Operation Lone Jester
1523, 26th February, 2016
The cool air inside the Skyranger was silent, save for the dull roar of the engines through the thick skin of the aircraft. The team within were briefed, equipped, and ready. This was a simple abduction response – a remnant ship had attempted one last civilian snatch, same as others had before it and others would afterward.
Sergeant Pyotr Vinogradov fidgeted his gloved hands nervously. He glanced around the rest of his squad, most of whom were silent. Corporal Buskirk and Corporal Wouters were chatting quietly about something, but it didn’t carry far over the low thrum of the dropship. Vinogradov shook his head a little, before looking back at his twiddling thumbs.
“Hey, Sergeant?” Corporal Hashim, the squad sniper, spoke up, “What’s wrong?”
Sgt Vinogradov looked at her for a second before sighing. “It’s nothing. Nothing you or I could do anything about, anyway.”
Hashim raised an eyebrow. “Oh?” the Egyptian woman verbally prodded, clearly not satisfied.
The Russian fixed her with a slight frown. “Oh, fine,” he relented, “it’s just… put it this way. Command recently captured and contained a new alien, right?”
“Mhmm,” Hashim hummed agreeingly.
“And then they find out that it’s capable of doing things with psionics we’ve never experienced before,” Vinogradov continued, “before managing to communicate with it after it learns English straight from a soldier’s mind.”
“It’s unbelievable, I agree,” the sniper replied.
“And now they’re giving it a room in the barracks and letting it walk around the base unattended?” the medic questioned, “I’m not the only one concerned that this thing might have the whole of Command mind controlled, am I?”
Hashim fixed him with a quizzical look, before looking around the Skyranger. The entire rest of the squad was now listening to the two of them, but no one spoke, so she replied herself. “Well, you tell us, Magic Man, you’re the psion among us. How hard would it be for someone to do that?”
Vinogradov shook his head, “I couldn’t do it, you know that much. I don’t think there’s a single soldier in XCOM who could. Sure, it might just be controlling the Big Three, but that’s every strategic decision XCOM makes implicated.”
“Maybe you should talk with the psion they had it learn from,” Cpl Wouters interjected, lifting one hand from the helmet sat on his lap, “Murdock or whatever his name was. He might have some insight into its thinking.”
“He’d also be the most likely affected,” Lieutenant King, the squad commander, pointed out, “You might want to try finding things out for yourself. You know when psionic things are happening around you, right?” Vinogradov nodded. “Well, get yourself near this thing, which should be a lot easier now that it’s walking around the base, and see for yourself. If it’s doing anything suspicious, come tell us about it, and we’ll work out what to do from there.”
“Isn’t engineering designing some kind of suppressor for it?” Cpl Ward pointed out.
Vinogradov nodded, “Yes, but if it has got Shen mind controlled, I doubt it will actually do anything. Easy to engineer a fault into something when the Chief Engineer works for you.”
“Well, they aren’t finished on it yet,” Ward continued, “maybe you could ask for a demonstration? See if they can fit it onto you and test whether you can do anything while wearing it?”
“I’m pretty sure they’ll test the device properly before using it, Ward,” Lt King countered, “and Shen doesn’t have such complete control over Engineering that he could fake all the test results. Just wait until the alien’s wearing it and then… psychic-poke her, or whatever. If it doesn’t retaliate, great, the thing works. If it fights back, we have Hashim on standby.”
Hashim mimed aiming a rifle at Vinogradov, and grinned. “I’ll keep you covered, Magic Man, don’t worry.”
The medic gave her a flat look. “I feel safer already,” he said deadpan.
***
1556, 26th February, 2016
“So, me and Jonesy sneak back into the school, right? Avoid all the cameras, dodge late-night janitors, full SAS operation. We head straight for the big monument out front. We do our bit, and get out of there without a trace. Whole school come in the next morning to find the thing painted like Superman,” William Walker finished his story as he walked besides his squadmates. Guseva barely chuckled, but Crash apparently found it much funnier.
“You know what I don’t understand?” Bishop said as the group left the gymnasium together, “How a man compares himself and his best friend, both fifteen years old and sneaking into a school, to an SAS operation. Especially when that same man is, himself, ex-SAS.”
