X-Com - The Unknown Menace

X-Com – The Unknown Menace

Chapter Ten – Light Spring Breeze

July 12th, 1999

VVS (Russian Air Force) HQ, outside Moscow, Russian Federation

President Larianov was feeling very anxious. He was standing in the middle of the complex that controlled all of Russia's airspace and air defence resources, together with Dr. Ziguanine. After months of almost desperate waiting and spending a huge amount of money and resources, it finally seemed that Project Umbrella was about to reveal its full potential. Although Doctor Ziguanine had supported testing the new blaster technology first on an old satellite, Larianov had specifically ordered that it was used against the aliens as quickly as possible. Ziguanine had complained about the fact that it wouldn't permit a full controlled trial of the weapon, but he had been dismissed and ordered to prepare to bring the weapon into operational status.

Larianov still couldn't understand completely the technological wonders that were behind the whole project. But Ziguanine had made a good effort to put it into layman's terms. The laser that had been originally test-fired didn't have enough power to destroy targets back on land so they had replaced it with a particle beam accelerator. Basically it was like swapping the ammunition and the barrel of a huge-sized cannon, the scientist had explained, since the targeting system was already working. Now they just needed a silver bullet that made the most damage. And what sort of a bullet, Larianov thought. He had personally authorized all the requirements, noting that many were research projects that had been frozen or canned with the demise of the Soviet Union. Although the weapon was powered by the nuclear reactor inside the facility, to assure that it had its own independent source of energy that could feed the enormous amount of power it consumed, it also used parts of technology first developed in the research of fusion reaction. A controlled fusion reaction was still one of men's dreams, a clean source of power that could be fed using the water of the oceans. The process was close to reproducing the reactions that gave the Sun and stars its energy, but in a controlled fashion. While nuclear fission consists on the splintering of U-235 uranium or Pu-239 Plutonium isotopes through bombardment with neutrons, fusion worked in the opposite way. Two atoms of hydrogen, the simplest element present in nature, consisting of only one proton and one electron were combined together using huge temperatures to form one atom of helium, releasing massive doses of energy in the process. A heavier form of hydrogen, which added one neutron to the proton and was called deuterium, could be better used. The Soviet Union had tried to produce it, but the pressure and heat required were just too advanced for the present technology, since they would have to duplicate the conditions at the Sun. Still, all of the work had left them with a great deal of research on the area of how to contain and direct the deuterium particles used in a fusion reaction, through the use of electromagnetic fields. And those investigations were now having their practical use, being installed in the weapon to control the huge flux of ionised particles it released.

"Dr. Ziguanine, is the beam ready?"

"Yes, sir. I flew from there from Azamas 36 this morning after concluding the final calibrations on the weapon. All we need now is that Marshal Boganovitch find us a target to fire it. But I must say I still would like it to be first shot at another target, preferably one of our dead satellites in orbit".

"The answer is no, Doctor. I want the aliens to feel as soon as possible that they cannot over fly us with impunity anymore".

"You realize you will only be able to hit targets that are slow moving or that have landed? Craft moving at faster speeds won't be affected, since the movement required on the beam would take out most of its destructiveness".

"But still they will not be able to land anymore"

Marshal Boganovitch moved through the consoles where technicians were busily talking into radio speakers and pressing buttons and approached both men. "Sir, the X-Com base at the Caucasus reports that their radar have detected an UFO close to the Ural Mountains that seems about to touch down, according to its flight profile. They are about to scramble one of their Skyrangers to assault it. What shall we do about it sir?"

"Do we have the UFO's location?"

"Yes sir. We have also moved one of our remaining reconnaissance satellite to the area to keep an watch on it".

"Don't tell them about the energy beam, soon they will discover for themselves that we don't need their assistance anymore. When they get there they won't find anything besides the remains of the craft".

Turning to Dr. Ziguanine he asked: "When can we hit it?"

"Mir is coming around in the horizon. Without their mirror the range would be shortened to targets over the line of the facility's horizon. Judging from the size of the UFO and its flight profile, we will be ready to fire it in a few minutes, but I would prefer to wait until it lands".

"This isn't the time for failure Dr."

"As I am well aware, sir. If you excuse me, Mr. President, I must make some more final calculations since we most likely will have to introduce corrections into the targeting computers afterwards". The physicist left and went over to a group of other scientific personnel.

Larianov noticed nervously the board where the alien craft, marked with a red dot, was over flying the Ural Mountains and now was heading west towards the more populated areas of European Russia. After long minutes of waiting, Ziguanine come up to him and the Marshal again. "We are ready, sir".

Larianov nodded, feeling that a great power had just been put on his hands, more powerful than even the control codes for the launch of the nuclear missiles his country possessed. "This is will be the day were Russia will raise up again, gentlemen! Prepare to fire the beam!" Both men excused themselves and when each to his own way to make the final preparations. Larianov contemplated the agitation around him. Each man, either being civilian or military looked sharp and motivated. This is the beginning of the end, he thought. Like the Teutonic Knights, the Mongols, Napoleon or Hitler, these extraterrestrials are now going to feel the power of Mother Russia and how it hurts to invade her.

