Authors Note: All properties are the rights of their respective owners, 20th Century Fox, Nintendo, etc.

One last run to end things out, along with a recreation of a classic scene and then a nod to, of all things, Colonial Marines, hope y'all enjoy.

The Aagtekerke Incident

Chapter 4: We Got To Get Out of This Place

A pair of blue-green eyes fluttered open as Samus slowly awakened, bringing a hand up to her throbbing head as she tried to regain her bearings. The Bounty Hunter found herself laying down atop a tattered sheet in a small, harshly lit room that was wholly unfamiliar to her. The grating of the floor, lighting, and control panels on the wall meant this was not her gunship, nor any Federation ship. Sitting up, memories came back to her, of the Marines she had encountered, the Xenomorphs, seeing the creatures rush her before bursting….

That thought cleared the haze that still fogged her mind, and Samus realized that she was in her Zero Suit, the thin blue bodysuit marred by some grit and grime but undamaged. Taking a breath and gathering her thoughts, the blonde Bounty Hunter grabbed hold of a small table and pulled herself up, feeling the soreness in her muscles as she did so, until she was standing on a pair of shaky legs and trying to summon her Power Suit once more, to no success. A mix of mental fatigue and physical exhaustion prevented Samus from manifesting the willpower required to summon the Chozo battle armor.

Frowning, Samus took a breath before closing her eyes and trying again, able to feel the familiar power, but unable to harness it as she was so used to doing. Now the frown that appeared on her face was one of worry, the veteran Bounty Hunter was wary of the Xenomorphs when encased in the familiar yellow and orange armor, without it she felt distinctly vulnerable. Just because she felt vulnerable, did not mean Samus was totally defenseless as she closed her eyes and focused once more, but this time was more successful, feeling a familiar weight in her hand as she opened her eyes and looked down at the Paralyzer in her hand.

While definitely a backup weapon, the handgun would mean Samus wasn't defenseless as it could stun Space Pirates, and the Bounty Hunter was certain it would be effective against the Xenomorphs as well. Yet it was no replacement for her Arm Cannon or even one of the Marines' weapons, as it would not likely kill a Xenomorph, certainly not one of the larger ones.

Any potential ineffectiveness didn't prevent it from coming up when Samus heard a voice outside the open door to the small room. Putting one foot in front of the other, Aran teetered for a moment before taking a second, more surefooted stride towards the door. After some effort, the Bounty Hunter arrived at the door, arm braced against the frame as she squinted at the harsher lights in the next room, gasping at the sheer intricacy of the space, as it was filled with technology and equipment she could not fathom. What was apparent was that it was distinct from the clean, smooth lines of Federation equipment, this was bulky, with wires and pipes intertwined as they wove through the large cylindrical structures that filled most of the space.

"Alright, core temperatures rising, estimate critical levels will be reached in an hour," said Sergeant Dao as she stood over a console, "Will keep you posted, Dao out." The Marine squad leader had her helmet off and ran a hand through her short, black hair as Samus approached before turning to face the Bounty Hunter. "You're awake," she observed, eyes looking over the Bounty Hunter, "How're you feeling?"

"Sore," answered Samus bluntly, "Tired," she added. Dao nodded before reaching into one of the pouches on her person and producing a small bar covered in a shiny silver wrapping and offering it to the Bounty Hunter. Accepting the gift, Samus fumbled with the wrapping somewhat before finally managing to tear it open, revealing the nutrient bar inside and taking a bite. It was much like similar bars Samus had in the Federation, and she quickly consumed the rest before she helped herself to some of Dao's water, which the Sergeant similarly offered. "Thank you," said Samus sincerely, returning the canteen to the Marine before asking, "What is this place?"

"This is where you wanted to go Sam," answered the Sergeant, "This is the reactor room, I'm warming them up to overload them, but that will take time. Once we do that, we GTFO. You might want to suit back up."

The frown reappeared on Samus' face, "I cannot," she admitted, but did not elaborate further. "I will not slow you down, but might not be of much help." Looking around, the Bounty Hunter saw nobody else in the reactor space and asked, "Where are the others?"

"Sandy's down over there, third left. This is a restricted space with a small security station that included a small weapons cache, he's checking what we got and you should go get something with a bit more punch than that thing," replied Dao, nodding towards the diminutive Paralyzer Pistol in Samus' hand.

The Bounty Hunter looked down at her weapon and then to Dao's compact automatic weapon leaned up against the console and decided the Sergeant's suggestion was a good one. "I will," she agreed before asking, "What about the other one? Tiny?"

Dao's eyes fell and her shoulders sagged for the briefest of moments, "He didn't make it," she said lowly, and Samus found herself mirroring the Sergeant. The two women only allowed themselves a moment to remember the Smart Gunner before pushing them aside, "We have some time until we have to move, go gear up."

With a nod, Samus turned and followed Dao's directions, walking with surer steps through the reactor room, examining the mechanics of everything as she went until she arrived at a small corridor, light coming from a room at the end of it. Marching down the hallway, the Bounty Hunter arrived at the doorway to the small room and her eyes roamed over what was inside. A locker had been broken into, and about a dozen different weapons, all colored in customary Colonial Marines olive drab, were laid out on the a table.

