January 3rd, 1999
Caribbean Sea
As the sun began to set, a fire streak could be seem across the sky in the island of St. Lucia as an alien craft entered the Earth's atmosphere and desaccelerated to more than five thousand kilometres per hour. The UFO then corrected its course and moved towards southern Florida while maintaining the same speed, the 24-foot diameter disc slowly descending as it approached land.
NORAD, Cheyenne Mountain, Colorado, US
Space Command had picked up the "fast mover" through the
radar that had been set to cover possible missile launches against the United
States and had informed Air Defence. The craft's estimated course was
preoccupying General Bigelow, since its trajectory showed it to be heading
awfully close to Kennedy Space
Area 51, Nevada, US
Colonel Johnson was conducting another training exercise outside the facility when base communications requested his presence immediately on his intercom. He acknowledged and started running for the nearest jeep around.
Security
The commander of the combined
USAF/NASA security team assigned to the space facility was feeling very
nervous. The whole
Some minutes afterwards the whole southern section of the security fence alarm systems went off. Apparently the electrical power in that part of the centre had failed, although it had its own generator. He had sent one of his teams to investigate and was considering the whole situation when the radio went active:
"Base, this is team Echo, over"
"Echo, what do you have, over?"
"Sir, we are hearing a strange humming noise coming out of a section near the south eastern perimeter, in a swamp"
"What kind of a noise?"
"Uhh, well it's continuous, like a giant fridge or something"
"Any other activity?"
"Well, about some 15 minutes ago we saw a light in the sky"
"A light in the sky? What sort of light?"
"A white one, almost the size of the moon. It headed towards the swamp where we are hearing the noise right now. What shall we do sir?"
"Team Echo, deploy and investigate the marsh. Keep me informed"
There had been reports of strange
events in the sky for a long time, but he had paid them no deed. This was NASA
and they knew anything about the existence of extra-terrestrial craft they
would have detected it by now. Or would they? He shook his head in disbelief.
No, this must be a terrorist action or some espionage or sabotage done by some
nation or group. He decided to wait before reporting Washington, until he had a
clear picture of what was going on and not just report strange noises and
lights in the sky, or they would think he was getting nuts.
Command and Communications Centre, Area 51, Nevada
When Johnson arrived at the C3 centre of the X-Com facilities at the base he found General Smith already standing there.
"Looks like your Commies will have some action today, Colonel"
Johnson acknowledged his presence and then nodded to the technician that was running communications. A monitor that had a dark blue background with a red X superimposed on a circle on its middle suddenly lit up with the face of the Chairman of the JCS.
"Colonel, some 15 minutes ago, NORAD picked up a fast mover heading towards Florida. When it reached land it dropped off radar but from its last trajectory we presume that it was heading towards Kennedy Space Centre."
"What's the word on them?"
"They have been ordered into maximum security, but with orders not to interfere. No further reports have arrived from them"
"Good. My team will be leaving in 10 minutes"
"Very well. Air Combat Command has fighter planes looking for the aircraft. We are also moving an E-3 Airborne Warning plane up, to see if its radar can pick the UFO and are deploying other reconnaissance assets so we might have more information by the time you get there"
"Understood. Area 51 out"
Johnson turned to the technician.
"Inform all ground team members to report to the hangar fully equipped. Tell flight operations to prepare the Skyranger for immediate take-off. And notify Commander Ilyuschenko."
General Smith turned to him and said
"Well Colonel, now we shall see how good your force thinks it is"
Johnson thought of answering to him, but in the next minute he was already on its way to the Armoury to get himself equipped.
Low Orbit, Earth
A KH-11 "Big Bird" reconnaissance satellite started using its correction jets to position his cameras to a location hundreds of kilometres below him. As it slowly changed his position, the electronic and visual eyes it possessed locked into Florida and started searching. Although a weather front was passing through the State, with heavy cloud cover, Space Command had decided to give it a try, hoping that a hole in the clouds would allow them to spot the UFO in the satellite's visual and infrared cameras.
Area 51, Nevada, US
As Johnson reached the Armoury all of North American team was already there, waiting for orders. They had been divided into four squads, each with three men. Johnson and his executive officer, Captain Hunt, filled up the remaining capacity of the Skyranger. As he entered the room, Gunnery Sergeant Hopkins shouted:
"Attention! Officer in the deck!" Although they were not on a ship, the Gunny still hasn't been able to get rid of the Marine expressions. Or maybe he doesn't want to, Johnson thought, smiling to himself. They all stood up in attention but after a second eased up after Johnson waved off the salutes.
"Everybody listen up really careful. An UFO has been detected heading towards Florida. The Pentagon thinks it has landed nearby, or at the perimeter of Kennedy launch facilities. Our mission will be to investigate for possible alien activity and neutralize it. But everyone will proceed with extreme caution, is that understood? Now go equip yourselves and board the Skyranger. We will leave in five minutes time. Any questions?"
After a brief moment of silence all men broke ranks and started collecting weapons and equipment.