Over the Volga River, Caucasus, Russian Federation

Colonel Boronin was seriously considering taking a nap on the flight to get some rest before the action. If that was ever possible, since the noise coming from the various mechanical parts of the Skyranger where he was inside made it near to impossible to have a conversation. To worsen the situation, one of the troopers had put on American rock music on a tape player taped to the wall of the plane. Although Boronin knew how to spoke English, the noise coming out of the stereo device was impossible to decipher. He thought of telling the trooper to can, but decided he had slept in far much worse conditions than this one. He was about to give it a try but Major Gerasimov suddenly appeared, moving forward on the Skyranger crew compartment until he met the Colonel. His face was happy as he turned to say to Boronin: "Hey Piotr, nice day to hunting monsters with my platoon, Da? We were getting anxious down here of you spending too much time with the other team". He made a sarcastical grin and took out a cigarette pack from his weapons belt. Taking one out he brought it to his mouth and lit it up with a small burst from his laser sidearm.

Shaking his head, Boronin smiled back and replied: "Vanya, at least Captain's Likhachev men bathe. Or bother to hose their craft occasionally. This piece of junk here stinks of alien shit and of bad Russian tobacco. Not to mention the proofs of violation of the regulations that forbid the presence of alcoholic beverages".

Gerasimov's grin went even larger. Every Russian Skyranger carried a bottle of vodka and glasses to toast to the alive and the dead after each mission. Although strictly forbidden by X-Com's regulations, so far no word had ever arrived to the High Command or the Council of Funding Nations. "Well Colonel, it's a tradition down here. We don't clean up whatever goo their recovered stinky bodies let go on the way back. It's great also to welcome the rookies. They usually puke themselves out after two or three hours putting up with the perfume".

"The same tradition that makes your men cut out 'souvenirs' from the dead alien corpses after a battle? You men are surely becoming truly of the traditional type". The Colonel added in an ironical tone.

Gerasimov made a wicked smile before answering. "To make them terrorized sir. They need to know whom they are fighting. I want them to piss on their pants every time they face my team".

Boronin shook his head. "Vanya, that would be logical if the aliens ever went back to the crash sites and saw the disfigured bodies of their companions, but I even doubt they would care. Keep getting your dirty souvenirs, just leave something for the scientists afterwards and don't let the habit get too out of hand".

"Affirmative, Colonel!" He threw a mock salute. Afterwards he sat down closer to his superior officer and said. "Actually I wanted to talk to you about this mission. Something is strange here. For the first time Russian High Command isn't on our backs right from the minute we informed them that we had detected the UFO. Any thing we should know about Colonel?"

"I noticed it also, Major. And I'm also clueless about what it might mean". Not that Boronin actually was worried. After months of his country's interference into X-Com's operations, this was actually a blessing out of the skies. Well, at least something out of the skies. In any case a bit more than two hours they would find out what was so special about this UFO.

New York City, US

Number Three was seated on his chair, behind a large oak desk, looking at a monitor placed on top of it. Everything was coming together, he thought, now we gain the upper hand. Looking over his office he looked at the Picasso that he had on the wall directly in front of him. What would the artist paint of all this, he asked himself. With each step mankind's destiny would be more and more woven into the fabric of their plans. This is the beginning of a new era, the final revolution that man has to go through. He turned the chair around to take a glimpse of the skyscrapers behind him, with the Hudson River on the background as for the last time.

After some more seconds of contemplation, a beep interrupted him. He turned again slowly to face the monitor. Number Nine was standing on the image, also seated.

"Is it confirmed?" Number Three asked, already knowing the answer.

"Yes. And their first firing test will be in some minutes from now, against a live target".

"As we assumed. You have done well this time". Taking full flavour of the moment, he continued: "Inform the others. Prepare your operatives in the field. Now it's our turn to be ready, to move our piece on the board to place both our opponents in check". He then turned off the communication and glanced around him one more time. "Yes, the world is about to change. But to where it's going they don't even have a clue".

Azamas 36, Siberia, Russian Federation

Azamas 36 had been built in the middle of Siberia, in a plain close to the Jenisej River for the dual purpose of being able to cover the whole northern border of the Soviet Union and defend against any missiles that would have come over the North Pole, the most likely route for a nuclear attack. The other intent of building and maintaining such a research project in a desolate area was secrecy. All the roads leading towards Azamas 36 were constantly guarded and a saboteur or spy would have to cross hundreds of miles of taiga to reach the location. Furthermore, a whole area of the evergreen forest had been cut down around the facility to prevent detection.

The massive bunker holding the particle projector laser weapon stood silent in the middle of the desolate landscape, its form standing in the middle of the flat terrain. It was more than five stories high and the circular dome placed on his top was now open, making it resemble more of a telescope than the instrument of destruction that it was. Inside the gun barrel of the particle projector weapon and the equipment placed close to it dominated a large room. It had taken the scientists a great deal of work and imagination for the whole thing to work properly and only know would they know if the years of research would pay off. A mechanical glitch that provoked a loss of power deactivated one of the electromagnetic fields being used to contain and direct the ionised particles that were the basis of the weapon's destructive power. However, the personnel present at the facility quickly detected the problem and moved to resolve it, without the need of contacting Moscow to report the occurrence.

Then the order to deploy the barrel came and the base on which the whole gun assembly rested started slowly into the westward direction. While it completed its movement power levels and the targeting system were again checked, and word was sent back to Moscow that it was prepared.

