola bar. If cereal could bleed you’d be imprisoned for crimes against humanity.

Ass. Kirchoff gave him a playful slap, but he could feel his amusement. Lately Kirchoff had begun to accompany him on his hunts. It still made him a bit uncomfortable, but Kirchoff said that going with him was far better than being without him. Also, you’re carrying the tent. I’m tired after running around all day.

You’re just lazy.

Don’t judge me, I can be both.

Fine, but I’m not your packmule.

Of course you’re not.

Still, Valen liked the idea of a campout. As much as he liked their little clearing, it was starting to get stale staying in the same place every night. They had the whole indoor forest to themselves after all. It would be a waste if they didn’t explore a little more while they had the chance.

We should find somewhere new to make camp. The deer around my usual hunting grounds are catching onto me, and I want to keep those little hoofed bastards on their toes.

We’ve gone over quite a few places. Where haven’t we gone yet?

Valen thought about it for a minute. There were quite a few ponds that drained into a creek that ran north to south down the artificial incline of the hill, but they’d already explored most of them pretty thoroughly. There was the deep forest, but that was closer to where they had set up their camp, so that was out. The one area they hadn’t explored much yet was about halfway to Dr. Nigel’s research lab. They’d passed through that area quite a bit, but never spent much time in the forest around there. It was far away from where their normal campsite was, and the area was full of shrubs and grass that made it harder to get into the trees. Sometimes he liked to leap and bound through the trees when he was bored and wanted to flex his leg muscles, and he’d spotted a few places that might make a good spot for an overnight campout. He explained his idea to Kirchoff, but he didn’t seem as eager as Valen was about the idea. Valen, I can’t get through all that foliage. It’s way too thick, I’ll get scratched all to hell.

In response Valen extended his claws, and in one swift motion uprooted an unfortunate bush that was just minding its own business by the side of the path. He grinned at Kirchoff’s startled expression and at the mild intimidation from watching him rip an entire bush out by the roots like a carrot.

Okay, point taken. Kirchoff raised his hands in surrender. Do you have anywhere in mind? You’ve at least gotten a look around there.

I have a few ideas. I’ll tell you once we’ve loaded you up with all of the books you’re going to be reading tonight.

My back is aching in anticipation.

---

“Valen, do you have some kind of grudge against shrubs?” Kirchoff asked as Valen ripped another plant out by the roots and tossed it to the side. He’d been tearing a path through the undergrowth like some kind of deranged reverse-botanist for the better part of an hour and wasn’t showing any signs of stopping or even slowing down.

You were the one who was complaining about getting a little scratch.

Well, I mean yeah, but… Kirchoff glanced over his shoulder at the line of holes and excavated bushes behind him. Don’t you think this is a bit overkill?

Kirchoff expected to feel a wave of irritation wash over him, but instead he felt just a bit dejected. His tail drooped, ever so slightly. Ah crap, had he hurt his feelings? Hey look, I appreciate the effort that you’re putting into this. Kirchoff scrambled to come up with something to cheer him up. I don’t think anyone has ever systematically destroyed part of an ecosystem for me before. That's really sweet in a... violent sort of way.

That made Valen perk up a little. We can’t have your oh-so delicate skin getting cut up, now can we. He snarked, but Kirchoff could still feel his mood lift as he grabbed another shrub by the roots and violently excavated it. Don’t worry, we’re almost there.

After only a few more minutes and several dozen dozen more innocent plants massacred, they arrived at a shaded clearing. It was surrounded on the edges by the familiar pines of the forest, but the ground was covered in tall grass that reached halfway up Kirchoff’s chest. In no time, Valen had trimmed it all down to size with a few swings from his powerful tail.

After you’re done being Dr. Nigel’s guinea pig, you should consider a career in gardening.

I don't know, I think I'd be more successful as an de-gardener.

Kirchoff snorted and loosened the straps holding the tent and camping gear between Valen’s dorsal spines. You should put those de-gardening skills to use and dig us a fire pit. I don’t want all this grass catching fire while I’m trying to sleep.

While Valen went to work decimating more of the local flora, Kirchoff went about setting up the tent, only struggling a little to get the poles through the damn holes on the top. When he had finally finished, he unpacked a sleeping bag, flashlight, a frankly ridiculous number of books, and a set of cooking implements.

What are those for, Valen asked, gesturing to the cooking tools.

"That's a surprise," Kirchoff smiled up at him.

You know I can read your mind right?

"Exactly, which is why I am doing my best not to think about it."

Valen stared at him, trying to feel what he was thinking. Kirchoff did his very best to only think of irrelevant things. His lunch, how tired his legs were, how he really needed to shave, how badly he wanted to just strip naked and walk into the nice, cool creek and...

Alright, you’ve made your point, Valen looked away and did his best to suppress the overwhelming embarrassment he was feeling. It didn’t work. Kirchoff smirked at Valen’s obvious discomfort for a few seconds, then thought, Why don’t you go hunting Valen, there must be all sorts of wildlife around here. You’ve never really hunted around here before, right?

Not once, Valen replied, grateful at the out Kirchoff had given him. Do you want to come along? It’d be nice having an extra set of eyes.

I’m sure it is, but I’ve gotta set up your surprise.

Can’t you give me a hint? He whined.

Just make sure to bring your kill back before you eat it.

Why? Are you going to eat it? Because I’m not sharing.

Ew no! Just the thought of it made him gag. Look, just go bring a deer or something back and please try not to mutilate it too much before you get it here.

I’m not making any promises.

You’d better if you want your surprise.

Ugggh, fine! 

---

Hunting was a blessing. After being cooped up in the same stale white torture cells his entire life, being fed bland, stale, pre-killed meat his entire life, hunting gave him a thrill like nothing else. Below him, at the edge of the forest was a small herd of deer, minding their own business as they grazed, not suspecting anything was amiss. His eyes were locked on one in particular, a straggler who had wandered closer to his tree to graze on the foliage. The dense underbrush would make things difficult for him if he didn’t get his mark on the first leap however. 

And missed. It must have heard him shifting up in the trees. It fled the instant before he made his leap. He hissed in irritation. Whatever surprise Kirchoff has planned had better be worth it.

---

By the time he made it back to their campsite, his kill clamped in his jaws, Kirchoff had gotten a fire roaring in the pit. He’d also placed a metal grill over the fire, and he was reading from one of the many books that they had packed for the trip. 

Hunting for Survival, Valen looked over Kirchoff’s shoulder at the book. Inside were diagrams and instructions for skinning and cleaning various animals, including deer. Was the surprise that you’re changing careers?

No, Kirchoff slammed gestured at the pages in irritation. I have no idea how I’m supposed to do this. I don’t even think I brought a big enough knife with me.

Here, let me take a look.  

Drop the deer first, you’re bleeding all over my shirt.

Valen dropped the deer carcass behind him and Kirchoff turned his attention back to the book. Almost instantly, he felt the familiar flood of images and words, immersing him in the technical world of muscles, tendons, hide, organs, and the practical methods of disassembly for each of them in a neat, almost clinical manner. Kirchoff read the passages over and over, letting the details wash over Valen like the tide of a yet-unseen ocean.

Once he felt like he understood the concept, Valen drew back. He extended his claws, and began to dissect the deer, following the procedures from the book as exactly as he could. It was still rough, he had never done this before and his claws weren’t designed for this kind of delicate work, but soon enough he had stripped off enough slabs of meat to satisfy Kirchoff. He took the meat, covered all of them in salt that he had brought in his pack.

I hope you don’t mind the taste of salt, it seems bland enough for your weird tastes.

I can taste just fine, thank you.

So you say, Kirchoff snarked. You eat raw meat most of the time.

And you eat granola, but I don’t judge you for that. Kirchoff shot him a look. Okay, maybe a little, teeny, tiny bit.

Ass, Kirchoff swatted him across the leg and laid the stripes of meat over the grill. The aroma of cooking meat was so intense that Valen almost couldn’t stop himself from salivating. You did this, for me?

Yeah. He poked at the meat sizzling on the grill. You probably haven't had any cooked meat, so I thought I’d made something nice for you. I’m not sure if you’ll like it, but at least it’ll be fun to try it.

Valen's heart felt like it had skipped a beat. Kirchoff had gone out of his comfort zone, had done his best to learn a new skill, just do do something nice for him. Out of thoughtfulness for him. Kirchoff...

What is it Valen?

Valen took a deep breath, and gathered his courage. If he couldn't say it now, then he didn't know when he'd get a better chance.

Kirchoff, I love you.

“W… What?” Kirchoff seemed... confused. Startled. Like he hadn’t been expecting it. That wasn’t the reaction he was expecting at all. What do you mean…

I mean I love you. I love you so much it... I can’t even… I just love you.

Valen... This… This is happening too fast. I just need to think. An image of a gruff, stern man, screaming at him. The impact across his face. Falling to the floor.

Valen stepped closer, wrapping Kirchoff in an embrace. Please, Kirchoff, please just listen to me.

Please Valen, just give me a bit of time… I need to think. Images from that night in the alley, the drunken stench of the two men.

What do you mean? We’ve known each other for so long. Silvia, laying on the floor. The coppery smell of blood. The horror of it...

Valen, I’ve known you for less than a year. This is just happening so fast. Kirchoff tried to step out of Valen’s embrace. That just made Valen squeeze Kirchoff tighter, refusing to believe what he was hearing. Valen, let go. 

Please Kirchoff. Please!

Valen, you’re hurting me! The panic. He was being restrained. He was on his knees, his ribs aching, and he was...

Please...

“LET GO!” A sharp, slicing pain. Warm blood, running down his forearms. The tight, constricting grip around his chest, digging claws into his arm. Valen let go, his arm tingling with the pain. But his arm was unmarked, as smooth and black as it had always been. That meant…

He looked up at Kirchoff. He was clutching his arm to his chest, hunched over on the ground. Blood ran down from a line of deep cuts on his forearm, oozing out between his fingers and dripped onto the ground.

Kirchoff.. I... I’m sorry. He reached out to Kirchoff, wanting to comfort him. To protect him.

“Don’t touch me!” Kirchoff shrank away, pulling his arm in even closer. His legs were trembling so much he couldn’t stand. Kirchoff was afraid. No, terrified. 

Of him. 

Anger, frustration, irritation, amusement, concern, worry, comfort, contentment, happiness. Valen had felt all of the emotions that Kirchoff had held towards him so many times before.

But never before had he been so afraid of him.

Valen slowly backed away from Kirchoff. Likewise, Kirchoff backed away from him, too scared to run, too scared to stand, too scared to look away. That look in his eyes, the terrified stare of a man facing a predatory monster, burned a bitter hole in his heart. Before he could do or say anything else that could hurt Kirchoff, Valen turned tail and fled into the forest.

---

Kirchoff scrambled to his feet as soon as the Xenomorph... no Valen, ran into the woods. His left arm was searing with pain, blood pouring out from the wounds on his arm. He stumbled down the path Valen had carved through the undergrowth as fast as he could, the only light guiding him was the artificial moonlight shining down at him from the 'sky'. Everything, all of the gear he'd brought, was back at the campsite.

He had to get back, somewhere safe. He needed to stop the bleeding. To stop himself from bleeding out in the middle of the forest. He needed to get to Dr. Nigel. She could help him. Okay, calm down.... calm down... You need to stop the bleeding before you do anything else. He told himself. You might bleed out before you can get to her if you don't stop it.

Luckily for him, the Hunting for Survival book also contained a chapter on first aid treatment of wounds from the animals you might be hunting. Whoever wrote that book knew their shit, that's for sure. Kirchoff stopped running, took a knee, and braced himself. Then he took a look at the wounds on his arm. They weren't quite as bad as he was expecting. Four deep but small relatively small cuts, all on his left forearm. None looked like they had pierced an artery, but he couldn't take any chances. Kirchoff whipped his head around, searching for a sturdy branch that would suit his needs. Again, lucky for him Valen's assault on the local vegetation had left a lot of debris scattered around, including the trunk of some kind of bush that had been shredded into several pieces. Kirchoff picked up the closest one, about a foot in length and sturdy enough for a tourniquet.

Kirchoff had heard of people losing limbs from applying a tourniquet for days in the wild before they made it back to safety, but he wasn't actually in the wild. With a sharp jerk, Kirchoff ripped a strip of fabric from his shirt and did his best to remember the instructions. Make a loop, stick the branch through the loop, and twist... Twist until you can't feel anything. He twisted and twisted, tightening the fabric until his arm went cold. He glanced down to check the bleeding. It hadn't stopped completely, but it was significantly slower than before. Good enough.

But that wasn't all. He needed to talk to someone. He needed to talk to her. Kirchoff stopped and took a deep breath. 

 Eventually, after what seemed like an endless amount of running, he stumbled free from the bush lined path and back onto the open grass at the base of the hill near the lab. It wasn’t too far from here. He took off again, panting and wheezing, towards the shuttered gates. He banged on the shutters with his good arm, smearing blood on the locked gate. Kirchoff shouted at the top of his lungs, staring at a mounted security camera above the shutters. Over and over and over again he shouted for help, slammed on the door, did everything he could to get the attention of someone, anyone.

...Wait what am I doing? Kirchoff cursed to himself. His phone was still in his pocket. He'd brought it with him when they went camping. He reached across his chest to his pocket and pulled the device out of his pocket. the top half of the phone was almost soaked in his blood. Fuck me, that's not good... Thankfully the power light was still green power light was still blinking green. Wiping the coagulating blood on his already ruined pants, he cleaned the phone as best he could, then made the call.

Notes:

Wow, I hope you haven't been waiting over a year for another Chapter. That would be embarrassing for me...

Soon(tm)

Chapter 19: Aftermath

Summary:

Sure has been a while, hasn't it dear reader?I hope I didn't keep you waiting too long.

Still not dead, still writing!

-AX

It was late at night when Ursula got the call. Normally that wouldn’t bother her, she usually still awake this early in the morning, working away at the never-ending piles of paperwork that her position entailed. Tonight however, she had decided to call it a night early. It had been far, far too long since she had a good rest. 

Unfortunately for Ursula, the universe had decided that there would be no rest. Right when her head hit the pillow, and just started to drift off to a deep, restful, slumber... the phone rang. Her private phone. The phone that very few people had the number for. The phone no one in their right mind would ever call at this time of night.

Ursula grumbled and rolled over, pulling the sheets up over her head as she did so. If she just ignored the phone, maybe it would just go away. For a minute, her strategy seemed to be working. The phone rang a few more times, then went blissfully silent. Her shoulders relaxed and she rolled onto her back again, eyes shut, determined to get a full night of sleep…

Until the phone rang again. It sounded louder, maliciously screaming to not be ignored.

“Fuck me,” Ursula groaned. She tossed her blankets off, sat up and snatched the phone off the bedside table.

“What?” She knew who was calling without even needing to ask. It was Kirchoff. Who else would be calling her at this hour? She held the phone to her ear and listened.

“Yeah… Uh huh… Ah shit! No… No I’ll… Listen to me alright! I’ll be there as soon as I can. I’ll send David down. Yes… yes I know… look, I’ll be there as soon as I can.” She clicked the phone off and tossed it on her bedside table. Unfortunately, the phone knocked the open water bottle resting on the table over, and spilled water all over the stack of papers on the floor that she had put there for review tomorrow morning. 

"Fuuuck…" It was going to be one of those days.

---

“I can't catch a break with you can I?” Ursula fumed. “Just when I think I’m finally making some headway with you two, more shit happens and throws me for a loop.”

“I’m sorry,” Kirchoff mumbled. She, Kirchoff, and David were in her private quarters, not the ‘doctor’s office’ Kirchoff normally had his weekly checkups in. There wasn’t enough space for the three of them in the cramped janitor closet, and Ursula wasn’t taking her eyes of Kirchoff for a second until she knew for certain that Kirchoff, and by extension herself, wasn't in immediate danger. 

David had done his best to patch Kirchoff’s arm up. He’d replaced the improvised tourniquet made from shredded strips of his shirt with stitches, sterile gauze & a regenerative salve from the first aid kit in her kitchen. Not the best possible treatment, but sure as shit better than nothing.

“Thankfully his wounds looked worse than they were,” David muttered to her, stretching his lower back until it popped. “The claws missed his arteries, there was just a moderate amount of bleeding. Clean wounds too, no torn flesh. Easy to stitch back together.”

“Lucky me…” Kirchoff muttered morosely. His gaze was welded to the floor, his voice quiet and husky. His clothes were a muddy, ragged, bloody mess. The entire left side of his pants and shirt were completely soaked in blood. Thankfully, none of it was fresh, it had all dried by now.

A little blood goes a long way. Ursula thought to herself.

David turned to Kirchoff, “Good thinking with the tourniquet by the way. It stopped the blood loss from being worse than it was. Ordinarily with a wound this severe I'd want to give you a transfusion. You should just take some blood-regen supplements and you should be fully recovered in a few days.”

“Thank you for coming on such short notice David,” Ursula thanked him. She attempted to slip him some money from her wallet, but Dr. Garret shook his head.

“My salary is more than enough for me,” He latched the first aid kit shut and placed it back on her messy kitchen counter. “If anything happens, you know where to find me.”

“I will,” Ursula shook his hand, then followed as he strode out of her quarters, being very careful to close & lock the door behind him. Once the locks clicked back into place, she turned her attention back to Kirchoff. 

Unfortunately she couldn’t just have David apply advanced reconstructive paste for his emotional wounds. His eyes were fixed firmly on the floor between his legs, unblinking and unmoving. Even from this angle his eyes were clearly bloodshot from crying, streaks of clear skin running through the blood and dirt on his face.

God… Once again, she’d have to be the mature, reasonable adult for Kirchoff. How on Earth did I get roped into being his mother?  

Ursula took a deep breath to calm herself. That was a question she could ponder later, what mattered right now was making sure Kirchoff didn’t spiral out of control. Again. Before her mood could turn even more sour, she opened her mouth and asked, “Do you want to tell me what happened?”

“No. Not really.” Kirchoff’s voice was quiet, barely a ragged whisper.

She folded her arms & raised an eyebrow at him. “Kirchoff…” 

“Sorry, that’s not what I meant.” He buried his head deeper in his hands. “I want to talk about it, It’s just…”

Ursula waited for him to continue, but when no more words were forthcoming she pulled up the chair David had been using, seated herself directly in front of Kirchoff, and picked up the conversation for him. “Look, I’m not a therapist. I’m not great at this whole emotional support thing, but I can see how much this is weighing on you. I saw some of what happened on the security cam footage, but I wasn’t there. I don’t have the full picture, and I can’t help you until you tell me what happened.”

“Umm…” Kirchoff hesitated. "I still don't know if I want to talk about it..."

“For fucks sake Kirchoff! Keeping it bottled up isn’t going to help fix your problems,” She snapped, her frustration peeking through her calm, reasonable façade. She leaned in and continued in a half whisper, “And as much as I’m invested in your little high school romance drama bullshit, I don’t exactly have the time to wait for you to get your shit together. We are on thin fucking ice. We can’t afford any delays, and I can’t offer you help until you tell me exactly what happened.”

She leaned back in her chair, folding her arms. “So spill it.”

Kirchoff’s breath was shaky, but after a few deep breaths he finally spoke. “Valen and I wanted to do something nice together. Well, it was more like I wanted to do something nice for him, and a change of scenery seemed nice too… so we decided to go camp somewhere for the night. While he was out hunting, I was setting up a campfire and I was going to surprise him by cooking his meal for him. But then out of nowhere he… Valen confessed that…”

Kirchoff’s voice hitched and tears welled in his eyes, “And… I panicked and….” Kirchoff twisted his head away from her, but Ursula could still hear his sniffles. His tears dripped off his chin and into his lap, staining the blood soaked fabric.

Confessed? What the hell did Valen confess to… Oh… "Oh!" Ursula gasped in understanding. “So, Valen finally confessed his feelings for you huh?”

Kirchoff’s head jerked back to look at her. Good lord, he was having a full blown ugly cry, complete with tears running down his face, a runny nose dipping onto the floor, and hot red eyes. This is really eating him up inside…

“How did you know?” He croaked, sounding like he had to fight his vocal chords to get the words out.

“Kirchoff,” If Ursula rolled her eyes any harder they would be at risk of rolling out of her head. “Valen might be smart, but he’s not exactly subtle. He follows you everywhere you go like  a lovesick puppy. He dotes on you constantly. How could you not tell?”

“But that’s…” Kirchoff shook his head, refusing to acknowledge what was blatantly obvious to her. “He just needs to be around me or he gets sick.”

“He needs to be around someone, or he’ll suffer from Eusocial Withdrawal.” She explained. “That doesn’t necessarily mean that he needs to be around you specifically.”

“But…”

“Kirchoff, just think about it for a minute.” She rubbed her temple with one hand and pointed at him with the other. “You’ve been cohabitating with a Xenomorph for weeks. You live together in an underground forest vacation paradise; on my dime might I add. For fucks sake you literally snuggle every night with one the deadliest apex predators that humanity has ever known. Do you really think that you would even be alive right now if Valen didn’t love you?”

They both went silent for a moment, before their eyes met… and they both burst out laughing. They were both so tired, so worn down by the last few weeks, that the absurdity of their situation was suddenly the funniest thing to ever happen. It took a full minute before Kirchoff could gather himself enough to reply.

“I never thought about it like that.” Kirchoff said as he wiped his eyes. “It’s just so… surreal, y’know? Like it doesn’t even feel real to me sometimes, but it actually is.”

“To be completely fair to you, I don’t think you’ve had time to reflect on how absurd this whole situation is. We’ve been too busy trying to keep our heads above water here, couple’s counseling for you and your Xenomorph boyfriend hasn't been high on our list of priorities.”

“Well I think we might need it now.” Kirchoff’s smile faded and his gaze fell to the floor again. “Valen ran off, and I’m afraid he won’t want to be with me anymore.”

Ursula leaned forwards and squeezed his hand. It was surprisingly soft under the caked on blood and grime. “Kirchoff, you know that’s not true.”

“Please… just call me Steven.” Kirchoff… no Steven, said. His gaze never left the floor, but she saw the tension in his shoulders relax, just a little bit.

“Okay Steven, let’s think about this logically. Valen must be feeling just as horrible as you are right now, if not more. He just hurt the only person he’s ever loved. Valen may be intelligent and sharp witted, but he’s never dealt with emotions like these before. He's still really emotionally immature in a lot of ways. I’m not really surprised he reacted as badly as he did when you didn't reciprocate.”

“Yeah I know… I’m just…” Steven’s voice caught in his throat. “I’m afraid that my reaction… my trauma… ruined everything… and I’m so terrified that I ruined everything and I can’t fix it. That I messed everything up for us. All of us.”

His last words were barely a squeak. Tears ran freely down his cheeks, snot dripped from his nose, and he broke down sobbing. “I ruined everything…”

---

Deep in the forest, wedged into the forked trunk of a sturdy, leafy… What had Kirchoff called this kind of tree? Oak? Maple? Whatever it was called, Valen had wedged his hulking frame into the forked trunk and had been there since Kirchoff fled. Fled from him.

You’re so stupid, you know that right? He told himself for the umpteenth time. It was almost a mantra, a way to redirect the whirling chaotic guilt inside him, and avoid lashing out and ripping down the forest one stupid fucking tree at a time. Why did you ever think he would love you?

Valen thought he understood Kirchoff. Valen thought he understood him on such a deep, intimate level that there was no doubt that Kirchoff would love him back. That upon hearing how much Valen loved him he would confess his feelings and then…

And then what…? Valen asked himself. He hoped, almost prayed, to hear an answer from somewhere in his own mind. That some part of himself would give him the answer he so desperately wanted. To indulge in the fantasy of what could have been… But you don’t have an answer. You didn’t think what would happen next, you just assumed that he would act how you wanted him to.

Valen hissed, a guttural, low hiss. A sound of irritation. Irritation at himself. He knew he was right, but to admit that would be to accept the possibility that he had made a horrible mistake that might have cost him everything he cared about... and that there would be no one to blame but himself. If I had just waited… If I had just listened to him... If I didn't get so caught up in his emotions… If I had just hadn’t hurt him…

The sudden sharp, hot pain of claws tearing into his soft skin. Hot blood spilling from the wounds... The rapid pounding of his heart... The overwhelming, primal terror at the hulking beast towering over him, clenching him in an unbreakable grip…

Those final flashes of Kirchoff's thoughts… How horrified he'd been… that raw, primal, instinctual horror had been what snapped Valen back to reality. It was what made him run away into the woods. That feeling of absolute terror directed at him had hurt more than any physical wound could. Not that Valen could say that he didn’t deserve it. He probably hates me now. I acted like everyone else who has hurt him in the past… No, I was worse. He trusted me… and I still hurt him in the end... just like everyone else.

Valen shook his head. His thoughts had been treading the same path over and over all night. If he kept going he was probably going to wear a trench into his subconsciousness. But what else could he do? Kirchoff had fled, and he hadn’t returned. Valen hadn’t felt so much as a flutter of his thoughts, his feelings, anything. He probably ran right to Dr. Nigel, and now they were discussing what they were going to do... with him.

Maybe now was the time to make an escape attempt. To flee before the inevitable retribution that was no doubt coming to him… but he just couldn’t make himself do it. If this is the punishment for ruining the best thing to ever happen to me… then so be it.

---

Steven had almost cried himself out before Ursula spoke again. He didn’t know how long he had been sobbing, clinging to her hand like it was the only thing tethering him to sanity. But when she spoke again, she asked, “Steven… Do you love Valen?”

“I… what?” His eyes snapped up to meet hers. He wasn’t sure what he was expecting to see there. Frustration, irritation, impatience, he expected all of those. She was clearly fed up with him by this point. She had plenty of reasons to be irritated at him. But what he saw was… Concern?

“It’s a simple yes or no question Steven. Do you love Valen?”

“Well… I mean… What I think… What I mean is…” He stammered. His gaze fell back to the floor, his cheeks flushing red.

“Steven, I already know the answer, but I want to hear you say it.”

“Why?”

"Because you need to say it. For you own sake."

Steven sucked in a deep breath and let it out. And another. And another. After about 5 minutes Ursula started to suspect that he was taking breaths as a way to avoid talking about his feelings. Which he was. Because it was private, and embarrassing, and he still didn't want to admit to himself that...

Ursula gave an exasperated sigh and threw up her hands. “Kirchoff... er, Steven, I’m not going to judge you or anything. I’ve seen so much weird shit over my career that a man falling in love with a Xenomorph doesn’t even break into the top 10 weirdest things I’ve seen.”

“Really?” Steven looked at her out of the corner of his eye, skeptical of her claim.

“You have no idea. At least you two can talk to each other. Some of the other shit I’ve...” She trailed off. “Look, it doesn’t matter. If you two wanna be all lovey dovey and hold hands and have candlelight dinners and get married, fine. But you need to tell Valen if you do love him, and you especially need to tell him if you don't feel the same way about him. If he won’t cooperate, or won’t go near you, then we’re royally fucked.”

“So…” His shoulder slumped, “You’re just giving me relationship advice so we can get back to work.”

“Of course!” She rolled her eyes, but not as hard as usual. “We need to keep working, you know that. Your lives and my career are at stake.”

“Thanks for the reminder Doc…”

“But… you two are still under my care. I’m responsible for you. I have to make sure you two are happy and healthy, so you can do what we need you to do. Both of you are useless unless you’re able to keep working with me here, and we can’t do that if you two don’t resolve this... whatever you want to call it.”

