March 17th, 1999
Morale has greatly improved since X-COM's first successful ground mission, aided by the fact that it went flawlessly. However, the war continues. Another UFO has just been sighted over Eastern Russia, and since Lt John Baker had just been launched on a routine patrol we redirected his craft towards the bogey.
He quickly shot it down, scoring his second kill. The squad set out at once, but was ordered to maintain a holding pattern until daylight. If past experience is any indication, fighting at night tends to result in more casualties and fewer gains against the alien threat.Operation Steadfast AnacondaRoman Howard: "Alright people, we've all done this before. Head out, shoot to kill."
Slenderookie: "Tossing a smoke grenade!"
Slenderookie: "I see the UFO. This one's much bigger than the last one."
Emile Batista: "Me and a couple rookies are checking out these houses. Nothing so far."
John Smith: "I'm not a rookie, why would you say th--"
John Smith: "Grrk!"
McUrist: "Ambush! Get that Max guy up here, I think the fire came from a building over there!"
Maxclone II: "This is my last rocket. Fire in the hole!"
Slenderookie: "Can't see if you hit anything...but I see one of those Sectoids!"
Slenderookie: "And he's down!"
McUrist: "AMBU--"
*McUrist has been killed*
Slenderookie: "Oh crap! Max and I need fire support!"
Roman Howard: "Headshot. And y'all thought I got promoted for nothing."
Emile Batista: "Hate to tell you this Max, but you missed. I see the sniper from before."
Maxclone II: "I'll get him this time!"
Maxclone II: "..."
Roman Howard: "How'd you miss with all six shots?"
Roman Howard: "See, Slender got it with one."
Maxclone II: "
grumble grumble"
Roman Howard: "Anyway, now that the area seems clear let's finish unloading. Come on, rookies!"
Dum: "OKIE-DOKIE HOWARD-SAMA!"
: *eyetwitch*
Slenderookie: "Blarg!"
That was a shame. He was well on his way to a promotion in my book.Emile Batista: "I think we're coming around to flank the sniper. Broombot, throw a smoke grenade!"
Broomy Mk2: "YOUR WISH IS MY COMMAND"
Dum: "Burn baby, burn!"
Dum: "Huh. Thought that'd make a bit more fire than that. Boring."
Dum: "That's more like it! Wheee, fire!"
: "Dum, quit playing around. What's everyone up to?"
Emile Batista: "Broombot and I are hunting for the sniper."
Maxclone II: "We're taking cover. Don't want to run out there until whoever shot Slender dies."
"Redshirt" Jackson: "A few of us are going the long way around the UFO. No aliens over here."
Roman Howard: "Where is it? Did it die in the fire?"
Dum: "Heeheeheeheehee"
"Redshirt" Jackson: "Well, that looks like the door."
Maxclone II: "Form up, guys. We're gonna have to assume more aliens are alive in there."
Emile Batista: "I checked the building, I can't find anything. Alien must have burned up in the fire."
Roman Howard: "Okay guys, you ready? I have a smoke grenade set to throw the instant anyone sees a living alien."
Redshirt Jackson: "Uh...now might be a good time."
Emile Batista: "Try not to kill them all! We still need to catch one of these alive."
Stormtrooper: "Augh!"
Emile Batista: "Bastards! When I get in there I'll--"
Maxclone II: "Dammit!"
((This was a "my bad". In the rush to get Emile inside to stun an alien, I completely forgot that you could open doors without rushing through...))
Dum: "Burn! BURN!!!"
Roman Howard: "Hah, got it! Let's see where the other one is!"
Redshirt Jackson: "Here it is. Die, you son of a bitch!"
Dum: "D8"
Maxclone II: "What the fuck?! Where did that come from?!"
Broomy Mk2: "BOGEY IN MY SIGHTS!"
Roman Howard: "Good shooting, Max...that seems to be the last one."
Technically a successful mission, though compared to the last one it feels like a loss. We failed to take a single alien alive once again. Emile tried and died for her efforts. Perhaps if we could capture one of the alien stun devices, we'd have a better option than trying to hit them with sticks.
On the bright side, we captured what appears to be some sort of navigational computer. With luck, we'll keep peeling back the sectoids' secrets and eventually find a way to stop them completely.
Roman Howard earned a (somewhat more deserved) promotion to Captain, while the second Maxclone became the new squad Sergeant. The war continues...****************************
No seriously, how the hell did that Sectoid get around Emile and Broomy McBucket without getting spotted? Damn teleporting Sectoids.