I congratulated the ground soldiers as they returned, on a successful mission well done. I told them all to go enjoy some R&R but I stopped Cerapa before he could leave with them.
"You shot the tank soldier, what would have happened if that were another soldier?" I asked, my tone harsh.
"It would have killed him or her sir." Cerapa replied as he tried to retain his composure.
"That's right, and how are you going to make sure it never happens again?" I asked, not breaking eye contact with him.
"I will train harder sir" He replied, not sure what to say.
"How hard are you going to train soldier?" I leaned forward and tried to give him the most intimidating stare of his life.
"H-harder than everyone else commander." He caught himself stammering and swallowed hard.
"While the others are resting, I want you to report to the firing range and I want you to practice shooting hostiles among friendlies until you get a perfect score, or for 2 hours, whichever comes first!"
"Yes sir!" He turned to walk towards the firing range.
"And don't you make that mistake again!" I didn't want to be so grating, I understood the weapons were new and unwieldy but I was being tested on how effectively I could handle these situations. He could use the extra practice.
An hour later the clean up crew returned.
There was not much left of the "ufo" but we did manage to collect some "alien artifacts" and some "alien corpses". Honestly the stuff they were bringing in was very convincing but aliens were mythical, why invest so much resources into attacking an inhabited planet when there were plenty of uninhabited mounds of dirt full of minerals out there? I managed to get a good look over one of the little gray men, it's torso was blown open and it's intestines were viably damaged. Its amazing what a dedicated group of people can create.
The next day, as I was making reading some of the reports from the scientists working on the med-kit problems, an announcement calling all commanding officers to the command center came on over the PA system. I closed the file I was working on and quickly made my way to the command center. As I entered the radar technician's assistant walked up to me.
"Sir, we detected another ufo. Another small sized one heading east at 540 kt/s." She read from her clipboard.
"Understood. I want an interceptor scrambled now, lets take it down." It already started to feel trivial, I wondered how long this war game was going to last before whatever big wig behind this came out and revealed how amazing his new technologies were and asked for some funding.
Interceptor 1 took off with a roar as it sped towards it's target. In less than 30 minutes it made it's way within firing range of the slow moving ufo.
"I have the target in my sights, it doesn't respond to any radio signals. Permission to engage?" Asked the pilot.
"Permission granted. Open fire interceptor 1."
The interceptor fired it's missiles but lost radar lock with the first salvo. The second salvo hit it's mark but as the third salvo was fired the ufo accelerated and outran the interceptor.
"returning to base to rearm commander" The pilot said with a tinge of disappointment.
"It's OK pilot, next time. OK everyone, lets get interceptor 2 in the air, and get the ground troops prepped. Were not letting this one make it home."
The second interceptor roared through the air. As it was 10 minutes away the ufo dropped out of the sky just north of Florida.
"Did it crash?" I asked the radar technician
"Not sure commander but it's definitely on the ground."
"Send the skyranger and recover that ufo before it manages to take off again."
While the skyranger was en-route I took the time to look over the load-out of each of the ground soldiers, I penned in some changes I planned on making.
We lost some flares in the last mission, I would need to purchase some more apparently.
Another soldier in the dark, not a good oversight... *i rubbed my forehead, been getting too many headaches lately.
At least Spartan was well equipped in his role.
Razorwire, as well, was well equipped.
Steve decided to take on the same load-out as Spartan, a good choice.
Mr. Apples had an excellent load-out for close quarters.
Tamunshin Had taken on the heavy cannon, unwieldy but very powerful.
Cerapa had forgone extra ammunition for a tactical demolition pack. He would know best what to do with it.
Myroc had opted for a fairly standard fit. This would allow him to adapt to the situation.
Hugh Mann also opted for a generic load out.
As the skyranger made it's way across the US, night had fallen. By the time the skyranger touched down it was pitch black again. The pilot had touched down right in-front of a farm house, next to the ufo. It did not appear to be too damaged...
Heridden Barbarossa: "OK guys, lets get this done nice and easy like last time. After the tank leaves lets get a smoke grenade out there."
I looked over the external cameras of the skyranger to direct the ground forces. "OK lets get the assault unit in place, ready to breach that ufo. Move once the smoke grenade is deployed."
Mario started his tank remotely. "Starting HWP deployment, going to start patrolling the visual perimeter."
Once Mario had moved his tank out of the skyranger, Spartan tossed out a smoke grenade and dropped down behind the rear wheel of the sky ranger to get a good look at the team's blindside.
AS the ground soldiers moved out of the skyranger under the cover of the smoke, green flashes of energy come at the Tank from the darkness.