She leaned in again, arms on her knees, glaring at him with an intensity that made the hair on his neck stand on end. “So you need to get your shit together, and either tell Valen you love him, or that you don’t. It’s not going to be easy, it’s not going to be pleasant, but that’s what you do for the people you care about. You be honest with them.”

He felt something touching his hand, and when he glanced down he saw that she was holding his grimy, bloodstained hand in her small, clean one. When he looked up again, her expression had softened again. The empathy and concern for him revealed from under her irritation and stress and frustration. “So, Steven. I’ll ask you one more time. Do you love Valen?”

“I… I’m not sure… I mean, I do but…”

“Great! That’s all I need to hear.” She let go of his hand and leaned back in her chair. It was as if her entire body decompressed and relaxed, as if released from under a great weight. “I don’t need to hear the specifics, Valen does. You should think about what you’re going to say to him, because you're heading back to the forest ASAP.”

“Do I need to go back right away?”

“Yes,” Ursula stood up and started rummaging around in one of the cupboards in the kitchen. She pulled out a tin of instant coffee, a mug that was comically huge, and started to scoop spoons of the powder into the cup. “I’ve informed your security detail to come escort you back, they should be here in the next ten minutes. I can't have you running wild up here you know.”

“Wait when did you…?” Steven asked, confused. He hadn’t seen her make a call, or even send a message to anyone. To answer, she just gestured to a remote sitting on the counter next to her.

“Wow, you’re not giving me much time to think at all huh?” this time Steven was the one to roll his eyes.

“You don’t need it, you just needed a kick in the ass to get you back on track.” She didn’t even bother to boil any water, instead running hot water directly from the tap into her mug. Mug might not be the right word to describe it. It was more like a bowl with a handle.

“Geez,” Steven chuckled and shook his head in amusement. “Sometimes I wonder who has worse manners, you or Valen.”

“Valen? Manners?” Ursula raised her eyebrows. “Are you sure you didn’t lose too much blood?”

“Hey, at least he actually listens to me now,” He fumed. Ursula’s eyebrows didn’t budge a millimeter.

“Sometimes…” Still, the eyebrows remained sky high.

“Occasionally…” That made her crack a smile. It was rare to see her genuinely smile lately, it was nice to see that she wasn’t completely jaded by recent events.

“It’s not my fault if you let your boyfriend walk all over you,” Ursula grinned even wider at the deep red flush of his cheeks, “He’s still an ass, but he’s still being more cooperative than he’s ever been in the past.”

“He hasn’t tried to eat you yet.” Steven noted. “That’s a good sign.”

She shuddered. “Honestly, I was half-expecting he’d take a swipe at me the first time we met face-to-face.”

“Don’t worry Doc, I would have stopped him.”

“You couldn’t stop a rampaging puppy Steven, let alone a Xenomorph.”

“Ouch. Okay, fair point.” Steven raised his hands in surrender. “But look on the bright side. At least you’ll have something to give to the Board. A Xenomorph developing a close bond to a human, close enough to fall in love with him. That’s gotta be something that you can spin to make them happy.”

She mimed gagging and flopped back into her chair, almost sloshing coffee onto her lap. “As if. The Board dismisses half of what I give them out of hand, and I’m pretty sure they just toss the rest in the garbage after they review it unless it has some kind of military application. Unless they can fire it out of a barrel they don’t seem to give a shit.”

“Why?” Steven asked, puzzled.

“Huh?”

“I mean, have they always been this gung-ho about military stuff?” He continued. “I can only speak for myself, but as a Doctor of Xenobiology, if I was on the Board for a cutting edge research company, I would be losing my shit and seeing big flashing dollar signs if I got my hands on a telepathic Xenomorph. There’s no way a company motivated purely by profit would pass up an opportunity to monetize telepathy.” 

Steven stood up and started pacing, absorbed in his line of reasoning now. “But they’re not. They’re totally disinterested in the possibility. In fact, they’re trying to shut it down. Even with the running expenses of keeping the forest enclosure online for a few more weeks or months, I can guarantee they could recoup their costs if they could figure out some way to replicate Valen’s ability. I mean, even if someone on the Board held a grudge against you, I don't get why they would be screwing themselves out of so much potential profit just because it doesn’t have a direct military application. Doesn’t that seem odd to you?”

“I…” Ursula looked confused, then thoughtful, then took a massive gulp from her coffee bowl. “Fuck! Why didn’t I think of that? It's so fucking obvious!”

---

“To be fair,” Steven continued as if nothing had happened, trying to salve her ego. “You’ve been busy trying to keep our collective feet out of the fire.”

“Shit.” This was a major oversight, something she could have caught onto far, far earlier. There was only one person she knew who was utterly obsessed with militarizing her work to this degree. And despite the assurances that Dr. Julius 'Asshole' Gavin had been detained and was merely awaiting the next transport out of the system, what proof did she have of that? She hadn't seen Julius at all since their final confrontation. She had taken the Board at their word that they would deal with him… And that was her mistake. A big fucking mistake. Fuck, this could actually ruin everything for them if she didn't get on top of this right now. 

Ursula shook her head. She could think about it when she had time, but that was for later. Right now, she had to finish playing couple's therapist and get Steven & Valen back to work. Regardless of who the Board was taking advice from, or what role Julius might be playing behind the scenes, they still expected results. She couldn’t give them any reason to doubt her more than they already did. It was too risky to let them even suspect that she was suspicious.

“We’ll talk about this later once you and Valen have made up,” She stated, forcing herself to focus on the immediate task at hand.

“Yeah…” Steven muttered. “I’m still not sure what I’m going to say to him...”

“I think we both know what you really want to say to him, Steven.”

Silence. Steven stared at the floor between his legs.

“Ok, let me ask you this then.” She pointed at him with her free hand. “What would you do in the worst case scenario, if you lost Valen forever?”

“I…” Steven’s eyes went wide, clearly shocked by the possibility. Despite everything that had happened, he must not have considered actually losing Valen. “I can’t… I can’t lose him. I just can’t. I've already lost so much... Not him too.”

“Well you will if you don’t go find him, and tell him how you feel.” Ursula glanced at the clock on her microwave. Only two minutes until the security detail was scheduled to arrive. “I need both of you working together with me on this more than ever.”

“Wait, I have to find him?" Steven asked, clutching his left arm to his chest. "Can’t you just track him down for me? Don’t you have cameras set up all over the place in there?”

“There’s a lot of monitoring equipment in that enclosure, but not enough to track down a Xenomorph in hiding. Most of it is for monitoring atmospheric and soil data. I had to install security cameras on short notice, there’s still a ton of camera blind spots in there.” 

“Couldn’t you just get your IT people to install enough to get full coverage?” Steven asked. “I’m not sure I can hunt Valen down if he doesn’t want to be found.”

“I’ve got a lot of sway as Research Director, but even I have my limits, especially on my "personal projects". Besides, that enclosure isn’t exactly easy to modify. I’m not sure if you remember from your orientation, but the natural environment on Bernard is Terran compatible, but it's so hostile to foreign life that we had to build an underground bunker to prevent the wildlife from getting into the forest enclosure and destroying it. That’s the only reason that I managed to get you two transferred here in the first place. It’s probably the second most reinforced containment system we have planetside outside of the wildlife containment cells.”

“They’re not that secure,” Steven remarked, a trace of pride in his voice. “I got into one of the cells.”

“Those cells were made to stop very dangerous aliens from getting out, not to stop dumbass, lovestruck scientists from getting in.” The look she gave him out of the corner of her eye was enough to make him blush again.

“Okay Doc, point taken.” Before either of them could say anything else, a knock sounded at the door. It was Steven’s escorts.

“Call me if you have an emergency,” She told him as she strode over to the door, gesturing for him to follow. “Otherwise, don’t call me until I call you. I have some… things I need to take care of.”

Steven raised his eyebrows, but didn't have enough time to ask her about it. She practically shoved him out the door and into the waiting arms of his security detail. "Get him back downstairs in one piece will you." Ursula told the guards before slamming the door shut. Once she was certain that they had left, she slumped against the door and slid down to the floor.

Fuck... "FUCK!" Ursula slammed her fist into the door behind her. "Julius... Goddamnit you just can't stay out of my fucking life, can you?"

It really was turning out to be one of those days.

Notes:

Oh boy, it's been a little while since the last update huh?

To cut a very long story short, life has been bonkers for the past year. I've been diagnosed with ADHD (a big surprise I'm sure), lost my job, and have to move back in with my parents to get out of an abusive relationship.

On the bright side, I've been doing LOTS of therapy and I'm the healthiest mentally I've been in a long, long time. I finally feel enough like myself again to be able to engage in my hobbies again, especially writing.

I won't make any promises about a consistent release schedule, or that there isn't the possibility of a long hiatus in the future. However, I've been stealth editing Unusual Testing for the past few weeks, and this latest NEW chapter is finally done. The story is all planned out, and all that's left is to finally finish this almost decade long journey.

I know that UT isn't my most popular work, and I doubt it every will be. But this story has changed so much from what I initially wrote all the way back in February of 2014, and I have a very personal connection with it. UT has become so much more than I ever could have imagined, and it is so intertwined with my life that I cannot just leave it abandoned, unfinished.

Kirchoff and Valen deserve a proper conclusion to their story, and so do all you wonderful readers. - AX

Chapter 20: Reconciliation

Summary:

Oh my god, just kiss already!

Notes:

Originally this chapter included a lot more plot and a lot more Steven & Valen being all cute & romantic & talking about their relationship, but there was so much that it really needed to be split into two chapters.

Chapter 21 will be out soon-ish(?), but I'm not gonna make any promises. My writing schedule is more based on when I feel like writing instead of trying to stick to a set schedule, and so far it seems to be working!

Happy Reading! - AX

“Valen! Valen, where are you!?” Nothing. No thoughts, no feelings, no sounds of hissing or rasping. No breaking of branches or rustling of leaves. Not even the faintest whisper of a breeze blowing through the forest. Their little world was silent & stale. 

Never before had Steven felt so alone. 

And his back was stiff. That was just the perfect shitty icing on the shitty cake.

He’d been dropped off at the storage unit-turned-laboratory while it was still early in the morning. He’d managed to get a few hours of sleep by making a bed out of the discarded plastic, and packing peanuts Ursula had left haphazardly stuffed into a spare shipping crate. He’d been prepared to go find Valen the minute he got dropped off…

But then he realized he couldn’t actually open the airlock to get in; 

And the security guard who was responsible for opening it was off-duty or asleep; 

And Ursula had told him not to contact her unless it was an emergency.

Besides, he’d told himself. It’ll be easier to find him once it’s light out.

“You’re a real genius sometimes, you know that?” Steven grumbled to himself under his breath. Sure, Valen was big. It was impossible to ignore him when wanted attention, and Valen wanted his attention almost constantly. Unfortunately for him, Steven had forgotten that Valen was also deceptively agile and stealthy. He was a Xenomorph after all. Steven knew it would be nearly impossible to find Valen if he didn’t want to be found. And it’s not like Valen even needed to be nearby, he could just telepathically locate Steven wherever he went. Damnit, if he was the one with telepathy, he’d be able to track Valen down in no time.

But he couldn’t. He’d been searching for hours already, and Valen could be hiding anywhere. Up in the foliage of the forest, immersed in a pond, hiding in the bushes, all of them were places that he could hide himself. Hell, Valen could literally be 10 feet away from him right now, and he’d have no clue. He’d checked everywhere where he thought he might be, their home camp, the river, his favorite hunting spots, anywhere he could think of…

Except the campsite… He cupped his hands to his mouth and shouted, “Valen! Where are you?”

Nothing.

“Please Valen, I just want to talk!”

Still nothing. An endless mountain of nothing resounded through the utter still of the forest. Sigh.

“Fuck…” If he was anywhere by now, that was the place. Steven leaned down, trying to stretch his aching lower back out, then turned on his heels and reluctantly began his hike back to the fateful campground.

---

The sharp precise rhythmic knocking on her door informed her that Goodwin was here. Exactly on time, as always. Honestly, if meticulous attention to detail was a competitive sport, Goodwin could have been an interplanetary league champion.

“Come in Goodwin,” She called out. No need to treat him any differently than she usually did. As far as he knew, the status quo was completely undisturbed.

“Do you have the report?” He asked, cutting right to the chase, extending his hand without even looking at her. His eyes were on a clipboard in his hand, skimming some other paperwork that was clearly more important than hers.

By now this kind of transaction was automatic, a routine that needed to be completed so they could get on with the rest of the day. Goodwin obviously loathed her stubborn refusal to submit her reports electronically, because lately she was always ‘too busy’ to deliver them herself. 

“I have it here somewhere,” She feigned looking around, as if she’d forgotten where she put the stack of reports. “Just give me a second.”

Goodwin rolled his eyes. “Make it quick. I have other things to do today.”

Ursula knew it was petty, but dammit it felt good getting under his skin like that. At least, she assumed at she was getting under his skin.

Ursula had never really interacted with Goodwin before assuming her new position. To her, he was just another bureaucrat running around in the background somewhere, doing whatever he did for the business side of the company while she & her fellow researchers did the actual hard work. Even now that she was working personally with the little weasel, her opinion hadn’t changed much. It was clear by now that he had some vendetta against her, but Urusla had just assumed that was because he was enjoying abusing his position.

But now that Steven had gotten her thinking, she wondered if that was really all Goodwin was doing. Aside from berating her and collecting reports, Ursula had realized she knew almost nothing about Goodwin. Not about his job, his interests, his dislikes. Not even the most surface level information like his age, or his last name. Well maybe I’ll make an effort to learn a little more about him.

“You do things Goodwin?” Ursula’s eyebrows raised in mock astonishment. “Forgive me, I was under the impression your whole job was berating me.”

“I know it must feel that way to you Dr. Nigel, but unlike you, I actually have more important things to do than write reports and pamper my pets all day.” His tone was dry and condescending as always, but there was a touch of annoyance hidden in his tone. He wanted to prove her wrong, to shame her.

Well that didn’t take much prodding. On the inside she was smirking, but externally she just shrugged and nonchalantly asked, “Well how would I know? The only time I see you is when you throw my reports away, or when the Board wants to spew asinine complaints about my job performance.”

“Well,” Goodwin pushed his glasses up on his piggy little nose. “Given the… questionable, decision-making you’ve displayed since assuming your new position...”
“Spare me the lecture,” Ursula cut off his barb. She glared at him to punctuate her point…

There it is. 

Behind the familiar smirk, that smug aura of superiority, the obvious pleasure he was taking in making her miserable, she saw it. Slipping through the mask of bemused superiority.

In his eyes. That cold, bitter stare. As if he was willing her to drop dead on the spot. 

It was only there for an instant, quickly slipping back beneath his usual disdain.

But it was unmistakable. That’s why he was complicit in whatever was going on. Goodwin hated her. She didn’t know why, but there was no doubt in her mind. And if he hated her…

“Actually, Ursula,” Goodwin straightened his back and adjusted his suit-tie. “I think that I should inform you that in light of recent events, there is some talk on the Board about your fitness for this position…”

Then how much further will this go? What has Goodwin been doing without me even suspecting it? How did I not suspect this before?

Before Ursula could stop herself, she whirled on Goodwin.

“Oh cut the shit Goodwin,” She shouted, rounding her desk and getting directly in his face. Channeling her pent up frustration, she slapped the clipboard out of his hand and jabbed him in his oh-so-pristine pocket protector hard enough to make him flinch. “You and I both know the real reason why I’m in shit with the Board, you officious little prick!”

The sudden outburst caught him off guard. His eyes went wide and his Adam’s apple bobbed several times before he could even stammer a response, “You… I mean we… how did.. did Julius…?”

And there it was. His motive. His real motive. Instead of smiling in triumph at the confirmation, she feigned confusion. “What does Julius have to do with this?

“I… Well he’s not… What I mean to say is that...” Goodwin closed his eyes and took a deep breath, clearly trying to regain his usual composure. “Nothing. I was merely distracted by something else.”

Oh sure, Ursula restrained the urge to roll her eyes. Real convincing there Goodwin.

“Okaaay,” She deliberately drew her words out & handed him a folder laying on top of another stack of papers on her desk, trying her best to sound weirded out by his response.

“Sorry about yelling at you… Here’s the report. Are… are you okay?” She asked with a tone that meant what she really wanted to say was “I don’t want to get involved with whatever is going on with you, but I don’t want to ignore the outburst or provoke you further, so I’m hoping you’ll just say you’re fine & go away.”

“Yes yes, I’m fine,” Goodwin stammered, seizing the out she had given him from his faux pas with both hands. “Thank you for the report. Good day.”

Before she could say anything else Goodwin scooped up his clipboard, attached her stack of papers to the list, and paced out of the room as quickly as he could.

The Julius thing really freaked Goodwin out, Ursula smirked to herself. That slip up was enough to make him lose his composure. Enough for him not to notice anything had gone missing.

Ursula’s smirk grew into a wide grin as she pulled the keychain with Goodwin’s ID and clearance badges out from the sleeve of her lab coat. The ones she had swiped from his belt while she had been up in his face and jabbing his chest.

She didn’t know how long it would be before he noticed they were gone. Time was ticking.

Forcing herself to remain calm and composed, she carefully walked to the door, locked it securely, wedged one of the guest chairs under the handle before she picked up her desk phone. The secure, unauthorized, communications line only a few people knew about.

Ursula had a call to make.

---

Valen peered at Kirchoff, trudging and grunting his way along, from the safety of a distant perch in a pine tree. Silent and unseen, blending into the shroud of branches and leaves around him. A shadow.

Kirchoff was heading back to the campsite. It was the absolute last place he wanted to go back to right now. Even if Valen couldn’t feel how distressed and conflicted he was, he’d known him long enough to know how hard this was.

To return to the place where it had all happened last night.

And yet Kirchoff was determined. Not once had his resolve wavered from his goal. Despite the aches in his back, the tiredness in his legs, or the ache of his injuries, Kirchoff was going to find him, and he was going to talk to him. About everything.

Not for the first time today, Valen felt a pang of deep, stinging guilt. He was the one who had hurt him. He was the one who made Kirchoff see him as a monster. Valen was desperate to apologize, to let Kirchoff berate him, hurt him, anything as long as it would make Kirchoff forgive him. And yet…

He couldn’t make himself go to him. No matter how much he tried, his brain refused to make his body move towards Kirchoff. This indecision had been paralyzing him for hours upon hours, and yet he did not know why. Why was he just stalking him, silent and unseen for hours upon hours? Why couldn’t he just go to him?

Of course he’d been staying as close to Kirchoff as he could since he felt him last night. Even just the few hours of separation from him had been utterly agonizing, and not just because he felt the sickness of isolation creeping in as he waited. 

But now that Kirchoff was searching for him, with his thoughts entirely focused on finding him to talk everything out…

So why can’t I talk to him? He asked himself for what must have been the hundredth time, hoping beyond hope that he'd get an answer.

Because you’re a coward. Much to his surprise, the answer came. There was no voice in his head other than his own, but nevertheless the answer came to him.

However, it wasn’t an answer he was expecting either. Valen suppressed his hiss of irritation at himself. Scared? What do I have to be scared about?

Losing him. For real this time. Because it will be nobody’s fault but yours. It felt as if he had plunged into an icy stream, chilling his blood and drawing the air from his lungs.

Fuck me.  

He’d known exactly why he was so afraid. He just didn’t want to acknowledge it. To admit it. It was easier to avoid it, to stay silent and hidden while his guilt ate him up inside. His indecision and cowardice… What… what should I do?

Again he answered himself. Stop being a coward. Go to him.

I’m an asshole sometimes, Valen snarked at himself. You know that right?

I know. He told himself. Now go to him. You know it’s the only way.

Yeah, I know. Valen exhaled a long, weary hiss. He could deceive Kirchoff, he could hide from him, and he could run from him, but he couldn’t hide from himself.

This had better not become a regular thing, he huffed at himself.

Only if you’re being stupid, he replied back.

So only when I’m thinking about Kirchoff huh? Valen smirked. 

No reply. Sigh.

He was scared of what might happen. About what Kirchoff might say. To find out what the consequences of his outburst would be. 

For his whole life, he’d almost always been able to read people, their actions, their intentions, their emotions. He could peer into the deepest parts of a person’s soul as if glancing through a crystal clear window.For the first time, he was completely unsure of what was coming next.

Valen was so wrapped up in his own thoughts that he almost missed Kirchoff’s shout, “Valen, I know you’re here somewhere! There’s no way you’re not!”

Kirchoff knew he was here. Valen could feel it, his utter assurance that he was nearby. Kirchoff hadn’t seen any evidence of him the entire time Valen had been stalking him, and yet he was completely confident that Valen was here.

Kirchoff had dug the camping chair out from the mess of equipment, and was seated in front of the charred remnants of the campfire. 

“Look…” Kirchoff hesitated, trying to figure out how best to express his thoughts and emotions through words. ”I don’t want to just talk about the injury.” I want to talk. About us.

And yet Valen still couldn’t bring himself to respond. Valen had been tailing Kirchoff from the second he’d set foot back in the forest enclosure, and yet his fear still paralyzed him. His indecision locked him in place. Unable to just say something. Anything.

“I’m… I’m sorry I reacted the way I did when you confessed to me,” Kirchoff continued, unaware of the emotional turmoil raging inside Valen. “It… it just kind of came out of nowhere. I mean… I guess I kinda knew how you felt, but I didn’t know that… What I mean to say is…”

Kirchoff stumbled over his words, his own conflicting emotions raging inside him. Fighting his own guilt, his own indecision, his own insecurities, to try and find the perfect words to say.

“It’s just that… I’ve had so much happen to me, so many shitty, awful things that I…”

-------------

No, I’m sorry…

“Valen!?” Steven’s head jerked up, eyes swiveling and head rotating, searching for him. He’d heard him, clear as day. 

“Are… are you there?” He asked, the hope and fear he felt competing to express themselves more.

I have been from the start. Valen’s distinct black crest rose from a thick patch of bushes and long grass along the treeline. The vegetation obscuring him disappeared with several quick flashes of his claws…

And there he was. His hulking, towering frame topped by his thick, armored crest. Claws glinting in the light piercing through the trees. Tail swishing gently, the bladed tip slicing through foliage like paper.

Steven stood so fast he knocked the cheap plastic chair over. He almost tripped from trying to run in two opposite directions at the same time, his legs nearly catching on themselves trying to obey the conflicting orders they were receiving from his brain. Before Steven could make up his mind either way, Valen closed the distance between them with a speed that Steven had never seen before. Almost before he could blink Valen was standing there, mere inches away in front of him.

Steven practically felt all the adrenaline in his body drain into his bloodstream at once. His pulse pounded in his ears, palms were sweating, his teeth were chattering, and his knees felt like they were going to give out.

I’m sorry I made you feel this way around me. No snark. No underhanded compliment. No verbal jabs. Valen was trying to… I am… And I am so, so sorry for…

“No, I’m sorry,” Steven cut him off. He needed to apologize now, to get this off his chest before the fear made him do something else dumb. To make everything right. “You were trying to tell me something deeply personal, and my own trauma… I just reacted without thinking… and I’m so sorry… I just…”

Kirchoff! Valen snapped at him, cutting him off. A sharp stab of pain in his temples made his head ache.

Can I speak? Valen sounded frustrated, clearly upset at being cut off.

“Can I?” Steven snapped back, equally frustrated.

They stood together for a moment, silently staring at each other. Steven’s body was tense, primed to run at a moment’s notice. Valen stood perfectly still, towering above him like a shadowy statue. Neither of them moved. Standing as still as the air…

 

Until Steven farted.

 

Just a small, terrified little squeak that shattered the tension between them like a brick through a window. Steven collapsed, gasping to suck in air between laughing fits. Valen was on all fours, rasping and gagging like a stalling car engine. Their shared hilarity at the whole situation was too much for either of them to handle.

When he felt that he could finally squeak a sentence out, Steven gasped, “Oh… my god… We are so bad at this!”

I hate to agree with you, Valen’s voice still sounded like he was about to burst into giggles. But yes. Yes we are. Especially you.

“Oh yeah, as if,” Steven shot right back. “Your timing sucks!”

I’ll give you that one, Valen still sounded amused, but Steven could feel the twinge of guilt that statement evoked. 

”So… did you want to go first?” Steven rolled onto his side, breathing deep to calm his giggles. “I cut you off first after all.”

Thank you. Again, there wasn’t a hint of snark in his tone. Steven couldn’t help but feel a little better. Valen was taking this so seriously, and he wouldn’t do that unless it was really, really important to him too. I’m the one who should be sorry… about everything, how it all played out. 

I was just so desperate for you to feel the same way about me as I feel about you that...  

Raw, unfiltered emotion laced his words. Valen’s guilt, his shame, his self-hatred, and his confusion with feeling these new, complex emotions were all mixed in with words. Steven could feel what Valen had been experiencing, what he had been agonizing over since he confessed to him. Since he had accidentally injured him.

I didn’t think about anything else. I wanted you to feel the same way as I did. I wanted you to love me like I loved you… A single tear, a tear that wasn’t his own ran down Steven’s face. Was he… was Valen…?

I’m so sorry Kirchoff. I’m so sorry I hurt you. Valen quietly gagged and rasped as he sobbed, leaning forwards, digging rents in the grass with his claws. Trying to catch his breath as his fear and grief and shame were finally given release. Never in a million years would Steven ever have guessed he’d live to see a Xenomorph crying. I promise I’ll never hurt you ever again. 

“It… It’s okay,” Steven felt his words more than he said them. “I understand Valen.”

No you don’t! Valen cut him off before he could finish his thought. I’ve never felt this way about anyone but you. I… I want to be with you. 

Steven’s mind felt as if it was swept up in a sudden whirlwind. A storm made of memory and emotion, ones that weren’t his own. 

…The soft, delicate feeling of his hands running over every inch of his body, carefully inspecting for the slightest hint of permanent damage. His own staunch concern for Valen flooded him as Valen had felt it. A paradoxical mix of his own emotions fed back to him through Valen’s telepathic connection with him…

I want to protect you. I want to keep you safe from anything that could ever hurt you…

…The warmth of his body, shielded from the outside world by his own, was an angelic glow against his chest. His soft, fragile frame, so unaware of its own fragile existence, protected from anything that could hurt him…

You’ve risked so much, and put so much on the line for me. You’ve sacrificed so much for me. And you… 

…Julianne, the torturer, pressed the needle into his arm. Steven felt his own pain as Valen had, every bit as painful as he felt it himself. Yet Valen gave the searing pain of burning lead in his blood. Valen felt nothing but terror and concern for him, and a burning, overwhelming hatred for everyone and everything that hurt him like this…

You’re the only person who has ever given me hope for the future. You’ve shown me how much joy and happiness there is in this life…

…The smug satisfaction of winning their first chess game… The utter joy of the cool breeze brushing against his skin as he leapt from the treetops… Losing himself in the fantasy world that unfolded from the pages of a book, blossoming into a vivid reality in his own thoughts… 

 I never thought about anything beyond my captivity before I met you.

…The sight of yet another scientist, clad in a white lab coat, staring at him from the side of an impenetrable barrier. Hidden from view and yet crystal clear to him. Ignoring his inane bluster, ribbing and teasing him to the point of rage…

…And the utter isolation that slowly consumed him when he had left…

Steven, I love you, Valen stepped forwards, gently pressing his face into his forehead. I don’t even know if I can feel love the same way as you… or if you’ll even feel the same way about me, but I love you Kirchoff.

