Part 57: Previously, on X-COM UFO Defense...
Chapter 57: Previously, on X-COM UFO Defense...
Waddle Dee: NO! PLEASE DON'T!!!!
Waddle Dee: Holy shit, I'm still alive! We killed the bastards, and I'm still alive!
Cooked Auto: Dee, are you okay?
Waddle Dee: Yeah I'm fine. I'm not planning on dying just to underscore the drama. Where's everyone else?
Cowcaster: You guys will NOT believe the shit I just had to go through...
Linall: I came from the north hangar right now. I saw that Battleship just up and leave.
Bovines: I haven't heard any blaster explosions the last minute. You're saying they just left?
Cowcaster: Either those douche aliens gave up or they had some other mission to accomplish aside from destroying the base.
*CLANK*
Cowcaster: What was that?
Cooked Auto: The base falling apart?
Cowcaster: No, there's something moving in the southeast hangar.
Director Ulysses: Oh thank God, some of us are alive!
Cowcaster: Director! The base has been attacked! There's-
Director Ulysses: I know! I locked myself in the command area and was watching the battle on the monitors. The aliens have left now. They took them. Those fucking traitors! We're in trouble here. Dee and Bovines, are your tanks working okay?
Bovines: Mine had a bit of trouble...
Waddle Dee: Working fine.
Director Ulysses: Dr. Markus put a virus in the XCOM mainframe. It's going to be hell getting this place up and running again.
Cowcaster: The fact that I can see into the Psi-lab from here can tell me that. You're saying Markus did this? Why do I get the feeling Allen is involved too?
Director Ulysses: *sigh* Yeah, about that. We need to get to the muster point, we'll discuss it there, and discuss what the hell we're going to do.
Linall: The Firestorm and Lightning were both destroyed. We'll have to walk it.
----
Lily Takakumi: Welcome to my little getaway location everyone. Sorry about the lack of chairs...and bathrooms. If you need to go, use the sink. Now, let's get to business, how badly damaged is my lab?
Cowcaster: It wasn't good from what I saw.
Lily Takakumi: Damn. Director, anything you need to say?
Director Ulysses: What I'm about to say is Commander-level security clearance, but with everything going on, I don't think it matters anymore. It's about Allen.
Lily Takakumi: I knew it! He was an alien spy! A plant!
Director Ulysses: Not exactly. Well, kind of, but we knew that. You see, Allen wasn't exactly found in a UFO as we said. He came to us peacefully. He was the one who warned XCOM about the coming alien threat. He told us that he was part of a group of Sectoids attempting to rebel against the High One, and about the covert way that many members of his species were gathering power and resources in a fight against the Ethereals. You have to remember we still wouldn't know how half the alien's technology works without Allen. He was on our side. We kept him under a careful watch, and Allen did help us to the best of his abilities. He revealed to us how to use the Heavy Plasma, the Blaster Launcher, and he was instrumental in designing the Psi-Labs and psi-implant technology. Allen saved Earth from the High One, more than anyone else.
Otto Zander: You knew about all these things from day one, didn't you? The Hive Ship, psionic abilities...
Director Ulysses: Yes. We kept most of this information top secret and need-to-know. Occasionally we had to keep information from our soldiers for security and science reasons, but do remember that we all had the same goals here - stopping the alien invasion.
Otto Zander: Which we did. So now that means that the UFOs flying around Earth right now are-
Director Ulysses: -all belonging to this separate group of Sectoids.
Otto Zander: So our thanks for doing their dirty work is to be captured by a different group of aliens, great.
Director Ulysses: Believe me, I had no idea that Allen's group had anywhere near this capability. Allen told us that they had no UFOs under their control.
Otto Zander: Did Allen tell you that, or did Dr. Markus?
Director Ulysses: Dr. Markus, this was before we had psi-implants. I don't know Markus' role in this yet, or why left the base on that UFO.
Lily Takakumi: Markus! I always hated that guy. I never trusted him. When we find him, I'm going to kill him myself.
Otto Zander: But we have no idea of where they were going!
Director Ulysses: Yes we do actually, not that it will do us any good. From our alien interrogations we knew of a lot of the targets the aliens were going to destroy once they had the Hive Ship in orbit. Cities and military organizations mostly, but there was a target on Mars they wanted to visit at some point.
