Security Report #2 (Five Klicks - Xeno-Mod)

     Post-Evacuation Report #2 of Officer Ellen Schwarzschild, Station Security, Tulloch Station.

    January 7th, 2182; 08:32 hours.

    If you're reading this message, it means something has. . . happened to me. Either one of those things got me, or something worse, something much worse, has happened. 

    I have only one request. Keep writing these reports. Keep forwarding them on to The Network. People have to know what's happened out here. People have to know what The Company was breeding on Tulloch Station.

    This is Station Security Officer Ellen Schwarzschild, signing off.

    Secondary Login Detected.

    Post-Evacuation Report #2, Supplemental.

    January 7th, 2182; 18:10 hours.

    Author: Codename ANGEL [Official Designation Redacted]

    I'm going in after them. It goes against my programming to stay here, to leave them. Their vitals are very low, but it's clear that they are not dead. I have steady readouts from their PDTs. I know where they are, and none of them show the vital changes I've observed in those currently being. . . infected.

    I will attempt to recount what occurred in Section 614, Subsection Sigma.

Security Officer Ellen Schwarzschild, in her capacity as leader of our expeditionary squad, proposed a direct assault on a section of Tulloch Station closer to the hive structures, or rather, where we believe that they are. The draw of the area for her was the potential presence of supply crates left behind by Weyland-Yutani in their hasty withdrawal. When we arrived, the layout and lack of contacts seemed promising, though the flickering lights did not. Immediately, we located some useful scrap materials, which boosted the confidence of everyone involved. Perhaps to our detriment.

Ellen herself seemed to be unable to contain her excitement, sprinting ahead and gesturing for everyone else to follow. Her plan was simple. Push as far toward the hive as possible, hold a passageway against the inevitable approach of the aliens, and allow MacReady time to search all of the crates. With luck, we'd be able to secure the section. If things became bad, then perhaps we could retreat as a unit with some useful salvage in tow.

I heard the pinging of positive contacts on Ellen's motion tracker as we hurried to catch up to her and Ashley. They sounded close, and inbound.

In seconds, the aliens were on us. I saw Chett and Louise run to try and secure a pair of doors further in, heard their screams an instant later as the tide of aliens overwhelmed them.

I saw Ellen's face go from confident to horrified in the space of a breath. Working quickly, she gestured for everyone to rally to her. The plan had changed, but it was still simple. Grab what we can, and hold the room where she was already preparing to make a stand.

Unfortunately, everything we recovered was trash. Literally.

Ellen's motion tracker was practically screaming as the horde rushed in toward us. We formed a hasty line, blocking doorways with our bodies and readying our guns for the inevitable.

The xenomorphs were on us before we could even fire.

Sarah and Joanne both made hasty shots, and both did little to halt the alien advance.

I saw Ellen fire a round directly into the solar plexus of one of the aliens, but it was MacReady who terminated the creature. Unfortunately, the spray of acidic blood from his shot was enough to incapacitate him and damage his scout armor.

Acting quickly, I stepped into the breach with Ellen and started to target the aliens. My first shot had no effect.

But I was quick on the draw and was able to fire again immediately, though the gun jammed with a fragment of substandard ammunition. Acid spray from the shot was minimal.

I was able to quickly clear the jam and ready my rifle again.

Ashley sprayed wildly, hitting nothing.

I noted that two xenomorphs seemed less confident after the killing of two of their own by myself and by MacReady. Both ran back to the bulk of their force before returning in even greater numbers.

Ashley's tactics kept the Aliens momentarily delayed.

We were holding a decent defensive line, but with nearly half our squad incapacitated, things were quickly looking grim.

Ellen was able to wound one of the xenomorphs.

As was Joanne.

My own recording of events becomes hazy at this point. Despite tracking and beating back the writhing hordes of aliens at the threshold, one managed to whip a tail across my processing circuitry and I collapsed immediately. I know that Ashley was also driven back by one of the aliens.

Joanne's response was quick, as was Ellen's.

Unfortunately, neither managed to wound any of the aliens rushing at them.

I believe that there was something in the crates that the aliens were drawn to. Either that, or they sensed that the crates were something that we desired, something that made us dangerous, and so they sought them as aggressively as we did.

It was at this point that Ellen was wounded, clawed by one of the drones.

Ashley attempted to drive them off, but was unsuccessful.

More and more contacts beeped from Ellen's motion tracker.

And then Ellen herself was tossed aside by the horde and collapsed.

Pushed back by the horde, Joanne seemed to consider making a run for safety. My programming cried out for her to save herself, but Joanne is as brave as she is stubborn, and so she stayed.

Much to her own detriment.

The room was quickly overrun. Ashley made one last desperate attempt to fight back the xenomorphs. I clearly recall her yelling "eat this!" as she shoved her shotgun into the mouth of one of the aliens, terminating it instantly.

Unfortunately, the acid spray was substantial, and she fell back, screaming.

I lay there in the room for hours, utterly motionless. The aliens were quick about gathering up the squad for cocooning and eventual impregnation. Assessing the damage to my physical frame, I knew that I would stand a much greater chance of saving Ellen and the others if I mounted a rescue operation later with Constantine than I would if I rose and fought the aliens until there was nothing left of me to fight with.

I hoped that none of them would be infected before I could return to meet with Constantine. Fortunately, my hopes were not in vain. Comparing their vital signs with my visual records, I surmised that only Ashley and Joanne were injured, though it is highly likely that MacReady's armor has been damaged.*

Upon returning to meet with Constantine, I encountered another survivor drawn in by the noise of the firefight. Technician Abraham Fitzgerald helped me return to our secure area, and helped me fix my military rifle, which had been damaged by acid spray. His own rifle, a "zip-gun" made from station parts, seems effective enough, and he claims to have terminated several aliens with it in the past. My practical assessment of his combat readiness is that he is very green and inexperienced, but that he will be a valuable member of the rescue team. Fortunately, he agrees, and his readiness to assist increases the odds that we will succeed in recovering Ellen and the others with minimal incident.

Father Constantine has rested and mostly recovered from his injury. He too seems eager for the rescue mission.

If I were capable of emotion, I suppose I would be as well.

*

Angel is MVP

All others gain +1 XP

AP spent on healing Constantine at the "doc" and training Angel.

Angel leveled up! +1 to Combat

Trade: Scrap Rifle and Burner Ammo.

No Loot

Recruit: Abraham Fitzgerald: Rookie.

Six Squad Members Hived.

Zero Squad Members Infected.

Session 3: Rescue Mission.

* Post-Play notes: Hey! Louise got a 97 on her casualty roll and gets +1 Grit! Nice!