Finally time for another report. As always, I'll cast a dark cloud over the overall quality by ranting to you about my real-life struggles and such. Well, maybe not. Let me just say, the other format was cool, but I was thinking of trying a type of hybrid style...which you're about to see. And I'm typing this as it happens, so hopefully that will help me keep up on the action without getting to droll. Though that may be difficult with the hybrid style. Also, writing from first person requires that I think up some extras....
The Skyranger flew fast and low over the trees. It was late at night, but the full moon illuminated the ground below. They were close now, and were just starting their descent. "Landing Zone looks clear. I'm bringing her down." As the Skyranger set down, Tyson gripped his laser rifle. Across the aisle, Zen looked over at him, "You ready for this?" Tyson nodded, and felt the landing gear hit the ground. The hatch popped open, and the tank rolled out.
Across a field it spotted a UFO. It had been shot down, but it was the largest ship Tyson had ever seen. "Whoa, that thing's a beast!" The UFO was at least 2 stories high, it was hard to tell if it was any taller in the dark. Some buildings on both sides also seemed formidable, but there was no resistance. Having the highest rank, Tyson was in charge. "Ok, Zen, you and I are heading for the UFO. Cam, you take a group and head to the left, secure those buildings. Neal, you take the other group and secure the right side. Kevin, you're with us." They hopped off the craft, waiting. Tyson looked around, but couldn't see anything. That did seem to be the norm.
They started across the field, Tyson and Kevin both taking point with Zen behind them. "Ok, let's wait for the others to clear the buildings, last thing we want is a crossfire." They kneeled down, scanning the front of the UFO, its metallic front gleaming in the moonlight. "Cam, how's it going?" Tyson called over. "Looks good, second story is mostly clear, and the roof looks clear as well."
"It's all clear over here," Neal said, "nothing moving." The tank was on the left side of the UFO, and it hadn't reported anything either.
"Ok, let's go," Tyson said. They started for the UFO. The front door was directly in front of them, and they covered the distance shortly. "Allright, we wait for the other two groups to secure the sides, then we'll all move in close to the same time." They crouched by the door, but the whole scene was oddly silent. The tank was rolling around the back of the craft now, and Cam's group was emerging from the buildings. Where were the aliens? "Hmm, maybe nobody's home." Kevin stated. Cam's group was climbing the fence, almost there. But wait, where was Neal?
Suddenly a scream from the houses, then a "I see it! I see it!" Tyson recognized the scream, it was Carly. Horrified he stood up and looked at the houses. A massive beast raced along, hitting one soldier and smashing him into a wall. Two other operatives rushed out, one Neal, one Ajay. They turned and fired at the mechanical looking beast. It ate their bullets, then leapt upon them. "No!" Cam's group turned towards the house. "Open fire!!" he yelled. The squad blew apart the building, and they started hitting the ferocious creature. From above the house it a hail of plasma fire tore Cam's group to shreds, and almost entirely destroyed the house behind them. "No, no! What do we do?" For some reason Tyson was asking these questions. His friends had just been cut to pieces before him! Zen was already moving. He ran to the nearby wall and launched a rocket into the structures, the explosion almost completely leveled them, and the plasma stopped. "Is anyone alive out there?! Anyone, respond!" Tyson's call went unanswered. Then the ground shook, and he looked around, confused. "It's taking off! It's taking off, man!" Kevin shouted. They ran out from under the craft, and Tyson saw the tank sitting on the other side. The tank opened fire, and after 2 rockets a beam of plasma blew it to pieces. The UFO turned, Zen fired a rocket into the plasma cannon as it did. The cannon turned to face them, Tyson's legs stuck to the ground. The cannon was charged.....
And he woke up. It had all been a dream. A dream where his friends had been slashed to pieces. He shook his head, wondering. Why did they have to be here, doing this? What had caused all this. He glanced around, affirming his surroundings. Had the dream been true, everyone in the room would have been dead. He felt that he needed to know why they were here. Why were his friends in such a precarious situation?
After being off for a while I'm still trying to figure out what I was in the process of doing. I start off by deciding who will be on the next adventure. So far it's Cam Ray, Natalie C., Tanner, Zen Halen, NealTheFerrin,Quinn S., Taya A., Courtney F., Spence E., and Carly Rawlins. Yep, I'm stuffing the ship with rookies.
My funds are relatively low, especially for being the first of the month. I see I'm producing alien alloys to help personal armor production. I also realize that my engineers are working every single hour available. I feel for them, considering my recent factory assignment. But I also see their paychecks....which changes the situation considerably
Ok then. Research is UFO Power, which takes me on my way to better armor I think. X-Com USA is doing well, except for the lack of completion. But ads are out and tourism is up. Hopefully I can get those displays ready for the grand opening...
