UFO: Aftershock Part #16 - Continued Hardship

Part 16: Continued Hardship

Chapter 13 - Continued Hardship

"CoE Situation Report, April 25 13:00.

The CoE has been hit by our first major setback since the attack on the Omen. A new alien race we have termed the Wargots has come to earth via an alien space ship. First contact with this race was made by repelling the alien boarding parties off the Laputa and sustaining ship wide damage and heavy casualties. The Wargots are a large and physically strong race that can withstand enormous amounts of physical damage. Corporal Andrew Cheese reported emptying half a belt of machine gun ammo into one from point blank range and only accomplishing to knock the Wargot over a few times. Adding to their obvious physiological advantage is that their armor seems to be stronger then anything we or the Cult seem to have at the time. Further more the main stay weapon they have been seen carrying into combat is a highly powerful and remarkably accurate double barreled plasma rifle. The alien weapons are usable by CoE troops, though require incredible strength to wield and so far Corporal Cheese is the only soldier to fire one of these weapons in live combat.

To further my troubles Hero's team ran into Wargots on the surface and was heavily out geared when the Wargots showed up with some form of powered exoskeleton weapon platform. Combat reports and records show Specialist Fastball scoring a direct hit on one of these power suits right in what looked like a glass window the operator looks through. Even a rocket impact against what could have been assumed a weak point did absolutely nothing to slow the machine down or harm the operator. In the regrettable and unforeseeable outcome of that mission Phoenix Company lost Private Quicksilver and Private Ian.

With the sudden and dramatic increase in the CoE's casualty rate it has become clear that we are not equipped to handle this threat just yet. The possible good news is that in less then a week we will have factories mass producing heavier armor and better weapons for all our troops. Major Booya already has expressed his approval of the new laser machine gun and the new Blaster Rifle looks to be a sturdy main stay weapon for troops with out heavy weapons training. Given all this information I plan to avoid the Wargots until our troops can be better equipped to combat this new alien threat.

Behind all the concerns of actually fighting the Wargots the constant questions of where did they come from and why did they come to earth beg to be answered. However we have next to nothing in which to begin any attempt to answer those questions. While the Reticulan library is decoded and translated for the most part, it makes no mention of Wargots so it seems doubtful the Reticulans or Ethereal Empire knew anything of them. The purpose of their arrival at Earth also is a mystery, but at least one we can speculate at. They may simply be a war based race and saw an inhabited planet for conquest. Although their behavior on the surface does not seem to support this. They land in seemingly random areas of the globe attack whatever force is there and then leave. After destroying our installation in Ottawa they simply left to let us reclaim the area or let it be overrun by mutants.

Maybe they have a purpose here other then conquest. They could be psionically sensitive and drawn here by the psionic field the Biomass generates. They could be on an alien safari, here to run amok, kill the locals, take some trophies and return home for all we know right now. It's very frustrating combating a superior enemy you don't know anything about!"

"Commanders log: April 25, 1900.

Damn it. So much for my plans of avoiding the Wargots. They have shown up in our territory in multiple places at once. Near a factory set up in south west France and directly threating our base in Baghdad. While I was willing to lose a little territory around the borders of our controlled land to buy time needed to develop the weapons and armor necessary for fighting the Wargots I can't let them take out entire bases unopposed. The Wargot presence in France also has Canuck and the Cyborg faction in arms to defend their homes.

The Wargots sure picked some tough targets. We're forced to defend both. We cant lose an entire base and vital link in the supply chain and we can't let Wargots run around Canuck's land with out expecting to lose a lot of favor with them.

I'm hesitant but I have no choice to send Phoenix back into combat against the Wargots in Baghdad to protect the base there. There is a bit of good news however as the CoE has finished recruiting and training many new recruits to help recover from the loses on the Laputa. As per Hero's request Phoenix Squad will not be taking in any raw recruits, instead taking needed soldiers from other squads. Hero and Booya will have six new soldiers to work into their teams, all of which are experienced soldiers and should be able to hold their own and keep up with the expectations that come with being in Phoenix.

[ The more a faction likes you, the better troops you can recruit. So all of the new recruits are starting at experience levels only a little bit below the avg. Phoenix member.]

The battle in France will have to fall to one of the other squads recently formed of newer soldiers."

O.F.: Get ready team, here we go! Our first mission. We're clearing the area of the new big ugly aliens. Anyone got any quick questions first?
Vlad: Yeah I got one?
O.F.: What is it?
Vlad: How did Chunky get that nickname?
Chunky:What?!
Vlad: C'mon, all I'm saying is that is an unusual nickname for a girl. It isn't very flattering.
Chunky: I'm going to poison your next meal.
O.F.: Anyone have any real questions?
Spooky: Yeah, how come I'm the one stuck with the tazer pole?
O.F.: Because command wants to take of these things alive.
Spooky: Right, but how come I'm the one stuck with it?
Vlad: And how did you get the name Spooky? Who would nick name a black guy Spooky?
O.F.: Okay that's it. No more questions.
Vlad: But doesn't it seem a little rac-
O.F.: No more questions! Move out!