Steven didn’t draw away. He didn’t try to clear his thoughts, to make rational sense of the events unfolding in his head. To come to some rational conclusion. Steven pressed his forehead back into Valen’s, reciprocating his touch, his affection. 

Valen, I never said I didn’t feel the same way about you.

What? Valen broke the embrace, but only enough to fix his gaze on his face.

I said I needed to think about it, Steven replied, closing the gap between them. His face pressed into the smooth carapace, still warm from his touch. Ursula gave me some advice.

You mean she kicked your ass and told you to stop sulking? Valen asked, a hint of the familiar snark worming back into his tone. It didn’t feel as harsh and biting as it usually did. It was playful, fun, poking fun at him. God, how he had missed it.

More or less. Kirchoff chuckled.

Didn’t even need to feel your thoughts to know she did that. Valen smirked. It was true, he didn’t need to. Ursula was many things, but she wasn’t someone who beat around the bush.

And I have something that I want to tell you, Kirchoff pressed a finger to where Valen’s lips would have been to cut off his reply, But not here. Once we’re back home I will, I promise. I don’t want to tell you in a place that’s so heavy with bad memories.

Kirchoff…

And just call me Steven from now on, he said, gently. That’s my real name. 

---

I… Even though Valen could feel every emotion, read every thought, and understand Kirchoff on a level nobody else ever could, he was still confused. I don’t understand. You’re Steven Kirchoff. That’s your full name, right?

Kirchoff chuckled, and the bubbling joy wrapped Valen in what felt like the sweetest, warmest embrace he’d ever felt. I mean, you’re not wrong, so I can’t get upset at you for not getting it.

It’s like, Kirchoff is… was… well I guess he’s who I was when I came here. He fled here to escape a life he saw no other escape from other than death. A last resort to leave everything behind and start over. And I just…

Valen remembered what Kirchoff had been like when they first met. Short tempered, easily frustrated, unempathetic. He had been clever, sure, but his lack of foresight had…

It led us to where we are now. For a change, Kirchoff… no, Steven, interrupted his thoughts . But I don’t want to be him anymore. I mean, Kirchoff is still ‘me’ , but he’s the ‘me’ I don’t want to be anymore. He’s just so angry, and frustrated, and impulsive, and traumatized, and sad… and he’s not who I want to be anymore. I want to be better. I’d rather deal with all my shit, and let Kirchoff lie. 

The small, unassuming man standing before him smiled a soft, gentle, kind smile. I’d rather be Steven.

It’s a pleasure to meet you Steven, Valen smiled back. Pleasure to meet you.

Pleasure to meet you too dork, Steven sassed back at him, and kissed him on cheek. Now let’s go home, I have something I wanna tell you.

Notes:

This is a turning point for this story in my opinion. My writing skills, my life experiences, and my approach to writing have all evolved so much since I started writing, but I’ve also never left this story abandoned. I’ve always come back to UT to update it, edit it, rewrite it, and add more to it.

But this is the first time I’ve actually been able to write how I want to write for this story. I feel that I’ve finally reached a level of quality in my writing that I can be proud of and not need to make significant stylistic changes going forwards. I wanna explore deeper themes with the story and characters in my future stories, but UT has always been shaped by the initial framework, and no amount of editing or rewriting will change that. It’s a silly little sci-fi romance thriller, but I love the characters in this world and I wanna make them the best they can be.

You might be able to tell that I really want to explore more thematic elements and have been sprinkling them in more and more. It makes writing far more interesting for me, and it also ties into my desire to really dive into a making the relationship between Valen & Steven more nuanced. I love these two idiots, and I love their dynamic, and I want to make it as good as I possibly can.

Ursula is also a hell of a lot of fun to write, especially as there is a lot more plot going on behind the scenes with her rather than with just Valen & Steven.

If you wanna learn more about the characters, check out the UT short story anthology I'm writing here: https://archiveofourown.org/works/45450373
It's just one story so far, but I've got a few more coming down the line (eventually x3).

And as always, thank you for reading! I do read the comments too, so if you have any feedback don't be afraid to let me know! - AX

Chapter 21: Confessions

Summary:

I think this one turned out pretty well actually.

I hope you do too - AX <3

“You’re sure this won’t raise any alarms?” Ursula turned a blank, plastic security badge in her fingers over and over, as if to verify that it was actually real.

“It’s an identical copy of the original,” explained William, the scrawny IT technician she called on for requests like this. “It’s a total copy of the card it’s copied from, even down to the unique badge ID. As far as the system is concerned, they’re the same computer security card.”

“And this one,” Ursula tapped the plastic ID badge on her desk, doing her best to not comment on the gaudy lanyard it was clipped to. “Same deal for this one?”

“I mean, other than the picture, yeah,” William shuffled his feet, clearly nervous to be discussing the matter at hand. “Nobody will question you if you use it instead of your regular one though. Unless they see you using it somewhere you shouldn’t, I mean. I can’t hack people’s eyeballs.”

“Noted,” She scooped up the ID card and unclipped it from the lanyard, tossing the loop of fabric back at William. He scrambled to catch it, but she didn’t pay him any mind. Her thoughts were focused entirely on more pressing matters now. "What about the original cards? What did you do with those?"

Will shifted uncomfortable on his feet. "Well I just returned them to a security desk; said I found them on the ground outside."

Ursula nodded her head, accepting his explanation. As long as she wasn't the one to return Goodwin's stolen ID cards it was all good.

“So… is that everything?” William asked, his nerves making his voice crack at the end of his question. He was jumpier than usual, but Ursula couldn’t really blame him for that. What she had asked him to do was a step above what she normally asked of him, and this could have real consequences for him if he got caught.

Ursula reached into her pocket and drew a slim stack of wrinkled money from her wallet. She held it out, gesturing for William to take it. He hesitated, eyeing the wad of faux-paper suspiciously.

“Hazard pay,” She told him, waving it in front of his face. The technician only hesitated for a moment before snatching it, skimming the numbers on the bills.

“Are… are you sure this is right?” William looked skeptically at her, but notably didn’t hand her the money back. “I’m already charging double my normal fee, and this…”

 William fingered the wad of bills in his hand, “This is a lot of money.” 

“It’s all yours,” Ursula answered the unspoken question. Her attention was already back on the forged duplicate access cards in her hand.

Will nodded and turned to go, but Ursula called out after him. “Hey Will!”

The skinny man glanced over his shoulder, hand on the handle to her office. “Yeah?”

“Next chance you get, you should take a vacation,” Her eyebrows raised and she looked pointedly at him. “Offworld.”

Will’s irises almost disappeared; his eyes went so wide. His already pale face almost looked grey. William gave her the slightest of nods, then practically sprinted out of her office, slamming the door behind him.

Good, he got the message, Ursula was pretty sure the sum of money she’d handed him would have sent the message by itself, but it didn’t hurt to give him a nudge in the right direction. Will was a good guy. He deserved better than being a corrupt low-level IT technician at the ass-end of human space.

But he was very good at his job. Ursula eyed the two pieces of plastic. Together, they were worth far more than any sum she could name. 

To her, they were priceless.

“Alright Goodwin, let’s find out what you’ve been up to.”

---

Their little campsite hadn’t changed at all in their absence. It was the same barely organized chaos of boxes, books, cans of food, and blankets that had become home to Steven & Valen over their short stay in the forest.

“God damn, this place beats any hotel I’ve stayed at,” Steven groaned and stretched his back. He and Valen had just arrived back at their little camp after the hike back. Thankfully they’d left all of the gear they had taken camping back at the site. Still, all the walking he did today was hell on his lumbar. 

“Can you pass me something to eat Valen?” Steven asked as he plopped into the small pile of blankets and pillows he used for a bed. There was an air mattress there at some point, but Valen was equal parts cuddly and sharp, so it hadn't lasted long.

Valen made no move to fetch a pack of food, approach him, or even answer him. Valen had even been quiet on the hike back from the campsite, barely responding to Steven’s jabs or obvious invitations to rib him.

He's nervous, Steven reminded himself. Even though they both knew by now what Steven would say, Valen was still nervous about hearing it. He was like a shy teenage boy who was out on a first date with his crush, unsure of whether or not his date actually liked him or not. 

Steven took pity on Valen & broke the ice for him, “You know, you’re cute when you’re shy.”

I… you… Valen stammered, fumbling to make a snarky reply. His usual sharp wit was dulled by his nerves & embarrassment at the compliment.

“Just take the compliment, and get over here idiot.” Steven slapped the ground next to him.

…Fine, Valen rolled his eyes, But not because you told me to.

“I regret ever introducing you to manga,” Steven faked a gag, but didn’t stop smiling either.

Valen flopped down beside, keeping a respectful amount of distance between them. Steven wasn’t having any of that. He rolled over and wedged himself into his normal spot up against his chest. “Don’t think you’re getting away with not cuddling me now big guy.”

That made him purr ever so gently. Not his usual motorboat purring, but it was better than nothing. So… I heard from someone that you might wanna tell me something.

“Well you heard correctly,” Steven did his best to smile and put on a brave face, but on the inside he was growing increasingly nervous. His heart beat loud in his chest, sweat ran down his face, and he had to remind himself to stay calm.

He was anxious about how to say the words he wanted to say; to tell Valen what he needed to hear. They weren't happening at some point in the future, it was now... “I do have something I wanna say to you.”

And… Valen seemed hesitant, picking up on his sudden nervousness. What might that be?

"Well... it's a lot of things actually," Steven admitted. "So I need you to hang on to the sarcastic retorts until the end.”

I only promise to try, the barest glimmer of smug sass snuck through the layers of anxiety in Valen's words.

That made Steven crack a smile. It was barely there, just a tiny one that tugged at the corners of his mouth, but it was there all the same. Steven inhaled, taking a deep breath to calm himself; to gather his thoughts. And then he spoke.

---

“When I first met you, I wasn’t a very happy person. I had just fled my old life because I felt that I had nothing left in it. Sure I had a fancy degree, but I didn't know what to do with it, I didn't have any goals, or anyone left that cared about me."

Steven's voice caught in his throat, choking on the swell of emotions trying to escape all at once. A deep breath, then another. And another. Riding the tide of feeling until it was calm once more.

And so he continued. "You were my first real friend Valen. You were someone I could talk to. Someone I could spend my time with. Someone who I could trust with anything. I never knew how badly I needed it - how badly I was starved for it - until I met you."

Is… Is that what I am to you? Valen’s voice was neutral, but he knew that Steven could feel how hard he was trying to keep it that way. I'm your friend?

“Of course you’re my friend Valen,” Steven hugged one of his arms to his chest.  “You’re the best friend I’ve ever had.”

Oh… Valen did his best to not let his growing sense of dejection get out of control. Not now. Not until Steven was finished. Later, when he had time to be alone he could…

“But… you’re also so, so, so much more than a friend.” Steven’s words cut through his consciousness like a sword through air, sending his spiraling thoughts out into oblivion.

Wha... What? Was all that Valen could think to say.

“I mean that you’re so much more than a friend Valen,” Steven shifted so he was looking directly up at his face. “I just… I wish that we didn’t meet each other in this place.” 

But then we never would have met, Valen said, his hurt & confusion competing for dominance as he spoke.

“I know… It’s just…” Steven bit his lip. How many times have I been the one to hurt Valen ? “You know. I know you do.”

Steven… There were no words for what Valen wanted to say. No way to tell Steven what he needed to say, what he wanted him to hear…

“It’s not fair that we’ve been abused for the sake of some vague ‘science’.” The memory of molten-hot chemicals burning through his veins, still as sharp as the day it happened.

“But I can’t change that now… And not everything has been awful.” 

Like what? Valen asked as gently as he could.

Steven pulled Valen’s arm in closer, hugging him tighter. “Like how I’ve gotten to know you. The real you.” Valen leaping from tree to tree. Laughing when he lost at board games. Secretly waiting to tell Valen about a book that he found for him. 

“And knowing what I know now… I think I would have fallen for you no matter where we met…”

Kir… Steven, Valen felt confused. As hard as he tried, he just couldn’t see where Steven was going with all this. What does that have to do with us?

“It means that I don't feel the way I do because of our circumstances.” Steven waved his arms, as if to gesture to everything that had happened since they met. “If we had met under completely different circumstances, in a different time, in a different place, I would have still fallen for you.”

Steven… That doesn’t matter to me.

“It matters to me.” Steven rolled over to see him. All of him. 

“I love you Valen. For who you are. All of you.”

I… I love you too Steven.

As if pulled together by a fundamental force, Steven & Valen leaned into one another…

…and Steven’s as lips brushed gently against Valen’s maw, something shattered.

 

 

 

In that moment, the barriers that separated Steven & Valen seemed to dissolve. 

The unseen yet infinite distance between their minds - bridged only by Valen’s ability to peer through that distance into Steven’s - seemed to collapse all at once. One second they were intimate, connected, yet inexorably separated. In the next, there was a total absence of distance. Of separation. Of loneliness.

 

They came together.

 

There was no distinction between their thoughts, their memories, their emotions, their subconscious. They all mixed and swirled and danced together in a sparkling fountain of color; of emotion; of sentiment.

For that fleeting, endless moment they based in the glow of absolute intimacy; a being of two yet as one bound together in harmonius, complete understanding.

They spoke no words; that salve for all souls subjected to infinite separation from true connection; their lamenting wails crying out in search of it, yet would never find it.

It was freedom of knowing another so complete that words cannot truly describe their connection, for there was no connection.

Nothing else existed in this short, blissful eternity. Merely reveling in their existence as one.

 

Together... they just were.

 

…Until as seamlessly as they came together, they split. Torn apart; ripped back into the sanctuary prison of their own minds. Their identity severed its seperate components; a sudden reversal of emotional entropy that left only the memory of its fleeting existence…

…and they were just Steven & Valen again;

locked together in an awkward kiss; 

at their comfortable forest campground; 

deep underground in an airtight, hermetically sealed bunker; 

in a highly secured planetary research facility; 

on an isolated green rock; 

orbiting an unremarkable sun;

floating through the void; 

an infinitely tiny speck in an infinitely massive universe;

 

 

But they were together.

 

 

Valen felt himself snap back to… well himself. His head was still spinning, barely able to comprehend what had just happened. Reflexively, he reached out, trying to find the white star of Steven’s thoughts in the dull space… but he couldn’t do it. 

Instead of intuitively forming the link to him, it felt as if he… missed; like he’d overshot and landed in the sea of nothingness. He was drowning in nothing, unable to find his way back to himself…

Until Steven was there. A shining star in the blackness. Enveloping him in the safe harbor of his thoughts, his emotions, his comforting familiarity.

Just focus on my voice Valen. Steven told him. Just focus on me. It’ll be ok, just stay with me here okay?

This connection was familiar. Comfortable. Safe. Valen had grown so accustomed to the sensation of Steven’s mind that it was almost… no, it was home. A private, safe space where he could hide from the rest of his life.

Valen let himself be embraced by the man that he loved, fading into the aura of comfort and warmth of his mind; his companionship; his very presence...

And there they stayed, not talking about anything in particular, not trying to process some difficult emotion, not trying to create a half-baked plan to survive. 

 

They just were.

---

Goddamn she hated computers. 

Ursula slapped the side metal box, trying to make the stupid security card reader read the damn card. It wasn’t an issue with the card, she’d tested out on a public terminal in a breakroom by looking up a staff directory.

The card wasn’t bad, but it was this damned stupid terminal that was the problem. That was it. Not her, the computer. 

Angrily, Ursula gave the terminal another solid slap. Unfortunately, her computer troubleshooting knowledge stopped just beyond “percussive maintenance”, so if this didn’t work then she’d have to find another access point for the data she needed.

Currently, she was hunched over a decrepit piece-of-junk terminal in her office. Her old office, the cramped, dirty, out of the way office space that she’d been relegated to before her recent promotion. 

When the reader still didn’t accept her card, Ursula contemplated finding a hammer and threatening the machine to make it work right. Besides the computer in her new office, this was the one terminal that she knew that she had private access to. If this didn’t work, she’d have to use the one in her office or a public terminal, but the risk of someone spotting her or looking over her shoulder was far greater.

When she want to try the card again, she noticed a half, worn sticker on the card reader. It was hard to make out, but if she squinted she could just make out a little picture of a security card, with a directional arrow printed on it.

Ursula pulled the computer access card out and inspected it.

…Then she flipped the card lengthways, pushed the card into the slot, and watched in annoyance as a green light on the terminal flickered to life.

Fucking… stupidass thing, Ursula grumbled to herself as she waited for the machine to connect to the network. It was slow, and old, and according to William it was ‘a miracle that this thing hasn’t spontaneously combusted’. 

But it did have one feature that made it invaluable. When she had William deliver it to her back when she was trying to gather dirt on Julius, he’d installed software on the computer that wiped any sort of access logs from both the computer, and more importantly from the server. 

At least that’s how he’d explained it to her. The real answer was some complex technical solution that Will was immensely proud of devising, but that had flown over her head completely.

What she did understand is that she could still pull data from the servers all the computers stored & pulled data from. And with her forged duplicate of Goodwin’s computer security access card, she could pull anything Goodwin had ever written, ever documented, or ever sent on a computer. 

As Ursula started to delve into the documents and files that Goodwin had committed to electronic format, she couldn’t help the smug smirk that cut a line across her face.

Right there, in the first folder she accessed named ‘Important Documents’ was a plethora of communications, memos, and most important to her, archived electronic mail messages between Goodwin and someone named “Guest Account - J. Gavin”.

Oh this is too easy, Ursula grinned. Reflexively, she reached for her coffee mug… only to realize that her favorite mug was in her new office. The office that had never really been hers.

Ursula shook her head. She could afford to be melancholy later. Rights now, she had some digging to do. She opened the first file that caught her eye and read.

---

FROM: “Goodwin Oswald-Gavin”

TO: “Guest Account - J. Gavin”

CC:

BCC:

SUBJECT: RE: Getting my job back!!!1!

 

Julius,

 

You need to stop pestering me for progress updates every 30 minutes. 

I know you’re impatient to get your job back, but if you can’t lay low and just let me handle this then you’re gonna fuck everything up. I’m not a miracle worker, and if you insist on telling me how to do my job then I’ll just let you do everything.

Just chill out.

I already have some suspicions that she is catching onto me because you’ve been too insistent on punishing her. The Board can’t outright fire her because they don’t have a replacement for her. (You don’t count)

We just need to keep applying pressure, and the moment she slips up we can use that to cast doubt on everything she’s said. But you need to be patient.

I have time on Friday to visit. Just take it easy on the liquor ok.

Maybe we can watch a movie or something to get your mind off things? 

 

Goodwin

---

“Well at least Julius is consistent,” Ursula muttered. “Trying to micromanage everything himself.”

That proved it. Goodwin was working to get Julius back into his old job, and Julius was… well it looked like Julius hadn’t changed one bit after his 'dismissal'. He was the same angry, vindictive, controlling man-child as before. That wasn’t much of a surprise though.

What was a surprise was how close Goodwin and Julius seemed to be. This wasn’t stiff, formal business communications, this was just casual conversation. And Goodwin’s last name… It could just be a coincidence, but it was just too convenient for Ursula to ignore. 

Whatever, She thought to herself. With a few short keystrokes; some subsequent swearing; quickly followed by a slightly different set of keystrokes; she copied the message onto a storage drive plugged into the computer, and moved onto the next file.

She had a lot of work to do, and Goodwin was going to have a lot to answer for.

---

Gradually, Valen felt his world stop spinning, solidifying back into something approaching normal. The connection he felt to Steven felt more stable… more contained. He could feel his surroundings again, see the shapes of the trees around him, feel the cool breeze on his carapace, and he could still feel the radiating warms of Steven in his arms. Valen could see from his thoughts that he had been hugging him through the entire experience.

Can you still hear me? Valen asked experimentally, shifting himself into a more comfortable position on his side.

“Yeah, I can hear you just fine," Steven's reply was clear and firm. He made no move to back away from him as he adjusted himself, clinging onto him; unwilling to let him go. "Can you hear me?”

Yes I can. I… Valen's emotions had calmed, but the emotional shock was still taking a toll on him. What happened?

Honestly, I don't know. I'm just as lost as you are, Steven tried to reassure him, but he didn't know anything more than Valen did. I wouldn't want to take it back though.

So much had happened so quickly. Valen still felt like parts of him were reeling, but Steven wasn't. He'd been an integral part of the same experience, and yet he already knew that he didn't regret it... I'm sorry.

For what?  Steven was perplexed by the apology. To him, Valen hadn't done anything that he needed to apologize for. How could a human, one so physically weak and one so mentally damaged still be so much stronger than him?

For making you protect me again, Valen made no effort to hide the guilt he felt. It was too much effort, and after what they had experienced together… I'm the one who is supposed to be durable and strong... and yet you've already hurt so much for me. I should be protecting you...

“I don’t need you to protect me,” Steven’s smile felt unimaginably gentle and understanding. “I’m an adult Valen, I can fend for myself.”

Really? If Valen had eyebrows at that moment, they’d be raised to the ceiling. 

"What?" Steven's voice was high with indignation. "What!?"

You’re telling me that you can fend for yourself? Seriously? Valen tried to shake his head, but his sideways position on the ground stopped him from doing more than waggling his head. Have you met yourself?

“Okay, fair point,” Steven raised his hands in surrender briefly before wrapping them back around his chest. “But in my defense, I’m not normally prone to being experimented on by lunatics.”

Your track record says otherwise, Valen snarked, feeling relieved that they were falling back into their normal dynamic. You’re 1 for 1.

“Huh…” Steven pondered that for a moment. “I guess being medically experimented on and tortured for ‘science’ really isn’t all that common, is it?”

How should we know? Valen snarked. We're not a good sample size. You should know that Mr. Scientist.

"Fair enough," He conceded the point. "But since we're both subjects, maybe we should try to be strong for each other instead trying to - 'nobly sacrifice ourselves so the other may live' -huh?"

That's a good idea hun. Valen agreed.

“Hun!?” Steven's head twisted to look at him. His smirk and his amusement tried to tell Valen that he thought the pet name was silly, but Valen was telepathic. And Steven couldn't hide the jolt of delight at hearing Valen give him a cute pet name, and his annoyance at feeling so happy. “Did you just call me ‘hun’?”

Oh yeah, try to act like you’re too cool for a pet name, Valen wasn't playing that game. His own smirk was far more smug and confident that anything Steven could muster. It’s not like I can feel that you hate how much you love it or anything.

“Whatever grandma,” It was Steven’s turn to flush with embarrassment.

You're cute when you're shy, Valen shot Steven's own compliment back at him.

“I… It just caught me off guard, okay!” Steven buried his head into Valen’s chest, making him purr and hum in delight. “Where did you even learn that word?”

It was in one of your books I think,  Valen tried to recall exactly which one, but the title had faded from memory. Are you feeling ok? No effects from... us?

“No, I feel fine," Steven answered dismissively.

Steven, Valen tightened his arms around Steven protectively, preventing anything from getting to him, and preventing him from getting away. Answer the question, are you ok?

"I really am fine Valen, I'd tell you if I wasn't. I... I'm just..." Steven sighed. "Sorry, I’m still wrapping my head around this whole ‘being a test subject’ thing.”

He waggled his arms. “I've never given it that much thought before now. It's just weird, y'know?”

I know better than anyone else, ever, what it's like to be a test subject, Valen relaxed, letting himself uncurl and wrapped himself more comfortably around Steven; pulling him in closer. We’re both test subjects now, I’m just more used to it. I was born to be one.

God that… That is beyond depressing. That thought was so bleak that Steven was having trouble processing it. It felt like the gears spinning in his head had jammed for second. That’s like, existentially depressing.

Self-awareness is overrated. Valen rasped a cynical laugh. In a way, I envy all the other Xenomorphs I've met. They at least they weren't aware of what was being done to them... Not with the same level of understanding anyways.

Still though… Steven shook his head, forcing himself to stop thinking about it. Nevermind, forget I brought it up. I’m tired of being upset about things I can’t control.

Like your virginity? Valen snarked. He told himself it was to jab at Steven like he normally did, to break the heavy mood that had settled over them...

But now that they were starting to settle back into their comfortable verbal routine, Valen couldn’t lie that he was also growing more genuinely curious about Steven more intimately.

“As if! You’re the virgin here big guy,” Steven jabbed Valen in the ribs. Knowing bemusement rolled off him in waves, completely aware of where he was trying to steer the conversation. “I know I’ve got you beat there. Why are you asking about that all of a sudden?”

No reason, Valen did his best not to let his embarrassment show, focusing on a suddenly interesting patch of grass facing away from Steven’s knowing stare.

“Uh huh. Yeah, sure. Real subtle big guy.” For a second, Valen worried that he might have upset Steven again. He knew that Steven was sensitive about the subject of sex because of his… unfortunate past. But there was no anger, no upset, no emotional backlash. 

Only a smug, playful bemusement that grew stronger as Steven watched Valen squirm, because he knew that Valen would be in tune with his emotions and he’d be hearing his thoughts right about now.

I don’t know what you’re talking about, Valen whined, doing his absolute best to play dumb.

“Oh yeah big guy?” Steven wrapped his arms tighter around Valen’s chest, pressing his soft, warm body against Valen’s sturdy chest. While he did, Steven let his thoughts shift to more… intimate topics. “You’d like it if I took yours, wouldn’t you?”

I… That’s not… I mean I… If Valen had cheeks right now, they could start a forest fire from how hot they would be burning. His whole body felt as if it had been lit aflame. The radiating heat of Steven pressing against him & the smoldering fire of his own embarrassed excitement at the touch; together they made him feel as if he were about to melt.

Steven smirked for a satisfied moment, then shifted upwards to kiss him on the chin. “That’s what I thought.”

---

Ursula found Goodwin in the cafeteria. Apparently it was lunch time. She'd lost track of time sifting through Goodwin's classified documents, of which there was a lot. After a while Ursula had stopped trying to find relevant information and just copied as much of the data onto a drive as she could before storming off to find him. 

She still didn't know the full scale of what he had been up to. There was simply too much information to process in such a short time. However, what she did know was that Goodwin was a lying, manipulative piece of shit.

“Dr. Nigel, what a pleasant surprise,” It was clear from the tone of his voice that the surprise of her interrupting his lunch was about as pleasant as a wet fart in an elevator. “I was finishing my lunch before I headed down to collect your reports for the day.”

A sheaf of papers emerged from a folder under her arm. She tossed them at Goodwin, spraying loose paper all over the table, his other papers, and the remains of his lunch.

“Oops, sorry. The paperclip must have come loose,” Ursula lied. There was no paperclip. 

“That wasn’t very professional of you Ursula,” Goodwin glared at her. He was barely bothering to hide his contempt for her now.

“Neither is trying to get Julius his job back when he should rightfully be on trial,” she shrugged. “But hey, nobody’s perfect.”

Keenly, she watched his face, his body language, his expression, looking for anything she could use.

“...What do you want Ursula?” Whatever emotions Goodwin was feeling were swept away in an instant. In its place was stone faced neutrality. 

That pissed Ursula off. Goodwin had been casually flexing his authority over her for months, and only now that she had all but threatened him did he even make an attempt to be polite and professional with her. After he was afraid of her learning his secrets. 

“What I want,” Ursula fumed at the slimy rat faced bureaucrat, “Is for you & Julius to stop trying to fuck me over, and just let me do my goddamn job in peace!”

