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Barnest's scan-copy mind had been hooked up to computers simulating the interceptor for the past two days. Did he gets bored? Angry? I have no way to know. Not until I fire up my prototype.

I have dubbed her Phoenix.

Hmm? An interceptor? but didn't I get... must have been imagining... targets on radar... plot intercept... fire, fire fire!.... back on base... launching... targets at long range... closing... acquire missile lock... fox three!... in silo... engines to max... back in the air, where I belong... sensor info from Chinese base, moving to engage targets... Fox three... damn, miss... closing to gun range... firing... that's a hit...

Fax Modem passes a lab and sees a jar with the label 'barnest2' on it. Fax Modem quickly runs back to his workshop in fear.

fax trips over a cat thats really not there

cat: damn glad to have escaped that alien torture/death box

HAIL, PUNY MEAT-UNITS

CYBERDYNE MODEL 101 PROTOTYPE FOOTSOLDIER REPLACEMENT SYSTEM, UNIT DESIGNATION PEZOOK REPORTING FOR FRONTLINE DUTY

Affirmative Action alien recruit White Haven reporting for duty. Don't be hatin!

Zzzzzzzz...*mumble*damn xenos...*mumble* must burn them all...*mumble*zzzzzzz...

Good, reinforcements. The last couple of missions have been a bit dicey, the xenos have been chewing us up pretty badly. ForceLord and OmegaChief have both killed nearly as many aliens as the rest of the team put together. I hope they can keep it up.

OOC: The best way for funding things is selling alien weapons, whether we have them researched or not. The plasma pistols and plasma rifles (once they start showing up) will accumulate quickly and you only need one for research purposes. The ammo can be sold as well, because later on when the frequency of missions increases, so does the amount of loot. The plasma weapons are rather poor in any case.

Research priority should be on weapons. We need more oomph and quickly, because once the aliens start routinely wearing body armor (even light), all of the light weaponry will become useless at a stroke. You can empty a submachinegun into a lightly armored alien all day long and when it does deign to notice, it will return fire with interest.

We need a base covering North America as soon as possible, funds permitting. Standard complement for a base should be two of the light interceptors that fit into a small hangar apiece. Firebirds can fly in from further away, but later we need troopships in other bases as well when the missions become more frequent.

09:45, 28 April 2084
Command Center, PHALANX HQ
Turkey, GEU

I spoke clearly into the recorder. "Taman incursion into Tehran, Iran. 5 Aliens killed, no captured. Research on Live Alien proceeds apace. We really need our own UFO storage facility."


"The Middle Eastern Alliance is pleased with our prompt and effective response to Taman incursions, and has pledged further support. Doesn't stop them from being one of the low bidders for Alien wreckage.”


00:00, 01 May 2084




With these new funds, I am expanding the Chinese Base to include a pair of large hangers. One for the Firebird, the other for something that SirNitram requires. When I pressed him for a response, he only said that he needed the space. Storage, Living Quarters and a Hospital will round out the facility at this time.

I also agreed to lower one of my standards for PHALANX recruitment; that being the psych review. For the most part, this has been the sticking point for most of our applicants. With this, we now have enough people for a full Beta Team. Eternal Freedom returns from his training, joined by Dendrobius, PeZook, White Haven, Kryten, Vehrec, Agent Sorchus, and, beyond impossibility, Cyber-Torben.

Somehow, Sir Nitram and Fax Modem pooled their resources, and delved deep into PHALANX's medical records, discovering a process by which they could preserve a corpse and then return some semblance of life to it, although at the loss of many life skills. But they assure me that Cyber-Torben will make an adequate soldier.

I partook deeply of Academia's special stash of drink after that particular briefing.

I decided that these people, plus OmniQ, would form an official Beta Team, to be stationed out of the Chinese base once the facilities are complete.

17:50, 02 May, 2084
Control Center, Wenchang Space Annex
China, The Asian Republic

“Alien ship, on the ground in Oceania!”

“Call HQ!”

I sent Beta Team in for a trial-by-fire.