The base was quiet. It was close to 0400 at the base, and Tyson couldn't sleep. Though there isn't much to do in an undetectable underground bunker. They could only go outside once, that is, at 6 o'clock. Jesse sure was amazing. Tyson was still impressed by that. He glanced into the research lab. A large orange object had just been activated. An incredible amount of energy, odd orange waves, it seemed, were spewing from it. Tyson had seen one before, inside of an alien UFO... The system was deactivated now, the scientists beaming, the high ranking audience clapping. But as the dream flashed back to mind, Tyson turned, and walked away.
Power source is done. I decide to focus all research on the 'Reaper Terrorist' we caught. Just to mix things up. Also, due to an annoying 'spent clip' feature, half my heavy plasmas just lost their clips and likewise their usability. Curse those things I knew but didn't do!
New personal armor is started, and I notice an amazing...lack...of funds, so I sell the empty heavy plasmas for 100,000 each. I'm not sure I should produce so many suits though.
The days went by, Tyson hadn't spoken about the dream. Being with your friends constantly isn't that bad. Though it would likely be maddening if constantly, talking during their other tasks wasn't very bad. They had been assigned tasks by the janitorial crew. Tyson's favorite was cleaning up at the kitchen. They had a hearty supply of food, better than most, and one of the cooks had told him where they kept the good stuff. Working was always an excuse to grab a piece of cake. Their jobs kept them busy, which was good. They had only a little training, and like everything, you learn best from experience.
The reapers in the alien containment were being studied. Poked and prodded when sedated. They seemed like just large, carnivorous beasts, with chip implants to control them. "Just like I noticed at first..." Tyson thought. Funny, they being manipulated to fight....
UFO sighted! I chase it over India. Sensing I-1's intention, it flees to Sri Lanka, and then lands. The Skyranger launches with its crew, as Interecptor-1 flies patrol. The Skyranger puts along at a hurricane pace, almost there, when I-1 runs out of fuel! That UFO has been sitting for a while......go, Skyranger, go!
Ahh, the cursed UFO takes off. It's heading for my base, so I might be able to catch it. It's also rocketing along at double my speed, so luck dictates this conflict. I-2 takes off, as the Skyranger curses its luck and turns around(as the UFO just flew past them in 1/18,000,000 the time it would take the Skyranger to do the same)
I chase it over Africa, but lose it down there, and I doubt I'll ever see it again. Ahh, well, perhaps a battle wasn't in the cards. But in case I get a lucky flip, I-2 scouts about the area...
Then a different UFO shows up. It clips the base-bound Skyranger, and they report laughing and jeering from alien teenagers peeking from the windows. I turn my craft around, but I'm once again being outdistanced. It heads up to Europe, and I lose tracking. But I know how much those aliens love the sound of bagpipes. But they aren't there today, and my disgruntled force returns home.
A UFO was sighted. Tyson hurried off to the command room. No one would be leaving quite yet, but he felt that he really needed to see what was going on. As I-1 approached, he caught a view of the UFO. Medium scout craft, from the looks. Hmm. That could be quite a fight. He intently watched the screen. After the craft landed, the Skyranger roared to life. For the next few hours Tyson decided to wander the halls, feeling nervous for those aboard the Skyranger. Why was it his friends who had been chosen? Why were they the ones fighting what you would think would be a worldwide conflict? It seems like there should be armies massing, not 25 or so soldiers in an underground bunker with three aircraft. And why him and his friends? They weren't soldiers, they weren't even volunteers. There must be a reason, though. And he was sure that General Grey would have some idea. He was in charge of everything that happened down here, most likely the entire operation. Tyson knew he would have to meet with him. He returned to the command center, but late, as the UFO had left and they were still in pursuit. After a few more false alarms, both craft returned home, with nothing to show for the days events.
Ahhh, enough of Tyson's silly sensitivity. We need some killing here! Or at least more than crazy teenage jerks. Power suit progress is going excellent, or so I'm told. (If it was going excellent, I'd be wearing one right now.) But that's a problem for later. For now I continually force the techs to make sure my radar is working the way it should. Then living quarters at X-COM USA finish. A lovely 3 star hotel, rooms with an amazing view of an artificial space atmosphere, double wide bed, and the most modern advances in the ever popular: "Hands Free Toilet!" available. But other than those attractive tourist features, no radar yet.
The graphs show an increase (in relative highs) of alien activity in North America. Precisely the minute the add goes out, power suit research is completed! Yes, time for some alien butt-kicking!