Close to the Ural Mountains, Russian Federation

More than a thousand miles to the east of Moscow and almost the same distance that separated the Urals from the facility at Azamas 36, the Celtic cross type UFO finished crossing the mountain range that separated Europe from Asia. The silver colour reflected with the Sun and it slowed its speed, drawing the attention of the driver of a truck that was travelling in one secondary road miles away.

It finally came to a stop in the vicinity of a collective farm village and landed in a clearing on a forest. The door on its side opened and a Floater came out carrying a plasma rifle. The alien checked the area for any possible Terran activity and after some seconds more Floaters started to come out but this time carrying different types of an unknown type of equipment.

VVS (Russian Air Force) HQ, outside Moscow, Russian Federation

The waiting period inside the facility had filled the atmosphere with tension. The silence was almost unbearable to stand and the sound of Dr. Ziguanine's voice brought an anticlimax to the whole situation.

"The invader's vessel has landed, Mr. President". Larianov had been feeling a bit nervous until now. Upon hearing the information he smiled and asked: "Are we ready?"

Dr. Ziguanine hesitated for one moment and said: "I can't tell that this is the best way to test the weapon since I can't guarantee one hundred percent possibly that we will destroy it, but yes, we are ready upon your command".

"Fire at will then Dr. Let the aliens see the strength of our wrath and warn them about the error of dealing with us!"

The scientist nodded and gave the command to the officers standing at the consoles.

Azamas 36, Siberia, Russian Federation

When the order was given to the computers that controlled the projected particle weapon they didn't immediately discharge it. Instead, first the more than a thousand megawatt output of the nuclear power plant that fed the bunker's huge energy slowly increased its power. The energy requirements were tremendous, almost draining the full capacity of the nuclear reactor and making the civilian sections suffer a short blackout in power. One of the main problems had been in controlling the dispersion caused by Earth's atmosphere as the beam travelled into space and went back to the planet upon reflection on the Mir's mirror that would have rended the weapon useless. But since the target was stationary the solution found by the scientists had been to apply more and more power to surpass the atmospheric attrition. The first particles would react with the atmosphere to create an ionised corridor for the remainder of the beam to travel, but in a more condensed form, allowing it to have destructive abilities. The whole process would last only a few seconds, but the energies required had been until now impossible to achieve. Only the perfectioning of the power supply and advances in optics, together with the skills of the designers, had made it possible for the whole system to become an weapon.

Close to the projector, a newly installed special containment chamber held deuterium gas, a heavier form of hydrogen. Enormous electric charges were suddenly applied into the deuterium, transforming it into a mass of negatively ions, i.e., atoms that possess extra electrons. Using electromagnetic fields the gas was then accelerated through other equipment just recently installed in the outside of the bunker: a long vacuum tunnel. In physics the opposites attract one another, so the negatively charged particles become contained and projected through the use of a combination of positive and negative intense electromagnetic fields.

The atoms travelled for a long extension until finally reaching an appropriate speed and being made to release their extra electrons and transformed into neutral particles. The reason for this last process was to avoid that the charged particles trajectory would be affected by Earth's magnetic field, ruining their accuracy and making the beam harmless.

When the first high-energy particles left the barrel they immediately interacted with the oxygen and nitrogen present in Earth's atmosphere, breaking down the molecules and transforming them into ozone and other rare products. The beam went upwards until it reached the mirror on the Mir Space Station. While it before had been used as a way to reflect the laser beam, now the equipment installed on board of the spaceship had been upgraded with special devices designed by Dr. Ziguanine's team and couldn't be properly called a mirror anymore. Instead of a reflective surface, the mirror now consisted of a circular receptor that captured the beam and forced it into a magnetic field where the dispersion from Earth's atmosphere was corrected. The particles regained their power by being concentrated into a smaller beam and were reaccelerated and sent back to Earth again on their way to their target.

When the first high-speed atoms it the UFO they barely had any destructive power left, after all the atmospheric interaction. Still, more and more particles kept coming through the corridor until suddenly alarms inside the operator's console inside the craft started to come off. The Floater navigator was surprised to see the level of heat and radiation on the fuselage of the UFO starting to come up but he had no time to respond properly to the threat. In a few seconds the level of particles rose to a level that made the grey alien alloys came red and then yellow and finally white as the metal's temperature come close to the ones on the Sun's surface. The beam also had another effect on the UFO, disrupting the navigational systems used to propel the craft as the atoms crossed the fuselage and wrecked havoc with the components inside. The Floater tried to respond by taking off the UFO but he discovered that the controls wouldn't work. His last action before the heat inside made him pass out was to send a warning to the rest of the fleet.

Meanwhile the craft's fuselage had already started to melt and burn. Crossing that obstacle, the particles then proceeded directly into the inside of the UFO. When they hit the Elerium reactor they disrupted the containment fields used to control the matter-antimatter reaction used to generate power. The final result was a huge explosion as all the Elerium stored inside suddenly went hypercritical, releasing all of its antimatter particles, which annihilated themselves upon contact with matter.

Close to the Ural Mountains, Russian Federation

Five minutes until touchdown, Boronin reminded himself as he was getting up his seat to prepare to deploy. All around him, the members of Gerasimov's platoon were doing the same as they all received the warning from the Skyranger's pilot. "There's a strange light on the sky, Colonel!" Then, all of a sudden a bright light filled the crew compartment and a shock wave rattled the plane, making everyone fall on the metal floor.

