AUTOPSIES 

Prerequisites:
 1 Taman corpse
 (Extra: Alien Autopsy -- Ortnok OR Alien Autopsy -- Shevaar)

TO:	Base Commander, PHALANX, Atlantic Operations Command
FROM:	Dr. Connor, R&D: Bio & Containment Division, PHALANX, Atlantic Operations Command
DATE:	%02i %s %i
SUB:	Proposal: Alien Autopsy -- Taman

Commander,

We've recovered a new alien corpse from the battlefield. We should begin dissection and assessment as soon as possible.

Sincerely,
Dr. Connor

TO:	Base Commander, PHALANX, Atlantic Operations Command
FROM:	Dr. Connor, R&D: Bio & Containment Division, PHALANX, Atlantic Operations Command
DATE:	%02i %s %i
SUB:	Re: Alien Autopsy -- Taman

Commander,

My team and I have completed our autopsy of the 'grey' body we recovered. Here is my summary of our findings.

When Commonwealth troops first arrived in Mumbai, confused and apprehensive, they were swarmed by crowds of screaming locals, terrified out of their minds and desperate for protection. Most of the soldiers didn't even speak the language, unable to understand what was said. When they asked what was wrong, the civilians simply cried, "xuRta AwmA" -- the Hindi term for 'evil spirit' or 'demon'.

Under fire, the term quickly shortened to "Taama", and by the time the shooting was over it had further mutated. Everyone had settled on "Taman" (pronounced 'tah-man') as the word that described the grey nightmares that had slaughtered them. The name still remains, but we can now say with confidence that these aliens are made of flesh and blood rather than fire and darkness.

First and probably most interesting in the biology of our specimen is the fact that it looks almost human. Two arms, two legs, a torso and a head; bipedal locomotion; visual, olfactory and auditory organs all in the same general location. The subject's hands and feet have three long digits, one of which (the 'thumb') is opposable. This species is on average shorter than humans and possesses a thin, almost delicate frame which belies their toughness.

The subject has a very simple set of vital organs; heart, lungs, liver, and so on. It lacks most of the redundant or obsolete organs that humans have carried through our evolutionary history. Biologically, the most interesting part of the subject's internals is the digestive tract. The creature has a total of three stomachs meant for the digestion of very tough plant matter. It is incapable of digesting meat of any kind. This implies that, wherever they come from, the Tamans are herbivores feeding on some kind of plant life. This finding has comforted some of our more excitable staff. At least we know the aliens aren't harvesting us for our meat.

(Extra: if Alien Breathing Apparatus proposal not yet made (Alien Autopsy -- Ortnok and/or Alien Autopsy -- Shevaar NOT researched))
There is a complex set of implants in the subject's throat that will require further research to be fully understood. I will send you a more detailed analysis along with a research proposal.
(End Extra)

The large, overdeveloped eyes equip the Taman with natural night-vision. It has special irises that protect the retinas from bright light such as sunlight, but if a sudden blast of highly intense illumination were to hit the retina before the iris can adjust, it could cause prolonged or even permanent blindness. Our flashbang may be highly effective here.

The greyness of the skin is a particularly curious feature. It is actually caused by the secretion of trace amounts of silicon, which hardens over the supple inner skin to provide a kind of natural armour. This makes a Taman fairly resistant to impact and heat.

From our analysis, we can conclude the following:

-- The Tamans have a natural resistance to bullets and blunt trauma, but not enough to render such weapons combat ineffective.

-- Their skin easily disperses small to medium amounts of heat, but prolonged exposure to a flamethrower or incendiary compound will still do the trick. Lasers will do slightly less damage than normal.

-- Though the body is limber and elastic, the Taman's internal organs are badly protected against concussion, which makes them particularly vulnerable to the shockwaves of explosive ordnance.

Further study has ruled out other wild-eyed theories. Though the Tamans' appearance is very similar to that of humans, almost enough to imply a kind of relationship, they seem to be more a case of convergent evolution (two different paths to a similar end result) than a blood relation. There are very few similarities between the Taman gene sequences and that of humans, and the structure of chromatin in their DNA is several orders of magnitude more complex than ours. This seems to preclude a hypothetical common origin.

In combat, Tamans present a significant threat. They are highly agile and can wield a variety of weapons with great accuracy. Besides serving as soldiers, they fill many specialist roles in the alien war machine, positions in which Tamans seem to be the most numerous. Complex weapons and advanced armour are more often wielded by Tamans than any other species. This is most likely due to their large brains, sensory organs and delicate manipulators.

Whether or not the Tamans are the 'greys' of old UFO abduction stories, I couldn't say, but it seems extremely unlikely. PHALANX has never been able to verify a single report of alien activity since the 1950s. The UFOs we're seeing now are certainly not flying saucers. If they could've invaded Earth a century ago, why wait until now to do it? It doesn't really add up -- but then, who can know the motivations of an alien mind?

Sincerely,
Dr. Connor

--------

Prerequisites:
 1 Ortnok corpse
 (Extra: Alien Autopsy -- Taman OR Alien Autopsy -- Shevaar)

TO:	Base Commander, PHALANX, Atlantic Operations Command
FROM:	Dr. Connor, R&D: Bio & Containment Division, PHALANX, Atlantic Operations Command
DATE:	%02i %s %i
SUB:	Proposal: Alien Autopsy -- Ortnok

Commander,

We've recovered a new alien corpse from the battlefield. We should begin dissection and assessment as soon as possible.

Sincerely,
Dr. Connor

TO:	Base Commander, PHALANX, Atlantic Operations Command
FROM:	Dr. Connor, R&D: Bio & Containment Division, PHALANX, Atlantic Operations Command
DATE:	%02i %s %i
SUB:	Re: Alien Autopsy -- Ortnok

Commander,

The first thing we noticed about this species, which has been named the 'Ortnok', is its size. Its appearence is like a brutish, hulking caricature of a man, something that can be quite disturbing to our agents in the field, but we've confirmed that the Ortnok is in no way genetically related to humanity.

In proportion to its body weight, the Ortnok has more muscle than a professional body builder. At first we concluded this was solely the product of an extreme-heavy-gravity homeworld, but subsequent hormone and toxicology work on our specimen have revealed something interesting. The subject seems to have been raised from birth on a heavy diet of genetic tampering and anabolic steroids. This, combined with the incredible density of the muscle tissue, makes the Ortnok physically stronger than any biological entity on Earth.

During our first incisions, we were surprised to find the Ortnok to be without blood. It has lungs, viscera and something akin to digestive organs, but no liver or heart that we can identify. Instead of veins there is a very well-developed system of nerve tubes, filled with a kind of electrically conductive gel, that seems to power and control the muscles by direct electrical stimulation. The needed electricity is generated through digestion of organic matter and stored in a set of large eel-like organs underneath the lungs. The nervous system itself is nourished by the leftover products of the digestion process by way of veins filled with pressurised air. The whole chest cavity has been richly furnished with armour plating inserted just underneath the leathery green skin.

The eyes are covered with surgically-implanted lenses that improve the Ortnok's already excellent vision, stretching it into the infrared spectrum. The ears consist of a series of small cavities, three on either side of the head, which are surprisingly large and well-developed. Given the evidence we must conclude that Ortnoks have acute hearing, though the nose and olfactory organs are quite small, atrophied almost to the point of being vestigial.

From the autopsy and our analysis of battlefield footage, we can conclude the following:

-- The brain is fairly small for a hominid of such size, no larger than that of Homo erectus, but it is perhaps sufficient for the role of foot soldier. Ortnoks certainly don't display any tactical sluggishness on the battlefield.

-- The three-fingered hand is able to carry and use a wide variety of equipment. However, Ortnoks are most often equipped with heavy weapons to match their size.

-- Ortnoks are strong, tough and dangerous. Their internal armour enhances their natural endurance even further, making them difficult to take down. Armour-piercing rounds or incendiary weapons are recommended. Lasers, explosives and cutting weapons will not be very effective due to the extensive armouring.

-- All Ortnok specimens we've seen so far were not equipped with reproductive organs. From surgical scarring around the groin area, we believe they may have been neutered for some reason.

In combat, specimens seem to be used most often in the role of heavy infantry and fire support. They are not particularly accurate with their somewhat cumbersome weapons, but when working in numbers they usually lay down enough fire to suppress and then annihilate a PHALANX squad. Ortnoks do not seem to serve in many specialist capacities; they are never used as technicians according to our camera observations, and usually busy themselves handling perimeter security for the Tamans when not engaged in combat.

(Extra: if Alien Breathing Apparatus proposal not yet made (Alien Autopsy -- Taman and/or Alien Autopsy -- Shevaar NOT researched))
There is a complex set of implants in the subject's throat that will require further research to be fully understood. I will send you a more detailed analysis along with a research proposal.
(End Extra)

We have no idea quite where the name 'Ortnok' came from. The troops don't seem to know, and neither do we. Still, it's as good a name as any, and it seems to have stuck.

That's all I have for you right now, Commander. I'll contact you again as soon as something new develops.

Sincerely,
Dr. Connor

--------

Prerequisites:
 1 Shevaar corpse
 (Extra: Alien Autopsy -- Taman OR Alien Autopsy -- Ortnok)

TO:	Base Commander, PHALANX, Atlantic Operations Command
FROM:	Dr. Connor, R&D: Bio & Containment Division, PHALANX, Atlantic Operations Command
DATE:	%02i %s %i
SUB:	Proposal: Alien Autopsy -- Shevaar

Commander,

We've recovered a new alien corpse from the battlefield. We should begin dissection and assessment as soon as possible.

Sincerely,
Dr. Connor

TO:	Base Commander, PHALANX, Atlantic Operations Command
FROM:	Dr. Connor, R&D: Bio & Containment Division, PHALANX, Atlantic Operations Command
DATE:	%02i %s %i
SUB:	Re: Alien Autopsy -- Shevaar

Commander,

Our autopsy of this new alien -- the Shevaar -- has been very interesting. It's a significant departure from the more humanoid Tamans and Ortnoks, possessing digitigrade legs and a small tail that seems to be a remnant of this species's continuing evolution. The creature also appears to be completely blind. It lacks eyes and any other kind of organ that could be used to process visual light. However, it seems to have other interesting organs to make up for this deficiency.

First off, the Shevaar looks like the unholy merger of a man and a lizard. Unlike most Earth lizards, however, the alien is warm-blooded and its brain is similar in size to our own -- probably slightly larger. Its massive feet are surprisingly springy, and it can cover large amounts of ground in a long, leaping gait. The large hands seem to have no problem wielding the many varieties of alien weaponry.

The results of the autopsy are no less interesting. Upon cutting upon the chest, we find that the rib cage is a solid shield of bone down the front, reinforced with stiff cartilege. The makeup of the bones is different from ours as well, made up mostly of carbon rather than calcium, with traces of metal that make them extremely hard and tough. Knives and bullets will have a great deal of trouble penetrating it, and it will be even harder to find vital organs to damage. Any body mass that isn't shielded by bone seems to be made up only of lean, wiry muscle.

The brain is particularly heavily-defended. Several layers of horn wrap around it like an impenetrable suit of armour. From the marks of wear and tear around this area, we surmise that these aliens regularly engage in vigorous head-butting, probably as part of their mating rituals. A small, omnivorous mouth protrudes from the mass of bone and leads down to a simple but functional digestive tract.

There are more organs in the head than just the brain and the mouth, however. Behind the curls of bone there is a set of three organs that seem to detect infrared radiation. This is apparently what the Shevaar uses in lieu of eyes. We conclude that the sensitivity of these organs is roughly comparable to that of a human wearing PHALANX-standard IR Goggles.

From the autopsy and our analysis of battlefield footage, we can conclude the following:

-- The Shevaar see in infrared. This will make it difficult to hide from them or approach them undetected.

-- They carry mostly light equipment to preserve their natural mobility. This allows them to employ effective hit-and-run tactics.

-- Shevaar bodies are highly resistant to impact and cutting damage, and their compact internals are not easily damaged by concussion or explosives. However, their scaly hides provide little protection from fire, lasers or electricity.

Shevaar are most often used as fast, armoured scouts. They're extremely effective in this role, combining high mobility with extended vision capabilities, and the aliens seem to have no shortage of these creatures. The Shevaar seem to be located between Tamans and Ortnoks in the nebulous alien hierarchy, in that they sometimes fill specialist or command roles, unlike Ortnoks, but these tasks are still usually taken by Tamans whenever the two races are deployed together.

When not engaged in combat, Shevaar spend most of their time as scouts or skirmishers, or as herders for captured humans.

(Extra: if Alien Breathing Apparatus proposal not yet made (Alien Autopsy -- Taman and/or Alien Autopsy -- Ortnok NOT researched)
There is a complex set of implants in the subject's throat that will require further research to be fully understood. I will send you a more detailed analysis along with a research proposal.
(End Extra)

We should be careful whenever we encounter these aliens in the field. They are fast and dangerous skirmishers who prefer to fight from cover, and should be pursued and kept under fire at all times when discovered, as long as this does not overextend our position. Exposing our team's flanks or rear to a squad of Shevaar could have disastrous results. Although grenades are unlikely to kill any Shevaar outright, they will be very useful for flushing them out into our troops' sights.

Also, although blind, Shevaar possess balance organs that are affected by the sound of our flashbang. It will achieve similar results on them as it does on humans.

Sincerely,
Dr. Connor

--------

Prerequisites:
 1 Bloodspider corpse

TO:	Base Commander, PHALANX, Atlantic Operations Command
FROM:	Dr. Connor, R&D: Bio & Containment Division, PHALANX, Atlantic Operations Command
DATE:	%02i %s %i
SUB:	Proposal: Alien Autopsy -- Bloodspider

Commander,

We've recovered a new alien corpse from the battlefield. We should begin dissection and assessment as soon as possible.

Sincerely,
Dr. Connor

TO:	Base Commander, PHALANX, Atlantic Operations Command
FROM:	Dr. Connor, R&D: Bio & Containment Division, PHALANX, Atlantic Operations Command
DATE:	%02i %s %i
SUB:	Re: Alien Autopsy -- Bloodspider

Commander,

My team has analysed the remains of the arachnid machine our operatives brought back, and we have prepared a summary for your review.

Autopsy reveals that the creature is a complex robot without any organic components. Its body is reminiscent of the terrestrial spider; a central body housing the artificial brain and power cells, and eight legs driven by powerful servomotors that allow it to move across the battlefield at frightening speeds. It is equipped with razor-sharp mandibles which can dissect human victims on the spot and store tissue or whole organs in a large cavity located in front of the power cells. These machines have been recorded cutting apart live humans during a terror mission and storing their biomass for retrieval. The process is gruesome and very, very short.

Our soldiers have dubbed the creature 'Bloodspider', and the name has stuck.

Ballistics testing on samples of the Bloodspider's armour plating reveal that it is very tough and has excellent insulating properties, making it effective against a wide variety of weapons.

-- The armour is highly resistant to lasers, electricity and incendiary ammunition, but it can be penetrated by high-velocity armour-piercing rounds and plasma weapons.

-- High explosives also achieve good results, as they tend to damage the vulnerable leg joints. This may be the most effective way to take these creatures out.

-- Due to its robotic nature, the Bloodspider is immune to most other forms of damage.

The existence of this creature raises some frightening questions. It suggests that the aliens are taking a very personal interest in us, and they're not asking questions. Commander, these machines pose a dire threat to any human that comes close. If encountered, they should be destroyed immediately and at all costs.

Sincerely,
Dr. Connor

--------

ALIEN ARTIFACTS

Prerequisites:
 UFO Theory
 (Extra: UFO -- Harvester)

TO:	Base Commander, PHALANX, Atlantic Operations Command
FROM:	Cdr. Paul Navarre, R&D: Engineering Division, PHALANX, Atlantic Operations Command
DATE:	%02i %s %i
SUB:	Proposal: Antimatter

Commander, based on the extremely interesting findings we've made during our examination of alien UFO technology, I'd like your permission to use some lab time in order to more closely analyse the aliens' extensive use of antimatter and its implications on this war.

Particularly I would like to see if we can find some way to replicate antimatter for our own purposes. Matter-antimatter annihilation has astonishing potential as a fuel. In terms of energy generation, it has probably the best size-to-mass ratio of any material in the universe; the ability to use it like the aliens use it would catapult our entire technology base centuries into the future. We must research this at the earliest opportunity!

--Cdr. Navarre

TO:	Base Commander, PHALANX, Atlantic Operations Command
FROM:	Cdr. Paul Navarre, R&D: Engineering Division, PHALANX, Atlantic Operations Command
DATE:	%02i %s %i
SUB:	Re: Antimatter

Our study on antimatter is complete, Commander, and we're ready to present our results. I'm afraid the news is mostly bad.

There are a lot of things the aliens know that we don't. Nowhere is this more clear in their widespread use of antimatter. It seems to be plentiful for them, at least plentiful enough to send out UFO after UFO to Earth, burning tanks full of antiprotons. Human experiments into antimatter, on the other hand . . .

The first artificially produced antimatter on Earth consisted of 9 atoms of anti-hydrogen created at the CERN particle physics laboratory, situated near Geneva on the border between France and Switzerland. Not long after, another lab produced approximately 100 atoms. We've come slowly forward over the years in tiny, tiny steps, but even though we can now produce antiprotons by the millions, it's easy to forget just how little that really is.

In fact, the biggest obstacle to our adaptation of the alien fuel is the availability of antiprotons. We've come a long way since 1995, but even with every particle physics laboratory in the world churning out as many antiprotons as possible, it would take eighty million years to produce 1 gramme's worth of antiprotons. By comparison, the amount contained in a Scout UFO's tank exceeds that of all the antimatter produced on Earth over the past hundred years.

(Extra: if UFO -- Harvester already researched)
Another worrying point is that the aliens also seem to be using antimatter as part of their weapons systems. Antimatter-fuelled alien missiles are one thing; what if they begin using antimatter itself as an explosive? My staff has come up with more than one disconcerting idea along these lines. For myself, I think we should try to head the aliens off at the pass in this regard. A special program regarding antimatter-based weapons may be a highly interesting option to pursue -- it may be a more economical prospect than trying to adapt alien rockets to our interceptor craft.
(End Extra)

Humanity is a long, long way off from being able to create antiprotons in the amounts necessary to fuel these matter-antimatter rockets. The bottom line is, we cannot duplicate this alien technology. We don't know how they create their antimatter or how they manage to generate enough electricity to do so. Unless and until we can get our hands on this equipment, our efforts will be fruitless.

Our only major successes have come from studying how the aliens store their antimatter. We're confident we can employ the same magnetic storage techniques, creating special facilities for safely storing up to ten grammes of antimatter. I've sent you a set of blueprints in a separate message to peruse at your convenience. We've also designed antimatter fuel tanks that should fit in our interceptors given some major overhaul. Of course we'll need a full understanding of the alien engines before we can begin incorporating it.

For all intents and purposes, we are unable to replicate the alien fuel. If we use antimatter in our own technology we will be dependent upon recovering it from alien sources. This seems a dangerous course of action, but we may have no choice; we need to adapt this technology as soon as possible if we are to have any chance of truly stopping the invasion.

--Cdr. Navarre

--------

Prerequisites:
 UFO Theory

TO:	Base Commander, PHALANX, Atlantic Operations Command
FROM:	Cdr. Paul Navarre, R&D: Engineering Division, PHALANX, Atlantic Operations Command
DATE:	%02i %s %i
SUB:	Proposal: Alien Materials

Commander, as I mentioned in my previous report, the UFO we recovered was plated with a highly interesting alloy which blends plastic and metal together into a single material. These materials seem to be used almost universally throughout the alien technology base. It's advanced stuff, massively versatile and with a thousand possible uses.

I think it warrants the research to see if we can reproduce this stuff in our Workshops, but even if we can't, it seems likely we'll be getting our hands on large quantities of it with every UFO we salvage. We'll definitely be able to find new, human applications for it that will extend and expand our combat capabilites.

--Cdr. Navarre

TO:	Base Commander, PHALANX, Atlantic Operations Command
FROM:	Cdr. Paul Navarre, R&D: Engineering Division, PHALANX, Atlantic Operations Command
DATE:	%02i %s %i
SUB:	Re: Alien Materials

Commander, I think we've uncovered the secret to the alien materials. After some modifications to our Workshop equipment, we should now be able to use the stuff and 'program' it into advanced new shapes.

As I've mentioned before, the alien materials form a 'memory alloy', remembering several shapes that it can change into if the materials are given the right stimulus. Amazingly, the alien alloy can be stimulated by two different things: heat and electricity. Heat is an obvious choice to make the UFO fuselage splay out during atmospheric flight, to provide better lift. Electricity, though, is a new one.

When applying electricity, the alloy responds only to a constant, low-voltage current at a very specific amperage. The material's shape will deform and stay deformed for as long as that current is maintained. Once the current is switched off, the shape will revert to its normal 'at rest' shape or a heat-induced shape if enough heat is present. The electricity-induced shape takes precedence over the heat-induced shape.

This means that the shape of a UFO fuselage (and anything else made with these materials) can be changed at will, either by a command from the operator or by automated electronics.

This has given us a lot of amazing new ideas. We'll only be able to develop a few of these ideas in time for use in the war, as some of them would take years of research time, but they should nevertheless allow us to build things we could never have attempted before.

Alien Materials should now be available for use in production. Unfortunately, they require a lot of rare and expensive components, some of which can only be found on Earth in trace quantities. There's no way we could obtain the materials needed in quantities that would make non-trivial production possible. We'll have to salvage what we need off the aliens, because we won't be able to produce any of it for the forseeable future.

--Cdr. Navarre

--------

Prerequisites:
 Alien Autopsy -- Taman, OR
 Alien Autopsy -- Ortnok, OR
 Alien Autopsy -- Shevaar
Result:
 Re: Alien Breathing Apparatus

TO:	Base Commander, PHALANX, Atlantic Operations Command
FROM:	Dr. Connor, R&D: Bio & Containment Division, PHALANX, Atlantic Operations Command
DATE:	%02i %s %i
SUB:	Proposal: Alien Breathing Apparatus

Commander,

During autopsy of the alien corpses we've recovered, my team and I uncovered some peculiar machinery implanted into the throat of the alien specimen. It consists of two metal spheres located on either side of the brainstem, connected directly to the windpipe by way of a small tube. The windpipe itself is protected by some manner of valve or filter. We believe this interconnected apparatus may be some kind of breathing equipment or rebreather, or even something else entirely; we're not sure how it works yet.

I would like your permission and funding to examine these items more closely than our autopsy would allow. At this point in the war, anything that enhances our knowledge base about the alien threat is useful, and we may discover critical clues about alien technology and biology. Certainly we need to find out how the alien breathing works before we can accomodate them in our Containment unit for any period of time.

Cdr. Navarre and his team will be assisting us on the technical side. He has committed his full support to the proposal.

Sincerely,
Dr. Connor

TO:	Base Commander, PHALANX, Atlantic Operations Command
FROM:	Dr. Connor, R&D: Bio & Containment Division, PHALANX, Atlantic Operations Command
DATE:	%02i %s %i
SUB:	Re: Alien Breathing Apparatus

Commander,

I have made a thorough examination of the devices found during the alien autopsies we've performed. I believe we're now ready to present our conclusions.

From our investigation of tissue growth and scarring around the alien larynx, we conclude that these artifacts are surgically implanted in an alien's throat at a very early age. Somewhere during adolescence, the child-sized device is removed and an adult version is implanted.

We've examined several different possibilities for the device's function, from food preprocessors to suicide equipment, but the obvious answer turned out to be the correct one. It is some kind of respirator, allowing the aliens to survive in our atmosphere, and possibly other atmospheres as well. Every organic specimen we've autopsied has carried one of these devices, all with the same basic functionality, implying that their constant operation is either required for survival on the alien homeworld or that we are seeing only specimens which are intended for frequent planetary operations. Certainly external breathing apparatus would be easier and more economical to use if these specimens were only intended to take short trips into hostile atmospheres.

The device itself consists of a sophisticated filter stretched across the subject's windpipe, and two small spherical tanks positioned on either side of the brainstem, connected to the windpipe by a small metal tube. These tanks are filled with a gas mixture compressed into a liquid state, functioning much like a scuba diver's oxygen bottles. The filter mechanism is semi-intelligent; it scrupulously removes all elements that are harmful to the subject, but allows beneficial elements to pass through. The tanks are refilled by way of a small mechanical navel at the back of the alien's neck.

An examination of the tanks' contents has given us our first accurate data on the alien atmosphere. We now have several mixtures on record that we believe will be able to support various alien lifeforms in our Containment unit. A few of the mixtures are nitrogen-oxygen compounds, very similar to our own, but others don't contain any oxygen at all. If all of these mixtures are actively used by one or more alien species, some of our enemies seem to breathe an atmosphere of almost pure methane.

The vastly different mixtures are actually giving us a bit of a puzzle. Surely it would be more economical to use segregated crews than to force these species to coexist in the same place?

Future questions aside, I'm well pleased with our present results. We can now store aliens in our Containment unit for prolonged periods of time -- they will no longer suffocate when their atmosphere tanks run out. This usually happens after 24 hours without replenishment, so no delays should be afforded when we manage to capture a specimen.

My team and I are all looking forward to finally getting our hands on a live one, Commander.

Sincerely,
Dr. Connor

--------

Prerequisites:
 1 Kerrblade
Result:
 Re: Alien Artifact -- Kerrblade

TO:	Base Commander, PHALANX, Atlantic Operations Command
FROM:	Cdr. Paul Navarre, R&D: Engineering Division, PHALANX, Atlantic Operations Command
DATE:	%02i %s %i
SUB:	Alien Artifact -- Kerrblade

Commander, we've recovered an interesting alien weapon from the battlefield. It looks to be some kind of knife or sword with an edge sharper than anything on Earth. It can slice steel like tissue paper and goes through our soldiers' body armour as if it wasn't even there. The troops have named it the 'Kerrblade' after the distinctive sound it makes when shredding our armour.

We should examine the blade to determine its function and see how it was made. There may be a way to duplicate this technology in a form that's compatible for human use, which would make melee engagements with alien combatants far more survivable than going at them with a combat knife.

Of course, this program will need your approval for lab time and funding.

--Cdr. Navarre

Origin:
 Alien Artifact -- Kerrblade
Opens:
 Monomolecular Blades, with Alien Autopsy -- Bloodspider

TO:	Base Commander, PHALANX, Atlantic Operations Command
FROM:	Cdr. Paul Navarre, R&D: Engineering Division, PHALANX, Atlantic Operations Command
DATE:	%02i %s %i
SUB:	Re: Alien Artifact -- Kerrblade

Our analysis of the Kerrblade is complete, Commander. Here is my summary for your review.

The Kerrblade seems at first glance like the alien equivalent of our combat knife. Reality would be a better place if that were true. We've concluded it is much more than that, and the truth is far from comforting.

Crafted from carbon alloy and alien plastics, it is surprisingly light and contains no metal whatsoever. The material itself is highly interesting for our weapons production. No matter how much we abuse it during testing, the blade will not chip, nick or bend. We think we might be able to duplicate the stuff with some more research.

Its shape vaguely resembles the old curved swords from human history, though perhaps it has more relation to something out of fantasy fiction. It's too large, unwieldy and poorly balanced for the human hand. The blade, however, tapers to an incredible edge; we have measured it to be only one molecule wide. This gives the Kerrblade its fantastic cutting power.

In our battlefield footage, we've seen the Kerrblade used with a curious, long-fingered grip -- one which the human hand is unable to duplicate -- that seems to indicate the Kerrblade is used as something other than a purpose-designed weapon. The closest analogies we've been able to find on Earth are those of a surgeon's scalpel and certain ancient disemboweling tools. This comparison was one of our first clues as to the true purpose of the Kerrblade. We put this together with some gruesome camera footage from Mumbai, which was so grainy that we could only guess what the aliens were doing, until now.

The Kerrblade is, in fact, an autopsy tool. It's used by the aliens to cut up live or dead humans and extract whatever tissue or organ they like. The large, sharp spike at the bottom of the blade is inserted into the solar plexus, then moved upwards like a pair of scissors, or a can opener. It goes through the sternum with disturbing ease. At this point the alien will fold open the ribcage and rip or cut out whatever he needs.

I wish we could just burn the things, but unfortunately they're too damned valuable. Though not primarily designed as weapons these Kerrblades are far more effective than any human combat knife. They cut up aliens almost as well as humans. The grip is highly uncomfortable for human hands, but we can adapt human grips easily enough. However, the blades are too big to ever fit into the standard-issue PHALANX holster. They can only be kept in a soldier's hands or in the backpack. This somewhat defeats the purpose of a knife -- but obviously we have no other melee weapon that even comes close in terms of power.

--Cdr. Navarre

--------

Prerequisites:
 1 Plasma pistol

TO:	Base Commander, PHALANX, Atlantic Operations Command
FROM:	Cdr. Paul Navarre, R&D: Engineering Division, PHALANX, Atlantic Operations Command
DATE:	%02i %s %i
SUB:	Alien Artifact -- Plasma Pistol

Commander, we've recovered the first alien plasma weapon of the war. I don't need to tell you how important this is. The alien armaments are highly-advanced, powerful and extremely lethal; we must figure out how they work in order to arm and armour ourselves against them.

The alien plasma weapons represent a curious application of the plasma-thrower concept, which was previously believed to be unfeasible as a battlefield weapon. I would very much like to figure out how it works. My team and I are confident that -- with enough time and proper safety procedures -- we can hammer out the plasma pistol's function and controls and write a small operational manual. Our soldiers could actually use the aliens' weapons against them!

Of course, this program will need your approval for lab time and funding.

--Cdr. Navarre

TO:	Base Commander, PHALANX, Atlantic Operations Command
FROM:	Cdr. Paul Navarre, R&D: Engineering Division, PHALANX, Atlantic Operations Command
DATE:	%02i %s %i
SUB:	Re: Alien Artifact -- Plasma Pistol

When the aliens need a sidearm, they don't screw around.

This plasma pistol is a nasty piece of work, Commander. Its operation is extremely complex and inventive, requiring a great deal of technical skill to create. The power pack alone is hundreds of years ahead of our technology. It stores enough power to heat several charges of hydrogen to a plasmatic state inside the miniature fusion chamber, which are expelled as plasma using the ionised particles' own velocity.

Unlike human firearms, the projectiles themselves are not stored in a magazine or reservoir. They are generated inside the pistol from hydrogen contained in the magazine, powered by the magazine's power-pack. Once the plasma is heated, it is fed into a spherical magnetic bottle created by a tiny generator device, a stack of which are stored inside each magazine. The whole mess -- generator included -- is then fired by a set of magnetic rails above and below the bottle.

The magnetic bottle contains and protects the plasma, keeping it from dispersing until it reaches the target. When a bolt reaches the target, the magnetic bottle keeps the plasma together, burning through a small focused area rather than splashing all over the target. Fortunately the bottle generators have only a small power cell, limiting the range of a pistol bolt to approximately 20 metres. Beyond this range the generators will burn out and simply disperse.

The pistol can also fire hot plasma directly from the feed without first putting it into a bolt. This cuts out most of the complicated bolt-throwing mechanism, which can suffer from misfires, and gives the weapon a secondary functionality if something breaks. Of course, without containment, the plasma disperses very rapidly due to atmospheric blooming. This firing mode will only deal significant damage out to two metres, it can save a soldier's life in close combat.

