A V P Annihilation

by freeza924

Humanity picks up a signal from disabled Predator ship and a Colonial Marine taskforce is sent to retrieve it.

AVP Annihilation

Parsec 3.00057 deep space 340,000 light yrs from Earth

In the vast emptiness of space a probe floats at near light speed. It's spherical exterior scarred by hits from thousands of hits by microscopic chains of free floating matter found in the vast void between the solar systems. So far outside of known space that transmissions from humanities growing colonies are rarely encountered. Even rarer are the unknown transmissions that comes from a seemingly intelligent alien origin. This day is the rarest of all because the constant signal that is being recorded and analyzed on board the thirty year old Autonomous probe DS-0213.

Along it's surface silently a small door opened, seconds later a stream of hazy blue ions entered the void. Lightly changing the course of the probe into an intercept course towards the transmission's source. Upon surveying the vessel the probe moved away and jump into E space. Reappearing in normal space it transmitted adata burst towards Earth containing the message; known alien transmission and vessel classified Predator

Delphi Four

The wall behind Corporal Burns began to smoke and bubble as the unseen source drew a scorched line away from his hiding position behind a stack of metal trunks. Smoke filled the passage way from a canister of tear gas spinning in the middle of the plasticrete floor. A yellow hazardous breach light flashing in the dark hall way gave it an ancient fun house look.

"Jack they're using military ranged lasers to recon by fire. My proximity detector is being jammed so I guess they know we should be coming this way. Out." Rolling over on to his back he watched the line of light smoke crawl along the wall. The fact that he could see it without optical help told him that someone was inexperienced and over anxious for battle. Two of the things out of many that could get a soldier and their squad killed.

"B Set up a proximity mines and get back here. Out." Sergeant Jackson could see a tunneled view of everything Burns was looking at. Watching the image in his HUD he shared the same thought that Burns did. That the laser gunner just got his comrades and himself killed.

Corporal Burns pulled two mines from his thigh bag and primed them to his head up display. Direct descendants of claymore mines these were wireless and had sensory capabilities. A view of himself came up in the corner of view screen HUD from the mine. Slowly he placed them with the this side towards enemy, facing down the corridor. Using his armband control for his HUD he toggled the arming fuse to hot and crawled away.

Sergeant Jackson silently lifted his hand and gave the thumbs up. Immediately a Marine moved up with a small canister and took aim at he bottom of the plasticrete wall. Pulling the trigger a thick mist stuck to the wall. With in seconds the wall began to dissolve away , then suddenly stopped. Another puff and light from the other side of the wall shown on the floor beside the Marine. Within seconds a two foot round hole, gave the marines a way to bypass the obvious ambush awaiting them in the only corridor not sealed off and mined. One by one the ten member squad slipped into the room filled with heavy crates labeled with various food items. Quietly Sergeant Jackson motioned toward the bottom of the wall near the door. The Same Marine moved up and placed a small vacuum seal ceramic pipette to the wall. Smoke from the small growing hole pulled away from the wall leaving a small hole. Then the marine pushed a fiber optic camera cord into the hole and with a final push a green light appear on the marines camera. The squad's HUDs opened a window showing the corridor and twenty heavily armed rebels. Wearing crude plastic steel plates sewn into synthetic leather overalls and miners helmets. They were armed with weapons as advanced as plasma throwers to as old as high caliber gunpowder rifles. All seeming aimed down the corridor ready to ambush the Marines.

All as one the Marines changed their HUDs to map mode and positioned themselves opposite a rebel and took a step back. The Marine with the canister spayed a line across the wall an took up his own position opposite a rebel. The wall bubbled and smoked stopping short of breeching the other side. Once again Sgt Jackson raised his gloved hand and simulated pulling a trigger. At that instant all the Marines opened fire through the incomplete breech in the wall. Case less rounds punched through the thin layer of plasticrete , slamming into the rebels. Within seconds most of the rebels were on their way to the floor with huge wounds left by the super sonic explosive rounds. The survivors only had seconds to realize the had been out flanked before explosive rounds tore through their make shift armor. The rounds burying themselves inside the body before exploding and tearing apart the rebels from inside.

Without missing a beat two marines opened the door and rushed into the corridor. One throwing a clear orb down the adjoining corridor. The orb spun then directed it's self towards human scale heat source. On command the orb started flashing super intense light and ear drum shattering waves of noise. The sensory attack so focused that anyone outside it's cone of attack wouldn't notice. The assault forcing the two rebels hiding in the hall to fall into the center of the room in a fetal ball trying to shield out the sensory attack. The two so distracted by the pain that barely noticed the two marines approaching them with drawn knifes. The marines slid their knives across the necks of the tortured pair as two other marines rifled through their pockets. When done searching the two dead rebel's pockets they found a key card to the door of their objective.

Heading up the corridor the marine stopped at a heavy door labeled pump room. Sliding the card the door hissed open revealing a rebel holding a man in a fine suit hostage.

"Get back or I'll kill him!" Yelled the woman in the make shift armor holding a shot gun to the mans head.

A fiber optic cable snaked around the door frame causing a bead of sweat to run down the face of the nervous rebel. Her mind screamed for her to pull the trigger but she knew she was next. Then thoughts of all her big talk of selfless service and being ruthless in the pursuit of justice. Fight to defend the righteous path of her Trade Union Alliance comrades. All that big talk wouldn't help her now but it beat facing Colonial Intelligence." Fuck it!" She turned to watch the big wigs head explode from a blast of her shot gun. Suddenly she heard a snap from inside her body. Then nothing happen her trigger finger wouldn't move. Glancing down she could see her hostage holding up her arm. In her ear she could hear him whisper," look up sweetie my ride is here."

Looking up at the doorway she could see a small fiber optic cable bend the corner.. Instantly a small hole appeared in her forehead . Her body fell limp as she fell clumsily to the floor. She could she the man she once had at her mercy smugly walk away. His real alligator skin shoes confidently raising over head as he stepped over her. She saw it but would never understand what happen. The laser did more than burn a hole in her skull it cooked her brain removing her consciousness forever.

Sergeant Jackson pulled the hostage into the hall and handed him off to a marine who quickly suited him up in marine issue armor. Flicking up the cover on his HUD he punched in his victory code. Turning to his Marines he motioned back the way they came. Most of the marines moved out except for two who placed proximity mines before following their squad members. When the squad reached the ambush site the floor had become red and sticky with blood. Leaving a trail of bloody boot prints for any unseen pursuers. Seconds later the view of rebels closing came across one of the trailing marines HUD.

Five rebels ran up to pump room and keyed the door. Upon seeing the child like stare from their leaders limp body and the stench of feces and urine. Four heavily armed enraged rebels started to run down the corridor in the direction of the marines. Upon reaching the ambush site the rage turned to disbelief. Friends and in some cases family laid at their feet in a tangled mass of exploded flesh and bone. All in the name of fair wages and worker safety. As they looked for survivors the tracks left by the retreating Marines once again brought up their blood fueled rage. With out a word they took back up the chase. Running through the stacks of empty metallic crates that was suppose to give the marines a false since of cover. Clearing the last stack two flashes caught their attention before their world went black.

The sensors on the to proximity charges picked up humanoid figures and searched for an IFF code. No code was received and a message was sent of the contact to the marines. Then a code for detention was received by the microprocessors. Milliseconds later the priming charge set off igniting the large explosive charge. Releasing a hundred sub sonic ball bearings. Each bearing bouncing off the ceiling, walls and floors. Before finding their targets. Many slashing through synthetic leather and flesh. Others punching through aluminum crates finding the explosive charges set to take out the marines that would have used them as cover. The secondary explosions turning the corridor into blackened char filled crypt. The one rebel left behind to tend to their leader scared and alone called for help. Dooming more of her comrades to fiery death from the last two proximity mines left behind by the marines.

The marines walked out into open landing pad spreading out to secure it for the drop ship already on it's way. Jackson took the time to finally look around at his surroundings. The hazy rain filled sky revealed a the large dome building built into the side of a huge deposit of platinum ore. A deposit said to be the size of a small mountain range on Earth. Put there by an impact of an asteroid only hundred years before.

"Black Swans this is Charlie One … make room for me"

"Good copy Charlie one you're clear to land "

"Jackson you good ?"

"Yes maim just waiting for you to pick me up."

Charlie One swung in lower over the landing pad like a demonic dragon fly. Slowly the landing gear appeared , locking in place just before it touched down. It's exhausted kicked up water from the pad as the marines gathered awaiting to rush up the drop ships ramp. Once the ramp started to come down the marines rushed forward the last of them clearing the ramp as it hit the pad. Three seconds later the drop ship gained altitude and started to close it's ramp on it's way back to the Stealth Carrier Harriet Tubman. It's skin gradually changing color to match the dark reddish sky.

Frontier Station

Inside an old space station once use as a major relay point for near light ships. Now the once heavily manned station was now little more than an over sized relay point for communications and supply. Engine technology making the station obsolete before it's time. Einstein Space travel allowed ships to travel without needing engine refits and environmental replenishment. Only an occasional Military container ship made the trip now. To drop off supplies for the hundreds of metric tons of emergency fleet supplies that now filled vast holds. Raja Salaam sat at his station reading reports of the miner up rising on Delphi Four. He was in a good mood due to report of the peaceful diplomatic solution to the workers strike. While reaching for his cup of tea, a high priority message alert scrolled across his screen. Opening the page the encoded message need to be restructured into a more modern signal and encryption. Easily the program handled the upgrades and pass on the message along the new ultra light frequency reaching earth in a few weeks cutting years off of its journey.

Far Point station

Steve Nichols reclined in his desk chair and zipped up his pants. Swiveling to right he reached over grabbed the hips of partner and fellow researcher. Work was slow as little over the past ten years came in about the species that man called Predators. A little squirrel ran across his screen with a letter in it's mouth. With a little squeaky voice it said can I open the letter? Yeah open it . The letter opened to a voice file. Run voice file. The sound of heavy clicking with low growls came through the speaker for 2 minutes. At the end of the message the screen went blank except for the words; Source: Alien life form designate Predator.

'Shit! Joan look! Source predator we got a predator transmission.

"What? No ?"

"Yes get dressed we got a mission to pull together."

Joan turned and headed for the door.

"Joan stop"

"What?"

"Your blouse"

"Oh." Laughing at herself she quickly buttoned her blouse and hurried out the door and down the hall. Turning back to his computer he listened to the message again. While pulling up all the data as to track it's origin. As he waited for the calculations to come back. He walked to the view port and looked into space. "I wish I could go but I gotta get things going on my end." he thought to himself.

Far Point Station

In a large oval room surrounded by holographic projections cast on to mist screens. A large number of military dressed men and woman walked around chatting with each other. Representatives from the major nations of that made up the fledgling Colonial Navy U.S., China, European Union, India, African Union, and other minor nations. Everything from combat, medical, and dress uniforms was present. On the table all sorts of hors d'oeuvres from deviled eggs to lobster rolls. It was quite a spread for a mission briefing. After giving the assembly time to get their helloes and munches satisfied. At the rear of the chamber a guard yelled "Attention!" Field Marshal Mika Akira walked in and all eyes turned to her.

"Alright take your seats." said the Field Marshall Akira, she was dressed in a white colonial uniform adorned in Colonial battle ribbons and a patch with the dual flags of China and Japan. Her uniform fit to form showing every curve but no one dared risk getting caught admiring it. She was earned her respect on the front lines in the China when Japan joined forces it's mortal enemy against the Xenomorphs. A long acid scar running along her beautiful face as proof to how close the combat was. A face that didn't smile unless someone or thing was getting shot. Walking behind a podium the lights dimmed and she began her briefing. Behind her in the shadows Steve Nichols took a seat and smiled.

"First off no we're not on a mission to sterilize a problem planet, base or station. Nor are we on a bug hunt. Gentle men we are after the great space rumor. A species we call Predator. We have auto and visual confirmation of an derelict Predator ship. We are to salvage that ship and make sure it's gets home. That's why were sending so much firepower. Maybe the Predators might not like us taking one of their ships. So don't hold back in a battle you don't have to worry about shipping lanes, communication lines, or environmental concerns "

Looking around the room Admiral Akira could see the interest of her command staff peek. All eyes was on the images of the floating ship sent by the autonomous probe. Long and close range views of the hull along with a interior view from a huge hole in it's along it's dorsal ridge.

"From what we know so far, the craft must have collided with some sort of celestial body. Yet there is still thermal readings coming from the craft, also gravimetric readings. It's all in your briefings so I'll let you do some homework.

The task force will leave in one week and rendezvous with the rest of our task force one day before or jump. A task force consisting of the Stealth Carrier Harriet Tubman, the two drone gunships Arch Royal and Michigan , the fleet defense drone Aegis, the missile drone Mt. Saint Helen out of Far Point. The salvage ship Livingston on loan from Wayland-Yutani, along with contracted supply, and repair drones will rendezvous with the Harriet group from Ceti Three. The Conestoga class light assault carrier troop Anaconda, with a two companies of Colonial Calvary and robotic tank platoon, on route from Alpha Centuri.

Watching as the captains looked over their orders she noticed the look of disbelief on Captain Fletcher's face. "Captain Fletcher the Harriet is my flag ship and the most powerful stealth ship we have in the fleet. I also know she's designed to work alone. My advise to you is to just do it. We don't want prying alien eyes to know we have the capability to match their own."

The briefing went on for over twelve hours as ships officers sent commands to their crews to start preparing for the mission. Special equipment and mission modules were swapped out. The most important being medical containers accompanied by an all android medical staff.

This wasn't particularly out of order due to the fact that emergency android medical units were used in plague and disaster relief. What was different about this unit was the secrecy surrounding the box and the fact that no living personnel was allowed near the equipment.

Within fourteen hours the Harriet was prepared to make way. Leaving the station the carrier fired it's ion boosters propelling it out of Earths gravity well. It had a smooth design unlike the majority of ships in the Colonial Fleet. A newer class of Stealth warship with direct roots to earth bourn submarines that continued to patrol Colonial seas. Built to contain any energy source within it's hull it appeared as an hole in space. Which it filled with radiation emitters that mimicked its surrounding environment It's outer layer covered in a liquid crystal that mimicked it's visual environment. Using passive sensors it could drift at combat speed undetected until it was ready to strike. Fully modular it could transform in seconds if detected and fight as a ship of the line.

After leaving Earth's rotation path the great ship titled perpendicular to path and powered it's huge gravimetric engines. Starting the first leg of it's long journey to reach the derelict ship.

Inside the largely automated ship the crew and the Marines prepared to enter their sleep chambers. While the Android crew members where kept active to ensure a safe trip. This was the standard in the modern space fleet mankind was mostly along for the ride.

Sgt Jackson sat on the edge of his chamber only wearing his under wear watching his squad enter their chambers. His brown skin and muscled frame often leading to him being called big man by others around him. He didn't fell big at five foot ten but he figured it could have been worse names to be called. Due to his bald head many called him Hawk after an ancient black TV detective that had recently become popular for some reason. He took a second to look up and down the bay. One by one jokes where exchanged by marines as their lids shut. Waiting for the last of the lids Jackson hopped down and walked over to his lieutenant's chamber.

"Hey girl." Jackson whispered as walked up to the chamber.

"Hey boy" whispered Miller as she leaned forward to try to be discreet. She was thirty nine medium sized with mature curves. Light skinned and cute she had a problem with soldiers getting too friendly for the wrong reasons. The years of disrespect showing in a semi permanent frown.

"Wanna skip the sleep and live together for two years?" whispered Jackson as he leaned against her chamber.

"Yeah like that's going work, just give me a kiss before you go to sleep.' raising her hand so he could kiss it.

"Ok see you on the far side of the universe. "He said with a kiss."

Walking back over to his chamber he heard a knock from a sleep chamber. Through the clear top he could see his buddy laughing mouthing the word I saw you motherfucker. Laughing to himself he hopped up into his chambers bed and activated it. The ship went black and the temperature dropped to barely above freezing as it slipped into the night. Only the AI of the task force left to witness mans furthest flung manned exploration of the universe.

The AI picked up the transmission from Autonomous drone still a month away in travel time. Slowly the temperature began to rise and the androids began to prepare the ship for its precious crew of fragile humans. Slowly the air began circulating throughout the ship sending dust and husks of dead insects into the air. Lights all over the ship winked to life and sleep chambers began recovery count downs. New data briefings prepare by the AI began to download data onto flexi sheets designed to fit the scope of each crew member's mission. The first breaths of the sleeping crew began to fog the inside of the clear lids of their sleep chambers.

In the dark void of space a fighter drone lunched from the assault carrier and headed for the derelict. The transforming wings of the robotic ship taking on a delta shape as it's engines used gravimetric pulses to accelerate away at in a blink of an eye. Smaller than a drop ship it was out of visual range in three seconds and off the scope in thirty second. The warships began to space themselves in combat formation. Active deep space sensors began to sweep the void for hazards also announcing to the universe that they were alive. Huge retro rockets igniting starting to slow the fleet to sub light speeds. Once slowed the sensor sweeps revealed the solar system in front of them hidden by a huge dust cloud from prying eyes in Terran systems along with a medium sized planet similar to Earth.

