May 10, 1999, 22:00:00 hours - PROXIMITY ALERT! PROXIMITY ALERT! BASE IS UNDER ATTACK! THIS IS NOT A DRILL! PROXIMITY ALERT!

The squad was awakened by a horrifying sound and strobing red lights. Quickly shaking off their grogginess, they realized with dread that they had heard that particular alarm twice before...once in basic training, and once just before their first mission. The Base Attack Early Alert system...

"Proximity alert! Proximity alert! Base is under attack! This is not a drill! Proximity alert!"

Commander LUEshi's voice cut in, overwhelming the alarm:

"Battle positions! This is not a drill, we are under attack! Forward armory is attempting to minimize entrance to the base, but we have confirmed reports of multiple snakemen and one unidentified creature breaching defenses and gaining access to Hanger Alpha, Hanger Gamma, and the primary access lift! This is not a drill, battle positions! This is a fight to the death, if we fail, there is no hope! You must win, at all costs! We'll do our best out here, but you MUST hold!"

Mokujin scrambled out of the armory near the access lift, quickly throwing a proximity grenade at the door, hoping to slow the flood of alien forces through the lift, Child of Asuka trapping another side of the four-doored structure. The HWP, always kept on full alert and fully armed near Hangar Gamma, quickly gunned down a snakeman in the hangar, then came under heavy fire from another snake farther down the hangar. The detonation of a proximity grenade heralded the arrival of the aliens from the main access lift, killing one but hardly slowing the others, who simply slithered through a different door.

Grammar ran full-speed towards Hanger Alpha, gunning down one snake attempting to leave the hangar, then tore a proximity grenade from his belt and threw it at the hangar entrance as he spotted two more levelling their weapons at him. He turned and ran, in full retreat, far too close for his liking.

Sonics true enemy and Mokujin, in tandem, blasted the life from a snake trying to make it's way past the remaining proximity grenade blocking the access lift, as cannon reports from the tank issued forth, the remote pilot confirming two more kills in Hanger Gamma. Plasma fire exploded into the wall near Grammar's head, who tore another proximity grenade from his belt and tossed it behind him to slow pursuit, ducking around a corner and panting for breath.

Child of Asuka came to his rescue, diving around the corner and gunning down one of the pursuing snakemen, and a well-placed sniper shot from Ansisace from across the base took out the second.

"Unidentified creature spotted, Hangar Gamma. Engaging", reported the remote pilot as three more cannon shots issued from near Hangar Gamma. "Confirm hit, no kill", came the results of the attack. "Uploading visuals to base records for further study. Appears unarmed."

Child of Asuka cautiously picked his way past the proximity grenade blocking Hanger Alpha's entrance, gunning down a very surprised snakeman across the hangar. "Confirm hit and kill", came a report from the HWP remote pilot, only to be followed by an explosion and the damning words, "HWP offline, repeat, HWP is offline, Hangar Gamma undefended, confirm at least one more snakeman, reinforcement requested." Several of the squad ran to cover the hangar, stopping only to toss proximity grenades at the entrances to Hangar Beta. Although it was not reported as breached, better safe than dead, was the general consensus.

Mokujin, coming out of a side room, blasted holes through the chest of a nearby snakeman, then winced as the sound of plasma bolts erupted, followed by a scream from Child of Asuka. "I'm not hit!", he quickly called out, "but that fucker's going to die!" Mokujin moved to help him, but got cut off by another snakeman, which quickly fell to another blast from his trusty laser pistol.

Mensco, the first to arrive at Hangar Gamma, spotted a snake peering at the rubble of the useless HWP, the thing shrieking in horror as a laser bolt caught it in the chest. Amazingly, it survived, levelling its weapon at Mensco, who wisely dove through a nearby door, cutting off it's line of fire. He peeked his head out a moment later, again surprising it and delivering a killing blast.

Child of Asuka was in hot pursuit. The snakeman was horrified at the screams of rage coming from it's attacker, and looked only for a means to escape the failed raid and the demon chasing it. What it found instead was a dead-end tunnel, being dug as part of new construction to the base...and then it found death, blasted to pieces by Child of Asuka's flurry of laser blasts. He continued firing long after the thing had died, taking out his vengeance upon the thing for terrifying him so badly.

The team swept through the remainder of the base, finding no further threat. Suddenly, Commander LUEshi's voice came over the intercom:

"The attacking ship has broken off! Interceptor 1 and 2 are in hot pursuit, but it appears to be outdistancing them. Europa team, report in! Any casualties?"

The shouts of joy from the defensive gunners outside could be clearly heard even from inside the base as each member reported in, alive and well. The only casualty in the battle was the HWP. A replacement was quickly ordered, and three more besides. The aliens, although defeated, now knew the location of Europa base, and this certainly would not be the last battle fought on home turf for X-COM Europa: LL Division.

SUCCESS
Aliens Killed - 12
Corpses Retrieved - 11
Live Aliens - 1
HWP destroyed

Total Mission Kills (all missions)
The Grammar Police01 - 13
Sixty - 5
Child of Asuka - 10
Zolthag - 1
Mokujin - 7
Ramza357 - 3
Ancisace - 3
shadowzero313 - 1
Mensco - 1




<----- Chapter 11 - Finally, A Breather...
-----> Chapter 13 - Another Restless Night (by Ancisace)