Universe B

Page 5

XCOM Progress Report, Local Day 011:001

Prepared by: Professor M Matik

To: Senior Personnel, Universe B

Executive Summary:

Progress has been slow on evaluating the alien weaponry and technology - its principle of operation is very well... alien. However, we have discovered that the aliens appear to use advanced materials which can substitute for the anomalous materials (AM) that we require for our own Field Cascade Damper production. Capturing more alien technology is thus likely to significantly reduce the time we have to spend in this universe.

Post-combat analysis shows that the structure in the centre of the alien vessel appears to use a hyperlinium-based material as a component and was presumably a power plant of some kind. If we can capture one of these intact, it would be of inestmable value to us. Indeed, an intact alien craft might allow us to puzzle through many of the peculiarities of their technology, and we suggest it as a short term strategic goal.

Although we have had many brainstorming sessions on the nature of the mind control, the lack of a functional MENTOR means that at present it is all guesswork. Many ideas have been propounded, including constructing a Faraday cage helmet, using drugs, using post-hypnotic suggestions, using thicker armour (with or without lead lining), installing a direct control override on the marines' suits, making the marine armour harder to open, testing all personnel for psi-ability and selecting the strongest, and many more. The conclusion is, though, that we just have too little evidence.

There is no way of knowing how this control is propagated - especially since it seems to function in vacuum - or how it affects the human brain.

XCOM is therefore very keen that a live alien MENTOR is captured so that we can find out how this works, and can develop a real, effective, countermeasure.

I think that there is real progress here, and that the scientific team can be justifiably proud of their achievements to date, given the paucity of resources at their disposal.

Matik.

From Dr Khan, Senior Medical Officer, ESS Van Velzen

To Professor Matik

Date Day 11

Greetings,

I have been rather busy but have just completed a prelimanary study on the alien horrors.

MENTORS

A battery of tests and my icalcuable intellect show that the biochemistry of the mentors is remarkably similar to our human selves. They seem to have doublehelix DNA using the same amino acid groups as earth species. They are probably oxygen breathers. Their brains are very complex organs indeed, the physiology of which is impossible to determine. They are physically small and compared to humans quite feeble - probably from a lower g planet than earth.

Mentor flesh would be edible after processing. Not a happy prospect but after all we only have 49 days rations left after that unless we have left universe B or found other sources of dead we will be starving.

(This puts me in mind of certain old Earth customs. The one that springs to mind an old Scottish one which I learnt about at fascinating lecture in London. Hordes of Scots in the late 20th Century would raid London to capture the locals. Then they would ritually eat their hearts and brains on their return journey. Be careful not to mention these facts to Lt Kemp I believe he may have some Scots ancestary in him.)

Ahem. On more serious matters small amounts of food stores might be found aboard from the recently captured alien craft.

RAPTORS

A Big, heavy armoured species, using a radically different biochemistry to the MENTORS, though they are DNA-based. They seem to have some ability to respire anerobically, and are (as has been observed) capabable of existing and living in hard vacuum. Really quite remarkable. These seem to be similiar in appearance to Forerunner Genesplice 9 - but there are some superficial differences (i.e. these might be a slightly different version, or a modified version). Raptor flesh would not be edible, and is probably toxic if ingested.

Conclusions:

I really MUST study live examples of these species to determine how their bodies function, and the purpose of various tissues and organs, that are currently a mystery.

Speculation.

As something that is close to genosplice 9 has been encountered then is quite possible and reasonable to assume we may encounter something whose form and physiology is close to ourselves, human. This need not mean that they are human in the sense of sharing our common values and ethics.

As something that is close to the forerunners has been encountered then is quite possible and reasonable to assume we may encounter something whose form and function is close to Major Domo.

TO All Senior Officers EMC & EN

COPY JIM-0000

FROM Major Peter "I don't count chickens" Howland

DATE Day 11

SUBJECT: COMBAT PREPARATIONS

1. JOKER ETA

Do we have an estimate of the ETA for the incoming JOKER 3?

[ SPOOK 2 was able to intercept ESS Van Velzen so was capable of more than 1.1 g acceleration. Given the observed duration of the burn in the asteroid cluster, the distance from there to MEGAN'S MOON and a guestimate of the acceleration used - say 1.2 g - we can calculate a minimum likely ETA. ]

Ops Crew Response:
It is hard to tell (the Precision Creek's sensors are not as advanced as a warship's) - but if it were to continue on its projected course and speed it should have been here by now. No sign of it so far.

2. THE THREAT

It would be dangerous to underestimate the Aliens. JOKERS 1 and 2 both signalled shortly before they were respectively destroyed and captured.

Therefore it is reasonable to assume that JOKER 3 has received those signals and has some estimate that we are more powerful than JOKERS 1 and 2.

There are 2 probable reasons for JOKER 3 to approach MEGAN'S MOON: (a) it wishes to observe us whilst avoiding combat, (b) it considers it is strong enough to attack. It is therefore safer to assume that JOKER 3 is significantly more powerful than JOKER 2, and we should plan accordingly.

