"Absolutely not!" snarled Harp.

"Colonel, it's essential my men have the protection they need when we find this xenomorph. You've read the reports on how potentially dangerous they could be."

"Doctor, there is not a cat in Hell's chance that I am going to requisition you one pulse rifle, never mind a hundred. If - and I stress if - we find this alien creature, my men will provide whatever security duties you require. I'm not going to have a bunch of untrained scientists running around armed to the teeth and accidentally shooting each other!"

Harp's meeting with the Science Director was going exactly as he had envisioned. Sebastian was crazy if he thought Harp was going to let him plunder the armoury. The young Doctor exemplified everything Harp hated about Company personnel, with an aloof air of self-importance that he despised. They'd been bickering like this for the last 40 minutes, and the Colonel was sorely tempted to call in the guards and have Sebastian removed.

The Director had drawn himself up to his full height, obviously insulted by Harp's remark. "I assure you, Colonel, that no one will be running around "accidentally" shooting anyone. Many of my team have undergone the Company firearms awareness course and are therefore fully qualified, myself included. We can do our own guarding duties."

Harp slowly stood up from his desk, his eyes fixed on Sebastian's and glinting with rage. "Firearms awareness course? You think spending half an hour on a firing range qualifies you as some kind of combat expert?" He was almost shaking with anger now. Who the Hell did Sebastian think he was?

The barley-concealed contempt in the Science Director's voice was clear. "Frankly, Colonel, I doubt your men would have the mental capacity to-"

Lieutenant Wong suddenly burst into the Colonel's office, cutting Sebastian off in mid flow. Harp glared at him and furiously demanded "What is it, Lieutenant?"

Wong's face was flushed. He seemed totally oblivious to the tension in the room and Harp's anger. "Colonel. Sir. We just got word from Zulu patrol. They've found something."

It took them nearly three hours to reach Zulu patrol's position. Harp and his entourage suited up and stepped out into the abominable weather swirling around their location. He was pleased to see that Zulu had set up a proper defensive perimeter around the cave where the find had been made, and hadn't been distracted by the excitement.

Zulu's patrol leader ran up to the colonel and snapped a near-perfect salute, despite the movement limitations of his hardsuit. "Colonel. We think we've found the egg things the briefings described. About 20 meters inside the cave. They looked dead, sir."

Harp returned the gesture. "Good work Sergeant. What's the situation of your squad?"

"Well Sir, I left Ricks and Jenna there to cover the cave. They report no motion or activity. The rest of the squad is out here."

Harp frowned. "What channel are they on, Sergeant?"

"Eleven, Sir."

"Very good, Sergeant. Maintain the perimeter. You did good work here today, son." Harp patted the young marine on his suit's shoulder.

"Thank you, Sir."

Harp took a few steps away from Zulu's sergeant and clicked his comms over to channel eleven. "Ricks, Jenna, this is Colonel Harp. What's your sitrep there, boys?"

The channel crackled with static caused by the storm overhead. "This is Jenna here, Sir. We got six of the eggs here. No movement from them. This place's a tomb, Colonel."

"Roger that, private. Recovery team is inbound; sit tight."