[i][b]Bang. Bang. Bang.[/b][/i]

Cyne squeezed the trigger of his rifle again and another Swarmer vanished in a surging, chunky spray of green. By now, the main floor of the bridge was practically painted with a pooling layer of blood still oozing from the many butchered Swarmer bodies littered around the bridge and its entrance. With the last of the creatures down, along with a good number of them having been torched by Gerad's PRP now as heaps of ash scattered in the hallway, silence soon returned the command deck. Cyne took the opportunity to survey the battlefield and found that Gaz and Gerad had made it out unscathed. The same however could not be said for their green-drenched outfits in which Cyne briefly mistaken them as a part of the gory scenery. He figured Gerad probably didn't appreciate being soaked in the ichor of another species however he concluded that Gaz however would've had a far different opinion in that regard. Given the circumstance, he was glad that he took position atop one of the upper platforms, away from the gruesome repainting of main floor.

Just as he thought they were in the clear, another scream echoed from the hallway entrance. More of the Hive spawn were approaching. After feeling the rumbling of many stampeding creatures again, Cyne found himself peering through the scope of his rifle once more, [color=00a99d]"Another wave coming at us, boys. Get ready!"[/color] he said has he braced for the next assault.

But before he could catch a glimpse of another savage creature barreling down the hallway, Silas' voice finally returned to the comms, [color=007236][b]"Hive, we've got hive on the ship."[/b][/color]

Eyes widening as the connection with their boss quickly restoring, Cyne jerked his head to Pathfiner whom was till dissecting the Captain's main console for information, [color=00a99d]"Pathfinder! Blast doors, now!"[/color]

The drone hummed in compliance and interfaced with the control systems networked within the bridge's primary hub. The moment the next wave of Swarmers vaulted into view, a trio of thickly armored slabs slowly slid out from hidden compartments within the hallway walls. Each moving wall of metal moved seconds apart from each other and closed from different angles. 

The first and the furthest barrier protruded from the right wall if Cyne's group were to be looking down the hallway from their end. The second barrier would then reveal itself from the opposite wall while the final door actually rose from the floor. Cyne could see that the Swarmers were adapting to the situation and were forcing their tightly packed horde through the narrowing entrance. 

Only a few Swarmers managed to bypass the first barrier but only one of the creatures overcame the second door. Just as the third door was about to close, the Swarmer made a desperate leap and miraculously succeeded in getting over the apex of the final barrier. Unfortunately, it recklessly miscalculated. Before the scrambling Swarmer could get the rest of its form over the blast door, the door had then reached the ceiling and locked into place. The Swarmer never had a chance as its torso collapsed in a wet snap. The creature shrieked in pain for only a second before it was, quietly literally, cut off as it died in that instant. Whatever managed to get over the barrier before it closed slid down the armored frame, spewing a trail of green downward.

Cyne cringed at the sight of the messy scene before he got back to the comms. In retrospect, he could have ordered Pathfinder to have erected the blast doors sooner. But given their predicament, they had very little in the way of planning for a Hive attack and were likely not to have gotten the barriers up in time before the first wave flooded the bridge. But for now, they achieved a breather although Cyne knew that the blast doors wouldn't hold for long. Having scene the damage to the external hull, the barriers separating them from the Hive wouldn't last.

[color=00a99d]"We've also got acquainted with the Hive too."[/color] Cyne began and continued with his report, [color=00a99d]"we managed to fend off their scouting packs but there is another horde of the buggers right outside the blast doors...we'll likely be dealing with them in a moment."[/color]

Sven chimed in too and reported that cruisers from before had arrived and transports filled with unfriendly mercs had already boarded. Fortunately, their unintended rowdiness had gotten the attention of the Hive and the majority of the murderous creatures were converging on the two occupied hanger bays. While this meant that they didn't need to deal with the entire Hive swarm, the presence of the unwanted interlopers meant that they would now need to deal with any mercenaries that got in their way. [i]Fantastic[/i].  

