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[The Fifth Horseman]

Several more games of laser tag against Marsec security dudes gets us all cash we need for the new labs and to equip the newest team members. In fact, we almost have enough money for a Hawk Air Warrior.

New arrivals:
Team AB: Ianfreddie
http://i45.photobucket.com/albums/f7.../ufo2p_176.png
(Sorry, Tomekk, there simply weren't any more human recruits in the pool. I'll add you as soon as there is one.
Team AR: Beefonthebone
http://i45.photobucket.com/albums/f7.../ufo2p_177.png
Doubler
http://i45.photobucket.com/albums/f7.../ufo2p_178.png

The UFO alert flares up at 14:25. We scramble our craft immediately.
http://i45.photobucket.com/albums/f7.../ufo2p_179.png
http://i45.photobucket.com/albums/f7.../ufo2p_180.png
One "saucer" and two Scouts. Unfortunately, all UFOs outrun our craft and make it back to Alien Dimension unharmed.

The Hyperworm research is completed some time later.
http://i45.photobucket.com/albums/f7.../ufo2p_181.png

And it's tome to check the infiltration graphs.
http://i45.photobucket.com/albums/f7.../ufo2p_182.png

The aliens have infiltrated the buildings belonging to General Metro, Evonet and Technocrats. This is going to be easy.

Under orders of Major Damage, Team AB will not deploy, instead leaving the operation fully in hands of Team AR - and given that Team AR is armed to the teeth, the op is guaranteed to be very short... and very brutal.

http://i45.photobucket.com/albums/f7.../ufo2p_183.png
http://i45.photobucket.com/albums/f7.../ufo2p_184.png
Location: Cityclean Two
A sewage treatment facility belonging to Evonet. Beef and Doubler give silent thanks to their armor's internal air supply...
http://i45.photobucket.com/albums/f7...9/tacp_345.png

The area is small, so it's easy to locate the aliens using Doubler's standard issue motion scanner.
http://i45.photobucket.com/albums/f7...9/tacp_346.png

And how do the alien freaks manage against Team AR's firepower?
http://i45.photobucket.com/albums/f7...9/tacp_347.png

Frankly, they don't.
http://i45.photobucket.com/albums/f7...9/tacp_348.png
http://i45.photobucket.com/albums/f7...9/tacp_349.png
http://i45.photobucket.com/albums/f7...9/tacp_350.png

Score:
http://i45.photobucket.com/albums/f7...9/tacp_351.png

[The Fifth Horseman]

http://i45.photobucket.com/albums/f7.../ufo2p_185.png
http://i45.photobucket.com/albums/f7.../ufo2p_186.png
Location: Car Two
General Metro has two buildings in the city. And of the two, only one was anywhere close to flight trajectories of recent UFOs. It's really a no-brainer.

http://i45.photobucket.com/albums/f7...9/tacp_352.png

Doubler stops a bunch of Hyperworms from getting to the top floor, and as soon as that is secured we descend to the garage below.
http://i45.photobucket.com/albums/f7...9/tacp_353.png
http://i45.photobucket.com/albums/f7...9/tacp_354.png

Bingo! Three Multiworms charge right at the destructive duo, but hey... how does a giant worm cope with incendiary ammunition?
http://i45.photobucket.com/albums/f7...9/tacp_355.png

Answer: it doesn't.
http://i45.photobucket.com/albums/f7...9/tacp_356.png

Score:
http://i45.photobucket.com/albums/f7...9/tacp_357.png

http://i45.photobucket.com/albums/f7.../ufo2p_188.png
http://i45.photobucket.com/albums/f7.../ufo2p_187.png
Location: Cityclean Three
Another Evonet sewage treatment facility, right on the trajectory between the Dimension Gate and Car Two. It might be just a hunch, but best if we check the place anyway.
http://i45.photobucket.com/albums/f7...9/tacp_358.png

First we see a Hyperworm, but then a Popper comes into vision. Dumb critter can't understand it doesn't have the ability to fly, and is promptly dispatched.
http://i45.photobucket.com/albums/f7...9/tacp_359.png
http://i45.photobucket.com/albums/f7...9/tacp_360.png
http://i45.photobucket.com/albums/f7...9/tacp_361.png
http://i45.photobucket.com/albums/f7...9/tacp_362.png