In the corner, Clyde sat, arms crossed over his armor and head slumped over, napping, it was an odd sight, the man seemed at peace, surrounded by the weapons he had just inspected. Samus crouched down at his side and gave his shoulder a gentle shake, rousing the man from his slumber. Slowly, his eyes opened and met Samus' own before going wide, "Sam… Samus, you're up," he managed before his eyes drifted down before suddenly snapping back up to meet hers. "You had us scared there for a bit there, you good? You look… uh, fine," he said, slightly flustered.

Smiling, the Bounty Hunter answered, "I am well, you have my thanks for saving me, and my condolences for your comrade." The Marine's eyes dimmed, and his mouth turned into a grimace as a silence fell over the room, one that Samus broke by offering her hand and helping Clyde to his feet. "That is not why I am here; I cannot summon the Power Suit and I need to use your equipment."

The Corporal nodded, gesturing towards the arrayed weapons, "Let's start with the fun stuff: Firepower. I gotta couple options for you here. Anything catch your eye?" All of the weapons lacked the clean, sleek lines of Federation plasma weapons, but seeing their use by the Colonial Marines against the Xenomorphs proved their effectiveness. Looking at each one in turn, Samus' eyes settled on one that vaguely resembled the standard rifle the Federation issued to its soldiers and was very close to the one Clyde used. Reaching out, Samus ran her gloved hand along the smooth plastic of the weapon's furniture, feeling the contrast between it and the cool sheet metal. "That your pick?" asked Sandy, causing Samus to look up and nod. "You got good taste Samus," complimented Clyde as he picked up the rifle she had indicated.

The man took it in his hands and manipulated the controls on it, before holding it up to display it to Samus. "Allow me to introduce you to a good friend of mine," he said with a hint of a grin on his face, "This is the M41A Pulse Rifle, fires 10 millimeter explosive tipped caseless, light armor piercing from a 99 round magazine," he said as he yanked out a piece from the bottom of the weapon and held it up so Samus could see the objects nestled inside their container. He then slid the container back into its place, shoving it in with no small amount of force and even giving it an extra smack to ensure it was in place. "That's up top, down here you have a thirty mike-mike pump action," he said, hand sliding along the underside of the weapon to demonstrate, the metallic sound of the mechanism filling the room, "Grenade launcher." With a deft toss, Clyde had the gun now facing the other direction as he extended his arms and offered it to the Bounty Hunter, "Take it, feel the weight."

Tentatively, Samus took the weapon, surprised at the heft of it as it almost slipped from her fingers. Only Clyde was there to catch hold it steady as Samus adjusted her grip and take control of the gun, with a nod of assurance, Clyde stepped back, eyes fixed on the Bounty Hunter as she ran her fingers of the controls, trying to mimic what she had seen the Marines do with their weapons, setting her hands in a similar position as she cradled the Pulse Rifle and looked up, "Okay. Now what?"

Samus saw the Marine looking her over with a careful eye before reaching out and adjusting where her left hand was before reaching back to press a button near the rear of the weapon. "Hold still," he urged, and Samus complied as Sandy pulled a piece of the gun back, pressing it against her shoulder, "There, how's that feel, comfortable?" he asked.

The Bounty Hunter frowned, "How should it feel?" she asked.

Turning his back to her, Clyde picked up his own rifle and shouldered it, with Samus trying to match his stance. "Get that head down, look through those sights," he instructed, the Bounty Hunter pressing her cheek into the stock to see the ghost ring, "Now center the post." Adjusting her aim and closing her left eye, the Bounty Hunter aimed the gun at a particular point in the wall, "Hold up here, I'ma help you out," warned Sandy before Samus felt a hand on her elbow, "Bring that down a bit, and move this foot forward," he instructed as he lightly kicked the hell of the blonde's left boot. "Beautiful, that's how best to shoot, to do that, you'd flick this little switch here, that's the safety, then pull the trigger. Remember, short, controlled burst, cyclic rate on this baby's pretty high, so you'll chew up ammo PDQ." Samus turned to Clyde and cocked and eyebrow at the turn of phrase. "Pretty damned quick," elaborated the Marine before tapping the gun, "This counter on the side shows how much ammo you got left, when it hits zero you bring your hand here," he said, grabbing her left hand and guiding it to the bottom of the gun, "And press this button, then yank the mag out."

Samus did so, now holding the magazine, seeing the ammunition inside, "Then I would put it back in?"

"Not an empty one, no, you'd grab a fresh one. When you do, slam it back in, don't be gentle, there you go," complimented the Marine as Samus shoved the magazine back into the gun, feeling it lock snugly into place. "Then you press this, that cycles the bolt and you're ready to rock and roll."

The Bounty Hunter ran her fingers over the controls, now familiar with all of their functions, finding them surprisingly ergonomic. Samus nodded and ran through the whole operation again, to the humming approval of the Marine as he watched her practice with a keen eye. Samus then shifted her attention to the other part of the weapon, "And this?"

"The grenade launcher?" answered Clyde, prompting Aran to nod. "You think you can handle it?"

Samus nodded again, a curt, confident gesture, "Have you seen anything to indicate I cannot?"

That caused Sandy to crack a smile, Samus saw, "You got me there," he admitted as he turned and reached into a box. "These are the grenades, 30 millimeter high explosive fragmentation. Four meter lethal radius and ten meter wounding radius, so be careful where you shoot. Safety is in the front of the trigger guard down here, you'll wanna move your right hand down to use it, keep your left on the pump. Pull the trigger, then work the pump, try it."

