Work Text:
Thursday, 1/26/2175 17:07:35
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“... well, fuck.”
J stared down at the bucket, hands tight on their fire axe as they cautiously leaned their weight on the foot holding the bucket firmly to the floor. The skittering and light thumping coming from under the bucket made a bead of sweat finally leak down the back of their neck and they scowled.
J had been fine, using the axe to kill the freaky spider-looking facehuggers that had escaped containment as they made their way down the hall towards their cleaning cart. They had been focused and calm, nimbly dodging spraying acid and keeping their eyes and ears alert for any sight or sound of the acid-bleeding experiments. Then, J had made a mistake. They had made it to their cart and had put down the axe to pick up the bottle of acid-neutralizer.
J huffed at themself as they remembered that stupid decision, glaring down at the bucket that was the end result of that idiocy.
The facehugger had leapt over the cart at them and J had only barely been able to duck out of the way. They had grabbed the first thing they could as they whirled around to keep the creature in sight. Instinct had them raising the bucket into the path of the leaping facehugger. Luck had it landing in the bucket as it tried to get at them. Panic had made J slam the bucket onto the ground, trapping the facehugger underneath. Now, J had their axe back in hand, a facehugger trapped under their bucket under their foot, and no plan on how to deal with the situation.
The hairs standing up on the back of their neck had J jerking upright and spinning, pivoting on the foot on the bucket as they dodged out of the way of yet another facehugger. Gritting their teeth, J swung with the axe, managing to catch the back of the facehugger and splitting it in half, the acid flying down the hall and away from J and their hostage.
Biting back curses and any other noise, J fought their breathing back under control, trying to become as silent as possible. There would be more - J remembered seeing that the scientists had 12 eggs this time and had kept them all in one room. Idiots, J thought as they scanned the hallway and eyed the ventilation covers, they can never make smart decisions about these things.
Alright, let’s think. J narrowed their eyes, still keeping a wary watch. I’ve killed 5 and have 1 captured. There are at least 6 more. Any number of which might be incubating on an intern by this point. Based on how many I’ve encountered, I am way too close to ground zero. I need to move. They glanced back down at the now-quiet bucket. As soon as I move, it’s going to try to get free again. I can’t rely on my reflexes this time - it’s too close for a proper swing and it will escape as soon as I ease my weight off.
J let out a silent sigh and slowly pivoted, eyeing the cleaning cart for inspiration. Various spray bottles, rags, scrub brushes, dusters, brooms, and a mop were all eyed before being mentally discarded. None would help with this situation. J eyed the stack of motivational posters they were supposed to hang up on the walls in the break rooms contemplatively before nodding and glancing back down.
It was a slow process, carefully sliding the bucket across the floor without making too much noise or letting the now-moving facehugger inside knock the bucket over. Finally in reach of the cart, J braced the bucket with their foot and grabbed the stack of posters. On their own, they wouldn’t be strong enough to hold the facehugger in the bucket but J had a plan.
Taking one of the wide mop heads and duct tape, J got to work creating a brace for the posters and securing the entire stack into one piece. It was tedious, trying to work on the uneven top of the cart while also keeping one foot on the bucket and holding it in place as the facehugger occasionally lunged against the side, trying to get free. Finally, the makeshift lid was done and J dropped it on the floor next to the bucket.
“Shit!” J couldn’t stifle the curse as they ducked, foot slipping off the bucket as they dodged a leaping facehugger. Twisting, J landed on the bucket as they snatched for the fire axe, abs clenching as they balanced precariously - hip holding the bucket against the floor. Head snapping up, they clenched their jaw and swung the axe up, managing to knock the facehugger away with the flat edge of the axe as it lunged back towards them. Managing to pivot on their hip on the bucket, they turned to face the scrambling facehugger and let out a grunt as they swung again. The axe came down on the facehugger, slicing through it and cutting into the linoleum beneath it as J swore again, their elbow banging the floor.
Sucking in a breath, J froze, listening closely. The sound of acid eating through the floor and the facehugger banging against the bucket were the only things they could hear. Waiting another moment, J slowly let the breath out, tilting their head to cautiously look around.
An aborted yelp escaped their lips as they suddenly had to focus to keep their balance, twisting a bit on the bucket as the facehugger shoved against the side in an effort to tip it over and escape. Glaring down at the bucket, J pointed a finger at the hidden facehugger.
