Finally, information. Dr. Vhalen presented me with a report that could lead to a solid and clear path to victory. They are like us. Regardless of what the biology of that implies, they psychology of it tells me that we can find a way to communicate, reason with... interrogate them. The potential effectiveness of my Argentinean ally has just grown exponentially. The trouble with this is that we can't interrogate dead spacemen.
Not unexpectedly, Dr. Vhalen has a plan for how to manage the shortage of live aliens we have available for interrogation. She and Dr. Shen have combined forces for the purpose of evil and come up with schematics for an "Arc Thrower". This is a hand weapon that will likely be capable of stunning the creatures, so that they can be safely transported back to base. The catch is that the expected energy output only allows for about two to three feet reach. That's too close for my tastes. Way too close. I've almost already lost one soldier while playing the "let's keep our distance" game; removing the element of range adds a level of risk I'm not comfortable with, by any means. Well, I wasn't, anyway, until Drs. Vhalen and Shen laid down what was obviously a well rehearsed speech about the merits of the cost of winning the war being a few lives in order to save the species. I want it to be horseshit. I know better.
Conveniently, they also have requirements and blueprints for a needed Alien Containment facility. It will take approximately as much time to have the containment facility ready as it will to develop the prototype for the Arc Thrower. As the engineering team reported that they finished excavation of some space on the main level, I gave the go ahead to have them start constructing the facility immediately. I had to pawn off two dead Sectoids to the grey market to get the money - I don't even want to speculate what will be done with them.
Two fingers of scotch finish off the evening.
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