Hmm, I don't know why one eye is so large, or why there are two little knobs by the mouth. Though it might not be the most fashionable armor of the day, it most certainly beats personal armor, more than double in all respects. But five units E-115 per unit? I don't know about that..... Microsoft decides that computer protection is more important than X-COM, and drops me from Firefox. Ahh, those ignorant fools. Weren't those crop circles enough proof? Anyhow, none of my typing was lost, so I finally access the online tech tree. And realize that I could get to flying suits soon. But curses, it's almost March 20, and without any aliens anywhere.... I keep a leery eye on Buenos Aires. But seriously, will I write a thousand reports of "saw a UFO, chased it, lost it." Man.....
Uh oh, large one. Large=terror mission. Lost it over the Indian Ocean, but now I'm just waiting for the red phone to start ringing. But it never does....and I'm at a loss. Then a small one, but clear in Africa. It flies away to the south, and I lose tracking again. Talk about jinxed game. Come on X-COM, who programmed you? (I'm very nervous about jinxing a game to give me a battle....better stop now.)
I wait, and it pops back up. Ahhh, I have you now! I-2 attacks, pummeling the craft with its heavy, and very expensive, large rockets. The UFO flees, then has a change of heart, and takes some missiles to the belly and crashes. The eager crew of the Skyranger await, and away they go! Re-checking the roster, (yes, I forgot who was on call) I see a decent line up of rookies. Shouldn't be too bad, but I've got to remember to be careful.
Another UFO. Without a combat mission the soldiers on call stayed the same. After a bit of a chase around Africa,(and I-2's very happy trigger finger) the Skyranger departed. Tyson's plan from a week ago came fresh to his mind, and he set off towards the Generals quarters. The area was large, but eventually he found the office he was searching for. Supposing that the general would know everything, he knocked, then bravely entered. The room was a spacious entry, with a desk at the far end. General Grey looked up, slightly suprised, but at the same time expecting, so it seemed. "Tyson! What are you doing here? Your comrades are about to make landfall."
"I know, sir. But I've got something to speak with you about...."
A communicator on the general's desk activated. "Sir, the Skyranger-1 is nearing the target destination. Would you like me to patch through the feeds?"
He leaned forward, pressing a button and responded, "Yes, Julie, that would be great." The wall split, revealing a television and a variety of other displays beneath it. "You can talk to me as we watch..." the general said. Uneasy, Tyson looked at the screen.
I go into the equipment phase. Zen gets the rocket, Cam and Carly have the 2 heavy plasmas, the rest with lasers, so OK. And then I realize something. Taya doesn't have armor! What happened?! I swear, I checked, everyone had armor! Ahh, she's always so forgetful... Oh well, nothing I can do about that now. She's at the back of the ship anyways. Time to see if the jinxing will bring X-COM vengeance upon me...
"Coming in, gears out...we're down! Hatch opening in 3...2....1" The Skyranger was down. The tactical geographic map disappeared, to be replaced with a Skyranger interior view. Tyson couldn't see much off the ramp, but then the viewscreen was replaced by that of the tank. But the patching didn't have the highest quality, Tyson supposed that the views were better from the pilot's view. "Two houses, whoa, a couple more behind us. There's the saucer...I can't see over the hedgerows, but it looks all clear, over."
The general started, "So, what was it you came to speak to me about?" Tearing his eyes from the screen, where the others were disembarking, he turned to the general. Suddenly it felt really hot. "Well, sir, I was, um...." The General seemed impatient. "I was meaning to ask you, why am I here? Why are we here?" His answer was quick. "To fight off the alien invaders, of course!"
That wasn't his answer, but the general seemed satisfied, and both turned back to the screen.Cam was talking.
"I'm heading for the UFO, looks like the orchard's clear!" Then Neal:
"Affirmative. Zen, Tanner, and Taya, you move in with Cam. Natalie and Courtney, we've got to secure those nearby sheds. Quinn, Carly and Spence, once the sheds are clear advance towards the house!" Neal had an excellent plan, and he seemed a natural leader. The view screen changed slightly, a small popup indicating the ground forces. Tyson decided to start again. "I know what we're doing here, but wh--" He stopped short, and caught his breath. Why wasn't Taya wearing armor? What was she thinking. He had noticed Tanner not wearing it...and he did feel slightly guilty for not worrying about that. But this was his sister here! Armor could save your life, as Jesse had proven. Then the screen switched to full tactical as the last of the soldiers left the Skyranger.
