Let's Play: UFO Enemy Unknown

[AceDiamond]

Personal Log
August(?) 1999
Maximilian "Ace" Diamond, X-Com: HWP Division

The war is over. At least, that's the easiest way to put it. Without the psychic link of the alien hive-mind, most of the aliens opposing us are either dead or inert. There is still the matter of the United States to contend with, and I am unsure if I am truly heading home yet.

There is also the matter of X-Com's future. With the alien threat gone for now, the UN will probably not see any reason to fund us much further beyond alien salvage operations for any vessels that crashed into the sea during this war. ANTX81 has already been "decommissioned" and the Hovertanks are due for the same treatment as well. It's a shame, really. What's to become of everything else even? Avenger is the marvel upon marvels of reverse-engineered technology, but of course we can only power it with as much Elerium as we can find, which may not be all that much when all is said and done. Most likely it will become a living memorial to all that's occured over the past 7 months, and perhaps that is the most fitting, just like Apollo 11.

Of course, I myself am unsure of whether or not shutting down X-Com is the best idea, there was an anomalous signal given out by the hive-mind just before it died from Cyberoth's blaster rocket. We're all certain it was just the last desperate cry of an already-dead system, but what if it isn't?

For now though, we shouldn't let "what-ifs" dampen our spirits. We've ended the first major threat to humanity as a whole, and hopefully can usher in a new era of global unity from it. We're heroes...and heroes that really need a break.

 

[GloatingSwine]

*** CLASSIFIED: ABOVE TOP SECRET ***
X-Com Command Staff Eyes Only

Excerpt Personal Journal, General McSwine

Day 215, Epilogue

Seven months, our war lasted. Seven months in which we fought tooth and nail against an invader armed with superior firepower and technology, with seemingly infinite reserves, and with an unknowable will and purpose. This war was not a grand conflict like those of Earth's history, there will be no triumphal parades or great military marches to honour the brave men and women who stepped forward to preserve humanity itself, but the stakes were higher than any we have ever known.

The aftermath of the aliens' defeat will be felt on Earth for some time. An alien facility was eventually located in southern Saudi Arabia, but with no supplies and no directing will the small Muton complement present had reverted to an almost feral state, and was easily defeated by local armed forces, and the facility stripped and demolished, buried in the sand. The mechanism by which the United States raises and crushes it's political leaders has begun to turn again, the President was "caught" in his office in a compromising position with an intern, and faces if not immediate removal, certainly the defeat of his party at the next election, the American people will never know that their government was infiltrated at the highest levels by agents of a hostile alien power, but the problem, at least, will be quietly removed.

X-Com's purpose is, for now, fulfilled. With the defeat of the alien intelligence on Mars, the project will be scaled down dramatically to a small peacetime contingent, the nations of the funding council unwilling to maintain the millions required every month for an organization they cannot fully account for to their taxpayers. Everything we have done here will be subject to the highest levels of classification, the specifics of X-Com's actions will never be known to any public agency, and the soldiers that served here will, once they regain some semblance of sobriety, be made aware that they will return to their nations and national armies, and as I sign off this journal it will be sealed, only to be re-opened in the case that some future commander of this organization faces the great threat once again.

I hope that day never arrives.

- General G McSwine (Retired).

----

Credits and Thanks

Thanks to:

Microprose
The Escapist

AceDiamond
Birras
vid20 (CAPSLOCK FURY)
Higurashi
Sgt.Looney (Looney)
dekkarax
Armitage Shanks
teh_gunslinger (Jack Lavish)
Combined
gamebrain89
Bling Cat
HyruleanHyroe (Doomsly McSlaughter)
The_root_of_all_evil (RootOfAllEvil)
cyberoth
Schizzy
Longshot
Vanilla Gorilla
preachersaul
ANTX81
Kevvers
Valiance
ninjablu
Normeo

Anyone else who's been reading this thread, it's been a blast.

Spoiler: To Be Continued?

 

[Combined]

I'm sure I speak for us all, when I say "Thanks, GloatingSwine!" It was nice having you as a host. You definitely earn a cookie for that. Good luck with your future endeavors.