“Stay.” J instantly wanted to roll their eyes at themself and laugh at the situation. Shaking their head, they carefully pushed themself up, hands bracing the bucket down before eyeing the makeshift lid. Carefully turning back to the cart, J reached over and grabbed the rope that was stashed on the bottom shelf.
It was awkward, J decided, leaning over the bucket and holding it down while also setting up the rope under the makeshift lid, leaving extra lengths out from the edges. Finally deciding it was good enough, J took a moment to look around again before starting the process of moving the bucket onto the lid.
It took too long and too many curses to get the bucket with the facehugger underneath onto the lid, but J managed it. Too done with the entire situation to grin at their achievement, J simply got to work tying the lid to the bucket, making sure it was tight enough that the facehugger wouldn’t be able to wiggle any of their nasty legs out of any gaps.
Finally tying the last knot, J quickly got to their feet and flipped the bucket off.
Any further gloating J might have done was cut off by a screech echoing down the hall, making J spin and bring up their axe defensively. The hall was still but the hair on the back of their neck was standing on end and J had long ago learned to trust their instincts. Slowing their breathing, J listened carefully, still eyeing the hall and the ventilation covers.
The distant sound of gunfire echoed down the hall and J’s lips twitched down into a frown. The gunfire meant the guards were nearby. However, the gunfire was in the same direction as the screech. And since the guards hadn’t already passed their position, that meant the escaped Xenomorphs were between J and the safety of the guards. Well, J shrugged, glancing down at the bucket again, relative safety at least.
Shifting their grip on the axe, J used their now free hand to collect several bottles of acid-neutralizer from the cart, attaching them to their tool belt. Reaching down, J grabbed the rope handle they had tied to the bucket and sighed as they lifted the bucket and lid away from the floor, muscles tense as the facehugger immediately started shifting around and trying to escape. When it didn’t break free, J nodded and turned to head down the hall away from the screeching and gunshots. There was a second hallway that should lead around behind the guards where, hopefully, J wouldn’t be instantly shot for moving.
Could go either way honestly.
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Ben had only had this job for three weeks and it was their second day at the facility. He had honestly expected the position as a guard to be boring - dealing mostly with making sure the crazies stayed out and that the scientists stayed in their assigned areas. The alarm going off and the other guards in his squad leaping into action had quickly destroyed his expectations. As the rookie, he was assigned to rear-guard, watching their backs and making sure any of the bugs that got past the others were brought down.
He cursed and wiped his hands against his pants again as the sweat threatened his grip, eyes wide as he struggled not to watch as his team cut down another of the black bugs - Xenomorphs he reminded himself. The high pitched screeching and hiss of acid burning through the walls would definitely cause him nightmares.
Ripping his eyes away from the acid burning the walls, he shakily checked the shadows and corners and vents and open area that he was in charge of, gulping as another screech echoed from behind him. He couldn’t help the instinct to look, to glance back to make sure his team was taking care of the threat.
“Hey.”
Ben would forever deny that he screamed like a little girl and pissed himself as his hand reflexively tightened on the trigger of his weapon at the single word in a quiet but rough voice. A hand grabbed the weapon over his and forced the aim up so that he fired at the ceiling instead of the unimpressed face of the janitor in front of him.
“Holy fuckin’ shit!” He managed to gasp, staring at the janitor that had suddenly appeared in front of him. A single eyebrow was raised at him before the hand - the janitor’s hand - released his gun, allowing him to lower it from aiming at the ceiling.
“J!” Peter called happily as the team finished destroying the Xenomorph. Other calls of greeting were sent back though they all kept their focus forward. Peter was the only one who walked back to where J and Ben were standing, Ben struggling to get his heart-rate to slow and J waiting patiently.
“How’s it going J?” Peter asked cheerily as Ben stepped to the side. J shrugged and bent down to pick up a bucket that was tied to what looked like a stack of posters.
“Figured you could deal with this.” J stated, holding the bucket out to Peter who eyed it in confusion.
“What is it?” He asked, even as he reached forward to take it from J’s hand. Ben swore he saw J’s lips twitch.
“Facehugger.” The delivery was so deadpan that it took them both a moment to realize what J meant. Peter yelled out in surprise, flinging the bucket away down the hall. Ben instantly brought his gun to bear, aiming at the bucket that was wobbling back and forth and emitting scratching and thumping sounds. J simply watched them both even as Peter cursed at them.
