X-COM: UFO Defense by Diane Duane

Author:Diane Duane [Duane f.c]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: sf_action
Publisher: Prima Publishing
Published: 1995-02-15T00:00:00+00:00

Five

It took Jonelle the better part of the day to get post-sortie matters sorted out at Andermatt. Though the facility had been ready enough to have flight crews move in, she hadn’t seriously thought that sorties would have to start so quickly—at least, she’d hoped they wouldn’t have to, but that hope was clearly gone. The aliens know something’s going on in this area, she thought. I’ve got to do everything I can to keep them from finding out what it is, especially until that mind shield gets in.

Once back on site, Jonelle got on the comms network and on the phone, and began hounding people—mostly about the mind shield, but also about more transfer troops to replace the people most recently injured or killed, and about quickly disposing of the various marketable alien materials they had acquired this morning. Irhil, as well, had had a couple of successful interceptions—a medium Scout and an Abductor—which put the base over its break -even point for that months finances and left it with a surprising amount of spare cash. Jonelle was glad about that, for she intended to take most of it for Andermatt. She was gladder still that there had been no deaths during those interceptions and only a few injuries, none of them very serious. Either Joe’s finally settling in, she thought, or else Ari read him the riot act forcejully enough that he took it to heart, and the results are showing already. A little early to know which, yet, but we’ll see….

She sat awhile with her calculator, totaling up the funds available to her and considering her options. It was now more likely that Andermatt would be attacked, since an attack had been launched from it. Not a whole lot more likely—but the threat is significant. She had already budgeted for the simplest level of defense, missile defenses, and those were in the process of going in. They would be ready next week, but they weren’t as effective as Jonelle would like. Fortunately, the site itself was not terribly amenable to anyone landing there, alien or otherwise. Chastelhorn Mountain was one of the most nearly vertical-sided peaks Jonelle had seen hereabouts. However, that would not stop aliens attacking it while in flight. Plasma-weapon defenses would be better, but they cost a lot more, and Jonelle had just spent so much on the mind shield, which wasn’t going to be ready for a month and a bit anyway.

She sighed. The missile defenses would have to do for the time being. There was also workshop space to be thinking about, and a new psi lab for Andermatt….

I hate this, Jonelle thought. Here we are saving the goddamn Earth every other day, and nevertheless we have to drive ourselves crazy pinching pennies and skimping on equipment we need so that we can buy other equipment we need…. It’s disgusting. We should have carte blanche, if we’re supposed to function properly! I can just see it: about two centuries from now, some

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