Otto Zander: I interrogated a Sectoid who told me about that once. It wasn't clear what that target was.
Director Ulysses: The Cydonia region on Mars. When you got back from the Hive Ship mission I interrogated the Ethereal Commander you captured as soon as it arrived in the containment unit. I've been training with the psi-amp myself lately, and wanted that interrogation done as soon as possible. That Ethereal told me about strange psionic readings coming from Cydonia, readings similar to that of the High One's psionic fields. At one point the Sectoids fired a blaster into the containment area killing the Ethereal, and 'Chris' as well. I was lucky to get even that much information.
Lily Takakumi: So if I'm putting all this together properly, then you're saying that Allen's faction of Sectoids have a base on Mars, which is where all these new UFOs must be coming from. On that base is a psionic being serving a similar purpose to the High One. So the solution is simple! We go to Mars and blow it up!
Director Ulysses: While what you're saying is probably true, we have no way of getting to Mars. A traditional missile or bomb would take way too long to arrive, and our Firestorm and Lightning were destroyed. Early Light has been all but destroyed too, and I have no idea what's happening in Area 51 right now.
Lily Takakumi: *chuckle* Come outside, I have something I want to show you...
----
Director Ulysses: This is...
Otto Zander: It's...
Lily Takakumi: It's beautiful, isn't it? The culmination of all my research.
Lily Takakumi: It has an anti-grav thrust ratio of three hundred to one. Alien alloy plating half an inch thick. Dual mounted plasma beams. Capable of operating for extended periods in outer space. Advanced automated navigation systems. This baby has it all.
Director Ulysses: Passenger capability?
Lily Takakumi: Just one.
Director Ulysses: One?
Lily Takakumi: Yeah, and even then Ms. Cuddles doesn't like ferrying people around.
Director Ulysses: I'm sorry, what? You lost me.
Lily Takakumi: The MEOW suit, I sent in a couple of reports about it! Ms. Cuddles is now the most deadly fighting machine on the planet, aren't you Ms. Cuddles yes you are!
: Myuuu! 
Director Ulysses: I thought you were talking about this thing.
Lily Takakumi: What? Oh. OH! THAT! That's just the Adauchi, it's nothing fancy. It was my attempt at making a non-saucer design from alien UFO components using my machine shop.
Director Ulysses: Nothing fancy?! UFO components? Does it work? Can this get us to Mars?
Lily Takakumi: It can fly yes, but the computer is...CUDDLES! I can tie in the Adauchi's navigation system with Ms. Cuddles' system!
Director Ulysses: Yeah whatever, I don't care about your ridiculous cat thing, I want to know this Adauchi can actually get us to Mars or not!
Lily Takakumi: Yes it can!
Director Ulysses: You said you had a machine shop. With the tanks we can probably fit...twenty or so people in here. Can you build a dozen Power Suits on zero notice?
Lily Takakumi: I probably can. So I guess this means I get to go to Mars!
Director Ulysses: No. No discussion on this, you're how many months pregnant? Hell, I don't want Cowcaster coming either, he should be in a hospital.
Lily Takakumi: Where are you going to get more soldiers then?
Director Ulysses: I can remember some failed soldier applicants who just might have their case files reopened...
Lily Takakumi: We're that desperate?
Director Ulysses: It's our only choice. We don't have much time before Earth is totally overrun. Incidentally, Adauchi, that's a Japanese word, right? What does it mean?
Lily Takakumi: It loosely translates into:
SELECTED FAN ENTRIES
Torlon posted:
Audio Playback Beginning
Um... yeah I didn't actually expect to go on a mission after we had a victory celebration but hey what do I know? Of course I'm worried though, for a lot of reasons. Least of which is the fact the Mrs. Cuddles seems to be the one who'll be flying, but the fact that most of the people they are sending are people who they'd actually rejected for active duty before. Granted I'm one of them but honestly I didn't really sign on to be a soldier, I was part of the medical staff.
Which I'm guessing is part of the reason why I'm here. I've patched people up as best I could but Lily's house isn't exactly a hospital and she's more of a mad scientist then a medical doctor so my equipment was very limited. Cowcaster is missing a lot of blood but he should be alright if he doesn't get hurt too much and doesn't get drunk. Having more beer then blood in your system would not end well.