“So you did know about us,” Goodwin didn’t even have the decency to look surprised or upset that she’d found him out. 

“Is that all you have to say?” Maybe if she glared at him hard enough, he would spontaneously combust and solve all her problems for her. “I know you’ve been trying to fuck me over because Julius is a petty man-child.” 

“You don’t know that,” Goodwin snapped, sharp and clipped. "Your performance evaluations are entirely based on measurable metrics, and you have always...!"

“Oh cut the shit Goodwin,” Ursula rolled her eyes. “You know Julius just as well as I do. He’s smart, and talented, but he’s also an egotistical control-freak who has to have everything go his way.”

No response this time. No point in denying the truth when it was staring him in the face.

“Nothing else to say? Did I get the gist of the matter?” She asked, putting as much condescension into her words as possible; flipping the script on him.

“So let me tell you what I think happened. I called Julius out on his bullshit and now he’s finally suffering the consequences of his actions,” She continued. “And Julius doesn't like that. He blames me for fucking him over.”

Still, no reply from Goodwin. His face was remaining impressively neutral, despite the vein bulging on his forehead. Still, she was getting to him. Perhaps it was time to come at him from the personal angle.

“Why the fuck are you even trying to get Julius his job back?” Ursula asked. “Why would you ever want to help such a despicable torturer …”

“Alleged torturer,” Goodwin cut in, snapping at her.

“Oh, my apologies!” Ursula gave Goodwin a derisive look that told him her apology was about as genuine as a crayon forgery. “Alleged torturer. That makes it so much better!”

“Julianne was the one who tortured Steven anyways,” Goodwin wasn’t letting this point go. “Julius didn’t do anything wrong.”

“Bull-fucking-shit!” Ursula slammed her hand down on Goodwin’s tray, knocking his glass of water over & spilling it on his lap. “Just because he didn’t push the needle in himself doesn’t make him any less culpable!”

“Besides, Julianne was an android,” Ursula snarled at the memory of Julius’ former assistant. “She just followed her programming.”

“She’s an android, so…” Goodwin kept pushing, but Ursula wasn’t having any of it.

“Because she was an android means she can’t be held legally liable,” Ursula cut him off. She explained it to him slowly, as if Goodwin had the mental capacity of a rotten lima bean. “That means the person who gave her instructions will be held liable in her stead, meaning Julius.”

Goodwin didn’t respond this time. He didn’t even meet her eyes. Instead he just absorbed himself in drying the water from his soaked trousers with the few napkins that had come with his tray lunch.

“I just don’t get it. Why would you do this?" She asked him. "Why would you put your neck out for Julius? He’s an arrogant, spiteful, vindictive narcissistic...”

“He’s my little brother!” Goodwin hissed, his voice dripping with enough venom to kill an elephant. His fists were balled so hard his knuckles were turning white & trembling with suppressed rage. “And you.... You cost him everything! All that he’s ever worked for, everything I helped him achieve. Poof, gone!"

He rose from his chair as his tirade against her grew louder & louder, his hiss morphing into a growl. "You submitted an Ethics complaint, and now he basically has a black mark on his career! A torture charge with physical video evidence… There’s no coming back from that! Nobody will ever hire him again! Hell, do you know how close he was to being prosecuted under the Ripley Conventions?”

“As a matter of fact, I know that a Human Experimentation & Torture charge carries a mandatory minimum sentence of 30 years in prison, with no chance of parole for 20 years.” She recited, as if reading it directly from a textbook. 

“And I also know that the Bernard Company could be held liable under Article III, Subsection II, Paragraph I, which states that,” Ursula took a deep breath, and took a moment to gather her thoughts. “Any organization or entity that is found to be harboring, concealing, or otherwise obstructing any of the articles contained herein will be subject to a total seizure of assets by the I.C.C.J. Said assets will be subject to liquidation or destruction of said assets if they are found to be in violation of Article I of the conventions.”

Ursula leaned in so she was almost nose to nose with Goodwin. “Don’t fucking quote the Ripley Conventions at me Goodwin. I was in the room when my mother wrote them.”

Goodwin eyed her cautiously, his lips parting and closing as if debating the best way to retort. Unfortunately, he seemed to realize the best way to stop digging a grave for himself was to stop speaking at all, and shut his mouth before he could say anything else incriminating. It was up to her to continue if she wanted to get more out of him.

“I’m not sorry that your asswipe of a brother lost his job Goodwin,” Ursula didn’t so much as blink. If she showed any sign of weakness now, he’d pounce on it like the predatory animal he was. “He deserves everything that‘s coming to him, because I actually believe in the Conventions. He fucking tortured Steven, and he deserves to rot in prison for his crimes.”

“And it’s sycophants like you,” Her voice dropping to a harsh whisper, “Rotten, corrupt little rats who would poison their own mothers if it gave you a leg up on the corporate ladder, are the reason why we have things like the Conventions in the first place.”

“So unless you have anything to confess to me Goodwin, then I suggest you drop to your knees and pray to whatever god you worship. At least they will show you mercy. I will not.”

Finally, the façade shattered & fell away.

Goodwin’s nostrils fumed, eyes blazing with undisguised hatred. There was actually a moment where Ursula thought he’d actually hit her. His fists were clenched; his arm halfcocked; barely suppressed the urge to take a swing at her.

“Go ahead Goodwin,” Ursula spread her arms, inviting him to take that swing.

Only then did Goodwin seem to remember that they weren’t alone. Several nearby staffers were staring at the commotion. One man had his hands over his mouth; another gaggle of researchers seemed to be engrossed in their trays of barely-adequate food slop; and a very tall, very muscled, and very angry looking woman was staring daggers at him.

Without another word, Goodwin stalked off; the slam of the metal door on his way out punctuating his exit.

Ursula hadn't needed to lash out at Goodwin like that. She didn’t need to get Goodwin to confess that he’d been meddling in her affairs. She didn't need to tell him she knew he was using his position to shield Julius. She didn’t need him to reveal that Julius was still moving the pieces behind the scenes…

But goddamn it, putting Goodwin in his place like that felt fucking good … 

 

…And that was a mistake. A big fucking mistake. 

Lashing out felt good, but a her temper began to fade and she began to hear the blood pounding in her ears... Ursula realized she had just revelated a lot of what she knew to Goodwin while she ranted at him.

She had reveled that she knew about Julius, that she knew they were in contact, and that she knew they had been conspiring to get her fired from her job. And now Goodwin, and by extension Julius knew that she knew.

Fuck. The more she thought about it, the more she realized how big of a fuckup she might have just made. Not only could this hurt her, but also Steven & Valen by proxy. Keeping her research about Valen’s Telepathy funded, and by extension keeping Steven and Valen alive. 

That was her priority. Humiliating Goodwin wasn’t. Provoking Julius wasn’t either. And if Goodwin suspected she was gunning for him now, and not just his arrogant prick brother…

“FUCK!” Ursula kicked the shitty plastic of the table’s seat, startling the onlookers. Why am I such a fucking idiot?!

She needed to get ahead of this; before it spiraled out of control. Paying no heed to the crowd, Ursula span on her heels & sprinted back towards her office. 

Notes:

I hope I didn't go overboard lol

This is the emotional climax between Steven & Valen that I know I and a lot of you have been waiting for so very long for, and I hope you're as satisfied with it as I am.

Originally this was supposed to be the second half of Chapter 20, but then the actual plot happening with Ursula and Goodwin got more and more in depth, and I wanted to really give Steven & Valen a memorable first romantic experience beyond just a kiss.

Also, I finally understand (kinda) how semi-colons work outside of programming! I've been using them more and more as I write because it's closer to how my thought process & writing style works, and I'm tired of just using 'and' so much.

Let me know what you think! - AX <3

P.S. - My new UT side-smut fic is out now - All Alone, Together

Read it here: https://archiveofourown.org/works/45828958/chapters/115336447

Chapter 22: Ignition

Notes:

Sorry for the delay, but I promise you it'll be worth it!

UPDATE:
I have a Tumblr blog now!

https://www.tumblr.com/amorous-xenomorph

Now you’ll be able to receive semi-regular reassurance that I am - in fact - not dead and that I am alive & writing.

I also have Tumblr Asks set up for providing anonymous comments & feedback, because I know that publicly commenting on my work can be kinda embarrassing.

Now you can comment about long-form gay Xenomorph/Human romance with complete anonymity! The wonders of technology never cease to amaze!

In addition I will be providing weekly updates on the status of my current works (UT, 4aC, WIP oneshots, etc.) on my blog on Sundays, starting this week.

I will also be posting snips from upcoming chapters/stories, rambling about my ideas for stories and/or smut, and posting nature pictures I take while I'm walking through the river.

Come say hi! I don't bite much unless you ask politely! - AX <3

The door to Ursula's office - her real office - slammed open hard enough to shake the walls. The twin slam of the door closing knocked a stack of papers stacked on one of her overfilled filing cabinets tumbling to the floor.

Ursula didn’t even notice. She grabbed one of her folding office chairs and jammed it under the handle of the flimsy office door. Once she was certain it wouldn’t just fall over, she collapsed in her worn office chair.

“Fuck.” Ursula swore. Thoughts swirled and twisted themselves around and around in her head. So much had happened so quickly; even for her it was too much.

 Coffee. She needed coffee. A lot of it.

Ursula kicked the rolling chair over to a low cabinet that held an ancient coffee maker that she’d kept as a gift since she graduated University. Next to it was a tin of coffee grounds and a stack of loose filters she always kept in her office. They’d been sitting here since she’d outed Julius and taken over his position. She poured the grounds into a filter, prayed that the water that had been sitting undisturbed in the tank for the past few months wasn’t too gross & switched the machine on.

As the decrepit coffee maker gurgled and began to let out a trail of steam, Ursula turned her attention back to the predicament at hand. She’d fucked up. She’d fucked up bad. She’d had the upper hand. She’d found Goodwin out.

But once she’d found out that Julius and Goodwin had been conspiring to have her fired from the very beginning… a spark of that overwhelming indignant rage still lingered inside her; ready to ignite back into a conflagration at the slightest provocation.

No, stop that. Ursula told herself. Beating yourself up isn’t going to get you anywhere.

Of course she was right. Her emotions didn’t matter right now. All that mattered was what she was going to do next.

 

And that's the fucking problem! How did I not see it? It should have been obvious from the beginning! Ursula had missed all the signs that something wasn’t right. Of course she’d expected some push-back from the Board over outing Julius’ flagrant crimes, but not to this degree.

Machiavellian corporate politics was the norm out here in frontier space. Skulduggery, secrecy, and backstabbing were time-honoured workplace traditions dating all the way back to the time when massive Conglomerates like Weyland-Yutani basically owned most of human space. Long before the great colonization drives that spread humanity across the stars in the billions.

The Board shouldn’t have batted an eye at her airing Dr. Gavin’s dirty laundry. Hell, Julius had stabbed enough backs on his way up the corporate ladder to make a professional assassin jealous. There was no way that the Bernard Company’s corporate overlords should have an issue with her outing Julius…

 

Except that wasn’t what happened. It all made sense now though.

Goodwin’s clear disdain towards her; the lack of any information about Julius’ status at all since he was suspended; the lack of direct communication with the Board; the mountain of veiled threats. And she had been so preoccupied with the administrative bullshit of her job - not to mention trying to keep Steven & Valen’s asses out of the fire - that all the signs had slipped past her.

She was being set up.

Because what would happen if the new temporary Director of Research - who just so happened to have a nasty history with the former director - was significantly worse at the job? Worse enough that the Board might regret replacing their former Research Director.

Especially if said replacement was an former underlings with a chip on her shoulder.

And coincidentally, Goodwin started hounding her about her job performance almost immediately after Julius had been placed on ‘administrative leave’. Immediately after she’d taken his brother’s position out from under him.

 

She could practically hear Goodwin’s smug voice as he made his reports to the Board.

“I told you. She’s just jealous and wanted to enact revenge on her more successful colleague.”

“I wouldn’t be surprised if she fabricated the evidence.”

“Even if her accusations were true, have you seen how poorly she’s running the place?

  “Everything is over-budget and under-delivering now that she’s in charge.”

“Julius never would have let this happen.”

 

The coffee maker gurgled and buzzed; cutting through her speculation with the shriek of a half-dead alarm clock and the imminent promise of sweet, sweet caffeine. That or the coffee maker was on the verge of spontaneously combusting; it was hard to tell either way.

Ursula unplugged the machine and rummaged around in the mess on her cabinet for a semi-clean cup to drink it out of. The only empty mug she unearthed was an old ceramic one with a picture of a cat hanging from a tree branch on the side. A line of text that said “Hang in There!” was printed across the bottom of the picture. It was tacky, but it could hold coffee and that’s all that mattered.

Ursula took a greedy gulp; wincing as the coffee scalded her tongue. She’d forgotten that the heating element in the damn machine was busted. The stupid thing had been trying to enact some kind of vengeance on her for her caffeine addiction the past year or so. At least that was the best explanation she could come up with.

And speaking of explanations… 

 

Ursula’s brow furrowed and her eyes narrowed at the memory of Goodwin’s shrill voice; screaming at her in the cafeteria.

“He’s my little brother! And you.... You cost him everything! All that he’s ever worked for, everything I helped him achieve. Poof, gone!"

“...everything I helped him achieve …”

“God-fucking-damnit!” Ursula hissed under her breath; kicking the leg of her desk and causing coffee to splash onto the miscellaneous piles of paper under her mug. She snatched up the mug of coffee and drained it in one long gulp, ignoring the searing heat that scalded her tongue.

 

Goodwin. Fucking Goodwin.

 

Julius might have been an arrogant, irresponsible, spiteful, morally depraved asswipe, but at least she’d been able to cuss him out when he fucked her over. His rat-fuck brother however…

Goodwin had been the one to maneuver Julius up the corporate ladder to the Research Director.

Goodwin had been the one to keep Julius there through scandal after scandal; stealing her work time & time again; violating human rights protocols like it was a competition.

Goodwin had been the one to take revenge on her when she had finally pushed back after what he did to Steven.

Julius might be a sadistic wankstain, but he couldn’t do anything to anyone anymore. It was Goodwin who was the real threat now. He was shrewd, cunning, and a skilled manipulator. It pained her to admit it, but Ursula hadn’t even suspected that she was even being manipulated in the first place. Goodwin had played her like a fucking fiddle.

Ursula's brow furrowed, her knuckles turning white as she clenched the mug in her hands. "Fucking Goodwin…"

She wanted to strangle that fucking rat. All of her problems, every conflict over her budget, every project stolen from her, every denied promotion that Julius received instead… All her hatred and frustration had been his fault as much as Julius’.

He’d been a bland beige specter, hiding in plain sight among the endless tedium of business bureaucracy. He’d been the one who elevated Julius through his entire career at the company. He'd been the one turning the eyes of the corporate overlords away from his little brother's sketchy behavior.

He was the one trying to put his precious brother back on his throne.

"It’s always been the pair of you," Ursula fumed at them through teeth clenched hard enough to bite through solid steel. “I wish I’d never met Julius. I wish I’d never come here in the first place. Goddamnit if only I’d…”

For fucks sake, focus! Ursula snapped at herself. She was letting her emotions the better of her. She knew better than that. She knew that the only thing that mattered right now was containing the oncoming shitstorm she’d set free, but…

 

But trying to focus right now was fucking hard. Ursula hadn’t even slept more than an hour or two for the past… Fuck how many days had it even been now? Two? Three? She was so preoccupied with digging up dirt on Goodwin that she’d lost track.

Hell, she hadn’t even been able to sleep more than 2 or 3 hours a night for months because of her massive workload;

And because she needed to be a babysitter for an emotionally fragile man and his telepathic alien boyfriend;

And because of the fucking bombshell revelation she’d just unearthed about Goodwin;

And because of the stress and anguish that they had caused her;

And because right now there was nothing more that she wanted than to wrap her hands around Goodwin's scrawny little neck and wring it UNTIL HIS HEAD FELL OFF!

 

CRUNCH .

Pain in her right palm.

A hot, wet trickle of blood squeezing through her fist.

 

Ursula looked down in surprise at her hand. She’d been clenching the mug so hard that the cheap ceramic had cracked into several pieces.

Ragged shards of mug were digging into her right palm; hot, red blood welling and pooling in her palm; running in rivulets down her wrist & dripping through her fingers.

Her gaze followed the stream of blood; staring blankly as the streams of red dripped onto the bare concrete floor. Small, red droplets soaking into the matte of wrinkled, trodden paper under her desk. 

Ursula felt her hands trembling; her breath coming in short, rapid gasps; her brow dripping with sweat; her teeth chattering with a sudden chill.

Am I dying? Jolting at the sudden intrusive thought, Ursula dropped the bloodstained remains of her mug. No... shock. I'm going into shock.

Clenching her wrist with one hand, Ursula tried to force herself to breathe deeply as she scrambled for something to stem the bleeding with. Her eyes flicked back and forth, scanning for a first aid kit that she swore she’d seen somewhere before.

Her brief search was hopeless. Wherever the first aid kit was, it was lost to the mess of paper and garbage. There was no way she’d find it in time. The next-best option was an old t-shirt that had been left hanging on the back of a folding chair. 

Well it was better than bleeding on the floor. Hastily she plucked the biggest shards of ceramic from her palm before balling the old shirt up and grasping it as best she could in her injured hand. No point in bandaging it, she’d call David in a minute to stitch her up.

“Fuck.” Tears welled in her eyes, threatening to spill out and join the bloody mess on the floor. No, you don’t have time for that now. Later. You can cry later.

No matter what Ursula told herself, no matter how hard she told herself to push her feelings down, no matter how urgent the situation was, she was still only human.

So for just a moment, Ursula stopped trying. She let herself forget her responsibilities, her sense of duty, her moral obligations and - just for a while - gave up on being in charge.

Just for a while, Ursula let her tears flow freely.

 

---

 

It wasn’t until the 3rd round of knocking that Julius finally cracked open the door to his ‘confinement quarters’. Goodwin had been trying to contact Julius all day, and he’d eventually given up and come down to see Julius in person.

His half-brother’s dishevelled, unshaven face leered out from the crack in the door; peering at Goodwin with one bleary, bloodshot eye. “Whosat… Wha-what d’you want?”

“Oh for God’s sake Julius it’s me!” Goodwin snapped at him.

“Sssswho?” Julius slurred, his eye peering unsteadily at him; unfocused.

“Goodwin! Your brother!” Goodwin nearly shouted at him. He could smell the sour odour of liquor and half-digested food wafting from his mouth. Goodwin glanced at his watch. 21:18. Christ, it wasn’t even 10 o’clock yet and Julius was shitfaced already. He glared at his drunken brother; his gaze practically dripping venom. “Let me in.”

Julius snorted like a surly teenager. “Sure, wha-ever.” 

Goodwin pushed the door open and was hit by a wave of stale alcohol fumes, rotten food, and body odor. His nose wrinkled, but Goodwin bit his tongue before he could remark on the state of Julius’ accommodations.

Not to say that it wasn’t difficult. 

It had only been a week since his last visit, but in that time Julius had done his level best to turn his small yet comfortable living space into an live artistic rendition of a depressed college student’s dormitory. Every available surface was covered in a layer of dirty clothes, used towels, food containers, with an assortment of partly-consumed alcoholic drinks strewn haphazardly on any available surface.

The only spot that had been kept clear of the mess was a single reclining chair which was surrounded on all sides by a haphazardly organized pile of bottles of various sizes. Almost all of them empty, of course.

Where the hell did he even get all this booze? Goodwin marvelled to himself. It was almost impressive how quickly Julius had trashed his apartment since his last visit. Goodwin scanned for a spot to sit down as Julius plopped himself back into his bottle-lined throne. Giving up, he just stood over Julius in his recliner.

“Something’s come up,” Goodwin told his brother, trying to convey how dire the situation was with his tone.

“Whatsss up?” Julius’ head jerked up. He was trying to show he was paying attention, but his head kept lolling side to side.

God damnit Julius, how much did you drink? Goodwin’s brow wrinkled, lip curling up to join his expression of disgust. Judging by the mess, far too much; as per usual. “She’s onto us Julius.”

“Who’s onto what? What’re… whose talkin’ about… Us?” His words were slurred; breath sour with the smell of cheap booze and even cheaper cafeteria food that had been left unrefrigerated for far too long. Where Julius had managed to get either the booze or the food was a mystery - Goodwin had no clue, but his half-brother was surprisingly resourceful when it came to acquiring garbage to shovel into his face when he was depressed.

“Dr. Nigel.”

“Fuckinnn’ who?”

“Ursula!” Goodwin exploded at Julius; gesticulating with his arms in exasperation. ”I don’t know how, but she’s onto us. She’s figured out my plan to get your job back, and she’s probably on her way to rat me out to the Board right now!”

“Shit… I ‘member her. She’s th’ bitch that got me fired!”

“Yes, very good Julius, you get a gold star.” Goodwin rolled his eyes. “What did I tell you about day drinking? If you want your old job back then you have to keep your shit together and stay sober.”

“Fuckin’ bitch stole my job…” Julius’ head drooped and he almost fell over, only snapping back to awareness at the last second. He was shit-faced again. There was no way he’d be able to discuss a plan of action with him until tomorrow. At best.

Goodwin sighed and scooped up handful of half empty wine bottles. He’d hoped to come up with some plan of action to deal with Ursula together today, but that clearly wasn’t going to happen. Goodwin made to pour the rest of the booze down the sink; knowing from painful experience if he didn’t, Julius would get rid of the booze by pouring it down his gullet. 

Unfortunately the sink was piled high with unwashed dishes and other assorted empty bottles of alcohol, so he had to empty the bottle in the toilet instead. Thankfully the tiny toilet in the attached bathroom wasn’t piled high with leftover food boxes, dirty dishes, and empty bottles as well, so at least Julius hadn’t hit rock bottom again. A small win, but a win nonetheless.

Goodwin contemplated cleaning the apartment up. Or at least throwing out the rotting food. It smelled like something had crawled into his living room and died a month ago; but he decided against it. If Julius wanted to live in a pigsty then he could go ahead and do it. He was an adult, and he could live with the consequences.

Besides, someone needed to deal with Ursula before she did anything reckless that would endanger his and Julius’ careers. That was the priority right now. Goodwin’s fingers hovered just over the doorknob, about to swing the door wide and storm out…

Except he couldn’t.

Julius couldn’t leave his apartment, he was literally confined here. Which meant that if Goodwin didn’t clean it, he’d just be dealing with it again when he came back tomorrow. There was no way in hell his brother would clean up while he was gone.

Goodwin let the door swing closed with a resigned click. Tomorrow. He could deal with Ursula tomorrow. Besides, what could she realistically do overnight?

God damnit Julius. Maybe once Julius was back in his Research Director position he’d get his shit together. Then Goodwin could stop cleaning up after his rampaging, alcoholic brother.

Someday, he told himself. Someday…

 

---

 

Dr. Nigel should have contacted us by now, Valen said to Steven as they laid together beside the campfire; comfortably settled back at their little forest camp. Both he and Valen spent the past few days relaxing back at their campsite after an impromptu camping trip. Honestly, it had been a much-needed escape from reality, but the annoying thing about reality is that it had a way of not going away if you just ignored it.

Still, that didn’t mean Steven wasn’t trying his best at it.

“She’s probably just busy.” Steven responded, praying that if he feigned a nonchalant attitude he might actually start to believe it himself.

With what? Valen asked, clearly not buying into Steven’s attempts at self-delusion. We’re what she’s busy with.

“She is the Research Director for the entire facility.” Steven pointed out; trying to convince himself of his own reasoning as much as Valen. “We can’t possibly keep her that busy.”

Are you gonna tell her that? Valen asked, bemused.

“NO! Err… I mean no, I don’t think so. I like my head where it is thank you very much.” Steven shuddered at the memory of Ursula’s expression that night while he was being stitched up. If it was possible for looks to kill, Steven would have disintegrated into a cloud of charged ions on the spot.

As if I’d let her, Valen snorted at Steven’s mental image of Ursula vaporizing him with a glare.

“Yeah, she’d decapitate you first.”

His tail swished menacingly. I’d like to see her try.

“I wouldn’t! I’d like you to keep your head where it is too, thank you very much.”

Do you have that little faith in me? Valen feigned an insulted tone. At least he tried to. Unlike when they first met, it was nearly impossible for Valen to hide his emotions from Steven these days.

“Oh I have plenty of faith in your lethality,” Steven gave Valen a placating pat on the head, which he pretended to tolerate; his purring was a dead giveaway that he relished the affirmation. “I just have more faith in Ursula to find a way to remove your head while you’re asleep.”

I don ’t sleep.

“First, that’s a lie,” Steven pointed an accusing finger at Valen, “Second, she’d just knock you out with gas or something.”

…I’ll concede that you might have a point.

Ever since the night he & Valen had fallen back into their old routine of never-ending, back and forth bickering.

Normally Steven would have been content. Life was going back to normal - no, better than normal. There was no more awkward tension between him and Valen, no more unrequited feelings, no more accidental lacerations; just being able to bask in each other’s love & affection was better than anything either of them could dream of.

And of course they’d spent the past few days enjoying their free time together. Alone. With no supervision. It was the happiest either Steven or Valen had been in… well, ever.

 

…

 

But despite his best efforts not to think about it, Steven  was extremely worried by Ursula’s lack of communication. Normally she’d never stayed out of contact for this long. Even if they weren’t running tests or discussing results with her, she always kept them in the loop about what she was doing. Sure, she had told them she’d be out of contact for a while…

But it had been four days. Four days and absolutely nothing. No calls, no messages, no visits, no experiments. Nothing. Steven’s will had even cracked enough for him to break his promise and tried to send Ursula a message. Still, even a day later, no response was forthcoming.

He’d stayed up at night, imagining what Ursula was up to. What was she doing? What had she found? Why didn’t she tell him anything? Fuck, he felt useless being stuck down here! He wanted to leave; to go help Ursula figure out what was going on! Being stuck here doing nothing for days on end was driving him up the wall.

It reminded Steven of when he'd first come to Bernard; of when he and Valen had first met. His current boredom wasn't nearly as bad as the mind-numbing tedium he'd experienced for the two weeks when he'd isolated Valen.

Steven felt a pang of regret and shame at the memory. Of course Valen had long since forgiven him, but forgiving himself was another matter entirely.

Still... no news is good news, Steven tried to reassure himself. Ursula’s just busy. She told me she was just going to figure out why the board was hounding her so much. It can’t be that bad.

Truthfully, Steven was doing his absolute best not to completely lose it. He’d tried to keep himself distracted with books and movies and music and Valen, but even then he couldn’t stop thinking about…

 

You’re really loud when you’re anxious. Valen snarked at him.

“Wha-?” Steven’s body jerked as his train of thought was suddenly and violently derailed. “I wasn’t talking.”

Despite having no eyes, Valen threw him an impressively condescending side-eye.

“Oh… duh.” Steven’s cheeks flushed in embarrassment. “Was I really thinking that loud?”

Steven felt a brief impression; a blaring siren in each of his ears.

“Okay there’s no way I sound that loud… err, well it’s not really a sound. I don’t think that loud…?” Steven shook his head. “Whatever, the point is that I’m not that loud!””

You ’re right.

“See, I…”

You’re much louder, Valen retorted. It’s like listening to an anxious hurricane.

“Shut up or I’ll bite you!”

Don ’t threaten me with a good time.

“Shut up or I won’t bite you!”

…fine.

