This is Alien

[wreckyeah]

Things were usually quiet out here in the middle of nowhere, and that was how Ralph liked it. The Marines had built a base on a little forest planet that was home to no sentient life, but plenty of critters.

After the disaster of a mission he had recently been on, he was glad to have a chance for a more relaxing mission. Most of the other surviving Marines from that mission had been stationed here as well. This place was good for young Marines just starting out, and older ones who needed some calm in between.

There were plenty of other staff stationed here, in case of accidents and emergencies. There was a full medical staff and multiple robotics experts for androids and cyborgs.

However, there had been a small bump of excitement lately, a ship carrying 4 traumatized passengers had entered the sector and the Marines had intercepted it.

A fellow Marine was one of the passengers on the ship, and with information from him and the rest of the passengers, it painted a gruesome tale.

Ralph didn't know much about all of that, just what he had heard from the others. His specialties weren't needed, so he hadn't been on scene.

But, once the group had gotten settled and all the excitement of newcomers was over, everything had settled right back down into routine once more.

Ralph's routine involved a morning jog through the forest, and that's where he's at now. He had grown up on a heavily-forested planet, so he felt like the trees gave him a little taste of home.

As he jogs through the forest, he hears something rustling nearby and he pauses, looking around to see if he could spot it. Maybe it was a bird or a fox or something.

Comments

[wreckyeah]

Ralph thinks for a moment, then shrugs, "I think somethin' like pictures an' nice words. Just a little somethin' nice for th' person you give 'em to." It's been a long time since he's made a card, so the details are a little foggy.

[sleepallthewayhome]

"Okay...."

As they walk, she's trying to figure out what to draw.

[wreckyeah]

They only walk in silence for a brief period before they're out of the woods and in the sight of the buildings on the base.

While it had seemed fairly isolated in the forest, they hadn't been too far out in it.

Ralph leads the way to a building next to the larger main building. As they get closer, he explains that they keep a lot of the miscellaneous supplies there, stuff they don't use often, but could end up being useful at some point.

He opens the door, letting Newt go in first. It's a rather spacious building, with the supplies mostly contained in shelves along the walls or in boxes tossed in. There's no tables, but Ralph easily shoves aside some of the boxes to make an empty spot on the floor big enough for them to sit down and spread things out.

Ralph mutters to himself, reading the contents of the boxes until he finds one labeled 'PAPER'. He takes it down and places it next to Newt.

The box is nearly full, it has thousands of pieces of paper packed together and wrapped up. One of the wrappings is open, but not much paper had been taken out.

With that found, Ralph goes back to searching, it takes a little longer before he finds a smaller box full of black pens.

He sets this one in front of the box of paper, "So, we've got paper an' pens. I think that'll get us started."

Ralph looks to Newt to see what she thinks of the arrangement.

[sleepallthewayhome]

Newt listens carefully. If there's one thing she knows is useful. It's knowing where everything is. Just in case.

She sits down and looks at the paper and then picks up a pen, pulling a piece of paper over.

"I'll do the get better one for Hicks first. That'll be easier."

[wreckyeah]

If Newt asks any questions, Ralph answers them eagerly to the best of his knowledge.

When she makes her decision, he nods, "Sounds like a good place to start. While you do that, I'll see if I can find any more supplies."

[sleepallthewayhome]

"Okay."

Newt will look at the page for a while before starting to write at the top with her pen.

[wreckyeah]

Ralph's gone for a little while as he checks the remaining boxes in the room. When he returns, he's just got one last box in his hands.

"Found some blue ink pens, if ya wanna change colors. How's th' card comin' along?"

[sleepallthewayhome]

Newt looks up. She holds up the paper she's been working on.

So far in black pen at the top it says.

'To Hicks

I hope you feel get better soon'

"I'm not sure what to draw."

[wreckyeah]

Ralph gives the paper a look, then nods, "Lookin' good so far!"

At her question, he thinks for a moment, "Is there anything you think of when you think of Hicks?" To be honest, he wasn't sure, either, but that seemed like a good place to start.

[sleepallthewayhome]

"Um....he didn't die. He was smarter then the real leader. He listened to Ripley when she was right and didn't treat me like a little kid. ...He got really hurt with acid...."

She doesn't actually know that much about Hicks.

[wreckyeah]

Oh. None of that is exactly get well card material. Time to take a different approach.

"Hmmm, well, what sorta stuff do you think would make him feel better?"

[sleepallthewayhome]

She thinks it over.

"Ripley's still alive?"

[wreckyeah]

Ralph smiles, "Hey, that's a good start. You said that all of ya were a family, maybe you could draw somethin' with all of you bein' together."

There wasn't a lot to work with, but, then again, he wasn't the best at making cards, either. If he remembers right, he had drawn several for his mama with him and her holding hands.

[sleepallthewayhome]

She nods after a moment.

"Okay. I can try that."

She starts to draw.

[wreckyeah]

Ralph nods, "Sounds good. An', if you don't like what you draw, there's plenty of paper for you to start over with."

He sits down a couple of feet from Newt, giving her plenty of space to work.

[sleepallthewayhome]

"Okay."

She goes back to drawing. This time drawing a man with bandages on him, holding hands with a woman with frizzy hair. They're not the greatest drawings, definitely kid like.. The woman with frizzy hair is holding the hand of a girl who is clearly Newt, who is holding the hand of another man, thinner and more angel-y then the first one.

[wreckyeah]

Ralph quietly watches as she draws, Newt had talked about her family, so he was able to pick out who was who once the drawing had gotten far enough along.

He grins, "Lookin' great so far!"

[sleepallthewayhome]

She's also writing the names underneath, just in case Hicks can't tell.

Glancing over.

"Do you think so? Timmy said I wasn't good at drawing stuff."

[wreckyeah]

Ralph nods, "Yeah, I do. I dunno 'bout that, I'm not too good at drawin', myself. But, I figured out who everybody was, so you've got that goin' for ya."

[sleepallthewayhome]

That gets a small smile.

"Good."

She finishes labeling them and looks over it. Then writes at the bottom.

'Thank you for not dying. I would miss you - Love Newt.'

[wreckyeah]

The final words are a little morbid, but they're true and kind.

Ralph smiles as well, "That's one card down. Whose are you gonna work on next?"

[sleepallthewayhome]

"Um....Bishop."

She'll take another piece of paper and think for a minute before writing at the top.

'To the best Artificial Person'

She looks over at Ralph. "He says he likes being called that, instead of android or synthetic."

She's not sure why but he's important and even if Ripley still is weird around him, Newt will go with what he wants to be called.

[wreckyeah]

At this bit of information, Ralph nods thoughtfully with a small smile, "It's nice of ya to be so considerate, I'm sure he appreciates it." It was a small, but kind gesture, and it sounded like it meant a lot to Bishop.

He's not too familiar with robots or androids, he's worked with a few, but not too many. And, under the armor, everybody looks the same, it didn't matter if you were built, born, or hatched, they were all Marines, and that's what counted.

[sleepallthewayhome]

She shrugs.

"It makes sense. He's just as real as anyone else. It would be mean to call him something he doesn't like."

She draws a picture of Bishop holding her hand, before continuing to write.

'I'm glad you're fixed now. Thank you for saving my life and keeping me company here. I like spending time with you. Love, your friend Newt.'

[wreckyeah]

"Right!" Ralph agreed. Human, alien, robot, or anything else, that was a basic kindness that should be extended to everybody.

The message Newt writes in the card is very sweet. He smiles, "That's a good one, I'm sure he'll love it."