Lily's been avoiding me, we were never close so it doesn't really surprise me but I'm worried about leaving her here. I mean I agree it's dangerous to come with in her condition but leaving her by herself without Mrs. Cuddles has a lot of risk too. Then again I'm sure her house is just as booby-trapped as her lab so I guess she'll be fine.
Well this is it, we are going to Mars. Even after the training I don't think I'm ready for this but humanity needs us. It's funny, I thought I'd be scared but it just feels like I'm saying good bye and that I won't be coming back. I hope I'm wrong but if I'm not I want all of my things to go to my sister save for those encrypted logs where I go nuts.
Audio Playback Completed
linall posted:
Dear fuckface,
We're off to Mars to eliminate the aliens. But not the first aliens. A second group of aliens. Appearently. Anyway, it's all a little murky but I'm straying from the main point of my letter.
I am going to kill you for talking me into signing up for X-Com. This isn't just a threat, I swear I'm going to kill you. In order to keep morale up Director Ulysses has been taking requests should we survive this final mission. Most people are asking for tons of money or cushy jobs for life.
Me? I asked for your life. It'll probably take some finagling, but I'm going to kill you for this. X-Com has been the worst experience of my entire life and I'm going to get you back for it.
Greg "Linall" Samson
Letter after passing through X-Com censors
Dear Tyler,
We're off to the zoo to celebrate our victory. But not the first victory. A second victory. Appearently. Anyway, it's all a little murky but I'm straying from the main point of my letter.
I am going to hug you for talking me into signing up for X-Com. This isn't just a threat, I swear I'm going to hug the shit out of you. In order to keep morale up Director Ulysses has been taking requests should we survive this final mission. Most people are asking for tons of money or cushy jobs for life.
Me? I asked for a million dollars just for you. It'll probably take some finagling, but I'm going to repay you for this. X-Com has been the best experience of my entire life and I'm going to make sure you know how awesome it has been.
Greg "Linall" Samson
Muscle Tracer posted:
Dear Linall,
I'm glad that you've been enjoying X-Com so much! I'm beginning to wish that I'd joined up myself, especially after all the medals and honors you guys have been receiving. And to be the first men on Mars- it's been all over the news! Aren't you excited?
About that gift- should I be expecting a hug, or a million dollars? You weren't exactly clear on that.
Love you too,
Tyler
Dexanth posted:
Journal of L. Takakumi
So, apparently everyone is enamored of this big flying toy I whipped up. Very little on my masterpiece, the MEOW, which nonetheless can always have more power!
A woman's dream is a giant robot. Especially one piloted by her cat.
Nonetheless, I suppose I can see that they like it, what with it's interstellar capabilities and all. Or theoretically, anyway, I have yet to test them. Though I suppose we don't really need to make any jumps for whatever reason.
I still don't know if I want my poor kitty going to Mars without me. She gets so temperamental when separated.
Ooh, I'll just develop some sort of remote linkup! Hmmm...I've never really played around with the EPR paradox, maybe I can crack that into viability.
End
wtfuguyz posted:
"Mars, huh?" Walter thought for a minute, looking over the X-Com Briefing document and offer to attend the Mars Mission. "Well, I'm not with the NSA anymore, they've basically sold us out. They don't have to bring me along." He looked in his trashcan at his ID from the NSA, which had been cut into quarters. "Someone's got to live to tell the story."
He paused for a moment, and something switched on in his brain. He didn't really have much left to live for anymore. Friends and family all either dead, missing, or didn't give a shit. Like he'd be able to set foot on US soil without getting arrested and quietly shot in the head even if they did care. He'd been arguing for self-preservation in the face of the fact that there was nothing left to preserve.
"Fuck it, i'm in. After all, someone's going to have to live to write about all this shit, might as well be me. I might even come back a goddamn hero... or I could die. Oh well, what's the point of living without a little risk?"
Walter suited up and ran as fast as he could towards the hangar bay. His flight into history was leaving shortly, and he hoped that he wasn't too late for it. Besides, he knew what he was going to ask for as a reward: exclusive media rights to the X-COM story!