Bolts fired from this pistol is so hot that even a near-miss can be lethal. The effects on a victim are truly horrific; I will try to list them all here.

Any unarmoured human hit by a plasma bolt will suffer extreme pain and beyond-third-degree burns all across the impact area. Adipose (fatty) tissue will melt like water. Blood and other bodily fluids boil in place. The plasma will actually eat its way into a human body, chewing a hole through skin and causing bone-deep charring even ten centimetres away from the impact area. A large chunk of the body will be literally vapourised.

Any kind of tough fabric can provide some protection against a plasma hit. High-tech armour in particular will disperse the heat as best it can, and will resist being burned away by the plasma. Hopefully this will be enough time for the magnetic bottle to burn out and the plasma to disperse into the air.

I won't pretend to know how the aliens managed to squeeze all this stuff into a pistol. The mechanism appears extremely complicated for a simple handgun, but it's almost certain that larger, more powerful versions of these weapons exist and will appear against us in this war. However, my team and I have figured out the control scheme of the pistols, and we've written an appropriate field manual for human use. Our soldiers will now be able to employ the plasma pistol in a combat scenario as they would any other weapon.

--Cdr. Navarre

Stat suggestions:

Pro:

1) High damage.
2) Quick-firing.

Con:

1) Very limited range.
2) Low accuracy.
3) Long reload time.
4) High recoil.
5) No burst fire.

--------

Prerequisites:
 1 Plasma rifle
 Alien Artifact -- Plasma Pistol

TO:	Base Commander, PHALANX, Atlantic Operations Command
FROM:	Cdr. Paul Navarre, R&D: Engineering Division, PHALANX, Atlantic Operations Command
DATE:	%02i %s %i
SUB:	Alien Artifact -- Plasma Rifle

Commander, my department is ready to begin studying the recovered alien plasma rifle. This is a highly dangerous and versatile weapon, vastly outstripping the plasma pistol in range and power. It's something we should try to put into the hands of our own soldiers ASAP. Please approve lab time and funding as soon as our schedule permits.

--Cdr. Navarre

TO:	Base Commander, PHALANX, Atlantic Operations Command
FROM:	Cdr. Paul Navarre, R&D: Engineering Division, PHALANX, Atlantic Operations Command
DATE:	%02i %s %i
SUB:	Re: Alien Artifact -- Plasma Rifle

Commander, here's my report on our alien plasma rifle research.

At its most basic level, the plasma rifle is little more than an upscaled version of the plasma pistol. However, as any firearms fanatic will tell you, pistols are pistols and rifles are rifles. Handguns are small, personal defence weapons. Rifles are weapons of war. The disparity in power is remarkable.

Rifle plasma is over 20% hotter than pistol plasma and capable of burning through even heavy armour. The plastic globes containing the rifle's plasma shots are much thicker than the pistol's, only beginning to disintegrate at distances between 80-100m. This is a short maximum range for a general-purpose assault rifle, but ideal for urban infantry engagements and other close-quarters work. The bolts do not suffer from projectile drop and they're far too massive to be affected by wind conditions. This makes the plasma rifle highly accurate at all ranges.

The scariest new feature of this weapon is the fact that it is capable of automatic fire. Its rate of fire on full-auto may not be very high -- approx. 180 rounds per minute -- and the recoil is difficult to handle, but it more than makes up for these failings with sheer power. Two or three solid plasma rifle hits are usually all it takes to kill a human in light or medium-grade armour. An unarmoured soldier has no hope at all.

We've figured out the controls on the rifle and written up a manual for field use. Our troops should be able to make good use of it.

There can be no doubt that this weapon was designed and manufactured for war, and not in any defensive capacity. The aliens clearly know armed conflict very well. The rifle's power and lethality do not imply that they invaded us because of some mistake or misunderstanding. They came to Earth with a plan, Commander, and that really scares me.

--Cdr. Navarre

Stat suggestions:

Pro:

1) Very high damage.
2) Quick-firing.

Con:

1) Limited range.
2) Long reload time.
3) High recoil.

--------

Prerequisites:
 1 Plasma blaster
 Alien Artifact -- Plasma Pistol
 Alien Artifact -- Plasma Rifle

TO:	Base Commander, PHALANX, Atlantic Operations Command
FROM:	Cdr. Paul Navarre, R&D: Engineering Division, PHALANX, Atlantic Operations Command
DATE:	%02i %s %i
SUB:	Alien Artifact -- Plasma Blaster

Commander, we've recovered an alien plasma blaster from the field. This is an extremely powerful new plasma weapon that warrants immediate research. Preliminary testing confirms that blaster shots tear right through our Combat Armour and have a far longer range than the other plasma weapons we've recovered.

Please authorise this research program at your earliest convenience.

--Cdr. Navarre

TO:	Base Commander, PHALANX, Atlantic Operations Command
FROM:	Cdr. Paul Navarre, R&D: Engineering Division, PHALANX, Atlantic Operations Command
DATE:	%02i %s %i
SUB:	Re: Alien Artifact -- Plasma Blaster

Commander, here's my report on our alien plasma blaster research.

This is by far the heaviest member we've observed out of the plasma weapon family, and it seems unlikely that they will get any larger. The blaster requires at least two people and a heavy-duty cart to get it in and out of secure storage. It's barely man-portable, requiring a troop with great strength to carry it into battle. It is so large that, if it were a vehicle-mounted piece, it wouldn't even fit on most of our UGVs. The magazines weigh nearly a kilogramme apiece and the plasma generated is hot enough to melt through conventional armoured vehicles.

One of the notable improvements over the plasma rifle is the blaster's increased range, made possible by thicker containment plastic and higher bolt speeds. Ballistic testing has confirmed that blaster shots can reach distances of up to 400m before dispersing. The accuracy may be poor, but the blaster also has a far higher rate of fire. A heavy-duty plasma chamber and upgraded plastic spinnerets can produce up to 250 rounds per minute. Unfortunately for us, despite the containment plastic's increased thickness, the bolts will still burst and deploy their plasma properly even at extreme close range. This makes the blaster highly dangerous at all ranges at which PHALANX troops may encounter it. We recommend that any enemies found carrying one be neutralised ASAP, as they are an extreme threat to everyone and everything in the line of fire.

The aliens seem to use the blaster mostly in the role of heavy machine gun and anti-vehicle weapon. Another interesting fact is that their use is almost completely exclusive to the Ortnok species. Most Tamans -- like most humans -- would have extreme difficulty trying to lift and aim one and require mechanical assistance to do so. Cybernetic enhancements and/or the development of powered armour would certainly rectify many of the blaster's inherent weaknesses from a human point of view.

Lastly, we've mapped out the weapon's full control scheme for you, which is documented in the attached field manual. Our troops should now be able to train with and use the plasma blaster in combat as any other weapon, provided they're able to lift it.

--Cdr. Navarre

Stat suggestions:

Pro:

1) Extremely high damage.
2) Long range.
3) Large magazines.
4) Large bursts.

Con:

1) Long reload time.
2) Slow-firing.
3) Very high recoil.
4) Mediocre accuracy.
5) Expensive.

--------

Prerequisites:
 1 Particle Beam Pistol

TO:	Base Commander, PHALANX, Atlantic Operations Command
FROM:	Cdr. Paul Navarre, R&D: Engineering Division, PHALANX, Atlantic Operations Command
DATE:	%02i %s %i
SUB:	Alien Artifact -- Particle Beam Pistol

Commander, we've recovered a dangerous new alien pistol that seems to fire high-energy particle beams -- more deadly than lasers, more accurate than plasma weapons, and an extremely nasty new threat to our troops on the battlefield. Preliminary tests against our armour have produced distressing results. We need to perform more research on these weapons immediately.

Please authorise this program at your earliest convenience.

--Cdr. Navarre

TO:	Base Commander, PHALANX, Atlantic Operations Command
FROM:	Cdr. Paul Navarre, R&D: Engineering Division, PHALANX, Atlantic Operations Command
DATE:	%02i %s %i
SUB:	Re: Alien Artifact -- Particle Beam Pistol

Commander, I've got the specs of the new alien pistol for you, and they're not good.

We've always suspected that a real alien army would field more than just plasma weapons and Kerrblades. Now they've gone and proved us right. This particle beam weaponry is extremely advanced, a quantum leap above the plasma weapons, miniaturised far beyond our ability to duplicate.

Particle-beam weaponry is designed to hit a target object with a stream of accelerated particles moving at near-light velocities, therefore carrying tremendous kinetic energy. Until now we've only seen the aliens use this technology in large UFO weapons. Now, however, they're using it on the ground in the worst way.

The pistol itself is quite simple in build, just a shell covering a set of magnets and electrostatic lenses for focusing and constricting the particle beam. This is all stuff we can duplicate easily with enough money and effort. However, we've yet to figure out the weapon's ammo supply. The energy readings we've taken from the magazines are extreme, and despite our efforts, we haven't managed to disable or disarm one in order to safely open it up. Even shooting it dry doesn't completely deactivate one of these magazines. More research will be required before we can try and understand them, much less reproduce them.

Certainly this pistol is the nastiest handgun I've ever seen in my career, with impressive armour-piercing capabilities and extreme damage potential. The high-speed particle beam can kill a lightly-armoured human in one shot at ranges of up to 40 metres. Just one shot. With regards to lethality at range, it outperforms even our laser pistol. The only good news is that the PB pistol is significantly less accurate than our lasers and produce too much of a kick to make repeated accurate shots.

In fact, firing the pistol may be difficult for troops with less than the required physical strength. The particles leaving the barrel move at a fraction of the speed of light, so they generate an unholy amount of recoil against the shooter. It would be an extreme challenge for weaker troops to keep the weapon on-target. If these pistols are deployed, we recommend they only be issued to the stronger troops on our squad.

I'll keep you posted on our progress with the magazines, Commander.

--Cdr. Navarre

Stat suggestions:

Pro:

1) High damage.
2) Long range.
3) Quick-firing.
4) High accuracy.

Con:

1) Long reload time.
2) High recoil.
3) Damage lowered by smoke/gas/fire.

--------

Prerequisites:
 1 Particle Beam Rifle

TO:	Base Commander, PHALANX, Atlantic Operations Command
FROM:	Cdr. Paul Navarre, R&D: Engineering Division, PHALANX, Atlantic Operations Command
DATE:	%02i %s %i
SUB:	Alien Artifact -- Particle Beam Rifle

Commander, we've recovered an alien rifle that fires high-energy particle beams. It's more deadly than lasers, more accurate than plasma weapons, and an extremely nasty new threat to our troops on the battlefield. Preliminary tests against our armour confirm that the aliens have seriously upgunned their troops. We need to perform more research on these weapons immediately.

Please authorise this program at your earliest convenience.

--Cdr. Navarre

TO:	Base Commander, PHALANX, Atlantic Operations Command
FROM:	Cdr. Paul Navarre, R&D: Engineering Division, PHALANX, Atlantic Operations Command
DATE:	%02i %s %i
SUB:	Re: Alien Artifact -- Particle Beam Rifle

Commander, we've gotten all the info we can from this new alien rifle. It's more bad news, I'm afraid.

We've always suspected that a real alien army would field more than just plasma weapons and Kerrblades. Now they've gone and proved us right. This particle beam weaponry is extremely advanced, a quantum leap above the plasma weapons, miniaturised far beyond our ability to duplicate.

Particle-beam weaponry is designed to hit a target object with a stream of accelerated particles moving at near-light velocities, therefore carrying tremendous kinetic energy. Until now we've only seen the aliens use this technology in large UFO weapons. Now, however, they're using it on the ground in the worst way.

The rifle seems to follow a very basic, modular design, quite unlike the plasma weapons we've already observed. All the parts can be slotted in or out of the weapon just by pressing an appropriately-located release catch. Strangely, none of the weapon's parts are particularly high-tech or impressive, nothing that we can't duplicate easily with enough money and effort. The only thing we have yet to figure out is the weapon's ammo supply. The energy readings we've taken from the magazines are extreme, and despite our efforts, we haven't managed to disable or disarm one in order to safely open it up. Even shooting it dry doesn't completely deactivate one of these magazines. More research will be required before we can try and understand them, much less reproduce them.

What first alarmed me about this weapon is its performance against our infantry armour. The high-energy particles in a particle beam travel so fast that the beam can easily punch a hole through our standard vehicle armour. When fired at a suit of Combat Armour, the results are gruesome. It penetrates the front of the armour without even slowing down, and still has enough power to punch out the back and continue for several metres before dispersing.

Much heavier protection will be required for our troops to be able to stand up to this kind of fire. In addition to the development of entirely new armours, we should look into upgrading our current suits as soon as possible. We may suffer significant troop losses to alien PB weapons if we don't.

Lastly, the rifle's shape is not at all suited to the human body, and even with adaptations it will be poorly balanced for human shooters. If deployed with our squads, our accuracy won't be as good as the aliens.

I'll keep you updated on our progress with the magazines, Commander.

--Cdr. Navarre

Stat suggestions:

Pro:

1) Very high damage.
2) Long range.
3) High accuracy.

Con:

1) Long reload time.
2) High recoil.
3) Damage lowered by smoke/gas/fire.

--------

Prerequisites:
 1 Particle Beam Cannon

TO:	Base Commander, PHALANX, Atlantic Operations Command
FROM:	Cdr. Paul Navarre, R&D: Engineering Division, PHALANX, Atlantic Operations Command
DATE:	%02i %s %i
SUB:	Alien Artifact -- Particle Beam Cannon

Commander, we've recovered a large alien cannon that fires high-energy particle beams. It is extremely deadly and has frightening effects on our armour during preliminary testing. We need to perform more research on these weapons immediately.

Please authorise this program at your earliest convenience.

--Cdr. Navarre

TO:	Base Commander, PHALANX, Atlantic Operations Command
FROM:	Cdr. Paul Navarre, R&D: Engineering Division, PHALANX, Atlantic Operations Command
DATE:	%02i %s %i
SUB:	Re: Alien Artifact -- Particle Beam Cannon

Commander, we've finished work on this big damned cannon we brought back.

We've always suspected that a real alien army would field more than just plasma weapons and Kerrblades. Now they've gone and proved us right. This particle beam weaponry is extremely advanced, a quantum leap above the plasma weapons, miniaturised far beyond our ability to duplicate.

Particle-beam weaponry is designed to hit a target object with a stream of accelerated particles moving at near-light velocities, therefore carrying tremendous kinetic energy. Until now we've only seen the aliens use this technology in large UFO weapons. Now, however, they're using it on the ground in the worst way.

This cannon has got to be the most powerful infantry particle beam the aliens can field, because I can't imagine them getting much bigger. Though smaller and lighter than the Plasma Blaster, the PB cannon's recoil is out of this world. It can blast a full grown man clean off his feet in one shot. No normal human will be able to use this weapon. We can adapt it for mounting on our UGVs, and we may be able to enhance our soldiers with cybernetic implants or powered armour, but that's all.

As bad as the recoil is, the target will have it worse. A single fleeting hit -- a heartbeat of exposure -- will buckle three inches of homogenous steel and blow the target back by several metres. This is usually all that's necessary. A second hit will turn the buckle into a fist-sized hole, clean through. Our infantry armour will perform only slightly better, but deflection will help somewhat.

The cannon's mechanics are quite simple, nothing that we can't duplicate easily with enough money and effort. The only thing we have yet to figure out is the ammo supply. The energy readings we've taken from the magazines are extreme, and despite our efforts, we haven't managed to disable or disarm one in order to safely open it up. Even shooting it dry doesn't completely deactivate one of these magazines. More research will be required before we can try and understand them, much less reproduce them.

That's all I've got for you right now, Commander. I'll keep you updated on our progress with the magazines.

--Cdr. Navarre

Stat suggestions:

Pro:

1) Extremely high damage.
2) Long range.

Con:

1) Very long reload time.
2) Very high recoil -- cannot be used by standard infantry, must be wearing at least Medium armour.
3) Damage lowered by smoke/gas/fire.

--------

Prerequisites:
 Alien Artifact -- Particle Beam Pistol
 Alien Artifact -- Particle Beam Rifle
 Alien Artifact -- Particle Beam Cannon

TO:	Base Commander, PHALANX, Atlantic Operations Command
FROM:	Cdr. Paul Navarre, R&D: Engineering Division, PHALANX, Atlantic Operations Command
DATE:	%02i %s %i
SUB:	Proposal: Man-Portable Particle Beams

Commander, we've decided that more research is badly needed on the particle beam weaponry, especially their mysterious power source, the magazines which we've been utterly unable to examine. No amount of finesse or ingenuity has been able to open them. That's why I'm hereby proposing extreme measures.

I want to use our lab's radiation chamber to bombard one of the magazines with electromagnetic pulses. destroying most of the internal electronics, and hopefully causing it to shut down. Once it's safely deactivated, we can use brute force to open it up.

Destroying a magazine to find out how it works may seem crude and backwards, but we have no other choice at the moment. Even blasted to hell by EMP, it should help us answer a lot of questions about the aliens' particle beam technology. It may also give us clues as to how we can get inside an undamaged magazine.

Once we know how the magazine works, we can reassess the weapons and we'll hopefully be able to tell you how it all fits together, Commander.

--Cdr. Navarre

TO:	Base Commander, PHALANX, Atlantic Operations Command
FROM:	Cdr. Paul Navarre, R&D: Engineering Division, PHALANX, Atlantic Operations Command
DATE:	%02i %s %i
SUB:	Re: Man-Portable Particle Beams

Commander, my method worked. I think we've managed to crack the secrets of the mysterious particle beam weaponry. Here are my conclusions.

The appearance of man-portable particle beam weaponry suggests a serious escalation in this war. Prior to being shot at with it, we had no idea that the aliens possessed such advanced technology, and we have no idea why it was not deployed before now. The aliens' motivations and strategy remain a complete mystery to us. Still, I don't believe I'm overstating the issue that these weapons change everything.

When I try to describe this, you have to understand that I'm not talking about the actual weapons. As I've mentioned in my reports, the weapons themselves are basically nothing more than a metal shell around a set of magnets and electrostatic lenses, all used for focusing and constricting the particle beam. The real magic happens in a space about the size of my fist. I'm talking about what we have previously thought of as the 'magazine', until now. What it actually is is unbelievable.

Each individual magazine is actually a synchrotron particle accelerator of mind-blowingly tiny proportions, wrapped around a battery pack so small that we can't even begin to imagine how they built it. The synchrotron speeds particles round and round in a very small circle -- less than the diameter of the magazine -- until they've achieved sufficient velocity. The particles are then diverted via a magnetic field into the focusing array, where they are magnetically constricted -- 'pinched' -- into a coherent beam.

Commander, there is no chance in hell that we can build accelerators this complex this small. Not in our lifetimes. Neither we at PHALANX nor the rest of the world have the precision machinery or the knowledge necessary to duplicate the alien technology. We've documented how the weapons works, and they're simple enough to produce, but if we actually want to use them we're going to have to scrounge magazines off the aliens. Worse, these little accelerators are put under tremendous amounts of strain in their lifetimes, and they'll start to malfunction after being used only a few times. Our ammo supply will be spotty at best, limited to whatever we can recover in the field.

If the aliens have widespread access to this sort of technology, and they obviously do, I couldn't tell you why they haven't just waltzed in and mashed humanity into paste. Their war machine is several orders of magnitude greater than ours. Their technology is more advanced, they have more numbers and better aircraft, and yet they're still coming at us in fits and starts. It's baffling. However, any good soldier will tell you that 'why' doesn't matter right now. They're the ones making the mistake and it's up to us to take advantage of it.

We need to upgrade, upgun, and uptrain everything we have, Commander. Everything. We have to be ready before they start getting really serious about this war.

--Cdr. Navarre

--------

Prerequisites:
 1 Needler

TO:	Base Commander, PHALANX, Atlantic Operations Command
FROM:	Cdr. Paul Navarre, R&D: Engineering Division, PHALANX, Atlantic Operations Command
DATE:	%02i %s %i
SUB:	Alien Artifact -- Needler

Commander, it seems we've recovered a new alien weapon, some kind of fully-automatic sniper rifle that fires masses of paper-thin needles made from silicon steel. Preliminary testing shows that the needles are virtually unaffected by ordinary body armour and will pass through most surfaces without even slowing down. It's a very interesting design and we'd like to figure out exactly how it's meant to work.

Please authorise this program at your convenience, Commander.

--Cdr. Navarre

TO:	Base Commander, PHALANX, Atlantic Operations Command
FROM:	Cdr. Paul Navarre, R&D: Engineering Division, PHALANX, Atlantic Operations Command
DATE:	%02i %s %i
SUB:	Re: Alien Artifact -- Needler

Commander, we've finished analysing the alien needler gun, and I've prepared a threat assessment and technical overview for you.

As I mentioned in my research proposal, the Needler is indeed a type of sniper rifle, but an unusual one. It ignores the normal concept of firing powerful slugs to make single, long-range kills. Instead it vomits out hundreds and hundreds of ultra-fast silicon steel needles which can easily tear apart a target at any range. 

The needles are fired by a fast-changing magnetic field inside the barrel, hooked up to a feed mechanism that injects thousands of needles a minute into the barrel. This creates a near-constant stream of fire which lasts for as long as you hold down the trigger and the magazine holds out. Unlike bullets, these needles have a practically flat trajectory from muzzle to target. They punch through most armour like it doesn't exist. They're so low in mass that there's little appreciable recoil when firing, giving them excellent accuracy, but at the same time thin enough to avoid being overly affected by weather. Wind, rain and physical obstructions can knock some of the needles off course but not enough to make the weapon much less effective.

One of the main components that caught my attention is the powerful electromagnet array. It's laid out as a 'coilgun', many electromagnetic coils wrapped around the barrel, a method we'd previously thought to be too energy-inefficient to use on the battlefield. The aliens seem to have made it viable through clever use of superconductors and alien engineering. We may be able to adapt this technology to our own EM weapons research, I'll take a closer look and get back to you when I have anything concrete.

Instead of an ordinary top-mounted sniper scope, the aliens have incorporated a highly effective holographic aiming mechanism and rangefinder which projects directly in front of the user's leading eye. Targets are shown with absolute clarity at any range, the sight automatically compensates for natural body motions, and it will even tell the user the exact chances of scoring a hit at any time. We've run this thing by our own troops and -- once they got used to it -- the alien holo-sight was the preferred choice for 100% of them compared to our own scopes. If we can adapt and duplicate this sight in a self-contained package, we could create the ultimate aiming unit to use on any of our rifles, possibly even some handguns.

Equipped with a bipod for prone firing and a very large magazine, the Needler is a serious threat to our troops. Snipers can inflict serious casualties on exposed troops and we cannot afford the losses. If a Needler is spotted, our soldiers will have to make optimal use of cover and try to flank whilst staying out of sight. A direct assault on an entrenched needler gun will likely prove suicidal and I don't recommend anyone to try it, Commander.

--Cdr. Navarre

Stat suggestions:

Pro:

1) Long range.
2) Very high rate of fire.
3) Large magazines.

Con:

1) Low damage.
2) 2x2 magazines.

--------

Prerequisites:
 Alien Artifact -- Needler
 Electromagnetic Rifle

TO:	Base Commander, PHALANX, Atlantic Operations Command
FROM:	Cdr. Paul Navarre, R&D: Engineering Division, PHALANX, Atlantic Operations Command
DATE:	%02i %s %i
SUB:	Proposal: Coilgun

Commander, our brainstorms down at DivEngine have come up with an interesting idea based on the alien Needler technology. When combining the alien fast-changing magnetic generators -- and, even more importantly, their power source -- with human-engineered EM rifle technology, some amazing man-portable weaponry becomes possible. I'd hereby like to propose a new design for a coilgun in the role of a sniper rifle.

The Needler is a terrific weapon, but there are undeniable advantages to delivering one large slug compared to a number of smaller flechettes; greater stability in flight, better armour-piercing ability, and above all superior stopping power. There's a reason why our sniper doctrine calls for one shot to a kill, that the target should be dead before he even knows the sniper is there.

To this end we plan to adapt the electromagnetic equipment and power source from the Needler to a larger barrel and a more human-friendly shape, as well as developing a new slug to maximise damage potential. The whole package together would be a significant upgrade from our old S-1 Sniper Rifle, more accurate than the Bolter and with far more kick than the Needler.

Please let me know when you want us to start, Commander.

--Cdr. Navarre

TO:	Base Commander, PHALANX, Atlantic Operations Command
FROM:	Cdr. Paul Navarre, R&D: Engineering Division, PHALANX, Atlantic Operations Command
DATE:	%02i %s %i
SUB:	Re: Coilgun

Commander, I'd like to present you with the finished plans and prototype for our Coilgun.

Combining an alien-inspired power pack and coil arrangement with some of our Bolter technology has solved many of the coilgun design's inherent problems. A hundred years ago, the energy efficiency of coilguns measured less than 2%; meaning, the energy of the projectile at the time of impact was less than 2% of the energy used to fire it. Even with today's technology coilgun efficiency is limited to single digits, but the alien Needler manages efficiency ratings as high as 70%. It may take us years to get to that level, but with the Coilgun we've developed something that is both practical and effective for the war effort.

In order to get better acceleration out of the coils, we've created a new kind of ammunition, based on the aliens' needle alloy. In shape it's a fairly standard fin-stabilised penetrator inside a discarding sabot, but it's made from materials never before seen on Earth. Discarding sabot rounds are normally used for much larger calibres -- we've effectively scaled down an anti-tank round -- but the armour-piercing potential is phenomenal, higher than any other weapon we have. In fact, the Coilgun is now the highest-calibre infantry weapon on the planet.

We've also incorporated a Needler-style holographic sight, making the Coilgun extremely accurate and comfortable to fire.

The advantages of a coilgun as a sniper rifle are obvious. There's no rush of propellant to make noise, no muzzle flash spitting out light and heat. Unlike even our Bolter, nothing comes out the barrel except the bullet -- there's no spray of hot metal from the rails to light up the sniper on infrared. With nothing to reveal the sniper's position except the noise of the bullet itself breaking the sound barrier, it's possible to fire and stay undetected, even against alien technology. Best of all, ballistics tests confirm that it should be able to bring down most aliens in a single shot.

Of course we've had to make some sacrifices -- high weight due to the coils and electrical equipment contained in the barrel, low ammunition capacity due to the high calibre, large and heavy magazines/power packs. Despite this, I believe the Coilgun should replace most of our SR-1 Sniper Rifles, as it's proving difficult for our conventional weapons to compete with new enemy armour designs.

Keep the SR-1 in light sniper and anti-infantry roles and move the Coilgun forward as our main long-range threat. The aliens will come to fear it.

--Cdr. Navarre

Stat suggestions:

Pro:

1) Long range.
2) Very high damage.
3) High accuracy.

Con:

1) Very small magazines.
2) 2x1 magazines.
3) High TU cost.
4) High weight.

--------

Prerequisites:
 1 Plasma grenade

TO:	Base Commander, PHALANX, Atlantic Operations Command
FROM:	Cdr. Paul Navarre, R&D: Engineering Division, PHALANX, Atlantic Operations Command
DATE:	%02i %s %i
SUB:	Alien Artifact -- Plasma Grenade

Commander, our last tac mission has brought back an alien plasma grenade. This is a highly powerful grenade-type weapon that, once thrown, explodes in a shower of superheated plasma. It's somewhat larger and appears to be a good deal more dangerous than our standard frag grenades.

We should examine this weapon to see how it works, what it's made of, and how it's put together. Once we have those points figured out, we should be able to replicate it for our own use.

The project is ready for research, just waiting on your authorisation, Commander.

--Cdr. Navarre

TO:	Base Commander, PHALANX, Atlantic Operations Command
FROM:	Cdr. Paul Navarre, R&D: Engineering Division, PHALANX, Atlantic Operations Command
DATE:	%02i %s %i
SUB:	Re: Alien Artifact -- Plasma Grenade

Commander, our assessment of the alien plasma grenade is complete. Like all the alien weapons, it's very nasty and very dangerous.

The device is essentially made up of seven components: a casing, a trigger, a battery, a timer, an explosive charge, a plasma chamber and a solid hydrogen core. The casing is specially shaped to create a toroidal blast zone around the grenade, concentrating power into a smaller area. The battery is highly powerful and barely within our power to duplicate. The trigger is of particular interest, because it contains a tiny thumbprint scanner which verifies that the grenade is not being accidentally activated. A legitimate (i.e. non-accidental) activation starts the timer countdown. The length of the countdown is variable depending on the number of seconds that the trigger is held down, but it has a built-in safe minimum of three seconds.

Once the timer reaches zero, the battery unleashes its power, heating a core of hydrogen to plasma in milliseconds. The explosive charge sends the grenade tumbling into the air, and once the grenade achieves vertical orientation and ideal height, the plasma chamber containment is switched off. Rapid expansion of the plasma causes the casing to burst, spraying high-velocity fragments and plasma particles all over the area of effect. Due to the unstable nature of uncontained plasma, the grenade has a limited blast radius, beyond which the plasma particles cool and slow down too much to be dangerous. This radius is approximately 50% larger than that of a standard human frag grenade.

Anything caught within the area of effect will be either severely injured or dead.

We've drawn up a set of blueprints that will allow our Workshops to begin immediate construction, and a manual to train our soldiers in its use. They will now be able to use the plasma grenade as any other grenade in our arsenal.

--Cdr. Navarre

Stat suggestions:

Pro:

1) High damage.
2) Large area of effect.

Con:

1) Limited range.
2) Large. (1x2 inventory size)

--------

Prerequisites:
 1 Plasma blade

TO:	Base Commander, PHALANX, Atlantic Operations Command
FROM:	Cdr. Paul Navarre, R&D: Engineering Division, PHALANX, Atlantic Operations Command
DATE:	%02i %s %i
SUB:	Alien Artifact -- Plasma Blade

Commander, our last tactical mission brought back a strange alien weapon in the form of a plasma chamber with a handle. At least, we assume it's a weapon; the shape seems to suggest some kind of plasma-based knife, though I have no idea how this would work. We can't quite figure out how to turn it on or what purpose it serves in the alien arsenal.

More research is definitely required, Commander. Whenever we have a bit of free lab time, I'd like a go at it.

--Cdr. Navarre

TO:	Base Commander, PHALANX, Atlantic Operations Command
FROM:	Cdr. Paul Navarre, R&D: Engineering Division, PHALANX, Atlantic Operations Command
DATE:	%02i %s %i
SUB:	Re: Alien Artifact -- Plasma Blade

Commander, we've figured out the secrets of the alien weapon. I'm afraid the news is not good.

We were wrong to think of the plasma blade as a knife. In essence, it is a one-shot anti-armour weapon, like the Panzerfaust of WW2, except designed to kill armoured infantry and small vehicles rather than tanks.

It's shaped like a knife handle with no blade. In place of the blade it has a small black nozzle with a large plastic ring around it. There is no visible trigger or activation button. Instead, it's armed by twisting the handle, and subsequently fired by bringing the nozzle within several centimetres of a reasonably flat surface. Only then does the plasma blade go to work.

The plastic ring around the nozzle ejects a charge of sticky foam which hardens almost instantly to the strength of concrete. At this point the weapon is locked firmly to the target and an airtight seal is created. There is only vacuum between the nozzle and the target. All the while, a jet of plasma has been heating up inside the handle, which is now let loose and shot into the target at a fraction of the speed of light. Plasma and hot shrapnel begin bouncing around inside the armour, tearing up circuits or flesh.