"Jack wake the hell up."

Opening his eyes he saw Millers face hovering over him. Standing there with only a grey athletic bra on and nothing else. Her body smelling like cinnamon and brown sugar screaming for him to taste her honey brown skin. Only his crust sealed eye lids breaking the trance the aroma was pulling him into.

What? Can I have a minute to get my shit together? Rubbing the crust out of his eyes.

No we got a few hours before everybody wakes up. Leaning in closer offering him a full view of her cleavage.

What you do?

"I set the beds to wake us up a little early." She responded with a slight smile. Then she interrupted his next thought with a warm firm squeeze of his manhood. "Just relax for once." as she moved forward and licked his ear lobe. Sending a warm tingle through his body.

Ok…ok…I'm just with you. Reaching up with a fatigue filled arm to caress her check. While she continued to lick and suck on the side of his neck. He could fill a lasting pleasure every where her tongue touched him." yes" he gasped as he closed his eyes and she ran her tongue down his neck and over his chest. "damn I need this." feeling so good , so relaxing that he just laid there and waited for her to take him into her mouth. She took her time teasing him covering his body in pleasure with her tongue. "God I need this."

Then something awful assaulted his senses, the smell of decay and death. Opening his eyes he could see the top of Millers head. Yet the shape was all wrong it looked longer, deformed. Then he noticed he couldn't move, his arms pinned by something thick and organic to the sleep chamber sides. Trying to look up his head wouldn't bulge. Then Miller slowly looked up the skin of her beautiful face stretched tight along her banana shaped skull. I shock Jackson attempted to scream until elongated fingers entered his view. Gnarled and twisted with long grey dirt filled seven inch nails that looked sharp enough to perform surgery. Slowly they entered his mouth as the miller creature's head dipped out of his view. Then he felt a something like a needles pulling across his tongue. Then a flood of warm coppery tasting fluid began filling his mouth. "No! No!"The wordsracing through his mind until he heard her voice coming from his thoughts from somewhere else. "Do you love me? Baby?"

Suddenly her demonic face appeared crying full of sorrow. Her tears burning his chest as they hit his exposed skin. Slowly she opened her mouth and a slimly proboscis slid out covered in thick saliva. The same organ that the face huggers used to impregnate their victims. "No! No!" he screamed internally as watched the alien organ get closer. Then it throbbed and pulsated dropping an amber colored egg on to his face. The yellowish clear eggs slowly rolled off his face and onto his chest. The creature that was his lover back out of view. Then he felt it take him into it's mouth feeling so good that he could help but roll his eyes and hang his jaw in ecstasy. Every time he did then egg slowly rolled against gravity towards his opened mouth. Then intensity of her pleasuring him taking him one step closer to death." No! No!" he screamed at the top of his mental voice.

Suddenly a white light smashed his nightmare world, as the sound of the sleep chamber's computer announced that he was waking from cryogenic storage. Eager to wake he strained to open his crust sealed eyelids.

Thirty minutes all the marines were awake and still shaking off the body wide hangover of their long sleep. "Alright people this is it." spoke Lt. Miller in a cracked strained voice, an after effect of prolonged exposure to the paralytic gases of the sleep chambers. "The robots will go in first get us a map and good reading for a safety briefing. Then our android partners will go in and retrieve any bodies and attempt to patch the hole. So we can process the predator ship. When secured we will move up on the M class planet and survey it. That's it for now hit the gym get your muscles right and try to relax." Miller walked off towards her room every so often pausing to let an android or marine ferrying supplies by. Finally reaching her two man room she took a seat in the corner waiting for a message to report to command in thirty to watch the robotic probe make contact. A couple of minutes later a knock at her door woke her from day dreaming.

"Come in!"

"Hey lieutenant." In walked Sgt Jackson and Cpl Burns with slick smiles on their faces as they ducked to avoid the door seals.

"Hey guys sit down." smiling happy that they were with her.

She was happy to see them because they were all she had left of Earth before the Alien infestation. As they were the last three people to survive an attack on the Detroit refugee camp during the evacuation. With no family left they joined the Colonial Marines seeking revenge. But he two friends had a knack for getting in trouble so she was the only one that had the rank to show for the years of experience and battle.

"What's going on guys?"

"Nothing just waiting like you but with beer."

"Beer! You guys got beer?"

"What's my name, replied Burns."

"Whatever, hey after the briefing I'll pop through."

"Cool we'll be below the aft hanger bay."

"Below… oh ok near the weapons store. I'll be there, for sure."

"For sure"

"For sure"

"Really "

"Really"

"Ok below the far hanger bay." With that last jab the her two friend left her cabin, talking shit all the way down the cabin until she couldn't hear them anymore.

The robot slowly moved up on the horse shoe crab shaped ship. What from afar looked like art work etched into the hull revealed what could be seen as pathways for energies the ship puts out for various reasons. A small spray of gas lined up the drone with the wide gash in the vessels skin. Another spray pushed it through the gash into the dark interior. The spot light on the robot revealed an interior etched in strange symbols with a ceiling over 12 feet high. Moving further in past a collapsed door a humanoid body floated undisturbed for over hundred years. Reaching out with its arm it grabbed the body and pulled it closer. A seven foot humanoid that reminded most of what a half man half monster crab from the Island of Dr. Moreau would look like. Its eyes still wide open. It gave everyone watching the live feed the willies. After releasing the body the robot continued its search until it ran into doors it could not open. On it's way out it once again grabbed the alien corpse and headed back to the Harriet.

Lt Miller sat half down the length of a table suspended from the ceiling surrounded by hungry marines. A live feed from the derelict was playing for the crew sharing a split screen with a news report covering the time period in which they slept. Most un bloused as they made jokes about their trays loaded with bland chili macaroni and wheat snack bread. Until Cpl Burns walked in and slammed down a huge bottle of hot sauce drawing applause from the grumpy marines.

"What ! What ! Who's the man !"

"My dog!"

Sitting down Burns grabbed the hot sauce and drenched his meal. "So what's up?"

"Did you guys see that thing it's huge." said Miller as she played with a spoon full of Macaroni.

"I saw that so when are they sending in the salvage ship?" replied Jackson before downing a large cup filled with luke warm water. Still trying to get dehydrated due to a slight error in his chamber.

"It's on it's way the captain is holding us back in case it has a self destruct primed." then finally eating the spoonful. "So we have nothing to do for the next 18 hours … pass me the hot sauce."

"Yes maim "laughed Burns as he slid it across the table.

"Alright prepare to dock, Shockley turn the controls over to the computer."

The salvage ship hovered over the derelict. Basically a space worthy dry dock it slowly encircled the stricken ship until it came to rest on huge rubber bumpers to cushion the contact. Working arms lowered from the scaffolding and secured the stricken vessel to the salvage bay. Robots, teamsters and space rated androids began building a structure to encase the alien ship for the long journey home. A few androids entered the ship; some removing items others working on the door to the sealed areas.

Items retrieved from the ship were sent by robots back to the assault carrier to be worked on by the androids sent by the Wayland Yutani Corporation to be analyzed. The body of the predator had reached the carrier a day before was already being dissected. Its chest was peeled back layer by layer while issue samples were reduced to strands of DNA and RNA. Then it was placed in stem cells to clone copies of the cells for live study. The androids were tireless and mapped then reduced the body to specimen sized containers. Every bit of data received was fed into a data base to reconstruct a holographic model. Blood fluids, enzymes and secretions were already being analyzed and run thru interaction scenarios. The rush to process the information was due to the paranoia about turning something on that might alert the Predators to the stricken vessel. Any data sent back would be worth it's weight in platinum. Worth more to the company than a few ships and marines.

As the androids continued to work as a sleep chamber was pulled from a large packing crate. Within it a lone figure started to stir as the lid slid open.

Steve Nichols yawned and shivered as an android handed him a thermal blanket.

"Did we get anything?"

"Yes sir , we are analyzing artifacts and one body

A body! Help me up!"

An android walked over to him a helped Steve to his feet. With one arm around him he walked over to the stripped down body and sighed.

Damn how long have you had it?

"Twenty three hours sir."

"Are there others?"

"Unknown but we can assume that will be others, sir

Ok well let me see the data you collected.

The android activated the hologram and handed Mr. Nichols a flexi sheet containing the gathered data.

5 hours later

"Send message to the task force were moving to the M class direct the support ships to remain with the salvage ship. It appears our derelict floated out here from there. Also direct the Michigan to remain with the salvage ship. Order crew to suit up just in case." The task force powered their engines and headed into the system to rendezvous with the planet.

Sgt Jackson took his time putting on his survival suit. He knew it was regulation but it also was damn inconvenient at times. Especially when not at war and heading to a planet on a fly by mission with a clear sensor scan. The rest of his squad suited up and went back to whatever they were doing before. It was common knowledge that the trip would take at least half a day at combat speed. A half a day sweating in a hot space suit on a warm ship.

It always reminded him of the month long trench battle he unfortunate enough to get trapped in on a nameless mining asteroid. He could recall every smell and itch from his time in an overworked combat environment suit. By the time it was over his skin was covered in dead grey skin as if he was wearing a full body cast. He didn't even want to think about the shape lips and teeth was in at the time. He dreaded the thought of snapping on his helmet.

The android workers forced the door open releasing a cloud of air heavily laden with methane. Without pause the androids moved in to corridor recording the layout and sending it back to a map making program in the salvage ships AI. The corridor led to a large room bathe in a dim red light. Through the night vision of the androids the room appeared bright in green hues. The room was circular with a pillar in the center. Small rooms off to the sides contained skulls, skeletons, and weapons of unknown origin. As they walked through the rooms the temperature started to rise in the rooms. The technicians on board the Livingston watched readings and sent a coded message to the Harriet.

The screen popped open and an ensign face was in the screen. "What is this coded message shit!"

"I'm under orders."

"Orders orders my ass you're a fucking civilian!"

"Really?"

"Really! Okay smart ass if you send another encrypted message to the Harriet. The Captain has authorized me to fry your communication array and slave your rust bucket to our navigation CPU."

"What you can't do that we have a contract!"

Suddenly Captain Fletchers face filled the screen." listen you ate up piece of shit I'll do as I please out here now put your captain on!"

"I'll link him in."

"No drag his ass over to this camera!"

"Yes sir."

"After a few moments a very pissed off middle aged Egyptian man sat in front of the screen." "What?"

"The fucking messages stop! Use the channels we gave you to use!"

"Yeah but…"

Finally losing his patients he screamed into the camera. "But nothing next time I'll fry your shit! Fletcher out!"

The weak sounds of machinery struggling to come to life. Drew the attention of an android leading into a room filled with chambers resembling those used by organics to suspend their life functions. The room showed signs of intense fire the strange alien alloy seemed melted or fused in places erasing the beautiful patterns etched into the walls and equipment. Only one chamber seemed to be working, through the androids eyes low thermal readings barely giving it away. A message sent from the salvage ships AI required it's recovery. Seconds later two more androids with heavy equipment entered the room and started to work on the chamber to free it from the deformed wall.

As they worked Mr. Nichols looked at his watch trying to determine if they could free the chamber and send it to the carrier before they got too far away for the drones to follow. Taking another bite of his recently hydrated ham sandwich, he decided to expedite the proceedings. Especially after the little back and forth between Captain Fletcher and Captain Malik

"Computer send encrypted message… Immediate transfer to carrier priority one."

"Message sent confirmation of orders", replied the unseen AI. Using the Harriet's AI he knew it would go unnoticed

On the Livingston a supply drone came to life and prepared for flight. As the androids double their efforts and crudely cut the chamber from the wall. Only slowing to attach a temporary power source to sustain the chambers functions. The AI on the salvage ship cut the power to the artificial gravity allowing the androids to gently slid the chamber out into the hall. Upon reaching the gash in the hull the chamber was transferred to waiting crew men. Who placed the chamber on a high low almost immediately gravity was restored. Which speeded away to load the waiting drone. Twenty three minutes after the command the drone sped away to chase down the assault carrier.

"So what do you think the predators were on this planet for?"

"To hunt."

"Nah to hunt what? They hunt humans and bugs but what else?" Obviously it ain't us way out here."

"What if it's a planet full of bugs?"

"Then I guess we leave. But the bug home world isn't anywhere near here hell it's further then Earth from here. You saw all those other skulls probably some other type of poor race that didn't see them coming. Just like us… I hope."

"Well this time we're ready for whatever it is. The Arch Royal and St. Helen can leave that planet basically a radioactive slag pile."

"Anyway we're not going down unless it's safe remember or first priority is getting the ship back."

Down the last beer Spc Burns leaned forward and grabbed another hot wing off of the metal platter.

"Well I guess we'll find out in a day so lets talk about something we can do something about."

"Captain we have unscheduled drone approaching at high speed."

Slow task force to one third to receive drone then return to two thirds.

"Yes sir."

"You got the helm commander." With that the captain left the bridge and headed for the cargo berthing. Along the way the crew still donned in survival suits made way in respect for his rank. Automatically the wide doors slid open revealing the black shipping container guarded by two unarmed androids. Walking briskly past the two guards and into the large container and through a curtain of antimicrobial mist.

"Mr. Nichols I presume'"

"Yes Captain …I know why you're here." He said with a smart ass look on his face. Sitting in an authentic wood chair he spun around and came to halt facing the Captain. Leaning back as cocky as any one he ever seen. The well tailored man cross his legs and dusted off his alligator shoes.

"If you do, than you fucked up son."

"I did?" Steve replied trying to look innocent.

"Yeah… who in the hell told you to have a drone play catch up without authorization. Let alone the encrypted messages" The veins on the captains neck showing the held back rage with in him

"Well I had to move fast. Faster than you would. If you had any brains you would have remembered that only this box can deal with a living specimen."

"It would have been there when we got back. Ass!"

"Ass huh… well captain I did it what now? Shit if it had died on that drone it would have been your ass but my life. So be a fucking hero, make Admiral and shut the fuck up… now retrieve my chamber and skipper your boat. Before I have my androids Gilligan your ass on that planet. You can leave now."

With that the Captain turned and left. "Just five minutes with that pompous bitch, nah six minutes so I can take my time."

"Temper, temper Captain Fletcher." Said Mr. Nichols as if he could read the officers thoughts.

The chamber set in the middle of the room releasing mist as it's temperature rose. Androids stood watch waiting to see if it's occupant to would wake after over a hundred years in suspended animation. Mr. Nichols didn't have a doubt about it waking up. So he made precautions such as magnetic shackles and shock electrodes placed on its skin. All its equipment and weapons were kept in a different container.

Slowly the predators eyes opened seemingly trying to figure out where it was at and why it couldn't move. Letting out a roar its massive arms strained against the shackles but failed to move. The AI in the box reporting what what was said as it analyzed the prisoner's speech. The predator started making a strange clicking sound and stared at the camera.

"It can tell they are artificial … hmmn computer play back captured transmission and images of the space craft and equipment. In the infrared spectrum."

In the room the transmission caught the predator's attention. It seemed to squint and start to calm down. It continued to click in response to the images. Every sound was recorded by the AI and processed to come up with a way to translate the predator's language.

"Computer set magnetic at 7.8 "

The predator felt the change in pressure on its body and set up in the chamber. Quickly jumping off it walked up to the stoic androids and look them up and down. More images from inside the alien ship flash by. Scenes of the dead predator and the burnt out chambers. The predator let out a set of quick clicks and a grunt then motioned for the image to go back. The repeated the sounds back causing the predator to point to the viewing screen. As the predator stared at the screen another android entered with 40 pounds of Beef. Watching the android walk away the predator approached the meat sniffing the mixed air made to match the predators environment. Then grabbed a hand full and ate it with more grace than a creature it's size should have.

"The brute has manners", he thought to himself

"Show an image of the class M planet "

The Predator let out a roar and motioned towards the image. The AI reported to Mr. Nichol that it translated the roar.

"Play translation."

"Don't go… end of translation."

"That's all …I wonder what's that all about?"

"Yes and I lack the data to answer that question."

Mr. Nichols laughed to himself about the AI's response. "Just like a child." "AI use images to figure out why it said that. It might have something to do with the ships damage."

On the bridge the Captain prepared to give orders for the task force to approach and enter orbit around the planet. He was finally shaking his uneasiness about the quiet little planet.

"Fletcher to Captain Springer prepare to move the Anaconda …" he was abruptly cut off by the ensign manning the Omni directional array.

"Sir I got a strange energy reading sweeping the task force!"

"What's the source?" Captain asked as he attempted to pull up the read out from the ensign's station on his flexi pad.

"Can't tell… sir multiple bogies appearing out of nowhere surrounding planet!"