Boronin found himself lying down, aware that something very wrong had happened. Slowly his hearing came back and he realized that there must have been a massive explosion since his brain he couldn't remember the noise. He got up and run to the cockpit where he found the pilot struggling with the controls and trying to land down the Skyranger. "What happened there?"

The pilot didn't bother to look back but replied: "Sir, there was a huge explosion on the direction of the UFO. I only recall seeing first a beam of light in the sky and afterwards something as bright as a nuclear explosion. We got lucky that we were circling the UFO's position otherwise the blast would have made me blind".

"A nuclear explosion?!" Boronin was aghast. "They used a nuclear weapon to take care of the UFO?"

Earth's Orbit

The DSP (Defence Support Program) satellite that was flying in a geosynchronous orbit over the equator had been placed in orbit over the Equator to detect missile launches against the United States. It was equipped with a infrared detector to spot the plume of any incoming ballistic missile and there was a number of them placed over the Euroasia continent at any time. When the particle projector at Azamas 36 detonated the Elerium power source a set of detection devices in the satellite immediatly went off, transmitting a warning back to NORAD which immediatly put the U.S. war machine ready for a possible nuclear attack.

VVS (Russian Air Force) HQ, outside Moscow, Russian Federation

Every Russian present at the Air Defence facility felt pride as the results of the first firing of the particle beam were announced. Dr. Ziguanine approached President's Larianov and the Russian Commander in Chief immediately shook his hand.

"Well done Doctor. You shall receive our country's greatest reward for this achievement". The scientist looked surprised and replied in an unsure way.

"Sir, while this proves that the beam can be successfully used as a weapon, the results also prove that we can't just use it indiscriminately. According to the satellite, the blast radius caused by the weapon was more than a kilometre. We will need to be careful upon using it close to civilian facilities".

"But we still can use it against slow moving targets approaching the weapon can't we?"

"Theoretically yes and with the results of this discharge it is most likely we can shoot down UFOs as they would approach the weapon kilometres away. Still, we have failed to take into account that such an explosion could occur. Most likely the beam interacted with the aliens' propulsion systems".

"Those are small matters now, Doctor. Right now what I want you to do is to start looking of how we can deploy this weapon throughout our country to protect it".

"The power requirements are immense. Most likely we will have to base them close to our nuclear plants in order to have the sufficient energy to fire them".

"Well, start making an estimate Doctor. I want this weapon ready to deal with any alien intrusions as soon as possible. Dismissed". The scientist was about to say something but excused himself and went away. Larianov turned to the Foreign Affairs Ministry standing close to him and say: "Inform the UN's Security Council and the Council of Funding Nations of what has just happened. Russia's just become a superpower again!"

Close to the Ural Mountains, Russian Federation

Upon receiving information about the motive behind the explosion and knowing that a nuclear explosion hadn't caused it, Colonel Boronin had immediately ordered the Skyranger to go to the location of the UFO. They had landed in what seemed to be the centre of the blast, a dozens of meters wide crater with all the trees around it projected into the ground. The troopers examining the scene had to take care on where they put their feet since the heat coming from the burnt terrain was nearly unbearable.

Major Gerasimov came near Boronin and said: "That's it. The troops have finished their sweep of the area and have found no remains of the aliens or even the UFO. Whatever they used here completely obliterated the craft and all the area around it. Now we know the reason behind Russian High Command's indifference towards this contact".

"What do you think Gerasimov? Could this be that laser we had heard about? Could they have made it to work to defend our country?"

"I don't know Colonel. I'm glad if it is that way but I also feel that this can take us out of work".

July 15th, 1999

Geneva, Switzerland

The special session of the Council of Funding Nations had been summoned at the request of several of the Representatives and of the UN's Secretary General upon the news of the UFO's destruction in Russia. Besides the civilian delegates, Commander Illyuschenko and Doctor Chevereux were also present in representation of X-Com's military and scientific branches. The meeting was taking place in one amphitheatre located in one of the Swiss's secret facilities, with all the representatives seated in the half-circle while the Secretary General and X-Com's officers stood in a table on the middle. A large aerial photograph of the area where the explosion had taken place was being projected while Dr. Chevereux was making a presentation.

"While we are unable to exactly determine the amount of power used by the Russian beam weapon, there's reasonably evidence to assume that the weapon can concentrate enough power to take out any landed UFO if the beam stays locked enough time into target. And from our own research into Elerium it seems that the beam interfered with the containment devices used by the aliens' propulsion systems that control the matter-antimatter reaction. The readings taken by my scientific staff confirm that the resulting explosion can have far more destructive power than the detonation of a similar amount of Plutonium, and without the radiation hazards posed by the use of such a weapon, which lead into more grave matters as to what Elerium uncontrolled proliferation could bring us to. One can wonder what would have happened if the weapon destroyed one of their larger UFOs over one of our populated areas. In fact we might just have an idea about the amount of such an explosion". The image was suddenly replaced by an old black and white picture showing a snow-covered field littered with fallen trees.

"This is a picture taken in the beginning of the century at Tunguska in Siberia where there was an explosion so massive that so far science has been unable to positively explain it. Due to the isolation of the place it actually took months before word came out to civilized areas and the first expedition to it recorded reports of the natives about a huge fireball that engulfed the sky and knocked down trees as if they were toothpicks. Science so far has been unable to explain it. Theories were presented of a huge meteorite, a piece of a comet or even a miniature black hole entering Earth's atmosphere, but so far none of them has correctly explained it. However with the information we have now about the alien's presence on Earth it seems that one of their craft might have developed a malfunction that caused the Elerium power plant to explode in the upper atmosphere.

