Legal disclaimer: Babylon 5 and all related characters
are the property of J. Michael Straczynski. X-COM is the
property of Microprose. Everyone else is mine.
This is my first attempt at fan fiction, combining one
of my favorite shows with one of my favorite video games. A
paint a slightly different picture of the B5 universe with
this one. Guess you could classify this one under 'future',
even though the opening scene takes place in Season Three.
I'm a bit of an action fan, and it shows.
Happy readin'!
October 15th, 2260. Anillus system, Sagitaurus arm of
the Milky Way Galaxy.
A jump gate opens, revealing a Omega Class heavy
cruiser.
It's main engines igniting, it cruises along the system,
on a slow patrol.
"Report.", the captain, a tall, stocky old figure says.
"System's clear so far.", the officer at the scanner
controls responds, "Nothing on....wait. Sir, I'm getting
something on the radar."
"On screen.", the captain orders.
A disc, about two kilometers in diameter, appears.
"What the hell....", he says, "Who's is that?"
"No idea......sir, jump gates forming, right behind it."
"How many?"
"Fifteen."
Near the first disc, blue funnels appears. Out of each
one comes another disc.
"They're hailing us. Visual and audio."
"Put them on.", the captain orders, "This is Earth
Alliance cruiser Argus to unidentified craft-"
A hologram of an alien, short, with a huge head and
large black eyes, appears.
"Dear God.", the captain whispers, "Sectoids."
The discs converge, small holes appearing in them. They
fire, reducing the craft to atoms in a single volley. With
that, they turn, and fade away into the night.
Two years later. Midnight at Babylon 5, Epsilon
Eiridannai orbit.
A lone person, in sharp military attire(what type and
service, that's anyone's guess), walks in front of a door.
He fixes his cap, and presses a small device resting on
his belt.
He presses the call button.
As he thought, he hears a small buzz as the door opens,
and sees a PPG aimed right at his forehead, a very tired man
on the holding end.
"Sergeant Zachary Allen?", the military man asks.
"Yeah.", Allen responds, his voice showing how cranky he
is, "Who's asking?"
"Colonel Miles Ferris.", the man responds, "I'm here to
offer you the chance of a lifetime."
Many light-years away. Five starfury fighters blaze
along the spaceways between systems, leaving an ion trail in
their path.
"Alpha Flight, check.", the lead pilot orders.
"Alpha Two, check."
"Alpha Three, check."
"Alpha Four, check."
"Alpha Five, che-........Alpha One, you reading this?"
The pilot looks over to his radar. A very big blip has
just appeared. He looks up. A five kilometer disc appears.
"Holy Shit!", he says, "You recognize that?"
Negatives come from the entire squadron.
"They're from way back. Sectoids! Starspawn!", the
pilot responds, "Prepare to engage!"
Small, dual pronged fighters come out, firing green
bolts at them.
"Sir, Jump Gate forming!", Alpha Three shouts.
A funnel appears, releasing a cylander shaped carrier.
Hatches on it open, thirty meter in length fighters
dropping out, wings extending and pulse engines propelling
them forward.
"What the hell....", Alpha One says.
"Alpha Flight, stand down.", one of the fighters orders,
"We'll take from here."
The two forces begin massing at each other.
"Eagle Wing, check.", the lead pilot orders.
"Eagle Two."
"Eagle Three."
"Eagle Four."
"Eagle Five."
"Eagle Six."
"Eagle Seven."
"Eagle Eight."
"Eagle Nine."
"Eagle Ten."
"Eagle Eleven."
"Eagle Twelve."
"Pick your targets, people.", Eagle One orders, "Let's
kick E.T.'s ass!!"
Alpha One watches as the new fighters accelerate
forward, firing blueish green bolts of energy, a sectoid
fighter falling with every shot. The fighters, looking bulky
as hell, are dodging the green blasts like they were nothing.
Nothing.....nothing is that maneuverable.
"Going for a shot at the mothership!", Eagle One says,
"Cover me!"
Pulse cannons fire at the attacking fighters, shattering
them with a single shot. The small fighter maneuvers around
the sectoid fighters with ease, two missiles shining against
the light.
He positions his fighter, targetting one of the open
hatches. The crosshairs turn yellow, and then orange.
"Come on....", he growls, "This one's for the
money......."
The crosshairs turn red.
"Yes!", he says, "Sweet lock! Eagle One, Fox 3!"
A pair of missiles drop from his fighter's wings, their
engines igniting and streaking off towards the carrier.
They go right into the fighter bays, their trails fading
behind them. Silence.