Steven’s smug smile lasted for only a second; fading into a thin, concerned line as he felt Valen’s own concern bleed through their connection. That was something else that was new for him; being able to feel Valen’s emotions more clearly. Before, Valen had been able conceal his own thoughts and emotions from him with ease, but ever since that night; since their first kiss…

Something had changed; some paradigm had shifted; some line had been crossed that could not be uncrossed. It was as if Steven could feel Valen with more clarity. His inner thoughts; his emotions; his moods; all were more open & clear to him. “You’re worried about me, aren’t you?”

Are you sure that you’re not telepathic too? Valen snorted, adjusting himself so Steven could lean against his chest more comfortably. That made Steven smile, and he leaned deeper into Valen’s embrace. Valen could still read Steven’s thoughts like a book; it was comforting to know that hadn’t changed at all.

“Honestly, it’s hard to tell these days. It’s not like there’s established rules for this shit.”

Isn’t that your job? Valen snarked, a wide grin splitting his face. To find the rules?

Steven didn’t take the bait. “Don’t change the subject. You’re worried about me.”

And what if I am? Valen asked defensively.

Damnit. A Xenomorph being this cute shouldn’t be possible. Well it’s not like Valen was any ordinary Xenomorph, even in Steven’s wholly unbiased, completely objective opinion. Instead of trying to answer the impossible question, Steven leaned in and gave Valen a peck on the cheek. “Then that’s very sweet of you.”

I… Well I mean… Valen flushed hot with embarrassment, caught off guard by his compliment.

“Valen,” Steven caressed Valen’s cheek; gently pulling his head back over to look him in the face. “I love you.”

I… It felt like Valen’s heart skipped a beat or three; radiating embarrassment from the burst of unrequited joy that Steven’s words sparked. I love you too.

“So spill it. Why are you worried about me?”

Valen hissed a sigh, but didn’t resist the question anymore. The things you think sometimes... they’re frightening.

That caught Steven off guard. “Frightening? What do you mean?”

It’s like… your thoughts lately have been spiralling towards the worst possible outcomes over and over and over again. Valen turned his head away, as if he couldn’t bring himself to meet Steven’s gaze. And the worst part is that you don’t stop; you just keep spiralling down and down until all that’s left is your fear and anxiety.

Steven’s brain struggled to think of what words he could string together to respond to a sentence like that, but not even single syllable of a reply managed to form before Valen continued.

It’s like everything good that has ever happened to you melts away until all that’s left is the anxiety. It’s like you start rotting away. Everything wonderful about you decays until nothing remains. Sometimes it even feels like… Valen’s words, normally so crisp and clear in his head were lost amidst the storm of emotion that whirled faster and harder as he spoke; but Steven knew.

Sometimes it even feels like I’ve lost you. That’s what Valen was going to say. He didn’t say them, but Steven didn’t need to hear them; Steven could feel the melange of sadness; of fear; of frustration; of the utter desperation to hold onto the one person he truly cared about. Valen was terrified of losing him; not to any outside threat, but to his own anxious brain rot.

“Valen, look at me.” Steven gently pulled Valen’s massive crested head to look at him straight on. Leaning in close, Steven pressed his forehead against Valen’s own. “I could never forget you. Ever.”

You don’t have to listen to yourself though. You don’t know what it feels like… Valen’s tone was miserable; the floodgates holding back of all his own worries and fears had been breached and now overflowed in kind, washing over Steven in the same torrential flood that he must have been subjecting Valen to. A reservoir of emotion that Steven should have noticed long before it spilled over.

“I’m sorry Valen,” Steven pulled himself in closer, wrapping his arms around neck and holding him close. Embracing Valen; holding him still in the chaotic tide of his feelings. “I’ve been so worried because I don’t want anything bad to happen to you.

I know…Valen pressed his head hard into Steven’s chest, trying to close as much distance between them as he could. It doesn’t make it easier.

“Can I make a suggestion?” Steven whispered.

Okay …

“If I start doing that anxious worry-spiral, you have my permission to insult me as much as you like until I stop,” Steven proposed. “Does that sound that fair?”

What about ‘accidentally’ bumping into you? Valen’s glum attitude perked up just a bit.

“No!” Steven exclaimed. “No bumping, pushing, and/or shoving. My body is sore enough with all the fitness exercises I have to do.”

Valen rolled his eyes. It’s not like you could stop me tipping you over even if I did it.

“Don’t you go being factual with me big guy! No Steven-tipping!”

I ’ll consider it.

“Don’t push your luck.” Steven raised an eyebrow at Valen in an attempt to exert a degree of authority. “I’m already letting you snark at me.”

Letting me? Valen tilted his head in mock disbelief. Since when could you stop me from sassing you?

“…What did I just say about being correct?”

To stop?

“Exactly.”

Make me.

Steven leaned forwards and gave Valen a kiss on the snout. “There.”

I… That… If Valen had cheeks they would be burning red. You cheated!

“Like you could stop me even if I was.”

Jerk. Valen huffed; his attempt at indifference undermined by the loud, vibrating purring sounds he was making.

“I love you too.” Steven grinned.

The reprieve from their stress; their worry; their anxiety; was tragically short lived, as right at that second a ping sounded from the device in Steven’s right pants pocket.

Steven flinched, winced at himself for flinching, tried to tug the phone out of his pocket, grunted in frustration when his pocket twisted and gripped onto the phone, forcing Steven to push the phone back in and shimmy his leg out of the way so he could untwist it, and only then did he finally managed to extricate the damn thing.

It was a message. From Ursula.

 

Julius is back. His brother Goodwin has been sabotaging me from the start, has the Board in his pocket.

No time to explain. Will send someone with more info ASAP.

Take their help, then get out. Get offworld.

Don’t come for me.

I’m sorry I failed both of you.

Goodbye.

 

---

 

The coffee had gone cold in the carafe by the time Ursula felt that she could pull herself together enough to focus. She’d wasted time - too much time for her liking - but Ursula couldn’t say that she didn’t feel better now. Not much better, mind.

Her throbbing, aching hand protested loudly whenever she tried to unclench her fist; her eyelids felt like sandpaper whenever she blinked; and her head felt like it had been used as a drum in one of her father’s garage band solos, but she had a grip in her emotions now.

Which meant she could start fixing this mess she’d gotten them into.

No… no that wasn’t quite right. She wasn’t the one who made this mess. It was Julius and Goodwin that had set a trap for her, she’d just made the mistake of letting it slip that she’d seen the net. Now she needed to cut them loose before it was too late; Steven and Valen were relying on her.

Ideally, she would head down the hall to the Research Director’s office. The only computer here was the ancient monstrosity that Will gave her. Unfortunately, it was painfully slow at doing basically anything. Logically, she should cover her hand, get to the Director’s office with it’s far superior computer, and strip all the data she could out of the system before Goodwin caught onto her…

But goddammit she couldn’t! The computer here was the one she knew for certain had secure access to the company servers without being logged or monitored. It was the one that Will had set up all the way back when Julianne had tortured Steven on Julius’ orders. That had only been a few months ago, but now it felt like a lifetime.

Shaking her head, Ursula snapped herself out of yet another reverie. If she wanted to pull the data they needed, then she needed to do it securely and be picky about what she copied. The datastick she had was already nearly full and nobody - especially not Goodwin - could know exactly what data she stole. If Goodwin suspected that she’d grabbed anything except a random assortment of data…

 

Hell, what even was her plan? Ursula stopped for a second. She’d been reacting to events this entire time, and look where that got her. Pulling more data would be useless unless it was to accomplish a goal.

Okay, so what’s my goal? Ursula asked herself. What am I trying to accomplish?

She wanted to make both Gavin brothers pay for what they did to her. They’d been stifling her career for years without her knowledge that one of them even existed. Just the thought was enough to make her blood boil, but she calmed herself before her temper boiled over yet again.

So yes, she wanted revenge on Julius and Goodwin. She wanted them to pay for what they’d done, but not just to her; to Steven & Valen as well. Steven had been tortured because it was convenient for Julius to do so, for whatever the hell he’d been trying to accomplish. Valen was misunderstood; born a prisoner for science who would be killed when he outlived his usefulness.

Ursula wanted revenge for all of them.

And she wanted Steven and Valen to live.

They didn’t deserve imprisonment. Even if it was in a climate controlled natural ecosystem, it was still a prison. Especially Valen… She felt a pang of melancholy when she thought of the Xenomorph. How long had it been since she met him? Years now… and since then her perspective of him had changed so much. If Ursula had the time to think about it, she couldn’t even think of him as less than human anymore. He was a person; someone who deserved life as much as anyone else, even if he was a snarky, sarcastic, willfully stubborn asshole most of the time.

If Julius resumed his old post, there was no telling what he might to do them… Ursula sat up straighter in her chair as a realization dawned on her. There was no way to tell what Julius was planning - unless there was a way. Unless Julius had written it down somewhere in the mess of unorganized files she had stolen, or had yet to steal.

Spinning to face the old computer, Ursula fished the datastick - the one with all the information she had already pilfered - from her coat pocket and plugged it into the console; same with her security clearance cards.

This was going to be tricky with just her left hand, but not impossible. She scooped up the coffee carafe with her good hand, took a long gulp of coffee, and got to work.

—

While Ursula worked on vetting & extracting data she deemed useful onto the datastick and purging anything irrelevant, Ursula made a few phone calls. While she was downloading a particularly interesting file that had something to do with Valen’s acquisition by the Bernard Company, she tried to make a call to Dr. David Miller.

Of course she never actually used his last name since they’d known each other for the better part of a decade, but that’s what David’s contact information listed in the directory.

The phone rang until it went to his voicemail. Shit. He wasn’t in his office. Ursula glanced at the tiny clock in the corner of the computer monitor.

05:42. Shit, no wonder he didn’t pick up his office phone. She rubbed her bleary eyes with a hand. When was the last time she slept? Whatever, that wasn’t important. Awkwardly balancing the receiver between her shoulder and head, she dialed in the number for his personal quarters.

Again, the call went to voicemail.

Odd. Normally David didn’t brush her off like this unless he was busy assisting with some other medical emergency. Sure, he was to be her personal doctor, but despite how she treated him  Ursula knew he had other duties he was supposed to perform when not helping her. He wasn’t just her doctor after all.

This time, she left a message. “Hey, David. It’s me. Listen, I cut my hand up really bad and I need you to stitch me up. Get down to my old office as soon as you can.”

The receiver returned to it’s home with a soft click - terminating the call. So it looked like she’d be dealing with her cuts for a little while longer. Her palm might have finally stopped bleeding, but she wasn’t going to be using it anytime soon.

Glancing back to the progress bar for the download, it was barely over halfway done.

Enough time for another call.

 

---

 

Will was stuffing a backpack full of office supplies when his desk phone rang. That meant one of two things.

The first possibility was that it was his boss George was calling him to berate him for one reason or another. Unlikely, since there hadn’t been any issues today worth his attention; thank goodness. So it probably wasn’t him.

Second, it could his girlfriend Monika calling to make a change to their plans. They’d had the rare opportunity for a date since they both had the night off tonight, but she worked in security at the spacecraft dock, and he worked IT. Normally their schedules rarely ever cooperated with them, but Will was planning a nice, long vacation at a resort in a neighboring start system. That meant they’d have some free time to…

Will fumbled with a paperweight as the phone rang again, cutting off his thoughts of spending a night alone with his beautiful girlfriend.

He dropped the model spaceship in his bag and snatched up the phone.

“Hello?” Will answered tentatively.

“Oh thank god! Will, it’s me.” Damnit! It was Dr. Nigel; the third, unspoken cursed possibility he’d been silently praying against. Will took a deep breath, trying - and failing - to calm the panic welling up in his chest. She’d made it pretty clear last time that he should get the hell out while he could, so why was she trying to contact him now when we was trying to do that!?

Will tried to think of what to say next, but all that came out was, “Heyyy… so… what’s up?”

“I need you to do a favour for me.” Of course. Dr. Nigel never called him unless she needed something.

“Look, Dr. Nigel,” Will began, rubbing a temple with his free hand. “If you want me to hack something else for you, I don’t think…”

“Will… please listen.” That gave him pause. He couldn’t recall a single time Dr. Nigel said ‘please’. As a matter of fact, he’d never heard her voice this tight and strained before either. “I… I need your help.”

And Will had certainly never heard her ask for help like this before. “My… help?”

“Yes… Look, I won’t go into the details, but I made a mistake. A big mistake.”

“Did… did someone find out about the fake security cards?” For a moment his heart sank into his boots. If someone had traced those security cards back to him…

“No! No, nothing like that. Nobody knows about you, you’re not in danger.”

Will nearly keeled over with relief; his scrawny knees nearly knocking in relief. “Okay… Okay that’s a relief. Oh my god… Wait, so why are you calling me? You almost missed me, I was just about to leave.”

“That’s the favour. I need you to hold off on leaving.”

“Wait what!?” Will shrieked, his voice going up a full octave. “But you told me... errr, implied that…”

“I know what I implied!” Dr. Nigel snapped at him. “Will, just shut up and listen! I don’t have much time right now.”

Will respectfully shut his trap and let her speak.

“Listen…” A loud creak, then silence; Will imagined Dr. Nigel slumping back in her chair with exhaustion. “Look I fucked up big time, and some people I’m in responsible for might be in danger because of it. They don’t deserve to go down with me, so I want you to help get them offworld with you.”

“Okay… so send them over to my office and I can…”

“That’s the tricky part. I can’t. They’re… in custody, I guess you could say.”

“So you want me to smuggle out prisoners!?”

“We’re a research base Will, we don’t have prisoners.”

“Tell that to security!” Will’s mouth felt dry. Too dry. He looked around for something to drink, but his office was as bone dry and dusty as his mouth felt. The last thing Will wanted was to get into a confrontation with a squad of heavily armed security personnel; not least of which was that Monika would be so pissed at him if he got arrested.

“Yeah, that’s part of the reason why I need your help.” Dr. Nigel continued, oblivious to his discomfort about the favour she was asking of him. “Look, I’m going to tell them to meet you at the spaceport cargo terminal as soon as they can. They’re very distinctive, you can’t miss them. Just keep your eyes peeled for a message from Dr. Kirchoff .”

Dr. Kirchoff. Will thought he recognized that name from somewhere, but he couldn’t remember off the top of his head. “Sure, but my ship leaves in less than 2 days. Are you sure that they’ll make it?”

“I’m sure.” Her words were confident, but her tone was less so. “Just a heads up, they’re a bit unusual, so don’t freak out when you meet them okay?”

“Why? What’s wrong with them?” Will asked, puzzled.

“Just… promise me okay.” Dr. Nigel was insistent.

Will shrugged. “Okay sure, I promise.”

“Good, give me one sec.” Will could hear muffled scraping as the receiver was set on the desk and the familiar tap of fingers on a keyboard. It took about a minute before he heard Dr. Nigel’s voice again. “Okay, I just transferred you your payment.”

“Payment?” Now Will was even more puzzled. “You said this was a favour, why are you…?”

“Will, check your personal bank account.” Alright, now his puzzlement had turned to full-blown confusion. Bank card? Dr. Nigel always dealt with his fees in cash, why would she send him money through a bank card? Will hastily tapped on his keyboard to pull up his personal accounts and… “What the fuck?!”

“I assume you checked your account,” Will could hear the smile in her voice.

“I… I mean…” Will was dumbstruck. “This is a lot of money. Like, a LOT of money.”

“That is every single cent I have to my name that I can give you.” She said, utterly calm & matter-of-fact. “Plus some… bonuses I had accumulated.”

Will’s mouth did it’s best to try and speak four or five different questions simultaneously, but all that ended up coming out was a gargling wheeze. This was a number of zeros he’d only ever dreamed of making. When he eventually managed to choke out a question, it was a simple, “…why?”

“That’s for the three of you; Yourself, Steven, and Valen.” She explained. “Use that money to get as far away from Bernard as you can, as fast as you can. Head Sol-ward if you can, but just make sure it’s away from here.”

A pause; a weary sigh; the faint squeak of someone leaning forwards in a chair. “I don’t think I’ll need it anymore.”

A chill washed down Will’s body; an icy waterfall that made his hair stand on end. His brain felt numb. “But… Dr. Nigel I…”

“No ‘buts’, Will,” Dr. Nigel cut him off before he had a chance to say anything else. Her tone was something Will had never heard from the former scientist turned director. Pleading. Desperation. “I know what I’m doing. Please just… do me one last favour here. For real this time. Get Steven and Valen off Bernard and get them somewhere safe. They don’t deserve to suffer because of my mistakes. Please…”

“…Yeah. Yeah I’ll help.”

“Thank you. Be ready before your flight Will, at least 6 hours if you can spare it. And keep your personal phone on you.” A small click, and the line went dead. Will gently placed the receiver back in it’s cradle.

Steven and Valen. Will caught himself staring down at his backpack, his frantic packing forgotten. Who were Steven and Valen? Why did Dr. Nigel want to protect them? What kind of mistake had she made? She hadn’t gone into any details about what he was even supposed to do aside from ‘meet them at the cargo dock’! Hell, she didn’t even say how they fuck they were supposed to contact him! Will balled his fists in his hair; the magnitude of what he might have just agreed to dawning on him with each passing second.

Then he remembered the payout. The amount of money Dr. Nigel just handed over to him without even a second thought was a stupidly huge sum, and she had no way of stopping him if he just took the money and ran.

For a second, Will considered the possibility. He could just grab Monika, get on the ship, and enjoy an early, stress free retirement. After all, it’s not like he owed her. Dr. Nigel could be pushy, stubborn, and frustratingly ignorant of technology at times, but she trusted his technical knowledge & self-preservation instincts enough to do sketchy jobs on the side for her; especially for the past few months.

Dr. Nigel had refused to divulge any specific information about her requests and he in turn hadn’t asked. Still, he could tell she was up to something sketchy. Untraceable secure network access, A/V feeds, duplicate security access cards, all of it was enough to catch his attention, but he’d done his job and kept his nose out of it. Whatever she was up to it wasn’t something he wanted to get tangled up in. If he was smart he’d take the money and run…

But what had she said? About the people she was responsible for… What were their names? Steven and Valen?

She’d said, “They don’t deserve to suffer because of my mistakes.”

Will groaned. Whatever shit she’d gotten those two wrapped up in, it probably wasn’t their fault. He couldn’t blame them for Dr. Nigel’s bullshit. The least he could do was help them get offworld.

Besides, how hard could that be?

 

---

 

By the time Ursula hung up on Will, the file had finished downloading. This file was from Julius’ personal data archive. According to the file name, it was something from the acquisition department. Ordinarily she would have skipped over such an innocuous file, if it hadn’t been in the folder labelled “Ursula Projects: VS-223”.

Two quick keystrokes and she was skimming through the first page of an acquisition record; a record that became more recognizable by the second. This was an acquisition record she had filled out years ago; an intake record for an unusual specimen that appeared under equally unusual circumstances.

Specimen VS-223.

Valen.

“Why the hell do you have this Julius?” Ursula asked under her breath. She shouldn’t be surprised that Julius was interested in Valen; aside from the blatantly obvious. It was just how he was. Ursula knew far better than most about Julius penchant for butting in at the last minute on any number of her projects if it meant he’d get the credit. Fucking egomaniac…

However, this document… something about this file being in Julius’ notes bugged her; her instincts screaming that something about this document being here was important.

Starting from the top, Ursula read…

Bernard Research Company - Acquisition Record #11-462624-ABFE12 - AT-X

Specimen Catalog ID: VS-223

Vendor:                   Classified

Source Location:      Classified

Listed Sale Price:      N/A

Final Sale Price:        Classified

Specimen Information

Species:                   Xenomorph

Sub-Species:            Unknown

Date of Birth:           Unknown

Physical Description:

Specimen is described an unclassified, undocumented morphology of human-based Xenomorph by vendor.

Specimen deviates from standard Xenomorph morphology determined by non-invasive scans in several key areas:

• 2.0 m shoulder height. Approx. 2.3 m crest height. Notably larger & stronger than average Xenomorph.
• Altered Morphology - First glance reflects exterior traits of Xenomorph Queen, on much reduced scale. No secondary arms, no ovipositor. Altered head-crest narrower, flatter, denser in proportion to Xenomorph Queen crest.
• Altered Sexual Anatomy - Specimen has organs reminiscent of male sex organs, including testicles (internal), prostate, notably enlarged Cowper’s glands, and penis. Tests indicate specimen may be fertile & able to reproduce sexually. No fertile female specimen exists to confirm theory. Raises questions about genetic makeup & epigenetic expression of Xenomorphs.
• Altered Psychology - Specimen appears to display altered behavioral patterns from documented standard Xenomorph drone behaviour. Brain structure appears to be identical to standard Xenomorph (unconfirmed). Mood of humans who interact with Specimen VS-223 appears to worsen/alter in consistent pattern (moodiness, restlessness, mental discomfort). Must study further.

Recommendation(s):

• New Study - Note: Specimen may display signs of intelligence/psychological effects. Recommend long term series of studies to determine nature & applicability.

Intake Approved - Ursula Nigel

There was more information listed afterwards, a mix of graphs and printouts of various tests, but those were irrelevant. After all, she’d written this report after all. She was the one who suspected Valen might be special after all.

What caught Ursula’s attention were the notes typed in at the bottom of the first page. Notes that she had definitely not written. Notes that Julius must have added to this copy of the report; a copy only he had access to.

What are you doing Julius?

Notes:

001 - Subject VS-223 viable for cloning? Initial tests state yes, contact K.B. for further information.

002 - Fertile, can reproduce without hosts? If so, far easier to produce on industrial scale.

003 - Unexpected effects from staff interacting with specimen. Scientists reported hearing voices in their head when interacting with subject. What does this mean? U. wants to study it, if this specimen isn’t viable she may find a use for it.

004 - Telepathy??? I’d call Ursula crazy if she wasn’t so thorough. WTF did K.B. do?

005 - VS-223 appears to mentally harass observers into quitting. Two reported mental breakdowns & required treatment. Psychological warfare? Difficult to make any observations, specimen is too hostile. Will terminate if no results show.

006 - Specimen appears to have bonded with latest human subject. Can be trained to be handled? Need more information. Must acquire project from U. to investigate further when initial research complete.

007 - Need to bond subjects further. Must be inseparable to be controlled by handler. Julianne will implement strategies, will acquire project ASAP. Will discuss results w/ board pending completion.

“Julius you motherfucker,” Ursula gritted her teeth hard enough to bite through steel; reflexively clenching her injured fist despite the pain.

Of course she wasn’t surprised in the least that Julius was planning on pulling out her project on her at the last minute; that was his Modus Operandi after all. No, what really infuriated her was that Julius had known something was up with Valen; and not only that, he seemed to be directly involved with acquiring him in the first place. But why? To what end?

…And speaking of involvement, who in the fuck was K.B.? Were they the classified vendor? Was it just one person, or was it an organization? In either case, Julius sounded like he knew them personally, but again - why, and to what end? She skimmed Julius’ notes again with a more critical eye; trying to glean as much information as possible from the scant scraps of information.

To start, there was Julius’ initial notes.

“Subject VS-223 viable for cloning?”

“Fertile, can reproduce without hosts?”

Breeding? Hostless reproduction? Those had been the obsessions of the old corporate giants of the colonial era. By now Weyland-Yutani had been reduced to a cautionary tale; a story  that lingered in the realms of a scary bedtimes story for children; a tale of hubris and greed gone too far. Nevertheless, the old corporations had a powerful incentive for their hubris.

Altering and refining the Xenomorph genome to reproduce without facehuggers & hosts would have been the biological discovery of the millennium; fame and fortune for whoever managed to do it were all but assumed. Yet to the eternal frustration of scientist and shareholder alike, the root of what made the Xenomorph’s genetic adaptability also meant it was nearly impossible to alter their genetic structure without catastrophic side-effects. The damn things were just too genetically complicated to have a hope of altering their genetic code…

At least that was the accepted theory until now.

Ursula rubbed her temples as she tried to process the bombshell that had just landed in her lap. Could this K.B. have solved the puzzle the rest of humanity had discarded as a lost cause long ago? If someone were to actually create a species of Xenomorph that could reproduce without hosts…

Her stomach felt as though it had been consumed in a black hole; an infinitely dense point that consumed her from the inside.

Whatever K.B. and Julius were planning, it had something to do with creating a safer, more traditionally replicable form of Xenomorph. One that could be mass-produced and distributed like any other weapon.

But that also meant they didn’t intend to make Valen. They didn’t expect to make a larger, stronger, sapient, telepathic Xenomorph; one capable of bonding with a human. All of that was just a fluke.

Julius had written Valen off as a failure and handed him off to her to see if he could get any value out of him. He’d had no interest in Valen until the discovery of his telepathy, and even then he appeared doubtful that anything would come from it. that If they could replicate their accident intentionally…

Ursula skimmed the file again; eyes frantically scanning for a single scrap of information and found no other referenced to whoever this K.B. was or supposed to be; only to be met with a whole lot of nothing.  Whoever had found, or more likely engineered Valen, they weren’t keen on being identified.

Ursula took a deep breath to calm herself and closed the file. Those were all questions for later. The notes were alarming, but not surprising. This just confirmed her suspicions that Steven and Valen were in danger; perhaps they wouldn’t be killed, but she shuddered at the possibility of them being used as biological weapons in Julius’ pilot program concept.

Typical Julius. Ursula scoffed in disgust as she closed the file. He might be a corrupt, egomanical, sadistic shithead, but at least he was consistent. It would be weird if Julius didn’t try to use Valen for some military application, now that he could use her work to springboard off of. The man was obsessed with weapons development as we was with taking credit for her work. Why the hell he had never gone to work for the Military-Industrial Complex was beyond her understanding.

Ursula turned her attention back to the file folder where she’d found the suspicious acquisitions report, scanning for any other mentions of VS-223, Valen, or the mysterious K.B. Several files caught her attention, and she added them into the queue to be downloaded when…

 

KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK.

 

Three powerful blows on her door caused her to flinch, nearly spilling the now-cold pot of coffee onto her desk. An equally powerful voice shouted from the other side of the door. “Dr. Nigel, open the door! We are under orders to detain you for suspected espionage!”

 

---

 

Shit! Ursula swore to herself. FuckshitassfuckshittingFUCK!

The security team had arrived much earlier than she thought. Her eyes flicked to the corner of the computer screen.

07:45

Fuck!

She’d barely been able to skim through any of the files she wanted to. Now she needed to  just grab what she could and…

Double fuck!

Ursula slammed her good fist on the desk. The plan she was beginning to formulate in her head was thrown completely off by the early arrival of the security team. She’d hoped she still had a bit more time to pull the last of the files and deliver them to Steven & Valen herself, along with her plan. Ideally they could have brainstormed a strategy to mitigate the risk of being caught, but now…

TRIPLE FUCK!

Ursula’s blood ran cold as the full implication of the guard team being here hit her like a ton of bricks. All the incriminating data on Julius & Goodwin; all the plans & documents Steven & Valen needed; all of her plans; they all hinged on the pair getting the information she had swiped… and the only copy of that info was on the datastick plugged into the computer right now. If the it was accidentally corrupted - or worse, if Goodwin got his hands on the datastick...

“Hang on, give me a second!” Ursula called back; good hand frantically pressing buttons on the keyboard trying to cancel as many file transfers as she could. She needed to finish downloading the absolutely essential files, everything else was a lost cause now.

Unfortunately that was still a lot of data.

