Kathryn Chang walked through the halls of the Seagrave space station looking over the latest reports from the planet she was about to go to. The air on the planet was 70% breathable but all the colonists still had to walk around with tank of air if they needed it. She was gonna be the chef engineer of the residential complex on the planet. Her first name was American but her last was Chinese. Her hair hung down to the small of her back and was usually in a bun. She had lost her accent since joining "The Company". She was recognized as an expert in the construction business and could back up any claim she made. She wasn't very muscular but she was very toned. She was rather tall for her race standing almost 6 foot. She had been married once but it ended in divorce after she learned she was sterile and couldn't have a child of her own. Ever sense then she gave up on a love life and dedicated all her time on her job. As a child she studied martial arts and was highly trained with a staff. She hadn't practiced in years but she knew she could handle a staff like an extension of her body. She walked through the door of her small room. The only walls in the room were the ones that formed the bathroom. The kitchen and living room/bedroom were in the same room. She walked into her bathroom and filled the bathtub with hot water and grabbed a bottle of Brandy. She discarded her clothes and lay in the tub with a glass of Brandy.

She was soaking her hair when the phone by the tub started ringing.

"Chang." She said answering the phone.

"Miss. Chang we will be departing for Lv. 653 in 3 hours make sure you are ready." A man said. "Be at the dock no later than 14:30."

"I'll be there." She said and hung up.

She finished her drink and got out of the tub and sat in front of a mirror. She dried her hair and tied it in a bun. She got dressed in a pair of black shorts and a white button up shirt. She packed her things that she was taking with her to the planet and set the bag by the door. She picked up the book she was almost finished with and put her glasses on and started reading. The book was a sappy one and in the end the lovers died at their own hands. Kathryn brushed the tears from her eyes and stood up. Her clock said it was 14:00 and she grabbed her things and headed for the dock. As she walked to the dock she ignored the numerous cat calls from the Marines that were in the hall. All the guys and even some women that saw her with her glasses and outfit and her hair in a bun could not help but throw her a whistle as she walked by. There were only a few times that she acknowledged any of the cat calls with a smile and a wink. If for nothing else she did it so the Marines could brag to their friends for the next few weeks.

She got to the dock and was met at the door by a young woman that had been hitting on her for almost a year. Kathryn teased her the whole time and had fun doing it.

"Are you leaving Kat?" The woman asked.

"Hey Jane." Kathryn said. "Yea I'm on my way to Lv. 653."

"Well take care of yourself." Jane said. "I'm sure you'll do a good job as usual."

Kathryn gave her a smile and winked. As she passed by she brushed her hand on Jane's cheek and walked away knowing all to well that Jane was going out of her mind at the touch. Kathryn was chuckling to herself as she boarded the ship that was gonna take her to the planet. She took her seat along with the Marines that were her escort to the planet and pulled the bar across her waist to lock her into place. The pilot went through the check list before launching. It was a 4 and a half hour flight to the planet and Kathryn put her glasses in her pocket and fell asleep.

Lv. 653

There was only a little turbulence on the flight and the ship landed on the landing pad. The Marines got off first and looked around the land to see if there was anything dangerous.

"Oh come on." Kathryn said. "I'm just an engineer I don't need all of this."

"We understand that ma'am." One of the Marines said. "But "The Company" wants you guarded anytime you are out of the compound."

"I don't understand why." Kathryn said.

"Didn't the reports from the planet say why?" The Marine asked.

"No it didn't." Kathryn said.

"Well ma'am." The Marine said. "The last Chef engineer disappeared when he was inspecting a compound that was under construction. A team went looking for him but didn't find him."

"Oh great." Kathryn said. "I'm babysitting a hot spot."

"That's why we are here ma'am." The Marine said. "Any thing that want you is gonna have to get through us first."

"So who is in charge?" Kathryn asked.

"Well other than direct orders from HQ you are." The Marine said.

'Oh this could be fun.' Kathryn thought. "Ok let's get into the compound."

