Intro:<br/>*5 Weeks Ago*<br/>The smoke curled about the burly man as he sat, his powerful shoulders slumped forward as he leaned in, cigarette burning in the corner of his mouth as his lips contorted into a mix of a snarl and a smirk. “Let me get this straight, you want to transfer the Big One, the Mama and put her in there with the ‘kids’ ?” The grizzled, grating voice of General Spriggan was laced with venom. “You’ve got my boys in harms way already Lizker, she’s smart, you think she won’t just tell you to “fuck off” and kill everyone in her way?”<br/><br/>Lizker, the man’ gaunt and narrow visage seemed to match his principcals, “Well General, you and your men are compensated quite extraordinarily for precisely this type of work.” Lizker’s eyes narrowed as he stared at Spriggan, “In other words General, figure it out! Whatever you need, it’s paid for, but phase four needs to commence within 6 weeks to stay on target. We’re right on the edge of the breakthrough.” Lizker smiled, devilish, but sincere, “We’re going to put you and your men out of jobs you know once we have them up and running, taking orders from us.” Lizker tapped the e-tab in front of Spriggan, “In order for that to happen, she needs to be in the Hive, because we have our link to her, but she controls the Hive, do you get it yet?!”<br/><br/>Spriggan chuckled more to himself at the insanity of the whole idea, but to this point Lizker had been correct about everything. Lighting up a fresh cigarette Spriggan nodded to Lizker “Alright boss, we’ll get our personnel issue figured out,” Spriggan was now staring past Lizker and looking at an old photo from his USCM days, he looked much the same, but it was the man next to him in the photo that stood out. Colonel James Granby, a brother in arms and a man who owed him big time.<br/><br/>USS Damocles 0600 Hours<br/><br/>“Alright Marines! Let’s go! Get your asses up, get your shit in gear and get in formation! Orders from Colonel Granby on Earth!”<br/>Major Jameson barked orders to the marines under his command. The Damocles carried 3 squadrons of Colonial Marines and the support vehicles and weapons for each squadron.<br/><br/>At the assemblage in the main hanger everyone was given their orders, “protection of USCM assets”. It was a planet only a few had ever heard of, Daiken Proxis, a massive mining operation with a moderate colony to support it, the USCM were being called in to prevent any potential intervention from pirates, or more realistically corporate rivals. The raw materials that arrived and shipped off planet every shipping cycle posed great monetary value as well as necessary materials for completion of ships.<br/><br/>“Well, this isn’t paid vacation, “ the Major yelled again, “Dismissed, cryo sleep for 4 cycles and then we are boots on the ground. I want everyone to study the colony layout, not just map out where the damn bars are this time! You’re marines, so you better act like it or my foot is going up your ass. Get me Marines?!”<br/><br/>In unison all 3 squads responded with an affirmative “Yes sir!”<br/><br/>Boots on the Ground:<br/>You’re into day 5 of your stationed duty on Proxis and absolutely nothing has seemed out of the ordinary. You’re assigned patrols that are around, but never inside of the mine’s processing facility as well as on the perimeter of the colony itself and the star port.<br/>The Major however is confused and seemingly put on alert when he notices that General Spriggan is noted as providing private security for the facility. The few times the two interact you all notice obvious tension between them, but that is the extent of the ‘action’ any of you have seen thus far.<br/><br/>You are all part of Omega Squad and you have been assigned to guard the Space Port, some 3 kilometers outside of the Colony proper.<br/>--------------------------------<br/>The colony was noticeable from orbit, the plumes of smoke attempted to choke the skies, but the vast oceans and reaches of forest dissipated the human effort to collapse the lush and bountiful planet. As the transport set down from the USS Damocles, which held watch over the planet from orbit, her vengeful eyes scouted the planet's surface, her hull, littered with armaments seemed wholly unnecessary for a titanium refinery, even one that was owned and operated by Weyland-Yutani. Granted the bulk of the USCM's ships were made from the raw materials sourced from colonies such as Dakin Proxis, but to even a passing eye, the show of force in orbit seemed unusual.<br/><br/>That said, the colonists didn't seem to mind, the rumors of pirates in the fringed of space marauding vulnerable colony outposts was enough to make them grateful for the presence of both Colonial Marines, who were fairly new to Dakin, they'd only been present for a short time. And the men and women who worked for General Spriggan, the private military group known as Kodiaks, named for the massive bears on Earth, and a nod to Spriggan's former operational strike force within the USCM, which were dissolved and expunged from the USCM after numerous unconfirmed atrocities were committed. The presence of Spriggan does not sit well with Major Jameson, who was the officer in command on the ground for the USCM forces stationed on patrols.<br/><br/>High above in orbit aboard the USS Damocles, General James Granby sat in his quarters, pouring himself a very tall 'double' of whiskey into a rocks glass. "Spriggan, I owe you...But...Whatever you're up to...God have mercy on all of our souls." He drank from the glass, he knew what Spriggan was involved in. Or he at least suspected, something they had both been a part of in Strike Force Kodiak. They had obtained something for Weyland-Yutani, some 20 years ago, something horrible, terrifying and as research had shown, thus far, uncontrollable.