"Captain Springer to Fletcher I got multiple energy spikes recommend…" the transmission cut off by a loud humming of white noise. Fletcher instantly recognizing it as active jamming.

"Raise magnetic shei…"

At that instant diamond shaped metallic objects shimmered into view. Each rotated in the direction of the task force and a firing a single beam of intense energy. First to go was the CGD Arch Royal, taking a hit mid ship that sliced completely through it. The piece containing the engine exploding sending the fore section tumbling back towards the CSC Harriet. Setting off the metal storm defense systems. Sending out over two hundred thousand electronically fired case less depleted uranium forty millimeter rounds in less then a second. The rounds shredding most of what was left of the Arch Royal. But at one third light speed what little was left of the fore section slammed into the Harriet's still energizing her magnetic shields. knocking the Harriet ninety degrees and sideways off its course. The shield collapsing at the site of impact tearing apart it's communication array. Shrapnel from the array and the fore section piecing the heavy armored hull in several places. One large gash expelling a number of still struggling crew men and Marines into the void. That same impact saved the Harriet from a multiple hits from the alien satellites.

The CLC Anaconda wasn't as lucky. Larger and more heavily armored then the Harriet it lacked advance magnetic shielding . Captain Springer attempted to have his ship by pulling some evasive maneuvers. But it wasn't made for maneuvers and just attracted more attention from the alien satellites. It's heavy armor and retro fitted shields buckling from the combined hits from the beams meant for it and the Harriet. As several beams gutted it like a bloated fish. Spilling it's precious cargo of over a hundred sleeping colonial Calvary strewn across the battle space. Most dead from the explosion a few others being cooked alive by their own boiling blood due to being expose to the intense heat of near solar space.

Limping past the first barrage the second struck it's core and liquid fuel tanks. Igniting an explosion that reduced the huge ship to pieces so small that it appeared to vanish from existence. The shock wave throwing the sleep chambers hurtling into the void out of orbit. The exposure extinguishing the lives of over three hundred and fifty sleeping colonial soldiers.

The CDS Aegis was next to take multiple hits that traveled the length of the ship. It was designed to defend a fleet from as far as 0.25 light years. Not to fight large numbers of platforms basically point blank. The damage caused by the satellites causing the internal stores of armament to explode turning the Aegis into millions of pieces of debris.

Giving the CMD St. Helen enough time to raise its magnetic shields and compute counter battery fire. The AI maneuvering the St. Helen behind the debris from the defense ship was able to lock on a few of the satellites. Using the cover to fire a salvo of missiles that quickly tracked and locked on the recharging satellites. A second later an energy beam slammed into it's port side shield sending it spinning. Its shields eventually buckling under the concentrated fire of four more killer satellites. A fifth beam slashed through the battered shield, cutting through its aft launchers detonating it's remaining missiles. The massive explosions causing the St. Helen to break up in large pieces hurtling towards the planet. The largest containing an intact gravimetric core that set off an alarm onboard the Harriet.

The missiles streaked towards the satellites accelerating until the nose cones fell away. Ejecting twenty warheads and sixty decoys. Closing at over 200 miles every ten seconds the distance was closed to terminal in 3 seconds. Beams from the satellites destroyed over half of the warheads despite the decoys. But the detonation of ten twenty mega ton hydrogen warheads was enough to silence the satellites. Five was destroyed out right and others in range knocked out by the huge electromagnetic pulse.

Jackson entered the passage way still laughing to himself after the joke fest that was his Noncommissioned Officer meeting became. Leaving early he wanted to find Burns and go looking for their second stash of beer. Before someone stumble over it on some dumb ass detail.

"What the hell !"

Sgt Jackson was lifted off his feet and sent hurdling towards the unforgiving wall. Slamming into the wall and ending up rolling across the ceiling. Coming to rest on the emergency indicator lights with a thud. After taking a second to get his bearing he tried to crawl to his helmet that ended up a few feet away. When he found it hard to take a breath. A loud hiss telling him that there was a atmosphere breech nearby he doubled his effort and grabbed his helmet. The corridor going black as the power in his section went out. Quickly he snapped the helmet in it's ring and primed his suit. When finished he found himself floating in the corridor trapped behind closed emergency breech doors.

LT Miller woke up under the body of a unconscious marine in the mess hall. Taking a second to push the body off of herself she searched the trash filled floor for her helmet. After a few seconds she realized that she was walking along the ceiling. When fully suited marine walked up and handed her helmet to her.

"Alright give me a head count marines!"

After a few minutes her marines reported in over the helmet com from ship wide. She was missing fifteen Marines including her lover. Quickly she issued orders to search the ship and report back. Switching channels she tried to contact the bridge, but received no reply. Until a voice she didn't recognize replied to her calls.

"Are you alright?"

"Yeah the captains dead were trying to regain control the ship… start rescue efforts…hold one…ok … secure arms and report to hanger bay for possible evacuation then continue rescue operation out."

Switching back to her platoons frequency she relayed her orders. When she heard Sgt Jackson's voice.

"Jack is that you." Miller barely able to stop herself from screaming like a school girl she was so happy.

"Yeah I'm stuck near a hull breech but I'm ok", his voiced strained.

"Thank God I'll send someone to retrieve you."

"What happened?"

"I believed we're under attack."

"Oh shit something just exploded out there. I can see it through the breech. It's not over!"

The Harriet continued to slide towards the planet at one third light speed out of control. Surrounded by debris from its stricken escorts. It's Metal Storm batteries firing on any debris close enough to endanger the ship.

"Captain your orders."

"Oh shit sir captain dead." In the flickering light the command staff finally got a good look at their captain. He sat erect in his chair his body twitching but his eyes devoid of life. A washer from the high pressure atmosphere line was lodged in the back of his head.

"Who ever is free tend to captain Fletcher. Engine room why are we accelerating again."

"Sir the control boards are fused. The gravity engines are running uncontrolled."

"What can you do?"

"Nothing but blow the fuses."

"Sir same unidentified energy reading attempting to lock on ship!"

"Fuck! Fuck ! Drop shields and go to full stealth mode. Engine room blow the bitches blow them now! "Yelled Lang as he caught a glimpse of the planet dominating his forward screen closer then he ever saw a planet at such high speeds.

"Yes sir !"

Within seconds the power browned out all over the ship. Then everything started to float all over the ship. The artificial gravity cutting out when the fuses were blown. three seconds later the ship tumbling on its axis slowly regained artificial gravity. Its outer surface mimicking the planet below it it's damaged hull sections looking like debris. While energy emitters mimicked the background radiation that they displaced making the Harriet nearly invisible energy wise.

"AI ready maneuvering rockets under your command compute and establish orbit!"

Using the planets gravity and the rockets the AI pulled the Harriet into a decaying orbit. Only the AI could have pulled off the maneuver. As debris by pass them and rained down on to the planet. Large white hot sections of the St. Helen plunging through the thick atmosphere of the shiny grey planet. The Harriet was alone and surrounded by the wreckage of it's task force.

"Commander establishing orbit ! Ionized rods to twenty percent." the AI reported in a stern Feminine voice

"Burn it all if we don't we'll just fall out of orbit in a few hours anyway."

"Estimating stationary orbit in thirty seconds. Ionized rods to two percent " it replied.

"Life support get your damage control teams moving. In want all those breaches capped. "

"Weapons what do I have ?"

"Main particle cannon not responding, rail guns showing error, Laser batteries in the green, metal storm batteries at four out of six and fighter drones are showing no link."

"Get them up. ", growled Commander Lang as he stared at the fogged over Omni screen.

Sir stealth mode at ninety eight percent with a two percent energy leak. AI is masking as thermal and radiation background noise.

"Good," as he turned he knew that they were lucky. The Harriet's natural stealth characteristics helping it survive the initial assault. Now he was trapped inside of an alien minefield the only thing keeping the satellites from firing was a damaged stealth system that was draining over half of the ships remaining energy. With a cold gravimetric core and depleted ionized reaction rods the Harriet hung over the planet traveling at 4.8 miles a second

Mr. Nichols pulled himself out from under his over turned work station and straightened out his suit. Nearby androids already starting repairs on damaged equipment and restacking samples. Finding his monitor still working he check on his prize. It was gone, his androids smashed and leaking creamy fluids. Quickly he opened his over turned locker and pulled out a M41-E Marine issued carbine that was modified to fired tranquilizer darts. Then headed out into the large open cargo berthing. Smoke from numerous ship board fires stung his eyes as he scanned for signs of the predator. A strong musk over took his nose, letting him know that it wasn't far away. The hair on his neck rose at the thought of it reaching its arm shield and detonating its self destruct inside the ship. So he quickly ran to the lab container containing his precious artifacts. A change in air pressure behind him prompted at tuck and roll. As a large shadow traveled over him until it and melded with its source.

In front of him stood the angry predator with its heavily muscled arms spread out as if to invite a challenge. Nichols side stepped to his right and fired a three round burst at the giant. It easily dodge the first burst of fire. The rounds striking and opening a gash in steam pipe running along the wall. The predator closed the gap on Mr. Nichols and swung for his head. It's claws catching nothing but air as the man dodged the swipe and rolled head over heels past the huge alien. Like a enraged jungle cat the predator roared and lunged at the crouching man. Waiting for the last second Mr. Nichols fired a three round burst point blank and dived out the way. Surprised by the soft shells agility the predator smashed into the floor driving the tranquilizer darts deeper into its chest plate. This time a high pitch shrill scream echoed in the cavernous room. Rising to its feet clutching it's chest the predator turned as if to run away. Then swung back with inhuman speed at Mr. Nichols head. Too close to leap away again he chose to go on the attack.

Mr. Nichols duck and spun on the balls of his left foot. Then brought his fight leg up to meet the hunter's arm. The impact sending him tumbling across the floor. The Predator bent over in rage, and roaring. Holding his lower arm, while moving to protect it.

Mr. Nichols could smell the sleep chamber chemicals in the predators labored breath. He could hear it's heart rate increasing in an irregular fashion. He knew it wasn't in top shape, but it didn't make it any less deadly.

The Hunter watched the tall human couch and start to circle towards his numb arm. The strange ooman reminded him of what hard meat queens often did to size up a hunter. Confusing more an already confused Hunter.

Seeing an opening in the lack of concentration Mr. Nichols attacked. Feinting towards the wounded arm then punching his huge foe in the mouth. He knew he wasn't strong enough to knock out a predator with one blow or twenty. But that was not his intent. Hitting the mouth parts easily opened up his knuckles and exposed his bones. Smearing blood all over its mouth parts.

The predator swung and connected with Mr. Nichols chest. Sending him flying across the floor and sliding into the wall. Surprisingly the blow hadn't broken any of his ribs. When he looked up his tactic was working. The predator was bent over and clutching its mouth parts. Turning to flee the predator stumbled while trying to ease the pain. With no obvious way to flee it continued to spin in a circle looking for a way out.

"Get him boys," he thought to himself

Two androids pursued it easily over taking it within a few meters. As one both of the androids jabbed at it with charged stun sticks. The predator snatching the arm of the android to it's right sending it flying shoulder first into the bulkhead. Spraying cream colored fluid from it's neck and shoulder the android collapsed. The second android connected under the arm of the predator and pressed it deep with all its mechanical might. Filling the cargo berthing with an another shrill scream as the alien hunter fell forward on to its face unconscious. Mr. Nichol walked over to the sleeping giant and grabbed a hand full of the predator's dreadlocks then pulled its head back and let it go to slam into the floor.

"Hurry up and get it secured, because I had no idea how long it will work. Hell I'm surprised it worked."

One on one with a Predator pretty impressive Mr. Nichols. If I say so myself. You can say so. When did you wake up. The androids woke me when our little ride came under attack. If you don't mind, I'm going to the bridge and find out what's going on. While I see to our meal ticket.

Mr. Nichols finally reached the bridge after forty minutes of detours around closed bulk heads and wrecked passage ways. Along the way the true extent of the damage hit him. Most of the affected areas or the ship was decks above the cargo berthing and inertial buffers preventing him from feeling force of drastic maneuvers the battered ship encountered. He knew if that if the buffers hadn't failed for only a few seconds the crew would have been smeared across the interior walls. Although some of the crew wasn't lucky enough, especially the captain as he was being carried out by emergency medical androids as he entered the bridge.

"Hello gentlemen I'm Mr. Nichols well Colonel Nichols Colonial Intelligence and I need a report," Taking his time as walked over to the captains chair and sat down. With a look of pride filled arrogance that offended everyone on the surviving flight team.

"Sir, the Harriet was built to take punishment but whatever the satellites used to attack us far out classed any known artificial power source. Well power source we know of … I would guess it's not related to the derelict."

"Stop guessing. Please continue with what you do know. Not what you believe to be true."

"Well the Saint Helen's scans showed evidence of an orbital defense grid made of those satellites. It knocked out some with nukes but how many I don't know. We have no gravimetric drive, communication array, and we are in a decaying orbit."

"Do we have manual optics and can we launch drop ships?"

"Yes sir… yes to both."

"Then get a visual one of those satellites we battled and prep drop ships to go down to surface and find possible evacuation camp sites. What about satellites and fighter drones?"

"We have green lights on weather and a com sat sir, and receiving error codes on the rest. The drones went down with our array sir. Back up array still sending error codes, sir."

"Well well you finally get to pull rank and it's on a high tech piece old space debris. Mr. Nichols how is our project doing? Doing fine probably enjoying the rest I say. Well you need to find out what happened to its ship. It told me to not come to this planet. You're thinking that it's what happens to them also. Yes I do. Then I think we need to go down and take a look around. We? Yeah well I meant you ? I know you meant me ass. Ahh I think somebody is waiting for you to say something."

"Sir?"

"I heard you commander. Just wait."

"Back to our discussion. Yes I think we may need to send a few good men down. I agree any artifacts would be to our advantage. Image their faces if we can destroy fleets in minutes. No need to lose time to acquire the obsolete. Life free of the company. A Life free to spread our thoughts. A life free of them. Yes a life free of them."

"Continue crewman", said in a openly irritated way.

"Well yes sir umm. Also we received an intact G core alert from the explosion of the St. Helen. The beacon stopped when it entered the atmosphere but we began receiving a very weak beacon again six minutes ago."

"Commander launch the satellites, then send word when everything is ready. You have two hours. Commander two hours if you call me for an extension you will be coming down to the planet with us." With that said Mr. Nichols turned and walked away without waiting for a reply.

He could hear the commanders heart start to race as he left. It was the same jump in heart rate he heard in humans all his life. The one thing that fed his disgust towards humans. All the lying grated at his nerves but the fear was something else. Human fear it assaulted his senses like no other emotion. The smell and the damn heart rate it made something inside of him aroused almost to a sexual level. It was like being attracted to a beautiful woman. A woman he wanted to rape and kill. He could taste the sweat rolling down the commander's neck. It was the main reason he kept company with androids. They didn't arouse him.

"That felt good. I needed a little pick me up. You're welcome next time you can deal with it up close. No thanks, too tempting I lack the discipline of you military types. You think they did it us on purpose. Makes good tacticalsense. Yeah homicidal masters of industry and finance sounds good. No used as a control. Sorry Charlie we got it from mommy. "

Walking into the hanger bay Jackson could see what was left of his platoon loading additional equipment into their drop ships. Three sat ready for launch waiting to be boarded. Marines jogged in and out as if the ships would leave without them.

"Hey Jack were on dragon fly one."

"Yes mam" sir

Hurry up and grab your shit. Grab powder charged weapons there is power leech operating on the planet. Don't ask the drop ships make more power then they use. The Harriet is going down if they can't repair the engines. So we're dropping off supplies for an evacuation camp then heading for the St. Helen's wreckage to see if we can recover parts for the gravimetric drive."

"Shit! On my way."

Clumsily running across the hanger while trying to snap the clasp of his chest armor he barely avoided knocking over a stack of MRE crates. Spinning out the way the stack he finally got his armor snapped down and trotted over to the android working the arms room..

"Jackson 5689 standard package."

"Yes sir." The android turned and briskly walked back into the vault like doors of the arms room. A minute later it returned with a high velocity 40 caliber armor piercing pistol, M41-E carbine, and a plasma edge bayonet. All complete with a full combat load of ammunition. Taking his time to put away ammunition clips and function check his weapons before offering his iris to be scanned by the android. By the time he turned around LT Williams was on the drop ship gangway motioning for him to hurry his ass up. The hanger bay suddenly went black except for the yellow strobe lights warning anyone not on the drop ships of a drop within thirty seconds. Taking up a full sprint they arrived at the drop ship as it began to raise the gangway.

"Damn what's the damn rush?"

"The commander has a bug in his ass about us getting launched on time."

"My communications is out LT"

Everybody's out. Something is jamming our shit, I don't know why so don't ask.

"Where's platoon sergeant."

'Dead so you're it."

"Fuck! How? "

"Only you Kulak made it back from the NCO meeting. The section had a massive breech and we lost them to space."

