Terraforming Sublevel – Hive Node
The Hive Node pulsed with life, its organic walls throbbing in rhythm with Mo's heartbeat. The newly spawned Swarmling, Unit #001, skittered around the chamber, its chitinous legs clicking against the metal floor. Mo observed it with a mix of pride and anticipation.
[Unit #001 Status: Active][Abilities: Basic Claw Attack, Pheromone Communication]
Mo reached out mentally, establishing a deeper connection with his creation. Images and sensations flooded his mind—hunger, loyalty, a desire to serve.
"You're my first," Mo whispered. "But not the last."
[Biomass Available: 35][Insufficient for additional units or upgrades.]
He needed more biomass to expand his Swarm. The recent encounter with the Xenomorph had been a close call. He couldn't afford another without bolstering his forces.
Suddenly, a new presence registered on his senses—a hunter, methodical and cold.
[New Threat Detected: Yautja (Predator)][Threat Level: High]
Mo's instincts screamed danger. The Predator was a formidable opponent, even more so than the Xenomorph. He had to be cautious.
Surface Level – Terraforming Facility
The Predator moved silently through the abandoned corridors, its cloaking device rendering it nearly invisible. It scanned the area, detecting residual heat signatures and traces of Xenomorph activity.
But there was something else—an unfamiliar bio-signature, pulsating with energy.
The Predator clicked its mandibles in curiosity. A new prey.
Hive Node
Mo felt the Predator's approach. He turned to Unit #001.
"Stay hidden. Observe but do not engage."
The Swarmling chirped in acknowledgment, blending into the shadows.
Mo retreated deeper into the Hive, accessing the Swarm King System.
[Swarm Mall Accessed][Available Options:]
[Pheromone Trap – 30 Biomass]
[Camouflage Enhancement – 50 Biomass]
[Basic Hive Expansion – 75 Biomass]
With only 35 biomass, his options were limited. He selected the Pheromone Trap.
[Pheromone Trap Deployed]
A section of the Hive excreted a viscous fluid, releasing a scent designed to lure and confuse predators.
Surface Level
The Predator paused, its sensors detecting the new pheromone. It tilted its head, analyzing the unfamiliar chemical composition.
Curiosity piqued, it followed the trail, unaware of the trap laid before it.
Hive Node
Mo watched through the Swarmling's eyes as the Predator entered the chamber. The trap activated, releasing a burst of spores that clouded the air.
The Predator staggered, its vision obscured. Mo seized the opportunity.
"Now!"
Unit #001 lunged, slashing at the Predator's leg. The creature roared, swinging its blade and slicing the Swarmling in half.
The Hive pulsed with quiet life.
The wet floor beneath Mo's feet throbbed gently, a heartbeat synced with his own. The bio-flesh of the Hive Node twitched every few seconds, its organic systems stabilizing.
Mo sat beside it, body half-curled, his translucent carapace glistening with sweat and bio-oils. He was healing, but slowly. Acid burns from the Xeno still traced angry lines across his back.
[Health Regeneration: 2 HP/hr][Status: Stable][Current Units: 1 (Swarmling Lv.1 – Unit 001)]
Unit 001 patrolled the edge of the tiny Hive, low to the ground. It was roughly the size of a large dog, with slick black chitin and luminous green eyes. It moved fast in bursts, twitching, alert—hyper-aware of even the smallest shifts in air pressure.
Mo leaned back, watching it. "You're a good start," he murmured, "but we're going to need… so much more."
He wasn't thinking in days or weeks anymore.
He was thinking in eons.
Colony Surface – Terraforming Dome B
Up above, the world was quiet. Still.
Then came the shimmer.
A sudden flicker in the air—like the heat-warp of distant fire. But this one moved.
It climbed the side of the terraforming dome with alien precision, silent, graceful. It paused once, crouched in a perfect hunting posture.
The Yautja watched through the shimmer of his cloaking field.
He'd heard the screams. The gunfire. The shriek of a Xenomorph.
And now he had found the Hive.
Its heat signature pulsed beneath the ground like a cancerous tumor.
This world had grown interesting.
The hunter tilted his head.
Challenge accepted.
