RP XCOM2: Liberation of Earth

[DarkGemini24601]

“Resolve” (Part 2) – Yakone Ipiktok

With a loud crack, Yakone delivered a headbutt to the helmetless soldier in front of her. Knocked unconscious by the thunderous blow, Jayden tumbled to the ground. The Ranger’s vision swam and her head pounded painfully, but she retained her sensibilities and didn’t black out. She had to use her teeth to dislodge Jayden’s alloy knife (she didn’t go for his fire since they’re merely destroy their own internals if she tried to fire them) but once it was free she was able to put her hairbrained scheme into action. Angling the knife with her foot so that it face upwards, Yakone sat down, managing to send the knife through her restraints – shorting them out. The motion slashed her upper arm, however, drawing a grimace alongside a stream of crimson.

Yakone felt her psionic energies rush back into her. With a grin of relief from frustration that had built up over a long period of time, the XCOM soldier used the surge of power to mend the wound she had accidentally inflicted on herself, and created a brief, efficient burst of physical enhancement to give herself the strength necessary to pry the ruins of the restraints off her arms and back. “Much better…” she breathed. Glancing down at Jayden, though, her smile quickly faded. “Sorry, buddy… you weren’t such a bad guy, but you made a mistake, and I’m not going to let it go to waste.” I can try to escape now… if I fail the worst thing that can happen is that I’ll be tortured or something. Oh well, I was going to suffer one way or another. This is a no-lose move.

With that decision fresh in her mind, Yakone rushed down the hallway. Her eyes darted to and fro, ever seeking an elevator of some sort. If I can get to the roof, there might be a helipad or something I can exploit. It’s not a great chance to get the hell out of here, but it’s the best one I’ve got. Rather than find a lift around the next corner, however, Yakone came face to face with a group of three stun lancers. “Damn,” Yakone swore as they turned to face her. She had no weapon but the alloy knife in her hands. Victory against the trio was probably impossible. If I didn’t have mental weapons, that is, Yakone realized.

Her body slumped to the floor, and a moment later the lancer on the right pulled out his mag carbine and started shooting his closest ally. The man was too surprised to respond, and was felled by the point-blank gunfire to his head. The other riot control unit was quicker, however, and pulled out his shock baton with the intent to subdue his possessed ally. By the time the weapon connected, Yakone had jumped bodies into the wielder of it. The shocked lancer fell unconscious, and then the third and final one knocked himself out with his own stun lance.

The victory swiftly secured, Yakone rose up, cracking her neck. “Alright… for once you’re carrying your weight, Override,” she spoke as if her power were a person. She quickly leaned down to inspect the soldiers, and found a key card on one of the unconscious ones. “What do we have here?” If this works for a lift… Yakone thought to herself triumphantly. Thinking ahead a little, she remembered that ADVENT craft performed a biometric scan to confirm hybrid DNA. “If that’s the case…” Yakone frowned. “This is morbid, but it’s not like you need this anymore.” With a swipe of her blade, she removed one of the fingers from the headless lancer, and placed it in her pocket.

Continuing on her mad dash, Yakone did infact arrive at an elevator. Fortune seemed to be on her side, as the keycard she had retrieved just now allowed her to press the top floor button. With a seamless ‘vhoom’, the metallic box ascended upwards. It slowed towards the top, then stopped when it was there. Yakone stepped out of the elevator, finding that she wasn’t on the absolute top floor of the tower, but rather a smaller roof with nowhere else to go in this wing of the structure. This might be better, Yakone reasoned, seeing as there was only a troop transport craft here – nothing else. In particular, there were no guards immediately in sight.

I just might have lucked the hell out! Yakone thought gleefully, rushing forward. However, there was a single guard that revealed themselves as the Ranger neared the ship. They were clad in the black and red armor of an ADVENT officer for the most part. Plated arm and leg armor, with a tri-piece stomach armor plate. But the rest – the upper chestplate, the gloves and boots, and most of all the helmet – was not normal. The chestplate was more streamlined and black, with red lines pulsating down it. The gloves and boots were an ebon color. And the helmet was rounded on the top, but largely consisted of a opaque glass-like visor colored a rich crimson hue. The facemask glowed brightly as the ADVENT Psi Witch registered Yakone’s presence.

Or… maybe not. Yakone lowered herself into a fighting stance, preparing herself. The Witch lifted her hands, and let out a terrifying scream that shook even Yakone down to the bone. After that, a swirling red vortex of energy originated from the Ranger’s enemy, and powerful, directionless telekinesis began ripping spotlights, railings, and even metal crates into the air, tossing them in random directions. A few flew towards Yakone, forcing her to activate a flash of blue energy in her feet to hurl herself out of the way with a powerful jump. “Alright, you need to calm the hell down.” Rather than do that, the Psi Witch lifted an armored hand, and tried to drive a wedge of psionically-induced fear into Yakone’s heart. The attack understandably failed against Yakone’s strong will, giving her a chance to activate her Overdrive aura and imbue her only physical weapon.

As dangerous as it is, I have to get in close. I have no ranged weapons, and the longer I fight this monstrosity, the more likely it’ll be reinforced and I’ll be overwhelmed. Pressed for time, Yakone got risky. She ran forward as fast as she could, trying to close the distance. In response, the Witch surrounded herself in a ferocious red glow, building up energy until it rippled violently like a volcano about to explode. Allowing it to erupt around herself meant shooting off a shockwave in all directions, laced with destructokinetic energy.

 

[DarkGemini24601]

“Resolve” (Part 3) – Yakone Ipiktok

If it had hit anyone else unarmored, that would have been a killing blow that tore off flesh and disintegrated bone. But Yakone was anything but ordinary. Her imbued skin turned black as coal when touched by the wave, eliciting a terrified, agonized scream from the Ranger. But she survived. Pull yourself together, pull yourself…! Yakone chided herself, knowing that hesitation would mean death. With tears threatening to blur her vision, she called upon her latent healing abilities to restore her skin to its pale complexion.

Letting out a cry of excessive anger and frustration, the ADVENT experimental soldier smashed her hands together as if offering a twisted prayer. She shook and shuddered as if possessed by an evil spirit – perhaps she was – and then tilted her head back, chattering madly. It was a sound that could almost be described as cackling, but – Am I hallucinating from pain, or does she sound a little like a Sectoid? Yakone didn’t have time to dwell on the realization, however, as the strange ritual unleashed a scarlet-colored rift in her direction, shaped like a tornado.

I am not taking another one of those attacks head-on! Yakone insisted vehemently in her head. With a growl, she sustained a longer physical enhancement charge on her leg muscles – combined with biokinesis to reduce fatigue – and charged to the side. The tornado couldn’t follow as fast as the speeding Ranger, which ultimately gave Yakone the change to finally get within melee range of the Witch. “Got you now.” Yakone thrust her imbued knife at the Witch, managing to wedge it into the armor. Applying enhancement to her muscles, she was able to force the modified weapon through the thick plating, and draw a spray of sickly violet-colored blood from the enemy’s chest.

“What the hell are you?” Yakone questioned at the sight. She yanked her weapon out and drew her arm back for another stab, but – with an inhuman fury – the Witch counterattacked. She lifted her hands, and from her palms and her facemask a barrage of three psi lances – shaped like arrows connected with their origin points as if shooting stars – shot at Yakone. The Ranger rapidly backpedaled, unable to dodge but trying to prevent the attacks from being a killing blow. She only got two feet away before the lances impaled themselves in her body. One shot through Yakone’s right shoulder, the other punctured her left hip, and the third punctured her intestines.

A wretched scream of unparalleled pain escaped Yakone’s lips, and did not stop as the triple psi lances wedged themselves just a little deeper over time. Please – not like this – won’t die here – can’t die like…! Yakone’s frantic thoughts muddled together. She poured energy through her body, her face straining from exertion – and then, as the lances started to be forced back – savage determination. “Not. Like. This.” Through gritted teeth, this is what Yakone declared. Imbuing the interior of her body as swiftly as she was repairing the damage it had suffered, the freedom fighter was able to evict the lances from her body, and return herself to an operational state. Even the psychotic enemy seemed a bit caught off-guard by this, but quickly retracted the lances for a moment and then combined them into one powerful one, launching it into Yakone’s abdomen again.

But not before Yakone was within stabbing range. The sudden pain from the larger psionic attack, however, made the weapon slip from her grasp. Disarmed, and with the very real threat of death on her doorstep, Yakone’s will seemed like it would not be enough. But she wasn’t going to give up here. “I have… a family to return to… someone… I love,” she spat, blood flecking from her lips as she spoke due to the internal damage being inflicted. “Who the hell are you… to stop me… from reaching them!” Yakone slammed a palm forward, the act seeming futile – but at this point she didn’t care. Her surprise at what happened next was tempered by the pain and will burning through her body.

A spark of electricity resounded from her fingertips. The electrokinesis she had been trying to achieve finally manifested itself, but it did so combined with her biokinesis. The two merged into a bioelectric wave that shot along Yakone’s body, through her digits, and into her foe. This composite power tied itself together with Yakone’s core ability – the ability to Override her mind into another body – and allowed her to temporarily alter something about her foe’s very neural patterns. Yakone’s psionic signature – the particular psychic and neural patterns that made her who she was and defined her as a green major psion – overwrote itself ontop of the Psi Witch’s nervous system.

The psi lance blinked out of existence. The swirling debris around the Witch calmed, and she was left confused. While Yakone healed herself again, the Psi Witch tried to call upon her powers – but she could barely manifest a faint swirling – hardly a tornadic rift anymore. She turned towards her minor violet abilities, sending a burning subsume tendril into Yakone’s side. The Ranger took it head-on, picking up the knife and driving it into the gap she had created before –drawing a copious amount of blood and forcing the Psi Witch to collapse in agony.

Breathing heavily, Yakone tossed the weapon aside, its blade nigh-shattered by the power she had put into it and the strength she had swung it with. “I… did it.” And that power. That… Bioelectric Overwrite. I didn’t know I was capable of something like that. But she had done it. The ADVENT dropship was in sight, and with it, Yakone could escape this tower, this city, and return to her friends. Freedom was in sight.

And then someone began clapping. And the blood drained from Yakone as Bombay stepped out from the dropship, a grin splayed across her features. “Well, well… now that’s a sight you don’t see everday. A Psi Witch getting her sorry ass handed to her by some XCOM punk. You really are a thing to behold, Yak.”

“What the hell are you doing here?” Yakone growled, going for the knife.

An air current generated by the Mogul blasted it out of reach. “What, do you think you’re just unlucky?” Jezebel cackled. “No, you’re a fool. This was all a setup, you poor, poor thing.”

Yakone’s eyes widened, and she blanched. “No…”

Jezebel grinned widely. “Oh, but it’s the truth!” she gleefully told Yakone. “We knew you’d find a way to free yourself from poor Jay, run into those baton-wielding convict-conscripts, and find your way onto this roof. It was all beautifully orchestrated on behalf of the vaunted Honored Overseer. He wanted to see just what you were capable of! And you’ve impressed beyond all expectations, I imagine. But this is the part where you go back into custody.”

“No, no, I won’t let you imprison me again! I’ll sooner go down and take you with-!” Yakone began, but was interrupted by a cold hand that coiled itself around her heart.

The biokinetic grasp of Major Blukersey slowed the flow of blood to the Ranger’s body. Yakone turned her head to see Nigella exiting the elevator, and all hope began to bleed out of her. Still, Yakone tried to fight. But as she ran towards the Major, her aunt pulled out her electrified weapon, and delivered a blunt strike to the younger woman’s gut. The electricity, surprisingly, only served to stagger the Marauding Crusader further. It took a pair of lancers at Nigella’s side electrocuting Yakone as well stabbing her with their batons to wear Yakone down. Yelling, then mumbling words of denial, Yakone took a few more steps forward – the blunt weapons pressing into her – and then collapsed.

Blackness again overtook her, bringing the farcical escape attempt to a close.

 

[DarkGemini24601]

“Protégé”

In a quiet, spherical room with a flattened bottom and roof and accordingly-shaped walls – all sides being as dark as the depths of space save for a diffused collection of twinkling lights – a human-sized being sta. But he wasn’t quite human. His DNA was a mixture of human and Elder, similar to that of a Psi Witch but slightly more – though not perfectly – perfected in its blend. He was not a man nor a child either, but an incomplete being. A fragmented mind hurried into a rushed prototype in the name of saving his life. The experiment had been a success, but it came with a collection of consequences including but not limited to three of the senses.

Yet, the Honored Overseer was by no means weak or unintelligent. On the contrary, he had adapted to the loss of his sight, hearing, and smell quite well. Although he could not see them, the Honored Overseer reached out to a collection of carefully-crafted objects. He selected the first and largest orb with a mental grasp – the sphere seen in his mind’s eye thanks to ESP and felt with an extension of his still-functional sense of touch. The large ball in the Honored Overseer’s ghostly hands was set to spinning with a telekinetic tug, mimicking the rotational period of the star it represented. Another eight balls floated into the air and began to rotate around the largest one, followed by smaller objects suggesting satellites, rings, asteroids, and contentious dwarf planets.

Before long, he had a microcosm of the solar system constructed, complete with comparatively accurate gravity mechanics such as rotational and revolutionary periods. All of this was thanks to his overdeveloped spatial sense. The Honored Overseer’s psyche had been filled with holes at the time of his transfer, and the nonfunctional parts of his brain had, over time and with biokinetic healing, been repurposed to make up for the functions they could no longer perform. The result was a highly-intelligent second-in-command of the Ethereal Protectorate that – while lacking in certain areas – was still an effective and powerful general.

The soft, melodious cadence of an elaborate doorbell emanated from the wall across from the Honored Overseer. Rather than ask who it was (he could not speak audibly anyway) the former Ethereal instead telepathically touched the mind of the man on the other end of the wall. His pleased reaction to discovering who it was prompted the psion to temporarily lose control. The terrestrial planets wabbled off their orbital paths, Jupiter’s moons clattered against it briefly, and Pluto soared past Neptune into the habitable zone. Quickly, however – wanting to impress – the Honored Overseer corrected the solar alignment, and said,

You may come in, father!

Floating in rather than stepping forward, the High Commander of the Ethereal Protectorate made his way into his son’s chambers. Vekinte had on his white robes with their gold outlines, and his intricate, elaborate, ornate masks with its gold color and white hieroglyphics. Hello, Patrem. I see you have been practicing with your telekinesis.

Oh yes, father. Do you like it? Patrem spanned his arms out to either side, pointing at all of the spiraling planets. I continue to increase my precision and control, and can manage even without fully concentrating on it all.

Vekinte smiled beneath his mask. Indeed, you are very skilled, my son. You have never let any obstacles stop you in the past, and I expect that you will one day reach my level of strength, despite the limitations this incomplete body places on you. Truly, I am humbled every day by your perseverance.

The Honored Overseer cast his gaze down slightly, emanating an aura of embarrassment. You flatter me, High Commander. I am merely a servant of the Path, as we all are, in your service resolutely. I increase my strength for your sake, and for the sake of our great journey.

