Xenos: Difference between revisions

Aliens, also known as Xenomorphs to differentiate them from the general term, are an extraterrestrial lifeforms that uses other living beings as a host during their life cycle. With black carapaces and wicked sharp claws, standing taller than a man, xenomorphs are extremely dangerous. They are intelligent and capable of speaking to one another via a hivemind. In comparison to Earth species, xenomorphs are closest to parasitic wasps that live in colonies with queens and require another lifeform to gestate inside.  

Xenomorphs start life as an egg laid by a queen. This egg takes five minutes to develop, at which point it needs help from another alien to hatch. Xenomorphs are all female, but still reproduce asexually. Queens can lay eggs, but these eggs cannot develop into adults on their own. In order to get the other half of their genetic code they implant embryos within other life forms and use their DNA. From the egg, the next stage will emerge, called a facehugger.  

The facehugger is not a true xenomorph, instead it carries half of its mother's genetic code (all dominant genes) and is used to more or less mate with other living creatures, usually humans. The facehuggers can be placed onto the face of a human or if called will jump on their own. [[Pets]] like Runtime <strike>and Ian</strike> are too small to support an embryo and so they cannot be implanted. The facehugger will leave the embryo inside the stomach of a host, and then fall off and die.

The larval xenomorph is weak and must be allowed to grow before it can fight. It must uses its abilities to hide from anything that could do it harm. Growing up takes approximately seven and a half minutes. The chestburster can then shed its skin and become an adult, either a drone, hunter, or sentinel.

The only type of alien not controlled by a player, it is a parasitic cycle in xenomorph production with the appearance of two [[crew|human]] hands held together and attached to a spiny, powerful tail. It has a proboscis it uses to implant embryos and provide oxygen while strangling a victim. The finger-like appendages are used for transportation and to attach itself firmly to a host body. Once implantation is complete, the facehugger falls off and dies. Very few items are capable of resisting a Facehuggers attack, typically only top-tier military, riot or viral equipment will stop it, otherwise most masks or helmets being easily torn off when they pounce. Victims rarely remember implantation or even the act of being jumped in most cases, likely because of the asphyxiation caused by a facehugger's tail during the process and the psychological trauma of the act. Like all of the xenomorph species, not much is understood about its growth, motivations, or senses, but it is known that a facehugger can tell the difference between a living humanoid and a non-living humanoid such as corpses or [[robotics#Cyborg|cyborgs]] and that they are suicidally focused on reproduction. Xenomorphs often use crowds of facehuggers to take down large prey or grouped or well-defended humans.

Also known as chestbursters because of their method of exodus from the host body, larval xenomorphs are the third known stage in reproduction for that species. While developing in the body, xenomorph embryos attach to blood vessels to absorb nutrients and complete its unstable genetic structure using the host's DNA. Through an unknown process, this always results in a functioning offspring. This form is small compared to the adult, limbless, and serpentine. They have a strong instinct to hide after forcing their way out through the ribcage and violently tearing their host body apart. If left alone, xenomorph larva will undergo an unknown transformation process to adulthood. It is believed at this stage that the xenomorph is at its most vulnerable due to its small size and apparent lack of many senses, though this should not be misunderstood -- a larva is still deadly. Its powerful thrashing and sharp teeth got it out of a human sternum, after all.

==Hunter==

[[File:Alien.png|left|Now everyone is dead.]]

This form is usually the last in any given xenomorph's life cycle. There are many variants of the hunter (including forms that do no hunting, per se), but the human form is the most commonly seen on stations for obvious reasons. The hunter sports a phallic-shaped skull with hidden, mostly useless eyes protected by a one-way transparent dome. It has a host of esoteric senses, most prominently a theorized echolocation (explaining their near-constant hissing) and electroreception, though its primary sense appears to be smell. The scent of pheromones is experimentally shown to be the primary communication device of xenomorphs, most effectively transmitted by the ropey purple weeds the adults spread around the station. It is unknown where this tissue comes from, as xenomorphs refuse to make it in captivity. The primary byproduct of this weed is the strange substance [[backstory#Nanotrasen|plasma]] and as such most corporations are extremely interested in the connection between the xenomorphs and that chemical for production reasons. Like the facehugger, the hunter's blood is highly acidic, and there are rumors that it is capable of eating even through space station hulls, though it must be said that this is only a rumor.  

The adult xenomorph is a living weapon, with an exoskeleton thick enough to absorb or redirect most trauma and temperature extremes, scythe-like claws, and a multi-tiered jaw system capable of projecting an acidic compound presumingly from their stomachs. Some varieties of hunter are crested, and most varieties have a heavy tail with protective ridges. Xenomorphs at this stage show semi-sapience and problem-solving abilities, and are capable of using pack-oriented tactics, creative stealth, and psychological manipulation. It is reported that in the presence of enough plasma xenomorphs can communicate in a basic way with sentient species, but there is little evidence to lend credence to such an absurd notion.