There is no armour that can withstand this weapon. If a proper seal is achieved, the target has no hope of survival. The plasma blade's only saving grace is that it's not very accurate, and while it can be thrown, its chances of achieving a seal when thrown are very slim. Planting one by hand has a much higher chance of success. If an alien manages to rush our troops while wielding a plasma blade, anything in the immediate area will be in danger. All available fire should be brought to bear to neutralise the target before it has the chance to hit anyone.

This weapon frightens me, Commander. Its very existence implies a lot of things. Combined with the aliens' usual pragmatism with regards to their own lives, it says to me that they may be prepared to employ kamikaze tactics, sacrificing their own lives just to kill one of us. 1 human for 1 alien is a ratio that neither PHALANX nor humanity can possibly afford. Even if it was closer to 10:1 I still wouldn't fancy our chances. After all, how many of them are there?

I wish we'd never found the damned thing. I don't like where this war is going.

--Cdr. Navarre

--------

Prerequisites:
 1 Alien Body Armour

TO:	Base Commander, PHALANX, Atlantic Operations Command
FROM:	Cdr. Paul Navarre, R&D: Engineering Division, PHALANX, Atlantic Operations Command
DATE:	%02i %s %i
SUB:	Alien Artifact -- Alien Body Armour

Commander, we've recovered a suit of alien body armour from the battlefield. This armour has been a plague to our soldiers due to its very high resistance to various types of damage; aliens wearing it have shrugged off shots that would have torn their unarmoured friends apart. It's not surprising that we still haven't managed to cut it open to perform an initial survey of its composition. We should investigate the armour's weaknesses as soon as we can, and perhaps ascertain a way to adapt it for our own uses.

This project will require a moderate amount of lab time and funding. Work will start as soon as we have your authorisation, Commander.

--Cdr. Navarre

TO:	Base Commander, PHALANX, Atlantic Operations Command
FROM:	Cdr. Paul Navarre, R&D: Engineering Division, PHALANX, Atlantic Operations Command
DATE:	%02i %s %i
SUB:	Re: Alien Artifact -- Alien Body Armour

Commander, we've got a full report on the alien armour for you.

It was something of a surprise to learn that the alien armour is made of a composite of plastics and carbon containing no metal whatsoever. In fact, the most important element is something with which humanity is already well-acquainted: carbon nanotubes. Carbon nanotubes (also known as CNTs or 'buckytubes') are cylindrical carbon molecules that are incredibly strong, one of the strongest materials known to humankind. They have been relatively little-used on Earth because of their extreme cost. No economical means of mass-production has been found to date, restricting their use to the most expensive programs on Earth, such as aeronautics and space exploration.

The alien armour uses CNTs as its penetration layer, i.e. the layer that stops bullets and other incoming ordnance from penetrating into the body. The nanotubes are woven into long latticework patterns and recessed into a bed of hard polymer, backed by a layer of semi-liquid gel that very effectively dampens the energy of a blow and spreads the remaining force across a very large area. The final layer -- woven from flexible aramid fibre -- serves to contain the gel and doubles as a spall liner, catching any fragments that may be blown loose from the inside of the armour.

Thanks to the conductive properties of carbon nanotubes, the armour performs very well against plasma as well as against ordinary bullets, lasers and explosives. However ironically, it's not very effective against incendiary devices or flamethrowers, since these weapons also raise the atmospheric temperature around the wearer. In this scenario the armour is left with no place to effectively dump its heat and will not protect the wearer as he roasts inside his suit.

Other features of the armour include servo-assisted movement in the boots, allowing the wearer to move more quickly, and a curious system built into the bracers that automatically assists the wearer's aim by selectively applying pressure to parts of the forearm. We are looking into many new uses for this technology.

Adapting this armour to a human body would be impossible due to the differences in physique and the difficulty of working with the materials involved. However, I've written up a separate research proposal to investigate the possibility of designing and mass-producing our own armour using the alien suit as a template. It will be in your inbox presently, Commander.

--Cdr. Navarre

--------

Prerequisites:
 1 Alien Medium Armour
 Alien Artifact -- Alien Body Armour

TO:	Base Commander, PHALANX, Atlantic Operations Command
FROM:	Cdr. Paul Navarre, R&D: Engineering Division, PHALANX, Atlantic Operations Command
DATE:	%02i %s %i
SUB:	Alien Artifact -- Alien Medium Armour

Commander, we've salvaged a new suit of alien armour from the field. It's much heavier than the alien armour we've encountered previously, and it seems to stop ordinary firearms without taking so much as a scratch. Its trauma plates are made of the densest CNT (Carbon Nanotube) weave I've ever seen. We need to research this armour right away to determine which weapons will remain effective against aliens wearing it, and to try and find a method to replicate it for our own troops. As long as we can't match this technology, we are at a severe disadvantage.

This project will require a significant amount of lab time and funding. Work will start as soon as we have your authorisation, Commander.

--Cdr. Navarre

TO:	Base Commander, PHALANX, Atlantic Operations Command
FROM:	Cdr. Paul Navarre, R&D: Engineering Division, PHALANX, Atlantic Operations Command
DATE:	%02i %s %i
SUB:	Re: Alien Artifact -- Alien Medium Armour

Where armour is concerned, the aliens' design philosophy seems to be, "If it works, let's use more of it." This new armour is similar in design to the alien body armour, but it does away with the compromises and delicate balances of light armour. Instead of just protecting the torso and head, the medium armour attempts to cover all vital areas with much more dense nanopolymer plates, including major arteries and sensitive nerve clusters. In comparison with the alien body armour, the medium suit has double the number of nanotube strands per square centimetre. As a result these plates are nearly impenetrable to standard human firearms and even the softer mesh covering the joints can stop bullets with disturbing ease.

As I mentioned before, the suit strongly emphasises protection over mobility. The large trauma plates get in the wearer's way no matter what race or size he might be, and the dense nanotube polymers used are so heavy that the overall weight will slow down even an Ortnok. There are numerous mini-servos and other mechanical parts that help deal with some of the weight, but their effect is limited overall. Other devices are integrated into the armour to assist aiming and vision. These are quite interesting and we may be able to replicate them on a larger scale as weapon enhancements.

The aliens seem to have designed this armour with the war against humanity in mind. Besides being virtually bulletproof, its performance against lasers, incendiary and plasma weapons is much improved over the Alien Body Armour, though it's still somewhat vulnerable to particle beams. Aliens wearing this armour will suffer minimal damage from crossing open flame or brief shots from our flamethrower, but prolonged exposure will still overheat the suit and cook the alien inside.

In better news, the armour does not fully enclose the alien, leaving some skin or breathing passages exposed to air. That means blister gas will remain effective, though it will take longer for the gas to reach its full effect.

The alien suits won't fit our troops without modifications that would critically weaken them. We've taken a few stabs at replicating the dense nanopolymers, but our Workshop machinery is currently unable to weave so many nanotubes at once. I have a few ideas about how to upgrade it, though, as well as some designs for a new armour to take advantage of those upgrades. The proposal should be in your queue now, Commander.

Now please excuse me, sir -- I was due in my rack twelve hours ago and I think my eyes are starting to bleed. Goodnight!

--Cdr. Navarre

--------

Prerequisites:
 Special base mission success

TO:	Base Commander, PHALANX, Atlantic Operations Command
FROM:	Col. Ingrid Falkland, Intelligence Division, PHALANX, Atlantic Operations Command
DATE:	%02i %s %i
SUB:	Proposal: Alien Psi Device

Sir, our troops just got back from our raid on the alien base. They brought back the wreckage of that strange device we encountered. I need this wreckage turned over to DivIntel immediately, as well as some funding and lab time, so that we can find out its purpose and try to unravel the mystery of the powerful psionic attacks which emanated from it during the attack.

The device has to be of extreme importance for the entire base to be built around it. But is it a weapon, a computer, a communication device, or something more mysterious? If more alien bases are found, we may have to defend ourselves from other such devices, although I sincerely hope that's not the case.

Cdr. Navarre and Dr. Connor have already committed their support for the project, and both have agreed to assist us with the technical side of research. All we need now is your approval, Commander.

With kind regards,
Col. Falkland

TO:	Base Commander, PHALANX, Atlantic Operations Command
FROM:	Col. Ingrid Falkland, Intelligence Division, PHALANX, Atlantic Operations Command
DATE:	%02i %s %i
SUB:	Re: Alien Psi Device

Good morning, Sir. I've got a report for you on the alien psi device wreckage.

(more here)

With kind regards,
Col. Falkland

--------

THE ALIEN BODY

Prerequisites:
 1 live organic alien in containment

TO:	Base Commander, PHALANX, Atlantic Operations Command
FROM:	Dr. Connor, R&D: Bio & Containment Division, PHALANX, Atlantic Operations Command
DATE:	%02i %s %i
SUB:	Proposal: Live Alien

Commander,

We have captured a live alien in the field! The creature has been recovered from our last tactical mission and is being held in our new Containment unit, which I'm pleased to report seems to be working up to spec.

I don't need to explain why we should start research on this specimen right away. The information that could be gleaned from it supercedes all other considerations. Up until now we've had no chance to study the alien mind, their thoughts and motivations, except through their continued attacks upon our world. This is our first chance to discover the aliens' purpose for humanity, perhaps even an explanation. Who are they? Why are they here? What can we do against them? We can know nothing without interrogating this specimen.

Please send your approval for this program at your earliest convenience.

Sincerely,
Dr. Connor

TO:	Base Commander, PHALANX, Atlantic Operations Command
FROM:	Dr. Connor, R&D: Bio & Containment Division, PHALANX, Atlantic Operations Command
DATE:	%02i %s %i
SUB:	Re: Live Alien

Commander,

We have finished our first survey of a live alien specimen. The project has produced mixed results.

The subject is certainly alive, and we have put it through an extensive array of toxicology experiments which have provided vital data about its vulnerabilities to various chemicals and bio-agents. However, we have been completely unable to produce a behavioural analysis of the alien mind. This is because the specimen has showed virtually no signs of intelligence since its capture. It has done little more than eat, sleep, and stare at the walls of its containment unit. It responds to physical stimuli with reflex actions, aggression and/or submission, but we could not coax any information out of it. Even simple hand signals seem to be beyond the creature's comprehension. EEG monitoring reveals that the seemingly highly-developed brain registers virtually no brainwave activity at all.

It is hard to believe this same specimen could have fired advanced alien weaponry at our troops during a tactical mission. There is no physical trauma that might explain the regression. Perhaps its capture has activated some manner of alien counter-interrogation mechanism; we don't know. None of my team have managed to produce a viable hypothesis as to the reason why. Certainly more research is required. We will keep monitoring the specimen, and will notify you immediately if the situation changes.

Sincerely,
Dr. Connor

--------

Prerequisites:
 10 live organic aliens in containment
 The Alien Mind

TO:	Base Commander, PHALANX, Atlantic Operations Command
FROM:	Dr. Connor, R&D: Bio & Containment Division, PHALANX, Atlantic Operations Command
DATE:	%02i %s %i
SUB:	Proposal: Odd Behaviour

Commander,

The live aliens in our Containment unit have begun to display erratic behaviour since the last tactical mission.

Before, the specimens were barely intelligent, operating solely on instinct despite their significantly-developed brain structures. Yet they now seem to be exercising some sort of intelligent control, clearly communicating through the soundproof cells and operating as a team, even going so far as to engineer coordinated escape attempts. Sedative darts were required to subdue the more active specimens.

We believe the new specimens recently added to Containment are having some sort of effect on the group. They may be higher-ranking members of the alien hierarchy. If we have captured an alien officer, or if there is some entirely different cause for the new behaviour, we need to investigate the how and why of this right away. On behalf of DivBio, I would like your permission to start a new research project to look into the matter.

Sincerely,
Dr. Connor

TO:	Base Commander, PHALANX, Atlantic Operations Command
FROM:	Dr. Connor, R&D: Bio & Containment Division, PHALANX, Atlantic Operations Command
DATE:	%02i %s %i
SUB:	Re: Odd Behaviour

Commander,

We have spent the past few weeks investigating these strange occurrences in our Containment unit, and we believe we've formulated a theory that may begin to explain the aliens' newfound intelligence.

It seems that we were off in our preliminary appraisal of how the alien intellect works. We first believed them to be autonomously operating individuals, in the same way humans are, though with superior communications and team tactics. However, our lab experiments and an intense review of battlefield footage now seem to contradict that hypothesis.

In our video records, we have often seen the aliens seeking cover, coordinating their fire, working as a team even though they carry no obvious communications equipment. However, when we captured a few live specimens in our Containment unit, they never displayed anything above the level of animal instinct. This seems incongruous with the evidence we have; large, well-developed brain structures and a proven knowledge of combat tactics.

We sought to reconcile these ideas in a new hypothesis, and our experiments have begun to produce tangible results. The new specimens certainly are responsible for the strange behaviour we've observed, but we originally assumed that they were officers of some type under colour of authority. We now believe that theory to also be wrong. Our experiments prove that when the aliens are allowed to congregate, with or without the suspected 'officers', they become significantly more active and sophisticated. When they are separated from each other for a large enough distance, they revert back to their basic states. The conclusion is obvious. There is some kind of communal force binding these creatures together.

A string of new theories has emerged. The most likely explanation is in the alien brain. There are several species of alien, all of which meet the physiological requirements for a sentient species, but they show little to no brainwave activity of their own. This implies the presence of some kind of shared or distributed thought between them, a hive mind that grows more intelligent as it grows in numbers. We're not sure how it's possible for this hive mind to cross species boundaries; it's obvious that the different alien races originated on different worlds, with vastly divergent evolutionary paths, and some species appear to have been around far longer than others. However, given the aliens' advanced technology, the 'how' is less of an enigma than the 'why'.

These new findings also seem to suggest that specimens down on Earth are cut off from the source of their intelligence. While this may be an important advantage for PHALANX forces, it also brings up threats we had not yet considered. Our research into alien physiology has established that isolated specimens cannot survive very long in our environment, and behave with little enough intelligence while they're on the surface; but if a large enough number is allowed to escape and coordinate with each other -- or with alien sympathisers on Earth -- we could be looking at a serious infiltration risk.

With several specimens on hand, their intelligence now seems to be approaching the human level. If we can create a suitable translation device or common language, we believe we may finally be able to establish communications with aliens in PHALANX captivity. Perhaps some of our linguists or psychology experts could form a dialogue. This is an avenue of inquiry that we cannot afford to ignore.

Of course, if such experiments were to be approved by the Base Commander, I assure you that my team would take full precautions. Nothing is more important to us than the lives of our men and the security of our facilities.

Sincerely,
Dr. Connor

--------

Prerequisites:
 Player attacked by humans
 A New Twist

TO:	Base Commander, PHALANX, Atlantic Operations Command
FROM:	Dr. Connor, R&D: Bio & Containment Division, PHALANX, Atlantic Operations Command
DATE:	%02i %s %i
SUB:	Proposal: The Enemy On Earth (Early)

Commander,

My team and I are deeply troubled by the recent reports of human hostility against PHALANX personnel, as I'm sure you are. We've all seen the battlefield footage. There's no doubt that the attackers were humans like you and me, but it's also clear they were using alien weaponry and equipment -- some of which even PHALANX has never seen before.

The worrying questions seem to mount up. First, however, we need to review the facts we have.

Do the aliens have active sympathisers on Earth? Yes.

Are the aliens supplying these human servants? Most likely, it's the only reasonable explanation for their advanced alien equipment.

Do the servants present a threat? Absolutely. Perhaps a greater one than the alien menace itself.

We need to delve deeper into what makes these people tick. If we can find out the most common causes for alien infiltration, our Information Division should be able to devise a far more successful propaganda strategy, which could increase our number of volunteers as well as decrease the alien infiltration rate across the globe. DivBio also has a stake; we'd like to examine at least one live human prisoner in our Containment unit so we can run a full physical examination. If the aliens have bodily altered these people in addition to training and supplying them, we'd like to find out about it.

Director Wong (DivInfo) reports that if we hold off too long on implementing a new info strategy, we could soon face recruitment shortfalls and increased human resistance as the sympathisers begin to grow. I tend to agree. We need to keep this planet together if we are to have any chance against the alien threat.

Sincerely,
Dr. Connor

TO:	Base Commander, PHALANX, Atlantic Operations Command
FROM:	Dr. Connor, R&D: Bio & Containment Division, PHALANX, Atlantic Operations Command
DATE:	%02i %s %i
SUB:	Re: The Enemy On Earth (Early)

Commander,

You need to read this right away. By your request, we've performed several hurried autopsies and done our best to examine the live prisoners taken on our mission against the alien sympathisers. The results are alarming.

Do you remember the report I sent you about the first live alien specimen we captured? As you may remember, it lost all its intellect and became largely unresponsive without fellows to empower the hive mind. Prepare yourself, Commander: The human prisoners in our Containment unit exhibit the very same symptoms. They do not think for themselves. Their thought processes are firmly suppressed and supplanted by the alien hive mind through a process we currently fail to understand.

However, a thorough blood analysis has produced conclusive evidence that the prisoner is infected with an XVI strand.

This new strand is slightly different from the others we've encountered, and we fear it can only be designated "XVI-H". It has been willfully designed to infect human beings. Our subjects run the gamut of the human race; the infection seems to have no preference for IQ or physical potential. We don't yet know how the infection takes root, but even a few of these organisms entering the bloodstream may be enough to infect and enslave an individual entirely. 

Quarantine procedures have been tightened to the absolute maximum, and we're rushing another full batch of tests on all our personnel. Our field agents remain clean, thank God -- just think if we'd gone into a combat zone with soldiers capable of turning on their teammates at any moment! -- but I fear we have found one conclusive result. It's Dr. Eisenhower, our Director of Administration. He's been away on business to the UN since last week, but we ran an older sample which has come up positive. We don't know when or how he was subverted or if he even joined PHALANX with honourable intentions, but it's clear he has acted as an alien spy for some weeks. Unfortunately we can't seem to find him at any of the locations he was scheduled to visit. Internal Security has taken charge of his workstation and is in the process of information control.

Things are a bit hectic right now. Dr. Eisenhower's infection implies that other members of a hive mind -- human or alien -- were in close enough proximity to allow him to function at human intelligence. He could have linked up with our subjects in Containment, or a nearby alien cell, or even other infiltrators inside our base. Right now, we don't know, and we most likely never will. We're all frightened in the Bio lab. My assistant has been jumping at shadows all day.

Commander, we must develop a vaccine against XVI-H as soon as possible. The danger of our soldiers and salvage technicians falling victim to the infection in the field is too great to ignore even for a moment. I hereby request your permission to start work on a vaccine immediately. Please, please respond at your earliest convenience.

Sincerely,
Dr. Connor

--------

Prerequisites:
 Player attacked by humans

TO:	Base Commander, PHALANX, Atlantic Operations Command
FROM:	Dr. Connor, R&D: Bio & Containment Division, PHALANX, Atlantic Operations Command
DATE:	%02i %s %i
SUB:	Proposal: The Enemy On Earth (Late)

Commander,

My team and I are deeply troubled by the recent reports of human hostility against PHALANX personnel, as I'm sure you are. We've all seen the battlefield footage. There's no doubt that the attackers were humans like you and me, but it's also clear they were using alien weaponry and equipment -- some of which even PHALANX has never seen before.

The worrying questions seem to mount up. First, however, we need to review the facts we have.

Do the aliens have active sympathisers on Earth? Yes.

Are the aliens supplying these human servants? Most likely, it's the only reasonable explanation for their advanced alien equipment.

Do the servants present a threat? Absolutely. Perhaps a greater one than the alien menace itself.

We need to delve deeper into what makes these people tick. If we can find out the most common causes for alien infiltration, our Information Division should be able to devise a far more successful propaganda strategy, which could increase our number of volunteers as well as decrease the alien infiltration rate across the globe. DivBio also has a stake; we'd like to examine at least one live human prisoner in our Containment unit so we can run a full physical examination. If the aliens have bodily altered these people in addition to training and supplying them, we'd like to find out about it.

Director Wong (DivInfo) reports that if we hold off too long on implementing a new info strategy, we could soon face recruitment shortfalls and increased human resistance as the sympathisers begin to grow. I tend to agree. We need to keep this planet together if we are to have any chance against the alien threat.

Sincerely,
Dr. Connor

TO:	Base Commander, PHALANX, Atlantic Operations Command
FROM:	Dr. Connor, R&D: Bio & Containment Division, PHALANX, Atlantic Operations Command
DATE:	%02i %s %i
SUB:	Re: The Enemy On Earth (Late)

Commander,

You need to read this right away. With your authorisation, we've performed several autopsies and done our best to examine the live prisoners taken on our mission against the alien sympathisers. The results are alarming.

Do you remember the report I sent you about the first live alien specimen we captured? As you may remember, it lost all its intellect and became largely unresponsive without fellows to empower the hive mind. Prepare yourself, Commander: The human prisoners in our Containment unit exhibit the very same symptoms. They do not think for themselves. Their thought processes are firmly suppressed and supplanted by the alien hive mind through a process we currently fail to understand.

We've run and re-run examinations and blood tests on these people ad nauseum, and there can be no mistake. The blood samples are full of foreign DNA. All these people are carrying something in their bloodstream -- a kind of single-cellular organism present in huge numbers, which appears to replicate like a virus when placed in an uninfected human body and rapidly takes over, enslaving the victim to the alien hive mind.

These subjects run the gamut of the human race; there seems to be no preference for IQ or physical potential. We don't yet know how the infection takes root, but even a few of these organisms entering the bloodstream may be enough to infect and enslave an individual entirely. Not even our own employees are immune, as we discovered to our horror when we screened our base personnel.

Our field agents remain clean, thank God -- just think if we'd gone into a combat zone with soldiers capable of turning on their teammates at any moment! -- but I fear we have found one conclusive result. It's Dr. Eisenhower, our Director of Administration. He's been away on business to the UN since last week, but we ran an older sample which has come up positive. We don't know when or how he was subverted or if he even joined PHALANX with honourable intentions, but it's clear he has acted as an alien spy for some weeks. Unfortunately we can't seem to find him at any of the locations he was scheduled to visit. Internal Security has taken charge of his workstation and is in the process of information control.

Things are a bit hectic right now. Dr. Eisenhower's infection implies that other members of a hive mind -- human or alien -- were in close enough proximity to allow him to function at human intelligence. He could have linked up with our subjects in Containment, or a nearby alien cell, or even other infiltrators inside our base. Right now, we don't know. Quarantine procedures have been tightened to the absolute maximum, and we're rushing another full batch of tests on all our personnel. We're all frightened down here in DivBio. My assistant has been jumping at shadows all day.

Interestingly, our attempts to infect other terrestrial life -- even intelligent vertebrates such as bottlenose dolphins and elephants -- have failed completely. This organism must have been engineered wholly or in part to specifically infect the human species.

We've dubbed the organism the 'EXtraterrestrial Viral Infection', or XVI. This may be somewhat of a misnomer in microbiological terms; XVI is a complex multi-celled organism far larger than any terrestrial virus, but it acts and replicates exactly like one.

Really, what we're looking at here is a bio-weapon of unprecedented proportions. Instead of killing its victims it takes control of them with no option of resistance and -- at the moment -- no available cure or defence. The most humble and harmless civilian can be infected and, with the instant shared expertise of the larger hive mind, become an effective warrior for the aliens while reducing our numbers. When the aliens also supply them with weapons, we can see the true face of horror.

I couldn't imagine a more nightmarish scenario for us. Our troops will undoubtedly be coming up against more and more human opponents during alien attacks on Earth. We may even find people crewing UFOs for the aliens. It's madness.

Commander, we must develop a vaccine against XVI as soon as possible. The danger of our soldiers and salvage technicians falling victim to the infection in the field is too great to ignore even for a moment, let alone allowing the general population to fall prey to this abomination. I hereby request your permission to start work on a vaccine immediately. Please, please respond at your earliest convenience.

Sincerely,
Dr. Connor

--------

Prerequisities:
 The Enemy On Earth (OR The Enemy On Earth (Alternate))

TO:	Base Commander, PHALANX, Atlantic Operations Command
FROM:	Dr. Connor, R&D: Bio & Containment Division, PHALANX, Atlantic Operations Command
DATE:	%02i %s %i
SUB:	Proposal: Human Vaccine -- URGENT

Commander,

I won't beat about the bush on this one. Right now we are helpless against XVI. We need to create some kind of defence against it now before the whole planet becomes infected. There can be nothing else as important as this, no other more pressing research priorities. Never mind UFOs and plasma guns; this is the gravest threat humanity has ever faced.

Please, give us your authorisation to begin work right away.

Sincerely,
Dr. Connor

TO:	Base Commander, PHALANX, Atlantic Operations Command
FROM:	Dr. Connor, R&D: Bio & Containment Division, PHALANX, Atlantic Operations Command
DATE:	%02i %s %i
SUB:	Re: Human Vaccine -- URGENT

Commander,

Our research has stalled. The XVI organism is too complex and alien, and we understand it too little. We don't have the necessary information to combat or change it. All of our attempts and experiments so far have failed. If we want to have any chance of succesfully creating a vaccine we need more information about the organism and its genetic structure.

Unfortunately, the only place such information is kept is in alien databanks beyond our reach. We need to gain access to this information at any cost. Without it, humanity is doomed to fall.

Right now it seems our only hope lies with something we've only seen very recently in blurry camera footage -- a new type of UFO whose appearance seems to be synonymous with the rapid spread of XVI in the region. We've only caught glimpses, but regardless this UFO type seems to be at the forefront of the aliens' biological warfare operations.

What we need to do is capture one of these UFOs. Immediately. Any cost in lives or money is warranted; it's insignificant compared to the total destruction of the human race. I'll have someone alert you about it as soon as we spot one of these UFOs within our area of operations -- it must be engaged and recovered if we're to have any chance of stopping the infection.

I shudder to think of what might happen if we fail.

Sincerely,
Dr. Connor

--------

Origin:
 Special mission success

TO:	Base Commander, PHALANX, Atlantic Operations Command
FROM:	Dr. Connor, R&D: Bio & Containment Division, PHALANX, Atlantic Operations Command
DATE:	%02i %s %i
SUB:	A Significant Victory

We've done it!

There has been no rest or sleep for us down in DivBio, so please forgive my diction in this message. I haven't been within sight of a bed in three days. But it was worth it. XVI-H is no longer an uncounterable threat.

Our first order of business was to identify the modus operandi of the organism as it infects a human body. When tinkering with some of the organism gene sequences, it began to lend itself to large and widespread mutations, which is anomalous with the samples we've extracted from active hosts in the pasts. In all parts of a host body, the infection maintains its identical nature. Now, with the information we recovered from the captured Corrupter UFO's databanks, I've managed to figure out how.

Let me stress, these alien files have been nothing short of enlightening. Unfortunately there only seems to be technical data regarding the XVI organism's genetics and the infection process, and nothing else beyond that. We surmise that the aliens in the field either already know the rest or don't need to.

My apologies, I'm drifting off topic.

According to the files, and backed up by our research, the infection -- once it has established itself in the host body -- begins to actively destroy anomalous versions of itself, cross-referencing the makeup of any XVI cells inside the host body to a batch of templates stored in the victim's bone marrow. Interestingly, the bone marrow is the ultimate target of the initial infection, where a number of organisms settle and mutate. After the mutation is finished they serve as breeders and templates for more XVI organisms, which attach themselves directly to new leukocytes created in the infected marrow. The connection is obvious. This is how it bypasses the human immune system. Once the organism penetrates the victim's bone marrow, it's all over but the shouting.

By changing these template cells, we can insert a declawed strain of the organism into an uninfected human body -- a strain that does not enslave the victim to the alien hive mind -- which will then proceed to eliminate any other cell of XVI-H, including the harmful strain straight from the alien source. Unfortunately, we've yet to find a way to alter the templates in an already infected body, as the infection will destroy our vaccine without hesitation.

Massive inoculation programs are already in progress across the UN countries. We should be able to completely halt XVI-H spread in a matter of days. Work continues to try and cure those unfortunate souls who've already fallen victim to the infection -- but I fear it might be some time before we can work that miracle.

Still, we won't give up until we've beaten this bug once and for all!

Sincerely,
Dr. Connor

--------

Prerequisites:
 New wave of alien attacks

TO:	Base Commander, PHALANX, Atlantic Operations Command
FROM:	Dr. Connor, R&D: Bio & Containment Division, PHALANX, Atlantic Operations Command
DATE:	%02i %s %i
SUB:	Proposal: Second-Generation Vaccine -- URGENT

Commander,

I'm afraid I have some very bad news.

About six hours ago, we received a number of tissue samples from a human raid on Singapore. The local military drove them off, capturing several specimens alive, and sent the samples directly to us. We just finished putting them through a battery of tests. They've come back with harrowing results.

We've managed to date the XVI-H template cells in the living bone marrow of captured specimens, and some of the templates are only days old. Not only that, but Singapore officials have since dug up genuine vaccination records to go with several of these results. These people could not have been infected before they were given the PHALANX vaccine.

We are currently unsure how this could be possible; nevertheless, there can be no doubt. Somehow the aliens have managed to reengineer the infection to blast right through our vaccine. Gene sequencing has revealed several discrepancies between the XVI-H we know and the new cells recovered from these samples. We are clearly dealing with a new generation of XVI, specifically designed to smash our only defence against this kind of bio-warfare.

Commander, we have to research these discrepancies right away and develop a new vaccine before more people fall prey to the infection. XVI must be stopped at all costs. I recommend we halt all other research until we can put together a second-generation vaccine and get it ready for distribution.

Sincerely,
Dr. Connor

TO:	Base Commander, PHALANX, Atlantic Operations Command
FROM:	Dr. Connor, R&D: Bio & Containment Division, PHALANX, Atlantic Operations Command
DATE:	%02i %s %i
SUB:	Re: Second-Generation Vaccine

Commander,

(more here)

Sincerely,
Dr. Connor

--------

Prerequisites:
 Second-Generation Vaccine
 Alien Psionics

TO:	Base Commander, PHALANX, Atlantic Operations Command
FROM:	Dr. Connor, R&D: Bio & Containment Division, PHALANX, Atlantic Operations Command
DATE:	%02i %s %i
SUB:	Proposal: Behind The Facade

Commander,

Our continued efforts into producing a full anti-XVI cure have produced a startling discovery. In several of our experiments, we have tried to administer the developing serum to our alien prisoners in order to observe the results. Previously, subjects injected with the serum suffered violent allergic reactions resulting in convulsions, profuse internal bleeding in the lungs and viscera, and coma followed by death. Autopsy revealed the bone marrrow of subjects to have liquified and begun rapid decomposition.

Today, however, a subject lived.

Commander, the alien has been cut off from the captive hive mind in our Containment unit. It no longer responds to any of the communication methods we have devised, and interrogation of our remaining captives confirms that the hive mind has lost all sensory input from this particular specimen. The subject exhibits infantile behaviour -- it has little control over motor functions, struggling to walk, and acts frightened of everything that moves. It also appears to have lost all knowledge of how to use alien technology. Clearly, their knowledge and experience is contained within the hive rather than any one brain.

I cannot stress this enough, Commander; we have to research this phenomenon right away. We're at the cusp of key revelations into the relationship between XVI and the alien hive mind. This could be the piece that puts the entire puzzle in perspective. 