The blueprints for the underground forest-bunker’s various systems; the incriminating evidence of Julius & Goodwin’s crimes; the information about Valen’s mysterious origins and the elusive K.B.; all of it was necessary. She needed to make sure the data wasn’t corrupted and the stick was kept safe, then she needed to get it to Steven and Valen somehow.

The first problem was the most urgent. Ursula might not have been the most saavy with tech, but enough corrupted and rewritten assignments in University had taught her that the best way to corrupt a datastick was to remove it mid file transfer. Especially on a piece of junk as old as this computer. She needed to let the download finish. If the guards gave her just another minute…

“Dr. Nigel, please open the door right now or we will be forced to breach it!” The guard’s voice was powerful; the thin steel door felt like it was barely even muffling his voice.

Fuck! Ursula glanced back down at the screen. Only 5 more files needed to be transferred; the rest of the copy orders had been cancelled or were completed. She just needed another 90 or so seconds; she needed to stall for time...

 

An idea struck her. It wasn’t entirely brilliant plan - or even a new one - but it’d worked whenever she got annoyed at her former dorm-mate’s compulsive ignorance of social boundaries.

She shouted back, “Alright fine, just let me put my pants back on!”

“Dr. Nigel, we will… err, sorry what?” The voice that been shouting deflated from a powerful, chest-thumping roar to a mildly worded squeak in the span of one sentence.

Oh thank god, Ursula heaved a huge sigh of relief. Her plan worked.

“I was busy!” She screamed back at him; doing her best to sound annoyed instead of terrified. “I told you to give me a second!”

“I… Ummm…” Ursula heard the beep and crackle of someone thumbing a radio. “Sir, Dr. Nigel appears to be… err…”

The guard - who was obviously supposed to be the one in charge of the team sent to detain her - listened to a very angry voice scream a potent mix of invective and directions to the lead guard.

“Well I mean… I think she’s masturbating!” The last word was barely audible; a mere whisper into the radio; as if he was embarrassed to even say the word. “What should I do?”

Again, the voice on the radio unleashed another torrent of invectives at the squad leader; Ursula half-expected the guard captain to storm down here himself just to berate the guy in person.

“Yes sir, sorry sir!” The guard apologized, his confident booming voice back at full volume. “Right away sir!”

The man knocked on the door again, as if trying to break the door off it’s hinges with his bare hands. “Dr. Nigel! You have FIVE seconds to open this door or we will break it down! FOUR…! THREE…!”

The man started to count down, but Ursula had bought more than enough time with her gambit. She yanked the data stick out of the socket, yanked the power cord from the socket, and with a savage delight upended the old computer with a heave of her good arm; sending it crashing into the floor directly on it’s monitor; shattering the glass with the most satisfying crack Ursula had ever heard in her life.

Before the lead guard could reach “ONE…!” Ursula strode around her desk and swung the door open wide; startling the squad of heavily armed and heavily armored security guards, positioned to breach the door as if they were planning on taking on an entire horde of enemy combatants.

Ursula took them all in with a single sweep of her eyes. There were at least eight guards she could see. One or two were also women who still stood a good six inches taller than her at the very least. Whatever she thought about Goodwin, Ursula had to admit that he didn’t fuck around when he was serious.

Ursula repressed a nervous gulp. On the outside, Ursula hoped she appeared cool, calm, collected, and unphased by the small army of guards preparing to breach her small office door. On the inside, Ursula was doing her best to not to hyperventilate. She couldn’t let a single hint of panic seep through her facade. Right now, she needed to be supremely confident and unwavering if she was gonna pull this off.

Taking a deep breath, Ursula did her best to channel her inner Valen. A wide, sarcastic grin split her face into a sardonic expression as she took in the guards and snarked, “Wow, there’s an awful lot of you here for one person. Are you sure you have the right room? You didn’t get lost on the way down here and got the wrong door?”

“I… err…” The squad leader - Ursula now saw that he was an absolute tower of muscle and man; standing at least a foot and a half taller than her - his face flushing beet red at her disarming comment. “We were ordered to…”

“I know what you were ordered to do,” She shook her head disdainfully up at the man. “I have ears y’know.”

“I’m sorr… err, no… I mean yes! What I mean is that… of course you have ears, k’now?” The guard - identified as L.S. Davies - had been thrown off by her attitude twice in a row now. Clearly whatever Davies was packing in muscle, he was lacking in hustle.

“No shit. Now if you excuse me, I need to use the bathroom.” Ursula rolled her eyes and made as if to brush past the guards, but two of the cronies behind Davies reached out to block her path. “Seriously?”

Ursula glared up at hulking squad leader. “Seriously? I can’t even use the restroom?”

“I’m sorry ma’am,” The gigantic man heaved his massive shoulders in a titanic shrug. Jesus this man was big. Everything he did was gargantuan in scale. “I’m under orders to take you directly to confinement where you will…”

“Look,” Ursula gave her best eyes-furrowed, pursed-lips, angry-parent stare and jabbed Davies in his chest with one hand and gestured to the washrooms only a few feet away from her office door with her injured hand. “You have two options, because like it or not, I am going in the next ten seconds. Either I can piss in the toilet or I piss on your boots.”

Ursula raised herself up on her tip-toes, bringing herself as close to the leader’s broad, beet-red face; jabbing his chest to emphasize her point. “Because I don’t have a change of clothes, and I refuse to ruin my only good pair of slacks.”

 

---

 

Wow that was easier than I expected. Ursula grinned to herself as she slid into the far stall of the women’s restroom; stopping only to grab a tampon from a dispenser over the sink. The Bernard company may not be good for much, but complimentary tampons were a nice perk. If she ever met the person who implemented that idea, she’d buy them a drink. Especially after what she planned to do.

Ursula sat on the toilet - bladder now mercifully empty - eyeing the tampon and the data stick clutched in her hand. God… am I really gonna have to do this?

Well what are the other options? She needed to hide the datastick, and there was no way she’d avoid it being discovered if they frisked her. The leader Davies might be squeamish, but a few of the guards were women and she couldn’t take the risk.

Before she doubted herself any further, Ursula ripped the package on the tampon open; trying to tear the crinkly wrapping as quietly as she could. Using her legs to hold the damn thing in place, she carved a hole in the cotton fabric, and slid the small piece of metal and silicon into the gap; trying to preserve as much of the cotton as she could to conceal the damn thing.

When she’d finally secured the datastick in it’s hiding spot, Ursula pulled out the messenger she used to communicate directly with Steven. She’d been avoiding using it until she had a concrete plan, partly out of pragmatism, partly because she couldn’t afford to be distracted to by Steven spamming her with questions.

Fortunately it looked like he’d managed to restrain himself for a few days before finally breaking down and asking for a status update. That was a relief at least. Steven might have been smart, but he was as emotionally stable as quicksand…

Her fingers flew across the keyboard; tapping out a quick series of messages to Steven & Valen. As much as she wanted to tell them the whole plan in detail to assuage their concerns, Ursula couldn’t risk anyone finding out about it. That meant being deliberately vague, even if it gave Steven a panic attack.

“God I hope he doesn’t blow a fuse…” Ursula muttered to herself. She hoped that Valen would be able to keep Steven together for long enough for her to tell them the next stage of her new, hastily improvised “plan”.

With a tap of her finger the final message was sent, and with a crunch of plastic under her heel the messenger met it’s end on the tile of the bathroom floor; the remains being unceremoniously tossed in the toilet for good measure. No doubt the guards would find the remains of the device eventually, but that was the idea.

If security found an answer that validated their suspicions of corporate espionage, they’d stop searching for any other explanations and hopefully wouldn’t find the datastick. At least that’s what Ursula was hoping for.

Task completed, she stepped out of the stall and into the custody of the waiting security team.

Notes:

Ursula really stole the spotlight for this chapter, Steven and Valen barely showed up. Still, I don’t think that’s a bad thing.

Ursula has really come into her own as a character as I’ve written more and more of a solid plot for UT - from barely relevant side character to the primary plot driver - she’s really been dragging Steven & Valen along through the middle of the story.

It would be a shame if something were to happen to her >:3

As always, let me know what you think!- AX <3

Chapter 23: Smoldering Embers

Notes:

Hey you! Yeah, you! You should follow my blog - here - for updates on Unusual Testing and my random nature photographs!

“Dr. Garrett, please listen…” The larger - albeit shorter - of the two security personnel  pressed his hand into Dr. Garrett’s chest while his other hand rested on the sidearm.

“Oh I have been listening,” Dr. David Garrett, M.D., glared back at the guard. “I just don’t care.”

“Listen,“ The armored guard raised his hands in a placating gesture. “I’m just telling you what my boss told me to…”

“And I am telling you that Dr. Nigel has rights,” David glared at the smaller yet broader man in front if him with all the disdain he could muster; and all things being fair David could muster a significant amount of disdain even on a good day. “I am a medical doctor. I am responsible for the health and wellbeing of all my patients.”

“Even the ones guilty of espionage?” The man’s smarmy expression was really starting to piss David off. He’d been here for the better part of 15 minutes just arguing with this man when he had a patient that needed tending to.

“Alleged espionage.” 

“What’s the difference?”

David gritted his teeth. He was sick & tired of arguing with this officious little prick. If he was still a younger man he probably would have already decked the man in the face and stormed into the jail cell; consequences be damned… 

But alas David was a man long past his prime. Instead, David took a several deep breaths to calm himself. He wouldn’t let his temper get the better of him… He wouldn’t…

“So are we done here?” The guard yawned, not even bothering to cover his mouth with one of his pudgy hands. “I’m late for lunch.

Alright, that’s it. Dr. David Garret, M.D. - retired Lt. & field Doctor from the 39th Airborne Colonial Marines Regiment - raised himself up to his full height and loomed over the much shorter, rounder security guard who was standing in the way of his patient. 

“Listen here boy,” David jabbed the guard in the chest to emphasize his point. “I’ve taken a Hippocratic oath, so I swore to never let harm come to one of my patients. You, however, are not my patient!”

David’s voice was a low growl now; barely audible but the implied threat hung heavy in his words. “And I promise you that unless you stand aside in the next five seconds, you will become my patient after I shove my fist SO far up your fat ass that I’ll will make your lips flap like a fucking meat-puppet! Do you understand me, you miserable, cocky, arrogant little shitstain!?”

“Doctor,” The man’s derisive tone was gone as he unlatched the pistol from his holster; not yet moving to draw, but the implied threat was obvious. “If you attempt to cause an altercation, then I will be forced to…”

“Is that supposed to intimidate me?” David cut the man off, thoroughly unimpressed by his threat. If a .22 calibre was the standard issue firearm for security staff nowadays, then security standards had been slipping while he wasn’t paying attention. “Boy, if you think that you can threaten me with a peashooter like that then either your partner is packing some serious heat, or you’re a fucking idiot.”

The diminutive man flushed a shade of red, the veins on his forehead bulging so hard that David was mildly concerned that one of them was going to pop. He actually bared his teeth at him and made as if to draw his sidearm. Fortunately for the health of David and his pristine white dress shirt, the other guard took his partner’s rage as an excuse to finally intervene before his partner got him in trouble. 

“Jesus fucking Christ Gabe, stop waving your dick around and just let him in.” She groaned at the man; clearly this wasn’t the first time she’d had to put up with the man’s attitude. “She needs a doctor. Her hand is pretty fucked up.”

“…Fine.” With a scowl, Gabe pulled his hand free of David’s grip and holstered his pistol. He tapped a video display mounted in the wall next to the door with a pudgy finger. “But I’m keeping my eye on you!”

“Oh, I’m sure you will Gabe.” David’s reply was clinical and monotone, his temper cooling just as suddenly as it had flared up. 

You’re the model of professionalism today, Dave. Really keeping your cool. David reprimanded himself. He’d let his temper get him into trouble more than enough for a lifetime already, he didn’t need to get into any more. Especially right now. How about we try keeping our shit together, huh?

David waved his hand at the guards; gesturing for them to step aside. He was well and truly done with this conversation. The woman on the left swiped her security card through a scanner, pressed a button, and the door unlocked with a loud buzz & metallic clunk.

---

“I heard the guards giving you trouble,” Ursula smiled weakly up at David from her seat on the cell’s single cot as he stepped into the cramped cell. Beside the cot was a forlorn bedside table; a lamp, a pad of paper, and a single black pen the only items sitting atop it. On the opposite side of the bed was a door, leading to what he assumed was the bathroom.

“That punk couldn’t stop me even if he did manage to shoot me,” David grunted dismissively as he planted his butt firmly on the other end of the cot, pulling out a device from his black bag as he did. Now that he was here, David’s focus was entirely on treating his patient. He took her injured hand in his battle-scared ones; inspecting the deep lacerations gouged into her palm. “What happened?”

Ursula winced as David flexed her fingers, checking for damage to her muscles or tendons. “I cut myself on a broken mug.”

“Did you cut yourself when you were cleaning up?” He asked, never taking his attention off her as he turned her injured hands over in his coarse, steady ones.

“No, I… Ow fuck! Shit…” Ursula winced as David flexed the hand that still had a chunk of ceramic embedded inside it. “I squeezed the damn thing too hard and it shattered.”

David’s eyebrows shot up; half-surprised and half-impressed. “Shattered?”

“Yup. I got so upset that everything went red, and the next thing I knew- “ She made a crunching gesture with her less injured hand. “Shattered my favorite fucking mug.”

“Day was that bad, huh?” David pushed himself off the bed and kneeled beside the cot. “Here, lay down. I need to get this shard out ASAP.”

“God you have no fffucking idea.”Ursula groaned, but followed his instructions and gingerly lowered herself until she was laying on the cot, face up.

“Oh I think I have an idea,” David knelt closer, examining the wound with a practiced, surgical efficiency borne of years of practice. “When exactly did you injure yourself?”

“Yesterday I think?” Ursula tried to remember, but several days of stress & sleep deprivation made it hard to remember. “Or it might have been the day before that.” 

Again, David’s eyebrows shot up. Ursula answered his question before he could ask, “I don’t know exactly how long it’s been. I totally lost track of time the past few days.”

“Let’s call it 36 hours; give or take.” David rummaged through his bag, searching for the first aid kit he always carried with him. “Please tell me that they at least disinfected your wounds.”

“Nope, I cleaned them myself in the sink,” She jerked her chin at the tiny plastic sink and pump-bottle of hand soap. “Had to do that myself.”

“Fucking idiots,” David cursed under his breath. “What the hell did you do to piss of the higher ups so much?”

David raised a finger at her to shush her before she could even think of a reply. “That was a rhetorical question. I don’t want to know.”

---

Ursula bit her lip. 

The truth was she wanted to tell David what happened. 
She wanted to tell someone, hell anyone what she’d just uncovered about Julius, about Goodwin, about the mysterious KB, about Valen and Steven and how they were all in danger… 

But she couldn’t. 

If David knew, that would put him in danger too. She knew it, and she knew that he knew it too. David might be her doctor now, but he had been Julius’ physician for a almost a decade. Hell, the Research Director probably had a personal physician - when none of other high level management positions did - was probably because Julius was the Research Director; thanks to Goodwin.

David glanced at Ursula’s face. He had to know. He had to.

He just had to.

---

David saw it in her face. It was in her eyes; those wide, fearful eyes. David had seen those eyes only once before, a long time ago. Back when Ursula was still a new hire, a recent graduate only two months off the boat. A bright eyed, vibrant, talented scientist, eager to make the world a better place. 

 

At least until after the altercation with Julius… 

 

David leaned closer, making as if to get a closer look at Ursula’s injuries. When he was certain that lout Gabe wouldn’t be able to see his lips, he whispered. “It’s Julius, isn’t it? He’s out?”

“Yes. It’s his brother, Goodwin,” Ursula’s lips moved only a fraction; her voice barely audible, but her shoulders slumped in relief. “Been trying to have me removed. Framed me for espionage.”

So that was it. Goodwin. David had seen the officious little prick from time and time; popping in and out in Julius’ office when he thought nobody else would visit; skulking in the back of boardroom presentations; whispering sweet nothings in the ears of accountants in the finance department. It was him who had stabbed the metaphorical knife in Ursula’s back.

“I need help,” Ursula feigned a wince of pain as David unwrapped the last of her makeshift toilet-paper bandages, pulling out a pad of fresh gauze and a bottle of disinfectant.

David leaned back and said, “You’re lucky this didn’t get infected,” perhaps perhaps a little bit louder than he needed to. He rummaged through the first aid kit he’d pulled out of his bag, along with a small metal tray; upon which he placed the bottle of disinfectant, a pair of tweezers, a needle, thread, scissors, and a sort of gel that stimulated the body’s natural healing processes.

Carefully, David cleaned & disinfected the wounds on her hand. Luckily only one was deep enough to warrant stitches, the others would be fine with just the bio-gel. 

When enough time had passed, he leaned in as if to inspect his patient as he worked and whispered, “Help how?”

“Datastick.” She explained, her voice barely more than a harsh breath. “Hid it in my bandages on my other hand. Get it to Steven. Tell him not to come for me.”

David’s hand slipped, stabbing Ursula in the palm with the needle by accident. Ursula winced and yelped at the sudden pain.

“Sorry,” David apologized, his tone and expression deliberately clinical & monotone. Ursula had caught him off guard. Get a datastick to Steven? What the fuck does her pet scientist have to do with her being arrested for espionage? Are they… is she really a spy?

David considered the possibility for a second, then mentally shook his head. He’d known Ursula for too long to consider her a spy. She clearly had a motive though, so he couldn’t just dismiss it outright…

But then David thought about Steven; about what had been done to him…

David’s reply was more mouthed than spoken. “I can’t.” 

“Please,” Ursula begged silently. “They’re in danger.”

“If I get found out…”

Ursula didn’t quite reach out and grasp him around the wrist, but her glare paralyzed David in place all the same. “You know what Julius will do to them… to Steven…”

David didn’t respond; Julius’ reputation spoke for itself. 

A shudder ran down David’s spine as he tried to picture what Julius would have been like if he’d been in the military. To men like Julius, the frontier was the perfect place to indulge in sick fantasies that they could only dream of otherwise. The abundance of frontier brush wars, piracy, and local insurrections far outside the jurisdiction of the Central Colonial Authority provided a macabre playground for those seeking to indulge their sadism & bloodlust; places where humanitarian conventions and legal consequences were a distant afterthought…

“Please David,” Ursula’s words were almost non-existent, yet to David in that moment they struck him with the volume of a spacecraft rocketing for the stars. “It has to be you.”

No one else can get it to him. That was what she wanted to say. Only Ursula and himself had access cards that they could use to get to Steven. Only one of them could do it, and Ursula was imprisoned.

 

A heartbeat passed; then two; three; four; and more as David considered her words. Weighing the risks of the favour she was asking of him. After a period of waiting that made Ursula squirm in place, David nodded. It was almost imperceptible; a mere twitch of his head. He mouthed “I will” to her, and then in a voice that was deliberately too-loud said, “Well, I think you’re patched up now. Don’t remove the bandages for at least three days.”

David made a big show of slowly packing his tools back into his bag - including the bloody, soiled bandages Ursula had been wearing. His fingers clumsily rummaged through the rags, searching for the concealed item until he felt it; the hard edge of the datastick poking through the fabric. 

It was small; a thin, hard rectangle no larger than a fingernail pressing into his thumb. As best he could, David wrapped it tighter in the bloody paper and stuffed it into a side-pocket in the lining of his bag.

“If you see any signs of infection, you make a racket until they call me again.” David instructed her. “Oh, and try not to cut yourself up again. I’ve already stitched enough people up this week, I don’t need any more.”

Ursula smiled weakly up at him from the cot. “Thanks David. I feel much better now.”

David gave a noncommittal grunt & a shrug in reply, then hoisted his pack in one wiry arm and turned to leave; his black doctor’s bag hanging heavy with the weight of his favour to her.

 

---

 

How long had he been sitting here, staring at his phone and praying for another response from Ursula? Four hours? Five?

It was starting to drive Steven a little crazy, since he hadn’t checked the time at all today. Or the past few days for that matter. His alarm clock had woken him up bright and early at 6am this morning; just as it had been doing that every morning for the past few days. Somehow, he had managed to misplace the damned alarm clock somewhere in the utter mess of crates, camping equipment, books, and other assorted items that had been neatly organized into a single pile at the edge of the meadow.

Valen had refused to help him find the ‘screaming plastic nightmare box’ as he called it. It clearly wasn’t his fault that Steven lost track of his alarm clock; or that Steven was a light sleeper; or that Valen didn’t need to wait several hours before Steven woke up anymore so he could pester him for attention. It was just a convenient coincidence, according to Valen.

Steven tried to smile at the thought of being woken up early to read to Valen, an activity that under normal circumstances he would have been delighted to be forcibly woken up for.

However, these weren’t normal circumstanced. His smile was half-hearted at best and his face quickly faded back into a worried frown. Steven stretched, and winced at the stiffness in his lower back. He was sore, his eyes baggy & bloodshot, and his face lined & creased with furrows as his thoughts strayed back down the same path they’d been wearing into his mind non-stop for the past few days.

Steven’s feet followed suit, standing up and pacing back and forth along the same track he’d been wearing into the ground as he wore a matching groove in his brain. Ursula’s last message had haunted his every waking moment since he’d received it. Naturally, was also Valen alarmed when they got the message, but his own anxiety was nowhere near as overwhelming as Steven’s own.

Julius is back … What does that mean? Does he have his job back? What did he do to Ursula? Is she still alive? What’s going to happen to Valen?

Round & round his thoughts span; asking himself the same unanswerable questions over & over & over again on a loop.

 

Please, just stop. Please. Faintly, as if from a great distance, Valen’s thoughts drifted over to him; as though carried on an unseen current of wind.

“Hmm? Did you say something?” Steven didn’t quite catch whatever Valen said, but it was Valen. He just assumed that Valen had just asked him a question. That or he made a snarky comment at him, as per usual.

Valen jerked, startled at his question. Before Steven could question his surprise though, Valen asked, Do you want to go for a walk?

---

Valen had been leading them along the bank of the stream near their campsite for close to an hour now, walking upwards against the current in the stream itself whenever the undergrowth was too thick or tangled for Steven to follow him through it.

Valen had offered - perhaps somewhat too eagerly - to just clear a path for them to follow to the water, but Steven had rejected the offer; much to Valen’s eternal disappointment. It would have given him something to take his mind off of Steven’s unrelenting anxiety. If it was bad before he’d gotten the message…

“But what if she doesn’t send someone?” Steven asked him for what felt like the ten millionth time.

Steven, it’s Ursula. Valen didn’t even bother looking back at Steven as they waded upstream. When has she ever not followed through on her word?

When he suggested going for a walk along the stream to it’s source, it was partly because Valen was genuinely curious where the streams and creeks originated from, as they hadn’t actually walked this far upriver before. However, he also made the offer partly just to give Steven something to do aside from wearing a nervous groove in their campsite with his incessant pacing. Valen had thought it would give Steven something else to focus on other than Ursula’s cryptic message, but…

Valen could feel the dark, bubbling cauldron of Steven’s thoughts churning; roiling; swirling as he tried to think of an example to justify his anxious worry. Brief flashes of memories bubbled up from his subconscious before popping; letting another one rise up in it’s place… And another; and another; and another in a never-ending stream of half-formed thoughts that faded as quickly as they formed.

Eventually - after an interminable amount of time - Steven finally relented. “…Okay, you might have a point.”

Might? Valen tilted his head and stared over his shoulder in a way that made Steven imagine he was raising his eyebrows at him. For all the benefits his sleek, black carapace gave him, a wide range of facial expressions wasn’t among them.

“Alright,” Steven raised his hands in a gesture of surrender; conceding the argument to him. “Point made. I’ll be patient.”

You, patient? Valen snorted. I doubt it.

Steven’s hands went to his hips. “I can be patient!”

I’ll believe it when you stop thinking about Ursula for five minutes. Valen waited for a response; a retort; a complaint from Steven. Nothing. Valen heaved a sigh of relief, glad to finally have a break from the never-ending onslaught of Steven’s anxious thoughts. As long as Steven didn’t try to ask any more stupid questions…

But what if…? Steven never got a chance to finish his thought. 

 

Valen swung his tail and struck the back of Steven’s knees; causing them to buckle and sending him tumbling ass-first into the stream.

Pain shot up his back as his tail bone slammed into the rocks on the stream-bed. The cold shock of the frigid water forced the air out of his lungs. His nose and eyes stung as they were flooded with the fresh, crisp water of the stream.

Steven gargled and spluttered as he flailed around in the freezing cold water. Valen rasped like a dying lawnmower engine, laughing hysterically as he watched Steven thrashing in the water. Steven’s gloomy thoughts were completely forgotten; replaced them with a hot, bubbling stew of embarrassment and indignant fury, all directed at him of course.

The noise of Steven’s struggling and Valen’s laughter startled a deer that had been hiding in a nearby copse of trees; bounding away from the noise as fast as it’s legs would carry it. For a moment Valen considered chasing it down. There weren’t many deer or other prey animals left anymore, and it had been a while since he’d last had fresh food. It wasn’t like the humans who built this place kept a stock of wildlife to repopulate the forest in case a hungry Xenomorph needed a snack.

Fortunately for the deer, Steven’s enthusiastic gurgling was forming into coherent cursing; drawing Valen’s attention back to the now thoroughly waterlogged human floundering in the stream. Valen watched Steven struggle to get his feet under him for a few moments more; letting Steven feel his bemusement for juuust long enough to not be cruel, then he scooped Steven up under this arms, and with one swift twist of his body swung Steven out of the water and onto the muddy bank of the stream.

Steven shot daggers at Valen as he sat in the damp moss and wet mud of the riverbed, but before he could make a comment Valen interjected. Don’t blame me, you told me to do it.

“No I didn’t! When did I…” Steven’s glare softened to a look of chagrin as he remembered his promise to Valen. “Oh… was I spiralling…?”

Valen rolled his eyes. What do you think?

“Sorry…” Steven’s gaze dropped to his shoes; so forlorn and guilty that Valen couldn’t help but feel a pang of sympathy. The past day or so hadn’t exactly been great for Steven. Ever since Ursula had sent that stupid message, Steven had been burning himself up from the inside with worry.

No… worry wasn’t the right word. It was worse than that.

It was an all consuming anguish; a writhing, tangled mass of tar ensnaring every stray thought in it’s inky black tendrils; poisoning everything it touched an anxiety so potent that it seemed impossible to hope Steven would ever be free from it so long as Ursula remained a captive. Even if Valen managed to derail Steven’s train of thought, it always seemed to veer back to that all-consuming anxiety soon enough.

Steven, I understand that this is hard, but… Valen tried to think of something else to say; to reassure the most important person in the universe to him; to comfort him; to tell him that everything was going to be okay…

 

But nothing came to mind.

 

Valen tried not to let his own frustration and anguish bubble up from the deep pit where he’d shoved them, but it was getting more and more difficult to push his own emotions to the side. This whole situation wouldn’t be so hard to deal with if they could do something about it. To take action. To solve the situation that seemed unsolvable & inescapable…

Determination. Unwavering, unrelenting resolve to accomplish his task no matter the risk to himself. To deliver Ursula ’s message; to do this one last favor for his patient. His friend.

Valen froze. Steven noticed instantly, his concern driving into Valen like a frozen iron spike. “Valen? What is it? What’s happening?”

I think Ursula ’s messenger is on his way.