The Tunguska explosion devastated dozens of square kilometres. If this would have happened over one of our large cities the death toll could ascent to the hundred thousands. Moreover if the beam was used against fixed civilian targets, such as manufacturing facilities or oil refineries the consequences would also be incalculable, specially if one considers how many times the beam can be used". The white circle containing the blood red X on the middle replaced the image. "That is all ladies and gentlemen and I wish you have fully measured with what we are dealing here". He sat down and the UN Secretary General got up.

"Thank you Dr. Chevereux for explaining to us what has happened since Russia won't reveal any details". He turned to the Russian delegate. "Mr. Representative, I can only plea: tell you President to share this knowledge with the rest of mankind. We need to place this achievement available to all of us here so that it can be used and controlled in the benefit of mankind".

The Russian representative got up and replied: "Mr. Secretary, this has already been discussed into the Security Council. And let me repeat my country's position right here again: Russia will not disclose any technical details concerning this weapon. Furthermore we reserve the right to use it in any way we seem fit. The X-Com Charter allows us to do that".

"You have a moral obligation to do it so, Mr. Klimov". The American representative suddenly got up on the other side of the half-circle. The Russian kept a cold face and replied: "Really? Interesting how you Americans have also kept to yourselves the secret of the atomic bomb for years and refused to reveal it, using it to enhance your position. I laugh at what you call 'moral obligations'. Somehow they only seem to apply if your country just found himself in a position of strategic disadvantage".

"This thing goes against every treaty ever signed between the US and the Soviet Union in terms of strategic weapons that Russia also pledged to fulfil".

"I won't even discuss that, Mr. Portdown. We have it and we are going to use it. But I'm sure my country could discuss with others the possibility that we assume also the defence of their own territory from the alien's incursions. That is, depending on the compensations offered to Russia".

Illyuschenko moved uncomfortably on his chair. If any of the countries seated here decided to take Russia's offer they would most bail out of X-Com, diminishing the support for the force and posing a lot of troubles.

"That is blackmail and you know it! How can you be thinking only of your country at this hour?"

"Don't you Americans are so hypocrites sometimes? I would like to see what would happened if the situation was inversed?"

"Gentlemen, please stop!" Illyuschenko looked at the Secretary General in surprise. "It quite obvious that possession of such knowledge can alter the world's balance of power among nations, due to the abilities of the particle beam weapon to attack targets in another country, that including the nuclear missiles that so far have kept a deterrent in using nuclear weapons. However those questions should be addressed at the Security Council where they belong".

"And they have as we all know, Mr. Bomaka. And in a most unsatisfactory way, my country considers. But as you say those matters don't really matter to the discussion here now". The Japanese Representative sounded as enigmatic as always, making Illyuschenko wonder what was going on at that country, especially in terms of X-Com performance. The Far East team had one of the most impressive results but also had suffered severe casualties. Still the team had never called an inactive status, which was extraordinary to say the least, considering the ordeals that the other active teams had gone into.

"What we need to do is to discuss the release of such information to X-Com, according to the Charter that states that every country should contribute as much as possible". The leader of the UN had just finished his argumentation. The Russian representative was not impressed. He merely spoke in a flat tone.

"And at a country's discretion, you forgot to add. And also, the availability of funds or other military or civilian assets can be controlled by each country according to their evaluation of the unit's performance".

"We can discuss this to the letter of the law if you want Mr. Klimov. However it won't get us nowhere".

"Mr. Secretary, so far this organization has become completely egotistical. X-Com High Command treats the troops and material assigned to it as if they belong to them, where the Charter clearly states that those military units are still a part of each country's armed forces. I wouldn't be surprised if this whole situation can't even lead into confrontations between X-Com and my nation's forces, for instance, due to the pursue of distinct objectives and strategies". Illyuschenko suddenly raised himself and asked: "Was that a threat?"

"Commander, I order you to please sit down…now!" Illyuschenko had never seen the UN Secretary this distressed.

"Keep him on a leash, will you please, Mr. Bomaka?" It was Illyuschenko's time to nearly go ballistic but this time he managed to constrain himself. "As I was saying, we consider that the release of such technology to X-Com would give no significant gains to Russia and, quite on the contrary would make us gain nothing in return for all the investment we have put into it. However we are ready to discuss with other countries the possibility of using those weapons to shoot down UFOs over the territory of any nation interested on buying such protection or even installing defence facilities, providing that they are manned and guarded by Russian personnel at the whole time".

Illyuschenko looked around and saw that many of the minor countries seated of the amphitheatre were carefully judging the proposal. On the contrary, many of the major powers seemed disgusted but their leaders would in no doubt consider the proposal twice. And he felt a great fear inside, realizing the most likely result of this whole situation.

July 16th, 1999

Air Force One, Over Illinois, US

The whole situation was beginning to put a strain on Winston. He hadn't stepped on land ever since the Russians had fired their new weapon, to prevent the Russians from making a first strike with the beam to eliminate American leadership and preventing a nuclear counterattack. All of the US major officials were also in protected locations, either aboard National Command Posts were they could all be contacted and kept safe in case the Russians decided to go completely mad.