Hmmm, I think I'll go all Tyson until the end of the mission after this. Alien turn, I hear the UFO door, and one alien rushes out of the above house, and then runs for the door of the nearby one. I'm assuming it was a dare, as he didn't shoot but made an obvious path for the door. Too bad he stopped in plain view... Quinn holds down the auto trigger and incinerates everything except the alien. Let me say I haven't seen accuracy like that for..... Well, Spence fires from the landing ramp. Also holding down the auto trigger, he burns any grass stub high enough to be burnt, and then hits the Sectoid with the last of 6 shots. Tanner secures the side of the UFO, and I move my soldiers in, being careful to keep Taya in cover. I don't see anything else this turn.
"What was that?" the general interrupted his worries. "Errmm..." he stammered. Over the speakers came a scream, "Alien, alien! Heading for the house!" followed by a series of laser fire. That was good, considering aliens shoot plasma. "I got him." Spencer casually called over the comm. "Yeah, and just about everything else." Courtney F. remarked. Courtney. Courtney was Neal's sister. But she was wearing armor.
"Tanner, flank around those hedges, I'm heading in!" Cams voice came out clear. "All clear over here, setting up covering fire!" was Tanner's response.
"Natalie, move around the far side of the house, Courtney, you back me up. Everyone stay in cover!" Neal seemed calm under pressure. Though he had done this a lot.
Tyson looked to the general, to see him eying him oddly. Suddenly confidence burst upon him. It was now or never. "Why did you bring us here? If you want to kill aliens, use the air force, not just a small group! And why me, why my friends? The one thing everyone here has in common, they all know me. So why, why us?" The general appeared taken aback by this question, and he slowly swiveled in his chair, obviously deliberating. Tyson waited. He needed an answer. The general had his back towards him now. "Why such a small force? Sure, we could attack the aliens on all fronts, but what would that do? Cause a state of panic world wide, which would leave an opening for an invasion. And while the alien attacks have been increasing in very hazardous ways, there hasn't been the insane reaction that globalization would produce. But even more important is that the aliens know humans hunt them, but they don't know that we've made it a supreme goal. The aliens could surely wipe us out, but with a small, highly specialized force, we can hopefully take the alien technology and use it against them! Hopefully finding a way to hit them where it hurts without them finding us first. Global action would demonstrate our intentions clearly, and that would probably cause a fleet to end up on our doorstep. We have to be secretive, it's our only option."
Well, that was a good answer. And likely the real one. For some reason the general didn't seem like the most trustworthy person he had met....even though he'd only just been in the room with him. A comment over the comm caught his attention: "We're at the UFO entrance now. Getting ready to board." "Roger that, southern houses are clear." "All clear up here!" Tyson turned to the view screen.
Tanner was in front, and he burst through the door, and finished the lone alien with a burst of laser fire. Whew, another mission done.
He turned to the General. And now for the final question. "Why us then?" It was all he needed to ask. But, unexpectedly, the general smiled. "Why, isn't this what you've always wanted?" What? What he wanted? No...
"What are you talking about?"
"Fighing, combat, heroics. Isn't it something you've dreamed of?" Well, yes, he did, but real combat wasn't what he'd meant. The intense competition, sure. Heroics, well yeah. Adventure, victory....
The General continued. "Yes, you've always had a bit of a love for a military game. Well, now you're living the dream." He paused, then continued. "But no, that wasn't the whole dream. You've always been standing mightily alongside your friends, glorious in battle with them by your sides."
"Wait, so you've chosen these people because I think that combat is fascinating? Some of them aren't even really close friends....and why would I want to put them in harm's way?"
"Well, your friends have been chosen as the opportunity arrives. Sure, they might not all be your closest friends, but they are still those you know." Tyson shook his head. Had he been the one to bring his friends into this. Though unwittingly, still... "Why--wha--.....are you serious?!"
"Now look, you and your friends are the ones who will be doing this fighting. Don't ask me why we chose you, why your friends over professional soldiers. I really am not sure. There are some things I want to tell you though. First, you are being duly compensated for your service. And after this is over, you will have so many doors opened to you..."
"Duly compensated? By death? What, 'oh, sorry you're dead, here's a nice check and a fancy banner' What sort of compensation is that?!"
"Now look! Since you haven't realized yet, this is all about you! You caused all of this. This situation you're in, you're friends who are with you, all of that is because of you. Believe me, I asked the same questions when I was told who I would be commanding. And guess what they said? "He chose this. That's how it must be." All I can figure is that you've done something to land yourself here. There's nothing you can do about it now, you and your friends are the ones who have to stop this invasion. No one else will be able too, another program will likely have started to late. It's not just about us anymore. You and your friends have to fight for the survival of humanity. Now if you'll excuse me...." He was obviously flustered. But Tyson didn't really notice, just slowly turned and left. It was his fault? But how...