Sincerely,
Dr. Connor

TO:	Base Commander, PHALANX, Atlantic Operations Command
FROM:	Dr. Connor, R&D: Bio & Containment Division, PHALANX, Atlantic Operations Command
DATE:	%02i %s %i
SUB:	Re: Behind The Facade

Commander,

This is it. We've finally learned the grim truth of the alien threat.

During our studies into XVI and the alien hive mind, we occasionally suspected that XVI served some ancillary role in the aliens' shared intelligence, perhaps even going so far as to enable the hive mind. It's now painfully clear that we were not thinking far enough. Our experiments reveal that removing XVI from a subject removes it from the hive mind. The subject's subsequent regression to mental infancy indicates that it has been under the hive mind's influence from birth. This would indicate that the hive mind simply dominates the subject's normal thought processes throughout its entire life, but it does not explain the complete lack of memory upon removal from the hive. Pursuing this, we then discovered other evidence which blew our theories right out of the water.

After removal, the subject's brainwave activity increased. This childlike adult now shows as much of an EEG response and as much basic intelligence as any human. Commander, this alien has never before used its own brain.

We quickly formed a solid hypothesis that links XVI to the alien thought processes. To put it simply, XVI does not facilitate the hive mind; XVI is the hive mind. The organism itself is what does the thinking for all these alien hosts. It seems to be one whole, a single sentience distributed over billions and billions of microorganisms -- like a distributed computing network -- all connected through some kind of psionic contact. I still can't quite wrap my head around it. This is far outside anything we've known, and its magnitude is staggering.

I shall try to make an example using rough figures. Think of a mind which gains 3-5 IQ points for every host it has. From what we've been able to gather during our interrogation sessions, the alien population may number in the trillions. Now think of a supercomputer twice the size of the sun with near-human, equal-to-human or greater-than-human complexity, that wants to enslave the entire human race. I, for one, will not be getting any sleep tonight.

There is simply no way we can compete. It seems the only reasons why Earth hasn't been overrun yet are 1) The alien mind has been busy with another project, and 2) It wants to gain us as XVI hosts, not eradicate us.

Our focus must lie in discovering the other alien objective, learning the location of the alien mothership, and finding a way to destroy the mothership along with its entire population. We cannot keep resisting the alien invasion, and we have no chance of winning a research war against this viral intelligence. They will keep coming. They will keep infecting more of us than we can possibly cure or keep vaccinating. We either eradicate this infection at its source or face extinction as a free, independent species.

Sincerely,
Dr. Connor

--------

THE ALIEN MIND

Prerequisites:
 Live Alien
 3 live organic aliens in containment

TO:	Base Commander, PHALANX, Atlantic Operations Command
FROM:	Dr. Connor, R&D: Bio & Containment Division, PHALANX, Atlantic Operations Command
DATE:	%02i %s %i
SUB:	Proposal: The Alien Mind

Commander,

Though we've achieved limited results so far, research must continue on our alien captives. There's a number of experiments we'd like to run that require your authorisation for lab time and funding. I assure you this is not blue-sky research; with enough tests and behavioural data, we may be able to figure out a way to communicate with these aliens, perhaps even reawaken their intelligence somehow. We don't know what the results of the program will be -- we simply know too little about these aliens, our body of data is far too small to make any predictions at this point. What we do know is that every tidbit we learn about alien psychology is a valuable piece of the puzzle.

On a personal note, I'm convinced they must know something, Commander. The trick is in getting it out of them, and we're by God going to do it.

My team and I are all eagerly awaiting your approval for the program.

Sincerely,
Dr. Connor

TO:	Base Commander, PHALANX, Atlantic Operations Command
FROM:	Dr. Connor, R&D: Bio & Containment Division, PHALANX, Atlantic Operations Command
DATE:	%02i %s %i
SUB:	Re: The Alien Mind

Commander,

My team has finished conducting a number of tests on our captives that have shed some light on the aliens' behaviour.

In one experiment, an alien specimen was given a box of food, sealed by a two-digit number lock. The subject took six hours to find the right combination by trial and error. This places the alien's IQ well below most large terrestrial mammals; however, when other subjects in the Containment were given the same task, with exactly the same lock, they all immediately input the right combination on their first attempt without having been exposed to the first specimen's attempts. We know how this looks, Commander, but I assure you my team and I have been thoroughly conscientious about security and separation. The aliens have not been allowed to communicate in any way. We're not yet willing to commit to any definite hypothesis about these events, though we're working on it.

Unfortunately, results of our other experiments have been inconclusive at best. Various ways of communication have been attempted without success. Despite having fully functional vocal cords and/or working hands, they do not seem to speak or sign in any sense that we understand. Pheromone communication has had no effect beyond simple physical reactions. The large biological disparity between alien species also creates its own share of problems with containment and communication -- please refer to the alien autopsy reports for more details on individual alien physiology.

Nevertheless, I believe we're making progress, however slowly. Communication with the aliens is certainly within the realm of possibility. Our studies confirm that all alien specimens react to external stimuli. This means that we can make them respond, one way or another. Dr. Yamamura is currently working on teaching an isolated group how to express desire, acknowledgement and denial. Their intelligence is too limited to attempt anything more sophisticated at the moment. Once the subjects have mastered these basic concepts, we will have some data on the rate at which the aliens can learn, and a solid foundation upon which to build. Yamamura hopes we can gradually raise their communication skills until they can make themselves intelligible to us, thereby spreading this knowledge to others of their kind who may possess superior intellect and talents.

As always, I will keep you informed, Commander.

Sincerely,
Dr. Connor

--------

Prerequisites:
 Odd Behaviour

TO:	Base Commander, PHALANX, Atlantic Operations Command
FROM:	Dr. Connor, R&D: Bio & Containment Division, PHALANX, Atlantic Operations Command
DATE:	%02i %s %i
SUB:	Proposal: Alien Communication

Commander,

The increasing intellect of the captive aliens in our Containment unit leads me to conclude that we can finally begin to get a real handle on alien communication and, more importantly, getting some useable information out of them. Quoting from my report:

(Odd Behaviour)
"There are several species of alien, all of which meet the physiological requirements for a sentient species, but they show little to no brainwave activity of their own. This implies the presence of some kind of shared or distributed thought between them, a hive mind that grows more intelligent as it grows in numbers."

"With several specimens on hand, their intelligence now seems to be approaching the human level. If we can create a suitable translation device or common language, we believe we may finally be able to establish communications with aliens in PHALANX captivity. Perhaps some of our linguists or psychology experts could form a dialogue. This is an avenue of inquiry that we cannot afford to ignore."

Dr. Yamamura is beginning to make real progress on this front, teaching the aliens several new words of sign language every day, but we require lab time and funding for a proper study of what these aliens know and how it can help us. The ability to interrogate aliens about their own technology could be of incomparable value to our soldiers and engineers. Cdr. Navarre was so excited at the prospect, he almost argued in favour of DivBio on this one.

Thank you for your time, Commander. Please approve this program as soon as feasible.

Sincerely,
Dr. Connor

TO:	Base Commander, PHALANX, Atlantic Operations Command
FROM:	Dr. Connor, R&D: Bio & Containment Division, PHALANX, Atlantic Operations Command
DATE:	%02i %s %i
SUB:	Re: Alien Communication

Commander,

I'm happy to report that we've recieved the first good results in our ongoing efforts to question captive aliens in our Containment unit. Dr. Yamamura's approach has gradually begun to bear fruit. The aliens have learned to convey messages in both binary code and human-readable sign language, and they appear to comprehend a wide range of questions and instructions. Yamamura and his staff are still working to refine the sign language we've been using, while the rest of my team has concentrated on trying to extract useful information from the hive mind. This hasn't been easy. The aliens are very reticent and require a great deal of chemical encouragement in order to put them into a more helpful frame of mind. The casualty rate has been high.

However, what we have is significant. For instance, the hive mind seems to have no identity. It seems unable to grasp concepts like "I" or "We", or even "You" and "Them". It only accepts these words as numerical differentiations -- one specimen or several, one human or a group. This indicates a severe disconnect between human and alien thinking. The shared consciousness doesn't even think of itself as a single enclosed entity; it merely is. This, along with various other answers we've pieced together from our continued sessions, leads us to believe that all aliens do indeed share one single mind. And I mean all of them, Commander. It's not simply a means of increasing team efficiency or encouraging esprit de corps; it's an indispensible component of alien society. Every alien that lives and breathes is an equal and identical part of the greater hive mind, even specimens of completely different species. The only diversity the aliens will acknowledge is in the different substances required to keep the various species alive.

Also, the hive mind has expressed puzzlement at our attempts to communicate with individual aliens, let alone through something as crude as sign language. A human-understandable analogy might be trying to have a deep conversation with someone's toenail, or talking to a single cell in your own body. Of course, that raises the question of where the alien ears and brain really are.

Certainly the handful of aliens currently in our Containment unit are not part of the greater hive mind that we hypothesize exists on the alien homeworld. They seem to be cut off from it for the duration of their mission to Earth, only to rejoin it when they return later. Whether this is due to distance or some kind of atmospheric effect, we've not yet been able to tell. The aliens' answers are hazy on this subject.

That is all I have to report, Commander. However, as a final note, I would like to request your permission to look into methods we could use to more effectively persuade our captives. I must also stress that we require a healthy influx of new alien specimens in order to replace losses. We have to maintain the isolated hive mind we have in Containment. Losing it now would be a significant setback to our research.

Sincerely,
Dr. Connor

--------

Prerequisites:
 Alien Communication

TO:	Base Commander, PHALANX, Atlantic Operations Command
FROM:	Dr. Connor, R&D: Bio & Containment Division, PHALANX, Atlantic Operations Command
DATE:	%02i %s %i
SUB:	Proposal: The Universal Serum

Commander,

As you may know, our efforts at communication with the live aliens in our Containment unit are progressing only very slowly. We're having a great deal of trouble applying our standard interrogation methods. The truth serum we have available has several distinct limitations; it tends to produce a lethal allergic reaction in most alien bodies unless we restrict it to smaller, insufficient doses, which worsens the serum's already incomplete effect on alien physiology. We've encountered numerous small lies and half-truths in the sessions we've taken so far. Torture has been attempted to influence this behaviour, but to no avail. Pain seems to have no corrective effect on the hive mind.

There's also the larger hurdle of having to inject every single specimen of the hive mind in order to properly submerge any subject's sense of judgment. If one member of the hive mind dies, the remaining specimens' adrenaline-equivalent levels rise to the point where we have to start over.

To this end, armed with our expanded knowledge of the alien mind and body, I propose a new research program to look into a universal set of sera that we can use to extract more reliable information, faster and more easily. There is obviously a great deal of information inside these specimens waiting to be seized, Commander; we just need the tools to properly crack the shell.

Sincerely,
Dr. Connor

TO:	Base Commander, PHALANX, Atlantic Operations Command
FROM:	Dr. Connor, R&D: Bio & Containment Division, PHALANX, Atlantic Operations Command
DATE:	%02i %s %i
SUB:	Re: The Universal Serum

Commander,

Our development cycle on the new truth drug is complete. The new set of chemical mixtures we've tested are effective, and they seem to be the solution we've hoped for.

The work we've done on alien biology since the start of the invasion, along with some help from our captives, has put us on the track of certain psychotropic substances -- notably LSD-derivatives -- that have very interesting effects on alien psychology. The divergence of species has been a problem, as some compounds will work on one type of alien but not on another, but with this new data it will be an easy task to whip up drugs specifically tailored to the individual alien species.

Subjects under the influence of these drugs have proven to be more pliable and loose-lipped, as long as we keep injecting all the specimens in our containment unit. Unfortunately the hive mind's natural resistance to interrogation is still throwing a spanner in the works. Even with all our specimens fully injected, we've not managed to break that resistance, and the accuracy of our test information has still not been 100% reliable. All data we receive still requires some degree of time-consuming verification work.

On the positive side, the act of getting the information out of our subjects has become quicker and more painless, which should speed up some of our research. The danger of allergenic reaction is much lower and the number of subjects succumbing during interrogation has dropped significantly. The deeper effect of the new drugs may even give us access to more sensitive information that we would not have been able to extract from the hive mind with our old serum.

We should keep up our interrogation efforts to get maximum benefit out of the new drugs.

Sincerely,
Dr. Connor

--------

PSIONICS

Prerequisites:
 Encountered psionics in the field

TO:	Base Commander, PHALANX, Atlantic Operations Command
FROM:	Dr. Connor, R&D: Bio & Containment Division, PHALANX, Atlantic Operations Command
DATE:	%02i %s %i
SUB:	Proposal: Alien Psionics

Commander,

After debriefing our soldiers from their last mission, (more here)

Sincerely,
Dr. Connor

TO:	Base Commander, PHALANX, Atlantic Operations Command
FROM:	Dr. Connor, R&D: Bio & Containment Division, PHALANX, Atlantic Operations Command
DATE:	%02i %s %i
SUB:	Re: Alien Psionics

Commander,

(more here)

Sincerely,
Dr. Connor

--------

Prerequisites:
 Alien Psionics
 The Enemy On Earth

TO:	Base Commander, PHALANX, Atlantic Operations Command
FROM:	Dr. Connor, R&D: Bio & Containment Division, PHALANX, Atlantic Operations Command
DATE:	%02i %s %i
SUB:	Proposal: The Enemy On Earth -- Revisited

Commander,

While going over some of our old data about our first XVI-H test vaccines, I noticed an interesting effect in some of our test subjects. Quoting from my report:

(A Significant Victory)
"When tinkering with some of the organism gene sequences, it began to lend itself to large and widespread mutations, which is anomalous with the samples we've extracted from active hosts. In all parts of a host body, the infection maintains its identical nature, and I've managed to figure out how.

Once the infection has established itself in the host body, it begins to actively destroy anomalous versions of itself, cross-referencing the makeup of any cells inside the host body to a batch of templates stored in the victim's bone marrow. Interestingly, the bone marrow is where the initial attack lodges itself, at which point it begins to insert itself directly into leukocytes created in the infected marrow. The connection is obvious. This is how it bypasses the human immune system and maintains its own viral hygiene."

The possibilities may not seem apparent at first; certainly they had not seemed apparent to me until I went over the mutation results. Even though the organism we researched a month ago is outdated compared to the one we face now, we've been able to make some very interesting changes to its genetic makeup during our test runs. These changes are most apparent in the effects reported by our test subjects. They have claimed to be able to sense other test subjects through walls -- without even knowing about the existence of other subjects. In some cases, the entire test batch began unknowingly using expressions or turns of phrase that one or more of the subjects were fond of. However, they do not seem to have formed a hive mind or communal identity of any sort, and do not lose their individual intellect when separated from each other. The reports do not appear to be restricted exclusively to XVI-carriers either; a small number of subjects injected with a particular test vaccine have apparently been able to detect unvaccinated lab staff before entering the room. This is currently uncorroborated, but it meshes with the fact that the aliens are able to remotely influence human minds regardless of vaccination.

Allow me to cut to the chase. We believe we may be able to insert a genetically-engineered virus of our own to control certain changes to the XVI organism -- given enough research -- and possibly alter its function to be beneficial to a human host. For example, if we could equip our soldiers with this enhanced awareness about their relative locations, it would yield significant gains in closer team tactics and would decrease the response time for meeting new threats. This is a fascinating possibility that holds awesome potential, though I realise it is an offshoot of our other XVI research and we may not be able to give it precedence. Still, it could be well worth the research effort.

If you disagree with my assessment, I will respect your decision, and I assure you I won't let these ideas distract me from my normal work.

Sincerely,
Dr. Connor

TO:	Base Commander, PHALANX, Atlantic Operations Command
FROM:	Dr. Connor, R&D: Bio & Containment Division, PHALANX, Atlantic Operations Command
DATE:	%02i %s %i
SUB:	Re: The Enemy On Earth -- Revisited

Commander,

(more here)

Sincerely,
Dr. Connor

--------

Prerequisites:
 The Enemy On Earth -- Revisited

TO:	Base Commander, PHALANX, Atlantic Operations Command
FROM:	Col. Ingrid Falkland, Intelligence Division, PHALANX, Atlantic Operations Command
DATE:	%02i %s %i
SUB:	Proposal: Alien Infiltration

Good morning, Sir.

I've been working on your request for accurate intelligence about the level and concentration of XVI infection among the general population, and I think my department and I have found a solution.

I won't pretend to understand all of Dr. Connor's research on the topic of alien psionic activity, but there are some things in his files that catch my eye. The possibility of using psionic spies for our side has appealed to me since our very first human tests. Unfortunately, the technology hasn't been available, and PHALANX doesn't have the manpower or resources to fuel a worldwide effort.

We propose to change all that.

By establishing contact with the upper echelons of UN members, under extremely tight operational security, we can gradually bring them in on our psionic programs -- letting them know we have these capabilities and sharing some of them -- if they provide us with what we need. Exactly how it will shake out, I couldn't tell you, but we'll certainly end up with a better picture of XVI spread and progress across the world. That's worth any cost.

With kind regards,
Col. Falkland

TO:	Base Commander, PHALANX, Atlantic Operations Command
FROM:	Col. Ingrid Falkland, Intelligence Division, PHALANX, Atlantic Operations Command
DATE:	%02i %s %i
SUB:	Re: Alien Infiltration

Good morning, Sir. I have a full report for you regarding our solution to the lack of intel about XVI's activities on Earth.

You'll find the precise details of the overall strategic plan in the attached file. To put it simply, we'll be working with a number of existing national intelligence agencies, which -- with our assistance -- will train teams of psionically capable operatives and station them in key positions all over the globe. These operatives will make daily reports about any XVI psionic influence that they can sense. Multiple agents will be stationed separately and independently in each area, without knowledge of each other's whereabouts, identities or even their existence. This will reduce the risk of information contamination and immediately alert us to any alien subversion.

We'll be using a modified version of Dr. Connor psionic virus, which will allow these non-PHALANX operatives to passively and reliably sense psionic activity but has been neutered to keep the operative's developing psionic talents to a minimum. Connor tells me the modified strain will function as an XVI vaccine in itself, but no third party will be able to use it to produce combat-viable psionics. Reverse-engineering it would require years of work in a PHALANX-grade lab without a significant understanding of the viral genome.

I've applied your authorisation to begin immediate prep for this deployment plan. You can expect the first results very soon.

With kind regards,
Col. Falkland

--------

AIRCRAFT RESEARCH

Prerequisites:
 Any recovered UFO

TO:	Base Commander, PHALANX, Atlantic Operations Command
FROM:	Cdr. Paul Navarre, R&D: Engineering Division, PHALANX, Atlantic Operations Command
DATE:	%02i %s %i
SUB:	UFO Theory

Commander, we've captured our first UFO of the war. I don't have to tell you that this is a unique research opportunity. However, before we can begin to think about studying it in-depth and dismantling it for parts, we need to do a broader overview of UFO construction as a whole. Are any of its systems still active or boobytrapped? What kind of materials is it made of? What dangers might it pose during storage or disassembly? All these questions and more need to be answered before we do anything further.

We're ready to start work whenever you say, but we will need some lab time and funding to make a proper assessment of this amazing technology.

--Cdr. Navarre

TO:	Base Commander, PHALANX, Atlantic Operations Command
FROM:	Cdr. Paul Navarre, R&D: Engineering Division, PHALANX, Atlantic Operations Command
DATE:	%02i %s %i
SUB:	Re: UFO Theory

Commander, my team and I have finished our analysis of the UFO we captured. It's a real miracle of engineering, and we're all looking forward to getting a chance to sink our own hooks into all this lovely technology.

The craft's strange construction has raised a lot of questions for us to answer. Much of the design seems to make little sense when viewed from the ground. However, now that we've managed to look at it up close and personal -- and test the alien hull materials under laboratory conditions -- we have gained a far clearer picture of UFO capabilities. I've made a list of our most important discoveries.

-- The alien propulsion system is a type of rocket engine unlike any ever built on Earth. It uses direct matter-antimatter annihilation to generate thrust by injecting protons and antiprotons into the reaction chamber, then channeling this explosive force out the back of the engine. This gives a UFO extreme power and needs no air or other gases to fuel the reaction, allowing it to burn in hard vacuum. There is a highly-advanced cooling system continuously pumping liquid nitrogen through the engine housing in order to keep it cool and to reduce the infrared signature. Engine heat is also used to supply the craft's electrical needs.

-- The fuel tank is very, very small, measured in fractions of a gramme, but even so I nearly had a heart attack when we found out what was in there. If a containment loss occurred on one of these tanks, even three tenths of a gramme of this antimatter would outstrip the explosive force of the Hiroshima atomic bomb. Naturally the tank is armoured and buried as deep as possible within the fuselage, and there are mechanical systems present to jettison the tank in an emergency, but they aren't perfect. A direct hit on the tank or the containment system could still cause an explosion. Much of the blast would be contained by the UFO's tough structure, but any explosion represents an extreme hazard to our interceptors. The only saving grace is that proton-antiproton explosions create little radioactive fallout.

-- The craft is extremely difficult to see with human detection equipment, regardless of any electronic warfare capability on the aliens' part. This is largely due to the hull materials which very effectively absorb all kinds of radiation. We've had the most luck with passive infrared and gamma radiation detection, as the antimatter-based engines produce quite a lot of both.

-- The slim design, generating poor lift and being difficult to handle in air, is partly due to the heavy weight of the hull materials. It would be impossible to create effective wings from the alien hull materials. Instead, every gramme of excess matter has been stripped off, and the craft moves at high speeds so as to need very little lift surface. The material itself is quite astonishing, part metal and part plastic polymer. It functions as a memory alloy, 'remembering' at least two assigned shapes, shrinking into a more compact form when cold but automatically stretching out and assuming a more comfortable flying shape once it heats up. It's stronger and tougher than any known material on Earth (barring pure carbon nanotubes) and far more versatile in aircraft design. More research is definitely required.

Armed with these facts, we can now begin to analyse the different components and roles of the UFO. I recommend that our engineers begin dismantling this craft for parts right away. Who knows what we'll discover with the individual bits and pieces in front of us?

More research on the UFO itself is also warranted. I think we can delve deeper into its intended function and perhaps gain some insight in how to counter its activities. I'll send you another proposal about it as soon as I can.

Whatever we end up learning from these craft, Commander, it can only help us in the fight for Earth.

--Cdr. Navarre

Prerequisites:
 1 Scout UFO
 UFO Theory

TO:	Base Commander, PHALANX, Atlantic Operations Command
FROM:	Cdr. Paul Navarre, R&D: Engineering Division, PHALANX, Atlantic Operations Command
DATE:	%02i %s %i
SUB:	UFO -- Scout

Commander, we've recovered a new UFO type which is now waiting in our hangar for disassembly. We're ready to start studying and dismantling the craft whenever you say, but we will need some lab time and funding to make a proper assessment of its function and capabilities.

--Cdr. Navarre

TO:	Base Commander, PHALANX, Atlantic Operations Command
FROM:	Cdr. Paul Navarre, R&D: Engineering Division, PHALANX, Atlantic Operations Command
DATE:	%02i %s %i
SUB:	Re: UFO -- Scout

This small UFO is the first type we've observed visually and on radar. Although they don't seem to take part in actual raids, they're no less a threat; so far they've paved the way for every instance of alien activity on Earth.

We have dubbed this class of UFO the 'Scout', as that seems to be its purpose here on Earth. It makes sense. Every modern military force needs intelligence more than anything.

Here are the major technical details:

-- The craft has only a small fuel tank and few provisions for a crew. It seems designed for little more than coming down from orbit, flying around a bit, and then returning.

-- We've found no evidence of landing gear or hover ability in this craft, implying that it isn't meant to land. If it loses both engines, it goes down and won't come back up.

-- We have determined the craft to be unarmed, but it's equipped with what appears to be a large suite of sensors contained in the four protrusions around the cockpit. Curiously, it seems to mount no communications equipment that we can identify, which would defeat the purpose of a scout. Your guess is as good as ours, sir.

Beyond that the craft has no particular distinguishing characteristics.

As I said, this UFO type is used primarily as a reconnaissance unit and vanguard to scout the way for heavier craft. Though unarmed, we should shoot these things down whenever we're not otherwise engaged, because anything the aliens are up to is bound to be bad for us. 

--Cdr. Navarre

Estimated Scout statistics:

Size: Small (6m x 14m x 3m)

Cruising speed: +/- 1,600 km/h

Top speed: +/- 3,000km/h

Crew capacity: 3 max.

Weapon capacity: None

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Prerequisites:
 1 Fighter UFO
 UFO Theory

TO:	Base Commander, PHALANX, Atlantic Operations Command
FROM:	Cdr. Paul Navarre, R&D: Engineering Division, PHALANX, Atlantic Operations Command
DATE:	%02i %s %i
SUB:	UFO -- Fighter

Commander, we've recovered a new UFO type which is now waiting in our hangar for disassembly. Recovering a Fighter-class UFO has been one of the things we at DivEngine have been praying for. This is the first armed combat UFO that PHALANX has observed; it is vital that we study these alien craft and weapons and learn their weaknesses, if they have any.

We're ready to start studying and dismantling the craft whenever you say, but we will need some lab time and funding to make a proper assessment of its function and capabilities.

--Cdr. Navarre

TO:	Base Commander, PHALANX, Atlantic Operations Command
FROM:	Cdr. Paul Navarre, R&D: Engineering Division, PHALANX, Atlantic Operations Command
DATE:	%02i %s %i
SUB:	Re: UFO -- Fighter

Commander, my team and I have just finished another UFO report for you. Here is my summary for your review.

The Fighter craft seems to serve the role of escort to alien harvesting expeditions and similar operations. It is frequently deployed as a Harvester UFO's fighter wing, or even as a diversion to mask some other mission somewhere else.

It's not as manoeuvrable as some UFOs we've observed, but it's certainly fast, with a tough airframe and large claw-like heat exchangers on the side to compensate for the increased heat output of the chunky antimatter engines. It mounts a single weapon system under the nose of the craft. This weapon, some type of high-energy particle beam, will require thorough research before we will be able to make any conclusions about it. However, it's obvious just from our combat recordings that this weapon is extremely dangerous. It fires a beam of particles at a good fraction of the speed of light, giving it significant range before the atmosphere can slow and/or disperse the particles enough to render them harmless.

The crew compartment is equipped with 3 duty stations. We have studied these intently and, as near as we can determine, they are designed a pilot, a gunner and an electronics officer. The Fighter features no discernible communications equipment, nor does it mount landing gear. What it does have, however, is a large targeting computer and holographic HUD to make the craft even more effective in air engagements.

Combined with our work on UFO theory, the analysis of the Fighter has led us to some new conclusions about these smaller classes of UFO. While faster than most things in Earth's sky, the Fighter is still not very speedy for a craft driven by antimatter rockets. From what we've seen of the alien hull materials, they could easily stand more engine stresses if required. The aliens could certainly build more powerful engines with their current technology. It seems the limiting factor is fuel volatility.

The antimatter tanks in the Fighter are very small and very heavily armoured. Obviously the aliens aren't taking any unnecessary risks. The few tenths of a gramme of antimatter that a small UFO can safely carry seem to be just enough to complete a planet mission and return to base. If the UFO does manage to lose containment, the amount of antimatter in its tanks will not be enough to harm other craft in the same formation. This might not be true for larger craft, however.

Tactically, the Fighter is a real threat to PHALANX craft. They most often operate in pairs, a lead craft and a wingman, forming a tight, effective formation to protect larger and more vulnerable craft. However, their function is strictly limited, as they aren't equipped to do anything more than armed reconnaissance. The real threat will always be whatever the Fighters are protecting. Fighters should never be a main target unless there is nothing else left to shoot down.

--Cdr. Navarre

Estimated Fighter statistics:

Size: Small (9m x 16m x 4m)

Cruising speed: +/- 1,900 km/h

Top speed: +/- 3,600km/h

Crew capacity: 5 max.

Weapon capacity: 1 Particle Beam hardpoint

--------

Prerequisites:
 1 Harvester UFO
 UFO Theory

TO:	Base Commander, PHALANX, Atlantic Operations Command
FROM:	Cdr. Paul Navarre, R&D: Engineering Division, PHALANX, Atlantic Operations Command
DATE:	%02i %s %i
SUB:	UFO -- Harvester

Commander, we've recovered a new UFO type which is now waiting in our hangar for disassembly. This one is significantly larger than previous UFOs we've observed and seems to be the centre of many alien formations, making it an especially important target for our research. Uncovering the craft's purpose and examining its special equipment may give us essential new insights into the aliens' mission here on Earth.

We're ready to start studying and dismantling the craft whenever you say, but we will need some lab time and funding to make a proper assessment of its function and capabilities.

--Cdr. Navarre

TO:	Base Commander, PHALANX, Atlantic Operations Command
FROM:	Cdr. Paul Navarre, R&D: Engineering Division, PHALANX, Atlantic Operations Command
DATE:	%02i %s %i
SUB:	Re: UFO -- Harvester

Commander, my team and I have just finished another UFO report for you. Here is my summary for your review.

This craft -- which we've dubbed the 'Harvester' -- appears designed specifically for landing on a planetary surface and deploying an alien harvesting party. It is equipped with a set of large, sturdy landing legs and a special set of thrusters located in the UFO's belly to give it VTOL (Vertical Take-Off and Landing) capability. Once the landed Harvester's crew has collected enough captives, corpses and other biomass, they return to the UFO and lift off into orbit, quickly disappearing back to wherever it is they came from.

The Harvester seems to bear out our theories about fuel capacity being the main limiting factor for UFO speed, as it is both larger and faster than any other we've previously observed. It's able to carry more antimatter fuel and protect it far more effectively, with a tougher hull, thicker armour, and more effective emergency antimatter-dumping measures. Even if an explosion does occur, most of the blast will be contained by the UFO's extremely strong construction.

The Harvester's fuel tank can take up to 0.6 grammes of antimatter and possesses a potential explosive force of approximately 25 kilotons when full.

There are three front-facing weapon mounts arranged in a triangle around the craft's cockpit. Two of these are equipped with the particle beam weapon we've observed in other UFOs, but the remaining mount features an interesting kind of alien missile launcher. The missiles have highly sophisticated homing systems and are propelled by matter-antimatter reaction rockets similar to UFO engines. These missiles are insanely fast, so fast that they don't need explosive warheads to kill their prey, relying solely on kinetic impact and the sympathetic detonation of any remaining fuel. More research into this weapon will be a high priority.

In the air, the Harvester is extremely dangerous and should be a high-priority target. Between the twin particle beams and the alien launcher, its firepower is more than a match for anything we can currently field. Its only obvious drawback is low manoeuvrability compared to smaller UFO types. Our interceptors are significantly more agile and we have far more combat experience in Earth atmosphere than the aliens do. This is one of the few advantages we'll have over the Harvester, and it would be wise to upgrade our equipment in order to mitigate some of the aliens' tech superiority.

When encountered, we should concentrate our best pilots and craft on any Harvesters in the area and take them out as fast as possible. Only then should we concern ourselves with shooting down any escorts.

Our estimates of the Harvester's increased capabilities raise some frightening points. It seems that alien craft will actually grow faster as they become larger and more powerful, and there's no doubt that, if they can build these Harvesters, they can build bigger and nastier UFOs. Without upgrades to our airfleet, we may not be able to stand up to more dangerous threats in the future.

Please, do what you can about this when you can, Commander. I'd hate for us to be caught unprepared.

--Cdr. Navarre

Estimated Harvester statistics:

Size: Medium (12m x 18m x 6m)

Cruising speed: +/- 2,200 km/h

Top speed: +/- 4,100km/h

Crew capacity: 12 max.