Ah, Cthulhu. Always a threat.
----------------------
Entry: Final.
Unknown Date,
Unknown Location,
Combined II.

It's done. The aliens are defeated, at least for now, and the earth is safe. Time to say goodbye to my teammates and go home. Managed to get a few kills at the start, but was mostly inactive by the end of the battle.

But now, The End of our adventure is here.

And we're still alive. We have lost and we have gained, and all will be remembered. I'll never forget any of them. But the threat of aliens is still quite real and there is still a chance of them attacking our wonderful earth.

"That is not dead which can eternal lie.
And with strange aeons even death may die"

Oh, yes. I will be back next time.

~Combined II

 

[Higurashi]

+++
Final Journal Entry, August 1999
Sgt. Simon "Higurashi" Nilsson, X-Com Alpha-Squad
---

It's over. I can't believe it's over. Home awaits, and Ilyana is coming with me. She's dying to see Sweden, and I'm dying to show her. This, this is what I've fought for. Finally the struggle is over. Finally I can rest. I'll go back to being a lieutenant in the Swedish Armed Forces, no doubt. They kind of knew what I was sent on. Kind of. It's all classified of course. But it's done now. It's over. It's fucking over!

-Higs, ironically a lover, not a fighter.

+++

 

[The_root_of_all_evil]

Final Journal Entry, August 1999
Sgt. Root Of All Evil, X-Com Alpha-Squad : Sniper Division

I may still be limping from that damn sponge critter, but there's no way it's gonna stop me. Couple of Vicodin and I'll be fine. Time for a rest now, until next time.

----------------

OOC: Many many thanks Gloatingswine for a fantastic journey. You've got a good scripting future ahead of you and I look forward to seeing your first film.

 

[Malkavian]

//Audio Log of Subject "Longshot"
Presumed January, 2000
--------------

Ah, the tape is almost out, and it is time to finish this log off... Been some 6 months since we returned from Cydonia. Mankind lived to see another millenium take it's beginning. I never had the chance to finish this after our victory over the alien menace. Mere hours after we returned to earth, still on combat and victory high, officials-
*sounds of distant gunfire*
JACKSON, YOU ON THE PERIMETER?! Ahem... Yes, as we touched down, officials were ready to put me in irons... For some reason, though, the door to the hall we were celebrating in got jammed, it's electric-circuits somehow malfunctioning, and while I could clearly see the agents through the bulletproof glass, I was able to make my escape through the airducts. None of my comrades stopped me, and, apparantly, none ratted me out. I guess that, even though you've just saved the entire human species, they still aren't ready to forgive if you've carried out a few high profile marks or other dirty jobs within european borders...

So it was back to same old, same old... The human race might just have teetered on the brink of annihilation, but we never wise up and stop fighting each other. So there's always going to be a demand for hired guns like me.

I have decided to make this last entry, since my associates and I find ourself in a bit of a tight spot. So, I have a few things I'd like to say-
*loud explosions drown out speech*
-also, I wish the best to my X-Com mates. CAPS, you lucky bastard... Higurashi, I hope that hussy you found yerself made you happy. Ace... You always watched our backs. Preacherman... Ah, what the heck, I'm not gonna give you shit-
*a series of loud explosions drown out speech*
-Gorilla, you never did thank me for whacking that saucerman that was sneaking up on you... But I forgive ya.
*Gunfire, close*
WOOAH! JACKSON! DO YOU READ? Shit... BOOMER, YOU THERE?
*Speech, possibly from a radio, too low to transcript*
Well, get your damn ass in here... We're pulling out!
*Speech, possibly from a radio, too low to transcript*
I DON'T GIVE A DAMN! Merc's honour or not, I'm not getting my ass fried for any number of millions in the world! Be here in fifteen! DANIELS!

Unkown, "Daniels": Still no sight of the rest of the team, Long!