Mario: "Taking on fire from the south!"
Spartan: "Hang on, I'll light the place up." Spartan grabs his flare and tosses it out of the range of the drop ship's lights, revealing a little gray man in an orchard near the tank.
Razorwire: "They really like to hide in orchards don't they?"
Hugh Mann: "I've got him." Hugh Mann moved up to the edge of the hedge and lined up his shot, firing twice. He took down the alien with crisp efficiency. "That's how you do it, good solid human fire power."
Meanwhile, Heridden Barbarossa and RAM 1 moved into position at the entrance to the ufo, waiting for Mr. Apples to join them before breaching.
Myroc had moved north to secure the north side of the ufo. Plasma round flew past him as he advanced! He hit the dirt and reached for his flare, tossing it ahead where the bolts had come from. Another alien in yet another orchard! He also noticed something interesting.
"Hey, this ufo is larger than we thought, careful guys."
Cerapa saw the little gray man preparing for another shot at Myroc and decided to intervene. He took aim and fired a few high explosive cannon rounds at the alien. The alien could be seen falling to the ground amongst the explosions.
Razorwire meanwhile had stayed behind under the sky ranger, about to shed some light on the field in front of the skyranger. Out of the darkness came several green flashes. The team evaded and took cover but Razorwire had been caught off guard behind the rear wheels of the skyranger, taking a shot to the upper chest. I was told later that his skin around the hole the blast had made burned and melted away. He never had a chance.
Mr. Apples had just moved into position, he holstered his pistol to throw a flare into the field next to the farm house in front of the skyranger. The flare snapped to life as it bounced along the ground, causing a little gray man to shield it's large black eyes from the light
"There it is!" Mr. Apples shouts as he draws his pistol again, firing off a poorly aimed shot.
"Son of a bitch!" RAM 1 shouts in anger as he points his firearm at the little gray man. His pistol firing like clockwork as he riddles the alien with bullet holes.
I looked over the vital signs of Razorwire in shock. Until then I had believed this all to be an elaborate war game. But people were not supposed to die in war games.
"Razorwire, my instruments seem to be malfunctioning. give me your status." I waited for a response for what seemed like a full minute.
"Razorwire is dead commander." Spartan replied as he leaned over Razorwire, taking the flare he had prepped while trying to maintain his composure. "Bastard alien almost took his head off. Everyone take caution, the alien weapons are extremely lethal!"
I felt my skin grow cold as my eyes lost focus. I didn't take this thing seriously and now a soldier is dead.
"Spotted an alien in the farm house!" Shouted Mario as he moved his tank to assist the exposed rear of the team. "It might have been the one who got Razorwire!"
Mario's voice pulled me out of my stupor. If I didn't want more dead men on my hands than I needed to get my head into gear. "Tamunshin, I need you to take down that wall!"
"Right commander." Tamunshin turned to the farmhouse and fired off three high explosive cannon rounds into the side of the farm house. The building shuddered under the weight of the explosions but they failed to dislodge the sturdy wall the alien was hiding behind.
Hugh Mann grabbed the grenade off his belt, primed it and threw it towards the window next to the little gray man. The grenade fell short of it's mark and landed outside the wall. "Shit, I missed. Hit the dirt!" Hugh Mann crouched as the team took cover. The grenade explodes but is not strong enough to punch a hole in the building's wall.
Steve Ducked in-front of the skyranger's front wheels, looking towards the ufo. Out of the corner of his eye he spotted another alien coming around the side of the ufo! "spotted one!"
Steve opened fire, covering the alien with a few quick shots, managing to take it down on the second hit.
"Good shot Steve!" Mario exclaimed as he tracked his weapon system on the farm house. Steve was too close to the building for him to safely fire on it.
Steve Turns his head as he notices some green flashes coming from the right of the ufo, he turns his head to see green bolts flying past Myroc. Tamunshin yells out for Steve to duck! But it is too late, he had let his success distract him and the alien hiding in the farm house had caught his head in it's sights. Steve's vital signals flat-lined on my screen as his head exploded into gore.
(Note to self: the wheels on the skyranger make very poor cover >.<)
"Damn it! Mario, take out that damn wall now!" I pointed to Mario and shook my fist at the screen, Steve laying in a bloody mess under the skyranger.
"Yes commander, firing now." Mario lined up a shot and fired a rocket, blasting most the of wall to pieces.
Cerapa seeing his chance, shouted at the top of his lungs as he filled the newly exposed aliens with high explosive rounds. "That was for Steve you bastard!"