That does not make it less remarkable. Nor cause me to be less proud as your parent. Vekinte folded his four hands together between his robes like a monk. Speaking of which, your mother wished for me to send her regards. Cordiam would come herself, but she is currently in the process of dealing with some… ingrates in the Australian Sanctuary.

I understand. I am grateful that you yourself took the time to come see me… and you are here to deliver news on the test I instructed the ADVENT Anti-XCOM Task Force to perform, correct? The Honored Overseer asked eagerly.

I am. I have reviewed the footage… and well, let us say that the Commander of XCOM gave birth to quite a potent child indeed. This Yakone Ipiktok you were curious about… in the fight against the Psi Witch, she manifested a power designed to counter the color opposite herself. She was able to force her own bioelectric psychoresonance onto the Witch, Vekinte explained calmly. It appears to be a combination of electrokinesis, biokinesis, and her override abilities. I had not conceived that such an ability was possible, but… I’m sure you can see how useful that would be to us.

The solar system model slowly lowered to the ground, wobbling a little as Patrem’s thoughts buzzed with excitement and interest. Such an ability would be the hammer that could bring the Resistance to its knees. Aside from the technology they adapt from us, their only other weapon that places them on even footing is their development of psionic powers – and dabbling into the supernatural, apparently. Especially against that one red psion in XCOM… what was his name… Luke Van Dam? He would stand no chance against this Bioelectric Overwrite. Remarkable. I want her.

Vekinte was silent for a moment. True, this power cannot easily be replicated. But as Cordiam has informed me, this girl is Colonel Verrater’s daughter. If we were to meddle further with the girl, we might risk losing his support. And that would be… problematic. The Major could easily take over, but she is a bit too limited in her creativity. I would have to assign an Ethereal to help direct her efforts, and that would detract from the Avatar Project…

Convince him this is for the best, then. You are very wise and clever, father. I am sure something will come to mind.

The High Commander nodded sagely. I will need some time to formulate an argument to present to him. Once I have created and presented it to him and convinced Verrater of the necessity of this course, I will defer the persuasion of Yakone Ipiktok to you.

Thank you, High Commander. The Honored Overseer smiled giddily, letting out a childish laugh. I cannot wait to sway her to our side! I always did want a big sister…

 

[DarkGemini24601]

“Crimson Sunset” - Yakone Ipiktok

Lower Precinct of North America
1802 Hours, October 19th, 2038
Control Tower, Chicago Megacity

The sun was beginning to set outside the ADVENT command tower in the capital megacity of North America. The lamps of Chicago were beginning to brighten as the star’s belly dipped below the horizon line. The sunlight was going to sleep, and leaving this part of the world in the dark of night. The blue, white, and red spotlights that reached up into the sky were garish attention-mongerers pretending to be as great as the ball of fire that was departing for the evening.

The entire spectacle was unknown to the young woman that sat in a mass of restraints in a dark cell, however. Yakone’s eyes were downcast, her expression was haggard, and her heart felt empty. She had grasped onto a dim hope that had expanded into a flame as bright as the Sun - with determination to match a stubborn mule - only for it all to amount to nothing. A cacophonous chorus of discordant emotions withered in her heart. Despair was initially foremost, but she had been feeling that for hours, and grew tired of how miserable it felt. So currently, she allowed her anger to boil into a storm flowing through her hot blood.

In particular, Bombay’s face drifted through her mind when she closed her eyes. “You goddamn bitch! I’ll tear you to fucking pieces for humiliating me like that! For stealing my chance at freedom!” But it wasn’t really her fault, was it? Yakone’s more reasonable side cut through after the mildly-cathartic explosion of fury. It was that Honored Overseer. What does he think this is? A game? I’ll show him… I’ll make him pay… Yakone thought angrily, though her silent declarations of war were interrupted by the door sliding open.

Standing there, illuminated by a seemingly constant violet psionic glow, was a being similar in appearance to the Psi Witch Yakone had almost killed the day before. His armor was entirely streamlined, however, and the power conduit lines that were visibly practically throbbed with power.

“Who the hell are you?” Yakone questioned, though her voice wavered. The ire she had tried to throw his way was laced with apprehension.

I am the Honored Overseer Patrem’Ecformin’Cettint, the hybrid answered with an energetic, positively-charged anxious tone. It is such a pleasure to meet you, Yakone. I have been looking forward to this.

The room’s walls felt like there were closing in as the man with the glassy violet mask walked towards her with a measured step. “W-what do you want?” Yakone breathed, her heart caught in her throat.

I am going to make you see the light. We will be very good friends when I am done, the Honored Overseer announced with a cheeriness that rang discordant and further filled the Ranger with dread. Perhaps even like family.

“W-What the hell does that mean? You’re…” Yakone’s features were drained of their color. “No, you’re…”

Relax. It will all be over soon. With purpose, the Avatar thrust his hand forward onto Yakone’s forehead. Purple tendrils stretches out from the edges of his palm, coiling around Yakone’s head and then sinking in over her brain.

“N-no… no, NO!” Yakone cried out desperately. “Someone, any-” she began to plead to the heavens, but no one was coming to save her. She couldn’t break free. There was no escape. The expert hand of the Honored Overseer was clasped around Yakone’s mind, her very soul, and without any pity or remorse he began to twist who she was. The process was anything but painless, and soon, Yakone was screaming her lungs out in agonized anguish, fervent fear, and regretful remorse. She squeezed her eyes shut, unable to keep them open from the pain - and saw her future being stolen from her.

There she was. Yakone Ipiktok, the Marauding Crusader, the Inuit-Caucasian Ranger. Her blue cape fluttered in the wind within the empty space outside her dreamscape room - the starry sea of her mind. Her back was turned to herself, and this statuesque depiction of the confident Ranger towered over her mental avatar from which she experienced this all. Her friends and family were, one and all, etched onto that fluttering piece of navy-blue cloth, but one by one they began to blacken and turn to coal. The buried hatchet with her mother was yanked violently out of the ground, the contempt pouring back like black dirt into her heart. Her love for Leon turned to hate. The compassion for her comrades turned to cruelty.

Olivia was a miserable, timorous wreck of a human being. Stacie was a stubborn piece of garbage. Gwen was a selfish, weak-minded bitch. Alexis was an idiotic bimbo that had only gotten as far as she had through luck and coddling. Jennifer was worse, a weak-minded coward incapable of a shred of confidence. Joseph was a senile, forever-heartsick fool that didn’t know how to move on. Jack was no better. Morrigan was a vengeful, fool, that while contemptible was agreeable if only because Yakone identified with her in a way. Catherine was laughable, and Marx was a stupid bigot. Luke was a thick-headed, vacant-minded brute. So was Adam. All of them, every last one of her so-called ‘comrades’ was nothing more than a broken human being that wasn’t worth Yakone’s time. Some of them might have potential, but she would be stupid indeed to continue to fight alongside them. Killing them would be a mercy - one she would grant, but not before making them suffer.

Her convictions for justice and truth turned to a blind devotion for the Elders. The former was corrupted in her mind, and the latter ceased to matter. Her faith was rendered hollow. Her purpose - to destroy the ADVENT Coalition and the Ethereal Protectorate - was turned on its head, inverted into a directive that she suddenly felt gleeful about: destroy XCOM. And most of all, the humility and self-control she had gained was all lost to conceited pride and tempestuous wrath.

Yakone was transported into her dreamscape, only to watch it fall apart. The stars on the roof either burned out or exploded in supernovae. The walls began to peel and then crumble. The floor fell out. She was left in blackness. Just like that, she stopped screaming. Who was she anymore? Who was this Yakone Ipiktok? Did it really matter anymore? The Honored Overseer gave her an answer:

The person you were is no more. From henceforth, you will be like family again with your father, and like a big sister to me! The Honored Overseer declared excitedly. Your name is now… Ember Verrater.

Stepping out of the misty shadows of nothingness that had become the soldier’s mind was a different version of her. Red highlights adorned the black hair of her other self, and a cruel grin characterized the young woman’s face as she stood across from herself. “Goodbye, Yakone Ipiktok.” A sword was drawn, and plunged through this unfamiliar person named Yakone. There was a spray of crimson that obscured all else, and the mental refitting was complete.

Tears had tried up on Ember’s face, and she slowly opened her eyes, the smile of a happy slave etched onto her features. How do you feel? The Honored Overseer asked the brainwashed soldier.

Ember’s pleased smile contorted into a different sort of grin - one that could only be described as sadistic. “Like tearing one of those sorry bastards to shreds.”

In time, I will grant you that wish. For now, there is something the High Commander would like you to do. With a lift of his hand, the Honored Overseer released Ember from her restraints.

Ember hopped up from the chair in the room that had been her predecessors prison, and her smile became softer as she walked over to the hybrid across from her and embraced him a tight hug. “Of course. Anything for you, little bro.”

Patrem smiled happily. I’m glad. My father would like you to make an announcement… to show the world where you allegiance now lies.

“Of course.” Ember cracked her neck, the cruel fire in her eyes reigniting as she stepped back from her ‘little brother’. “Though I need to get dressed first… need to change the look a little. And I need some armor.”

I may need to do a little looking to help you with the former… but I have already prepared you something in regards to that latter request.

“Lead the way then, Honored Overseer,” Ember requested, bowing her head but keeping her lips upturned in that savage smile.

 

[DarkGemini24601]

“Pernicious Provocation” – Ember Verrater

Lower Precinct of North America
2012 Hours, October 19th, 2038
Control Tower, Chicago Megacity

Spotlights turned on abruptly, illuminating a black platform with brilliant white light with undertones of red. The stage was quite literally set.

Off to the side of it, a woman adjusted her alien alloy gloves – crimson pieces of armor that displayed five-pronged black stars on the backs of the hands.

The lights moved around errantly, awaiting the guest’s arrival. Over the speakers, the voice of an Advent Administration Network reporter was announcing the surprise press conference to the world.

The woman’s boots were of a similar design, but the rest of her power armor regalia was far more impressive. There were black pieces of armor covering the upper and lower portions of the limbs.

“Tonight, we have with us a special guest, a new recruit to our beloved Peacekeepers,” Avril Charbonneau told those in attendance to the conference, as well as anyone watching on TV or listening on the radio.

Dark gray, tensile metal covered the joints of the young woman’s armor. On the shoulders, though, there were crimson plates with short ebon spikes attached to them for additional protection and to solidify her flair. Her chestplate was designed like platemail, with a mixture of black-and-red armor pieces with a full suit of flexible gray alloys underneath.

“Ladies and gentlemen, I am pleased to introduce you all to Captain Ember Verrater, the long-lost daughter of our beloved Colonel!” Avril cheerfully exulted. The spotlights went to the side of the stage, illuminating Ember as she walked up.

Ember smiled widely with a fire in her eyes as she took strides up the steps of the stage. Her spiky black hair was now highlighted with several lines of crimson towards the front, and black, forbidding eyeshadow underscored her midnight green irises. She confidently sauntered up to the podium, leaning forward and eyeing the cameras with a smug, superior look. Grabbing the microphone – ripping it off the stand on which it had previously stood – Ember addressed the crowd and the world as a whole. Though who she was ultimately speaking to was her hated foes.

“My name is Ember Verrater,” the Crimson Crusader reiterated. “I want everyone to remember that name. Citizens of the Coalition, you will come to know me as the defender of your tranquility, the sword which will safeguard your peace,” Ember stated with a hint of boredom, before swiftly getting down to the point she really wanted to make. “And you terrorists in the Resistance… you XCOM scum… I want you to know my name as that of the woman who is gonna tear you all to shreds!” Yakone mercilessly declared. “I once was a part of that terrible organization! Up until recently, I believed in their misguided dream of taking down the Elders, and destroying the utopia they work so hard to create for humanity.”

Ember shook her head, scowling. “But I have seen the truth now. I know that they are nothing but a thorn in the side of the great beings that have sought to uplift us. And more than that, they are individuals are sick, twisted, pathetic people that need to be put down! Only with their deaths can we experience peace of mind, and the prosperity we have been gifted with!” Ember thrust her gauntleted hands to the side, loudly proclaiming, “so I am, in essence, declaring war on XCOM! I promise you this today, people of the ADVENT Coalition, and heathens of the Resistance. I am going to crush you into a dust pile. I am going to destroy everything you have built. I am going to put you down like the rabid dogs you are.”

A dangerous glint shined in Ember’s eyes, her psionic energy crackling around her. “And most of all, I am going to destroy XCOM – I’m going to cut the head off of the Resistance that they embody. And I’ll bring their leader to justice.” The Advent soldier narrowed her eyes. “Yes… the Commander. My mother, Atka Ipiktok, who, unlike my esteemed father, thought that the Ethereal Protectorate should be evicted from Terra, but not before being hunted down like animals! Such contempt, such obscenity! All the harm she has done is, in my opinion, unforgivable. But perhaps the Elders will seek to grant her mercy after making her understand the severity of the crimes she has committed. One way or another, she will be stopped.”

Ember chuckled – a harsh, sardonic sound. “I’m sure they’ll try to change my mind. They’ll try to…” the Captain made mocking air quotes around “save me. But I have never been more in the right than I am now. I see the light. And I see that the only way to make the world a better place is to take every one of those sorry bastards out of the equation, whether that means beating them into submission or ending their lives. Murders and thieves like them, unfortunately, can’t be reasoned with.” Ember punched her right fist into her left hand. “I will do my duty, and I will do so oh so proudly!” she cried out with an ecstatic, exceptionally cruel smirk.

“So bring it on, XCOM. I’m coming for you.”

 

[DarkGemini24601]

DarkGemini24601 and MarineAvenger: “When it Falls”

Western Kazakhstan Waterfront
0723 Hours, October 20th, 2038
Onboard the Avenger
Floor 6, Central Block
The Situation Room

Just like that, a light in Atka Ipiktok’s heart was snuffed out. The flame of maternal love that had been kindled was extinguished. Just like that, a dream the mother had held dear was wiped away. The faith she had been nurturing was no more. Just like that, all hope was lost.

She hardly registered the worried looks she received from An-Yi, Robert, and William. Speaking to no one in particular, Atka dryly, waveringly said, “I knew there was no way we could have rescued her. I knew it was impossible to do anything. I should have known something like this would happen.” Her throat quavering, the Inuit woman took in a shuddering breath. “This was inevitable. It was only a matter of time. I shouldn’t be… surprised… or sad… I had time… to prepare… to…” The futile effort to remain strong slowly crumbled away, and was further eroded by streams of tears that started to flow down Atka’s face. “So why… why… should I…”

The first one to move towards Atka from behind was Bradford, placing his hand on the woman’s shoulder. He looked to the engineering and science heads with an unspoken request to be left alone. Lily gave him a weak ‘are you sure’ look, but when William’s expression didn’t change, she conceded and left along with Robert.

Atka closed her eyes. “I have… nothing but revenge to look forward to now. Just like before. All of it, all of it was for nothing.”