There were workers walking all around the outside of the compound and looked at Kathryn being escorted by a group of 6 Marine's.

"Must be a big wig with "The Company"." A man said.

Kathryn walked through the doors of the compound called Crimson Palace with 2 Marines walking in front of her one on each side and 2 in the back. She was met at the door by the man in charge of operations and he showed her to her room.

"Once you get settled I'd like to see you in the operations room." The man said.

"Yes sir." Kathryn said.

Each of the Marines had their own room. The rooms were right next to Kathryn's room and were connected with an intercom system. Each of them had their things sent in advance and was in their rooms waiting. Kathryn set her bag down and looked around the room. It was a lot bigger than her room on the station. There were walls separating the bathroom and bedroom. There was a small place that acted as the living room and a window looking out across the desert land of the planet.

'Not to shabby.' She thought.

She walked into her bedroom and smiled seeing the queen sized bed. She was surprised to find it was soft and not firm like on the station. She put her clothes away and walked into the hall. She asked a worker to show her the way to the operation's room where the guy in charge was waiting.

"So how's your room?' He asked.

"It's nice." Kathryn said.

"I've been looking over your file." The man said. "If your half as good as it says then we'll be back on schedule in less than a month."

"I am as good as that file says." Kathryn said.

"I hope so." The man said.

"May I ask your name?" Kathryn asked.

"My name is Rick Armond." He said.

"When do I start work?" Kathryn asked.

"You start tomorrow." Rick said. "I'll introduce you to your workers tomorrow at breakfast."

"Ok that sounds good." Kathryn said.

She looked at her watch and saw that it was 20:00 and bed time. She bid Rick farewell and walked back to her room. The Marines were standing in the hallway without their weapons talking about their accommodations when Kathryn walked up to them.

"This place is rather nice." One of them said.

"Yes it is." Kathryn said. "Well I guess sense we're gonna be working with each other I should know your names."

I'm Lieutenant Mike Kittler." One of them said. "This is Corporal Sam Fisher, Corporal Jack Walther, Private Suzy Kain, Private Terry Weathers and Private Jacky Weathers."

"Sisters?" Kathryn asked.

"Yes ma'am." Terry said.

"Well I'm heading to bed." Kathryn said. "I'll see you all at 06:00."

"Yes ma'am." Mike said.

Kathryn walked into her room and stripped down nude and lay in her new bed.

'Wow these sheets are soft.' She thought. 'I hope this job is an easy one. I could use the vacation.'

Space station Seagrave

Jane was lying in her bed already missing Kathryn. She always went by her room for a drink at the end of the day. She knew that she had no chance with her but was happy just hitting on her and watching Kathryn turn red and look for a way to mess with her. She was looking at a necklace that Kathryn had given her for her birthday. It was just a gold chain but the fact that it was a gift from Kathryn made it her most prized possession. She reached up and touched the chain before shutting off the light.

'I hope my transfer papers go through and I can see her again.' She thought before falling asleep.

Large cave 20 miles south of Crimson Palace

The body of the Chef Engineer lay on the ground surrounded by eggs and a Queen Xenomorph. She was attached to an egg sack laying eggs over the whole cave. There were 5 empty eggs in the cave and 5 colonists that had stumbled on the cave and went in to see if anything was in it. The facehuggers were lying on the ground at their feet withered up. One of the colonists opened his eyes and found that he was stuck to the wall by a sticky cocoon like substance. He looked with frightened eyes at his friends cocooned to the walls.

'What the hell.' He thought. 'Where am I?'

He struggled against the cocoon to free him self but couldn't get free.

'Oh got I feel horrible.' He thought. 'Why the hell is my chest burning?'

He got his answer when the pain in his chest spiked and blood filled his mouth. He screamed through his blood sending it flowing down his chest. He started thrashing his head side to side screaming in pain. He felt something moving in his chest and felt his chest pushing out. He looked down and just in time to see his chest break open and a worm like creature emerge. His last though before hi died was "What the fuck?".