It was then Silas had asked if they discovered anything on their end. Cyne glanced at the sealed door and redirected his attention to Pathfinder. The drone, also listening into the comms as well, started producing numerous logs recorded to the captain's personal database. It was evident that Pathfinder had since cracked the security measures that protected the private files, probably while they were fighting earlier. Cyne mused over entries made by the captain and the command staff. Even a few mission and operational briefings were dug up as well.

[hider=Project: Dominion - Mission Profiles]

[b]Stage One Mission:[/b] [i]Operation Huginn[/i]
[b]Objectives:[/b] [i]Recon know Hive nests and worlds. Ascertain behavioral habits and dietary tendencies. Verify Hive hierarchy and document xenoforms traits and exploitable weakness. Verify existence of target designation "Kingpin"[/i].
[b]Results:[/b] [i]Mission successful. Forty-eight Specialists deployed; confirmed eleven KIA, twenty-six wounded, two MIA, and nine operational. See [b]"After-action Summary Alpha Three Two"[/b] for assessment review[/i].

[b]Stage Two Mission:[/b] [i]Operation Loki[/i]
[b]Objectives:[/b] [i]Locate and capture target designation "Circe".[/i]
[b]Results:[/b] [i]Mission successful. Fifteen Operators and Six  Specialists deployed; confirmed three KIA, ten wounded, and eight operational. Designation "Circe" incapacitated and transferred to SSA Heavy Cruiser "Balrog" to undergo experimentation[/i]. 

[b]Stage Three Mission:[/b] [i]Operation Ragnarok[/i]
[b]Objectives:[/b] [i]Locate and assess worlds and colonies of interest. Evaluate threat level to local SSA assets and determine political stance against SSA regional policies. Designate worlds and colonies for subjugation and deployment of designation "Nidhogg"[/i]. 
[b]Results:[/b] [i]Operation in-progress[/i].
[/hider]

[hider=Captain's Log. 8843-57.]
[i]The final preparations for departure have been completed and all crewman are accounted for and at their assigned stations. Perhaps the most notable factor is that the A- -ahem- -"Circe" has been loaded and secured within the R&D deck. We are now en route to the System of Poseidon's Belt so testing may be conducted without any unwanted attention around.

I have received quite the number of complaints from the science staff there whom feel challenged and even threatened by the presence of members from the Special Development Division, even more so than "Circe". In fact, many of my top R&D advisors have expressed concerns regarding the study and experimentation practices conducted by the SDD, describing such procedures or tests as cruel and inhumane. I am familiar with these opinions and I am quite frankly torn on the SDD's reputation and legitimacy. 

To make matters worse, more complaints, or I should say, reports, were made by several engineers and logistical personal regarding the "special" cargo that was loaded along with "Circe". Their reports are, unusual. The containers personally brought on board by SDD personnel and then stored were reported by inventory techs to have "moved" and gave off inhuman noises, like that of a wild animal. I have made these concerns made known to the head of this SDD group however I was told in a reply stating that "the crew has nothing to be concerned about" and that "they continue on with their duties".

If it weren't for [REDACTED] rank the SDD have over me and the ship...[/i]

++END OF LOG++[/hider]

[hider=Captain's Log. 8844-64.]
[i]The Balrog has arrived within the target system and experimentation has begun on "Circe". However I am told very little in when these experiments involve. Not even the Balrog's own science chiefs haven't even been informed. The only circumstances in which information is shared is essentially where to point the ship to. Today, we've brought the Balrog to the fourth planetoid in-system where further experiments have been performed. None of the crew, including myself, were allowed to participate. Not even to observe.

I tire of writing to Dr.[REDACTED] to shine line on his project in order to appease the crew's concerns. It is always the same reply. He will not even speak to me in person!

The situation has now escalated to the point where some of the crew members have been conspiring to undermine the SDD. A particular crewmember was brought to my attention today by her supervision officer for attempting to sneaking into the SDD's personally reserved hanger space and rig one of their transports with a visual transmitter. Her and perhaps anyone whom built the device were clearly trying to spy on the Dr.[REDACTED]'s and the SDD's pet project while they conducted their experiments on one of the planetoids. By SSA lawful intelligence standards, this could be considered a severe offence, border lining treason. Against my better judgement... I've decided to keep the offence, off the records.