He could see Cpl Burns laughing under his breath. Mouthing fuck you to Burns. One thought went through his mind. "I should have missed the bus".

Falling out of the belly of the assault carrier the three drop ships hurtled towards the planet. Drifting powerless they used the curtain of falling debris and their stealthy design to mask their descent from the satellite network .The landmasses of the planet looking brown and diseased even from orbit. All the large bodies of water green with huge blotches of red. Hitting the thick atmosphere the ships looked like fireballs until they leveled out.

Mechanically the wings tipped with missile pods swung up than down. Snapping in place the drop ships gained lift and lost speed. Closer to the ground they could make out cities boundaries long since over grown. Following a crash beacon the drop ships dropped below the clouds into a world of endless rain.

'Dragon Fly One to Dragon Fly Two." the pilot was straining to see the drop ship less than hundred meters away. The dark gray rain filled sky hiding the drab colored transport. Even with his night vision goggles he could barely make out its shape.

"Dragon Fly…to….one." the interference over radio was getting worse the closer to the beacon they traveled.

" Say again . Over." as the pilot waited for an response. The co pilot leaned forward and tapped the pilot. Giving him the sign to stop wasting his time. Trying on more time the pilot spoke louder.

"Dragon Fly One to Dragon Fly Two have you received a beacon. Over."

"Yes … can … the carrier." once again garbled the pilot put a few extra meters between the ships just in case. The sky lighting up as a sheet of heat lighting revealed the exact position of Dragonfly Two.

"that's a negative."

Lt Williams over heard the conversation and rechecked her unit ear pieces. Quickly tapping keys on her work station, sending a test tone through her squads ear pieces. Getting a thumb up and signal from all her marines. She waved back like a beauty queen, drawing laughs and smiles from her troopers.

"LT three minutes to evacuation site Black Swan Three will work the site. We're heading for the beacon."

All gravimetric drives were built to survive the destruction of their ship. The extremely high cost of making one made it worth more than it's cargo. Hundreds of thousands of people haven died of disease and starvation because someone didn't want to risk an engine to save them. They were hoping that enough of the engine was intact to recover the needed parts. No one wanted to play founding fathers on this graveyard.

Dragon Fly Three peeled off and headed into a clearing near the side of a mountain. The site chosen for the protection a few man made caves would provide if they couldn't save the carrier. Touching down the drop ship lowered its rear ramp. Fourth squad rushed out setting up a perimeter. As the four androids off loaded supplies and set up automated mini guns.

Sgt Kulak looked into the sky as the rain continued to fall in large droplets. Fucking planet sized mud hole, he thought to himself. He already lost two Marines in the ambush entering orbit, so he was already in a bad mood and down to seven marines. By looking at the ground he could tell something was wrong with biosphere. Large worms and strange beetle like insects dominated the soil. The smell of decay was over powering it was as if the planet died and they landed on it's still rotting corpse. The only vegetation to be seen was the kind that fed on death. Huge fields of fungus, bush sized mushroom and mounds of furry mold reminding him of what you would see around mass graves. What little green fauna that could be seen lingered on diseased and surrounded by black rotted dead versions.

"Sergeant the rain is fogging the motion sensors. The rain here is heavy with various organic materials. We only can get good reads out to four hundred meters."

"Nothing we can do about that. Finish setting up the razor wire. The laser wire won't work in this shit. Fucking rain." he replied as he scrapped an insect that looked like slug with centipede legs, off his pants leg with his bayonet.

"What about the proximity mines sarge?" asked a marine looking into a box he was unpacking.

"Do it. But put them in the sneaky way in places the guns can watch the obvious paths."" I wish we could have got some recon on his mud hole before we came down." Once again he looked around at his depressing environment.

Behind them the drop ship lifted off to pick up additional supplies. The roaring turbines throwing up mud and vermin covering a few of the crates. Leaving the squad in the gloomily darken landscape. The androids continuing to work on the storage area. The robotic sentries tracking sensor hits only to lose them less then a second later.

Following the beacon the two drop ships plowed through the driving rain. It's look down radar mapping the terrain in front of it. Ten kilometers from the beacon they started to descent towards the section. Circling the beacon the radar showed alien structures. That couldn't be seen by eye under the alien canopy. As the flight got within one kilometer the site containing the crash site was easy to see. A huge swath was plowed into the canopy exposing the collapsed structure beneath it. Leaving a dark smoldering crater buried into the side of the hill. The intact buildings looking like stacked barrels that were wider then they were tall. Dull metallic grey in color they showed no signs of their age beyond corrosion. Finding a large enough area the drop ships touched down and released the two armored personnel carriers. The carriers moved forward and moved down an open path as the drop ships gained altitude to circle the area. The path fell off a meter for every three meters they traveled making for a bumpy ride.

"Shit can you make it any smoother?"

"No mam and from the size of the door where closing on I say that we just went down a flight of stairs."

"A flight of stairs? Shit I want to go home." Answered Burns in a smartass way. Only he knew that it wasn't a joke just his true feelings slipping out.

"I guess we blow it if it isn't open already"

"No need I can see that's it's cracked open. I'll just ease the APC through them."

The great doors slowly open with the sounds of grinding metal. A door that's hasn't been open in hundreds of years. The APC rolled into the great hall kicking up dust filling the air with sparkling particles. Inside the APC the limited view could barely catch the size of everything surrounding them. Using the turret camera didn't help much, but it did give them a 360 degree view. Nothing moved or showed thermal readings as expected anything that was here was dead a long time ago.

"Alright let's do the damn thing wedge shaped formation with the APC following. Second squad you have rear guard at 200 meters from 1st squad." Lt Miller performed one more check of her equipment and signal for the squad to move out.

One by one the squad silently walked to the their positions in the formation and took their weapons off safe. Taking those few seconds before the moved the marines were intimidated by what they saw. Strange shaped tables, chairs, and equipment lay strewn about. It wasn't the shapes but the size that was intimidating. The marines felt like toddlers walking in the kitchen. Everything was too high and out of reach.

"Fe Fi Fo Fumb like a motherfucker." said Burns while measuring up a chair.

Keep it down. Replied Jackson as he directed his light to a tall consol dominating the wall to his left.

"Down for who?" Said Burns his light reflecting off an encrusted monitor screen the size of a stove.

For me… shit look at the size of this shit in here.

"Imagine the mouse traps." Jackson sweeping his light across the far wall as he continued forward.

"Imagine the mice big as fucking wolves." Burns light moving towards the huge portal in front of them.

"Alright let's get moving." chimed in Miller over all the marines head sets.

"Think their all dead?"

"Seems like it"

As they entered the corridor the look of the walls changed. It was more ribbed and organic in style compared to the sterile look of the first room. A thick layer of dust gave the pattern a stone like appearance. Long elongated curves stretched up the wall like alien ivy. Accompanied with a faint moldy yet familiar smell.

Do you smell that? Don't you know that smell?" Burns said while sniffing the stale air.

What smell? Replied Nevels a private new to the squad

"That light stink "replied Burns irritated by the

Private questioning him.

"Light stink?" shut up and watch your lane. Jackson jumping into the conversation.

"No really! Doesn't this shit seem familiar?" Replied burns using his light to look for the source.

"No damn it now shut up." in his gut he knew what burns was getting at. He just didn't want I to burn any bread.

Walking over to a wall Nevels grabbed one of the curved shapes and it crumpled in his gloves. It was tuff but paper like getting its structural strength from the over lapping layers. Stepping back a large piece separated from the wall and slammed into the floor. Kicking up a big cloud of dust.

"Nevels you alright?" Jackson asked irritated by the young marine's actions

"Yeah this is like wasp paper or card board." Nevels looking at large piece he held in his hand.

"Card board, ok Nevels get back." replied Jackson

"Shit!"Cried out Nevels as yanked his weapon up ready to fire.

"What!" Burns yelled as he trotted over to Nevels

"It's an arm a bug arm" the fear in Nevels voice easy to hear

"Shit I knew I've smelled that shit before. It's a fucking nest." Burns said as he threw his arms up in frustration.

"Damn LT you got to come see this." Looking her way he walked over to the two marines.

What you got. Trotting over to the huddle as Nevels left to pull security.

"Look"

Jackson pointed and she saw an drone's arm severed at the joint. It was hollowed out like it a dead fly in a window. A reddish residue dusted along the inside of the aliens shell. Looking up through the dust cloud he could finally make out it's source. A dead drone hung from a hole in the wall in the same shape as the arm.

'Fuck why us?" Jackson said in a disgusted voice.

"Calm down and regroup we need to keep going. " Keying here mic she took a deep breath and spoke.

"Second squad when you reach this point I want you to take the drone's shell and set proximity mine the hole, to secure our retreat. Try to reach 4th squad again and warn them about the bugs. Out"

"Message received will do. Out."

Turning back to her first squad, Lt. Williams checked her beacon readings and gathered herself. Sergeant Jackson was directing his marines to remember their training and spread out. Cpl Burns moved through the squad checking to make sure they wore their splash wear underneath their uniforms. Two of the squad didn't and was told they would be dealt with if they survive the mission.

Once again moving the squad had a different posture about it. All the soldiers scanning every funny looking shape with rifle sights. The further they went the more shells they encountered. Some looking like the creature they found on the derelict Signs of an ancient battle were increasing with the deeper they went. One thing bothered every marine in the squad more then the bodies it was the furniture. The furniture was still too large for Humans, Predators, or the Bugs. So who in the hell lived here and what happened to them.

"Commander I'm ready to give my report on the satellites and engines are ready."

"Precede "the commander standing next to the chair of his dead friend.

"The satellites appear to be repairing themselves a number of them have cloaked. The ones closest to the missile attack are still down but under repair." the crewman looking back at him from his station.

"How long you estimate before they are done with repairs." replied the Commander Lang as stared at the atmosphere line that took his friends life. The line still hissing despite repairs.

"Were guessing that the field should be back up in forty seven hours."

"Shit and what about the engines." his attention back on his view screen.

"They can be repaired in twelve hours. If the marines recover those gravimetric fuses. The androids say they can give us one third light speed. But it will take us a hour or two to get out of ranged of those satellites."

"Thank you lieutenant." Lang turned and paced to rear of his command center. Going thru the calculations in his head he already knew that they would fall out of orbit in forty one hours regardless of the engines or satellites. They were orbiting too fast to slow down they could only sling shot out of orbit. In addition only through the hole the St. Helen placed in the satellite field.

"Now I gotta tell that asshole the good news."

The com screened popped up with an incoming message. Opening the screen Mr. Nichols sat back already annoyed by the rough vibration of the damage space craft. Upon hearing the report he noticed the nervous way the commander recited the information. The report was filled with bad news, but news he already knew was coming. Spinning around in his chair he looked at his prize thru the view screen. The androids were setting up various devices around the predator.

In the corner stood he could see Mr. Nichols holding a flexi pad standing patiently motionless. When the androids finished they backed away and Mr. Nichols went to work. Picking up a long razor sharp surgical scalpel and traced it around the pinky knuckle of the predators right hand. Slowly pulling it from the hand pulling muscle and vessels with it. The predator howled and strained trying to break it's bonds. Without notice Mr. Nichols continued to pull to the meaty flesh snapped, sending glowing blood into the air. Eyeing the digit he sucked on the end of it and felt a rush of pleasure.

"Oh that was good. Do it again. No I have questions to ask first. I was just getting greedy. We don't have much time. I will find out what happened here. The marines have encountered dead bugs and predators. Leave it to family to make shit more complicated."

Looking into the predators eyes Mr. Nichols tapped his flexi and predator words came out. It was a picture of the killer satellites that attacked the task force.

What is this

The predator laughed and turned it's head away. Before it's head could come to rest looking away it screamed. Mr. Nichols stood there flipping it's right thumb like a coin.

"This may take some time. Just don't take too much."

After several turns and large chambers filled with dried out exoskeletons and signs of battle. The air changed from stale to warm and humid. The hive walls looked healthier but was covered in spots by a furry red fungus or mold. All over the floor piles of dried out shells of drone parts covered the floor. Some of the bodies were fresh and showed signs of being crushed. Their blood burning holes into the ground beneath them, trailing toxic smoke into the air. Along the walls tall humanoid figures hung cocooned in xenomorph secretions. Every figure had a hole in their chest signifying another alien birth. Upon closer view it obvious that the some of the bodies were Predators.

"It's a xenomorph grave yard."

"I got movement ,two maybe three bogies on my scanner heading this way."

"Take cover, fire only on my order." whispering over the radio.

Silently and quickly the marines found cover and waited for the approaching targets. Readings from the scanner popped up on the squads HUD. The squads two smart gunners set their guns on short burst. The APC shutting off its engine so not to give away it's position to their rear outside the chamber.

Silently two drones entered the room dragging another. They were larger than the ones that devastated the earth. Bulkier and taller their mouth parts resembled the predators. After dropping their comrade they seemed to pause as if they caught the scent of one of the marines. Then slowly they turned away and headed back out of the room.

Watching the two drones finally clear the scanner the marines relaxed. Jackson taking the lead moved up on the motionless drone. It looked fine except for the furry fungus that lined it's joints. Slowly the alien tried to react to the presence near it. It's head slumping back to the ground. Taking out a ceramic bayonet Jackson plunged it into the drones brain pan. Stepping back to avoid the acid blood he was surprised to see a thick pink pus ooze out instead.

'' LT this is some weird shit. It looks like the mold is eating the drones."

"I see what you mean. Baker grab some of that shit so we can bring it back."

"I guess were in a trash chamber like ants use."

"Do we have to go that way? It seems that they are using this path a lot."

"Yeah the beacon is that way. I guess the wreckage hit a xeno hive."

Aren't we lucky.

Lets just hope it took out most of them.

Shit lets move out.

At the camp the robot guns kept tracking phantoms. The androids had stacked the supplies to make it easy to load back on to the supply drone or transport. The marines deciding to rough it instead of unpacking and setting up tents. They felt more secure in their fighting positions. Upon hearing the reports from the search team the sergeant in charge. Activated the combat circuits in the androids and prepared to defend against drones. Calling in his troops from their concealed fighting positions. The redeployed for maximum concentrated firepower, bring them out into the open. Which gave the marines clear lanes of fire and no place for a xenomorph to sneak up on them.

"Alright let the robots and the androids fire first. Conserve your ammo and energy remember they come in waves. It's the third and fourth waves are the most important. We got a supply drone coming in less then a hour. So stay fr…"

A single shot of plasma hit sergeant Kulak dead center against his chest armor. Sending him head over heels as a second shot barely missed him. Picking up the shot the robot sentry calculated the source and fired over fifty15mm rounds in less than a second. Turning thin air into an explosion of blood and bone. the robotic sentries logic program adjusted to the cloaked readings and started to track multiple targets. Firing into the perimeter their combined fire set off five additional explosions of blood and bone twenty meters in front of the marines. Once again picking up the cloaked readings the turrets swung to engage them. When more then ten plasma burst shattered the two sentries. Setting off the ammunition sending rounds over the heads of the dazed marines.

Cpl Lang barely had time to react after sergeant Kulak went down in front of him. Crawling over to him he could see that his chest plate was shattered. The skin and uniform under it charred from the heat. Pulling out a med spray he first checked for additional injuries. As he lifted his head to check the sergeants back a couple of round whizzed by over his head. Ducking back down he could see his sergeant starting to move.

Sarge you alright

"Yeah but I hurts like a bitch… my ribs"

"I got you"

"No get in the fight I can handle this.

Looking back up to the fight he could see a number of shimmering figures racing across his firing lane.

Rolling over on to his back took aim at one and fired. The figure seemed to disappear as it dodged the marines fire. Another figure came into view and before he could fire. It spun and fell to it's knee hit by an android fighting to his left. The figures cloak disappeared reveling an alien like the one found on the derelict ship. It raised a cone shaped object sending out a net as hit was hit by additional fire from the android. The net hitting the android with enough force to knock it on it's back. The net then started to tighten itself cutting into the android and disabling it.

From behind two proximity charges went off, shredding two predators before they could spring their sneak attack. Another leaped into fight from the same area throwing a circular object. Which started glowing after leaving it's hand. Severing the head of a marine firing a smart gun at an already injured predator. Following a circular path back to it's master it arrived as Cpl Lang emptied his rifle into the beast as another marine cooked it with a flame thrower.

Once again proximity mines started going off all around the battle field. Sending body parts and blood flying through the air. Cpl Lang raised to his knees and crawled behind a stack of barrels. At that moment a severed arm landed on top of the stack of barrels. A strong smell of acid overwhelmed him almost causing him to vomit. On the barrel laid a black insect like arm melting into the barrel. All around the battlefield toxic smoke rose from the rain of blood and exoskeleton

"Oh shit! Sarge we got drones!"

"Get away from the barrels!"

