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.::THE BLACK MOON::.

Peterson, Human, 8 years ago


RPG #20:

"THE BLACK MOON"

CONTENTS

> PLOT
> GOALS & GUIDELINES
> STORY RECAP
  > PAGE 1 RECAP
  > PAGE 2 RECAP

> PLOT (BACK TO TOP)

      Earth's been abandoned; no humans have been in the Milky Way Galaxy for centuries. Prior to abandonment, Earth's societies relied on a model of perpetual privatized war to keep the economy flowing despite knowing its long-term inefficiency.

      By now we know the constant wars resulted in a global economic collapse—a planetary catastrophe the likes of which hadn't been witnessed since World War II—which caused the deaths of a third of the planet's population. Meanwhile, much of the environment became unsuitable to sustain life.

      Only 12% of Earth's population made it off the planet and escaped to colonies in other galaxies. Everyone else on Earth eventually either died off or reverted back to pre-industrial societies.

      Around 300 years afterward, Yautja started using planets in several solar systems of the Milky Way Galaxy as:

       > Breeding Centers
       > Training Grounds
       > Libraries/museums/archives
       > Travel Hubs

      In our solar system, Earth became one such breeding center. Not every breeding center creates the same library of creatures. For example, Mars is dedicated to creating cows while Earth is dedicated to creating black goo creatures. The most abundant black goo creature produced on Earth is the Xenomorph, but one may also find the variety of creatures seen in Prometheus. All black goo creatures are friendly toward one another. They're also very hostile toward humans and Predators.

      There are only 5 active Xenomorph hives on Earth. One of them is the Shadow Serpents. Most of the Shadow Serpents Hive is located on what used to be the Kenai Peninsula in Alaska, but it also seeps underground into the Pacific Ocean and continues on to Russia.

      About 4000 years after the collapse and the death of all the humans on Earth, humans from a faraway galaxy have decided to take back their old solar system in the Milky Way. They've sent a military group called Alpha Draconis. Alpha Draconis has landed in Anchorage, Alaska. Their mission is to investigate the Kenai Peninsula and to destroy all the Xenomorphs there. Afterward, they will move onto the other 4 Xenomorph Hives and destroy them as well.

      The Shadow Serpents' numbers have dwindled because the Predators haven't been back in some time.There are no longer thousands of Aliens and there is no Queen. All Aliens are working together to create another Queen.

      The only Xenomorphs in this hive are the player characters. There are no NPCs.

      Because an unauthorized ship (Alpha Draconis' ship) has breached the borders of a sacred breeding center, the Predator clan in charge of Earth, Hunter's Moon, has sent a small investigation team to rectify the situation. This is not a clan-sanctioned mission—the Elder in charge of this mission, Concrete Hunter, does not want word to get out that they failed to prevent foreign contamination of one of the most important breeding centers in the Milky Way. So, other than themselves, this small team has no backup and no access to the planet's supplementary defenses because, again, they don't want word to get out that they were too incompetent to keep invaders out of their charged station.

      Of course, they're not incompetent; Concrete Hunter's group immediately detected Alpha Draconis the moment they entered the Milky Way and were prepared to deal with it, but they failed to pinpoint the exact location of Alpha Draconis' technologically foreign ship until an atmospheric breach was detected on Earth, at which point it was too late to prevent their landing.

      To currently living humans, the rediscovery of the Milky Way is one of the most important events in history—and the rediscovery of Earth even more so. But because the entire surface of the planet has been covered in Xenomorph Hives, the humans have nicknamed their home planet The Black Moon.

> GOALS & GUIDELINES (BACK TO TOP)

> Alpha Draconis wants to kill all the Xenomorphs and capture all the Yautja (or at least one) for interrogation. They want to know what happened to their solar system in the time that humans have been gone.

> Hunter's Moon wants to keep the Aliens alive and kill the humans. However, if any Alien threatens their mission, they shouldn't hesitate to kill them.

> The Shadow Serpents want to capture someone that can become the host for a new Queen. They will either kill everyone else or capture them.

> Alpha Draconis is the one in power this time. They're completely aware of both Aliens and Predators and are prepared to deal with them in any way possible. And because their mission is officially recognized and commissioned by their government, they have access to fancy weaponry as well as leeway to do whatever the hell they want as long as their goal is completed. That means they have access to ships, tanks, mechs, missiles, and squads of NPCs who can make things difficult for the Xenomorphs and Yautja. The only reason they might not want to blindly blow everything up is because they need to capture at least one Yautja. Whether or not they also capture a Xenomorph is up to them, but if they do, the story can change significantly. If they end up killing every predator, that also changes the story significantly.

