Part 24: Alien Base Assault

Part 24: Alien Base Assault, Part 1



I feel…strong!
Ms. Van Doorn, the procedure seems to have been a success! Your musculature, particularly in your legs, has been enhanced. You should be able to lift many times your original body weight, which means—



Jumpy legs!
No, no, wait, not here!



OWWW! MY HEAD!
…*sigh*



You’ll really like her, mom, she’s… Hilda?!
Mffft!
You’re dating a pair of legs sticking out of the ceiling?
Nrah! Don’t look!
A pair of invisible legs. Neat.



While Dr. Vahlen was ooing and aahing over alien mutagen, those of us with applied science degrees have been working on the mystery of this Outsider crystal.



It’s an antennae, a means of communication with the hidden alien base on Earth. Studying the signals it picked up and triangulation has lead us to a single area in Africa.



An underground base, hidden in Africa. How are we going to get in there?



I have an idea about that, too. With enough of our salvaged alien tech, I can turn our crystal into a “skeleton key,” with a fake signal that will make them think one of their ships is coming back home to roost, just like our VTOLS. The ground-level hatch opens up, and we send a team in through the roof by fast-rope descent.
Oooh, just like the ninjas attacking the hidden base in You Only Live Twice! Get to it, Dr. Shen!








Oh, you only get one chance at a good first impression and that was not a good first impression. I’m a hardened soldier, really, I am! I kill people all the time!
Hah, that’s fine. You seem alright. I’ll make you a deal: you don’t make my life hell, and I don’t make your life hell.
Heh, I’ll take it.



Sorry to cut the bonding short, everyone, but we’re assaulting the alien base NOW. We can’t afford any more alien shennanigans on earth and most of the Council has been breathing down our necks for results. The aliens get stronger every day as more of their UFOs infiltrate the earth, so we’re going to deny them a landing pad.



Sorry, Rhino, but you’re not going out on this mission. I know you’ve got your own… “experiences…” but you still need to go through integration before you’re ready. You can torment Cam in-mission another day.
Damn… Yes, sir.
And I’d love to have you along, Hugo, but instead I’m sending the SHIV because there’s an outside possibility of us running into either Chrysalids or that telepathic Sectoid that tried to brainwash Allen. You can control it, though!
Sweet!
SHIV awaiting input.
Whoah, it talks?
It’s got a primitive learning algorithm scavenged from the alien disc robot thing. The more it interacts with us the better it’ll perform. Eventually it may go completely unmanned. Anyway, ladies: You’re off to save the world. Have fun and good luck!



Finally. Our chance at a little payback for all those terror missions and kidnappings. What are the odds we’ll find and rescue some kidnapped people?
Uh…fifty-fifty. They might be being taken as slaves or genetic samples, or they might be food. Whatever the reason they need a lot of us, though, so odds are good that even if the whole place is a slaughterhouse we can save the people at the front of the production line.
Heh, yeah, think on the bright side.



Well, whatever you do, don’t rush. And don’t shoot or blow up anything if you don’t know what it is, because we’re scavenging the hell out of this place, okay? And be very, very, VERY careful. This is most likely where that telepathic commander we’ve heard about roosts. It might see you before you can see it.



Wheee!
SHHH!
Sorry.



Everybody, check your corners, and…ugh.



People pods. Some of them still look alive…others look kind of…messed-up. Mutated to death.



I’ll notify the recovery vehicle it’ll be on double duty.
Damn. If I’m not careful that’ll be ME.



…are those MEAT TUBES in the distance?!
Two paths, lots of open space. I’ll try to position myself to be able to snipe either side.
Right. Time to split up.



Right, let’s go! Leroy, Bar-Lev and me to the left, the rest to the right!



Three floaters to the right!



I’m pinned down!
I’ll get them! One rocket away!



AAUGH! I misfired! Nooo!
Haaah—haaaaah…haaaahhhh…
G-gg…I’m dying…



Unknown incoming! What the hell are these things? Drones?!
Take cover! Try to knock ‘em down!



They’re coming for us! Eva, stay back! AIIIIEEE!



Aggggg…



Hugo…down…and…so…am I…EVA…RUN!



AAAUUUGGGHH! NOOOOO! IT’S ALL MY FAULT!



OW! Those drones BITE!



Jesus, it survived a laser blast! Mimi, get the hell out of there! You’re taking too much fire!
No! It’s my JOB to be the tough one! I have to…save…everyone…!



*blubbering*
EVA! TAKE COVER!
I have to save his dog tags…or his DNA…or his brain! There has to be a way! There has to be a way! I… baaaahhhaaa-haaa-haaa-huuhhhh… all I’m good for is crying like a baaaby…



Gugggghhh…



Gggggg…going down…
NO!



Cammy, they’re all dead! They’re all dead, and it’s your fault! We were following YOUR direction, you idiot!
No, I…
Eva, Hugo, Hilda, Mimi…they’re gone!
Wait a minute. Hugo?



Hugo wasn’t with us.
Yes he was! He was even with us on the skyranger!
…no. He was remotely piloting a SHIV.



Telepathic commander… this is an illusion!
What? That’s stupid!
I’m a fucking game developer and sci-fi buff, I know when I’m being played. This is textbook shit. Make the commander think they’ve failed their troops and watch them all die? Seen it.
…huh. You’re a tough one, Cam.



: Have it your way. Let’s do things…differently.

To Be Continued!