Huntington did not know what to make of the sudden turn of events. One moment he was basking in glee watching his prized possession make short work of those before her the next minute she was a pile of sizzling slag rapidly eating away their that there is still floor below her. As if this wasn’t bad enough, a strike force Marines was rapidly making its way through the base.
Although his first thought was to self-preservation, Warner Huntington was not about to go down without a fight, well that is as long as others were willing to do the fighting. He quickly dispatched his security details but as good as his hired mercenaries were they were no match for the battle hardened Colonial Marines that were quickly making their way through the compound.
He tried to follow the action as best as he could but their Comtech was no match have system after system quickly fell under the control of the Marines. Desperate to slow down there rapid advance Huntington decided to roll the dice and put his new troops into action. A press of a button was all that was needed to release the allegiance from stasis. He had been extremely grateful for his decision to keep this secret project off the main computer systems with access allowed only via his discretion.
In the cavernous chamber hundreds of hybrids sprang to life although to call the present condition as living would be generous as best. Driven by uncontrollable rage and primordial instinct the hybrids tore through the compound destroying anything in their path, friend and foe alike.
The creatures did not have the signature tail and elongated heads of the Xenomorphs, but retained their black exoskeletons, strength, speed, as well as the unending tenacity that was inherent in the species. They also possessed sharp claws and fangs which they used to rend metal, flesh, and anything they set their attention to.
Ripley and Hicks made their way with the squad deeper and the compound as they had left Anderson behind to control the computer systems that facilitate the arrival of new troops.
Hicks made a mental note of how polished Ripley was the pulse rifle as she was able to lay down pinpoint fire when they encountered resistance. Despite the sporadic pockets they encountered, the Marines made rapid advancement through the compound and were just about to enter the executive wing access points one they encountered seen such unparalleled distraction that even the most battle hardened troopers had to look away from moment in order to compose themselves.
Heads, arms, legs, and gore littered the common area with plenty of red and brownish yellow blood littering the walls and ceilings. Wasting no time, Hicks had Anderson patch into the security cameras and confirm that the discovery they had made earlier was no longer dormant and in fact running loose upon the station.
Hicks immediately patched in to Bishop who agreed with his commanding officer that an immediate evac was the best course of action has with the new factor in play numbers were definitely not on their side. Ripley leaned in and asked if they should nuke the site from orbit and then added with a sly grin just to be safe. Hicks appreciated the wry irony of the situation, and nodded his head in agreement with a smile.
As he gave the order to evac, a pounding sound on the doors in front of them immediately brought the squad to complete attention and combat readiness. An earsplitting shriek and bending of metal followed in a flash, a sea of black terrors descended upon them. At that point short controlled bursts became a thing of the past as a constant volley of grenades and unrestrained pulse fire echoed down the corridor.
It was impossible to see just how many of their adversaries they had taken down but the shrieking only grew louder. In a flash a new group adversaries descended on them from above and like a pack of rabid animals rapidly cut their numbers down to size. Fighting with everything they could just stay on their feet, Ripley, Hicks, and the remaining survivors hastened back to the shuttle and made it just as swarms more of the hybrids arrived.
As they lifted off from the compound Anderson swung the ship cameras around and saw that the floor of the compound had become an endless black sea of creatures.
Bishop chimed in that a small shuttle had lifted off from the compound moments before them and wanted to know if they should set in a pursuit course. Hicks replied in the affirmative and instructed that a full spread tactical nukes be deployed the moment the shuttle landed. Making way to the view screens Ripley and Hicks took a great sense of satisfaction in seeing the billowing mushroom cloud that erupted where the compound had formally occupied.
There was still business to attend to and in no time the Sulaco had captured the shuttle containing Huntington Warner and a few advisors. Although not so smug as he had been he was still defined even when he was taken to cryo confinement for the trip back to earth.
Later that evening Hicks and Bishop with Ripley accompanying them set a plan in place for formalizing their mission report. They would claim that while on routine maneuvers and test of the new stealth systems they encountered a mysterious signal, wanting to investigate, encountered hostile resistance and responded accordingly. Huntington would be left to answer for his actions and while they were sure that he had friends very high up who were behind his project in light of its recent demise they would likely want to distance themselves as much as they possibly could.
As the group paired for the journey home elsewhere in the ship and private communiqué was being prepped. It read simply…”Phase one has been completed and is a success. Proceed with phase 2 immediately”……..
To be continued…..