But worse than that was to accept the fact that they had just lost an arms race, with major political implications to the world. Against all possible chances or better judgement the US had been beaten by a nation on his throes. Worse still would be to explain to Congress and the American people why that had happened. So far no word had been leaked into the press but that could change really quickly, especially if the journalists started to notice his and other officials missing appointments and the fact that he was always aboard the Air Force One. No, something had to be done about the whole fact and he was connected to the whole National Security Council to decide.

"I've just talked to the Mr. Portdown. As with the Security Council they refuse to disclose their technology to X-Com. And they are trying to sell their defence abilities to any nation interested". Everyone on the plane and in the monitors grimaced. "You all realize what this means. Our allies can desert us and place themselves under Russian protection. And unless we pay we will be left out in the cold against the aliens. Even X-Com's need is questioned by this turn of events".

The National Security Adviser spoke on one of the monitors, her voice heavily distressed. "We could request the release of all the data gained by X-Com, but the Russians will outmanoeuvre us and threaten enough countries to block the initiative".

"Exactly what Mr. Portdown feels, Mrs. May. I'm opened to more suggestions".

"We move to disband the force and take over X-Com's facilities and personnel in the US. We need that data sir, otherwise we are dead. Colonel Johnson isn't stupid and he will see the organization falling apart, together with the need to preserve the information to our country".

"If we do that, the whole coalition will dissolve. Our allies wouldn't trust us anymore". The DCI cut in another monitor and her eyes turned to the right and up all of a sudden. "You can bet they are already discussing to place themselves on the Russian's boat".

"Stop, both of you. I will take all suggestions under consideration, but so far I'm not happy with what I've heard and I need to know more". The Chairman of the JCS jumped in at the suggestion, but not very much convinced.

"We could stage an attack with our Stealth bombers, but air detection abilities have been improved in that area and there's a risk that the attack planes will be discovered and shot down".

"Even the A-17s?" The DCI asked.

"The A-17s are only know about to reach operational status and the crews aren't yet familiar enough with the attack plane. An a sabotage mission is also out of the question. The crew would most likely be discovered on their way to the target. Besides using nuclear weapons there's no other way to destroy the facility and even then we could only expect a nuclear response by the Russians. That also applies if they discover we are behind the attack".

Winston shook its head. "We need more time. We shall start by seeing how we can catch up with the Russians and in how many months or years. Then I will decide".

Vice-President Longstreet spoke in a matter of urgency as he was about to dismiss them. "Mr. President, this can't last for very long. I'm starting to organize my campaign to be your replacement and I can't do things from aboard a plane".

"I completely agree with you in the point of being airborne". He turned to the director of the Secret Service who was closing next to him. "Make a timetable so that two Cabinet members are at safe locations the whole time. Include the House Speaker on that list since he gets the job in case something happens to me or the VP".

London, United Kingdom

"You know how many years it has been from I last came here?" Two looked at the Thames from the third floor of a building facing the River, addressing a man well into his late forties.

"I can imagine but there's no time for that. Your communication was quite unexpected I must say".

"Desperate times take desperate measures. In our line of work that can be a risk but also there can be no alternative".

"I've been informed of what is happening in Siberia with the Russians. Anything to do with that?"

"Yes, but much more also. You will find out when it's time, either through me or some other means".

"Loyalties are hard-earned here. You still trust me?"

"You understand certain needs. Pretty soon you might find yourself in a place to act upon them. And I have a particular interest on who occupies that position".

"I won't ask where since I know that I wouldn't give me any answer. However I take that this request for a meeting says that I might be required something later on the future".

"You are correct. You might".

"A sleeper then?"

"A last resort card if you want to really know. But if the time comes you will understand why".

"As I always did. That's why neither of us never really considered bringing down the other. Too many secrets to tell".

"And even darker ones to stay hidden between both".

"Knowledge is a blade with two edges. It can strike both ways. I learned that much from you".

"Indeed. That is why we both will have to be particularly careful on this one. A lot here is at stake and failure can make us loose everything".

"In that case I shall be ready. Just be prudent in what you ask".

"For the time being I only ask you to do what you do best. The rest will come much later in the future, if it comes at all".

July 17th, 1999

Azamas 36, Russian Federation

The sentinels outside of the main entrance to the Security Command Centre were trying to stay alert, although being on watch for almost six hours now was taking a toll on their attention. The base had been on full alert for some days now and everyone knew about the weapon that was being housed and the terrifying power it possessed. But at the same time, the sentinels didn't pay much attention to the orders. Who would be crazy enough to attack a heavily guarded facility in the middle of Russia? They just had shrugged as they had heard the orders. At least they would still be able to go into the city and see a movie at the local theater or get some more decent food.

The bunker and the barracks that housed the military personnel marked the end of the civilian area of the city and stood on the middle of one of the sides of the triangle formed by the research facility, laser bunker and nuclear reactor. To the right of the guards a fenced road lead into the facility that housed the weapon and the highway continued to the East where it met the research facility. Some five hundred meters in front of them was the barbed wire gate that lead into the civilian areas.

A set of lights could be seeing coming on the road from the city and approaching the guard post at the gate. The sentinels relaxed as they saw the jeep with the two uniformed men seating up front. Relief came over them as both realized that the shift was over and that they could finally get some sleep. The gate opened and the vehicle drove through, covering the space between the fence and the Centre, until finally stopping at a spot on the garrison's parking lot in the garrison's motor poll. Both troopers jumped outside and started heading for the sentinels, making sure that their parkas were well worn. One of the guards turned to the soldiers approaching, unable to tell their faces because of the dim light.