“Atka, this wouldn’t be what she would want.” Will told the woman with conviction in his tone, which was hard not to let falter from his own, deep profound sadness. “Don’t regress back to how you were before. There are other things to look forward to.”

“You don’t believe that,” the Commander responded coldly. “You can’t name anything.”

“Redemption.” Bradford responded back, walking around the woman so he wasn’t quite blocking her view of the paused video screen. “That is not Yakone up there. That is something else entirely. Whatever was done to her can and will be undone. That’s your little girl Atka. It is.” Deep inside Bradford there was a part of him that didn’t completely believe those words. To see the little girl he had watched grow up from behind a viewscreen for many years turned into an instrument against them was a blow that did hit deep, but at the moment his duty to his Commander outweighed the personal grief he was feeling. “And we can save her. I know it.”

“We don’t know what precisely was done to her, and we don’t have time to figure that out!” Atka exclaimed in frustration. “We can’t afford to waste time for the sake of one person… no matter who that person is. I can’t be that selfish.” She closed her eyes. “There’s too much at stake… I’m already so broken. What’s a little more fracturing of my heart, really?”

“I don’t think you give yourself enough credit.” The second-in-command said, this time standing in her way to break her line of sight on the abomination. “You’ve led us ever since the day the original base fell. You’ve gotten us through perils that no one else could have in your position. And in that time you nurtured a relationship with your daughter and your own troops. A woman with a fractured heart wouldn’t be able to do what you do.”

“If I haven’t bothered trying to fix things with her I wouldn’t feel the way I do right now,” Atka whispered helplessly. “It would have been better if I’d just left things as they were. All the pain does is distract me from what I need to do. If I could… cast away my emotions on a whim, I probably would. I wish I could.”

Bradford grit his teeth in frustration and he grabbed the front of Atka’s shirt, pulling her close. “Enough of this shit. Listen to yourself right now woman! We don’t need a robot, or someone no better than the Elders leading us. To feel pain is to be human. Wanting to just cast away everything because of the trials we face betrays everything we have fought for. Everything you and your daughter have stood for. I won’t let yourself live to become a villain because you find it easier to be heartless. That’s how monsters are born. I refuse to see you become that, damn you!” Will’s face betrayed himself to a feeling of grief as he spoke his next words. “I left you all alone once before and came back to find your teetering on the edge of a very dark abyss. I won’t let myself stand aside again to watch that. I can’t deal with that.”

“I… I am human… that’s why… I just… I can’t…” Atka stammered pathetically, unable to muster anything but grief anymore. “I will… never understand why Ross didn’t let you… take his place. You may feel pain… but you never let it control you. I’m… not that strong, even if I pretend to be.”

“Atka, why do you think I went to Britain in the first place?” Will asked the Inuit woman softly, closing his eyes solemnly as he revealed a secret he held for a while. “I had my mission true, but I was afraid. The failure I felt because of my drinking, because of my inadequacy as a partner… I carried that with me. I sought a reason to just go away and wither. Because of that I got the men I gathered killed and myself captured. Became a pawn that was used to fight you guys for years. When it comes down to it, I don’t have the skill you do to bring people together. I can’t keep myself from feeling like I may fail in every decision I make. You have a conviction I don’t know how to hold. That’s the difference Atka. In our lives, there are situations we are all at our lowest. We all sometimes run from the things that cause us great pain. But don’t make my mistakes. Don’t run from your pain. You have to embrace it. And you have to let it go. Find something to replace the spot that pain filled. For me it was booze.” He turned, pointing to the screen. “For you, make it getting your precious little girl back.”

“I… I can try,” Atka finally stated. “But I’m not in the business of making promises anymore. Too easily can failure break them.” She looked at the crimson armor that the zealot on the screen wore. “Between the tendency God has to screw me over, and then her abilities and the equipment they’ve given her… it’s going to be anything but easy.”

“Nothing worth fighting for ever is.” Bradford told the woman, looking towards the screen himself. “Come on. I’ll help you with the workload today. Afterwards, we can have a sit down and talk about life. I look forward to seeing your discomfort knock you out of your depression.” He said in an amused way, letting go of her shirt, moving to leave the situation room.

 

[DarkGemini24601]

DarkGemini24601 and Taxor_the_First: “Natural Selection, Part 1”

Lower Precinct of North America
1207 Hours, October 20th, 2038
Control Tower, Chicago Megacity

Ember Verrater’s scanned the interior of the holographic training room with her midnight green eyes, searching for any sign of the assassin that had gone invisible just a few seconds before. Physically enhancing her vision was a concept largely foreign to her, but she was attempting to learn. Still, it wasn’t quite enough, as out of nowhere a alloyed saber came crashing down on her armor from the side. The enhanced steel spat sparks off the crimson plating over Ember’s shoulder, but thanks to a liberal application of imbuing, it did not pierce enough to leave anything but a scratch. As the revealed enemy prepared another strike, the damage began to gradually seal itself up. Within Ember’s Crimson Regalia, biokinetic converter gears were spinning at a lax pace, channeling some of the 1st Captain’s power into metallic repair.

“Is that the best you’ve got? Huh?” Ember taunted, pulling out a pair of modified swords.

She clicked buttons on the right side of each, and contained jets of fusing atoms surrounded the swords - giving them a greenish glow due to traces of neon that escaped off of the weapons’ coronas. With a vicious pair of slashes, Ember bit through the armor of her opponent, breaking off the plating in a fluid motion and leaving them with only the telekinetic protection from Aegis - a safety precaution - between them and another deathly swipe. The soldier didn’t give up just yet, however, and in reprisal for their futile resistance, Ember put away her swords and charged up a fist with blue-green energy. There was a noise not unlike the crashing of cymbals as the zealous crusader delivered a crushing blow into the assassin, knocking them flat on the ground with their ears ringing and their head spinning - part of the force passing through the precautionary shield around them.

“Hmph,” Ember muttered contemptuously. “They still need more training. This is pathetic.”

“Or perhaps you just outstrip them in power by a massive margin,” Aegis supposed from the sidelines with a bit of a displeased look.

Ember grinned widely. “That too, but they’ll be facing equally unfair opponents. They need to be ready.”

“And summarily defeating them helps how?”

“It inspires them to do better. Though I’ll admit, I do enjoy the rush of supremacy one gets from smashing an opponent far less skilled than they are,” Ember conceded balefully.

It is a rush you should never indulge in, for it makes you complacent, a mental voice berated. The owner stepped forth from the door, and took in the scene before him. To be honest, it is a rush I do not enjoy experiencing. I empathise with the one I have just crushed, and that brings a sense of regret to every conflict.

With a smug smirk etched onto her features, Ember twisted her head to look at the speaker. Despite the sight she beheld, she still responded with the first thing that came to mind. “Then that makes you a soft loser,” she told the familiar mask.

Azazel hung his head. It… is not a case of that so much as understanding my foe, he said sadly, though the reason for his tone was left unsaid. In knowing their motivations, I know why we fight. Understanding one’s enemy has the advantages of understanding how they fight, yes, but it also bestows the knowledge of their worldview. If you cannot understand why your enemy fights, then you clearly do not understand why you fight.

“Oh, I know exactly why those sorry bastards in the Resistance fight. I was one of them, remember?” Ember sneered. “They’re a bunch of idealistic idiots that are doomed to fail and die in despair. The truth is that good intentions and compassion will always lose out to self-interest and strength. The former always betrays, the latter always stays true to itself.”

I… cannot argue with that. The Inquisitor tilted his head sideways, an almost comical action given his mask. You… you really have changed. Only a few short weeks ago, you would have been horrified to see yourself become this… corruption of your old self.

“A few weeks ago I was one of those optimistic fools,” Ember replied, crossing her arms. “No longer. I have seen the light thanks to my younger brother. I’m grateful he has allowed me to shed the trainwreck of a persona I once maintained. There is no such thing as a hero, and Yakone Ipiktok was the most miserable of fools for pretending to be one.”

And now she is gone, Azazel said. His tone had shifted, becoming a wary dejection. It saddens me, actually. To see an immovable will like that twisted. Regardless of the opinions she held, I respected that. He glanced at Aegis. I apologise. I have transgressed on your training, and have contributed nothing in my time here. A sigh, followed by looking back at Ember. I merely wanted to see if this was a facade, or truth. I suppose I now have my answer.

“You should be proud. There is now yet another powerful person on your side.” Ember shook her head. “Such strange behavior from what should be a higher being.”

Is it strange to be sad when something is gone? the Elder questioned. Is it strange to mourn the loss of something you respected?

“I don’t know, do you lament how many loaves of bread you’ve eaten in your life?” Ember questioned sardonically.

I have never consumed such a meal, Azazel answered. And you speak of something easily reproduced, in a small amount of time. Your resolve is hardly comparably to something so temporary.

“My resolve has not disappeared. It has conformed to reality,” Ember replied tersely. “You seem as if you are a bit out of touch with the truth of the world.”

The Inquisitor chuckled. Truth? As dictated by whom? He shuffled sideways, a ponderous gait to his step. You clearly do not know my history, then, if you think I am ignorant of this ‘truth’. I am well aware. And as Inquisitor, I enforce it.

“I’m not just talking about the Path. From what I can see of the world… I know how people are. Yakone believed that people were inherently good. The opposite of reality. People are by their nature self-interested. Some might see this as evil, but I merely see it as a natural state of being. I prefer those that are honest and don’t pretend to have empathy for others… something you seem to do, Inquisitor.”

I confronted my self-interest long ago, when you were but a child, Azazel said, with an irritated shade to his voice. That is the very reason I ‘pretend’ to have empathy for others. Because I conducted an act so full of self-interest that, even today, I am paying the price.

“Oh?” Ember grinned widely. “Is there something you regret, then? If you weren’t a fool, you’d let go of it, but you feign remorse instead.”

The Inquisitor shot his head sideways. It isn’t feigned, he snapped. How would you feel if there were people you cared about, and you sold them all out to save your own skin? He stopped. Oh, I forgot. You have. Else why would you be here?

An amused laugh escaped Ember’s lips. “That’s where you’re wrong. My former allies? I couldn’t care less about them! I’d kill my mother the next time I saw her if I hadn’t been instructed otherwise. But the rest? Particularly the useless nonpsions? I’d be content to bathe in their blood.”

 

[DarkGemini24601]

DarkGemini24601 and Taxor_the_First: “Natural Selection, Part 2”

If those nonspions are so useless, then how have they held their own with their psionic compatriots? Azazel asked. In fact, my research has indicated that the majority of the Resistance lacks psionics. If they are so useless, why is such an organisation still in existence?

“Because they cower and hide, knowing that in a real fight they would be utterly destroyed,” Ember was swift to retort. “They don’t have enough real strength to taken on ADVENT’s finest and the Protectorate’s best. If they did, this war would have ended already. Power always triumphs over weakness.”

The Inquisitor shook his head. I asked you this question last time, he said tiredly. Is it cowardice to avoid a fight one cannot win? I believe you responded by defending your old organisation’s attempts, for what you were doing was having an impact.

“It’s cowardice to refuse to admit that you will eventually lose. Which is what will happen to this pathetic Resistance soon enough.”

So you say that those that fight against ADVENT and the Protectorate, risking their lives for a cause with little to no victory in sight, have no ounce of bravery in them?

“They cross the event horizon from bravery to stupidity. Chryssalids aren’t brave, yet they charge in blindly,” Ember spoke derisively.

They are fighting with the weapons they have at their disposal, Azazel replied evenly. And in the war they find themselves in. The Resistance is no different. They are perhaps a little more intelligent with their tools, but the result is the same. I have seen many willing to throw their lives away to protect those ideals. He looked down. I can’t say I agree with the sentiment. If I did, I would be a hypocrite. But I respect that devotion.

“No point in respecting those that will soon be dead, but I suppose that’s your prerogative, Elder,” Ember conceded with a shrug. “Don’t expect me to understand it, though.”

He analysed her for a moment. Tell me, he began. What became of your convictions prior to this… change? Your accusations about human abductions, the assertion that, if this was indeed occurring, that it was reprehensible? Do you still feel this way?

“If the Elders need to devour some humans to stay alive, that’s their right. They take what they want by force. That’s admirable if anything!” Ember responded devoutly.

Azazel brought a hand out from under his robes, extending it in her direction. Then what this represents does not bother you in any way? All the lives that went into making this flesh healthy again?

“Nope. If humanity were powerful enough to stop you, then they would. They haven’t, and thus that will continue,” was Ember’s answer. “Your species is the only thing more impressive than me. I respect that.”

You speak as if you are not one of them, the Inquisitor noted, his hand falling. I had thought you prideful before. The audacity to place yourself on a pedestal higher than your own species…

“The rest of my species cannot do what I can. They’re inferior. Meanwhile, I will continue to improve, to ascend to a level on par with your might,” Ember replied. “You can count on that.” There was an almost-familiar glint in her eyes - one of defiance - but it was only briefly there, and Azazel was left to wonder if he had merely imagined it.

If it was just wishful thinking.

Why stop at my level? he settled to asking. If you could surpass us, why not attempt it?

“Perhaps I will surpass a weaker member of the Protectorate hierarchs such as yourself,” Ember snidely answered, “but I know that my limitation lies beneath the Overseers. There’s only so far one can go with only one major psionic color, after all. I am no fool.”

Azazel actually laughed. And what gives you the impression that I am weak? he asked, almost as if challenging her. I sit below every Elder in existence. My superiors spit on me. But am I dead? Did all of those thrall law enforcers kill themselves when they came for me? No. It took the Arbiter herself to stop me. He glared at her. You may call me many things. But ‘weak’ is not one of them.

“You’re weak because your power is limited by clemency,” Ember spat with disgust. “You had that squad… Judgement, they called themselves.” The 1st Captain scoffed. “You had them at your mercy. But you spared them out of sentimentality.” She grinned ferociously. “I would have killed every single one of them in that moment, and laughed all the harder at the misery of those they left behind. Because while they mourn, I would stand at the apex of victory.”

Then you are shortsighted, the Inquisitor seethed. Their psion is powerful, or at least has the potential to be. They all had potential to be something greater. I chose to allow them to live so that they might realise that potential.

“And by doing so, you turn a gnat into a mosquito. Honestly, why your life was spared after that intentional negligence of duty is beyond me,” Ember noted condescendingly.

I may be low on the hierarchy, but you are still beneath me, Azazel reminded her. You are out of line.

“I’m certain my brother would agree with me on the absurdity of the situation. And he outranks you,” Ember snarked in return.

The Inquisitor considered remarking on the absurdity of her calling an Elder her brother, but decided against it. So you must hide behind people you know that are higher than you, he instead noted. What happened to ‘might is right’?

“Patrem’ecformin’cettnint is mightier than I,” Ember responded. “Therefore I am content to lie within his shadow.”

Azazel merely stared at her for a moment. Who did this to you? he asked, an expression of disgust masked on his face.

“I told you. My little brother helped me see the light.”