Then, an explosion rips through the entire ship, tearing
it apart from the insides. Eagle One does a barrel roll as
he rejoins his companions, heading back at full speed to the
mothership.
"Bogey's dead, Command.", he says, "Prepare to receive."
Alpha One waits in an office on the strange new carrier.
What is this place, he thinks to himself, And who the
hell are these guys?
"Lieutenant Jason Phebbs?", a voice says. The pilot
turns at the sound of his name.
"Reporting, sir.", he says, sharply saluting.
"I'm sure you have some questions.", the owner of the
voice, a middle aged officer says, "One of which is who we
are."
"Yes, sir."
The man smiles.
"It's simple.", he responds, "We......are X-COM."
It takes a few minutes for Zack Allen to realize
this guy's not trying to bother him. Slowly, but surely, he
puts down the PPG.
"Wha?", he groans.
The man in front of him smiles.
"I understand it may be a little late," Ferris says,
"But you and I have a considerable amount to discuss.
I'll come back tomorrow to lay out the terms, and see about
your answer."
With that, the man swiftly turns and walks away.
Allen turns, grumbling as he walks back into his
bedroom, the door closing behind him.
"Goddamn fricken' salesmen........every hour of
the night.......", he growls, collapsing onto the bed, "Lights!"
And the room turns dark.
Jason Phebbs lets this sink in for a moment.
"X-COM?", he asks, "The X-COM?"
The aged officer in front of him nods.
"We are the best kept secret in the universe. We are a highly funded,
yet secret organization with the mandate to police, observe, and engage
hostile alien presences known only to us, and no one else. We are the best
of the best of the best. We operate in secret. We lurk in shadow. We
are the Extraterrestrial CombatUnit. We are X-COM."
Phebbs recites the speech the aged office gave him, as he preps his
Retaliator for launch. He looks up, noticing a ship coming in.
"Goddamn.", he whispers.
A giant transport, about fifty meters, comes in.
"That's an Annihilator.", Commander Gorbon says, "New troop transport
we just developed. Mainly grunts in there, we're the real artists."
"Second on that.", Phebbs says, "How many ground pounders does it take
to screw in a light bulb?"
"How many?"
"Three.", Phebb responds, "One to hold the bulb, and two to turn the
ladder."
That gets some chuckles from all of Haven flight.
"Alright, we're clear.", Gorbon says, "Launch."
Phebbs presses some buttons and eases back on the lever.....and is
thrust right back into his seat by the momentum.
"Watch out.", Gorbon says, over the comm, "She's got a bit of a kick.
Standard patrol, boys. Follow me."
And the Retaliators fly into the distance.
Colonel Miles Ferris walks into his temporary quarters on Babylon 5,
shutting the door behind him. He places a small device on he floor,
backing a bit away from it.
"Inverness.", he orders.
A sharp light emits from it, forming into a hologram of a uniformed,
aged man.
"Miles," the hologram says, "Anything to report?"
"I've offered Allen the job.", Ferris responds, "How's it going down
there, Frank?"
"We're reading some Starspawn activity.", the hologram responds, "We
think their amassing a fleet. Not sure, yet. If what we're guessing is
correct, it shouldn't be too big. We might need outside help, though."
"Maybe.", Ferris responds, "I'll get back to you. Babylon 5 out."
The hologram disappears.
The twelve retaliators fly in perfect arrowhead formation, leaving a
barely visible ion trail in their wake.
Gorbon looks to the flashing screen on the right of her, and presses a
button.
"Well, shit.", she grumbles, "Haven Flight, we've got trouble. Just
got a report of a sectoid spotting. Prepare to engage SWAPs."
"What?", Phebbs asks.
"SupraWarp Acceleration Pulses.", she responds, "The red button on your
right."
The retaliators form up.
"Alright, boys," she says, "Let's bust us some bugs. Engage!"
Phebbs presses the red button......and is thrown back into his seat as
everything becomes a blurr......
And the entire Haven flight thrusts forward, faster than thought
possible.
Security Chief Michael Garibaldi watches the cam view of the Zocolo.
His concentration is broken as the door chimes.
"Come in.", he says, turning around.
Zack Allen walks in.
"What can I do fer ya, Zack?", he asks, looking at a data pad.
"Yeah, Chief," Allen says, a bit nervous, "I just got a job offer."
"Really?", the chief asks, suddenly interested, "Who?"
"You're not gonna believe this......", Allen says, "X-COM."
This gets the chief's attention.
Gorbon checks her hyperwave scope.
"Alright, disengage SWAP.", she says, pressing the red button again.