09:45, 03 May 2084
Paradise Resort
Commonwealth of Oceania

RomulanRepublic: “Coming in hot fellas! Now, don't go dying on me. Again in a certain person's case.”
Cyber-Torben: “DYING IS NOT OPTIMAL.”
PeZook: “GREETINGS FELLOW CYBORG.”
Eternal Freedom: “Save the plotting for later you two. I've been itching to try out my new Rocket Launcher. Can't let the Director show me up with this baby.”
Dendrobius: “Don't go kissing the damn thing either. Makes me feel uncomfortable.”
Eternal Freedom: “Why? Jealous?”
Romulan Republic: “Stow it guys! We're here! HOT DROP!”




PeZook: “THERMAL CONTACTS INSIDE OVER-PRICED TOURiST TRAP INDICATE PRESENCE OF TAMAN.”


Kryten: “If I may say, Sirs... Taman coming out the back door!”

Eternal Freedom: “I got him! Yes!”
WhiteHaven: “Um, how come the building is still standing? You kinda hit it on the inside with a Rocket Launcher.”
Eternal Freedom: “Who cares! Now I'm tied with the Director!”


Sorchus: “Alright, everyone cover that door! Thermals showing a second coming down the stairs!”


WhiteHaven: “Good god, I can see why ForceLord loves his Flame Thrower. This thing can't miss!”


Dendrobius: “White Haven! We'll go for the second floor! Get that last alien!”


Eternal Freedom: “Fuck! It went around the back!”


Kryten: “Taking cover! I'm ready with the shotgun!”



Eternal Freedom: “No need, ROCKET PAUNCH!”



I sighed in relief. Eternal Freedom was doing well enough with his own Anti-Tank artillery weapon that I would be able to relax a bit. (OOC; During an off-screen mission, EF with the rocket launcher accounted for 3/5 kill. He's at 2 missions and 5 kills so far. O_O) “Alright everyone, we've proven we can kill them readily. Let's see about capturing a couple more, shall we?”

00:00, 06 May 2084
Command Center, PHALANX HQ
Turkey, GEU

I cursed at the latest message from the SecGen. I had almost forgotten about his meddling with the latest successes.

Instead, he called to tell me that the Revolutionary Republics were no longer pleased with PHALANX's efforts to protect their nation. I dug up, then sent back the firm-letter I had used earlier, just making sure the date was correct.

07:13, 06 May 2084

Thankfully, it was in the morning when Academia came into my office with the results of their examination of the live Taman. I was looking forward to this.

Fuck.

---

Hmm, that doesn't bode too well now, does it? I'm sure it means nothing, and has absolutely nothing to do with the plot of the game.

What shall we research next?


As always, comments, suggestions, weapon and camo selections are always welcome!

STATUS: FUNCTIONAL. ... PERSONNEL RECORDS INDICATE TORBEN IS DECEASED. QUERY: IF I AM DECEASED, HOW AM I FUNCTIONAL? ERROR. ERROR. RESET.
STATUS: FUNCTIONAL. ... PERSONNEL RECO*BREAK*
LOG CONFIRMS THIS ANALYSIS IS FLAWED. TERMINATE PROCESS. REINITIALIZE.
STATUS: FUNCTIONAL. DIRECTIVES: 1. KILL XENO. 2. PROTECT PHALANX. 3. SAFEGUARD HUMANITY.
STATEMENT: TO FULFILL DIRECTIVE 1 MORE EFFICIENTLY, RECOMMEND LASER RESEARCH. END OF LINE.

Hey those Beta Boys arn't so bad at all, I second Laser Weapons, and perhaps a third base too!

Laser Weapons, please.

Laser weaponry seems to be the obvious choice.

Torben and Barnest lived again. Torben had suffered severe brain damage, in the effort to miniaturize the cybernetics on such a small schedule. Nothing I could do about it now. Barnest was more concerning. With the extensive size of the prototype, I could rebuild the brain near-perfectly. But there were flashes in there. Flashes of points after the last recording. How could Barnest recall his fatal mission...?

Did souls really exist...?

(LASER. Plz.)

YOUR PERFORMANCE IS MOST IMPRESSIVE FOR A BIOLOGICAL. IT IS COMMENDABLE THAT YOU EFFICIENTLY ANALYZE THREATS WITHOUT CONCERN FOR ARTIFICIAL SOCIAL CONSTRUCTS LIKE MORALITY.