3. OBJECTIVE

Dr Matik has proposed that we should capture a SPOOK ship in tact. In the action against JOKER 2 the SPOOKS appear to have acted with reckless disregard of their safety, or with suicidal intent. The nett result was that JOKER 2 was damaged by their own acts.

How do we prevent that occurring in future?

4. PREPARATIONS

4.1 COUNTER TO IMPEL ATTACK

PO Chan, Armourer, ESS Precision Creek, is requested and required to develop and fit such devices to Marine Armour to prevent IMPELLED Marines from removing it in vacuum. Three possible methods of protection have been proposed by Lts Holland and Parrell, viz: (a) Pressure Safety Lock that prevents the Armour being opened in vacuum, (b) 2 key access to Marine Armour - each suit to have a unique key, the suit ONLY to be opened by the key attached to it AND any 1 other, (c) delay the opening of Marine armour, to allow time for the Marine to recover or for disablement of the opening mechanism by others.

ACTION: PO Chan, Armourer, ESS Precision Creek, to assess the time needed to make / modify the necessary parts, and to modify each suit of armour according to each of the above methods. Also to advise the personnel required to develop and implement the 3 different methods.

PO Chan responds:
There are enough parts to install a pressure safety interlock on all the current stocks of marine armour. This would disable the opening mechanism if the external pressure were below a pre-set level.
The armourer of the PC can do the conversion (with help from a couple of suitable techs) at a rate of 2 suits per day (it could be done faster but there are rather important issues of quality assurance - a malfunction in the jury-rigged interface might cause the suite to open spontaneously.
On examining the auto-release suit opening system, it turns out that there is a not much used a 'recycle time-out' setting on the control software. By setting this value to -1, it delays the opening sequence by 10000 milliseconds (= one turn's grace). This setting is easy to change using the standard diagnostic kit used by any marine and is therefore being set on all suits now - and the entire regiment will be reset to the new standard by 2300 hours Day 11.
We also found another odd, undocumented, setting of this control variable: if you enter '-2' the system plays the tune 'Ode to Joy' on the suit comms system whilst the suit opens - but we're not sure why it does this. This is a bit like the undocumented flight simulator program built into the HuD software on the Mk17 Armour.
Two-key access is Hard. It would require significant re-engineering of the suit control interface, and some tricky hardware mods. Given time the armourer could make a 2-key system, but he's not sure how long it would take to get the first prototype working.

4.2 A.M.L. TURRETS

Maximum effort to be made to repair the Turrets on Mesa.

ACTION: CPO Hiroyoshi Matsui EN, Heavy Weapons Technician, and Tsien Wong, Shuttle Maintenance Technician.

5. PRECAUTIONS

5.1 SHUTTLE MOVEMENTS

Shuttle movement between the A.M.L. and the ships should be masked from the incoming SPOOK by carrying them out only when Megan Moon is facing away from the incoming SPOOK.

5.2 A.M.L. SURFACE FACILITIES PROTECTION

Rocks to be placed on top of the Habdomes in use and operating GENSETS on the surface.

ACTION: Lt Rockford and defaulters.

From Dr Kahn

To Major Howland

Copy Captain Walker & medical staff Van Helzen, Officers 130 EMR

Marine,

I have tested the alien food rations found on the alien craft. Fungal fruiting bodies.

The tests showed the bodies should be healthy.

Under supervision I have taken some alien food internally and VERY tasty they were too.

I have expereienced no adverse effects so far. If this food source continues too appear to be safe, then it will provide 98 full day rations.

Yours somewhat apprensively

Dr Khan.

PS can you send over soime marines please.

XCOM Progress Report, supplemental

Local Day 011:001

Prepared by: Professor M Matik

To: Senior Personnel, Universe B

1. Superconducting composite materials. These are the same thing as the eponymous 'anomalous materials'. The alien alloys function in identical fashion.

2. Timescale for constructing dampers. Having never built one, this is difficult to assess. Fundamentally, the more high-tech equipment we can gain access to, the shorter the timescale. Off the top of my head, I would estimate at least 100 days as a 'ballpark' figure. I will consult with the science/engineering staff and see if we can produce a better estimate for you.

However, I hope you will remember that we are and have been very busy! Adapting alien material for human use is not a simple procedure - one cannot simply unplug a component from an alien device and plug it into a human one. Study is needed first to determine exactly what each device and component is or does before it can be utilised. Until we have a chance to do this properly, producing sensible suggestions on timescales is likely to be impossible.

3. If you wish, we will desist with making determinations about alien weaponry and put our efforts into food generation instead. I was merely responding to a request by a Marine officer (I forget which one) which suggested that learning the capabilities of the alien weapons should be a priority. If you prefer to do this empirically in combat then that is of course your prerogative. However, if you will insist on changing research goals every couple of days then I don't think we'll get very far with anything.

Matik.