> Hunter's Moon's mission is preservation; they want to keep the Aliens alive and completely wipe out Alpha Draconis. The small group of Predators sent to Earth to deal with Alpha Draconis is not recognized by Hunter's Moon's Elder Council and so they have no back-up and little to no resources. They have never seen humans before, either, so they don't know what exactly they're up against. Ultimately, their goal is to keep the Aliens safe (because Earth is one of Hunter's Moon's most important breeding centers), so they want to avoid killing them, but that doesn't mean they can't fight them. And honestly, any of you Yautja players can decide to kill the Xenomorphs anyway; it'll make things interesting.

> The Shadow Serpents want to repopulate The Hive. They don't have access to NPC Xenos; the only active Aliens are the player characters. Their goal is to create at least one Queen, but more than one is entirely possible. The Xenomorphs are the ones who are most out of the loop about what's happening, but they know the land better than anyone else and they have the added benefit of the Yautja trying to protect them from the humans, so if the Xenomorphs choose, they can let the humans and Predators weaken each other before moving in for the kill. And although it's their goal to create a Queen, the players don't have to abide by that at all. You can even kill every human and Yautja without creating a single host; the story is in your hands.

> Alpha Draconis has access to small groups of NPCs and vehicles. You can call in 2 back-up groups of 5 soldiers each at a time. In addition to any non-weaponized transport vehicles you want, you can summon one weaponized vehicle at any time. These weaponized vehicles are limited to a small gunship, a missile launcher (limited to 4 missiles), an A.I.-controlled Exosuit (2 rockets and a .50 caliber machine gun + Power Loader capabilities), or whatever else you can come up with (JUST ASK FIRST IN THE OOC THREAD).

> Hunter's Moon's ships can be any size they want but they cannot use a full-sized clan ship (like the one from AVP). You can use smaller ships (like the one from Predator 2) and drop pods. If you want, you can even use the ships in your attacks against Alpha Draconis (but none of the ships can be weaponized), and you can use your drop pods in any way you'd like once your reach the surface. Be creative—just don't do anything that'll put you in God Mode territory. Additionally, you have access to all the standard weaponry, including and up to Plasma Casters.

> The Shadow Serpents have no weaponry and no Queen. The only Xenomorphs in this particular hive are the player characters. There are technically more Xenomorphs around the world, but there's no way to communicate with them. However, there are definitely a few non-Xenomorph creatures running around (such as the Hammerpedes and Trilobites from Prometheus), which are friendly toward the Xenomorphs. You can pit those against the humans and Yautja as much as you like... but don't go overboard. You can also create more hive webbing and create traps. Use your imagination.

> STORY RECAP (BACK TO TOP)

      This is a recap of the story up to the most recent post.
      (Last updated July 23rd, 2016).

THE STORY SO FAR:

PAGE 1 RECAP:

Badapple is the first Xenomorph to awaken. There are human and Yautja remains surrounding him. The bodies must be centuries old yet they’ve been perfectly preserved as part of the Hive’s walls. And despite centuries of inactivity, the walls themselves are still strong. The air is moist; the air is cold. Badapple stretches and awakens the rest of the Shadow Serpents. The members of this Hive have not always been a part of the same Hive, yet they are now working together toward the same goal: Creating a new Queen. Maybe even several.

Gamefreak is the second Xenomorph to awaken; she does so in a calm and slow manner. A small black Runner, Gamefreak is one of the fastest Xenomorphs of the Shadow Serpents--perfect for kidnapping potential hosts. She is usually a calm animal, but her primal instincts are in danger of taking over, causing her to act irrationally and violently. Time will tell if Gamefreak can contain her rage.

Waking alongside Gamefreak is one of the Shadow Serpents’ leaders, Kirby. Unlike Gamefreak, Kirby woke quickly and violently. After taking a moment to assess his current situation, he immediately leaped into action and raced across the gigantic Hive, eager to find the other Shadow Serpents of the Hive.

FireHunter is the next Xenomorph to awaken. He is one of the Hive’s most fearsome beasts and is currently the only Predaliens to exist in the Americas. A hulking monster of over 10 feet, FireHunter is one of the Shadow Serpents’ most dangerous threats. In spite of his size, he is also perhaps the fastest Xenomorph thus far. He is also an excellent swimmer, and so FireHunter currently stalks shallow waters within the Hive.

Badapple and Gamefreak briefly meet on the surface. They’re among the first Xenomorphs to reach the surface, given their speed. They contemplate their situation and decide to search for other Runners together.

The next Xenomorph to awaken is Dronehive, who is a Drone of the Hive. As a Drone, Dronehive is one of the sneakiest creatures on Earth. Its experience and maturity is noted by the scar on its chest; this Xenomorph has survived some of the harshest battles the Shadow Serpents have seen.

The last Xenomorph to awaken is DarkLioness, a Warrior-class Xenomorph--just one class above the Drone. She mourns the loss of the previous Queen. She quickly met with Badapple just before he raced to the surface and met with Gamefreak. She followed Badapple yet was left behind due to his superior speed. Currently, she is working her way to the surface.