Noticing the warning label on the barrel Cpl Lang sprinted away from the stack. Behind him a predator closed in raising an arm with two foot long blades attached. Sergeant Kulak seeing the predator forced himself to sit up and fired a burst at it before the pain over took him. Jumping to the ground the rounds flew harmlessly by the prone predator. Less then a second later the stack of barrels blew sending corrosive chemical splashing down on the predator and sergeant Kulak. Both rolling and thrashing as the chemical soup ate away at their flesh.

All around the camp the visage of galloping drones appeared from every shadow. Without a word some of the Predators and marines ignored each other and started firing at the wave of drones rushing towards them from all sides. Plasma and case less rounds dropping more then ten drones in a minute. As the drone dodged and maneuvered instead of rushing head long into the wall of fire. A battling marines and predator caught flat footed. As drones talons tore apart the two who refused to stop fighting each other.

Running over to rally with the four remaining marines Cpl Lang ran backwards into a crouching predator. Eyeing each other it moved up a little and out of his way. Suddenly the battlefield fell silent except for the moans from the wounded combatants. The five surviving marines and the remaining android reloaded and found better fighting positions. The predators slowly blended into the background except for the ghostlike images showing in the flickering fire light.

Once again the drones started to dart about as they rushed towards the former enemies. The marines opened fire hitting several drones but not doing much to slow their assault. Then the predators opened up. The combined fire slowing the wave almost breaking it up.

Cpl Lang eyed his ammo count and turn to check his rear. Just in time to see a huge alien about to land on his head. Jumping clear of his position the huge alien landed and grabbed the marine using the flame thrower. The flame thrower sending an arc of flame as he was hoisted above the creatures head. Before going out after the drone crushed the marine's ribs. Struck by the appearance of a giant alien another marine stared at it in awe. Until a drone snatched him by the shoulders and sent it's second jaws through the back of his head.

Two more giants could be seen rushing towards the battle field. At over six meters tall each they towered over the battlefield. They were the size of a queen but still looked like a drone. Except for the slick trunk like appendage with two smaller tentacles whipping around it, that hung from their mouth parts.

The roar of the predators filled the air as they leaped towards the giants. The absent minded attack allowing the other drones to close the gap on the defenders. Dragging away two predators that fell amongst them after failed attacks on the giants. Stepping forward a marine sprayed the giant with his rifle until the aliens slug like trunk whipped out and in an instant took a shark size bite out of his neck and shoulder. Sending the marine falling backwards in disbelief as two drones grabbed him and dragged him off.

"Fuck this we got to get out of here." Lang grabbing the vest collar of the last marine standing lance corporal Wolff.

"To where we're shit?" the young female looked down fire in her ice blue eyes. A foot taller, built like a brick house, beautiful and pure marine. She often reminded him of a Valkerie or Brun Hilda, especially now that she was the last marine besides himself left.

Just head towards the caves! He pushed her in the direction and followed her .

Behind them the remaining Predators continued to attack the remaining drones until a large older looking predator noticed the marines leaving. With a roar the three remaining predators fired at the barrels that remained intact. Causing a huge explosion which sent a piece of shrapnel deep into the skull of one of the predators. That predator living long enough to set it's self destruct. As the other two cloaked and sprinted away.

Cpl Lang reached the mouth of the cave and turned to make sure they wasn't followed. Then followed his last Wolff and the android in to the cave.

" Lang we got company!"

Turning he could see two shimmering figures racing towards them. He wanted to open up on them but held his fire. The two predators dived to the ground and covered their heads. Seeing this the marines followed suit as their world turned white. The explosion was large enough to be picked up by the Harriet Tubman's weather satellite.

Commander the weather satellite just picked up a thermal event that can only be a fission explosion..

"Where"

"At the evac site.

"No…No!"

"Commander the drop ship is requesting permission to leave. "

"Is Mr. Nichols on board?"

"Yes then relay the event. I'll be in the captain's cabin."

As the commander walked into the cabin he looked around and noticed how much he missed his friend. This mission should have been too easy. Grab a wreck and head home. Now he's in a dying orbit on a dying ship above a dying world. Taking a seat he readied himself for the shit that would be coming out of Mr. Nichols mouth.

"Open ship to dragon fly one."

"Commander bad news I presume."

"Yes Mr. Nichols there has been a nuclear event at the evacuation site. Do you want to abort the mission?"

"No were going to down to the planet. Look for the beacon ourselves most likely your marines have failed. Release my ship commander."

Mr. Nichols cut off the short range transmission and close his eyes. He could feel the buzz associated with high voltage stop when the umbilical to the mother ship was disconnected. Then the sound of sliding metal as the clamps holding the drop ship lowered it into launch position. Taking a deep breath the scent of all the marines who rode in the ship before him aroused him. Their fear still lingering inside of the jump ship. "And they wonder why it's so easy." Suddenly the ship fell away from the carrier and headed down to the planet. Feeling the sudden rush of gravity felt like an amusement ride and he enjoyed like a child would. He couldn't wait to get a chance to let his aggression flow freely.

As they started moving deeper into the hive a feeling of dread hit the squad. They could see numerous contacts approaching them only to back away. This was different from the way the xenomorphs acted in human controlled space. They knew that the bugs knew that they were there. Which only made each step feel like it was one step close to the grave.

"LT I got a large reading coming straight at us.

This is it! Move the APC up and get in an L shaped ambush. "

"Their not backing away. One hundred meters."

From around the corner the sound like paper being crumpled filled the long secretion incrusted chamber. Along the ceiling a mass of face huggers raced into the room. Without orders the marines opened up. Knocking a lot of the huggers to the floor. Unaffected by demise of their sisters the huggers kept crawling towards the marines. The squad's smart gun tearing out large sections of the wave attack. The APC concentrating its machine gun on the ceiling to avoid hitting the marines in front of it.

Ready on the throwers, yelled Sgt Jackson

Two marines stop firing and picked up flame throwers that they had laid at their feet. Within moments a large number of huggers leaped towards the marines with fingers spread.

The two marines sent out a wall of flame cooking the huggers before they hit the ground. Smoldering huggers tumbled through the flames fell amongst the kneeling marines.

A few survived the flames, one finding a marine whose attention was elsewhere. Lifting up on it's fingers it ran over to the marine and leapt on to his neck. Wrapping it's tail around his neck and constricting in tightly. Falling to the ground the marine grabbed at the huggers tail while covering his face. Lost in the sights and sounds of battle, no one noticed the marine rolling on the floor. Slowly losing consciousness the marine could feel some thing burning in his lips. A slimly appendage forcing it's way through his gloved hand.

Once again the wall of flame erupted torching the flying huggers. A dead one landing on the thigh of a marine firing at the ceiling. The acid blood making quick work of the armor. Upon hitting the splash undergarment the blood dripped away as harmless as water. To right of the same marine the wall seemed to bulge inward. The second bulge caught the marines attention as a huge alien head rammed through the wall. Huge claws tore the rest of the wall away sending it crashing to the ground and sliding up against the APC.

"Shit what in the hell is that!"

"Shift left shift left screamed Lt. Williams as she reacted to the new combatant."

The eight remaining marines divided their firepower between the giant on their flank and the huggers to their front. The APC attempted to swivel it's turret to engage the huge drone when it leaped over beside it. Reaching down the giant lifted the APC and flipped it on its side. The turret went quite as the rear ramp swung open a marine was pulling out another. The huge drone dipping it's long head to watch the two struggling marines. The one marine continued to pull the other along the floor when something large and black flashed down in front of him. Awakened by intense pain the prone marine reached up and felt the huge black spike protruding into his chest. Seeing the look of horror on his buddy's eyes the standing Marine looked up. His field of view filled with the face of the huge drone. He could see the drones five inch long transparent teeth grinning at him. Frozen in place he could only stare at the thick tail slowly lift the screaming marine he was dragging. He stood there until the failing marine's hand struck up beside his helmet. Finally awake he turned to run still under the watchful gaze of the monster drone. Five steps into his run he didn't feel the giant chasing him. Ready to avenge his fellow marine he turned and attempted to raise his M41-E.

Millers was frozen in place as she watched a long black trunk shoot out over ten feet tearing out a chunk of muscle and bone from the marine trying to engage the giant. Severing his leg at the thigh before the aliens trunk picked him up and flung him into the hallway the face huggers came out of. In the same motion it flicked it's tail and threw the first marine across the room over the remaining marines. Without a pause it leaned forward and stretched out it's arms to grab her.

Smart guns three o'clock! Yelled Jackson as he pulled Miller out of the line of fire. The two smart guns locked on the giant streaming rounds into head and body. The rounds finally tearing though it's thick shell and exploding inside it. Toppling over the giant landed on top of the APC immediately melting into the armored transport.

Get down!

The giant and the APC fell through the floor and exploded. Leaving a large hole cutting the room in half for several floors above and below the room. Allowing a cascade of rain and light to shine down into the infected building. Exposing the largely intact gravimetric core that came to rest twenty floors below them. It was sticking out the side of a huge piece of machinery over four stories tall. The machine seemed to shimmer and appear wavy as the down pour seemed to boil off it.

Slowly the marines regrouped and started picking off the few huggers still moving. Across the room about hundred face huggers laid curled up dead. Steam rising from the acid burns quickly making the air not breathable below their knees. Through the acidic ground fog the bodies of two marines laid dead. Another marine's face wrapped in the fingers of a face hugger. Without orders Cpl Burns walked over to him and fired a round through the face hugger and the marine's head. The blood of the face hugger severing the marines head after a few seconds. Letting it roll a few feet before falling over the edge of the chasm caused by the explosion.

"You good." Jackson watched the lonely head fall out of his view

"Yeah I'm good." replied Miller as she tried to hold back her tears of frustration.

"Alright back to work LT" he knew he had to get her focus back.

Give me a sensitive items check then strip the bodies. Were going to use the short cut. Jackson make sure 2nd squad bag and tag those bodies. Also tell them to get samples and measurements of those giants and their host we seen on the walls." quickly picking up on Jackson's hint she made the call and rallied her troops. Uncertainty in the field could kill quicker then bullets or claws.

" 2nd squad move up to our position over"

"2nd squad moving… out."

"Jack what you think"

"Rappelling down sounds better than walking."

"Getting back up maybe a problem and we have no idea on what shape the gravity drive is in." said Jackson as he scanned the newly exposed floors with his binoculars.

"Think positive. Plus that was one big ass adult and a shit load of face huggers. We can't afford to wait for our host to get their shit together. Wrong place, wrong time, wrong equipment and wrong everything. Please let it be the right mission." Miller replied while still seeing the giant reaching for her in her mind.

Mr. Nichols waited until the predator stopped screaming spoke out loud, the computer translating for the Predator. Then adjusted the rate on IV pump, increasing the solution the computer came up with to weaken the predators will power. The computer was using information from it's sleep chamber and its own ultra intensive tests. The cold logic of computers being a universal constant.

"Why were you here. Was it to hunt? And what happened?"

The Predator looker over at the pieces of it's arm that laid bloody on a surgical tray near his head. The rage replaced by disgrace of being treated like a prey animal. Once again the same question was repeated. Finally looking up at the hairless monkey the Predator spoke.

"The great blood feud. This planet a long nose planet. The moons of death… Mala-kak. "

"What is Mala-kak?"

"Mala-kak is murderer of brood, destroyer of hunting grounds. Raider of temples."

Computer show image of known alien species xenomorph in infra red spectrum.

"What is the name of this?" A hologram of a xenomorph appeared rotating 360 degrees. Immediately the predator recognized it.

"Kainde Amedha Hard meat."

Next the remains of a man sized insect implanted with alien technology found on the derelict was shown.

"Amengi Tool Slave."

Then a hologram of a human soldier

"Pyode Amedha Soft Meat"

Computer show unknown alien dated 3345.67 Terran evacuation. A large alien ship sighted by a evacuation fleet during the last days of the great exodus.

"Mala'kak murderer of brood, Originator of hard meat"

"Did you come here to hunt Mala'kak?"

"No war !"

"What kind of animal is the Mala'kak?"

"Meat and machine whispers in mind speak."

"Cyborgs and telepaths"

"They can speak to the mind of the organic with machines "

Turning to walk away the Hish spoke again and closed it's eyes. The computer translating the meaning to be Ooman smell like hard meat. Mr. Nichols turned and ripped out one of the Hish's thick dreads. Filling the room with his prisoner's pain filled roar. It's fear of being prey exciting him to the point he needed to go relieve himself before continuing.

Slowly both the marines and the Hish rose to face one another. Rifle and shoulder cannons aimed at each other. The large predator shutting down it's cannon and opening it's clawed hands. Shouldering his rifle Cpl Lang opened his hands. The rest of the group following suit. Motioning for the cave entrance the large one motioned for them to follow. Cautiously the marines followed the two predators out of the cave. The muddy land cape blackened by the explosion. Wiped clean in an instant. Suddenly three cloaked figures landed in front of the group arm blades extended. The large one let out a roar and the three backed away and retracted their blades. Pointing to the sky the large spoke in harsh English' "Ooman". then walked away and activated it's cloak.

The drop ship came into view setting down where the camp used to be. Walking down the hill over the sight they could see androids equipped with smart guns running out and securing the area. Mr. Nichols walking towards them equipped with a standard marine rifle. The two tired marines walked up to Mr. Nichols and gave an account of their skirmish. A couple of minutes later they boarded the drop ship, followed by Mr. Nichols and his private army.

On the drop ship Mr. Nichols briefed the remaining marines on the status of the Harriet and the mission he was about to undertake to secure the gravimetric fuses. The smell of the two marines gave him a new found respect for them. The fear was gone the smell of adrenaline and their rapidly steady heart beat spoke volumes on their bravery. After what they just went through he expected to be overwhelmed by uncontrolled fear. No they smelled more dangerous then the Hish that lied in ambush around landing zone, as he picked up the marines. With this in mind he offered them a chance to stay on the drop ship. An offer they refused when the heard that the first two squads was still unaccounted for. They were top of the pyramid predators ready to prey on Hish and drones alike.

"Sir … Mr. Nichols were picking up contact from 2nd squad."

"Go ahead"

"They report first squad has engaged in battle with xenomorphs. Three marine causalities and the APC destroyed. They have located the core and are preparing to rappel down to it. Requesting immediate back up to ensure success of overall mission."

"Tell them we are on the way."

"Back up to ensure success of overall mission. that's military for taking a chance of being wiped out."

Second squad started setting up robot sentries and sturdy fighting positions. Jackson watched as their medic look after an endangered marine, a face hugger still clinging to lance corporal Emir's leg. He knew the acid would eventually burn through the splash under garment as the medic started to give the stricken marine a heavy dose of morphine. It would at least save the marine from the intense pain when they start to cut off the living nightmare clinging to his leg. It was still hard for him to get over the fact that he couldn't just snatch it off and save his marine's leg. Too much acidic blood covered the egg layer preventing anyone from touching it. Grief stricken he turned to watch his marines prepare to rappel into hell.

Using 2nd squad's APC as an anchor the marines tossed the rappelling lines over the side of the tearing in the building. First to head down was the android using it's built in sensors to scout the way. As it passed the floors movement was recorded but none that posed an immediate danger. Upon landing ten stories down it pulled off another rappel line and found a pillar strong enough to use as an anchor. Quickly setting up another line and providing cover for his fellow marines

One at a time, the marines hopped over the side. While most continued down to the first landing, two stopped mid way to pull guard. The two could see that in some of the floors the aliens hive looked like a cracked open wasp hive. Dark grey cells with over lapping sheets of secretions. Dried out drones shells littered the several floors. Waiting mid air for about thirty seconds the two marines slid down to join their comrades.

The android hopped backward over the side and repeated the actions it performed minutes before. The marines following suit. The guards hung in mid air waiting for ambush. Slowly spinning around with weapons drawn. They could see the drones shadowing the squad from the opposite side of the chasm. The gap too wide for them to jump across. They appeared to be heading towards the bottom in an attempt to get at the marines.

"LT the fucking bugs are heading for the chasm floor. "

"Ok get down here now. 2nd squad I need cover when we get to the bottom. I need you to blanket that side with blind fire on my call. Ok? We're going to look for another way out."

Throwing caution to the wind the marines threw out their rappel lines out at the same time. Hopping over the side as individuals in a race with the drones slowly crawling down the other side. The squad began to spread out vertically as those more skilled made the descent faster over the twenty stories to gravimetric core. The heavy rainfall making each foot hold more precarious.

Private Nevels made each bound with confidence in his ability. He was the best in his class and wanted to show his squad by being first down to the core. His confidence turning to carelessness as he focused on his next move. Not noticing the cracks in thee ledge he was bounding from. AS he jumped off it gave way slamming him in to the wall. A jagged piece of metal sinking into his rib cage. The sharp pain causing him to lease his lines to find the source of his pain. Before he could react he was hurtling backwards towards the core. Falling thirteen floors in five seconds. He hit and bounced like a rag doll one time then laid motionless with a broken back and internal bleeding.