Weapon capacity: 2 Particle Beam hardpoints, 1 Alien Launcher hardpoint

--------

Prerequisites:
 1 Gunboat UFO
 UFO Theory

TO:	Base Commander, PHALANX, Atlantic Operations Command
FROM:	Cdr. Paul Navarre, R&D: Engineering Division, PHALANX, Atlantic Operations Command
DATE:	%02i %s %i
SUB:	UFO -- Gunboat

Commander, we've recovered a new UFO type which is now waiting in our hangar for disassembly. Going by the extremely heavy armament, it seems to be some kind of heavy fighter or fire support model, its size class somewhere in between those of the UFOs we've observed so far.

This is the first alien craft we've seen that is unmistakably purpose-built for combat. What's even more disturbing is that it has certain features, innovations, which we theorise make the craft more suited for atmospheric flight. I think we need to have a look at this right away, as it may represent a significant shift in alien goals and tactics.

We're ready to start studying and dismantling the craft whenever you say, but we will need some lab time and funding to make a proper assessment of its function and capabilities.

--Cdr. Navarre

TO:	Base Commander, PHALANX, Atlantic Operations Command
FROM:	Cdr. Paul Navarre, R&D: Engineering Division, PHALANX, Atlantic Operations Command
DATE:	%02i %s %i
SUB:	Re: UFO -- Gunboat

Commander, my team and I have just finished another UFO report for you. Here is my summary for your review.

We've dubbed this UFO the 'Gunboat', and the name tells you a great deal about its intended function. Its weapons and armour exceed that of UFOs twice its size. As near as we can tell it was designed for the role of heavy fighter/interceptor, and it fulfills that role magnificently.

The UFO is armed with two particle beam weapons as well as -- very interestingly -- two additional modular hardpoints of a design almost identical to the weapon hardpoints on our own aircraft. It seems like the aliens have actually adapted our design for their own use and may begin using different loadouts on individual craft. If the aliens are actually learning from us, we could be in for a hell of a ride . . .

Even more interesting is the Gunboat's armour, an improvement over the standard skin of alien materials we saw on the first wave of invading UFOs. This new armour is a composite layer-cake of alien materials and various other substances designed to slow and stop projectiles from penetrating. The basic principle is simple enough but the new compounds have interesting properties which we're not sure we fully understand. I'll see if my team can make anything of it and, if so, I'll have a new research proposal ready for you soon.

The fuselage design of the Gunboat is still ostensibly that of a spacecraft, but it has certain adaptations that make it much easier to handle in atmosphere. It has actual wing surface generating lift, unlike the small claw-winged designs which relied on brute engine power to stay airborne. Furthermore, mobile flaps on the wings and stabilisers -- much like on human aircraft -- allow the Gunboat to use the airflow over its surfaces, giving it a much tighter turning circle, a far higher angle of attack and a tremendous rate of climb compared to a UFO moving on engine power alone.

Overall the Gunboat is fast, manoeuvrable and utterly deadly. It seems to outperform previously-observed UFOs on every level; faster, tougher, better-armed and more nimble. The only positive is that it would take three or four times as much material to build a Gunboat compared to a small attack craft and twice as much fuel to keep it flying, so it's unlikely we'll see Gunboats in large numbers. My only worry is that they won't need very many of these to pound us into dust. Extreme caution is advised, Commander, and I recommend we spend some time and money upgrading our airfleet as soon as we can.

--Cdr. Navarre

Estimated Gunboat statistics:

Size: Medium (12m x 16m x 5m)

Cruising speed: +/- 2,200 km/h

Top speed: +/- 4,500km/h

Crew capacity: 10 max.

Weapon capacity: 2 Particle Beam hardpoints, 2 modular hardpoints

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Prerequisites:
 1 Corrupter UFO
 UFO Theory

TO:	Base Commander, PHALANX, Atlantic Operations Command
FROM:	Cdr. Paul Navarre, R&D: Engineering Division, PHALANX, Atlantic Operations Command
DATE:	%02i %s %i
SUB:	UFO -- Corrupter

Commander, we've recovered a new UFO type which is now waiting in our hangar for disassembly. This is one of the largest UFOs we have observed so far, but the relatively light armament for its size indicates that it isn't a front-line combat craft. Unfortunately our preliminary walkabout of the interior has given us only vague, tantalising clues about its intended function.

Much of the on-board equipment is stuff we've seen before, containers geared towards storing live and dead biomass, but this UFO also has a lot of other gear that's leaving my team scratching their heads. There are mysterious alcoves with ports and valves leading to tanks full of human blood, with strange controls unlike anything we've seen. There are whole banks of robotic arms all ending in alien syringes, like some kind of mass inoculation centre -- and there's more that we can't even begin to describe. Just being inside it gives you a sense of something hostile to all human life.

I think we need to investigate this thing right away, Commander. There's something very very wrong about it, and I'm not going to be able to sleep until I know what it is.

--Cdr. Navarre

TO:	Base Commander, PHALANX, Atlantic Operations Command
FROM:	Cdr. Paul Navarre, R&D: Engineering Division, PHALANX, Atlantic Operations Command
DATE:	%02i %s %i
SUB:	Re: UFO -- Corrupter

Commander, my team and I have just finished another UFO report for you. Here is my summary for your review.

This UFO, which we've come to call the Corrupter, is a nightmare of alien medical technology. It makes only a few concessions to air combat. Its main purpose, without a shadow of a doubt, is to land on Earth and carry out hideous operations on human victims.

Where previous alien equipment seemed to focus mostly on collecting human biomass, the Corrupter's interior -- particularly the massive blood transfusion banks -- are geared towards the capture and alteration of complete, live human beings. The alcoves I mentioned in my proposal are still mysterious, but the wear patterns on the floor indicate that they're used to store some kind of heavy alien robot or cargo on legs. Heavy harnesses extend down from the ceiling to hold these robots in place during flight, and the alcoves seem to have some type of air-drop mechanism as well.

It's difficult to speculate exactly what exactly goes on in these UFOs with regards to captured civilians. Clearly it has something to do with the alien harvesting of human biomass, but they already have craft for that which do not appear to be in any way obsolete. Instead we have to suspect that the Corrupter represents a paradigm shift in alien activity on Earth. Something has changed. Until we fully understand what's happening, we need to prepare ourselves for what could be the worst threat to the global population we've ever seen.

In the air the Corrupter's performance is relatively poor, being slow and sluggish compared to other UFOs, but from our observations it appears to be heavily escorted and presents a major ground threat due to its large crew complement and on-board heavy weapons. More than any other craft we've encountered, the Corrupter is purpose-built to deliver large alien forces to the surface solely to attack civilians. 

Commander, it's painfully obvious that we need to shoot these things down whenever and wherever we see them. If we don't, it's going to result in the wholesale slaughter of innocent people and possibly even scenes worse than Mumbai and Bonn.

We have to stop that from happening at all costs.

--Cdr. Navarre

Estimated Corrupter statistics:

Size: Large (18m x 28m x 9m)

Cruising speed: +/- 2,500 km/h

Top speed: +/- 4,200km/h

Crew capacity: 30 max.

Weapon capacity: 2 Particle Beam Hardpoint, 2 Alien Launcher hardpoints

--------

Prerequisites:
 1 Lander UFO
 UFO Theory

TO:	Base Commander, PHALANX, Atlantic Operations Command
FROM:	Cdr. Paul Navarre, R&D: Engineering Division, PHALANX, Atlantic Operations Command
DATE:	%02i %s %i
SUB:	UFO -- Lander

Commander, we've recovered a new UFO type which is now waiting in our hangar for disassembly. It is larger than most UFOs we've observed, as wel as unarmed. Its design and payload suggests a troop carrier intended to land alien raiding parties. These craft can be found at the centre of many alien formations and present a big threat to the civilian population anywhere they choose to set down.

We're ready to start studying and dismantling the craft whenever you say, but we will need some lab time and funding to make a proper assessment of its function and capabilities.

--Cdr. Navarre

TO:	Base Commander, PHALANX, Atlantic Operations Command
FROM:	Cdr. Paul Navarre, R&D: Engineering Division, PHALANX, Atlantic Operations Command
DATE:	%02i %s %i
SUB:	Re: UFO -- Lander

Commander, my team and I have just finished another UFO report for you. Here is my summary for your review.

(more here)

--Cdr. Navarre

Estimated Lander statistics:

Size: Medium (12m x 18m x 6m)

Cruising speed: +/- 1,600 km/h

Top speed: +/- 3,000km/h

Crew capacity: 30 max.

Weapon capacity: None

--------

Prerequisites:
 1 Supply Ship UFO
 UFO Theory

TO:	Base Commander, PHALANX, Atlantic Operations Command
FROM:	Cdr. Paul Navarre, R&D: Engineering Division, PHALANX, Atlantic Operations Command
DATE:	%02i %s %i
SUB:	UFO -- Supply Ship

Commander, we've recovered a new UFO type which is now waiting in our hangar for disassembly. Larger than any of the other UFOs we've seen so far, it seems to be unarmed, and its large cargo hold suggests that it may be a supply carrier of some sort, supporting alien assets on the surface of the Earth. These craft can be found at the centre of many alien formations and will drastically increase the alien presence on our planet if we allow them to complete their missions.

We're ready to start studying and dismantling the craft whenever you say, but we will need some lab time and funding to make a proper assessment of its function and capabilities.

--Cdr. Navarre

TO:	Base Commander, PHALANX, Atlantic Operations Command
FROM:	Cdr. Paul Navarre, R&D: Engineering Division, PHALANX, Atlantic Operations Command
DATE:	%02i %s %i
SUB:	Re: UFO -- Supply Ship

Commander, my team and I have just finished another UFO report for you. Here is my summary for your review.

As far as we can determine, this type of UFO is indeed a transporter of some kind, carrying materials in its large cargo hold and up to 12 aliens in a small passenger compartment behind the cockpit. Satellite surveillance has observed these ships landing at alien-held positions and unloading material and passengers. This is strong evidence in support of the 'supply ship' theory, and we're confident that it's correct. 

We can make several conclusions from the UFO's construction and the cargo we've recovered from the hold. Unlike other UFOs we've seen, the Supply Ship is built for carrying heavy loads rather than surviving combat. It doesn't manoeuvre very well, its engines are weak by comparison, and its airframe will break up easily when hit. This is why a Supply Ship will often be protected by a large screen of Fighter UFOs, in case of interception.

There isn't much that an alien cargo ship could be doing on Earth except reinforcement and resupply. It will be bringing in weapons, spare parts and other supplies from the alien homeworld to Earth in support of alien operations on the surface. This should be prevented at all costs -- permanent alien installations on Earth would place the civilian population in the area in extreme danger. A strong alien presence also hampers our operations in many ways, some too subtle to observe directly. The regular operation of Supply Ships in an area may indicate an alien installation under construction or, worse, one that's already operational.

On the other hand, if we can prevent any Supply Ships from reaching an existing alien strongpoint, we may be able to starve it out for a while before sending in troops. This may give us a crucial tactical advantage.

In conclusion, although it may seem of lesser importance than the other UFOs we've encountered, the Supply Ship should be engaged whenever possible. The long-term benefits of interrupting alien supplies may not be immediately apparent, but it will show over time.

Because Supply Ships are likely to have escorts, it's recommended that we only engage them with overwhelming force. That's all, Commander.

--Cdr. Navarre

Estimated Supply Ship statistics:

Size: Medium (12m x 18m x 6m)

Cruising speed: +/- 1,600 km/h

Top speed: +/- 3,000km/h

Crew capacity: 30 max.

Weapon capacity: None

--------

Prerequisites:
 1 Carrier UFO
 Orbital UFO Activity

TO:	Base Commander, PHALANX, Atlantic Operations Command
FROM:	Cdr. Paul Navarre, R&D: Engineering Division, PHALANX, Atlantic Operations Command
DATE:	%02i %s %i
SUB:	UFO -- Carrier

Commander, we've shot down and recovered one of the large UFOs from high Earth orbit. This is an extremely important development. These massive craft seem to serve as orbital base ships for deploying formations of smaller UFOs, with huge antimatter tanks and -- most interestingly -- an alien Faster-Than-Light drive. We should strip this UFO right away to get our hands on its unique technology.

We're ready to start studying and dismantling the craft at your say-so, but we will need some lab time and funding to make a proper assessment of its function and capabilities.

--Cdr. Navarre

TO:	Base Commander, PHALANX, Atlantic Operations Command
FROM:	Cdr. Paul Navarre, R&D: Engineering Division, PHALANX, Atlantic Operations Command
DATE:	%02i %s %i
SUB:	Re: UFO -- Carrier

Commander, my team and I have just finished our work on the Carrier UFO. I'll try and keep it brief.

The highlights:

The FTL drive was recovered intact. We've moved it to a secure storage for further research.

We now have a decent idea about the interior layout of these Carriers, as well as their equipment and onboard systems. If we could get there, we might be able to force entry from one of the landing pads.

The remaining Carriers have moved away into a higher orbit where our improvised space gun won't have any reasonable chance of hitting them.

--Cdr. Navarre

Estimated Carrier statistics:

Size: Large (300m x300m x150m)

Cruising speed: +/- 1,200 km/h

Top speed: +/- 3,100km/h

Crew capacity: 200-400 max.

Weapon capacity: 2 Alien Orbital Cannon, 12 Particle Beam Weapons, 4 Alien Launchers

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Prerequisites:
 Alien Propulsion
 Antimatter

TO:	Base Commander, PHALANX, Atlantic Operations Command
FROM:	Cdr. Paul Navarre, R&D: Engineering Division, PHALANX, Atlantic Operations Command
DATE:	%02i %s %i
SUB:	New Interceptor Design

Commander, let me preface this by saying it's obvious that the aliens have been severely outperforming us in every way, but nowhere is this more evident than in the air. We were in a bad position at the start of the war and despite our efforts there has been little improvement.

However, now that we have an understanding of alien materials and how they behave in the air, as well as alien engines and fuelling systems, I think my team and I are ready to tackle the task of creating an entirely new interceptor exclusive to PHALANX. We believe that by combining alien techniques with good old human manufacturing we can design something that will be vastly superior to our current-generation craft while remaining economically feasible to produce and to fly.

The program will incur considerable expenses in lab time, personnel and materials, but as always we stand to gain much more than we could possibly lose. It's a project that could rally a lot of hope for our cause, Commander. Please let me know as soon as possible when you want us to start work.

--Cdr. Navarre

TO:	Base Commander, PHALANX, Atlantic Operations Command
FROM:	Cdr. Paul Navarre, R&D: Engineering Division, PHALANX, Atlantic Operations Command
DATE:	%02i %s %i
SUB:	Re: New Interceptor Design

Commander, I'm extremely proud to present you with the plans for our new interceptor, the Dragon. As you can see we've taken more than one page out of the aliens' book and the radical styling truly pays off.

Incorporating new technologies from the ground up, the Dragon consists of an inner skeleton of alien materials providing strength for the lighter outer skin of carbon nanotube-reinforced plastics. This allows it to mount two actual alien engines which give speed and power like nothing else in our arsenal. The forward-swept wings are a special touch to allow it more knife-fighting mobility than alien designs.

The three-pronged fuselage is also inspired by the enemy, slicing through the air with remarkable grace. The upper two prongs can mount small retractable weapons, the bottom prong contains a medium-sized weapon compartment, and the central structure was designed to accomodate the main hardpoint -- the 'mouth', if you will -- for which the Dragon was named.

The main drawback of the Dragon is that, like UFOs, it requires antimatter to get into the air. Nothing else will do considering the weight of the fuselage. Since our supplies of antimatter are so limited it may be that we can't afford to spend it on anything but our airfleet. That's why we should be careful about where we deploy the Dragon, and consider whether or not its deployment is really necessary in any given situation.

Also, please note that while the Dragon is technically capable of entering orbit on its own steam, it has no space capabilities and should not be pushed above the upper atmosphere under any circumstances. Some things are just too much to ask right now. We're engineers, Commander, not wizards.

--Cdr. Navarre

Dragon statistics:

Size: 12m x 22m x 7m

Cruising speed: 2,500 km/h

Top speed: 4,290km/h

Crew capacity: 1 Pilot

Weapon capacity: 1 Large hardpoint, 1 Medium hardpoint, 2 Small hardpoints

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AIRCRAFT EQUIPMENT RESEARCH

Prerequisites:
 1 Particle Beam Weapon

TO:	Base Commander, PHALANX, Atlantic Operations Command
FROM:	Cdr. Paul Navarre, R&D: Engineering Division, PHALANX, Atlantic Operations Command
DATE:	%02i %s %i
SUB:	Proposal: Particle Beam Weapon

Commander, the UFO we recovered was equipped with a very interesting type of weapon that we'd like to research right away. It seems to fire some kind of high-velocity particle beam; if we can master this technology, or at least adapt it for use on our own aircraft, we could make air engagements with armed alien craft significantly more survivable for our craft and pilots.

--Cdr. Navarre

TO:	Base Commander, PHALANX, Atlantic Operations Command
FROM:	Cdr. Paul Navarre, R&D: Engineering Division, PHALANX, Atlantic Operations Command
DATE:	%02i %s %i
SUB:	Re: Particle Beam Weapon

Our report on the alien PBW (Particle Beam Weapon) is ready for your review, Commander.

The general idea of particle-beam weaponry is to hit a target object with a stream of accelerated particles moving at near-light velocities, therefore carrying tremendous kinetic energy. The alien weapon is an elegantly simple application of this concept. It is essentially nothing more than a big particle accelerator and a set of focusing equipment, consisting of a high-powered magnetic containment and pinch system.

My team could've built a particle accelerator to nearly the same standards, but the focusing array shows us just how far ahead the aliens really are. The accelerator is little more than a high-energy synchrotron, speeding particles round and round in a circle until they've achieved sufficient velocity. The particles are then diverted via a magnetic field into the focusing array, where they are magnetically constricted -- 'pinched' -- into a coherent beam. The level of magnetic control the aliens achieve here is far greater than anything we've managed before. The pinch system is intelligently controlled by the UFO's targeting computer, directing the beam to its target with dead-on accuracy.

When active, the weapon is powered directly from the UFO's electrical system, constantly tracking one target of choice. Once the target has been destroyed, the computer will immediately lock on to the next hostile contact in the chain, if any.

Defending against this weapon is going to be a challenge, Commander. There is very little that can be done against a particle beam travelling at near the speed of light, carrying enough energy to knock anything we can field right out of the sky. Additional armour for our aircraft will protect against glancing blows, but in the case of a direct hit, it may as well not be there. It seems the only realistic defence against this weapon is to cause it to miss. We should recover and investigate an intact alien ECM unit as soon as we can.

It will be a similar challenge for us to fit the PBW to our own craft. We've rigged up brackets that we can mount to any medium-sized hardpoint, but we can't generate enough power to suit this weapon just from in-flight electricity. If we want to use the PBW in combat, we're going to have to run it off its own antimatter-powered electrical system. This may require more research into antimatter storage and control, and it means that ammunition will certainly be limited.

On a brighter note, we've confirmed that all the weapon's components are within our ability to replicate, and their specs have been loaded into our Workshop machinery. We should be able to begin production straight away.

--Cdr. Navarre

--------

Prerequisites:
 Continuous Wave Laser Operation

TO:	Base Commander, PHALANX, Atlantic Operations Command
FROM:	Cdr. Paul Navarre, R&D: Engineering Division, PHALANX, Atlantic Operations Command
DATE:	%02i %s %i
SUB:	Proposal: Aerial Laser Cannon

This is one of several proposals I'm submitting for the research and development of new laser weaponry. Each of these will have to be developed separately due to the size differences, power levels and complexity of the systems involved.

The Aerial Laser Cannon is the largest and most powerful iteration of our new laser designs. Like our infantry weapons it'll be powered by deuterium-fluoride reaction, but on a much larger scale and amplified by the aircraft's on-board electrical systems. Several exciting ideas are being considered.

As well as being the biggest, this may well be our most challenging laser to create. Any aircraft cannon will have to reach across several kilometres of atmosphere -- and therefore loads of atmospheric blooming -- with enough punch at the endpoint to cut into a UFO's fuselage. Those sorts of power levels have been achieved before with massive arrays mounted on jumbo jets, but never in a package small enough to make a jet fighter cannon.

The finished product should be able to engage UFOs with bullseye accuracy at ranges well beyond that of the SHIVA cannon, and although damage may be low, we expect that the ability to keep continuous fire and pressure on enemy craft will be valuable in the days to come.

Please approve lab time and funding for this program when you're ready, Commander.

--Cdr. Navarre

TO:	Base Commander, PHALANX, Atlantic Operations Command
FROM:	Cdr. Paul Navarre, R&D: Engineering Division, PHALANX, Atlantic Operations Command
DATE:	%02i %s %i
SUB:	Re: Aerial Laser Cannon

Commander, I've just finished my report on our latest laser program. We've successfully prototyped the new Aerial Laser Cannon and are ready to put it into production.

We achieved what we set out to do: create a continuous wave, deuterium-fluoride-powered laser with megawatt-range output, capable of tracking and hitting UFOs at ranges of up to 5 kilometres. Accuracy is excellent, hampered only by enemy ECM (Electronic Countermeasures), and unlike our other weapons the ALC's accuracy is unaffected by distance. The laser proceeds to the target in a straight line at the speed of light; it's hard to miss with it.

Unfortunately atmospheric blooming is still a problem, and the beam rapidly loses power the further it has to travel. At maximum range, 5 kilometres, it takes 32 seconds of continuous fire on the same spot to penetrate a UFO's hull. We're rarely going to have that much time to wait for a kill. The ideal range for this weapon is between 2 to 3 kilometres where it strikes a good balance between damage and distance. Average damage per second at these distances is slightly less than the SHIVA Rotary Cannon, but range is longer by up to 1.5 kilometres. More so than any of our previous aircraft weapons, the ALC is ideal for driving and pinning down the enemy, using either rapid pulses or continuous fire.

The cannon carries an integrated magazine of deuterium-fluoride allowing up to thirty minutes of continuous fire. Since deuterium and fluoride are both too potentially hazardous to store on-base, and we have access to large off-base stockpiles of all the necessary compounds, we will not need to keep laser cannon ammunition in inventory.

Deployment is at your discretion, Commander, but I'd like to recommend we use the ALC to replace most of our old SHIVA guns except for craft specifically equipped for close-in fighting. The laser offers far better accuracy in any craft slower than a UFO, and with nearly as much staying power as the SHIVA it should perform very well in all its intended roles.

--Cdr. Navarre

--------

Prerequisites:
 1 Alien Launcher

TO:	Base Commander, PHALANX, Atlantic Operations Command
FROM:	Cdr. Paul Navarre, R&D: Engineering Division, PHALANX, Atlantic Operations Command
DATE:	%02i %s %i
SUB:	Proposal: Alien Launcher

Commander, we made an extremely interesting find on the UFO we disassembled. It carried an advanced and highly dangerous onboard missile launcher, using powerful magnetic rails to accelerate its missiles to hypersonic speeds before they even leave the launch tube.

We want to investigate this launcher and determine whether or not it can be adapted to fit on PHALANX aircraft, or even if it can be applied to other purposes. This launcher system would be far more effective in bringing down UFOs than our Sparrowhawks, possibly even more effective than our current SAM systems. If we can adapt it we stand to gain a substantial boost to the firepower of our whole airfleet as well as ground-based missile systems.

Please approve this program whenever you can, Commander.

--Cdr. Navarre

TO:	Base Commander, PHALANX, Atlantic Operations Command
FROM:	Cdr. Paul Navarre, R&D: Engineering Division, PHALANX, Atlantic Operations Command
DATE:	%02i %s %i
SUB:	Re: Alien Launcher

Commander, we've finished work on the alien missile launcher. Here is my report.

The launcher itself is a fairly simple affair. Firing is computer-driven, fed directly from the UFO's targeting computer. Powerful electromagnetic coils around the launch tube accelerate the missile to extreme speeds, reaching up to Mach 4 at the point where the missile leaves the tube. Only once a missile is fully free of the tube are its onboard rockets allowed to kick in. After that the missile is on its own, fully independent of the UFO and its targeting computer.

The good news is that we've managed to succesfully adapt fittings, controls and power feeds to allow the Alien Launcher to be safely mounted to our aircraft. The bad news is that we've had to drastically reduce its magazine size in order to meet weight and size restrictions on our aircraft.

Where a UFO can easily carry and secure up to 16 missiles in an internal magazine, our aircraft are too small and light to be able to carry so many, and most of our craft aren't laid out with internal missile magazines. We've had to custom-build a magazine mounted with the launcher, its ammo capacity no larger than 8 missiles, but we reckon it's a lot better than nothing.

We also believe that we can modify the launch tube to be able to fire human missiles as well as alien types. We'd have to develop the missiles ourselves, of course -- no current human missile is capable of withstanding the stress of being fired from this launcher. However, we're confident we can create a design that will survive the launcher and incorporates new UFO-tracking technologies to improve accuracy.

I'll send you a design proposal as soon as I can, Commander.

--Cdr. Navarre

--------

Prerequisites:
 1 Alien Antimatter Missile

TO:	Base Commander, PHALANX, Atlantic Operations Command
FROM:	Cdr. Paul Navarre, R&D: Engineering Division, PHALANX, Atlantic Operations Command
DATE:	%02i %s %i
SUB:	Proposal: Alien Antimatter Missile

Commander, we've recovered an interesting type of alien missile from the disassembled UFO. It seems to be powered by antimatter, with advanced guidance systems, extensive EW (Electronic Warfare) capabilities and top speeds far in excess of anything we've ever seen.

These missiles may be the greatest threat to our aircraft yet, even worse than the alien beam weaponry. Preliminary testing tells us that their guidance systems practically laugh at our ECM, in most cases blowing right through everything we can throw up.

It's extremely important we research these missiles and figure out how they work in order to develop some defence against them.

--Cdr. Navarre

TO:	Base Commander, PHALANX, Atlantic Operations Command
FROM:	Cdr. Paul Navarre, R&D: Engineering Division, PHALANX, Atlantic Operations Command
DATE:	%02i %s %i
SUB:	Re: Alien Antimatter Missile

Commander, my team and I have just wrapped up our work with the antimatter missile recovered by our field team. As usual, there's good news and bad news. I'll get right to the point.

The missile's main structure consists of a rigid outer casing of alien materials, the same stuff used to plate UFO hulls, and is designed to fragment on impact into hundreds of shards of hot fast-moving shrapnel. This shell contains individual compartments for targeting, avionics, EW equipment and other electronics, and -- taking up most of the rear half of the missile -- a proton-antiproton annihilation rocket.

The rocket is by far the most powerful missile engine ever seen on Earth, capable of attaining speeds that are flatly impossible through ordinary chemical reactions. It propels the missile to speeds where it no longer needs an onboard warhead. The kinetic energy generated by the impact is enough to tear an unarmoured human airliner to shreds, and even a proximity detonation of the missile's antimatter fuel is usually enough to knock down a fighter jet. Our interceptors are not built to withstand this kind of violence.

The missile's onboard electronics have been particularly interesting. They're vastly superior to our own, but I have some good news. We've locked down enough of the electromagnetic frequencies used by the missile's EW suite that we can start taking some action against them. I've taken the liberty of updating our aircraft software with the new information, which means we should have a significantly easier time tracking these things on radar, as well as giving our craft a better chance of evading alien missile fire.

We can duplicate the missiles well enough, but they still require antimatter for fuel, probably the most valuable substance in the universe right now. I've got some ideas on how to get around this, but I'm not ready to submit any proposals just yet. I'll let you know when I've cracked it, Commander.

--Cdr. Navarre

--------

Prerequisites:
 Alien Launcher

TO:	Base Commander, PHALANX, Atlantic Operations Command
FROM:	Cdr. Paul Navarre, R&D: Engineering Division, PHALANX, Atlantic Operations Command
DATE:	%02i %s %i
SUB:	Proposal: Human-Alien Hybrid Missile

(more here)

--Cdr. Navarre

TO:	Base Commander, PHALANX, Atlantic Operations Command
FROM:	Cdr. Paul Navarre, R&D: Engineering Division, PHALANX, Atlantic Operations Command
DATE:	%02i %s %i
SUB:	Re: Human-Alien Hybrid Missile

(more here)

--Cdr. Navarre

--------

Prerequisites:
 1 Alien EW Suite

TO:	Base Commander, PHALANX, Atlantic Operations Command
FROM:	Cdr. Paul Navarre, R&D: Engineering Division, PHALANX, Atlantic Operations Command
DATE:	%02i %s %i
SUB:	Proposal: Alien EW Suite

Commander, we've recovered an interesting set of electronics from one of our disassembled UFOs. From our preliminary testing, it appears to be an alien EW (Electronic Warfare) suite, the same thing that has been responsible for much of the hell wreaked on our aircraft!

This is an extremely important find, Commander. If we can just decipher how these alien electronics work, our targeting and detection systems will finally be on an even footing with the enemy. It also means a vast increase in our aircraft's survivability against UFOs. And if we can adapt the suite for our own purposes . . . well, anything might be possible!

Please, Commander, approve this project as soon as you possibly can.

--Cdr. Navarre

TO:	Base Commander, PHALANX, Atlantic Operations Command
FROM:	Cdr. Paul Navarre, R&D: Engineering Division, PHALANX, Atlantic Operations Command
DATE:	%02i %s %i
SUB:	Re: Alien EW Suite

Commander, I'm happy to report that we've cracked the code. We now have a list of primary EW (Electronic Warfare) frequencies used by the aliens, and a good understanding of how this powerful piece of electronics does what it does.

Of course, before you get too excited, let me stress that we have not found a magic path through the aliens' defences. Regardless of what we take away from this research, it's not going to end the war or make UFOs any less dangerous. This is because of the EW suite's most important function -- it has an independent onboard intelligence that adapts to its combat environment.

This intelligence is continually experimenting, trying to keep enemy systems off-balance, changing its methods and deviating from its preferred frequencies to try ones that might be more difficult to work with but could bypass enemy jamming. We even believe that, when patched into a UFO's main computer, this suite will hook into other onboard systems to make efficiency-increasing adjustments based on enemy EW activity. Particularly to the targeting computers.

Besides the intelligent computer at its heart, the suite has projectors of every kind, capable of saturating virtually any frequency in the electromagnetic spectrum, even several frequencies at a time. It is also capable of 'throwing' heat several metres away from the craft, causing thermal spikes on infrared sensors that can fool missiles and draw them away from the real target. Lastly the suite comes with a set of decoys that can emulate practically any sensor signature, deployed as and when the computer thinks it's necessary.

Unfortunately we've been unable to make the suite work with our current aircraft electronics. Believe me, we've tried. Human and alien design are too divergent, and I'm not sure we have enough knowledge to work with in order to bridge that gap.

Our main success has been in developing a new set of software upgrades for our ECM and targeting systems. This new software can, to some extent, predict what the EW suite's going to do and counter it. From now on we should see a jump in both accuracy and survivability for all our interceptors and dropships, as well as an increase in effectiveness for the "Raven" ECM Unit and the Targeting Computer.

Now we just need to find a way to use these alien things ourselves, Commander. I'll let you know as soon as I have anything.

