May 15, 2181

Video Log: Cpl. van Hold, Nathan Security Clearance: Blue

Mission Time: 03:53:51 Local Time: 10:14:14

Dutch was holding Ellie, Bron was tied to the back of Allen, and the SEAL was right behind them, covering their escape to the command center. Bron's smartgun roared in fury as the alien horde advanced upon them, and the SEAL was doing her best as well to add to the hailstorm of gunfire. Dutch activated his radio and started talking.

"Eagle Actual, this is Dutch! We are heading back to base, and we have mission sensitive cargo in tow, and a shit-ton of hostiles following us!" he yelled into his headset.

Tanner responded quickly. "Define mission sensitive Corporal!"

Dutch groaned as he fired his pulse rifle at a lone runner in front of the group. "We have a friendly xeno with Bron on its back with us! We're asking for a temporary sentry override!"

"Friendly?! That's impossible!"

"You're preaching to the choir sir!" Bang, another bug dead. Dutch could see the building in front of him right now. "Sir, now would be a good time for some fire support!" Dutch could not have been happier with the sounds of pulse rifles and energy weapons going off to save him and his little rag tag band of mismatched personalities.

"Get your ass inside Marine! We see your package, and while I don't believe it, I ain't complaining. NOW GET IN HERE!" Tanner yelled. Dutch sprinted to the door, stopping to hand Ellie off to the guard there before turning around to fire. Seconds later, Allen and Bron made it to the door, and Allen almost found himself blown to bits before they all noticed Bron lashed to the alien's backside.

"Charlie!" Bron yelled, and Dutch turned to see that the SEAL was getting close to being overrun. Rushing out, Dutch fired his rifle into the horde, bringing down several bugs; unfortunately, one of them was a bit too close when he killed it, sending some of its acidic blood onto Charlie's chest armor. The SEAL panicked as she struggled to rip her armor off before the acid reached her. Luckliy, the base's auto-sentries kicked back online and started grinding the horde down to mulch as Dutch helped the trooper take the armor off. As the smoldering chest plate hit the ground, the Marine and SEAL high tailed it to the inside of the command center.

The moment that Charlie got in, the peacekeeper next to it slammed the door shut, and a technician soon started to weld it shut. Panting, Dutch looked and saw that there were at least fifteen guns trained on Allen, and Ellie was not happy, as her pout attested. Dutch walked up to the nearest NCO, a Staff Sergeant Sanchez. "Sir, he's friendly enough," he said, watching the sergeant's look of surprise.

"Bullshit," the Latino NCO said, and Allen growled, covering Ellie's ears as he did so. Dutch almost chuckled.

"Hey sarge, language, we got kids here," Dutch commented, pointing to Ellie. Sanchez was about to argue with the corporal when Tanner, Kestrel, and Dr. Freeman (whose first name was not Gordon) came down from the stairs and saw Allen.

"That the package?" Freeman asked, pointing at Allen. Dutch nodded, and the scientist edged closer to Allen to get a better look at him. Dutch nodded as both Tanner and Kestrel looked the alien over. Allen gently tried to pry his sister off of his bony leg, but to no avail; that girl hugged harder than a facehugger, that was for certain.

"Amazing," Freeman breathed. "No outward hostile behaviors, and it-"

"Allen's a he!" Ellie blurted out angrily. Allen, for his part, huffed and lightly tapped her on the head. Ellie looked back at her brother and felt his tail coil around her midsection. She let out a small squeak of indignation as Allen lifted her off his leg and dropped her to the ground several feet away.

"And no sign of aggression to little girls," Kestrel said as he looked at the SEAL. "Hey trooper, name and rank if you don't mind."

Charlie snapped to attention. "Seaman Charlotte Bronson, SEAL Team 4 sir!" she said, saluting the two officers in front of her. Tanner nodded.

"At ease. Now, on the way down, did you see anything that looked like it wasn't supposed to be there?" he said. Charlie looked up, trying to recall.

"I think I saw a small outpost about…I'd say thirty klicks south by southwest sir," she said. "I'm not sure." They all flinched when Allen snapped his head to the words Charlie had said. Looking around, the xeno spotted a terminal nearby and walked towards it. Freeman was about to freak out when Kestrel stopped him.

The guards, Marines, Soldiers, scientist and SEAL watched as Allen booted up the terminal and brought up a document program. In seconds, he began typing at a rapid pace. "Holy shit," Freeman whispered. "I didn't know xenos could type!" Kestrel shook his head.