"Hey Oleg, you are actually on time tonight. What happened? The night went wrong in the city?" None of the soldiers responded and kept walking towards them. When they were almost reaching the circular light project by the lamp on top of the sentinels, the one who talked started speaking again.

"Oleg? You drunk too much already and you can't speak?" He smiled but when both men stepped into the light, he became puzzled. "Who are you? Why has Oleg not come back from the city?" Both men suddenly raised their right hands and the last thing the guards noticed were two strange looking barrels coming from the cuffs of the military jackets. Two green flashes suddenly appeared and both men were projected backwards, their dead bodies landing on the floor. At the same time the guards at the gate dropped suddenly to the floor, both hit in their heads by heavy calibre rounds that had been shot by hidden snipers. The two soldiers grabbed them and hid their bodies behind one truck and then assumed their positions by the door.

Far Side of the Moon

The Sectoid Commander was seated in the command chair in one of the alien's bigger UFOs on the fleet that was hidden behind the Moon to avoid Terran detection. The alien leadership had been surprised at the destruction of one of their smaller scout ships by the energy beam weapon, but measures had already been taken to deal with this nuisance. The humans had been interfering for too long with their plans, he considered as he looked at the three dimensional screen in front of him. As the alien watched the graphic representation of Sol Three and its natural satellite, his attention changed from the cluster of dots that represented his fleet, hidden behind the natural satellite, to a smaller one, that was now about to enter the planet's atmosphere.

July 18th, 1999

X-Com Russian Command, Stalingrad Base, Caucasus, Russian Federation

Colonel Boronin started noticing that something was wrong on the dream he was having. He was dreaming of monsters that came and pursued him in the dark, while he could only run away, until he started to pay attention to a rhythmical sound. Looking around him, he couldn't perceive the origin of the sound and as he tried to focus more on it he suddenly become more conscious. He was on his bed he finally noticed but the room had a strange pulsating colour. And the alarm on his desk was going on, giving a large beep every two seconds while pulsing red.

He jumped out of his bed and went to the desk, pressing the intercom button and connecting to the Command room. Taking a moment to clear his head he then spoke:

"Boronin here. What is going on?"

"Colonel, this is Captain Likhachev. The Air Force has just detected an alien fleet entering the atmosphere and going to Russian airspace".

"How many UFOs?"

"Unsure sir, since they are flying close together and masking their radar signatures. But some have radar tracks equivalent to their Terror Ships".

"Get all the men ready. I will be right there in five minutes". He went to the closet in his room, opened it and got out an X-Com combat jumpsuit. After getting inside it he closed the zippers and got out the combat boots. He sat on his bed while putting them on, his hands checking the strength of the alien alloys that had been placed over them. Going over to the closet again he grabbed his Type 17 armour, put it over his back and headed out for the door.

When Boronin reached the Command Room the whole place was in an organized chaos. He spotted Likhachev and went up to him. The Captain noticed him and said:

"Sir, Russian High Command is not requesting our assistance".

"Hum?" Boronin had gotten himself a chair and had started to put on his armour while Likhachev was talking. He stopped adjusting his leg plates and looked at him.

"They are going to use the laser on them as soon as they land. Mir Space Station is already in place and ready. They say that our presence isn't necessary".

"Let's hope they are right then Captain. We have both seen what that weapon can do, but I have a really bad feeling about all this".

Azamas 36, Siberia, Russian Federation

In spite of the late hours in the night, the underground laser control facility was being fully manned 24 hours a day to deal with any further UFO intrusions into Russian territory. And the Colonel in charge of the night shift was struggling to keep himself awake when one of the soldiers manning the communications console suddenly nearly jumped out of his chair and turned to him.

"Sir! Air Defence Command reports a fleet of alien vessels coming through over the Artic. And their re-entry vector shows them to be heading towards our location!" The young enlisted private seemed in panic, having only entered service at the facility some weeks ago.

The officer rubbed his eyes to make sure that he was completely awake and start shouting orders in the room. He had been present at the shoot down of the first UFO and knew the capabilities of the weapon that was above him. Feeling confident, he started giving orders to the technicians in the room.

"Sound general alarm. Prepare the particle weapon and start feeding it the telemetry and radar data from Air Defence. And contact General Yurinov at headquarters and require is presence here". He watched as the other occupants in the chamber followed his orders. While he noticed them, he saw that they had a bit of apprehension in their motions. Pretty soon all of that will be over, he thought. Now we can fight back.

The technician who had driven him out of his nearly sleeping state turned to him again, puzzled. "Sir. I can't reach the military garrison barracks. That area doesn't answer to any of my calls".

"Are you sure? Try again but use the phone. Probably there's a problem with the base radio".

"Already did sir. Nobody there picks up the phone". The Colonel reached his chin with his hand and started thinking. He applied immediately his first idea: "Try the other buildings!" But he knew of nothing else to do at the moment. He considered the possibility of an attack, but discarded it. If the aliens had come, their craft would have been detected. Or would it not?