More worms and an Anthropod. Not much of a match for us, as they all die in explosions shortly thereafter.
http://i45.photobucket.com/albums/f7...9/tacp_363.png
http://i45.photobucket.com/albums/f7...9/tacp_364.png

http://i45.photobucket.com/albums/f7...9/tacp_365.png

[The Fifth Horseman]

http://i45.photobucket.com/albums/f7.../ufo2p_189.png
http://i45.photobucket.com/albums/f7.../ufo2p_190.png
Location: New Empire Tower

http://i45.photobucket.com/albums/f7...9/tacp_366.png

Hurrying to secure the building entrance, we come upon the first Anthropod.
http://i45.photobucket.com/albums/f7...9/tacp_367.png

The entrance itself is guarded by a pair of Multiworms, and inside the building we fight three Spitters.
http://i45.photobucket.com/albums/f7...9/tacp_368.png
http://i45.photobucket.com/albums/f7...9/tacp_369.png

http://i45.photobucket.com/albums/f7...9/tacp_370.png
http://i45.photobucket.com/albums/f7...9/tacp_371.png

It seems there were kind of fewer creatures than normally... oh well.
http://i45.photobucket.com/albums/f7...9/tacp_372.png

(sorry, forgot to take a screenshot of the scoring for the mission)

At 22:55, the Chrysalis research concludes and the biochem division takes on the analysis of our Popper specimen.
http://i45.photobucket.com/albums/f7.../ufo2p_191.png

This concludes the second week of our operation within the city.
http://i45.photobucket.com/albums/f7.../ufo2p_192.png
http://i45.photobucket.com/albums/f7.../ufo2p_193.png

Time for upgrades and and ammo - Team AB finally can equip with a shiny new Hawk Air Warrior, which means Team AR takes over their Valkyrie (with its extra passenger module replaced with AI targeting systems for better combat effectiveness).
http://i45.photobucket.com/albums/f7.../ufo2p_196.png

Tomekk joins Team AB.
http://i45.photobucket.com/albums/f7.../ufo2p_195.png

Popper autopsy report completes on 11:55, and the one on Chrysalis just an hour later.
http://i45.photobucket.com/albums/f7.../ufo2p_197.png
http://i45.photobucket.com/albums/f7.../ufo2p_198.png

On 14:55, the Quantum Physics team finishes their research on the power sources used by Alien crafts, and jumps to designing a probe to enter the Alien Dimension.
http://i45.photobucket.com/albums/f7.../ufo2p_200.png

21:55 brings the conclusion of Hyperworm autopsy research.
http://i45.photobucket.com/albums/f7.../ufo2p_201.png

That's it for the day.
http://i45.photobucket.com/albums/f7.../ufo2p_202.png

Autopsy of the Anthropod specimen is complete at 7 AM next day.
http://i45.photobucket.com/albums/f7.../ufo2p_203.png

On 16:55, the quantum physics research team produces specs for an interdimensional probe we could use to travel to the Alien dimension. Problem is, our Workshop facilities are inadequate to construct it.
http://i45.photobucket.com/albums/f7.../ufo2p_204.png

Spitter autopsy concludes three hours later.
http://i45.photobucket.com/albums/f7.../ufo2p_205.png

Score for today.
http://i45.photobucket.com/albums/f7.../ufo2p_206.png

[The Fifth Horseman]

At 9:50 a glaring klaxon signals the end of our all-too-brief respite from alien incursions - and with a never-seen-before type of an UFO.
http://i45.photobucket.com/albums/f7.../ufo2p_207.png
http://i45.photobucket.com/albums/f7.../ufo2p_208.png
http://i45.photobucket.com/albums/f7.../ufo2p_209.png

After a frantic aerial battle, two UFOs are downed, while the remaining three make good their escape.
http://i45.photobucket.com/albums/f7.../ufo2p_210.png
http://i45.photobucket.com/albums/f7.../ufo2p_211.png