Giving the device a gentle tug, Samus felt it barely budge, and so she yanked hard, feeling the action move before it slammed into its rear stop and was summarily rammed forwards by the Bounty Hunter. "Atta girl!" Samus looked to see him smiling at her, an expression she returned, "Now put the safety on," he instructed, the Bounty Hunter doing so before he handed her a pair of cylindrical grenades. "These go in that slot down there, the tube holds four shots, plus a fifth in the breech. Go ahead, load 'er up."

Once the weapon was fully loaded, Sandy said, "You're all locked and loaded Samus. Now, as for armor, I can see if there's any tactical rigs around that'd fit you…."

"There is no need, I just need something to carry extra ammunition," replied the Bounty Hunter. When she heard no response, Samus looked up to see a blankly staring Marine looking at her. Confused, Samus looked at her Zero Suit to see if something was wrong with it, but found it intact, "I have worn this Zero Suit in combat before, I am comfortable in it," she assured.

She heard Jacob mutter, "Yeah, I bet," under his breath before shaking his head and meeting her gaze, "If you insist Samus, that does make things easier." The Marine went over to the lockers and looked inside, "I don't think there's anything here that'd fit you anyways," he muttered before retrieving some items and returning to Aran. "Here," he said, offering her one of the items, "Belt, holds six spare magazines," he informed her as she streapped it around her waist. Samus adjusted it, preferring it slightly loose and sitting at an angle, resting on one hip while coming to her upper thigh on the other side. "This is for the grenades, carries an even dozen, it's a bandolier, sling it over one shoulder."

With both of those in place, Samus was then passed ammunition, each magazine and grenade going where they were intended until every slot was full of ordnance. "Now clip this on your belt, it's a pistol holster, should work for yours," explained Clyde, and Samus found that her Paralyzer did fit snugly in the pouch before she attached it to the belt around her waist. "Now you look the part Samus, I'd say you're good to go, unless there is something else you want."

The Federation Bounty Hunter looked back to the remaining weapons, seeing the differences in the various types, with one standing out. "What of this one?" she asked as she gestured to the strange weapon, one which lacked the bulk of the others, completely missing the stock and having an almost skeletal appearance, with an odd flare at the end of the barrel.

"The Bake-a-Flake?" asked Sandy, prompting a confused Samus to simply nod. "Those are flamethrowers, Dao and I will each be taking one in case we get in a sticky situation."

Aran nodded, reoiling back from the gruesome prospects of the weapon but knew it might well be required if things went poorly, though she desperately hoped they would not.

Once Samus was situated, Corporal Clyde turned his focus back to rearming himself, stuffing every spare pouch with magazines, fuel tanks for the flamethrower, and grenades. Every so often he would check out… on, check on Samus as she went through basic drills with the Pulse Rifle to make sure she wasn't doing anything that would get him or herself killed. Once he was loaded up, Clyde picked up his own weapons, sad to relinquish his boomstick but out of shells to feed the beast, in place was the M240 Incinerator Unit, equally formidable, and thus comforting to Clyde, in close quarters.

The Marine's radio crackled to life, the Sergeant's voice emanating from his headset. "Sandy," called Dao, "Reactor's primed, get up here, we're about to move."

"Copy," answered the Corporal, scooping up the Flamethrower meant for Dao as well as the extra fuel cannisters for it before turning to Aran. "Alright Samus, time to go," he called out to the blonde, the woman, her skintight blue bodysuit that clung to her curvaceous figure at odds with her hardened expression, load of ammo, and Pulse Rifle cradled in her arms.

The pair moved to rejoin Dao, with Clyde handing the Sergeant her Flamethrower and extra fuel cells, which she put in place of her expended Sentry Gun. Now, with the trio fully armed, Dao hit some keys on the keyboard while Sandy adjusted his radio channel back to the one with O'Keefe on it, the Lieutenant already speaking. "That's all you have to do, detonation should occur in one hour. You gotta beeline it back here, your best bet is the internal tram system, there's a stop two floors under you. How copy?"

"Solid copy," answered Dao, "Overload routine engaged, self-destruct initiated."

"Okay, good work, now get back here and we'll… wait, what the hell was that?" aske a starteld Lieutenant, her voice rising. "Holy shit, those things are breaking into the ship!" exclaimed O'Keefe, the staccato cracking of gunshots was replaced by the screams of a Xenomorph. "Get back! Get back you motherfucker! Argh!" cried the woman as Aliens hisses filled the channel until all that was left was static.

Clyde and Dao stood in stunned silence until it was Samus who broke the silence. "What has happened?" she asked, her tone barely concerned.

"We're in some deep shit," spat Sandy, "Lost our dropship, our ride out. Those things found it, broke in and killed the crew." It was only after he said it that he realized how hollow his voice sounded, not angry, not distraught, lifeless.

"We can use my ship," declared the Bounty Hunter without hesitation, "It is docked at a forward airlock, near the bridge of this vessel."

Those words snapped the Marines from their shared stupor, with Dao moving to a different console and pulling up a schematic of the ship. "This one?" she asked, pointing to the only opened airlock on the diagram. Samus nodded, "Alright then, we can still make it, same route, tram line is two levels below, the tram itself is up around it here looks like, we take that all the way here, where we'll be just a hop, skip, and a jump from your ship. Then you take us home." The last words weren't a question, but an order.

It was met with a nod nonetheless, and Dao quickly had the console spit out a pair of data discs, passing one to Sandy, "Nav data, for the ship and the location of our barracks. Only give it to her if you make it to her ship," instructed the Sergeant.