“What the fuck dude! You can’t just hand that to someone!” Ben yelled and J just shrugged.
“Okay, fuck, okay. Ben, fire on my count.” Peter got himself together, aiming his own gun at the bucket. Ben’s sweaty hands clutched the gun as he nodded and, on Peter’s count, both fired at the bucket.
He was expecting it to be shredded by the pulse rifle. He was hoping it would explode into a fireball - though he knew it was unreasonable. What he wasn’t expecting was for the pulse rifle shots to hit the bucket and send it flying, completely intact and careening against the walls. Ben’s eyes widened as he watched it ricochet off a wall and bounce into a corner where the posters slipped away from the bucket just enough for the facehugger to race out and into another hallway.
“Fuck!” He honestly wasn’t sure who said it louder, himself or Peter. He did hear J’s exasperated sigh however and couldn’t help but send them a glare in return.
“Contact behind!” Peter called, alerting the other two members of the team, who were still watching the other direction, that there was a bug loose behind them. Both Ben and Peter carefully watched the corner, guns aimed at where the bug had disappeared, shoulders tense as they waited.
Movement out of the corner of his eye had Ben turning, breath catching as the facehugger leaped out of the vent just above him. He had no time to aim or scream or do anything before an axe was flashing through the air in front of him and the facehugger was split in half. The scream escaped him as acid splashed on him, most landing on the thick armor on his chest but several drops hitting his bare face.
He barely registered as hands were on him where he had collapsed on the ground, his own hands being held away from his body as others worked on the straps of his armor. He kept screaming until something splashed over his face and into his mouth. He instantly started sputtering, the pain from the acid throbbing but no longer getting worse. Coughing, he was helped up and away from his armor where it remained on the floor.
Gritting his teeth, he opened his eyes, blinking rapidly as he fought through the pain. J was calmly replacing a bottle on their tool belt, eyeing him carefully but not unkindly.
“That’ll scar, kid.” Was the only thing they said before turning to get Peter’s attention from where he was yelling into the radio for backup. As Mikhail and Andy helped Ben down the hall, supporting him since the pain was still making him slow to respond, he overheard J and Peter speaking.
“I was told there were 12 of the damn things that escaped. Did you run into any of them?” Peter demanded, voice rough with emotion at one of his team being injured.
“I killed six.” J stated.
“Okay, we killed five and the one in your bucket… That should be all of them but keep it sharp! No telling what else escaped this time.” Peter called the last part out and Mikhail and Andy raised their guns in response, still supporting him between them as they slowed slightly to carefully inspect each shadow and corner.
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They eventually made it back to the cleared area, checking in and being carefully scanned before the injured guard - Ben? - was carted off to medical. J was filling out the incident report form when Peter joined them at the table. J could feel his eyes watching them intently so they finished the sentence they were on before looking up and meeting his gaze.
“... Where did you get that bucket from?” Peter asked, gesturing to the bucket that was seated innocently beside J’s seat. J had collected it as they passed by where it had landed, figuring it was better to have it and not need it than to need it and not have it.
“...” J glanced down at the bucket and smirked before looking back at Peter and shrugging. “It was a gift.”
“Really?” Peter’s eyes narrowed as he dragged out the word. “Because the only thing I’ve seen shrug off a pulse rifle shot like that has been the armor those Predators wear.” J’s expression didn’t change beyond one of their eyebrows slowly raising.
“Really?” J copied their inflection on the word though there was also laughter in their tone as they forced themself not to smile wider. When J didn’t expand, Peter scowled and pointed a finger at them.
“If you stole that from them, they’re gonna want it back J. And I’m not sure I’d be able to protect you if that happens.”
J simply nodded at him and, after a long and tense moment of silence, Peter scowled and got to his feet, stomping back to his own seat where his paperwork was waiting. Leaning back in their chair, J propped one foot up on the bucket and smirked, reminded of how incredulous the Yautja had been when his offer of any weapon or armor from his ship in return for their aid had been countered by a request for the bucket.
Ah Big Red, wonder how he’s doing? J wondered for a moment before shaking themself and returning to their paperwork - their shift still started at the same time, regardless of how late they had to stay for the incident report.