<br/>-------------------<br/>"Alright Spriggan, let's get on with Phase 4!" Dr.Lizker stood at his observation deck, overlooking the sequestered pod that contained the Big One, Her Majesty...The Queen. They'd spent years, millions, maybe even billions of dollars and who knows how many lives to reach this point, a captive Queen that they had raised from 'infancy'. And here she stood, massive and there had been a link of sorts formed between the Queen and Lizker, utilizing the Queen's own instincts against her, by holding unborn eggs hostage. Through the years the Queen no longer needed such harsh reminders of who was 'in charge' and now followed base commands. However, Lizker now needed to implant her in the Hive in order to exact control over the rest of the xenomorphs.<br/><br/>"You heard him Alpha 1, proceed with the gate," Spriggan's voice came over their secured comms. "Roger, gate's opening sir." The transfer as it were, contained two heavily shielded and protected corridors at the base of the structure, leading from the Queen's pod, creating a hallway of sorts that would lead to the Hive, where an estimated 6 Xenomorphs dwelled. It was only an estimate, as they could not easily, or safely monitor the activities within the Hive proper except for monitoring cams. Members of Kodiak were in the armored corridors that ran the length of the 'hallway'. They were tasked with 'protecting the Queen' from the Hive, who may view her as an intruder, or try to escape.<br/><br/>The gate opened, creaking, a whoosh of air escaping as it opened, the high visibility lighting was present in the hallway to ensure that none of the Xenomorphs could blend into their surroundings if they attempted to escape. The Queen emerged, her massive, crowned head whipping around with flares of aggression, her heavy footfalls leading her into a brave new world she'd never experienced. The Kodiaks in the armored corridors all seemed exceptionally calm, despite the monster that loomed overhead and seemed to blot out the light. Through a series of strange sequence of clicks and whistles the Queen looked up, alert and engaged to look at Lizker observing from above. The Queen moved forward, towards the Hive. "Initiate Hive Gate." Lizker spoke in absolutes, he did not add formalities like 'sir' or leave room for questions. "Alright, Alpha Team, let's get that Hive Gate open, Majesty is still in motion, on course." The Gate to the Hive opened, sliding up and out as the overlapped segments withdrew and revealed the eerie, slick black hive resin structures within. Their was a sudden shrieking, echoing from within the catacombs.<br/><br/>Like a horrible pressure that had been pent up, the Hive poured out of the gate, 9 of them, not 6 were counted. They rushed the Queen, attacking her, they viewed her as an intruder to their lair, they did not come from the same Queen and therefore were enemies. "Protect the asset!" Alpha 1 bellowed to his troopers, and from their armored corridors they opened fire on the Hive Xenomorphs. The Queen, suddenly shifted, the Xenomorphs attacking her flung to the ground, one eviscerated completely, but her ire had been drawn. The stimuli of the gunfire triggered her eons old instincts. She crashed into one of the armored corridors, the far side from where Lizker stood overseeing the massive setback, still sending his obscure code of clicks and beeps to try and corral the Queen. The reinforced titantium and steel gave way and the Queen tore open a hole in the armored corridor. Immediately the Hive Xenos, lunged inside, ripping and tearing, clawing and dragging at the men and women inside. Screams took over the comms. The bodies could be seen being dragged into the Hive.<br/><br/>"General, the access door won't open!!" members from the Kodiak Team screamed over the comm from within the still intact corridor. Of course they wouldn't, it was a breach...of sorts and they wouldn't risk letting one of those creatures loose in the inhabited sectors of the facility. "Contain the breach," it was the voice of Lizker oddly that responded, "and the gates will change out of lockdown mode soldier." There was a tone of a cat playing with a mouse as he spoke. A sequence of blips and clicks echoed into the chamber and the Queen tore at the second corridor, exposing the remaining members of Kodiak's Alpha team. Satisfied with her haul and sudden control of the Hive, the Queen, her Majesty moved purposefully into The Hive. The Xenomorphs moving with her now. "Spriggan, it's done, your comrades have all been given exceptional bonuses, posthumously as it may be. Their families will be grateful for what we're doing here." Spriggan simply sighed, letting out a deep breath, the men and women who'd counted on him had let their lives become forfeit. "We'll see Lizker, time will tell....Phase Four is complete. Seal it up." The overlapping gates began to close behind the xenomorphs and the room was bathed in fire to cleanse it of any contamination. Any poor souls who were unfortunate enough to still be alive were consumed in the flames as well.<br/>----------------------------<br/>"Omega Team, secure the starport!" The Major barked, demanding the utmost from his troops even on a seemingly cushy assignment. " Kraeber, up in that tower!" He shouted, pointing to the observation tower at the center of the secondary loading area. "Moore! Get me a sitrep from these friggan Kodiaks! open comms with them, I want to know what we're doing planetside and I wanted to know yesterday!" Jameson seethed, "Damnit Rico! Make yourself useful and get that loader up and running and help out with the gear!!" Pointing to the crews already assisting in unloading the heavy munitions from the transport bays.<br/><br/>(You are free to explore other parts of the starport once your assigned tasks are complete. If you have some ideas you're welcome to add some fitting details. Any other ideas or suggestions feel free to bring them up in the OOC or shoot me a PM)