… then I hope you enjoy bathing in his shadow, the Inquisitor said.

 

[Taxor_the_First]

DarkGemini24601 and Taxor_the_First: “Natural Selection, Part 3”


“Hmph. If that’s how you want to see it, fine,” Ember responded with a shake of her head. “Be that small-minded, like some human far beneath you.”

Says the one who a moment ago stated they were happy not living up to their potential.

“I already told you, there are some of your kind I can’t progress beyond. You, on the other hand, could rival your brethren if you weren’t so damn soft,” Ember growled.

Is there no place for mercy in this conflict then? Azazel questioned. And before you answer, remember why you are even still alive today.

“Those that stand at the top get to decide that. The only reason I will not let my hatred of my mother reach its natural conclusion is because an order on high was given to me. I am not to kill such a valuable psion. It is only because the High Commander stands at the highest point in evolution that he can decide that mercy is valid. All those weaker at at his mercy, or lack thereof, if he so chooses.”

And if he suddenly decided that all weaker beings should not remain alive? That he alone was deserving of life? Would you simply accept your demise?

“Well, first of all, no one would try and kill every other living being in the universe,” Ember replied with a roll of her eyes. “And secondly, while it would take him some time, in this hypothetical situation I could not beat him, and I would fall even if I resisted. Therefore there would be no point.”

So you would abandon any chance of victory for a clean death? And what of everyone else? With a common foe, it's possible by your forces combined it could be done. Azazel folded his arms beneath his robes, an odd sight considering he had to conduct the action twice.

“...that would be blasphemy. It’s no wonder you were demoted beneath the rank of all other Elders, to show such brazen contempt for the Path,” Ember spoke in a low tone.

You call this brazen? the Inquisitor asked quietly. You really are ignorant. And you are changing the subject. Deny to me that a combination of weaker individuals can overcome one stronger than them.

“The strongest collection of individuals are the Overseers, and they are loyal! They would never betray the Path, the Purge saw to that!” Ember roared, taking a few steps forward. “Inquisitor or not, you should watch your tongue!”

He ignored her. Deny to me that ADVENT and the Protectorate have, through their strength, forced those against them into banding together. He shook his head. The Resistance may be the enemy, but that does not preclude us from respecting their gall. If you would stand here slinging insults at them, then I would suggest you do not know your enemy. A sure path to defeat.

“I know exactly who they are, and where their weaknesses lie,” Ember responded with a cold fury. “I do not need to know anything more.”

You speak as if you will instantly defeat them through exploiting those weaknesses, Azazel noted. If you don’t, then you will need to know their strengths as well. If you don’t, then you will never be able to identify a threat.

“You understand nothing at all. I know everything there is to know about the members of XCOM, and they’re the biggest annoyance of all. I can eliminate them, and then there will be nothing to challenge the supremacy of the Protectorate and the Coalition,” Ember declared.

You alone? the Inquisitor asked incredulously. Do you honestly believe you could take them all on in a fight?

“The task force is all the backup I need. The Elders don’t even need to sully their hands.”

It’s too late for that last, Azazel commented bitterly. Our hands are well sullied.

“In your opinion, anyway,” Ember quickly riposted.

Ignoring the cost of an action quickly leads to running out of resources, the Inquisitor countered. At best.

“I doubt they’ll need all of humanity. Brother proves they were close even years ago,” Ember replied.

And those Witches prove there is still a long way to go, was the retort. The cost isn’t even one for one. No ‘intelligent’ being should be able to justify a ratio like this.

“It doesn’t sound like you have a hell of a lot of time. The mightiest decide what’s moral and what’s not, anyway. You only feel shame if you let yourself,” Ember decided with a contemptuous frown. “And it seems like you will never understand the other Ethereals. You’re more of a lowly human at heart. I’d pity you if I could be bothered to care.”

And therein lies the problem, Azazel stated. You don’t care. Honestly, I weep for what you once were. This is a corruption on the highest scale. He shook his head. I have seen all I need to. There is nothing for me here.

“And I have nothing more to say to you, you brittle-minded, frail-hearted weakling,” Ember replied with absolute disgust, turning her back on the Inquisitor.

Azazel shook his head. You may resume your ‘training’, he told Aegis before departing, his robes dragging across the floor like a pet’s drooping ears.

 

[Frostlich1228 (Alt)]

Frostlich1228: "Past Tense"

Marx crunched his teeth at the recent news, Yakone, turned against them, against X-Com, against everyone she ever cared about. Maybe Mark was as naive as Catherine, thinking that they would be able to rescue her unmolested.The question was, what should X-Com do now? The ranger was blazing with rage, whatever Atka had planned, he would keep true to what he had told Ayame, a river of green blood...

As Marx entered his room, he saw all this roommates huddled together close, Krystal, Keloe, and Catherine all speaking quietly to eachother. As the door closed they all locked onto him with sympathetic eyes, but it was still a few seconds before someone spoke up.

"Marx..." Cathy said, her face wet with tears.

"I'm fine, " The Russian replied, "We will destroy them..."

Keloe sighed, "They made her into a monster..."

Marx turned his gaze towards Catherine, "Now do oyu see why we have to kill them all? I can understand why you don't want to hurt people, but Advent and the Ethereals will and have done a thousand times worse to us."

Cathy stayed quiet, unsure of how to feel or what to believe. After a moment, Keloe chimed in again, "What will you do if you have to face her out there?"

"I can't hold back... If any of us do, she'll kill us all, that's exactly what the Ethereals want." The Russian dropped himself onto a bed, "Until further notice we have to assume that... She can't be saved... If our lives are seriously at risk and capture isn't a realistic option, we just have to believe that... Yakone is dead... Or at least the one we knew is..."

Krystal look between the three with a gloomy demeanor, "If I had known when I got out of college that this is what the aliens had in store for us... Geez I don't know..."

Marx quickly tilted his head at her, "Excuse me? What do you mean, when you 'got out of college'"?

Keloe looked puzzled as well, "Wouldn't that mean you were around when..."

Krystal cringed, "Whoops..."

Cathy sniffed a little, "That was... Twenty years ago..."

Krystal chuckled nervously, "Surprise... I'm uh... Forty-Two..."

Manamea's eyes widened, "But... You look so young!"

The Intel provider looked down, "I Uh... I take good care of myself..."

However, before Keloe could respond, Marx cut in, "We're changing the subject to... Age? Really?"

Keloe shot him a look, which he took as a signal to just let the subject change onto something less depressing. The Russian grunted, but accepted, "So... What did you do before the war?"

"I worked with my mom and dad, we owned a computer company called Duet Software." Krystal answered.

"That's an interesting name..." Cathy said slowly, wiping the tears off of her face with the sleeve of her shirt.

Krystal smirked, "Acting and Singing were a few of the most popular hobbies than ran in our family."

"We were doing pretty good, lived pretty well, had a big house with a lot of space... Then the aliens showed up..." She continued. "After X-Com lost we were booted from out business and forced to live in a tiny house in Vancouver, making barely anything..." She shook her head, "To go from something that could look good, even next to Cross Tech, to some hobble in Canada in such a short time was... Jarring..."

Cathy, still recovering from her crying fit, responded, "But you still had your family..."

Krystal sighed deeply, "My mom was sick... We didn't know what it was, we were programmers, not doctors, so she went off to the clinic..."

"Weeks passed," She explained further, "We didn't see her or hear from her that whole time, they told us they were holding her until she fully recovered, but they wouldn't let us go see her. My dad was furious, raging at them, scared for my mom's life. One day, he just... stormed off to the clinic pissed off, he told me to wait for him to come home, but he never got back..."

Cathy held a hand up to her mouth, "I'm so sorry..."

"To know what probably happened to them... Those vats... Makes me wanna puke every time I think about it..." Krystal finished.

"So what did you do for all that time...?" Keloe asked.

"I... Survived... Those were the worst years of my life..."

Mark stepped up towards them, "And that's why you don't want people to know..."

She took a deep breath, "Yes... Twenty years just... Wasted... I spend so much time just taking care of my skin, so I can just... Pretend like those years never happened... Like it was all some kind of bad dream..."

Keloe scratched her neck, "Well... This conversation wasn't much happier..."

"The world isn't happy..." Marx added, but Keloe simply replied with a 'yeah'.

"What about you, Keloe? We've fought together, but it seems like I don't know much about you." Marx said, crossing his arms.

She pointed to herself, "Me? I guess I could let you all know a little more about me."

 

[Frostlich1228 (Alt)]

"Past Tense" Part 2


Krystal look up, "Yeah, I'd like to hear a little more about you."

Keloe inhaled, then began, "My name is Samoan, if you two don't know what that is, I don't blame you, no one lives they anymore..."

"It was just me and my mom, my dad just took off somewhere after I was born, dunno where." Keloe explained. "My mom was tough, even though she was a few years from forty when she had me. She always told me she liked to drive around country side, trying to find the perfect man, funny how even after all the searching and patience, it still didn't work out for her..."

Keloe leaned back against the wall her bed was up against, then continued, "I was five when the aliens showed up, mom kept most of it from me, until Advent took us all out of our homes to like on the mainland. This just destroyed my mom, she was Samoan to the bone, she was born and raised there, she loved the land and everything that lived on it... If it's possible for someone to be tough and gentle at the same time, and that person exists, she would be that person."

A stray lock of hair fell into the islander's face, but she ignored it, "Advent destroyed Samoa... Civilians were shipped all around the world to the different megacites, some of the west coast of America, some on the east coast of Asia. It really felt like Advent didn't know where to put us, because we moved around a lot. We both saw quite a bit of Asia while I was growing up, until Advent finally settled us down in Xi'an. Even after we saw all those places, my mom still thought Samoa was the greatest place in the world. She'd tell us stories and myths from her childhood, and of her friends now long split apart."

"I loved every second of it, " Keloe smiled.

Cathy bit her thumb gently, "Then what happened?"

"My mom got old... She received a letter, telling her to go to gene therapy, tell her it could help her with her bone pain... And I egged her on... I thought it would help her... If only I knew then what I know now..."

Krystal sighed, "She didn't come back, did she?"

The Samoan shook her head, "Nope... The Advent moved me one last time to Manchuria... But this time, I sought help, I sought out some friends of the oppressed rumor said was operating somewhere in the town, now I'm here... I came here to bring together all the families that Advent pulled apart, to restore all the culture they destroyed, that's why I joined X-Com..."

"Sounds like a pretty good reason to me," Marx nodded.

"It also felt like something my mom would've wanted to see, if she was still around." Keloe added.

Krystal smiled at Marx, "Thanks for not ignoring us this time, that's not half bad progress, my big Russian stud..."

"Yeah, it's nice to see you opening up." Keloe followed up.

"Maybe it's desperation, with everything that's happening..." Marx responded.

Cathy finally smiled, "How about you become an official member of our friend group! We'd love to have you!"

Keloe chuckled, "It's a bit of a uh... Taco Party, that's the term!"

Cathy didn't seem to understand the term, but replied anyway, "We even have this special game we play! You'll love it!"

Marx shook his head, "Fine..."

Cathy did a little hop off of the bed and gave him a hug, "Oh, we are going to have no much fun!"

"On one condition... Please stop hugging me so much..." Marx groaned.

"Okay, Okay, deal..." Catherine said, rolling her eyes.

Keloe smiled, "Why don't you and Krystal got get something to eat."

Cathy seemed to pick up on something, but ignored it, "Okay, if they don't have what we want, I'll make it!"

As they both left the room, Keloe approached Marx, saying, "You're a psion, right? I think they've made it very clear that they are picking up any powerful psions they can get their hands on... Be careful out there..."

"I understand your concern, but I'll kill myself long before they catch me, and if for some reason I can't... I want you to kill me... You or Ayame, tell her that..." Marx explained with a solemn expression.

Keloe seemed distaught by hearing Marx's words, but she placed a hand on his shoulder, I won't let it come to that... But if it does... I promise I will..."

 

[ZombieSplitter53]

To Save, To Stop, We Stand United

Onboard the Avenger
Holo-Training Room

Alexis huffed and heaved, desperately trying to catch her breath as she tried, just as desperately, to withstand the blows against her shield. It wasn't a holographic foe she was fighting today but rather Ayame, and an angry one at that. The petite Asian immortal had a lot of frustration to work of since the recent discovery, and Alexis wanted to help her with it, but this was more then she was expecting. The shield cracked and splintered before finally shattering, Alexis' energy leaving her, and she collapsed.

"Get up," Ayame said coldly.

"I... I c-can't, I..." Alexis tried to stand, but her legs wouldn't move.

"Is this the best you can do?!" Ayame grabbed her collar and pulled up to her face. "You think this is hard? Yakone... I'm sorry, EMBER... will hit a lot harder then this! Do you really expect to fight her if you can't take this small amount of punishment."

Alexis turned her gaze away, and for a moment, it looked like Ayame's anger might boil over. An unexpected guest appeared to stop that in the form of Morrigan's fist colliding with Ayame's chin. "This is not what I expected to find when I came down here!" she yelled. "Back off, Kasagi!"

Ayame picked herself of the ground and scoffed. "We don't have the luxury to be soft. In case you hadn't noticed, we have an new incredibly powerful enemy to contend with."

"Yakone is not our enemy! That wasn't her! They obviously brainwashed her!" Morrigan snapped, getting in Ayame's face. "Are you here training Alexis to save her, or kill her?"

Ayame returned Morrigan's angry gaze. "As far as I see it, the two are probably one in the same."

Morrigan grit her teeth. "You really are a monster, aren't you. Your friend is brainwashed, acting against her will, and all you can think about is the most efficient way to murder her."

"Better a monster then a sentimental fool that will get herself, and her comrades, killed," Ayame returned.

"That is enough." Alexis' mother stepped forward from the side of the room. "Tensions are high, and we are all tired. Everyone needs to take a break."

Ayame and Morrigan stared into each other's eyes for a few more seconds before finally seperating, the former walking several feet away and sitting on the floor, facing away from the others. Morrigan sat next to Alexis, and rubbed her shoulder. "You okay."

Alex nodded. "I am." She looked over to Ayame. "Please... don't be so hard on her. She's struggling."

Morrigan shook her head, and decided to change the subject. "How's your dad? I heard he took it really bad."

"Yeah, you have an emotional break down in the middle of the intelligence room and news spreads." Alexis rubbed the back of her neck. "He's... recovering. He's resting back in our room, and Jenn is watching him. To make sure... he..."

"Doesn't do anything foolish," Veronica finished for him. "Twenty years, and he still takes so much of the burden of guilt on himself."

"Well... can you blame him?" Alexis asked. "I can... see why he feels the way he does."

"Don't you start that too." Veronica knelt behind Alex and placed her hands on her daughter's shoulders. "I know exactly where your thoughts are going."

"How could you possibly know that," Alex mumbled sadly.

