Keywords: Gets, Double-Teamed, John,

So send those suggestions my way. "
"Uh, yeah. About three miles Northwest of here there's another cave. Kinda hard t' find but it's there."

"Okay, I have to go. I'll come back from you."

"You better," he said with a smile.

Once she had managed to balance the Invid, she took off as fast as she was able. She looked at her watch. She only had ten minutes to get there and the drive was at least that long. She gave it more gas.

She switched over to protoculture almost immediately so that she could gain the Invid's attention before she arrived. The plan worked well enough since Andrea quickly found herself being escorted by four armored scouts.

She pulled up to what the Invid called the front door and yanked her unconscious passenger off the bike quickly. Unfortunately it ended up not being quite as gently as she intended. Destiny was standing there waiting for her and was shocked to see the familiar face of the Invid. "You found him!"

Andrea ignored the comment and rushed over to her. She was talking louder than normal. "Get the All Mother out of the hive."

Destiny looked confused. "The All Mother isn't here."

"I know. Get her out of her hive."

"Andrea, I don't..."

"Now!" Andrea interrupted. Her adrenaline was wearing out and her leg nearly gave out on her. Destiny noticed it for the first time.

"Your leg. Are you okay?"

"Just tell the Regis to leave. My leg will be fine."

"I've already told her Andrea. Right now I'm worried about you. Come into the hive and I can fix it for you."

"No, thank-you," Andrea said sitting down. "I've been a patient in a hive before."

Two stage fours rushed out of the hive and picked up Andrea's passenger. Without a word they brought him inside. "Can you please tell me what is going on?" Destiny asked.

"The people who kidnapped your friend are trying to kill the Regis. I thought they were going to attack here but I was wrong. They're going for her hive."

Destiny put a hand on Andrea's shoulder. "Andrea, there's no way an attack could succeed against the main hive. There is way too much defense there for anything to get through."

Andrea shook her head, "you don't understand, it's not a direct attack. They found a nuke. They're going to blow it up without getting anywhere near it."

"What?" She went silent for a minute. "I just sent a warning for the others to get out. But this better not be some kind of ruse."

"Trust me, it's not a..." Andrea was cut short as Destiny clutched her head and fell to her knees. Her face was contorted in pain. Andrea stood to try and catch her but her leg wasn't strong enough and the two fell to their knees. "What's wrong?"

Destiny looked up. She looked sadder than Andrea could have imagined. "It went off."

Andrea's heart skipped a beat. That didn't take long at all. "Did the Regis make it out?" Andrea started to panic. If the Regis hadn't made it out...

Destiny nodded, easing Andrea's fears. "Yeah. She made it out."

"How many were there when it went off?"

"More than two million." Destiny got back to her feet. "The All Mother wants to retaliate."

Andrea stood up as well, forcing the weight back on her leg. "No."

"It's not my choice Andrea." She was still clutching her forehead but her pain seemed to be easing.

"Then let me talk to the All Mother."

"She says she's busy right now."

"You tell her that I just saved her life and she's not too busy to see me."

There was a silence and Destiny spoke, "her answer is still no."

"Damn-it. Of all the arrogant..." Andrea was talking to herself but a thought interrupted her. "Where is she now?"

"In Hawaii." Destiny saw Andrea's determined look. "No. You can't go. She'll kill you if you get anywhere near her."

Andrea wasn't going to let that stop her. "You take me there."

"I can't," she said. "If anyone..." Andrea stared her down with a much fiercer glare than even she intended. Destiny stopped talking and took a step back in fear. Her expression passed after a moment and she silenced herself for a moment. Andrea thought she was consulting with the other Invid but she spoke quicker than normal. "I will take you. Come with me."



* * * *

Andrea entered the Invid ship hesitantly. As usual she had to discard her clothes at the door to the hive but Destiny had refrained from commenting about her matted down pubic hair or the trails of dried semen on her chest and stomach. Once inside the ship, Andrea found herself standing in a knee-deep level of the usual green goo. "I had the ship mostly drained of protoplasm but it won't be able to function properly if I take out any more."

Andrea made her way to the front of the small cockpit silently acknowledging Destiny's comment. "As long as we get there in one piece I'm sure it'll be fine," she said. "Where do I sit?"

The ship started moving and Destiny walked up beside Andrea, "normally we stand."