Security Centre, KSC, Florida
"Base, this is Echo, we are being attacked! We need help right now!"
"Echo, what's your position?"
"We had just left our vehicle and entered the marsh when we started receiving incoming fire" Silence "Shit! That was close! "
"Nature of the attackers?"
"Unknown sir. Albert, get some cover right now! Tyson, don't stand there. Fuck!" More silence on the radio "Sir! Tyson is dead, some green ray just opened a hole in his chest the size of a toaster"
"Fall back at once"
"Trying sir, there's just too many of…" The transmission was suddenly cut off.
"Echo, repeat the last sentence please". Only static greeted him. "What is going on there?"
Skyranger 1, over Louisiana, US
Johnson was going over his team's assignments and deployment when his radio cracked up.
"Colonel, Harris here. We have just left the vicinity of New Orleans and the top hats want to talk to you"
Johnson had decided that for now Harris would fly the Skyranger, until he had proven himself proficient at air combat missions. He had more than enough experience flying experimental aircraft. "Patch them through".
"Yes sir. And thank you for flying with X-Air, the only airline that is out of this world"
"X-Com, this is NORAD, over"
"This is Colonel Johnson, I'm reading you, over"
"Be advised. KSC sent a team to
investigate and their last communications reported that they were under attack
and were taking heavy casualties.
"Roger and out". Harris got a laptop from out of his seat, turned it on and connected it to a data line that would allow him to have access to the X-Com computer system. Then he started examining the tactical situation.
KSC, Florida, US
The Skyranger landed about an hour later, nearby the abandoned vehicle of the security team, which was standing in a road that went around the Center's perimeter. As it was touching down, its rear door opened and the North American team begun to swarm from it, covering all sides of the aircraft. After the Landing Zone was secured, Johnson immediately started giving orders.
"Alpha squad, take right flank.
Beta, move to the left. Gamma, take point.
They were wearing night vision goggles to increment the available light from the moon and the stars. The whole area looked deserted of any artificial construction, besides the lights of the security fence far away and the service road. But a humming noise, that reminded Johnson of a hive of angry bees, could be heard from a swamp that was near the southeast, inside the base perimeter. He got his binoculars and looked into that direction. Nothing could be seen besides the tall trees and a pool of stagnant water, not even the slightest movement. He touched spoke into his mike.
"Everyone watch out. They must be
alert of our presence, so look out for ambushes."
"Take cover! Delta squad, lay a pattern of suppressive fire in the direction from where that shot came!"
Andrews was the first to shot. After getting on the soft ground with his massive body he pointed his Russian AGS-19 portable Autocannon to the area where the sniper was concealed and started pouring high explosive rounds into it. In spite of the distance, the noise of the blasts was still quite deafening. Guided by the explosions that destroyed vegetation and splintered trees, all remaining members of the team started firing with their weapons. After ten seconds of a barrage of death, Johnson ordered them to cease-fire and had a look with his binoculars. Nothing could be seen.
"OK, it looks as if the sniper has been neutralized. Let's carry on".
As they approached more carefully the line that separated the swamp from dry land, its stench was turning out to be even worse. The rotten waters had calmed down and the fog had lifted a bit, but besides the humming noise, nothing else could be seen or heard. They entered the waters and started moving more slowly, not only because of the terrain but also to avoid making noise that would give their position away. The three forward squads had expanded the line to the sides, to allow them to avoid possible flanking manoeuvres by the aliens, searching with their weapons all the time for possible hostiles.
Johnson's intercom came alive and he ordered his squad with a gesture to stop. "Alpha here. We found one of the security team's bodies. It took a shot in the head from behind. Brain and face are all gone"
"Any vestiges of the aliens?"
"Zero"
"Beta, any sight of the sniper?"
"We just reached the area. It is completely wrecked by gunfire. No bodies found. There's some green ooze in some leaves though. It looks like alien blood or their equivalent."
Shit. That would mean the alien would still be out there, although probably injured. "Beta and Alpha, keep moving. Beta, keep an eye on his trail"
"Roger"
The team continued to move, with Johnson speeding up a bit to join Gamma team. The humming noise could be heard more strongly know, and pretty soon Johnson spotted a weird form that was standing in the middle of a small clearing in the swamp.
"Movement!" called a voice "10
o'clock, 30 feet away". That would be Trooper King, of Alpha,
"King, talk to me"
"I can see him hiding behind a red tree. I picked him up because of the disturbance he made in the still waters"
"Did he spot you?"
"I don't think so"
"Alpha, try to circle him. King, if he even sneezes take him out. Beta, what's the status on your flank?"
"We have discovered a strange looking weapon that was lying in the water" Suddenly an alien shriek filled the air. "What was that?!" Johnson demanded on the radio. Gunfire from his left side was the only answer. "Alpha team, report your status!"
"Sir, this is King. The sound didn't came from here but when the alien heard it, it started moving. I took him down as ordered. Alpha team reports no other activity."
"Beta, what happened?"