Since several cars owned by Cult of Sirius just rolled out, the Hawk Carrier tries to down them... and accidentally destroys an appliance factory owned by Superdynamics. Awk.
http://i45.photobucket.com/albums/f7.../ufo2p_212.png

Anyway. The Hawk moves to Abandonia Prime to pick up Beef and Doubler - we need all the manpower we can muster, since there's no telling what gribblies are waiting inside the alien vessel.
http://i45.photobucket.com/albums/f7.../ufo2p_213.png
http://i45.photobucket.com/albums/f7.../ufo2p_214.png


The UFO is... well, "huge" only begins to cover it.
http://i45.photobucket.com/albums/f7...9/tacp_373.png
http://i45.photobucket.com/albums/f7...9/tacp_374.png
http://i45.photobucket.com/albums/f7...9/tacp_375.png

No aliens outside, but Kugerfang's motion scanner shows a s**tload of blips inside the craft. We set up at the only entrance and wait.
http://i45.photobucket.com/albums/f7...9/tacp_377.png

The aliens appear quickly - and guess what? A new species!
http://i45.photobucket.com/albums/f7...9/tacp_378.png

Plus Anthropods and several Poppers.
http://i45.photobucket.com/albums/f7...9/tacp_379.png

We fight off their counterattack... and wait.
http://i45.photobucket.com/albums/f7...9/tacp_380.png

When the aliens stop coming, it's time for us to come in.
Only one way into the UFO equals only one way out of it - the trick is to draw them to us instead of the other way round. http://i45.photobucket.com/albums/f7...9/tacp_381.png

Eagle throws the explosive pack on the upper floor of the UFO. This seems to inspire a few Anthropods into walking right into our position.
http://i45.photobucket.com/albums/f7...9/tacp_382.png

Then, the "big guns" of our teams group together and mop up the few surviving Spitters on the ship. This seems to have concluded the mission.
http://i45.photobucket.com/albums/f7...9/tacp_383.png

http://i45.photobucket.com/albums/f7...9/tacp_384.png


Time to deal with the other UFO.

http://i45.photobucket.com/albums/f7...9/tacp_385.png
http://i45.photobucket.com/albums/f7...9/tacp_386.png

Surprise - they were waiting for us.
http://i45.photobucket.com/albums/f7...9/tacp_387.png
http://i45.photobucket.com/albums/f7...9/tacp_388.png

During the shootout, Bob was hit with some weird alien "missile". The thing didn't explode, but covered his armor and weapons with some acidic goop that dissolved them into sludge in mere seconds. Fortunately, he had enough common sense to drop the guns, tear off what was left of his armor and run like hell out of the combat zone.

Once the dust settles, Paco leads an assault into the craft... that is, he would if there was anything left to assault. All he finds is a lone Anthropod which doesn't react fast enough to prevent sizzling plasma from ripping its hide to pieces.
http://i45.photobucket.com/albums/f7...9/tacp_389.png
http://i45.photobucket.com/albums/f7...9/tacp_390.png
http://i45.photobucket.com/albums/f7...9/tacp_391.png

Score:
http://i45.photobucket.com/albums/f7...9/tacp_392.png

At 14:55, the research team finishes their report on Disruptor Guns. Nice toy, that.
http://i45.photobucket.com/albums/f7.../ufo2p_215.png

At 16:00, the analysis is complete on live Spitter.
http://i45.photobucket.com/albums/f7.../ufo2p_216.png

This concludes the day.
http://i45.photobucket.com/albums/f7.../ufo2p_217.png

[The Fifth Horseman]

At midnight, the construction of Advanced Biochemistry Lab is completed at Abandonia Prime. With the combined abilities of all our biochemists, it takes mere hours to finish analysis of Brainsucker Pods and then the materials on Alien Life Cycle. After that, the lab starts research on biochemical warfare.
http://i45.photobucket.com/albums/f7.../ufo2p_218.png
http://i45.photobucket.com/albums/f7.../ufo2p_219.png

