The year is 2381. It has been 200 years after the events on the Fiorina "Fury" 161, military scientists on the research vessel Auriga successfully create a clone of Ellen Ripley, using DNA from blood samples taken before her death. They extract from her the embryonic Xenomorph Queen that had been growing inside her at the time of her death and raise it for study. It has fully grown and has been laying healthy eggs with promising Facehuggers. Every now and then, the Betty arrives to dock with its crew. They deliver several colonists kidnapped in stasis, who the military scientists then use as hosts for more Xenomorphs. It's 10 people this week. You stood by the observation window as the subjects were strapped in. You knew it was for science and could only take what you saw at face value. You were never told much. All you knew, was that this was an experiment.

One of the scientists involved, was Jonathan Gediman. Gediman is one of the chief scientists in the project. After 10 years of trial and error, Gediman and the other scientists succeeded in creating a seemingly perfect recreation of Ellen Ripley, along with the Xenomorph Queen embryo gestating inside her. When the Ripley clone, known as Ripley 8, was fully matured, Gediman himself performed the operation to surgically remove the Chestburster. To Gediman's relief, Wren relented on his original plan to destroy Ripley 8 once the Queen had been harvested, and elected to keep her alive for study. Gediman's duties were subsequently split between observing the growing Queen and studying Ripley 8. Of all the scientists aboard the Auriga, Gediman in particular was fascinated and impressed by Ripley 8's abilities, particularly her genetic memory, inherited from the Xenomorph genes in her body, and the elements of Ellen Ripley's life. He's had a morbid fascination with them. Whatever it may be, it certainly has been beneficial to the program. Gediman looked down at the Xenomorphs with intrigue as he watched them from the window. They appeared to be asleep.. except for one. One that approached and curled its lip back to expose its teeth. Gediman flinched and his eyes widened as he noticed its eyeless gaze fixated on him. The Xenomorphs' inner jaw appeared from their mouth and slowly returned back into its place. The Xenomorph then bumped its head against the glass and let out an annoyed grumble. Gediman, taking note of the peculiar behavior exhibited by them, mimicked them instead. He opened his mouth, bored his teeth in an attempt to possibly make a connection. Yet, when he got close enough, they shot out their inner jaw quickly. Gediman nearly dropped his clipboard from the scare, but he would not take it lightly. He moved away and slammed his hand down on the bright red button on the console, emitting a freezing nitrogen concoction. All Xenomorphs immediately woke up and shrieked in pain. The two that were sleeping immediately scrambled to their feet and started running around while the third squealed hoarsely. After a few seconds, Gediman removed his hand. The third that had approached the glass immediately growled and opened its mouth, but seeing that Gediman's hand was still close, they went quiet. "So.. we're a fast learner." Gediman murmured with an annoyed yet inquisitive tone.