William shrugged. “Hey, I go using someone else’s special forces I’m going to end up in a fight. Sure, I’d win, but Bradford would dock my pay again. I mean,” he said as the group turned a corner, “I could go saying ‘like we were both Army Rangers’, but-”
He stopped as Guseva elbowed him in the ribs, and looked forwards. A man was leaning against one wall of the hallway, dressed in a black leather jacket, black boots, black trousers and black gloves.
And, of course, a black face mask with a white skull decal on it.
“Walker,” he said venomously, “Red Six.”
“Deadeye,” Crash replied perfected civilly. Lazarro nodded silently.
“I’m sure you’re all ecstatic about the news,” Deadeye spoke, “About X-014?”
“We’ve heard,” Bishop replied, “and ultimately it’s Command’s decision whether a captive alien is safe to leave the containment facility.”
“Hm.” Deadeye’s mask turned to regard them each in turn. “I’d have thought that losing your psion to it would have made you more… hesitant, regarding its release.”
“From what we’ve been told,” Crash countered, “Miss Sparkle has fully explained Captain Pimenova’s current condition to the research team, and helped them design a series of tests and therapeutic courses to aid in her recovery should anything be amiss when she awakens.”
“We’ve had plenty of time to talk it over since we got the news, Colonel,” Lazarro explained, “And we’ve all agreed that it is not our place to act on this until the situation becomes too extreme for diplomacy to resolve.”
Deadeye fixed her an unblinking gaze. “You’re seriously all okay with letting that thing out?”
“Most of us are, yes,” William said through gritted teeth.
The sniper glanced at the Brit briefly. “Well, at least one of you is smart,” he replied, before looking back at Viking and adding, “enough.” He walked past the group and turned the corner, disappearing from view.
“They seriously just let him wear that helmet around the base?” Guseva asked, raising an eyebrow.
“Apparently it was a therapy aid,” Bishop said with a shrug.
“All rumours,” William spat, “Mr Dark-And-Troubled-Past probably just likes the attention being an arsehole gives him.”
“I suppose he’ll be sleeping with a gun under his pillow while Miss Sparkle’s staying with us,” Lazarro suggested.
“Another one?” Crash replied with a grin, “He might as well just sleep in the armoury.”
William chuckled, before stretching his shoulders back with a click. “Alright, forget him, let’s get back to it,” he decided, turning on his heel and continuing through the hallway. “Who’s up for pool?”
***
1713, 26th February, 2016
“I’m still not sure about this,” Officer Bradford spoke as he watched the psi inhibitor prototypes being tested. The final design was more of a slim backpack with attached headband than the initial concept of an inhibitor helmet, but form had to give way to function.
“Sparkle has shown herself to be both sympathetic to our cause, and to consider violence a last resort,” Dr Vahlen explained, “This device is meant to function as security in the event that she is deceiving us on these matters, but-”
“That isn’t what I’m concerned about,” Bradford interrupted, “I think Miss Sparkle is telling the truth, and that we don’t absolutely need this device. My concern is our own men, the soldiers who won this war, reacting violently to Twilight’s freedom. Out of fear, out of instinct, or even simple xenophobia, our soldiers have more than enough reason not to trust anything alien. This device,” he nodded to the testing chamber, where the volunteer psions were finding themselves incapable of using their abilities, “will leave her completely defenceless if any member of staff attempts to harm her.”
“Sparkle won’t be completely defenceless,” Dr Vahlen noted, “the design of the device is simply to prevent a psion projecting their power, not to negate it entirely. If a psionic soldier were to attempt to invade her mind, they would find her as powerful as Captain Pimenova did, except incapable of retaliating. As for threats of a physical nature,” the head of research continued as the CO went to speak, “I suggest you make it quite clear to the men that Sparkle is under XCOM protection, not simply XCOM custody. We’ll also be testing to find a setting for this device that would allow her to use her telekinesis at a reduced strength, which she would then be able to use to deter or slow an attacker even if she were incapable of causing them direct harm, as well as open doors for herself.”
“That still won’t help her against anyone attempting to sneak up on her, or use any of the weapons in the armoury,” Bradford noted.