"The scream came from the front of us. We stayed put and are waiting for orders sir"
"Alpha and Beta cover both flanks. Gamma, let's move out towards the alien craft. Delta dug in and prepare to give us some cover."
Johnson and his two men started to move towards the puddle where the craft had rested. No, not rested, Johnson corrected himself when he came closer. It was hovering just inches over the water. Maybe the aliens don't like to get their feet wet, he thought. As they carefully reached it he could see the grey metal colour of it. The craft was completely circular and totally smooth, with no equipment or openings discernible. When they reached it, Johnson touched it. It was cold and it looked as if it had been moulded or made out of one piece.
"Let's try to find an opening. Alpha and Beta, start circling the craft. Gamma, when they reach their positions we move. Rodriguez, you take the right side, Jones the left. Delta, split and give both sides some cover"
When both side teams started to move, all hell broke out. First some strange sounds here heard by everyone and a greenish hue could be seen on both sides of the craft, then the human screams started to fill out the radio, followed by gunfire.
"What's going on?" Johnson had to scream to make sure he was being listened because of the cries of pain on the radio channel.
"Sir, Hopkins here. There are hostiles nearby the UFO, on the opposite side of the craft. One of my men got hit and it looks pretty badly. It has burned his left chest"
"King here. We also got hit and are firing back. The Lieutenant is dead. They are invisible, we can't just see them from this distance"
"Shit". Johnson contemplated his options. He needed to spot the threats and direct more suppressive fire to that side of the craft, before both teams would be eliminated. But for Delta to get into position it might take too long, unless...
"Rodriguez and Jones, charge the other side of the UFO!"
Both troopers didn't even hesitate to comply with the order. Johnson followed Rodriguez as he dashed around the craft. When he completed turning around it, he saw three bigheaded figures that were crouched on the ground, turned sideways, with one shooting at Alpha team and the other two at Beta. They suddenly moved as if they had detected Gamma's presence, but failed to turn and respond to it quickly enough. Johnson and his troopers were already pulling automatic fire into them from their M4A1 automatic carbines. The M4 had been developed from the M16 rifle as a submachine gun and the version X-Com was using was a Special Forces adaption, with the option of full automatic fire. The one alone on the right died almost instantly as both Johnson and Rodriguez unleashed their weapons power on him. Rivers of green gore came out of places where the bigheaded alien got it. On the other side Jones had killed one of them and the other was almost firing at him when Rodriguez did a small correction of his rifle and killed him with a direct hit on its head. The alien dropped to the swamp, lifeless.
"Jesus Christ, what a mess!" Jones cried out.
"This isn't over yet. There might be some more inside the craft. Delta, get your Heavy Cannons up here and load them up with armour piercing rounds. These guys are hard to take down". The two men armed with the other contribution from Russia, the OT-17 heavy cannon moved quickly. The weapons were designed to provide long-range heavy stopping power, but during their training the North American team had discovered that they could also be useful in close combat, when you had to take your enemy down quickly. They all started inspecting the side of the craft until one of them said: "I think I found an opening".
Johnson took off his night vision
goggles and looked. There was an almost
"Well, what if we give it a
push?" The Delta squad man pushed the door and it suddenly moved upwards,
disappearing into the fuselage of the craft. The motion surprised him and he
never had time to reach to the energy discharges that came out from the
opening. Johnson only saw his torso disappear under a green light.
"UFO secure. Check out the bodies to see if they are really dead and let's clear the perimeter, troops".
After ten minutes checking the swamp, they found no other aliens alive. Apparently the shriek heard before come from an alien found a hundred feet away from the craft that must have been the initial sniper. It must have been severely hit while trying to get away from the suppressive fire and it then had bled to death. Johnson didn't feel any remorse. Four of his men were dead, the trooper from Beta dying from the massive shock of his injury, before medical attention arrived from the Space Center. The discovery of the remaining corpses from the KSC's security force increased his anger. The aliens had cut up some of them and they had parts of their bodies missing, as if they were cattle. But they had succeeded on their first mission. And more important, they knew the aliens could be killed on the ground. A CH-53E Super Stallion heavy transport helicopter borrowed from the Marines was already on its way to help move the UFO to an airfield where it would then be flown back to Nevada. They know had a door to the alien's technological secrets, if they knew how to open it.
New York City, US
Hours after the encounter, Number Three was seated in a chair facing a desk where a communications terminal had been set in. The 86th floor penthouse had a magnificent view to the Hudson River as well as Wall Street. He joined being up there, because it gave him the impression of power, looking over the glass windows down to the street below and seeing all the little people going through their lives, not knowing anything about what hovered over them. But he was starting to feel that his same power was becoming threatned and, he might end up back among the ordinary humans below him. The report he had just got from Number Seven had accentuated that fear. X-Com's first mission had been a success. A Phyrric one, with the loss of almost one third of the men involved, but they still had been able to kill all the aliens and capture a working craft. That was bad. It meant that the Group was losing control over things, over technology they had been the only ones on Earth to acquire and that had took many work to keep it secret. And their actions would prompt more alien activity, with the result escalation of events and general world knowledge of the UFO situation. And if the Group's intentions ever were revealed he knew they would be convicted for treason to the human race. Control was being lost over the aliens also. Not that they had ever been capable of really knowing what they were up to, but they knew about their interest on Earth and generally predict their actions. But he sometimes wondered about the opposite, if they weren't deceiving the Group itself.