Sublevel 9 – Mo's Hive
[Warning: Thermal Distortion Detected][Unknown Hostile Approaching – High Threat]
Mo stood, claws flexing.
"I see you."
Unit 001 stiffened.
It turned its head sharply to the north tunnel. Growled.
And then the world exploded.
The ceiling above the tunnel caved in with a massive boom, dust and shattered steel flying in every direction.
The Predator dropped into the Hive like a comet, uncoiling from a crouch. He stood nearly seven feet tall, armor gleaming, his BioMask scanning the walls.
Three red dots danced across the Swarmling's chest.
Mo screamed: "NO!"
Too late.
The plasma caster fired—blue-hot energy scorched through the air. Unit 001 was vaporized in an instant, its tiny frame melting into glowing ichor.
[Unit 001: Terminated.][Swarmling DNA archived.][Swarm Population: 0]
Mo stood frozen, heart shuddering.
His first child—gone. Wiped from existence like it never mattered.
The Predator turned toward him now, tilting its head.
Analyzing.
A new trophy?
[Threat Level: Catastrophic][Option: Flee. Delay. Observe.]
"Fuck that," Mo hissed.
He turned and ran.
His body adapted to instinct—fluid, insectile, gliding across walls and tunnels with terrifying speed. But the Predator pursued.
Not like a beast. Like a machine.
It didn't roar. It didn't rage.
It hunted.
Collapsed Transit Shaft – 60 Meters from the Hive
Mo dove into the shaft, disappearing into the labyrinthine guts of the colony. Pipes. Broken rails. Old wiring. The Predator paused at the edge, scanning—but didn't follow immediately.
It marked the Hive's location, then pulled a small orb from its belt. A Hunter's Seeker. Silent. Floating. Programmed to track bio-signatures.
It followed Mo into the dark.
Maintenance Core – Deep Underground
Mo dropped from a ventilation duct and landed hard, breathing ragged.
He was alone again.
No swarm. No defense. The Hive Node was behind him, vulnerable. Exposed.
"I need more biomass," he whispered, voice shaking. "Need to adapt. Need to kill…"
[Swarm King System Update: DNA Samples Acquired – Swarmling (001)][New Feature Available: Adaptive Template Editor Lv.1][Skill Unlocked: Biomass Analysis Lv.1]
[You may now design custom swarm units. Biomass cost varies.]
"No time," he hissed, pacing.
The Hive Node was still active. The Predator would come for it—maybe not today, maybe not tomorrow, but it would. And if it got close enough to harvest it...
He shivered.
"I need a plan."
[Scanning: Nearby Corpses – 1 Found (Human Technician, Partial)]
He moved toward it instinctively—crushed beneath a collapsed elevator, half-smashed, but still viable. He pressed his claws to the ruined chest and began to feed.
The flesh slid into his system, converted to raw data and fuel.
[Biomass Acquired: +27][DNA: Human, Technician Subtype][Skill Fragment Acquired: Electrical Systems Lv.1]
His mind buzzed.
Schematics. Wires. Flow circuits. He could see the power network of the colony now—how it worked. Where it was failing. Where it could be hijacked.
A slow grin spread across his face.
[Swarm Mall - Power Option Unlocked: Hive Core Upgrade (Energy Tap) - 60 Biomass]
He made the purchase.
Hive Node – Hours Later
The Hive pulsed brighter now.
A cable jutted from the wall, fused into its core. Electricity fed the node, growing its capacity, strengthening its walls.
But it was still empty.
No units.
No swarm.
Only Mo—and his rage.
[Swarm Status: Dormant][Next Spawn Cost (Custom Swarmling - Gen2): 60 Biomass][Available: 2]
He stood silently before the Hive, claws clasped, whispering to the dark.
"I will not lose another child to you, Hunter. You got one…"
His eyes blazed green.
"…but next time, you bleed."
Terraforming Dome B – Predator's Ship
The Yautja stood before his trophy wall.
Fresh blood still dripped from the polished skull of a Xenomorph drone.
He had room for one more.
One more skull.
One more kill.
He replayed the thermal imaging footage.
The Hive.
The strange humanoid bug that fled like prey—but learned like a warrior.
This would not be an easy hunt.
It would be something better.
A worthy one.