Dr Vahlen sighed. “True, but there is little we can do about that without putting her in full armour. Doctor Shen believes the best defence we can give her is the soldiers’ trust, which is why he would like to present a full explanation of this device’s function to the men.”
“So that until they have sufficient reason to trust Twilight, they instead have trust in this inhibitor?” Officer Bradford thought for a moment. “It’s a bit reliant on our soldiers’ sentimentality, but it should keep most of the men peaceful.”
“Especially since we’ve taken steps to ensure that the device’s controls can’t be tampered with psionically,” the scientist noted. “The touchscreen interface has a fingerprint identification system built in, with myself and Dr Shen set as the only authorised personal for now. We’ll be adding further research staff as your combat testing requires.”
Bradford nodded. “When do you think the device will be ready?”
Vahlen checked her data slate. “Prototype testing seems to have been a complete success, so now we need only to produce the final design and test it on Sparkle herself under controlled conditions. She should be free to leave containment in the morning.”
Bradford nodded. “Tell Shen he can give his presentation tonight, if he wants to. Until the soldiers are informed, I think it would be best if Twilight stayed in the research labs and out of the barracks.”
Dr Vahlen nodded, and Officer Bradford turned and left the room.
***
1838, 26th February, 2016.
Eirunepé, Amazonas, Brazil. Local time: 1338
“Central this is Big Sky,” the Skyranger’s radio came to life, “we have reached the AO and are ready to deploy.”
“Copy that Big Sky,” Bradford’s voice came through clearly to both the pilot and the soldiers in the aircraft’s rear, “deploy when ready. Fireteam Juliet, the ship manifest we intercepted shows nothing you can’t handle with what you have on hand, but there’s a sequence in the mission statement that we can’t decrypt in any way that makes sense. Keep your eyes open, I want you all alive when you get home.”
“Roger sir,” Lt King called back, before addressing her squad. “Okay, anyone see anything strange out there, call it out. Ward, I want you ready with those flashbangs. If we get a chance to capture something new, we take it. Now ready up for touchdown!”
Corporal Wouters pulled his helmet on as the squad readied their weapons and formed up by the Skyranger’s ramp. The dropship touched down lightly on a main road, before the ramp opened and the soldiers deployed.
“The abduction site is dead ahead,” Bradford called in, “local military have the perimeter secure, and the Relay shows no alien craft in the air.”
Lt King turned to signal to her squad, before spotting Sgt Vinogradov, a frown on his face. “Sergeant, what’s wrong?”
Vinogradov shook his head. “Something. There’s… a lot of psionic signals up ahead, but they’re all really faint,” he explained, a note of confusion in his voice. “It keeps coming in short bursts, too.”
King frowned. “What does it mean?” she asked.
Her sergeant shrugged, before pointing forward. “I’m okay, regardless. Let’s press on.”
The squad reached the site, a few buildings surrounding a road junction. Cpl Wouters stepped up to a corner onto a side alley, glanced around it, and waved the squad forward.
Cpl Hashim took cover behind a car on the other side of the road, keeping her rifle trained down the streets ahead of the squad.
A tin can clattered as Cpl Ward knocked it with his foot as he jogged past, earning him a “Quiet!” from his Lieutenant.
Wouters stepped up to the next alley. He glanced around, before ducking back. “I hear something,” he said, holding up a hand to halt the squad.
Vinogradov stepped up beside him.
A second passed.
Two.
Three.
The unmistakable howl of a Floater echoed down the alleyway as Cpl Buskirk stepped past the two, crossing the alley to take the opposite corner.
Hashim moved to a car across from the alley as King and Ward entered it, taking positions behind some crates and an abduction pod respectively.
“Something’s up,” Vinogradov radioed the squad, “something psionic happened when that Floater howled.”
“Psychic Floaters?” Ward called back, “How-”
He was cut off by a much closer howl, as a trio of the cybernetic flying torsos descended into the side street from the rooftops.
“They sounded a lot further away!” Wouters shouted, as Hashim and Buskirk opened fire. Hashim’s shot went wide, but the liberal spray of her Russian squadmate’s gatling laser tore through one of the aliens. It crashed into the tarmac with a screech.
The remaining two Floaters howled, rocketing behind cover as the rest of the squad began to take aim.