As private Nevels laid there he could see his squad react to this fall. The marines swing out and sliding down the line in a dangerous fashion. He couldn't feel his body. Not even the sensation of breathing. After a few seconds his squad left his field of view. Trying as hard as he could he couldn't get his head to move. All he could see was the torn out innards of the alien structure being drenched in the down pour. The smell of cooked skin interrupting his thoughts but he didn't feel skin blistering from the hot metal. The core casing still blistering hot from falling out of orbit.

Shit!, Jackson watch helpless as Nevels tumbled by him and hit the core landing on his shoulders then bouncing on to his back. Bates shoulder blade sticking out the side of his neck from under his armored vest. Nevels wasn't moving but some how Jackson knew he was still alive.

Kicking out with all his might Jackson could feel the heat through his gloves as he tried to slow his descent. After another bound he released the cord and fell the remaining two meters and rolled to cushion the landing. The android was already running to Nevels side. As he trotted over to the fallen marine he caught glimpse of a face hugger racing towards him. As he raised his rifle to fire it launched itself at the two marines.

Without looking the android snatched the hugger out of the air and threw it into a pile of burning debris. Immediately the hugger regained it's feet and started back towards the marines. Until a burst of case less shattered it and leaving a steaming pile of twitching legs.

"Nevels ! Nevelss !"

"He can't reply sergeant, shattered spine he's expectant." Replied the android in a cool controlled fashion. As he waved his hand over the marine scanning him with it's internal medical scanner.

"We got to get him out of here."

Trotting up from behind five marines passed him and took a knee, training their weapons on the far wall. The android stood and headed for the fuse casing. Lieutenant Miller walked up and stared into Jackson's eyes. Turning back to Nevels and nodding his head. Jackson stood and fired one shot into Nevels's head. Splattering blood bone and skin on to his shin guards. Ignoring the splatter he kneeled and yanked Nevels's dog tags from around his swollen neck. Each tag contained a micro passive beacon and a DNA sample, so bodies could be found and identified.

"Come on baby. "Whispered Miller into his ear while holding her hand over her microphone. Behind her the rest of the Marines got ready to defend themselves. In the open and exposed they knew it wouldn't take long for the drones would over run them.

Together they headed for the fuse casing to assist the android. When they reached the core access cover the android had already entered. The square crawl way while not glowing hot sent waves of heat into the air inside the crawl space. All they could do was wait because of the heat. ",

"How long swan one" said while eyeing the obvious avenue of attack for the drones.

"I'll need two minutes to remove them and a minute to get back." replied the android as it hopped into the broiling hot crawl space.

"Ok please hurry", she knew androids didn't lie or over estimate. Her request was more of a prayer that it would be easier then it should be.

"We got a large contact," yelled a marine manning the motion detector.

2nd squad light up the wall replied Jackson as he turned to return to the fire line. Looking back at Miller he felt like he was abandoning his woman. A feeling he quickly dismissed. When she quickly raised her rifle and shot a face hugger trying to weave it's way around behind some rubble near the access way. Then turned around looking pissed off and gave him the beauty queen wave.

"Affirmative 2nd squad lighting it up." came back in what sounded like Burns voice.

Within seconds the wall seemed to explode in flames and sparks. The shots from the above forcing a number of hidden xenos to avoid the flames exposing them to 1st squads fire. Suddenly through the flames a dozen or more drones appeared out of the flames. As face huggers raced between the drones feet. From a floor above the core, drones leapt in the air avoiding the covering fire.

One Marine took notice of the leaping drones and made a fatal mistake. Redirecting his fire to the new threat he didn't make sure the last drone he hit was dead. The drone laid still as smoke surrounded it from the blood gushing out of it's shatter rib cage, eating into the core 's metal. The Marine still firing slowly drifted into the direction of the wounded creature. The drone waiting as each foot fall brought it's prey closer. As the marine paused to reload his weapon he kneeled down and searched for a new target. Scanning to his left the missed the stirring tail of the downed drone. With lightening speed it whipped up and sent it's spike through the back of the shoulder of the marine. A look of surprised flashed across the face off the Marines as he was yanked back of his feet. Pulling him through the air and down onto the body of the bleeding drone. The gushing blood quickly burning through his body armor and clothes. The large amount of blood over whelming the splash suit bladders .The Acid then burning into the back and buttocks of the marine. His screams over the radio drawing the attention of all the marines. Allowing all of them to see a squirting fountain of acidic blood erupt from the marines stomach and fall back down on to him and begin eating away his top half.

Other marines too caught up in the gory scene. Never saw the face hugger clinging to the back of a recently fallen adult. Firing hundreds of rounds between him and his battle buddy blinded a marine to anything below his waist. The weapon flashes masking the hugger as it leapt at the careless marine. Entering his arch of fire it exploded point blank in front of rifle covering it in acid. Quickly locking up he attempted to switch to his pistol. By the time he looked back up a large loping male was airborne in front of him less than a meter away. Smashed into him and making quick work of his soft body.

Leaving Cpl Burns alone to fight off a mob of drones rushing through the gap left by the two dead marines. Diving forward to avoid a leaping adult. He shoulder rolled and came to his to feet in between two predator influenced adults. Before he could raise his weapon one of the adults slapped it from his hands. The other grabbing him by his ribs and pulled him close to it's body. So close that the aliens inner jaw punctured his helmet when it shot out. Pulling back out a glistening red clump of scalp in it's teeth. But not puncturing his skull. Within seconds only his screams and pleas over the marines com units was left as he was being carried away to be cocooned and impregnated.

A smart gunner trotted to the gap and made quick work of the leaping nightmare trying to carry away Burns. Freeing the lucky marine who hit the ground like a sack of rocks. The splatter from his dead kidnapper causing his uniform to smoke as he rose to his feet. Quickly he scrambled back behind the protection of the smart gunner. Once safely behind the yelling marine, he pulled out a med spray. The clear healing gel covered two large claw punctures along his rib cage. Pulling off his helmet blood flowed into his eyes temporary blinding him. Reaching up he patted his head until he felt the warm wet spot. Then sprayed med gel over it until he couldn't feel sting of his missing scalp. Finally he plunged a hypo into his leg filled with pain reliever and adrenalin mixed with a micro dose of Xenozip. Dulling his pain and giving him a shot of energy that made him feel better then before he got bit. Pulling his pistol and still with hazy vision he fought his way over to a fallen marine. The marine unrecognizable swollen flesh filleted open by multiple deep scratches. Once there he picked up the abandoned rifle and strip him of his ammunition. Looking back he reached into the gore and pulled out a blood clot encrusted dog tag and chain. He had to get them he knew Jefferies would do it for him. While tears welling up in his eyes he clumsily he got back to his feet and into the fight..

" Swan one status," yell Miller as she continued to cover the rear of her Marines. Pacing with weapon at ready, forcing herself not to watch the battle behind her.

"I have four of the six fuses. Will return in ninety seconds." replied the android in a care free voice.

Suddenly two giant drones appeared shrugging off hits from above. Smaller drones clinging to their backs. The marines unable to concentrated their fire on the two giants could only back up. The giants hard shells easily deflecting anything less powerful than a smart gun round. The normal sized drones racing from one large piece of building debris to another. While the face huggers tried to sneak up on the marines by avoiding the fight.

Sgt Jackson saw what was happening and knew that the drones were trying to get them to shoot up all their ammo. It had to be the queen. She had to be nearby. He knew it was only a matter of time.

"Lt Miller tell your men to fall immediately after you secure the fuses and climb out"

"Who is this."

Mr. Nichols. I will provide cover your retreat. When your ready just high tail it out of there.

Mr. Nichols and his team upon reaching 2nd squad immediately headed down to the core's crash site. The flood of alien hormones he could smell exciting him to near super human levels. He could hear the queen's emotions and her rage. He could understand her focus, her instructions. But she was not his queen. She was to be killed. He could barley restrain himself from losing his humanity. He rappelled down towards the battle in huge bounds. Barely noticing the heavily armed androids swinging down next to him. In less than a minute they reached a landing 3 stories above the fight.

"Take out the giants," with a thought the androids went into action

The androids aimed their smart guns at the giants from above. Sending hundreds of hot slugs through the top of their long skulls. The exoskeletons skulls imploding , as the rounds punched through both sides and into the core lining. The giants froze in place then fell back into a heap of steaming exoskeleton. The rain washing a stream of acidic sludge into open cracks in the core. Making a sound like throwing frozen fries in hot grease. As the wave of acid hit an alpha particle processor plate made of radium a strong alkaline or base. Sending superheated stream rising from the cracks in the core casing. Followed by wisps of white smoke that popped every time a drop of rain hit it.

Exploiting the demise of the two giants the marines reloaded and checked their fire. Waiting for a drone to expose themselves instead of sending out suppressive fire. Miller turned to look into the access tunnel when a blistered and heavily charred yellow hand appeared. Slowly it's head rose and it's burnt synthetic skin showed the amount of heat lingering in the crawl way. Without the android the trip would have be a waste. "Thank God, nothing happened to it" she thought to herself.

"Marines get ready to break for the rappel lines. Prepare grenades." as she pulled her attention back to watching the rear.

Swan one pulled itself out of the core and packed away the fuses. At twenty pounds apiece it was best that the android carry the fuses. Throwing the large pack on to its back, it turned headed for the rappel lines. It's primary mission being to get back to the ship at any cost.

"Lets go! Grenades out!"

The remaining marines quickly tossed their grenades then spun to run to the rappel lines. A few of the drones gave chase only to be caught in the combined blast of the grenades. Quickly securing their harnesses they began to climb back up with the assistance of the androids three story above. As they climbed the remaining drones and face huggers came out from behind their hiding spots and headed towards them. More than twenty full sized drones ran through the covering fire. Most of them thrown back by the accurate fire. Few made it through the fire and started up the wall.

Quickly closing on two marines still hanging under the third floor landing. One drone clinging to the ceiling of the second floor snarled then spit acid at the female marine as she pulled herself up on to the landing. The acid splashing across her face and chest plate.

Crying out in pain the marine let go of the landing and fell back to the ground. Badly hurt she managed to get on all fours and start to crawl back to the line. As she reached for the cord a drone hopped down from the wall and grabbed her by the shoulders. Looking face to face with the drone she attempted to scream. But was cut off by as the adult shot it's inner jaws through her eye socket. Then dropped her limp body to the ground. Seconds later a face hugger started impregnating her in the middle of the battle field.

"Fuck! Climb you son's bitches climb!" yelled Jackson as he strained to increase his pace. The marines looked back then put more into their climb. More drones began pouring out of the opposite side. As another giant with a huge head with a wide comb seemed to peek out then retreat back into the dark.

Mr. Nichols smelled the queen before he saw it. A jolt of rage entered his body. Something buried deep inside something primal. He began to feel the world around him in strange harmonic tones. Without turning his head he felt two face huggers slowly climbing thru the rubble behind him in the rumble. In a flash of motion he pulled and fired his pistol into the rubble. Killing the face huggers with two shots.

With a thought his androids received his commands and started up the rappel lines. The marines after reaching the twentieth floor providing covering fire for them. Mr. Nichols could feel the drones crawl underneath the landing ready to pounce on him once he started up. Grabbing the line he started up and stopped. Looking back he aimed and fired catching the drone before it could react. Sending it crashing into to other drone following it's path up. Then went up the rope in a time that would make an Olympic level athlete jealous.

2nd squad watched from above unable to help without taking a chance of hitting one of their own. Slowly a number of bugs crawled along the ceiling. Silently closing on their prey, a robot sentry picking them up and tracking their movements. Slowly 2nd squad moved to defend against the new threat watching the approaching bugs on their HUD. The picture being sent to the them by the sentry's camera.

Suddenly flashes of light slammed into the alien nightmares and the ceiling. Knocking down the majority of them. Spinning to find their attackers the aliens were hit by another salvo. Turning to run a drone dodged a glowing disc and entered the range of the robot sentry. Firing an one second burst the alien fell apart in a spray of acid and shell.

Slowly the five figures faded into view. Immediately the squad recognized them as predators. The squad holding their fire as the large creatures approached them. The largest of them walking with open palms. Cpl Lang stood up and walked out into the open with the same open palms.

Nervously the marines allowed the predators to enter their perimeter.

Slowly the large predator scooped up a hand full of red fungus and sprinkled it over the body of a dried out alien. Scoping another hand full it Walked over to the edge of the chasm and threw it over. The other predators doing the same. Cpl Lang scoped some into an empty ammo can and dumped it over. The rest of the marines catching on and using various items to dump over the side.

Sergeant Jackson looked back down and could see a sea of aliens climbing the walls after them. By the speed of their climb most of what was left of his squad wouldn't make it. Rope climbing twenty floors fully equipped was hard enough but with faster stronger pissed off aliens, damn near impossible. As he looked up he could see the android nearing the top. As a cloud of red dust began to fill the air around him. Beneath him he could hear what had to be one of Mr. Nichols androids firing away at the pursuing aliens.

Still climbing he looked back down the chasm. Mr. Nichols was had already caught up with the slower of the marines. His androids using standard rifles to replace their empty smart guns. The red dust cloud floating past them.

As sudden as the attack started the aliens turned in retreat. Only the face huggers ignoring the cloud. Drones began to jump from as high as five stores to avoid the dust. Once again the queens head appeared and let out a silent scream. Stopping Mr. Nichols and making him grab his head in pain. The face huggers then became erect and started to follow the drones back down. In little more then a minute the chasm was empty accept for the dead xenomorphs and the climbing marines.

"What happen to your ships ? Quickly the computer translated the question."

"Mala'kak trapped in grip of planet. Moons of death shine rays of searing light on the grand vengeance. Many killers of long nose lived to walk the great forest. More killers of long nose die in the void."

"The great forest?"

"The never ending forest. The planet of tree and water. The glorious breeding grounds. Destroyed turned to ash by the long nose."

"What is the Mala-kak purpose here?"

"Long nose purpose to stop the spread of hard meat."

"Long Nose?"

'Yes Mala-kak destroy the Hish hunting planets. Kill all those exposed to hard meat. '

"Did you defeat them?"

"No long nose ship sleeps."

"Sleeps?"

"Hish energy draining field prevents Mala-kak from leaving. Mala-kak moons of death prevents Hish from destroying ship."

"How does energy field work?"

"Amegi say grip of planet."

"Grip of planet… gravity."

"Gravity?'

"Yes powered by gravity."

"Computer plot trajectory of missile drone's gravimetric core." In his mind the data flowed in swirling colors. Computer show me a gravity map of target planet and over lay core trajectory." the map in his mind showed what he thought might be the case scientifically. The core was pulled out of it trajectory by the Hish device. Not following the path that most of the debris entered the planet's atmosphere. "The core must have a breech in containment.. It looks like it might have came down near or hit the device itself."" Computer show me a comparison of gravimetric readings ten minutes before it entered the atmosphere and up to now. The colors didn't lie the readings were falling off at rapid rate. Computer send this data to the commander's station labeled priority one.

Mr. Nichols pulled himself over the ledge and rolled to his feet. Upon seeing the predators he let out a hiss and crouched in a defensive stance. The large predator eyed him and spread out his massive arms and popped out his massive arm blades. Both warriors slowly measuring the other as they walk in a stalking circle. Mr. Nichols finally standing up right backed out of the warrior dance. His blood lust being repressed by his human logic. The predator leader backed away it's confusion showing through it's metal mask. One by one the Hish cloaked and headed down the chasm. Lt Miller giving orders for 2nd squad to ride on top of the APC while 1st rode within to eat rest and reload. Mr. Nichols androids would run along side after reloading their smart guns. A few minutes to get ready they started back to the landing zone. As the APC rumbled back out of the hive, what they encountered started to make sense.

The hive was old and diseased, then it was hit by the gravimetric core. The aliens were busy trying to repair damage and clean out the dead. Basically the aliens didn't want to fight until we got too close to the queen.

Yeah and they probably were more concerned with the predators then us. Like you said we got too close to the queen. Replied Jackson as he loosened his shin guard to get to a itch that was bugging him for about twenty minutes.

So what in the hell did those giant bugs come from? The bugs that infected elephants on earth didn't look like that. They were bigger but didn't grow trunks.

"Don't ask me maybe you know Mr. Nichols?"

"It may have something to do with higher intelligence or function."

"Maam we got a large reading moving in the same direction as us. Two hundred meters off our bearing at three hundred and five degrees. The reading is getting stronger but it's not actually approaching us."

"Shit now what. Driver make best speed to the LZ. Marines get ready when we get there immediate deployment." as she turned to watch the video feed from outside the APC.

"Alright marines smoke um if you got um. Cause it may be the last time you enjoy yourself in this life." cued in Jackson while reaching for a cigarette that he was dreaming about for the last few hours.

