At Cheyanne Mountain, Colonel Bunker and Doctor Vahlen were in the middle of a very rushed briefing from an 'Agent Jay'. The darker toned agent was handing out several photos depicting what looked to be another changeling queen in a folder marked 'Catalyst'. Sections of the document were blacked out, though most of the wording was still intact.
"Is this what I think it is, Agent Jay?" Vahlen asked while flipping through the various photos. She couldn't help the smirk on her face from the possibilities that having two alien queens presented, let alone the fact that this newcomer seemed to be from a different sub-species all together. "Another Queen?"
"That's correct, and I gotta bring you up to speed on everything we've learned about her before she arrives." Jay explained, pressing a clicker to begin a slideshow presentation with a heading marked 'Catalyst and You' with flashy lettering.
"Wait, we're putting two alien queens in the same facility?" Colonel Bunker protested, flattening the vanilla folder onto the table. "Shouldn't we place her somewhere else?"
"The only known people we have that seem fine with 'feeding' these queens are those kids in your base, Colonel. The personnel on base are already uneasy around Queen Blue Sun, and none of them want to even get close after rumors of Vahlen's team nearly getting toasted went around." Jay explained while keeping a neutral face. The slideshow clicked again to reveal a large high quality image of Catalyst strapped down in the back of a Chinook with a very upset expression and puffed cheeks. "She was tryin' not to scream." Jay explained.
"Where is Queen Catalyst now?" Vahlen asked, skimming through notes in her own folder.
Another click revealed a map with a single red dot on it. Pointing, Jay explained, "We're trying to get her to calm down right now; most of these photos were sent over a secured network only a few minutes ago. Agent Kay has been handling the situation with the new Queen, but it looks like we're gonna have to be extra careful with her. She doesn't play nice." Another click showed a photo of what appeared to be a special operations team huddled in the back of the Chinook behind a cargo box as their weapons were held in a ball of orange-gold glow, and slowly melting together.
"How did they even take these pictures?" Colonel Bunker wondered aloud.
"I think you're familiar with Lieutenant 'Olive'?" Jay replied. "He was on this Chinook's crew as well, seeing as he had prior experience with Queen Blue Sun. He brought a camera this time."
Bunker shook her head in dull acceptance. "Alright, what else do you have for us?"
Another click revealed the impact site of Queen Catalyst, as well as dried orbs of some unidentified substance embedded into surrounding structures. "These things," Jay explained, "Aren't from around here." A click showed another photo. "These orbs, whatever they are, seem to give off a ton of radiation. We've had teams try to get close enough to secure them in lead, but they start burning through their suits before they can even get close." Another click showed a photo of a human male undergoing surgery to have a radiation suit removed.
"Have you tried using drones to handle the material?" Vahlen asked, completely undisturbed by the suffering on display.
A click, and a photo of a burnt out robot with a mechanical claw and treads was shown. "Tried that too." Jay replied in a slightly defeated tone.
"So what do you suggest?" Bunker asked.
A click ended the presentation, and Jay set the clicker down on the table before resting his hands on a folding chair's back. "We don't really know. Anything that gets too close to those orbs gets fried or melted before it can do anything. The odd part is that the field of radiation isn't expanding beyond a very fine sphere around those orbs. It isn't damaging the surrounding terrain either, just making it hot."
"Do you think it could be linked to the queen's own 'Magic'?" Vahlen asked.
"Your guess is as good as any, Doctor Vahlen. For now we're quarantining the area to stop any looky-loo's from getting themselves killed." Jay replied. He adjusted his sunglasses before pointing with his hand towards the nearby steel door. "Let's go meet the new Queen."
***
"Never again!" Catalyst shouted as she exited the Chinook's loading ramp via wing-power and hatred. "Never again will I step hoof in a Terran device of any kind!"
The black-orange queen was now hovering above the Chinook as she debated melting the thing entirely out of spite, but refrained due to both the limited amount of love she had left to survive on, and the supposed hospitality of the Terrans in general. Looking away from the accursed thing, Catalyst spotted a group of Terrans with more weapons moving with an Agent and two differently dressed persons that seemed to be in charge.
"That's Catalyst all right." Jay muttered from the side of his mouth to Vahlen and Bunker. "Cheery as reported."
The very large bug-like queen swooped down from her place in the air to land next to the three important looking Terrans, startling the nearby guards. "You are the leaders, correct?" Catalyst asked in a demanding tone.
"Yes, Queen Catalyst. I am Terra Bunker, this is Moira Vahlen and he is Agent Jay." Bunker explained, pointing to each of them in turn.
Catalyst, however, pointed immediately to the Chinook behind her. "Never. Again."
Vahlen used her clipboard to hide a chuckle as Bunker stepped forward. "Welcome to Cheyanne Mountain, Queen Catalyst. We've got a lot to go over before we can get you settled here for the time being. If you'll follow us, we can get started."
With a huff, Catalyst looked away from the Chinook towards the group of guards and the three that had spoken to her. Taking a moment to gather herself, she replied, "Lead on, Terra Bunker."
Meanwhile, the group of ex-Special Forces and Agent Kay were able to safely exit the Chinook in her absence, breathing a collective sigh of relief.