EPISODE 2: DEATH FROM ABOVE
The comms room was abuzz with activity when Commander Ronin stepped in through the doors. Monitors everywhere were blinking and beeping and men and women were either shouting into headsets or furiously pounding on keyboards. "Where the f*** are the satellite images." The Commander bellowed as he descended a spiral staircase to his command chair in the centre of the room. "They haven't landed yet sir, they're still being briefed in the air above C-C-Canada..." stammered an aide.
"Did I ask you where the XCOM operatives were? GET ME SOME DAMN IMAGES OF THE SITE NOW" yelled the Commander, his eyes narrowing menacingly as spit flew from his lips.
Several minutes later screens flash with several tactical displays of the battlefield just in time to show the six XCOM operatives touching down.
The reports for all six XCOM operatives spring up on an adjacent screen.
Callsign: Arcvasti
Role: Rookie
Gender: female
Nationality: American
Status: Alive
Callsign: Yoink
Role: Rookie
Gender: female
Nationality: Australian
Status: Alive
Callsign: Aseaheru
Role: Rookie
Gender: female
Nationality: American
Status: Alive
Callsign: Kaladin
Role: Rookie
Gender: male
Nationality: Irish
Status: Alive
Callsign: Remuthra
Role: Rookie
Gender: female
Nationality: French
Status: Alive
Callsign: Remalle
Role: Rookie
Gender: male
Nationality: Greek
Status: Alive
"Eyes open, spread out." Arcvasti motions to the other operatives with her hand to move forward cautiously stacking up on the door to a nearby laundromat.
"I can't see any movement inside" whispers Remalle. "Let's climb up that drainage pipe, we'll get a better vantage point from the roof." "F*** you Remalle you know I can't climb." Kaladin snaps. Aseaheru glances over, "Will both of you get your s*** together please and let's get on with this, being out in the open is stupid."
Yoink motions to the East side of the building. Scampering sounds can be heard from the street over there. The XCOM operatives move slowly, keeping low to the walls until...
"CONTACT" screams Yoink and each XCOM operative brings their guns up as the aliens scatter for cover. Yoink is the first to fire scoring a hit on one of the extraterrestrials but it refuses to go down.
"Tougher than they look." Yells Yoink over the gunfire. Not wanting to give the alien a chance to return fire Kaladin shouts "Let's see just how tough." as he unclips a grenade from his belt.
"Bullseye!" screams Remuthra as bits of the first alien splatter everywhere. "They're falling back!" shouts Aseaheru over the explosion. As the aliens fall back Arcvasti sees an opportunity and fires an clip right into an aliens back scoring her first kill as well.
The rest of the squad empty their clips in the direction of the last remaining alien but only manage to put enough holes in a pickup to justify another Godfather sequel.
The alien took this opportunity to scamper off behind the building and the rookies seizing on this early success rush foolhardily to the north side of the building to get the last alien in their line of sight. Unfortunately what they find waiting for them instead is...
An ambush... One alien climbs up a ladder and takes cover on the roof while two others take cover in the street below. "I need some covering fire over here." Screams Kaladin realizing that he's severely outnumbered.
As the other XCOM operatives rush to Kaladin's aid only Remuthra has the foresight to unclip one of her grenades. Screaming a French obscenity she hurls the grenade in the direction of the aliens on the street. One takes cover but the other isn't so lucky.
Before the XCOM operatives have time to react the sole surviving alien from the first wave rejoins the fight, once again taking cover behind the pickup.
Suddenly the other alien in the alleyway moves with surprising speed and gets right up to the wall, shooting up at Remuthra.
"F***... F***... GET IT OFF ME." Screams Remuthra as Aseaheru rips off one of Remuthra's shoulder pads that is being eaten by hot plasma. "She's hurt... Where are the medkits?" Screams Aseaheru. "There aren't any bloody medkits, KEEP FIRING!" yells Remalle back. Hot lead and plasma are exchanged in both directions. Remuthra is still able to fire her rifle by propping it between her one good arm and the wall. The wound doesn't look life threatening thankfully. Yoink takes out the alien by the pickup truck with a lucky burst of fire leaving two aliens in the alleyway.
Arcvasti takes out the alien under the overhang with a well placed grenade leaving one alien left across on the opposing roof. "They ain't nothing... We got this." Grunts Remuthra in pain. Then suddenly one of the doors to the alley explodes outwards and four more aliens pour out.
"Give me a break!" screams Remalle as the XCOM operatives reload and renew their fire focussing on the street below.
Aseaheru immediately wounds one of the new aliens. "I'm out, cover me." screams Aseaheru. Just then Arcvasti and Yoink both score critical hits on two aliens at street level and put them both to the ground. "Just three left!" Yells Kaladin.
Hot plasma fills the air as the alien on the roof opens fire and hits Yoink full in the chest. Yoink crumples like a sack of potatoes.
"YOINK!" Arcvasti screams. "Oh f*** they killed her" yells Remalle. Kaladin scrambles over and feels for a pulse... "She's still alive, but barely... We need to get her out of here NOW!" "The bird will never land with this much heat!" Arcvasti yells. "What the hell are we meant to do?" "COVER ME!" Aseaheru yells as she jumps over the wall into the alley and all of the aliens unload on her. "IS SHE FREAKING CRAZY!?" Screams Kaladin as everyone scrambles to provide covering fire.
Miraculously Aseaheru makes it to some crates in the middle of the alleyway and primes a grenade. "TAKE THIS YOU B******S" She screams as she throws the grenade in through the door. There is a bright flash and the explosion kills both aliens inside instantly.
Remalle follows her onto the street and tosses a grenade onto the opposing building killing the final alien. The Skyranger is called down and the wounded are pulled inside to live and fight another day.
Everyone on the mission is promoted to specialist and assigned 4-5 days rest. Remuthra will need 8 days in the infirmary to fully recover and Yoink will need 18 days [an is extremely lucky to be alive]. Aseaheru is given a special commendation for bravery and spirits are high after such a successful mission... We brought everyone home. Well done this time, XCOM.
NEW CLASSES ASSIGNED TO SPECIALISTS:
Remuthra: Infantry
Yoink: Gunner
Kaladin: Medic
Remalle: Engineer
Aseaheru: Scout
Arcvasti: Assault Trooper
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Topic: Re: XCOM: Enemy Unknown - The Long War [Bay 12 Goes to War] Episode 2 (Read 12355 times)