The remaining marines laughed then pulled out whatever little goodies they were saving for later. For some it was a cig others cheese and crackers or a candy bar. Mr. Nichol could feel their reactions to his surprise the marines were excited. He couldn't help but see something in these marines that most of humanity lacked. Something the aliens had that prey didn't. He smelled it on the predators and the drones. He had been around killers and the smell was similar. But this smell was strong yet not overwhelming. A murders excitement was over whelming almost contagious. Far too easy to give in to the pleasure. This scent provided focus something humans often lost when faced with death. He would enjoy being around these humans. In his opinion all the rest the scared, the selfish, and the weak could die.

"Having fun Mr. Nichols."

"How?" wondering how he could hear him from orbit.

"I tasked the droids to repair the backup array, handsome." replying like he could hear his thoughts.

"Yes you are we'll laugh about this later. What have you learned?" laughing at his mistake inside.

"You're in the middle of ancient battle field between the Hish and the species discover on LV 423 in the derelict ship."

"That explains the actions of the predators we encountered down here. " replied Mr. Nichols as he watched a electromagnetic spike grow on a nearby sensor feed.

"Did you recov…"

The feedback suddenly dominated the channel and it shut down. Mr. Nichols sat helpless to recover the channel all he could was wait until the Harriet contacted him again. He could feel the APC rolling to a stop. When it stopped the ramp slammed down and the marines rushed out. Fresh air rushing into the APC, giving his nostrils a needed break. From the stink of unwashed bodies and open wounds.

Outside marines hopped down from the roof of the APC and took up defensive positions. Cpl Burns trotted down the ramp and collapsed the xenozip in his system quickly wearing off. Jackson grabbed his buddy and helped him back into the APC. On the horizon they could see the drop ships breaking through the clouds in the reddish grey sky. The rain never ending but enough sun to shine bright, showing the fields of fungus growing along the mountain side.

"LT the contact is right over there along that gentle slope. It should be appearing in seconds."

At over a thousand meters away the cave in was still easy to see. As a cloud of dust marked the spot of the breech in the side of the mountain. Moments later Three giant aliens appeared followed by a mass of drones. The drones carried egg cases, face huggers, and others large round orbs that looked like the walls of the hive. More giants appeared then suddenly a huge queen being carried by a mass of drones. Her egg sac throbbing as she screamed loud enough to be heard by the marines. The army of xenomorphs turned away from the landing zone and headed down a mountain pass. For another minute drones continued to flow out of the cave.

Suddenly plasma shots started coming from inside the cave. Tearing into the fleeing aliens that ignored the attackers. Five predators appeared chasing an army that could easily overwhelm them. The three giant aliens now poised over the cave entrance finally reacted to the predators. Their trunks flashing out and stretching with a ridiculous amount of reach. Snatching two of the predators into the air and flinging their lifeless bodies. Reacting quickly one predator fired three quick plasma bursts at the nearest giant. Severing one of its dorsal pipes as it ducked for cover. The other predator throwing two glowing discs at the giant nearest him. The disc taking different wide paths seemed to confuse the giant. The second of inaction allowing it to dodge one disc but catch the other in the back of its long head. Letting out a scream that would shatter windows the giant fell over its legs kicking as it spun on its back. The predator seizing the moment to run over grab the disc and push it into the giants head. As it roared in triumph the third giant leaped and stretched out flying towards the celebrating predator. Just before it would be crushed dived out the way. The alien followed the predator lashing out its trunk. The trunk inches away from the predators back fell limp as a cloaked spear punched through the aliens back using the force of the alien's weight as it landed. A cloaked predator appeared and chopped the off the head of the giant. The last giant puffed up it's trunk and sprayed the area with acid. Hitting two predators making them fall to the ground rolling over in a slow death. The last predator noticing something above it, activated it's cloak and leapt away.

Over the fight scene hovered a huge elephant like humanoid wearing a tattered and ripped space suit. Raising pistol shaped device it started to point it at the spot the predator and tried to follow the invisible hunter. The giant aliens seemed to implode when they crossed the weapons path. Again two disc appeared and raced towards the new combatants. Its shields deflecting the discs as it continued to attack the hidden predator. Then something strange happened a predator turned and buried its arm blades deep into the chest of another waiting for its disc to return. Without the caster to catch it the glowing disc cut through the neck of the crazed predator. Leaving it standing with a fountain of glowing blood spraying from its neck, until the weight of its dangling head toppled it over.

Almost overhead the drop ship prepared to touch down. The marines backing up and allowing it the space to land. Quickly the APC rolled up the back ramp locking in place automatically. The marines racing on board the sounds of the drop ship engine drowning out the sound of battle on the slopes below.

Twenty plasma bolts smashed into the long nose's shield. As six more Predators rushed out of the cave led by the large one. Slowly turning to engage the new Predators the Mala-kak continued to fire its device. On the drop ship a loud almost ear shattering hum filled the air. Mr. Nichol slammed his fist into the armored wall then passing out. The troop cabin beginning to fill with smoke from the short circuits popping up all over the ship. Slowly the drop ship continued to lift off and pulled away from the battle scene.

Once again a volley of plasma smashed into the shield. As the long nose took aim on a predator that stood it's ground. The invisible wave turning part of the Predator's arm bright red like a cooked lobster, as it tried to roll out the way. Another fired a spear dart that sunk into the devise and exploded. The explosion filling the shield with contained fire. Suddenly the disc flipped up sending the Mala-kak warrior face first into the ground. The flying disc losing control and flying off into the sky. As the warrior tried to sit up. The Hish leader popped it's blades and plunged it into the long nose's neck tearing out the front of it. The rest of it's clan surrounding it letting it die a slow death. A few moments passed, the sound of more flying discs echoed through the pass. Hearing the flying discs the leader severed the Mala-kak's head spraying thick grey blood several feet into the air and carried it away in triumph.

"Shit shit shit I can't keeper her up !"

"Increase power Dobbs increase power."

Chief looked to see why Dobbs wasn't increasing power. All he could see was the top of Dobb's helmet flopping with each swerve of the drop ship. His instrument panel on fire sending up a stream of smoke from the burning plastic.

"Damn it… somebody get up here! Get Dobbs!"

Out of his cock pit screen all he could see was a blur of rocks, fungus and mud racing by. All his reading changing so fast that he couldn't began to understand what they were trying to tell him. Pulling back on control stick he could feel the nose pull up until he felt the ship dropping with a heavy tail. Increasing power while losing altitude he once again filled his screen with the alien landscape. Finally gaining enough speed to pull out of his dive. He tried again to gain altitude finally stabilizing mere meters above the ground.

"I'll never make it to orbit in this shape we have to land and rewire the control systems. Fuck me."

"What now!"

"I got a herd of angry bugs below me and all I can do is take us little off their heading. But I gotta land now. I can get us some distance and the high ground."

"Do what you can do "

"Alright brace for a hard landing. I'm going in!"

All the marines braced for the hard landing that never came. The pilot able to hold back enough power to slow to a hover and fall only one meter. The landing gear easily absorbing the shock of 40 tons of metal. Over head Dragon fly two circled the landing site to make sure dragonfly one was alright. The disabled drop ship had come to rest on a mesa shaped mound. The area dominated a marsh of oily slime covered liquid. Huge slug like animals swimming around in the toxic sludge.

"Ok dropping ramp"

"Dragon two get those fuses up to the Harriet. We'll be up when we finish repair."

The marines casually walked out the back of the ship. Tired of their bad luck and it showed on their faces. Each pairing up to find a comfortable defense position to spend the next few hours. The androids pulled access panels and started working on the melted wiring. Lt Miller and sergeant Jackson began cleaning out the filthy drop ship bay. Tossing empty ammo cans, food wrappers, and dumping the portable johns. It was the shit work but two higher ups doing helped morale. It also was a good excuse to be alone. Back inside the drop ship they started running the self diagnostics and weapon zeroing programs.

While waiting for results Miller took off the armor and opened her top. Jackson started checking the individual soldier recordings for errors before saving them to be sent back to the Harriet. Miller walked up behind him then spun him on his seat. Caught by surprise Jackson let his helmet slip out of his lap. While bending to catch it he noticed her round breast close to his face. Grabbing the back of his head she pulled him to her chest. His lips surrounding her nipple. Then directing his head down to her waist. She raised up and unzipped her pants and dropped them to the floor. Jackson started kissing her inner thighs as she rubbed his head. Then he yanked away "Shit! Sorry but I got issues

Mr. Nichols walked the seventy meters to the cliff edge of the pass. Ease dropping on the two marines the whole way with the help of his little inherited gift from mom. Using a pair of binoculars he watched the Aliens begin to enter from what he could tell was an old abandoned bunker. It was free of fungus and probably deeper than the old building they once occupied. He knew that they didn't have to worry about the aliens coming for them. They would be busy building another nest and securing the queen. It would be days before they would start looking to catch prey. So if they left the xenos alone they would leave them alone. He could see signs of battle on the horizon. It was spreading, smoke dotting the horizon from many directions. The sounds of distant thunder claps made by two races that see themselves as gods.

"Commander repairs are complete on the engines and communication. We're just waiting on the fuses. Weapons is reporting ready all guidance rerouted through the emergency communication array."

"Stealth officer report."

"Stealth systems are down to sixty percent. Indirect relation we are picking up intermitted energy sweeps in our general direction. We can't increase power without giving away out position and without increase power we will lose our stealth"

"Ok air boss give me some good news"

"Dragon fly three is loaded for possible evacuation and unneeded emergency pods are filled with survival supplies. Your good news is that Dragon fly two returning with the fuses."

"The commander we have thermal and electronic readings popping up all over the planet. We are picking up active jamming of frequencies in many areas. Also the new scans of the planet are showing structures buried beneath the soil. Some the structures giving off rising thermal readings. We also see signs of high energy combat being waged in multiple regions. "

Commander Logan looking around his smashed control room at the damage the first attack gave it. A sense of dread over coming him as he thought of what would happen if they couldn't get out of the satellite field. The marines will have to make it back soon or be left behind. There would be no more drop ship launches. His mission was to get the Predator ship back to Earth not fight a war.

Lost in thought he didn't notice Mr. Nichols enter the command suite. Those of the crew that did were stunned.

"Commander what are you gonna do about Mr. Nichols? He will not be left on that planet."

"What the hell? Twins?"

"That's not the answer that I'm expecting commander."

"Who in the hell are you?"

"Mr. Nichols. Now commander what are you going to do about Mr. Nichols."

"A clone?"

"I'm a colonel in the T.I.A. Now answer me before I throw you out an air lock, in your dress uniform. "

"Yes sir. Well I could…I going to send a fighter drone to escort them out."

"Make it all of them and get ready to strike these coordinates." Mr. Nichols handed him a flexi pad with strike instructions.

"I expect that we have opened Pandora's Box and I intend to close it."

"Pandora's box, what's Pandora's Box?"

"Yes we have an alien race down there and they intend on killing anything touched by the xenomorphs. That means Predators and Humanity. The wish to sterilize our part of the galaxy. We need to hit as hard as we can then complete our mission. So commander get the those fighters down there. Chop chop "

The sounds of battle suddenly erupted from south of the mesa. Light and explosions coming from a path along the base of the field of mesa. The strange aliens and the predators once again engaged in combat. Close enough that the slugs began to leave the area. Crawling on to the land some were attacked by a horde of face huggers hidden in the fungal forest surrounding the swamp. The huggers clawing into the slimy flesh implanting up to five eggs in each of the slugs.

"Jack find out how long we got. Tell everyone to go silent no radios. If we can detect radio I know they can."

"On my way"

Heading top the drop ship he could see androids closing the access panels and running checks. As he entered the ramp he could see Mr. Nichols curled up in a corner holding his head.

"What's wrong?"

"I can hear them."

"What?"

"The Pathfinders they want us all dead."

"They want us dead?"

"No humans! the infected! The hosts! They're in my head! They know what I know. All our planets, stations, and ships!"

"Come on get up."

Before he could him to his feet a scream of agony erupted from Mr. Nichols. His eyes rolling around his head like a mad man. At that moment a horde of giants and drones rush out of the bunker.

She's trying to leave. She lives in the sleepers.

What?

The queen of queens she lives in the sleepers! Few Mala-kak awake to war while others sleep. She lives in the sleepers!

What a dream? Did you dream this !

"No we are of Ripley. We are the harmony of mind. We are of the queen and the mother." putting his finger in his mouth Mr. Nichols bit down and drew blood. A drop of blood falling to the floor and steaming as it ate away at the paint. Then stopping leaving exposed bare metal.

"What the fuck?'

"We are of the dark mother. .I can hear her."

"Oh shit."

"We have to leave! We have to kill them! The Mala-kak all infected all under the queen of queens on that ship."

"Pilot how long a few minutes I got to check hull integrity or we'll just die in space."

"I thought I told you to stay off the radio!"

"Fuck that LT get in here it's Mr. Nichols!"

They began to reach the mesa's base more than fifty predators battled four Mala-kak on floating disc. Neither side gaining an advantage as the Predators worked like a pack of wolves. Circling and feinting attacks trying to clip away at the shields. The Technorganic Mala-kaks staying in close formation using cooperative fire to hold back the overwhelming number of predators. All around them the was an environmental disaster. The weapons turning organic materials into industrial strength sludge.

From a top of the mesa the soldier could see the horde of drones rapidly approaching the battle. Hundreds of drones and tens of giants moving along like a column of army ants. A number of queens moving through the column with ease. Then something huge appeared a queen far larger then the rest. Resembling the giants but more massive and built like the smaller queens, except for the waving scaled trunk.

The predator continued their attacks until the ground around them began to up heave. Something large trying to free it's self from the soil. The distraction costing a few their lives as they were cooked alive inside their own skin. Just as they adjusted to the movement underneath their feet. The horde entered the fray. Caught between two foes they were easily over run. As a wave of drones filled the ground with tumbling balls of drones and predators entangled in a dance of death. The Mala-kak hovering as if memeserized by the scene. Slowly their discs falling to the ground crushing anything under it. The drones lunching themselves on top of the struggling warriors and punching through their helmets and suits with multiple inner jaw strikes. Quickly maiming the warriors and carrying them off screaming telepathically.

The ground continued to heave until the top of a ship pushed through. Then finally stopping as it came to an hover less then a meter off the ground. The great doors opening allowing the column to rush in.

"I can hear their screams. I can feel their minds calling out confused. I can feel them weeping. She's in their minds! She making them love her! She brings family! They love her! She hears me! My queen of queens hears me! She loves me!"

"Shit! What now!" Jackson got up from making sure Burns was alright to find out what the babble was about.

"She's trying to leave. She lives in the sleepers. "Mr. Nichols standing perfectly but sweating like he was running a marathon.

What?

"The queen of queens she lives in the sleepers! Few Mala-kak awake to war while others sleep. She lives in the sleepers!" When he opened his eyes they appeared black. His iris dominating his eyes looking extremely nonhuman. Giving off a shiny glint that appeared to come from deep inside his eyes.

"What a dream? Did you dream this ! "Jackson trying not to react to his eyes.

"No we are of the Dark mother. We are the harmony of mind. We are of the queen and the mother." Putting his finger in his mouth Mr. Nichols bit down and drew blood. A drop of blood falling to the floor and steaming as it ate away at the paint. Then stopping leaving exposed bare metal.

"What the fuck?"

"We are of the Dark mother. We are of one mind of free will. I can hear her. ..my mind." With that Mr. Nichols fell silent. He could hear Jackson's heart beat increase and smell the adrenaline increasing in his system. A slight tingle up his spine told him that a large amount of muscles were contracting at the same time. Slowly moving ready to strike quickly. He was reading Jackson's body like a telepath reads a mind.

"Oh shi !t"

"We have to leave we have to kill them. The Mala-kak all infected all under the queen of queens…my head?"

"Pilot how long a few minutes. "

"I got to check hull integrity or we'll just die in space."

" I thought I told you to stay off the radio" Miller broke in wondering why Jack of all people would use the radio especially when he's a few steps from the pilot.

"Fuck that LT get in here it's Mr. Nichols." then the radio went silent

Before Jackson could draw his pistol, Mr. Nichol had reached up and grabbed his groin like vise. Then punched him in the face, sending him face first into the wall. On his feet Mr. Nichols ran up into the cockpit. The pilot caught unaware never saw Mr. Nichols enter. Snatching back the pilots helmet he head butted his face crushing it inward. Leaving bubbles of carbon dioxide pushing through the blood flowing from his face.

Jackson slowly tried to get up he could feel his face swelling. His privates throbbing, as his chest felt like it was going to burst. Lt Miller ran up the ramp and saw Jackson curled up in pain. Quickly pulling him to his feet, "what in hell happened?"

"That son of a bitch crushed my nuts and punched me"

"Wha..why"

"He went nuts talking about she loves me."

"Who me?"

"No ass the queen the fucking bug queen."

"Fuck it's like he's one of those alien fanatics from the invasion."

" A chosen ? Where he go?"