Finally, the Yautja are closing in on their mission location. Skull Ripper, an experienced warrior of Hunter’s Moon, waits alongside his brethren aboard their small scout ship. Skull Ripper is fully aware of the gravity of the situation and prepares accordingly, packing a cloaking device, a pair of wrist blades, a plasma caster, and his biomask. Confident that he is now prepared, he seeks his clanmates and awaits arrival.

Moments before the Xenomorphs began waking, Alpha Draconis successfully landed on Earth. They are the first humans to walk the Earth in thousands of years. Their mission is to capture at least one Yautja for interrogation and destroy the Hive. They have yet to decide if they will also capture a Xenomorph.

Alpha Draconis is fully aware of Yautja and Xenomorphs. The Yautja on this mission have never seen live humans before.

Aboard the United Nations Space Command’s ship The Endurance--a fully-staffed and heavily armed flagship of 100 meters in length--Alpha Draconis prepares for the upcoming mission, packing the necessary weaponry and transport vehicles to take along on their trek across the Kenai Peninsula in Southern Alaska. Companies of soldiers are moving toward several points on the peninsula.

“Humongous Bear†(Argonian) is a young Hispanic soldier currently manning one of The Endurance’s dropships. Despite his age, HB is an experienced man who knows the current mission like the back of his hand. To summarize his log:

â€Alpha Draconis’ soldiers wear Advanced Combat Armor. This armor is resistant to small amounts of acidic blood. In the ACA’s helmet, soldiers have access tp night vision, ultraviolet vision, and infrared sensors. Though it’s not a perfect detection system, it’s reliable for much of the time. If the Yautja and Xenomorphs are smart, they’ll find a way to take these helmets away.

The soldiers have access to rocket launchers, grenade launchers, net guns, tranquilizer rifles, flamethrowers, heavy machine guns, sniper rifles, shotguns, pistols, and semi-automatic rifles, assault rifles, and laser rifles.

The current heads of this mission are Commander Casey Maharlika and Doctor Kathleen Jess Delovy Waits.â€

Humoungous Bear is the medic of his squad. He is accompanied by a Synthetic Android named Erin. They and the rest of Alpha Draconis’ field companies await their orders to proceed into the tundras of Alaska.

Some time later, the acting leader of the Hive, Bloo, awakens. Bloo is a Praetorian, a class of Xenomorph just below the Queen and equal to the Predalien. Bloo and Fire Hunter are the current leaders of the Shadow Serpents, but they don't like each other. Others are uneasy around Bloo for his strange behaviour.

Bloo has just confronted Badapple up on the surface.

END
(BACK TO TOP)


badapple24, Human, 8 years ago

Badapple’s frozen form gave life to itself once more, a hiss escaping, it was humid down in the bowels of the hive. He crawled slowly out from the outcropping. His pheromone sensors were still a bit dormant. He looked at the many skeletons, of both human and predator. Badapple allowed his pharyngeal jaw push itself out. Stretching it completely, his whole body moving fluently as he awoke, he seemed the first out of his hive. And he knew they were without a queen, his instinct told him get a queen, first priority. And hell, when did his mind ever steer his wrong, he moved along, the empty carcasses of humans, and facehuggers clung to the floor and walls.

The resin that coated the walls, even though it was hundreds of years old, still retained moisture. He loved the humidity, it was cold out there. And the runner was not fond to the cold. If, there was nothing to do. He’d let the others go out for hosts. But unfortunately, he was a bit scrambled. He let out a screech, indicating it was time to awaken the hive. He knew that some may not listen. But he didn’t care too much, he’d take his time getting out.

His mind then travelled to a new idea, the hive that had been their enemy throughout the centuries had conjoined with their own. And he wasn’t quite fond of some of them. Much like Dark Lioness, he assumed, didn’t like working with him. But old friends like Gamefreak or Kirby, he was ready to see his oldest friends to awaken. His body then moved to the more comfortable quadriplegic stance, as he began to patrol the still dormant halls of the hive.

He wondered where all the prey had gone, he pushed some skeletons out of the way, and growled not quite enjoying the way they were so barren. Something to satiate his bloodlust would've been rather good for his spirits. Nonetheless, he wanted blood, and he wanted it now.

gamefreak33797, Human, 8 years ago

A low hiss escaped from an indistinguishable corridor from deep within the Alaskan Kenai peninsula. The slow drip from all around a constant reminder to Gamefreak that she wasn't dead, she was just waiting, for the perfect time to move again.

All the while waiting she never noticed if anything was amiss, all she could focus on were to things. Either the call of her hive leader or even the call from her partner Badapple. Then finally the time came when he slowly came into view, stretching his inner jaw and moving about until he let out a loud screech which is what the signal was. This was her time to awaken.

As she stood the ice crystals that had formed on her carapace over the long wait gave way to a jet black dome and her runner styled body. As she stood on all fours she shook all the ice away to reveal a smaller than average runner build, jet black, with a tail that seems to be fused from the sixth joint down, making a rather nice, but clunky spear that she barely used.