He had been the first one to be informed by Number Seven, which had his own sources inside KSC and shared the same doubts about humanity in general having access to alien technology. And they had also a strong belief about themselves and the power and necessity of an elite in these dark times. He knew something had to be done about this X-Com force, so he isolated himself in silence until he had came up with a plan.
London, United Kingdom
On the other side of the Atlantic, Number Two was considering the same question also while having breakfast. He had a troubled night after being awakened to receive the report. There would be a meeting in a few days to discuss the new events and he knew that deviations were already happening to the plan. Other possibilities were presenting themselves and he was afraid that the Group was too stubborn of years of routine to see them. Not all of the 12, of course, but that the majority, including Number One, hadn't taken into account, for first, the reaction of the nations of Earth and also about the potential of the X-Com team. Although all those men were elite professionals, their success with dealing with the aliens had surprised Number Two. Others had tried going into combat with the aliens. And while on most cases it had been the matter of being at the wrong time and place for the humans since they got chewed to pieces, in others the Group had sent his men to test the aliens, disguised as ordinary military of the nations of Earth. Few ever survived these encounters and after their briefing they would be disposed of. The Group had never been interested into forming a combat force to deal with the aliens. They knew it would be a waste of effort and resources. The aliens had proven themselves superiorly in numbers and in combat. Until now. It looked as if humans could military defeat the aliens, if properly led and using the right tactics. Earth's technology had advanced on its own in the last years and while it looked awfully primitive when compared to the aliens it could hurt them.
Two suddenly started to realize what would happen if X-Com had access to more advanced technology. Then they would be a military force to be reckoned even by the aliens. And while diminishing their influence and pressure over the Group, it would allow also to guarantee some safeguards about the aliens. Yes, this X-Com had to been seen as a most desirable asset, not like a threat at all.
January 10th, 1999
Area 51, Nevada, US
Colonel Johnson was waiting for General Illyuschenko to leave the Skyranger. A cold wind was coming from the North and he buttoned his service coat a little higher. The days after the raid had been frenetic on the base's research teams. While Johnson shared some of their excitement, another feeling was stronger. The deaths of his men. It had been hard for all of the team. While those men had been working together for a few time and relationships hadn't yet been formed it had been a hard blow for all of them. Still, the training sessions had helped them cast aside their thoughts. Now they knew the enemy and what he was capable of and, more important, that it could be killed.
General Illyuschenko left the Skyranger that had brought him all the day from Russia, with stopovers of a few hours in Paris and Washington. Although it would be expected for anyone to be showing the effects of jet lag, the General looked as if he had just woken, completely alert. Behind him came some civilians and, after them, some reinforcement troops. The attack had left them a bit unmanned and Johnson was afraid to having to commit the understrenght team in the last days. He looked at the eight uniformed men and they lined up and stood up. He was relieved. Now their losses would be filled up and he also could form a replacement squad to cover for future casualties. The latest to leave were a group of men in suits. He knew exactly who they were and what was their mission. But he still hated intelligence officers. They always made him nervous. He moved to join with Illyuschenko and the two men saluted when they met.
"Welcome back to Area 51, sir"
"Thank you Colonel. I am most pleased to see you again and I wish to congratulate you for your success. Well done"
"Thank you sir, although I wouldn't call it exactly a complete success"
"I know Johnson. Believe me, I would do anything I could to bring those men back. But they made a courageous sacrifice and for the most noble cause."
"Well, I would prefer not to talk to much about the subject now, sir"
"I understand" The turned to the leading civilian that had stopped some feet behind him. "Dr. Chevereux, could you please come over and meet Colonel Johnson?"
The white haired men approached the Colonel with some fear.
"Dr, this is Colonel Johnson, commander of the North American team of X-Com, based at Area 51"
"Colonel Johnson, this is Dr. Chevereux, our scientific leader."
They exchanged handshakes but didn't said anything. Then the scientist turned to Illyuschenko and said:
"That we will still have to see General. I agreed to come with you here just because you actually threatened me if I didn't come here to see it with my own eyes"
Johnson looked puzzled at the General.
"It's all right Johnson, the Doctor here refused the UN offer calling it a nonsense, but now it seems he will join us"
"It is a nonsense! UFOs? Aliens? The things you are talking about are un-scientific and are proved to not exist. This thing here is a complete waste of time."
"See what I mean, Colonel? So I told him, err, convinced him to come and see the proof for his own eyes"
Colonel almost took a shiver. The aliens still made him had that reaction.
"Very well sir."