Vinogradov blinked as another psionic signal washed over him, and the two aliens made short wretching sounds before rocketing down the alleyway away from the squad.
“They’re retreating,” Lt King announced, sounding a little confused, “move up and keep behind cover.”
“Corporal Hashim, keep up with the squad,” Officer Bradford radioed in, “we don’t want you getting ambushed.”
“This isn’t right,” Cpl Ward muttered as Buskirk and Vinogradov moved past him, both checking down a side alley as they reached it, “Floater’s don’t just retreat like this.”
Vinogradov shook his head in agreement, but said nothing. The psionic pulses were becoming more frequent now.
One of the Floaters howled up ahead, as it moved further away from the squad.
“They’re leading us into something,” Vinogradov realised, before calling the squad leader. “Lieutenant King, I think they’re leading us into an ambush. The psionic signal is relaying orders of some kind, I’m sure.”
“You’re sure?” King replied as Ward and Wouters moved forward again, “We’ve never seen them do this before, why-”
“Shoot!” Wouters shouted, throwing himself backwards as a burst of plasma fire sprayed out, decimating the dumpster he had been about to pass, “Mutons!”
Four of the hulking green brutes rose from behind cover further up the alleyway, quickly opening fire on the rest of the squad. The two Floaters howled and charged again, one of the pausing to add his own gunfire to the mix.
The rain of green fire cascaded down the side street, quickly breaking down the crude cover within. Hashim, still only just inside the alley’s entrance, took aim and pulled the trigger, a narrow red beam blossoming forth from her rifle and scorching one of the Mutons, not killing it but causing it to stop firing and duck behind cover again. Vinogradov and Buskirk followed suite, killing one of the Mutons and the more aggressive Floater between them.
“Little help here!” Cpl Ward shouted, ducked behind a few steel bins with hot plasma splattering over them and flying over his head. One of the Mutons kept him supressed, as another lumbered forward, readying a grenade in its massive hands.
Hashim’s rifle sounded again, this time killing the Muton firing at Ward. The rifleman took the opportunity to dash back down the lane, out of range of the grenade thrower. It roared at him, before throwing its weapon at Wouters instead.
“Gah!” Wouters cried as the bomb detonated, burning him and splintering the broken crates he had been cowering behind.
“Wouters, retreat!” Lt King called out, scoring a hit on the grenadier with the slim red beam from her pistol, “Sergeant, give him cover!”
Vinogradov nodded, snatching a smoke grenade from his belt and pulling the pins from it. He lobbed it onto the street ahead, where it erupted into a dense cloud of blue smoke.
Wouters hobbled out of the cloud, ducking behind the shattered remains of the dumpster and dropping onto his knees and one hand, the other still holding his weapon. Their sight obscured, the Mutons’ plasma began striking the pavement and walls of the alley more than the cover the soldiers hid behind.
A loud scream was heard, before the second Floater came soaring out of the smoke cloud. It raised its carbine to fire at Buskirk, before the jetpack on its back exploded courtesy of a well-placed blast from Lt King’s scatter laser. “Three to go,” she calmly announced to her squad, before directing them, “Sergeant, get Wouters on his feet. Buskirk and Ward, move up and prepare to shoot once you can see again. Hashim…” She trailed off as Vinogradov held a hand up.
“Another pulse,” he said simply, before a series of electrical whirring noises and the pounding of metal on concrete came echoing down the alley behind them.
“Mechtoid, flanking!” Hashim cried out from behind them, “Out from the side alley! It’s an ambush!”
“They don’t do those!” Ward yelled, his hands shaking, “What is going on here!?”
“Ward, keep it together!” King ordered, “Hashim, stay in cover, and…” she looked over the alley behind them as the agile form of the alien robot stepped into the street, a shimmering purple shield covering it. There was nothing that could cover them from it, without the Mutons gunning them down from behind when the smoke cleared.
And it was clearing fast.
The Mechtoid raised both its arm cannons, aiming straight at Lieutenant Zoe King.
She got ready to jump to the side, or duck, or whatever might help against the imminent barrage.
