Avp 2004 11

Inside the darkest heart of the great pyramid, where none of the Weyland explorers had yet ventured, infernal machines awoke with a throaty rumble. Within a vast stone chamber dominated by a central pool of swirling, ice-cold vapor, clanging reverberations erupted from deep beneath the surface mist. Barbed, razor-sharp chains dangled down from narrow slits in the high vaulted ceiling and extended deep into the pool's billowing, spectral haze. The chains stirred and clanked, then were suddenly pulled taut as invisible pulleys hauled a massive object out of the simmering pool. First to emerge was a long, curved bone crest patterned with wavy, rippling contours resembling coral. The bony crest was etched with fine cracks, like ancient ivory. Its hard, horned borders were pierced by spiked hooks welded to the chains.

An eyeless, elongated head jutted out from just beneath the crest. With each rotation of the invisible pulleys, more of the creature was revealed. The elaborately shaped head rested on a long, segmented neck swathed in an osseous shell and corded with machinelike tubes. The creature's knobby backbone was roughly the length of a blue whale, and it was traced by sharp, curved spikes. The torso was protected by a thick protuberance, which tapered down to an impossibly thin, almost skeletal waist and pelvis. Long black pipes splayed out from both sides of the creature's back, and thin, wiry-tendoned, insectlike arms were fronted by hands that looked eerily human. The overall contours were graceful, feral, and lean. Though impossibly huge-larger, even, than the legendary Tyrannosaurus rex-the imposing creature appeared to possess strength, speed, and agility. Apparently, it was also quite dangerous. In addition to the cruel-looking restraints piercing its hooded crest, the monster's arm joints and wrists were bound by barbed chain, as were its rib bones, collar bones, and shoulder plates—all in an effort to immobilize the creature. And there was more. Visible through the mist was an immense machine with a grotesque, almost organic appearance. Hoses filled with frozen liquid, twisted wires and tubes that resembled chicken gizzards emerged from this machine and penetrated the creature's body in a hundred different places, like some savage, medieval torture device. Many of the thickest tubes clustered around the monster's lower abdomen, where, directly below the tapered pelvis, a bulging, segmented, near translucent tail merged completely with the machine in a bizarre,
biotechnological symbiosis. As more of the creature was raised above the shifting vapor, additional shackles were revealed-restraints were bound to every extremity. As the chains drew tighter, the alien's arms were forcibly outstretched ununtil the elongated head lifted into a strangely regal pose and the creature's bony crest radiated outward like an obscene halo.

With a final clank, the chains locked. Splayed in midair over the pool like a great dragon caught in flight, the Alien Queen floated, motionless. Icicles of frozen drool hung from her toothy jaws, and a sheen of frost covered her black hide, making it difficult to discern where inhuman flesh ended and biomechanical device began. With a sudden, sharp crack the ice around the creature's muzzle shattered. Spears of ice fell away, then huge chunks followed as the crack widened into a rift, dropping more and more ice into the swirling vapors
below. With a bestial hiss, the Queen's great jaws opened wide to reveal a secondary mouth inside the first. Gnashing its teeth, the Alien's fangs chewed empty air. Almost immediately, the Queen launched into a paroxysm of rage, struggling against the unbreakable chains that held it captive. Limbs were thrashing, teeth were grinding, and chains were clanking as the creature tossed her head from side to side in a futile effort to escape. The struggles continued for long minutes, sending ice and hot spittle splashing in every direction. But soon the creature surrendered, sagging limply on her own chains. The Alien Queen discovered that despite her immense size and preternatural strength, inside of this chamber she was nothing more than a prisoner and a slave, serving a cruel, as of yet unnamed master.-Chpt.15 pgs. 150-151-152