Under The Antarctic

"Are you serious? A pyramid buried under Antarctic ice? With cultural stuff in it? Man, that's wild! Can you even wrap your head around what that means?" A voice chimed in, disbelief evident in every syllable. If this turned out to be true, it would flip the script on everything we know about pyramids.

A guy with a beard and another guy, full of energy, pointed excitedly at the pyramid displayed on a tablet. "Hey, Weyland, you for real about this? If this checks out, it's gonna rewrite history books! Could be the OG pyramid, you know? Like, the mother of all pyramids. But who the heck built it?"

Weyland shrugged, his eyes gleaming with intrigue. "Beats me. That's the million-dollar question, and why I've got you all here."

"Wow, this is blowing my mind," muttered someone in the group.

"I gotta ask, though. Why drag me into this? I'm not exactly an expert in ancient stuff," Dr. Miller, the biochemist, piped up, looking genuinely puzzled.

Stafford shot him a reassuring look. "Hey, Doc, trust me, you've got skills we need. And don't sweat it; we'll make sure you're well compensated. And you, Mr. Queen?"

Queen, sporting a rough-looking red sweater, seemed out of place among the academics.

"Mr. Weyland, Mr. Stafford, you've got the best drilling team money can buy on standby. You name the spot, and we'll have it drilled in a week," Queen said confidently.

Stafford nodded, impressed by the swift offer, especially given Antarctica's harsh conditions. Clearly, they'd paid top dollar for this crew's services.

Things seemed to be moving smoothly until Miss Woods, the team leader, spoke up. "Hold on, Weyland. You're thinking of diving into this unknown territory right away? These folks aren't used to working in such extreme conditions. It's gonna take at least three weeks to get them up to speed."

Weyland's face darkened. "Miss Woods, listen up – I brought you here to solve a problem. Got any better ideas?"

"Training for three weeks minimum, or we risk lives. This ain't a joke," she insisted, her tone grave.

"But time's ticking, and we can't afford to wait," Weyland snapped back, his patience wearing thin.

With that, Weyland and Varion left abruptly, brushing off any objections.

"Don't stress, it's just another expedition. We've handled worse," the archaeologist reassured Woods, giving her a comforting pat on the shoulder.

Maybe so, but based on her years navigating icy terrain, she knew things could turn ugly fast if they weren't careful.

"Hey, anyone know who that dude is with Weyland? Varion, I think?" Miller asked, glancing around.

Shrugs and headshakes met his question. "No clue. But being buddy-buddy with Weyland means he's probably not someone to underestimate. And did you notice his bodyguard? Who brings muscle to Antarctica? Rich folks and their quirks, huh?" Miller mused.

Unable to sway Weyland's stubbornness, Woods couldn't help feeling frustrated. In their line of work, decisions often came with the looming shadow of danger.

"Oh, speaking of cold, this weather ain't half bad. If I complain to the missus, she'll probably send me to the couch. Says I can't handle the cold," Miller chuckled.

Sidian laughed, "You sure about that?"

"Yeah, pretty sure..."

Woods rolled her eyes; Miller's humor was about as subtle as a sledgehammer. Despite their recent introduction, they seemed to be hitting it off. But people could be unpredictable, like a box of chocolates, you never know what you're gonna get.

"Not too shabby, right? Bet you'll miss this chill once we're back on solid ground," Miller remarked, eyeing the icy landscape.

Woods and Miller exchanged knowing glances, silently regretting not wearing thicker pants for the occasion.

...

Inside the room, everyone was busy with their respective tasks when Stafford walked in, only to be abruptly grabbed by Sidian.

Startled, Stafford blurted out, "Hey, what's the deal? I've got a ton of stuff to organize."

Miller chimed in, trying to calm him down, "Chill out, man. We just need to ask you one thing, no need to freak out."

"Do you have any idea what happened to Varion?" Sidian's question seemed to hang in the air, tinged with suspicion.

Stafford looked at them warily. "Why do you want to know?"

Woods added, "Just curious. Weyland Industries is a family affair, right? Varion doesn't seem to fit in. We're heading into unknown territory, and having someone who's not in the loop feels off."

"Are you sure?" Stafford raised an eyebrow skeptically.

Woods's expression turned serious. "What else could it be? Did I suddenly become best buds with him out of the blue?"

Sidian waved his hand dismissively. "I'm not good with all this cloak and dagger stuff," he admitted, looking to Miller for support.

Miller looked equally puzzled. "I'm not either. What's going on?"

"I'm married," Miller blurted out, seemingly missing the point entirely.

The three of them exchanged confused glances, silently acknowledging their shared curiosity. Understanding the inner workings of Weyland was usually kept under wraps. But Varion's sudden appearance had raised some eyebrows.

"Okay, okay, I'll spill the beans, but keep it hush-hush!"

"No worries, I'm the epitome of discretion," Miller assured him with a shake of his head.

Woods chimed in, "Discretion is my middle name."

Sidian mimed zipping his lips shut, signaling his trustworthiness.

"I don't have all the details, but Varion is relatively new. Ever heard of Krypton Technology?"

"Krypton Technology? Isn't that in medicine? I heard they're branching out into aviation," Miller shared his knowledge.

Stafford nodded, a hint of mystery in his expression. "Exactly. Varion is their chairman," leaving the implication hanging in the air.

Talk about a plot twist.

"Is this some kind of billionaire hobby? Roughing it in remote places when no one's watching?" Miller pondered aloud.

Stafford shook his head. "Who knows? Just keep it under wraps. Now, excuse me, I've got things to do."

The trio exchanged knowing looks.

"I have a feeling things are more complicated than they seem. Why would a billionaire bother with this place? There's gotta be something he's after," Woods speculated, her expression shifting.

"Destroy the Earth?" Miller joked, earning eye rolls from Woods and Sidian. His quip lightened the mood, injecting a bit of humor into the heavy atmosphere.

...

Meanwhile, in Weyland's private lounge, a conversation unfolded between Varion and Weyland. Weyland expressed concern about Varion's decision to bring only one companion. Varion reassured him, promising that Weyland wouldn't be implicated in any accidents and offering the R-1 medicine as insurance. But Weyland found himself more intrigued by the mysterious R-1 potion than concerned for his safety.

After a day of ice-breaking, the team arrived at the island where strange energy readings had been detected. As they suited up in specialized cold-proof gear, Varion and s20 appeared in sleek black outfits that stood out against the snowy landscape. Woods couldn't help but express her annoyance.

"Mr. Varion, are you sure you're not here for a fashion show?" she quipped.

Varion flashed a confident smile. "Miss Woods, don't worry about us. Our gear is top-notch, way better than yours. And safety's no joke, you know?"

After a snowy ride on snowmobiles, they arrived at an abandoned whaling station, shrouded in mystery. Its former inhabitants had vanished without a trace, making it a place of eerie legend.

Queen got to work under Stafford's direction, the team eager to finish up and get out of there. Observing Varion and s20, some wondered why they wore sunglasses at night, leading to all sorts of theories.

Little did they know, those sunglasses were more than just a fashion statement. Equipped with advanced tech, they could connect to Mousse for communication and subtly influence one's demeanor to blend into the surroundings.

In Varion's vision, the supposedly empty space revealed a massive black spaceship with ominous gun ports. He exchanged a knowing glance with s20, preparing silently for the arrival of the Predators ship and the imminent confrontation with the Yautja Warriors. The stakes were high, and the unknown awaited them on the mysterious island.

....

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