The Mechtoid’s eyes twitched and its legs quaked. The cannons fired, their aim suddenly erratic, the shots spraying overhead. King ducked under them, before glancing around for the cause of this.
Vinogradov had one hand extended towards the cyborg, his face set in a determined frown and his teeth bared. Psionics, as little skilled with it as he was, still made itself useful.
“There you are, you little!” Hashim shouted, before her rifle rang out, the red beam entering the edge of the side alley, and a wavering cry pierced the air. The purple shield sputtered and died, leaving the Mechtoid open. The three remaining soldiers wasted no time in pelting the towering robot with gunfire, quickly bringing it down, its armour sloughing off and the skin of its face aflame.
Vinogradov dropped to a crouch, pulling a field medikit from his back , as his comrades about faced to deal with the three Mutons. He quickly sprayed the painkiller and coagulant mix over the heavy burning on Wouters’ right side, before checking him for any permanent damage.
The Mutons had moved forwards during the interlude, bringing them into a much better range for King’s scatter laser to work. She made good use of it, dropping one of the lumbering brutes as Ward fired off a shot, finishing the one Hashim had wounded earlier.
The last Muton roared defiantly, raising its rifle and firing, striking Buskirk squarely in the chest. It bellowed in triumph as she dropped to the floor, before the narrow beam from Hashim’s rifle caught it between the eyes and it fell with a warbling howl, hitting the ground with a heavy thump.
A second of silence passed before King called out, “Buskirk, you okay?”
“Y-yeah,” the heavy said, coughing as she got to her feet, one hand on her stomach, “a little burned, but my armour held out. How’re you, Wouters?”
“In one piece,” the scout replied from gritted teeth, as Vinogradov checked what felt like cracked ribs.
“Central, this is Fireteam Juliet,” Lt King radioed in, “we’ve got two casualties but we’re good to continue, over.”
“Juliet, this is Central. We’re not detecting any more signatures in that area. Looks like you got them all, head back to the Skyranger, over,” Bradford replied concisely.
King nodded, before looking at her sergeant. “Any more activity?” she queried.
Vinogradov paused, and then shook his head. “Nope. I can’t sense anything else going on.”
“Weird,” King muttered, before speaking up. “You ever felt something like this on a mission before?”
“Never,” the Russian replied.
King ran a hand through her blonde hair in thought, before shaking her head. “Well, whatever. Make sure to include it in the debriefing, and we’ll let the lab boys sort it out.”
“I know the aliens can be smart,” Ward chimed in, “but organising their whole strike force into a single ambush? That doesn’t happen, man.”
“Apparently it does now,” Vinogradov said, helping Wouters to his feet, “let’s just be glad we’re all alive and in one piece, and we’ll worry about the answers to all this later.”
***
The Found One looked over the screen before it with sorrow.
The soldiers were all dead, and not a single foe had fallen to justify it. Worse, they had recovered only a handful of the beasts to question.
Which was questionable in itself, looking at the screen. Those were roads. Those were houses. That looked a lot like a restaurant.
The Found One did not like the idea of interrogating civilians. That it had cost lives to achieve did not help in the slightest.
And the enemy had the Gift. Crude as it was compared to the proper art, it still made them all the more dangerous. Without it, the tactic used would have been perfect. Well, except for the Sectoid moving into view of the rearmost creature.
Next time, the Found One would do better, but before then, there were questions to be asked.
Fireteam Juliet, wearing the Recon armour designs that cut down on some of the sheer armour of heavier patterns to allow for greater mobility and equipment loadout:
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:)
A new update
Aha, so now the aliens are getting smarter under the guise of this "Found One"? So antagonist has officially made its first move.
Wait, do they not know humans are sapient?
I think the Found One might be a new player in the game.
I still can't figure out who the Found One is. Who did they grab instead of Twilight...
6778726 The aliens...might or might not know, but I'd place a Higher probability they did know but lied to the Found One.
6760795 When is the next chapter coming out?
6778682 Maybe now, XCOM will stop sending stupidly small 6-man squads instead of bringing plenty of backup and using their Skyrangers and Interceptors to provide close air support.
Hopefully. I can see the appeal of small squads but why not have another waiting as backup or something?
Don't worry Twilight; just bat your adorably hyoooge cute eyes at the XCOM soldiers and you'll have them wrapped around your hoof in no time.
