Game:

X-COM: Terror from the Deep (1995)

Duration: 1:00:06

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20

Sacks stirred the gently bubbling pasta sauce, and after a moment's consideration, added a scrunch of black pepper to the mix. Sacks found his job very rewarding, and was grateful that he had the opportunity to serve his people in the way in which he was most capable. Seeing the faces of the returning troops change from haggard to hungry made the day's efforts worth while every time.

Underwater combat was hungry work, but even so, Sacks would bring sampler's of the night's meal directly to the pen as the troops arrived, thus whetting the appetites of the returning soldiers and building anticipation for the coming feast, and it was for this reason that he measured out the fourteen bite size portions of salt & pepper squid onto the wide serving tray.

As if awaiting his approval, the base intercom blared, "TRITON-1 ETA 5 MINUTES." Sacks nodded firmly to no one at all and lifted the tray like a waiter. He minced down the hall towards the sub pens, licking the fingers of his free hand and feeling a delicious stab as salt grains touched a crack in his lip.

Coming the other way were two junior members of what had to be BASECOM, going by their insignia. Sacks didn't know them by name, and something told him that it would be a bad time to try introducing himself. They scowled and cursed to themselves as they passed him, enveloped in a bubble of misery. He thought he heard one say "Debt to nation" and the other something about "casual tees." It was true that securing funding had been a problem, and there were still some aspects of the uniform to work out, but to Sacks a bad day was just something that happened to you if you let it. These sorts of day to day worries required a healthy serving of perspective, that was all.

He reached the sub pen and set up by the hand rail. The intercom announced the imminent arrival of TRITON-1 and shortly after, a dark shape projecting cones of voluminous light rose out of the black water and surfaced. The hatch popped with a light hiss as the pressure equalised, and PurnaTube staggered out onto the walkway. His legs seemed rubbery, and an orderly rushed to steady him. Next came Foobchain, followed by a downcast looking Frosty. Sacks held his try out in front with a concerned expression, but understanding had not yet dawned.

"Purna, what's the matter? Where are the others?"

PurnaTube looked down at the squid, and then quickly away. Foobchain caught the smell of the starters, seemed about to declare something, then turned to the pen's portal and vomited into the water.

(Fiction by Edward Ivan Hicks).

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