 

“What!?” Steven bolted upright, nearly slipping in the mud of the riverbank and almost toppled back into the water. This time, Valen caught him before he fell; catching Steven under the arms and holding him upright. He could feel how shaky Steven’s knees were, and Valen didn’t trust them to do their job at the moment.

It’s hard to tell because he’s still far away, but I think it’s your doctor friend. What was his name…? Valen tried to think of the man’s name, but Steven beat him to it.

“David. I’m pretty sure that’s what Ursula called him.” A brief flash of the man’s face; his voice chastising him for one thing or another; his confident, sturdy, unwavering demeanor as he stitched his injuries back together.

Valen couldn’t sense the man’s thoughts clearly from this distance, but his own impression of the man’s emotions matched with Steven’s impressions of the man. If it wasn’t the doctor, then Valen didn’t know who else it could be. I’m fairly sure it’s him. I can’t tell much from this distance, but I can tell Ursula was the one who sent him.

“How do you know for sure?” Steven asked. If Valen couldn’t literally read his mind he would assume that Steven was just being stupid. However, Valen bit back the snarky remark he wanted to make and just let Steven’s brain catch up with his mouth.

 

Thankfully, it didn’t take long.

“Oh… right, duh!” Steven slapped himself on the side of the head, mentally chastising himself for even asking the question. “But if he’s on his way here right now what are we waiting for? Let’s go meet him!”

Well he’s still… Valen tried to explain, but without a single thought aside from ‘meet doctor, get answer’, Steven pulled himself free from Valen’s grip and started sprinting as fast as he could towards the makeshift cargo-bay-turned-laboratory.

With a long, hissing sigh, Valen turned & followed after the dumbass he loved so dearly.

 

---

 

“I thought you said he was on his way.” Steven grumbled. He was perched atop one of the many, many empty cargo containers stacked against the far wall of the lab.

He is on his way.

“He’s been on his way for,” Steven checked the time on a wristwatch he’d found while trying to find the alarm clock, “...the past thirty minutes.”

That’s how long it takes usually, Valen snapped at him; his frustration at Steven’s impatience finally surfacing. I can’t help that he’s taking his sweet time getting here!

Steven shot him a quizzical look; eyebrows raised & head cocked. “Usually?”

Valen shrugged at him. I don’t know what to tell you. I can sense them when they get close enough, then it normally takes them about thirty minutes until they get here. At least that’s how long Dr. Nigel takes to get here.

“Okay, yeah I get that part,” Steven pinched the bridge of his nose. “I meant like… why does it take them so long to get here? Does it really take thirty minutes to walk here from the lift? How far away is the lift anyways?”

It hit Steven in that moment how little he really knew about where he was. In theory, he knew the Bernard Research Station was huge - he was living in an underground Terran forest after all - yet he still didn’t know much about the layout of the facility; how many levels it had; the layout of the floors; or really anything else besides ‘its really big’.

It’s not one lift, there are at least 3 elevators that lead down here. He explained. Two are close together, and there’s a third further away that doesn’t have as much traffic. He’s coming from the two elevators, and those are further away.

---

“Valen, how far away can you sense people now?” Steven sat bolt upright, a look of puzzlement on his face; eyebrows furrowed; eyes bright and focused on him; a storm of questions  swelling inside him.

Valen sighed in relief. Steven’s curiosity was getting the better of him, his anxiety fading away as his attention was finally drawn way from his worry.

Of course it would, he is a scientist after all. Valen reminded himself. It had just been so long since Steven had felt like this; an intelligent, observant man who hung on his every word as Valen would pour his thoughts & feelings & emotions out to him; connecting with Steven in a way that nobody else ever could. No wonder you fell love in him. That stupid, wonderful idiot…

Fortunately, Steven hadn’t seemed to notice that his thoughts had strayed; or if he did, he gave no indications of it. Valen hoped it was the former.

Sorry, what was the question? Valen asked sheepishly; turning his head away & pretending to be interested in the doorway.

“How far away can you sense other people, to any degree? Even just a faint feeling?” Steven asked, elaborating on his original inquiry.

I ’m not sure of the exact distance… It’s definitely a lot longer than I used to be able to, but it’s hard to tell…

“Why?” Steven was listening with rapt attention; gesturing for him to continue. It had been so long since they had done this; Valen couldn’t help but feel a little nostalgic.

I think it might just be where we are. I mean, in here instead of that boring white cell.

“You think the change in environment is the cause?” His eyes drifted up, contemplating what Valen had said.

Maybe. It ’s been easier to sense people through the walls since we got here, now that I think about it.

“Huh… That might be part of it.” “Maybe it’s also like exercise… because you’ve been reaching out and sensing people more frequently, maybe your range has expanded.”

It was Valen’s turn to consider what Steven had said. Could that be true…?

BANGBANGBANG.

The pounding on the door startled both him and Steven, although Valen tried his best to act as if he wasn’t.

“Is he…?”

Yes he is.

---

“Hello?” David called, banging his fist on the doorway. “Steven, are you there? Hello!?”

Yes he is, who ’s asking?

“GAaah!” David jumped, twisting around to see who had snuck up on him… But there was nobody there. He even opened the airlock door behind him to check if the voice had come from the hallway. Again, there was nobody. “What the fuck…?”

That’s ’whom’ the fuck to you, thank you very much. David could feel the annoyance in the voice. It wasn’t just the tone of the voice; he could actually feel how irritated the mysterious speaker was.

“What in the…” David’s head whipped side to side, looking for the source of the voice… presence… Fuck it. Whatever the fuck was happening, someone was causing it. Like someone was actually in his head and…

“Oh…” Am I speaking to Valen right now?

The one and only. Valen snarked at him; the pride and smug disdain in his words washing over him. “Fuuuuuck…”

So the rumors were true. A psychic Xenomorph; an intelligent, biological super-weapon that Weyland-Yutani could only have dreamed of. It was real, and tt was…

I’m not an it, Doctor. Valen snorted at him. I’m a person, just like you. Well, not just like you, but I know that you know what I mean.

Annoying. It- he - was very, very annoying.

“Alright, you’ve made your point,” I heard the rumors about what Ursula was up to, but… Is this real?

Unfortunately for her, yes. Yes it is. And I’m not psychic by the way, only telepathic. Valen corrected his earlier unspoken assumption; sending a shiver down David’s spine. I’m glad you can hear me so clearly though, that saves us both a lot of trouble.

“Lucky me, I guess…” David took a deep breath and shoved the impending existential crisis to the back of his mind. He’d have plenty of time to deal with that later. Right now, he had a job to do. “Valen, Ursula sent me.”

I know.

“I…” Of course he did.  “Well she told me to give you something.”

I know.

It was David’s turn to be annoyed at Valen. “… So can I come in? This is urgent.”

Prove it. Valen’s words were sharp as knives; the distrust; the suspicion; the barely suppressed instinct to lash out at the human; his claws ready to rend him apart at the faintest trace of dishonesty; this myriad of emotion all swirled around David, his head spinning in the black, inky vortex…

David’s knees buckled, his pulse thumping in his chest as he fought down the urge to flee as fast as his legs could carry him. He wasn’t actually in danger. At least that’s what he told himself. “What do you mean prove it? You can read my thoughts can’t you? You must know I have it with me.”

I only know that you believe that you have it. That’s not good enough. Valen’s explained, his words still just as sharp & hostile as his talons. Show me the datastick. I hope it’s still not wrapped in that dirty toilet paper.

“It is,” David’s brow furrowed at the last comment, but he gestured towards the black bag in his hand. “You have a problem with that?”

That’s gross. Valen snarked at him.

“Look, do you want it or not?” This was getting tedious. David’s frustration at Valen’s sarcastic remarks was growing stronger with every comment. “I can leave right now if you want, no skin off my back.”

Take it out. Valen instructed. I want to see it.

“How?” He asked. “You can’t see through walls, can you?”

How do you think?

“…Oh, right.” Telepathy. If Valen could feel his emotions, then it made sense if he could see what David saw.

You’re learning quickly. Valen rolled his eyes; David didn’t know how he did - seeing as he lacked eyes to roll - but there was no mistaking the sensation. Now show me the goods.

Without another word, David dug the soiled bandages out of his bag and unwrapped the soiled bandaged. To his surprise, the small stick of silicon was wrapped in another layer of toilet paper; neatly folded & covered in scribbled black ink. David stared intently at it, puzzling over how Ursula managed to write a note without it being spotted…

Then David could feel… something… as if seeing the world through two pairs of eyes simultaneously…

David’s stomach dropped & his head span. He closed his eyes, resisting the wave of nausea as his inner ear screamed in confusion. Thankfully it faded after a moment, but David still took a few deep breaths before he opened his eyes again.

Interesting… The hostility; the disdain; the sarcasm, it was all gone now. Apparently Valen had seen all that he needed to see. Come on in David.

Again, Valen rolled his eyes at him. You’re safe Doctor, I promise I don’t bite.

---

…I don’t bite.

“Liar,” Steven jabbed Valen lightly in the ribs. In response Valen tried to knock him over with his hip, but had apparently anticipated that and hooked his arms around Valen’s leg.

You’re finally learning. Valen tried to sound indifferent, but the loud purring he was emanating ruined the illusion. Steven was just too damn warm and soft to resist.

“Don’t sound so shocked jackass.” Steven smirked and planted a kiss on Valen’s sturdy leg. “I’m not totally stupid.”

I agree. You ’ve graduated to only being mostly stupid.

“Asshole.”

I love you too.

It was then that the electronic lock on the door beeped, the bolt clicked open, and David stepped into the room.

 

---

 

Even before the door swung shut behind him, Steven was already up in David’s face; barraging the poor man with a deluge of questions. “What happened? Where’s Ursula? What did they do to her? Is she okay? It’s Julius, isn’t it? What did he do to her? Where are they keeping her?”

Steven’s mouth could barely keep up with the hurricane of questions spinning around in his head, all demanding to be asked at the same time. He had to know, he just had to…

Valen’s hand reaching around his face and clamping his mouth shut cut his tirade off short; making Steven bite his own tongue. Fuck! Ow!!

Steven glared up at the big Xenomorph. What the fuck Valen?

You’re being rude. Valen chastised him, sounding like one of his old teachers from primary school. You’re scaring our guest.

For the first time, Steven took the time to examine David’s expression. His face had gone a pallid shade of grey; his eyes wide and bugging; his knuckles white as he grasped the handle of his bag; staring up at Valen in abject terror.

He’s probably scared because a massive Xenomorph appeared out of nowhere and grabbed me by the face! Steven snapped at said Xenomorph.

That’s not my fault! Valen snapped back, although the effect was ruined by the embarrassment he was trying to hide. I can’t help being a Xenomorph, and nobody else was going to shut you up.

Steven tried to glare up at Valen, but the effect was ruined somewhat by his head being locked in place. Can you let go of my face?

How will I know you won ’t just start blathering nonsense at him again?

Steven didn’t bother responding except to narrow his eyes & glare even harder at the big alien. Valen - sensing that he was on thin ice - released his grip without another word and backed several steps away from the two humans.

 

“Thank you,” Steven rubbed his face, trying to put his thoughts in order; shrugging at David apologetically as he did. “Sorry about that, I just have so many questions.”

“That’s what you’re apologizing for?” David’s voice cracked; incredulous. “Not the Xenomorph grabbing you by the face!?”

“No, because I wasn’t the one who scared the shit out of you,” Steven glared up at Valen, who looked away guiltily. “And Valen’s an asshole, so...”

I’m not apologizing. Valen snorted. It’s not my fault you got scared.

“You’re a fucking Xenomorph!” David shouted at Valen; although more out of indignation than fear, so that was an improvement at least. “How could you not know you’d scare me!?”

It never bothered Ursula! Valen shot back; snorting in disdain to accentuate his point. And speaking of…

“Right.” Steven knew Valen could feel his gratitude, so he focused on organizing his thoughts; sorting out which questions to ask in what order. David took the opportunity to gather himself. He pulled an abandoned folding chair from the wall and sat down heavily; spent the next few minutes taking deep breaths & recovering from his near heart attack.

When they were both ready Steven asked asked, “Tell me what happened to Ursula?”

David sighed. “Long story short, she was arrested for corporate espionage.”

“Wait, what? Espionage?” Steven’s brow furrowed. That just raised more questions. “She didn’t… she wasn’t…”

David held his hands up. “Look, I don’t know anything more than that. That’s what I was told, and I didn’t ask questions.”

 

“Why?”

“Because I’m trying to save my own fucking skin, boy.” David snapped at him. “Unlike you, I don’t have anything to do with… whatever the hell you and Ursula have been up to. I’m only here as a favor to a friend, that’s it. I’m not looking to get wrapped up in whatever the hell is going on between you two.”

You three. Valen interjected.

“Of course, how could I forget!” David directed his frustration to Valen, who had curled up in the far corner of the room. “I have no idea what the hell is up with you Valen, but you’re at the center of all of this. I don’t know why Dr. Gavin and Ursula have been fighting over you, but it looks like Ursula’s lost that battle, and now she’s trying to save your hides from the fallout.”

“I…” Words failed to materialize as the torrent of questions he had been dying to ask were swept away.

“What about…”

“And before you even ask, don’t go after her.” David cut him off short. “That’s an order directly from her.”

Steven looked over his shoulder at Valen. Is he lying?

He ’s not. She practically begged him to tell you not to go after her.

“But why?” The question wasn’t directed at anyone in particular. It was just… “Why would she do that?”

David shrugged. Valen however had an answer for him. Because she knows that the first thing you’d try to do is try to save her. That risks you - and me - getting captured if we try to escape.

“Escape?” This was all too much, too fast. Steven had wanted answers, but these weren’t the answers he wanted to hear. “But if we escape, shouldn’t we…”

“Don’t do it Steven.” David’s tone was gentle, but there was a hardness in there wasn’t there before. “Don’t make things worse for her.”

Steven turned back to Valen, looking to him for support.

I agree. We shouldn ’t go after her.

 

“Why not!?” Steven whirled on Valen; suddenly advancing on him with fists clenched. Valen - the eight foot tall Xenomorph - jolted upright in surprise and what might have been fear. “What do you mean we shouldn’t rescue Ursula. She saved us! She saved me!”

I know! Valen tried to placate Steven as he advanced on him, backing himself even deeper into the corner of the room. I know what she’s done for us, but… I’m just trying to be realistic. If we go after her…

“What?” “What will happen if we save her?”

“Julius could kill her.” David’s tone was so matter-of-fact that it completely derailed Steven’s rising indignation.

“Wha…?” Again, Steven whirled around to face David. “But he wouldn’t do that, would he?”

“You don’t know the man like I do Steven.” There it was again. That hardness; a steely resolve in his expression that made Steven’s spine shiver. “And before you try to tell me that you do understand, that you’ve been tortured; no, you don’t.”

“I was tortured though!” He spat.

“And that was a terrible, awful, evil thing to do.” David acknowledged. “I don’t disagree with that, but you don’t know Julius like I do. You don’t know what he’s capable of doing, and you don’t know about the messes that his brother has made go away for him.”

Valen?

I believe what he’s saying. Valen’s voice was oddly cold, almost hollow. Dr. Gavin… I only saw snippets of his memories, but… we don’t want to cross Julius if we can. There’s a reason Ursula tried to get rid of him.

Steven plopped himself down on a crate before he lost his balance from how fast his head was spinning. I just… I thought…

 

This was all too much, too quickly. Steven had been desperate for answers only minutes ago, and yet now he would give anything to go back to that. The danger he faced… Ever since his torture and Julius’ subsequent arrest, he’d felt safe. Secure. That the hard times were over. That he and Valen could just live their lives together in their little forest sanctuary for the rest of eternity.

On some level Steven knew that it was a fantasy, but it was so easy to just forget about the dangers beyond these walls. It was so easy to just give in and believe that things could just go on like this forever…

Steven…  Suddenly, Valen was there, wrapping his arms around him, resting his massive head ever so lightly on his shoulder. We can still have all that. We can still live that dream, but not here.

I know …

Ursula has given us a chance to have that, Valen’s tone was soft; gentle; the warm embrace of a blanket on a stormy day. She wants us to have that.

I know …

But right now, we need to find out what Ursula wants us to know. David is risking a lot by doing this for her; for us.

I know all that! Steven’s frustration threatened to boil over, but he managed to contain himself before he let his emotions get the better of him again. I just can’t believe you’d abandon her so quickly…

Steven, I ’m not...

No, I know. I know you’re right, it’s just… How could he lose yet another friend; yet another person who cared for him? He’s already lost so much. This was supposed to be a fresh start, a new beginning, but it was all crumbling down around him again.

I understand how painful it is.

I know you do.  Steven leaned over and nuzzled Valen's forehead. Thank you.

You can thank me later. Valen purred in response, nuzzling back.

Oh, Steven's expression relaxed ever so slightly; a thin smile forming on his lips. Well I guess I’ll just take that gratitude back then.

Hey! Valen hissed indignantly. You can’t do that!

Just did! what ’re you gonna do about it?

I’m going to throw every last one of your granola bars in the river, Valen threatened.

Steven audibly gasped in horror. You wouldn’t dare!

You wanna test me?

 

“Ahem.”

---

Both Steven & Valen started at the noise and turned to look at the source of the noise.

David stared back at them impassively. “I’m sorry, are you two in the middle of something?”

Valen cut in before Steven had a chance to open his mouth. Sorry about that. I just let him talk sometimes otherwise he starts pestering me for attention.

“I’m sorry, since when I was the attention whore here?” Steven shot Valen a glare that would have turned him to stone if he was a lesser man… Xenomorph. Whatever, Steven was mad at him and that was the point! “You’re the one who gets antsy if I tell you to give me space for five minutes.”

If I don ’t supervise you, you’ll do something stupid like cut yourself opening a box of cereal, or burn your eyebrows off.

“It was only the one time!”

Twice. You cut yourself opening the cereal twice. In a row. That counts as two.

“Like hell it does!”

"Ahem!" Another loud cough from David caught Steven & Valen’s attention, both whirling their heads to stare at him sheepishly. “I’m starting to see why Ursula was complaining about headaches all the time.”

Steven’s cheeks flushed bright red, while Valen had found an immensely fascinating box of wires that apparently required his full attention.

“Sorry.”

What he said.

David shook his head. “Are you two just… like this all the time?”

Valen and Steven answered in unison.

“Yes.”

No.

 

David sighed in exasperation; probably tired of trying to redirect the conversation back to the matter at hand. “Look, do you want the stupid datastick or not?”

He pulled out a small rectangle from his pocket; offering it to Steven but addressing his words to Valen. “Here, this is what you want, right?”

That ’s the one from Ursula?

It was Valen’s turn to be on the receiving end of David’s stony, dead-eyed stare. “What the fuck do you think?”

Just checking. Valen quickly backtracked on his suspicious attitude. Can’t be too sure.

David proffered the tiny silicon rectangle to Steven, who took it gingerly in two fingers. For such a tiny object, the weight of it was enough to make his arm tremble.

“My work here is done.” David snapped the folding chair together. “Remember, I was never here.”

Steven’s face split in a lopsided grin. “Remember what?”

David’s smile was barely perceptible, just the slightest upturn at the corners of his mouth. “Exactly. Good luck you two.”

Same to you David. Thank you.

---

The former army Doctor gave one last glance at the pair of them - the small, bookish human and the towering Xenomorph embracing one another in that old storage hangar - before letting the door swing shut.

However, just as the door was about to close, David ‘accidentally’ dropped the folding chair in the doorway, jamming the airlock open behind him. An alarm blared once, but a swift swipe from David’s security card in the reader silenced it. Without a a second thought, David began his long march back up to the world where he was just a Doctor.

 

---

 

“Julius, do we really have to do this?” Goodwin whined as he trailed behind him. He wasn’t quite plucking at his sleeve, but the effect was the same.

“No, we don’t,” Julius gritted his teeth and bit back the insult that so desperately wanted to be let loose. “I don’t recall asking you come along.”

“Julius, you have a meeting in twenty minutes with the Board,” Goodwin tried to explain it to him again for what felt like the millionth time. “If you miss it, your chances of…”

“I fucking know, Goodwin,” Julius stopped dead in his tracks, forcing Goodwin to stumble to a halt behind him; his eyes shooting daggers at his diminutive half-brother. “I need this.”

When no reply was forthcoming, Julius started his walk again in blissful silence.

---

The security guards on duty let the pair of men into the cellblock without so much as a peep of resistance. With a wave of his hand, Julius dismissed the pair of officers standing guard at Ursula’s cell.

“I just want to have a private word with her,” He explained. It was hard not to smirk as the guards saluted and shuffled out. God how he’d missed that.

Goodwin seemed apprehensive, but since when was that noteworthy? He’d been a nervous, timid person his entire life.

Julius squared his shoulders, cleared his throat, adjusted his collar, and pressed the button on the monitor to turn it on. With a crackle and a faint flickering of static, the monitor came to life. In the monitor was Ursula, pulling herself upright on the lonely cot in her cramped cell. From the looks of it she’d been trying to sleep.

 

Julius grinned. “Hello Dr. Nigel.”

In the static of the CCTV monitor, Ursula scowled. “Hello, asshole.”

“I hope the accommodations are to your liking.”

“Go choke on a bag of dicks, eat shit, and die.” Ursula spat; the venom in her voice potent enough to melt through concrete. “In that order.”

“I’ll consider it,” If Ursula’s voice was dripping concentrated venom, then Julius’ voice was positively oozing with condescending glee. “But unfortunately, I don’t think that’ll get approved at the next board meeting in… oh, twenty minutes! Still, I’ll bring it up. Consider it a favor for an old friend.”

“What do you want Julius?” Ursula asked. “Are you here just to gloat? If so, please make it quick. I have more important things to do today.”

“Y’know, if I was a lesser man, I might take this opportunity to gloat. To hold my victory over your head and taunt you with your failure.” Julius couldn’t contain the smirk that split across his face. Even through a CCTV screen, the sight of Ursula locked in a tiny padded cell brought him a sick joy he just couldn’t restrain. This was his revenge and it tasted oh-so sweet. “But I’m not, so I won’t.”

Julius spun theatrically on his heel, making as if to strut jauntily out the way he came, but he leaned over his shoulder in a mocking performance and shouted, “Don’t worry, I’ll be the mature one for once. I’ll simply get back at your betrayal by living a good, happy life; Funded by my residuals from the fat stacks of cash my weapons programs will be rrrr-aking in!”

 “If you sounded any more like a cartoon villain I’d be worried about losing a dimension if I were you.” Ursula snarked right back at him. “Who knows, might do you some good to lose all that weight though; you’ve really let yourself go Julius.”

“You fucking bitch!” Julius’ joy went up in a fiery conflagration of rage; his raw anger consuming it as fuel as his temper exploded. He whirled back to face the screen; face mottled red; spittle flying from his lips. “You fucking deserve to rot in that cell until you starve to death like the fucking bitch you are!”

“Well you’re the expert on torturing animals,” Ursula’s smug grin was infuriating. Even now, she still thought she was better than him. “Then again, you always were bad at convincing others to get your own way, but that’s what your little brother is for isn’t it?”

“Half-brother.” Julius’ lips curled up in a snarl. “And that’s some mighty high talk coming down from that horse of yours. I don’t recall you having any problems with torturing animals for the sake of your research.“

“Julius…” He could faintly feel Goodwin tugging on his arm; imploring him to stop; trying to weasel his way into his business like he always did. “Don’t listen to her! She’d trying to goad you.”

Ursula plowed on as if Goodwin wasn’t even there. “That might have been true at some point, but I‘ve never considered human beings animals. Besides, I can also actually get results without resorting coercion. Can you say the same, Mr. Director?”

Ursula stared at him. Not at the camera, but at him. Like she could see him there; monologuing directly at him through the screen. “Face it Julius - despite all your big talk, you’d be nothing without me.”

“You fucking…” Julius tried to cut in, but Ursula kept on talking over him.

“Y’know, I used to resent you for all that you’ve done to me. No… no, resent isn’t the right word; not strong enough. I despised you Julius. My projects; my discoveries; my talent; you built your entire fucking career off my work! I used to hate your fucking guts for that… but my perspective has changed. Literally.”

Ursula gestured to the walls of her jail cell. “When I look at you from in here, all I see is a monument to my work. You didn’t just piggyback on my career - I built your fucking career. Without me, you would be nothing - and nothing you can say; and nothing you can do - will ever change that.”

 

The blood sang in his ears; his fist clenched; his arm tensed…

 

“I don’t despise you anymore Julius. I pity you.”

 

-CRACK-

 

“SHIT!” Julius recoiled; curling into a ball around his wounded fist.

The glass screen where Ursula’s face had been was now a dark shattered pane of glass, the faint static hiss of the CCTV screen silenced; the screen a ragged hole stained with blood. His blood.

“What the fuck Julius!” Goodwin’s shriek was high & shrill.

“Shut the fuck up man,” Julius glared at his younger brother. Half-brother, he reminded himself. Even after all these years, he had to keep reminding himself that even though they might have the same father, he could never let himself forget the reason why they had different mothers; nor could he forgive his father for it - or by extension, his half-brother.

“Just call the fucking doctor.” Julius gritted his teeth and stalked out; the silence of the broken monitor mocking him as his hand throbbed with the sharp, bitter pain of humiliation.

Notes:

I didn't expect to be able to finish this chapter so soon, but I got the urge to write and it hasn't stopped yet so here we are!

As always, let me know what you think in the comments or in the Anonymous Asks on my Tumblr.

as always, I hope you enjoyed! - AX <3

Chapter 24: Epilogue: An Unusual Update

Summary:

An update on the future of Unusual Testing. Please read for more details.

Hey y'all. I'm not 100% sure how to start this update, so I'm just going to jump right in and get right to the point. As much as it pains me to say it, Unusual Testing won't be getting any more updates from now on. The story is going to be tagged as incomplete, and won't receive any more new Chapters or Rewrites/Edits.

As much as I love Valen, Steven, and all of the other characters in this world, I just don't have the time or inclination to finish UT as it currently stands. After my rewrite of Four's a Crowd, I realized that the amount of time & energy it would take for me to bring UT up to a level of quality that I'm happy with AND to finish the story would be far too much for me to accomplish. As much as I love writing fanfiction, there's only so much time & energy I can dedicate to my writing without it eroding my mental health or quality of life.

 

HOWEVER, this doesn't mean I'm abandoning Unusual Testing either. I don't intend to let Steven, Valen, Ursula, Julius, Goodwin, or even Will rot & fade away into obscurity. While I'm not ready to give more details at the time of writing, I will say that I've spent a significant amount of time & effort over the past few months  working on a 'new' original fiction project that 'borrows' heavily from Unusual Testing.

That isn't to say I'm not going to keep writing fanfiction mind you. I love writing as a hobby and I've got tons of stories & ideas burning holes in my hard drive just waiting to be written. It's just that fanfiction as a medium isn't enough to fit all the themes, messages, and ideas that I want to put into my stories like Unusual Testing anymore. The limits of writing for a universe that I do not have total creative freedom over isn't enough, and I want to be able to make a living (or at least partly make a living) writing my own books.

Ever since I was a kid I've wanted to be a published author, and I finally feel like I've reached a point where my writing & narrative skills are strong enough for me to write something I'd be proud to publish professionally, and thus I've dedicated most of my creative writing time & energy into that - and writing Xenomorph fanfic on the side to keep myself sane.