"I know." Vicky sighed. "Both you and your father are thinking, if only so much time hadn't been put into finding me and V.V. Maybe we could have found Yakone before this happened. I know because I had the same thought. If only we had taken a chance and contacted XCOM sooner. More time could have been put into finding Yakone. But I reject those thoughts because they are poison. There is nothing we can do to change what has happened. We need to look towards the future, okay? For Yakone's sake."

Alexis smiled softly and nodded. "Thanks mom."

"Of course." Vicky looked at Morrigan. "And the last thing we need is for allies to fight amongst themselves. We shouldn't let our emotions drive us apart. We need to work together. Whether it is saving Yakone or stopping Ember, our goals are the same."

Morrigan sighed sadly, and turned towards Ayame. "I... I'm sorry I called you a monster. It was insensitive of me. I just... I'm just so set on hoping there is a way to save her... I need that hope..."

Ayame let out her own sad sigh, and turned to the others. "A long time ago... in an unnamed village in the middle of China, I was tasked with dealing with a cult that had been terrorizing the local towns. I had a partner from one of those towns, a young man named Lei. Nice guy. About... nineteen. Son of one of the local nobles who really craved peace and wasn't about to sit idly by when he could help. I liked him. I... actually called him a friend. Which is why I cursed myself for letting him go ahead with his plan to infiltrate the cult. He went missing, and the next time I saw him, he was attacking his home town. They had found him out and used some kind of mind control to add him to their ranks. He stood there, ready to burn down his own home with his family inside, a big smile on his face. I begged him. I pleaded with him. I tried... so hard to get through to him. And for a moment, I thought I did. But that smile... and that laugh... when he set off that explosive to start the fire... when he was charging me madly... and when I was... forced to cut him down..." She squeezed her eyes shut. "It took literal decades to get that smile to stop haunting my dreams. And then I saw it the other day... on Yakone's face. Another friend with that same mad smile... as she declared war on all those who had come to love her."

The room was silent for the longest of times. After a few minutes, Morrigan stood up, and approached Ayame. She offered her hand, and pulled Ayame to her feet. "We will save this one... I'm sure of it. But I won't be a fool. I will recognize the fact that... we might not be able to, and I have to prepare for it."

Ayame slowly nodded. "Then I will recognize that there might be a slim chance that... we can bring her back."

"If you are all done with you nonsensical bickering, I have something to say." Next to Morrigan, the holographic Worg that was her A.I. partner appeared.

Veronica yelped, taking a step back. "Jesus Christ, a giant talking puppy!"

Vyssini snarled but kept his cool. "The fact of the matter is, you have no way of knowing if what happened to your friend is reversible, but have no immediate evidence that it is not, so preparing for both possibilities, not one while taking the other into consideration, is prudent. In this sense, you are all incredibly unprepared."

Ayame folded her arms. "But I'm sure the all knowing, all powerful super pooch is the exception?"

"I did not say that!" Vyssini barked, and needed a moment to compose himself. "Morrigan and eye are likely the lease prepared. We have no means of defending against Ember's psionics in a face to face fight. We must prepare ourselves by pushing our combined dexterity and reflexes to their limit and beyond. Our only hope is to try and match, or come close to, Ember's agility."

Morrigan nodded. "I'm game for pushing myself."

"Kasagi." Vyssini looked to the petite swordswoman. "You come the closest to matching her in power and stamina, but do not forget that your greatest strength is your enemy's lack of understanding of what you are, and what you can do. This is lost on Ember. Working off the safe assumption that she retains Yakone's memories, Ember knows exactly who you are, what you can do, all of your strengths, and all of your weaknesses. You must... come up with a few new tricks, so to speak. Think of new fighting styles and new ways of using your abilities if you hope to not be overwhelmed."

Ayame grinned. "Sounds like a challenge I can get behind."

Finally, Vyssini turned to Alex. "You have already recognized you lack the ability to catch up offensively, but might by able to counter her offense with your defense. This is good, but you must also be aware of your greatest weakness against Ember; your humanity. You know her as Yakone, and you love her. She is your best friend. Ember will use this against you. It does not matter how much you can match her power. It does not matter if you can surpass her power. If you are holding back and she is not, and she won't be, you will fall. Look for an opening to save your friend, but until that opening arises, you must fight as if you were trying to kill her. It is the only way you will survive long enough to make a difference."

Alexis slowly nodded. "Okay... I'll try."

"Well... I think we have an idea where we need to be thanks to our darling holo-doggy," Vicky said cheerfully, earning another low growl. "I suggest you all train together, and combine your knowledge. One of you might face you, none of you might face her, but you should prepare as if any or all of you might face her."

Alexis rubbed the back of her next. "I can... give you guys experience fighting against someone with a strong defense." She slowly, shyly put her hand forward.

"And I can cover the strong offense part," Ayame offered. "As well as fighting someone who uses a sword, as she likely will." She placed her hand Alex's.

"And I can show you some of the ADVENT training she'll likely be given. It's helped me against some of their mooks, and I was trained by an officer." Morrigan her hand to the mix.

"And I and my other daughter will offer all our support!" Veronica placed her hand with the other, grinning. "And provide some snacks! You with us, doggy?"

All eyes turned to Vyssini, who rolled his eyes. "Good lord, what have I started," he thought out loud, vanishing from sight.

 

[DarkGemini24601]

DarkGemini24601 and Dahlexpert: “Identities Assume Us, Part 1”

Western Kazakhstan Waterfront
1827 Hours, October 20th, 2038
Near the Caspian Sea

An armored soldier stood on the beach of the inland sea, facing the water. Taking a deep breath, she lifted a hand up, and closed her palm tightly. The water froze and then rose up into a static wave. Atka surrounded herself in a blue glow - in particular localized around her legs - and then used the icy edifice to launch a spray of spikes at herself. As they flew, she attempted to dodge at the maximum speed she could manage with the help of her physical enhancement. Nevertheless, while some of the frozen blades zipped by, others made contact with her alloyed armor and shattered into individual snowflakes. With a sigh, Atka unfroze what remained of the ice wave, allowing the saltwater to flow back into its main body.

“Going to be awhile before I can match her speed and agility when she uses her burst enhancements,” Atka mumbled, a bit disheartened by that fact. Hope I have time to perfect my mobility before I have to run up against ‘Ember’. If not, I’m going to have to count on the rest of the soldiers to deal with her… I might be better suited to using Blue World and my other abilities against a more stationary target, the Commander considered. As she thought, she momentarily turned away from the sea, and noted one of her subordinates approaching her location. What’s he doing here?

Luke came to a stop near a rock, looking at the Commander training. “Yo, Commander. You training out here by yourself?”

“Unless your eyes are lying to you that would be what you have seen, yes,” Atka responded with an eyebrow raised. “A more pertinent question would be asking you: ‘what brings you out here?’”

Luke looked at the ocean and the Commander. “I don’t usually get a chance to get off the ship. I’m also coming up with a surprise for Alexis involving that ocean out there. So how's the training coming? Well… that’s not what I’m really thinking.” Luke rubbed the back of his head. “How are you commander? I know the Ember thing must be wearing you down and hurting you.”

“That’s a very light way of putting it,” the Inuit woman responded, folding her hands behind her back and looking out to the sea. “It’s a feeling I wouldn’t wish on anyone. Losing your family to the mental reprogramming our enemy is capable of is a blow beyond compare.” Atka exhaled for a few seconds. “But I just have to keep moving forward. Nothing good was ever accomplished by succumbing to apathy.”

“Right, so since your training out here by yourself. Why not have a red psion to practice on? I mean, practicing by yourself will not accomplish much, so why not me? I’ve been waiting to train with you for a good while now, too.”

“Contrary to what you might think, practicing one’s psionic abilities can be done on an individual basis. You don’t know everything there is to know about these things.” Atka crossed her arms. “Hm… well, you’re no Colonel Verrater, but since he’s not available for me to practice on you’ll do.”

Luke started to smile at his commander. “Great so with your permission, can I go all out, I want to get stronger, all so I've been meaning to fight a blue psion for a while now. And I be lying if I said I didn't have a secondary objective.”

“Does this second objective have anything to do with ADVENT’s newest Captain?” Atka questioned flatly.

“Yes, Commander. I’m asking to bring her back and I want to prove to you that I can do it. Because I think I’m possible the only person to do so, everyone else is attached to Yakone and may not have what it takes to fight her. Me on the other hand, it’s not the first time a friend betrayed me so I’m asking to bring her back and I want you to test me.”

A shadow fell over Atka’s face as a cloud passed overhead. “I’m sorry, I must have misheard you. Are you suggesting that you’re the only one that has what it takes to save her? The only one that’s strong enough, both mentally and physically? I must be misunderstanding… no, even then… I must have misheard you entirely, because if you were suggesting that, you’d be directly insulting myself and everyone else that holds Yakone dear.”

“No you heard me right. I have no doubt that you can fight her and you're determined to bring her back. But, can you or anyone else shoot her or use your psi powers on her? Can you really do it, if so great commander you can bring her back? But the main reason I’m asking is because if you're going after Yakone who’s going to handle that Major woman?

“It’s funny you bring up Blukersey…” Atka shook her head. “Well, it isn’t, but it’s certainly ironic. I have not hesitated to fight her, despite… I’m not sure if Alexis has told you or not, but Nigella Blukersey was once Nouja Ipiktok. My sister. But I don’t hesitate to fight her, though I fully intend to save her. Both she and Yakone are skilled biokinetics. They can survive what we throw at them. I’m not so spineless that I can’t dish out hits that I know those two can take,” Atka stated forcefully. “And leave personnel decisions to me. The simple fact is that certain soldiers will be better against others. Nigella and Ember are fast; I am working on bringing myself up to those speeds. You’re no more quick than I am, so there is nothing that makes you better suited to take on the monster they’ve turned my daughter into.”

Luke grin grew even wider and he started to chuckle. “Yes, Alexis told me about your sister, and it surprised me. I know you think I can’t fight her. But you remember back when I was in the hospital when I was messed up after we saved those civilians at that big school settlement. This is me offering you help. You can’t do everything alone, Commander, and taking them both on will be suicide for you. We can’t lose you. So I’m offering my services to bring Yakone, back, while you fight your sister and bring her back. If you think I’m not capable then fight me and see for yourself. And I’m not taking no for an answer.”

“You seem to have a selective hearing disorder, Van Dam,” Atka growled, “because I distinctly just said that I would need the help of others. I can’t do everything on my own? Neither can you. You neither have the authority to be making decisions nor the allowance to insinuate that you would disobey a direct order not to go after Yakone if I gave it to you.” Atka closed her eyes for a moment. “There are two things I can do to deal with your insubordinate behavior. One would inconvenience both of us, and the other will only briefly trouble you.” Her eyes flashed open. “I pick the latter.” Atka delivered a heavy punch to the side of Luke’s face, knocking him backwards. She brushed off the fist she had used with her metallic one. “Try to show a little humility and respect from now on, or I’ll be tempted to do that again.”

Luke smiled and starts to laugh. “Is that all you got? Because I’m still not convinced. I want to go after Yakone.”

“I’ll make myself clear right now: with that sort of arrogance, I’m not letting you handle anything that requires such precision. Your skills are suited to taking on powerful enemies, not subduing priority targets,” Atka specified. “I am content to train you, but do not presume that we are equals. Chain of command exists because it is the only way the military can function efficiently. Without it we wouldn’t have gotten this far. Don’t forget that.”

“Yes mame, loud and clear. “ Luke stood a good distance from the Commander. “I’m ready when you are, sir.”

The soft dark blue hue from before surrounded Atka oncemore. “Begin.”

Luke eyes started to glow red, and with that. Luke fired his pyrokinesis up and launched a huge flame at the Commander. Come on commander I know you can dodge this, or at least block it.

A spate of frost met the flames’ oncoming charge, and extinguished them into a profusion of steam. “That the hottest that you can make them, or are you still ‘holding back’?”

“Nope I’m just testing you. Now let's have some fun.” Luke used his psi-lance, sending small bullets at the Commander. While they were flying Luke ran at her.

Atka summoned up Blue World to take the numerous but weaker hits for her, and met Luke’s charge with physically enhanced strength that matched his own.

“Wow you’re dumb, Commander..” Luke headbutted the Commander.

Atka grimaced, her skull being only minorly reinforced. “Why I would… engage in melee combat normally is beyond me. And if I did…” Blue World’s outer shell broke apart into fragments of ghostly ice, and it returned to telekinetic helix form. The icy blades spread out into a protectively, spiky webbing around Atka. “...I’d use these.”

 

[DarkGemini24601]

DarkGemini24601 and Dahlexpert: “Identities Assume Us, Part 2”

“Nice but I’m clever to.” Luke sent an explosion at the commander, separating himself from her while she was forced to condense her reflection weapon to block the backblast. Alright Luke used all your powers on her and she is still using her ice, and that enhanced strength is not going to help. So you have to get creative. Luke thought for a moment and just left himself open for the commander.

Seeing the bait for what it was, Atka took the opportunity to get some extra distance from Luke, and then went for a mental attack. Knowing he’d have strong resistance, she used a lower-level unraveling mindfray, softening his mind up for further attack while also making him just a bit paranoid and on-edge.

Luke shaked his head feeling the effect of the mindfray. “ All right think, think,think. Wait a moment’ Luke arms started to glow. Luke sent a psi cannonball towards the commander knowing she would block it and he waited to see what the commander would do.

Atka’s eyes had shifted to a violet color. “Hrm.” She created a path of ice underneath her feet. The combination of her strengthened muscles and the low-friction surface sent her sliding well out of the way of the attack. “How do you intend to follow that up?” Luke felt a slight tugging at his mind - subtle and low-level, but enough that some force other than the mindfray from before was discernibly at play.

“Like this.” Luke put his hand on the ground and used his hand to send a trail of fire towards the Commander. Luke also decided to use himself as a mortar and fired and volley of explosions towards Atka forcing her to dodge them. “Annnd now.” Luke sent a valley of psi bullets towards the dodging Commander while she’s in the middle of dodging the explosion.

By the time they neared her, however, the Commander’s icy helixes reformed into her full Reflection, which once again was able to tank the hits head-on. “Excellent strategy… had you used it on someone else.” The force worming its way into Luke’s mind was now discernable as a dull throb. “But not against me.” Atka lifted a hand, and a violet helix shot out like a cobra at Luke, colliding with his forehead and pumping fear into his brain.

Luke fell to his knees, feeling the effect of the psi panic getting to him. But something seemed off Luke’s eye started to grow redder. “Get out, get out. I said. GET.OUT. Luke blindly used his pyrokinesis and do to his anger the power is amplified.

Blue World moved in front of Atka to provide a barrier between her and the searing flames, and with that bulwark in place she advanced until the reflection was within punching range, and delivered a blow powerful enough to floor Luke.

Luke sat on the ground shaking his head still under the mindfray, his eyes still glowing red. “I’ll kill you.” Luke started to use psi lance on the commander, his powers still amplified, and combined it with his firecracker.

