Wednesday, March 14, 2084
Status Update, Col. Nephtys, X-COM Intelligence
After the losses suffered by Omega Squad, the combined crew of 'The Ambassador' landed at the alien UFO crash site. We weren't going to take any risks this time. Poppers were to be shot on sight at long range, to the exclusion of other threats.
The UFO was huge. As large as the alien battleships of the first and second war. Those usually had twenty or more aliens within, each set up in narrow hallways for ambushes. At least unlike the First war, our sky patrol and a pair of tanks had overwatch on the crash site, ready to blow away any alien foolish enough to step outside.
White Haven: Check out the size of that thing...
Omegachief: Wonder how many aliens this sorta thing holds...
Mr. Coffee: *unintelligible snarls*
The crashed UFO dug a massive swathe into the ground. Sniper Team moved around to try and go for the back door.
Kryten: Look at all this damage! Shit man...
Vanas: Let's keep going, Team A is waiting for us at that doorway.
Immediately upon entering the UFO, a multiworm and Anthropod were spotted at the second floor, above what looked like a conventional grav-lift. Vendetta gave the multiworm a long burst of autocannon fire, the explosive shells blasting away. The Anthropod stepped out of sight, but soon emitted a horrific scream.
Vendetta: TARGETS ACQUIRED. TERMINATING WITH HIGH EXPLOSIVE.
A Hyperworm emerged from the destroyed Multiworm, riding the lift down to viciously attack Vanas. It bit a large chunk out of his left arm armor, leaving him bleeding before he ran for cover.
Vanas: Movement left, and--- Ohgods, my arm! Get it off! Aaah!
Covenant raised his plasma gun, vaporizing the alien with an a reactionary energy blast.
Covenant: SNAP FIRE! GOTCHA.
Flying up the lift with their enhanced mobility armor, Tasoth and Covenant encountered the alien menace in close quarters, where their weapons would be extra effective. Tasoth and Covenant both claimed a spitter with rapid fire.
Tasoth: Enemy contact! *zap zap* Keep 'em coming!
Covenant: MORE TARGETS. I WILL NOT BE STOPPED.
From below, Karza tossed up a stun grenade to neutralize an enemy Multiworm. More aliens were spotted ahead. Covenant ran through the stun smoke, tossing an HE grenade at a spitter and anthropod in a wide open cargo chamber aboard the UFO. Unlike the UFOs from the first two wars, this one seemed much more open and with less (apparently) crucial machinery about.
Covenant: TAKE THIS TO YOUR LEADER, ALIEN.
Vanas spotted a new alien form. It appeared grown into the floor, pulsating sickeningly. It did not seem to move, pulsating slowly. He kept his sniper rifle aimed at them, not getting any closer as to prevent the eggs from sensing and spitting at him.
Vanas: Guys, there's something weird over there by the eggs! If it moves, I swear I'm going to blow it away.
There was a popper to the side, near a spitter. Karza was on his feet, rushing about the corner and spraying down the area with high explosive. The popper detonated prematurely, taking the Spitter along with him. I have a feeling we're not going to capture too many of these alive...
Karza: How's it feel, alien? HUH!
Omegachief: Blam! Haha, those Poppers explode good! You got that spitter!
Vendetta: IRONY FACTOR RISING.
As the rest of the team fanned out into the UFO's bottom level and apparent power room, Covenant lunged forward on his grav-pack to clear an alien obstacle. Because of the unknown machinery beyond the spitter, it was inadvisable to take the shot. He solved the problem with a quick thrust of his blade.
Covenant: HARDLY A CHALLENGE.
Tasoth: This is too easy! *laughs*
Acidburns: Teams B, C and D repor--- damnit, you cleared the UFO already?!
Mission accomplished! The rest of the UFO was filled with the passive eggs, and the new form that we theorize may be some sort of cryssalis stage. No, not Cryssalid. Don't even joke about those.
This was downright easy. Half our team barely even had time to file into the UFO before all the action was over! No doubt the majority of the alien crew had beamed down into the Quadrax Towers and had been contained there safely. Covenant and Tasoth proved themselves again. Being so quick and with light armor, they're able to get in faster and engage the enemy at a closer range. Perhaps we should place a priority order for more MarSec armor, the instant we get more funding. Karza's use of the superb autocannon too has spelled the death of many aliens. We're promoting all of them for now.
So there. A happy ending to all of this mess. No casualties, a cakewalk mission, and an intact UFO! Our scientists are already jumping at the chance to analyze one of these new alien spacecraft, and to understand the secrets of their technology. This is our first encounter with an alien race unassociated (apparently) with the Ethereal and Sectoid empire. Their hull materials, navigation, weapon and power systems are all of a completely different technolgical base than anything we've ever encountered.
With this out of the way, I'm going to get some well deserved sleep. This has been one hell of a long day, and I'm sick of filing paperwork. Hopefully, we'll get at least a small reprieve before the aliens return. I think we have the upper hand on the aliens now. We can defeat their ships, and their soldiers are no match for ours.
LOG TERMINATED
Next Time: The threat revealed...