Myroc advanced towards the orchard, picking up the flare he had previously thrown. He threw it further into the orchard and was surprised to see yet another alien!
He knelt to the ground and shot the alien squarely in the leg. "I got another one here. I got it though." Myroc stated over the radio. But to his surprise, the alien took aim and shot him in the hip as he looked back to it. "ARRGH!" He yelled out in pain as he fell to the ground, withering in pain before blacking out.
"No! they got Myroc too!" Hugh Mann exclaimed as he turned to where Myroc had just stood. He moved through the smoke carefully and caught sight of the alien. He lined up his shot. "You son of a bitch!" He pulled the trigger and put a bullet in the alien's chest.
Meanwhile, Heridden Barbarossa, Mr. Apples and RAM 1 breached the ufo.
Mr. Apples: "This one isn't like the other ufo, it's split into two directions."
RAM 1: "We could trap the left door while we breach the right door..." RAM 1 thought out loud over the radio.
Heridden Barbarossa: "Good idea, someone get us a proximity grenade over here."
Spartan: "On the way, it'll just outside the ufo door." Spartan says before throwing the grenade without priming it.
While Heridden Barbarossa fell back to retrieve the grenade, Hugh Mann advances carefully to where Myroc lay on the ground. "Shit Myroc, are you OK?" Hugh Mann examined Myroc, he still had a pulse but he took a bad shot to his hip, the plasma was melting away his skin and tissue along his upper leg and had spread to his lower back. "Don't worry man, we'll get you out of here." Hugh Mann looked towards the orchard the alien had been hiding in. He was unable to spot the little gray man. He decided to take some cover and plan his next move so he dashed to the take cover around the corner of the ufo. "Myroc is alive commander but he's not doing well. We need to get him out of here."
"A clean up crew is already on it's way Hugh Mann, They will bring paramedics with them, you need to take out that alien before it causes any more harm." I gritted my teeth as I watched Myroc's vitals fluctuate.
Heridden Barbarossa popped open the ufo's main door to grab the proximity grenade. He activates it with a quick twist and tosses it next to the ufo's left door. "There, now we don't have to worry about a nasty surprise from behind. Get into position and be ready to breach the next door."
Heridden Barbarossa Had just gotten into position when the right door slid open and a little gray man walked through. It didn't stand a chance as Mr. Apples and RAM 1 riddled it with bullets until it collapsed in a heap.
Heridden Barbarossa: "Good work guys!"
Cerapa: "Glad to hear something is going right tonight. Tamunshin, lets expand our area of influence and get this place ready for the clean up crew." Cerapa motioned for Tamunshin to secure the farm house. Cerapa himself picked up the flare to the south and tossed it over the hedge wall. He listened carefully for movement as he prepared to breach the wall.
Tamunshin stepped through the destroyed wall of the farmhouse, checking the corners of the room. "Clear." She stated across the radio as she turned her attention to the stairs. She carefully walked up the stares keeping her eyes peeled on the floor above. She walks into the upper floor and checks the corners again. "Clear on the second floor. I'm going to move into a sniper support role from here, I don't see any hostiles through the windows."
Hugh Mann Peaked around the corner and spotted some movement.
It was the little gray man he had just shot not moments ago. It was wounded but still alive. Hugh Mann decided not to take any chances and filled it with a few more bullets.
Mr. Apples volunteered to breach the inner door. He slid it open and stepped through, gun drawn as he checked the corners. Across from him a bewildered little gray man looked at him blankly. As it raised it's weapon Mr. Apples opened fire, gunning it down.
Mr. Apples checked the rest of the room and called for Heridden Barbarossa and RAM 1 to join him. They quickly breached the central section of the ufo and discovered the ufo's power source.
Mr. Apples: "I'll bet that thing is important..."
They quickly finished clearing the ufo while Cerapa and Mario finished searching the fields.
Soon after the clean up crew arrived and Myroc was loaded into an ambulance. Hugh Mann accompanied him to the hospital.
"Mission accomplished commander." Spartan reported, His voice was sound but with a tinge of regret that reflected the mood of the entire team, myself included.
(This screen shot notes Myroc as dead. I assure you he is alive but badly wounded, he is being rushed to a hospital for emergency treatment.)
(I will post stat and rank increases when I get home, I will edit them into this post for you all to enjoy. also I forgot that i do not have my spell check here at school so i will go over the post and spell check it once i get home as-well. sorry about that.)
-edit spell checked. i will post stat increases in a separate post
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Topic: Anya's x-com LP - UPDATED! Augest 17th (Read 90960 times)