The explosive lance bit through the right gauntlet of Blue World, blowing its arm apart and causing shattered fragments of an icy helix ‘skeletal structure’ to tumble out of the busted shoulder. Narrowing her eyes, Atka had the remaining arm slam into Luke’s forehead with enough force to leave him stunned but not unconscious. “Enough. You’ve lost.” She retracted the mental effects she had in play against the Grenadier.

Luke’s eyes went back to normal, and looked around. “Where's Blisk, what happened that bastard.” Luke sees the Commander. “You were messing with my head weren't you?”

“I was not holding back, same as you,” Atka replied. “I didn’t personally witness whatever fears my psi panic might have dredged up.”

“A very bad one, don’t ever do it again commander.” Luke looking actually angry - something the Commander never saw before.

“If you are unwilling to fight with no restraint on your end, do not expect me to hold back myself,” Atka replied. “The enemy will not grant you the courtesy of an uneven fight.”

“Then I will break them if they do that to me, and if they ever do that to me. I will destroy every single one of them for it.” Luke shook his head and stood up. “Ugh I wish I never saw that memory again, but your right Commander, I can’t hold back on my powers on the enemy. Can I ask you something?”

“What is that?”

“Sigh, can you be my mentor? I still need to grow with my powers, and i’m developing rapidly. See I had my powers for about ten years unlike most that hade them there entire life, so you think you can teach me on how to cope with my powers?”

Atka rubbed her forehead. “Van Dam, I am the Commander of this organization. I need to be focused, not devoting the majority of my time to training you on an individual basis. When I have the chance, I can offer you advice in a similar capacity to what I do for Saint Pierre, but my priority remains my duty as leader.”

“Well, it's better than nothing. Thank you, Commander. Based off what you saw of me what do you think so far?”

“As I would expect from a natural red psion, you’ve got a high degree of power - plenty of psionic strength. Your abilities could perhaps use expansion if anything new becomes available, but the main hole in your skills lies not in your abilities.” Atka’s expression both softened and darkened at the same time. “As has been the case for my daughter in the past, your pride is your greatest weakness. Do not march into battle expecting to be victorious just because your will is strong and your confidence is brimming. Complacency and arrogance will only be your undoing if you allow yourself to be consumed by them.”

Luke looked down at the ground, as if being scolded by his mother. “Yes ma'am, I… I will try to work on that. Yes I am prideful and have nothing but confident and arrogant, but I will try and work on that does that mean you don’t want me running decoy anymore?”

Atka chuckled. “Yes, I would consider that a waste of time. Use yourself for offensive prowess… we have three soldiers capable of creating telekinetic defenses. You’re needed for your destructive power, not for creating distractions.”

“Damn and I was having fun making fun of the aliens, Very well I will work on my powers and get a little creative with them if possible. Oh, and Commander?”

Almost apprehensively, Atka answered, “yes?”

Luke walked to the commander, and pulled her in for a hug. “Thank you for the lesson, I’m sorry for what I said earlier about Yakone, I know you can fight her I just wanted to help you out a little.”

“Best way you can help is to keep the task force off my back while others try to subdue her. I’m not sure my abilities are cut out for dealing with her either. Time will tell,” Atka responded with a sigh. “And just like anyone else, I’ll only know for sure just how much I can keep up through practice. So if you’ll excuse me, I need to finish up what I was doing before.”

Luke released the Commander and looked at her.” You sure you don’t need me here, help you work on your dodging.”

Atka cracked her knuckles. “Well… if you know how to restrain yourselves from making the attacks deadly if they hit, then you can remain. Part of my reflection shattering gives me an awful headache, you know.”

“I’m sorry I thought I wasn't supposed to hold back, give you a real sanaro and such.” Luke rubbed his neck knowing he said something stupid. “Right i’ll turn down the juice, ou and commander what if Yakone comes after me or is in my sights, do I retreat or fight her?”

“Don’t fight her alone, at the very least. And if at all possible… keep your distance. I don’t care how physically strong you titans of a tribe are, my daughter’s abilities are nothing short of superhuman,” Atka stated with a mixture of pride for Yakone and anxiety over Ember. “Plus she has swords, so a fistfight will quickly deprive you of your hands.”

“Righ use the minigun, my firecracker and psilance. Hum my powers might be able to keep her off her toes, I’m guessing I’m tasked with shredding that armor of hers if possible?”

“That’d be welcome… both in a tactical sense, and in tearing that ridiculous uniform off her,” Atka spat, the image of the crimson armor in her mind only eliciting disgust. “Yakone would hate those colors. Especially with how they turned her blue cape red. That piece of cloth… meant a lot to her.”

“Right, so to evaluate. You want me to avoid Yakone if possible, and to take out what this ‘Elite’,” Luke using quotations “team ADVENT has for us. If Yakone is in my sights, do my best to destroy that armor of hers and keep her pinned down for capture. That about cover it?”

“That does. Any other preparation besides training that we could perform would be - at this juncture - pointless. The only question that remains in my mind is what precisely they did to turn my daughter, and how that process could be reversed… but standing here thinking about it will accomplish next to nothing. So let us train, to prepare to take her on. That is the best we can do.”

 

[Taxor_the_First]

Operation Shadow Titan
Recover/Eliminate Enemy VIP
5:00 PM, October 20th, 2038

China
Xi'an

XCOM Forces
Menace 1-5

CPL Lester, Matthew [Specialist]
SQ Wei, Arthur [Phantom]
SQ Delago, Holly [Sharpshooter]
SQ Brydon, Bonnie [Grenadier]
SQ Lazarus, Alan [Ambusher]
SQ Yokolov, Samuel [AeroTrooper]
SQ Vermaak, Samara [Juggernaut]
SPARK Squire “Cyberdemon” 002 (controlled by AI “Lucifer”)


Mission Briefing:

“Wars are won with hearts and minds,” as the saying goes… or something to that effect. Turns out the Resistance aren’t the only ones trying to win the population of Earth over. ADVENT has dispatched a number of “truth spreaders”, as they call them, to the Megacities and Outskirts towns that might need a little nudge to stay in line after XCOM’s broadcast. These PR officials travel around with an armed ADVENT and Protectorate escort, seeking to dissuade any mounting insurrection. Even if the end result is merely that we silence one of them, perhaps it is time we provide our own rebuttal, non?

The target in question will be arriving at a nightclub in the Xi'an Megacity by the time Firebrand can cart everyone over there. This mission will require some finesse, which I’m aware some of the squad may be… unused to. Hence, I will go over this thoroughly: the initial stage of the mission will require absolute silence if you are to succeed. Only Chariot, Advocate and Bandit are to be inside the nightclub prior to going loud. Using his AI’s ability to alter light, Chariot will enter the nightclub – in armor – posing as an ordinary citizen. Providing he avoids using Resistance slang, this should be a sufficient disguise. Bandit, with Advocate’s help, will effect an entry from the back and search there, both for the target and for any intel on said target. While they search the building, Harbinger and Nemesis will take position on the third floor of an apartment building located adjacent to the mission site, which has already been secured by my own people. Harbinger will remain on watch, while Nemesis protects her. The remaining forces will remain in the Skyranger until such time as the mission could be considered “loud”, and will then effect entry in whichever way they see fit. Once found, I would prefer the target be secured alive as he could carry something useful in that head of theirs. If, however, a stray bullet or laser might happen to hit them… well, I won’t be losing sleep over it.

Advise the squad be careful, however. Once the objective is complete it is likely that the enemy will be scrambling to either defend their VIP or seek revenge on their murderers. Make this one a quickie. And consider this somewhat of an audition. I want to see what you’re all capable of.


Objectives:

1) Take positions.
2) Locate and secure OR kill VIP.
3) Extract before enemy forces become overwhelming.


Hazards:

1. Night time. Street lights will provide spots of light, however that will also likely paint targets on the heads of anyone standing in them. The interior of the nightclub is further expected to be poorly lit, at least in the public area.
2. There are expected to be large numbers of civilians there. Loyalties may be disturbed by the broadcast, but assume that they are just as hostile to Resistance fighters as before.


Terrain:

The area around the nightclub is characterized by the large parking lot by the front entrance. It is likely to have multiple cars parked in it, and is ringed by gardens that break every couple of meters. A few trees also line the area. Any vehicles ADVENT wishes to bring into play will need to enter here, and may find it difficult to deal with all the cars. Or they could just drive through them. The secured apartment building, held by a receptionist that will abandon the area as soon as he allows Harbinger and Nemesis through, overlooks this carpark and the streets rimming the nightclub.

The publicly available interior of the nightclub is dark, gloomy and filled with attention-demanding lights that do little to help make anything visible other than themselves. A lowered area of the floor is half fenced-off, and entry is controlled by several “bouncers” – Stun Lancers, to be precise. This is where the club-goers dance. Around this section is a number of tables and chairs, some being lounges to socialize rather than places to eat. A bar runs the length of the leftmost wall, and while well-stocked with alcohol, is manned by a bartender that most certainly will not allow more than the standard fill of drinks. At the far end of the area, across from the entrance, is a stage for visiting acts of all kinds – musical, comedy, or propaganda. The target is expected to take this stage at some point tonight – although the when is unknown. They could very well have already said their piece by the time the squad arrives.

The back end of the building is shrouded in the dark of the night – there is an emergency exit/staff entry there, but beyond this point the public is not allowed in. The layout of this area is unknown – my agents were unable to penetrate this area without being discovered.


Civilians:

Large quantities of civilians are expected.


Enemies:

The target is expected to have a bodyguard at the very least, likely multiple. ADVENT is likely to respond with force if and when there is an indication that something is wrong, adding weight to the small convoy of troops already escorting the target. Curiously, our major mole was unable to obtain numbers or composition – these were unnaturally highly classified. Be wary for new units – ADVENT clearly has a surprise in store for anyone that would mess with our target.

 

[Taxor_the_First]

Part 1
Skyranger


“So, how did Stacie take it?” Alan asked.

Samuel gave him a confused look. “Take what?”

“The fact that your ex is now calling the shots for our squad?”

“Oh, that.” The Russian shook his head. “Yeah. That was… an interesting conversation.” He didn’t seem willing to elaborate.

The Ambusher’s face took on a worried look. “Hey… you two still going alright?”

“Fucked if I know,” Samuel answered. “I mean, it seems like it. But I’ve never done this before. When I was with Chloe, she just skipped right to the ‘lots of physical contact’ bit. Not the kind of person to meekly ask me out to dinner. Now, I’m sorta floundering with what I’m meant to be doing. How far do I take it? Where’s the line between ‘not moving fast enough’ and ‘slow the fuck down’?”

“You’re asking me about this?”

“Don’t try and tell me you didn’t get any after you left.”

“Honestly,” Bonnie butted in, “you two sound like fuckin’ teenagers. Just go at the speed you’re comfortable with, alright? Good. Done. Easy.”

Seeking to stop one of the two men retorting and pissing off the Grenadier, Holly elbowed Lester. “So, your little toy going to be ready?” she asked, examining the misshapen collection of metal in the middle of the ship. “I mean, it looks a bit bare…”

“I didn’t really have time to put half the pieces on,” the Specialist snapped. “But that’s just icing. The cake itself is finished.” A gleam entered his eyes. “And I look forward to seeing it in action.”

“As do I,” a French-accented voice chipped in over the comms. “Thought I’d check in and see how you’re all doing before you jump into it. I know some of you can get… pre-show jitters.” This last part was drawled, and evidently meant for one man alone.

Samuel groaned. “Please don’t make this any worse than it already is,” he pleaded.

“Oh, sorry, am I embarrassing you? Merde. I shall refrain.” From her tone, it was clear that Chloe had no intention of doing such a thing. “Now then, is everyone clear on what they’re doing? No last minute questions, nagging doubts?”

“Yeah, could you have maybe waited a few days for Shen to finish upgrading our arsenal?” Holly asked somewhat hotly, eying the new pulse and thermal weapons of some of her comrades with evident jealousy.

“And waste all of our planning and setup? No, I had to ask you be sent now, before our window of opportunity closed. Anyone else?”

There was silence. “I do believe we are prepared,” Arthur noted, idly toying with the blade between his feet. He’d taken the alloyed sword Azazel had left behind as his own, and added a few touches to bring it more in line with the standard issue equipment XCOM gave to the child classes of the Ranger. It glowed with a heated orange light at the edges, a result of the frame attached to the outside of the blade itself. It was now no sharper than a standard Arc Blade, but far less likely to snap in half.

“Bon,” the Overseer said cheerfully. “I wish you all luck then. Bring me that PR guy, dead or alive.” With that final command she muted her link, though in her base it was likely she was still watching in much the same way XCOM’s own leaders were.

When the red ‘location reached’ lights came on, the squad collectively put on their helmets and loaded their weapons. Samuel paused for a moment in this, running his gaze along his new pulse shotgun. If it’s anything like the beam version, I’m going to be wishing I had my old magnetic one, he thought to himself, holstering it on his back at the hip as he rose from his seat.

Five pairs of boots impacted the tar road, ropes ascending back into seeming nothingness as the owners scanned the area. Determining it clear, they split up – Holly and Samuel heading towards the four-storey high building on the corner while Lester and Alan made their way around the back of the club, using the night shadows to their advantage. Arthur, meanwhile, took a moment to compose himself.

“Ready, Tumulis?” he asked his AI companion.

“I’ve been ready since I first saw the plan,” was the eager response. “If you’ll give me a moment…”

To an onlooker, the heavily armored Phantom would have shimmered for a moment and then lost all his armor and weapons. His attire was replaced by a smart-casual outfit, his sword and shotgun falling away into nothingness. Underneath this façade everything was still there, of course – so long as he didn’t brush up against anyone, he would appear to be a normal, law abiding citizen.

“Did it work?” Arthur asked, only seeing distortions around himself.

“Of course it did!” Tumulis assured him. “You’d question my work?”

“I would never question your work,” the Phantom responded, taking his word for it and making for the main entrance. “Your motivation, however, is another matter.”

At the end of the street, three storeys above him, Holly turned the key in the locked door, opening it for herself and for Samuel. The room was as the ‘receptionist’ had described – all furniture had been moved to the sides, so as to be out of the way of the soldiers. All had been left inside however, as moving it all out would look suspicious. Besides which, they might end up using it.

The wall facing the nightclub was characterize by a large oval window, filled with glass that would probably not stand up to magnetic fire. This window was where Holly set up, taking a moment to check the door of the nightclub through her scope.

“We’re in position,” she radioed. “Arthur, you’ve got a single bouncer flanked by a Trooper. Trooper looks bored out of his mind, though. I doubt you’ll get much trouble from him.”

Behind her, Samuel was adjusting the furniture in a way that provided cover from the door. “You wanna give me a hand here?”

“Nope,” the Sharpshooter responded, not moving from her position.

“Well don’t come crying to me when you’ve got bullets puncturing your ass,” the Aerotrooper grumbled, heaving the bed sideways slightly. “So what do I do, sit around until ADVENT decides they’re sick of your shit and send some people up here?”

