- "Your arrival is the culmination of an effort that was initiated some four years ago when a routine Weyland-Yutani probe identified this planet as rich in mineral ore."
- ―Marine Briefing (from Aliens versus Predator: Extinction)
LV-742 was a mining colony world that would become the theater of a three-sided war between Yautjas, Humans and Xenomorph.
History[]
The planet was in the past visited by Yautjas, probably as hunting grounds for Xenomorphs and the mighty Gro'tye considered as one of the most dangerous prey, capable of annihilating entire clans. However some eggs that were placed on the planet by Ancient Yautjas, in view of future trials, were gathered by a Drone in a cave and went dormant.
Sometimes later a routine Weyland Yutani probe identified this planet as resource-rich, some explorers and engineers arrived with a small contingent of Marines to verify the probe's findings and performed seismic drillings. Unfortunately during one of their drillings they opened the cave where the dormant Drone settle his eggs, the drone process to expand his hive and create a Queen, so he kidnapped several colonist to reinforce his ranks and create a Praetorian thanks to a Praetorian facehugger that will melt into a Queen. The nest then proceeds to destroy the Marine camp and kill everyone inside until going back into hibernation.
During the next four years, Weyland-Yutani settle the planet by establishing Atmospheric processors, refineries, breeding farms (for oswoc herds) and mining facilities on several sections of the planet, they also installed a research lab under Weyland-Yutani's head researcher Samuel Kadinsky's direction to study Xenomorphs which is their true goal. A Marine ship, the USCSS Esmeralda arrived in the system to deliver new miners for Weyland-Yutani's mining project, Bravo squad was dispatched to what they thought to be an miner uprising, where several miners were brutally killed, was instead was the premise of a massive Xenomorph infestation, the Marines cleaned-up the miner's camp and captured some Xenomorphs that were sent to Dr. Kadinsky for study. Unfortunately the growing Xenomorph and human population also attract a Predators clan on the planet that saw it as a valuable hunting ground for their ritual to become the ancient Predator council's successors and demands exclusive hunting rights, a small party land on LV-742 for the first hunt, the Ancients Council's ship land undetected on an uncharted part of the planet and remains cloaked thanks to three cloaking devices. The nest that went dormant four years ago was brutally awaken by demolition charges and destroyed, however the Queen survived and went on a rampage in the marine base killing everyone and successfully hijack a UD-4L Cheyenne Dropship to leave the base undetected.
With the upsurge of Xenomorph attacks, while analysing captured specimens Dr. Kadinsky requested to USCM command to find a way to prevent attacks that delayed their mining operations. Bravo Squad was sent to established a new communication network, during their mission they encounter one of the Predator cloaking device and proceeded to destroy it, the incident was classified and the case closed. After the network online, Dr. Kadinsky requested more specific datas on Xenomorphs life cycle and sent an Intelligence Team to retrieve some eggs, when they lost contact with the team they sent Bravo Squad to investigate and finally after retrieving what's left of the Intel Team they successfully secure two eggs and destroyed another cloaking device and its Yautja defenders. On their side the rest of the Yautja clan arrived on the planet and attacked a Marine base to collect trophies (especially smartgunners). The Queen that escaped the Marine base through the dropship arrived on another part of the planet relatively untouched by humans, however another Predator clan invite itself to the party and eradicate humans in the zone, the Queen captured some of them and impregnated them giving birth to Predaliens, with enough forces the Queen then attack the Predator base camp and decimate the clan and their leader.
The Yautja clan proceed to their ritual by hunting the mighty Gro'tye, however they come in conflict with another clan first qualified as Poachers, they manage to slay their clan leader and successfully killed three Gro'tye. While the first cloaking devise was considered as remnants from an ancient war, the second encounter with the cloaker and its defenders revealed to humans the presence of a third party on the planet that cannot be ignored. Dr. Kadinsky assuming that the cloaking technology could provide insights into how to control Xenomorph sent Bravo Squad on mission to capture another cloaking device, the two previous ones having been destroyed. The mission was successful but the desactivation of the third and last cloaker revealed the presence of the Ancient ship to humans' eyes, and also to Yautjas' who were unaware of the Ancients presence on the planet, however they couldn't take care of it all their efforts being directed to the containment of Xenomorph propagation all around the planet. Now their hidden base exposed the Ancient' clan revealed that the "Poachers" were in reality another clan who was also granted "exclusive" hunting right, the Ancients' plan was to lure two great clans against each other for the place of Ancients' successors. To decide which clan is stronger, they have to solve some trials. The first trial was to infiltrate a USCMC base undetected and claim the skull of their lieutenant, thing the clan successfully did eventually killing the few witnesses.