As she finished her stretches and the removal of the build up of ice she too let loose a screech coupled with her slashing out wildly at the walls, floor, and ceiling.





She may have been calm, but the other guy, the other guy wants to cut loose.

Kirby-Cage, Human, 8 years ago

*Screech*

New prey? No, I don't sense prey, BUT IT IS TIME TO REBUILD!

A icy mist hangs in the air, the icicles hanging from the ceiling, a layer of frost coating the room, covering a tomb of a time long past. The skeletons of humans,a Predator, and facehuggers hiding under a sheet of frost, and sleeping on the wall lies one of their murderers.

Kirby woke in his typical fashion, quickly and violently, sending ice shards flying in various directions. He took a moment to assess the room. Nothing had changed in his time asleep and he could already tell that a few others had awoken already. He pried himself free of his cropping he had built for himself, gracefully landing on the ground. He started his stretches, the ice breaking off him as he started to stand upright. A cloud escaped from his mouth as he stood up fallowed by screech of his own which reverberated off the walls, if there was any of his brothers and sisters still sleeping there wouldn't be anymore.

Falling back onto all fours, Kirby sprinted off to find the others.

FireHunter, Human, 8 years ago

All was dark except for a hazy beam of light filtering from the surface. No sound came through the stagnant water that surrounded the still, monolithic form of one of the last Xenomorphs on Earth.

But for the first time in what felt like eternity, something stirred in the depths. The creature's head lifted to face the thick sheet of ice above. Long, ropey dreadlocks floated weightlessly in the water, lifeless tentacles from an ancient, forgotten monster. Ancient joints stirred into motion as FireHunter unfurled its mighty limbs, arms lazily extending out to feel its surroundings, but it felt nothing besides the hard bed of hive material beneath its feet.

The beast stood up as if it were on dry land, head tilted towards the surface, one long, muscular arm reached up and caressed the ice, feeling for a weakness. It was time to rebuild the dormant Hive, and the ice that covered the lake was not going to stop this plan from going into motion. A feeling deep in the pit of its alien gut told it that more of its brethren still lived, and were awakening as it was.

Feeling around in the blackness, FireHunter moved to shallower waters, it needed more leverage if it was going to break through the ice.

badapple24, Human, 8 years ago

Badapple hissed. The closer he got the the surface the colder the ground seemed to get. He turned around, and noticed Gamefreak come around a corner. He sprinted, almost, to see his old friend and partner. So much so that he actually attempted to run into the other runner to tackle her. Out of friendship of course. But maybe she didn't know that. He would also have liked to find Kirby, he heard a screech that must’ve belonged to him.

Badapple was concerned however, of the much more larger, horrific aliens below in the labyrinth of tunnels and catacombs that the Alien’s had built over eons, just to have it wiped clean from existence for the hunters to come and well… hunt. The frost of the peninsula went down a lot further than Bad apple once expected, they must’ve still been down pretty far, as there was little light for the human eye. But a xeno didn’t necessarily need light, it only needed something to smell out.

For now, Badapple would hope his plan would work and regroup with his other runners.

Dronehive, Human, 8 years ago

Shrieks and calls rippedbthrough the formerly stagnant air, disrupting what seemed an eternity of silence. And, as if confused by the sudden interuption of its domain, silence lulled to return as a obsidian black, water-coated figure burst from the floor, tearing years of patience and dormancy from over it.

The alien creature arose, without haste or sound, and turned its large, domed head twards its bretheren. Some anchient signal had been sounded, a oath to silence had come to an end- and, with a broken, underused voice, the monster shrieked in responce to its hive. With that one sound alone, the creature had confirmed its presence and its awareness of what must unfold. With another deafening screech, it commanded the attention of those still dormant and unaware of the new call and the great and terrible plan which so patiently had begun hundreds of years ago.

With another call by its hive, the alien creature was summoned to join its kind in the beginning of the hunt. Its black carpace, domed head, and thin, needle-like tail were distinguished from the newborn of its kind by a long sunken gash across its chest and the maturity of the tubelike growths on its back, a symptom of both its age and times long past.

skull_ripper, Human, 8 years ago

Skull-Ripper
Hunter's Moon Blooded
Preparing for the Hunt
-----------------------------

Skull-Ripper crouched in his quarters of the small vessel he was on, sharpening his wrist blades as he contemplated the times. He found himself on a scout ship, small enough to be stealthy but large enough for a moderate hunting party to occupy. However, the hunting party(or perhaps warband) was on the smaller side this time around. For this was no mere hunt, this was a mission. One of dire importance for the Clan, lest they be mocked by their fellow Yautja for allowing Humans to set foot on the Black Moon.