Grimacing, the Corporal secured the disc, "And I trash it when we both make it," replied Sandy weakly, drawing a faint nod from Dao.

"Any questions?" asked the Sergeant, the trio sharing furtive glances amongst themselves for a second before Dao said, "Then let's get moving, clock's ticking."

Clutching the Pulse Rifle tightly, Samus Aran felt distinctly vulnerable without the Power Suit for protection as she stepped down a flight of stairs. Unlike every other stairwell they had taken on the ship, this one was brightly illuminated with harsh lighting, a byproduct of the reactor being overclocked. Since departing the reactor spaces the trio had yet to encounter a Xenomorph, the Motion Tracker the Colonial Marines used only emanating low pulses, but Samus kept a keen eye out for any Aliens lying in ambush.

"Hold up," whispered Dao, bringing the group to a halt, Sandy and Samus scanning the confines of the stairwell with their rifles as the Sergeant kept an eye on the gadget, "Looks like it's clear, this is where we have to be, engineering spaces, then the tram line on the other side. I'll get the door, Sandy, Sam, stack up." Samus followed the Marine Corporal, taking up position behind him while Dao went to other side of the door, hand poised over the controls. "Ready?"

The Bounty Hunter nodded in response, while Clyde answered with a terse, "Rah."

Tensing, Samus watched Dao work the door controls before she whispered, "Go!" and the door slid open. The pair launched themselves through the gap, Samus watching Clyde's rifle snap up to the right side, and so the Bounty Hunter turned towards the left to cover his flank, finding the hallway still, but not empty. "What is this shit?" asked Dao as the Sergeant came in.

In the corners were small patches of black material, seemingly organic in nature, covered in slime that shimmered in the light. It was formed into twisted, nonsensical shapes, ridges, bulges, interspersed with voids, and all of it bore an unmistakable resemblance to Xenomorph biology, the realization settling into Samus with the unmistakable weight of dread. "Not good," answered Sandy grimly, "Looks like there's more of the stuff down that way."

"That's the direction we need to go…" replied the Sergeant, her voice trailing off.

"Reroute?" asked Clyde simply.

Dao looked down at the wristwatch she wore, "We need that tram to get out in time, I'm not going down with this fucking ship." That sentiment prompted a pair of agreeing nods before the Sergeant gave her orders, "We stay on this route, we head that way, left, then right. Look alive, both of you."

"Rah," answered Clyde before he began moving, and Samus took long strides to get alongside, mindful of any irregularities on the floor as the organic matter built up with each passing step. When they rounded the first corner, the walls of the next corridor were coated in the stuff, every gruesome detail illuminated by the lights overhead, the patterns and resemblance to Xenomorph exoskeleton's evident. Making the second turn, Samus saw that there was an even greater buildup of the gelatinous resin, yet that paled to what lay on the other side of the door that was locked open by massive Alien constructions. Inside the engineering spaces, the entire floor and every surface was caked over in the green and grey webbing with the same intricate designs as before. Columns were wrapped in the resin, and it seemed that the lights were even coated, but the light shone through with a sickening green hue.

Letting out a breath, Samus saw Clyde turn back to his Sergeant, who glanced down at her Motion Tracker, "Nothing's moving, head through, slowly, stay frosty."

Samus saw Sandy's eyes shift from Dao to her, and she gave an affirming nod to the Marine. "Well," he whispered, "If you're going through hell, keep on going, don't slow down. If you're scared, don't show it, and you might get out before the devil even knows you're there." With that sentiment hanging in the air, the trio moved slowly into the belly of the beast, the humid air thick around them. Watching her step on the uneven floor, Samus' eyes were drawn to odd, pod like objects sprouting out of the deck, each one of them had petaled open like some kind of grotesque flower.

"Oh my God," breathed Dao, Samus' head snapping up to see what had drawn the reaction. The Bounty Hunter saw bulges coming from the various columns and walls, grey-green resin built up thickly as anywhere else, but it was what was trapped inside those bulges that sent shivers down Samus' spine. "It's the crew." In each cocoon was a corpse, hanging limp with their chests torn open to reveal utter carnage in the chest cavities, bones were broken and organs were turned into a red ooze that dripped onto the floor. There were dozens of cocoons.

"We're in the middle of a fucking hive," realized Sandy, and the Federation Bounty Hunter found herself nodding in agreement with the Marine. Yet there were no Xenomorphs that Samus could see, but the resin that made up the nest very nearly matched their bodies, making them hard to discern with the naked eye. The trio pressed on, heads swiveling about, not fully relying on the softly blipping Motion Tracker to confirm the lack of Aliens.

Yet Samus could still feel eyes upon her, like pinpricks against her skin, and turned around, raising her Pulse Rifle and staring at the source, only to find a pair of open eyes staring back. The man staring at her was very much alive, though firmly restrained to a pillar by a cocoon of resin, unable to move more than his head as his mouth hung open in a silent scream before he finally managed a few words. "Hel… help me!" he pleaded.

"Ricky!" breathed both Marines simultaneously, both of them immediately rushing to the man. Samus scrutinized the pale, gaunt figure under the sickly green light and recognized it as the Marine who went missing very early on, taken by one of the Aliens. "Hang on pal, we're gonna get you out," assured Sandy as both he and Dao went for their knives. While they tried to cut their comrade out, Samus Aran turned around and kept a look out, eyes scanning over the opened pods, the Bounty Hunter realized she hadn't seen an intact one, the observation eliciting a frown.