Things go back to normal.....with the exception of the five K disc in
front of them.
The disc seems to notice them, it's weapon ports opening.
"Pick a target, people.", she says, activating her weapons,
"Lock'n'load!"
Phebbs switches on his weapons, torpedoes and guns standing by.
He targets the main hatch of the sectoid disc, activating the targeting
system.
"Locking on........", he says, "I've got Tone. Haven Nine, Fox 3!"
He jams down the button, a torpedo falling down and thrusting forward,
along with twelve more.
They accelerate forward, as they ship starts to turn.....
And they all ram into it, a pale green glow surrounding the ship, the
energy shell shattering.
"Shit!", Phebbs yells, "Shields!"
"No problem, kid.", Gorbon says, "We took'em down! Everybody.....let's
plow the roads!"
The twelve fighters open fire, taking out the fighters the moment they
exit the bays, each one going up in a fireball. The ships fire back,
bouncing off the shields of the Rtaliators themselves, with no effect.
"Locked onto their engines.", Gorbon says, "Fox 3!"
The torpedo fires out, swerving around the enemy ships, and ramming
into the center of the cruiser. Lights turn off, the ship hanging dead in
space.
"Clean up the fighters," Gorbon orders, "We're taking this one alive.
Prepare for boarding."
"WHAT?!", Phebbs asks.
"There's a rifle and a set of armor in the cargo hatch," she responds,
"Don't worry. It'll be a snap."
And the fighter battle is soon finished.
"X-COM?", Garibaldi asks, "Damn. You sure?"
"The guy who told me had some pretty sophisticated shit.", Allen
responds, "He wants me to join. Told me about it......and I'm pretty
tempted. I mean, I like it here..."
"You've got my blessing.", Garibaldi responds, "From what I heard, it's
a great opportunity. When does this guy need an answer?"
"Tomorrow."
"And Lyta's not getting back until tuesday......"
Allen nods.
"I think I've made a decision, though. Wish me luck, Chief.", Allen
says.
"Good luck, Zack.", Garibaldi responds, "Bust a bug fer me."
Zack nods, smiling slightly, and walks out.
Phebbs, in full armor and with a rather strange rifle, walks out of his
parked Retaliator.
"Commander," he says, gesturing to his rifle, "What's this?"
"Plasma rifle.", she responds, "Imagine a PPG without the slugs. Just
the energy itself. Pretty effective. Now, come on."
She leads the squad forward, edging through the corridors.
One of the pilots sees something, out of the corner of his eye. He
turns, seeing something heading towards them.
He hefts up his rifle, charging it to full.
"BUG!!!", he shouts.
The others turn, opening fire with their rifles. A high pitched shriek
is heard, and what looks like a giant insect falls to the ground.
"Chryssalids.", Gorbon says, "Mother.......Inject your antitoxins,
boys. We got bugs."
And, unbeknowest to them.....something watches.
A distant corner of the galaxy. A fleet amasses. Thousands of saucers.
Thousands of cubes. A fleet that defies description. It says a message:
We are the Starspawn. Fear us. Submit to us. We have returned.
Lt. Cmdr. Jason Phebbs probes the dark passageway with his rifle's
searchlight. From what he remembers, the Sectoids have incredible night
vision. But not in an area this dark.
He sees movement, up ahead.
He points the light.
A large, metallic being is there, at least 15 feet tall, twin plasma
cannons mounted under it's chin.
Sectopod!
"Haven 9, come in!", Commander Gorbon says, over his comm.
The sectopod reacts to the noise, looking down at Phebbs.
"Well, shit.", he says, "Haven Leader......I've got a problem."
The twin cannons begin spinning.
He leaps to the side, the twin streams of plasma melting away some of the
metallic floor.
The bipedal tank turns, sighting him.
He presses a button on his belt.
From parts of his flight suit, liquid comes out.
It surrounds his body, solidifying into a red, ridged suit, and then
sheets of an organic, metal like substance cover them. He feels the neuro-
active fluid flooding his suit, connecting him to the armor.
Then, from his neck-piece, a blueish liquid covers his head, the front
turning transparent as it becomes his helmet and visor. He feels a sting as
the neurofibers connect into the back of his head, drilling microscopic holes
to connect with his nerves.
Disruptor armor, active.
He feels the exoskeleton and gravity projectors tighten, becoming one with
him.
Disruptor shield, active.
A faint blue glow surrounds him.
Neural connection to weapon, active.
The crosshairs in front of his face appear.
He cocks the gun, aiming it at the confused sectopod.
Time to whup E.T.'s ass.
