Part 56: Temple Ship Assault

XCOM Part 56: Temple Ship Assault



The Temple Ship’s reacting. It’s lowering shields… and a docking port just opened up.
No way they’re letting us inside.
It’s also got big flashing lights and arrow signs pointing at itself.
Could just be signaling one of its UFOs to enter it.
And it’s launching fireworks that spell out “COME HERE XCOM. HUMANS WELCOME. (Hi, Cam!)”
Okaaay. Trap?
Trap. But we’ll never get another chance.



B-team, you’ve saved the earth as often as anyone, but there’s only one Skyranger. I need you guys on the ground, in case everything fucks up and we all die.
No problem, commander!
And Furies, and Annette? We’re putting you into cryogenic suspension. Maybe a day, maybe a week, maybe years… but if something fucks up, I want you guys to be able to be the trump card we use against aliens in the future.
As long as we don’t get freezer burn, commander!
I’ve had a very awful year. I could definitely stand to sleep for weeks.



I just finished hugging everyone goodbye!
And totally making out with Hugo in front of everyone. Wipe your mouth off!
Ladies, you’ve been consistently the toughest and most elite soldiers we’ve ever produced. It’s going to be a long fight, and Bar-Lev is specced for defensive powers and accuracy over offensive shots like Gomez, so she’s going, as is our best medic, our best sniper, our best Heavy, and our two best Assaults, both of whom are psychic.
You’re kitted out with the new plasma pistols, just in case, and Bar-Lev’s rig is doubled-up on healing gel sprayers. Everyone’s got those new cloaking Ghost Armors, too, for maximum mobility and evasion.
Let’s get this over with!



Any last words before the mission, now’s your chance to share ‘em.
I’d like to thank you all for putting up with my grumpiness. I can be a real jerk out in the field…
Aww, but that’s what makes you great!
I’d like to thank the Commander for melding me into a super mutant. I feel like my life’s just beginning, despite it all.



I’d like to thank Leroy for that nice impromptu wedding garb she whipped up!
Hah, anytime.
I’d like to thank you all for never giving me shit for being trans.
And I’ve got too many thanks to give them all out… I’ll make a list after we win.



They’re really not shooting at us…
Guns up! It’s definitely a trap.



Cover all corners! Cam, you’re our money shot, you come out last.
Okay…



Uggh…
Can you hear me?





It’s been a long time coming, Cam, but I knew you had the right stuff. An enduring physical form, with tanking regenerative abilities, enough agility to dodge bullets, AND wizard powers to boot. The perfect multi-class.
…huh? Who’s talking!?





Nobody’s talking, Cam.
I thought I heard something…
I-It’s nothing! Okay. Focus. There’s three paths ahead of us, but let’s not get split up too much. Move forward, cover each other’s backs. Hilda, scout for us.



Sectoids! Two little ones and a Commander.
Alright. Move up. We can take these guys out.



I got one!



Sectoid 1 down.
The Commander jumped the railing to the left.



And two more to the right!



Enemy shot wide!
They’re mentally powerful, but physically and spiritually weak; cowardly and cruel, like most nerds with a superiority complex. They’re worthless compared to you, Cam. You should be able to take them on easy.
Nrrrrggg…



Second one down.
Its body disappeared… And the first one’s too! Why isn’t there any body?



The Sectoid commander must be fucking with our heads, like in the alien base!







Auuugh! You asshole! For that you die!



What…? It’s an illusion too?





Oh, my god, it’s an alien Bar-Lev.



GAAAAH!
What the hell is up, Cam?
I keep seeing… things! The past. The future. Ever since I touched that device. …maybe I’m still touching that device and it’s all a fantasy! How do I know this isn’t fake!?



You don’t. There’s nothing I can say that can convince you what’s real. So just treat everything as real. If it tries to hurt you, hurt it back.
Yeah, you were out of your gourd more than most of us back in the alien base, and you were still able to kick all sorts of alien ass.



Don’t worry, I’ve got it. Everyone, move up!



We’ve got more enemies teleporting in out of nowhere! Two groups of enemies on top of those arches!
Cyberdiscs and drones. Remember those, Cam? Weak little guys supporting a mechanical engine of destruction. Kinda like how Leroy keeps backing up Bar-Lev with her healing. Just dumb machines, ultimately, but really cool ones.



I’ve got a perfect blaster shot set up that should kill one of these enemy pods!
Take it!



Good shot.
The disc is not quite dead yet.



I got it. The rest of you focus on the other pod.



The second disc is down.
Man, with our latest weapons, these guys are easy! What the hell are the Ethereals doing, toying with us?
I’m still not sure they aren’t. The bodies keep disappearing.



Floaters!
Ahhh. These guys were so pathetic they couldn’t even be mutated into something useful, so they just chopped off everything and replaced it with battle machinery. Now they’re these crazy berserker-freaks… Useful in combat, but still kinda pathetic.






But you remember floaters well, don’t you, Cam? They killed Allen the first time you saw them.
AUGH! Stop that!