Well, good mission. Forgot to take a snapshot, but only 2 aliens anyway. And some more heavy plasmas. It's getting late, and unfortunately I have work in 7 hours. So, until tomorrow....
The Skyranger flew fast and low over the trees. It was late at night, but the full moon illuminated the ground below. They were close now, and were just starting their descent. "Landing Zone looks clear. I'm bringing her down." As the Skyranger set down, Tyson gripped his laser rifle. Across the aisle, Zen looked over at him, "You ready for this?" Tyson nodded, and felt the landing gear hit the ground. The hatch popped open, and the tank rolled out.
Across a field it spotted a UFO. It had been shot down, but it was the largest ship Tyson had ever seen. "Whoa, that thing's a beast!" The UFO was at least 2 stories high, it was hard to tell if it was any taller in the dark. Some buildings on both sides also seemed formidable, but there was no resistance. Having the highest rank, Tyson was in charge. "Ok, Zen, you and I are heading for the UFO. Cam, you take a group and head to the left, secure those buildings. Neal, you take the other group and secure the right side. Kevin, you're with us." They hopped off the craft, waiting. Tyson looked around, but couldn't see anything. That did seem to be the norm.
They started across the field, Tyson and Kevin both taking point with Zen behind them. "Ok, let's wait for the others to clear the buildings, last thing we want is a crossfire." They kneeled down, scanning the front of the UFO, its metallic front gleaming in the moonlight. "Cam, how's it going?" Tyson called over. "Looks good, second story is mostly clear, and the roof looks clear as well."
"It's all clear over here," Neal said, "nothing moving." The tank was on the left side of the UFO, and it hadn't reported anything either.
"Ok, let's go," Tyson said. They started for the UFO. The front door was directly in front of them, and they covered the distance shortly. "Allright, we wait for the other two groups to secure the sides, then we'll all move in close to the same time." They crouched by the door, but the whole scene was oddly silent. The tank was rolling around the back of the craft now, and Cam's group was emerging from the buildings. Where were the aliens? "Hmm, maybe nobody's home." Kevin stated. Cam's group was climbing the fence, almost there. But wait, where was Neal?
Suddenly a scream from the houses, then a "I see it! I see it!" Tyson recognized the scream, it was Carly. Horrified he stood up and looked at the houses. A massive beast raced along, hitting one soldier and smashing him into a wall. Two other operatives rushed out, one Neal, one Ajay. They turned and fired at the mechanical looking beast. It ate their bullets, then leapt upon them. "No!" Cam's group turned towards the house. "Open fire!!" he yelled. The squad blew apart the building, and they started hitting the ferocious creature. From above the house it a hail of plasma fire tore Cam's group to shreds, and almost entirely destroyed the house behind them. "No, no! What do we do?" For some reason Tyson was asking these questions. His friends had just been cut to pieces before him! Zen was already moving. He ran to the nearby wall and launched a rocket into the structures, the explosion almost completely leveled them, and the plasma stopped. "Is anyone alive out there?! Anyone, respond!" Tyson's call went unanswered. Then the ground shook, and he looked around, confused. "It's taking off! It's taking off, man!" Kevin shouted. They ran out from under the craft, and Tyson saw the tank sitting on the other side. The tank opened fire, and after 2 rockets a beam of plasma blew it to pieces. The UFO turned, Zen fired a rocket into the plasma cannon as it did. The cannon turned to face them, Tyson's legs stuck to the ground. The cannon was charged.....
And he woke up. It had all been a dream. A dream where his friends had been slashed to pieces. He shook his head, wondering. Why did they have to be here, doing this? What had caused all this. He glanced around, affirming his surroundings. Had the dream been true, everyone in the room would have been dead. He felt that he needed to know why they were here. Why were his friends in such a precarious situation?
After being off for a while I'm still trying to figure out what I was in the process of doing. I start off by deciding who will be on the next adventure. So far it's Cam Ray, Natalie C., Tanner, Zen Halen, NealTheFerrin,Quinn S., Taya A., Courtney F., Spence E., and Carly Rawlins. Yep, I'm stuffing the ship with rookies.
My funds are relatively low, especially for being the first of the month. I see I'm producing alien alloys to help personal armor production. I also realize that my engineers are working every single hour available. I feel for them, considering my recent factory assignment. But I also see their paychecks....which changes the situation considerably
Ok then. Research is UFO Power, which takes me on my way to better armor I think. X-Com USA is doing well, except for the lack of completion. But ads are out and tourism is up. Hopefully I can get those displays ready for the grand opening...
