A Late Welcome

Early morning sky in far-eastern reaches of Russian wilderness lit up by the glare of the Skyranger engines as XCOM finally decided to pay a visit to the alien base. Not really knowing what to expect, the only objectives were to wipe out the place and try to capture the headmaster of the locale. Both Ironside and Broden had been equipped with the arc throwers for a while now, so nothing was different for them. Assaulting in the front wave proved a solid opportunity for trying to capture aliens alive. Harmony Lad was accompanied by 44, heavy weapons were provided by Hipster and Megawatt acted as the scout and the medic.

[SKYRANGER CABIN TRANSCRIPTION]

XCOM Central: Now, gentlemen, I'm absolutely positive that you can carry out the first task and leave no stone atop another, but I can't stress enough the importance of capturing the base commander alive.

Ironside: The way we have our asses kicked around lately, I can't guarantee anything.

Dr. Vahlen: We need him...I mean, it, alive.

Hipster: More toys, huh?

Harmony Lad: Abacus-wielders must be out of their minds, but let's give it a shot. I mean, not shoot it at least right off the bat.

Ironside: Sure. We're approaching, rappels ready. It's going to be a hot drop.

[TRANSCRIPTION ENDS]

The squad rappeled down on what could be considered as some kind of a yard. An other-worldly construct, artificial yard made of alien alloys, decorated with abduction tanks that very visibly contained human specimen inside. Ironside decided to block any deeper thoughts about this facility to stop his head spinning. Things had been mindboggling enough already for a while.

The squad chose the right entrance and took positions. Broden opened the door silently, but that was the last silent moment of the arrival as beyond the doorway there was two heavy floaters waiting. Nobody could get a decent shot, so everyone simply ducked their heads under the incoming heavy plasma fire. The heavy floaters were as bright as their lighter brethen and popped their heads on the doorway. Broden and Ironside popped their heads off and the squad advanced inside. Broden took the point and approached the end of the entry corridor that was housing a bigger door. Far left - the entrance yard seemed to be symmetrical and lead also to symmetrical corridors - something stirred from the shadows. It was the familiar humming of cyberdisc and its drones and the squad responded instantly. Megawatt took position on the middle platform, Harmony Lad stayed back on the outside yard for picking up stray targets and 44 took off with Hipster back through the yard to the left entrance in an attempt to flank the cyberdisc before it could wreak all the havoc it is capable of. The other drone shot at Broden and his titan armor did its share of work. The bolt did not penetrate the armor, but it was still strong enough to send Broden reeling. Megawatt picked that drone up from her post and Harmony Lad waited until the other one strayed directly into his line of fire.

Counting to three, Hipster opened the left door and stay put with 44. The cyberdisc did exactly what he expected: gained altitude tofly across the gap and assault the group on the right corridor. Mistake. Hipster hit the cyberdisc square on and right after, 44 cut it in half with a shot even Harmony Lad could call art. The disk crashed on the floor and exploded, sending alien terminals, displays and other hardware flying around. Beyond, two lighter floaters were hovering in the far corner, but they were quickly destroyed.

The squad stayed split up and took both doors at once. Some crumbling noise could be heard from ahead, but beynd the doors there was only a wide ledge that seemed to merge into a central ledge, protruding some five meters above a huge hangar-like hall. To Ironside's disgust, it was filled with some kind of surgical vats, that were occupied by humans. Or in some cases, what was remaining of a human. Apparently aliens were making all kinds of experiments with the abductees, but these thoughts came to a sudden stop as roaring filled the hall. From the right rise, two muton elites appeared and started shooting at the team. Harmony Lad took cover behind railing, which became instantly pulverized by the mutons. 44 destroyed the other muton elite far from the left side. He was becoming really good at this.

The remaining muton elite rushed down the slope, into the slope leading to the central ledge. It could not see the team, and it waited. It has sawn a glimpse of a sniper on the right and it had learned that snipers are the most dangerous humans. It waited for a bit longer and as there was no movement, it made a decision. It rushed up the ledge, with the idea of a dead sniper burning on its mind like a beacon. It felt devastating blow on its right side, but it had no time to wonder what it was. It felt it was bleeding inside out, but the thought was brushed aside as he saw the sniper crouching where the cover had been a few secons ago. It fired, and the sniper was engulfed in green plasma, searing his armor completely and taking him down. It felt victory for one second before everything went black.

Broden waited behind a wall on the corner of the central ledge. He heard the muton rumble up the slope, rose up and blasted it with his alloy cannon. It had a devastating effect and any human would have been reduced to a pulp. Not this muton. The muton elite seemed completely oblivious to anything else but Harmony Lad it seemed locked on to.

[TACTICAL COMMS TRANSCRIPTION]

Broden: Harmony Lad, look out!

*plasma firing point blank*

Harmony Lad: Ye--*static*

Megawatt: No!

[TRANSCRIPTION ENDS]

Broden unloaded another volley of alien metal shreds into the muton elite and the impact threw it a couple of meters forward, where it fell down.

END OF PART 1