"I want us to be shown the evidence now, Colonel, if you please"
"Very well, sir. Just let me welcome the rest of your passengers and dismiss my new men, General"
"Please do it"
Johnson turned to them all and said:
"Welcome to Area 51, gentlemen. My name is Colonel E. Johnson and I am the commander of the North American X-Com team. You now don't belong to your services or countries anymore. Now you fight for Earth and against the greatest menace of all. The things you will learn from this day on will come as a shock but they are real, gentlemen. And remember your duty always in those times and let it guide you." He turned them to his troops "Sergeant Hopkins will guide you to your quarters and later you will receive a full brief and meet the rest of the team. Sergeant, lead them on"
"Yes sir. Company, attention!"
While Hopkins started to make the new recruits life as much miserable as possible, although those men all belonged to elite units and couldn't be easily pushed, Illyuschenko turned to Johnson:
"A most impressive speech Colonel"
"Thank you sir, but I just made it up on the occasion"
"More impressive even. Now, show us the aliens"
"This way please sir"
The cryogenic storage unit was situated into the depths of the base, giving it the most appropriate mood, Johnson thought. The laboratory of the monsters. The stench the things gave off when they died was terrible, Johnson remembered. And while it was gone now, just the look of the dead alien in front of him reminded him of that smell. But another feeling was also more prominent. The one of biological repulsion. The thing there wasn't anything of this planet and his body reacted with disgust to it. Illyuschenko and the scientific staff of Chevereux had that same reaction also when the cold storage drawer where the body was kept had been opened, although in the scientific group's case it should be more the feeling felt by scholars in the late Middle Ages when someone proved to them that the world was round, instead of flat as it had been said before for centuries.
"C'est incroyable!"
"Mon Dieu."
"Silence." Dr. Chevereux said firmly. All the excitement stopped and he turned to the General and spoke: "Sir, I appear to have been wrong. I ask you to apologize me for my blindness. I will gladly and dutifully accept the UN invitation as Scientific Leader of X-Com and will fulfil my role to the best of my abilities"
"Thank you Dr. for accepting the job. I am happy to have you fighting with us. Colonel, what have your scientific team found out the aliens so far?"
Johnson turned to his chief scientist, who he had asked to be present. "Dr. Mantell, could you please answer that?"
"Gladly. Well for a start, we recovered some nine alien bodies from the area, in several levels of damage. From what we had pictured, from autopsies and all full type of biological exams, these creatures have some interesting traits. For instance, our initial genetic studies show that they are all clones"
"Clones?" Chereveux asked, "How can it be? A society of clones would be always at peril of genetic errors and grave mutations"
"We don't know Dr., but that's what we are trying to find out. About their anatomy, they show greatly a greatly atrophied digestive system and traces of what have been sexual organs. They basically have no natural way to surviving and reproducing themselves."
"They are greatly advanced in genetic engineering then"
"Yes. And their head is disportional to their body, compared to a human, which would suggest a greater intelligence because of the bigger brain. Their eyes are also much bigger and it seems they are capable of seeing in the dark better than us. That has been also verified in the encounter. Finally, and this is a remote hypothesis, they may have evolved from marine animals."
"How did you come up to that conclusion?"
"Their skin is similar to dolphins and such like mammals, although I wouldn't call this aliens mammals since they remind me more of an insectoid species. They also have vestiges of what looks to be webbing between their fingers, which would suggest that their limbs were used to swim in the past."
"Interesting. What else do you have?"
"Well they don't have vocal cords. The most probably theory to explain how they communicate can be quite unbelievable, but he are considering it"
"After what I saw today I shall take few truths for granted, Dr. What is it?"
"Some sort of telepathy. Their ears appear less developed than ours and can listen to sounds audible to humans. However they where never seen to make any sound, unless when dying and while not wearing of communication devices where capable of coordinating their operations together, while away of visual sight of one another".
"You think the larger brain could be something to do with this?"
"We are still running a lot of tests, but I will be able to give you a full report from biology in two days, sir. The other departments will take longer"
"What other departments?"
The Dr. looked at Johnson who just nodded.
"Physics, Aerodynamics, Computers and Engineering"
"What?!" Chereveux couldn't believe what he was hearing "Mon Dieu! What else have you captured?" Johnson stepped in "A flying saucer, Dr. A UFO. And a lot of alien toys also for you scientists to play with. Please follow me and you will see it now"
After showing to the scientists the captured UFO he excused himself to make his own presentation to the Intelligence Spooks and General Illyuschenko. He met with them about some two hours later and the proper presentations then took place. Illyuschenko begun speaking to Johnson:
"We have all seen the biological analysis to the aliens, Colonel, so please give us now your military evaluation of them."
"Yes, sir. Well, these things, while fragile looking, can be very dangerous. For starters they are extremely intelligent. They knew they were outnumbered and acted accordingly, with the use of snipers and trying to ambush us by using their superior night vision. Fortunately for us, they probably were expecting that we would panic in the middle of their attacks, like the KSC's security team probably did, so they weren't really expecting such a reaction from our part. While this is an advantage now, it can quickly change as they learn of our success. Still, most of our tactics worked out which is a blessing. Our weapons are also capable of killing them, although it seems they are more resistant than their appearance would suggest. For instance, sometimes they would need several bullets before going down. But their head appears to be their weak spot."