"The cock pit, let's get his ass...oh my nuts."

Miller led the way with Jackson following hand still clutching his balls. When they entered Mr. Nichols was throwing up over a chair with his face covered in blood. The pilot sitting in his chair faceless drenched in his own.

"Fucking psycho took out the pilot."

"Shit this is one fucked up trip."

"We got drones heading up the mesa a shit load."

Let's bind the sick bitch and get ready to get out of here.

"Black Swan One comes to the cockpit down load the flight manual our pilot is down." She spoke as she looked at the bloody face of her pilot.

"Affirmative."

Turn with lightning speed Mr. Nichols lunged at Miller pinning her against the cockpit glass. The two struggling over the rifle she had slung across her chest. Only the strap keeping him from freeing it from her.

Jackson finally reacted and grabbed Mr. Nichols in a choke hold. Cutting off the oxygen to his lungs. Until a series of elbows slammed into his ribs cutting his own breath short. Holding on for dear life he grimaced with blood stained teeth.

Miller took advantage of Jackson's attack and went for her pistol. After a few tries finally freeing it and slamming it against Mr. Nichols temple. Unfazed he grabbed her hand started to crush her hand. Jackson still trying to choke him unconscious.

Out of nowhere a rifle butt slammed into the crown of Mr. Nichols head. Slowly falling back Mr. Nichols shrugged off Jackson into the opposite wind shield. Turning to face the new combatant he received another rifle butt then slumped over the co pilots chair.

"What the fuck!" Said Burns as he held himself up with the door frame.

"He went nuts" replied Miller

"Shit my ribs…fuck that my nuts!" he said kneeling against the back of the co pilots chair.

"Let loose your nuts and help me get his ass out of here." Miller said half laughing nursing a throbbing head.

"Shit coming woman.", slowly pulling himself his still buried in his crotch.

Using some extra hard line cable they bound his arms and feet then linked them together. Leaving him hog tied in an out the way corner. Cpl Burns babysitting him with a pistol. The pilot lying beside the body bag containing the co pilot's body. Once back outside Miller and Jackson hobbled over to the nearest edge. They could see a huge mass of black insect like humanoids creeping up the walls, within 50 meters to the top.

"Oh shit we don't have enough ammunition or time."

"Fuck the checks lets pack it up."

Turning away from the edge they called in the marines Each happy ass hell to hustle back to the drop ship. Inside the android powered the engines and waited for the engines to heat up. Knowing a cold takeoff would make gaining orbit very risky especially in a damaged ship. It needed a minute or more especially with the rain.

The drones continued to climb the mesa as the ship below continued to hover. The engines of the alien ship throwing up a cloud of mud that hide it from view. Miller took a seat in the cockpit and tried to reach the Harriet. All the channels were still being jammed. She could see a dark wave of drones heading for the drop ship from all sides. Quickly snatching off her helmet she slapped on the cannon head piece. The Gatlin style magnetic rail gun slaved to the eye piece. She pulled the trigger and swept the her field of view. 20 mm armor piercing pellets obliterating all the drones in front of the drop ship. But doing nothing to stop the drones coming from the side and behind.

The android pulled back on the flight stick and the drop ship surged then fell quite. The turbine engines slowly whining down after losing compression.

What up !

"The engines need to warm up ."

"Warm up fuck that lets go!"

"I need a minute or less."

"Fuck!" looking out of the side window she knew it was too late to deploy and defend the ship. The drones were too close and many. Helplessly she watched as more than a few drones disappeared climbing up on to the drop ship and out of her view. Their claws clicking along the hull audible to the passengers in thinner spots looking out of the window she could thought she could see a shadow pass over the area. Then flashes of light followed by a string of explosions slamming into the mesa top. The explosions rocking the drop ship raining down debris on top of it. A large drone falling onto the cock pit bubble and sliding off trying to hold on like a vicious wild cat. It's claws leaving scratches in the transparent plexisteel bubble.

Oh shit ! Let's go! She could hear the marines going back and forth about where the banging and the clicks on the hull was coming from.

"I need another minute", replied the android in a cool voice.

"Shit!", Lt Miller saw a flash and tried to get low in her co pilot chair. Laser tracing across the top of the mesa. Cutting through a number of drones crawling unseen towards the drop ship. Another heading straight for her ship then stopping within a meter of cutting the cockpit down the middle. While ducking she caught a glimpse of a familiar shape. It was a fighter drone from the Harriet turning for another attack run.

Suddenly the engines started to race and the drop ship lifted off. The sound of claws scratching across metal filling the interior. The drones trying to hold on and tear their way through the armored skin. At a hundred feet the android shook the drop ship like a wet dog sending a few drones falling back to the acid covered mesa top. Then headed for altitude while performing a few barrel rolls to make sure they got rid of any hitch hikers.

Three fighter drones zipped by then dropping cluster munitions at the Mala-kak ship at the base of the Mesa. A field of fire blossoms burning green due to the acidic blood of the mass of drones that filled the path. Suddenly a line of distorted air crossed path with two of the fighter drones. Causing them to spark heavily before one cart wheeled into a near by mesa. Pass the crash three ominous Predator ships moved in. Firing beams of accelerated plasma that crashed into the alien ship. The alien ship still hovering as if not being attacked. As the Predator ship over flew the ship they fired another series of particle beams. Another line of distorted air causing one of the ships to smoke badly.

The fight continued as the drop ship and two fighter drones entered the clouds on the way back to orbit. The explosions lighting the clouds from below as fighting gained intensity.

As they left the cloud bank the cock pit controls suddenly lost power. The android slumping powerless into it's seat. Leaving Miller alone in a powerless cockpit. The sensation of powerful engines pushing the vehicle upwards gone. She could feel the lost of speed as the horizon began to creep back up into her view. Like the sensation of flying when you jump off a high perch until gravity pulls you down. After a second or two the cockpit controls lit back up and the orbital engines ignited. The android sat back up and continued to pilot the ship. As the armored screen began to raise she could see one of the fighter drones beginning to fall back towards the planet. The fighter drone falling backwards its engines dark providing no lift.

"Look", said the android pointing at the rear facing camera screen. A huge fireball shot out of the clouds enveloping the wounded drone. It's explosion unnoticed in the searing flames of the fireball.

"Most likely a predator weapon. They are on file using thermonuclear devices. The fire ball will not catch us." the android turning to her and winking.

"Commander multiple energy spikes along the surface. Those skirmishes have erupted into a war down there." the lieutenant still staring at the feed from the weather satellite.

"Sir multiple Predator ships in bound towards planet. From second planet in the system. " The crewman yelled out nervously he knew that he was witnessing something very rare and important.

"That planet is a barren rock." Replied the Lang as he joined the crewman at his station. The silver bowl containing an holographic image of the fleet of twenty ships. Each tagged with scrolling data lines. Absorbing anything it could to be sent to Colonial Intelligence. "I guess they were waiting for an opening. How long before they get here?"

"One hour or less. Their hauling ass.""

" Engine room report." yelled Lang

"Fuses in place depolarizing core. You my leave in forty minutes." replied the android over the com system.

"Air boss the drop ship" as he remembered his team returning from the planet.

"It's on final approach" the air boss replied happy to have some good news.

"Good commander you might not see the airlock before we dock at Far Point. Get Mr. Nichols to my lab ASAP. Oh and hit those targets if you please."

"Weapons you have permission to fire."

Instantly three ports opened along the port side of the Harriet. Three spheres jetting into the black and into orbit. Slowly glowing red their real speed started to show. As they streaked into upper atmosphere. The two remaining predator ships moving off. The MIRV vehicle releasing 5 decoys and one fifty kiloton war head each. The devices free falling until small fins popped out and guided them over the rising ship.

Thousand feet over the alien ship the devices went off. The over pressure slamming into the Mala kak's shields weakening them as the explosions drove the ship back into the ground. As a huge fireballs began to rise into the clouds. The sudden vacuum sucking tons of soil into the sky, forming three classic mushroom clouds.

"Sir engine room reporting ready."

"Ok tell them best speed along plotted track."

"Sir predators ships are engaging the satellite defense. Satellites are counter firing. Heavy damage to satellite system along escape path. Predator ships heading for opening."

" Mr. Nichols how was your trip. She loves us. What are you thinking about? the queen of queens. We are of the light mother. She calls us. Fuck her. She loves us. the light mother, loves us. She loves us, she's a roach. I will kill you. We are of Ripley."

" Commander let them do our dirty work."

"yes sir…weapon on standby."

"Set target parameter of lasers cannons to low yield fire on wreckage of task force. Open fire when predators enter range of satellites."

The Harriet completed its last orbit and engaged engines to sling shot out of orbit. As the predator ships entered the satellite field. Once again the satellites came into view. The predator ships were first to open fire. High energy readings picked up by the Harriet's sensors.

"Fire !"

The lasers locked on the wreckage rapidly heating them up. The satellites swerved and firing on the wreckage obliterating what was left of the task force. Turning to reengage the Predators, the distraction worked. Giving the Harriet enough time to fully engage it's stealth systems.

Accelerated plasma collided with the metallic grey diamonds before silently imploding in the vacuum. The Harriet blended into the background and entered the hole in the satellite field then increased speed to leave the gravity well. The battle raging around it masking the Harriet.

"Make best speed to the salvage ship. Contact me when we get there. "

"Yes sir."

Mr. Nichols spun on his heels and left the command suite. Along the way he could see androids continuing to effect repairs to the warship. The Harriet wasn't his ship but he could feel a pride in her recent actions. He knew more about the science of the ship and combat then any normal captain could dream about. His world was seen in numbers. Each representing a color that he could see. They floated in the fore ground of his perception of the world. The while linked to the AI the Harriet felt more like a suit of automated armor then a warship. Each person he walked by was surround by an mental aura. The color and intensity determined by the persons vital stats and his record. He was walking judgment and that made him feel like a god. In the passage way three androids quickly walked his way, summoned by the cerebral implants he was given to better inter phase with his electronic environment.

In the hanger bay the drop ship was lifted into view. A yellow light flashing as the vacuum siren blared. An arm equipped with a large box like structure lowered and locked into place. Emitting a long line of laser light it swept the ship. As it came around the rear a face hugger fell to bay floor cooked by the sweeping light. Completing it task it lifted back up into it's locking points. The launch bay doors beneath the drop ship forming a tight seal as the lights and the siren stopped.

The hatches opened and a tired first squad walked out. Missing of their own members they went about the task of removing the dead co pilot. Sergeant Jackson finally emerged his face swollen from the punch that floored him. Behind him two marines carrying the pilot who by now had his face bandaged to stop his bleeding. Jackson's body language showed how grateful he was to make it back to the Harriet. Miller following the android that carried the hog tied Mr. Nichols.

As the android dropped Mr. Nichols the bay doors opened and three huge androids marched in. Jackson was the first to see Mr. Nichols standing there. Jackson quickly pulling his pistol but holding it to his side.

"What the hell L.T."

"Shit"

"I'll take Mr. Nichols. Thank you for bringing him back."

"He's under arrest for killing a colonial Marine. Fuck his rank."

"No fuck his rank!"

"Who are you yelled sergeant Jackson."

"I'm Mr. Nichols."

"What his brother?"

'I'm Mr. Nichols."

" Clones replied the commander over the speakers in the hanger bay. Release him to Mr. Nichols. Then come to my state room."

"The sick fuck bashed in the pilots face", Miller said yelling at the speakers

"I said stand down! So stand down and get your asses up here pronto marine!"

"Yes sir."

By then the rest of marines had started walking towards the commotion. The androids moved up and picked him up holding each arm they paused.

" I feel better now. I don't feel her any more. I know that but I feel a fog in your mind. It's better now. I don't feel the loathing. These marines earned my respect. When we get to the lab we'll share our memories. we are of the Ripley. We are the may we are the one. We are answer. We are the future. She must die. The queen of queens must die."

"Release his bonds." The android quickly complied with the orders tearing away the ties."

"Please bring your pilot to our lab. We can help him. After your conference with the commander we have something to tell you."

"Commander the predator fleet has destroyed the satellite network. They are bathing the planet in microwave energy from orbit. From the levels I can predict all life will be eliminated in five hours Earth time."

"Continue to monitor the battle. And reestablish our link to the Michigan."

"Sir we have a large energy reading leaving the planet."

"Focus long range optics on source."

A window opened on the command screen. A large ship leaving orbit under attack by a large number of Predator ships.

"Over ship wide Mr. Nichols to the bridge!" "Walking over to his status board he had ten green lights next to his fighter drones. Prepare drones to launch and warm up the rail guns.. Relay orders to Livingston to immediately make way for Far Point station. "

Mr. Nichols entered the bridge and stood next the commander. His implant telling him what was being displayed at each station. The reason he was summoned was clear. The Mala-kak ship was on the verge of punching through the Hish task force. In his mind the mathematics of the battle was simple. The Predators precision point energy weapons did not pack enough raw power to overwhelm the shields. Using the AI to help him with the calculations the answer was clear. The alien ship was rotating it's shield power at the point of each attack. He had to out flank it.

"Commander ready the attack drones set kamikaze strike. Remaining x-ray devises to hit immediately after strike. Twenty seconds before strike transmit this over open channels. It's in Predator language they will under stand. Then execute immediate jump to Einstein space. Upon reaching the Livingston group we'll dock and make repairs"

"Yes sir weapons your heard him execute."

Within seconds the drones left the Harriet at full power as the missile bays opened. Pulling into a tight formation bearing down on the battle. Predator ships continued to blast away at the huge ship. A number of them dark floating uncontrolled away from the battle. The remaining giving no quarter as they rained plasma bolts into the glowing shields.

On board the Harriet the main twin rail guns rotated towards the battle. With open ports the magnets charged and sent ten devices hurtling into space at tremendous speeds in less then two seconds. Quickly making up distance on the ten drones entering the battle.

"Transmit"

Within seconds the Predator fleet pulled away while still firing at the alien ship. The fighter drones in tight formation firing away as they closed on the ship. In union they continued fire as they slammed into the shields. Each igniting it's engines to add to the power of the impact. A microsecond later the x-ray devises went off. First the nuclear devices exploded a kilometer from the ship. Less then a .001 of second later a surge of directed x-rays surged from the control rods. Slicing into the shields at the speed of light. Next the explosion assaulted the shields from all sides as the momentum of the explosion carried the fireball into the Mala-kak ship.

The Mala-kak ship's engines flickering as debris spread away from the ship. The crude human weapons enveloping and stressing the shields from all sides at once. Defeating them and leaving the ship defenseless. Immediately the Predator ships returned to press their attack. Plasma slamming into the metallic hull as a glowing aura surrounded the alien ship. Building in intensity it was brought to a sudden end as a Predator ship rammed into the ship. The impact destroying the Predator ship and sending the alien ship adrift. Within seconds multiple beams of focused plasma blew the ship apart. Filling void with the hundreds of mutilated Xenomorphic bodies floating amongst the wreckage.

On the planet the battle continued to rage. More of the wish bone shaped ship rising through the clouds as they fought the few remaining Predator ships. The high energy and nuclear battle meant for open space tearing the planet's surface apart. Setting off volcanoes and opening huge cracks filled with molten lava. The sky filled with radioactive debris and steam. Life would never return to the lonely grey planet.

Already in Einstein space the Harriet crew finally got a chance to rest. There was no sign of anything following them. Just in case they where taking an out the way route home. Most of the marines took the time to clean up and enjoy a good meal. Some looked for isolated spots to remember friends that didn't make it back alive.

Returning from their chewing out from the commander the two exhausted marines headed for the berthing bays. As they approached the doors opened and they could see the large bay dominated by black containers. One of the Mr. Nichols stood in the door way of a container and motioned for them to join them. As the walked they noticed that Mr. Nichols seemed more relaxed.

Entering the container they noticed that the Mr. Nichols they knew was sitting drinking from a cup without his normally smug look. Taking a seat they waited to hear the reason for the meeting.

We are clones. More importantly have Xenomorph genes. We were developed to help retake Earth. But not in time to help. You know our secret. Now what are we to do with you?

Us?

Yes the Black Swans. We want you to join us. You know too much and you're good. We need soldiers to fight the Hish if they decide we are becoming too much of a nuisance.

The Hish

that's what they are called. The Predators call themselves the Hish.

What about the pilot what in the hell was that.

It was the queen of queens a telepathic drone she was guiding his actions. He wasn't in control but that contact has giving us knowledge of a greater enemy. Man kind is facing extinction by the Mala-kak due to our contact with the Xenomorphs. If you want to know more accept our offer. "

Sitting there the two marines stared through the glass at the live predator chained to the floor in the container. The other Mr. Nichols placed in their laps a flexi pad flashing images of their families and friends.

" Once again the time of gods and demons have come to man. Welcome to the gates of hell. Do you want to guard them or enter?" Mr. Nichols leaned back smiling while crossing his legs. Then began tapping out an old song on his alligator shoes.