The base was quiet. It was close to 0400 at the base, and Tyson couldn't sleep. Though there isn't much to do in an undetectable underground bunker. They could only go outside once, that is, at 6 o'clock. Jesse sure was amazing. Tyson was still impressed by that. He glanced into the research lab. A large orange object had just been activated. An incredible amount of energy, odd orange waves, it seemed, were spewing from it. Tyson had seen one before, inside of an alien UFO... The system was deactivated now, the scientists beaming, the high ranking audience clapping. But as the dream flashed back to mind, Tyson turned, and walked away.
Power source is done. I decide to focus all research on the 'Reaper Terrorist' we caught. Just to mix things up. Also, due to an annoying 'spent clip' feature, half my heavy plasmas just lost their clips and likewise their usability. Curse those things I knew but didn't do!
New personal armor is started, and I notice an amazing...lack...of funds, so I sell the empty heavy plasmas for 100,000 each. I'm not sure I should produce so many suits though.
The days went by, Tyson hadn't spoken about the dream. Being with your friends constantly isn't that bad. Though it would likely be maddening if constantly, talking during their other tasks wasn't very bad. They had been assigned tasks by the janitorial crew. Tyson's favorite was cleaning up at the kitchen. They had a hearty supply of food, better than most, and one of the cooks had told him where they kept the good stuff. Working was always an excuse to grab a piece of cake. Their jobs kept them busy, which was good. They had only a little training, and like everything, you learn best from experience.
The reapers in the alien containment were being studied. Poked and prodded when sedated. They seemed like just large, carnivorous beasts, with chip implants to control them. "Just like I noticed at first..." Tyson thought. Funny, they being manipulated to fight....
UFO sighted! I chase it over India. Sensing I-1's intention, it flees to Sri Lanka, and then lands. The Skyranger launches with its crew, as Interecptor-1 flies patrol. The Skyranger puts along at a hurricane pace, almost there, when I-1 runs out of fuel! That UFO has been sitting for a while......go, Skyranger, go!
Ahh, the cursed UFO takes off. It's heading for my base, so I might be able to catch it. It's also rocketing along at double my speed, so luck dictates this conflict. I-2 takes off, as the Skyranger curses its luck and turns around(as the UFO just flew past them in 1/18,000,000 the time it would take the Skyranger to do the same)
I chase it over Africa, but lose it down there, and I doubt I'll ever see it again. Ahh, well, perhaps a battle wasn't in the cards. But in case I get a lucky flip, I-2 scouts about the area...
Then a different UFO shows up. It clips the base-bound Skyranger, and they report laughing and jeering from alien teenagers peeking from the windows. I turn my craft around, but I'm once again being outdistanced. It heads up to Europe, and I lose tracking. But I know how much those aliens love the sound of bagpipes. But they aren't there today, and my disgruntled force returns home.
A UFO was sighted. Tyson hurried off to the command room. No one would be leaving quite yet, but he felt that he really needed to see what was going on. As I-1 approached, he caught a view of the UFO. Medium scout craft, from the looks. Hmm. That could be quite a fight. He intently watched the screen. After the craft landed, the Skyranger roared to life. For the next few hours Tyson decided to wander the halls, feeling nervous for those aboard the Skyranger. Why was it his friends who had been chosen? Why were they the ones fighting what you would think would be a worldwide conflict? It seems like there should be armies massing, not 25 or so soldiers in an underground bunker with three aircraft. And why him and his friends? They weren't soldiers, they weren't even volunteers. There must be a reason, though. And he was sure that General Grey would have some idea. He was in charge of everything that happened down here, most likely the entire operation. Tyson knew he would have to meet with him. He returned to the command center, but late, as the UFO had left and they were still in pursuit. After a few more false alarms, both craft returned home, with nothing to show for the days events.
Ahhh, enough of Tyson's silly sensitivity. We need some killing here! Or at least more than crazy teenage jerks. Power suit progress is going excellent, or so I'm told. (If it was going excellent, I'd be wearing one right now.) But that's a problem for later. For now I continually force the techs to make sure my radar is working the way it should. Then living quarters at X-COM USA finish. A lovely 3 star hotel, rooms with an amazing view of an artificial space atmosphere, double wide bed, and the most modern advances in the ever popular: "Hands Free Toilet!" available. But other than those attractive tourist features, no radar yet.
The graphs show an increase (in relative highs) of alien activity in North America. Precisely the minute the add goes out, power suit research is completed! Yes, time for some alien butt-kicking!