--Cdr. Navarre

--------

Prerequisites:
 Alien Materials

TO:	Base Commander, PHALANX, Atlantic Operations Command
FROM:	Cdr. Paul Navarre, R&D: Engineering Division, PHALANX, Atlantic Operations Command
DATE:	%02i %s %i
SUB:	Proposal: Alien Aircraft Plating

Commander, now that we have the ability to produce and work the alien materials, a whole new range of options has opened up to us. These materials are so strong and flexible that they can be used for almost anything. Their most promising uses, however, have been in aircraft design -- specifically armour.

We've had an extremely difficult time shooting down UFOs thanks to the resilient outer skin of alien materials. Unfortunately we can't simply slap this same kind of skin onto our own craft because the alien materials are far too heavy. Our craft would struggle to even get off the ground. That needn't be the end of it, though.

Commander, if you let us do some research on it, I believe we can come up with an armouring scheme that -- while it might decrease speed and increase fuel consumption a bit -- should give our aircraft a far better survival chance against the alien weapons during interceptions. According to our calculations, aircraft with this kind of armour could withstand several particle beam hits and still remain combat effective.

It's a very promising possibility, Commander, one that definitely deserves investigation.

--Cdr. Navarre

TO:	Base Commander, PHALANX, Atlantic Operations Command
FROM:	Cdr. Paul Navarre, R&D: Engineering Division, PHALANX, Atlantic Operations Command
DATE:	%02i %s %i
SUB:	Re: Alien Aircraft Plating

Commander, I've got some good news. My team and I have finished prototyping the alien aircraft plating project. Our new armour is now ready for full PHALANX production.

This has been a difficult project from the start. We've faced several major challenges in designing equipment capable of bending the alien materials into the shapes we want, and 'programming' the materials to change when we want and how we want them to do so. Ultimately we overcame these problems, but then we had to deal with the natural limitations of the material.

The main drawback of these alien materials is their weight. They are significantly heftier than modern human aircraft materials, and anything we make from them will suffer from the extra weight. The only way the aliens manage to keep their wingless UFOs in the sky is through overwhelming engine power. Airspeed, manoeuvrability, fuel consumption, maximum operational range -- all these will be negatively affected by putting alien materials onto our aircraft.

However, it's a sacrifice we don't seem to have any choice in making. Even a very thin skin of alien materials offers a substantial protective benefit, shrugging off hits that would turn our Polymer Aircraft Armour to paste. During air trials of the new armour, one of our own "Sparrowhawk" missiles -- which can bring down most Earth-built aircraft in a single hit -- failed to inflict significant harm to the test craft. I'm not even joking. We've got half an hour of compiled test footage that will confirm everything I just said.

The new aircraft plating we've designed takes full advantage of these capabilities and shows the supreme toughness of the alien materials. The armour can take Particle Beam Weapon hits at point blank range without breaking up. For the very first time, our aircraft will be able to soak up tremendous amounts of damage and still keep flying like the aliens do. I wouldn't say we're quite in the same league yet, but we're getting there.

It may only be feasible to use this armour on aircraft equipped with alien propulsion or otherwise upgraded engines, due to the increased weight and reduced speed and range. Still, even if that turns out to be the case, the new plating will be essential in keeping our current airfleet effective against the mounting alien threat. You and I both know the price tag of new aircraft, Commander -- we cannot afford to let any of our planes become obsolete.

--Cdr. Navarre

--------

Prerequisites:
 1 Alien Propulsion
 Alien Materials

TO:	Base Commander, PHALANX, Atlantic Operations Command
FROM:	Cdr. Paul Navarre, R&D: Engineering Division, PHALANX, Atlantic Operations Command
DATE:	%02i %s %i
SUB:	Proposal: Alien Propulsion

Commander, the alien antimatter engines we recovered have been fascinating my team ever since they arrived. With our new understanding of the alien materials, I think we can work out the details and duplication of this technology. Excitingly, it now seems to be within our capabilities to replicate these engines, if we can just figure out the function and creation of the different parts.

Along with Alien Astrogation and Alien Detection, Alien Propulsion is one of the three pillars of UFO design. Understanding it will bring us a big step closer to the ability to build an atmosphere-capable interplanetary defence craft.

--Cdr. Navarre

TO:	Base Commander, PHALANX, Atlantic Operations Command
FROM:	Cdr. Paul Navarre, R&D: Engineering Division, PHALANX, Atlantic Operations Command
DATE:	%02i %s %i
SUB:	Re: Alien Propulsion

Commander, I'm happy to report the success of our alien propulsion program. We've cracked the mysteries of the alien engine set-up and we finally understand the path of the antimatter from fuel tank to reaction chamber.

Quoting from my previous report:

(UFO Theory)
"The alien propulsion system is a type of rocket engine unlike any ever built on Earth. It uses direct matter-antimatter annihilation to generate thrust by injecting protons and antiprotons into the reaction chamber, and then channeling this explosive force out the back of the engine. This gives a UFO extreme power and needs no air or other gases to fuel the reaction, allowing it to burn in hard vacuum. There is a highly-advanced cooling system continuously pumping liquid nitrogen through the engine housing in order to keep it cool and reduce the infrared signature. Engine heat is also used to supply the craft's electricity."

With this project we've learned a lot about how these engines are constructed, how to control them, and how we might retrofit them to our current airfleet. We should now be able to replicate these engines and use them for any applications we might come up. I have to warn you, though; they will be extremely expensive to produce. Between the complex use of alien materials, the sensitive electromagnetics and the liquid nitrogen cooling system, this really stretches the limits of our production capacity.

Some more research may be required to figure out antimatter storage and control, but the engine upgrades are self-contained units -- basically just an alien engine with adapters on it for human tech. We should be able to start retrofitting as soon as we acquire enough fuel to keep our airfleet in the sky.

I've mentioned before, the power disparity between our liquid fuel and these matter-antimatter engines is nothing short of astonishing. When we start using these engines on our planes, our pilots are going to need some serious re-education about the capabilities of their craft. Let me explain.

In a regular military jet, giving her a little too much throttle around a tight corner can result in impaired judgment and unconsciousness from the force of acceleration. Pilots have died from over-acceleration.

In an antimatter jet, however, these problems are amplified hundred-fold. The engines are so powerful that over-acceleration can easily turn a human body to bloody pulp in its flight chair. Even the craft itself may have trouble coping with the acceleration, and our flight engineers will have to be extremely careful in checking for metal fatigue, hairline fractures and other wear and tear on the airframe. A tiny crack in the structure may result in one of our planes breaking up in mid-flight. Mechanical thrust limiters can only do so much -- most of the G-stresses are incurred during turns.

Still, it shouldn't become a problem as long as everyone -- pilots and mechanics alike -- is extremely careful in their assigned tasks. We've done some serious tightening-up of our safety and inspection protocol just for antimatter planes. The retraining of our pilots is the only remaining obstacle to our use of these alien engines.

--Cdr. Navarre

--------

Prerequisites:
 1 Alien Astrogation

TO:	Base Commander, PHALANX, Atlantic Operations Command
FROM:	Cdr. Paul Navarre, R&D: Engineering Division, PHALANX, Atlantic Operations Command
DATE:	%02i %s %i
SUB:	Proposal: Alien Astrogation

Commander, the recovery of an intact alien astrogation unit is an important milestone. Although this unit doesn't seem to contain a star chart, it will allow us to decipher alien astronomical notations and upgrade the power of our own astrogation systems by several orders of magnitude. Eventually the work we do here may help us backtrack the aliens to their home planet.

Along with Alien Propulsion and Alien Detection, Alien Astrogation is one of the three pillars of UFO design. Understanding it will bring us a big step closer to the ability to build an atmosphere-capable interplanetary defence craft.

--Cdr. Navarre

TO:	Base Commander, PHALANX, Atlantic Operations Command
FROM:	Cdr. Paul Navarre, R&D: Engineering Division, PHALANX, Atlantic Operations Command
DATE:	%02i %s %i
SUB:	Re: Alien Astrogation

Commander, we've finished work on the captured alien astrogation unit. Here is a summary of my report.

We concluded early on in our survey that this astrogation unit is, at its core, a purpose-built computer of extraordinary power loaded with specialised software -- all intended solely for the purpose of plotting a course from one point in space to another. It uses a new, alien system of astronomical notation which we've decided to adopt in order to make use of this alien hardware.

Now that we've figured out its notation system, we can see that the astrogation unit is very good at what it does. Given correct input, the system can plot a course from anywhere to anywhere in seconds, and it can intelligently recompute that course with filters like 'least travel time', 'shortest distance', 'fewest navigational hazards', and so on. These filters can be layered on endlessly until the system spits out the exact course you want. It is even able to take into account faster-than-light capability when plotting a course, which all but verifies the theory that the aliens do indeed have access to some type of FTL technology.

The only problem with the unit's plotting method is that it requires a star chart to give accurate courses beyond the UFO's sensor range. We have never found a star chart loaded onto any UFO we've recovered. Perhaps only UFOs with an FTL drive have a chart loaded; they would surely need it for navigation.

Instead of the elusive star chart, the astrogation units we've recovered so far contain enormous detail on Earth and the solar system. Surface maps of the outer planets and all their moons (even a previously-undiscovered moon of Pluto), spectrum analyses of every body in the asteroid belt as well as the distant Kuiper belt, and the orbits of every body in the solar system plotted out hundreds of years in advance. We're not sure if this information will be of any use to us, but it will greatly enhance humanity's body of knowledge about our home system -- whenever we're allowed to release it into the public.

It's possible to program our own star charts into the astrogation unit, but I can only imagine how primitive and incomplete our charts might be compared to what the aliens have. I wouldn't condone any interstellar travel with these units until we can capture an alien chart. However, in the meantime we could certainly use these units to navigate around the solar system if we could design a PHALANX craft capable of launching into space. They will greatly simplify the whole process of interplanetary travel to the point where we'd be able to launch missions to Saturn or even Pluto at the click of a button.

And that is something we should do as soon as humanly possible.

--Cdr. Navarre

--------

Prerequisites:
 1 Alien Detection
 Alien Materials

TO:	Base Commander, PHALANX, Atlantic Operations Command
FROM:	Cdr. Paul Navarre, R&D: Engineering Division, PHALANX, Atlantic Operations Command
DATE:	%02i %s %i
SUB:	Proposal: Alien Detection

Commander, the alien sensor suite appears to be a very powerful set of passive and active scanning systems, including radar, lidar, magnetic and UV/infrared reception, and -- most interestingly -- a kind of detection unknown to us, but which seems to have far more success at detecting UFOs than anything we have.

If you'll let us take the suite apart, I believe we can find out what everything does and how to operate it, and how to replicate most if not all of the alien detection equipment. It would be an immense boost to our defence efforts on Earth if we can get this technology working for us, and its long-term potential for spacecraft development is vital. There's no way we could build a viable space-capable fighter with human sensors.

Along with Alien Propulsion and Alien Astrogation, Alien Detection is one of the three pillars of UFO design. Understanding it will bring us a big step closer to the ability to build an atmosphere-capable interplanetary defence craft.

--Cdr. Navarre

TO:	Base Commander, PHALANX, Atlantic Operations Command
FROM:	Cdr. Paul Navarre, R&D: Engineering Division, PHALANX, Atlantic Operations Command
DATE:	%02i %s %i
SUB:	Re: Alien Detection

The project on alien detection is complete, Commander. We now have a full understanding of the machinery, its controls, and the modifications needed for human use.

Our initial assessment looks to have been correct. The detection suite makes use mostly of standard, reliable detection methods that humanity either uses or knows about. The equipment is more advanced than ours and will be useful, but by and large the aliens apply the same concepts and use the same physics as we do. As I mentioned in my proposal, radar, lidar and other such old reliables are all well-represented in the suite.

And then there's the mystery sensor.

It had us confounded for a long time, because now that it's here on the Earth's surface, it spits out mostly overpowering background noise. Up in the air, however, the picture is quite different. We think we've now identified the detector and have figured out how it works.

In the simplest terms, it's a gravity sensor, scanning for minute changes in a background gravitational field. Everything travelling through a gravity field disturbs the field to some degree based on its size, mass and composition. The sensor can identify these changes as natural or artificial objects based on course, speed and acceleration with 95% accuracy. If there is any doubt about a contact, the system will report it anyway. It seems to be more effective in stronger fields like the one around Earth, but we surmise that it will work to some extent anywhere within the gravity range of a star.

All of this detection power is linked into an advanced computer system which automatically puts all results through a series of filters, which can be adjusted at any time to suit the needs of the pilot and crew. This helps alternately sifting out targets from a mess of background noise or increasing sensitivity to search for something stealthy.

Interestingly, the detection computer seems to have a direct link to fire control, assisting in anticipating target manoeuvres and point defence control if the craft has that capability.

Parts of this technology can be adapted to our existing ground-based installations and aircraft radar. It should extend their detection range and increase resolution across the board, making it a good deal harder for UFOs to hide. However, the biggest practical gains will come from using this tech in creating new aircraft instrumentation to increase the combat survivability of our interceptors.

Of course, it's not the immediate uses that are the most important. These detectors are vital for any future PHALANX spacecraft. In space, without the support of ground radar, we're going to need the extra power very badly.

--Cdr. Navarre

--------

Prerequisites:
Alien Propulsion
Antimatter

TO:	Base Commander, PHALANX, Atlantic Operations Command
FROM:	Cdr. Paul Navarre, R&D: Engineering Division, PHALANX, Atlantic Operations Command
DATE:	%02i %s %i
SUB:	Proposal: Upgrade -- Antimatter Engines

Commander, as you are aware we have recently made breakthroughs in our understanding of the alien propulsion system and its fuel, antimatter. 

I'd like to tell you that this means we can now utilise this technology on our own craft, but unfortunately it doesn't. The Alien Propulsion units we salvage from UFOs are wholly incompatible with our current craft. Not only don't they fit well in our craft's frames, the feeds and electronic connections required to make them run are such that trying to install them as-is would involve deforming and destabilising our craft's hulls.

Before we can upgrade craft with antimatter-powered engines, we will need to develop a remodelled version of the alien engines. Please consider reserving funds and lab time for this project, Commander.

--Cdr. Navarre

TO:	Base Commander, PHALANX, Atlantic Operations Command
FROM:	Cdr. Paul Navarre, R&D: Engineering Division, PHALANX, Atlantic Operations Command
DATE:	%02i %s %i
SUB:	Re: Upgrade -- Antimatter Engines

Commander, my team and I have completed the designs of a reworked Alien Propulsion model. While the core of the unit remains mostly identical to the alien design, we have optimised the layout of some of its components and incorporated additional subsystems to facilitate its operation when installed on human-built aircraft.

We are now ready to install the Alien Propulsion systems on our craft. Doing so will boost their speed and manoeuvrability, which will significantly improve our interceptors' performance in bringing down UFOs and will get our soldiers to their missions faster. However, I would like to remind you that this also means that craft equipped with Alien Propulsion require antimatter to fly.

Unfortunately, there is a limit to what our designs can endure, and the Alien Propulsion units will not perform at peak efficiency when installed on our current craft. My team is already considering new designs, but we need time and funding to provide you with useful blueprints. I have sent you a new research proposal that explains the details.

--Cdr. Navarre

--------

MISC RESEARCH

Prerequisites:
 None

TO:	Base Commander, PHALANX, Atlantic Operations Command
FROM:	Cdr. Paul Navarre, R&D: Engineering Division, PHALANX, Atlantic Operations Command
DATE:	%02i %s %i
SUB:	Proposal: Electromagnetic Rifle

Commander, we've received a number of research files from several UN nations concerning research and development for man-portable electromagnetic weaponry; various designs have been proposed and even prototyped for railguns, coilguns and quench guns. Of course, all these experiments have failed, since electromagnetic weapons require huge amounts of power -- and therefore banks of capacitors so heavy that no human soldier could possibly carry them. Even atomic batteries have not given us the power output we need to make man-portable electromagnetic guns a reality. It is impossible.

At least, that's what we thought, until the aliens showed up.

Seeing alien craft hurtling through our skies, advanced robots scuttling through our streets, and high-powered energy weapons tearing up our people has given us a whole host of new ideas. It has also caused us to take a very close look through our collected UN research data. It's nothing short of a gold mine in disguise. By combining the best of these individual cluttered pieces, we believe we may be able to devise a new weapon for our tactical teams that will be both man-portable and combat-effective. This weapon would have extreme range and power and may serve us well in the days ahead.

This idea holds a lot of promise, Commander. We would like your authorisation for lab time and funding in order finally make electromagnetic weaponry a reality.

--Cdr. Navarre

TO:	Base Commander, PHALANX, Atlantic Operations Command
FROM:	Cdr. Paul Navarre, R&D: Engineering Division, PHALANX, Atlantic Operations Command
DATE:	%02i %s %i
SUB:	Re: Electromagnetic Rifle

The EM rifle project has been a resounding success! For the first time in human history, we've created a viable man-portable electromagnetic weapon. We have named our weapon the Bolter Rifle to avoid ambiguity with other existing MAG (Magnetic Accelerator Gun) implementations. I'll do my best to explain its operation in this short summary.

The Bolter Rifle is equipped with a railgun configuration, as opposed to a coilgun/Gauss gun configuration, due to the high inefficiency and generally poor operation of coilguns. Railguns work by utilising electromagnetic force to propel an electrically conductive projectile along two conducting rails. The electric current flowing through the rails sets up a magnetic field between them and through the projectile. The direction of the magnetic field is perpendicular to the current flowing through the rails and the projectile; this results in the rails and projectile pushing each other, thereby accelerating the projectile along the rails.

The world's first large-scale railgun, built in the 1970s, used 500 MJ of stored energy from the largest homopolar generator ever built. The electrical equipment needed to power these guns has become much more compact in the past century or so, but it is still not small or light enough to create man-portable weapons capable of replacing chemical-propellant firearms. Another major failing of railguns is their extreme susceptibility to rail erosion. The rails suffer heavy damage from every shot fired along them, and when the contact points are badly damaged, the electric current cannot properly pass from the rails through the projectile. This causes successive shots to lose more and more of their power. Each round needs at least a short length of undamaged rail in order to build up velocity.

Fortunately, we've managed to find a way around this problem -- by loading new rails into the gun after every series of shots.

The concept of pre-loading all of a weapon's ammunition into the barrel has been around for a long time. Until now it has only been applied to conventional firearms, but we have come up with a new concept; a small, individually-powered and insulated length of rail loaded with every round. This gives each round a viable contact point and will allow the weapon to sustain power through all its shots. When all rounds in the current barrel have been depleted -- and therefore the rails thoroughly destroyed --  the soldier can simply unlock the old barrel, let it drop to the ground, and slot in a fresh spare. Then he can replace the battery pack for a new series of shots.

The projectiles are specially-developed 3.2x40mm finned flechettes, stamped from large sheets of tungsten alloy. They are razor-sharp, with excellent armour-piercing qualities, and they tumble like demons inside the target. The holes that these flechettes cause are many times larger than their actual size.

This choice of loading system makes the Bolter slow and clumsy to reload, with expensive, oversized magazines (a new barrel and battery pack for each reload) and a small ammo capacity of 4 shots per barrel. On the other hand, the Bolter's stopping power is far greater than any chemical firearm in our arsenal. It can be used both as a sniper rifle and a powerful assault weapon, depending on whether it is fired on semi-automatic or 4-round burst mode. It is a highly versatile weapon with many possible applications; its tactical value will certainly become apparent once we get some real combat experience with it.

--Cdr. Navarre

--------

Prerequisites:
 Electromagnetic Rifle
 Special

TO:	Base Commander, PHALANX, Atlantic Operations Command
FROM:	Cdr. Paul Navarre, R&D: Engineering Division, PHALANX, Atlantic Operations Command
DATE:	%02i %s %i
SUB:	Re: Machine Bolter

Commander, these blueprints are an amazing refinement of the Bolter Rifle concept. Instead of a muzzle-loading EM assault rifle, the Russians have turned this into a belt-fed electromagnetic machine gun.

After each round is fired, a powerful spring mechanism jumps forward and pushes the rails out of the way to make room for another round. The revolving magnet drops the new round in the barrel, the spring releases, the old rails snuggle up with the new piece and the oldest piece is ejected out of the front. Then the magnet creates a barrel seal and the weapon is ready to fire.

The gun can be hazardous to bystanders because it's constantly vomiting hot chunks of molten EM rail out of the barrel. It's also extremely power-hungry, requiring a massive battery worn like a backpack just to fire one full belt. Once the belt is gone, there's no chance for a battlefield reload. This can become a problem given the rate at which the Machine Bolter chews up ammo. No soldier should be given a Machine Bolter without some kind of backup weapon.

That makes two considerable limitations to an otherwise amazing weapon. I think we should start deploying this right away to test its effectiveness and then see if it's worthwhile for continued deployment.

--Cdr. Navarre

--------

Prerequisites:
 None

TO:	Base Commander, PHALANX, Atlantic Operations Command
FROM:	Cdr. Paul Navarre, R&D: Engineering Division, PHALANX, Atlantic Operations Command
DATE:	%02i %s %i
SUB:	Proposal: Continuous Wave Laser Operation

Our collected UN research files have yielded a lot of valuable information about weapons development done on Earth since the beginning of this century. One of the most interesting topics has been the production of DEWs (Directed Energy Weapons), weapons that transfer energy to a target by means other than a projectile. We are particularly interested in the files on Continuous Wave Lasers.

Many countries and companies have attempted to create weapons-grade lasers over the years, but no one has ever been able to create a laser that's man-portable and has a power output high enough to compete with ordinary firearms. Now, however, we've been given access to all this combined research, as well as whole libraries filled with the highest technology on Earth. I believe that not only can we make an effective man-portable laser weapon, we can make it into sizes previously unheard-of for a DEW.

Commander, we should pursue this research as soon as possible. Varying our arsenal will make it much more difficult to defend against, and our experience may lead us to develop viable aircraft lasers that could more effectively target high-speed UFOs than conventional firearms.

As far as I'm concerned, we at PHALANX are going to do the impossible, and we can start doing it as soon as you approve this proposal.

--Cdr. Navarre

TO:	Base Commander, PHALANX, Atlantic Operations Command
FROM:	Cdr. Paul Navarre, R&D: Engineering Division, PHALANX, Atlantic Operations Command
DATE:	%02i %s %i
SUB:	Re: Continuous Wave Laser Operation

Commander, I'm extremely pleased to report that our project has been succesful. I've included images of our prototype laser weapon, which achieves continuous wave output in a man-portable package.

The practical solution did not lie in futilely trying to create bigger battery packs, but rather in using radical miniaturisation technologies to lighten and scale down existing chemical-powered laser components. Chemical lasers have been in use for a very long time, and have been part of experimental weapons programs since the late 20th century, but they have always suffered many problems. The only types of chemical lasers with real military promise have been much too large and cumbersome for an infantryman to carry into battle. Until now their combat applications were limited to those of tank-mounted laser cannons or ship-based anti-missile batteries.

Now, however, we at PHALANX have built a conventional laser cannon in miniature. Despite its small size it is fully capable of handling the deuterium-fluoride reaction and containing the toxic waste products without danger of contamination. Let me give you a brief description of the inner workings.

Inside the combustion chamber, ethylene is burned in nitrogen trifluoride. This reaction produces excited fluorine radicals, which are then brought into contact with a mixture of helium and deuterium gas. The deuterium reacts with the fluorine, producing excited molecules of deuterium fluoride. These undergo stimulated emission in the weapon's optical resonator, generating the beam. A series of intelligent lenses then focuses and directs the beam to the shooter's aiming point and even corrects for minor movement by the shooter or the target. The deuterium waste gas is rammed through our custom-designed high-pressure filtering system, which catches all toxic or radioactive molecules before expelling the remaining harmless vapour back into the atmosphere.

The filter needs to be replaced after every mission, but we've designed the system to make this easy and painless. If the filter system is somehow damaged during the course of an operation, the weapon will immediately stop functioning in order to prevent contamination.

The laser operates on mid-infrared wavelengths, so it produces no visible beam except to those wearing IR goggles.

The prototype we built is unfortunately not yet ready for full-scale production as an infantry weapon, since more refining and balancing is required for human use, but the innovations we've made can also be applied to vehicle weapons -- perhaps even aircraft guns. I've submitted several new proposals to your inbox for the principal ideas we've drawn up.

Let me know when you want us to start working on them, Commander.

--Cdr. Navarre

Stat suggestions:

Pro:

1) Very high accuracy.
2) Quick-firing.

Con:

1) Low damage.
2) Small magazine.
3) Cannot shoot through smoke/gas/fire.

--------

Prerequisites:
 Continuous Wave Laser Operation

TO:	Base Commander, PHALANX, Atlantic Operations Command
FROM:	Cdr. Paul Navarre, R&D: Engineering Division, PHALANX, Atlantic Operations Command
DATE:	%02i %s %i
SUB:	Proposal: Laser Pistol

This is one of several proposals I'm submitting for the research and development of new laser weaponry. Each of these will have to be developed separately due to the size differences, power levels and complexity of the systems involved.

Our notes on Continuous Wave Laser Operation have produced a lot of designs, and this is possibly the most difficult one to bring into reality: a deuterium-fluoride laser weapon the size of an ordinary pistol.

The difficulty in making this a reality will be to get the parts small enough and light enough so that they will:

1) Fit into a pistol-sized package, and
2) Be light enough to aim and fire one-handed.

As always, it's going to be a tradeoff between size and power, but with enough work I believe we can indeed build a functioning laser pistol. We're just waiting for your authorisation, Commander.

--Cdr. Navarre

TO:	Base Commander, PHALANX, Atlantic Operations Command
FROM:	Cdr. Paul Navarre, R&D: Engineering Division, PHALANX, Atlantic Operations Command
DATE:	%02i %s %i
SUB:	Re: Laser Pistol

Commander, I apologise in advance if my typing isn't up to standard in this message. We've had a lot of sleepless nights down here in DivEngine working on the laser pistol project. It's been a gruelling amount of work, but I'm very proud to say that we've pulled it off. We have prototyped a working laser pistol.

The system is essentially the same as the one I've outlined for you in my report on Continuous Wave Laser Operation. Excited molecules of deuterium fluoride are lased and focused through a series of intelligent lenses. Waste gases are put through our custom filtering system, which we've scaled down even further. However, the reduced capacity of the filtering system and the smaller optical resonator have demanded some tradeoffs.

The laser pistol can only lase deuterium-fluoride at about half the rate as our old Continuous Wave Laser prototype. Naturally this produces only a half-strength beam, doing half the damage of a larger weapon. It requires a period of continuous exposure -- several seconds at least -- for the beam to inflict enough damage to kill an unarmoured target. Armour will complicate the issue even further, and it's impossible for lasers to shoot through clouds of smoke, gas or fire. Still, as long as the target isn't obscured or immune to highly-focused light or heat, the laser will burn through anything given enough time.

All the usual advantages of laser weaponry are present in the pistol. It's very quick to fire, and if the soldier misses his target at first, he can adjust his aim without letting go of the trigger. And there's another bonus particular to our pistol design. Thanks to the extremely high accuracy inherent in laser weaponry, it will be easy for ambidextrous soldiers to use two laser pistols at once.

We've designed the pistol to use the standard deuterium-fluoride cartridges which we've drawn up to power all of our laser weaponry. This means it uses the same amount of D-F as the larger designs, but uses it up at a much lower rate, effectively giving the laser pistol more ammunition than any of our other laser weapons.

As with all handguns, the laser pistol is strictly a backup weapon. It isn't powerful enough to compete with rifles of any kind. On the other hand, the laser pistol completely eliminates the problems regarding range and accuracy that plague conventional handguns. Its range is quite impressive indeed for a handgun. It can shoot out to 60 metres with pinpoint accuracy thanks to the aim-correcting lenses, and it can fire continuously for minutes without reloading. This will make it particularly valuable in wide open terrain.

We will need to have at least one D-F Cartridge on hand at all times in order to be able to load and use a laser pistol.

--Cdr. Navarre

Stat suggestions:

Pro:

1) High accuracy.
2) Quick-firing.
3) Large magazine.

Con:

1) Very low damage.
2) Cannot shoot through smoke/gas/fire.

--------

Prerequisites:
 Continuous Wave Laser Operation

TO:	Base Commander, PHALANX, Atlantic Operations Command
FROM:	Cdr. Paul Navarre, R&D: Engineering Division, PHALANX, Atlantic Operations Command
DATE:	%02i %s %i
SUB:	Proposal: Laser Rifle

This is one of several proposals I'm submitting for the research and development of new laser weaponry. Each of these will have to be developed separately due to the size differences, power levels and complexity of the systems involved.

The laser rifle is the flagship design of our new deuterium-fluoride laser family. It will be a perfect marriage of power, accuracy, range, manoeuvrability and ammo capacity. Even on paper the laser rifle's specs can compete with any conventional assault rifle. The only problem will be actually building it.

The components we've been using in our Continuous Wave Laser prototypes have been cumbersome, fragile and very expensive. Our soldiers need ruggedness in a rifle, something that will last through the bumps and bashes of combat, and we badly need to bring down production costs to make the program worthwhile. As it is, the price of a squad of working laser rifles would be on par with your average main battle tank. We need funding and lab time to bring costs down, fix or replace the most sensitive components to make the weapon more reliable, and reduce its form factor to something that can be comfortably fired by a human soldier.

As always, Commander, we'll begin work as soon as you give us your authorisation.

--Cdr. Navarre

TO:	Base Commander, PHALANX, Atlantic Operations Command
FROM:	Cdr. Paul Navarre, R&D: Engineering Division, PHALANX, Atlantic Operations Command
DATE:	%02i %s %i
SUB:	Re: Laser Rifle

It's done, Commander. We are now the proud owners of a working laser rifle, with full production plans loaded into our computers. We've eliminated several moving parts and refined the electronics to bring production and maintenance costs down into our budget range. I believe you'll find the weapon's specs to your satisfaction.

This rifle is possibly the most accurate weapon ever designed. It's light, rests easily in the shooter's hands, and the focusing lenses automatically correct the user's aim to help bring the beam on target -- and keep it there. It may inflict less damage per shot than its conventional projectile-firing counterparts, but it can do more over time if the shooter keeps the target in his sights. Eight troops with conventional assault rifles firing away at full-auto can easily miss a moving target. With laser rifles, that becomes a near-impossibility.

It is quick to fire, has a good magazine capacity, no recoil, a respectable range and does away with many other issues that plague conventional firearms. It will never misfire or suffer a jammed mechanism. It will never blow up due to a fouled or bent barrel. It will never have problems with incompatible or faulty ammunition. It can suffer cracked lenses if subjected to severe mistreatment, but those are thoroughly shielded, set into shock-resistant foam and protected from the outside by a metal iris that only opens when the weapon is ready to fire.

The laser rifle's biggest weakness is its inability to shoot through clouds of smoke, gas or fire. All our lasers have this problem; clouds of material will quickly refract the beam into harmless light, so we'll have to be careful about our application of smoke and incendiary weapons.

We've designed the rifle to use the standard deuterium-fluoride cartridges which we've drawn up to power all of our laser weaponry. This gives it approximately two minutes of continuous wave fire before a new cartridge must be inserted. The cartridges can be popped out and left on the ground without risk of contaminating the area, but they will require special hazard disposal once the mission is completed.

We'll need to have at least one D-F Cartridge on hand at all times in order to be able to load and use a laser rifle.

--Cdr. Navarre

Stat suggestions:

Pro:

1) Very high accuracy.
2) Quick-firing.
3) Good range.