All he truly knew was that the weak primates must eradicated, as they threatened this choicest of hunting grounds. It was drawing nearer for the Yautja to descend upon the world however, so Skull-Ripper stood and made to ready himself. The young hunter first put on his cloaking device, slipping the netting over his torso with relative ease. Next he strapped on his armor over it, one such task he was not overly fond of doing.

With his armor in place he sauntered over to his weapon rack, sheathing his wrist blades in one swift motion before reaching up to grab his Plasma caster. Reaching back, he hooked it into place on his back and with a mechanical whir it repositioned itself. With a swipe of his claw on his bracer's data pad, it went inactive and closed down into its shoulder mount.

He pulled his bio mask from it's stand by his bedside, hooking the protective sensor array on the left side of his belt. He looked himself over cautiously, making certain he had everything he would need and that is was all fastened properly. With a confident nod and a stretching roll of his shoulders Skull-Ripper went to seek out the other Yautja on the ship.

Argonian, Human, 8 years ago

After a moment, the heavy rocking motions of the ship were mitigated, as it passed through what once had been Earth's atmosphere, as it began to make its descent into the once vibrant and alive planet, now its blues were tainted by blacks and greys that covered the landscape as far as it could be seen through the reinforced windows.

As the G-Forces waned, the soldiers and mercenaries aboard began to prepare themselves for the landing. Everyone had been previously informed what their mission was, after awakening from cryogenics. Their mission was to capture a specimen of the Predator race, so that he or she could be interrogated about the changes that the solar system had experienced after their absence. Seconday objective, was to secure the current zone, and explore the frozen landscape, so that the data collected could be analyzed, before a larger number of troops could be sent, and finally, retake the forsaken planet.

To anihilate any other lifeform that wasn't human still living on the surface was without saying. The soldiers were well aware that besides the monstrous hunters, other type of aliens lived in the surface and the underground of the Earth, which they were as dangerous, if not more, than the Predators that the humans were about to face.

Every precaution had been taken, however, when the supplies and armament had been installed and delivered on the vessel, The Endurance knowing that the threat that possed the Predators and the Black Goo creatures was quite the challenge. The men and women, however, were up for it, at least, on knowledge and armament.

The vessel itself, on its lenght of 100 meters, had been installed with several cannons over its surface, that although not as strong or efficient as those that the Predators had, they were sure to at least allow a fair confrontation, if the Predators tried and assaulted The Endurance with their own starships. The vessel had also a formidable payload of missiles and explosives. The ship had also been prepared with four 4x4 all terrain vehicles, that had space for 6 soldiers, and one gunner, that manned the turret installed. Besides this, the ship guarded on its hangar two heavy tanks, and four exosuits, equipped with heavy machine guns and a grenade launcher. The spaceship had also been equipped with four dropships, with its main function being to allow the insertion of troops in the battlefield, and to drop equipment alongside vehicles in the ground, without the need for the cruiser itself to land.

The soldiers had been issued with Advanced Combat Armor, that had been designed to be more resistant to the acidic blood of the Xenomorphs, to allow the soldiers to remove it if the skin patterned in a light blue and gray, which was more symbollic than anything, as at the end, the camouflage would be useless with the aliens, and the Predators were able to detect heat patterns. To counteract with this, some of the soldier's helmets had installed lenses, that had installed night vision, Ultraviolet vision, and a highly-sensitive lens, to allow the humans to identify Predators who were using their camouflage, by detecting the distortion on the light produced by the Predators armor, and allow the humans to stand a chance against the better technology that the Predators sported. The system was still prone to errors, so it couldn't be trusted on a 100%.

The humans had been given a wide variety of weapons, that ranged from rocket launchers, grenade launchers, net launchers, tranquilizer rifles, flamers, heavy machine guns, the sucessors of the Smart Guns, sniper rifles, shotguns, pistols and rifles. Yet the weapons that took the cake were the recently designed laser rifles, which although still having some peeves of their own, they were rather formidable weapons, that had been supplied to a few sargeants and captains in the contingent.

The two heads of the dragon, or leaders, that were currently supervising the operation were the Commander Casey Maharlika, a man of Asian descendence that was famed to have great intelligence and tactical knowledge, a capable leader, that was as brilliant as stubborn and proud, and Kathleen Jess Delovy Waits, and a scientist with a brilliant genious, which had been appointed to the mission by the goverment itself. Rumors circulated around her, of all kind, specially regarding her somewhat questionable ethics regarding scientific investigation.

When the ship got in position, over what once had been Alaska, to the North of the Kenai Penninsula, two dropships, holding each one all-terrain vehicle, and squads of soldiers, were ready to make the first contact and scout ahead.

On the dropship, named by the pilot Humoungous Bear , a young, Hispanic male awaited the landing, as he hold on tight to the metal bars that held him in place, as he fidled with his helmet. The redhead examined with his green eyes the armor, before placing it over his head, and secured it.

He gazed around, taking notice of his soldiers around him, his squad. As the medic, it was his task to maintain the team patched up and running, to allow for the objectives set to be completed efficently, besides giving protection to the advanced android which was to tag along with the first recon group, so that the scientific team on board The Endurance was aware first hand of the current state of the planet.