"Who… who's the swimsuit model?" rasped the restrained Marine, prompting Samus to raise an eyebrow.

"That's Samus… the one with the power armor," replied Sandy before going back to trying to cut Santiago free. "Hold still Ricky, don't wanna nick you."

"Shit, sorry," replied Santiago before asking, "Where's Tiny?" That prompted a silence that was dreadful for reasons other than knowing there were untold numbers of Xenomorphs nearby. Before anyone could answer him, the cocconed man spoke again, "Uh, guys… I don't…" he began before his words descended into a mix of gurgling gasps and hacking coughs that echoed through the Hive.

Turning around, Samus saw the restrained man thrash against what was left of his cocoon before blood began dripping from his lips and a glob of it burst from his torso. His shirt turned a dark as he writhed in obvious agony before finally falling limp. As soon as he stilled, his chest expanded, almost like he was taking a deep breath, but didn't contract, instead splitting open in an explosion of gore. Emerging from the man's chest cavity was a caramel colored creature that, despite its different coloring and small size, the rounded shape of its head, lack of eyes, and the mouth of teeth confirmed it was a Xenomorph.

Seeing the other Marines stand on either side of the newly born Alien, shocked into stillness, Samus took action. Shouldering the Pulse Rifle just like she had been taught, the Bounty Hunter went through the motions she had practiced, disengaging the safety and taking aim before squeezing the trigger, letting loose with a short burst that mulched both the Chestburster and the Marine it emerged from.

When the report of the rifle faded, it was replaced by the ping! Of the Motion Tracker and the hisses and slithering of Xenomorphs all around them. "Holy shit!" exclaimed Clyde as he broke from his stupor, Pulse Rifle coming up, the muzzle locked on something. Samus turned towards what had caught the Marine's attention, eyes widening as she saw the most massive Xenomorph they had yet encountered, so big that it seemed to be a part of the Hive, and it was hard to discern where the Alien constructions ended and the creature began. There was an obvious torso with two pairs of arms, beneath which lay a large, translucent biological sack, and a head that had the familiar rows of teeth, but not the smooth domed shape, instead there was a towering crest sitting atop the head like a crown. "That's one big, ugly bug…" breathed Sandy.

Samus looked around, seeing movement, slight shifts in the Hive, "Aliens," whispered Samus, "Coming out of the walls."

"We can't stay here," affirmed Dao as she looked around, "We need an exit."

"Over there, forty meters," Samus said with a point, still holing onto her bearings and spotting another doorway, this one notably narrower. "How to get there…."

"Shock and awe," replied the Corporal as he pulled a pair of grenades off his belt, "Get ready, steady," said Sandy as he pulled the pins, "Go!" he shouted as he tossed them in different directions. As one, all three tore off as the hisses and screeches of Xenomorphs came from every corner of the room as the Runners and Drones emerged from the infinite number of nooks and crannies in the Hive. The humans responded with the roar of automatic weapons, the streams of bullets tearing into hardened Xenomorph hide and delicate machinery with equal ease, blood and sparks marking each impact.

Samus tore her eyes away from the carnage to check the ammo counter on her rifle, finding she had already depleted half of the magazine, and yet more Aliens were coming at them, leaving the Bounty Hunter no choice but to keep shooting. Sweeping the gun around, Aran hosed anything that moved, but was keenly aware of her depleting magazine, and so when she saw a group of green glowing bursters emerge from a vent the Bounty Hunter slipped her right hand forward to wrap around the magazine housing, finger pressed against the trigger for the grenade launcher. The thunk of the launcher was followed up by the flash and blast of the explosive round slamming into a column, shrapnel flying in every direction, cutting through Runners and coolant pipes with equal ease, coolant and acidic blood mixing on the floor. Despite the devastation the grenade had caused, the bursters were still bearing down on the group. Gritting her teeth, Aran worked the pump action of the launcher before adjusting her aim and stopping before firing again. This round flew true, landing amongst the group of bursters and inciting a chain reaction that knocked the surrounding Xenomorphs off their feet and allowing Samus to turn her back and sprint towards the exit, only to have to pull up short when she saw the shadowy figure of a Xenomorph Warrior appear in the doorway, standing at its full height and arms spread.

Samus fell onto her side, slipping under a swiping claw as she rolled onto her back to bring her Pulse Rifle to bear when she heard the sound of Dao's SMG rip through the air, overpower the Alien's screech as the creature staggered under stream of fire, collapsing on shredded legs before it's jaw snapped at Samus' foot as the Bounty Hunter scampered away. Once clear, she cut loose with the last rounds in the Pulse Rifle's magazine, the high explosive charges in the 10mm bullets blasting the creature's head to pieces, sending bits of skin, teeth, and brains onto the bright blue Zero Suit.

The Bounty Hunter tried to push herself up when an arm wrapped around her own and hoisted her to her feet, "Don't stop!" shouted Sandy as he gave Samus a small shove. The blonde woman ripped out the empty magazine as she charged forwards, hearing Clyde's Pulse Rifle chatter behind her as she and Dao went to the door, the Sergeant's SMG blazing at the Aliens that tried to block their path. Crossing the threshold, Samus jammed a fresh magazine into her gun and turned around just in time to see Clyde backstepping, firing short bursts at the oncoming Xenomorphs before his gun suddenly went silent.