Hmm, I don't know why one eye is so large, or why there are two little knobs by the mouth. Though it might not be the most fashionable armor of the day, it most certainly beats personal armor, more than double in all respects. But five units E-115 per unit? I don't know about that..... Microsoft decides that computer protection is more important than X-COM, and drops me from Firefox. Ahh, those ignorant fools. Weren't those crop circles enough proof? Anyhow, none of my typing was lost, so I finally access the online tech tree. And realize that I could get to flying suits soon. But curses, it's almost March 20, and without any aliens anywhere.... I keep a leery eye on Buenos Aires. But seriously, will I write a thousand reports of "saw a UFO, chased it, lost it." Man.....
Uh oh, large one. Large=terror mission. Lost it over the Indian Ocean, but now I'm just waiting for the red phone to start ringing. But it never does....and I'm at a loss. Then a small one, but clear in Africa. It flies away to the south, and I lose tracking again. Talk about jinxed game. Come on X-COM, who programmed you? (I'm very nervous about jinxing a game to give me a battle....better stop now.)
I wait, and it pops back up. Ahhh, I have you now! I-2 attacks, pummeling the craft with its heavy, and very expensive, large rockets. The UFO flees, then has a change of heart, and takes some missiles to the belly and crashes. The eager crew of the Skyranger await, and away they go! Re-checking the roster, (yes, I forgot who was on call) I see a decent line up of rookies. Shouldn't be too bad, but I've got to remember to be careful.
Another UFO. Without a combat mission the soldiers on call stayed the same. After a bit of a chase around Africa,(and I-2's very happy trigger finger) the Skyranger departed. Tyson's plan from a week ago came fresh to his mind, and he set off towards the Generals quarters. The area was large, but eventually he found the office he was searching for. Supposing that the general would know everything, he knocked, then bravely entered. The room was a spacious entry, with a desk at the far end. General Grey looked up, slightly suprised, but at the same time expecting, so it seemed. "Tyson! What are you doing here? Your comrades are about to make landfall."
"I know, sir. But I've got something to speak with you about...."
A communicator on the general's desk activated. "Sir, the Skyranger-1 is nearing the target destination. Would you like me to patch through the feeds?"
He leaned forward, pressing a button and responded, "Yes, Julie, that would be great." The wall split, revealing a television and a variety of other displays beneath it. "You can talk to me as we watch..." the general said. Uneasy, Tyson looked at the screen.
I go into the equipment phase. Zen gets the rocket, Cam and Carly have the 2 heavy plasmas, the rest with lasers, so OK. And then I realize something. Taya doesn't have armor! What happened?! I swear, I checked, everyone had armor! Ahh, she's always so forgetful... Oh well, nothing I can do about that now. She's at the back of the ship anyways. Time to see if the jinxing will bring X-COM vengeance upon me...
"Coming in, gears out...we're down! Hatch opening in 3...2....1" The Skyranger was down. The tactical geographic map disappeared, to be replaced with a Skyranger interior view. Tyson couldn't see much off the ramp, but then the viewscreen was replaced by that of the tank. But the patching didn't have the highest quality, Tyson supposed that the views were better from the pilot's view. "Two houses, whoa, a couple more behind us. There's the saucer...I can't see over the hedgerows, but it looks all clear, over."
The general started, "So, what was it you came to speak to me about?" Tearing his eyes from the screen, where the others were disembarking, he turned to the general. Suddenly it felt really hot. "Well, sir, I was, um...." The General seemed impatient. "I was meaning to ask you, why am I here? Why are we here?" His answer was quick. "To fight off the alien invaders, of course!"
That wasn't his answer, but the general seemed satisfied, and both turned back to the screen.Cam was talking.
"I'm heading for the UFO, looks like the orchard's clear!" Then Neal:
"Affirmative. Zen, Tanner, and Taya, you move in with Cam. Natalie and Courtney, we've got to secure those nearby sheds. Quinn, Carly and Spence, once the sheds are clear advance towards the house!" Neal had an excellent plan, and he seemed a natural leader. The view screen changed slightly, a small popup indicating the ground forces. Tyson decided to start again. "I know what we're doing here, but wh--" He stopped short, and caught his breath. Why wasn't Taya wearing armor? What was she thinking. He had noticed Tanner not wearing it...and he did feel slightly guilty for not worrying about that. But this was his sister here! Armor could save your life, as Jesse had proven. Then the screen switched to full tactical as the last of the soldiers left the Skyranger.
Hmmm, I think I'll go all Tyson until the end of the mission after this. Alien turn, I hear the UFO door, and one alien rushes out of the above house, and then runs for the door of the nearby one. I'm assuming it was a dare, as he didn't shoot but made an obvious path for the door. Too bad he stopped in plain view... Quinn holds down the auto trigger and incinerates everything except the alien. Let me say I haven't seen accuracy like that for..... Well, Spence fires from the landing ramp. Also holding down the auto trigger, he burns any grass stub high enough to be burnt, and then hits the Sectoid with the last of 6 shots. Tanner secures the side of the UFO, and I move my soldiers in, being careful to keep Taya in cover. I don't see anything else this turn.