"They don't."

Seconds later, Allen stepped away from the terminal and beckoned for the soldiers to come closer. Hesitantly, Freeman, Kestrel, Tanner, and Dutch walked over to the terminal and looked at it in shock.

It's a Weyland-Yutani outpost. They ran a few bioweapon experiments, which kinda explains the outbreak. And me.

Dutch looked at Allen. "What do you mean?" he asked. Allen edged back over to the terminal and typed.

They found some sort of alien artifact buried on site. They got a few 'volunteers' and activated the relic. It…changed them. I don't know, I can't explain it all that well. But the Mother doesn't like them.

Tanner spoke up this time. "The Queen?" Allen nodded. "How come you're not like the others?" the Major asked.

Allen smiled…well, the closest a xeno could smile anyway. I made a promise to protect my little sister. And I don't break my promises sir.

Dutch chuckled. "Yeah, I know that feeling," he said as he spotted Larissa standing by the stairs, looking at Allen in shock. The Marine Corporal walked over to his sister and put an arm around her. "You okay?" he asked quietly.

Larissa shook her head. "No Nathan, I'm not," she said. "We have no way off this hellhole, and we're outnumbered. Not exactly something to be in a good mood for."

Nathan hugged her. "Hey, we'll get off world, I promise." Larissa snorted and looked up at her brother.

"Trying to use that famous van Hold optimism Nate?" she asked gently. Nathan shrugged.

"I'm just stating the obvious here," he said as Tanner waved him over. Dutch disentangled himself from his sister and went over to his CO. "Yes sir?" he asked, looking at the xeno that was now letting a certain little climb onto its back.

Tanner looked at Kestrel. "Dutch, Kestrel and…Allen say that we need to get off world ASAP. Allen says that there's a Navaho dropship at the Whisky Yankee Outpost. Kestrel and Dr. Freeman are going to gather the survivors, while we make sure that the little fuckers have something to chew here. Dutch, I'm going to need you and the SEAL to head to their armory and grab anything and everything that isn't bolted down. Some of the hardware here is meant for the shit storm coming up," Tanner said.

"Understood sir," Dutch answered as he shouldered his pulse rifle. "When and where do you want them stocked sir?"

Tanner pointed to the east. "Garage son. Now get going."

Dutch snapped to attention. "Yes sir!" he exclaimed, and then proceeded to the armory, Navy SEAL in tow. Tanner turned to Larissa.

"Doctor van Hold?"

Larissa looked up at the Marine commander. "Yes?" she answered.

Tanner pointed at Allen. "Can you take Allen to medbay? I'd like to know what makes him so different from the rest of the Hive."

Larissa looked over Allen professionally. "Will do sir." Walking over to the rather mismatched pair, Larissa looked at Ellie. "Ellie, do you know who I am?" she asked the little girl. Ellie nodded. "Ok," Larissa continued. "Ellie, I need to take your brother to my lab here. I need to find out what makes him so special."

Ellie nodded. "Okay," she said. "Is Allen going to be okay?"

Larissa nodded. "Don't worry honey, I'll try not to hurt him. Though I doubt I could," she admitted with a small smile. "Ellie, listen, I think we're going on a trip soon. Do you want to take a nap in my lab while I look at your brother?" Ellie nodded her head furiously before yawning. Allen rolled his head, seemingly exasperated with his sibling's antics.

Larissa turned and beckoned from Allen to follow her. The alien did so, careful not to let his sibling fall off his back.

Meanwhile, Dutch and Charlie managed to get into the armory. One look, and Dutch let out a wolf-whistle. He was expecting pulse rifles and smartguns. What he didn't expect were the new Series Six UAG-290 Sentry Turrets, several racks of M7 Urban Plasma Rifles, two M23 rocket launchers, and off in the corner, a really big Fucking GUN. Charlie turned to Dutch. "Dibs on the big fucking gun," she said. Dutch shrugged and picked up a new rifle he hadn't seen before. Looking at the side, he saw that it was a Driftech M30A Designated Marksman Rifle, 9.5x112mm. Slipping the clip out, Dutch counted out a ten round magazine, and he then slipped the clip back in. Looking at the barrel, Dutch smiled as he saw the hint of a pair of electromagnetic rails.

Yeah, the Hive was about to get hammered.