"And what about their weapons?"
"They were using two types of weapons sir that would correspond to a pistol and a rifle. They release some green energy bolt that has tremendous power. Our body armour is almost ineffective against it." Johnson didn't like that thought at all "For some unknown reason, the weapons weren't working anymore when we picked them up, but the scientists are going like mad hungry dogs over them."
Williams turned to Johnson and asked
"Very well Colonel. You have done an excellent job and it will help us on ours. Now we need to ask you some questions. Just give us straight answers please, what you really believe and not what you think we would like to hear"
Well the Spook seems reasonable, Johnson thought and nodded "Please ask"
"In your opinion, how can we correct our tactics to go against the aliens?"
"Sir, I would say avoiding fighting at night with them for a start. And develop better weaponry and protection for my men. And finally discovering what they are up to."
"Very well. Would you characterize their actions at KSC as aggressive or of a defensive posture?"
Johnson nearly exploded on that question and tried to keep his anger away from his voice. "Aggressive for sure! This things, this insectoids, like Dr. Mantell called them, you should have seen what they done to the Center's security team's bodies. They even shot one from behind on his head, never giving the guy a chance. And then they cut them up. The inside of the UFO looked like a slaughterhouse! They have something bad coming up for us, gentlemen, of that I am completely sure of." He breathed and relaxed a bit "I apologize for my reaction"
"It's quite natural, Colonel. Don't worry. Now we are interested in one more matter, more delicate, we may say. What I am about to say may never be discussed or even mentioned out of this room, gentleman". Both military men nodded.
"What is it?"
"We suspect of alien infiltration into our societies"
"What?!" The Colonel and the General looked in astonishment.
"Not even Mr. Davis, here on my side, who is of the FBI counter-subversion department, agrees completely with that claim, but there's something logical to it. The aliens possess a lot of intelligence about us. While most of it came from observation and the abductions, they also seem to know more intrinsic aspects of our society. Take, for instance, the intrusion on KSC. Or many other incidents dealing with military bases. We also suspect that the flyovers are a form of psychological warfare by their part. Therefore, they must have their own agents living among us. How far our society maybe compromised is still to find out, but we need to take steps to avoid that happening to X-Com. Both of you are receiving this report because you have been checked and, quite frankly we believe that the odds of you being double agents are quite low. But we don't know if this infiltration has already begun in your force." Johnson couldn't believe what he was hearing. If it ever got known it would break the morale and cohesion of the team apart. They would be looking at one another, thinking about it.
"That's grave news, Mr. Williams"
"And rumours are already out about your force, fortunately only in military and intelligence circles. While they are almost gossip and general speculation, those sort of rumours would be one of the things that such an agent would investigate. Which mean that we will have to triple-check the life of every X-Com member, because if we don't we will be heading into serious trouble"
"Very well, I shall provide you with the files of all my men. But please be extremely discreet. My team would cease to exist as a combat unit if word leaked out to them"
"I understand. One last thing: have you noticed any unusual difficulties in implementing your work? From individuals or organizations?" Both military men replied negatively. "Very well, we shall leave you now gentlemen. How about if we meet later in the evening?"
After the intelligence team left, both Johnson and Illyuschenko stayed in the Colonel's office.
"I always hated intelligence officers. Although they are not as so egotistical and getting their noses into everything here, there's still some thing about them I can't stand"
"Me too sir. But what if they are saying can really occur? We need to take precautions"
"I know. The first one will be to, like they said, confine this information to this room. I can imagine only they and your President and his intelligence directors, besides us now, know the last part of the report. The less people who know it, the less chances it will have to reach an infiltrator. He will be slacking a bit after a while, and that will give us an opportunity to catch him"
"But what if acts to disrupt us?"
"We may never know if indeed there is one. So we will continue to act as if nothing is different. But we will keep an eye on things."
January 12th, 1999
Geneva, Switzerland
As he looked over the window to see the lake, Number One reminded that this was the same city that had seen the birth of X-Com. Coincidentally, the same matter that had brought him here now, the discussion of their recent activities. He was annoyed. Too many bickering was taking place in the Group and they had to remain focused if they want to keep control. Some were arguing that I was a grave mistake to allow the Earth's nations access to modern technology. Others that the X-Com force could play a bigger role in their plans. He then turned to again regain his attention to the center of the table and start demolishing his opponent's arguments.
"This is pointless", he started, "your claims are close to ridicule"
"We hadn't properly analysed the potential of this X-Com outfit. We need to reassess our plans now taking it into account". Number Eight was arguing.
Number Three responded: "They have to be destroyed. They are threatening us because they will make the aliens advance even faster their timetable. Which could mean that we won't be ready on time"
"So far our skirmishes with the aliens have always resulted into disaster. We had assumed that building and maintaining a ready force to engage in warfare with the aliens was pointless, because the operation would be too big to be concealed and we would show the aliens our real intentions". Number Eight looked surreptitiously at Two, who just lowered his eyelids. "This X-Com force is a strategic asset that we can't deny"
"Bah! They have managed some success so far, but that won't last when the aliens start to react to them. They will be simply squashed"
One decided that the discussion was enough and that it should end.