Colonel Ferris looks up from his copy of Universe Today, when he sees a
figure approach.
"Mr. Allen.", he says, "You wished to see me?"
"Yeah.", Zack Allen responds, "I'm in."
Phebbs doesn't move as the new volley of plasma comes.
He stands his ground, letting the disruptor shield bear the brunt, the
green energy deflected away.
Aimed Shot., he commands to his armor.
He hefts up the gun, sighting the front.
The crosshairs lock on. He pulls the trigger.
Three balls of hot plasma are let loose from his gun, the bolts slamming
into the underside of the sectopod, melting away a small amount of armor.
"Ain't workin'.....", he says, and jumps out of the way of a return
volley.
He gets up, finding himself between the robot's legs, backing up.
"Well, well......", he says, and gives his armor another command.
A sword comes out of his right wrist guard.
He swings at the legs and undercarriage, severing wires and coolant tubes,
smoke and fluid flying everywhere.
The sectopod begins to wobble, loosing control.
Phebbs runs under and behind it, aiming the rifle at it's rear thrusters.
"Auto shot.", he orders.
He pulls the trigger, balls of energy spraying over the backside of the
android. The sectopod sways, wobbles.....and then falls forward, shattering
it's CPU as it slams into the ground.
X-COM central command, Alpha Centauri. Central Radar Room. A scan of a
sector of the galaxy comes in.......and they see it. A fleet the size of
which defies imagination.
One of the radar operators swallows, looking at the sheer size. He feels
a wave of nostalgia as he looks over to the large red button.
He makes a fist........and slams it down on the button.
All the lights in the base flash red. Alarms blare. And one, single
voice is heard repeating all over the base:
"WARNING! WARNING! UFO DETECTED! WARNING! WARNING! UFO DETECTED!"
"A sectopod?", Gorbon's voice says, over the communicator, "They don't
keep those on ships like this. Especially class nine sectopods. Something
important must be here. Hold on. We're on our way."
"Got it.", Phebbs responds, "Haven 9 out."
He hears something, in the passageway beyond. He begins walking forward.
"Haven 9 to Haven 1.", he says into his communicator, his full armor
reappearing on him, "I've got something interesting up here. I'm moving in.
Track me."
He presses a button on his belt, a small beacon activating. He activates
the light on his gun, shining it forward.
He hears something. A small voice.
Sound analysis., he orders.
A small screen appears in the lower part of the visor.
"Sound analysis complete.", a voice says.
"And?"
"Female minbari-human.", the voice says.
"What?", he asks, "As in hybrid?"
"Affirmative."
This is getting weird. Even for a day like this. There's only two
minbari-human hybrids known. Only one of them is female.
"Match voice data to that of Ambassador Delenn Sheridan.", he orders.
"Voice not matched.", the computer voice responds.
Even weirder.
Phebbs comes to a door, where the voice apparently came from.
Locked and sealed.
"Laser sword.", he says.
The right armguard folds down, a glowing blade coming out. He slices, the
door falling open.
Lights turn on in the room.
In aims his gun at the first thing he sees.....and stops. It isn't a
sectoid. Or a sectopod. Or any other starspawn.
Restrained against the wall, connected to.....equipment of some kind, is a
woman.
Half human, half minbari, with blonde hair running down to her waist.
He puts the gun onto his back, straps appearing to hold it in place.
The woman barely notices his presence. She opens her mouth, and whispers
something in andrato.
He doesn't know all of it, but one of the things she said was....Kill me.
At least, to closest translation.
"Can you understand what I'm saying?", he asks.
She lifts her head up.
"Yes.", she whispers, in accented english, "You....."
"I'm here to help.", he says, his armor receding back into his flight
suit.
She opens her eyes.
Which is the point he nearly jumps back in shock.
Her eyes are black.
"Genetic tinkering. Sectoids.", he says, shocked.
She nods.
"Who are you?", she asks.
"My name's Jason Phebbs. I'm with X-COM. I'm here to rescue you.", he
responds, "Who are you?"
"Radria, of the house Mir.", she responds.
Right then, Gorbon and the rest of Haven Flight bursts in. They take on
look at Radria, and.....
"Seems we've got a passenger.", Phebbs says to their shocked expressions.
"We must leave.", Radria says, "We're not alone....."
A sharp 'whirrr' is heard.....and three sectopods, along with a small army
of lizard-like tasoths appear in a flash of light.
Gorbon surveys the situation.
"Well, shit.", she grumbles.
X-COM: UFO Defence is copyright 1996 by Microprose Software, Inc. All rights reserved.
X-COM is based on characters and design by Mythos Games.