Part 41: My Hate For You Is Like A Truck (Furies)

XCOM Part 41: My Hate For You Is Like a Truck (Furies)



We’ve just finished all our basic research on the alien propulsion.
Awesome. Dr. Shen, you have your work cut out for you. I’d also like some SHIVs ASAP.
You got it, Commander. They’ll be done as soon as I can.
In addition, Dr. Cobra has helped us learn all the ins and outs of our new live sample.



Subduing the creature was extremely difficult. It’s not merely strong or heavily-armored; its instincts are overwhelmingly aggressive. Completely negative reactions to pain. We could only calm it by activating the pleasure centers of its brain.



The way its armor was customized to its body was extremely interesting. It sacrifices no movement, yet affords it immense protection. We also discovered that it’s essentially power armor. We should be able to create some of our own.
So, these are a sub-species of mutons?
Female mutons, actually. Or what’s left of them after extensive genetic manipulation. Their “berserker rage” is a modified maternal instinct. Males will usually assert themselves for self-promotion, but mothers will face death without hesitation for the safety of their young.
You got that right. Though since they’re a clone race now, I guess none of them are actually mothers.
Whoever their masters are, they must be horrible. Our modified troops are still people, but the mutons and floaters can now be nothing but living weapons.





After its death, we extruded a number of useful chemicals and traits, such as a stimulant that would be compatible with humans, and a gene mod that would make the recipient completely immune to mind control and highly resistant to all other forms of psionic attack. As a bonus, the gene mod would make the subject immune to panic in the field, without making them lose any of their self-control.
Sounds like something good to give to the less-stable members of our team…



At least you still have a family.
Pft. No, I don’t. I’m a clone of the real Yoko, not—
Well, then, you’re like her sister, aren’t you? Why not talk to “the real” Yoko’s family? They’re still alive. They could even donate some DNA to make you resemble them again. There’s a hole in their lives right now, ever since they found the other Yoko dead in the alien base. You could fill it.
Maybe… but I don’t know. Eva’s family rejected her. I’d go crazy if the same happened to me.



You’re good. Don’t you ever get tired?
Ha! Not anymore. It’s a good thing we’ve discovered the genetic fountain of youth, the real one’s still frozen beneath Antarctica.
I have no idea how much of your supposed paranormal background is real or bullshit.
Oh, well, you see, the truth is that everything’s real. Just not all at once.



Why the hell are you always so cheery, Zinchenko? Didn’t your homeland get blown up a few times already by now?
Of course that upsets me. But you see, Peter, in my country we learned long ago how to find merriness no matter how miserable things are. Many tiny joys make one big sorrow go away.
…you’re talking about taking swigs of vodka, aren’t you. Are you drunk during the missions?
That would explain his terrible aim.
What?! No! I can shoot things normally. I’ll prove it!



Commander! Emergency mission from the Council! They discovered another UFO holding Annette’s fellow psionic test subjects!
No!
We need to move fast. Anyone who’s not sick or in testing, pile on!



I’m going. They were my only friends in that horrible base, I need to know they lived.
Cam, Eva, and Hugo are still scratched-up and Zhang’s in testing. It’s up to us!
I’m going too.



It’s another abductor-class UFO, but set up as a mobile laboratory for doing experiments.
Your friends are on that ship. You sure you’re not telepathic enough to communicate with them?
I wish I was. If we make it through this I swear I’ll let Vahlen do whatever she wants to me to awaken my powers.



Uh-oh. Proximity alert. This UFO sensed you incoming, somehow. We’ve got alarm bells going off.
SHIT. Annette. They sensed Annette coming!



Translating… something intercepted about… “Terminate the test subjects?”
What? We gotta go, NOW. Zin, you better not faff about when lives are on the line!
I am more serious than you, my friend! Let’s go!



Use the cars as cover. Approach quickly but carefully. Snipers, get ready to provide us covering fire.
Of course. That’s one thing I’m good at.
I’m going first!