Very few xenomorphs undergo the transformation into queen. It appears to be done only in the case of very specific hive pressures. They are the only xenomorphs capable of laying the eggs that hatch facehuggers. While much larger than the hunters, they're also much slower, but are indeed much tougher. Even accounting for the size difference, a xenomorph queen can take drastically more punishment. A queen is most likely found where there are high levels of [[Backstory#Nanotrasen|plasma]], surrounded by hunters and swarms of freshly hatched facehuggers. They are significantly more intelligent and highly protective of their offspring. While slow, they have all the adaptations and weapons of their previous hunter forms, a larger, thicker crest to protect their brain casing, and higher internal stores of plasma which they can utilize for the shaping of resin, the laying of eggs, destructive survival defenses, and even a complex and poorly understood efficient means to form a natural [[Syndicate_Items#Cloaking_Device|cloak]]. Like all xenomorphs, there is little information about them.

[[File:Alienshuttle.png|right|Alien-Infested Escape Shuttle]]

*You've just spawned[[File:Aliensnake1.png]]and are weak as shit and are a bit slower the a human running.

*As a larva you ̶c̶a̶n̶n̶o̶t̶ ̶a̶t̶t̶a̶c̶k̶ '''CAN''' attack (but it's a fairly useless bite that only affects animals) and you have no special alien powers aside from Crawl Through Vents.

There are currently 4 classes past larva stage: '''Hunters''', '''Sentinels''', and '''Drones'''. Hunters hunt, Sentinels guard, and Drones set up a home for everyone. Drones are the only aliens that can evolve again into a '''Queen'''.

*Your exclusive power that no other xeno has is Invisibility. You become invisibile when you use the ''stalk'' stance. It doesn't require plasma and you will stay invisibile until you interact with something. You're not completely invisibile so it's better to use it in dark areas.

*You come, in your arsenal of alien powers, with Neurotoxic Spit and Corrosive Acid. Currently, spitting corrosive acid over a range does not work, and you should instead use the Corrode with Acid power.

*You, like the Sentinels, also have corrosive acid, but no neurotoxin. You can also Evolve into a Queen once you reach 500 Plasma and decide to, and there isn't another living queen.. The one power you have, though, that no other xeno has is shaping resin structures.

*Resin '''walls''' are hardly like normal walls in their own respect. They are mounds of purple slime, shaped into a protective wall. You can make a membrane or a resin wall. The '''membrane''' is a wall that's just thin enough to allow light through. In a way, it is your xeno version of a window. Membrane walls are easier to destroy, but both you and any humans can destroy both with a fair amount of ease. They are mostly used for aesthetics in the Hive. You can also build resin '''doors''', they're extremely useful because they act as a wall for humans and as a door for your alien brethren. The most functionally important resin structure you can build is the '''nest''', it's a mound of slimey substance that can entrap your victims until they bursts and acts like a cuffbuckle shitcurity combo. Just drag the infected over it and buckle them in. Be sure to support hunters and sentinels by building a nest when you see them dragging a human.  

*Drag anyone you incapacitate back towards the heart of your hive. Make sure that when they get back up, a facehugger will be within jumping range. The alien wing wang is your best and final weapon. Once they're impregnated, feel free to drag them to some dark corner and caress them while you emote sultry things until they explode into a new alien baby.

*Only the first queen will be called a Queen, and she is the leaders. <strike>All other queens will be called princesses, but will still be able to lay eggs.</strike> No more pretty alien princesses, there is only one queen, and drones can't evolve into a new queen until the old one dies.

*Don't go into space without ripping a lamp or light bulb out of it's socket. Not only does this give you a tactical advantage later, you can throw those if you slip into space or (more likely) a facehugger jumps like an eager puppy in front of you and gets you stuck in space.

 

*You cannot facehug the dead but a dead guy has a chance to chestburst if he was infected while he was alive.

*USE HYPERZINE, get drunk on it. Being able to run around at saniac speeds while wearing a bulky Sec RIG will help keep you out of the Aliens reach. If the Virologist is able to research the Stimulant symptom ask him to infect you with it.

*If you have weapons, use all of them. Even if you don't think something is there, shoot the empty hall anyway! Aliens can turn invisible! They're behind you ''right now'' I guarantee it!

*If the shuttle isn't coming, write a book of warning and contempt and throw yourself into space.If you're too much of a coward to do it the glorious way, bash yourself unconscious and wait to be eaten.