"Both of you have never considered properly the new dimension this X-Com force would bring into the conflict, even now" He let a sinister voice out "But I have, since the first moment of its creation. You claim that mankind in general cannot have access to this technology. It would severely change the balances of power on our society. It is correct. But also the fact that it is in X-Com's hands only help us more. So far they are running a concealed operation, trying to avoid interference from the government when possible. Which means that if we take over the organization, little will have come out to the public or even the world's governments." He paused and continued: "And for the fact that we haven't analysed their potential, well we have knowledge of the aliens. We know what they are capable of and also what humans are capable of. We have a natural tendency to adapt to new situations. Theirs is not as developed as ours, because of their dependence on technology to even live. It isn't hard to see that they will have some successes and some failures. But, while they are doing that, they will provide us with necessary information. And also the aliens will have to divert resources to this threat to their plans. But we have spoken too much. Let's call a vote and see what is the decision of the majority"
His faction still was the biggest, although not the majority, and the other two would never compromise so the result was known from the start. They approved the continuation of his plan, although some abstained or even voted against it.
Far Side, Moon
A massive alien fleet was orbiting the Moon, using it as a shield against detection by Earth's telescopes and other detection means. More ships were arriving every week, reinforcing it. Pretty soon, the Sectoid Commander on the command bridge of one of the larger ships thought, operations would be stepped up in Sol Three. He had already sent recce ships to find places suitable for the missions that had been ordered by High Command, in addiction to the scientific missions and fleet supply runs to the surface of the planet. But a disturbing factor had come up a few days before. One of his ships had sent a report of defeating a band of armed humans that were approaching it. Then, a few hours later their psychic link had been severed, which could only mean that they were dead. He had informed High Command of the occurrence and was waiting for an analysis and answer. It could take days to arrive, so he decided to keep up with the plan.
January 21st, 1999
Border of Texas and Mexico, US
"Tally Ho!" Harris shouted when he picked up the UFO on the long-range television camera situated on the top of the nose of his plane. The device was capable of picking up a target at more than 60 miles away. He was piloting one brand new F-22 Lightning 2 interceptor jet and was chasing an alien craft that had entered the US through the Gulf of Mexico, and was in their way to the Four Corners area.
It was good to be flying against a supersonic jet, doing combat missions, Harris thought. Colonel Johnson hasn't really pleased when he announced to him that his flight status was being upgraded because of a sudden flu that hit both the certified pilots for the F-22s sitting at the hangars on Area 51.
"Command, I have one UFO on my screen, range 43 miles, at angels six, speed Mach 1.5. Type is Apollo like capsule. Request permission to engage. Over"
"Comanche, this is Command. You have permission to engage. Good hunting"
"Roger that. Preparing to launch Phoenix." His hands went over the buttons that transferred information from his radar to the weapon. After one second, a warning tone came to his headphones. " Missile locked into target. I got a good tone. I'm taking the shot now!" He released the master safety switch and pressed the trigger button on his control stick between his legs "Fox Three! Missile away!"
The missile dropped for a second then lighted up his engine and started going at hypersonic speed towards to UFO, guided by the aircraft's radar. When it got close to the craft the missile's own radar went active, looking for the UFO and making a final correction before going into the craft. It didn't even tried an evasive manuver or anything as it approached it. When it approached the craft close enough the proximity fuse of the warhead was triggered and kilos of explosive detonated. The blast almost completely destroyed the UFO, its remains falling quickly out of the sky.
"Damn! Those things are fragile! Command, this is Comanche. The UFO completely blew up when it got hit by the Phoenix. I don't think the ground team will find much to pick up, over"
"Roger that. Return To Base, Comanche, and good work"
Harris smiled. This was his second kill in about a week. The first one had been a circular UFO that had been detected over Northern Canada. He had hit it with another Phoenix and it had felt down out of the sky and crash-landed it. Johnson and his people had gone up there to retrieve the UFO and they managed to kill the alien survivors of the crash while only loosing two more people, one dead and one with a serious burn on his side, while killing the four survivors. And while the first ever UFO kill had belonged to the European team on the day right after the KSC's ground assault, he still was damn proud. Two UFO kills, he thought. Just keep the bastards coming.
January 22nd, 1999
Sea of Japan
The MC-130H Combat Talon II
transport craft flew so close to the stormy seas that Colonel Yamashita
sometimes thought that pretty soon they would have to swim back to land. His
X-Com Far East team was at the cargo bay of the aircraft, each wearing jump
uniforms, with parachutes attached to them and doing the final checks on them.