As he observed the syntethic, named as Erin, he wondered if the creatures which he was about to face where truly monsters, or just... misunderstood in some way. He knew he couldn't let his thoughts get the better of himself now, of course, yet his mind wandered, while he still had time to ponder on those kind of things...

DarkLioness, Human, 8 years ago

Ah...the primal sound of the hive come to it's destructive yet well organized life was a sweet symphony to one such as her. The time had come to awaken after so long, was it months or years since she had roamed the safety of the hive and beyond? DarkLioness didn't know and all that mattered now was joining with her hive-mates. Yet there was a painful longing within her, the pain of loss and the feeling of being without a real purpose in life. DarkLioness knew her brethren had no Queen, her mournful cries as she suddenly sprang to life shattering the cocoon she had constructed around herself echoed throughout the cavern like a hellish banshee. This mournful and pained cry also served to mask the very real physical pain she experienced as her sore limbs stretched. The Warrior stood shakily on all fours chattering her displeasure of being in such a state as she struggled to walk, to move her tail around and to stretch her aching jaws. She stood stock still for what felt like hours as the pain dulled and her sense rapidly returned to her, giving her the much needed punch in the metaphorical gut to get her back in gear. She shook herself, frost and ice falling from her body and falling to the floor as a mist rose around her.

"Ahhh........."

An envigorated deep hiss verberrated from her chitinous chest and her tail swayed behind her hypnotically as if it had a mind of its own, DarkLioness slowly began to stride her limbs no longer wrought with pain and stiffness. She walked slowly but with purpose as she was now heading to meet with her hive, to understand what will become of them with no Queeen. She could sense familiar and unfamiliar Xenomorphs, such as the one called BadApple. She had indeed immediately recognized the sound of the screech of her old advisory, however it wasn't a call to fight it was a call to wake. DarkLioness concluded that before everyone had fallen into their deep slumber there had been no conflict, otherwise their "enemies" would be lying on the floor along with the brittle bones of past Predators and Humans. DarkLioness would observe and sort out the confusion later but for now it was time to gather. With a deep breath the Warrior screeched her response to the rest of the hive, announcing that another member had awoken and ready for whatever came next. All that was important now was seeing to it that this new hive had a Queen to serve and hosts lining the walls of this massive home. Yet DarkLioness acknowledged one annoyance that she was highly aware of since her awakening; it was getting colder the further she traveled toward what she assumed was the outside of the hive.

"Not so fond of the cold." the creature hissed to herself, barely paying attention to the numerous puddles of water in her path.

-Bloo-, Human, 8 years ago

It’s very wet in here. It’s very humid. It’s so hard being me because it’s so wet. I am in a black jungle giving birth to myself and I am floating inside my own placenta and it’s so wet. It’s not very cold. I can’t feel cold. I just know that it’s wet.

How do I know that it’s wet when, at the same time, I can never know that it’s cold? People born blind say that they don’t see in black but people who turn blind after being wet say that they now see in black. Maybe people born blind who say they can’t see in black actually do see in black but they just don’t know it’s black because they’ve never seen anything before. I don’t see in black either. I don’t see like you do. I have never stared at anything ever in my entire life. But maybe I do see in black. And maybe I am cold.

Everyone’s waking up. I wonder if they’re all cold, too.

We only wake up in unison like this when something’s wrong, or when something’s right… or when something just is and we have to decide what that thing is: Right or wrong. Or maybe something else entirely. Not necessarily a middle ground, but just something ELSE. For now I think it’s right. I know my friends don’t always agree with me. Where is Fire Hunter? I know he doesn’t like me. He would say the opposite of what I would say. Where is Kirby? Where are all my Shadow Serpents? I have an urge. I wanna--I need to satisfy and only they can help me scratch myself.

OH. Oh, maybe I don’t know what cold is because I’ve never felt cold before. I am currently being born and I am definitely blind.

I need to feel good again! I need to feel good again! AHHHHHHHH

After a while I just--I stopped thinking about being wet and started feeling around my black jungle to see if I could get cold, to see if I could find anyone who could scratch me. And then I started looking around the Hive. My black jungle needs satisfying. I don’t like being scratched, but I feel like I deserve it. I HMMM it’s not what I want, but it’s probably what I need. To--to keep myself in check. It’s like pinching yourself when you think you’re dreaming. It’s that flagpole you see out your window when you’re having a bad day and you think to yourself “WOW, that flagpole is still there. Good thing I’m alive.†I’m sure this is completely relatable to you.

I am the King of this Playground and you will pee in your own goddamn bucket. This is my bucket. This is my bucket. This is my bucket. This is my bucket. This is my bucket. And it’s wet.

I Am the King of This Playground. I am your father and you will fuck with me until we make our own parents.