6778998 betting Starlight Glimmer or Sunset Shimmer.
6779889
Starlight is a possibility. I kind of doubt Sunset simply because it has to be someone from Equestria, and I don't know if she's still in the EQG world in this story.
Though, in all honesty, given that the whole reason Twilight got grabbed is because she was too similar to whoever the aliens were actually going for, and the Found One's comments about his/her sins, I've actually been kind of leaning towards it being Luna. Though if it was just based on proximity then yeah, Starlight is a better guess.
6779969
Eh, my vote goes to Luna.
Luna is an alicorn, while Sunset isn't yet (at least officially), so higher magical power and she is more aloof than current Sunset
Starlight from last two episodes is a disaster in worldbuilding, and frankly the morals for that episode are highly warped.
Great update by the way, is this long war-complient or just pure Enemy Within?
6779969 we don't know where in Equestria's time Twilight is from other then post season 4. It could be far ahead and Sunset finally returned to Equestria as an alicorn. Come on the Daylight SHimmer form leads to that possibility.
If it is Luna the poor mare can't get a break being a bad girls
6779998
Inorite? That's why I'm kinda hoping it isn't Luna. But historically she doesn't have the best will saves, so I can't rule her out...
6780069 well having a spilt personailty is an issue. Wouldn't mind Starlight because she has the mentaility for it and will admit smart in certain areas. Sunset is very smart and with some prodding could also fit. The Found one is likely been mentally altered so it isn't the real them.
6779296
Heh, no such thing as overkill. Never ceases to amaze me how they always send out small teams like some sort of... video... game...
Huh.
Well, there's your problem! :D
That was fun, may I have another? Looking forward to more.
Keep up the good work. Deus tecum.
One question; if X-com has Plasma weapons (as used in the capture of Twilight,) why is this group using Laser weapons? They would be inferior in practically every conceivable way, unless they were expecting to fight a telekinetic opponent on Twilight's level. Naturally, I expect Twilight could shield against lasers as easily (or even more so) then plasma, but I could be mistaken.
6780645 Costs. Unless they've captured a significant amount of plasma weaponry, fully outfitting a squad in that stuff from scratch is expensive. Not to mention time-consuming, since this is no longer in 'gamespace' but in 'realspace' -- No magical game world where engineering instantly produces hyper-advanced alien weapons for $20.
6780645
6781190
Basically this, yeah. XCOM have the manpower at this point that they can have two squads on standby at a time easily, and usually three. Tier 3 equipment, plasma weapons and power armour, are extremely costly to produce, maintain and deploy because they run on Elerium, a substance that, while it effectively functions as a battery that never runs out, they have a limited supply of. Laser weapons, on the other hand, work on conventional electrical sources and have much easier deployment logistics. They're also lighter weight and easier to train soldiers to use.
Also, Alloy armours such as the squad here are wearing provide reasonable protection for low production cost, while power armour not only uses greater resources but also has to be custom fit to a given soldier by design. Power armour made for soldier X will not fit soldier Y properly. Not a huge concern for just the protection it provides, but jetpacks, rappel systems and strangulation countermeasures have to be carefully balanced to not break the human body within the armour, as well as behave as expected. Psi armour takes it to a whole new level, needing to be specifically calibrated to a soldier's psionic resonance (effectively psychic fingerprints) in order to function at all. It's also horrifically expensive.
If a mission doesn't contain any of the more serious threats, XCOM will deploy a laser squad. Had they detected any of the higher tier aliens (Sectopods, Ethereals, Muton Elites etc) they'd have deployed a plasma squad instead.
6779992
Just Enemy Within, and not everything from that showed up during the war. I'm looking at playing Long War when I have a better PC and don't have a fic to be writing, though!
6779296
Arad did that in his "Stardust", there were 10 squads of 8 soldiers and one operation - "Gangplank", to be specific, had 6 teams at the same time. Skyrangers also frequently provided fire support from miniguns and with time heavy lasers.
I highly recommend "Stardust" and Arad's further stories in that setting. They are quite good.
6781291
You mean the Ethereals haven't deployed Seekers yet? Seekers are awesome in concept, if only they used their "pistols" from stealth in the game.