"The research facility reports nothing out of the ordinary. The nuclear power plant says the same. And the military checkpoints are all into full alert status, although their voices sounded a bit asleep". There, he considered. Any attack or approach would have been noticed by now. "Status of the ships and the particle cannon?"

Another technician also at a console two seats to the left answered him: "We are targeting one of the bigger ships that are approaching us and are ready to fire when it reaches range. Due to the size of the craft and the fact that it is on the weapon's horizon, it is better if we don't use the Mir dish in order to don't lose an exaggerated amount of power to atmosphere bleeding. We will be engaging them at a shorter range, but one way or the other we will make them drop out of the skies". The Colonel nodded and turning to a lieutenant he ordered: "Get a patrol and a car and go check the phone lines. There must be a problem with them". The officer nodded and headed towards the exit doors.

All men in the room had their attention focused on the aliens ships and so, they did not pay attention anymore to the younger officer has he opened the security doors. But sudden gunfire made them all turn. Doing a half-turn, the Colonel saw that a group of Russian troopers were entering the room through the opened doors, carefully avoiding the lieutenant's body on the floor and firing their AK-74 assault rifles. "What is going on? What do you think you are doing!?" He shouted when speechless as one of the technicians on his side took a full burst in his torso and his body jerked with the incoming projectiles on the chair were he was seated. The console became red with blood as he finally collapsed into it. Across the room the other operators were starting to run and the Colonel took cover behind another console. On his side he heard the private in charge of communications screaming: "..Command we are under attack! Repeat! We are…arrrgggh!" His voice was replaced by the sound of an assault rifle being discharged at full automatic mode. The officer went for his sidearm and brought it out of his holster, but as he was trying to get the safety off he felt someone was approaching his position. Turning his body to face the threat he saw that one of the invaders had come close to him carrying a smoking AK-74. He raised his arms in an attempt to surrender, but the figure simply pointed the weapon at his head and pressed the trigger. The Colonel's head exploded and painted the area nearby him with encephalic mass. The men dressed in Russian military fatigues stopped for a moment over his body and then proceed on eliminating the last remains of resistance in the control room.

Earth's Orbit

As the flotilla of alien vessels was approaching the Azamas 36 complex, one of the craft suddenly detached itself from the formation and started heading out back to space. Within minutes the Russian aerospace controllers back at Air Force HQ had determined his new destiny and froze into place upon the realization of the large UFO's destiny. They immediately sent an alert transmission but they knew already that Mir Space Station was doomed as long as all the crewmembers inside.

Without the protection dispensed by the particle weapon, the largest man made object in Earth's orbit was nothing more than a big target hanging on space. Upon receival of the notification alerting for the incoming craft, the crewmembers immediately went to the work of preparing the Soyuz lifeboat attached to the Space Station that would enable them to flee. Unfortunately it was too late for either them or the space facility.

The first blast discharged by the Terror Ship upon reaching maximum range for its weapons travelled freely upon space, unhampered by the restrictions posed by Earth's atmosphere and hit the Spektr module, immediately cutting through the fuselage. The force of the plasma beam then found the air present inside the compartment and reacted with it, with the end result being an explosion that completely obliterated the module. Despite the blast all the inside hatches were locked which prevented the loss of the entire station.

There was no air in space to allow for the propagation of sounds but the crewmembers were immediately projected to one side as the loss of module threw the station into an uncontrolled spin. Bones were broken as their bodies hit the bulkheads and equipment placed on the walls of the station. The navigational computers still operating immediately started to use nitrogen jets to control the station but the damage had been too extensive. Pressed to one side of the Mir by the inertia provoked by the inertial movement the crewmembers tried to get to the Soyuz and detached it from the station in a last attempt to survive.

A series of blasts from the alien craft then hit again the station, one of them obliterating the escape module and the others indiscriminately hitting the solar panels and other parts attached to the main core of the station. Satisfied with its work, the UFO then stopped and headed back into Earth to join the alien wave that was about to assault Azamas 36. On board the main core of the Mir, the six Russian cosmonauts inside were still alive but not for long. The life-support systems had ceased to function and they were starting to fall back into Earth's atmosphere.

Kremlin, Moscow, Russian Federation

President Larianov knew that something was wrong as he heard the steps again on his bedroom. He had been awaken before because of the alien flotilla headed towards Azamas 36 but had decided on going back to his sleep when his military commanders had told him that the weapon would be more than capable of dealing with the invaders and keeping them away from the particle weapon. Now, still sleepy he turned in anger to the person that was entering the room again and saw that it was the same aide as before:

"What is it now? Can't the military buffoons do anything about me? Haven't they shot down the flotilla yet?" The aide stopped on his tracks, looking as if he desperately wanted in that moment a hole to hide himself. "Azamas 36 reported being under attack ten minutes ago, sir…"

"Weren't they already under attack some half an hour ago? Why haven't the particle beam weapon destroyed their ships yet?!" Larianov went out of his bed and stood up, looking at the aide and demanding a quick answer.

"They were getting ready to fire it when suddenly they reported an attack and went off the air. We can't raise them on the radio them since then and the UFOs are getting close".

The full realization of what was happening hit Larianov straight like a slap on the face and he managed not to drop to the floor by seating himself on the bed.

"The weapon hadn't fired…? They….are going to destroy the weapon…our last hope is gone…" The aide tried to see if he was all right but for the next five minutes Larianov stayed mute on the bed, his eyes fixated on the ceiling.

André Galvão, 2001