"I see," Andrea said looking around. There was no furniture, no equipment and no window. It was also exceedingly hot. Hotter than the hive even. "What's with the heat in here?"

"I'm sorry, it's simply the ships internal body temperature. I have no way of altering it for you."

"Don't worry about it then," Andrea said already sweating.

"If you wish, you could sit down. The liquid is much cooler."

Andrea looked down at it. "No thanks, I'll stand."

The two stood in awkward silence for most of the trip. Andrea had crossed her arms over her sweaty breasts and was leaning against one of the ship walls. Destiny on the other hand was sitting comfortably in the liquid when she spoke, "I wanted to thank you for saving the All Mother. And also for saving my friend. You could have done neither and we all might have died. I also wanted to say thank-you for showing concern for me back when the All Mother first took over my body. I don't think many humans would have cared if something was wrong with me or not."

"You're welcome," Andrea said simply. She wasn't yet sure if she made the right choice or not. "Is the Regis likely to be reasonable when she sees me?"

"Unlikely since she doesn't know you're coming."

"You haven't told her?"

"Judging from the last two times she's spoken of you, that would not be wise."

"Great," Andrea said to herself. "Just great."



* * * *

The ship arrived at the Regis' new hive about ten minutes later and Andrea was escorted up to her chamber by Destiny. Just before Andrea entered, Destiny leaned over and whispered, "she plans to start leveling towns around the area within the hour. I'll be just inside the door to make sure you're safe."

"Oh yeah?" Andrea said skeptically, "and if she told you to kill me would you do it?" There was no response. Destiny looked away and Andrea had her answer. "Yeah... Real comforting." Andrea entered the room.

The All Mother was not what she expected. She – or just as possibly it – was not humanoid at all. She was about eight feet tall and twice that in length. She had a large abdomen like an ant, and a singular frontal eye on an elongated head. No, not human at all. She was instantly reminded that the stage fives were only a means of infiltration and not what the Invid actually look like. "What do you want?" The voice was somewhat feminine but booming and painful in her head.

"You can't attack us."

"Is that so? Can you stop me?"

"Just as easily as I can save your life." After seeing the Regis' reaction, Andrea instantly regretted her comment.

"If you think I owe you, you're mistaken. I knew the attack was coming."

Andrea paused a moment to consider the Regis' comment. The answer quickly hit her, "my ass you did. You're just saying that to justify not returning the favor."

"Don't pretend to lecture me on..."

Andrea interrupted. Her aggressive nature seemed to be keeping the Regis off guard. She probably wasn't used to direct confrontation like that. "If you saw the attack coming than you have a hell of a lot of explaining to do to Destiny. Not to mention around two million dead."

The All Mother was getting fiercer, "I already told you that I do not have to answer to you."

"No, no, no," Andrea said, not ready to back off yet. "That was before I saved your race from extinction. If I'm not mistaken, without you the rest will just die off naturally?" There was silence for the first time from the Invid leader. Andrea pressed on, "no, now you listen to me whenever I want to speak to you. I don't presume to run things around here but when I want to speak, I damn well better get an ear." There was more uneasy silence. The giant frame of the Regis shifted uncomfortably. Andrea wasn't sure if she was simply bewildered or just thinking of the best way to kill her. So, that said, Andrea did the only thing she could. She kept going.

"There will be no retaliation, do you hear me? No retaliation. I know who did it and the matter will be dealt with internally. "No retaliation." "Say it!""

There was an expectant pause in the room as the All Mother seemed to consider what Andrea just said. "For entering my home a second time, you will be sent to someone in the city you call Chetumal whom I have an arrangement with."

"I don't care whether you send me to the moon as long as you leave this matter to us."

There was a long pause. "Agreed. No retaliation if the matter is dealt with."

Andrea couldn't help but smile. She hid it quickly. "Good."

"You will find I always keep my word Andrea. Always. You will be delivered to my associate for ignoring my earlier warning and he may do with you as he sees fit. But if you can escape or are set free by him and if you do as you say, then your people will be safe."

"Wait, escape?" Andrea obviously didn't like the sound of that. "From who?"

"He is what your people refer to as an arms dealer I believe," and without wasting any time, the All Mother continued. "Destiny will show you out."

Not wanting to push her luck, Andrea turned and headed to the door. She stopped as the All Mother spoke. "I notice your thoughts dwelling on your concern that you think we consider your people related to the Masters.

Keywords: Gets, Double-Teamed, John,