At 16:05, we have a new alert - seems someone found aliens at an Osiron warehouse in the eastern part of the city. Team AB will answer the alert, but Team AR will comb through other Osiron-owned real estate to look for any other alien gribblies.

http://i45.photobucket.com/albums/f7...9/tacp_393.png

The aliens are encountered almost immediately, and at the same time any careful strategies we might have had turn into one huge cluster****.
http://i45.photobucket.com/albums/f7...9/tacp_394.png
http://i45.photobucket.com/albums/f7...9/tacp_395.png

Arete shoots some Anthropods and a Popper with explosive rounds - dunno what the aliens were carrying, but the resulting explosion causes heavy damage to the building.
http://i45.photobucket.com/albums/f7...9/tacp_396.png
http://i45.photobucket.com/albums/f7...9/tacp_397.png

Eagle and Arete were incredibly lucky, both surviving the explosion (which took out a huge chunk of the building) unhurt!
http://i45.photobucket.com/albums/f7...9/tacp_398.png
http://i45.photobucket.com/albums/f7...9/tacp_399.png

The crossfire resolves quickly - and it wasn't aliens who were still standing when the dust settled!
http://i45.photobucket.com/albums/f7...9/tacp_400.png

Score:
http://i45.photobucket.com/albums/f7...9/tacp_401.png

At 18:55, the specs are ready for Advanced Workshop. By selling off most of our Disruptor Guns, we have the funds to start building it right away - the problem? It'll take 9 days to complete.
http://i45.photobucket.com/albums/f7.../ufo2p_220.png

End of the day.
http://i45.photobucket.com/albums/f7.../ufo2p_221.png

Meet you in 7!

[GTX2GvO]

*The Quantum Physics Lab*

GTX2GvO: Hi there guy's..
Researcher: Quick hide the stuff!!
GTX2GvO: Ohh. Come on! I'm not that bad.. *Lifts a cloth up to look under it.*
GTX2GvO: Hmmm.. Interesting....

Researcher: What do you want?
GTX2GvO: The schematics for a Dimensional Drive..
Researcher: What??
GTX2GvO: Ohh. Don't play an tricks will ya..
Researcher: No. Really.. What do you want?

GTX2GvO: You know.. Looks like a Quantum Spacial Drive, only it will get you quick in another dimension instead of another Galaxy..
Researcher: Quantum What Drive??
GTX2GvO: Don't tel me you guy's still haven't tried to analise my ship??
Researcher: Maybe if you'd get us the specs for that Quantum thingy, we might assist you with your request..

GTX2GvO: Sure.. Here are the BASE schematics for it..
Researcher: Wow.. This is advanced stuff!!
GTX2GvO: And to think mine is vastly upgraded..
Researcher: I'll contact you when we have analyzed this..

*GTX2GvO leaves the Quantum Physics Lab*

Researcher 2: So, when are we gonna tell him we have full details of both his ship and the Dimensional Drive technology??
Researcher: When the probe comes back from it's investigation..
Researcher 2: Wouldn't that piss him off??
Researcher: We can always hide behind the major..

Researcher 2: Don't say you mean that literally..
Researcher: uhhhmm...

*The researchers continue with their work. Not willing to know what might happen next.*

[Capo]

That Spitter looks ugly! :violent5:

[The Fifth Horseman]

No update this week, sorry folks. I need to finish something for Monday and simply can't spare the time right now. Will try to provide a mini-update around Thursday.

[Fortis]

In the vehicle bay, GXT’s ship is still blasting out the heavy metal music.

