- "There are wonders in the cosmos beyond all imagining, creatures we may never understand and biological processes we may never unravel. What a miracle, to live in a time when such things are ready to be discovered."
- ―Dr. Shipp (from Alien: Echo)
Dr. Katherine Shipp was a behavioral xenobiologist specializing in extraterrestrial zoology who worked as an independent contractor for the Weyland-Yutani Corporation on Zagreus. She was the wife of Dr. John Shipp and mother to twins Olivia and Viola Shipp.
Biography[]
Early Life[]
Katherine was considered one of the best practical and behavioral xenobiologist in the business. She married John Shipp, who also had scientific degrees himself. At some point the couple became independent contractors for well paying jobs with corporations.
Circa 2155, Katherine gave birth to twins, whom she named Olivia and Viola. Three years later, Viola contracted an autoimmune sickness which ultimately killed her. After this incident, Katherine along with her husband built a replica, using a modified an advanced synthetic chasis, as well as recorded footage and brain scans from their deceased daughter.
This event prompted the couple to choose their jobs that were stable and of interest to her field of study[1]. Katherine used the money earned to improve the android's processing power and purchased upgrades so that Olivia would not realize the deception. Katherine and John made an agreement that they would tell Olivia the truth on her eighteenth birthday.
At one point, Katherine did a tour with the Colonial Marines, because they had access to worlds with unique wildlife.[2]
In 2167, when Olivia was twelve, Katherine and her husband taught her how to operate the shuttle, While There's Hope, under emergency circumstances.[3] Three years later, in 2170, Katherine had decided to speak with her eldest daughter about her sister, showing her Viola's medical charts and warning her to be careful if she decided to have kids, because they still didn't know if Viola's condition was hereditary.[4]
By 2172, Katherine and her family had lived on at least fifteen different worlds, including Sirius XI and Curtis' Paradise. Their most recent job was on a planet with an environment so harsh that no one could go outside without heavy protective gear. Around this time, they were contacted by Delia Burton, Colonial Governor of Zagreus for a job offer involving performing an extensive catalog on the planet's ecology.
Life on Zagreus[]
Katherine and her family arrived at Zagreus and established their home on the outskirts of the colony and they lived off the land.[5] She immediately got down to business and began cataloging the wildlife of the planet, submitting environmental impact reports to the governor.[6]
Three months after arrival, Katherine scolded her daughter Olivia when had she invited the governor's daughter, Kora Burton, on a field trip to the woods that almost resulted in Koral being killed by a lion-worm. In addition to this, Katherine became deeply concerned when she heard Olivia's explanation that one of the boys at the school had read the Shipp's arrival manifest and that there was no one named Viola in it, concluding that her youngest daughter didn't exist.[5]
Katherine insisted that they would discuss the issues as a family once they have finished their job, just before her husband announced about a retired science ship Governor Burton bought, and the potential bonus that could help them upgrade some equipment.[7]
Three days later, Katherine Shipp took her personnel ATV into the forest, looking for the orange flesh-eating grass Olivia had discovered[8] while her husband took a shuttle with the scout team, bound for the decommisioned science vessel in orbit.
Outbreak[]
Katherine was in the wetlands near a lake when a shuttle from the scout team in orbit suddenly crashed in the mountains. She was unaware at the time that her husband has among the first to die. After one of the creatures attacked the Zagreus-Hippo's pod in the lake, she used her volt gun on one of the herbivores, causing an stampede and unknowingly saving her daughters and their classmates[9].
Katherine had hid in the tall grass until she was found moments later by Olivia, Viola and their friends. She ordered her daughter to drive away and snatched the gun from Kora's hands before questioning them about the creatures and the crash[10]. Katherine learned from Olivia about the recorded warning, John's death and something she has to tell her. Katherine was seemingly more concerned about to having to tell her daughter the truth alone than her husband's demise. Back at their residence, Katherine found that she had three more teenagers to look after. Resolved, she asked the teens to follow her lead as she was their best chance of survival.[11]
Secrets[]
Katherine finally explained why the alien hadn't attacked Viola, and the reason was that she was in fact is an android, the real Viola died when she was three years old. In order to replicate Viola, they used all the brain scans an footage to built a replica.[12] The revelation produced discontent among the teens, especially Michel, but Katherine quickly stopped tension when she threatened to shoot him with the gun. Before anything elsecould happen, one of the xenomorphs landed on the roof and began testing it for weakneses.
Katherine dissapeared into her office to record a final statement and will, transfering all the family accounts and properties to Olivia. Also she instructed the girls to go with her brother Sebastian, who works for the research and development division of Weyland-Yutani as he is now their legal guardian.[13]
She returned moments later and offered a gray backpack with her old marine detachment logo to her daughter Olivia, Katherine then shoved open the door and walked into the yard, waving her arms in the air over and using herself as bait to attract the creature. Katherine was captured by the Xenomorph and it took her to the hive.[14]
Death[]
Katherine was dragged to the Hive in the cavern system adjacent to the crash site. She was cocooned to the wall along with many other victims, including Michel Petrov, Paul Gladney, a family of lion-worms. An abducted Viola had witnessed how Katherine had been impregnated with a xenomorph embryo. She was found unconscious by Olivia and Kora during their raid in the hive and the girls reluctantly left her behind after learning there was nothing to do to save her.
She finally died when the embryo inside her bursted, after the girls had fled the hive.
Traits and Personality[]
Dr. Katherine Shipp has brown hair and eyes, perfect posture and was able to bench press her body. Her preferred clothes were khaki colored ones and she had an affinity for military training.[15] This had come from her time working with the Colonial Marines.
As a biologist, she was interested in the biology of alien lifeforms, particularly large predators. Katherine had liked pets, especially cats. Due to strict laws on the planet, she was unable to have one as a pet.
Her personality varied from being a no-nonsense scientist to a sarcastic and cynical individual. This is proved by her comments on the Zagreus colonists when she expresed that they were kind of hypocritical about the laws. She had an unforgiving personality and tended to hold grudgs for a long time. Katherine was also very protective when it came to her family, as when the colonist Michel Petrov expressed bigoted views about Viola, she did not hesitate to point a gun at him and threaten to shoot him.
Despite all her harshness, she did not hesitate to sacrifice her life, allowing her daughter and her group to escape. Olivia expressed that she wants to be like her when older.
Appearances[]
- Alien: Echo
- Aliens: Fireteam Elite (mentioned only)
References[]
- ↑ Alien: Echo, page 7.
- ↑ Alien: Echo, page 6.
- ↑ Alien: Echo, page 193.
- ↑ Alien: Echo, page 141.
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 Alien: Echo, page 39.
- ↑ Alien: Echo, page 8.
- ↑ Alien: Echo, page 41.
- ↑ Alien: Echo, page 49.
- ↑ Alien: Echo, page 78.
- ↑ Alien: Echo, page 83.
- ↑ Alien: Echo, page 85.
- ↑ Alien: Echo, page 91.
- ↑ Alien: Echo, page 131.
- ↑ Alien: Echo, page 93.
- ↑ Alien: Echo, page 35.