Aranhas

The aranhas is a small predator which spends most of its time burrowed just beneath the surface. It often remains dormant until disturbed by seismic activity, such as excavation thumpers and passing vehicles. One-on-one, they are manageable, but the real danger lies in its hive mentality. They are able to call their nearby brethren and in very short order can amass into a swarm. These highly agile creatures present even a danger in death. Multiple witnesses have reported seeing aranhas corpses explode into atomized clouds of toxic goo. This goo allegedly causes severe burns and reduces mobility, making it challenging to reach safer ground. Mercenaries and extraction squads are highly advised to take the threat of aranhas seriously and to burn them down as fast as possible.

These predators are not indigenous to Earth. They first appeared three years ago with the arrival of the CMS Victoria from Alpha Prime. Entomologists suspect that a sole fertile female must have scampered into the wheel-well of a supply shuttle that was provisioning the base-ship in orbit. After docking with the Victoria, the stowaway must have skittered down beneath the C-Deck’s hangar. Her eggs evidently hatched and the predators thrived amongst the damp secluded pipes, for by the time Victoria reached Earth orbit, two-thirds of the ship was quarantined, their quadrants in lockdown. The UN would never have given them clearance to dock with the Icarus elevator if they had been made privy to the extent of infestation. Centauri Company, the entity managing the colonization effort, insisted that the ship was safe and demanded that its employees be given immediate docking clearance. The request was authorized and, within very short order, aranhas were soon found throughout the world, wreaking havoc with the existing food chain.

They are often found in the company of caustic scarabs, feeding as scavengers on beetle dung in a symbiotic relationship. They also feed on corpses of all types. Also of note, specific body parts of the aranhas corpses have recently gained cultural value in Dredge’s annual celebration. Revelers will often pay good credit for aranhas chitin and eyes, working these pieces into their festive costumes.