She returns! Good.
You! YOU MONSTERS! Thin Men!



Don’t worry. They’re poisonous and good shots, but our weapons’ll kill ‘em in one hit!
Ha, they’re taking up positions on the sides of the cover. Go for their flanks!



I have this.
Zin? You’re using your rifle?
There comes a time in every sniper’s life when he must use his rifle.



He actually hit it…
I’ve got the other one!



Wait for his head to pop up again… and…



THERE! Push forward!
I can’t see the third. Establish overwatch! (That’s the right phrase, right?)



Got him, but he hit a big red button first! The test subjects are being terminated!
NO!



Annette and I are immune to the poison. Everyone else, be careful!



More of them dropping down around us. They were hiding in the forest… this is an ambush!



Oh SHIT BERSERKER!



Don’t worry, Peter, I’ve got her!



GAUGH! GET OFF!



Brute, you die now!



THERE! Peter, you okay?
Yeah, fine. And completely covered in blood, but whatever. Keep going!



Ha ha! Kiss my ass, you serpentine motherfuckers! Snipers, he’s exposed, get ‘em!



This one is mine.



Yoko, keep moving up!
Uh, right. I’ll throw a mimic beacon, too, maybe that will draw them out.
I’m charging forward!



There’s more of them here! At least five! Help! Falling back!



Got one. Quick, get in there before they kill her!



OWWW! You got some balls, you shithead!
The mimic beacon’s driving them crazy, pulling them towards it out of cover.
But that still means closer to us!



Another one falls to my photons!



Got the one on the far left.
There’s a couple more hiding back there, I’ll sneak around behind them and flank ‘em!



Sir! You must be more careful! They could kill you!
Bah! Long as you kids are okay, it’s fine.
I need you to help me kill them, and you can’t do that if you’re dead!
Hah. Good point.



AAAH! More keep coming!
We will drown you in our own poison blood if we must! Today you fall, XCOM!



I heard a big “thump” on the roof! Sounds like another one of those mean red Berserkers. Gomez, we’ll need your punch!



Got the one by the ramp. The general’s patched up. We need to catch up to Mama Watkins.



Looks like the abductees are still alive. We need to disable or destroy the command console that’s set to kill them.



There’s a Thin Man and a Berserker in here. Ghosting myself, I need backup fast.



I’ve grappled up to the roof of the UFO. It’s all flat up here. I can’t reach the Berserker yet.



But I can reach you.
AAUGH! Damn you!



AUGH! SHIT! *kablam!* It sees me!





Don’t worry, I have her! Go to the console, quickly!



Heh heh. Your laser pistol might kill me… or might not. If it doesn’t, I will kill you in the counterattack. I believe they say… “Feeling lucky, punk?”
You’re right. Only a fool trusts his life to a gun. So… let’s fight like honest men. No guns.
Hah! I accept.



GUAGGHH!
Ah ha ha ha ha ha ha! Grenades. If only I could kiss them after they did their work.



I’m at the console. Annette, what buttons do I press?
The green one with the triangle on it! That’s the cancellation button! Quickly!



Looks like that’s it, commander. There weren’t even any Sectoid Commanders in this ship. The whole thing was a trap… but we’re safe and so are the other abductees.
Who knows, maybe they’ll want to join us too. It’d be nice to have some more confirmed psychics on our side.





Fffuuuuck! I’m getting old. I can’t keep up anymore.
You could get gene-modded like me.
Nah. Not really my style. I’m just going to go nurse the scotch for a week while I mend.



The good news is, Annette’s friends want to join us after all. The bad news is… well. You know what they say, we’re not created equal. Their will and aim scores aren’t even necessarily as good as our best guys yet, so we won’t throw them in the Psi Labs unless we really need to.
So far, everyone but Cam keeps testing negative.
Then I’ll go. We know, at least that I can do it.