Part 24
Wednesday, April 5, 9:00
*BEGIN RECORDING*
We've discovered the secrets of the alien grenade. Far removed from our simple chemical explosives, these grenades utilize microscopic amounts anti-matter to create an explosion even more powerful than our most powerful demolition charges. All units will be equipped with this new grenade.
We've finished construction on the new workshop. FINALLY. The dimension probe will be ready in 24 hours.
*END RECORDING*
Thursday, April 6, 1:30
*BEGIN RECORDING*
The agonizing wait for our probe grows longer. We're so close!
But we've been interrupted by an assault ship and two destroyers. The assault ship appeared weird on our sensors - our ships could barely register it. Visual confirmation was possible, but the ship seemed transparent. Without accurate targeting, half of our shots missed, and all three ships were allowed to transport aliens into the city before we shot down the assault ship.
Inside an apartment building, Daviel Schada was the first to discover that not only are the UFOs shielded and cloaked from detection, but so are some of the aliens themselves. Whatever devices they are using against us must be researched so we can discover a weakness, or a better means of detection.
With two bases to defend, along with our preparation of manned missions into the alien dimension, we're going to need more soldiers along with more leaders. Promotions will be come quickly in the next few days to our current roster.
After sweeping the apartments, we sent units to clear out a slum building.
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Sad King Billy: Mindfish, watch out! Brainsucker incoming!
Mindfish: Where?
*BZZZZZT*
Sad King Billy: Never mind, I got it!
Sad King Billy: Crap, another one!
Mindfish: Shit!
Mindfish: No!
Mindfish:
Mindfish: Ha! Yeah right, like I'm gonna let a little puke like you brainsuck me!
*BZZZZT*
Mindfish: Too cool for school.
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Mindfish is by far our best soldier. He's deadly accurate, almost never tires, and does everything with haste. He's been promoted to oversee all our soldiers for the time being.
Next to clear was the UFO.
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Soup-Bot: GROUND FLOOR CLEAR. PROCEED WITH ENTRY.
Jim: Top floor clear, no aliens. I do see a new device up here - must be that cloaking thing.
Schlock: Upper-mid level clear. Where the hell are the aliens?
Daviel Schada: Main level, west side clear. You guys don't suppose they're totally cloaked do you?
Lege: Main level, east side is HOLY MOTHER OF FUCKING CHRIST.
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Fortunately, Lege was the one with the rocket launcher. The explosion consumed the poppers and most of the nearby aliens. Finishing them off was easy.
*END RECORDING*
Thursday, April 6, 9:00
*BEGIN RECORDING*
One last piece of news to get out of the way before we launch the dimension probe.
The devastator cannon is superior to the disruptor gun in every way. We've captured a lot of these units and can equip them to the squad right away. The curious part is the internal mechanical nature of the gun - everything else the aliens have designed is purely biological in origin. Why is this gun so different from everything else they use? This is another mystery to add onto the pile.
Finally. The dimension probe is a triumph of human ingenuity. It's the most complex piece of machinery ever built, comprised of our most advanced nano-fabrication techniques and reverse-engineered alien devices. Since we have no idea what to expect, the probe contains various measuring equipment, detectors and other equipment designed not only to give us a visual of the alien dimension, but to measure the fundamental constants of physics to tell us how our two worlds differ. Until we know that humans can survive in the alien dimension and survive the dimension shift, we're not going to send any people.
At 9:01 the probe will enter the dimension gate, where we will lose contact. Assuming that everything is working properly, the probe should enter the alien dimension, fly around for a two minutes maximum recording data and return to our base. Should it encounter any problems or alien defenses, it will return to the dimension gate immediately.
We've done a lot in this war so far, but I think we've won the war for Mega-Primus. The next phase of our battle will occur in the alien dimension. We've discovered a lot, but still have many unanswered questions. To mark the end of the first half of the war, I'll provide a small synopsis of the events leading up to this occasion.
March 7 - The dimension gates appear. UFOs enter the city.
March 13 - Former Cult of Sirius members, equipped and funded by Osiron, attack the Senate building in an attempt to frame X-COM.
March 14 - An explosion in the building above Evening Star collapses nearby buildings. No culprits are found, but X-COM suspects Cult involvement and attacks the Sirian Temple of the Apocalypse in retaliation. MegaPol discovers the proof that Osiron was behind the Senate attacks.
March 17 - Aliens attempt to enter Evening Star while the main force is away. "Rookie Squad" narrowly prevents a catastrophe.
March 24 - X-COM discovers that Osiron is in possession of alien weaponry and in the service of some higher power. They are obedient (perhaps against their will?) via explosive devices surgically inserted into their brains that detonates should a member be captured or attempt to provide information about their masters. Osiron begins their of domination the other gangs in the city and begin rising in power.
March 25 - X-COM proves that all the alien biological species and devices are related genetically, and create a powerful biological weapon, the B-Toxin, to combat them.
March 29 - X-COM forms an alliance with S.E.L.F., the Sentient Engine Liberation Front as androids have proven to be highly effective in dealing with the aliens.
April 3 - A second base, Coolswa's Pad, goes online.
April 4 - The Cult of Sirius engages in combat with a group of aliens inside a Sirian Temple.
April 6 - X-COM sends a dimension probe into the alien dimension.
We still have a lot of unanswered questions.
What is the source of the alien intelligence? We've found no intelligent aliens yet.
Why are the aliens attacking in the first place? What are their goals? They don't survive more than two weeks in our dimension.
How do the aliens even know of our dimension, and Mega-Primus? These aliens are totally different from the aliens we've fought in the First and Second Alien Wars. From the moment the dimension gates appeared the aliens have been coming to the city and depositing creatures with a purpose.
Brainsuckers. Seriously, what's the deal? This engineered species seems tailor-made to attack humans, and we still have no idea how the brainsucking process actually takes place.
Who set the bomb above our base?
How did the aliens learn of its location?
Who is providing Osiron with weaponry and implanting them with suicide bombs? It's almost certainly the aliens, but why would they be interested in organized crime?
What is the role of Cult of Sirius in all this? The inner workings of this religion remain a mystery.
Why is the Devastator Cannon designed differently than the rest of the alien technology?
Hopefully we've reached the point where answers will come in faster than new questions.
*END RECORDING*