Shouldering her rifle, Samus let off a long burst, sweeping the oncoming creatures with bulllets as Sandy turned and ran while seamlessly reloading his weapon while retreating to the door. Once Clyde was at her side, he reached for another of his incendiary grenades, tossing the cylinder forwards as both turned simultaneously. Samus could feel the heat on her back and the twisted screams of the Xenomorphs writhing in the phosphorus fueled flames as they ran from the inferno and into next room.

The next room had a platform in a 'U' shape, with a deep pit at its center that was filled with Xenomorph Runners crawling over the cocooned bodies strapped to the rails that ran along the length of the room, with the left one occupied by a boxy tram car. "That's our ride, come on!" called Dao as she lowered her SMG and fired at the oncoming Runners, her gun chattering as it spat out its stream of bullets, hosing the creatures with a long burst before it abruptly stopped. "Shit! I'm dry! Run!" exclaimed Dao.

Just as she did, a pair of Xenomorph Warriors climbed up onto the platform between the humans and the tram, teeth barred as the Runners pincered the group in from the door behind them. Barring her teeth, Samus held the M41A at her hip as she squeezed the trigger, holding tight to the Pulse Rifle as it bucked in her hands, but she pushed forward nonetheless. She saw the Drone stagger and disintegrate from the sustained hits and prepared to shift her fire to the second when a series of short, sharp bursts slammed into it, both creatures falling simultaneously. With their path clear, the trio rushed towards the tram, with Dao hitting the keypad on the side of the carriage as Samus and Sandy turned to face down the horde.

The Corporal fired first, launching a grenade towards the door, with Samus quickly following it up by firing her own explosive while Sandy cycled the action on his launcher before firing a second shot. Samus was ready to fire again when she caught a flash of movement in the corner of her eye, rapidly turning to face the new threat, and found the red accented bony exoskeleton of a Prowler crawl through a gap in the wall and leap out at them. Moving on instinct, the Bounty Hunter tackled Clyde to the ground the creature flew overhead, climbing up onto the tram car before preparing to leap again when Samus fired her Pulse Rifle as it did so. The bloody, bullet ridden corpse tumbled through the air before crashing onto the ground. But the acidic blood seeping from its wounds had gotten onto Clyde as it leapt, and the Corporal was panicking, frantically tugging at the straps of his armor as it smoked from the acid.

"It's open, let's go!" shouted Dao as Sandy got the vest free, throwing it int the car before scooping up his M41A1 and leaping after it, Samus following hot on his heels. Turning back to help Dao, Samus heart a faint 'whoosh' as the Sergeant had unslung her Incinerator and pulled the trigger. The Bounty Hunter's arm came up reflexively to shield her face from the heat that emanated from the stream of fire that leapt from the weapon's muzzle as it was swept across the platform and down into the pit, dousing every oncoming Xenomorph with sticky, flaming liquid. Dao then jumped into the tram, Samus able to see the perspiration on her face, and pressed a key on the wall, the doors closing behind her before the tram lurched forward and began to glide along the rails.

Just as Samus let out a breath, she jumped as she heard something hit the glass at the rear of the tram and turned to see a puddle of green acid eating its way through the glass before a second one caused it to spiderweb. When a third attack struck, the glass caved in, collapsing in on itself and leaving them exposed. There was a rush of heat as the inferno sucked the air out of the tram and Samus staggered, eyes watering before she looked up at the sound of a grenade launcher firing. Clyde, now wearing just an undershirt, was firing at the spitters clinging to the ceiling, the last of the grenades in his launcher's magazine causing the Hive structure to collapse. With frantic screeches, the Xenomorphs fell into the growing conflragration that consumed the hive and prevented them from pursuing the Tram as it pulled away.

This time, Aran was able to let out a breath in peace.

Wiping the grime from his face, Corporal Jacob Clyde growled, "Damn," as he looked down at the ruined remnants of his M3 Personal Armor, the acid having ruined the structure of the cuirass, causing it to collapse in on itself. He was able to save his webbing at least, so he had that pulled tightly around his torso, keeping his ammo in reach, for his Pulse Rifle, freshly reloaded grenade launcher, and the M240A1 Incinerator slung across his back.

Around him, Dao and Samus were keeping a lookout, even if there hadn't been any signs of a Xenomorph since the group escaped the nest. Standing and wincing at the soreness in his muscles as he took up a position looking out of the steadily moving Tram as it trundled towards its destination, with no words spoken by its occupants. Sandy frowned, feeling a pang at the absence of Ricky and Tiny, and memories of his two friends filled his head as he stared blankly at the passing walls that ran along the tracks until he felt a hand on his shoulder. Turning, he saw Samus crouched next to him, her expression a mixture of fatigue and stoicism as she spoke, "Are you alright, Sandy?"

The Marine swallowed and blinked back the pressure building behind his eyes, "Fine, I'm fine," he assured, clearing his throat, "Just sore is all." Shifting uncomfortably and avoiding Samus' eyes, Clyde looked backed towards Dao when he heard a dreadful ping!

Before he could ask where the contact was, a deep, bellowing roar unlike any he had heard echoed through the tram line. All three turned forwards, eyes straining to pick out the source when the roar came again, distinctly closer, angrier, but muffled, as if around a corner. Clyde and Samus shared a wide eyed look before the Bounty Hunter dashed back to her original position and all three scanned their sectors for any sign of hostiles.

They didn't have to wait long.