...Perhaps this part of the log is, not appropriate. But I feel compelled express it. I've been having, very odd and unexplainable dreams as of late. They are indescribable and I can not decipher their meaning. Nothing about them makes sense... all except one repeatable component; the R&D lab. Perhaps this is paranoia kicking in. I'll be sure to visit the medbay to get Dr, Latkisha's opinion on this matter.[/i]

++END OF LOG++[/hider]

[hider=Captain's Log. 8845-29.]

[i]The entire ship is now under the gaze of disarray and for good reason too. However, the situation has become grave. The Hive. That is what the SDD has been experimenting on. A swarm of monsters whose grand purpose is the devouring of all life before them. A threat considered to be so extreme, warring interstellar powers would cease hostilities just to stop the Hive from eradicating their colonies. And now Dr.[REDACTED] had brought them on my [REDACTED] ship!

Had I known this before, I would have sent the Balrog's entire security and marine forces and capture the R&D deck and all the labs within, seizing... no, destroying all assets under Dr.[REDACTED]'s possession and immediately leaving the system. Now, however, that may not be possible.

Apparently the fiasco has stared with a leak that got past the SDD's censors. The leak at first as not very descriptive but it entailed something about a "Queen". No one knew what to make of it until a Swarmer has escaped one of the labs and made it's way into the Engineering deck, killing three good ensigns. Security had put the creature down and it took time to trace the it back to SDD-held facilities within R&D. The crew is now rioting, seeking to abort the mission. But now I have been moments ago informed that labs have now gone dark and numerous reports of strange sounds and activity have been coming in. 

I'm afraid the rest of Dr.[REDACTED]'s experiments have gotten loose and will seek vengeance on their entire ship and her crew. I must be ready to do what must be done to ensure everyone's safety. If I can't do that, then we'll have to make sure the Hive can't leave this system.

I pray we still have time.[/i]

++END OF LOG++[/hider]

Cyne shifted through the files and glanced over the details, noting anything of relevance that came into his sight. As he helped himself to the private files, a faint sound that could be described as a drowned-out thud resonated from the sealed hallway. He broke his concentration and turned to the entrance blast door. No changes were evident but it was obvious the Hive on the other end were trying something but it was nothing they could do about it now. Cyne returned to the database and made his report.

[color=00a99d]"I'm getting similar records here too. Even a few testimonies from the good captain as well. Even got a mission package here going over the [i]Balrog[/i]'s operational capacity, equipment as well as mission statements and briefings too. Quite a bit of tactical data, that's for sure."[/color]

Silas had then concluded that their overall target was in fact the research data linked to Project Dominion. Cyne concurred with the notion too though he couldn't really make anything else of it anyway. But they now had a new problem. Silas' intuition spoke true as Pathfinder confirmed that the data they were looking for was confined to the central lab of the ship; where the Hive had most likely nested. Cyne quickly remembered the trails of blood from the expressway leading deeper into the ship and suddenly wasn't feel so confident about assaulting a Hive nest.

Another sound emanated from the hallway, this time it was louder and more violent, again drawing Cyne's attention away. The Hive must have gotten through the first blast door and were now compromising the second. It wouldn't be long now until they were at the final barrier. Cyne lifted his rifle and held it firmly, sensing that another fight was ever looming. 

[color=00a99d]"I don't fancy the idea of picking a fight with Hive, sir."[/color] he replied, [color=00a99d]"however I don't like the thought of the SSA getting their hands on this data either. If we're going to try and nab that data, we'll be having to deal with a whole lot more of those things than what's at our front door."[/color]

Cyne then turned to Gerad and Gaz, already attempting to anticipate what their replies would be.

[color=00a99d]"I suppose if nothing else, blowing this whole joint would work just as well though that might lead us to those trigger happy mercenaries."[/color]