Got one!
Cam, get it together! What’s going on with you?
Guys, there’s a voice in my head. It keeps describing the things we’re seeing.
Well, that sounds redundant.



I’m mindblasting the armored floater. That’ll slow it down. The rest of us should be able to kill the others in one hit.



Big floater down! Whew…



Cam, stop freaking out and get up here with the rest of us!
I’m coming, I’m coming!



More of them! Shit!



AUGH!
Monique!



I—I’ll be fine. I can patch myself up. Take those guys out.



No problem. They can fuck with my head all they want, I’ll just keep mowing them down. I got the one on the left!



I have the one on the right!



Aaahhh… that’s the stuff! You see? We can do it! The aliens are running out of tricks to throw at us, that’s why they keep using the weak warriors!



SHIT!
You jinxed it, Eva! They’re teleporting Chrysalids in on us now!
…oops. Sorry!





You remember Chrysalids, too, right Cam? You still remember how the first one you saw gutted a civilian, only to turn them into a zombie. And you HATE zombies. Always thought it was funny you had a phobia of them.
Shut it! Zombies are a lot scarier in real life than they are in video games!
That may be, but these aliens are just mindless monsters. Not proper soldiers. Strong bodies, but all they do is breed out of control. You can exterminate them, too, can’t you, new guy?





That does it! I’m giving them all I’ve got! HRRRAAAA!!!



Holy shit, you did it! Hahaha. I wonder. Was it the psi suit, the Gollop Chamber, or just your natural ability? Any way you slice it, though, you’re a badass.
ff…Finish them off!



No problem!



All enemies down. Still no bodies, what the fuck?!
All your hard work is paying off. The Orphan has trained you guys well. Wouldn’t it be cool if everyone on Earth was as badass as you? I sure think so.
Quiet! Okay. I’m cloaking and going ahead. I think I saw a couple of thin men ahead.
That takes me back.





AAAAH! THIN MAN!
It’s an alien that looks like a human!
With a fucking big gun!
And a really cheap suit! Looks like Action Wada brand!
…what?



These ones were always smart, and flexible, but their brains used the wrong kind of chemistry. They couldn’t support psychic powers. Good news for you, though, right?



I’m gonna Zinchenko them out of there! Grenade out! Two for one special, assholes!
Whoah!
Move up!



Mutons! About four soldiers and one berserker!
Everyone take cover!



I’ll try to flank the ones to the right!



Whew! One down! Combat rush time!



Son of a… The berserker disappeared the moment I punched it. They can’t be real!
It still feels real when they shoot at you.



Looks like there’s some kind of platform over a pit ahead. Perfect for a kill zone. Everyone reload before you head in there!



We have two of those walking tanks up ahead. SHIT. We’re gonna need to concentrate fire on one of them while I disable the other.
I need to get in closer before I can do my EMP thing on them.



Here! An invisibility grenade for you, Mimi! You can get them now!
Great thinking, kid.



Everyone set up? Nobody do anything while visible, or they’ll scatter!



I have them!



Okay, concentrate firepower!
Roger!



First one’s down. Second one’s still up!



Shit, these things are tough. I just unloaded my whole cannon into it and it’s not dead yet.
I got it!



Whew! Now that’s a long shot. Nice work!



I see two Elite Mutons materializing! But I know we can take them if we work together, they’re not even as tough as the walking tanks.
Yes. Don’t you think it’s a bit odd how well your team works together? As if they were all one living, breathing unit?
If you’re implying what I think you’re implying, that’s bullshit. The commander isn’t controlling us.
That he knows of. But how would he? The Orphan wasn’t even aware he was possessing someone the first time he did it. To control a small squad of soldiers would require subtle influence indeed… not much, just enough to help you all see what each other sees, to coordinate.



Six tendrils, one for each of you. Do you REALLY think quarantine protocols were the reason only one squad deployed at a time?
Shut it. You’re just trying to trick us since brute force isn’t working. Well, poisoning us against each other won’t work either, asshole!
C’mon, Cam. I’ve been your friend this whole time. You just don’t see it yet.



Yeah? Well I see I can blow away one of your elites with just two shells from a gun that humans designed! You don’t scare me anymore. You don’t scare any of us any more!
Did you? Or are you just fighting phantoms of your own imagination? Things that your mind WANTS to defeat?



Reaction fire engaged. Suck my particle collider, asshole!
That’s all of them. Move up!



Mimi, you’re hurt again!
Thanks, Monique.
Is that the first serious wound we’ve had? We’re seriously kicking ass on this mission!
I can feel whatever’s in charge of this all… It’s up ahead.
All right. Cam, you and I turn invisible. Let’s scout ahead. The rest of you, follow us.





At last… gaze upon the visage of the Elders… We who failed to ascend, and were forced to feed upon the Gift of lesser beings.
“Feed upon…” Wait. You mean like Himaya? No. No.



That’s right. Cam! It’s me, your best friend.



CAROL ALLEN!