There was an echoing thud that came from up ahead, followed by another, then a third, fourth, fifth, sixth, and soon the thuds came in such rapid succession as to sound like rolling thunder that was bearing down on the tram car. "Contact left!" shouted Dao as Clyde swung around just in time to see the creature bearing down on them from a side corridor, charging on all fours, the bronze tinted Xenomorph sporting a gargantuan head crest that shielded the rest of its body from view, but didn't block its swinging tail, the end of which sported a blunt club instead of the usual sharpened spike.

As one, all three opened fire on the charging creature, but the 10mm rounds from the Pulse Rifles had no effect, bouncing harmlessly off the head crest and the stream of fire from Dao's flamethrower was ignored as the creature bore down on them with ever increasing speed. The Crusher charged down the hallway before slamming, head first, into the tram car with such force that the carriage was knocked from the rails and sent rolling over, the occupants tumbling inside. Clyde slammed into a wall which was no the floor before sliding along it as the carriage slid on its side and he crashed into the floor that was now a wall, sending a spike of pain through his shoulder as he extended an arm to break the impact.

When the derailed tram came to a grinding halt, Sandy shook his head and let out a muffled curse, moving his arm experimentally and finding it still worked before he rolled onto his chest and began to push himself up. Just as he got a foot under him, all his progress was undone when the whole tram shook, rocking back and forth as the Xenomorph roared from the outside. Wincing, Clyde finally got up on his feet, one hand against the smooth metal to keep his balance when the harsh sound of shearing metal assaulted his ears and he turned to see the claws of the monstrosity ripping through the tram like tissue paper, peeling the metal back before the big claw swiped through the interior, sending those inside recoiling back.

"Get clear!" shouted Dao as Samus and Sandy broke for the far corner of the tram right before the Sergeant unleashed her flamethrower, sending a stream of flaming Napthal at the breach, the sticky jelly adhering to the creature as it yanked its arm back, shrieking furiously as it did. "GET OUT!" screamed the Sergeant, "The window, GO!"

At the end where the Bounty Hunter and Corporal were cowering, the window that had been destroyed by the Xenomorph Spitters served as their exit, the two quickly clambering out the derailed tram. "How're we supposed to kill this fucker?" whispered Clyde, hoping that the Federation Bounty Hunter would have some idea how to deal with this monster. Those hopes were dashed when the blonde shook her head and the two were joined by Dao. "If shooting it in the head didn't work, maybe we oughta shoot it in the ass."

"Works for me," answered the Sergeant, "Split up, keep different angles, and for fucks sake, keep your distance. Oorah?"

Clyde saw Samus nod out of the corner of his eye while he managed to answer with a beleaguered, "Rah." The group then split up, Dao and Samus going one way while Clyde worked his way around the overturned tram and saw the creature in profile, all fifteen feet of it, as shots came in from Samus and the beast turned to face them. Seeing his chance, Sandy stepped out of cover and took aim, not that he could easily miss at such close range, and raked the creature from front to hind legs. The long burst of 10mm rounds stitched up the Crusher, slugs piercing its thick hide before explosive charges detonated, sending blood and leathery skin flying as chunks were torn out of the creature and it came to a grinding halt, screeching forcefully.

Seeing the creature rear back on its hind legs and wheel about to face him, Clyde felt himself pale and turn, ducking back behind the tram as the Crusher put its head down and bull rushed him. Feeling the wind at his back, Sandy looked over his shoulder to see the beast slam head first into the wall with a thunderous crash before he ducked around the backside of the tram car. He could hear Samus and Dao get stuck in now, having moved around to the far wall and unloading into the creature's ass with fire from the Pulse Rifle as it squealed again, tail swinging wildly as it thrashed around, head slamming into the tram car and sending it skidding across the floor.

His cover now gone, Sandy could see Samus and Dao sprinting clear of the carriage as the beast turned around, roaring and snarling, claw scraping along the ground as the creature lowered itself and prepared to charge. Clyde slipped his right hand forward and snapped off a grenade that sailed towards its hind legs, exploding at its feet and eliciting a violent shriek from the creature. Working the pump, Sandy sought to get a second shot off, but soon found himself staring down the hardened head crest of the monster before it charged at him.

Heart pounding in his chest, Sandy dove away as the creature rushed him, speeding by while the Marine tried to get to his feet and felt the searing heat of an Incinerator. The stream of flame raked the Crusher as it ran past Dao and Samus before the creature suddenly turned and veered straight for the source of the fire. The Marine Sergeant turned and sprinted clear of the oncoming beast, but didn't manage to escape its wildly swinging tail.

Sandy could only watch helplessly as his Sergeant was struck by the club like appendage, sending the smaller woman careening into a wall with a loud, agonizing scream filling the air. He could see Samus try to rush to Dao's aid before she was forced to duck from the tail as it swung back. Bravely, or perhaps foolishly, Dao let out a defiant scream and opened up with her flamethrower, but this seemed like a red flag to a bull as it charged at her, straight through the stream of fire even as the burning fuel stuck to its hide.

There wasn't even a scream, just a sickening crunch as the Crusher slammed into the Sergeant, breaking her body between its unrelenting head crest and the equally unmoving wall. Sandy stood still, mouth agape at the sight of his Sergeant's lifeless body slump to the floor, utterly broken by the brutal impact while the Xenomorph let out a triumphant, bellowing roar that echoed through the passageway.

