Zagreus (Colony)

Zagreus
General information
Classification	Research and mining colony
Location	Zagreus, NN3637 star system
Chronological information
First appearance	Alien: Echo

"I’ve always hated the Zagreus colony, with its high walls and its thick metal and its sterile construction."

―Olivia Shipp describing the colony

Zagreus colony was a human colony situated on the planet of the same name, orbiting the binary star NN3637.

Overview

The settlement was comprised of an industrial maze of narrow, fully enclosed streets and alleyways lined with shops and vendors. The residential levels stood from three to five stories above street level; the biggest of these were private residences established as soon as the colony was built. These buildings were made from salvaged and recycled goods wwith an emphasis on reducing excess waste, and they expanded only at the rate that raw materials could be acquired from off-world. The population count stood at about five thousand colonists.

Ninety percent of the colony's food was grown within the city in gardens while the colony's meat was vat-grown. The rest was shipped in from two small seasteads about a hundred miles from the settlement.

The colony was centred around its launch port and surrounded by a wall fifteen feet high and a polished self-cleaning, self-repairing and non-stick plastic dome with a hole at the center, from which shuttles could take off and set down. The biodome was made from polarized glass that filtered the orange light of Zagreus' atmosphere into a more Earth-like blue that crops could recognize.

Areas

• Gates
• Residential level
  • Delia Burton's apartment
• School
• Park
• Launch Port
  • Workshop
  • While There's Hope
• Shipp's residence
  • Supply road

History

Origins

Zagreus was a relatively new colony stablished in the late 22nd century by Weyland-Yutani Corporation, the settlement was built around the launchport with pieces of the dismantled colony ship and other materials. Instead of spreading out into the new world, the colonists cramped together in towers and warehouses surrounded by a thick wall and protected by a translucent dome which changes the atmosphere's orange color into an Earth-like blue. It was speculated by Dr. Katherine Shipp that colonists build in this way influenced by the way of life in their previous home, if the colony had open spaces, the next will be a bunch of crammed towers.

Not long after it was established, the first generation of Zagreans were born, including Alisa, who was the third baby born on the planet. At some point, Delia Burton became the colonial governor.

Due to their fierce policy about recycling and zero impact, colonists from Zagreus rarely left their colony, exception made at least twenty people living in one of the two small seasteads fifty miles from the city, and about the same amount in the other and a mining operation. Minors were not allowed to cross the gates without permit and adult supervision.

Circa 2172, an unsuspecting citizen was attacked and eaten by a local predator known as a lion-worm. This prompted the colonial authorities to hire independent xenobiologists Katherine and John Shipp. The couple and their daughters Olivia and Viola settled in a manufactured home in the nearby forest, connected to the colony by a supply road. Despite being outworlders, Olivia attended school at the colony, while Viola did so online from home.

Initial infestation

Three months after the Shipps arrived on Zagreus, Governor Burton purchased a derelict science vessel from some smugglers. She planned to scrap the ship for metal and byproducts to expand the colony by tenfold, even creating a second settlement and reinforcing the seasteads. After learning that the ship was in fact an active bioresearch facility, Burton sent a team, including John Shipp to scout it.

The expedition went awry when xenomorphs aboard the derelict attacked, killing Ms. Petrov and the scouting team. The creatures managed board the escaping shuttle, which crashed near a cave system, bringing them planetside. The aliens quickly scattered through the area and created a hive in the cavern.

Two of the creatures that attacked the Shipp sisters, their friends and mother about 50 klicks from the crash site tracked them back to the colony gates, where Michel Petrov and Viola were taken. Governor Burton received an emergency transmission from one of the seasteads, which was assaulted and destroyed by at least four xenomorphs. Burton activated the emergency transmission system, randomly alerting residents to barricade themselves in safe places.

Overrun

While Olivia Shipp and Kora Burton raided the hive in search of Viola, the xenomorph horde assaulted the main colony, using their acidic blood to punch a hole in the bio-dome and storm inside. The colonists were ill-prepared and poorly armed against the horde.

Several colonists were killed or cocooned in their own homes, including Governor Delia Burton. The xenomorphs turned the colony into a new hive. Alisa was one of the last colonists alive, having taken fellow settler Rockwell's service pistol and hide. She was killed in a park while fleeing.

The attack was so fast that the settlers did not have time to board the existing transports. A few launchport workers managed to lock themselves in a workshop and fight in vain. Their remains were found later by Olivia and Kora.

Aftermath

At sunset, Olivia and Kora made it to the spaceport along with Viola, intending to take the Shipp's shuttle, While There's Hope and leave the planet. A lion-worm Alien hybrid followed them, attracted by lion-worm pheromones in Viola's hair The creature was finally killed by Olivia, and the three girls used the shuttle to reach orbit where they waited for rescue.

Known Residents

Delia Burton - Colonial Governor

Kora Burton

Kora's father (Formerly)

Unnamed Teacher

Rockwell - Female Gate guard

Johnson - Gate guard

Mrs. Petrov

Michel Petrov - Science class student

Lin - Statistics class student

Juan - Statistics class student

Alisa - Third baby born in the planet and History class student

Paul Gladney - History class student and med trainee

Appearances

• Alien: Echo