This is my friend Badapple. He is my friend. He is my son. Badapple, what do you want to do today?

badapple24, Human, 8 years ago

Badapple kept still on his four limbs. Staring up at the hulking praetorian. He was glad he was still around, otherwise their mission was going to become a lot more difficult. He let his limber frame stand alert for a moment. Much like a meerkat on guard would, had his seen something. But he was just surveying the area.... more or less. Badapple's tail swung. As his mind pondered what to do. 'Help him, he's big, and protective...' while another voice battled. 'he draws attention, he's a liability...' Badapple was unsure on a whole bunch of other things too, but with Gamefreak apparently ignoring him, he was left with no other option. Badapple slowly let his body drop back on all fours and he turned to the forest ahead of him. hissing cautiously.

He never was a fan of big parties...

FireHunter, Human, 8 years ago

Firehunter's back soon touched the icy surface of the frozen lake, and it kept moving until it sat crouched between the ice and the submerged hive webbing that covered the floor of the lake. From there it wasn't too hard for the monstrous Xenomorph to stand and shatter the ceiling of its stagnant prison. Cracks split the surface of the lake, and a sizeable chunk was thrown high into the air, landing elsewhere on the late and separating into several pieces on impact. New continents of ice shifted, freed from their forced stillness.

FireHunter now stood waist deep in the freezing lake, its thick black exoskeleton exposed to the air for the first time in what could have been a hundred years or six months, although the dilapidated state of the outside world seemed to suggest the former. The great beast surveyed its surroundings, there was a storm in the distance, but only a gentle rain of snowflakes drifted from grey skies above it, falling softly to the ground only to fade into oblivion against the sea of black and white.

What once had been buildings and trees were now spires of hive webbing, reaching skyward from the snow in twisted, organic towers of strangling obsidian. A strange, humped shape dragged itself between the spires, most likely searching for food in the frozen wasteland. FireHunter paid it no heed, there were bigger things afoot, like the lights in the sky that moved along, the first non-organic thing to fly in this atmosphere for a long time. FireHunter's terrifying head followed one of them as it flew over the horizon, getting lower and lower before sinking behind the strangled skyline of Hive spires.

The beast climbed out of the water, steam rolled from its body as heat seeped back into its veins and radiated from its carapace, hot, moist breath fouled the air, and a thunderous roar tore from ancient vocal cords through the silence of the world.

FireHunter stalked between the towers, heading in the direction of the flying light.

skull_ripper, Human, 8 years ago

Skull-Ripper
Hunter's Moon Blooded
Preparing to Depart
-----------------------------

Skull-Ripper walked through the ship with a calm demeanor, his pace and seemingly relaxed state in contrast to the importance of the mission he was on. In all honesty, he was considerably more tense than his outward appearance suggested. He had been chosen for this mission, a truly great honor for him and his family. He was hesitant about this task, if he failed it would ruin his family name and surely spell death for the Hunter.

If he succeeded however, he would certainly gain the favor of the Elder who had formed the small squad. A legendary hunter and great leader, Concrete Hunter was most definitely someone Skull-Ripper would like to be in the good graces of. Even if Skull-Ripper died, so long as the mission was a success, he would at least gain some status even if he wasn't alive to enjoy it.

Not that he could tell anyone about it, since it was a secret mission after all. He would just have to relish the memory and knowledge that he was a part of the task that stood for the betterment of his Clan. As he walked through the ship, he neared the bridge of the vessel and straightened himself so as to be fully presentable if anyone else was still present on the space craft.

As he walked through the automated doors leading onto the command deck, Skull-Ripper strode with confidence and purpose. Each step filled was filled with meaning, taking him closer to the task at hand. Inch by inch, foot by foot; he would complete his mission or die trying.

tawganator, Human, 8 years ago

May Father Sky guide me.

"Can you believe we're here?" I let the moment get the better of me and mutter the the words under my breath. It was hard not to be taken in by gravity of the moment as the first humans in over 4000 years once again traverse over Mother Earth.

"Yes Father Tawg, but The Black Moon is just another rock for me to die on so forgive me if I'm not overcome in awe at the moment".

"Of course Private but I do hope you would reflect back on this day when your children are in need of a good story to be told". The Black Moon, what insult to be given to our Mother. Can't be helped I guess, even those in the Order have used the term on occasion.

"Sure Father, just make sure nothing sneaks up on me out there and I'll see that we both make it back to tell our great great grandchildren".

I smile and nod to the Private and he makes his way to the waiting bay. It is not rare for a priest of the Order to be on the battlefield but it is rare for one to be placed on the front lines of a landing party. They must be serious about this.

The announcement to begin should be made soon. Better check my gear. Assault rifle, pistol, short sword, armour, helmet and. I pause as I check the bottle in my hand, Xeno-nex. I'm not fond of this being used in combat especially when black goo creatures are involved. Safer than black market Fire they claim, I hope we don't need to use these.