THREAT ANALYSIS INDICATES PHOENIX WILL REQUIRE IMPROVED FIREPOWER. RECOMMEND RESEARCH OF LASER WEAPON TECHNOLOGY.

just so long as cyber toben doesn''t become a byronian poetry reading, cyber-frankenstien's monster....

ok, not thatI wouldn't like it, it's the fact he would be getting all those bad boy lovin fangirls chasing after him...

A new body? A shiny new body. Perfect to replace my last. Now I can stay this way forever, stay flying, stay fighting... just like that last time... that time... so much pain... but now I can fight the aliens once more!

---

This is getting awfully existential for a let's play.
Also, Lasers!

hey you ever read "forever man" we could just be wiring you into the fighter like a nBSG raider...

The Yosemite Bear wrote:hey you ever read "forever man" we could just be wiring you into the fighter like a nBSG raider...

I'm pleased either way
The book, it sounds pretty cool. I may look into it

it's a favorite of mine (hijack end)
Amazon

Fax Modem looks at the HK-50 prototypes with skin grafts on top of them and brains inside, namely Pezook and Cyber-Torben.

"Maybe I should have more strongly suggested robotic troops, and not cyborgs."

Fax Modem looks at a form on his desk. It is a Research Priority Form. Fax Modem gives it the old college try one more time and writes down Lasers. Next to his desk is a message delivery tube. Inserting the form into a container, he puts the container into the tube and watches it fly to its destination.


After finishing his paperwork. Fax Modem oversees the finishing touches of the new hangars in the Asian Republic base.

After a drop of steel girders and a very loud clang. Fax Modem knows he is going to be needing a scotch tonight.

Hey guys, my planned play time today blew up when I was sent home from work sick. Spent the past few hours just slightly feverish, so the next update has been bumped back from tomorrow to Sunday.

That being said, it looks like Lasers is the choice research project, but I would like a bit more from you guys. Lasers come in three types; Man Portable (Pistol, Rifle, Blaster), Aircraft and Base Defense. Could you guys specify what kind of Frikken Laser Beams you want?

Fax Modem's memo tube received a container. Opening the container and reading the form within, Fax Modem noticed the subdivision choices on the form.

Fax Modem filled in the circle for Base Defense lasers. knowing it was easier to start off with a huge device and make it smaller and more portable for vehicles, and then eventually small enough to carry.

Putting the now completed form back into the tube, Fax Modem now searched his office for that bottle of scotch.

TRANSMISSION RECEIVED: RESEARCH STATUS UPDATE REQUESTED.
ANALYZING DATA MATRICES...
ANALYZING...
ANALYSIS COMPLETE.
RECOMMENDATION: RESEARCH PRIMARY GROUP ASER WEAPONS, SUBGROUP VEHICLE WEAPONRY.
LOGIC ASSESSMENT: PHALANX MUST INTERCEPT AND NEUTRALIZE XENO CRAFT BEFORE THEIR MISSIONS CAN BEGIN. EFFICIENCY CAN BE IMPROVED BY ARMING INTERCEPTOR CRAFT WITH HEAVIER WEAPONRY.
PACKET ENCODED.
PACKET ENCRYPTED.
PACKET SENT. ...Burn the xeno, suffer the heretic not to live...

I'm still waiting for my close encounter of the third kind...

OOC:

Once you've got the Continuous Wave Laser Operation preliminary out from underway, laser rifle first, then cartridge, then pistol and then the interceptor laser. After that, the heavy laser (for everyone else's benefit, it's the laser equivalent of rocket launcher).

If we can have paired interceptors, they can make do with the missiles for a good long while yet. Or they should, unless you deliberately chose the highest difficulty setting?

Of course, before all of that is done, we may well have found some other equipment that has higher priority (such as alien body armor, which opens up improved Phalanx armor).

*****

IC:

Enforced inactivity sucks, but at least I have a chance to heal. Going to leave a really impressive set of scars too. I've put in request for more efficient laser weapons research. Wish I could get myself one of those electromagnetic rifles. Big bastard and packs far more of a punch then the regular assault rifle.

*fires off request for EM rifle to the boss*

At least the new guys seem to be pulling their weight. Good for them. Must buy them all a drink. The cyborg units excepted, it might screw up with their systems. They make me a bit nervous, but they seem to be okay. It's just a bit creepy. Probably takes some time to get used to.