In support of the containment effort, Dr. Kadinsky and Weyland-Yutani science teams decided to expand their research on the Xenomorphs by requesting that USCM High Command deploy combat teams to neutralize an entire Xenomorph hive, killing the Queen to force a Praetorian into a cocoon to morph into a new Queen and bring back the cocoon, Bravo Squad was successful in this endeavor, sending the cocoon to Weyland-Yutani for experimentation. With this major sample in hand, head Weyland-Yutani researcher Samuel Kadinsky began researching on the Xenomorph lifecycle which led him to the creation of the K-Series, Weyland-Yutani corporate executive Charles Gould was dispatched to Kadinsky's research lab to evaluate his creation. However during the first trials, the K-Series supposed to be superior, were confronted to captured pure strained Xenomorphs and were slain, all remaining Xenomorphs were pushed back in their containment cells. The Yautja clan now undertake the second trial which consisted to enter a hive of mature Xenomorphs and seize the head of their Queen, their task wasn't eased by the presence of a Marine camp near the entrance of the hive which had to be disposed of until they fought their way to the heart of the hive and took the Queen's head by thus winning the trials over their rivals.
However the Yautja clan victory was short lived as during their trial the rival clan got one of its members captured by humans and Kadinsky undergo experiments on him and by gene hybridization between Xenomorph and Yautja DNA he created the impossible, a Predalien Queen. According to their laws the warrior had to be executed for allowing himself to be captured and the man responsible of the experiments must be submitted to the Traditional Torture Ritual for his atrocities. The Yautja clan storms Kadinsky's research lab killing everyone on sight, they killed the captured warrior, recover his equipment and capture Dr. Kadinsky who was brought before the Ancients to receive his punishment. During the Yautja assault in the research lab a stray plasma shot accidentally hit the control of of a lone Drone's containment cell setting him free, he proceed to free his fellow Xenomorph and together they create a new Queen, killed the three base commanders as well as Weyland-Yutani Executive Charles Gould who was hiding during the attack and escape the compound to establish a new nest but once settle up a group of Yautjas stormed in the nest killing several Xenomorph and captured the Queen, some surviving Xenos managed to set her free and exterminate the Yautja presence in the area and slaughter a unit of Marines that was stationned nearby.
Meanwhile, as Colonial Marine strongholds across the planet were besieged by Xenomorphs, USCM High Command was notified of Kadinsky's kidnapping and the devastation of his research facility. Facing this dire situation, High Command concluded that Xenomorph containment and extermination was impossible while Predators were allowed to roam free. At last, the USCM resolved to annihilate the Yautja presence on LV-742 once and for all and rescue Dr. Kadinsky, but before approaching and launch an all-out assault on their stronghold they have to destroy a network of anti-aerial guns after three dropships were shot down. Landing in a warzone, Bravo Squad had to deal in addition to Yautja defenders with Xenomorphs and mercenaries hired by Weyland-Yutani competitors to disrupt their operations and steal specimens and research materials, they reunite with Delta Team that was previously downed and finally destroy all AA guns clearing a way to their ultimate goal. When Kadinsky research lab was destroyed some K-Series and the Predalien Queen managed to escape and create a hive on their own, the K-Series hive was eradicated by the Xenomorphs to keep their strain pure while on their side the Ancient Yautjas judged the Predaliens and their Queen as an abomination and have to undergo a Purification Ritual, they tasked their successors to clean the hive and claim the Predalien Queen's skull, joined on the hunt by an Ancient armed with a nuclear device the group annihilated the hive and while they retreat, the Ancient perform the ritual and detonate the bomb destroying the entire hive. The Yautja now stronghold free from anti-aircraft defenses Bravo Squad finally land before the entrance, they fought their way against much deadlier Yautjas than they fought before in the ship to rescue Kadinsky only to find him brutally tortured and killed so they proceed with their mission and destroy their stronghold, they plant with a modified synthetic a powerful demolition charge in the infested reactor room and evacuate before the ship explode.
It is unknown what happens after theses events, now free from the Yautja menace the Marines can now concentrate their attention exclusively on Xenomorphs and might eradicate them. For Yautjas it is unknown if they stayed on the planet or retreat after the Ancients' ship was destroyed.
Flora and Fauna[]
The planet possesses in some regions wide jungle-like vegetation and some unknown type of flora.
The planet hosts several indigenous life form such as the Kriltic, Kurn, Oswoc or the legendary Gro'tye. It is unknown how Xenomorphs arrived on the planet, they were likely brought here by Predators.
Climate and Terrain[]
The climate is very Earth-like, being either temperate, tropical or arid depending of the region. The atmosphere is breathable for humans.
The terrain goes from flat to mountainous surfaces. The environment is quite various possessing deserts, jungles, swamps and canyons with wide cave systems.
Economy[]
Industry: Xenomorph and Yautja researches, Oswoc herding.
Key resources: Rich mining ressources.
Points of Interests[]
Many mining colonies were scattered on the planet, Marines also possessed several outposts and strongholds and Dr. Samuel Kadinsky from Weyland-Yutani settled his research laboratory on the planet, nearly all were ransacked, abandoned or destroyed by either Yautjas or Xenomorphs. Yautjas did possessed a giant pyramid shaped cloaked ship on the planet, it was destroyed by USCSS Esmeralda Bravo Team trying to rescue Dr. Kadinsky.