*Siren blares*

"It's time".

May Mother Earth protect me.

gamefreak33797, Human, 8 years ago

The burst of rage subsided quickly, perhaps the other guy wasn't quite ready to play? She noticed in her comatose state that Badapple was now right in front of her. She heard a faint voice in the back of her head, just a tiny whisper, "....kill..."

She quickly lowered herself into a crouching position and tensed her legs, ready for a pounce, when suddenly she thought, "Why, why kill him? He's gonna help me reach my end goal. He's been my partner through thick and thin."

Her limbs tensed even more, like she was restraining herself, the ice cracking within her joints. As she loosened them, realizing how dumb of an idea it would be to attack her partner she noticed something. And she doesn't know how she didn't notice before, cause it was her "friend" Bloo, a huge heaping mass of Praetorian.

Hmm, perhaps this can make for a bit of moving cover. She crawled up onto Bloo, sliding herself behind his rather large "crown" and settling down. She let out a slight hiss, "Yess, this will be a good ambush spot."

Argonian, Human, 8 years ago

"Alright, sir. Should I begin the descent?" Edgar asked, when he saw a nice landing zone for the vehicle and the rest of the troopers on the transport. Almost immediately, his question was answered by the commander. “Do so. Make sure to keep your eyes open. We know what we are fighting against, so don’t screw up, Algae. You’re a goddamn janitor now, so you better clean up well, make sure those things regret feasting on our planet…â€

“Right. Don’t worry, sir. I know what to do. You can rest assured I’ll manage.†As the redhead said this, he looked back at the crew on the transport, getting a friendly salute from one of the troopers inside. He waved back, before focusing again on the cockpit. “Also, I would rush it if I was you. The Doctor is getting impatient for her specimen… and I wouldn’t mind getting it to talk, either.â€
“Don’t worry, sir. It shall be done. You can tell the Doctor not to worry.†He began to maneuver, to land. “I trust you, Bear. Marhalika out.â€

Edgar sighed, as he observed the desolate landscape around him, through the window “Something bothering you, Ed?†Erin suddenly asked, breaking Edgar from the small trance he had just went through, as he adjusted the thrusters and activated the landing feet of the ship, glancing at her sideways. “No… I’m… I’m alright… I mean… I just feel a little pressured… I feel like the destiny of the human race is on my hands… and that really worries me.†He didn’t wanted to admit that he felt scared of the task ahead, and troubles filled his mind. He knew he couldn’t waver, however, as it meant endangering the life of his fellow soldiers.

The android smiled, as she gave him a friendly pat on the shoulder, blinking, trying to find words to express herself. Even though she had been living for some time amongst the soldiers, she still felt sometimes a little off, struggling to empathize with the men and women that were serving on the Endurance Still, she tried, letting out a response, when the transport met the ground. “Don’t worry… you’re capable. I know you’ll manage.â€
Edgar smiled back at her, as he removed the strappings holding him into place, and lifted himself from the pilot’s seat, taking his rifle, a shotgun, and his med-kit, ready to be one of the first men and women for centuries, to step on Earth again.
“We are ready. Let’s kick these monsters from our Earth.â€

The doors were opened, and the vehicle released, as the squad, commanded by Edgar, stepped out of the transport, a cold wind reminding them that they were close to the Poles. The ground felt squishy and wet under the boots of the squad, and the air was thick, and it took them a moment to adjust to it, their systems slowly getting used to what soon would be their new home.

“Gear up. We are expecting some resistance from the ‘dwellers’ here, so make sure you keep your eyes and ears alert for anything. Use your helmet’s vision, don’t get sloppy, and if it’s not one of those Black Goo creatures, try to aim for less vital parts, so that it can be captured. Remember, we need a Hunter for interrogation, so if you see one, do your best to subdue it.†Edgar spoke with decision and sureness, to inspire the members of Alpha Draconis.

“Mckenzie, Pérez, Corton, Pollois. I need you to scout the area in the vehicle. Don’t move too far away from the landing zone. If something pops up, you shoot it, understand?†The Hispanic turned to the other side. “Tzu, Yaverahov. You guard the dropship. Get inside, and close the door, make sure you are ready in case we need an emergency evacuation. Fend anything that gets too close, and open the door when we have our culprit.â€

Finally, he went back to Erin, and the rest of the soldiers, as he heard the rumble of the vehicle beginning its engine, before taking off. “Follow me. We are scouting too… maybe kill some Xenomorphs in the process. Don’t move too far away from each other, and make sure those assault rifles, flamethrowers, and that rocket launcher you have, Orvan. It will come in handy. Erin, make sure you are close, and even if curiosity drives you, tell us before you do anything, okay?†The android gave a nod, before taking out a pistol from its holster.

“Let’s go hunting, boys!†One of the soldiers exclaimed, as he took ahold of his weapon, and began advancing. Edgar smirked, before following after him, with the rest of his squad.