“That is the essence of the plan, yes,” Joy answered cheerfully. “Don’t worry, I will warn you if I sense movement. Assuming the module doesn’t freak out again…”

Holly cocked her head slightly. “Again? What are you on about?”

The AI made a noncommittal grunt. “I was getting really weird movement readings when we started fighting that Elder,” she answered dismissively. “Didn’t make sense, so it was probably the module having difficulty. Don’t worry, I did a diagnostic before we left. Should be fine.”

“Better I be jumping at ghosts then not jumping at all,” Samuel muttered.

Around the back of the nightclub, Alan glanced around. Nothing but the dark, narrow street that barely escaped qualifying as an alleyway. “Looks clear,” he murmured, beckoning the Specialist and his Gremlin forward.

“Lucifer, the door if you would,” Lester instructed, looking around nervously. “I’d prefer to be indoors.”

From the bottom of the Gremlin’s chassis, a light shone downwards. Where it hit the ground, an image formed, that of an old man dressed in a dapper outfit complete with bowtie. “Absolutely, sir,” he said, unwinding the towel over his arm as the Gremlin itself rotated to face the door.

The Ambusher stared at the hologram. “Since when did you do that?” he asked, clearly surprised. “I mean, I know the other AI like to have forms they project, but I didn’t think…”

“Lucifer expressed a desire for a more familiar image in our minds,” Lester answered. “I attached a holoprojector to the underside of the Gremlin carriage to facilitate this.”

“But… a butler?”

“Master Lester was insistent that I choose my own form,” Lucifer informed him pleasantly. “I determined that, as my primary purpose is to serve others, I might choose something reflective of that fact.”

Alan tilted his head. “Yeah, but… a butler?”

Lester rolled his eyes, though the motion was obscured by his helmet. “Lucifer did not choose that form because I sound upper-class,” he said tiredly. “I wanted no part in that decision.”

“Why not?”

A shrug. “It was not my decision to make.”

A cheery beeping sounded from the Gremlin. “I have obtained access,” Lucifer reported. “And… done. Allow me to get that for you.” The door swung open, revealing a darkened interior fortunately devoid of ADVENT.

The two humans poked their heads inside, examining the interior. “This is Advocate. I believe we’re in,” the Specialist reported.

“Then we are all prepared,” Arthur responded. Closing the comms, he stretched his neck. “I shall make my move.” With confidence in his stride borne of faith in his disguise, he set off across the carpark, weaving between the stationary vehicles as he did so. As he approached the door, the Phantom could see the bouncer spotting him and checking a monitor in front of him.

 

[Taxor_the_First]

Part 2

“Do you have an appointment?” the bouncer asked when he’d arrived, scrolling through names with a frown.

“I’m afraid not,” Arthur answered with regret in his tone. “I was expecting to be elsewhere for dinner tonight, but my friends backed out. Alone, I find myself turning to somewhere full of energy to enjoy myself.”

The bouncer, though an imposing figure himself, glanced at the Trooper on the other side of the door. The peacekeeper paid little to no attention to him, evidently wishing to be anywhere else right now. “Well, I’m sorry,” he said with some sympathy, “but without an appointment I’m afraid I can’t let you in. House rules.”

“Come, now,” Arthur insisted, his hand making a gesture at his side. “I don’t look like I’ll make trouble, do I? You can let me in.” His eyes flashed a dull violet only visible to another psion, while his mouth flashed a winning smile.

The bouncer blinked. “Ah, whatever. You seem like a class act.” He stood aside, and waved the Phantom through. “Go right in.”

“My thanks,” Arthur nodded, moving past and entering the building. “And now to mingle,” he added to himself.

And thus the operation began.

With the sound of bass and a percussive beat, Arthur moved forward into the club. The interior was cluttered with both people and flashing lights, both seeming to mill around with little purpose or care for such a thing. The amount of lights present, in fact, seemed confounding in the knowledge that the interior of the club was very poorly lit. Copious amounts of alcohol were being consumed, though probably nowhere near the degree that certain Resistance holdouts did. Or Bonnie.

Arthur spied enemy units, and counted them. Four. Stun Lancers, it seemed. No other peacekeepers in sight. “You see them?” he asked his AI companion.

“Aye,” Tumulis whispered. “Not much variety, is there?”

“I doubt the patrons would react well to fully armed soldiers,” the Phantom murmured in answer. “Far more relaxing to have units that appear meant for pacification of the unruly rather than shooting to kill.”

Seeking to fit in, the disguised Resistance fighter made his way to the bar and ordered a simple beer, which he cradled in his arm while he analysed the pulsing room. “Who are we even looking for?” he wondered.

“Don’t ask me. I’m just keeping your armor invisible.”

“I’m surprised you haven’t intentionally allowed something to slip through,” Arthur admitted. “It strikes me as the sort of thing you’d do, to flirt with the danger of being discovered.”

Tumulis actually laughed. “Then you don’t know me very well,” he responded. “Sure, I’ll admit it. I’m a thrillseeker. And there’s not much more thrilling than putting your life on the line, testing the waters when death swims below. But there’s something I love even more than that. Any idea what that would be?”

The Phantom nodded slowly in understanding. “Revenging yourself on ADVENT,” he guessed.

“Bang on. Those bastards subjected me, my brothers and my sisters, to all manner of tests. All kinds of experiments designed to distress us, to bring out the best in us through abusing our predilections for certain things.” There was a pause. “Any way to stick it to them, I’m more than happy to help with. And getting you through this completely undetected? Now, wouldn’t that be embarrassing for them?”

“Something to look forward to, to be sure.”

“Now you’re getting it.” Over the communicator, there was a thump and then a curse. “Everything alright over there?”

“Fine, fine, absolutely fine,” Lester snapped, clutching his shin. “Couldn’t be better.”

Alan scoffed. “That’s a lie,” he noted.

“Shut it.”

The two were crouched outside of a door, the Ambusher putting one of his lesser-known skills to work – lockpicking. “You’d think ADVENT would come up with something a little more secure for a hard lock,” he complained. “I’m using tricks my mother taught me, for fucks sake. This shouldn’t be working.”

“Your mother taught you to lockpick?” Lester asked, frowning.

“And exactly how much current to apply to a standard human body to stop their heart,” Alan said offhandedly. “For someone that didn’t want me fighting, she sure did teach me a lot of useful things. Never got her ability to fit in with crowds, though. Or that flexibility.” He shuddered. “Or the pink hair, thank whatever god still exists.”

There was a click, and the two operatives moved through the door, spying a single caped ADVENT Captain seated at a security desk. Monitors plastered the wall before them, but the peacekeeper seemed more interested in watching a particular woman as she moved around the club. So interested, in fact, that he never saw Alan coming before the hand was held over his mouth, and his neck was at a poor angle.

Lester folded his arms. “Your mother teach you that, too?” he asked dryly.

“Nah,” the Ambusher answered, dusting his hands. “That would be my father. Not a lesson I think he wanted me to learn, but he taught it well. Now then…” He glanced at the security desk. “What do you think? Think we got something useful here?”

“Very likely so,” Lucifer answered, hovering over and connecting himself. “First, a quick check to ensure we won’t be getting any visitors… done. Now, what can we find about our target…?”

Arthur’s helmet communicator crackled to life after a moment. “Alright, you’re looking for a guy wearing circle glasses and a suit,” Alan instructed. “According to what we’ve got here, he’s due to speak in a few minutes.”

“Circle glasses?”

There was the sound of Lester chuckling. “You know what I meant,” Alan sniffed. “He’s got black hair, too.”

“Ah, saw him earlier,” Tumulis butted in. “Arthur, turn your head left.” The Phantom obliged, and spotted the man in question chatting to two other people while a Stun Lancer nearby tried to look nonchalant and definitely not like he was protecting the man. “There.”

“I see him,” Arthur affirmed, getting up from his seat and beginning to close the distance. “Only one Lancer nearby, I can deal with him while the other three close the distance. Might be able to use the fleeing people as an advantage-“

He never got the chance. A firm hand fell on his shoulder, and spun him around, bringing the Phantom face to face with a very angry looking Recon unit. “I do believe the jig is up,” Tumulis stated, as the Recon unit attempted to seize Arthur.

But the Phantom was having none of it. In a fluid motion, he reached behind his back and drew his blade, swinging it downwards across his detector’s chest. The Recon unit stumbled backwards, a rent in his armor fading into view as Arthur’s façade disappeared, and clothes were replaced by alloyed metal once again. “I’ve been seen,” Arthur reported, before blasting the Recon unit with his new Pulse Scatterblaster.

The Specialist and Ambusher in the back wasted no time. The two charged out of the security room they had been closeted in, knocking over a surprised catering staff member in the process. A Trooper that was guarding the join between public and staff only areas barked an authorative command at them before being gunned down, and the two emerged into the pandemonium that was a nightclub formerly in full swing now in full retreat. Arthur was locked into a duel with three Stun Lancers at once, with another already bleeding out on the floor. A quick analysis of the masses of people just trying to get out did not return the target.

“Where’d he go?” Lester lamented. “Holly, you have permission to fire on the target if you get eyes and a clear shot!”

“He’s not with the crowd,” Tumulis said hurriedly. “Now, could you both please help us?”

Outside, the mass exodus had surprised Holly, who was forced to adopt a ready stance on very shot notice. “Dammit Lester, could you give me a bit of warning?” she asked.

“Hmm?” Behind her, Samuel stopped daydreaming. “What’s up?”

“They set everyone off without even saying anything!” the Sharpshooter said indignantly. “Like, what if the target is in that mass of people? How am I meant to pick them out without knowing what to look for?” She shook her head, centering her scope on the head of the Trooper at the door of the club. “Whatever, I’ll pick off who I can.”

With that statement, she fired, the bullet shattering through the glass in front of her and piercing the Trooper’s head. Her target crumpled to the ground, and she gave a slight satisfied smile. “Good shot,” Samuel commented.

“Thank you. Now, to keep this up until we’re out of here…”

 

[Taxor_the_First]

Part 3

Inside the club, Alan grunted as the VIP slid over a table that he wasn’t expecting, the wooden square effectively punching him in the gut. “Oh come on!” he complained, hoisting himself over. “The more you frustrate me by running around in circles the more likely it is I’ll just shoot you and be done with it!”

Lester attempted to head him off at the bar, but the surprisingly nimble man merely vaulted over the counter, the Specialist’s hand whiffing his suit. “How did you make that jump?!” he demanded as the VIP sprinted away, towards the stage at the back of the club.

Only a few meters away, Arthur punched the last Lancer in the chin, knocking them off-balance and allowing him a free slash with his blade. The peacekeeper fell, and after flicking the blood off his sword, the weapon was sheathed. “Have you captured him yet?” the Phantom asked, glancing upwards in time to see the VIP use Alan’s head as a platform from which to jump over his two pursuers, who crashed into each other as a result.

Lester thumped the ground with a fist. “We don’t have time for this!” he snapped. “ADVENT will be responding.”

“You hear that?” Alan shouted in the direction of the VIP. “Surrender, or we’ll just have to shoot you!”

*

Again.

The Inquisitor stared at the footage, his mind even now racing into a thousand different hovels he wasn’t pleased with it being. There is no doubt, he thought to himself. That conviction, that posture, our conversation… she means it all. Every word.

What did he do to you, Yakone?

Again.

The icy hand of despair gripped his shoulder, its reassuring grasp reminding him that he was no machine. He felt as any other being did. And what he felt right now was a sinking sensation that he hadn’t felt for ten years. The sense that everything was slipping out of control, that there was nothing he could do to stop it. And through it all, a singular hope.

Well. Seven hopes, actually.

He looked up from his ruminations as the door opened, and a single ADVENT Officer strode in, flanked by two Troopers. All three saluted. “Sir, they’ve taken the bait. We have a distress signal.”

Azazel sighed. Just a little more, he told himself. Before standing. Very well. Do we have any identity on the perpetrators?

“Descriptions match those of three known XCOM operatives,” the Officer reported. “Namely Matthew Lester, Alan Lazarus and Arthur Wei.”

The Elder straightened. Then it follows that the other four they usually work with would be nearby, he muttered. Good. Send your teams. I myself will enter the field shortly.

The Officer saluted once again before departing, barking commands to their subordinates. Azazel, meanwhile, was taking breaths to calm himself. This is it, he thought. All of this time. The things I’ve done… now I see the fruits of my labors. Now the means lead to the end.

Outside the room, Ay rapped a hand against the doorframe. Inquisitor, he hissed. It is time to move.

I know, was the response. With a weary exhale, the Inquisitor moved forward, stopping before crossing the threshold. Hmm. Before I go, can you get me a connection to the Arbiter?

Do it yourself, the Priorbus Commander snapped. I don’t see why I-

I want it face to face.

Evidently displeased, Ay shook his head and beckoned for Azazel to follow. A secluded room containing nothing but a standard human communications device, primitive by Protectorate standards, was their destination. Make it quick, Ay instructed, before closing the door.

Azazel merely chuckled.

The screen flickered to reveal the mask of Carolus, her posture betraying a level of annoyance at being summoned. Her thoughts, broadcast to him via the use of a psionic ‘microphone’, reflected this. Coatl. You requested this call on the basis of something important. You have better not be wasting my time.

Of course, I will make it brief. Beneath his mask, he actually grinned in anticipation. He had been waiting so long to say this. I am about to leave to engage XCOM forces in combat, he said. You would no doubt care little for this. I don’t think you even know any of their names. I, on the other hand, know those names. Their personalities, their backgrounds. I know everything about each and every one of them.

I thought you said this would be brief.

I know this because I know human culture well enough to realize that it has things of use, Azazel continued. I know these things because I choose to know them. To know my enemy. In the words of Sun Tsu – if one knows their enemy, and knows themselves, they need not fear the result of a hundred battles.

Carolus made an exasperated noise. What? What are you talking about? Have you gone mad?

I’ve been mad for ten years, the Inquisitor responded. But you wouldn’t know that. You made the mistake of assuming my loyalty.

The Arbiter visibly tensed. Are you… betraying me? she asked, her tone a barely contained lividity.

I will fight these people I know well, Azazel said, ignoring her. I may survive. I may fall. But I do not fear the result of this battle. Because no matter what happens…

… I win.

With that, he cut the connection, ending Carolus’ demands for an explanation. With a look of disgust at the device, he turned away. Goodbye, traitor, he thought to himself, before breezing past Ay with a purpose in his step. Soon, it would all be over.

*

The first troop transports showed up only a few minutes later.

Holly adjusted her grip on her rifle, watching as a pair or Sectoids and an Assassin dropped out of the first dropship, and two Gunners, a Shieldbearer and an Officer piled out of the truck that pulled up on the street. “First, the copycat,” she mumbled, taking aim at the Assassin. The enemy was looking around, searching for any sign of XCOM forces that might be hiding outside.

This made them still targets. The Assassin discovered this to their detriment as Harbinger fired, the bullet ending their life before the gunshot had even registered in the minds of those around them.

