CHAPTER 14: THE GUT-WRENCHING TURNABOUT
I had begun to worry that this was the end of X-COM. Even with the construction of Team GAUX's HQ well underway, and the team picked out, they weren't combat ready. My main team was in tatters and yet they were humanity's only hope against the alien onslaught. My worries ended up being for nothing, however, when the new shipment of soldiers arrived.
: I have to admit, out of all the candidates I've judged so far... a sentient penguin with wings isn't even worth bothering to question at this point. What can you bring to X-COM?
: A soul with nothing left but the ability to give its life for the good of mankind, sir.
: Oh, don't worry, I'm certain it shall be given soon enough. Dismissed. Also, here.
: Consider it a welcoming present.
: T-thank you, sir!
: Hello.
: Hello, Ms...?
: Suzumiya. I've been told that your organization deals with supposed fantastical elements such as time travelers, aliens, espers, and such?
: Yes, and whoever told you that is going to be fed to Blanka tonight.
: Well, I want in!
: Hehehe, cute, but not a chance young lady. I send 14 year old
boys into combat but little girls are where I draw the line.
:
What?: ... On second thought, go grab a rifle.
: Uh, greetings, Director Ikari. My name is--well, that's not important. I've been looking at your organization's credentials and I must say it looks very intriguing.
: I am serious, who the hell around here is handing out classified X-COM information like it's candy on Halloween? How are they finding this stuff?
: So, if you'll take a look at my resume I think you'll find I am very well-rounded. I graduated with a Doctorate in Psychology four years ago, and I have worked in multiple fields, from service, to sales, and really just about anything short of the armed forces.
: So... you have absolutely no weapons experience?
: No, sir, I suppose not.
: Well, I let the penguin in. No reason to start thinking soundly now. You're hired. Now go get the company-mandated tracker implanted in your right ass cheek and report to the barracks for your first exercise regimen.
: W-what?
: MOVE!
:... so you see, I am a qualified medic and well-rounded for all situations.
: I'm going to be brutally honest, I zoned out for almost all of that, but for what I did hear, you could be Jack the Ripper and count as an X-COM surgeon. But if you're so certain your talents are remarkable let's see what you can do in the field.
Things were looking up. For the rest of that day.
Above are several images taken from our HQ's screens over the course of March as we watched countless UFOs escape our Interceptors. For the rest of that month we could do nothing. Though worst of all was the terror strike on Nairobi:
: Sir, Nairobi is under attack. Shall I launch the Skyranger?
: No.
: S-sir?
: When I said that we were not responding to terror missions without armed assistance, I meant it. Let them complain at the meeting if they wish.
And complain they did.
They told me that I had not performed to their standards. I responded that I had done damn well for running on the same budget as the average Elementary School. They said they didn't care, and that India had decided the aliens were worth negotiating with. The damned fools, once they went through an Impact or two they might understand just how wrong they were. At the end, they drastically cut my funding and told me to do a better job. A self-destructive tactic if I have ever seen one. I wonder how many of them are already in league with the aliens.
Finally, though, came luck.
A small UFO crashed down close to our base. I sent the newly-reformed team to investigate the crash.
: Investigating, but it looks all clear. It looks pretty alien out here with all these weird plants.
: I've caught sight of one due east.
: Move up, X-COM!
: Somebody shoot the bastard!
: Too late!
*SKREE!* *PCHOOO*
: Hrk!
: Damn it! See if you take it like you dish it out! *BANG BANG BANG*
*SKREEEEEEeee...*
Our supervisors rated this mission barely a success. But I know better. We needed a morale boost after our last failure, and once again a victory with no deaths will help us with that. Tarvish survived the shot he took to his lower abdomen, in no small part thanks to the efforts of our new medic Franken Fran. In an odd twist of fate, the alien took three rifle rounds to the same area. And he survived as well.
This was our first real victory. Not just repelling some assault on a city, but instead capturing a live specimen from one of the species on the higher tiers of this alien invasion force. This is the first step of many in winning this war once and for all, and I believe X-COM will be the ones to win it.
In anticipation of future expansion, promotions are in order. We now have three captains, Shinji being one of them. Tarvish has been promoted to Colonel for his repeated heroism and is expected to be out of the med bay within two days. The new girl, Haruhi, has been made a Sergeant for a fearless charge towards the alien that ultimately did nothing but cause it to look slightly to its right as Mordecai filled its belly with lead. That said, I'm somewhat worried. When she saw the alien, for a brief moment our video feed cut out. Not with static, the feed just got what I can only describe as nothing. It's unlike anything you have seen, not a blank white or pitch black expanse like you are lead to believe.
It is impossible to describe, and I hope no one will ever encounter what it is truly like.
I've caught myself rambling and will terminate this entry immediately. Will resume logs when new advancements or news arrives. Gendo out.
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Topic: X-COM Genesis Evangelion -- A Poorly Thought-Out X-COM LP! (Read 85067 times)