The Chosen: @#$%...If that ship doesn’t shut up, I’m going to rip out it’s generator.
Fortis: *Entering* The music? I forgot about it.
The Chosen: How can you not notice that! The walls are vibrating!
Fortis: I’ve got a trick for that. *After a moment, the music abruptly stops.*
The Chosen: Did you control the ship? GXT will kill you if he finds out.
Fortis: No, the music’s still playing. You brain s filtering it out and ignoring it unconsciously. Comes in handy with heavy machinery, distractions in combat, and droning mission briefings.
The Chosen: …Sounds useful. So what are you doing down here anyway?
Fortis: This week’s been brutal, I need to get off base for a little bit.
The Chosen: This week? That’s nothing, you should have seen the siege of Taurus Epsilon. That battle took months. This week’s been a walk in the park in comparison.
Fortis: Well, that’s a matter of perspective. Not everyone has the mercenary background that you do.
The Chosen: Things must not be very tough over in the Psi-Corps.
Fortis: Not very tough physically. The mental combat routines would leave you gibbering nonsense.
The Chosen: Heh, I doubt that.
Fortis: Whatever. I’m gonna take one of the hoverbikes out into the city before my off hours are all used up.
The Chosen: Actually, the major said we need to stay on base for a while.
Fortis: *Opening the bay doors* What? Why?

*Outside, there is a mob of cultists waving signs, shouting, and struggling against a line of police. Upon seeing Fortis and The Chosen, they began throwing whatever came to hand at the two. Fortis and The Chosen duck behind either side of the wall.*

The Chosen: THAT’S why!
Fortis: What the heck?! There’s no way that the cultists could get so much support.
The Chosen: Only some are the cultists, some are angry over the Superdynamics factory incident, some have taken it into their own hands to shut GXT’s ship up.
Bob: *Dashing into the vehicle bay* AUGH! Help me! It’s loose!

*Arete’s tiger comes bounding in, playfully chasing Bob. Bob quickly scales up on top of a pile of crates.*

Fortis: Phew, for a moment, I thought it was the aliens again.
The Chosen: I wish she’d keep that tiger from roaming around the base.
Fortis: Hmm.

*The tiger stops climbing after Bob, and looks out at the gathered mob. It jumps down to the floor, then bounds out over the heads of the policemen. The gathered mob screams and scatters, and the tiger leaps back into the base before the policemen can respond. The crowd vanishes, and the tiger calmly walks into the hall and heads back to Arete’s room.*

Fortis: Two birds, one stone.
The Chosen: Nice, bring back some chips when you return, will you?
Fortis: Sure thing, later.
Bob: Uhh, could you help me down from here?

[GTX2GvO]

*Entering the Equipment bay..*

GTX2GvO: What's this damn noise!!
Fortis: Your ship maybe??

*GTX2GvO Looks @ his ship..*

GTX2GvO: No. That's not it. Sounds more like a mob..
Fortis: Oh.. Those.. Some are cultist, but the most are complaining that their houses are about to collapse due to the noise from your ship..
GTX2GvO: Oh..!! I forgot about that..
GTX2GvO: YO! Kendaru! Shut Up! You're causing damage with it!
Ship: #Ahhww man! Not fair. #

The Chosen: That thing Has a Name!!
GTX2GvO: Ehhmm yes..

*The wall stop vibrating when the ship stops producing noise*
*Terves Runs into the equipment bay*

Terves: Who did it!! Who Killed the ship!! :nuts:
Fortis: No one.. It just stopped playing.. :notrust:
Terves: Oh.. Whatever.. *And he leaves the equipment bay again*

GTX2GvO: So. TC.. Any plans for this stuck on base free time?
The Chosen: I think I'm gonna do some Target Practice @ the shooting range.
GTX2GvO: Hmm.. Yeah.. Think I can do that too..

*GTX2GvO Walks to his ship*

The Chosen: Don't tell me you're gonna use that hand gun for the practice..
GTX2GvO: No, No!.. *Gets a rifle out of a compartment behind the seat*
GTX2GvO: I'm gonna use the Rifle version of it..
The Chosen. Wait. Is that??
GTX2GvO: The same rifle as 5 years ago?? Yes..
The Chosen: Cool! He Can I try it out on the shooting range?
GTX2GvO: Sure. But don't set it too high.. According to the bases blueprints there are water lines behind the shooting range..
The Chosen: So That's why there are blast doors @ the Do Not Cross line.
GTX2GvO: And the door switch is @ the info console.

*The Chosen and GTX2GvO walk toward the Shooting Range while talking about how GTX's Rifle works and about the security measures that prevent possible flooding.

Bob: PLEASE!! Will anybody get me off here?!?!