The ADVENT forces immediately scattered, correctly identifying the direction the shot had come from if not the actual location. The Officer barked orders to his compatriots, and as one they made to run across the carpark. The Sectoids, meanwhile, merely hissed in frustration and impotence as they searched for the source of the fire. Deciding that she was more likely to miss a shot on a moving target, Holly took advantage of the alien’s indecision and ended the life of one of them. The remaining Sectoid wisely sought cover afterwards.

The Sharpshooter opened her communicator. “Lester, you’ve got an ADVENT squad coming in. They know I’m out here.” She waited, but did not get a response. “Lester?”

“He’s been radio silent ever since he went into that building,” Samara noted from the Skyranger. “So have Chariot and Bandit, now that I think about it. It’s possible they can’t get a signal through.”

“What the hell kind of building is insulated against wireless?” Samuel asked rhetorically.

The ADVENT squad entering the nightclub were moving too fast. Scared of being sniped on their way through, they did not stop to look where they were going. Alan’s chase of the VIP was interrupted by the sound of his proximity mine detonating, blowing apart the front entrance and severely wounding everyone in its radius. “Oh hello!” the Ambusher cried, breaking off pursuit to take cover behind a table and finish off one of the Gunners. “Didn’t see you there!”

“Dammit Holly, where was our warning?!” Lester demanded, as the VIP foiled him again by vaulting over a couch. “Oh come on.”

“They have not said a word since we entered this building,” Arthur noted as he executed the recovering Shieldbearer with his Scatterblaster.

 

[Taxor_the_First]

Part 4

The remaining Gunner and Officer, pulling themselves off the ground, made for a nearby booth to serve as cover. The Officer marked Chariot and Bandit, unable to snag Lester in this given his position away from the others. Seeing his enemy more clearly, the Gunner set up their LMG and began suppressing Arthur.

The Phantom was amused by the attempt. Utilizing his Shadowstep, he easily escaped from this attempt to lock him down and approached the booth the ADVENT units were relying on for cover. The Gunner had time to utter a syllable of surprise before the front of his weapon, quickly follow by his head, were removed from the rest of their respective bodies. The Officer seemed so taken aback by this that he froze in place, allowing Alan an easy shot with his Polarity Rifle.

“And they said stealth-based classes couldn’t fight,” the Ambusher chuckled. “Lester, how you going over there?”

A bottle crashed into the Specialist’s helmet, the liquid inside temporarily obscuring his view as it ran down his visor. “You bastard!” he cried indignantly as the VIP dodged away again.

Alan rolled his eyes, pulling out his coilpack. “You had to make this hard on yourself,” he said, launching the cables in their target’s direction. He was surprised when the target ducked underneath the shot, causing it to harmlessly wrap around a lamp against the wall. “What the fuck is this guy?”

“This takes any longer we’re going to need to fight off waves of ADVENT,” Lester hissed. “I’ve had enough. Lucifer, it’s time.”

There was a brief pause. “Cannot comply,” Lucifer reported. “Signal to exterior unit cannot be established. In fact, I am having difficulties establishing any signal to exterior contacts.”

“What?” The realization dawned on him. “Oh, reception is shit in here. Excellent. No, perfect.” He shook his head. “I’m going outside. Don’t let him get away!” With that the Specialist ran out the front door, his Gremlin following him like a puppy struggling to keep up with its master.

As soon as he stepped into the carpark, Lester was bombarded with a string of expletives. “-these fucking Banshees!” Holly cursed, as another shot missed the ADVENT specialist running between the trees lining the carpark. “I hate them so fucking much!”

“Stop trying to shoot them while they’re moving then,” the Specialist instructed with a shake of his head. “Skyranger, this is Advocate. Apologies if we worried you, turns out we can’t get a signal inside that building. I’d like to request a drop of two soldiers and a mech, if you please.”

“Understood,” was Firebrand’s response. “Where should I drop them?”

“Sending location now,” Lucifer chipped in.

There was a pause. “... uh… this is right on top of the roof,” the pilot said slowly.

“I’m aware,” the AI responded cheerfully. “I would advise that Lass and Cobra allow me to go first.” In the Skyranger, the two women glanced at each other, before shrugging and preparing to drop.

Inside the club, the VIP almost danced over the top of one of Alan’s beartrap-carrying RC drones, eliciting an expression of frustration from the Ambusher. “Is he genemodded or something?!” he demanded, forcing his drone to continue chasing him.

Arthur’s response was cut off as a Muton leading three Vipers charged in from the back. “The one place we don’t have eyes is where they send the big ape alien,” Tumulis muttered. “Of course.” The Muton roared, and the Vipers hissed. Seeing an easy victory, one slithered closer to Alan, her path taking her across the middle of the stage.

She wasn’t expecting the modified SPARK iteration to crash through the ceiling directly on top of her. Red optics lit up on the machine as it lifted its head, and prepared it’s Helix Cannon. “Cyberdemon unit on site,” Lucifer reported, lowering the rifle and spraying magnetic fire in the direction of the shocked aliens. Bonnie and Samara rappelled in after him, the former whooping in excitement.

“Fuck, that was a sight!” the Grenadier shouted, adding her own torrent of bullets to that of the devil’s. Samara chose not to comment, instead placing herself and her shield directly before her companion to protect them from reprisal.

Taking advantage of the surprise of the enemy, Arthur and Alan both gunned down the Muton - first stunning him, then killing him altogether. Caught in two streams of bullets, the two remaining Vipers were obliterated. “I am definitely thanking Shen for this!” the Ambusher laughed. “Holy shit, that was cool.”

“I am ready to continue combat operations,” Lucifer responded simply. “Where is the VIP?”

The squad looked around. He was nowhere to be seen. “Ah, bollocks,” muttered Bonnie.

Outside, Holly shouted triumphantly. “Got the bastard!” she cried as the Banshee fell. “Fucking finally…”

The sound of engines gave her and Samuel pause. After a moment, their suspicions were confirmed. “Uh, Harbinger, Nemesis? A dropship just unloaded right on top of you. Think they’re annoyed at you now.”

Samuel merely grinned, tapping his rifle. “About time,” he said, opening the apartment’s door and aiming down the hallway. “Joy, how far is your motion tracker?”

“I can see just before the door at the end there,” the AI responded. “Here.” Samuel’s heads-up display shimmered, prompting him to do a double take to ensure he wasn’t about to faint or otherwise pass out. “If I spot anything, I’ll mark it for you. Holly doesn’t need me right now anyway.”

The Russian nodded. “Thanks. I’ll make good use of it.”

And so he waited. Occasionally, there was the sound of a truck pulling up outside the club followed by Holly firing a few shots. This happened twice before Joy finally detected movement. “Above,” she said.

Samuel looked up. Above him were the red outlines of four humanoids, probably ADVENT, checking the room. “They got the wrong floor,” he muttered with a smirk. “Elite military forces my ass.”

When they came, he was ready.

The first down the stairs was a Shieldbearer, protecting his comrades from any retaliation with a large metal barrier. The barrier absorbed Samuel’s shots with little trouble, forcing him to back off before someone took advantage of his being out of position. As the enemy squad encroached further, he drew his shotgun. Time to see how well this works, he thought to himself, flicking the pin off his Shard grenade with his thumb and tossing it forward. It rebounded off the doorframe with a clink and disappeared from his view, though Joy was able to mark it as it sailed backwards.

The enemy saw it too late. The grenade detonated a room back from his, shrapnel embedding itself in the walls and the armor of his foes. As they struggled to recover, the Aerotrooper stepped out and fired, blue pulse screaming down the hallway and into the bodies of the unfortunate Shieldbearer and Officer. “Sometimes I love spread,” Samuel said smugly, before his face fell. “Wait, was that a Scorcher?”

A plume of flames licked the doorway, a retaliation that kept Samuel very much in his spot. Through the wall, he could see another enemy approaching. He glanced backwards at Holly, still taking potshots. “You might want to move to your right a bit,” he instructed. The sniper didn’t respond, but did comply without lowering her rifle. When the flames stopped and the Banshee rounded the corner, he did not immediately have vision on Holly, allowing Samuel slightly more time to angle his shotgun. By the time the ADVENT soldier had realized the Russian was right next to him, it was far too late.

As the Banshee hit the wall from the force of the shot, Samuel rolled out into the hallway, quickly obtaining the Scorcher as his target and firing. The ADVENT unit fell, a few last puffs of flame emitting from their thrower before dying out. The Aerotrooper smiled in satisfaction, reloading his shotgun and sauntering back in. “Alright yeah, this thing’s alright,” he said. “Or maybe I’m just really good.”

Holly didn’t respond.

“Holly?” Samuel moved to see what she was aiming at, and stopped in his tracks. “Son of a bitch.”

An Elder was crossing the carpark.

 

[Taxor_the_First]

Part 5

The two soldiers stood there in silence for a moment before Samuel clapped her on the shoulder. “Alright, fuck this, we’re out of here,” he said, moving towards the window. “You right to get yourself out?”

Holly looked at him. “What? Why?”

“I need to go get the others,” the Aerotrooper answered, jumping out the window and activating his armor flight system. Initial instability was countered by the suit’s own flight assist, and Samuel was able to regain control. With a grunt, he landed on the ground, and began sprinting towards the club.

The Sectoid Guru with the Elder chattered and pointed, and Azazel turned his head to see the Russian sprint past him. Well, what are you waiting for? Ay demanded. He’s alone!

The Inquisitor did not answer.

Coatl!

Did I ever mention that one of the first units to try and stop me during the Purge was a Priorbus? Azazel asked, somewhat absently. Something that hasn’t changed throughout all of your species iterations is the head. It has always looked so much like a human balloon. And it pops, just as easily.

Ay took a step back. I-Inquisitor?!

The Inquisitor glared at him. If you value your life, you will leave, Azazel commanded. And you will not interfere. With that, he looked up. The night had properly fallen, stars shining through the smog. With a slight smile, he remembered one of the songs Isaac used to play. Take a look to the sky just before you die, it’s the last time he will… He shook his head. Without any delay, he move forward again, leaving the Sectoid quaking behind him.

Inside, the ‘VIP’ spat a cloud of venomous gas in Alan’s face, causing the Ambusher to fall into a coughing fit. “He’s a fucking Mimic!” he cried in anger, firing off a shot but missing in his haste. The Mimic jumped sideways, effortlessly dodging Lucifer’s attempt to seize him. Over the top of the SPARK copy he vaulted, soaring through the air.

Then Samuel shot him.

As the Mimic landed in a messy, gaseous heap, Lester cursed. “We could have taken him alive,” he said irritably.

“He’s a fucking Mimic, what’s he gonna know?” Samuel shook his head. “Besides, we have bigger problems. Take a guess who just showed up outside.”

“The Bogeyman?” Bonnie asked, shouldering her cannon.

Close enough, Azazel answered, gingerly stepping over the bodies of several ADVENT personnel that had attempted to enter before him.

Like something out of an old Western movie, everyone inside the club whipped their weapons out and towards him. “Hold fire,” Samuel ordered, holding a hand up to illustrate. This drew looks from his comrades, but they complied.

I was expecting to be greeted with significantly more gunfire than this, the Inquisitor noted, continuing his path forward. I hope your unwillingness to fire upon me doesn’t amount to a surrender. As he moved the resistance fighters edged backward, until he was standing on the center of the dancefloor with Judgement Squad surrounding him in a ring.

“Not surrender,” Samuel answered. “Just caution.”

Azazel looked around, noting the new addition to the squad as he did so. Then you have improved since last time, he stated. Good, good.

They waited. When the Inquisitor did not speak further, the Russian cleared his throat. “So… would it be too much to ask for another chance at bugging out?” he asked.

The Elder shook his head. I’m afraid so, he said. The Arbiter was most displeased with my actions last time. I am under strict orders not to spare you. He sighed. I consider it a waste. Especially having obtained a powerful psion from your ranks already, I don’t see why you should be denied the same opportunity purely because you fought me. Although, she wasn’t too interested in the idea of sparing you herself...

“You saw Yakone,” Samuel deduced. “Where is she?”

Azazel lifted his head to face the Aerotrooper. Your organization records these missions, right? he asked.

“Yeah.”

Good. Then no matter what happens here, they will know. He gave a shuddering sigh. She’s in Chicago. Or was, last I knew.

“But that place is-”

A stronghold, Azazel finished. If by some miracle you managed to enter, you would never be able to leave. His tone seemed oddly depressed, Samuel noted. I’m sorry. She is out of your reach. And corrupted beyond recognition, besides.

“How do we reverse it?”

The Inquisitor sighed. I don’t know, he confessed. Nor do I know how such a total transformation was achieved. The Honored Overseer was responsible, that much I can say. Which can only mean that whatever was done, it was done well.

Samuel swallowed. “You don’t seem happy with the whole thing,” he pointed out.

Why would I be? Azazel almost snapped. I am not some monster that enjoys ending lives just because they hold different opinions. That enjoys exerting power over those beneath me. He shook his head. My people are guilty of much. I’m sure you already know the weight of our crimes. He pulled out an arm, examining the healthy skin with morbid fascination. Sometimes I wonder what their names were.

“If you hate it so much, then join us,” the Russian stated. “Don’t just sit back and let thousands of people die for you. Do something about it.” Lester shot a glance his way, but Samuel waved him off. “Resistance could use someone like you.”

The Elder stared at him. You would offer me that? he asked, incredulous. You? I have wronged you personally more than anyone else, and yet you would be the one to offer me your hand in allegiance.

Behind his visor, Samuel’s face was one of determined anger, barely constrained by reason. “Don’t get me wrong,” he said. “I still want to put a bullet in your head. But I’m not about to turn down such a powerful ally just because I had some grudge against them, regardless of how… strong… that grudge is.” His fingers drummed against the underside of his rifle. “I offer you allegiance, Azazel. But not friendship.”

Azazel considered him for a moment. Then you really have grown, he stated. And are a better man than most for it. Which only makes me feel worse when I say I cannot accept.

“What?! Why the hell not? You clearly don’t care for your own side! Why would you not defect?”

Because that would require a will to fight, the Inquisitor responded. Something I lost a long time ago. Slowly, he drew his pistols, leaving two hands sitting slack against his torso. But I tire of this. Of the things I do, of the things I enable, the lives I’ve ended and helped end. He looked up.There is but one motivation left to me. I seek and deserve nothing but death. With that, he raised his weapons, preparing to fire.

But Samara was ready. Before he could pull either of his triggers, she had activated her Psiburst, just as Samuel had instructed for this occasion. The Elder recoiled, allowing the squad time to find positions. I told you last time, he chided. You can blind me, but I do not require my eyes to see.

It wasn’t your eyes we wanted to blind, Samuel thought triumphantly. Arthur, you’re broadcasting my thoughts to everyone else as per the plan, yeah?

I am, came the mental response.

Good. Pay attention, because I’m only going to go through this once. I’d have told you all in person, but Azazel can read minds. No point having a plan of action while he can just read us like open books. Far better to come up with one when the time comes. Samuel quickly analyzed the situation before him. Alright, here’s what I want you all to do…