An UFO had been detected over the Sea of Japan, heading for the Korean
Peninsula. Although the interceptors couldn't get enough speed to catch it and
the team hadn't a Skyranger yet and wasn't declared fully operational yet
because of that, a contingency had been developed by the team, who were eager
to enter action. Yamashita and his executive officer had devised one plan to
deal with UFOs using classic transportation that immediately presented to
General Illyuschenko. It had risks but the go order was given. The Far Eastern
team had then requested the assistence of an American C-130
By then the UFO's flight plan had led him to a location over North Korea, where it had dissapeared off the radars. Since the North Koreans had been considered as an unstable nation by the national representatives to the X-Com council, they couldn't let them know about the threat ask for permission to fly and engage the enemy on their territory. But the remote area on which it had landed made it a perfect target for a covert operation. But if they were caught there would be hell to pay.
So they had flew into the sea and them turned almost 90 degrees to the west to enter North Korea. He hoped that their air defence system didn't go into alert with the UFO, but chances of that happening were considered low, since they didn't know what they were looking after and their radar technology still dated back to the 70's.
They would make a low altitude drop over the area after having located the UFO. Then they would advance and eliminate all oposition, making way for the MH-53J Pave Low III multi-mission helicopter that would arrive two hours later to pick them and bring as much as possible from the UFO.
His team was ready, Yamashita thought. They had been eager to fight ever since the secret ceremony at the Imperial Palace, headed by no loss than the Emperor himself. Until now he had been a diffuse but worthy of high prestige and devotion to Yamashita, but after meeting him and hearing his words, he really understood his path. In an evocation of Japan's martial past a samurai's swords had been given to all Japanese warriors of the X-Com team. He had called them men with a sacred mission, for whom Japan should pay his respect to warriors who would defend it and Earth. While it remembered the nation's recent bloody path it would also mean that the Empire of the Rising Sun needed all of his soul to survive this threat.
Looking at his men, he noticied that all of them had the Emperor's swords attached to them as part of their equipment. The use of the katana hasn't new to Japanese special forces, who went to various courses of martial arts in their training, neither was ignored their potential in close combat. But he saw that this would be the first time that the weapon would be unsheated by them. Their trust in their capabilities of the swords was total, because of their provenience.
Major Chen had mocked their consideration for the katanas and he was glad that the insidious man wasn't here or its sarcasm would be worse to bear when he noticied that they were bringing the swords to combat. He was a real annoyance. Although Yamashita was technically a superior to him, his role in the FE team was more of a liaison, so he wasn't in command of Chen. Which meant that his attitude was more destructive than construtive in meetings and around the base. Yamashita remembered in relief that the Major didn't have parachute wings, so he wasn't qualified to accompany them to the mission. An officer of an elite combat without jump qualifications was something that the Colonel had never seen before, but he silently just accepted the fact. Five minutes to reach North Korea, informed his radio. He prepared for finding the UFO and getting into action.
January 27th, 1999
Operations Center, Area 51, Nevada, US
Johnson and his executive officers were looking through the last reports sent by General Illyuschenko and the X-Com Command, which was on the process of moving to the European team's base, located in an airfield at the Black Florest, Germany.
"The full report from the Japanese team's raid in North Korea just arrived" Hunt started. "They managed to capture the UFO, although they had to strip it for parts afterwards and leave a carcass to the North Koreans. It was too heavy for the helicopter to lift."
"How many casualities?"
"Three killed and another two in the hospital, one badly injured and the other got off lightly. And by the way, the one who got lightly was Colonel Yamashita."
"How did that happened?"
"When they were storming the inside of the craft the grenade didn't kill all the aliens, so he just bursted inside with his sword"
"What happened?"
"The alien was holding one of their pistols and fired it but his firing skill must have been shaken because of the grenade, since he pressed the trigger a bit too early. Yamashita got a scratch on his thigh and the alien lost his head."
"Jesus! I hope they aren't seeing too much ninja movies"
"Me too"
"What else?"
"Dr. Chevereux's team in the European base have started their investigations, but it's too soon to espect anything from them."
"Let's hope they don't take too long"
"Our two pilots should be fully recovered next week. What do you want to do with Harris?"
"Let's keep the three of them proficient for Transport and Interceptor roles. That way we can prevent more situations like this to happen. And Harris has been going very well so far. Doing everything by the book, acting with his reason. I can't think of a possible reason to keep him away from the F-22s"
"Yeah, I agree with you Colonel"
"Good. And Hunt?"
"Yes sir?"
"How are the men doing?"
"Losses have been big sir. They are all having a tough time, like we all are accepting that, but I think all of them will go over it."
"Let's hope so. And what about squad assignments? I was thinking of putting King solo as a sniper. He has proven himself twice in that role."
"We could replace him on Gamma with Parkerson. The lieutenant is just itching for a shot at the aliens"
"Very well. Just make sure he understands that his first preocupation is to get his men safe. We have to avoid losses as much as we can, otherwise our operationability will be undermined, and I don't want to get into combat undermanned."
January 30th, 1999
Far Side, Moon
The Sectoid Commander had just received orders from High Command considering the latest attacks on his ships by Sol Three's forces. Although they were a nuisance, with missions being postponed because of the loss of craft, casualties were expected. And the message received at the bridge of the huge ship was the programmed response to it.