I look down at my backpack and check it’s contents to make sure I didn’t leave anything behind. ‘Food pills? Check. Water pills? Check. Gauze? Check. Hemostasis spray? Check. Bandages? Check.’ I look up from my backpack to my ammo belt. ‘2 Frags, 2 Kracks, and 4 overcharged packs.’ I place my hand to my helmet and press the button for the micro bead. “Testing, testing, 1, 2, 3. Charlie can you read me?”

“I read you.” Charlie responds.

“Dave?” I ask.

“Affirmative.” Dave replies.

I pick up my Long Las and take the power pack out before putting it back in. ‘Long Las locked and loaded.’ I flex my fingers and look down at my armor. ‘Arbite Light Carapace Armor? Check.’ I stop flexing my fingers and pick up my pack. After putting on my pack I put my Long Las against my shoulder. “Everyone ready to go?”

“Ready.” Charlie responds.

“Ready.” Dave answers.

“Ok. Remember Charlie for this mission you will give the introduction if no one else does.” I tell him.

“Right.” Charlie says and nods.

“Then let’s go.” I say and push open my door. It is currently 6AM and we are the first people to arrive on the platform. “Last time the light gave the mission at 9AM so I’m assuming it will do the same this time.”

“What will we do for the next 3 hours?” Charlie asked.

“Make our peace and pray that we don’t die.” I say. I then set my pack and Long Las against the stairs while sitting down next to them. The next 3 hours pass in silence only interrupted by occasional small talk.

At 9AM 7 light beams shoot out of the ball of light. ‘Please enter the beam of light within 30 seconds.’ When the mechanical voice rings in my head I pick up my stuff and enter the first beam of light. Dave soon follows me into my Beam. Charlie tries to enter with us but he is blocked. After attempting and failing to enter our beam of light he enters the beam next to ours. I look out over the platform and see Ms.Baker’s group scrambling to get into a beam. Each person in her group, including her, is dressed in modern bullet proof vests and has a modern firearm of some sort.

‘I thought she was smarter than that. Oh well.’ I take my eyes off them.

‘Entering mission world. Mission Parameters: Survival. Scenario: Xenomorph Infestation. Difficulty: 14 man. Side Mission: Introduction and Xenomorph kills.’ The mechanical voice dictates.

‘Oh no.’ Is my last thought before my consciousness fades away.

My eyes open to the sight of steel walls and metal grates. I quickly stand up and look around. Dave is already awake and standing while Charlie is just getting up. ‘Why did it have to be here.’ I look at the familiar storage crate walls, steel grate floors, and well lit ceiling. ‘Of all the worlds it had to be here didn’t it.’ I feel my breathes start to come quickly and my hand shake. Images of Bill and the guy who was torn open flash in my mind. ‘I barely survived last time and now there are more of them.’ Finally my body freezes as I remember the dripping maw of the beast as it was about to kill me. Metalic fangs and clear saliva adorned a pink fleshed tongue inside a black shell of horrific strength.

“Are you ok Josh” Charlie asks as he moves over to me.

My mind melts the mental frost of terror at Charlie’s words and I release a breathe I didn’t realize I was holding. I take a deep breathe in and answer. “Yeah I’m fine. I was just remembering the last time I came here.”

“You’ve been here before?” Charlie asks surprised.

“Yep, my very first mission, though I don’t know if this is the same place.” I answer. ‘I sure hope it’s not the same place. I wouldn’t be able to handle seeing Bills body.’

“That’s great.” Charlie says. While we were talking Ms.Baker’s group had woken up along with some of the other newbies.

I look over at the newbies. ‘None of them seem to be exceptional but I guess we’ll find out by who survives.’ I shiver a bit and glance down the corridors to either side.

As more of the newbies get up Ms.Baker gets their attention and starts to give an introduction. ‘So that’s how this is going to be.’ I check my armor to see if it’s sealed properly then click my microbead. “We’re going to take a back seat approach to this mission.” I tell Dave and Charlie. “This is going to be the hardest mission we’ve been on and it’s going to be a question if we even survive. The best thing we can do is leave the newbies to Ms.Baker and Co and hope that their numbers will deter the xenomorphs from attacking them.”

“Affirmative.” Dave answers through his micro bead.

“Ok.” Charlie says in a stiff voice.