"What was that?" the general interrupted his worries. "Errmm..." he stammered. Over the speakers came a scream, "Alien, alien! Heading for the house!" followed by a series of laser fire. That was good, considering aliens shoot plasma. "I got him." Spencer casually called over the comm. "Yeah, and just about everything else." Courtney F. remarked. Courtney. Courtney was Neal's sister. But she was wearing armor.
"Tanner, flank around those hedges, I'm heading in!" Cams voice came out clear. "All clear over here, setting up covering fire!" was Tanner's response.
"Natalie, move around the far side of the house, Courtney, you back me up. Everyone stay in cover!" Neal seemed calm under pressure. Though he had done this a lot.
Tyson looked to the general, to see him eying him oddly. Suddenly confidence burst upon him. It was now or never. "Why did you bring us here? If you want to kill aliens, use the air force, not just a small group! And why me, why my friends? The one thing everyone here has in common, they all know me. So why, why us?" The general appeared taken aback by this question, and he slowly swiveled in his chair, obviously deliberating. Tyson waited. He needed an answer. The general had his back towards him now. "Why such a small force? Sure, we could attack the aliens on all fronts, but what would that do? Cause a state of panic world wide, which would leave an opening for an invasion. And while the alien attacks have been increasing in very hazardous ways, there hasn't been the insane reaction that globalization would produce. But even more important is that the aliens know humans hunt them, but they don't know that we've made it a supreme goal. The aliens could surely wipe us out, but with a small, highly specialized force, we can hopefully take the alien technology and use it against them! Hopefully finding a way to hit them where it hurts without them finding us first. Global action would demonstrate our intentions clearly, and that would probably cause a fleet to end up on our doorstep. We have to be secretive, it's our only option."
Well, that was a good answer. And likely the real one. For some reason the general didn't seem like the most trustworthy person he had met....even though he'd only just been in the room with him. A comment over the comm caught his attention: "We're at the UFO entrance now. Getting ready to board." "Roger that, southern houses are clear." "All clear up here!" Tyson turned to the view screen.
Tanner was in front, and he burst through the door, and finished the lone alien with a burst of laser fire. Whew, another mission done.
He turned to the General. And now for the final question. "Why us then?" It was all he needed to ask. But, unexpectedly, the general smiled. "Why, isn't this what you've always wanted?" What? What he wanted? No...
"What are you talking about?"
"Fighing, combat, heroics. Isn't it something you've dreamed of?" Well, yes, he did, but real combat wasn't what he'd meant. The intense competition, sure. Heroics, well yeah. Adventure, victory....
The General continued. "Yes, you've always had a bit of a love for a military game. Well, now you're living the dream." He paused, then continued. "But no, that wasn't the whole dream. You've always been standing mightily alongside your friends, glorious in battle with them by your sides."
"Wait, so you've chosen these people because I think that combat is fascinating? Some of them aren't even really close friends....and why would I want to put them in harm's way?"
"Well, your friends have been chosen as the opportunity arrives. Sure, they might not all be your closest friends, but they are still those you know." Tyson shook his head. Had he been the one to bring his friends into this. Though unwittingly, still... "Why--wha--.....are you serious?!"
"Now look, you and your friends are the ones who will be doing this fighting. Don't ask me why we chose you, why your friends over professional soldiers. I really am not sure. There are some things I want to tell you though. First, you are being duly compensated for your service. And after this is over, you will have so many doors opened to you..."
"Duly compensated? By death? What, 'oh, sorry you're dead, here's a nice check and a fancy banner' What sort of compensation is that?!"
"Now look! Since you haven't realized yet, this is all about you! You caused all of this. This situation you're in, you're friends who are with you, all of that is because of you. Believe me, I asked the same questions when I was told who I would be commanding. And guess what they said? "He chose this. That's how it must be." All I can figure is that you've done something to land yourself here. There's nothing you can do about it now, you and your friends are the ones who have to stop this invasion. No one else will be able too, another program will likely have started to late. It's not just about us anymore. You and your friends have to fight for the survival of humanity. Now if you'll excuse me...." He was obviously flustered. But Tyson didn't really notice, just slowly turned and left. It was his fault? But how...
Well, good mission. Forgot to take a snapshot, but only 2 aliens anyway. And some more heavy plasmas. It's getting late, and unfortunately I have work in 7 hours. So, until tomorrow....
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