Yeah, where was I... Oh, yeah. The world may never know what peril it was in. But we did, we fought back, and we won. For some, the war is over. I wish you the best. For other's of us... Well, some us don't know how to do anything else. But I hope I can get meself enough dough to retire. And if I do, I'll just have to see Doomsly about that free night at the bar...
*Explosion, followed by gunfire, close*

Unkown, "Daniels": Shit, they're through! LONG, THEY'RE THR-

DANIELS!
*Gunfire, close*
*Loud noises, presumably, judging from the recorder when it was uncovered, due to recorder being dropped to the floor*
*Gunfire, close. Yells and screams*
*Tape ends*
--------------
End of log


For further transcripts of Audiologs by subject "Longshot", see Section 62462B, under "L". For a detailed overview and references to all files in connection with the subject, request the intelligence divisions for the Belgrade-ledger, clearance 12 or higher.

- SA Thomas Kinsburne, NSA

 

[ANTX81]

oh good god man are you going to do terror from the deep? that's suicide!

 

[AceDiamond]

oh good god man are you going to do terror from the deep? that's suicide!

allegedly with XCom Util it becomes a bit more manageable.

 

[ANTX81]

true, probably the only reason we weren't totaly ripped apart by psionics this time around.

Reguardless, TFTD is still quite the nightmare...oh god the shipping lanes...and the base attacks

HORROR!

 

[vid20]

Personal Log
Fury, Capslock Fury
The morning of a new day, the dawn of a new year.. and yet is it even August?

"And shepherds we shall be, for thee me lord for thee."
So its over. I still can't believe its all over. I set foot on mars, hell I killed the native species (presumably) from Mars; and just like that, in the blink of an eye its all over. And we are just expected to go on with our lives. For some reason I can't get my head around all this.

Is this where the work of the lord ends? Has my mission in his name been completed? Is there really an end to all this? I have found running those questions over and over in my head unavoidable, even though I am trying to steer clear of it. But it feels like a small piece of me died when Cyberoth's blaster launcher ripped into the alien hive mind. The sole reason I had been living for these past seven months; living to preserve humanity. Its all over. And just like that we are going to be decommissioned because the threat is gone.. I don't know, I just can't bring myself to believe that.

Yet all around me the signs are there; ANTX has already been shut down, as well as the hover tanks. Hig's has left our forces with his new lady friend. Hell even long shot has mysteriously jetted off, but that seems fitting for him. Don't worry buddy I'll make sure to sink one for you next time I am out at the pub. You always where a good drinker. Hell even General Swine has retired; I guess he has completed his life goal. He did after all save humanity.

But what of the rest of us? I'm sure some of us don't want to give this up, yet they seem to be pushing us into serving for our respective countries normal military forces. Well sure Australian S.A.S sounds exciting, but I can't help but think somehow I will feel empty doing it. And I'm sure the good word of the lord never intended me to bring my wrath against other humans. I don't think I could live with myself if I had to shed human blood.

So I guess I'm going to push to be kept on the pay roll; I know they are only keeping a small token force, but then again I am a token kind of guy; at least in the grand scheme of things. But I feel that if I stay here doing the good lords work against all that would seek to defile our holy world, then even in all my insignificance I am making a significant difference to this world.

I guess only the Lord knows what lies beyond this, the rest of us are going to have to wait and see.
The Fury of Caps, some what placated.
going, going, going, gone.

<spoiler=ooc>*sniff sniff* I can't believe its over. Thank you so much for letting me be part of this epic voyage GloatingSwine. Also if you are going to run a sequel consider me all over it; herpes on a hooker.

 

[HyruleanHyroe]

Personal Log
August, 1999
Ex-Captain Dalton "Doomsly" McSlaughter

God damn, that was one hell of a party. I think.

I don't know what I'm going to do now. Fighting those bastards has really given me a sense of kinship with humanity in general, and I don't think I can go back to fighting my own species. I guess I'll just have to find a regular job. Maybe a demolition derby driver? I'll certainly keep my skills honed, though. God knows I'll be ready next time the alien scum finds the balls to attack Earth again.

There's a small part of me that hopes they do. It's nice to be able to release some aggression.

if (earth = safe)
{
personalLog = false;
}
else
{
Happiness = warmGun;
}

-Doosmly

<spoiler=ooc>GloatingSwine, this has been absolutely EPIC. If you ever find the time, do not hesitate to do a part II. I'll be there in a flash.