Con:

1) Low damage.
2) Cannot shoot through smoke/gas/fire.

--------

Prerequisites:
 Continuous Wave Laser Operation

TO:	Base Commander, PHALANX, Atlantic Operations Command
FROM:	Cdr. Paul Navarre, R&D: Engineering Division, PHALANX, Atlantic Operations Command
DATE:	%02i %s %i
SUB:	Proposal: Heavy Laser

This is one of several proposals I'm submitting for the research and development of new laser weaponry. Each of these will have to be developed separately due to the size differences, power levels and complexity of the systems involved.

Thanks to the experience we've gained from our Continuous Wave Laser research, my team and I have figured out one or two possible ways to further amplify the damage output of our infantry lasers. However, this will require significant research and refining of our prototype, as well as enlarging several of the components. The result will be a strictly heavy-infantry weapon of about the same size and weight as our HPML Rocket Launcher.

We estimate that this weapon could be invaluable in a fire support role or as a direct-fire blockade breaker, capable of dissolving enemy strongpoints with powerful, pinpoint accurate fire. It would have attributes and capabilities which may be lacking in our current heavy weapons arsenal. Accuracy at range is generally abysmal in Earth-built heavy weapons, and they can be difficult to employ in situations where we need to avoid collateral damage. The heavy laser would avoid these issues altogether.

It's certainly worth looking into, Commander.

--Cdr. Navarre

TO:	Base Commander, PHALANX, Atlantic Operations Command
FROM:	Cdr. Paul Navarre, R&D: Engineering Division, PHALANX, Atlantic Operations Command
DATE:	%02i %s %i
SUB:	Re: Heavy Laser

Commander, our Heavy Laser program has been a success. We've got it prototyped and ready to go into production at your say-so.

As promised, the Heavy Laser is a revolution in our heavy weapons arsenal. In the hands of a qualified soldier, it can provide long-range continuous-wave fire that is both far more accurate than conventional weaponry and far more powerful than our other infantry laser designs. We in DivEngine have no doubt that it will serve a vital role throughout the war.

It's not all rosy, of course. The Heavy Laser is bulky and heavy even compared to our MG12 Machine Gun, requiring a strong troop to use it effectively. It loses a lot of its advantages at close quarters, and ammo consumption is at the top end of the scale. During continuous wave fire, it can burn through a full D-F cartridge in less than 30 seconds. This requires a large number of magazines to be kept on hand, and due to its bulk the heavy laser is not the easiest to reload.

Another weakness is the laser's inability shoot through clouds of smoke, gas or fire. Clouds of material will quickly refract the beam into harmless light, so we'll have to be careful about our application of smoke and incendiary weapons. Great care will also have to be taken that no bystanders or PHALANX troops get into the path of the invisible beam. Even momentary exposure to an unobstructed beam will char flesh and liquefy soft tissue. We've talked to our training and field officers about this and have underlined safety in our field manual at every turn, but it won't hurt the troops to hear it again from you, Commander.

Robotic or armoured aliens may be able to survive a beam for some time, even from a Heavy Laser, before their armour fails. It's recommended to engage these with several soldiers at once and concentrate fire in order to bring them down as quickly as possible.

We'll need to have at least one D-F Cartridge on hand at all times in order to be able to load and use a Heavy Laser.

--Cdr. Navarre

Stat suggestions:

Pro:

1) Very high accuracy.
2) Good range.

Con:

1) Cannot shoot through smoke/gas/fire.
2) Small magazines.

--------

Prerequisites:
 Continuous Wave Laser Operation

TO:	Base Commander, PHALANX, Atlantic Operations Command
FROM:	Cdr. Paul Navarre, R&D: Engineering Division, PHALANX, Atlantic Operations Command
DATE:	%02i %s %i
SUB:	Proposal: D-F Cartridge

This is one of several proposals I'm submitting for the research and development of new laser weaponry. Each of these will have to be developed separately due to the size differences, power levels and complexity of the systems involved.

In order to power our deuterium-fluoride laser weaponry, we need to design a magazine that can safely store a lot of different hazardous materials. Ethylene, nitrogen trifluoride, helium and deuterium -- three of which are toxic compounds -- have to be kept in separate pressurised compartments, under complete control at all times. If these materials were allowed to mix, it would be what we engineers call a 'Bad Thing'.

We already have a basic design that should overcome these problems, but we need lab facilities and funding in order to test it, prototype it and build it to UN safety spec. It's drudge work, but it has to be done in order to make our lasers safe to use on the battlefield. I'm not prepared to risk poisoning our own troops with deuterium gas by cutting corners. We need proper magazines if we're going to use our new laser weapons.

Please approve this program as soon as you can, Commander.

--Cdr. Navarre

TO:	Base Commander, PHALANX, Atlantic Operations Command
FROM:	Cdr. Paul Navarre, R&D: Engineering Division, PHALANX, Atlantic Operations Command
DATE:	%02i %s %i
SUB:	Re: D-F Cartridge

Commander, we've finalised the design of the Deuterium-Fluoride Cartridges and they're now ready for mass production. They'll be expensive to make and use, but we've done everything we can to keep the costs down.

The cartridge is essentially a hard plastic shell containing five separate chambers. These are four pressurised storage reservoirs for ethylene, nitrogen trifluoride, helium and deuterium, plus a small battery to power the laser's electronics.

The shell itself is made of the toughest polymer we can produce, reinforced in vulnerable spots with carbon nanotubes, to prevent mixing in case the cartridge receives any shocks or impacts. We can't provide perfect protection against direct hits on the cartridge, but we've done our best. The chance of combat spillage happening during any engagement has been reduced to only a fraction of a percent.

Any materials remaining in a used cartridge will be pumped back into base storage upon the dropship's return. However, once they've been used, these cartridges have to be disposed of by a chemohazard team, and we'll have to manufacture replacements. They cannot be reused due to deuterium contamination.

--Cdr. Navarre

Stat suggestions:

Pro:

1) Light.
2) Small. (1x2 size)

Con:

1) Limited capacity in some weapons.
2) Expensive.

--------

Prerequisites:
Continuous Wave Laser Operation

TO:	Base Commander, PHALANX, Atlantic Operations Command
FROM:	Cdr. Paul Navarre, R&D: Engineering Division, PHALANX, Atlantic Operations Command
DATE:	%02i %s %i
SUB:	Proposal: Base Defence Laser Turret

This is one of several proposals I'm submitting for the research and development of new laser weaponry. Each of these will have to be developed separately due to the size differences, power levels and complexity of the systems involved.

Our CW laser program has been successful in miniaturising and lightening the necessary components for a powerful deuterium-fluoride reaction. However, the advances we've made aren't just useful for infantry weapons and small cannon. We want to prototype some of our upgrades in existing surface-to-air laser arrays, allowing us to track and fire continuous high-powered beams at a power level that our plants can comfortably handle.

Given the various shortcomings of our SAMs (Surface-to-Air Missiles) against alien technology, I don't need to tell you all the advantages of having a direct-fire laser defence system. It won't be a full replacement for our missile installations, but it's definitely an avenue worth exploring in order to help defend our bases from alien incursions.

Please approve this program at your discretion, Commander.

--Cdr. Navarre

TO:	Base Commander, PHALANX, Atlantic Operations Command
FROM:	Cdr. Paul Navarre, R&D: Engineering Division, PHALANX, Atlantic Operations Command
DATE:	%02i %s %i
SUB:	Re: Base Defence Laser Turret

Commander, my team and I are happy to report our test weapons are living up to all our expectations, and I'm submitting a new set of blueprints to your system for a laser-based defensive facility. You will now be able greenlight them for construction.

Here are the highlights.

What we've done is we've stripped down our pre-existing SAM turret design and modified it to fit an upscaled deuterium-fluoride reaction chamber. We've beefed up the electrical systems to help amplify beam output, adding several megawatts to power and several dozen kilometres to effective range. The turret servos have been completely replaced with a computer-controlled mag-lev system to improve accuracy.

The result is that our new Base Defence Laser Turret is capable of tracking targets at any conceivable speed within Earth's atmosphere. It can lock on to targets almost instantly, and is powerful enough even at long range to damage UFO armour after only a few seconds of fire. Accuracy is good; the laser suffers much less from alien EW (Electronic Warfare) activity than missiles and can even predict basic evasive manoeuvres.

Of course, as with any laser, range remains a problem. Atmospheric blooming limits effective range to only a few hundred kilometres. Weather effects and cloud cover can provide even more serious challenges and, in some conditions, could slash effective range by more than 50%. Lastly, the laser can only fire continuously for about 120 seconds before overheating comes into play, and it requires up to 60 seconds to cool down and recharge capacitors before it's ready to fire again.

Despite these limitations, the Base Defence Laser Turret should provide an effective deterrent for most UFOs straying near our bases, and can provide assistance in shooting down alien craft at short range. It's going to be a good facility to have when one of our bases is in a pinch.

--Cdr. Navarre

--------

Prerequisites:
 Alien Artifact -- Plasma Grenade

TO:	Base Commander, PHALANX, Atlantic Operations Command
FROM:	Cdr. Paul Navarre, R&D: Engineering Division, PHALANX, Atlantic Operations Command
DATE:	%02i %s %i
SUB:	Proposal: Plasma And The Grenade Launcher

Commander, my team and I have drawn up a research proposal for a new tac weapon based on our plasma grenade research.

Now that we're able to reproduce these alien plasma grenades, we've been looking into the possibility of adapting the technology to be fired from a grenade launcher. This would be a challenge, as the plasma hand grenades are significantly larger than 25mm, but we may be able to produce a scaled-back version that -- while not as powerful -- will have all the advantages of being fired from our standard HPGL Grenade Launcher.

If we can manage to design and produce magazines of this type, they'd lend the HPGL increased firepower and even more tactical applications, well worth the monetary cost.

The project is waiting for your authorisation, Commander.

--Cdr. Navarre

TO:	Base Commander, PHALANX, Atlantic Operations Command
FROM:	Cdr. Paul Navarre, R&D: Engineering Division, PHALANX, Atlantic Operations Command
DATE:	%02i %s %i
SUB:	Re: Plasma And The Grenade Launcher

Commander, we've finished the testing and prototype phase of our new 25mm plasma grenades. We're ready to move it to mass-production and full field deployment.

For this project, we already had ready access to all the required technology. We've made very few changes to the general design of the grenade. The only real challenge was to shrink the complex machinery enough to fit inside a standard 25mm shell. We've had to scale back the power of the plasma grenade somewhat in order to do that -- the hydrogen core of our new 25mm shell is a fair bit smaller, emitting less plasma than the alien hand grenade. However, this is offset by the fact that it can be fired en masse from our HPGL Grenade Launcher over relatively long distances.

We've dubbed our creation the 25mm PB ('Plasma Burst') Grenade. We can manufacture them by the box or by the speedloader, both of which will be extremely expensive to produce. One full load of 25mm PB is essentially an entire magazine of miniature plasma grenades, miniatures which are even more difficult to create than the original.

The amount of firepower we've added to our team grenadier(s) is frightening to behold. Launch a cylinder of these grenades into a crowded street, and the only thing left will be ash. They'll become a highly valuable addition to our arsenal.

--Cdr. Navarre

--------

Prerequisites:
 Antimatter Weaponry
 Electromagnetic Rifle

TO:	Base Commander, PHALANX, Atlantic Operations Command
FROM:	Cdr. Paul Navarre, R&D: Engineering Division, PHALANX, Atlantic Operations Command
DATE:	%02i %s %i
SUB:	Proposal: New Bolter Ammo

Commander, our research into antimatter weaponry has given us a lot of new ideas for creating new weapons and modifying our old ones. Unfortunately it has also highlighted crippling limitations on most of those ideas.

Using antimatter in our conventional firearms -- in any capacity -- is out of the question. There are too many shocks and vibrations involved in the firing of conventional weapons for us to shield against. All attempts we've made have suffered containment failures and other explosive mishaps. However, it's occurred to us that our own Bolter Rifle may be just unconventional enough for our needs.

What we propose to do is to create a new type of ammunition for the Bolter using antimatter as a primary component. If we can place a tiny quantity of antimatter at the heart of the round, we can engineer this antimatter to break free of its containment and explode on impact. This should create an impressive little blast that will make any alien think twice about sticking its head out of cover again.

Please let me know whenever you'd like us to start work, Commander.

--Cdr. Navarre

TO:	Base Commander, PHALANX, Atlantic Operations Command
FROM:	Cdr. Paul Navarre, R&D: Engineering Division, PHALANX, Atlantic Operations Command
DATE:	%02i %s %i
SUB:	Re: New Bolter Ammo

Commander, 

We've decided to call this new round 'AMF', short for Anti-Matter Flechette.

The heat and force of the kinetic impact should always be enough to cause the antimatter to detonate, resulting in an explosion approximately equal to a 25mm HIT grenade.

The main drawback is the sheer expense of creating the rounds, more than five times the cost of the already-expensive standard Bolter flechettes. They are difficult and time-consuming to produce, and they use up precious antimatter that may be needed elsewhere.

--Cdr. Navarre

--------

Prerequisites:
 Alien Breathing Apparatus

TO:	Base Commander, PHALANX, Atlantic Operations Command
FROM:	Dr. Connor, R&D: Bio & Containment Division, PHALANX, Atlantic Operations Command
DATE:	%02i %s %i
SUB:	Proposal: Stun Rod

Commander,

I hope I'm not overstepping my bounds, but I have an important technical research proposal to make, a proposal to create a new piece of PHALANX equipment for use by our field agents. I realise this falls outside the responsibilities of my division. However, I've already discussed things with Cdr. Navarre, and he doesn't quite see eye-to-eye with me on the necessity of the item in question. I had no choice but to go to straight to you with the proposal.

As you know, we've yet to capture an alien alive during our tactical engagements in all the weeks we've been waging this war. Now that we know how to keep them alive in containment, our lack of specimens is becoming a serious impediment to our biological and chemical research. We need living tissue to study, performing its natural functions inside a living body, and we don't have the ability to simply clone up some aliens to research. We need prisoners. The sooner the better.

That's why I would like to propose a simple but high-powered electrical shock weapon, not unlike a military stun gun, designed to disable our enemies without killing them. It would be a two-handed man-portable unit with a large battery and several charge settings, the highest of which should be sufficient even to disable alien robots such as the Bloodspider. We in DivBio believe that any alien subjected to this weapon would be disabled long enough for our soldiers to take control of the situation and secure prisoners.

Cdr. Navarre, however, feels that such a weapon would be hazardous to our soldiers and "a throwback to the 20th century", and refuses to endorse it. He doesn't seem to understand. We have no alternative method of disabling enemies at the voltages required. Commander, we need this weapon as badly as we need live aliens from the field. We can't merely shoot them and hope to patch one or two up again upon return to base. Even if we succeeded in that mindset, my division's needs will be far, far higher than that for proper research and interrogation.

I hope you understand. Please authorise lab time and funding for this project as soon as you can, and I'll get some people from DivEngine together to develop this project properly. I would of course be delighted if you could explain things to Cdr. Navarre. I'm sure he'll be happy to receive a message from you.

Sincerely,
Dr. Connor

TO:	Base Commander, PHALANX, Atlantic Operations Command
FROM:	Dr. Connor, R&D: Bio & Containment Division, PHALANX, Atlantic Operations Command
DATE:	%02i %s %i
SUB:	Re: Stun Rod

Commander,

We've finished prototyping our experimental electrical weapon, and it's now ready to begin full production.

The concept of the stun rod, as we call it, requires no in-depth explanation. It's an electrical prod that delivers a stunning shock to anything that comes into contact with the prongs at the front of the weapon. The intensity of the shock can be easily set by the user; high-end shocks can temporarily overload the systems of alien robots and trigger a shutdown, but such powerful shocks delivered to organic enemies can be quite lethal. The stun rod is also more than capable of stunning or electrocuting any humans who get too close. Caution is recommended.

The combat applications are simple. The soldier wielding it would enter into melee with an alien, bring the prongs into contact with the enemy's skin or armour, and pull the trigger. The ensuing electrical discharge would stun or disable the subject for some time, even through armour or protective skin. The period of unconsciousness will vary from species to species and between individuals, depending on their exposure, metabolism, mental state, and more. I'm afraid I cannot provide you with any hard numbers yet. However, we estimate the stun rod to give us more than enough time to secure the prisoner and render it harmless.

We fully realise the difficulty of bringing the aliens to melee and then besting them. This is why we've armoured the stun rod's body to stand up against the Kerrblade without being sliced in two. It's designed to use as a staff or club in melee during an emergency, and it will not break, crack or become unreliable.

Unfortunately, with these heavy-duty batteries and electrical systems and additional armour, the stun rod has become a rather hefty weapon. It will require two hands to use effectively in combat as a prod or a blunt instrument, though it will not restrict grenade throwing or pistol use in the off hand.

The outputs that the stun rod can deliver -- repeatedly -- make it the most powerful electrical weapon on Earth at this time. However, despite efforts to push our designs further, we don't yet have the technology to create ranged weapons that can match the stun rod's capabilities. Electrolasers are still too weak for their power consumption and wire-tasers can only be used once at limited ranges. We are however looking into adapting alien power cells for use in PHALANX-built electrolasers. This is a possibility that holds great promise for the future of our bio research.

Thank you for your indulgence in this program, Commander. I firmly believe this will be a great help to our capture efforts. Still, I will try to leave further technical matters with Cdr. Navarre, where they belong.

Sincerely,
Dr. Connor

--------

Prerequisites:
 Stun Rod
 D-F Cartridge

TO:	Base Commander, PHALANX, Atlantic Operations Command
FROM:	Cdr. Paul Navarre, R&D: Engineering Division, PHALANX, Atlantic Operations Command
DATE:	%02i %s %i
SUB:	Proposal: Electrolaser

Commander, I have a new research proposal for you, something you might find interesting. Please hear me out.

You know the drawbacks of Connor's stun rod have been a serious concern of mine from the very first proposal onward. Putting our soldiers in extreme danger to capture some biological specimens can't possibly be worth the risk. That's why we at DivEngine have been investigating possible alternatives, and we've now arrived at a proposal that's going to be both technologically feasible and combat-effective.

I'd like to combine the stun rod research with our work on the new generation of lasers to create a beefed-up electrolaser -- a lightning gun -- of unprecedented power. Imagine all the power of a stun rod deployed at ranges of up to 100 metres from the target!

With funding and lab time we can really make this work, Commander. It'll give our troops a much better fighting chance when we need to capture instead of kill.

--Cdr. Navarre

TO:	Base Commander, PHALANX, Atlantic Operations Command
FROM:	Cdr. Paul Navarre, R&D: Engineering Division, PHALANX, Atlantic Operations Command
DATE:	%02i %s %i
SUB:	Re: Electrolaser

Commander, I'd like to report that we've successfully prototyped the new electrolaser design and have approved final plans for a production model. We can now begin to utilise it in combat. As per usual, I've written up the specs and deployment advice here for you.

From a technical standpoint, the electrolaser works on almost the same principles as natural lightning. It pumps electricity through a channel of ionised air -- what we refer to as a 'plasma channel' -- that is more conductive than the air around it, allowing the electricity to arc all the way to the target and then earth itself, causing severe shock damage. This plasma channel is created by a short, high-powered laser pulse which causes the air to begin ionising

Electrolasers are a tried and true concept on Earth. They have a history of use going back several decades as less-than-lethal weapons. At their most basic, they are a 'taser without the wires', but until now they've suffered serious limitations due to battery capacity and the power levels required to knock out a soldier in insulated body armour. For this reason they've only ever been developed practically as single-shot disposables and close-range civilian weapons. Thanks to the output of our deuterium-fluoride lasers and energy systems, though, we've been able to go a lot further than that.

Our electrolaser can project a stable plasma channel to distances of up to 100 metres, depending on atmospheric conditions, and deliver previously unheard-of voltages to the target. It is effective against both organic and robotic enemies. It can be toggled to different power levels depending on the needs of the moment, from a simple stunning shock to full-blown electrocution which can kill weaker targets outright. It loads standard PHALANX deuterium-fluoride cartridges, which provide enough juice for around 6 stun-shots or 3 kill-shots.

Now for the cons.

The more powerful electrical systems and laser equipment have increased size and weight considerably compared to the stun rod, putting the electrolaser firmly in the Heavy Weapons category. Like all laser-based weapons it's affected by rain, fog, smoke and other conditions that thicken the air or release particles into it. Like all electric weapons, firing at airborne targets will produce limited results, unless they're close enough to an earthed object to allow the electricity to arc between them. In addition, any electrolaser needs the right kind of atmosphere to be able to create a plasma channel; taking them off of Earth could render them useless. 

Of course, no matter what the drawbacks might be, performance is light-years ahead of Dr. Connor's stun rod. I highly recommend we replace all stun rods currently in use with electrolasers as soon as humanly possible. For the sake of our troops, if nothing else.

--Cdr. Navarre

--------

Prerequisites:
 Live Alien
 Alien Autopsy -- Taman
 Alien Autopsy -- Ortnok
 Alien Autopsy -- Shevaar
 1 live organic alien in containment

TO:	Base Commander, PHALANX, Atlantic Operations Command
FROM:	Dr. Connor, R&D: Bio & Containment Division, PHALANX, Atlantic Operations Command
DATE:	%02i %s %i
SUB:	Proposal: Anti-Alien Gas

Commander,

Ever since the start of the invasion, we have been left scratching our heads about the aliens' biology. We knew almost nothing about them, their biology, their genetics or their potential vulnerabilities. This left us helpless in the fields of biological and chemical warfare.

Our study of the various live and dead alien specimens we've recovered has been enlightening. Thanks to the discoveries we've made over the past few months, my team and I have come to believe that we're ready to start a bio/chemical warfare program against the alien threat. We have tissue samples, autopsy data, live specimens for testing; all the raw materials we require to investigate methods of properly incapacitating battlefield specimens without being forced to send PHALANX troops into melee combat.

This will be a challenge given the constant protection and filtration offered by the alien breathing apparatus, which prevents any harmful materials entering the lungs, but if you authorise sufficient lab time and funding we can almost certainly develop an aerosol compound that will disable exposed aliens by chemical or biological means.

This will be a project of greatest importance and priority, Commander. The sooner you lend it your authorisation, the better.

Sincerely,
Dr. Connor

TO:	Base Commander, PHALANX, Atlantic Operations Command
FROM:	Dr. Connor, R&D: Bio & Containment Division, PHALANX, Atlantic Operations Command
DATE:	%02i %s %i
SUB:	Re: Anti-Alien Gas

Commander,

We've achieved results in our effort to create anti-alien chemicals that can be effectively used on the battlefield. One agent in particular has been classified as fully combat-capable and is ready to be deployed at your say-so.

The agent in question is a cocktail of bleach, mustard gas, titanium tetrachloride and several other nasty compounds, combining to form a substance we like to call "CHOKE". It is a highly powerful blistering agent that reacts with organic skin in seconds rather than hours. It reacts violently with air to provide several minutes of gas coverage over a small, concentrated area.

The effects on organic tissue are harsh. Even minor contact with the skin or mucous membranes will cause severe irritation, resulting in restricted breathing and excruciating pain. Contact with the eyes can cause prolonged, even permanent blindness if left untreated. The agony caused by CHOKE is so acute and disabling that it will knock the fight out of almost anything with which it comes into contact. Our organic alien captives have all demonstrated very satisfying responses; most targets go into shock and exhibit little to no motor control until dosed up with painkillers and anti-CHOKE medication. Their breathing apparatus offers no defence whatsoever against an agent which doesn't need to enter the lungs.

CHOKE is equally effective against humans. Volunteer testing has left battle-hardened soldiers hunched on the floor in a foetal position, frozen in place and barely able to breathe. Two subjects had to be rushed to hospital due to blistering of the lungs and fluid buildup, but I'm happy to report both will survive. It is however recommended that our troops be kept away from any deployed CHOKE at all times. If one of our troops does manage to come into contact with it, we've loaded our medikits with the appropriate drugs to treat and revive.

The only defence against CHOKE is full body coverage. Any exposed skin or breathing passage is a vulnerability, and so far the aliens have deployed no armour that would protect their troops against this kind of attack. As far as PHALANX agents are concerned, a full head-enclosing gas mask should protect them adequately, since our standard uniforms and armours provide airtight coverage of the soldier's body.

We've created a delivery system in the form of a standard throwable canister. Our troops should experience no problems using this item in the field.

Sincerely,
Dr. Connor

--------

Prerequisites:
 Alien Artifact -- Alien Armour

TO:	Base Commander, PHALANX, Atlantic Operations Command
FROM:	Cdr. Paul Navarre, R&D: Engineering Division, PHALANX, Atlantic Operations Command
DATE:	%02i %s %i
SUB:	Proposal: Nanocomposite Armour

Our examination of the alien body armour has led us to many interesting realisations. Obviously, the key to creating more effective mobile armour based on the alien suits lies in the direction of nanocomposites. This will require large amounts of carbon nanotubes.

In the past, carbon nanotubes have been difficult and expensive to produce, and trying to work them into a proper shape was even worse. Because of this nanocomposite armour has never been used except in high-cost vehicles such as aircraft and tanks, and then only in plating that requires minimal shaping or other work. The alien armour, however, uses carbon nanotube composites in abundance. It's our manufacturing processes that are holding us back.

With the alien armour in hand and enough resources at our disposal, I believe that we can devise new production methods and shaping processes that will allow us to mass-produce shaped nanocomposite plates, finally bringing this technology into our reach.

This project will require a fair amount of lab time and funding. We'll start work as soon as we receive your authorisation, Commander.

--Cdr. Navarre

TO:	Base Commander, PHALANX, Atlantic Operations Command
FROM:	Cdr. Paul Navarre, R&D: Engineering Division, PHALANX, Atlantic Operations Command
DATE:	%02i %s %i
SUB:	Re: Nanocomposite Armour

Commander, I would like to report the success of our nanocomposite production research!

I won't bore you with the intricacies of CNT production; suffice it to say that, by close study of the telltale traces left by alien production lines, we've been able to identify some of their processes. Apparently they use some kind of plasma furnace in order to spin, shape and press the nanotubes into a latticework pattern. We've been able to create a prototype furnace of our own, and have made various modifications to our nanotube production methods based on the alien examples. The result is a significant increase in power efficiency and production volume.

From here on I'll restrict my summary to the capabilities and tactical applications of the new armour, which I trust you will find both fascinating and encouraging.

We've managed to duplicate almost all the functionality of the alien armour, from the nanocomposite plates to the servo-assisted movement. It is incredibly light for its bulk, though still considerably heavier than our Combat Armour. It is almost as protective as the alien model, and bestows similar quickness of movement and more precise aiming.

However, there are some limitations that we just can't get around. The fact is that the aliens have a good deal more experience with these materials and can work them a lot more elegantly than we can. Our armour is bulkier and heavier, more stiffly-constructed, and its electronics do not perform as well. This may negatively impact firing speed and reaction time. Our version of the polymer isn't quite as good as theirs, it tends to crack more easily. Our servomotors in particular are large and unwieldy compared to the compact alien designs. There's no way to reduce their size any further than we already have.

We're really quite embarrassed about the boots in particular, but they are honestly the best we could do. We simply don't have the precision machinery needed to make servos like the aliens do. Regardless, we've tried our best to make the boots safe and light, with a powerful suspension system in the soles to make them springy enough for rapid movement.

The new armour's tactical applications are extensive. It's light enough to be worn by forward elements of our tac teams, yet protective enough to resist heavy weapons fire. It will serve exceptionally well for close assault troops that need both speed and armour to perform their best.

--Cdr. Navarre

--------

Prerequisites:
 None

TO:	Base Commander, PHALANX, Atlantic Operations Command
FROM:	Cdr. Paul Navarre, R&D: Engineering Division, PHALANX, Atlantic Operations Command
DATE:	%02i %s %i
SUB:	Proposal: Powersuit

Another one of the interesting topics in our UN files is the production of human powered armour. These are suits where much of the usual muscle-work of the soldier is taken over by advanced servomotors, many times more powerful than human muscle tissue. Soldiers wearing a suit of powered armour would be faster, stronger, capable of making powerful jumps and falls that would turn an unarmoured human to pulp.

The problem with these suits has always been the difficulty of building powerful servos into a suit small enough to be worn effectively by a human being. Powered armour has been around as a concept for more than a century, and has seen plenty of use in recent conflicts, but it has yet to materialise in a form that's useful for close quarters urban combat. Current-generation military suits have more in common with tanks than infantry and can't possibly meet our mobility and space requirements.

The research files feature many designs ranging from unarmoured exoskeletons to fully-enclosing 'spacesuits'. We'd like to organise a new research project to sort out the raw data and combine the most promising ideas into an effective powersuit for our soldiers.

--Cdr. Navarre

TO:	Base Commander, PHALANX, Atlantic Operations Command
FROM:	Cdr. Paul Navarre, R&D: Engineering Division, PHALANX, Atlantic Operations Command
DATE:	%02i %s %i
SUB:	Re: Powersuit

Commander, we've successfully prototyped our new powered armour, and I'd hereby like to submit my final report. The prototype is waiting in R&D if you'd like to have a go in it yourself.

Our production design is geared towards maximum protection. It is, in a nutshell, an airtight suit of armour with servo-assisted joints and on-board control system. The outer skin is made from the strongest armouring materials known to man. Ballistic plating covers up to 90% of the body, and the joint connections are woven from several layers of artificial spider silk, offering superior protection and flexibility even at the weakest points.

The inside consists of a thick layer of memory gel covered by an electrically sensitive lining. The gel allows the suit to be fitted to a range of heights and body shapes, so hopefully we shouldn't have to custom-build every suit to fit one specific soldier. The inner lining is an important part of the control system; it detects nerve impulses through the wearer's skin, interprets these signals, and uses them to predict the wearer's movements before they're made. This allows the suit to move simultaneously with the body rather than resisting the user's movements.

The only drawback is that, due to the nature of the suit and its control system, it requires slower and more thoughtful movements to accurately measure what the wearer wants it to do. That means a slight decrease in movements and reaction time.

--Cdr. Navarre

--------

Prerequisites:
 Alien Artifact -- Kerrblade
 Alien Autopsy -- Bloodspider

TO:	Base Commander, PHALANX, Atlantic Operations Command
FROM:	Cdr. Paul Navarre, R&D: Engineering Division, PHALANX, Atlantic Operations Command
DATE:	%02i %s %i
SUB:	Proposal: Monomolecular Blades

Commander, now that we've had a good look at the alien blade technology from several sources -- the Bloodspider's 'fangs' and the Kerrblade -- we're starting to form a picture of how to recreate the unknown or ill-understood materials used in their construction.

Some of this stuff is completely new to us. The plastics from which the alien blades are forged are harder than damascus steel, sharper than a razor, and yet shock-resistant and flexible enough to survive the stresses of melee combat. Once forged they are nearly impossible to break, nick or bend. Applying a hammer and chisel directly to the blade just means you end up with two neatly-sliced halves of a chisel.

Obviously it would be of great interest to us if we could create our own knives made from these materials, with edges tapering to the width of a single molecule. My team and I believe it may now be possible.

If you give us the funding and lab time we need, we can design and create a new monomolecular combat knife that will even the playing field for our soldiers when forced into hand-to-hand combat. This knife will be far more compact than the Kerrblade and much easier for humans to wield, and it'll be small enough to be used one-handed.