Your story actually inspired me to replay the game once again.
6779992 Vanilla. Long war has 8 soldier classes and 8-man squads plus I believe Axquirix is playing on an XBOX which does not get the Long War mod which is only available on PC, Mac and Linux.
Plus (From Chapter 1):
i.imgur.com/6CqFUFS.jpg
Long War Perk trees has 3 choices per rank. Like so (From UFOpaedia):
ufopaedia.org/images/9/92/Long_War_Intro_1.png
Plus a much different ranking system.
Crates and dumpsters... Yeah, good luck surviving a plasma shot while hiding behind those. Concealment isn't the same thing as cover.
6781362
I'm actually playing on PC using an XBOX controller.
As for Skyranger providing air support, I have a good idea of why that isn't the case in-game. It will be explained in good time.
6781341
All the Within aliens are present, as is Dr Vahlen's gene modding program. MECs have been discussed amongst the engineering team but not developed, and EXALT haven't taken any anti-XCOM actions... yet.
6781362
I believe the number can be as high as 12 for certain missions in Long war and i know about other changes, though i haven't played that mod. I like a lot of changes they did, though not all of them. And you've been ninja'd by Axquirix, btw.
6781514 Less; 'ninja'd' and more; 'Harry doesn't pay attention as much as he should'.
All it takes is one undiscovered Exalt infiltrator to suggest all is not well with free roaming aliens on base, and they can cause far more havoc while being rewarded for their heroics while passing information than if they had been out in the field piloting a batle carrier.
love it cant wait for the next chapter keep up the good work!
6781480 As interesting as always, I see. Can't wait 'till the next chapter, maybe we will know more about 'The Found One', who he or she is, perhaps. Or, maybe some Twilight action, dunno.
Very nice chapter, good work.
a few building surrounding
Hashim’s rifled sounded again
pulling a field medikit from his back ,
one of the lumbering brute
6798826
Ooo, thanks! Haven't heard from Setokavia yet (though he has commented) so much appreciated, editting now! Although medikit is actually correct, given the in-game item. Not sure if I should capitalise that...
6799052 I need more of this awesomeness
Awesome!!!!
you going to update this soon?
This is a perfect chapter to read as I wait for steam to finish unpacking XCOM2.
Keep it good man.
6904889
I'm writing the next chapter as I wait for mine to install.
Just in case everyone didn't have enough XCOM this weekend, y'know?
6909413 Totally. XCOM is love XCOM is life... And I've spent many hours into it already. Think I'm getting up towards 40 by now. Dunno for certain until I sit down at my computer to start it up again hah. Also mods! Damn mods are popping up quickly.
Wow. That was priceless.
Just had Abigail 'Twilight' Sparkle tear apart three Chrysalids with a well placed Null Lance, saving Patricia 'Rainbow' Dash's hide from murder-claws.
Got huge grin on face.
Came to see if new chapter was out.
Saw it wasn't.
Got sad.
Went back to finish saving the civvies in the Retaliation Mission.
I can't get enough X-Com right now. Are you planning on incorporating any of the story elements from X-Com 2 into Project Sparkle? Or any of the new aliens? The new Sectoids perhaps, since they are so prominent in the early game and promotion material for the game. Or the Archons? Hate those flying hitpoint sacks... So much love for how psionics works now. The powers and the training.
Heeeeeeey, they're cheating! Combat is supposed to be turn based!!!
why do i get the feeling that the found one is another mlp character? luna maybe..........................
The Found One: I'm predicting she's either Luna or Sunset Shimmer.
Wasn't really giving this fic a chance, thinking it would be a clone of Stardust. How glad am I that I was proven wrong!
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To be honest, I kinda thought that too, until I started reading it. Everything about it feels completely different from Stardust, and it ROCKS. I'm really loving this.
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More than a year after the fact, and this story is inspiring me to reinstall the game. As if the new story expansion for X-Com 2 wasn't enough reason.
So... the aliens have a ‘commander’ now... and obviously it’s a pony. But which one? Sunset?...
Human tactics leading alien forces? Guess we know now what the Exalt spoke person is for.
The alien pulling X-Com 2 tactics xD