 

All that being said, I cannot thank each and every one of you who has read Unusual Testing, left a comment or a kudo, or given me criticism on how to make this story better in the 10 long years that I've been writing it. I would not be in the position I am today if it weren't for all of you, and for that you have my deep & everlasting gratitude. I hope that I will continue to write stories that you will enjoy reading for as long as I have stories to tell & the capacity to tell them. Thank you all so very, very much.

- A.X. <3

 

P.S. Keep an eye out for future updates. I'm thinking of starting my own blog/website so I can post updates more frequently & consistently, but there's nothing concrete yet. Once I have more to share, I'll let y'all know!

 

Chapter 25: Post-Script: Plot Summary, Retrospective, and The Future of Steven & Valen

Summary:

The Final Author's Notes on Unusual Testing.

Includes a cliffnotes plot summary of the unpublished/unfinished chapters, his retrospective on Unusual Testing, and the plans for Steven & Valen going into the future.

The end is never the end after all.

Notes:

I'm writing this because I want to give all the readers (and myself) some closure on Unusual Testing since I'm no longer planning on doing the rewrite I had planned before I released the remaining chapters I have planned. However, I have much more to say about Unusual Testing than just a brief point-by-point synopsis based on my plans for the rest of the story, so consider this as more of my retrospective about the story as a whole.

Like I said in the Epilogue & in the new Description, UT isn't dead per se; more like Metamorphosing into something new.

Plot Summary

Chapter 23 leaves off on a cliffhanger, where Ursula gives Steven & Valen her plan for them to escape offworld with a bunch of embezzled money & stolen company data.

At this point, Ursula doesn't see herself having any sort of future especially after the charges against Julius for Human Experimentation are effectively dropped; with Goodwin clearing Julius' name by framing Ursula for faking the whole thing out of jealousy. However she wants to spite Julius one last time by helping Steven & Valen escape.

 

In Ch. 24, Steven is horrified to learn that yet another person in his life that he cares about is in danger and he wants more than anything to break Ursula out of captivity. However Valen sees things more pragmatically and wants to follow Ursula's plan to the letter. After some arguing back & forth, Steven reluctantly puts aside the possibility of rescuing Ursula, and both he & Valen set about implementing the plan Ursula came up with - albiet with some modifications.

Ursula's plan for S&V to escape is to cause a fire in their enclosure, during which they can use the resulting chaos to escape. The underground forest-bunker is an extremely old & ill maintained part of the facility, which leaves several gaps through which the pair can escape - primarily the ventilation system. The bunker is built with it's own HVAC, air filtration, and fire suppression systems, however they are bulky and it's theoretically possible to sabotage them so that the fire suppression systems won't activate or shut down the ventilation system.

Steven must get to & then sabotage these systems while Valen's responsibility is to create multiple large bonfires positioned near the ventilation intakes & to clog up the water supplies that feed the streams & creeks in the forested areas. Steven runs into difficulties while trying to sabotage the air/fire systems in the form of maintenance workers, but by posing as a security guard he's able to get away with it.

 

Ch. 25 starts with S&V packing any belongings they may need for the next phase of Ursula's plan - escaping. She laid out several different routes for them to escape, but their ultimate goal is to make it to Bernard's starport in orbit and escape somewhere offworld using the funds she embezzled. Ursula also paid an extremely hefty sum to Will - the dirty IT technician - to assist them in getting offworld, although how exactly this should work is a bit vague.

Steven & Valen run around starting the blazes, and due to the sabotage Steven did earlier the fire suppression system does not activate, and the ventilation system continues to operate & sucks up massive amounts of smoke. However the fires work a bit too well, and the fire rapidly starts burning out of control. S&V are forced to make a hasty escape as their former home burns down around them by climbing up a disused cargo elevator.

 

Ch. 26 reveals that Ursula's plan might have worked a bit too well. Instead of causing chaos in the local area of the facility to S&V a chance to escape, the smoke & fire begins to spread to large sections of the Bernard Research Complex. As it turns out, the forest bunker used to be part of the air-recycling system for multiple buildings, and the connecting vents weren't sealed off yet when S&V started the fire. The bunker complex was due to be decommissioned, but due to Ursula's 're-use' of the facility those plans were delayed, and now the entire complex is in utter chaos.

This wouldn't be so bad if Steven didn't use this chaos to ditch Valen & head off to try and find Ursula - much to Valen's distress. Steven has been hurt so much in the past that Valen couldn't live with himself if something were to happen to him.  Julius & Goodwin have a similar idea to Steven, and unbeknownst to him they are leading a heavily armed squad of security personnel to secure Ursula. Ursula for her part knows that her plan must've kicked off, but is alarmed by the scale of the chaos spreading throughout the facility. There are fire alarms blaring even in her jail cell, which is relatively close to the surface - far away from the underground forest bunker.

Steven manages to find Ursula's jail cell by threatening a guard using a gun he stole in the previous chapter, managing to arrive just after Julius & Goodwin get there.

 

Ch. 27 opens up with a standoff between Steven & Julius. Steven is still armed, but Julius threatens to harm Ursula if he doesn't drop his weapon & surrender to him. Julius - being Julius - can't help but be his usual gloating, self-satisfied self, while Goodwin tries desperately to rein in his older half-brother to deescalate the situation. Meanwhile Steven is an emotional wreck at this point, completely forlorn that he didn't manage to save Ursula while simultaneously enraged at Julius for causing so much pain & misery to him and everyone he cares about.

Now, what happens next is probably one of the most emotionally devastating moments in the whole story, and I'm still kinda upset I don't get to tear your hearts out with it in the story. However, I did actually write this part of the chapter well in advance. In fact, this section was the initial catalyst for me wanting to do a 5th rewrite of UT in the first place.

It's not quite as polished as I'd want it to be, but I hope you enjoy it anyways~

CONTENT WARNING: Lots of blood, gore, and violence. Like, a LOT. You've been warned.

 

---

 

"Let go of her Gavin." Steven growled. He had the pistol pointed at his center-mass, braced with both of his hands to stop his aim from shaking. His nerves were on a razor’s edge, his heart beating a mile a minute as his body dumped every last drop of adrenaline it had into his bloodstream.

"No, I don’t think I will." Julius Gavin beamed at him, his smug grin made Steven want to puke with rage. "Besides, I’m not the one who has a gun to her temple. I don’t like getting my hands dirty with that sort of work myself."

"I could fucking shoot you right now!"

"You wouldn’t dare." Julius' smarmy grin was infuriating. He was totally sure of himself; utterly confident Steven wouldn’t shoot him.

"You fucking tortured me! You ruined my fucking life!"

"Julius! Stop antagonizing him!" Someone - Steven presumed it was Goodwin - shouted from somewhere in the crowd behind them.

Julius' expression of amusement morphed into one of annoyance, and he half-twisted his head to shout back at the man. "Or what? He came to rescue her. He won’t dare shoot me if it risks Ursula’s life."

He turned to Steven. "Now drop the gun."

Steven hesitated, his aim dropping to the floor.

"Drop the gun! Now!" The larger man's face was mottled red with rage at Steven's defiance. If he had been the one holding Ursula captive he probably would've been jamming the barrel of the gun down her throat by now.

Yet Steven couldn't bring himself too do it. He glared at Julius with all the venom he could muster. He was the reason his life had gone to shit. He was the cause of all this strife and stress, and he wanted nothing more than to make him pay .

I could just shoot him now… If Julius was just going to take him into custody again, then he'd rather take the man out himself rather than be subject to whatever sadistic cruelty the man would inflict on him.

 

Drop it. A voice that was not his own spoke in his head. The firearm clattered to the floor.

 

"That's it." Julius' expression relaxed. "Don't make things harder than they have to be Dr. Kirchoff. Just stay right where you are."

Steven ignored him and took a stumbling step backwards. Then another, and another; trying to keep the distance between himself and Julius as the larger man approached him with his entourage of armed guards.

"I said stay where you are." Julius warned him, all the calm immediately dropping from his voice. 

Again, Steven ignored him and kept backing up, glancing over his shoulder as he went. The corridor was only ten feet behind him now. He just had to make it a little bit more…

“I said stop!” Julius shouted. By now the smaller man had nearly reached the corridor, scooped up the gun Dr. Kirchoff had dropped and pointed it at the bookish man. "Don’t take another fucking step or you and the bitch get fucking a bullet in your skulls!"

The scientist froze, hands raised high over his head; his eyes darting from the gun to the passage to his left. He was so close now… 

 

Don't. Let him come to you.

 

As if on queue Julius stalked forwards him and shoved Steven backwards, putting himself between Dr. Kirchoff and the hallway to block his escape route.

 

---

 

"Now Dr. Kirchoff, please come with us. I promise we aren’t going to harm you."

"Are you going to hurt Ursula?"

"Not if you cooperate with us," Julius did his best to put on the flattering smile he’d used to charm the other doctor in the past. "I promise."

Kirchoff said nothing, only glared at him with a disgusted snarl curling his lip up like a rabid dog. "What about Valen? What are you going to do to him?"

"Who? Oh right, the Xenomorph." Dr. Gavin’s upper lip curled in distaste to match Dr. Kirchoff’s. "We still need him, but given the damage he’s caused and the danger he poses, I don’t think we’ll keep him around any longer than necessary."

Well that’s not very nice of you. A soft, snarky voice whispered in Julius’ ear. No not exactly a whisper. He could hear it, clear as day, but something wasn’t quite right about it.

"Who said that?" He whipped his head around, checking behind him for the unseen speaker, but the only other people win the hall were Goodwin, Ursula, and the security detail.

I did. Julius swore he could actually feel the disdain in the voice. Didn’t you hear me?

"Who the fuck said that? Where are you!?"

I’m right here Doctor… All he had time to register was shapeless black blur lunging towards him from the corner of his eye, and then his shoulder exploded with pain.

 

---

 

Valen relished the tearing of flesh; the crunching of bones; the screams of agony that tore from the hateful little man’s mouth as he sank his claws into his right shoulder. Hot trickles of blood welled out around his claws as he sank them as deep as they could go without ripping the man’s arm clean off.

Not that Valen wasn’t tempted mind you. He had been daydreaming of this moment for days; weeks; months, of finally exacting his bloody, painful revenge on the vile, wretched man who had tortured his beloved all those long weeks ago.

But sadly, Valen didn’t have the time to savor his prey’s pain & anguish at the moment.

He could sense the shock and horror of the cluster of other humans, but even stronger than all of that combined was Steven’s overwhelming concern and fear for Ursula. They didn’t need to use words to understand that situation could quickly turn into a bloodbath they didn’t get a handle on it quickly.

They exchanged a swift rush of thoughts; a torrent of half-formed flashes of images and ideas as he & Steven tried to formulate a plan. It only took a couple of seconds to come up with the basics of the plan. 

They’d have to make up the rest on the fly. 

With some difficulty owing to the cramped confines of the hallway, he maneuvered himself to stand between the armed guards and Steven’s soft, fragile body. Valen knew he wasn’t immune to bullets either, but he could take substantially more gunshot wounds than Steven could. 

Behind him, Steven screamed at the gaggle of humans, "Stand down!"

As he did, Valen felt himself screeching in warning at the gaggle of humans, Steven’s own intention directing his actions.

And that single mistake cost them dearly.

One of the guards - the man holding Ursula hostage - yelped in sheer terror at the sounds of Valen's raspy, hissing screech. Reflexively, his index finger squeezed on the trigger, and-

 

-CRACK-

 

-the top of Ursula’s head exploded out in a fountain of bloody chunks, bits of her brain and skull splattering against the wall. 

The guard holding her shrieked in surprise and terror. He let go of his captive, and her lifeless corpse dropped to the floor with a dull thud, here eyes vacant and glassy as they stared at him with the unwavering placidity of death.

 

For a single, silent second, the world stood still. A macabre scene in a twisted play frozen in time as the actors stood in shock at what had occurred…

Then the tension was shattered by a horrid, blood-curdling scream.

 

---

 

Steven stood there, mouth agape, unable to process what just happened. His mind a blank slate of numb shock as he saw Ursula staring at him though Valen’s eyes; her eyes blank and unseeing. Staring at him as her blood pooled around her head from the gaping hole in the top of her skull…

Ursula… 

The one person who had cared for him; the only one who had tried to protect him; the only one who had taken him under her wing in this godforsaken place. She wasn't perfect by any means, but she… she's…

 

The awful wailing cry caught Steven by surprise, until he realized it was coming from his own mouth, and with that realization the last vestiges of his restraint gave way. 

Like a dam bursting under the pressure of a flash flood, all of Steven's grief & rage burst forth, flooding across the link bridging the gap between his & Valen's mind by the sheer force of his emotion. 

Their thoughts, their feelings, their senses, their beings melded into one with all the force of a violent, vengeful tsunami that consumed all else in the overwhelming tide; man & monster alloying into an avatar of rage, of violent, bloody vengeance, filled with nothing but the desire to enact their primal carnage upon the object of their hatred who had caused all of this pain & misery.

 

Him.  

 

They could feel the blood oozing from around their claws, impaled deep into Dr. Gavin’s shoulder. All the anger and grief and seething disgust towards the vile, sadistic human ignited into a raging inferno of pure, unadulterated hatred. 

 

He was responsible for all of this pain and suffering, and they were going to make. Him . Pay.

 

The human howled and thrashed in agony as he sank his claws into the man’s torso. His claws gouged deep, ragged holes in the muscle of the man’s torso until he had a firm grip on the man’s hip bone.

Then he adjusted his grip, flexed his arms in opposite directions, and pulled. They could feel his bones flexing and creaking as they lifted the man off the ground, their arms straining as they pulled the man apart.

His spine twisted around like a wet toothpick, his vertebra crackling and popping as his they pulled his body apart like a plastic bag. The man’s screams distorted into a in a ragged, bloody gargle as his entrails were mangled. Through his thoughts they felt his insides rupturing; tearing; twisting as they pulled his body apart.

What do you think will break first? They taunted their victim. Your spine or your gut?~

It took mere seconds to get their answer. His belly - already weakened from the talons gouged into his hip - violently ruptured; the remains of his pulped innards spewing onto the floor in a fountain of organs and blood. With a shake of their hand, they dislodged the man from their claws and flung him to the ground with a wet thud.  where he lay, twitching and dying on the cold tile, the ragged husk of his body only held together by the shattered remains of his spinal column.

They could feel his mind - now only that of an insane, broken animal wracked with pain and confusion as his life drained away. It would be a mercy to kill him now.

They stepped over the bloody, broken wreck of his body, crushing the pile of the scattered viscera that used to be his organs as they stalked past the dying husk towards the rest of the group at the end of the hall.

 

They could feel their terror as they broke and fled. A futile effort. Propelled by their bloodthirsty rage, they charged at the group of fleeing humans. One turned and tried to level her rifle at him. 

They closed in on her first, striking the side of her head with one hand and tearing her head clean off her neck.  A fountain of hot blood sprayed their chest as it erupted from the ragged stump of her neck, but they barely noticed as they had already set off in pursuit of their next victim.

We can’t waste time on him…

HE KILLED HER. HE HAS TO DIE!

We’ll die if we don’t get out of here right now Steven!

I DON’T CARE! I DON’T CARE IF I DIE, AS LONG AS I CAN KILL HIM!

He locked himself in a cell! We can’t get to him in time!

We’ll… We’ll find a way! Steven refused to give up, but Valen’s own rage had been slaked with the blood of their captors. As his own bloodlust faded he could feel the grief and rage that fused their minds together draining from Steven’s own; his burning passion for revenge fading to a smoldering ember as his senses took hold of him. 

With very second the gap that separated their minds them grew wider, their one shared consciousness splitting back into its constituent components until they were Steven and Valen again; standing alone amid the bloody carnage; the bloody wreckage of a small, lonely man's grief.

 

---

 

The hallway in front of Steven was a nightmare made manifest. The cloying smell of blood and viscera hung thick in the air; the taste of foul iron clung to his mouth every time Steven took a breath. Almost every square inch of the floor was soaked in blood and splattered on the walls for nearly fifty feet in front of him. Bodies laid strewn on the floor, painting a grisly picture of the carnage he had unleashed. His eyes followed the trail of corpses from where Valen stood back all the way back to his feet, where the ragged, eviscerated pile of meat that used to be Dr. Gavin laid.

His corpse was so mangled that it was nearly unrecognizable as human, save for the face. Dr. Gavin’s face… still twisted in an expression of horrified agony stared up at him. Steven didn’t even have enough time to twist his head before he vomited, splattering the already disgusting corpse on the floor with a spray of his half-digested breakfast.

When his stomach stopped heaving long enough for him to look up, he saw that Valen had picked his way through the field of bodies and was pressing his crest into his shirt, nudging him.

We have to get out of here. Valen’s voice was completely devoid of his usual snark, replaced by a stony intensity that Steven had not felt from him before. That rat-man has surely called for everyone he can to…

Fuck you! Steven turned on him, all the sadness and grief and rage blazing under the surface suddenly erupting outwards. Fuck you Valen! I can’t leave her! I can’t…

Steven… Ursula is dead. 

Silence.

If we die here, then Ursula died in vain.

Yet more silence, as cold & lifeless as the tiles sapping the heat from the lifeless corpse bleeding at his feet.

"Okay." His voice was small, so small that Valen wanted nothing more than to embrace Steven; to wrap himself around him & shield him from the harsh cruelty of the world that had hurt him time & time & time again.

But there was no time. With gentle fingers, Valen reached under Steven's arms, clutched him tightly to his chest, and bolted off into the billowing clouds of darkness.

 

---

See, wasn't that fun? There's not much left after this, but keep reading on for more info!

 

In Ch. 27 Steven & Valen escape from the burning facility into the dense native jungle surrounding the Bernard Research Complex.

Steven is still shellshocked by what has happened, and it's completely up to Valen to reach the spaceport through the jungle. It's about a day's journey on foot, but the duo is slowed significantly by the dense foliage & Steven's emotional incapacitation. Along the way they get into a fight with some local wildlife that tries to take Steven as a snack, injuring his arm in the process. However Valen managed to fight the creatures off & they make it to the ground-side aero-space terminal - sneaking into the ventilation system to get inside.

Will is waiting for Dr. Steven Kirchoff, and the terminal is in utter chaos. People are fleeing to the terminal as the fire burns out of control inside the rest of the facility, and Will is considering just leaving with the money Ursula gave him before an announcement over the PA calls him to an empty cargo bay. It's here that Will & Steven finally meet face to face, and after performing some rudimentary first aid on Steven's mauled arm, the two discuss what's happened.

 

Ch. 28 is the final chapter, and is basically just Steven & Valen escaping offworld by smuggling Valen in a cargo container & bluffing their way through the whole bureaucratic process so as to not have anyone inspect the contents of the container. This was supposed to set up a possible sequel to UT or for S&V & Will to appear in future stories, but I didn't really have much planned beyond that. In the end, Steven & Valen are bruised, bloodied, and hurting, but they are together - and that's good enough for them.

While this is happening we also see that Goodwin hasn't taken the death of his brother well. Their toxic co-dependant relationship twists how Goodwin copes with Julius' death by prompting the younger half-brother to 'carry on in his footsteps' and continuing his brother's legacy by advancing his plans to weaponize other Xenomorph's like Valen. It's implied earlier on in the story that someone named 'KB' created Valen, so if Goodwin can find out more about him he could theoretically create more Xenomorphs like Valen.

 

And there you have it folks. I know it's not as satisfying as me completing the story outright, but I hope this gives you some sense of closure & that you liked where I was planning to take the story (plus the excerpt that lead me to take UT down the path I've chosen to take). It's been a long, long journey with Steven & Valen, but it's also not the end.

 

Retrospective & The Future of Unusual Testing

- Foreword

The story of how I wrote Unusual Testing and how it has changed over the years is a deeply personal one, stretching all the way back to when I was a confused 18 year old queer teenager who just left home for the first time & was still trying to figure his shit out. I won't go into the explicit details of my life for my own privacy, but it's impossible to reminisce on UT without alluding to some events in my life, because Unusual Testing has grown & changed alongside me as I've grown from a teenager into the man I am today.

The reason I want to share this with y'all is because if you're here reading this, chances are you've read Unusual Testing, you've fallen in love with the characters, and you want Steven & Valen's story to have a proper conclusion just like I do. I want to share some of the details as to how this story came about and where it's going next because there's a good chance you care about it like I do - at least to some extent.

If that interests you, then let me tell you a little story.

 

- The History of Unusual Testing

I've been writing UT on & off since February 2014. Originally the plan was to make it a simple 3-4 chapter smut fic between a researcher & his subject Xenomorph (shocking, I know. I'm 99% sure every Xenomrph fanfic author has written their own version of that story at some point, it practically writes itself.)

However my original plans for the story quickly grew in scope for one simple reason: Valen. From the start I wrote Valen as sassy, sarcastic, bratty little shit, and people absolutely loved him (myself included). Valen is such a fun character to write, so I just kept writing more for him. In no time the scope of the story expanded to the point that I needed to go back & actually create some sort of plot so I could have a reason to write more of him, which is how the first Rewrite came to be.

Unfortunately, a few months after I started writing UT, my mental health ended up falling off a metaphorical cliff. I won't go into too many details, but let's just say Late 2013 - Early 2015 was not a good point in my life. However I still had a passion for writing, and I eventually did make a return to writing & kept on working away at UT - as well as a fun shorter stories I wrote based on reader requests. Man, FFN messaging in 2015 was something else.

I ended up doing a second rewrite of Unusual Testing around this time in 2015 (as well as writing the first version of Four's a Crowd), and after then falling off the writing wagon for another 3 years I did a third rewrite in 2018. Each time I rewrote the story I added more & more detail, nuance, characters, and scope for what I wanted the plot to be. As a result, it got harder and harder for me to actually motivate myself for long enough to actually finish the story. I'd always burn out eventually due to overworking myself and my real life commitments.

Unfortunately, the original draft of UT and all 3 of these rewrites are completely lost to time. Every time I updated the story publicly, I wrote over the extant chapters on FFN and didn't save the previous draft as a backup. I just never thought it was all that important, and in a sense I'm glad I didn't.

I've been through a lot in my personal life since I started writing, and my mental health was generally not great from 2015-2021 (especially during/after Covid). However I never lost my passion for writing, and I'd always come back to work on Unusual Testing again & again - and much to my surprise people actually kept on reading it! You have no idea how validating & heartwarming it is to see comments from people who have been reading my works for years upon years coming back to let me know they're still reading & still enjoying what I write.

 

Then in 2021, things changed.

 

- 2021

In March 2021, I was formally diagnosed with ADHD & started taking Vyvanse. It wouldn't be an understatement to say that this completely changed the trajectory of my life. For the first time in ever, I was actually able to focus on tasks consistently and be able to commit to working on longer-term projects. Shortly after this, I began on the 4th rewrite of Unusual Testing, which is the one that you're currently looking at right now. I finally bit the bullet and decided to migrate to AO3 after going back to FFN and being... less than impressed at how poorly the website has aged since I first started writing.

So I rewrote both UT and 4aC and posted the new & improved version in 2021... Then didn't update for about another year due to yet more personal reasons. This eventually lead to me splitting up with my then partner of 7 years in early 2023, and I suddenly found myself with a lot more time on my hands and a lot more energy with which to do things.

Since the beginning of 2023, I've nearly doubled my published word count on AO3 and wrote at least 4 new stories (in various states of completion), and gave Four's a Crowd a rewrite so good that I dare say it's probably some of the best Xenomorph smut I've ever written. In that time I also began work on Unusual Testing once again, writing & publishing some new chapters early on in the story, expanding Ursula's role in the story massively & adding more depth & nuance to all of the characters and (yet again) expanding the scope of the plot.

In that time, after finally being diagnosed & medicated, I wrote Chapter 21 of Unusual Testing - Confessions. In my own opinion, Confessions is probably some of the best prose I've published to date, and it is the milestone where I finally met my own expectations for what I could write; when I could finally look at something I made and say without any hesitation that I am a good writer. However this also made me look back at the earlier chapters and feel unsatisfied with them. I saw that I could make them so much better, and I wanted to make them better because I've been working on UT for so long that it's almost a part of myself. Steven, Valen, and Ursula especially hold a special place in my heart, and I wanted to make their story the best it could possibly be. Thus, I committed myself to yet another rewrite - a final rewrite to bring the whole story up to the level of quality I thought it deserved.

Then I got a job again in late 2023, and my writing took a backseat to that for a while.

However I didn't give up on writing. I still kept plugging away at my stories every chance I got, updating them whenever I had the time to do so. However, I stopped updating Unusual Testing during this time, mostly because I was working on yet another Rewrite - the Rewrite of all Rewrites - the one that would fix up the earlier chapters of the story, that would fix the flaws in the narrative and improve the characters so that I could look back on the entire story and feel that it was as good as it deserved to be.

 

But then I got a text from someone that would change my plans entirely.

 

- The Future

My aunt - a self published author - invited me to an open mic night at a local bookstore in her town. It was a short drive away, and I honestly needed to get out of the house more, so I took her up on the offer.

When I went there I didn't intend to actually speak or share any of my writing, but the pool of speakers was pretty small and in less than an hour everyone had gone. The MC - another local author who had been published dozens of books - made a last call for speakers, and acting on a whim I volunteered to read some of my own words out loud.

And the words I read were from Unusual Testing, Chapter 21 - Confessions. I read Steven & Valen's kiss, the brief experience of melding together, their sorrow at splitting apart, and how despite everything they were still together.

I got a round of applause so enthusiastic I didn't know what to say, so I just said nothing & hopped off the stage before I could die of embarrassment. However that wasn't it, because the MC and her husband - who as it turns out was a massive Sci-Fi literature fan - came over after the event and asked me a ton of questions about my writing. I didn't wanna give too many details about what the story was about, but the both of them - and my aunt - complimented me on my work and encouraged me to keep on writing.

 

And in that moment, Unusual Testing as it existed in my head died & was reborn as something new.

 

After that night, I did a lot of thinking about what I wanted to do with Steven & Valen's story, not just as fanfiction but as a narrative of my own making. It took a while for me to come to the conclusion that continuing UT as just Alien fanfiction wasn't quite enough for me. There was so much I wanted to tell with their story, so much I had to say about the themes & the world they lived in that I made the decision to stop writing UT as it was and completely re-tool it into original fiction.

So I quit my job and started planning how I was going to do that, and this is what I've been doing for the past 4 months. My original plan was just to rewrite UT as a book, but in the time since I've had a lot of time to actually think about what I want to say with my story; what themes I want to convey through my story; about what I want people to take away from my story. As I've put more & more thought into it, the scope of the project has gone from a single book, to a trilogy, to a full-fledged series of novellas.

I want my stories to resonate with people, to make them think about the way we live, and how we can find meaning in a world that increasingly seems more & more difficult to find it.

 

- In Conclusion

In the near future I'll be releasing some previews/teasers of my original novel that I intend to self-publish. Ideally I'd like to be able to make a living as an author, but I don't think being just an author is really viable. I'm exploring other types of creative mediums & social media that I can use to put myself out there, but I haven't made any concrete decisions just yet. Any level of fame or recognition is absolutely terrifying to me, and being known as anything but a niche fanfic/smut author almost gives me a panic attack if I think about it too much.

That being said, keep an eye out for more stuff from me in the future. If you enjoy Unusual Testing or any of my other stories, I guarantee you'll probably like what's coming next!

 

Notes:

As always, thank you all so, so much for supporting me & reading my works. I hope you continue to enjoy whatever I make in the future!

- A.X. <3