Alphonse Apone (Earth-8573)

"All right, sweethearts, what are you waiting for? Breakfast in bed? Another glorious day in the Corps. A day in the Marine Corps is like a day on the farm. Every meal's a banquet. Every paycheck a fortune. Every formation a parade. I LOVE the Corps!"

- - Al Apone to the 2nd Battalion Bravo Team

Master Sergeant Alphonse "Al" Apone (service number: 16271-18062-AA) was a senior non-commissioned officer of the UNSC Marine Corps, attached to the 2nd Battalion Bravo Team under Lieutenant Scott Gorman. He led the battalion when they were deployed to Paraíso aboard the Conestoga-class destroyer UNSC Sulaco on July 27th, 2536, in order to investigate the loss of contact with the planet's population. Like most of the Marines, Apone was killed by the xenomorph onslaught present on Hadley.

Early life
Alberto Apone was born on September 2nd, 2489, in Shenlong, Shanxi. He enlisted into the UNSC Marine Corps in 2500, fighting during the Insurrection, and later at the First Contact War, participating of the Battle of Vodin, where he lost all Marines under his command to the Covenant. He was eventually selected by the Office of Naval Intelligence to serve aboard the Conestoga-class destroyer UNSC Sulaco, captained by Commander Carter Burke, attached to the 2nd Battalion Bravo Team under Lieutenant Scott Gorman duo to his ground logistics expertise and leadership skills, serving as the second-in-command of the operation to Paraíso.

Battle of Paraíso
"It's a rescue mission, you'll love it. There's some juicy colonists' sons and daughters we have to rescue from their virginity."

- - Al Apone to his Marines As soon as the Sulaco arrived on Paraíso's system, Apone was one of the first Marines to wake from his cryosleep, leaving a nominal squad which consisted of himself and Private William Hudson. He was quick to gain the loyalty and respect of Ellen Ripley, with the two joking to one another about the decaying state of the destroyer. Ripley's desire to feel at home made Apone appreciate her will and help despite not being a combatant.

As the Sulaco reached Paraíso, Apone readied his Marines, giving them a morale boost through one of his usual snarky speeches, before taking the lead of the ship's M510 Mammoth an dropping on the planet's surface. He immediately stopped Hudson, who attempted to embarrass Ripley, and then proceeded to enter the ONI complex at Hadley, the planet's only settlement. The colony was deserted, although there were signs of firefight, although no plasma mark was found, leading Apone to believe the Covenant wasn't involved in the attack. The Marines later found a little girl named Rebecca "Newt" Jorden, although she could not provide any useful information for them.

Entering the hive
"Nobody touch nothin'!"

- - Al Apone The Marines were eventually discovered that the surviving colonists had gathered within Hadley's Atmosphere processing plant, and Apone led a squad to investigate; when he and his men and women entered the installation, they stumbled upon a massive xenomorph hive, discovering their enemy was not the Covenant, but something new. He and the Marines continued to progress the installation, whereupon Al was ordered by Gorman to confiscate the ammunition of the squad and deactivate their M56 Smartguns to prevent a nuclear-wide explosion if they hit the reactor of the plant. While Apone protested, he was overruled by Gorman, taking the ammunition and giving them for Private Ricco Frost to guard. The Marines, then reduced to small firearms and M7057 flamethrowers, discovered Hadley's citizens cocooned in the hive, including Mary Coles, the only survivor. However, almost immediately after finding her, a Chestburster erupted from her chest, leading Apone and Corporal Cynthia Dietrich to burn the creature alive.

The Chestburster's death alerted nearby xenomorphs, and Apone found he and his Marines ambushed by xenomorph Lurkers and Aggressors. In the ensuing chaos, Apone was dragged by a xenomorph, never to be seen by the rest of his team. He was harvested and used as a host for a Chestbuster.

Personality
"What do you want me to do, fetch your slippers for you? Gee, would you, sir? I'd like that. Look into my eye, son."

- - Al Apone and Private William Hudson Passionate and boisterous, Apone was a deeply patriotic soldier of the UNSC, believing it to be the only thing that could hold humanity together in the face of the Insurrection. Much like his loyalty and love towards the UNSC Marine Corps, he deeply admired those under his command, and always did the best he could to get his men and women alive out of engagements, something that was shaped on his persona following the loss of all of his Marines during the Battles of Vodin and Eridanus II at the hands of the Covenant. While Lieutenant Scott Gorman was the de facto leader of the 2nd Battalion Bravo Team, all Marines of the battalion believed Apone to be their real leader, and when he was taken by the xenomorphs, the order among the surviving soldiers was shattered.

Because of the horrors of the First Contact War, Al always sought to keep a down-to-earth, humorous and positive attitude towards his subordinates, in order to inspire respect and confidence at the face of adversity. He did not hesitate in questioning an order when he believed the directive would pose a danger to his subordinates.

Equipment
Apone used the standard issue M3 pattern personal armor and a CH252 helmet, with a TNR shoulder lamp attachment. His personal weapon was the M41A pulse rifle, although he also carried a M7057 flamethrower and a M4C magnum at his holster. Apone also sported a pair of infrared binoculars, which he used to recon a ravaged Hadley,