It was a roar that was interrupted by the higher pitched electronic chatter of Samus' Pulse Rifle on the far side of the creature. Clyde quickly added his own rifle to the mix, sending a hail of 10mm rounds into the creature's vulnerable flank, but other than drawing a screeching cry of pain, the bullets didn't seem to do much. Caught in a pincer, the Crusher appeared wracked with indecision, head swinging back and forth in an effort to stop the incoming bullets only for the two humans to pour on the lead, even if Clyde was mindful of the dwindling number on his ammo counter.

The flicker of movement in the corner of his eye snapped Sandy's attention away from his ammunition and caused him to hit the deck as that formidable tail swung by. Pressing himself to the ground as the Crusher turned towards Samus, exposing its vulnerable rear. Taking aim at its leg, Clyde let out a breath and fired a 30mm grenade into the leg he had already hit right as the creature tried to pounce forward. The explosion ripped through the creature, and when the smoke and dust settled stumbled as one of its hind legs and tail dragged behind the Crusher while it doggedly tried to charge Samus.

Sandy watched the Bounty Hunter dodge the Xenomorph, scampering away as the massive creature turned in pursuit, claw swiping and jaws snapping at the blonde woman. In doing so, the Crusher exposed the full extent of its wounds to Clyde, who slung his Pulse Rifle over his shoulder in favor of his own M240. Igniting the pilot light at the muzzle, Sandy squeezed the trigger and unleashed a gout of flame that arced straight into the wounded flank of the Crusher, the flames sticking to its hide and seeping into the wounds. Clyde's ears were assaulted by the piercing shrieks of the Xenomorph as it flailed about, trying to bear down on Sandy as the Marine kept pouring on the flames. "Burn baby burn!" he snarled, grinning evily as the Crusher as it was slowly covered in burning Napthal.

Suddenly, another stream of burning fire came to life, almost blinding Sandy as the fire fell short of the Xenomoprh and was adjust upwards and over until the stream landed on the side of its head. Now beset by fire on both sides, the Alien monstrosity roared and turned the opposite way, allowing Sandy to see Samus, Dao's Incinerator in hand, putting the Crusher to the torch. Unrelentingly, both emptied the fuel tanks of their weapons, coating the creature in sticky, burning jelly until it finally succumbed to the flames, writhing on the floor as its skin and then muscle melted off its dying body.

Even after the Xenomorph fell silent and lay still, Clyde didn't stop firing until the fuel cell was empty, turning the monster into a funeral pyre for his fallen friends.

Stowing the now empty Incinerator, Clyde looked up to see a concerned Samus alongside him, her bodysuit scorched and adorned with soot as she cradled the M41A in her arms. "Time is short. We must go," she informed, blunt but clearly short of breath.

Exhausted in every sense of the word, the Corporal nodded twice before turning to the fallen body of Sergeant Dao, straightening, and offering her one last salute before turning and jogging after the Bounty Hunter. Moving through the passageway with all the urgency left in his tired body, Clyde was winded when they finally reached the end of the line and they moved into the tight hallways that would lead to the Bounty Hunter's craft.

As soon as they did, red warning lights bathed the ship, alarms beginning to blare from the loudspeakers. "You better not have forgotten where you parked," Clyde said to Samus as she led him through the winding corridors, too focused on looking out for any other surprises the Xenomorphs might have in store for them.

"I have not," informed the blonde coolly, still taking long, purposeful strides until she stopped at a corner and scanned the next halls. "This way."

Stepping away from the corner, an explosion ripped through the ship that staggered Sandy, and soon fire alarms were added to the cacophony surrounding the pair. Going down the next hallway, Jacob was led to an airlock that indicated it was occupied, and a simple button press had it open to reveal the umbilical to the small orange colored craft anchored outside. Without a second thought, both stepped inside, closing the door behind them before summoning the last of their strength to enter the Gunship, climbing up through the underside.

His whole world turned sideways, Clyde slipped and slid down the floor, crashing into a wall without a hint of grace before slowly pulling himself up and seeing Samus, easily balanced against a console despite the awkward angle. Only instead of engaging with any of the ship's controls, she spoke to it instead. "Gunship, commence takeoff immediately!" she snapped at it.

"Voice print authenticated. Command recognized," it answered, sounding more machine than any Synthetic. "Alert: Radiation levels rising, catastrophic event likely. Recommend achieving minimum safe distance immediately." Despite the severity of the situation, the voice's tone did not change in the slightest.

Neither, for that matter, did Samus' as she replied, "Confirmed, get us clear!"

"At once," answered the ship smartly as the vibrating of the decks grew in intensity and a loud 'thunk' signaled its separation from the Wey-Yu craft. As it rolled over, Clyde fell to the floor again, but this time was able to pull himself up into a chair before the Gunship launched itself forwards, the acceleration pinning Sandy to his seat.

Eyes glued to the windscreen, Clyde could only see a flash that signaled the destruction of the Aagtekerke. It was only then that the Marine let out a breath that he didn't realize he had been holding before setting his weapons aside and starting to undo the straps of his harness. Shucking the webgear off, Clyde bent down to untie his boots and relieve his aching feet when there was a shadow looming over him. Samus stood tall, having too removed her extra gear to leave her in just the blue suit, and she said, "The coordinates for where you wish to go."

Digging into one of his few remaining pockets, Clyde removed the disc and handed it to the Bounty Hunter. "No rush," he told her before he removed his boots and laid his head back, quickly letting sleep claim him.

Closing Notes: This might have been the end of the action, but there will be one more sort of wrap up chapter that is quite different in tone. Hopefully you all enjoyed this little story.

Stay Frosty, Misfit Delta out.