A 50 years after their creation, the clone Helldivers teams had proven to be one of Julius Braveheart's most valuable assets. Their mission: to probe the far reaches of the galaxy, far from the beaten paths of the Great Crusade, to find, map, and catalog new worlds. Their reports flooded back to the Star Walker, describing an incredible diversity: jungle planets with lush ecosystems ripe for colonization, hostile lava worlds where survival was a constant battle, and vast, silent, mysterious desert expanses.
To cope with the psychological rigors of such long and lonely voyages, Julius had implemented a unique support system. Each Helldiver ship was accompanied by a contingent of humanoid synthetics of an advanced model, purchased from the System via the blueprints of the infamous Weyland-Yutani corporation. These androids, with a feminine appearance of great beauty and unsettling realism, were far more than mere machines. Their care and social interaction programs were so sophisticated they could pass for human. Their role was twofold: to assist the Helldivers with technical and scientific tasks, and, more crucially, to offer a comforting presence during rest phases, "relieving" them of the burden of extreme isolation.
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System XB-347, Helldiver Designation: "Purgatory"
Team Delta-7, led by Sergeant Kael, had just set foot on a new planet, classified as "Colonization Candidate - Threat Level Unknown." The world was a giant swamp, bathed in perpetual mist and a greenish glow. The vegetation was strange, composed of giant mushrooms and pulsating vines.
"Delta-7, routine deployment. Deploy the survey beacons," ordered Kael, his customized powered armor in brown and green camouflage blending partially into the environment.
Suddenly, a sharp scream echoed over the com channel. It was one of the androids, designated "Eva-4," who was monitoring the perimeter. "Contact! Multiple biological signatures, approaching rapidly!"
Before anyone could react, the swamps seemed to come alive. Creatures burst from the muck, six-legged abominations with flower-like mouths bristling with sharp teeth and whip-like tails. They moved with terrifying speed.
"Combat formation!" Kael yelled. The Helldivers stood back-to-back, their weapons spewing plasma bursts. The creatures, which they immediately dubbed "Devourers," did not retreat. Their carapaces partially resisted the fire, and they were terrifyingly numerous.
"They're coming from the trees!" shouted another soldier as a creature dropped from a giant mushroom.
The battle became a nightmare. The Devourers used their environment, hiding in the mist and vegetation to set ambushes. The powered armor of one Helldiver was torn off by a tail whip, the soldier inside shredded before he could even scream.
"Kael! Their weak spot is under the throat!" transmitted Eva-4, her tactical analysis software processing combat data at a frantic pace.
"You heard her! Aim for the throat!" Kael repeated, adjusting his aim.
The fight raged for twenty minutes, a hell of mud, plasma, and green blood. The Helldivers, though outnumbered, held their ground, their training and equipment making the difference. Finally, after losing two of their own, they managed to repel the assault, the last Devourers fleeing into the swamps.
Silence fell again, heavy and threatening. Kael, panting, looked at the bodies of the creatures and those of his men.
"Eva, report," he ordered, his voice hoarse.
"The ecosystem is extremely aggressive. Threat level reclassified: Hostile. Recommendation: Installation of a Level 4 quarantine warning beacon. Colonization not possible."
Kael nodded, his heart heavy. Another world lost to humanity. But one more perfectly cataloged.
"Good. Deploy the beacon. And... retrieve the dog tags of the fallen."
As the android complied, Kael turned to the poisoned horizon. Even in death and defeat, the mission continued. Find, catalog, survive. Such was the law of the Helldivers.