Equipping our troops with such weapons could give them a major advantage, as they'll be able to properly defend themselves in melee for the first time whilst using other weapons or equipment -- such as pistols, grenades, medikits, or other useful items of tactical or life-saving importance.

--Cdr. Navarre

TO:	Base Commander, PHALANX, Atlantic Operations Command
FROM:	Cdr. Paul Navarre, R&D: Engineering Division, PHALANX, Atlantic Operations Command
DATE:	%02i %s %i
SUB:	Re: Monomolecular Blades

Commander, I'm hereby reporting our success in the creation of alien blade materials. We've loaded the production specs into our Workshop machinery and have constructed a small forge for shaping our new monomolecular knives.

The reproduction process has been very interesting on this one. After we'd figured out how to 'cook' the alien plastics to the right temperatures, we ended up with bars of incredibly hard material which we then tried to shape into knives. On our first attempts we tried to create a straight-edged blade with a powerful point, like most modern combat knives, so that it could be used for both cutting and stabbing. All of these models snapped in half during the cooling process. We had a devil of a time figuring out why until we placed a small camera inside the furnace.

It turns out that the curve of the Kerrblade isn't a design choice -- it's a function of the material itself. The plastic radically curves and expands during heat-moulding in our furnace, and contracts again during cooling, which ended up cracking all of our straight-edged blades. It demands a particular curved shape to retain its durability as a blade. We had to completely redesign the knife to account for this effect, which brought it to its current shape.

In length, it's either a long knife or a short sword, depending on who you ask. The design of the handle and crossguard are based on Middle-Eastern and Asian swordmaking traditions mixed in with modern-day science and know-how. The handle is made from semi-solid rubber, which automatically moulds itself to the wielder's hand to maximise comfort and gripping power. Both the triangular crossguard and pommel are unbreakable carbon-nanotube-reinforced plastic, a material that even Kerrblades have trouble with.

This knife goes a long way towards evening the odds for our soldiers when they get caught in hand-to-hand. Though it's larger than our old combat knife, doesn't thrust as well, and doesn't have the power of the Kerrblade's sword-length swing, it strikes an ideal middle ground between these two weapons. The monomolecular knife is almost the equal of the Kerrblade in lethality but still small enough to be worn in our standard holster or in a sheath hung from the belt. It amounts to a significant upgrade of our melee combat capabilities, and I'm thoroughly pleased with the result.

--Cdr. Navarre

--------

Prerequisites:
 None

TO:	Base Commander, PHALANX, Atlantic Operations Command
FROM:	Col. Ingrid Falkland, Intelligence Division, PHALANX, Atlantic Operations Command
DATE:	%02i %s %i
SUB:	Proposal: Alien Origins

Good morning, Sir.

Though we are still struggling to get operational, one of our first orders of business must be to find out where the aliens are coming from. The only thing we know right now is that they enter the atmosphere from space, do what they came to do, and then race into orbit again before disappearing from our screens. We need to find out what happens before and after these points. Where do they come from, how do they get here, and where do they go?

We've seen no evidence of ships holding in Earth orbit or basing facilities anywhere in the solar system, but that doesn't mean they aren't there. The region of the asteroid belt and the outer planets -- the space between Mars and Neptune -- has been poorly monitored in a military sense and, given the stealth capabilities demonstrated by attacking UFOs, an alien fleet may have been misidentified or simply failed to register on civilian equipment. There has been no comprehensive effort at all to scan the surface of the various base-viable celestial objects in our solar system.

Therefore, I propose a new research program aimed at scouring the solar system with probes and powerful optical- and radiotelescopes to detect alien activity anywhere in our space. Our scientists will also review the data we have of past incursions to try and form some kind of picture of alien movements to and from Earth orbit. Even if there's a fleet hiding behind Mars or one of the outer planets, they must eventually reveal themselves if they continue sending UFOs down to the surface of Earth. If we put enough eyes on the problem, even these aliens can't hide for long.

This project will take a significant amount of funding and lab-time, Commander, so it requires your authorisation before work can begin.

With kind regards,
Col. Falkland

TO:	Base Commander, PHALANX, Atlantic Operations Command
FROM:	Col. Ingrid Falkland, Intelligence Division, PHALANX, Atlantic Operations Command
DATE:	%02i %s %i
SUB:	Re: Alien Origins

Good morning, Sir.

I've got the results of our Alien Origins project here and I believe you'll find them encouraging. Here is my summary of the data.

The project overall has been a resounding success in integration and cooperation. For several short periods over the past few days, we had direct control over every civilian and military detection asset in the solar system, including several installations in the asteroid belt so secret that we have been sworn to silence by the UN. Our deep-space probes have scanned every inch of buildable surface to detect any sign of an alien base. With these resources at our disposal, we have achieved continuous detection coverage of approximately 90% of the solar system over the past two weeks. The remaining 10% has been uncovered no longer than forty minutes at a time.

Unfortunately -- depending on your understanding of the word 'unfortunately' -- we could find no evidence of alien fleets hiding in our solar system. We have been so thorough that these results are all but conclusive. There is no way to be absolutely sure that our conclusions are correct, but I make the following statement with high confidence:

We do not believe there are alien ships or bases in our solar system at this time.

This answers one of our questions, but brings us no closer to understanding where the aliens come from or how they get here. In fact, the question of how they get here becomes an even greater conundrum than it was before. If the aliens are not based in our solar system, how can they be delivering UFOs to Earth?

I have spoken at length with Cdr. Navarre and members of his team about this issue, trying to figure it out, and most of our theories still seem like crackpot speculations even to ourselves. However, fate gave us the proof we needed.

We were having little luck with the issues of 'how' and 'where' until we got our hands on last week's video records from the MIMIR space telescope. Upon watching the footage, we realised that the MIMIR array had accidentally managed to catch a UFO arrival on film. We have full records in the visible and infrared spectra of a large, unfamiliar class of UFO 'popping' into existence approximately 10,000 kilometres from Earth, from where it ignited its engines and set a course for the planet.

It is possible the aliens could have some manner of 'cloaking' technology that has prevented us from detecting the UFO beyond that range, but we have strong doubts about this; the appearance was highly sudden, accompanied by a burst of gamma rays and a momentary gravitic anomaly. There was not even the slightest evidence of this UFO's existence prior to its appearance 10,000 klicks from Earth.

The most likely conclusion is also the most frightening: the aliens do not need to be located in our solar system, because they have a means of travel that is faster than light. Apparently this FTL (Faster-Than-Light) drive allows them to 'jump' into the Sol system from a distance well beyond our detection range. We don't know how this could be possible, as it clearly violates one or more concepts of general relativity (e.g. causality and/or special relativity), which remains the most accurate model of physics we have. The aliens clearly know something we don't.

Our next priority must be the capture of an FTL-equipped UFO so that we may study and adapt this drive for our own spacecraft. Obviously, this will not be an easy task, but developing the ability to strike back is paramount -- just in case we need to end this invasion the hard way.

Of course, the final decision on how to balance our short-term defence needs and long-term retaliation rests with you, Commander.

With kind regards,
Col. Falkland

--------

Prerequisites:
 A New Twist (OR A New Twist (Alternate))
 UFO -- Harvester

TO:	Base Commander, PHALANX, Atlantic Operations Command
FROM:	Col. Ingrid Falkland, Intelligence Division, PHALANX, Atlantic Operations Command
DATE:	%02i %s %i
SUB:	Proposal: The Alien Strategy

Good morning, Sir.

I'm afraid this isn't a social message; I'm writing you because of our pressing need for more information. We at DivIntel have been doing our part with tracking, logging and double-checking all reported alien activity on Earth, but we're increasingly being faced with our lack of data about the overarching goals of the alien invasion. We have no means of anticipating the aliens' next move because we have no clue as to what game plan they're following. That's why I am submitting a new project for your authorisation.

I intend to analyse more closely the patterns of alien activity on Earth, the intended missions and targets of UFO incursions into our airspace, and some of the finer details of our own research documents regarding the alien creatures and their technology. The bits and pieces of intelligence we've gathered so far are just pieces of a puzzle, but right now we have no clue how they fit together. The continual low-key incursions, the mysteries of the alien hive mind, the harvesting of human material . . . Somewhere in there lie the answers we need to unravel the aliens' overall goals and strategy for Earth and for humanity. If we can just put all the pieces together, we'll finally be able to see the bigger picture, as frightening as it may be.

Naturally this project will require a certain amount of lab time and funding to build up a complete picture. It shouldn't set back our other research too much, and it will be an important part of formatulating new, more effective counterstrategies to the alien invasion.

The proposal is in your queue, Sir. Please write back when you'd like us to start work.

With kind regards,
Col. Falkland

TO:	Base Commander, PHALANX, Atlantic Operations Command
FROM:	Col. Ingrid Falkland, Intelligence Division, PHALANX, Atlantic Operations Command
DATE:	%02i %s %i
SUB:	Re: The Alien Strategy

Good morning, Sir.

I've got an extensive report for you regarding our work on deciphering the patterns of alien activity and their overall strategy for Earth. You can find the full document in our archives, but I will give you a quick summation here.

The most striking characteristic we've seen of the invasion is that the aliens have been harvesting human biomass, sometimes even whole people, for their own nebulous purposes. They do this in a rather gruesome manner that shows no respect for life; their Kerrblades cut up human beings as if butchering cattle, and their Bloodspiders will simply dissect someone on the spot for a particularly interesting organ or a pint of blood. It is utterly, amorally practical.

We can only assume that they use the samples they're gathering in some kind of research program, studies into our physiology and perhaps our psychology and culture as well. We don't know the reasons behind this, but it's an interesting point. They are trying to learn something about us, and they don't care how we feel about it. To them, we're merely objects to be studied.

Of further interest are their main targets. Until recently alien activity reports came almost exclusively from high-density population centres with easy landing access for UFOs, which ties in with the general objective of capturing human research material. However, as of late the focus of the campaign seems to have shifted or narrowed. Activity around hospitals, blood banks and bio-research laboratories has been noticed more and more frequently in addition to the usual raids on population centres. The activity has ranged from low-key infiltration for unknown purposes up to full-scale assaults on high-security labs. We're not sure yet what this shift could mean, but we are making recommendations to the UN to sharpen security in these facilities and arm local forces to stand up to alien attack. We've marked up a list of high-risk targets for rapid police response and are distributing handbooks on anti-alien tactics. More investigation into the change of targets is underway.

As always, there is a lot more alien activity going on outside of our detection range which goes unreported by civilian authorities. DivIntel is currently experimenting with new ways of reporting and responding to alien activity as well as better networking between UN nations to get valid information to PHALANX faster, all of which are direct results of our research into the aliens' strategy. We expect that these techniques will allow us to catch an estimated 10% of alien activity (out of total estimated activity on Earth) that would have previously gone unreported.

We've also looked into how UFOs are getting to and from Earth, despite our problems finding and tracking the elusive larger craft we've observed. After reviewing radar, lidar and video recordings made from observatories on the planet surface, we now believe the larger UFOs to be some manner of aircraft carrier; a simple FTL-equipped base ship ferrying smaller UFOs to and from Earth. We've monitored up to 3 such ships holding in Earth orbit at one time, but we have reason to believe that the aliens possess many more and are simply not committing their full resources to the fight.

These craft are of extreme importance and we must find some way to shoot them down from orbit if we can. Cdr. Navarre and I are brainstorming for ideas on this subject and I will certainly get back to you about it.

That's all we've been able to get from the sources of information currently available to us, Sir. Obviously we need to do more research -- always more research -- and keep adapting as quickly as possible. I'm not sure what surprises the aliens have in store for us, but this target shift we've observed is something that could have very dark implications.

We should keep a close guard, Commander.

With kind regards,
Col. Falkland

--------

Prerequisites:
 Alien Origins
 The Alien Strategy

TO:	Base Commander, PHALANX, Atlantic Operations Command
FROM:	Col. Ingrid Falkland, Intelligence Division, PHALANX, Atlantic Operations Command
DATE:	%02i %s %i
SUB:	Proposal: Orbital UFO Activity

Good morning, Sir.

Let me begin by stating a few ugly realities.

1) All of humanity's space-based assets have been evacuated after the initial attack on Earth. Only a few stations and outposts are still running, and they have been remanded to military control, with only skeleton crews of volunteer military and civilian personnel.
2) We have just a handful of space-based weapons platforms, none of which are equipped to harm alien craft. The aliens have the ability to instantly exterminate any human endeavours in the solar system.
3) Our satellite grid is wide open and could be wiped off the map in an instant. Emergency landlines exist, but only for military use. If the grid does come under attack, comms between PHALANX command centres and assets in the field -- aircraft and ground teams -- will be hamstrung.
4) There is no doubt that there are alien craft moving in orbit, ferrying items and UFOs between Earth and the alien homeworld, and right now there is nothing we can do to stop them.

This leads us to only one conclusion: The space around Earth is no longer under our control. The only reason humanity retains any space capability at all is because the aliens have chosen not to destroy it yet.

Our shocking vulnerability from space is demonstrated in the fact that we've fought this war exclusively on the ground and in the air. We have no space-planes that can be adapted for combat, and designs for building them are years from completion. Not even PHALANX could create a workable combat plane in time to affect the outcome of the war with the technologies currently at our disposal.

What little orbital weaponry we have is severely inadequate. There are nuclear missiles which the UN won't let us use, and which would be far too destructive to help our research efforts if one of the colossal things ever managed to score a hit. There are experimental laser and maser platforms which are too underpowered to put a dent in heavy UFO armour. If the aliens decide they want to bomb us into extinction, they can just walk right up and knock. This is a situation that has to be remedied.

The only question we can ask about this orbital UFO activity is how we're going to counter it. Until now we've not been able to affect the situation, but with budget increases and our growing reputation in the UN, pieces are starting to fall into place for a new step to our strategy.

By far the most promising idea for a short-term orbital response weapon is to adapt one of the 'space guns' used by NASA and the European Space Agency to launch satellites and -- before the invasion forced us to evacuate our extraplanetary installations -- fire resupply packages at Tranquility Base colony on the moon. These space guns are essentially giant railguns with enough power to send a satellite-sized payload into orbit. With our library of UN research on electromagnetic weaponry, we can upgrade one of these guns into an anti-orbital weapon capable of knocking alien ships out of the sky. We're confident we can convince at least one of Earth's space agencies to lend us a suitable gun for the job.

There are problems, however. Obviously these guns can't move, being built into the side of a mountain, so the target would have to pass directly in front of the gun for us to have a chance to hit it. Since we can't count on the aliens to give us a point-blank shot, this has been a big stumbling block, but we believe there may be a solution: If the gun can't move in order to hit something, the bullets will have to move instead.

The plan calls for development of a special shell that is able to adjust its own trajectory with a suite of onboard rockets. We're currently pushing the UN to let us use a miniature nuclear warhead -- no more than 3 kilotons -- to make sure that any hit will kill. This orbital shell will be large, heavy, and a hell of a challenge to load into the gun, but it's absolutely necessary to give the project a realistic chance of success.

As you see, Sir, these problems can all be overcome, but we need to do some serious R&D and commit a good deal of funding to get it all working. Please lend your authorisation as soon as is feasible.

With kind regards,
Col. Falkland

TO:	Base Commander, PHALANX, Atlantic Operations Command
FROM:	Col. Ingrid Falkland, Intelligence Division, PHALANX, Atlantic Operations Command
DATE:	%02i %s %i
SUB:	Re: Orbital UFO Activity

Good morning, Sir.

The PHALANX orbital gun is tested and ready to rock. We have six shots. All we need now is a target and your authorisation.

For my full report:

We've finally carried out all the gun enhancements I mentioned. I'm sorry the work on the gun took so long, but we had to tear out all their old capacitor banks and replace them with military-grade capacitors of the same size. Then we had to put down new rails since the old ones were just too worn-out. Still, it was worth it.

Work on our new impact vehicle has also been completed. Over the course of the development process we decided to ditch the concept of an artillery shell, and are now referring to the impact vehicle as the 'Dragon' Space Missile. It's a semi-independent tracking missile, connected to our Command Centre by a laser beam, and guided by three systems at once: a beam rider, a huge infrared tracking array, and a manual adjustment interface in the Command Centre. We can plot the missile's course accurately to a circle less than a centimetre in diameter.

The UN has reluctantly allowed us to use the 3-kiloton mini-nuclear warheads we were pushing for, removing a lot of our concerns and limitations. With this warhead on board, it doesn't matter how hard or softly we hit a UFO. If it's hit, it's coming down.

The missile is able to adjust its own trajectory in and out of atmosphere. It's about the width of a VW Beetle and should inflict severe damage to any Carrier UFO it hits; hopefully enough to cause a crash, or at least knock it far enough down into the atmosphere to be engaged by our interceptors.

We should be able to fire several shots before the UFO can withdraw out of range or provide return fire to the gun. However, one way or another it's likely that the UFO will identify the target and attempt to destroy it from orbit. All personnel and vital equipment have already been evacuated.

We may lose the gun, but what we stand to gain is immeasurable. Technology that represents a fighting chance for humanity in this war. Nothing the aliens have left on Earth has ever been so important.

There's an alien FTL drive somewhere up there, Sir, and I mean to get my hands on it.

The gun is ready to fire at your say-so. I'll let you know as soon as there's a target in range.

With kind regards,
Col. Falkland

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Prerequisites:
 The Enemy On Earth

TO:	Base Commander, PHALANX, Atlantic Operations Command
FROM:	Col. Ingrid Falkland, Intelligence Division, PHALANX, Atlantic Operations Command
DATE:	%02i %s %i
SUB:	Proposal: XVI Census

Good morning, Sir.

With these new developments regarding the infection of Earth's civilian population by this alien organism, the need arises for a way to determine the number of infected people in various regions and the rate of spread. Easier said than done, I know, but it may be every bit as important as finding a cure. We can't help anyone if we don't know they're sick.

What I propose to do is to create a long-term rolling census that checks all registered individuals on the entire planet for XVI infection by way of a small blood test. Everyone will be required to submit to this test once a week to make sure they're clean -- more frequently if they fall under suspicion of infection. Samples will only need to be as large as a single drop of blood, taken from a random vein to prevent tampering. Fortunately the XVI organism is large and prevalent enough that we can test these samples on the spot with near-100%-confidence results.

This is going to be a major undertaking that requires careful liasing with the intelligence services of Earth's eight big nations. I've already prepared plans and simulations to demonstrate the operation and effectiveness of this program. With some time and funding, we can convince them of the project's importance and have everything operational in a matter of weeks.

All we need is your signature on the dotted line, Sir.

With kind regards,
Col. Falkland

TO:	Base Commander, PHALANX, Atlantic Operations Command
FROM:	Col. Ingrid Falkland, Intelligence Division, PHALANX, Atlantic Operations Command
DATE:	%02i %s %i
SUB:	Re: XVI Census

Good morning, Sir.

The XVI census program has just gone into effect. Weekly rolling tests have commenced this morning, and I've got a full report on our estimated performance levels and operational details.

Our strategy is based around local medical centres, where the XVI tests are performed by existing nursing staff under the supervision of a small police or military guard. If a test turns out positive, this guard will perform the arrest and turn the infected prisoners over to the UN for containment and study. Once the aliens figure out this scheme -- I don't think it'll take them long -- the infected people will start avoiding the census, thereby giving us the data we need simply by their absence.

As always there's good news and bad news. I'll start with the bad news.

Despite our best efforts, the census data will have some limitations. 99.9% of the planet's population is registered with one national authority or another, but out of ten billion people that still leaves several million unaccounted for. We will be able to extrapolate figures that are accurate to within several thousand heads, but the statistics we generate won't ever be exact. This means the program is less useful for identifying those who have been infected, but still a godsend for keeping track of XVI spread and alien activity on a global basis. After all, we need to know what kind of progress we're making against this new threat.

The good news is that the UN and the member nations have agreed to shoulder the entire cost of the census program. They are handling all the equipment and manpower locally, with strenuous checks as to the reliability of personnel and the validity of the results. The information will be piped directly to our command centre at no charge to us.

The best thing about this program is that we can now keep track of infection levels and how much threat each region is under from XVI. This will work in conjunction with our normal detection methods to warn us where alien activity is worst and allow us to intervene before the situation becomes critical.

Any area where XVI seems to be gaining ground should be posted with additional air patrols, and we should be on the lookout for any attempts by the aliens to solidify their hold on the ground. Alien activity reports in this area should be investigated and responded to with extreme prejudice.

With kind regards,
Col. Falkland

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Prerequisites:
 Antimatter

TO:	Base Commander, PHALANX, Atlantic Operations Command
FROM:	Cdr. Paul Navarre, R&D: Engineering Division, PHALANX, Atlantic Operations Command
DATE:	%02i %s %i
SUB:	Blueprints -- Antimatter Storage

Overview

The Antimatter Storage facility is designed to safely store antimatter for later use, at least as safely as antimatter can possibly be stored. It is based around an advanced magnetic containment system we've derived from alien antimatter technology, which we call the 'inner shell'. The 'outer shell' consists of several radiation airlocks over the main passages, a heavily-armoured control room, and a host of other security and containment measures -- all designed to keep any radiation inside the outer shell.

The outer shell's design borrows heavily from that of UN nuclear ammo dumps. In case of problems in the inner shell, there's an automatic security system which will lock down the instant containment drops below safe levels. The facility will first close its blast doors, then secure every airlock with tungsten locking rods, fill the outer shell atmosphere with radiation-retardant gas and inject anti-shock foam behind the walls, and then try to contain the inevitable blast.

This procedure will not give any personnel caught inside time to escape, but that's the price we'll have to pay if we want to have a chance of saving the entire base.

To understand how dangerous this facility really is, building an Antimatter Storage at one of our bases will require us to list that base with the UN nuclear site register. At full capacity -- 10 grammes of antimatter -- just one storage facility will be containing the equivalent of nearly half a megaton of TNT. While this isn't much compared to modern thermonuclear weapons, it's enough to turn the entire base and everything inside to cinders in less than a second. It's difficult to 'blow up' antimatter, but under the wrong circumstances, it can happen.

Even if no explosion occurs, a loss of containment would result in the annihilation of the stored antimatter with the normal matter of the containment system. If there were any fault or damage in the outer shell at this point, then the ensuing blast of gamma radiation and high-speed particles would escape and strip the area clean of life. The base would be poisoned and rendered uninhabitable for centuries to come.

Recommended Doctrine

I believe I've already stressed that this facility must be the most heavily-defended building in any PHALANX base, taking priority even over the Command Centre. Losing the CC would be a blow, but it can be rebuilt. The cost would be a trifle compared to the kind of armageddon that can result from a mishap at the Antimatter Storage.

Although this facility will be essential to our continued success in this war, it's going to be very expensive to build and operate due to the advanced tech and materials required. It may be necessary to hold off on building one until we're sure our budget can stretch that far.

Having said that, until we manage to build one of these facilities, we'll be completely unable to store or use any recovered antimatter. We can't just build up a pile of unstable, alien, possibly-damaged tanks of nuclear-level explosive. Everything we find will have to be destroyed for safety.

Considering that we can't duplicate the stuff, we're going to need every microgramme we can get our hands on.

Addenda

None.

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ONE-OFF STORYLINE MESSAGES

Prerequisites:
 Any 2 organic alien autopsies

TO:	Base Commander, PHALANX, Atlantic Operations Command
FROM:	Dr. Connor, R&D: Bio & Containment Division, PHALANX, Atlantic Operations Command
DATE:	%02i %s %i
SUB:	A New Twist (Early)

Commander,

New information has come to light during the last batch of autopsies you requested. Our reports stand, but we've discovered a commonality that may give us some new insight into the aliens' diversity.

During our first analyses of the aliens' cellular structure, we encountered some anomalies where our DNA replication tests would fail due to unexplained sample contamination. We initially discarded this as human error, but the problem has continued to appear with surprising regularity. The same result, again and again; every time we run a sample that hasn't been cryofrozen for storage, we have difficulty extracting a single uncontaminated sequence. I spent some of my off hours studying the problem, and I believe I've found the cause.

The simplest explanation is this: There are two types of DNA present in our blood samples. The foreign DNA's prevalence is total; these sequences can be found in every member of the Taman species, and closer study has confirmed that similar sequences exist in the blood of other species we've recovered. The source seems to be a kind of single-cellular organism present in huge numbers in the alien bloodstream. There are several versions of it, one for each species of alien, and they all share remarkable DNA similarities. Interestingly, although these organisms all have an identical number of chromosomes, none of them can survive in a body that is not a member of its source species. Also curious is the fact that there are absolutely no variations in DNA between organisms of the same version. This leads us to believe that the different versions may have been engineered -- wholly or in part -- to suit the individual species.

We now surmise that all aliens carry a version of this micro-organic infection. The organism's function is not readily apparent. We've run tests on various experimental tissue samples, both infected and control specimens. The infected tissues do not appear to suffer any negative effects -- or positive ones, for that matter -- from the organism's presence. They are essentially indistinguishable from uninfected tissues. Since the organism requires a living host for its own survival, it seems to be either a parasite or a symbiote with currently unobserved benefits.

We have dubbed this organism the 'EXtraterrestrial Viral Infection', or XVI. This may be somewhat of a misnomer in microbiological terms; XVI is a complex multi-celled organism far larger than any terrestrial virus, but it acts and replicates exactly like one. Therefore we feel the term is warranted. As each alien species carries a unique strand of the infection, we have given them alphabetical designations after the source species in which the strand can be found. Tamans have XVI-T, Shevaar have XVI-S, and so forth.

The infection's purpose remains nebulous at this point, but it is the only thing we've found so far that binds these diverse races together physically. We can only assume that new strands of the infection were engineered to suit each species, perhaps something that allows them to coexist the way they do.

There is no indication that this organism is contagious to humans. When injecting cultures of human tissue with fresh alien blood, we have observed the alien blood being completely rejected, as expected. Unexpectedly, however, any trace of the infection was subsequently annihilated by standard human T cells. The organism was unable to take root in the face of our immune system.

We currently do not believe the XVI organism poses a threat to our soldiers on the battlefield. However, we will continue research and keep you updated about any developments. A thorough blood screening of all our personnel is in progress, just in case, and strict quarantine procedures will be maintained throughout the lab.

Sincerely,
Dr. Connor

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Prerequisites:
 Any 2 organic alien autopsies
 The Enemy On Earth (Alternate)

TO:	Base Commander, PHALANX, Atlantic Operations Command
FROM:	Dr. Connor, R&D: Bio & Containment Division, PHALANX, Atlantic Operations Command
DATE:	%02i %s %i
SUB:	A New Twist (Late)

Commander,

This is an extremely urgent report, please believe me when I say it cannot wait for anything.

I've found some disturbing new information during our continued research into the XVI organism. I have reason to believe that XVI may be an even larger part of the alien plan than we first suspected.

First, some background. During our initial analyses of the aliens' cellular structure, we encountered some anomalies where our DNA replication tests would fail due to unexplained sample contamination. We initially discarded this as human error, but the problem has continued to appear with unerring regularity. The same result, again and again; every time we run a sample that hasn't been cryofrozen for storage, we have difficulty extracting a single uncontaminated sequence. It didn't make any sense until our recent discovery of the XVI infection in civilian people. I immediately suspected a correlation but wanted to wait until I could prove it, and since then I've spent most of my off hours studying the problem. Now I believe I've found the cause -- XVI itself. 

I've determined that all the aliens carry their own versions of this same micro-organic infection. There are differences to account for the different bodies and blood types -- some of these varieties don't appear to live in blood at all -- but it is unmistakably the same thing. We can only assume that the different strands of the infection were engineered to suit each species.

Since all the alien species carry a unique strand of the infection, I've decided to modify our naming conventions slightly, giving individual XVI strands alphabetical designations after the source in which the strand can be found. Humans have XVI-H, Tamans have XVI-T, and so forth.

The organism's function is not readily apparent in these aliens since we have no uninfected control specimens against which we can measure the effect. However, given this information, we have to conclude that XVI is more than simply a bio-weapon against humanity. It may even be used in a similar way -- an enslavement device suppressing individual thought and linking the subject into the group mind, whether there is a group or not. Perhaps the aliens that are sent to Earth are all members of some sort of slave soldier caste, or even prisoners forced to fight, like the Red Army's convict battalions in World War 2. At this point we can barely begin to speculate.

Commander, I think we should pursue aggressive investigation into XVI so that we can find the truth behind some of these mysteries. We have to determine the true purpose of this organism, what it means to the war and to us as a species. XVI-H is possibly the biggest threat we've ever faced.

We cannot let these things enslave our planet.

Sincerely,
Dr. Connor

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Prerequisites:
 First alien base discovered

TO:	Base Commander, PHALANX, Atlantic Operations Command
FROM:	Col. Ingrid Falkland, Intelligence Division, PHALANX, Atlantic Operations Command
DATE:	%02i %s %i
SUB:	Alien Base

Good morning, Sir.

As you're aware, we are facing an increasingly worsening threat from the XVI virus. Over the past few weeks, DivIntel has been making a push into the areas in which the infection is most concentrated, in order to try and find some piece of intel that could help us understand how and why this infection spreads so fast from these focal points. I have been personally supervising the effort.

It paid off this morning.

Our reconnaisance teams have located what appears to be a camouflaged alien installation. The size and purpose of this installation is unknown, but we've established that it is located at the exact heart of an infection hot-spot. I harbour grave suspicions that this facility is directly connected with the lightning spread of XVI in the region. At this point it also seems likely there are more of these planetside installations, built right under our noses, serving as command centres and bases of operation for the alien threat.

Dealing with these bases has to be one of our top priorities. I recommend we send a heavily-armed team to pay them a visit, a bit of reconnaissance-in-force. We need more information about the layout and purpose of the base, and the best way to do that is to capture it. We should eliminate all aliens at the location and, once we've secured the area and salvaged what we need, destroy the entire installation. This should constitute a significant blow to alien operations and restrict -- if not halt -- the spread of XVI in the area.

Of course this mission will be highly dangerous. The base is right in the middle of an infection hot-spot, so the entire area is hostile territory. We may encounter anti-air ordnance and UFOs scrambled to the base's defence. A heavy escort will certainly be required. And . . . there's worse.

Satellite imagery and recon flyovers have indicated that infected humans appear to be actively cooperating with the aliens. There's a good probability our unit will encounter human hostiles during the assault. This may not sit well with everyone, but if they open fire on our troops, we must be ready to respond in kind.

That's all the intel I've got for you on this one, Sir. Good luck and good hunting.

With kind regards,
Col. Falkland

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Prerequisites:
The first live alien has died in containment because Alien Breathing Apparatus has not been researched
TO:	Base Commander, PHALANX, Atlantic Operations Command
FROM:	Dr. Connor, R&D: Bio & Containment Division, PHALANX, Atlantic Operations Command
DATE:	%02i %s %i
SUB:	Urgent -- Alien Specimen Failure

Commander,

I'm afraid I have some bad news. Despite our best efforts, the alien specimens recovered from our last tactical mission have expired in Containment. We were ultimately unable to stabilise their medical condition enough to learn anything useful.

Outward signals indicate the cause of death to be sudden and fatal asphyxiation. It seems the aliens can only live in our atmosphere for a limited time before they suffocate. We haven't performed a full examination on the body, not without your authorisation, but I strongly recommend that we move straight to autopsy at this point. We must find a way to keep them alive longer or we won't be able to conduct any meaningful research on them.

My autopsy request should be waiting in the R&D queue for your approval. Thank you, Commander.

Sincerely,
Dr. Connor