Communicating...With Whom?

Ironside was correct, the sectoid commander was just another pawn. The communication construct from its base was immediately put into research and it was just a matter of time, until XCOM could build something beneficial based on it.

Sectoid commander itself was first interrogated and then dissected. It turned out, that its mind controlling powers could be somewhat replicated and a specific facility could be built to try to find out if any of the soldiers carried the same talent.

[LABORATORY COMMS TRANSCRIPTION]

Ironside: That guy looks particularly angry.

Dr. Vahlen: It is largely containing its rage within while unable to project its mind control powers anywhere from that tank. It won't be long until it fries itself in this state.

Broden: Good. That thing gives me shivers. I now have a vague idea of how victims of unauthorized intimate co-operation must feel. Sorry, Megawatt.

Megawatt: It's ok, I trust you were not yourself. Good thing is that now I've got a permanent weather station in my right elbow.

[TRANSCRIPTION ENDS]

In the meantime, XCOM was kept busy. Aliens were abduction people in Japan and Firestorm shot down a large supply barge somewhere in the States. Both missions were intense, but on the easy side to the experienced squad, and therefore an excellent chance for the less experienced soldiers to amass valuable field miles, and promotions were in place for Branca, Goose and Snake Catcher before the November report arrived. Research laboratory and engineers' workshop produced many great improvements to the weapons by upgrading existing pistols and replacing the rocket launcher with a fusion blaster. Now it was just waiting game to get both the psionic lab and the hyperwave communication station ready for operation.