 

[Dramatic Flare]

Spoiler: OOC

I must also say, GloatingSwine, this little romp through game land has been delightful.
Perhaps I shall need to mimic it at some point, but I don't think I have any good turn-based strategy games right now.
Oh!
Perhaps I should go through Disgaea or another Nippon Ichi game.
Hmm......
But that would require immense amount of time at my friend's house............

 

[GloatingSwine]

allegedly with XCom Util it becomes a bit more manageable.

There's not really much you can do to TFTD. XComUtil can beef up Gauss weapons, but not so much that you wouldn't skip them and go straight to Sonic anyway, and turn Molecular Control off, but that's about your lot.

true, probably the only reason we weren't totaly ripped apart by psionics this time around.

If I take things that far, then psionics won't appear until Apocalypse, where they're less broken as they need line of sight to work.

 

[Schizzy]

Personal Log
============
Sgt. Konstantin "Schizzy" Sikorsky
August, 1999
==================================
Lost track of time since we've gotten back. I am glad that I had the chance to see brains of the alien invasion, right before Cmdr Birras blew it to smithereens.

With the close of the war, X-Com has been deemed... unnecessary. I shall return to Russia. But no longer do I wish to amongst the Vympel men. Not that I'm no longer patriotic. I've come back changed. Now that I know what's out there, and the possibility that more are waiting, I can no longer put myself in a position where I may take another fellow man's life. Who knows? My enemies today my one day be my brothers in arms. I cannot in good conscious kill anymore.

With that, I tell comrade Director Victor of my decision to leave. He will not be happy, but I expect that he'd respect my decision.

I don't know what I will do after this, but I will miss my comrades in X-Com. Maybe I'll look them up when I've finished my business.

End log.

 

[dekkarax]

I decided to draw something for this thread, it's a bit rushed, but I think it came out ok; I was going to draw the whole battle, but I realised that I'd probably never finish it. I'm new to this image uploading thing, hopefully it will be in my post.

[http://img12.imageshack.us/my.php?image=xcom001.jpg]

Thanks, it's been a thoroughly enjoyable journey.

 

[The_root_of_all_evil]

That's awesome Dekkarax. Great tribute.

 

[vid20]

I wholly agree with Evil's statement. Fantastic work Dekkarax

 

[Bling Cat]

And then they went on to be a successful soft drinks company.

 

[ANTX81]

And then they went on to be a successful soft drinks company.

I'd buy it

 

[uk_john]

Found on the AP Wire:

The UK Times has reported that filming of X-Com battles and documents have been edited by the same X-Com Organisation to show the organisation in a favourable light in the early days of it's existence in order to gain more beneficial funding. While this has been refuted strongly by all the major governments of the world, this reporter has spoken to many battle hardened experts who insist that records of wounded and killed must have been doctored. Other experts, who cannot be named for fear of reprisal, have pointed out that documentation they have seen from the first 3 months of existence of this organisation has been doctored to hide casualties.

One expert spoken to by this reporter pointed out that:

'Even in conventional warfare you could not expect casualty numbers so low,and yet here we have underpowered combat teams with inadequate weapons and/or training facing an overwhelming alien force with technology far ahead to have conducted early battle after early battle with little or no casualties!'

While not getting any official response to the films and documents I have obtained, various unnamed government officials have told me that given the overall victory of X-Com over the alien menace, governments are inclined to let 'sleeping dogs lie'. It was also pointed out, however, that should there be another alien attack, overseeing of any reformed organisation would be 'of a higher order of magnitude'

Breaking News: One retired X-Com officer cornered me outside my office, having read my front page article,he snarled at me and under his breath said, and I quote:

'Thank you very much - if there ever is another alien attack, you have just made sure it will be twice as hard! Or let me put it another way - that there'll be twice the chance we won't win and you will be dinner for some two headed monstrosity with gills or something!'

Given this 'meeting' with an X-Com officer, all I can say is I hope they have a more sober officer class if there is another war!

Report Ends