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 goes silent again as Newt talks more about her situation. A whole colony wiped out by something? Something bad enough to take out most of a group of Marines as well?

He slowly nods, "Ripley was right, that's what bein' brave is all about. You were smart, too, to be able to hide all that time."

[sleepallthewayhome]

"I knew all the places on the colony, and I was small so they couldn't get me. Even if they chased me in the big vents. I could hide away in the smaller ones."

Says this all blandly.

"I think they ignored me sometimes because they had everyone else and I hid."

[wreckyeah]

She doesn't seem to have much of an emotional response to what had happened. Was that the result of her trauma? Or was it just how she handled things?

Ralph tilts his head, "Could be. You mighta been too tricky for 'em and they had plenty else to deal with..." So, there was some kind of invasion, something had gotten in and wiped everybody but this one girl out.

"I'm glad you were able to survive."

[sleepallthewayhome]

If Ripley were here, she'd be very worried at the tone. But Ralph doesn't know that.

"Yeah.....they did."

And there's a ....pain behind that last bit that slips out, because what they were "dealing with" was using her friends, family and everyone who hadn't just died as ....things for their babies to grow in.

"Ripley saved me, then Bishop did. At the end."

Her tone is growing more and more....just, possibly going to bolt soon, if that's even a tone.

[wreckyeah]

Ralph might've not been completely aware of Newt's pain at first, but the more they talk, the more he realizes that she's not okay.

He has no ideas of the sheer scope of the horrors she's witnessed, but clearly something very terrible happened at her colony.

Ralph's not sure what to do, he's not very good at this sort of thing, despite his best efforts.

"Sounds like you've got some good friends there."

He then sits down, figuring that maybe his size might be intimidating her. However, it's probably not a great deal of help, as he's likely still towering over Newt, even with sitting on the ground.

[sleepallthewayhome]

I do....

[And that was the best thing to say because yes, make her focus on the still alive people. Her voice grows less numb.]

Hicks is still hurt but they fixed Bishop pretty quick since he's an android. ....And Ripley said she'd adopt me if I want.

I said yes. So now the four of us are a family.

[She knows Ripley still has some issues with Bishop she doesn't really get but Bishop is important and she loves him like she loves Hicks and Ripley....though neither of the other two will compare for her love for Ripley but that's okay because they understand. She knows this without even being aware it's a thought.]

[wreckyeah]

There's a definite change in the mood, Ralph's not sure what he exactly did to cause it, but he's going to try and keep Newt in a better place mentally.

He gives her a warm smile, "Sounds like you've got a pretty good family. Don' worry 'bout Hicks, we've got some good medics, they'll patch him up better than new."

Ralph thinks for a moment, "Hey, maybe you could make 'im a get well card or somethin' while he's healin'?"

Arts and crafts might be a good diversion from her darker thoughts, it was worth a shot, anyway.

[sleepallthewayhome]

Newt looks thoughtful.

"Do you think I could?"

[wreckyeah]

Things are looking better and better, he's really glad for that.

Ralph grins, "Yeah! We don't have a whole lotta different supplies, but we've got enough for ya to make something fun with."

They didn't have a lot of different kinds of paper or things to write with, but they had pens and regular paper. A lot of their systems are digital, but it was always nice to have a backup for when power or electronics failed.

[sleepallthewayhome]

She thinks it over and then looks over at him.

"Do you know where I could find some?"

[wreckyeah]

Ralph nods with a smile, "We've got a supply room that should have plenty of what ya need. I can show you where it's at."

[sleepallthewayhome]

"Okay." She'll walkover to where he is.

"Maybe if there's enough paper I can make a thank you card for Bishop and Ripley too."

[wreckyeah]

Ralph lumbers back up to his feet, giving Newt a grin.

"Don't worry, we've got enough paper for all th' cards you wanna make."

They didn't use paper all that often, and he figured that it was for a good cause. If she used a lot of it, they could just order more at the next supply run.

"I think the quickest way back is this way."

Ralph tilts his head in the correct direction, then starts slowly walking, making sure that Newt is coming along with him.

[sleepallthewayhome]

She makes up her mind and starts to follow him.

"Have you made cards before?"

[wreckyeah]

Ralph's quiet for a moment as he thinks Newt's question over, then smiles, "Yeah, a long time ago. I made some for my Mama when I was a kid."

[sleepallthewayhome]

She nods.

"I bet she liked that. My .....mom liked my cards."

It still hurts to talk about her mom but nowhere near like it did at first.

[wreckyeah]

Ralph hadn't meant to stray to such a sad topic, but, aside from the pause, Newt seemed to be dealing with it okay.

He nods, "Yeah, she did. Maybe I should send her one after all this time..."

Ralph's got an idea, but he's not sure how well Newt'd receive it, so he's silent for a brief period as he thinks it over.

"Maybe you could make one for yer mama, too. Somethin' in honor of her memory. We could set up somethin' real nice for her." He wasn't sure how Newt's planet memorialized their dead, but, they had enough supplies that he was sure they could put something serviceable together, no matter her customs.

[sleepallthewayhome]

Newt however just stiffens as they walk. Her issues with her mother are still quite deep. Her voice is angry.

"No. She lied....she promised she wouldn't leave me....she promised....I'm not making her anything."

[wreckyeah]

Whatever responses Ralph had expected, anger wasn't one of them. However, anger's something he's very familiar with.

It's obviously a touchy subject, so he's going to drop it.

"I getcha, makes sense. You'll be plenty busy makin' cards for Ripley an' the others, anyway."

He's attempting to refocus her on the good, but he's not sure if it'll work.

[sleepallthewayhome]

Newt is still stiff and angry looking, it's a more painful looking anger though and she's just staring at the ground ahead as they walk.

Ripley herself had tried to bring up the topic in the past but had put it off for a later date, though Newt doesn't know that part yet.

"Yeah....I guess."

[wreckyeah]

Add Ralph to the list of people who's putting the topic off. Except, in his case, he doesn't really feel that it's his place to say anything more.

He decides to stick to the topic of the cards for the living, "What sorta things are you wantin' to put on Ripley's card?"

[sleepallthewayhome]

"I don't know. .....what sort of stuff do you put on cards?"

[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.